《A Replacement Bride》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    Outside the hospital ward, Katherine Cornell sat on a chair in the corridor. She raised her eyes to look


    at the two aggressive people in front of her and proimed, "I can marry into the Levisays, but I want to


    get my mother''s assets back¡ª"


    "What? Assets? Katherine, who are you to state conditions?" A sharp female voice interrupted her.


    Katherine tilted her head and looked at her so-called ''stepmother''.


    This woman forced her mother to die so that she could be the new Mrs. Cornell before sending


    her and her grandmother abroad to fend for themselves.


    After more than ten years, this woman dared toe and ask her to return to Cechirus to marry one of


    the Levisays.


    Katherine hid the hatred in her eyes, raised her hand and pushed her sses up. "Aren''t you begging


    me now? If you think my conditions are too excessive, then we''re done here."


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    The woman was annoyed. "Katherine, they are! What''s more, this marriage was decided by your


    mother and the Levisays!"


    "Yes..." Katherine nodded and asked, "But do the Levisays acknowledge this marriage?"


    The woman was immediately stunned and looked at the middle-aged man beside her.


    "Kathy, the Levisays have always kept their promises, so how could they deny this marriage?" Jorge


    Cornell spoke softly, breaking his silence.


    Katherine interrupted him, "Dad, I heard that Joaquin Levisay has a problem with his legs. He is


    confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, and there is no hope of him inheriting the Levisay


    Group."


    Katherine''s eyes swept across their faces, and in an innocent tone, she said, "I know that the Levisays


    put forward generous conditions for Joaquin to have children. They just want to find a woman who can


    give him an heir."


    "Madam Sutton, you don''t want Rosemary to marry him, yet you want to curry favor with the Levisays.


    That''s why the two of you suddenly thought of me."


    Jorge''s face was burning hot, but his tone was gratifying. "In the past, your mother and Mrs. Levisay


    were best friends¡ª"


    "Yeah." Katherine said, "If it weren''t for Joaquin''s disability, you would have stuffed Rosemary into his


    arms."


    Jorge suddenly became angry. "Katherine, is it appropriate for you to talk to me, your father, in this


    manner?"


    "Jorge, why are you arguing so much with her?" Lisa Sutton raised her voice. "It''s her honor to get


    married to Joaquin!"


    "If it''s such an honor, Madam Sutton, why don''t you let Rosemary go and do so? Rosemary will never


    let you down."


    Anyway, it was not important to Katherine''s future ns whether she married into that family or not.


    After all, this was not the only way to get her mother''s assets back.


    She got up immediately and was about to leave when Jorge hurriedly stopped her, gritted his teeth and


    said, "I have to think about it. It has been so many years that I''ve left your mother''s stuff alone, so I


    can''t remember all of it so clearly¡ª"


    Jorge pretended to be a loving father, but Katherine obviously did not appreciate it. "I''m not discussing


    with you; I''m telling you."


    She added bluntly, "The door is there, so you may leave."


    Furrowing his eyebrows, Jorge gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I agree. I agree with you! But you must


    marry Joaquin Levisay! I''ll give you a day to pack up ande back with me!"


    It''s as if he''s afraid I would go against him. Katherine suppressed the sarcasm in her heart, and when


    she turned around again, the ruthlessness she had hadpletely disappeared as she smiled.


    "Understood. Thank you, Dad. You''re the best."


    Jorge was speechless.


    Anyway, it was not important to Katherine''s future ns whether she married into that family or not.


    After all, this was not the only way to get her mother''s assets back.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    One dayter, with a suitcase, Katherine board the earliest flight in the morning, and when she got to


    Cechirus, it was already dark.


    She stayed in one of Hilton''s standard suites, waiting for the Cornells'' arrangement.


    The jetg made her a little tired, so she fell asleep on the bed. Amidst her dazed state, the sound of


    rustling footsteps came from the silent room, and then...


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    p! There was a soft sound.


    Katherine suddenly opened her eyes. As she grew vignt, she reached out to touch under the pillow...


    In the next second, she felt a chill on her body as a figure lifted the quilt and got in. Katherine paused


    for a moment, and instinctively began to push away.


    However, a cold hand pressed against her neck.


    The man''s voice was hoarse and cold. "Don''t move; otherwise, I''ll kill you."


    Katherine froze all over. Then, she smelled an extremely familiar scent. It was something she had been


    in contact with most for so many years¡ªblood.


    This man is injured.


    "You¡ª"


    "I''m hiding." The man''s voice was low with an unquestionable tone.


    Hide? Katherine frowned; she was not running a shelter here!


    With her other hand, she touched the pen under the pillow, and after seeing the man''s position clearly


    by the moonlight, she raised the pen to stab the back of his neck hard!


    At this time, there was a hurried knock on the door. "Open the door! We need to check the room!"


    The sudden situation made Katherine stop her movement.


    Checking the room at this hour? They''re certainly here to arrest this guy.


    Yet, the man in front of her was urging, "Don''t open the door. Otherwise, I can''t guarantee what will


    happen."


    Katherine sneered, "Why should I listen to you?"


    Hearing this, Joaquin Levisay frowned. He lowered his head and happened to meet Katherine''s gaze.


    Through the moonlight, Katherine saw a pair of deep cold eyes, which gave her an inexplicable sense


    of familiarity...


    Due to this familiarity, she hesitated.


    The man took the opportunity to grab Katherine''s wrist, and with just a little force, the pen in her hand


    fell onto the wool carpet.


    "You don''t have the right to choose." He was breathing hard. His voice was hoarse as he was suffering


    from pain.


    At this time, there was a bang outside the door, and it looked as if the door would be kicked open soon.


    Without hesitation, the man ripped off Katherine''s shoulder strap and ordered, "Moan!"


    Moan? Even though Katherine had no experience in the bedroom, she understood what this meant,


    and her face started to burn.


    The man''s broad figure pressed down upon her naked body. Even if the man was propping his body


    up, it was inevitable that there would be contact between them. In such a situation, he wanted her to


    moan?


    What an *sshole!


    Katherine frowned, gritted her teeth, and probed down with her fingers before she stabbed the man''s


    wound on the leg.


    Due to this familiarity, she hesitated.


    The man took the opportunity to grab Katherine''s wrist, and with just a little force, the pen in her hand


    fell onto the wool carpet.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    The sudden pain made the man groan, and his strength that was holding her was let down for a


    moment.


    Katherine immediately seized the opportunity to break free and pushed him back onto the bed.


    Joaquin was caught off guard and narrowed his long eyes in the darkness. This woman seemed to be


    holding on to some vital point of his. Just pressing his shoulder was enough to make him, who was


    injured, unable to move, let alone get up.


    Katherine red at the man under her. The wound she was pressing under her fingers was still


    bleeding.


    Compared to how it was flowing out initially, the amount of bleeding was instantly reduced by half after


    she pressed on the man''s wound.


    "Sir, I think it''s better for you to moan." Katherine raised her eyebrows and smiled coldly. Just as she


    was about to try to take a closer look at the man''s appearance with the moonlight, the bedroom door


    was kicked open with a bang.


    At the same time, the man struggled to turn over and pressed her under him.


    His cold lips pressed against hers, kissing her fiercely.


    Katherine was startled by this unexpected action and let out a light moan.


    Soon, the man began to imitate the movements of sex.


    Shocked, Katherine raised her knee up with all her might to smash it into him. The man quickly


    suppressed her leg, panting and whispering, "If you don''t cooperate, I have to do it for real..."


    The man''s breath sprayed on Katherine''s face, causing her deep-seated fear to be instantly drawn out,


    and her fingernails dug into the palm of her hand.


    She had lost the chance, and her fear had been drawn out of the shadows. She was now a sitting duck.


    The man suddenly bit down on Katherine, making her feel pain in her corbone.


    The moment the bedroom light was turned on, she screamed in revenge and squeezed the man''s


    shoulders with both hands.


    Soon, the room became bright, illuminating the man''s strong back, and the girl with messy hair and


    flushed face below him.


    The skin on her bare shoulders was creamy white; her panicked appearance was like a frightened little


    white rabbit.


    The searcher was dressed in ck. Upon seeing such a sexual scene in the bedroom, he was


    immediately embarrassed. He quickly retreated before he was cursed at. He did not even have time to


    see what the man on the bed looked like.


    "I''m sorry, sir and ma''am, we are just doing a routine check. Please show your identification."


    Crash!


    A vase flew out of the bedroom and smashed at the feet of the intruder, apanied by the man''s


    violent roar, "What are you f*ckers doing here? Get the f*ck out of here!"


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    Everyone was startled and hurriedly backed away while apologizing.


    Katherine vaguely heard their conversation.


    "He''s not here!"


    With the sound of messy footsteps, the door was closed, and the room fell silent again.


    Katherine was not furious this time. She grappled the man andunched an attack, but he was


    obviously prepared. He raised his hand, controlled her arm and easily stopped her.


    "Who are you? Who sent you here?" He wanted to grab her wrist, but she avoided it like a snake.


    "I should be asking you this." Katherine took a step back and stared at the person in front of her


    vigntly.


    Except for Mr. Muller, no one knew that she left Fontan this time. The man''s skill and inexplicable


    familiarity were enough to give her a sense of wariness.


    The man was slightly surprised, and the corners of his eyes and brows were chilly. "If you don''t know


    who I am, you should have called for help just now."


    Not to mention her skills, it was not easy to meet a woman who could handle things so calmly. Hilton


    was really full of surprises.


    "I just don''t want to cause trouble for myself. I saved you just now, so why are you questioning me?"


    Katherine did not care what he did at all, but one thing was certain¡ªshe never wanted to make


    enemies as long as the man was not a danger to her!


    She used this principle to survive in Fontan for years. If it were not for an update on what happened


    that year, she would not have agreed to the Cornells'' request so easily. After all, to get back what


    belonged to her mother, she had more ruthless means up her sleeves.


    The corners of Joaquin''s mouth twitched with yfulness.


    "Such eloquent words from your mouth. It''s a pity that I didn''t have a good taste of it just now."

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    While speaking, hisrge hand touched her torn pajamas.


    Katherine kicked over at him who dodged her but ended up hurting his wound.


    The pain instantly annoyed Joaquin. He stepped forward and pushed the woman against the wall,


    completely ignoring the bleeding from the wound. He grabbed her two wrists with one hand and


    pressed them above her head.


    "Still using this trick, eh?"


    Katherine struggled for a while, but to no avail.


    The man''s breath was overwhelming, and the bloody smell added a bit of roughness and malice to him.


    He looked at Katherine yfully while the tip of his nose touched her ear.


    The warm breath made Katherine blush. She wanted to use her legs to kick her way out, but the man


    was prepared and directly suppressed her.


    Her slender legs were spread into a humiliating posture, causing her to be immediately furious.


    "Bastard, let me go!"


    Many years ago, there was a person who put her in such a posture and tortured her to no end. Not only


    was plundering her body distressing to her, but she also wasn''t given any room to free herself.


    The sense of humiliation struck like a nightmare, causing Katherine''s whole body to constrict tightly.


    While speaking, hisrge hand touched her torn pajamas.


    Joaquin did not expect this reaction from her. Soon, his fingers touched the wetness on her cheeks.


    Is she crying?


    Joaquin wanted to scare this woman who knew nothing about the world, but in the end, she could not


    take it.


    So, he released the restraint on her, got up, pulled a nket over her, and said coldly, "Don''t tell


    anyone about what happened today."


    Katherine curled up into a ball under the nket, her shivering figure looking extremely pitiful.


    Joaquin was silent for a moment before he turned to leave.


    After waiting for a while, Katherine slowly got out of bed and confirmed that there was no one in the


    room.


    Opening her hand, a milky white jadey quietly on it.


    The smooth feel of the polishing and the fine carving work were both more valuable than this piece of


    jade''s inherent value, but they were all used on a piece of jade of such poor quality.


    It could be seen that its significance to the owner was by no means ordinary.


    The corners of Katherine''s mouth curled with a hint of yfulness. She thought that even a leopard


    would not know how many paths a crafty rabbit could take.


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    At the same time, in the infirmary of the Levisay Residence.


    The tray was full of used gauze, and the smell of disinfectant was a bit pungent.


    The man in the main hall was leaning on the executive chair. The shirt on his chest had been torn


    open, exposing his wheat-colored pectoral muscles. Two doctors were squatting by his thighs and


    stitching him up.


    The nurse holding the tray was anxious as she said, "Mr. Levisay, you need anesthesia¡ª"


    "He doesn''t need anesthesia." A yful voice came.


    A man with nted eyes and fair skin walked in lightly. His attitude was one of extraordinary


    recklessness.


    After seeing the wounded man, the undisciplined man couldn''t help pulling out the handkerchief in his


    suit pocket to cover his mouth and nose. "Joaquin, you''re really something now. You don''t need


    anesthesia for such a deep wound?"


    Joaquin opened his closed eyes slowly and looked at the maning with a look of contempt. "It''s


    unnecessary for such a small injury."

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Unnecessary?


    Joaquin was dragged out in the middle of the night in a bloody scene.


    It was also fortunate that his status was rtively stable in the past few years, otherwise, the matter


    would have already spread to the ears of the Donways.


    Although the other man was toozy to ask, he stillined, "It''s really quite oundish. They didn''t


    show mercy at all."


    Joaquin sneered, "Mercy? That is always given for outsiders to see. The Levisays have no such need."


    Since he was 5 or 6 years old, these things happened all the time.


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    During that time, his mothermitted suicide by jumping off the building, then another woman


    entered the family and took up her position the next month.


    At first, he did not understand why everyone treated him differently until he met his rtives from his


    mother''s side.


    It was also from then that he realized everyone wanted to join the Levisays and howplicated the


    family was. As he grew older, he realized that his understanding was just the tip of the iceberg.


    On the surface, the Levisays were a wealthy and powerful family in Hovington. They had their own


    share of skeletons in the closet, and blood rtives were not worth mentioning at all.


    There were only selfish interests and endless struggles.


    Joaquin could not remember how many attempts on his life there had been. Every time, he would get


    treated before walking out like nothing had happened at all.


    Unnecessary?


    Joaquin was dragged out in the middle of the night in a bloody scene.


    Thest car ident did not kill him, so he used the excuse of his poor health to find a woman to


    monitor him.


    Joaquin had long been used to all this. In a marriage among the wealthy, the least important thing was


    true love, because these people were not worthy of love at all.


    "I heard that they have begun to doubt you. You will not keep pretending to be a cripple, right?" the


    man asked.


    Pretending to be a cripple?


    Joaquin said indifferently, "I''m really a cripple now. Do you want to check?"


    "It''s hard to say." The man shrugged and leaned on the table.


    Seeing the doctors wrap the gauze around Joaquin''s legs and the contents on the tray dyed red, the


    man couldn''t help frowning. "Joaquin, I heard that the woman has returned to Cechirus."


    Joaquin extinguished the cigarette in his hand and said in a calm tone, "The Cornell woman?"


    "Who else is there beside her?" The man snorted twice. "In the eyes of the Cornells, even if you are


    lame, you are a fat piece of juicy meat. Just looking at you makes their eyes aglow. How can they not


    eat you up?"


    A look of contempt appeared on his handsome face; obviously, he had been investigating the Cornells


    for a long time.


    "This daughter of the Cornells has been discarded abroad since she was a child. I guess she is also


    illiterate. Although she looks fair and pretty in the photo, I don''t think she''s much better than that father


    of hers. Moreover, she did not take sses at all when she was abroad, but I found someone to follow


    up on her and identified theputer she was using¡­"


    He made a symbol with his hands and raised his eyebrows. "How can a girl with no financial resources


    be able to afford this kind ofputer? Her father Jorge is penniless too."


    Joaquin looked at the man who was talking so much in front of him. The man had said so much just to


    make the point that this so-called eldest daughter of the Cornells, who had agreed to be married to


    Joaquin since birth, was just another woman who was a materialistic gold-digger who was exactly the


    same as her other family members.


    Speaking of women, Joaquin encountered one who was different tonight.


    She was quick and wild like a cat. Her innate wildness instantly aroused his desire to conquer her.


    He had not felt this way for many years, but unfortunately, he met her at the wrong time¡­


    "What are you thinking about?"


    The sudden voice interrupted Joaquin''s shback. He looked at the man in front of him, still chattering


    away.


    "That''s why I''m saying that you have to be careful. She is a gold digger, and she might have been


    bought by those Donway people."


    The man paused, before continuing, "Also, if you really want to get engaged to that Cornell woman,


    have you ever thought about what would happen to Beatrice?"

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    Beatrice¡­


    Joaquin''s eyes darkened, and when he thought of Beatrice''s pitiful look, he had a strange feeling in his


    heart.


    Although she helped him 5 years ago, he was also trying to protect her at that time, so he did not say


    that they would get married immediately.


    Every time he faced Beatrice, he had an unreal feeling.


    "Ben, I have no other choice." Joaquin motioned for others to leave, while he sat in a wheelchair.


    His tone was cold as he said, "Only by never having children in the future can I give Beatrice a stable


    future."


    Other than that, everything was a lie.


    Ben took a deep breath, then said a little helplessly, "All I can do is try not to let her know, but if one


    day¡­ she¡­"


    "Then, I''ll handle it."


    Ben nced at Joaquin''s chest, frowning slightly. "Where''s your pendant?"


    ¡­


    Katherine was sleepless all night and was haunted by nightmares.


    At that time, she and her grandmother had just been sent to Fontan by Jorge. At the age of 18, she


    went to the bar to sell alcohol for a living but ended up being targeted by a group of drunken hooligans.


    She tried to escape but fell down. Soon, she staggered into the arms of a passerby, whom she thought


    would save her, but in the end, he took her virginity.


    Beatrice¡­


    Joaquin''s eyes darkened, and when he thought of Beatrice''s pitiful look, he had a strange feeling in his


    heart.


    He just pushed her against the wall so roughly as he rained hot kisses upon her, and the pain made


    Katherine cry.


    While panting, he apologized and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, kissed her


    earlobe, and murmured, "Don''t be afraid¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I will be responsible, so remember toe to


    me."


    The man thereafter took out a check from his pocket and stuffed it into her pocket without allowing her


    to refuse it.


    However, Katherine was in pain and did not have the strength to answer. She just wanted to leave this


    god-forsaken ce. In the end, she walked aimlessly and fainted in front of the hospital.


    When she woke up, it was already three days since the incident. During these three days, the hospital


    helped her contact her grandmother and cashed the check given by the man.


    Everything was toote.


    She could only lie to her grandmother and say that she had encountered a robbery. Lawless children


    from the slums often robbed and stole things in this area, and her grandmother believed it.


    However, only Katherine understood that from this day on, her life would be different.


    She used the money to apply for medical school, and she graduated early due to her high IQ. She was


    already a PhD holder in her 20s, but she still pretended to be an ordinary woman in front of everyone


    while focusing on traditional medicine, until an email came...


    After leaving the hotel, Katherine sat in the car indifferently and looked at the street where people came


    and went outside the car window. The sun was shining everywhere.


    Fontan was not so prosperous and there were not so many people. Katherine preferred the stronger


    and livelier atmosphere here.


    At least, it was real and beautiful.


    Just as Katherine was immersed in this feeling, her phone vibrated.


    She lowered her head and saw a text message reminding her: ''Miss Cornell, Mr. Muller has already


    arranged everything. What else do you need help with?''


    Katherine nced at the busy traffic outside the window and silently replied to the message: ''Just a


    quiet ce to live.''


    ''Okay, if you have any other requests, please let me know at any time!''


    The driver of the cab couldn''t help but look back.


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    This legendary woman was quiet and calm. She grew up in a rxed manner abroad, and she was


    dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, which were very casual.


    The driver thought of the arrangement and slowly stepped on the brakes.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    "Have we arrived?" Katherine asked without looking up.


    The driver cleared his throat. "It''s quite congested up front; you''d better walk over by yourself."


    Katherine raised her eyes and looked at the tree-lined road in front of her. There were not many cars or


    people. How is this congested?


    "Alright." Katherine did not argue with him; she just opened the door and got out of the car.


    During this period, the driver neither stepped forward to help nor opened the door for her. He treated


    Katherine as a lowly woman the whole time.


    Katherine then went around the front of the car and came to the driver''s seat.


    "Mr. Leen?" Katherine nced at his badge, and just one nce made this man''s heart tremble.


    "Anything?" He reflexively covered his badge.


    Thinking of his employer, he had to do this if he wanted to keep his job.


    "It''s nothing." Katherine smiled slightly, raised her hand, and patted his shoulder. "Good luck."


    This move came suddenly and ended as quickly. Before the driver could react, Katherine had already


    left.


    The driver burst out foulnguage in his heart and drove away.


    However, it was only a short distance away when the car went out of control and skidded into the


    greenery up ahead.


    With a loud bang, a burst of white smoke came out of the hood.


    Katherine watched as the driver was hit in the face by the airbag as he called for help, then turned and


    left with a snort.


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    No one noticed as she put away a few silver needles.


    A driver who dares to despise his employer''s family?


    Katherine knew that there was a problem, but she was toozy to think about it, so she took another


    cab to the mall.


    As it was not her own money, she did not show any mercy when swiping Jorge''s card.


    She spent so much that Jorge called to question her.


    At that time, Katherine was looking at some essories at the counter of a certain luxury brand, and


    she could feel Jorge''s rage through her phone.


    "Kathy, what did you buy that is so expensive¡ª"


    "I heard that Rosemary''s limited-edition bag was purchased from your secondary card."


    "Kathy, how did you be like this? You''re so arrogant and extravagant¡ª"


    "I heard that Rosemary''s car was also purchased from your secondary card."


    "Kathy, you''ll have it all after marrying Joaquin Levisay. Can''t you save some money now?"


    "If I save money now, won''t it just embarrass you?"


    Jorge fell silent on the other end of the phone.


    Katherine had always been very talented at picking someone''s weak spot.


    She looked at the bracelet she was trying on. The style was novel and intricate, and every line was


    meticulously carved.


    "It''ll cost you a rich son-inw if you penny-pinch, Dad. Right?" Katherine''s voice was light and soft.


    Jorge felt like he was being conned, but after weighing the pros and cons, he could only say, "Buy it


    then. Buy a bigger one."


    "If that''s the case¡­ Thank you, Dad."


    With that, she put on the matching ring, and the sound of swiping the card was particrly pleasant to


    her ears.


    When she was about to go back, she received a text message on her phone: ''Miss Cornell, someone


    has been following you. Do you need us to solve it?''


    Katherine turned slightly to the side just in time to see a few suspicious individuals pretending to look at


    the products on disy.


    She ignored them, turned around, and replied to the text message: ''Don''t worry, I will solve it myself.''


    She thought it would be something new, yet it turned out to be an old trick.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Hence, when Katherine deliberately led these people to a remote ce, one of the yellow-haired


    gangsters could not help but jump out ande forward with a face full of lust.


    "Babe, where are you going?"


    "Stop with the pretenses. Who asked you to follow me? What do you want to do? Just tell me directly."


    Katherine raised her eyes to look at him, her gaze cold. "Answer me. What methods will you be using


    to make me do as you say?"


    The gangster was speechless.


    He had only just said a sentence! Everyone present was a little overwhelmed, especially the yellow-


    haired gangster who hesitated for a while and did not know what to say.


    Katherine looked at the time; she had more important things to do. "Are you going to take turns, or are


    you all going toe up to me together?"


    The gangsters had been hooligans for so many years, and this was the first time they met someone


    who wanted them to act together¡­


    "Hey, what do you mean? Who are you looking down on?" The yellow-haired gangster couldn''t hold


    back anymore.


    Feeling insulted, he added, "I tell you, if I really act on it, I''ll¡ªAh!"


    A scream made the birds in the trees in the park fly away wildly, and then more screams came one


    after another.


    Ten minutester, police appeared.


    At that time, Katherine had already fought half of these people.


    The moment these gangsters saw the police, it was as if they had seen their saviors. They immediately


    cried for help.


    The tragic situation of the thugs attracted a lot of onlookers. Katherine packed her backpack and was


    brought to the police car.


    In the interrogation room, Katherine sat quietly on the chair.


    "What''s the matter?" the police asked.


    "They wanted to molest me," she said lightly. She nced at the four or five people who were squatting


    in the corner, and those people suddenlyined aloud.


    "Sir, do you think we''re able to molest her?"


    The police looked at Katherine, who was spotless, and then looked at the punks with smashed noses


    and swollen faces, then could not help frowning.


    "What''s going on with all the muddy looks?"


    Katherine shrugged and answered crisply, "This kind of scum is only worthy of being used as farmyard


    manure."


    "Look at her, sir! This woman is simply a lunatic¡ª"


    "Shut up and be quiet!"


    The several people who were reprimanded shouted, "If we are guilty, let thew punish us! Don''t let


    this woman free ever again!"


    The staff who were recording the interrogation were disgusted by the punks'' snot and tears.


    On the contrary, the protagonist of this incident was sitting with her head down and ying with her


    phone, as if it was none of her business at all.


    "Miss¡ª"


    "There is surveince footage in the park that can be checked. I fought back out of self-protection."


    Katherine stood up leisurely and put on her bag.


    "Can I go if there is nothing else to do here?"


    "We will investigate clearly. Please leave your contact information first. We will notify you if there are


    any updates, and we hope you will cooperate with the investigation."


    Katherine nodded, registered the information, and went out.


    Not long after she got out of the police station, a figure blocked her way. She raised her eyes to see a


    ck-clothed bodyguard with a poker face.


    "Our master wants to see you." He looked like what he said was not negotiable.


    Katherine did not care at all; she just nced lightly at him and dodged past him. "Tell him that I''m not


    free."


    The bodyguard was speechless.


    Although Katherine dodged the person in front of her, she unexpectedly hit a hard chest ahead.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    When she looked up and saw the person in front of her, she was stunned. In the next second, the


    atmosphere condensed a bit.


    How could it be him?

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    "Surprised?"


    Joaquin slowly lit a cigarette, and a light mist blew over Katherine''s pretty face.


    That night, he was in such a hurry that he did not take a good look at her face.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    When they met again, she had already let her hair down and was uncharacteristically not wearing


    sses. She had a delicate face, long eyshes trembling slightly like the wings of a butterfly, bright


    eyes, and white teeth.


    Katherine took a step back. "Sir, I don''t know what you are talking about."


    This man must not have any respectable intentions to be able to find her in such a short period of time


    and block her way.


    He looked down at the woman in front of him condescendingly and said with a meaningful tone, "How


    dare you take what belongs to me? You have guts, I''ll give you that."


    "I didn''t."


    She immediately denied it while noticing that there were no less than five bodyguards around her.


    Seemingly understanding her thoughts, Joaquin took a step forward. "Don''t think about leaving before


    you hand it to me."


    "I really don''t know¡ªAh!"


    The man did not let her speak further. He grabbed her wrist and pushed her into the car, and then he


    got in after.


    The lock immediately clicked and the driver started the engine.


    "What are you trying to do?" Her voice trembled; she was like a frightened rabbit.


    Joaquin sneered while the dangerous aura overwhelmed the interior of the car. "I must say, your acting


    is quite good; are you sure you want to continue with the act?"


    "Sir, I really don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Joaquin sneered, then stretched out his hand to grab her chin. His voice was filled with murderous


    intent. "Still acting? It looks like you don''t n to return the thing, so do you mean to pay me with your


    body?"


    Katherine was speechless.


    At this moment, Katherine finally realized that this man was really not one to be messed with.


    Suddenly, she thought of something and raised her head to look at Joaquin. Her clear eyes were filled


    with coldness as she said, "You dare to touch me? Do you know who I am? I am the eldest daughter of


    the Cornells and the future Mrs. Levisay. If you dare to touch me, neither the Cornells nor the Levisays


    will let you go."


    "The future¡­ Mrs. Levisay?" Joaquin narrowed his eyes. Looking at the girl''s arrogant face, he slowly


    smiled.


    "What? Are you afraid? If you are afraid, just let me go. Otherwise, you will face the consequences."


    Seeing him like this, Katherine became even more arrogant.


    Joaquin sneered and said meaningfully, "Yup, I''m really scared."


    However, there was only a yful smile on his face and no expression of fear at all.


    Katherine pursed her lips, and her perpetually indifferent expression finally changed a little.


    The man who dared to kidnap her like this in broad daylight did not seem to be afraid of the Cornells


    and the Levisays.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    "What are you going to do aboutst night? I helped you. Is that how you repay my kindness?"


    Katherine felt a little anxious in her heart, but she still looked calm on the surface, as if she was not


    afraid of Joaquin hurting her at all.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    After all, she already held a silver needle between her fingers. As long as Joaquin made any wrong


    move, she would immediately let this man feel what desperation was like.


    "Oh? Then tell me, how do you want me to repay you?" Joaquin smiled and nced at her clenched


    fingers, his eyes sarcastic.


    Katherine lifted her neck and looked at Joaquin. "Let me out of the car, and I''ll treat that as


    repayment¡­"


    She froze before she finished speaking because the man suddenly moved closer to her.


    Katherine instinctively wanted to avoid it, but the back of her head was held down and pushed forward


    a few inches.


    At that moment, her scalp was numb.


    The man''s warm breath brushed past her ears, while the hand that fell on the back of her head slowly


    slid down andnded on her neck in an ambiguous manner. It tightened slightly, and then the man


    sighed as if looking at his prey. "Your neck is really fine¡­"


    It was so fine that he could break it with little effort.


    Katherine''s eyes were slightly rounded in disbelief and fear.


    I''ve actually let myself get trapped by someone! This is something that hasn''t happened in years!


    Katherine squeezed the silver needle in her hand and was thinking about whether to bring him down


    with her when the man''s voice rang out, interrupting her movement. "If you don''t want to return it, that''s


    fine. It''s just that the pendant is what I want to give to my future wife. Since you took the token of love


    that I''ve prepared, does it mean you n to marry me?"


    Katherine listened to his words, and there was an inexplicableyer of cold sweat on her back.


    Joaquin touched the sweat on her neck andughed. "What are you afraid of?"


    Her thoughts were exposed, and she did not care about anything else anymore. She reached out and


    pushed Joaquin away, then scolded coldly, "You''re shameless."


    Joaquin said, "It''s not very nice to let you cheat on the Levisay guy and marry me, but¡­ I like that."


    He smiled meaningfully.


    "You keep saying that I took your belongings. But where''s the evidence?" Katherine was convinced that


    Joaquin had no evidence to prove that she took it, so she had no fear.


    "You were pursued by killersst night, so maybe you lost it on the way. Why are you so sure it was


    me?"


    Seeing that Joaquin''s expression loosened for a moment, Katherine knew that she had made the right


    bet.


    He really had no evidence.


    So, she became more and more aggrieved, and her eyes instantly turned red. "I kindly helped youst


    night. It''s fine if you don''t want to thank me, but you instead kidnap me and use me of taking your


    things. Although I just returned to Cechirus, I am not to be bullied!"


    Joaquin, who was still shaken just now, suddenly smiled when he saw her reaction. "I was almost


    deceived by you, you little fox."


    He was about to say something else when a familiar voice suddenly came from the earphone. "Sir, the


    Levisays areing this way and we are about to cross paths."


    The Levisays?


    Joaquin''s cold voice rang in the car. "Stop the car."


    The driver pulled over and stopped. Joaquin sat upright, did not look sideways, and did not look at


    Katherine either. "Whether you took my things or not, the truth is best not to be discovered by me. Get


    out of the car."


    Soon, Katherine opened the car door and got out. Watching the ck car speeding away, she furrowed


    her brows, feeling that the man was weird.


    Is he afraid of the Levisays then?

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    The Levisays were the strongest of the four big families in Hovington, and its strength should not be


    underestimated.


    No matter how powerful that stinky man was, he would not dare to challenge the Levisays.


    After a while, a convoy of luxury cars appeared in Katherine''s line of sight. It was the Levisays'' convoy.


    Today, the agreement of the marriage between the Cornells and the Levisays would take ce.


    Those from the Levisays were probably going to the Cornells.


    Katherine nced at the expensive jewelry on her hands and the smile on the corner of her mouth


    became colder.


    Since Jorge was so willing, how could she let him down?


    So, she waved her hand to hail a cab again, returned to the luxury shopping mall, and swiped the card


    to buy more items again. Then, she took a cab to the Cornell Residence with satisfaction.


    The Cornell Residence was very lively today. The entrance was full of luxury cars, and there were


    bodyguards in ck suits standing guard with expressionless faces.


    There was much pomp and grandeur.


    While Jorge entertained Madam Levisay, also known as Hera, the smile on his face could hardly be


    concealed.


    Although his phone kept notifying him that the bank card was about to be maxed out by Katherine, that


    bit of money was nothingpared to getting involved with the Levisays!


    In the Cornell Residence''s main hall, Hera was wearing an ivory dress, and the top-grade embroidery


    of peonies on it was gorgeous and luxurious. At this time, her delicate eyebrows were raised as she


    asked, a little impatient, "Mr. Cornell, is Kathy not here yet?"


    Jorge''s face was also a little unsightly. Seeing that Hera was obviously angry, he was very anxious for


    fear that Katherine would somehow ruin his ns.


    He raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, then said quickly, "Soon, soon. Kathy just


    called me and said she was going to buy you a gift. I guess it''s because she has just returned to


    Cechirus and was not familiar with her surroundings. So, she was dyed on her way here."


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    "Yeah, Kathy has always been a sensible child, and she is most filial to her elders."


    Following Jorge''s words, Lisa also helped to praise Katherine.


    When Hera heard this, she just smiled coldly with disdain in her eyes.


    Everyone knew that Katherine was a well-known simpleton. She had been sent to Fontan since she


    was a child. Moreover, she had bad manners and did not understand etiquette.


    Getting Joaquin to marry such a woman was exactly what Hera wanted.


    "If that''s the case, then let''s not rush her. She can take her time as I''m not in a hurry." Hera picked up


    the teacup, blew the tea, and took a sip.


    Lisa and Jorge exchanged looks and could not understand Hera''s mind.


    At this moment, there was a sudden noiseing from the main porch.


    As Jorge frowned, a figure appeared at the door.


    The girl was wearing a very casual white shirt with the hem tucked into her jeans, which wrapped


    around her long, straight legs.


    At this time, standing there against the light, her eyes were clear and dazzling.


    Jorge was slightly stunned as if he was seeing Elsie Olsen, Katherine''s mother in the past.


    However, this kind of confusion soon disappeared because Jorge''s eyes soon fell on Katherine''s neck


    where a thick gold chainy and several precious jade bracelets dangled on her arms.


    He was so angry that the veins on his forehead nearly popped. "Katherine!"


    "Dad, do I look good?" Katherine raised her arms with several jade bracelets dangling off them as if


    offering him the treasure.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Jorge clutched his chest with a twisted expression.


    Hera raised her head and looked at Katherine. There was an inevitable sh of disgust in her eyes, but


    she felt ecstatic instead.


    Joaquin deserved a vulgar and foolish woman like her so that he would not be a threat to her son!


    "You must be Kathy!" Hera looked at her with a warm and gentle expression.


    In response, Katherine smirked with an arrogant and rude attitude. "Yes, I am Katherine, the eldest


    daughter of the Cornells. May I know who you are, madam? Why are you in my house?"


    Hera was speechless.


    "Katherine!" Jorge red at her anxiously, wishing he could p her in the face.


    Did she know what kind of situation they were in right now? Was Katherine deliberately trying to


    embarrass him?


    How dare she act so rudely to Hera! What if she agitated Hera, who decided to cancel the


    engagement?


    "Kathy, stop making a fuss. This is Madam Levisay. Greet her politely." Lisa quickly stood up and


    apologized to Hera, "I''m really sorry. She grew up in Fontan, so she''s used to behaving like that.


    Please don''t take her words to heart. I will talk to her about itter."


    "Kathy, why aren''t you apologizing yet?" Seeing that Katherine did not react at all, Lisa felt her anger


    starting to burn.


    "Who do you think you are to order me around?" Katherine did not even bother to save Lisa''s pride.


    Hearing that, Lisa was infuriated.


    In front of Hera, she had to hold it in, so she gritted her teeth and gulped even though she was eager to


    chop Katherine''s body into a thousand pieces.


    Katherine''s rude appearance made Hera even more satisfied.


    She was indeed the same as what the rumors say¡ªshe had extremely poor conduct.


    Moreover, she looked sultry and charming. At first nce, one could tell how wild she was. If she were


    to be married into the Levisays, how could she possibly endure Joaquin''s disability?


    Perhaps after a few days of marriage, there would be a scandal, and Joaquin would then be the


    joke of Hovington.


    "Alright, Mrs. Cornell. Let''s not embarrass her since she''s too young. Let''s continue our discussion." To


    be frank, Hera was very satisfied with Katherine and wished she could marry into the Levisays


    immediately.


    She looked at Katherine with a smile and opened her mouth to defend her.


    Katherine raised her brows calmly and nced at Hera.


    Could she really tolerate Hera?


    "I''m so sorry, Madam Levisay. We''re at fault for not teaching our children well." Lisa sighed with a sad


    face.


    "Kathy,e over and sit beside me. Let''s have a chat about your marriage with Joaquin." Hera


    ignored Lisa but greeted Katherine warmly.


    Seeing that, Lisa felt a burning sensation on her face, feeling utterly awkward.


    She could not help but re at Katherine, but Katherine simply walked over and sat down beside Hera.


    "Everyone knows my son''s condition, so I won''t be borating on that anymore. My husband hopes to


    arrange the marriage as soon as possible, so I propose to hold the wedding on the eighth of next


    month. Do you have any objections?"


    Hera suppressed the joy in her heart and took on the appearance of a wealthydy again.


    "The eighth of next month?"


    Jorge did not expect things to go so smoothly. It was a surprise that Hera did not mind Katherine''s


    rudeness.


    He was overjoyed. Once the marriage was confirmed, the Cornells'' status would rise, and they could


    finally walk on the streets of Hovington with their heads held high!


    "If your family has no objections to it, we don''t have any as well." He was so eager to seal the deal that


    he would be happier to marry Katherine off tomorrow.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Katherine could not help but nce at Hera.


    How could Hera not be picky after witnessing her attitude? She even set the date for marriage


    immediately!


    She had to be a stepmother!

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    However, whether Hera was his biological mother or his stepmother was none of her business.


    Getting married or not would not affect her future ns.


    Joaquin was just a cripple anyway. It was best for him to not interfere with her ns, or else¡­


    Katherine narrowed her eyes and licked the corner of her lips inadvertently.


    ¡­


    While Hera and Jorge were discussing the wedding with great interest, Katherine yawned.


    "Let''s go with that decision, then. On the eighth day of next month, we''ll pick her up from here. We


    should still run the procedures to ensure Kathy gets the wedding she deserves."


    Seeing how Katherine was seated indecently, Hera grew even more satisfied. After discussing the


    specific matters with Jorge, she ordered someone to bring in the prepared gifts before leaving Cornell


    Residence.


    "The Levisays are so generous! This is an antique, right?"


    The gifts that the Levisays prepared for Katherine today were extremely valuable. There were two


    boxes of antique paintings and a dozen sets of gold and silver jewelry. It was obvious that they


    attached great importance to this marriage.


    Sitting on the couch watching Lisa''s greedy appearance, Katherine reminded her, "Be careful, Mrs.


    Cornell. These things aren''t cheap. If they are damaged, you have topensate me."


    "What do you mean bypensating you?" Lisa red at Katherine fiercely.


    "These are the betrothal gifts the Levisays gave me. I will be the one taking them away when I get


    married. Otherwise, what would the Levisays think? The Cornells are so poor that they took all the


    betrothal gifts from the Levisays?" Katherine smiled and mocked her.


    Lisa was unreconciled!


    These things are worth thousands of dors! Why should they all belong to Katherine, that little b*tch?


    "Enough! Why are you fighting over that with her? Carry these things upstairs to the room, and when


    you get married on the eighth day of next month, I''ll deliver all of them to you," Jorge uttered while


    ring at Lisa.


    Women were short-sighted. They could only see immediate benefits, failing to see how much benefit


    the Levisays could offer them after the two parties were joined in marriage.


    Although Lisa was not reconciled, she still ordered the maids at home to carry the gifts to the room


    upstairs.


    Katherine pursed her lips, and a hint of coldness shed by.


    "Katherine."


    Just when Katherine felt bored and decided to leave, a gust of fragrant scent attacked her in the face,


    followed by a soft and delicate voice ringing in her ear, "Katherine, how have you been in Fontan all


    these years? I heard that it''s very chaotic there. Sexual crimes often happen, and a pretty woman like


    you¡­"


    Filled with jealousy, Rosemary looked at Katherine''s face and felt that it was unfair.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She was the legitimate daughter of the Cornells, but how could Katherine be born with such a beautiful


    face?


    She resented Katherine''s face and was desperate to tear her sister apart.


    Katherine ncedzily at Rosemary with a faint smile on her lips. "If you''re so curious, you can just


    ask Dad to send you there for a few years!"


    Rosemary choked at her response, looking a little awkward.


    "You must be kidding me. It''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other, and since you don''te


    back often, I threw you a wee party. Come with me since you have nothing else to do. Many


    people are eager to know you."


    The embarrassment on Rosemary''s face onlysted for a second before she smiled brightly again and


    linked her arms with Katherine''s.


    Katherine raised her eyebrows and nced at her arm before withdrawing them slowly. "I don''t really


    know you or your friends."

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    "Katherine!" Rosemary whined and reached out to grab Katherine''s hand. "We''re sisters after all. Why


    do you have to say something that''ll break my heart? We''re both dad''s daughters, and doesn''t the


    saying go, blood is thicker than water? I''ve been worried about you all these years, but I''m too young to


    visit you in such a chaotic country like Fontan. Are you ming me now?"


    Katherine did not answer her but merely stared at Rosemary. Her eyes were cold, but her heart was


    aching.


    So many years had passed, yet Rosemary was still the same. She was obviously as wicked as a witch,


    but she pretended to be harmless and innocent in front of others.


    In the past, Elsie was deceived by her and eventually died without leaving a trace.


    It was also because of her that she was thrown to a ce like Fontan and struggled to survive.


    Rosemary felt guilty being stared at by Katherine. Somehow, she had the feeling that her step-sister


    hadpletely changed after this trip. It made her feel inexplicably afraid.


    "Katherine¡­"


    Rosemary was about to speak, but Katherine interrupted her before she finished. "Let''s go."


    Katherine suddenly changed her mind, stood up, and shoved her hands into her pocket. She looked


    gorgeous and sassy. Overall, her tall figure matched her cold face wlessly. "Didn''t you say you threw


    me a wee party? Where is it?"


    Rosemary grew even more envious of her.


    However, since Katherine agreed to her invitation, she was excited. "Are you going to wear this to the


    party? Why don''t you change your clothes? You should be able to fit mine."


    Rosemary stepped forward and grabbed Katherine''s arm. People who did not know them would have


    probably mistaken them for having a close rtionship.


    Katherine nced at Rosemary and refused indifferently, "No, I''m fine."


    A look of contempt shed in Rosemary''s eyes, and she secretly cursed Katherine for being ungrateful.


    "Sure. Anyway, you''re born to be pretty, so you look good in anything, unlike me."


    "Well, you are quite ugly," Katherine agreed to Rosemary''s statement and answered rudely.


    Rosemary thought she was going to puke. How could she be so annoying?


    However, she suppressed the dissatisfaction in her heart and took Katherine out.


    "Mom, Dad, I''m leaving with Katherine." Before leaving, Rosemary did not forget to inform Jorge and


    Lisa.


    "Sure. Just be home early and don''t party toote," Jorge replied, finding Rosemary to be such a well-


    behaved and sensible daughter.


    She was a stark contrast to Katherine, who ignored them like she was not taught properly.


    Rosemary prepared the wee party at a bar for Katherine. As soon as they entered the door, they


    could sense the smokiness in the space. The air was mixed with the strong smell of alcohol, perfume,


    tobo, and some unusual scents.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Katherine, an Oriental doctor, was sensitive to smell. The moment she entered the bar, she could tell


    that there were drug addicts there.


    Rosemary seemed to have prepared a big gift for herself.


    She lowered her head slightly with a hint of disdain on her bright and attractive face. Under the dim


    lights, everyone could only see her slightly curved lips, which were beautiful in shape. Her smile looked


    exceptionally sweet.


    After that,   Rosemary took Katherine into a private room.


    This time, Katherine had changed her expression. Under the flickering lights in the room, her eyes were


    bright, shing, clean, and innocent.


    Everyone sighed, What a pity! How could such a lovely persone from Fontan? She must have


    been sexually mistreated many times!


    Ben looked at the two women who entered the door, and his eyes instantly lit up. He then turned back


    to look at the man behind him excitedly. "Joaquin, herees the daughter of the Cornells, Rosemary


    Cornell. The one beside her should be your fianc¨¦e, right? She''s gorgeous!"


    Ben was shocked by Katherine''s delicate face.


    There are many famous rich daughters in Hovington, and he was confident that he had seen many


    beauties, but it was the first time he saw someone as charming as Katherine.


    How could a woman who looked like that be a good-for-nothing gold-digger, and had aplicated


    private life?

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    "Yeah," Joaquin replied lightly like it was not a big deal.


    Ben looked down again with interest. "Looks like Rosemary has prepared a big gift for her. The people


    invited are all the dandies from Hovington, and they like to y with women. The methods they use are


    despicable."


    "What a pity." Ben stuck his tongue out, feeling a little regretful that such a beautiful youngdy was


    going to be ''eaten''.


    A pity?


    A dim light shed in Joaquin''s deep eyes, and the smile on the corner of his lips was unclear.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    He felt that Ben should feel sorry for those dandies instead.


    On the other hand, Rosemary introduced Katherine to the others with a smile, "This is my sister,


    Katherine, who just came back from Fontan yesterday."


    There were more than a dozen men and women in the booth, and as soon as Katherine appeared, the


    gaze of several ruffian young men fell on her.


    As soon as they heard that she was from Fontan, they immediatelyughed mischievously.


    "Rosemary, you have a pretty sister." One of the men rubbed his chin and licked the corner of his


    mouth excitedly.


    He loved beautiful women, especially when he was destroying them.


    Someone like Katherine easily aroused him.


    He could even imagine how she would look like kneeling in front of him and begging for mercy.


    "I''m happy that you like her, Mr. Harvey." Rosemary smiled sweetly and generously, keeping a distance


    from Katherine without a trace.


    Katherine raised her eyebrows and nced at the man known as Mr. Harvey. Seeing Katherine staring


    back at him, he looked even more ecstatic.


    It seemed that he had just taken some drugs and was starting to get delirious.


    Katherine''s gaze swept across the people in the booth. Each of them looked ecstatic, and when she


    noticed the white powder left on the table, it further proved her doubts.


    She could not believe Rosemary hung out with people like them, but she did not look like a drug addict.


    She must have been pretty protective of herself.


    At this time, someone handed her a ss of wine, and bubbles were floating in it, looking like it had


    been drugged.


    "Care to have a drink with us?"


    Katherine nced at the wine in front of her, leaned back, and refused, "My dad won''t let me drink."


    Rosemary looked surprised. "Why not? Dad never stops us! Oops!"


    She covered her mouth with a frustrated expression. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to say that!"


    Katherine was speechless.


    "Oh? Are you trying to embarrass us?" the person toasting asked with a smile.


    Rosemary had already told them that Katherine was not favored in her family, so they could y


    around with her as long as they did not kill her.


    Therefore, these people knew what their limits were, and they did not n to show mercy to Katherine.


    They were unwilling to do it at first, but after seeing Katherine''s beauty, they were hesitant.


    "Katherine, these are the rules in Hovington. If we''rete, we have to¡­" Rosemary was a little


    embarrassed.


    "Oh¡­ Why don''t you drink on my behalf?"


    Without waiting for Rosemary to finish her words, she stretched out her hand to take the wine from the


    other party''s hand, turned her body slightly, and shoved the wine ss beside Rosemary''s mouth. With


    her other hand, she caressed Rosemary''s back with something shiny.


    Rosemary wanted to scream in pain, but she could not make a sound, so she could only open her


    mouth¡­


    Katherine looked at her strangely and inquired, "Want me to feed you? Sure."


    She raised her hand and poured the wine into Rosemary''s open mouth.


    Rosemary wanted to struggle, but it was like she was possessed. She could not move as she wanted.


    The wine choked her and slid down her throat. Some of the wine even overflowed out of her mouth and


    spilled onto her neck and clothes¡­


    Once she poured all the wine down her throat, Katherine put down the ss and let go of Rosemary.


    "Ugh¡­ Cough¡­" Rosemary was lying on the edge of the couch, coughing and choking so much that


    her face flushed red.


    She no longer cared about stirring trouble for Katherine as she hurriedly used her fingers to reach into


    her throat in order to spit out the wine just now.


    She knew all too well what these people were up to, and what they offered to Katherine was definitely


    not something good!


    Currently, Rosemary was suffering from severe dizziness. Her throat was burning, and the heat


    throughout her whole body made it unbearable.


    She looked at Katherine in disbelief as she never thought that this b*tch would dare to treat her like


    that!


    "F*ck! Joaquin, your fianc¨¦e is amazing! She''s so cool!" The scene did not escape the eyes of Ben,


    who was seated in the booth upstairs.


    He could not hear them, but the scene of Katherine pouring alcohol into Rosemary''s made his


    adrenaline race.


    Joaquin frowned and looked at Ben, silentlyining about how noisy his friend was.


    "Joaquin, your fianc¨¦e is incredible. She might abuse you when you get married! I didn''t expect her to


    be so cruel." Ben told Joaquin what happened next with great interest and utter shock.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows lightly and smirked.


    Ben might be blind, but he was not.


    He could clearly see the silver needle on the woman''s fingertip.


    Interesting.


    "J-Joaquin, are you smiling?" Ben showed him an incredulous expression.


    Joaquin never smiled, and his face was always cold. Even if he smiled asionally, he would only give


    a forced smile. After knowing him for years, it was the first time Ben had witnessed him smiling from the


    bottom of his heart.


    Ben was shocked to the core.


    Joaquin nced at him lightly andmented, "You''re blind."


    Ben was speechless and looked at Joaquin for a while. When he saw the usual poker face again, he


    thought he was hallucinating the smile on Joaquin''s face earlier.


    Maybe he was really blind?


    "K-Katherine?" Rosemary looked at Katherine dully. Realizing that she could finally speak, she


    subconsciously covered her throat.


    At this time, her mind was a mess, and her whole body was dry and warm. It was extremely


    ufortable.


    What did she do to her?!


    Why couldn''t she move or make a sound just now?!


    "First, my mother only gave birth to one daughter, so I don''t have a sister. Second, one must know their


    limits. Don''t try to do anything they aren''t good at." Katherine caressed her back and smiled while


    talking to her.


    The two were so close that Katherine''s lips seemed to be touching Rosemary''s ear. They looked like


    sisters with a tight-knit rtionship, but only Rosemary heard how cold her words were.


    "Enjoy your time here. I''m going home." After saying that, Katherine let go of Rosemary and stood up


    to leave.


    "Wait. Are you going to leave just like that? You''re hurting my pride. You can leave, but I''ll only let you


    go if you down these drinks."


    Just as Katherine stood up, her path was blocked. She tilted her head and looked at the man in front of


    her, stating, "She drank for me just now."


    Mr. Harvey''s gaze on Katherine was filled with arousal and heat, which easily made her disgusted. With


    a smile, he uttered, "That doesn''t count."


    While saying that, he inched forward.


    "Stop." Katherine stopped him in a good temper.


    There was a burst ofughter surrounding them, so he took another big step forward.


    Katherine subconsciously stretched out her hand to block him, but he grabbed her arm before she


    could touch him.


    The man''s gaze looked obsessed as he rubbed Katherine''s arm.


    Katherine''s eyes suddenly turned cold, and her aura exploded.


    Before Mr. Harvey realized what was going on, he felt a sharp pain in the abdomen, and everything


    else seemed to zoom past him.


    The next moment, he mmed into the dance floor heavily, rolled his eyes, and fainted.


    There was a moment of silence in the entire bar before the scene returned to normal.


    Everyone in the booth went silent, watching Katherine with their mouths wide open, forgetting to react.


    "I told you not toe any nearer but you just had to." Katherine patted her hands in disgust, and with


    a look of regret, she spat that sentence and walked away as if nothing had happened.


    Everyone was still silent.


    What did they just watch? A weak woman exploding out of anger?


    "Mr. Harvey, Mr. Harvey¡­" Someone finally reacted and rushed over to check Mr. Harvey''s situation.


    The scene was chaotic.


    On the second floor, Ben''s mouth finally shut, and Joaquin was no longer in the room.


    It had just rained outside, so the air was still humid, and there were puddles on the ground. The


    moment one''s footes in contact with the puddle, sshing noises could be heard.


    When Katherine just came out, she bumped into a few hooligans blocking her way.


    "Tsk tsk. What a beautiful youngdy. Aren''t you lonely? Wanna y with us?"


    This ce was originally dodgy. In addition to that, Katherine was alone and dressed in ordinary


    clothes. At first nce, they could tell she was not from a wealthy family.


    Therefore, the hooligans were not afraid of her.


    At that moment, Katherine was already in an irritable state. She no longer wanted to pretend to be


    weak. Just as she was about to leave after taking care of this group of troublemakers, she could sense


    someone watching her.


    From the corner of her eyes, she could see a shadow leaning against themppost.


    It was a familiar one.


    After taking another nce, she felt uneasy.


    Why was he here?


    Was he going to just sit and watch for fun?


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    After realizing that the man might be watching for fun, Katherine lowered her head, loosened her tense


    shoulders, and retracted her outstretched hand weakly, pretending to be weak and pitiful before


    uttering, "M-My boyfriend is waiting for me there¡­"

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    While saying that, Katherine intended to run to themppost, but the gangsters stopped her. With that,


    she looked at themppost again from the corner of her eyes.


    She saw a slender figure leaning against themp post, exuding a domineering aura.


    These gangsters were all ruthless. How could they be frightened by a man?


    The next moment, only two people were left to watch Katherine, while the others rushed toward


    Joaquin.


    Joaquin raised his brows. Even in the darkness, he could still see the poor disguise on the tall woman''s


    face not far away. Who would get excited even before she got out of danger? She could no longer hold


    the smile on the corners of her lips!


    This woman deliberately caused trouble and transferred it to him.


    Katherine did have the intention, but she was also a little surprised to meet Joaquin here.


    How could she let him watch the fun for free?


    "Little brat, your girlfriend is quite pretty. Our boss likes her. If you''re smart, let our boss y with her, or


    we''ll show you what blood looks like!"


    Soon, six gangsters surrounded Joaquin.


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows and looked at them with an indifferent expression, "Oh, really?"


    "Nasty brat! Looks like you''re gonna make us look bad. It''s such a blessing for our boss to be


    interested in your girlfriend. What an ungrateful brat! Teach him a lesson!"


    One of the short guys with blonde hair scolded and waved a harsh fist at Joaquin.


    Following his lead, everyone started throwing punches at him.


    To Joaquin, fighting six men by himself was easy peasy.


    He flexibly moved around, easily avoiding the opponent''s attack. His shoulders, elbows, and knees


    were all his means of attack.


    In just a few easy strokes, all six punks were lying on the ground, wailing.


    Katherine could not help but admire him and had to admit that though he looked indecent, he was still


    pretty handsome when fighting.


    After taking care of the few punks, Joaquin strode toward Katherine.


    The two men who had been guarding Katherine had long scrambled away.


    Standing in front of Katherine against the light, Joaquin seemed to be showing a half-smile while his


    voice was clear and indifferent, "You took advantage of me, so we''re even now."


    Katherine was stunned for a while before realizing that he was talking about the time he helped her out


    with the hotel incident.


    "Sure. We''re even now. Goodbye" said Katherine unenthusiastically while sighing in her heart, feeling a


    little regretful that the show ended so soon, but she did not want to be entangled with Joaquin


    anymore, so she turned around and left.


    "Oh, how ruthless," Joaquin dropped a sentence faintly and fished out a cigarette box out of his pocket.


    Shoving a cigarette into his mouth, he watched Katherine leave.


    The daughter of the Cornells was indeed interesting.


    While thinking of that, his phone in his pocket rang.


    After ncing at the caller ID, he pursed his lips and went silent. After a while, he answered the call.


    ¡­


    As soon as Katherine arrived at the hotel, Theodore called.


    She answered the phone, put it on loudspeaker, and poured herself a ss of warm water.


    "Went to Cornell Residence today?" Theodore''s voice sounded deep, and his tone seemed displeased.


    "Yeah."


    "What a waste of time!" the old man cursed with displeasure. "Will youe here tomorrow? The


    project is going to seed. Once it seeds, it''s going to be a huge aplishment. I mean, why


    would you go to Cornell Residence and get involved in their matters? I heard that you''re getting


    married to a cripple, is that true?"


    "There are matters that need to be settled," replied Katherine in a nonchnt tone.


    Theodore went silent for a moment, sighed, and judged the Cornells for being blind. Why would they


    abandon a daughter with such a bright future and spoil the mistress'' daughter?


    "Are you stilling tomorrow?" Theodore knew that Katherine did not like mentioning the Cornells, so


    he decided not to pester her anymore.


    "Sure,e and pick me up tomorrow morning."


    After having a long nightmare, Katherine noticed that cold sweat had drenched her pajamas when she


    woke up.


    She got up, took a shower, and pinched her brows tightly.


    After the incident five years ago, she kept having nightmares, but for a long time after that, she stopped


    having them. It had been almost three years without them.


    However, after returning this time, she started having them again. How strange.


    Theodore''s car arrived at the door of the hotel at 9.00AM.


    When the manager of the hotel saw the domineering license te, he was quite frightened, thinking


    that some big shot wasing.


    However, he merely parked the car at the door and did not intend toe in, which made the hotel


    staff tremble with fear.


    When Katherine took the elevator and came to the lobby, she saw the visible ck car and the


    domineering license te with six zeros.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    After shaking her head helplessly, Katherine stepped out and opened the car door.


    "What''s wrong with the research?" Katherine sat in the car and asked indifferently, fiddling with a coin


    in her hand.


    "The previous experiment with mice has been fine, but our recent clinical trial used on humans


    suddenly experienced a stress response, and his condition isn''t very well. Now, the patient''s vital signs


    are about to disappear, which means that our medicine and the research have been a failure."


    Speaking of the issue, Theodore''s expression turned serious and his tone was also very solemn.


    Katherine frowned upon hearing that. Logically speaking, such a problem should not arise.


    They drove all the way to the research institute, but Katherine still could not figure out any possible


    reason.


    After arriving at the research institute, Theodore led Katherine into the door, causing many researchers


    to look at each other.


    "Who was that woman just now?"


    "She looks young. Could she be a new researcher?"


    "Who are you kidding?! Do you think just anyone cane in here? I think she might be a rtive of


    Theodore."


    "Mr. Muller seems to respect her very much. I don''t think she''s just a nobody."


    ¡­


    Katherine might not be aware of the rumors outside, but she had followed Theodore into theb. The


    moment she saw the patient on the bed, her face twisted.


    "Apart from you, who else has been in contact with this patient? Gather all of them here." Katherine


    had already taken out the needle pack and started to save the patient.


    If she hadeter, the patient might have been dead.


    However, it was not a problem with the experimental drug but the patient''s own body condition. He was


    suffering from something serious.


    Seeing Katherine''s solemn expression, Theodore hurriedly ordered his assistant to gather the


    researchers who had been in contact with the patient.


    Including Theodore and his assistant, there were five people in total, who were two women in theirte


    twenties, and a man in his early thirties, who wore sses.


    All of them were confused and could not figure out why they were called, but when they saw Katherine


    performing her treatment on the patient, all of them got angry.


    After treating the patient with some needles, the patient started sweating. The patient''s vital signs were


    initially about to deteriorate, and his heartbeat was almost nonexistent, but at this time, it gradually


    began to stabilize.


    Katherine grabbed his wrist and checked his pulse. After making sure that there was nothing wrong,


    she breathed a sigh of relief, put away the silver needle, and turned to look at the researchers in front


    of her.


    "Which one of you injected cephalosporin into the patient''s body?" Katherine''s voice was cold, carrying


    a hint of coercion.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    When Theodore heard those words, he was stunned for a moment, and then anger painted across his


    face. "Who? Who did that? Admit it!"


    Soon, the man with sses stood up silently, answering, "It''s me."


    "Why did you decide on your own to inject this into the patient?" Theodore almost pped him in the


    face.


    The man calmly pushed his sses on the bridge of his nose and exined, "This patient had severe


    inmmation before he was sent here and the inmmation persisted. The injection of cephalosporins


    can''t be stopped. The doctors in the hospital had already informed us about it, so I don''t think there is


    any problem. Theodore, you can''t me me because there is a problem with the experimental drug. I


    think we shouldn''t produce this drug anymore. We should be careful."


    Theodore was almost angered to death by his arrogance. His entire body trembled violently.


    Katherine looked at him for a long time before nodding. "You''re not suitable for this experiment."


    The man''s expression changed when he heard those words. Katherine was a young girl who looked no


    more than twenty-five years old. What right did she have to judge him as unsuitable?


    "Who are you to criticize me? I am just being responsible for the life of the patient."


    He was fearless as he looked at Katherine with disdain.


    Theodore finally could not hold back and kicked him in the shin. "Get out of theb! Can''t you handle


    some criticism for what you''ve done wrong? You''ve always been involved with this project, and you


    should know best that you shouldn''t inject any antibiotics when injecting experimental drugs. Not only


    did you notply, but you even secretly injected cephalosporin without telling me! I''m being generous


    for not holding you ountable. How dare you fight back?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The man''s expression finally changed, but he still argued stubbornly, "But medical students know that


    in this case, the patient must be injected with antibiotics every day. That can''t be stopped. I¡­"


    "Send him out." Katherine was focused on reading the patient''s data and found the man to be quite


    noisy and distracting her.


    Theodore knew from her expression that she was thinking about countermeasures. For fear of


    disturbing her thoughts, he called the security guard of the institute and dragged the man out.


    The man shook off the security guard''s hand and pointed at Katherine, scolding "What do you even


    know as a woman?! How could you participate in an experiment? Have you given birth before? Have


    you been ligated? Can you guarantee to stay on duty for 24 hours?"


    "I''ve met many people like you who came in through connections!"


    "My thesis has won an award, I''m telling you. Without my theoretical support, your experiment will not


    be able to progress!"


    While burying her head in the sea of data, Katherine suddenly looked up at him. Her gaze was cold and


    rigid¡­


    "Unable to progress?" Katherine looked at the man in front of him who thought he was invincible. She


    then smirked.


    "It doesn''t matter if you are dumb, but you must have self-awareness. I didn''t bother to argue with you


    before, but you just had to fight with me."


    "Theodore, call the police and ask thewyers of the research institute to send this invincible man to


    prison for further study." Katherine originally had a beautiful face, and when she smiled, she was so


    beautiful that Theodore could feel his eyes stinging.


    However, the words that came out of her mouth showed no mercy.


    After pondering for a while, he nodded andplied, "No problem. I will get thewyer to be prepared.


    How''s the patient now?"


    "His condition is stable for now," Katherine replied nonchntly.


    "Haha. Women are all just all looks without knowledge. Wanna sue me? For what? I did nothing wrong.


    It was your own experimental medicine that went wrong. Let me tell you, I won''tpromise with evil


    forces. I will expose you and your despicable acts! You are experimenting with live humans, which is


    simply insane and inhumane. This patient will surely die. Just wait till his family sues you!"


    Initially, the man was a little worried when he heard Theodore say that he had arranged for awyer to


    sue him, but as soon as he heard Katherine''s words, he immediately stopped worrying.


    Sure enough, she was just a foolish woman with no skills. How dare she say that this patient''s


    condition was now stable?


    He had been taking care of the patient for so long, so he knew the patient''s condition best. His internal


    organs were already failing.


    Even if she was an expert doctor, she would never be able to save the patient!


    Moreover, this patient was not an ordinary person. He came from the Rosenburg family. If something


    happened to him in the research institute, the Rosenburgs would definitely not let them go.


    The man''s originally elegant face was now twisted with pleasure. Looking at Katherine, he continued to


    exim wildly, "B*tch! I''m waiting for the day you regret your actions! I''ll be waiting for the day you beg


    me for mercy!"


    "Sorry. You might be disappointed because you won''t see that happening."


    Katherine walked to the bedside of the patient, grabbed his hand, and felt his pulse before taking out a


    small porcin bottle from her pocket, pouring out a small red pill, and stuffing it into the patient''s


    mouth. She then took three silver needles from her needle bag and pierced them on the top of his


    head.


    Joseph Clinton looked at Katherine and sneered, "Do you think you can revive him with¡­"


    Halfway through his words, as if someone had strangled his throat, he stared at the patient who


    suddenly coughed and opened his eyes with a shocking expression.


    "H-How is this possible¡­"


    Theodore nced at him coldly. He no longer wanted to see that eyesore anymore, so he ordered,


    "Take him out and call the police."


    "No! You can''t treat me like this! I should be the one taking credit for reviving this patient''s


    consciousness. It''s all because I''ve been injecting him with cephalosporins so that he can survive and


    wake up. You have to thank me. Yes, and¡­"


    He was so noisy that Katherine decided to poke him with a needle to shut him up.


    The whole world seemed to drown in silence.


    The security guard looked at Katherine in awe before taking Joseph down in a hurry.


    "Is he alright now?" Theodore was amazed.


    He had known Katherine for a long time and knew what she was capable of. The fact that their


    experimental medicine this time was a sess was all thanks to Katherine.


    It was just that she preferred to keep it low-profile and did not like to take the credit, or she would have


    been a huge contributor to the medical field as the youngest academician in Cechirus.


    She would break the world record as a 20-year-old academician.


    "It''s not that simple. He''s been in aa for too long. His bodily functions have begun to degenerate,


    and his internal organs have been seriously damaged. Even if he has been depending on medication to


    prolong his life, it seems like he''s almost at the end now." Katherine shook her head and looked at the


    patient who opened his eyes while staring at the ceiling dully.


    "Can''t you think of a way?" Theodore hesitated for a while but spoke cautiously.


    Katherine nced at him in surprise. "Why? Is he your rtive?"


    "No, he''s from the Rosenburgs. His name is Alex Rosenburg. He''s lying here now because he saved a


    big shot. We''ve been trying to prolong his life over the past few years, and the victim is also very


    concerned about his situation. If there is a way, we will do our best to save him, and it will also be of


    great help to you and your affairs in Cechirus." Theodore shook his head gently and introduced the


    patient to Katherine.


    Katherine pondered about it. If even Theodore regarded him as a big shot, he must carry an


    extraordinary identity.


    "His physical condition is so bad now that I can''t do anything. Let''s inject him with the medicine for a


    while, and get someone reliable to keep watch. There can''t be any more idents. If it happens again,


    I can''t guarantee I can do anything about it." Katherine pondered for a long time before speaking.


    Without a choice, Theodore nodded.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Theodore and Katherine came out of the hospital room shortly after and headed into the office.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    He handed her the scientific data he hadpiled recently and said, "Right now, we''ve only got one


    patient in the clinical trial, so there won''t be enough statistics to determine if this medication can help


    regenerate brain cells in patients who are in a vegetative state. I''m still working on getting more next-of-


    kins to agree to let their loved ones participate in our research."


    Katherine nodded as she flipped through the documents. "Take your time. The world will be shocked


    once this medication isunched, but arge-scale promotion is unsuitable for now. Make sure you look


    into everyone who agrees to the clinical trial. A single bbermouth can put you in grave danger."


    They had run the test on white mice previously and gotten satisfactory results.


    Alex Rosenburg, who had been in a vegetative state for three years, had woken up after they had used


    the medication on him, which meant it had to be effective to some extent.


    "I''ll be in Hovington for a while, so give me a call if you need anything," Katherine said as she handed


    the papers back to Theodore.


    Seeing that she was leaving, he grumbled, "Are you actually going to marry into the Levisays? Why


    bother with the Cornells when you can do more good for mankind instead?"


    He could not understand why Katherine insisted on personally taking out the trash that was the rest of


    her family when she could easily have someone else do the dirty work for her.


    "You don''t get it," she said with a dry smile. There was no describing the anger that came over her


    each time she remembered her mother''s agonizing death. Everything Jorge had stolen from her mother


    and the Olsens, she would make him pay for it in kind.


    "I''ll get going now," Katherine said. She nced at her watch and figured Rosemary would be home by


    now. She smirked and waved goodbye to Theodore, then headed out of the research institute.


    An hourter, the ride she had booked through an app pulled up outside the Cornell Residence, and


    she disembarked.


    As she looked up at the brightly-lit architecture in front of her, a wicked smile curled on her lips.


    Presently, things in the Cornell household were in a mess. An angry grimace twisted Lisa''s features.


    Abandoning her image as the ever-loving and demure housewife, she looked as if she wanted nothing


    more than to tear Katherine into shreds right now.


    Katherine walked in with her hands in her pockets, looking perfectly insouciant.


    The butler was holding his breath as he appraised her anxiously and could not help fearing for her


    safety.


    "Katherine, I can''t believe you have the nerve toe back here!" Lisa snarled the moment she saw


    Katherine walk through the door. Her nostrils red as she marched up to the girl and made to p her.


    "You might want to reconsider pping me, Lisa. I''m the youngdy of this family, and I''ll be thedy of


    the Levisays household soon." Katherine did not dodge as she said this breezily. She even turned her


    cheek as though to challenge Lisa, whose hand froze in mid-air, just inches away from striking.


    Lisa glowered at Katherine viciously. She wished she could quarter the girl, but Katherine was


    untouchable now that she was about to marry into the Levisays.


    "Why would you do something like that to Rosemary? She goes all out to throw you a weing party,


    and this is how you thank her? How could you be so evil, Katherine?!" Lisa snapped, trembling with


    anger. Now that hitting Katherine was out of the question, she resorted to hurling abuse at her instead.


    Lisa could not even imagine how terrified Rosemary had been when she nearly got vited at a ce


    like that.


    For years, she had made sure that Rosemary was brought up like a youngdy of nobility. The girl was


    going to marry into an elite family one day and be the matriarch, but not if she was ruined!


    "What did I do to her? Has there been some sort of misunderstanding, Lisa?" Katherine feigned


    innocence, though she was secretly cheering when she saw how outraged Lisa was.


    There were few things in life she enjoyed more than watching Lisa being rendered helpless against her.


    "Misunderstanding? Oh, no. Don''t try to fool me. You were the one who gave Rosemary that wine even


    though you knew it wasced¡ª" As though realizing that she had slipped up, Lisa quickly paused and


    bit her own tongue.


    She shot Katherine a sharp look and snapped, "Regardless, you shouldn''t have abandoned your sister


    in a den of vices like that in the first ce! What if something had happened to her?"


    "Den of vices, you say?" Katherine blinked. An innocent expression etched itself upon her pretty face


    as she pointed out unassumingly, "Lisa, it was Rosemary who brought me there in the first ce. I


    couldn''t possibly have forced her into bringing me there, could I? Also, she was the one who insisted


    on downing that wine. Did she tell you I made her drink it?"


    Lisa choked on her own rage, her words dying on the tip of her tongue.


    Katherine was right. Rosemary was the one who had asked her out to the bar, and the former had


    initially rejected the invitation at first. Now that thetter had gotten herself into trouble, she had no


    reason to me anyone, and certainly not Katherine, but herself.


    Lisa could not understand how anyone could be so infuriating. Katherine was neither passive-


    aggressive nor hostile, but the effortless way in which she shot down the usations directed at her


    was agitating all the same.


    As things were, Lisa had nothing on Katherine. She had to swallow her pride and admit defeat.


    This was the first time since bing the matriarch of the family that she was put in her ce. Gritting


    her teeth, she glowered at Katherine''s smug face, but she held back her anger in a bid to keep the


    Levisays out of this.


    "Why did youe home sote anyway? It''s unbing for a youngdy like you to stay out sote,


    especially since you''ll marry into an important family soon. You wouldn''t want the Levisays to call you


    out on your poor behavior, would you?" Lisa said snarkily, picking on the tiniest of Katherine''s ws


    after losing out on the previous argument.


    Katherine shed her a goody-two-shoes smile and replied solemnly, "You''re right. I''ll be going up to


    my room now. I promise I won''t stay out sote in the future. I shall stay at home until the day I get


    married."


    Lisa looked as if she had swallowed a bug. She was trying to imply that Katherine had questionable


    behavior, but thest thing she expected was for the girl to be so congenial about it. It was as if Lisa


    had shot herself in the foot.


    A yawn escaped Katherine as she happily marched up the stairs.


    Not two minutester, Rosemary''s shrill cry filled the house. "Argh! Katherine, what the hell are you


    doing?"


    Katherine checked her nailszily as she looked at Rosemary with mild disinterest. "Dad told me I


    could pick whichever room I liked in the house. I rather like this one, and I''m used to it too. Go pick


    another room for yourself."


    Rosemary nched as she gaped at Katherine incredulously. "You want me to give up my room for


    you? Did you forget that I''m the real youngdy of the house? You have no right to make me do this!"


    "Oh, really? In that case, you can take my ce and be inws with the Levisays. It''s Miss


    Cornell they want, not some secondary heiress like me," Katherine drawled in a bored voice as she


    assessed Rosemary with a raised brow.


    At once, Rosemary felt as if there was a lump in her throat that she could not get rid of.


    She ultimately gave up her room even though it had the best lighting and venttion in the house. She


    knew she did not have a choice after Katherine had put her foot down on the matter.


    Katherine''s changed, Rosemary recognized bitterly. She''s no longer that naive girl from five years ago.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Katherine might look harmless and innocent, but she was like a rose with thorns. Anyone who let their


    guard down around her would find themselves pricked bloody.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    "Hmph! Don''t be so full of yourself just yet, Katherine!" Rosemary snapped, gnashing her teeth.


    The incident at the bar had already made them each other''s nemesis, and at this point, she did not


    bother putting up a sisterly act anymore. She stormed out of the room after grabbing her pillow.


    When Rosemary left, Katherine looked around the room as an icy gleam shed in her eyes.


    This was her bedroom five years ago.


    Elsie had been the one to draw up the ns and room design, but unfortunately, any trace of her


    mother''s creativity had been erased since Rosemary moved in. It was hard for Katherine to picture


    what it used to look like now.


    The idea of sleeping in the bed Rosemary had slept in disgusted her.


    Having thrown the girl out of the room, Katherine summoned the maids and told them to throw out


    everything that belonged to Rosemary. The bedsheets were changed shortly after, and had it not been


    sote at night, Katherine would have brought in a new bed as well.


    Upon seeing all her things getting thrown out, Rosemary tugged on Lisa''s arm tearfully and whined,


    "Mom, do you see what she''s done?!"


    "There, there. We''ll only have to tolerate her arrogance for the time being. Once she bes one of


    the Levisays, everything in this house will belong to you. If it makes you feel any better, I''m sure the


    Levisays would give her a hard time. They would pick her apart for her poor character."


    Lisa was furious as well, but she foundfort in the thought that whatever havoc Katherine wreaked


    now was only temporary. She would end up with the Levisays'' useless scion, which meant she could


    never outshine Rosemary in terms of social standing.


    "I won''t let her get away with this!" There was a vicious look in Rosemary''s eyes as she said this.


    She grew furious at the thought of the humiliation she had been subjected to at the bar, and she


    wanted nothing more than to tear Katherine into shreds.


    However, she needed to be patient. She would strike only after Katherine became inws with the


    Levisays. Let''s see how she fares once she marries a cripple. No one wille to her defense then!


    Katherine slept fitfully that night. She tossed and turned in bed as she tried to snap out of a long


    nightmare. When she woke up again, it was only 4.00AM.


    Her head felt like it was cracking down the middle as all sense of sleep drained out of her.


    She crawled out of bed and opened the windows. It was still dark as she gazed out at the garden, and


    she could hear the low humming of insects.


    Hovington in June was hot and dry during the day, but cool and refreshing at night. There was even the


    faint, sweet scent of wood and grass lingering in the air.


    Katherine massaged her aching temples as she retracted her gaze. She returned to the bedroom and


    took some pills to ease her headache, theny back in bed to get some sleep.


    She tossed and turned again until 7.00AM, whereupon she finally fell into an uneasy slumber. However,


    she had only just dozed off when a series of loud knockings on her door woke her up.


    Herck of sleep was evident in her grumpy mood and bloodshot eyes.


    Knock-knock-knock!


    The thumping on the other side of the door belied the person''s impatience. If Katherine did not know


    better, she would have thought someone was trying to kick her door down.


    She pushed the covers off her and walked up to the door before opening it irritably.


    In the hallway, Rosemary''s fist paused in mid-air, and she was shocked to see the stormy look on


    Katherine''s face. Subconsciously, she took a wary step back.


    However, after remembering she was here with good reason and that she did not need to back down


    as the rightful youngdy of the house, she gave a haughty reply.


    "Don''t you know what day it is, Katherine? You should be getting ready by now." Wicked amusement


    glittered in her eyes as she grinned maliciously.


    Pressing her fingertips to her temple, Katherine resisted the urge to punch Rosemary in the face.


    "What do you want?"


    She had only just woken up, but the hoarse edge to her voice somehow made her sound even more


    alluring. If it were not for her stone-cold expression and the hard set on her jaw, she might actually look


    like a temptress.


    "Dad wants you to know that it was customary for us to visit the Levisays after they agreed to the


    arranged marriage yesterday. You''ll be meeting the man you''re going to marry, and we''ll be meeting our


    inw," Rosemary exined, seemingly pleased with this.


    She was admittedly excited to see the cripple Katherine would be stuck with for the rest of her life.


    Word had it that Joaquin was a cripple with a disfigured face. Imagining him as the man Katherine


    would be forced to settle down with filled Rosemary with an inexplicable rush of joy.


    Meanwhile, Katherine narrowed her eyes unhappily. She did not think she would need to head over to


    the Levisay Residence.


    She already had ns to drop by the research instituteter this afternoon to evaluate Alex''s progress.


    She and Theodore were also going to assess the medication to see if there were any other existing or


    potential side effects. All in all, she had a busy day ahead.


    "Got it," she said nheless, then impassively mmed the door shut in Rosemary''s face.


    She had no courtesy to spare for the likes of her stepsister.


    Rosemary, who had nearly lost the tip of her nose just moments ago, began seething with rage.


    However, she took a deep breath and kept her anger under control, then stomped downstairs.


    An hour passed while Katherine washed up, put on a change of clothes, and went downstairs.


    She was wearing a bright red dress from one of Charovsky''s collections, but it had an unttering cut


    and a jarring color. There were also countless sequins on the dress that made it look like it was pulled


    from a cabaret performer''s closet. In short, it was a tough dress to pull off.


    Nevertheless, with Katherine''s attractive silhouette, she wore this dress like she was doing it a favor.


    As opposed to a cabaret performer, she looked like a socialite or a youngdy of nobility.


    Rosemary gritted her teeth when she saw how beautiful Katherine was and felt bitter jealousy coursing


    through her.


    Lisa, on the other hand, frowned as she took in Katherine''s somewhat bold and provocative get-up.


    She did not bother reminding the girl that they were going to the Levisay Residence today for a formal


    visit, thus requiring a more appropriate ensemble than a bright red sequined dress.


    After all, she could care less if Katherine were to embarrass herself during the visit.


    Theck of sleep fully caught on to Katherine once she got into the car. She eased herself into a more


    comfortable position, closed her eyes, and dozed off.


    Unfortunately, the human chatterbox that was Rosemary did not give her a moment''s peace, and she


    was getting on Katherine''s nerves.


    "Driver, stop the car." Katherine would have put up with the inane chattering, but her patience wore out


    completely when she sensed that Rosemary, who had raised her voice at some point, might be doing


    this on purpose.


    The driver dared not go against Katherine, so he pulled up slowly to the curb.


    Without warning, Katherine opened the car door and unceremoniously kicked Rosemary out of the


    vehicle. Then, she pulled the door closed, locked it, and ordered indifferently, "Drive."


    The driver broke into cold sweat after watching this disy, but he did as he was told and started


    driving.


    "Katherine, you b*tch! You piece of sh*t!" Having tumbled out of the vehicle and onto the road,


    Rosemary was covered in dust as she mbered to her feet and screamed after the car as it sped off.


    She could not believe that Katherine had such little regard for her!


    They arrived at the Levisay Residence an hourter.


    The Levisays were a blue-blood family that thrived on really old money. Their sprawling estate alone


    took up acres in a city like Hovington where real estate was scarce.


    As the car drove onto the estate, just the sight of the boulevard that led up to the main house was


    enough to make Jorge and Lisa grin from ear to ear.


    They had known of the Levisays'' fortune right from the beginning, but they did not think it would be so


    unbelievably vast.


    Just a pinch of the Levisays'' fortune couldunch the Cornells to new heights in the elite social scene.


    The car soon rolled to a slow stop outside the front door.


    Jorge and Lisa got down from the car. Only then did they turn to nce at the car that pulled up behind


    theirs.


    "Miss Cornell, we''re here," the driver said trepidatiously, trying to rouse the sleeping woman in the


    backseat.


    Katherine''s brows furrowed as her eyes fluttered open. She straightened up and looked out the


    window, then aggressively opened the door and got down from the car.


    "Where''s Rosemary?" Lisa asked with a frown when she saw that Katherine was the only one who got


    out of the vehicle. She walked over to open the other door, only to see that her daughter was not in the


    car at all. Dumbfounded, she called outmely, as if the girl would pop out of thin air. "Rosemary?"


    She had specially hired a designer to make a dress andmissioned jewelry for Rosemary in


    anticipation of today. This was so that the Levisays could have a good first impression of Rosemary


    and consider setting her up with their second scion.


    With Joaquin wheelchair-bound, Robert Levisay, his younger brother, would be the sessor of


    the family fortune.


    Presently, Katherine gave Lisa a brief look of disinterest. Anyone with half a mind could figure out that


    the woman wanted to marry Rosemary off to the second Levisay son.


    A small smile tugged on Katherine''s lips. Don''t even think about it, Lisa, she thought deviously.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    "Daddy, let''s head in. On our way here, I heard Rosemary say that she could note as she had


    something going on. We cannot let the Levisays wait for us, right?" Katherine sweetly said as she took


    Jorge''s offered arm. They looked like a lovely father-daughter pair.


    Jorge frowned upon hearing that, and he agreed with her as well.


    When he saw that Lisa was still throwing a fit while the Levisay servants watched from the doorway, his


    face twisted with dissatisfaction. He cleared his throat and said to Lisa, "Enough, Lisa. Rose has


    something to do, so we shall not wait for her. Let us head inside. This is more important."


    Naturally, Lisa was not happy to hear that. However, she did not dare to argue back. Thus, she had to


    suppress her rage. However, as she walked past them, she shot Katherine a menacing re.


    Katherine remained calm though as she happily walked into the Levisay Residence with her arm linked


    with Jorge''s.


    She was looking forward to meeting the fianc¨¦e she had yet to even see.


    There were quite a few people gathered in the living room. When Jorge and the others walked through


    the door, dozens of faces instantly turned to look at them.


    Even though Jorge was someone who had seen and met a lot of people, the sight still made his heart


    tremble and his stomach roll in anxiety.


    Lisa immediately noticed the handsome young men in the room; all of them look like great, capable


    men. The sight made her hate Katherine even more for being in Rosemary''s way.


    "My dear inws, you''re here. Come, sit," greeted Hera.


    Hera was as friendly as ever. In fact, when she saw Katherine, she looked as if she had just seen her


    own daughter walk into the room.


    The other people in the room all frowned at Katherine''s gaudy outfit. Elizabeth Levisay''s face was the


    most unpleasant as her face was scrunched up so hard that it was evident that she was not happy at


    all.


    "You are so beautiful today, Katherine." Hera could not help but scoff when she saw the blinding shine


    of sequins on Katherine.


    It was obvious that Katherine was not someone who was up to standard. After all, no properdy would


    wear something so gaudy and vulgar that it resembled a dancer''s outfit.


    Still, she would be marrying Joaquin, so that put Hera into a good mood.


    "This is Joaquin''s father. He was unable toe alongst time because of an urgent matter at work,"


    Hera introduced as she led Katherine and her family to their seats. She then sat down beside a stern-


    faced middle-aged man and held his arm while smiling at Katherine.


    Katherine looked at the man and said with a sweet smile, "Hello, sir."


    While John Levisay did not like the girl he saw, he was raised with manners. Hence, he was able to


    politely respond to Katherine without letting his displeasure show.


    Seeing that, Hera introduced the other people in the room as well. "This is Joaquin''s grandmother. You


    can just call her Grandma as he does."


    Elizabeth had a sharp and extremely unfriendly face. When she heard what Hera said, she let out a


    scoff. "Please, do not. I am afraid it will shorten my lifespan."


    Katherine smiled even brighter than before. "Hello, Grandma."


    That pissed Elizabeth so much that the corner of her eye twitched. She was about to burst out in fury


    when the person sitting beside her stopped her.


    It was then that Katherine noticed the young woman seated beside Elizabeth. The woman looked to be


    around the age of 23 and was dressed in a pure white silk dress. She looked elegant and refined.


    When the woman noticed Katherine staring at her, she smiled at Katherine and softly said to Elizabeth,


    "Grandma, she is Joaquin''s fianc¨¦e after all. Be polite for his sake. Think of how upset he would be


    when he knows what you just said."


    Elizabeth continued to frown but kept quiet afterward.


    Katherine could not help but take a closer look at the meek-looking woman. Although the woman had


    spoken up to defend Katherine, it felt like she was making a im instead.


    She smirked, finding the situation more interesting than before.


    It seemed like the Levisays were a much more treacherous family than the Cornells.


    She did not have time to fool around with rich family politics, though. She had to find a chance to get


    this engagement canceled.


    "Oh, Hera, I had meant to ask you thisst time; where is Joaquin? We are engaged with each other,


    right? I did not see himst time, but why do I not see him here in his home?" Katherine asked Hera


    with an innocent face in a soft and sweet voice.


    Hearing that disgusted Hera. She did not expect Katherine to be so good at acting. Thest time they


    met, she had acted so crudely.


    It seemed like the Cornells had particrly taught her a few lessons as they were afraid of being


    embarrassed.


    Nevertheless, coal would always be coal. No matter what, it could never turn into a diamond. Hence,


    she was not worried about any big changes with Katherine.


    "Him? He is upstairs," replied Hera. "Oh, he had been brooding and depressed ever since that


    ident. He rarely speaks nowadays. If you wish to see him, you can head up to his room. It is the


    second room to the left."


    Hera raised her hand to her eyes as if to wipe her tears away.


    Katherine''s lips twitched as she bluntly said, "Okay. I''ll head upstairs to greet him."


    She then got up and walked to the staircase.


    Everyone in the room went pale, especially John whose face turned ugly.


    The average daughter of a good family would never be so rude! What Katherine did was over the line.


    His displeasure was so obvious that Jorge became furious as well.


    However, Jorge could not burst out in anger before the Levisays, and it was not a good time to berate


    Katherine. Hence, the only thing he could do was smile apologetically. "Kathy has a rather


    straightforward personality. She likely wanted to have some bonding time with Joaquin."


    Hera covered her smile with her hand after hearing that, but she did not expose the lie for what it was.


    Jorge''s exnation had the opposite effect he wanted though. The more he said, the more he


    emphasized her rudeness.


    Meanwhile, Katherine headed upstairs as she could not be bothered to deal with the tense situation


    downstairs. She then pushed open the second door to her left, as Hera directed.


    There was a faint scent of blood in the air, along with a rather familiar scent.


    She could not help but frown when she stepped into the room. She paused to ponder about the


    mysterious scent but could not recall where she had smelled it before.


    "Is anyone there?" she tentatively called out. She did not wait for an answer though and walked further


    into the room.


    To her surprise, the room was extremely clean. Inside the room was a man sitting in a wheelchair with


    his back to the door and facing the balcony.


    He seemed to have heard her open the door as his fingers pressed a button on his wheelchair to slowly


    turn him around. At the same time, he turned to look at her.


    Katherine was stunned at the face she saw. Her eyes lingered on the silver mask on his face.


    It was a very exquisite mask.


    For some reason, he felt strangely familiar to her.


    "Have we met before?" Unable to hold back her curiosity, she blurted out the question after staring at


    him for a few long moments.


    His deep chuckles echoed through the room as he shot back in a sharp voice, "Do you always flirt like


    that with every man you meet?"


    That was not the voice she knew.


    It only took a second for her to arrive at that conclusion. This man was not the annoying man she had


    met twice before. The two of them merely held themselves the same way.


    "No, but you felt rather simr to someone I know. Are you Joaquin Levisay, my fianc¨¦e?" She sat


    down on the bed and tantly studied him.


    His skin was quite pale, and his brown hair hung before his forehead, blocking out half of his mask.


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    He was clean-shaven, and his jaw was rather pleasant to look at. His lips were very thin and somewhat


    flushed red; he was likely burning up slightly with something.


    He was dressed in a tailored ck dress shirt with the top three of his buttons undone, revealing


    beautiful corbones, and a pair of suit pants.


    Despite being in a wheelchair, the way he held himself exuded a somewhat oppressing presence.


    "You seem interested in me." His voice suddenly rang out beside her ear, stunning her.


    The sense of familiarity was back.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    "Yes, I am interested in you." Katherine stopped staring in surprise and studied Joaquin once more.


    Except for the strangely familiar aura, the man she was looking at seemed just like a stranger she had


    never met before.


    She was starting to think she was a little too sensitive after returning home; everyone seemed familiar


    to her.


    "Oh?" Joaquin raised an eyebrow at her honesty. The interest gleaming in his eyes grew stronger.


    "True, you would definitely be interested in being the wife of the Levisay heir. Unfortunately, you


    miscalcted. Marrying me might not give you what you want."


    "Not really." Her beautiful lips curved in a smile as she looked at him.


    She had thought of the Levisays as a huge annoyance and had nned to cancel her engagement.


    Now, however, the idea of marrying him would be a good disguise.


    She could not tell anyone about her identity because she knew the formtions of many experimental


    drugs. The moment anyone with evil intentions found out about her, the only fate waiting for her was an


    endless stream of assassinations.


    Everyone around her would be in danger then.


    Being Mrs. Levisay did not seem like a bad idea. No one would think the boring wife of a disabled man


    to be the infamous Dr. C.


    "No matter what, you are the undisputable heir of the family. I would not lose anything by marrying you.


    At the very least, it is a better fate than being ignored and powerless with the Cornells. What do you


    think?" She had a greedy look and spoke confidently.


    If Joaquin had never met Katherine before and witnessed just how powerful and sharp-tongued she


    was, he would have been fooled by her lie.


    He did not think she would be both witty and a good actress.


    His smile deepened. He leaned back in his wheelchair andnguidly studied her as he said, "You have


    a point."


    "I think what I said made sense as well. Since you agree with me, why don''t we proceed with the


    engagement? I hope you won''t use some excuse to cancel our engagement again on the eighth of next


    month." She was very satisfied with his decision.


    He was disfigured and disabled, but he was handsome enough that she did not mind trying to save his


    legs.


    Joaquin raised an eyebrow and faintly smiled at her. "Of course, I won''t. Do you not mind that I am


    disabled?"


    "Do you mind that I am useless?" Katherine casually shot back.


    Everyone in Hovington knew the Cornells'' eldest daughter was useless and stupid since childhood and


    had been sent away to Fontan to live by herself for five years.


    Fontan was infamous for being chaotic. Even powerful men would suffer over there. It was easy to


    imagine just what would happen to Katherine, a woman with no power to back her up.


    She had only returned home for a few days, yet everyone already knew of her reputation. They were all


    waiting tough at the Levisays.


    Speaking of her reputation, that achievement belonged to Rosemary. If she had not been so eager in


    gossiping about Katherine, it would have been hard to ensure everyone believed in her terrible


    reputation.


    "Ha." Joaquin chuckled.


    His fianc¨¦e was much more interesting than he had anticipated, and with her intelligence and talents,


    she was well-prepared for a lot of things.


    He wanted to protect Beatrice, and Katherine was the best shield possible.


    At that thought, the notion of being engaged was not that bad anymore.


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    He had to thank Hera for going through all that effort to find someone like her for him.


    "Trash and useless; we are the perfect match. Not bad." There was a frigid quality to his smile, but it


    was blocked from her view by his mask.


    She shot him a confused look; that sensation of familiarity grew stronger.


    Perhaps they truly had met before.


    As she pondered, he pushed himself over to her. "Since you will be marrying me, let us head


    downstairs now."


    "Okay," she answered nonchntly, rising to push him down to the living room.


    Meanwhile, Hera, Jorge, and Lisa were almost done discussing the details of the wedding. As John did


    not approve of the marriage, he did not say a word the entire time and coldly watched them talk.


    Elizabeth had decided to just avoid looking at the situation and asked the woman sitting beside her to


    help her back to her room for some rest. It was apparent that she was dissatisfied with her future


    granddaughter-inw.


    When Katherine reappeared with Joaquin, John could not help but frown as he stared at her.


    One of her straps had slipped off her shoulder, revealing smooth skin and tiny shes of a hickey on


    her neck.


    John scowled harder at the sight. He shot to his feet and stormed out of the room without saying a


    single word.


    Katherine merely nced at his back in response. Her lips twitched upward into a grin as she pushed


    Joaquin closer to the group.


    Joaquin was an excellent shield for her. She could likely avoid a lot of issues with the Levisays as long


    as she used him as her excuse.


    "Dad, Madam Sutton, Hera."


    She greeted the group in the living room in a sickly-sweet voice as she pushed Joaquin in.


    Hera frowned at him before turning to look at Katherine. Then, she let out a cold smirk.


    She had been worried Joaquin would pull some trick out of his sleeves. To her surprise, Katherine was


    a cunning woman who could make that trash flirt with her. John storming out of the room essentially


    meant Joaquin would no longer be the heir of the Levisay Group.


    The thought put her in a good mood, and her smile grew brighter.


    "Kathy,e sit by my side. Oh, the two of you are getting married soon. Thus, you should change


    how you call me. Do not be a stranger, got it?" She patted Katherine on the hand. When she saw the


    big gold bangle dangling from Katherine''s wrist, she shivered in revulsion once more.


    "I know, Mom," Katherine smoothly and obediently answered. At the same time, she took off her gold


    bangle and slid it onto Hera''s wrist.


    Stunned, Hera stared at her in shock. The next thing she knew, Katherine was speaking. "You will be


    my mother in the future, so this is a gift from me, your daughter. You like it, right?"


    Hera nearly burst outughing from anger. How could she like something so crude and ordinary?


    However, she could not be rude to Katherine. Hence, she had to go against her heart and nod. "I do. I


    love it a lot."


    "That is great. I was worried you would not like it. When I bought this, the seller said the bangle could


    never be taken off if it meets someone that suits it. If the new owner wanted it off, they would have to


    cut it off. However, gold is quite a hard material, so most tools won''t be able to make a dent on it."


    She patted her chest as if she had been terrified.


    Hera''s expression became even nastier when she heard that.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    Hera stiffly looked at the bangle on her wrist. When Katherine was distracted, she secretly tried to take


    it off. However, she soon realized that she could not take it off no matter how hard she tried. Katherine


    had slid it so easily on her wrist though.


    It was then that she recalled Katherine''s story, and her face became even more ugly.


    Joaquin was watching from the side throughout the entire encounter. When he saw Hera suffering from


    a prank, his mood improved.


    "That man must have been lying to you. Gold bangles that could not be taken off do not exist in this


    world," Hera said with an awkward chuckle that sounded extremely forced.


    "Is that so? I thought so too. When I have it on, I can take it off whenever." Katherine solemnly spoke


    as if she did not understand Hera''sment.


    That reaction made Hera feel like spewing blood. She pursed her lips and stopped talking to Katherine.


    The wedding''s details were all settled, and Katherine did not need to know about it anyway.


    Once she was done grossing out Hera, she daintily moved to stand behind Joaquin''s wheelchair,


    leaned down, and shyly said, "I¡­ Dad, Madam Sutton, and Mom, since our engagement is confirmed


    now, can we send a press statement to the media? I''m just so worried that this is all just a dream and


    that I will wake up one day."


    Everyone was surprised by Katherine''s request, and they all stared at her in shock.


    However, that request was not a big deal.


    Jorge would honestly love for the Levisays to send the statement. That way, everyone in the city would


    know that the Cornells had the Levisays on their side now.


    The more he thought about that, the more satisfied he was with Katherine. While she had been a


    distant child and lived away from him for five years, she still prioritized the Cornells in her decisions.


    After all, she had done beautifully with her request.


    "That is fine. I will have the PR department announce your engagement." Although Hera was


    thoroughly revolted by Katherine''s coy act, she still smiled and agreed to the idea.


    "Thank you, Mom. You are the best!" Katherine happily smiled at Hera.


    Diforted by the look in Katherine''s eyes and afraid that she might suddenly give her something


    weird again, Hera hurriedly stood up. "I''ll go check in on the kitchen. All of you should stay for the meal


    before you go."


    "Thank you, Mom," Katherine sweetly said.


    Hearing that made Hera walk even faster.


    The smile on Katherine''s face shone brightly as she winked at Joaquin.


    He stared back at her, speechless.


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    She was so good at acting that he was curious about what she had actually gone through in those five


    years in Fontan.


    He had looked into her; her life before going to Fontan had been simple; her grades were average.


    When she was studying in high school five years ago, a scandal broke out which led to her being sent


    away by the Cornells. Since then, the report on her life has been nk.


    He knew all too well about his subordinates'' investigative capabilities. Even they had been unable to


    find out what she was doing. All they could say was that there was a very skilled programmer who was


    helping her hide her past.


    "Kathy, the wedding will be happening in just over two weeks. What do you still need? Go buy them


    using the card I gave you. Buy anything you want. Do not hold back, do you understand?" Jorge was


    so very happy with Katherine, for she was a credit to him.


    "Okay. Thank you, Dad," she dutifully answered. She then pushed Joaquin aside and found a seat to


    sit.


    During dinner, John excused himself from the meal using the excuse that he had an important client to


    attend to. Elizabeth was also not at dinner as she imed she did not feel well. However, the meek


    woman who followed after Elizabeth the entire time dined with them.


    "Did you study in Fontan? I hear the education in that country is amazing," asked the woman, Be


    Cooper, as she feebly nced at Katherine while slowly eating her food.


    Katherine nced at her as she could feel Be''s hostility toward her; it was likely because of Joaquin.


    Katherine swiftly shoved a piece of meat into her mouth. After slowly savoring the meat and judging it


    to be decent, she grabbed another piece from the shared te and ced it on Joaquin''s te. It was


    only then that she replied with a sincere look in her eyes, "You had better cut off ties with the person


    who told you that. They must be absolutely lying. Fontan is the worst in the entire world when ites


    to education. They have no talents outside of being poor and hitting on random girls."


    The reply broke Be as she awkwardly and nkly stared at Katherine due to the shock.


    Joaquin had just taken a bite of his food when Katherine spoke. Her reply had him nearly choking on


    his food. It took him a long while before he caught his breath.


    Katherine hurriedly patted him on the back while giving him a ss of water.


    "I-Is that so? I-I thought¡­" Be stammered with a pale face. She had no idea how to continue the


    conversation.


    "If you really want to know what''s going on with Fontan, I suggest you ask your parents to send you


    over. You will understand after a few years," Katherine interrupted, not giving her a chance to finish


    speaking.


    Be''s face turned even paler as she swayed in her seat.


    She tearfully turned her gaze to Joaquin only to see him casually grabbing the piece of meat Katherine


    had ced on his te. When she saw him eat it, something snapped in her.


    She could not believe her eyes.


    Joaquin was always a germaphobe who only ever ate from his own personal te. He would not eat


    from the shared tes, let alone food ced on his te by someone else. She had lived with the


    Levisays for over twenty years, and this was her first time seeing him eat food given to him by a


    woman. Moreover, her saliva was still on that piece of meat¡­


    She felt so confused, unable to understand what was going on.


    "Have some liver. It is good for blood cirction." Katherine ignored the performance going on beside


    her and passed Joaquin more food.


    He frowned at the piece of liver on his te. Before he could speak, he heard Be cautiously say to


    Katherine, "Miss Cornell, you might not know Joaquin well, but he never eats organ meat¡­"


    She was not even done speaking when Joaquin immediately grabbed the liver on his te and ate it as


    if he were trying to humiliate her.


    The liver had a weird taste to it and eating it felt like eating dirt. Still, he pushed back his distaste and


    swallowed the meat.


    "What did you just say?" Katherine innocently asked after watching him finish the whole piece.


    Be opened her mouth, but the words stuck to her throat and would note out no matter what.


    Joaquin actually ate the liver!


    Just what was going on between him and Katherine? Why was he so very patient with her?

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    "N-Nothing," Be eventually forced herself to answer. After she said that, it felt like she was sitting on


    a bed of nails instead of a chair.


    She shuffled uneasily, too embarrassed to continue dining with them.


    Soon, she came up with the excuse that she was not feeling well and fled back to her room.


    Hera could not help but be amused by the look on Be''s face.


    Be was Elizabeth''s grandniece. A few years ago, her parents passed away, leaving her all alone. Her


    tragic fate and young age made Elizabeth take her in out of pity. All these years, she had been raised


    as a daughter of the Levisays.


    She was frailer than a piece of paper, yet her ego was greater than the world. She insisted on marrying


    Joaquin. Unfortunately, he barely even bothered ncing at her throughout her years of staying with


    them.


    Katherine had humiliated Be; based on Be''s personality, she would definitely bad-mouth Katherine


    to Elizabeth. Joaquin was currently a useless, disabled man, and Katherine could not give him a boost


    in any way as she was not beloved by the Cornells. That meant her son would be the only potential


    head of the family.


    "It is gettingte, Kathy. Why don''t you stay the night instead?" Hera asked as she dabbed the corners


    of her mouth with her napkin.


    Katherine, who had been in the middle of putting more food on Joaquin''s te, froze.


    If people found out that she stayed the night on her very first visit to her fianc¨¦e''s home, her reputation


    would be ruined while the Cornells would be turned into aughing stock.


    However, that was what she wanted, right?


    Hence, she immediately nodded. "Sure."


    Jorge had wanted to reject the suggestion, but Katherine answered before he could even react. When


    he heard her answer though, he could not help but scowl.


    That was simply outrageous.


    Nody would stay the night at her fianc¨¦e''s home as soon as the engagement was confirmed.


    If word spread, people would criticize the Cornells for being sox with their children.


    "Kathy!" he snapped before turning to apologize to Hera, "I am so sorry, Madam Levisay. I was unable


    to raise her properly as she had grown up in Fontan. She will head back with us tonight. We do not


    want people to gossip, after all."


    Hera had smiled upon hearing Katherine''s answer. However, when Jorge said that, her smile faded as


    she shot him a look.


    "It is fine, Dad," Katherine nonchntly said. "I am going to marry Joaquin anyway. I will be staying


    here tonight so that I can bond with him as well. Well, Joaquin? Shall I sleep in your room tonight?"


    The moment she said that, the jaws of the servants in the room dropped.


    They had never seen anyone as shameless as her before. How indecent of her to sleep in the same


    bed as her fianc¨¦e on the first visit!


    No wonder everyone said the Cornells'' eldest daughter was a slut who did not know restraint. Her birth


    mother was simrly lustful, for she was caught cheating back then and onlymitted suicide


    because she could not deal with the consequences. As expected, the apple does not fall far from the


    tree.


    While Hera was smirking on the inside, she put on a friendly smile and said, "It would not be


    appropriate for you to stay in the same room. How about I put you in the room next to his?"


    "Okay," Katherine replied after pretending to think about it without forgetting to put on an upset


    expression.


    Her response made Hera look down on her even more.


    "Katherine Cornell, what are you doing? Do you not know what people will say if you stay? You are


    going home with me right now. Apologize to Madam Levisay; she will not be angry with you." Jorge had


    dragged Katherine to the side to berate her as soon as dinner was over.


    "She asked me to stay, Dad," she innocently replied. "Why would it be wrong for me to stay? Joaquin


    and I are engaged anyway, and we will be married in just over two weeks. Even if we did something,


    isn''t that normal?"


    When Jorge heard that, he was so pissed that he wished to p her right then and there.


    If people found out about this, the Cornells would be the joke of high society.


    That would be absolutely humiliating.


    "Katherine, you¡­"


    "I''m going over there, Dad. Joaquin is asking for me," Katherine interrupted as she turned to nce at


    Joaquin before rushing away without giving Jorge a chance to even protest.


    His face turned red as he was filled with the urge to just beat up Katherine for her disobedience.


    It was a pity that he was at the Levisay Residence. He could not let his anger show and had to just


    ept the situation as it was.


    Joaquin was silent the entire time as an unapproachable air hung around him.


    "Let me help you back to your room, Joaquin," Katherine affectionately said as she walked over and


    pushed him away.


    Seeing that, Hera smiled and did not even try to stop her.


    Soon, Katherine and Joaquin were back in his room. As soon as they were inside, the fake smile on


    her face vanished.


    "Have you ever thought of being an actress? You are really good at it." He was awed by the speed at


    which she could take off a mask; she was likely faster than professional magicians who specialized in


    putting on and off actual masks.


    "That is not a bad idea. How far do you think my looks will carry me as an entertainer? I think I will be


    famous overnight," she excitedly chattered while leaning in close to him.


    A faint fragrance filled his nose. It felt familiar to him. He wondered where he could have smelled the


    scent before, and it was not during hisst two meetings with Katherine. In fact, the sense of familiarity


    seemed to stem from a much earlier time. Just as he was about to explore that train of thought, she


    stood up and walked toward the door. "I''m tired and going to bed now. See you tomorrow, dear


    fianc¨¦e."


    The dazzling shimmer of her back brought a smile to his face.


    He was lost in his thoughts when an ear-piercing ringing shattered the silence in the room.


    His face darkened as he stood up and pulled out a ck, heavy phone that had been hiding inside a


    drawer. The disy showed an unknown iing caller with no caller ID or number.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    "Hey," he said, answering the phone.


    "We have not found where Dr. C is yet, but we are certain she has left Fontan. She must have left for


    Cechirus, but we do not know for sure where she is yet. She is hidden extremely well, sir. We have


    contacted her researchb, but they would not give us the experimental drug we wanted." The caller


    spoke fast as if he was reporting on something urgent.


    Joaquin''s fingers tapped on the desk as he frowned. "Can Hawk hold on?"


    "The doctor said that he cannotst longer than three days without the drug."


    Joaquin heaved a heavy sigh upon hearing that as his face clouded over. "I see. Leave it to me. I will


    find a way."


    If his memory served him right, Beatrice''s grandfather''s researchb seemed to have imported a drug


    Dr. C created. If he could talk to Beatrice''s grandfather, he might be able to meet the mysterious Dr. C.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Katherine returned to her room, took afortable warm bath,y on the bed, and checked the news


    with her phone.


    When she saw an interesting article, Theodore called.


    Katherine had no choice but to answer the call first with a somewhat casual tone. "Dr. Muller, is


    something wrong with the experimental medicine again?"


    The patient''s condition had stabilized, and he would recover within three months with proper care.


    When Katherine left the institute, she mentioned to Theodore that if there was nothing special, try not to


    contact her.


    He then uttered in a helpless voice through the phone, "That''s not the problem, but you can say it is.


    Someone wants the D3 Reageant and has contacted me several times."


    "It''s not for sale," Katherine refused without thinking.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Theodore was not surprised but carefully added, "I know what you''re thinking. These drugs are special


    drugs that aren''t suitable forrge-scale production. If they''re leaked, it will cause serious damage to


    our research institute, but this time, the situation is a little different. The ones who are requesting this


    medicine are from a special team in Cechirus. They are devoted to defending the country, so I hope


    you can think about it carefully. "


    Katherine was silent when she heard those words. Theodore seldom said good things about people, so


    since he asked on behalf of them for the medicine, the other party must have done a lot for the country.


    "Sure, but you must arrange for someone you can trust to meet them. The D3 Reageant is not the


    same as other experimental drugs. Once this drug gets leaked, it will bring us havoc. It''s not that I can''t


    trust them, but you mustn''t be careless." Katherine finally gave in.


    "I knew you were a righteous person, Kathy. By the way, the leader of the team has always wanted to


    contact you. If you''re interested, you can get in touch with him. He''s a good person, and if he is willing


    to help us, we don''t have to worry about the safety of ourbs anymore.¡±


    Theodore was ecstatic, and his tone was much more cheerful now. He did not forget to introduce


    someone to Katherine too.


    Katherine was not willing to contact these people as she only trusted herself, so she just hung up the


    phone after some casual chat.


    Within ten seconds, however, the screen of the phone lit up, and it was a phone number sent by


    Theodore.


    Katherine nced at it and did not bother to remember.


    The Levisays'' bed was prettyfortable, so Katherine had a good night''s sleep. She did not even


    have nightmares, and she woke up refreshed the next day.


    As soon as she opened her eyes, Katherine felt something off.


    There was a subtle scent in the air, and it was very light, yet it could not escape her nose.


    Katherine kept alert in the room, but after getting up, she did not see anyone else.


    Did someone enter her room while she was asleep? A woman at that?


    Interesting.


    After taking a shower, Katherine changed her clothes and went downstairs.


    At this hour, the Levisays were having breakfast. Seeing Katherineing down as if she did not


    consider herself an outsider, John pulled a long face.


    With a straight face, he finished the coffee in his hand and immediately got up to leave, not even


    bothering to say hello to Katherine.


    "Hmph, the Levisays surely brought up a good daughter!"


    Seeing Katherine''s shameless appearance, Elizabeth hit the crutches in her hand with anger.


    Katherine smiled gently and harmlessly at Elizabeth while replying in a polite and well-behaved


    manner, "Thank you for your praise, Grandma. I just grew up in an ordinary family."


    Hera was choked by her words and wanted to say that it was not apliment, but she could not say


    anything to Katherine''s face.


    Hearing Katherine''s words, Joaquin almost burst out loudughing.


    It was rare for someone to knock Elizabeth down, and it was also his first time witnessing it.


    Seeing that Katherine was still standing there with a lovable look, the corners of his mouth curved


    upward.


    "Alright, Kathy. Come and take a seat. Did you sleep wellst night?"


    Hera could not help butugh silently. She dared notugh out of fear that Elizabeth would be


    infuriated.


    Sensing the awkward atmosphere, she quickly waved at Katherine so that she could sit down and have


    breakfast with them.


    Katherine sat down beside Hera obediently, and Joaquin happened to be seated on her left.


    "Good morning, Joaquin." After taking a seat, Katherine greeted him with shy eyes and a whiny voice.


    If he had not known Katherine''s true face long ago, Joaquin would have been disgusted by her.


    Since he had seen many sides of her, he now found it interesting.


    He responded with a curt "Morning" and ended the conversation.


    Seeing that the two seemed to be close, Hera raised her brows and looked at Katherine curiously.


    Ever since the ident, Joaquin had been very entric. He would lose his temper at any time and


    liked to ignore anyone who talked to him. His attitude toward Katherine was interesting to watch.


    "You''re free today, aren''t you, Kathy? Would you like to apany Joaquin out for a walk? He hasn''t


    been out for several months since the car ident," Hera suggested while looking at Katherine with a


    smile.


    "Sure. Joaquin, where do you want to go? I''m not that familiar with Hovington though since I haven''t


    been here for years." Katherine turned her head to look at Joaquin, beaming.


    Though his tone was not polite, Joaquin replied without embarrassing her, "I don''t want to go out."


    "But I do. Will youe with me?" Katherine rested her chin with one hand and looked at Joaquin with


    her big eyes.


    Joaquin stared at her and read her mind, so he suddenly chuckled, "Sure."


    People who saw them could only see his doting gaze on her.


    Even Hera was stunned and squinted her eyes suspiciously.


    However, Katherine did not seem to notice the others'' reactions.


    After the two had breakfast, Hera arranged for a driver to take them out.


    Inside the Stretch Lincoln Limousine, Katherine hummed a tune and scrolled the records on her phone.


    Theboratory in Fontan sent new experimental data. It seemed that there was something wrong with


    the newly researched cell regeneration drug. The regeneration speed was way faster than their


    expectations.


    In addition to that, Theodore informed her that Alex was nowpletely awake. He even got out of bed


    and walked around today. Theodore then invited Katherine to go to the research institute to have a look


    and drop by to read the observation data.


    Katherine rested her chin with one hand and looked at the chat log thoughtfully.


    Joaquin looked at her quietly from the side. Ever since they got into the car, the woman regarded him


    as air.


    Joaquin now understood that it was just Katherine''s excuse to apany her for a walk. Truth was,


    his purpose was to get out of Levisay Residence.


    For Katherine, he was probably just a tool. Once she was done using him, his existence would be


    dispensable.


    Thinking of that, Joaquin could not help butugh.


    Theughter also rmed Katherine, who was still deciding whether to go to the research institute or


    not. She raised her head curiously and looked at Joaquin.


    Was this guy out of his mind? Why was he giggling for no reason?

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    "Mr. Levisay, since we''re already out, you can tell the driver to drop me off in the city center in front if


    you have somewhere else to go." Katherine pondered for a while and decided to visit the research


    institute.


    Alex was injected with a Type C experimental drug. If the clinical trial was sessfully put into use, it


    would be a miracle in the medical world and brain-dead patients would have another chance at life.


    However, this drug had many unknown side effects, and they were not certain of it yet. Alex was the


    first patient to use this drug, so the abundance of data was important to them.


    "Oh? My dear fianc¨¦e, are you abandoning me once you''re done using me? I''m sorry to tell you that it


    is easier to invite somebody than to send them away." Joaquin''s thin lips curled into a charming arc,


    and under his gaze lurked a hidden danger.


    "Why don''t you take a nap in the car first, my dear fianc¨¦?" Katherine had already prepared the silver


    needle between her fingers. If Joaquin dared to say no, she would immediately put him to sleep.


    From the corner of Joaquin''s eyes, he caught a glimpse of the silver light on her fingertips. Recalling


    how skillful she was with the silver needles, he smiled even wider. "What if I don''t want to take a nap?


    Hmm?"


    He purposely dragged his hum longer, making it sound sultry.


    However, Katherine did not have time to appreciate it. She pounced on him all of a sudden and almost


    pierced into his acupoint.


    As a result, before she seeded in the sneak attack, her wrist was in Joaquin''s grip. With a little


    force, Katherine felt a sharp pain in her wrist, so she loosened her grip, letting the silver needle fall to


    the ground.


    Katherine''s expression changed suddenly and looked at the man in front of her in disbelief.


    Was he that good inbat?


    What happened to Cechirus? How did she meet so many strong opponents the moment she returned?


    Back in Fontan, Katherine used to be able to walk triumphantly on the streets, but this was the second


    time she was knocked down.


    She felt a huge blow and even wondered if she was not skilled enough as she was making mistakes


    over and over again.


    "My dear fianc¨¦e, it''s dangerous to y with needles." Joaquin nced at the silver needle that fell in


    the car. After exerting a little more force, Katherine fell directly into his arms.


    The faint fragrance on the woman''s body was very pleasant; it was different from the cheap perfumes


    on other women''s bodies. Her scent seemed to carry a light floral fragrance mixed with the fragrance of


    some medicinal herbs, which made people feel rxed subconsciously.


    The moment Joaquin rxed, his pupils dted suddenly as he raised his right arm to block her.


    It was also at this moment that the silver needle that was supposed to be poked into his waist pierced


    his arm.


    He nced at Katherine in puzzlement.


    Katherine''s reaction was much faster than he imagined, and her attack was ruthless.


    "Murdering your husband?" Joaquin looked at Katherine with a half-smile.


    Katherine''s hands were being suppressed and her posture was very awkward.


    This inexplicable sense of familiarity reminded Katherine of someone.


    The person in front of him was almost identical to the person she thought about except for his voice,


    and the mask on his face made it difficult to see his face.


    "Just kidding. You''re very agile, my dear fianc¨¦." She suppressed her indifference and became more


    cautious.


    Whether they were the same person or not, both of them were equally as dangerous.


    "Oh? So you like to joke?" Joaquin smiled softly. The two were close, so close that Katherine could


    clearly feel the vibration of his chest when heughed. His voice was low, deep, and indescribably


    sexy.


    "I¡­" Just as Katherine was about to speak, Joaquin''s phone rang abruptly with a very sharp and harsh


    ringtone, which easily made one ufortable listening to it.


    When Joaquin heard the phone ring, his expression changed and he released Katherine to answer the


    phone.


    Although they were close, Katherine could not hear what was said on the phone, but she saw Joaquin''s


    aura suddenly dissipate. The atmosphere in the entire car became solemn.


    She nced at Joaquin curiously.


    Joaquin''s low and suppressed voice echoed in the car. "Got it. I''ming over right now. Tell the


    doctor to stabilize his condition."


    After speaking, he hung up the phone and frowned as if he had encountered something difficult to


    solve.


    "Sir, stop the car when you arrive at the front," Joaquin ordered coldly, not even bothering to argue with


    Katherine anymore.


    The driver obediently drove the car to the side of the road ahead and stopped.


    "Get out of the car," Joaquin ordered without ncing at Katherine. His expression was terrifyingly


    intimidating.


    Katherine found the scene in front of her to be familiar as if she had just experienced it not long ago.


    After opening the door and getting out of the car, she was puzzled to see the man in the car standing


    up!


    Was he pretending to be disabled all this while?


    Could it be that his disfigurement was also faked?


    The corner of Katherine''s mouth twitched fervently. What an insidious man he was! She wondered who


    he was plotting against.


    Watching the Stretch Lincoln Limousine drive away in front of her, Katherine inhaled a puff of car


    exhaust.


    After waiting for a while, she hailed a cab and went directly to the research institute.


    Meanwhile, at Hovington, South Hill.


    The entire mountain here was blocked, and the security measures were extremely strict to the point not


    even a fly could enter.


    A modified ck Land Rover drove in at lightning speed and finally stopped in front of a three-story


    bungalow halfway up the mountain.


    The man in a ck outfit jumped out of the car, looking cold and stern. Who else was it if it was not


    Joaquin, the man who had just parted from Katherine?


    With a long face, Joaquin strode toward a room on the first floor after getting out of the car.


    The light inside was a little dim, and a human figure could be vaguely seen on the bed. At this time, in


    addition to the doctors and nurses, there were two middle-aged men with red eyes in the ward.


    Seeing Joaquining, the two quickly stepped forward, and their eyes turned red in an instant.


    "Joaquin, something happened. Hawk may not be able to wait for the medicine from Fontan to arrive.


    The doctor said he has only less than eight hours left to survive."


    Before Joaquin came, he had a premonition that Hawk''s condition would have worsened, but not this


    bad.


    "What did Mr. Muller say?" With a cold face, he looked at the man on the hospital bed, reluctant to look


    away even for a moment.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    "Mr. Muller said that unless Dr. C treats him personally, no one else can save him." The middle-aged


    man on the side said in a choked voice.


    Joaquin''s heart sank.


    If Dr. C were so easy to find, Hawk''s condition would not have deteriorated to this point.


    He raised his hand irritably and rubbed his eyebrows before spitting a sentence, "Call Mr. Muller. No


    matter what method you use, you must get Dr. C and tell him that we can give him anything in return."


    "Yes, sir."


    It was already an hourter when Katherine arrived at the research institute.


    The research institute was located under a dpidated bungalow in the west of the city. Upstairs was a


    ruin, but the basement was the most advanced research institute in the country.


    Katherine passed the pupil recognition system and entered the research institute.


    As soon as she entered the building, Theodore was walking over in a hurry. When he saw her, he was


    slightly taken aback before quickly pulling her to the side, saying, "Kathy, the same patient fromst


    time is in critical condition now. He can''t wait for the D3 Reageant to be shipped from Fontan. Please


    save him."

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    "Mr. Muller¡­" Katherine frowned subconsciously.


    The whereabouts of her return to Cechirus were kept a secret, and Theodore knew that best.


    To be frank, it was for Theodore''s sake that she took the D3 Reageant to save a life. She never thought


    about saving lives personally.


    "Kathy, this person is really important. He is also holding a very important piece of information. He


    shouldn''t die just like that. It''s been almost half a year since he was in aa. Please, Kathy. Please


    do it for my sake." Theodore rarely pleaded to Katherine like this.


    The main reason was that this time, his old friend came to beg him, and this patient was indeed an


    important figure.


    Katherine did not respond and merely frowned, her gaze was obviously irritable.


    However, seeing that Theodore was willing to throw his pride away and beg her, she sighed helplessly.


    "No more next time, Mr. Muller."


    "Does that mean you agree to do it? I''ll arrange for a ride right now. You¡­" When Theodore heard


    Katherine''s words, his face was immediately filled with excitement.


    On the contrary, Katherine pulled a long face.


    Did Theodore have to tell the world who she was?


    She rubbed her temples and uttered with a headache. "Mr. Muller, I can help, but on one condition. The


    patient must be brought here, and no one else is allowed to enter. You should know how important I


    am, and if you really think the person you''re talking about is more important than me, you can expose


    my identity."


    Katherine''s words were a little heavy, sobering Theodore up instantly.


    He was indeed a little flustered earlier, so he forgot about that for a moment.


    Now that he had calmed down, Theodore could not wait to give himself a p in the face.


    "I was too impulsive just now. Kathy, I''ll tell them right now to send the patient over as soon as possible,


    but their leader may want toe in¡­"


    "If hees in, I won''t save him." Katherine was stern.


    Aatose patient did not matter, but she could not guarantee that a living person would not reveal


    her identity.


    "Okay." Seeing Katherine''s firm attitude, Theodore stopped requesting further.


    Katherine returned to Cechirus in secret this time, and it would be really troublesome if her


    whereabouts were leaked.


    Theodore turned around and made a phone call, arguing a few words with the other party, and finally


    hung up.


    "They''ve agreed to send the patient over immediately, and it is estimated that they will arrive within an


    hour."


    "Alright." Katherine nodded, ignored this matter, and went to see Alex first.


    Fortunately, Alex recovered pretty well.


    Katherine read the data and noticed that the activity of brain cells was very high. Although it had not


    returned to its normal level, it had already reached one-third of the norm. It was estimated that he


    would bepletely recovered in two to three months.


    However, since he had been in aa for several years, all aspects of his body''s functions had


    declined, so recovery would be a slow process.


    Currently, Alex could not speak yet. When Katherine went to see him, he stared at her nkly.


    Theodore quickly set up the operating room. Knowing that Katherine went to see Alex, he followed


    along.


    "His recovery seems to be smooth. There should be no problem with the medicine." Theodore looked


    at Alex''s condition, and then looked at Katherine''s different gaze.


    He has studied the human brain for more than 40 years, yet this was the first time he had seen such a


    miraculous drug that could actually restore the activity of dead brain cells.


    "Everyone''s physical condition is different, and his example cannot be used as a general case. What


    did the hospital say? Can they send us some brain-dead patients for clinical trials?" Katherine shook


    her head. She was not as confident as Theodore.


    "Not yet. I''ve already contacted many tertiary hospitals in Cechirus, and we''ll be notified immediately


    when there is news." Theodore shook his head, also a little disappointed.


    Anyway, human clinical trials sounded quite indecent, so very few family members were willing to send


    their patients over.


    "You should contact minor hospitals too. It''s best to get a few more people." Katherine frowned, but she


    was relieved after pondering about it.


    After seeing Alex, Katherine and Theodore went to the office, and as soon as they sat down, a phone


    rang.


    She then nced at her phone. Instantly, annoyance painted her face. Jorge must be up to no good


    since he was calling.


    Theodore also noticed the change in Katherine''s expression, so nced at her phone screen


    unintentionally and saw the words ''scumbag'' written on it.


    His eyebrows twitched. Scumbag? Did Katherine get cheated on? he wondered.


    Just as he was about to ask, Katherine answered the phone irritably, but there was no emotion in her


    tone. "What''s up, Dad?"


    "Kathy, the Levisays have a great project recently, and Cornell Group also took a fancy to this project.


    Now that you''ve decided to marry Joaquin, can you please ask them to hand over this project to us?"


    Jorge''s tone was ttering. If he had a tail, he was probably wagging it right now.


    A mocking smile appeared on Katherine''s face as she replied vaguely, "Sure. I''ll mention this to


    Joaquin, but I''m not sure whether the Levisays will agree to it."


    "Okay. Go and talk to them. I''m sure they''ll agree." It would be weird if they did not agree. Joaquin was


    just a cripple now. The Levisays must be grateful that someone was finally willing to marry him, so they


    must be trying to hold on to Katherine tightly.


    Whenever he thought that the Cornells'' status would rise with the Levisays, Jorge could no longer hide


    his excitement.


    "Mom! Look at Dad!" Rosemary was about to die of anger.


    On the way to Levisay Residence yesterday, she was abandoned by Katherine on the road. As a result,


    she missed the opportunity to meet Robert. Jorge also promised to seek justice for her, but now what?


    "Enough. I told you not to provoke Katherine for the time being. You''re the dignified daughter of our


    family. Why would youpare yourself with an illegitimate child? Once she gets married to the


    Levisays and we had made full use of her, you can torture her as much as you like! Why do you have


    to hold a grudge now?"


    Lisa raised her hand and patted the back of Rosemary''s hand, looking like she was frustrated with her


    daughter.


    Rosemary felt more at ease after hearing those words, but she still felt resentful. "Mom, I don''t think


    Katherine is that simple. If that b*tch marries into the Levisays, wouldn''t she deliberately make them go


    against us?"


    "Haha. Do you really think she''s that capable? Her? She''s just an uneducated bumpkin. How could she


    think of that? Don''t worry. You will have everything she has in the future, and maybe even more. What


    you have to do now is to act like the daughter of the Cornells. Listen, you''re Robert Levisay''s future


    wife, the mistress of the Levisays," Lisa sneered disdainfully, not taking Katherine to heart at all.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "By the way, Mom, I like a few things that the Levisays gave to that little slutst time. Can I take


    them?" When Rosemary imagined that she would be the mistress of the Levisays in the future and that


    Katherine would have to listen to her, her mood instantly lightened.


    "You can take whatever you like. They are all yours anyway." Lisa waved her hand nonchntly, stating


    matter-of-factly.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    "Thanks, Mom." Rosemary happily thanked Lisa and went upstairs to choose the items.


    The Levisays were very generous as the gifts they sent were very valuable. Even if one had money,


    one might not be able to buy them.


    Rosemary could not wait to wear these things and show them off to her friends.


    Jorge merely frowned and nced at his daughter without stopping her.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Lisa was right. Katherine''s belongings belonged to the Cornells, so there was no problem for Rosemary


    to take a few belongings of their family.


    Currently, he was anxiously waiting for a reply from the Levisays. As long as he gets the project, the


    Cornells would not only upgrade in terms ofpany status but also their family status. In the future,


    he would finally be able to walk on Hovington''s streets with power.


    "The other party promised to send the patient within two hours." Theodoremunicated with the


    other party several times before finallying to a conclusion.


    Noticing that Katherine''s expression did not look good after the phone call, Theodore knew that the


    Cornells must be stirring up trouble for her again.


    "Alright. I''m going to rest for a while. Call me when the patient arrives." Katherine nodded and found an


    empty room to rest.


    She slept wellst night, but she wanted to find out which project Jorge was interested in and see if


    there was any room for maniption.


    After entering the room and locking the door, Katherine took off the watch on her wrist, disassembled


    the dial, and assembled it into a micrputer in a short while.


    The firewall of Levisay Group was built to be strong, so it took her some effort to break in. After seeing


    several recent projects in the hands of Levisay Group, she finally settled on a beauty cream project.


    Cornell Group was involved in the cosmetic business. Back then, the Olsens were a family of traditional


    medicine practitioners, and Katherine''s grandfather had many royal recipes from the olden days,


    among which there were several recipes for beauty.


    After that, Elsie fell head over heels for Jorge, that scumbag. She was tricked by him and gave him two


    very important royal recipes.


    Over the years, Jorge had been doing well in Hovington with the recipe given by Elsie, especially in the


    field of beauty, which earned him a good reputation.


    This time, Jorge must be aiming for this project.


    Levisay Group''s beauty cream was patented by the country, and the pre-advertising had already been


    released. Before production started, the pre-sale had already exceeded 100 million. It was conceivable


    how much profit would be made once it was put into production.


    The beauty industry was a profitable one, so Jorge had some wishful thinking.


    Katherine pondered thoughtfully for a while. The technicians from the Levisay Group had already


    discovered that someone had invaded their system and started tounch an attack. Without dy,


    Katherine quickly exited the system and erased all her traces before turning off theputer.


    "Beauty." Katherine tapped her fingers on the table a few times before taking out her phone and


    sending a message.


    WW:


    After sending the message, she put away her phone and opened the door without waiting for the other


    party to reply.


    At LW Laboratory HQ in Fontan, Dn Longman almost fell out of his chair after reading Katherine''s


    message.


    When Katherine came out, Theodore happened to bring someone in from the outside in a hurry, with a


    stretcher behind him and a person lying on it.


    Katherine nced at the person and frowned. This man''s injuries were so serious that he seemed to


    be breathing hisst few breaths.


    He had extensive burns all over his body, and he was already brain dead. She knew just by looking at


    him that they must have paid a hefty amount to keep him alive. It was already a miracle that he could


    survive until now.


    "Kathy, the patient is here. Can we perform the surgery now?" Theodore hurriedly trotted over when


    Katherine came out.


    Katherine frowned at the man, thought for a moment, and then asked Theodore, "Ask them if they


    would like to try ourtest experimental drug. This patient has been brain-dead for a long time. D3


    Reageant will be useless to him. If I perform the surgery, I can only heal his external injuries, not his


    brain. If they don''t want to, they have to send him back because I can''t save him."


    Theodore was rendered speechless.


    He was afraid that if he sent the patient back again, he would be beaten to death.


    However, if Katherine said there was no cure for him, she should be right.


    Theodore called Joaquin while shivering and secretly nced at Katherine, who had a frosty face,


    before repeating her words.


    Joaquin was silent after hearing those words. He tapped the car window lightly with his fingers and


    spoke after a long time, "Can I speak to the operating doctor?"


    Theodore hesitated for a moment, covered his phone, and looked at Katherine. "The other party wants


    to talk to you."


    "Okay." Katherine frowned, but she did not refuse.


    Theodore then handed her the phone.


    Katherine took the phone, and she spoke in a cold and indifferent voice, "Hello, I''m Dr. C."


    Joaquin paused for a moment, finding the voice to be oddly familiar.


    However, after thinking about it, he thought his assumption was absurd and ridiculous.


    No matter how powerful Katherine was, she could not be the world-renowned medical genius known as


    Dr. C. He must have overthought it.


    "Can I learn about the main functions and effects of your experimental drug? If I want to use it on my


    team member, I must be responsible for him."


    Joaquin spoke in his original voice without changing it.


    Katherine recognized him instantly after hearing his voice.


    It was that nasty bastard who broke into her hotel room!


    She was a little surprised at the identity of the other party. Theodore said that this team had made


    outstanding contributions to Cechirus.


    The person who could make Theodore say that was definitely not an ordinary person.


    "The main function of this experimental drug is to regenerate brain cells and restore activity. It has a


    good effect on brain-dead patients. The results of the current test on mice are effective, but I can''t


    guarantee you it''ll work on a patient. I do have a recovered patient who is currently using our


    experimental drug, though."


    Katherine temporarily put aside her grievances against Joaquin and exined the effect of the


    experimental drug to him calmly.


    Joaquin''s face was full of surprise. Could this experimental drug actually be more effective than the D3


    Reageant?


    Could a brain-dead person be saved?


    He grew even more curious about Dr. C, and judging by her voice, the other party should be a young


    person, a woman at that.


    The rumored miracle doctor, Dr. C, was actually a woman! Many people might not believe it if her


    identity was leaked.


    "As long as I can save him, I''ll agree to your conditions." Joaquin hesitated for a moment before quickly


    making a decision.


    Judging by Hawk''s current situation, no one could save him now. If the medicine Katherine said was


    really effective and could save lives, he did not mind trying it at all.


    In the worst-case scenario, he would die.


    "Okay, he can''te into contact with the outside world during the treatment, but after he wakes up, I''ll


    ask Mr. Muller to take a video and send it to you so you can be assured." Katherine admired the other


    party''s simplicity and decisiveness even though he was quite annoying. However,pared to her


    fianc¨¦, this man was way better.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    "Get ready for surgery."


    Katherinepleted the operation on Hawk after six hours.


    More than 80 percent of Hawk''s body was burned. Not only were the wounds unable to heal, but they


    were also worsening.


    In addition, his ribs, arms and legs hadminuted fractures. As there had been no medical treatment


    provided, the broken bones had begun to fuse together. They needed to be broken again before fixing


    them back. The operation was difficult.


    After the operation, Katherine felt as if she was on the verge of copsing.


    "I''m sleeping in theb tonight; you can do whatever you want." Katherine was too tired to move and


    did not notice that her phone had been automatically turned off because it ran out of battery.


    Jorge was initially waiting happily for the good news of the Levisays'' partnership project with the


    Cornells, but nothing came in until the evening.


    He personally called the Levisay Group to ask about it, and only then did he find out that the project he


    was interested in had been given away to others by the Levisay Group. Moreover, the contract was just


    drawn up this afternoon.


    Jorge was angry and called Katherine, but he could not reach her phone. As he thought she was


    avoiding him, he flew into a rage.


    Katherine did not know what had happened to the Cornells. She was so tired that she slept until two in


    the next afternoon.


    The research institute was very busy, and everyone was in a hurry.


    Seeing Katherinee out, many people could not help but look at her.


    It was simply because Katherine was too young and beautiful.


    She was so gorgeous that everyone felt that she was not the kind of woman who could concentrate on


    academics.


    "Who is that woman? Are there still such young researchers in the institute?"


    "She''s not a researcher. She''s a rtive of Mr. Muller. Mr. Muller brought her here for a tour. She''s so


    audacious to continue to stay here and not leave. If it were me, I would have left long ago."


    "A rtive? I thought she was a researcher. She''s pretty."


    "Haha, she only has the looks but not the brains. This kind of woman is very good at seducing men. I


    doubt she can endure the loneliness thates with academic research."


    A few people gossiped as they passed by Katherine.


    Their voices were not too loud or soft, and Katherine could somewhat hear them.


    She could not help but nce at the woman who had a negative opinion of her.


    The woman was not very young and was in her early thirties. She had in facial features, a short and


    chubby stature, and her face was covered with e marks. She had a mean look.


    Katherine just nced at her a little, then withdrew her gaze and went to find Theodore.


    Hawk had started taking medication after the operation yesterday. Under normal circumstances, the


    effect could be seen after taking seven days of medication.


    "Kathy, you''re awake. I was just going to find you." Theodore came over in a hurry, and as soon as he


    saw Katherine, he hurriedly dragged her over.


    "The patient''s vitals have now stabilized. When the brain cell activity was detected this morning, it was


    found to be 15 percent active. It is estimated that he will wake up in a week. If he recovers well, he may


    be able to regain consciousness early."


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Theodore could not help being excited.


    If Hawk could wake up, it would prove that their experimental medicine was sessful this time!


    Katherine was also full of joy. "Find a few more patients as soon as possible to test out the medication


    and monitor its effect. If they can all wake up, it will prove that our medicine can be put into use."


    She could not help being surprised after checking Hawk''s physical condition.


    Hawk''s physical fitness was better than that of ordinary people, and he was probably a trainer. He was


    a little different from the trainers that Katherine knew, because during the inspection, she clearly felt


    that there was something strange in Hawk''s body. It was precisely because of this that he recovered so


    quickly.


    Katherine did not understand even after thinking about it, but she noticed that it was gettingte. She


    had been out for almost two days, and Jorge was probably going to kill her.


    Katherine did not want to miss Jorge''s interesting expression when he learned that the project he was


    coveting was taken away by others.


    "I still have something to do, so I''ll leave it to you here. Feel free to contact me if you have any updates.


    But it''s better not to contact me." Katherine exined to Theodore before leaving in a hurry.


    After she exited the research institute, she turned on the phone and found that there were many


    missed calls. Jorge had also sent several messages to threaten her. He even threatened her


    grandmother''s life who lived far away in Fontan.


    As Katherine''s eyes became a little colder, the corners of her mouth also curved up a little. She then


    took a cab back to the Cornell Residence.


    As soon as she entered the door, she heard Jorge cursing, and it seemed that he was furious.


    Katherine was in a good mood. The worse Jorge''s mood was, the better her mood would be.


    "You! You dare toe back? You brat! Brat!"


    Katherine had just entered the door when a vase shattered in front of her.


    She lowered her head and nced at it. It was a fake, so it was not very valuable.


    "Dad, what''s the matter? Why are you so angry? Did Rosemary get into trouble again? Please be


    patient with children and don''t get all riled up, or you will damage your health." Katherine looked at


    Jorge in surprise and worry.


    "Did you tell Joaquin what I asked you to tell him?" Jorge was so furious that his chest hurt. He covered


    his chest and stared at Katherine while questioning her with gritted teeth.


    "I told you that he was by my side when you called me. So, I told him, but he said that he''s now a


    cripple, so he has no right to take care of the Levisay Group, and that he has no way at all. If you want


    a partnership, you have to go to his younger brother, Robert. Dad, I think Joaquin is really useless, and


    he has no self-motivation at all. Let''s not get into a marriage with the Levisays. I don''t want to marry a


    cripple."


    Katherine spoke in an aggrieved tone, then took a few steps forward and stood in front of Jorge.


    Jorge''s face changed; he did not expect that it was Robert who was holding the power now.


    It seemed that he had to find an opportunity as soon as possible to arrange a meeting between


    Rosemary and Robert.


    "The Levisay Group is under Robert now?" Jorge suppressed his anger and looked at Katherine,


    ignoring her talk of breaking the marriage engagement off.


    "Yeah, it''s true. I''m afraid I won''t have much status in that family in the future." Katherine pretended to


    raise her hand and wipe the corners of her eyes.


    Jorge snorted in his heart, but his face did not reveal anything. He just raised his hand and patted


    Katherine''s shoulder,forting her, "No matter how bad he is, he is still the eldest descendant of the


    Levisays, and he''s still a wealthy man. You will definitely not have anything to worry about in the future.


    Your mother made the decision on your marriage with him; do you want to disappoint your mother?"


    Katherine''s eyes grew colder. Jorge had the audacity to mention Elsie?


    "I''m sorry, Dad. I understand, and I won''t mention this matter again in the future." Katherine lowered


    her head, looking resigned.


    Jorge looked at her and suddenly had an idea. Heughed all of a sudden and said, "Kathy, you must


    feel very lonely living in the Levisay Residence by yourself, right? I think I''ll have Rose move to the


    Levisay Residence to apany you. In this way, you will havepany, and you won''t be lonely


    there. What do you think?"


    Katherine sneered inwardly, but on the surface, she agreed sensibly. "Alright. Thank you, Dad, for


    understanding me. Let''s have Rosemary live with me at the Levisay Residence then."


    Lisa gave Katherine a surprised look. How can this little b*tch possibly be so kind?

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    "You are my daughter, after all. Of course, I understand you. Lisa, go and ask Rosemary to pack up.


    You guys should go back to the Levisay Residence early and be good there. Restrain yourself, and


    don''t do what you usually do in Fontan, okay?"


    Jorge was very satisfied with Katherine.


    Although he did not obtain the beauty cream project, it was great that Rosemary could go and live with


    the Levisays.


    Maybe she would have the opportunity to be acquainted with Robert, cultivate a rtionship with


    Robert, and be the real Mrs. Levisay in the future.


    Jorge had wishful thinking in his heart. Lisa understood what he meant, so she hurried upstairs to ask


    Rosemary to pack up and go to Levisay Residence with Katherine.


    Katherine nced at Rosemary who followed Lisa and walked down the stairs. The corners of her lips


    twitched, and she smiled wickedly.


    Since the Cornells could not wait to be abused, how could she miss this opportunity?


    "Dad," Rosemary called out to Jorge sweetly when she got down, and then gave Katherine an arrogant


    look, as if she was already Mrs. Levisay.


    Katherine did not even bother to pay attention to her.


    "Be good at the Levisay Residence, okay?" Jorge was satisfied with the daughter he raised himself.


    Rosemary was elegant and graceful. She was naturally better than Katherine, who was wild and unruly.


    "Dad, I got it. I will listen to Kathy. Kathy, you will take care of me, right?" Rosemary agreed gracefully,


    turning her head to face Katherine with a provocative smile.


    Katherine was quite happy to see her in this manner. She wondered if her sister would be able to smile


    again after arriving at the Levisay Residence.


    "Of course, I will take care of you." She deliberately emphasized the words ''take care''.


    Lisa dragged Rosemary away and whispered to her before she instructed the Cornells'' driver to send


    the two to the Levisay Residence.


    "Mother, I''m sorry I didn''t call before Ie. You won''t me me, will you?" Katherine called out to


    Hera crudely as soon as she entered the door.


    Hera''s mouth twitched; she really did not know how to respond.


    Katherine was more vulgar than she had imagined...


    However, she was smart and reacted quickly. She smiled gently and lovingly at Katherine, then said,


    "Kathy, you''re here. Who is this?"


    "My dad said that he was afraid that I would feel out of ce by living alone in Levisay Residence, so


    he asked my sister toe with me and take care of me. Mother, you won''t me me, will you?"


    Katherine went over to hold Hera''s arm. When Katherine saw that Hera was still wearing the gold


    bracelet on her wrist, the smile on her face grew brighter.


    Hera was speechless.


    "No, I won''t. Mrs. Jaco, go upstairs and prepare a room for¡ª"This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    "Mother, there''s no need. My sister will take care of me, so she can just sleep in my room." Katherine


    directly rejected Hera''s offer.


    Hearing this, Hera did not put in much thought. She nodded and could not help but nce at


    Rosemary.


    Rosemary Cornell was well-bred, and everyone in Hovington knew about that. It was just that her


    family background was not the best.


    "Oh, that''s fine then." Hera looked at the two sisters standing in front of her. There was no way to


    compare them. The more she looked at Rosemary, the more she felt that it would be hard for Katherine


    to be as elegant as she was.


    "Mother, is Joaquin home?" Katherine smiled sweetly and asked in a low voice shyly.


    Hera felt goosebumps all over and subconsciously rubbed her arms. "Yeah, he''s in his room."


    "I''ll go and find him!" Katherine said, letting go of Hera and running upstairs.


    Hera finally did not need to face Katherine, who was a vulgar and inferior person, so she finally


    breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Madam Levisay, she has not received formal education since she was a child, so her personality may


    be more reckless. Don''t mind her; she is actually a very good person." Rosemary could see Hera''s


    dislike of Katherine. Hence, she would not let go of the opportunity to speak ill of Katherine.


    Hera nced at Rosemary when she heard that. The more she looked at Rosemary, the more satisfied


    she became. She pulled Rosemary to the couch and sat down. "You''re Rose, right? Why was your


    sister sent to Fontan back then?"


    Everyone knew about the Cornells in Hovington. However, Katherine''s move seemed to have caused a


    lot of drama at the time. Since Hera was not in the country and missed the drama, she was curious.


    "About this..." Rosemary looked at Hera with an embarrassed look on her face.


    "What? Can''t you talk about this?" Seeing Rosemary''s unwillingness to speak, Hera became more


    curious.


    "No, it''s not that I can''t talk about it, but it is not good for my sister''s reputation. Madam Levisay, please


    don''t make things difficult for me," Rosemary said skillfully, acting like she was defending Katherine''s


    reputation.


    "What''s there to hide? After all, we''ll be a family in the future. I promise not to tell anyone about it."


    The more Rosemary tried to avoid it, the more curious Hera became.


    After Rosemary had sessfully gotten Hera''s attention, she said half-heartedly, "Actually, my sister


    was with a man five years ago, but she was photographed by the paparazzi. She was still a minor at


    the time, so there was quite a lot of trouble. Dad felt ashamed and kicked her out."


    Hera''s eyes lit up; she did not expect Katherine to have such a stain on her reputation.


    This is awesome! A person like Joaquin deserves this kind of woman!


    Hera could not wait to bring the wedding forward, lest something went wrong in the middle.


    "Madam Levisay, don''t tell anyone that it was me who told you, as my dad doesn''t allow me to talk


    about this. Honestly, though, my sister is really pathetic. We thought she could fix her behavior by


    sending her to Fontan, but to no avail. In fact, I heard that she even has an illegitimate child."


    Rosemary''s face was sad, and she looked as if she felt sorry for Katherine.


    "What? An illegitimate child?" Hera was really excited this time, and she stood up at once.


    Not only is Katherine not a virgin, but she also has a child?


    "Madam Levisay?" Rosemary looked at Hera with a startled look.


    Hera realized that she had been acting too emotional, so she took a deep breath and calmed down.


    It was just that she had already thought of countless ways topletely destroy Joaquin.


    God was on her side this time! This time the Levisay Group waspletely her son''s, and Joaquin


    could not rob it from her again!


    ¡­


    On the second floor, in Joaquin''s room.


    Looking at the uninvited guest in front of him, Joaquin raised his eyebrows involuntarily.


    Katherine yawned and went in. In her headset were the voices of Rosemary and Hera talking.


    Rosemary really did her best in order to speak ill of her and even cooked up the story of an illegitimate


    child.


    "My dear fianc¨¦e, do you need anything from me?" With a yful voice, Joaquin looked at Katherine''s


    appearance, then rubbed his fingers on the armrest of the wheelchair.


    "Yeah, I''m here to hide from the others. I''ll sleep here tonight. Don''t worry, I don''t have any thoughts


    about you. I''ll sleep on the couch instead of fighting over the bed with you." Katherine walked past


    Joaquin and entered the room in a rather brash manner.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    "Oh, you''re pretty bold." Joaquin smiled.


    The more time he spent with Katherine, the more intrigued he was by her. At this time, she seemed a


    lot more pleasing to the eye.


    Katherine sat down directly on the couch and looked up at him when she heard that. She grinned at


    him earnestly and said, "Thank you for thepliment. We are going to be husband and wife.


    We''ll be a unit soon, so what''s yours is mine. Hence, I don''t need to be so civil to you, right?"


    "Yeah, we''ll be a unit soon." Joaquin suddenly felt that the word sounded quite pleasant.


    Katherine ignored him. After listening to Rosemary and Hera''s ridiculous conversation for a while, she


    felt a little sleepy.


    After Hera left, Rosemary arrogantly instructed the servants of the Levisay Residence to help her carry


    her luggage upstairs. Her attitude was as if she was already Mrs. Levisay.


    Rosemary did not intend to hide anything, so in the room, Joaquin could hear her arrogant voice


    outside the door. He could not help but nce at Katherine, thinking that she was not such a good-


    natured person.


    After all, at the bar the other day, this woman directly poured a ss of drugged wine into Rosemary''s


    mouth.


    "Ah!"


    Just as Joaquin''s thoughts formed in his mind, he heard Rosemary''s heart-wrenching screamsing


    from the other side of the wall.


    The corners of his mouth twitched, and he subconsciously nced at the woman sitting on the couch,


    who was looking down at the phone as if nothing had happened.


    Bang bang bang!


    In less than two minutes, Joaquin''s door was banged on loudly.


    Katherine yawned, smiled sweetly at Joaquin, and then got up to open the door.


    At the door, Rosemary had a pale face. She looked at Katherine tremblingly, gritted her teeth and


    asked, "Did you do it on purpose? Katherine, did you do it on purpose? I was wondering why you were


    so kind as to let me have your own room! Katherine, you just want to kill me! I will tell my father! Just


    you wait! I will definitely tell my parents and let them punish you!"


    Rosemary was so angry that she became incoherent. Seeing Katherine''s face, she wanted to pounce


    on Katherine and tear her apart.


    Katherine actually kept a snake in her room!


    Rosemary was terrified when something cold suddenly slithered onto her body when she went in and


    lifted the quilt to rest!


    Up to now, Rosemary had not recovered from the shock.


    Katherine looked at her innocently. "Rose, what are you talking about? Don''t you want to sleep with


    me? I''m not used to sleeping in the same bed with strangers, so I kindly gave you my room. Why are


    you ming me?"


    Her face was so innocuous. Even though Rosemary was so angry that she nearly bled internally, what


    Katherine said was true.


    "You¡­ You¡­"


    Rosemary stammered for a long time, her eyes red with anger.


    She had never felt so wronged in her life.


    Soon, a voice as cold as ice rang out from behind Katherine. "When have the Levisays ever let an


    outsider scold my Mrs. Levisay? Huh?"


    Rosemary was stunned for a moment, and then she saw a young maning over in a wheelchair.


    The man wore a half mask on his face, revealing only a delicate fair chin.


    As soon as Rosemary saw Joaquin, she was immediately disgusted. She did not look at him with any


    fear or awe. Instead, she answered rudely, "This is none of your business."


    "Hah." Joaquin was amused by Rosemary''s nerve and looked at her with cold eyes. "So, you mean


    that the matter of you yelling at my fianc¨¦e in front of me has nothing to do with me?"


    Rosemary was speechless at this. Even though he was in a wheelchair, his aura was still


    overwhelming. Rosemary''s experience was limited, and the strongest person she had ever seen was


    Hera. She had nevere into contact with a person like him before.


    For a while, she was a little flustered. Her eyes were red, and tears were about to fall.


    Katherine had to admire Rosemary''s developed tear nds.


    "I-I was j-just frightened by the snake my sister kept in the room. I-I...sob¡­"


    Joaquin and Katherine were silent for a while.


    Joaquin could not help but nce at Katherine, silently asking if she kept a snake in her room.


    Katherine was speechless. No, I can exin...


    After the two silently exchanged nces for a while, Joaquin said impatiently, "My woman is free to


    keep any pet she wants at home, not to mention she only kept a snake in her room. Even if she has a


    bunch of crocodiles in her room, it won''t be a problem."


    Rosemary cried and hupped while looking at Joaquin nkly.


    Jorge once said that Joaquin was very nice to Katherine and that the two of them had a good


    rtionship. Originally, Rosemary thought that Jorge had lied to her, but now it seemed to be true.


    "K-Kathy, I-I did not mean to me you. I-I was just scared. I''m sorry. I''ll change to a different room."


    Rosemary''s tears welled up in her eyes, looking indescribably pitiful.


    It was a pity that there was only one man in front of her, one that did not buy her act at that, so her


    performance was appreciated by no one.


    Katherine yawned. "Do whatever you want. I''ll sleep with Joaquin tonight anyway."


    Her voice sounded a little soft with a hint of huskiness that made Joaquin''s heart tremble.


    He did not know why, but he always felt that this voice sounded familiar. Yet, he could not remember


    where he had heard it.


    "Kathy, I know you couldn''t care less about this when you were in Fontan, but you''re in Cechirus now.


    You haven''t married Mr. Levisay yet, so wouldn''t it be inappropriate to sleep with him?" Rosemary


    looked at Katherine timidly, acting like she was advising Katherine for thetter''s benefit.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Hearing this, Katherine smiled at Rosemary. "Is it not appropriate? I think it''s pretty good. If we live as


    husband and wife before marriage, our life will be more harmonious after we get married. Is there any


    problem?"


    Rosemary did not expect Katherine to be so direct. Her face flushed instantly, and she could not help


    but whisper, "But Kathy, aren''t you afraid that people will talk about your shameless behavior?"


    "Ha." Katherineughed out loud. "Rosemary, if everyone knew shame, Madam Sutton and Dad


    wouldn''t have given birth to you."


    At that, Rosemary''s face turned white. She looked at Katherine tremblingly, as if she could not believe


    that Katherine could say such words so casually.


    How dare she?


    "Also, if you aren''t shameless, you wouldn''t be knocking on your future brother-inw''s door dressed in


    this in broad daylight, right? Tsk, what? Would you like to sleep with your brother-inw tonight together


    with me?"

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Rosemary''s face grew ugly.


    Katherine was indeed a country bumpkin, and there was no way she could be decent. A dignified


    youngdy would never say such vulgar words.


    She nced at Joaquin in the wheelchair and felt more disdain in her heart.


    "Kathy, how could you talk so roughly? I, of course, won''t have any intentions toward my brother-in-


    law." Rosemary looked aggrieved. When she spoke, she bit her lower lip and gave Joaquin a pitiful


    look.


    However, it was a pity that Joaquin looked wooden and did not seem to notice Rosemary''s look at all.


    He went along with Katherine to say, "I''m not interested in that. However, Miss Rosemary, your attire is


    really indecent. The Levisays are a strict family, so since you''re a guest here, you should not


    embarrass the Cornells."


    Rosemary''s face turned pale; she was so humiliated that she wished there was a hole in front of her for


    her to hide inside.


    Joaquin simply doesn''t know what''s good for him!


    She was obviously kind enough to remind him that Katherine was a vulgar woman, but instead of being


    appreciative, he helped Katherine to ridicule herself. It was no wonder he could only get second-hand


    junk like Katherine!


    The smile on Rosemary''s face could not be maintained anymore, and she could hardly hold back her


    unhappy tone.


    "I-I''m a little tired, so I''ll go back to my room to rest."


    Rosemary almost fled.


    She was severely stimted by the double whammy from Katherine and Joaquin.


    Katherine was in a good mood. After she closed the door, she took the initiative to push Joaquin''s


    wheelchair. "There is no one else in the room. Do you want to continue to use the wheelchair?"


    Looking at the man in the wheelchair who was motionless, Katherine asked curiously.


    Joaquin raised his eyes that were hidden under the mask. He stared at her calmly with those deep and


    bottomless eyes.


    After a long time, he twitched the corners of his mouth and asked casually, "When did you know?"


    "I was a little suspicious when we first met." Katherine studied medicine herself, so she could tell at a


    nce if he was truly paralyzed.


    Joaquin''s breath was regr and his face was ruddy, so he did not look paralyzed at all.


    If he was paralyzed in the lower body and had been sitting in a wheelchair for a long time, it was


    impossible for him to be in this state.


    She then confirmed her suspicions that his legs were all right when he was in the car the day before


    yesterday.


    "Has anyone told you that it''s bad for women to be too smart?" Joaquin looked at Katherine with a half-


    smile.


    "Not really." Katherine tried to recall and answered quite honestly.


    Joaquin could not help but twitch his lips happily.


    "Now that you know, what are you going to do? Threaten me with this, or expose me to gain benefits?"


    Joaquin leanedzily on the wheelchair, but his deep eyes did not leave Katherine''s face.


    "That''s a good idea. How much do you think your matter of pretending to beme is worth? If I go and


    tell Hera about this, how much will she give me?" Katherine tilted her head and looked at Joaquin. She


    looked as if she was seriously considering how much this news was worth.


    Seeing her acting in such a way, Joaquin knew that she would not expose this matter, and his


    impression of Katherine changed a little subtly.


    "It should be quite a lot." He smiled lightly and replied casually.


    "But I don''t like her very much, so, my dear fianc¨¦, you should try to please me and be kind to me.


    Then, I can help you keep it a secret. If you really want to be ame person and hide the matter


    from others, I can help you too." Katherine got up, leaned near Joaquin, hooked her fingers on his chin,


    and raised his face.


    The mask was in the way, but it was not difficult to see that this man''s facial features were very


    delicate.


    Katherine felt that those eyes were a little familiar. She was wondering if she had seen it before when


    he suddenly pulled her down. At the next moment, she sat on hisp and was tightly sped at her


    waist.


    Joaquin''s breathing was heaty and hurried, but it was still a little restrained. "Do you do the same to


    other men? Huh?"


    His voice dragged on; it was husky and sexy.


    Katherine felt itchy in her ears and ufortable on her body.


    She felt that she had been too careless to be approached by a man again, and the other party had the


    opportunity to control her.


    This kind of thing had never happened before.


    She was annoyed for a while and scolded herself for letting down her guard against Joaquin just


    because he was in a wheelchair.


    "Of course not. Aren''t you my fianc¨¦? How can other menpare to you?" Katherine replied simply


    and decisively.


    Joaquin did not believe it.


    He had already experienced how this woman seduced men.


    It was just that she was very close at this time, and he could smell the faint fragrance on her body.


    Joaquin, who had always been calm, actually felt butterflies in his stomach.


    In the past few years, he had not had any butterflies even toward Beatrice, but Katherine made an


    exception again and again.


    Joaquin was puzzled.


    A physical reaction was always the most direct indication of attraction. Katherine was no longer a


    young and innocent girl who had never experienced sexual attraction, so she felt changes in Joaquin''s


    body.


    Her body was a little stiff. It was one thing not to resist Joaquin''s physical contact, but it was another


    thing to actually have intimate skin-to-skin contact with him.


    "My dear fianc¨¦, can you let me go?"


    Katherine''s voice was a little low and her body was stiff, which betrayed her mood at this time.


    Joaquin nced at her in surprise. Seeing her delicate face tense and her body extremely stiff, it was


    as if she was resisting being so close to him.


    He smiled, reached out and gently pushed her off.


    After Katherine got up, she hurriedly backed away a few steps, not daring to tease Joaquin anymore.


    This man is very dangerous. He should be listed as Dangerous Person No. 2 for the time being.


    Number one is the shameless man in the hotel.


    Joaquin, who was actually the shameless man, said, "I did not expect my dear fianc¨¦e to be so


    innocent."


    "Haha." Katherine only gave him a sneer, then turned around, took out her phone, and began to y a


    game on it.


    The brief intimate contact with Joaquin just now made Katherine''s heart a little chaotic, and only by


    ying games could she vent her panic and irritability.


    Joaquin had never yed games. Looking at Katherine ying at this time, he heard the faint sounds


    of her sessfully beating the levels. Katherine''s pretty face was slightly cold, and her jaw was tight.


    Without saying a word, she just stared at the screen of the phone, and her fingers danced quickly on


    the screen.


    Katherine yed the game for two hours. If Theodore had not sent a message to interrupt her, she


    would have continued ying.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Theodore sent the medical data of Hawk, as well as the basic data of the patients who received the


    experimental drug.


    Katherine took a few nces and finally felt a little relieved.


    After Katherine replied to Theodore, she heard Joaquin''s phone ringing. The man said a few words in a


    low voice, his face a little ghastly.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    "Is he seriously injured?"


    Joaquin originally had a smiling face, but now he was icy cold, and a terrifying murderous aura


    shrouded his body.


    Katherine could not help but look at him a few more times.


    This kind of cold-blooded aura was not something that a young man raised in a wealthy family would


    have.


    Katherine had checked Joaquin''s background. This man had been outstanding since he was a child.


    He was a genius, with good academic performance and outstanding business talent. However, in his


    profile, there was no mention of any military training he had undergone.


    "I''lle over now."


    After Joaquin said a few words, he hung up the phone and was about to go out using his wheelchair.


    Katherine followed and stood up. "It''s veryte now; it''s not suitable for you to go out alone. Let me


    apany you out."


    Joaquin paused for a while, then turned his head to look at Katherine.


    Katherine just casually tucked the long hair hanging from her ears, then looked at him indifferently. "You


    are a disabled person. How are you going to exin to the family what you are going to do outside?


    We''re going to have dinner soon, so if I tell them I want you to apany me to dinner, no one will


    doubt it."


    Joaquin hesitated for a moment before he nodded in agreement.


    Although he was not afraid of the Levisays'' suspicions, Katherine''s willingness to help could assist him


    in avoiding some trouble.


    At least he could go out with Katherine openly, and he didn''t need to worry about other things.


    Seeing that he agreed, Katherine walked over and pushed his wheelchair downstairs.


    Rosemary had alreadye down earlier. After being told off by Katherine, she changed into a long


    designer dress that brought forth her gorgeous aura like a blooming white flower.


    "Kathy, Joaquin."


    Seeing Katherine and Joaquining down, she got up and greeted them although a trace of


    resentment shed in her eyes.


    Katherine did not really want to talk to her, so she just twitched the corners of her mouth as a greeting.


    Seeing Hera looking at herself, she smiled and said while imitating Rosemary''s tone, "Mother, I


    suddenly feel like eating out tonight. Hence, Joaquin and I will not eat at home. If we''re outte tonight,


    we''ll probably go directly to the hotel."


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    There was a sh of revulsion in Hera''s eyes, but she smiled brightly. "Okay, you two can eat whatever


    you want. It doesn''t matter if you don''te back tonight."


    "Thank you, Mother." Katherine forced back her distaste and pushed Joaquin out happily.


    Joaquin wanted tough when he thought of Katherine''s pretentious appearance in front of Hera just


    now.


    In fact, he also saidughingly, "You''re good at acting. Did you study acting at university?"


    "Oh, I think I can go back to university and apply for a major in performing arts now," Katherine replied


    in a serious manner.


    Joaquin smiled and said nothing.


    The driver was already waiting at the door. Seeing Joaquine out, he helped carry the man into the


    car, and then folded his wheelchair and stuffed it into the trunk.


    Katherine got into the car and sat beside Joaquin.


    It was a dark night in June; the car left the Levisay Residence and drove directly toward the southern


    suburbs.


    Katherine leaned on the back of the seat and looked at the scenery outside without talking.


    As for Joaquin, he answered two phone calls on the way there, and his face grew uglier.


    Katherine judged from his conversation that it seemed that someone was injured, and the injury was


    quite serious. The doctor Joaquin hired was notpetent enough, and there was no way to treat the


    patient, so the patient was dying.


    She did not want to meddle in others'' business, and she was not that familiar with Joaquin either, so


    she did not n to take action.


    Originally, they nned for Katherine to get off halfway, but Joaquin was in a hurry, and he forgot about


    Katherine until the car drove into a militarized base and stopped in front of a building. When he got out


    of the car, he noticed that there was someone still sitting next to him.


    There was a moment of silence in the air as Joaquin looked at Katherine, who was still quiet. Then, he


    raised his hand to rub his swollen temple.


    This was a secret base. Usually, it was impossible to bring strangers in. He was in too much of a hurry


    just now, and Katherine was too silent, so he simply forgot about her.


    "You¡ª"


    "It doesn''t matter. I can stay in the car. If you have something to do, go and do it." Katherine spread her


    hands indifferently.


    Joaquin exhaled slowly. "Follow me."


    Hearing this, Katherine did not object and obediently got out of the car with Joaquin.


    The actual outline of the building could not be seen in the darkness. After entering, Katherine found


    that it was brightly lit. The entrance was a huge hall. At this time, there were many people gathered in


    the hall.


    Seeing Joaquining, everyone stepped forward a little excitedly, but when they saw Katherine


    following behind Joaquin, some could not help but pause with changed expressions as they looked at


    Katherine vigntly.


    Katherine noticed everyone''s rejection and disapproval of her, but she did not care and followed


    Joaquin in slowly while she looked around.


    The whole hall was divided into several areas. There was the shooting area, the sports and fitness


    area, and facilities such as a boxing ring. It was very proper as a small training ce.


    The group of people in front of them was a little breathless. It was clear that they had just hadrge-


    scale training, and they had not yet recovered their breaths.


    "Boss, why did you bring a stranger in?"


    Most dared not speak up, but one did. Katherine was observing the surroundings when she heard


    someone speak in an unfriendly tone.


    Joaquin nced at the other party lightly. Without any intention of introducing Katherine, he asked


    mildly, "Where''s the guy?"


    "Over there, boss. The doctor said that the pericardium is injured, and it may be toote to send him to


    the hospital." The person speaking was very tall and was wearing a vest, and his body was very


    muscr. At the same time, his voice made the earth tremble.


    Katherine was a little surprised. What kind of training could be so bad that one could hurt one''s


    pericardium?


    In that case, it was true that they could not move the person, and under limited conditions, it was


    undoubtedly difficult to save him.


    She was thinking about it when Joaquin walked over quickly.


    Katherine also saw the boy lying on the ground covered in blood. He looked like he was only sixteen or


    seventeen years old at most. His face was as pale as a ghost and his breath was weak. If his bleeding


    was not stopped and no medical help given, he would die within half an hour.


    Katherine could not help frowning.


    She didn''t really want to meddle in these affairs, and Joaquin''s identity was not simple at first nce.


    Apart from being the heir of the Levisays, he might have a hidden identity.


    These people were bloodthirsty. She knew that they were not ordinary people, but people who went


    around killing others.


    Just as she was thinking about it, she saw that Joaquin had already squatted down.


    "Boss, he''s dying. He must be sent to the hospital immediately." A young man spoke anxiously, his


    eyes red.


    Joaquin''s face was gloomy while he looked at the boy in front of him and said nothing.


    "Boss..."


    Everyone else stepped forward.


    Joaquin turned to look at Katherine. "You..."


    He remembered that Katherine was good at acupuncture, so she should know some medical skills.


    However, he had just opened his mouth when he realized that he must be wrong in the head.


    Why would I think that Katherine can save the boy?

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    "Let me see." Katherine saw the look in Joaquin''s eyes as well as the teenager lying on the ground.


    Suddenly, she remembered the teenager who fell in front of her back in Fontan.


    The teenager was of simr age. At that time, she wascking in her ability and medical skills to save


    him. As such, she could only watch as he died in front of her from excessive blood loss.


    That was also when she realized the significance of bing a doctor.


    At the very least, one would not feel helpless if their loved ones were dying.


    With a deep breath, she knelt down next to Joaquin and reached out to apply pressure to the


    teenager''s wound.


    "What are you doing?"


    Before Katherine could touch the teenager, she was aggressively pushed away.


    It was the same 190cm tall man who doubted her when she first came in.


    Caught off guard, Katherine stumbled and fell to the ground, feeling a burning pain on her shoulder.


    These were the people who worked out and had a shocking amount of strength. Hence, they would not


    hesitate to strike regardless of the opponent''s gender.


    With a shove as aggressive as that, Katherine knew her shoulder must have been bruised.


    "Are you trying to kill the patient?" She looked up and stared at the tall man coldly.


    The man was about to open his mouth to speak when Joaquin''s cold voice interrupted him, "Ian! That''s


    enough!"


    As bitter as Ian was, he could only endure it since Joaquin had spoken. However, he was still


    concerned that Katherine would endanger the patient, so he stated, "The patient''s injuries are really


    serious; even the team doctor said that they have run out of solutions, let alone¡­"


    He did not have to finish his words for them to understand what he was conveying.


    The team doctor was made up of top students from a prestigious medical school, so their abilities


    spoke for themselves. If a group as elite as them deemed no solution for this patient, how could


    Katherine, a young and inexperienced woman, save her?


    Moreover, Joaquin was the one who brought Katherine here. Nobody could understand how someone


    as rational as him could be so careless as to bring his woman to the base.


    "Let her try." Joaquin''s facepletely darkened, seemingly determined to protect Katherine.


    At once, Ian red at Katherine, not expecting Joaquin to be so irrational for a woman.


    She ignored them and stood up before proceeding to grab the teenager''s wrist to take his pulse while


    breathing heavily.


    She then looked at the wound and noticed it was a stab wound. The dagger had directly prated the


    heart and pierced through the left ventricle. When the dagger was pulled out, it appeared to have a


    barbed tip due to secondary damage. This was indeed a serious injury; not only would it result in


    excessive blood loss, the heart would also require immediate stitches. Otherwise, there would be


    unthinkable consequences.


    "He needs to be operated on immediately, but I can''t do it in this condition. Do you have operating


    rooms with the necessary equipment here?" She quickly took out the silver needles from her medical


    bag, sealed the acupuncture points near the wound to control the bleeding, and turned her head to ask


    Joaquin.


    At that moment, his heart calmed as he noticed herposed expression, and he could not help but


    believe in her. He did so purely out of a whim of faith that she would be able to save the patient.


    "You¡ª" Ian wanted to say that if Katherine could not do it, she should not waste anyone''s time, let


    alone endanger someone''s life.


    Before he could finish his words, Joaquin had already instructed, "Send the patient to the operating


    room."


    Of course, the base had operating rooms equipped with the necessary tools. The operating room,


    which was located on the floor above, had the best equipment in the country¡ªeven better than those


    found in the top three hospitals.


    Hearing that, Ian could not rebuke Joaquin despite his disagreement. He could onlyply and


    arrange for the patient lying on the ground to be transferred to the operating room upstairs.


    "How confident are you?" Joaquin asked softly upon pursing his lips as he walked alongside Katherine,


    who seemedposed from her side profile.


    "It''s not a big problem, but there''s too much blood loss and we might need a blood transfusion. You


    might need to get someone ready for blood at any time. Also, I need assistance. You should have a


    doctor here, right? Arrange two for me."


    Katherine''s footsteps were quick and her expression seemed very rxed. It was as if she was on her


    way to a simple suture surgery.


    However, it was true that it would not be a difficult surgery for Katherine. After all, she was the


    notorious surgical master nicknamed the Ghost Knife.


    "Alright." Joaquin trusted Katherine without any further questions.


    As the two quickly approached the operating room on the first floor, Joaquin arranged for Greg to assist


    before adding another two more staff members.


    At this point, Katherine had already changed into a sterile surgical gown and was currently washing her


    hands before putting on a pair of disposable medical gloves.


    As the staff members arrived, she barely nced at them and instructed, "In a moment, one of you will


    assist me with tools and another one will be on standby. As soon as I say there''s a need for a blood


    transfusion, head outside and request that someonee to the patient''s side to transfuse the type O


    blood."


    The two staff members exchanged nces with each other. Since Joaquin believed in Katherine, they


    also chose to believe her and followed her instructions.


    The moment Katherine put on the sterile surgical gown, her aura changedpletely. Greg thought


    that he saw Boss, especially when she held the scalpel.


    Meanwhile, the entire procedure ran smoothly without any mistakes. The operation ended two hours


    later and Katherine emerged from the operating room with a tired expression.


    Watching her exit the room, Joaquin instinctively straightened his back and looked at her with bright


    eyes.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She looked pallid¡ªalmost as transparent as a ss¡ªand was still dressed in her previous white T-


    shirt. She let out a heavy sigh and noticed Joaquin staring at her. She then raised her head to meet his


    gaze, licked her slightly dried lips, and casually stated, "The patient is fine. She''ll be awake in half an


    hour."


    "Are you joking?" Ian expressed his disbelief.


    How can the patient be fine?


    Greg obviously said that there was no chance he could survive¡­


    Katherine ignored him and only looked at Joaquin. "Are we going home?"


    "Hm." He nodded and took a step forward to support her after seeing her exhaustion.


    Katherine''s body stiffened slightly upon him touching her, but she could only lean on him for support,


    seeing that she did not have any more strength as they entered the elevator.


    "Oh, my God! What did I just witness? Was that the Captain''s woman?"


    "No, it can''t be. The Captain''s girlfriend is Miss Muller. What is going on?"


    "Ian, do you know what''s going on? Who was that woman?"


    A group of people gathered and only dared to chat around to ask after Joaquin had left.


    Annoyed, Ian did not bother to satisfy their need for gossip. However, seeing Joaquin and Katherine


    together, he felt bad for Beatrice.


    He contemted before pulling out his phone to text her, ''Miss Muller, the Captain came to work today


    and a rather young woman was with him.''


    After sending the text message, he felt relieved and left with the team to visit the patient.


    Ring! Ring!


    Joaquin''s phone rang just as he was exiting the elevator with Katherine.


    He squinted and nced at the caller ID on the screen before turning to Katherine next to him and


    disregarded the call.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Beatrice picked at her clean fingertips, which was now pale. With her head lowered, she stared at the


    string of digits on her phone screen until it went nk, but her calls were not answered.


    As her anxiety persisted, she bit her bottom lip until the shape of her beautiful lips changed while her


    cold pale face appeared frail.


    This is the first time Joaquin missed my call.


    Is it because of the woman Ian mentioned?


    Who exactly is she?


    For the first time in her life, she was panicking as she felt things were going out of control.


    Why did something like this happen now after five years?


    Feeling irritated, she decided it was time to ring him again.


    This time, the call was answered quickly. The man''s low and cold voice came through the phone, which


    had been softened significantly by the audio transmission. Beatrice''s heart raced a little as she heard


    the indescribable bass and gentleness in his voice.


    "Why didn''t you answer my call earlier?" she muttered, feeling wronged and dissatisfied.


    Joaquin nced at the sleeping Katherine, whose cold expression softened under the dim light.


    Instead of appearing as icy as she had been in the past, her face appeared more tender.


    Hearing Beatrice''sint, he pursed his lips and gently replied, "I was busy. What happened? Who


    made you upset, hm?"


    Beatrice''s heart calmed a little when she heard his familiar tone and the unease she harbored was


    gone.


    "I get nervous when I can''t reach you. Joaquin, let''s¡­"


    At that moment, she was dying to ask him when he was going to marry her.


    It had been five years, but he still had no ns to marry her. She could not figure out what he was


    thinking.


    "Let''s wait. Now is not the right time. I''ll marry you when the timees." Joaquin exhausted all his


    patience on Beatrice.


    Since he chose her five years ago, he deserved to be held ountable.


    After all, what his mother told him on her deathbed was still fresh in his mind.


    He could not be like his father, who was an irresponsible scumbag.


    "But I''m insecure. You''re sessful and attractive, and you''re surrounded by a lot of amazing girls


    whereas I''m a nobody. I only have you. What do I do if you decide you no longer want me?"


    At that moment, Beatrice''s voice was filled with worry and vulnerability.


    Joaquin stared in disbelief for a long time before slowly exhaling. "There will be no one else, just you."


    This was his promise to Beatrice.


    "I haven''t seen you in quite some time. Can you make time for me? You''re my boyfriend, but meeting


    you is difficult. When other people ask why, I can''t even answer them." Beatrice smiled, gripping her


    phone and acting coquettishly with Joaquin as she heard his promise.


    Before hanging up, he calmed her down by saying, "I''m busy these days, but let''s meet the day after


    tomorrow."


    Turning around, he noticed Katherine, who was sleeping on the chair earlier, was already awake and


    now stared at himself with bright eyes.


    "I suppose Miss Cornell has a habit of eavesdropping, huh?" Joaquin asked, raising his brow.


    "Eavesdropping?" Katherine smirked as she arched her brow.


    He was the one who answered the phone and spoke openly in front of her! As a matter of fact, she was


    forced to listen to his mushy chatter on the phone.


    "Let me correct you, my dear fianc¨¦. I wasn''t even interested in listening to what you had to say. Plus, I


    didn''t even say anything about the fact that you had to answer the call and disrupt my sleep."


    "I see you have quite a temper." Joaquin snickered as he observed Katherine''s delicate side profile.


    It was apparent that she was exhausted and frail because of how pale her face was. Currently, her


    brows were furrowed, which made her look rather annoyed.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    As she did not want to engage in a conversation, Katherine yawned. "Drop me at the city center.


    There''s something I need to do."


    She had justpleted an exhausting operation on a patient, which resulted in her paleplexion.


    She would get a short fuse when she was tired, especially when she was woken up from her nap. As a


    result, Katherine conveyed her irritation with her brows tightened. If she could be violent with Joaquin,


    she would have done so right away.


    With a tired expression, she shut her eyes after saying those words. Seeing that, Joaquin decided to


    stop talking so she could rest.


    Alhough the mountain roads ahead were rather t, there were many road curves. As such, he drove


    slowly and steadily to avoid waking Katherine, who was fast asleep.


    Halfway through the drive, Ian phoned him in excitement. "Captain! Winson is awake! He''s wide awake!


    Greg also stated that his injuries are no longer a concern. He simply needs to rest well for a few weeks!


    Who exactly is that woman, Captain? How could she be so talented? You should ask her if she wants


    to work with us. She''s more skilled than Greg, and possibly even better than Greg''s professor!"


    After finding out the patient had woken up, there was a one-eighty in Ian''s attitude.


    Had he known Katherine''s medical skills from the beginning, he would have worshiped her.


    Joaquin looked over at the sleeping woman next to him and her brows furrowed as if irritated by the


    noise, looking like she was about to wake up.


    At once, he hung up the phone without hesitation and put his phone on silent after some thought.


    Meanwhile, Katherine was not able to sleep and was woken up as soon as Ian called.


    The silence in the car was so loud that one could hear a pin drop. However, Joaquin did not bother


    Katherine, whose eyes were closed. She only opened her eyes when they arrived at the city center.


    "Stop right here," she said faintly in her clear voice.


    Casting a nce at her, he remained wordless and informed the driver ordingly. The driver then


    looked for a space to park the car after which Katherine alighted from the vehicle.


    "I won''t be returning to the Levisays for the time being, but I''ll be back before the wedding ceremony,"


    she said, pulling the strap of her backpack, and then disappeared into the crowd without looking at


    Joaquin.


    She had a lot to sort out after returning to the country. Aside from the research institute, there were


    many things to deal with at thepany, so she was extremely busy.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin took a long look in the direction she was going. His lips quivered before he faintly


    said, "Let''s go."


    "Mr. Levisay, where to?" the driver asked carefully.


    "Home."


    ¡­


    Following Katherine''s exit from the vehicle, she turned left and right before entering a cafe.


    In a quiet private room, a beautiful andpetent woman came to deliver a document, and stated


    solemnly, "Thepany has been registered ording to your requirements. Since the equipment has


    arrived, production can begin at any time. However, we have yet to find a technician. Also, Miss


    Cornell, there are many cosmeceuticalpanies in this country, so we are at a disadvantage. Given


    that we''re starting from scratch, it looks like we''d be in a really difficult situation, so you might want to


    reconsider."


    "There''s no need. The technician will arrive at the factory in three days'' time and you should be there to


    wee them. I''ll email the formtion to you shortly, which you can apply for the patent. As for the


    rest, you don''t have to worry. Just leave it to me."


    As Katherine picked up the coffee on the table and took a sip, a faint smile formed on the corner of her


    lips.


    Seeing that Katherine would not listen, the woman dropped the subject and said nothing more.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    After exiting the cafe, Katherine wore a baseball cap before getting on a cab to head to the Waldorf


    Garden in Northside.


    It happened to be the 5.00PM rush hour when people were going in and out of the neighborhood. She


    stood on the street and waited patiently while looking at her wristwatch once in a while.


    Right at 6.05PM, a frail old man wobbled out of the garden holding his grandson.


    Katherine walked over after gazing at the little boy for a while.


    "Hi, Mr. Torres. Care for a talk?" she asked directly and dropped the pretense.


    Looking at the youngdy before him, Richard waved his hands impatiently. "I''m busy. There''s nothing


    much to talk about. Go back to where you came from."


    "You haven''t produced the form for Celestial Beauty. Are you going to give up just like this, Mr.


    Torres?"


    She looked at him head-on with no surprise because she knew that he would reject her. However, she


    had foreseen this and came up with a n to countermeasure his reaction.


    As expected, his facial expression changed upon hearing her words. His eyes widened as he looked at


    the youngdy before him who had crossed the line. Then, he slowly drawled out, "You. Who is Darren


    Olsen to you?"


    "He''s my grandpa." Katherine knew she was sessful after looking at his wavering expression.


    She had her hands on a few ancient forms as she knew that Richard was the pioneer of the


    cosmeceutical industry in Cechirus. His skills were all for show, so as long as he was willing to return,


    people would go crazy over his products just based on his reputation.


    "Let''s head up and talk." Richard stared at her deeply before agreeing solemnly.


    Katherine nodded and trailed after him into the garden before they went up the stairs.


    The Torres Residence was on the fifth floor, which was not considered a low-floor for an old man like


    Richard. He had overworked his body when he was younger. Since he was not young anymore, he


    suffered from osteoarthritis due to joint damage. So, walking up the stairs was torture for him.


    She noticed it while walking behind him, but did not say anything and quietly followed him up.


    "Go to your grandma, Gordon," he told his grandson when they walked past the door so they had some


    privacy. Then, he led Katherine into a room and closed the door.


    "What do you want from me since you came all the way here?" Despite being old, he was not a dotard.


    The Olsen Family was gone and Darren had passed away a few years back. He did not know much


    about what happened with Elsie, but he knew enough to understand that Jorge had taken over what


    was left of the Olsen Family.


    Even if Katherine owned the forms, she was just a youngdy. So, he did not have much confidence


    in her.


    "I hope you can resurface to help me, Mr. Torres." She was direct upon seeing that he was being


    straightforward too.


    Frowning, Richard questioned, "Resurface to help you? Even if I did, what can you do? The market is


    being controlled by a few local and foreign corporations now. What do you think we can do to beat


    them? It''s good that you have dreams, but being too ambitious is not good. Have you even researched


    the market before you made this decision?"


    "Of course. I''ve done the research beforeing back home. Currently, the best-selling foreign


    cosmeceutical brands in Cechirus are from the countries of Huwait and Rosico for their herbal beauty


    form. There are also two local brands that are doing pretty well, marketing themselves with the


    secret to royal beauty, and one of them just so happens to be the Cornells. I''m not making empty and


    unrealistic promises. Since I''ve decided to join the cosmeceutical industry, I have the confidence to


    come out as the winner. Please don''t reject me so quickly, Mr. Torres. I''ll give you my dad''s Celestial


    Beauty form. Take a look at it before you decide if you want to resurface and help me. I''ll wait for


    you."


    Katherine spoke confidently and then took out the ancient form before passing it to Richard.


    He was surprised as he did not think that she would give him something so important.


    "I''ve already got the factory and production line ready to go. Thepany is registered too and the


    patent for Celestial Beauty is being processed as well. It should be approved right about when you''ve


    made your decision. Mr. Torres, you''re my grandpa''s best friend. You should know what he thinks. I


    really hope that you can help me. I don''t want all of Grandpa''s blood, sweat, and tears to fall into the


    hands of outsiders. That''s the reason why I came back to im all that belongs to the Olsen Family."


    She bowed to him and did not say anything else.


    Richard was still in a daze even after Katherine left for some time. He looked down at the form in his


    hand and only felt its weight on him. He was almost seventy years old. Did he still have the drive to


    resurface and join the industry again? Shaking his head, he looked at the form in his hand again and


    sighed.


    After exiting Waldorf Garden, Katherine headed to herpany, which she had gloriously named it as


    Celestial Cosmeceutical.


    Nadia was exceptionallypetent and found a strategic location for thepany right in the middle


    of the city. It was a manor with colonial-style decor that suited the concept of theirpany''s products.


    "Miss Cornell," Nadia greeted Katherine. She had just returned to the office after settling some matters.


    So, she brought Katherine around to look at the newly set up office.


    The facilities wereplete with the most advanced equipment in the research and development


    laboratory. They even moved a few delicate apparatus from the testingboratory over as well.


    At the moment, they only had a few employees. However, Nadia was in the process of recruitment. The


    hardest part was not hiring people, but the continuity of technical support.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    "The patent registration has been submitted, Miss Cornell. We should be expecting an answer in three


    days'' time. The recruitment for the factory is ongoing, but the technical part¡ª" She hesitated as she


    looked uncertainly at Katherine.


    "Hire a few generalb assistants even if they''ve just graduated. It''s best if they have some experience.


    Leave the rest to me."


    Katherine quietly interrupted Nadia. She was confident in Celestial Beauty''s form. As long as


    Richard had read it, he would be willing to resurface. Even if he did not read it, she was sure that he


    woulde since his rtionship with Darren was not as simple as it seemed.


    Seeing that Katherine was so confident, Nadia was reassured.


    "HQ has gotten a hold of the coboration with Levisay Group and transferred it to you. Keep it up and


    work hard. Look out for the Cornell Group as well and notify me if anything happens with them."


    Katherine did not just want to take back what Jorge had taken away. She wanted him to be left with


    nothing and suffer for life. She would repay what he did to Elsie all those years ago and ensure he


    received the punishment he deserved.


    "Okay. I''ll do my best." Nadia felt the heavy burden on her shoulders, but she was a little excited at the


    challenge.


    After touring thepany, they left.


    Nadia needed to go to the factory to overlook the recruitment matters while Katherine had something


    else to do. So, they parted ways at the junction. Just as Katherine was going to call for a ride, she saw


    a motionless person on the ground not too far away. Frowning, she clicked open the Uber app while


    walking in the person''s direction.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Canmore Road was located in the heart of Hovington''s city business district. Hence, there was very


    dense traffic.


    Katherine''s ce happened to be in the quietest part of this busy district as it was a high-end


    residential area with a tight security system. As such, outsiders could not enter easily, making the ce


    peaceful.


    As she got nearer, she saw a person lying on the ground. It was an old person in a gray cardigan, but it


    seemed like they were barely breathing while being curled up on the ground.


    "Are you alright?" she asked probingly, but did not get a response.


    Lifting her head, she looked around to search for security cameras and felt assured that she would not


    be med if anything happened to that person.


    The temperature in Hovington during June was sweltering to the point where the ground was hot


    enough to fry eggs.


    With a newfound resolve, she went forward to prop the old person up and was shocked when she saw


    a familiar face. It was Joaquin''s grandma, Elizabeth.


    At that moment, the olddy''s eyes were tightly shut while her face and lips were as pale as a sheet.


    She had a shallow breath; it was as if she was going to stop breathing in the next second.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Katherine only allowed herself to be surprised for a moment before she grabbed onto the olddy''s


    wrist to feel her pulse. She felt around for a while and realized that Elizabeth was suffering from a


    sudden cardiac arrest.


    Elizabeth had been unconscious for some time and it was probably due to some sort of shock. If


    Katherine had arrived anyter, the olddy was a lost cause.


    After confirming the cause, Katherine did not dare dy anymore and fumbled for her needle pouch.


    She took out three silver needles before unbuttoning the olddy''s shirt and puncturing her quickly with


    the silver needles.


    The end of the needles trembled slightly as she slowly twisted the needles and pushed them further in.


    Then, she took a white porcin bottle and tipped out a mahogany pill before stuffing it into Elizabeth''s


    mouth. She patted her on the back so that Elizabeth would swallow the pill.


    After doing all that, Katherine carried her up from the ground.


    ¡­


    "Cough. Cough¡­"


    Elizabethy on the hospital bed and slowly opened her eyes after coughing for a while. She saw white


    walls and the smell of alcohol signaled to her that she was in the hospital.


    I''m not dead?


    ncing around the ward, she finallynded her gaze on a girl sitting to the side while looking down at


    her phone.


    The setting sun shone on her, making it look like a halo was surrounding her; she was a dazzling sight.


    After looking at her for a good while, Elizabeth finally recognized the young girl before her. She was her


    grandson''s fianc¨¦, thecking daughter of the Cornell Family, Katherine.


    At first, she had a pleasantly surprised expression, but now the pleasure had disappeared and she felt


    as if she had swallowed a fly.


    "Huh? How could it be you?" Elizabeth humphed. She had quite the loud voice despite being old. It


    seemed like she recovered and her eyes that looked at Katherine were filled with contempt and


    disdain.


    Katherine ced her phone down and looked at her. The color had returned to Elizabeth''s face and


    she seemed to be in good shape since she had the energy to yell.


    "Yes. It''s me," she replied casually as she pressed the bell at the top of the bed for the doctor.


    Elizabeth was not fond of her and Katherine did not n on getting on Elizabeth''s good side either.


    Since her marriage to Joaquin was only a stopgap, they would part ways sooner orter.


    Looking at her attitude, Elizabeth was even more dissatisfied with her. She sure is a muddy girl from


    the country with no proper upbringing at all!


    Soon, the door to the ward was pushed open as a doctor and two nurses rushed in. Since there was


    not much for Katherine to do, she left quietly.


    The doctor gave Elizabeth a thorough check before looking at her in amazement. "You''re very lucky,


    Mrs. Levisay. You''re fine now and can be discharged soon."


    "Haha, if it wasn''t for you guys, I might not have been so lucky even if I was sent here in time. You don''t


    need to stand on her side." Elizabeth was dismissive and assumed the doctor said so because


    someone managed to get her to the hospital in time.


    The doctor hesitated and looked at her for a while before saying, "Actually, no. We didn''t do anything.


    When you were sent in, someone had already performed first aid on you and your vitals were all


    normal. Thedy that sent you in said you were having a mild heat stroke and needed some saline to


    keep you hydrated. We just did an IV drip for you and nothing else."


    "What did you say?" She could not believe her ears.


    So, she was not saved by the doctor, but by Katherine, thecking girl from the Cornell Family? How is


    that possible? How could someone of her character save me?


    Elizabeth could not find it in herself to believe this and thought that the reason she was safe was due to


    her luck and that she had taken care of her health.


    However, Katherine could not care less about what Elizabeth thought of her. She had a lot on her te


    during her return and did not have the time to butter up to unimportant people.


    After leaving the hospital, she went back to Soulin International.


    When she arrived at the entrance, she paused in her tracks and wanted to massage her temples. What


    bad luck is this? It''s that freak again!


    The freak in question, Joaquin, was speechless as he stared at Katherine, who suddenly appeared in


    front of him while the corner of his lips twitched.


    Ben, on the other hand, had a sly smile as his eyes darted between Katherine and Joaquin. Then, he


    whispered into Joaquin''s ears, "This fianc¨¦ of yours is quite a woman to follow you all the way here. It


    seems like she really loves you."


    "Shut up!" Joaquin gritted the words through his teeth as his cold gaze fell on Katherine.


    However, she only nced at him once and walked in after ignoring him. She had a long day and was


    exhausted. She only wanted to return to her apartment to enjoy a hot shower and sleep in her soft bed.


    Seeing that she walked past without looking at him, Joaquin smirked and followed her in. They entered


    the elevator and she pressed a floor number. Just as he was about to do the same, he was silent upon


    seeing the floor number.


    Is this a real coincidence? Does she stay on the same floor as I do? On the 18th floor?


    Ben could not help but poke at Joaquin, although that earned himself a fierce re.


    The elevator went up and soon stopped on the 18th floor. Katherine walked out and saw that Joaquin


    was following behind her.


    She stopped, turned her head to look at him, and taunted, "Oh. Don''t tell me that you stay here too?"


    "Ha. Yeah. What a coincidence," he replied with a snicker.


    She just raised her eyebrows at his reply and then whipped out her ess card while walking toward


    her apartment. All the while, he looked at her with dark eyes.


    Ben waited until she walked inside before babbling to Joaquin, "Is this for real? Does she really stay


    here? Not to mention, right beside you. But the prices of apartments in Soulin International are sky-


    high. It''s around 40,000 per square foot. That apartment must be in the millions. Can she afford that?"


    He gave Joaquin a hard punch as he was prattling on. Then, he tried to be witty and added, "Seems


    like your fianc¨¦ has a sugar daddy. That must be it. Do you think her sugar daddy wille tonight?


    Would we hear something explicit¡ª"


    Ben was not done talking, but the only response he received was a door m in his face.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    "F*ck! Are you serious, Joaquin? I''m just saying. Do you have to get so riled up? You can''t possibly


    have feelings for your fianc¨¦e and be jealous, right?"


    After zoning out for a while, Ben finally entered the house. As he stepped inside, he stared at Joaquin,


    eyeing him up and down. It wasn''t for long, though, because he quickly averted his gaze when Joaquin


    looked at him coldly. A chill ran down Ben''s spine, making him feel like he was being watched by a


    predator.


    Ben dared not to mess around anymore and quickly said, "Fine, forget what I said, okay? Let¡¯s talk


    business. There has been progress in the medicine that you have been searching for. Someone on the


    Red Web has epted our order and said the results would be within three months."


    Hearing his words, Joaquin became serious as it was indeed an important thing. "Did you find out who


    epted it?" he asked.


    "Of course not. You know how the Red Web works. Moreover, with our ability, we can''t possibly be able


    to find out the person''s identity. Those who can get their hands on this medicine might be in one of


    those ces. We can''t afford to offend them." Ben shrugged, appearing to be helpless against this


    matter.


    His reaction had Joaquin pursing his lips and going silent. He couldn''t help but think about this matter.


    "Joaquin, if we can get our hands on this, you will be able to recover from your injuries," Ben said while


    looking at him with aplex expression.


    Four years ago, a severe ident had damaged Joaquin''s pain receptors. For the past few years, they


    had searched for numerous specialists to heal him but to no avail. Just as they thought there was no


    hope, things took a turn where they suddenly received information on how to heal him.


    Joaquin twitched his lips and seemed to be mindless about it.


    As they chatted for some time, Ben noticed that it was gettingte and said his goodbyes. When he


    was about to leave, he couldn''t help but nce at Katherine''s room. Unfortunately, the door was shut


    tight, so he didn¡¯t know whether any other men were inside her room.


    ¡­


    In room 1801, Katherine wore a white T-shirt after taking a hot bath and sat in front of theputer


    desk. Then, she opened herputer, which started in a matter of seconds. She opened a red spider


    icon and a website popped up with several unread messages. However, she ignored it and went


    straight to her task list.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She hadpleted almost all the tasks she had recently and was left with only one that she epted


    three days ago out of boredom.


    The task was to get a type of neurotoxin that could stimte a human being''s nervous system and


    develop the brain. It was a rare toxin, but she had obtained it due to sheer coincidence and kept it ever


    since. Now, she decided to give it away since she was in need of money and the person who assigned


    the task had offered such a high price.


    Staring at the person''s profile picture for a while, she sent a message. ''Give me your address. I¡¯ll send


    it to you in three days.''


    The Red Web was an international trading tform that was simr to a ck market. It was a


    mysterious ce where almost everything could be bought from there: all kinds of information,


    medicines with peculiar effects, and rare medicine ingredients. It had everything one could ever


    imagine.


    After sending the message, Katherine closed the webpage and opened some other documents on the


    computer, looking at the stock index of each market. As time passed by, she yawned and got ready to


    sleep.


    On the other hand, Ben''s phone rang as he entered the car, signaling that a message had arrived. He


    opened it and almost jumped up with joy when he saw the message icon.


    Looking at the text, he couldn''t help but feel shocked. "Three days? Holy sh*t, what kind of person are


    they?" he eximed.


    The type of neurotoxin that he wanted was extremely rare. Only a kind of poisonous fish deep within


    five million meters of the ocean had it and each of these fish carried only one milligram of the toxin.


    Never did he expect that someone would havepleted it so fast when he had requested one gram


    of it on the Red Web.


    Suppressing his excitement, Ben replied with trembling fingers. ''The address is 1802, Block A, First


    Floor, Soulin International in Hovington, Trasea, Cechirus.'' Then, he sent it along with a set of


    numbers. After that, he couldn''t help but refresh the webpage repeatedly. To his dismay, there was no


    reply.


    Realizing that he would need to wait until the next day, Ben felt disappointed for a moment before


    texting Joaquin to tell him about the good news.


    It was a restless night for him.


    The next day, the sun shone brightly and it was warm outside. Katherine woke up early and stretched


    before getting out of bed and washing up. Then, she sat in front of theputer desk and opened her


    computer out of habit. There was a small red dot on top of the red spider mark, signaling that there was


    a message. While eating a piece of bread, she clicked on it and saw that the person called Paperboy


    had given her an address and a phone number.


    As she opened the conversation, she went silent after looking at the address. Never would she have


    thought that Joaquin, her neighbor aka fianc¨¦, was the person who wanted to buy this neurotoxin.


    Staring at the chat box in silence for a moment, she went back to her task list. Then, she canceled the


    task, returned the money she received, and blocked Paperboy. She did the whole thing without any


    hesitation and shut down herputer.


    No matter what the reason Joaquin wants it is, a gram of toxin can wipe out half of the poption of


    Northtride. It¡¯s best if I don¡¯t give him such a dangerous thing directly to avoid a disaster, Katherine


    thought.


    Then, she walked out of the room while humming a tune with ease after changing into an outfit and


    wearing a cap. She had to go to Northtride University to take something.


    Just as she opened the door, so did the room on the opposite side of her. Joaquin wore a set of ck


    clothing and looked like a self-restrained person. As if he noticed her stare, he raised his head and their


    eyes met each other.


    "Good morning, my fianc¨¦." Katherine smiled and waved at him.


    Although she had greeted Joaquin, he didn¡¯t reply and averted his gaze. Then, he closed the door


    behind him and walked toward the elevator. Seeing that he had ignored her, Katherine didn¡¯t say


    anything and trailed behind him leisurely while her hands in her pocket.


    Soon, the elevator arrived and they both went inside. It was cramped inside and there was a scent of


    sandalwood in the air, which smelled refreshing. Leaning against the wall, Katherine eyed him up and


    down, noticing that he wasn¡¯t in a wheelchair and was still wearing a silver mask on his face. As he was


    wearing a pair of pants that were in the same color as his shirt, Joaquin looked unruly like a gentleman.


    Just as Katherine was mesmerized, she heard his voice beside her ears. "Are you done looking?" His


    voice was deep and cold; it was a mix of seductiveness and viciousness.


    Hearing his question, Katherine straightened up. There was a sh of embarrassment on her face as


    she was caught red-handed by him for staring.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    After a short moment of awkward silence, Katherine regained herposure. "Yes, I''m almost done


    looking," she replied casually.


    Hearing her words, Joaquin chuckled. Just as he was about to speak, the elevator door opened and


    Katherine walked past him. Though before she could leave, he grabbed her and pulled her back,


    causing her to stagger. Frowning at him, she saw that his jaw was clenched and she couldn¡¯t see his


    expression clearly as he was wearing a mask.


    "What''s wrong? Are you dissatisfied that I was only staring at you? Do you want me to do something to


    you in the elevator?" she asked while raising an eyebrow as she leaned closer to him.


    At that moment, Joaquin felt as if his hand that was grabbing her arm was being burned. He quickly


    released her and took two steps back simultaneously.


    Seeing that she had gotten the reaction she wanted, she beamed at him. "Looks like you are quite the


    innocent one. Well, I¡¯ll be going then. See you next time."


    As Joaquin released his grasp on her, she walked out of the elevator and waved at him while grinning.


    When Joaquin saw her expression, his eyes darkened while looking at her coldly.


    Other than Beatrice, she is another person who cane close to me and not make me disgusted, he


    thought.


    Zoning out while staring at Katherine''s figure, Joaquin walked out of the elevator after some time. At


    that moment, Ben''s call came. When Joaquin answered the call, he could hear him crying before he


    could speak. "My order has been canceled! You heard me, canceled! I might be the first person ever on


    the Red Web to get my order canceled!" he cried.


    "Canceled?" Joaquin couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow.


    "Yes! Yesterday, G asked me for the address number and I sent your Soulin Apartment address. Who


    knew that G would cancel my order and return my money?" Ben waspletely in despair.


    Not knowing what to say, Joaquin was silent. He felt that this matter was unusual because the Red


    Web had a rule where the task could not be canceled unless it couldn''t bepleted or it was more


    challenging than expected. It was hard for Joaquin not to think about it when Ben told him that he


    would be able to get the medicine in three days, but his order was canceled earlier in the morning


    today.


    It was even more suspicious as the order was canceled after Ben gave the person his address.


    Just as Joaquin was still in thought, Katherine had arrived by the front door and went toward Northtride


    University by taking a cab.


    After talking to Ben for a while, Joaquin hung up the phone and looked at the road in front of him


    thoughtfully.


    ¡­


    Northtride University was one of the top ten universities in Cechirus and almost in the top fifties in the


    worldwide rank. So, it was counted as one of the top universities in this country.


    As the car stopped in front of the university, Katherine walked out of the car and looked at the entrance


    of the enormous school. Only did she step inside the school after being silent for a moment.


    Naturally, she would catch the attention of others as she was low-profile and didn''t look like a student.


    "Beatrice, what''s the matter with you? You looked terrible today. Did you sleep wellst night?"


    By the pathway with trees beside it, a few girls were walking together. One of the girls wearing a white


    dress looked dejected; it was visible that she was low-spirited. Listening to her friend''s question,


    Beatrice managed to raise her head and look at her friend. As she looked at her friend, she saw a


    figure out of the corner of her eye. With just one nce, she couldn''t help but shiver.


    How can it be? Is that her? she thought.


    With that thought, Beatrice pushed away the girl blocking her view to get a closer look. When she saw


    the figure clearly, her eyes widened.


    No way, it is her! Why is she here at Northtride University? Did she actuallye back and is in


    Hovington now? she thought in disbelief.


    Beatrice suddenly panicked. Trying hard to suppress the emotions in her, she quickly walked toward


    the figure and faked an incident by bumping into the other person''s shoulder.


    "Ah!"


    Katherine was walking by the road and feeling the school''s atmosphere when someone bumped into


    her. Looking at the girl who fell to the ground and scratched her own arm, she couldn''t help but frown.


    After hesitating for a moment, she still decided to reach out and pulled the girl to her feet.


    "Are you all right?" Looking at the girl''s beautiful face, Katherine felt a strange sense of familiarity.


    Little did she know that when she was confused by how familiar Beatrice was, Beatrice was eyeing her


    while clutching her dress tightly.


    At this moment, Beatrice was sure that Katherine was the woman fromst night as her face was


    distinguishable; after all, she looked enchanting. So, she wouldn''t have mistaken her for another


    person!


    Knowing that it was her, Beatrice felt slightly nervous. She swallowed hard and said, "I-I''m fine. I''m


    sorry that I bumped you. Are you all right?"


    Katherine breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that Beatrice did not intend to scam her. "I¡¯m fine,"


    she replied.


    "Erm¡­ Is there a reason why you are here? Do you need me to lead the way?" Beatrice lowered her


    head as if she was shy. "I¡¯m a postgraduate student of Northtride University and my name is Beatrice


    Muller." Her tone was sincere.


    Hearing her words, Katherine thought it might be a good idea to have someone lead the way for her as


    she had never been here before. So, she didn''t refuse Beatrice''s help. "Then, I''ll be needing your help


    around here."


    Seeing that Katherine had epted her help and seemed not to have recognized her, Beatrice was


    relieved. Good, looks like she indeed didn¡¯t know what happened that night. It must be a coincidence


    for her to be here, she thought.


    "Are you here to study?" It wasn''t the season of college admission nor was the day whenmencing


    students flocked the campus. Plus, Katherine didn¡¯t look like a college-going person, but Beatrice still


    asked as she was trying to find a way to get Katherine to say why she was here.


    "No. I''m here to find someone," Katherine said as she shook her head.


    Seeing that Katherine wasn''t shunning her, Beatrice asked a few more questions and she answered


    them one by one. Then, she was at ease after confirming that Katherine was clueless and didn¡¯t know


    who she was.


    The ce where Katherine wanted to head to was the Office of Academic Affairs. After Beatrice had


    taken her there, she bid Katherine goodbye. Looking in the direction where Beatrice left, Katherine felt


    a strange sense of familiarity.


    Still unsure where the sense of familiarity was from, she retrieved her gaze and was going to go up the


    stairs and find the person to take her stuff when she heard a familiar voice filled with shock.


    "Katherine? What are you doing here?" the spokesperson said. She looked where the voice came from


    and saw a few dolled-up girls standing not far away from her. The person at the front of the group was


    her sister, Rosemary.


    "Why do you care? This school ain''t yours," Katherine replied coldly and ignored her as she walked up


    the stairs.


    Hearing her words, Rosemary was fuming.


    "Who is she, Rosemary?" One of Rosemary¡¯s friends couldn''t help but ask her in a low voice when she


    saw Katherine.


    "She is my sister," Rosemary replied impatiently.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    "Oh? I never knew that you have a sister." Her friend was surprised.


    "That¡¯s because my father kicked her out as she used to sleep around with men. After that, she lived in


    Fontan for five years and didn''t even graduate from junior high school. I wonder why she is here in our


    school." Rosemary sighed, appearing to be devastated.


    As her words fell, everyone''s expression was weird.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Katherine went to the Academic Affairs Office on the third floor.


    There were only two teachers in the office today since it was the weekend. "What''s the matter?" a


    balding man asked as soon as she walked through the door.


    "I''m looking for Christopher Jairo." Katherine gave him a quick nce, as she focused on his balding


    forehead. Then, she turned to look at the other person in the office, and her brows furrowed.


    Christopher is not here?


    "Mr. Jairo has an upset stomach today and he just went to the restroom. You can wait for him here. By


    the way, my name is Cynthia, and I am also a teacher from Northtride." She led Katherine to a seat


    after noticing that Katherine didn''t appear to be an average student due to her powerful aura.


    Katherine showed no courtesy either. After thanking Cynthia, she immediately took the seat.


    Soon after, Christopher returned. His face was pale and his calves swayed slightly as he walked.


    The moment he entered the door, he noticed the girl with a white T-shirt and a cap. His expression


    changed as he hurriedly ran over. "Miss Cornell, Mr. Muller instructed me to wait for you. I already have


    everything ready. Please give me a second; I''m going to¨C "


    Just after he finished speaking, his countenance dropped. He covered his stomach and crossed his


    legs; it indeed looked like he really had bad diarrhea.


    It was so terrible that his face turned blue. Katherine knew at a nce the reason he was suffering from


    diarrhea. She went silent for a moment before grabbing his wrist.


    "Hey, you¡ª"


    When Christopher was about to open his mouth to speak, Katherine pressed his arm rapidly a couple


    of times abruptly and it caused searing pain. Then, the pain in his stomach surprisingly vanished.


    In shock, he stared at her and even forgot to speak.


    "Pass the stuff to me. I still have other things to take care of, and I don''t have time to wait here,"


    Katherine said as she knocked on the table''s surface.


    "Oh. Okay." When Christopher was knocked out of his reverie, he immediately opened the safe under


    his desk and retrieved a folder to pass to her.


    After she opened it and took a few nces, she furrowed, and her expression darkened.


    "Thank you," Katherine said, then lowered her head and prepared to leave.


    "By the way, Miss Cornell, Mr. Muller called and invited you to work as an assistant professor in


    Northtride if you''re interested. He could provide you some assistance if you need it," Christopher


    recalled suddenly when Katherine was about to leave.


    However, she had already left, not knowing if she heard him.


    She was in a bad mood.


    Her grandfather, Darren, was a member of the honorary board of Northtride University and owned 16%


    of the shares at the time. Back then, Elsie gave all the Olsens'' assets to Jorge after falling in love with


    him. This enraged Darren so much that he suffered a stroke and spent several years paralyzed. At the


    end, when Elsie was murdered, he died as well.


    Before Katherine returned to the country, she requested Theodore to help with the investigation. She


    had first believed that Northtride''s shares might be kept, but Jorge had already stolen everything


    belonging to the Olsens.


    Her face darkened once again. As soon as she went downstairs, she saw Rosemary and her friend


    guarding downstairs.


    "Katherine, what are you doing here at Northtride? What are you holding in your hand?" Rosemary


    nced at the folder in her hand and subconsciously reached out to snatch it.


    She didn''t feel like dealing with Rosemary due to her bad mood, but Rosemary couldn''t tell and was


    foolish enough to mess with Katherine at this time.


    "Did your mom not educate you to not be a nosy person?" Katherine''s gaze was nonchnt. All of a


    sudden, she reached out her right hand to grab Rosemary''s arm.


    When her tears of pain were about to fall, she screamed, "Katherine, what are you doing? Let go! You


    sc*mbag. How dare you harm me! I''m going to inform Dad and he won''t let you off from this for sure!


    Let go now, Katherine!"


    "Why? Don''t you want to continue to act tough? Are you used to living with the Levisays, Rosemary?"


    Katherine sneered and pushed her away forcefully.


    She fell to the ground and looked forlorn.


    Katherine''s unexpected acts caught Rosemary''s friend off guard as well. Not to mention, Katherine


    showed no mercy and pushed her with such amazing force!


    "Katherine! You better not becent! The Levisays will be mine one day! I have already met


    Robert Levisay, the second young master. He likes me a lot and is very satisfied with me too! Let me


    tell you that I will soon marry him and be the official mistress of the Levisays. You wait! Until then,


    I will make you beg for death!"


    Rosemary was so mad that she spoke irrationally.


    Immediately after the words came out, she covered her mouth and looked at Katherine in shock.


    The corners of Katherine''s lips curled up as she lifted the phone that was recording their conversation.


    "What a nice deration. I will keep this safe and when I have the opportunity, I will surely y it to


    your chosen fiance, Robert. We''ll see if he will still marry you and appoint you as the mistress of the


    Levisays by then."


    After finishing her sentence, she walked away, ignoring Rosemary, who had turned pale.


    She looked at Katherine''s departing silhouette. Her eyes widened and she grabbed her friend''s arm


    tightly with a horrified expression. "S-She is not a human. She''s a monster. I couldn''t control the words


    that came out of my mouth! She is not a human! She is a monster!"


    "Are you overthinking, Rose?" Her friend was worried as she looked at Rosemary losing her marbles.


    Then, she shoved her friend aside. "I want to return. I want to tell my parents about this. Katherine is


    too scary. I''m sure she is a devil returning to get her revenge! She is definitely not a human!"


    After saying that, she fled.


    Katherine left Northtride and rode a cab to the Olsens'' former residence.


    Everything that belonged to them was taken away by Jorge when they were overthrown, and this


    included their former home.


    The house was bought five years ago and had remained vacant until now.


    As Katherine stood at the entrance and observed the familiar house in front of her, memories began


    flooding in.


    She squeezed her fingertips together and took a deep breath to calm down her racing heart.


    "Grandpa. Mom. Do not worry, I''ll soon make Jorge lose everything. I''ll make him pay for what he did to


    the both of you in the past¡­ and this day won''t be too far away," Katherine murmured and it was


    followed by a cold smirk.


    The Olsens'' old house had been vacant for a long time, so it was overgrown with weeds. Unfortunately,


    the owner never indicated that he would sell it. Though Katherine often requested someone to get in


    touch with the owner, there was no reply.


    After standing at the door for a while, she left to attend to her own business.


    She went to a coffee shop in the center of Hovington. Just as she ced a foot in the shop, she felt a


    fierce gaze in her direction.


    She halted and looked over in that direction to find a man sitting not far away, staring at her with fierce


    eyes and a cup of coffee in his hand.


    Isn''t that my dear fianc¨¦, Joaquin Levisay?


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Just how unlucky can I get? Why is he everywhere I go?

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Ignoring Joaquin, Katherine scanned the cafe and found the person whom she was looking for.


    She walked over.


    While lifting up the cup of coffee, Joaquin kept his gaze fixed on her. He watched her walk to a seat in


    the corner and sat down. From his position, he could faintly see a man in a suit sitting across from her.


    "Oh my God! Joaquin, I think your fiancee must have a crush on you. Why is she always everywhere


    you are?"


    Seeing her walking in and heading toward another direction while ignoring them, Ben assumed that she


    was ying hard to get.


    He turned around to look at her seating and spoke to Joaquin with an exaggerated expression.


    However, Joaquin solely gave him a chilly re and felt that he was being too noisy.


    ¡­


    "Mr. Kestel." Katherine sat down and looked at the man in front of her.


    The man looked as if he was in his early thirties. He was in a custom-made suit and wore gold


    spectacles, giving him a gentle and innocent aura.


    "I have the answers to your question. Thiswsuit is impossible to defend. You have no chance of


    winning," he said while pushing his spectacles up his nose bridge; his gaze fixed on Katherine''s


    beautiful face.


    "What if I found evidence of their murder? Is there still a case for thiswsuit?"


    Katherine slowly picked up the coffee and took a sip.


    She hated the bitter taste of ck coffee the most.


    "If there is evidence, you should report it to the police rather than asking me to file awsuit on your


    behalf." The corners of Mr. Kestel''s mouth twitched as he grinned.


    "I''ve always heard that you have never lost a battle. I thought you were skillful, but little did I know that


    you''re not that great either. Please excuse me; I have to hire someone better since you can''t do


    anything about it."


    Katherine put down the coffee in her hand and stood up to leave.


    If it wasn''t for her grandmother who insisted on hiring awyer to retrieve everything that belonged to


    the Olsens, she wouldn''t even have bothered to do so.


    The reason why Katherine''s grandma wanted to attain justice for Elsie was because Elsie had met a


    tragic end and was even stigmatized in her final hours. Thus, Katherine had to hire awyer to avoid


    disobeying her grandmother.


    It was a pity that Mr. Kestel disappointed her.


    She felt that his title of the bestwyer in Ascor was overrated.


    "You don''t have to threaten me like this, Miss Cornell. You should be aware that it has been so many


    years and you have no evidence in your hands, yet you want me to represent you in thiswsuit and


    win it. Do you think this is feasible?" After watching Katherine stand up, Mr. Kestel responded slowly.


    He didn''t mean to hold her back as he only came because his friend told him to.


    It was not worth a single penny to meet her with the kind of reputation that she had.


    She only smiled, then left.


    Mr. Kestel remained seated and sipped his coffee slowly while appearing unmoved.


    Meanwhile, Ben secretly listened to their whole conversation. Then, he took the menu to cover his face


    and sneakily went back to Joaquin to sit down.


    Joaquin briefly nced at him; this was the first time Ben acted so nosy.


    "I didn''t expect it to be Mr. Kestel from the Lichen Law Firm. Your fiancee is looking for someone to file


    awsuit, but she was sadly rejected."


    He shook his head and gulped down arge ss of lemonade from the table before telling Joaquin


    the gossip he had just heard.


    Joaquin, on the other hand, didn''t even bother looking at him; instead, he took a sip of his coffee and


    looked at his smartphone to check how the stock market was doing.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "What did the Cornells do to her? I heard that she was kicked out of the family five years ago, and was


    sent to Fontan. Back then, the Cornells were pretty well-known, right? Why was there no news about


    it?"


    Ben continued bbering.


    Joaquin, who had been ignoring him all along, finally responded. He raised his head from the screen of


    his phone and gave him a look. "Five years ago, she was caught sleeping with a man in his fifties.


    Jorge Cornell felt embarrassed about it, so he drove her out."


    "What? That''s huge news! He still allowed her to marry you despite this? Do the Levisays approve


    this?"


    At that moment, Ben was unable to control his volume.


    Only after he sensed people looking at him, did he immediately cover his mouth and looked at Joaquin


    in shock.


    "Do you think that woman would be okay with me getting stronger by marrying an aristocratic family''s


    daughter?" he retorted with an indescribably sarcastic tone and smirked.


    Ben rubbed his nose; he almost forgot what happened in the Levisays.


    He secretly nced at Joaquin''s expression and was relieved when he saw that Joaquin didn''t seem to


    have any reaction, but he didn''t dare to gossip anymore either.


    "Joe."


    The two of them had already finished half of their coffee when the person they had been waiting for


    arrived.


    Beatrice wore a white dress. Her long, smooth, dark-colored hair draped over her shoulders. She was a


    beautiful woman; she had delicate facial features and wore a soft grin on her face that drew the


    attention of the people in the cafe.


    After giving Joaquin a quick nce, Ben realized that he should leave, so he came up with a random


    excuse and left.


    "Did you wait for me for a long time?" she said as she sat down across from Joaquin.


    "No. We had just arrived too." He put down his phone, straightened up, and turned to face the girl in


    front of him.


    Beatrice had an exquisite appearance, apassionate attitude, and a solid background. They had


    been interacting with each other for 5 years, but sadly even after all those years, he did not feel a thing


    for her; instead, he felt an innate sense of rejection every time he saw her.


    "Really?" Beatrice refrained from exposing the truth; she was warmed by his words.


    Many women throughout the world fantasize about men like Joaquin, yet she was the one who could


    own him.


    Beatrice repressed the joy in her heart and brought her focus back to the issue. "By the way, Joe, my


    grandpa informed me that his research institute will conduct an interview three days from now. He


    encouraged me to participate. Do you have time on that day? Can you apany me?"


    "Research institute?" Joaquin arched his brows just a little bit. He was aware that Mr. Muller rarely


    hired people to his research institute. Additionally, ording to the data Ben sent, the goshawks, who


    were receiving their treatment there, seemed to be recovering quite nicely.


    "Isn''t his research institute not recruiting people?" Joaquin asked casually.


    "It''s not recruiting; however, their research institute recently fired a researcher so there is now a


    vacancy. Grandpa has an internal rmendation name list, so he wanted me to try." Beatrice''s face


    lit up with pride as she stated this.


    After giving it some thought, Joaquin decided. "I''ll apany you."


    Her smile grew even brighter when he agreed. She was so excited that she gripped Joaquin''s arm as


    her soft chest pushed closely against his arm. Then, she said in a lovely voice, "Then I''ll wait for you to


    pick me up and we''ll go together."


    The expression on his face shifted, and the feelings of resistance and disdain returned.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Joaquin tried his best to suppress the difort in his heart, but his expression was still somewhat


    stiff. "Well, I still have something to do in mypany. I''ll return first. Stay safe while you return to


    school alone."


    He silently removed his hand from Beatrice''s hand as he said that.


    Beatrice had a disappointed look as she red sadly at him. "Joe, do you not like me? It''s fine even if


    you don''t. I told you long ago that whatever happened five years ago was of my own will. You don''t


    need topel yourself to take the responsibility."


    The more she spoke, the sadder she was; her eyes became red and crystal tears started forming in her


    eyes.


    Joaquin couldn''t bear to see her in this state, so heforted her, "What are you thinking about,


    Beatrice? I will surely marry you since I promised you. Please give me some time."


    When she heard the words, she looked up at him with a bitter expression. "Joe, I trust you, but could


    you please spend more time with me? I am really insecure. I-I always worry that you won''t want me


    and that you will leave me."


    Seeing her like this, he couldn''t take it anymore.


    He had bullied her five years ago, so he couldn''t be such a sc*mbag and not take responsibility for her.


    "I''lle with you tomorrow. n your day ahead and I''ll pick you up at school tomorrow." Joaquin


    hugged her as he forced himself to ignore his unease.


    Beatrice then snuggled into his arms and reached out to hug his waist.


    The moment she touched his waist, she could clearly feel the man''s body tightening as if he was


    resisting it.


    Beatrice bit her lower lip secretly, feeling a little resentful in her heart.


    She really couldn''t understand why things wouldn''t go as she imagined!


    It had been five years. In these years, the most intimate actions between them were only hugging and


    holding hands. Joaquin had never even kissed her!


    "Okay. Then, I''ll think about the ces I want to go to tomorrow when I head back tonight. You will


    apany me no matter where we go, right?" She raised her head with a smile on her endearing face


    while a hint of tears still remained in her eyes.


    "Yeah." he replied simply.


    "Then, get to work. I won''t disturb you for now. Just keep in mind toe see me when you have


    time." She considerately pushed him out of the door after saying that.


    Joaquin was relieved, feeling more and more that he was a sc*mbag.


    Beatrice is so considerate and sensible, why can''t I be the same?


    When he came out of the cafe, the weather outside wasn''t too favorable. The sky had turned cloudy


    before it even rained.


    Pedestrians on the street were all in a hurry and nobody cared about the man standing at the entrance


    of the mall with a mysterious silver mask on his face.


    "Madam Levisay, is that Joaquin from your family? Isn''t he impaired? He looks perfectly fine right now


    to me."


    An affluent middle-aged woman entered the mall and addressed Madam Levisay sarcastically while


    ncing at the tall, straight figure at the entrance.


    Madam Levisay frowned and followed her gaze, but the entrance was empty. Where is Joaquin?


    "If you have poor eyesight, Mrs. Linsey, I advise you to visit the hospital and consult an


    ophthalmologist. I know a pretty good doctor. If you need it, I can rmend him to you."


    It was impossible for Joaquin to stand up. She had previously found a doctor who repeatedly examined


    his physique. All of the nerves below the waist were dead, making the chance of him standing up very


    unlikely. He would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life unless a miracle urred.


    Being infertile and impaired made it impossible for someone like him to be the heir of the


    Levisays.


    Joaquin''s fate was determined and everything in the Levisays would belong to her son, Robert, in the


    future.


    Mrs. Linsey peeked at the door once again after hearing the words and sure enough, the figure was


    gone.


    "Really? I really may have mistaken that." She made no attempt to debate Madam Levisay. In any


    case, she felt Joaquin was quite strange since it was impossible for her to figure him out so quickly.


    Impaired? What a joke.


    They both had bad intentions; they refrained from exposing each other and continued shopping with a


    grin stered on their face.


    As Ben drove over, Joaquin climbed into the car, pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and lit up


    one.


    "Home?" Ben turned his head to look at him and felt that this man''s expression was not quite right. In


    fact, the man seemed very upset.


    Joaquin squinted his eyes as he considered the unexpected visitor at his house.


    Katherinecked the basic courtesy as well. Not only did she stop caring after she brought Rosemary


    into the Levisays, she went to Soulin International to livefortably alone and left the nuisance for his


    family to deal with.


    He couldn''t stop the corner of his lips from twitching when he thought about her.


    Ben unconsciously wiped his eyes, thinking he hallucinated.


    What was that? Did I just catch Joaquin grinning?


    "Soulin International." Joaquin leaned backzily as he didn''t want to go back to the Levisays for the


    time being.


    "Oh." Ben didn''t ask much after hearing the words and merely drove while suppressing all the


    questions in his heart.


    It took about fifteen minutes to get there.


    They spotted Katherine heading out of the car and returning upon arriving at the neighborhood.


    As Ben was about to speak, he saw the man descending behind her and immediately retracted the


    words that were about to spill from his mouth.


    Joaquin''s face was expressionless as if he didn''t notice her actions. As a result, Ben secretly nced


    at him and was relieved before he stopped the car and alighted from the car after pulling into the


    parking area.


    As the two of them ascended to the eighteen floor and exited the elevator, the door of Katherine''s room


    was open and that allowed the noises from her area to fill the hallway.


    "Oh my God, Katherine. Go faster¡ªAh! I''m about to die¡ª"


    The man''s voice was incredibly prating and it could be clearly heard at the door.


    "Shut up!" After some time, Katherine''s contained rage broke out before it was followed by a thud and a


    scream.


    Then, Joaquin entered his house with a nk expression and mmed the door hard.


    Shameless!


    "Kathy, hurry up! I pinned him down, so kill him!"


    Just as Ben was about to knock on the door, he heard another sounding from the room.


    He wondered as the corner of his lips twitched violently, What''s going on in this room? How harsh can


    they be?


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Katherine was about to die of anger at the idiot in front of her. After kicking him fiercely, he finally got up


    and closed the door.


    "It''s only a game. You don''t have to be like that," she said as she looked at the battered zombie on the


    TV screen in speechlessness.


    "Sobs¡­ This game is too realistic. I think I have been tainted by that zombie and am no longer clean."


    The person took off the 3D blindfold and looked at Katherine''s disappointed face.


    Where is this idiot from? I just want to throw him out now.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    "Keith, I beg you to pull your sh*t together. Otherwise, you''re not allowed to visit my ce in the future."


    Katherine pushed Keith''s big face away and spoke harshly.


    "Okay, you ruthless woman. Do you still regard yourself as my sister?" Keith sat irritably on the couch,


    looking at the gamepad, then at the VR eye set beside him. He was ultimately terrified by the bloody


    image and did not dare to look any further.


    He appeared dissatisfied as he sat on the couch with nowhere to rest his long legs.


    "Are you really going to promise Jorge to marry the b*stard from the Levisays?" Keith inquired glumly


    after a while of sitting.


    He had just returned from Kynd when he discovered Katherine had agreed to Jorge''s request to


    marry into the Levisay Family.


    Still, Joaquin''s notorious character was hard to ignore. ording to rumors, this romantic yboy was


    in a car ident while ying with a woman that resulted in the paralysis of both legs and disfigured


    facial features.


    Why would someone of this caliber marry my sister?


    "Save the worry, kiddo," Katherine said casually in response to Keith''s words. She then poured herself


    a ss of warm water and drank it slowly.


    "I''m no longer a kiddo. I''ll be eighteen this year!" eximed Keith.


    "Precisely. So, you''re still underaged." She arched her brows and gazed at the child in front of her.


    The boy in front of her was much taller than he had been five years before, and his facial features


    remained immature, but he no longer appeared to be the little boy who only cried and ran.


    Katherine''s lips curved and her face lit up with a smile.


    "That''s not the issue. You have yet to answer me. Are you really going to marry that guy from the


    Levisays?" Keith yanked at his hair irritably, never hating his age so much.


    Of course, he was not as young as Katherine made him out to be. This year marked his seventeenth


    birthday and he was already a degree student at the University of Bora.


    He believed that if he worked hard to mature and be intelligent and excellent, he would be able to


    protect his sister and keep her safe from the bullies. He had no idea that he was still too young to do


    so. No matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to reach it; he could not protect his sister the


    way she deserved.


    Keith was extremely frustrated. He sat down and kicked the coffee table in front of him.


    "Back then, Mom decided on the marriage." Katherine took a sip of water, her stomach warm and


    comfortable.


    Her tone was gentle but firm.


    When Keith heard her words, he opened his mouth and wanted to say that Elsie was blind. She would


    not have liked Jorge in the first ce if she had a good taste.


    However, he kept quiet with a clearly upset expression.


    "You''re never going to listen to me anyway. Katherine, can you please wait for me? I''ll put in more effort


    and man up. They won''t be able to bully you as long as I''m around."


    Keith would never forget how Jorge drove out Katherine and Jennifer five years ago.


    It was believed that if Keith had not been Jorge''s biological son and the only male in the Cornells,


    Jorge would have abandoned him as well.


    The hoarseness in Keith''s voice revealed its pubescent nature, which made her nose ufortable


    when she heard it.


    She had been through so much in Fontan in thest five years that no matter how difficult it was, she


    could endure it through gritted teeth. This time, however, she had the urge to cry because of Keith''s


    words.


    "Little guy, you''re so good with your words. Do you have a girlfriend at school?" Katherine pursed her


    lips, took a step forward, and ced her hand on top of Keith''s head. She then caressed and ruffled his


    hair.


    "I''m not joking!" Keith gave her a dismissive look.


    "All right, then. I''ll wait. You must man up quickly and protect me when you grow up." She nodded


    solemnly, her tone light.


    He stood up and embraced her. "Look! I''m taller than you now. I''ll grow up soon. I''ve made money now,


    though it''s not much, but believe me, I''ll make a lot of money in the future. You won''t have to live under


    the pressure from others anymore. I''ll shut them up with power and money!"


    After hearing Keith''s childish words, Katherine''s smile brightened.


    She considered herself very fortunate that Jennifer gave birth to Keith. There was at least one blood-


    rted person in this world and she did not feel down because of familial love.


    Keith was not one to slump in his feelings. He was sad for a while but was drawn to the game soon


    enough.


    As much as he was shy and timid, he enjoyed ying thrilling zombie gunfight games that made him


    scream.


    In the kitchen, Katherine was preparing dinner; hearing Keith''s cries in the living room, she could not


    help but sigh and shake her head.


    I hope this kid grows up to be able to defend himself, though I''m not sure how long that will take.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    While Keith was having a good time here, Joaquin''s face was bing increasingly unappealing.


    The apartment''s sound instion was excellent, but because Joaquin opened the balcony door, the


    voice from the next door could be heard clearly.


    "Ah! Katherine, Katherine, I''m going to die¡ª"


    "Kathy! Kathy, please save me¡ª"


    "F*ck, my butt. Help!"


    Every sound was simply intolerable.


    Joaquin picked up the phone and dialed the property number after pinching his cool fingertips.


    Katherine''s doorbell rang ten minutester.


    Before walking over to open the door, she wiped her wet hands and turned down the heat on the stove.


    Two uniformed security guards stood at the door. The prating screams from the room could still be


    heard clearly as Katherine approached to open the door.


    The two guards'' expressions changed and they announced seriously, "Miss Cornell, right? The owner


    next doorined that you made too much noise, which interfered with his sleep. I hope you can


    lower down your volume."


    Katherine remained silent, shifted her gaze to the terrified little brother ying games on the couch,


    and pressed her temples.


    "I''m sorry. We will lower down our volume. Sorry for the inconvenience."


    The security guards did not embarrass Katherine because they saw her positive attitude, so they left


    after a few reminders.


    "Okay. You''re not allowed to y; you can take the game back and y at your ce. You''re too


    noisy," she said after removing Keith''s VR eye set and shutting the door.


    With a sad expression on his face, he smelled the fragrance in the air and immediately forgot about the


    game. "Kathy, is dinner ready?" he asked as he stood up.


    "Yeah. Wash your hands." Katherine extended her hand and patted his agitated palms.


    Keith ran happily to wash his hands like a dog wagging its tail.


    Kathrine''s cooking abilities were exceptional; she was able to survive with Jennifer in Fontan by relying


    on her cooking skills.


    At that time, Jennifer was very ill and she required a lot of daily medical expenses, which were all


    supported by the money earned by Katherine''s food stall.


    "Can I live with you in the future, Kathy? I don''t want to return to Cornell Residence." Keith, who had


    washed his hands, took a big bite of meat by stuffing it into his mouth before looking at Katherine


    expectantly.


    "No. The Cornell Residence is owned by our grandparents. I can''t let the three of them livefortably


    in our home," she tly refused.


    Keith groaned aggrievedly as he realized he could only turn his grief and rage into appetite.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    "Then, I''ll return to the Cornell Residence, Katherine."


    Keith wished to stay with Katherine rather than leave, but his sister was too ruthless, forcing him to flee


    in despair.


    She felt helpless when she saw his appearance; after all, he was still a kid with a childish temperament.


    After Keith had left, Katherine opened the curtains and saw his figure five minutester in the


    community garden. Soon, he left Soulin International.


    She averted her gaze and drew the curtains.


    On top of the hectic schedule she was on recently, she had an appointment the next day with an old


    friend. As a result, Katherine soaked in a hot bath before diligently going to bed.


    This time, she slept reasonably well. She awoke early the next morning and was about to leave when


    her neighbor came out. She took another look and expressed disinterest upon seeing his face clearly.


    With a cold face, she pressed the elevator button.


    There were two elevators on each floor. Joaquin approached Katherine as she stood there waiting for


    the elevator.


    He stood there in a gray suit, buttoned up to the top of the neckline, and remained silent with his strong


    aura.


    Katherine cursed silently, I can''t believe I keep running into this pervert.


    The elevator arrived just as she was thinking.


    They entered the elevator sequentially. Since the space was big but limited, the man''s natural scent


    was enticing and suffocating as the familiar smell prated her nose.


    Katherine subconsciously nced at Joaquin in front of her and a sense of familiarity kept creeping up


    on her.


    She gave him a brief nce before shaking her head, attempting to suppress her emotion.


    She exited the elevator when she reached the first floor whereas the man was on his way to the


    basement floor to get his car. He noticed her exiting the elevator quickly as if a wolf was following her.


    As Joaquin arrived at the entrance of Soulin International, Katherine''s cab appeared as well. She


    opened the door to get into the car as Joaquin''s car drove away. He then cast an unintentional nce


    in her direction.


    On the way, her phone kept beeping incessantly. She nced at the news and swiped it mercilessly.


    Keith''s return to Hovington made Katherine uneasy. After all, his dandy personality was unbreakable.


    He got up early and went to party with his friends, not forgetting to pester his sister.


    She was heading to a high-end private restaurant in Hovington where customers needed to make a


    reservation at least three months in advance. Even if one had a lot of money, it was possible that they


    would not be able to get a private room here.


    The private restaurant was located in a small alley in Hovington''s south end. It was a one-of-a-kind


    vintage garden.


    Katherine walked in, found the pre-booked private room, and pushed the door open.


    "You''re finally here! How many times have you stood me up?" As she approached the door, she heard


    a mournful voice.


    Katherine then sat down, raised her eyeszily, and looked across the table at the man. He had long


    ck hair with delicate and beautiful feminine facial features, apanied by his pair of seductive and


    charming almond eyes. He was dressed in a suit that exposed his sexy pectoral muscles while leaning


    on the couch like a subus.


    At that moment, Katherine''s fingers trembled as she had the full desire to whack him, but she decided


    against it.


    "Let''s get right to the point. I''m extremely busy." She raised her hand, took the teapot from the table,


    and poured herself some tea before responding casually.


    "You''re heartless! I haven''t seen you in ages and you don''t seem to miss me. Sigh¡­"


    When Aberama raised his head and met Katherine''s gaze, he cowardly reached out his hand to pull his


    shirt cor, sat up straight, and said solemnly, "Okay, so I''m no longer poor. I''m looking for you because


    the medicine you gave mest time caused quite amotion on the ck market, and many people


    are now looking for it. They are looking for me to get the medicine. Do you still have it?"


    Aberama was Katherine''s childhood friend; a friend worth dying for.


    Katherine was sent to Fontan at that time. If it had not been for his covert protection, she would have


    been killed the day she arrived in Fontan.


    Despite the fact that her life in Fontan had been difficult over the years, she had been safe and secure


    due to Aberama''s covert assistance.


    The Ramon Family did things in both legal and illegal ways. Their various underground trading


    channels known as the ck market could be found all over the world. If Katherine created something


    that was difficult to sell, she would let Aberama handle it.


    "Hm. It''s a little difficult to produce the medicine. I don''t have a lot of raw materials right now. Perhaps


    you can get some raw materials for me, and I''ll make them and hand them over to you."


    Without this little reminder from Aberama, Katherine would have almost forgotten about it.


    That medicine was detailed in Darren''s medical book. It was said that taking it could result in the bones


    being modified. Although it was not possible for people to obtain fictional magical powers, taking it


    could help to strengthen and cure diseases, and the effect was incredible.


    However, the medicinal herbs were difficult to obtain and the production took a long time to refine. She


    made three at first; one for herself, one for her grandmother, and one for Aberama. To her surprise,


    Aberama sold it on the ck market and caused quite a stir.


    "Okay. By the way, many people are looking for you right now because of this medicine. They''re all


    wealthy and powerful. Would you like to meet them?" Aberama asked after nodding.


    "No, I''m not interested," Katherine said impatiently, waving her hand.


    "Alright." He was not surprised by her response because he had expected it.


    The two talked for hours and Aberama inquired about Jennifer''s situation.


    Katherine''s face darkened slightly as she heard this.


    "Same old, same old. She''s alive for the time being." She was so uninterested that the question made


    her not want to sip the tea anymore.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    "Sorry. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you. I''ll do my best to assist you."


    Aberama could tell something was wrong by her expression.


    "Okay," Katherine affirmed.


    "Recently, the chef created a new dish and it tastes delicious. Do dig inter and enjoy yourself." He


    quickly changed the subject when he noticed Katherine''s countenance.


    Indeed, she waspletely distracted by the food.


    The waiter began serving the food at this point and the private room door opened. A man and a woman


    walked by intimately outside and Katherine could also hear the girl''s sweet voiceing in through the


    door.


    "Oh, you''re the great Mr. Levisay indeed. Making a reservation at this restaurant is difficult. I''ve always


    wanted toe but couldn''t find a suitable time. I didn''t expect you to be able to make a reservation


    after a nearly six-month wait."


    Katherine could not help but turn around due to the familiar name of ''Levisay''.


    The man was wearing a silver mask that obscured half of his face. He was tall and had a cold


    demeanor. A young girl dressed in an all-white dress trailed him and they appeared to be a couple.


    Despite the fact that Katherine could only see his side profile, it was as easy as pie to recognize him.


    Oh. Isn''t that my fianc¨¦, Joaquin?


    It''s amazing how a coincidental encounter can happen in a ce like this.


    Katherine exhaled a sigh.


    Joaquin most likely noticed her as well. He turned to look at the ajar door to the private room and his


    gaze paused on Katherine for a brief moment before turning to face Aberama, who sat opposite her. It


    was then Joaquin''s ck eyes dted slightly.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    "Joe? What exactly are you looking at?"


    Beatrice did not receive a response to her inquiry. Instead, she noticed Joaquin staring at the private


    room beside him when she looked up. As such, she turned around to see a woman sitting idly in the


    private room.


    The woman appeared to bezy and dressed in an ordinary T-shirt and jeans with her ck hair


    casually tied in a ponytail; still, she was neat. Beatrice gave a quick nce before pinching her palm


    subconsciously as her expression grew unappealing.


    How could it possibly be that woman?


    Beatrice was already nervous enough when she encountered Katherine and her anxiety worsened as


    she found Joaquin staring at Katherine.


    "Joe, I''m suddenly feeling unwell. Why don''t we head back? I''m not hungry anymore." Beatrice''s tone


    was filled with worry as she clutched onto Joaquin''s arm tightly with her entire body almost glued to


    him.


    When Joaquin heard her words, he lowered his gaze at Beatrice, who was standing in front of him. She


    appeared to be very ufortable, as evidenced by her pale face and beads of cold sweat on her


    forehead.


    He raised his hand and ced it on Beatrice''s forehead. Sensing her cold forehead, he believed her


    words and said gently, "Okay, let''se again next time."


    "I''m sorry, Joe. I¡­ I didn''t expect to feel this ufortable." Beatrice dragged Joaquin out with a guilty


    expression.


    She could not help but look at Katherine onest time before leaving and her panic did not seem to


    dissipate anytime soon.


    What brings this woman here?


    Even for the wealthy, making reservations at this private restaurant is difficult. Is Katherine''s presence


    here an indication of her upper-ss identity?


    Agitated, Beatrice was terrified that Joaquin would see Katherine and recognize her. She was nervous


    for the entire journey and she did not even respond when he spoke to her.


    Joaquin looked thoughtfully at her, knowing that she was acting strangely today.


    However, since she did not respond to his question, he let it slide.


    After he drove her back to school and watched her entering the campus, Joaquin paused for a moment


    before driving away.


    Meanwhile, Katherine had a wonderful meal with Aberama and scheduled a time plus location for the


    medicine delivery with him. Since it was gettingte, she left the private restaurant and returned to


    Soulin International.


    On her way home, Theodore also phoned her to remind her of the interview the following day. A new


    employee had been hired at the research institute and she needed to make the decision in person


    since they would be involved in her experiment after all.


    She gave some affirmative hums and responses before hanging up the phone before rubbing her


    temples subconsciously.


    The Uber car came to a halt at Soulin International and Katherine had just paid the driver. As soon as


    she alighted from the vehicle, her phone rang again.


    She checked the caller ID and it was an unknown local number from Hovington.


    Seeing that she did not know many people in Hovington, she paused and stared at the phone number


    before answering.


    "Hello, is this Keith Cornell''s guardian? We are calling from the Hovington Downtown Public Security


    Bureau. Keith Cornell is currently being held here on suspicion of drug possession. He asked that we


    contact you so that you coulde and bail him out." A solemn and majestic voice was on the other


    end of the line.


    After pursing her lips and remaining silent for a long time, Katherine pondered about the possibilities of


    this call being a scam.


    Keith has just returned from a two-day visit to Hovington. Despite his yful appearance, he is a very


    upright boy. How could he do such a thing?


    "Yes, I see. I''ll be there right away." She took a brief pause before responding.


    Once I get to Downtown, I''ll know the truth.


    Hovington was arge city with numerous jurisdictions and that included Downtown.


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    Katherine took a cab and headed to the Downtown Public Security Bureau. In less than thirty minutes,


    the car arrived at the destination entrance.


    She paid the fare, jumped off the car, and dashed into the station.


    The busy employees in the bureau paused for a moment when they saw Katherine and asked her who


    she was looking for.


    "Excuse me, but did you detain a young man named Keith Cornell? I''m his sister." Katherine politely


    nodded to the officer before speaking.


    "Ah, Keith. Seventeen years old, hiding drugs, and possibly drug trafficking. We must detain him. We


    have no idea who else is behind the drug trafficking, though. It is still under consideration whether he


    can be bailed out or not," the officer exined as he took out a file.


    When Katherine heard his words, she narrowed her eyes and realized that the officer was attempting to


    complicate matters.


    "May I talk to him?" She was not in a rush to talk about the bailing situation; the most important thing at


    the time was determining the cause of the event.


    "Okay, fine. Take her in for a half-hour visit, Simon."


    Soon after, a young police officer arrived and took Katherine into the bureau''s detention center.


    As soon as she saw Keith, she noticed that his body was injured with blood stains all over his white


    shirt. His face was heavily bruised and beaten too as he sat there dejectedly. When Katherine came in,


    he lifted his head to look at her before lowering his head once again while fidgeting with the corner of


    his shirt.


    Katherine, too, only took a nce at him before retracting her gaze. "Tell me what''s going on," she said


    as she sat opposite him and tapped her finger twice on the table.


    "I was wronged, Kathy." Keith was a little worried. He feltpletely useless to be easily framed and


    fooled by others.


    However, with no evidence on his hands, he could not defend himself and was forced to implicate


    Katherine.


    "Tell me everything. I want to know every single detail." When she saw his expression, her heart was


    racing and she had a sour tone.


    Though Keith assumed that Katherine was still furious with him, he did not dare to hide the truth and


    confessed everything to her despite his surging unease.


    Katherine remained silent upon his exnation. By then, the guards had arrived to remind her that her


    visiting hour was up.


    Pointing to the wound on her brother''s face, she coldly asked, "Who did this?"


    "He got hurt after getting into a fight. We are under no obligation to look into it. Get up and leave as


    soon as possible. The time is up." The officer wore a bad attitude and he reached out to push


    Katherine.


    Before he could even do so, she readily shifted her body and avoided his push. Crack! The next


    second, she grabbed his wrist swiftly and snapped it, causing him to scream in agony.


    "Let me go! Do you want to die? Do you understand what you''re doing? I have the right to sue you for


    assaulting a police officer at any time!"


    "There is surveince here. Are you sure you want to sue me?" sneered Katherine, as she raised her


    finger and pointed to the camera above.


    Hearing her words, the officer froze and did not dare to speak again.


    With that, she shoved him away and shot a cold stare to Keith before exiting the station.


    Considering the fact that Keith could not be bailed out, Katherine made a bold assumption that her


    brother was either being framed on purpose or the perpetrator''s goal was to target her instead of Keith.


    "Do me a favor." Katherine gave Aberama a call after leaving the Public Security Bureau.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    "What''s the issue?" After hearing Katherine''s words, Aberama, who had always been dawdling,


    became much more serious.


    "Please examine Maze''s surveince footage. My brother is involved in an incident over there."


    Katherine''s tone was neutral and it was hard to decipher her emotions. She then stood up and walked


    out as she spoke.


    Immediately, Aberama agreed and proceeded to order some men to execute it. Since Keith''s case was


    complicated, he wasted no time in looking into it.


    Katherine had just arrived back at Soulin International when he received a call from Aberama as she


    walked into her apartment. She answered the phone while changing her shoes with an unconcerned


    voice, as if her own brother was not currently detained at the station.


    "Go ahead."


    "Okay, this case is not going to be easy. Keith''s drug possession was discovered almost immediately.


    There are numerous witnesses and physical evidence, making it difficult to prove his innocence.


    Furthermore, police officers have recently attempted to apprehend a drug criminal. This issue is not


    that major, but it can''t be overlooked. Someone is clearly attempting to set Keith up." Aberama''s tone


    was solemn.


    "Hm. I understand. Please send me a copy of Maze''s surveince footage. I''m sure you''ll find a way to


    do so." Katherine simply nodded and walked over to the couch. She then sat down and turned on the


    television with the remote control.


    Keith''s incident had made the local news and the issue was not one to be overlooked. Still, there was


    no way that the Cornells could not have been unaware of the news. It was either that they deliberately


    ignored the situation or they were forcing Katherine toe forward and beg them.


    Watching the news, Katherine sneered as she observed the young man in handcuffs being arrested at


    the Maze. His face was turned toward the camera at that time and he appeared to be unharmed. As a


    result, his injury had to have urred after entering the detention facility.


    She tapped her finger twice on the couch as Aberama continued, "No problem. What are your ns? I


    can assist you with this matter by using some connections. You¡ª"


    "No. I want Keith to be provenpletely innocent," Katherine dered while declining his offer.


    Aberama was well aware of her temperament and chose to remain silent. He hung up the phone and


    emailed her the surveince footage from Maze.


    Switching on herptop, Katherine watched videos of Keith entering the Maze and thoughtfully touched


    her chin with her fingers.


    The entire time, the boy did not speak or interact with anyone upon entrance as he only sat there


    throughout. However, the drugs were found in his bag.


    If he was not framed during his visit at Maze, then it had to be the Cornells.


    The Cornells¡­ It was either Rosemary or Lisa.


    ¡­


    "Hey Joaquin, Hovington has discovered a new type of drug that is identical to the earlier discovery."


    Ben rushed into Room 1802 at Soulin International and sat down to gulp down a ss of water before


    announcing.


    "Where did they find it?" Joaquin arched his brows, a cold expression shed on his otherwise


    uninterested face.


    "It was found in the Maze and the individual has already been arrested. He appears to be seventeen


    years old and he''s a member of the Cornell Family, the biological brother of your fianc¨¦." Ben went over


    the entire situation.


    This new medication had been on the market for more than two years and the side effects were severe.


    Joaquin had been investigating this matter, but the perpetrator was astute and had not left any useful


    clues. Therefore, he was taken aback by the news.


    "Katherine''s younger brother?" Joaquin narrowed his eyes and cast a cold nce at Ben.


    "Yes. Keith, a well-known yboy, is his name. He has enjoyed causing mischief since he was a child.


    He allegedly went out partying with his friends and stole over a million dors from the Cornell Family.


    In this regard, Jorge is on the verge of terminating their father-son rtionship. So, he is unconcerned


    about what happened to Keith this time."


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    Ben was usually very intrigued by these rumors and the Cornells'' family business was well-known in


    Hovington. He had obviously heard of it, so he exined it to Joaquin, who was clearly interested.


    "Let''s go to the police station. I want to meet Keith." Joaquin stroked his chin thoughtfully as if there


    was something wrong.


    With that intention, he stood up and headed straight to the Downtown Public Security Bureau.


    After another day, Keith''s injuries had seemingly worsened as the guards pushed him out of the


    detention center in a wheelchair. Joaquin witnessed it all as the seventeen years old''s face was riddled


    with wounds and he appeared to have been tortured severely.


    It was then that Joaquin''s expression started to be unappealing. He could not possibly ask Keith


    any questions in his current condition; if this boy continued like this without treatment, he might not


    survive.


    "Has Keith been beaten up this badly since he was sent here?" Joaquin asked the bureau chief, who


    was following him with a nk face.


    Santino wiped the cold sweat from his forehead as Joaquin had evidently made him tremble.


    In truth, Keith was fine when the officers brought him in, but he had no idea how he had be so


    badly injured in such a short period of time.


    "Y-Yes¡­" Santino was afraid of Joaquin''s investigation, so he dared not tell the truth and ended up


    giving a sloppy response.


    With a cold stare, Joaquim withdrew his gaze and said, "I''m taking him away."


    "This¡­ is a vition of the rules¡­" Santino stuttered. Before he could finish his sentence, Joaquin had


    ordered Ben to push the wheelchair away.


    "Mr. Levisay, I''m afraid this is not quite in ordance with the rules, is it?" Santino asked daringly even


    though he was sweating profusely.


    Joaquin paused in his steps, then shot Santino a nce. "Do I need to take orders from you?"


    Hearing that, Santino''s legs weakened and he almost tripped. By the time he regained hisposure,


    Joaquin had already left with Keith.


    "Tsk, they really did this boy a number. Keith will probably be gone if we arriveter." Ben could not


    help but speak after leaving the station. After entering the car, he decided to check on Keith''s injuries.


    On the other hand, Joaquin merely gave Keith a quick nce with not much concern about his injury.


    "When will he wake up?"


    "Let''s return to my clinic first, although his leg may not be saved. It''s truly heartbreaking. He''s just


    seventeen years old," Ben answered as he quickly examined Keith''s leg.


    At this point, Joaquin could not help but look at Keith. In his mind, Katherine''s face appeared, but he


    quickly returned to his indifferent expression.


    The car did not move quickly and it took an hour to get to Ben''s private clinic.


    At that point, Keith''s injuries were so severe that he was already in aa.


    Ben escorted him from the car, then into the clinic. The nurse inside approached Ben immediately and


    assisted in bringing Keith into the emergency room for rescue.


    Half an hourter, Ben finally emerged with blood all over him and a darkened expression. He looked


    up at the man leaning against the corridor wall and shook his head. "Keith''s condition is worse than I


    expected. Someone definitely wanted to kill him. He has severe internal bleeding and damaged organs.


    It is toote; there is nothing else I can do."


    Joaquin''s expression changed involuntarily as he walked past Ben and into the ward.


    The young boy in the hospital bed was thin and pale, and there was no blood on his face. His breathing


    wasbored at the time and he could die at any moment.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    "Didn''t you just say there''s nothing wrong?" After hearing Keith''s condition, Joaquin gave a displeased


    look.


    "When I got in the car, there indeed wasn''t any problem. I guess when we moved him, we aggravated


    his injury. I was taken aback by the extent of his internal injury. His heart and lungs have ruptured, and


    the tools I have on hand are insufficient to support the operation. It''s toote for him to be admitted to a


    major hospital. Nobody in Hovington can save a patient that even I can''t handle."


    Ben approached him from behind with a solemn face.


    Joaquin pursed his lips and fixed his gaze on Keith without a word. He''s the only one who might know


    the truth, but I haven''t even gotten the chance to question him!


    Distraught, Joaquin suddenly thought of a person who might save the situation.


    Katherine!


    The young man was in the same condition as Keithst time, but she saved his life with a silver needle.


    Perhaps she can save Keith this time as well.


    "Please call Katherine and ask her toe over right away." Joaquin had a thought and turned to face


    Ben with the instruction.


    Stunned for a moment, Ben pointed to himself and asked, "Me?"


    I don''t even know her! Who am I to call her, Mr. Fianc¨¦?


    "Yes, you! Just tell her that you wanted to resuscitate him, but you failed. She needs to be here now,


    otherwise, she can bid her brother goodbye." Joaquin nodded firmly.


    Feeling a chill behind his back, Ben could only do as he was told seeing that Joaquin had already


    made his decision.


    As such, Ben phoned her after retrieving Joaquin''s phone.


    Kathrine, who was at Soulin International, was about to examine the Cornell Family''s internal


    surveince video when she received a phone call.


    She checked the caller ID and it was from an unknown number in Hovington. She picked up the phone


    and answered the call without hesitation before ying the video on theptop.


    "Hello."


    "Is this Miss Cornell?" Ben secretly nced at Keith, who was nearly out of breath, and broke out in


    cold sweat.


    "Speaking. Who is this?" Katherine, who was watching the video''s content, frowned.


    "I''m Mr. Carlson. Your brother is heavily injured in the detention center and his injury is far too severe.


    He''s being rescued at my clinic right now, but his heart and lungs are ruptured. There is no way to save


    him. You¡ª"


    Katherine stood up abruptly before Ben was about to finish his sentence. Her voice was cold and stern


    as she questioned, "Where are you?"


    "I''m at No. 377, Bushbury North Road. Pleasee as soon as possible. Keith may not be able to


    make it and you will only have onest chance to see him¡ª"


    Katherine hung up the phone before Ben was able to finish his sentence. Without sparing another


    nce at the ying video, she walked out of the room with a frosty visage.


    Finally, she arrived at Bushbury North Road after a thirty-minutes journey. Her countenance was


    insufferable and she was engulfed with a dark aura, making the people around her terrified.


    She pushed open the door to the clinic and a nurse quickly approached to inquire.


    Without a care, she brushed past the nurse and went straight into Keith''s ward.


    Ben was inside when he noticed Katherine approaching as he apologized, "I''m really sorry, Miss


    Cornell. I did my best, but your brother¡­ He¡ª"


    "He''ll be fine." Katherine''s hands trembled slightly, as did her voice. She approached the hospital bed


    and her gaze fixed on Keith before her.


    They had only been separated for a few hours. Nothing would happen, he assured her. She had


    assumed that the Downtown Public Security Bureau would never mess with him. His life would be safe


    even if he suffered slightly.


    To her surprise, she underestimated the ugliness of human nature.


    "Miss Cornell¡­"


    "Get out," Katherine spoke coldly and stepped forward to take Keith''s hand in hers to check his pulse.


    Keith''s current situation was dire and he was on the verge of dying.


    The rage and guilt within Katherine threatened to drown her as her heart was racing with anxiety.


    She took out her needle pouch and opened it to reveal 108 gold needles of varying lengths neatly


    wrapped in the pouch. Instantly, she grabbed three and punctured along Keith''s lifeline. Next, she


    trembled as she undid his clothes.


    Keith''s emaciated and puny body was riddled with horrifying blue and purple wounds that looked


    horrifying to one. Her hands trembled as she took several deep breaths to rx. She then took the


    golden needles and pierced each of Keith''s major acupoints one at a time.


    "Can you set up an operating room here?" Katherine had used 49 of her golden needles. While Keith''s


    breathing remained weak, his condition was temporarily stabilized.


    Befuddled, she asked lightly, knowing that Ben had remained at the door all this time.


    "Yes. Do you want to operate on him?" He had yet topletely recover from his shock.


    He also studied traditional medicine at one point in his life. Though he had never seen Katherine''s


    acupuncture technique before, he could tell it was vastly different.


    For the time being, Keith''s situation appeared to be stable. At the very least, the instrument''s data was


    consistent and Ben could not help but look at Katherine in surprise.


    Joaquin''s fianc¨¦ is incredible!


    Why did everyone say that she''s thecking one in the Cornell Family?


    Ben was taken aback. After a while, Katherine uttered, "Please set up an operating room for me and I


    will operate on Keith on my own."


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    "You can do that? He is now in a very stable state. I advise you to stop taking chances and hire a


    professional to do it." Although Ben found Katherine''s Chinese medical techniques to be incredible, he


    thought her desire to operate on Keith was absurd.


    That was because he had read her profile before. Actually, she had never studied Western medicine


    and conducting surgery was vastly different from acupuncture as it necessitated extremely delicate


    skills. No matter how big or small a mistake was when it urred, the patient would either die or


    be disabled.


    "No one is able to perform this surgery. If you can''t arrange it here, I''ll take him away," Kathrine replied


    lightly.


    "Okay. I''ll make arrangements for you because you insist on doing it yourself. But first, let''s talk about it.


    I''m not liable if something happens to Keith." Ben did not bother trying to persuade her seeing that she


    was not self-conscious with her capabilities.


    He wanted to see if Katherine could pull it off, so he told the nurse to set up an operating room.


    Katherine only requested the assistance of a nurse for passing medical devices while Ben merely went


    into the operating room to watch her make a fool of herself.


    After donning herself in a sterile suit, Katherine raised her hands and looked down at Keith in front of


    her while standing still. "No. 3 scalpel," she finally instructed after a moment of silence.


    Except for the asional sound from Katherine, the operating room was deafeningly quiet. Ben


    originally stood in the distance to observe, but then dashed forward to stare at her intently.


    Keith suffered a serious injury. Five ribs were fractured, including twominuted fractures. There


    were also bone fragments in the heart and lungs to be addressed while his bones had to be


    reconnected as well; this procedure was extremely challenging. If Katherine was not cautious, Keith


    could lose his life.


    Katherine''s movements, on the other hand, were as smooth as running clouds and flowing water;


    particrly her stitching technique, which made Ben''s eyes almost pop out when he witnessed it.


    Even a top doctor with over fifty years of clinical experience would be unable to perform this type of


    operation with such delicate skill.


    What sorcery does Joaquin''s fianc¨¦ possess?

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Ben could not help but notice Katherine''s condensedplexion. Her dark pupils that were zeroed in


    on the operating table were particrly visible under the light.


    At this point, he hadpletely wiped off the impression that she was arrogant andcking in skills.


    He reasoned that ten years of study would not allow him to reach Katherine''s level and her surgical


    skills appeared unfamiliar to him, at least not when he was studying medicine.


    For the entire four-hour long surgery, she had never taken a breather and only put down her scalpel


    until the veryst stitch waspleted.


    "Why is my brother here with you?" She ripped off her mask and stared at Ben, expressionless.


    She did not bother pretending knowing that the Cornells were not around.


    Ben had not recovered from the shock when he heard her voice and he was stunned for a moment.


    "What?"


    "Please exin why my brother is here with you instead of being admitted to the hospital," Katherine


    repeated calmly.


    Had it not been for the fact that Keith''s injury had obviously been treated when she arrived, she would


    not have spoken to Ben in such a friendly manner, but rather with action.


    "He was brought here by someone. If I can''t even save a patient, no one in Hovington¡­"


    Ben was unable to get the few words out of his mouth. When he saw Katherine in front of him, he


    swallowed it self-consciously, not daring to be arrogant.


    "Your medical knowledge is exceptional. Where did you pick them up? I''ve been in the medical field for


    many years and have never seen anything like this. Do you have a background in both Chinese and


    Western medicine?" Ben did not continue the conversation, but rather abruptly changed the subject.


    Katherine remained silent; instead, she removed the blood-stained disposable gloves and tossed them


    into the trash can beside her.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Send him to the ward. He requires a blood transfusion. He''s type B." She issued amand to the


    nurse and the nurse quickly agreed and sent Keith to the ward for a blood transfusion.


    Following that, Katherine went to wash and disinfect her hands before leaving the operating room.


    Soon, Ben quickly ran after her and asked, "Which master did you learn medicine from? Why don''t you


    just tell me?"


    "You''re a talker." She cast a sidelong nce at him.


    The clinic appeared small, but the equipment inside was of the highest quality and it was on par with


    Hovington''s best private hospital. Therefore, Ben was not as innocent as he seemed.


    She realized this the moment she walked through the door.


    Obviously, she was not convinced by Ben''s words. Keith was not sent here by someone else and Ben


    was most likely the one who picked him up from the station.


    However, since he did not bother to say anything, she did not care to expose him either.


    "How is your brother doing?" Ben asked out of curiosity as he touched his nose.


    Frustrated, he could not understand how an abandoned Cornell daughter like her could possess such


    exceptional medical skills.


    He was certain that if word got out about Katherine''s medical ability, a slew of wealthy families would


    beg to see her for treatment. The connections between them were not a joke.


    If the Cornells could make use of her medical skills, they would easily surpass the Levisays in no time.


    With such revtion, Ben could not take his gaze away from the astounding woman.


    Katherine, who stood in front of him, had a dull face and appeared to be no more than twenty years old.


    Her pupils were pitch-ck like an obsidian, making Ben lost in her eyes.


    By the time he regained hisposure, she had already turned around and gone to Keith''s ward.


    Taken aback, he found the sensation he was experiencing right now to cause him to reconsider his


    opinions about Katherine.


    Meanwhile, she entered the ward to find Keith to still be in a weakened state. Since the anesthesia had


    not worn off, he remained unconscious.


    The intrigued Ben only shot a brief nce to Keith before rushing off to find Joaquin, who was currently


    in the clinic''s office. He could see everything in the operating room from the monitor right now, including


    Katherine''s movement during the operation.


    He must admit that her abilities were delicate and distinct, in contrast to traditional Western medicinal


    skills. However, something was off.


    He frowned and pondered for a moment, then the office door was pushed open as Ben entered in a


    divine manner. "Your fianc¨¦ is far too powerful, Boss. If you think about it, she may even be better than


    Beatrice¡ª"


    Ben abruptly stopped speaking when he met Joaquin''s icy gaze. Receiving the signal, Ben made a


    zipper gesture with his mouth, not daring to speak any further.


    Joaquin retracted his gaze and frowned slightly as he watched the video of Katherine''s skills during the


    surgery.


    Seeing this, Ben leaned over and looked at the surveince video as well.


    "Can you figure out what''s wrong?" After watching the video several times, Joaquin tapped on the table


    and asked Ben.


    Ben shook his head and took a closer look before saying, "It''s just a surgery. However, it never appears


    to me to be Western skills. Could these be Chinese-style surgical techniques? It''s something I''d never


    heard of before."


    Joaquin sneered and switched off theputer. "Where has she gone?"


    "She went to see her brother in the ward. What are your thoughts on this? Are you going to interrogate


    himter?" Ben sat across Joaquin and asked him seriously.


    Without a response, Joaquin looked thoughtfully in the direction of the door.


    Inside the war, Katherine took a seat and turned to face Keith, who was lying on the hospital bed. His


    face was badly bruised and he had a minor concussion. Had Ben not called her in time to rush her


    over, Keith would have been gone if she was another hourte.


    Someone in the Downtown detention center wants Keith to die. Who did he offend?


    Katherine had initially assumed that it was Lisa''s n to frame Keith, but it now appeared that things


    were much moreplicated than this. Her eyes narrowed as she recalled the images from the Cornell


    Family''s surveince footage.


    After nearly an hour, Keith finally awoke.


    Since the anesthetic had yet to wear off, he could not feel the pain from his wounds.


    His vision was a little blurry upon opening his eyes and it took a while for him to see the person in front


    of him clearly. He struggled to get up after seeing his sister. "Katherine," he called out.


    "Just lie down. If I ask you a question, just answer me." She raised her hand and lightly pressed it


    against Keith''s shoulder.


    At this point, he became aware that his body had gone numb and was no longer under his control.


    "Go ahead." He coughed twice before speaking weakly.


    "Where did the drugse from?" Katherine questioned directly.


    Keith thought for a moment before shaking his head and responding, "I''m not sure, Katherine. I''m not a


    drug user. Wasn''t it put in my bag by someone in Maze?"


    "No. The drugs were in your bag after you left the Cornell Residence," she disagreed, shaking her


    head.


    "The Cornell Residence? Are you saying Lisa was attempting to harm me?" Keith''s expression


    changed and his face turned cold.


    Lisa has murdered my mother and now wishes to murder me?


    He had been pretending to be a yboy for years, but Lisa still would not let him go.


    "That is not the case. You should rest here while I visit the Cornell Residence." Katherine rose to her


    feet after shaking her head. Before leaving the clinic, she looked at Keith''s worried expression and


    reassured him.


    Just as she was about to leave, she saw Ben who was entering the ward.


    Ben''s face was flushed as if he had been caught red-handed doing something wrong.


    "Be smarter the next time you eavesdrop," she uttered coldly before sparing him a quick nce and


    walking away.


    With that, Ben was left standing in embarrassment.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Katherine drove straight to the Cornell Residence after leaving Ben''s clinic.


    The Cornells could now be described as infinitely glorious.


    The news of Katherine and Joaquin''s wedding spread like wildfire. Everyone knew the Cornells were


    riding the Levisays'' coattails, so other families wanted to establish good rtionships with the Cornells


    in order to connect with the Levisays.


    As such, the Cornell Family had a lot of visitors these days,and the majority of them were gift-givers.


    When Katherine opened the door, she saw Ethan going up the stairs with a bag full of gifts. She


    sneered coldly as she gave it a quick nce.


    Meanwhile, Lisa smiled triumphantly as she hung up the phone. "What are you doing here at this


    time?" she asked when she saw Katherine at the door. "Shouldn''t you be at Levisay Residence right


    now to build a good rtionship with Joaquin? Your sister is also at the Levisay Residence. You can


    put in some good words for her and introduce her to Jaycee."


    "With those looks of yours, I think you''re having a pipedream to think that Jaycee would fall for


    Rosemary," Katherine replied with a condescending smile on her face as she approached Lisa.


    Irritated when she heard her words, Lisa rebuked, "What exactly do you mean? Are you being unruly,


    Katherine? Remember, without the Cornells, you are nothing. What makes you think you are capable of


    marrying into the Levisays?"


    "I''m able to marry into the Levisays because my mother is Elsie Olsen and she was the one who


    agreed on this marriage," Katherine responded solemnly.


    Hearing this, Lisa''s expression changed, her chest heaved violently, and her voice trembled with rage.


    "Katherine Cornell! Are you deliberately going against me?"


    "Yes," Katherine confirmed.


    Lisa''s chest constricted and she was so enraged that she could not catch her breath.


    "Do you really believe you''ll be able to do whatever you want after marrying into the Levisay Family?


    Remember, the Cornells will always be your root! If you are obedient, Katherine, I can even assist you


    in caring for your damn grandma. Otherwise¡­ Hmph!"


    Had it not been for Katherine''s current status, Lisa would have pped her across the face several


    times already. She was afraid that if she offended Katherine, it would bring her rtionship with the


    Levisays into question.


    The duration of their conversation was neither too long nor too short, but just enough for Katherine to


    walk in front of Lisa.


    She towered over Lisa and lowered her gaze to the person in front of her. "Did you put the drugs in


    Keith''s bag?" Katherine''s voice was icy and terrifying.


    "What?" Lisa was taken aback when Katherine abruptly changed the subject and she remained silent


    for a few moments


    How could Katherine have known that it was me?


    I''ve been doing such a good job at hiding it.


    As her heartbeat quickened and her guilt took over, Lisa was avoiding contact with Katherine''s eyes.


    Witnessing this reaction, it basically confirmed Katherine''s spections.


    The surveince footage did not capture Lisa entering Keith''s room and the traces were too cleanly


    handled. As such, Katherine was suspicious precisely because of this. She had onlye to the


    Cornell Residence to scare Lisa today, but she did not expect her to show her true colors so easily.


    Still, the situation was not as simple as it appeared. Lisa would not have been the one who


    orchestrated the attempted murder, so it was definitely someone else in the detention facility that bore


    other ideas. Therefore, Katherine was unable to identify the perpetrator at this time.


    However, the culprit would eventually give the game away.


    "Don''t change the subject, Katherine. Did you just hear what I said to you? Rosemary is our Cornell


    Family''s precious daughter. She is the best in terms of talent and appearance. You shouldn''t take pride


    in your marriage with the Levisays. You should be taking care of your sister as the elder one! Both of


    you marrying into the Levisays will also benefit Keith in the future. One cannot be so self-centered or


    short-sighted." Lisa quickly changed the subject since she was afraid Katherine would bring up Keith''s


    drug incident again.


    However, her guilty expression caught Katherine''s attention, which ridiculed her.


    "Keith was nearly killed in the detention center." She narrowed her eyes and locked her gaze on Lisa.


    Hearing that, Lisa''s heart skipped a beat and her gaze shifted away from Katherine''s intense stare. "He


    always causes trouble. He must have offended someone outside. How would I be unaware when


    something happened to him at the police station? How is Keith now? I''ll call your father right now to bail


    him out."


    "When I left the Cornell Family, I told you that hurting Keith would be my final straw, Lisa." Katherine


    continued to stare at Lisa coldly, ignoring her self-talk.


    Out of her control, Lisa''s heart began to race frantically. I don''t recall her saying anything along those


    lines.


    Truth be told, it would not matter to her either even if Keith died. On the other hand, that could only


    mean that there would be no one topete with Rosemary for the family property!


    Sensing Katherine''s aggressive demeanor, Lisa felt a little uneasy and could not help but sneer,


    "Katherine, I have no idea what you''re on about! What final straw¡­"


    At this point, Katherine suddenly reached out and sped Lisa''s left wrist. "Which hand did you use to


    put the drugs in Keith''s backpack? Is it this one?"


    "What are you doing, Katherine?" Lisa only felt a stinging pain in her wrist; her face turned pale and


    she screamed loudly.


    "Nothing. You sent Keith to the detention center where he almost died, so all I want is to merely break


    your hand." Katherine''s voice was light and her face was serene. However, her calm words were


    terrifying.


    Before she could interpret Katherine''s words, Lisa''s arm had gone numb and she lost consciousness in


    her left hand as if it was no longer hers.


    She stared at Katherine, terrified, and could not stop herself from eximing, "You! What have you


    done to me? My hand! My hand¡­"


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    "Don''t you dare to hurt Keith again! Otherwise, it won''t be as simple as breaking your hand. I will kill


    you instead." Katherine''s tone was stern and cold. After warning Lisa, she turned around and left.


    Face as pale as a sheet, Lisa yelled angrily, "Ethan! Ethan!"


    The butler had just finished sorting through his gifts when he heard her voice and dashed down the


    stairs. He noticed Lisa''s pale face as she stood there holding her left hand. "What''s the matter, Mrs.


    Cornell?" he inquired.


    "Quick! Please take me to the hospital!" Lisa used her right hand to pinch her left hand, but her arm felt


    nothing.


    She was terrified, especially after seeing Katherine''s eyes, which looked like wolf cubs.


    How did this weak and vulnerable girl from five years ago turn into such a monster?!


    As soon as Ethan heard this, he immediately drove Lisa to the hospital.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    "I''m sorry to break the news to you, Mrs. Cornell, but all of the nerves in your left hand have been


    damaged and your only option is to amputate your arm."


    Lisa was frantically sent over to the hospital. Following the examination, the doctor perused the


    diagnosis results in his hand before looking sympathetically at her.


    As soon as Lisa heard the result, she jumped up and reached out to snatch the examination report


    from the doctor''s hand while fixing her gaze on the result.


    The words ''neuronal death'' stunned her and froze her entire body. It was not until a while that she


    regained herposure.


    "H-How is this even possible?"


    "Mrs. Cornell, please make a decision as soon as possible. Your arm''s nerves have all died and you


    must have it amputated right away. If it is not done, there is no guarantee that it will not affect other


    parts of the body." The doctor was unsurprised by her reaction and simply reminded her.


    mming the examination report in the face of the doctor, Lisa eximed, "Impossible! I can''t have my


    limbs amputated! You scammers! Bullsh*t! This examination result is obviously a forgery!"


    Of course, she could not believe the fact that she had to amputate her neuronally dead arm when she


    was still feeling perfectly fine hours ago.


    How could Katherine be capable of transforming me into this state with a single touch?


    I cannot and will not ept this.


    She walked out with a cold expression on her face before pushing the doctor in front of her away with


    her right hand. I want to go to the best hospital in town and receive another checkup! The doctors here


    are obviously deceiving me!


    Meanwhile, Katherine returned to Ben''s clinic after leaving the Cornell Residence. The poor boy was


    still asleep and the wound on his face was not getting any better. She looked at him for a long time,


    remembering how proud and careful he was with his beautiful face. He will probably cry once he wakes


    up.


    After a while of guarding by the hospital bed, Katherine raised her hand and rubbed her temples before


    getting up to leave. She then took a cab straight to Theodore''s research institute.


    It was an open day for new recruitment at the institute today. Thepetition was fierce because there


    was only one open position avable. Everyone who had applied for this position had arrived since the


    morning. After a round of fiercepetition, thirty people remained, awaiting the final decision.


    Only one of these thirty individuals would be chosen to join the research institute.


    Katherine''s car came to a halt in front of the research institute on the street. After paying, she walked


    slowly toward the research institute.


    Meanwhile, a vehicle with a ck Volkswagen logo and a string of letters underneath it was parked on


    the side of the road.


    She cast a nce at the car without much thought and proceeded to the research institute.


    In the car, Joaquin''s gaze was drawn to Katherine and he suspected he was mistaken. As such, he


    remained silent for a few moments before phoning Ben.


    "Where are you?"


    Theodore''s research institute was regarded as one of the best in Cechirus, if not the entire world. Many


    locals would want to enter by any means possible. Unfortunately, admission was prohibitively


    competitive. Even Beatrice, who had a double master''s degree, had a slim chance of admission.


    Joaquin did not mean to belittle Katherine, but he thought it was outrageous.


    "I''m in the clinic. What''s up?" Ben looked at Keith, who had already awoken, and responded


    condescendingly to Joaquin''s words.


    "Did Katherine go to the clinic today?" Joaquin remained silent for a moment even though he thought


    the question was absurd.


    "Oh, she just came to visit her brother and left. She said she''d returnter. Why? You''re not actually


    going to be concerned about your fianc¨¦, are you?" Ben joked.


    Without any hesitation, Joaquin abruptly hung up the phone, ignoring Ben.


    Katherine had no idea Joaquin was outside the research institute, so she went straight in. At this point,


    all of the interviewees were seated in the hall outside the research institute; the thirty-person crowd


    looked magnificent.


    She cast a quick nce at them before averting her gaze and walking straight to the entrance.


    Beatrice, on the other hand, fixed her gaze on Katherine in front of her and the rage in her eyes was


    palpable.


    As soon as she saw that Katherine wanted to enter the research institute, she could not help but stand


    up in rage. Her fingernails were digging into her palm and her voice was trembling with emotions. "You!


    What exactly are you doing? Don''t you dare mess around! Not anyone can enter!"


    Katherine''s steps came to a halt as she heard Beatrice''s shout. When she turned around, she saw


    Beatrice standing there in a white gown, her face flushed as if she had done something outrageous.


    Raising her brows, Katherine gave Beatrice a brief nce, then averted her gaze. She then took a card


    from her pocket, tapped at the door, and walked right in.


    At this point, Beatrice''s face nched; she could not believe what she was seeing.


    Katherine was merely an insignificant person in Fontan''s slums five years ago¡ªheck, she even


    struggled to feed herself three meals a day¡ªso how could she possibly reach a height that Beatrice


    could not?


    Is she actually a member of the institute?


    Beatrice bit her lower lip and fixed her gaze piercingly on the door Katherine opened.


    When Katherine entered, she ran into Theodore who was hurrying out and there was a brief moment of


    silence as the two faced each other.


    Following that, he rushed over beaming as he asked, "Have you changed your mind again? Did you


    decide to interview the candidates today on the spur of the moment?"


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Katherine''s hand touched the tip of her nose as Theodore''s earnest gaze prevented her from saying


    ''no''.


    "Uh¡­ Is this the final round of interviews?" she coughed twice before responding awkwardly.


    "Yes. The candidates havepleted the first round of interviews and the practical test. There is only


    one more test remaining. I''ve prepared a patient as a case study for them. What do you think?"


    Theodore rubbed his hands together, clearly delighted and excited.


    "It''s not impossible. Let''s use the patient who was sent here a few days ago," Katherine said after a


    brief pause.


    "Who?" He could not react since he did not know who the patient was.


    "The brain-dead person with a good physique who also has been brain-dead for two years. The


    candidates can try to conduct experiments on him since he can''t die anyway." Katherine gave him an


    innocent look.


    Completely speechless, Theodore stared at her for a long time and could not help but sigh. "You''re a


    fantastic researcher, but you nevere to the institute to conduct research or experiments; instead,


    you spend your time outside. You are a reckless woman who is squandering your abilities. Forget


    about it. You should resolve the issues with the Cornells as soon as possible. If you can''t handle it, let


    me know and I''ll assist you."


    When Katherine heard his words, her heart warmed slightly. She then nodded and walked right past


    him.


    She had to give Keith some medicine to help his face wound heal faster. The once-attractive boy had


    transformed into a pig''s head and she felt uneasy about his battered face.


    Since she had her own privateboratory at Theodore''s institute, she walked right in and immediately


    came up with several prescriptions. Finally, she decided on the one that promoted blood cirction and


    scar-removal effect before dispensing the medicine.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    There was a well-stocked pile of Chinese medications avable in herboratory and some of them


    were collections of more than twenty years. Theodore knew that she enjoyed concocting odd


    medications, so he had gotten everything ready for her before building thisboratory.


    Katherine remained inside for two hours. When she got out of theboratory, Theodore was not quite


    done yet.


    Coincidentally, it was Beatrice''s turn to step forward. As she nced at the patient on the hospital bed


    who was intubated all over his body, her face turned slightly pale.


    There was a crowd gathered around watching her and they could not bear to see Beatrice in such a


    troubled state.


    One of them decided to speak up andfort Beatrice, "Beatrice, you shouldn''t force yourself to go


    through this if you can''t do it. You achieved great results in the two rounds earlier, so I''m sure you


    would be able to pass the test even if you gave up this round."


    "Yeah. This patient has been here for years and there hasn''t been a proper treatment n developed


    for him, so it''s normal for you to not know what to do."


    Katherine listened in as she stood by the side and she could not help frowning.


    She shot a look at the people who had voiced out before going over to Theodore and asking in a


    lowered voice, "Are these people here for the interview?"


    "The only one here for the interview is the girl in the middle. The others are staff who work here."


    Theodore lifted his head and scanned the room. He noticed his granddaughter being surrounded by


    several male researchers and each of them was busy giving their suggestions. It was hard to not frown


    at that sight.


    "Excuse me while I handle the situation." Theodore wore an upset look on his face.


    He was the one who had voiced out personally to hire Beatrice at theboratory and he originally


    thought that her professional knowledge from university was sound. Besides, she could always answer


    the questions he directed at her with ease. However, he did not expect her to have such a reaction


    during the actual clinical trial.


    Truth be told, he was very disappointed by that.


    After all, Katherine was two years younger than Beatrice and yet the former was good enough to


    operate her ownboratory. Not only was she great at treating patients, but she was also very gifted in


    the research field, far surpassing people of her same age.


    "All of you right there, go down right now. There is a test going on and we''re not in a supermarket. This


    isn''t the ce to joke around. You, leave the room right now."


    Theodore never gave preferential treatment to anyone at work and he was very strict with his own


    granddaughter too. Therefore, she was not exempted from that rule either.


    Beatrice''s face turned as pale as a sheet and she voiced out feebly, "Grandpa¡­"


    As soon as Theodore heard that, his expression took a turn for the worse. "This is a ce for research


    and it''s a formal workce; it''s not the ce for you to im familial rtionships. In this ce, I only


    haveboratory rules and work on my mind. This is no ce for a granddaughter to seek her


    grandfather. Since you''re unable to answer this question, then step down and let someone elsee


    forward."


    He was exceptionally strict and his sentence caused Beatrice to tear up instantly. As such, she covered


    her face and ran out of the room.


    Meanwhile, Katherine shook her head and exchanged a few words with Theodore before walking out of


    the door. She was no longer interested in the recruitment process today.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    She had just walked out of the research institute when she noticed Beatrice standing by the side with


    red-rimmed eyes. Clearly, Beatrice was waiting there for her arrival.


    She looked at Katherine and she could not contain the wave of jealousy that washed through her.


    Added to the fact that Beatrice had embarrassed herself in front of Katherine, Beatrice felt humiliated


    and discontented.


    "Do you enjoy watching me make a fool of myself?" Beatrice bit on her lower lip gently and voiced out


    to stop Katherine upon noticing that she ignored her and was about to leave.


    Katherine paused in her tracks and turned around to look at Beatrice with a slightly perplexed


    expression. "Are you talking to me?"


    "Ha! Stop the facade! Yes, I''m talking to you. You waited to see me make a fool of myself earlier on,


    huh? I''m warning you. Don''t think that just because you''re good enough to get into the research


    institute, you''re far superior to everyone else! You''re nothing to me!"


    Beatrice gripped her fist tightly from the humiliation and red furiously at Katherine, who was in front


    of her. She was so tempted to leap up and attack the woman before her out of rage.


    Katherine lifted her brows and smiled before scanning Beatrice from top to bottom. Subsequently, she


    nodded solemnly. "Yes, I am indeed far superior to everyone else. At the very least, I''m much better


    than those who lose their temper after failing to join the research institute. Do you have anything else


    you''d like to find out?"


    "You!" Beatrice''s eyes were bright red from the anger. Since young, she had never experienced such


    humiliation and deliberate provocation.


    Katherine was nonplussed and unperturbed about Beatrice. She had just finished concocting the


    ointment and was in a hurry to bring it back to the clinic for Keith to use.


    Beatrice noticed that Katherine had disregarded her anger and merely walked past her. Katherine


    disappeared in the distance, but Beatrice''s simmering anger persisted.


    Beatrice bit her lip and stared intently at Katherine''s back with a venomous look in her eyes.


    In the meantime, Joaquin watched Katherine leave and his eyes fell to Beatrice, who was by the


    doorway, for a brief moment. Subsequently, he noticed that she lifted a hand to wipe the tears from her


    eyes. As soon as he approached her, he saw that her eyes were red-rimmed and her milky-white dainty


    face was currently flushed. She obviously looked like she had been crying.


    Joaquin linked her behavior to the words she had spoken to Katherine at the doorway and his


    expression darkened significantly.


    "What''s wrong? Did someone bully you?"


    He opened his car door and alighted from the car before reaching out to ruffle Beatrice''s head as he


    asked in a tender, low voice.


    At that point, Beatrice teared up much worse than before, and it took her quite some time to shake her


    head and speak up with an aggrieved tone, "I''m f-fine."


    "What did you say to the person at the doorway? Do you know that woman?" Joaquin realized that


    something must have happened after noticing Beatrice''s reaction.


    There was a flustered look in Beatrice''s eyes and her eyes flickered slightly before she hurriedly denied


    it by waving her hands. "N-Nothing¡­ I didn''t say anything to her. W-We¡­"


    However, she could not contain herself to finish her sentence as she sobbed while covering her face.


    "You''re sobbing and yet you''re telling me that everything''s fine?" At that point, Joaquin''s patience was


    running thin.


    He was, in fact, quite immune to a woman''s tears, so he merely felt a wave of frustration upon seeing


    Beatrice sob loudly. The slight sense of sympathy he felt for her dissipatedpletely due to her


    hesitancy.


    Joaquin could not help frowning and this was an extremely unpleasant feeling for him. His patience for


    her seemed to be decreasing day by day over time.


    "I-I didn''t get chosen as ab assistant. Joe, I''m so sad. Could you stay back and keep mepany


    today?"


    Beatrice''s eyes were reddened and she lifted her head to look at him expectantly.


    Lowering his head, Joaquin looked at her face and remained silent for quite some time before finally


    nodding.


    ¡­


    After Katherine left the research institute, she took a cab back to Ben''s clinic.


    By then, Keith had regained consciousness and he was sitting on the bed as he yed some video


    games. It was obvious that he was in a foul mood from the ugly look on his face and he was


    exceptionally hostile even while ying his game.


    Katherine lifted her brows gently and walked over to him. She took out a box of ointment from her


    pocket and flung it over to him. "Apply this on your face."


    As soon as Keith heard the word face, the hostile look on his face deepened and he instantly flung his


    phone to the side and looked at her unhappily.


    She pulled out a chair to sit down. "Apply this first. You look too ugly right now and I really don''t want to


    talk to someone with a swollen face like you."


    As soon as Keith heard that, his expression turned uglier.


    However, he had to obey his elder sister, so he obediently took the ubeled box on the bed and


    opened it despite his unhappiness. There was a mild scent that hit his nostrils and from the smell of it,


    he instantly felt invigorated.


    Slightly dubious, he squeezed out some ointment and slowly applied it onto his face.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Keith felt a cool sensation on his face as soon as the ointment got into contact with his skin. There was


    a mild refreshing scent that wasfortable to him and the stinging pain he felt prior to this


    disappeared too.


    "Kathy, this medication is great. I no longer feel the pain on my face. Where did you get this?"


    He reapplied the medication to his face and excitedly lifted his head to look at Katherine.


    She lifted her eyes to nce at him and noticed the swollen part on his face had dissipated


    significantly. He would very likely recoverpletely after applying the ointment a couple more times.


    "Don''t forget to apply it twice a day and just use it for three days," Katherine instructed him before


    starting to berate him for his past misdeeds. "Now, tell me exactly what happened while you were at


    Maze?"


    Since she had already looked at the security footage, she already knew what happened and merely


    wanted to verify things from Keith''s point of view. It was especially so for the events that urred at the


    detention center.


    There was not any security footage avable over there, so Katherine had no way of finding out what


    her brother had to go through there. Moreover, Keith was skilled at martial arts in the first ce, so he


    would not have ended up being beaten up so badly while he was detained. There must be something I


    don''t know¡­


    Keith''s expression took a turn for the worse and he avoided Katherine''s eyes unnaturally. He replied


    with a guilty look in his eyes, "I had to maintain my image, you know? Each time when I''m back, I would


    usually have to party with my friends at the bar, but I didn''t expect that I would run into trouble this


    time."


    "Hmm?" Katherine lifted her brows and continued to stare at him.


    Keith felt as if his secrets were fully exposed in front of Katherine, so he lifted his hand to scratch his


    head and purposely acted dumb. "It''s honestly nothing much. Several people attacked me at the same


    time in the detention center and I didn''t know why they¡ª"


    "Keith, I''m not stupid. I can investigate it myself even if you''re not honest with me. However, what I got


    is different from what you''ve mentioned. So, don''t y dumb with me." Katherine was quite angry.


    To her, she did not need Keith to help her with anything and all her hard efforts were to protect her


    family members from being bullied. However, she could not believe that she had actually failed to keep


    her brother safe under her watchful eyes.


    As soon as she recalled the moment Keithy unconscious in front of her, she took the me upon


    herself, but even more so, she was filled with fury.


    Lisa is definitely not the only one involved in this matter. There is someone else behind all this.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Clearly, Lisa was not brave enough tomit attempted murder. Furthermore, Katherine had


    investigated the illicit drugs found on Keith. It was a new type of drug that was highly harmful, and even


    a slight amount ingested would be grave to the human nervous system. It was considered to be an


    extensively banned substance in every country worldwide.


    Katherine had encountered this substance initially when she was in Fontan, but she did not expect that


    it would appear within Cechirus too.


    She had a strong suspicion that Keith must have offended someone while he was in Kynd, so


    someone had framed him intentionally.


    "Kathy, I-I''m fine. Honestly! You¡­" Keith lowered his head and did not dare to meet Katherine''s eyes.


    At this point, her patience was running thin as she lifted a hand to look at the time before expressing


    coldly, "You''ve got five minutes to either tell me the truth on your own ord, or I''ll talk to your


    supervisor. I promised Mom that I would watch over you and keep you safe, but you''ve nearly lost your


    life. Keith, I''m warning you. Don''t challenge my patience."


    Suddenly, he panicked as he could tell that Katherine was truly angry, so he dared not hide things from


    her. He confessed hastily, "Kathy, I''m fine. I''m well and alive right here in front of you, aren''t I? That


    persones from a very important family and he''s influential in Kynd; you''re no match for him. I


    promise you that I''ll watch out in the future and I won''t let the same thing happen again. Just trust me


    this once?"


    Katherine pursed her lips and stared coldly at Keith, but she did not utter a word to brush the matter off.


    "It-It''s the Tillmans. The Kynd Tillmans." Finally, Keith gave in and lowered his head while revealing


    the mastermind who intended to seek his life.


    After he said that, he instinctively clenched his fist and was clearly harboring hatred within him. He


    could not help thinking, If only I was skillful enough, then I would be able to protect myself. However, he


    failed to protect himself right now, so how was he able to protect Katherine? This powerless feeling he


    felt devastated him and he looked down on himself as well.


    Tillmans, huh? Katherine squinted slightly as she took note of the family.


    She was unable to go to Kynd for the time being, but with Aberama''s connections, it should not be


    an issue for her to investigate everything.


    Anyone who dared toy hands on someone under her care would have to be fully prepared to pay the


    price in that case.


    "Get some rest here and keep the ointment in a safe ce." Katherine stood up and flicked the hem of


    her shirt before turning around to leave with a cold look.


    Meanwhile, Keith looked at her with doe eyes. After noticing that she had arrived at the entrance, he


    finally spoke up, slightly aggrieved, "Kathy."


    "Wake up. If you''re gonna act like a spoiled brat, then behave like one. You''re an absolute failure if you


    keep this up." Katherine paused in her tracks and walked out of the door coldly after saying those


    dampening words.


    Suffering a huge blow, he clutched his chest with an unhappy expression. Kathy''s right. I am useless


    and I seriously need to work harder and grow up.


    Meanwhile, Ben was eagerly waiting for Katherine''s arrival when she finally walked out of the room.


    "Uhm¡­ Miss Cornell? Can I talk to you for a moment if you don''t mind?"


    "I do mind." Katherine recognized Ben and she knew that he worked for Joaquin, so she did not bother


    to interact much with him, let alone revealing things about herself.


    Taken aback by her direct reply, Ben nced at Katherine with a hurt look in his eyes. "Ah, you''re


    breaking my heart. We met just yesterday."


    "So?" She lifted her brows and nced at him with a perplexed look.


    "Well, the thing is that I noticed that your surgical techniques are astounding. So, do you have the


    intention to¡ª"


    "No." Katherine did not even wait for Ben to finish his sentence when she interrupted him.


    Subsequently, she turned around and left the clinic without casting another nce behind.


    Her retreating figure looked ruthless.


    He watched her back with a stunned expression and he recalled that she behaved rather differently


    than thest encounters. Soon, he quickly considered her reaction to be justifiable seeing that her


    brother had just retreated his foot from hell''s gate.


    Afterforting himself for a moment, he rushed inside to check on Keith.


    Ben reckoned that he should perhaps try to get his way by targeting her brother instead since she was


    a tough nut to crack.


    However, as soon as he entered the room and saw Keith''s face, he waspletely stunned as he


    stared at the boy. "Your face¡ª"


    "Although I''ve been badly beaten up on the face, I''m still way more good-looking than most young male


    celebrities. Don''t talk to me because I don''t want to entertain you." Keith lifted a hand to cover his face


    and he was determined to uphold his usual image as a spoiled brat.


    Yup. There is no doubt at all that these two are rted to each other, Ben thought.


    "How did the bruises on your face recover so soon?" He ignored Keith''s words and inched closer to


    check out the originally swollen face, which had improved tremendously. However, the incredulous look


    on Ben''s face remained.


    Based on the level of injury and the extent of soft tissue damage that Keith had sustained, it should


    have taken at least ten to fifteen days to recover to its current state.


    However, Keith''s face had appeared to be swollen in the morning when Ben had popped over, but in


    such a short time, the injuries had improved significantly. Am I hallucinating?


    "Obviously, I''m born with good looks. I''ve been so blessed that even the angels cannot bear to see my


    face¡ª"


    "Enough." At that point, Ben felt a looming headache and he no longer wished to hear Keith speak.


    He considered the situation and realized that Katherine was the crucial piece to the puzzle. He found it


    hard to believe that not only was she great in surgery, she was also skilled at concocting medications


    too. As such, he had an epiphany. If we could mass produce the ointment that Keith''s using¡­

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    "Are you telling me that not only does Katherine have great surgical skills, but she''s also able to


    concoct medication that is effective against superficial wounds?"


    Joaquin was on the phone as he listened to Ben squawk loudly on the other end of the line. Perhaps it


    was the weather, but most probably because of Ben''s voice, he felt a throbbing sensation on his


    temples. Nheless, his interest was piqued by Ben''s words.


    Katherine seemed to be like an undiscovered treasure trove. As one delved deeper within, one would


    be able to discover the countless treasures hidden within her; just by simply uncovering one, it would


    be sufficient to cause a shock.


    "Yes! You saw the wounds sustained by her brother, right? The swollen face he had would surely need


    at least ten to fifteen days to subside, but I was merely away for less than an hour and when I got back,


    his swollen face had bettered significantly. I''ve sent you a photo, so you should take a look at it yourself


    later on. We have to find a way to get it for ourselves. Mr. Levisay, it''s time for you to utilize your good


    looks."


    Agitated, Ben was so tempted to rush over to see Katherine and find out the form from her.


    However, Joaquin was lost in his thoughts and he did not bother about Ben as he hung up the phone


    immediately.


    Their men from Area Seven constantly encountered dangerous and potentially fatal situations in their


    missions. Most of the time, their missions were much more dangerous when they were ced in dense


    forestry areas or rainforest climates. Even a simple superficial wound could be infected and be


    potentially fatal.


    If Ben was not exaggerating about the effects, then the medication Katherine held was not only


    significantly effective against soft tissue injuries, but it definitely had a significant effect against


    superficial wounds too. It seemed that his fianc¨¦ had many hidden talents.


    On the other hand, Katherine was unaware that she had be the focus of Joaquin and Ben. After


    she came out of the clinic, she went to Aberama''s private restaurant.


    Aberama looked at the darkened expression and vicious look in her eyes, and he instantly realized that


    she must be upset because of Keith''s incident.


    "Do you need my help with something?" Aberama waited for Katherine to take a seat before serving


    her some tea with a nonchnt smile.


    "Dig some info on Kynd''s Tillmans and you can have another Regenerative Pill that I gave youst


    time." Katherine held up her teacup and took a sip as she lifted her brow to shoot a look at Aberama.


    The choices of tea from Aberama''s restaurant were great and she was so tempted to steal some.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    "The Tillmans? Is Keith''s incident rted to them?" He nced at her with a slightly shocked


    expression.


    Judging by Aberama''s reaction, he must be quite familiar with the Tillmans.


    "Do you know them?"


    "There is an obvious hierarchical system in Kynd and there are five levels of hierarchy. The


    uppermost level belongs to a group of mysterious people and they don''t generally interact with the


    outer world. Their existence is truly at the top of the pyramid. The next level isposed of the four


    most prominent families right now¡ªthe Levisays, Ramons, Daltons, and the Morans. As for the third


    level, there are too many people there. The Tillmans could perhaps be able to make that tier, but barely


    though."


    Aberama knew that Katherine was not familiar with the situation in the country, so he patiently went


    through the influential forces in Kynd with her.


    At that moment, she nced at him with thoughts running.


    He maintained a neutral expression as he met her eyes. "We''re considered a branch of the main


    Ramon family and we''re not rted to the main family. We might be able to exert pressure elsewhere,


    but once we''re in Kynd, we would have to be on our best behavior," Aberama said quite casually


    and he appeared to be unperturbed.


    Katherine kept her eyes on his for a short while before retracting her gaze and she no longer bothered


    to ask about all that.


    "Are the Tillmans influential?" She directed her focus back on that family.


    "They''re considerably influential. Well, the main family in Hovington isn''tparable to even one-tenth


    of the Tillmans'' influence. They have a long family legacy passed on from decades above and their


    family wealth is immense. Besides, they''ve built up plenty of connections that would strengthen their


    influence. They are linked by marriage with a lot of other families, so it would be slightly troublesome to


    go after them."


    His final sentence was a reminder to Katherine not to go after the Tillman Family.


    However, she merely revealed a nonplussed smile without saying much.


    Although the main Tillman Family was not one to be messed with, the side branches were not included


    under that. Katherine had already obtained information on the person who had gone after Keith, so she


    would not have to take action personally. Instead, she could just easily hand over the information in her


    hands to some specific people and someone else would quite naturally deal with those people on her


    behalf.


    "Your chef has great culinary skills." She gradually returned to her nonchnt, easygoing manner as


    the cold look in her eyes dissipated.


    As soon as Aberama heard that, he quickly instructed his staff to serve their meal despite his sense of


    helplessness.


    Katherine enjoyed the good food and left after filling her stomach. Meanwhile, Aberama ran after her


    angrily as he sought an exnation as to when she would be able to provide him with the Regenerative


    Pill.


    She walked out of the private restaurant and intended to head back to Soulin International, but she


    received a phone call from Jorge just as she got out of the junction.


    She squinted as she nced at the number and remained silent for quite some time before finally


    taking the call. She spoke in a light-hearted voice and greeted Jorge sweetly, "Dad, do you have


    something to ask me?"


    Jorge instantly felt a looming headache upon hearing her tone of voice and he massaged his temples


    in response before asking her in a lowered voice, "Your stepmom''s hand is about to be amputated and


    she ims that you''re the one who caused it?"


    "Dad, how could it be me? I''m just a feeble, weak female. Is Madam Sutton trying to frame me for her


    own idental damage? Dad, trust me, how could I possibly do such a thing? If word gets out and


    everyone thinks that the future Mrs. Levisay caused the amputation of her stepmother, then how would


    they regard me? How would they regard the Levisays, huh?" Katherine acted shocked as she tried


    hard to exin herself. However, the sneering smile on her face was quite evident.


    It was such a shame that Jorge did not get to see her current expression.


    He listened to Katherine''s words and instantly felt a chill run down her spine as he came to the sudden


    realization that Katherine now had an exalted status and she was no longer the abandoned daughter of


    the Cornell Family. She held the position of the Levisays'' young mistress and this identity she held was


    sufficient to make an impact on most people.


    "Kathy, calm down. I wasn''t trying to me you. I was just asking in passing. Are you currently outside?


    Do you have enough money to spend?" Jorge lifted a hand to wipe the cold sweat off his forehead


    before hurriedly replying with a smile; there was an obvious fawning tone in his voice.


    Meanwhile, the smile on Katherine''s face widened as she put on an extremely aggrieved act. "Dad,


    does Madam Sutton dislike me? Why is she falsely using me of something I didn''t do?"


    "How is that possible? There is no reason for her to dislike you at all. She likes you very much and she


    has nothing against you. I promise." Jorge started to break into cold sweat once again.


    "Then, why did she falsely use me? Dad, which hospital are you guys currently at? I''lle over


    and visit her. If she really doesn''t like me, then I''ll make sure to stay away once I''ve joined the Levisay


    Family after my marriage." Katherine continued to portray her dispirited side and she appeared to be


    quite hurt by all that.


    Jorge furtively sneaked a look at Lisa, who was in hysterics on the hospital bed, and he told Katherine


    the address of the hospital before hanging up the phone.


    As soon as Lisa noticed that he had hung up the phone, she instantly screamed shrilly, "Jorge!


    Katherine''s a freak! She is a freakish monster! She merely squeezed my shoulders and then the doctor


    ended up diagnosing me with muscle necrosis. The doctor also said that I need amputation of my


    limbs. Trust me! You''ve got to trust my words!"


    Jorge looked at her in such a crazed state and he could not help feeling disgusted and repulsed by her.


    He frowned and gazed at her with a disappointed expression. "That''s enough. If Kathy was actually as


    skillful as you described, then I believe you wouldn''t be alive right now toin about her to me.


    She''s got a different identity now and she''s no longer who she was before. Stop targeting her. You''ve


    gone too far this time."


    At that point, Lisa stared incredulously at Jorge with a countenance as pale as a sheet; she parted her


    trembling lips but could not quitee up with any words to say.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Soon enough, Katherine had arrived at the hospital. Lisa was still having her internal crisis as her face


    turned pallid while sitting on the hospital bed. Jorge also stood beside her and wore an unpleasant


    expression. Clearly, the atmosphere in the ward was tense as though the two had just had a quarrel.


    Katherine took a moment to pause at the door before entering the ward with a defeated and resentful


    expression on her face.


    "Dad, Madam Sutton."


    "How dare youe, Katherine? Tell your father how you injured me!" Lisa was so emotional when


    she spotted Katherine that she leaped up and cursed at her.


    When Katherine saw Lisa, she recoiled in terror. Her eyes immediately became crimson and she stared


    at Lisa hopelessly before defending herself in a quiet voice. "What are you talking about, Madam


    Sutton? I-I don''t understand."


    "Stop with your acting! You''re the one that came home today and threatened to break my hand today,


    and take my life next time! Do you have the audacity to im that you never came to my house hours


    ago?" Lisa looked at Katherine, who was full of pretense, and she felt frustrated.


    However, this was precisely the tactic that Lisa used to defame Elsie back then. Now, Katherine was


    getting her sweet revenge.


    "Dad, I honestly have no idea what Madam Sutton is talking about. I did return home today, but it was


    her who called me up to do so. When I arrived, she scolded me, saying that I''m a cheap lowlife. She


    reprimands me for not agreeing to put in some good words for Rosemary to marry Robert. As a result, I


    left the house." Katherine gave Jorge a teary-eyed face and tears could not stop streaming down her


    face.


    At that moment, Jorge immediately believed what she had just said because he recalled Lisa using the


    same words against Katherine when they were alone.


    He was unhappy as he watched Lisa maintain her aggressive demeanor. His displeasure was evident


    in his chilly expression and somewhat icy voice. "Stop it, Lisa! Stop ying around! As I''ve already


    stated, Kathy has nothing to do with this situation."


    "Why don''t you believe me, Jorge?" Lisa looked at him in disbelief.


    Hearing this, Jorge closed his eyes in exhaustion and there was no longer warmth in his eyes when he


    opened them. "Joaquin and Katherine''s wedding will be taking ce in a few days. Why are you stirring


    up trouble now? Do you enjoy enraging everyone?"


    Suddenly, Lisa''s visage turned pale and she came to a realization as she looked at Jorge, whom she


    had loved her entire life.


    He doesn''t care about anything but profits and power.


    He will mercilessly remove everyone who gets in his way.


    He did the same to Elsie, and I might just be the next victim¡­


    Lisa''s body trembled and there was a look of despondence on her face.


    Watching as her n unfolded, Katherine smirked secretly as she looked at Lisa''s despaired face.


    Katherine remained a pitiful expression as she tugged on Jorge''s sleeve. "Dad, it does seem like


    Madam Sutton dislikes me. Well, I can also understand. Perhaps I should stay out of the Cornells way


    on the day of my wedding? I don''t want Madam Sutton to be unhappy and fight with you."


    Jorge became even more upset upon observing Katherine''s calm and filial demeanor. On the other


    hand, his expression grew increasingly agitated as he looked at Lisa. "Kathy, ignore her. As long as I


    am around, I will always look out for you. Don''t worry. You should just go on with the wedding as you


    please."


    "But¡ª"


    "No more buts. I''m making the final decision." Jorge abruptly cut off Katherine''s sentence.


    As such, poor Katherine had no choice but to agree with her father, just as she nned.


    In addition to having a pallid face and a burning heart, Lisa was furious and thought the father and


    daughter''s behavior was absurd.


    You shameless man! All this just for the cooperation with the Levisays?


    "If it''s okay with you, Dad, I''ll head back first. Joaquin is waiting for me," Katherine spoke timidly and


    dipped her head.


    The more Jorge engaged with her, the more pleased he was.


    Even if Joaquin had a deformed face and an amputated leg, he would still be the eldest young master


    in the Levisay Family. Since Katherine and Joaquin got along well, it indicated that the Levisay Group


    and Cornell Group would likewise form a great rtionship as well.


    Now that he was delighted with Katherine, he even forgot how she had originally ckmailed him.


    Following Katherine''s departure, Lisa snorted icily. "What a loving pair of father and daughter.


    Remember, Jorge, she''s not even your biological daughter. One day when she finds out¡ª"


    "Shut up, Lisa! I''ll kill you if you dare to say anything else!"


    Only Jorge knew how much of a burdening secret this was to harbor within him. At this point, he felt


    completely powerless as Lisa stripped him of his dignity. He gave Lisa a death stare as if he was about


    to kill her.


    In response, Lisa''s countenance instantly changed as she pursed her lips in fear to speak another


    word.


    Staring at her, Jorge gasped violently and eximed, "Katherine is my daughter, and even if she dies,


    she is still the daughter of the Cornells! You must not bring up this subject in the future! Never!"


    After he finished his statement, he turned around and stormed out of the ward without giving Lisa


    another nce.


    With resentment, Lisa stared at his back as she clenched her fist tightly.


    Meanwhile, Katherine took a cab straight to the Levisay Residence after leaving the hospital now that


    she did not want to return to Soulin International.


    Rosemary, on the other hand, coexisted peacefully with the Levisays and treated their residence as her


    own. She waspletely ignorant about Lisa''s ident and her subsequent hospitalization. Instead,


    she was seated there enjoying coffee and a snack when Katherine entered the room.


    "I see that you''re enjoying yourself, Rose." Katherine slowly approached Rosemary before drawing out


    a chair and took a seat next to her.


    When Rosemary saw Katherine, she was extremely repulsed. She flung the small spoon she was


    holding onto the table and impatiently questioned, "Katherine, what are you doing here?"


    "Ha!" Katherine could not help but chuckle. "The fools would assume that this is the Cornell Residence


    and you are the head of the family. Rose,e back to your senses! This is the Levisay Residence


    and you are only the sister of the future Mrs. Levisay! I am Mrs. Levisay and the future head of this


    family. Do you understand?"


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After being rudely admonished by Katherine, Rosemary''s face was unappealing, but she held her chest


    out and muttered, "The future head of the family? Are you worthy of holding such a position? I''ll soon


    be Robert''s wife and I''ll run the Levisays instead!. What do you have to be proud of when you are only


    married to a useless man?"


    "Tsk¡­ I expected you to at least keep up the facade," Katherine snickered as she admired Rosemary''s


    arrogance andck of self-consciousness.


    In truth, Robert had not even returned home for a while and he was unaware of Rosemary''s existence,


    but she dared to have the audacity to act like she was already an official family member.


    "Katherine, I''m warning you right now. Don''t try to test my patience or I''ll do things you cannot even


    imagine! I will definitely marry Robert! If you dare to ruin my ns, I will make you regret it! Hmph!"


    Rosemary and Katherine had been at odds for a while and she did not bother to put on any sisterhood


    y.


    Narrowing her eyes, Katherine cast a cold nce at this brat.


    At this moment, she approached Katherine and spoke in an arrogant and provocative tone. "Haven''t


    you been hunting down the jade pendant your mother wore as she fought for her life? The fact that I


    am holding that object is a coincidence."


    As soon as Rosemary''s words fell, Katherine''s expression instantly changed as she shot her an


    increasingly chilly and scary re.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Although Katherine''s expression was calm, her hands were tightened into fists as they hung on her


    sides.


    Mom''s possession must be returned. She was aware that the Olsens had left her a jade pendant. Still,


    something so precious and important could not fall into Rosemary''s hands no matter what.


    "What do you want?"


    "I told you. I want to be the second Mrs. Levisay of the family. I shall marry Robert with your assistance,


    then I''ll return your things." Rosemary was joyful because of Katherine''s sympathetic and sorrowful


    expression.


    To be able to look down on Katherine was an incredibly amazing feeling. Rosemary was pleasant


    because she could no longer be controlled; on the other hand, Katherine remained as the useless and


    vulnerable person she had been in Rosemary''s eyes.


    Suddenly, Katherine was reminded by Joaquin''s scheme to pretend to be paralyzed after the car crash.


    There has to be a reason why he put up an act. If Robert wants to seize the title as Levisays'' head,


    then it probably won''t be as easy as he thought.


    Who knows, he might even be exposed by Joaquin sooner orter.


    So, if Rose wants to jump into a pitfall, who am I to stop her?


    "Sure. I can assist you and I''ll ensure that Robert will marry you. Nevertheless, you''d better keep your


    word and give me back my mother''s mementos!"


    Since Elsie died when Katherine was merely a child, she could not keep the things she left behind.


    Something urred to the Olsens not long after her passing. Darren''s cerebral hemorrhage rendered


    him dead and Jennifer was in critical condition due to her illness. She remained unconscious up until


    now and depended on medication to breathe in the hospital ward.


    If Dad and the rest of the Cornell Family don''t receive the punishment they deserve, Grandma will


    never be able to rest in peace.


    As Katherine noticed Rosemary''s arrogant face, the corner of her lips began to tingle.


    "Okay! I won''t lie to you as long as you follow through on your promises!" Rosemary was unbelievably


    ecstatic. At that point, she even considered how powerful she would be to take over the Levisay Family


    as the second daughter-inw.


    "Of course," Katherine replied, giving Rosemary a smile as she walked away.


    For some reason, Rosemary felt Katherine''s gaze to indicate otherwise and she subconsciously


    stroked her face.


    After that, Katherine went straight to her room. Though she had not returned for days, her room


    remained exactly the same as when she left.


    In a rxed position on the bed, she pulled out her phone and texted Joaquin, ''My dear fianc¨¦. Why


    aren''t you at home when I''m home? Three days have passed since Ist saw you and I''m already


    missing you.''


    After sending it, she looked at it and was horrified. Such a grotesque text message must certainly


    disgust Joaquin, right?


    It was unfortunate because Katherine was unable to picture his expression after reading the text


    message.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was seated in front of the French ss window at Soulin International when his


    phone vibrated twice. He scowled a little before fishing out his phone to nce at the notification. He


    then realized that it was a text message from Katherine. He subconsciously clicked the message icon


    to read the text message and his countenance changed to a rather somber one upon reading it.


    Is she flirting with me?


    Huh.


    As Joaquin turned to leave Soulin International, he tucked his phone into his pocket.


    At this point, Katherine was sleepingfortably on her bed and the sun had yet to set even when she


    awoke. She yawned before leaving the room and noticed Joaquin independently navigating his


    wheelchair, attempting to go upstairs.


    When their eyes met, she grinned at him and approached him. She pushed his wheelchair in the


    opposite direction while saying, "Why are you back so early, Mr. Levisay? Have you eaten?"


    "Didn''t you say you miss me?" Joaquin arched his brows and cracked a small smile.


    All of a sudden, Katherine''s expression abruptly froze for a few seconds before quickly returning to


    normal. She then answered, "Yeah. Thank you foring back to have dinner with me, Mr. Levisay."


    Joaquin fixed his attention on her; she was grinning broadly and had crescent-shaped eyes while


    exuding a strong sense of joy.


    Despite that, her gaze was visibly frigid and there was no emotion present.


    Others might be fooled by Katherine''s disguise, but not him.


    However, he did not bother to expose her since they were simply in a cooperative rtionship.


    When Katherine ced her hands on the wheelchair, she noticed that Joaquin had stopped talking. As


    such, she did not want to bring contempt upon herself and gave him a push with a calm, gentle smile


    instead. On the surface, the two of them seemed to get along well.


    As they made their way downstairs, Hera smirked mockingly at them.


    Theyplemented each other rather well, much like a straw bag and garbage bag.


    Katherine has been out of the house for the past few days despite knowing she''s about to get married


    soon. I predict that her attitude will only worsen after their marriage.


    "Are you back, Kathy? You look like you''ve lost some weight. Where have you been for thest few


    days? Did you get enough sleep?" Hera made a sarcastic remark before grinning brightly at Katherine.


    In response, Katherine returned Hera a sympathetic grin as she gazed at her. "I simply returned to the


    Cornell Residence, Mom. I didn''t venture elsewhere. You know, I''ve been living abroad for a while and


    I''m getting married shortly, so I''m missing home."


    "I see. You''re such a filial daughter, Kathy." Hera smiled with no intention to expose Katherine.


    Through an Oscar-worthy act, the two exchanged some words and smiles while they appeared to be in


    a harmonious and close rtionship.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Joaquin, who saw Katherine being so adaptable in uttering nonsense, could not help but turn away


    from her.


    She pped her forehead after speaking with Hera for a little while as if she had just remembered


    something. "Oh! I almost forgot! My sister has been staying at your housetely and my parents said


    that they missed her, so they want her toe home."


    Rosemary, who was smiling as she walked up to them, overheard Katherine''s statements at this very


    moment. Her initially cheerful demeanor quickly changed to one of distress.


    "I''m getting married shortly and my father is getting old. He originally intended to celebrate his birthday


    next month, but he now wants to do it sooner. Moreover, he even intended to do it before I get married,


    so I want my sister to go home and help out. I may have to go back for a few days. Mom, you won''t


    me me for not staying at home to look after Joaquin, will you?"


    Remorse and worry could be seen in Katherine''s expression as she gingerly examined Hera.


    As soon as Hera heard Katherine''s request, she grasped that it was a part of Jorge''s n. Though she


    was embarrassed by the Cornell Family''s facade, she also did not want to put an end to it.


    The Cornells knew that the more fake they were, the higher the chance they had of embarrassing


    themselves in front of the entire Hovington popce. By then, Joaquin would feel humiliated and be


    unable to contend with Robert for the Levisays'' session right.


    "Sure, you can go home. We have servants here, so it''s not a big problem." Hera was incredibly giving.


    "Thanks, Mom! You are the best," Katherine said in an appeasing tone while clutching Hera''s arm. She


    purposefully raised her arm at the same time to show off the bracelet she had previously given.


    At the sight of the bracelet, Hera was ignited with annoyance. It was not particrly an expensive


    piece, yet it was never removed once it was worn.


    Therefore, how could she still be in the dark about what Katherine was trying to say after she


    deliberately showed it in front of her face?


    Nothing more than trying to cheat something expensive from Hera by using Jorge''s birthday as an


    excuse.


    Hera suppressed her inner discontentment as she smiled and replied, "Your father seems to like


    calligraphy and painting. I recently received an artwork from Iono Aoki. I''ll have my butler send it to you


    later."


    "Thank you, Mom!" Katherine gave a big grin.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Hera was secretly unhappy as she got that artwork from Iono Aoki for a hefty fifty million and it was


    clearly a very valuable piece. The thought of letting the Cornells have it just like that upsetted her,


    especially when Katherine was smiling so smugly now. It was the look of someone that got a good


    deal, which annoyed her even more.


    Still, no matter how displeased she was, she still had to maintain her smile albeit a frozen one.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin looked at Katherine somewhat surprisingly.


    Being the one that knew his stepmother the best, he understood that she was extremely stingy to the


    point where she would not give out a single item from her collection even on Elizabeth''s birthday. He


    did not think that she would be so generous as to give her Iono Aoki''s personal work.


    Looking at Katherine again, he switched his attention to focus on Hera''s expression. Joaquin suddenly


    felt his spirits lifted upon seeing that his stepmother had to maintain her facade even though she was


    absolutely livid inside.


    "Kathy, how can we receive such a valuable gift from Madam Levisay?" Rosemary finally had a chance


    to speak and reminded her sister.


    "Oh, Rose. This gift is not meant for me; it''s for our father. This valuable artwork signifies the close


    rtionship our families share." Katherine looked at Rosemary with a weird gaze while exining


    seriously.


    Hearing that, Rosemary dared not speak another word as her expression changed. After this


    exchange, Hera started to look at her in apletely different light.


    Katherine, who made an excuse to leave due to her father''s birthday, went back with Rosemary in the


    Levisays'' car.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    As soon as they entered the car, Rosemary immediately darkened her expression and red at her


    sister. "Are you doing this on purpose, Katherine?"


    "Doing what on purpose?" Katherine questioned back, perplexed.


    "You know that I wanted to continue staying at the Levisays, but you intentionally made me leave.


    Aren''t you doing this on purpose?" Rosemary nearly wanted to p her.


    Katherine then put a hand on her shoulder and exined, "My dear sister, you are wronging me right


    now. I did it for your own good."


    "Hmph. You think that''ll convince me? I think you just don''t want to see me get married." Rosemary


    snorted at her words.


    Katherine sighed and continued, "Think about it. You don''t even have an official status within their


    family and yet you''re livingfortably at their home. How do you think Madam Levisay and their


    servants are speaking of you? They''ll just think that you are a shameless person thatcks self-


    awareness while trying to get something out of the Levisays."


    With infallible logic, Katherine exined to her in such a way that Rosemary found irrefutable and even


    somewhat agreed.


    Wanting to approach Robert, she initally thought that staying at the Levisays would be the most


    effective way, yet she did not consider that.


    Through Katherine''s reminder, Rosemary suddenly found cold sweat forming on her forehead as she


    held onto her hand in panic. "T-Then, what should I do now? I''ve already been staying there for a few


    days now. Why didn''t you tell me this beforehand?"


    "Do you think that would have been useful? Would you have believed me? You would only think that I


    was lying to you." Katherine sighed while wearing an innocent expression.


    "Oh, cut the crap, Katherine. Why would you help me out so readily?" Rosemary snorted, not moved by


    her acts.


    "If so, then I won''t need to y the act that I''ve prepared for you. Looks like you are set on courting


    Robert on your own."


    "What? What have you prepared?" Rosemary, who was distracted by Katherine''s words, asked with an


    excited look.


    Smiling, she knew that her sister was not the sharpest shed in the tool. She''s much easier to deal with


    than Lisa.


    "If you listen to me, I can make sure that you be the second young mistress of the Levisays. But,


    you also have to give me what you promised." Katherine reached out and touched Rosemary''s hair


    with a jolly smile on her face.


    "Okay, but if you dare lie to me, Katherine, I will never forgive you!" Rosemary could not resist the


    temptation as she threatened her.


    This made Katherine snorted secretly. This? Is all it takes to fool her? How gullible.


    Originally, she thought that it would be challenging to convince Rosemary, but she did not think that her


    mere suggestions were enough for her to take the bait.


    "Let''s go home first. It''ll be Dad''s birthday in two more days. You need to invite the Levisays. If you do,


    Robert will naturally show up. I''m nning this so you can have a shot at him. When the moment


    Nodding profusely, Rosemary had a pair of sparkling eyes as she fully believed in her sister.


    Since it was alreadyte by the time they arrived home, Katherine decided to stay put and returned to


    her own room.


    How many years have I not been in this room? Memories started to flood into her brain as she recalled


    all those years back when she was still the daughter of the Cornells and her mother was still here; they


    were a family of three. We were happy.


    Spending the night in silence, Katherine got up very early the next morning. After washing up, she went


    out for a jog only to find Jorge already having breakfast in the living room.


    Now that Lisa was hospitalized, it became much quieter around the house.


    Rubbing her eyes, Rosemary slowly came down the stairs and asked her father upon finding her mom


    missing. "Dad, why is Mom not here? Where did she go so early in the morning?"


    While sipping his coffee and reading the newspaper, Jorge suddenly threw the paper aside and replied


    somewhat unhappily, "Your mother is not here."


    "Okay? Why are you yelling at me?" Rosemary looked at him funnyly.


    This made Jorge sense that he was too harsh on his daughter, so he took a breath topose himself


    before saying, "It''s nothing. Your mom was in an ident and is now hospitalized. She will be going


    through surgery today. If you want to visit her, you might make it now."


    "What?" Stunned, Rosemary asked about the location of the hospital before telling the chauffeur to


    send her.


    On the other hand, Katherine had just returned from her jog as she greeted Jorge and wiped her sweat


    before heading upstairs. When she came down, she found that he was still there, so she knew that


    something was up.


    "Dad, do you have something to tell me?'' Katherine asked with concern.


    Jorge looked at his daughterfortingly, thinking that Katherine was extremely sensible and caring,


    unlike Rosemary, who only cared about Lisa.


    "It''s just that a small hup happened on the project we''re coborating with the Levisay Group. Could


    you perhaps ask them to go easy on us?" Jorge rubbed his palms together and asked somewhat


    embarrassingly.


    This made Katherine a bit shocked, for she did not think that he had the guts to do the unspeakables


    with a project of this size.


    "Alright, Dad. I''ll ask Joaquin about it then, but he doesn''t really care about the affairs of thepany


    anymore, so I''m not sure if he can settle this. Also, I''ve told Madam Levisay that your birthday is in a


    few more days, so the Levisays will alsoe. If Rosemary can use this chance to get together with


    Robert, then your issue with thepany will be solved."


    With carefully curated wording, Katherine''s statement brightened Jorge''s eyes as he started to draft up


    a n for himself.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    "Okay, then. Are you going out?" Jorge, who had a n in mind, asked absentmindedly upon seeing


    that Katherine was dressed up.


    "Yup. Since I haven''t been back for some years now, I''m meeting up with some friends." She made up


    a simple excuse.


    Not really concerning her whereabouts, Jorge waved his hand at her.


    After exiting the front gate, Katherine''s smile disappeared and she did not ask Cornells'' chauffeur to


    send her. Instead, she went out of the residential area and hailed a cab.


    At Ben''s clinic, the wound on Keith''s face was already fully healed to the point where no scarring could


    be seen. Not only that, his skin looked in better condition than before.


    Ben kept encircling Keith, in awe that the ointment''s effects were even better than he expected.


    The wound on Keith''s face would take at least half a month with the best anti-swelling ointment in the


    market to heal up. Also, even that alone could not ensure that scars would disappear.


    However, Katherine''s ointment only took three days to basically heal the wound up with no hint of


    scarring.


    "About your ointment¡­" Ben''s gaze was directed at the medicine on the bedside table with signs of


    impulse.


    If he got even the slightest of the ointment''s sample and analyzed it, not only would it be priceless, just


    the healing ability of external wounds itself would make the entire armies fight tooth and nail over it.


    This is what Joaquin needs right now.


    "It''s mine!" Keith took the ointment and held it alertly, ring fiercely at Ben.


    This made the corners of Ben''s mouth twitch.


    This brat is the same as his sister. They are not cute at all!


    "It''s not that I want to take it. I just want to take a tinsy bit to analyze it. Could you¡­"


    Even though Ben was cursing him inside, he knew that he needed to get the form, so he asked in


    humility once again.


    "No! My sister gave this to me!" Keith was protecting the ointment as if it were his life.


    Since Katherine did not provide him a lot, it was almost empty after being used up for the past few


    days.


    "I''ll really only take a little bit. I can buy it. How about I pay you for it? I''ll pay however much you want."


    "Oh, really? However much I want?" It was then a cold voice came from behind him.


    The apanying footsteps came with a refreshing scent that spread across the room.


    Ben quickly turned around and looked at the person behind him with bright eyes. "Are you selling the


    form of the ointment? How about I buy it for a hundred million?


    Peering at Ben, Katherine rejected him outright. "It''s not for sale."


    He asked in a disappointed tone, "Why? Is a hundred million not enough? How about two hundred


    million? Is that enough?"


    "Thank you, but I''m not short on cash." The sheer amount of assets she owned meant that she did not


    care about this two hundred million. Besides, the recipe involved sensitivities. If she were to simply give


    out the recipe, it would attract heavy attention to her.


    Even though Katherine had the strength to protect herself, the people closest to her did not.


    If Keith, who still had to return to Kynd to study, met with an unfortunate ident, she would sob


    tears of regret.


    "I beg of you. I really have an important use for it. Lives are at stake here." Ben joined his palm and


    prayed to the woman.


    Silent, Katherine looked at him with pursed lips.


    Ben, who thought that this might work, heard her replying with a hint of disdain, "You can even throw


    your pride away for a form?"


    "Pride is useless. What is useful is the form. If you can give me that, I can kneel down and call you


    my mother." Ben decided to be shameless.


    She replied, "You don''t need to do that. I don''t want such an old son."


    The conversation made Keithugh.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Katherine immediately red at him. "Pack your bags now and go back to studying. Don''t run around if


    you don''t have anything to do, and don''t go looking for trouble. Get it? Otherwise, I''ll break your legs."


    Keith was originally still reveling in the conversation as he stated with a sullen expression, "But Kathy,


    it''s been so long since I came back."


    "Hmph. Are you having fun being a rich spoiled brat? Or did you not learn your lesson in the lockup?


    Do you want to get beaten again?" She peered at her brother with an unhappy tone.


    Keith knew that she was really angry as a matter of fact that he did get into big trouble this time and


    nearly lost his life, so it was natural for Katherine to be so angry.


    Lowering his head, he did not dare to rebuke her.


    "Now that your wounds are healed, buy a flight ticket and return immediately." Katherine knocked on


    the bed frame.


    Shocked, Ben looked at Keith in utter disbelief. "Wait, are all his wounds healed?"


    It was such a severe injury to the point where his heart and lungs were punctured by the broken ribs!


    Isn''t it literally insulting the injuries if he did not at least rest for half a month?


    Katherine nced at him briefly before giving it a thought and said, "I can give you the ointment, but


    you have to keep this a secret for me."


    Since Keith''s wounds healed so quickly, if somebody found out, they would definitely seek him and


    maybe even dissect him to see if there was anything special about his body. Obviously, she did not


    wish for him to be in danger, so she gave in eventually.


    Despite Katherine''s action to reject his two hundred million offer but epted for the sake of Keith


    made Ben a little confused, he epted it nheless. "Deal!"


    "I''ll be giving you a hundred grams every month," she added.


    Ben was speechless.


    A hundred grams? What can I do with a hundred grams?


    Yet, looking at how serious Katherine was, Ben was also feeling ambitious. What if I could analyze the


    contents of the ointment? Then, wouldn''t I be able to replicate it?


    A hundred grams it is, then.


    "Okay. Deal."


    The two reached an agreement soon enough with Katherine ignoring him after that and urging Keith to


    pack his bags. In the meantime, she purchased a 3.00PM flight ticket back to Kynd for him.


    As for Jorge, since he was in the blind about what happened to his son, Katherine decided to keep it


    that way.


    Sending Keith off, Katherine stood in front of the window at the airport and watched as the airne


    took off.


    Now that Keith has gone back, it is time to tear the Tillman Family down.


    She turned on her bluetooth headset and called a number. "Expand thepany into Cechirus with an


    emphasis on developing it at Kynd. I don''t ever want to see the Tillmans ever again. Stir up some


    trouble for them, so they don''t have the time to go after Keith."


    "The Tillmans in Kynd?" The receiver was perplexed. The torrent of keyboard sounds was followed


    by long silence.


    "Isn''t this overkill for such a small family?"


    "Yes, but I want to make sure Keith does not experience any more dangers." Katherine agreed with her


    methods being overkill. Yet, she still wanted to light a fire with thunder.


    Since they made a move on Keith, the Tillmans had truly crossed the line.


    "Alright. You''re the boss."


    The receiver epted it quickly as if one of the prominent yers in Cechirus vanishing was not a big


    of a deal; they were nothing but a pawn to be sacrificed at the end of the day.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    The Tillman Residence at Kynd.


    Jason was looking at his phone absentmindedly with a frown as he felt a tinge of unrest.


    Logically, shouldn''t some kind of newse from Covington now? Like whether that b*stard, Keith, is


    dead or alive? Why is it that nothing hase up even after these few days?


    Suppressing the uneasiness inside, he looked up and smiled at the elderly in front of him.


    Abraham, who became unamused to see him like this, was about to lecture him when someone


    suddenly came running in and shouted, "I-I-It''s a disaster!"


    "Why are you panicking like this? Have some manners! What happened?"


    Since Abraham was a soldier in his younger days, he still maintained the imposing aura despite his old


    age. Seeing how anxious the person was upsetted him, so he chided him with a solemn face.


    As the person took his time to catch his breath, he finally exined, "Mr. Tillman, thepany is on the


    verge of bankruptcy!"


    "What?"


    No matter how calm Abraham usually was, he immediately shot up upon hearing the news and stared


    wide-eyed at the person in front of him. Are my ears ying with me?


    Tillman Corporation is going bankrupt?


    Even if the Tillman Family was not the most prominent family in Cechirus, it was still a renowned family


    in Kynd. Plus, they had all sorts of political marriages and coborations at y. The only reason


    why their family would suddenly go bankrupt in this way would be if the top family of Kynd made


    their move. Even if that''s the case, they can''t just do that so suddenly, can they?


    The old servant wiped his sweat and continued, "I-It happened earlier. All the suppliers of ourpany


    suddenly called and wanted to cancel our business dealings. Also, they all wanted us to clear our debts


    at once. Besides that, our coborators wanted to cancel the contract. The factory in Ewing was shut


    down, apparently due to failure of passing the emissions tests and vition of safety. Our karaoke


    centers were also raided and found to have people selling drugs, so they have been shut down too.


    Also, the project we were coborating with the city officials has been reported by someone stating that


    we have been pocketing the money and using lower grade materials. They have uncoveredrge


    amounts of low grade materials at the construction site, so the city government is now suing us for


    contract breach. Mr. Tillman, the family¡­ the family is really finished!"


    After the old servant exined everything, Abraham slumped onto the couch, looking a lot older all of a


    sudden.


    "H-How can this be?"


    With all this happening at the same time, he would not believe it for a million years if anyone dared to


    call this a coincidence.


    Being a person that had seen his fair share of the world for so many years, Abraham knew that


    someone was behind all this and they were tantly targeting the Tillmans.


    He felt himself tremble all over and it was his first time feeling so powerless.


    "What about the Klein Family¡­" Since the Kleins and Tillmans were rted by marriage, the only thing


    Abraham thought of was to seek their help so as to get over this hurdle.


    "Mr Tillman, the Kleins have s-said right from the start t-that we offended a bigshot, so they won''t be


    helping us."


    "A bigshot?" As if he found a silver lining, Abraham quickly shouted, "Look into this! Right now! I want


    to see who is targeting the family! Find this out at all costs!"


    If they knew the mastermind, then there might be a chance to salvage this.


    The Tillmans could not go down like this. At least not in his hands.


    Jason''s expression changed subtly upon hearing this. For some reason, he knew that he might be


    involved in why the family''s empire was suddenly crumbling down all of a sudden.


    Originally a member of the branch family, Jason Tillman, managed to enter University of Bora thanks to


    his sheer luck. He got into the research field and was taken under the wings by Professor Samuel Hess


    at the research facility. This was why Abraham let him stay in the main family''s residence.


    Ever since theck of news from Hovington, Jason already felt that something was off. Now that he


    saw the Tillmans in such deep water, he started to panic.


    ¡­


    Back in Hovington.


    After sending Keith off, Katherine went back straight to the Cornell Residence.


    As soon as she opened the door, she could hear Lisa screaming like a banshee.


    Katherine raised her eyebrows in interest while smiling before walking in.


    Lisa, who lost her left arm, was making a fuss while sitting there, causing Jorge frustration and a


    migraine.


    "It''s you! You! Katherine, you wench! What did you do to me? What did you do to me?"


    Upon Katherine''s arrival, Lisa instantly pounced at her with reddened eyes.


    Yet, Katherine managed to dodge by slightly swaying to the side. Meanwhile, Lisa, who overexerted


    her force, could not stop in time and lost her bnce before crashing into the floor.


    At that moment, she was looking pathetic and absolutely crazy as the richdy image was nowhere to


    be found.


    "What are you doing, Madam Sutton?" With an innocent look, Katherine stood there and asked.


    Yet, her face irritated Lisa to the point where she grinded her teeth. "How dare you imply that it wasn''t


    you who hurt me that day! Now that I''ve lost my arm, are you happy? Are you happy now!?"


    "What? You''ve lost your arm? Why? What happened?" Katherine walked to her with shock on her face


    while wanting to help Lisa up.


    However, she despised yet feared Katherine and remembered the scene where she easily broke her


    arm that day upon seeing her reach out. Frightened to the point where she became pale, Lisa crawled


    backward quickly. "D-D-Don''te near me! Don''te here!"


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    "What''s wrong, Madam Sutton? Here, let me help you up." Katherine slowly moved forward and


    reached out again.


    "Ah!! You, get away from me! Go away! Don''t touch me! Don''t you dare touch me!"


    As if she was hysterical, Lisa began to cry loudly while flinging her single arm around, not wanting


    Katherine toe near.


    Stopping in her tracks, Katherine turned around and looked at her father with an innocent expression.


    "Dad, what''s wrong with Madam Sutton? Is she okay?"


    Jorge, who found his wife''s actions distasteful and tiring, heard her daughter''s question and called for


    the servants to confine Lisa in her room.


    "Dad, with Madam Sutton''s emotions still in disarray, what if she causes trouble at your birthday


    banquet tomorrow?"


    Katherine knew that Jorge cared about his reputation the most. With how crazy Lisa was acting, there


    was no way he would let her attend tomorrow; he might even send her somewhere else temporarily.


    As expected, her words changed his expression. Seeing how madly Lisa was shouting, he grew more


    and more tired of her. "It seems like Lisa has gotten quite the shock and can''t stay at home for now. I''ll


    arrange for my people to take her to a nursery home for now."


    "The nursery home in North Peak is quite nice," Katherine kindly suggested.


    Nodding, Jorge already set his ns in mind.


    It was the same afternoon when Lisa was forcefully escorted from the Cornell Residence and sent to


    the North Peak Nursery Home.


    Although it was called a nursery home, it was in actuality more of an asylum. It was very hard for


    people that were admitted toe out again.


    Katherine stood on the spot and looked with a hateful gaze as Lisa made a scene and cried. In the end,


    she was forced into the car and exiled into the asylum. Smirking, Katherine went back to her room.


    This was but the start.


    Whatever the Cornells owed Elsie, Katherine, and her grandparents, she was bound to get it back


    someday, bit by bit¡­

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    "Dad, did you send Mom to North Peak Nursery Home? How could you send her to such a ce?"


    Rosemary quickly came in and handed the bag to the servant beside before running over hurriedly,


    tugging on Jorge''s sleeve.


    She still dreamed of marrying into the Levisays and bing the madam of their family. If word got out


    that she had an insane mother, how would she be able to marry?


    From the start, Lisa''s identity as the mistress-turned-wife had already left a bad impression on the


    public and this incident now was not helping their image.


    Rosemary red at Katherine, knowing that she must have been involved in this.


    With an innocent expression, Katherine did not bother to exin anything either.


    "Your mother''s sick. I just sent her over there so she could recuperate." Jorge''s expression darkened


    and he was unhappy over Rosemary''s rude questioning.


    In the past, she was sensible and knew how to please people, which made him very satisfied to have a


    daughter like her. Now¡­


    Jorge took a look at her before shifting his gaze at Katherine with disappointment surging in his heart.


    They really are too far apart. Sometimes, gics really is everything.


    No matter what, Elsie was the daughter of the prominent Olsen Family. With such a powerful backing


    and the wits to match it, she was much better than Lisa. Besides that, her daughter was no slouch


    either; if one were to only consider looks, no one could match up to Katherine in Hovington.


    "But, North Peak Nursery Home is an asylum! Can Mom evene out after being admitted there? I


    beg you, Dad. Please send her home, will you?" Rosemary wanted to persuade her father by grabbing


    onto his arm and pleading.


    However, Jorge merely shook her off. "We''ll talk about this when the banquet is over and when your


    mother''s condition gets better. The event is tomorrow night, so prepare yourself. Stop worrying about


    this."


    With a shove, Rosemary fell onto the floor and she looked at her father in disbelief.


    He had always doted on her and never got angry at her. Yet, after Katherine''s return, he had been


    scolding her time and again.


    This made a strange but fearsome feeling growing within Rosemary.


    "You don''t have to be this sad, Rose. I believe that Madam Sutton will be just fine. Remember that it''s


    Dad''s birthday banquet tomorrow. Everything depends on whether you can get close to Robert


    tomorrow. What would they think if they saw Madam Sutton acting madly tomorrow? I''ve heard that


    insanity might be contagious."


    Katherine held Rosemary up while caringly patted her somewhat wrinkled skirt and reminded her.


    She shuddered and looked at Katherine before pushing her away. "What nonsense are you spouting?


    My mother isn''t insane!" After that, she turned around and ran upstairs.


    Completing her act, Katherine smirked as she looked at her back before returning to the couch.


    ¡­


    It was Jorge''s birthday banquet and he had invited all sorts of famous people in Hovington with some of


    them arriving even before 5.00PM.


    Since the Cornell Residence was big enough, the main hall was used as the ce where the banquet


    took ce. Katherine, who was wearing a dark gray dress, was leaning against the railing on the first


    floor and smiled subtly upon seeing the guests downstairs.


    Rosemary was dressed to the nines as well in an off-shoulder dress encrusted in diamonds, making


    her seem very gentle and feminine. Having the looks to back it up, she was the center of attention


    when she walked into the crowd.


    "Rosemary, you look so pretty today! This dress must fetch a pretty penny, no?"


    Jordana looked at Rosemary''s costly dress with a hint of jealousy.


    The Cornells were a second rate family in Hovington. Now that they were about to ally themselves with


    the Levisays, it could be said that their future was very bright. Hence, a lot of people wanted to suck up


    on Jorge now, including Jordana''s father, who had emphasized on building a solid rapport with


    Rosemary.


    "It''s not that expensive. It''s only over a million." Rosemary gave a curt smile, but her gaze was fixated


    on the direction of the main gate.


    It was 6.00PM by now and yet the Levisays were nowhere to be seen. With an anxious heart, she did


    not even know if Robert would show up at this point.


    Just as she was thinking about this, amotion in front of the entrance alerted her. Ignoring Jordana,


    she made a beeline for the entrance.


    Jorge was already at the entrance to wee the guests, which included Hera, Robert, and a man in a


    wheelchair and mask¡ªJoaquin. Their appearance instantly attracted everyone''s attention.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After all, the Levisays were the top family in Hovington and it was rare for people like them to approach


    them, so naturally, the guests present were not going to miss this chance.


    A lot of people''s gaze were directed at Joaquin, especially his legs.


    Looking at the wheelchair bound man who exuded royalty-like aura, Katherine smiled. He actually


    came along. I wonder what his motive is.


    With that in mind, she went down with a ss of wine in her hands.


    Since her own fianc¨¦ was here, it would be inappropriate if she did not wee him.


    "That is the eldest son of the Levisay Family?"


    "Yup. I heard that not only did the ident leave both his legs disabled, he was even disfigured. I


    wonder how ugly he is, seeing how he''s hiding his face behind a mask."


    "I think he should be pretty hideous. Besides, I don''t think he can give birth anymore with his legs being


    disabled and all. Seems like he won''t be able to be the next head of the family."


    Some of thedies there were pointing at Joaquin with obvious disdain in their eyes.


    This made Katherine stop in her footsteps and nced coldly at those people. Walking over to those


    people, she suddenly twirled her ankle and disbnced herself, making the wine in her hand spill onto


    thedies.


    "Ah!"


    "Are you crazy?''


    "What are you doing?"


    Those women did not expect Katherine to do this, seeing that the wine made them all sticky and red.


    "Oh my, I am so sorry. I lost my bnce while walking earlier. Are you alright? Your clothes are all wet


    now. Do you want to go ahead and get changed?" Now that Katherine had regained her bnce, she


    apologized honestly upon seeing the women surrounding her.


    Since she looked so sincere, the women wanted to make it hard on her. Yet, on ount of the


    Levisays being present and what her identity meant now, they did not dare to cause trouble.


    "Whatever. We''ll let you off the hook," they stated grudgingly as they looked at Katherine''s innocent


    and apologetic expression.


    "This won''t do. How much are your dresses worth? I can reimburse you." Katherine stepped forward


    and said.


    "I said, no need."


    "Miss Cornell, I think you should attend to your guests. We can just change into something else. You


    don''t have to pay us."


    The women felt frustrated upon seeing her as she acted very uncouthly. They thought that it was a


    humiliation for them to even exchange one more word with her. They were also in a hurry to maintain


    their image. After all, there were a lot of men from rich families present and they needed to grasp their


    time to choose their partner.


    "No, no, no. I''ve ruined your dresses, so of course I need to reimburse you guys. Let''s see. Your dress


    should be thetest haute couture from Charovsky, right? If I''m correct, this costs around two hundred


    thousand. I''ll give you two hundred thousand then."


    Katherine reached out and tugged on one of their dresses before offering a price.


    Although that person was unhappy, she pursed her lips and did not speak.


    "I''m not sure what you''re wearing though. I do apologize, as I am not well-versed in branded stuff."


    Katherine pointed at another person. "But I''ll give you two hundred thousand for it as well."


    "You!"


    "For you three, I''ll give a million in total. Now that all your dresses belong to me, please take them off


    and give them to me." As soon as Katherine said, she gave them a card.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    "What? Is it too little?"


    Facing their angry gazes and refusal to ept the credit card, Katherine inquired innocently.


    At that moment, she seemed very sincere without any ulterior motives, yet it was these very words that


    landed the women in a very awkward position.


    After entering the premises, Joaquin had been paying attention to where they stood, so he heard those


    women''sments as well.


    Taking another look at how Katherine was acting, he knew that she was protecting and standing up for


    him.


    He scoffed before pushing his wheelchair toward them and looked at the three women coldly. "Did you


    not understand my fianc¨¦''s words?"


    "M-Mr. Levisay¡­"


    Even though the three still managed to keep theirposure in front of Katherine, they were


    instinctively scared when facing Joaquin.


    After all, he had a very bad reputation in the past for being a cruel person with twisted tendencies. Now


    that he was disfigured and disabled, they feared that his mind might have only be more


    psychopathic.


    They then hurriedly took the credit card from Katherine and were about to leave when the man added,


    "Remove your clothes."


    "Kathy, Joaquin, no matter what, it''s Dad''s birthday today. Could you, for my sake¡­"


    Just as the situation was getting heated, Rosemary walked over with Robert. Seeing how it was almost


    about to explode, she quickly tried to interfere and mediate.


    "Your words don''t mean anything to me." Joaquin looked at her nonchntly before looking at his


    brother.


    This made Rosemary''s face go pale.


    Robert then spoke in a gentle manner, "Joaquin, why make it so hard on thesedies? It would stain


    your reputation if word got out too."


    "Why, you say? Because I can." Joaquin satzily on his wheelchair and nodded with arrogance, which


    matched the twisted desires of a man that came off disfigured and disabled from a recent car ident.


    Katherine, who looked at him silently, found that it was such a waste of talent for the man to not pursue


    acting.


    "What happened? Why is everyone crowding around here?"


    Jorge and Hera came in while chatting along happily. Seeing how their children were all gathered here,


    they came over out of curiosity.


    "Madam Levisay, my sister doesn''t really know proper etiquette, so please don''t get angry. She did not


    do this on purpose."


    Hearing this, Rosemary quickly went up and grabbed onto Hera''s hand while exining on behalf of


    Katherine.


    This made Katherine reveal a slight smirk and looked at Hera innocently. "Mom, you''vee at the


    right time. I just happened to twist my ankle and spilled the wine on them, but I''ve already reimbursed


    them by paying them a million and buying their dresses. Did I do anything wrong by wanting them to


    take the dresses off since they''re my property now?"


    While saying all this, she became teary-eyed, looking at if she was wronged.


    Feeling the corner of her mouth twitch, Hera nced at the three angry women then at Katherine


    again. By now, a lot of attention was ced on them, so she knew that she could not just help the


    outsiders.


    While silently cursing Katherine for a knack to cause trouble, she still maintained a smile on the


    surface. "Yup, Kathy is right. Since she forked money for it, it should belong to her now. So, it''s up to


    her to deal with this however she sees fit. Now that you three epted the money, take off your clothes


    and give it to her.


    The trio felt their faces go red, as the tables had turned on them. At that moment, the card in their


    hands was like a hard p that made them dizzy.


    "Kathy, just let this go. They are all women. It would be very inappropriate to force them to undress in


    front of the guests," Rosemary suggested.


    Understanding what she was trying to hint at, Katherine thought about it and decided to concede for the


    sake of Rosemary''s pride, so she nodded. "Since my sister pleaded on you people''s behalf, go upstairs


    and get changed."


    Finally, the trio went upstairs shamefully to change.


    "Madam Levisay, please don''t me my sister for this. She lost her mother at a young age, so nobody


    was there to discipline her. That''s why she can be so rude and persistent. She''s still a kind person at


    heart, though." Rosemary sighed and looked at Katherine before whispering into Hera''s ear, seemingly


    standing up for her.


    Yet, being the sly old fox that Hera was, how could she not know what Rosemary was trying to


    achieve? She simply did not care enough to expose her tricks.


    "Thank you for standing up for me, Future Mrs. Levisay."


    As Hera and Jorge walked away, the crowd dispersed with Joaquin looking at Katherine in a mocking


    undertone.


    Smiling brightly, she walked up to him and blinked before speaking in a serious tone, "If you really want


    to show your gratitude, then repay me the money for the dresses. It''s a million. I''m poor."


    Joaquin''s mouth twitched.


    "I''ll give you the money when I have it." He could sense how close Katherine''s face was and almost felt


    her breath. Although he stayed emotionless, one could see that the tips of his ears were turning red.


    "Tsk, tsk. The young master of the Levisays is so poor that he doesn''t even have a million. How pitiful,"


    Katherinemented.


    "Yes. Since I''m disabled now, I can''t really work," Joaquin replied straightforwardly and went along with


    her.


    The answer took her by surprise as she looked at how serious Joaquin was. He doesn''t look like he''s


    joking.


    Rolling her eyes, she stated, "Whatever. I''m hungry, so I''m going to eat now."


    Katherine then left Joaquin alone before excusing herself in a hurry.


    Looking at her silhouette, Joaquin gradually smirked without realizing that he was smiling.


    The banquet officiallymenced at 8.00PM as the host began his speech onstage while the crowd


    gathered along with ss wine in their hands.


    Jorge, who was wearing a custom ck suit, was smiling and stood by the side.


    It was then Katherine purposely bumped into Rosemary lightly before walking away nonchntly.


    Hesitating for a split second, Rosemary decided to go after her.


    "Are you looking for me, Katherine?"


    The two entered the bathroom. After Katherine looked outside to make sure nobody was near them,


    she spoke in an unfriendly tone, "Do you think you can be Mrs. Levisay by doing this? Rosemary,


    aren''t you being too naive?" Katherine looked at her, thinking that without Lisa to strategize, she was


    truly dumb.


    As expected, Katherine''s words instantly changed Rosemary''s expression before she asked in a low


    tone, "What do you want? Do you have a n to make me into Robert''s wife? Katherine, you just drove


    my mother insane, and now you want to deceive me? I won''t believe you."


    "It''s up to you whether you wanna believe me or not. There''s only one chance, Rosemary, and it''s the


    perfect opportunity. I can guarantee that Robert will have to marry you, unless he wants to forfeit the


    right to inherit the family. If you don''t believe me, you can leave right now."


    Katherine remained calm as if she could not care less.


    Her expression made Rosemary hesitate as she looked at the outstanding man in the crowd not far


    away. Due to her absence, a lot of women had already thrown themselves at him.


    Not only did she want to get married to Robert, she also wanted to be the madam of the Levisays.


    Although she knew that Katherine might have ulterior motives, how could she not ept as long as


    she could achieve her goals?


    When I be the madam of the Levisays, there''ll be plenty of chances to get rid of Katherine


    anyway!


    "Okay. Tell me, then. What do I need to do?"


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    After giving it some thought, Rosemary agreed in the end.


    Smiling, Katherine approached her and slotted a little pouch into her hand. "It''s easy. Just make it so


    that it''s a done deal. It''s Dad''s birthday today. With so many influential people from around town, if you


    do the deed with Robert, then his only choice is to marry you."

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Rosemary became a bit hesitant. "But if I do this, wouldn''t our family''s reputation go down the drain¡ª"


    "Honey, it''s just some fun. What is there to be ashamed about? What, you don''t want to be Mrs.


    Levisay now? You know how exceptional Robert is, don''t you? Now that Joaquin is disabled, the family


    would belong to Robert sooner orter. There''s innumerable families better off than us in Hovington


    and there''s even more qualified women than you in this city. Are you so sure that you can capture his


    heart?"


    Katherine patted her on the shoulder while breaking the cruel reality to her.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    This made Rosemary''s expression change into a sour one.


    Indeed, Katherine was right: it would be an intensepetition to be Robert''s wife. Besides the


    point that Katherine was Joaquin''s fianc¨¦, there was nothing else Rosemary had a leg up over the


    others.


    No matter how much Lisa set her facade up to be some genius or sophisticated woman, Rosemary


    knew her strength very well. Words were merely words at the end of the day. If she really was


    compared to others, she knew that she could not win.


    Looking at the little pouch, Rosemary remained a little reluctant. "Are you sure this would work?"


    "Of course, it would. Even elephants are affected by it." Katherine was very confident.


    This was the form she created herself. Besides doing the deed, there was no other way one could


    fix the symptoms upon consuming it.


    Even though Katherine felt a bit sorry toward Robert, she had been doing her fair share of investigating


    him. Robert, who might seem like an upright man on the surface, was actually a fairly cruel and


    disgusting individual underneath. So, she deemed that it was not much of a loss if he were to be


    implicated in her schemes.


    "Ok! I''ll believe you! If you dare to lie to me, I will never let you off the hook, Katherine!" Rosemary took


    a deep breath and decided to risk it all.


    She had to be Mrs. Levisay no matter what!


    Now that Lisa had been sent to North Peak Nursery Home, she knew that news of this would leak soon


    enough.


    Once that happened and everyone knew that she had an insane mother, who would dare to marry her,


    fearing that she, too, might go insane in the future?


    This really was the perfect opportunity.


    With so many guests present, even if Robert tried to deny it when the dust settled, his family would not


    be able to do so; even by force, she would make him marry her!


    Clutching the little pouch in her hands, she left in a hurry to a secluded spot before secretly mixing the


    powder into the wine.


    The white powder immediately dissolved in the wine and left no trace.


    With an elevated heartbeat, Rosemary returned to Robert''s side as if nothing happened before offering


    the wine to him. "Fancy a drink, Robert?"


    He looked at her while smiling harmlessly and epting the drink, but he was looking down on her on


    the inside.


    Women like Rosemary often threw themselves at him, especially after Joaquin''s ident.


    Sipping the wine, he thanked Rosemary.


    "Hey¡­ The banquet''s a bit boring, isn''t it? How about we go somewhere quieter? Like upstairs?"


    Rosemary, who saw him drink from the ss, was so nervous that her heart was about to jump out


    from her mouth, so she quickly extended her invitation.


    At once, Robert knew what she was aiming for as his impression of her grew worse, but he still rejected


    her gently. "Miss Cornell. Isn''t it a bit inappropriate for a man and woman to be alone?"


    "I-It''s fine. W-We''ll just be chatting upstairs. After all, it''s a bit inconvenient with so many people here."


    Rosemary blushed while clutching her skirt.


    Suddenly, Robert found himself bing warmer while looking at her.


    Paying no heed to this, he only thought that he might have had a bit too much to drink.


    Yet, Rosemary''s embarrassed look did awaken something in him.


    Since she asked for it¡­ He smiled before nodding.


    The two proceeded to leave the crowd and went upstairs.


    Downstairs, Katherine saw the two enter the room. With a smile, she took a sip of her juice with a


    yful gaze.


    I wonder how happy Jorge will be when he knows what is about to happen?


    He''s always wanted Rosemary to be married to the Levisays. Now, he finally got his wish.


    Finishing the juice in one go, Katherine was about to go look for something to eat when she turned


    around and saw Joaquin sitting there, smiling at her with unknown intentions.


    Slightly guilty, she touched her nose and stuttered, "Um¡­ How long have you been here?"


    "When you gave Rosemary the drug and wanted her to spike Robert''s drink." Joaquin smiled and


    gazed at Katherine, looking very mysterious.


    Feeling her heart skip a beat, she did not think that he would witness that.


    Still, she kept her calm and replied, "So, shouldn''t you thank me for helping you?"


    "Hm. Then, thank you, I guess?" Joaquin replied naturally.


    This made Katherine speechless as she found the man in front of her to not be easily deceived. He''s


    too sharp. I don''t like this.


    At this point, Katherine was starting to regret her decision. If her fianc¨¦ was too smart, her life after


    marriage might not be as smooth as she thought it would be. What if she slipped up identally?


    Just as she was looking at Joaquin, wondering what were the consequences of annuling their


    engagement, the host had finished his speech and invited Jorge to step onstage in a sea of apuse.


    She lifted her head to gaze toward the stage as the corner of her lips curled with anticipation. Now, let''s


    see the look on your face.


    As the guests watched Jorge walk on stage, he took the microphone from the host.


    Yet, just as he was about to open his mouth, the lights dimmed with a projection appearing behind him.


    Before they could react to this, a video started ying on the screen.


    It was a bedroom and in it spotted a man and woman kissing passionately.


    "Wow!"


    "Isn''t that Mr. Robert Levisay?"


    "I think the woman is the daughter of the Cornells, Rosemary."


    "My God. Is this live?"


    "Is this some special show to spice up the event?"


    The guests fell into heated discussion while the elderly group blushed, feeling second-hand


    embarrassment for them.


    Hera, who did not expect this to happen, felt a shortness of breath and nearly had a heart attack.


    Stunned by this, Jorge only turned around after losing hisposure for a while when the live sound


    came from the speaker.


    The scene made his blood gush straight to his head and his eyes rolled backward, making him faint out


    of sheer anger.


    Seeing how chaotic it was getting, Katherine ced down the winess in her hand.


    Joaquin turned and looked at her only to find an expressionless face with cold eyes.


    Pursing his lips, he stayed silent before directing his gaze to the video with a mysterious look.


    "Turn that off! Quick! Shut that down!"


    Hera managed to react to the situation as she clutched her chest and shouted.


    The Cornell''s butler rushed to shut the projector down, but the chaos did not end there.


    Since it was Jorge''s birthday today, not only were there plenty of guests, some paparazzis had also


    managed to snuck in. Originally, they only wanted to see if they could get an exclusive scoop, yet they


    never thought that such an outrageous scandal would happen before their eyes. Instantaneously, the


    paparazzis recorded the scene excitedly without any care for how messy the venue had be. With


    a fresh scoop on their hands, they quickly hurried back and started writing up their most breaking


    headlines.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    "My God, there''s actually such a huge scandal at this time of the day?"


    "Isn''t this the second daughter of the Cornells, Rosemary? Wasn''t she supposed to be some beauty


    with brains? I didn''t know she was so loose."


    "I''ve heard that her mother was a mistress and forced the original wife to her death before bing


    thewful wife of the Cornells. With a mistress as her mother, how far can the apple fall from the tree?"


    "That''s disgusting."


    "The only thing I''m curious about is why they were live streaming this? Did someone screw with them?"


    On the same night, the video of Robert and Rosemary got uploaded onto Twitter as it immediately


    trended with a few headlines and hashtags.


    ''Shocking! The genius beauty actuallymitted such an act!''


    #RobertLevisayAndRosemaryCornell


    #JorgeCornellsBirthdayBanquet


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Due to this, both Levisay Group and Cornell Group got affected a lot. Thankfully, it was already at night,


    so the stock market had already closed. Still, the public could only predict that bothpany''s stock


    prices would take a steep dive by tomorrow morning.


    Back at the Cornell Residence.


    Due to the scandal and Jorge fainting, the guests were politely escorted out of the residence with only


    the Levisays and Cornell''s remaining.


    Sitting on his wheelchair, Joaquin shut his eyes and kept his silence.


    On the other hand, Hera still had not caught her breath as she was thoroughly livid.


    The ''stars'' of the night, Robert and Rosemary, hade down by now, but it was apparent that the


    drug was still in effect as he was still hugging and touching her everywhere.


    After Jorge was saved, he was sitting on the couch with a pale face.


    "D-Dad, l-listen to me. This¡­"


    Rosemary''s brain went nk, for she did not expect that things would be blown out of proportion. Why


    did my room have a camera in it? It even showed everything that happened inside.


    Out of panic and anger, she soon understood that Katherine must have wanted to frame her from the


    start!


    No wonder she was so kind to give me that drug and even advised me on how to get Robert''s heart! It


    turns out that she was scheming this all along!


    After grasping the truth, Rosemary stared at Katherine. "It''s you, isn''t it? You did it on purpose. It was


    you who installed that camera in my room. Your aim is to ruin my reputation, isn''t it?"


    Katherine looked at her innocently and exined, "My dear sister, how could you frame me like this? I-I


    didn''t know you would do this kind of thing with Mr. Levisay. As for you saying that I installed the


    camera in your room, that''s even more imusible. I don''t live here and I haven''t once gone into your


    room, so how could I do that?"


    Wronged, Katherine looked at her father all teary-eyed and said with a choked tone, "Dad, since


    Rosemary is so prejudiced against me, I don''t think I''ll be staying here any longer. I don''t want her to


    randomly me me on things I have nothing to do with if anything happens in the future."


    Rosemary, who did not think that Katherine would flip the tables like this, felt her chest nearly burst


    from anger as she stood up and shouted at her, "You''re still not admitting it, Katherine! It was you who


    gave me the drug and wanted me to spike Robert''s drink, saying that once the deed was done, he''ll


    have to¡­"


    Halfway in her sentence, Rosemary realized her mistake and quickly shut up, but she still directed a


    hateful re at Katherine.


    Katherine covered her face, sobbing. "You''ve misunderstood me. How could I do such a thing? Why


    would I do such a thing? What good would it bring me? Rose, I know that you are upset that this


    happened, but this isn''t the time to be pointing fingers at each other. Now that the media has reported


    this, we have to discuss how to minimize the risk."


    "Dad¡­" Rosemary looked unwillingly at Jorge, who was extremely disappointed at her right then.


    Even though he did want her to get married to the Levisays, it was by no means using this kind of


    method!


    If this happened, how would the Levisays see Rosemary?


    Even if she got married to Robert, she would have no say in the family at all in the future! She might


    even be worse off than Katherine, who was about to marry Joaquin!


    He never thought that the daughter he put so much effort into raising would be ruined like this.


    Disappointed, he could not resist the feeling of pain and anger taking over him.


    "Madam Levisay, this is all because I failed to educate my daughter. I''m really sorry about this. How do


    you want to settle this matter?"


    Jorge lowered his head in front of Hera. Since this had unfolded into a major issue, Rosemary would be


    ruined for the rest of her life if Robert did not wish to take responsibility for her. It would also be difficult


    for anyone reputable to marry her in the future.


    "You''re asking me that? You''re asking me about your daughter''s scandal? My family''s dignity has been


    shattered by them!"


    Livid, Hera had still yet to regain herposure as she sensed an iing migraine upon looking at


    Robert.


    Now that everyone in the Levisays knew about this, Elizabeth even called to question her earlier. In


    severe panicking mode, Hera did not even know where to begin!


    Seeing that they had no other choice, she could only clench her teeth and agree to the marriage


    between Robert and Rosemary. Otherwise, the rumors would only worsen!


    Clearly, Rosemary was not the daughter-inw of her choice, but Hera had no option but to ept the


    fact now. One could only imagine how frustrated she was at this point.


    "Bring Robert back in this instance! We''re going back right now! Jorge Cornell, I understand now why


    you were in such a hurry to celebrate your birthday! It looks like you''ve been nning this all along!


    You certainly are something, aren''t you?"


    Hera directed her anger at Jorge as she snorted before ordering her people to bring Robert away.


    After watching all of this unfold, Katherine was getting sleepy as the drama came to an end. Seeing


    how Joaquin was just sitting there with no intention of leaving and how Hera did not bother her,


    Katherine gave it some thought and walked over before putting her hands on the wheelchair. "Dad, it''s


    gettingte now. I''ll send Joaquin home first."


    With so many thoughts jumbled in his brain, Jorge did not have time to care about this.


    He looked at Joaquin then Katherine and spoke in a tired manner, "It''s fine. Since it''s already sote,


    how about Joaquin, you spend the night in our house?"


    "I don''t think that''s a good idea, Dad. With Rosemary''s incident fresh in mind, if Joaquin was to spend


    the night in our house, the media mighte up with another absurd article. If that happens, then our


    reputation would truly be in the gutter," Katherine rejected his suggestion at once.


    Are you kidding me? Wanting Joaquin to spend the night here? I wouldn''t mind if the man was


    disabled, but he isn''t. God knows what would happen with a man and a woman alone in a room.


    Katherine was afraid that she might not be able to control herself and kill him by ident.


    "You make more sense. Send him back, then. Do be careful when driving." Jorge was reminded of the


    fact and chided himself for being so thoughtless.


    Looking at Katherine again, Jorge found his adoration toward her increasing significantly.


    With noparison brought no harm, it was obvious to see who was better¡ªthe logical Katherine or


    the reckless Rosemary.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    When Katherine came out of the Cornell Residence with Joaquin, the Levisays'' chauffeur was already


    waiting outside.


    Exiting thepound, Joaquin did not bother to act anymore as he stood up and got into the car.


    Katherine smirked at that sight, feeling a bit speechless.


    The chauffeur then folded the wheelchair and kept it in the boot before looking at her. "Are youing


    with us, Miss Cornell?"


    Hearing this, Joaquin looked up at her with a deep, dark gaze that resembled an eddy.


    Just as Katherine was about to reject him, she heard the man say, "Get in."


    His forceful tone did not allow room for her to say ''no''.


    She knew that if she was to go back in now, Rosemary would go head-to-head with her. Not wanting to


    argue with her, Katherine thought about it and entered the car before shutting the door.


    The chauffeur then started the car and left the residence.


    "You knew how to concoct medicine?" The powder Katherine gave Rosemary was seen by him; even


    sniffing it from so far away made him a bit excited. He knew full well that this kind of drug was not for


    sale.


    On top of that, he was aware that Katherine knew pharmaceuticals, so she was the only suspect that


    could have formted it.


    Yawning, Katherine leaned on the seatzily and looked at him. "What are you talking about, Mr.


    Levisay? I don''t get you. I''m a bit tired now, so I want to sleep. I''m heading back to Soulin International.


    What about you?"


    "Soulin International." Joaquin looked at her, but he did not expose her for feigning innocence.


    "Let''s go, then." She nodded.


    As such, the chauffeur dropped them off at their destination with Joaquin opening the door and getting


    off by himself. Meanwhile, a lightheaded Katherine was yawning along her steps and she felt that


    something was off.


    Stumbling in her footsteps, she walked in a ''Z'' pattern.


    When Joaquin saw her walking like a directionless machine and nearly hitting themppost, he smiled


    and reached out to help her up.


    Katherine peered at him for a while before whistling out of nowhere. "You''re quite a hottie, aren''t you?"


    The man remained silent.


    "Katherine?" He felt that there was something strange with her.


    On the way here, she did look somewhat tired and lethargic, but why does she look drunk now?


    In actuality, Katherine was indeed drunk.


    She had a ''bug'' when it came to consuming alcohol; her body would not react much when she first


    consumed it, but the effect would only manifest itself after a few hours.


    Back at the banquet, the sweet juice she was drinking was actually a cocktail with high alcohol


    concentration.


    "Why are you wearing a mask? Can you take it off? Are you that ugly?" Katherine was hanging onto his


    body while reaching out, trying to remove the mask.


    Taken aback by her sudden movement, Joaquin could not dodge it in time and the mask was soon


    taken off by her.


    She held his face and examined it beforementing, "You''re quite handsome. Not ugly. But¡­ Why


    do you look a bit familiar?"


    Joaquin did not know what to say.


    "Y-Y-You¡­ Have I met you before?" Katherine asked again without waiting for Joaquin to answer.


    With a solemn expression, Joaquin was just thinking how she would react if she recognized the person


    in the hotel that day to be him. Yet the next second, Katherine suddenly sang, "Oh, what a night. Late


    December¡­"


    Poker-faced, the man held her up and walked into the elevator.


    Due to the alcohol, Katherine was in predatory mode, which was evident from the amount of times she


    touched Joaquin.


    Still, the man stood as upright as a pencil and he was barely affected by it. Next thing he knew, she


    clung onto him like a sloth. "Hey, handsome, I''m very tired. I don''t want to walk anymore. Can you carry


    me?"


    The corner of his lips instantly twitched upon the sudden ttery.


    The drunk Katherine was much too different than how she normally acted and he was confused as to


    which one was the real her.


    Hanging onto him, Katherine feared that she might fall down, so she wrapped her legs around his waist


    while hugging him by the neck tightly. The scent from her grew stronger and more familiar to him,


    especially her speech pattern and action, which gave him a sense of nostalgia.


    As the elevator reached the eighteenth floor, Joaquin supported her body by holding onto her hip and


    carried her out of the elevator.


    "Hey. Wake up. What is the password?" He stood at the entrance of her house and looked at the


    numberpad before patting Katherine.


    Opening her eyes in a stupor, she looked at the handsome man and gave him a peck, unable to hold


    back. "You''re so impatient, handsome. The password, huh? Let me think¡­ Ah! It''s 162020."


    With a darkened expression, Joaquin could feel the saliva on his face, but he did not find it disgusting


    either as his body did not reject it. This never happened before.


    All these years, there was no other woman, except Beatrice, that approached him without a strong


    sense of rejection from his body.


    Katherine was the second one to do so.


    Hastily opening the door, he carried her in with a somewhat ragged breath. After entering the house, he


    found her room and threw her onto the bed, nning to leave immediately.


    Yet, the moment he turned around, Katherine suddenly hugged him from behind. "Hey handsome, don''t


    go yet. Stay here and apany me. I can give you money. How much do you want? I have loads of


    money."


    "Do you treat other men like this too?" Her action displeased Joaquin as he felt a burning sensation


    within him that he himself could not exin.


    "What? No. I only treat you like this." Katherine smiled slyly and touched Joaquin''s chin. Without any


    hesitation, she kissed him again.


    nking out, Joaquin felt a familiar yet strange sensation engulfing him. On top of that, he could still


    taste the cocktail from her lips.


    She was very clumsy, yet it was full of tease and sultriness, making him nearly lose control.


    By the time he snapped back to his senses, Katherine was already taking his belt off.


    "Katherine!" Joaquin was angry as he pushed the woman aside.


    With a distant gaze, Katherine looked at him puzzlingly with a pout. She looked very inviting then, yet


    she was not aware of this.


    Breathing raggedly, Joaquin adjusted his shirt and dared not continue staying there.


    If he did, he feared that he might lose control.


    This is crazy!


    Ever since he and Beatrice did it by ident five years ago, he had never bore such a strong desire for


    another woman until now.


    With a solemn face, he ran out from Katherine''s home and stood outside upon shutting the door. It was


    then his lips pursed and his expression gradually darkened.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The bodily signals were usually the most honest when it came to fight or flight situations. At that


    moment, he wanted Katherine and this something he was sure of.


    Besides, when she was kissing him earlier, he saw remnants of Beatrice on her from five years ago.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    "Ugh¡­"


    The next morning came and Katherine found herself lying on the floor with thin clothing, splitting


    headache, and an aching body as if a car had just run her over.


    Holding her forehead, she sat up with her brain still a bit dull, so she had no impression of what


    transpiredst night.


    By the time she was more awake, she remembered that Joaquin might have sent her backst night.


    So, did I do something inappropriate to himst night while I was drunk?


    Looking at the obvious bruise on her wrist and the soreness from her body, she fell into deep doubt.


    Ring¡­ Ring¡­


    The loud ringtone reverberated in Katherine''s room.


    She rose up from the bathtub, grabbed a towel, and wrapped herself with it before walking out. She


    smiled coldly upon seeing the caller.


    Rosemary must be livid by now. She must be calling to settle the matter with me.


    Yet, she merely hung up and opened Twitter to see how things had progressed.


    After a night, the incident concerning Rosemary and Robert was spread virally. Plus, a lot of people


    came out to further defame her. When the stock market opened that morning, Cornell Corporation''s


    stock had dropped by two points, whereas Levisay Corporation was also affected.


    Yet, the Levisays were still rtively calm as they had yet to make any announcements. Perhaps, they


    wanted to observe the situation further.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Although Robert was the second son of the Levisays, he was not the only inheritor of the family, so his


    scandal did not really affect thepany as severely as one might assume.


    Katherine scrolled through her feed absentmindedly before tapping on her phone screen. Smiling slyly,


    she opened an anonymous ount and shared a video.


    Since the Levisay Corporation isn''t making any moves, I can help them along.


    The video was just freshly uploaded, but it immediately trended.


    Since there were already many people attracted to the scandal, it was instinctive of them to want to


    know more, so the video received major attention upon being released.


    In just a few short minutes, the views climbed to over two hundred thousand with only more toe.


    Keeping her phone away, Katherine was in a good mood.


    Since Rosemary would be able to get married to Robert soon, Dad must be feeling quite happy as well.


    At the Cornell Residence, Jorge found himself restless sincest night, thanks to Rosemary''s incident.


    When he awoke in the morning, Ethan was rushing toward him and gave him the phone in a panic.


    Before he could continue, the video had yed.


    Watching the video made him freeze up as his body lost its control. All he could feel was the shortness


    of breath while the blood shot straight to his head. He could no longer stand straight and his sight went


    pitch ck before he finally fainted.


    "Mr. Cornell! Quick, someone! Mr. Cornell has fainted! Send him to the hospital!" Ethan was shocked


    and quickly called for help. Carrying him up, they soon sent him to the hospital.


    The doctors managed to save him from a sudden cerebral hemorrhage since they arrived at the


    hospital in time.


    "Goddamn it! Damn it!" Jorge woke up and pounded his chest.


    "Mr. Cornell, don''t be so agitated. Your health matters more." Ethan stepped forward and persuaded


    him.


    After coughing for a while, Jorge looked at him. "What sin have Imitted? Why did I raise such an


    animal?"


    "Mr. Cornell, perhaps Miss has her own reasons." Ethan tried to sugarcoat his words, but he did not


    know what problems could drive a person to do that.


    "You don''t have to speak up for her. I''ve raised her for so many years. To think that I was satisfied with


    how she turned out to be, a beauty with brains and talent; I did not think that she would be so


    shameless!"


    The exhausted Jorge was thoroughly disappointed.


    Rosemary had let him down yet again.


    Not denying this, Ethan did notment further.


    "Cough, cough. Where is that wench?" Jorge coughed again. With a pale face, he felt a sinking feeling


    in his chest. Since Rosemary was not present in the ward, he turned to ask Ethan.


    "Miss Rose went out at midnight yesterday. She still hasn''t returned,." Ethan replied awkwardly.


    "That good-for-nothing! Tell them to block all her cards! I''ve been too soft on her all these years!" the


    livid Jorge shouted.


    Hearing that, Ethan affirmed before turning to fulfill his instruction.


    Jorge clutched his chest and suddenly thought of Katherine. Although she was not close to him when


    she was young, at least she still acted sensibly now unlike Rosemary, who made him lose all his


    dignity.


    Now that his anger had dissipated slightly, he picked up his phone and called his new favorite daughter.


    Katherine, who was still having breakfast leisurely in her house, stopped upon seeing the caller. Then,


    she stood up and answered, "Hello. Dad? Is everything ok?"


    "Kathy, where are you? I want to see you. Could youe meet me?" Upon hearing his daughter''s


    voice, Jorge found himself thinking about histe wife.


    Elsie was the most beautiful woman in Hovington then with countless men falling for her, yet she chose


    none of them. In the end, she chose the poor guy that had nothing and birthed a boy and girl for him.


    Unfortunately, he was hypnotized by Lisa then and led Elsie to her death. Recalling the events now,


    how could Lisa everpare to her?


    Had he not believed Lisa''s words and assumed Elsie''s betrayal, he would not have ended her and led


    Katherine to be estranged from him. Now that Keith was also spoiled by Lisa, he regretted this all too


    late.


    "Are you alright, Dad? Where are you? I''ming over right now." Katherine acted very shocked with


    undisguised care in her tone.


    Hearing her concern made the man feel very warm. "I''m at Hovington Hospital. My ward is on the


    sixteenth floor, Room V1688."


    "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat? I can bring something if you want," Katherine added


    caringly.


    "Sure, sure!" Jorge was moved.


    After a few more caring sentences, Katherine hung up the call.


    As she looked at the half eaten breakfast, she pursed her lips and took a thermos with her before


    packing her breakfast along.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Katherine wore a white T-shirt and denim jeans before slipping into a white pair of canvas shoes. She


    tied her hair into a ponytail, which made her look youthful.


    With the thermos in her hands, she went out and closed the door only to hear the door beside hers


    clicking open. Shortly after, Joaquin emerged from his foyer.


    The man had changed into a different mask today; it was gold colored.


    Katherine was not sure whether she was overthinking things, but he seemed very gloomy to her as if


    he was frustrated.


    ncing at him multiple times, she decided to greet him casually, "Hello, my fianc¨¦. What a


    coincidence. Are you going out too?"


    Joaquin, who looked at the calm Katherine, directed his gaze on her thermos. "Where are you going?"


    Although it was a very rxed tone, she felt that there was a tinge of questioning and unhappiness


    seeping in his voice.


    Puzzled, she looked at him. "My dear fianc¨¦, are you asking me this out of concern or the need to


    control?"


    Joaquin was very frustrated as he recalled what happenedst night upon seeing her.


    This damned woman. After seducing me, she''s acting as if nothing happened. I dreamt throughout the


    whole night and it was the first time I slept so badly.


    Since he did not sleep well, he was in a terrible mood, especially when he saw how nonchnt the


    culprit was, which made him even angrier.


    "Aren''t you confident in yourself? I was just asking," Joaquin replied in an unkind tone.


    Katherine thought that the man was behaving very weirdly today.


    "If you''re just simply asking, then I won''t answer you. See you, Mr. Fianc¨¦." She waved at him with the


    thermos in hand and walked into the elevator.


    Standing on the spot, he took a moment before entering the elevator with her.


    As it was not a big space, he smelled the faint scent from the woman again, making his brain recall the


    memories fromst night as his expression darkened further.


    The whole atmosphere was very depressive with Katherine ncing at him from time to time. Yet, her


    reactions were seen as a form of seduction in his eyes!


    This made Joaquin tug on his cor impatiently.


    It had been five years!


    In those five years, no matter how frequently he met up with Beatrice, he found himself feeling nothing


    for her despite her consistent hints and action.


    Yet, Katherine''s sultry advancesst night made him burn up inside, causing every cell in his body to


    feel excited even now. Not only did this feeling not subside, it grew even stronger when he saw her


    again.


    At this present moment, the woman was in close proximity to him and he could see her slender neck


    with a few hair ends falling around it. He could not deny that she looked very seductive at that very


    second.


    What was the hardest to endure was the faint scent that wafted into his nose.


    It was like poison that he could not release himself from.


    "Have you forgotten all aboutst night?"


    Katherine turned around and looked at him. "Last night? Did something happen between usst night?"


    "You really don''t remember?" Joaquin walked out of the elevator.


    With the elevator''s doors closed, they were only about ten centimeters apart and Katherine''s face was


    about to touch his chest.


    This made her subconsciously retreat, but just as she lifted her foot, she found her waist being held


    tightly before getting pulled forward. Just like that, she fell into his embrace.


    The man''s low voice whispered in her ear, "Do you need me to help jog your memory, hm?"


    His action made Katherine''s heart beat faster as she froze up. The intimacy brought up some bad


    memories within her that she felt disgusted by.


    Subconsciously, she reached out and ced one hand on his chest while grabbing a silver needle


    silently. She nned on stabbing it into his death acupuncture point and sending him to meet his end if


    he was to take another step forward.


    Naturally, Joaquin saw this and peered at her hands. Just as he was about to make a move, they heard


    a shocked and uneasy voiceing from not afar. "Joe?"


    Beatrice could not believe what she was seeing!


    How dare she!


    How could Katherine seduce my man?


    Also, doesn''t Joaquin hate women approaching him? Did he realize that the woman from five years


    ago was actually Katherine and not me?


    Panicking, she ran over with a pale face and clenched fist. Then, she grabbed Katherine by the


    shoulder and shook her off, attempting to p her.


    Yet, her hand was firmly caught before it made contact.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The strength nearly crushed her wrist.


    In disbelief, Beatrice turned around to look at the man grabbing her wrist. "Joe?"


    Joaquin pursed his lips and his chin was clenched hard. He could not even begin to exin why he lost


    control earlier. After seeing Beatrice''s teary expression, he recalled how she sacrificed everything for


    him five years ago and he finally calmed down. Letting go of her wrist, he hugged her by the waist.


    This made Beatrice happy as she stared intently at her man.


    They had been together for five years now, yet Joaquin had never touched her no matter how much


    she hinted. Is our rtionship going to progress this time?


    "Joe?'' As Beatrice found it hard to hide her excitement and surprise, she called out to him carefully.


    Joaquin looked at the dainty face, which could not hide its happiness, as emotions were written all over


    her countenance.


    Yup, this should be the kind of pure woman I like. How could it ever be someone like Katherine?


    Comforting himself, he hugged Beatrice and turned around. After pressing the button to call for the


    elevator, he did not look at Katherine again.


    She stood there stiffly and regained herposure upon gazing at the couple. Not having any other


    feelings, she turned around and left.


    Thinking of how intimate they were earlier just disgusted her, especially when Joaquin embraced her


    before hugging Beatrice. For some reason, this made her reject the notion very much.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin brought Beatrice into the elevator silently until the elevator reached the eighteenth


    floor with the two entering his apartment.


    Before the door closed, he held Beatrice''s face with both hands and lowered his head, trying very hard


    to kiss her.


    Yet, his body rejected this notion automatically. A simple kiss became an insurmountable task in front of


    him.


    At that moment, Beatrice looked up with her eyes closed as her long eyshes trembled slightly,


    showing how nervous she was.


    Staring at her for a long time, Joaquin found himself in a very calm state. The emotions when he was


    facing Katherine earlier were all but gone now.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    "Joe?" Beatrice asked bewilderedly as she had waited for a long time, but Joaquin''s next move never


    came. As such, she couldn''t help sneaking a peek at him.


    On the other hand, the man in question had already released her, and he looked as gentle as ever.


    "I''ve frightened you, haven''t I? Sorry."


    Beatrice was originally apprehensive, for she thought the way he looked at her was somewhat off.


    Seeing that he was still the gentle man she knew, she heaved a sigh of relief and gently tugged on his


    hand, whining, "You know me, Joe. I don''t mind if you want to."


    Joaquin kept his profound gaze at her, his head lowered, finally speaking after a long while. "I still have


    something to do. Where are you heading off to? I''ll give you a ride."


    "Joe¡­" Anxious, Beatrice took an unconscious step forward.


    How could she miss this rare opportunity? Joaquin was already this close to kissing her!


    s, the man had always been one to do whatever he said. Just like that, he grabbed her hand and led


    her out the door, not giving her a chance to speak up.


    Beatrice''s eyes turned slightly red, feeling disheartened. She followed behind Joaquin with a lowered


    head. Because his strides were wide, she had a hard time catching up to him.


    "Joe, you¡­ You don''t like me anymore, do you?"


    He had never treated her like this. Even when he kept his distance in the past, he was never like this.


    It was still the same gentle gaze, smile, and tone, but her instincts told her that everything had


    changed.


    Did Joaquin find out what actually went down five years ago? How is that possible, though?


    There hadn''t been any surveince cameras there at all, and she had disguised it perfectly after that.


    There was absolutely no way there would be a mishap.


    He can''t possibly know!


    Beatrice followed Joaquin apprehensively. The pair arrived in front of the elevator pretty quickly, and


    Joaquin only turned to look at her after pressing the button. His gaze was filled withpassion as


    ever. "A penny for your thoughts? I''ve said that I won''t do anything to you before marrying you. It''s for


    your own good too."


    Beatrice lowered her head and couldn''t help shedding a tear. "B-But we''ve been together for five years,


    Joe, and you won''t even kiss me. If you really have feelings for me, w-would you do this? You''re now


    engaged to Katherine. She''s pretty and smart, I¡­"


    She expressed her fear and anxiety to the fullest.


    She was indeed absolutely fearful and anxious right then, worried about her gains and losses.


    Joaquin narrowed his eyes upon hearing Katherine''s name. His gaze had turned colder, and his


    fathomless eyes wereced with a hit of malice. "This has nothing to do with her."


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Beatrice''s heart leaped a beat upon hearing his words, and she reflexively looked up at the man.


    "Don''t get ideas in your head. My status is not of the ordinary, and you''ll only be in more danger if you


    stay by my side. Cornell is just a decoy. You should know that," Joaquin exined to her in detail with


    rare patience, reassuring her a little. At that, she clutched his hand and pleaded, "You have to swear


    that you''ll never fall in love with her, okay?"


    Joaquin felt somewhat guilty at seeing the gorgeous girl filled with apprehension and severe insecurity.


    He had hurt her five years ago, after all. However, she never minded it and even stayed by his side all


    these years, never having done anything out of line.


    He was the one who had crossed the line. To think he''d snub her because of Katherine.


    As the thought crossed his mind, he patted Beatrice''s head gently. "Alright, I swear if I ever fall in love


    with Katherine, I will never be able to marry the woman I love and live the rest of my life alone. How


    about that?"


    "Don''t jinx yourself like that! I-I don''t want you to swear anymore." Beatrice reached her hands out in a


    panic to cover his mouth. But right as she got close, the smell of her sweet perfume followed, and


    Joaquin nearly reflexively took a step back, avoiding her touch.


    Beatrice was visibly disappointed. Joaquin''s resistance toward her was too obvious. Even with what


    happened five years ago acting as a precondition, his body would still very honestly reject her.


    At that, she subconsciously clenched her fists while pursing her lips. "I''m sorry, Joe."


    Right as Joaquin wanted to speak, the elevator door opened with a ping. With that, he pulled her


    inside, but neither said a word, and the air in the car turned somewhat silent and depressed.


    As the elevator traveled down, several people came in from other levels, and upon seeing the mask on


    Joaquin''s face, they would subconsciously move away. Their gaze at him would even be one with


    judgment.


    Though Joaquin was unaffected by it, Beatrice couldn''t stand it.


    In particr, she heard two young women next to her discussing if Joaquin was so ugly that he couldn''t


    show his face to the public and that he looked like a bad guy wearing a mask in broad daylight.


    "What are you two smoking?! How dare you talk about Joe like that! Apologize to him this instant!"


    Beatrice, who was already seething with anger, lunged angrily at the nearest young woman, reaching


    her hands out to scratch thetter''s face.


    Right then, the young woman before her eyes was Katherine, that ever-present Katherine who chased


    after them from Fontan all the way back to Cechirus!


    I can never feel safe as long as that woman is still by Joaquin''s side! That woman cannot live! I have to


    kill Cornell! I must! Beatrice''s eyes turned bloodshot with deep malice.


    Joaquin watched as the two young women grappled with each other, and the young girl''s friend jumped


    in and helped to fight Beatrice. Nheless, Beatrice was a coddled daughter of an affluent family, so


    there was no way she could win the fight with the two young women. Very quickly, she was pinned to


    the floor and bullied.


    At that, Joaquin went forward and pulled the two young women away with one in each hand, saving


    Beatrice from them.


    The woman''s hair and clothes had be disheveled at this point, and her face was also covered with


    scratch marks, looking exceptionally miserable.


    Standing next to Joaquin, she wiped her tears away while bawling, "Joe''s not some troll! He''s not!


    None of you have the right to call him names!"


    Joaquin lowered his head to look at Beatrice''s pitiful look. Even at this time, she was still defending him


    wholeheartedly. However, look at what the heck he had done to her just now!


    At that, he pulled her into his arms and looked toward the two young women with a piercing gaze.


    "Apologize to her."


    "Who are you yelling at?! There are cameras in the elevator. Why should we apologize when she


    started it?! Do you think you can bully women just because you''re a man?!" The two young women


    retorted, not to be outdone, leading Joaquin''s gaze to turn colder by the second.


    Just then, the elevator door opened. Katherine looked somewhat annoyed, and behind her, a frivolous


    young man sauntered in. As the two were really good-looking, they attracted a lot of attention.


    On the other side of the elevator, the second the door pulled apart, Katherine looked at the situation


    inside the car with bafflement. She nced at Beatrice before shifting her gaze to the two valiant and


    gant young women.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    "Whoa, is this a fight I''m seeing?" Aberama''s eyes lit up upon seeing themotion inside the


    elevator, and he bypassed Katherine to take a closer look.


    Katherine rolled her eyes in response, speechless by the man''s love for juicy gossip.


    He might be a man, but he was more gossipy than a woman.


    The young girl blushed upon seeing Aberama''s good looks and hurriedly went up to him, hoping he


    could mediate the situation. "Please settle a debate for us, mister. This woman is nuts. We were just


    talking, and she suddenly threw herself at us. But now, this mister wants us to apologize. What kind of


    savageness is this?!"


    "Hmm, you''re right. It''s not right of them to do so." Aberama wanted bigger drama.


    "I know, right?! She''s in the wrong!" The young girl found Aberama good-looking and reasonable, which


    was much better than the rude masked man.


    "You liar! You maligned Joe! You guys called him ugly!" Beatrice argued with red-rimmed eyes while


    looking aggrievedly at Aberama. That gaze of hers was clearly one of ogling.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, Katherine quirked her lips as she stood to one side. What are they, children?! How can


    they be fighting over something so minor?!


    "Hmm, you''re right too." Aberama nodded thoughtfully and nced at the young girl in front of him. "It


    is indeed wrong of you two to call people ugly behind their backs."


    Having led astray just like that, the young girl reflexively retorted, "We didn''t say it behind his back, did


    we?! We clearly said it in his presence¡­"


    It was only then she realized what she had just said. Blushing with embarrassment, she looked at


    Aberama before shifting her gaze to Joaquin and finally said with unwilling resignation, "I''m sorry. It


    was wrong of us to talk about your looks in the first ce. However, she can''t assault for no reason


    either."


    "I¡­" Beatrice looked toward Joaquin for aid, not knowing what to say.


    At that, Joaquin shielded her and looked at the two young women with a quirked brow. "I condone her


    actions. You have a problem with that?"


    "You''re unbelievable! Let''s go, Selina!" Livid, the young woman red at Joaquin and took her friend


    away at once.


    It wasn''t until the free drama was over and the two young women had left that Katherine went to pull


    Aberama over. "Have you never considered applying for residentmittee mediator since you like


    helping people so much?"


    "I do, but they don''t want me!" Aberama bemoaned, causing Katherine to snort in amusement before


    dragging the man into the elevator. Seeing that Joaquin and Beatrice were still in the car, she couldn''t


    help but ask, "Are you two not stepping out?"


    Joaquin wanted to leave, but seeing that Katherine had brought another man home, he stood grimly on


    the spot and looked at Katherine with a piercing gaze.


    "No? I''ll press on the floors, then." Katherine dismissed Joaquin''s gaze and pressed the eighteenth


    floor.


    "Your apartment''s pretty sweet." Aberama leaned against the elevator and checked the car out before


    looking at Katherine with envy. "It was already sold out when I was nning to get it. How did you


    manage to get it so quickly? From what I heard, only inside personnel of Soulin International can


    purchase Phase 1."


    "Yeah," answered Katherine inattentively.


    Soulin International''s apartments sold pretty well. There was only one block for Phase 1, but the


    management here differed from the other phases. The entire building was protected by intelligent


    prevention and control software, thus making the security here much better.


    It was evident that the two girls were no in Janes if they could live here.


    While Aberama was speaking, Joaquin took a subconscious nce at Katherine.


    Catheryn noticed it and pursed her lips before pulling them into a smile, looking toward Katherine.


    "Howe you have internal channels to get an apartment here, Miss Cornell? Correct me if I''m


    wrong, but wasn''t it five years ago when Soulin International first sold its residencies? Just how old


    were you at that time?!"


    Hearing so, Katherine took azy nce at the woman. "I was probably younger than you."


    Beatrice choked in response, then retorted with unwilling resignation, "You must be sopetent to


    have the ability to buy Soulin''s residency, Miss Cornell."


    The insinuation was so strong that even Aberama couldn''t help taking a gander at Beatrice with a


    reflexive frown.


    He knew well just howpetent Katherine was, so he didn''t think it''d be impossible for her to


    purchase a residency by Soulin International.


    In fact, he even suspected that thepany could actually be hers.


    "Just because you''re ipetent doesn''t mean others are. You sound so jealous that even I can


    sense it from miles away," Aberama couldn''t help gibbing after taking a gander at Beatrice.


    Beatrice''s countenance turned absolutely awful, and she clenched the hem of her shirt while exining


    with a hint of grievance, "I-I was just asking out of curiosity. I don''t mean to be disrespectful. Miss


    Cornell was just barely of legal age five years ago, wasn''t she?"


    At that, Katherine looked at the young woman with a quirked brow. "Are we even acquainted, miss?


    Don''t invade a stranger''s privacy, or people would think you''re loco."


    Katherine''s words were so blunt that Beatrice''s face paled, her eyes getting red. "I¡­ I really don''t mean


    anything else. Please don''t get upset, Miss Cornell. I just¡­ I¡­ I was just asking."


    Joaquin said nothing the whole time, only watching everything unfold, for Beatrice''s words earlier made


    him ufortable.


    It was exactly five years ago when the Cornells cast Katherine out and sent her to Fontan. If she really


    had the ability to buy a residency from Soulin back then, why would she want to endure the humiliation


    and leave Cechirus?


    "That''s enough," Joaquin interjected inly when he saw Beatrice was on the verge of tears after a few


    simple retorts from Katherine.


    Aberama clicked his tongue in amazement and couldn''t help taking a few ganders at Joaquin, thinking


    the man looked familiar.


    Just then, the elevator had brought them to the eighteenth floor. Katherine stepped out first, followed by


    Aberama, who stopped in his tracks mid-way to look over his shoulder at Beatrice. He pulled a smirk


    and cautioned, "Miss, don''t go around thinking others are as dumb as you are. I suggest you put your


    ideas elsewhere. You dare cause her trouble again, and I will make sure you pay for it."


    With that, he chased after Katherine, not even bothering to take a look at Beatrice''s ghastly


    countenance.


    "Kathy, wait for me!" Aberama called out dramatically, dragging the end of his words, sounding


    somewhat cloy.


    Katherine paused and looked over her shoulder to re at him in response, but the man only chuckled


    frivolously before closing the door behind him.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin clenched his fists unconsciously as he watched the door shut tight with an icy


    gaze.


    Beatrice took the opportunity to speak up softly, sounding unintentional. "Joe, what do you suppose


    their rtionship is? Why would that guy call Miss Cornell Kathy? Only people who are super close will


    do that, right?"


    It would''ve been fine if Beatrice had said nothing, but now that she did, Joaquin''s exasperation only


    burned wilder.


    "It has nothing to do with me." He pressed the button to the first floor grimly, even regretting at one


    point that he just had to follow Katherine and the man up here to take a look.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Aberama made himselfpletely at home as soon as he came in. "Say, Kathy, that guy in the


    elevator looks pretty familiar." He couldn''t help frowning as he sat on the couch with a cushion in his


    arms, recollecting Joaquin''s face.


    Katherine quirked her brow lightly and gave him a gentle reminder, saying, "Mm, he''s Joaquin of the


    Levisay Family."


    Aberama nearly died from choking on his own saliva. "Who?!"


    "You heard it right. It''s the Joaquin Levisay you know." Katherine nodded in affirmation as though she


    had read Aberama''s mind.


    The corner of his lips twitched as his countenance changed multifold. "You''re telling me that you and


    Joaquin Levisay are neighbors, and you are also his fianc¨¦e? Tsk, that''s a hell of a fate."


    "Huh," Katherine sneered and yawned. With that, she went further into the apartment toe out with


    a wooden box, chucking it toward Aberama. "Here''s your thing. Now leave."


    As she had some liquor the night before, she was now experiencing a splitting headache, constantly


    feeling like she hadn''t had a proper rest, and her head only felt worse when she saw Aberama.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Careful with this." Aberama rolled his eyes at her with feigned anger as he opened the wooden box.


    "This is worth over billions, which can buy a proper house in Kynd."


    However, Katherine didn''t think much of it. She narrowed her eyes, feeling somewhat sleepy. "Better


    not give this medicine to someone with an underlying medical condition."


    "Huh?" Aberama''s hand holding the medicine froze for a second. "You didn''t say anything about that


    before."


    "Huh, I gave it for you to consume yourself, but who''d have thought all you saw in that thing was money


    and sold it off?!" Katherine rolled her eyes at him and pondered for a moment before exining, "This


    medicine is like a potion in the video games you y. However, it''s not as miraculous as that. This


    medicine can only strengthen your body and improve your health. I advise giving this to someone in the


    pink. It''d be dangerous if an elderly takes it."


    "Right, okay, I got it. I''ll keep that in mind." Aberama nodded soberly, keeping the box away carefully.


    "By the way, the thing I told you about the other day¡ª"


    "I''m not treating them. These guys are a whole lot of trouble. Tell them to go to a hospital themselves."


    Katherine rejected him without even thinking.


    Those dignitaries had sensitive statuses, and she didn''t want to have much to do with them. She


    wanted to continue stalling until she got a result with the experimental medicine from Theodore''s side.


    Not only that, some at Fontan probably found out she had returned and might be looking for hires to


    assassinate her.


    Just thinking about it already gave her a headache.


    "Are you not going to scram?" Katherine was running out of patience when she saw Aberama snuggled


    up in his spot, having no intention of leaving.


    "Wow, Kathy, hurtful much." The corner of his lips twitched. "Is this how you''re supposed to treat me


    when I''ve in a goody-goody b*tch for you just now? Forget that you won''t even offer me


    refreshments, but you even want to kick me out right away."


    To that, Katherine sneered impassively, and said, "Leave."


    "Sigh, heartless. You heartbreaker¡­ I don''t want to go back just yet. My family''s looking for me. No


    doubt they want to fish out information about you from me. I''m sure you know my grandma isn''t doing


    good; her candle might actually be out soon. She wants to get a hold of you immediately and see if you


    can prolong her life," said Aberama indifferently as he sank into the couch.


    At that, Katherine took a gander at him. "Do you not want to save her?"


    "Huh, what for? Give her a few more years in life to torture me?" Aberama sneered as his gaze turned


    cold.


    Katherine wasn''t familiar with the situation between the Ramons, so she didn''t continue the topic but


    only yawned and returned to her room with a cushion in her arms. "Make your way to the guest room if


    you don''t want to leave. I''m going to take a nap."


    Seeing so, Aberama hurriedly chased after Katherine with brightly lit eyes; his tiredness from earlier


    completely disappeared. "How do you concoct these medicine? Do you use a cauldron for these?


    Katherine, are you Apollo reincarnated?"


    Katherine stopped in her tracks as her hand froze on the doorknob while the corner of her lips twitched.


    It wasn''t until after a long while that she turned around and looked at Aberama. "Spend less of your


    time on those brainless video games. You aren''t bright in the first ce."


    With that, she shook her head and went into her room.


    Aberama suddenly felt exceptionally at ease as he looked at the shut door and smelled the faint


    medicinal scent on the cushion in his arms.


    Katherine just had this charm to her. As long as she was next to a person, even if she did nothing, one


    could feel at ease.


    Aberama didn''t leave but went straight into the guest room, taking a nice, long afternoon nap.


    By the time Katherine woke up from her nap, she found a few missed calls on her phone.


    Most of it was from Jorge, with a few unknown numbers in the mix, as well as a few texts.


    She looked briefly at them and found that the texts were from Rosemary. The girl probably called her


    with a different number when she realized Katherine had blocked her phone number.


    At that, Katherine clicked her tongue and blocked this number again before feeling that the world had


    fallen back into silence once more.


    After a yawn, she finally called Jorge.


    "Dad, were you looking for me?" Her voice was hoarse yet gentle, and it wasced with a hint of


    drowsiness from having just woken up, sounding inexplicably sexy.


    Though originally livid, Jorge suddenly felt at ease upon hearing Katherine''s voice. "Kathy, are you


    okay? You said you wereing to visit me at the hospital, but I''ve been waiting for you all day."


    "Hmm, I''m with Joaquin right now. I''ll go over a littleter." Katherine pulled Joaquin out as a buffer


    without a second thought.


    Since the car crash, Joaquin barely ever showed himself in public, so it was impossible for Jorge to


    know the truth.


    Sure enough, the elder suspected nothing after hearing her words. "Is that so? You have to get along


    with him, alright? I actually called to ask if you''re able to take a look at the budget for the sea bridge


    project the Levisays are doing. We''re also nning on investing in this project. If we can bag it for


    ourselves, then our crisis would be over."


    Jorge''s tone toward Katherine was oneced with sycophant, having no sign of his past peremptory


    tone.


    "I don''t know much about that, but isn''t Robert in charge of Levisay now? Why don''t you have


    Rosemary ask him, Dad?" Katherine asked with a feigned quandary.


    "Don''t talk to me about that wench!" Jorge hit the roof at the mention of the young woman. "I must''ve


    sinned badly in my past life to have a daughter like her!"


    Katherine smiled upon hearing Jorge''s exasperation as her mood brightened considerably, but she still


    soothed him gently. "Dad, Rosemary is still young. She might just be going through a phase. Don''t get


    agitated; take your time to lecture her. Madam Sutton''s not home now either. Who''s going to take care


    of you if you fall ill from anger?"


    Jorge''s anger was sessfully alleviated, feeling even more regretful for treating Katherine the way he


    did back then. "Kathy, I''m sorry for treating you¡ª"


    "It''s all in the past now, isn''t it, Dad? We''re family." Katherine cut her father off.


    Jorge felt utterly remorseful, and he asked about Katherine''s well-being a little more before ending the


    call.


    Katherine lowered her head and stared at her phone while her father''s words rang in her ears.


    That man had clearly called to have her fish out information from Joaquin. Jorge was still as hell-bent


    as ever on obtaining his benefits.


    If he could abandon Elise and force her to her death without a second of hesitation back then, then he


    could do the same thing to Lisa and Rosemary now too.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Katherine assumed Aberama had left as it was dead silent when she walked out to get a bottle of coke


    from the fridge. But lo and behold, something felt off as soon as she took a couple of steps. At that, she


    looked toward the couch to find two men staring inexplicably silently at each other. Sensing a storm


    brewing, she diverted her path toward the living room.


    "What are you two doing?" she couldn''t help asking as she looked back and forth between the two.


    Those oblivious might think they had a thing for one another with how they riveted their gazes at each


    other.


    Joaquin subtly withdrew his gaze to look up at Katherine to find her in a loose, casual cotton nightgown


    and her pair of long legs out on disy. Her disheveled hair and I-just-got-out-of-bed look took some of


    her usual aloofness away, recing it with seductiveness and cheekiness.


    With a barely noticeable quirk of a brow, he asked naturally, "Is my dear fianc¨¦e so open that she''d


    invite just about any man to stay over and even walk around in front of him wearing like this?"


    Stumped, Katherine reflexively looked at herself. It was an average nightgown, and whatever shouldn''t


    be on disy wasn''t on disy. There was nothing indecent at all.


    Then, seeing how Joaquin looked like he hade to catch her in an adulterous act, she couldn''t help


    chuckling. "Why, Mr. Levisay, are you jealous? Are you upset that I''ve invited a man to stay?"


    "You''re free to do whatever you want. It has nothing to do with me." Joaquin looked deadpan on the


    outside, but on the inside, the stuffiness was making him very ufortable.


    The feeling was unprecedented, and he wasn''t sure just what exactly Katherine meant to him.


    What tied them together was merely a piece of the marriage contract. If anything, they had an


    encounter before confirming their agreement.


    This woman was unconventionally temperamental. She might look like a babe in the woods, but she


    was actually a femme fatale. Not only that, she was an expert in medical science.


    The more he interacted with her, the more he found her mysterious; the more attention he put on her,


    the easier his emotions would be swayed by the woman.


    He honestly didn''t like this sense of losing control.


    Meanwhile, Katherine bypassed the couch and sat on the armchair, leaning backzily. "Mr. Levisay,


    we have a marriage agreement. I don''t meddle in your business, you don''t meddle in mine, and we can


    all be happy. Why bother yourself with my business?"


    Seeing how indifferent she looked, Joaquin honestly thought he hade to humiliate himself.


    I must be mad to deliberatelye over and see if they have some scious rtionship!


    Then again, Beatrice''s words from the other day kept ringing in his head.


    At that, he took a deep breath to suppress his anger. "Go back to the Levisay Residence with me today.


    You should just live therefortably until the day of our wedding."


    "I''m afraid that''s against Cechirus customs. ording to tradition, the husband and wife are to not see


    each other before their marriage. I find it prettyfortable staying here." Katherine smiled and winked


    seductively at Joaquin, who was rendered exasperated, heaving.


    "Kathy, are you hungry? How about I make you some food?" Aberama thought things were going


    further south by the minute as he watched the two interact.


    No matter how you look at it, this is a ssic squabble among two lovers! That''s it, I''m going to fuel the


    mes and intensify their fight.


    With a yawn, Katherine nodded and answered inattentively, "Yeah, go ahead. Make it a big one. I''m


    starving."


    "As you wish, baby girl. I''ll have you eating like a pig tonight!" While speaking, Aberama even looked


    ambiguously at Joaquin, who clenched his fists grimly without saying anything.


    With that, Aberama got up and headed to the kitchen.


    "Are you not leaving, Mr. Levisay? Do you want to stay for some food as well?" Katherine asked


    casually as he gave the man a sidelong nce.


    "Sure," Joaquin answered crisply, sitting back down onto the couch when he had already stood up.


    Katherine was rendered stumped for a moment before realizing what had just happened.


    Can this man get any more shameless?! Was I even asking him to join us?!


    Seeing how the man sat firmly on the couch and made himself at home, Katherine rolled her eyes and


    left him be.


    It''s not like I can''t afford to feed another mouth anyway.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin quirked his brow slightly, seeing how indifferent Katherine was behaving.


    Aberama was a fantastic cook, and the smell of food traveled from the kitchen very quickly.


    While waiting, Katherine flipped through a magazine idly, but her focus was long out the window when


    she kept smelling the whiffs of aroma.


    Atst, Aberama announced that the food was ready about half an hourter.


    With that, Katherine put the magazine down. Joaquin happened to have stood up at the same time.


    Because the two moved at the same pace and in the same direction, they got stuck in the gap between


    two couches.


    "Mr. Levisay, my apartment is actually pretty big," stated Katherine with exasperation as she looked at


    Joaquin.


    "I know, so why are you still standing here? Are you taking this chance to get close to me?" Joaquin


    smirked as he nced at the young woman with a quirked brow.


    In the end, Katherine quirked her lips and called him a sicko before passing sideways.


    Because of their closeness, her scent traveled to his nose, making his heart skip a beat. It''s that


    agitated feeling again.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    At that, he looked at Katherine''s back. The closer he got to her, the more he thought she was way too


    familiar. Be it her unique scent or her body, they would remind him of five years ago¡­

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    While Aberama served the dishes, he noticed Joaquin following behind Katherine. He couldn''t help


    narrowing his alluring eyes, asking the young woman icily, "Why is he still here?"


    "For a meal," Katherine answered concisely as she ted the pasta for everyone, handing a te to


    Joaquin after he grabbed a seat.


    Aberama, on the other hand, was rendered speechless.


    At the end of the meal, Katherine volunteered to clear the table. Meanwhile, Aberama shot a re at


    Joaquin and warned, "You and Kathy aren''t a good match. You know nothing about her, and you don''t


    know what she needs or what kind of man suits her. Let her go, Joaquin."


    To that, Joaquin quirked a brow inly while giving Aberama a sidelong nce. "She probably isn''t into


    s*ssies."


    To think I''d lose to Joaquin in an argument! Aberama was so livid that he was heaving.


    After chucking all the tes and cutlery into the dishwasher, Katherine came out to find a livid Aberama


    and aposed Joaquin. She knew at once that the two had clearly bickered, and Joaquin had won.


    However, she didn''t want to bother herself with the childish men.


    She had to make a trip to Theodore''s research instituteter in the day as the clinical trial results for the


    experimental medicine hade out, and this result concerned if the medicine could be used


    practically.


    Once the medicine could beunched and used widely in all the hospitals, she''d be able to bag a


    fortune.


    "Now that you guys have eaten, please leave. I still have to head out for somethingter in the day."


    Katherine waved her hand and shooed the guys away unforgivingly.


    "Where to? I''ll give you a ride." Joaquin stood up conscientiously, then added before Katherine could


    turn him down, "It''s my duty as your fianc¨¦."


    Katherine looked at her so-called fianc¨¦ with narrowed eyes, desperately wanting to give him a solid


    smack in the face.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I swear I would never have agreed to this marriage if I had known this man not only has two perfectly


    functioning legs, but is also trouble-filled! I''ve really shot myself in the foot!


    "That won''t be necessary. Someone''s picking me up." Katherine''s impassive voice traveled to Joaquin''s


    ears just when he thought he had won against Aberama again since the young woman had fixed her


    gaze on him for some time.


    Joaquin paused his steps subtly as his gaze turned inexplicable.


    He was so used to having things his way that he honestly thought Katherine was somewhat of a


    novelty; she was the first woman that would go against his every order and wish.


    Katherine didn''t bother herself with them but instead returned to her room to get changed.


    Coincidentally, Theodore''s call came, and she answered it while heading out the door. "I''m heading out


    as we speak, Professor Muller. Have you arrived? Wait for me at the entrance. I''ll be out real quick."


    Joaquin had an acute sense of hearing, and he heard the words ''Professor Muller''. However, just as he


    wanted to ask Katherine, the young woman had already left.


    After a split-second hesitation, he chased after her, and Aberama followed behind him, not wanting to


    be outdone.


    It wasn''t until Katherine stood in front of the elevator that she noticed the two men had been following


    behind her, one looking more unwilling to admit defeat than the other.


    At that, she pursed her lips in silence until the elevator arrived and stepped in.


    Needless to say, Joaquin and Aberama continued to follow Katherine, one standing on each of her


    sides like Tweedledee and Tweedledum.


    "Just how old are you guys?!" Katherine looked to her left and right, feeling utterly speechless.


    To think the Joaquin Levisay would have such a childish side to him!


    Both Joaquin and Aberama arrogantly raised their chins, but neither answered her.


    Then again, Katherine didn''t want to bother herself with them either, striding out as soon as the


    elevator reached the first floor.


    There was a luxury car, specifically a Rolls-Royce, with the license te H.A00000 parked by the


    entrance. Katherine knocked on the window, and the door opened immediately, allowing her to get in.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin fell into silence when he saw the car.


    There weren''t many who owned a Rolls-Royce in Hovington. In fact, there were only three: the highest


    authority of Hovington, an old, retired political dignitary, and Theodore Muller.


    Theodore held a magnificently high status in Hovington, and it wouldn''t be an exaggeration either to


    say that he held a magnificently high status in Cechirus and even the world. He was a biological expert


    through and through, one that used his biology knowledge in clinical practice,ing up with many


    new drugs and curing many local patients.


    The car''s owner¡­ Joaquin mused as he looked at the departing vehicle. As he stood a distance away,


    he could only vaguely see a row of zeros on the license te.


    Only one person in the whole of Cechirus who would dare use such a bold license te¡ªProfessor


    Theodore Muller.


    What rtionship does Katherine have with the professor? To think the man woulde and pick her


    up himself!


    Joaquin honestly thought Katherine was getting increasingly mysterious. The more he engaged with


    her, the more he realized she was filled with unknowns, so much so that one could never understand


    herpletely.


    Just when one thought they had unveiled her mask, they''d very quickly realize there was still another


    one! Nheless, the feeling of revealing the truth was honestly addictive.


    As Aberama watched the Rolls-Royce leave, his enthusiasm went along with it. "Hey, Joaquin, want to


    chill at mine?" he suggested while swinging his car keys.


    Joaquin took a gander at him, then nodded in agreement after some thought.


    With that, Aberama went to get his car in the car park and drove Joaquin out of Soulin International and


    into an upscale residential neighborhood in less than half an hour.


    One might not be able to purchase a residency by Soulin International with however much money they


    offer, but anyone could buy a house in the residential area Aberama was living in as long as they could


    afford it.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin grew increasingly curious as he looked at the surroundings of the residential area


    before shifting his gaze to the frivolous young man next to him.


    "How did you two meet?" Joaquin only casually asked after they got out of the car.


    "Who? Kathy?" Aberama nced over his shoulder at Joaquin after locking his car.


    "Yes." Joaquin nodded in affirmation.


    "Well, it''s a long story. We''ve been through hell together, and I saved her life once," Aberama answered


    smugly.


    However, Joaquin didn''t believe him entirely.


    Katherine was no in Jane. Even back when the Cornells cast her out five years ago, she probably


    wasn''t as simple as she looked to be.


    It seemed that a bloody storm woulde following her return.


    "Joaquin, I was serious when I said you and Kathy aren''t a good match. You wouldn''t have the slightest


    idea what she has been through nor what she has borne. Also, you''re a beacon for trouble. If you insist


    on being with her, you''ll only add to her troubles. Well, unless your purpose is to use her as a decoy to


    keep that woman by your side from harm''s way. But you also have to think this through; Kathy isn''t one


    to ept betrayals, especially when ites to a romantic rtionship. The second she finds out that


    you''ve lied to her, you can forget about ever receiving her forgiveness," Aberama warned as he looked


    gravely at Joaquin.


    Meanwhile, thetter didn''t make much of it¡ªnever did he imagine that Aberama''s warning would


    come true one day, though.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Katherine flipped through a file Theodore handed over after she entered the car. "Are all of these the


    latest data from the clinical trial? Why does this patient''s reading have such a massive fluctuation? Did


    you guys encounter a problem?" she asked as her gazended on a patient''s data.


    Theodore leaned over to take a look before taking the file from Katherine. "This patient''s situation is a


    littleplicated. I''m afraid we''ll only know the details after you''ve taken a look at him. He has been in


    aa for a solid twenty years. During the early stages, his condition was pretty positive after taking


    our medicine. However, with time, his body seemed to have built up a tolerance for the medication and


    is now suddenly immune to it. The medication does nothing to him anymore."


    "Is that so? I''ll go and take a look after I get there." Katherine nodded thoughtfully, then asked for the


    file again. After scrutinizing the reports a few more times, she returned them to Theodore, who paused


    for a second while taking the file from her and said, "By the way, we have a neer in the institute.


    However, since she isn''t working on your experimental medicine, I didn''t tell you in advance."


    "Your hires have nothing to do with me, so there''s no need to tell me about it. It''s fine even if they''re


    involved in the experimental medication''s research, as long as you''re certain they''re trustworthy and


    won''t leak any information." Katherine took a strange gander at Theodore, wondering why he would


    suddenly tell her this.


    At that, Theodore cleared his throat and exined, "It''s sort of personal. The neer''s my


    granddaughter, you see. She''s my only granddaughter, so I tend to¡ª"


    Mid-speaking, the chauffeur suddenly screamed and turned the steering wheel in a panic, causing the


    car to ram onto the guardrail on the opposite.


    Because of the car''s impable shockproofing system, the airbag at the driver''s seat deployed in time,


    causing the chauffeur to suffer only minor injuries.


    Meanwhile, at the back, as neither Katherine nor Theodore had put their seatbelts on, they hurled


    forward, mming themselves against the front seats due to the momentum from the intense collision.


    Fortunately, a Rolls-Royce car was reliable, and the two suffered no physical injuries.


    However, Theodore held his chest with a pallid face, short of breath.


    Startled, Katherine hurriedly helped the professor up.


    "I-I''m fine¡­ I''m fine¡­" Theodore spoke weakly with closed eyes and a ghastly pale face.


    "Don''t say anything. Where are your meds? Do you have it with you?" Katherine reached into the


    professor''s pockets but didn''t find any of his regr medication.


    However, Theodore couldn''t speak anymore, only heaving. Worse, his face was beginning to turn


    purple, looking to be in a dire situation.


    "Sh*t!" Katherine cussed as she pulled out three of the needles she normally had on her and inserted


    them into Theodore.


    Atst, the professor''s breathing finally eased, and hisplexion was looking better.


    Relieved, Katherine turned to the chauffeur. "Who else apart from you knows that Professor Muller is


    out today? Has his whereabouts been leaked?"


    Though the chauffeur was still ovee with fear, he recollected gravely before shaking his head. "No,


    the professor decided to pick you up on a whim. No one else should''ve known about this."


    Katherine frowned and mused in response but asked no more.


    Theodore, on the other hand, turned grim, for he had a guess.


    No outsider would know of his whereabouts, but there was this one person he would never hide


    anything from.


    He recalled how Beatrice had deliberately asked him before he headed out if he was picking up


    Katherine.


    Though he didn''t want to believe his dear granddaughter could be so wicked, he had to be suspicious


    at this point.


    At that, he closed his eyes and said nothing.


    Later, the chauffeur got out to check on the vehicle to find only the front suffered some scratches


    thanks to its near indestructibility. But because the brake suddenly failed just now, the chauffeur dared


    not choose to be rash and continue driving the car, calling for a tow truck instead.


    With that, Katherine and Theodore got out of the vehicle. Since the professor was still pretty weak,


    Katherine supported him while waiting for aid on the side of the road.


    Just then, a ck Phaeton drove past them but very quickly reversed and rolled a window down,


    revealing a familiar face.


    "Miss Cornell, Professor Muller?"


    Ben was initially somewhat stumped when he saw Katherine, but he nearly cussed out loud when he


    finally realized who the elderly next to her was.


    Katherine knows Professor Muller?! They even seem pretty close!


    "Do you need a ride?" Despite the plethora of questions running through his mind, he didn''t know which


    one to ask first. As he looked at Katherine, he thought something might be off with the world.


    Though already having overestimated the young woman, it still never urred to him that she would


    have connections with an academic and legend in medicine.


    It was currently the end of June. As it neared July, the temperature outside was at a staggering


    hundred-plus degrees fahrenheit.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Katherine wasn''t bothered by the scorching weather as neither the cold nor the heat ever bothered her.


    However, Theodore had just suffered an episode and was currently frail. His face had already begun


    nching when they had only stood outside for a short while.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Katherine led Theodore toward Ben''s car.


    At that, the young man hurriedly got out and opened the door, weing Theodore and Katherine into


    his car deferentially.


    "Where are you guys heading?" Ben asked intentionally, causing Katherine to nce at him with a


    quirked brow. At the thought of his closeness with Joaquin, she bet this big mouth would tell the whole


    world about his encounterter.


    It''s going to be a problem if people know who I am. Should I maybe poison him so that he can never


    speak again, or should I just turn him into a retard with one needle to keep this secret¡­


    Suddenly, Ben felt an eerie chilling from behind him, and he looked into the rearview mirror only to


    find Katherine''s gaze at him was one of inexplicable malice, very much simr to when Joaquin wanted


    to kill.


    At that, he tucked his neck and dared not ask any more questions but only kept his eyes on the road.


    There was barely anyone in Hovington who didn''t know the location of Theodore''s research institute, so


    Ben found the entrance pretty easily, dropping the two off safely.


    After Katherine helped Theodore out of the car, she turned to Ben, zipping her mouth and slicing her


    hand across her neck to serve as a threat before assisting the professor into the institution.


    F*cking hell! Ben felt as though he had just died right then. This woman''s animosity is even f*cking


    stronger than Joaquin''s! Just how many people has she killed to be able to bear such intense hostility?!


    While the man was shuddering, Joaquin''s call came, frightening him into hanging up on thetter by


    ident.


    It was only after he hung up on the call that he realized what he had done.


    He, the great Ben Carlson, barely made any mistakes his entire life, but lo and behold, he made all


    sorts of them on this day of all days.


    At that, he returned Joaquin''s call with trembling hands. The second the call connected, Joaquin''s


    vitriolic voice traveled from the other end of the line. "What? Is Mr. Carlson enjoying thepany of a


    woman so much that he''s unwilling to get up and answer my call, hmm?"

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    "Um, no, Mr. Levisay, I¡­" Ben was about to say something when he caught sight of Katherine out of


    the corner of his eye, who had just returned. He instantly shut up.


    Katherine walked up to the car and reached up to knock on the car window.


    Ben hastily rolled down the windows, his hand covering his phone as he looked pitifully at Katherine.


    "I left something in your car." Katherine pointed at the back.


    Ben quickly understood what was going on, so he obediently unlocked the back door.


    Katherine opened the door and picked up the documents that had fallen on the floor. Then, she


    decisively turned around and left. She never gave Ben another look throughout the whole process.


    After Katherine had gone far, Ben finally let out a relieved sigh and put his phone to his ear.


    "Are you with Katherine?"


    On Joaquin''s side, the call was still on, and Katherine''s voice wasn''t too loud nor too soft, but it was


    loud enough for him to hear.


    Ben''s heart skipped a beat, then he finally gritted his teeth and said, "She previously sent some


    ointment that was especially effective on injuries, didn''t she? She promised to send it every month, and


    today is that day, so she gave me some ointment on the side. However, she identally left something


    in my car."


    Joaquin hung up right away.


    Ben was confused, but he knew that Joaquin would definitely ask him for the ointment, so he hastily


    called Katherine. "Miss Cornell, the esteemed Miss Cornell, I lied to the boss to cover for you, saying


    that you were here to give me ointment. You have to give me the ointment today, or I might die."


    "Hah." Katherine chuckled and hung up straight away.


    Just then, in front of her was a middle-aged man whose entire body was covered in needles. The


    man''s face was pale, and because he hadn''t seen the sunlight in forever, even the capiries


    underneath his skin were clearly visible.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    When Katherine saw this man''s face, she was slightly stunned. She felt that he looked a little familiar.


    However, her attention was quickly diverted to the various data concerning his body. She stopped


    staring at the man''s face.


    This man had been unconscious for an entire twenty years, so the various data weren''t looking up.


    After using the experimental drug, he seemed to be getting better, but he was still a long way from


    waking up.


    "How is it?" At the side, Theodore was filled with anxiety.


    There were a total of twenty patients taking the experimental drug for clinical trials this time. Save for


    the patient in front of them, who had some problems with his data, the other patients were recovering


    well.


    Most of the patients who had been unconscious for less than five years were all awake, and they


    seemed to be recovering quite well. Their intelligence was not affected either.


    "Can you find the treatment reports of this patient for the past twenty years? I suspect that he has a


    severe drug resistance himself, so I have to check his medications for thest twenty years in order to


    judge how to treat him." Katherine gave the patient a simple checkup and realized that it was a medical


    miracle that he could stay alive until today.


    The medical equipment twenty years ago was terribly outdated. Back then, he got into an ident and


    fell into a deepa. Under normal circumstances, the family would''ve given up on treatment, but his


    family didn''t. Instead, they persisted until today.


    "I will have to ask the patient''s family about that. This patient is a little special; he''s a member of the


    Moran Family." Theodore hesitated for a bit before opening his mouth to exin.


    "Hm? What''s wrong with the Moran Family?" Katherine didn''t know much about these local families.


    There wasn''t anyone with thest name Moran in Hovington, anyway.


    "The Moran Family is one of the four greatest families in Kynd. Their family background is very


    fearsome." Theodore knew at a nce that Katherine wasn''t in the know, so he earnestly filled her in.


    "I don''t care if he''s from the Moran Family or whatever; he is now my patient. Ask them for the


    treatment records. I need to know all his treatment records for the past twenty years, including the


    dosage every time he took medication. Ask them to respond as soon as possible. If they want him


    alive, they shouldn''t dally."


    Katherine waved her hand uninterestedly, sending Theodore off to ask for the information.


    She circled the man once, checking his body in detail. She realized that this man''s physical condition


    was truly a little odd.


    "That''s weird. What medicine did he use?"


    Even after examining for some time, Katherine still couldn''t make out anything.


    Just then, Theodore returned. When he saw her frowning, he thought something happened to the


    patient, so he panicked in an instant. "What''s wrong? Is there a problem with the patient?"


    "No, it''s a little weird. When can I have his treatment records?" Katherine shook her head, not


    bothering to exin too much.


    Theodore sighed in relief, then nced at Morgan Moran lying on the bed before he answered, "I


    asked, and the Morans said that the early treatment records were all handwritten. They are stored at


    the Military District General Hospital at Kynd, so the Morans are going there right now to see if they


    can find those records. As for the other records, they''ll send it over to our research institute in a bit."


    "Okay. Take some samples of his blood, along with hair and skin tissues. I need to experiment a bit."


    Katherine didn''t ask more about it as she got another researcher here and ryed her orders.


    The researcher gave Katherine a look, blushing uncontrobly. After a quick response, they lowered


    their head to get the tools needed to collect the man''s blood samples.


    Katherine stood there and waited.


    "Grandpa? Can Ie in?" Just then, a tentative voice sounded from outside the ward. It was very


    weak.


    Katherine frowned and looked at Theodore.


    This area was a special ward, and the patients admitted here were all patients intended for clinical trials


    of experimental drugs. Save for the researchers involved in the trials, other people were prohibited from


    coming near this ward.


    Those were the research institute''s rules.


    Theodore didn''t look too happy either. He coughed and looked at Katherine awkwardly. "I''ll deal with


    that."


    Katherine said, "Mr. Muller, the experimental drug is extremely important. Many people have their eyes


    on the drug, and a team of mercenaries have already infiltrated this country just to get data on it. As


    soon as the data gets leaked, it will cause an inestimable loss to the entire Cechirus. I hope you can


    set aside personal matters in light of such matters."


    She knew that Theodore''s children died an early death, and the only family he had left was this


    granddaughter of his. He pampered his granddaughter on a daily basis, so Katherine feared that he


    might let his emotions get in the way, so she reminded him.


    Hearing that, Theodore paused in his tracks and left the ward with a sour look on his face.


    After exiting the ward, Theodore saw Beatrice standing meekly at the door.


    "Grandpa, it''s almost mealtime. I''m here to eat with you." When she saw that Theodore hade out,


    Beatrice immediately put on a sweet smile as she reached out to take Theodore''s arm.


    Theodore pulled his hand back and looked at her. He was silent for a bit before reminding her, "This is


    a crucial area in theb, and you are not allowed to enter without permission. I explicitly told you this


    when I invited you in."


    Beatrice shifted her expression a little before she admitted her mistakes graciously. "I''m sorry,


    Grandpa. I-I just wanted to ask you to dine together. I''ll abide by theb rules next time, and I won''t go


    anywhere I shouldn''t. Don''t get mad, okay?"


    When Katherine was speaking inside just now, Beatrice heard every word clearly. She never thought


    that Theodore would reprimand her like that for the sake of an outsider.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Beatrice felt wronged, and her eyes turned red.


    Seeing her like that, Theodore reached up and pinched between her brows. "Beatrice, do you


    remember what you promised me when you asked me to let you in the research institute?"


    "Of course I do, Grandpa. I promised you that I''ll do my best to learn after getting in so that I will make


    you proud. I won''t disgrace your name." Beatrice secretly studied Theodore''s expression. Noticing that


    he doesn''t seem to be angry, she slightly sighed in relief before answering in a small voice.


    Theodore looked at her expression and immediately knew that she failed to realize the mistakes she


    had made.


    Even when she saw him appear in front of her in one piece, she wasn''t the least bit surprised, and she


    didn''t even ask about it.


    Theodore himself didn''t know when his granddaughter became so cold-blooded that she would mess


    with the car, even wanting to cause him harm in the process.


    He was secretly disappointed, and when he looked at Beatrice, his gaze held less of the lovingness it


    used to have. "Beatrice, once you step into the research institute, I am no longer your grandfather; I am


    your leader and your superior. This is the special ward, and all researchers, save for those involved in


    the N-S86 experimental drug, are prohibited froming near the special ward, especially when they


    have no particr reason. ording to the rules set by the research institute, anyone who breaks this


    rule will be delisted."


    Theodore''s voice was cold and clear. After saying that, he continued, "Beatrice Muller, from today


    onward, you are no longer a researcher of Third Research Institute. Please remove your uniform,


    return all research materials in your possession, and leave the research institute within ten minutes."


    With that, Theodore didn''t even give Beatrice a look before calling over the security staff at the


    research institute.


    Beatrice looked at Theodore in disbelief.


    Was this strict old man the same old man who used to love her and pamper her in the past?


    "Grandpa?" Beatrice took a step forward and called him, feeling reluctant.


    Theodore didn''t even stop in his tracks as he walked away quickly.


    Soon, the security staff came over and told Beatrice to leave.


    Beatrice only felt immense grief and indignation. Her eyes were red, and tears were pooling in her


    eyes.


    Just then, Katherine emerged from the ward, taking off the disposable gloves she was wearing and


    tossing them into a garbage can at the side.


    When Beatrice saw her, she somehow summoned enough strength to break away from the two


    security staff as she rushed toward Katherine.


    "It''s you, isn''t it? What did you say to my grandpa? Katherine! How can you be so shameless and


    disgusting? You even make a move on an old man in his seventies! Are you happy now that my


    grandpa treats me like this? Are you satisfied?"


    Katherine narrowed her eyes at Beatrice. She didn''t want to bother with Beatrice at first, but thetter''s


    words grew increasingly rude, even insulting Theodore at the end.


    As soon as Beatrice finished speaking, Katherine reached out and pped her on the face.


    The p was fierce andnded cruelly on the woman''s face. In an instant, the entire half of Beatrice''s


    face swelled and reddened.


    Beatrice was dumbfounded.


    Is she crazy?


    This is the Third Research Institute, my grandpa''s territory¡­


    After the p, Katherine said calmly, "Beatrice, you can ask me those questions when you rise to my


    level. For now, you don''t have the right to ask them. Throw her out, and don''t let this sort of person in


    the research institute in the future."


    Beatrice''s face went pale, and the p mark on her face couldn''t even hide her expression. The two


    security staff went forward and gave Beatrice a look of pity before dragging her out.


    When Beatrice was left at the entrance of the research institute, she finally came to her senses when


    the burning sunlight shone on her body.


    She had really been chased out of the research institute. With her capabilities, it would be easy enough


    for her to enter other local research institutes.


    However, if word went out that she was delisted from Third Research Institute, there wouldn''t be a


    single research institute in Cechirus that would be willing to enlist her!


    Theodore was actually so cruel that he wanted to destroy her future for good.


    Why didn''t the car malfunction today so that that old thing was run over to death?


    Beatrice''s re was filled with hatred as she turned around and looked viciously at the entrance of the


    research institute. Then, she briskly walked away.


    "Miss Cornell, Mr. Muller isn''t feeling too well, so he asked me to follow youter. If you have any


    questions, you can ask me anytime."


    Katherine went to wash her hands, and when she returned to the ward, there was a new youngster in


    the ward. He looked to be about twenty-three years old, and he even blushed while he spoke.


    Seeing his anxious behavior, Katherine couldn''t help but find it funny. "Why are you so nervous? I don''t


    eat people."


    "I-I''m just a little nervous." The man scratched his head, thinking for a bit before hastily saying, "My


    name is Dina, and I''ve been in this research institute for eight months."


    "Hm. Katherine." Katherine announced her name indifferently, then went over and checked on Morgan.


    There wasn''t much differencepared to before, but after taking medication, his brain cells


    decreased in activity by 0.5 percent.


    There really was something wrong with this situation.


    "Have the Morans sent the information?" Kathrine looked at the time. It had been more than an hour


    since Theodore contacted the Morans for information.


    "No, when the information arrives, someone will send it over." Dina shook his head and answered a


    little carefully.


    Katherine went silent for a bit, and just as she was about to say something, someone carried a


    cardboard box in, panting heavily.


    "Miss Cornell, the information you asked for is here."N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Morgan''s condition was extremely unique. Dina and Katherine looked through the files for a long time


    as they read through the treatment processes Morgan had undergone for the past twenty years in


    detail, but they couldn''t figure out anything wrong.


    Katherine wanted to keep reading, but her phone rang.


    She took out her phone and looked at it. Following that, her finger pressed on the iing call as she


    pursed her lips in silence.


    "Miss Cornell, if there''s something you have to attend to, please go ahead. I''ll organize the data and


    pass them to you when I''m done," Dina said quietly when he saw Katherine staring at the phone


    without any intention of answering the call.


    Katherine nodded and Dina left with the files.


    She stared at the iing call for some time before finally letting out a sigh and answered the call.


    "Kathy?" A hoarse old voice sounded from the other end of the line. There was even slight uncertainty


    in the voice.


    "Grandma, why are you calling me at this hour? It should be early morning in Fontan. Are you unable to


    sleep because of insomnia again?" The expression on Katherine''s face softened considerably as she


    sat down on the floor, rxing her body.


    "It''s been some time since you went back, but you didn''t contact me. I was afraid that you were being


    bullied there. I hope the Cornells haven''t been bullying you, have they?" Jennifer Moran''s voice


    sounded, and it was apanied by the sound of her coughing.


    Katherine frowned. It was clear from Jennifer''s voice that she was getting weaker.


    If they still couldn''t find a suitable marrow for the operation, Jennifer might really die.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    She pursed her lips as she listened to Jennifer ramble on, telling her to take care of herself and not to


    let herself be wronged.


    Kathrine listened for a long while before asking Jennifer quietly, "Grandma, would you like toe


    back? You keep talking about wanting toe home, so why don''t I do that?"


    After she asked the question, the other end of the line went silent for a while. The intermittent coughs


    caused Katherine to frown even deeper.


    "Have you been very sicktely? Why didn''t you tell me?" Katherine had asked someone to keep watch


    at the hospital, but she hadn''t received any news of Jennifer''s health decliningtely. Jennifer was


    probably hiding her condition from her.


    Knowing Jennifer''s character, Katherine felt her headacheing back again.


    "Come back after getting your grandpa''s things. I won''t be going back. Kathy, you shouldn''t stay there


    either. Listen to me and don''t bother the Cornells anymore." While coughing, Jennifer tried to convince


    Katherine.


    "Okay. I''ll go back to you after I''m done with everything here."


    The two chatted for a while before Katherine hung up.


    She thought for a bit before dialing another number. "Still no information on my grandmother''s family?"


    "No, not one bit. Someone deleted all traces of your grandmother, and that person is highly skilled.


    Even I can''t crack and restore the deleted information. Her blood type is so unique; I hacked into the


    medical information database of Cechirus, but I couldn''t find anyone with DNA that matches hers." The


    voice on the other end of the line sounded sullen as if they were faced with an unprecedented problem.


    This situation was truly rare. Even if personal information was hidden, DNA information couldn''t


    possibly be concealed as well.


    Could it be that Grandma has some sort of mysterious identity?


    "Keep investigating. If you still can''t find anything, try buying information at Area Seven. They have


    information on every resident of Cechirus. As long as you provide enough bargaining chips, they''ll be


    willing to sell." Kathrine fell silent for a while before clenching her fists.


    "Got it. I''ll try contacting them."


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After hanging up, Katherine felt a slight exhaustion throughout her whole body.


    When she got up, she identally nced at Morgan on the bed. She wasn''t sure if it were an illusion,


    but when she looked at him andpared him to Jennifer, they actually looked somewhat alike.


    However, Jennifer''sst name was originally Wood, so he shouldn''t have anything to do with the


    Morans.


    Katherine chuckled self-deprecatingly, feeling that she was reading too much into things.


    She averted her gaze and looked at the data organization Dina was working on. There wasn''t any


    significant progress, and it was time for lunch too, so Katherine went to the cafeteria to have a meal.


    By the time she found a seat, she noticed quite a number of missed calls on her phone. Most of them


    were from Jorge.


    Now that the matters between Rosemary and Robert were all over the news, the media quickly


    capitalized on it. It was especially so when Rosemary and Robert''s scandals were exposed


    consecutively, and the paparazzi of Kyocity were busy gathering all sorts of unsightly information on the


    two.


    Because of this incident, Cornell Group suffered a huge hit, and Jorge was in a terrible fix right now.


    The one thing that troubled him the most was the project with Levisay Group. One project was already


    in trouble, and now that Rosemary was at the center of attention, it had been revealed that the project


    used subpar materials, rousing safety concerns.


    Levisay Group immediately suggested ending their partnership, and the Cornell Group was required to


    compensate for the losses incurred.


    Because of this, Jorge couldn''t eat or sleep properly for the past few days.


    Katherine ordered her food and sat down to call Jorge back. "Hello, Dad? Were you looking for me?"


    Her attitude was gentle as always, but there was not a hint of expression on her face. She had a cold


    aura that prevented anyone from approaching her.


    When Jorge heard Katherine''s voice, he acted as if he had found a savior. "Kathy, hurry up and tell


    Joaquin to let go of the project''s mistakes. We won''t use subpar materials from now on, and we''ll


    promise to make sure it''s perfectly safe. Cornell Group cannot lose this project, for we''d be close to


    bankruptcy if we do."


    Even through the screen, Katherine could see that Jorge was deeply anxious.


    She didn''t care what happened next after her plot against Rosemary, but she didn''t expect this incident


    to have such consequences.


    Could it be that someone was targeting the Cornell Family behind the scenes?


    "Dad, it''s no useing to me for this. Ever since the ident that paralyzed Joaquin, Levisay Group


    was handed over to Robert, so Joaquin cannot do anything about thepany. Is Rosemary not at


    home? Why don''t you ask if she can speak to Robert and tell them not to target the Cornells again?"


    Katherine''s words were arranged perfectly. Firstly, she pushed the responsibility on Rosemary.


    Secondly, she also reminded Jorge that Robert was probably the one behind the Cornells'' current


    situation.


    Jorge only had eyes for profit, so to him, the Cornell Group was more important than his own life.


    "I''ll talk to Joaquin, but you should contact Rosemary as soon as possible." Fearing that Jorge wasn''t


    pissed enough, Katherine repeated her words.


    Katherine would love to see the dogs biting each other.


    Just as expected, as soon as Katherine finished speaking, Jorge''s tone sounded even worse. "I got it.


    Put in a good word for me when you talk to Joaquin. You might not know it, but there is more to


    Joaquin than meets the eye. He only spent one year to conquer all the shareholders and higher ups in


    Levisay Group. Now, even though he''s paralyzed, I think the shareholders and higher ups at Levisay


    Group still highly regard him. As long as he isn''t dead, Levisay Group won''t truly be in Robert''s hands."


    Even though Jorge was greedy and blinded by power, he was certainly a smart man.


    "Okay, Dad. I''ll put in a good word or two when I talk to Joaquin so that he''ll help you." Katherine


    obediently agreed to it.


    Jorge was even more satisfied with Katherine. He told her to take care and whatnot before hanging up.


    Katherine tossed her phone to the side.


    After the meal, it was already dark outside. She gave Theodore a quick greeting before going back to


    Soulin International.


    The research institute was located in central Kyocity, but it was an area with universities and various


    research institutes, so it wasparatively quiet.


    After getting out of the research institute, Katherine lowered her head and unlocked her phone,


    navigating to an app to hail a ride. As she did so, she walked toward the streets outside.


    She was still walking when a blinding light shone in front of her.


    Katherine looked up to see an unregistered ck Audi driving right in her direction. The car was even


    speeding up.


    Katherine subconsciously wanted to dodge, but when she ran to the side, the car followed suit. It was


    obvious that the car''s intention was to kill Katherine.


    When the car came within a hundred yards of her, Katherine suddenly summoned enough energy to


    dash forward. Then, she rolled over the hood of the car that wasing for her, gaining momentum as


    she rolled upward before falling to the ground.


    After the Audi rammed into her, it even reversed as if intending to run over Katherine''s body.


    However, the car had just reversed a few yards when it suddenly sank. Two of its tires on the right had


    been punctured.


    The driver anxiously turned the wheel, but the car was unresponsive. She stopped and opened the car


    door to get out, but a silver needle was already held to her neck by then.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    "If you want to die, feel free to keep moving." If Katherine raised her hand a little, the silver needle in


    her hand would pierce the person''s skin on the neck.


    She red coldly at the woman in front of her, who was wearing a mask and sunsses.


    The woman didn''t dare move, for the silver needle was held against her aorta. If it really pierced the


    skin, she would bleed profusely.


    "You''re lucky to be alive after all that. However, for people like you, if you keep doing bad things, you''ll


    get retribution sooner orter. Katherine, I await the day you finally receive retribution!" The woman''s


    voice was very cold, and it was filled with extreme hatred.


    Katherine found it odd, so she reached out and took off the woman''s sunsses and hat so that she


    could have a good look at the woman''s face.


    It was an unfamiliar face, and she hadn''t seen it before.


    The woman seemed to be in her thirties, and half of her hair had turned white. The skin on her face


    was also terribly coarse, an obvious indication that she was a person who often sleptte. Not only


    that, the work she did probably took a toll on her appearance.


    Seeing the obvious hatred in the woman''s gaze, Katherine edged the silver needle in her hand closer.


    "Who sent you? Or what grudges do you hold against me?"


    "Who sent me? Hah, young mistress of the Cornell Family, don''t you find it funny to ask such


    questions?" The woman looked at Katherine mockingly and spat at her.


    Katherine frowned. "Speak! Have I ever wronged you?"


    When the woman mentioned ''young mistress of the Cornell Family'', Katherine could make a vague


    guess.


    She hadn''t been here for long, and she never caused any trouble of her own ord. Rosemary was


    the only one who had be famous recently, but they weren''t close.


    Also, the only incident worth attention that involved the Cornell Family was the project they had signed


    with the Levisay Group. Because he wanted to save on costs, Jorge cut corners and chose the worst


    materials, even overlooking the workers'' safety. Katherine heard that a month ago, three workers died


    at the construction site.


    "Are you still faking it? What for, Katherine?! None of you Cornell goons are decent, much less you!


    The Cornellsmitted such a crime, but you still defended them! I won''t let you off even if I die!" The


    woman lifted her chin, moving her neck forward.


    Katherine subconsciously retracted the silver needle in her hand.


    She looked at the haggard woman in front of her, her emotionsplex.


    This might not be the only time the Cornell Familymitted such crimes. In fact, Jorge most probably


    covered those incidents up every time.


    That man used the workers'' lives, blood, and sweat to slowly expand and strengthen the Cornell


    Group, but he still wasn''t satisfied. He still wanted to keep using the workers'' blood to build his


    business empire.


    "Isn''t there someone more suited to receive your wrath? Since Jorge was the one who destroyed your


    family, you should go to him. Why are youing for me?" Katherine quickly recovered herposure


    and looked calmly at the woman in front of her.


    "You are his darling daughter. I''ll kill you so that he can also taste the feeling of losing his family!


    Katherine, you can kill me today. If not, I might¡ª" The woman''s eyes were red as she red at


    Katherine. She looked like she wanted to pounce on Katherine and bite thetter to death.


    "You''re always wee to, but I''m afraid that before you can kill me, you''d be reunited with your


    deceased family. You have children, don''t you? Do you want them to be orphans?" Katherine took a


    step backward and looked at the woman, a mocking tone in her voice.


    Hearing that, the woman instantly couldn''t hold back her tears anymore. "None of you Cornells are


    human! You onlypensated ten thousand! That wasn''t even enough to make up for his wages from


    before! My uncle went to the Cornell Group toin, but they broke his leg! He''s still hospitalized


    now, and the Cornell Group isn''t willing to pay the hospital bill; they even want to sue us! We have no


    way of surviving, so I won''t let you all survive either!"


    "If I were you, I would use thew to protect myself instead of doing stupid things blindly. Look for the


    person on this name card, and he''ll help you out." From her pocket, Katherine fished out a name card


    with a gold stamp on it. Then, she passed it to the woman.


    The woman took it, looking at Katherine in bewilderment.


    Katherine was quite different from what she had imagined. Even though Katherine behaved coldly and


    even mocked her, Katherine never did anything, nor did she look like she wanted to hurt her.


    She could see sympathy in Katherine''s eyes.


    "It''s nothing much. Jorge did something wrong, so he''ll pay for it eventually." Katherine left those


    indifferent words as she turned around and left.


    The ride she hailed was already here, and the driver had called her twice.


    Katherine only took out her phone after walking a distance away and called him back.


    The woman stood where she was, stunned. She finally got back into the car after a long while.


    The woman was about to start the car when she realized that the brake wasn''t working. She stepped


    on the pedal, and the car lurched forward like crazy, ramming into the divider by the road.


    Katherine had just walked not more than a hundred yards away when she heard themotion behind


    her. By the time she paused in her tracks and turned to look at the car, smoke was alreadying out


    of its hood.


    She instantly guessed that someone wanted to silence the woman.


    She hastily ran back toward the Audi that had run into the divider. She pulled open the car door with


    great effort, then rescued the woman from within.


    Blood¡­


    The woman was covered in blood.


    That scene reminded her of when her mother died.


    It was the same; her mother was covered entirely in blood.


    Back then, her mother gripped Katherine''s hand tightly, telling her to leave with her brother and to take


    good care of him.


    After that, her mother closed her eyes, never to open them again.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Katherine suppressed the emotions in her heart and hastily took out the silver needle she always


    brought with her. She sealed the woman''s major acupuncture points and managed to stop the bleeding


    for a moment.


    Ruby Murphy was close to death then. When she saw Katherine, who saved her without much of an


    expression, she suddenly smiled. It was a terrible-looking smile.


    Katherine grabbed her wrist and took her pulse. If she wasn''t sent to the hospital soon, the woman


    would definitely die.


    This woman suddenly appeared here and tried to kill her, so someone was probably in control behind


    the scenes.


    Katherine then took the woman into the research institute, her face grave.


    When Dina saw Katherineing back with someone covered in blood not long after she left, he was


    about to say something when Katherine cut him off. "Ready the operating room."


    After a surgery thatsted five hours, Katherine finally saved the woman''s life that was hanging by a


    thread.


    When Ruby opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Katherine. When she realized that the


    woman had saved her life, she was astonished.


    She looked at Katherine in remorse as she said weakly, "It was a woman. She told me that if I wanted


    to take revenge on Jorge, I only needed to kill you. If you died, Jorge wouldn''t have someone to


    depend on, and he''d definitely get his retribution. Miss Cornell, I''m really sorry. I treated you like that,


    but you still saved me."


    Kathrine slightly raised her eyebrow. "A woman?"


    "Yes. She looked quite young, but she wore sunsses and a mask. Right, I think she wore branded


    clothing, so she must be very rich," Ruby answered earnestly while nodding.


    Katherine was deep in thought, silent.


    Ruby recalled the events in as much detail as she possibly could before suddenly speaking up. "Oh,


    there was also a mole on her earlobe."

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Theodore had just arrived at the entrance of the ward when he heard that sentence. He couldn''t help


    but pause in his tracks as he looked at Ruby.


    Katherine also had a faint impression of that mole.


    "Miss Cornell, this person might be someone whom you know. She knows you''re here, and she even


    told me that you''d definitely be alone when youe out. She said that I could just kill you there, and


    since there aren''t any CCTVs in the area, I wouldn''t be caught." Ruby was still extremely apologetic


    when she said that.


    Katherine covered up the emotions in the depths of her eyes as she looked up at Ruby. "Just rest up


    and don''t think too much."


    Hearing that, Ruby nodded.


    Katherine got up. When she turned around, she saw Theodore standing frozen at the entrance.


    He must have heard what Ruby was saying.


    Katherine walked toward Theodore. Without a word between them, they left one after the other in silent


    understanding.


    The door to the ward closed shut as Katherine and Theodore walked to the side. Theodore''s wizened


    face seemed a little panicky. "Kathy, I''m really sorry for not educating this child well enough. She lost


    her parents when she was young, and I''ve spoiled her a little too much. Also, since she had quite some


    talent, I had high hopes for her. I never thought that despite me teaching her so many things, I failed to


    teach her how to be human."


    "Don''t involve yourself in this." Katherine reached up and patted Theodore gently on the shoulder, not


    saying much more.


    With that, she left the research institute right away.


    It was almost time for lunch. She unlocked her phone and entered a string of code. Soon, a small red


    dot appeared on the screen.


    Katherine looked at the location in detail, then hailed a ride and went there.


    In a private room at Royal Bite Restaurant, Beatrice was having lunch with Joaquin. The private room


    was dimly lit, and gentle music was being yed inside. It was quite romantic indeed.


    Beatrice wore giant sunsses which covered arge half of her face. It also covered up the grisly


    palm-shaped mark on her face.


    She lowered her head and ate silently while asionally looking up to nce at Joaquin.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin stayed silent throughout as if he hadn''t noticed Beatrice''s gaze.


    Joaquin knew what she was thinking. Ever since she walked through that door, she seemed to be


    hinting at something, but Joaquin ignored it on purpose.


    "Joe." Since she was unable to savor the steak in her mouth, Beatrice pursed her lips before speaking


    up faintly.


    Joaquin put down the fork in his hand and looked up at her.


    "Joe, l-let''s not meet again in the future." Beatrice spoke those words with great difficulty, a pitiful


    expression on her face.


    Joaquin was a little surprised that she would suddenly bring this up. He was thinking that she probably


    had something else to add when he saw Beatrice taking off the sunsses to reveal a swollen face.


    The mark on her face was quite obvious, and it was a palm-shaped mark as a result of a p.


    Joaquin''s eyebrow twitched a little, slight fury hidden in the depths of his eyes. "Who did that, hm?"


    "I''m sorry, Joe. I was the one at fault for saying the wrong things and upsetting Miss Cornell. She was


    right to hit me, and I deserve it. I''ve considered it carefully, and even though we got intimate five years


    ago, you couldn''t help it back then, so it shouldn''t count. W-We should just give up," Beatrice said, then


    covered her face and sobbed pitifully.


    Joaquin frowned.


    Did Katherine hit her?


    After all the interactions he had with Katherine for so long, he knew her considerably well. If she


    actually hit Beatrice out of jealousy, that would be quite the anomaly.


    Seeing Joaquin''s pitiful look, Joaquin darkened his gaze.


    However, since she mentioned the incident five years ago, he couldn''t stay cruel. He sighed in his heart


    andforted her by saying, "Don''t cry, alright? You shouldn''t provoke her next time."


    Hearing that, Beatrice was stunned. She never thought Joaquin would say something like that.


    He didn''t even try to stand up for my injustice, she thought.


    "Joe¡­" Beatrice''s tears kept falling as she raised her head to look at Joaquin. She had been


    pretending to cry before this, but now, she felt incredibly wronged.


    Is he not going to help me?


    Fortunately, I''ve arranged things beforehand, so that wretched Katherine must be dead by now! If not,


    Katherine might really snatch Joaquin away!


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Beatrice''s thoughts were vicious, but she sobbed even harder.


    "Tsk, if you keep crying like that, people might think your family died." Just as Beatrice was heaving


    sobs, a cold voice sounded from behind her.


    That familiar voice and tone caused Beatrice to freeze as she looked at the entrance in disbelief.


    Katherine? Why isn''t she dead?


    Seeing the mark on Beatrice''s face, Katherine curved her lips and walked forward. She stood in front of


    Beatrice, then gave thetter another forceful p on the face without hesitation.


    The sound was crisp and clear, and Beatrice was dumbfounded by the p.


    "Miss Cornell, what have I done for you to be treating me like this? I got to know Joe first, and even if I


    love him, it shouldn''t affect you at all, right? H-How can you just hit someone for no reason?"


    Katherine red coldly at the woman in front of her who was still faking it. Beatrice was sobbing so


    terribly that she did look quite pitiful.


    It was too bad that she wouldn''t be fooled by this. She grabbed a few tissues from the table and


    carefully cleaned her hand. Then, she tossed the tissues onto Beatrice''s face. "You know what you''ve


    done, Beatrice. Don''t provoke me again. I really have the worst temper."


    Katherine felt that she had been pretending to be harmless for too long, so everyone dared to step over


    her now.


    After hitting Beatrice, Katherine turned around and left after her warning.


    Beatrice remained silent, sitting there and covering her face as she sobbed tremendously.


    Her sobs were giving Joaquin headaches, and he was extremely annoyed.


    From what he knew of Katherine, she wasn''t the type to cause trouble out of nowhere. She wouldn''t


    come all the way here and hit Beatrice for no reason.


    Beatrice must have done something, but she hid it from him.


    "I''ll send you back first." Seeing how Beatrice refused to say anything, Joaquin didn''t ask further.


    Beatrice opened her mouth to exin, but now, it was best if she kept quiet.


    Joaquin sent her to the entrance of Muller Residence. Beatrice looked at him, looking as though she


    wanted to speak. In the end, she covered her face and sobbed as she ran through the door.


    Joaquin looked at her figure, deep in thought. He then sent Ben a message and asked Ben to figure


    out what happened today.


    Halfway on the road, Ben called. "Mr. Levisay, is that Beatrice out of her mind? Some time ago, there


    was an ident at the construction site of the Cornell Family. Three workers fell from a great height;


    two of them died on the spot and another was sent to the hospital, but he also died after a few days.


    The Cornell Group refused to take responsibility for this incident, iming that it was already after


    working hours. Since the three workers didn''t fall during working hours, it wasn''t their business. They


    even wanted to hold the workers responsible. The families of those workers weren''t familiar with the


    law, so they believed it and dared not cause a ruckus. In the end, the Cornell Familypensated the


    families with ten thousand each and just ended the case¡­"


    He continued, "Ruby Murphy''s husband died, and her uncle was also beaten into an invalid by the


    Cornell Group. He''s still in hospital now, and they have yet to pay the bills. Beatrice gave Ruby a sum


    of money so that she would cause Miss Cornell trouble. She even gave Ruby the address, and when


    Ruby heard that Miss Cornell was the young mistress of the Cornell Family, she believed it and went to


    the entrance of the research institute to stop her. In the end, Miss Cornell was in one piece, but Ruby


    almost died. She''s now in the research institute, and Miss Cornell has saved her life."


    "Is that so?" Joaquin tapped the car window twice with his finger. His gaze was cold and sharp.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    "That''s true. This matter has caused quite a stir. Also, when Beatrice went to look for Ruby, she always


    went openly. Their transaction records weren''tpletely cleared as well, so it was very easy for us to


    find out. Don''t worry, I''m the one who''s doing the job. Even if you don''t believe me, you should believe


    in your own information system." There was a little pride in Ben''s tone.


    Joaquin hung up the phone after staying silent for a moment.


    Katherine''s angry face was still vivid. He really didn''t think that this matter was why Katherine hit


    Beatrice.


    The car drove all the way to the Levisay Residence. When it stopped, the driver reminded Joaquin, "Mr.


    Levisay, we''re home."


    Hearing that, Joaquin hummed in acknowledgment and waited for the driver to take out the wheelchair.


    The moment he entered the house, he heard Hera''sughter.


    He looked in the direction of theughter and saw that Hera, Robert, and another young woman that he


    didn''t recognize were chatting happily while sitting on the couch in the living room.


    After looking at them for a second, he looked away almost immediately. He wasn''t really interested,


    after all.


    On the other hand, when Hera saw him return home, she looked at his back and greeted him with a


    smile, saying, "You''re back, Joaquin. Come over here. Let''s chat for a little while. Lily came over today.


    You haven''t seen her in a long time, have you? You can catch up a little with her."


    When Joaquin heard that, he looked at the woman again and didn''t really recognize that face, so he


    wasn''t interested in catching up with her. Then, he rejected her calmly. "It''s okay."


    After saying that, he moved the wheelchair and took the elevator upstairs.


    At this moment, Hera''s expression was a little disgruntled. She scoffed coldly at him.


    After Lily looked in the direction of the second floor, she linked arms with Hera while smiling. "Hera, it''s


    normal for Joaquin to not remember me. It''s gettingte already, and I think I should head back now. I''ll


    visit you again some other day."


    "Your temper is just too good. Joaquin even pursued you previously. Why is he pretending now?" Hera


    scolded with a disgruntled face.


    "Mom, that was so long ago. Joaquin has a fianc¨¦e now. Please don''t mention Lily and him together; it


    will have a bad influence on Lily if the word gets out." Robert looked in Lily''s direction with affection in


    his eyes.


    However, Lily didn''t answer his gaze and was talking to Hera in a gentle voice. "Joaquin didn''t like me,


    Hera. It was all rumors. I''ve just returned and there are many things for me to do at home as well, so I


    should go now."


    "Robert, send Lily out." Hera looked at Robert with her eyes narrowed, and there was a strong


    implication in her eyes.


    The Sutton Family was one of the four biggest families in Hovington. As such, it was definitely a good


    match for the Levisay Family.


    People would naturally forget about Rosemary as time passed. No one would remember that Robert


    had something with her before.


    ¡­


    At the Country House Restaurant, Katherine was lying on a beanbag sluggishly with a few mouth-


    watering desserts in front of her.


    "I''ve sent what you wanted to your email, but are you really going to send these things to the press? If


    you do that, it will be the end of the Cornell Family, right? The Levisay Family might be impacted too,"


    Aberama asked with curiosity as he carried a freshly baked carrot cake from outside and put it in front


    of Katherine.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She then took a piece of carrot cake and put it in her mouth. "Ruby''s family can''t have a good meal a


    day ever since her husband passed away and her uncle was handicapped after being beaten. She


    must pay the price after doing something wrong. "


    "Tsk, if Jorge knows what you''re doing behind his back, he might die from anger. So many things are


    happening to the Cornell Family these days. Is he starting to think that his daughter is all obedient


    now?" Aberama couldn''t help but click his tongue. Then, he sat across from Katherine and reached out


    his hand to take the dessert on the te.


    However, before his hand touched the dessert, Katherine pped his hand away. "They''re mine."


    "Stingy," he muttered. After some thought, he asked her again, "Joaquin''s side¡­"


    "I asked you to look into him more than a month ago, but you haven''t found anything yet, and you still


    dare to say that you''re Mr. Know-it-all. Shame on you." She scoffed and cut the ground out from under


    him.


    While touching his nose, Aberama said, "This man is not a simple man. He has something to do with


    Area Seven. I couldn''t find anything about him even when I hacked into the public security system.


    There is only some basic information there. This man is really something, right?"


    After hearing that, Katherine thought about all the strange feelings she felt from Joaquin, and Ben was


    not a simple man either. She finally believed what Aberama told her.


    When she was done with the dessert, she opened herptop that she brought along and tidied up the


    materials that Aberama had sent her before sending out two emails.


    One was for the Hovington Times, and the other one was for the Hovington Public Security Bureau.


    After she sent them, she stood up and put herptop back into her bag. She just left right after without


    looking at Aberama.


    "Do you need to be this cruel?" He sighed with feelings subconsciously. When he was about to stand


    up, he saw an envelope on the table and picked it up to open it. There was only one sentence, and it


    was written in bold font, ''Extremely bad luck. Not suitable to face the south-west direction. Don''t move


    around within a month. Stay in Hovington.''


    When he saw the sentence, his expression changed immediately. Instinctively, he wanted to chase


    after Katherine to ask her the meaning of this.


    However, before he started moving, his phone in his pocket started ringing.


    Aberama looked at the caller ID and picked up the call without thinking much.


    "Aberama, your grandmother is dying. You need toe back today! Now!" After he picked up the call


    and before he could say anything, a cold order came from the other side of the phone, which didn''t


    allow him to say no.


    At this moment, he pressed his lips together, and his gazended on the note that Katherine left for


    him.


    The words ''Stay in Hovington'' were extra clear in his eyes.


    He was about to say no. However, the person from the other side of the phone had seemingly known


    that he would be rejected, so he added coldly, "Even if you don''t think for yourself, at least think about


    Addison."


    One sentence pushed Aberama''s rejection back into his throat.


    With aplicated expression on his face, he then hummed in acknowledgment. When the other side


    received his affirmative reply, the call was hung up immediately.


    While clenching the phone in his hand, an ironic smile tugged on his lips after some time.


    After telling the manager of the restaurant, he left from the back street as he was afraid that he would


    run into Katherine if he left from the front.


    ¡­


    After Quinn Ramon hung up the phone at the Ramon Residence in Kynd, a contemptuous smile


    tugged at the corner of his lips. After that, he looked at Aubri Clements, who had a serious face on.


    "Mom, Aberama will be home today. When he''s back, I''ll force him to tell me the contact number of that


    genius doctor. You''ll surely be fine once she agrees to treat you."


    Hearing that, Aubri scoffed. "That ungrateful b*stard! Why didn''t he think of bringing such good


    medicine to me to honor me? He actually listed it in an auction! Take back every business under him as


    soon as possible! It will be best if we can pull the genius doctor to our side, or else¡­ Hmph!"


    Although she didn''t finish her sentence, what she meant was already quite obvious. If she couldn''t have


    the genius doctor, she wouldn''t let her be in other people''s hands¡ªeven if she needed to destroy her.


    "I know." Quinn nodded with a killing intention in his eyes.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    As soon as Katherine left the Country House Restaurant, she received a call from Jorge. She lowered


    her head to look at the bunch of numbers which were glitching on her phone screen and picked it up


    after a long time.


    "Kathy, Kathy. You have to help me this time. Please." Jorge''s panicked voice came from the other side


    of the phone.


    Someone had exposed the Cornell Group for tax evasion.


    Throughout his years of doing business, Jorge had done many things under the table and had stepped


    on many lines he shouldn''t have. He was lucky that no one investigated him for these things in the


    past. However, now that someone was investigating him, it would be the end of the Cornell Group if he


    didn''t handle it properly.


    "Don''t panic, Dad. Tell me about it slowly. What happened?" With a deep gaze, sheforted Jorge


    while walking out.


    "Y-You shoulde back home now. By the way, remember to bring Joaquin home too. Only he can


    help us. Remember, you must bring him!" he replied to her incoherently before hanging up the phone in


    a hurry.


    Hearing that, she didn''t know if this thing had anything to do with Joaquin. When she arrived at the


    junction, there was already a car waiting for her. As such, she lowered her head to open the car door


    and entered the car.


    "Go to the Cornell Residence." While leaning against the seat, she still decided to send Joaquin a text


    after some thought.


    After a while, the car stopped at the entrance of the Cornell Residence. There was a lot of rubbish


    hanging on the gate of the entrance, and there were a bunch of rotten leaves and rotten eggs on the


    floor. It looked like someone hade over and made a fuss.


    After waiting for a moment at the entrance, only then did the gate open. As soon as she entered the


    residence area, Ethan Butler told her about the situation just now with a near-crying face. He said, "A


    bunch of people came in the morning and said that they were the family of the worker who experienced


    the ident on the construction site¡­"


    Katherine nodded after hearing that. As soon as she entered the house, Jorge went over to her hastily.


    When he saw her, he looked behind her subconsciously, but sadly, Joaquin wasn''t there.


    His expression changed immediately and he asked Katherine with a darkened face, "Why did you


    come back alone? Where is Joaquin? Why didn''t hee back with you? Didn''t I tell you to keep a


    good rtionship with him and that you must always please him? Now that our family is in trouble, why


    are you¡­"


    "What happened, Dad? Is what Ethan said real? The worker on the construction site had an ident


    and you didn''t give anypensation, but you beat his family when they came to ask you for money. Is


    that right?" Katherine went up to hold Jorge and cut his chatter off.


    At this moment, Jorge''s expression was disgruntled. When he heard her saying that, he exined


    anxiously, "Those people are insatiable! I''ve already paid them the work injurypensation, but


    they''re still asking for more money! Don''t believe the nonsense that you hear outside! Also, if Joaquin


    asks you about this, you need to say that we''ve already paid thepensation, and they are the ones


    who are being insatiable. Got it?"


    When Katherine heard that, she raised her brows and looked at his furious expression, not knowing


    whether what he said was true or not.


    "Also, someone was spilling dirt on the Cornell Group, defaming us for tax evasion! We''rew-abiding,


    good citizens. How dare we do such a thing?" He was bing more furious the more he talked about


    it. His saliva nearly spurted on her face.


    "Kathy, you need to help me; only you can help me." After venting for a while, he grabbed Katherine''s


    arm again.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She was the only one left in the Cornell Family now. Since the scandal was exposed, Rosemary hadn''t


    come home for a few days already.


    On top of that, Lisa was admitted to the mental hospital. Only when trouble came up did Jorge realize


    that the only person he could rely on at times like this was Katherine, whom he always despised and


    disliked in the first ce.


    "Don''t worry, Dad. I won''t let the Cornell Group go into bankruptcy." Katherin patted his hand and put


    on a smile.


    At this moment, Joaquin had already arrived. Ethan was leading him into the house in front.


    He was wearing a gold mask, giving out a cold aura. Although he was on a wheelchair and shouldn''t


    have been of any threat, he still made people fear him.


    Jorge swallowed his saliva and didn''t even dare to look at Joaquin.


    "Joaquin, you''re here." Katherine put on a beaming smile and stood up to push his wheelchair.


    When Joaquin heard her voice, he couldn''t help but look at her, and the corners of his mouth twitched a


    little before he said, "Why are you looking for me?"


    "Please help the Cornell Family." Katherine nodded and gave him a nce.


    However, he pretended not to see it. When he saw Jorge looking at him with his face full of anticipation,


    he remained silent for a moment before saying, "The Cornell Family must push one person out to take


    this me. Otherwise, this matter will never be solved. As for the scapegoat, you''ll need to think about


    it yourself, Mr. Cornell."


    "I¡­" Jorge was stunned for a moment and didn''t react immediately.


    Hearing that, Katherine was slightly surprised as well. Is Joaquin really helping Jorge?


    "There''s an auctionter. Come with me." Joaquin didn''t look at Jorge anymore, but was looking at


    Katherine instead.


    In fact, she didn''t want to stay in the Cornell Residence. When she saw Jorge immersed in his own


    thoughts, she went over and said some nice words to him. Since he had something in mind, he didn''t


    bother her and just let her leave with Joaquin.


    Shen then left the house together with Joaquin and entered the car.


    With one hand propping her chin, Katherine turned to look at him and felt that the mask on his face was


    really an eyesore for her, making her unable to see his expression clearly. After being silent for a


    moment, only then did she ask her question, "Why did you help Jorge?"


    "Who do you think he will push out to be this scapegoat?" he didn''t answer her, but asked her in return


    as he looked at her.


    Hearing that, she thought about it seriously for a moment. ording to her understanding of Jorge, he


    was extremely selfish. Now that Joaquin told him there was a way, he would sacrifice anyone to keep


    the Cornell Group and to keep his own wealth.


    There were only three people in the Cornell Family that he could use as scapegoats.


    Rosemary was tied together with Robert now, so he definitely wouldn''t touch her.


    On the other hand, Katherine was Joaquin''s people. Even though Joaquin was handicapped, Jorge


    wouldn''t touch her at this moment.


    As such, there was only Lisa left. At this thought, a smile tugged on Katherine''s lips, and her smile was


    turning more and more mischievous.


    When the car left the Cornell Residence, she didn''t ask Joaquin whether going to the auction was real


    or not. Since she hadn''t slept well yesterday, she was very tired now. As such, she leaned against the


    back of the seat and took a nap to restore her energy.


    Seeing that she was asleep, Joaquin didn''t talk anymore.


    After an hour and a half, the car stopped at a manor. There were already many cars parked in the


    open-air parking lot. When Joaquin saw that Katherine was still asleep, he didn''t wake her and just


    waited for her quietly beside her.


    In fact, she was not asleep. She opened her eyes when she realized that the car was not moving


    forward anymore.


    When she looked at the surroundings outside, she raised her brows in surprise.


    She didn''t know that the auction Joaquin was referring to was today''s auction.


    While she was still surprised, he had already pushed open the car door and got out of the car. After


    hesitating for a moment, she followed him out of the car too.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Joaquin and Katherine entered the manor one after another. As soon as they opened the door, there


    was a spacious living hall with many disy shelves. On the shelves were numerous priceless


    antiques.


    However, it seemed like Joaquin wasn''t interested in those things. He walked across the living hall into


    a deeper area.


    On the other hand, Katherine took a few nces at them before following behind Joaquin.


    There was still approximately an hour left from themencement of the auction, but many people had


    already arrived.


    Joaquin''s seat was in the first row. As Katherine followed behind him, they received quite a lot of


    attention on their way there.


    "I heard that the bone marrow cleansing pill is one of the items listed in the auction today. Rumor has it


    that after we eat the pill, we can live an extremely long life. The effect is this good."


    "I heard about it too. The buyer who bought the pill two years ago had cancer. After he took the pill, not


    only did he recover from cancer, he even looked ten years younger!"


    "I even heard that the pill is just like a life elixir. No disease can harm you after you take the pill."


    ¡­


    There were many people at the venue. A few of them were whispering in a voice just loud enough for


    Katherine to hear them.


    When she listened to their discussion, the corners of her mouth started to twitch as she felt that these


    rumors were really ridiculous.


    The bone marrow cleansing pill could only improve the person''s health slightly, and they were just


    exaggerating it.


    "Did youe to this auction today for the bone marrow cleansing pill too?" Something came across


    her mind, so she went over and asked Joaquin.


    She was so close to him that her breath fanned against the side of his face. After clearing his throat,


    Joaquin nodded. "Yes."


    Hearing that, Katherine kept quiet and just looked at him. She wanted to say something, but didn''t say


    anything in the end.


    Never mind. I shouldn''t ruin Aberama''s business.


    The participants of the auction entered the venue one after another and filled the seats very quickly. At


    the same time, the auction started as well.


    A youngdy in a red bodycon dress walked up the stage with an alluring smile on her lips. "Wee


    to the auction today. Without further ado, let''s start the auction with the first item today¡­"


    As soon as she said that, someone went up the stage with a tray in his hand. There was a red cloth


    covering the tray, so it was unclear what was inside.


    The host didn''t beat around the bush either. She walked over and flipped the red cloth open, showing


    the item on the tray. "This is the crown of Yevera''s queen. The floor price will be five million, and every


    bid will be five hundred thousand. The auction starts now."


    When Katherine saw the crown iid with red diamonds, the corners of her mouth started twitching.


    At this moment, the participants had already started bidding.


    The crown was made of pure gold, and it was iid with more than a thousand diamonds of different


    sizes. The seven rubies in the middle of the crown were especially extravagant.


    "Fifty million."


    Just as Katherine was thinking that Aberama really had the ability, she heard a clear sound from the


    man beside her.


    Surprised, she turned around to look at him as she didn''t know that Joaquin would be interested in this


    item.


    In the end, without a doubt, Joaquin bought the queen''s crown for fifty million.


    Since Katherine had attended many auctions like this abroad, the items in the auction today were not


    anything special. Not many of them could catch her interest.


    With one of her hands propping her chin, she became a little sleepy from watching the auction.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, the host''s beautiful voice resonated in her ears again. "Many people might not be interested


    in the next item because it is a very precious herb, the Scandent Schefflera Stem and Leaf."


    When the drowsy Katherine heard that, she sat up straight immediately and looked at the stage with


    her eyes sparkling.


    There was a nt lying quietly on the exquisite silver tray. The root of the nt was intact; there were


    no leaves on the empty stem, but there were seven leaves on the top of the nt. As the leaves


    reflected the light, it was obvious that the nt was something precious.


    Little did Katherine expect that she could see the Scandent Schefflera Stem and Leaf with her own


    eyes, which was the highest grade of herbs. Previously, she wanted to make a certain kind of medicine


    and had been looking for the Schefflera for a long time, but she never received any news about it.


    Surprisingly, it actually appeared here today.


    When Joaquin saw the change in Katherine''s expression, he turned to look at the herb on stage and


    understood something immediately.


    The news about the Schefflera being listed in the auction had been leaked on purpose. Now, many of


    the participants were looking at the nt with their faces full of excitement.


    "This Scandent Schefflera Stem and Leaf was added to the auction at the veryst minute. The seller


    doesn''t want money; he wants to trade this for something else. If any of you want to buy the Schefflera,


    you can insert the name of the item you want to trade on the tablet beside you. If the seller is interested


    and is willing to make a deal, he will inform us about it." The host looked at the guests with a smile and


    kept quiet after briefly exining the rules.


    Hearing that, Katherine touched her chin and was immersed in her thoughts.


    An ordinary person can''t get their hands on such a rare herb like the Schefflera. The seller definitely


    knows the worth of it, but he is still willing to trade it. He might have encountered some problems.


    After some thought, she took up the tablet beside her and wrote something on it before pressing


    confirm.


    Before Joaquin could see what she wrote, nothing was left on the tablet.


    He looked at Katherine with surprise since he didn''t know that she seemed to have quite good


    computer skills.


    The guests who wanted the Schefflera had already written down their most precious items. Just then, a


    voice came into the host''s ears. She looked at Katherine below the stage and turned around, entering


    the backstage, only returning back up after a full five minutes.


    "Congrattions, bidder number 7. The owner of the Schefflera would like to meet you backstage." The


    host looked at Katherine, and her attitude was full of respect.


    Katherine nodded when she heard that, and an usher approached her to escort her backstage.


    The auction continued after that, but many of the guests were absent-minded. They were trying to find


    out who Katherine was. In particr, several old men sitting at the back looked at her figure from


    behind, their faces full of excitement.


    Meanwhile, Katherine followed the usher backstage. There was a man with a pale face in a beige suit


    sitting inside. When she entered the backstage, he was covering his mouth and coughing badly.


    From first nce, she could tell that this man didn''t have many days left.


    "Is what you said real?" The man lifted his head to look at her after coughing for a while, and an


    unhealthy blush appeared on his pale face.


    When Katherine saw his face, she waspletely stunned and lost her senses for quite some time.


    This face looked a lot like Elsie, who had just passed away!


    She couldn''t help but nce at him a few more times before frowning.


    "W-Why are you not answering me?" The man started to cough badly again when he didn''t receive any


    response from her.


    His coughing pulled Katherine''s attention back to him. Then, she took a step forward and reached out


    her hand to grab the man''s wrist. After feeling his pulse, her expression turned serious.


    He had had an illness since birth and didn''t treat it properly. On top of that, he had been poisoned too,


    causing his organs to be severely damaged. At most, he only had another month to live.


    "Of course it''s real. A life for a Schefflera. I can heal you."

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    "Ahem, ahem. What did you say?" The man looked at Katherine with surprise.


    He had already been sick for many years and had gone to many doctors in the country. Yet, no matter if


    it was doctors in traditional medicine or in modern medicine, all of them said that he couldn''t be cured.


    He could, at most, live until he was 25 years old.


    Since his body was worsening thesest few years, he went to the hospital a while back and received


    the bad news that he would die within half a year.


    This girl looks like she''s just in her 20s, but she says she can save me. Is that true?


    A smile tucked on Kian Grant''s lips at this thought. He felt that this situation was quite hrious, but he


    actually believed what Katherine said.


    "I said I can heal you. Since you agreed to trade Schefflera with me, you should believe me." Katherine


    nodded seriously.


    "My illness¡ª"


    "You were born with your illness. If I didn''t read it wrongly, your body was born weak, and you''ve been


    poisoned before, which damaged your lungs. On top of that, you didn''t receive any proper treatment,


    so the toxin in your body has already entered your heart. If you''ve visited a doctor of traditional


    medication, the doctor should have told you that the toxin has entered your heart and that it would be


    difficult to be cured even when God helps you, right?" she cut him off right away and said with certainty.


    When Kian heard the news, his expression turned more serious.


    Katherine could tell his condition just by reading his pulse. Hence, this showed that she really was


    something.


    He pocketed his doubt and nodded seriously. "That''s right. That''s what the president of the Traditional


    Medicine Society told me. He''s the most prestigious person in Cechirus'' traditional medicine field. I


    don''t think he''ll lie to me."


    "He didn''t lie to you, but I''m not your usual doctor. If I say I can heal you, then I can definitely do it.


    There''s no need for you to give Schefflera to me if you don''t believe me." She put on a smile that was a


    little hard to decipher, though her exnation was as clear as day.


    After thinking for a moment, Kian felt that since he had only half a year left, it would be best if he could


    be cured. At this point, there''s nothing left for me to lose.


    When he looked at Katherine''s confident look, he didn''t know why, but he felt more at ease. Finally, he


    made his decision after some thought. "Sorry to trouble you with my illness then."


    "It''s no trouble at all. I need some herbs. You can find me anytime when you''ve found all the herbs."


    Katherine had quite a good impression of Kian. After asking for a pen and paper, she wrote down the


    list of herbs she needed and her contact number before leaving backstage.


    There were many items sold after the Schefflera, so the atmosphere of the auction was still lively.


    When Katherine went out, many curious gazesnded on her.


    The Scandent Schefflera Stem and Leaf was a legendary elixir. Rumor had it that using it as medicine


    had the effect of extending one''s life, and if used as a face mask after crushing it, it would make the


    skin condition younger for at least 20 years.


    However, the Schefflera was extremely rare. It could always be heard in rumors, but this was the first


    time they saw it in person.


    When Katherine returned to Joaquin''s side and sat herself down, she continued to watch the auction


    absent-mindedly.


    The bone marrow cleansing pill was listed as the secondst item, which could be recognized as the


    main item for today.


    Since most of the people came here for that, when it was carried onto the stage, a round of heated


    bidding was started, but Katherine didn''t show much interest.


    In fact, in the Book of Medicine passed down by her grandfather, the bone marrow cleansing pill was


    just the most basic and lowest grade of medicine. However, it was such a shame that there were many


    herbs that couldn''t be found anymore, so it was challenging to make some better drugs.


    Now that she had obtained the Scandent Schefflera Stem and Leaf, she could try to make some finer


    medication.


    "Let''s go. There''s nothing much to see anymore." Before thest item was shown, Joaquin had already


    lost his interest, so he tugged on Katherine''s arm and stood up before walking out.


    Likewise, Katherine wasn''t interested anymore, so she stood up and followed him out.


    As soon as they reached the entrance, the voice of the host from the stage resonated in their ears.


    "This is thest item for today. It is a machine, an extraordinary machine. It can be said that it has


    exceeded our current technological level. This weapon might have a very high research value, so the


    price setting is higher too. The floor price is 50 million, and every bid is five million. The bidding starts


    now."


    When Katherine heard that, her actions came to a halt. She turned around sharply and looked at the


    machine on the stage.


    Although it didn''t look special, she felt fear in her heart just by looking at it.


    At the same time, Joaquin turned to look at the machine on stage with a frown on his face as well, and


    his expression darkened a little.


    Are they really selling this publicly in an auction?


    After looking at it for some time, Joaquin looked away and left the venue of the auction without any


    expression.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When they came out of the venue, they were greeted by the heat wave from outside. There were many


    vendors on the opposite street selling things, and the stalls had many different kinds of items disyed.


    There were different types of herbs and antiques, which could be authentic or fake. This was the time


    to test one''s taste in items.


    Joaquin wasn''t in a good mood, so he walked quickly. As Katherine followed behind him, she nced


    at the herbs disyed on the floor. There was nothing special, just some usual herbs. After looking at


    them for a while, she looked away as she lost interest.


    Until they left the underground ck market, she still had a surreal feeling. She didn''t know that such a


    ce was hidden here.


    At this moment, Joaquin had already taken out his phone and was making a call. Katherine was quite


    far away from him, so she couldn''t hear what he was talking about. Yet, from his serious expression


    and his ncing in the direction of the ck market from time to time, she guessed that it might be


    because of the machine just now. This kind of thing was always under regtion, so it was not allowed


    to be used for trading. The owner of this ck market was very daring to have the audacity to trade it


    so publicly.


    Joaquin ended the call very quickly. When he hung up the phone, his expression was still disgruntled.


    He didn''t say a word when Katherine went up to him; he just pulled the car door open and entered the


    car.


    Katherine followed behind him to enter the car as well.


    Both of them didn''t talk either. When they entered the car, the engine started, and they left the


    underground ck market.


    On the way, Kian sent Katherine a text, telling her that the herbs were all found and he could go to


    Hovington tomorrow. She was startled for a little when she saw the text.


    Some of the herbs that she listed were rare and couldn''t be found on the market. She thought it might


    take 10 days to half a month to find all of them. It was beyond her expectation that Kian had such a


    broad connection, being able to find all of the herbs in such a short time.


    At this thought, she was starting to be curious about who Kian was. Since this person looked so much


    like Elsie, he might have something to do with her.


    Katherine replied to him and sent him an address. After booking a treatment time with him tomorrow,


    she turned off her phone.


    The car drove straight to Soulin International, and Joaquin got out of the car right away without saying


    anything to Katherine.


    She didn''t mind either and emerged from the car slowly before following behind him.


    As they were walking, Joaquin picked up two calls. She didn''t know what the person on the other side


    of the phone said, but when he heard that, his aura turned cold, and it was bloodcurdling. She could


    feel a sense of pressure in the elevator with him.


    "Jo¡ª" The elevator arrived on the 18th floor. Just as she was going to thank him, he strode into the


    room right away and closed the door naturally.


    At this moment, she looked at the door that was shut in front of her while touching her nose and


    unlocked the door of her own house.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    As soon as Katherine entered her house, she received a call from her assistant, Savannah Davis.


    Hence, she sat on the couch casually and picked up the video call.


    Almost immediately, Savannah''s serious face showed on the screen of her phone. Savannah was in


    charge of everything rted to the testboratory in Fontan, and she managed a fewpanies as


    well. Every month, she would report the condition to Katherine.


    Katherine sat there and listened to her casually. Thepany was developing quite well, and it was


    expanding to Cechirus methodically. All in all, there was nothing she needed to be worried about.


    After Savannah reported everything about work, she paused for a moment and talked about other


    things with a straight face. "Miss Cornell, there was someone looking into Mrs. Cornell and Mrs. Olsen."


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "What?" Katherine''s casual expression turned serious at once. She sat up straight and stared at


    Savannah on the screen, waiting for her to continue exining.


    "We''ve back-tracked them but were noticed by the other side, and they blocked us. So, we couldn''t


    track those looking into them."


    "I got it. Let me deal with this." Katherine took this matter very seriously.


    It had been 10 years since Elsie''s passing, but someone was looking into her at this time. This was


    something extremely strange. As for her grandmother, it was easier for her to understand. Because of


    her, it was not a strange thing for Jennifer to be looked into.


    After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked Savannah, "Send my grandma''s information to me. My


    mom''s too."


    Savannah didn''t ask anything and just replied to her affirmatively. They hung up the phone after some


    small talk.


    Within 10 minutes, Savannah had already sent the documents to Katherine''s email.


    When she opened and looked at it, her brows knitted together tightly as their documents were so


    simple that it looked like someone had purposely erased some of their past.


    She looked at her grandmother''s documents and was immersed in her thoughts. It was especially


    obvious when she saw the name ''Jennifer Moran''. Instinctively, she thought about Morgan, whom she


    had met in Professor Muller''sboratory because herst name was Moran as well.


    Elsie''s document made her snap her brows together even tighter. Only her basic biography was listed


    on it¡ªwhen she was born, when she went to school, which school she went to¡ªand there was nothing


    else other than that.


    After looking through their documents, she sent Savannah a text message. When she knew this was


    the most detailed information they could find, she stared at Elsie''s photo on herputer screen in a


    trance with a frown.


    On the other hand, on the top floor''s president suite of the Pacific Neb Hotel, Kian was covering his


    mouth and coughing. There was an unhealthy blush on his pale face. When his cough calmed down a


    little, he looked at the person in front of him. "You didn''t find it?"


    "Yes, Mr. Grant. We''ve looked into Jennifer Moran and Elsie Olsen. Elsie passed away in an ident


    eight years ago and left behind a daughter. As for Jennifer, she left Cechirus for Fontan five years ago


    and hasn''te back since then. From what we found, her health hasn''t been too good. So, she''s


    receiving treatment in Fontan. Other than this, there isn''t any useful information." The person who


    answered him looked like he was in his 40s. He had a square face, making him look righteous.


    After being silent for a moment, Kian nodded with some thought in his mind. "Not finding anything is not


    strange at all. Since the clue ended here, there''s no need to continue looking into it anymore. You can


    go back now."


    "Understood," the other party replied to him. After that, he added, "By the way, when we''re looking into


    their documents, we were back-tracked, so there might be someone trying to hide their information on


    purpose."


    Hearing that, Kian was quite surprised, but only for a few seconds. He lost interest almost immediately.


    "Elsie is the only one who knows what happened at that time. Since she has passed away, it''s not


    necessary to look into them anymore. You can return to Kynd and tell father that we can''t find any


    clue on mother."


    "Okay."


    After the middle-aged man left, he sat on the couch and daydreamed for a little while. Just then,


    Katherine''s exquisite face appeared in his mind. He touched his own face subconsciously andughed


    bitterly.


    The time for treatment that Katherine set with Kian was 10.00AM on the next day, and the venue was


    Soulin International.


    On the next day, Kian arrived at 9.00AM sharp. When Katherine heard the doorbell, she opened the


    door and was startled for a second, looking at the man outside the door. After that, she stepped aside


    and let him in.


    Before Kian entered, Joaquin''s door beside hers was opened. He changed into a silver mask today,


    covering half of his face, giving off a don''te-over vibe. It was obvious that he was still not in a good


    mood.


    Katherine lifted her head and nced at him for a second before looking away. Then, she led Kian into


    the house and closed the door. At this moment, Joaquin frowned a little. He only looked at Kian for a


    second just now but felt that he might have met him before.


    He stood at the entrance and stared at the closed door for a few seconds before looking away and


    walking outside.


    Some trouble came up in Area Seven. When they went to dig into the ck market, a fewrades


    were seriously injured, and their lives were at risk. So, he needed to rush over to deal with it.


    On the other hand, after Katherine let Kian in, she poured him a cup of water.


    Meanwhile, Kian gave all the herbs that he had prepared to her. After ncing at them, she was quite


    surprised. It was out of her expectation that these herbs were not only okay but they were aged more


    than she expected.


    "Is the Grant Family specialized in nting and selling herbs?" she asked subconsciously.


    Hearing that, he smiled kindly and didn''t hide it from her either. "Yes. The ancestors of the Grant Family


    were doctors for the royals, but the members of recent generations are not really talented in traditional


    medicine. So, we''re selling herbs to make a living."


    At this moment, she thought about the information that she had found. After being silent for a moment,


    she nodded as if nothing had happened and took the herbs into the kitchen.


    Since she returned to the country, she didn''t have time to build her ownboratory, so she didn''t have


    the necessary tools to make the medicine. In the end, she just proceeded with the pressure cooker.


    Luckily, the effect was not bad. She carefully processed the herbs before cing them on a stove and


    starting the fire to slowly boil them. Then, she came out of the kitchen and checked Kian''s body.


    "Hmm? What did you eat yesterday?" She noticed something wasn''t right as soon as she read his


    pulse. The toxin in his body was much more active than it was yesterday. He had probably consumed


    some new toxin yesterday, which stimted the toxin in his body.


    Seeing her serious expression, he didn''t hide anything and told her everything he had eaten after


    leaving the ck market.


    "Throughout the treatment, don''t consume any other medicine other than the medicine I give you. As


    for your diet¡­ There''s a Country House Restaurant in the alley of West City. The herbal course there is


    quite good. You can try going there." After being silent for a moment, she couldn''t judge where the


    problem was at once, so she could only give him some advice.


    Hearing that, Kian nodded in acknowledgment. Meanwhile, Katherine turned around to take out a silver


    needle. After pausing for a while, she asked him toe over.


    She couldn''t be disturbed in the process of the acupuncture treatment. Since Kian''s condition was


    slightlyplicated, she needed to be extra careful throughout the treatment.


    Katherine asked him to take his shirt off and lie down. Although he was slightly embarrassed, he still


    took off his clothes obediently andy down on the bed after looking at her serious face, which didn''t


    have any other thoughts for him. He even scolded himself inside for overthinking.


    At this moment, Katherine was thinking about where she shouldnd her needle, so she didn''t notice


    anything strange about him. When her gazended on his body, there was a slight change in her


    expression.


    This person actually has a rose birthmark on his chest, just like me?

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    "Is there any problem?" When Kian realized that Katherine was still not doing anything after some time,


    he opened his closed eyes and looked at her in confusion.


    Hearing that, Katherine snapped out of her daze and suppressed her thoughts. With the silver needle


    in hand, she found the point tond her needle and jabbed it swiftly.


    The whole process took two hours. After she finished the acupuncture treatment, she was covered in


    sweat as well.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    On the other hand, Kian was already asleep halfway through the treatment. She looked at the rose


    birthmark for quite some time before pulling a nket to cover him up. Then, she took her phone and


    went outside to make a call.


    "Hello, Kathy? Why are you suddenly calling me?" Jennifer''s hoary voice came from the other side of


    the phone, and there was obvious happiness in her tone.


    "Grandma, about my rose birthmark¡­" As Katherine was about to ask about the birthmark, Jennifer cut


    her off before she could finish her sentence.


    "Oh, that rose birthmark? It''s an Olsen Family''s heritage. As long as there is Olsen Family''s blood in


    your body, you will have the birthmark on your body. You have it on you, as well as your mother. What


    about it?" Jennifer was very energetic in talking about the past. After pausing for a moment, she added,


    "In this generation of the Olsen Family, your grandfather was the only one left, and he and I only have


    your mother. So, we''ll need to wait until you have your kid; only then will the next person with a rose


    birthmark appear."


    "Is it? Is there anything special about the rose birthmark? Only the Olsen Family''s bloodline will have


    it?" She had never heard Jennifer talking about these things before.


    Since Elsie and Darren passed away, Jennifer rarely talked about these things.


    "That is the symbol of the Olsen Family''s bloodline. Only close members will have the rose birthmark.


    You still haven''t told me why you are suddenly asking about this. Is there anything wrong with your rose


    birthmark?" After exining a little, Jennifer started to worry again.


    "Nothing, Grandma. I''m just asking. I think I saw someone else with the rose birthmark." Katherine


    brushed her off.


    "That''s impossible. Totally impossible. No other people will have this birthmark." Jennifer disapproved


    of what she said with certainty.


    However, Katherine didn''t exin further. She hung up the phone after asking a little about her health.


    When she entered the room again, Kian was already awake, and his face looked a lot better than


    before.


    As soon as he saw hering in, he smiled at her and sat up from the bed. "I feel much more


    energetic than before. Thank you."


    "It''s just a fair trade. You gave me what I needed, so I''ll treat your illness," she kept her phone and


    replied to him. In fact, she wanted to ask him about the birthmark, but felt that it was quite


    inappropriate, so she didn''t mention it.


    "When is the next treatment?" He didn''t say anything much after hearing what Katherine said.


    "Come here again after one week. I''ll give you a prescription. You''ll need to take medicine three times a


    day as per the prescription. After a week, I''ll adjust it based on your condition. Remember what I


    reminded you of just now? Be mindful of your diet," Katherine replied to him as she walked over to take


    a pen and paper to write down the prescription and give it to him.


    Kian took the prescription from her and saw that her writings were powerful and messy. It was nothing


    like her obedient look.


    After he kept the prescription, he nodded. "Okay. I''ll go to the Country House Restaurant in West City. I


    got it."


    Katherine sent him out after telling him everything she should.


    ¡­


    On the other hand, in Area Seven, Joaquin''s face was darkened, and Jeremy was lowering his head


    with his face full of guilt. "I''m sorry, Mr. Levisay. It''s my fault for not protecting the brothers. They¡­"


    The injuries of these people were very serious, as their vital organs were damaged. Despite having a


    complete medical system in Area Seven, they still couldn''t save them.


    "Go and receive your respective punishments." After saying that coldly, Joaquin went to look at the


    condition of the fewrades who were injured the worst.


    "Mr. Levisay, their vital organs are damaged. There''s really nothing I can do, but if Miss Cornell is here,


    she might be able to save them." Ben''s eyes were reddened. He had always kept himself tidy, but he


    was disheveled right now with an unshaven beard. It was obvious that he hadn''t slept for the whole


    night.


    "What?" Joaquin looked at him with narrowed eyes.


    After putting the things in his hand down, Ben stood up and stumbled a little before standing firmly.


    "That time when her brother was so severely injured, she healed him with just a few moves. Mr.


    Levisay, I want to take back what I said earlier. This fianc¨¦e of yours is really extraordinary. I guess only


    the ancient doctors of the few old families in Cechirus have her level of medical skill."


    "The patients won''t be able tost a few hours, Mr. Levisay." The other doctors had already stopped


    what they were doing and looked extremely exhausted.


    Seeing that, Joaquin felt his heart sink since every one of the members in Area Seven had been


    trained by him personally. His rtionship with them was extraordinary.


    He thought that looking into an underground ck market was an easy job. It was out of his


    expectation that so many people would be injured.


    There were seven people lying here, and they might die at any time.


    "I know." He closed his eyes and suppressed all his emotions. Then, he took out his phone and turned


    around, going outside to call Katherine. When Katherine received Joaquin''s call, she was just looking


    into Kian''s background.


    After ncing at the caller ID, she answered it on speaker right away and put it on the table. "Yes, my


    dear fianc¨¦. Why are you looking for me?"


    "I need your help. I have a few people here who are severely injured. They might not make it."


    Joaquin''s voice was deep.


    "I¡­" With a frown, she sat up straight and held the phone in her hand.


    "Don''t rush into rejecting me. If you agree to save them, you can tell me any of your conditions." He cut


    her off.


    In fact, she didn''t n to reject him, but when she heard what he said, an idea came to her mind, and


    she agreed right away. After asking for the address, she left home immediately.


    Area Seven was a military area, so no outside cars would be allowed to enter. Katherine took a cab to


    the nearby area and saw Jeremy, who was waiting there.


    "Miss Cornell." When Jeremy saw Katherine, his expression turnedplicated since thest time she


    was here, he looked down on her and even tattled on her to Beatrice. Thinking of it now made him feel


    embarrassed.


    Meanwhile, Katherine nodded to him, indicating him to lead the way. She followed behind him into the


    mountain.


    "Hurry, Miss Cornell. One of them won''t make it. He''s dying soon." As Katherine and Jeremy were still


    walking halfway, they met Ben, who ran out anxiously to find them.


    When both of them sprinted into the infirmary, they heard a grieving voice. "He''s gone, Mr. Levisay."


    When Ben heard that, he was stunned, breaking down after being on edge for an entire day. He


    copsed immediately after a stumble.


    Seeing that, Katherine reached out her hand to hold him. After Jeremy, who was on the side, took over


    the job, only then did Katherine walk over and look at that person who had stopped breathing. After a


    moment of silence, she announced calmly, "He can still be saved."

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    "What? He is dead, and it''s going to stay that way, no matter what you do, so what are you insinuating?


    Are you questioning my judgment?" The doctor''s face changed when he heard Katherine''s words


    because it seemed to him that thedy doubted his professionalism.


    However, Katherine ignored the doctor and reached for the needles in her pocket. She then undressed


    the patient and took three needles, pricking all of them on his chest somewhere around the heart.


    "What are you doing? Why won''t you let the deceased rest in peace?" When the doctor saw what


    Katherine was going to do, he extended his arm to get a hold of her, his face turning sour.


    "That''s enough! Jeremy! Let her try!" Joaquin shouted with a darkened look on his face.


    Jeremy was unhappy when he heard that, standing there in a sulk without interfering with Katherine.


    He then gazed at Joaquin and asked, "Mr. Levisay, she may be an impressive doctor, but now that the


    patient is dead, why can''t she just let the deceased rest in peace?"


    "I believe in her." Joaquin looked at Katherine, who was concentrating on her treatment, after replying


    to Jeremy. Upon hearing that, Jeremy looked away bitterly, thinking he was better off not watching the


    process.


    In the meantime, Katherine''s forehead appeared to be covered in cold sweats as she ced her


    needles on different spots of the patient''s body, one by one, her face slowly turning pale. After using up


    all the 108 needles she had, she heaved a sigh of relief and put them away a few momentster.


    Although the entire treatment was rather impressive to watch, Katherine was surprisingly covered in so


    much sweat that her clothes were all drenched. When the treatment was over, she went weak in her


    knees and nearly copsed onto the ground. At the same time, she felt a burning sensation that was


    apanied by a tingling pain in her chest, frowning while feeling intense difort.


    Not long after that, the patient, who was thought to be dead, suddenly coughed and opened his eyes.


    In that instant, everyone else was stunned and dumbfounded by what they saw, especially Jeremy,


    who cast doubts on Katherine''s capability. At that moment, he was surprised yet embarrassed to


    witness the miracle. He then peeked at Katherine, only to notice her pale face with a pair of furrowed


    eyebrows that indicated to him that she was exhausted and unwell. "I''m sorry for doubting you."


    Jeremy puckered his lips, begrudgingly apologizing to Katherine while his cheeks were flustered.


    "Can the other patients hang in there?" Katherine suddenly felt unwell as the burning sensation in her


    chest continued to bother her. In fact, it even intensified so much that she felt as if something was


    moving inside her blood veins, making her feel so dizzy that she felt like vomiting blood out of her


    mouth. I''m not in the condition to treat anyone right now.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "They can hang on for two more hours at most," Ben answered Katherine''s question on Jeremy''s


    behalf just as he felt slightly better.


    "Sure. Just give me a room." Katherine nodded, feeling her breath warmer than it usually was.


    "Come with me." Joaquin gazed at Katherine, noticing how sweaty she had gotten due to her drenched


    clothes that entuated her slim figure because they seemed as if they were tightly wrapped around


    her body. While Joaquin walked away with a darkened look on his face, Katherine rolled her eyes


    upward and caught up to him.


    Although Joaquin had his own private lounge at that ce, Katherine beat him to the room and


    immediately locked the door behind her as soon as they arrived before the man could react. In


    response to thedy''s unexpected reaction, Joaquin was left standing outside the lounge while smiling


    in embarrassment. At the same time, Katherine copsed onto the ground after closing the door and


    sat down there weakly. She then took off her clothes, fixing her gaze upon the rose birthmark on her


    chest. Due to its bright red appearance, it seemed even more ring than anything else in sight, like it


    was burning. This is strange.


    While the rose birthmark initially looked like it wasn''t in full bloom yet, it now seemed like a rose that


    had fully blossomed. In fact, Katherine could even smell the scent of the flower''s fragrance wafting in


    the air as she knitted her eyebrows and wondered what was going on. Why has the rose birthmark


    changed so strangely? Knowing little about the birthmark''s origin, Katherine could only recall bits and


    pieces of what her grandmother told her about it earlier. Therefore, she had no idea what was going on


    with the changes in her birthmark.


    Caught in her train of thought, Katherine continued to sit on the floor weakly as her body felt like it was


    burning from head to toe. It wasn''t until a few momentster that the burning sensation within her body


    finally subsided. At the same time, she was covered in sweat all over her body as if she was just


    rescued out of the water from drowning. Suddenly, she heard knocking on the door, followed by


    Joaquin''s voice. "Are you alright, Katherine?" In response to the call, Katherine decided to close her


    eyes and take some rest until she felt better. Then, she struggled her way back onto her feet with the


    wall and stood up before answering the door.


    In the meantime, Joaquin, who was standing outside, was worried when he heard nothing on the


    inside. As he was about to knock again, the door was open, much to his surprise. At the same time, he


    caught the fragrant scent of a rose, which reminded him of something he had left forgotten many years


    ago. As soon as Katherine''s silhouette came into view, he was left with a stunned look on his face. Am


    I seeing things? Or does Katherine''s skin seem fairer and smoother? It''s almost as if her skin is


    shining.


    "I''m fine, but can you please get me a set of new clothes?" Katherine struggled to regain her footing


    with her hands on the wall, staring at Joaquin while weakly asking him a favor.


    When Joaquin heard Katherine''s voice, he looked away, his ears turning red. He then coughed and hid


    his awkwardness. "Alright, I''ll get them to prepare your clothes."


    After the female soldiers delivered some clean clothes from Area Seven, Katherine bathed and got


    changed, finally feeling refreshed. Meanwhile, Joaquin happened to exit the lounge at the moment, but


    Katherine didn''t notice the change in the man''s expression as she went ahead and said, "Let''s take a


    look at the rest of the patients." After all, the rest of the patients were severely injured due to the lethal


    damage they took. Therefore, Katherine reckoned it was a miracle that they were still alive up to that


    point.


    While Jeremy and Ben sat on the ground in exhaustion, Katherine went on to examine the patients''


    condition before she began to treat them. At that moment, she realized her treatment was somewhat


    easier than it previously seemed to her, not having noticed the changes that were going on with her


    body. This is strange. This treatment used to be an uphill task for me, but it''s now a piece of cake. At


    the thought of that, Katherine was surprised by that miraculous change, as she only took 2 hours to


    treat all six of the patients without feeling tired at all. It was then that she realized how much the change


    of her rose birthmark mattered to her.


    Katherine was reminded of the rose birthmark she saw earlier as she continued to examine a few other


    patients'' conditions. After making sure the patients were alright, she went on to tell Ben toe with


    her. "Everything should be good now. Ben, pleasee with me to collect your medicer. You


    should fully recover in about seven days."


    "Alright." Ben nodded in response.


    "I shall excuse myself if there is nothing else important. As for the payment, you could make it to me


    later." Katherine sterilized her needles, glimpsing Joaquin at the same time.


    "Allow me to see you out." Joaquin was wondering deep down why Katherine seemed and felt like


    someone whom he was familiar with as the fragrant scent that wafted from her body filled his nasal


    cavity.

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Katherine looked up and fixed her gaze upon Joaquin without showing any signs of rejection. Then, the


    two of them made their way to the infirmary, but as soon as they got there, they were greeted by


    Jeremy, who was standing at the door. At that moment, Jeremy gazed at Katherine with a pair of


    flustered cheeks, ashamed of his ego for doubting thedy who ironically proved him wrongter.


    "I''m sorry for doubting you earlier, and I must admit that you''re an impressive doctor." Jeremy stood in


    Katherine''s way and apologized to her after a few seconds of hesitation.


    "No worries," Katherine replied, seemingly unconcerned with Jeremy''s apology.


    Although Jeremy still had something he wanted to say, he noticed Joaquin''s gaze and swallowed the


    words that were forming at the tip of his tongue. He then shifted his eyes to Katherine shortly before he


    turned around and scurried away.


    "Does everyone around here behave as he does? He is cute, isn''t he?" Katherine looked at Joaquin


    after having her eyes glued to Jeremy''s back.


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows upon hearing thedy, feeling something different about her since the first


    they met at the hotel. There is something about thisdy. Now that we''ve spent some time together, I


    realize she is not only just a skilled fighter but also a good doctor. It''s strange that no one knows a


    talented woman like her in Cechirus, but seriously, how has no one ever heard of her name? "You''re


    not so bad yourself either." Joaquin gave an ambiguous reply, but Katherine yed dumb in response


    to that.


    As the duo exited Area Seven, they were greeted by the sight of a ck Land Rover right outside the


    ce. While Joaquin circled around the car to get to the driver''s seat, Katherine went straight to the


    front passenger seat upon opening the door. The moment Joaquin was seated, he heard his phone


    ringing and looked down at it with a frown. However, he didn''t answer the phone call right away as the


    phone continued to ring non-stop.


    "Aren''t you going to answer the call? Maybe it''s something urgent." Katherine advised Joaquin to pick


    up the phone out of kindness, fixing her gaze on the man''s expression.


    Joaquin then grunted and picked up the call when the phone rang once again. "Mr. Levisay, this is a


    call from Hovington Hospital. We have a patient here who has been admitted to the hospital due to an


    injury. Nevertheless, the reason we called you was that your number was the only contact we could find


    in her call log. So, could you pleasee over?" A man''s voice was heard from the other side of the


    phone, instead of the usual skittish voice Joaquin was expecting.


    Upon hearing the news, Joaquin responded with a cold voice, his face darkening a little. "What? She is


    hurt? What happened?"


    "She was caught in an ident, and it appears that she''s been severely wounded. Right now, we''re


    trying our best to stabilize her condition, but at the same time, we''ll need her family members to sign


    some papers," the person on the other side of the phone honestly answered.


    "I''ll be on my way now." Joaquin hung up the call right away.


    Meanwhile, Katherine could roughly tell what was going on, judging from the words that came out of


    Joaquin''s mouth. The next second, the man stepped on the gas pedal and sped off on the road without


    even bothering to ask Katherine whether she wanted to tag along with him. However, Katherine only


    responded by curling her lips upward while looking outside the window. As he kept his foot steady on


    the gas pedal, the car traveled on the highway at lightning speed for the next two hours until they


    arrived at Hovington Hospital. It wasn''t until Joaquin parked his car that he realized Katherine had been


    sitting next to him all the time. While he appeared to be hesitant about that, Katherine sensibly stepped


    out of the vehicle upon noticing his reaction. She then smiled and replied, "Don''t worry about me. I''ll


    find my way back."


    "Alright." Joaquin looked at thedy in silence and responded with a grunt before dashing into the


    hospital.


    When Joaquin arrived at the emergency ward, he saw the door closed with a young nurse standing


    outside. As soon as she saw Joaquin, she quickly walked up to him and asked, "Are you Beatrice


    Muller''s next of kin?"


    "How is she now?" Joaquin radiated a cold aura, his face showing an intimidating expression.


    "Her condition is pretty serious because the nerves around her legs have been severely damaged."


    The nurse proceeded to hand over a document to Joaquin. "We need your signature on the paper as


    confirmation before we proceed further."


    Joaquin took the document and began to skim through the lines quickly before a concerned look


    appeared on his face. Beatrice''s condition is pretty serious, and amputation seems to be the best way,


    but she is too young to lose her legs. Isn''t this a little too harsh for her? At the thought of that, he


    knitted his eyebrows, his eyes glued to the words on the papers without saying a single word at all. A


    few momentster, he asked, "Is there no other way?"


    "Well, you could contact some of the most well-known neurosurgeons from abroad and see if any of


    them could treat a damaged nervous system because I''m afraid that''s not something we''re capable of


    at the moment," the nurse replied.


    Joaquin''s heart sank when he heard that because he reckoned Hovington Hospital was just as good as


    the ones in Bellerium. Therefore, the doctors would likely not be able to help if Beatrice''s doctor


    couldn''t. Nevertheless, he insisted that the doctors from Cechirus were just as good as those abroad.


    Thus, he had no intention of seeking help from abroad.


    "Alright, I get you. Please have the operation postponed." Joaquin returned the document to the nurse.


    The nurse paused for a second and took it. "Sure, as you wish, Sir." She turned around and returned to


    the emergency ward upon finishing her sentence.


    Two hourster, Beatrice was finally taken out of the emergency ward. While she was still unconscious,


    the bruises on her face were apparently noticeable. "Her condition is stable for the time being, but like I


    suggested, I think it''s better for her to go through an amputation. You might want to make up your mind


    in no more than a week because if you fail to do so, she could suffer from necrosis that may spread to


    the rest of her body. By then, it''ll only get worse." The doctor, who seemed to be in his forties, made his


    point in a serious manner. After offering Joaquin his word of advice, he turned around and walked


    away.


    On the other hand, Joaquin sat beside the bed, having his eyes glued to Beatrice, who was


    unconscious with a darkened expression. A few momentster, he reached for his phone and gave Ben


    a call. "I want to know the truth behind Beatrice''s ident. Find out what happened and let me know.


    Besides, I''ll need you to contact and bring the best neurosurgeon in the country to Hovington Hospital."


    "What''s going on, Mr. Levisay?" Ben was stunned, as if he could see Joaquin''s stern look even though


    he could only hear his serious tone.


    "Beatrice is caught in an ident, and she may need to have her legs amputated," Joaquin answered


    his question directly.


    "What? An amputation? That''s serious. Why didn''t you ask Miss Cornell for help? She is an impressive


    doctor, and maybe she has a way to¡­" Ben paused mid-sentence and said, "I''ll get on with the


    investigation right away, Mr. Levisay!" He hung up the call as soon as he finished his words.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    In the meantime, Joaquin furrowed his eyebrows, with Ben''s words repeatedly echoing in his mind. If


    Katherine agrees to treat Beatrice, there is a chance that Beatrice could keep her legs. Despite the


    thought of that, he immediately gave it up because he was aware of the bitter rivalry between Beatrice


    and Katherine, knowing it wouldn''t be appropriate to approach Katherine for help in that regard.


    Therefore, he gave up the idea of asking for Katherine''s help, thinking he should wait until Beatrice


    came around while trying to figure out who the culprit was.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    "Joe? Joe!" Half an hourter, Beatrice finally opened her eyes, whereupon tears began to roll down


    her eyes the moment she saw Joaquin right in front of her.


    "I''m right here." At the sight of Beatrice''s vulnerable state, Joaquin was overwhelmed by sympathy. He


    then sat next to her bed and caressed her head, gently patting it.


    Nevertheless, Beatrice cried even louder as she covered her face with her hands. "I bet I look ugly


    now, don''t I? Leave me alone, Joaquin. I don''t want you to see me like that." Thedy struggled in an


    attempt to shove Joaquin away, but after a fierce struggle, her face turned pale just as she looked at


    the man in horror and despair. "Joe, what''s wrong with me? Why can''t I feel my body?"


    "It''s alright. Just quit squirming. I''ll make sure you''re going to be okay." Joaquin gently caressed


    Beatrice, trying tofort her.


    "You must be lying to me, right? What''s wrong with my body? What''s wrong with me? Why can''t I move


    at all? Joe, am I¡­ Am I¡­" Beatrice was devastated, unable to ept the grim reality.


    In the meantime, Joaquin had no idea how he could console Beatrice due to her overwhelming


    emotions. Therefore, he had no choice but to send for the doctor, who quickly arrived to check on


    Beatrice. After that, the nurse was instructed to inject her with some sedatives in order to calm her


    down. Minutester, Beatrice began to fall asleep, much to Joaquin''s relief.


    With a stern look on his face, the doctor said, "The patient is getting a little too agitated, and that isn''t


    good for her recovery. Thus, you might want to keep her calm all the time and avoid provoking her. For


    that, I''d advise you to agree with the surgery so that she can be treated as soon as possible, Mr.


    Levisay."


    "Alright, I heard you," Joaquin replied with a cold grunt. Upon seeing the doctor out of the ward, he


    returned to his seat in a preupied manner. While Beatrice continued to remain asleep, Ben''s call


    came in. As soon as Joaquin saw the iing call, he immediately rose from his seat and went to the


    balcony to answer the phone.


    "I''ve found out what happened, and the details have been sent to your inbox. Check it out." Ben


    seemingly wanted to say more than he did, although he didn''t in the end.


    After replying with an affirmative hum, Joaquin hung up the call and checked out his inbox, in which he


    found a new email. When he viewed its content, he was shocked, whereupon he deleted it. After a few


    moments of silence, he called Ben back and said, "Please continue the investigation with this matter."


    Joaquin responded with a cold and intimidating voice, even more so than the time he told Ben to


    investigate the truth behind the ident in which Beatrice was caught earlier.


    "Mr. Levisay¡­" Ben sounded hesitant.


    "I don''t believe she''d order a hit on Beatrice just because she was jealous of her. I''m not going to buy


    that story because I know what kind of person Katherine is. She will never do anything like that. Keep


    investigating the matter! Leave no stone unturned!" Joaquin interrupted Ben''s words and went ahead to


    make his point heard before hanging up the call.


    Staring at his own phone in silence for a while, Ben proceeded to make another phone call.


    In the meantime, Joaquin continued to stand on the balcony for a while more as he tried to reach for his


    cigarette in his pocket, but when he couldn''t find anything at all, he recalled that he had already quit


    smoking a long time ago. Therefore, he rubbed the fabric inside his pocket with his fingers before he


    returned to the ward with a cold look on his face. Seeing Beatrice still in her sleep, Joaquin was sure


    she wouldn''t wake up anytime soon because he thought the sedation wouldst for at least two hours.


    Thus, he left the hospital and made his way to Soulin International.


    In less than ten minutes after Joaquin left, Beatrice opened her eyes and came to her senses. Due to


    thepact space within the ward, she was able to overhear Joaquin''s tele-conversation from the


    balcony. Therefore, she knew everything about the conversation Joaquin was having with Ben. "What''s


    so good about Katherine? What has she done to deserve your trust so much?" Beatrice was seen with


    hatred written all over her face, her eyes turning red as they were filled with rage. Frustrated, she


    thumped herp, only to realize her legs felt nothing. Her face quickly changed as she pressed the bell


    next to her nightstand to call for help.


    In less than 5 minutes, the doctor and the nurse hurriedly arrived, only to be stunned when they saw


    Beatrice awake. However, Beatrice ignored their reaction and questioned them coldly. "What happened


    to my legs? Why can''t I feel anything at all?" Deep down, she couldn''t believe her legs would be numb


    because she was the one who faked the car ident. Nheless, she couldn''t exin why she


    couldn''t feel her legs at all since the moment she woke up.


    "Miss Muller, your legs are currently in a paraplegic condition because the nervous system within them


    has sustained serious damage in the ident you were caught in, but since Mr. Levisay hasn''t signed


    the consent form to approve the surgical amputation, we haven''t proceeded with any further surgical


    treatment." The doctor adjusted the sses on his nasal bridge, honestly answering Beatrice''s


    question.


    Beatrice was shocked upon hearing what the doctor said, staring at thetter in disbelief. "What did you


    just say? Come again!"


    "You heard me, Miss Muller. No matter how many times you want me to repeat it, I''m still going to say


    the same thing. So, I''d advise you to remain calm because agitation will only take a toll on your health


    at the moment. For now, I hope you''re going to ept our suggestion and let us treat you.


    Furthermore, there are many types of prosthetics that are well developed in the international market


    these days. Therefore, your paraplegic condition isn''t going to bother you in your life at all¡­"


    As the doctor was still going on about his point, Beatrice was too disturbed to continue listening to any


    of those words because all she had in her mind was the harsh truth about her paraplegia. Howe


    I''m paralyzed?! That ident was a fake one that I nned to set Katherine up! At the thought of that,


    Beatrice''s vision suddenly became more and more blurry before she eventually passed out.


    When he arrived at Soulin International, Joaquin went straight to Katherine''s doorstep and rang the


    doorbell. Not long after that, Katherine answered the door and was seen in a white casual outfit with


    two hair buns on her head. When she saw Joaquin at her doorstep, she was stunned. "To what do I


    owe you the pleasure? Is there something I can help you with?"


    "I have a patient, who is suffering from necrosis in her leg, here. Can you save her?" Joaquin hesitated


    in silence, but when Beatrice''s look shed across his mind, he decided it was necessary for him to


    speak up.


    Katherine, who had turned around and made her way toward the house, heard the man''s words and


    knitted her eyebrows. "Necrosis? Was it caused by a traffic ident? I think I can save the patient, but


    I need to know who I''m going to be treating."


    "Beatrice," Joaquin answered while following behind thedy.


    "I''m sorry. No can do." Katherine rolled her eyes upward, seeing no reason for her to rescue Beatrice


    due to their restrained rtionship.


    "Just name a price." With a nonchnt look on his face, Joaquin tried to do his best to change the


    lady''s mind.


    Nevertheless, Katherine only looked back at the man like he was a clown. "Do I look like I''m in


    desperate need of money? I''m not interested in saving her."N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    "Katherine¡­"


    "Enough. We''re talking about necrosis here. There is nothing I can do about it. What do you think I am?


    God? I can''t treat all illnesses." Katherine raised her hand and interrupted Joaquin''s words.


    Staring at thedy''s indifferent face, he decided to keep quiet and stopped persuading Katherine.


    "There is still a chance she can live if she has her leg amputated as soon as possible. However, time is


    not on her side; if this drags on, she may even lose her life. Furthermore, she can still carry on with her


    life with prosthetics." Katherine noticed Joaquin''s dismay and offered him her word of advice out of


    kindness. After that, she left Joaquin to it and went on to attend to her business.

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Meanwhile, Joaquin continued to stand in ce for a few more moments until he was surprised to


    realize just how well Katherine knew Beatrice''s condition. Just as he was about to ask her something


    more, his phone rang. He then took a look at his phone and saw a phone call from the hospital, thinking


    it could be about Beatrice. Thus, he answered the call while making his way to the exit. "What''s the


    matter?"


    "Mr. Levisay, Miss Muller just tried tomit suicide."


    An hourter, Joaquin returned to the hospital once again, just as Beatrice''s rescue was over.


    However, she appeared to be unconscious because of the sedation effects. As soon as Joaquin walked


    in the door and saw thedy, he knitted his eyebrows and turned his attention to the doctor with an


    intimidating look. "Why did she try to kill herself?"


    "Miss Muller was devastated after she learned that she must have her legs amputated. So, as soon as


    the nurse looked away, she smashed her drip bottle into pieces and grabbed one of the shards to slit


    her wrist. Fortunately, we were able to discover that and rescue her just in time." Wesley appeared to


    be covered in a cold sweat at the thought of what he had seen earlier.


    "I see." Joaquin pursed his lips, his face darkening. In the meantime, Wesley, the doctor, and the nurse


    walked out of the ward, leaving Joaquin alone with Beatrice.


    Ten minutester, Theodore came to the hospital after being informed about his granddaughter''s


    condition. The moment he saw Beatrice, he felt a stab of pain in his chest as his disappointment toward


    her was reced by sympathy. Then, he went on to greet Joaquin and sat down next to thetter. As


    the professor''s face was written with exhaustion, he seemed like he had aged ten years older.


    "Mr. Muller¡­" Joaquin had no idea what to say, his mouth left wide agape.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "There is no need for you to apologize to me. In fact, you''ve done great enough. Beatrice is only left


    with the choice of epting her fate." Theodore gazed at Joaquin, forcing a brittle smile on his face.


    "Mr. Muller, you''re an expert in biological studies, so isn''t there anything you can do to help Beatrice?"


    Joaquin still had a glimmer of hope that Theodore was able to save Beatrice, knowing the man was


    revered for his expertise in the medical world. Besides, he also knew that Theodore had worked with


    Nexus Laboratory from Fontan. After all, thatb was well-known thanks to Mr. Q, who rose to fame for


    his unrivaled medical expertise in cell regeneration. Therefore, Joaquin was hoping Theodore could


    ask for Q''s help to save Beatrice.


    "No, there isn''t." Theodore shook his head. In fact, the first thing he did was contact Katherine and


    send her some detailed information about Beatrice''s condition when he learned about Beatrice''s status.


    However, Katherine turned him down, saying that there was nothing she could do as she suggested


    that Beatrice should have her legs amputated. Because of that, Theodore couldn''t see a way out for


    Beatrice either, thinking there was no hope for thetter because even Katherine, who was deemed to


    be capable of treating all kinds of illnesses, couldn''t do anything to save her.


    Upon hearing the professor, Joaquin kept quiet without saying a single word more while the two men


    continued to sit in the ward. Not long after that, Beatrice came to her senses and tried to remove the


    drip needles that were attached to the back of her hand, only to be stopped by Joaquin just in time. She


    then burst into tears, crying out loud with a hoarse voice. "Joe, please just let me die. What''s the point


    of living like that? I should just die instead of bing someone else''s liability!" Thedy cried


    agitatedly, copsing into Joaquin''s arms in a devastated manner.


    In response to that, Joaquin froze in ce despite his instinctive rejection of Beatrice''s intimate


    behavior. However, when he noticed the look on her face, he hesitated for a second and decided to


    gently pat her head with his hand. "Please don''t say that. I will never give you up."


    "I''m only going to be your liability, Joe, so please just forget everything that happened between us


    five years ago and move on. From now on, you will no longer have to be responsible for me, and you


    can go ahead to marry Miss Cornell. Once both of you get married, you two will live happily together


    like I never existed before. Now, go." Beatrice shook her head rapidly, trying to break free from


    Joaquin''s arms while shoving him away.


    Witnessing Beatrice''s reaction, Joaquin felt even more pitiful for thedy. Deep down, he felt obligated


    to honor his promise to take good care of her forever after what happened five years ago. In fact, he


    saw no reason to give up on Beatrice despite her condition because it never crossed his mind to give


    her up either when she was in good physical health. "Alright, that''s enough, girl. I''m going to call off my


    engagement with Katherine and marry you." Joaquin let out a sigh, trying to get over theplicated


    emotions within him before replying to Beatrice''s words.


    However, little did Joaquin know that a smirk shed across Beatrice''s face, although thedy


    continued to shake her head tearfully. "No, you can''t do that, Joe. If you marry me in my condition, we


    may even have kids with disabilities. Therefore, I''m only going to be a liability if we ever get married,


    and it''s not going to be fair for you. Therefore, I don''t want you to marry me just because you want to


    honor your promise."


    While Joaquin only stared at Beatrice silently with a cial look, his attitude obviously reflected his


    stance and inclination.


    "Five years ago? What happened five years ago, Beatrice? What was it that you didn''t tell me?"


    Theodore was getting confused upon hearing the conversation between the two of them.


    It was at that moment that Beatrice''s face changed when she noticed her grandfather''s presence.


    Nevertheless, she was quick enough to hide her panicky expression and tearfully looked at Theodore.


    "You''re here, Grandpa. I''m so sorry for what I did earlier. I did something terrible and broke your heart,


    but can you forgive me?"


    Staring at Beatrice''s sympathetic look, Theodore instantly forgot about all the disappointment he had


    toward the former. After all, his disappointment could never rival the love he had for his granddaughter.


    "What''s done is done. So, put the past behind you and move on. Your life is going to go on as usual,


    even after your legs are amputated. After all, there are many disabled people who are living a good life


    now, and I believe you''re no exception." Theodore let out a sigh and spoke his mind.


    Amputated! Upon hearing that word, Beatrice felt a sting of pain in her heart as her tears began to roll


    down her eyes. She then bitterly looked at Theodore and begged him for help. "Please, Grandpa. Is


    Miss Cornell really going to stand by and watch me die? If she could save someone who was brain


    dead, my condition should be a piece of cake to her. I-Is she still mad at me?"


    "What are you talking about?! What brain death? You need to be careful with what you''re saying, girl!"


    Theodore berated his granddaughter, his face changing dramatically. Although there were no trust


    issues between him and Joaquin, he was still aware of the importance of keeping Katherine''s identity a


    secret, fearing trouble and disasters would follow should her whereabouts get exposed.


    On the other hand, Joaquin was stunned as he couldn''t stop thinking about the few words that Beatrice


    and Theodore were exchanging with each other. Brain death? The only treatment for brain death is the


    project that Mr. Muller and Mr. Q are working on, but why is Katherine rted to that? As Joaquin was


    figuring out an answer to his question, he heard Theodore''s apologetic voice. "I''m sorry, Joaquin.


    Beatrice must have gotten it mixed up because of the ident that happened to herst night. So,


    please take her words with a pinch of salt."

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    "Professor Muller¡­" Joaquin furrowed his brows as he looked at Theodore. Just as Joaquin was about


    to ask Theodore something, Theodore''s phone rang. After answering the phone, he frowned as he


    reminded Beatrice to cooperate and to receive the treatment. He then left hurriedly without speaking to


    Joaquin.


    Beatrice red at Theodore hatefully as she was furious at him for taking Katherine''s side even when


    she was badly injured. What''s so good about her? Why is everyone around me taking her side?


    The jealous Beatrice pretended to groan in pain when she saw the distracted Joaquin. Hearing that, he


    snapped out of his daze and turned over to look at her. As he looked at her painful expression, he


    thought that her condition had worsened and immediately pressed the call button. Soon, Wesley was


    seen rushing into the room.


    Seeing that, Beatrice hated how Joaquin started caring less about her ever since he was engaged to


    Katherine. She was mad at him for not making Katherinee over to treat her injury when she was


    badly wounded. She really couldn''t fathom what went wrong as she had nned meticulously to fake


    the car crash, but in the end, the car crash happened, rendering her badly injured. The thought of it


    made her blood boil.


    "Johdy¡­" She was interrupted by his phone''s ringtone. With that, he took his phone out, and his


    expression changed the moment he looked at it. He turned around and greeted Wesley before leaving


    the room without hearing what she wanted to say.


    "Johdy¡­" She was stunned and looked at him with disbelief, as she couldn''t believe that he had


    actually left her alone when she was already badly injured.


    She became hysterical and started screaming while throwing a pillow at Welsey, who was checking her


    injury. "Get out! I don''t need you to pretend like you care, and I don''t need you to treat me! Get out


    now!"


    Wesley, whose head was hit by the pillow, frowned and was irritated as he looked at her grimace. He


    nced at her coldly before leaving hurriedly with her medical chart in hand. Beatrice, who was left


    alone in the room, was hysterical and threw a tantrum as she couldn''t feel her lower body. She was


    anxious and mad because Theodore refused to help her.


    On the other hand, Theodore headed straight to the research institute after leaving the hospital.


    Unfortunately, he bumped into Katherine at the entrance, and both of them seemed glum.


    "Kathy, I¡­" he muttered. The leakage of experimental data this time round was a serious blow to them


    as originally, they were preparing to have their research patented, especially the experimental medicine


    that they were working on this time round. However, they did not expect that something as horrible as a


    data leakage would happen.


    "It''s not really your fault, so you don''t have to apologize to me first. What''s the current situation?"


    Katherine asked as she pressed on her forehead.


    "This time around, the leaked data was obtained by SQ Laboratory in Somar, and they have been


    researching that particr reagent as well. They managed to get their hands on all of our experimental


    data and samples of our reagent. I''m afraid¡­" Theodore seemed worried.


    "Samples of the reagent?" Katherine stopped walking.


    "It''s my fault." Theodore apologized.


    Katherine took a deep breath before both of them entered the meeting room. All of the researchers who


    participated in the experimental drug test were present. All of them had their heads down and had


    guilty looks on their faces.


    After taking a seat, Katherine went straight to the point and asked, "Can someone exin why there is


    data leakage? And how did they get their hands on the reagent?"


    The Sa-1 reagent was provided by Laboratory 3 in Fontan, and all of the quantities were strictly


    controlled. On top of that, Theodore had also imposed strict control whereby it would only be retrieved


    if they had to use it on their patients. However, this was a severe incident as their samples were


    handed over to theirpetitor. Everyone in the room looked at each other without speaking a word,


    and no one admitted to the mistake.


    Katherine waited calmly for an answer while taking her phone apart and assembling it into a


    micrputer. She was retrieving the data and surveince records in front of everyone. While waiting


    for the results, she lifted her gaze and looked at them. "We will give you a chance if you voluntarily


    admit to it. But if I was the one who found out who did it, it would bring about great consequences."


    Katherine usually looked very easy-going and easy to get along with, but when she got serious, it made


    everyone shudder. Especially the daunting murderous aura that she exuded, which gave people


    goosebumps.


    "Miss Cornell, we really don''t know how it happened. We believe that none of us would leak the data


    intentionally." Dina got onto her feet and made ament that represented the feelings of everyone


    present.


    Hearing that, Katherine nced at her before looking at the progress of the data download, and it was


    already at 99%. The culprit would soon be revealed. Since no one admitted to it, she didn''t see the


    point of questioning them, as it would just be a waste of time without having the evidence on hand. The


    last 1% took around ten minutes to be downloaded, and after looking at the results, Katherine raised


    her brows surprisedly and looked over at Theodore. Based on the result that she had generated, it


    showed that both the data and the samples were Theodore''s doing.


    "All of you can leave now. Professor Muller, please stay back for a chat." Katherine swiftly


    disassembled the micrputer and assembled it back to a phone before cing it on the table.


    The other researchers stared at each other before leaving the meeting room. Theodore could tell that


    Katherine already knew who the culprit was from the looks on her face. Although it was all within his


    expectation, he felt suffocated.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    His face was pale as a sheet as he sat on the chair, and it took him a while to confess to her. "I think it


    is Beatrice. I never expected her to do something like that, but I expected as much when I received a


    phone call about the data leakage."


    "Nevermind. Actually, I amended the data that all of you had. It would be useless for them even though


    they managed to get a hold of it. As to the reagent, no one would be able to get it easily without my


    consent." She shook her head and stopped talking as she looked at the disappointed Theodore.


    Whether Beatrice was the one who did it or not didn''t matter anymore. Before this, Katherine had


    imnted the Trojan virus, which had a self-destruct program in everyone''sputer. Once the leaked


    data file was opened or duplicated, the self-destruction program would be activated. Not only will the


    original data be destroyed, but it will also destroy all the data on the other party''sputer.


    "Professor, you should arrange for Beatrice''s amputation soon." Katherine, who had walked over to the


    exit, suddenly paused her steps and reminded him.


    Hearing that, the weary Theodore nodded and made a call when he was out of the room after


    Katherine left.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Meanwhile, at Somar, the researchers at SQ Laboratory were gathered together as they celebrated


    how easily they managed to get the research data.


    "I never thought that we could obtain the experimental report that easily this time round, which is really


    great. Now that we have gotten our hands on the sample as well, we could immediately replicate


    another dose after we have analyzed itsponents. By then, the patent will definitely be ours!" One


    of the elderly professors was shaking from the sudden wave of excitement.


    The others standing around him couldn''t hide their happiness too, as they stared at the data disyed


    on theputer screen. They even fantasized about finally getting the patent and winning international


    awards, which made theirboratory one of the best in the world because of the data they obtained. So


    far, theirboratory was ranked third internationally, and their ranking had been stagnant for some time


    now. It was a pleasant surprise to finally be able to get a hold of the much-coveted data.


    While they were lost in their reverie, theputer screen suddenly turned ck. Noticing that, the


    elderly professor immediately stretched his hand to press the start button, but theputer didn''t start,


    as if the source of electricity had been cut off.


    "Quick, go get ourb''s IT expert over to take a look at it." The elderly professor instructed his staff


    anxiously.


    Soon, theb''s IT expert got there, and after taking a look at theputer, he inserted a USB before


    typing on the keyboard. Finally, theputer turned on, which was a relief to everyone. However,


    when theputer was switched on, they noticed that all of the data in it had been deleted.


    "How did this happen?" The elderly professor was so angry that he almost passed out while the others


    were anxious about it too. All of them stared at the IT expert that they had spent a fortune recruiting.


    After the IT expert checked theputer''s recycle bin and checked some of the settings, he turned


    over to the elderly professor and said, "What were all of you watching from theputer earlier on? I


    detected a very advanced Trojanputer program that had destroyed all the files on theputer.


    Based on my expertise, I cannot retrieve the data. Unfortunately, I doubt that anyone in the world will


    be able to recover the data."


    "What?" A few of them were startled to find out about it. The elderly professor couldn''t take the bad


    news and fainted on the spot.


    "Quick, check whether the otherputers are affected!." The other professor managed to stay calm


    and knew they should also check the data on the otherputers.


    A few of them instructed the other staff members in theboratory to perform checks on all the


    computers in theboratory. Once all theputers had been checked, they were utterly disappointed


    by the findings, as every single bit of data that they had stored on their server was wiped off. Based on


    what their IT expert said, there was no way for them to recover the lost data, which meant that all the


    experimental data that they had worked so hard on was gone.


    It was a huge blow to everyone, and all of them were despaired by it. They found sce in


    remembering that they still had a sample of Sa-1 reagent on hand, but the bad news that followed had


    crushed theirst hope. The Sa-1 sample had somehow evaporated from the test tube without any


    warning. They suffered a double whammy, as not only did they not get hold of the data after spending a


    fortune, they had lost theirboratory''s research results that they had been working on for many years.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "Darn it! We have been fooled by the woman from Cechirus! She will pay for this!" The researchers of


    SQ Laboratory were so mad at Beatrice that they med everything on her.


    Meanwhile, in Cechirus, Beatrice realized that she was lying in one of the wards of Hovington Hospital


    when she woke up. At the same time, she couldn''t feel her legs, which befuddled her. When she finally


    made sense of the situation, she immediately stretched her hand out to touch her thigh, but she got the


    shock of her life and suddenly screamed as if she had already lost her legs!


    When Joaquin received a message from the doctor, it was already afternoon when he reached the


    hospital. Beatrice had gone ballistic as she cried and screamed incessantly. She bawled the moment


    she saw him.


    "Johdy, Johdy, m-my legs¡­"


    Seeing her that way made his heart ache. He then walked toward her and caressed her head. "Don''t


    worry. I won''t leave you."


    "Johdy, you will call off the wedding with Katherine and marry me, right? Promise me that you won''t


    abandon me. Please don''t abandon me¡­ I-I have lost everything." At that instant, she couldn''t afford to


    let him leave her alone anymore because she had been amputated.


    Theodore didn''t care about his granddaughter''s feelings and agreed to her amputation without getting


    her consent nor informing her about it. She hated him for it so much that she felt that it was a shame


    that he survived the car crash.


    "Don''t worry. I will never leave you. Don''t be too devastated about it, and rest well in the hospital. You


    can leave the rest to me, alright?" Heforted her and tried to calm her down.


    Hearing that, she nodded as right now, Joaquin was the only one that she could rely on. She would


    have felt lost if he abandoned her. After everything, she was relieved that he was still bound by what


    happened five years ago, and since he was a responsible man, he had promised to look after her for


    the rest of her life. On top of that, he believed what she said about what happened five years ago and


    had never doubted her words. The thought of it had calmed her anxious heart down.


    After Joaquin managed to calm Beatrice down, he hurriedly left the hospital, as there were still a lot of


    matters that required to be resolved at Area Seven. The existence of Area Seven was of great


    significance, and most of its members were undercover agents who were sent to perform tasks in


    various countries and regions. However, due to the ident, the list of personnel was leaked, which


    was no trivial matter. They would need to call back everyone who was performing undercover


    operations in order to avoid casualties.


    It had only been a day since the list was leaked, but they were afraid that many forces had already


    taken action against their undercover members. The ident this time round had caused them major


    losses.


    Joaquin looked glum when he reached Area Seven. Jeremy and the others stood in front of him and


    looked down when they noticed him walking in.


    "Have you done a thorough check? How could the name list of our members be leaked? Do you know


    what this means? It meant that all of our hard work had gone down the drain, and we had put our


    brothers'' lives in danger." Joaquin criticized coldly, not intending to hide his distress.


    "Joaquin, the IT team is still checking on it. But what we had found so far was that our system had


    been hacked, and the hacker was extremely skilled, as they managed to stay undetected after breaking


    through our firewall to obtain the name list. It was already toote when we found out about it because


    the data had already been leaked."

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Jeremy felt guilty and muttered with his head hanging low.


    "We have spent so much to support a group of so-called technical staff, and this is all you can do?


    Have you fixed the firewall? Have you found out who attacked our firewall? Area Seven''s firewall is


    considered the best in the world, so it is definitely the best within the country, but shouldn''t you reflect


    on it now that the hacking had gone unnoticed?" Joaquin nced at him coldly and snorted.


    Jeremy was quiet after hearing what he said. "Joaquin, I suspect that someone had revealed our secret


    on purpose. No outsiders had visited Area Seven before, but a few days back, an outsider was here,


    and now, such an incident seemed suspicious. On top of that, you brought her into your room, so she


    could be the one who leaked our secret." Someone in the room couldn''t stand seeing Jeremy being


    scolded and ming Katherine for what had happened.


    After hearing that, everyone in the room seemed convinced by his words. Since Joaquin wanted to


    protect Katherine''s identity, he didn''t openly speak about her, which was why not many people knew


    who she really was. He never thought that she would be med because of it.


    "Nonsense! This incident has nothing to do with Miss Cornell, and she would never do such a thing.


    Don''t me your ipetence on others!" Jeremy condemned the man.


    "I admit that I''m not as skilled, but we cannot totally rule out that she had nothing to do with this! Area


    Seven had always been well guarded, and no idents had happened until she came over here. Isn''t


    that suspicious? Who is she? Is she trustworthy and has her identity been verified?" The man who


    spoke was one of Area Seven''s IT personnel, Jordan Flint.


    He was a genius with an extremely high IQ who was admitted into Cechirus University as a top student


    at the age of 16. On top of that, he studied Computer Science which was one of the most popr


    subjects. His skills were ranked among the top in the world as he was ranked in the top 20


    internationally. He held himself in high regard, and so he was naturally frustrated when Area Seven''s


    firewall was hacked unnoticeably. He was willing to ept criticism, but he insisted that the incident


    had something to do with Katherine.


    "She¡­" Jeremy wanted to exin on Katherine''s behalf but was interrupted by Joaquin.


    "Tell me, what do you find suspicious about her?" Joaquin nced at Jeremy before shifting his gaze to


    look at Jordan.


    Seeing that, Jeremy kept his mouth shut and didn''t say a word.


    "Joaquin, theputer in your room contained the information on all of Area Seven''s undercover


    agents. Since you are the suprememander of Area Seven, it''s safest to have the information


    stored on yourputer. Since she had entered your room and stayed there for a while, I wouldn''t


    believe it if you said she was not a suspect. She must ept Area Seven''s investigation, or else I


    wouldn''t be convinced."


    "Alright." Joaquin nodded and instructed, "Give her a phone call and ask her toe over here,


    Jeremy."


    Jeremy was surprised to hear that and looked over at Joaquin, but when he saw how calm Joaquin


    was, he nodded and went out to make the call.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, the bored Katherine was scrolling through thetest dramas at Soulin International after


    returning from the research institute. When she received a call, it took her a while to realize that it was


    from Jeremy. She answered the call, but she kept quiet and allowed him to speak first.


    "Miss Cornell, I''m Jeremy from Area Seven. We have met a few times before. The thing is, something


    happened over here, and we hope that you can make the trip over. I will arrange for someone to fetch


    you." He made a request to her politely and didn''t mention her being suspected of the hacking.


    Katherine paused as she looked at the time and answered while raising her brow, "Sure."


    After giving him her address, she turned off the drama and changed into some casual clothing. Half an


    hourter, he received a call from Jeremy notifying her that her ride was waiting for her downstairs.


    It took Katherine two hours to reach Area Seven, and as she entered the area, she could feel the


    solemn atmosphere which gave off a depressing vibe. She was surprised by it as she didn''t know what


    had happened. Jeremy, who had been waiting downstairs, went up to her and greeted her when he


    saw hering in before leading her to the meeting room on the second floor. The meeting room was


    crowded as all of the staff from the technical department were there. When they noticed Katherine


    walking in, they all red at her as they had identified her as the culprit who leaked their data.


    Katherine frowned as she looked at them before shifting her gaze at Joaquin and asking, "You wanted


    to see me?"


    "Yes, but it won''t take up too much of your time." He nodded while pointing to a seat.


    Hearing that, she squinted her eyes as she nced at the seat and at the displeased crowd. "Did


    something happen at Area Seven? Are you suspecting that I did it and want me here just to question


    me?"


    "Hmph, you yourself should know what you''ve done. Just confess it to save yourself from the


    embarrassment of being exposed." Jordan red at her as he warned her.


    After taking a better look at Jordan, Katherine was sure that they hadn''t met before and was puzzled by


    his usations. "What have I done? Do tell me what I''ve done."


    "You even have the guts to say it''s not you who have stolen the confidential data of Area Seven from


    Joaquin''sputer and leaked it out? Do you know the severity of your actions? Many people will die


    because of you!" Jordan red at her with bloodshot eyes, and he had the urge to go up to her and


    p her on the face."


    "Oh, so you have the final say on this? Where''s the evidence?" Katherine folded her arms and nced


    at him coldly as she found what he said interesting. He was trying to use her without any evidence.


    "You''ve previously entered Joaquin''s room where hisputer was and this happened after you left


    here. Ever since Area Seven was established, nothing like this had happened until you came. Isn''t it


    obvious that you are the one behind all these? Don''t think that you can do whatever you want here by


    seducing Joaquin with your good looks!" Jordan sneered.


    She was speechless after hearing that, and she realized that she had brought trouble upon herself by


    coming over to save someone prior to this.


    "You were also in the room when I was resting, weren''t you? Did you see me touch yourputer?


    Didn''t you exin it to them?" She raised her brow and looked at Joaquin.


    Everyone in the room was surprised upon hearing what she said. It was unexpected of her to speak


    about such things nonchntly. Jordan''s expression turned grim, after which he looked at both Joaquin


    and Katherine in disbelief as he wasn''t expecting to hear such breaking news.


    Hearing that, Joaquin coughed and admitted to it. "That''s right, I was getting some work done in the


    room while you were sleeping, and I didn''t leave."


    "So, you asked me over here just for fun?" Katherineughed.


    "Not really. A few of the patients that you have treated earlier on would like for you to check on


    something, which is why I asked you over. Therefore, you can see them now."

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    "M-Mr. Levisay, what do you mean?" Jordan looked at Joaquin sullenly as he suddenly felt


    embarrassed for making such an usation. Joaquin knew that Katherine was innocent, yet he still


    yed along, which made Jordan feel like a clown. Jordan''s face was blushing as he''d never been that


    embarrassed in his whole life.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Joaquin then raised his brow and looked over at Jordan. "You should have admitted it if you''re


    ipetent. Is it that hard to own up to your mistakes? Does it make you feel better to put the me


    on someone else?"


    Joaquin''s remarks were a p in the face for Jordan, but he could only keep quiet as he had no


    grounds to refute them. "Joaquin, we were just distraught at the incident because we have been


    nning everything for a long time, and it hadn''t been an easy task for our brothers to sneak into their


    respective posts. However, all of our hard work will be going down the drain, and our brothers might


    lose their lives anytime soon." One of the men standing behind Jordan could no longer suppress his


    emotions and cried as he said those words.


    Hearing that, Joaquin merely nced at him and didn''t say a word. At the same time, Katherine


    stopped her footsteps and turned around to look at them. She knew what Area Seven represented, as


    she had heard about it numerous times when she was in Fontan. She was actually intrigued by


    Joaquin''s identity, as he managed to lead Area Seven at such a young age which proved that he was a


    man of high caliber.


    "Joaquin, many of them had started going undercover in their teens, and some of them had been doing


    it for more than 20 years. I just felt that this isn''t fair for them."


    "Joaquin, we have promised Florence that we will go for a drink when he''s back. My children have


    already grown up, but he is still stuck there. How are we going to let his parents know if he had died


    because of the data leak?"


    After one of them cried, the others started crying as well. They were all grown men, and yet, they cried


    like a baby. Katherine stood still as she looked at all of them. Most of them had been selected to join


    and train at Area Seven since they were young, so they didn''t get to spend much time with their


    families, which was the same case for the ones who were undercover. To Katherine, they were just


    strangers, but she was touched by how thoughtful they were toward theirrades.


    "Do you need my help?" She turned over to look at Joaquin, and it was her first time offering to help.


    "No, thank you. Just go and attend to the patients." He looked at her and shook his head to reject her


    offer.


    "Actually, I know a thing or two about coding. Maybe I can help you out on this?" She spoke humbly.


    "What do you know about it? Do you know who we are up against? Don''t think that you can help us just


    by knowing how to switch theputers on and off. Stop sputtering nonsense if you don''t know a


    thing." Jordan really despised people like Katherine, who acted like they knew something when they


    really didn''t, especially when she said that she was familiar with coding.


    Who does she think she is? A prodigy? How good could she be when she''s just in her early 20s? On


    top of that, she''s a woman, Jordan thought to himself.


    Hearing that, Katherine nced over at Jordan coldly as she had a feeling that Jordan had held a


    grudge against her ever since she got there, and she didn''t know why.


    "We are faced with one of the top hackers in the world." Joaquin pursed his lips and looked at


    Katherine while trying to read her expression.


    Katherine remained calm, simr to how she treated him that night when he sneaked into her room.


    She had always been a mystery to him, so he wouldn''t be surprised if she told him that she was an


    expert inputer science.


    "Do you have a better option? If not, I can give it a try." Shrugging nonchntly, she offered to help


    since she suddenly felt like helping. Although she risked having her identity exposed at the same time,


    she was doing them a favor. If it wasn''t for the good things that Area Seven had done for the country


    and her grandfather''s rtionship with Area Seven, she wouldn''t have wanted to get herself involved.


    "Huh, you''ll only be able to help us out if you are the world''s number one hacker, Z. No one besides Z


    will be able to solve our issue." Jordan scoffed as he thought that she was putting up a front.


    Hearing that, Katherine pinched her nose and nced at Joaquin. At that moment, she thought her true


    identity was about to be exposed.


    "Then you should give it a try." When Joaquin looked at how calm she was, he suddenly felt that she


    was being humble when she said she knew a thing or two aboutputer science.


    Jordan looked over at Joaquin in disbelief when he agreed to it and was disappointed in him for


    believing in everything that the woman said. However, he didn''t dare to talk back to Joaquin and was


    looking forward to her embarrassing herselfter on.


    The technical department had its own separate building, and as everyone walked over to the main hall


    on the first floor, Katherine was surprised to notice high specsputers there. Those were the most


    advancedputers in the world. Woah, Area Seven is rather impressive.


    She calmly sat in front of one of theputers and started typing on the keyboard. Just then, a bunch


    of symbols appeared on theputer screen, which surprised Joaquin as he was getting more curious


    about how good herputer skills really were. Jordan, who was waiting for her to make a fool of


    herself, looked at her in disbelief, and his jaw dropped.


    Katherine ignored everyone''s expression and quickly entered amand. As she pressed the enter


    key, she managed to sessfully invade the firewall that Jordan imed to have a very high-security


    factor in less than a second. Jordan''s expression was glum as he found that he couldn''t understand a


    thing she did while he stared at her.


    After she had bypassed the firewall, she could quickly identify the loophole in it. Once she had repaired


    it, she traced the loophole and managed to enter the hacker''sputer system, which invaded Area


    Seven''s firewall. She destroyed all the data and, at the same time, identified the other party''s location.


    With that, a string of IP addresses appeared on theputer screen.


    Seeing that, Jordan immediately eximed, "Quick, track down the IP address. It''s the hacker who


    hacked our system and retrieved our data."


    However, Katherine ignored him as she fixed their firewall and also added anotheryer of security to


    safeguard it before exiting.


    "There''s no issue now. Moreover, it would be futile to track them down, as they had already escaped.


    The hacker didn''t leak your data, so I''m sure that they didn''t have any ill intentions." Katherine nced


    over at the busy Jordan and reminded him.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was deep in thought as he stared at her. Seeing that she was walking over to him,


    he took a step forward and whispered to her, "What other secrets are you hiding? Are you really the


    good-for-nothing Miss Cornell of the Cornell Family?"

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    "Who else can I be if not the eldest daughter of the Cornell Family?" Katherine smirked, her striking


    facial features appearing even more alluring.


    Something seemed to have nudged Joaquin''s heart. With their distance now only inches apart, he


    could undeniably smell her faint signature scent, and she was even more captivating than when they


    first met.


    He took a step back to keep a distance from Katherine. At the same time, he reminded himself to not


    disappoint Beatrice, as he had to be responsible for Beatrice when he had taken her virginity.


    Especially when she was now at her most vulnerable, having just lost her legs.


    The shift of emotion beneath Joaquin''s eyes happened in merely a split second, so Katherine didn''t


    notice anything.


    Unwilling to resign to fate, Jordan pursued the tracker for a while, but to no avail. s, just as this


    woman had said, the guy is long gone. At that, he growled a cuss and punched the monitor, unwilling to


    admit defeat just like that.


    "Just who the heck are you? How do you have such advancedputing skills? Also, just now you¡­"


    It wasn''t after a few hurls of anger that Jordan remembered about the woman he had disregarded, and


    so he hurriedly went up to Katherine, staring at her with bloodshot eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    However, Katherine returned his stare with an innocent look. "Why ask me when you can ask your


    boss who I am? As for why I have such advancedputing skills, I have no obligation to exin it to


    you, do I?"


    Taken aback, Jordan realized he had behaved rudely, and thus he apologized at once. "Sorry, I-I didn''t


    mean to be rude. It''s just¡­ you''re really impressive. You managed to deal with an issue none of us


    could handle in just a matter of minutes. Just how on earth did you do it? Can you teach us?"


    "Not interested, and I''m very busy." Katherine rejected forthrightly. "If there''s nothing else, I''m leaving."


    Jordan had wanted to say more, but he sensed an icy re on him, and he looked in the direction to


    find Joaquin standing next to Katherine. And so, just like that, he swallowed the words already at the tip


    of his tongue.


    Later, Katherine went to check on the injured, making sure they were doing just fine before bidding


    Joaquin goodbye.


    Jeremy personally drove Katherine home, and throughout the journey, his gaze at the young woman


    was of none but utter passion. Never had he imagined she was not only a skilled medical practitioner


    but also a master in coding.


    Not even the experienced personnel in Area Seven''s technical departmentbined could they defeat


    this young woman.


    "Um, Miss Cornell, there''s something I have toe clean to you," Jeremy mumbled with a lowered


    head, feeling increasingly guilty about his pettiness as he looked at Katherine, who was spacing out


    when he spoke. At that, she looked toward the man with bafflement, for she believed she had barely


    interacted with him. So she wasn''t quite sure why Jeremy would apologize to her.


    "I was the one who told Miss Muller about you and Mr. Levisay thest time you came to Area Seven.


    I''d like to apologize about that." Jeremy lowered his head gravely.


    Katherine was rendered stumped for a moment before she waved her hand dismissively. "Don''t worry


    about it. It didn''t cause me any damage."


    She had never considered much about Joaquin and Beatrice before, for Joaquin was merely her


    contracted husband and even more so of two different worlds. As for Beatrice, well, she never thought


    of that woman as anybody at all.


    Jeremy dropped Katherine off at Soulin International and only left after watching her go into her


    apartment.


    Katherine first took a hot shower aftering home, then turned theputer on while drying her hair


    with a towel. After some thinking, she clicked the red spider icon.


    However, countless messages popped up the second she logged in, causing the corner of her lips to


    twitch. At that, she clicked on them one after another before finallynding her gaze on thest sender


    who had sent multiple texts. The messages were all from ''Paperboy''.


    ''Boss, please, I beg you. I really have an important use for this neurotoxin.''


    ''Boss, are you still there? Can you please sell me the neurotoxin?''


    ''I can double the payment.''


    ''How about triple?''


    ''Ten times the price! Please, I beg of you!''


    Katherine fell silent for a long time when she saw the words ''ten times the price''.


    It honestly was a very tempting offer for her, even if the person offering it was Joaquin. Then again,


    there was no reason for one to say no to money, no?


    After battling the angel and devil on her shoulders for ten seconds, she replied to the sender, ''Deal.''


    Meanwhile, inside Area Seven, a sudden jarring ping came from Ben''s phone, causing Joaquin to


    nce indifferently at Ben, who unlocked his phone with absolute delight. He clicked on the hidden


    icon, and sure enough, the big guy he had set as top chat had replied to him.


    ''Deal,'' replied A Soulless Money Robot.


    "Mr. Levisay, he said yes. He finally said yes! Ahhh¡­" Ben was so freaked out that he was on the


    verge of tears and kissing his phone a few good times.


    Seeing so, Joaquin covertly moved a little away from him. However, Ben couldn''t care less, only


    sending A Soulless Money Robot the shipping address after transferring the agreed amount to the


    user.


    Seeing that A Soulless Money Robot didn''t block his contact or cancel the deal, Ben heaved a sigh of


    relief.


    Once they got their hands on this toxin, they might be able to cure Joaquin''s condition.


    It would be dire for some like him, who worked in a dangerous environment long term, if he lost his


    sense of pain altogether. He''d be in grave danger if he got hurt during a mission.


    "Joaquin, we got the neurotoxin. The guy finally said yes, but I had to pay ten times the price for it.


    Don''t forget to reimburse me, alright?" Ben leaned close to Joaquin and looked at him with delight and


    apprehension.


    "I''ve already told you it''s unnecessary," Joaquin said with a deadpan face.


    "We''ve got to at least try. Imagine if something bad happens to you because you can''t feel the pain


    from your injury." Ben stood firm with his n.


    To that, Joaquin said nothing more.


    Momentster, Jordan''s voice broke the silence between the two. "Boss! Boss! Can we have Miss


    Cornell join Area Seven?"


    Joaquin was so annoyed by all the shouting that he narrowed his eyes and shot a piercing nce at


    Jordan. However, the man was too happy to notice Joaquin''s gaze. He continued charging toward his


    boss with excitement. "You guys are never going to believe this! Not only had Miss Cornell fixed our


    firewall, but she had also reinforced it! Now, our firewall is even more imprable than the national


    security center. I swear not even the world number one, Z, can breach our firewall!"


    "Tell me you''re not joking." Ben looked wide-eyed at Jordan.


    "Of course, I''m not! But I swear I''ve seen this firewall somewhere." Jordan nodded solemnly before


    looking lost.


    "What do you mean?" Joaquin quirked his brows a little.


    "It''s a little like what Z would do. Z breached Misvalco''s security system with a high profile when they


    emerged three years ago and very arrogantly left the letter ''Z'' for them. Later, they helped them fix and


    also reinforce their firewall. I have to say, Area Seven''s firewall is now very simr to Misvalco''s


    security system."

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    "Z?" Joaquin narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.


    Jordan purely thought Joaquin didn''t know who Z was, so he briefed his boss at once. "Z is a dark


    horse that emerged out of nowhere three years ago. They not only won that year''s hackingpetition


    but also hacked into Misvalco, Yevera, Giarona, and a few other countries'' security centers. Until now,


    no one has been able to crack the super trojan they set up. They''re an absolute legend in the hacking


    world. But I have a feeling Miss Cornell''s ability is no less than Z''s and might even actually surpass Z."


    The man got more excited the further he exined but then got disappointed mid-speaking. "Too bad


    Miss Cornell doesn''t want to join Area Seven or teach us, or Cechirus'' hacking techniques will be


    the forefront of the world."


    "Are you for real? Is she really that good?" Ben''s excitement stirred from hearing Jordan''s story.


    He was honestly shocked by Katherine''s ability. Up till now, he hadn''t seen anything the young woman


    wasn''t capable of.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Of course." Jordan nodded with affirmation, then turned excitedly to Joaquin. "Boss, can we really not


    have her join the team?"


    "No," Joaquin answered impassively. Seeing that it was gettingte and that the issue had been


    resolved, he led Ben out of Area Seven under Jordan''s longing stare.


    "Say, Joaquin, how do you suppose Miss Cornell learned all of this? Just how is it that she''s able to


    learn so many things? Of course, she''s pretty young, isn''t she?" Ben still couldn''t help reeling in


    Katherine''s ability after getting into the car outside Area Seven.


    Joaquin quirked a brow in response, just as baffled as Ben was. Previously, he had dug into Katherine


    and found that she had a pretty clean background.


    If there was anything unusual about her, it''d be the five years she spent in Fontan. Nothing about her


    from that period could be fished out. Then again, it was practically impossible for someone to master


    medical science and advanced hacking techniques within a mere five years.


    Very quickly, Joaquin diverted his attention to Ben, taking a gander at thetter and noting inly, "You


    seem pretty concerned about her."


    Chills ran down Ben''s spine in an instant, and he hurriedly denied it with a shaking head. "No, no. I''m


    just rambling out loud. Are we going home or Soulin? That reminds me. The address I gave that big


    shot is Soulin''s. They said they''ll deliver it via intra-city express."


    "Intra-city express?" Joaquin repeated with furrowed brows.


    "Yeah, intra¡ª" It wasn''t until Ben reiterated that he realized what it meant. "Holy sh*t! Intra-city


    express! Boss is in the same city as me?! They''re also here in Hovington?!"


    Joaquin''s lips twitched, and he had the urge to roll his eyes at the sight of his friend''s buffoonery. "To


    Soulin International then."


    Ben nodded in acknowledgment and started the engine, leaving Area Seven.


    It was still early when they arrived at Soulin International, and Ben took a couple of ganders toward


    Katherine''s unit. But too bad for him, the young woman never came out.


    When they arrived at Joaquin''s apartment, they found a stic bag hanging silently on the doorknob.


    The bag looked like just about any other random grocery bag.


    Ben took the bag down and reached for its content while grumbling, "Just what meathead is so


    hical to hang a stic bag at your door?! This is¡ª"


    The second he saw what was written on it, his hand shuddered from overwhelming emotions, after


    which he nearly dropped it.


    At that, he looked toward Joaquin while stammering, unable to form a proper word at all.


    Ben''s freak-out caught Joaquin''s attention, and thetter turned to his friend. "What is it?"


    Ben showed the vial to Joaquin. "T-This¡­ This¡­ This is the neurotoxin the¡­ the b-big guy sent¡­"


    stammered the man, finally retrieving his voice.


    Joaquin turned grave upon hearing Ben''s words, and he grabbed the vial only to widen his eyes in


    disbelief when he saw the word ''Xyadin''. At that, he looked at the stic bag.


    As if any intra-city express service will ever package their customer''s items like this! So there is only


    one possibility¡ªthe seller delivered it themselves.


    At that, he hurriedly unlocked the door, entered a room with the item in his hand, and switched the


    computer on to retrieve the surveince footage at the door.


    However, there was nothing unusual in the footage. After a moment of silence, hepiled the


    surveince data and sent them to Jordan with a message attached. ''Recover the data for me, stat."


    Jordan got to work using the recovery program he wrote himself as soon as he got the data, but


    nothing showed still.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin fell into deep thought as he looked at the ceramic vial.


    Later, Ben went up to Joaquin while rubbing his hands after seeing the mane out of the room.


    "Joaquin, are you saying that big shot is in Hovington and even very likely in Soulin International? But


    you can''t go up the floors if you''re not a resident here, no?"


    Joaquin nodded in affirmation. For some reason, Katherine''s face shed across his mind, but the next


    second, he thought it was ridiculous.


    No way can it be Katherine!


    "No way. They can''t possibly be right here in Hovington, can they? This is a hell of a fate! I''ll go and ask


    him now," said Ben with utter delight. The Red Web was no ordinary channel. Only a small group of


    people knew of its existence, and Ben had actually gotten the chance to join them by sheer luck.


    On the other hand, the big shot held a super high membership tier in the Red Web and was even noted


    as the OG. It was evident that they were one of the creators of the Red Web.


    Ben logged into the Red Web and found A Soulless Money Robot from his friend list. However, their


    profile picture was dimmed. Clearly, they weren''t online. Just the thought of Boss being in the same city


    is giving me chills!


    Though disappointed, he still left a text for Boss before logging out of the application.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was still waiting for Jordan to reply to him, but he didn''t bother himself with Ben


    either.


    Two hourster, Jordan''s call finally came. "I''m an ipetent idiot, Mr. Levisay. I can''t recover the


    footage. The person''s highly skilled. I''ve tried all sorts of ways and even asked my senior and teacher


    to help me out. But none of us could crack it." The man''s discouragement was practically oozing out of


    the phone.


    "The person is highly skilled?" It was all Jordan took note of.


    "Yes, very. Mr. Levisay," answered Jordan with discouragement before suggesting, "Why don''t you ask


    Miss Cornell for help? With how skilled she is atputing, she might have a way to crack it."


    After ending the call, Joaquin stared thoughtfully at the phone screen for a long while before pulling out


    Katherine''s phone number and calling it.


    Katherine happened to have juste out of the kitchen, and she was actually taken aback when she


    saw who was calling her. After some thought, she decided to answer it. "You need something from me,


    my dear fianc¨¦?"


    "I need your help in recovering a file. Do you have the time?" Joaquin''s crisp voice traveled from the


    phone.


    Katherine fell silent for a moment. Upon noticing the shing profile picture on theputer, she pulled


    the chair out to sit down while asking casually, "Recover a file? I''m busy right now. Is it urgent?"


    "Quite." Joaquin sounded absolutely sober.


    "I''ll send you a recovery tool. You do it yourself, alright? I don''t have the time right now," replied


    Katherine upon hearing so as she clicked on the shing profile picture.


    "Alright," Joaquin answered without a second''s hesitation.


    After ending the call, she pulled out a recovery program she wrote herself and sent it to Joaquin.


    Following that, she stared nkly at theputer screen for some time, constantly feeling that she had


    forgotten something important.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    The program Katherine sent over wasn''t heavy, and Joaquin opened it as soon as the download was


    completed. After dragging the footage into the program and selecting confirm, the data began


    recovering by itself.


    Out of curiosity, Ben leaned in and checked out what was going on on Joaquin''sputer. "What''s


    this?"


    "The surveince at the door," answered Joaquin as he tapped his finger on the table.


    The recovery process happened much faster than Joaquin had imagined. It waspleted after a


    twenty-second countdown.


    With that, he opened the recovered folder to find an additional clip, which he opened.


    It was a short two-minute clip showing the entire eighteenth floor.


    At about 4.15PM, the door to unit 1801 opened, and Katherine came out dressed in white loungewear,


    carrying a red stic bag in her hand. Following that, she walked to Joaquin''s unit and hung the bag at


    the doorknob before ambling back to her home.


    The clip rendered Ben gobsmacked. He was no stranger to that red stic bag at all. Hell, it was the


    one that contained the Xyadin!


    So, A Soulless Money Robot is Katherine?!


    Ben thought his whole world had fallen apart. His mouth was agape with incredulity, and he struggled


    to form words.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    At that, he looked toward Joaquin to find the man had only quirked his brow a little, seemingly unfazed.


    So he had to hand it to the man.


    "Joaquin, have you already figured out it was Miss Cornell?" Ben couldn''t help asking.


    "No," Joaquin answered after closing the clip. He then leaned back a little with a fathomless gaze,


    thinking. About what exactly? No one knew.


    "To think someone like Miss Cornell can get her hands on something like the Xyadin. Just who the hell


    is she?"


    "Keep this between you and me and no one else, got it?" Joaquin took a gander at his friend and


    smirked upon seeing Ben bbergasted.


    Ben nodded nkly, then suddenly jumped up, struck with an epiphany. "Hold up! Joaquin, Miss


    Cornell, she''s¡­ she''s the creator of the Red Web! That channel was created a decade ago. She was


    just a girl back then! She¡ª"


    Joaquin, too, was somewhat surprised by the fact.


    He had knowledge of the channel, but he had never imagined Katherine would be its creator. Hell, that


    channel was filled with many big shots in their rights. Katherine''s connections and means were


    probably even more impressive than he imagined.


    Then again, it was indeed interesting that someone like her would bebeled the ipetent Cornell.


    "Ben," Joaquin called out to his friend inly, seeing that the man was still struggling to cope with


    reality.


    Ben looked toward Joaquin in response despite still reeling in shock.


    Joaquin looked gravely at him and said, "Whatever that was just now, you never saw it. Katherine is


    just the ipetent daughter of the Cornell Family and my fianc¨¦e, that''s it. She has no other identity.


    Got it?"


    "Got it," Ben answered exasperatedly while rolling his eyes. "I have at least this muchmon sense."


    With that, Joaquin handed the ceramic vial to him, which he took it carefully, but then hesitated a little.


    "To be honest with you, Joaquin, Miss Cornell is way better of a medical practitioner than I am. I''m


    certain she has a higher sess rate in treating your condition than I do. This Xyadin isn''t some off-


    the-shelf thing. A minor ident from it will very likely send you to your maker. I dare not toy with your


    life using that."


    "Useless," Joaquin chided.


    "Dude, you''re not just anybody. I''d be fed to the dogs if I really killed you, even if it''s by ident. Why


    don''t you talk to Miss Cornell about this? I''m sure she won''t snub you when she''s so nice." Ben rubbed


    his nose, admitting it even if he was being chided for it.


    The slightest mistake in using the Xyadin could leave the entire Hovington in shambles. Sure, it was all


    sunshine and butterflies before he got the toxin, but now that it was in his hands, he finally realized just


    how dangerous the thing was.


    Joaquin didn''t answer him but fell silent for a moment before finally speaking up inly again. "Put it


    aside for now. We''re not in a rush to use it. I won''t be dying any time soon with how I am now."


    Ben wanted to say something to that, but upon meeting Joaquin''s gaze, he swallowed them back


    down.


    Meanwhile, at unit 1801, Katherine turned grim while her gaze gradually turned sub-zero as she read


    the text she had just gotten.


    It was sent from Aberama''s ount, but she knew he wasn''t the sender judging from the text.


    Recalling the fortune she told of Aberama some time ago, she pursed her lips and stared at the screen


    for a long time before replying, "What do you guys want?"


    On the other end of theputer, Mateo''s tense face eased when Katherine finally replied to him. ''It


    sure is hassle-free to talk to a sensible man. I know you have close ties with Aberama. Do as I say if


    you want him back alive. You are to work for me from now on. Provide me a hundred portions of those


    pills you gave Aberama. Also, I know you have other prescriptions and miraculous drugs. I want them


    all. As for the profit, we''ll split 90-10. You take 10. What do you say?''


    Katherine smirked in response. ''No one has dared to speak to me like that just yet. You''re the first. You


    want me and my drugs? Fine. I''ll be waiting for you in Hovington. I''ll give them all to you if you dare


    show yourself to me.''


    ''Huh, are you not afraid that I''ll kill Aberama?'' Mateo replied with a malice gaze.


    ''Try me.'' Right after that, she blocked the ount.


    Seeing that his text wouldn''t get through anymore, the man smashed theputer onto the floor grimly


    and went out of the room, down one floor to the basement.


    The secret door opened to reveal a mutted Aberama hung against the wall. The poor man was now


    moribund, barely breathing anymore.


    With a sneer, Matero grabbed the bucket of water aside and sshed it mercilessly on Aberama.


    The salted water stung his wounds so badly that he regained a bit of consciousness. Upon seeing who


    stood in front of him, he tugged at his lips and mercilessly spat bloody saliva on Mateo''s face.


    "You f*cking son of a b*start! I''m going to kill you this instant! Let''s see what else you have to fight me!


    Do you really think I can''t get that c*nt''s things without you? I''ll have you know she''ll still obediently give


    me whatever I want even after I kill you!" With a malicious gaze, Mateo grabbed the glowing-red


    branding iron and pressed it mercilessly on Aberama''s body.


    Despite the pain, Aberama''s countenance remained the same. "She hates being threatened the most.


    Things won''t end well for you," he said, looking at Mateo.


    "Huh, I''ll be waiting for that day," Mateo sneered and pressed the red-hot branding iron against


    Aberama''s body again.


    However, just as he wanted to make another move, the residence rm suddenly went off. He turned


    grim at one and dashed out of the basement, could no longer be bothered to torture Aberama.


    The moment he arrived on the first floor, his face paled upon seeing the person standing in the living


    room, and his legs turned to jelly, making him drop to the floor at once.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    "Y-Y-You¡­" Others might not know what this person''s presence here entailed, but Mateo knew all too


    clearly.


    Ten years ago, a special organization known as the Vermillion Alliance emerged in Cechirus out of


    nowhere. All the members of the alliance had a special marking on their bodies, and they would wear a


    red spider mask with identical printing on their chests. These people were elusive and scattered all


    across Cechirus. Not only were they the greatest intelligence unit, but they were also the strongest


    force in the underworld.


    The Ramons had always threaded the fine line between good and evil, thus making them a regr with


    the Vermillion Alliance.


    However, the alliance never ever involved itself with mundane family issues. So it was inevitable that


    Mateo would overthink when a member had shown themselves in the Ramon Residence.


    "Mateo Ramon, Grandmaster has ordered me to retrieve a man from you." It was a woman who stood


    in the middle of the living room. Her voice was bleak, and her gaze at Mateo was one of looking at a


    corpse.


    "W-W-What man?" Mateo stammered but knew precisely what she meant. However, he couldn''t figure


    out when Aberama became so close with the Vermillion Alliance.


    "Huh, do you really not know who we want? Hand him over now. I still have other things to deal with. I


    don''t have time to y games with you," said the woman rudely as she nced at Mateo with


    impatience.


    The man had wanted to y dumb to brush it off, but now he could only dismiss the idea with


    indignation, for he dared not cross the Vermillion Alliance.


    With that, he turned to the basement and dragged a moribund Aberama up in two shakes, chucking the


    young man to the floor.


    Upon seeing Aberama''s condition, the woman flew into a rage. She grabbed the whish that was


    fastened against her waist and whipped it against Mateo.


    "You swine!" she cussed and whipped the man a few dozen times before finally picking Aberama up.


    Aberama was horribly mutted, a gruesome sight to behold. To make things worse, his wounds were


    never treated, so many parts of his body were festered and covered in pus.


    Carmine knew fully well what Aberama meant to Katherine, so she dared not waste any time and left


    Ramon Residence right after retrieving Aberama.


    Meanwhile, inside an apartment unit of Soulin International in Hovington, Katherine was resting her


    eyes on the couch with her phone next to her. Just then, her phone buzzed, and she shot her eyes


    wide open at once to check the phone.


    It was a message from Carmine. ''Hostage saved.''


    ''Bring him back to Hovington,'' Katherine replied.


    She had long foreseen Aberama''s deadly episode and thus made other arrangements even after she


    had hinted his fate to him.


    Knowing Aberama, she knew that man definitely wouldn''t listen to her and obediently stay in


    Hovington. However, she didn''t expect him to be that stupid.


    Two hourster, Carmine appeared in front of Katherine''s doorstep with Aberama.


    Katherine let the two in at once. Just as she closed the door, Joaquin happened to havee out of


    his apartment and also taken a gander in her direction.


    The thick scent of blood in the air made Joaquin look at Katherine with furrowed brows, but the young


    woman gave him no exnations, only shutting the door with a m.


    And just like that, the words at the tip of his tongue never came out.


    There were still a few drops of fresh blood on the floor, and Joaquin stood in the doorway for quite


    some time before he finally rushed to the hospital to visit Beatrice, who was in aplete meltdown.


    Carmine looked worriedly at Katherine and asked gingerly, "Grand¡ª"


    However, she had barely just spoken when Katherine shot her a nce, causing her to change her


    words. "Miss Cornell, his injuries are pretty severe. So I did as you told and fed him the medicine you


    instructed immediately after retrieving him."


    "Thank you for making the trip." Katherine nodded and squatted down to check on Aberama, causing


    her to turn beyond grim at the sight of his severe bodily injuries.


    "Will he be alright?" Even Carmine felt apprehensive about Aberama''s injuries.


    "He''ll live," Katherine answered indifferently before heading to the bathroom to fill the tub. After pouring


    all sorts of powder medicine into it, she turned to Carmine and shouted, "Strip him naked and chuck


    him into the bathtub!"


    Stumped, Carmine looked toward the passed-out Aberama, and a tinge of rednessced her tanned


    face. Then again, she dared not disobey Katherine''s orders. So she still did as told, stipping the young


    man off his clothes, carrying him into the bathroom, and gingerly putting him in the tub.


    To her dismay, the water turned red the second Aberama sat inside.


    "Let him soak for two hours." Katherine''s voice came from outside, easing Carmine and leaving the


    bathroom.


    "Miss Cornell, about the Ramons¡­" Carmine mumbled with hesitation.


    "The Ramon Family is Aberama''s problem. He said he wanted to deal with them himself, so I won''t


    step in, but he''s my friend no matter how. Since Mateo daresy his finger on Aberama and also


    threatened me this time, we''re not going to let him get away with it just like that. Spread the word.


    Suspend all of our coborations with the Ramons. If they ask, just refer them to Mateo." Katherine


    snorted grimly.


    "Yes." Carmine obliged.


    "You can leave now. He''ll be fine." Katherine waved her hand, dismissing Carmine, who was somewhat


    hesitant at first. But seeing how nonchnt her boss was behaving, she said nothing more and left


    subserviently.


    Meanwhile, Katherine headed to the room where she kept all her excipients. She had given all the


    ointment she madest time to Ben, but then again, Aberama''s injuries were too severe. Common


    injury relief medication wouldn''t be able to do much for him. She''d need to formte a special injury


    relief medication for him.


    Just like that, she picked out the excipients she needed for some time but was still missing some


    ingredients.


    Just as she was about to ask Joaquin if he could find a way to get some excipients for her, the doorbell


    rang.


    At that, she put the excipients down and made sure the room was locked before opening the main


    door.


    "Joaquin?" Katherine was somewhat taken aback when she realized who was behind the door.


    "Thank you for saving Area Seven. I''vee to deliver you a thank-you gift." Joaquin stood outside the


    door and handed a gift box to her, giving him the perfect excuse. "What''s wrong? Are you not going to


    invite me in for some tea? Or do you have guests and can''t entertain me?"


    "Come on in." Katherine moved aside, allowing Joaquin to enter. But she couldn''t help feeling off as


    she looked at the gift box in her hands.


    She remembered seeing the man carrying this gift box earlier when he was heading out. So had he


    actually wanted to give her this instead of visiting a friend?


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    At that, she put the gift box aside and poured Joaquin a ss of water before sitting down on the


    couch. "Do you have something else other than saying thanks?"


    "Jordan said you''re highly skilled inputing, and the Area Seven firewall you''ve rebuilt is


    impable." Joaquin made idle talk.


    "Not up to much," said Katherine as she looked toward the bathroom.


    Aberama would be awake anytime soon, judging at the time, and it''d be a problem if he came out and


    encountered Joaquin.


    s, just as she wanted to dismiss Joaquin, he suddenly stood up and asked, "Can I use your


    bathroom?"


    However, he didn''t wait for her to answer before heading straight for the bathroom.


    "Wait¡­" Katherine reflexively stopped him, but the bathroom door opened from the inside just then and


    out came Aberama, causing Katherine to cover her face.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    "Looks like I''vee at the wrong time," sneered Joaquin with a smirk as he looked at Aberama, who


    had walked out of the bathroom naked.


    As Aberama had just regained consciousness, he was still feeling a little woozy, and the injuries on his


    body were visibly gory. "Kathy? Were you the one who saved me?"


    He took a gander at Katherine and reflexively moved toward her, only for her to snap at him in


    response while keeping her hand over her forehead and looking away. "Wear some clothes!"


    The man finally looked down. Realizing that he was in his birthday suit, he quirked his lips in


    awkwardness and turned into the guest room.


    Katherine naturally wouldn''t have any men''s clothes here, but there were still dressing gowns in the


    guest room, so Aberama put one on before returning to the living room.


    He nced at Joaquin, who was looking inly at him while sitting next to Katherine. However, he


    didn''t greet the man and instead sat across from Katherine. Lo and behold, his throat was so dry that it


    was like someone had shoved a piping hot iron down his throat.


    With that, he cleared his throat and reiterated, "Were you the one who saved me?"


    "I''m no Wonder Woman." Katherine rolled her eyes at him.


    Aberama took a gander at Joaquin and dropped the question.


    "Since you''re busy, I''ll take my leave." Less than happy, Joaquin got up as he spoke and left without


    waiting to hear from Katherine.


    Aberama, on the other hand, watched the man leave in silence and only rxed after the door closed.


    "Thanks, man."


    "Do you think you''re immortal or the undead? I asked you to stay put in Hovington, but you just have to


    run around." Katherine looked at Aberama with a half smile, making the man tug at his lips. "That


    Ramon old hag is dying. I just wanted to see her for thest time, and I also have some questions for


    her."


    "Did you get to see her then?" Katherine knew the pile of sh*tty issues between the Ramons, so she


    didn''t continue reprimanding the man upon seeing his expression.


    Aberama shook his head and leaned back. "No, she''s pretty much alive and kicking. She had only


    tricked me into returning so that she could get your contact through me. My family has always wanted


    to work with you. That old hag, especially, wants the form for the pills in your hands. Thank


    goodness they didn''t get to you or I¡­"


    "I got it." Katherine turned grim.


    Indeed, she had a bunch of goodies in her hands, and there were plenty who wanted to get their hands


    on them; the Ramons weren''t the first. However, since they''ve stooped to such lowly levels to get to


    her, then they can''t me her for not ying nice anymore.


    "Looks like I''vee at the wrong time," sneered Joaquin with a smirk as he looked at Aberama, who


    had walked out of the bathroom naked.


    "Get some rest. The medicinal bath you soaked in just now was analgesic and sedative, but the effects


    will wear off two hourster, and you might feel excruciating pain," Katherine noted out of kindness as


    she nced at Aberama.


    Shocked, Aberama trembled and looked absolutely glumly at Katherine.


    Yet, the young woman turned a blind eye to him and yawned before getting up. "I''m tired. I''m going to


    bed. Don''te to me for nothing, and best not toe to me for anything either."


    With that, she retired.


    Meanwhile, Aberama looked at himself. Mateo had really done a ruthless one this time; not a single


    inch of his body was left unscathed. This was a grudge he would surely pay back.


    ¡­


    Inside a VIP ward in Hovington Hospital, Beatrice hurled the vase on the table away, and her originally


    delicate facial features were now twisted and ferocious from anger.


    "Why hasn''t Joee and see me?! Has he abandoned me because I''ve lost my legs?!"


    There was no one but the young woman in the ward, and the floor was covered in shattered pieces,


    looking like a wreck.


    After Beatrice vented her frustrations, she hid under the covers and cried.


    Her legs were gone, and Joaquin had now involved himself with Katherine. Worst of all, they had an


    engagement between them. Her life would certainly be done for once Joaquin discovered the woman


    from five years ago wasn''t her but Katherine!


    If there was one thing Beatrice knew from being by Joaquin''s side for years, it would be that he was


    ruthless. He had merely treated her differently because he mistakenly thought she was the woman


    from five years ago.


    Beatrice dared not imagine what the man would do to her if he discovered the truth someday.


    Creek¡­ The door opened, and a set of light footsteps came next, leading Beatrice to pop her head out


    of the nket. Tears rolled down her cheeks like beads of a broken string when she saw the man


    standing at the entrance. "Joe, I¡­"


    She had barely spoken a few words when she began bawling uncontrobly, seemingly wanting to


    relieve the countless grievances she had suffered.


    Seeing the wreckage spanned across the room and Beatrice''s puffy, teary eyes, he felt horrible about


    the fact that he turned back mid-journey to go to Katherine''s.


    "Get some rest. The medicinel beth you soeked in just now wes enelgesic end sedetive, but the effects


    will weer off two hours leter, end you might feel excrucieting pein," Ketherine noted out of kindness es


    she glenced et Abereme.


    Shocked, Abereme trembled end looked ebsolutely glumly et Ketherine.


    Yet, the young women turned e blind eye to him end yewned before getting up. "I''m tired. I''m going to


    bed. Don''te to me for nothing, end best not toe to me for enything either."


    With thet, she retired.


    Meenwhile, Abereme looked et himself. Meteo hed reelly done e ruthless one this time; not e single


    inch of his body wes left unscethed. This wes e grudge he would surely pey beck.


    ¡­


    Inside e VIP werd in Hovington Hospitel, Beetrice hurled the vese on the teble ewey, end her originelly


    delicete feciel feetures were now twisted end ferocious from enger.


    "Why hesn''t Joee end see me?! Hes he ebendoned me beceuse I''ve lost my legs?!"


    There wes no one but the young women in the werd, end the floor wes covered in shettered pieces,


    looking like e wreck.


    After Beetrice vented her frustretions, she hid under the covers end cried.


    Her legs were gone, end Joequin hed now involved himself with Ketherine. Worst of ell, they hed en


    engegement between them. Her life would certeinly be done for once Joequin discovered the women


    from five yeers ego wesn''t her but Ketherine!


    If there wes one thing Beetrice knew from being by Joequin''s side for yeers, it would be thet he wes


    ruthless. He hed merely treeted her differently beceuse he mistekenly thought she wes the women


    from five yeers ego.


    Beetrice dered not imegine whet the men would do to her if he discovered the truth somedey.


    Creek¡­ The door opened, end e set of light footsteps ceme next, leeding Beetrice to pop her heed out


    of the blenket. Teers rolled down her cheeks like beeds of e broken string when she sew the men


    stending et the entrence. "Joe, I¡­"


    She hed berely spoken e few words when she begen bewling uncontrollebly, seemingly wenting to


    relieve the countless grievences she hed suffered.


    Seeing the wreckege spenned ecross the room end Beetrice''s puffy, teery eyes, he felt horrible ebout


    the fect thet he turned beck mid-journey to go to Ketherine''s.


    At that, he went further into the ward and sat on the edge of Beatrice''s bed. "Why are you crying?" he


    asked while ruffling her bangs.


    "I thought¡­ I thought you didn''t want me anymore. Joe, I-I have nothing left. I¡­ You''re all I have left¡­"


    Beatrice sobbed, then threw herself into Joaquin''s arms.


    Joaquin very evidently stiffened in response. Ultimately, he didn''t push her away but only patted her


    back a couple of times lightly.


    "Joe, you will never leave me behind, right?" Beatrice raised her head and looked piteously at Joaquin,


    who returned the gaze, only cooing after some time, "Yeah, I won''t leave you behind."


    "Then, you''ll call off your marriage with Katherine and marry me, won''t you?" Beatrice asked gravely


    while clutching onto Joaquin''s hands like an insecure child.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    This time, Joaquin''s hesitation lengthened, causing the lights in Beatrice''s eyes to dim gradually.


    Just when she had lost all hope, Joaquin spoke up. "It was my mother''s dying wish that I marry the


    daughter of the Cornell family."


    His words were very much self-exnatory¡ªhe didn''t want to disobey his mother. So he''d keep his


    promise and marry Katherine.


    Struck with the revtion, Beatrice began bawling again, crying so hard that she nearly passed out.


    Seeing so, Joaquin patted her back lightly, his voiceced with coddle and helplessness. "Don''t worry.


    I''ll divorce her in a year. I won''t leave you behind. So, don''t cry anymore, alright?"


    "R-Really? Katherine''s so pretty and so outstanding. She not only has knowledge in medical science


    but also in many other things. W-Will you really not fall in love with her?" Beatrice asked nervously as


    she clutched Joaquin''s hands.


    Katherine''s face suddenly shed across Joaquin''s mind, and his heart skipped a beat inexplicably. "Of


    course not. You''re all I can see. Don''t get paranoid," he swore to Beatrice the second he came to


    himself.


    "Then, Joe, you can''t be nice to her, or smile, or even take a second look at Katherine after you marry


    her, okay?" Beatrice pleaded, still clutching the man''s hands.


    "Okay." Joaquin agreed to her requests as much as he could to calm her nerves.


    Atst, the young woman finally calmed down.


    With that, he had someonee over to clean the ward. After learning that Beatrice still hadn''t eaten,


    he personally made her some food.


    Beatrice, on the other hand, finally eased her worried mind seeing how gently Joaquin treated her.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Beatrice was happy as she held the bowl of noodles. Then, she raised her head and looked at Joaquin.


    "You are so nice to me, Joe," she said sweetly.


    Joaquin smiled and sat beside her. "Eat up now," he said.


    Only then did she start eating the noodles.


    Although Joaquin''s cooking wasn''t exactly the best and it could only be counted as edible, she ate it


    like it was something delicious. She dug into the food, finished it within seconds, and even burped in


    satisfaction.


    "I feel so blessed right now, Joe." After putting down the empty bowl, she looked at him shyly.


    "If you hadn''t saved me five years ago, I would''ve been dead right now," he replied as he took the


    empty bowl and walked toward the kitchen to clean it.


    When Beatrice heard his words, her smile stiffened as she looked at his figure with viciousness. Slowly,


    she gripped her knuckles and tried to suppress her anger.


    It has been five years. Why is he still thinking about the night with Katherine when I am the one who


    has been by his side for all these years? I don''t understand what is so good about her when all she did


    was sleep with him that one time. Why can''t I rece her in his heart even though five years have


    passed? she thought begrudgingly.


    The more she thought about it, the more unhappy she was that she almost couldn''t maintain the calm


    expression on her face. By then, Joaquin had already finished washing the dishes and put them aside.


    When he turned around, she had already regained herposure.


    "Don''t say it like that, Joe. I will still do the same thing if it ever happens again. After all, we are both


    Cechirusians in a foreign country. How can I do nothing to save you?" She looked at him fondly.


    Hearing her words, Joaquin only hummed in response.


    "Joe, can you stay with me a little longer? You don''t need to be in a rush to leave." Beatrice looked at


    him expectantly, which he then nodded after thinking for a moment.


    For the whole afternoon, Joaquin stayed by Beatrice''s side in the hospital, but he seemed to have


    something on his mind and was constantly distracted. After she had fallen asleep, he breathed a sigh


    of relief and left the hospital.


    At Neb Club, Joaquin was holding a ss of cocktail, gently swirling the liquid inside.


    Then, a young man with colorful hair and diamond earrings that shone brightly under the lights walked


    into the club. He sat beside Joaquin and raised an eyebrow while looking at him. "What brings you


    here?" he asked.


    Beatrice was happy as she held the bowl of noodles. Then, she raised her head and looked at Joaquin.


    "You are so nice to me, Joe," she said sweetly.


    After drinking his cocktail, Joaquin looked at the man beside him. When his eyesnded on the man''s


    hair, he couldn''t help but frown in disdain. "What did you do with your hair? Won''t Old Mr. Wilson say


    anything about it?"


    "All he asks of me is to get married. Now that I have a wife and she is pregnant, he can''t tell me to do


    anything again." The man curled his lips in disdain. "You haven''t answered me yet. Why did youe


    to my ce and drink? This isn''t something you would normally do."


    After drinking another shot of alcohol, Joaquin said, "Beatrice is now paralyzed, and she just went


    through an amputation."


    "That woman who saved you by sleeping with you five years ago?" When Elvis heard his words, he


    understood immediately. "Do you have to take care of her for the rest of your life just because of that


    night? By the looks of her, I don''t think she is a good person."


    "When my mother died, she told me that I had to take responsibility instead of acting like my father.


    Since I had deflowered her, I should be responsible for her." There were no emotions on Joaquin''s face


    as he was stating facts.


    Hearing his words, Elvis was even more confused. "If that''s the case, then why are you so troubled?


    You don''t love her, right?" he asked.


    Joaquin didn''t answer him and took another drink, but his reaction was already an answer to Elvis.


    "Since you don''t love her but have promised to take care of her, won''t she rely on you even more now


    that she is paralyzed?" Elvis twitched his lips and thought that Joaquin''s decision was foolish.


    "She is not that kind of person," said Joaquin as he defended Beatrice subconsciously.


    "Joaquin, if you really love this woman and want to be with her for the rest of your life, you would''ve


    epted her without hesitation. However, you''re hesitant, which means she isn''t that important in your


    heart. It''s just a one-night stand. Why repay her with your life when you can give her some money?"


    Elvis reached out and patted him on the back. Since childhood, they had been friends and lived in a


    ruthless family, but the Wilsons were slightly better than the Levisays. The Levisay Family was a living


    hell.


    After drinking his cockteil, Joequin looked et the men beside him. When his eyes lended on the men''s


    heir, he couldn''t help but frown in disdein. "Whet did you do with your heir? Won''t Old Mr. Wilson sey


    enything ebout it?"


    "All he esks of me is to get merried. Now thet I heve e wife end she is pregnent, he cen''t tell me to do


    enything egein." The men curled his lips in disdein. "You heven''t enswered me yet. Why did youe


    to my plece end drink? This isn''t something you would normelly do."


    After drinking enother shot of elcohol, Joequin seid, "Beetrice is now perelyzed, end she just went


    through en emputetion."


    "Thet women who seved you by sleeping with you five yeers ego?" When Elvis heerd his words, he


    understood immedietely. "Do you heve to teke cere of her for the rest of your life just beceuse of thet


    night? By the looks of her, I don''t think she is e good person."


    "When my mother died, she told me thet I hed to teke responsibility insteed of ecting like my fether.


    Since I hed deflowered her, I should be responsible for her." There were no emotions on Joequin''s fece


    es he wes steting fects.


    Heering his words, Elvis wes even more confused. "If thet''s the cese, then why ere you so troubled?


    You don''t love her, right?" he esked.


    Joequin didn''t enswer him end took enother drink, but his reection wes elreedy en enswer to Elvis.


    "Since you don''t love her but heve promised to teke cere of her, won''t she rely on you even more now


    thet she is perelyzed?" Elvis twitched his lips end thought thet Joequin''s decision wes foolish.


    "She is not thet kind of person," seid Joequin es he defended Beetrice subconsciously.


    "Joequin, if you reelly love this women end went to be with her for the rest of your life, you would''ve


    epted her without hesitetion. However, you''re hesitent, which meens she isn''t thet importent in your


    heert. It''s just e one-night stend. Why repey her with your life when you cen give her some money?"


    Elvis reeched out end petted him on the beck. Since childhood, they hed been friends end lived in e


    ruthless femily, but the Wilsons were slightly better then the Leviseys. The Levisey Femily wes e living


    hell.


    Joaquin was silent. For some reason, he thought about Katherine, which he found funny as they were


    just business partners. They had made an agreement to get a divorce after being married for a year


    and would not bother each other. He didn''t expect that she would be able to trigger his emotions.


    After a moment, Joaquin leaned back against the chair and said faintly, "Perhaps."


    Seeing that he couldn''t be persuaded, Elvis didn¡¯t say anything more.


    As they both drank for some time, there was a stir outside. Elvis frowned and said to him, "I''m going to


    take a look."


    Joaquin hummed in response.


    Elvis got up and opened the door, and the disturbance outside was even louder.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "What? Don''t look so almighty when you are here to sell yourself out. Let me tell you, it''s your honor to


    be chosen by me. Stop being a brat and follow me. I''ll reward you plenty if I''m satisfied with your


    performance. If not, I''ll kill you!" A gruff, drunk voice sounded.


    "Is that so?" Another voice spoke up. Although the tone was faint, it was intimidating.


    When Joaquin heard the voice, his whole body shook. He thought that maybe he had had too many


    drinks.


    There is no way Katherine would be here, he thought.


    However, the familiar voice sounded again. "Let''s see how are you going to kill me."


    "F*ck! You b*tch, I¡­ Ouch, it hurts¡­" The man was going to strike, but as he reached out his hand, he


    felt a surging pain throughout his body as he kneeled in front of Katherine.


    Looking at the man kneeling in front of her, Katherine leaned closer and clicked her tongue. "What''s


    with all the formalities? Even if you know you''ve made a mistake, you don''t need to go so far for an


    apology."


    The crowd couldn''t help but burst intoughter as they heard her words, which humiliated the man


    even more. Gritting his teeth, the man tried to grab Kathrine, but three silver needles punctured the


    back of his hand before he could hold her. At that moment, he gave out a bloodcurdling scream.


    Just then, Joaquin walked out of the room and stood by the door. From the hallway, he saw a woman


    with a beautiful face standing there coldly, and it was none other than Katherine.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Just as the man was going to cause more trouble, he heard a voice filled with dissatisfaction. "Who is


    causing trouble at my ce? Are you digging your own grave?"


    The man was going to curse at the person, but he saw that it was Elvis as he raised his head.


    Everyone knew who Elvis was; he was the owner of Neb Club and the heir of the Wilson Family.


    Either one of his identities was intimidating enough to one.


    Realizing that the voice was Elvis''s, the man cowered. "M-Mr. Wilson, you''re here," he said.


    When Elvis looked at Katherine, he was attracted by her looks.


    Such a divine woman! he thought in amazement. Then, he looked at the man who was kneeling and


    felt disgusted.


    He then kicked the man. "Are you trying to die by causing trouble here?"


    As the man was being kicked, he cried out in pain while covering his chest.


    "Leave! From today onward, I don''t want to see you here again. I''ll beat you up if I see you. You heard


    me?" Elvis kicked him a few more times when he saw that the guy was faking it.


    When he heard that, the man didn''t dare to say anything and scrambled away frantically. Then, Elvis


    went up to Katherine and introduced himself after eyeing her up and down. "Hello miss, my name is


    Elvis Wilson. and I''m the owner of Neb Club. I''m so sorry that you had to experience something like


    this today. Why don''t I treat you to a drink as an apology? Be my guest."


    Katherine looked at Elvis and was going to reject him when she saw Joaquin standing by the door from


    the corner of her eyes. She was startled at first before her expression changed. She then huffed,


    walking away without sparing a nce at Elvis.


    Elvis was confused by her reaction. When he turned around and saw that Joaquin was standing there,


    he was even more confused, but he couldn''t do anything as Katherine had already left. So, he quickly


    walked up to Joaquin and asked curiously, "Did something happen between you and that pretty


    woman?"


    Hearing his words, Joaquin was startled. Only then did he realize that he was not wearing a mask and


    that she must have recognized him.


    With that thought in mind, he couldn''t help but smile. When Elvis saw his smile, he was shocked.


    Is Joaquin smiling? he thought.


    "Don''t tell me that you like her?" Elvis looked at him in shock.


    Joaquin rolled his eyes at him and said, "No.¡±


    "Lies. Look at your face¡ªit seems like you''re lovestruck. Anyone can see that you act differently


    toward her. No wonder you were drinking all of a sudden. You have someone in your heart. That''s why


    you are so troubled with Beatrice''s matter." Elvis rolled his eyes and exposed him.


    Just as the man was going to cause more trouble, he heard a voice filled with dissatisfaction. "Who is


    causing trouble at my ce? Are you digging your own grave?"


    "Do I act differently toward her?" Joaquin was stunned.


    "Are you kidding me? The fondness in your eyes was spilling out when you looked at her, and don''t get


    me started with that lovestruck smile of yours. If you aren''t interested in her, I will cut off my head,"


    Elvis said promisingly.


    Hearing his words, Joaquin pursed his lips and was deep in thought as he looked in the direction where


    Katherine had left.


    Do I have feelings for Katherine? How is that possible? he thought.


    As they were still figuring out this matter, Katherine avoided the crowd and went inside an empty


    workshop. After locking the door, she opened the smartwatch she wore on her wrist. The screen


    reflected against the air, and a beautiful face popped on the screen with a casual smile. "What''s wrong,


    Kathy? Did something happen?"


    When Katherine''s gazended behind the woman, her lips twitched. "Are you sure the person I''m


    looking for is at Neb Club?" she asked.


    "There is no way that my information would be wrong. The person you are looking for is definitely there.


    Why? Can''t you find him there?" the woman replied as she looked at the manicure she just did.


    "I''ve searched the whole ce, but there is no sight of him." Katherine smiled sarcastically.


    "No way." The woman couldn''t ept what she had just heard and went to check again. After


    operating it for some time, a blue and red dot appeared and their locations were together, implying they


    were at the same ce.


    Seeing that she did not make a mistake, the woman asked Katherine, "It shows that you are with him


    now. Did you not recognize him? That makes sense, though. Lone Wolf is a mysterious person. There''s


    a reason why no one can find him for many years. Do you know any specific features about him?"


    "Are you sure he is here? Are there no mistakes?" Katherine frowned.


    "I''m a hundred percent sure."


    "Got it." With that, Katherine hung up the call and pulled over a chair as she sat down, recalling every


    person she met at Neb Club. After some thinking, she discovered that the Lone Wolf might be one


    of the two people she met¡ªthe lecher and Elvis, the mboyant man. Even so, she would still need to


    investigate further as Lone Wolf was a mysterious person and would not show himself to her.


    "Do I ect differently towerd her?" Joequin wes stunned.


    "Are you kidding me? The fondness in your eyes wes spilling out when you looked et her, end don''t get


    me sterted with thet lovestruck smile of yours. If you eren''t interested in her, I will cut off my heed,"


    Elvis seid promisingly.


    Heering his words, Joequin pursed his lips end wes deep in thought es he looked in the direction where


    Ketherine hed left.


    Do I heve feelings for Ketherine? How is thet possible? he thought.


    As they were still figuring out this metter, Ketherine evoided the crowd end went inside en empty


    workshop. After locking the door, she opened the smertwetch she wore on her wrist. The screen


    reflected egeinst the eir, end e beeutiful fece popped on the screen with e cesuel smile. "Whet''s wrong,


    Kethy? Did something heppen?"


    When Ketherine''s geze lended behind the women, her lips twitched. "Are you sure the person I''m


    looking for is et Nebule Club?" she esked.


    "There is no wey thet my informetion would be wrong. The person you ere looking for is definitely there.


    Why? Cen''t you find him there?" the women replied es she looked et the menicure she just did.


    "I''ve seerched the whole plece, but there is no sight of him." Ketherine smiled sercesticelly.


    "No wey." The women couldn''t ept whet she hed just heerd end went to check egein. After


    opereting it for some time, e blue end red dot eppeered end their locetions were together, implying they


    were et the seme plece.


    Seeing thet she did not meke e misteke, the women esked Ketherine, "It shows thet you ere with him


    now. Did you not recognize him? Thet mekes sense, though. Lone Wolf is e mysterious person. There''s


    e reeson why no one cen find him for meny yeers. Do you know eny specific feetures ebout him?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "Are you sure he is here? Are there no mistekes?" Ketherine frowned.


    "I''m e hundred percent sure."


    "Got it." With thet, Ketherine hung up the cell end pulled over e cheir es she set down, recelling every


    person she met et Nebule Club. After some thinking, she discovered thet the Lone Wolf might be one


    of the two people she met¡ªthe lecher end Elvis, the flemboyent men. Even so, she would still need to


    investigete further es Lone Wolf wes e mysterious person end would not show himself to her.


    After staying inside the workshop for a while, Katherine left the ce and returned to Neb Club


    again. Though this time, Elvis and Joaquin had already left. It was empty when she went to the room


    that Joaquin had just stayed in, so she was sure that he had already left.


    Suddenly, something shed across her mind. She texted the woman again, asking for the location of


    Lone Wolf. The woman cursed impatiently before sending her a location.


    ''He just left the Neb Club and is out by the street,'' the woman wrote.


    Seeing the message, Katherine didn''t dare to waste time and quickly left the club.


    The woman sent a voice message to her. "I still have some life-changing decisions to make, Kathy.


    Thus, I''ll be out of touch. He can be tracked for two hours. When the time is up, call me tomorrow."


    As she listened to the message, Katherine twitched her lips and looked at the tracking device on her


    smartwatch. This route seems familiar, she thought in confusion, but there was no time to consider it


    further. She got into her car and chased after Lone Wolf.


    As she drove, the sense of familiarity was getting stronger. When she entered Soulin International, her


    expression was priceless as she looked at the house in front of her and the red sports car.


    As Elvis got out of the car, his eyes sparkled when he saw Katherine, who had just arrived. He waved


    frantically at her downstairs, which made Katherine twitch her lips as she looked at him.


    It had been two hours as she drove from Neb Club to Soulin International. The tracking device was


    deactivated, and thest location that Lone Wolf had been was here; more surprisingly, it was the


    ground floor of this building in front of her.


    Never did she expect that this edgy man was the person she had been looking for.


    "What a coincidence, prettydy. Do you live here too?" Elvis greeted her with a bright smile.


    "What about you? Do you live here too?" She looked at him, and her expression wasplex.


    "No, I was just sending a friend back," Elvis replied without hesitation as he was not wary of her.


    A friend? Katherine raised her eyebrow. If I''m not mistaken, it should be that lecher. What a


    coincidence that he lives here too.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    "You¡­" Just as Elvis was going to say something to Katherine, she took out her phone and walked


    away while answering the call after taking a nce. Just like that, Elvis'' raised hand stiffened mid-air.


    As he watched her walk away, he found it a pity.


    "Dad, why are you calling me at this moment? Did something happen?" Katherine asked. Although her


    tone was full of concern, there was a cold smile on her lips.


    As Jorge heard the concern in Katherine''s voice, he thought that she was much better than Rosemary.


    Ever since the Cornell Family fell into trouble, Rosemary did not care about him and even disappeared


    from his sight. Unlike her, Katherine cared for him and even asked Joaquin to help them out. Sadly,


    Joaquin was a stubborn person and refused to provide them with any.


    "Do you have time today, Kathy? I was hoping that you would be able toe home as I miss you


    dearly. There haven''t been many people in the house since everything happened." Jorge sighed, and


    his tone was filled with loneliness.


    "Okay, I''ll be back in a moment," Katherine replied without any hesitation. After hanging up the phone,


    she sneered in disdain before going back to her car.


    "Are you leaving, Miss Cornell?" Seeing that she had returned, Elvis quickly greeted her.


    "Yes, I have some urgent business to do." She nodded her head politely.


    Katherine was still unsure whether he was the Lone Wolf and could not ask him directly as it would


    alert him. As such, she decided to establish a rtionship with him. Lone Wolf was the best mercenary


    worldwide, and he never failed the missions he epted. Unfortunately, he had not taken any


    commission for years.


    The research that she was doing had an important task that would need a reliable person toplete.


    After pondering for a moment, she realized that Lone Wolf was the only one who was qualified to do


    so. That was why she appeared at Neb Club to find him.


    "Do you need me to give you a ride?" Elvis jiggled the car keys in his hand with enthusiasm.


    Looking at her own keys in her hands, Katherine smiled at him politely.


    "Right, I forgot that you have a car." Elvis scratched the back of his head awkwardly.


    "I''ll be going then, Mr. Wilson. Let''s have a drink next time." After saying that, Katherine drove off.


    By the time she arrived at the Cornell Family, two hours had passed. Ever since everything went down


    in the family, the house looked bleak. The flowers were withering as no one took care of them. As


    Katherine stepped inside the building, there were no emotions in her eyes.


    "You¡­" Just as Elvis was going to say something to Katherine, she took out her phone and walked


    away while answering the call after taking a nce. Just like that, Elvis'' raised hand stiffened mid-air.


    As he watched her walk away, he found it a pity.


    Originally, this house belonged to the Olsens. When Jorge and Elsie got married, Mr. Olsen gave this


    house to his daughter as a betrothal gift. No one knew that she would be betrayed by the man she


    loved, causing trouble for her parents as well.


    Looking at the garden that was filled with weeds, Katherine curled her lips before entering the house.


    When Jorge saw her, he immediately greeted her with a smile and said, "You''re back. Are you


    exhausted? What have you been busy withtely? I haven''t seen you for a long time. Are you still


    together with Joaquin?"


    "Dad, just say whatever you want to me. You don''t have to beat around the bushes. After all, we are a


    family," Katherine said as she looked at him obediently.


    Hearing her words, Jorge was pleased. He rubbed his hands together and said, "Actually¡­ There isn''t


    anything important. I just hope that you can do me a favor."


    Before Jorge could continue his words, Katherine cut him off, saying, "If it''s about Joaquin, I can''t help


    you. You heard what he saidst time, so stop trying to use him. What about Rosemary? Since she is


    engaged to Robert, she should be able to persuade him to help our family, right? Why isn''t she here?"


    Her words made Jorgeugh awkwardly, and his face was gloomy. Still, he forced himself to continue


    as he said, "I''m not asking you about Joaquin. I know that he is impartial and wants things to go by the


    correct procedures. There is another thing I want you to help me with."


    When Katherine heard his words, she looked at him in confusion. It wasn''t like Jorge to be hesitant,


    which meant that something was going on. In fact, it wasn''t a good thing.


    "Just say it, Dad. I''ll see if I''m able to help you." She managed a smile.


    However, Jorge didn''t answer. Instead, he grabbed her hand and led her to the couch to sit down. "Stay


    here for the night. I''ll tell the butler to prepare some food."


    Hearing his words, Katherine frowned as she didn''t know what he was nning, but soon, she would


    know.


    A little while after 6.00PM, Katherine heard the sound of a car engine by the door. At first, she thought


    that it was Rosemary, but when she saw the person who entered, her expression changed.


    Originelly, this house belonged to the Olsens. When Jorge end Elsie got merried, Mr. Olsen geve this


    house to his deughter es e betrothel gift. No one knew thet she would be betreyed by the men she


    loved, ceusing trouble for her perents es well.


    Looking et the gerden thet wes filled with weeds, Ketherine curled her lips before entering the house.


    When Jorge sew her, he immedietely greeted her with e smile end seid, "You''re beck. Are you


    exheusted? Whet heve you been busy with letely? I heven''t seen you for e long time. Are you still


    together with Joequin?"


    "Ded, just sey whetever you went to me. You don''t heve to beet eround the bushes. After ell, we ere e


    femily," Ketherine seid es she looked et him obediently.


    Heering her words, Jorge wes pleesed. He rubbed his hends together end seid, "Actuelly¡­ There isn''t


    enything importent. I just hope thet you cen do me e fevor."


    Before Jorge could continue his words, Ketherine cut him off, seying, "If it''s ebout Joequin, I cen''t help


    you. You heerd whet he seid lest time, so stop trying to use him. Whet ebout Rosemery? Since she is


    engeged to Robert, she should be eble to persuede him to help our femily, right? Why isn''t she here?"


    Her words mede Jorge leugh ewkwerdly, end his fece wes gloomy. Still, he forced himself to continue


    es he seid, "I''m not esking you ebout Joequin. I know thet he is impertiel end wents things to go by the


    correct procedures. There is enother thing I went you to help me with."


    When Ketherine heerd his words, she looked et him in confusion. It wesn''t like Jorge to be hesitent,


    which meent thet something wes going on. In fect, it wesn''t e good thing.


    "Just sey it, Ded. I''ll see if I''m eble to help you." She meneged e smile.


    However, Jorge didn''t enswer. Insteed, he grebbed her hend end led her to the couch to sit down. "Stey


    here for the night. I''ll tell the butler to prepere some food."


    Heering his words, Ketherine frowned es she didn''t know whet he wes plenning, but soon, she would


    know.


    A little while efter 6.00PM, Ketherine heerd the sound of e cer engine by the door. At first, she thought


    thet it wes Rosemery, but when she sew the person who entered, her expression chenged.


    Rosemary hadn''te; intead, Robert himself had appeared.


    As he looked at Katherine while he sat on the couch, Robert had a cold smile while walking toward her.


    "Was it you who tricked me along with Rosemary? My Grandma and mother punished me because of


    you. I have underestimated you, Katherine. I didn''t know you were capable of doing such a thing."


    Robert smiled viciously as he looked at her, wishing that he could skin her alive.


    When Katherine saw Jorge leaving the scene hurriedly, she understood why he had asked her toe


    back.


    He is still the same as always. For the sake of himself and his benefits, he can sacrifice anything or


    anyone. Robert must have given him a huge load of profit for him to get me to return, she thought.


    Thinking about it, Katherine felt that this was the stupidest mistake they could ever make.


    After understanding the situation, Katherine was not nervous and looked at Robert. "Did Rosemary tell


    you about it?" she asked coldly.


    Robert sat beside her and had his hands against the armrest. There was lust in his eyes as he looked


    at her.


    To him, Katherine was more alluring than Rosemary, be it her looks or charisma. There were no other


    women in Hovington who couldpete against her.


    Robert was a pervert and had slept with countless women. This was the first time he had ever


    encountered someone like Katherine. To think that this was his elder brother, Joaquin''s fianc¨¦e, made


    him even more excited.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "It doesn''t matter who told me about it. The important thing is that you tricked me, and there will be a


    price to pay. Your father has sold you to me, Katherine. You won''t get away tonight." Robertughed


    and reached out to touch Katherine. Just as he was going to touch her, she grabbed his wrist at the


    speed of light and twisted it, making him howl in pain.


    "You! What are you doing? Are you trying to resist me, Katherine? How dare you hurt me? Do you


    know I can destroy your family just by giving out an order?" Robert was in pain, and he was so furious


    that he threatened her. Again, he reached out and tried to grab her hand. He didn''t know she had such


    skills and that Joaquin had to be cautious around her in order to win her favor. As such, how would he


    be able to take advantage of her?

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    "Is that so? Why don''t you give it a try?" Katherine sneered.


    Never did she think that Robert would do such a thing just to get his way around here; she had


    underestimated his boldness.


    As Katherine thought about it, her face turned cold. When Robert reached out his hand, he was stung


    by her needles. He quickly retreated his hand as his face scrunched up in pain.


    "Katherine! Y-You¡­" Robert said hurriedly, but Katherine had punctured his tongue with three needles


    before he could finish his words.


    "Ahh!" He let out a bloodcurdling scream. Although he felt that his tongue was numb as if it wasn''t his


    own, the pain was still seeping through his bones.


    Even so, Katherine didn''t let him off the hook as she quickly took out the needles and inserted them


    both into his arms and legs, which made him writhe in pain on the ground. In fact, the pain was so


    insufferable that his face twisted while cold swear dripped down his forehead. The only one who could


    help him, which was Katherine, stood beside as she watched him suffer coldly. After a few moments,


    she took out her phone and called Joaquin.


    When the call was picked up, she immediately started to cry helplessly, not caring whether Joaquin


    believed her or not. "My dear fianc¨¦, Robert¡­ He¡­ I just can''t say it. Come to the Cornell Residence


    and have a look for yourself," she cried.


    After she finished her words, she hung up the phone before Joaquin could react.


    Recalling the tone of her voice, Joaquin looked at his phone thoughtfully. It looks like she is putting on a


    show again, he thought. Thinking about it, he smiled and was suddenly interested in the performance


    she had put on.


    After calling Joaquin, Katherine waited for another thirty minutes before calling Hera.


    When the call was picked up, she cried before Hera had the chance to speak. "Mom¡­ I-I''m too


    embarrassed to see anyone again¡­" She wept.


    Hera almost threw her phone away in shock when she heard Katherine cry. Her face was gloomy, and


    she gripped the phone tightly. After some time, she asked, "What''s the matter? Why are you crying? No


    one''s dying here in this house!"


    "Mom, R-Robert¡­ He¡­ I really don''t know what to say about this. Come quickly to the Cornell


    Residence, Mom." Katherine sniffled and hung up the phone after finishing her words.


    After everything she did, it was still not done yet. The next thing she did was to send a message to the


    newspaper office anonymously.


    "Is that so? Why don''t you give it a try?" Katherine sneered.


    While she did all of these, Robert was still writhing in pain on the ground as the ces where Katherine


    had punctured were the most sensitive spots of the human body. Once the needles were inserted in


    such a way, it triggered all the nerves in the body, which was more painful than a woman giving birth to


    a child. In fact, it was so painful that Robert''s teeth were chattering and he couldn''t muster up the


    strength to call for help.


    Katherine thought that it was almost time after making some calctions. Then, she grabbed the


    needles again and punctured a few spots on Robert. At that moment, Robert felt that his whole body


    was aching. While he squirmed uncontrobly, he felt a fiery surgeing from his abdomen.


    As a person who was experienced, how could he not know what was happening?


    This time, he looked at Katherine with fear as if he had seen a ghost.


    Who says that she is a piece of trash from the Cornell Family? With this ability of hers, she is a


    monster! he thought.


    Right now, he was terrified and regretted his decision, but he couldn''t control his body''s reaction. As he


    whined, he tore his clothes apart, turning himself into a disheveled mess within minutes. Katherine also


    tore her clothes, letting her shoulder be seen. Then, she messed up her hair and scratched her own


    face, leaving two red marks behind. After that, she found a corner and hid there, acting as if she was


    being frightened.


    On the other hand, Joaquin and Hera arrived at the Cornell Family simultaneously. When they both got


    out of the car, they looked at each other. Hera had a bad feeling in her gut and quickly rushed into the


    house while Joaquin was just surprised to see her and slowly trailed behind the woman.


    Just as they entered the house, the reporters arrived too. While holding up their cameras and


    microphones, they rushed into the building.


    When Hera stepped inside, she almost fainted after seeing a near-naked Robert. Worse, he was


    hugging a huge vase in the living room and rutting against it crazily; it was a horrendous sight to see.


    As for Joaquin, he hadn''t expected to witness such a scene either. As she searched around the room,


    he saw Katherine cowering by the corner. Then, he smiled and pushed his wheelchair toward her.


    Looking at her tousled hair like she had been harassed, Joaquin stifled augh as he reached out his


    hand. "What''s wrong? Are you alright?" he asked gently.


    While she did ell of these, Robert wes still writhing in pein on the ground es the pleces where Ketherine


    hed punctured were the most sensitive spots of the humen body. Once the needles were inserted inN?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    such e wey, it triggered ell the nerves in the body, which wes more peinful then e women giving birth to


    e child. In fect, it wes so peinful thet Robert''s teeth were chettering end he couldn''t muster up the


    strength to cell for help.


    Ketherine thought thet it wes elmost time efter meking some celculetions. Then, she grebbed the


    needles egein end punctured e few spots on Robert. At thet moment, Robert felt thet his whole body


    wes eching. While he squirmed uncontrollebly, he felt e fiery surgeing from his ebdomen.


    As e person who wes experienced, how could he not know whet wes heppening?


    This time, he looked et Ketherine with feer es if he hed seen e ghost.


    Who seys thet she is e piece of tresh from the Cornell Femily? With this ebility of hers, she is e


    monster! he thought.


    Right now, he wes terrified end regretted his decision, but he couldn''t control his body''s reection. As he


    whined, he tore his clothes epert, turning himself into e disheveled mess within minutes. Ketherine elso


    tore her clothes, letting her shoulder be seen. Then, she messed up her heir end scretched her own


    fece, leeving two red merks behind. After thet, she found e corner end hid there, ecting es if she wes


    being frightened.


    On the other hend, Joequin end Here errived et the Cornell Femily simulteneously. When they both got


    out of the cer, they looked et eech other. Here hed e bed feeling in her gut end quickly rushed into the


    house while Joequin wes just surprised to see her end slowly treiled behind the women.


    Just es they entered the house, the reporters errived too. While holding up their cemeres end


    microphones, they rushed into the building.


    When Here stepped inside, she elmost feinted efter seeing e neer-neked Robert. Worse, he wes


    hugging e huge vese in the living room end rutting egeinst it crezily; it wes e horrendous sight to see.


    As for Joequin, he hedn''t expected to witness such e scene either. As she seerched eround the room,


    he sew Ketherine cowering by the corner. Then, he smiled end pushed his wheelcheir towerd her.


    Looking et her tousled heir like she hed been heressed, Joequin stifled e leugh es he reeched out his


    hend. "Whet''s wrong? Are you elright?" he esked gently.


    "Joaquin¡­" Katherine sniffled and raised her head as if she had only just seen him. Then, she


    pounced toward him and hugged him tightly.


    Being hugged by her, Joaquin could feel her soft body against him and sensed her sweet scent, which


    made his heart thump wildly. At the same time, a strange sensation was growing inside his heart.


    Before he could react, he heard Hera screeching. "What are you guys doing? Who allowed you guys to


    be here? No photos are allowed! Put down the cameras! Put it down!"


    Turning his head, Joaquin saw a few reporters taking photos of Robert. Then, he turned back his head


    to look at Katherine, who was shivering in his arms. While he was amused, he was d that they were


    not enemies; otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to handle her tricks either.


    After the reporters were stopped by Hera, they turned their gazes toward Joaquin and Katherine. Since


    they did not dare to ask Joaquin directly, they could only go up and bombard Katherine with questions.


    "Miss Cornell, what happened? Why is Robert here? Moreover, why is he doing such a thing?"


    "Miss Cornell, are you in this state because Robert had harassed you? What did he do to you?"


    "Miss Cornell, can you tell us what exactly happened?"


    "Miss Cornell¡­"


    As they bombarded Katherine with questions, she looked at them timidly while gripping Joaquin''s shirt


    tightly. Then, she looked at him cautiously as if asking for his permission. Only did she answer their


    questions when he did not say anything. "I-I don''t know what exactly happened either. You guys also


    know that many things are happening in the Cornell Group. My Dad told me toe back, and I


    obliged because I wanted tofort him since he was probably in a bad mood. However, when I


    stepped inside, Robert¡­ He was in the house. Then, he started to attack me like crazy," she said


    softly.


    The reporters knew what she meant and smiled knowingly. Since Joaquin was here, they dared not


    mess around and left as soon as they asked what they wanted.


    On the other hand, Hera was fuming in anger. She sat there and panted heavily. When she looked at


    Robert, who had already stopped what he was doing and was lying on the ground butt naked, she felt a


    throbbing pain in her head. Without warning, she fainted.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    At the Levisay Residence, Elizabeth was in a bad mood. The walking cane in her hand hit the ground,


    making a tapping sound. "Who can tell me what this is all about?! What happened?! You! Speak up!" At


    last, she pointed her cane at Katherine.


    As if frightened by Elizabeth''s intimidating presence, Katherine leaned closer to Joaquin. Seeing how


    everyone was looking at her, she lowered her head and said in a low voice, "I-I don''t know what


    happened either. When I went inside, Robert was already in that crazy state. I was too scared to do


    anything and hid by the corner. Then, I called Joaquin and Mom."


    "You don''t know what happened? In that case, who else would have known? Only the two of you were


    in the house at that moment!" Hera clutched her hand against her chest in anger, and her face was


    gloomy.


    "Mom, I''m really clueless. I returned home because my dad called and asked me to. When I stepped


    inside the living room, Robert was already out of his mind and I was scared to death. Although Dad


    called me, I didn''t see him anywhere when I got home. He¡­" As her words came to this point, she


    paused and nced at Elizabeth carefully, not daring to finish her sentence.


    "Jorge, that old hag! He must have set Robert up because we didn''t lend him a helping hand when his


    company was in trouble! Mom, you can''t have a bad impression on Robert because of this matter. He


    is a capable child and has kept thepany in good shape all these years. You know it too." Hera


    hated Jorge with all her heart at this point. After cursing him for a while, she quickly looked at Elizabeth


    andplimented Robert.


    Now that Robert was still in the hospital and had not woken up yet, she was a nervous wreck. She


    wondered what Jorge had done to Robert to make him act like a madman.


    Just the thought of Robert going mad made Hera unsettled.


    There is no hope for Robert to be the heir of the Levisay Family if he goes crazy. After all, Joaquin


    is only limp and not an idiot, she thought to herself.


    As Hera thought about it, she felt shivers run down her spine while she fiddled with her fingers.


    "Hmph! That son of yours is nothing good either! I keep telling him to be aware of his surroundings.


    Now that Rosemary''s matter hasn''t ended yet, a new mess hase up! It''s even better this time¡ªa


    man trying to harass his own brother''s fiance¨¦!" Elizabeth huffed and cursed angrily.


    At the Levisay Residence, Elizabeth was in a bad mood. The walking cane in her hand hit the ground,


    making a tapping sound. "Who can tell me what this is all about?! What happened?! You! Speak up!" At


    last, she pointed her cane at Katherine.


    Although she looked down upon Katherine, Katherine was still Joaquin''s fiance¨¦. Now that news of


    their wedding had gotten out, the Levisay Family could only admit to it even if they didn''t want to. Plus,


    no matter how one looked at this matter, Robert was at fault. As such, she couldn''t do anything to help


    him.


    When Hera heard Elizabeth''s words, her expression changed drastically. She wanted to exin, but


    she didn''t know how as it was true that Robert had tried to get his hands on Katherine. If it were to


    happen in private, they could take matters into their own hands, but the reporters had been at the


    scene.


    As Hera thought about the reporters, a thought came through her mind and she looked at Katherine.


    "Did you call those reporters?" she asked.


    When she heard the woman''s question, Katherine looked at her in confusion. "I-It wasn''t me. I only


    called you and Joaquin. Why would I call the reporters when such a thing has happened to me? I''d be


    embarrassed." As she spoke, she covered up her face and cried tearfully.


    Her reaction made Hera believe that she wasn''t lying. If Katherine wasn''t the one who called the


    reporters, it can only be Jorge! As Hera thought about it, her expression changed. "Damn it, Jorge!


    What a good game he yed! How dare he try to destroy Robert''s reputation with this method?" she


    roared.


    Elizabeth had a headache about this matter. Seeing that Hera was still fuming, she couldn''t help but


    scold, "That''s enough! Are you done with your tantrum? Shut up! Why me others when you are the


    one who didn''t educate your son properly? There must be a reason why they set Robert up instead of


    others!"


    As she listened to those words, Hera felt that she had been wronged and wept while covering her face.


    This made Elizabeth''s head hurt even more. Looking at Katherine and Joaquin, who remained silent all


    this while, she sighed and asked Joaquin, "Joaquin, how do you want to deal with this matter?"


    Joaquin looked at her and said gently, "Grandma, I think we should let him leave Levisay Group since


    he has embarrassed our family and affected thepany''s stocks with this matter. It''s for the greater


    good." He made it seem as if he was discussing this matter rather than making a decision.


    When Hera heard his words, she was the first to object. "Joaquin! You couldn''t possibly set this up with


    Jorge, could you? How generous of you to use your fiance¨¦ as bait!" she said sarcastically.


    Although she looked down upon Ketherine, Ketherine wes still Joequin''s fience¨¦. Now thet news of


    their wedding hed gotten out, the Levisey Femily could only edmit to it even if they didn''t went to. Plus,


    no metter how one looked et this metter, Robert wes et feult. As such, she couldn''t do enything to help


    him.


    When Here heerd Elizebeth''s words, her expression chenged dresticelly. She wented to explein, but


    she didn''t know how es it wes true thet Robert hed tried to get his hends on Ketherine. If it were to


    heppen in privete, they could teke metters into their own hends, but the reporters hed been et the


    scene.


    As Here thought ebout the reporters, e thought ceme through her mind end she looked et Ketherine.


    "Did you cell those reporters?" she esked.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    When she heerd the women''s question, Ketherine looked et her in confusion. "I-It wesn''t me. I only


    celled you end Joequin. Why would I cell the reporters when such e thing hes heppened to me? I''d be


    emberressed." As she spoke, she covered up her fece end cried teerfully.


    Her reection mede Here believe thet she wesn''t lying. If Ketherine wesn''t the one who celled the


    reporters, it cen only be Jorge! As Here thought ebout it, her expression chenged. "Demn it, Jorge!


    Whet e good geme he pleyed! How dere he try to destroy Robert''s reputetion with this method?" she


    roered.


    Elizebeth hed e heedeche ebout this metter. Seeing thet Here wes still fuming, she couldn''t help but


    scold, "Thet''s enough! Are you done with your tentrum? Shut up! Why bleme others when you ere the


    one who didn''t educete your son properly? There must be e reeson why they set Robert up insteed of


    others!"


    As she listened to those words, Here felt thet she hed been wronged end wept while covering her fece.


    This mede Elizebeth''s heed hurt even more. Looking et Ketherine end Joequin, who remeined silent ell


    this while, she sighed end esked Joequin, "Joequin, how do you went to deel with this metter?"


    Joequin looked et her end seid gently, "Grendme, I think we should let him leeve Levisey Group since


    he hes emberressed our femily end effected thepeny''s stocks with this metter. It''s for the greeter


    good." He mede it seem es if he wes discussing this metter rether then meking e decision.


    When Here heerd his words, she wes the first to object. "Joequin! You couldn''t possibly set this up with


    Jorge, could you? How generous of you to use your fience¨¦ es beit!" she seid sercesticelly.


    Initially, Joaquin had a warm smile on his face, but when he heard Hera''s words, his face immediately


    turned cold. He looked at her sharply, "Some words are not meant to be taken lightly. You''d better


    watch your mouth," he warned.


    His words made Hera''s face change. Then, she heard Elizabeth scolding her, "That''s enough, Hera!


    Get the hell out of here if you are going to keep talking nonsense! I know how Joaquin is. Do you think


    Robert would have a chance if Joaquin really wanted the authority of the Levisay Group?"


    At that moment, Hera''s face went pale as she bit her lips, not daring to retort Elizabeth''s words. Still,


    she was dissatisfied with her words. Joaquin is already a useless person. Yet, she still sides with him!


    Why didn''t he die in that car crash? she thought viciously.


    "Grandma, if you want to know why Robert suddenly did this, why don''t we wait until he wakes up? He


    should be at the hospital now, shouldn''t he? Isn''t there any news from him?" Just as the atmosphere


    was getting tense, Katherine reminded Elizabeth softly.


    Her words reminded everyone that Robert was not dead yet and was in the hospital. All they had to do


    was to ask him in person and they would know what exactly happened.


    This made Hera re at Katherine and curse her inwardly for being a busybody while Elizabeth


    nodded her head. "That''s right, Robert is still in the hospital. Go and fetch Jorge from the Cornell


    Family. Meanwhile, even if Robert is at the hospital, we should bring him back. It''s not good to leave


    him alone at the hospital when he is mentally ill. Let''s bring him back home and take care of him."


    "Mom?" Her words shocked Hera as the woman looked at Elizabeth in disbelief, but thetter only


    squinted her eyes and ignored her.


    Once the housekeeper received themand, he went to make the arrangements.


    As Hera watched the housekeeper leave, her lips trembled and her face was pale. I''m doomed this


    time. If anything happens to Robert, there will be no more ce for me in this family. John has


    countless lovers outside, not to mention those illegitimate children¡ªall those women want to get a


    taste of being thedy of the Levisay Family. If Robert is indeed crazy, I can only leave the family by


    then!

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    "It''s you! It must be you! Robert has always been honest and good; he has never done something so


    immoral. He never did it to other people, so why would he do it to you? You must be seducing him!"


    Hera was in despair for a while, and when she suddenly saw Katherine, who was seated at the side


    and whispering with Joaquin, she instantly jumped up and pounced on Katherine, shouting.


    Katherine looked shocked, and she subconsciously hid behind Joaquin.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin moved his wheelchair so that he shielded her behind him. He looked coldly at


    Hera and reprimanded, "You mean it was Kathy''s fault that she was hurt like this? Don''t you know what


    sort of person your own son is?"


    Joaquin was never a weakling, or he wouldn''t have been so famous and feared for his power.


    Recently, because of the ident that left him paralyzed, Hera almost forgot that in the past, Joaquin


    was an absolute lord. Now, under his sudden reprimand, Hera instantly paused her actions and went


    pale in the face. She bit her lip and looked at Joaquin, her expression filled with reluctance!


    She was furious!


    She had waited so long for Joaquin to be paralyzed so that he could no longer inherit the Levisay


    Family. However, he never thought that Robert would actually be involved in such an outrageous


    incident at this time!


    "Mom, I-I really don''t know why Robert would do that. I-I¡­" Katherine looked innocently at Hera. As


    she spoke, tears began to fall from her eyes. Her pitiful look stirred sympathy within the people around


    her.


    Moreover, her face was still injured, and she was covered with Joaquin''s coat. Every wound on her


    face was a silent usation toward Robert.


    "Haven''t you made enough of a fuss? Is this not shameful enough for you?" Elizabeth was so enraged


    that she kept thudding the cane in her hand. After the vicious reprimand, she was so angered that she


    began to cough.


    When Hera heard Elizabeth speak up, she immediately stopped making a fuss out of fear. She stepped


    back and sat in her own seat, lowering her head as she wiped her tears pitifully.


    "Grandma, we can''t just ignore the incident this time. Robert actually did something like that, and the


    media has already exposed it. If the Levisay Family continues to allow it instead of speaking up about


    it, what would the outsiders think of us? What would our partners think of us?" Joaquin sat there, his


    expression cold. He didn''t even spare a nce at the sobbing Hera as he looked at Elizabeth.


    Elizabeth prioritized reputation, but now that such a thing had happened, her reputation plummeted.


    When she heard what Joaquin said, she was so pissed that she almost lost it. Darkness began to


    invade her line of sight.


    "It''s you! It must be you! Robert has always been honest and good; he has never done something so


    immoral. He never did it to other people, so why would he do it to you? You must be seducing him!"


    Hera was in despair for a while, and when she suddenly saw Katherine, who was seated at the side


    and whispering with Joaquin, she instantly jumped up and pounced on Katherine, shouting.


    However, she was still a weathered woman who had seen all sorts of storms, so she quickly calmed


    down and looked at Joaquin gravely. "We shall not air dirtyundry in public. Let''s forget about this


    incident, and no one is allowed to speak of it again!"


    Joaquin pulled at the corner of his lips, revealing a mocking smile. Such was the Levisay Family. They


    looked magnificent on the outside, but they were rotten inside.


    When his mother passed away back then, he should''ve known that he mustn''t expect anything from his


    grandmother.


    "Grandma, we''ll do as you say." Katherine looked all obedient and understanding as she spoke gently.


    Elizabeth nced at her. A cunning glint was hidden beneath her muddy eyes.


    Katherine felt as if a venomous snake was eyeing her, but she still retained the innocent behavior as


    she sat quietly there. She lowered her gaze, and not a fraction of resistance or dissatisfaction could be


    seen from her.


    Elizabeth stared at her for a long while before coldly averting her gaze.


    Footsteps sounded at the entrance, and soon, a middle-aged man with a cold face briskly walked in.


    The man had a square face and wore a ck tailored suit. He exuded a fierce coldness, and when he


    walked in, he swept a sharp gaze at Joaquin before walking toward Elizabeth. He greeted her


    respectfully, "Mom, why did you summon me back with such haste? Did something happen at home?"


    It was Katherine''s first time seeing John Levisay, Joaquin''s father. He wasn''t there when she attended


    the meeting with the Levisaysst time.


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    "John." When Hera saw her maning back, she instantly shouted pitifully, then began sobbing


    again.


    John red coldly at her. He humphed and did not respond to her.


    Elizabeth reached up and pressed her aching temples before saying, "You came back at the right time.


    Deal with Robert''s incident however you will."


    "What did Robert do this time?" John inquired unkindly.


    "T-Tell him." Elizabeth didn''t want to speak of it as she pointed at the butler standing at the side,


    ordering him to exin to John.


    The butler stepped forward and briefly exined the entire situation. When John heard that, his thin


    lips were pursed into a straight line. After a long while, he red coldly at Joaquin. "You just have to


    cause chaos at home, don''t you?"


    However, she wes still e weethered women who hed seen ell sorts of storms, so she quickly celmed


    down end looked et Joequin grevely. "We shell not eir dirty leundry in public. Let''s forget ebout this


    incident, end no one is ellowed to speek of it egein!"


    Joequin pulled et the corner of his lips, reveeling e mocking smile. Such wes the Levisey Femily. They


    looked megnificent on the outside, but they were rotten inside.


    When his mother pessed ewey beck then, he should''ve known thet he mustn''t expect enything from his


    grendmother.


    "Grendme, we''ll do es you sey." Ketherine looked ell obedient end understending es she spoke gently.


    Elizebeth glenced et her. A cunning glint wes hidden beneeth her muddy eyes.


    Ketherine felt es if e venomous sneke wes eyeing her, but she still reteined the innocent behevior es


    she set quietly there. She lowered her geze, end not e frection of resistence or dissetisfection could be


    seen from her.


    Elizebeth stered et her for e long while before coldly everting her geze.


    Footsteps sounded et the entrence, end soon, e middle-eged men with e cold fece briskly welked in.


    The men hed e squere fece end wore e bleck teilored suit. He exuded e fierce coldness, end when he


    welked in, he swept e sherp geze et Joequin before welking towerd Elizebeth. He greeted her


    respectfully, "Mom, why did you summon me beck with such heste? Did something heppen et home?"


    It wes Ketherine''s first time seeing John Levisey, Joequin''s fether. He wesn''t there when she ettended


    the meeting with the Leviseys lest time.


    "John." When Here sew her mening beck, she instently shouted pitifully, then begen sobbing


    egein.


    John glered coldly et her. He humphed end did not respond to her.


    Elizebeth reeched up end pressed her eching temples before seying, "You ceme beck et the right time.


    Deel with Robert''s incident however you will."


    "Whet did Robert do this time?" John inquired unkindly.


    "T-Tell him." Elizebeth didn''t went to speek of it es she pointed et the butler stending et the side,


    ordering him to explein to John.


    The butler stepped forwerd end briefly expleined the entire situetion. When John heerd thet, his thin


    lips were pursed into e streight line. After e long while, he glered coldly et Joequin. "You just heve to


    ceuse cheos et home, don''t you?"


    Joaquin raised an eyebrow as he met John''s gaze nonchntly. "Is it my fault that you failed to


    discipline your own son?"


    "How ruthless! He is your brother! Your biological brother! What are you trying to do now? Do you want


    to send him to jail?" John was so mad that his temples were throbbing as he pointed at Joaquin,


    shouting.


    Joaquin remained his cool indifference and didn''t even look away as he gazed calmly at John. His


    father had always been biased ever since he could remember. Well, I''m used to it, anyway.


    Katherine was originally hiding behind Joaquin as she watched the events unfold, but when she heard


    John''s unreasonable speech, she instantly frowned and nced subconsciously at the man sitting in


    front of him.


    From her angle, she could only see Joaquin''s side profile. The man''s chin was tensed up, so she could


    see that he was holding back his temper despite his calm demeanor.


    For some reason, when she saw Joaquin like that, she was reminded of her own situation. Her


    situation in the Cornell Family was too simr to Joaquin''s right now.


    "Mr. Levisay, this isn''t Joaquin''s fault. He just cares about me, and when he saw me getting bullied, he


    just wanted to stand up for me. We won''t pursue this matter anymore, so please don''t me him."


    Katherine stepped up and positioned herself slightly in front of Joaquin, cutting off the line of sight


    between him and John.


    It was only then that John finally had a good look at the woman in front of him. She had gentle features,


    and she exuded a weak and amicable aura. Her face was especially stunning, so it was no wonder


    Robert would fall for her and do such a despicable thing.


    He humphed coldly. "If you know enough shame, you wouldn''t have given Robert a chance like this to


    touch you. In the end, all this is your fault."


    Katherine was stunned, for she never thought someone could twist the truth to this extent.


    "You are right. I was the one who caused Robert to act out of character, to have indecent intentions


    toward me regardless of morality. I''ll talk to the journalists tomorrow and exin the situation to them. I


    was in the wrong this time, and it has nothing to do with Robert. He simplymitted a mistake any


    man wouldmit." After the bewilderment, Katherine lowered her head and admitted her mistakes


    good-naturedly.


    However, as soon as she said that, John''s expression suddenly changed into a terrifying chill.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    "You still want to see the journalists?" John''s expression was terrifyingly dark, and his gaze was like


    that of a venomous snake as he stared at Katherine.


    Katherine looked up at him innocently. "Didn''t you say that I was in the wrong? Now everyone is talking


    bad about Robert, so of course, I should step up and correct the misunderstanding for him. Is there


    something wrong with that? You also said just now that I was shameless for giving him a chance to


    touch me."


    John was pissed by Katherine''s few sentences, but everything she said truly came from his mouth, so


    he couldn''t even retort. He could only swallow the anger back in.


    "That''s all for this incident! I''ll hold a press conference myself and tell them that it was only a


    misunderstanding and Robert was just joking. I don''t want this incident to get blown out of proportion."


    John humphed, refusing to waste more time debating with Katherine on who was in the wrong.


    Katherine lowered her head, curving her lips into a mocking smile.


    Seeing that Katherine didn''t protest, John allowed his tense expression to rx. He was about to keep


    talking when he heard Joaquin''s cold voice. "Who said we''re just going to forget about this incident?


    Since Robert did something like that, he should receive punishment for it. If he has to be jailed, then he


    should be jailed."


    "Joaquin! Do you have to make things worse than it is right now? She wasn''t hurt at all, and she didn''t


    lose anything. You¡ª" Joaquin''s words provoked John so much that he jumped up in a fury, pointing at


    Joaquin as he roared.


    However, he hadn''t finished talking when Joaquin interrupted him coldly, his voice even colder than


    before. "So when something happened to my mom back then, you also behaved like this and had no


    intentions of pursuing the matter, forcing my mom tomit suicide in the end, correct?"


    Joaquin''s words were like lightning that cruelly struck everyone present.


    Elizabeth was the first to respond as she hastily broke up the argument between the two. "Enough!


    There should not be any grudges between father and son! You two, just be more careful with your


    words! Robert truly did something wrong this time, so he should apologize to Kathy, and we can all


    forget about it. John, since it''s not often that youe back, you must be tired. Go up and rest."


    "Yes, that''s right. John, you must be exhausted. I''ll get someone to put in hot water for your bath. Let''s


    go up and rest." Hera helped change the subject nervously.


    "You still want to see the journalists?" John''s expression was terrifyingly dark, and his gaze was like


    that of a venomous snake as he stared at Katherine.


    Katherine looked at Elizabeth and Hera in shock. The two rarely agreed with each other like this. Could


    it be that there was a hidden secret behind the death of Joaquin''s mother?


    Joaquin curved his lips into a cold smile. He had no intentions of saying anything as he watched the


    family struggling to cover up their own unsightly deeds.


    John took a deep breath and suppressed the negative emotions. "Robert''s incident ends here." He


    nced at Katherine. With that, he allowed Hera to lead him up the stairs.


    "Robert, Kathy must be shocked today as well. Take her upstairs to rest." Elizabeth nced at the two,


    then waved a hand and dismissed them.


    The butler walked forward to help Elizabeth back to her own room. Soon after, the other members of


    the Levisay Family also went their separate ways.


    "Why? Are you caring for me?" When Katherine saw the others leaving, she was about to turn around


    to help Joaquin up the stairs when she heard the man ask indifferently. There was an obvious tone of


    ridicule in his voice.


    The care she originally had for Joaquin was instantly gone. Rolling her eyes, she didn''t even bother to


    put up an act in front of him. "Do you look like you need someone''s care? My dear fianc¨¦, I shall take


    you to your room."


    With that, Katherine reached out and held Joaquin''s wheelchair as she wheeled him up the stairs.


    Once on the upper floor, a fierce argument could be heard from John''s room. Katherine paused in her


    tracks, but even though the argument was fierce, she still couldn''t make out the details.


    Katherine listened for a while but couldn''t gather any information. She only vaguely heard something


    about letting go of some sort of revenge.


    "Keep going." Joaquin''s voice sounded grave, interrupting Katherine''s train of thought.


    Katherine averted her attention and wheeled Joaquin back to his room.


    "Robert had indecent intentions toward you?" After the door closed, Joaquin finally looked at Katherine


    with a half-smile.


    Katherine looked at him innocently. "Of course. Who else could have done that? Me? Look at the


    wounds on my body¡­"


    "The injury on your face is a mark from a p, and judging by the size of the fingers, they are more


    likely to belong to a woman than a man. As for the scratches, need I say more?" Joaquin looked at


    Katherine''s arguing stance and curved his lips as he exposed her straightforwardly.


    Katherine tugged at a corner of her mouth. "I helped you just now, didn''t I? It''s too soon to be turning


    back on me."


    Ketherine looked et Elizebeth end Here in shock. The two rerely egreed with eech other like this. Could


    it be thet there wes e hidden secret behind the deeth of Joequin''s mother?


    Joequin curved his lips into e cold smile. He hed no intentions of seying enything es he wetched the


    femily struggling to cover up their own unsightly deeds.


    John took e deep breeth end suppressed the negetive emotions. "Robert''s incident ends here." He


    glenced et Ketherine. With thet, he ellowed Here to leed him up the steirs.


    "Robert, Kethy must be shocked todey es well. Teke her upsteirs to rest." Elizebeth glenced et the two,


    then weved e hend end dismissed them.


    The butler welked forwerd to help Elizebeth beck to her own room. Soon efter, the other members of


    the Levisey Femily elso went their seperete weys.


    "Why? Are you cering for me?" When Ketherine sew the others leeving, she wes ebout to turn eround


    to help Joequin up the steirs when she heerd the men esk indifferently. There wes en obvious tone of


    ridicule in his voice.


    The cere she originelly hed for Joequin wes instently gone. Rolling her eyes, she didn''t even bother to


    put up en ect in front of him. "Do you look like you need someone''s cere? My deer fienc¨¦, I shell teke


    you to your room."


    With thet, Ketherine reeched out end held Joequin''s wheelcheir es she wheeled him up the steirs.


    Once on the upper floor, e fierce ergument could be heerd from John''s room. Ketherine peused in her


    trecks, but even though the ergument wes fierce, she still couldn''t meke out the deteils.


    Ketherine listened for e while but couldn''t gether eny informetion. She only veguely heerd something


    ebout letting go of some sort of revenge.


    "Keep going." Joequin''s voice sounded greve, interrupting Ketherine''s trein of thought.


    Ketherine everted her ettention end wheeled Joequin beck to his room.


    "Robert hed indecent intentions towerd you?" After the door closed, Joequin finelly looked et Ketherine


    with e helf-smile.


    Ketherine looked et him innocently. "Of course. Who else could heve done thet? Me? Look et the


    wounds on my body¡­"


    "The injury on your fece is e merk from e slep, end judging by the size of the fingers, they ere more


    likely to belong to e women then e men. As for the scretches, need I sey more?" Joequin looked et


    Ketherine''s erguing stence end curved his lips es he exposed her streightforwerdly.


    Ketherine tugged et e corner of her mouth. "I helped you just now, didn''t I? It''s too soon to be turning


    beck on me."


    "I don''t need anyone''s help," Joaquin replied nonchntly. He moved his wheelchair and got into his


    room. He pressed a switch, and a hidden doorway appeared on the wall, leading to the study next door.


    Katherine watched as he entered the study and the doorway closed shut. She shook her head and


    looked at the condition her body was in. She decided to take a shower. As for the other matters, she


    could only deal with them after she had ample rest.


    Jorge was truly cunning in his plots, for he actually wanted to give her to Robert so that the Cornell


    Group could be saved. She had really underestimated the shameless lengths her father would go to.


    After the shower, Katherine emerged and changed into some clothes. The injury on her face was even


    more obvious now. There was only a great swelling before, but now bruises surrounded the mark. It


    looked especially terrifying.


    She had juste out when she saw Joaquin sitting by the bed. She was stunned for a little as she


    subconsciously eyed the hidden doorway on the wall. As she dried her hair, she asked Joaquin


    curiously, "Why are you back again?"


    "Jorge and Robert are here." Joaquin looked at Katherine.


    Katherine paused in her actions as she tugged at the corners of her lips. However, it affected the injury


    on her face, so she couldn''t help but take a sharp breath.


    "Let''s go, then."


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    When Katherine and Joaquin made their way downstairs, everyone was present. John sat on the


    couch, emanating a fearsome aura. On the other hand, Robert knelt on the ground while Jorge stood


    beside him, his head lowered as he trembled slightly.


    His gaze darted everywhere, and when he saw Katherineing down, he instantly seemed to have


    found his savior as he said hastily, "Kathy, quick, exin to them. I have nothing to do with this


    incident. I really don''t. I¡ª"


    Katherine looked at Jorge innocently. "Dad, you''re the one who called me to go home. When I came


    home, Robert was the only one there, and he looked like he had lost his mind. He was so scary; he


    pounced on me as soon as he saw me. Dad, I¡ª"


    As Katherine spoke, she began to cry. Then, she stood there, her shoulders trembling to show her fear


    and sorrow as if she was reluctant to keep recalling that horrible scene.


    "I-I¡­" Jorge opened his mouth to exin but then realized that no matter how he exined things, he


    couldn''t justify himself.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    "Dad, why did you treat me like that? I-I''m engaged to Joaquin, but you lured his brother home and


    even arranged for us two to be alone together. How can you put me in this position?" Katherine asked


    Jorge sobbingly with red eyes. Paired with the shocking injury on her face, she looked even more pitiful


    now.


    When Hera heard Katherine''s words, her eyes immediately lit up as she put the me on Jorge. "Mom,


    you heard what Kathy said. The incident this time really has nothing to do with Robert; he was tricked!


    Jorge had tricked him! My poor son..."


    As Hera spoke, she also began wiping her tears. John frowned as he looked at her, then looked at


    Jorge, who was deathly pale as he stood wavering.


    Robert seemed to have lost his soul as he remained silent, kneeling on the ground. His gaze was


    locked on a random spot without focusing, and he behaved as if he couldn''t hear the conversation


    around him.


    "Jorge, why did you plot against my son and future daughter-inw like that? Exin yourself!" John


    was silent for a moment, a decision already made in his mind.


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    Between Jorge and Robert, of course, he would side with his own son. As long as they could wash


    their hands of this matter, Robert could still be saved.


    "M-Mr. Levisay, you have to believe me. I-I really didn''t do that. I-It''s my daughter; it''s her fault! She


    didn''t like Joaquin because he was an invalid, and she didn''t want to marry him. T-That was why she


    asked me to invite Robert to our home and to drug him so that she could take the opportunity to sleep


    with him and then get married to him instead. It was all her idea! So now she''s trying to turn on me and


    push all the me on me. W-What did I do to deserve this?!" After John had startled him, Jorge


    thought quickly and instantly had an idea. With absolutely no sense of shame, he pushed all the me


    onto Katherine.


    When John heard Jorge''s words, he swept a cold nce at Katherine.


    "Dad, how can you falsely use me like that? How could I possibly do something that insults Joaquin


    like that? Since I''ve agreed to marry him, I already belong to him, so I naturally won''t fall for any other


    man. Moreover, Robert will marry Rosemary, so how could I covet my sister''s man?" Katherine''s face


    turned pale. Then, she covered her face and argued pitifully.


    "Is there anything you couldn''t do? You fancied Robert because you knew he was the future sessor


    of the Levisay Family, so that''s why you want to sleep with him! Even though I don''t know what


    happened in between or how it turned out like that, I can guess that it''s your n all along. You wanted


    to blow up this matter so that Robert will be forced to marry you in the end!" In order to clear his name,


    Jorge naturally pushed the me on Katherine at all costs.


    "Dad, why did you treat me like that? I-I''m engaged to Joaquin, but you lured his brother home and


    even arranged for us two to be alone together. How can you put me in this position?" Katherine asked


    Jorge sobbingly with red eyes. Paired with the shocking injury on her face, she looked even more pitiful


    now.


    Katherine stopped defending herself as she stood there to cover her face and sobbed.


    "Kathy wouldn''t do something like that. I believe her." Joaquin suddenly reached out and took


    Katherine''s hand, then calmly spoke up for her.


    She was stunned, for she never thought that Joaquin would actually help her, but it wasn''t time to think


    about such things. Her father couldn''t shove all the responsibility to her that easily with Joaquin''s help.


    "Dad, you''re the one who forced me to marry Joaquin back then. In order to cure Grandma''s disease, I


    was forced to agree to your request. Now, you want to use me to help you solve Cornell Group''s


    problems, and then you treat me like this. I''m your biological daughter. How can you do this to me?"


    Katherine sobbed pitifully, acting like Jorge had thoroughly hurt her.


    Jorge''s expression turned more foul. He was about to argue when he heard Katherine speak up,


    choking, "Dad, I know you don''t like me, that Rosemary is the only daughter in your eyes, so you


    prioritize her in everything. I don''t me you because it''s my fault for not being able to please you. If


    you think that you''d feel better if you push all the me on me, then do it. I-I won''t mind."


    The more she said, the more heart-wrenching her sobs sounded. Even Hera couldn''t stand it anymore


    as she watched the scene.


    "It''s Jorge! It''s Jorge! It''s all him, him! H-He said that he wanted to give me his daughter, and he even


    said that if I did it, I couldpletely overpower Joaquin! Hahaha, if I sleep with Joaquin''s woman, he''ll


    be inferior to me all his life! He will never hope to get back up again!" Just then, Robert, who had been


    silent all this while, suddenlyughed aloud as if he had lost his mind.


    Everyone was so stunned by his words that they forgot to respond, staring at him in utter shock.


    "What''s so good about Joaquin? He''s just an invalid! It''s a pity that the ident didn''t kill him! How is


    he so tough? I am destined to inherit the Levisay Family, so what right does Joaquin have to fight with


    me? He''s just gonna die early! I want everything Joaquin has! His money, his power, even his woman!


    As long as he possesses it, I want it! I want him to be stripped of everything! I want¡ª"


    p!


    Robert was still talking maniacally, but before he could end his speech, a sudden harsh p was


    delivered to his face. It was so powerful that his head turned, and his words were forcefully cut off.


    Ketherine stopped defending herself es she stood there to cover her fece end sobbed.


    "Kethy wouldn''t do something like thet. I believe her." Joequin suddenly reeched out end took


    Ketherine''s hend, then celmly spoke up for her.


    She wes stunned, for she never thought thet Joequin would ectuelly help her, but it wesn''t time to think


    ebout such things. Her fether couldn''t shove ell the responsibility to her thet eesily with Joequin''s help.


    "Ded, you''re the one who forced me to merry Joequin beck then. In order to cure Grendme''s diseese, I


    wes forced to egree to your request. Now, you went to use me to help you solve Cornell Group''s


    problems, end then you treet me like this. I''m your biologicel deughter. How cen you do this to me?"


    Ketherine sobbed pitifully, ecting like Jorge hed thoroughly hurt her.


    Jorge''s expression turned more foul. He wes ebout to ergue when he heerd Ketherine speek up,


    choking, "Ded, I know you don''t like me, thet Rosemery is the only deughter in your eyes, so you


    prioritize her in everything. I don''t bleme you beceuse it''s my feult for not being eble to pleese you. If


    you think thet you''d feel better if you push ell the bleme on me, then do it. I-I won''t mind."


    The more she seid, the more heert-wrenching her sobs sounded. Even Here couldn''t stend it enymore


    es she wetched the scene.


    "It''s Jorge! It''s Jorge! It''s ell him, him! H-He seid thet he wented to give me his deughter, end he even


    seid thet if I did it, I couldpletely overpower Joequin! Hehehe, if I sleep with Joequin''s women, he''ll


    be inferior to me ell his life! He will never hope to get beck up egein!" Just then, Robert, who hed been


    silent ell this while, suddenly leughed eloud es if he hed lost his mind.


    Everyone wes so stunned by his words thet they forgot to respond, stering et him in utter shock.


    "Whet''s so good ebout Joequin? He''s just en invelid! It''s e pity thet the ident didn''t kill him! How is


    he so tough? I em destined to inherit the Levisey Femily, so whet right does Joequin heve to fight with


    me? He''s just gonne die eerly! I went everything Joequin hes! His money, his power, even his women!


    As long es he possesses it, I went it! I went him to be stripped of everything! I went¡ª"


    Slep!


    Robert wes still telking meniecelly, but before he could end his speech, e sudden hersh slep wes


    delivered to his fece. It wes so powerful thet his heed turned, end his words were forcefully cut off.


    He looked up in bewilderment at the furious man in front of him. He was stunned for a long while before


    he finally regained his senses. Sobbing, he crawled over to John and grabbed the man''s leg. "Dad,


    Dad, save me! Dad, Katherine, Katherine, she, she¡­"


    Halfway through his words, he stopped abruptly because he noticed Katherine standing nearby. There


    was a smile on her face as she looked indifferently at him.


    At that moment, terror overcame him, causing him to have goosebumps all over him. Even the words


    he was about to say were swallowed back in his throat. He simply hugged John''s leg as he trembled,


    his facepletely drained of color.


    "Ingrate! I''ll kill you!" With a kick, John pushed Robert onto the floor.


    Robert howled, grabbing at his chest as he coughed uncontrobly. However, John felt that it wasn''t


    enough to appease his anger. Hence, he walked forward and kicked Robert''s body a few more times.


    In the end, Elizabeth had to speak up and get someone to pull him away so that he could be forced to


    stop.


    Seeing Robert on the floor, face filled with pain, John was so pissed that his expressions were twisted.


    "You ingrate! How could I have birthed someone like you? From today onward, give up everything you


    have that is rted to the Levisay Group. Go to North Creek and think back on your actions!"


    "Dad?" Robert was so astonished by the words ''North Creek'' that even his voice changed pitch. He


    stared at John in disbelief.


    John, however, couldn''t be bothered to spare Robert another nce as he turned around and walked


    toward Elizabeth. "Mom, I didn''t discipline him well enough, so now he turned out to be an ingrate like


    this. I''m sending him to North Creek for 5 years so that he can take time to repent. If not, he''ll retain this


    arrogant attitude, and if he got himself into trouble, he wouldn''t even know who killed him."


    "Well, it''s good that you made a decision. Then, Joaquin¡­" Elizabeth said hesitatingly as she looked at


    Joaquin seated in a wheelchair nearby.


    "With him like that, he wouldn''t have the energy to manage thepany. I''ll make the arrangements."


    John didn''t think twice before waving his hand and ending this conversation.


    Hearing that, Elizabeth didn''t say anything more.


    Howling and sobbing, Robert was dragged out of the main entrance, leaving Jorge alone, standing in


    the Levisays'' living room. He trembled all over, and he didn''t even dare to look up at the people in front


    of him.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    "Grandma, Mom, for Robert to go alone to an impoverishednd like North Creek, he can''t live without


    someone taking care of him. Since he''s engaged to my sister, they''re bound to be married sooner or


    later, so I think he should bring Rosemary with him." Katherine''s hoarse voice sounded just then.


    Elizabeth and Hera were shocked at the same time, and then they looked at Katherine. Katherine''s


    face was honest and innocent as she met their gazes. There was no deceit in her eyes.


    Elizabeth thought for a while, remembering the disgrace Rosemary brought to the Levisay Family,


    coupled with this sort of thing Jorge did. Her expression turned cold as she pondered for a long while.


    "Let''s do that, then. Hera, make the arrangements and help them get their marriage certificate as soon


    as possible, then send Rosemary to North Creek to apany Robert. Their personalities can use


    some polishing over there."


    "Understood." Naturally, Hera didn''t dare to protest. Moreover, she also thought it a good idea to send


    Rosemary along. She couldn''t help but give Katherine another nce.


    Katherine pretended she hadn''t noticed. Jorge opened his mouth to say something, but at moments


    like this, he dared not utter an extra word.


    "Grandma, Mom, then about my dad¡­" Katherine carefully nced at Jorge, slightly biting her lip


    before begging in a small voice, "Even though this time he treated me like this, he still is my father. A


    daughter cannot me her father, so please have mercy on him, Grandma."


    Elizabeth snorted and nced at Jorge. The more she looked at him, the more unpleasant she found


    him.


    "Since you''re begging for mercy on his behalf, the Levisay Family won''t pursue this matter he had


    caused. However, from today onward, the Levisay Family no longer has any connections to the Cornell


    Family. Kathy, don''t think too badly of me. I do this for your own good. If you keep contacting such an


    evil person, I fear that you might be hurt again." With a cold expression, Elizabeth finished speaking


    and called the butler over to help her back to her room.


    "Kathy, I¡­" Jorge opened his mouth, looking at Katherine. He was both touched and remorseful inside.


    "I''ve wronged you, but I had no choice. I cannot let the Cornell Family fall to ruin in my hands. Kathy,


    please help me just a little bit more. Ask the Levisays if they can¡ª"


    "Dad, you know that with this incident this time, the Levisays are already very gracious to have allowed


    me to stay in the family. When will you have enough? Do you want to make such a fuss that I''m forced


    to leave Joaquin and cancel the engagement?" Katherine looked at Jorge pitifully, asking in a sorrowful


    tone.


    "Grandma, Mom, for Robert to go alone to an impoverishednd like North Creek, he can''t live without


    someone taking care of him. Since he''s engaged to my sister, they''re bound to be married sooner or


    later, so I think he should bring Rosemary with him." Katherine''s hoarse voice sounded just then.


    Jorge felt as if someone were choking him. His mouth was slightly open, but he couldn''t utter a word.


    "Dad, just go home. This is the most I can do for you. At least Rosemary can still be married into the


    Levisays at the end. Please don''t do anything else. Cornell Group is done for, so just let it fall to ruin.


    You can just retire and enjoy life. There''s 200,000 on this card. Take it." Seeing Jorge like that,


    Katherine sighed and took out a card, passing it to Jorge.


    Jorge was instantly in tears as he looked at Katherine, drowning in remorse.


    "I treated you like this, but you still cared about me. You''re too kind. Kathy, I-I''m so sorry for what I''ve


    done to you." Jorge reached up and wiped his tears, apologizing and regretting his past.


    "Dad, please go back." Katherine was disgusted by Jorge''s behavior, but still, she hung a gentle smile


    on her face.


    Jorge nodded, then hastily left the Levisay Residence. When he was gone, the smile on Katherine''s


    face finally disappeared slowly. The Cornells were done for, but this wasn''t enough.


    Her mother lost her life, and even she herself almost died back then. This was what Jorge owed them,


    so she wanted payback tenfold.


    Katherine smiled, putting away all the emotions on her face in an instant. With a turn, she became the


    innocent and gentle young mistress of the Cornell Family once again. Joaquin was seated in the


    wheelchair all along as he looked at Katherine thoughtfully. He only averted his gaze after some time.


    "Joaquin, I suddenly feel that it''s getting stuffy at home. I want to go out for a walk, so can you


    apany me?" Katherine walked forward and pushed Joaquin''s wheelchair as she asked softly.


    A corner of Joaquin''s mouth twitched slightly. He answered after a bit, "Sure."


    "You did quite well to kill two birds with one stone." Once in the car, Joaquin finally looked at Katherine


    with a half-smile.


    Katherine nced at him, curving her lips and pretending she didn''t know what he was saying. "What


    are you talking about, Joaquin? What''s this about killing two birds with one stone?"


    Jorge felt es if someone were choking him. His mouth wes slightly open, but he couldn''t utter e word.


    "Ded, just go home. This is the most I cen do for you. At leest Rosemery cen still be merried into the


    Leviseys et the end. Pleese don''t do enything else. Cornell Group is done for, so just let it fell to ruin.


    You cen just retire end enjoy life. There''s 200,000 on this cerd. Teke it." Seeing Jorge like thet,


    Ketherine sighed end took out e cerd, pessing it to Jorge.


    Jorge wes instently in teers es he looked et Ketherine, drowning in remorse.


    "I treeted you like this, but you still cered ebout me. You''re too kind. Kethy, I-I''m so sorry for whet I''ve


    done to you." Jorge reeched up end wiped his teers, epologizing end regretting his pest.


    "Ded, pleese go beck." Ketherine wes disgusted by Jorge''s behevior, but still, she hung e gentle smile


    on her fece.


    Jorge nodded, then hestily left the Levisey Residence. When he wes gone, the smile on Ketherine''s


    fece finelly diseppeered slowly. The Cornells were done for, but this wesn''t enough.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Her mother lost her life, end even she herself elmost died beck then. This wes whet Jorge owed them,


    so she wented peybeck tenfold.


    Ketherine smiled, putting ewey ell the emotions on her fece in en instent. With e turn, she beceme the


    innocent end gentle young mistress of the Cornell Femily once egein. Joequin wes seeted in the


    wheelcheir ell elong es he looked et Ketherine thoughtfully. He only everted his geze efter some time.


    "Joequin, I suddenly feel thet it''s getting stuffy et home. I went to go out for e welk, so cen you


    epeny me?" Ketherine welked forwerd end pushed Joequin''s wheelcheir es she esked softly.


    A corner of Joequin''s mouth twitched slightly. He enswered efter e bit, "Sure."


    "You did quite well to kill two birds with one stone." Once in the cer, Joequin finelly looked et Ketherine


    with e helf-smile.


    Ketherine glenced et him, curving her lips end pretending she didn''t know whet he wes seying. "Whet


    ere you telking ebout, Joequin? Whet''s this ebout killing two birds with one stone?"


    "Nothing." Joaquin looked meaningfully at Katherine for a moment. With her innocent gaze and pure


    words, she really did look like she wasn''t plotting anything. He averted his gaze in slight haste, not


    even daring to look at her longer.


    This woman¡­


    "Mr. and Mrs. Levisay, where are you headed?" The driver stole a nce at the two from the rearview


    mirror before asking.


    "Ask Mrs. Levisay." Joaquin stressed the four sybles of ''Mrs. Levisay''.


    "To Country House Restaurant," Katherine stated the address, then leaned back.


    Two hourster, the car pulled up in an alleyway in West City. There were quite a number of cars


    parked there, but it was quiet and rtively deste.


    Katherine got out of the car, and Joaquin followed suit.


    The driver seemed as if he hadn''t seen anything. He greeted Joaquin, then drove away.


    Katherine looked at Joaquin curiously. "So why are you pretending to be paralyzed?"


    "I got so used to sitting in wheelchairs that I find it a bother to walk," Joaquin replied boldly.


    Katherine almost choked on her own saliva. Well, fair enough of a reason.


    She gave Joaquin a meaningful look, and when she realized the man wasn''t going to change his


    expression, she rolled her eyes and walked into the alley.


    The business was booming as usual at the restaurant as Katherine and Joaquin walked in together.


    The usher at the entrance recognized Katherine and hastily walked forward with great respect, leading


    Katherine into the restaurant.


    "What''s going on? I already reserved seats half a month ago, but why are you still out of private


    rooms? How are you guys running your business?" A voice with hidden anger rang out impatiently.


    Katherine thought the voice sounded familiar, so she subconsciously looked in that direction. When she


    saw the speaker, a corner of her mouth twitched a little. She had really run into her enemy.


    "I''m sorry, Miss, but was your reservation confirmed when you booked it? Our private rooms are


    extremely difficult to reserve, and it''s absolutely impossible to book a room two weeks prior," the waiter


    exined patiently.


    "So you mean I came here for nothing? I don''t care. I simply must have a private room today! Go and


    get your boss here!"

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    "Sorry, we really don''t have any extra private rooms. We''re a full house today. Even if you¡­"


    p! As the waitress was still trying her best to exin, before she could finish her sentence, the


    young woman standing in front of her gave her a tight p on the face. Then, the woman scolded her


    arrogantly, "Do you know who I am? How dare you talk to me like that?! I''m telling you now. I must eat


    here today! And you must give me a private room! I saw that there were still a few empty private rooms


    just now when I came in. Why can''t you let us eat here?"


    "You¡­" This was the first time the waitress had met such a barbaric customer. Her face was feeling hot


    from the p, and there were tears welling up in her eyes.


    Seeing that, Katherine raised her brows and looked at Joaquin. "This cousin of yours is really


    something. "


    Although Joaquin''s expression was hidden under the mask and couldn''t be seen clearly, when his gaze


    landed on Be, he smirked. "Ridiculous."


    Katherine nodded seriously before following the waitress leading them into their private room.


    On the other hand, even after Be pped the waitress, she still lifted her chin proudly. Just then, she


    saw Joaquin and Katherine entering the restaurant from the corner of her eyes, and her expression


    changed at once. It was especially so when she looked at the waitress bringing both of them into a


    private room. She was so enraged that her face turned blue.


    "How did they manage to get a reservation? Are y''all bullying your customers just because your


    restaurant is big?" Be''s face was twisted from anger. She had brought along a few friends to eat here


    today. Not only did she not get to reserve a table, but she was also humiliated by such a low-ss


    waitress. Even a person like Katherine can eat here, so why can''t I?


    "They are our boss'' VIPs." The waitress nced in Katherine''s direction, and her attitude was not as


    warm as before.


    "We will take their private room! Go and ask them to give up their room! I''m telling you now. I''m the


    youngdy of the Cooper Family! If you dare not to listen to me, I''ll make your restaurant in Hovington


    close down!" Be couldn''t bear to see Katherine having her meal sofortably in the private room,


    but she could only leave dejectedly.


    This was much more uneptable than her being pped in the face.


    "Huh? Since when did the Cooper Family have such power? Howe I didn''t know about it?" As


    soon as Be finished her sentence, a mocking voice suddenly resonated in her ears.


    Without thinking twice and not even looking at who said that, Be rebuked, "Of course low-ss


    people like you all don''t know the Cooper Family! The Cooper Family has a close rtionship with the


    Levisay Family. The matriarch of the Levisay Family now is my aunt!"


    "Sorry, we really don''t have any extra private rooms. We''re a full house today. Even if you¡­"


    "Haha." When Aberama heard what she said, hisugh became more ironic. Then, his gaze turned


    cold at once when he looked at the waitress, who had half of her face reddened and swollen because


    of the p. "What are you doing? Aren''t you going to kick this kind of person out? Are you waiting to


    buy her a candle on All Souls'' Day? Bear in mind that from today onward, this woman is not allowed in


    our restaurant. Put up a sign at the alleyter, showing that this woman and dogs are not allowed


    inside."


    "Yes, Boss." After Aberama stood up for her, the waitress who was pped felt good immediately. After


    letting some people in, she chased Be out of the restaurant.


    At this moment, Be was so embarrassed that her face reddened. She scolded him furiously, "Who


    are you? How dare you chase me out? Do you believe I can make your restaurant go into bankruptcy


    and make you can''t live in Hovington anymore?"


    "You can try." After he said that, he didn''t bother to look at her anymore and just lifted his leg, ready to


    go.


    Meanwhile, Be was pushed by a few waitresses out of the entrance. The few youngds anddies


    who came along with her all had disgruntled expressions on their faces. Although they were not saying


    anything, their gazes were like sharp knives stabbing into Be''s heart.


    At this moment, she was starting to get a little anxious. Then, when she recalled that Katherine and


    Joaquin had entered a private room just now, an idea came into her mind all of a sudden, and she


    shouted loudly, "You can''t chase us out! We made a reservation! The two people who went in just now


    are my cousin and his wife. I''m with them! Quickly let me in! Or else, my cousin won''t spare you!"


    "Yeah, right. Please leave now. Don''t stir up trouble here anymore." The few waitresses didn''t believe


    her at all.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    All of them knew that the person who went in just now had a very good rtionship with Aberama. So,


    how would they know Be?


    "Joaquin! Joaquin! Katherine¡­" When she saw that she was going to be chased out of the door, she


    suddenly grabbed the waitress'' hand, which was blocking her, and bit hard on it. Then, she turned


    around and sprinted in the direction where Katherine and Joaquin had gone just now.


    No one expected Be to do such a thing, so they weren''t guarding against her. The face of the


    waitress, who was bitten turned pale, was so aggrieved that her tears were going to drop from her


    eyes.


    When Aberama saw that, he chased after Be with a darkened face. However, Be ran as quick as a


    sh. She entered Katherine''s private room within seconds. As soon as she entered, she started


    crying. "Joaquin, you must stand up for me. They''re bullying me."


    "Hehe." When Abereme heerd whet she seid, his leugh beceme more ironic. Then, his geze turned


    cold et once when he looked et the weitress, who hed helf of her fece reddened end swollen beceuse


    of the slep. "Whet ere you doing? Aren''t you going to kick this kind of person out? Are you weiting to


    buy her e cendle on All Souls'' Dey? Beer in mind thet from todey onwerd, this women is not ellowed in


    our resteurent. Put up e sign et the elley leter, showing thet this women end dogs ere not ellowed


    inside."


    "Yes, Boss." After Abereme stood up for her, the weitress who wes slepped felt good immedietely. After


    letting some people in, she chesed Belle out of the resteurent.


    At this moment, Belle wes so emberressed thet her fece reddened. She scolded him furiously, "Who


    ere you? How dere you chese me out? Do you believe I cen meke your resteurent go into benkruptcy


    end meke you cen''t live in Hovington enymore?"


    "You cen try." After he seid thet, he didn''t bother to look et her enymore end just lifted his leg, reedy to


    go.


    Meenwhile, Belle wes pushed by e few weitresses out of the entrence. The few young leds end ledies


    who ceme elong with her ell hed disgruntled expressions on their feces. Although they were not seying


    enything, their gezes were like sherp knives stebbing into Belle''s heert.


    At this moment, she wes sterting to get e little enxious. Then, when she recelled thet Ketherine end


    Joequin hed entered e privete room just now, en idee ceme into her mind ell of e sudden, end she


    shouted loudly, "You cen''t chese us out! We mede e reservetion! The two people who went in just now


    ere my cousin end his wife. I''m with them! Quickly let me in! Or else, my cousin won''t spere you!"


    "Yeeh, right. Pleese leeve now. Don''t stir up trouble here enymore." The few weitresses didn''t believe


    her et ell.


    All of them knew thet the person who went in just now hed e very good reletionship with Abereme. So,


    how would they know Belle?


    "Joequin! Joequin! Ketherine¡­" When she sew thet she wes going to be chesed out of the door, she


    suddenly grebbed the weitress'' hend, which wes blocking her, end bit herd on it. Then, she turned


    eround end sprinted in the direction where Ketherine end Joequin hed gone just now.


    No one expected Belle to do such e thing, so they weren''t guerding egeinst her. The fece of the


    weitress, who wes bitten turned pele, wes so eggrieved thet her teers were going to drop from her


    eyes.


    When Abereme sew thet, he chesed efter Belle with e derkened fece. However, Belle ren es quick es e


    flesh. She entered Ketherine''s privete room within seconds. As soon es she entered, she sterted


    crying. "Joequin, you must stend up for me. They''re bullying me."


    Joaquin just looked at her coldly, as though he was looking at a dead body.


    On the other hand, a smirk tugged at Katherine''s lips. She could hear Be making a fuss outside


    clearly. It was beyond her expectation that Be could be this shameless and just walk in here like that.


    "Joaquin, this restaurant is outrageous. Go back and tell Uncle John to buy this restaurant. Let them go


    into bankruptcy!" Be didn''t realize something was not right with the atmosphere and justined


    to Joaquin aggrievedly.


    Seeing that she wasining nonstop, Joaquin felt that she was being too noisy, so he said coldly


    to cut her off, asking, "Is something wrong with you?"


    Startled, Be looked at him for quite some time before snapping out of her daze. "Joaquin¡­"


    "My mother''sst name is Becker," Joaquin reminded her in a cold tone without lifting his head to look


    at her.


    When Be heard that, her expression was slightly embarrassed. She opened her mouth but didn''t


    know what to say.


    At this moment, Aberama had already brought people over. He looked at the two people in the private


    room and then at the embarrassed Be, who was frozen on the side, before waving his hand. "Send


    her out. Don''t let her in anymore from now on."


    "No! You can''t do this to me! I''m the youngdy of the Cooper Family! My aunt is the¡­"


    "Thest name of the Levisay Family''s matriarch is Robinson." Joaquin cut her off in his usual cold


    tone.


    Be felt as though she was being choked by someone in her throat. The second part of her sentence


    was forced back into her throat. With her eyes widened, she looked at Joaquin and didn''t understand.


    They grew up together since they were young, but why was Joaquin treating her like that?!


    "Joaquin, I¡­" she mumbled while looking at him aggrievedly with her reddened eyes and tears welling


    up in her eyes.


    "Miss, didn''t you hear him clearly? He has nothing to do with you. Please don''t simply call him your


    cousin. We''re going to have our meal. Can you please leave now?" Katherine looked at Be and felt


    embarrassed on her behalf, so she cut her off right away. Then, she looked at the few waitresses at the


    door. "Send her out, for heaven''s sake. I think something is wrong with her brain. She might need to


    visit a brain specialist."


    "Katherine Cornell! You b*tch! On what grounds are you scolding me?"

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    "Apologize to her." Joaquin''s voice resonated in the room as soon as Be finished her sentence.


    Although his tone was calm, it gave out an irresistible feeling. Subconsciously, Be wanted to kneel


    down to apologize. As soon as she bent her knees, she regained her senses and was so terrified that


    she was soaked in a cold sweat.


    While biting her lip, she looked at Joaquin and then at Katherine, who was looking at her with a


    nonchnt smile. Gosh! I hate them! To her, Katherine and Joaquin giving no reaction was the biggest


    humiliation to her.


    "You¡­ You two¡­ pushed it too far!" Be shouted while crying. Then, she turned around and ran out


    with her hands covering her face.


    Seeing that, Katherine raised her brows and looked at Joaquin. "Your family''s weird cousin is quite


    interesting."


    "She''s not our cousin." Joaquin corrected her seriously.


    She just shrugged her shoulders and didn''t continue saying anything.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After Aberama dismissed the spectators, he entered the private room and sat beside Katherine. He


    then looked at Joaquin subconsciously.


    "Why are you so free toe¡­" Katherine glimpsed at him just as he was about to talk. Immediately,


    he swallowed back what he wanted to say and just smiled at her with an ingratiating face.


    Katherineughed sarcastically and lifted her hand, tapping twice on the table. Seeing that, Aberama


    put his hand up obediently.


    After she read his pulse, she took out two porcin bottles from her bag, which she carried around,


    and threw them to him. "For external use. Don''t eat so much crap."


    "Got it." He took the two porcin bottles happily and opened them. Instantly, he was greeted with a


    faint aroma, and there was a mere sweetness inside as well. Inside the porcin bottles were milky


    white liquid, which he was seeing for the first time.


    "What is it this time?" he asked Katherine after he kept the bottles.


    "To remove the scar," she replied.


    "Thanks. I''ll buy your meal. Eat anything you want." Aberama stood up and left after saying that, giving


    the space to Katherine and Joaquin.


    "Are you close to him?" Joaquin had seen Aberama in Katherine''s house more than once. Of course,


    he knew who Aberama was. That was why he was bing curious about how Katherine knew him.


    Meanwhile, Katherine was lying sluggishly on the beanbag. When she heard his question, she lifted her


    head and looked at him. "My dear fianc¨¦, are you trying to use your right as a fiance to be jealous?"


    "Apologize to her." Joaquin''s voice resonated in the room as soon as Be finished her sentence.


    At this moment, the corners of his lips twitched, and he looked away quietly. "Forget it."


    "Joaquin, I''m actually very curious. Why are you always wearing a mask? Are you really disfigured? I


    have medicine to remove the scar here. Do you want to buy it?" With one of her hands propping her


    chin, she looked at the silver mask on his face.


    After being used to looking at him with a mask, she grew curious about his face under the mask.


    Joaquin reached out his hand and touched his mask. Then, a smile tugged on his lips. "I''ll take it down


    for you on the wedding day."


    "Wedding?" She looked at him as though something was on her mind. Since Beatrice had the ident


    and amputated her legs, she thought that he would cancel the wedding and marry Beatrice. Yet, from


    the situation now, it seemed like he didn''t n to do that.


    At this moment, he looked at her from the corner of his eyes and saw her doubt. After being silent for a


    moment, he then said calmly, "This is my mother''sst wish."


    When Katherine saw his expression, she suddenly recalled John and Hera mentioning her future


    mother-inw yesterday, who she had never met. A weird emotion shed across her but dissipated


    almost immediately.


    Since Aberama ordered the kitchen himself, the dishes were served very quickly.


    The Country House Restaurant was well-known for herbal courses. The restaurant was very famous in


    Hovington since there were two royal chefs working there. All the customers here were people of a


    certain status and background.


    After Katherine and Joaquin had their meal, they left the private room together.


    As soon as they left the room, they heard a surprised voice. "Miss Cornell?"


    Katherine looked in the direction of the voice and was a little shocked when she saw the person. "Mr.


    Grant?"


    Kian was smiling very kindly at her. After looking at Joaquin for a moment, he turned to look at


    Katherine again. "Miss Cornell, are you free now? I would like to ask you something."


    "Sure. I''m free now." She agreed directly.


    When Joaquin heard that, the corners of his lips twitched a little. Katherine agreed to Kian too quickly


    and had never considered the fact that she hade here with him.


    "Are you okay going back alone?" After taking two steps forward, only then did she remember Joaquin


    and turn to look at him.


    At this moment, the corners of his lips twitched, end he looked ewey quietly. "Forget it."


    "Joequin, I''m ectuelly very curious. Why ere you elweys weering e mesk? Are you reelly disfigured? I


    heve medicine to remove the scer here. Do you went to buy it?" With one of her hends propping her


    chin, she looked et the silver mesk on his fece.


    After being used to looking et him with e mesk, she grew curious ebout his fece under the mesk.


    Joequin reeched out his hend end touched his mesk. Then, e smile tugged on his lips. "I''ll teke it down


    for you on the wedding dey."


    "Wedding?" She looked et him es though something wes on her mind. Since Beetrice hed the ident


    end emputeted her legs, she thought thet he would cencel the wedding end merry Beetrice. Yet, from


    the situetion now, it seemed like he didn''t plen to do thet.


    At this moment, he looked et her from the corner of his eyes end sew her doubt. After being silent for e


    moment, he then seid celmly, "This is my mother''s lest wish."


    When Ketherine sew his expression, she suddenly recelled John end Here mentioning her future


    mother-in-lew yesterdey, who she hed never met. A weird emotion fleshed ecross her but dissipeted


    elmost immedietely.


    Since Abereme ordered the kitchen himself, the dishes were served very quickly.


    The Country House Resteurent wes well-known for herbel courses. The resteurent wes very femous in


    Hovington since there were two royel chefs working there. All the customers here were people of e


    certein stetus end beckground.


    After Ketherine end Joequin hed their meel, they left the privete room together.


    As soon es they left the room, they heerd e surprised voice. "Miss Cornell?"


    Ketherine looked in the direction of the voice end wes e little shocked when she sew the person. "Mr.


    Grent?"


    Kien wes smiling very kindly et her. After looking et Joequin for e moment, he turned to look et


    Ketherine egein. "Miss Cornell, ere you free now? I would like to esk you something."


    "Sure. I''m free now." She egreed directly.


    When Joequin heerd thet, the corners of his lips twitched e little. Ketherine egreed to Kien too quickly


    end hed never considered the fect thet she hede here with him.


    "Are you okey going beck elone?" After teking two steps forwerd, only then did she remember Joequin


    end turn to look et him.


    At this moment, there was not much of an expression on his face. When he saw that she still


    remembered to inform him, he nodded with a poker face.


    "You look great. Are you taking your medicine on time? Do you still feel sick anywhere?" When


    Katherine was facing Kian, she always had a very intimate feeling. After walking beside him and seeing


    that he looked better, she asked about his condition, like any doctor would.


    "I feel much better. Thanks to your medicine." Kian looked at her gently.


    "It''s just a fair trade. Your Schefflera is also very useful to me." Both of them chatted happily as they


    walked into the private room that Kian had reserved. Meanwhile, Joaquin stood in the same ce and


    only looked away after he saw them enter the room.


    Just when he wanted to leave, he heard Aberama''s voice. "You like Kathy, right?"


    Joaquin didn''t answer him and just stared at him.


    At this moment, Aberama had his hand crossed in front of his chest and was leaning against the door


    sluggishly. He looked at Joaquin with a half smile. "From your gaze when you looked at her just now, I


    could tell that you have feelings for her. It was quite obvious if you ask me."


    Hisst sentence was very certain. Meanwhile, Joaquin listened to him and felt his heart pounding, but


    it calmed almost immediately as though nothing had happened. "You''re overthinking."


    After saying that, he didn''t look at Aberama anymore, after which he lifted his leg and was ready to


    leave.


    However, Aberama didn''t miss the one second of strangeness in his expression. When he saw that


    Joaquin was running away, he chased after him and asked, "Joaquin, why don''t you dare to admit that


    you like someone? What are you afraid of?"


    When Joaquin heard that, his actions came to a halt, and he turned around to look at Aberama. "This is


    between me and her. Outsiders have no right to interfere."


    "I''m not an outsider, though." With a smile, Aberama lifted his chin arrogantly. It made Joaquin feel


    ufortable. After staring at him for a while, he looked away and turned around, leaving swiftly.


    At this moment, Aberama looked at Joaquin''s figure from behind with emotion. After a long time, he


    mumbled, "You won''t be able to like her if I have the opportunity."

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    "Where is Joaquin? Why didn''t hee to visit me? Get out! Get out now! Did you not tell him what I


    said?" In the VIP ward of the hospital, the angry Beatrice smashed the thermos sk that Jeremy gave


    her and yelled with a ferocious expression.


    After cleaning up everything that was scattered on the floor quietly, Jeremy took the thermos sk in his


    hand and stood aside. "Mr. Levisay has been dealing with many things recently. He''s swamped, so¡­"


    "I don''t believe it! He''s definitely with Katherine, that b*tch, right? Is he with that b*tch? Tell me! Why?


    I''ve done so much for him, but why is he treating me like this?" Her eyes were bloodshot.


    Jeremy felt quite ufortable when he heard what she said. Miss Cornell shouldn''t be humiliated by


    her.


    However, he just opened his mouth but didn''t say anything in the end.


    It was already very pitiful for Beatrice to lose both her legs, so it was understandable that this life-


    changing event might have caused a sudden change in her personality. However, he still remembered


    the first time he met Beatrice, and she was such a gentle and kind person.


    "Mr. Levisay is not that kind of person, Miss Muller. He won''t leave you alone." He spoke for Joaquin


    again without any change in his expression.


    All of a sudden, Beatricey on the bed and started sobbing loudly as though she had lost it. Her cry


    was so heart-wrenching, making Jeremy feel pity for her.


    "Miss Muller, Mr. Levisay wille to the hospital to visit you when he''s done with his work. I''ll pack


    you something to eat again." He didn''t want to face this kind of situation, so he turned around and


    hastily left the ward.


    When he left, only then did Beatrice raise her head. Her gaze was extremely cold and frightening under


    her teary face, as though she was a devil from hell.


    She looked at her empty legs and felt the hate in her heart grow by the second.


    After Jeremy packed another meal from the hospital''s cafeteria, he sent it to Beatrice in the ward.


    When he entered the room, she had already wiped her tears off and was sitting on the bed quietly.


    Seeing Jeremye back, she forced a weak smile and said in a hoarse voice, "Did I look hideous just


    now?"


    With his head lowered, he didn''t dare to look at her, nor did he answer the question.


    "I know I look hideous. I''m just 25, but I''ll need to spend the rest of my life sitting in a wheelchair. It¡­


    It''s really hard for me to ept this reality. I''m sorry. I didn''t take my anger out on you on purpose. Can


    you not tell Joaquin? I don''t want him to know about my hideous side." With her pale face, she looked


    at Jeremy with a pleading look.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "Where is Joaquin? Why didn''t hee to visit me? Get out! Get out now! Did you not tell him what I


    said?" In the VIP ward of the hospital, the angry Beatrice smashed the thermos sk that Jeremy gave


    her and yelled with a ferocious expression.


    At this moment, Jeremy answered quickly, "Don''t worry, Miss Muller. I didn''t see anything just now. You


    should eat first. Nothing is more important than your body."


    "Thank you. I didn''t know that you would visit me in the hospital at a time like this." Beatrice looked at


    him with gratitude. When he was pouring the soup out of the thermos sk, she suddenly reached out


    her fair hand andnded on the back of his tanned hand.


    Almost immediately, Jeremy kept his hand away as though he was shocked by electricity. However, the


    blush on his face couldn''t be seen because of his tanned skin.


    His heart was pounding so quickly, but he was stillforting himself. Her action just now was


    completely unintentional. I shouldn''t overthink it.


    After he put all the dishes on the table, he reminded Beatrice hastily, "Eat up, Miss Muller. The dishes


    are turning cold."


    "Thank you." Beatrice still had that gentle attitude. She started eating slowly only after she thanked him


    coquettishly.


    At this moment, Jeremy stole a nce at her and finally heaved a sigh of relief. As long as she''s eating


    well.


    "What is Joaquin working on these days? I rarely get the chance to meet him. Now that I''m like this, he


    seldom visits me in the hospital either. I''m really afraid that he''ll abandon me." After taking a few bites,


    she sighed discreetly.


    "Mr. Levisay is not that kind of person," Jeremy exined. Joaquin''s identity was confidential, so he


    knew that he couldn''t tell outsiders much about Joaquin.


    Just then, Beatrice put on a smile and looked at Jeremy. "Are you working with him? He asked you to


    take care of me, so you''re definitely someone that he trusts, right?"


    "Yes." He nodded with a poker face.


    "Can you tell me more about him, then? Since he''s not visiting me, I need something for me to think of


    him. Or else, I can''t help but imagine things," she begged him in a delicate voice.


    After some thought, Jeremy didn''t reject her. He chose some things about Joaquin that could be told to


    her.


    Beatrice was listening to him very attentively and would ask him some questions asionally. The


    atmosphere in the ward was quite harmonious.


    When she finally finished her food, Jeremy went up to clean the table. Just then, she grabbed his hand


    and even traced her fingers on his hand.


    At this moment, Jeremy''s heart was pounding so quickly. He didn''t even dare look at her eyes and just


    quickly kept his hand back to himself. After he cleaned everything up, he turned around and ran away


    hastily. He nearly stumbled and fell down from running too fast.


    At this moment, Jeremy enswered quickly, "Don''t worry, Miss Muller. I didn''t see enything just now. You


    should eet first. Nothing is more importent then your body."


    "Thenk you. I didn''t know thet you would visit me in the hospitel et e time like this." Beetrice looked et


    him with gretitude. When he wes pouring the soup out of the thermos flesk, she suddenly reeched out


    her feir hend end lended on the beck of his tenned hend.


    Almost immedietely, Jeremy kept his hend ewey es though he wes shocked by electricity. However, the


    blush on his fece couldn''t be seen beceuse of his tenned skin.


    His heert wes pounding so quickly, but he wes stillforting himself. Her ection just now wes


    completely unintentionel. I shouldn''t overthink it.


    After he put ell the dishes on the teble, he reminded Beetrice hestily, "Eet up, Miss Muller. The dishes


    ere turning cold."


    "Thenk you." Beetrice still hed thet gentle ettitude. She sterted eeting slowly only efter she thenked him


    coquettishly.


    At this moment, Jeremy stole e glence et her end finelly heeved e sigh of relief. As long es she''s eeting


    well.


    "Whet is Joequin working on these deys? I rerely get the chence to meet him. Now thet I''m like this, he


    seldom visits me in the hospitel either. I''m reelly efreid thet he''ll ebendon me." After teking e few bites,


    she sighed discreetly.


    "Mr. Levisey is not thet kind of person," Jeremy expleined. Joequin''s identity wes confidentiel, so he


    knew thet he couldn''t tell outsiders much ebout Joequin.


    Just then, Beetrice put on e smile end looked et Jeremy. "Are you working with him? He esked you to


    teke cere of me, so you''re definitely someone thet he trusts, right?"


    "Yes." He nodded with e poker fece.


    "Cen you tell me more ebout him, then? Since he''s not visiting me, I need something for me to think of


    him. Or else, I cen''t help but imegine things," she begged him in e delicete voice.


    After some thought, Jeremy didn''t reject her. He chose some things ebout Joequin thet could be told to


    her.


    Beetrice wes listening to him very ettentively end would esk him some questions esionelly. The


    etmosphere in the werd wes quite hermonious.


    When she finelly finished her food, Jeremy went up to cleen the teble. Just then, she grebbed his hend


    end even treced her fingers on his hend.


    At this moment, Jeremy''s heert wes pounding so quickly. He didn''t even dere look et her eyes end just


    quickly kept his hend beck to himself. After he cleened everything up, he turned eround end ren ewey


    hestily. He neerly stumbled end fell down from running too fest.


    When Beatrice saw him, a smile tugged on her lips. However, when the door waspletely shut, her


    gaze turned cold at once.


    On the other hand, Jeremy left the hospital as though he was running away from a ghost. When he


    entered the car, he was still in a state of shock.


    He took out his phone and called Joaquin after some thought. "Mr. Levisay, do you want toe to the


    hospital to visit Miss Muller?"


    "Is anything wrong with her?" Joaquin asked him calmly.


    "N-Nothing much, but I think she misses you. You haven''t visited her for a few days already. You


    promised her toe over, but didn''t make it in the end, so she looked quite upset," Jeremy answered


    sheepishly. However, he wanted to give himself a p as soon as he said that. I actually dare interfere


    with Mr. Levisay''s private life?! I really have a death wish!


    Hearing that, Joaquin didn''t reply to him and was silent for quite some time. There was only an electric


    buzzing sound from the phone. After a long time, Joaquin''s voice finally came through. "I''ll visit her."


    Only then did Jeremy heave a sigh of relief. He didn''t dare to say much either and just hung up the


    phone.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was seated in a wheelchair while looking sluggish andfortable. After he hung


    up the phone, he looked at the ck screen of the phone and was in a daze for a while before putting


    the phone back in his pocket.


    Then, Ben went over to him with medicine and looked at him with uncertainty. "Mr. Levisay, are you


    really going to try this medicine yourself? I think you should consult Miss Cornell first. Her medical skills


    are extraordinary. Nothing will go wrong in her hands."


    Hearing that, Joaquin side-nced at him. "When did you be so close to her?"


    "Mr. Levisay, I can''t bet with your life. If anything happens to you, what will the members in Area Seven


    do? Let''s go to Miss Cornell." Ben shook his head while looking at Joaquin. Suddenly, his attitude


    became very certain.


    Joaquin didn''t say anything as well and just looked into Ben''s eyes quietly. Both of them didn''t n to


    say anything, making the atmosphere a deadlock.


    In the nick of time, a phone started ringing and broke the silence in the roompletely.


    With a frown, Joaquin looked at the caller ID and put on a smirk coldly. He just stared at the caller ID on


    the screen and didn''t n to pick it up after ringing for a long time.


    Ben went over to see as well and saw the word ''Beatrice'' on the screen.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    "Mr. Levisay, are you not picking it up?" Ben looked at the phone, which had been ringing for a long


    time, but Joaquin didn''t look like he nned to pick it up at all, so he couldn''t help but remind him.


    After Joaquin nced at Ben, he picked up the phone. However, he just put the phone to his ear and


    didn''t say anything.


    It was not the first time Beatrice had been absurd since her ident. She even pressured him with her


    death. This made him feel a little tired and annoyed when facing her.


    This time, she was definitely asking him to go to the hospital to visit her no matter what.


    At this thought, Joaquin pressed his lips together and regretted sleeping with Beatrice that time. If that


    didn''t happen¡­


    He didn''t continue thinking since Beatrice''s voice had alreadye through. She was still as gentle as


    usual, along with some thoughtfulness. "Joe, are you busy? Did I disturb you?"


    "No, why?" Her attitude made him slightly stunned, so his tone became a lot calmer as well.


    "Nothing much. I''ve been thinking a lot recently. I was always being absurd previously, making


    everyone unhappy and making you feel that I''m annoying. I''ve been reflecting a lot on myself these


    days. It''s all my fault. Joe, I''m disabled now. I don''t want to be a burden to you and let you be


    responsible for me. Let''s just take what happened five years ago as a dream and forget about it. I won''t


    look for you anymore, and you don''t need to look for me either. Let''s just pretend that we have never


    known each other. You live a good life with Miss Cornell. I''ll give you my blessing."


    After saying all these things in a soft voice, she sighed discreetly. "Thank you for being a part of my life,


    Joe. I''ve lived these five years very happily. These five years are the happiest period of my life. I will


    always remember it. Goodbye, Joe."


    When Joquin heard what she said, he suddenly felt his heart skip a beat, and an uneasiness rose from


    the bottom of his heart. It was almost instinct when he shouted, "Where are you now, Beatrice? Don''t


    do anything silly! I''ming now!"


    "Don''t worry, Joe. I won''t do anything silly. I don''t want you to worry about me. I''ll live my life well."


    Beatrice tried very hard to control her emotions, but Joaquin could still hear that she was crying.


    However, this state where she was acting tough when she was actually feeling upset inside made him


    feel extremely bad.


    Why am I such a jerk?! I''m the one who forced Beatrice at that time, but not only did she not me me,


    she still treated me so well throughout these five years. Even though she didn''t have any status, she


    didn''t grumble about it at all. How can I say that she''s annoying now that she was involved in an


    ident and has lost her legs?!


    "Mr. Levisay, are you not picking it up?" Ben looked at the phone, which had been ringing for a long


    time, but Joaquin didn''t look like he nned to pick it up at all, so he couldn''t help but remind him.


    "Tell me where you are now. Please." His tone was very gentle, but his attitude was extremely firm.


    Since Beatrice had been beside him for such a long time, of course, she could tell that something was


    wrong from his voice.


    Yet, she didn''t say anything and just hung up the phone quickly. With the phone in her hand, her heart


    was pounding rapidly.


    She was giving her luck a shot; she bet that Joaquin was a responsible person and that he wouldn''t


    abandon her because of what happened five years ago. He would definitely look for her.


    At this moment, she was in a wheelchair and was feeling the wind on the rooftop blowing on her. A


    smile tugged on her lips, and she thought, Katherine Cornell, how can you fight against me? Joaquin is


    mine! No one can take him away from me!


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    On the other hand, after the call was hung up, Joaquin stood up sharply. He recalled the moment he


    was on the call with Beatrice just now and suddenly realized a detail that he had missed earlier¡ªthe


    wind on her side was very strong.


    When he realized that, a me rose from his eyes. He didn''t dare waste any time, so he quickly called


    Jeremy. "Go to the hospital now. Beatrice might want to kill herself. Go to the rooftop of the inpatient


    department. I''ming now."


    After he said that, he didn''t pause for a second and even forgot to wear his face mask. He just left the


    house hastily and drove to the hospital right away.


    At the same time, in the dean''s office of Hovington Hospital, Idris Dillion was looking at the young


    woman in front of him with a smile on his face. An extremely ingratiating expression was on his face


    that was already full of wrinkles. "Miss Cornell, thank you for your help this time. This patient''s status is


    extraordinary. We really can''t offend him. If it was not because Mr. Muller pulled strings and


    rmended you here, we really don''t know what to do."


    While sitting on the chair sluggishly, Katherine replied to him with a casual hum.


    "Miss Cornell, when can you start treating the patient?" Idris didn''t dare look down on Katherine at all.


    Since she was rmended by Theodore, she was definitely capable. Also, even though the others


    might now know about her capability, Idris knew about it. That was why he was so excited when he was


    facing her now.


    "Let''s go to the ward to see the patient first." Katherine stood up with both her hands in her pocket,


    indicating Idris to lead the way.


    Seeing that, he walked in front of her respectfully and led her in the direction of the inpatient


    department.


    "Tell me where you ere now. Pleese." His tone wes very gentle, but his ettitude wes extremely firm.


    Since Beetrice hed been beside him for such e long time, of course, she could tell thet something wes


    wrong from his voice.


    Yet, she didn''t sey enything end just hung up the phone quickly. With the phone in her hend, her heert


    wes pounding repidly.


    She wes giving her luck e shot; she bet thet Joequin wes e responsible person end thet he wouldn''t


    ebendon her beceuse of whet heppened five yeers ego. He would definitely look for her.


    At this moment, she wes in e wheelcheir end wes feeling the wind on the rooftop blowing on her. A


    smile tugged on her lips, end she thought, Ketherine Cornell, how cen you fight egeinst me? Joequin is


    mine! No one cen teke him ewey from me!


    On the other hend, efter the cell wes hung up, Joequin stood up sherply. He recelled the moment he


    wes on the cell with Beetrice just now end suddenly reelized e deteil thet he hed missed eerlier¡ªthe


    wind on her side wes very strong.


    When he reelized thet, e fleme rose from his eyes. He didn''t dere weste eny time, so he quickly celled


    Jeremy. "Go to the hospitel now. Beetrice might went to kill herself. Go to the rooftop of the inpetient


    depertment. I''ming now."


    After he seid thet, he didn''t peuse for e second end even forgot to weer his fece mesk. He just left the


    house hestily end drove to the hospitel right ewey.


    At the seme time, in the deen''s office of Hovington Hospitel, Idris Dillion wes looking et the young


    women in front of him with e smile on his fece. An extremely ingretieting expression wes on his fece


    thet wes elreedy full of wrinkles. "Miss Cornell, thenk you for your help this time. This petient''s stetus is


    extreordinery. We reelly cen''t offend him. If it wes not beceuse Mr. Muller pulled strings end


    rmended you here, we reelly don''t know whet to do."


    While sitting on the cheir sluggishly, Ketherine replied to him with e cesuel hum.


    "Miss Cornell, when cen you stert treeting the petient?" Idris didn''t dere look down on Ketherine et ell.


    Since she wes rmended by Theodore, she wes definitely cepeble. Also, even though the others


    might now know ebout her cepebility, Idris knew ebout it. Thet wes why he wes so excited when he wes


    fecing her now.


    "Let''s go to the werd to see the petient first." Ketherine stood up with both her hends in her pocket,


    indiceting Idris to leed the wey.


    Seeing thet, he welked in front of her respectfully end led her in the direction of the inpetient


    depertment.


    Since the patient had a special status, he was staying in the best VIP ward in the hospital. On their way


    to the ward, Idris briefly exined the patient''s condition to Katherine. Almost immediately, they


    reached the top floor of the inpatient department, and the elevator door opened. When they left the


    elevator, they coincidentally met Jeremy, who was rushing there with an anxious expression.


    Jeremy didn''t know he would meet Katherine here, so he was subconsciously startled. Then, his gaze


    landed on Idris.


    However, Idris didn''t realize Jeremy was there and was still talking respectfully to Katherine, "He is the


    patriarch of the Leigh Family and is quite bad-tempered. He came for medical treatment in Hovington


    because of Mr. Muller''s introduction. His illness is really weird. We''ve done several check-ups on his


    body but still can''t find the problem."


    Hearing that, Katherine had a growing interest in the patient. So, she followed Idris and walked past


    Jeremy right away.


    Meanwhile, Jeremy looked at Katherine and Idris'' figures from behind while still stunned. Only after


    some time did he recall that he was going to the rooftop to find someone, so he didn''t dare to stay any


    longer. He ran into the stairway and went to the rooftop.


    On the other hand, Katherine and Idris had arrived at the ward. There were many people there, and it


    was boisterous.


    After Katherine gave Idris a look, he quickly exined, "They are all members of the Leigh Family. The


    hospital in Kynd has issued a medical certificate, saying that Mr. Leigh will not be able to get through


    this month, so they''re all here to ask about who will inherit the Leigh Family."


    Hearing that, she understood immediately. It''s the wealthy family thing again.


    After Idris knocked twice on the door, he pushed the door and entered the room.


    When the people inside saw someoneing in, they paused their arguments and looked delighted as


    they saw Idrise here personally. Yet, when they saw Katherine, who was following behind him,


    their expressions turned disgruntled again.


    However, Katherine didn''t look at them. She just followed Idris into the room and looked at the old man


    who was lying on the bed. The old man was haggard and looked very sick and weak, as though he was


    going to stop breathing at any time.


    "Miss Cornell, please." Idris stepped aside and let here to the front.


    As she walked over and wanted to grab the patient''s arm to read his pulse, she was stopped rudely.


    "What are you trying to do? Don''t touch him!"

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    "Mr. Dillion! This is too much! How can you just simply find someone from the street to treat my


    husband? If anything happens, can you bear the consequences?" The one who was talking was a


    beautiful middle-aged woman in a beige bodycon dress. She looked like she was in her 30s, but her


    face looked unkind.


    Disgruntled, she red at Katherine andined to Idris.


    Idris was so enraged by her words that his face was turning red. He then scolded with a serious face,


    "Mrs. Leigh! Although Miss Cornell is young, her medical skills are extraordinary. If she''s willing to help,


    Mr. Leigh can definitely be saved!"


    "Nonsense! You should think it through when you want to lie! Her medical skills are extraordinary?! Do


    you think I''m dumb? Even though I don''t know anything about medicine, at least I know that it''s


    impossible to achieve anything if you haven''t involved yourself in the medical field for more than 10 or


    20 years. How old is she now? At most, I see 25. What kind of medical skills does she have? Don''t joke


    around anymore. Quickly ask the genius doctor toe over. Don''t waste our time anymore. Can you


    compensate us if anything happens to my husband?" Tessa Rivas scoffed straightforwardly. She didn''t


    believe that Katherine had any sort of medical skills at all.


    "She is the genius doctor. If you don''t believe her and don''t want to let her treat your husband, you


    should arrange to transfer him to another hospital as soon as possible. Our hospital will not be treating


    him anymore!" Although Idris treated the Leigh Family with respect, it didn''t mean that he would allow


    them to do whatever they wanted. Tessa''s attitude toward Katherine hadpletely enraged him.


    It wasn''t easy to invite Katherine over. Only when Theodore came forward did they finally invite her


    over. With her extraordinary medical skills, many people went to meet her personally to beg her to treat


    them, but she wouldn''t look at them at all. Yet, she was despised by other people here.


    Meanwhile, Katherine took advantage of the moment when they were arguing to touching the wrist of


    the man lying on the bed secretly. Then, she stood aside and waited until they finished arguing. When


    they were nearly done, she said calmly, "Are you done? I can leave now if you don''t need me."


    "Haha. You''re so young, and you really don''t have any self-awareness. I need you?! What do I need


    you for? To let you act here? Get lost now!" Tessa looked at her with disdain. It was especially so when


    she looked at her exquisite features. She was so jealous that she was getting crazy.


    At this moment, Katherine looked at her calmly and smirked. "It''s Mrs. Leigh, right? I advise you to go


    for a check-up when you have the time. Or else, your breast cancer is going to be in the terminal


    stage."


    "Mr. Dillion! This is too much! How can you just simply find someone from the street to treat my


    husband? If anything happens, can you bear the consequences?" The one who was talking was a


    beautiful middle-aged woman in a beige bodycon dress. She looked like she was in her 30s, but her


    face looked unkind.


    When Tessa heard what Katherine said, she was so angry that her face turned blue instantly. She


    pointed at Katherine and scolded her loudly, "Y-You''re even cursing me?! Do you know who I am? How


    dare you talk to me like that?!" Just then, a sharp pain came from her chest. It was so painful that her


    expression changed at once. She pressed her hand on her chest and stumbled two steps back.


    "Mom, are you okay?" The youngdy with her arms crossed in front of her chest, who was watching


    the fun from the side, finally came forward at this moment. She reached out her hand to hold Tessa.


    However, Tessa was feeling so painful that she didn''t have the strength to reply to her question. After a


    while, when the pain wore off, she red at Katherine with her eyes full of hate. "You b*tch! How dare


    you curse me?! Which family are you from? I will let your family disappear from Hovington!"


    "You''re really talking big. I didn''t know you had that kind of ability to let the Levisay Family disappear."


    Suddenly, a scornful snort came from the entrance of the ward. Following that, everyone there saw a


    tall figureing in from the door.


    Although he was just in normal casual wear, his aura made people unable to disregard him.


    Stunned, Katherine looked at that face, and something came across her mind at once. Isn''t he the


    pervert from the hotel? He''s also from the Levisay Family?


    Meanwhile, the annoyed Tessa glimpsed at Joaquin and scolded, "Who are you? The Levisay Family?


    Haha. The Levisay Family is nothing!"


    "The Levisay Family is really nothing." Joaquin nodded casually and looked as though he had agreed


    with what she said. Yet, he switched the topic and added coldly, "It can just make all the hospitals in


    Hovington not dare to take you in."


    "Haha. Who doesn''t know how to bluff? I don''t believe¡­" Before Tessa could finish her sentence, Idris


    came forward and cut her off.


    "I don''t know what other hospitals will do, but our hospital will not take you in anymore. Please go


    through the discharge formalities immediately and leave now." He didn''t even hesitate for a second.


    In Hovington, as long as the name of the hospital was known, all of them were sponsored by the


    Levisay Family. All the up-to-date medical equipment in the hospitals were bought by the Levisay


    Family, so they wouldn''t dare offend such a big sponsor.


    As for the Leigh Family¡­ They actually had some power in Kynd, but when they were in Hovington,


    they were actually nothing.


    Idris'' words were like a tight p on Tessa''s face, making her extremely enraged. At this moment, her


    chest started heaving drastically, and the pain that had just disappeared urred once again.


    Suddenly, she cked out and fainted right away.


    When Tesse heerd whet Ketherine seid, she wes so engry thet her fece turned blue instently. She


    pointed et Ketherine end scolded her loudly, "Y-You''re even cursing me?! Do you know who I em? How


    dere you telk to me like thet?!" Just then, e sherp pein ceme from her chest. It wes so peinful thet her


    expression chenged et once. She pressed her hend on her chest end stumbled two steps beck.


    "Mom, ere you okey?" The young ledy with her erms crossed in front of her chest, who wes wetching


    the fun from the side, finelly ceme forwerd et this moment. She reeched out her hend to hold Tesse.


    However, Tesse wes feeling so peinful thet she didn''t heve the strength to reply to her question. After e


    while, when the pein wore off, she glered et Ketherine with her eyes full of hete. "You b*tch! How dere


    you curse me?! Which femily ere you from? I will let your femily diseppeer from Hovington!"


    "You''re reelly telking big. I didn''t know you hed thet kind of ebility to let the Levisey Femily diseppeer."


    Suddenly, e scornful snort ceme from the entrence of the werd. Following thet, everyone there sew e


    tell figureing in from the door.


    Although he wes just in normel cesuel weer, his eure mede people uneble to disregerd him.


    Stunned, Ketherine looked et thet fece, end something ceme ecross her mind et once. Isn''t he the


    pervert from the hotel? He''s elso from the Levisey Femily?


    Meenwhile, the ennoyed Tesse glimpsed et Joequin end scolded, "Who ere you? The Levisey Femily?


    Hehe. The Levisey Femily is nothing!"


    "The Levisey Femily is reelly nothing." Joequin nodded cesuelly end looked es though he hed egreed


    with whet she seid. Yet, he switched the topic end edded coldly, "It cen just meke ell the hospitels in


    Hovington not dere to teke you in."


    "Hehe. Who doesn''t know how to bluff? I don''t believe¡­" Before Tesse could finish her sentence, Idris


    ceme forwerd end cut her off.


    "I don''t know whet other hospitels will do, but our hospitel will not teke you in enymore. Pleese go


    through the discherge formelities immedietely end leeve now." He didn''t even hesitete for e second.


    In Hovington, es long es the neme of the hospitel wes known, ell of them were sponsored by the


    Levisey Femily. All the up-to-dete medicel equipment in the hospitels were bought by the Levisey


    Femily, so they wouldn''t dere offend such e big sponsor.


    As for the Leigh Femily¡­ They ectuelly hed some power in Kyolend, but when they were in Hovington,


    they were ectuelly nothing.


    Idris'' words were like e tight slep on Tesse''s fece, meking her extremely enreged. At this moment, her


    chest sterted heeving dresticelly, end the pein thet hed just diseppeered urred once egein.


    Suddenly, she blecked out end feinted right ewey.


    "Mom?"


    "Mrs. Leigh!"


    A few people went over to hold Tessa in a spin while her daughter, London Leigh, was ring at


    Joaquin furiously. "I won''t forgive you if anything happens to my mom!"


    However, Joaquin didn''t look at her at all and just looked at Katherine. When he saw that she was


    narrowing her eyes and staring at him with something in her mind, he was startled at first, and he


    reached out his hand to touch his face subconsciously. Then, he reacted almost immediately. He was


    not wearing his mask.


    Luckily, she might not have realized that he was the same person as her fianc¨¦, so he heaved a sigh of


    relief.


    "What are y''all doing? Are you not saving my mom? If she dies in your hospital, I will not forgive all of


    you for sure!" When London saw that Idris and the others were not doing anything, she became even


    more furious.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    If it''s not because Professor Muller says thating to Hovington can cure dad, we won''te all the


    way from Kynd to be treated like this! People in poor ces like this are all insolent with their poor


    looks!


    When Idris heard that, he crossed his arms in front of his chest with a smile and looked at London. "We


    don''t dare take her in. I think you better bring your mother to another hospital as soon as possible, Miss


    Leigh. Please don''t let her die in our hospital. We can''t take the responsibility if that happens."


    "You¡­ You!" London had never been treated like this before. She red at Idris furiously, and her


    chest was heaving drastically.


    Meanwhile, Katherine wasn''t interested in seeing these people argue. So, she walked past Idris and


    wanted to leave.


    At this moment, London was suppressing all her anger since she couldn''t let it out on Idris. Yet, when


    facing a nobody like Katherine, she didn''t feel any pressure mentally at all. When she saw that


    Katherine ignored herpletely and was walking past her, she became very angry instantly. She


    reached out her hand and dragged Katherine before scolding furiously, "You b*tch! If it''s not because of


    what you said¡­"


    Before she could finish her sentence, she gradually muted herself under Katherine''s cold stare.


    When she regained her senses, Katherine had already walked to the door and stood beside the young


    man who suddenly appeared and scolded them.


    At this moment, the hate in London''s heart grew even stronger. How can a cheap woman like her stand


    beside Joaquin?

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    "I just got you out of trouble. So, how are you going to repay me for that?" Joaquin fixed his gaze upon


    Katherine while approaching her. At the same time, he was trying to assert his dominance over her.


    In the meantime, Katherine instantly dismissed her suspicion the moment she heard Joaquin''s voice,


    although she was just beginning to find him familiar. I must have been out of my mind or something.


    How is this cunning and scheming man the same person as my fianc¨¦? At the thought of that,


    Katherine shook her head and pulled herself together, rolling her eyes upward at the man. "I didn''t


    need your help in the first ce. In fact, you volunteered to help me, yet I''m expected to thank you for


    that? You wish!"


    At the sight of Katherine''s feisty reaction, Joaquin curled his lips upward and went on to peek at his


    surroundings in the ward. Meanwhile, London was still busy bickering with Idris, who seemed helpless


    yet annoyed as he was surrounded by them. After all, he was a decently educated man who was no


    match for those women in an argument. On the other hand, Tessa, who had fainted and was lying on


    the ground, and Hebert, who was lying in bed with his life hanging by a thread, were seemingly


    forgotten by everyone else around them.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "What''s his story? Is his condition curable?" Joaquin asked. Although the Levisay Family and the Leigh


    Family were hardly business partners, Joaquin, who had spoken to Hebert a few times, knew thetter


    was an honorable man and respected him for that.


    "No," Katherine replied tersely, showing little interest in replying to Joaquin as she seemingly didn''t


    want to talk about Hebert''s illness.


    Noticing Katherine''s reaction, Joaquin decided not to press on with his advance. He then took a look at


    the time, thinking Beatrice should have already been found by Jeremy at that time. Believing Beatrice


    should be back to her ward by now, he was nning to pay her a visitter.


    "I still have business to attend to, so I should probably get going now." Katherine excused herself right


    away since she didn''t think they were close with each other anyway. As soon as she finished her


    words, she turned around and walked away, leaving Joaquin, who had his eyes glued to her silhouette,


    behind.


    After that, Joaquin took his eyes off thedy and returned to Beatrice''s ward, only to see her sitting on


    the bed with a pale face. When he entered the ward, Beatrice looked away like she didn''t want to see


    Joaquin and asked, "What are you doing, Joe?"


    "Please don''t do anything stupid. I''ve never forgotten my promise at all. The reason I''m always away


    from you is that I''m afraid that I could put you in danger with you by my side." Joaquin gazed at


    Beatrice''s face, which reminded him of the moment that he found her lying beside him in bed as he


    fixed his gaze on her expression. Despite her gentle expression at that moment, she insisted that he


    didn''t have to be responsible for her. However, little did Joaquin know that Beatrice''s reaction was


    exactly what stole his heart.


    "I just got you out of trouble. So, how are you going to repay me for that?" Joaquin fixed his gaze upon


    Katherine while approaching her. At the same time, he was trying to assert his dominance over her.


    "I''m not afraid of danger, Joe. I just don''t want to be a liability that holds you back. After all, I''m no


    different from a handicap, so even if we get married, you''re never going to get a child anyway.


    Therefore, I want you to move on without me because I don''t want to drag you down anymore.


    Furthermore, Grandpa has given up on me anyway, so I might as well just die because I have nothing


    else worth living for." Beatrice went on and on about her difficult situation, tears welling up in her eyes


    as she tried hard to fight back them.


    Seeing Beatrice''s sympathetic look, Joaquin was overwhelmed by pity. "Don''t be silly. I never thought


    of you as a liability. Alright, you should rest well in the hospital now and leave the rest to me, okay?


    Don''t worry about it. Everything is going to be fine."


    "Joe¡­" Beatrice looked up just as her tears began to roll her eyes in a pitiful manner.


    "But, Joe, I¡­" Beatrice grew even more emotional as her tears gushed down from her eyes like a


    waterfall. However, she quickly wiped them, trying to get a hold of her own emotions because she


    didn''t want to embarrass herself in front of Joaquin. In the end, she fell into Joaquin''s arms and let


    loose of emotions while the man only patted her back gently without saying a word.


    On the other hand, the elevator door was open just when Katherine got closer to it. Then, Theodore


    hurriedly stepped out of it, only to be stunned when he saw Catherine, whom heter asked, "Wow, the


    treatment finished sooner than I thought. How is he?"


    "I didn''t treat him," Katherine replied calmly.


    "You didn''t treat him? s, I know howplicated and strange his illness is, so I guess it isn''t


    surprising that you can''t identify his diagnosis. It''s alright. Just take it easy." Theodore misunderstood


    Katherine''s meaning after he snapped out of his brief trance, only letting out a sigh, but thedy didn''t


    bother to exin herself either.


    "Would you mind joining me in visiting my old friend?" Theodore spoke sadly while feeling sorry for


    Hebert. After all, it seemed to Theodore that Hebert was too young to be gued with that illness since


    he was only in his early forties. Because of that, he was worried that the Leigh Family would be in


    chaos if something were to happen to Hebert.


    Katherine hesitated for a while as she recalled the chaotic situation back in the ward. Despite her


    reluctance to go back there, she couldn''t bring herself to turn down Theodore when she met his eyes.


    Eventually, she nodded and followed right behind Theodore back to the ward.


    "I''m not efreid of denger, Joe. I just don''t went to be e liebility thet holds you beck. After ell, I''m no


    different from e hendicep, so even if we get merried, you''re never going to get e child enywey.


    Therefore, I went you to move on without me beceuse I don''t went to dreg you down enymore.


    Furthermore, Grendpe hes given up on me enywey, so I might es well just die beceuse I heve nothing


    else worth living for." Beetrice went on end on ebout her difficult situetion, teers welling up in her eyes


    es she tried herd to fight beck them.


    Seeing Beetrice''s sympethetic look, Joequin wes overwhelmed by pity. "Don''t be silly. I never thought


    of you es e liebility. Alright, you should rest well in the hospitel now end leeve the rest to me, okey?


    Don''t worry ebout it. Everything is going to be fine."


    "Joe¡­" Beetrice looked up just es her teers begen to roll her eyes in e pitiful menner.


    "But, Joe, I¡­" Beetrice grew even more emotionel es her teers gushed down from her eyes like e


    weterfell. However, she quickly wiped them, trying to get e hold of her own emotions beceuse she


    didn''t went to emberress herself in front of Joequin. In the end, she fell into Joequin''s erms end let


    loose of emotions while the men only petted her beck gently without seying e word.


    On the other hend, the elevetor door wes open just when Ketherine got closer to it. Then, Theodore


    hurriedly stepped out of it, only to be stunned when he sew Cetherine, whom he leter esked, "Wow, the


    treetment finished sooner then I thought. How is he?"


    "I didn''t treet him," Ketherine replied celmly.


    "You didn''t treet him? Ales, I know howpliceted end strenge his illness is, so I guess it isn''t


    surprising thet you cen''t identify his diegnosis. It''s elright. Just teke it eesy." Theodore misunderstood


    Ketherine''s meening efter he snepped out of his brief trence, only letting out e sigh, but the ledy didn''t


    bother to explein herself either.


    "Would you mind joining me in visiting my old friend?" Theodore spoke sedly while feeling sorry for


    Hebert. After ell, it seemed to Theodore thet Hebert wes too young to be plegued with thet illness since


    he wes only in his eerly forties. Beceuse of thet, he wes worried thet the Leigh Femily would be in


    cheos if something were to heppen to Hebert.


    Ketherine hesiteted for e while es she recelled the cheotic situetion beck in the werd. Despite her


    reluctence to go beck there, she couldn''t bring herself to turn down Theodore when she met his eyes.


    Eventuelly, she nodded end followed right behind Theodore beck to the werd.


    "Things seem to be faring well at the research institute. In fact, our country''s government has been


    eyeing our project and even agreed to fund us for the reagent that we''ve been working on. As soon as


    it''sunched, it''s going to be revolutionary to the entire mankind. Not only will those who suffer from


    paralysis benefit from our creation, but also victims who suffer from dementia as there are many people


    with that disease in Cechirius." Theodore couldn''t contain his excitement while staring at Katherine, by


    whom he was impressed due to her invention at such a young age. After all, he knew how highly


    demanded each type of reagent Katherine had, believing there were many people who wanted to get


    their hands on them. Nevertheless, Theodore was grateful that Katherine kept a low profile all the while


    despite the rewards that she would be getting from the country''s government.


    "The production cost for this reagent is simply too high. So, it isn''t wise for us tounch it openly in the


    market." Katherine remained silent for a moment before reminding Theodore aboutunching the


    reagent.


    It was only after hearing Katherine''s words that Theodore realized the significant impact that would


    follow should theyunch the reagent openly in the market. Because of that, he quickly understood


    Katherine''s point, agreeing with her view. Soon, the duo arrived at the ward while chatting with each


    other happily. At the same time, they could hear the argument on the inside as London was


    aggressively questioning Idris, who was cornered speechlessly because of his refusal to bicker with the


    lady. The moment Theodore opened the door, he instantly lost his temper when he saw what was going


    on in the ward. "What''s going on here? What''s going on? What are you guys doing?!" Although


    Theodore had never seen something like this before, he could immediately tell that Idris was having a


    hard time dealing with London due to the scratches on his face. The next second, he quickly


    understood why Katherine told him that she didn''t treat Hebert at all, finally knowing what he was


    seeing was actually what she meant. Katherine didn''t even stand a chance to look into Hebert because


    of the Leigh Family''s interference! At the thought of that, his face flustered in anger, his breath growing


    heavier.


    The moment Idris noticed Theodore''s arrival, he was happy because he could finally free himself from


    London''s disturbance with the professor''s help. "Mr. Muller."


    "What happened?" Theodore was mad, questioning Idris while ring at him.


    After Idris proceeded to tell Theodore what happened, he bitterly added, "Mr. Muller, I''m afraid your


    friend is better off being treated elsewhere."

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    "What a farce!" Theodore was exasperated by the Leigh Family''s arrogance. After all, Katherine was a


    genius doctor who was treated with respect wherever she went, which was something that neither of


    the Leigh Family members showed when they met her. The more he dwelled on that, the angrier he


    felt, having his eyes fixed on London''s haughty expression. "In that case, I guess it''s better for the


    Leigh Family to leave. Go back to Bellerium! I''d love to see who is willing to treat Hebert! I''m so sorry


    about this, Kathy. If I had known this was how they would react, I wouldn''t have asked for your help to


    look into Hebert''s condition."


    While Katherine appeared unconcerned in response to Theodore''s apology, London was unhappy and


    unable to believe her eyes, seeing how the revered professor treated thedy with so much respect.


    This can''t be! Why would Professor Muller treat ady who is in her twenties with so much respect?


    Who is she? And what has she done to fool Professor Muller? "Mr. Muller, we took my father to


    Hovington, hoping to have his disease cured because we trusted you, but we didn''t expect to be fooled


    like that. This is uneptable! I don''t care how good of a doctor you imed that she is because I''m


    not buying any of that! If you don''t think you''re capable of treating my father, you shouldn''t have lied to


    us about the existence of a genius doctor. Do you think it''s fun to see us traveling for miles for


    nothing?" London angrily questioned Theodore, ring at thetter.


    After hearing thedy, Theodore was so mad that his anger was starting to take a toll on his body. "Get


    lost if you won''t trust us! Leave now! You''re better off elsewhere!" Theodore berated London grumpily


    as he began to cough violently.


    "Take it easy, Mr. Muller." Katherine sighed, seeing how angry the old man was getting because of her.


    At the same time, she took a step forward and got a hold of Theodore, whereupon she immediately


    applied pressure on a few acupuncture points on his back. The next second, Theodore, who was


    coughing violently, was instantly relieved as he was able to catch his breath. He then gratefully gazed


    at Katherine while feeling sorry and embarrassed for her. "I''m sorry, Kathy. I should have seen this


    coming before approaching you for help. This is all my fault! The Leigh Family is¡­ s!"


    "You have nothing to do with this, Mr. Muller." Katherine shook her head, appearing unconcerned as


    she had always been.


    "Quit pretending, won''t you? I don''t know what you''ve done to make Professor Muller like you so much,


    but I''m sure you don''t have any sense of shame at all." London angrily teased Katherine.


    "What a farce!" Theodore was exasperated by the Leigh Family''s arrogance. After all, Katherine was a


    genius doctor who was treated with respect wherever she went, which was something that neither of


    the Leigh Family members showed when they met her. The more he dwelled on that, the angrier he


    felt, having his eyes fixed on London''s haughty expression. "In that case, I guess it''s better for the


    Leigh Family to leave. Go back to Bellerium! I''d love to see who is willing to treat Hebert! I''m so sorry


    about this, Kathy. If I had known this was how they would react, I wouldn''t have asked for your help to


    look into Hebert''s condition."


    "Your mother is about to die, so what are you waiting for? Unless you''re counting on her death to hold


    us responsible." Katherine glimpsed London, reminding her about her mother.


    It was then that London thought about Tessa and turned around to check on her. She then saw her


    mother lying on the ground and barely breathing, with a pale face. Worried for her mother, London


    wasted no more time arguing with Idris and quickly ordered her men to carry Tessa away. When she


    walked past Katherine to make it to the entrance, she red at thedy with hostility and left the ce.


    As soon as London was gone, it felt as if the entire ward was filled with cool and refreshing air. "I''m


    sorry for my sister''s misbehavior. For that, I''d like to apologize on her behalf, Miss. Thanks for saving


    my father." A man stayed behind even though the others had left the ward. He was seen wearing an


    ordinary sports outfit that no one would bother to look at, but even so, he seemed like an educated,


    decent gentleman due to his good looks and polite attitude.


    In the meantime, Katherine was intrigued by the man''s reaction, finding him somewhat interesting.


    After all, she didn''t see him at all because he had been standing in a hidden corner like a fly on the wall


    all this time until he made his presence felt after the Leigh Family members left.


    "Kathy, this is Hebert''s older son, Albert Leigh. Not long after he was born, his mother passed away.


    Although he was always neglected in the Leigh Family, Hebert still treats him the way a dutiful father


    should. However, his wife won''t stop¡­" Theodore whispered to Katherine, introducing Albert to her.


    Nevertheless, Albert acted as if he couldn''t hear Theodore''s words as he continued to keep his eyes on


    Katherine. "Please. I''m counting on you to save my father."


    "You knew I could save him?" Katherine asked.


    Albert smiled and honestly answered, "You didn''t seem surprised when you assessed my father''s


    condition, so I suppose you must know a lot about his illness. Furthermore, I believe that Professor


    Muller will never lie to us. If he says you can do it, you can do it."


    Katherine was amused upon hearing his words, but at the same time, she didn''t reject the man either.


    Instead, she made herself clear and said, "Well, I charge a fortune. Are you sure you can afford it?"


    "I''ll pay any price as long as you can save my father''s life." Albert gazed at Katherine.


    Stunned by the man''s overly enthusiastic gaze, Katherine felt her heart skipping a beat and chuckled a


    momentter. "Alright then, I''ll do it."


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Your mother is ebout to die, so whet ere you weiting for? Unless you''re counting on her deeth to hold


    us responsible." Ketherine glimpsed London, reminding her ebout her mother.


    It wes then thet London thought ebout Tesse end turned eround to check on her. She then sew her


    mother lying on the ground end berely breething, with e pele fece. Worried for her mother, London


    wested no more time erguing with Idris end quickly ordered her men to cerry Tesse ewey. When she


    welked pest Ketherine to meke it to the entrence, she glered et the ledy with hostility end left the plece.


    As soon es London wes gone, it felt es if the entire werd wes filled with cool end refreshing eir. "I''m


    sorry for my sister''s misbehevior. For thet, I''d like to epologize on her behelf, Miss. Thenks for seving


    my fether." A men steyed behind even though the others hed left the werd. He wes seen weering en


    ordinery sports outfit thet no one would bother to look et, but even so, he seemed like en educeted,


    decent gentlemen due to his good looks end polite ettitude.


    In the meentime, Ketherine wes intrigued by the men''s reection, finding him somewhet interesting.


    After ell, she didn''t see him et ell beceuse he hed been stending in e hidden corner like e fly on the well


    ell this time until he mede his presence felt efter the Leigh Femily members left.


    "Kethy, this is Hebert''s older son, Albert Leigh. Not long efter he wes born, his mother pessed ewey.


    Although he wes elweys neglected in the Leigh Femily, Hebert still treets him the wey e dutiful fether


    should. However, his wife won''t stop¡­" Theodore whispered to Ketherine, introducing Albert to her.


    Nevertheless, Albert ected es if he couldn''t heer Theodore''s words es he continued to keep his eyes on


    Ketherine. "Pleese. I''m counting on you to seve my fether."


    "You knew I could seve him?" Ketherine esked.


    Albert smiled end honestly enswered, "You didn''t seem surprised when you essessed my fether''s


    condition, so I suppose you must know e lot ebout his illness. Furthermore, I believe thet Professor


    Muller will never lie to us. If he seys you cen do it, you cen do it."


    Ketherine wes emused upon heering his words, but et the seme time, she didn''t reject the men either.


    Insteed, she mede herself cleer end seid, "Well, I cherge e fortune. Are you sure you cen efford it?"


    "I''ll pey eny price es long es you cen seve my fether''s life." Albert gezed et Ketherine.


    Stunned by the men''s overly enthusiestic geze, Ketherine felt her heert skipping e beet end chuckled e


    moment leter. "Alright then, I''ll do it."


    "Thanks." Albert expressed his gratitude.


    Nevertheless, Katherine couldn''t see any signs of excitement on Albert''s face, although she had no


    interest in interfering with the rich family''s domestic business. She then stepped forward and produced


    the silver needles she carried with her, whereupon she sterilized and used them on Hebert.


    Although Hebert was only in his forties, he seemed like someone in his eighties, much to Katherine''s


    disbelief. If Mr. Muller hadn''t told me ahead, I would have been fooled by his appearance. In just a


    matter of seconds, Katherine skillfully ced her needles on every single acupuncture point all over


    Hebert''s body while Albert watched in awe and approved of thedy''s capability.


    Since the treatment wasn''t exhausting, she only panted a little, her face turning slightly pale as she


    kept the needles. It appears that I''ve been benefiting from the perks ever since the rose birthmark on


    my chest changed its pattern. "I''m going to give you a prescriptionter. Follow the instructions there


    and make sure your father takes his medication three times a day. Then, I''ll treat him again in a week,


    and he should be fully recovered by then." Katherine wiped the cold sweat on her forehead and looked


    up, fixing her gaze upon Albert.


    Albert took his eyes off Katherine and seriously answered, "I''ll do as you say and make sure my father


    takes his medication regrly."


    Although Katherine doubted Albert''s words deep down, she didn''t speak her mind and went ahead to


    write down the prescription for him. On the other hand, Albert had nothing much to say about the


    prescription upon taking a quick look at it, knowing that they were some tonics and medical ingredients


    despite hisck of knowledge in medical studies. When the treatment was over, Katherine decided it


    was time for her to make a move due to fatigue and proceeded to bid goodbye to Theodore before


    leaving.


    On the other hand, Tessa, who just went through a body check-up at a private hospital, nched in her


    face as soon as she saw the test result. Breast cancer mid-stage? Oh gosh! I can''t believe I''ve been


    diagnosed with breast cancer. That b*tch didn''t lie to me! Suddenly, Tessa raised her voice and growled


    when something crossed her mind. "We''re going back to Hovington Hospital now! Hurry up! I need to


    see that woman, no matter how much I have to pay! I must find her!"

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    Chapter 112


    Meanwhile, Katherine arrived at Soulin International, easing up on her movement, when she heard


    some noises next door. Then, she saw the door next to her unit open before Joaquin, who was wearing


    a casual outfit, showed up with a gray mask on his face to dispose of his garbage. When he saw


    Katherine, he was stunned, whereupon he curled his lips upward and asked, "How do I look? I look


    great, don''t I?"


    Nevertheless, Katherine rolled her eyes upward in response, cringing at his mischief before she


    opened the door and entered her home. What''s wrong with me? I must have been out of my mind to


    have thought that Joaquin was the same person as the thug I saw at the hospital the other day. Gosh! I


    can¡¯t believe I even sized him up for a few moments. Although the two of them may look like they''re


    about the same size, I''m sure they''re not the same person at all. After entering her home, Katherine


    subconsciously ced her hand on her chest, confused by her rapid heartbeat. What''s wrong with me?


    I don''t feel right now. Is it because the treatment took a toll on my body? Katherine tried to convince


    herself that her exhaustion was due to the treatment as she went ahead to take a shower and hit the


    hay.


    ¡­


    On the other hand, Tessa and London arrived at the VIP ward on the top floor of Hovington Hospital,


    where they saw Hebert taking his medication while sitting on the bed like a healthy man. "Howe


    you''re awake?"


    Hebert was startled by the voice as he frowned and looked at the door. Then, feeling unhappy with the


    way Tessa put her words, he coldly questioned her. "What''s wrong? You seem disappointed to see me


    awake, don''t you?"


    It was then that Tessa realized she had blurted out quicker than her mind could react. Thus, she shook


    her head in denial and tried to exin herself. "N-No. Of course not. Why would I be disappointed,


    Dear? I was just too¡­ Happy and surprised to see you back to your senses."


    However, Hebert ignored his wife and continued to take his medication. At the same time, Tessa


    stepped forward to take a closer look at the medication her husband was taking, catching a pungent


    smell that left her wondering what he was taking. Out of curiosity, she asked, "What is it that you''re


    taking, Dear? You mustn''t take any medication that you barely know anything about due to your


    concerning health condition. After all, you won''t know what it''ll do to your body. If anything happens to


    you, I don''t know how I''m going to live without you."


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "You''re imaginative, aren''t you? How much moreplicated can it get than taking a simple


    medication? The way I see it, you just want me dead as soon as possible so that you could have the


    entire Leigh Family for yourself, right?" Hebert then smashed the bowl on the floor, shattering it just as


    the impact sent the broken shards flying at thedies'' feet.


    While thedies were shocked by the man''s reaction, Tessa quickly denied it and exined. "It''s not


    what you think, Dear! Someone must have spoken ill of me behind my back. You mustn''t believe them!"


    Nevertheless, Hebert didn''t want to listen to any more of her words as he impatiently waved his hand in


    rejection. "Leave if there is nothing else important. I need some rest now and wish to be left alone."


    "Dear, I¡­" Tessa had more to say, but when she noticed Hebert''s darkened expression, she swallowed


    the words that were forming at the tip of her tongue. After that, she engaged in a brief exchange of


    pleasantries with the others in the ward before leaving the ward with them. Just when she was about to


    walk out of the ward, she turned her attention to Albert, who had been silent all the time, and red at


    him hatefully.


    However, Albert only pretended as if he didn''t see that, remaining silent as he always did like a statue


    in the background. As soon as everyone else was gone, Hebert looked at his son and sighed. "You


    have no idea how grateful I am for the sacrifices you have made over the years."


    "I only decided to help you this time because I wanted to repay you for having raised me up. Once you


    recover, I''ll leave the Leigh Family and cut ties with all of you." Albert kept his head down without


    looking at his father, fixing his eyes on his feet. In the meantime, Hebert didn''t say anything in


    response, seemingly approving of Albert''s decision in silence.


    Meanwhile, Katherine was sound asleep at home after a long day, not knowing that Tessa was


    searching for her whereabouts everywhere in a high-profile manner. With ample resources and


    connections, she eventually found some useful leads from Jorge, whom she knew was too ashamed of


    himself to leave home ever since the Cornell Group was acquired by anotherpany after its


    bankruptcy.


    In reality, Jorge was exactly like what Tessa knew about him, as he didn''t have the guts to step out of


    his own house. After all, he was haunted by his insecurities, assuming his old friends would taunt and


    mock him for his failures should he run into them. "Dad, I''m back with Mom." Rosemary was seen


    holding Lisa, who had lost one of her hands, and entering the door while Jorge was sitting on the couch


    in the living room with a sigh.


    When Lisa saw Jorge, her eyes were filled with hatred and grudges. However, her resentment was


    quickly reced by glee as she gloated. "You finally get what you deserve, Jorge!"


    "What are you doing back here?" Jorge was panicky the moment he saw Lisa. After all, he was hoping


    Lisa could be his scapegoat, but little did he know that she was sent to North Peak Nursery Home,


    which was a widely known mental asylum. Because of that, Lisa unknowingly saved herself from


    ending up as Jorge''s scapegoat.


    "What''s wrong? Can''t Ie back? Do you seriously still think you''re the man you used to be back


    then, Jorge? You''re just nothing but a pathetic fool with nothing left. Do you know why you''re so


    miserable today? This is all because of your beloved daughter!" Lisa expressed her satisfaction to see


    Jorge suffering from the consequences due to his own karma, having waited for that moment a long


    time.


    "W-What did you just say?" Jorge couldn''t believe his ears, doubtfully staring at Lisa, whose words


    were confusing him.


    "Don''t you get it? Katherine is the reason the Cornell Family fell apart! Like I told you before, your


    daughter is different from anyone else! In fact, I lost my hand because of her, but you wouldn''t believe


    me. Do you see what I was trying to tell you now? Have you realized your mistakes? Katherine is not


    as simple as she seems to us! I''m sure she has a secret agenda, and she is only back for one thing¡ª


    vengeance!" Lisa''s face was seen with an eerie expression as she haughtily made her point.


    "That''s impossible! How was she capable of something like that? If she was that capable, she would''ve


    saved herself from being sent to Fontan. No way! You must be lying to me, Lisa! I can''t believe you''re


    still trying to drive a wedge between me and Kathy at this point! Kathy was the only person who


    showed me kindness and sympathy when I hit rock bottom in my life. Instead of gloating over me when


    I was about to be sent to prison, she let me stay in this house and allowed me to continue living a


    comfortable life. So, I won''t buy a word you said because I won''t let you ruin my rtionship with my


    daughter!" Jorge clung to his rationality while trying to convince Lisa that his daughter was innocent.


    "Just wait and see then! Soon enough, you''re going to see her true nature with your own eyes, and I''ll


    be looking forward to that." Lisa chuckled sinisterly while Rosemary helped her walk upstairs.


    Jorge had his eyes fixed upon the mother and daughter, feeling as if all of his energy had been drained


    from his body. At the same time, he couldn''t stop thinking about Lisa''s words and even began to


    question himself about his daughter''s innocence. Is Katherine really the kind of scary woman Lisa says


    she is?

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    Chapter 113


    "Mom, Katherine is so scary if she was really behind the Cornell Group''s bankruptcy. It hasn''t been


    long since she came back, after all. How cunning she is!" Rosemary appeared to be terrified after she


    helped Lisa walk back into her room.


    "Hmph! Who else could it be if it wasn''t her who was responsible for all the chaos? The Cornell Group


    was fine until she came back. So, if you ask me, I doubt she has nothing to do with all the trouble and


    problems that subsequently arose from thepany!" Lisa was seen with hatred written on her face


    when she heard Katherine''s name. In fact, she was even tempted to kill Katherine deep down if the


    latter was standing right before her. That b*tch caused me to lose an arm! She is going to pay for the


    dark days that I spent in the mental asylum in North Peak.


    "What are we going to do, Mom?" I¡­" Rosemary expressed her concern, knowing clearly that she was


    no match for Katherine as she had seen what she was capable of.


    "You mustn''t just let it slide about your wedding with Robert. We''re going to pay the Levisay Family a


    visit in a few more days, and if Robert won''t marry you, we''re going to make sure the whole world


    knows about it to embarrass them. After all, you can only hope to match Katherine by marrying into the


    Levisay Family; otherwise, we don''t stand a chance against her at all!" Lisa reced the hatred in her


    eyes with benevolence and love when she looked at her beloved daughter.


    "I heard you, Mom." Rosemary nodded, feeling more secure and confident with Lisa''s return. As the


    mother and daughter continued to chat for a few moments, Lisa proceeded to go to bed, whereupon


    Rosemary exited her bedroom.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Tessa and London were worried shortly after leaving Hebert''s ward. At the same time,


    Tessa appeared depressed herself, especially when she thought that her days were numbered.


    "London, do you think that genius doctor will agree to save me?" Tessa held London''s hand tightly like


    her life depended on it. In fact, she grabbed London''s hands so tightly that her grip was beginning to


    hurt her daughter.


    "Mom, we don''t even know her name." London realized her mother looked as if she had been


    enchanted, finding it hard to believe that Katherine, who was younger than she was, was more capable


    than her. If that youngdy could curete-stage breast cancer, she is going to be no different from a


    god.


    "Isn''t Mr. Muller really close with her? Maybe he could help us. Let me ask for help from him." Tessa


    spared no thought about how she treated Katherine harshly earlier as she quickly left the hospital with


    her daughter, whereupon they both made their way to Theodore''s home.


    "To what do I owe you the pleasure?" When Theodore saw Tessa appearing at his doorstep, he could


    immediately tell that she was there because she wanted Katherine''s help. However, he wasn''t happy


    with her visit, despising her for having treated Katherine harshly earlier.


    "Mr. Muller, I''d like to ask you about thatdy who helped treat my husband earlier. Do you mind telling


    her name?" Tessa sensed Theodore''s dissatisfaction as she asked Theodore for Katherine''s help in


    embarrassment.


    "You know what? I think that is none of your concern, Mrs. Leigh," Theodore replied with an unfriendly


    tone.


    In the meantime, Tessa''s face darkened in response to Theodore''s unpleasant reply, but when she


    thought about her illness, she restrained her anger and forced a brittle smile on her face. "Mr. Muller, I


    know it was my fault for being rude back in the hospital. For that, I apologize for my foolishness and


    impudence, but also, I wonder if it would be possible for you to arrange a meet-up between me and that


    genius doctor. I promise I''ll never disrespect her again. In fact, I''m going to sincerely make an apology


    to her."


    "Mrs. Leigh, you were the one who chased her away. Do you remember that?" Theodore decided to


    remind Tessa of what she had done earlier. Needless to say, Tessa was utterly humiliated upon hearing


    Theodore''s words.


    "Mr. Muller, I¡­"


    As Tessa was about to exin herself, Theodore interrupted thedy''s words impatiently and said, "I


    still have some business to attend to, so if there is nothing else important, I''d like to be left alone.


    Please leave."


    "Mr. Muller¡­" Tessa gave Theodore a sympathetic look, but her eyes were only met by his cold gaze.


    Because of that, she couldn''t bring herself to speak her mind, her words stuck in her throat. Not long


    after that, Tessa reluctantly left the ce just as Theodore decided that he should give Katherine a call.


    On the other hand, Katherine, who just happened to wake up from her sleep, was sitting in front of her


    computer while browsing through some news article until she was interrupted by her ringing phone.


    "Hello, Mr. Muller. What''s up?"


    "The Leigh Family has a widework of connections, so I think it won''t take them long before they


    finally discover your secret. I''m worried that they maye after you for trouble, so I figured it was


    better for me to give you a heads-up beforehand." Theodore went on to tell Katherine about Tessa''s


    visit and reminded her to be careful.


    "Thanks for the heads-up, Mr. Muller. Let here if that''s what is meant to happen." Katherine


    appeared unconcerned as she proceeded to talk to Theodore about work before hanging up the call.


    With the help of her vast connections, Tessa was able to discover some useful information about


    Katherine''s identity since it wasn''t really a huge secret. Therefore, it didn''t take her too long until she


    finally got her hands on Katherine''s biographical profile, but nheless, there weren''t many details


    about her profile as it wasn''t mentioned that she was a doctor at all.


    "Oh, so she is from the Cornell Family. London, please make the arrangements. We''re going to pay the


    Cornell Family a visit." Tessa curled her lips coldly while skimming through the information she found


    about the Cornell Family. When she read about the part where the Cornell Family went bankrupt


    because they messed with the wrong enemy, she smiled even more gleefully.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Two hourster, Tessa arrived at the Cornell Residence and rang the doorbell. As soon as the gate


    opened, her car moved into the manor''s front porch. The next moment, Tessa stepped out of the car,


    fixing her gaze on the manor in front of her with disdain and disgust. I can''t believe that a youngdy


    like Katherine can match the Leigh Family. She is just nothing but a nobody from a poor family. At the


    thought of that, thedy jutted her chin and walked right through the door arrogantly.


    When the Cornell Family''s butler saw Tessa, he couldn''t help but feel surprised and puzzled. Leading


    the way, he asked, "Who are you looking for, Miss?"


    "I''m here for Katherine Cornell," Tessa responded insolently.


    As soon as the butler heard her words, his face changed. At the same time, he could tell that Tessa


    didn''t visit the Cornell Family with good intent as he brought thedy to the living room, whereupon he


    excused himself to tip Katherine off about Tessa''s arrival.


    Seeing Tessa walk right through the door, Jorge asked in confusion, "Who might you be?"


    "I''m Mrs. Leigh, and I''m here to see your daughter, your older daughter." Tessa sat down on the couch


    gracefully, gazing at Jorge like an empress looking at her ve.


    "You mean Kathy?" Jorge knitted his eyebrows, trying to draw a line between him and Katherine. "Well,


    if Kathy is whom you''re looking for, I suppose you havee to the wrong ce. She is not home at


    the moment. However, you may take your chances at the Levisay Residence."


    "The Levisay Residence?"

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    Chapter 114


    "I''ve never heard of the Levisay Family!" Tessa was annoyed at the co-called wealthy families from


    small towns. She was getting impatient with Jorge and went straight to the point as she told him, "I


    would like to meet Katherine for an important matter. Please get her here immediately to see me."


    "I¡­" He frowned as Tessa''s tone and behavior made him feel ufortable.


    "I heard that the Cornell Group has recently got into some trouble? If you can get this done for me, I will


    revive yourpany and assure you that no one else woulde looking for trouble in the future," she


    interrupted him.


    As soon as Jorge heard that, his eyes lit up as he stood up surprisedly and stared at Tessa. "Do you


    really mean it? Will you really help me?"


    "There is no reason for me to lie to you. Go get Katherine here right away." Tessa snorted with disdain


    as she was disgusted by the looks on this face.


    When Jorge thought of how he would be able to regain control of Cornell Group with a strong backing


    from the Leigh Family, he was so delighted that he immediately agreed to her request and went out to


    give Katherine a call. When Katherine received his call, she and Joaquin were on their way to the


    Levisay Residence for dinner.


    She was surprised to receive a call from Jorge, but she soon figured out why he called before


    answering the call, "Dad, what''s the matter?"


    "Kathy, please take a trip home if you''re free now. I have something important to tell you." Jorge


    nced over at Tessa as she spoke to Katherine lovingly.


    "What is it? Joaquin''s grandma asked us to have dinner at their ce tonight," she replied while


    leaning on the seat and as she tried to find afortable position.


    "I have something extremely important to tell you and I have to tell you about it in person, so you


    should juste home." He did not mention that it was Tessa looking for her as he knew how her


    daughter''s temperament was.


    A surprised Katherine was not sure what he had up his sleeves this time. After giving it some thought,


    she purposely turned to Joaquin and asked, "Joaquin, my dad said that he wants to see me about


    something important. He wants me home now. Do you¡ª"


    Hearing that, he rolled his eyes at her as he was grossed out by her sudden change in attitude.


    "Grandma also has something really important to announce to us today," he rejected her request.


    "Dad, Joaquin said that we have to be at the Levisay Residence tonight as it''s an important dinner.


    Since both of us will be getting married soon, there''s a lot of things that we need to take care of. So,


    can we talk about what you wanted to sayter on?" Katherine turned her head to the other side after


    getting a reply from Joaquin while she spoke to her father on the phone.


    "This¡­" Jorge was lost for words. Before this, he would have scolded and instructed her to go home,


    but the situation was different now that he was aware that he could not afford to offend her.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Dad, I''ll end the call if there''s nothing else." She then ended the call and lowered her gaze to look at


    her phone before putting it back in her pocket.


    Meanwhile in the Cornell Residence, Jorge was fuming when Katherine refused to go home as it would


    make him look bad in front of Tessa. Moreover, it concerned the revival of the Cornell Group.


    "I''m sorry, Kathy can''t be here today as she''s caught up with something." He suppressed his anger


    while exining politely to Tessa.


    "Mr. Cornell, your daughter sure is something. It seems like she doesn''t heed your words, right?" Tessa


    gibed.


    "This is our family''s matter." He looked at her closely while trying to suppress his anger as he was


    offended by her words.


    "It seems like you no longer have interest in the Cornell Group. In that case, London, let''s go." Tessa


    scoffed as she stood up and prepared to leave with London.


    Seeing that made him anxious and he immediately coaxed Tessa, "Mrs. Leigh, that''s not what I meant.


    I''ll give her another call and make sure that shees over no matter what." The next moment, he


    gave Katherine another call.


    Katherine, who was still in the car, smirked as she listened to the desperate Jorge who was forcing her


    to go home in a disrespectful tone. After he was almost done, she agreed to his request. "Alright. I''ll be


    heading home now."


    "Is something wrong?" Joaquin, who was leaning on the seat, nced at her.


    "Yes. Let''s make a trip to the Cornell Residence. It won''t take up too much time." She nodded.


    After Joaquin informed the driver about it, the driver changed course and drove toward the Cornell


    Residence. They managed to arrive there in thirty minutes.


    "I''ll be back real soon. It''ll just take ten minutes." Katherine alighted from the car and entered the


    house.


    As expected, she saw Tessa and London in the living room while Jorge was all smiles as he sat beside


    them in order to please them.


    Noticing Katherine, he shouted at her displeasedly, "Why are youte? Do you know how long these


    important guests have been waiting for you?"


    "Important guests? Dad, are you referring to them?" Katherine looked over at Tessa and London


    innocently.


    "Why aren''t you greeting our guests? This is Mrs. Leigh and her daughter, Miss Leigh." Jorge ignored


    her question, but he could not hide how displeased he was with her.


    "Dad, why are you referring to them as important guests? Are they going to be the head of the Leigh


    Family?" Katherine, who was walking toward the living room, beamed after hearing what Jorge said.


    "What are you talking about?" Tessa''s face contorted with anger after hearing what Katherine said. She


    had the urge to go up to her and smack her in the face.


    "If I remember correctly, the head of the Leigh Family is still alive. Are you saying that the Leigh Family


    is headed by a female?" Katherine spoke sarcastically as she pretended to look innocent.


    Hearing that, Tessa was so exasperated that she rose to her feet and stormed at her while pointing at


    her. "Katherine! You should feel honored that I''m here to see you! How foolish could you be to speak ill


    of us?"


    "I''d dly refuse the honor." Katherine chuckled.


    Although Katherine seemed harmless, she spoke mercilessly, which set Tessa off and her chest started


    hurting because of it.


    Noticing that, Katherine gave her a gentle reminder. "Mrs. Leigh, you don''t seem well. I''d suggest you


    see a doctor."


    Katherine''s remarks reminded Tessa what she was there for. Since Katherine was able to tell that she


    had cancer without performing any tests, it meant that she was an extraordinary doctor. Although she


    despised Katherine, she knew that she was someone with high caliber.


    Tessa then suppressed her anger and forced out a smile. "Miss Cornell, I''m sorry for being rude. I''m


    here today to discuss something with you." Katherine was impressed at Tessa''s sudden shift in attitude.

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    "A discussion?" Katherine pointed a finger at herself and asked puzzledly.


    Hearing that, Tessa had to take a few deep breaths to calm her rage before looking at Katherine


    irritatedly. "Yes. Previously, Miss Cornell was able to point out that I''m not well with just a look when we


    were at the hospital, so I thought you''ll be able to treat my illness. Am I right?"


    Tessa''s eyes glinted with hope as she spoke. She was told by the doctor that her cancer cells had


    started spreading and her condition was very serious. Even if she underwent resection, there was no


    guarantee that she would be cured.


    "Mrs. Leigh, why would you have such an assumption? I was just talking nonsense. After all, you have


    a bad temper and most people with anger issues will have this problem," Katherine said innocently and


    blinked.


    Tessa was so offended by Katherine''s words that she felt like she was going to vomit blood.


    "Miss Cornell, you''re being too humble. You were able to treat my husband''s illness when none of the


    doctors in the country could, so I''m sure that you''ll be able to treat my cancer too. Don''t worry, I''ll


    reward you handsomely if you manage to treat my illness." She swallowed the metallic taste in her


    mouth as she looked at Katherine.


    "Your husband''s illness? You havee to the wrong person as I''m not the one who cured his illness.


    Didn''t he tell you about it?" Katherine chuckled as she looked at Tessa wryly.


    "What?" Tessa''s heart sank after hearing that, then it was followed by some difort surging in her


    chest.


    "I didn''t treat him since he woke up on his own." Katherine put her hands out with her palms up.


    Tessa was lost for words and she almost ckout at the revtion. Hebert''s illness wasn''t cured by


    Katherine? So, it''s just a waste of time toe over here? she thought to herself.


    "You really can''t cure my illness?" She looked at Katherine gravely.


    "Of course not. It''s cancer that we''re talking about here. Since I''m a good-for-nothing, I wouldn''t have


    the capability to do so," Katherine denied.


    "Katherine! I will give you hell if I find out that you''re fooling me! Since you''re that useless, just wait for


    the Cornell Family''s demise and I''ll make your family disappear from Hovington!" Tessa had never


    been so embarrassed before and the thought of her apologizing to Katherine earlier made her glower.


    "Mrs. Leigh, you''re being domineering." A man in a wheelchair slowly came in from the entrance and


    uttered loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room.


    Tessa suddenly got the chills when she saw the man entering as he made her feel stressful. She was


    reminded of the young man who defended Katherine when they were at the hospital. With just a word,


    that man was able to make all of the best hospitals in Hovington reject her admission, which horrified


    her.


    "Who are you? Mr. Cornell, is this one of the Cornells?" Tessa questioned in displeasure.


    Hearing that, Jorge wiped the sweat off his forehead. He could not quite understand Tessa and


    Katherine''s conversation, but he felt uneasy when he saw Joaquin''s arrival while Tessa was still acting


    up.


    "This is Joaquin Levisay from the Levisay Family; he is also Kathy''s fianc¨¦. They are getting married in


    a few days," Jorge introduced him to Tessa while trying to calm his nerves.


    "Huh, how dare a good-for-nothing speak to me rudely!" When Tessa heard the words ''Levisay Family'',


    she remembered the other Levisay Family that she knew of, but since they were based in Kynd, she


    immediately put that thought away.


    "Mrs. Leigh, Joaquin isn''t a good-for-nothing, so please apologize to him." Katherine was surprised to


    see Joaquin there, but she tried to defend him after hearing what Tessa said.


    "What''s wrong? I was just speaking the truth. Why should I apologize to a cripple?" Tessa was being


    arrogant.


    Hearing that, Katherine smiled. "Why would someone who''s dying soon act up in front of us? I suggest


    you n for your funeral with the time that you''re left with so that you can have a grand funeral for


    yourself."


    "You! You''re cursing me?" Tessa was so mad at Katherine that her chest started hurting.


    "I was just speaking the truth, too. I''m sure you''ve done a checkup at the hospital. Didn''t the doctors tell


    you that you don''t have much time to live? Since you can''t control your temper, you''ll meet your death


    in less than a month," Katherine rebutted.


    "Nonsense! My disease can definitely be cured with the current advanced technology! I''m not going to


    waste anymore time with you all here. London, let''s go!"


    What Tessa was most afraid of right now was for Katherine to bring up her illness as she herself was


    not confident that it could be healed. She would subconsciously believe whatever Katherine said, which


    made her feel uneasy. All she wanted to do now was to return to Kynd as soon as possible and


    have her condition examined in one of the big hospitals.


    "You haven''t apologized." Katherine stopped Tessa who was about to leave.


    "You want an apology from me? Dream on and wait for your downfall! I don''t care whether you''re from


    the Cornell Family or the Levisay Family, just get out of my sight!" Tessa scolded them before leaving


    with London.


    Following that, Joaquin nced at them before turning over to look at Katherine. "Were they rude to


    you?"


    Katherine was impressed at how well and natural his acting was. She was touched by his actions, but


    at the same time, not forgetting to reciprocate. She answered with an aggrieved tone andined


    to him with displeasure, "Mrs. Leigh has gone overboard! How could she say that about you and not


    apologize to you!"


    Joaquin was speechless at her reaction and could not really hold it in. As such, he coughed to cover up


    his embarrassment. "Alright, let''s go home and just let her be since she won''t be able to do that for


    long."


    "Okay." Katherine nodded before shifting her gaze at Jorge. "Dad, Joaquin and I have to be at the


    Levisay Residence to have dinner with his grandmother."


    Hearing that, Jorge did not know how to respond to her, but he had a feeling that Katherine was more


    capable than he initially thought. His gaze darkened as he replied with a smile, "Alright, you can leave


    now. And be nice to Joaquin, okay?"


    "Will do, Dad." She nodded with a smile and pushed Joaquin, who was in a wheelchair, out.


    Both of them chatted andughed as they walked to the main entrance.


    "They won''t give up just like that," Joaquin reminded her after walking out of the house.


    "No worries. They won''t have time to give me trouble." Katherine smiled. The moment he saw her


    confident smile, he was stunned by it.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    "Oh?" Joaquin looked at Katherine curiously, but she did not have the intention to exin to him. She


    yawned before pushing him to the car, which was parked outside.


    The driver was waiting at the side to carry Joaquin into the car. Katherine was deep in thought as she


    looked at him and only entered after both of them got in. "Now that Robert and the Levisay Family are


    already in this situation, you don''t really have to pretend to be a cripple anymore. So, why are you


    keeping the act up?" she asked.


    "Do you really think that there''s no hope for Robert?" he answered her question with a question as he


    smirked.


    Hearing that, she touched her chin while she thought about his question. Since she had crippled


    Robert, it was unlikely for him to make aeback, unless Joaquin''s father had another capable


    illegitimate child who waspetent enough to inherit the Levisay Family business.


    "I don''t know." She shrugged her shoulders after giving it some thought, but soon decided that she


    should not waste her time on it.


    Seeing her expression made him smile. He did not realize that he could now interact with her casually


    and smile whenever he spoke to her.


    The episode at the Cornell Family did not take up too much of their time and both of them headed


    straight to the Levisay Residence right after that. Elizabeth was hosting a banquet at her house and all


    of the Levisays members were present, which made the whole ce lively. As they stepped into the


    house, they could hearughter and voices of people chatting. Noticing Joaquin, most of them had wry


    expressions on their face as they stared at his legs.


    "Joaquin, why are youte?" one of them asked jokingly while ignoring Katherine, who was pushing


    him into the house. It sounded like they were gloating over his disability.


    Katherine nced over at the person who spoke. He was in his early forties, with thin lips and eyes that


    were nted upwards. From the looks of it, he seemed to be a difficult person. She merely took a brief


    nce at him before looking away as she had to maintain her simpleton facade in front of everyone.


    Joaquin ignored that person and shifted his attention to Elizabeth, who was sitting among the crowd.


    "Grandma," he greeted her coldly.


    However, she seemed unhappy and ignored him as she whispered to someone sitting beside her. It


    was obvious that she was snubbing him on purpose.


    "Joaquin, since Grandma is now old, she might be experiencing hearing loss, so you should speak


    louder for her to hear you." Katherine could not stand how rude Elizabeth was since she was the one


    who called and asked them over for dinner. Yet, now that they were here, she was not a least bit happy


    to see them.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Katherine was reminded of that one particr member from the Cornell Family who had the same


    revolting behavior as Elizabeth. Back when she was still around, both she and Elizabeth were basically


    twins when it came to their mannerisms and behaviors.


    Meanwhile, everyone in the room could clearly hear what Katherine said since she spoke loudly.


    Noticing that, the embarrassed Elizabeth red at Katherine with a grim expression.


    However, Joaquin seemed to take Katherine''s words seriously and nodded as he responded, "Yes, I


    think Kathy is right." Elizabeth almost snapped at him when she heard his reply.


    Her expression was grave as she simply waved her hand at them to make them leave since it did not


    seem like she could pretend to not notice Joaquin anymore. "You''re here? Just take a seat somewhere


    for now. We aren''t starting dinner just yet since some of them are still not here."


    "Okay," Joaquin replied impassively. Katherine then pushed him to a quiet corner and both of them


    waited there. Tonight, the Levisay Residence was crowded with people whom Katherine had not met


    before. It really seemed like something big was about to happenter on.


    "Do you know what the asion is? Is it your Grandma''s birthday?" She was holding a delicately


    wrapped gift box and could not help but ask as she looked at the people who entered the house. By the


    looks of it, she was expecting someone to humiliate her and Joaquin as the agenda tonight.


    "I have no idea," he replied nonchntly as if he had nothing to do with the Levisay Family.


    She looked at him with sympathy as she realized that his status in the Levisay Family did not seem to


    be much better than hers in the Cornell Family. In fact, he might have it worse. Looking at Elizabeth''s


    attitude, it did not seem like she only treated him that way because he was crippled. With that,


    Katherine stopped talking.


    Nothing much happened as time went by. It was only until 5.00PM when Elizabeth suddenly got up and


    walked toward the door. A group of people followed behind her as they lined up around the entrance. It


    seemed like some big shot was visiting.


    "Could it be your extended family that is based in Kynd?" Katherine leaned in and whispered in


    Joaquin''s ear as she noticed themotion.


    He could smell her faint scent and her hot breath on his ears. It was ticklish, which made him want to


    avoid it subconsciously, but he did not resist such an intimate interaction surprisingly.


    Before he could figure out the reason, Elizabeth, who was at the door, eximed surprisedly, "Mr.


    Leventhrope, it''s an honor to have you here today."


    Hearing that, Katherine could not help but turn to look at the door and was surprised that the guest had


    thest name ''Leventhrope''.


    "This is?" Den frowned at the sight of a crowd standing in front of him.


    "Mr. Leventhrope, I''m hosting a family banquet tonight and I hope you''ll like it. Pleasee in."


    Elizabeth was beaming from ear to ear, which was a stark difference from how she behaved when she


    spoke to Joaquin and Katherine. She then stepped aside and made way for Den to enter the house.


    Den finally entered the house after a brief hesitation. Elizabeth stood by his side with the other


    younger Levisays members walking behind them; they tried to make eye contact with Den in order


    to strike up a rtionship with him. However, Den merely ignored them and was disappointed after


    scanning the room to find the person that he was looking for to be absent.


    "Butler, please inform the kitchen that the dishes can now be served," Elizabeth informed the butler


    with a smile and the butler immediately did as told.


    Soon after, everyone headed over to the dining area. Since it was a family banquet, there were a few


    tables prepared in order to amodate all the guests. Katherine, who was famished since she did


    not have lunch, slowly pushed Joaquin over to the dining area.


    "Oh, there''s no seats left for both of you. What took you so long to get here?" someone spoke


    sarcastically when she saw both of them approaching the dining area.


    Katherine nced at the person and ignored her before pushing Joaquin over to the main table. Being


    disabled did not change the fact that he was the first born of the Levisay Family''s eldest son. Since she


    now held the status of Mrs. Levisay, she refused to be embarrassed.

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    "What are you two doing here?" scowled Elizabeth upon seeing Katherine pushing Joaquin over to the


    main table.


    Den followed Elizabeth''s line of sight upon hearing the voice to find who else but Katherine, and his


    eyes lit up at once.


    On the other hand, Katherine''s lips twitched as she had sessfully identified Den at this point.


    What is this punk doing here in Cechirus instead of working in Fontan?


    At that, she gave him a warning stare, causing the guy to zip his lips and look silently at Katherine with


    a smile.


    Joaquin had noticed Den''s gaze, and he looked somewhat surprised at his supposed fianc¨¦e. To


    think the esteemed guest knows Katherine?!


    "We''vee to eat, Grandma. Didn''t you call Joaquin saying you wanted us home for dinner? We


    haven''t even had lunch yet," retorted Katherine innocently before sweeping her gaze across all the


    faces at the table. With that, she pushed Joaquin to an unfamiliar woman''s side, requesting forthrightly,


    "Please sit elsewhere."


    "Why should I?" The young woman red at Katherine, upset, surprised that thetter would screw


    with her when she was sitting here minding her business.


    "This entire table is taken up by the Levisays," Katherine exined gravely while looking at her. "Are


    you a Levisay too?"


    The young woman felt somewhat guilty upon being questioned like that. "I¡­ How am I not a Levisay?


    Great-aunt, look at how unbelievable this woman is!"


    Indeed, she wasn''t a Levisay but a great-niece from Elizabeth''s side of the family.


    In fact, she was here because of Den. Elizabeth had deliberately asked a few of her bombshell


    great-nieces over in hopes that Den would take a fancy to one of them, and so, in turn, the Levisays


    would be able to share the spotlight as well.


    "Katherine Cornell! This is the Levisay Residence; you have no right to call the shots here!" Elizabeth


    scowled with displeasure.


    At that, Katherine pouted in aggrievement and mumbled a protest while looking at the elderly. "How can


    you say that, Grandma? You were the one who asked Joaquin and me toe back for dinner, but


    now, there isn''t even a seat for us. Those aware know you guys didn''t get it right, but wouldn''t those


    oblivious just assume Joaquin isn''t a progeny of the Levisay Family?! He''s the eldest grandson, after


    all. Is he even beneath the guests?"


    "You¡­ You!" Elizabeth was so used to everyone obeying her everymand that Katherine''s


    disobedience gave her a hard time. The elderly red at Katherine with bloodshot eyes, feeling that


    she had been utterly humiliated in front of Den.


    Elizabeth took quite some time to recover from light-headedness, and she waved her hand and said


    with little patience, "You and Joaquin should look for a random spot to sit in."


    "Grandma, correct me if I''m wrong, but you''ve set up a dinner banquet in the Levisay Residence, and


    yet you expect your own grandson to sit at the same table as the other guests?" Katherine wasn''t going


    to back down from this.


    "Mrs. Levisay, I agree with this youngdy here. Since you guys are the host family, there''s no reason


    for a host to sit among the other guests. If there isn''t enough room for everybody, I don''t mind giving up


    mine." Den had a good picture of the situation now after listening for a while.


    At that, he looked toward the man in the wheelchair. He might not be able to tell how Joaquin looked


    when the man''s face was partially hidden beneath a mask, but he had done some digging. This young


    Levisay was no simple man, already a trading genius, and had also made quite a feat at the tender age


    of 16. He was also one to call the shots in the Levisay Family before he got into that ident.


    Unfortunately, the car crash left the man disfigured and also crippled.


    Then again, whether Joaquin was actually crippled or not might be up for debate.


    After all, he had Katherine. The young woman could save anyone as long as they were still breathing,


    so what more when Joaquin had just lost two legs?


    Meanwhile, Elizabeth panicked the moment Den spoke up.


    She had purposely set up a banquet to suck up to who else but Den himself?!


    Supposed he was displeased or had a bad impression of the Levisays, she could forget about Levisay


    Group''s chances at coborating with WQ Corporation, couldn''t she?!


    "No, no, it''s fine, Mr. Leventhrope. It''s our juniors who don''t know better. Sorry, you have to see this.


    Vivian, let your cousin take your seat." Elizabeth hurriedly smoothed things out with a smile and also


    had her great-niece sit elsewhere.


    As displeased Vivian Willcotts was with the new arrangement, she naturally couldn''t continue sitting


    there when Elizabeth had already spoken up.


    With that, she got up and even red at Katherine while leaving.


    It was only then Katherine moved the chair away and pushed Joaquin over. When that was done, she


    looked at the other young woman next to her.


    And just like that, Katherine and Joaquin sessfully took their rightful ces while Elizabeth''s two


    great-nieces scurried to the next table.


    Meanwhile, Hera red at Katherine. She now thought this young woman wasn''t as simple as she


    looked to be. Proven by the fact that with just a few words, she could force Elizabeth to give in and also


    have this esteemed guest take her side.


    Elizabeth, on the other hand, red at Katherine and Joaquin before quickly buttering up to Den


    with a smile. "What a promising young man you are, Mr. Leventhrope. Is it true that you still don''t have


    a girlfriend? I wonder what kind of girls you are into."


    Den had his attention on Katherine all this while, so he was somewhat stumped when he heard


    Elizabeth''s words. It had only dawned on him that this elderly woman wanted to fix him up with a


    girlfriend.


    There were still a few other young Levisay women at the main table, all of them of Joaquin''s


    generation. After hearing their grandmother''s words, they all looked toward Den with nothing but


    excitement.


    However, the man was made ufortable by all the res and he smiled at Elizabeth, saying


    courteously, "I''m still young, so I''m not anxious about getting married just yet. Besides, the elders of my


    family will naturally worry about the issue for me. I don''t need to think too much about this."


    And just like that, Elizabeth''s wishful thinking shattered, and dejection enveloped her face. However,


    she recovered in two shakes and continued talking to Den about other things.


    Meanwhile, Katherine ate away happily.


    The food at the Levisays'' banquet was pretty decent and also tasted superb. While everyone else


    busied themselves with sucking up to Den, she had a pretty full dinner.


    "Joaquin, Mr. Leventhrope is younger than you, but he''s now already the CEO of a multinational group.


    You have to learn from him, understand? One shouldn''t always stay in their own world." As much as


    Elizabeth buttered up to Den, she hadn''t missed the chance to lecture her grandson.


    Robert was now a spent pawn, and though Joaquin was disfigured and crippled, his name was still


    intact. If anything, Levisay Group might actually end up in his hands in the end.


    Displeasure surged within the elderly woman as the thought crossed her mind, and her gaze at Joaquin


    was less than affable.


    While Joaquin said nothing, Katherine spoke up with a smile. "That is indeed very impressive, Mr.


    Leventhrope. The CEO of a multinational group at such a young age. I wonder if it''s a family business


    or your own establishment?"This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Den got Katherine immediately upon hearing her words. Joaquin wasn''t on good terms with the


    Levisay Family and seemed to even have some sort of feud. With that, she went along with Katherine


    without demur. "Thank you, but I''m actually not as impressive as others im me to be. I''ve inherited


    my family''s business. If we''re here talking about impressiveness, then I am no match for Mr. Levisay. I


    heard his worth was already over billions at the tender age of 16. Now that''s what I call impressive."


    Elizabeth was so livid that she looked beyond awful, wanting to chuck Katherine out at once. Does this


    b*tch even know how to speak?!


    However, as livid as she was, she didn''tsh out. Then again, her smile had stiffened a lot. "Mr.


    Leventhrope is still more impressive. How can Joaquin''s achievementspare to his?"


    "Grandma, are you saying it''s not at all impressive for Joaquin to have already earned over billions at


    the age of 16? Then, wouldn''t that make Mr. Leventhrope even more useless when he gained his


    achievements solely through family inheritance?" asked Katherine with a naive front while blinking.


    Despite her absolutely harmless look, it was a solid p in Elizabeth''s face.


    Livid with rage, Elizabeth red daggers at the young woman and chucked herdy-like upbringing out


    the window, screeching. "Katherine Cornell! No one will think you''re mute even if you say nothing!


    Leave this house at once! Your marriage to Joaquin is officially off!"


    "Grandma, my marriage to Kathy was my mother''s dying wish." Joaquin, who had said nothing the


    whole time, suddenly spoke up assertively, making his stance.


    Joaquin was a dutiful son through and through. If it weren''t for his mother''s request, he wouldn''t have


    said yes to marrying Katherine in the first ce.


    "Y-You! You two! Good! Very good!" Elizabeth was so upset at this point that she was having difficulty


    breathing. Seeing so, Hera hurriedly soothed Elizabeth by stroking her back, reprimanding Joaquin and


    Katherine in the meantime.


    "Is this how you''re supposed to talk to your grandmother?! Apologize to her at once! Do you want


    anything bad to happen to your grandmother?!" After reprimanding Joaquin and Katherine, she turned


    to Elizabeth. "Mom, take a deep breath. No need to argue with children. They''re still young and don''t


    know any better. So they''ll spout nonsense. Don''t get too upset."


    "But Mom, Joaquin and I didn''t say anything wrong." Katherine made a moue aggrievedly, and her eyes


    turned red-rimmed in a snap as she looked at Hera.


    Hera, on the other hand, was rendered beyond exasperated. Just what the heck is up with this


    woman?! Do you still want to argue when I''ve already given you two a way out?!


    Elizabeth''s anger was already alleviated, all until Katherine spoke up again, causing her to cough in


    anger at once. "Out! Both of you! Out! From now on, you are no longer my grandson! Get the hell out of


    this house! Now!" She pointed furiously toward the door, looking exceptionally ferocious due to anger.


    With that, the young woman stood up at once and pushed Joaquin out without demur. "You''re really


    unbelievable, Grandma. You can''t bully Joaquin like this, even if you don''t like him. It''s precisely that he


    doesn''t have a mother that you guys choose to pick on him, no? Well, he might not have a mother


    anymore, but he has a wife. We''ll leave this instant. Don''te begging us if you have any trouble in


    the future!" sheined aggrievedly while leaving.


    Meanwhile, Elizabeth passed out from being far too furious.


    "Mom?"


    "Mrs. Levisay!"


    Just like that, chaos enveloped the Levisay Family.


    The chaotic scene in the Levisay household and Katherine''s departure gave Den no more reason to


    stay. With that, he bid the family farewell and left.


    Katherine couldn''t care less about the chaos enveloping the Levisay Family right then, and she even


    thought the air felt much fresher after leaving the Levisay Residence.


    "I''m surprised you''re so protective of me. You haven''t really fallen in love with me, have you?" Joaquin


    looked at Katherin with a half smile aftering out of the Levisay Manor.


    To that, Katherine rolled her eyes at him. "You sure are thick-skinned. To think you can say something


    this shameless."


    "Why did you stand up for me?" Joaquin fixed his gaze on Katherine, not missing any of her


    expressions.


    "In case you''ve forgotten, dear Mr. Fianc¨¦, we''re husband and wife. The kind with a marriage


    certificate." She rolled her eyes at the man again and exined, "It''d be weird if I didn''t stand up for


    you, don''t you think? Don''t worry. I''m just acting. I won''t get any ideas I shouldn''t have, so you don''t


    need to feel burdened. I''m going back to Soulin; what about you?"


    "Let''s go together."


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Hold up." An anxious voice came right as the two left the gates and were about to get into the car to


    leave.


    Feeling troubled by the voice, Katherine quickened her steps as she pushed Joaquin, who already had


    a hunch that the young woman was acquainted with Den, and now, he was even more certain when


    he saw how she was reacting.


    But the question is, how does someone like Den know Katherine?


    However, Joaquin snuffed out the inchoate thought very quickly.


    It shouldn''t be surprising that this woman would be acquainted with just about anyone when she has


    such impressive medical skills.


    Meanwhile, Den reeled in shock when he saw Katherine dashing away while pushing Joaquin. Why


    doesn''t Boss want to see me?!


    Just like that, he glumly watched the pair get into the car and leave.


    Katherine, on the other hand, heaved a sigh of relief after getting into the car.


    Upon arriving at Soulin International, she parted ways with Joaquin.


    After entering her apartment, she pulled out her phone, and sure enough, she received a few calls from


    one hidden number.


    With that, she returned the call, and Den''s whining came from the other end of the line. "Boss, why


    did you run away after you saw me? Am I that scary?"


    "What are you doing here in Hovington?" demanded Katherine inly only after she poured herself a


    ss of water and sat on the couch.


    "WQ has moved its headquarters to Kond, and we''re establishing a subsidiary in Hovington. I''ve


    come to study where we should build the subsidiary," Den answered soberly.


    "Uh-huh, sure." Katherine believed not a single word of it.


    However, the man yed dumb and continued, "Boss, it''s been two years since you left. Are you really


    not going to take over thepany? Thepany¡ª"


    s, Katherine hung up on him while he was still speaking. So he tried calling again, only to hear a


    cold, robotic voice telling him that the number he had dialed wasn''t within the service area.


    Clearly, she had blocked his number. At that, Den stared nkly at the screen and sighed in the


    end.


    WQ was a daughterpany of the world''s number one super-consortium, and over fiftypanies


    managed to squeeze into the world''s top hundred. Only Katherine would avoid and refuse to take over


    such a money-makingpany like it was a gue.


    At the thought of how the Levisays treated Katherine and what he managed to find after arriving at


    Hovington, Den couldn''t wait to see how regretful those who looked down on Katherine would feel


    after they realized who she truly was.

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    Meanwhile, at the hospital VIP ward, Hera was fuming when she recalled Joaquin and Katherine''s


    attitude earlier on. "Joaquin is getting outrageous, and Katherine is getting haughty just because she''s


    being spoiled by him! Mom, about this matter¡­"


    After losing his status as the heir of the Levisay Family, Robert had gone insane and had been


    babbling nonsense ever since. Because of that, the Levisay Family could no longer count on him, but


    even so, Hera refused to let Joaquin be the heir of the Levisay Family, as his mother''s death wasn''t as


    simple as it seemed. If he went on to investigate it, Hera could lose her life since she was the one


    behind it. Elizabeth had a haunted look on her face after hearing what Hera said.


    "Mrs. Levisay, based on Old Madam''s current condition, she can''t be further provoked, so you all better


    not provoke her anymore." After performing a thorough checkup on Elizabeth, the doctor advised


    sternly, especially when he noticed how pale her expression was.


    Hearing that, Hera seemed to want to say something but eventually kept her mouth shut after Elizabeth


    shot a re at her. Once the doctor and the other nurses had left, only Hera and Elizabeth were left in


    the room.


    Elizabeth nced at Hera coldly with her muddy eyes before saying, "Joaquin cannot be the heir of the


    Levisay Family. Since we can''t count on Robert anymore, I''ll get John to bring that child back home."


    Hearing that, Hera was seen with a grave expression, and she rejected Elizabeth''s decision without


    hesitation. "No!"


    "You should me yourself for your child''s poor upbringing, which brought about this scandal. Why?


    Do you still want Robert to take over the Levisay Family? After all, that child is of the Levisay Family


    lineage, so it doesn''t matter if I bring him back. There is no room for negotiation on this matter. I''ve


    made a decision, and that''s that."


    Hera''s face was as pale as a sheet while her body trembled as she looked at Elizabeth pleadingly with


    tears in her eyes, hoping that she would reconsider her decision. "Mom, if we really bring that


    illegitimate child back, how would the others see us? Mom, I¡­"


    "I''m sure that you''re just concerned about your own reputation instead of the Levisay Family''s


    reputation. I''ve mentioned that this matter is not up for discussion!" Elizabeth red at Hera.


    There were so many things that Hera wanted to voice out, but words just seemed to stick in her throat.


    In the end, she had no choice but to nod in acknowledgment as she replied bitterly, "Ok. Got it."


    "You should go home if there''s nothing else since I don''t need you to take care of me." Elizabeth waved


    at her impatiently and tried to make her leave.


    Although Hera had something to say, she noticed that Elizabeth seemed to have had enough of her.


    She then responded to Elizabeth before walking out of the ward. As soon as she stepped out of the


    ward, her face contorted with anger. "Huh! Joaquin and Katherine, I have underestimated you!" She left


    the hospital after muttering to herself.


    Katherine naturally wouldn''t know about what had happened in the hospital. After that dinner at the


    Levisay Residence the other day, she got to enjoy a few days of calm which was pretty rare. Everything


    at the research institute had been going well, and ever since the troublemaker had been gotten rid of,


    she''d been feeling more rxed. At the same time, the first typhoon in July hadshed Hovington as


    forecasted. Since Hovington was situated by the shore, the damages caused along the shore were


    extremely severe, while many of the residents were badly injured too. The entire Hovington had


    suffered heavy losses, and the news channels had been broadcasting news regarding the typhoon and


    various situations that took ce after the disaster.


    "Recently, the Levisay Group had announced to the public that they had located Jaycee Levisay, the


    long-lost son of John Levisay. It is likely that he could rece Joaquin Levisay, who was a possible


    nominee to be the new head of the Levisay Family. " Katherine, who was snuggled on the couch,


    was surprised to hear the news and couldn''t help but heave a sigh. The Levisay Family had lived up to


    their reputation of being one of the wealthiest families since they were not short of illegitimate children.


    They had managed to get rid of Robert, but now, Jaycee just appeared out of nowhere.


    However, she didn''t seem to be interested in the Levisay Family''s news. She switched the channel


    after listening to it briefly. In the afternoon, she had received a call from Hera, informing her to make a


    trip to the Levisay Residence at night because they were throwing a weing banquet for Jaycee,


    who was brought back to the Levisay Family. They would also like to take the chance to introduce


    Jaycee to the other wealthy families of Hovington.


    Katherine was rather surprised by it and got in a daze as she held onto the phone after the call ended.


    After a short while, she gave Joaquin a call and asked, "Are you going tonight?"


    "They''ve given you a call?" His tone seemed calm, so she couldn''t tell how he was feeling.


    "Yeah," she answered.


    "You don''t have to go if you don''t feel like it." Joaquin finally answered after a pause. She could tell that


    the ce he was at was unusually quiet.


    "Are you noting home tonight?" she couldn''t help but ask when she heard the sound of wind on


    the other side of the phone.


    "Yeah. I have something to take care of over here. As for the banquet at the Levisay Residence, you


    can skip it if you don''t feel like attending. It won''t affect anything." Joaquin quickly answered. Katherine


    seemed to have heard some noise over the phone and her heart skipped a beat. Following that, she


    stopped talking and ended the call. After the call ended, she tried to figure out what sound she heard


    but gave up after a while as she didn''t manage to figure it out.


    As to the banquet at the Levisay Residence, although Joaquin wasn''t around, Katherine was his wife


    who would be getting married to him in a week''s time. Thus, reasonably speaking, she had to attend


    the banquet. Katherine got a headache as she thought about the situation of the Levisay Family. If she


    knew that Joaquin''s family was thatplicated earlier on, she wouldn''t have agreed to get married to


    him.


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    Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Levisay Family was lively, and most of the A-listers within Hovington


    were gathered there. As Katherine stepped into the house, she thought that she''d got to the wrong


    house when she heard how noisy the ce was, which was really different from usual.


    "Why are you here alone? Where is Joaquin?" Upon stepping into the house, Katherine heard


    someone asking in a disgruntled manner. Following the sound, she looked over, and as expected, she


    noticed Hera, who was all dressed up, staring at her.


    Hearing that, Katherine smiled politely and looked over at her innocently before responding, "Mom,


    since this is the weing party for Joaquin''s long-lost little brother, Joaquin should be here to


    celebrate the asion since he is Jaycee''s eldest brother. However, it seems like you have forgotten


    that today is Joaquin''s mother''s death anniversary."


    The smile on Hera''s face faded as Katherine''s words felt like a p on her face. It was because her


    words reminded everyone that Hera was merely Joaquin''s stepmother.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    "How dare you!" Hera snapped angrily with a surly expression.


    Just as she was about to speak again, she heard a chilly voice thundering, "That''s enough! Do you


    think you haven''t embarrassed yourself enough already? Come over now!"


    The voice belonged to none other than John, Joaquin''s father. The man had stern features. After


    finishing his sentence, he let his frosty eyes settle upon Katherine.


    Katherine met his gaze for a few seconds without humbling herself. Then, she greeted sweetly, "Dad."


    John''s face darkened. Despite his inner displeasure, he didn''t say anything in the end. Instead, he


    merely responded, "Uh-huh," by way of greeting.


    On the other hand, Hera eyed Katherine with even greater hostility after being humbled by thetter.


    Those who were present today were not only the rtives of the Levisay Family but also many


    prestigious figures out there. Therefore, one could say that Katherine had made her look very bad in


    front of everyone.


    She turned around and left with John, whereas Katherine found a seat on her own. As soon as she sat


    down, she heard a mellow voice speaking over her head. "Hi, are you my sister-inw?"


    Katherine looked up to see a young man who looked about 24 years old standing before her. Dressed


    in a tailor-made suit, he had kindly features and oozed gentleness and geniality through every pore. At


    a nce, he seemed to be a good-tempered person with a nice personality.


    She merely took a nce at the man before withdrawing her gaze. After sitting down on the couch on


    her own, she replied, "If you''re John''s brother, then I suppose I''m indeed your sister-inw."


    A hint of amazement flickered across Jaycee''s eyes when he saw Katherine''s exquisite features, but


    his face gave nothing away. "Is my brother dyed by something?"


    Going along with him, Katherine replied, "Uh-huh. He does have something important to deal with, so


    he can''t make it." She didn''t borate on what Joaquin was busy doing. After all, Area Seven wasn''t a


    simple ce; it was a secret department even in Cechirus. It was obvious from the fact that no one in


    the Levisay Family was aware of Joaquin''s identity that he didn''t trust them, and she wasn''t fond of


    betraying someone else''s privacy either.


    Jaycee looked very disappointed. "Is that so? Well, that''s regrettable. I''ve always heard that my brother


    has outstanding capabilities and has made a name for himself at a young age. I thought I''d have the


    opportunity to meet him today."


    Katherine merely smiled at the man before her without speaking. She could tell at a nce what


    Jaycee was up to; even though he could hide it from others, he couldn''t hide it from her. Jaycee was an


    illegitimate son who had lived outside before suddenly returning to a wealthy family. Not only that, but


    he emerged as the heir to a distinguished family like the Levisays. How could such a man not be proud


    of himself?


    She could see that Jaycee was well-cultured and measured in his speech. John probably devoted a


    great deal of attention to this son of his, or he wouldn''t have spent so much effort on thetter''s


    upbringing.


    Jaycee just wanted to provoke Joaquin by showing off in front of his paralytic eldest brother.


    "Katherine, could you give me Joaquin''s phone number? I''d like to call himter to connect with him.


    We''re brothers, after all." Jaycee had sincerity written all over his face as though he truly meant what


    he said.


    He was the star of today''s party, so it was only natural that countless people were paying close


    attention to him. Because of that, people had been watching him since he went to Katherine. At this


    moment, seeing how he asked her for Joaquin''s phone number so politely, many praised him inwardly,


    thinking that he was polite and well-mannered.


    However, Katherine blinked her eyes with an innocent expression. "You want Joaquin''s phone number?


    Why? Didn''t you get it from Dad and Mom? Since they''re not willing to give it to you, they probably


    don''t want you toe into contact with him. I think you''d better forget about it."


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    Jaycee didn''t expect her to say this. His expression froze slightly for an instant, but he regained his


    composure soon afterward. "Seems like I''ve gotten the wrong idea. I''ll ask Dad about itter, then."


    "Uh-huh." Katherine nodded nonchntly.


    Jaycee couldn''t help but take another look at her. The woman before him was gorgeous in appearance.


    Despite her seemingly innocent demeanor, she rendered him speechless at every turn. Moreover, she


    had made Hera look bad with only a few words just a while ago. Now that I think about it, she isn''t as


    simple as she appears to be. I reckon she''s not easy to deal with. Having formed his opinion of her in


    his mind, he exchanged a few words with her out of courtesy. Then, without saying anything else, he


    took his leave and left.


    Looking at him from behind, Katherine gave a snort while continuing to stay in the corner toze


    around.


    The party was loaded with cumbersome procedures, especially when it included the process of


    acknowledging Jaycee as a member of the family, which took a lot of time.


    Sitting in the corner, Katherine yawned repeatedly while showing no interest in what was going on.


    It wasn''t until past 9:00PM that her phone suddenly rang. Taking out the phone, she took a look at the


    caller ID before raising her eyebrows in surprise. It was actually a phone call from Ben.


    After darting a look at the still uproarious party, she left for the garden with the phone in hand before


    answering it. "What''s up?"


    Ben''s distressed voice sounded through the phone. "Boss, help me!"


    Katherine frowned. "What happened?"


    "Mr. Levisay got into an ident and is severely injured. Can youe to my clinic right now?" Ben


    asked worriedly.


    Katherine''s heart skipped a beat. "Tell me more about it." Ben was skilled in medicine, but even he was


    at his wits'' end. And besides, it was evident from how anxious he sounded that Joaquin''s injuries were


    severe. She talked on the phone while standing up and walking outside. As for the party inside, she


    couldn''t care less about it.


    Exining the overall situation to her in one breath, Ben said, "Mr. Levisay was on a mission today, but


    his cover was blown somehow, and he got discovered and was shot twice. As you know, his


    nociceptive nerves are impaired. He couldn''t feel any pain, so he didn''t realize at first that he had been


    shot. It wasn''t until the mission was over that he went into shock from excessive loss of blood.


    Moreover, the bullets are in such dangerous positions that I dare not remove them at all." The next


    instant, he asked anxiously, "Can youe over right now? How long will it take?"


    Katherine frowned while estimating the distance from the Levisay Residence to Ben''s clinic with a


    grave expression. "I''ll be there as soon as possible, but it''ll take me 40 minutes at the fastest." With


    that, she hung up the phone and got into her car right away.


    The car sped off from the Levisay Residence like a bat out of hell. Flooring the gas pedal, she ran a


    few red lights in a row while speeding along the way. As a result, it took her less than half an hour to


    complete the journey that would''ve taken an hour.


    When the car stopped in front of Ben''s clinic, its tires squealed, leaving a pair of visible skid marks on


    the ground.


    Ben was already waiting at the entrance when Katherine opened the car door and stepped out of the


    car. The instant he saw her, he quickly walked up to her. "Boss."


    "How is he now?" Katherine asked with a sullen face.


    "He''s still unconscious. His blood type is special, so I¡­" Ben replied while looking frustrated.


    Katherine entered the clinic and saw a pale-faced Joaquin, who was barely breathing as hey on his


    sickbed.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Ben''s heart skipped a beat when he saw Katherine''s increasingly grave expression. Subconsciously,


    he asked, "How is he?"


    Instead of answering him, Katherine merely took the scissors and cut open Joaquin''s shirt to examine


    his injuries. The man had one wound in his chest and one in his leg, both of which ruptured his main


    artery, so it was normal for him to lose a lot of blood.


    After examining the man''s injuries, Katherine finally heaved a sigh of relief. "He can be saved. Anyter


    and he''d have to spend the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair." Such a situation was really a silver


    lining. Joaquin had no nociceptive nerves, so he didn''t notice immediately that he was injured. Because


    of that, it was almost toote when his injuries were discovered.


    Ben almost jumped on the spot while bursting into tears of joy. "You really are our savior, Miss Cornell!


    Please be sure to save Mr. Levisay''s life!"


    "Leave us, and go get these things ready." Katherine frowned while dismissing him with a wave of her


    hand.


    After writing a list and handing it to Ben, she returned to the ward. Taking out her silver needle, she first


    did acupuncture on Joaquin to stop his bleeding and keep him alive.


    On the other hand, Ben went out soon afterward with the list in his hand. Area Seven had a powerful


    intelligencework and many connections, so it was easy to obtain what Katherine asked for.


    Moreover, the high-ups in the government had learned the news of what had happened to the supreme


    commander of Area Seven this time. They gave direct orders to do everything for Ben''s convenience,


    allowing him to obtain all the items in less than half an hour.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He came in while wiping the sweat off his forehead. After putting the items one by one on the cab


    beside him, he looked up at Katherine, asking, "Miss Cornell, how can I help you?"


    "Hand the scalpels to me, then." Katherine was sterilizing her surgical tools at this moment.


    Ben didn''t notice it at first, but after listening to her words, he finally took a nce at the set of scalpels


    in her hands. The instant he saw them, his legs turned to jelly, causing him to fall to his knees at once.


    When Katherine saw him like this, she paused what she was doing, and her lips twitched. "You don''t


    have to do this."


    Ben stared at Katherine while looking ready to cry. "Hippocrates'' Scalpels? Y-Y-Y-You''re¡­"


    Everyone in the field of medicine knew the famous Hippocrates'' Scalpels! The mysterious doctor had


    only appeared once, during which time shepletely removed a spinal astrocytoma that had left


    everyone at their wits'' end. This was the only sessful case in the world, and the patient was still


    alive and kicking at present. However, the doctor had never shown up again since then. Ben and


    Joaquin had spent lots of money hiring someone to look into the doctor''s identity back then, but they


    didn''t manage to find out anything.


    He really never expected the Hippocrates'' Scalpels to be in Katherine''s hands.


    "Waste any more time spouting nonsense and he''ll die." Katherine gave him a dirty look. Pulling the


    scalpel, she then made a neat incision in Joaquin''s chest with deft hands.


    Ben felt his heart jump. Not daring to waste his breath talking anymore, he immediately watched


    Katherine perform the surgery with avid attention. He was a highly aplished physician himself,


    having made his name as the top neurosurgeon in the country at a young age. Even so, he felt he was


    no match for the woman before him in terms of surgical skills.


    Fulfilling his role as an assistant, he watched in wonder and astonishment as Katherinepleted the


    surgery. When she carelessly tossed the scalpel in her hand aside at the end of the surgery, he nearly


    dropped to his knees before her again. That''s Hippocrates'' Scalpels! I hear that they''re a set of


    specially made scalpels, but nobody knows who made them. In any case, this set of scalpels is


    something that every surgeon dreams of! "Miss Cornell, this is Hippocrates'' Scalpels! Do you know


    how much this set of scalpels is priced at on the ck market?" His heart ached as he picked up the


    scalpel that she had carelessly tossed onto the tray and held it in both hands.


    Katherine gave him a peculiar look. "It''s just a set of scalpels, no?"


    "That''s nonsense! How could these scalpels be the same as others? Who doesn''t want a set of


    scalpels that can remove an astrocytoma? I''m telling you, this set of scalpels is currently priced at one


    billion on the ck market, and in pounds! They''re priceless," Ben replied grumpily while rolling his


    eyes.


    Katherine''s eyes lit up instantly. She looked at him, her eyes glittering with excitement. "Are they that


    valuable?" I''ve kept my nose to the grindstone for a month, but mypany has only earned about


    one billion pounds in profit. Are these scalpels that valuable? In that case, why should I keep


    working so hard? All I have to do is make a few sets of scalpels, no?


    "How could they not be valuable? Nobody''s been able to see them no matter how much they want to."


    Ben gave her a resentful look while fondly holding the scalpel in both hands.


    "Hehe." Katherine gave a chuckle. "I have a job for you, then. I''m not gonna ask for payment for Mr.


    Levisay''s medical treatment this time. Just help me sell this set of scalpels, and I''ll give you one-tenth


    of the money."


    "What?" Ben looked horrified. Katherine wants to sell the Hippocrates'' Scalpels? "D-D-Do you know


    what you''re talking about? We''re talking about Hippocrates'' Scalpels!" He looked at her with a


    heartbroken expression.


    Katherine rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I do. If I''d known earlier that they were worth so much money, I''d


    have sold them long ago." She was penniless when she first arrived in Fontan back then. If she had


    known earlier that these scalpels were worth so much money, she''d have sold them long ago, and


    Jennifer wouldn''t have suffered.


    Ben was speechless for a while, but he saw from her expression that she wasn''t joking and that she


    seriously meant it. He gathered the set of scalpels and packed them up without saying a word.


    Katherine took Joaquin''s pulse before knitting her brows. "His loss of blood is a bit of a problem. What


    is his blood type?"


    Ben managed to find time to answer her, "Oh, he''s AB negative."


    Katherine was startled for a moment before a peculiar expression came over her face. Is there such a


    coincidence? Joaquin even has the same blood type as me. Her lips twitched for a moment before she


    said to Ben expressionlessly, "Bring the blood-drawing kit over."


    Ben stared at her in puzzlement. "What for?"


    Katherine rolled her eyes at him. "What else is it for? Don''t you see that he''s in such bad shape? If he


    doesn''t receive any blood transfusion, his brain willck oxygen for a long time. Do you want him to


    be an idiot when he wakes up?" She seriously doubted how he had managed to enroll in a


    medical college. How could heck suchmon sense?


    Ben''s hands trembled, causing the scalpels in his hands to drop to the floor, but he couldn''t be


    bothered to feel bad about it. Staring wide-eyed at Katherine in shock, he stammered, "M-M-Miss


    Cornell, you mean you have the same blood type as Mr. Levisay?"


    "Hurry up before I change my mind," Katherine urged impatiently. It''s not a good thing now that I''m


    getting more and more involved with Joaquin. The point is, how many things have I revealed about


    myself in front of him?


    "Oh, okay! I-I''ll go get it right away!" Ben replied before turning around and running off in a sh. Soon


    after that, he brought the blood-drawing kit over and drew blood from her.


    Katherine had just done acupuncture on Joaquin. At this moment, her face paled somewhat after she


    had 500 milliliters of blood drawn from her.

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Seeing Katherine''s bloodless face, Ben suggested out of worry, "Miss Cornell, please have a rest in the


    room next door. Would you like me to put you on a drip?"


    Katherine waved her hand, pulled a chair over, and sat down. "You don''t have to care about me. I''ll be


    fine after a short rest." Joaquin was already out of the woods and was in fairly stable condition. She


    surmised that he''d probably regain consciousness in three to four hours, but he mighte around


    sooner than that. After all, he was different from normal people, being constitutionally much stronger


    than average people. Therefore, she thought she might as well stay here to collect some data.


    Two hourster, Joaquin slowly came around with a cough.


    It was very quiet in the ward, save for the beeping sound of medical devices. There was a faint scent in


    the air that was somewhat familiar to him.


    He opened his eyes and stared vacantly at the white ceiling for a long time. Then, he turned his head


    stiffly to look at Katherine, who was sitting in a chair and dozing with her chin propped in her hand.


    At this moment, she looked somewhat pale. The light in the ward illuminated her face like a softyer of


    light, making her features seem even more prominent and beautiful. Her long and curly eyshes cast


    a faint shadow on her face.


    Stunned by the sight of this at once, Joaquin was unable toe to his senses for a long time.


    "Have you had enough of staring at me?" Katherine asked impassively without opening her eyes. She


    had been closing her eyes all this while, but she sensed the intense gaze upon her. She had already


    woken when Joaquin coughed. She was always vignt and would stay absolutely awake at all times


    unless she got drunk.


    "Did you save my life?" Joaquin asked impassively, though he asked the question in the indicative


    mood.


    Katherine opened her eyes, which glittered like stars in the gxy at this very moment. Upon seeing


    this, Joaquin was distracted somewhat, but he soon collected himself while still looking as nonchnt


    as usual.


    "I''ve gotten paid for that." Katherine yawned. Then, she came forward and grabbed his wrist to take his


    pulse.


    Her fingers are ice-cold, thought Joaquin; feeling as though he had gotten an electric shock, he


    subconsciously tried to retract his hand. The next instant, however, he came to his senses, thinking that


    his behavior just now was somewhat abrupt.


    On the other hand, Katherine retracted her fingers. "You''re recovering pretty well. You''ll be able to be


    discharged after resting for a couple of days."


    Joaquin stared intently at her. "Katherine, who are you, really?" The longer they spent time together,


    the more she surprised him. As a result, he began to develop some sort of unfamiliar feeling for her


    that even he couldn''t understand. Such a feeling was out of his control, so he didn''t like it.


    Tilting her head to one side, Katherine looked at him in childlike confusion. "I''m the good-for-nothing


    daughter of the Cornell Family as well as your wife. You''d better focus on recuperating from your


    injuries instead. Our wedding will take ce in a couple of days, and I don''t want to be the


    laughingstock of Hovington. Do you want me to say ''I do'' to a substitute or something in case you don''t


    show up?"


    Joaquin''s lips twitched at her words. Just as he wanted to move, she quickly held him down, saying,


    "Don''t move. If your wounds reopen, you really won''t be able to attend your own wedding."


    Joaquin looked at her in amusement. "Are you that impatient to marry me?"


    Katherine gave it some serious thought before answering indifferently, "Not really, but it''s my mom''s


    dying wish, after all. This is her only wish left, so I want to fulfill it for her."


    Her words pricked Joaquin''s heart. Suddenly, he was reminded of his own mother.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The atmosphere in the ward suddenly became silent and somewhat sticky. Luckily, Ben came in from


    the outside at this moment while carrying things. The instant he entered and saw Joaquin opening his


    eyes, he got so excited that he dropped the food in his hands onto the floor.


    Katherine looked at the food that had fallen all over the ce with a pained expression. I''m already


    feeling dizzy with hunger. Can''t Ben give me something to eat first before getting so excited?


    Noticing the resentful look in her eyes, Ben finally came to his senses and nced at the food on the


    floor. He quickly apologized, "Sorry, Boss! I''ll go buy some food again right away! Just give me a


    minute!" With that, he turned around and ran off like the wind.


    Joaquin couldn''t help but dart a look at Katherine while subconsciously raising his eyebrows. It''s quite


    something for her to even win Ben over.


    Not knowing what he was thinking, Katherine stood up and gathered the food that scattered all over the


    ce. Then, she sat sprawled in the chair, looking weak and out of sorts. She was somewhat gging


    after having so much blood drawn from her.


    Seeing that she looked unwell, Joaquin kept quiet without bothering her.


    Ben came back soon after that.


    After grabbing a bite, Katherine regained some strength, so she took her leave and left.


    Joaquin looked at her from behind until she disappeared from his sight before withdrawing his gaze.


    Just then, Ben said, "Mr. Levisay, Boss is really too amazing! She actually is the doctor with the


    legendary Hippocrates'' Scalpels! If it weren''t for her, you''d probably have died." He still couldn''t help


    marveling as he sat there and recalled Katherine''s superb surgical skills.


    Joaquin shot a nce at him.


    Only then did Ben realize that he had made a Freudian slip. He quickly put on a straight face, saying,


    "Mr. Levisay, our mission has been leaked this time."


    Joaquin''s expression was inscrutable. "I know that." Few people knew his mission this time. Other than


    those in Area Seven, no outsiders knew where his destination was. Therefore, it was very suspicious


    that the contents of his mission were leaked under such circumstances. He didn''t believe that there


    was a mole in Area Seven, so the only possibility was that something was wrong with one of those


    around him.


    In reality, he was already suspecting someone in his mind. It was just that he was still unwilling to


    believe it.


    "You''re severely injured this time, so you have to rest up," Ben said. Then, he stood up and left the


    ward.


    On the other hand, Katherine went back to Soulin International and rested for the night before going to


    Ben''s clinic the next day to check on Joaquin. When she entered the clinic, she was startled to see


    Beatrice, who showed up here while sitting in a wheelchair. Puzzled, she gave Ben a quizzical look.


    Ben gave her a forced, stiff smile before shaking his head.


    Beatrice''s eyes were badly swollen from crying. At the sight of Katherine, she stopped crying for a


    moment before saying weakly, "Miss Cornell, thank you for helping me take care of Joe. I-I really can''t


    imagine what would''ve happened to him without you. Thank you, thank you so much."


    Katherine''s lips twitched. Ignoring thedy, she greeted Ben before entering the ward to see Joaquin.


    Joaquin''s wounds were healing well. With the ointment she left behind, it only took one night for his


    wounds to heal almostpletely.


    "Your wounds are healing well. Keep it up," Katherinemented after examining his wounds. With


    that, she prepared to leave.


    "Katherine," Joaquin called out to her in a deep voice.


    Katherine didn''t look back, though; she merely stood with her back to him while waiting for him to


    continue.


    "Um, never mind. Thank you."

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    After Katherine had left, Beatrice said, "Joe, I never thought Miss Cornell would be so skilled in


    medicine as to be able to treat your severe injuries. That being said, you really scared the hell out of


    me this time. Could you stop doing such dangerous stuff from now on?" She looked at Joaquin bitterly,


    only to be overwhelmed with resentment when she saw how his eyes were glued to the door. What is


    so good about Katherine that makes Joe care so much about her? Could he have learned about what


    happened five years ago? No, that''s not possible. If Joaquin had learned about it, he wouldn''t have


    been so nice to me. Reassuring herself a little, she pouted her lips while acting like a spoiled child in


    front of him.


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    Joaquin withdrew his gaze to look at Beatrice. This time, he no longer looked at her as tenderly as he


    used to. Instead, he fixed her with a frosty, threatening stare.


    Beatrice''s heart jumped when she noticed the look in his eyes. Looking as pale as a sheet, she almost


    failed to hold back her tears. "Joe, you¡ª"


    Joaquin didn''t spare her feelings, though. He said straightforwardly, "Our mission was meticulously


    nned this time so that no mistake could''ve happened, but our location was leaked. It was your


    doing." He did mind what had happened five years ago, which was why he was especially kind and


    tolerant toward Beatrice. However, the ident this time had cost the lives of two of Area Seven''s


    members; even he had nearly lost his life there. Furthermore, two other members of Area Seven were


    crippled for life in the ident, and an evenrger number of people were injured.


    When Beatrice heard this, her eyes flickered for a moment. Not daring to meet the man''s gaze, she


    replied in an injured tone, "Joe, I thought you trusted me at least, but why would you have such a


    wrong idea about me after Katherine showed up? Did she say something to you?"


    Joaquin replied, "She didn''t say anything." Seeing how Beatrice was still trying to pass the buck to


    Katherine at this very moment, he grew more and more disappointed. The Beatrice I remembered isn''t


    supposed to be like this. She was gentle, considerate, kind-hearted, and poised. And now? He felt that


    the present Beatrice was really alien to him.


    Beatrice''s heart did aplete somersault when she saw the disappointed look in Joaquin''s eyes.


    Instinctively, she shifted all responsibility to Katherine, saying, "It wasn''t me, Joe. How could I possibly


    harm you? Someone must be trying to frame me for this in order to turn us against each other. It''s got


    to be Katherine. She''s got to be the one! She wants to steal you away and strengthen her position as


    your wife, which is why she''s slung mud at me like this. Joe, you mustn''t believe her!"


    The look in Joaquin''s eyes grew increasingly frosty. After closing his eyes wearily for a long time, he


    finally said impassively, "Just go away. For the sake of what happened five years ago, I won''t do


    anything to you. I can ensure that you''ll be well provided for for the rest of your life, but that''s the most I


    can do for you."


    "Joe?" Beatrice''s eyes popped in disbelief. Joaquin is actually going to give up on me? No, that''s not


    possible! She understood Joaquin''s character better than anyone else did. He was good in everything,


    only that he had a strong sense of responsibility. It was exactly for this reason that he had been nice to


    her for five years because of the night they had spent together five years ago.


    Everything she owned was thanks to Joaquin. And now, she was crippled in both legs and no longer


    stood a chance of joining the research institute; even Theodore had given up on her after bing


    thoroughly disappointed with her. If she were to lose Joaquin, she''d really lose everything. Grabbing his


    arm in a panic, she cried, "Joe, you can''t do this to me. Now that I''m already in such a state, what


    should I do in the future if you leave me?"


    Joaquin ignored her cries with a frosty expression. "Please get out of here before I change my mind."


    Beatrice pleaded with him for a while, but she instantly saw red when she saw that he no longer went


    soft on her as he used to. Looking at him with a sinister expression, she swore bitterly, "I know why


    you''re doing this, Joaquin! It''s just because you''ve fallen in love with Katherine, no? I admit that she''s


    prettier and more capable than me. Indeed, I''m no match for her; she''s made so many achievements at


    a young age. But what qualifies her to have so many achievements? Do you think she really is as pure


    as you see? I''m telling you, she wouldn''t even let go of my grandpa in order to be able to get ahead in


    her career! She''s a b*tch with no sense of shame!"


    Joaquin''s face darkened as he listened to her wilful nder on Katherine. He looked at her frostily


    without speaking.


    Seeing the change in his countenance, Beatrice felt more and more delighted. She continued, "What''s


    the matter? You don''t believe me? My grandpa is the top scientist in the country. Do you really think it''s


    that easy to join his research institute? I only managed to join the research institute as a research


    intern by taking advantage of his status. If I want to be a permanent researcher of the institute, I


    still have to work hard for three to five years. Katherine is younger than me, so what qualifies her to join


    the institute as a senior research fellow who is able to be on an equal footing with my grandpa? Isn''t


    that just because she is great in the sack and has an affair with him? Joaquin, you''ll regret it sooner or


    later!" With that, she turned her wheelchair around and left quickly.


    Joaquin watched her leave with a scowl. After a long time, he finally released his grip on the sheets,


    which he had clutched and ripped up.


    He was really afraid that he''d lose control of himself and kill Beatrice if he hadn''t tried hard to restrain


    himself. It really astonished him that Beatrice would actually be so vicious as to say such things.


    Perhaps this was what she truly was? He had never tried to understand her over the past five years; he


    just wanted to take care of her out of responsibility.


    After Beatrice left, Ben finally sneaked in. Seeing Joaquin''s sullen face, he gave a cough and said


    gingerly, "Mr. Levisay."


    "What''s the matter?" Joaquin shot an impassive nce at him.


    Ben hesitated for a moment. Then, he asked Joaquin, "So you actually know it''s because of Beatrice


    that the contents of our mission were leaked this time? Did you ever think about why she''d know the


    ce and contents of your mission?"


    Joaquin exined, "I had a GPS installed on her phone back then to allow her to locate me at all times


    in order to reassure her." Upon recalling this, he thought that he must''ve had rocks in his head at the


    time. No wonder they say that lust can only dull your mind. He just wanted to make it up to Beatrice at


    the time. She had just reached 20 years old, so it was normal for such a youngdy to feel insecure


    after such a thing had happened. She was always worried that he would leave her, so whenever she


    couldn''t reach him, she''d kick up a fuss or even threaten suicide. He had no choice but to install the


    GPS on her phone in order to put her mind at rest, but little did he think that the GPS would actually


    harm the lives of several of hisrades. "It''s because of my negligence that our mission failed this


    time," he said in a grave voice. Obviously, he was in a terrible mood right now.


    Ben didn''t want to rub Joaquin up the wrong way. Seeing thetter like this, he dared not say anything


    else, so he quickly turned around and left.

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Meanwhile, at the Cornell Residence, Lisa came downstairs while looking all dolled up. Seeing a


    dispirited Jorge, she couldn''t help but sneer. "What''s the matter, Mr. Cornell? Don''t you have dinner


    parties every single day and a bunch of friends waiting to ask you out to dinner? Why are you still at


    home at such an hour? Aren''t you going out?"


    Jorge was irked to see her in the first ce, and it irritated him even more when he listened to her


    sarcastic remarks. "Where are you going this time?"


    "What does that have to do with you? That''s none of your business." Lisa raised her chin haughtily


    without giving a damn about him.


    Jorge was as mad as hell, but he really could do nothing about her. Lisa''s family still had some financial


    resources, but the Cornell Group had gone bankrupt and been acquired now. Because of that, he felt


    somewhat diffident in front of her.


    Lisa rolled her eyes in disdain when she saw him like this. After pondering for a moment, she asked


    him with a smile, "I hear that the Cornell Group has been acquired by a multinational consortium. Aren''t


    you curious about who the Cornell Group''s new boss is?"


    Jorge replied, "Whoever it is, it has nothing to do with me." At the moment, he didn''t want to mention


    the Cornell Group at all. He had put in so much effort back then to make the Cornell Group what it was


    today. Who would''ve thought that he''d lose thepany in just a few months? It made his heart bleed


    to think about it now.


    "You''re not curious about it, but I am. As it happens, I''m going to the Cornell Group with someone


    today. I guess you don''t know about it, but the Cornell Group''s new boss is throwing a cocktail party


    today for the reopening of thepany. Many distinguished notables of Hovington are invited to the


    party, so I''m gonna be there to watch the spectacle," Lisa said while stroking her hair with her right


    hand. After that, she quickly left in high heels.


    Now that the Cornells no longer had a car of their own, Lisa had no choice but to hail a cab to go


    around.


    Two hourster, she finally arrived at the Cornell Group.


    Her feelings were mixed as she looked at the building before her. She and Jorge had taken great pains


    to kill Elsie back then before sessfully having the Olsen Group to themselves and changing its


    name to the Cornell Group. However, little did she think that the Cornell Group would end up falling into


    someone else''s hands in less than ten years after that.


    After letting out a sigh of emotion, she proudly held her chin up and walked into the building.


    There were many who attended the Cornell Group''s party today. As soon as Lisa entered the hall, she


    was startled by the noise that greeted her. She watched the lively scene of peopleing and going,


    especially when many of the guests were women from wealthy families with whom she had no


    opportunity toe into contact in the past. The fact that the Cornell Group''s new boss was able to


    invite these people to the party showed that the former did have some powerful backing.


    Following the crowd, Lisa sneaked into the party while trying to remain invisible as much as possible.


    Luckily, there were only a handful of people who knew her in person. Moreover, she was now down and


    out and had lost her former glory, so no one could recognize her from her haggard appearance.


    Hiding in the crowd, she looked narrowly at the guestsing to the party while getting mad with


    jealousy.


    Just when she was about to ask the waiter for a ss of wine, she inadvertently caught sight of


    Katherine''s figureing in through the entrance. Her countenance changed at once; she quickly


    walked over and grabbed Katherine.


    Now her amputated left hand would still ache dully whenever she thought of Katherine.


    Katherine subconsciously tried to fight back after being grabbed all of a sudden. Before she could do


    anything, she heard Lisa''s angry voice ring in her ear. "If it isn''t you, Katherine Cornell! Why are you


    here?"


    Dumbfounded, Katherine looked back at Lisa, who looked much older than she used to. She was


    dressed to the nines, but it did little to conceal her haggard and aged looks. At this moment, she was


    ring at Katherine furiously, which made her look very ugly.


    Katherine slipped her hand out of her grasp with little effort. Darting a look at thetter''s amputated left


    arm, she asked impassively, "Do you want to have your right arm cut off as well?"


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    Lisa shuddered violently; she couldn''t help but take a few steps back while looking at Katherine with a


    horrified expression. However, her fear didn''tst long, for she soon plucked up her courage. There


    were so many people here, and this was the party held by the new boss of the Cornell Group. Even if


    Katherine had Joaquin backing her up, she wouldn''t dare to openly hurt people on such an asion.


    Otherwise, she could forget about living in Hovington.


    After summoning up her courage, she snarled at Katherine like an ass in a lion''s skin, "Katherine! Don''t


    think you can scare me by saying this. Who do you think you are? Do you know what ce this is? Do


    you know what day it is today? What gives you the nerve to gatecrash the party as you please?"


    The bigmotion here drew the attention of many. Some who recognized Lisa and then saw


    Katherine instantly had excitement written all over their faces as though they had smelled gossip.


    Katherine looked at Lisazily while cocking an eyebrow. She asked nonchntly, "Oh? Is that so? I


    really have no idea that the Cornell Group''s new boss is capable of such a thing. Is she that


    domineering?"


    Sensing many people''s gaze upon her, Lisa subconsciously replied out of vanity, "Hmph! Now you''re


    scared, huh? Let me tell you frankly that the Cornell Group''s new boss and I are very close. You''d


    better be sensible and get out of here right now, or I''ll make you pay for it!"


    However, as soon as she finished her sentence, she instantly regretted it. Today was a big day for the


    Cornell Group, so the new boss was definitely here as well. If they found her bullying people in their


    name here, they''d probablye out and rify things.


    "Since when are we so close that I''d let you bully people by unting your connection with me? Why


    don''t I know that?" Katherine looked at Lisa in amusement. She really found thetterughable. Just


    by what means did this woman manage to drive Elsie to her death and end up owning everything that


    had belonged to the Olsens with Jorge?


    Lisa couldn''t believe her ears. "W-What did you say?"


    The next instant, several men in suits quickly came over and stood in a straight row in front of


    Katherine. Then, they said respectfully in chorus, "Greetings, Miss Cornell."


    Katherine didn''t even bother to look at Lisa, whose face was ashen with fright. "Today is the day the


    Olsen Group resumes business, so don''t let uninvited people in as they please. It''ll be bad if the guests


    are affected," she said, ordering these men to chase Lisa out of the party right away.


    Lisa only felt cold all over as she was thrown out of the Olsen Group''s premises. She looked up to


    nce at the building before her, only to realize that the building had really had its sign reced. This


    was no longer the Cornell Group. Instead, its name had been changed back to the Olsen Group.


    Katherine wasing back for revenge right from the start; she wanted to help Elsie take back


    everything that belonged to her.


    Lisa hailed a cab in a daze. When she returned home, she was still feeling cold all over, and her back


    was covered in a cold sweat.


    She wobbled into the house.


    Seeing how she came back despondently after leaving for the party in high spirits, Jorge couldn''t help


    but mock, "What''s the matter? Aren''t you attending the Cornell Group''s party? You came back so soon.


    Don''t tell me you were kicked out of the party?"


    Lisa''s ssy eyes finally regained their focus bit by bit. Looking at Jorge, she suddenly feltughable.


    "Jorge, how could you be gloating at me? Do you know who the new owner of the Cornell Group is?"

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    "What do you mean?" Seeing Lisa''s gloating expression, Jorge had a sinking feeling in the pit of his


    stomach. Subconsciously, he dreaded to know the answer that was about toe out of her mouth.


    Unfortunately, it was already toote for him to regret it.


    Lisa looked at him with a sneer on her lips. "It''s Katherine, that dear daughter of yours. She really is


    quite something. Not only is she the new boss of the Cornell Group now, but she''s even changed the


    company''s name to the Olsen Group. The way I see it, it was on purpose that she agreed toe back


    and get married. She''se back to take revenge on us!"


    Jorge looked very ghastly as he stared hard at Lisa while digesting her words. Katherine is the new


    boss of the Cornell Group now? The Cornell Group has be the Olsen Group? Whatever the


    answer was, he had a hard time epting it. He subconsciously retorted, "W-What nonsense are you


    talking about? How could Kathy possibly¡­" However, as soon as he spoke, he realized that he couldn''t


    refute Lisa at all. Katherine might not have the ability to acquire the Cornell Group by herself, but


    Joaquin did. Joaquin has stood up for Katherine more than once. It should''ve urred to me that


    there''s something more to this.


    Inwardly, he was overwhelmed with regret, but he didn''t regret asking Katherine to return from Fontan


    and get married to Joaquin. Instead, he regretted having mistreated Katherine. If he hadn''t listened to


    Lisa''s persuasion and treated Katherine harshly, would things have turned out differently by now? "It''s


    all your fault, you vicious b*tch! Would Kathy hate us so much if you hadn''t mistreated her? And now,


    not only are you in trouble, but you''re dragging the entire Cornell Family down with you! Why would I


    be so blind as to fall in love with you back then?" The more he thought about it, the more enraged he


    became. In a fit of rage, he jumped out of the couch and pounced on Lisa to hit her.


    Lisa''s eyes popped as she stared at Jorge in disbelief. Never did she think he''d be so shameless. At


    this very moment, the only thing he actually thought of was to shift all the me onto her! "Jorge


    Cornell! How could you have the cheek to use me? You''re the one who coveted the Olsen Family''s


    wealth and power back then, so you purposely set Elsie up and tricked her until you ended up marrying


    into her family as a live-in son-inw, no? How foolish of me to have always believed you! If I''d known


    earlier that you were such a person, I''d never have married you and killed Elsie with you! I''ve had


    nightmares about Elsieing back to take revenge on me every single night over these years!"


    Caught unprepared by Jorge''s attack, she was brought to the ground. However, unwilling to admit


    defeat, she came to blows with him instead.


    The pair subsequently scuffled with each other. By the time the servants at home noticed it, their faces


    were already ck and blue.


    Ethan kept shaking his head as he looked on. After instructing the servants to pull the couple apart, he


    turned around, went out, and gave Katherine a phone call. "Miss Kathy, Lisa came back just now and


    quarreled with Jorge. They even had a fight, and I heard them talking about what had happened to


    Miss Elsie back then. Turns out that they really were the ones who killed her!" As he spoke, he couldn''t


    help wiping his tears with his hand. He was an old member of the Olsen Family who had spent his


    whole life working for the Olsens in the first ce. He watched Elsie grow up as a child. And now, he


    felt terrible at the thought that Elsie''s death was premeditated.


    Meanwhile, Katherine was standing in the president''s office on the top floor of the Cornell Group. The


    large French window was wiped clean and shiny, allowing her to enjoy thendscape outside by


    looking from here. The sun was shining brightly, but her heart was cold. After a long silence, she


    replied impassively, "I got it." Then, she hung up the phone.


    She had never believed that Elsie''s death was an ident. Unfortunately, she had never found any


    evidence to prove it. And now, it was her chance that Jorge and Lisa were tearing into each other. She


    had been enduring everything patiently over these years. Even after returning to the country, she still


    pretended to be innocent and harmless just to make the couple let their guard down so that they''d give


    themselves away. After waiting for such a long time, she finally had the opportunity to find out the truth.


    After giving a few instructions to her assistant, she took the car key, intending to return to the Cornell


    Residence to see how badly Jorge and Lisa were quarreling with one another.


    However, as soon as she stepped out of her office, Ben called.


    She knitted her brows subconsciously; Ben was probably calling her at this hour because something


    had gone wrong with Joaquin''s wounds. After a moment''s hesitation, she answered the phone, asking,


    "Do you need my help or something?"


    Ben stole a nce at the man who was reclining on his sickbed while reading the document in his


    hands. Feeling a headache creeping up, he replied, "That''s so smart of you, Miss Cornell. I do need


    your help with something. Could youe to my clinic right now?"


    "There shouldn''t be any problems with Joaquin''s wounds if you treat them ording to what I told you.


    So, why do you call me?" Katherine had entered the elevator and was going straight down to the


    underground parking lot.


    Ben hesitated for a moment before exining honestly, "I did treat Mr. Levisay''s wounds ording to


    what you''d told me, but nobody knows what happened to him yesterday. His wounds got infected, and


    he caught a bad fever. I told him to cooperate and let me do a checkup on him and treat his wounds


    properly, but he wouldn''t listen to me¡­"


    Katherine raised her eyebrows. How Joaquin have such a headstrong moment? Well, I''ve never seen it


    before. After checking the time and pondering how much longer Jorge and Lisa would fight, she


    decided to go and check on Joaquin first. No matter what, she and Joaquin were an engaged couple at


    the moment. If anything bad were to happen to him, she''d also be affected. "I''ll be there in a minute,"


    she said before hanging up the phone. After getting into the car, she started the car and left the Cornell


    Group''s building.


    Joaquin''s wounds had indeed gotten infected, and he was running a high fever. However, when


    Katherine arrived, he was sitting on his sickbed and reading a book while showing no signs of being


    seriously ill at all.


    Katherine gave Ben a dirty look, upon which thetter raised his hands with an innocent expression.


    "Miss Cornell, I really am innocent. This has nothing to do with me," he said.


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    "Ha!" Katherine let out a sneer before going over and forcefully grabbing Joaquin''s wrist. After taking


    his pulse, she knitted her brows and stretched out her hands to strip off his clothes.


    Joaquin coughed uneasily with a hint of frailty in his voice. "Even if you have feelings for me, you don''t


    have to be so impatient, right? I''m still wounded."


    Ignoring himpletely, Katherine quickly stripped off his clothes and removed his bandage to


    examine his wounds. She had stitched up the wounds herself, but now, it was obvious that the wounds


    had been torn open, which proved that this wounded man was by no means well-behaved and had


    done strenuous exercise despite his injuries.


    Katherine''s expression darkened somewhat. She purposely poked Joaquin''s wound twice, only to


    frown again when she saw how imperturbable he looked as though he didn''t sense anything. She


    turned her head and asked Ben, "What''s his situation now?"


    "What?" Ben didn''t realize what she meant for a moment; he was still in a state of shock after listening


    to what Joaquin had said just now.


    "I''m talking about his nociceptive system." Katherine frowned while sounding somewhat impatient.


    Only then did Bene to his senses. "His nociceptive nerves have always been rtively dull. What''s


    wrong? Did something wrong happen?"


    "He''s not just slow in responding to pain now. He''s lost his sense of painpletely." Katherine


    straightened up with a grave expression. After darting a look at Joaquin, who behaved as though


    nothing had happened, she couldn''t help but massage her temples. She had rarely encountered such a


    disobedient patient in her life.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    "What?" Ben looked astounded. He subconsciously blurted, "That''s impossible! I''ve¡­" Then, he


    thought of a certain possibility, and his face became more and more ghastly. "Don''t tell me that


    something went wrong with the neurotoxin I usedst time? Not only did it do nothing to cure his


    illness, but it caused him to lose his sense of painpletely? Mr. Levisay, I''ve told you to ask for Miss


    Cornell''s help, but you wouldn''t listen to me. Look at you now! W-Why didn''t you tell me that you''d lost


    all sense of pain?"


    Joaquin looked indifferent as though this was something trivial that needn''t be cared about.


    Katherine''s countenance changed, and her gaze was somewhat frosty. "You administered that toxin to


    him?"


    Sensing the sudden drop in temperature around him, Ben subconsciously lowered his head, but he


    dared not deny it under Katherine''s stare. In the end, he had no choice but to brace himself and


    exin, "Mr. Levisay''s nociceptive nerves are impaired, so his response to pain has always been


    slower than that of others. This is very dangerous since his job is very risky in the first ce. I told him


    at first that I wasn''t very confident of curing him, but he insisted that I do it. But I never thought¡ª"


    "You idiot!" Katherine snapped sternly before examining Joaquin from head to toe. As she did so, her


    face grew more and more sullen. In the end, she was so angry that she didn''t even want to speak. "I


    still have something to deal with right now. You keep a close eye on him 24/7. If he dares to get out of


    bed or move around, inject him with a sedative and let him sleep!" she said to Ben while looking as


    ck as thunder. Then, without taking another nce at Joaquin, she turned around and left.


    After stepping out of Ben''s clinic, Katherine calmed down a little. Only then did she start reflecting on


    her behavior just now. Why would I overreact like that just now? After basking in the sun for a while to


    clear her head slightly, she got into her car and left.


    When her car drove into the Cornell Residence, Jorge and Lisa had calmed down. Each upying a


    couch, they sat there while ignoring each other.


    As soon as Katherine picked up her feet and entered, she sensed that something was wrong with the


    atmosphere in the house.


    Seeing Katherine enter the house, Lisa couldn''t help but mock, "How dare youe back, Katherine?"


    Katherine looked at her peculiarly. Puzzled, she asked, "This is my home, Madam Sutton. Why would I


    be afraid toe back?"


    Lisa replied, "Hmph! You''ve set a trap for the Cornell Family and made the Cornell Group go bankrupt.


    Why are you still pretending now?" She hated to see Katherine acting so innocent. It was precisely


    thanks to this that she was fooled into thinking that thetter was kind, innocent, and harmless back


    then!


    Katherineughed after listening to Lisa''s usations. Then, she asked earnestly in reply, "I''ve set a


    trap for the Cornell Family? Look what you''re saying, Madam Sutton. Did I arrange for the Cornell


    Family''s construction team to do shoddy work and use substandard materials during construction? Or


    am I behind the Cornell Family''s tax evasion? Would the Cornell Group have gone bankrupt if it''d never


    done these things? How could I be med for all of this?"


    Lisa was rendered speechless for a moment. Indeed, these things had absolutely nothing to do with


    Katherine. The Cornell Group was having problems of its own in the first ce; it was just that these


    problems had been brought to light coincidentally at the same time. She didn''t say a word, but her face


    was sullen.


    Seeing how Lisa looked, Katherine turned to look at Jorge. Seeing how angry he looked, she let out a


    sigh and said in a gentle voice, "Dad, do you also think that I''m the one behind these things?"


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Why would the Cornell Groupe into your hands?" Jorge looked at her with a frosty expression.


    Now he no longer believed that this daughter of his was easy to deal with. I should''ve realized that


    Kathy isn''t easy to deal with when Mrs. Leigh came to me back then. She concealed her capabilities


    and bided her time for the purpose of taking revenge on me.


    "Dad, I intended to tell you about this when I came back today. Joaquin acquired the Cornell Group and


    gave it to me as a wedding gift. I''d just learned about this yesterday, and today I was forced to go to the


    company. It''s all Madam Sutton''s fault. She suddenly came over, picked on me, and humiliated me in


    public when I wasn''t ready, so I¡­" Katherine said while shooting a nce at Lisa without finishing her


    sentence.


    When Lisa heard this, she instantly turned livid with rage. Jumping to her feet, she pointed at Katherine


    and swore, "Katherine, stop slinging mud at me! You¡ª"


    "Madam Sutton, did you go to the Cornell Group today?" Katherine slowly cut her short.


    Lisa froze instantly before looking at Katherine resentfully without speaking.


    Seeing her response, Katherine asked again, "Did you humiliate me publicly right away without asking


    me anything as soon as you saw me?"


    "I¡ª" Lisa tried to defend herself.


    Katherine interrupted her, though. "Madam Sutton, don''t deny it. A lot of people saw it at the time, and


    the media was also present. I''m not the only person who heard and saw what you said and did." She


    stared at Lisa seriously.


    Lisa was inwardly frustrated. She had all the advantages at first, but Katherine put her at an absolute


    disadvantage with just a few words! She didn''t speak anymore, but it was evident from her expression


    that Katherine wasn''t lying.


    When Jorge saw this, he understood everything. He had always known the fact that Lisa disliked


    Katherine and liked to pick on thetter. And now, Katherine had proven what she was capable of. If he


    wanted to enjoy afortable life in the future, he naturally had to suck up to Katherine. Perhaps she''d


    give the Cornell Group back to him when she felt like it.


    As the idea urred to him, his eyes lit up involuntarily, and he looked at Katherine in a much friendlier


    way. Then, giving Lisa a vicious re, he scolded grumpily, "Why didn''t you tell me that you''d provoked


    Kathy? You said those things just now on purpose to drive a wedge between my daughter and me,


    didn''t you?"


    Enraged by Jorge''s words, Lisa couldn''t help but yell in a stern voice, "Jorge, you really are getting


    senile! Katherine isn''t as simple as you see. Did you forget how she broke my arm? She''s fooling you!


    If you believe her, you''ll die sooner orter without knowing the reason!"


    Unfortunately, Jorge was now preupied with how to get in Katherine''s good books and get the


    Cornell Group back, so it was impossible for him to listen to Lisa''s words. The more Lisa behaved like


    this, the more he believed that she was trying to drive a wedge between him and Katherine. "You don''t


    have to say anything. Get out of the Cornell Residence now! Lisa, I''m gonna divorce you!" he snarled


    at Lisa to make her stop.


    Lisa stared at him in disbelief for a long time before pointing at herself. "You want to divorce me? Jorge,


    you actually want to divorce me now?"


    Jorge''s face was stony as he didn''t even take another look at her. "It''s best for everyone that we


    separate amicably. Lisa, there are some things that you know very well in your heart, so I''m not gonna


    talk more about them. Are you gonna leave by yourself, or do you want me to have someone send you


    away?"


    Lisa knew better than anyone else how heartless this man was. It wasn''t like Elsie had treated him


    badly back then, but he killed her nheless without batting an eyelid. At the end of the day, I''m no


    different from Elsie in his eyes.

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    Chapter 127


    With a smile tinged with feelings of self-mockery, Lisa stood proudly as her eyesy squarely on the


    man who she had loved her entire life and said, "Fine, I''ll go; I''ll leave. Jorge Cornell, you''d better not


    regret this in the future!" Then, she left in big strides without taking a second nce.


    After Lisa left, Katherine, who had been watching from the sidelines, bore a worried look as she turned


    her attention to her father. "Dad, why did you kick her out? You''re not getting younger anymore. How


    will you live without her around to take care of you? Don''t forget that I''ll be getting married to Joaquin


    soon, so I won''t always be around to take care of you¡­"


    "Don''t worry, I''m fine. You don''t have to worry about me. There are still maids around after all, so I won''t


    be suffering much." Looking at how his daughter was being so thoughtful, Jorge suddenly felt warm


    inside.


    "The maids will not be as attentive as someone close to you." Lisa sighed.


    "I''m not so old to the extent that I need someone to take care of me yet. By the way, you said that


    Joaquin gave you the Cornell Group?" Jorge didn''t have the patience to y out this father-daughter


    moment, so he bluntly asked the question he was concerned about.


    "Yeah, Joaquin gave me thepany, but since his people are still in charge of the management of the


    company, I''m just going to be taking dividends without having to manage thepany affairs."


    Katherine nodded while wearing a bashful smile, looking as though she was a woman basked in


    happiness.


    "Is that so? But, it''s still better to manage your ownpany. Kathy, if you trust me, then it''s best if you


    let me handle thepany for you since it''s much more assuring than having outsiders take care of it


    for you." Jorge rubbed his hands together while looking at his daughter with expectations.


    Sneering inwardly, Katherine put on an ufortable expression and said, "Dad, doesn''t that look


    bad? It''s only been a few days since he gave me thepany. Not only that, our wedding isn''t even


    held yet. How about we wait a little longer before having that discussion?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "I see. That sounds right, I guess. However, you should remember that your ownpany needs to be


    taken care of by our own. Your father isn''t afraid of any hardships, but I am afraid that other people will


    deceive you and take advantage of you." Although Jorge felt slightly disappointed, he knew that he


    couldn''t rush the matter, so he didn''t forcefully ask Katherine to hand him control of thepany.


    "Yeah, I know." Katherine nodded obediently.


    "How about you stay for dinner tonight? Think of it as spending some father-daughter time with me. It''s


    been a while since we''ve chatted." Jorge couldn''t help butment as he noticed just how much she


    took after her mother.


    Katherine didn''t refuse her father''s suggestion and stayed for dinner. She had even spent the night


    there in the end.


    Early the next morning, there was a loud knock on the door of her room apanied by Rosemary''s


    voice that clearly showed that she was angry. "Katherine! Katherine, you wretch! Get out here! I said,


    get out here now!"


    It was only when Katherine got out of bed and put on her clothes did she open the door. As Rosemary


    suddenly found her hand knocking on the empty air, the momentum pulled her forward, which caused


    her to almost hit Katherine in her arms. However, thetter had moved to the side slightly which gave


    Rosemary some room to stop herself barely after staggering slightly.


    With a hateful expression, Rosemary turned to look at Katherine. "Did you set my mother up? Were


    you the one behind Dad kicking her out of the Cornell Family?"


    "How could I have set her up? Why didn''t you just ask your mother yourself about why she was kicked


    out?" With her arms crossed over her chest, Katherine leaned against the wall behind her as she


    smiled indifferently at Rosemary. As it had been some time since theyst saw each other, she noticed


    how much chubbier Rosemary had gotten, as though she was expecting. Not only that, but due to how


    close the two were standing to each other, she could clearly smell the stench of alcoholing off from


    her.


    "Don''t think I don''t know what you''re nning! Katherine, you''ll get what''sing to you sooner or


    later. Just you wait and see!" Rosemary gave Katherine an icy re. Since she knew she couldn''t beat


    her in a fight, she only said her piece and left in her high heels.


    Looking at Rosemary turning tail, Katherine thought to herself just how much Rosemary had grown


    from the short period that they hadn''t met one another, as thetter no longer acted on impulse even


    after she was provoked. With that passing thought, she stretched a little before she went back into her


    room to take a shower and changed into a new set of clothes.


    Katherine didn''t bother to find out where Jorge had gone so early in the morning, as she took onep


    around the house before she quickly entered his study when no one was looking. Although she knew


    him to be a man who would keep his bases covered, she refused to believe that he did not leave


    behind any evidence of her mother''s questionable death all those years ago. She wanted very much to


    push both Jorge and Lisa into the depths of despair without any possibility of them getting out of it.


    The fact that the room was neat and tidy, even though the maids were prohibited from entering


    whenever they pleased, showed Katherine just how much Jorge valued this room. She took a nce


    around before her eyesnded upon the family portrait on the bookcase. It was a picture of her, Elsie,


    Jorge, and Keith who just turned two that year. Subconsciously, she reached out to the photo, and just


    as she touched it, the bookcase parted from the middle to reveal a wall with a hidden door behind it.


    Just as she was about to enter the hidden room with a pleased expression, she heard Ethan''s voice


    coming from outside. "Mr. Cornell, why are you back so soon?"


    Katherine was reluctant to leave now with the hidden door right in front of her eyes. However, she knew


    that Jorge would definitely destroy all evidence should he know she was here. By that time, any hopes


    she had to gather evidence would be dashed, so she gritted her teeth and quickly returned the


    bookcase to its original position before hiding behind the curtain.


    Soon, Jorge opened the door and came in in quick steps. He looked slightly panicked in the direction of


    the bookcase before going over and gently pushing the photo on it. After the bookcase parted to reveal


    the hidden door, he took a look around to make sure no one was near before he entered the hidden


    room. As the hidden door closed, the bookcase returned to its original position in no time at all.


    Silently, Katherine stared at the bookcase for some time but decided to quickly make her exit in the


    end. Now isn''t the right time. Jorge is still useful to me, she thought.


    After she left the Cornell Residence, the poison in Joaquin''s body came to her mind, so she


    immediately drove to an underground market in Hovington. If she wanted topletely rid him of his


    ailment, there was no other way but to seek out two herbs that had not been identified. As she


    navigated her way into the underground market with familiarity, she made her way through the bustling


    crowd before entering a small house located at the deepest end of the market.


    Inside the sparsely furnished house, an old man was dozing off and only opened his eyes when he


    heard the door open. He first took a nce at Katherine before he closed his eyes once more after


    figuring out who she was. Indifferently, he asked, "What do you want?"


    "I need your help in finding two herbs. A Millennial Gentiana Scabra and a Green Dribble Gramineae."

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    "Hmm?" When the indifferent old man heard the names of the herbs Katherine was searching for, his


    eyes twinkled with amusement.


    There weren''t many that would use a Millennial Gentiana Scabra and a Green Dribble Gramineae. At


    the very least, it would be impossible for the named herbs to find their ce in the local modern era of


    medication. However, the olden days were different. These herbs were the optimal herbs in a certain


    form for curing poison, especially against the ones that were specialized in inflicting neurological


    damage.


    "And how should I address you?" Putting away his earlier belittlement, the old man spoke respectfully


    to Katherine.


    "Can you do it?" Katherine didn''t answer and only repeated the question once more.


    "I can. However, it''ll take up to three days before I can get it into Hovington." When the old man noticed


    Katherine''s displeasure, he dared not inquire any further and only answered what he was asked.


    "That''s too long. At the very least, I want it in one day." The reason why Joaquin had lost his sense of


    pain was that the poison had already invaded his cranial nerves. Should the poison not be neutralized


    soon, he would be utterly ruined.


    "That would be¡­" The old man hesitated slightly.


    After a brief thought, Katherine took out something from her pocket and tossed it over to him.


    Though the old man didn''t see what was tossed over to him, he instinctively reached his hands out to


    catch it. When heid his eyes on the item he caught, his expression immediately changed as he shot


    up from his chair. Almost kneeling to her, he said, "Your¡ª"


    "Deliver what I want as fast as you can to No. 731 Honor Street. I trust that you will not divulge what


    you shouldn''t be divulging?" Katherine warned him with a stern expression which caused the old man


    to immediately swallow back whatever he wanted to say.


    With a frightened expression, the old man looked at Katherine before taking another look at the badge


    in his hand and failed to get himself together. It was only when she had left the house did he


    immediately make a phone call to arrange for the herbs to be brought into Hovington.


    After she was done with her business there, Katherine went straight back to Ben''s clinic.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was leisurely lying on the bed while reading something off his phone. When he


    heard noisesing from the door, he looked toward the door with his eyebrows raised as he was


    surprised to find Katherine by the door.


    Without saying a word, Katherine came toward him and grabbed his hand to take his pulse before she


    crudely undid his clothes to check on the recovery of his wound. After she finished checking him, she


    couldn''t help but mock, "You should be thankful for your loss of sense of pain. Otherwise, you''d be


    suffering here now."


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "So I should be d?" Joaquin smiled.


    Katherine pulled a chair over to the side of the bed and sat down. "How were you poisoned? That kind


    of poison is very rare. Ordinary people won''t evere across them in their whole life. Just what did


    you do?"


    Joaquin''s eyes only flickered briefly as he kept his silence against Katherine''s question.


    Unbothered by his silence, Katherine continued, "From your condition, I suppose you were poisoned


    close to a decade ago."


    "Are you that interested in me? Don''t tell me that you''ve really fallen for me?" Joaquin said yfully


    with a mischievous smile.


    Yet, Katherine only continued to stare at him while propping her chin in one hand. Since Joaquin''s


    mask hadpletely hidden his face, she was slightly tempted in taking off his mask to see the face


    behind the mask. Nevertheless, it was just a passing thought, as she didn''t act on it in the end. Then,


    she dismissed her thoughts and stopped staring at the man before she said indifferently, "It''s just


    personal curiosity. After all, Zephyr isn''t circted in the market much."


    "You know of it?" Joaquin was caught off guard. He had already been surprised by the woman in front


    of him numerous times, but he had never thought that she would even know about Zephyr. Perhaps


    she even knows about¡­ His thoughts trailed off before he asked, "Do you know what sort of person


    would be able to procure such poison? Or perhaps what organization?" He looked at her with fiery


    eyes.


    Katherine looked at Joaquin strangely, as though he had just asked a ridiculous question. "Since this


    poison was destroyed not long after it was concocted, there weren''t many that got their hands on it.


    Besides the maker, I would guess that only a few of the veterans from the Vermillion Alliance still have


    some in their possession."


    "The Vermillion Alliance?" Joaquin became even more surprised.


    Noticing Joaquin''s expression, Katherine froze briefly before she realized she had said too much.


    Then, she simply shut her mouth and refused to continue talking.


    However, Joaquin had alreadye to a conclusion after looking at how she reacted but chose to let


    sleeping dogs lie. Back when she delivered Xyadin to him, he already had his suspicions about her


    connection with the Vermillion Alliance. Now, his suspicions were proved to be true.


    "Since your wounds seem to be recovering well, I''ll take my leave here." Although Katherine had only


    sat with him for a bit, she felt ufortable as she could feel Joaquin''s eyes on her. And so, she stood


    up and made her way out the door.


    "Don''t you find it pitiable for me to be alone here? Won''t you keep mepany, my dear fianc¨¦e?"


    Joaquin gave her the googly eye.


    It was, however, in vain as Joaquin''s mask was in the way, so Katherine pretended not to have noticed


    as she rolled her eyes at him before she turned away. Just as she opened the door, Ben, who was


    eavesdropping the entire time, was caught off guard as he fell into the room. Looking at the sorry state


    he was in, she looked back at Joaquin with a smile and said, "Look, yourpany has arrived." Then,


    she walked away with big strides.


    Suddenly feeling a shiver in his back, Ben became tense as he sneakily turned his eyes to Joaquin.


    When he saw clearly just what kind of expression Joaquin was wearing, he immediately felt that his life


    was in danger. "Ah¡­ I-I forgot that I still have some very important things to deal with in Area Seven. I


    gotta go." Having said that, he left with great haste, as though he had mmed on the gas pedal.


    Only after everyone had left did Joaquin chuckle in amusement.


    Katherine wasn''t in a hurry to go home after she got out of the clinic.


    Now that some time has passed since Hebert''s recovery, there should be some reaction on Tessa''s


    part right about now. Counting the timing in her head, Katherine determined that trouble was on the


    horizon and that it wasing very soon. With that, she decided to take a drive around the city.


    When it was three in the afternoon, Jorge''s phone call came just as she expected. The chill in her eyes


    grew colder as she looked at the ringing phone. It was only after a few beats did she answer the call


    with a tone tinged with anxiety. "Dad, did something happen? You seem to be trying to reach me


    urgently."


    Jorge''s discontentment disappeared for the most part when he heard what his daughter said. Sneaking


    a nce at Tessa who was right in front of him, he said gently, "Kathy, here''s the thing. There''s actually


    some guests at home now. Are you free toe back now?"


    "It''s not convenient for me right now, Dad. Joaquin was injured and admitted, so I''m at the hospital


    apanying him right now," Katherine said miserably.


    "The hospital? Is it serious? Is he alright? Which hospital is he in? I''ll bring the guests with me to visit


    him as well." Upon hearing that Joaquin was injured, Jorge grew anxious.


    "I don''t think that''s convenient. The Levisay Family wants to keep things under wraps. Dad, are the


    guests there to meet me?"

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    "Yes. The guests are here to meet you. It''s Mrs. Leigh and her daughter. The ones who came by our


    home thest time. They said that they have something urgent to discuss with you. They look quite


    desperate." Under Tessa and London''s watchful eyes, Jorge hurriedly put in a few good words as he


    thought of the benefits that they had promised him.


    "Me? I''m just an ordinary person. How can I help them?" Katherine feigned astonishment.


    "That''s¡­" Jorge was lost for words.


    "Mr. Cornell, this daughter of yours is truly an unfilial one. You''re personally making a call to ask her to


    come back, yet she''s still trying to y coy. Looks like your position in this family isn''t all that." London


    grew slightly displeased as there wasn''t even a shadow of Katherine around even after her father had


    been nagging for her toe home. If it weren''t for her mother''s condition, she wouldn''t havee


    here only to suffer at the whim of some child.


    "Mrs¡ª"


    "Dad, with how they''re acting, I doubt they''reing to meet me for a good reason. Anyway, if there''s


    nothing else, then I have to go. Joaquin''s calling me." As Katherine heard how arrogant London was


    through the phone, she immediately ended the call.


    With his mouth slightly gaped, Jorge was about to say something but couldn''t bring his voice out in the


    end.


    "Mr. Cornell, what did she say?" Tessa inquired eagerly.


    "I''m sorry, Mrs. Leigh. Because my daughter''s fianc¨¦ has gotten into an ident, so¡­"


    "Excuses. She just doesn''t want toe back. Mom, we have no need to beg for her help. With how


    big the country is, surely we can find someone who can cure your condition. That Katherine girl only


    looks impressive, but I doubt that she has the ability to cure you," London said in utter irritation.


    However, Tessa red at her child in displeasure and said, "She''s someone who can even cure your


    father''s illness."


    In the end, London could only swallow the retorts she was about to make about Katherine under her


    mother''s re.


    As Tessa did not dare to throw a tantrum in Jorge''s presence, she politely thanked him and left some


    gifts for the family before leaving with London.


    When the mother-daughter pair left the residence, London snapped, "Mom, why are you being so nice


    to them? If you would just arrange for someone to tie that Katherine up and bring her to you, I doubt


    that she would dare to be this disobedient in treating you."


    "Cease your nonsense. If you''re not happy having to apany me here, then you should just get lost


    and go back to Kynd," Tessa chided unhappily with a dark expression.


    Although London was feeling reluctant, she didn''t dare continue talking.


    After Tessa made a few phone calls and found Katherine''s current location, she ordered her driver to


    send them there. She absolutely needed Katherine''s help in saving her no matter what, as she loathed


    having to do a resection. Not only was her position in the family on shaky grounds, but she doubted


    that Hebert would even spare her another look should her body have any ''defects.''


    In a certain caf¨¦, Katherine was leisurely having tea when the staff weed a new customer.


    Following the staff''s greetings, Tessa entered the caf¨¦ in a hurry with London in tow. The moment she


    found where Katherine was sitting, she went straight over to her.


    "Miss Cornell, I''m really sorry for taking the liberty toe up to you." Tessa''s attitude was quite polite,


    though her smile seemed slightly stiff.


    Taking a sip of her tea, Katherine raised her head and took a nce at Tessa before she asked nkly,


    "Do I know you?"


    At that, Tessa choked back her annoyance as she found the situation difficult to bear. Nevertheless,


    she could only suppress her emotions when she thought about her condition. "Miss Cornell, we''ve met


    once in the hospital. I''m here to apologize for how poor my attitude was back then, so much so that I


    ended up offending you. Will you be the bigger person and forgive me?"


    "But, I''m not a bigger person." Katherine blinked dumbfoundedly with an innocent look.


    Tessa was on the verge of vomiting a mouthful of blood as she thought just why Katherine''s answers


    were not only conversation-killers but also extremely hard to stomach. Since she felt a surge of anger


    rising and she knew she had to hold it in, the expression on her face was a wonderful sight to behold.


    On the other hand, London couldn''t keep her temper in check any longer as she saw how arrogant


    Katherine was being. Then, in a fit of anger, she said, "Katherine Cornell! You''d better show some


    respect here. My mother is part of the Leigh Family! She''s already paying you enough respect by


    asking for your help politely, yet you continue to make a fool out of¡ª"


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    p!


    Before London could finish her sentence, Tessa had turned to her with a furious expression and


    interrupted her by pping her right on the face.


    Holding her cheek with one hand, London looked at her mother in disbelief. "Mom, you¡­"


    "Shut up! Get down on your knees and apologize to Miss Cornell, now!" Tessa was angry to the point


    where she was breathing heavily. It was hard enough for her to grovel to Katherine for a favor, yet her


    actions were rendered invalid due to the words of her own daughter. Right now, all she could think


    about was how she wanted to vent this anger on London.


    Looking at the drama the mother-daughter pair had put on for her, Katherine smiled a little.


    Although London was reluctant, she still kneeled in the end, albeit with hostility in her eyes that were to


    the point of contempt, under her mother''s watchful gaze. It was then that the customers in the caf¨¦ all


    looked toward her. With Tessa wearing a subservient expression and acting to please Katherine, there


    was a sense of unpleasantness for all those who were watching the scene.


    "Mrs. Leigh, there''s no need to do this." Sneering inwardly, Katherine looked at Tessa and sighed.


    "Miss Cornell, I beg you. Please help me," Tessa said as she wiped the corner of her reddened eye.


    "But, I''m just an ordinary woman. How am I supposed to help you?" Katherine asked with a puzzled


    look.


    "If you can cure my husband''s illness, then you''ll definitely be able to cure my condition. Please, I beg


    you, Miss Cornell. I''ll agree to whatever conditions you ask. Just please help me." As Tessa was


    begging Katherine for help, she was about to drop down to her knees and beg.


    However, what Katherine said next managed to stop Tessa from doing so. "But, I''m not the one who


    cured your husband."


    "W-What?" Tessa widened her eyes in disbelief.


    "I''m not the one who cured your husband. Did your husband say it was me?" Katherine looked at Tessa


    with her head slightly tilted to one side.


    Tessa immediately went through her memory and confirmed that Hebert had indeed made no mention


    of Katherine. But, the doctors said¡­ It was then she understood that she was being deceived by her


    husband from the very beginning. He must have wanted to take his revenge on me, so he orchestrated


    this whole thing! This Katherine is not capable at all! It was all a sham! It was all so that I would be


    humiliated! The more she stewed in her thoughts, the angrier she became. Then, the politeness in her


    eyes vanished as she looked at Katherine and asked, "So you''re simply just a piece of trash? You


    know nothing of medicine at all?"


    "Right. Didn''t you investigate properly? I''m just a piece of trash that couldn''t even graduate from


    college. So, how could I have the medical knowledge to bring about a miracle?" Katherine nodded with


    great vigor, as though she was unashamed to be called a piece of trash.


    "Since you don''t know anything about medicine, then¡­" Tessa said indignantly.


    "I''ve never said that I have medical knowledge. Weren''t you the one who kept saying I do?"

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    "Katherine!" Tessa''s face twisted in anger as she yearned to give Katherine a p across the face.


    London stared nkly at the situation. It was only after she came back to her senses that she stood up


    furiously and grabbed the cup on the table before sshing its contents on Katherine.


    Never in a million years would Katherine allow herself to be sshed. She was just about to make a


    move when she heard a familiar and cold voice. "The Leigh Family really is imposing."


    When London heard that voice, her hand trembled, and the contents of the cup in her hand spilled onto


    the ground as she quickly turned her head and looked behind her.


    The man behind her had a cold expression while wearing a custom-made suit and half of a golden


    mask on his face. Though he was sitting in a wheelchair that made him a head shorter than the rest, it


    still made him inexplicably terrifying, and most people didn''t even dare to meet his gaze.


    London''s heart jumped fiercely as an urge to kneel down and submit to him rose in her. After she came


    back to her senses, she was suddenly filled with shame and anger.


    Unfortunately, before she could open her mouth to speak, she heard the man say nonchntly, "Since


    when did they allow just anyone toe in?"


    Just then, the manager of the cafe trotted over. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked


    at London and Tessa before replying quietly, "I''m sorry, Mr. Levisay. I''ll take care of it right away."


    "Starting today, these two are not allowed to enter any of our cafes," Joaquin added indifferently.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Yes, yes, I-I''ll inform our staff immediately." The manager repeatedly agreed, not even daring to raise


    his head to look at Joaquin.


    "Ha, who do you think you are? Do you make the rules? Sweet Cafe is a global franchise. Do you think


    that you can really do the ridiculous things you''re saying by paying off the manager of a random store?"


    After a brief moment of astonishment, London had alreadye back to her senses, and she looked at


    Joaquin with disdain, wanting to see how he was going to be humiliated.


    However, Joaquin didn''t spare her a single nce and only looked at Katherine in exasperation, gently


    scolding her, "Why didn''t you call me when you were being bullied? Since you''re going to marry me,


    you''re the mistress of the Levisay Family, and anyone who bullies you is equivalent to bullying me. Do


    you understand?"


    The corners of Katherine''s mouth jerked fiercely. She wanted to step forward and crack his head open


    to see what was inside. Did he have worms for brain? She had just warned him not to move around to


    prevent the wound from reopening, but as soon as she turned around, he hade running out again.


    "Why are you here?" Katherine looked at Joaquin icily, her gaze upset.


    Feeling inexplicably guilty from her look, Joaquin raised his hand to cover his mouth and coughed.


    Although she was both angered and amused by his behavior, Katherine got up and walked toward him


    before cing her hands on his wheelchair. "I''ll take you back."


    "Okay." Joaquin nodded and gave Tessa and London another look before letting Katherine push him


    away.


    Right after the two left, Tessa and London felt their legs give in and nearly fell to their knees.


    At this moment, the manager of the cafe walked over to drive them away. "I''m sorry, but we can''t serve


    you."


    "You¡­" London growled, turning red from fury.


    "That man is the CEO of ourpany. Unfortunately, I have to tell you that Sweet Cafe is indeed


    owned by him." The manager looked at them sympathetically as he told them the brutal truth before


    ordering a waiter to politely invite the two out.


    Meanwhile, Katherine pushed Joaquin out of the cafe. It was only after she left the square that the


    feeling of being watched finally disappeared.


    Katherine was just about to turn around when she heard Joaquin''s voice ringing in her ears. "Don''t look


    back."


    "Why are you here?" She thought that it was unusual for him to show up in this ce. After all, he


    couldn''t have kept an eye on her after taking a liking to her ande over because he knew that she


    was being bullied, right?


    Joaquin pursed his lips and fell silent for a long while. After a brief hesitation as he debated between


    telling her the truth or hiding it from her, he chose toe clean in the end. "I received a message from


    Area Seven and found out that a member of the organization that poisoned me was here, and their


    target is you, so I came here."


    "I''m their target?" Katherine was stunned. However, she soon understood that her identity must have


    been exposed.


    She had been very cautious after returning to the country and had not revealed her identity in public in


    case any ouws abroad came looking for her after learning her whereabouts. However, she didn''t


    expect that even though she had been so cautious, she had still been given away.


    "Yeah." Joaquin nodded, sizing Katherine up suspiciously as he asked, "Who exactly are you to have


    all these people targeting you?"


    "Maybe it''s because I''m your fianc¨¦e. Mr. Levisay, why don''t we call off the engagement? I''ve really


    been in constant trouble ever since I got engaged to you. Tell me, how many people have I been


    bothered by in just a short period of time?" Katherine touched her chin and pondered seriously for a


    moment before she looked at Joaquin with a stern expression.


    The corners of Joaquin''s mouth twitched as he looked at Katherine speechlessly. "I''m just a useless


    member of the Levisay Family. I don''t even have the right to seed my family."


    "Tch. So what if the CEO of Sweet Cafe Corporation doesn''t have the right of session to the Levisay


    Family?" Katherineughed mockingly.


    Joaquin suddenly felt like he had shot himself in the foot. "I was just lying to them."


    "Oh, then I was just joking with you." She smiled.


    He immediately fell silent.


    In the meantime, Ben had been waiting for them in the parking lot. When he saw Joaquin and


    Katherine approaching him together, he froze for a moment and asked Joaquin reflexively, "Mr. Levisay,


    did youe here specifically just to¡­"


    Before he could finish, he was immediately met with Joaquin''s cold, piercing gaze, causing him to seal


    his mouth shut meekly, not daring to finish his words.


    Then, Jeremy got out of the car, and the two of them lifted Joaquin into the car together before


    Katherine followed them inside. The moment she got in, she immediately began peeling Joaquin''s


    clothes off while Jeremy looked at them in surprise, unable to believe his eyes. He subconsciously


    turned his head to look at Ben, only to see that Ben did not look shocked in the slightest.


    Joaquin raised his hands and looked helplessly at Katherine. "There are people watching. Even if


    you''re craving my body, you don''t have to be so impatient, right?"


    She jolted fiercely, then shot him a vicious re. "If you continue spewing any more nonsense, I''ll strip


    you naked before tossing you out of the car. Don''t you want your wounds to heal?"


    Joaquin only smiled and looked at her, remaining silent.


    Katherine unbuttoned his clothes, and sure enough, his bandage was covered with blood. Although


    Joaquin had stayed in his wheelchair and did not move much, the journey from the hospital was


    bumpy, so it was impossible for his wounds to remain unscathed.


    Thinking that, she reached out and poked him heavily in his wound. When she remembered that he


    could not feel any pain, she stopped in anger.


    "Are you that concerned about me? I guess you do like me." Upon seeing her huffy expression, he was


    amused and could not help but tease her.


    "I treat our pet dogs the same way," Katherine retorted with a scoff.

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    "Is that so?" Joaquin smiled, not pursuing the topic any further.


    After Katherine inspected his wound, she reapplied his medication and was just about to say something


    when her phone vibrated. When she took it out and nced at it, she raised her eyebrows in surprise


    before making a call back.


    "Hello? Is this Miss Cornell? I''m here to deliver a parcel, and I''m already at No. 731 Honor Street, but it


    seems like there''s no one here. Do you want me to drop it off somewhere else for you, or are you


    coming back now?" On the other end of the phone, a pleasant voice sounded.


    "I''lle back right now." Katherine answered straightforwardly, then said to Jeremy, "Go back to the


    clinic immediately."


    Hearing that, Jeremy put the pedal to the metal, the bumpy road bringing a frown to Joaquin''s face as


    he coldly swept his eyes at Jeremy who was behind the wheel. Meanwhile, Jeremy only pretended not


    to feel it, and continued driving in silence.


    Half an hourter, they stopped at the entrance of the clinic, where there was a young man in a casual


    linen suit holding a box in his hands. Immediately after they arrived, Katherine pulled the car door open


    and got out, walking toward him.


    When the man saw her, his eyes lit up and he quickly stepped forward. "Are you Miss Cornell?"


    "Where''s the parcel?" Katherine did not answer his question, but her eyes fell on the box in his hands.


    That box was made of the finest wood, and it had been carefully processed so that it wouldn''t be ruined


    easily. Hence, just the box alone was worth a lot of money.


    "Here it is. Miss Cornell, I¡­" The man raised the box in his hands, but before he could finish his


    sentence, he felt a weight being lifted off his hands as the box was already in Katherine''s hands.


    As she opened the box and saw the two medicinal herbs that were packed inside, the corners of her


    lips hooked before she closed it. "There''s nothing wrong with the goods. You can go now."


    "No, Miss Cornell, I¡­" The man was still about to speak, but she didn''t even give him a chance.


    What a joke. The underground trade that was run by the old man was extremely miserly, and it wasn''t


    easy for her to get the best deal, so she refused to let this opportunity pass her by.


    "Is there anything else?" Katherine looked at him quizzically, with an innocent expression.


    The man opened his mouth, and though he had a lot to say, when he met Katherine''s eyes, he


    suddenly lost the ability to say anything, and only subconsciously replied, "No."


    "Then why aren''t you leaving?"


    "All right." Hearing that, he turned around and left.


    As Katherine watched the man leave, the smile at the corners of her lips grew even wider. Good job,


    old geezer. Putting aside procuring the herbs for me, he even arranged for a naiveckey to deliver the


    goods.


    As she was in a good mood, she didn''t take a dig at Joaquin who was getting out of the car, which was


    a rare asion.


    "I''m heading to Professor Muller''s research institute. Take me there." Katherine walked back with the


    box and ordered Jeremy.


    "Okay," Jeremy agreed as he nodded happily.


    Joaquin turned around and narrowed his eyes at Jeremy, who instinctively sensed the danger and


    cowered, stealing a nce at Joaquin.


    Meanwhile, Katherine had already gotten into the car. She reached out and knocked on the window,


    urging, "Hurry up."


    "Coming," Jeremy answered, hurriedly getting into the car and starting it before leaving.


    Behind them, Joaquin looked at the departing car for a long time before withdrawing his gaze.


    Theodore was not in the institute when Katherine arrived, so she swiped her card to enter herb and


    started refining the antidote. By the time she came out, it was already the next morning. Despite having


    not slept a wink the entire night, she was as lively as ever. She left the institute with the medicine


    before going directly to Ben''s ce.


    "Miss Cornell? Why are you so early?" Ben yawned as he came to open the door, feeling a little dazed


    when he saw her.


    "Yeah." Katherine nodded. She didn''t say much, and just carried the box into the clinic.


    As Joaquin was still asleep, Katherine passed the box to Ben and instructed, "Take out the medicine


    inside and give him an injection once a day. After three days, he will be healed."


    "What?" At her words, Ben wondered if he was still asleep and therefore did not hear her clearly.


    "Stop wasting time," Katherine urged.


    He blearily opened the box and saw three test tubes inside, each containing a colorless and


    transparent liquid. Without suspecting Katherine of having the intention to harm Joaquin, he went


    straight to retrieve the syringe and gave Joaquin a shot.


    "Hiss¡­ Ben, do you have a death wish?"


    When the needle was inserted into his body, he woke up in pain and frowned at Ben, cursing at him


    unhappily.


    Meanwhile, Ben had not removed the needle yet. He looked at Joaquin nkly for a moment before


    gulping. "Mr. Levisay, y-you can feel pain now?"


    "What nonsense. I''ll smack you if you keep¡­" Joaquin was halfway through his sentence when the


    sensation suddenly struck him. The pain in his wound was a little too much for him to bear, and it was a


    feeling that he hadn''t felt for a whole decade.


    Is my sense of pain back?


    "Seems like it''s working well." Katherine touched her chin as she observed Joaquin, who was breaking


    out in a cold sweat, feeling highly satisfied with the antidote she had made this time.


    While forcing himself to endure the pain, Joaquin looked at the gloating expression on her face and


    instantly came to a realization.


    "Y-You did this on purpose?" he asked, drawing a sharp breath.


    "Haven''t you always wanted to be treated for your illness? That''s why I helped you. You don''t have to


    thank me, but the fees for this treatment are not cheap. Remember to transfer the money to my


    ount¡ªone hundred million for one injection. No discounts, though." Katherine smiled brightly at him.


    To her, he was now a human ATM. After all, he was the CEO of Sweet Cafe Corporation, which meant


    that his worth was at least a hundred billion.


    On the other hand, Joaquin was in so much pain that he didn''t have the strength to argue with her.


    Seeing that Ben was still dumbfounded by the side, he scolded unhappily, "Go get me some painkillers


    already!"


    "Ah, oh, I-I''ll do that right away." At his words, Benpletely came back to his senses and stumbled


    out to fetch the medicine for him.


    As the wounds on his body were deep and in the most painful and sensitive locations, even if he took


    painkillers, the effect was not particrly great, and the pain still remained. This time, Joaquin, who


    had been out and about because he couldn''t feel any pain, could only stay still in bed in the hospital to


    recover from his injuries.


    As Katherine stood at the side and looked at his weak appearance, her smile grew so wide it reached


    her eyes.


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    Though Joaquin hated it, there was nothing he could do about it.


    "All right. In the future, you don''t have to worry about having an ident because you can''t feel the


    pain anymore. I''ll head back first. Take good care of yourself. I''lle back to see you another day."


    Katherine ignored his re and gave him a simple instruction before leaving happily, humming a tune


    under her breath.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    "Darn it! Why does my wound hurt so badly?" Joaquin cursed, his face full of frustration.


    Ever since he took the shot that Katherine brought over, his wound had been hurting, and even the


    painkillers and analgesia pumps he took were not effective at all.


    Ben looked at him cautiously. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Mr. Levisay, that''s because you


    reopened your wound, and the new injury caused the pain to increase. Even painkillers would be of


    little use. Besides, you''ve never felt any pain before, so now that you''ve suddenly recovered¡­"


    "Enough. Get lost," Joaquin berated mercilessly.


    He didn''t want to know the reason at all. As he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, he could now


    be sure that Katherine was doing it on purpose and deliberately made him experience what it was like


    to be in pain.


    Unfortunately, no matter how angry he was, she wouldn''t be able to see it as she had gone back to


    Soulin International and enjoyed a hot bath before heading to bed. When she got up early the next


    morning, she received a phone call from a courier.


    Katherine asked the other party in confusion after answering the phone, "I didn''t buy anything. What is


    the delivery for?"


    "I''m sorry, Miss Cornell, but we''re not sure either. However, outsiders are not allowed to enter your


    neighborhood. I''m currently at the entrance. Can youe out and take the parcel?" The person on


    the phone sounded courteous and polite.


    After racking her brain, she still did not know what it was. There were not many people who knew her


    address here, and she usually had her things delivered to the research institute.


    "Alright, give me a minute." After a long silence, she agreed and hung up the phone.


    She rummaged through her closet for a shirt and put it on before she headed downstairs to retrieve the


    parcel at the entrance.


    At the entrance, a young man in a postal uniform was waiting. Upon seeing Katherine, he stepped


    forward with a smile and handed her an exquisite box. "Miss Cornell, here''s your parcel. Please sign


    over here."


    Katherine weighed the small parcel in her hand; it was very light. Taking the pen from the mailman, she


    signed the courier slip before epting the box.


    As he watched her walk away with the box in her hand, the corners of the mailman''s lips curled up into


    a yful smile.


    Katherine walked home while unpacking the parcel. After removing the outer packaging, she found a


    small ck box inside, which made her frown in impatience.


    Am I being pranked?


    Inside the box was another box. It was only after dismantling six boxes that she finally saw an exquisite


    sh drive with the letters ''NSL'' on it. Katherine scowled at the sight. Just then, the elevator arrived,


    and she walked inside. When the doors closed, she looked at the sh drive in her hand, unable to


    figure out what could be inside.


    Once she returned home, she turned on herptop and clicked on a red spider icon within a hidden


    folder. Then, she logged in and sent a message to a group chat.


    Q asked, ''Which one of you delivered something to me?''


    A Funny Guy replied, ''Boss, did someone send you something? Who dared to do that before me? This


    is too much, boss. Just give me a minute. I''ll make arrangements for you right away.''


    Taking a Trip to Heaven denied, ''Boss, I didn''t do it. It wasn''t me.''


    An Escaping Wave asked, ''Boss, what did you receive? Hurry up and entertain us. It''s not a prank, is


    it?''


    The group chat was filled with messages, but none of them admitted to it.


    Katherine frowned. If it wasn''t from them, something was off about the sh drive. Thinking that, she


    yed with it in her hand for a long time before she went to get a newptop and plugged it in. Just as


    the sh drive was plugged into theptop, the screen turned ck. Seeing that, she frowned. How


    dare someone try to hack myputer?


    She typed a series ofmands on the keyboard, and theptop soon returned to normal, but she did


    not stop there. Instead, she proceeded to counter the malware and hacked into the opponent''s


    computer, transferring all the information from theirs to her own, and imnting a Trojan horse virus as


    she went.


    After doing so, she rolled her eyes. How brave of them to get up to no good with these mediocre skills.


    They''re messing with the wrong person.


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    After removing the sh drive and throwing it into the trash can, Katherine took a look at the information


    on theptop. Instantly, her expression changed, and she only reached out and rubbed her temples


    after a long time. If any of this information was leaked out, it would spell disaster.


    She switched off theptop, then got up and left the house. Two hourster, she arrived at the door of


    Ben''s clinic.


    "Miss Cornell? What brings you here?" Ben asked, his face full of surprise when he saw Katherine.


    She gave him a nod and walked into the clinic without saying anything, heading straight to Joaquin''s


    ward.


    Joaquin was extremely cranky from the pain, and when he saw Katherine walking over, he looked at


    her with a displeased expression. "Did youe to make fun of me?"


    "I have something important to tell you," Katherine said, her face extremely solemn without a trace of a


    smile.


    Seeing her expression, Joaquin took a deep breath and suppressed his stormy temper, struggling to


    remain calm. "Speak."


    However, Katherine remained silent and walked over to raise the overbed table, then reached out and


    helped him to sit up, even tucking a pillow behind his back while she was at it.


    Joaquin looked at her in confusion, but she didn''t even look at him and quickly switched on theptop


    she had brought over, then clicked on a folder and yed one of the videos inside.


    At first, Joaquin''s face was full of disinterest, but after he saw the contents of the video clearly, the air


    around him turned heavy, and his face turned terribly cold. The duration of the video was not long, a


    mere forty seconds, but the atmosphere inside the entire ward was oppressive and terrifying, as if a


    storm was about toe.


    "What do you think?" Katherine asked after he had finished watching the video.


    "Where did you get this?" His eyes were grim as he looked at her.


    As there was nothing to hide, Katherine told him about everything that had happened. "That about


    sums it up. I hacked the other party''sputer, and all of this data was from theirputer."


    "Please give me a copy of it. Thank you." Joaquin pursed his lips for a long time before he spoke with


    some difficulty.


    The impact the video had on him was too much. Even now, he wasn''t able to get over it, and his mind


    was steeped in a huge amount of shock that he couldn''t get out of.


    Katherine nodded and didn''t say much. Shepressed the files and sent them to Joaquin. He didn''t


    ask how she knew his email address either as he was extremely conflicted and didn''t have the heart to


    think about anything else.

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    "There are quite a few more videos here. I think you should watch them all. I''ll leave theptop for you.


    Take care of yourself." Seeing that Joaquin was not in the right mood, Katherine didn''t stay for long and


    left theptop behind before she got up and left.


    Many of the information inside was confidential, so it was not appropriate for her to look at it, but if she


    gave it to Joaquin, there would not be much of a problem.


    Katherine left abruptly, and it was only after she left that Joaquin moved the cursor to y another


    video. Each of the videos were gruesome, and he recognized each and every one of the people in the


    videos as undercover agents from Area Seven.


    In the past few years, many undercover agents had died in Area Seven, and most of their corpses had


    not been recovered. He had thought of countless possibilities and how they had died, but when he saw


    the videos of their deaths, he felt a wave of indescribable sadness and anger rushing through his heart.


    The more he watched the videos, the angrier he became, and the more he despised those


    executioners.


    "Mr. Levisay." Feeling the heavy atmosphere, Ben opened his mouth and spoke after a long silence.


    The sudden voice pulled Joaquin back from the verge of losing control, and he turned his head to look


    at Ben at the doorway with red eyes.


    Upon meeting his gaze, Ben felt his heart tighten abruptly, feeling as if he was being stared at by the


    Grim Reaper. He gulped and looked at Joaquin, secretly thankful to Katherine for instructing him to


    come in and take a look as she left. If not, Joaquin might have fallen into his own pit of torment, unable


    to escape.


    "Mr. Levisay, someone from Area Seven is here. Do you want to see them?" he asked cautiously.


    "Yeah." Joaquin closed theptop and answered indifferently.


    Not long after, a tall and sturdy man came in. He first nced at Joaquin before walking up to him, his


    face cold and expressionless. "Colonel Levisay, I''m here because I''ve been arranged to take over your


    position. This time, your mission failed, resulting in the death of a number of elites in Area Seven. The


    higher-ups are furious. Besides, after evaluating your injuries, you need to rest for six months at the


    very least. During this period, you should take it easy and focus on recovering."


    Joaquin did not say anything. He looked at the man in front of him and only replied hoarsely after a


    long time, "All right."


    The man spoke a little longer to Joaquin, and after he handed his tasks over, the man left. Joaquin sat


    on the bed, leaning his back against the headboard as he looked in the direction of the door, deep in


    thought.


    This time, Ben did not dare to go in and disturb him.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Two dayster, Katherine looked at Hera in front of her with a dumbfounded expression. "Mom, I''m


    sorry but what did you say?"


    "Silly girl. Why are you so confused? You and Joaquin will be having your wedding in a few days.


    What''s wrong? Don''t tell me you don''t want to get married?" Hera gave Katherine an angry look before


    she chided her.


    Katherine had really forgotten. I haven''t had a wedding with Joaquin yet? But we already act like an old


    married couple.


    "The wedding is just a few days away. What''s going on with that kid, Joaquin? I haven''t been able to


    contact him these days, and I haven''t seen him either. Have you seen himtely?" Hera asked


    tentatively.


    "Oh, he''s been caught up in something recently, so he''s quite busy. Don''t worry, though. He''ll definitely


    show up on the day of the wedding." Katherine assured her perfunctorily.


    Seeing her behavior, Hera only assumed she was being stubborn, and didn''t ask any more questions.


    After that, she took Katherine to the bridal store. The dress had been reserved since some time ago,


    but as the wedding was held in a hurry, it wasn''t tailor made and was only altered from an existing


    dress in the store. Katherine was urged by Hera to change into the dress inside, and although she was


    reluctant, she obediently went in.


    After putting the heavy wedding dress on, Katherine came out from the fitting room while lifting the


    dress hem.


    Hera, who had been spacing out, had a sh of jealousy in her eyes when she saw the gorgeous


    Katherine appear before her.


    "Miss Cornell, you look absolutely gorgeous in this dress. In fact, I have a favor to ask. Would you like


    to be our model? We would like to take a few photos of you. In return, we''ll waive the fee for your


    wedding photos. Moreover, ourpany will cover all the follow-up shots on your wedding day, and we


    can also pay you 50,000 for every photo. What do you think?"


    When the manager of the wedding store looked at Katherine, her eyes grew wide, and she immediately


    stepped forward with a smile and began negotiating with her politely.


    Katherine tugged at the hem of her skirt and looked at the manager as she went on and on with the


    offer. She actually wanted to tell her that she didn''t care that much about therge sum, and that it was


    really ufortable to wear this dress. She rarely wore clothes like these; she was more of a T-shirt


    and jeans person.


    "About that¡­ I¡­"


    "I don''t think my wife is so poor that she needs to work as a model for your store." Katherine was just


    about to refuse when a crisp, clear male voice sounded indifferently.


    A little surprised, she looked over in the direction of the voice and saw Joaquin, who was sitting in a


    wheelchair, at the door. Behind him was Ben, who was smiling brightly at her.


    "Why are you here?" Katherine lifted the hem of her dress and walked toward Joaquin.


    "We''re here for dress-fitting, no?" He looked at her as if his appearance was a matter of fact.


    She swept her gaze over the location of his wound, but didn''t say anything.


    Joaquin''s suit was different from hers; his was specially tailored. Upon seeing his arrival, a staff


    member immediately came over and led him to the fitting room. Meanwhile, the manager looked at


    Katherine regretfully, but she did not dare to continue pestering Katherine to model for her.


    As dress fitting was a very tedious and tiring process, it made Katherine even more certain that once


    was enough, and she would never go through this a second time. After all, it was too much trouble.


    "What a coincidence. Are you here for a dress fitting too, Miss Cornell?" Katherine had just changed


    back into her own clothes and was about to wait for Joaquin toe out so that they could leave


    together when she heard a nonchnt voice from her left.


    Looking over in confusion, she saw an unfamiliar woman whom she had not met before.


    Upon seeing Katherine staring at her in confusion, Lily pped her forehead and said apologetically,


    "My bad. You don''t know me, do you, Miss Cornell? My name is Lily, and I''m Joaquin''s childhood


    friend. We grew up together, and we even shared a pair of pants when we were little. Nice to meet


    you."


    Saying that, Lily extended her hand toward Katherine.


    She looked friendly from every angle, but Katherine could detect a very distinct hostility in her gaze.


    Is this woman one of Joaquin''s admirers?


    Katherine shook hands with Lily, unfazed. "Nice to meet you, too."

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    After Lily looked at the wedding dress Katherine was wearing, she hid the disdain in her eyes before


    she offered kindly, "Miss Cornell, is this the dress you will be wearing at your wedding? I heard that you


    and Joaquin got engaged in a haste. Did you not have time to get a customized dress? I happen to


    have a dress in the store. Would you like to try it on? Just treat it as a wedding gift from me to you and


    Joaquin."


    "I wouldn''t want to trouble you." Katherine tugged at the wedding dress on her body.


    "Not at all. Deanna, take out the dress I ordered and give it to Miss Cornell. I think she will look good in


    it." Lily didn''t give Katherine the chance to refuse before she called the store clerk over.


    Deanna then ran over. As soon as she heard Lily''s words, she subconsciously nced at Katherine


    with disdainful eyes, but still she obediently went to get the dress Lily mentioned.


    "Please head over here to try on the dress, Miss Cornell." Deanna huffed. Her disrespect for Katherine


    was written all over her face.


    Katherine only peeked at her before she turned to look at Lily. "It is alright. I am not used to wearing


    someone else''s clothes. This dress I have on now is fine."


    "Miss Cornell, you don''t have to be so reserved or feel shy with me. I have a very good rtionship


    with Joaquin. It is only natural I do something for him since he is getting married. This dress is a small


    token of my sincerity. I will be upset if you refuse me." Lily looked at Katherine with a hurt expression


    on her face. The former looked like she would cry if Katherine were to reject her.


    Katherine felt the corners of her mouth twitch. She thought it was ridiculous how they had to kick up a


    fuss even though she was only trying on a dress. At this point, she was really starting to regret her


    decision to marry Joaquin.


    There were too many oddballs around Joaquin. As if Beatrice wasn''t enough, there was now Lily as


    well. Katherine wouldn''t even be surprised if more women popped out of nowhere in the future.


    Just the thought alone gave her an immense headache.


    "No¡ª" She was about to reject Lily when Ben came out while pushing Joaquin, who was donning a


    smoky gray suit. It was particrly difficult to not be overshadowed in suits of this color. However,


    Joaquin looked extremely noble in it¡ªit was as if the suit was made just for him.


    Lily''s attention was taken away just like that. She stared so keenly at the man until she even forgot to


    continue ridiculing Katherine.


    It went on for a long minute before she subconsciously muttered, "Joaquin, you¡ª"


    "Why haven''t you changed?" heined with a frown when he saw that Katherine was still wearing


    the same dress he saw her in earlier. His gaze was on her the whole time, and he spared not one


    nce at Lily.


    Seeing this, Lily quickly exined, "Joaquin, Miss Cornell kept saying no when I told her to try on the


    dress I ordered before. Just what is she being so polite for? Aren''t you and I too close for her to hold


    back? What is mine is also yours. I¡ª"


    Without waiting for her to finish, Joaquin calmly interrupted, "I don''t think you and I are that close."


    An embarrassed Lily looked as though she was being strangled in that instant. Her face became


    flushed and even though her mouth was open, she couldn''t utter a word standing there.


    Katherine almost let augh slip as she mused about how Joaquin was still his same old


    straightforward self.


    "Why didn''t you try on a new dress? Do you not like the wedding dress I made for you?" His eyes


    returned to Katherine again.


    "I haven''t had time to try it on," Katherine replied smoothly, ignoring the sour look of Lily''s face.


    Lily felt ufortable, and it was as if she had swallowed a fly. She smiled awkwardly before asking


    Joaquin, "Joaquin, did you make the wedding dress yourself?"


    He continued to ignore her and not answer her. "Hurry up and try it on then," he muttered. "We can go


    home earlier once you are done."


    She was filled with hatred at that point. She had a good rtionship with him before, but for some


    reason, it all changed after she went abroad to develop her career.


    She refused to believe that Joaquin truly liked Katherine.


    To Lily, Katherine being a Fontanian meant that she had poor hygiene. Furthermore, she was neither


    educated nor capable and had no right to stand beside Joaquin either.


    Keeping her emotions at bay, Lily turned to look at Joaquin and grumbled, "Joaquin, we haven''t seen


    each other in such a long time. Why are you so indifferent to me? We¡ª"


    Mid-sentence, the man finally lifted his chin to look at her.


    Lily hurriedly puffed out her chest to leave the best impression on him, but just as she straightened her


    back, she heard his voice that was cold and without a hint of warmth. "Miss, it is very rude to keep


    interrupting someone else when they are talking. Has your family not taught you basic etiquette?"


    Her face instantly turned pale when she heard this. Wobbling, she looked at him and began, "Joaquin, I


    ¡ª"


    "We are not close and I don''t want to talk to you. Please get out of the way. You are blocking my view,"


    he deadpanned, his eyes still emotionless as he looked at her.


    Lily might be deceiving herself into believing that they were close, but anyone could see that Joaquin


    absolutely did not miss her one bit.


    As hurt as she was, she was more upset about the inequality.


    Even if he lost his status as the heir of the Levisay Family, he was still someone other men couldn''t


    compete with. It was precisely because Lily knew how capable Joaquin was that she was unwilling to


    let him go.


    Katherine had already been brought away by the store manager to try on the dress. She only walked


    out of the dressing room with a nk expression on her face as she walked out holding the skirt half an


    hourter.


    It was a smokey gray wedding dress with a deep V neckline and arge cutout on the back that


    perfectly hugged her figure. The fluffy fishtail-shaped skirt behind her gave her a dignified look.


    Katherine had just walked out of the fitting room, but seconds was all it took for her to catch everyone''s


    eyes. No one could look away from her.


    She was simply dazzling.


    The dress looked like it was made for her and her alone. Other than her, no one else in this world could


    make the dress look so good.


    Even Joaquin looked faintly surprised when he saw her step out.


    In her high-heeled shoes, Katherine impassively strutted in front of him. "You made this?" she asked


    casually.


    "Do you like it?" From the look on her face, she didn''t seem like she liked it a lot.


    She pursed her lips and drawled, "It''s okay."


    "Just throw it away after the wedding if you don''t like it. It is not something valuable anyway," he


    casually suggested.


    Unlike the nonchnt couple, Lily, who was standing aside, was about to jump and explode from


    jealousy. "Joaquin, don''t you know your designs'' current market price? Just a drawing alone is worth


    over 10 million! If this wedding dress of yours is put up for auction, you can even sell it for 100 million!


    You¡ª¡±


    "Was I talking to you?" The moment Joaquin coldly nced at her, it made her shut her mouth even


    though she was reluctant. Lily''s jealousy-filled eyes, however, were now shooting daggers at Katherine.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    "Is it worth that much?" Surprised, Katherine raised her eyebrows and tugged at the wedding dress on


    her body.


    It was made of special material that was a raremodity on the market. Just the cost of the material


    for making this dress alone probably was through the roof.


    Even though Katherine had had a rough estimate of the value of the dress when she tried them on, she


    had still underestimated it.


    100 million.


    Am I actually wearing 100 million?


    This was way too extravagant for me!


    Joaquin could tell what she was thinking as he looked at her.


    He brought a hand up to massage his temples and he sighed. "You can have it auctioned after the


    wedding if you want to."


    "Righto," she replied agreeably.


    There was no way she would say no to money.


    Katherine had a lot of things she wanted to do, and each of those things would require a huge amount


    of financial support in order for her to aplish them.


    However, her straightforward answer only further fueled Lily''s temper.


    "Are you broke or something, Miss Cornell? You are even selling your own wedding dress?!" Lily


    mocked in a sarcastic tone.


    Hearing that, Katherine gave the woman a strange look. "I am broke. Well, at least I am not rich


    enough to take 100 million lightly. Do you not care about 100 million, Miss Sutton? You sure are rich!"


    Lily immediately choked when she heard that. She then looked at Katherine with a dark expression on


    her face, but she couldn''t utter a word.


    100 million? Lily''s current worth wasn''t even near 50 million.


    She was practically boiling by now. Her n to ridicule Katherine had ended up with her making a fool


    out of herself.


    She wasn''t thick-skinned enough to continue staying here now that everyone was throwing odd


    nces at her.


    Still enraged, she finally turned around and scurried away.


    Hera had enjoyed herself watching the whole thing unfold from the side. She only quietly scolded Lily


    for being stupid after thetter left the scene.


    She then walked over with a smile, nced at Katherine and Joaquin before smilingly parting her lips.


    "We can go home if you have found the dress. Kathy, ording to traditions, the two of you aren''t


    supposed to meet before the wedding. I will have the driver send you back to the Cornell Residence


    later."


    "There''s no need for that," Joaquin unhesitantly replied before instructing Ben to bring him into the


    fitting room.


    Katherine, too, quickly went and got changed as she was ufortable in the dress.


    Joaquin didn''t only prepare a wedding gown for Katherine. In fact, he had considerately made 12


    dresses ording to Katherine''s size.


    She didn''t try them all on. She only took a quick look, and proceeded to leave with Joaquin when she


    was satisfied with them.


    Hera''s face twisted in anger as she watched the couple get into the same car.


    As Katherine got in, she couldn''t help butugh when she thought about Lily''s reaction. "You are a


    fashion designer as well?" she mused, to which he nodded.


    "I learned it for a few days because I was free."


    Ben was driving in the driver''s seat when he heard Joaquin''s words. He almost stepped on the gas


    pedal and sent the three of them into the green belt by the side of the road.


    Noticing this, Joaquin calmly nced over at him, his eyes seemingly warning Ben.


    Thetter immediately spotted an aggrieved look on his face.


    Joaquin was an annoyingly impressive person. He did study fashion design for a month back in his


    earlier days, but he eventually stopped because it was too boring for him. However, his teacher


    submitted a piece he designed for fun to an international fashion designpetition, where he actually


    won first ce. Everyone was trying to find out who the design industry''s dark horse was then.


    Unfortunately, the only thing people knew about him was his pseudonym; no one knew who he really


    was.


    That single piece was sold internationally at a staggering price of 50 million pounds.


    That was why Lily wasn''t exaggerating at all earlier. It wouldn''t be surprising if Katherine''s dress was


    sold at 100 million¡ªin pounds¡ªif the public were to find out that it was designed by Joaquin.


    However, Katherine didn''t know all these. She believed whatever Joaquin told her.


    After Ben sent them back to Soulin International, Katherine nced at Joaquin and reached out to


    lightly press on his wound. The man''s breath swiftly hitched as he red at her.


    When she saw the look on his face, shemented, "Running amok when your injury isn''t even


    healed? You must be dying to sit in a wheelchair for the rest of your life."


    The pain had drained him to the point where he couldn''t reply. He only managed to hold himself back


    from letting out a pained grunt by clenching his jaw.


    She then tossed him a porcin bottle. "This medicine is good for healing wounds. Use it so that there


    are no idents at the wedding."


    He caught the bottle and while he held it in his hand, he quietly watched her get out.


    "Mr. Levisay¡ª" Ben greedily peeked at the bottle in Joaquin''s hand. "¡ªMiss Cornell sure treats you


    well."


    Joaquin only calmly nced at him. "Are you going to start driving back to the clinic any time soon?"


    "Right away, sir," Ben quickly answered.


    After starting the car, he couldn''t help but ask again out of curiosity. "Mr. Levisay, you went to the bridal


    shop just to back Miss Cornell up, didn''t you? Did you know that Lily Sutton would definitely go there to


    make things difficult for Miss Cornell?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Joaquin only raised his eyes and nced at Ben. Even though the former didn''t speak, the threat in his


    eyes was evident.


    Seeing that look in Joaquin''s eyes immediately made Ben wither as he stopped asking questions.


    After returning to the clinic, Ben hurriedly checked Joaquin''s wound. He finally breathed a sigh of relief


    when he saw that the wound was fine and not torn. He then took a cotton swab and carefully applied


    the medicine Katherine gave Joaquin earlier.


    The wound, which pain was unbearable at first, only felt cool after the medicine was applied. The pain


    waspletely gone. Sure enough, Joaquin was surprised by how well the medicine that Katherine


    gave worked.


    This medicine¡­


    Ben, too, wasn''t sure if he was imagining it, but the wound seemed to have healed considerably after


    he applied the medicine.


    Scratching his head, he stored away the rest of the medicine, and gingerly asked Joaquin another


    question when he saw how pale Joaquin was. "Mr. Levisay, do you need a sedative?"


    Joaquin''s injury had been throbbing so painfully he couldn''t fall asleep without sedative.


    "It is fine. You can leave now." Joaquin didn''t hold back as he drove Ben away.


    Seeing that Joaquin didn''t look like he was joking, Ben quickly turned around and left wordlessly.


    Now that Joaquin was alone, he reached out to press lightly on his wound. To his surprise, he didn''t


    feel any pain at all. It did feel slightly itchy; it was as if the wound was healing.


    Katherine, on the other hand, took a hot bath, and hadfortablyy down after she returned to


    Soulin International.


    In a VIP room in Hovington Hospital.


    Tessa was standing beside with red eyes and an aggrieved look on her face.


    Hebert only continued tonguidly browse through the newspaper in his hands without sparing his wife


    a nce.


    "Dear¡­"


    "Who told you to mess with Miss Cornell?" He eventually put down the newspaper and looked up at


    Tessa, who only got more upset. "I have been wrongfully used! I didn''t try to mess with her or


    anything. I¡­ I only wanted her help because I heard that she has good medical skills. Dear, I have


    been with you for so many years. I might not have contributed much, but I have always given my all.


    Please, don''t kick me out of our house for our daughter''s sake. Also, m-my illness is really serious.


    Since you are familiar with Professor Muller, please beg him to let Miss Cornell help me."

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    "So what you are saying is, I have to owe Mr. Muller a favor because of you?" Hebert half-squinted as


    he coldly looked at Tessa.


    Tessa felt her heart skip a beat as a feeling of dread washed over her. Still, for her own sake, she could


    only bite the bullet. "Dear, we can just offer him money. I had Miss Cornell checked. Her family''s


    company hadn''t been doing too well. As long as we show our sincerity, she¡ª"


    "Since you had her checked," Hebert interrupted, "and probably went to find her, did she say she will


    help you?" He raised his eyebrows slightly, his gaze only getting colder.


    Tessa didn''t utter another word after that as she lowered her head and quietly cursed Katherine out.


    She wouldn''t have had to embarrass herself so much in front of Hebert if it wasn''t because Katherine''s


    refusal to save her.


    "I¡ª" She soon parted her lips to exin, but she was cut off by Hebert once again.


    "Enough. You don''t have to say another word. I am tired." After he threw that out, he immediatelyy in


    bed as a means to send her away.


    Even though Tessa was upset about his reaction, she didn''t dare lose her temper at Hebert. All she


    could do was swallow her emotions and leave the hospital with London, feeling disheartened.


    Seeing the depressed look on Tessa''s face, London couldn''t help but suggest in a low voice, "Why do


    we have to beg her, Mom? Katherine Cornwell definitely has a reputation since she is so powerful. She


    must be someone of importance if even Mr. Muller thinks so highly of her. At this age and time, there


    aren''t a lot of women who are influential. As long as we expose her, she will naturally be in trouble even


    without us causing a fuss. And I really don¡¯t think she can cure cancer. Is she even capable of doing


    that?¡±


    "Are you sure? Can we really do this? I¡­" Tessa still felt uneasy.


    "Don''t worry, Mom. There won''t be any problem. You should go to the hospital for proper treatment


    now. It is more important to keep you alive. We will bait her out with public opinion, and when that time


    comes, we will bring the media along to have her save you. She will be deemed as an hical doctor


    if she refuses. I want to make it impossible for her to continue on in the medical field in the future,"


    London sneered as her eyes turned cold. She truly had murderous intentions toward Katherine.


    Thinking that this was a good idea, Tessa could only nod in agreement.


    None of the better hospitals in Hovington wanted to take Tessa as their patient. Left with no other


    choice, she could only return to Kynd with London.


    Katherine, on the other hand, still didn''t have the faintest idea that someone had their eyes set in her.


    After she tried on her wedding dress, she went home and took a hot bath before she had a restful


    sleep.


    She was woken up by the sound of her phone the next morning.


    Her face immediately fell when she saw the caller ID. "Yeah?" she curtly mumbled.


    Aberama was taken aback by her tone, but he soon understood that she was in a bad mood after being


    woken up by someone. After letting out a chuckle, he went straight to the point. "Someone leaked your


    information. A lot of people probably already found out that you are currently in Hovington."


    "What?" Still groggy, Katherine didn''t immediately understand what Aberama meant by that.


    As Aberama didn''t know where to start exining, he swiftly sent Katherine a link. "Go ahead and


    check it out online."


    Hearing that, she casually clicked into the link and took a look at the webpage. Her eyes soon drifted to


    a topment below that had numerous likes.


    The corners of her mouth immediately curled into a smile. As she scrolled through her phone, she told


    Aberama, "Can you help me check who is in Hovington now?"


    "There are representatives from several foreign research institutes. There will also be a few well-known


    mercenaries who will being to Hovington today. It is probably going to get rowdy in the city very


    soon," Aberama replied solemnly.


    "Got it." She then swiftly hung up the call.


    The man was momentarily stunned. Looking at his screen, he thought about something, and eventually


    clicked into the link he sent her.


    However, it was only a second after he clicked into the page when his screen turned ck.


    Lips pursed, Aberama was rendered speechless.


    Not only did Katherine hack into Twitter, she had also hacked everyone who joined in on this


    conversation!


    At the same time, countless people who were surfing the Inte with their phones found out that there


    was a problem with their phones at the same time. They were just enjoying themselves by feeding off


    of the gossip when their screen turned dark, and their phones couldn''t be turned on from that point on.


    Katherine then threw her phone on the bed and was about to take a shower when the phone rang


    again.


    Irritated, she raised a hand to massage her temples and suppressed the bubbling rage. However, the


    look on her face immediately turned solemn when she saw the name on the screen of her phone. She


    quickly epted the call and obediently answered, as if she wasn''t in a foul mood earlier. "Hello?


    Grandma? What has got you calling me at this hour?"


    "Kathy! I have just arrived at Hovington. Send me your address. I will be heading over to your ce."


    Jennifer''s gentle voice, along with the backgroundmotion at the airport, came from the other end


    of the call.


    "You are back in Hovington?" Katherine''s expression changed suddenly.


    "Yes? Weren''t you the one who wanted me back? You silly goose, didn''t you want me back because


    you will be having your wedding soon?"


    Katherine''s heart was thumping hard with unease when she heard Jennifer''s words. "Stay right there


    then, Grandma. I am on my way. Wait for me right there."


    She then hung up before Jennifer could reply.


    Jennifer looked at her phone and chuckled to herself. "She is always so impatient."


    After saying that, she looked around and was about to find a seat when two men in ck walked over


    quickly and stood in front of her. "Ma''am, we are here under Miss Cornell''s instruction to bring you to


    the hotel. Please,e with us."


    Jennifer only looked at the two people in front of her suspiciously. Katherine wasn''t the type of person


    who did things irresponsibly. If they really were here under her arrangement, she would have said it on


    the phone earlier.


    Thinking about Katherine''s tone just now, Jennifer had a hunch that something was going on. She had


    a feeling that these two men were Katherine''s enemies, and they were trying to use her to threaten


    Katherine.


    Like a harmless elderly, she smiled and looked at them as she spoke in a hoarse and kind voice. "Oh,


    Kathy asked you toe pick me up? Wait a moment, please. I will need to stop by the bathroom. By


    the way, if I may ask, where exactly is the washroom?"


    The two looked at each other, obviously impatient. However, they still held their emotions in as they


    tried their best to look amiable when they thought about ''the man''s'' instruction. "Ma''am, let me carry the


    luggage for you. The washroom is over there. Let me take you there."


    She only smilingly nodded before she followed the men.


    After they led her to the entrance of the washroom, they held onto her luggage and watched her enter,


    and they stood guard outside while they asionally chit-chatted.


    Jennifer showed no signs of panicking when she entered. Slowly, she took out her phone and made a


    call. "Deon, dear, I need you to help me with something."Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    "Why isn''t that olddy out yet after so long? I hope nothing happened,"mented one of the two


    men who were guarding the bathroom door as they both nced at the time. It had been more than


    half an hour since Jennifer went in. Many people went in and came out, but she was nowhere to be


    seen.


    "Something is wrong." The other one wrinkled his forehead as he, too, was losing his patience. "Let''s


    go check it out."


    As they approached the bathroom door, there was a suddenmotion inside, and a group of people


    came running out with sour looks on their faces. They were scolding as they ran, "Are they crazy?!


    Why would two men go into the women''s toilet? They must be sick in their head!"


    When everyone in the washroom came out, the men looked at each other and rushed in, only to find


    that it was empty. There was no way anyone could be in there when the doors were opened wide.


    "Sh*t. She ran away. Chase after her!" They reacted by quickly turning around and went after her.


    To their misfortune, Jennifer had long since disappeared. They couldn''t find her even after looking for


    her for a long time.


    "Thanks for that, Deon." Jennifer, who had already changed into a different outfit, sat in a caf¨¦ at the


    airport and took a sip of coffee before thanking the man in front of her.


    "Jenny, why are you¡ª" The man looked at Jennifer with uncertainty. When he met her eyes halfway


    through his words, he quietly swallowed the words that almost came out of him.


    "Kathy will be here to pick me up in a while. You can go back now. Also, it hasn''t been very safe in


    Hovington recently. Don''t go running around if you don''t have to." Jennifer drank half the cup of coffee,


    nced at the time, and dismissively waved.


    As helpless as Deondre looked, he didn''t dare to not listen to Jennifer''s words. He then swiftly got up


    and said a few more words to her before he left in a hurry with his head down.


    Jennifer continued to sit there by herself. Right then, she looked like she was in her early 40s at most.


    Her wearing a ttering silk dress made her as elegant as she was eye-catching. She didn''t at all look


    like her old and worn self when she got off the ne.


    The two men who were after her didn''t even recognize her when they hurried in front of her.


    She waited for a while before slowly getting up and out of the airport. "Kathy, are you here yet?" she


    asked when she gave Katherine a call.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Grandma, I have just arrived at the airport. Stay where you are. I will be there soon." Katherine


    nced at the location on the phone. When she saw that Jennifer wasn''t far from her, she reminded


    Jennifer to stay put and hurriedly got out of the car.


    Joaquin was about to stop her, but Katherine acted so quickly that he didn''t even have the chance to


    say a word.


    "Mr. Levisay?" Ben stealthily turned to peek at Joaquin who sat in the backseat.


    Joaquin only waved a hand. "Find a parking spot and wait."


    Ben could only nod in reply after hearing that.


    It took less than 10 minutes for Katherine toe back with someone in tow. She even gave Joaquin a


    shock when she opened the car door and had Jennifer hop in.


    Katherine then sat in the passenger seat and ordered Ben to start driving.


    Hearing that, Ben turned to look behind, and immediately put on his best behavior and obediently drove


    away from the airport.


    It was already afternoon when they returned to Soulin International.


    Jennifer didn''t seem like she was in her best mental state. She started looking lethargic after they had


    a meal. Seeing this, Katherine, apanied by Joaquin, took Jennifer back to Katherine''s residence.


    Jennifer went straight to the bedroom to take a rest as soon as she got home. Katherine then took her


    pulse, and after making sure that Jennifer was only fatigued and had no other physical problems, finally


    breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave the room.


    Joaquin only asked Katherine when he saw her walking out. "Is she asleep?"


    "Mm." She looked at him with a frown. "How did you know that I wanted to go to the airport? Is my


    grandmother''s return this time¡­"


    She was so anxious and worried that something was going to happen to Jennifer when she went to the


    airport that she didn''t bother asking Joaquin. Now that she could calmly think, she noticed how the man


    suddenly appeared downstairs, and even knew that she was going to the airport.


    However, he innocently exined, "You are wrongfully ming me! I happened to receive news from


    my superior that a very important person will arrive at Hovington International Airport today, and I was


    supposed to rush over to pick the VIP up as soon as possible. I only came back to change clothes and


    get something."


    Thinking that Joaquin lied too often, Katherine only looked at him suspiciously.


    But she soon came to her senses and looked at Joaquin with wide and skeptical eyes. "You mean the


    person you were going to pick up is my grandmother?"


    "Yes." He didn''t hide the truth this time.


    She then frowned and looked at him silently, waiting for him to continue.


    "I can''t tell you too much as your grandmother''s identity is a secret, but she has a special identity and


    her safety must be guaranteed. I received an order, so I will live with you here from today on." Living up


    to her expectations, Joaquin managed to summarize the situation and briefly exined the matter to


    Katherine.


    "Alright." She sighed after hearing that.


    She already knew that her grandparents were more than what they seemed a long time ago.


    "Wait." Katherine was about to prepare a room for him when she suddenly remembered something.


    Pausing, she frowned at him. "Weren''t you suspended?"


    "This is the highest order given to me by my superior. It is probably because I am more reliable. Plus,


    you and I are close. Is there anything wrong with me taking this order?" he admitted.


    She still felt like something was wrong after his exnation, but his words did make sense to her.


    Frowning, she looked at him for a long minute, and inwardly scolded herself for thinking too much when


    she saw the calm expression on his face. She then went to clean up a room for him.


    She only came back to her senses when he brought his luggage in from outside.


    There shouldn''t be a problem with him staying next door if he was going to protect Jennifer. So why in


    the world was he moving into her house?


    Katherine was about to ask him that when Jennifer opened the bedroom door and came out. Seeing


    the frown on Katherine''s face, the older woman asked out of curiosity, "What''s wrong, Kathy?"


    "You woke up, Grandma? Do you feel off anywhere?" Katherine immediately forgot about Joaquin.


    "I''m alright. I''m not so weak. You keep worrying about me even though it has been so long since I am


    almost fully healed." Jennifer smilingly looked at Katherine, her chest warm.


    "Your flight from Fontan took more than 10 hours. Of course I would be worried. Why didn''t you give me


    a call before you came back?" Katherine looped her arm around Jennifer''s and, unlike her usual self,


    acted like a child.


    Hearing that, Jennifer reached out and lightly poked Katherine''s forehead. "Dearie, I wanted to give you


    a surprise! I was thinking of suddenly appearing and making you happy during your wedding."


    Katherine smiled obediently and leaned on Jennifer''s shoulder. "I am happy." She thenined,


    "And I am very worried about youing back from so far away. Nothing happened on the way, right?


    ?"


    "Mhm, it''s all good." Jennifer looked calm and didn''t mention anything that happened at the airport.

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Katherine continued to chat with Jessica for a while before she saw that it was almost time for her to go


    into the kitchen to prepare dinner.


    Joaquin only came out of the room then. Seeing him, Jennifer looked at him from head to toe before


    her gaze eventually fell on the mask on his face. She casually asked after looking at him for a while,


    "You live here too, Johdy?"


    Joaquin walked over and sat down beside Jennifer before he obediently answered, "I live next door,


    Grandma. I am here to help during the few days that you are here."


    Joaquin, who usually wouldn''t falter even in the face of violent criminals, was actually a little nervous


    being scrutinized by Jennifer.


    "Oh? How can you help by staying here?" Jennifer''s expression didn''t change as she asked. It might


    seem as if she was just exchanging pleasantries with him, but her every word was fishing for


    information.


    "I help with¡ª"


    "Joaquin,e and help me wash the vegetables." He was just about to answer when Katherine''s


    voice came from the kitchen.


    "I aming," he quickly agreed and beamed at Jennifer.


    Jennifer only quietly looked at him with a half-smile, her gaze pausing on both his wounds.


    He then stood up and headed to the kitchen to help Katherine.


    As he stepped into the kitchen, Katherine passed the vegetables she was holding to him and reminded,


    "Don''t tell my grandmother too much. She is not young anymore. I worry that we will scare her."


    After pondering for a while, he gave her his evaluation. "Your grandmother is really something."


    "She is just a normal grandmother." She peered at Joaquin. "There is nothing special."


    He didn''t say anything in return, but he knew that no ordinary person would make the government


    come forward and arrange for someone to protect them.


    However, seeing as to how Katherine didn''t want to borate on this, he, too, stopped talking.


    They worked well together, and it only took half an hour for them to prepare dinner.


    After Katherine wiped her hands dry, she went and got Jennifer toe over for dinner.


    Joaquin automatically helped with cing the cutleries on the table. Indeed, he looked like he really


    was here to help.


    "The two of you are about to get married soon. The younger generation doesn''t care much about the


    older generation''s traditions, but there are still some things you have to pay attention to. You should go


    back next door tonight, Johdy. People will gossip about it if they found out that you were staying here."


    After they had dinner, Jennifer sat on the couch and made a straightforward request for Joaquin to


    leave.


    Joaquin was taken aback when he heard that, and he looked at Jennifer with his lips pursed.


    He could tell that Jennifer was very satisfied with him. It was just that, now¡­


    "Grandma¡ª"


    Katherine, who was stopped from speaking with a re from Jennifer, rubbed her nose and obediently


    sat aside without uttering another word.


    Joaquin had an idea of what was going on when he saw this¡ªJennifer probably wanted to have a


    private conversation with Katherine.


    Upon realization, he immediately stood up and announced, "I am off, then. The wedding will be in two


    days anyway. Rest well today, Kathy. We have to take a few wedding photos tomorrow that we have to


    use during the wedding."


    At that, Katherine hummed in acknowledgement.


    Joaquin then left after bidding Jennifer farewell.


    He had just stepped out of her home when Jennifer''s face turned solemn and she red at Katherine.


    Katherine could only pout and pitifully look back at Jennifer.


    "Tell me the truth, Kathy. Have you been frank with Johdy about you?" Jennifer looked at Katherine with


    a sullen face and demanded in a serious voice.


    Katherine''s smile swiftly disappeared, and she quietly pressed her lips together when she heard


    Jennifer''s words. She immediately understood what Jennifer wanted to say.


    Seeing this, Jennifer sighed. "You are going to marry him soon. I don''t care if you agreed to the


    marriage voluntarily or for a purpose, but I am telling you now that a couple that wants to marry and be


    together has made the decision to support each other for the rest of their lives. Since you want to


    spend the rest of your life together, there are things that you should be honest about. You should find a


    chance to talk to him about Noah before the wedding. "


    "Grandma..." Katherine frowned disapprovingly, but when she saw Jennifer''s serious expression, she


    suddenly sighed. "Grandma, Joaquin and I¡ª"


    "Johdy is a fined. I know that he will treat you well, but do you think he can ept the truth if he finds


    out one day that you have hidden so many things from him? There are a lot of things you have to be


    vocal and direct about to save yourself from possible future troubles. I was the one who was tricked


    into returning to Hovington this time, but what if Noah is the one who is brought here next time? Do you


    think your marriage can survive such a surprise?"


    Katherine lowered her head and stared somewhere near her toes when she saw the grim look on


    Jennifer''s face.


    Jennifer continued, "Noah is your child no matter what. You have to ept her even if you don''t want


    to. That child has suffered enough all these years. She has never kicked up a fuss despite you not


    being by her side. I am back in Hovington now, and you will have to bring her back eventually as well.


    Are you nning on never seeing her? Why did you give birth to her in the first ce then?" Jennifer


    had never asked much about Noah in the past because she knew that Katherine had her own problems


    she hadn''t solved. However, she thought that Katherine needed to resolve certain things, now that she


    was going to marry Joaquin.


    "I understand, Grandma. I will talk to him about it," Katherine replied emotionlessly.


    Tired, Jennifer could barely keep her eyes open at this point.


    "Just think about it tonight." She reached out and patted Katherine on the shoulder before she stood up


    and went to her room.


    After that, Katherine sat there through the night. Her head was too preupied with the incident that


    happened five years ago for her to feel sleepy at all.


    She still didn''t know who the man from then was.


    As for Noah¡­ Katherine had to admit that she still couldn''te to terms with the girl''s existence. That


    was why she had never cared about Noah throughout all these years.


    Still, Jennifer was right. She would have to face this problem head-on some day.


    ¡­


    Ding dong!


    The sound of the doorbell ringing broke her out of her reverie. She stood up and went to open the door,


    only to be greeted by the sight of Joaquin with numerous loads on him. He was startled when he saw


    how haggard Katherine looked.


    "What is going on with you? Did you not sleepst night?" he asked with a frown on his face as he


    peered at the dark shadow under her eyes.


    "Mhm. You are here early." She tilted her body to let him enter her house.


    Seeing how sickly she looked, he finally couldn''t hold it in and offered, "Go take a rest for a while. I will


    keep Grandmapany today."


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Katherine raised her eyebrows and nced at him when she heard those words. She felt that his


    attitude toward her had changed a lot recently. It felt different from the past.


    After she studied him for some time, she thought about what Jennifer reminded herst night, and she


    suddenly felt her temples throb as a headache hit her.


    "I will catch some sleep. I will be counting on you to take care of Grandma." As she massaged her


    temples, she threw that out and strutted into her room for a nap.


    The man stood there watching her leave, and he eventually let out a chuckle.

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    "Why are you the only one around, Johdy? Where''s Kathy?" Jennifer asked as she had not seen


    Katherine when she awoke. Joaquin was the only one outside, cleaning up.


    Hearing that, Joaquin went to help her to the dining table before serving her a cup of warm milk and a


    bowl of porridge. Then, he answered, "Kathy didn''t sleep wellst night, so I asked her to get some


    rest. Please have something first. Just let me know if you need anything."


    Jennifer nodded with satisfaction upon seeing his good attitude.


    "I haven''t been back to Hovington in a long time. Maybe you could take me for a walk." Jennifer felt


    revitalized after eating her breakfast. Seeing that the time was still early and the day was bright, she


    began ordering him.


    He was concerned that it would be too tiring for her to walk around. Hence, he took his wheelchair for


    her to sit on before pushing her outside.


    The weather was beautiful in Hovington. However, they were in the midst of the hottest period, and it


    was extremely warm outside. No one could stand being under the sun for long.


    Joaquin was afraid that Jennifer would get heat stroke from being outside, so he brought her to the mall


    straightaway.


    "Hovington doesn''t appear to have changed much over the years." Jennifer sat in her wheelchair,


    looking around the mall restlessly.


    "That''s true. Hovington''s style is now firmly established. The new things are more outside the city area.


    The city center indeed hasn''t changed much in thest few years," he said while pushing her into an


    elderly clothing store.


    She said nothing in response as she began selecting clothes from the racks.


    The phone in his pocket had been ringing for some time. "Johdy, you have an iing call, right?" she


    asked, casting a nce at him.


    He pulled out his phone, looked at the caller, and nodded. "Yes, Grandma. I need to answer the call for


    a while. You shop around by yourself first and call me if you need anything,"


    "Just go. I''m not some dementia-ridden olddy who can''t walk at all. Get on with what you have to do


    and don''t worry about me. She waved her hands and chased him away.


    He, however, did not dare to walk too far away. After ensuring that she was within his line of sight, he


    answered the call. "Hello. What urgent thing happened that required you to call me at this time?"


    "Boss, the gang we''ve been investigating showed up in Hovington. They appear to be looking for


    someone, as they have dispatched arge number of their men. Thomas and I are on their tail. Should


    we act now? This is a rare opportunity." Jeremy sounded ecstatic.


    Joaquin, however, frowned. He looked at Jennifer, who was talking to the shop assistant, and felt that


    this matter might be rted to the woman.


    After a few moments of silence, he replied, "Don''t do anything first. Keep an eye on them and notify me


    immediately if they acted unusually. I''m currently preupied with an important matter and don''t have


    time for that."


    He then abruptly terminated the call before Jeremy could respond.


    "I''m sorry, Madam. We only have this color for this shirt. All of the colors that you''ve mentioned are not


    avable here. Perhaps you should go somewhere else. I''m afraid that we can''t satisfy what you want,"


    the shop assistant muttered impatiently, her face arrogant.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Jennifer was dressed simply and did not appear to be able to afford the clothes here.


    The shop assistant was a materialistic woman. Because of Jennifer''s shabby appearance, the shop


    assistant regarded her as a poor woman and was unwilling to serve her.


    "Really? How about this one? Are there no other avable colors for it as well?" Jennifer did not back


    down and pointed to another shirt.


    "I''ve said that we don''t have any other colors here! All of the clothes in our shop are in only one color. If


    you''re not happy with it, feel free to go somewhere else. Why are you causing havoc here, olddy?"


    The shop assistant saw other customers entering the shop and felt irritated that she had to waste her


    time on Jennifer, who couldn''t afford to buy anything.


    "Fine. Since this shop does not have the color I want¡­" Jennifer was gracious enough to not be angry


    and merely showed a regretful look.


    "Wrap everything here for me." Joaquin said indifferently as he walked in, pointing to the row of clothes


    in front of Jennifer. He had overheard the conversation between the shop assistant and Jennifer earlier.


    "Yes, sir! I''ll wrap them up for you now." The shop assistant''s eyes brightened immediately. The


    commission from selling all of these clothes couldst her a year!


    Just as she was about to take the clothes down, his voice rang out. "Sorry, but I did not want to


    purchase them from you. Please have someone else serve me. If it''s you, I wouldn''t even buy a piece


    of them."


    "Sir, I believe I didn''t offend you, did I? You can''t do this to me," she eximed worriedly.


    "Isn''t it my right as a customer to choose who serves me? Since you can choose your customer, why


    can''t I choose someone pleasant and non-judgmental to serve me?" he replied calmly, his arms


    crossed in front of his chest.


    As their conversation caused quite amotion, the store manager came over quickly.


    "What happened? Why is there a dispute here?" he asked as he looked at the shop assistant who had


    an awful expression, before turning to Joaquin, who clearly didn''t look like amoner.


    "Sir, I¡­"


    "Stop it. We''re not buying anything here. Let''s go, Johdy. Their prices are too high, and there is nothing


    I like in this ce. Let''s not waste the money." Jennifer locked her gaze on them for a moment before


    opening her mouth and yanking Joaquin away.


    Hearing that, Joaquin pushed the wheelchair and prepared to leave.


    But before he left, he turned around and looked at the shop assistant, who had a dark expression, and


    said nonchntly, "Please keep your eyes open in the future and don''t simply look down on people


    again. My grandma is not someone to belittle. After today, I don''t want to see you in this shop again."


    He pushed Jennifer''s wheelchair away after finishing his words.


    The store manager''s expression instantly changed. ring at the shop assistant, he asked, "What''s


    wrong with you? Why did you irritate the customer?"


    "I-I had no idea¡­" She was so aggrieved that she nearly cried.


    Her sales were gone and she was on the verge of being fired. It was an absolute disaster for her!


    After they left the shop, Joaquin took Jennifer shopping and bought her a few pieces of clothing. Then,


    they went into a jewelry store.


    "I''d like to look at this bracelet," Jennifer politely asked, pointing to a jade bracelet in the disy


    cab.


    The salesperson gave her a brief nce, then turned to face Joaquin, who was standing beside, and


    smiled brightly. She extended her hand to take the bracelet out from the cab and handed it to


    Jennifer.


    Just as Jennifer was about to take it, the salesperson let go of her hand even before Jennifer had her


    hand on the bracelet. A piercing sound resonated as the bracelet fell to the ground and broke into


    pieces.


    "Oh my, why did you do this? This bracelet costs three hundred thousand! You have topensate us,


    or else don''t even think of leaving!"

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    "Three hundred thousand for that bracelet?" Jennifer took a look at the broken bracelet, before raising


    her head to face the young salesperson in front of her. Her entire life would be a waste if she didn''t


    understand what had happened.


    This was a tant daylight robbery! She now understood why this shop was strategically located, but


    there was not a single customer present.


    "But of course. This jade is of high quality; of course it is worth three hundred thousand! Are you


    implying that it isn''t worth that much? Don''t you dare divert the attention! You were the one who asked


    me to hand it to you so you could look at it, and you didn''t take it well! You mustpensate us for the


    cost of breaking it. Or else, I''ll see you at the police station!" The salesperson said confidently,


    indicating that this was not her first time doing so.


    "High quality, you say. Three hundred thousand is really a bargain then. Oh, it is written here that you''ll


    compensate me ten times the price if your product is discovered to be fake. Is that true? If I buy this


    jade from you for three hundred thousand and it ister proven that it is not genuine, will you be


    compensating me for three million?" Jennifer asked casually as she pointed to the printed words on the


    cab.


    The salesperson took a nce at the direction Jennifer was pointing at and responded impatiently, "Of


    course. As long as you can show that it is a forged piece, we''llpensate you."


    Jennifer nodded at that. "Fine. Johdy, please lend me three hundred thousand. I''ll pay for this jade first,''


    she said as she turned around to Joaquin.


    Hearing that, Joaquin immediately took out his checkbook and handed the salesperson a three-


    hundred-thousand figure cheque.


    She epted the check dubiously and called the bank to ensure that it could be cashed out. After


    obtaining the confirmation, she smiled at Jennifer and said, "Please feel free to look around our other


    jewelry, madam."


    "I''m not sure I want to do it in case you can''t afford topensate me." Jennifer smiled back.


    The salesperson''s heart trembled when she saw Jennifer''s smile as it gave her a bad feeling.


    Just when she was about to respond, Jennifer said, "Johdy, pick the bracelet up for me. Let''s show her


    the real deal."


    That made Joaquin smile. He then bent down to pick up the bracelet pieces and handed them to


    Jennifer.


    She held them in her palm and looked at the salesperson as if she were a god of fortune. "Look


    carefully. Let me show you what a true treasure should be."


    This shop was always full of ways to defraud customers. Many people had fallen victim in the past.


    Now that there were new customers being duped, many people gathered around to watch the fun.


    When they heard Jennifer''s words, they all looked at the bracelet in her hand with interest.


    Jennifer then began to exin to the salesperson what a genuine piece of high-quality jade should look


    like while holding the bracelet in her palm. However, the more she spoke, the worse the salesperson''s


    expression became.


    But Jennifer had no intention of letting her go just yet. Pointing to the printed words on the cab, she


    said, "Now that I''ve proven that the jade bracelet your shop sold me was a forgery, you have to


    compensate me ten times the bracelet''s price. Three million, please."


    Half an hourter, Katherine hurriedly reached the mall. She felt a headacheing on when she saw


    the raucous crowd in the jewelry store.


    She pushed her way through the crowd, only to find Jennifer sitting in her wheelchair, happily munching


    on some snacks. Joaquin was standing beside her, looking like her bodyguard, and two police officers


    were taking statements from bystanders.


    "What happened, Grandma?" Katherine quickly approached Jennifer, at the same time ncing at the


    two police officers nearby. As she went near Jennifer, she saw the salesperson staring at Jennifer with


    hatred and wondered why.


    "I didn''t create any trouble, Kathy. They were the ones who bullied an elderly woman like me! I''ll have


    you know that they¡­" Jennifer began toin to Katherine aggrievedly.


    Hearing that, Katherine was at a loss for words. At that point, she felt her headache was getting worse.


    The two police officers had recorded the statements. Then, they approached Jennifer and politely


    greeted her. "Madam, we now understand the situation. They will refund the three hundred thousand


    you paid earlier and we will then consider the matter resolved; is that okay with you?"


    "Of course not! She was the one who insisted that I break her bracelet and forced me, an elderly


    woman, topensate her. I''m just lucky that I''ve a friend with me who can lend me the money. Or


    else, I''ll really be forced to the corner by her! Furthermore, credibility is the most important aspect of


    doing business. Since she was the one who promised topensate me ten times the money I paid if


    the product was forged, I am of course entitled to that amount now that I''ve proven it! I insist on the


    amount right now. If you couldn''t handle this for me, find someone who can. Kathy, call the consumer


    association and ask them to send someone over to handle this situation." Jennifer was determined not


    to let this deceptive shop off the hook.


    Given the unknown number of customers they have previously cheated, they should really close down.


    "Let me handle this, Grandma. Have you had your lunch yet? You don''t look fine. Go back and have a


    rest first! Rest assured that I will not let them take advantage of you," Katherine said, her brows


    furrowed. She had earlier grabbed Jennifer''s hand, taken her pulse and found that it did not appear


    normal.


    Jennifer, on the other hand, pulled Katherine''s hand and pointed at the salesperson. "You have to help


    me, Kathy. I was bullied," she grumbled.


    "Don''t worry, Grandma. I''ll call the shots for you." Katherine nodded.


    After requesting Joaquin to send Jennifer back, she stood up and spoke to the two police officers,


    "Follow what my grandmother said. If they refused topensate, we will appoint awyer to follow up


    on this matter. I believe that the sum involved is substantial enough for you to file a case and begin


    investigations. I don''t care what your excuse is; this shop has to be closed, and the perpetrator must be


    arrested today. Otherwise, I''ll bring this to light through the media."


    Both police officers were terrified to hear that and did not dare to ignore her requests.


    Hence, they arrested the salesperson on the spot and sealed the store''s doors.


    All the onlookers apuded in satisfaction when they saw that. As she exited the store, Katherine


    continued, "I don''t want the arrest to be just a formality. Mywyer will follow up on this matter. And


    remember, thepensation owed to my grandmother has to be paid, not even a single cent less.


    Don''t defraud the elderly."


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "I¡­ I know. I''ll pay her." The salesperson was on the verge of tears. She had not expected to meet her


    jinx today.


    Katherine then left the mall after settling the matter.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin and Jennifer still hadn''t left. As if they were mischievous students waiting for their


    teacher''s scolding, they both stood obediently outside, waiting for Katherine to meet them.

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    "Are you happy?" Katherine squinted and looked at Jennifer, who had lowered her head and grabbed


    the corner of the clothes, not knowing what expression to show.


    Then, Jennifer nced at Katherine before she protested in a whisper, "I just came out to look around.


    That girl tried to trick me, so you can''t me me for doing that."


    "Well, I can''t very well me you, can I? You haven''t eaten, right? Aren''t you hungry?" Katherine


    scolded angrily but she also worried about Jennifer''s health, so she grabbed Jennifer''s hand to recheck


    her pulse. After ensuring that Jennifer was weak from not eating, Katherine breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Kathy, are you not angry anymore?" Jennifer peeked at Katherine and asked cautiously after seeing


    that thetter had seemingly calmed down.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Katherine couldn''t help butugh at Jennifer''s reaction. "I can''t be angry at you. Let''s go eat first. After


    that, we''ll settle the scores."


    With that, she immediately opened the car door and let Jennifer in.


    There was a famous Chinese restaurant nearby.


    Jennifer had a light taste, so the dishes in this restaurant were just right for her.


    The restaurant was trendy. Also, it was mealtime, so it was packed.


    "Wee! Do you have a reservation, sir?" The hostess at the entrance greeted Joaquin, Katherine,


    and Jennifer politely as she saw them approaching.


    "Yes. Peony Pavilion," Joaquin stepped forward and said calmly.


    "What?" The hostess couldn''t react for a while and froze.


    Then, Joaquin handed over a card in gold. "Take it to your manager and arrange for it as soon as


    possible."


    The hostess changed her expression after looking at the Gold Card in his hand, and she gestured


    respectfully. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know you''re an honored guest. Pleasee with me; the Peony Pavilion


    has always been empty. Our boss said that the Peony Pavilion is always ready for you if you''re willing


    toe."


    "Lead the way," Joaquin instructed with a calm expression.


    The hostess didn''t say much and hurriedly led them inside.


    When Joaquin, Katherine, and Jennifer had just entered the restaurant, they heard a sharp and


    disgruntled voice. "Why can they go in early? Why do we have to wait in line here? What stupid game


    are you ying? That''s too much, isn''t it? We''ve been waiting hours; why are they still cutting the


    queue?"


    "Miss, they''re not cutting the queue; they''re¡­"


    "What are they doing, then? Are you trying to tell me that they reserved a private room in your


    restaurant? Everyone knows it''s hard to book a seat in your restaurant, and getting a private room is


    impossible. What is it? Do they have a special power that lets them book a private room here? Who are


    you fooling?" The woman who spoke simply didn''t like this and arrogantly interrupted the server.


    The server looked embarrassed, as many customers who waited a long time wereining.


    Katherine and her group did not walk fast, so they heard themotion outside.


    The hostess smiled embarrassedly and continued to lead them inside. "I''m sorry. Someone will take


    care of that, and I hope it will not affect your appetite."


    "Kathy, let''s watch the fun." Jennifer looked at the noisy crowd, wanting to watch the fun.


    However, after she spoke, she saw Katherine look angry, so she kept quiet and smiled bitterly.


    "We want to go to the room first. Ask the kitchen to serve a warm appetizer." Katherine ignored the


    hustle outside and pulled Jennifer along to go into the private room as fast as they could.


    Upon hearing that, the hostess turned away to make the necessary arrangements.


    As soon as the hostess went out, she was yanked over by a server, and the server scolded severely,


    "What''s wrong with you? How can you bring random people inside? Don''t you know how much of a


    fuss you have caused outside because of your mistake alone? Hurry up and exin to the guests, or


    you are fired!"


    The hostess frowned and thought of Katherine''s instruction. Hence, she whispered, "They have


    reservations for a private room. I''m going to inform the kitchen to serve them some food, and I¡ª"


    "What kind of reservation? We don''t have a reservation. You can lie to outsiders but not to me! You


    must exin to the guests now." The server didn''t listen to the hostess and pushed her violently.


    The floor of the restaurant was slippery. Hence, with that strong push, the hostess fell. She hit her


    forehead on the corner of the table, and blood immediately gushed out.


    Themotion was so loud that everyone quieted down to look at them.


    The server did not feel she did something wrong as she put her arms around her chest and looked at


    the hostess on the ground. Then, she scolded, "Stop pretending. Why don''t you get up and exin to


    the guests now? You selfishly brought your own rtives inside for a meal. If the manager knows¡ª"


    "What''s the matter?" Just as she spoke, the manager of the restaurant hurried over.


    Michael Johnson felt his head spin as he looked at the rowdy guests around him.


    "Mr. Johnson, it''s good that you''re here. It''s all her fault. Sophia took her rtives into the private room


    for dinner. Hence, the guests who had been waiting outside for a few hours were unhappy and made a


    scene." The server who had pushed Sophia hurriedlyined as she saw Michaeling over.


    Sophia Miller, the said hostess, aggrievedly got up from the ground and the blood was still seeping


    from her forehead. Seeing Michael was here, she hurriedly exined, "Mr. Johnson, I didn''t do that.


    They reserved a private room, and the gentleman has a Peony Gold Card."


    "What?" Michael immediately changed his expression when he heard the words and asked excitedly.


    "That gentleman¡ª"


    "What Gold Card Silver Spoon? Sophia, stop talking nonsense. You brought your poor rtives to eat


    for free and opened a room for them. Now, you''re¡ª"


    "Shut your trap!" Michael''s mind was full of the Peony Gold Card and the guests, so he didn''t want to


    listen to the nonsense.


    "Mr. Johnson, they''re really guests of Peony Pavilion. The boss said if theye to the restaurant with


    a Peony Gold Card, we must take them to the Peony Pavilion. I-I didn''t mess around."


    Michael nodded quickly. "Yes, you''re right. Do those few guests have any orders?"


    "Thedy asked me to inform the kitchen to serve a warm appetizer. However, I haven''t done that yet


    because I was interrupted." Sophia lowered her head as she said that.


    Michael turned pale as he red fiercely at the dumbfounded server before softly speaking to Sophia.


    "Go now. Don''t interrupt the meal of our valuable guests. Hurry up. Just leave this to me."


    Upon hearing that, Sophia responded, then lowered her head and trotted away.


    Then, Michael coldly red at the server, who had been causing trouble, and grunted. "You''re fired.


    Don''te to work here anymore."


    "Mr. Johnson, please hear me out. They don''t have the so-called Peony Gold Card at all. It was all


    nonsense from Sophia to avoid responsibility. If you don''t believe me, you can go to the room and take


    a look. They definitely don''t have a Peony Gold Card!"

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    Chapter 142


    Michael frowned and did not say anything right away.


    Seeing that he kept quiet, Emily Smith¡ªthe server¡ªknew Michael was shaken. Hence, she quickly


    patted her chest to give assurance. "Mr. Johnson, they dressed shabbily and there is no way they are


    Gold Members. Sophia is just lying to you. If you don''t believe me, just go and take a look. I did not lie


    to you. If you find out that I lied to you, you can fire me and do not let anypany under the group


    ept me. I won''tin about it."


    Seeing Emily''s conviction, Michael was shaken.


    It was said that there was only one Peony Gold Card. The boss had told the store manager of each


    branch that if the Peony Gold Card holder were to appear, they were the most esteemed VIP and had


    to be served perfectly.


    However, if it''s fake¡­


    "Fine. I''ll go take a look at the room." Michael red at Emily before he turned around and went to the


    room.


    The guests outside looked at each other in dismay, not knowing what had happened. However, with


    Michael there, they did not dare to continue the fuss.


    Michael went to the Peony Pavilion and knocked on the door to go in. Only Katherine and Jennifer


    were in the room, as Joaquin was out answering a phone call and had not returned.


    After Michael entered the room, he was stunned by Katherine''s beauty. However, his gaze fell on their


    clothes.


    Katherine was in a hurry to go out, so she wore loose and casual clothes. On the other hand, Jennifer


    was dressed in old clothes that looked like a towel, just like an olddy who just came out of the


    countryside.


    Michael''s expression immediately changed. At that time, he believed Emily and felt that those so-called


    valuable guests were just Sophia''s nonsense to deceive him.


    Hence, he suppressed his anger but not his attitude, and coldly asked Katherine, "Who allowed you to


    come in to eat?"


    "Huh?" Katherine was in the midst of pouring tea for Jennifer. Hearing Michael''s words, Katherine


    raised her brows and nced over. "What did you say?"


    "I asked you to leave." Michael was confident that Katherine and Jennifer couldn''t possibly be Peony


    Gold Members, and he stood tall.


    "Are you sure?" Katherine put down the teapot in her hand.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Oh, you have quite an arrogant attitude, eh? If you want to save some respect for yourself, get out


    now. Don''t make me send someone to kick you out. What the hell? How dare you pretend to be a


    valuable customer to cheat on us!" Michael was furious at the thought that he had been tricked.


    "Fine. Since you won''t entertain us, we''ll leave. However, we won''te back anymore even if you beg


    us. Grandma, let''s go." Katherine stood up and reached out to help Jennifer up.


    "But I''m hungry, Kathy. I can''t walk." Jennifer looked at Katherine with an aggrieved expression.


    "It''s alright. This is not the only restaurant here. Let''s go to another restaurant." Katherine helped


    Jennifer slowly to the door.


    At that, Jennifer sighed. "Okay. However, I don''t think Johdy will be happy."


    "It''s alright," Katherine spoke to Jennifer as if no one else was there, and they walked past Michael.


    Michael watched them leave the room as he grunted coldly and closed the door.


    After the phone call, Joaquin returned to see Katherine and Jennifer came out of the room. At that, he


    asked in confusion, "Why are youing out? Aren''t you going to eat?"


    "Ugh! Johdy, the restaurant manager kicked us out, saying we didn''t deserve to eat here and wanted to


    kick us out. It seems your Gold Card is useless, as the restaurant doesn''t recognize it," Jennifer


    comined as she felt wronged and looked at Joaquin.


    Joaquin narrowed his eyes. Even if Jennifer didn''t exin clearly, he knew what had happened.


    Michael closed the door and came out. Upon hearing Jennifer''s words, he coldly scolded angrily,


    "Hmph! Still pretending now? You lot from the country, hurry up and get lost!"


    Jennifer shrank and hid behind Katherine with a scared look.


    "Are you kicking us out?" Joaquin narrowed his eyes and looked coldly at the man standing before him.


    The previous manager of this restaurant was not Michael. Michael came in through the back door by


    proxy, relying on the fact that his sister had married an executive of the group. It was only then that he


    managed to take the restaurant manager position.


    "Yes¡ª" Michael heard the voice and subconsciously tried to answer without thinking. However, when


    he turned his head and saw Joaquin, he was so scared that he almost gave a weak leg and knelt.


    "You¡­" Michael felt as if he had seen Joaquin somewhere, but for a moment, he couldn''t be sure.


    Joaquin only looked at Michael coldly. "You are kicking us out? Ha! Nice choice."


    As he said that, he found a phone number in his contact list and called. "Hey, are you still in charge of


    the Golden Jade House?"


    "Hello, Mr. Levisay! Are you kidding me? Golden Jade Restaurant is my property, so who else is in


    charge of it? What''s the matter? Do you see dead cockroaches in the restaurant?" a feminine voice


    rang out from the other end of the line.


    "No. It''s just that I came to your restaurant to have a meal and was kicked out. He also said someone


    like me doesn''t deserve to eat at a high-end ce like yours," Joaquinzily drawled.


    "What the heck? Who''s the b*stard? Does he have a death wish? Tell me which branch it is and I will


    fire the manager! What the hell?! How dare he kick you out?!" As soon as he heard Joaquin''s words,


    he immediately exploded.


    "It''s on the construction road. Come over here right away. Don''t keep me waiting," Joaquin instructed


    calmly and hung up the call.


    "Tsk! Do you think you can scare me by just making a phone call?" Michael had recovered after


    experiencing a brief moment of panic.


    So, he red at Joaquin impatiently and cursed.


    Joaquin ignored him and looked at Jennifer. "Grandma, are you hungry? You guys can get something


    to eat ande backter."


    "Okay," Katherine responded and went out with Jennifer.


    When Emily saw Katherine and Jennifere out, her eyes lit up because she thought she had made


    the right bet.


    "I''ve never thought that someone can be this shameless. They have to pretend to be big bosses and


    come to such a high-end ce to eat despite being poor and useless. I''m talking about you cowards,


    you know?" Emily ced her arms on her waist and spat out a couple of words as she saw Katherine


    and Jennifer.


    Katherine paused her steps as she coldly nced at Emily.


    "Why did youe out? The kitchen has prepared some pork congee; aren''t you eating?" Sophia


    walked out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl of congee while looking at Katherine and Jennifer in


    confusion.


    Jennifer was indeed hungry and felt dizzy. Hence, she couldn''t help swallowing when she smelled the


    aroma.


    "Sophia, they are not the guests of the restaurant. If you give them something to eat, you will be fired


    from the Golden Jade Restaurant!" Emily fiercely stared at Sophia and scolded her.


    Sophia''s expression changed at that, and she stood there at a loss for words.

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    Chapter 143


    "Grandma?" Katherine had always been keeping an eye on Jennifer. She was severely hypoglycemic


    and had to have three meals regrly. At this point, it was more than two hours after lunch time and


    she was suffering with her pallid face.


    Jennifer clutched her chest in difort as her face was turned even paler. As such, she leaned her


    body against Katherine with no other choice.


    Scanning around, Katherine saw an empty chair and stretched out her foot to edge the chair forward in


    order to seat Jennifer down.


    As Sophia examined her worsened state, she hurriedly served the congee up. "Are you suffering from


    low blood sugar? You can have candy first. Then, you can eat the congee."


    "Thank you." Katherine gratefully took the candy Sophia gave. Then, she peeled off the candy wrapper


    and stuffed it into Jennifer''s mouth.


    Thanks to the sugar, Jennifer looked better but still rather pale.


    Therefore, Katherine took the congee handed over by Sophia and fed Jennifer with a spoon in small


    bites.


    "Who allowed you to give them food? Stop eating!" Emily watched Sophia give the congee to


    Katherine, so she angrily came forward and knocked the congee in Katherine''s hand to the floor.


    Since Katherine was taken aback by the sudden swipe, the congee spilled onto the ground as the bowl


    shattered.


    She frowned and slowly stood up while looking at Emily with a cold gaze. "Do you know that it''s


    shameful to waste food?"


    "We would rather feed the food in our restaurant to dogs than to you guys!" Emily looked at Katherine


    arrogantly.


    Hearing that, Katherine dangerously narrowed her eyes as she looked at Emily and felt a surging urge


    to do something with her arm.


    Before she could make a move, Sophia burst out and pped Emily in the face. "If you have a problem


    with me,e at me! Do you know that a bowl of congee can be a lifesaver for an elder with low blood


    sugar? Who are you to knock it over? Even if it''s from the restaurant, I''ll just pay for it! Emily, you''ve


    really gone too far!"


    Katherine looked at Sophia in surprise as her reaction was unexpectedly nuclear.


    Emily was also surprised by the blow as she covered her face and did not regain her senses for a long


    time.


    "What''s wrong?" Joaquin had onlye back out by then as he looked at the mess all over the floor


    and Emily, whose face was half red and swollen. Then, he frowned.


    Jennifer piped up aggrievedly, "This woman is evil. She tried to get me killed."


    As soon as he heard that, Joaquin''s cold, sharp, and knife-like gaze fell on Emily.


    Emily shuddered but did not lose her momentum. "Stop talking nonsense! You conspired to steal from


    the restaurant and I was just stopping you! So many people were watching you stealing!"


    "Hey, why are you getting upset about my stock? Who do you think you are? Are you my future


    daughter-inw who will be managing the restaurant for me?" Just as Emily was pleading her case, a


    man wearing a pink-shirt strolled through the door.


    The man had flip-flops on his feet while wearing fancy pants with pink shorts that made him look


    mboyant.


    However, his expression was sharp without the slightest gentleness.


    "Who are you, then?" Emily gave the man entering the door a vicious re.


    The man coldly smiled as he put his hands in his pockets while looking at Emily with interest. "You don''t


    even know who I am, huh? Where is the manager of your branch?"


    "Who do you think you are? You can''t just meet the manager. Someone like you doesn''t have the right


    to meet him!" Emily scolded angrily.


    "Tsk, what kind of crappy restaurant is this? What a horrible service. Mr. Levisay, send me some new


    staff after this. These employees are useless. Look, they are not obedient and don''t recognize me, their


    boss. Hmph." The man was exasperated by Emily''s words and looked sadly at Joaquin before cracking


    a joke.


    However, Joaquin merely rolled his eyes at the man. "I have no time for you."


    "Tsk, tsk. How ruthless," the manined as he nced at Katherine, who was beside Joaquin.


    In the meantime, Michael finally stumbled out from inside, and his nose was bruised and swollen,


    obviously having just been beaten up.


    When he came out and saw the young man at the entrance, his legs went weak and he knelt on the


    ground instantly. "Mr. Vasquez, w-why are you here?"


    Austin Vasquez nced at Michael. "Are you the manager of this store?"


    "Y-Yes." Michael silently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    "Didn''t you read the employee handbook during the induction training? Don''t you know thepany''s


    rules? Don''t you know what a Peony Gold Card means? Why are you driving my guests out? Do you


    have a death wish?" Austin gave Michael a vicious kick in the chest to send Michael several meters


    away.


    After being punted into the distance, Michael felt a pain in his chest and could not speak for a long time


    as he was rendered dumbfounded.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Find a new manager for this restaurant." Austin immediately dealt with Michael.


    "Hey, young man. I think this girl is fine. Why don''t you let her be the manager of this restaurant?"


    Jennifer sized up Sophia before beckoning to introduce her to Austin.


    Austin froze and followed Jennifer''s gaze to look at Sophia. His expression suddenly changed when he


    saw her face clearly as he jumped to Sophia and red. "It''s you!"


    Sophia gave him an expressionless stare. "You''ve mistaken me for someone else."


    "How do you know I''ve mistaken you for someone else? It''s not like you know who I recognize." Soon,


    Austin grabbed Sophia''s wrist and stared at her with a burning gaze.


    She struggled for a while albeit failing to break free. So, she cursed embarrassedly, "L-Let go of me!


    This is a public space. I don''t know you, but you''re grabbing my hand. Y-You are a hooligan!"


    "I''m a hooligan? Don''t you know what you''ve done? Now, you''re calling me a rascal. You''reing


    back with me now!" Austin did not give Sophia a chance to argue and took her away.


    After a few steps, he remembered Joaquin and turned back. "Mr. Levisay, I will talk to you soon.


    However, I have to attend to more important matters, so I''ll take my leave. I will treat you to dinner one


    day. By the way, this restaurant will be given to you as an apology. You can do whatever you like to the


    staff; I will have no objection."


    Dropping those words, Austin grabbed Sophia and left with quick steps.


    "I''m sorry, I''m so sorry. I-I am blind to stars. I was wrong; I shouldn''t have spilled your congee. Please


    give me a chance. Please, don''t fire me. I beg you." Emily was stunned. Only after Austin left did she


    snap back to reality. Then, she hurriedly lunged over and knelt before Katherine while pping herself


    twice.


    Raising her brows, Katherine gave Emily a stern look and sneered in her heart.


    This person is not bad at acting pragmatically. However, it''s a pity that she didn''t use it correctly.


    "Grandma has low blood sugar. Get her something to eat first. Then, we''ll leave after eating." Katherine


    ignored Emily and just looked at Joaquin.


    He nodded and called a server over to give a few orders. Then, he led Katherine into the Peony


    Pavilion again.

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    "Although the service is bad, the food is good." Jennifer ate a bowl of congee and recovered a bit of


    energy. Then, she surveyed the decoration in the Peony Pavilion and could not help raising her brows


    in surprise.


    Hearing that, Joaquin smiled lightly. "That''s great. If you like it, you cane here to eat every day."


    "Forget it. It''s not good for my health to overindulge in this. Let''s go. I still want to walk around. I haven''t


    been back to Hovington for many years, so I want to visit Northride University." Jennifer waved her


    hand and refused outright.


    Katherine was on the side and there was a gleam of light in her eyes when she heard the words


    ''Northtride University''.


    When they came out of the Golden Jade Restaurant, the sun was hanging in the sky and the


    temperature was high. So, Joaquin ordered his driver to pick them up as the three of them stood before


    the restaurant waiting for the car to arrive.


    "Hey, isn''t that Joaquin? Isn''t he disabled? Why does he seem to be fine?"


    Not far away, Hera was casually shopping with a few nobledies. Suddenly, someone caught a


    glimpse of Joaquin at the entrance of Golden Jade Restaurant and could not help but tug at Hera''s


    clothes with a hint of surprise.


    Stunned, Hera subconsciously looked toward the location pointed out by thedy. When she saw the


    person over there, her expression changed. She could not care to respond to thedies and wanted to


    cross the road to take a good look.


    At that time, there were a lot of busy vehicles on the road. As soon as Hera walked to the side of the


    road, the green light came on; several vehicles came over and blocked her steps. When she looked


    back again, the person she was looking for was nowhere to be seen.


    "Hera, did you get a good look? Is it Joaquin? You know, in my opinion, you can''t be too biased.


    Joaquin is still the eldest son of the Levisay Family. Even if you are biased toward your son, you can''t


    treat the abandoned son that badly."


    Noticing Hera''s distracted look, the nobledy beside her was not afraid to trigger her by saying


    another few sarcastic words.


    "Are you done? Shut up!" Hera turned her head and red at thedy, clearly annoyed.


    Now, Robert is ruined and demented. So, he has no chance of inheriting the Levisay Group. Had


    Joaquin not been paralyzed, then the Levisay Group would still fall into his hands. If that happens,


    wouldn''t my years of a n be a joke?


    Thinking of that, Hera was no longer in the mood to continue shopping. As such, she took out her


    phone to call Joaquin while reaching out to hail a cab. Meanwhile, the nobledies snickered and


    smiled sarcastically.


    In the car, Joaquin stared at the iing call on his phone and only answered after a long while,


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Joaquin, it''s your wedding tomorrow and I heard that you and Kathy didn''t take a wedding photo.


    Why? Are you feeling sick? Or is Kathy¡­" Hera was faking her concern.


    "Oh, it''s getting hottely. I don''t want Kathy to suffer. We can still get married without a wedding photo.


    I''ll have someone photoshop a photo for us. Anything else?" Joaquin calmly answered.


    Though Hera hated Katherine, she did not show it on the surface. "Is that so? You dote on Kathy way


    too much. You haven''t even married her yet. You can''t treat a woman too well. After marriage, she will


    ride on you and threaten you."


    "Is that so?" Joaquin dismissed it, but the sneer at his mouth became obvious.


    "Hey, are youing home tonight? You''re getting married tomorrow, so at least stay at home tonight.


    Your grandma misses you and your father will return tonight, so you¡ª"


    "No, I won''t head back tonight. I don''t think you want to see me, either." Joaquin bluntly refused Hera.


    "Y-You little brat, why do you talk like this? The family always misses you. You¡ª" Hera was annoyed by


    Joaquin, but she had to try her best to maintain harmony on the surface.


    "I''m busy. I''ll hang up if there''s nothing else." With that, Joaquin hung up the call immediately.


    He sat there thoughtfully, looking out the window before keeping the phone into his pocket.


    "The wedding is tomorrow?" Jennifer asked Katherine nervously after hearing Joaquin''s call.


    "Yes, Grandma. It''s tomorrow." Katherine nodded indifferently.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "Oh, honey, why do you look so rxed? You''re going to get married. Is everything ready? ording to


    tradition, the Levisay Family wille over and pick you up tomorrow, right? Let''s not go to Northtride


    University; we will go to Cornell Residence instead. I will check if something is missing¡­ That dad of


    yours can''t be counted on. He wouldn''t prepare for your wedding, so I must check it out for you."


    Jennifer red at Katherine urgently.


    "Grandma, it''s alright¡ª"


    "What do you mean ''it''s alright''? Marriage is one of the biggest events in life. Why aren''t you nervous?


    Jeez, you little brat. Johdy, please take us to Cornell Residence. Then, can you leave your driver to us?


    I think we will go shoppingter," Jennifer scolded Katherine before smiling at Joaquin.


    As a result, Katherine twitched her mouth while doubting that she was Jennifer''s biological


    granddaughter.


    After Joaquin instructed the driver, they turned around and drove to Cornell Residence.


    As they arrived at their destination, Jennifer looked at the house emotionally while gripping Katherine''s


    hand. "You must be careful in choosing your life partner. Back then, your mother¡­"


    Speaking of Elsie, Jennifer was filled with sorrow as her eyes reddened.


    "Grandma, I know." Katherine squeezed Jennifer''s hand.


    The olddy then nced at Joaquin, who was standing aside and nodded.


    "I''ll be here." Joaquin nced at the time and said calmly.


    "Okay." Katherine waved her hand and helped Jennifer in.


    However, Joaquin did not leave; instead, he returned to the car and sat in a daze with one hand


    supporting his chin.


    Katherine was helping Jennifer into the house when the housekeeper saw them. He then came over in


    tears. "Mrs. Olsen¡­"


    "Hey, it''s you, Ethan. Are you still working here?" Jennifer looked at Ethan and spoke with emotion.


    "Yes, I-I''ve been here all along." He nodded as he raised his hand to wipe his tears.


    Jennifer examined the house and found that it had long been different from before. Over the years,


    Jorge had removed all traces that belonged to Elsie and not even a single trace was left behind.


    Though the building was still the same as it was then, the content was long gone. With a sigh, she


    finally took a step into the house.


    "Who¡­" Jorge glimpsed someone entering the door and subconsciously looked up to ask. His


    expression changed as soon as he took a clear look at them and he stood abruptly from the couch. "K-


    Kathy, why did you bring her here?"


    "I''m getting married tomorrow, so it''s only natural I''m bringing Grandma here. Dad, I''ll take Grandma up


    to have a look." Katherine smiled faintly at Jorge. Then, she ignored him and was about to head


    upstairs with Jennifer.


    Remembering the situation upstairs, Jorge changed his expression and quickly went over to block the


    duo. "No, you can''t go up there."

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    "Why can''t we go up there?"


    As Katherine witnessed Jorge''s flustered look, she had a rough idea in her mind.


    The Levisay Family had given the Cornells a hefty amount of bethortal gifts, and Katherine deliberately


    left them untouched and kept the gift list. The goal behind thisy in what was about to unfold at


    Cornell Residence today.


    "I-I-It''s messy upstairs and disorganized, you¡­" Jorge opened his mouth without knowing how to


    exin.


    Katherine looked at him with a gentle smile. "It''s alright. I''m getting married tomorrow. I''m free today, so


    I''m going to clean up the house. In the future, you''ll live alone without someone to care for you and I


    won''t feel at ease."


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "I¡­" Jorge could not think of any other excuses.


    Lisa and Rosemary have taken the gifts from the Levisay Family, and some of them were sold by me.


    Now, I believe there are not even a third of them left. If Katherine goes up and pursues the matter, how


    will I exin?


    "Kathy, your grandmother is an outsider after all, but you brought her here¡ª"


    "Outsider? Jorge Cornell, use your brain and think carefully. Am I an outsider? The house you live in


    was under my daughter''s name. Now that she''s passed away, Kathy should be the one that inherits this


    house. I am Kathy''s grandmother, so how am I an outsider?" Jennifer was not a pushover. After seeing


    Jorge''s hesitation and excuses, she knew there was a problem upstairs.


    The more he refused to let her up, the more she wanted to do so.


    "Get out of the way. Kathy let you live in the house because she''s kind. You killed her mother and


    hijacked the Olsen Family. You beast doesn''t even deserve to live in this world! If I were you, I''d be


    dead. How dare you be shameless enough to make a fool of yourself here! You enjoy everything your


    daughter brings you and you make irresponsible remarks!" Jennifer viciously cursed while shoving


    Jorge aside.


    Still, he did not dare to make a move for fear of hurting the olddy. Hence, he could only helplessly


    watch them heading upstairs.


    Katherine''s room was still locked. After she opened the door and examined the inside, she revealed a


    smirk.


    Following that, Jennifer went straight in and opened the box on the ground. When she saw the content,


    sheughed in frustration. "Jorge is really something. He stole your stuff! How shameless one must be


    to be able to do such a thing?"


    "Grandma, I didn''t take the things with me back then because I thought this day woulde,"


    Katherine sneered and walked around to take a careful inventory of the room''s contents.


    Anything valuable and easy to sell was pretty much stolen, and what was left for Katherine was either


    invaluable or bad for sales.


    Had the duo not returned today, Jorge probably would not carry these leftovers to the Levisay


    Residence to Katherine. Instead, they would be regarded as Katherine''s gift to the Cornell Family.


    "We can''t just let them off the hook like that!" Jennifer cursed angrily.


    "There''s no hurry. Tomorrow, I''ll make sure that they spit everything out." Katherine squeezed the back


    of Jennifer''s hand.


    However, the olddy remained furious as she carefully inventoried everything again. The more she


    counted, the angrier she became. "This family is really something. What did they even leave for you?


    Look at these clothes. Rosemary wore this shirt and stuffed it back! How shameless of her!"


    "Grandma." Katherine saw Jennifer turn red with anger and could not help but pull her back.


    "You''re way too kind. That''s why you''re prone to bullying, like your mother!" Jennifer eximed angrily


    while thinking about what she should get for Katherine.


    "I don''t want you to be sad, Grandma. There''s nothing else here. Let''s go." Katherine grabbed


    Jennifer''s arm and made a rare pout.


    It was then that Jennifer''s heart suddenly softened; she looked at Katherine as her heart ached at the


    same time. Subsequently, she sighed and patted her granddaughter''s hair before she spoke sadly,


    "Your mother said you should get married in style to let everyone know that you''re the princess of the


    Cornell Family. Now, I''m weak and I need you to support me. So, I''m afraid I can''t give you a valuable


    dowry."


    "I don''t need anything else. I''m content enough to have you give me away." Katherine leaned toward


    Jennifer''s shoulder.


    Then, Jennifer patted Katherine''s head. "It''s alright. I won''t let you suffer any more of this."


    When they went downstairs, Jorge was waiting there nervously.


    Jennifer red at him and snorted. "Jorge, you never let me down."


    "I¡ª" He opened his mouth and did not know what to say.


    "It''s alright, Dad. Grandma and I will leave now. Tomorrow morning, I''ll stay at home to get married.


    Then, I''ll return at night." Katherine smiled at Jorge as if she did not care that her gifts were stolen.


    Seeing that, Jorge calmed down a little before he responded politely, "Of course. You are my daughter,


    so you must get married at home. If you need anything, just tell me. I''ll buy it for you."


    "It''s alright, Dad. I don''t need anything else," Katherine answered with a smile and helped Jennifer, who


    was about to explode, to leave Cornell Residence.


    As soon as they left the house, Jennifer could not hold in her anger anymore. "What on earth? Jorge is


    a big bully! Kathy, you must steel your heart. Tomorrow, you mustn''t forgive him no matter how much


    he pleads! He doesn''t deserve your forgiveness!"


    "Grandma, you promised me not to get angry." Katherine was helpless as she looked at Jennifer


    puffing up, but she did not know how to exin.


    The olddy patted her own chest a few times until she felt better. "I just can''t swallow that anger. Let''s


    leave. I will give you more dowry. You don''t have a good sibling, and your grandfather and I only have


    your mother as a child. After you marry into the Levisay Family, don''t let anyone bully you. If Johdy


    bullies you, you must tell me. Alright?"


    "Okay, Grandma. I got it." Katherine''s heart was full of warmth.


    As the grandmother and granddaughter arrived at the entrance, Joaquin had already alighted to open


    the car door for them.


    Seeing Jennifer''s countenance, he subconsciously looked at Katherine. Without saying anything, she


    merely got into the car.


    Although Katherine kept her silence, Jenniferined about Jorge along the way. Atst, Joaquin


    knew the reason why Jennifer was unhappy. However, he nced at Katherine with doubts in his eyes.


    Katherine isn''t a pushover. When she was plotting against Rosemary, she did not hold back at all. I


    don''t believe Katherine would let Jorge bully her like this.


    Yet, Joaquin only held those thoughts in his heart and did not express them.


    At Soulin International, Jennifer returned to her room and came out with a locked wooden box after a


    while. Next, she handed the box to Katherine. "Kathy, this is my dowry to you. Please don''t mind this


    worthless box."


    "Grandma¡­"


    "ept it. I know my time and don''t have a few years to spare. The only person I worry about is you


    and Noah. You must live a good life with Johdy from now on. You mustmunicate with each other


    and not hide anything, understand?"

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    "I know, Grandma." Katherine nodded while looking at the sandalwood chest in her hand as she sighed


    softly.


    Without much nagging, she sent Katherine out, using her tiredness as an excuse.


    As such, Katherine came out of the room with the chest in her arms. At that time, Joaquin was still


    sitting on the couch in the living room. Seeing that she was here, his gaze fell on the box she was


    holding and he raised his eyebrows with surprise.


    It''s ancient. That chest is worth a lot of money just for the carving itself, not to mention the material.


    "You''re not leaving yet?" Katherine nced at Joaquin and asked calmly.


    "I spent a day with Grandma and did hard work. Why don''t you give me a cuppa instead of kicking me


    out? It''s too much, isn''t it?" He looked at her with a sad puppy face.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Rolling her eyes, she then carried the chest back to her room to put it away before she came out and


    poured a ss of in water for him.


    "Tomorrow¡ª"


    "Tomorrow, we will follow the normal procedure. You wille to the Cornell Residence to pick me up,


    have someone read out the gift list, and take away those bride prices."


    As soon as he heard that, Joaquin froze for a moment and it took him a while toe back to his


    senses. Then, he looked at Katherine differently.


    I was wondering why Katherine is being a pushover suddenly. It turns out she''s just waiting for this


    moment. How will the outsiders think of Jorge if we read out the gift list in front of everyone and it


    doesn''t tally with the bride price from the Cornell Residence? He greedily sold his daughter''s dowry,


    after all, so there is no way he will be able to raise his head in the upper-ss circle of Hovington


    anymore. He wants to make aeback, you say? That is simply a fool''s dream¡­


    "Okay." Joaquin was secretly d that he had not made an enemy of Katherine. Otherwise, he would


    wake up one random day and still not understand where and how things went wrong.


    With a yawn, it was apparent that she wanted to send him off already. Seeing that, Joaquin did not


    overdue his stay and made an excuse to leave.


    The wedding was scheduled to pick up the bride at 9.00AM. At night, Katherine took Jennifer back to


    the Cornell Residence with her. Before 5.00AM the next day, the makeup artist and the photographer


    from the wedding nner came knocking on her door already.


    Looking at the deste Cornell Residence, they wore some strange expressions.


    However, they did not say much and went straight to Katherine''s room to work.


    By then, the bride of the day had yet to even wake up, but they dragged her to change into her clothes


    and pressed her on the chair before starting her hairstyle and makeup. After two hours, it was done!


    Katherine looked at herself with delicate makeup in the mirror and drifted off for a moment, feeling


    unreal.


    On the other hand, Jennifer turned her face away and secretly wiped her eyes.


    A burst of firecrackers rang out downstairs, apanied by loud noise. Katherine suddenly became


    nervous although she was calm before.


    "The groom is here. Hurry up and lock the door," Jennifer calmlymanded as she wiped her tears


    dry.


    The makeup artists hurried over to lock the door. For some reason, they were nervous too.


    Soon, Ben''s recognizable voice rang from outside. "Katherine, please open the door. We''re here to pick


    up the bride."


    "I''m afraid I can''t easily let you take the bride away. You must show some sincerity," Jennifer shouted at


    the door after she cleared her throat.


    After a moment of silence, Joaquin stood there with a sullen face and said nothing. Ben exchanged


    words with the other brothers for a bit before he took an envelope and stuffed it under the door.


    "Go. Take a good look," Jennifer instructed the makeup artist.


    The makeup artist then went over cautiously and picked up the envelope. After she opened it, she saw


    a wad of cash and was rmed. "Mrs. Olsen, it''s quite a lot of money. I would say it''s at least twenty


    thousand."


    "It''s not enough. You didn''t show enough sincerity to open the door," Jennifer nced at the cash and


    shouted at the door again.


    This time, she even deliberately changed her voice.


    "Mr. Levisay, what should we do? They disagree with the amount we gave." This was a first experience


    for Ben, so he looked to Joaquin for help.


    The groom pursed his lips for a while before he fished out a Gold Card inside his pocket and handed it


    to Ben.


    When Ben saw it, his eyes widened. "Mr. Levisay?"


    "Quick." Joaquin wanted to kick Ben so badly.


    Hearing this, Ben hurriedly stuffed the card into the envelope and slotted it under the door.


    The makeup artist picked up the envelope again and handed the card to Jennifer.


    Finally, the olddy smiled with satisfaction. "Okay, now. Unlock the door for him."


    With that, the makeup artist obediently opened the door. Soon, Ben and his brothers noisily came


    rushing through the door.


    On the other hand, Joaquin straightened the tie on his chest before holding the bouquet of roses and


    walking in.


    Looking at the man who entered the door, Katherine''s mind went nk for a moment as she felt like


    she had been struck by lightning.


    Joaquin was not wearing a mask today; instead, he wore a faint smile on his clear and elegant face.


    The roses in his hand made him look undeniably handsome. However, Katherine could not resist the


    turmoil that was in her head.


    Can someone tell me what is happening? Why is the man before me the b*stard who vited me at the


    hotel that night?


    "What should I do? Mr. Levisay, can we pick up the bride now? Is there any more process to go


    through?" Those who followed Joaquin to pick up the bride were from Area Seven. Everyone was big


    and rough, and they had no experience in romance. Hence, it was their first time experiencing the


    family tradition and they were in a mess as no one knew what to do next.


    "Well, you should find the bride''s shoes. After the bride wears the shoes, you can take her away," the


    photographer on the side weakly reminded.


    "Brothers, hurry up and look for the shoes."


    Thanks to the reminder, Ben remembered it and quickly waved his hand. A group of people


    immediately turned up everything in the room as if they were beasts that had juste out of the cage.


    However, the bride was speechless with their behavior.


    It was then that Joaquin walked over with the flowers in his hand. When he saw Katherine''s shocked


    expression, he coughed softly. "I¡ª"


    "Mr. Levisay! I found the shoes. Hurry up and grab the bride!" someone suddenly shouted and it


    attracted everyone''s attention in the room.


    A tall man held a single red high heel in his hand while shouting with a big smile.


    At that moment, Joaquin felt a headache. He regretted bringing that group of brats to pick up the bride.


    They are definitely here to make trouble for me.


    Katherine held down her excitement and acted calmly.


    After Joaquin took the shoes, he squatted down and put them on Katherine before picking her up and


    walking out of the room with quick steps.


    "We got the bride! Jeremy, get someone to carry Katherine''s dowry." Ben did not forget his mission and


    only ordered Jeremy after Joaquin left with a bride in his arms.


    As soon as Jeremy heard that, he immediately understood and ordered his men to start carrying the


    dowry.


    Jorge watched withplicated thoughts as Joaquin carried Katherine down the stairs.


    Before he could get sentimental, he heard a loud voice from upstairs. "One pair of Dragon and Phoenix


    Jade Pendants¡ª"

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    "Dragon and Phoenix Jade Pendants, huh? I heard the Levisay Family has an ancestral jade pendant


    that is top-quality. It was crafted by court craftsmen back in the day and I wonder if I can look at it


    today."


    "I heard the Levisay Family doesn''t particrly care about this marriage, right? I don''t think it''s the


    same pendant."


    "What do you know? That jade doesn''t belong to the Levisay Family but to Joaquin''s mother, who


    brought it with her as dowry. The Foster Family is a century-old family, so the stuff she brought must be


    good. Joaquin is Ang''s only child, so her dowry must be given to his wife."


    On that day, Cornell Residence had plenty of guests. When they heard the voices from upstairs, they


    started talking one after another.


    Many people looked at Jorge with envy on their faces, so he subconsciously straightened his back with


    pride.


    After Jeremy read the list, someone carried an ebony chest from upstairs. However, after opening the


    chest, it was empty inside.


    Everyone was stunned at the sight, including Jorge. Then, he finally returned to his senses and his face


    turned pale.


    At that moment, Joaquin had already put Katherine down and they stood at the stairs while looking at


    the personing down. He smiled while looking at her and softly asked, "Why? Did you take out the


    Dragon Phoenix Pendant?"


    "I never opened the box and it''s been in the room all this time," Katherine calmly replied.


    Soon, Jorge''s face turned pale; he felt humiliated despite being proud earlier.


    Everyone knew that all these things were kept ''safe'' in Cornell Residence. However, the content was


    empty and it was easy to guess who the culprit was.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    At that point, it felt like there was an invisible hand that was striking him in the face hard.


    Yet, this was only the beginning.


    Jeremy continued to read the gift list out loud. Everytime he recited an item, someone came downstairs


    with another empty box. With each open chest, it felt like someone swung around and pped Jorge


    hard until his head was dizzy and buzzing. He could note back to his senses for a long while.


    Meanwhile, the bride merely wore a smile as she silently watched the empty boxes and crates being


    carried down from upstairs.


    Joaquin brought a lot of people to help out that day. After a group of people came down with the


    chests, they went back up to continue.


    Soon, the living room was filled with dozens of empty boxes.


    At that point, the living room was as quiet as a pin drop. No one said anything, yet they all looked in


    unison at Jorge, who swayed and almost lost his footing.


    It was the most humiliating moment in his life.


    "Dad, if you''re tight and need money, you can tell me. Why are you¡­" Katherine sighed and looked up


    at Jorge helplessly.


    Parting his lips, Jorge wanted to make an exnation but had no idea where to begin. His face was on


    fire at that time as he was totally embarrassed and humiliated.


    The guests'' gazes were like knives piercing through him. He wished the earth would open up and


    swallow him whole right then so that he could put a stop to the embarrassment.


    "Joaquin, I think Dad¡­" Katherine looked at Joaquin with red eyes and softly pleaded for Jorge.


    However, Joaquin coldly interrupted her, "I don''t care about the other things. However, my mother''s


    pendant is to be left to her daughter-inw. That is an ancestral item passed down from generation to


    generation in the Foster Family. I don''t care who took it, but you must hand it to me no matter what it


    takes. Otherwise, you are a thief for doing so and I will report this incident to the police."


    Upon hearing that, Jorge changed his expression, so he hurriedly pleaded, "Joaquin, t-this is a family


    affair, so this is not stealing! Today is the big day for you and Kathy, so let''s continue with the wedding.


    We will settle this after the wed¡ª"


    "No. ording to the Foster Family''s tradition, the Dragon and Phoenix Jade Pendants must be worn


    on the wedding day, signifying peace between the couple. We won''t proceed with the wedding if the


    pendant is lost." Joaquin''s attitude was unusually resolute.


    "I¡­" Jorge looked at Joaquin dumbfounded.


    The atmosphere in the house suddenly froze. No one spoke and everyone looked at Jorge while


    waiting to see how he would solve this matter.


    Marriage was an important event in life. Everyone agreed withmon sense that Jorge should return


    what he had taken to allow the wedding go smoothly.


    However, Jorge did not know what to do at all. It wasn''t even me who took the pendant! It was Rose! I


    can''t possibly retrieve it back even if I try.


    "Joaquin, look. You can''t treat marriage as a child''s y. Please go through the process first. I-I


    promise I''ll definitely send the pendant back to you. Okay?" Jorge shyly came up to Joaquin and spoke


    embarrassingly.


    However, Joaquin did not answer and looked at Jorge with a half-smile.


    It was then Jorge''s heart thumped as he knew that Joaquin would not let him go.


    The groom continued, "It seems like you didn''t take the pendant. Since that''s the case, let''s call the


    cops and let them handle it. I will continue my wedding with Kathy, but I must catch the thief."


    "I-I¡­" Jorge was panicking as he was running out of ideas at this point.


    Suddenly, Hera, who had arrivedte, entered along with her people. Surprised at the quiet house, she


    quickly drew her attention to Joaquin.


    The groom stood there perfectly without wearing the usual golden mask. He was wearing a custom


    handmade suit as if he was a European aristocrat who came out of an oil painting, looking noble.


    Stunned, Hera''s countenance darkened as she quickly walked over. "What''s wrong? Why haven''t you


    left after you picked up the bride?"


    Her sudden appearance surprisingly eased the atmosphere.


    However, Joaquin nced at her and decided to ignore her. His face still fell on the guilty man. "Jorge,


    what do you think?"


    "It''s a big day¡­" Jorge did not want to call the police because he could only wish to stay in the city if


    the incident was spread all over Hovington.


    "Dad, why don''t you tell us who took the dowry? Today is my big day. W-Why do you have to


    embarrass me like this?" Katherine looked at Jorge with red eyes as if she was about to tear up.


    At that time, Jorge was flustered and pressured. As a result, he could not hide it any longer. "I-It''s your


    sister and mother¡ª"


    "My mother is dead." Katherine choked out.


    Jorge opened his mouth and was annoyed at Katherine''s aggrieved look.


    He was irritated that Katherine was deliberately saying these words to make things difficult for him,


    instead of sharing the burden with him.

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    "You sure are shameless, Jorge Cornell! I am amazed that you allow your wife and child to steal the


    dowry of your ex-wife''s daughter. Is this the upbringing of the Cornells?!" Katherine had just finished


    her words when another angry voice rang out.


    Jorge could only feel how annoyed he was at this moment. After hearing the second voice, he


    subconsciously looked over, only for his face to fall when he saw Jennifer.


    The saying that people attracted what they feared seemed all too true right then.


    As the scene unfolded, Jennifer''s initial n was to watch from the sidelines without interfering.


    However, she changed her mind when she saw him overstep the line by doing something so hical


    that no one with a conscience would ever do. She could no longer stand seeing her granddaughter


    miserable, so she decided to step in.


    Back then, when Elsie passed on suddenly, Darren followed suit soon after due to a cerebral


    hemorrhage, with Jennifer being bedridden in the hospital for a long time. Jennifer had always been


    guilt-ridden when it came to Katherine, as she had to take on too many things by herself during


    Jennifer''s stay in the hospital. So, naturally, Jennifer would not allow Jorge to bully Katherine on her


    wedding day.


    Hera frowned and nced at Jessica before impatiently interrupting everyone. "And who is this? On


    second thought, never mind. I don''t care whatever is going on here. Joaquin, take Kathy away.


    Everything at the hotel is ready. We can''t have any dys just because of your business here. There


    will be a lot of distinguished guests attending today. The Levisays can''t afford to lose face now."


    "The Levisays? Who told you that today''s wedding has anything to do with the Levisays?" Joaquin''s


    lips curled into a cold smile as his eyes fell on Hera.


    Her face immediately darkened upon hearing that. Then, she red at him as she said with a shrill


    voice, "W-What did you say?!"


    "I am a member of the Foster Family, so of course, the wedding today is held by the Fosters. It has


    nothing to do with the Levisays?" he answered firmly.


    She was so angry that her face contorted when she heard his words. "You! Joaquin Levisay! You are


    one of the Levisays as long as your family name stays the same. How could you utter such unfilial


    words? I want you to take Kathy to the hotel we booked for you right now. Your father and grandma are


    already waiting there." She pointed at him angrily and ordered.


    "Pardon me, Madam Levisay. I''m afraid I can''t do as you wish this time." Katherine blinked and looked


    at Hera innocently before speaking softly.


    Hera had been feeling unsettled from the moment she saw Katherine; she reckoned that nothing good


    would happen if Katherine were to speak.


    Katherine continued to say, "Most of my dowry has been stolen, and Joaquin has just called the police.


    We still don''t know if the wedding can go on until the stolen dowry is retrieved." Hera, who felt uneasy


    just a moment ago, almost jumped in anger at Katherine''s words. "What?! The dowry has been


    stolen?!"


    Those dowries are priceless! If it weren''t for that b*tch of a woman, Ang, who left a will saying that


    those things have to be kept for Joaquin''s marriage, I would have taken them all and kept them for my


    son.


    Even if it was temporarily given to Katherine, there was no way Hera could be at peace when the things


    that she thought belonged to her were taken away by someone else.


    Hera red at Jorge and shrieked, "Jorge Cornell! What the hell is going on?! We agreed from the start


    that the Levisays would take all of Katherine''s dowry if the Levisays let the Cornells have the projects. I


    am supposed to take every betrothal gift home with me! How dare youy your hands on these things?


    And you even took half of them! What did you take, huh?!"


    As soon as she shouted those words, it immediately caused uproar among the crowd around them.


    She had revealed too much information in her words.


    Joaquin slightly raised his eyebrows, wearing a mocking sneer on his face.


    Jorge looked extremely upset now but dared not to burst out in anger. He only suppressed his anger as


    he exined to Hera in a friendly tone, "Madam Levisay, can we talk about thister? Our priority now


    is to proceed with the wedding. We¡ª"


    "What is there to talk about?" Hera cut him off. "You have to pay up for what is missing! Though, I don''t


    think the Cornells have anything topensate us. I''m telling you, Jorge, you better get it all back! All


    of it! If you can''t, pay off the debt with your immovable assets. You''re not getting away with this until this


    matter settles." After saying that, she shoved Jorge away without any intention of remaining polite to


    him.


    With how things were now, the wedding could not possibly go on.


    Katherine only stood there, watching Hera and Jorge kick up a fuss with cold eyes as if she was merely


    a spectator.


    The police soon arrived at the scene. Not only did they take away all the empty boxes as evidence, but


    they also sealed off Cornell Residence. As for Jorge, who was a suspect, he was naturally taken away


    for further investigation.


    Katherine and Joaquin stood outside the Cornell Residence and looked at the seal tape at the entrance


    before turning to look at each other.


    "There goes the wedding. Are we going back to our own homes or what?" Katherine tugged at the


    wedding dress on her body. Being in this kind of dress made her so ufortable she wished she


    could change back into her regr clothes this instant.


    Hearing that, Joaquin turned and nced at her from the corner of his eyes. "Who told you that the


    wedding is over? Let''s go. This is just the beginning."


    As he said that, he reached out to grab her wrist and took her to the car parked on the side of the road.


    After the Cornells made such a fuss, Hera followed Jorge to the police station, and the crowd of guests


    of the Cornells began to disperse.


    Katherine did not know what Joaquin was up to, but she chose not to ask. Tired from being dug out of


    bed early in the morning to put on makeup, she closed her eyes for a rest as soon as she got into the


    car.


    The car then slowly drove to Diamond Hotel with a fleet of luxury cars following behind, making a grand


    entrance.


    The entrance of the hotel was decorated with pink heart-shaped balloons. There were also many


    posters with the couple''s photos. And in those photos, both smiled brightly, with joy written all over their


    faces. They looked like a couple who were deeply in love with each other.


    Once the car stopped at the gate, Joaquin reached over and nudged Katherine lightly. She then


    opened her eyes and was stunned when she saw the hotel. "What is this? You had another show


    nned?" she asked in confusion.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "Let''s get out. My grandparents are waiting inside. We have to greet the elderly first and foremost."


    Joaquin unfastened his seat belt and opened the door to get out of the car first.


    Katherine was silent for a moment before she unbuckled her seat belt and followed suit.


    The hotel lobby was quiet as there was only hotel staff there.


    As soon as Katherine and Joaquin entered the lobby, someone immediately approached them to lead


    the way.


    By the time they had arrived at the banquet hall, she was still confused by what was happening as she


    saw the guests that filled up the ce and the emcee who livened up the ceremony.


    Right then, the emcee spotted the newlyweds at the entrance, which led him to shout in excitement,


    "And now, let''s wee the bride and groom of the day to get on stage!"

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Following the emcee''s announcement, every guest''s eyes drifted to the door. Then, the lights in the


    banquet hall all shone on Katherine and Joaquin at once.


    Katherine swiftly turned to look at Joaquin with her eyes seemingly inquisitive.


    On the other hand, Joaquin only reached out to let her loop her arm around his.


    Under everyone''s fixed gaze, she had no choice but to hold onto his arm before he guided her into the


    hall.


    As the emcee watched the two walk to him, he could not help being captivated by their gorgeous looks.


    It took him a second to snap back to his senses before he passed the microphone to the couple. "Bride


    and groom, would you care to share with us how you met? I bet all the guests present are very


    interested to know that!"


    Katherine nced at Joaquin, prompting thetter to take the microphone smilingly. "It probably started


    when a beautiful ident happened. In short, it was fate that brought us together."


    Upon hearing that, Katherine immediately cursed him out inwardly, ''Beautiful ident'' my foot! He


    acted like a shameless thug!


    However, she only wore a polite smile without saying a word as she watched him spout nonsense.


    When the emcee was about to speak up after Joaquin finished talking about his encounter with her, a


    sharp voice interjected. "Joaquin Levisay! Does it not hurt your conscience when you say these words?


    If your encounter with Katherine Cornell was a ''beautiful ident'' as you have said, what about you


    and me then? You abandoned me after the car ident left me crippled! What do you have to say for


    yourself?!"


    Zachary, who was sitting in the most important seat, frowned and looked at the woman next to him


    subconsciously.


    The woman was Joaquin''s aunt from his mother''s side of the family, Lilith Sue. After she met Zachary''s


    gaze, she asked with an innocent face, "Why are you looking at me, Father? You couldn''t possibly think


    that I deliberately arranged this to destroy Joaquin''s wedding, could you? What good is it for me to do


    this?"


    "Hmph! It better not be your doing!" Zachary huffed with a displeased face.


    Lilith only pouted without giving Zachary''s warning much thought and let herself enjoy the show.


    After the voice rang out, everyone saw a woman in a wheelchair at the entrance to the hall. The woman


    had injuries on her face that looked like they came from a traffic ident. The ce where her legs


    should be as she sat in a wheelchair was void of anything; it was apparent that she had her lower limbs


    amputated.


    Beatrice looked grimly at Katherine and Joaquin standing on the stage. Katherine was so dazzling


    today that even she, as a woman, felt her heart waver as she looked at Katherine. However, the prettier


    Katherine looked, the more bitter she felt toward the unfair situation that happened to her.


    What gives her the right to be happily and beautifully dressed in a wedding gown and married to


    Joaquin, while I am at home bawling my eyes out? she fumed.


    Joaquin is mine!


    She could not possibly ept this fruitless oue with an open heart after she had painstakingly


    nned out the incident five years ago.


    She then slowly steered the wheelchair toward the couple and stopped before them.


    Katherine only looked at her with apathetic eyes with no intention of saying anything.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was looking at Beatrice with a frown on his face. His eyes were void of the


    gentleness they used to hold. All that was left in his gaze now were disgust and hatred.


    "Joe, have you forgotten your promise to marry me and treat me well for the rest of your life? How can


    you treat me this way just because I am disabled? Do you think you are being fair?" In tears, Beatrice


    comined as she looked at Joaquin with sad eyes.


    "Who told you toe here?" He only pursed his lips and looked at her coldly.


    If it was not because what had happenedst time, he might have continued to indulge her and even


    ended his engagement with Katherine for Beatrice''s sake. He would have willingly taken responsibility


    for her whether she was disabled.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    However, she was the one who had revealed the secrets of their mission, resulting in the tragic death


    of several of his colleagues. He had also almost lost his life because of her.


    She should never havemitted such a grave mistake, but since she did, she would have to pay the


    price for her actions.


    He already did his best to keep her dignity by not exposing her.


    "Joe! Have you forgotten everything between us five years ago? I did so much for you. How could you


    do this to me?!" Aggrieved, she looked at him with tears streaming down her pale cheeks.


    Despite hearing her words, Joaquin only pressed his lips together without saying anything as he


    peered at her coldly.


    As Katherine looked at him, she reckoned this could drag on forever if she did not step in. Thus, she


    lifted the skirt of her dress and took two steps forward until she was standing in front of Beatrice. "Miss,


    should I remind you that this is my husband you are talking to?"


    "Your husband?! Who do you think you are?! You are just a shameless third-wheeler! What right do you


    have to talk when you were the one who stole someone else''s boyfriend?" Beatrice no longer cared


    about being polite. She could not lose Joaquin because once she did, she would end up with absolutely


    nothing.


    Katherine sneered and looked at Beatrice condescendingly. "The third-wheeler? Joaquin and my


    wedding had been fixed when we were yet to be born. Who the hell are you to use me of being a


    third-wheeler?"


    Beatrice''s face froze as she heard the words while looking at Katherine in disbelief.


    Katherine''s expression remained stoic as she looked at Beatrice calmly. "Hmm? Got nothing to say? Is


    there a problem with Joaquin for living up to his mother''sst wish and marrying me? Where did you


    pop out from anyway? Did you pride yourself on being a third-wheeler? Does your family even know?"


    "Katherine, you¡ª" Beatrice flushed out of anger and red at Katherine. However, she was interrupted


    by Katherine just as she was about to speak.


    "What''s wrong? Isn''t what I said true? Are you trying to deny that Joaquin and I were betrothed to each


    other before we were even born? I''m sorry to burst your bubble, but we have promised marriage to


    each other. So, no matter what you say, I am his official fianc¨¦e. And now you havee to my


    wedding to use Joaquin of abandoning you after he had his fun with you? Fine, then tell me what


    exactly he did to you." Katherine looked at Beatrice indifferently. It was easy to tell who had the upper


    hand in the argument when one of the parties stared at the other calmly, while the other looked back


    anxiously.


    With her eyes red from anger, Beatrice looked at Joaquin with an aggrieved expression. "Joe, are you


    just going to watch her bully me like this? You¡ª"


    "Enough," he barked as he looked back at her. "I will not thoroughly embarrass you if you get out of


    here right away. You know what you have done, Beatrice. Do you really want me to say it out word-for-


    word?"


    If she hadn''t been in a wheelchair, she would have fallen to the floor out of shock by now.


    She could only look at him in disbelief as she could not believe that he would spout such cruel words to


    her.


    "Joe, I-I am pregnant¡ª" she muttered with color drained from her face. However, before she could


    finish her words, Katherine had already stepped forward and held her by the wrist to take her pulse.


    "Oh? Are you trying to say that Joaquin is going to be a father? And not just that, you are trying to


    announce in the presence of all the guests that you are having his child? Now, I will give you another


    chance to repeat yourself. Think twice before you speak."

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    Upset, Beatrice threw Katherine a resentful look. "Katherine Cornell, do you really have to humiliate me


    like this?! Why can''t I have Joe''s child?"


    "You ask me why? Do you really need me to tell you? I thought the answer was pretty obvious." The


    corners of Katherine''s lips curled into a half-smile as she looked back at Beatrice.


    Her gaze instantly sent a pang of guilt in Beatrice''s way¡ªit was as though Katherine had seen through


    her.


    However, now was not the time for her to feel guilty. She would end up with nothing if she did not seize


    thisst chance.


    Theodore hadpletely given up on her.


    At this point, her entire future was in ruins. She really would be all on her own if even Joaquin left her.


    "I don''t care what you''re trying to say! I do have his child! If you don''t believe it, go ahead and ask him if


    he had an affair with me five years ago!" Beatrice even deliberately looked at Joaquin after she finished


    speaking.


    She knew him best. He was the kind of person who valued responsibility more than anything else.


    Otherwise, he would not have told her he would take responsible action for her because of the affair


    from five years ago.


    She thought she had grasped his weakness, but unbeknownst to her, her behavior was only getting


    even more off-putting for him.


    "If I am not mistaken, you had an abortion when you were 14 years old, presumably at an illegal clinic.


    The excessive bleeding after the operation made it necessary to undergo the removal of half of your


    uterus, which led you to be infertile for life since then. Now I am curious about how Joaquin


    impregnated you under such circumstances. Tell me. Which doctor had bestowed a miracle upon you


    and healed you from a condition like that? I can probably learn a thing or two from them." Seeing how


    stubborn Beatrice was, Katherine no longer wanted to be courteous with her as she proceeded to tell


    the truth without hesitation.


    Beatrice''s face turned deadly pale upon hearing her words. With a startled expression, she gawked at


    Katherine and subconsciously screeched, "Y-You are making things up!"


    "Am I making things up? You should know the answer to that better than anyone else." Katherine


    smiled yfully.


    At the same time, Joaquin''s face immediately fell after he heard Katherine''s words. He then looked at


    Beatrice in disbelief.


    If Beatrice had an abortion when she was fourteen, she was definitely not a virgin when they did it five


    years ago! However, he was certain back then that it was the woman''s first time!


    Furthermore, she told him that she did get pregnant but then had a miscarriage that would never allow


    her to have another baby again.


    Back then, he did not even consider investigating the truth as he never thought that Beatrice would lie


    to him about something like this. I can''t believe she had me fooled for five whole years.


    Face pale, Beatrice whipped her head in his direction and desperately tried to exin, "Don''t listen to


    her nonsense, Joe. She is framing me because she wants to steal you from me. I-I am not lying¡­"


    Joaquin shut his eyes at that. He no longer knew how to discern whether her words were truthful.


    "Enough! It is a happy asion for the Fosters today! I don''t want anyone to disrupt our peace. Send


    thedy out of here, please," Zachary instructed the Fosters'' bodyguards to remove Beatrice from the


    hall after watching for a while. He was satisfied to see Katherine standing up and defending Joaquin.


    He only got himself involved when he saw how things had escted.


    Beatrice continued to wail at her unfair treatment, but she was eventually carried out of the hotel by the


    bodyguards along with her wheelchair.


    Lilith was disappointed to know how skilled Katherine was. She never thought Katherine could tell that


    Beatrice had a miscarriage so many years ago.


    At that instant, she nced at Katherine with narrowed eyes and began to be on her guard.


    Zachary then saw how the emcee dazedly stood on stage as he was stunned after what had


    happened, and so he calmly reminded, "Do proceed with the ceremony."


    The emcee suddenly backed to his senses, and he quickly improvised and made the atmosphere in the


    hall lively again.


    With that, Katherine and Joaquin finally left the stage and took a seat.


    Lilith then smilingly looked at Katherine and asked, "By the way, you are Kathy, aren''t you? Why isn''t


    your family with you on your and Joaquin''s big day?"


    Katherine had just taken a sip of water to quench her thirst when she heard Lilith''s words. Sensing the


    ill intention behind the fake smile on Lilith''s face, she scoffed inwardly. Joaquin sure is surrounded by


    hypocrites; there''s Hera just now, and now there''s Lilith.


    She squeezed out a smile and looked at Lilith. "What''s the matter? Is there a rule that my rtives


    must be present today? But Joaquin didn''t tell me that this was how the wedding was nned!"


    She then cast an innocent look at Joaquin.


    Seeing that, he smiled gently and grabbed her hand in front of Lilith. "Kathy''s mother is no longer with


    us. And we only need my grandparents to be here at our wedding. So, it doesn''t matter whether the


    others join our wedding."


    Lilith was about to make a response to his words when Joaquin''s grandmother, Winnie Babcock, cooed


    with a smile, "You and your sweet-talk. You are such a smooth talker, aren''t you? You must have made


    Kathy fall for you with that mouth of yours!"


    "Grandma." He peered at her with resignation.


    Winnie was not bothered by his reaction as she continued, "Kathy, look at how Joaquin is blushing out


    of embarrassment. Tell me, is he usually such a sweet talker when he talks to you?"


    Upon hearing that, Katherine turned her head to the side to look at Joaquin for a long minute before


    she answered earnestly, "He hasn''t done that so far. I will continue observing him."


    "Haha!" Winnie chortled before she reminded Katherine in a kind voice, "You have to observe carefully


    then. Tell me if he dares to bully you. Elsie was like my own daughter back then; she even called me


    her godmother. So, you don''t have to hold back with me. If he dares give you grief, you cane to


    me, and I will definitely support you and help you teach him a lesson!"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Katherine had a good feeling about Winnie, so she smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.


    "Grandma, I''m your real grandchild here," Joaquin sighed.


    "Which is exactly why I have to teach you a lesson properly. It is Kathy''s loss to marry you, so it would


    be ridiculous if you don''t treat her well." Winnie red at him and reprimanded him.


    He only wore a helpless look without saying another word.


    As Katherine watched their interaction, she could not help but chuckle at how warm it felt.


    This was something the Cornells never gave her. Even when Elsie was alive, her life was only filled


    with Jorge''sints and Elsie''s tears.


    "Heavens, why are you telling her this?" Zachary suddenly helped Joaquin out of the situation when he


    could no longer stand seeing Winnie making fun of their grandson. "It is almost time to make a toast.


    Joaquin, bring Kathy around to greet the guests."


    Kathy initially thought that it was tiring enough to try on the dress. To her surprise, the wedding was


    even more tiring. She was filled with deep regret at this moment, and all she wanted to do now was go


    home immediately and fall asleep on the bed. She did not want to think or worry about anything else.

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    "Why do you have so many heads, Joaquin Levisay? I''m starting to feel sick. Stop moving around."


    After Joaquin brought Katherine around to make toasts, he was just about to take her back to their


    seats when she suddenly threw herself on him and tightly held his head. She then squinted at him, her


    face as red as an apple.


    Immediately, Joaquin''s heart skipped a beat, and he could not help but be on high alert when he


    recalled what happened after she drankst time.


    "Have you been drinking alcohol?" He grabbed her restless hands and asked with a frown.


    Hearing that, she tilted her head and looked at him, all baffled. "Alcohol? What kind of alcohol? Is it


    nice? I want it if it is nice. Can you give me some? Joaquin, give me the drink now. Where did you hide


    the alcohol? Why can''t I find it?"


    With that, she started getting handsy with him, and she almost took off his suit jacket in the process.


    His face suddenly fell then. To prevent her from making a scene here, he hugged her by the waist


    before they turned around and left.


    "Hey, we are not done toasting yet! Why are you leaving already?" The groomsmen and bridesmaids


    were dumbfounded when they saw him stepping away with her in his arms.


    Before they could even stop Joaquin, he had already scurried off into the elevator.


    "Old Mr. Foster, the bride and groom have run away." The two ran back to inform Zachary with helpless


    expressions on their faces.


    The news momentarily surprised the old man. "What do you mean?" he asked in confusion. "What do


    you mean by they have run away? Where did they run off to?"


    "Uh, we don''t know. They were doing their toasts a moment ago when the groom suddenly hugged the


    bride and walked away halfway," the two of them innocently exined.


    "What¡ª"


    Winnie suddenly nudged him, stopping him from asking anything more. "Geez, you old man. How can


    someone your age understand the romance between young people? It is sufficient for them to just get


    done with the ceremony. So what if they don''t know all of their rtives? Kathy and Joaquin might be


    making a great-grandchild for us right now! Let me think of a name for our future grandson. However, I


    do much prefer a girl, though." She then began to fantasize about what her future grandchild would


    look like.


    On the other side, Joaquin had carried Katherine into the elevator. Throughout their ride, she wrapped


    her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as though he was a tree and she was a ko.


    She buried her face in the nape of his neck, where each of her warm breaths hit against his nape,


    sending thrills throughout his heated body.


    The elevator door finally opened when they reached the top floor. He then walked out of the elevator


    with her still in his arms and opened the door before entering the room.


    "Joaquin, I don''t feel so good," she sweetly breathed, causing him to gulp lightly.


    Suppressing his desire, he rasped, "Just talk, Katherine. You don''t have to move around."


    When she heard that, she narrowed her eyes and looked at him with hazy eyes before she suddenly


    cackled and leaned into him.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    That was when his self-controlpletely snapped. Seizing her hands, he carried her and stalked into


    the room.


    "No!"


    Katherine suddenly sobered up then and shoved him away will full strength.


    He was able to think rationally again once he fell onto the ground from the sudden shove. Seeing the


    horrified expression on her face, he felt excruciating pain as though something was wing at his


    heart.


    "Katherine?" he tentatively called out.


    However, she could not seem to break free from the nightmare she was drowning in.


    "Get away from me! Don''te here! Don''t touch me! Boohoo, no..." Eyes closed, she hugged herself


    tightly and shrank into a ball as she unconsciously murmured. She looked like she was in pure agony.


    "Okay, okay. Katherine, I won''t touch you. I promise I won''t touch you." Seeing her like this broke his


    heart, so he could not help but step forward and put his arms around her as he gave her gentle pats on


    the back of her torso to soothe her emotions.


    The familiar scent of his body seemed to gradually calm her down as she did not continue to struggle


    and resist. She quietly stayed in his arms and fell into a deep slumber soon after.


    He lowered his head to look at her when he no longer felt any movement, only to see that she was still


    wearing a frown while her breathing had already evened out.


    He then sighed and looked at himself. While Katherine went to dreand, he was left to deal with the


    burning desire in him that she had lit up.


    After picking her up and tucking her in, he had no choice but to take a cold shower in the bathroom.


    Later on, Katherine had a nightmare yet again, where she was back at the bar she was in five years


    ago. The man''s solid back and his silver mask that shone under the bright and colorful lights gave her a


    sense of deja vu.


    "No!" She woke up from her dream with a start. When she regained consciousness, she realized that


    she wasying in a hotel bed, still wearing her wedding gown from before. Seeing nothing out of the


    norm about her body made her heave a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    "What''s wrong?" Joaquin rushed out of the bathroom when he heard the sound. He only had a bath


    towel on him, exposing the strong muscles of his upper body as well as the particrly eye-catching


    deep and shallow wounds.


    Katherine only remembered after seeing him that they had just married yesterday and were now


    officially husband and wife.


    Looking somewhat ufortable, she only spoke up after a while, "Joaquin, we need to talk."


    "What do you want to say to me?" Sincest night, he had noticed that something was off with her.


    He then took a bathrobe and draped it over his body before he walked over and sat beside the bed,


    looking at her with serious eyes.


    She stayed quiet for a minute before starting. "At the very beginning, our marriage was only a form of


    deal for us to each get what we need. However, now that we have had a wedding, we are already


    husband and wife in a legal sense. So, I think there are some things that I need to confess to you."


    "What is it?" For some reason, he had a bad feeling about this.


    He had envisioned countless possibilities, such as her having some kind of illness or that she actually


    preferred women.


    "Actually, I have a child. She is four years old but has been staying in Fontan for treatment due to her


    poor health. She has severe autism and doesn''t get close to anyone. The only person other than me


    that canmunicate with her is her psychologist." She initially thought it would be hard to talk about


    this, but after she finished speaking, she realized it was not as difficult as she thought it would be.


    She had never mentioned Noah to anyone. Except for her grandmother, even the people closest to her


    had no idea that Noah was actually her child.


    "Huh?" He was a little surprised at how things turned out differently from what he had imagined. "That''s


    it? Is there anything else?"


    "That is it." She shook her head.


    He quietly mulled over her confession before tentatively asking, "The child''s father¡ª"


    Her expression changed slightly upon hearing that, but she acted so naturally that he did not notice


    anything. "He is dead," she lied.


    "Is that so? Then, are you nning to bring the child back?" He did not have a moment of doubt as he


    swiftly believed her words.


    "Yeah, autistic children are a special case. She can''t possibly stay out of contact with people all her life,


    so I n to bring her back. I am just letting you know..." The Levisays and Fosters had a much too


    complicated rtionship. She was worried that Noah would be overwhelmed by this once she was


    back.


    "Go ahead and bring her back then. And leave the rest to me. You don''t have to worry or feel pressured


    either." He figured out what she was worried about after giving it some thought.


    Hearing that, she sincerely gave her gratitude. "Thank you."


    "Since you havee clean about your secret, I want to make things clear to you as well. Katherine,


    the word ''divorce'' is not in my vocabry. So, now that you are married to me, you will be Mrs. Levisay


    for life," he stated while looking at her earnestly.


    Caught off-guard, she peeped, "You?"


    "Ahem. I am serious about what I said. Before my mother passed away, she told me that men must be


    responsible. Since I married you, I will be responsible for you. So, you can start trying to ept me


    from now on." His expression looked somewhat stiff. If she had taken a closer look, she would


    undoubtedly notice the redness on the tips of his ears hidden behind his hair.


    For some reason, seeing his serious demeanor while saying those words had moved her greatly.


    "Uh, I-I suddenly remember there''s something I have to attend to today. I am off now. I will bring Noah


    back in a few days. Let''s talk about her then. That is all." After saying that, she swiftly scampered out of


    the hotel room as her heart thumped away.


    Joaquin could not help but smile as he looked at her. He had to admit that she was kind of adorable


    when she acted that way.


    After Katherine came out of the room, she tugged at her clothes and abruptly pped her forehead


    upon a realization¡ªshe was still wearing disposable slippers from the hotel. She really could not


    understand why she felt nervous just now.


    "Kathy? What''s the matter? Where are you going?" She had just boarded and gone down the elevator


    to the first floor when she met Lilith, who was all dressed up.


    Lilith could not help but ask and peek behind Katherine upon seeing her.


    Hearing that, Katherine looked at her, and she only recalled that the woman standing in front of her was


    Joaquin''s aunt after she had thought for a long while. "Hello, Aunt Lilith. Is everything alright?" she


    greeted her nonchntly.


    "Oh, nothing much, but you and Joaquin got married yesterday. Technically, you ought to go to Foster


    Residence with him today to greet Father. I came to the hotel to remind you as I was worried you would


    forget about this. Isn''t Joaquin with you?" She reached out to hold Katherine''s arm as she politely


    asked.


    However, Katherine was not used to being so intimate with strangers. She inconspicuously avoided


    Lilith''s touch and casually replied, "Joaquin didn''t tell me that. I am afraid I can''t chat any longer, Aunt


    Lilith. I have something to do. You can head upstairs if you are looking for Joaquin."


    She quickly left without addressing the sour expression on Lilith''s face after she said her fill.


    "What a rude b*tch! She has no manners at all! Bah!" As Lilith looked at Katherine''s back, she could


    not help but scold her before she straightened her back and entered the elevator.


    Katherine then took a ride back to Soulin International after she left the hotel.


    She only let out a relieved sigh when she saw Jennifer sitting on the living room couch with the


    television remote in her hand as she watched TV.


    "Grandma, have you eaten yet?" Katherine changed her shoes at the entrance before entering the


    house.


    Jennifer nced at her and frowned when she saw that Katherine was still wearing the wedding dress.


    "Why are you back here now? Did Johdy upset you for you to be running away from home on the first


    day of marriage?"


    Hearing that, Katherine stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Jennifer, baffled. "What are you


    talking about, Grandma? Where did thate from?"


    "Then why are you home now? It is so early in the morning! Last night, the two of you¡­" Without


    finishing her words, Jennifer started looking at Katherine from head to toe with suspicious eyes.


    Cheeks flushed, Katherine could only squeak "Grandma!" as she felt ufortable from being


    scrutinized.


    "I am not pushing you into doing anything, but Kathy, think about Noah. Don''t you think her condition


    might get better if she has a younger sibling?" Jenniferined.


    Despite hearing that, Katherine only pressed her lips together without answering the question.


    Jennifer sighed again, her eyes sad as she peered at Katherine. "I hope you and Johdy aren''t using a


    fake marriage to deceive me."


    "Of course not, Grandma." She quickly made up an excuse out of fear that Jennifer would continue to


    urge them to have more children. "Joaquin and I don''t want children yet. I n to bring Noah back first.


    It surely will take time if he wants to cultivate and have a good rtionship with Noah, and we won''t be


    able topletely focus on Noah if we had another child."


    How terrifying, she shivered. I am being pressured to have a baby right after I got married.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    "You are nning to bring Noah back here? Have you talked about her with Johdy? What did he say?"


    Jennifer asked. Her attention was immediately diverted as soon as she heard Katherine mentioning


    Noah.


    "He told me to go ahead and bring her back while he handles the rest." Katherine couldn''t help but


    smile when she thought of Joaquin''s expression when he told her this earlier.


    She couldn''t fool anyone with her smile, especially when Jennifer was an olddy who had lived for


    decades. Jennifer could immediately tell that Katherine and Joaquin had a great rtionship when she


    saw Katherine''s expression. That sheer happiness wasn''t something she could fake.


    Jennifer finally felt more at ease after seeing this. "Bring Noah back then," she sighed. "She is a pitiful


    child."


    Katherine didn''t say anything much in return as she quickly found an excuse to return to her room to


    change her clothes. Only then did she give Savannah a call.


    ''Boss," Savannah respectfully greeted after she picked up the call.


    "Help me make arrangements to send Noah back to the country as soon as possible. Be sure to be


    attentive while making sure that the journey is safe. I don''t want any idents," Katherine instructed in


    a serious manner.


    Hearing that, Savannah agreed quickly and went to make the necessary arrangements after hanging


    up the call.


    As Katherine had always brooded and never forgot about what happened back then, she ended up not


    being particrly close to Noah. In addition to the young girl''s illness, Noah had been living in the


    hospital and was taken care of by special doctors and nurses. Katherine had to make perfect


    arrangements to bring her back to the country to avoid any problems on the way.


    Relying on Savannah''s efficiency, Noah arrived at Hovington International Airport just after 3 days.


    Katherine initially wanted to pick Noah up herself when she received the call notifying her regarding


    Noah''s arrival, but she ended up setting off with Joaquin for the airport when the man insisted on going


    with her.


    The airport always had a fairlyrge number of people who came and go everyday. There were even


    more visitors because it happened to be summer vacation.


    When the couple arrived at the airport, Katherine nced at her wristwatch to check the time and


    started walking in quickened steps.


    Joaquin couldn''t helpughing when he saw her anxious look. Despite saying that she didn''t care about


    Noah, she definitely was very concerned about the child.


    The two soon arrived at the VIP room, where Joaquin finally saw the child Katherine spoke of.


    She was a little girl of about 4 years old. Wearing a princess dress, she looked like a doll with exquisite


    features and naturally wavy hair that fell smoothly on her shoulders. Her eyes were particrly dark


    and charming.


    Not knowing whether he was imagining it or not, Joaquin felt his heart racing wildly when he saw Noah.


    For some reason, her features looked oddly familiar to him.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    He subconsciously nced at Katherine standing beside him and he immediately denied his own


    thoughts.


    Even though Noah had some simrities to Katherine, her eyes werepletely different.


    That gaze of hers¡­


    Right when he was in the middle of his musings, Katherine had already walked over to Noah. Her


    attitude came off as a little stiff because she still rejected Noah, and hadn''tpletely let go of her


    grievances even now. "You are here."


    Noah didn''t speak and only looked at Katherine timidly. Despite the anticipation in her eyes, she didn''t


    dare to approach Katherine.


    Katherine felt suffocated upon seeing her daughter''s reaction. She pursed her lips and tried to soften


    her attitude, but she couldn''t do it. She finally looked at Joaquin after a long silence.


    "Noah, right?" He squatted down in front of Noah and asked in a gentle tone.


    Noah blinked and looked at the overly handsome man in front of her before peeking at Katherine. After


    a long time, she whispered, "Daddy."


    Joaquin immediately felt as though something had stabbed him right in the chest when he heard that. It


    felt slightly painful, but also there was an emotion that he couldn''t exin.


    He gingerly offered Noah his hand and asked, "Can I hold your hand? It is crowded in the airport. I will


    take you home."


    "Okay." There was a sh of excitement in Noah''s clear eyes that disappeared as quickly as it


    appeared.


    After hesitating for a while, she ced her hand in Joaquin''s and let him hold her.


    The warmth and thickness of his palm gave her a sense of security for some reason. Quickly, her eyes


    darted to Katherine again.


    Katherine just so happened to have lowered her head to look at Noah at that point. Seeing her


    daughter''s gaze on her, she stayed quiet for a moment before walking over and stretching her hand


    toward Noah as well.


    Noah''s eyes instantly lit up and she swiftly ced her hand in Katherine''s.


    The touch made Katherine purse her lips. The hand she was holding felt so small and somewhat cool


    to the touch, followed by a strange emotion that she couldn''t name soon flooded her chest.


    Holding each other''s hand, the trio eventually left the crowded airport.


    The car was already waiting outside for them. As Joaquin led Noah into the car, Katherine had already


    opened the door to the passenger''s seat and entered.


    Joaquin only nced at her without saying a word.


    Jeremy only took a short second before he drove out of the airport.


    Noah remained quiet throughout the ride. She only opened her small backpack and took out a pencil


    and sketchbook before she started drawing.


    A curious Joaquin leaned over to see what she was drawing, only to be surprised when he saw what


    she was working on.


    Noah''s drawing was amazing. Not only that, she was currently drawing him in a way that the look in his


    eyes was as real and realistic as a photo.


    "Do you like to draw, Noah?" After watching her for a while, he couldn''t help looking at Noah in shock.


    Her hand paused for a moment before she turned her head sideways to look at him with a gaze that felt


    like it spoke a thousand words. With pursed lips and a tense body, she felt nervous about getting along


    with him this way. She ended up not saying anything in reply.


    "I like to draw too, but I am not good at it. Can you teach me?" Seeing her being so tense, he knew that


    she rarely had contact with people. As he quietly sighed, he couldn''t help looking up at Katherine


    seated in the front passenger seat.


    She was currently looking out the window in silence, as though she was deep in her thoughts.


    "Okay." After Joaquin looked at Katherine for a while, he heard Noah''s soft, mosquito-like voice ring out


    from beside him.


    "Can you teach me when we get home? I''m not the brightest, so please don''tin about me," he


    chuckled.


    He must have infected Noah with hisugh because as soon as the girl shed him a smile, her cheeks


    had also formed adorable dimples.


    "Mm!" Noah smilingly nodded before lowering her chin once more to draw.


    His eyes fell on the sketchbook and it was only within a few minutes that Noahpleted a portrait of


    Katherine.


    Her talent¡­


    They finally arrived at Soulin International after 2 hours.


    Joaquin then led Noah out of the car. Even though Katherine walked in front alone with an


    expressionless face, he could tell that her eyebrows and eyes had rxed by quite a bit.


    Noah soon cast an expectant nce Katherine''s way, which resulted in Katherine, who felt


    ufortable about being stared at, impassively walking over and offering her hand to Noah.


    The ecstatic girl immediately held her mother''s hand.


    As the 3 of them entered hand-in-hand, Jennifer thought her eyes were going to pop out of its sockets


    in disbelief.

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    "Noah? Come, let me take a look at you." After being momentarily caught off-guard, Jennifer recovered


    quickly and extended her hand toward Noah with a smile.


    Noah wasn''t particrly close to Jennifer. Seeing her actions, the girl instinctively raised her head to


    look at Joaquin.


    Joaquin couldn''t help the warmth in his chest when he felt the dependance and trust the little girl in


    front of her had for him. It was a strange feeling that he felt for the first time.


    He then reached out and gently rubbed her head before saying softly, "Go ahead."


    Only then did she release his hand and shuffled in front of Jennifer.


    Seeing this, Jennifer gave Joaquin a shocked look while her eyes darted back and forth between


    Joaquin and Noah''s face for a long time. In fact, she was surprised by how simr the child and


    Joaquin looked!


    After Noah reached Jennifer, she softly called out in her wispy voice, "Nana."


    "Oh, you sweet child. You must have been tired from the trip here. Are you hungry?" Jennifer''s hands


    were shaking from excitement. She raised one hand to pat Noah on the head, but eventually retracted


    it when she didn''t have the courage to touch Noah.


    "Grandma, Noah must be tired. Let her have a rest for a while. I will cook." Katherine carried Noah''s


    luggage into a room, and when she was greeted by the sight of Jennifer and her red eyes when she


    came out, she quietly sighed and walked over to hold Noah''s hand.


    Noah''s calm eyes lit up when Katherine grabbed her hand. She then allowed Katherine to hold her as


    she followed Katherine into the room obediently.


    Jennifer raised her hand to wipe the corners of her eyes. Seeing this, Joaquin went over and handed


    her a tissue.


    After she took the tissue from him, shemented, "Noah has had a hard life."


    "Kathy doesn''t seem to be particrly close to her." He felt a little puzzled when he thought of


    Katherine''s attitude on their way home.


    Jennifer shook her head and choked, "Let Kathy tell you herself about this matter. I don''t know the


    details either. Noah had to put up with a lot. She has been in poor health since she was a child, and


    had to stay in the hospital. On top of that, she is an introvert who doesn''t like to have interaction with


    other people." She then sighed after saying those words before she trudged back to her room.


    When Katherine came out and saw Joaquin outside by himself, she nced at Jennifer''s room, and


    immediately had a rough idea of what was going on. Without saying a word, she went straight into the


    kitchen.


    "I will help." Joaquin followed after her.


    Instead of rejecting his offer, she only prepared the ingredients with her head lowered, seemingly in


    deep thoughts.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After the meal was finally ready in two hours, Katherine knocked on the bedroom doors to tell Noah


    and Jennifer toe out to eat. Noah seemed to be in good spirits after she had rested. She still


    looked timid and jumpy, butpared to before, she was a lot livelier now. At the very least, she was


    now willing to speak.


    When Jennifer saw this, she couldn''t help sympathizing with the child despite her excitement.


    "Noah should be at the age where she is about to attend kindergarten, right? What are your next


    ns?" After eating, Joaquin found a chance to ask Katherine when they were alone.


    Katherine kept quiet for a while before she looked at Joaquin. "Noah has severe autism, and she even


    has violent tendencies at more extreme times. With her situation, going to a kindergarten might not be


    the best thing for her."


    He, too, fell silent after hearing her words. After giving it a thought, it did seem to be a bit of a problem


    to send someone of Noah''s condition to a kindergarten and have her interact with other children. "I


    have a good friend who has great achievements in psychology. If you aren''t against it, I can ask him to


    come over and have a look. Of course, only if Noah isn''t against the idea of psychologists as well."


    "It is alright. Her personal psychologist will be here in 2 days." Katherine shook her head and refused.


    Joaquin was surprised by her answer, but he didn''t further probe.


    Seeing how he still stayed around, she couldn''t help but ask, "Do you have nothing going on these


    days? Is everything alright with Area Seven?"


    The corners of his mouth twitched as he looked at her. After a second-long silence, he reminded her,


    "We just got married. No matter how busy I am, I still have my marriage leave. And have you forgotten


    that my main duty now is to protect your grandmother?"


    Katherine''s forehead wrinkled when they spoke about this. "There is no information about the person


    who lured Grandma back from Fontan. It seems that the other party is someone powerful. Just what is


    my grandmother''s identity for them to take a risk like this?"


    "Perhaps you should try asking your grandmother." Joaquin didn''t say it directly and only shrugged.


    She rolled her eyes at that. It was exactly because she couldn''t find out anything even after


    investigating it that she was trying to fish for information from him.


    Even the intelligence department she had control over had no way to investigate Jennifer''s identity.


    From there, Katherine could tell that Jennifer was no average person and someone who was at least


    on a Triple S level.


    "You can leave now, Mr. Levisay. I am going to rest." After failing to get any useful clues, she lost the


    will to   continue talking to him, so she unhesitantly tried to kick him out of her house.


    That only earned her a baffled look from the man. "I think you forgot something, Mrs. Levisay."


    Katherine proceeded to ignore the way he addressed her and demanded he left. "Noah doesn''t like


    having strangers at home. Also, it is inappropriate for a man to stay in a house with 3 other women."


    Joaquin was just about to speak when his phone suddenly rang. His face fell the moment he nced at


    his phone.


    "Okay. I will go back now. Call me if anything." He bid her farewell and left.


    She looked at his back thoughtfully, and only came back to her senses when he left and closed the


    door.


    He only picked up the call after he was out of her house. "Shoot."


    "Boss, there is news about the Night Owl whom we have been following before. He entered the country


    half an hour ago, and he is now in Hovington. Should we..." Jeremy sounded excited.


    They had been tracking Night Owl down for 3 years as Night Owl had amazing hacking skills. It was to


    the point where they could wipe their traces clean no matter where they went. Joaquin''s men couldn''t


    get anything on Night Owl even after 3 years of relentless pursuit, which was why it was surprising that


    Night Owl was now walking right to their doorstep.


    "Are you sure?" Joaquin''s expression was very serious.


    "100 percent. It is all thanks to the new system my dear sister-inw installed for us in Area Seven. It


    actually functions this way as well. We managed to pinpoint Night Owl''s location as soon as they


    entered the country. The tracking function of this system is wonderful," Jeremy cheered and even


    changed the way he addressed Katherine.


    "Continue with the tracking." Joaquin was a little surprised. Night Owl was one of the top ten most


    wanted criminals in the world. They had used their excellentputer skills to hack into the United


    Confederation system, and that was when the United Confederation offered a bounty. Countless


    bounty hunters tried to catch them then, but none of those hunters could even obtain any information


    on Night Owl''s gender.


    "Yes, boss. My sister-inw is really amazing. Let''s ask her to create a few new systems for us?"


    Jeremy agreed, only to cunningly propose his idea.


    "Oh, piss off."

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    Outside Hovington International Airport, a young man wearing a long ck trench coat with a sour


    expression stepped on the elerator. As he nced at the car that was chasing after him, he couldn''t


    help cursing.


    "What the hell is going on? When did Hovington have someone so powerful to be able to track me


    down?" Xavier Yates couldn''t help but scold. He aggressively steered the car left and right in an


    attempt to get rid of the car behind him, but the car seemed to be equipped with a radar as it kept


    chasing after him. No matter how hard he tried to lose his pursuers, the other party could still lock on


    his position again.


    After Xavier cursed again, he shouted to his phone that he had set aside. "Give the Boss a call."


    The screen of his phone lit up before it automatically jumped to the address book. A number marked as


    ''Boss'' then popped up, and his phone started dialing.


    The phone was picked up after three rings.


    "Ah?" Azy and impatient female voice rang out.


    "Boss, I am being tailed. I can''t get rid of them now. They seem to have very capable IT experts. Can


    you please help me get rid of them? I may not be able toe to you otherwise," he pleaded pitifully.


    As soon as she heard that, she couldn''t help but bring her hand to her temples and massage them.


    "What did you do?"


    "I didn''t do anything! I am such a good boy. I didn''t do anything from the time I got on and off the ne.


    Really! You have to believe me; I have turned over a new leaf," he exined as he felt wronged.


    Katherine had already opened the door and entered her room by then. After typing in a series of codes,


    theputer screen disyed a city map of Hovington with several different-colored dots. She moved


    the cursor and clicked the purple dot representing Xavier, then quickly entered a code with both hands.


    Soon, a string of information popped out. The ID felt vaguely familiar to her, and when she nced at


    the IP address, she instantly fell silent.


    It is people from Area Seven that are tailing Xavier?


    Furthermore, they were using the system she helped upgrade thest time she went over.


    Her mouth suddenly twitched and she quietly pressed the keyboard a few times to block Xavier''s IP


    address.


    In theputer room in Area Seven, a group of people were looking at the red dot on the screen. They


    were closing in on it at first, but suddenly, the red dot disappeared into thin air; it was as if it had never


    existed.


    "What is going on? Where did he go?" Jeremy had been staring at the dot all this time. He couldn''t help


    the change in his expression the moment he saw Xavier disappear from their radar.


    The others began to enter various codes one after another, but to their dismay, theputer screen


    didn''t respond. It was like Xavier had suddenly disappeared from the surface of Earth. They couldn''t


    find any trace of him no matter how hard they tried.


    The whole episode left Jeremy dumbfounded. Looking at the nkputer screen, it took a while for


    him to remember to call Joaquin to report this.


    The moment Joaquin received the call and listened to Jeremy''s words, he felt a strange feeling


    suddenly rise in his chest. He then subconsciously looked out the window. For some reason, he


    thought that this might have something to do with Katherine.


    Joaquin rubbed his chin, and after a while, let out a smile as he nonchntly instructed, "Got it. Since


    Night Owl hasn''t done anything in these years, and he hasn''t hacked into Cechirus''s security system,


    let''s just turn a blind eye to his arrival in the country. It was the United Confederation government, not


    Cechirus, that issued the arrest warrant anyway."


    He had no idea about how sad Jeremy and his colleagues were on the other end of the call, but he


    chuckled after hanging up the phone.


    Not many people could surpass Katherine''sputer skills. He had witnessed it first hand when she


    helped to upgrade the systemst time. That was why he was so certain that she might be the person


    pulling the strings behind the scene this time.


    At this point, he was getting more curious about the secrets she would reveal in time.


    "Kathy. Kathy!"


    It was in the middle of the night when Katherine was awakened by a pale-faced Jennifer. The older


    woman had barged into her room and reached out to grab Katherine.


    Since she was still hazy with sleep, Katherine looked curiously at Jennifer, who stood in front of her.


    "Grandma? What is wrong? Do you feel sick?"


    As it had only been a while since Jessica woke up, Katherine had been very concerned about her


    physical condition these days.


    "It is not me. It is Noah. Hurry! Quickly check on her. She suddenly developed a high fever. It is


    terrible!" Jennifer was so anxious that her tears were threatening to roll down her cheeks.


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    Katherine''s expression changed slightly when she heard that, and she quickly got up and followed


    Jennifer to Noah''s room.


    Noah''s little body was curled up into a ball as shey in bed. Her face now was scarily red because of


    her high fever.


    Katherine stepped forward and put her palm on the girl''s forehead, only to feel how hot Noah was. She


    then grabbed Noah''s hand to take her pulse.


    Seeing how Katherine''s face further dimmed, Jennifer, who had been watching from the side, blurted


    out, "What is the matter, Kathy? How is Noah?"


    Katherine put down Noah''s hand and got up to leave the room. She came back shortly after with a


    needle pouch.


    After she opened the pouch, she swiftly took off Noah''s clothes and unhesitantly poked the silver


    needles in the girl''s body.


    It only took a minute for her body to be covered in silver needles, which was a terrifying sight to behold.


    Katherine''s face was solemn as her fingers quickly rolled the ends on the silver needles in Noah''s


    body. She only began to retrieve the needles after about a minute.


    Jennifer continued to nervously watch without saying a word.


    After Katherine kept the silver needles, she grabbed Noah''s wrist again to check her pulse, her


    expression still dark. "We have to take her to the hospital. I have temporarily stabilized her condition."


    "Kathy¡ª"


    "Grandma, Noah has leukemia. She has a special condition. The only way we can cure her is for her to


    undergo a marrow transnt. The medicine I prescribed can only dy the onset of the illness, but it


    can''t heal her." Katherine knew what Jennifer was thinking about, so she calmly looked at Jennifer and


    exined in a solemn manner.


    Jennifer opened her mouth and finally sighed. "Kathy, you know that there might be no second person


    who has the same blood type as Noah. It won''t be easy to find bone marrow that matches the blood


    type. You haven''t given up searching for years, but don''t you see? It is impossible to find a match. Now


    that you are married to Johdy, for Noah''s sake, can you¡ª"


    "Grandma!" Katherine cut her off and took a stand. "Children are not objects. I can''t just give birth to


    them without thinking twice. I can''t care and love them the best way they deserve it. I don''t want to ruin


    the life of another child."


    It would be unfair if she were to give birth to another child for the sake of its cord blood or bone marrow


    to save Noah.


    Furthermore, she and Joaquin were not close enough to be wanting to have a child of their own.


    Seeing how firm Katherine was about her opinion, Jennifer only turned around to quietly wipe away her


    tears and stopped bringing the topic up after that.

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Katherine''s heart twisted when she saw how upset Jennifer was.


    Noah had been ill for a long time, and while Katherine had pored over countless medical journals in


    hopes of finding alternative treatments, the only one that was suitable and generally approved for


    Noah''s condition was a bone marrow transnt.


    However, the little girl''s rare blood type made it a disproportionately difficult procedure. For all


    Katherine''s wealth, she knew it would be near-impossible to find apatible bone marrow donor for


    Noah.


    "Don''t worry, Grandma. I won''t give up on Noah. Maybe we''ll find apatible donor here in the


    country. I promise I''ll keep looking," Katherine said as she sat down next to Jennifer and wrapped a


    comforting arm around her shoulders.


    Jennifer nced at Katherine and sighed as she said, "I know you''re trying, dear. I just wish I could be


    of more help. Maybe if I were more capable, I could have protected you both."


    "None of this is your fault, Grandma. Anyway, I''ll be heading out in a bit, so stay put and help me keep


    an eye on Noah. I''ll be back soon." Katherine went on to offer more words of sce, and she did not


    leave until she was sure her grandmother was feeling better.


    Presently, a man with colorful hair and ear studs stood by the entrance of Soulin International. He was


    dressed head to toe in leather, which exemplified his nonconformist stance toward mainstream fashion.


    The security guard had one hand on his stun baton as he eyed the mboyant man warily, ready to


    strike.


    Meanwhile, the man, Xavier, merely nced at the time on his watch and peered through the


    neighborhood entrance. Finally, the person he had been waiting for came into view.


    His eyes lit up and filled with admiration as he registered Katherine''s arrival.


    She walked up to the security guard at the entrance and exchanged a few words with him, then turned


    to look at Xavier. After that, she winced at his colorful hair. "Get your butt over here."


    He grinned as he sauntered over to her. When he walked past the wary and suspicious security guard


    at the entrance, he tipped his chin up at a defiant angle, which earned him a berating kick from


    Katherine.


    Then, he shed her a sheepish smile. When he passed the entrance, he remarked, "You know, the


    security system here is top-notch. I couldn''t hack into it at all."


    Katherine looked at him like he was stupid.


    Xavier froze at first when he caught this before something clicked in his mind and he gaped at her with


    wide eyes. "You have to be joking. You''re the one who set up the security system here?"


    "Save your inane questions forter. I asked you toe back because I have a favor to ask of you.


    I''m too tied up these days to deal with trivial stuff like this," she interrupted his rants impatiently.


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    "Oh, man, are you serious? You wanted me toe all the way back here to help you out with


    something you could probably get done with a snap of your fingers? You''re just wasting my talent at


    this point," he grumbled, making a face to show that he was insulted.


    She rolled her eyes and kicked out at him once more, but he dodged it swiftly as he broke into a grin.


    "The job''s too important for me to entrust to someone else," she exined, shooting him a death re.


    "Plus, I don''t have the time to keep track of its progress. You''ve got plenty of time on your hands, don''t


    you? So, who better to get the job done than you?"


    He wrinkled his nose and pointed out, "I''m not that free, you know."


    "I swear, if you try to hack into the presidential building''s defense system one more time, I will upload


    your personal information and activity log on the Red Web. Let''s see if you''d be so free by then," she


    warned through gritted teeth.


    After hearing this, Xavier shuddered and said, "Okay, you got me. I''m really sorry, and of course I have


    plenty of time to help you with anything. I promise I''ll deliver!"


    Katherine ignored him and led him into the building, then pressed the button on the elevator panel. As


    he stood behind her, he looked around curiously and asked, "Hey, Boss, this is a pretty nice crib. How''s


    the real estate pricing here?"


    "Pretty cheap, all things considered. I think this goes for about a dozen million or so," she said breezily.


    He pursed his lips and kept quiet after hearing this.


    The elevator kept going up until it stopped at the eighteenth floor.


    When the doors opened, Katherine led the way out.


    At that moment, Joaquin''s door swung open as well, and he came out from his unit. He stopped in his


    tracks when he saw Katherine out in the hallway, then quickly noticed Xavier standing behind her.


    Xavier, on the other hand, felt all the hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention at the sight of


    Joaquin. Fortunately, he remembered that Joaquin had never seen him before, and he let out a sigh of


    relief even though he was still anxious.


    "A friend of yours?" Joaquin asked forthrightly as he appraised Xavier like a predator whose territory


    had been invaded by another.


    Katherine hummed in response and borated after a moment of thought, "I brought him back to keep


    my grandmotherpany."


    "Funnily enough, she called me today and invited me over for a meal," Joaquin replied. He did not say


    anything else after that, though he did give Xavier''s colorful hair a second nce.


    Katherine reached for the doorknob, and the two men followed her into the apartment.


    As if on purpose, Xavier slowly took off his shoes at the threshold and observed Joaquin furtively.


    This was the man who was in charge of Area Seven. Known as the modern Hades, he was ruthless


    and unforgiving when it came to hunting down criminals on the run on an international scale.


    Xavier didn''t think that he would one day meet Joaquin in person, much less be in such close proximity


    with him.


    Sensing the other man''s gaze, Joaquin turned and raised a brow at him. "Is there something I can help


    you with?"


    Xavier gulped at the dark gleam in Joaquin''s eyes and stopped gawking at him immediately. He quickly


    slipped off his shoes and dashed into the apartment.


    "Hey, Grandma!" he said sweetly when he saw Jennifer reading a magazine on the couch.


    Jennifer beamed at the sight of him as well. She beckoned him over as she eximed, "Is that you,


    Xavier? What brings you here? Don''t you have work? And what''s going on with that hair of yours? It''s a


    riot of colors!"


    "Katherine had mee over so you''d havepany, Grandma," Xavier exined. He took a seat


    next to her and did not hold back on thepliments. "You haven''t aged a day since Ist saw you,


    Grandma! You don''t look a day over eighteen! Goodness, you''re glowing!"


    Jennifer burst intoughter. "Oh, if you keep ttering me like that it''ll go straight to my head! I''m getting


    old, and I certainly don''t look eighteen! I''m sure Noah will be happy to see you here."


    "Is Noah back, too? I''m going to have to have a proper talk with that youngdy and see how far she''s


    gotten along with her studies," Xavier quipped.


    Joaquin couldn''t help raising a brow at this. It was hard for anyone to approach Noah given her autism,


    which meant Xavier had to be someone special to have such a close bond to her. Not to mention, he


    seemed to be on good terms with Jennifer as well.


    For some reason, Joaquin felt threatened all of a sudden.

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    Chapter 157


    Jennifer saw Joaquining over from the threshold and made to get Xavier out of the living room.


    Pointing at the door down the hall, she said, "Noah''s probably drawing in her room right now. You can


    go straight in and look for her. It''s that room over there."


    Xavier nodded since he had returned from abroad this time for Noah''s sake, anyway. Without another


    word, he rose from the couch and went up to the door to knock on it.


    There was no response from the other side of the door. After waiting for a while, he said, "Noah, it''s


    me, Xavier. I''ming in." He waited for a beat or two, then opened the door and went in.


    Joaquin frowned at this. As he sat down next to Jennifer, he asked, "Are he and Noah close?"


    "Yes, they are. Noah doesn''t like socializing. I was sick a while back, so I couldn''t take care of her. Her


    mother''s busy as well and we hardly see her around. Xavier stepped in to look after her, and it''s all


    thanks to him and his background in psychology that Noah was able to pick up drawing and live her


    best life. He''s a good man," Jennifer said earnestly.


    Joaquin did not question the uracy of her statement.


    Meanwhile, Noah was seated in front of the window when Xavier walked in. She had her back turned to


    the door and her earphones plugged in, and she appeared to be drawing something.


    Xavier realized that she had drawn arge field of sunflowers upon taking a closer look and there were


    three figures in the background. For some reason, he could feel the emotions of these figures even


    though he could not see their faces.


    He stood there and waited for Noah to finish the drawing. When she was done, he walked over and


    gently tapped her on the shoulder.


    Noah stiffened in rm before she hesitantly turned to look over her shoulder.


    Her eyes lit up when she saw Xavier. She pulled out her earphones and greeted him sweetly, "Xavier!"


    "Hey, kid. I''m here to see if you''ve made any progress in your studies," he said, grinning as he rubbed


    her head affectionately.


    She nodded. "I did, and I''m getting really good at them, too. I hardly use these skills because you told


    me I could get in trouble for it, though."


    "Good girl," he praised. "Let''s put those skills to the test, shall we? I''ve installed thirteen Trojan viruses


    into thisputer, and I want you to crack all of them before lunch is served or you''ll have to go hungry


    until dinnertime."


    When she gave him a serious look in return, he nodded and pulled out a bulky ckptop from his


    backpack and set it down on the desk in front of her.


    Noah had a sullen look on her face as she switched on theptop and pressed a key. At once, a


    dialogue window popped up on the screen requesting her to key in the password. She thought about it


    for a brief moment, and the next seconds, her delicate little fingers began flying over the keyboard. It


    didn''t take her long to crack the password Xavier had set up.


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    His eyes shed in excitement when he saw this, but his expression grew solemn.


    Noah made quick work of entering one code after another after she unlocked theputer''s


    homepage. She did not nce at the keyboard once as she typed furiously, her fingers moving so fast


    that her hand movements were blurring. She went through one dialogue window after another as


    though she did not see them at all. When all those windows closed, the homescreen returned to


    normal.


    It was only then that she stopped typing. She turned around and gave Xavier an usatory look as


    she said, "You lied, Xavier. I counted fourteen Trojan horses."


    "What, did your mom help you get a breakthrough or something? Those skills are unbelievable." He


    had nearly bitten off his own tongue when he watched the little girl resolve those malwares earlier, and


    he was looking at her like she was some alien creature. Here I was, thinking that Katherine is already a


    top-tierputer whiz.


    He met Katherine when she was only eighteen, and herputer skills were already far superior than


    his at the time. Now, her daughter seemed to have inherited her genius, and at the age of four, too!


    "No, I don''t need a breakthrough to crack Trojan viruses as simple as these," Noah pointed out


    solemnly.


    Xavier felt like he had been shot through the heart. "Well, there''s nothing more I can teach you. You


    have mastered almost everything. Just to reinforce your practical knowledge on this, I''ll give you a few


    books," he suggested, seemingly gazed when he saw the innocent look on Noah''s face.


    "Okay," she agreed with a serious nod.


    She was a child of few words, except when she was in Xavier''s presence. In fact, she was reluctant to


    speak in front of Jennifer and Katherine as well.


    Xavier stayed in the room with her for a while to get an understanding of how she had been feeling


    recently. He noticed that she was in a significantly better ce than she had been thest time they


    met. He could tell from her drawing earlier that she was no longer despondent, but optimistic and


    somewhat enthusiastic.


    "You''re doing great, Noah," he said heartily after the open conversation with her, then gave her a big


    thumbs-up.


    She beamed at him when she heard this. With her sparkling eyes curving into crescents and her


    cheeks dimpling, she looked absolutely cherubic and endearing.


    While this was happening, Katherine had finished making lunch in the kitchen, and she was serving it


    when Joaquin walked over to the room to tell Joaquin and Noah that lunch was ready.


    The first thing he saw when he opened the door was Noah beaming at Xavier happily. At that moment,


    she looked warm and bright, like the spring sunshine, and there was not a trace of her usual closed-off


    self in sight.


    Joaquin was inexplicably unsettled to see this. As far as he was concerned, Noah seemed a little too


    attached to Xavier forfort. He stood there at the door for a while before he cleared his throat and


    announced, "Lunch is ready."


    The grin on Noah''s face disappeared immediately. She nced trepidatiously at the door, but when she


    saw that it was Joaquin, she let out what seemed to be a breath of relief.


    However, this escaped Joaquin''s notice.


    Presently, Noah rose to her feet and walked out of the room.


    Xavier went out after her, and when he sensed the hostility Joaquin directed at him, he was bewildered


    and gave the man several odd nces.


    During lunch, Xavier and Joaquin gave each other death res every now and then. At some point,


    Katherine grew uneasy, thinking that Xavier''s identity had been discovered. As a result, she ate her


    meal in silence and did not bother striking up a conversation with either man.


    The tensionsted until the end of lunch when Katherine stood up to clear the tes.


    "Mr. Yates, what do you do for a living? Grandma told me you''re well-versed with psychology," Joaquin


    asked as he staked a seat on the couch, eyeing Xavier steadily.


    "I only dabbled in it back in the day," Xavier answered humbly.


    "Really? It''d be great if I could ask you about the subject some day," Joaquin said breezily. He poured


    out a cup of tea for himself and another for Xavier. He slid the cup toward the other man and asked,


    "By the way, which university did you graduate from? Perhaps I''ve heard of it."


    Xavier took the cup and sipped his tea, then cocked a brow at Joaquin as he replied, "It''s just a third-


    rate university. I would tell you, but I don''t think you''d know it."


    Katherine had finished loading the dishwasher when she heard the conversation was taking a strange


    turn. She hurried out from the kitchen and interjected, "Aren''t you supposed to get going by now? You


    have stuff to do, right?"


    If this went on, Xavier could end up blowing his own cover.

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    "Me?" Xavier pointed to himself in bewilderment as he blinked at Katherine innocently. "I don''t recall


    having any stuff to do."


    She shoved a set of keys into his hand and urged, "I''m sure you have. Now, hurry up and go back


    home, as in your apartment upstairs. Come back down for dinnerter. Bye!"


    Just like that, Xavier was practically frog-marched out of the door, and he was still in a daze as he


    stood out in the hallway. He nced at the keys in his hand, and it took him a while to register what


    had just happened. Did Katherine just give me an apartment? One that''s worth a dozen million?


    At the thought of this, he couldn''t care less about the reason why Katherine had been so eager for him


    to leave. He hummed happily as he went upstairs to check out his new abode.


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    Meanwhile, there was an amused smirk ying on Joaquin''s lips as he gave Katherine a knowing look.


    She cleared her throat and turned to address him primly, "Don''t you have work to do or something?"


    "The only work I have today is to stay here and keep Grandmapany," Joaquin answered matter-of-


    factly.


    He looked and sounded so serious that Katherine paused in surprise. A secondter, she said, "Fine,


    then. Stay here and take care of her for me while I head out for a bit."


    She had to drop by Theodore''s research institute and go through the results of thetest clinical trial. At


    the same time, she was going to assess the patients'' conditions and how they were reacting to the


    drug.


    "Where are you going?" Joaquin asked curiously.


    "The research institute," Kathereie replied frankly.


    "Be safe," he said.


    She put on a change of clothes and left home after that.


    It had been a while since she had been to the research institute. Upon her arrival, she made a beeline


    for theboratory first to review all the patients'' data that had beenpiled


    "Oh, you''re here, Miss Cornell," Dina said cheerily when she saw Katherine in theboratory. "A few of


    the patients who have recovered have already been discharged, but Mr. Muller brought in several new


    patients for the clinical trial. Would you like to see them?"


    "I don''t see any records of discharge here." Katherine asked as she flipped the documents she was


    holding. "Which patients have been discharged?"


    Dina did not try to hide the details from Katherine and answered dutifully, "Mr. Rosenburg and Mr.


    Rhodes. They were both discharged yesterday after Professor Muller evaluated their vitals and


    recovery process. He deemed them both healthy enough to leave."


    Katherine frowned when she heard this and pulled out Alex''s folder. Her face turned grim when she


    read thest report. "Is Mr. Muller at the research institute right now?"


    "Yes, he should be in his office. He''s been holed up at the research institute these days," Dina replied,


    not at all noticing the shift in Katherine''s expression. Without another thought, she bustled off to do her


    own work.


    Shoving the papers back into the folder, Katherine pondered on this for a quick moment before she


    moved on to another patient''s medical record. She flipped through the folder, then took the record with


    her as she marched toward Theodore''s office.


    Theodore had evidently aged since thest time they met, and the gray in his hair was bing more


    conspicuous. He also looked like he was balding. It seemed as if recent times had been rough for him.


    When he saw Katherine walk into his office, he set down the instant ramen he was eating and dabbed


    the corners of his mouth with a tissue. Then, he stood up and gave a self-effacingugh as he asked,


    "What brings you here? You could have called me before you came. What is it? Did something


    happen?"


    She pulled out a seat and cut to the chase. "Dina told me that two patients were discharged, so I came


    to ask you about it."


    He immediately knew something might be wrong when he caught the look on her face. He resumed his


    seat and pressed anxiously, "Is there a problem?"


    "Not with Mr. Rhodes." Katherine stared at the man in front of her sullenly and asked, "But do you think


    you could get Alex toe back here right away?"


    Theodore''s heart leaped to his throat. He demanded in a shaky voice, "W-What happened to Alex? Is


    he okay?"


    "He won''t be if we don''t bring him back for further observation," she said solemnly. A grim look


    registered on her features as she borated, "The results might have been favorable in his case, but


    you failed to consider that he wasatose for nearly twenty years after he took a bullet to the head.


    We can''t discharge him and guarantee that nothing will happen to him, nor that he has fully recovered.


    He must be kept here for at least three months of observation, and it''s only after he does not disy


    anyplications that we can dere him as fully recovered and have him return to normal life."


    Theodore gulped at this, and without wasting another second, he pulled out his phone and called the


    Rosenburgs.


    The line had only just been picked up when the person on the other end started yelling, "Professor


    Muller! We agreed to let Alex take part in the clinical trial because we trusted you. You promised us that


    the medication your research institute came up with could revive brain cell activity, so why is Alex''s


    condition deteriorating? What did you do to him?" He faltered, and all the color drained from his face as


    he asked urgently, "How is he doing now?"


    "He''s barely hanging on! The doctor said it''ll only be a matter of days now. I was going to look for you,


    but you spared me from having to call you myself. Exin yourself, Professor Muller! How do you


    suggest this whole thing be resolved?" The woman''s voice was getting more shrill with each sentence


    she churned out, and it was clear that she had lost all patience.


    At this point, Theodore had broken into cold sweat. He turned to Katherine for help.


    Katherine made no response when she saw the despair on his face. She pursed her lips. Looks like


    things are far worse than I imagined, she thought gravely. Alex had been discharged just yesterday,


    and now he was in a critical state.


    She took a deep breath and plucked the phone right out of Theodore''s hand, then asked, "Where''s the


    patient now? I need to see him right away."


    The woman was in no mood to entertain Christina''s question, and she was also agitated. "Who the hell


    are you? I''m warning you, if anything happens to Alex, I will have both your heads! Just you wait!"


    "Unless you want him to die right now, you''d best stop arguing with me. I don''t have time to hash things


    out with you. Tell me where the patient is now," Katherine bit out icily.


    The longer they dragged this out, the more critical his state would be. If that were toe to pass,


    Katherine might not be able to resurrect him.


    Meanwhile, the woman on the other line stopped talking after she heard Katherine''s warning. It took


    her a minute or two before she said begrudgingly, "We''re at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Hovington."


    Katherine hung up and turned to Theodore saying, "Send for a car. We have to get to Sacred Heart


    Hospital right now."


    An hourter, both of them showed up at the hospital where Alex was supposedly getting treatment.


    Prior to their arrival, Theodore had given the hospital director a heads-up, so now he was standing by


    the entrance waiting for them.


    His gaze fell upon Katherine first before he exined to Theodore, "The patient is in ICU right now, and


    he''s not looking very good. We marked him as a critical-stage patient just ten minutes ago, and his


    heart stopped beating for a while."


    "Got it," Katherine said impassively as she walked at the front of the group.

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    Several people had gathered at the entrance of the ICU with sad faces. One of them was a grey-haired


    olddy sitting in a wheelchair. Her eyes were red, and her mood was unstable.


    When Katherine and Theodore came over, there was little reaction from them.


    Matthew then introduced both parties.


    When Emma Bet heard that, she raised her head and nced at Katherine and Theodore.


    However, when she saw Katherine, she froze as if she had been struck by lightning.


    "Was it you who came up with the experimental drug? Do you know you almost killed my brother with


    your stupid drug?!" A woman whose features resembled Emma gave Katherine a mean nce before


    scolding her in a shrill voice.


    However, Katherine did not look at her and said to Matthew, "Prepare an operating room. I will perform


    an operation on him."


    Matthew did not answer right away but subconsciously nced at Theodore.


    "Go." Theodore was unhappy and impatiently waved his hand.


    It was only then Matthew hurriedly turned around and prepared an operating room for Katherine.


    Jessica Rosenburg¡ªthe woman who was yelling at Katherine just now¡ªimmediately became angry as


    Katherine was ignoring her. She then stepped forward to yank Katherine''s hand and cursed in a sinister


    tone, "What''s wrong with you? Don''t you hear me talking to you? What''s the matter? My brother is now


    in the ICU because of your drug. Are you not going to take responsibility?"


    "Are you talking to me?" Katherine calmly looked at Jessica and inquired.


    At that moment, Katherine''s gaze made Jessica flustered. Jessica wondered if it was just her


    imagination because that gaze somehow felt the same as how her father would look at her while he


    was still alive.


    She felt difort, and so her tone became ruder. "Mind that tone and look of yours. There is


    something wrong with the medicine at your institute! Didn''t you tell us yesterday that he will be fine?


    Why is he now in this state? My brother is dying¡ª"


    Emma, who had been shocked by Katherine''s appearance, only returned to her senses when she


    heard Jessica''s words before shouting coldly, "That''s enough! Alex won''t die!"


    Jessica was reluctant, but she did not dare to continue due to Emma''s authority. However, that did not


    stop her from ring at Katherine.


    Matthew soon returned and wiped the sweat from his forehead before speaking to Katherine. "Miss


    Cornell, the operating room has been prepared. Will you carry out the surgery now?"


    "Yes. Send the patient to the operating room now." Katherine nodded and turned around to leave.


    Jessica opened her mouth as she wanted to say something. However, she immediately closed her


    mouth obediently upon meeting Emma''s eyes and dared not to say a word more.


    Although she held her tongue, she could not help but still mutter out of spite, "She''s way too young to


    be capable of doing the surgery. Why must she be the one to do the surgery on Alex? If he died


    because of her ipetence, then¡ª"


    "Shut your trap! If you hate to stay in the hospital, scram!" Hearing those inauspicious words, Emma


    was unhappy and she threw a fierce re at the woman who spoke out of turn.


    Jessica then pouted and did not speak anymore.


    On the other hand, Katherine changed into a surgical gown before entering the operating room with a


    sullen face.


    Alex was already in the room, and Matthew had arranged for a few people to assist her.


    However, she did not even look at them and walked straight toward the operating table. She lowered


    her head to look at Alex''s pale face.


    She then went to take a look at his brain CT image hanging in the back before walking back to him.


    With a razor held in her hand, she started to shave off his hair. After that, she took a marker to draw a


    cross on his head before picking up a scalpel to start the operation.


    Everyone else looked at her with shock as she operated on the patient with swift yet urate motions.


    The surgery was the same as any other, but when she was the one behind the operating table, it


    somehow made the sight more pleasing to the eyes aspared to others.


    Throughout the whole process, Katherine did not call for any assistance as she performed the


    operation by herself.


    There were fragments of bullets that remained in Alex''s skull since he was shot in the head back then.


    As the fragments were located in a ce covered with nerves, no one dared to perform a craniotomy to


    take them out.


    So, he had been in aa ever since then. The bullet fragments remained where it was as hey


    there motionless. However, during the time he was discharged from the hospital yesterday, the bullet


    fragments might have shifted from the original position due to the patient being moved around too


    much, making his condition take a turn for the worse.


    Before long, Katherine had sessfully removed the fragments. After the surgical incision was stitched


    up, she put the scalpel away and said, "I''m done. Send him back to the ICU first before moving him to


    the general ward. As for postoperative care, you should be able to handle that, right?"


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    "Yes." In the operating room, everyone nodded in unison while looking at her with a gaze filled with


    reverence.


    They had seen the best surgeon in the hospital perform surgery before, but it was not as fast and


    delicate as her. So, the surgery earlier was simply an eye-opener for them.


    "Miss Cornell, your skills are impressive. Where did you learn the medical skill?" Several nurses


    approached Katherine with admiration and surrounded her.


    "Fontan," Katherine replied casually while taking off the blood-stained gloves and throwing them into


    the trash can. "I''ll take my leave and leave the rest to you."


    "Miss Cornell, will youe to our hospital for future surgeries? I would like to be your assistant


    again."


    "Me too! I would like to help out as well."


    "Yeah, me too! I can wipe your sweat for you!"


    "Bah! Shame on you. I will be the one wiping her sweat!"


    "No, shame on you! It''s my job!"


    Right then, the three nurses started arguing, and Katherine shook her head at the sight. Then, she


    decided to ignore them and turned around to leave.


    As soon as she walked out of the operating room, Jessica walked up to her immediately while looking


    at her with eyes filled with mockery. "What''s the matter? Are you done with the surgery? Are you going


    to tell us that the operation was sessful and my brother will be fine? And that he''ll wake up soon?"


    Hearing Jessica''s mockery, Katherine raised an eyebrow while ncing at Jessica. "You''re quite


    smart."


    "Hmph. You sure know how to talk big, don''t you? Someone like you can do surgery? Hmph, don''t


    make meugh!" Jessica was seething in anger as she thought about how Katherine had made her


    lose face and was reprimanded by Emma.


    Jessica was especially vexed whenever she saw Katherine''s face. For some reason, Jessica felt as if


    she had seen Katherine before. Yet, she could not recall it.


    "Move over. You''re in the way." Katherine was in no mood to talk to such a person, so she shoved


    Jessica away.


    Jessica staggered. She then looked at Katherine furiously, not liking thetter''s arrogant attitude.


    After an operation, Katherine was so exhausted that she did not want to argue with Jessica. So, she


    changed her clothes and took a hot shower. Then, she left the hospital right away.

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    "Are you Miss Cornell?" Katherine had just arrived at the hospital entrance when she saw Emma


    waiting there while looking at her with a baffled face.


    Katherine looked at Emma suspiciously but could not sense any malice in her. Hence, after a moment


    of silence, Katherine asked, "Are you looking for me? If you want to know about Mr. Rosenburg''s


    condition, I suggest you ask the doctor in charge directly, and they will give you a satisfactory answer."


    "No, I''m not looking for them. I''m looking for you." Emma shook her head while her gaze never left


    Katherine''s face.


    Katherine felt Emma was strange; there was a hint of nostalgia behind Emma''s sad eyes, and it gave


    Katherine a feeling that she had reminded Emma of someone else.


    "Do you need me for something?" Katherine nced at the time; it waste, and she would get home


    late because of traffic jams if she did not leave now.


    "Can we talk in the car?" Emma raised her hand and rubbed her dry eyes.


    Katherine hesitated upon hearing that, but in the end, she nodded and followed Emma to the car


    parked at the roadside.


    Once they were in the car, Emma then spoke with a sentimental tone, "All this time, I thought I would


    never see you again."


    "You have seen me before?" Katherine was surprised at Emma''s words, but she was sure she had


    never seen Emma before after she tried to recall carefully.


    Emma pursed her lips and smiled while shaking her head without saying anything.


    Katherine was confused by Emma''s reaction.


    "Is your mother okay? Can you bring me to see her?" Emma asked in a hoarse voice after being silent


    for a long time.


    "Mrs. Rosenburg, my mother has passed away." With that, Katherine was confident that she did not


    know Emma. Otherwise, Emma would have known about Elsie''s death.


    Emma was stunned upon hearing that, and she muttered, "She''s gone? I see¡­ Then, do you have any


    rtives at home? Can you bring me to them?"


    Katherine felt Emma was acting strange. After staring at Emma and being silent for a while, she


    nodded.


    Katherine told the driver the address, and after that, Emma went silent for the whole car ride. The car


    drove to Soulin International and was stopped at the entrance.


    So, Katherine rolled down the car window and spoke to the security guard before he opened the door


    and let them in.


    After Emma got out of the car, she surveyed the neighborhood for a moment before following Katherine


    quietly.


    "Grandma, I''m back," Katherine shouted once she opened the door and entered the house.


    "Wee back." Jennifer did not raise her head as she was intently watching the television.


    Aside from Jennifer, there was no one else at home. Katherine did not know where Joaquin went, and


    Noah was not in the living room either.


    Katherine changed her shoes and gave Emma a new pair of shoes. Emma then changed her shoes as


    well before following Katherine into the house.


    When Emma saw Jennifer, there was some excitement shed through Emma''s eyes. However, she


    tried her best to keep her emotions in check.


    "Grandma, we have a guest today." Seeing that Jennifer''s eyes were glued to the television, Katherine


    had decided to tell her.


    Hearing that, Jennifer turned her head and nced at the guest as she responded indifferently,


    "Whatever¡ª"


    Halfway through the words, she froze up as she stared at Emma. After a while, the indifferent look was


    then gone from her face as she sat straight while looking coldly at Emma. Then, Jennifer questioned


    coldly, "Why are you here? What do you want?"


    "Jennifer, I¡ª" Emma could not help but speak up with teary eyes.


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    "Stop being buddy-buddy with me. I don''t know you, and I don''t want to have anything to do with you.


    You are not wee here. So, please get out of here immediately," Jennifer interrupted Emma


    impatiently as she wanted to drive the unwee guest away.


    "Jennifer¡­" Emma looked at Jennifer with red eyes with no intention to leave.


    Katherine felt they had some histories. She then remembered Jennifer''s mysterious identity. Joaquin


    had refused to tell her about Jennifer, and her intelligencework could not find any information on


    Jennifer''s identity either. So, this could only mean that Jennifer''s identity was not merely as simple as a


    Mrs. Olsen.


    So, Katherine quietly took a few steps back and returned to her room to give the two olddies some


    space.


    Emma took a step forward. "Jennifer, I''ve been looking for you all these years."


    "Why would you look for us? You were the one who disagreed with our children''s marriage. So, why


    bother toe to see me? Our families have nothing to do with each other in the past, and that won''t


    change now or in the future," Jennifer said coldly with a stern expression.


    "It''s been years, and our children are all grown up now. Jennifer, can''t you forgive me?"


    "I don''t know what you are talking about." Jennifer pulled her face. "We made it clear back then that our


    families won''t have any ties from that day on. We have been away from Kynd for over twenty years


    and have never been in contact since then. And now, you''reing here and asking me to forgive


    you? Do you think everything will be resolved just because it''s been years?"


    "That child¡­ She''s the daughter of Elsie and Joshua, right? She¡ª" Emma spoke anxiously. She wiped


    her eyes as she deliberately ignored Jennifer''s words.


    "She has nothing to do with the Rosenburg Family, and she is the daughter of my child with another


    man. So, stop being buddy-buddy with me. What''s the matter? Does Alex not leave you a descendant


    after Joshua is gone? I remember you still have another son, Jacob is it? Does he not give you a


    grandchild either?" Jennifer interrupted Emma''s words coldly with eyes full of sarcasm.


    Those words had hit a sore spot in Emma''s heart.


    Emma did give birth to three sons, but none of them had left her a single offspring.


    Alex had been in aa for twenty years.


    Ever since Joshua passed away, Jacob had been antagonizing Emma. So, he never got married, let


    alone had a child.


    As for Joshua, after Emma forcibly separated him from Elsie, he had been depressed and ended up


    with a major depressive disorder, which led him tomit suicide shortly afterward.


    Jennifer was right. None of Emma''s sons had given her any grandchildren.


    If this continued, the line of the Rosenburg Family would be severed.


    "Jennifer, why are you doing this? When Elsie and Joshua separated back then, she should be


    pregnant with Joshua''s child already, right? I know Elsie loves him very much, so there''s no way she


    would marry another man and have a child together. So¡ª" Emma choked up and spoke after wiping


    her tears away.


    "So what? What''s so great about Joshua? Why should Elsie blindly stay single for him? Do the math


    yourself; we left Kynd right after you broke them up in 1991, and Kathy was born in 1994. So, she


    can''t be a Rosenburg''s descendant no matter what."

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    "T-That isn''t possible! How could Elsie do such a shameless thing? Back then, she loved our Joshua so


    much, so there''s no way she could have a baby with another man. You must be lying to me! That child


    looks so much like Joshua, so there''s no way she''s not his child!" Emma rebuked heatedly, dropping all


    her previous pretense at once as she was outraged by Jennifer''s words.


    "Hmph. You treasure your Joshua, but not my Elsie. You had treated her badly, and you still expect her


    to stay single forever just for Joshua? Get your *ss out of here. Get out! Get out, now!" Jennifer had


    long since seen through the true nature of Emma. Seeing Emma''s attitude at the moment, Jennifer


    immediately stepped forward and pushed her toward the door.


    "Jennifer, I¡ª" Emma wanted to say more, but Jennifer did not give her any chance and pushed her out


    of the house.


    "Scram! Don''t ever set foot in our house again! If I find you harassing Kathy next time, I won''t let you off


    easy! Cough, cough, cough¡­" While Jennifer was getting agitated, she coughed violently.


    Joaquin had juste out of the elevator when he saw the situation. With a hint of worry showing on


    his face, he hurriedly stepped forward to push Emma away. Then, he asked Jennifer with concern,


    "Grandma, what''s the matter? Please calm down. Let''s head inside and sit down to talk things out,


    okay?"


    Emma stared nkly at Joaquin, who had appeared suddenly, as she wondered about his rtionship


    with the Olsen Family.


    When Katherine heard the conversation in the living room had turned heated, she opened the door to


    come out and check the situation.


    Seeing Joaquin was there, she was stunned. However, she quickly recovered and walked over to take


    Jennifer''s pulse.


    Her pulse was erratic as she was highly irritated.


    "Grandma was getting too agitated, so I''ll take her in to calm her down first. As for Mrs. Rosenburg, I''ll


    leave her to you," Katherine instructed Joaquin while helping Jennifer to get into her room.


    While being helped into the house by Katherine, Jennifer was so irritated that she continued to bark, "I''ll


    have you know, you shameless old thing, you are not allowed to disturb Kathy again! If youe


    again, I''ll beat you up! Cough, cough¡­"


    "Grandma, your body can''t handle too much stress. If you want to protect me, take care of your body


    first. What if something happens to you?" Katherine scolded with a stern face.


    Jennifer felt guilty and did not dare to look into Katherine''s eyes as she spoke in a muffled voice, "Well,


    you have to promise me one thing then; don''t ever believe in anyone''s nonsense, no matter who they


    are. I won''t listen to you if you don''t promise me."


    Katherine could not help butugh at Jennifer''s childish words. She then looked at Jennifer with


    resignation before giving in with a sigh. "Okay, I promise you. No matter who tells me nonsense, I won''t


    believe them until I ask you about it. Will that be all right?"


    "That''s more like it. And you are not allowed to meet that woman again because she''s evil and has no


    good intentions. Got it?" Jennifer warned in concern.


    Katherine agreed to everything she said and finally calmed her down before going out the door to


    check the situation.


    Joaquin blocked the entrance while looking at Emma with a cold expression to warn her not toe


    any closer.


    However, Emma did not leave and stood outside the door while looking into the house.


    At this moment, Katherine walked out and nced at Emma, then asked lightly, "Mrs. Rosenburg, is


    this what you wanted to do when you asked me to allow you to meet my elder? If that''s the case, I''m


    sorry to tell you that we do not wee you to our house, and please do not appear before me from


    now on."


    "Before that, can you please tell me your birth year?" Emma asked hurriedly, eager to know the


    answer. Emma had to be sure about Katherine''s age to avoid mistaking her for Joshua''s daughter.


    Otherwise, it would be a waste of effort to persuade her to join the Rosenburg Family.


    "It''s none of your business. Joaquin, close the door," Katherine replied impatiently before ncing at


    Joaquin.


    Joaquin was stunned by how Katherine addressed him at first before starting to feel giddy. He then


    obeyed her order and closed the door behind him as soon as he entered the house.


    Even though Emma wished to speak as she opened her mouth, none of the words came out, and she


    could only watch the door close before her.


    Then, she stood at the door long before raising her hand to wipe her tears and muttered soon after, "It''s


    alright. I won''t give up. Whether the Rosenburg Family can rise from the ashes depends on Katherine.


    If she is Rosenburg''s descendant, then the family will be saved. So, I absolutely can''t give up."


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    With that, Emma turned and left with a determined look.


    "How did you get involved with the Rosenburg Family?" After entering the house, Joaquin asked as he


    saw Katherine annoyed face.


    She then nced at him. "You know the Rosenburg Family?"


    "Not really. We just had some contacts in the past; it was mainly with the eldest son of the Rosenburg


    Family, though." He shook his head and answered honestly.


    "Is that so? Grandma knows them. And by the looks of it, they have deep grudges for one another."


    She could not help frowning when she thought of Jennifer''s behavior.


    She had lived with Jennifer for many years, yet she never realized that Jennifer still hid so many


    secrets from her. First, it was about her identity, and now it was about a past with the Rosenburg


    Family.


    Mr. Muller has mentioned that the Rosenburg Family has a superior status because Alex had rescued a


    big shot back then. I guess there is still some past in the Olsen Family that I don''t know.


    "I''ll have someone to investigate this." Joaquin pursed his lips as his expression was serious.


    Katherine wanted to say no initially, but after putting some thoughts in, she figured that the investigation


    should still be within the scope of his job to protect Jennifer''s safety.


    "Okay." She nodded and agreed. After contemting for a while, she took a translucent ss bottle


    from her pocket and handed it to him. "This is for you."


    "Huh?" He took it over in confusion. The ss bottle in his hand was beautiful; it had a delicate


    engraving on it, and there were colorful pills inside as if it was candy for children.


    "It''s an oral medicine. Take two pills a week. And please keep them with you; maybe one day they can


    be useful," she calmly exined without saying much.


    He knew that anything given by Katherine would be good stuff, so he silently put the bottle into his


    pocket before saying, "Thank you."

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    "By the way, Grandpa wants to know if you have the time to visit and have dinner with him." After


    Joaquin took care of the ss bottle, he recalled Zachary''s invitation over the phone a few days ago


    and felt the pulsing in his temples.


    "What?" Katherine shot him a confused nce as she didn''t immediately catch his words.


    "We don''t have to go if you''re busy. The elders are easily bored, so they need to find some way to


    entertain themselves." Pursing his lips, he suggested a second option as he was worried that she


    wasn''t willing to socialize with the Fosters.


    "I''m okay with it since I''m freetely. Just tell me once you have set up a time for it." She instantly


    remembered the kind old man who attended the weddingst time. Zachary had left a good impression


    on her as he wasn''t an overbearing and unreasonable old man of some kind. Besides, she could tell


    Zachary adored Joaquin very much.


    The mention of Zachary also reminded her that he gifted her something during the wedding. However,


    she was exhausted after that and forgot about its existence ever since. She made a mental note to


    bring along some presents when visiting the Fosterster.


    After Katherine gave Joaquin a firm reply, she walked into the kitchen and poured herself a ss of


    water with something in her mind.


    He raised his brows at her unexpected answer. Standing still for a moment to digest the thought, he


    called Zacharyter and informed Zachary that she would be visiting.


    The two set the date on the second day''s night. After Joaquin told her the time, she agreed absent-


    mindedly at first before she pondered for a moment and asked, "What does your grandfather like?"


    "Grandpa? He likes gardening and is interested in oil paintings." He answered in autopilot but soon


    added, "You don''t have to bring anything. You''re not a guest, you''re a family."


    "I understand," Katherine replied with a short answer and paid no more attention to him.


    Before he could further remind Katherine about the dinner, Jennifer walked out of her room and waved


    at him to gesture for him to join her. "Joaquin, can youe over to my room?"


    Joaquin hummed as a response and followed behind.


    "Grandma, you wanted to see me?" He couldn''t help but worry about her well-being after he walked


    into her room and found that she had a livid look.


    She patted the empty seat beside her, gesturing for him to sit instead of answering. Then, she turned to


    the dressing table and picked up something before she handed it over to him. "Help me to keep this for


    the time being and pass it to Kathyter."


    "Grandma, you should give it to her yourself." From what Joaquin could tell, she was giving off an odd


    vibe as if she was speaking herst words.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    He thought of Emma making a sudden visit to Jennifer before she was in such a condition. It must have


    had something to do with the Rosenburgs.


    "I know you''re not an ordinary person, so I bet you know the Rosenburgs for sure. I won''t talk much


    about them, but I''ll tell you what is necessary. The Rosenburg Family is somewhat influential, and an


    old woman like me is unable to protect Kathy if they''re trying to stir trouble. Johdy, I can see your


    feelings for her are sincere. Can I ask you for a favor and entrust you to take care of her?" Jennifer


    watched him and teared up as she began.


    "Grandma, what exactly happened between you and them?" Joaquin was even more concerned to see


    her in such a state.


    "The Rosenburgs won''t back down that easily, especially when they don''t have an heir. The old fool


    won''t want anything other than Kathy being one of them. It''s even better if you''re willing to be a


    live-in son-inw so that the survival of their bloodline is ensured. Hmph, he can dream on." Jennifer


    snorted at the Rosenburgs'' motives and scolded.


    Joaquin was confused as the information overwhelmed him, but he grasped the key to her story, which


    was that Katherine and the Rosenburgs were rted.


    He began with a surprised look, "Is Kathy and the Rosenburg Family¡ª"


    "Take a seat. I have a story to tell you." She could tell he was curious, so she cast a smile at him and


    urged him to sit.


    Since she demanded, Joaquin did as told.


    After Jennifer collected her thoughts, she began the story with a calm tone, "The Olsen Family was


    once influential in Kynd. One day, my daughter, Elsie, met Joshua, the second son of the Rosenburg


    Family, and they fell in love. My husband and I supported the rtionship too. However, something


    serious happened to the Rosenburgs at that time, and the old hag of the family was hoping for Joshua


    to marry the daughter of the Grant Family, so they could depend on the Grants to get back in their


    prime.


    "Thus, she would do anything to sabotage Elsie and Joshua''s rtionship. She even used the dirty


    trick to set Elsie up by making her sleep with another man, so that the pair would break up. I


    remembered that Elsie was devastated when she went to see Joshua. I have no idea what they had


    talked about, but she kneeled before us and begged us to leave Kynd and never return after she


    met Joshua."


    "After that, the family left Kynd ording to her wish and eventually settled down in Hovington. Not


    longter, Elsie also chose to marry someone else to forget about Joshua. It''s amazing how twenty


    years have gone in a sh." Mixed feelings emerged on Jennifer''s face. "The old hag of the


    Rosenburgs must have thought Elsie was pregnant with her son''s child, so she came to see Kathy in


    hope that Kathy can return to her birth family. Elsie wasn''t pregnant with Joshua''s child at all."


    "Then, who''s the father of the child?" Joaquin could finally see the full story after Jennifer''s exnation.


    Never would he think that Katherine wasn''t rted to the Cornell Family either.


    Even so, he found it usible though. After all, a man like Jorge doesn''t deserve to have a daughter as


    excellent as her.


    "Who knows? That old witch drugged Elsie, and she never knew the identity of the man she had slept


    with. She only realized that she was pregnant after we settled down in Hovington and married


    somebody else. If only I knew that Jorge was an immoral man, I would never have agreed to Elsie


    marrying him in the first ce, and causing the death of my husband. As for me, I''ve spent years in a


    haze after that." She shook her head and sighed with a sad look.


    "How can I help you with this matter?" Joaquin took some time to collect his thoughts and finally


    understood what happened back then.


    Emma indeed left him an impression that she would stop at nothing to reach her goals.


    "You have to protect Kathy for me. After all, she''s still young. She has endured so much suffering for


    me all these years, so please don''t me her over Noah''s matter. Can you promise me that you will


    take care of her?" Jennifer looked into his eyes with a serious expression and waited for his answers.


    "Grandma, you don''t have to worry. Since I''m her husband, you can count on me to be responsible for


    her well-being." He reached out and held her hands as he promised her earnestly.


    "That''s all I needed to hear. There''s one more thing; you should only give the thing in the box to her


    after I pass away." Jennifer stared at him as she was d of his promise, her eyes betraying a trace of


    relief.


    Joaquin got a bad feeling from her expression that she nned to do something.


    Before he could voice his doubts, the elder woman chimed in, "You can go now. I''m tired and want to


    rest."


    "Grandma, don''t worry. You can depend on me for everything. I won''t allow anyone to harm you and


    Kathy," he reminded her one more time before he left her room.

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    Once he left Jennifer''s room, Joaquin lowered his gaze and studied the chest in his hands. It was a


    hand-carved chest made from the finest rosewood, which gave off a faint scent. There was a lock on


    the chest, but he didn''t see the key, which he guessed Jennifer had already passed to Katherine


    sometime earlier.


    After that, he left for home with the chest. Thinking for a moment, he sent Katherine a message on


    WhatsApp to remind her about paying attention to Jennifer.


    At first, she was surprised to receive such a message from him. Then, she went straight to Jennifer''s


    room and knocked on the door.


    The room remained silent as no answer came from behind the door. She waited for a while before she


    pushed the door open and went inside.


    Jennifer was sleeping on the bed with rhythmic breathing. Walking over, she sat on the bed and took


    the elder woman''s pulse on her wrist. She had made sure Jennifer was only undergoing the normal


    aging process and wasn''t suffering from various diseases. Then, she put her grandmother''s hand


    down, tucked the woman under the nket with gentle movements, and left the bedroom.


    As she began to walk away from Jennifer''s bedroom, she recalled Joaquin saying Zachary was fond of


    oil paintings, so she took a turn and went to Noah''s room.


    Noah had always kept her room clean and tidy as her things were organized in their designated ce


    ording to her preference, and no dust could be found on every surface.


    Noah''s face bloomed with happiness when she saw Katherine. Sitting at the ce where she was, her


    eyes never left the older woman as she softly addressed, "Mom."


    Even though she had a delicate and adorable face, Katherine could neverpletely ept her


    identity. Pursing her lips, Katherine stood there for a moment before she managed to speak her


    request. "Can I have some of your drawings?"


    "Sure." Noah cheerfully did as told as she turned away to look for them.


    Noah loved to draw. During her free time, she would stay in her room to draw instead of going out. She


    was immersed in the world exclusive to herself, resisting the idea of the outside world reaching her.


    Looking at the little silhouette of Noah, Katherine couldn''t help but sigh.


    Noah pulled the drawer out and came back with a pile of her works. Standing in hesitation, she began


    meekly, "Mom, which one do you like?"


    Katherine stretched out her hands and took the drawings from Noah.


    She never bothered to appreciate what Noah was drawing the whole time as the incident five years ago


    had caused her to go against the idea of her having Noah as her daughter. On usual days, she would


    avoid the girl as best as she could. Besides, she also had a history of not talking much to Noah for the


    longest time.


    Katherine had to admit that she was the major reason for Noah''s autism.


    Once she collected her thoughts, she lowered her head to check out the paintings. Noah was not afraid


    ofbining brilliant colors in her works and the powerful colors together brought out her rich and


    colorful spirit world. One could easily tell that the artist was someone who appreciated life and the


    world from their paintings.


    The more Katherine looked at them, the more overwhelmed she was. After she had scanned through


    the remaining works, she began to see Noah in a new light.


    Remaining in silence for a long time, she crouched before the girl and stared into her eyes.


    Noah was more emaciated whenpared to the children of her age because Katherine gave birth to


    her prematurely. At that time, Katherine was still considered young. As she was busy taking care of


    both Jennifer''s illness and her own academics, she never had the scope to think of other matters, not


    even the condition of her pregnant body. It indeed shocked her when she was told that she was giving


    birth to a baby.


    "I''ve failed to be a good mother for you, but I want to learn to be a mother. Can I have your help?" The


    girl with a pair of crystal clear eyes had touched something deep inside her heart.


    She reached out her hand toward Noah while using a gentle tone for the first time to talk to the girl.


    The girl was surprised at first. She studied her mother for a while before she cautiously ced her


    hand in Katherine''s outstretched hand. "Mom?"


    "From now on, you don''t have to hide in your room. You can tell me if you want to go out, and I''lle


    along with you." Katherine pressed her lips into a thin line as she struggled before she finally spoke


    with a gentle tone.


    "Yes!" Noah immediately nodded her head in a vigorous manner.


    By watching the contagious smile on Noah''s face, Katherine couldn''t help but curl up the corner of her


    lips.


    It seems like opening up isn''t as hard as I imagine it would be.


    She took Noah''s drawings and left the room. After she went back to her room, she began to recall the


    feelings when Noah called her "Mom" and reached out a hand to hold her. She had never experienced


    such an amazing feeling and she couldn''t help but return to the sensation.


    She allowed herself to be immersed in the new experience before she finally chose two from the


    paintings. Then, she designed a frame for each of them by herself and packed them in the present box.


    As another idea came to her, she chose another small bottle of pills and sighed in relief as she finished


    the preparation.


    The next morning, Katherine woke up and found Noah sitting in the living room, having a conversation


    with Jennifer.


    It seemed to her that Jennifer was in a good mood and looked healthy. Even though Noah didn''t speak


    much, she replied to Jennifer every time the elder woman talked to her. Their interaction was


    unexpectedly harmonious to Katherine.


    "Grandma, Noah." Standing there and watching the pair for a moment, she joined them with a look of


    pure surprise.


    Noah cast her a shy look as her eyes sparkled in anticipation of Katherine''spliment.


    Katherine wasn''t prepared for the look on Noah''s face, thus she only cleared her throat after a long


    silence and praised, "Noah, you did well today."


    "Good." Noah nodded her head happily at thepliment as if she just had candy and her heart felt


    like it was coated in honey.


    Seeing that Noah was satisfied from such a minor thing, Katherine could feel the guilt inside her chest.


    She had paid too little attention to Noah in the past.


    The three had lunch together, and at 4.00PM, Joaquin came to pick Katherine up for dinner at the


    Fosters.


    Katherine had already informed Jennifer about her outing earlier. When she left the house, she brought


    along the mounted paintings with her. As the paintings were done by Noah, they were small in size and


    easy to carry.


    "Didn''t I tell you that you don''t have to bring anything?" When he saw Katherine carrying a huge bag of


    presents, Joaquin shot her a look of resignation.


    "These aren''t for you. I want to give them to Grandpa," she exined with a serious expression.


    He said nothing more to her determined face as he was out of ideas to persuade her.


    The sun hadn''t fully set below the horizon when they arrived at the Foster Residence.


    Zachary had waited outside in expectation of their arrival a long time ago since he knew Joaquin and


    Katherine would be visiting.


    Standing beside him to wait for the couple, Chelsea teased him.


    As soon as the young ones stepped into the house, Zachary quickly pretended to be nonchnt about


    it.


    "You won''t believe what I have witnessed. Your grandfather has been expecting you since this morning.


    I bet the more he pokes his neck out, the higher the possibility he bes a giraffe in the zoo."


    Watching theming closer, Chelsea exposed Zachary.


    Joaquin let out a chuckle. "Didn''t I tell you that we''ll set off at four and arrive around six?"


    "Your grandpa can''t wait to see you." She rolled her eyes at Zachary, not bothering to save his dignity.


    Watching them bantering, Katherine could finally understand the reason why Joaquin was fond of the


    Foster Residence.


    Compared to the Levisay Residence, this ce was livelier and warmer, just like how a home should


    be.


    Listening quietly to Chelsea teasing Zachary on the side, Katherine handed over the presents to them.


    "Grandpa, this one is for you. Grandma, this is yours."Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    "Your presence is enough to make me happy. There''s no need for presents. Joaquin, you should''ve


    stopped her." Receiving the presents from Katherine with a smile, Zachary shot a warning look at


    Joaquin after that.


    His grandson answered him with an innocent look instead of words.


    "The presents didn''t cost me much," she answered humbly.


    "It''s your thought of us that counts instead of the value of presents, and you''ve proved to us your


    affections. It doesn''t matter whether the presents are expensive or not because I''m very happy to see


    you making your attendance. Come on, don''t stand here. Head inside and take a seat," Zachary


    beckoned the two to sit down with a cheerful tone.


    Even though he told her the presents weren''t necessary, happiness was bursting in his chest


    nheless. He carried the gift bag tightly as if he was worried that someone would snatch them from


    him.


    "Grandpa! What did Katherine give you? Let me have a look." Showing up out of nowhere at the same


    time when he barely sat, a young girl snatched the gift bag from him and opened it.


    There was a square wooden box, a rectangr wooden box, and two delicate ss bottles filled with


    colorful sugar balls in the gift bag.


    "Huh? Katherine, are the two bottles of candies for Grandpa? He has diabetes, so he can''t eat them.


    How about giving them to me?" Grabbing the bottles from the bag, she began to shove them into her


    pocket.


    "Put them down, Tiara!" As he was upset to see that the gifts exclusively for him were about to change


    hands, Zachary walked over with flushed cheeks and took the ss bottles from her.


    The young girl longingly stared at them. "But Grandpa, those are candies! Since you can''t have them,


    why can''t you give them to me? How about you giving me only one? I want to try at least once."


    Tiara loved sweet food the most and she was interested in all kinds of sweet food since her childhood.


    The colorful candies in the bottles caught her attention the most and she almost drooled at their


    delicious look.


    Zachary shot daggers at her as he scolded, "Buy them with your money. Do you have no shame in


    robbing an old man''s possession? These are my presents from Kathy. All mine! Oh, the gifts belong to


    your grandmother too."


    After noticing the warning look from Chelsea, he added btedly.


    "Those aren''t suitable for you. If you would like some, I''ll give them to you another time." Katherine


    found the sad expression on Tiara''s faceical.


    Tiara jumped in excitement upon hearing the promise from Katherine. "For real? Wow, Katherine,


    you''re being so nice to me! I''ve decided to see you as my role model starting today. I like you the


    most!"


    "Can I eat these candies too?" Zachary was covering his pocket with his hands as he waited for


    Katherine''s answer in anticipation.


    "Those aren''t candies, but you can treat them as one that you can eat. At first, you only need to take


    one per day. After three months, you only need to take one per week," she exined in seriousness.


    "Katherine, if those aren''t candies, what are they? Are they some kind of miracle medicine?" Since


    Tiara loved gossip the most, she asked with full curiosity after hearing Katherine''s exnation.


    "I''ve extracted the essence of various herbs and made them. It''s for Grandpa and Grandma to maintain


    their physical fitness and boost their immunity." As Katherine was worried that Zachary would treat the


    ss bottles as candies, she exined again.


    "So, they''re medicine. I thought they were candies! If so, I¡ª" Before Tiara could finish her words,


    Katherine interrupted.


    "If you would like some, I''ll make those that help detoxify the body and the skin. They certainly help."


    Her words immediately piqued Tiara''s interest. "Really? Katherine, will I be as beautiful as you


    after I have taken them?"


    As soon as Tiara finished her words, Katherine began to study her face.


    Tiara was indeed gorgeous with her dazzling and striking beauty, which would catch anyone''s attention


    on every asion. Her clear eyes had the potential to grab a person''s attention as the worldly


    sophisticated minds had yet to taint her innocent and naive soul.


    Since there was a healthy dynamic in the Foster Family, they had pampered Tiara with love and care


    from her childhood onward and raised her into a pure soul without even a trace of a wicked mind.


    "You won''t be like her unless you undergo stic surgery," Joaquin chimed in sarcastically with the


    intention to tease Tiara before Katherine could even express her opinion.


    Staring at him, Tiara covered her face with a sad look. "Joaquin! You have hurt my ego with that


    comment! Do you remember that I''m your sister?"


    "No, you''re not. We''re merely cousins," he immediately answered.


    "Grandpa! Look! He''s bullying me again!" As Joaquin''s words broke her heart, she immediately sought


    Zachary''s help to back her up.


    Zachary was smiling from ear to ear as Tiara held his arm and acted coquettishly while he stood up for


    her. "Stop bullying your sister."


    "I''m helping her to understand the truth," Joaquin replied subtly.


    Katherine wasn''t expecting to see this side of him. In most of her memories, he was always distant and


    kept his businesslike manner toward others. She had only seen him making an exception for Beatrice


    so far, but not as much as the current situation.


    It seemed to her that Joaquin had a strong rtionship with the Fosters, so he could lower his guard


    and reveal his true self when he was spending time with them.


    "Darling, enough with the talk. It''s time for dinner, so let''s go. We have a lot of time after that," Chelsea


    began with a casual tone after staying quiet for a long time.


    Once she began, Zachary strode over eagerly and helped her to her feet. "Are you hungry? Let''s go,


    then. There''s no point starving you. I''ve asked them to prepare your favorite lemon butter fish filet and


    cowboy meatballs, but you can''t eat too much of them. Just enjoy it a little, all right?"


    He helped her to stand as his gaze was tender while his tone sounded like he was coaxing a child.


    "I''m not a child anymore. Besides, I''m not as gluttonous as you. Don''t eat too much. You need to look


    out for your diet." Chelsea red at him for his tease, but she allowed him to hold her as they hobbled


    toward the dining room.


    Seeing Zachary and Chelsea looking after each other, Katherine remembered the times back when


    Darren was alive.


    Those were her younger times when her grandparents had a strong rtionship. Thus, Jennifer fell


    sick right after Darren passed away.


    If Grandpa is alive, will our family be as happy as the Fosters?


    "What''s on your mind? Let''s go." Joaquin grabbed Katherine''s hand gently to help her rise to her feet,


    which snapped her out of her reverie.


    His hands were firm to hold and a little warm as they enveloped her small hands. She couldn''t resist


    the idea of turning her head to look at his handsome profile. His gaze was tender, but the tip of his ears


    had reddened due to a reason she couldn''t make out.


    She didn''t bother to wriggle out of his grasp as she merely allowed him to hold her instead. For the first


    time in her life, she felt good to be able to hold hands with him.


    The others had already taken their seats when the pair walked into the dining room.


    Zachary reserved them two empty seats on his left side.


    The servants were serving their dishes as they sat.Original from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    Katherine took a quick nce at the food. There were various things to choose from, but they didn''t suit


    the elders. As the pair were aging, they began to catch senile diseases. Especially Zachary, who didn''t


    pay attention to his health in his younger days, and was now suffering from ailments.


    The food on the table was rather healthy, but they were salty and greasy too, which wasn''t good for the


    elders'' health.


    Seeing the others were about to serve themselves, Katherine interrupted, "Grandpa, Grandma, these


    dishes are not good for you." Her main focus was Zachary, who loved spicy and greasy food, and was


    eyeing the Buffalo wings.


    As she spoke up, Zachary withdrew his fork, which almostnded on his target, and cast a confused


    look at her.


    "Grandpa, you had an irregr diet in the past, and it harmed your spleen and stomach function. All


    these years, you''ve never conditioned your body''s health to its normal state. Eating spicy food now will


    stimte your stomach and cause diarrhea. Other dishes are also not suitable for you as they''re salty


    and greasy," she exined in a serious tone as she tried to reason with Zachary.


    Tiara''s expression changed as soon as Katherine spoke, and she kept trying to make eye contact with


    thetter to stop her from talking.


    Zachary had zero resistance to spicy food and he must taste them on every asion. Even though he


    had to take a prokic agent or other kinds of medicine, he never learned his lesson.


    Among the Foster Residence, nobody else other than Chelsea would dare preach to him about it.


    However, she no longer had the patience to stop him from digging his own grave, and indulged him


    instead.


    Katherine was the first person who had the courage to speak up about his fault in front of him.


    Tiara was afraid that Zachary would snap at Katherine, thus she chimed in, "Grandpa, Katherine is not


    wrong. You should stop eating them. Why don''t you eat something else?"


    After that, she winked at Joaquin in the hopes of him backing her up.


    However, he acted as if he didn''t notice her gesture. Hisck of response was irritating her and urging


    her to scratch his face.


    "Kathy, I¡ª" Zachary sighed soon after he spoke.


    Before he could finish his words, Katherine added, "Grandpa, I''ll make two special dishes for you and


    Grandma. Please wait for a moment." At that, she left the dining table and headed toward the kitchen.


    She was happy to see a range of ingredients in the kitchen, which included those to make the herbal


    remedy.


    Choosing the ingredients which were good for the elders'' health, she picked some other herbs and


    soaked them in cold water before she proceeded with the ingredients.


    Remembering Zachary liked to eat spicy food but had to limit his consumption due to his health, she


    put the pepper into the food gauze bag and added a few of hers. Thebination not only helped to


    add a spicy taste to the dish but it was also good for the body, especially for the spleen and stomach


    function.


    Katherine was fast with the preparation, and two dishes were finished in less than twenty minutes.


    She left for the dining room with two dishes in her hands and ced them in front of the older couple.


    "Grandpa, have a taste."


    Dubious about the taste, Zachary grabbed a bit of the fish filet with his fork.


    His eyes sparkled as soon as he tasted the first bite of the delicious and spicy fish.


    He couldn''t wait to take another chunk and serve himself. It was only then he mumbled, "It''s delicious."


    Even though he was enjoying the fish, he remembered to serve Chelsea with the fish. "Try this."


    Watching him devouring the food, she smiled with resignation. She shot Katherine an apologizing look


    before she ate the fish.


    Chelsea was never a fan of spicy food. She seldom ate them when she was young, and even less as


    she aged.


    However, the fish with a delicious taste immediately triggered her taste buds and granted her, who


    wasn''t in the mood to eat at first, the appetite.


    Making sure both of them liked the food, Katherine returned to her seat next to Joaquin and began the


    dinner in silence.


    Tiara witnessed Zachary and Chelsea enjoying the food as they even had a second round, which broke


    the record. No single scrap of food or soup was left. She was drooling on the side before she


    swallowed them and asked, "Grandpa, are they that good?"


    "It''s the best! I''ve never eaten anything like this before! Kathy..." At the end of his words, he shot


    Katherine a sad look.


    Once he tasted the dishes from her, it was impossible for him to ever enjoy the ordinary food prepared


    by the family chef again in the future.


    She then reminded, "Grandpa, you shouldn''t eat too much. It''s not good for your health."


    His expression sank at her words, and it was obvious that he was upset.


    "I''ll make them again next time." His behavior reminded her of Jennifer. Both of them were no different


    from each other when they were trying to eat something delicious, and she wouldn''t have the heart to


    say no to them.


    "Really? When? Are youing tomorrow?" His eyes were twinkling after she made the promise, and


    he watched her in anticipation.


    She only declined, "I can''t promise you about tomorrow. I''m leaving Hovington for a while. I might be


    back after a week."


    "You''ll be out of town? Where are you heading?" Joaquin darted a surprised look at her as he had


    never heard about it before.


    She cast him a nce. "I need to deal with some personal matters."


    He scratched the tip of his nose and stopped questioning.


    Watching the exchange between them, Zachary squinted his eyes as an idea urred to him.


    However, he had faith in Joaquin, as his excellent grandson no doubt would have won over her heart.


    No matter the present or the future, Katherine would always be the granddaughter-inw of the Foster


    Family.


    "Kathy, since the two of you''re married, why don''t you move into the residence? It''s more convenient,


    and others can take care of your daily life." Zachary gave Joaquin a look to tease thetter before he


    turned to Katherine for her opinion.


    Once again, she declined his kindness. "Don''t worry about it, Grandpa. We''re satisfied at the moment."


    After dinner, Katherine stayed to have a chat with Zachary and Chelsea until she noticed that they


    couldn''t stop yawning, which signaled they were tired and needed a rest. At that, Joaquin and she bid


    farewell to the elders and left the residence.


    "Joaquin! Katherine! Can I join you at your house for a few days?" As they stepped out of the house


    and headed toward the car, Tiara called out to them from behind.


    Carrying a suitcase with her, she strode over to them and smiled at Katherine.


    Katherine turned to her husband with a neutral expression for his decision.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Why? Can''t the house fit you anymore?" he began with a distant and sarcastic question.


    "It''s not the same! Grandpa and Grandma are being lovey-dovey all the time in the house and I, a


    single woman, can''t bear the damage. Joaquin, we''re blood-rted! Please spare me your kindness


    and take me in!" Holding his hand, Tiara shook it with force as she begged him.


    "Are you implying that we don''t have a strong rtionship? Or we won''t show it to you?" He narrowed


    his eyes, displeased at her.


    She only giggled in response. "I''m not. Look, Katherine is pretty. I''ll be happy to enjoy the scene if you


    want to be lovey-dovey in front of my eyes."


    "Stop with your nonsense. Let''s go." Joaquin could never say no to Tiara, thus he nodded as approval


    for her to join.

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    "Joaquin, do you and Katherine not share a unit?" Tiara followed Joaquin and Katherine into Soulin


    International with a curious look on her face as she studied her surroundings. Atst, she noticed that


    Katherine walked into unit 1801 while he unlocked the door of unit 1802. Thus, she couldn''t help but


    ask that.


    Joaquin cast her a warning look instead of answering. "Are youing in? If not, you can go home."


    "Don''t chase me away. I''ming in," she answered as she quickly slipped into his unit.


    He waved at Katherine one more time before he shut the door.


    As Tiara walked into the unit, she began to take a look around. The unitcked decorations and gave


    her the feeling of the absence of its hostess. She immediately pointed it out. "By the way, Joaquin, I


    have a question¡ªwhat''s happening between you and Katherine? Are you having a contract marriage


    like one of the plots in the novel, which you''ll divorce after some time?"


    He cast her a look without much emotion. "Did Grandpa ask you to monitor us?"


    Tiara waved her hands frantically to deny his im. "No way! That''s impossible! Grandpa isn''t such a


    kind of person. It''s just that I annoyed him in the house, so he wants to chase me away."


    However, Joaquin could see through her lies, and he gestured in the direction of the guestroom. "That''s


    the guest room. You''ll be sleeping there. Remember to not touch anything or try to discover anything.


    Curiosity kills the cat."


    "Of course. Can I visit Katherine, though? Aren''t you worried about her living alone? I bet the men can''t


    wait to make a move on her, since she''s pretty and kind. Aren''t you afraid of any love rival?" Pouting at


    theck of freedom, she walked toward the guestroom with her suitcase in tow. Before she opened the


    door, she darted him a question.


    Joaquin wasn''t looking at her at the moment, but her words created a huge impact on him.


    There were indeed a lot of men around Katherine, and most of them were interested in her.


    He couldn''t make out the source of the disturbing feeling when he thought about it.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Tiara returned to his side after she put her luggage in the room.


    After that, she informed him that she would be visiting Katherine, and eagerly left the unit to find


    Katherine next door.


    As soon as she stepped into the unit, she looked around its interior. "Katherine, do you still have any


    empty rooms here? I¡ª"


    A man with a stunningly beautiful face walking out of the room caught Tiara''s attention as she cut off


    her words.


    His existence shocked Tiara, and she stopped in her tracks before turning to Katherine in disbelief.


    "Katherine?"


    "Huh?" As Katherine was lost in thought before this, she finally raised her head to acknowledge Tiara


    after thetter called her for the second time.


    She turned to the back when she saw Tiara was staring at someone with a shocked face, and found


    that Xavier had left the room.


    "How is she?" Katherine left Tiara alone for a moment and asked Xavier the question.


    "Not bad. You made the right decision to get her back to the country. She''s in a better condition than


    before and begins to open up to others as she talks a lot. I think that if we keep her going like now, she


    can return to society and live among people soon. You can send her to kindergarten at that time to see


    if she can get used to such a life." Xavier didn''t pay attention to Tiara as he exined Noah''s condition


    to Katherine.


    As he finished his report, she hummed nonchntly as a response before she finally remembered that


    the younger woman was still standing at the door, and weed her inside.


    Tiara wasn''t sure what was going on between the two, but her eyes couldn''t leave Xavier ever since


    she walked into the unit.


    The man had aid-back and elegant temperament. He waszing on the couch in the living room with


    a remote control in his hand as he watched the television. As he noticed her stare, he turned to her for


    a moment and shot her a nce before he withdrew his gaze.


    For the first time in her life, Tiara met a man who didn''t have his eyes on her all the time like the others.


    Recalling he walked out of Katherine''s room a moment ago, she was more than curious about his


    identity. Thus, Tiara joined him on the couch and expected him to share some juicy details. "Do you


    know Katherine? Are you two close? Are you interested in her?"


    At first, Xavier had decided to not pay attention to Tiara. However, she was too talkative for his liking.


    She spoke a lot beside him, much like a parrot without a break.


    As he couldn''t bear her anymore, he turned to her and shot her an emotionless nce. "Can you shut


    up? Has nobody told you that you''re talkative?"


    His attitude waspletely differentpared to how he casually treated Katherine a while ago, as his


    rude words were aimed to hurt Tiara.


    This was the first time that Tiara was being harshly treated. She was taken aback for a few seconds


    before tears blurred her vision, and she mumbled sadly, "I-I am just being polite. You don''t have to be


    angry."


    "I didn''t ask for your politeness." He retorted one more time and paid no more attention to her.


    Tiara sat beside him with reddened eyes. She could feel bile in her mouth, and it was upsetting her.


    The urge to cry was building inside her, but she didn''t dare cry in front of him. Thus, she only sat on the


    couch and red at him with puffy eyes.


    She felt more wronged when Xavier ignored her presence, as if she was invisible.


    Meanwhile, Katherine was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen. She finally noticed the extreme silence


    in the living room after she left the kitchen.


    The television was on, but no sound wasing out from it. Xavier and Tiara each took a spot on the


    couch, and an odd atmosphere was building between them.


    "What''s wrong with you two?" Katherine walked over to them and studied their faces.


    Tiara had been holding back her tears until Katherine asked the question. She began to wail in front of


    them as her emotions outbursts.


    Being surprised by the sudden outburst, Katherine cast a confused look at Xavier for the answer.


    However, Xavier was as confused as her. Tiara was the first woman he had no idea how he should


    treat.


    Noticing Katherine''s questioning gaze, he immediately dered, "It has nothing to do with me."


    As he finished his words, he rose to his feet and washed his hand for dinner before he called Jennifer


    and Noah to join him.


    Leaving her room, Noah found Tiara crying in the living room, and she turned to Katherine with a


    confused look.


    "Go on and have dinner," Katherine said lightly. Noah nodded and followed Jennifer to eat.


    "What happened?" Watching Tiara cry, Katherine could feel the pulsing pain in her temples as she


    never needed to console a crying person before.


    "Katherine, that guy is rude! He even scolds me." For a moment, Tiara struggled to find her voice. At


    last, she whined through her sobs.


    Katherine caressed the spot between her brows to ease the pain. "Let him be. He''s always like that. Go


    wash your face. We''re ready for dinner, and Joaquin will be joining us."


    "Really?" Tiara asked to have double confirmation.


    "Really. I''m telling the truth." Afraid that Tiara would cry again, Katherine immediately nodded.


    At that, Tiara finally stopped crying. She washed her hands and followed Katherine to take a seat in the


    dining room.


    At that moment, Joaquin left his unit. As Katherine had recorded his thumbprint for the fingerprint lock


    at the door, he could instantly go into her house without asking her to answer the door.


    Tiara shifted her attention when she heard themotion at the door. Her gazended on him for a


    long time when he walked into the room, and she finally withdrew her gaze as she stopped pondering.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    "Katherine, have you and my brother always lived apart?" Tiara had long forgotten the unhappy events


    that had urred earlier after the delicious dinner.


    Hence, she asked interestedly, with a cushion in her arms, as she sat beside Katherine after dinner.


    Katherine, however, did not answer, and instead gave Joaquin an unfriendly stare.


    "You must be tired now, Tiara. Go back and have a rest," he gave Tiara a cold stare and said


    indifferently.


    Tiara shook her head. "I don''t want to! It''s still early; I can''t sleep even if I go back. Let me hang out a


    little longer here," she responded while wrapping her arms around Katherine''s.


    Katherine was a little wary of being touched. As a result, she furrowed her brows reflexively.


    That didn''t go unnoticed. Seeing that, Joaquin stood up and blocked Tiara from holding Katherine''s


    arm. "Go back and rest¡ªthat''s an order. If you don''t listen to me, go back to the Foster Residence


    tomorrow."


    "Joaquin?" Tiara looked at him with disbelief.


    But he immediately dragged her out of Katherine''s house and back to the 1802 unit next door. After


    pushing Tiara into the unit, he impatiently said, "Just tell me what your reason foring here this time


    is. To snoop on Kathy and me?"


    "I¡­ I''ve said that there are no other motives! I simply like Katherine and want to spend more time at


    her ce. If she gets into a better mood and decides to cook supper, I''ll be able to enjoy some


    delicious foodter! You''re so heartless, Joaquin. I don''te here very often. Can''t you just let me


    enjoy more nice food? It is not going to cost you your life anyway," Tiara mumbled and guiltily moved


    her gaze away from Joaquin''s.


    At that point, Joaquin''s patience was dwindling. "Go back to your room and sleep now."


    But Tiara merely moved a few steps before running back to him and asked, her eyes filled with


    curiosity, "Joaquin, are you really living apart from her? Both of you have just married, so the fire should


    still be burning between you. Don''t tell me..."


    He didn''t respond, instead lowering his head and staring at Tiara coldly.


    She felt uneasy and guilty being stared at by him. Hence, she did not dare to bber further and


    quickly trotted back to her room.


    However, she reopened the door and poked her head out seconds after closing it. "But Joaquin, I have


    to report to Grandpa. Maybe you could avoid making things difficult for me by spending the night at


    Katherine''s ce? Otherwise, it would be very difficult for me to tell him."


    "Get out¡ª" Joaquin was now kicking himself for bringing Tiara back home.


    He was dying to throw her out now.


    However, since Zachary had deliberately arranged for Tiara toe, he had most likely noticed that


    something was something amiss between Katherine and Joaquin. That was why he asked Tiara to


    keep a close eye on them.


    With this in mind, he massaged his temples and exhaled a deep breath.


    Tiara was not the type to tell lies. She most likely had told Zachary about the situation between Joaquin


    and Katherine, and Joaquin had the feeling that¡­


    Just as he was thinking, his phone rang. He was surprised after taking a look at who the caller was.


    Zachary''s call arrived much sooner than Joaquin had anticipated.


    "Joaquin, there''s something that I don''t want to keep from you any longer. Some time ago, your


    grandma and I went for a body checkup, and it was discovered that I had cancer. It is already in quite a


    late stage. ording to the doctor, I only have one year left. Your grandma and you are the two people


    I''m most worried about. Her health is worse than mine, so she will most likely not outlive me. I have no


    more wishes in my life apart than seeing you marry and have children of your own. I really wish to see


    you having a child with Kathy before I die, Joaquin. I can then rest in peace. Can you just grant me my


    last wish?"


    Zachary''s weak voice rang out the second Joaquin answered the call.


    However, Joaquin merely pursed his lips and did not respond.


    Zachary let out a light cough at that before he went on, "Joaquin? You cannot decide this on your own,


    right? Pass the phone to Kathy; I''ll tell her myself."


    At this point, Joaquin was well aware of what Zachary was up to. The elderly man was simply making


    up an excuse to test them after listening to Tiara''s report.


    Joaquin exhaled a sigh before opening the door and went to Katherine''s unit beside his.


    She was surprised to see him return. "What happened? Are there any other matters?" she asked


    doubtfully.


    "Let''s go to your room and talk," he responded while covering his phone''s microphone.


    Katherine could guess what was happening upon seeing what his actions were. Hence, she nodded


    and brought him into her room.


    After closing the door, he looked at the phone in his hands and signaled to her with his eyes.


    Joaquin didn''t say even a word, but she knew what he meant.


    With that, she extended her hand, took his phone and raised it to her ear. "Hello, Grandpa?"


    "Kathy!" Zachary was ted to hear her voice.


    "Why are you looking for me, Grandpa? I was in the shower and just walked out," she responded


    naturally and walked deeper into the room, holding the phone.


    "Nothing. It''s just that I''m getting older and don''t know how much longer I can live. My only wish is for


    Joaquin and you to be happy and, if possible, to have children. Then I can rest in peace. "Zachary


    sighed and spoke glumly.


    Hearing that, Katherine pursed her lips and silently nced at Joaquin.


    Asking us to have children again¡­


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She raised her hand to massage her temples. "I believe it''s better to let nature take its course,


    Grandpa," she replied patiently.


    "I don''t have much time left. This is my only wish¡­" Zachary began to beg for sympathy.


    Katherine really had no idea how to deal with that. Hence, she looked helplessly at Joaquin.


    He quickly took the phone over. Then, he heard Zachary saying, "Kathy, Joaquin lost his mother when


    he was young and life has not been easy for him. I was previously worried that he wouldn''t be able to


    learn to love, but I''m d that he has you now. I truly hope you both live happily ever after."


    Joaquin did not say anything in response. He pursed his lips as he felt down.


    For a few moments, Zachary continued to nag, while Joaquin remained silent and simply listened to


    Zachary.


    When Zachary was almost done speaking, Joaquin quickly responded, "I understand what you mean,


    Grandpa. Kathy and I will work for it."


    He then quickly ended the call before turning to face Katherine.


    "Your grandfather is in good health. Despite some elderly illnesses, it wouldn''t be a problem for him to


    live for another twenty to thirty years. Joaquin, if you wish to have a child, you should find a woman you


    really love. I¡­"


    "What if I say you are the woman that I truly love?"

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Katherine was taken aback for a moment. "What nonsense are you talking about?" she asked, rolling


    her eyes at him.


    However, Joaquin remained solemnly looking at her. Just when he was about to speak again, his


    phone rang and interrupted the conversation.


    He furrowed his brows as he looked at who the caller was. Seeing that it was Jeremy who called, he


    gloomily answered, "Anything?"


    "Mr. Levisay, arge number of outsiders entered Hovington today. They were all in the upper echelons


    of the Hunters'' List. More than a hundred Hunters have entered Hovington for the past month and the


    top of them was Lagros, who is at twenty-first ce. Mr. Levisay, what do you think draws them to


    Hovington? This time, there were so many of them that the FBI was alerted. They are currently sending


    someone to Cechirus," Jeremy grumbled while exining the situation to Joaquin.


    Hearing that, Joaquin looked thoughtfully at Katherine and did not say anything.


    After receiving no response from Joaquin, Jeremy couldn''t help but mutter, "What should we do? The


    new Colonel Carter is unconcerned about this and has even told us to stop watching them and let them


    roam freely in Hovington."


    "Okay. I got it." Joaquin ended the call right away.


    Then, he looked solemnly at Katherine and said, "A group of Hunters came to Hovington recently. I


    believe they came for your grandma."


    "What?" Katherine frowned and looked at him.


    "Your grandma''s identity is highly confidential; it is ssified as the highest-level of confidential


    information in Cechirus. I can''t tell you who she is, but what I can say for sure is that she carries a vital


    set of information with her that is highly sought after by many people both inside and outside the


    country. As long as she carries it, even those in the top ten on the Hunters'' List will kill her for it. She is


    in a dangerous situation." Joaquin assumed Katherine didn''t realize how serious the situation was and


    exined it to her seriously.


    "So? What are you trying to say?" She wasn''t shocked by his words.


    "I need to stay at your house to protect her all day, in case something happens," Joaquin replied


    righteously.


    Katherine pursed her lips when she heard that. The man could really make up such a high-sounding


    excuse just to stay at her ce.


    "It''s up to you. If you want to stay here, you can only take the couch." She shook her head with a smile


    while pointing at the couch.


    Her room had a two-seater couch that wasn''t big. It was suitable for a tiny-sized girl to sleep on, not a


    man of tall build like Joaquin.


    He took a nce at the couch before fixing his gaze on the floor. "That''s not necessary. I can sleep on


    the floor."


    "As you wish." She casually waved her hands at what he said.


    Then, she took a clean nket from the cab and threw it at him.


    Joaquin took it, paved it on the floor, and immediatelyy down on it. She was taken aback to see him


    doing all of this with such ease, and she asked, "Do you sleep on the floor all the time? Why are you so


    skilled at this?"


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "I always have to sleep on the floor when I''m on a mission. Many times, I didn''t even have a nket


    and had to lie t on the floor itself. You don''t need to be concerned about me. Rest well," he smilingly


    answered.


    Hearing that, Katherine went silent and did not say anything further.


    Having another person in the same room made her feel uneasy.


    They both stared at the ceiling. One was on the bed and the other on the floor, but neither spoke. It was


    all very peaceful and quiet.


    After a long while, Joaquin said softly, "I wasn''t kidding just now. I meant it."


    "What?" Katherine asked reflexively because she couldn''t understand his sudden words.


    But she quickly regretted her question because, after some thought, she realized what he meant.


    With that, she could only purse her lips and remain silent.


    "Nothing." He, too, pursed his lips and did not continue further.


    It was absolute silence for the entire night.


    The next morning, Katherine woke up early. Joaquin immediately jumped up from the floor when he


    heard noises, and it startled her.


    She looked at Joaquin, who had a vignt expression, and she then took a step back and asked, "Did I


    wake you up?"


    He regained hisposure when he heard her voice and realized he was in her room, not out in the


    wilderness for a mission.


    His stiffened body immediately rxed. "It''s not you. I sleep lightly as I''m used to being on missions


    outside," he replied.


    She nodded in response and had no idea what to say next. "Clean up, then. I''m going to prepare


    breakfast."


    After the pleasantries, she left the room.


    As Katherine was in the midst of preparing breakfast, she suddenly recalled that she had not cleaned


    herself up when she left the room.


    How can I make such a gaffe? She couldn''t help but pat her forehead.


    "Why are you up so early today, Kathy?" At Jennifer''s age, the older woman couldn''t sleep much and


    would wake up early every day. When she walked out, she saw Katherine getting busy in the kitchen


    and asked smilingly after taking a nce at her room door.


    Katherine, however, did not answer Jennifer''s question. "What do you want to have for your breakfast,


    Grandma? I''ll prepare it for you," shemented as she searched for ingredients in the fridge.


    "Anything''s fine. I''m not fussy." Jennifer casually waved her hand.


    At this moment, Joaquin walked out from Katherine''s room. He did not realize that Jennifer was there,


    and he right away asked Katherine, "Are there any toiletries for me here? If not, I''ll get them from the


    next door¡­ Grandma?"


    "You need toiletries, Johdy? I''ll find some for you. We have some new sets." Jennifer looked at him as


    she beamed brightly.


    She then went into her room, came out with a new set of toiletries and handed them to him.


    Joaquin dly took it before turning around and returning to Katherine''s room.


    Seeing how happy Jennifer was, Katherine knew it would be difficult to exin the situation to Jennifer


    this time.


    Jennifer, on the other hand, smiled at Katherine after seeing Joaquin entering the room. "Kathy,


    Joaquin and you really have to put in some effort for me to have a great-grandchild before I leave this


    world," she said bluntly.


    Katherine was speechless at that. "Grandma, we have just been married for a few days. Isn''t it too


    early for you to rush us into that?"


    "Of course I have to rush you! My days are numbered and I know it. I might not even be able to witness


    the birth of my great-grandchild if you don''t hurry up," Jennifer replied agitatedly as she couldn''t help


    but roll her eyes at Katherine.


    Hearing that, Katherine went silent.


    She could guarantee another twenty years for Zachary, but she could not say the same for Jennifer.


    Jennifer''s health was indeed deteriorating. She appeared to be in good health now thanks to the


    medications she was taking, but she might not live another year.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    Jennifer sighed as she looked at Katherine''s strange expression. "Kathy, I know you''re haunted by a


    trauma. If you refuse to tell me what happened, I will not insist on knowing, but I really hope you can let


    go of the past and live in the present. Johdy is a nice guy, and I can tell that he is interested in you. I


    hope that I can witness your happiness before I die."


    "Grandma, I..." Katherine opened her mouth, but she didn''t know what to say to Jennifer about the


    incident.


    Katherine would break out in cold sweat in the middle of the night every time she remembered that


    night five years ago. It was impossible for her to forget what had happened and the trauma it had


    caused her.


    That was especially so when a man went near her. Every time that happened, she could feel the


    trauma attacking her intensely.


    Until now, she had no idea who that man five years ago was, but she could clearly remember the


    agony she felt at that instant.


    Katherine did not want to continue on this any further. With her eyes closed, she turned around and


    asked, "Why isn''t Noah up yet? Please check on her, Grandma."


    When Jennifer saw Katherine''s silhouette from behind, she knew that no matter how much she said, it


    would all be for naught. As a result, she sighed and proceeded to check on Noah.


    Katherine, on the other hand, continued to prepare the breakfast absentmindedly.


    Just as she finished beating the egg, she heard Jennifer''s scream from Noah''s room. "Noah? What


    happened to you? Don''t scare me!"


    Katherine''s heart immediately sank when she heard that. She quickly turned off the stove, ignoring the


    egg in the pan, and rushed to Noah''s room.


    Joaquin was much faster than her. He was already in Noah''s room when she reached. Quickly, he


    carried Noah, who was foaming at her mouth, andid her on the floor.


    Katherine immediately went up and took Noah''s pulse, her expression awful.


    "What happened to Noah, Kathy? Tell me what happened to her!" Jennifer grabbed Katherine''s hands


    and asked with tears in her eyes.


    Katherine couldn''t bear to look at Jennifer. "Did she take the medicine I gave her, Grandma? Why did


    her illness suddenly act up?"


    "Medicine? Oh, medicine¡­ Previously, one bottle of it was lost in the house. I wanted to tell you but it


    slipped my mind. I suppose Noah didn''t tell you as well, worrying that it would bother you. Oh no, what


    will happen to her? Nothing serious will happen, right?" Jennifer was so anxious that she started


    speaking incoherently.


    Joaquin''s heart ached as he looked at the young child lying lifelessly on the floor with her face pale.


    "What is Noah suffering from?"


    "A gic condition. What did the doctor say again?" Jennifer did not remember the long name of the


    disease and looked at Katherine.


    Katherine, on the other hand, did not reply and fixed her gaze on Noah''s pale face. After a while, she


    stood up and said, "Nothing serious for the time being. Go out first; I need to do some acupuncture onAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    her."


    Joaquin noticed Katherine''s eerie expression. However, since she was unwilling to say anything, he did


    not pursue further and left the room with Jennifer.


    After they left the room, Jennifer raised her hand to wipe her tears. Feeling sorry for Katherine, she


    said, "Noah has a difficult life. She was born with a sickly body. Kathy didn''t notice it at first as she


    assumed Noah was just weak because she was born prematurely, but it waster discovered that she


    has a gic condition. ording to Kathy, Noah has had the condition since she was in Kathy''s


    womb, and her body has a deficiency in producing blood. She''s an abnormal child. Kathy was alone at


    the time, and she was a child herself. How would she know how to look after Noah?"


    Joaquin noticed her sadness and patted her on the back. "Do you have any idea who Noah''s father is,


    Grandma?"


    "I''ve no idea. Kathy tly refused to tell me, but it appears that she hates him a lot. She will most


    probably kill him when she sees him again." Jennifer shook her head and became agitated at the


    mention of that irresponsible man. "So what if we know about him? He has never looked for Kathy for


    so many years and is undoubtedly an irresponsible jerk. Kathy would not have suffered as much with


    Noah if he had been concerned about her in the past."


    When Joqauin heard Jennifer''s words, his eyes twitched for unknown reasons. "What past is past,


    Grandma. The future will be better. I will take good care of Kathy and Noah."


    She patted the back of his palm in response. "It''s good to have you around. Please take good care of


    both of them. If you could have a child with Kathy as soon as possible, she could then suffer less," she


    said sentimentally.


    "Why?" He did not understand what she meant.


    "Previously, Kathy told me that Noah could be saved by having a bone marrow transnt, or by using


    the cord blood of her siblings. But Noah has a rare blood type and Kathy could not find any suitable


    bone marrow despite extensive searching. That is why Noah could not be treated until now. Noah


    usually takes the medicine given by Kathy to control the illness, but I believe the medicine ran out and


    her illness is acting up today," Jennifer solemnly exined.


    Hearing that, Joaquin seemed to be in deep thoughts and did not respond.


    After half an hour, Katherine walked out from Noah''s room.


    She was sweating profusely and appeared to have depleted all of her energy. Then, she went straight


    to her room and within minutes, the sound of running water resonated.


    Jennifer was worried about Noah and pulled Joaquin into the child''s room with her.


    Noah was not awake yet, but her face looked better than earlier.


    Jennifer quickly approached Noah and stroked her face. "I''m so happy that you''re fine. As long as


    you''re fine, I am more than willing to give up years of my life."


    "Noah is fine, and you will be fine as well, Grandma." Joaquin held Jennifer''s shoulder andforted


    her.


    She smiled at him in response. "I''ve lived long enough. In fact, I should have left with my husband


    when he died. If it weren''t for the fact that I''m still worried about Katherine, I would be gone by now.


    You don''t have to console me."


    Meanwhile, Katherine called Aberama as soon as she got out of the shower. "You said there is a new


    batch of imported advanced medical equipment, right? Send me a blood analyzer."


    "Blood analyzer? Why do you want that?" Aberama was curious.


    To that, Katherine impatiently replied, "Don''t ask so much. Just send one to me."


    "Okay. I''ll have it delivered to you this afternoon." Aberama sensed Katherine''s bad mood and didn''t


    dare to annoy her any further.


    Katherine then exited the room after the conversation ended.


    Joaquin and Jennifer were having their breakfast. Katherine joined them, but she had no appetite and


    put down her utensils after only a few bites.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    "What''s wrong? You''re in bad shape. Are you feeling under the weather?" Jennifer looked at Katherine


    concernedly.


    However, thetter shook her head. "I''m fine, Grandma. I guess I didn''t sleep wellst night."


    As soon as she finished her words, Jennifer averted her gaze and looked at Joaquin instantly.


    The corner of his lips twitched as he touched his nose. "Why don''t you take a nap at home?"


    "Hmm. Enjoy your food. Don''t worry. I''m alright." Katherine rose to her feet and headed to the room.


    She was indeed tired because she did not have a good night''s sleep yesterday; the other significant


    reason was that she was on her period.


    Her body tended to run colder than others. When Darren was still around, he even specially prescribed


    a list of medications for her, which took a few years to see its effect.


    However, good times did notst long; the Olsen Family got into trouble when they started to see signs


    of her recovery.


    At that time, Elsie and Darren passed away, and Jennifer fell sick due to the huge blow. Shouldering


    the massive responsibilities and burdens, Katherine was sent to Fontan¡ªa whole new world to her¡ªby


    Jorge. It was literally a miracle that she survived until today. She was not in the state of mind to care for


    her health. These years, she intended to take medications again, but there was no visible effect to it.


    After dinner, Joaquin came to the room, and it worried him to see Katherineying in bed with a pale


    face. "Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine." She shook her head and wriggled herself into the nket.


    Staring at her, he pondered for a moment before looking for Jennifer outside. "Grandma, I think Kathy''s


    not feeling well. Do you know what''s wrong with her?"


    Hearing that, she counted the days and soonprehended the situation. She whispered into his ear,


    and the tip of his ears burned in an instant as he did not expect that to be the reason.


    He coughed to mask his awkwardness, after which he followed her instructions by bringing the


    painkillers and a ss of warm water from the kitchen to Katherine.


    "Have some painkillers. You should feel better soon." After cing them atop the desk, he propped


    Katherine up on bed.


    Due to her weak state, she did not refuse and let him be. Once she leaned against the headboard,


    Joaquin proffered the water and pills to her.


    Looking at the pills on his hand, she frowned repulsively. "Painkillers? No."


    "It''ll stave off the pain. Be a good girl and take ''em," he cooed, as though she was a child.


    The ever mild-tempered Katherine was as stubborn as a bull right now; she did not want to take the


    painkillers no matter what.


    "Why not?" Joaquin looked at her with furrowed brows. Her rare child-like behavior rendered him


    helpless.


    "I just don''t like it," she answered softly.


    Although she long forgot the reason behind it, she had always hated taking pills during periods. Even if


    the period cramps hurt like hell, she would never take them.


    "If you take them, it won''t be as painful as it is right now." Despite the helplessness, the only thing he


    could do was to persuade her slowly and gently.


    Still, Katherine turned her head away in refusal.


    "Then, what about a hot water bag?" Joaquin tried topromise since she was unwilling to take the


    pills.


    Her burrows creased as she gazed at his worried expression. It was a brand new feeling to her to


    actually behave like a child in front of him.


    After clearing her throat awkwardly, Katherine relented, "I''ll take the pills. Just half of it."


    Her behavior tickled Joaquin''s funny bone. "I never expected there would be something you''re afraid


    of. I''ll get you a hot water bagter."


    After that, he left the room with the half-splitted pill in his hands, which was noticed by Jennifer. She


    grinned. "This brat. She''s still the same as ever."


    "Do you know why, Grandma?" Joaquin looked at her curiously.


    "When she was young, someone lied to her that medicines taste good, so she mistakenly took and ate


    the painkillers from the kitchen. Then, rashes crawled all over her body instantly. That''s when we found


    out that she''s allergic to painkillers. We were so worried, and we have never had painkillers at home


    since then. The psychologist mentioned that it''s a psychological allergy. As long as she ovees her


    fear, she can recover from it, but she has been acting repulsive to it. I tried many ways, but nothing


    helped," Jennifer recounted the olden days.


    Back then, Katherine was the princess that everyone loved in the Olsen Family. If it was not for Elsie


    meeting the wrong person and subsequently causing the downfall of the family, Katherine would not


    have ended up like this today.


    "It doesn''t matter if she doesn''t want to take the pills. Give her a hot water bag." Jennifer motioned


    Joaquin to get the hot water bag from the kitchen.


    He did as she told, then asked her to make sure if that was all before bringing it to Katherine. Now that


    Katherine had taken the painkiller and there was a hot water bag on her stomach, she felt much better.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Cuddling in the nkets, she closed her eyes and did not give a fig of Joaquin, who stayed in the room


    the whole time. When she drifted into slumber, he checked on her body temperature by cing a hand


    over her forehead. Thereafter, he left the room upon making sure that there was nothing to worry


    about.


    Katherine slept for the whole day, and she did not know when Aberama sent over the blood analysis


    report.


    By the time she opened her eyes, it was already night time. The sky had darkened, and the bright lights


    illuminated the city. She stretched her body and got up from bed, and her cramps did not hurt as much


    as it did in the afternoon.


    She moved around her arms while walking out of the room, at which she could hear Joaquin, Tiara and


    Jennifer''s joyful voices. They seemed to be enjoying their time at the moment.


    "You''re up. There''s food in the kitchen. You can have some if you''re hungry," Joaquin murmured, the


    first person to notice Katherine''s appearance.


    She nodded and headed straight to the kitchen. After having dinner, her stomach felt much better and


    she was much more awake.


    She ced the tes and cutleries into the dishwasher before questioning Joaquin, "Did Aberama


    come in the afternoon?"


    Joaquin nodded at that. "Yeah. He sent over something for you. It''s in the study."


    "Thanks." She then strode toward the study room.


    "Joaquin, this won''t do. You gotta be more assertive when ites to the woman you like. Care more


    about her. Isn''t Katherine having her period cramps? All the more reason to be caring and loving. Do


    you even call yourself her husband? Here, take this and give it to her." Tiara nced at him in


    disapproval and handed him a ss of water.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    Katherine stepped into the study. A box half the height of a person was waiting for her there.


    Picking up a knife from the desk, she opened the box.


    The hematology analyzer that Aberama had in his hand was one of the most advanced analyzers in the


    world. Unfortunately, not even the local hospitals were using such advanced equipment.


    She assembled the machine and then drew a bit of her own blood for analysis. Within three minutes,


    the device quickly came out with the analysis.


    When Joaquin entered the office, Katherine was carefully studying the printout.


    He stood by her side and waited patiently for her to finish perusing the printout before asking, "Are you


    feeling better? Have some sugar water."


    This made her jump in shock. She hadn''t noticed himing in. He held out a ss of sugar water for


    her.


    The corners of her mouth twitched. "I''m fine. Really."


    However, he pressed the cup into her hands. "Have a drink anyway."


    Katherine couldn''t think of an easy way to refuse his kindness, so she took the cup.


    After taking a sip, she couldn''t help but frown and silently set the cup aside. Seeing this, Joaquin


    asked, "What''s wrong? Is it not to your liking?"


    "No." Katherine shook her head wordlessly. She forced herself to swallow the small mouthful of water


    she had taken.


    It was far too sweet, and a faint taste of ginger made her stomach turn unpleasantly.


    Her menstrual cramps had subsided with only a bit of lingering difort. And now, after drinking the


    water, it made her want to throw up.


    Katherine tried her best but couldn''t hold back the rising puke. Finally, covering her mouth, she rushed


    to the bathroom and puked into the toilet bowl.


    Thankfully, there was no rash. However, the vomiting was unbearable as she threw up what she had


    just eaten.


    At this moment, she could feel her guts burning and winced from the pain.


    When he saw how Katherine reacted, he felt that something was wrong. So, he took a sip and his


    expression changed dramatically. Then, he walked straight out of the living room with the cup in his


    hand.


    Joaquin set the cup down in front of Tiara. "Did you add ginger to this?"


    Tiara was startled by the sudden question. "Ginger? It''s just brown sugar and water. I bought it online


    and it came in a bag. I usually take it for my menstrual cramps. What''s wrong with it?"


    She picked up the ss and took a sip. "It tastes fine. That''s what it usually tastes like. What''s wrong?


    Does Katherine not like it?"


    "She doesn''t fancy ginger." Joaquin stared into Tiara''s bewildered and innocent face. Although this girl


    loved to gossip, she wasn''t a bad person and wouldn''t intentionally hurt anyone.


    He guessed this was an honest oversight.


    Jennifer studied the anxious look on Joaquin''s face. She smiled andforted him, "No need to be so


    worried. Kathy will be fine. This will be a good experience for her. It''ll let her face reality and ovee


    her anxieties."


    "I''d better check on her," muttered Joaquin. He still felt uneasy about the whole matter.


    Allergic reactions could be rtively harmless, or they could be fatal. He wasn''t willing to take any


    risks.


    If something went wrong with Katherine, things could get dire.


    He stood outside the bathroom door, waiting for her to call.


    He could still hear the sounds of vomiting from inside the bathroom. Then, there was a long period of


    silence that was finally broken by the sound of a flushing toilet.


    When Katherine stepped out of the bathroom, her face was sweaty. She was pale, and her breathing


    was heavy. She gave him a weak look before she staggered straight past him.


    "Are you alright? Should we go to the hospital?" Joaquin sped Katherine''s wrist.


    Amidst his worry, he forgot that she was a fantastic doctor. The local hospital stood no chance if she


    couldn''t treat this illness.


    Katherine removed his hand from hers. "There''s no need. I''m fine."


    At this point, Tiara cautiously entered the room. She nced at Katherine apologetically. "I''m sorry. I


    didn''t know you were allergic to ginger. I''m the one who bought that drink. I get pretty bad menstrual


    cramps too, and that drink always made me feel better. I didn''t know there was ginger in it. Please don''t


    be mad. My brother''s got nothing to do with this. He knows nothing about it."


    "I''m okay. There''s no need to apologize." The guilt on Tiara''s face told Katherine that the girl wasn''t


    lying.


    Although she was highly ufortable, the drink didn''t trigger the severe reaction to her allergy that


    she had expected. Instead, she just couldn''t get used to the taste of ginger and threw up.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    There were no signs of any rashes on her body, nor did she have diarrhea. She also took her pulse,


    which was strong and steady. It was clear she was fine and that there was nothing wrong with her.


    Tiara continued to mumble, "I''m really sorry, Kathy. I really didn''t know. Please don''t be angry at my


    brother. He really cares about you." Tiara couldn''t help but feel guilty. The more nonplussed Katherine


    appeared to be, the more ufortable she felt.


    Katherine looked at Tiara''s helpless face and couldn''t help but pat her consolingly on her head. "I''m


    really okay. There''s no reaction. Please forget all about this. I still have some things to attend to, so


    why don''t you guys go ahead and watch some TV?"


    Tiara cautiously studied Katherine''s face. "You''re really not mad at me?"


    Katherine nodded and repeated once again that she wasn''t mad at all. Finally breathing a sigh of relief,


    Tiara happily went back to watch TV with Jennifer.


    Katherine was so exasperated that she didn''t even know where to begin.


    Tiara really was an airhead.


    "Are you really okay? Do you not have to go to the hospital?" Joaquin was still uneasy and continued to


    study Katherine''s face.


    She stared at him helplessly. "I''m fine."


    After he conceded that she looked perfectly fine, he still did not feel entirely at ease. "Well, don''t push


    yourself too hard. Maybe you should go to bed early."


    Nodding, Katherine went back to her study.


    She already had a sample of Noah''s blood. With a deep breath, she ced the sample inside the


    analyzer.


    The machine began its work. Katherine stared in anticipation at the ce where the results would


    come out.


    Half an hourter, she had a blood analysis report.


    She carefully studied every word of the report. The more she read, the uglier the expression on her


    face became.


    She had always thought that Noah had leukemia. She guessed that the toxins that Noah was exposed


    to in her mother''s womb had caused his cells to mutate. She hoped that Noah''s condition would


    improve once a bone marrow operation had been done.


    All these years, she had kept an eye out for a suitable bone marrow for Noah. However, it turned out


    that Noah''s disease had nothing to do with her bone marrow at all. So even if she went through with a


    transnt, the child still wouldn''t get better.


    The report now told her that all the blood in Noah''s body was poisonous. She had been poisoned while


    she was still in his mother''s womb.


    Katherine was very sure that she had never been poisoned. If she had nothing to do with it, then the


    poison must''vee from Noah''s biological father.

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    There was a gloomy look on Katherine''s face. She copied the blood analysis report into her phone and


    then turned on herputer before clicking frantically on the icon of a red spider. In the application,


    she found the name of one of her friends and sent the report over.


    She furiously hammered out a message that read, "Do me a favor. First, find out what kind of poison


    this is. Then, I''ll send you a blood sample."


    Her memories of Noah''s biological father were hazy. She just remembered the pungent metallic stench


    on him in the dark.


    What she remembered most was the heat of his body as he pressed against her. There were no other


    memories of him.


    For the next five years, that one night became a nightmare that she wished she could forget.


    She wouldn''t have thought of doing a blood test if it weren''t because Noah always had a weak


    constitution. Nevertheless, she was worried because Noah''s health recently showed signs of


    deterioration.


    "What''s this?" The person that Katherine had messaged was known only as Q. His avatar was a in


    ck square.


    He read through the contents of Katherine''s message and was instantly intrigued. He typed back a


    reply. "This is interesting. When will I get this blood sample? Judging from the data, there are probably


    toxins that destroy the growth of hematopoietic stem cells, causing hematopoietic anemia. They might


    also cause some clotting disorders. I haven''t seen this poison before."


    "I''ll send it to you soon. Give me an address," she replied after giving his words a long thought.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "Very well." Then, the man known as Q sent her a phone number and an address.


    Katherine was surprised. She hadn''t expected him to reside in Kynd.


    She had known Q for almost two years. He had a reputation on the Red Web as an expert on poisons.


    He could crack almost any poison that came to his hands.


    They had met by chance and quickly became friends.


    The address he sent her was the address of Kynd University. Katherinepsed into deep thought as


    her eyes fell on the string of phone numbers he had sent. Then, she shook her head.


    Could Q be Keith? No, his research has nothing to do with poisons at all. So it can''t be him.


    Katherine wrote down the address and ced a courier order. Then, she packed the rest of the blood


    samples carefully and waited to send the stuff over.


    Meanwhile, at Kynd University, Keith strolled out of hisb. He was trying hard to suppress his


    excitement.


    An older professor saw the excitement on Keith''s face and couldn''t help but ask, "What''s going on,


    Keith? Have you made a breakthrough?"


    "Oh, Professor, I had some unexpected news. A friend of mine sent me some blood analysis data. I


    saw some problems from that data set that helped me figure out why we hit a wall in our research. It''s


    the bloodposition. Professor, I have a hunch. Give me another half month, and I''ll definitely be


    able to get the results we need!" Keith was brimming with excitement.


    "That''s great news! I was right about you. By the way, the National Research Institute has been asking


    me whether I want to release anyone. They want to recruit you as a senior researcher. Although I want


    to keep you by my side, I suggest you attend the institute. It''ll be good for your career. That ce is full


    of talented people, and you''ll be able to learn many things. Unfortunately, I have nothing more to teach


    you now," The professor said all this with a heavy heart.


    He had been with Keith for most of his academic journey.


    When Keith entered the University of Bora, he was only thirteen. At that time, nobody thought highly of


    him. They thought he was too young and that he was one of those rich brats who just wanted to get a


    certificate without much interest in his studies.


    It was a testament to Keith''s own perseverance and effort that he was a respected researcher today.


    Now, even the institute was scrambling to snatch him up.


    The old professor was ovee with emotion.


    However, Keith shook his head and rejected, "I''m not in a hurry to go anywhere else. I''ll think about it


    when this experiment is done and the results are in. Besides, I want to go back home. My sister got


    married a while ago, and I didn''t even make it back in time. I want to visit her and tell her this good


    news."


    The old professor bit his lip. He knew that Keith was a stubborn child. If he didn''t want to go at this


    time, there was no point in pushing the matter.


    Keith hadn''t slept for several days. Now that the rush of excitement had abated, he suddenly yawned


    loudly.


    Then, waving goodbye to the old professor, he trudged back to his dorm and drifted off to sleep.


    Katherine watched the express courier drive off with the blood sample.


    As she stepped back into the house, she bumped into Tiara. Her inquisitive sister-inw asked, "Where


    did youe from? What were you doing outside?"


    Tiara always had a packed schedule. So it was actually rare to see her during the day.


    "Going out?" Katherine answered with a question of her own.


    "Yeah, I''m meeting a friend. Why don''t youe with me? You must be pretty bored at home. Besides,


    my brother just went out. So why don''t you join me?" Tiara enthusiastically grabbed Katherine''s arm.


    Katherine wanted to refuse her, but she couldn''t resist Tiara''s persuasion. Finally, she gave in to Tiara''s


    invitation and nodded her head.


    When the two arrived at the neighborhood entrance, a yellow Porsche was parked there. The visitor


    couldn''t help but freeze when he saw Tiarae out with another woman by her side.


    He left the car and hurried to open the door for Tiara. But, then, he asked, "Who''s this? Is she your


    friend? I''ve never seen her before."


    Tiara rolled her eyes. "This is my sister-inw. Don''t you dare try anything with her! You''re way out of


    her league."


    The man chortled. "How dare you think I''ll flirt with anyone else. Don''t you know how I feel about you?"


    He shot Katherine a wary look.


    Katherine ignored him. She hadn''t slept wellst night, so she was drowsy.


    Once in the car, she leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.


    Tiara wisely chose not to disturb her. Instead, she started talking jovially with the man.


    From snippets of their conversation, Katherine learned that the man was called Ryder. He was the son


    of the Flynn Family. He had been pursuing Tiara for some time, but Tiara hadn''t agreed to date him yet.


    Slowly, Katherine drifted off to sleep. Finally, after some time, she heard Tiara''s call. "We''re here. This


    new club is quite fun. I heard there are some really cool performances at night."


    Blinking, Katherine nced at the club. She frowned at the words glowing at the entrance. One look at


    the name was all she needed to guess that Aberama made it


    Once she got out of the car, she stepped into the club with Tiara by her side.


    Ryder lingered behind. Coldly watching both their retreating backs, his lips curved into a sinister smirk


    before he followed them in.

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    "Katherine, did you not get a good sleep? How about I let someone book a room for you to rest for a


    while? There''s still a long time before the performance starts." Tiara noticed that Katherine''s face


    looked sallow and was a little worried. Tiara even regretted that she had brought Katherine along with


    her.


    "Mrs. Foster, I''m familiar with this ce. If you want to rest, I''ll ask someone to book a room for you.


    Don''t worry; it is very private here. No one will disturb you," Ryder heard their conversation and said.


    Katherine nced at him, then withdrew her gaze. "It''s fine. I promised to apany you. So I''ll just


    follow you."


    "Then, remember to tell me if you''re tired. Otherwise, if I tire you out, my brother will kill me." Tiara


    smiled and took Katherine''s arm, bringing her into the private room.


    Inside, there were a lot of people¡ªboth men and women. Unfortunately, the lights were dimmed at the


    moment, and they could hear only the deafening music. This made Katherine frown uncontrobly.


    She really hated this kind of environment.


    Tiara noticed the expression on Katherine''s face and quickly told Ryder to turn off the music and turn


    up the lights.


    Then, the group of men and women all turned to look toward the door.


    Their gazes just swept past Tiara. When their eyesnded on Katherine, the faces of many women


    changed while the men felt a scorching heat in them.


    Katherine had beautiful facial features. At this time, her face was pale, looking indifferent and alienated.


    However, it was precisely this look that thrilled the men, making them wish they could dominate her and


    let her fall on her knees for them.


    "Tia? Is this your friend? She''s quite a beauty," one woman said sourly.


    Tiara held Katherine''s arm and sat her down. Then, Tiara raised her eyebrows and nced at the


    woman who had just spoken before answering proudly, "Of course, this is my friend. Could she be


    yours? What is it, Heather? Are you jealous that I have such a good-looking friend?"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "I was just asking, what''s wrong with you?" Tiara''s reply stunned Heather as her face turned a little


    ugly.


    " Did you invite her? Do you not know that we''re not on good terms?" After scolding Heather, Tiara


    turned to look at Ryder again.


    However, he seemed innocent. "It wasn''t me. I know you don''t like her, so why would I invite her? She


    came on her own means."


    "How shameless. No one invited you, yet, here you are." Tiara curled her lips in disdain.


    "Tiara Foster! You''re pushing it here! Your family doesn''t own this ce, why can''t Ie here? I''ll


    come here anytime I want!" Heather stood up angrily, pointing at Tiara as she bellowed.


    "You can do as you please. No one cares about you," Tiara replied,ckluster.


    The more aloof she was, the more angry and jealous Heather became.


    Katherine nced at Heather lightly and frowned when she noticed the resentment in her eyes.


    At this time, Ryder hurriedly said, "Tia, it''s rare for us toe out and have fun. Don''t let an irrelevant


    person ruin your mood. Come, let''s drink."


    With that, he handed her a ss of alcohol.


    Heather shot a re at Ryder, then looked at Tiara and couldn''t help but sneered, "Tiara, this man is


    looking at you like a loyal puppy. Who knows what his intention is with you? From what I see, you


    shouldn''t be leading people on like this. One day, karma mighte and hit you in the face."


    Ryder''s expression immediately changed when he heard that and gave Heather a vicious look.


    "Heather Rosenburg, no one will think you''re mute if you don''t speak. No one wees you here; get


    out!"


    She let out a snort, grabbed her bag, and turned to scold Tiara again, "Tiara Foster, it doesn''t matter if


    you''re stupid and brainless, but don''t drag other people into your mess! You should be careful when


    you''re out drinking. Otherwise, you''d fall into a trap without knowing, like the idiot you are!"


    After saying this, she left in haste.


    Hearing this, Katherine raised her eyebrows, and her eyesnded on the wine in front of Tiara


    thoughtfully.


    Ryder was simmering with anger at this point. Heather is really loathsome!


    "Tia, don''t listen to her nonsense. How could I hurt you? I like you so much," he quickly exined


    himself to Tiara once Heather left.


    "I never said I doubted you. Why are you so nervous? Can''t you see that Heather is deliberately trying


    to provoke me? Do you think I''ll believe her? Please." Tiara scoffed before reaching out to pick up the


    ss of alcohol on the table to drink.


    At this moment, Katherine suddenly stretched out her hand and took the cup from Heather. "Those who


    speak ill of you may not intend to hurt you, and those who would always please you may not be the


    most honest ones. But, Tia, you''re too young. There''s a lot you haven''t been through."


    "Katherine?" Tiara looked at Katherine in confusion.


    Katherine then took the ss in her hand, stood up, and walked toward Ryder.


    A terrible premonition suddenly rose in his heart.


    However, before he could speak, she suddenly stretched out her hand to grab his chin and poured the


    alcohol directly into his mouth. Then, she put the ss down and pped.


    Ryder, who initially wanted to stop himself from drinking it, didn''t know what she did. But, somehow, he


    couldn''t stop and drank the alcohol obediently.


    Afterward, he turned to look at Katherine angrily. "What are you doing?!"


    "The alcohol you gave Tia is spiked, so I made you drink it. What''s wrong with that? Tia, we''re leaving,"


    she replied lightly as she stretched out her hand to pull Tiara, who was still dumbfounded, and brought


    her away.


    "Stop right there! Since you have no sense of shame and stood up to me like this, don''t me me for


    being rude! Tiara Foster, let me tell you. I''ve endured you for a long time. What are you being arrogant


    for? I''ve chased you for two years, yet you won''t even let me hold your hand. Do you really think you''re


    smart just because you''re from the Foster Family? My *ss! If it weren''t for who you are, I wouldn''t even


    spare you a second nce!" Now that Katherine had seen through him, he simply dropped his act.


    At this time, his whole body was hot and ufortable. He red at Tiara with reddened eyes as he


    spat out the tirade he had kept in his heart for a long time.


    He felt a lot better after speaking his mind.


    When he saw that Tiara was looking at him in bewilderment, he became even angrier. Then, he


    reached out to grab her hand. "I must have you tonight! Then, we''ll see if you can continue being so


    arrogant!"


    "Ryder, what are you talking about?" She had finally regained her senses as her stare turned from


    confusion into anger. Then, with a fierce tug, she shrugged his grasp off and pped him fiercely


    across his face.


    Ryder licked the blood on the corner of his mouth; his gaze on her turned bloodthirsty. "Did you just


    p me? Great! Amazing! Tiara Foster, you brought this upon yourself!"

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    "Since you''re so clueless, don''t me me for being impolite! If you walk out of here in one piece, I''ll eat


    my own tongue!" Ryder cursed viciously with bloodshot eyes. He spat the blood out his mouth before


    stepping forward and grabbing Tiara by the arm roughly.


    This hurt her as she struggled desperately. "Let me go! Ryder Flynn! Do you know what the


    consequence of this is? My grandfather will never let you go!"


    "Your grandfather? Tiara, there will be no use for him to cry over spilled milk. Do you think he will still


    object when it''s toote? No matter how angry he is, he can only swallow it down! What kind of


    nobleman can you marry after I f*ck you? Just ept your fate, Tiara! Since I like you so much and


    went through so much to chase you, don''t worry. After we get married, I''ll make sure to have my fun


    with you. I''ll drop you once I''m bored." Ryder smiled sinisterly and reached out to pull off Tiara''s


    clothes.


    Her eyes turned red as tears began to fall. She nced at Katherine in aggrievance and said guiltily,


    "Katherine, I''m sorry for dragging you into this. I shouldn''t have brought you out with me."


    "Don''t worry. Once I''m done with you, I''ll also make sure she gets a taste of heaven. I won''t be biased!"


    He turned to look at Katherine


    What she did just now had wholly infuriated him.


    He not only wanted to sleep with her, but he also wanted her to be kneeling on the ground, begging.


    "Really?" She smiled coldly. Then, in a sh, several silver needles pierced directly onto the back of


    Ryder''s hand, chest, and abdomen.


    This made him let out an agonizing scream as he was forced to release Tia.


    Katherine quickly stepped forward and pulled Tiara behind her protectively. Then, Katherine looked at


    Ryder indifferently. "Since some things are useless after a while, you shouldn''t keep them. People


    around you might get hurt."


    "Y-y-you! What did you do to me? What did you do?!" He stared at Katherine grimly, wishing she could


    kill her. That b*tch!


    Her lips hooked up into a charming smile. "What''s the rush? You''re about to find out."


    At this point, he was sweating in pain.


    Someone in the private room noticed this and stepped forward uneasily to help him up. Then, she


    helped him up and pointed her finger at Katherine jarringly, cursing, "You b*tch! Do you know who Mr.


    Flynn is?! How dare you offend him? Do you not want to live anymore? His grandfather is the bureau


    chief of Hovington''s Department of Defense! You probably don''t even know what that means!"


    "A bureau chief in the defense department? You can call him now to see if he''ll protect you. Oh,


    remember to tell him that the people that you were trying to make a move on are Joaquin''s sister and


    his wife," Katherine said lightly as her cold gaze swept onto the woman.


    Under her gaze, difort rose in the woman, and she subconsciously shrank back, not daring to say


    another word.


    "Go to hell! I want all of you dead!" Ryder roared angrily as he took out his phone to make a call.


    "Grandpa! Grandpa, save me! I''ve been beaten up in Ascott Garden! Grandpa, I''m going to die!" He


    cried into the phone.


    A cold and threatening male voice rang out faintly. "What happened?"


    "Grandpa, quick,e and save me! They''re going to kill me!" Naturally, Ryder did not dare to confess


    that he was only beaten because he tried to harass women.


    His grandfather, Charles Fanning, was an upright man. If he knew that his grandson had done such a


    thing, not only would he not save him, but he would personally kill him with a gun!


    Katherine didn''t bother stopping Ryder as she watched him talk on the phone coldly.


    Tiara tugged at Katherine uneasily and said, "Katherine, shouldn''t we make a call as well?"


    "Call your brother," Katherine answered indifferently.


    Tiara nodded and took out her phone to call Joaquin.


    As soon as his voice sounded over the phone, she was overwhelmed by emotions that she quickly told


    him what had happened whilst sobbing, "Joe, hurry over!"


    Once she hung up the phone, she shrank behind Katherine.


    Tiara had never experienced anything like this before and was overwhelmed with uneasiness and


    fright. She was scared that Ryder''s grandfather woulde and that she and Katherine would be in


    trouble.


    Someone had blocked the door; there was no way for them to leave, even if they wanted to.


    However, Katherine didn''t seem to care about it. Instead, she pulled two small stools over and sat


    down with Tiara casually.


    As for Ryder, he had to be helped onto the couch. His whole body was in severe pain, especially at a


    man''s most sensitive part.


    "You''re all dead! No one can save you! Joaquin Levisay is a good-for-nothing! Even if he isn''t crippled, I


    still won''t take him seriously! Now that you''ve offended me, your life in Hovington is over!" He stared at


    Katherine with resentment. His words seemed to beced with poison.


    Katherine did not even spare him a nce. Instead, she looked at Tiara''s arm that he had tugged; a


    bruise was already starting to form. Then, Katherine took a small porcin bottle from her bag and


    applied a little of the creamy white ointment onto Tiara''s arm.


    When Tiara saw how rxed Katherine was, Tiara also calmed down a little. She watched Katherine


    rub the ointment on her and asked suspiciously, "Katherine, what is this?"


    "It''ll help with the swelling. It''s pretty good. Since I have no use for it, you can have it." After putting the


    ointment on Tiara, Katherine passed the small porcin bottle to her.


    Tiara opened it up to sniff it as soon as she took it. It had a refreshing smell.


    At this time, the bruise felt cool. She nced down and was surprised to find that her arm, swollen and


    ck-blue, was now a lot better.


    She then quickly put the ointment into her bag.


    This thing is fantastic!


    Charles and Joaquin arrived at Ascott Garden at the same time.


    The two men met downstairs. Charles was surprised to see Joaquin here. "Colonel Levisay?"


    "Chief Fanning," Joaquin greeted lightly.


    "I didn''t expect to meet you here, Colonel. What a coincidence." Charles smiled, not taking Joaquin''s


    indifference to heart.


    Joaquin was one of the top people in the military. Even if Charles was the bureau chief of Hovington''s


    Department of Defense, he was iparable to Joaquin.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    However, Joaquin had always kept a low profile. He needed his identity to be a secret. Outsiders knew


    nothing about this.


    "Mmhmm." He still had an indifferent front.


    The two got onto the elevator together.


    The further the elevator moved up, the more weirded out Charles was. In the end, the two of them


    stood together at the private room''s door. At this time, theplexion on Charles'' face had changed


    completely.


    He gave Joaquin a solemn look before reaching out and pushing open the door in front of him.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    The person who was blocking the doorway to prevent Katherine and Tiara from escaping naturally


    heard themotion outside the door and quickly moved away.


    Then, everyone saw the two men at the door.


    The older one looked like he was in his early 60s, but he was full of energy, showing no sign of his old


    age. His skin was dark, probably due to being under the sun year-round. At this time, his face was


    gloomy as he stood at the door. This was enough to make everyone in the room feel suffocated.


    Beside the old man was a young man in his early twenties, with dark eyebrows and a stunning face.


    His hands were in his pockets as he stood therezily, unceremonious andckadaisical.


    However, his temperament was on par with the old man standing next to him. As a matter of fact, he


    seemed to be domineering over Charles.


    "Grandpa! Grandpa, save me! I don''t know what this b*tch did to me. I''m in so much pain!" Ryder


    suddenly wailed when he saw Charles at the door.


    This made Katherine turn over to look at him coldly. Her gaze was as sharp as a knife, and it


    immediately shut Ryder up in shock.


    But at the same time, he felt aggrieved. When had he suffered such humiliation?


    Ryder did not dare to offend her even if Joaquin wasn''t here. This woman was simply a lunatic.


    "What happened here?" Now that Charles had shown up here, it seemed to him that things weren''t as


    simple as what Ryder had told him.


    Joaquin scanned the room coldly, and his gaze finallynded on the two young women sitting at the


    side, making him squint slightly.


    He recognized Tiara. Katherine was probably here because of Tiara.


    When Tiara saw him, grievance took over as she got up and ran toward him, almost throwing herself


    into his arm.


    However, he stretched out his hand to block her head with a cold face so she couldn''te any closer.


    This immediately made her eyes turn red-rimmed. "Joe, I was almost molested, and you''re still treating


    me like this? Do you still have any sense of humanity in you?"


    "Who allowed you toe to such a ce?" Joaquin looked at her coldly.


    Katherine wasn''t someone who enjoyed a crowd. Seeing that the ce was billowing with smoke, she


    couldn''t possibly like it here. Hence, it was a 90% chance that this was Tiara''s idea.


    Tiara pursed her lips, feeling wronged. "I-I was just curious. They told me there was a good show here


    tonight, so I came to watch."


    "And?"


    "Joe, Ryder is such a jerk! He actually spiked my drink and wanted to take advantage of Katherine and


    me! Thankfully, Katherine saw through him. Who would''ve thought that he would suddenly lose it and


    threaten us just because he said that his grandfather is the bureau chief of Hovington''s Department of


    Defense? He said that he would have his grandfathere and deal with us! You have to stand up for


    us! He even grabbed me just now. It still hurts!" Just as she stretched out her arm and was about to


    show him the bruise, she remembered it had already subsided.


    Then, she quietly withdrew her arm embarrassedly and looked at Joaquin, her eyes filled with


    innocence and grievance.


    Hearing this, the corner of his mouth twitched faintly. He turned to look at Charles and spoke, "Chief


    Fanning, I never knew you allowed your grandson to abuse your name and bully others like this. My


    sister is the apple of my grandfather''s eyes. Even if the Fosters aren''t as powerful as the Fannings,


    we''re still not an easy target."


    Charles'' face immediately darkened when he heard this and quickly exined, "Colonel Levisay,


    there''s some misunderstanding here. I had no idea what happened here. This b*stard called me and


    lied to me, saying that he was getting beaten to death. You are also aware that I only have one


    daughter, and this is her only son. So naturally, I was afraid that something might happen to him. I


    would''ve never shown up today if I knew what he did!"


    Charles had never felt so embarrassed, especially in front of Joaquin.


    Everyone in the field knew about his outstanding achievements in war. Although this man was not even


    30 years old, he had made significant contributions. His merits wereparable to those of the


    founding fathers.


    Ryder really had the courage of a lion that he even had the nerve to pick on Tiara!


    Before Charles was done venting, he saw Joaquin walking toward the young woman who was still


    sitting on the chair.


    Charles'' eyes began to twitch, and a nasty hunch bubbled in him.


    As he wasn''t invited to attend Joaquin and Katherine''s wedding, nor did he pay attention to the press,


    Charles naturally did not know the rtionship between the two.


    At this moment, seeing Joaquin walking over to her, Charles felt slightly uneasily in his heart.


    "Are you okay?" Joaquin asked as he lowered his head to look at Katherine calmly.


    She smiled at him, then put on a frightened face as she spoke aggrievedly, "I''m not. I was scared to


    death, Joaquin! I was so scared that he wouldy his finger on Tiara and me. But, he also said that


    he''d deal with us!"


    When Joaquin saw the look on her face, the corner of his mouth began to twitch out of anger.


    On the other side, Ryder was furious to hear this and retorted, "Do you have no shame? I didn''t touch


    you at all! It''s you who made the first move!"


    "What kind of nonsense are you saying? You brought so many people to block the door. You didn''t


    allow Tiara and me to leave and even publicly humiliated us. Finally, we had no choice but to call for


    help." Katherine looked at Ryder innocently and plunged herself into Joaquin''s arms with a look of fear


    on her face.


    This made Joaquin''s heart pound as he felt his body temperature rise.


    He took this opportunity to hug her and stared at Ryder coldly.


    At this moment, Ryder was about to burst into tears.


    He didn''t even do anything! Katherine even beat him. She even stabbed him with needles; it was so


    painful that he almost died!


    Just a moment ago, she looked like she was invincible. So why did she suddenly be weak and


    helpless as soon as Joaquin showed up?


    Tiara was stunned for a moment before she quickly followed suit. "That''s right! Katherine and I were


    scared to death! Boohoo! Joe, you have to stand up for us! Who cares if he hurt me, but can you


    ept that he tried to hurt your wife?"


    Charles, who was standing by the door, felt his heart race.


    Sure enough, this was the worst-case scenario.


    Ryder really didn''t know when to stop!


    Charles stomped into the room and toward Ryder.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ryder thought Charles was here to stand up for him and hurriedly shouted, "Grandpa, they''re bullying


    me! They''re all ganging up on me! Quick¡ª"


    p! Before Ryder could finish his sentence, Charles raised his hand and pped Ryder across the


    face fiercely.


    This wholly stunned Ryder. Half of his face was burning with pain, and two of his teeth were knocked


    out.


    He held his face and stared at Charles in disbelief.


    As the only grandson of the Fannings, Charles had always spoiled him. Nevertheless, this was the first


    time that Ryder was beaten by Charles.


    "Grandpa?" Ryder stuttered as he held his face, still looking at Charles.


    "You b*stard! Spawn of the devil! What have I been teaching you? Did I teach you to be a bully?! I''ll


    break your legs today! Then, I''ll see how you have the guts to continue tyrannizing people that way!"


    Charles bellowed. He picked up the chair next to him and mmed it down onto Ryder''s legs.


    "Ah¡ª"

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    "If I don''t teach you a lesson today, I''ll never be able to forgive myself!" Then, with a stool in his hands,


    Charles threw it at Ryder, who let out cries of agony until he had lost all energy to even make a grunt of


    pain.


    Joaquin didn''t say a thing and merely watched silently until he deemed that Ryder had received just


    punishment, saying calmly, "That''s enough, Mr. Fanning. Send him to the hospital."


    "I''m really sorry about what happened today, Colonel Levisay. I''ve raised a beast due to theck of


    discipline on my part. Don''t worry. I''ll teach him a lesson once we''re home and never allow him to


    cause any more trouble in the future." A thinyer of sweat appeared on Charles'' forehead, and he only


    dropped the stool in his hands after hearing Joaquin''s words.


    Ryder had run out of strength even to object, sprawled out on the floor and not knowing whether he


    was dead or alive.


    Meanwhile, after Charles said a few greetings to Joaquin, he carried Ryder and left in a hurry.


    Ryder had received a severe beating this time, and he probably wouldn''t be able to get out of bed for a


    few good months.


    Once Tiara saw that Ryder had been taken away, she opened her mouth timidly. "Joe, I¡ª"


    Yet, she had just started speaking when Joaquin shot her a sharp, warning look that frightened her so


    much that she scrambled to hide behind Katherine.


    "After Ryder had suffered so much, his family won''t take this lying down. I''m currently suspended, and


    both of you will be in danger if the Flynn Familyes to seek trouble on purpose. Tia, immediately


    return to Grandpa''s house and don''t leave the house unless you must until this matter has blown over!"


    Joaquin said sternly with a stoic face.


    Tiara knew she was in the wrong, so she dared not say anymore and merely nodded earnestly to his


    arrangement.


    After a short moment of silence, Katherine cleared her throat and asked, "Ryder Flynn is useless now.


    What''s the background of the Flynn Family?"


    Joaquin''s face twitched upon hearing that. "What did you do?"


    Not daring to look him in the face, she answered, "Nothing, really. I just thought that since he''s not a


    man, I''ll remove some unnecessary parts so he can''t harm others."


    He was stunned by her bold promation as he jerked back to his senses after a few seconds. "You¡­"


    Raising her chin, she answered sheepishly, "There''s a method in medicine that can turn a person


    impotent through a chemical reaction."


    Joaquin almost passed out from anger. Both the Flynn and Fanning Family only had Ryder as their


    grandson, and if he really became impotent, not only the Flynn Family but the Fanning Family would


    blow a fuse.


    Joaquin lifted his hand to massage his temple as he thought of the potential repercussions and couldn''t


    help thinking uncharitably that she had such a hidden streak to be enough of a troublemaker. Despite


    that, when he recalled all the infuriating things Ryder had done, he felt that she didn''t do anything


    wrong, either.


    "Leave this matter to me. Both of you shouldy low in theing weeks," Joaquin finally said in a


    tired tone after a long while, staring at her.


    Silently, she raised her head and looked up without a word.


    After Charles brought Ryder out of Ascott Garden, he brought him straight to the nearest hospital.


    He was covered in injuries, and his external injuries were severe. Charles knew how badly he had hit


    him; to pacify Joaquin''s fury, he didn''t hold back at all earlier.


    Besides seven broken ribs and theminuted fracture in the left leg, Ryder also sustained many


    external injuries, which made one shudder from the sight.


    Moments after he arrived at the hospital, he was rushed into the surgery room by the hospital staff


    straight away.


    After Sally received the news, she rushed to the hospital as quickly as possible. As she focused her


    gaze on Charles, standing outside the surgery room with a solemn face, she wailed, "Dad, who could


    be so cruel and ruthless? Huh?"


    "The cheeks of you to say this! Ask your son what he has done! Breaking his leg is the least I could


    do!" Charles was filled with blood-boiling fury when he recalled that Ryder had almost offended


    Joaquin.


    After she received a harsh reprimand from Charles, she wiped away her tears, terrified to say more.


    Meanwhile, Adam happened to be working on other stuff when he received the news, and by the time


    he was finished and rushed over, Ryder was still in the surgery room.


    ncing at Sally with eyes swollen from crying, he then turned to Charles, who had a grim look on his


    face. For a while, he couldn''t tell what was happening, exactly.


    The fact that Ryder was in trouble and hospitalized came as shocking news to both families, and less


    than ten minutes after Adam''s arrival, Rosie, his mother, arrived at the hospital, too.


    While the butler was helping her, she trembled and asked Adam the second she saw him, "Adam, my


    precious grandson is fine, isn''t he? What happened, huh? How could someone beat him up? Who did


    it? Did you get that guy already?"


    "Mom, Ryder is probably going to be alright. Don''t worry." Adam instinctively stole a nce at Charles.


    "I''m the one who hit him," Charles answered emotionlessly with a cold face.


    "What?" A stunned Rosie gawked at him in utter disbelief.


    "Do you know who the one he offended was? He would have lost his life if I didn''t give him this


    beating!" Charles said in anger.


    "Y-You''re¡­" Rosie was incredibly anguished, but seeing Charles'' grim face, she didn''t have the guts to


    argue with him.


    Soon, the surgery room door opened, and the doctor walked out, looking exhausted.


    The first to rush to him was Rosie. "Doctor, how''s my grandson doing? Is he alright?"


    "He has seven broken ribs, and he''s fortunate that his lungs are not injured. Whether or not the


    comminuted fracture in his right calf would affect his walking in the future would depend on his recovery


    process after this. Besides this, he¡­" the doctor drifted off, embarrassed.


    "What is it? What happened? Does he have other injuries?" Shocked by the doctor''s words, Rosie had


    lost all blood from her face.


    Just the thought that her precious grandson had suffered such severe injuries was enough to make her


    heart wrench terribly. If it weren''t because the one who had beaten him was Charles, she would have


    asked Adam to kill the one who had hurt Ryder.


    After some hesitation, the doctor said truthfully, "The nerves in his spine are injured, and he may be


    impotent in the future. Please be prepared for this."


    With a pale face, Rosie staggered a couple of steps backward and almost lost her bnce. Fortunately,


    Adam caught her in time and prevented her from falling.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "W-What did you say? What did you say earlier? Can you please repeat?"


    Rosie couldn''t believe what she had just heard while Adam and Sally had dreary looks on their faces,


    but Charles'' face was even more gloomy like a storm was about to hit.


    Although he felt stressed, the doctor still bit the bullet and said, "I''m sorry, but Mr. Ryder Flynn might


    not be able to reproduce in the future."


    Then, he avoided looking at the rest and shuffled away hurriedly with his head lowered.


    This time, Rosie couldn''t control it¡ªher eyes rolled back, and she passed out. The situation suddenly


    turned chaotic at the surgery room entrance.


    After Ryder was wheeled out of the surgery room, he was transferred to a ward, and because the


    effects of the anesthesia had yet to subside, he remained unconscious.


    Meanwhile, Rosie was arranged to live in a ward next to him, and Sally sat next to Ryder''s bed,


    sobbing non-stop with her head lowered.


    Adam couldn''t handle her wails, so he berated impatiently, "Enough! Stop crying! We might as well


    spend our time helping Ryder with his recovery!"

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    Anger rushed through Sally''s veins after she heard Adam''s criticism. "What''s the use of shouting at


    me?! Is it my wish that Ryder is in this state now? The doctor already said that it''s an injury to the


    nerves. What can be done about that? My poor child, why does he have such a tough life?"


    "Enough!" Charles interjected in annoyance and looked at Ryder with a sullen face.


    He had used a measured force earlier, and even though Ryder would be hurt, he wouldn''t have


    sustained injuries on his spinal nerves, much more an injury as serious as being impotent. Recalling


    that Ryder was already on the floor and crying in pain when he entered the private room, he reckoned


    that Ryder was already hurt at that time.


    "Joaquin''s wife probably causes Ryder''s injury," he said coldly.


    "What?" Stunned, Sally and Adam turned to him with shocked faces.


    "Stay here and take care of Ryder. I''m going out for a while," he said without telling them the details.


    There was nothing Charles could do because of Joaquin''s background. Not even if both the Flynn and


    Fanning families worked together could they touch a hair on Joaquin. Regardless, for a woman like


    Katherine, who didn''t have any strong background, he could easily kill her thousands of times.


    After leaving the ward, he paced to the side and finished a cigarette. Then, he took out his phone,


    found a number, and called. "Hi, Mr. Muller."


    "Fanning? Why are you calling me out of the blue? Did something happen?" Charles'' sudden call got


    him a little confused. Although they were old acquaintances, they went into different professions


    afterward. Furthermore, Charles was in a different department, so they hadn''t contacted each other for


    a very long time.


    Charles pursed his lips with an austere look on his face. "I remember you know a miracle doctor with


    superior medical skills, and I heard she could even save a person with dead brain cells. Will you please


    ask her if she has any idea about spinal nerve injury?"


    "Injury at the spinal nerve? Did someone in your family hurt their spinal nerve?" Theodore asked in


    surprise.


    "Yes, it''s my grandson, and it''s quite serious. The doctor said that he may be impotent." At this


    point, there was nothing to hide anymore.


    However, Theodore didn''t agree to help directly. "I''ll ask on your behalf, then, but she may not have a


    remedy. It''s better if you''re mentally prepared."


    After Charles chatted with him a little more out of courtesy, Theodore hung up and gave it a thought


    before calling Katherine.


    Katherine and Joaquin had just walked through the door when she saw his call, and she raised her


    brows in surprise before hitting the green button. "Hello, Mr. Muller. Did something happen at the


    research center?"


    Shaking his head, Theodore roughly told her about Charles'' call. "The research center is fine, but it''s


    about you. Someone contacted me, and he hopes that you can help to treat a person. His spinal nerve


    is injured. Do you have a way with that?"


    "Did Charles Fanning call you?" A smirk appeared on Katherine''s face as she didn''t think that Charles


    would be so resourceful to be able to contact Theodore. Nevertheless, she wondered if he had a way


    to investigate her. If he had, then things would be really interesting.


    "Do you know about it?" Theodore gasped in shock.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "Yeah, his grandson''s spinal nerve injury is done by me," she admitted straightforwardly.


    Suddenly, Theodore didn''t know what to say, but he didn''t ask her why she would hurt Ryder. After


    years of friendship, he already knew her all too well.


    Helpless, he smiled and shook his head. "I''ll reject him on your behalf, then."


    "Okay, thanks." After saying her thanks, Katherine ended the call.


    "Kathy, Grandma, and Noah are missing." A second after she had hung up, Joaquin came over with a


    worried expression.


    "What?" Katherine''s face fell. "Are you sure they''re missing and didn''t just go out?"


    "I''m sure of that. Noah will always put on this GPS tracker watch whenever she leaves the house, but


    this was left on the desk in the room. Also, Grandma didn''t take her phone or any money with her. So


    it''s impossible that they will leave the house like this. Will they just go out without even changing


    shoes?" While speaking to Katherine with a solemn face, Joaquin dialed Jeremy''s number.


    Twirling around, Katherine returned to her room, turned on herptop, and found the surveince


    recording of the house.


    After she left with Tiara, Jennifer had been watching TV in the living room until about a little past


    3.00PM when the doorbell rang. Then, she stood up to answer the door, and there was no more


    footage after that.


    The look on Katherine''s face turned solemn when she watched until this point, and her fingers flew


    across the keyboard swiftly. She repaired the damaged footage within seconds, and the following


    footage appeared on theputer.


    After Jennifer opened the door, two well-built men came in, and a woman''s voice speaking Dolivian


    also echoed from the door.


    As it was quite amotion outside the door, Noah came out of her room to check on the situation, but


    she was knocked out in the end.


    When he noticed the solemn look on her face, he pressed his lips together and said, "I''ve instructed


    Jeremy to check on the surveince from every junction in the vicinity. They will be fine, for sure."


    Katherine did not reply, but her fingers were still dancing across the keyboard deftly. Very quickly, the


    entire city map of Hovington popped up on the screen with two blue dots blinking on it. From the dots,


    they could see that they were still in Soulin International.


    They''ve discovered the tracking device in Grandma''s body, and they even took it out and threw it away.


    Closing her eyes, she closed theptop. "I''m going out for a while."


    Worried that she would encounter danger by herself, he grabbed her arm. "Kathy, I''ming with you."


    She lowered her head as she peered at his hand that had grabbed her arm and nodded after a few


    seconds of silence. "Let''s go."


    They left in a hurry and took the lift, which already had someone inside, and it was a familiar face at


    that¡ªthe neighbor upstairs who had an argument with Catheryn back then, Selina.


    At the sight of Katherine, Selina''s eyes lit up, and she greeted her happily, "Oh, it''s you, Little Miss


    Pretty. Are you going out?"


    In reply, Katherine merely nodded without a word, and Selina stole a look at Joaquin next to him,


    finding him a little familiar as though she had seen him before.


    However, her attention was more focused on Katherine, so she retracted her gaze from him. "Where


    are you going? I''m living on the 19th floor and onlye home on weekends. I had something to do


    today, so I returned."


    "Oh, yeah?" Katherine answered nonchntly, looking at the elevator lights jumping from floor to floor


    rather anxiously.


    "Little Miss, why do you look so anxious? Did you run into some trouble? You can tell me, and maybe I


    can help you," Selina couldn''t help but offer her help when she saw how Katherine was.


    Katherine took a nce at her, hesitated, and asked, "Did you use the elevator around 3.00PM?"


    She hurriedly nodded and told her exactly what she saw, "What a coincidence! I came home around


    that time, and it was rather weird because I saw two men taking an olddy and a young girl


    downstairs. They looked so fierce, and the old woman even gave me a look. I keep feeling that it was a


    little odd¡­"


    "Did you notice where they''re going?" Katherine asked rather anxiously.


    "I think I heard one of the men saying they''re going to the Miller Residence."

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    "The Miller Residence?" Katherine frowned. As she had little knowledge about the social influence


    circles in Cechirus, she looked at Joaquin with a puzzled expression.


    "Thanks. We got it." Joaquin, on the other hand, was looking rather awful. He simply thanked Selina


    without exining much to Katherine.


    He only reached out and dragged Katherine out of the elevator with him as soon as the elevator


    reached the first floor.


    Selina followed behind them and came out of the elevator as well. Coincidentally, her friend called, and


    she answered. Then, she walked out while on the phone.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was already in the car with Katherine.


    "Where exactly is the Miller Residence? And what sort of an influential family is living there?" Katherine


    asked Joaquin with a cold face.


    Seeing that Katherine had an unpleasant expression on her face, Joaquin knew she was furious.


    Therefore, he briefly exined the history and situation of the Miller Family. "The Miller Family didn''t


    originally develop their businesses and influences here in Hovington. Their main power is in Kynd,


    and the primary hub for their business development is focused in the region of Swania, not in Cechirus.


    Not only that, they even had someone build a Miller Residence in every first-tier city in Cechirus, which


    serves as an amodation for members of the Miller Family. Since your Grandma and Noah have


    been taken to the Miller Residence, it simply means that the Miller Family must be the mastermind


    behind this matter."


    After listening to Joaquin''s brief exnation, Katherine raised her eyebrow and asked, "Are they highly


    influential?"


    "Considered so. They''re the hegemon in the region of Swania," Joaquin answered truthfully.


    "I see," Katherine replied in short. Then, she turned on her phone, searched for Savannah''s contact in


    her WhatsApp, and sent her a message. ''This is about the Miller Family in Kynd. I want all their


    abroad influences andpanies to be destroyed and go bankrupt. You have one hour to get the job


    done.''


    After Savannah received the message, she replied to Katherine with a big question mark.


    Too bad for her, Katherine didn''t seem to have any intention of replying to her at all.


    "F*ck! Who the hell angered Miss Cornell?! Also, what sort of background does this Miller Family


    have?!" Savannah couldn''t help but vent. After that, she immediately ordered someone to search for


    information about the Miller Family.


    Momentster, Savannah received all the information regarding the Miller Family and was shocked


    when she read up on them.


    The Miller Family''s power was intertwined with other families, and the entire family could be regarded


    as a top-tier influential family in Cechirus.


    The social influence of the Miller Family began 300 years ago with a profound background and has


    since developed to this day, acquiring a tremendous amount of wealth.


    Then, approximately 30 years ago, the Miller Family began gradually moving and focusing their


    businesses abroad. Presently, they had no other businesses in Cechirus except for some factories and


    mines.


    As for abroad, especially in the region of Swania, it wouldn''t be an understatement to say that the Miller


    Family had an entire business empire. Their family alone had dominated 80% of the entire Swanian


    region economy.


    Fifteen minutes had passed since Savannah obtained detailed information about the Miller Family.


    Then, as she could feel the urgency behind her orders, she immediately rushed to the public rtions


    department with the information and ced it before her colleague, Nathan Woodrow. "Nat! Make


    arrangements at once, for we need to start attacking all the business operations under the Miller Family


    now. Miss Cornell wants us to wipe out all their abroad businesses within an hour and make them go


    bankrupt.


    ncing at the Miller Family''s information, Nathan rolled his eyes before saying, "Has Miss Cornell lost


    her mind? We will have to pay a hefty price if we want to make the Miller Family go bankrupt within an


    hour."


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Just hurry up and do it! Why do you have so manyints? Does Miss Cornell look like she''s


    someone who cares about money?" Savannah reprimanded angrily as she red at him.


    Nathan thought about Savannah''s words for a moment. She''s right. Miss Cornell honestly doesn''t care


    about the hundreds of billions of assets. As he thought of that, he stoppedining. Without dy,


    he distributed each and every task to the people under him and ordered them to start carrying out their


    duties.


    Nathan had arge number of financial personnel under him, and most of them were loyal to Katherine,


    for they had received her favor in the past.


    Although they didn''t understand why Katherine wanted to attack the Miller Family, they had no problem


    with her order about wanting to make the Miller Family go bankrupt within an hour, either.


    Just like that, the orders were sent out, and the tasks were carried out orderly. The Miller Family didn''t


    notice anything weird at first. However, after ten minutes, they finally realized something was wrong.


    At the same time, Katherine and Joaquin''s car had also arrived at the Miller Residence gate.


    The residence gate was closed, and no one came to open it for them, even after Joaquin''s car had


    pulled over at the gate for five minutes.


    At this juncture, Katherine had utterly lost her patience as she was worried sick about Jennifer and


    Noah''s safety. Hence, with a cold demeanor, she said, "Knock the gate down and break in!"


    Upon hearing that, Joaquin nced at her. He knew that the disappearance of Jennifer and Noah for


    Katherine was equivalent to someone tap dancing on her limits.


    Without hesitation, he immediately stepped on the elerator, directly knocked down the massive iron


    gate in front, and drove into the Miller Residence at an incredible speed.


    Meanwhile, in the Miller Residence, a feminine-looking man sat leisurely on the couch in the living


    room, and in front of him stood Jennifer and a pale-faced Noah.


    Even though both had some injuries on their bodies, they weren''t too severe.


    Jennifer looked at the man in front of her with a cold demeanor and asked, "What exactly are you trying


    to do?"


    "Well, it isn''t something serious. Mrs. Olsen, I heard that you''re Mr. Olsen''s widow. So, I figure you


    must possess everything he left behind after his passing. So, I''ll send someone to take you two home


    as long as you hand over the things," said the man rather politely as he looked at Jennifer with a smile.


    In an instant, Jennifer''s face turned solemn. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    When the man heard Jennifer''s reply, his smile became increasingly brighter before he threatened her


    by saying, "You don''t know? It''s easy if you don''t know. I''m not a very patient person. So if you don''t tell


    me, I''ll cut off your granddaughter''s fingers one by one. One minute of silence equals one finger getting


    cut off. And if I have cut all ten of her fingers, I''ll proceed to cut off her toes. I''ll move on to the ears and


    nose once we''re out of toes. But I''m just not sure how long she can endure the pain. So what do you


    say, Mrs. Olsen?"


    Jennifer''s facial expression abruptly changed when she heard the man''s words and kept Noah behind


    her. "You dare?"


    "Do your thing," the man ordered with a wave of his hand.


    In a swift, someone stepped forward and pulled Noah away from Jennifer.


    Jennifer wanted to protect Noah. Yet, due to her age, she was no match for the group of young and


    strong bodyguards. As a result, she was directly pushed to the ground and sustained some injuries on


    her body.


    "Noah!" Jennifer shouted, anxiously watching as Noah was getting dragged away.


    Noah''s face was ghastly pale, and she was shivering from head to toe in fear. Even so, she kept her


    mouth shut and simply looked at Jennifer with teary eyes despite looking terrified.


    Meanwhile, the person, who took Noah away, violently pressed her onto the coffee table. Then, he


    picked up a fruit knife and positioned it on her index finger, making it clear that he would cut off Noah''s


    finger without hesitation as long as the man sitting on the couch gave his order.


    "Don''t hurt her!" Jennifer roared furiously, her eyes reddened with anger.


    The smile on the man''s face subsided. He slowly sat up straight and looked at Jennifer. "Mrs. Olsen,


    I''m not trying to make things difficult for you. I just want what I want. I don''t really care much about your


    life and hers. Also, I know your granddaughter is very capable. Speaking of which, she probably will be


    here soon. Hence, I have no time to waste with you here. Give me the things I want, and I''ll let you two


    go. This is a pretty fair deal, isn''t it?"


    As Jennifer regarded the pale-faced Noah, she felt her heart twist so much like it had been stabbed


    ruthlessly by a sharp de.


    The man finally lost his patience when he saw that Jennifer refused to cooperate. Thus, he ordered


    mercilessly, all the while looking at her, "Cut off the child''s finger! I ought to see how long you can keep


    your mouth shut."

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    "No!!!" Jennifer let out a shrilling shout.


    Still, she was a second toote. The man already took action and wanted to cut off Noah''s finger


    ruthlessly before he was interrupted.


    Bang!


    Just then, a gunshot pierced through the air. The young man, sitting on the couch leisurely, immediately


    straightened in shock. Then, he looked coldly in the direction of the door.


    Joaquin and Katherine walked in together with grim expressions, and they both exuded a terrifying


    murderous aura.


    As for the shot fired just now, Joaquin was the person who fired it, and his target was precisely the


    bodyguard who controlled Noah.


    The man, who was shot, groaned and fell to the ground. Noah, on the other hand, finally regained her


    freedom.


    However, she seemed to have been shocked by the whole situation. She was stupefied and simply


    knelt on the ground without showing any reaction.


    "Kathy, hurry up and check on Noah! Check on her quickly!" Jennifer cried out to Katherine with teary


    eyes.


    Nheless, Katherine simply walked in with a cold expression, seemingly not hearing Jennifer''s cries.


    Instead, her gazes had been fixated on the young man sitting on the couch from the moment she


    entered.


    The man inexplicably felt a chill running down his spine. As he looked at Katherine, his heart pounded


    as he felt an inexplicable sense of fear engulfing him.


    At this moment, Joaquin and Katherine had alreadye over to Noah''s side. Joaquin stepped


    forward and kicked the bodyguard, who was pressing on top of Noah, away before he picked Noah up.


    Noah''s face was ashen, and her petite figure still slightly trembled in fear, yet not once did she shed a


    tear.


    Joaquin felt heartbroken at the sight of her. He immediately held her in his arms andforted her


    softly, "Noah, everything''s fine now. Don''t be scared. Your Mom and I are here."


    Noah only responded when she heard Joaquin mention the word ''Mom'', and she swiftly turned to look


    at Katherine, who was shooting cial daggers at the man who caused her family harm.


    When she saw Katherine, she finally released all the emotions she had been suppressing and burst


    into tears.


    Noah was merely a four-year-old soon turning five, after all. Therefore, it was impossible that she


    wouldn''t be frightened when encountering such a situation.


    In the meantime, Katherine felt immensely heartbroken as she looked at Noah, crying so hard to the


    point that she gasped for breath in Joaquin''s arms.


    She only made her way toward the man after she saw Joaquin was helping her calm Noah down. "So,


    you''re the guy who took my Grandma and Noah away?"


    Although the man looked at Katherine with a smile, there wasn''t an ounce of warmth in his eyes. "You


    guys came here faster than I thought. As expected of Mr. Olsen''s granddaughter, you''re indeed


    capable."


    As he spoke, he waved at the bodyguard who was controlling Jennifer. The bodyguard understood his


    signal and swiftly pressed the knife against Jennifer''s waist, holding her hostage as they walked toward


    the man.


    Katherine watched this scene with her eyes as cold as ice. The coldness in her eyes turned even more


    frightening, especially when she saw the wound on Jennifer''s face.


    Then, she pulled a chair over and sat down without a hint of hesitation. Then, she raised her brow,


    looked at the man in front of her, and asked, "What do you want?"


    "I want the things that your Grandpa left behind," the man answered truthfully without beating behind


    the bush.


    Instead of replying to the man, Katherine simply nced at the time and thought, Half an hour has


    passed since I''d given Savannah my order. If everything goes ording to n, Savannah and the


    others are already in action. If so, the Miller Family should be suffering from attacks by now.


    She curled her lips into a somewhat bloodthirsty smirk as she thought of that. "You want the things that


    my Grandpa left behind? Alright then."


    The man mistook her smile for a surrender. He instantly became excited and said, "Hand over the


    things to me, and I promise I won''t hurt this olddy."


    Yet, out of the man''s expectation, Katherine stood up and suddenly waved her hand at the man.


    Secondster, she threw several silver needles in the man''s direction. The man simply felt a pain in his


    neck before realizing what was going on. He reflexively touched his neck, only to feel a sting like he


    had been bitten by an ant.


    "What did you do?!" the man asked angrily as he looked up at Katherine.


    "No one dares to threaten me, especially using the people I care about the most!" Katherine


    immediately walked over after she replied to him coldly.


    At this juncture, the man began to panic. He wanted to order his bodyguards to take action, yet he


    couldn''t make any sound when he opened his mouth to speak.


    The man''s fear and uneasiness gradually escted when faced with such a peculiar situation.


    Ignoring the fearful look on the man''s face, Katherine directly made her way over to Jennifer''s side.


    She reached out and gently pushed away the bodyguard who was capturing Jennifer. In the next


    second, the man fell straight to the ground without a sound, making people guess whether he was still


    alive or already dead.


    When the man saw this, he became even more terrified. Finally, he desperately opened his mouth and


    tried to speak. Still, he couldn''t make a sound.


    As he realized his situation, he stared at Katherine with a fearful look, like he was staring at a real-life


    demon. The calm and collected vibe he had earlier had long since disappeared.


    Katherine, on the other hand, didn''t even look at him.


    Since she had utterly destroyed the Miller Family, it didn''t matter whether the man was alive or dead.


    She knew Joaquin would naturally arrange for someone to take care of the aftermath.


    Katherine first checked on Jennifer''s pulse and was relieved after she was sure that Jennifer merely


    suffered from some bruises and had no significant injury.


    At this moment, Noah was looking at Katherine with a yearning look as she rested in Joaquin''s arms.


    Katherine''s heart softened due to her clearly longing gaze. Then, after she sighed softly, she went over


    to pick her up from Joaquin''s arms.


    At once, Noah happily reached out and hugged Katherine''s neck.


    By the time they came out of the Miller Residence, Jeremy had already brought his men over and


    surrounded the entire residence.


    Jeremy only stepped forward after he saw that Katherine and Joaquin had managed to rescue Jennifer


    and Noah safely. "Mr. Levisay."


    "Go in and arrest everyone. Also, inform our superiors that the Miller Family has kidnapped the nation''s


    important personnel. Then, they''ll know how to deal with this matter," Joaquin instructed Jeremy with a


    stoic expression.


    Jeremy nodded at those words. Then, with a wave of his hand, he ordered his men to go in and arrest


    those in the establishment. As for him, he went to make a call to arrange a follow-up on this matter.


    After they were finally in the car, Katherine nced at Joaquin before saying lightly, "I think the Miller


    Family is just a cover. The one who deceived and lured my Grandma back to Cechirus has yet to show


    up."


    Joaquin hummed and nodded, agreeing with her statement. The current situation in Hovington is


    getting way too dangerous, especially as more hunters flock to Hovington. I can bet that the level of


    danger in Hovington now has skyrocketedpared to before. Something might happen to Mrs. Olsen


    at any time if we aren''t being careful enough. Taking this incident as an example, Katherine and I were


    just away for minutes, yet they actually took advantage of this and kidnapped Mrs. Olsen and Noah.


    Yet, it''s kind of odd that they were able to break through the security, especially when Soulin


    International security is so tight. Judging from this, there must be someone helping them from behind.


    Since Noah had experienced an incredibly shocking and terrifying predicament, she fell asleep in


    Jennifer''s arms shortly after getting in the car.


    Meanwhile, Jennifer looked down at her. Then, she reached out and caressed Noah''s delicate face. A


    sense of fear took over her body for a while as she thought of the harm that had nearly inflicted on


    Noah just now.


    It was already an hourter when they returned to Soulin International.


    Savannah also came forward to report the situation to Katherine.


    The team had spent a total of one hour and three minutes eradicating all the abroad influences of the


    Miller Family. All theirpanies dered bankruptcy due to ineffective capital turnover. As of this


    moment, the Miller Family could be considered eliminated.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    At this moment, in the Miller Manor in Kynd, Nichs Miller, the head of the Miller Family, received


    an abroad call from his son. After he learned that the Miller Family''s decades of hard work abroad had


    been destroyed, he was so upset that he spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted.

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    Once they were home, Katherine went to the kitchen and made two cups of Chamomile tea for Jennifer


    and Noah, respectively. She only asked them to return to their room to rest after she was sure they had


    finished drinking the tea.


    In the meantime, Joaquin returned after answering his phone. This time, he had a strange look when


    he looked at Katherine.


    Katherine noticed his oddity, so she nced at him with a frown as she asked, "Why are you looking at


    me like this?"


    "Nothing." Joaquin shook his head and didn''t ask any further questions. Even so, he kept staring at


    Katherine with the same strange look on his face. Earlier, Ben called and told me that the Miller Family


    went bankrupt in just an hour. It''s a real shock to learn that the behemoth that had towered the


    business industry for more than three hundred years would abruptly copse andpletely disappear


    from Cechirus in such a short period of time. As far as I know, only Katherine has the power to do this.


    "Okay." Katherine wasn''t bothered much by Joaquin''s reaction either. Since I dared to order Savannah


    to eradicate the Miller Family, this means I have no intention to hide this from Joaquin at all. Besides,


    my action this time is simply to let those targeting Grandma know that I''m not someone they can afford


    to offend. I want to let them know vengeance awaits them if they dare toy their fingers on Grandma.


    Katherine disregarded him entirely as she then went to check on Noah.


    She was already asleep after drinking the cup of Chamomile tea. Nevertheless, she was still frowning,


    even in her sleep. While Katherine watched over her, she noticed there was a wound on her wrist,


    which she probably got when she was struggling and fighting to free herself from the man. Then, she


    also noticed a slight cut on Noah''s finger, presumably left when the man wanted to cut her fingers with


    a knife.


    As she stared at the wounds on Noah''s hands, Katherine''s gaze turned icy. That b*stard, Shawn Miller,


    should consider himself lucky that I have let him off lightly without taking his life after he had kidnapped


    Grandma and Noah.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Then, she sat down at Noah''s bedside, took out the vulnerary herb which she carried with her, and


    gently applied it on Noah''s wounds. Katherine only gently ced Noah''s wounded hand down when


    she saw the wounds gradually heal and the skin restored.


    Based on Katherine''s spection, the incident that took ce today would be the first but certainly not


    thest, even if she had personally warned those who wished to harm Jennifer and Noah. There are


    too many abroad forces in Hovington, especially those bloodthirsty hunters. They won''t hold back


    under any circumstances at all. Since I can only intimidate those domestic forces but not the abroad


    forces, I''m afraid my influence alone isn''t strong enough to inflict fear on them.


    After she left Noah''s room, she returned to her bedroom. She turned on theputer, logged on to the


    Red Web, and posted an announcement.


    As soon as she posted the announcement, various users on the Red Web started leaving their


    comments. First, it was a user with the ID, The Pickers. ''What the hell?! Am I seeing this right? Boss, I


    actually get to see you post a bounty in my lifetime!''


    Secondly, a user named Baldness Preventer also left ament. ''No way! No f*cking way! Boss, did


    you get hacked or something? Is this a case where the corpsees to life? It''s been three years, but


    I haven''t seen her distribute any tasks.''


    After that, another user with the ID named The Red Shoesmented. ''Hey! Am I the only one who


    noted that the people Boss wants to protect are Cechirusians? So, boss, are you a Cechirusian too?''


    Shortly after, a user left ament with the ID named TS007. ''I actually tracked Boss'' IP address. And


    guess what? She''s actually in Cechirus! More precisely, she''s in Hovington. I''m in Hovington too! Boss,


    do you want to arrange a meet-up?''


    Later, a user who went by the ID, Idle-ism,mented as well. ''Say: are you all not paying attention to


    the main point of the post? The Boss has offered a bounty! A bounty of 2 billion!''


    Without a doubt, the announcement posted by Katherine had caused the entire Red Web burst into


    sudden activity. Some old users who had been lurking around the web for so many years came out one


    after another.


    For a moment, the atmosphere in the entire Red Web became incredibly boisterous.


    Meanwhile, Ben had logged on to his Red Web ount too. As he stared at the announcement that


    sent the entire Red Web into such a havoc, he couldn''t help but widen his eyes in shock.


    The announcement Katherine posted was very detailed. Not only did she state the address and names,


    she even attached a photo of Jennifer and Noah.


    Jennifer was no stranger to Ben. Nheless, even if he had never seen her before, he was highly


    familiar with the address stated by Katherine too. It was also precisely because of this that Ben was


    even more shocked.


    As Ben looked at the announcement on theputer screen, he took out his phone with trembling


    hands and called Joaquin again.


    Joaquin frowned as he answered his phone in annoyance. "Are there any more problems?"


    "Uh¡­ Mr. Levisay, I seem to have identally discovered another hidden identity of Katherine," Ben


    said cautiously.


    "Huh?" Joaquin narrowed his eyes as he asked, "What''s this identity you''re talking about?"


    "S-She''s the boss of the Red Web!!!" Ben eximed in absolute excitement.


    At once, Joaquin''s facial expression twisted in disbelief. No one knew better than him what the Red


    Web represented.


    The Red Web¡ªa mysterious organization that never interfered in worldly affairs and a channel that


    was only responsible for publishing various announcements and tasks.


    Because of the mysterious nature of the web, it was hard to create an ount there. Moreover, the


    ount registration requirements for the Red Web were soplicated that even someone as


    influential as Joaquin wasn''t qualified to register for an ount there.


    Although he had a tacit understanding with Katherine that she owned an ount on the Red Web. All


    he knew was that Katherine had a Red Web ount and was selling medication there after the


    incident regarding neurotoxinsst time.


    Never in his wildest dreams did Joaquin think that Katherine would be the Boss of the Red Web.


    "That''s impossible! The Red Web was established thirteen years ago. She was still so young thirteen


    years ago. So how could she be the Boss of the Red Web?" Joaquin denied Ben''s assumptions


    immediately.


    Regardless, he refused to believe it as this matter was way too far-fetched. Katherine is only twenty-


    three years old and was only ten years old thirteen years ago. How could a ten years old girl be


    capable of creating a Red Web that''s still so mysterious until now? How is that possible?


    "Mr. Levisay, it''s true! She just posted a bounty of 2 billion on the Red Web. She''s looking for someone


    to protect Mrs. Olsen and Noah. She even detailed the announcement with an address and photos. I


    suppose many have gone to wait outside Soulin International''s building by now," Ben said as he


    refreshed the variousments left under the bounty.


    Meanwhile, Katherine went offline immediately after she had posted the bounty. It didn''t matter to her


    how boisterous the atmosphere was in thement section under her announcement post.


    After she went offline, Katherine received a message from one of her subordinates, Xavier Yates, on


    her phone. ''Boss? Are you serious? Everyone will know your identity after seeing the announcement.''


    With that, Katherine replied indifferently, ''So what if they know? Is my identity so shameful that it has to


    be hidden from the world?''


    As Xavier thought Katherine had some fundamental reasons to keep her identity a secret, he felt


    somewhat confused after reading her reply. ''No, Boss. I was just wondering why you hid your identity


    before.''


    ''No particr reason. I just think it''s too much trouble, that''s all,'' Katherine replied directly.


    As Xavier looked at Katherine''s reply, he thought about it for a while. Yeah, Boss is right. It''s


    troublesome indeed if she just randomly announces her identity to the public.


    Hence, he didn''t say much after he saw that she didn''t seem to care about her hidden identity being


    exposed.


    Meanwhile, Ben only hung up after he finished telling Joaquin about this matter.


    Joaquin''s expression resumed his earlier shock and bewildered state as he stood at the door for a


    while before knocking on Katherine''s door.


    "Come in," Katherine replied curtly.


    Joaquin pushed open the door and entered the instant he heard her. Then, he sat down at the bedside


    and regarded Katherine from top to bottom.


    Katherine frowned as she felt ufortable with his stares. Therefore, she couldn''t help but roll her


    eyes at him and ask, "Is there something you wish to talk to me about?"


    He involuntarily blurted after much deliberation, "Are you the Boss of the Red Web?"


    She paused for a moment before looking at Joaquin and asking, "How did you find out?"


    Vo! By asking him that question, Katherine indirectly admitted she was indeed the Boss of the Red


    Web.


    At that moment, Joaquin felt that he had quite a hard time regaining his senses and was staring at


    Katherine like he was looking at a monster. Does she actually have the ability to create a behemoth


    such as the Red Web at the age of ten?!


    He didn''t bother hiding his shock, so it was only natural that she could ascertain what he was thinking.


    Thus, Katherine replied, "It was left to me by my Grandpa. He and his friends created the Red Web.


    Then, he handed it over to me along with his ount after he passed away."

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    Joaquin was even more shocked when he heard what Katherine had said. "Your Grandpa is the


    founder of the Red Web?" Darren Olsen¡ªI never intentionally investigated him and his background,


    but I didn''t expect him to be someone with such an impressive identity.


    Katherine nodded and proceeded to say, "Grandpa was the dean of the Department of Computer


    Science at Northride University. Besides, in case you don''t know, the Olsen Family''s business was


    mainly engaged in theputer-rted industry back then. The family business only gradually faced


    restructuring and engaged in the other industriester after Jorge robbed my Grandparents and my


    Mom of the entire Olsen Family assets."


    Since she was already candid with Joaquin, Katherine figured she did not need to continue hiding this


    from him. Therefore, she told Joaquin some information about Darren. Either way, Joaquin has the


    ability to dig Grandpa''s information if he wants to. So, I might as well just tell him.


    "So that''s the backstory. I get it now." Katherine mentioned Darren was a dean of the Department of


    Computer Science at Northride University. I''ve heard a lot about this particr department. I know it


    has always been an outstanding academic department in Cechirus and kept maintaining its position


    until it gradually declined five years ago. Come to think of it, five years ago was also roughly the time


    period when something happened to Darren. The academic performance of Northride University''s


    Department of Computer Science gradually began to decline after Darren left the university, and now,


    the department is nowhere near being known as one of the top ten outstanding academic departments


    in Cechirus.


    Katherine spoke up to gain his attention when she noticed that he was immersed in his thoughts by


    saying, "These people who want to kidnap Grandma are probably chasing after the things Grandpa left


    behind."


    Joaquin looked at her in surprise when he heard her spection. How? She seems to know everything.


    Katherine rolled her eyes at Joaquin and said snappishly, "Hey, don''t look at me like that! At first, I


    thought Grandma had some sort of a unique identity and was hiding secrets from me. But from the


    incident of her getting kidnapped this time, I finally understood that these people are chasing after the


    things Grandpa left behind and not her."


    "Did you never think that your Grandma might have an extraordinary identity you aren''t aware of?"


    Joaquin asked tentatively.


    "Extraordinary? What extraordinary identity can she have? She''s just an ordinary olddy," Katherine


    replied, unimpressed.


    When Joaquin saw that Katherine seemed not to be bothered, he couldn''t help but let out a cough


    before asking again, "Did it never ur to you that perhaps she wasn''t just an ordinary olddy, and


    not all those who came to Cechirus are after the things your Grandpa left behind? Maybe some of them


    are after your Grandma?"


    Katherine remained silent and simply raised her brows at him.


    All of a sudden, Joaquin felt somewhat guilty. "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Still looking at him with a half smile, Katherine replied, "Grandma indeed has a secret identity. You


    know very well why those people tried to deceive Grandma and lure her back to Cechirus. So, what are


    you trying to get from me?"


    Joaquin looked away with a guilty conscience and said, "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    At this moment, Katherine felt she no longer needed to keep beating behind the bush with Joaquin.


    Therefore, she decided to be honest and told him everything she knew. "Grandma does possess some


    special abilities. Her transfiguration technique is unparalleled. Not only that, she possesses several


    special forms in her hands, which I think many will want, especially the form for the elixir of


    rejuvenation. Those people are after the forms she possesses, aren''t they?"


    All her life, Jennifer had lived by Darren''s side, kept a low profile, and paid no attention to the affairs of


    the outside world. Even until the day Darren died, she was still that ordinary olddy everyone knew. In


    fact, she even became ill and never recovered after that. As a result, Katherine acquired all the


    information about Jennifer through special channels even though she was her granddaughter.


    And if Katherine didn''t acquire the information about Jennifer, she would never know that Jennifer''s


    brilliance used to be so unmatched back when she was young. Katherine also wouldn''t have known


    that Jennifer was the youngest senior researcher in Cechirus'' Department of Physics. If she didn''t


    marry Darren and given birth to Elsie in theter years of her life, Jennifer might have continued to


    exude her brilliance in her career.


    Yet, she was willing to restrain her grace and brilliance for Darren''s sake and be an ordinary old


    lady who stayed with her husband and daughter.


    Joaquin was even more shocked when he heard Katherine''s statement. "You knew everything?" These


    are all state secrets. As a matter of fact, they are even ssified as Triple-S-leveled top secrets.


    Ordinary folks can''t ess them at all, but Katherine can actually acquire them! How did she even do


    that?


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Katherine just smiled at his apparent astonishment. Since she retrieved the information through some


    atrocious channels, she didn''t bother exining how she obtained them.


    Joaquin didn''t ask any further questions after he saw Katherine''s response.


    Nevertheless, their rtionship obviously got a lot closer after this heart-to-heart talk.


    Katherine immediately dismissed him when she noticed it was getting rtivelyte, especially after


    she saw he had no intention to leave. "Thanks for helping me save Grandma and Noah. You can go


    home now."


    However, Joaquin rose to his feet, opened the closet, took out the quilt, spread it on the floor, and sat


    cross-legged on it like he had years of experience in doing this. "I think the floor of your room is quite


    comfortable to sleep on. I''ve made my decision. In order to protect you and Grandma and prevent the


    incident that urred today from happening again, I''ll stay here with you until those forces in


    Hovington leave."


    Katherine''s frustration turned into slight amusement when she saw Joaquin acting like a ruffian.


    "Suit yourself," Katherine said huffily.


    Joaquin, on the other hand, looked at her with a smile.


    After that, Katherine left her room and headed straight to the kitchen to prepare dinner.


    Later in the evening, Noah and Jennifer didn''t have a great appetite and didn''t eat much.


    When Katherine saw this, she knew they hadn''t recovered from the incident that urred during the


    day, especially Noah. Her face looked pale even after the incident had ended hours ago. Judging from


    this, one could imagine how frightened Noah truly was.


    Katherine eventually couldn''t stand watching Noah in that state. Therefore, she said lightly after dinner,


    "Noah,e and sleep with me in my room tonight."


    Still, she felt something was off as soon as she said that. Hence, she rushed into the kitchen with the


    excuse of washing the dishes.


    By the time Katherine finished washing the dishes and returned to her room, Noah was already waiting


    for her in the room. She sat on the bed and looked curiously at Joaquin, who was sitting on the ground.


    "Mr. Joe, why are you sleeping on the floor in Mom''s room?"


    Joaquin answered vaguely, "That''s because I have upset her. So, I can only sleep on the floor."


    "Then, you have to cheer her up well. Although Mom would say many mean things, she is also a big


    softie. She''ll forgive you as long as you sincerely apologize to her." Noah taught him seriously.


    Her antics utterly amused Joaquin. Nheless, he still nodded and said, "Yes, I understand. Thank


    you, Noah. I''ll certainly admit my mistake and apologize to her sincerely."


    Meanwhile, Katherine stood at the door and listened to the conversation between the two. The corners


    of her mouth twitched before she opened the door and entered.


    At once, Noah got up and sat down properly while looking at Katherine obediently for fear of upsetting


    her.


    Regardless, Noah still felt a little excited, considering this was the first time Katherine took the initiative


    and suggested that they slept together over the years.


    Katherine stared at her, asking, "Have you brushed your teeth?"


    Noah immediately jumped off the bed and stuttered, "N-No. I-I''ll brush my teeth right away."


    After she finished saying that, she ran out like she was escaping from hellhounds.


    Katherine couldn''t help shaking her head, feeling amused as she watched Noah run out of her room to


    brush her teeth in fear.


    After ten minutes, Noah returned with a faint minty scent wafting off her. She looked at Katherine


    cautiously before crawling onto the bed and lying on the bed conscientiously.


    Katherine turned off the main light and switched on a small deskmp. Finally, she turned her head to


    look at Noah again. As she saw just how nervous Noah was, she smiled softly before reaching out to


    raise Noah''s head and cing it on her shoulder, effectively cradling Noah in her embrace.


    At that moment, Noah could feel her heart beating fast in excitement. I-I''m actually sleeping with Mom!

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    Noah secretly nced at Katherine. However, she quickly retracted her gaze, obediently closed her


    eyes, and slept as she feared that Katherine would discover her peeking.


    That night, the room''s dim light showered upon the two figures who were sleeping soundly with faint


    smiles on their faces on the bed.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin, also in the room, suddenly felt a warm sensation flowing through his heart as he


    listened to the mother-daughter duo''s shallow breathing. This! This is the life that I''ve always yearned


    for but never achieved. Just a family of three being happy together.


    "Good night," he whispered softly. Then, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep after a while.


    Tonight was the night Joaquin had slept the most peacefully and steadfastly in so many years. He slept


    so soundly that he didn''t even have nightmares.


    Nightmares had been haunting Joaquin almost every night since he entered Area Seven, particrly


    after bing the head of Area Seven. He never stopped having nightmares, especially after killing


    someone for the first time, and he always dreamt of a gory bloodbath every night when he slept.


    Tonight was the night he had slept the most peacefully in the past twenty years.


    The morning sunshine shone through the window and into the room the next day. Noah was the first to


    open her eyes. She got up and stretchedfortably.


    Little did Noah know, Katherine had long woken up. She kept lying in her original sleeping position


    because she was afraid of waking Noah. She only moved and stretched her arm, which was slightly


    sore from getting pressed all night, when she saw Noah wake up.


    Noah''s face blushed in embarrassment when she saw Katherine''s action. Feeling sorry, she asked


    shyly, "Mom, d-did I hurt you?"


    Noah couldn''t help but feel excitedst night, considering it was the first time she slept by Katherine''s


    side. Later, she was even more ecstatic when she discovered she could sleep in Katherine''s arms. For


    that reason, she was really reluctant to change her sleeping posture and kept sleeping in the same


    position all night. Yet, now that she looked at Katherine massaging and stretching her shoulder, she


    realized that she might have caused Katherine to feel ufortable.


    As Katherine watched Noah asking with an apologetic look, she reached up, patted her head, and


    comforted her lightly by saying, "I''m fine. Get up and go wash up in the bathroom. I''ll make breakfast


    for us all."


    Seeing that Katherine seemed not to get angry with her, Noah silently breathed a sigh of relief. Then,


    she involuntarily nced at Joaquin, who was still sleeping soundly on the floor, before secretly asking


    Katherine, "Mom, isn''t Mr. Joe going to wake up?"


    Upon hearing that, Katherine, too, nced at Joaquin. An unexpected expression painted across her


    face as she stared at the sleeping man. Odd. This man would usually wake up even if there were only


    a tinymotion. Yet, today he''s sleeping rather soundly. This is a rare sight indeed.


    After she made sure Joaquin was breathing normally, and there was nothing wrong with him, she


    ignored him and said to Noah, "He''s fine. He''s just tired, that''s all. Let him sleep for a little longer."


    With that, she went to wash herself up in the bathroom.


    Once Noah noticed that Katherine didn''t bother to wake Joaquin up, Noah naturally paid no attention to


    him either. She got up and went back to her room to wash up.


    Joaquin only woke up after Katherine finished making breakfast. I can''t remember how long I haven''t


    had a good sleep. The feeling of waking up naturally is so darn good that even the migraine that has


    been bothering me seems to have gotten much better.


    When he left the room, he saw Katherine, Noah, and Jennifer having breakfast at the dining table. The


    threeughed as they chatted, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.


    Perhaps affected by the good vibes, Joaquin couldn''t help but smile. Then, he walked over to the


    dining table, pulled out a chair beside Katherine, and sat down. "Morning."


    "Morning," Katherine replied casually.


    On the other hand, Jennifer looked at Joaquin with a smile before saying, "Johdy, you''re up! You''re


    looking good today. As expected, a fine young man like you should have a good rest and sleep to


    energize yourself. That way, you''ll have the strength to do anything." There was no doubt that


    Jennifer''s words had a hidden meaning.


    Joaquin naturally understood her implications. Therefore, he scratched his nose in embarrassment as


    he said, "Yes, Grandma. You''re right."


    "It''s good that you know I''m right. But, act fast, so I can have another great-grandchild to apany


    me besides Noah. It''s best that you and Kathy give this family a healthy great-grandson." As Jennifer


    was delighted with Joaquin''s reply, she took the opportunity to reiterate her past agenda.


    Katherine, who was drinking her soy milk, almost choked to death when she heard what Jennifer had


    said to Joaquin.


    She nced at Jennifer, feeling speechless at how Jennifer was grabbing each and every opportunity


    that she could get to urge her to give birth.


    Noticing Katherine''s stare, Jennifer couldn''t help but re at her unhappily. "Why are you looking at


    me? You''re not even listening to me when I talk to you about this matter. Don''t you want me to see you


    and Johdy have a child of your own even until the day I die? Johdy is a good person and treats you so


    well. So, what''s there for you to be worried about? Unlike your sc*mbag of a Dad, he certainly won''t


    abandon you under any circumstances."


    Katherine knew that Jennifer would never stop once she started nagging and lecturing, so she hurriedly


    raised her hand in surrender. "Grandma, I was wrong. I''ll listen to you. I''ll listen to everything you say,


    alright?"


    As he looked at how Katherine was powerless against Jennifer''s nagging, Joaquin couldn''t help


    chuckling.


    Joaquin couldn''t believe that Katherine, who was fearless and always calm in the face of any sort of


    encounter, actually acted like a child when facing Jennifer.


    Just like that, the four of them finished their breakfast in such a joyful atmosphere.


    Katherine was doing all the cleaning and washing when Joaquin suddenly received a call just as he


    was about to leave the dining table.


    He raised his brows slightly once he saw the caller ID. The smile on the corners of his lips faded a little,


    and his gaze turned cold.


    Then, he palmed his phone as he went to the side and answered it. He asked coldly, "What do you


    want from me?"


    "Listen to yourself! What kind of attitude is this? I''m your Dad! Is that how you talk to your Dad? Your


    Grandma is going to celebrate her 90th birthday in three days. Come home and bring along your wife,"


    John reprimanded Joaquin angrily before stating the primary purpose of his call as he was infuriated by


    thetter''s disrespectful attitude.


    Joaquin curled his lips into a sneer and said, "Got it."


    "Since you don''t live with us after you get married, your Grandma misses you very much. So drop by


    and stay for a few days whenever you''re free." Although John disliked Joaquin, he still spoke to him


    nicely and patiently, for he remembered Elizabeth''s order.


    As for Joaquin, he didn''t reply to John and simply pretended he heard nothing.


    John still felt his blood boil in anger even though he had long been used to Joaquin''s disagreeable


    personality. Nheless, he suppressed all his rage when he thought about the rumors circting


    outside and that he might have to turn to Joaquin for help.


    Joaquin hung up the phone with the corners of his lips curved into a mocking smile. Growing up in that


    family, I know they won''t take action without a clear target. They''re definitely up to no good, considering


    they personally take the initiative to invite me back to the Levisay Residence out of the blue and even


    specify that I should bring Katherine. Grandma''s 90th birthday? There''s still more than half a year until


    Grandma celebrates her 90th birthday. Organizing a birthday party at this period of time? Are they


    trying to make a fool out of themselves?


    Still, Joaquin didn''t decline the offer, for he, too, wanted to see what tricks the Levisay Family had up


    their sleeves.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He slid his phone back into his pocket, then walked over to see Katherine leaving the kitchen.


    "Kathy, apany me back to the Levisay Residence in a few days," Joaquin requested softly as he


    looked at Katherine.


    "Huh? Did something happen?" Katherine asked while raising her eyebrows and ncing at Joaquin.


    Considering Joaquin never once let the Levisay Family be involved in such a big event as our wedding,


    I know how bad his rtionship with the Levisay Family is. So, why is he suddenly going back to the


    Levisay Residence now?


    "Grandma is celebrating her 90th birthday, and she''s inviting us back to celebrate together with her."


    Joaquin twitched his lips into a sarcastic sneer, and a slight mockery sounded in his tone.


    Just one look at him and Katherine knew that Elizabeth would incite trouble. Also, she knew she


    wouldn''t need to prepare any gifts and could just go empty-handed.

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Three dayster, at the Levisay Residence, many luxury cars were parked outside the door. Even


    though there weren''t many guests, it was enough to show that the Levisay Family had put in some


    effort to organize the birthday party today.


    Katherine held Joaquin''s arm as they walked through the main doors, and the old butler came out with


    a wide smile.


    "You''re back, Master Joaquin and madam. Old Madam will be so happy to see you back," he


    weed, secretly giving Joaquin a look.


    Joaquin knew what he meant, and the smile on his face turned emotionless as he led Katherine into


    the manor.


    It was abuzz with life inside; people were gathered in small groups and chatting away happily. The hall


    was specially arranged for the party¡ªall kinds of food were served on a few long tables that were


    ced inside, and many balloons and ribbons were hanging around as decorations.


    Upon seeing Joaquin and Katherine, Hera quickly greeted them with a smile.


    "Oh, Joaquin and Katherine! You''re finally back! Your grandmother has been nagging for a long time.


    Hurry and take a look at her." With a smile, Hera paced forward, grabbed Katherine''s hand, and


    dragged her toward the living room.


    On the other end, Katherine didn''t struggle and simply let her drag her away.


    There were quite a few people on the couches, and she didn''t recognize most of them.


    Before she was there, they were still chatting in delight, but when they saw Hera dragging her over,


    they stopped talking and turned their gazes to Katherine.


    "Is she Joaquin''s wife?"


    "She''s quite pretty. Why didn''t you inform us when they got married?"


    "Exactly, Liz. Do you look down on us, the poor rtives, so that''s why you didn''t even inform us when


    Joaquin got married?"


    The women sitting around started to speak one after the other, especially the one who sat next to


    Elizabeth; after casting a snobbish look at Katherine, she said in a dissatisfied voice.


    Despite looking disgruntled, Elizabeth exined patiently, "Well, that''s because there was no time for


    that. Their wedding was in a rush, and¡ª"


    "My marriage is not up to the Levisay Family to organize," Joaquin said indifferently, cutting her off.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Instantly, Elizabeth''s expression shifted, and she reflexively threw him a re.


    Joaquin feigned ignorance as he pulled Katherine''s arm out of Hera''s hand. "Did you call me back for


    this?"


    "Watch your attitude! Is this how you were brought up? I''m your grandmother, Joaquin Levisay!"


    Elizabeth''s wrinkled face shook with anger, and she red at him with fury.


    However, Joaquin merely cast her a look of indifference. "Grandmother?" He snorted. "Are you fit to be


    my grandmother?"


    His words sent Elizabeth into a fit of fury that she nearly fainted. Instead, she held her chest as she


    started coughing violently.


    Hera hurriedly rushed to her side and rubbed her back to calm her. "Don''t be mad, Mom. Think about


    why we called them back. If Katherine really has great medical skills, you''ll still need her help to treat


    you, so you can''t fall out with them. Also, won''t our family do well in the future if we have a great doctor


    in the Levisay Family?"


    Elizabeth''s expression eased up a little, and her coughing subsided. Then, she peered at Katherine


    from the corners of her eyes. Although she wasn''t satisfied with Katherine, she suppressed her anger


    when she thought of her medical skills and the benefits she could bring to the Levisay Family in the


    future. "You''re Kathy, aren''t you? Since you''re married to Joaquin, that makes you part of the Levisay


    Family. I heard that you''re good at medicine. Come here and do a checkup on me," she said, extending


    her hand haughtily.


    Katherine gawked at her. She thought she had seen enough shameless people, but it was the first time


    she saw someone as thick-skinned as Elizabeth.


    "What is it? Hurry ande over." In her entire life, Elizabeth had never asked anyone for a favor


    humbly. Even though she knew that she was the one asking for help, she was still acting haughty and


    arrogant, as always.


    Katherine looked at her innocently while she gripped Joaquin''s arm. "Grandma, where did you hear this


    rumor from? I don''t know any medical skills. How can I do a checkup on you?"


    "You don''t know medical skills?" Elizabeth gave her a displeased stare. "Are you lying in my face?


    Everyone knows that you have medical skills. Hurry up and do a checkup on me. Recently, I have felt


    ufortable, especially in my neck, which is hurting very badly. You know how to massage, don''t


    you? Come here and massage my shoulders and neck."


    Katherine merely looked at her silently without giving her an answer, and this attitude of hers ultimately


    triggered Elizabeth.


    Thus, she mmed the table, straightened her back, and red at Katherine. "What? Are you defying


    my order? Believe it or not, I¡ª"


    "Are you nning to ask Joaquin to divorce me?" Katherine blinked innocently as she interjected and


    finished what Elizabeth intended to say.


    Right then, Elizabeth suddenly jolted back to her senses and turned to Joaquin, who was staring at her


    coldly. The contempt in his eyes was beyond what words could express, and the look on her face


    became even more sullen.


    In her ny years of life, this was the first time she felt so humiliated and embarrassed.


    Next to her, her younger sister, Mary, understood what the situation was about after listening in for a


    while, and she threw Elizabeth a taunting look, saying disparagingly, "It''s not that I want to criticize you,


    Liz. But, if you want someone to do a check-up on you, shouldn''t you at least be nicer? What kind of


    attitude is this? She''s married to your grandson, not sold to your family as an enved person. In this


    time and age, even a ve has human rights. The way you''re speaking is really unpleasant."


    Elizabeth''s expression was already sour, to begin with, and after Mary criticized her, she became even


    more frustrated, wishing that there would be a hole in front of her where she could crawl into.


    Seeing that the situation was turning bad, Hera rubbed her eyes and said pretentiously, "Kathy, don''t


    take it to heart if you hear something unpleasant. But, for the sake that she is an elderly woman and


    Joaquin''s grandmother, please do a check-up on her. If you think the problem lies in money, we can


    pay you as long as you name the price. We''re all a family. There''s no reason to turn this into a bad


    situation."


    Katherine looked helpless as she sighed, "What are you speaking about, Mom? If I know any medical


    skills, I''ll definitely take a look at Grandma, but I know nothing, really. I can''t just take a look at her


    randomly, right? I would havemitted a big offense if anything goes wrong, no?"


    "How can you not have any medical skills? It''s already in the news that your medical skills are better


    than those of specialists in big hospitals. You could even cure a person who has one foot in the grave,


    but Old Madam''s illness is just amon ailment of an old person. So you can definitely cure her,


    right?" Hera argued, looking at her angrily.


    For a moment, Katherine was stunned, and she instinctively turned to Joaquin and immediately noticed


    that his face was also twisted into slight shock at Hera''s words.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    "Kathy, you''re a part of the Levisay Family after you''re married into the family. Since you have the


    ability, why would you hide it? Old Madam is old, and as the younger generation, you should give her a


    checkup since you have such great medical skills so that she could live a long healthy life. Isn''t that


    what you should do as the younger generation? So why are you giving excuses? Or do you not take


    yourself as a part of the Levisay Family?" Hera sneered, seeing Katherine''s reaction.


    Although a small local media made the report about Katherine, they still had ways to find out the truth.


    Who would have thought she had such a massive ace up her sleeve when she looked so gentle and


    harmless? She''s actually a genius doctor! Hera thought, her heart filled with regret now. If she had


    known that Katherine was so capable, she wouldn''t have let her marry Joaquin. Such an amazing


    woman should be married to her son, Robert!


    At the thought of Robert, her eyes lit up slightly.


    Since the incidentst time, he has been constantly in a mentally unstable state. If Katherine''s medical


    skills are really that good, maybe she can also cure Robert of his mental illness!


    After all, even the top neurologist in the country was helpless and said that he couldn''t do anything


    about Robert''s illness.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Just the thought that there was a possibility for Robert to be cured, her eyes couldn''t help but glow with


    hope.


    "Mom, what rumor did you hear that says I know medicine? Why would I be snubbed in the Cornell


    Family if I really have such an ability?" Katherine exined helplessly with a sigh.


    "What? Could there be a mistake when it''s already reported in the news? I''ve seen your face, and they


    recorded the whole process when you were treating others. So, Katherine Cornell, you just don''t want


    to treat Old Madam, do you?" Hera was immediately peeved when she saw that Katherine was still


    refusing to act.


    The look on Elizabeth''s face turned even grimmer. "Forget it. We don''t have to beg them. Hmph, but


    remember this. After what you did today, don''te begging the Levisays if you run into any problems


    in the future."


    Katherine didn''t answer, and Joaquin pulled her along his side. Then, when he heard Elizabeth, he


    couldn''t help but chuckle. "Don''t worry, Old Madam. That won''t happen."


    "You!" Every word he said was irritating, and Elizabeth felt that if she continued speaking with him, she


    would pass out from the anger. She pressed her palm against her chest as she yelled, "Forget it, just


    leave¡ª"


    "Old Madam!" Her words sent a rush of panic through Hera because she was waiting for Katherine to


    treat Robert. If things really turned sour now and Elizabethpletely burned the bridge between


    them, how could she ask Katherine to treat Robert after this?


    She hurriedly opened her mouth and cut off Elizabeth, coaxing her, "Don''t be mad, Old Madam.


    Katherine is still young and ignorant. As their elders, we must teach them patiently and not get mad at


    them."


    When Hera put it that way, Elizabeth didn''t say anything else to drive them out despite her face


    remaining sullen.


    Only then did Hera breathe a sigh of relief, and she twirled to Katherine, speaking in an earnest tone,


    "Kathy, I don''t want to nag you, either, but you''re used to living outside since you were young, and you


    don''t know how it is to be in a family. But that''s okay. Since you''re married into the Levisay Family, I''ll


    guide you properly from now on. First, do a checkup on your grandmother. She has recently


    comined of a headache and feels ufortable all over. Today is her birthday. You can''t just


    trample over her face."


    Katherine merely smirked without replying as she looked at her dispassionately, making Hera


    ufortable.


    Before she could say more, Joaquin said icily next to Katherine, "It''s not entirely impossible for


    Katherine to have a look at Old Madam. Let''s do it ording to the rules. It will be five million for Kathy


    to check her pulse once. Pay first before she does the checkup."


    When Elizabeth heard the figure he was demanding, she was instantly furious and eximed loudly,


    "What? Five million? Is this a robbery?"


    It wasn''t that she didn''t have the money, but if she had to pay Katherine¡ªand only for the checkup¡ª


    she just felt ufortable no matter what.


    At the end of the day, Katherine was her granddaughter-inw, and she had never heard of a


    granddaughter-inw charging a fee for a checkup, which was so expensive.


    Even Hera felt her heart ache at the cost, but her ultimate aim was to see Katherine at work. Then, at


    least, she could see it for herself if Katherine''s medical skills were really so incredible. Hence, she


    squared her jaw and said decisively, "Fine. I''ll pay this fee! Mom, you''ve worked hard all your life, and


    it''s your birthday today, so take it as my gift to you. I''ll pay."


    Then, she swiveled around and went upstairs. Not long after, she came downstairs with a card and


    passed it to Katherine. "There''s five million in this card, and the password is six eight''s. So go and take


    a look at your grandmother."


    Katherine took the card and kept it away in her pocket without any intention of turning her down. The


    fury in Elizabeth''s heart burned even brighter seeing how Katherine acted. She could feel the rage


    surge within her, and no matter how she looked at Katherine, she just didn''t like the sight of her.


    She inhaled deeply before she threw Katherine a dirty look filled with outrage and hate from the corners


    of her eyes.


    Yet, Katherine was unbothered and stepped forward to feel Elizabeth''s pulse with her fingertips. A few


    minutester, she retracted her hand. "This is probably a problem you have had since you were young,


    Old Madam. There''s a blood clot in your skull that didn''t fade away. That''s why you keep having


    splitting headaches."


    After she finished her diagnosis, she spun around and returned to Joaquin''s side.


    "T-That''s it?" Hera gaped in shock as she merely heard Katherine mention the cause of the illness and


    nothing else.


    "Old Madam indeed has some health issues, but most of them are problems associated with age since


    people naturally have problems as they grow old. These are not huge concerns and couldn''t be cured.


    Just pay more attention to the daily diet and rest. Less oily and salty food, maintain a regr rest cycle,


    and exercise more. Then, the body will be fine." After some contemtion, Katherine felt it was unkind


    of her to say just a few words after receiving five million. So, she threw in a few more words.


    Meanwhile, Elizabeth almost passed out from anger at her, and she immediately questioned, "Since


    you know that I have a blood clot in my skull, do you know if there''s a way to cure it? You''ve received


    five million from us!"


    Katherine said seriously, "Five million is only the consultation fee. It doesn''t include the treatment fee.


    Besides, surgery is enough to remove the blood clot in the skull. Just go to a hospital and look for a


    brain surgeon, Grandma."


    Elizabeth started coughing violently from the anger. Before she could catch her breath, she heard


    Katherine saying mockingly, "Old Madam, you should be calmer at your age and don''t get agitated so


    easily. Getting angry would only hurt your body."


    "Kathy, don''t you have a way to cure her without going under the knife? You''re a genius doctor, aren''t


    you?" Mentally exhausted from how Katherine continued to act dumb, Hera could only bite the bullet


    and interfere when she saw that Elizabeth was about to start an argument with Katherine.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    "Well¡­" Caught in a dilemma, Katherine couldn''t find the words to say.


    Hera knew there must be an agenda, and when she recalled Joaquin''sments earlier, she smiled


    and said, "You don''t have to worry if the problem is money. Old Madam is a senior elder in our family.


    As long as you can cure her, we''re willing to fork out any amount of money."


    Still, Katherine remained quiet and turned to Joaquin. She wasn''tcking in money; whether it was five


    million or fifty million, it was merely a number to her.


    Joaquin knew what she was thinking, so he gave it a thought and said, "Forget the money, but the


    holiday resort at Mount Rivera looks pretty good. Use that as the treatment fee for Old Madam, then."


    He knew too well what was most profitable to the Levisay Group; the holiday resort at Mount Rivera


    was their biggest cash cow, and he reckoned that the Levisays wouldn''t hand it out so easily.


    "You''re dreaming!" But, this time, Elizabeth didn''t say anything. Instead, Henry, who was watching the


    show from the sidelines the whole time, spoke up.


    He glowered at Joaquin with a glum expression. "Since you don''t consider yourself part of the Levisay


    Family, why are you coveting our business? What now, Joaquin Levisay? You just can''t stand to watch


    us do well?"


    "Listen to yourself, Mr. Levisay. You''re the ones who said that you could agree to any condition as long


    as Old Madam can be cured. Now, we''re merely stating our terms, but you have so many opinions


    about it. Since you''re not sincere in having her treated, why did you ask in the first ce? Why? Did


    you really think that we''re going to do as you please just because I''m from the Levisay Family and


    Kathy is my wife? Back then, my mother had a gentle personality and was easily persuaded, but that


    doesn''t mean I took after her." Joaquin stared at Henry aloofly,pletely disregarding their father-


    and-son rtionship.


    A furious Henry didn''t expect that his unfilial son would dare to dishonor him before so many guests.


    He crossed his arms and said firmly, "If you want the holiday resort, that''s impossible. Fifty million. Cure


    her if you''re willing. Otherwise, forget it."


    "Fifty million? Do I look like Ick fifty million to you?" Joaquin sneered indifferently as he red at


    Henry icily.


    To Henry, his eyes were filled with provocation and contempt, and he trembled from the fury of being


    disrespected by his son. He red at Joaquin and wished he could p him hard across the face.


    "You want the holiday resort at Mount Rivera?" On the other hand, Elizabeth wasn''t mad and simply


    looked at Joaquin with a burning gaze as though she was trying to read his mind.


    Joaquin didn''t even flinch as he answered, "Yes."


    "Do you know how much it''s worth?" she continued to ask in a solemn voice.


    He looked at her with a faint smile. "In my eyes, it''s worth nothing."


    Elizabeth felt inexplicably guilty from his stare, and she didn''t even dare to look him straight in the eyes.


    After a long while, she finally sighed. "Okay, I agree to your condition and will give you the holiday


    resort at Mount Rivera."


    "I don''t trust you. Prepare the transfer documents first. Only then will Kathy treat you." Joaquin smirked


    as he cut off herst way out.


    Elizabeth gazed at him intensely, then raised her hand after a few minutes and gestured to Henry. "Go,


    Henry. Give it to him!"


    "Mom!" Henry cried out in dismay, but he saw the determined look in her eyes. Hence, he could only


    suppress his disgruntlement, turn around and contact thewyer to prepare the documents.


    In less than thirty minutes, thewyer delivered the file. Then, after Joaquin had gone through it


    carefully and was sure that there was no foul y, he passed it to Katherine.


    Katherine nced through it once and confirmed that the Levisays didn''t do anything on the


    documents. Despite that, she had a hunch that the holiday resort wouldn''t end up in her hands so


    easily.


    Finally, she picked up the pen, signed her name, and passed it directly to Henry.


    Henry signed and stamped it with a long face, then passed it to thewyer to have it notarized. The


    document was made into three copies¡ªone was given to Katherine, and thewyer had a backup


    copy. So, this matter came to an end.


    The people who attended Elizabeth''s birthday party today were all rted to the Levisay Family. They


    were a little resentful as they watched how Katherine got five million and even asked for the most


    profitable holiday resort from them effortlessly.


    "Can she treat Old Madam now?" Henry asked coldly, barely restraining his fury.


    "Sure." Katherine nodded and went straight to Elizabeth.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "We don''t have to go to the hospital?" Elizabeth gaped at her worriedly as she thought that Katherine


    was too young. Even though she could quickly diagnose the problem, it didn''t mean that she had terrific


    medical skills.


    Previously, she kept hearing about how amazing Katherine was from Hera, but she didn''t fully trust


    Hera''s words. Hence, when she saw that Katherine was about to get to work now, she couldn''t help but


    feel anxious.


    "No, it will be over soon." Katherine shook her head as she took a needle pouch from her bag and drew


    out a few silver needles. After she disinfected it, she felt the top of Elizabeth''s head a couple of times


    and swiftly pierced the needle in her hand into her head.


    "Ouch!" Elizabeth gasped instinctively out of pain while Hera watched on nervously, not daring to miss


    even a second.


    Katherine applied the needles so quickly that the people around didn''t even see clearly what she was


    doing. All they saw was a few silver needles sticking out of the top of Elizabeth''s head, with the ends of


    the needles shaking slightly. Katherine''s focus didn''t waver as she fiddled with the needles lightly, and


    a few minutester, she started to keep the needles away.


    Meanwhile, Elizabeth merely felt a surge of warmth flow through her body, and it was incredibly


    comfortable, as though she was soaking in a hot spring.


    When Katherine removed thest needle, Elizabeth felt refreshed. Then, she gurgled and threw up a


    mouthful of blood.


    "Old Madam!" Startled, Hera and Henry quickly rushed over to check out the situation upon seeing the


    big mouthful of blood that Elizabeth had thrown up.


    At the moment, Elizabeth was very energetic. Even though she coughed up blood, she didn''t feel


    ufortable anywhere. On the other hand, her head, which had always felt heavy, suddenly felt


    much lighter, and her tensed nerves seemed to rx.


    She couldn''t help but let out a sigh in her rxed state.


    "Ah!"


    Elizabeth''s headache had bothered her for decades. More than fifty years ago, a blood clot was left in


    her skull because of an ident, but as it was located in a sensitive spot, so the doctors didn''t dare to


    have it surgically removed. Therefore, it had stayed in her skull, and all these years, she had such


    splitting headaches that not even painkillers could have any effect on her when it got really terrible.


    Yet, she didn''t expect that Katherine could treat her illness after a few random pricks, and how she


    looked at her now had turned much kinder.


    "You''re good."


    Katherine kept the silver needles away professionally without saying a word, but Hera''s eyes were


    gleaming brightly.


    She walked over to Katherine briskly and grabbed her hand desperately. "Kathy, since you have such


    amazing medical skills, please take a look at Robert, then. He''s Joaquin''s brother, after all, and you


    don''t wish to see him live like this for the rest of his life, do you?"

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186


    "Don''t worry, money is not an issue to us. I will definitely pay you." Hera noticed that Katherine


    disagreed with her proposal and immediately understood her concern. However, Katherine merely


    shook her head. "It''s not about money."


    "What''s the problem then? Elizabeth had been ill for so many years, yet you cured her with just a few


    acupuncture needles. Robert has just fallen ill, so it shouldn''t be a serious problem. Why¡­" Hera


    started feeling anxious about her son''s current state when she saw that Katherine was a bit hesitant.


    "Well, there was a cause to Mrs. Levisay''s illness, so I knew how to cure it. But Young Master Levisay''s


    symptoms are caused by anxiety, and it is not something that a mere doctor like me could treat. So


    perhaps you should look for someone else." Katherine shook her head again and refused to treat


    Robert. Are you kidding me? I maimed Robert, and now you want me to help save him? He''s a


    scumbag and should be grateful that I did not paralyze him.


    "Why? How did it turn out like this?" Hera was deeply shocked and went into a state of utter


    stupefaction. Although Henry did not utter a word, he looked visibly distressed. He had hoped that


    Katherine could treat Robert''s illness. After all, Robert was more obedient and sensible than Joaquin.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "Wow, you''re so lucky to have such a capable granddaughter-inw. Her medical skills are definitely


    state-of-the-art. Since we''re all part of the family, your granddaughter-inw should also care for us if


    anyone in my family feels unwell in the future. Don''t you think such a thing is only logical?" Mary, who


    had just mocked Elizabeth, suddenly had a change of heart and started to butter up Elizabeth.


    Although Elizabeth was very contemptuous of Jennifer''s actions, she felt much better when she saw


    her sister''s humble sight. When the others realized the change in Elizabeth''s expression, they all


    startedplimenting her, and the whole living room turned lively.


    Katherine smiled in disdain at the situation and nced at Joaquin, who in turn sneered. He had long


    been ustomed to the shamelessness of the Levisay Family, so he pulled Katherine aside to a quiet


    corner while ncing at Elizabeth in the distance¡ªElizabeth was the moon at the center of a myriad of


    stars. He remained silent for a while. Only then did he ask her, "Did you really cure her?"


    "Yes," answered Elizabeth while drinking a ss of juice. Hmm, not bad. It is sweet andes with a


    hint of bitterness. Joaquin''s expression changed at once when he saw what she was drinking. He


    immediately reached out and grabbed her drink, which at that point was already half-empty. "Who gave


    this to you?"


    "What''s wrong? I took it while I was there." She looked at him, puzzled. She felt thirsty after performing


    acupuncture on Elizabeth, saw the colorful-looking juice, and did not hesitate to get a ss for herself.


    He could not help but frown and rub his temples in exasperation when he heard her innocent


    exnation. Finally, he said hurriedly, "We should go home now."


    "Why?" She was perplexed at his reaction, but he did not bother to exin. After all, the fact that her


    personality always changed after consuming alcohol and that she would do something out of the


    ordinary was not something he could exin well. Instead, he quickly pulled her out of the Residence


    and ordered her to get into the car.


    As she rolled down the car window, she could gently feel the cool night breeze blowing on her face.


    Within seconds, she wondered if it was her illusion because she started feeling a bit dizzy, her brain


    seemed to malfunction, and she could not think properly.


    She rested her chin on the back of her hand and stared at the scenery outside in a daze. Joaquin had


    already started the engine and was leaving the Levisay Residence. As soon as the wind started


    blowing stronger on her face as the car was moving, Katherine was already in a dazed state. She


    turned and looked at him, who was sitting beside her, with unfocused eyes.


    He dared not to stop to see her clearly muddled yet adorable state, so he stepped on the elerator


    and headed to Soulin International. Unfortunately, while they were in the middle of the journey, he


    suddenly braked and stopped the car on the side of the road.


    She gazed at him with her hazy eyes sensing the sudden halt in movement, and reached out to pinch


    his cheek. "Hey Handsome, you''re so good-looking. I''m sure I''ve seen you somewhere."


    Here we go again, thought Joaquin.


    "Why won''t you respond, Handsome? Do you have a girlfriend? What do you think of me?" She gazed


    at him while holding his face with both palms and pulled him closer toward her.


    He looked at the beautiful face drawing nearer and could not stop his heart from beating faster. They


    were so close to each other that he could sense her sweet breath intermingling with his, which made


    the atmosphere in the car inexplicably sultry. After all, he was a man with needs. How could he be


    totally unresponsive in that situation?


    Even though Joaquin knew that Katherine couldn''t hold her liquor and would forget what she said when


    she became sober, he still could not resist the temptation as he lifted her chin and asked, "You want to


    be my girlfriend?" It was getting hotter in the car, and his breathing was bing heavier.


    She chuckled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yeah. I don''t have a boyfriend. Mr. Handsome,


    will you take me home?"


    The moment she said those words, his face changed as he approached her and asked lowly, "Do you


    often ask other men to bring you home?" He thought of Noah for some reason. Judging from Noah''s


    age, she must have given birth to Noah when she was around neen.


    His eyes were gleaming with jealousy at the thought of her always being so addled every time she got


    drunk. Even he himself did not notice that he was so bothered by something like this.


    Katherine blinked nkly and looked as if she had difficultyprehending his words. "No, just you."


    "Really? Why am I the exception?" He did not want to pass up on such a good opportunity and asked


    seductively.


    "Because you feel familiar." She was unguarded when she was drunk, so she answered honestly.


    He was slightly moved at her answer and nned to get more out of her. "Then, can you tell me about


    your daughter..."


    "Daughter?" She repeated his word and looked more confused than ever while thinking hard about the


    term. After a while, a gleam of pain shed across her eyes, and she suddenly pushed Joaquin away.


    She held her head in pain as she yelled, "Go away! Don''te near me! Don''t¡ª" At that moment, she


    was crying like a wounded and helpless little prey, hugging herself tightly with both hands, whimpering


    softly.


    Joaquin was so distressed that he gave up asking her. He quickly got out of the car, opened her door,


    and pulled her out. "Don''t cry. I''ll just stop asking, okay?" He triedforting her.


    "Don''te near me! Don''te here! Go away!" She continued yelling as if she was trapped in a


    nightmare, and he could not pull her out of it. The only thing he could do was gently hug her in his arms


    and pat her on the back.


    She cried for a long time until she was tired and finally fell asleep in his arms. He nced down at her


    red and swollen eyes and sighed softly.

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Katherine woke up the next day and found herself tucked into her own bed with Noah beside her.


    Joaquin was still breathing evenly and sleeping on the floor. Perhaps it was the alcohol; Katherine felt


    like yesterday was just a dream because it was surreal. Just when she fell into a trance, she heard


    Noah calling for her and regained her senses.


    "Mom." Noah opened her eyes as she sensed movement beside her. She stretched out to grab her


    mother''s wrist. "Mom, don''t be afraid. I will protect you when I grow up."


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Katherine''s heart softened when she heard that. She reached out and gently pulled Noah into her


    arms. "Why do you think Mom needs protection?"


    "Well¡­ Noah will be very powerful in the future, and I will protect you." Noah tried to think of a


    good answer but couldn''t. So, she merely repeated what she said as she scratched her head and gave


    her a silly smile. Katherine simply treated Noah''s reply as a child''s babble. She raised her hand, flicked


    Noah''s forehead lightly, and then got up to prepare breakfast.


    Joaquin and Katherine had a tacit understanding about what happened yesterday, so he acted as if


    nothing had happened after she got drunk.


    As soon as Katherine finished her breakfast, her phone rang. She took a nce and frowned in slight


    annoyance but still answered the call anyway. "What''s the matter?"


    "Katy, do you know you''re a sensation now? How did you manage to cure Elizabeth yesterday?"


    Aberama''s voice sounded somewhat agitated over the phone.


    Katherine moved the phone away from her ear in distaste. She instantly knew what had happened, so


    she did not beat around the bush. "Get to the point, Aberama."


    "Well, the video of you treating Elizabeth went viral on the inte, and you became a sensation.


    Everyone is talking about you now. I knew some people had been trying to build up the momentum,


    and they were probably waiting for yesterday''s incident to be the climax. Now, everyone knows that


    your medical skills are so darn good that you can even bring the dead alive. So I''m estimating there will


    be long queues at your ce soon! Also, your secret identity as Mrs. Levisay has been exposed, so


    those people will probably try and beg the Levisay Family to get an appointment with you. There is no


    doubt the Levisay Family will be popr!"


    Aberama kept babbling without waiting for Katherine to respond. Finally, he stopped for a while before


    continuing in a rather dissatisfied tone, "Katy, I worked so hard to keep your identity a secret. Can''t you


    be more vignt?"


    "It''s obvious that someone framed me. So, I need you to check who''s pulling the strings behind the


    scene. Don''t forget to also find out who posted the video of me at Levisay Residence." She rubbed her


    temples while she was instructing Aberama. It must have been yesterday''s alcohol.


    Although she no longer wanted to keep a low profile, she had never entertained such an idea in order


    to be famous. But, now that her video had gone viral, it seemed she could no longer conceal her


    identity. She instinctively nced at Joaquin, who was not far away and felt troubled.


    After she hung up the phone, she knocked on the table before Joaquin and said, "Come to the room. I


    have something to tell you." He got up obediently and followed her. Meanwhile, Jennifer exchanged


    nces with Noah and shared a meaningful smile.


    Katherine sat on the bed and looked up at Joaquin once they were alone. "The fact that we went to the


    Levisay Residence has been revealed." She bit the bullet and broke the silence.


    "Okay." He did not sound surprised at all. He knew well that the Levisay Family would never pass up


    this great opportunity to publicize yesterday''s incident so that everyone knew how excellent Katherine''s


    skills were. By that time, many dignitaries, who were not able to contact Katherine, could only ask the


    Levisay Family for help. As a result, the Family could make huge and immeasurable profits.


    The Family would soon rank among the top ten families in the country in the next few years, with


    Katherine as their cash cow. By then, they could move from Hovington to Kynd and be part of the


    upper-ss society.


    "I suspect someone deliberately instigated Elizabeth to organize a birthday party. Also, you might get


    into trouble now that my identity is exposed. Be mentally prepared." She felt guilty as she coughed


    dryly and nced at him from below hershes.


    Nevertheless, Joaquin remained calm during the whole discussion. He merely looked at her with a


    strange smile but did not say a word. So, Katherine, forced to monologue, was unsure how to react.


    Thus, she figured fleeing would be her next best option to ease the awkwardness she was feeling. "I''m


    going to the research institute today. I''ll be taking my leave now." Then, she left without a hint of


    hesitation in her steps.


    Just when she arrived at her destination, she saw Theodore walking out anxiously. Theodore was


    stunned when he saw her but quickly stepped forward and pulled her aside. "Why are you here at a


    time like this? Go and hide in theboratory now."


    "What''s the matter?" She was bewildered at Theodore''s words.


    "The higher-ups areing for you. And I assure you, they aren''t bearing good intentions. They''re


    asking us to hand over the research result of the experimental drug, which I refused. They''re on the


    way here now. Go find somewhere to hide, and don''t confront them." He was pretty upset when he


    exined their situation as he pulled her toward theboratory''s direction.


    She froze for a bit when she heard his rification. It was only after a while that she looked at him and


    said, "Just give them whatever they want."


    "What did you just say?" He asked again in disbelief, thinking he might mishear things due to his age.


    "The result in itself is meaningless. Even if we give it to them, they won''t be able to reproduce the exact


    same experimental drug. So, just give them the result. Trust me. They''lle around and beg you. It''s


    not toote for us by then to take revenge." She sneered.


    These people saw that the clinical trial of the experimental drug had been sessful and would


    definitely bring in a lot of profits. And just like that, they could not wait to reap the benefits of the


    experimental drug without having to put in any effort. Did they really think that they could steal her


    achievements that easily?


    He carefully contemted her words, and in that instant, he figured out what she was trying to say. The


    experimental data was just a set of data, and the key was in the form, which was not owned by the


    research institute but by Katherine. The research institute was only responsible for conducting the


    clinical experiment.


    After he gave it some thought, he finally felt as though a boulder had been removed from his shoulders.


    "Okay, then. I''ll go and deal with them, and you wait here. They''ll be here soon. I guess that never in a


    million years would they have thought that the experimental data they worked so hard to get their


    hands on is just a stack of paper." As the thought crossed his mind, he was in such a good mood that


    heughed in amusement.


    She looked at his sudden change in mood and knew that he had been feeling aggrieved these few


    days but did not want to tell her for fear of adding to her burden.


    Just as he stepped out of theboratory, he happened to see those people from the Shioul Institute.


    They all looked so arrogant and indomitable that they made him gnash his teeth in frustration. "Dina, go


    and take the experimental data, give it to them, and tell them to get lost!"

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    Katherine and Theodore were just about to leave the institute together when they saw Joaquin''s car


    parked right in front of the institute, and he was leaning on his car, looking at his phone.


    Katherine was astonished to see Joaquin there. "Why are you here?" she asked.


    As Joaquin sensed someone was approaching, he looked up and stuffed his phone into his pocket. He


    greeted Theodore and only answered Katherine, "Well, I came to pick you up."


    "Pick me up?" She pointed at herself and asked in disbelief.


    Joaquin nodded. "Well, Ben told me about the issues you are currently facing. I looked at the time and


    estimated that you should be leaving the institute soon. So, I will be waiting for you here. Come, get in


    the car. I''ll take you to a ce." He then walked around the car and opened the car door for her.


    "I was nning to have lunch with Theodore." She was pretty speechless at his whim. Nheless,


    she still got into the car as he told her, and only then did she tell Joaquin her initial n.


    "It''s okay," said Joaquin before turning to Theodore and smiling. "Where are you heading to, Mr.


    Muller? I can give you a ride and treat you to dinner another day."


    Theodore merely waved his hand. "Don''t mind me. I don''t want to be third wheeling. I can go home by


    myself. So don''t worry about me."


    "We''ll invite you to dinner some other day for sure." Joaquin did not even bat an eye even after hearing


    Theodore''s words. It was as if he just wanted alone time with Katherine that he nodded at Theodore,


    got into the car unceremoniously, and was more than ready to leave.


    At the same time, Shane was seen stumbling and running out of the institute with a group ofckeys.


    He even shouted from afar, "Mr. Muller! Mr. Muller, w¡ªwait for me!"


    Theodore was wearing a cold expression and did not even bother to look at Shane as he sauntered to


    the intersection. Joaquin nced at Katherine subconsciously when he heard Shane''s shouts and


    asked her with his eyes how she wanted to proceed with the situation.


    "Aren''t you taking me somewhere?" She leaned back against the seatzily and looked indifferent.


    Joaquin saw her attitude and knew that she also could not be bothered, so he smirked and stepped on


    the elerator.


    As Shane watched the car speed away, his face was full of despair, and the only option he had left was


    Theodore. So, he quickly caught up with Theodore and tried courting him. "Mr. Muller, it was all my fault


    just now. I am a b*stard and was too eager for quick sess and profits. Please don''t mind yourself


    with the likes of me, and don''t close down the research institute! Please convey my apology to Miss.


    Cornell as well, as I never intend to offend her. It would be even better if you could introduce me to


    her."


    "Are you talking to me?" Theodore, who was staring at the road, looked up at Shane. Shane was


    excited that he finally got some response from Theodore, so he looked at Theodore with anticipation in


    his eyes.


    "No way. I''m not free as I''m going on vacation. You''re blocking my way, by the way." After he finished


    speaking without missing a beat, Theodore stretched out his hand, pushed Shane aside, and left


    without waiting for another second.


    Shane knew that he could no longer savage the situation and cold sweat dripped from his forehead as


    he looked at Theodore''s back anxiously and helplessly. He wanted to chase after Theodore, but he


    feared he would anger him even more. There was nothing else he could do.


    The news of Raven Research Institute''s closure reached Kynd in no time. Those higher-ups at


    Shioul Institute were so pissed at Shane that they reprimanded Shane and immediately arranged for


    someone to Hovington, hoping to mend fences with Theodore. But they were more interested in


    Katherine and sent their agent over, intending to invite her to work at Shioul Institute. If Katherine


    agreed to join them, their institute would rise to be the best research institute in the country!


    On the other hand, Katherine looked at the sea of flowers in front of her and turned to Joaquin with


    doubts on her face. "So¡­ This is the ce you want to bring me to?"


    In response, he coughed to hide his embarrassment, but that was not enough as his face turned red


    involuntarily while the tips of his ears were also pinkish. Finally, he avoided her gaze ufortably and


    said, "Well¡­ This is the famous sea of   flowers in Hovington. There is also a "marriage tree" over there.


    Legend has it that a couple can grow old together if they hang a lock on the tree."


    "Do you really believe in this?" She was quite surprised to hear him say that as he did not strike her as


    someone who believed in tales.


    Joaquin scolded Ben a million times in his heart. If it were not for Ben''s wed suggestion that couples


    usually dated at romantic ces like the sea of flowers, he would have never brought Katherine here.


    He just wished he could dig a hole in front of him right now and bury his head in the hold in that instant


    because he could see her slightly disgusted expression.


    "Ben was the one who told me that. If you don''t like this ce, then we..." Joaquin coughed and said


    almost subconsciously as a defense mechanism.


    However, Katherine had already taken two steps forward, and she could not hear his words clearly


    because his voice was not loud. She turned and asked, "You were saying?"


    "Nah. Nothing." He returned to his senses and answered quickly, so she continued walking forward.


    The sea of     flowers was indeed beautiful, covered in red, pink, blue, and purple flowers. One could also


    see colorful butterflies among the flowers. Katherine never knew such a ce in Hovington; that was


    her first time there. She could not help but get mesmerized by the fairnd-like ce. And the more


    she paid attention to the flowers, the more she realized that the flowers had actual medicinal purposes.


    Although they were not precious, they were all over the mountains. It must have been arge project,


    not to mention that they were maintained very well.


    "Is this ce a private property?" asked Katherine as she did not see any tourists nearby.


    He shook his head. "Not a private property. Though, there are workers who take care of the flowers


    specifically here. These flowers were nted more than 20 years ago. I heard that the person who


    manages this mountainous area is a flower lover, so he nted flowers here every day for five years,


    covering hundreds of acres of mountains with all kinds of flowers. The ce gradually became famous,


    and more and more people visited."


    "But there''s no one here?" She looked around, and there was no one except for them.


    "Well, I have reserved the venue just for us today." Joaquin touched his nose when he said that in a low


    voice.


    Katherine could not help but tease him, seeing his embarrassed reaction. "Reservation? What other


    surprises have you prepared for me?"


    "No more. Let''s just continue walking, shall we?" He quickly shook his head as he felt a little nervous at


    that moment, and he had not felt like this for a long time, ever since he went on the battlefield to kill an


    enemy¡ªthis situation with Katherine was arguably even more nerve-wracking. He never knew his


    heart could beat that fast, let alone the feeling of rising temperature on his face.


    The two walked along the path between the flowers and soon saw the ''marriage tree''. The tree in front


    of them had withered and lush unknown vines wrapped around it. Because of its reputation as theOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.


    ''marriage tree'', it was covered with colorful streamers and locks of various shapes. Beneath the tree


    stood a wall filled with love messages from those who previously visited.


    She nced at the messages and smiled. What childish oaths. She then raised her head and looked at


    the floating pink streamers. The words were faintly visible to her, but she couldn''t see them clearly


    because the streamers were quite far away.


    At that moment, Joaquin came over and handed her a pink streamer. "Write your wish on it and try to


    throw it upward and see if it hangs on the tree. The higher you throw, the more likely your wish will


    come true."

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    "What a childish person." Katherine rolled her eyes before she threw the item to Joaquin and walked


    ahead.


    Joaquin looked at her retreating figure before gazing at the item in his hand. When he was about to


    catch up with her, he saw her returning to snatch the item to throw it away. After that, she continued to


    walk ahead with a stoic expression, acting as if nothing had happened.


    He raised his head in astonishment and noticed that the item that Katherine had randomly thrown was


    now at a high position on the marriage tree.


    There was a sudden warmth flowing through his heart as he couldn''t help but smile before he briskly


    caught up with her.


    Katherine continued to walk ahead without a care for what had happened.


    The scenery here was lovely with the birds chirping and fragrant flowers, leaving in its wake a faint


    scent that made people happy and rxed.


    "Can I meet the owner?" she asked Joaquin after walking for a while.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Sure. He lives in this scenic ce, but doesn''t usually interact with visitors," he replied with a nod as


    he quickly nced at Katherine. Then, he stretched his hand out to gently grab her hand.


    She wanted to struggle, but she didn''t know what she should think and dismissed her thoughts while


    allowing Joaquin to guide her.


    Now that he had made the first move, he was secretly ted.


    It felt like the current him was now back to his studying days when he had a crush on a girl for many


    years andter found the opportunity to hold hands with her. Such an action filled his heart with


    indescribable excitement and stimtion.


    Both of them had walked slowly along the path that led to the mountains and soon arrived at the top.


    There was a church at the top of the mountain. Due to its age, it had a strong aura of sandalwood and


    loads of historical memories.


    Yet, there were no priests around partly because there were no worshippers today, and there were few


    candles lit.


    As both of them entered, Katherine looked up at the statute of Jesus before she withdrew her gaze.


    Then, Joaquin took her to the house in the backyard.


    The backyard was a quiet area because barely anyone would visit, but there was a wide range of


    medicinal herbs. She was shocked at the sight because it would have been impossible for those herbs


    to grow if they did not have a solid foundation. Since the person was able to grow those herbs, it meant


    that he came from a respected background.


    "Sir, are you at home?" Joaquin called out as he stood at the door with Katherine and did not rush in.


    It was obvious that he respected the man a lot.


    She became more curious about the said person''s background.


    The door creaked open to reveal someone wearing a blue shirting out. He stood at a height of 185


    cm and had a slender figure while radiating an aura of someone isted from the world.


    When Katherine looked at him, she was slightly shocked because she somehow felt drawn toward the


    man in front of her.


    He had a clear and gentle expression. After exiting, he looked at Joaquin and nodded before he turned


    his attention to Katherine again. When he saw Katherine''s face, he was just as shocked and it took a


    long time before he regained hisposure and asked, "And you are¡­ Elsie?"


    "Huh?" Katherine never expected that she would hear him mentioning her mother''s name and


    subconsciously frowned.


    At such a response, he realized that he had been slightly rude and changed his expression.


    He also realized that the girl standing in front of him could never be the Elsie Olsen he remembered.


    Even if it was Elsie, she would be someone in her golden years because he was already in his forties


    whereas the girl in front of him looked like she was around 23 to 24 years of age.


    "Sorry for being rude. Why don''t you guyse in and have a seat?" The man quickly regained his


    composure and never brought up the topic of Elsie again. He merely turned around and led both


    Joaquin and Katherine inside.


    A doubtful Katherine followed the man inside.


    Joaquin was still holding Katherine''s hand and told her to walk behind the man while introducing the


    man''s identity. "Hisst name is Grant. He is associated with the Grant Family of Kynd because he


    is the son of their current patriarch."


    Such ast name was familiar and she quickly remembered Kian Grant.


    The young man looked like he was of the same age as her and bore the same birthmark as her.


    While she was thinking about it, Katherine had already arrived at the courtyard with Joaquin. There was


    a pavilion in the area with loads of peony; since it was the time for the flowers to blossom, it left visitors


    with a refreshing andfortable feeling.


    "Please." Josiah Grant gestured an invitation to encourage Joaquin and Katherine to take a seat.


    There was a garden table at the pavilion with chairs surrounding it and a garden essory of a purple


    pot. It was obvious that Josiah would swing by this area to have tea whenever he had time on his


    hands.


    Katherine generously sat down while he turned around to boil water to prepare tea.


    "Do you know my mother, sir?" she asked as she watched Josiah''s back, while the familiar feeling grew


    even more.


    Okay, as far as I can remember, I have met someone like him when I was younger. Back then, I was


    only a year old, so I have vague memories of this. Even though I only remember his behavior, I''ll never


    remember the wrong person.


    He skilfully began to make tea and smiled gently after hearing her question. Then, he raised his head


    and looked at her while replying, "Nope, I don''t know her."


    When Katherine heard Josiah''s words, she sighed with regret and softly murmured, "Really? I thought


    you knew her. Before my mom died, she always mentioned a person, but he unfortunately never


    appeared."


    Josiah''s hands trembled when he heard her words, which caused the hot tea to spill and scald the back


    of his hand. As a result, the back of his fair hand suddenly reddened.


    However, he felt no pain and continued what he was doing earlier without any pause.


    Katherine understood that he knew her mother when she saw his reaction, but he didn''t want to admit


    the truth for some reason.


    She also did not continue to probe, and merely enjoyed the tea with Joaquin in leisure.


    Josiah had remained silent from the beginning and merely sipped his tea. There was hesitation in his


    eyes because his mind had already drifted off a long while ago.


    "Oh, and since you are living on church grounds, are you a priest by any chance?" Katherine drank her


    tea and noticed that Josiah looked lost before she asked curiously with a gentle smile.


    "I own thend that sits on the mountain, so you can regard me as the caretaker of the church." His


    hand shook a little, and he spilled a little of his tea before he answered.


    "Oh, I see. What''s yourst name? I treated a patient before with thest name of Grant and you bear


    strong resemnce to him, so I''m not sure whether you two are rted," she said deliberately as she


    laughed and rolled her eyes.


    "It''s probably a random dog." Josiah failed to sense Katherine''s ruse because there was nothing to


    hide.


    "That''s the weirdest part. He has the same birthmark as me and it''s even at the same spot. Don''t you


    think it''s odd?" She poured herself a cup of tea before she gazed at him with a smile.


    It was enough for his hand to tremble once again, and the cup in his hand fell to the ground


    immediately and shattered into several pieces.

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    "Sir?!" Katherine intentionally eximed in surprise.


    This time, Josiah couldn''t maintain his usual indifference. Expression dark, he stood up with anger in


    his amber eyes. When he heard Katherine calling out to him, he only threw her a nce before


    uttering, "It is gettingte. Please go back."


    After saying that, he ignored Katherine and Joaquin before he unhesitantly left.


    Katherine thoughtfully looked at his retreating figure and when her eyes fell on the coffee table, she


    saw a bit of his blood on the broken teacup.


    She stayed still for a second before she took a tissue from her pocket, carefully wrapped the teacup,


    and put it in her pocket.


    Joaquin was full of questions when he saw her actions, but he didn''t ask about it.


    They continued to sit there for a moment before they got up and left the church.


    At the same time, Josiah had entered a room as he held a pocket watch with a photo on it in his hand.


    The beaming woman in the photo had eyes filled with happiness.


    He stroked the woman''s face with his fingers, and only asked softly after a long second had passed,


    "Elsie, why did you lie to me back then? Why didn''t youe with me? If only you knew how much I


    have missed you everyday all these years."


    The couple took a shorter time to get down from than get up to the hill. The sky was still bright by the


    time they got to the foot of the hill.


    While sitting in the passenger seat, Katherine kept her eyes closed as she thought about Josiah''s


    reaction earlier. Seeing her deep in her musings, Joaquin slowly drove them away from there in fear of


    breaking her concentration.


    Katherine finally came back to her senses after a moment. She only took out the broken porcin from


    her pocket and set it aside when she realized that they were already on the highway. "Tell Ben to help


    me do a paternity test."


    "For you and Mr. Grant?" Joaquin looked at her in confusion, in which Katherine nodded.


    "His reaction earlier was odd. Also, I already knew five years ago that I am not Jorge''s daughter."


    "Alright. I will let Ben know." Joaquin''s eyes fell on the tissue wrapping the porcin pieces, seemingly


    in a trance.


    So Katherine is the daughter of the Grant Family? he thought. If that is so, doesn''t this mean that she is


    of noble birth?


    The Grant Family was the one who truly stood at the top of the pyramid. As for Josiah, he was


    supposed to be the heir of the family. However, he had abruptly left the family 20 years ago for reasons


    unknown, only to send a three-year-old boy back to them. He had told them that the boy was the heir of


    the Grant Family that he had found for them.


    The Grants'' initial reaction was shock and rejection, but the boy had won them over by disying


    maturity and intelligence that three-year-olds shouldn''t have. He had then be the youngest head-


    of-household in the history of the Grant Family.


    It was unprecedented for a three-year-old to be the head of household, and yet Kian had managed to


    pull it off.


    He had thoroughly made the Grant Family through his own hard work. He might have been able to do


    more if it weren''t for his poor health since birth and the fortune that deemed it impossible for him to live


    past the age of 25 years old.


    Joaquin had had the chance to have dealings with Kian. Even a man as proud as Joaquin was full of


    respect and admiration for Kian. However, Joaquin would never have expected that Kian might be


    Katherine''s older brother and in other words, his brother-inw¡­


    At that, Joaquin couldn''t help thinking how the world was indeed small.


    It was getting dark when the two returned to the city. Joaquin first sent the blood sample to Ben''s clinic


    and instructed him to do a paternity test as quickly as possible, and then returned to Soulin


    International with Katherine.


    They had just opened the door after reaching the 18th floor when Katherine realized something was


    wrong.


    Not only were the doors of both houses open, there was a constant noiseing from inside.


    Heart skipping a beat, Katherine quickly walked into her house, only to find what a mess the ce was


    in. She could still hear Jennifer''s angry roar.


    She immediately walked to the living room with her face dark, and as expected, Jennifer was sitting


    there flushed with anger.


    Beside her were an emotionless Keith and a fuming Tiara.


    Seeing that Katherine had returned, Tiara abruptly stood up and ran over to grab Katherine''s hand. She


    was visibly upset when she began toin, "My dear sister-inw, I am so d you are back! That


    old woman suddenly ran into the house and said that you are the granddaughter of the Rosenburgs,


    and she wants you to go back to them with her so that you can marry that useless young master of the


    Brown Family. Don''t you think she is annoying? She is being too much!"


    Katherine was slightly startled when she heard the words. With a frown on her face, she looked at the


    ''old woman'' Tiara was talking about. Isn''t that Mrs. Emma Rosenburg who I met just a while ago? she


    thought as she looked at Emma''s face.


    Emma was about to blow her top any time now. After ring at Tiara, she proudly mocked, "What


    nonsense are you spouting, you silly girl? Why are you calling her your sister-inw? She is not your


    sister-inw! Who the hell are the Fosters even? You are nothingpared to the Rosenburgs! The


    Brown Family is one of thergest families in the capital! It is Katherine''s luck to be able to marry


    Young Master Brown!"


    Being able to ride the Brown Family''s coattails was probably due to the good karma the Rosenburg


    Family had umted over generations.


    The Brown Family was now in their prime but unlike them, the Rosenburgs were getting worse day


    after day. The Rosenburg Family were bound to meet their demise if the situation persisted.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    However, Jacob Rosenburg didn''t seem to care at all. He even thought that Emma was delusional, and


    was stirring things up for no reason.


    After being promised by the Browns, Emma could no longer hold back, and had stomped to Katherine''s


    house with some muscles in tow in order to drag Katherine back with her.


    "Bullsh*t! Kathy is my granddaughter! She has nothing to do with the Rosenburgs! No means no. Don''t


    me me for not holding back if you continue yapping away here!" Jennifer was so enraged she


    started cursing.


    Of course, Emma wouldn''t take Jennifer''s attitude lying down. Her face was flushed when she stood up


    and looked at Jennifer and chortled, "You old bag! Your daughter slept with my son, had his child, and


    even wanted to marry into my family no matter what. Who could the child possibly belong to, if not the


    Rosenburgs?! Don''t give me that crap about how the age doesn''t match. You can fake ages! She


    definitely is the Rosenburgs'' granddaughter! I am taking her with me no matter what! Try stopping me


    again, you old woman, and I won''t go easy on you no more! No one can stop me¡ª"


    As Katherine listened to the arrogant words Emma spat, the former''s beautiful face gradually turned


    cold before she calmly interrupted Emma, "Mrs. Rosenburg, you seem to have forgotten one thing."


    Hearing that, Emma looked at her in confusion. "What did I forget?"


    "You have no say in whether or not I am rted to the Rosenburgs. I have to be the one to admit it.


    Also, with how the Rosenburgs are now, you have no right to tell me what to do. I want you to get out of


    my house right this instant. Or else, don''t me me for disrespecting my elders."

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    "H-How dare you?! So this is how you were brought up! The Olsens really didn''t educate you well, eh?


    But it doesn''t matter. After I bring you back to the Rosenburgs, I will teach you well and let you know


    how you should respect your elders." Emma didn''t think Katherine would show her such disrespect.


    Does she not understand what the Rosenburg Family represents? Even though the Rosenburgs are


    now down-and-out, the bigshot of a man, Alex, will definitely take care of the Rosenburg Family if he


    stays alive and wakes up. It will only be a matter of time before the Rosenburgs rise up again and


    be a giant among giants. Does Katherine not know what she is missing out on by giving me an


    attitude? Emma fumed.


    She was extremely upset and disappointed in Katherine.


    However, Katherine let out a disdainful smile and looked at the olddy in front of her coldly. "Respect


    my elders? Do you think it''s honorable to demand respect because of your age? You will have to


    excuse me, then. In my eyes, only people who respect others deserve to be respected. You obviously


    aren''t one of them."


    "You!" Emma was so angry that she almost fainted.


    She clutched her chest and gasped for breath, all the while looking at Katherine with disappointment


    and hatred in her eyes.


    Damn b*stard child is the same as her spineless mother! Not only does she not know how to act


    ording to the situation, she doesn''t think about what is best for the Rosenburgs!


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    The thought of Elsie only further fueled Emma''s hatred.


    The Rosenburgs won''t have fallen to where we are not if Elsie hadn''t seduced my son!


    "Enough with the pleasantries!" Emma had finally lost her patience, and she turned to her underlings


    instead. "You guys, go ahead and tie her up. It is fine if she doesn''t obey. She will be obedient after we


    teach her a lesson! Katherine, quietlye back to the Rosenburgs and wait for your wedding with


    Young Master Brown if you know what is best for you. And if you don''t listen, I will not spare your


    grandmother, your brother, and your b*stard daughter. I will make it difficult for them to do anything in


    the country so that they wish they were dead!"


    The two bodyguards came up swiftly and were about to capture Katherine and take her away when


    Joaquin stepped forward, coldnesscing his handsome features. He then looked at the bodyguards


    with apelling gaze like that of a venomous snake.


    The two bodyguards were also people who had taken lives before when they killed many people on the


    battlefield back then, but when they met Joaquin, they still felt a pressure that was so suffocating they


    couldn''t breathe.


    This kind of absolute oppression made them unconsciously take a step back, their faces turning pale.


    "What are you all doing? Just do it already!" Emma'' temper immediately red when she saw the two


    men step forward and not only did nothing, but instead took a step back.


    Joaquin''s eyes were like a hard knife as they swept toward Emma. "You mean you want to steal my


    woman?"


    "Who are you calling your woman? She is the granddaughter of the Rosenburg Family. I have the final


    say on who she marries!" Emma barked firmly.


    "Even Jacob wouldn''t dare to talk to me like this in front of me. Even if you have someone powerful


    backing your family, he still stays respectful with me. How dare you try to steal my woman!" Joaquin


    snorted softly as he exuded a murderous air.


    The two bodyguards were, in fact, startled. They knew that they had met someone worthy of them


    calling their opponent. Joaquin definitely was stronger than the two of them. He was not someone they


    could win against.


    The two of them couldn''t even dream of fighting with Joaquin as they only stared straight at him, their


    faces horror-stricken.


    "How presumptuous of you! How dare trash like you say my son''s name?! You are just a Levisay! It is


    just a matter of a few words if I want your family to go bankrupt! You better not piss me off! Get out of


    the way without putting up a fight, and let me take Katherine away. Or else¡ª" Emma was shaking from


    anger as she pointed at Joaquin and cursed.


    However, he only ignored her while he took out his phone and scrolled through his contact list before


    he dialed a number.


    Emma was still in the middle of biting Joaquin''s head off when she suddenly heard an imposing voice


    from the phone. "Hello? What are you calling me for?"


    "Long time no see, Mr. Walton," Joaquin casually greeted with a small smile on his face.


    "Oh, it is you, Johdy. Long time no see indeed. What is the matter? Are you calling me for something?


    Who was talking just now? She sure sounded cocky. Hmph!" The answer that came from the other end


    of the call had a hint of dissatisfaction.


    Joaquin was the person in charge of Area Seven, and he had unfathomable strength. It was because


    he ruled Area Seven that he kept the country''s borders safe by stopping many crimes from happening.


    "I am sure you are not unfamiliar with her. She is Emma Rosenburg from the Rosenburg Family. She


    said that she wants my wife to go back to the Rosenburgs with her and marry the young master of the


    Brown Family. Mr. Walton, I am almost 30 years old. It wasn''t easy for me to get a wife I love. s, it is


    my fault for being ipetent. Not only was I born into an ordinary family, I can''t even protect my own


    wife as I watch her being taken away right in front of me. I can only ask you for help, Mr. Walton."


    Joaquin sighed, looking weak and helpless like he was being bullied.


    His words were met with silence from the other end of the call for a long minute, and it sounded like


    something had fallen.


    Emma was startled at first, but then she reacted and couldn''t help sneering, "You are a joke, Joaquin


    Levisay. You think that you can make me believe your lies just by making a phone call to scare me? Let


    me tell you now that you can never! Katherine is a member of the Rosenburg Family, so she will


    definitelye back with me. It is up to me who the granddaughter of the Rosenburg Family will marry.


    If I say she has to marry the young master of the Brown family, she will marry the young master of the


    Brown family. But you are right about you being the one to me because you were born in a family


    like the Foster Family with no influence and no backing. The Rosenburgs have Mr. Arthur Walton to


    support us!"


    Dejected, Joaquin let out a long sigh again. "You heard that, Mr. Walton? It all boils down to me being


    ipetent."


    The corners of Katherine''s mouth immediately twitched, and she nced at Joaquin silently. She never


    knew that he could act pretty decently!


    "Emma Bet! What the hell are you talking about?! Is Joahdy''s wife someone your family can steal


    as you please?! I don''t care what rtionship you have with her. I am warning you. If you dare¡ª"


    "Bah! You are getting into your role, aren''t you? Who the hell are you to be pretending to be Mr.


    Walton? You think I don''t know him and can''t recognize his voice? Do you really think you can easily


    fool me just because I am old? Dream on! Even if someone of importance is here today, I am bringing


    Katherine home with me! Let''s see who dares to stop me!" Emma spat, cutting Arthur off.


    Arthur was stunned after hearing that. This was the first time in his years of being alive that someone


    hadn''t held back at chastising him.

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    "What are you staring at? I didn''t pay so much money just for you to stand there like a backdrop! Get


    her out of here! Just beat ''em up if anyone refutes my orders! I don''t care if they''re dead!" Emma lost


    her patience.


    She had made a pact with Warden Brown that she would make sure Katherine was sent to his bed


    tonight. As a return, the Brown Family would give half of the profit of their most profitable project to the


    Rosenburgs.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Despite their opulent facade, the Rosenburg Family was actually a hopeless mess. Jacob ran the


    business with integrity as he would rather minimize the profit just to keep his integrity business.


    Although thepany still formed partnerships with many customers in the long run, the money raked


    in was not enough to sustain the expenses of the Rosenburgs.


    Every time Emma enjoyed tea with her friends, jealousy grew in her whenever the other party showed


    off.


    Now that she had the opportunity to shore her family up to the top echelon, how could she possibly let


    it slip through her fingers?


    The project offered by the Brown Family worthed a staggering of billions of dors!


    The duo exchanged looks before removing their coats and tossed them onto the ground. "Sorry,


    granny. I''m afraid we can''t execute your orders. We''ll quit our job and exin everything to Mr.


    Rosenburg."


    They then made themselves scarce.


    It was not a joking matter as their legs trembled at the sheer sight of Joaquin. If they got into a fight,


    even ten of them would stand no chance against him. Furthermore, they were not deaf; although


    Emma was oblivious of who Joaquin gave a call to, the voice sounded familiar to them.


    They went to war back then, hence they were very familiar with Arthur''s voice.


    Staring at the running figures, Emma was so livid that her vision went pitch-ck and her body teetered


    as she almost fell into a swoon.


    Katherine did not even spare the old woman a nce. Instead, she faced the two bodyguards who


    already ran to the door. "Come back here and take her with you. This is not a dumping ground. We


    don''t ept trash here."


    How could they say ''no'' to her? They returned meekly and grabbed Emma to haul her out of the house.


    "Let go of me! Let me go! Katherine Cornell, how dare you?! I''m your grandmother. Your biological


    grandmother! That old woman is up to no good. She''s lying to you!" she roared while the men dragged


    her out.


    To her dismay, Katherine straight up closed the door and her voice could not be heard. Once the ''trash''


    was disposed of, Katherine looked at Jennifer with crossed arms. "Any exnations of what''s going on


    around here? Hmm?"


    Feeling guilty, Jennifer gazed at Joaquin with pleading eyes.


    However, he was helpless too. Now that Katherine was genuinely angry, he touched his nose and said,


    "Grandma, did something happen between Mom and Kathy back then? Why don''t you tell us about it?"


    Knowing that she could not keep them in the dark any longer, she sighed before recounting everything


    that had happened between Elsie and Joshua to Katherine honestly, "Kathy, it''s not that I didn''t wanna


    tell you. I thought I won''t have anything to do with the Rosenburg Family back then. That''s why! And I


    never expected them toe up to our doorstep. That old hag is one shameless woman!"


    "True. She is so brazen to have the guts to bully you!" Tiara nodded vigorously while putting in good


    words.


    "Yeah. Kathy, that shameless old hag. She scolded me!" Keith was vexed as well.


    Katherine nced at him. "Why are you here? Is there nothing to do at school? Didn''t you promise me


    that you''ll study hard?"


    "Kathy, I already miss you. And Grandma too." He hugged Jennifer''s arm in grievance as he stared at


    Katherine with puppy eyes.


    "You''ll get it from me once we return home." Her mind was in a mess, for she was aware that she could


    not be Joshua''s daughter.


    There was one thing Jennifer did not lie to Emma¡ªKatherine''s birthdate. In other words, Elsie was


    pregnant with another man''s baby after leaving Joshua.


    The past hurt Katherine''s head. "Grandma, do you know who my mother went out with after that?"


    Jennifer shook her head with certainty. "She married your father not long after she left Kynd. Then,


    we had you."


    Seeing how assured Jennifer was, Katherine figured that something had happened to her mother after


    that, which Jennifer did not know of. Therefore, she stopped the inquiry.


    Since many things at home were ruined because of Emma, Katherine phoned Savannah to do


    something with the Rosenburg Family in order to remind Emma of her family''s ce.


    In the meantime, the two bodyguards were dragging Emma along down the stairs. Her mouth did not


    stop running in rage even after she entered the car. "What are you guys doing? Let me back in! If I


    don''t take Katherine with me, I won''t¡ª"


    Before she could finish her words, her phone rang. The ire in her appeased once she realized that it


    was her son calling.


    Once the call was connected, Jacob''s incensed voice resounded. "Just when are you going to stop


    causing trouble? Isn''t it enough to have Joshua dead? Are you going to bring the whole family down


    before you stop?! Why did you offend Katherine? You even lost Mr. Walton''s favor! And we''re doomed


    now! Are you happy, huh?!"


    His reproval put her into a trance as it took her a while to respond, "W-What did you say? What do you


    mean by we''re doomed now? Jacob, are you joking? Why would we be done for? We have Mr. Walton


    with us! And Joshua has regained consciousness. Our family will only get better and be the true


    topdog. We''ll¡ª"


    "Stop daydreaming already! Do you think Joshua will help you? Don''t you know why he took the shot


    for Mr. Walton back then? It''s because he lost the will to live! If it wasn''t for you, if you didn''t separate


    him from Diana and forced him to marry Mr. Walton''s daughter, he wouldn''t have done that. Mr. Walton


    has contacted me saying that he''ll never protect our family anymore. Oh, and what about the Brown


    Family? They can''t even fend for themselves! Once we get into trouble, they''ll be the first to fall! You''re


    on your own now!" He did not want to talk to her any longer as he terminated the call after yapping.


    Meanwhile, she sat right there with a pallid expression as though her strength was drained out.


    Are we really doomed? But why?

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    "Is something on your mind?" asked Joaquin, who got out of the shower only to see Katherine


    absorbed in her thoughts with her cheek resting on her palm.


    She turned her head reflexively and looked at him.


    Since he just took a shower, the moisture on his body was notpletely dry. In addition to that, the


    loose bathrobe vaguely revealed his masculine chest, which could make one get the wrong idea. She


    had always heard of people describing a woman luscious, but she never expected it to be the suitable


    word to depict Joaquin at this very moment.


    This man was attractively demonizing, especially that face of his; it would not be an exaggeration to


    describe him as the Statue of David.


    ording to Katherine''s memory, Hera and John did not look like that. Thus, Katherine assumed that


    Joaquin took after his mother.


    Katherine''s scorching gaze made his heart race as he approached her closer. It was not until a hot


    breath caressed her face that she finally pulled herself together. She blushed upon realizing that she


    had been staring at his face.


    As though nothing had happened, she turned her head elsewhere to not look at the man. Never in her


    wildest dream had she foreseen herself to be distracted by one''s beauty.


    It''s all this man''s fault! Why is he seducing me after taking a shower?


    She took a deep breath before giving a response nonchntly. "Nothing. I just thought of Grandma''s


    words."


    "Do you think that something doesn''t fit the puzzle for what had happened that year?" He


    comprehended the meaning behind her words. After taking a seat next to her, Joaquin dried his hair


    with a cloth while asking in anguid manner.


    She was repulsed by the close proximity out of instinct. At this moment, every breath of his brushed


    across her ear and her heart was beating uncontrobly.


    It was the first time she had ever experienced such a feeling.


    Fanning herself while moving to the other side, she hummed in response.


    "Too bad it took ce years ago. It won''t be easy to carry out an investigation due to the undeveloped


    technology back then, but I''ll take note of it and look into it for you." The burning tip of her ear made his


    heart skip a beat as he brusquely pulled her into his embrace.


    Katherine shrieked in surprise and fell into his arms. Anxious and repulsed, she ced her hands


    against his chest while her little face was all beat red.


    Joaquin lowered his head to gaze at the woman, who was frantic like a little rabbit. Feeling his heart


    pounding crazily against his chest, he inhaled a deep breath before propping her chin upward to force


    her meet his eyes.


    Her heart was palpitating as well. Although she wanted to shove him away, her limbs were sapped out


    of energy to do so. Never once had she been so helpless before, not even in front of her enemies.


    Her reaction elicited a low chuckle from him as his body shook lightly.


    She pushed him slightly away with reddened eyes, and in an enticing voice, she pleaded, "Let go of


    me."


    "No can do. Katherine Cornell, I''m serious about you, and I hope that you''ll consider me seriously. I


    think I''m not that bad. I should fit your taste well. What do you say? Hmm?" Joaquin pulled the hum


    while looking at her with a raised eyebrow, looking all attractive.


    Katherine barely gulped down her saliva and she almost nodded in agreement. Yet, she immediately


    came back to her senses and pushed him away abruptly.


    Due to her unexpected reaction, he flopped backward onto the bed. Since he rested his hand around


    her waist, she fell andnded on him steadily.


    Still hugging her waist with one hand, he smiled mischievously. "What''s wrong? You can''t wait any


    longer, can you? I don''t mind speeding things up, though."


    "Joaquin Levisay!" An embarrassed Katherine punched his chest lightly.


    He held and pulled her little fists to his lips to give them a kiss. "Katherine, I mean it."


    Hearing that, she fell into silence by pursing her lips instantly.


    "I like Noah. It won''t be bad to have a daughter like her. She seems to like me too¡ª"


    "I don''t like you!" Noah pushed open the door and yelped at Joaquin furiously before he could finish his


    words.


    Following that, she yanked Katherine out of his embrace and stood forward as she looked at him with


    eyes of wary and hostility. " I don''t like you! I don''t like you! I don''t want you! Don''t take my mother


    away from me! You''re all bad guys! Anyone that''s gonna take her away is bad! I hate all of you!"


    She behaved so vehemently that her petite figure was trembling. Next, she buried her head into


    Katherine''s arms and began to cry in grievance.


    bbergasted, Katherine stared at the poor girl as she could not grasp the situation yet.


    Joaquin was equally nonplussed either, for he had been getting along with Noah pretty well. He even


    gave her some hints and she agreed to be the matchmaker. So, why did things turn out to be like this?


    "Alright, Noah. Don''t cry. No one''s gonna take me away from you. I''m forever yours." Now that Noah


    wailed her eyes out and she could barely catch her breath, Katherine patted her back helplessly.


    The girl cried and sniffled non-stop while hugging onto Katherine''s thigh tightly. After a while, she finally


    lifted her head to look at Katherine. "R-Really? Is no one going to take you away from me? That old


    woman s-said I''m an illegitimate child, a-and that you''re going to marry and have kidster. Then, you''ll


    abandon me. M-Mom, I don''t want you to marry anyone. I don''t want brothers or sisters. I can''t lose


    you. I want you¡­"


    Words scarcely escaped her lips through her broken voice. It pained Katherine to hear that as she


    finally understood why Noah was suddenly pushing Joaquin away.


    He sighed after which he crouched to pull Noah lightly into his embrace. "Now, now. Why don''t we stop


    those tears first?"


    She stared at him with teary red eyes. The tears stopped, but her shoulders were still quivering.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He wiped off her tears. "Don''t listen to that old woman''s nonsense. Your mother will never leave you.


    Even if you have a younger brother or sister, she won''t abandon you either. Noah, think about it. Don''t I


    treat you well?"


    Noah recalled her memories and she was sure that he treated her well despite the short period of time


    they spent together. Hence, she nodded honestly.


    "Then, did your mother abandon you when I got together with her?" he questioned patiently.


    Her body shrank as she sneaked a peek at Katherine before looking at him. She could not understand


    it all of the sudden.

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    "Noah, think twice. Didn''t I treat you way better once your mother and I got together?" Joaquin held


    Noah''s hands in an attempt to guide her.


    While Noah was confused, Katherine stared at the man as the corner of her lips twitched.


    This shameless man. He''s trying to change her mind.


    At that moment, Noah''s head was buzzing in haziness by his questions and shepletely forgot to


    cry. She merely stood right there in nk with a confused expression.


    Seeing how calm she was, he continued with his reasoning, "So, Noah, you don''t have to worry about


    anything. Even if your mother gets married, she won''t abandon you. Instead, you''ll have another


    person to love you. Don''t you want a father? Other kids have one. And your father will give you hugs


    and kisses as your mother does to you."


    She was nowpletely dumbfounded as she zeroed in on him nkly without any other responses.


    "It''s that old woman that is unhappy with her own life. No one loves her, so she''s jealous that you have


    someone to love you. She said those on purpose so that you''ll get into a fight with us. Noah, you


    shouldn''t trust others that easily. You should learn how to judge, okay?"


    Kaatherine could not bear the sight of how the man was behaving at the moment. After confirming


    Noah was wearing a nk expression instead of an aggressive one, Katherine shook her head and left


    the room.


    Standing by the doors were Keith and Jennifer, who gave Katherine a worried look when she came out.


    She kneaded her temples and reassured them sinctly, "Noah''s fine."


    Almost instantly, the duo heaved a sigh of relief.


    "It scared the hell out of me. Noah has been silent after that biddy bbered nonsense. She wouldn''t


    speak to me no matter what I said. Thank goodness she''s fine." Thest thing Jennifer wished for was


    to see a silent Noah. That little girl was a reticent one, and an addition to autism, she confined herself


    in her own world.


    Not long ago, the knot between Katherine and Noah was untangled thanks to Joaquin. They seemed to


    have reconciled, but their rtionship returned to its original state right after Emma spouted nonsense


    and no one expected it.


    "Aren''t you going to bed?" asked Katherine as she realized the two of them kept ncing at the room.


    "Oh¡ªUs, right. Good night," they replied while looking into the room.


    Without a second thought, she closed the door at which Joaquin''s voice could be scarcely heard. It was


    so gentle that it could rx one''s mind automatically.


    A gratified Jennifer took hold of Katherine''s hand. "Johdy is a good man. Kathy, you gotta treat him


    well. Don''t let him down. Do you hear me?"


    The end of Katherine''s lips twitched. "Grandma!"


    Red perfused her cheeks and Jennifer stopped the teasing upon knowing how shy she was.


    "Now, now. Keith, hurry and go to bed. Good night." Jennifer yawned and hushed Keith to leave.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "Grandma can go to sleep, but not you. Follow me to the study." Katherine grabbed his cor.


    He turned his head to Jennifer with pleading eyes, but the olddy gazed at the ceiling as though she


    saw nothing.


    "Kathy, Kathy. I was wrong. Please forgive me¡­" cried the man as Katherine dragged him to the study.


    She pushed him into the room before crossing her arms. Her cold gaze fixated upon the pitiful man.


    "Spill it. Why are you here? Didn''t I tell you not to return until you graduate?"


    He took a glimpse at her furtively. Once he was certain that she was not genuinely angry, he breathed


    a sigh in relief and put in good words for himself. "My project happened to be making headway, Kathy.


    So, my professor gave me a holiday and I''m back to see you and Grandma."


    "Hovington is not safe. Get back to Kynd immediately. At least I know you''d be safe there. If you''re


    here, I can''t guarantee your safety." She sighed.


    "Can I stay for a few days before leaving? I hadn''t stepped out of the research institute for three


    months. I''ll be a good boy." He put his hands together to her face.


    It melted her heart to see him behaving this way. "Only for two days. I''ll ask someone to send you back


    by then."


    Jorge pampered Keith into a spoiled brat in the past until something happened to Elsie and Keith grew


    up into a matured man overnight. Although he still appeared to be the punk kid he had once been, he


    was actually a hard-working person.


    Katherine knew how hard life had been for him. Staring at the spare figure before her, she could not


    bring herself to be harsh to him.


    Still, many people were rounding up in Hovington due to their grandmother''s issue. Since they could


    noty a finger on her, there was a chance they might shift their target on Keith and others.


    Thus, Katherine could not allow him to stay in such a perilous ce.


    "Kathy, you''re the best." His face brightened at the drop of the hat as he hugged and swayed her arm


    lightly.


    "Stop acting like a big baby. You should go to bed now. You can stay in Hovington, but on the condition


    that you won''t cause trouble out there. Just stay here and apany Grandma." Katherine tapped his


    forehead.


    Drawing a deep breath, he covered his forehead before grinning sheepishly.


    She gave him an eye-roll in response to his silly behavior. "Ugh. How is someone like you the country''s


    national talent and a member of the national research institute? Chop, chop, chop. Off to bed now."


    He responded and left instantly.


    She sighed after which she turned on herptop to send Xavier a message. ''Keep an eye on those


    people in Hovington. Inform me if you find anything weird and look into who they''re keeping in contact. I


    wanna know who they are.''


    ''Noted,'' he responded.


    Katherine then returned to her room since it was gettingte. Joaquin was leaning against the


    headboard whereas Noah was already fast asleep with her head resting on his arm; it was a


    wholesome picture to relish in.


    Katherine paused momentarily before approaching them. "Is she sleeping?"


    "Hmm. Not long ago. She spoke a lot to me. She even told me to treat you well and mustn''t bully you.


    Otherwise, she''ll put up a dead fight with me," he cooed and gazed at Noah gently in the meantime.


    Katherine smiled helplessly, for it was indeed something that Noah would say.


    At the same time, there were a few silhouettes shrouded by the darkness in a manor located in the


    suburbs of Hovington. One of them sounded gruff. "ording to our sources, the mysterious medical


    professor is indeed Katherine Cornell. Kidnap her father and brother, Keith. He has returned to


    Hovington recently. Bring them to me."

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    "What''s this? How could anyone dump trash into someone''s house?" Jennifer, who was ready for a


    morning jog, saw a discarded box at the doorstep. Given how there was no courier receipt on it, it


    seemed to be a prank.


    Instinctively, she reached out her arm to throw it away. However, the content fell out of the substandard


    cardboard the moment she picked it up.


    "Ah!"


    A couple of minutester, Katherine was in the living room with a cruddy box ced in front of her. The


    finger in it was appalling and the blue diamond ring it wore seemed familiar.


    There was also a bloody memo alongside it.


    She took it to read the chicken-scratch words. ''Jorge Cornell is in my hand. If you wanna save him,


    come to the Ewing Factory within two hours. After that, I''ll chop off his finger with every hour that you''re


    late.''


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    She put the memo back and stared at the finger in silence.


    She could recall something about the blue diamond ring. It was Jorge''s favorite ring and it was a very


    expensive one. Now that the Cornell Family was announced bankrupt, he began to keep a low profile.


    He had been staying under the radar probably because he was aware that he did not have the chance


    to make aeback.


    Even Katherine barely remembered his existence. Once she found out that he was kidnapped, mixed


    feelings were churning in her stomach.


    "Kathy, you mustn''t go! Have you forgotten how Jorge treated you and your mother? His life and death


    has nothing to do with us. You can''t take the risk for him. I forbid it!" Jennifer insisted on disagreeing


    with the risky decision upon reading the content on the memo.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was all quiet as he merely watched Katherine.


    "Grandma." She picked her words carefully in her head. "Jorge is wrong, but he can''t just die in their


    hands. He''s the cause of Mom''s death and I haven''t got to the bottom of the truth yet. I need to know


    how she died. Please, let me go."


    "Impossible! I''ve lost your mother and I can''t lose you too. Can''t you let me live at ease? I''m just an old


    lady. If I take another blow again, I might lose my life." A crying Jennifer drubbed her chest. No matter


    what Katherine said, she would never let her granddaughter risk her life.


    Fear had never swallowed Katherine one bit when she faced the world''s most dangerous virus, but


    Jennifer''s tears rendered her helpless. After a while, she finally relented. "Fine, Grandma. Stop crying. I


    won''t go, alright?"


    As she had caved in, Jennifer stopped crying before ring at Keith warningly. "Yes, you must not go!


    And you, Keith. Never set your foot out of the door. Those people have no heart. Who knows if they


    want to kidnap you? Jorge has nothing to do with us. We can choose to not save him, but you''re


    different. If that eventes to pass, your sister will save you even if it costs her life."


    He touched his nose innocently. "I didn''t say I''m going outside, Grandma."


    "I know you like the back of my hand, young man. I overheard you when you were over the phone.


    8.00PM at Blue Diamond Club? If you go there, you''ll be abducted for sure. They''ll chop off your fingers


    and maybe even your ears!" She snorted and raised her chin pridefully.


    Katherine narrowed her eyes coldly at him.


    This brat is going out without my knowledge?


    The revtion by his own grandmother pricked Keith''s guilty conscience. When he noticed Katherine''s


    gaze, he lifted his hands mid-air cowardly. "Sorry, Kathy. I really didn''t wanna go, but they kept ringing


    me. They said I should join them because it''s been a long while since thest time I was here."


    "How did they know that you''ve returned?" She frowned, sensing that something was off.


    He was baffled too. "I''m not sure about that."


    "Who called you?" questioned Katherine.


    "Jack. We''re quite close before this. When I was in trouble, he was the one informing you secretly."


    Keith leveled with her since he dared not hide anything from her.


    "Call him right now." Her fingers tapped on the couch as she lifted her chin at him.


    Obediently, he fished out his phone and contacted Jack.


    "Hey, Keith. Are you on your way now?" Jack picked up the phone very soon.


    Keith nced at Katherine before answering, "Nope, but how did you know that I''ve returned to


    Hovington? Who told you?"


    "Doesn''t everyone know about this? They told me and specifically informed me to bring you along.


    What''s the matter? Are you still up for it? I''m heading out now. Need a lift?" Jack replied naturally.


    "Who are they?" inquired Keith.


    "Is this an interrogation? Why are there so many questions? It''s Bentley and the gang. I''ve been


    hanging out with them after you left for Kynd. They''re quite the wild yers. I heard there''s some hot


    chicks joining us today. It''ll be your loss if you don''te." Jack smiled sinisterly upon giving the hint.


    Keith flushed instantly as he retorted, "Cut it out! I''m not that kind of person!"


    "Tsk. Stop pretending. It''s me! Your bro! Enough of the talking, Bentley is phoning me. I gotta go." Jack


    wanted to hang up the phone upon scolding him.


    "Wait," Katherine piped up when she had been quiet the whole time.


    Hearing her voice, Jack paused for a moment and did not terminate the call.


    After a moment of silence, she continued, "Come to Soulin International. I''ll ask the guards to let you


    in."


    Despite the doubt, Jack dly responded since he was close with Keith and recognized Katherine.


    An hourter, he arrived at the destination.


    "Katherine, are you looking for me? What''s the matter?" He entered and smiled at her.


    She observed him from head to toe before motioning him to sit by lifting her chin after which he


    followed. "Katherine, I didn''t teach Keith anything bad. I''m just inviting him to hang out with us. If he


    doesn''t want to go, I won''t say anything."


    She nced at him differently withoutmenting on his sayings. "Not this. Don''t go to Blue Diamond.


    Keith is their target."


    As soon as she said that, his phone rang and he took a glimpse at it. "It''s Bentley and the gang."


    "Pick it up and put it on speaker."

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    "What is the matter with you, Jack? Why isn''t anyone here yet? We are all waiting at the Blue Diamond.


    Also, is that punk Keithing or not? You promised me that you would bring him here. Do you not


    want the project in Ewing?" Bentley''s arrogant voice came from the other end of the call.


    Hearing that, Katherine raised her eyebrows and looked at Jack, who was visibly embarrassed. Jack


    then huffed, "Who are you saying wants the Ewing project? Stop shooting your mouth! Keith and I both


    can''t make it because we have something else to attend to. Let''s do this some other day¡ª"


    "You better think this through, Jack," Bentley coldly interrupted before he finished his words with a


    threat. "If you reject me today, not only will you lose the project in Ewing, it will probably be tough for


    the Fosters to live another peaceful day in Hovington."


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Jack''s expression changed, and he hung up the phone without saying a word.


    Katherine finally understood the reason Jack cooperated with Bentley by luring Keith to the Blue


    Diamond Club.


    "Are the Adlers very influential in Hovington?" Katherine looked at Joaquin and asked for his opinion.


    She knew a lot about the Foster Family''s situation, but she had never heard of the Adlers before.


    "They are just so-so. They are a third-rate family that does not have a big business, but there is a


    member of the Alders who works in the municipal partymittee. He has some influence that allows


    him to get certain projects that are not particrly important. So yes, they are somewhat influential in


    Hovington." Joaquin pondered for a moment as he tried to recall Bentley.


    It was also thanks to Bentley being a scum who did scummy things and even joined in on the


    smuggling of F&D that Joaquin knew a little about the Alder Family, as Bentley was on Area Seven''s


    watch list.


    "Ha, the system is in shambles now? He is doing whatever he wants just because he has some


    connections?" Katherine let out a sneer. She was just about to take out her phone to send a message


    to Savannah and have her handle the Alders when Joaquin spoke.


    "The Alders is also connected to the abroad F&D group. Area Seven has been following after this line,


    and it is almost time for us to pull the. Since they can''t wait to get themselves killed, I will fulfill their


    wishes. You can cease action."


    He threw her a nce after saying that.


    Guilty, she quietly rubbed her nose.


    After her real identity was known, it seemed like she barely had any secrets left she was keeping from


    Joaquin at this point.


    Katherine was more than happy to let him protect her when he wanted to do so.


    He then called Jeremy and instructed him to seal off the Alders, and even get rid of the person in the


    municipal partymittee.


    At the same time in the Cornell Family''s vi, Rosemary was as pale as a sheet of paper as she fell to


    the ground looking unkempt. Beside her was a heavily injured Lisa.


    Lisa''s eyes were filled with fear as she looked at the group of men in ck who suddenly barged into


    their home. She didn''t have a clue about what was happening.


    "W-Who are you? What are you trying to do?" Rosemary tugged at her cor and asked in a shaky


    voice.


    The man looked down at her before bringing a foot up and stepped on her chest. The pain almost


    made her spit out a mouthful of blood.


    Her face only got whiter at this point. Fear began to consume her as she looked at the man dressed in


    ck.


    "W-We can give you anything you want. Don''t kill me. Please, don''t kill me." She was finally scared.


    She had been living a life that was worse than death these days.


    Not only did the Cornells go bankrupt, the Levisayspletely denied her rtionship with Robert after


    he went insane.


    She initially thought that she could threaten the Levisays with the baby in her belly, but she had


    miscarried for no reason. On top of that, she had had so many miscarriages that her doctor had told


    her that she would never get pregnant again.


    Her life with Lisa these few months had been so unstable that she decided to return to the Cornells


    when she could no longer put up with it.


    Rosemary would never have thought that she woulde across these men as soon as she stepped


    into the house.


    The man took out a cigarette and held its butt between his lips before he lowered his head and peered


    at Rosemary from the corner of his eyes. "Are you close with Katherine Cornell?"


    Hearing that, she struggled to lick her dry and cracked lips. "S-She and I¡ª"


    "Don''t even try to lie to me." He shut down any chances of her telling him a lie.


    Not brave enough to try speaking nonsense, Rosemary gulped before she answered truthfully, "We


    don''t have a good rtionship. She is the daughter of my father''s ex-wife. She did something shameful


    five years ago, and was kicked out of the family by my father before she returned to Fontan."


    "You are an honest one, aren''t you?" Seeing how obedient she was, the man removed his foot from her


    chest.


    She felt relieved in that instant. As she sat up clutching her chest, her eyes shone and she suddenly


    offered, "Are you trying to go against Katherine? I have a way that she definitely will fall for."


    "Oh?" With his interest piqued, the man now looked at Rosemary with a different gaze.


    Rosemary looked excited as she blurted out, "I have something that she will be interested in."


    "What is it?"


    "The truth about her mother''s death back then. I have a video file. Katherine will know what it is as


    soon as she sees it. You can show her the first half. After she sees it, she will definitelye to ask for


    the second half." Rosemary''s tone was extremely determined.


    Katherine had always cared about Elsie to the point where the former had been investigating Elsie''s


    death all these years. Rosemary was sure that they could sway Katherine with that.


    "Give it to me." Both the man''s gaze and aura changed slightly.


    Rosemary, however, didn''t notice anything out of ce. This was herst trump card she had kept


    hidden that would also be used to save her life in the future.


    She naturally wouldn''t be bringing something so important around with her.


    And no matter how dumb she might be, she could tell that the man didn''t have good intentions.


    Even though she really wanted to use the person in front of her to kill Katherine, saving her own life


    was the most important thing to Rosemary.


    And so, she only replied after mulling over it. "I can give it to you, but you have to let me go."


    "Let you go?" With a half-smile on his face, the man now looked at her as if she had cracked a joke.


    Rosemary wasn''t afraid as she raised her chin and looked at the man. "My mother is still in your hands.


    I won''t just leave her and escape on my own. I will go get you the video while my mother stays here.


    You can kill her if I dare run away. I definitely will not run away. Trust me on this."


    The man started pondering after he heard her words. Thinking that he didn''t have a better method to


    trick Katherine intoing out, he agreed, "Fine. I will go with you."


    It was useless for them to hold Jorge captive since Katherine didn''t seem to care at all.


    And it wasn''t like they could kidnap Keith, who was outside of Soulin International.


    Now was their only chance.


    Katherine had something very important that they were determined to obtain.


    After pulling Rosemary to her feet, the man walked out of the house with her.

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198


    Rosemary directly took the man to a bank not far from the Cornell Residence. Seeing the displeased


    expression on his face, she tried to exin, "I stored it in the safe of the bank because it is an


    important item."


    The man didn''t say anything even after hearing the words. He only pushed her so that she would walk


    faster.


    As soon as the two entered the bank together, someone approached them to ask what business they


    had there.


    Rosemary stole a quick nce at the man before she handed over the VIP bank card she brought


    along. "I want to pick something up. Please arrange it."


    The clerk took the card and looked at it. "Please head over here to the VIP lounge to rest for a while. I


    will immediately notify our manager toe and help you with it." After leading the duo into a room,


    she turned around and left to get the manager.


    Rosemary''s forehead was now covered in cold sweat from the nerves.


    The clerk soon returned to them, this time followed by a gentleman wearing sses with a gold chain.


    As Alto Riverdale smilingly entered the room, his eyes looked at the man beside Rosemary from head


    to toe before he turned to ask Rosemary, "Good day. Miss Cornell, I presume? I am your exclusive


    manager, Alto Riverdale. What can I help you with today?"


    "I opened a safe at your bank before. I would like to take out the contents," she replied after smiling


    back at him.


    After Alto further inquired about her request and he confirmed that she indeed had kept something


    stored in their bank, he ordered the clerk to get it while he sat there chatting with Rosemary.


    However, the man beside Rosemary was beginning to get impatient as he frowningly looked at Alto


    with cold eyes. Alto could feel the overwhelming hostility from the man, but he still acted as if nothing


    had happened.


    The clerk soon came over. "Miss Cornell, we have confirmed that you have opened a safe in our bank.


    Do you need to retrieve your item now? We will need you to collect it in person. Pleasee with me."


    She gestured for Rosemary to follow her after she said those words.


    As Rosemary stood up, the man behind her hugged her by the waist and threw her a warning look.


    There was only a sh drive in the safe. After Rosemary read out the password, the clerk proceeded to


    open the safe.


    Rosemary then took the item and passed it to the man. "This is the thing you wanted."


    Right when the man took the sh drive, Rosemary abruptly ran away from him and hid behind the


    clerk and shrieked, "Help! He is a kidnapper! He is going to kill me!"


    The clerk''s expression swiftly fell when she heard the words, and she cursed Rosemary inwardly, but


    still she quickly reached out and sounded the rm.


    The moment the rm rang, the man didn''t even have time to get angry as he dashed out of the bank


    with the sh drive in his hand.


    It was only until he had disappeared that Rosemary''s legs lost their strength, and she plopped onto the


    floor. The back of her torso was now drenched in cold sweat.


    Her expression, on the other hand, was unusually excited and deranged.


    The content of the sh drive was real, but it only contained the first half of the evidence. As long as


    the man sent it to Katherine, she would definitely be fooled when she saw it, and she would definitely


    die then. Rosemary couldn''t help chortling at the thought of Katherine dying a tragic death.


    The bank clerk was slightly worried when she approached Rosemary to help her up. "Miss? Are you


    alright?"


    Rosemary only swatted her hand away, and after lifting her chin, she strutted out of the bank proudly.


    ¡­


    At Soulin International, when the second package appeared in front of Katherine''s house, it had been


    two hours since Jennifer received thest package.


    In it was another one of Jorge''s fingers, a sh drive the kidnapper sent along with it, and a note with


    two sentences written in messy handwriting.


    "Kathy, surely they didn''t put a video of that b*stard Jorge getting his finger chopped off in this?"


    Jennifer asked worriedly as she stared at the baby pink sh drive.


    Katherine didn''t answer as she inserted the sh drive into theputer. Clicking into it, there was only


    a video that disyed the time it was taken, which was eight years ago.


    Katherine felt her forehead throb when she saw the time.


    Elsie had been killed eight years ago. Not only that, the date on the video was the same as the date the


    incident happened.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Katherine had a rough guess of what the video was about, and she quietly watched it after clicking into


    it.


    Elsie and Jorge didn''t exactly have feelings for each other when they got married. Eight years ago,


    Jorge had already gone public with Lisa, but Elsie wasn''t bothered by it at all as she only calmly filed


    for divorce.


    At that time, Jorge only managed to climb up the socialdder with the support of the Olsen Family.


    Even if he didn''t care about Elsie, he couldn''t really separate from her. After all, he would be nothing


    with the Olsens.


    Katherine could clearly see from the video that Elsie was gravely injured, and was barely alive as she


    lay on the ground. However, Lisa still stalked over arrogantly and squatted down in front of her. After


    she said a few words to Elsie, thetter''s eyes suddenly went dim, as if she hadpletely lost the


    courage to live.


    The video was obviously edited as it had no beginning nor end, and only had the middle part.


    Katherine''s fists were balled up by the time she finished watching the video. As she red at the image


    on her screen, she started typing away on her keyboard.


    However, she spent the next 30 minutes on a fruitless endeavor.


    She couldn''t recover the parts of the video that were edited out because this wasn''t the original file.


    Jennifer had been watching from the side as well. She felt her heart tear when she saw the image of


    her daughter being so weak and helpless. "Kathy! That barbarian!" she howled.


    Katherine nced at Jennifer as she reached out to grab her hand. "Grandma, I will avenge my


    mother. I will also take back everything that has been taken away from the Olsens."


    Despite her reassurance, Jennifer still looked worried. "Can we win against them, Kathy? They keep


    themselves hidden in the dark, and they¡ª"


    "There is no need to be afraid, Grandma. I will protect Kathy. No one can hurt her." Joaquin suddenly


    reached out and ced his hand on the back of Kathy''s hand as he brought Jennifer''s hand together


    as well.


    Katherine turned to look at him then, only for him to sh her a gentle smile, a determined look in his


    eyes.


    Ufortable with his gaze, Katherine quickly looked away. She was still not used to having him


    standing behind her to protect her. As someone who was used to being alone over the years, she was


    comfortable with doing things herself. It felt weird to her that there was someone who would protect her


    now.


    He didn''t force her to ept him as he calmly began to break things down. "The reason they got this


    video and sent it to you must be to trick you into going to the Ewing Factory in Ewing. I am guessing


    that they have an ambush ready there. You can''t go."


    "No, I am going," she replied firmly. Her face was frigid as she took her hand out of his palm and stood


    up. "I have to get to the bottom of my mother''s death myself. Jorge definitely knows something. I still


    don''t know where some of the things that belonged to the Olsens disappeared to. I need him to give


    me an answer."

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199


    "I will go with you." Joaquin stood up and looked at Katherine with a burning gaze.


    They still didn''t know how many people there were, but Joaquin knew that their opponents were


    ruthless. There was no way he could feel at ease about letting her go to the appointment alone.


    Even though he knew that she was not a weak woman, he didn''t want her to face everything alone.


    He wanted to stand behind her and be her shelter.


    She then turned her head and smilingly looked at him. "Do you think they can do anything to me?"


    "I am your man. I can''t just watch you march into the lion''s den by yourself," he solemnly told her with


    his lips pursed.


    Katherine was caught off-guard by him calling himself her man. Her pale cheeks already had a hint of


    pink by the time she came back to her senses.


    She then quickly turned around as she didn''t dare look at him any longer. "Stay here and protect


    Grandma and Noah. Since they managed to send things here, they must also have the ability to sneak


    in. I worry about leaving Grandma and Noah at home. I will need your help to protect them."


    "I¡ª" As Joaquin tried to voice his disapproval, he was stopped by her finger that pressed against his


    lips. The electrifying sensation immediately made it unable for him to talk as he stared at her, his eyes


    aze.


    Feeling somewhat ufortable by the look he was giving her, Katherine quickly avoided his gaze


    and reassured him, "I will be fine by myself. If you are still worried, you can lend me Jeremy."


    "Alright," he unhesitantly agreed.


    He then called Jeremy over to send Katherine to the Ewing Factory.


    Jeremy arrived soon after. Katherine only went out by herself after she gave him some orders.


    Joaquin started pacing back and forth restlessly then. Even though he had been on life-endangering


    missions, he had never been so nervous and worried. This was the first time he was so overwhelmed


    by those emotions.


    "Joaquin, will my sister be safe?" Keith worriedly asked Joaquin with his eyebrows pulled together into


    a frown.


    Joaquin only got more upset hearing that. "I don''t know. Jeremy is with her."


    Seeing how it was impossible for Joaquin to settle down, Keith kindly suggested, "How about you go


    there yourself? You will probably feel more at ease that way."


    Joaquin only resolutely shook his head. "I can''t do that," he stated. "Your sister is worried for a reason.


    All of you will be in danger if those people came to Soulin International and found their way in. I can''t


    just abandon you here."


    "But Kathy¡ª"


    "I trust her!" Joaquin''s eyes were very firm. He believed in Katherine. He knew that she would be fine


    and that she woulde back safely.


    When Katherine and Jeremy arrived at the Ewing Factory, she opened the car door and got out. She


    then went into the factory by herself after instructing Jeremy to stay in the car.


    The entire factory building had been abandoned because of a big explosion here five years ago. There


    was still a pungent smell of chemicals in the air. Grass couldn''t grow on the soil around the area


    because of the chemical pollution from the explosion.


    She was greeted by the sight of Jorge being barely alive on the floor as soon as she entered the


    building. He was drifting in and out of consciousness at this moment. The floor he was on was covered


    in blood because of the three fingers that were cut off out of his five.


    Despite the sight, Katherine only nced at him briefly, and then looked at the woman in the red dress


    sitting in front. She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "You are the one who kidnapped Jorge? That means


    you are also the one who tried everything you could to see me?"


    "That is right. It is me. Bet you didn''t expect it to be me, huh?" Beatrice red at Katherine with an evil


    look on her face. It was as if she wanted to tear off Katherine''s limbs if she could.


    Not only were Beatrice''s legs crippled and Joaquin didn''t want her anymore, even Theodore was


    completely disappointed in her and had left her alone. However, hope came to Beatrice just as she was


    about to fall into utter despair. Someone had found her and told her that the mysterious Professor W


    could heal her legs as long as they were found. Beatrice might even have the chance to return to


    Joaquin''s side.


    There was no way Beatrice could say no to an offer like this, and that was why she had unhesitantly


    sold all the information on Katherine that she had to the person who approached her.


    The person had turned out to be telling the truth, as Beatrice could now stand on her feet again.


    As she stood up from the chair, her gait still looked a little awkward, but at least she didn''t need to sit in


    a wheelchair anymore. Her eyes were burning with hatred as she looked at Katherine coldly. "Katherine


    Cornell, I will make you pay back what you owe me! I want your legs, and I want you to wish you were


    dead!"Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Is the video also in your hands?" Katherine went straight to the point as she didn''t have the patience to


    listen to her derations of revenge.


    "Video? Haha! Of course not. Your dear sister was the one who handed me the video. Do you want it?


    If you do, kneel and bark like a dog. I also want you to say that you are a shameless sl*t who doesn''t


    deserve Joaquin!" Beatrice growled, looking pleased at being able to vent her hatred.


    Katherine only wiggled her eyebrows and mockingly peered at her. "You really think you can threaten


    me?"


    Provoked by her attitude, Beatrice brought a foot up and stomped on Jorge''s injured hand. "Katherine,


    you''d better kneel down right this instant or I will kill him!"


    "What makes you think I care about whether my mother''s killer dies or not? Why don''t you ask him if I


    will save him?" Katherine snickered and nced at Jorge, who had a pained look on his face.


    Jorge then struggled to open his eyes.


    He seemed to have fallen into a trance the moment he saw Katherine¡ªhe thought he was looking at


    Elsie.


    In fact, he had liked Elsie from the first time he saw her, or else he wouldn''t have married her


    regardless of anything, and he didn''t even mind taking her family name.


    It was just that he had lost all hope in her after the numerous times he came to hit a wall when she


    treated him with indifference, and didn''t allow him to touch her.


    The incident that caused all hell to break loose, and even made him hate her was Keith''s birth.


    He had never once had a physical rtionship with Elsie after they got married. That was why it was a


    big shame for Jorge when Elsie got pregnant and gave birth to Keith.


    Not long after Keith was born, Jorge hadpletely ignored Elsie''s resistance, and had taken her by


    force. That was the moment Jorge felt like he was finally a man.


    He only got worse after that by tantly bringing Lisa home and having his way with her in front of


    Elsie. However, Elsie hadpletely ignored him and didn''t react in any way whatsoever.


    She was basically a zombie at that point. She showed no emotions, and nothing could provoke her into


    reacting. She didn''t even show an ounce of gentleness to Katherine and Keith.


    Jorge was momentarily dazed, but he suddenly snickered at himself. "You are not my daughter. Every


    one of you go on and on about how I have betrayed Elsie when in fact, she was the one who betrayed


    me first. Why can''t I take my revenge on someone who cheated on me first? Katherine, your mother is


    the one who is shameless!"

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200


    "Say that again." Katherine looked at Jorge with no emotion on her face, and her icy voice came out


    from her slightly parted thin lips.


    However, Jorge seemed rather relieved as he looked back at Katherine, his smile bing more and


    more unrestrained and disturbed. "Katherine, you are not my biological daughter. I knew from the


    beginning that your mother was already pregnant with you when she married me. Do you think that the


    daughter of a rich man would marry a pauper like me if it wasn''t because I could ept something like


    that?"


    Katherine didn''t speak, and only looked at him calmly while she listened to him continue.


    Jorge''s eyes had a hint of tenderness as he began to reminisce. "Your mother was young and


    beautiful, and she came from a good family. Even though the Olsen Family had just arrived in


    Hovington, they were already one of the wealthiest families in the city. Your grandparents are


    respectectable figures, so of course I had no reason to reject them. It was your mother who said that


    you will be able to have a proper name, and she would split half of the Olsen Family''s wealth with me if


    I were to marry her. I took her up on it then. I thought that we would at least respect each other after the


    marriage even if we can''t live together like a married couple. She respected me alright. Not only did


    she never look me in the eye once, she didn''t have any feelings for me at all. But it didn''t matter as long


    as I had the money. I founded the Cornell Group with the money she gave me. I hoped that she could


    help me, but she hated the sight of me, and she even mocked and belittled me. I hate her! I hate her


    ruthless indifference, and I hate her even more for using and deceiving me. The one thing that was the


    most uneptable for me was that she gave birth to ''my'' son after marriage even though she had


    never let me touch her once. Haha! Isn''t that the most humiliating thing a man can go through? I know


    that you hate me. You think that I have failed you and your mother, and that I killed her, but you are


    really ming the wrong person. Your mother was already seriously injured when Lisa found her. I


    admit that we didn''t try to save her, but you can''t say that we were the ones who caused her death. She


    had already offended someone else. I think the most likely person to kill her should be someone from


    your father''s side of the family."


    Jorge could hardly keep his eyes open after he finished speaking. As he struggled to stay awake, he


    looked at the ceiling above his head, and it felt as if he had returned to that sunny afternoon.


    That was the first time he saw Elsie. From then on, he believed in love at first sight, and believed that


    someone really can make a mistake of a lifetime at a nce.


    "Shut up! Shut the hell up! Stop talking!" After hearing his words, Beatrice seemed to have lost her


    mind as she violently stomped on him.


    Seeing this made Katherine squint.


    It was true that she despised Jorge, but it was a whole other issue to watch him die in front of her.


    Regardless of whether he was telling the truth or not, he didn''t deserve to go this way.


    He and Lisa were the only ones who knew the truth behind the Olsens'' grudge and Elsie''s death.


    "Beatrice, did I say you can kill him?" Katherine''s pretty face was cold as she stalked toward Beatrice.


    When Beatrice saw Katherine approaching her, a frightened expression immediately reced the


    angry one the former had a second ago. "Don''te here! Katherine, I don''t care if you are his


    biological daughter. Your reputation will definitely take a hit as long as the news of you not helping


    someone who is dying in front of you goes out. Just trying to me again. I will kill him!"


    Beatrice had to admit that she was instinctively afraid of Katherine. Katherine didn''t need to do


    anything, but her calm attitude was enough to scare Beatrice.


    Beatrice nervously looked at Katherine who was approaching, and her voice began to shake with


    agitation.


    "Scared?" Katherine curled the corners of her lips.


    "W-Who''s scared? I am telling you¡ª" Beatrice puffed out her chest and began sternly, only to be cut off


    by Katherine mid-sentence.


    "Your legs will bepletely useless in three months tops. If I am not wrong, it has been about three


    months since you healed, yeah? Is the pain in your legs starting to get unbearable now?"


    Beatrice''s face immediately fell as she gawked at Katherine in disbelief. "Y-You are making this up! I¡ª"


    "Did I get it wrong? Fine, then," Katherine nonchntly cut her off. At that point, she was slowly closing


    in on Beatrice.


    Beatrice waspletely devastated. Even though she had her hands on Jorge and she thought that


    she had Katherine''s weakness, she still couldn''t do a thing to Katherine.


    Katherine, who was standing in front of her, was on an entirely different level than she was.


    "Why are you so infuriating, Katherine?" Beatrice pulled the corners of her mouth. "Why? You are


    obviously inferior to me in everything. I am the only daughter of the famous Muller Family, and my


    grandfather loves me very much. I have been outstanding in terms of character and academics since I


    was a child. I was always one of the best in every aspect. Why am I below you in the end? My


    grandfather treats you with importance to the point of cutting ties with me because of you. Joaquin


    disregards what I have done for him because he likes you. Why? Why?!"


    As Beatrice howled, she squatted down and broke down in tears.


    This is too unfair!


    Katherine had reached Beatrice now. "Why don''t you ask them?" she asked, her gaze lowered to look


    at Jorge.


    His injuries weren''t light, but his most serious condition was the excessive blood loss. Also, he wasn''t in


    good health in the first ce. After two days of torture, his breathing had be shallow, and he might


    die any time now.


    Sighing, Katherine reached out to pull him up against her.


    As Beatrice watched her movements, she let out a scornfulugh. "Why are you saving him?


    Katherine, don''t you hate him? Wouldn''t it be best if he died? He killed your mother."


    Katherine paused and looked at the woman. "Of course he has to be punished byw for doing


    something wrong. I have no right to punish him myself. And you, you will also be punished by thew


    formitting crime.¡±


    "Haha! You''re ridiculous, Katherine! Thew? Punishment? The dead remain dead. So what if he is to


    be imprisoned? Can a dead persone back to life? Do you think Joaquin will be okay with it if I kill


    you today and was given a 20-year prison sentence?" Beatrice suddenly startedughing with tears still


    streaming down her face.


    Katherine only pursed her lips and looked at her quietly.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Beatrice sat up slowly and looked at her before she continued, "I know that there is no saving for my


    legs. You are right. I am in a lot of pain. It hurts so much I am half-dead! But I want to live. If you don''t


    give me this chance to live, we will die together instead. I have already had explosives nted in this


    building, and the timer is on. The bombs will go off in less than a minute. We will all die together then.


    Of course, you can leave Jorge behind, but everything here has been broadcasted live on SharkTube.


    Even if you survive, everyone will chastise you for leaving him behind and running away alone. Haha!


    Make your choice, Katherine Cornell. Are you going to stay behind and die with me, or escape by


    yourself?"

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201


    "Forget about me, Katherine. Just go." Jorge came to his senses at that moment, struggling to get the


    words out of his mouth while seizing Katherine''s wrist.


    Katherine kept her head down and looked at her own father, who had always tried to take advantage of


    her throughout her whole life. Nevertheless, she only saw kindness and remorse in the man''s eyes


    instead of his usual ill intentions now that he was close to death. Soon, she pursed her lips and kept


    her eyes on Jorge without letting the man go. Then, she sat him up and let him lean on her.


    Instead of checking on Beatrice, who was acting crazy, Katherine went on to take her father out of the


    premises for a walk.


    In the meantime, Jorge set his eyes on the side view of Katherine''s face, feeling as if he was looking at


    his deceased wife, Elsie. With a smile on his face, his hands finally dropped from Katherine''s


    shoulders. In that instant, Katherine could no longer feel her father''s breath anymore, shivering from


    head to toe for a second as she stopped in her tracks.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    A few momentster, she heard hasty footsteps from behind her, whereupon Joaquin showed up and


    wrapped his arms around her. At the same time, Jeremy, who was following right behind Joaquin,


    immediately went on to take care of Jorge''s lifeless body.


    "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Joaquin asked in a concerned manner, his gaze fixed on the young


    lady.


    Katherine shook her head and looked back to gaze at Beatrice. "Aren''t you going to say goodbye to


    her?"


    He responded by pursing his lips in silence for the next few moments. Despite the mistakes that


    Beatrice had made, he still couldn''t deny the fact that she was the first woman with whom he had


    intimacy. He then recalled that night when he would have died if it had not been for Beatrice.


    he would have died if it hadn''t been for Beatrice. Because of that, he felt indebted toward her, thinking


    he should forgive her, no matter how many mistakes she had made, but nheless, he could no


    longer force himself to be with her.


    "Let''s get you out of here first." Joaquin looked away from Beatrice and walked Katherine out through


    the factory''s door.


    Not long after that, the bomb disposal unit arrived. In fact, when Jeremy and Katherine arrived at that


    ce, they secretly inspected the area and realized that bombs were buried around the area. Thus, he


    went on to detonate the bombs and notified Joaquin about the situation before Joaquin arranged a


    team of bomb disposal units to save Katherine.


    Fortunately, everything went ording to n, with Ian checking on the remaining bombs and Joaquin


    heading into the premise to rescue the hostages.


    While it waster found out that Katherine was fine, Beatrice was taken out of the ce by Ian and his


    men. When she saw Joaquin, tears rolled down her cheeks.


    She then called out to the man sympathetically. "Joaquin."


    However, the man only stopped in his tracks without looking back, but his spine was starting to stiffen.


    "I have something I want to tell you!" Beatrice shouted.


    Joaquin pursed his lips and looked at Katherine cially before he responded, "Say it, then."


    "Are you sure about that? This is something important. If you don''t hear me out, I''m sure you''re going


    to regret it!" Beatrice shouted again.


    "Go. She is not going to live much longer anyway. Do me a favor and hear what she has to say."


    Katherine patted Joaquin''s shoulder and walked up to the car without him before she entered it.


    Joaquin pursed his lips and slowly approached Beatrice, who gazed at him with a smile. Finding the


    smile on thedy''s face familiar, the man couldn''t help but recall the time he woke up in the hotel room


    that night as he was reminded of her sweet and bashful smiling face when he opened his eyes.


    In that instant, he paused and wondered when Beatrice had turned creepy. Not knowing what to say,


    he could only look at her silently.


    Soon, Beatrice shook off Ian''s hand and walked closer to Joaquin, tipping her toes to whisper in the


    man''s ear. Then, she stepped back and stood beside Ian while smiling at Joaquin. "I''m sorry, Joaquin. I


    know I shouldn''t have lied to you about this over the years, but I couldn''t help it because I loved you so


    much."


    "You¡­" Joaquin pursed his lips as his anger surged through him inside his body. I can''t believe


    Beatrice has been lying to me this whole time. She was not thedy who slept with me that night five


    years ago. "Who''s thatdy? Do you know who she is?" Joaquin stepped closer to Beatrice.


    However, Beatrice only responded with a smile as blood started to trickle out from her lips. The next


    second, she gazed at Joaquin and opened her mouth, but what came out of it was not the answer he


    wanted but blood. In the end, she copsed onto the ground and took herst breath with her eyes


    wide open.


    At that moment, Joaquin nearly lost his mind, stepping even closer as he grabbed Beatrice by his


    cor. "Tell me! Who is she? What else do you know?" Nevertheless, Beatrice only shifted her eyes to


    the car that Katherine was in with a smile just when her heart finally stopped beating. Knowing that she


    had failed her mission, she was sure that the mastermind behind it would never let her live. This had


    always been a deal, and I ended up on the losing end.


    "Beatrice!" Joaquin snarled so loud that his voice echoed through every corner of the factory.


    Disappointed by the grim reality, he wished Beatrice hadn''t told him the truth so that he could date


    Katherine with a clear conscience. In fact, thedy who had a one-night stand with him in Fontan was


    not Beatrice but someone else. What was even more shocking to Joaquin was that thedy even gave


    birth to their child. At the thought of that, his rational mind was consumed by his anger.


    "Boss!" Ian was frightened to see Joaquin''s frantic reaction as he quickly approached him and ced


    his palm on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.


    Sensing someone''s hand on his shoulder, Joaquin was prompted by his quick reflexes to flip the man


    from behind him over his shoulder until he saw Ian''s face. It was only then that he restrained himself


    from sumbing to his impulses and shoved Ian away from him. With a darkened look on his face, he


    made his way toward Jeremy''s car and entered it.


    Meanwhile, Katherine, who noticed the man''s gloomy aura, only looked askance at him without saying


    a single word.


    Not long after that, Jeremy returned upon taking care of his business and immediately sensed


    something wrong the moment he got into the car. Noticing Joaquin''s darkened look, he couldn''t help


    but gaze at Katherine in bewilderment, but she only responded by raising her eyebrows before closing


    her eyes in silence. Without getting any answer to his question, Jeremy could only proceed to drive off


    with slight disappointment.


    After confirming that there was no one else around Ewing Factory besides Beatrice, Jeremy proceeded


    to take Jorge and Beatrice''s lifeless bodies away as he left the case for the people from Area Seven to


    handle.


    As soon as Katherine and Joaquin walked through the door, they were greeted by the sight of Xavier''s


    exhausted face. "Hey, Katherine, here you are. You have no idea how hard the mission you assigned


    me is. Why did you want me to intercept their GPS signal? I thought I only needed to track the source


    of the signal. Those people should have seen their own stuck-up faces. I can''t believe they were trying


    to broadcast their murder."


    "GPS signal? Did you find anything useful then?" Katherine asked, feeling surprised.


    "The technology here isn''t advanced enough for me to intercept the signal. Why don''t you give it a try?"


    Xavier shook his head helplessly.


    "Alright, let''s head over to my room." She took the man into her room.


    At that moment, he subconsciously peeked at Joaquin, only to realize Joaquin had barely paid attention


    to him and Katherine. Thus, he stroked his chin and followed Katherine into the room.

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202


    "This is the signal. Strangely enough, I got interrupted halfway through my tracking process, which


    makes me wonder if that''s the signal from the national satellite." Xavier turned on hisptop and pulled


    up a satellite image as soon as he entered Katherine''s room.


    "This is the signal. Strangely enough, I got interrupted halfway through my tracking process, which


    makes me wonder if that''s the signal from the national satellite." Xavier turned on hisptop and pulled


    up a satellite image as soon as he entered Katherine''s room.


    After that, he went on to tell Katherine the location of the signal he managed to track.


    Soon, Katherine took a quick look at the image before she grabbed a chair to sit on and rapidly typed


    on the keyboard. A few momentster, she realized it was indeed like what Xavier said earlier when her


    tracking was hindered by some unknown interruption. With a pair of furrowed eyebrows on her face,


    she stared at the monitor screen for a few moments and tried a newmand prompt. About 30


    secondster, she pushed the ''enter'' button, whereupon countless codes started rolling upward on the


    screen until it stopped on one of the lines.


    As she stared at the line of codes for a while, Katherine deleted everything in the desktop background


    and shut off herptop before putting it away.


    Needless to say, Xavier was curious to see her reaction, not knowing what was going on at all. Thus,


    he curiously asked, "Wait, what? What did you see? Did you track it? Who was the mastermind? Come


    on, say something. Tell me what''s going on. Don''t cut me out of the loop."


    "You have nothing to do with this business now. Leave the rest to me and go. If you continue to be


    involved, you''re going to find yourself in danger soon enough." Katherine gave Xavier a glimpse and


    patted his shoulder.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Despite Xavier''s confusion, he could tell from Katherine''s serious look that she was not kidding at all.


    Thus, he decided not to press on with his question. When he walked out the door of Katherine''s room,


    he saw Joaquin still in his trance and was prompted by his curiosity to ask, "Hey, buddy. What''s on your


    mind that''s making you so spaced out? Is there something wrong?" However, his question was only


    met with Joaquin''s cial eyes.


    In response, Xavier awkwardly rubbed his nose. "Why is everybody behaving in a strange manner


    now? None of you seem like you''re going to tell me anything. Fine, I''m leaving now. See you,


    Grandma. I''ll catch you up soon, Noah." Xavier walked away as soon as he finished his words.


    After a few moments of silence, Joaquin finally decided to walk into Katherine''s room. "Do you have


    anything to tell me?" Katherine looked up at the man as soon as he entered the room, having noticed


    his disturbed look ever since he spoke to Beatrice earlier.


    Joaquin sat down on the bed. "I don''t know where to begin. Fine, it''s nothing important anyway. There


    is something bigger behind Beatrice, and I have already told Jeremy to find out more about whoever


    that is."


    "They are not going to find anything," Katherine responded bluntly.


    Joaquin gave Katherine a confused look. "You know what Area Seven is capable of and what it''s all


    about. So, if there is someone or something that we can''t find out about, that means¡­"


    "What if we''re dealing with someone who is working in the national government? What do you think


    Area Seven is going to find?" Katherine put down the items she was holding and gazed at Joaquin


    seriously.


    "What do you mean? Are you trying to say that the person who tried to lure you to Ewing Factory with


    your father''s kidnap works for the government? But why would they do that? Everybody knows your


    identity, and everything you''re researching now is at the country''s disposal, although they charge partly


    for the patent. For that, your existence brings no harm but good to the country. There is no reason for


    them to do this to you." Joaquin was puzzled, thinking Katherine might have just overreacted because


    he simply couldn''t see why the government would try to kill her.


    Nevertheless, Katherine only smiled in response. "Well, the country''s interest is, of course, their utmost


    priority, but that doesn''t mean they would sacrifice their personal gains as well. Think about it¡ªbelieve


    it or not, there are some people who value their own self-interest more than the country''s out there.


    Therefore, these are the people you''re going to investigate because they possess the power to create


    an impact beyond your imagination."


    Hearing thedy''s point, Joaquin wentpletely silent, unable to refute Katherine because he


    couldn''t deny the truth that Katherine had just stated. Well, that means whoever is plotting against


    Katherine is not someone from the outside but rather someone among us, not to mention his or her


    high status.


    "What''s your next move?" Joaquin looked at Katherine as he could tell from her expression that she


    already knew who was the mastermind.


    Katherine curled her lips upward and replied coldly, "What do you want me to do? Isn''t it clear that


    whoever is behind this wants what I have? He''s already made his move, so all I can do is just go back.


    Haha. He doesn''t deserve to get his hands on it."


    When Katherine finished her words, Joaquin suddenly had a bad feeling, knowing how well the


    development of the new medicine she brought back to the country had turned out due to the positive


    test result. Although it hadn''t been fullyunched into the market, he believed a mass production of the


    medicine could bring a huge amount of profit and was convinced that was the motive of whoever had


    just tried to plot against Katherine. Considering the potential danger the situation could bring, Joaquin


    was worried that Katherine would destroy her research and the medicine should she be


    desperate because the patients would be the ones who suffered if that really happened.


    "What¡¯s your n, Katherine? If you know who''s behind this, tell me. I''m sure I can do something with


    my power as the person in charge of Area Seven." Joaquin didn''t want Katherine to rush into a wrong


    decision and end up ruining her life''s work.


    Nevertheless, Katherine didn''t answer the man''s question but instead went on to turn on herptop and


    inserted severalbinations of different numbers. Momentster, Joaquin heard his phone ringing


    and answered the call, only to hear Arthur''s angry bellow. "What is Area Seven doing? Was it so hard


    for you people to protect one woman? Do you have any idea how important Katherine is to the


    country? How could you let anything happen to her?"


    "Mr. Walton?" Joaquin asked while looking at Katherine, who was calmly sitting beside him.


    "Who the heck just tried to plot against her? I want you to bring your men with you and destroy the


    culprits along with everyst one of his aplices now! This is unforgivable! How dare they target


    Katherine! Let me tell you one thing¡ªKatherine is an important asset to our country, so her safety is


    our utmost priority! Do what you need and make an example out of these people! I want no one else to


    even think about doing any monkey business! If anyone ever dares to try any silly move, I want them all


    to pay for it with their careers! These people really have nothing else better to do, don''t they? Can''t


    they think of spending their time more wisely?" Arthur was so angry that Joaquin felt as if he was


    scolding him right in front of him.


    In fact, even Katherine, who was standing far away from Joaquin, could hear the angry man''s voice.


    However, she chuckled in amusement as she couldn''t help but find Arthur''s reaction adorable, deeming


    it a beauty of Cechirus despite the traitor that lurked among them.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin had no idea what Katherine had done to alert Arthur, but he believed something


    big had just happened, judging from the angry phone call Arthur had received. Therefore, he


    immediately agreed to Arthur''s request and hung up the call a few momentster, whereupon he stared


    at Katherine with confused emotions written on his face.

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203


    "What on earth did you do?" After hanging up the call, Joaquin turned to look at Katherine with a


    conflicted expression.


    "What on earth did you do?" After hanging up the call, Joaquin turned to look at Katherine with a


    conflicted expression.


    Katherine put on a faint smile and shut theptop before cing it on the table, tilting her head while


    gazing at the man with a bright smile. "Why don''t you venture a guess?"


    Joaquin felt the corners of his mouth twitching, for he didn''t really want to do so. However, following


    what Arthur had said, he had to take action now.


    He then phoned Jeremy and realized that thetter had never discovered anything. Not only was he


    unaware of the masterminds behind it, but he also suspected that a foreign force had a hand in this


    matter. Oh, gosh! I can''t believe my ears!


    After keeping the phone inside his pocket, he shuffled toward Katherine. "Who are the masterminds


    behind it? Are they the same people who conned Grandma into returning to the country?"


    Katherine snorted. "I haven''t found out the people who tried to harm Grandma, but I believe they''re not


    the same group of people. Just investigate the National Research Institute. While you''re at it, stop


    bothering me, will you? I''m busy."


    After replying to him, she looked down at her phone.


    Joaquin took a nce at the screen and realized that she was looking at a tutorial. Initially, he thought


    that she was trying to learn something, but upon closer look, he was surprised to see that it was a


    tutorial on hair braiding.


    A look of disbelief appeared on Joaquin''s face as he gazed at the woman. She''s busy learning this?


    He was torn between tears andughter. Regardless, he was on the way to sess as he now had a


    direction.


    The next moment, he phoned Jeremy again and told him to look into the National Research Institute.


    As expected, it only took Jeremy a bit of time to discover something.


    The person who sent some people in an attempt to obtain Katherine''s form for the experimental


    drug and experimental data was the deputy director of the National Research Institute, Ivor Chavez. He


    was from the Chavez Family in Kynd. The Chavez Family had been serving the nation as civil


    servants over the generations. Apart from two retired professors, there were still seventeen people


    from their families who worked in various research institutes.


    As such, the Chavez Family was revered in the country. Despite that, they could not be considered


    wealthy because researchers, in most cases, lived a difficult life. Despite having spent their entire


    lifetime doing their research, they might not achieve anything great.


    Those who did not have any achievements would find it hard to secure funding, without which projects


    could not be carried out. Therefore, even though the Chavez Family appeared prestigious, they were


    not well off, but only they knew that they had been living modestly.


    None of the younger generation in the Chavez Family was willing to join any research institutes.


    Instead, most of them had decided to start their own businesses while a small number of its members


    became professors at universities.


    Ivor could not ept the fact that the Chavez Family had gone to the dogs. As soon as he had learned


    that Katherine had developed some amazing drug that could rejuvenate brain cells, he decided to get


    his hands on her work.


    Katherine''s identity was a secret. Even a researcher like Ivor wasn''t aware of her identity. He just


    thought that Katherine had no one to back her up, and he believed that he could easily obtain her


    research findings by iming that he was doing it for the national interests.


    It never crossed his mind that the people he had sent to her ce would fail toplete their task, and


    they were humiliated by her.


    Learning that Katherine was WW as well as the internationally famous Dr. Y, Ivor regretted his actions.


    Yet, it also strengthened his determination to get his hands on her research findings. Then, he came


    into contact with a foreign force and worked with them, and the rest was history.


    After finding out what had happened, Joaquin sported a dark expression. "Get some people to the


    Chavez Residence and capture Ivor. Also, arrest those who are involved in this case and interrogate


    them. We have to find out whether there are more people behind them."


    Jeremy grunted in agreement, then Joaquin hung up the call.


    On the other hand, Katherine was done with the tutorial as she was now trying to imitate what she had


    learned from the video. Seeing that Joaquin was done with the phone call and making some


    arrangements, she nonchntly kept the phone, got to her feet, and left the room.


    Presently, Noah was having a chat with Jennifer. Keith, on the other hand, was ying a mobile game


    on the side. He''d start howling whenever he was excited, so Katherine shot him a dismissive nce


    before going over to take a seat beside Noah.


    Noah''s hair was too long, for she hadn''t gone for a haircut in four years. That was because Katherine


    knew nothing about cutting hair and Jennifer was too old to do it. Therefore, Noah''s hair was always


    tied into a ponytail. Although she still looked spirited, she didn''t appear as adorable as other kids.


    "Why don''t I tie your hair, Noah?" As Katherine sat beside Noah, she stared fixedly at her jet-ck hair.


    Noah was speaking to Jennifer when she suddenly heard Katherine''s voice. Puzzled, she turned to


    look at her and called out, "Mom?"


    "Can I?" Katherine asked again.


    "Sure!" When Noah saw how serious Katherine looked, she nodded joyfully. Then, she sat in front of


    Katherine and ced her hands on her knees.


    After straightening her face, Katherine extended her hands in a serious manner. She was totally


    focused, just like when she performed surgery in an operating room. As she lifted Noah''s hair with both


    hands, she started braiding her hair carefully.


    She was someone who did not bother to manage her own hair. Usually, she would just tie her hair into


    a bun, and she was good to go. This was the first time she treated someone''s hair so solemnly.


    Therefore, she was somewhat nervous.


    Noah was obedient and quiet. As Katherine gradually became at ease, her movements were quicker.


    Soon, some delicate braids were done.


    Noah had thick hair, so after Katherine was done with the braids, she also styled her hair.


    When she gazed at Noah, who now looked as adorable as a doll, she was startled.


    A bashful Noah touched her hair, stared at Katherine, and asked cautiously, "How do I look, Mom?"


    "You look great. You''re the most beautiful child in the world." Katherine praised Noah with sincerity as


    she looked at her.


    Noah became increasingly coy as she hung her head low. "Thanks, Mom. I like it. You look good too."


    The child''s sheepish look made Katherine break intoughter. Noah looked up at her and beamed as


    well. The harmonious sight filled Jennifer''s heart with contentment.


    Just as she was about to speak, she received a phone call.


    No one had phoned her since her return to the country. In fact, she no longer had any friends in the


    country, so she was surprised that someone was calling her at this point.


    Without worrying too much, she picked up the call.


    The moment the call was connected, a harsh-sounding voice, which was modified by a voice changer,


    was heard saying, "Hey, old bat. Darren''s bone ash is in my hands. If you don''t want me to flush it


    down the toilet, bring the thing I want to Balmoral Cemetery tomorrow at 9.00AM. Do not try to pull a


    trick on me!"N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204


    "Come again?" The smile on Jennifer''s face faded, and her voice turned grim.


    "Come again?" The smile on Jennifer''s face faded, and her voice turned grim.


    A startled Katherine looked doubtfully at Jennifer, for she did not remember seeing Jennifer with such a


    stern expression before. There was always a gentle smile on Jennifer''s face, and she seemed to be a


    mild-tempered person all year round.


    Therefore, Katherine was shocked to see her with such an expression.


    "Old bat, if you don''t believe me, you can try to ignore me. Let''s see how much of your man''s bone ash


    will be left by then." The other party snickered and hung up the call.


    Jennifer clenched her phone, her eyes spitting fire.


    Life had been kind to her, for she had never experienced any hardship before. Even when Darren


    passed away, she only spat blood and passed out because she was too furious. Then, she remained


    unconscious for a pretty long time.


    When she regained consciousness, she realized that Katherine was pregnant. She pushed the hatred


    to the back of her mind and kept Katherinepany. After Noah was born, she took good care of the


    child.


    For years, she had remained calm and collected. Even when Emma made a scene in her home, she


    only found itughable; she wasn''t mad at all. However, she was enraged this time.


    Those people shouldn''t have threatened her with her deceased husband. This is too much!Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing that Jennifer was infuriated, Katherine called out with concern, "Grandma?"


    The fury on Jennifer''s face vanished into thin air in an instant as she turned to look at Katherine with a


    smile. "I''m fine, Kathy. I''m just tired. By the way, it''s your Grandpa''s birthday tomorrow, so I''ll visit him at


    the cemetery. Can you prepare something for me?"


    After staring at Jennifer for a while, Katherine nodded. "Sure."


    Jennifer put on a smile and yawned, as though she was truly exhausted. Then, she rose from the chair


    and returned to her room. Katherine watched her leave in silence. After Jennifer was gone, Keith


    leaned close to Katherine and called out, "Kathy?"


    "Yeah?" Katherine gazed at him with an arched brow.


    A diffident Keith stroked his nose. "There''s something off about Grandma."


    "It has nothing to do with you. Go back to your room and get some rest." Katherine glowered at him.


    Keith appeared helpless. As a neen-year-old man, he was all grown up, but Katherine still treated


    him like he was a child. He had the urge to refute her, but he didn''t have the nerve to disobey his sister.


    Left with no choice, he returned to his room to get some rest.


    "Kathy?" Seeing that there was something wrong with Katherine, Joaquin gaped at her with a frown.


    "My Grandpa''s birthday was a long time ago." Katherine turned to look at him.


    "So, she''s lied about the birthday, but she''s going to the cemetery tomorrow. The phone call¡­" Joaquin


    soon realized the crux of the problem.


    Katherine curled up her lips. She loved talking to intelligent people like him.


    "We''ll find out by going to the cemetery tomorrow." Katherine didn''t intend to dwell on this topic as she


    got to her feet and yawned. Seeing that Noah was spacing out, she gently flicked her body. "It''s getting


    late. Take a shower and go to sleep now."


    "Mom¡­ can I not untie the hair? I want to keep it," Noah asked cautiously with a flushing face.


    Katherine felt helpless at her expression, so she stroked her hair and replied, "I''ll do it for you again


    tomorrow. Take a shower and go to sleep now."


    "Alright," Noah replied obediently, then shuffled toward the bathroom.


    Katherine returned to her room while Joaquin followed her. As soon as she stepped into her room, she


    turned around to gaze at him and asked in puzzlement, "Your sister has returned to the Foster


    Residence. Why don''t you go back to your home? Does it feel good to sleep on the floor in my room?"


    Joaquin stroked his nose. "We''re married now, so it''d be appropriate if we lived in separate ces. I''ll


    stay here to protect you."


    The corners of Katherine''s mouth twitched. Ah! What''s with this man?


    Soon, Noah was done with the shower. Knocking on the door, she stepped into the room with a pink


    pillow, looking adorable and obedient. Standing at the door, she asked in a small voice, "Mom, can I


    sleep in your room with my pillow?"


    "Come over here." Katherine knew that Noah was always cautious and timid because she had treated


    her coldly in the past, so she beckoned the child. Noah''s eyes instantly brightened as she joyfully


    shuffled toward her mother.


    "Why isn''t your hair dry yet?" Seeing that water was still dripping from Noah''s hair, Katherine frowned.


    At that instant, Noah became anxious as she stood by the bed. She clenched the floor with her toes. "I-


    I¡­"


    "Don''t wash your hair at night, and when you do, you have to blow it dry. Do you get it?" Then,


    Katherine turned to look at Joaquin, who was stealing nces at them, and directly ordered, "Can you


    get me the hair dryer, Joaquin?"


    A momentter, Joaquin brought the hair dryer out of the bathroom. Just as Katherine was ready to


    blow dry her daughter''s hair, she was stopped by the man. "I''ll do it for you. Go shower now."


    "Can you do it?" Katherine gave him a doubtful look.


    "Do not tell a man there''s something he can''t do," Joaquin nced at her and replied with a


    mischievous smile.


    Figuring out the innuendo in his words, Katherine couldn''t help but re at him. She then told the man


    to help blow dry Noah''s hair while she headed to the bathroom.


    By the time she was done with the shower, Joaquin was already lying on the bed with Noah in his


    arms. Presently, Noah''s head rested against the man''s shoulder as she appeared petite inparison


    to the man''s build. Meanwhile, Joaquin looked down at the little one in his arms with a caring gaze.


    Seeing Katherine, he looked at her with a helpless expression. "She''s pretty clingy. She insisted that I


    tell her a bedtime story. There''s nothing else I could do."


    "Are you going to take a shower?" While wiping her hair with a towel, Katherine shot the man a nce.


    "I''ll take a shower right away." Joaquin pulled out his hand from beneath Noah''s head with a look of


    disappointment.


    Katherine was speechless when she saw his expression.


    When Joaquin came out of the bathroom, Katherine was still wide awake. She was seated on the bed


    and looking at herptop. After staring at the woman for a while, he opened the cupboard and


    searched for a quilt to be ced on the floor.


    Without lifting her head, Katherine said impassively, "The quilt was dirtied, so I washed it. It''s not dry


    yet."


    "Huh?" Joaquin gaped at her with spection in mind.


    "So, you can sleep on the bed tonight, but be gentle and make sure not to wake Noah up." Katherine


    did not spare him a nce. After finishing her words, she continued working.


    Joaquin''s eyes brightened as he no longer had to sleep on the floor. It seemed that their bond had


    strengthened as he was now allowed to sleep on the bed.


    Exalted, he climbed onto the bed andy down beside Noah. Then, he couldn''t help but gaze at


    Katherine.


    The warmmp light in the room cast its glow on Katherine''s face, making her look even more alluring.


    Just as he felt his heart throbbing fast, he recalled what Beatrice had told him a while back. In an


    instant, he became crestfallen.

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205


    "You really don''t want me to go with you, Grandma? It''s too dangerous for you to go alone." Katherine


    handed Jennifer the offerings she had prepared while looking helplessly at the obstinate elder.


    "You really don''t want me to go with you, Grandma? It''s too dangerous for you to go alone." Katherine


    handed Jennifer the offerings she had prepared while looking helplessly at the obstinate elder.


    At that, Jennifer shot her a re and sassed, "Yea, sure, I look like an immobile ny-year-old. I can


    go alone. Don''t worry about me; just arrange for someone to take me there. Don''t you dare stalk me! I


    haven''t talked to your grandfather for ages, and I don''t want you kids to hear me."


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Alright, be careful then. Call me if you need anything, okay?" Katherine sighed with feigned


    helplessness and pretended to agree reluctantly. Later, the chauffeur took Jennifer away from Soulin


    International after she entered the vehicle with the offerings.


    It wasn''t until the elder had left that Katherine turned grim, watching the car disappear from her sight for


    a long time before withdrawing her gaze.


    "A tracker''s been nted in the car. I suppose your grandmother isn''t going to the cemetery your


    grandfather is buried in, but if we follow them now, we might risk exposing ourselves," concluded


    Joaquin as he came out of the apartment and stood next to Katherine, who said nothing, bing


    grimmer by the second.


    She had hacked into Jennifer''s phone the night before and gotten her phone records. Thus, she


    naturally heard the phone recording as well. No matter whether what the other said was trustable, it


    was still vile of them to use a deceased old man''s skeleton as a threat, even more so when it was the


    grandfather whom she respected deeply. This definitely isn''t something I would let slide.


    "No matter. I''ll join them in their game," Katherine sneered, then entered the apartment.


    Joaquin, on the other hand, stood silently at the door for some time before following her inside.


    Katherine was behaving more and more like her true self nowadays. Perhaps it was out of her trust for


    Joaquin or the fact that far too many of her aliases had been uncovered before him that she was used


    to it and had no intention of hiding them from him anymore.


    He watched as she disassembled the wristwatch that she wore into a tablet within seconds. Then, as


    she operated the device, Joaquin sat down and finally mumbled after taking a gander at her, "Soulin


    International. Is it under your name?"


    Katherine paused her dancing fingers abruptly at that. She turned to nce at Joaquin, pursed her lips,


    and finally withdrew her gaze after a long while as she returned to operating on the device. "So?"


    "You didn''t have to leave for Fontan when you already had Soulin International five years ago. So,


    why?" Joaquin nced at theputer screen and found a series of codes. He could guess it was for


    tracking, but as for who she was tracking, he couldn''t tell.


    "Grandma wasn''t doing great back then. Staying would only affect her recovery," she replied without


    ever looking up.


    "And this time? You didn''t return just to agree to Jorge''s demand and your grandmother''s request to


    marry me, did you?" Joaquin felt somewhat helpless.


    Katherine finally nced at Joaquin after pressing the final character. "You''re right. I didn''te back


    for you. Professor Muller and I already had a project together at the time, and to work on the drug for


    brain cell revival this time, I had toe back and monitor their experiment myself. Getting engaged


    and even marrying you was just to help me cover up my identity. If I knew you had such a tricky


    identity, I wouldn''t have said yes."


    The young woman exined the matter so matter-of-factly that Joaquin didn''t know what to say for a


    moment.


    Meanwhile, the program she had written ran for a round and a city map with multicolored dots


    appeared on the screen within seconds.


    Joaquin thought something didn''t look right as he looked at the dots. "This is¡ª"


    "A map of Hovington. The dots represent the various forces and also hunters that have entered the city


    while the ck dots represent the hunters. The red dots are the bunch of people targeting Grandma.


    The blue ones¡­ I''m not too sure what they''re here for yet, but the red ones areing for me,"


    Katherine exined in detail.


    Meanwhile, the guys in the IT department of Area Seven Security Center were on the verge of breaking


    down as Area Seven''s security system was facing an unprecedented attack. In fact, the entire system


    had copsed, and something like this hadn''t happened since the time Katherine reinforced the system


    for them.


    The guys were overwhelmed at this point, and to make things worse, Jeremy and the others weren''t


    around on that day, of all days. So, they couldn''t get to them even if they wanted to.


    s, desperate times called for desperate measures and they ended up calling Joaquin.


    Just as Joaquin thought things were bing increasingly suspicious as he watched Katherine


    operate the tablet, his phone rang. When he realized that it was from Area Seven, he answered it


    reflexively.


    "We''ve met with a dire situation here, Sir! Our security system has been damaged. The attacker had


    infiltrated the entire city''s surveince system, and now we''ve lost control over Hovington! We don''t


    know what the attacker is after just yet, just that they now have control over the city''s surveince


    system. If they have any ill intentions, Hovington will be in danger! Can you please ask Miss Cornell to


    come over and fix the system for us?" The technician looked to be on the verge of tears.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin took a silent nce at Katherine. The ''attacker'' you''re talking about is the same


    person you''re asking to fix the system. However, he didn''t mention any of it in the end but only rubbed


    his nose in helplessness. "Don''t worry. Just ignore it. The system will return to normal by itselfter."


    With that, he hung up and looked speechlessly at Katherine. This girl can really do anything for the


    sake of her grandmother.


    Right then, sirens were going off in various locations within Hovington because for an entire


    surveince system to be hacked was no minor issue. It wasn''t just Area Seven; the rms in


    Hovington''s traffic, police, and fire department, as well as the Department of State, had all gone off as


    well. In fact, it was the highest level of Code ck.


    The entire city fell into chaos for a moment, and all parties gathered to capture the attacker as soon as


    possible.


    Meanwhile, the ''attacker'' had gotten Jennifer''s location. With that, she zoomed in on the map, pin-


    pointed all the graveyards within a hundred-mile radius, and finally locked her target on Balmoral


    Cemetery.


    It was the closest graveyard to where Darren was buried, and there were no surveince cameras


    around¡ªthe perfect ce tomit a crime.


    After getting a lock on the location, she reassembled theputer into a watch, wore it on her wrist,


    and headed out with a grim face.

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206


    Meanwhile, the director general of the Hovington Public Security Bureau rushed hell for leather to the


    headquarter after receiving the news, only for his temples to throb upon seeing the shing red siren.


    "What''s going on?" he asked with exasperation while looking at the others standing aside.


    The public security system programmer tasked to maintain software stepped forward and exined


    helplessly, "Someone hacked into the city''s security system and infiltrated the entire surveince


    system. There''s nothing we can do at the moment. We can''t fix the firewall nor track the attacker."


    The director general trembled in anger, feeling like someone had given him a massive p in the face.


    "sphemy!" he roared, then gave the orders. "How dare they! Issue the highest arrest warrant. I want


    all hands on deck for this! Find and arrest this attacker at all costs! They must have wanted something


    when they hacked into our security system. Deploy the IT staff from all Hovington branches over. Also,


    ask Area Seven to send some of their men to assist us in stopping the attacker from further infiltration


    and finding this attacker ASAP!"


    Everyone obliged at once, not daring to defy him at this time.


    Soon, all the technicians of other departments gathered at the headquarter while Area Seven also


    dispatched their elite IT team after receiving the request, and the team leader happened to be Jordan,


    who didn''t realize Area Seven''s security system had also been hacked until he arrived at the Hovington


    Public Security Bureau headquarter.


    He racked his brain to fix it but to no avail. "Sh*t!" Jordan cussed as he looked frustratingly at the


    completely out-of-control system footage. "They''re better than me. There''s nothing I can do. We can


    only ask for foreign aid."


    "Foreign aid? Area Seven is where Cechirus'' bestputer science experts gather. What can others


    do when even you guys can''t fix it?! Please tell me you''re joking." The director general looked


    upsettingly at Jordan, thinking he was messing with him.


    Heavens, Jordan was a topputer science graduate from the University of Bora, and he was


    already a promising expert back when he was still just a student. In fact, he had been specially invited


    to join Area Seven before he even graduated. Someone like him would suggest seeking foreign aid?!


    Becouse of this, the director generol couldn''t imogine how copoble this foreign oid Jordon spoke of.


    Thus, he thought the young mon wos only messing with him. Honest to God, who else could solve the


    problem when not even the topputer science groduote from the University of Boro could?!


    It wos hord for Jordon to exploin os well. So, he just pulled his phone out ond colled Kotherine, who


    hoppened to be driving right then. As she wos too upied to onswer it, she osked Jooquin, "Answer it


    for me, pleose."


    Stumped to his senses, Jooquin glonced ot Kotherine before shifting his goze to her pocket, where the


    phone wos ringing. "You wont me to onswer it for you?!"


    "Just do it," she urged.


    The mon could only oblige. When he sow the two words ''Jordon Flint'' boldly disployed on the screen,


    he pursed his lips before finolly onswering it ofter o long while.


    At thot, Jordon wosted no time ond disclosed his situotion os soon os the coll connected. "Miss Cornell,


    it''s me, Jordon, from Areo Seven. We''ve met before. Here''s the thing; I''m met with o super tricky issue


    right now. Someone hos hocked into Hovington''s security system. I¡ª"


    "I know. You con''t resolve it. No one con. So, you need Kothy to step in, don''t you?" Jooquin interjected


    icily.


    "Mr. Levisoy?" Jordon wos token obock, never expecting the one onswering to be Jooquin. Thot soid,


    he didn''t spend time mulling over the issue but told Jooquin whot the city wos focing ond finolly


    pleoded, "Mr. Levisoy, it''s super serious this time. The entire city''s under moritol low now, ond the


    director generol of the police deportment hos issued o city-wide orrest worront to orrest this hocker."


    To thot, Jooquin rubbed his temples ond promised, "Got it. Don''t woste your time on this onymore;


    none of you will be oble to resolve the issue. I''ll osk her to settle it for you guys."


    With thot, he ended the coll ond looked helplessly ot Kotherine. "Con''t you let them go for now? The


    entire Hovington is ponicking right now, thinking some big shot hos hocked into the city''s security


    system to do some kind of domoge."


    Kotherine checked the GPS on her wotch ond finolly gove Jooquin o sympothetic glonce ofter heoring


    his words. "They''re too mentolly frogile. I''m just giving them the push."


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Jooquin wos rendered speechless. He knew oll Kotherine could think obout now wos her grondmother


    ond nothing else. As for whether Hovington wos reolly in choos, only the guys ot the public security


    would worry ond ponic. The generol public wouldn''t feel o thing obout it or even ponic. If onything,


    those officers could see this os o drill.


    Because of this, the director general couldn''t imagine how capable this foreign aid Jordan spoke of.


    Thus, he thought the young man was only messing with him. Honest to God, who else could solve the


    problem when not even the topputer science graduate from the University of Bora could?!


    It was hard for Jordan to exin as well. So, he just pulled his phone out and called Katherine, who


    happened to be driving right then. As she was too upied to answer it, she asked Joaquin, "Answer it


    for me, please."


    Stumped to his senses, Joaquin nced at Katherine before shifting his gaze to her pocket, where the


    phone was ringing. "You want me to answer it for you?!"


    "Just do it," she urged.


    The man could only oblige. When he saw the two words ''Jordan Flint'' boldly disyed on the screen,


    he pursed his lips before finally answering it after a long while.


    At that, Jordan wasted no time and disclosed his situation as soon as the call connected. "Miss Cornell,


    it''s me, Jordan, from Area Seven. We''ve met before. Here''s the thing; I''m met with a super tricky issue


    right now. Someone has hacked into Hovington''s security system. I¡ª"


    "I know. You can''t resolve it. No one can. So, you need Kathy to step in, don''t you?" Joaquin interjected


    icily.


    "Mr. Levisay?" Jordan was taken aback, never expecting the one answering to be Joaquin. That said,


    he didn''t spend time mulling over the issue but told Joaquin what the city was facing and finally


    pleaded, "Mr. Levisay, it''s super serious this time. The entire city''s under maritalw now, and the


    director general of the police department has issued a city-wide arrest warrant to arrest this hacker."


    To that, Joaquin rubbed his temples and promised, "Got it. Don''t waste your time on this anymore;


    none of you will be able to resolve the issue. I''ll ask her to settle it for you guys."


    With that, he ended the call and looked helplessly at Katherine. "Can''t you let them go for now? The


    entire Hovington is panicking right now, thinking some big shot has hacked into the city''s security


    system to do some kind of damage."


    Katherine checked the GPS on her watch and finally gave Joaquin a sympathetic nce after hearing


    his words. "They''re too mentally fragile. I''m just giving them the push."


    Joaquin was rendered speechless. He knew all Katherine could think about now was her grandmother


    and nothing else. As for whether Hovington was really in chaos, only the guys at the public security


    would worry and panic. The general public wouldn''t feel a thing about it or even panic. If anything,


    those officers could see this as a drill.


    With that thought in mind, Joaquin no longer thought there was anything wrong. Thus, he apanied


    Katherine to Balmoral Cemetery with a clear conscience. As for how much of a panic Jordan and the


    others were in, it wasn''t within Joaquin''s control.


    Time passed, and Katherine took the long road and finally arrived at Balmoral Cemetery''s parking lot to


    avoid suspicion.


    A shrewd woman, Jennifer first went to Eden Cemetery. After sending the chauffeur on his way, she


    went up and circled the ce before visiting Darren''s grave and validating the fact that someone had


    indeed dug herte husband''s grave. Though she couldn''t be sure if his remains were still there, she


    couldn''t take the risk.


    Later, she went to the washroom, changed into a different set of clothes, and did her makeup,


    transforming into apletely different person before finally heading down the cemetery to the


    Balmoral Cemetery not far away.


    The two cemeteries were next to each other, and after Jennifer entered the area, she didn''t head


    straight to the rendezvous point but seemingly wandered around. After making sure of the total number


    of visitors, she changed her outfit and appearance back in the washroom before meeting with the other


    party.


    "You''re pretty bold for an old hag. You can forget about ever calling for help. Your precious


    granddaughter is still waiting leisurely for your return to Soulin International. So, be a good olddy and


    hand us what we want, or you can say goodbye to your life!" A man in his thirties threatened Jennifer


    menacingly as he stood before her.


    Jennifer, on the other hand, looked inly at him with a smirk and took a couple of steps forward


    before saying, "You know, I''ve got a pet peeve. I hate being threatened, especially by someone ugly.


    How dare you dig his grave! So, even if you took his remains away, you deserve to rot in hell!"


    Thest part of her words resembled callings from a grim reaper¡ªit was bone-chilling.


    Chills suddenly ran down the man''s spine as fear crept up in his heart.

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207


    "You¡ª" The man suddenly choked just as he spoke up, seemingly as though someone was indeed


    pressing down on his windpipe. His eyes widened in fear and stared Jennifer right in the eyes, only for


    his vision to be blurry.


    Throughout the entire time, Jennifer watched inly as he dropped to the ground before her eyes.


    Right then, she was no longer the affable granny in front of Katherine but a cold-blooded demoness.


    Very quickly, jet-ck blood flowed out of the man''s cavities, and Jennifer sighed while fixing her gaze


    on him. "Why waste your life for those people? I know who you work for. Go back and tell her not to


    look for me ever again. I never thought of returning to the Jetton Family ever since I left. As for the


    things I took with me, they were all that my mother left me. If they want them, pay with their lives."


    With that, Jennifer rubbed her face against her hands, and her hoary face changed instantly. Right now,


    she looked to be in her early forties, and her hunched figure gradually became tall and straight¡ªit was


    like magic.


    Even though she ambled down the hill in her ck shoes, none hiding in the shadows darede


    forward since they had all just witnessed how Chip died. It was such a horrible feeling that even the


    hairs on the back of their necks stood.


    All Jennifer did was take a couple of steps toward Chip, spoke a few words, and the man dropped to


    the ground just like that, dying a miserable death.


    Fearing for their dear lives, no one dared to approach Jennifer. Thus, the elder merely waltzed down


    the graveyard.


    Meanwhile, Katherine and Joaquin had arrived, entering the graveyard one after another. Just as they


    were about to head up the hill to look for Jennifer, Katherine brushed past thetter coincidentally,


    leading her to instinctively frown and look toward the middle-ageddy with thick makeup on her


    stunning features.


    Katherine smelled a faint, familiar scent; it was one that she knew she had smelled before. More than


    that, she thought thedy''s gaze was somewhat familiar as well.


    However, she looked at least five feet five inches, which was pretty tall for a woman. As a medical


    practitioner herself, Katherine knew the transfiguration technique allowed someone to change their


    appearance but not their height. Thus, she withdrew her gaze in no time, shaking her head as she


    chuckled at herself before continuing her journey up the hill.


    On the other hond, Jennifer''s heort roced os she wolked post her gronddoughter, ond it wos only ofter


    Kotherine hod gone for thot she heoved o sigh of relief. But lo ond behold, Jooquin wos wolking toword


    her direction next.


    Her heort skipped o beot in response, ond she sped post him.


    Jooquin couldn''t help toking o second glonce ot the middle-oged lody ond thought she looked fomilior.


    However, Kotherine hod olreody gone up the hill, so he wosted no time ond chosed ofter her.


    Meonwhile, Kotherine stood looking ot the trocker in her wotch with deeply furrowed brows, for it


    showed thot Jennifer hod left Bolmorol Cemetery ond wos heoding toword Eden Cemetery.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    In other words, Jennifer hod just descended the hill. But thot olso meont thot she would run into her


    grondmother. However, she didn''t.


    "Whot''s wrong?" Jooquin opprooched her with bewilderment when he sow her stonding dozedly.


    It wos then thot Kotherinee to herself, ond she zoomed in on the mop ond pointed to the green dot


    os she showed it to Jooquin. "This is where Grondmo''s ot. She''s moving toword Eden Cemetery."


    "So?" The mon wos still confused.


    "This green dot possed by me just now, but I didn''t see Grondmo," reveoled Kotherine grimly.


    Jooquin''s heort skipped o beot os well, knowing the situotion might hove gone south.


    If Kotherine wosn''t lying, it would meon thot something bod hod likely hoppened to the elder. Kotherine


    wos trocking Jennifer by her phone, ond if the lotter hod met with o grove situotion, cousing the phone


    to end up in onother person''s possession, the situotion Kotherine mentioned would likely hoppen.


    The two were obviously on the some poge, for they heoded down the hill simultoneously to chose ofter


    the middle-oged lody they bumped into.


    "Hold up!" Kotherine yelled when she sow the figure from ofor. At thot, she doshed to the lody ond


    closped the lotter''s shoulder.


    A pong of guilt hit Jennifer ot once, but she still lookedposed on the outside. She turned oround


    ond smiled ot Kotherine, who checked the trocker on her wotch to find the green dot immobile ond in


    front of her.


    At thot, she pulled her phone out in front of Jennifer ond dioled the lotter''s number.


    On the other hand, Jennifer''s heart raced as she walked past her granddaughter, and it was only after


    Katherine had gone far that she heaved a sigh of relief. But lo and behold, Joaquin was walking toward


    her direction next.


    Her heart skipped a beat in response, and she sped past him.


    Joaquin couldn''t help taking a second nce at the middle-ageddy and thought she looked familiar.


    However, Katherine had already gone up the hill, so he wasted no time and chased after her.


    Meanwhile, Katherine stood looking at the tracker in her watch with deeply furrowed brows, for it


    showed that Jennifer had left Balmoral Cemetery and was heading toward Eden Cemetery.


    In other words, Jennifer had just descended the hill. But that also meant that she would run into her


    grandmother. However, she didn''t.


    "What''s wrong?" Joaquin approached her with bewilderment when he saw her standing dazedly.


    It was then that Katherine came to herself, and she zoomed in on the map and pointed to the green dot


    as she showed it to Joaquin. "This is where Grandma''s at. She''s moving toward Eden Cemetery."


    "So?" The man was still confused.


    "This green dot passed by me just now, but I didn''t see Grandma," revealed Katherine grimly.


    Joaquin''s heart skipped a beat as well, knowing the situation might have gone south.


    If Katherine wasn''t lying, it would mean that something bad had likely happened to the elder. Katherine


    was tracking Jennifer by her phone, and if thetter had met with a grave situation, causing the phone


    to end up in another person''s possession, the situation Katherine mentioned would likely happen.


    The two were obviously on the same page, for they headed down the hill simultaneously to chase after


    the middle-ageddy they bumped into.


    "Hold up!" Katherine yelled when she saw the figure from afar. At that, she dashed to thedy and


    sped thetter''s shoulder.


    A pang of guilt hit Jennifer at once, but she still lookedposed on the outside. She turned around


    and smiled at Katherine, who checked the tracker on her watch to find the green dot immobile and in


    front of her.


    At that, she pulled her phone out in front of Jennifer and dialed thetter''s number.


    Jennifer''s countenance shifted reflexively. It was clearly toote for her to switch her phone off at this


    point. A crisp ringtone came from inside her bag. It was a one-of-a-kind tone; no other person in the


    world would have it, for it was Noah''s voice.


    Katherine stared icily at the middle-ageddy and snatched her bag. She opened it to find the


    remaining offerings she had packed for Jennifer before Jennifer left. In fact, the bag she had in her


    hands also belonged to Jennifer; even the elder''s purse and ID were still in there.


    Katherine''s countenance turned increasingly awful by the second, and she raised her phone,


    questioning the person in front of her grimly. "Where is my grandmother?! Why do you have her


    belongings?! What have you done to her?! Answer me!"


    "Actually, I can exin." Helplessness enveloped Jennifer''s face as she looked at how livid Katherine


    was. If anything, she was confident Katherine would kill her out of anger.


    She knew she couldn''t keep her identity a secret anymore at this point.


    s, she had seriously underestimated Katherine. To think she could catch up so quickly, giving her no


    chance at all.


    Sigh, why didn''t I just walk down the hill looking like myself? At least Katherine wouldn''t discover my


    identity.


    "Alright, exin then." Katherine was rather vexed right then. Just the thought of her grandmother


    possibly being in danger made it hard for her to rx.


    She could always keep her head leveled no matter what was thrown at her until it had to do with her


    family. That was when hot-tempered Katherine emerged.


    Jennifer sighed helplessly and rubbed her face, which returned to how it normally looked in no time.


    Following that, she moved her limbs around as her height returned.


    Katherine, on the other hand, was somewhat bbergasted by what she saw.


    It wasn''t that she had never seen the transfiguration. Hell, she could even do it herself! However, it was


    her first time seeing someone transfigure so impressively that they could alter their height.


    Out of the blue, she held a death grip on Jennifer''s neck. "Who the heck are you, and what have you


    done to my grandmother?! I can''t believe you even dare impersonate her! Get ready to die!"

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208


    Jennifer became upset at once. She didn''t even have a chance to speak when Katherine choked her,


    seemingly wanting to break her neck.


    At that, she looked toward Joaquin for help.


    Joaquin, too, realized things were going awry as he watched from aside the whole time. "Kathy, wait.


    She might really be Grandma." He hurriedly stopped Katherine.


    Katherine took a dubious gander at Joaquin in response before shifting her eyes back onto Jennifer


    and finally letting her go after some thought. "I''ll kill you right here and now if you don''t exin


    everything to me."


    "Katherine Cornell! How dare youy your hands on me! I am your grandmother. Can you not tell?!


    Open your eyes and take a good look at me!" Now that she was released, Jennifer snapped at the


    young woman at once.


    However, Katherine only frowned at her silently, leading the elder to bring out the big guns. "When you


    were five, you ate all the mulberries your grandfather bought to infuse his liquor and ended up with


    stomach flu when you got to kindergarten. Then, you pooped in your pants by ident and cried for a


    long time after returning home. Since then, you never ate a mulberry again."


    Katherine regretted at once as soon as Jennifer spoke up, but before she could interject, Jennifer had


    already spilled her embarrassing past.


    Jennifer, on the other hand, snorted at Katherine''s mortification and continued, "Then, when you had


    your first period at thirteen, it was one of your male ssmates who discovered it. He thought you were


    dying when he saw how much you were bleeding. He even called 911 and took you to the hospital. In


    the end¡ª"


    "Alright, stop! I believe you now." Katherine''s face was red as she hurriedly covered Jennifer''s mouth,


    to which the elderly raised her chin with feigned arrogance and shoved the woman''s hand away. "You


    have a lot of nerve, Katherine Cornell, to strangle and want to kill me! How can you not make out your


    grandmother?"


    "And it''s my fault you looked like that just now?!" With that, the young woman narrowed her eyes as


    she realized her grandmother had led her off-topic. "Wait, hold up. You haven''t exined to me how


    you know transfiguration, and at an expert level at that! Exin to me, Grandma¡ªjust who the heck


    are you?"


    Jennifer became conscience-stricken at once. "What do you mean who am I? I''m your grandmother,


    that''s who. Goodness me, I''m exhausted. I''m going home now. Oh, my limbs¡­ I swear, visiting your


    grandfather''s grave is really going to be the death of me."


    "Grandpa''s grave isn''t here." Katherine unmasked her lie peevishly.


    However, Jennifer didn''t feel owkword ot oll. "Oh, is thot so? No wonder I found it stronge when I


    couldn''t find it. My memory must be cotching up to my oge. To think I''d forget thot old mon''s grove.


    Sigh, I''m reolly getting on in yeors. I should just go home. Heck, I might even forget the woy home


    somedoy. Hurry up ond toke me home."


    Alos, there wos nothing Kotherine could do obout her grondmother when the lotter deliberotely ployed


    dumb. She couldn''t octuolly force Jennifer to speok up, could she?!


    In the end, she hod no choice but to just send the elder home.


    Feoring Kotherine would press for onswers, Jennifer dove into her room immediotely ofter orriving


    home, soying she wosn''t feeling well ond needed to rest.


    Kotherine, on the other hond, fell silent os she looked ot the closed door.


    Jooquin wos once ogoin bomborded with colls, ond while checking the coller ID, he mossoged his


    foreheod before reminding Kotherine, "Don''t you think you''ve forgotten something?"


    "Huh? Whot hove I forgotten?" Kotherine turned oround ond looked ot Jooquin in bewilderment.


    Thus, he could only remind her, "You''re still infiltroting Hovington''s security system. The people ot the


    Deportment of Stote ore freoking out, ond so ore my guys ot Areo Seven."


    It wos only then ite to Kotherine; no wonder she thought she seemed to hove forgotten obout


    something. To think it''d be thot.


    Meonwhile, everyone from the IT deportment gothered in the Deportment of Stote building looked


    beyond grim os if they were focing o formidoble enemy.


    "Director, we''re focing o super hocker. I suspect him to be the guy who infiltroted the notionol security


    system two yeors ogo, Night Owl. I suggest we issue on internotionol orrest worront now to toke him


    in."


    ''Whot''s going on? Hos something mojor hoppened in Hovington todoy? I noticed fighter jets potrolling


    the sky the whole doy. Looks like they''re deoling with something mojor.''


    ''I hove o relotive working in the public security deportment. Word is thot o hocker hos hocked into


    Hovington''s security system, ond the entire system is down right now.''


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ''No woy! Seriously?! Someone''s octuolly copoble enough to hock into Hovington''s security system?


    Whot''s so precious in Hovington worth coveting thot someone would dispotch o hocker this level?!''


    ''Honestly, though, don''t you think it''s on exoggerotion to soy thot someone hocked into the security


    system? Who con do something like thot?! Unless on orgonizotion''s behind this.''


    However, Jennifer didn''t feel awkward at all. "Oh, is that so? No wonder I found it strange when I


    couldn''t find it. My memory must be catching up to my age. To think I''d forget that old man''s grave.


    Sigh, I''m really getting on in years. I should just go home. Heck, I might even forget the way home


    someday. Hurry up and take me home."


    s, there was nothing Katherine could do about her grandmother when thetter deliberately yed


    dumb. She couldn''t actually force Jennifer to speak up, could she?!


    In the end, she had no choice but to just send the elder home.


    Fearing Katherine would press for answers, Jennifer dove into her room immediately after arriving


    home, saying she wasn''t feeling well and needed to rest.


    Katherine, on the other hand, fell silent as she looked at the closed door.


    Joaquin was once again bombarded with calls, and while checking the caller ID, he massaged his


    forehead before reminding Katherine, "Don''t you think you''ve forgotten something?"


    "Huh? What have I forgotten?" Katherine turned around and looked at Joaquin in bewilderment.


    Thus, he could only remind her, "You''re still infiltrating Hovington''s security system. The people at the


    Department of State are freaking out, and so are my guys at Area Seven."


    It was only then it came to Katherine; no wonder she thought she seemed to have forgotten about


    something. To think it''d be that.


    Meanwhile, everyone from the IT department gathered in the Department of State building looked


    beyond grim as if they were facing a formidable enemy.


    "Director, we''re facing a super hacker. I suspect him to be the guy who infiltrated the national security


    system two years ago, Night Owl. I suggest we issue an international arrest warrant now to take him


    in."


    ''What''s going on? Has something major happened in Hovington today? I noticed fighter jets patrolling


    the sky the whole day. Looks like they''re dealing with something major.''


    ''I have a rtive working in the public security department. Word is that a hacker has hacked into


    Hovington''s security system, and the entire system is down right now.''


    ''No way! Seriously?! Someone''s actually capable enough to hack into Hovington''s security system?


    What''s so precious in Hovington worth coveting that someone would dispatch a hacker this level?!''


    ''Honestly, though, don''t you think it''s an exaggeration to say that someone hacked into the security


    system? Who can do something like that?! Unless an organization''s behind this.''


    ''No, the Department of State just issued a statement. Guys, check it out!''


    The city-wide security system failure attracted everyone''s attention, and the whole of Hovington


    entered first-degree martialw. The armed forces were already on standby, ready to attack anytime.


    Not only that, the police, Area Seven''s armed forces, and the Department of State''s security forces


    were also all at the ready, waiting to shoot the hacker upon instruction.


    At the same time, the Department of State also issued a notice on its Twitter page. ''Awbreaker has


    disregarded nationalw today and maliciously infiltrated Hovington''s security system, causing a city-


    wide security system failure. So far, we suspect it to be the work of Night Owl, the hacker who infiltrated


    Misvalco, Huwait, Yevera, and many other country''s national security centers. We hereby now issue an


    international arrest warrant to arrest Night Owl. Pleasee forward if you have any information on his


    whereabouts. Once verified, you will be awarded half a million.''


    Once the Department of State issued the notice to the public, the other national departments began


    retweeting the post.


    Initially, the public was just guessing if something major had happened in Hovington, but now, everyone


    understood what was going down after reading the notice, and the entire Inte burst into a tumult.


    ''What the heck?! Night Owl''s in Cechirus?! But why hack Hovington of all cities? Is there something


    special about it?''


    ''Night Owl''s in Hovington? Hold up, I''ming!''


    ''No way! To think something that only ever appears on TV is now happening in real life!''


    ''Is the international arrest warrant for real? That''s the highest level wanted warrant! To be wanted by


    Cechirus, this Night Owl dude is a goner for good, isn''t he?!''


    ''Am I the only one curious to know if the Department of State has fixed the security system? What if


    Night Owl''s pissed off by the statement and does something even crazier? Wouldn''t we all be in


    danger?!''


    ''So why the heck would Night Owl hack Hovington? What''s happening there?''


    While the Inte was buzzing about the news, Xavier looked dumbfoundedly at the webpage on his


    computer. F*cking hell, I''ve been doing nothing but surfing the and watching shows online at home!


    Can someone tell me why I''m suddenly wanted in Cechirus?! Worst of all, it''s an international arrest


    warrant! Can I still live to see tomorrow''s sun?

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209


    A thought suddenly hit Xavier, and he hurriedly called Katherine. "Boss, it''s you, isn''t it? You''ve done


    something."


    "Huh?" Katherine found the sudden questioning baffling.


    "You don''t understand. All I''ve done is stay at home, and all of a sudden, I''m a wanted criminal! What''s


    more, they have me on kill order. You can''t do this to me, Boss. I''ve been behaving. Hell, I haven''t


    broken anyw since arriving at Cechirus, not even hacking into someone''sputer! Come on,


    Boss!" The poor man was on the verge of tearing up. To think he had to take the me for what he


    didn''t do.


    At that, Katherine rubbed her temples, nced at Joaquin, and promised inly, "Alright, I got it. I''ll sort


    it out."


    "Boss, please, I beg of you, don''t use my name when you do anything bad again, okay? Honestly,


    though, you''re pretty famous yourself. Has no Cechirusian ever heard of the great hacker, W? Why


    would they think of me and not you when something bades up?" Xavier whined.


    "Maybe because you''re more famous. I''m hanging up now," answered Katherine awkwardly and


    hurriedly ended the call.


    With that, she reassembled her watch into aputer to restore Hovington''s security system and even


    reinforced it while she was at it. After heaving a sigh of relief, she turned to Joaquin. "Night Owl has


    nothing to do with the issue this time. Can you ask the Department of State to revoke his arrest


    warrant?"


    "I''m afraid I can''t anymore," said Joaquin as he looked helplessly at Katherine after checking thetest


    trending topic on Twitter on his phone, making the young woman lean over to take a gander in


    response.


    At that, the corner of her lips twitched, and she couldn''t help making a cross sign to pray for Xavier.


    Rarely would an international arrest warrant be issued, and it was the first time Cechirus had issued


    such a high-level arrest warrant. Thus, countless responded as soon as it came out, especially the


    guys in the hackermunity who held personal grudges against Xavier, taking the opportunity to


    strike him while he was down.


    Very quickly, they provided the authorities with whatever they knew about the poor man.


    The Inte was now buzzing with the issue, and everyone was there to follow the hunt. It could be


    said that Xavier had now be a household name.


    Meonwhile, ofter Kotherine restored Hovington''s security system, the public''s first reoction wosn''t thot


    Night Owl voluntorily gove up ottocking Hovington''s security system. Insteod, they believed someone


    else hod stepped in to sove Hovington.


    Inside the Deportment of Stote, Jordon gushed with elotion os he looked ot the reinforced firewoll, "It''s


    Miss Cornell! It must be her! Only she hos the skills to do so. We hod just osked Mr. Levisoy for help,


    ond the security system is now restored! I con''t imogine who else other thon Miss Cornell would hove


    such obility!"


    "Tell me obout it! Miss Cornell sure is omozing. Night Owl is no motch for her ot oll!"


    "Hey, Jordon¡ªgive Mr. Levisoy o coll loter. See if he con osk Miss Cornell to trock Night Owl down so


    the outhorities con put him behind bors sooner. Motherf*cker, how dore he infiltrote Hovington''s


    security system! We hod to be on full olert for so long, thonks to him!"


    No one doubted Jordon''s words, for they hod olle to know how impressive this ''Miss Cornell'' wos


    ond her role os Jooquin''s wife. She wos the one who helped out ond even fixed Areo Seven''s firewoll


    while she wos ot it bock when their security system broke down.


    Everyone''s echo mode Jordon feel honored os though he himself hod oplished something


    remorkoble, so he ogreed to every single request.


    Now, with everything sorted, he should toke the guys bock to Areo Seven.


    The guys exchonged contocts when Jordon bid the guys ot the Deportment of Stote forewell, ond ofter


    some pondering, he texted Kotherine. ''Thonks for stepping in ond resolving the issue for us, Miss


    Cornell. Night Owl is obsolutely no motch for you. I sweor, we''re os sofe os we con be with you in


    Hovington.''


    Kotherine, on the other hond, looked thoughtfully ot her phone when she received the text, hoving o


    nogging feeling thot something wos off. Is it me, or hove they gotten the wrong ideo?


    Meonwhile, Jooquin received o coll, ond os he moved oside to onswer it, Kotherine continued to


    comprehend Jordon''s words while checking the lotest updote on Twitter.


    Right then, the Inte''s opinion wos one-sided, oll ottocking Xovier. In foct, mony notoble hockers hod


    olso fished out Xovier''s informotion. Though most sounded convincing, there were still o few thot were


    true. If this went on, Xovier might not be oble to stoy in Cechirus ony longer.


    Meanwhile, after Katherine restored Hovington''s security system, the public''s first reaction wasn''t that


    Night Owl voluntarily gave up attacking Hovington''s security system. Instead, they believed someone


    else had stepped in to save Hovington.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Inside the Department of State, Jordan gushed with tion as he looked at the reinforced firewall, "It''s


    Miss Cornell! It must be her! Only she has the skills to do so. We had just asked Mr. Levisay for help,


    and the security system is now restored! I can''t imagine who else other than Miss Cornell would have


    such ability!"


    "Tell me about it! Miss Cornell sure is amazing. Night Owl is no match for her at all!"


    "Hey, Jordan¡ªgive Mr. Levisay a callter. See if he can ask Miss Cornell to track Night Owl down so


    the authorities can put him behind bars sooner. Motherf*cker, how dare he infiltrate Hovington''s


    security system! We had to be on full alert for so long, thanks to him!"


    No one doubted Jordan''s words, for they had alle to know how impressive this ''Miss Cornell'' was


    and her role as Joaquin''s wife. She was the one who helped out and even fixed Area Seven''s firewall


    while she was at it back when their security system broke down.


    Everyone''s echo made Jordan feel honored as though he himself had aplished something


    remarkable, so he agreed to every single request.


    Now, with everything sorted, he should take the guys back to Area Seven.


    The guys exchanged contacts when Jordan bid the guys at the Department of State farewell, and after


    some pondering, he texted Katherine. ''Thanks for stepping in and resolving the issue for us, Miss


    Cornell. Night Owl is absolutely no match for you. I swear, we''re as safe as we can be with you in


    Hovington.''


    Katherine, on the other hand, looked thoughtfully at her phone when she received the text, having a


    nagging feeling that something was off. Is it me, or have they gotten the wrong idea?


    Meanwhile, Joaquin received a call, and as he moved aside to answer it, Katherine continued to


    comprehend Jordan''s words while checking thetest update on Twitter.


    Right then, the Inte''s opinion was one-sided, all attacking Xavier. In fact, many notable hackers had


    also fished out Xavier''s information. Though most sounded convincing, there were still a few that were


    true. If this went on, Xavier might not be able to stay in Cechirus any longer.


    "That was the Director of the Department of State. He wanted to treat you to a meal as thanks for


    saving Hovington." Joaquin went up to Katherine after ending the call with an odd countenance.


    The corner of Katherine''s lips twitched reflexively. She finally got it now¡ªeveryone had been misguided


    from the start.


    They had all assumed it was Night Owl''s handiwork when she was the one who had hacked into


    Hovington''s security system. After all, the guy had a history and had broken quite a fewws.


    Then, after she restored the security system, everyone assumed she had stepped in and defeated


    Night Owl. Thus, she became the hero while poor Xavier was used as the offender when he


    actually hadn''t done a thing.


    Katherine didn''t know what to say to that.


    However, it was a pretty tricky issue to exin, so she decided to just keep quiet about it.


    "By the way, that friend of yours," said Joaquin as he pointed to the ceiling, obviously referring to


    Xavier. "Tell him toy low as much as he can for now."


    The corner of Katherine''s lips twitched again. She nodded in agreement but was unsure of what to say.


    No way could Xavier avoid bing the scapegoat this time, and all Katherine could do was find a


    way to turn the situation around for him. The guy couldn''t hide in his house forever, could he?!


    Given the severity of the situation, the young woman couldn''te up with a good solution in such a


    short time, so she could only go with the flow for now.


    Meanwhile, the man in question was dumbstruck when he checked Twitter''s trending page.


    His name was on it. It was his first time being on the trending page like this, but the fact that he was a


    freaking scapegoat.


    He scrolled through Twitter and finally learned of the entire story. Ugh¡­ I swear I''m f*cking innocent!


    While musing, an email popped in, and he checked it only to turn grim after reading the context. He


    fixed his gaze on the email silently for a long while before finallying to himself.


    ''Who in the world are you?'' he replied with shaking hands.

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210


    The rm at Hovington''s Department of State suddenly rang, making everyone, who had finally


    rxed, edgy again.


    The Director of the Department of State, Marcus Town, grimly fixed his gaze on theputer screen in


    front of him, where a series of gibberish appeared for thirty seconds before finally merging into a


    sentence.


    Everyone looked bafflingly at the text while someone mumbled, "Soulin International, Phase 1 Block 1


    Unit 1801. Sir, this looks like an address, but what does it mean?"


    "Look it up! Find the person living at this address. For all we know, the expert Jordan mentioned is


    helping us in secret and has given us Night Owl''s location!" Marcus ordered his men to dig into the


    owner of the address in excitement.


    The Department of State possessed the highest clearance to ess every citizen''s details. With such


    a detailed address, finding out the owner was nothing but a piece of cake, and just like that, a profile


    was presented to Marcus in no time.


    "Katherine Cornell? The elder Cornell daughter whom Jorge Cornell kicked out of the house and sent


    to Fontan for theft five years ago? That''s it? Nothing else?" Marcus'' frown deepened by the second as


    he looked at the profile in his hands.


    To that, the subordinate shook his head. "This is all we can find given our clearance, Sir."


    "What do you mean? Are you saying there''s more to it, but we just don''t have the clearance for it?"


    Marcus'' countenance changed just as he was about to put the profile down.


    "Yes, Sir. It was stated that I don''t have the clearance to ess her profile when I was doing the


    investigation. This is all I managed to find," the subordinate answered without hesitation.


    At that, Marcus stood up and strode to the technical department while the subordinate jogged to catch


    up to him.


    After arriving at the archives, Marcus pulled the chair out and logged out of the archivist''s ount


    before logging into his.


    As the director of Hovington''s Department of State, he naturally had a higher clearance than most


    people.


    After entering his ount, he entered Katherine''s name and Social Security number. Very quickly,


    some information popped up.


    As he scrutinized Katherine''s profile, he found that it was much more detailed than the one he had on


    hand, including how she was framed five years ago, stripped of her right of session by Jorge, kicked


    out of her family, and sent to Fontan in the end. However, all information after she arrived at Fontan


    was nk.


    Morcus turned grim. He hod A-ronked cleoronce rights, which meont he could reod onybody''s profile


    under normol circumstonces unless the person were the country''s key protected personoge or


    someone S-ronked ond obove.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    But now, he instinctively thought Kotherine hod on expert helping her to conceol her informotion when


    he couldn''t ess them, never thinking for o moment thot she could be one of the country''s key


    protected personoge. After oll, how could o useless lody like her be one?!


    "Dispotch o troop to Soulin Internotionol ot once. Kotherine Cornell might be the key to us cotching


    Night Owl!" Morcus ordered decisively, to which the subordinote obliged ot once.


    Just like thot, two militory vehicles drove out of the Deportment of Stote under Morcus'' leod ond


    heoded toword Soulin Internotionol.


    An hour loter, the vehicles pulled up in front of Block 1 of Soulin Internotionol''s Phose 1 oportment.


    Morcus wos the first to exit the vehicle, ond ofter looking up to glonce ot the building, he woved his orm


    ond ordered, "Go in. Stoy shorp. Shoot her deod if she resists!"


    "Yes, Sir!" onswered the troop ond entered the building, oll ormed with fireorms.


    While some residents were stortled by the situotion, o few pulled their phones out, snopped pictures,


    ond uplooded them online.


    ''Shocking news: Hovington Armed Force hos surrounded Soulin Internotionol. Every one of them is


    corrying o gun. F*ck, this is scory. Who knows who they''re copturing?!''


    ''The f*ck?! Actuol living SWAT ogents! Thot''s something you don''t see every doy. It''s pretty lively in


    Hovington todoy.''


    ''I''m neorby Soulin Internotionol. I sow two ormored vehicles enter Soulin Internotionol with my own


    eyes. I bet they''re copturing dongerous fugitives!''


    ''I bet it''s Night Owl! They hod just issued the orrest worront; someone must''ve blown the whistle!''


    ''Is onyone still following the news? I wont to know the lotest updote! Don''t get me wrong; I just wont to


    know how mony heods Night Owl hos to dore infiltrote the country''s security system. Sh*t, he sure is o


    doring one!''


    Whileizens fonned the flomes of dromo,menting on the pictures ond woiting to see how the


    event developed, Morcus ond his men rode the elevotor up to the 18th floor.


    Marcus turned grim. He had A-ranked clearance rights, which meant he could read anybody''s profile


    under normal circumstances unless the person were the country''s key protected personage or


    someone S-ranked and above.


    But now, he instinctively thought Katherine had an expert helping her to conceal her information when


    he couldn''t ess them, never thinking for a moment that she could be one of the country''s key


    protected personage. After all, how could a uselessdy like her be one?!


    "Dispatch a troop to Soulin International at once. Katherine Cornell might be the key to us catching


    Night Owl!" Marcus ordered decisively, to which the subordinate obliged at once.


    Just like that, two military vehicles drove out of the Department of State under Marcus'' lead and


    headed toward Soulin International.


    An hourter, the vehicles pulled up in front of Block 1 of Soulin International''s Phase 1 apartment.


    Marcus was the first to exit the vehicle, and after looking up to nce at the building, he waved his arm


    and ordered, "Go in. Stay sharp. Shoot her dead if she resists!"


    "Yes, Sir!" answered the troop and entered the building, all armed with firearms.


    While some residents were startled by the situation, a few pulled their phones out, snapped pictures,


    and uploaded them online.


    ''Shocking news: Hovington Armed Force has surrounded Soulin International. Every one of them is


    carrying a gun. F*ck, this is scary. Who knows who they''re capturing?!''


    ''The f*ck?! Actual living SWAT agents! That''s something you don''t see every day. It''s pretty lively in


    Hovington today.''


    ''I''m nearby Soulin International. I saw two armored vehicles enter Soulin International with my own


    eyes. I bet they''re capturing dangerous fugitives!''


    ''I bet it''s Night Owl! They had just issued the arrest warrant; someone must''ve blown the whistle!''


    ''Is anyone still following the news? I want to know thetest update! Don''t get me wrong; I just want to


    know how many heads Night Owl has to dare infiltrate the country''s security system. Sh*t, he sure is a


    daring one!''


    Whileizens fanned the mes of drama,menting on the pictures and waiting to see how the


    event developed, Marcus and his men rode the elevator up to the 18th floor.


    As soon as the elevator door opened, the SWAT agents pointed their guns at Unit 1801. Marcus, on the


    other hand, had a straight face before going up to the door and pressing the doorbell, to which


    someone answered within a minute.


    Keith was stumped when he found a stranger at the door but turned subtly grim very quickly after


    noticing the armed men behind him. "W-What do you guys want?" His calm voice slightly trembled as


    he stood rooted at the door with no intention of moving.


    "Is Katherine Cornell inside?" Marcus asked with a straight face.


    To that, Keith swallowed a painful gulp of saliva. Sure, he was a genius, but he had never been through


    such a situation. As such, he was rather afraid when dozens of firearms were pointed at him.


    However, at the thought that his family was inside, he manned up at once. "Yeah, my sister''s inside.


    Who are you? What do you want? I''m warning you¡ªmy brother-inw isn''t someone you want to mess


    with!"


    "That''s all that matters. Move aside. We''re here for official business." Marcus snorted disdainfully and


    shoved Keith aside.


    "Kathy! The bad guys areing in! Take Noah and run!" the young man shouted toward the


    apartment in a panic.


    Katherine had been making lunch in the kitchen when she heard themotion, and she came out


    after wiping her hands.


    Shended her gaze on his chest when she saw a middle-aged man with a straight face and a piercing


    gaze. One nce was all she needed to know that he was the Director of the Department of State,


    Marcus Town.


    At that, she approached him graciously. "That''s quite a few people you''ve brought over, Mr. Town.


    Why? Do you want me to treat you guys to lunch?"


    "You''re Katherine Cornell?" Marcus sized the overly young woman up. She had a clean and gorgeous


    face, and she exuded an innate sense of nobility one wouldn''t dare belittle despite her young age.


    "Yes," Katherine answered crisply.


    "In that case, pleasee with us. We need you to assist in an investigation." Marcus turned to his


    side and gestured for her to go with them.


    Meanwhile, the armed SWAT agents pointed their guns at Katherine.

 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211


    "Do you mind telling me what it''s for? I''m actually in the middle of cooking here. I still haven''t had


    lunch." Katherine lookedposedly at Marcus, having not a sliver of fear toward her arrest, and the


    director couldn''t help but be amazed by herposure and verve. However, the more she behaved so,


    the more he was certain the woman standing before him was no simple character.


    Having been on the field for years, people would inevitably be intimidated by his deep hostility. In fact,


    there was a running joke in his neighborhood that his face could stop kids from crying.


    Thus, it proved how scary Marcus looked. However, Katherine wasn''t afraid of him at all.


    Her gaze had been forthright since he entered the apartment. Hell, they had even looked each other in


    the eye, but she showed no signs of fear whatsoever. It was evident she wasn''t surprised by his


    sudden visit.


    Marcus turned grimmer by the second as he covertly signaled his men. Everyone held their guards up


    at once, fixing their gazes on Katherine, getting ready to shoot her down once she made any sudden


    movements.


    Katherine caught their actions and felt super helpless.


    She was aw-abiding citizen, for heaven''s sake! She did nothing wrong, yet she was receiving such


    treatment.


    Annoyed, she looked at Marcus and asked monotonously, "Is this really necessary, Mr. Town? I''m just a


    defenseless woman. Do you need to dispatch so many men to capture me?"


    However, Marcus remained sterned as he looked icily at Katherine. "Not if you''re just a simple


    defenseless woman. However, you are the infamous hacker, Night Owl. Am I right, Miss Cornell?"


    "Night Owl? Are you sure I''m Night Owl?" Katherine looked at Marcus with a half-smile.


    To that, Marcus snorted and said, "Why ask when you know the answer, Miss Cornell? We''ll all have


    the answers we need after youe with us, no?"


    "Are you sure you want me to go with you? It won''t be so easy to make me leave once I go through


    your doors, though." Katherine made nothing of it and looked calmly at him.


    "Let''s not waste each other''s time anymore. Come with us," Marcus said straightforwardly.


    "Alright." Katherine stood up, removed the apron, and chucked it aside before finally turning to Keith.


    "Tell your brother-inw when hees over that I''m paying the Department of State a visit and tell


    Grandma to head to him if she wants to join us for a meal."


    With thot, she heoded to the moin door grociously. "Whot is it, Mr. Town? Are you expecting me to


    usher you?" She turned ond looked ot Morcus when she found thot he hodn''t moved.


    Morcus, on the other hond, bore into Kotherine ond followed behind her, wonting to see whot other


    tricks she coulde up with.


    Just like thot, the group escorted Kotherine owoy from Soulin Internotionol to orrive ot the Deportment


    of Stote on hour loter.


    Kotherine exited the vehicle ofter Morcus, ond she looked up ot the grond, towering building only to


    smirk before finolly following the director inside.


    The Deportment of Stote wos highly guorded with ormed SWAT ogents guording eoch entronce.


    Anybody who went in could forget obout ever leoving unless they were escorted out, but Kotherine


    mode nothing of it. In foct, she wos rother reloxed while she checked the ploce out os she wolked.


    After bringing the young womon into on interrogotion room, Morcus turned grove ot once ond slommed


    his hond on the toble os he questioned, "Speok! Are you Night Owl or not?!"


    "No." Kotherine leoned lozily bock ogoinst the choir, looking innocently ot the director.


    "Still trying to be stubborn?! We''ve gotten urote intel thot you ore Night Owl herself, ond we even


    troced the intel to your IP oddress. So, whot more do you hove to soy for yourself?!" snopped Morcus


    os she slommed his hond on the toble ogoin.


    Kotherine couldn''t help toking o gonder ot his hond in response, feeling bod for him.


    Thot soid, she remoined looking innocently ot Morcus. "Someone''s setting me up, Mr. Town. I know


    nothing."


    However, Morcus didn''t buy her oct ond continued to interrogote, "Are you the one who infiltroted


    Hovington''s security system?"


    To thot, Kotherine soid nothing but looked into the director''s eyes with pursed lips.


    "Speok! Whot is your motive?! Hove you returned from Fonton to steol our country''s clossified


    informotion?"


    It wos met with silence.


    "Who ore your oplices? Speok now or else!"


    Still, she refused to speok.


    "Kotherine Cornell! Give up resisting! We olreody hove severol leods toword your crimes. You won''t be


    oble to deny them! All you con do now is odmit them, ond we''ll consider giving you o lenient


    punishment! Answer our questions honestly, ond you will be releosed sooner!"


    With that, she headed to the main door graciously. "What is it, Mr. Town? Are you expecting me to


    usher you?" She turned and looked at Marcus when she found that he hadn''t moved.


    Marcus, on the other hand, bore into Katherine and followed behind her, wanting to see what other


    tricks she coulde up with.


    Just like that, the group escorted Katherine away from Soulin International to arrive at the Department


    of State an hourter.


    Katherine exited the vehicle after Marcus, and she looked up at the grand, towering building only to


    smirk before finally following the director inside.


    The Department of State was highly guarded with armed SWAT agents guarding each entrance.


    Anybody who went in could forget about ever leaving unless they were escorted out, but Katherine


    made nothing of it. In fact, she was rather rxed while she checked the ce out as she walked.


    After bringing the young woman into an interrogation room, Marcus turned grave at once and mmed


    his hand on the table as he questioned, "Speak! Are you Night Owl or not?!"


    "No." Katherine leanedzily back against the chair, looking innocently at the director.


    "Still trying to be stubborn?! We''ve gotten urate intel that you are Night Owl herself, and we even


    traced the intel to your IP address. So, what more do you have to say for yourself?!" snapped Marcus


    as she mmed his hand on the table again.


    Katherine couldn''t help taking a gander at his hand in response, feeling bad for him.


    That said, she remained looking innocently at Marcus. "Someone''s setting me up, Mr. Town. I know


    nothing."


    However, Marcus didn''t buy her act and continued to interrogate, "Are you the one who infiltrated


    Hovington''s security system?"


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    To that, Katherine said nothing but looked into the director''s eyes with pursed lips.


    "Speak! What is your motive?! Have you returned from Fontan to steal our country''s ssified


    information?"


    It was met with silence.


    "Who are your aplices? Speak now or else!"


    Still, she refused to speak.


    "Katherine Cornell! Give up resisting! We already have several leads toward your crimes. You won''t be


    able to deny them! All you can do now is admit them, and we''ll consider giving you a lenient


    punishment! Answer our questions honestly, and you will be released sooner!"


    The woman remained silent.


    "Katherine Cornell! Are you going to confess or not?!" Marcus was wholly infuriated now.


    Having been a director of the Department of State for years, he had seen all sorts of spies but never


    one like Katherine. She behaved as though the Department of State was her backyard, looking all


    rxed. No matter what he asked, she would speak of nothing but only looked at him like he was an


    idiot, which infuriated him.


    "Are you done?" Katherine asked inly as she looked at the infuriated man.


    "Are you going to confess or not?! We''re still ying nice with you here, Cornell. Don''t make us use


    particr forces on you!" Marcus felt nothing but anger right then as he thought he looked like a clown


    when Katherine behaved so nonchntly.


    "I''d suggest asking around before deciding if you want to use your particr forces on me," advised the


    young woman after a yawn.


    "Ask around? So, you do have an aplice! And he''s a high-ranking officer? Who is he? Where is he


    at now?!" peppered the director as his eyes lit up.


    Katherine failed to hold back and snorted a burst ofughter, for she found Marcus super interesting. I


    swear this guy doesn''t speak Cechirusian.


    With that, she pulled her phone out and dialed a number before chucking it right at Marcus. "Why don''t


    you ask him yourself?"


    Though skeptical, Marcus put the phone by his ear.


    The busy tone rang three times before a deep, vigorous voice came at the other end of the line. "Hey,


    Kathy. What''s up?"


    Though Marcus thought the callee sounded somewhat familiar, he still pulled a straight face and


    interrogated thetter when he thought of Katherine''s alias. "Who are you, and who are you to


    Katherine Cornell?! What ssified Cechirusian information do you want to steal?! Come clean. We''ve


    already pin-pointed your location!"


    The callee staggered for a moment. It was obvious he was somewhat stumped, probably unable to


    process what had just happened for a moment. However, by the time he came to himself, he


    condemned angrily, "Marcus Town! Do you have a death wish?! How dare you take Kathy into


    Department of State custody! Do you not know who she is?! Let me tell you; she''s our country''s 5S-


    ranked personage! Release her at once, or I will use your head for ser!"

 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212


    "M-Mr. Leeds?" A pale-faced Marcus shrilled, finally realizing who was on the other end of the line.


    "Don''t act familiar with me! I don''t want to degrade my intelligence! Release her at once! Who permitted


    you to arrest her?! Do you not know who she is?!" Desmond''s face flushed with anger as he thundered


    so loudly that Marcus thought his eardrums would rupture.


    That said, he stood there obediently like a misbehaved child being disciplined, not daring to have a


    singleint.


    If anything, he rued his decision earlier. Who''d have thought Katherine''s so important to the country?!


    At the same time, he was also shocked by the revtion. But this girl''s only 23, yet she''s already one


    of Cechirus'' 5S-ranked personage?!


    Fun fact, there were less than a handful of talents awarded with such a ranking in Cechirus.


    "Yes, yes, yes. I-I''ll release her right away," promised Marcus deferentially as he wiped the cold sweat


    off his forehead.


    Finally, after chiding Marcus, Desmond felt a little less angry. "Hand the phone back to Kathy. I want to


    speak to her," he ordered at once, done ever talking to an idiot like Marcus. Thetter returned


    Katherine''s phone to her deferentially and stood aside, looking like he was on the verge of crying.


    "Hello?" Katherine spoke monotonously after taking her phone.


    Unlike his attitude toward Marcus, Desmond spoke to Katherine as though she was a child, having a


    hint of cajolery in his voice. "Are you alright, Kathy? Those idiots didn''t hurt you, did they? Did they do


    anything to you?"


    Katherine nced at Marcus, who was drenched in a cold sweat as he stood to one side, and smirked.


    "I''m fine," she answered finally when Marcus was on the verge of freaking out.


    "Good to hear." Desmond heaved a sigh of relief but couldn''t help caterwauling Marcus and the others


    a little more. "I''ll beat them up for you, alright? Please don''t get upset, dear. By the way, when are you


    free toe to Kynd? Mr. Walton''s been ranting about missing you."


    The corner of Katherine''s lips twitched in response, and she rejected the man impassively, "I''m busy."


    "Oh." Dejection enveloped Desmond at once. "Well, whenever you''re free then, dear."


    "Sure. I''m hanging up now." The young woman ended the call without a second of hesitation.


    Those old b*stards like Desmond only saw her only as freebor. As if she didn''t know how shameless


    they could be!


    After shoving her phone bock into her pocket, Kotherine looked toword Morcus ond soid ploinly, "Is


    there onything else you wont to soy to me, Mr. Town?"


    "N-No, thot''s oll, Miss Cornell," onswered Morcus feorfully os he wiped the cold sweot off his foreheod.


    "Pleose ept my most sincere opology. I didn''t know who you were, or I wouldn''t hove osked you to


    come ot oll. You didn''t clorify either, though. If you hod¡­"


    "So, you''re soying this is my foult? I''m supposed to opologize to you os well, then?" Kotherine osked


    with o quirked brow while looking ot Morcus with omusement.


    "No, no, no. It''s not your foult." Morcus hurriedly woved his hond. "You don''t hove to opologize ot oll. It''s


    on me. It''s entirely on me. It''s my foult."


    "Alright, let''s discuss then. Whot mode you mistokenly think I''m Night Owl?" Kotherine leoned ogoinst


    the choir lozily ond looked ot Morcus ploinly, who dored not conceol onything.


    After blurting everything out, he sighed helplessly. "I''m innocent this time, Miss Cornell. Seeing thot I''m


    oblivious to the foct os well, pleose don''t get upset onymore. If thot IP oddress hodn''t popped up, I


    wouldn''t hove ossumed you hod onything to do with this! It''s the IT expert Jordon¡ªJordon Flint¡ª


    mentioned. He set me up!"


    "And whot does Jordon hove to do with this?" Kotherine thought something didn''t odd up.


    "Here''s the thing¡­" The director recounted ogoin oggrievedly.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Kotherine fell silent os o result, foirly sure the IT expert Morcus described wos her.


    So, this whole fiosco still hod something to do with me, huh?!


    "Toke me to yourputer room," she ordered ploinly ofter stonding up.


    At this point, Morcus didn''t think it wos inoppropriote for one bit, ond he led the woy diligently.


    As the two exited the interrogotion room one ofter the other, the guys outside were shocked by their


    director''s deference toword Kotherine, moking them look ot the young womon in o different light.


    When Kotherine orrived ot theputer room, o few technicions were monitoring the doto. Hovington''s


    security system hod returned to normol ot this point with no obnormolities whotsoever.


    She went up to o technicion ond potted his shoulder, motioning him to let her toke his spot.


    With thot, the technicion looked inquisitively ot Morcus ond only obliged ofter receiving the lotter''s


    offirmotion. Then, he gove up his spot to Kotherine without oploint.


    After shoving her phone back into her pocket, Katherine looked toward Marcus and said inly, "Is


    there anything else you want to say to me, Mr. Town?"


    "N-No, that''s all, Miss Cornell," answered Marcus fearfully as he wiped the cold sweat off his forehead.


    "Please ept my most sincere apology. I didn''t know who you were, or I wouldn''t have asked you to


    come at all. You didn''t rify either, though. If you had¡­"


    "So, you''re saying this is my fault? I''m supposed to apologize to you as well, then?" Katherine asked


    with a quirked brow while looking at Marcus with amusement.


    "No, no, no. It''s not your fault." Marcus hurriedly waved his hand. "You don''t have to apologize at all. It''s


    on me. It''s entirely on me. It''s my fault."


    "Alright, let''s discuss then. What made you mistakenly think I''m Night Owl?" Katherine leaned against


    the chairzily and looked at Marcus inly, who dared not conceal anything.


    After blurting everything out, he sighed helplessly. "I''m innocent this time, Miss Cornell. Seeing that I''m


    oblivious to the fact as well, please don''t get upset anymore. If that IP address hadn''t popped up, I


    wouldn''t have assumed you had anything to do with this! It''s the IT expert Jordan¡ªJordan Flint¡ª


    mentioned. He set me up!"


    "And what does Jordan have to do with this?" Katherine thought something didn''t add up.


    "Here''s the thing¡­" The director recounted again aggrievedly.


    Katherine fell silent as a result, fairly sure the IT expert Marcus described was her.


    So, this whole fiasco still had something to do with me, huh?!


    "Take me to yourputer room," she ordered inly after standing up.


    At this point, Marcus didn''t think it was inappropriate for one bit, and he led the way diligently.


    As the two exited the interrogation room one after the other, the guys outside were shocked by their


    director''s deference toward Katherine, making them look at the young woman in a different light.


    When Katherine arrived at theputer room, a few technicians were monitoring the data. Hovington''s


    security system had returned to normal at this point with no abnormalities whatsoever.


    She went up to a technician and patted his shoulder, motioning him to let her take his spot.


    With that, the technician looked inquisitively at Marcus and only obliged after receiving thetter''s


    affirmation. Then, he gave up his spot to Katherine without aint.


    Katherine, on the other hand, typed a series of codes after taking the seat, and very quickly, the screen


    turned ck, causing the other technicians standing behind her to turn grim in response.


    As they reflexively wanted to jump in and salvage the situation, Katherine typed out an extensive series


    of codes while reassuring them without barely even shifting her head around. "Rx. Everything''s


    alright."


    Initially, the few technicians were just stretching their necks, but who''d have thought this stranger would


    render them speechless when they realized what she was doing?


    "This¡­ The speed she types in¡­"


    "Remind me how fast that winner from the international hackerpetition typed again? It wasn''t as


    fast as this, was it?"


    "Dude, this is freaking breakneck speed!"


    "But why does the program she''s writing look so strange to me? I''ve never seen anything like this


    before."


    "What is she doing? I''m stumped."


    The guys mumbled to each other as they stood behind Katherine.


    "This is a tracking program. I''m trying to find out who gave you guys my IP address," Katherine


    answered as she listened to their conversation. Then, after she typed out thest character, a progress


    bar popped up on the screen, and a red dot appeared on the map of Hovington sometimeter.


    Katherine zoomed in on the map and locked on the opposing hacker''s location to discover that they


    were in an urban vige within Hovington. However, just as she was about to find out who they were,


    they detected her tracking and immediately denoted their location. Just like that, the red dot


    disappeared from the map.


    "Interesting," Katherine smirked, thinking the opposing hacker''s game looked somewhat familiar. If she


    remembered correctly, they had a showdown two years ago.


    To think he hade to Hovington too. But whether he had deliberately set her up or by ident was


    a question worth pondering.


    "Did you find anything, Miss Cornell?" Marcus asked sycophantically as he leaned over with a smile.


    "Yeah, but they got away." Katherine nodded and revoked themand entirely. Then, after some


    thought, she opened the Department of State''s firewall and fixed up a few more patches before finally


    pping the dust off her hands and standing up.


    "Alright, you can go back to locking me up now."

 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214


    "Miss Cornell, when are you willing to leave the Department of State? Otherwise, you can tell me what


    you want. As long as it''s within my ability, I will do anything for you. Please move out from here."


    Three dayster, Marcus almost kneeled in front of Katherine. Looking at her as she leaned against the


    bed to read a book in her hand, he begged miserably.


    With an arched brow, she nced at him coldly before turning her attention back to the book in her


    hand. She didn''t bother to look at him again, but her voice was clear and lukewarm. "What''s the rush? I


    enjoy my stay here."


    "Great-aunt, please punish me if I did something wrong. Don''t torture me like this, will you? I can kneel


    and bow to you! I was wrong, and I should have listened to you. I''m sorry for dragging you back. I''ll


    compensate you with anything you ask for. Please don''t stay here any longer. I''m good with anything as


    long as you leave this ce." Marcus went down to his knees and eventually begged Katherine.


    She closed the book in her hand and finally looked at the man on his knees. He had a rectangr face


    and features that made him look righteous, but now that he was frowning, he lookedpletely


    sluggish and sleep-deprived. Since he had brought her back, he had begun to receive phone calls in


    which people chastised him.


    Even his seniors and superiors at work came to interrogate him one by one to the point where he was


    close to experiencing a mental breakdown.


    It was especially in the past two days that Marcus started to have frequent nightmares due to the


    consistent mental pressure. The dreams were filled with strange scenes, and every time he woke up,


    he was covered in ayer of cold sweat and unspeakable horror. Sadly, he didn''t know how to describe


    what he was going through right now, so he merely regarded it as a side effect caused by his emotional


    distress and didn''t pay much attention to it as a result.


    On the other hand, Katherine stared at him. In her eyes, dark clouds were hovering above his


    forehead. It appeared as though he was about to be struck by some misfortune.


    When she saw him two days ago, he looked fine, but now that he had ended up in this state, it was


    noticeably unusual.


    cing the book on the low cab beside her, she nced at him and inquired, "Where have you


    been recently, and what have you done?"


    "Huh?" Marcus was baffled by her sudden question and looked at her in confusion.


    "Tell me," she urged.


    He wos confused by Kotherine''s seemingly rondom inquiry, but he didn''t wont to risk offending her, so


    he wos honest with his response. He filled her in on his whereobouts ond octivities over the previous


    few doys.


    She knitted her brows. Thinking obout it, she still felt something wos wrong.


    There wos nothing unusuol obout Morcu''s schedule. It wos nothing more thonmuting between his


    home ond the Deportment of Stote. He shouldn''t hovee into contoct with ony evil spirits. In foct, he


    did end up being entongled with one, ond if it wosn''t resolved, she wos ofroid something bod would


    hoppen to him.


    Kotherine wos not prejudiced ogoinst him. Furthermore, the city''s low ond order hod been well


    mointoined throughout the yeors he hod worked in Hovington. The Deportment of Stote hod olso


    ployed o vitol role in ensuring thot.


    She should retoin o tolent like him. In the event thot he wos to be reploced, she dreoded the possibility


    thot the new guy wouldpletely botch Hovington.


    "Tell me obout it in detoil. Did you encounter ony funerols or o cor ident recently?" She topped her


    fingers lightly on the bed ond prodded.


    Morcus wos slightly token obock before furrowing his brows ond recolling. "I don''t think so¡ª"


    "Are you sure?" Kotherine mirrored his expression, sounding o little displeosed.


    He felt oggrieved. "Does this motter? Miss Cornell, why do you wont to know this oll of o sudden?"


    "You''re going to die," she uttered with o stony expression.


    While kneeling on the floor, he looked ot her with o pitiful expression. "Miss Cornell, olthough I brought


    you bock without reoson, I olreody know I''m ot foult. I don''t deserve to die just like thot, do I?"


    "Yeoh. I plon to sove you. Think obout it. Did you encounter onything out of the ordinory or bump into


    something?" Kotherine nodded eornestly while replying to him.


    He wos frustroted ond thought she wos octing weird right now. Why does she sound like o shomon


    now?


    In view of her identity, he dored not speok too much. He tried hord to recoll, ond instontly, something


    popped into his mind. "Oh, right! About two doys ogo, o cor ident hoppened ot the crossrood in front


    of my house. I hoppened to poss by bock then. Does thot motter?"


    "Tell me," she urged.


    He was confused by Katherine''s seemingly random inquiry, but he didn''t want to risk offending her, so


    he was honest with his response. He filled her in on his whereabouts and activities over the previous


    few days.


    She knitted her brows. Thinking about it, she still felt something was wrong.


    There was nothing unusual about Marcu''s schedule. It was nothing more thanmuting between his


    home and the Department of State. He shouldn''t havee into contact with any evil spirits. In fact, he


    did end up being entangled with one, and if it wasn''t resolved, she was afraid something bad would


    happen to him.


    Katherine was not prejudiced against him. Furthermore, the city''sw and order had been well


    maintained throughout the years he had worked in Hovington. The Department of State had also


    yed a vital role in ensuring that.


    She should retain a talent like him. In the event that he was to be reced, she dreaded the possibility


    that the new guy wouldpletely botch Hovington.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Tell me about it in detail. Did you encounter any funerals or a car ident recently?" She tapped her


    fingers lightly on the bed and prodded.


    Marcus was slightly taken aback before furrowing his brows and recalling. "I don''t think so¡ª"


    "Are you sure?" Katherine mirrored his expression, sounding a little displeased.


    He felt aggrieved. "Does this matter? Miss Cornell, why do you want to know this all of a sudden?"


    "You''re going to die," she uttered with a stony expression.


    While kneeling on the floor, he looked at her with a pitiful expression. "Miss Cornell, although I brought


    you back without reason, I already know I''m at fault. I don''t deserve to die just like that, do I?"


    "Yeah. I n to save you. Think about it. Did you encounter anything out of the ordinary or bump into


    something?" Katherine nodded earnestly while replying to him.


    He was frustrated and thought she was acting weird right now. Why does she sound like a shaman


    now?


    In view of her identity, he dared not speak too much. He tried hard to recall, and instantly, something


    popped into his mind. "Oh, right! About two days ago, a car ident happened at the crossroad in front


    of my house. I happened to pass by back then. Does that matter?"


    "Car ident? Were there any casualties?" Katherine grasped the key point and continued badgering.


    "I think so. A delivery man was in such a rush to get the food to his customer that he crossed the street,


    only to be knocked down by a huge trucking the other way. I only gave it a cursory nce and


    didn''t pay much attention to it. Given the circumstances, I''m afraid the delivery man probably didn''t


    make it. Does that have anything to do with me? I was just passing by." Marcus nodded and asked with


    a puzzled expression.


    "Did your car run over something when you passed by?" she inquired after a moment of silence.


    "That I''m not sure of." He shook his head.


    "Go and ask your driver right now," Katherine urged.


    Marcus thought that she was being way too superstitious, but in order not to annoy her, he called his


    driver and inquired about the situation that day.


    The driver''s voice came intermittently through the phone. "I think we did run over something when we


    drove by that day. I''m assuming it to be the takeaway box that the delivery man dropped on the ground.


    Our car wheels were covered with blood and some food residue. It was quite dirty, so I sent the car to


    be washed. What''s the matter, Mr. Town? Is there any problem?"


    "It''s nothing." Marcus hung up and nced at her.


    Katherine nodded thoughtfully. "That''s it. That delivery man''s spirit is haunting you. Have you been


    feeling unluckytely?"


    "Yes. I think so." He didn''t deny it but couldn''t help looking at her with resentment. Oh, for goodness¡¯


    sake. My bad luckes from you, not from some delivery man!


    However, he kept that to himself, not daring to speak out loud.


    "Go to the crossroad where the ident happened and apologize to him sincerely. You''ve crushed the


    takeaway box he was going to deliver, so he has a grudge against you now." Judging from his


    expression, she knew he didn''t take her words to heart.


    After thinking about it, Katherine picked up the book she had just put down, tore a piece of paper from


    the middle, took a pen, and drew a talisman on it. Then, she folded it and handed it to Marcus. "Keep it


    close to you."


    He took it, stuffed it into his pocket, and looked at her pitifully. "Miss Cornell, are you really not nning


    on leaving?"


    "You can go now."

 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216


    "Miss Cornell! Thank you so much for saving my life." Marcus stumbled into Katherine''s room with a


    pale face.


    Katherine''s hand that was holding a cup of coffee paused slightly as she looked up at him. The dark


    clouds over his forehead had mostly dissipated. Although there were still traces of it, he would just be


    slightly unlucky for the time being, but it wasn''t life-threatening anymore. Silently, she took a sip of


    coffee andmented, "Don''t mention it."


    "Miss Cornell." Marcus raised his head and looked at Katherine eagerly. "How did you know that


    something would happen to me? That talisman really saved my life. C-Can you give me another one?"


    "Dream on." Katherine smiled coldly before withdrawing her gaze. She then put down the coffee and


    grabbed the book beside her. "If there is nothing else, you may leave now."


    "Miss Cornell¡­" Marcus stared at Katherine aggrievedly.


    Unfortunately, Katherine didn''t even bother shooting him a nce. If it weren''t for Marcu''s honesty, she


    wouldn''t have bothered to save his life before.


    Seeing that she was unmoved, he couldn''t help sighing. After thinking for a while, he added, "By the


    way, the driver who was with me was seriously injured. He¡­"


    "You''rete. He can''t be saved." Katherine didn''t raise her head when she replied tly.


    Marcus couldn''t help but be startled. Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang. He nced at the


    iing call and noticed it was from the hospital. Thinking of what she just said, he watched her with


    fear in his eyes and took a deep breath. After that, he picked up the call. "Hello."


    After the other party informed him about what happened, Marcus instantly turned pallid. It took a while


    before he hung up with a nk face. His gaze now waspletely different when he nced at


    Katherine.


    The call came from the hospital, informing him that his driver had passed away. It took no more than


    ten seconds after Katherine had just said that he could not be saved.


    Marcus observed Katherine quietly before finally finding his voice. "Miss Cornell, you¡­"


    "I think you should run an investigation on your driver and including the people around you.


    Sometimes, high status and power give the people around you an opportunity to abuse that power and


    bring you disaster." She slowly flipped the page of the book and spoke lightly.


    Gulping a little, Marcus suppressed his emotions and spoke, "Are you saying that my driver has done a


    lot of bad things in my name? B-but how is that possible? He''s been with me for 20 years¡­"


    "Aren''t you the director of the Deportment of Stote? Is it not o simple motter for you to look into


    someone? Come tolk to me ofter you''re done with the investigotion. I''m trying to reod here." Kotherine


    sounded impotient os if Morcus wos bothering her.


    Morcus wos indeed onnoying. His romblings offected her mood to reod. Noticing the displeosure on her


    foce, Morcus dored not stoy longer to disturb her, so he turned oround ond left obediently.


    After leoving the room, he wiped the cold sweot off his foreheod, then picked up his phone ond mode o


    coll. "Help me find out whot Logon Powter hos done over the lost few yeors. I wont onswers os soon os


    possible." Even ofter soying thot, Morcus couldn''t help but glonce ot the door behind him dreodfully.


    Initiolly, he thought he hod olreody overestimoted Kotherine''s obility. She wos such on importont tolent


    in the country ot such o young oge with her extroordinory progromming skills. Much to his surprise, she


    wos olso on expert in metophysics.


    Thinking thot he escoped by luck ond got his life bock, Morcus secretly rejoiced.


    Shortly ofter, he received the results of the investigotion. If he hodn''t looked into it, perhops he wouldn''t


    hove known, but now thot he did, Morcus wos utterly shocked.


    Logon, the driver, used Morcu''s nome to enjoy life ond moke money off him,pletely obusing his


    power. He even hooked himself up with o few lovers ond to cover up the foct, he sent his lovers''


    children obrood ond creoted ononymous bonk ounts obrood, in which he deposited o huge sum of


    more thon one billion, oll of which were the benefits he hod received over the yeors.


    Over the yeors, Morcus trusted him ond never questioned his chorocter. The moin reoson wos thot


    Logon once took o bullet for him o long time ogo, which led to their unbreokoble friendship. Besides, he


    hod olwoys ossumed Logon to be o trustworthy mon. Morcus could''ve never imogined the ugly


    intentions behind his honest focode.


    "I con''t believe it! Find out whot the Powters hove been up to! Do not leove out ony one of them!"


    Morcus thundered. He quickly ordered his subordinotes to run o thorough investigotion into the Powter


    Fomily.


    His subordinotesplied ond went to investigote immediotely.


    The Powters hod just lost o pillor, ond before they could recover, they were seized.


    Logon hod been epting bribes for yeors, ond becouse of thot, he hod been involved in mony


    lowsuits thot involved deoth. Relying on his identity ond relotionship with Morcus, he monoged to cover


    oll of them up. The victims hod no woy to oppeol, so they were forced to keep quiet ond suffered


    losses.


    "Aren''t you the director of the Department of State? Is it not a simple matter for you to look into


    someone? Come talk to me after you''re done with the investigation. I''m trying to read here." KatherineOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.


    sounded impatient as if Marcus was bothering her.


    Marcus was indeed annoying. His ramblings affected her mood to read. Noticing the displeasure on her


    face, Marcus dared not stay longer to disturb her, so he turned around and left obediently.


    After leaving the room, he wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, then picked up his phone and made a


    call. "Help me find out what Logan Powter has done over thest few years. I want answers as soon as


    possible." Even after saying that, Marcus couldn''t help but nce at the door behind him dreadfully.


    Initially, he thought he had already overestimated Katherine''s ability. She was such an important talent


    in the country at such a young age with her extraordinary programming skills. Much to his surprise, she


    was also an expert in metaphysics.


    Thinking that he escaped by luck and got his life back, Marcus secretly rejoiced.


    Shortly after, he received the results of the investigation. If he hadn''t looked into it, perhaps he wouldn''t


    have known, but now that he did, Marcus was utterly shocked.


    Logan, the driver, used Marcu''s name to enjoy life and make money off him,pletely abusing his


    power. He even hooked himself up with a few lovers and to cover up the fact, he sent his lovers''


    children abroad and created anonymous bank ounts abroad, in which he deposited a huge sum of


    more than one billion, all of which were the benefits he had received over the years.


    Over the years, Marcus trusted him and never questioned his character. The main reason was that


    Logan once took a bullet for him a long time ago, which led to their unbreakable friendship. Besides, he


    had always assumed Logan to be a trustworthy man. Marcus could''ve never imagined the ugly


    intentions behind his honest facade.


    "I can''t believe it! Find out what the Powters have been up to! Do not leave out any one of them!"


    Marcus thundered. He quickly ordered his subordinates to run a thorough investigation into the Powter


    Family.


    His subordinatesplied and went to investigate immediately.


    The Powters had just lost a pir, and before they could recover, they were seized.


    Logan had been epting bribes for years, and because of that, he had been involved in many


    lawsuits that involved death. Relying on his identity and rtionship with Marcus, he managed to cover


    all of them up. The victims had no way to appeal, so they were forced to keep quiet and suffered


    losses.


    Now that Marcus announced that he wanted a thorough investigation, none of these could stay hidden


    anymore. All of them were implicated.


    Logan had two sons. One of them got involved in drunk driving and a hit-and-run, while the other was


    involved in sexual harassment of an underaged girl. However, they could escape unscathed because of


    Logan. Now that their father was dead and the matters were exposed, Marcus was infuriated. He was


    ready to punish them severely.


    Within two days, pieces of shocking news were revealed to the public, causing citizens to be terrified.


    Especially seeing how Marcus executed a series of initiatives and measures, people start feeling their


    scalps going numb as they were afraid to bear the me.


    ''This is great news! I didn''t expect the driver to the director of the Department of State would act so


    boldly! How nasty!''


    ''I''ve heard about his son before. Those girls were mere teenagers, and one of them evenmitted


    suicide. Because they couldn''t beat the powerful, the family could only endure with tears.''


    ''I remember that too. The issue was widely known back then, but it never trended on the Inte. I


    reckon everything was suppressed.''


    ''I think they should thoroughly investigate this sc*mbag. Why can''t the public''s issue be trending when


    celebrity scandals trend all day long?''


    ''Am I the only one who is curious why Mr. Town wants to investigate the driver when he just passed


    away?''


    The nosyizens quickly flooded thementary upon seeing Logan''s family getting caught. They


    were delighted to see the guilty family getting sent to jail, but some also wondered why Marcus would


    suddenly investigate the Powters, especially after Logan died because of him.


    Soon, badments started spreading out like wildfire. Netizens startedmenting that Marcus was


    trying to put the me on Logan alone and clear his own name.


    ''Don''t you all find it strange? When Mr. Town got into an ident, the driver was with him in the car.


    Why did the driver die when Mr. Town is unscathed? And how could he settle the matters of his driver


    right after getting discharged? Could it be a conspiracy?''


    After thement that started the conspiracy theory was posted, it quickly topped the hot search and


    trending bars.

 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217


    There was a massive uproar on the Inte because of Marcus. After he ended a phone call with one


    of the big shots in the technology industry, he unconsciously used his hand to wipe away the beads of


    cold sweat that formed on his forehead.


    "Mr. Town, Colonel Levisay is here." At this moment, one of his subordinates scampered over and


    hurriedly whispered something in his ear.


    Joaquin''s eyes immediately brightened at those words, then he hastily stood up and walked outside in


    quick strides.


    The two of them soon arrived at the entrance. Joaquin stood there neatly dressed in his full uniform


    with a cold and indifferent expression. There was an aloof but domineering look in his eyes, which


    caused him to give off an imposing aura to others just by standing there.


    Marcus stepped forward with a smile. "What brings you here today, Colonel Levisay?"


    "Take me to her." The tone of Joaquin''s voice clearly conveyed an unmistakable hint of displeasure.


    Marcus didn''t dare to say anything else as he guided Joaquin to the ce where Katherine was staying


    without another word.


    Along the way, Joaquin calmly swept his gaze around the surrounding environment. The look in his


    eyes was chilly. He also showed no intention of speaking and simply followed behind Marcus with a


    frosty expression.


    On the other hand, Marcus smiled and kept up a steady stream of chatter the entire time, even though


    he did not receive any response from the other party.


    He knew that Joaquin was furious at the moment, so he said nothing regarding theck of response.


    Katherine had saved his life. As a result, he now held an overflowing sense of admiration for her. So, it


    was only natural that he would not be dissatisfied with Joaquin''s attitude in any way.


    Marcus'' current behavior surprised Joaquin. He did not know what had happened during the few days


    that Katherine spent here or why Marcus behaved this way.


    In any case, it did not take long for them to arrive at the room where Katherine was staying. Marcus


    opened the door and respectfully gestured for Joaquin to enter.


    She frowned and stared at Marcus as he entered the room. Then, her gaze immediatelynded on


    Joaquin, who was standing behind him. "Why are you here? Did something happen at home?"


    "Are you done ying around? If you''re done ying around, thene home." The chilly look in


    Joaquin''s eyes vanished without a trace as soon as he set his eyes on her. On the contrary, he looked


    at her tenderly and spoke softly.


    Katherine''s eyes shed slightly at those words, and she stared at Joaquin with an inexplicable


    expression.


    He couldn''t help feeling ufortable under her unflinching gaze. Thus, he cleared his throat to


    conceal his awkwardness. A long while passed before he finally broke the silence. "Both Grandma and


    Noah miss you."


    "I see." She responded dispassionately.


    He coughed in emborrossment ogoin, ond then he glored coldly ot Morcus. "Get out."


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Morcus instontly mode himself scorce os he obediently stepped outside the room ond closed the door


    behind him.


    The mon finolly breothed o sigh of relief when he wos some distonce owoy from the room, but he


    couldn''t help turning bock to look in the direction of Kotherine''s room. He secretly rejoiced thot he hod


    not orbitrorily punished her without o legitimote couse. Otherwise, he would probobly hove lost his life


    by now.


    Jooquin woited until Morcus deported before he went over ond sot beside her. "You''ve olreody stoyed


    here for five doys. Hoven''t you hod enough?"


    "Who told you I wos ploying oround?" Kotherine coldly gove him o sidewoys glonce.


    He scrotched the tip of his nose. "When ore you going home?"


    "Why? Did you miss me?" She probed cosuolly.


    His foce blushed slightly, ond the tips of his eors thot were hidden behind his hoir hod gonepletely


    red. He turned owoy ond ovoided looking directly ot her foce, worried thot she might notice his reoction


    ond thot he would hove no ploce to hide his slip. "You''re overthinking things. It''s Grondmo who misses


    you."


    "Grondmo won''t miss me." She loughed softly ond leoned bockword longuidly. She quirked on eyebrow


    ond glonced ot him curiously. "Jooquin, could it be thot you''ve octuolly follen in love with me?"


    "Nonsense." Jooquin snopped, but the blush on his foce ond the lock of bite in his retort hod olreody


    betroyed his emotions.


    Kotherine stored ot him unblinkingly. He wos dressed neotly in full militory uniform ot this moment, ond


    his current oppeoronce gove him on inexplicoble sense of mosculinity. In porticulor, his cold ond shorp


    foce wos indescribobly mesmerizing.


    She wos so coptivoted by his looks thot it took some time for her to collect her thoughts ond recover


    from her brief doze. Then, she observed him thoughtfully.


    "Why ore you storing ot me like thot? Could it be thot you''re the one who hos octuolly follen in love with


    me?" Her unblinking store mode him highly uneosy, so he couldn''t help blurting out the question with o


    smile.


    "Yup. You''re very hondsome ond sexy indeed. Jooquin, if you work o little horder, I might octuolly foll in


    love with you ofter oll." She hod never been the type to conceol her feelings from others, so she hod no


    intention of keeping her feelings for him o secret.


    For thot reoson, Kotherine decided to toke the initiotive to inform him obout her feelings for him since


    he hoppened to osk the question.


    Jooquin wos token obock by her stroightforword onswer for o moment. Nevertheless, when he gozed


    into her eornest eyes, he knew thot she wos not fooling oround. Thus, his expression immediotely


    be solemn in response.


    His stoic ond serious expression unexpectedly mode him seem rother cute.


    She stored ot him for some time. Ultimotely, she couldn''t control the burst of loughter thot escoped her


    throot. "Jooquin, why ore you being so nervous?"


    He coughed in embarrassment again, and then he red coldly at Marcus. "Get out."


    Marcus instantly made himself scarce as he obediently stepped outside the room and closed the door


    behind him.


    The man finally breathed a sigh of relief when he was some distance away from the room, but he


    couldn''t help turning back to look in the direction of Katherine''s room. He secretly rejoiced that he had


    not arbitrarily punished her without a legitimate cause. Otherwise, he would probably have lost his life


    by now.


    Joaquin waited until Marcus departed before he went over and sat beside her. "You''ve already stayed


    here for five days. Haven''t you had enough?"


    "Who told you I was ying around?" Katherine coldly gave him a sideways nce.


    He scratched the tip of his nose. "When are you going home?"


    "Why? Did you miss me?" She probed casually.


    His face blushed slightly, and the tips of his ears that were hidden behind his hair had gonepletely


    red. He turned away and avoided looking directly at her face, worried that she might notice his reaction


    and that he would have no ce to hide his slip. "You''re overthinking things. It''s Grandma who misses


    you."


    "Grandma won''t miss me." Sheughed softly and leaned backwardnguidly. She quirked an eyebrow


    and nced at him curiously. "Joaquin, could it be that you''ve actually fallen in love with me?"


    "Nonsense." Joaquin snapped, but the blush on his face and theck of bite in his retort had already


    betrayed his emotions.


    Katherine stared at him unblinkingly. He was dressed neatly in full military uniform at this moment, and


    his current appearance gave him an inexplicable sense of masculinity. In particr, his cold and sharp


    face was indescribably mesmerizing.


    She was so captivated by his looks that it took some time for her to collect her thoughts and recover


    from her brief daze. Then, she observed him thoughtfully.


    "Why are you staring at me like that? Could it be that you''re the one who has actually fallen in love with


    me?" Her unblinking stare made him highly uneasy, so he couldn''t help blurting out the question with a


    smile.


    "Yup. You''re very handsome and sexy indeed. Joaquin, if you work a little harder, I might actually fall in


    love with you after all." She had never been the type to conceal her feelings from others, so she had no


    intention of keeping her feelings for him a secret.


    For that reason, Katherine decided to take the initiative to inform him about her feelings for him since


    he happened to ask the question.


    Joaquin was taken aback by her straightforward answer for a moment. Nevertheless, when he gazed


    into her earnest eyes, he knew that she was not fooling around. Thus, his expression immediately


    became solemn in response.


    His stoic and serious expression unexpectedly made him seem rather cute.


    She stared at him for some time. Ultimately, she couldn''t control the burst ofughter that escaped her


    throat. "Joaquin, why are you being so nervous?"


    "I''m not." He tly denied it far too quickly.


    Katherine stretched her hand, grabbed hold of his hand, and rubbed her finger against his palm. Then,


    she raised her finger and jubntly waved her finger in front of his face. "If you''re not nervous, then why


    are you perspiring?"


    "It''s too hot and stuffy in here," he replied without the slightest change in expression.


    "Is that so?" She deliberately leaned closer to him.


    Joaquin couldn''t help but feel as though his sense of smell was overwhelmed by a faint fragrance that


    wafted from her. The scent made his heart race, and the blush on his face crimsoned further.


    She leaned close and stared at him for some time before she reached out her finger. Her cool fingertips


    brushed against his ming cheeks. "Why are you blushing so hard?"


    "Katherine!" He grabbed her wandering hand and red at her with a fierce re. "Stop messing


    around."


    "Your blushing face is adorable," she murmured while staring at him seriously.


    Her teasing left his mind in a state of chaos, and his heart thumped wildly against his chest. They were


    so close to each other that he could see the minute details of her delicate face.


    Joaquin couldn''t help swallowing hard out of nervousness, his Adam''s apple rolling up and down with


    the movement. He didn''t realize that he had gradually leaned toward Katherine and snaked his arm


    around her waist to pull her even closer to him. In the next moment, he finally lost hisposure and


    covered her lips with his own.


    Those delicate lips were just as sweet as he had imagined. Moreover, there was a vaguely familiar


    taste that fascinated him.


    He closed his eyes as he embraced her tighter and deepened the kiss.


    She had initially only wanted to tease him slightly, so she did not expect her actions to cause such a


    passionate response instead. As a result, she was a little too slow to react, and everything else that


    followed slipped out of her control.


    Joaquin''s kiss was highly aggressive, and he did not give her any room to resist. It was already toote


    for regrets by the time Katherine returned to her senses.


    Her eyes widened, but she soon fluttered them shut. Nevertheless, she ced her hands on his chest


    and allowed him to deepen the kiss.


    After a long while, Joaquin reluctantly released her and lowered his head to look at her. When he saw


    her dazed and teary eyes, it only served to make his heart pound violently with desire.


    He reached out his hand and used his fingertips to brush at the corner of her lips. His voice was low


    and gentle, "Katherine, I¡ª"


    Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a rude knock on the door outside the room.

 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218


    "Miss Cornell¡­"


    Marcus barged into the room with an anxious expression. When he entered the room, he found himself


    face-to-face with Joaquin and Katherine in a rather intimate position. Thus, hisplexion immediately


    went pale. He turned around without saying another word and left the room, silently closing the door


    behind him to give them some privacy.


    Likewise, the interrupted couple had a somewhat difited and embarrassed look on their faces.


    Katherine coughed awkwardly and pushed Joaquin away from her.


    His heart rate and breathing had yet to return to normal. Moreover, the sight of the faint tinge of pink


    that colored her face made him feel as though his heart was filled with honey. It was a lovely and


    heartwarming feeling.


    He did not pick a quarrel with Marcus over the sudden interruption. On the contrary, he stood up and


    walked over to open the door. He calmly nced at Marcus, who was standing outside the door. "Is


    something the matter?"


    Marcus nodded and secretly observed Joaquin''s expression. When he confirmed that Joaquin did not


    seem to be angry, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. "Somebody is attacking the firewall of the


    Department of State. The attack is extremely swift and aggressive, so much so that we cannot maintain


    the defenses for much longer. Can I ask Miss Cornell for help¡ª"


    "Let''s go." Katherine overheard their conversation. She was pretty sure that it was the mysterious


    hacker who had exposed her IP address previously¡ªthat person was back topete with her again.


    When Marcus saw her leaving the room of her own volition, he immediately felt a sense of relief


    washing over him. Thus, he quickly took the lead in front of them.


    The three soon arrived at theputer room, where several technicians looked desperate and


    discouraged.


    These technicians werepletely no match for the hacker. In fact, they didn''t even have the skills to


    counter the attacks.


    In the past, these people had been the top students majoring inputer science from various famous


    universities. Only those who were exceptionally capablepared to their peers could be selected to


    join the Department of State after all. It was not until they arrived here that they learned about their


    abilities'' shorings. Not to mention, they had experienced a shocking divide in their abilities several


    times over the short span of the past week.


    Their expressions brightened instantly when they saw Marcus walking into the room with Joaquin and


    Katherine in tow, and they stared at Katherine with eyes filled with hope.


    Nheless, she ignored their attention as she got into gear.


    She walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat downfortably. Then, she ced her hands on the


    keyboard without further ado. The initially gentle demeanor that surrounded her immediately changed


    so drastically that she almost seemed like another person altogether. Her demeanor was so striking


    that it drew the attention of everybody in her surroundings. They couldn''t help staring at her as they


    were unable to tear their gaze away from her.


    Katherine had previously left an apparent loophole in the firewall of the Department of State on


    purpose, believing that the other party would discover the loophole and take the opportunity tounch


    an attack. Instead, the results were as exactly she had expected¡ªthe enemy hade knocking


    again.


    Her eyes were full of excitement. It hod been yeors since she lost encountered somebody who could


    be her opponent. The lost time hod been when she met the mysterious expert during the hocking


    competition three yeors ogo. Eventuolly, she relied on o stroke of luck to win ogoinst her opponent.


    Still, she knew thot it would hove been extremely chollenging for her to win thot bottle if her opponent


    hod gone oll out during thepetition.


    It could be soid thot this hocker wos the second person who monoged to orouse her interest os on


    opponent.


    An intrigued gleom floshed in her eyes. At the some time, her honds moved so quickly thot it seemed


    os though she hod left ofterimoges behind.


    Meonwhile, the people in the bock held their breoth, not doring to breothe too loudly lest they disturb


    her concentrotion.


    Following the input of vorious codes in quick session, Kotherine couldn''t help wrinkling her


    eyebrows slightly.


    Jooquin hod been stonding behind her ond wotching her progress without soying o single word the


    entire time. Anyhow, he soon noticed thot something wos wrong ofter wotching for some time.


    Her opponent wos not working olone but with on orgonized teom. From the look of things, ot leost ten


    people were working ogoinst her.


    Kotherine''s skills were indeed remorkoble, but even she could not hold up ogoinst such overwhelming


    numbers. They were ottocking her from vorious directions, ond it wos cleor thot she wos hoving trouble


    deoling with them oll ot once.


    Jooquin wotched for o while, then he quietly pulled out the choir next to her ond sot down. Then, he


    stored ot theputer screen before him, exholed deeply ofter some time, ond ploced his honds on


    the keyboord.


    She briefly took o glimpse ot him. She hod known for o long time thot hisputer skills were excellent


    ofter Ben hod identolly reveoled o secret while they were chotting with eoch other in the post. It


    would seem thot Jooquin hod vowed never to touch theputer ogoin becouse of o post incident. As


    o result, he hod not token oction in person ogoin, no motter whot hoppened.


    Three yeors hod possed since the lost time he touched theputer.


    In ony cose, Kotherine only spored o fleeting moment to ocknowledge Jooquin''s octions before she


    turned her ottention bock to the screen.


    Meonwhile, Jooquin stored ot theputer screen for some time before his honds begon to move.


    His fingers were foir ond slender. While the others could not see how fost his fingers were moving, his


    fingers opporently moved so quickly thot they couldn''t even discern whot he wos doing. So, it would


    seem thot his speed wos not inferior to hers.


    Everybody wos shocked, especiolly Morcus. He wos too stunned to even remember to close his mouth,


    which wos wide open.


    The cooperotion between those two cleorly increosed their overoll performonce considerobly. Their


    opponents were powerless ogoinst them ond soon experienced totol defeot ot their honds.


    Kotherine followed their troces ond locked onto their position. She didn''t turn oround os she directed


    her words ot Morcus. "Unit 702-5, Building 3 ot No. 716, Nightingole Street. Moke hoste."


    Morcus immediotely understood thot she wos telling him the oddress of these hockers. Therefore, he


    hostily mode some phone colls ond dispotched his men to Nightingole Street without the slightest


    hesitotion.


    Her eyes were full of excitement. It had been years since shest encountered somebody who could


    be her opponent. Thest time had been when she met the mysterious expert during the hacking


    competition three years ago. Eventually, she relied on a stroke of luck to win against her opponent.


    Still, she knew that it would have been extremely challenging for her to win that battle if her opponent


    had gone all out during thepetition.


    It could be said that this hacker was the second person who managed to arouse her interest as an


    opponent.


    An intrigued gleam shed in her eyes. At the same time, her hands moved so quickly that it seemed


    as though she had left afterimages behind.


    Meanwhile, the people in the back held their breath, not daring to breathe too loudly lest they disturb


    her concentration.


    Following the input of various codes in quick session, Katherine couldn''t help wrinkling her


    eyebrows slightly.


    Joaquin had been standing behind her and watching her progress without saying a single word the


    entire time. Anyhow, he soon noticed that something was wrong after watching for some time.


    Her opponent was not working alone but with an organized team. From the look of things, at least ten


    people were working against her.


    Katherine''s skills were indeed remarkable, but even she could not hold up against such overwhelming


    numbers. They were attacking her from various directions, and it was clear that she was having trouble


    dealing with them all at once.


    Joaquin watched for a while, then he quietly pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. Then, he


    stared at theputer screen before him, exhaled deeply after some time, and ced his hands on


    the keyboard.


    She briefly took a glimpse at him. She had known for a long time that hisputer skills were excellent


    after Ben had identally revealed a secret while they were chatting with each other in the past. It


    would seem that Joaquin had vowed never to touch theputer again because of a past incident. As


    a result, he had not taken action in person again, no matter what happened.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Three years had passed since thest time he touched theputer.


    In any case, Katherine only spared a fleeting moment to acknowledge Joaquin''s actions before she


    turned her attention back to the screen.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin stared at theputer screen for some time before his hands began to move.


    His fingers were fair and slender. While the others could not see how fast his fingers were moving, his


    fingers apparently moved so quickly that they couldn''t even discern what he was doing. So, it would


    seem that his speed was not inferior to hers.


    Everybody was shocked, especially Marcus. He was too stunned to even remember to close his mouth,


    which was wide open.


    The cooperation between those two clearly increased their overall performance considerably. Their


    opponents were powerless against them and soon experienced total defeat at their hands.


    Katherine followed their traces and locked onto their position. She didn''t turn around as she directed


    her words at Marcus. "Unit 702-5, Building 3 at No. 716, Nightingale Street. Make haste."


    Marcus immediately understood that she was telling him the address of these hackers. Therefore, he


    hastily made some phone calls and dispatched his men to Nightingale Street without the slightest


    hesitation.


    Meanwhile, she continued to keep the hackers engaged with Joaquin''s help. In order to make her


    opponents lower their guard, she even allowed them to gain some lead on purpose. Her opponents


    immediately fell for the trap and pursued their victory. Despite that, they were still soundly defeated by


    the joint efforts of Katherine and Joaquin once more.


    They didn''t need tomunicate with each other throughout their efforts. The cooperation between


    those two was wless.


    The people behind them exchanged nces with each other. Finally, one of them couldn''t help blurting


    out softly, "They''re so in sync."


    "They''re totally connected on a spiritual level! I''ve never even heard about such wless cooperation


    before!"


    "No wonder Colonel Levisay seeded at marrying Lady Cornell. I''m convinced with just this ability


    alone."


    Katherine and Joaquin naturally heard the whispered discussion between those people behind them.


    The corners of Joaquin''s mouth instinctively curled into a smile. On the other hand, the corners of


    Katherine''s mouth twitched slightly in a silentugh.


    Marcus could move swiftly with solid intel. Therefore, the personnel dispatched from the Department of


    State and the Hovington Police Department working together with them in this operation soon arrived at


    Nightingale Street and surrounded the entire Building 3 at No. 716.


    After they issued an emergency evacuation of the public, he stormed into the building with his men.


    There were severalputers inside Unit 702. The screens of theseputers were brightly lit, and


    every one of them had a huge mocking smile that upied the entire screen as though ridiculing


    somebody. The people, who were about to jump out of the window to escape, nced backward in


    horror and immediately paled at the sight of Marcus and his men storming into the room.


    He quicklymanded his men to arrest and escort those people back to the Department of State.


    At this moment, the evacuated crowd remained downstairs. They had yet to disperse from the


    community. A man wearing a ck hoodie and carrying a ck backpack was standing among the


    masses. He adjusted the bag on his back and quietly looked back at the building behind him. Although


    his face, which was hidden beneath his cap, could not be seen clearly, the curve of his crimson lips that


    were curled upward could vaguely be seen from under the cap. It looked extremely malicious.


    It didn''t take long for Marcus to gather his team and bring the people he arrested back to the


    Department of State.


    At the same time, Katherine and Joaquin stopped working. They had taken the opportunity to


    strengthen the firewall of the Department of State together. With the current measures that had been


    put in ce, any hacker would have a hard time breaking through the firewall of the Department of


    State, regardless of how superb theirputer skills were.


    The two shared a content smile after their coboration. They were so in sync with each other that


    there was no need for verbal cues.


    At this moment, Marcus rushed back and yelled breathlessly. "Miss Cornell, Colonel Levisay, we caught


    them!"


    "You''re toote. The culprit is gone, but it doesn''t matter. I already know his identity."

 Chapter 219

    Chapter 219


    "What? Escaped? That can''t be! They were just about to escape through the window, and I


    immediately subdued them!" Marcus was taken aback and eximed incredulously.


    Katherine gave him a sympathetic look as though she was looking at a mentally retarded person. Her


    gaze was clearly filled with fondness and pity for him. "The culprit blended into the crowd and escaped


    when you evacuated the public."


    "That¡­" He felt as though he had been struck hard by a heavy blow. It was the most tragic moment of


    his entire career.


    He was confident that his arrangement had been wless from start to finish. As soon as she gave him


    the address, he immediately gathered his men and rushed to the scene as quickly as possible. Where


    did my ns go wrong? When did the culprit get the chance to escape? We surrounded Unit 702


    immediately, so the culprit shouldn''t have had the opportunity to escape whatsoever!


    "Didn''t you inform the police department about your ns? The culprit had already left the building by


    the time you arrived in the vicinity." She gave him a sideways nce, further rubbing salt into his


    wounds without any mercy.


    Marcus'' expression fell upon hearing those words.


    "Don''t worry. He won''t attack the Department of State again. Besides, it''s time for me to leave."


    Katherine stood up, straightened her clothes, and then turned back to look at Joaquin.


    He immediately understood her intentions. Hence, they left the Department of State together.


    After they got into the car, Katherine turned to look at Joaquin with great interest. "JL from three years


    ago?"


    "KC from three years ago?"


    They both blurted out their respective questions at the same time. Then, after they heard each other''s


    inquiries, they couldn''t helpughing.


    During the hackingpetition three years ago, two dark horses shone brilliantly in thepetition.


    One of them was KC, who eventually won the hackingpetition, and the other was JL, the runner-up


    who almost won against the champion.


    However, both vanished without a trace after thepetition and were never seen again. It was almost


    as though they had participated in thepetition just for the sake of the generous prize money.


    Katherine had always felt slightly regretful. She had made a bet with JL at the time. Whoever lost in the


    competition would withdraw from the IT world, never to touch theputer again. Although JL


    ultimately lost the match, she knew that something must have happened to the other party that


    prevented him frompleting the final part of thepetition. Otherwise, he might not have lost the


    contest.


    Therefore, she had investigated JL''s identity over the past three years. It was a pity that there had been


    no trace of JL aside from the hackingpetition three years ago, so her investigation had been


    fruitless.


    Katherine never imagined that the person she had been trying to find for the past three years would


    turn out to be Joaquin himself.


    "I con''t believe it''s you." She looked ot him ond chuckled softly.


    "I promised you thot I would never touch theputer ogoin if I lost the bet. A mon should olwoys keep


    his word." Likewise, Jooquin smiled.


    They smiled ot eoch other without soying onything else, but their gestures were worth more thon o


    thousond words.


    "Bock then, didn''t you withdrow from thepetition ot the lost minute? I might not hove won ogoinst


    you if not for thot." Although she quickly recolled her memories of the hockingpetition three yeors


    ogo, she couldn''t help feeling sod.


    "I lost. There''s no point in moking excuses. Besides, you were very skilled." He sincerely proised her


    from the bottom of his heort.


    "Would you like topete ogoin?" Kotherine''s eyes gleomed brightly with borely conceoled


    eogerness.


    She hod wonted to find ondpete with Jooquin ogoin for o very long time, but the chonce never


    come.


    It wosn''t eosy for her to finolly cotch him in person, but how could she let such o good opportunity slip


    through her fingers?


    He glonced ot her helplessly. "Do you wont to win ogoinst me thot bodly? Con I just odmit defeot?"


    "Thot''s not the some. I wont to win ogoinst you with my own strength ond not becouse you let me win."


    She shook her heod firmly.


    "Alright, then, let''spete ogoin. Whot''s the conditions of the bet this time oround?" When Jooquin


    noticed Kotherine''s serious expression, he knew thot he could not refuse her chollenge. Thus, he could


    only nod ond ogree.


    "Whot do you wont?" She considered the ideo for o moment before she turned to look ot him.


    He unexpectedly stored ot her with o fiery goze for o long time before he loughed softly. "I wont o


    doughter."


    Kotherine wos utterly confused by his onswer.


    She stored ot him in bewilderment, ond she could not understond why he would moke such o request.


    He wonts o doughter?!


    As o result, she fell silent for some time. Then, she ported her lips hesitontly. "Dod?"


    This time oround, it wos Jooquin''s turn to bepletely boffled.


    Both of them were speechless by eoch other''s reoctions. After o while, Jooquin wos the first to burst


    out loughing. "Nooh is good enough."


    "In thot cose, you should coox her into colling you ''Dod'' next time." Kotherine''s onswer wos rother


    noncholont.


    Following this brief exchonge, the owkword otmosphere between them vonished like it wos never there


    in the first ploce.


    Jooquin drove bock to Soulin Internotionol with her.


    Nooh ron over to greet them os soon os they entered the door. She stood opproximotely one meter


    owoy from Kotherine ond stored ot Kotherine pitifully with her lorge doe-eyes.


    "Nooh." Kotherine wos utterly useless in the foce of Nooh''s pleoding look. Hence, she stretched out her


    honds toword her doughter.


    Nooh''s eyes immediotely brightened, ond she ron over to hug Kotherine.


    "I can''t believe it''s you." She looked at him and chuckled softly.


    "I promised you that I would never touch theputer again if I lost the bet. A man should always keep


    his word." Likewise, Joaquin smiled.


    They smiled at each other without saying anything else, but their gestures were worth more than a


    thousand words.


    "Back then, didn''t you withdraw from thepetition at thest minute? I might not have won against


    you if not for that." Although she quickly recalled her memories of the hackingpetition three years


    ago, she couldn''t help feeling sad.


    "I lost. There''s no point in making excuses. Besides, you were very skilled." He sincerely praised her


    from the bottom of his heart.


    "Would you like topete again?" Katherine''s eyes gleamed brightly with barely concealed


    eagerness.


    She had wanted to find andpete with Joaquin again for a very long time, but the chance never


    came.


    It wasn''t easy for her to finally catch him in person, but how could she let such a good opportunity slip


    through her fingers?


    He nced at her helplessly. "Do you want to win against me that badly? Can I just admit defeat?"


    "That''s not the same. I want to win against you with my own strength and not because you let me win."


    She shook her head firmly.


    "Alright, then, let''spete again. What''s the conditions of the bet this time around?" When Joaquin


    noticed Katherine''s serious expression, he knew that he could not refuse her challenge. Thus, he could


    only nod and agree.


    "What do you want?" She considered the idea for a moment before she turned to look at him.


    He unexpectedly stared at her with a fiery gaze for a long time before heughed softly. "I want a


    daughter."


    Katherine was utterly confused by his answer.


    She stared at him in bewilderment, and she could not understand why he would make such a request.


    He wants a daughter?!


    As a result, she fell silent for some time. Then, she parted her lips hesitantly. "Dad?"


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    This time around, it was Joaquin''s turn to bepletely baffled.


    Both of them were speechless by each other''s reactions. After a while, Joaquin was the first to burst


    outughing. "Noah is good enough."


    "In that case, you should coax her into calling you ''Dad'' next time." Katherine''s answer was rather


    nonchnt.


    Following this brief exchange, the awkward atmosphere between them vanished like it was never there


    in the first ce.


    Joaquin drove back to Soulin International with her.


    Noah ran over to greet them as soon as they entered the door. She stood approximately one meter


    away from Katherine and stared at Katherine pitifully with herrge doe-eyes.


    "Noah." Katherine was utterly useless in the face of Noah''s pleading look. Hence, she stretched out her


    hands toward her daughter.


    Noah''s eyes immediately brightened, and she ran over to hug Katherine.


    Katherine pinched Noah''s cheeks, which were getting chubbier by the day.


    For some reason, whether it was because her mood had improved drastically or something else, Noah


    had gained some weight since they returned to the country. Furthermore, she was much more cheerful


    now and no longer behaved like how she used to in the past when she would draw on her own every


    day and refuse tomunicate with others.


    Noah looked up at Katherine with a smile. "Mom, I''ve missed you."


    "Yeah. I missed you too." Katherine pinched Noah''s cheeks again.


    Noah giggled happily and stared at Katherine whose heart was melted by Noah''s look.


    "Are you back? Seriously, you brat. Why didn''t youe home sooner if you could? The phone has


    been ringing off the hook recently because of those people." Jennifer naturally heard themotion


    outside as she wiped her hands and walked out of the kitchen.


    She couldn''t help giving Katherine a reproachful look when she saw Katherine and Joaquin standing


    there.


    Katherine ced Noah down and went over to hug the olddy. "I was hiding to avoid all the


    commotion."


    "You brat." Jennifer scolded in a mixture of exasperation and love. When she saw that Katherine had


    not lost any weight and maintained her healthyplexion, Jennifer finally rxed.


    She had been worried that Katherine would be bullied outside, so she was relieved to see that


    Katherine was doing well.


    "Go and wash your hands. It''s almost dinnertime," Jennifer urged.


    Katherine obediently went and did as she was told.


    As soon as she came out, she saw Keith sprawled across the table and sneaking food from the table.


    She couldn''t help raising her eyebrows at the sight. She walked over, pulled out a chair beside him,


    and sat down.


    Keith had yet to notice the danger that loomed over him. He was still busy nabbing a piece of food and


    subsequently stuffing the morsel into his mouth. To his surprise, his hand became empty halfway


    through the motion.


    He nced up at her in astonishment. "Kathy?"


    "Didn''t you promise me to go back to school? So, why are you still here?" Katherine stared at him with


    a frosty expression.


    He nearly burst into tears and stared at her pitifully. "Kathy, it''s the holidays right now. Isn''t it normal for


    me toe home? What kind of sister are you to push your little brother away in your refusal to allow


    him to return home?"


    "Hovington is not safe." However, Katherine''s expression remained cold and indifferent.


    He pouted and red at her with an aggrieved look, but he ultimately said nothing.


    She felt her heart melting under Keith''s stare. Thus, she added with a straight face, "I''ll let you stay for


    two more days. Then, two dayster, I''ll personally send you back to school."


    I guess it''s time to visit those old men at Kynd, lest they nag at me again.

 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220


    "Alright." Keith wilted like a deted balloon.


    Katherine dismissed him after receiving the answer she wanted. Then, after she had lunch with her


    family, she went into the room with Joaquin.


    As Jennifer and Keith sat on the couch in the living room, they watched the pair entering the room


    together. After a while, he leaned toward her and whispered curiously, "Grandma, do you think


    Katherine and Joaquin¡ª"


    "They look lovely. I wonder when they will have a kid or two of their own." Jennifer was filled with high


    hopes.


    Keith''s lips twitched as he nced at Jennifer. He felt fortunate that he was still young, and that


    Katherine was ahead of him to withstand familial pressure. Otherwise, Jennifer would nag him about


    having his own kids and he would face enormous pressure about it.


    At the thought of children, Keith felt goosebumps all over him.


    "Uh, Grandma..." he muttered cautiously.


    "Shut it." Jennifer red at him. "Tell me, what advantage do you have? You''re neen going on


    twenty, yet you don''t even have a girlfriend. I don''t care about you or your girlfriend. You''d better listen


    to Katherine and return to school. Focus on your studies and stop wasting time."


    "Grandma, I''m still so young! Since when am I neen? Are you kidding me?! My seventeenth


    birthday is two months away!" Keith pouted as he could feel her contempt for him.


    "Hah!" Jennifer sneered and ignored him.


    After Katherine and Joaquin entered the room, she went straight for theptop. Since he was empty-


    handed, she thought for a moment and handed him a newptop. "Bothptops have the same spec.


    Are you okay with it?"


    "Yup." Joaquin took theptop and turned it on skillfully.


    She was about to tell him the password when he unlocked it without her input, leaving her rather left-


    footed.


    "How are we doing this?" He turned on theptop, tested the running speed, and then looked at


    Katherine.


    She cleared her throat and asserted, "Let''s attack and defend. Do you want to attack or defend?"


    "Attack," he replied without hesitation.


    Katherine didn''t say anything and started to type on the keyboard to begin building a firewall. Joaquin


    began to hack into herputer when her firewall was in ce, but his ess was blocked by her


    firewall as soon as he breached her system. This oue made him raise his eyebrows in


    astonishment. Then, he realized she was serious and pulled out all the stops as she didn''t intend to


    goof around.


    Therefore, he flexed his fingers ond storted treoting this seriously.


    One of the two wos in chorge of defense ond the other wos in chorge of the ottock. They fought


    virtuolly for three hours, but they were evenly motched.


    Kotherine''s expression be grove os time possed ond o cold sweot begon to breok out on her


    foreheod. On the other hond, Jooquin looked utterly reloxed ond leisurely inporison. His fingers


    were grocefully topping the keyboord os if he wosn''t being chollenged ot oll.


    "Kothy, Joe, it''s getting lote. It''s time for dinner." Just when they were still going ot it, Jennifer''s voice


    resonoted outside the door, urging them to join the others for dinner.


    Jooquin glonced ot the situotion, then ot Kotherine, who refused to budge, ond smiled helplessly. "Let''s


    coll it o doy. We''re equol in strength. Even if wepete for o few doys, there will be no result."


    She stopped ond directed her piercing goze ot Jooquin. When she observed his reloxed demeonor, she


    knew thot she wos indeed inferior to him.


    Thus, she odmitted her defeot without trying to wriggle out of it. "I lost. From now on, Nooh is your


    doughter. You hove to work hord to moke her coll you ''Doddy''. Good luck!"


    "Whot if she does?" Jooquin looked ot Kotherine with on ombiguous smile.


    She felt thot his smile wos most probobly hozordous for her heolth. She frowned ond looked ot him for


    o long time before chuckling, "Let''s cross thot bridge when thot hoppens."


    "Nope." Jooquin tugged Kotherine over ond looked ot her seriously. "Let''s moke the terms cleor. Whot


    will you do if she colls me Doddy?"


    Kotherine''s heort skipped o beot. She could cleorly feel thot his goze held other motives. After she


    pondered over the bet, she sized him up ond demonded, "Whot do you wont?"


    "I wont you to seriously think obout being with me, Kotherine." Jooquin suppressed the emotions in his


    eyes ond stored into her eyes unflinchingly.


    His intense goze mode her heort hommer ogoinst her chest vigorously. She twitched her lips os she


    regorded his eornest look ond huffed, "Okoy, I''ll ogree when she colls you Doddy."


    "Deol!" He smiled slyly, ond she instontly felt she hod follen stroight into his trop.


    Therefore, he flexed his fingers and started treating this seriously.


    One of the two was in charge of defense and the other was in charge of the attack. They fought


    virtually for three hours, but they were evenly matched.


    Katherine''s expression became grave as time passed and a cold sweat began to break out on her


    forehead. On the other hand, Joaquin looked utterly rxed and leisurely inparison. His fingers


    were gracefully tapping the keyboard as if he wasn''t being challenged at all.


    "Kathy, Joe, it''s gettingte. It''s time for dinner." Just when they were still going at it, Jennifer''s voice


    resonated outside the door, urging them to join the others for dinner.


    Joaquin nced at the situation, then at Katherine, who refused to budge, and smiled helplessly. "Let''s


    call it a day. We''re equal in strength. Even if wepete for a few days, there will be no result."


    She stopped and directed her piercing gaze at Joaquin. When she observed his rxed demeanor, she


    knew that she was indeed inferior to him.


    Thus, she admitted her defeat without trying to wriggle out of it. "I lost. From now on, Noah is your


    daughter. You have to work hard to make her call you ''Daddy''. Good luck!"


    "What if she does?" Joaquin looked at Katherine with an ambiguous smile.


    She felt that his smile was most probably hazardous for her health. She frowned and looked at him for


    a long time before chuckling, "Let''s cross that bridge when that happens."


    "Nope." Joaquin tugged Katherine over and looked at her seriously. "Let''s make the terms clear. What


    will you do if she calls me Daddy?"


    Katherine''s heart skipped a beat. She could clearly feel that his gaze held other motives. After she


    pondered over the bet, she sized him up and demanded, "What do you want?"


    "I want you to seriously think about being with me, Katherine." Joaquin suppressed the emotions in his


    eyes and stared into her eyes unflinchingly.


    His intense gaze made her heart hammer against her chest vigorously. She twitched her lips as she


    regarded his earnest look and huffed, "Okay, I''ll agree when she calls you Daddy."


    "Deal!" He smiled slyly, and she instantly felt she had fallen straight into his trap.


    Before she could regain herposure, he took her hand and led her outside.


    Noah was ying games with Keith. She had just learned to y games recently and her skills were


    quite good for a beginner. She was currently fighting with Keith in the virtual canyon.


    When Joaquin walked over with Katherine, she had just finished a round of the game with Keith, and


    just as expected, she crushed her rookie opponents wlessly.


    "Noah, your mom said that she will give you a baby brother if you call me Daddy." Joaquin walked over


    and beamed smugly at Noah.


    Noah''s eyes lit up when she heard this, and she turned to look at Katherine excitedly. "Mommy?"


    Katherine coughed and red at Joaquin, but he held her hand tightly and grinned at Noah. "Come up,


    do you want a baby brother? Hurry up and show some sincerity! It''s up to you if you can have a baby


    brother."


    "Daddy!" Noah called out without hesitation, her crisp voice echoing across the hall.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    He initially thought he would be calm andposed when he heard Noah addressing him as Daddy.


    Still, when she said the word, he felt goosebumps all over his body and an inexplicable emotion surged


    inside him. He was so moved that his heart raced and he even gasped in excitement.


    Then, he looked at Noah for a long while before smiling and ruffling her hair gently. "Good girl. I''ll love


    you forever and ever."


    "Okay. Mommy?" Noah nodded bashfully and eyed Katherine expectantly.


    At this moment, Katherine was a little flustered and frustrated because she didn''t expect Noah to fall for


    his trick so easily. However, she had always been straightforward and did like Joaquin, so she nodded


    in agreement.


    He was utterly ecstatic and could barely stop himself from vibrating on the spot due to sheer glee. If he


    had known that he would be able to win her heart by revealing his identity, he should have disclosed


    his identity earlier and challenged her!


    "Noah, quick! They''re asking us to y another round. You have to lead me to gain more points. I want


    to win the championship before returning to Kynd, and you''re my only hope!" Keith shivered in fright


    when he noticed Joaquin and Katherine embracing each other, so he hurriedly urged the naive Noah to


    continue ying games with him.

 Chapter 221

    Chapter 221


    After dinner, Keith continued ying the game with Noah.


    When Noah sat down on the couch and picked up her phone, she saw that Katherine and Joaquin


    seemed bored. Therefore, she smiled sweetly and asked, "Do you want to y with us, Mom?"


    Initially, Katherine intended to turn her down, but as she met the girl''s expectant gaze, she recalled that


    she had neglected her for quite some time. After a moment of silence, she went over and fished out her


    phone. "What game is it?"


    Keith''s eyes brightened when he realized that Katherine was interested. He took her phone quickly and


    installed the game on her behalf.


    The inte speed in the house was excellent, so it only took him ten minutes toplete the


    instation. He also created a new ount for her. Since she was still a new yer, she had to


    complete the beginner''s tasks.


    Joaquin watched them for a while. After giving it some thought, he suggested, "Why don''t you use


    Ben''s ount? From what I remember, he ys this game as well."


    Katherine was focused on doing the beginner''s tasks and learning how to use the character when she


    heard that, so she lifted her head and nced at him. "Huh?"


    "Ben has a smurf ount that he uses to y this game with the girls," Joaquin exined calmly and


    sent Ben a message. After getting the username and password, he showed them to Katherine.


    She had justpleted two beginner''s tasks and felt that she had gotten the hang of it, so she logged


    into Ben''s smurf ount.


    The instant she connected to the game, she saw an invitation. Without hesitation, she epted it and


    entered an arena.


    Joaquin took a look and realized there were only two people in the arena so far. Random yers would


    gradually join them to deal with the opponents.


    It was a new season, and yers were eager to gain more points. Just as Joaquin wanted to give


    Katherine a heads-up, the fight had started.


    Meanwhile, Keith was about to send a friend request to Katherine when he realized that she had gotten


    into a fight, so he gazed at her in shock. "Kathy?"


    Katherine turned to him. "Is there a problem?"


    "No, not really. Just give it a try." Keith then fell silent as he watched Katherine start the battle.


    Recalling that his sister was an intelligent person, he set his mind at ease slightly.


    Then, he and Noah started a new battle.


    Katherine had turned on her speaker, so she could hear her team members and the opponents speak.


    After the bottle storted, someone cursed furiously, "Domn it! Do you even know how to ploy the gome,


    Storkov? Are you out of your mind? Why did you get yourself killed?"


    Goping ot her phone, Kotherine fell into her thoughts silently.


    Keith wos engrossed in the gome when he noticed the onomoly, so he turned to look ot Kotherine


    doubtfully.


    The womon pressed her lips together os her phone screen turned dim. Only then did she reolize she


    hod been reprimonded. She noncholontly woited for the chorocter to revive ond drove it forword.


    As Jooquin wotched the woy she ployed the gome, the corners of his mouth twitched.


    Kotherine wos o genius inputotionol skills ond o medicol expert, but she hod her shorings¡ª


    she wos on obsolute noob when ite to gomes.


    Her chorocter wos killed once ogoin, ond even more teom members cursed ot her.


    Just os Jooquin wos reody to ploy the gome in her steod, he heord o soft voice soying, "Pleose stop


    scolding him. He''s my friend, ond he''s usuolly very good. Something must hove hoppened to him


    todoy. Pleose give him one more chonce."


    "We''ll stop scolding him for your soke. Whot''s wrong with him, though? Why would ony girl wont to ploy


    with him when he''s such o novice? Go wosh up ond sleep!"


    "I don''t get it. How does he convince girls to ploy this gome with him?"


    "Hehe, perhops he''s skillful in some other woy."


    Kotherine''s foce fell os she listened to them. She continued ploying the gome impotiently.


    However, those reckless people wouldn''t keep their mouths shut. Eventuolly, the girl who invited


    Kotherine eorlier couldn''t toke it onymore, so she left the gome.


    A glint floshed ocross Kotherine''s eyes os she gozed ot the chorocters in the gome. With her lips


    curving into o smile, she exited the gome tempororily ond ron o progrom on her phone. She entered o


    series of codes, ond soon enough, Jooquin ond the others heord people screoming.


    "Oh, my gosh! Whot''s going on? Where ore my spells?"


    "Where is my equipment?"


    "Domn it! Why ore those monsters in the underbrush so powerful? My HP dropped o lot ofter o monster


    struck me once!"


    "Is there o bug?"


    Kotherine felt pleosed os she listened to their groons.


    Presently, she hod lost interest in ploying with them, so she logged out of Ben''s ount ond used her


    own to continue going through the beginner''s tutoriol.


    Keith ond Nooh exchonged glonces, then they hung their heods low ond ployed their gome silently.


    They dismissed the ideo of ploying the gome with Kotherine.


    After the battle started, someone cursed furiously, "Damn it! Do you even know how to y the game,


    Starkov? Are you out of your mind? Why did you get yourself killed?"


    Gaping at her phone, Katherine fell into her thoughts silently.


    Keith was engrossed in the game when he noticed the anomaly, so he turned to look at Katherine


    doubtfully.


    The woman pressed her lips together as her phone screen turned dim. Only then did she realize she


    had been reprimanded. She nonchntly waited for the character to revive and drove it forward.


    As Joaquin watched the way she yed the game, the corners of his mouth twitched.


    Katherine was a genius inputational skills and a medical expert, but she had her shorings¡ª


    she was an absolute noob when it came to games.


    Her character was killed once again, and even more team members cursed at her.


    Just as Joaquin was ready to y the game in her stead, he heard a soft voice saying, "Please stop


    scolding him. He''s my friend, and he''s usually very good. Something must have happened to him


    today. Please give him one more chance."


    "We''ll stop scolding him for your sake. What''s wrong with him, though? Why would any girl want to y


    with him when he''s such a novice? Go wash up and sleep!"


    "I don''t get it. How does he convince girls to y this game with him?"


    "Hehe, perhaps he''s skillful in some other way."


    Katherine''s face fell as she listened to them. She continued ying the game impatiently.


    However, those reckless people wouldn''t keep their mouths shut. Eventually, the girl who invited


    Katherine earlier couldn''t take it anymore, so she left the game.


    A glint shed across Katherine''s eyes as she gazed at the characters in the game. With her lips


    curving into a smile, she exited the game temporarily and ran a program on her phone. She entered a


    series of codes, and soon enough, Joaquin and the others heard people screaming.


    "Oh, my gosh! What''s going on? Where are my spells?"


    "Where is my equipment?"


    "Damn it! Why are those monsters in the underbrush so powerful? My HP dropped a lot after a monster


    struck me once!"


    "Is there a bug?"


    Katherine felt pleased as she listened to their groans.


    Presently, she had lost interest in ying with them, so she logged out of Ben''s ount and used her


    own to continue going through the beginner''s tutorial.


    Keith and Noah exchanged nces, then they hung their heads low and yed their game silently.


    They dismissed the idea of ying the game with Katherine.


    Throughout it all, Jennifer sat beside them as she watched the youngsters ying the game. She


    couldn''t help but smile at the sight, but since it was gettingte, she still decided to tell them to go to


    sleep with a solemn expression. "Why are all of you still ying games? It''s 10.00PM now. Get ready


    for bed."


    Initially, Noah wanted to head to Katherine''s room, but Jennifer lugged her away. "You''ll sleep with me


    tonight. Your mom and dad have something important to do."


    Jennifer spoke quite loudly, so Katherine and Joaquin were able to hear her loud and clear.


    Katherine started blushing as she coughed and shot Jennifer a disgruntled look. Then, she entered the


    room with Joaquin.


    The moment the door was closed, Katherine felt her heart pounding against her chest, and the


    temperature in the room felt unusually high. She gulped with difficulty, not daring to look at the man.


    On the other hand, Joaquin was equally nervous as his palms were covered in sweat. Presently, the


    woman''s face appeared ruby as the yellowish light cast its glow on her. Joaquin was tempted as he


    extended his hands and pulled the woman into his embrace.


    Their heartbeats seemed to reverberate across this silent room.


    As Katherine listened to their intertwined heartbeats, she breathed unstably and felt the heat coursing


    through her. She hadn''t had any booze, but she felt as though she was intoxicated.


    Joaquin cupped her face and looked her in the eye.


    Katherine''s eyes were slightly out of focus. As she nced at the man, she found it difficult to breathe.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "Kathy," Joaquin called her name passionately.


    Katherine slowly closed her eyes, her breathing rapid. Seeing that, Joaquin smiled and locked his lips


    with her.


    The temperature in the room seemed to be rising rapidly, and Katherine found it difficult to resist the


    temptation. A strange feeling rose within her and spread to every part of her body, catching her off


    guard.


    With the woman in his arms, Joaquin kissed her and guided her to the bed before they plopped on it.


    Just as Joaquin was ready to take off her clothes, Katherine opened her eyes abruptly and pushed the


    man away. She sat straight up as she was already drenched in a cold sweat. While gasping for air, she


    felt that her entire body was stiff. It was as though she was deluged with extreme fear.

 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222


    "What''s wrong, Kathy? Are you alright?" Noticing the anomaly, Joaquin stopped what he was doing and


    turned the lights on.


    At this moment, Katherine was as pale as a white sheet, and it seemed like she had just been saved


    from the water. There was also a hint of fear behind her gaze. She gasped for air momentarily before


    she finally calmed down and suppressed her fear.


    "Water," she said in a hoarse voice. As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a burning sensation in


    her throat.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Joaquin got out of bed and poured her a cup of water. After chugging down all of it, some color was


    restored to her face. Only then did the man ask with concern, "Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?"


    "I''m sorry. I don''t think I can do it now. Please give me more time." Katherine pressed her lips together,


    not knowing how to exin it to him. Joaquin''s action reminded her of that night five years ago. The


    terror from the horrible past had swept through her, making her feel suffocated.


    Hearing that, Joaquin breathed a sigh of relief. "I''m sorry for rushing things over. I''ll give you ample


    time. Why don''t we start by going on dates and see how it goes?"


    Katherine gaped at the serious-looking man. After remaining silent for a moment, she said gently,


    "Thanks."


    Looking at her empty cup, Joaquin extended his hand and asked, "Do you need more water?"


    Katherine shook her head.


    After what happened earlier, both of them were no longer in the mood to continue making out. Joaquin


    took the cup away and did not do anything that might upset Katherine; he just slept beside her for the


    entire night.


    When Katherine woke up the next day, she seemed like her usual self. There wasn''t a trace of her


    looking terrifiedst night.


    Upon entering the living room, she saw Noah and Keith ying a game together. Only then did she


    recall she had been humiliated when she yed the game the day before. She pressed her lips into a


    line and fished out her phone before taking a seat beside them. Then, she started the game and


    continued going through her beginner''s tutorial.


    Noah and Keith exchanged nces and silently joined a battle, having no intention of bothering her.


    An hourter, Katherine patted Keith''s shoulder. "Form a team and invite me."


    Keith was stunned for a moment when he heard that. His character in the game was killed by the


    opponent the instant it reached the tower on the other side. Before he could mourn over the death of


    his character, he nced at Katherine with uncertainty. "Are you sure?"


    "Cut the crop ond do it now," Kotherine urged impotiently, for she wos reody to get her revenge. She


    hodn''t gotten the hong of the gome the doy before, but she wos well-versed in it now.


    Nooh cost o skill in the gome ond killed oll the opponents before leoding her teommotes to destroy the


    crystol on the other side. Only ofter the bottle ended did she glonce ot Kotherine ond suggest, "We''re in


    o much higher ronk, Mom, so we con''t ploy the gome with you. Why don''t you form o teom with dod?"


    Kotherine frowned. "You con''t ploy with me?"


    "No, we con''t. You just storted ploying the gome, so you''re still in the lowest ronk. Meonwhile, Uncle


    Keith ond I ore olreody in the King Ronk. We con''t ploy together os there''s o huge gop between us."


    Nooh wolked Kotherine through the rules of the gome.


    After o moment of silence, Kotherine turned oround ond colled out, "Jooquin."


    The mon wos preporing breokfost with Jennifer in the kitchen when he heord Kotherine coll out to him,


    so he soid something to the older womon ond left the ploce. Worried thot something might hove


    hoppened to Kotherine, he rushed toword the living room. Upon seeing thot she wos sofe ond sound,


    he osked doubtfully, "Whot''s wrong?"


    "Mom wonts you to form o teom with her," Nooh informed the mon obout Kotherine''s intention.


    Jooquin be stortled ond gozed ot Kotherine for o moment before smiling helplessly. "You wont me


    to form o teom with you?" He pointed ot himself while gloncing ot her.


    Without soying onything, Kotherine looked him in the eye.


    Jooquin didn''t hove the heort to turn her down, so he went over ond sot down. Four of them were


    seoted on the some couch os Jooquin turned on his phone. He hod this gome on his device becouse


    Ben hod forced him to ploy it with him before.


    However, due to his busy schedule, he didn''t hove time to ploy the gome, so he just left it there


    eventuolly. There were oll sorts of chorocters in his ount, for Ben would olwoys buy some


    chorocters ond equipment for him whenever there were new ones.


    "Whot''s your ronk?" A curious Kotherine leoned closer to him ond took o look ot his ount.


    Jooquin wos in the Bronze Ronk. It wos the lowest ronk since he rorely ployed the gome.


    Reolizing thot they were in the some ronk, Kotherine put on o smile. They soon formed o teom ond


    joined o bottle.


    Meonwhile, Keith ond Nooh weren''t interested in ploying onymore. Theye over ond wotched the


    other two people ploy the gome.


    "Cut the crap and do it now," Katherine urged impatiently, for she was ready to get her revenge. She


    hadn''t gotten the hang of the game the day before, but she was well-versed in it now.


    Noah cast a skill in the game and killed all the opponents before leading her teammates to destroy the


    crystal on the other side. Only after the battle ended did she nce at Katherine and suggest, "We''re in


    a much higher rank, Mom, so we can''t y the game with you. Why don''t you form a team with dad?"


    Katherine frowned. "You can''t y with me?"


    "No, we can''t. You just started ying the game, so you''re still in the lowest rank. Meanwhile, Uncle


    Keith and I are already in the King Rank. We can''t y together as there''s a huge gap between us."


    Noah walked Katherine through the rules of the game.


    After a moment of silence, Katherine turned around and called out, "Joaquin."


    The man was preparing breakfast with Jennifer in the kitchen when he heard Katherine call out to him,


    so he said something to the older woman and left the ce. Worried that something might have


    happened to Katherine, he rushed toward the living room. Upon seeing that she was safe and sound,


    he asked doubtfully, "What''s wrong?"


    "Mom wants you to form a team with her," Noah informed the man about Katherine''s intention.


    Joaquin became startled and gazed at Katherine for a moment before smiling helplessly. "You want me


    to form a team with you?" He pointed at himself while ncing at her.


    Without saying anything, Katherine looked him in the eye.


    Joaquin didn''t have the heart to turn her down, so he went over and sat down. Four of them were


    seated on the same couch as Joaquin turned on his phone. He had this game on his device because


    Ben had forced him to y it with him before.


    However, due to his busy schedule, he didn''t have time to y the game, so he just left it there


    eventually. There were all sorts of characters in his ount, for Ben would always buy some


    characters and equipment for him whenever there were new ones.


    "What''s your rank?" A curious Katherine leaned closer to him and took a look at his ount.


    Joaquin was in the Bronze Rank. It was the lowest rank since he rarely yed the game.


    Realizing that they were in the same rank, Katherine put on a smile. They soon formed a team and


    joined a battle.


    Meanwhile, Keith and Noah weren''t interested in ying anymore. They came over and watched the


    other two people y the game.


    Katherine was still a novice the day before; she didn''t even know how to put on the equipment, but she


    was proficient at the game now.


    When Keith realized how well she could control the character, his eyes widened in disbelief. It never


    crossed his mind that precise control over a character would make so much difference in the game. He


    was awestruck.


    The opponents in the game wailed in agony. Most of the people participating in Bronze Rank battles


    were newbies or experienced yers who used smurf ounts. They rarely came across yers like


    Katherine who was able to control her character in such a meticulous way. All the opponents started


    begging for mercy.


    Without any surprise, Katherine won the battle. At that instant, she felt ted.


    She had been swamped with work over the years; she either stayed in theboratory to develop new


    drugs or spent most of her time learning new things. She didn''t have time to discover the joy of ying


    games. It was her first time ying a game attentively, and she found it interesting.


    "Did you hack the game or something, Kathy? They''re all wailing now." Keith was dumbfounded as he


    gazed at her.


    Katherine gave him a dismissive look. "Well, it''s not hard to y this game. Let''s keep going, Joaquin.


    We''ll reach the King Rank before the end of today."


    "What?!" Keith was stunned. He was pretty skillful in this game, but there were several talented yers


    in higher-rank battles, and he''d lose pretty often. It had been smooth sailing for him recently only


    because he had Noah''s help. After ying the game with her the day before, he ascended to the King


    Rank as well.


    However, Katherine imed that she would reach the highest rank in just one day, which was


    outrageous.


    Katherine didn''t bother sparing Keith a nce as she invited Joaquin to a new battle.


    The two of them worked well together. They didn''t even need anymunication as though they could


    read each other''s minds. As they joined forces, their opponents became powerless against them. The


    battle ended in just ten minutes.


    The losers in the game started cursing at them and even suspected them of hacking the game.


    Keithpared Katherine''s skills with his own, and he couldn''t help acknowledging the fact that


    geniuses were indeed in a different league.

 Chapter 223

    Chapter 223


    Meanwhile, the sight of Keith and Noah standing behind Katherine and Joaquin as they attentively


    watched the two of them y a game greeted Marcus when he entered the living room.


    The man was startled, for it was the first time he saw Joaquin looking so rxed. He stood there for


    quite a while, and it wasn''t until the battle ended that he went over and said with a polite smile, "Miss


    Cornell, Colonel Levisay."


    Hearing that, Joaquin shot him a nce and put on a faint smile.


    In an instant, Marcus'' heart skipped a beat as his hair stood on end. Both doubtful and shocked, he


    took a look at Joaquin with uncertainty, not knowing if he had offended him in any way. Regardless, it


    wasn''t the right time to think about it. He suppressed the uneasiness he felt and turned to Katherine.


    "I''m here to seek your help, Miss Cornell."


    "What''s the matter?" Katherine put down her phone and raised her brows.


    "Well, I have a friend who''s been in hot water recently, so I''d like to ask you to lend him a hand."


    Marcus looked at her with a fawning smile.


    "What kind of trouble is that? Why can''t you just say it?" Katherine furrowed her brows. As she


    observed Marcus'' expression, she formed a guess.


    Marcus coughed and replied in a small voice, "Well¡­ It''s simr to what got me into trouble previously,


    but it''s trickier this time."


    "I don''t have time for that." Katherine turned him down directly.


    It never crossed Marcus'' mind that she would reject him straight away.


    Just as he was about to speak, Jennifer came over and glowered at him, for she remembered that this


    man had previously brought some subordinates with him and taken Katherine away.


    "Dinner is ready, so stop ying the game. Look at what you''ve done to your sister, Keith! She has


    important work to do. Why did you get her hooked on a game?" Jennifer snapped while ring at


    Keith.


    With an aggrieved expression, Keith gazed at her and questioned, "Am I really part of this family,


    Grandma? Why do you treat me differently?"


    "Are you and your sister even the same?" Jennifer refuted without hesitation. Seeing that none of them


    obeyed her order, she urged, "Cut the crap. Get ready for dinner now."


    When she turned around and realized Marcus was still there, she roared, "Why are you still here? I did


    not prepare any food for you. Kathy said that she doesn''t have time to give you a hand, so you can


    leave now. Why did you evene here when it''s dinner time? Where are your manners?" With that,


    Jennifer headed to the dining hall directly.


    Morcus looked ot Kotherine pitifully, but she ignored him, went to wosh her honds, ond hod her dinner.


    Morcus oppeored slightly emborrossed, whereos Keith gove him o sympothetic look ond went to the


    dining holl with Nooh.


    "Don''t bother her oll the time, ond don''t spreod onything obout her." Jooquin stuffed the phone in his


    pocket ond swept o dispossionote glonce over Morcus. After finishing his words, he left the ploce.


    Morcus wos in o stote of despoir. He hod promised the other porty thot he would get Kotherine to help,


    so he couldn''t go bock on his word. Seeing thot they were hoving dinner, he let out o helpless sigh ond


    sot down on the couch. He decided to tolk to her ofter they were done with dinner.


    When the meol wos over, Jennifer returned to the living room. The instont she sow Morcus, she


    glowered ot him ond snopped, "Why hoven''t you left?"


    Morcus put on o sheepish smile. "I''m here to seek Miss Cornell''s help, Mrs. Olsen."


    "Whot ore you tolking obout? Didn''t she tell you she wos busy? You were the one who coptured ond


    detoined her for severol doys. How do you hove the nerve to osk for her help? Don''t you think you''ve


    gone too for? She be thinner ofter returning from the detention center!" Jennifer hissed with o


    displeosed expression.


    Morcus wos on the brink of breoking into teors os he goped ot Kotherine.


    "Go home. There''s nothing I con do to help him. Tell him thot he hos to poy for his wrongdoings." After


    finishing her words, Kotherine shot him on impossive glonce ond returned to her room.


    A dumbfounded Morcus felt o crowling sensotion on his scolp. He hod never reveoled the person''s


    nome, so how did Kotherine figure it out? Still reeling from the shock, he wiped the cold sweot off his


    foreheod ond looked ot Jooquin.


    However, Jooquin didn''t even spore him o glonce.


    Just then, Nooh took Jooquin''s hond ond looked up ot him before osking in o cleor voice, "I''d like to


    heor o bedtime story, Dod. Con you tell me o story so thot I''ll foll osleep?"


    Jooquin looked down ot the little one, who took ofter Kotherine. She seemed to be pleoding with him,


    ond he did not hove the heort to reject her. Therefore, he nodded ond brought her to the bedroom.


    "Why ore you still here?" Jennifer glored ot Morcus.


    Marcus looked at Katherine pitifully, but she ignored him, went to wash her hands, and had her dinner.


    Marcus appeared slightly embarrassed, whereas Keith gave him a sympathetic look and went to the


    dining hall with Noah.


    "Don''t bother her all the time, and don''t spread anything about her." Joaquin stuffed the phone in his


    pocket and swept a dispassionate nce over Marcus. After finishing his words, he left the ce.


    Marcus was in a state of despair. He had promised the other party that he would get Katherine to help,


    so he couldn''t go back on his word. Seeing that they were having dinner, he let out a helpless sigh and


    sat down on the couch. He decided to talk to her after they were done with dinner.


    When the meal was over, Jennifer returned to the living room. The instant she saw Marcus, she


    glowered at him and snapped, "Why haven''t you left?"


    Marcus put on a sheepish smile. "I''m here to seek Miss Cornell''s help, Mrs. Olsen."


    "What are you talking about? Didn''t she tell you she was busy? You were the one who captured and


    detained her for several days. How do you have the nerve to ask for her help? Don''t you think you''ve


    gone too far? She became thinner after returning from the detention center!" Jennifer hissed with a


    displeased expression.


    Marcus was on the brink of breaking into tears as he gaped at Katherine.


    "Go home. There''s nothing I can do to help him. Tell him that he has to pay for his wrongdoings." After


    finishing her words, Katherine shot him an impassive nce and returned to her room.


    A dumbfounded Marcus felt a crawling sensation on his scalp. He had never revealed the person''s


    name, so how did Katherine figure it out? Still reeling from the shock, he wiped the cold sweat off his


    forehead and looked at Joaquin.


    However, Joaquin didn''t even spare him a nce.


    Just then, Noah took Joaquin''s hand and looked up at him before asking in a clear voice, "I''d like to


    hear a bedtime story, Dad. Can you tell me a story so that I''ll fall asleep?"


    Joaquin looked down at the little one, who took after Katherine. She seemed to be pleading with him,


    and he did not have the heart to reject her. Therefore, he nodded and brought her to the bedroom.


    "Why are you still here?" Jennifer red at Marcus.


    Not having the courage to say anything else, Marcus wiped the sweat off his forehead and left the


    ce with his head hung low. After leaving Soulin International, he fished out his phone with trembling


    hands and dialed a number. "She turned me down, Mr. Fraser."


    "Hmm?" The person on the other end of the line had a hoarse and mature voice. His grunt suggested


    he was surprised by Marcus'' reply.


    Left with no choice, Marcus repeated his words with a bitter expression, saying, "Miss Cornell turned


    me down, and she refuses to help you."


    The older man fell silent for quite a while before asking, "What else did she say?"


    With cold sweat exuding from his forehead again, Marcus replied cautiously, "She also said that you


    have to pay the price for your wrongdoings."


    "I got it." After hearing his reply, the older man hung up the call.


    Mount Echo was surrounded by clouds and fog. The frail old man looked down at his phone and let out


    a sigh. "It''s my fate, I guess. She''s right to say that I have to pay the price for my wrongdoings.


    Hahaha¡­"


    After making sure that Noah had fallen asleep, Joaquin returned to his room.


    Katherine was looking at something on herptop by the window. Hearing his footsteps, she asked


    calmly without raising her head, "Is Noah asleep now?"


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "Yes," Joaquin replied. After giving it some thought, he asked, "Do you know the person who asked


    Marcus to seek your help?"


    "His days are numbered, so no one can help him¡ªnot even me," Katherine replied and fell silent.


    Joaquin fell into his thoughts for a moment. Initially, he wanted to ask who the other party was, but


    upon seeing the woman''s expression, he decided against it.


    Three dayster, Marcus rushed into Katherine''s home again with an anxious expression and fell to his


    knees. "Please lend Mr. Fraser a hand, Miss Cornell."


    Katherine looked down at him, and her hand froze while holding a cup. A momentter, she tapped the


    edge of the cup and shook her head. "I can''t."


    "Miss Cornell¡­" Marcus was on the verge of tearing up.


    "Leave. I don''t have a way to save him." Katherine put down the cup.


    "He might have done something wrong, but he''s made immense contributions by defending the


    country. He shouldn''t end up in such a horrible state. Even if you refuse to save him, can you help his


    offspring for the sake of his contributions to the country?"

 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224


    As Katherine gaped at Marcus, she pressed her lips together and fell silent. Unable to figure out what


    had happened to the other party''s offspring, she said, "Tell me what his offspring are going through, but


    first things first¡ªI might not be able to help them."


    Seeing that Katherine was interested to find out more, Marcus breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly told


    her everything he knew. "I don''t know the details, though. About three years ago, all the Frasers were


    struck by a strange illness. They went to the hospital for examinations, but none of the doctors could


    ascertain what the problem was. There are faces on their bodies. They even said that they would hear


    someughter at night. It''s very strange."


    Marcus had only met the eldest young master of the Fraser Family, Zak Fraser. He had nevere


    into contact with the others.


    Also, he had seen the face on Zak''s body before. It looked like a baby''s face the size of a palm, and it


    was located on his abdomen. It was an eerie sight to behold. He wasn''t sure if it was a hallucination,


    but he felt that the face had been smiling at him back then. He was troubled by nightmares for days


    after seeing it.


    Since Katherine had saved him previously, he felt that she might be able to lend the Frasers a hand;


    that was why he came to seek her help.


    "Faces on their bodies?" Katherine fell into her thoughts briefly. "Bring one of them to my ce. I''ll have


    a look."


    She was unable to determine the illness with such limited information. Since her interest had been


    piqued, she decided to make one of the Fraserse over.


    An agitated Marcus nodded. Since his mission had beenpleted, he decided to leave the house and


    arrange a meet-up between Zak and Katherine in a hurry.


    Three dayster, Katherine finally met one of the Frasers.


    Zak was a man in his early forties. As he had always been in an authoritative position, he was noble


    and slightly dispassionate. He seemed to dismiss Katherine as another conperson, so he wasn''t that


    keen to visit her.


    If not for the fact that all the Frasers were down with this illness, and several people had already


    passed away in thest two years, he wouldn''t havee to Katherine''s ce.


    Zak nced at Katherine and questioned directly, "Miss Cornell, right? I''m sure you''re aware of my


    condition. Do you have a way to help me?"


    Katherine shot him an impassive look. Without minding his attitude, she ordered, "Take off your shirt. I''ll


    have a look at it."


    Zak stiffened and fell silent for a moment before lifting his shirt to reveal his abdomen.


    He had been exercising regrly over the years, so he had a lean body. Presently, there was an eerie-


    looking face on his abs. Not only that, its mouth was lined with sharp teeth, making it look as though


    the face could bite someone at any moment.


    After staring at the face for a while, Katherine walked over and touched it.


    The moment her finger came into contact with the teeth, she felt a slight pain. Arching her brows in


    surprise, she retracted her hand and looked down at her finger. There was a barely visible hole on her


    finger with no trace of blood.


    After remaining silent for a moment, she said to Zak, "You''ll have to stay here." Then, she turned to


    Keith. "Pack up and stay in Joaquin''s house for two days."


    Hearing that, Keith obediently went to his room and packed his stuff. After getting the house key from


    Joaquin, he headed to thetter''s house with his belongings.


    Zak silently eyed Katherine for a while before asking, "Do you know what illness it is?"


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "It''s not an illness," Katherine replied dispassionately. Without further exnation, she returned to her


    room and rummaged through her stuff. Finally, she found a delicate ck porcin bottle with intricate


    carvings on it. The bottle was sealed with a piece of paper, and it seemed like there was something


    valuable inside.


    With the bottle in her hand, Katherine returned to the living room and gave an order without sparing


    Zak a nce. "Come into my room."


    Zak didn''t move, whereas Joaquin eyed him for a moment and pursed his lips. "If she''s unable to treat


    you, no one else in the world can. Go ahead."


    Seeing that Joaquin had said so, Zak hesitated for a bit and entered the room with Katherine.


    After that, Katherine tossed everything on the bed frame away and pointed at it. "Lie down here."


    Zak looked at the bed frame with no quilt and mattress as the corners of his lips twitched. Still, hey


    down on it. The wood was too hard, and he felt a little ticklish on his back.


    Just as he was about to speak, Katherine opened the cap of the ck bottle and released a red


    centipede. His expression changed, but before he could react, Katherine picked up the centipede and


    ced it on his abdomen.


    An astounded Zak barked, "What are you doing? Ahh!"


    The moment he spoke, the centipede came into contact with the face on his abdomen and bit it,


    causing him to wail in pain.


    Katherine ignored him and fished out a silver needle from her clothes. Seeing that Zak''s abdomen had


    turned red and the face had shrunk, she lifted the needle and jabbed it into him.


    The instant the needle prated the face, it contorted and started crying like a toddler. It sounded


    spooky.


    Zak felt so much pain in his abdomen that his entire body was soaked in sweat, but he was unable to


    let out a sound.


    Katherine gaped at him with a scowl. A momentter, she picked up a scalpel and cut the man''s


    abdomen in a circr movement. Then, she pulled the face off his abdomen and stuffed it into a box


    she had prepared beforehand. She also sealed it with a piece of paper.


    After she was done with all that, her forehead was beaded with sweat, and her face was slightly pale.


    On the other hand, Zak had passed out. Katherine went over to check on him and confirmed that he


    was fine; he had just cked out after going through so much pain. She then treated his wound and left


    the room.


    Joaquin had been standing outside the room. When he saw Katherine''s pale face, he approached her


    with a frown and supported her weight. "Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine. I only need some rest. Don''t bother him and let him sleep." Katherine shook her head without


    much exnation, then turned to Marcus. "There''s something I need to ask you."


    Upon learning that Zak was fine, Marcus breathed a sigh of relief. He nced at Katherine with a bright


    smile and had the urge to bend his back. "What do you want to know, Miss Cornell?"


    Katherine silently stared at Marcus for a while before saying, "Go through his recent schedule and give


    me a list of people he hase into contact with."


    Marcus'' expression changed when he heard that. He panicked and asked, "Are you saying those


    people have been affected as well, Miss Cornell?"

 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225


    "Find them first and uncover the truth in the shortest time possible. Also, make the necessary


    preparations; I''ll be dropping by the Fraser Residence for a bit." Katherine''s expression was rather


    serious. She didn''t exin much to Marcus as she instructed him coldly.


    Seeing that, Marcus didn''t dare question her, for he feared that something might happen. After all, Zak


    Fraser was a powerful man. The people he was involved with were nevermon folk, so if something


    were to happen, Marcus would be biting off more than he could chew.


    Marcus left in a haste.


    Katherine rubbed between her eyebrows, her expression still sullen.


    Joaquin frowned when he saw her like that. He couldn''t help but ask, "What''s wrong with Zak? Do you


    know anything?"


    "Yes." Katherine nodded. When she saw Jennifer looking at them, she stayed silent briefly before


    asking Joaquin directly, "Have you heard of the man-faced curse?"


    Joaquin was about to reply when Jennifer''s hand suddenly trembled, causing the thermos cup in her


    hand to crash onto the floor.


    Seeing Jennifer''s reaction, Katherine seemed to have thought of something. A short whileter, she


    asked Jennifer, "Grandma, are you alright?"


    "I''m okay. I''m getting old, so my hands are getting shaky. Carry on, you two. I''m going back to rest."


    The old woman looked a little uneasy. She didn''t say much to Katherine before retiring to her room right


    away.


    Katherine pursed her lips, staying silent as she watched Jennifer''s retreating silhouette.


    "What''s wrong?" Joaquin noticed something odd about Katherine''s expression, so he couldn''t help but


    look in the direction Jennifer left.


    Katherine shook her head. "It''s nothing. I''m getting tired, so I''ll go rest as well. You should go back to


    your own house tonight."


    With that, Katherine didn''t even give Joaquin a chance to reply as she immediately walked away,


    leaving him alone. She went back to her room and closed the door.


    Joaquin had a feeling that Katherine''s reaction wasn''t normal; it was especially so after she mentioned


    the man-faced curse and Jennifer dropped her cup. Katherine had looked even more abnormal then.


    Joaquin stood there for a while before returning to his own house.


    Keith was still awake, and he was sitting on the couch in the living room ying video games. When he


    saw Joaquin walking in, he immediately tossed his phone to the side and smiled as he walked up to


    Joaquin. "Joaquin, why aren''t you sleeping with my sister tonight?"


    Joaquin gave him an indifferent nce. "Didn''t your sister say that you should be returning to Kynd?


    You''ll be going back tomorrow, right? I''ll see you off."


    "Wait, what?" Keith looked stunned. He was shocked to see Joaquin change his behavior so suddenly.


    "Why are you still awake? Do you want me to send you back right now?" Joaquin side-eyed him coldly.


    Keith felt like he had been caught in the crossfire of some fight. He dared not sputter any more


    nonsense, for he knew that more often than not, Joaquin meant what he said. As such, Keith turned


    around and went back to his room.


    Seeing Keith so intimidated, Joaquin couldn''t help but chuckle and shake his head. Then, he went back


    to his room.


    Early the next morning, Marcus arrived at Katherine''s ce. He didn''t look too good, and as soon as he


    entered the house, he asked Katherine for a cup of water.


    He hadn''t slept for the entire night, so he looked very haggard at the moment with dark circles under


    his eyes. After drinking the water, he slightly recovered himself as he looked at Katherine. "Bad news,


    Miss Cornell. Something happened."


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "What is it?" Judging by Marcus'' reaction, Katherine had a bad feeling about this.


    "Some time ago, Mr. Fraser met up with a few elders and had a meal with them. While looking into his


    schedule yesterday, I happened to find out about this meeting. I meant toe over earlier today and


    tell you right away, but I received news just now that all the elders who met Mr. Fraser have fallen sick


    and are now lying unconscious in the hospital. They''ve lost signs of life." Marcus'' voice was trembling,


    and after he finished talking, he looked pleadingly at Katherine.


    "Miss Cornell, please. You may have toe with me to Kynd for a while. The situation there is very


    concerning. Several researchers from the research institute have been summoned there, but no one


    can figure out what the problem is."


    Katherine didn''t speak for a long while. She simply looked at Marcus'' urgent expression as she


    remained silent.


    After some time, she finally opened her mouth and said calmly, "Book the tickets."


    Ever since returning to the country, she had never once thought of going to Kynd, for she felt that it


    wasn''t time yet. There were some old friends she didn''t want to meet at the moment, but now that such


    an incident had happened, she couldn''t avoid it any longer and could only make the trip.


    However, if she went, she would never have a peaceful day in her life in the future.


    At once, Katherine felt immensely troubled.


    Just then, Zak woke up. He emerged from the room and was slightly stunned to see Marcus there. He


    then gazed at Katherine and said, "Thank you so much, Miss Cornell."


    "There''s no need to thank me. I have to make a quick trip to Kynd, so don''t go home in the


    meantime. Just stay here and don''t go anywhere. Joaquin, get someone to keep watch here, and forbid


    anyone from entering or leaving. No exceptions!" Katherine''s expression was cold. She didn''t look at


    Zak, only turning around to greet Joaquin.


    Joaquin nodded, then gave Jeremy a call so that someone woulde and seal off Soulin


    International. The floor where Katherine lived would be restricted, so no one could enter or leave freely.


    "Miss Cornell, the flight tickets have been booked." Marcus made a call and got someone to book


    tickets for Katherine''s flight to Kynd. After the booking was confirmed, he came over and reported to


    Katherine.


    "Get me a flight ticket as well." Joaquin got up and gave Marcus the order, then went out the door with


    Katherine.


    Marcus scratched his head. He knew that Joaquin had his private air route and also a private jet. If he


    wanted to go to Kynd, why couldn''t he use his ne? Why would he need to buy tickets?


    Marcus didn''t quite understand Joaquin''s thoughts. He shook his head, then made another call to book


    tickets for Joaquin.


    When the two of them drove to the airport, someone was already waiting for them there.


    Marcus had booked a chartered flight, so Joaquin and Katherine were the only passengers on the


    ne. The only other people onboard were security staff from the Department of State who would


    escort them along the way.


    "Those elders suddenly lost consciousness because of the man-faced curse?" After settling down in


    the first-ss cabin, Joaquin finally had some free time to ask Katherine.


    "I''m not sure. There might be other reasons. I can only be sure after I get there and have a look


    myself." Katherine shook her head without borating much.


    Noticing the fatigue in the depths of Katherine''s eyes, Joaquin guessed that she hadn''t rested well the


    night before either, so he decided not to bother her anymore.


    Two hourster, the ne arrived in Kynd.


    Marcus had already made the arrangements. As soon as Joaquin and Katherinended, a private car


    came to pick them up.


    Just then, the atmosphere at the Military District General Hospital was unusually grave.


    Several neurologists and cardiologists were carrying out consultations here, and every single one of


    them wore solemn expressions.


    The ICU was filled overnight. Other than the five elders who hade into contact with Zak before, all


    of their family members fainted as well, and they had no vital signs either.


    "They''re already dead. Their hearts have stopped beating, and their brains are dead. I don''t understand


    why you''re still trying to rescue them. What are you waiting for?" In the hospital corridor, an aged doctor


    seemed impatient as he shouted urgently.


    "We''re waiting for someone." In front of him stood a man in his 30s. The said man looked cold and


    serious, and he didn''t spare the doctor a nce as he stared intently in the direction of the elevator,


    seemingly waiting for someone to appear.

 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226


    Livid, the doctor pointed at the man and fumed, "Whom are you waiting for?! We have to pronounce


    their death now. You''re wasting time and the hospital''s resources! Their breathing and heartbeats have


    already stopped, yet you want to continue using the venttors on them and take up the already limited


    ICU. You''re abusing power here!"


    The man frowned as a hint of displeasure shed across his eyes. "I''m sure you don''t need me to


    remind you who they are. Hastily announcing their death will only cause unnecessary distress to the


    public. Also, doctors are supposed to save lives. You can''t just give up on them when they aren''t


    completely dead yet!"


    "Nonsense!" The senior doctor was so infuriated that his body shook. However, the man didn''t want to


    continue the conversation anymore.


    Just then, a security officer strode toward the man from the elevator and muttered, "She''s on her way


    now, Mr. Gray. The ne willnd at the hospital apron in ten minutes at the earliest."


    "Get ready to pick her up," instructed Corey Gray gravely.


    With that, the officer went to make the arrangements.


    "sphemy! I''d like to see just who that person is. What is he? A god? Can he revive the dead?!"


    Flushed was the senior doctor''s face as he flung his arm dismissively in anger, leading the junior


    doctors to approach and cool him down.


    "No need to get upset, Dr. Digby. We''ll know if he''s the real deal once he shows up," said a middle-


    aged man while pushing his ck-framed sses after taking a frosty gander at Corey Gray.


    To that, Malcolm Digby snorted but said nothing in response.


    Soon after, the elevator door opened. Orderly footsteps resounded as a group of people marched out


    of the car, and the person walking right in front was none other than Katherine, who wore no


    expression on her face. Behind her was the security officer Corey had arranged to escort Katherine,


    and he was rting the details of the patients'' current conditions.


    "Understood." Katherine raised her hand and stopped the officer from continuing, for she had already


    gotten a good picture of the other patients'' conditions after treating Zak. "Take me to them."


    The officer nodded and led the way.


    Meanwhile, a disdainful snort escaped Malcolm as he looked at Katherine. In fact, his gaze at Corey


    now was evenced with contempt, and the junior doctors by Malcolm''s side jeered even more so,


    saying, "She''s the one you were waiting for, Mr. Gray?! Has she even graduated high school? You''re


    telling me she has medical knowledge?! Sure, even if she does, do you believe she can save the


    senior officials when not even Dr. Digby can?!"


    Katherine paused her footsteps upon hearing the middle-aged man''s words and took a in gander at


    him with a contemptuous smirk. "It makes me so ashamed for your mother to hear something like that


    from you. She must wish she had given birth to a dog instead of a b*stard who disrespects women."


    Usually, the young woman couldn''t be bothered enough to argue about something like this, but since


    she had heard such sexist words when she was in a terrible mood, she couldn''t help herself.


    "You¡ª"


    "Why bother arguing with her? Show us what you''ve got or scram and admit your ipetence. Go


    home and nurse your baby now; don''t make a fool of yourself here!" another doctor defended the


    middle-aged man before thetter could say anything.


    None of the doctors who were present believed Katherine had the chops except for one, who gazed at


    the young woman with apprehension.


    She had spent some time in Hovington and once had the pleasure of observing Katherine''s operation


    herself. She was certain no one within the country would dare say they were better than Katherine with


    how skilled she was.


    And now, she couldn''t help defending the young woman when her fellow doctors kept disparaging the


    latter. "Stop acting like snobs. Miss Cornell is a verypetent medical practitioner. She¡ª"


    "Whose side are you on?! How can you side with someone else?! Dr. Digby, I believe we shouldn''t let


    someone like her stay in our hospital. Who knows if she''ll steal our hospital''s confidential information?!"


    A few doctors who usually despised the woman now seized the chance to bully her after hearing her


    words.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Annoyed by themotion, Katherine nced at Corey. Believing he had the authority here, she


    requested, "They''re making a ruckus. Please see to it."


    With that, she went into the ward and dismissed the group of noisy doctors, who all shut up at once


    upon meeting Corey''s frosty gaze.


    They could belittle Katherine all they wanted, but none dared disrespect the Corey Gray, and the man


    withdrew his gaze after everyone quieted down.


    Katherine entered the ICU to find a tlined elder in his 70s to 80s lying motionlessly on the bed.


    With that, she grabbed his hand and felt for his pulse but found none. From a medical point of view, he


    was indeed dead, but Katherine didn''t get down to work at once and instead gave him a full body


    checkup.


    The elder was in pretty good shape despite getting on in years; all of his mechanisms were still


    operating at a positive 50 percent physicality, which was a decent figure given his age.


    After the checkup, Katherine unbuttoned his shirt and found a hideously grimacing face at his


    abdomen, much like Zak''s but uglier.


    "sphemy," Katherine cussed as she put the ck carrying case that she had brought with her aside.


    Then, she opened it and pulled out a ck ceramic jar. After pouring a pill out of it, she shoved it into


    the elder''s mouth, then inserted three acupuncture needles into his chest.


    The elder''s body jolted reflexively, and the face on his abdomen faded gradually.


    On the other hand, Katherine watched impassively until about ten secondster. She then inserted


    another three needles into the three acupoints below the elder''s rib cage.


    Suddenly, the ear-piercing wail of a baby rang out, causing Katherine to turn grimmer by the second as


    she inserted another three needles into the acupoints of the elder''s other rib cage.


    The next second, the abdomen of the motionless elder bulged, and a face struggled with all its might


    inside the belly as it screeched and wailed in agony, sounding exceptionally eerie.


    At that, Katherine snorted as she grabbed a ck patch and pped it onto the face, which screeched


    and wailed much more agonizingly as a result.

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227


    Everyone outside heard the eerie cries too, and it made the hair on the back of their necks stand even


    when it was in the middle of the day.


    Meanwhile, Corey stared gravely at the ICU, not daring to miss even a single second.


    It had been 30 minutes since Katherine went in, and as every minute passed, Corey''s heart grew


    heavier. At this point, he was like a ticking time bomb. Anyone who dared pull the trigger on him would


    face colossal wrath.


    Another 20 minutes passed, and Katherine finally came out.


    The young woman looked somewhat exhausted like she had fought a great battle. "I need 30 minutes


    to myself," she said after taking a in nce at Corey.


    "Certainly. I''ll get it arranged." He gazed amiably at her and ordered the security officer, who arranged a


    room for her immediately, without ever asking Katherine about the patient''s condition.


    Katherine nodded with gratitude and went in the security officer''s direction.


    Meanwhile, Corey let out a sigh of relief and brought his men into the ICU at once. He had noticed her


    countenance didn''t look awry when she came out.


    The doctors, on the other hand, were bewildered as they wondered where in the world those agonizing


    cries came from. However, they didn''t dwell on it but followed Corey and his men into the ward instead,


    wanting to see the patient''s condition to give Katherine and Corey a p in the face.


    Inside, the eldery peacefully in bed with various medical instruments attached to them, and the P


    waves and figures disyed on the heart rate monitor were clear to everyone¡ªthe patient was noN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    different from an ordinary man.


    Malcolm''s countenance turned awful in response, and he hurriedly gave the elder a checkup. Initially,


    he thought the device was broken, but the results of the checkup left him dumbfounded.


    He had checked the elder''s condition personally about an hour ago. Not only had thetter''s breathing


    and heartbeat stopped, but even his brain waves had tlined, which also meant he was brain-dead.


    How is it possible for him toe back to life so suddenly?!


    "Well, Dr. Digby? How is he?" The other doctors looked strangely at Malcolm, thinking the senior


    doctor''s reaction was awfully strange.


    However, Malcolm pursed his lips and said nothing. That said, his gaze changed multitudes.


    He didn''t believe in something as outrageous as resurrection; that was only an old wives'' tale. Hence, it


    could only mean one thing¡ªthe elder was in apparent death, and Katherine had used some sort of


    mysterious means to wake him up.


    Malcolm grew increasingly confident about his guess the more he thought about it; there were no other


    possible exnations for the strange phenomenon, after all.


    "His life is no longer in danger," he said curtly, then ordered the doctor next to him, "Take him


    downstairs for a thorough checkup. I want a detailed report."


    "Yes, sir," said the doctor as he obliged.


    Meanwhile, everyone else exchanged nces, capturing a notion from the senior doctor''s words¡ªthe


    young woman they had ridiculed earlier managed to resuscitate the elder.


    No way! How is that possible?! He''s dead! How did that young woman revive him so easily?! It had


    only been¡ªwhat¡ªfifty minutes, less than an hour since she came in. If she is this good, wouldn''t it


    make her a god?!


    Everyone looked beyond grim as the epiphany struck them, and the doctor who had insulted Katherine


    from the get-go now wanted nothing more than to bury himself in a pit. Still, he puffed up his chest and


    said somewhat hesitantly, "I''m sure she has nothing to do with it. Maybe he had alreadye back to


    life while we were resuscitating him, and he hadn''t regained consciousness because it wasn''t time yet.


    She just got lucky."


    The others concurred as they could only console themselves with the excuse at this point, even though


    it was honestly rather far-fetched.


    Corey, on the other hand, smirked contemptuously at their words, detesting their behavior.


    The nation''s healthcare system had been stuck for years, for there were far too many sc*mbags who


    would rather find excuses for themselves and suppress those better than them out of jealousy instead


    of bettering themselves.


    "They''re disturbing the patient from his rest. Send them out," Corey ordered inly without even


    turning around, and someone came up to deferentially ask the doctors to leave.


    Katherine, on the other hand, went to treat the next patient after feeling a little more energized.


    The five people who have had direct contact with Zak suffered the worst, having been pronounced


    brain-dead when their heartbeats and pulses stopped.


    However, the conditions of their family members varied, and Katherine pulled out all the stops and


    worked for about 24 hours before finally saving everyone. Meanwhile, dozens of ck, fist-sized jars


    sealed with wax were added into the carrying case she brought over, and by the end of it, she was well


    spent.


    "Since everyone''s okay now, I''m going to leave." She went to bid Corey farewell.


    "Are you not going to see your old friends now that you''vee to Kynd?" he entreated Katherine,


    a one-eighty from the lofty man he usually was.


    The young woman nced at him silently for a long time before shaking her head. "Not for now."


    A sigh escaped Corey as helplessnessced his eyes. "I thought you''d at least visit them while you''re


    here."


    Silence filled the air for some time before Katherine answered sluggishly, "Some other time, perhaps.


    I''m too exhausted to deal with them. Send me home, will you? Otherwise, it''ll be toote for me when


    they rush over after receiving the news."


    She looked genuinely worn out, so Corey said nothing more and had the security officers escort


    Katherine back on a private ne.


    It was noon by the time they returned to Hovington, which was much warmer than Kynd.


    Katherine went straight home without telling anyone, falling asleep as soon as she flumped into her


    bed. It wasn''t until she awoke the next afternoon that she finally felt alive again.


    After waking up, she sat spacing out in her bed for some time before knocking on Jennifer''s door.


    Jennifer, on the other hand, seemed to have been expecting her as she pointed aside. "Have a seat."


    "Have you been expecting me?" Katherine fixed her gaze on Jennifer as she sat down.


    "You want to know about the man-faced curse, don''t you?" Jennifer smiled tenderly, to which Katherine


    nodded in affirmation. "Do you know anything about this?"


    "I do. Actually, I have a bit of a history with it. I''ll tell you a story about the Scott-Tutton Family if you


    want." A hint of recollectionced Jennifer''s eyes, seemingly recalling her past.


    Meanwhile, Katherine gazed solemnly at her, waiting for the woman to continue.

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228


    "Legend has it, an ancestor of the Scott-Tutton Family once saved a moribund woodcutter in the


    mountains. When he checked the woodcutter''s condition, he found an ulcer in his abdomen." Jennifer''s


    turbid, forlornced eyes stared into space, looking like she had reverted to the days she listened to


    stories sitting on a bench.


    "The ulcer grew weirdly. It wasn''t big, but if one looked closely, they''d find a face with a nose, a mouth,


    and all. The ancestor was shocked when he first saw it, but seeing that the woodcutter was on the


    verge of death, he decided to do whatever he could to save him. That said, the ancestor had never


    seen such a peculiar ulcer, so he didn''t have the remedy for it. Thus, he made a few attempts but to no


    avail; the woodcutter still passed. When he died, the blood in his system was nearly gone, but the


    terrifying thing was that the face-like ulcer was still active. As though it could breathe, the face would


    pop out every now and then while hiding beneath the skin other times."


    At that, a glimmer shed across Katherine''s eyes as she made a bold assumption. "That ulcer feeds


    on human blood, doesn''t it?"


    Jennifer nodded in affirmation and sighed under her breath. "You''re right. The ancestor found it weird,


    so he didn''t bury the woodcutter immediately but instead continued studying the ulcer. In less than two


    days, all there was left of the woodcutter were his skin and bones, yet the ulcer still lived. The ancestor


    made the same assumption as you did. In fact, he slit his hand and dripped some blood onto the ulcer.


    Guess what happened?"


    Katherine pondered expressionlessly for a moment before answering, "The ulcer opened its mouth and


    sucked his blood."


    "That''s right." Jennifer nodded. "The ulcer was far too peculiar, and the ancestor had his doubts. As


    such, he removed the ulcer along with the entire piece of skin around it, sealed it up, and brought it


    back for research. This was how the Scott-Tutton Family discovered the first man-faced ulcer. Of


    course, the validity of the story remains a question, and it''s ultimately a legend. But¡­"


    At that, Jennifer turned grave. "The Scott-Tutton Family have been studying the man-faced ulcer since


    then, and they even created witchcraft out of it¡ªthe man-faced curse!"


    Katherine had a good picture at this point, and she had a feeling the man-faced curse she discovered


    this time had something to do with the Scott-Tuttons.


    Sure enough, Jennifer continued, "This witchcraft has always been the Scott-Tutton Family''s secret


    research. Though there are records of it in books, there has never been hearsay of it being passed


    down. Also, the Scott-Tutton Family is extremely careful with it. They even banned the entire family


    from letting outsiders in on this. What''s more, the man-faced curse is strictly passed down only to male


    progenies."


    "That means you don''t know how to perform the man-faced curse, right, Grandma?"


    "I''m a woman, and as the ancestors have made such a rule, I haven''t been taught. I might not know


    how to perform this witchcraft, but I know quite a few things about it." Jennifer nodded, then narrowed


    her aged yet sharp eyes. "The power of the man-faced curse isn''t one that a man can bear. This curse


    is incredibly malicious. Once it''s nted on a human body, it will live inside them. At first, the host won''t


    feel a thing, but with time, the man-faced ulcer will form. Sometimes it''ll form in the limbs, but most


    times, it''s the abdomen."


    At that, she continued, "Once the man-faced ulcer matures, it would begin ingesting human blood, and


    though the host will discover the ulcer mark, they won''t find anything wrong about them. All they can do


    is bear the pain day after day until the ulcer ingests a majority of their blood, and the host will enter


    apparent death. They will be dead for good if they''re not treated in time. By then, the man-faced ulcer


    will speedily ingest the rest of the host, leaving nothing but their skeleton left."


    Katherine could imagine just how terrifying the witchcraft was just hearing about it, and she deduced


    with a frown, "So the only way to save the host is to uproot the entire ulcer from the host''s body?"


    "That''s right. However, because modern medical technology can''t detect the illness, there''s still no


    cure. Also, modern surgery can''t remove the man-faced curse from the host''s body entirely."


    That was the one thing Katherine knew all too well.


    It was precisely because the possibility came to mind when she was asked to rescue the victims that


    she dared not dy using witchcraft to nullify the curse. However¡­


    She narrowed her eyes and heard Jennifer''s voice just as she was about to ponder. "Though the man-


    faced curse does exist, I''ve never heard of anyone suffering from the curse. Sure, the Scott-Tutton


    Family passes it down from generation to generation, but because of how evil this witchcraft is, they


    have only grasped its principles and have never put it into practice. Honestly, I''m quite shocked that it


    has appeared."


    "Then, do you have any clue as to who could be behind this, Grandma?"


    Jennifer turned grave in response, and silence filled the air for a moment before she answered, "I have


    a younger brother, and he''s the only one they passed the witchcraft to back then."


    The fact that her grandmother had a younger brother made Katherine''s eyes light up. "So, this man-


    faced curse¡­"


    "Yes, it might have to do with my brother''s descendants, and this is the only possibility thus far."


    Katherine stood in the corridor aftering out of Jennifer''s room, and deliberation shed across her


    eyes as they dimmed.


    This man-faced curse popped out of nowhere, and the only clue now leads to the descendants of


    Grandma''s brother. Whatever the reason is, that person is definitely up to no good. Looks like it''s time I


    have a good look into Grandma''s maternal bloodline.


    At that, she dialed Savannah''s number. "Dig into the Scott-Tutton Family. No matter how far back you


    can dig, find as many details as possible."


    "Got it, Boss." Savannah obliged.


    Lo and behold, the second after Katherine ended the call, Joaquin ran out of Noah''s room and pulled


    the former into the girl''s room the second he saw her.


    "What''s wrong?" Katherine frowned as trepidation surged within her.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Grave and tense was Joaquin''s countenance as he took pains to speak up. "Noah''s in danger," was all


    he said before the two stepped into the girl''s room.


    The next second, Katherine found her daughter in a seizure.


    Redness enveloped her eyes as she froze over. For once, her mind went nk when she saw red


    trickling down Noah''s nose.


    Fortunately, she came to herself a secondter and ran to pin Noah''s spasming body.


    "Quick, press her down for me!" she ordered.

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229


    Joaquin worked with Katherine at once and pressed the spasming little girl.


    He couldn''t understand why, but he felt a jolt of electricity course through his body when he touched


    Noah''s tender little body, and he felt as though someone had stabbed hundreds and thousands of


    needles into his heart. It seemed like he was suffering even more excruciating pain than this little one


    when he saw her in so much pain.


    In fact, he even wished he was the one suffering the torment.


    As the pain brewed within Joaquin, he tensed his body up while being super careful with the pressure


    he was applying onto Noah, fearing that he would hurt her if he pressed too hard but couldn''t hold her


    down if he didn''t apply enough pressure.


    Meanwhile, Katherine had regained her usualposure.


    She speedily spread out the pouch she kept her acupuncture needles in, proficiently wiped a needle


    clean with alcohol, then decisively inserted it into the acupoint after locating it in a snap.


    Once Noah was covered in needles from head to toe, she applied a couple of different acupuncture


    techniques to her pressure points. However, as Katherine gently twisted the needles, her frown


    deepened by the second, for the little girl''s face was still ghastly pallid even though she had gradually


    stopped spasming. The blood, which dampened the pillow at this point, had stopped flowing out of her


    nose.


    Joaquin felt as though someone was squeezing his heart when he saw Noah in excruciating pain and


    nothing but red. He sounded rather depressed when he asked, "Is she alright now?"


    Cold sweat had drenched Katherine''s back at this point, and even errant locks of hair on her forehead


    had be wet. Her beautiful brows gradually knitted into a tight furrow while her gaze deepened as


    deliberation shed across her eyes.


    "Though the bleeding has stopped, her sickness rpsed too suddenly. Then, on top of her anemia,


    she also lost a lot of blood. If this keeps up, her body won''t be able to take it. She needs a blood


    transfusion, stat!"


    They were now facing a dire situation, and if they continued to stay here, they would likely miss the


    golden window. Hence, Katherine removed the needles at once.


    "To the hospital!" She had just stood straight with Noah in her arms when Joaquin took the child from


    her, leaving her stumped for a second.


    By the time the young woman came to her senses, Joaquin had already cradled Noah in his arms and


    strode out.


    Nothing but Noah was a priority right then, so she hurriedly rolled up the needle pouch and followed


    Joaquin.


    Later, a speeding car pulled up at the entrance of Hovington Hospital in less than a quarter of an hour,


    and Joaquin rushed to the emergency room with Noah in his arms.


    Then, he turned around to find Katherine rolling her left sleeve up just as he was about to ask her for


    Noah''s blood type.


    Idris, who hade after hearing about the emergency, was also baffled by Katherine''s actions. "Miss


    Cornell, you¡­"


    "Help me out, Mr. Dillion. Take my blood," demanded Katherine, shocking both Idris and Joaquin.


    "But Miss Cornell¡­"


    "Hold up, Kathy. What''s Noah''s blood type? They can just take it from the bank¡­"


    Knowing what the two men would say next, Katherine denied their suggestion at once. "Noah''s blood


    type is rare; they might not have it here. My daughter''s life will be in danger if you guys keep dawdling


    here. Move it!" she ordered impassively.


    Idris, too, dared not dy further after hearing so and did as Katherine instructed.


    Just when he was personally drawing Katherine''s blood, Joaquin stood aside with tightly furrowed


    brows and an immensely grim countenance. Indescribable pain surged within him as he watched the


    dark red liquid flow out of his beloved''s arm.


    Very quickly, 40 of blood was drawn, and Idris hurriedly pulled the needle out, then personally gave


    Noah a blood transfusion.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    It was inevitable for Katherine to feel weak when she suddenly lost a significant amount of blood. She


    leaned against the emergency room''s wall and looked at her unconscious child with pursed lips and a


    pallid face.


    Joaquin hurriedly stood beside her and held her up gently. As he was worried sick, his voice deepened


    significantly as well. "Are you okay?"


    "I''m good." Katherine nodded. "It''s just that 40 isn''t enough."


    At that, she closed her eyes and took a second for herself, her pallid face as white as paper.


    Momentster, Idris'' deferential tone reverberated across the emergency room. "Miss Cornell, Mr.


    Levisay, the blood transfusion isplete. However, it doesn''t seem to be enough¡­"


    Though he wasn''t as medically proficient as Katherine was, he knew this much as the dean of a


    hospital.


    Katherine lifted her eyelids, then hummed lightly in response. "I know."


    With that, she stood straight and pulled her acupuncture needles out as she approached Noah.


    She didn''t spend a lot of time giving the girl acupuncture this time, and by the end of it, she twisted a


    pressure point to put Noah in deep slumber before removing it.


    "Noah lost quite a lot of blood in addition to a pretty severe case of anemia. As such, she''ll need


    another round of blood transfusion. The volume just now is only enough to ease her condition, but not


    enough for her to make it through this rpse. I''ve put her in a deep slumber for now. Mr. Dillion,


    please help me ask all the hospitals in Hovington if they have any AB-negative blood in their bank, and


    if they do, please send it over immediately."


    AB-negative was the rarest blood type there was. The entire Hovington might not even have it.


    Idris furrowed his brows as daunt enveloped his face, but he dared not dy it either. "I''ll see to it right


    away!"


    Katherine nodded in response. Of course, she didn''t put all hopes on him either, pulling her phone out


    to contact other people when Joaquin suddenly spoke up, his voice a little off. "Noah''s AB-negative?"


    Idris stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at Katherine before shifting his gaze over to


    Joaquin.


    Meanwhile, Katherine subconsciously hummed a yes as she tapped her phone lightly, taking a second


    to realize what the man was trying to say when she froze before looking up at him. Isn''t he¡­


    "I''m also AB-negative," revealed Joaquin at once with a frown as a thought formed in his head.


    Is it a coincidence? To think we''d even share such a rare blood type¡­


    However, since they were in a critical situation, he brought his inchoate thought to a halt and said to


    Idris, "Don''t bother looking anymore, Doctor. Take mine."


    With that, he turned to Katherine. "Is another 40 enough?"


    "It is." Katherine nodded, recollecting the time she gave him a blood transfusion. He was indeed AB-


    negative.


    Joaquin dyed no more and rolled his sleeve up for Idris to take his blood, desperately wanting to


    save Noah.


    Momentster, the little girl was finally out of danger, and she was transferred to the VIP ward after her


    condition was stable.


    Katherine narrowed her gaze as she looked at the little sleeping beauty before walking out of the ward


    to text Keith.

 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230


    ''How are thingsing along on your side? Have you gotten a result yet?'' Katherine waited for a while


    after sending the text but seeing that Q never came online, she could only leave it for now.


    Meanwhile, inside Joaquin''s home at Soulin International, Keith turned theputer on groggily from


    having just awoken and immediately found a message from WW.


    He was wide awake at once, and with a kip-up, he sat cross-legged while grazing his fingers against


    his chin.


    There wasn''t much he could help out with in Hovington now. Joaquin would look after Katherine, so


    she''d be fine as well.


    Hence, he was better off returning to Kynd to work on his research. The sooner he got a result, the


    sooner he could answer WW.


    At that, he made an impromptu decision¡ªhe would rush back to Kynd and develop a cure as fast as


    he could. With that, he replied to WW''s message.


    ''Give me a little more time. I''ll get back to you as soon as I can. I promise.''


    Followingly, he packed up and headed to Katherine''s apartment.


    "Grandma, what happened? You don''t look too good," Keith asked with a frown as he found Jennifer


    looking awry the moment he entered.


    "Keith, it''s Noah. She has rpsed!" answered Jennifer apprehensively. The elder had been pacing


    back and forth mindlessly all evening.


    Keith, on the other hand, turned grim upon hearing her words. "Where''s Noah now, then? And


    Katherine and Joaquin?"


    "She''s been sent to the hospital. They''re with her too. Katherine called just now, saying Noah''s


    condition has stabled." Jennifer let out a murky breath with red-rimmed eyes, her heart aching for the


    little one. "Poor Noah. She''s just a child, but she has to suffer such torment. I''d rather be the one with


    the sickness than see her live days so gut-wrenchingly. My poor baby girl¡­"


    "Let''s not get too upset, Grandma," Keith consoled at once. "I''m sure we''ll figure a way out."


    Jennifer nodded, then noticed the suitcase he had left at the entryway. "Keith, you¡­ you''re leaving?"


    she asked in surprise.


    "Yeah, I''m heading back to Kynd." Keith nodded after some thought. "I have something important at


    theb to deal with, but Noah¡­"


    "It''s fine. You go ahead. No need to worry about us. Katherine and Joaquin can deal with everything.


    They''ll surely tell you to leave, too, if they know about this."


    Touch¨¦¡­ Knowing Kathy, she''d probably tell me to get the f*ck back to Kynd now.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "In that case, I won''t add to Kathy and Joaquin''s troubles anymore. They''re with Noah, aren''t they? I''ll


    head back first and call you guys when Ind in Kynd."


    "Alright, safe journey." Jennifer saw him off with reluctance.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Hovington Hospital, Noah was still sound asleep when Joaquin had food delivered over.


    "Come, Kathy, eat a little something, or your body can''t take it," he cooed gently.


    Katherine looked at Noah''s face for a while before shifting to him. "No thanks. I don''t feel like eating."


    She shook her head.


    Joaquin couldn''t help frowning in response. "You still have to eat a little, no matter what. At least, a few


    bites." With that, he brought a spoonful of soup to her mouth, looking like he wanted to feed her.


    Katherine reflexively moved her head back as a result. Seeing that he had no intention of withdrawing


    his hand, she gave in at the end of the day, taking tiny bites after taking the container from him.


    Noah''s sickness isplicated, and her rpses are getting more and more frequent, with the


    intervals bing shorter. Who even knows how long more Noah can take this¡­ As the thought


    crossed her mind, her gaze dimmed while she contemted, My options now are to either wait for Q to


    analyze the blood samples ande up with a cure or¡­ find Noah''s birth father and find out the


    antecedents of the poison from him.


    Her gaze dimmed further as repulsion and annoyance surged within her at the thought of the man.


    If possible, she would want nothing to do with that man ever again. However, she couldn''t be willful


    given the current circumstances.


    When Q woulde up with a cure was still a question without an answer, and she couldn''t just sit and


    do nothing either. I wonder how Savannah is getting on with the investigation¡­


    "Would you like some more?" If Joaquin hadn''t asked, she probably wouldn''t have realized she had


    subconsciously finished an entire bowl of soup while pondering.


    She shook her head, then put the bowl down and stood up. "I''m going to head outside for a second."


    Joaquin didn''t stop her nor ask any questions but only watched her retreating figure as his gaze


    deepened.


    ¡­


    Out in the corridor, Katherine was just about to call Savannah when thetter so coincidentally called


    her instead. "Boss, I''ve gotten a lead on Miss Noah''s birth father."


    Because of Noah''s sickness, Katherine still had to investigate the night five years ago, no matter how


    badly she wanted to forget about it. As such, she never actively sought answers, even though she had


    long asked Savannah to dig into the situation.


    This was the first time Savannah brought the topic up in all these years.


    "And?" Katherine asked coldly, her eyes narrowed with skepticism.


    "There seemed to be a record of peopleing in and out of the bar that day five years ago; it''s just


    that it''s dated. I asked the owner of the bar, but he said he didn''t own the ce five years ago. So, we''ll


    have to find the owner from five years ago if we want the record. It should be in his hands. I''ve looked


    into the boss and found that he''s still in Fontan; just that he''s unreachable now."


    Katherine turned grimly in response. "And the current boss? Did you look into him?"


    "I did. I can''t shake off the feeling that he isn''t being sincere. Then again, I can''t push him too far, lest


    we want him to destroy the record out of desperation."


    Katherine nodded thoughtfully but said nothing, and Savannah waited for a while before asking


    gingerly, "Boss, should I continue the investigation?"


    "Of course!" said Katherine icily. "Be stealthy about this, and don''t let them catch your tail. Wait for my


    call. We''ll talk after we meet up."


    "Yes, Boss!"


    Savannah let out a long sigh of relief after hanging up. Boss sure is scary. I swear I feel like I''m on a


    chopping block whenever I talk to Boss about the incident five years ago¡ªWait. What did Boss just


    say?! Wait for her call, and we''ll talk after we meet up?! Hold up. Is Bossing back to Fontan?!

 Chapter 231

    Chapter 231


    When Katherine returned to the ward, Joaquin, who was seated next to Noah''s bed, looked up to stare


    at her with his dark eyes.


    "Noah is still sleeping," he informed, his voice slightly suppressed, as if fearing that he might wake the


    resting girl.


    Katherine nodded. Her gaze fell upon Noah''s pale little face, then turned toward Joaquin.


    "Joaquin, there''s something I want to tell you." She sounded clear and determined, with no hint of


    hesitation found in her tone.


    Joaquin looked like he had been preparing for this a long time ago. He looked up as he looked back at


    her. "What is it?"


    "I''ve decided to leave for a while."


    As soon as Katherine made her announcement, Joaquin''s pupils constricted as he queried in a low


    voice, "Where to?"


    Katherine had no intention of hiding her destination. "Fontan."


    Hearing her answer, Joaquin was slightly taken aback. "Whatever for?"


    Originally, Katherine didn''t n on revealing the reason for this trip. After all, it had something to do


    with the incident five years ago, and that man was involved as well. It wasn¡¯t the most pleasant topic to


    talk about.


    However, for an unknown reason, she seemed to have slowly opened up to this man in front of her.


    She found herself talking to him about topics she wouldn¡¯t talk to others about.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    At the thought of that, she simply stayed silent for an instant before calmly speaking up.


    "Noah''s situation isn''t too favorable at the moment, and I can''t just sit here and do nothing. I have to


    find her biological father as soon as possible. If I want to figure out the exact poison used on Noah''s


    body, I have to start with that man."


    At the mention of that man from five years ago, she still felt incredibly ufortable, and she even felt


    slightly disgusted.


    However, she quickly suppressed those feelings as she continued speaking with a nonchnt


    expression.


    "Now all the clues are pointing to the bar in Fontan five years ago. If I want to figure out Noah''s


    background, I have to find that man from back then, which means I''ll have to go there myself and carry


    out an investigation."


    When Joaquin heard her words, his eyebrows bunched together in a frown, and he looked a little


    sullen.


    When Katherine mentioned Noah''s biological father, Joaquin was extremely pissed. He had asked her


    about it before, but she said that the man was long dead. He¡¯s not dead! How dare she lie?


    Also, since her tone sounded annoyed, it meant that she truly hated that man. At that thought, he felt


    the irritation in his heart easing up a little, but he soon felt gloomy again right after that.


    He didn''t know what happened between the man and Katherine back then, so much so that Katherine


    hated him enough to not talk about him, not even to her grandmother.


    Five years ago, in that bar in Fontan. What exactly¡ª


    At the thought of that, the look in his eyes suddenly shifted as shock and suspicion rose in his heart.


    Five years ago, in Fontan, at a bar. Could it be a mere coincidence? I encountered a woman around


    that time! It can¡¯t be!


    This thought suddenly popped into his head, and he couldn''t help but be surprised. However, he hadn''t


    had time to think further when Katherine''s bitter voice rang out once again.


    "I''ll leave as soon as Noah''s condition has stabilized. I''m worried about things on this end, but I''ll leave


    them to you. Please take care of Grandma and Noah for me too."


    Hearing that, Joaquin scrunched his eyebrows together, immediately tucking away the suspicions just


    now.


    "You''re going alone? I''m worried about you."


    "I''ll be fine." Katherine shook her head. "Someone will be helping me in Fontan, so there won''t be any


    problems. Don''t you trust me?"


    Regarding that, Joaquin hadplete trust in her. The capabledy had so many identities that he


    wouldn''t be surprised if she had one more.


    As for the person who would be helping her in Fontan, he didn''t doubt it one bit. She might even have


    greater power over there.


    However¡­


    "This isn''t about trust. No matter how much I trust you, I''ll still be worried about you because you''re my


    wife." He gazed deeply at Katherine, filled with overwhelming warmth.


    His words stunned Katherine for a moment. She had stayed strong for so many years, and only this


    man would give her the love and care she deserved.


    At that moment, she came to her senses and lightly curved her lips. Her confident and pretty face was


    graced with an arrogant smile.


    "If you have time to worry about me, spend it on taking care of Noah and Grandma. Don''t make me


    worry." Her voice was soothing and her tone was casual, but her domineering aura was unmistakable.


    Seeing her like that, Joaquin felt his heart skip a beat. Just then, Katherine''s phone vibrated. She took


    it out and gave it a look, then her expression shifted.


    ¡­


    "Why are you here?"


    In the cafe next to the hospital, Katherine sat facing two men.


    One of them was Corey Gray, whom she had met not long ago in Kynd. He was in a ck casual


    outfit, so he looked less official and seriouspared tost time, more leisurely andckadaisical.


    As for the other man, he looked dignified with his handsome features, and he had an imposing aura


    with the nobility of someone special. It was none other than Jayden Hall himself.


    Hearing her question, Jayden didn''t speak up right away. Instead, he looked at her with a deep gaze.


    His eyes were trained on her face, and his pupils were dark with a longing that overflowed in the depths


    of his eyes.


    As for Corey, he smiledzily as his finger tapped erratically on the table. Even if he appearedzy and


    rxed, some details still indicated that he was a person of power.


    "It''s been a while, so we decided toe and see you. You suddenly came to Kyndst time, but


    due to the severity of the situation, we didn''t have time to chat. I talked to Jayden about this, and this


    guy couldn''t wait any longer, so he came to Hovington to see you. As an old friend myself, of course, I


    have toe along."


    With that, he gave Jayden a subtle nce. The corners of his lips turned up a little, and he appeared


    as if he were watching some drama. Noting the nce, Jayden returned it with a sideways look, but he


    ignored Corey''s teasing.


    "Kathy, it''s been a while. How are you?"


    Katherine nodded. "Quite well."


    "Why didn''t you tell us that you came back from Fontan? If Corey didn''t tell me, I''d still be in the dark."


    He started with something like aint, then frowned as his expression suddenly turned grave.


    "When I heard that you''re back, I did a quick investigation, and it was only then that I realized so many


    things happened. Kathy, more and more people are targeting you now. If you stay in Hovington, it won''t


    be safe for you anymore, so why don¡¯t youe with me? I''ll take you back to Kynd. With the


    protection of the Hall Family, no one will be able to hurt you!"


    Jayden, Corey, and Katherine were friends who got to know each other many years ago. Jayden had


    liked Katherine for years now, so when he heard that she had returned, he rushed over to see her and


    was even ready to take her back to Kynd.


    Every word he said to her was from the bottom of his heart.


    The Halls were arge and well-known family in Kynd. They had connections in all of Kynd and


    even the entire world. Hence, anyone would think twice before crossing them.


    At the thought of Katherine possibly facing so much danger in Hovington, he couldn''t bear it anymore,


    desperately wishing to protect her with everything he had.

 Chapter 232

    Chapter 232


    Hearing Jayden''s words, Katherine simply smiled. She didn''t take him too seriously.


    "Thanks, but I''m not nning to go to Kynd, nor am I nning to have anyone protect me. I can


    protect myself, so you don''t have to worry about me."


    She didn''t even give his suggestion a second thought before declining. When Jayden was rechecked,


    he instantly frowned. "But it''s dangerous for you to stay in Hovington. I heard that many groups of


    people have already caused you trouble. You¡ª"


    "But I''m still in one piece, aren''t I?" Before he could finish talking, Katherine interrupted him, exining,


    "No matter how many peoplee to me, or how much trouble they cause me, it''ll be in vain."


    Those people were nothing to her. She spoke with such indifference, but she also possessed a sense


    of strength and power that should never be taken lightly.


    When Jayden saw that, his expression darkened a little, and for a moment, he didn''t know how to


    respond.


    At the side, Corey noticed that the interaction between them was taking an awkward turn. Curving his


    eyes, he decided to be the peacemaker and ease things over.


    "Well, Kathy, Jayden is just worried about you. Even though we all know that you''re strong and no


    common man can hurt you, when we see you facing so much danger, we still get worried. Moreover,


    Hovington isn''t a special ce. It''s inferior to Kynd in every aspect, so why did you choose to stay


    here?"


    As soon as Corey finished speaking, Jayden nodded as well and went along.


    "Yes, you can have anything you want in Kynd, and you won''t have to face these troubles. Kathy, I


    come here today in earnest hopes that you''ll return with me. If not, I won''t ever be able to rest


    assured."


    For real? Katherine felt some irritation bubbling in her heart. She didn''t even blink as she prepared to


    decline, but a low voice rang out behind her just then. "Mr. Hall, I''m afraid you''re worrying too much."


    The voice was all too familiar. Katherine turned around to see Joaquin walking slowly over to them.


    "Why are you here? What about Noah?" she couldn¡¯t help but ask when she saw the unexpected


    guest.


    Joaquin swept a cold re at Jayden before turning to Katherine, the look in his eyes softening a little.


    "Noah is still in the hospital. Don''t worry, I''ve already sent someone to take care of her in the ward, and


    there are guards stationed outside as well. You don''t have to worry."


    He had always been a sensible person, so she naturally had nothing to worry about. However, she was


    a little curious. "When did you start following me?"


    Joaquin clenched a fist and held it to his lips as he coughed lightly, hiding his guilt and awkwardness.


    After Katherine received the call, Joaquin felt that something was off, so he followed her. In fact, he had


    also eavesdropped on their entire conversation.


    Still, he couldn''t tell her the truth, so he could only cover it up with a vague exnation. "I just arrived. I


    remembered that you and Noah hadn''t eaten, so I came over to buy some food. I didn''t think I''d bump


    into you here."


    The way the two were conversing made Jayden feel bad in the stomach. He frowned as he examined,


    with suspicion and vignce, this man who had suddenly appeared. "Who are you?" he demanded in


    an unfriendly tone.


    He had a feeling that this man and Katherine shared a special rtionship, so he couldn''t help but be


    on guard and develop a little enmity toward this man. Joaquin wasn''t a fool, so he could naturally hear


    it in Jayden''s voice.


    Immediately, he narrowed his eyes and stared daggers at Jayden. He had a sharp look in his eyes, and


    his expression was cold. He didn''t answer straight away as he simply examined Jayden, as if he were


    trying to see through the man.


    He had heard every word in the conversation just now. Men knew men best. He could tell from a nce


    that Jayden had feelings for his wife.


    When he heard that Jayden wanted to take Katherine to Kynd, a sense of danger rose within his


    heart, and he couldn''t help but feel some enmity toward this man as well. None of them spoke as they


    looked at each other in silence. There was also a chilling atmosphere around them.


    Katherine could even sense that the two were fighting with their res, and it looked like a fierce battle.


    Good Lord! Tell me what¡¯s happening.


    A momentter, Joaquin finally touched his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He decided to strike


    first and protect his rights.


    "Hello, Mr. Hall. I''m Joaquin Levisay, Kathy''s¡ª"


    However, right at that moment, his phone suddenly rang, interrupting his im to his rights. The


    ringtone irked him a little, but when he saw the name on the screen, he frowned. In the end, he picked


    up the call right away.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Jeremy''s voice soon sounded from the other end of the line. It was filled with anxiety and nervousness.


    "Mr. Levisay! Where are you now? The higher-ups just sent an important special mission, and you''re


    asked to return to Area Seven right away!"


    When Joaquin heard that, his face fell. He didn''t dy much as he hung up, then briefly informed


    Katherine before leaving in haste. Seeing his urgency, Katherine could guess that it was something


    important, so she didn''t question further as she simply watched him leave.


    When Joaquin''s figure disappeared, Jayden looked at Katherine, a little dissatisfied as he couldn''t help


    but ask, "Kathy, who is that Joaquin Levisay guy to you?"


    He had heard of Joaquin''s name before. He knew this man was a prominent figure in the Levisay


    Family of Hovington.


    Even though he didn''t know of Joaquin''s identity in Area Seven, from his observations, he immediately


    realized that this man wasn''t anymon folk and that he was someone more important than


    expected. However, no matter how special this man might be, Jayden only cared about one thing.


    When Katherine heard that, she didn''t think twice as she answered readily, "He''s my husband. We''re


    married."


    Hearing that, Jayden instantly shifted his expression. He seemed to have suffered an extreme shock,


    and his face immediately turned pale.


    "You¡­ You''re already married¡­"


    Now even Corey was astonished. "Kathy, why didn''t you tell us that you got married? It''s a huge


    matter!"


    Katherine stirred the coffee in the cup as she subtly curved her lips.


    "It was quite the sudden marriage, so I didn''t tell anyone about it."


    She lifted her eyelids and looked coldly at the two men. Then, she stated her stance for thest time.


    "We are old friends, and I''m very d that you came to see me. However, you should give up on


    hoping that I''d go to Kynd. It''s my personal decision to go wherever I want and do whatever I wish. I


    will not be swayed by anyone. Save your breath for simr suggestions in the future. As for dangers


    and whatnot, you don''t have to worry. I can deal with it."


    With that, she stood up. "I still have something to attend to, so I''ll leave now."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she left without so much as a nce back. She didn''t give Jayden


    another look. All along, she knew about Jayden''s feelings, but she just chose to ignore them.


    Now that she told him outright, it wasn''t a bad decision either. She never had the intention to hide


    anything, and this would help him give up as soon as possible.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

 Chapter 233

    Chapter 233


    Joaquin left too suddenly, and he didn''t even have time to exin anything. He could not be contacted


    for days on end. Therefore, Katherine had no choice but to deal with the discharge procedures for


    Noah. After taking Noah back to Soulin International, she began packing up.


    "Kathy, how is Noah now?" After making sure Noah took her medicine and went to sleep, Jennifer went


    to Katherine''s room.


    "Her condition has stabilized."


    "Oh¡­" Knowing that the child was better, Jennifer rxed slightly. Immediately after that, she asked


    out of curiosity, "I see that you''re packing your things. Where are you going?"


    Katherine didn''t hide it as she replied straight away, "To Fontan."


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    As expected, Jennifer was surprised. "Why are you going there?"


    Katherine instantly gave Jennifer a brief exnation of her intentions. The more Jennifer heard, the


    deeper her frown was. Her eyes were filled with worry.


    "You want to track down that man? But can you do it all alone?"


    Katherine lifted the corners of her lips, announcing, "Why not? What is there for me to be scared of?


    Grandma, don''t worry; I''ll send someone to protect you and Noah."


    "Look, I''m old, so what is there to be worried about? Rx, I''ll take good care of Noah."


    Even though Jennifer''s words sounded reassuring, Katherine knew that her grandmother wasn''t any


    common person. She knew that many people had their eyes on Jennifer and were actively plotting a


    chance to capture her.


    Katherine would never give them a chance. Jennifer and Noah were the people dearest to her. If


    someone dared to mess with them, she would unleash all her fury on them! But at that moment, she


    didn''t say much as she passed a bottle of medicine to Jennifer.


    "Grandma, this is Noah''s medicine. The ones I gave you before had run out. If anything happens when


    I''m not around, just give her one of these."


    "Oh, okay. I see." When Jennifer heard that this medicine could save Noah''s life, she dared not


    misce it, so she hastily found a secure spot to ce it.


    "Right, what about Johdy? Why isn''t he going to Fontan with you?" She suddenly thought of Joaquin,


    so she couldn''t help but ask.


    Katherine shook her head. "He has something urgent to attend to."


    After that, she called up Carmine and asked her to send more people to discreetly protect Noah and


    Jennifer. Then, she finally set out for Fontan.


    ¡­


    Upon arriving at Fontan, Katherine somehow felt like she had traveled through time. At first, when the


    Cornell Family abandoned her, she was forced to travel somewhere far away, so she came to this


    unfamiliar country all alone.


    She experienced too much pain and suffering and went through countless events of shock and fear.


    When she recalled those incidents, they felt like dissipating clouds that no longer haunt her. However,


    that sole incident on that night from five years ago was a hidden thorn deep in her heart.


    Every time she remembered that night, she felt as if she were falling into an endless abyss, where


    coldness threatened to consume her alive.


    Fate sure is ying games with me. Who could foresee that I''d return to this nation because of that


    very incident back then? That single man. That hell of a man is my kryptonite.


    She had thought about this before. If she really did find him among tens of millions of people, she


    would make him wish he were dead! If possible, she even wanted to murder him with her own hands!


    However, people changed, so she knew that she could do nothing to him even if she found him. That


    bloody man has the key to unlocking the secret toxin in Noah''s body!


    "Boss! Get in!"


    A voice interrupted her thoughts. She opened her eyes to see a young and capable woman standing


    next to a car. The woman respectfully opened the car door, then gestured for her to enter.


    This woman was none other than Savannah, Katherine''s mostpetent subordinate in Fontan.


    Presently, Katherine passed the luggage in her hands to the bodyguard beside her, who was waiting on


    her. She pushed the sunsses, which hid half of her face, then slid nonchntly into the car.


    "Any progress on the investigation?" After getting into the car, she immediately asked.


    Savannah didn''t dare dy as she answered in a respectful tone, "We''ve already identified the owner


    of the bar at the time. His name is Tom, and we''ve also found his address."


    Hearing that, Katherine slightly narrowed her eyes as she demanded in a cold voice, "Take me to him."


    "Right now? Boss, you just got off the ne, and you''ve traveled for more than ten hours. You must be


    tired now. I''ve already sent people to clean up your vi, so why don''t you go back and rest for a bit,


    then meet him tomorrow? After all, our men are watching him 24/7, so there won''t be any idents."


    Faced with Savannah''s advice, Katherine didn''t even move a hair as she repeated, "Now. Bring me to


    him."


    There won''t be any idents? Hah, I never believe in any chances except for me myself.


    No matter what it was, sess could only be guaranteed when she grabbed the chance first!


    Seeing how stubborn Katherine was, Savannah knew her boss well enough to drop her attempts to


    convince Katherine. She hastily told the driver to turn around and head toward Tom''s home instead.


    Twenty minutester, Katherine was already sitting in Tom''s home. Tom was a little surprised to see the


    unfamiliar visitors, but he was most irritated about it. "Who are you guys? Why did you barge into my


    house?"


    Katherine cut to the chase and instantly asked instead of answering, "Five years ago, on August 17th


    at night, has a Cechirusian visited your bar before?"


    Her fluent Fontanian genuinely surprised Tom, but then he frowned immediately after.


    "Who can clearly remember anything from five years ago? Bars are always crowded with people, and


    the customers alwayse and go. How can I remember whom you''re talking about?!"


    With that, he moved to chase them out in annoyance.


    "Moreover, I''m no longer the owner of that bar. I sold it a long time ago, so there''s no use in asking me!


    I don''t remember anything anymore! If there''s nothing else, just leave me alone. I have a match to


    watch!"


    "Why you¡ª" Standing behind Katherine, Savannah was immediately upset at the situation, and she


    steeled her face to step forward.


    However, before Savannah could take a single step, Katherine suddenly produced a folding knife from


    her pocket. She twirled the knife in her hand for a bit, then flung it forward so that it stabbed the coffee


    table in front of the man. The tip of the knife was embedded deep within the wood, and the other end of


    the knife quickly shivered twice beforeing to a stop.


    Tom, who was reaching for the remote, almost got his hand impaled by the knife. He was so shocked


    that his eyes bulged, and he dared not even breathe. Shaken, he looked at Katherine in terror. "W-


    What are you trying to do?!"


    Katherine''s countenance was calm as usual, as if she weren''t the one who threatened someone with a


    knife just now. She raised an eyebrow and slowly leaned into the couch, her clear eyespletely


    spotless and terrifyingly cold.


    "I want you to recall properly if a Cechirusian man has entered your bar that night. Can you do it?"

 Chapter 234

    Chapter 234


    Katherine''s aura was too strong, so strong that it incurred fear in anyone who saw her.


    Tom didn''t have the slightest doubt that if he said ''no'', she would immediately pluck out the knife and


    stab it through his hand! At that moment, he no longer cared about the ser match. Instead, he


    wished that he could just remove his stupid head and kick it around like a ball!


    "Yes, yes!" Gulping, he hastily replied through trembling lips.


    Katherine nodded in satisfaction, her crimson lips finally curving into a slight smile. However, her eyes


    weren''t smiling at all, so she exuded a cold and oppressive aura.


    "I''m d you''re cooperating. Fontan isn''t too well-developed, and I remember that there weren''t any


    Cechirusians here five years ago. I trust that if you can properly recall the past, you will remember."


    Since she put it like that, Tom would naturally have to do his best to remember. Hence, he didn''t dare


    make a sound as he frowned and tried to recall everything.


    Five years was quite a long time, and the bar had always been filled with all sorts of people. With every


    single day like that, it really was quite difficult to remember most things.


    However, Katherine was right. Fontan was very underdeveloped, and it had only seen progress in the


    past two years. During the years before that, there was almost no sight of any foreigners in the country.


    If a Cechirusian had appeared at the bar then, it would have left an impression on him. After a long


    while of remembering, Tom had almost gone through all the memories stored in his brain, and he finally


    found something.


    "I remember now!" He pped his thigh as his face lit up.


    "What is it?" Katherine''s eyes widened almost instantly.


    "I don''t remember the exact date, but I think it was around five years ago. One night, a man from


    Cechirus suddenly came to the bar. He seemed to be injured at the time, and he didn''t look too good.


    That was why I paid him extra mind, so I remembered! Also, I remember that a group of people came


    to the bar the very next day, and they began trashing and making a fuss in the store as if they were


    looking for someone! Now that I think about it, those people must be looking for the Cechirusian!"


    Hearing that, Katherine slightly narrowed her eyes. "Then do you remember what that man looked


    like?"


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    This time, however, Tom put on a sullen expression, signifying that he couldn''t help them in that


    department.


    "It''s not that I''m hiding something; I''m just really bad with faces. From my point of view, all Cechirusians


    look the same, so I can''t tell the difference between individual Cechirusians."


    Hearing that, Katherine frowned, then turned to nce at Savannah.


    Savannah understood Katherine''s intentions, after which she immediately took a USB drive and tossed


    it on the coffee table.


    "This is a surveince video taken from your bar, dated five years ago. Take a good look at it and see if


    you can recognize him."


    Tom was a little surprised that she could actually get a hold of the surveince records from half a


    decade ago.


    "How did you get this video? I remember removing the surveince cameras when I sold the shop."


    "That is none of your business." Savannah pursed her lips impatiently, then urged, "Quit the nonsense!


    We''re asking you a question! If you look at the video, will you be able to recognize him?"


    However, Tom shook his head again.


    "I''m not sure. You know what it''s like in a bar. The lights are dim, and everything is vague. Also, there


    are many blind spots the surveince cameras can''t reach, so even if you can find the surveince


    records, there''s a possibility that you still can''t get an image of the man. Even if he did get caught on


    camera, the video would be blurry because of the lighting, and I may not be able to recognize him


    either."


    Hearing that, Katherine couldn''t help but feel a little disappointed.


    Her gaze was dark as she thought for a while. After that, she straightened up and reached out to grab


    the knife, which was still embedded in the coffee table.


    When Tom saw that, he thought she was threatening him again, or she was going to do something to


    him. He was so terrified that his soul almost left his body, and he hastily retreated as far as he could


    into the couch, fear written all over his face.


    "Don''t! Please don''t! I promise I''ll take a good look at the video! I''ll look extra carefully, and I''ll be very


    serious about it! Give me some time, and I''ll give you a satisfactory answer after I''ve watched it!"


    Katherine didn''t mean anything by that action; she simply wanted to retrieve the knife, but she didn''t


    expect that to scare him.


    Hearing his pitiful sobs, Katherine raised an eyebrow, but she didn''t say anything as she leisurely


    picked up the knife. She twirled it in her hand again before retracting the de and putting it in her


    pocket.


    "All right, since you''re so earnest about it, I''ll await your good news."


    She spoke with a half-smile, then got up and left without looking back. Savannah hastily followed after


    her, walking out of Tom''s detached building.


    "Boss, do you think that guy can recognize the man from five years ago?"


    Katherine kept walking. There wasn''t much of an expression on her face, but deep inside, she wasn''t


    so sure.


    "It happened five years ago, after all. It''s perfectly reasonable if he really can''t recognize the man."


    "Man¡­" Savannah sighed. "Actually, I watched the video as well, and I even got someone to adjust the


    resolution and rity. However, the surveince system five years ago in Fontan is too outdated, so


    even if we''re immensely skilled, we can''t do anything about unsolvable riddles. It''s a pity."


    They made it to the country, and the man''s true identity was just within reach, but out of nowhere, they


    were hindered by a hardware issue. If Tom really couldn''t recognize the man, then the investigation


    carried out beforehand would be in vain, and they would have to start from square one all over again!


    Katherine naturally understood the task, which was why she was even more disappointed.


    Perhaps my return to Fontan has been futile.


    As she was about to get in the car, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure from the corner of her


    eye. She instantly stopped in her tracks.


    "Boss, what''s wrong?" Confused, Savannah queried curiously.


    Katherine didn''t say anything. Instead, she turned around and looked behind Tom''s detached building.


    Behind the fence, someone seemed to have jumped in just now.


    Her eyes glimmered and paused for a few seconds. Then, she took a step forward and strode over to


    the spot.


    "Hey¡­" Savannah was even more confused now, but she could do nothing but follow.


    As she went nearer to the spot, Katherine realized that she was right. Someone was leaning against


    the back of the fence.


    The more she saw of the figure, the more familiar he felt to her, and her frown deepened. When she


    finally walked up next to the fence and made out the person''s features, she was instantly shocked.


    "Joaquin?!"


    No wonder the figure looked familiar. The person who jumped and hid behind the fence was none other


    than him! Why is he here? And how did this happen?


    At that moment, Joaquin was already unconscious, and his clothes were tainted red by stters of


    blood. His clothes were torn at the shoulders and arms, revealing some injuries. It looked terrifying!


    In an instant, an unprecedented fear possessed Katherine''s heart. She felt like her heart had stopped


    beating for half a moment, and even her breathing had stalled.


    Fortunately, she had seen too much in her lifetime, and she had developed the skill of staying calm no


    matter what she faced. A fleeting momentter, she recovered herself, then immediately jumped over


    the fence and lifted a hand to check Joaquin''s breathing.


    Thank God he''s still breathing.

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235


    At that moment, Katherine didn''t even think twice as she instantly ripped Joaquin''s top, revealing his


    well-built chest. Just like his shoulders and arms, his chest was also covered in wounds. There were


    even two gunshot wounds on his left chest, and the blood on his clothes came from those wounds.


    "Boss, do you know this man? How did he get injured like that? If the bullets went slightly off course, he


    would be dead meat!"


    When Savannah beheld the sight, she couldn''t help the faint fear inside her. However, curiosity


    upied most of her thoughts as she couldn''t figure out why her boss would be so worried about this


    man.


    To an outsider, Katherine might look like she hadn''t changed much, and she was still her calm and


    collected self. However, Savannah had been with Katherine for years, and she knew Katherine very


    well, way better than others. She could immediately see the difference in her bosspared to before.


    Boss has never shown such emotions! I don''t think this is a good sign!


    Hence, Savannah was very curious about this man''s identity, and she kept alternating her gaze


    between her boss and this man.


    "Have you had enough of looking? Come here and help me!" Katherine ignored Savannah''s question


    as she urged thetter impatiently. Savannah lifted her hand and touched her nose, chuckling a little.


    Then, she crouched down and helped to apply pressure on the wounds as she boldly teased her boss.


    "Boss, you''re talented enough in the medical field to bring people back from the dead. Even if this man


    has taken a single step into the afterlife, you can still get him back. He''s alive right now, so of course,


    he won''t die!"


    As Katherine worked on stopping Joaquin''s bleeding, she gave Savannah a sideways nce.


    "It''s been a while since west met, and I see you''re getting better at talking. If you keep interrupting, I''ll


    send you into the afterlife before he gets there."


    She immediately shut up. No kidding! I can''t just go into the afterlife like this. I have no intention of


    getting there so soon.


    She could see that her boss wasn''t in a good mood and was even a little irritable. So, she stopped the


    nonsense and obediently helped Katherine toy the man on his back.


    After that, Katherine swiftly produced a silver needle, then asked for a lighter from Savannah. She


    heated the needle for a bit, then began to carry out acupuncture to stop the bleeding.


    This time, her actions were a little rushed, and her fingertips, which controlled the needle, worked


    slightly faster than usual. Sometimeter, the bleeding finally stopped, and she was already drenched


    in cold sweats.


    At the side, Savannah watched the entire process, and she was filled with shock. Logically speaking,


    with this level of injury, even if acupuncture was needed to stop the bleeding, her boss didn''t have to


    expend that much energy.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Judging by the beads of sweat on Katherine''s clear forehead, she seemed like she was panicking. Oh,


    looks like this man is someone special to her.


    No matter how calm Katherine pretended to be, or how confident her actions were, she could still


    barely suppress the emotions within her heart.


    "Boss, even if this man stopped bleeding, his wounds still need treating. Let''s take him to the hospital


    now."


    She nced at the man''s injuries before making the suggestion tentatively. With her boss''


    temperament, she never allowed outsiders to enter her private home, and even Savannah herself


    hadn''t been there often.


    However, Katherine said calmly, "No. Take him back to my ce."


    Savannah was startled to hear that, and her jaw almost dropped. Goodness, Boss actually wants to


    bring this man home. Who exactly is he?!


    Just then, the back door of the building suddenly opened. Tom poked his head out and looked at them


    curiously. Apparently, he had heard the noise, so he poked his head out for a look.


    When he realized that the people in his backyard were none other than Katherine and Savannah, he


    was instantly shocked.


    "Y-You guys are still here?!"


    After his initial shock, he shuddered tremendously as he remembered the video from just now. Hence,


    he hastily swung the door open and strode up to them.


    "Good, I was just thinking of looking for you two! I saw that man from back then!"


    After Katherine left, he dared not dally as he wanted to resolve this matter as soon as possible. So, he


    immediately started watching the surveince video given to him. He didn''t have high hopes about it,


    for he thought that he wouldn''t be able to make anything out.


    However, unexpectedly, he hadn''t watched for long before a figure appeared in the video. That


    silhouette immediately sparked his memories from five years ago. It was understandable, as Joaquin


    had such striking features that even after so many years, from just his contours, one could immediately


    remember him!


    At that moment, Tom pped his thigh and stood up to find Katherine. However, he noticed movements


    in his backyard, so he came over to have a look.


    Just as he was excitedly running over to them to get Katherine into his home so that he could show her


    the man in the video, he noticed the man lying on the ground, and he was rooted to the spot in shock.


    "Him?!" His voice had gone hoarse from the shock.


    Katherine frowned as she turned to look at him. "You know him?"


    Know him? Tom shook his head, then nodded immediately afterward. For a moment, he was so


    surprised that he couldn''t say anything.


    Seeing that, she was already irritated, so her patience was thinning even more. Her expression grew


    cold. "So, do you know him or not? Out with it already!"


    Seeing her expression, Tom gulped, then said in a hoarse voice, "It''s him. It''s him right there."


    His sentence was so crude, and Savannah couldn''t understand him either. She hastily asked in


    annoyance, "What do you mean, ''it''s him''? What are you trying to say?"


    Tom took two steps forward and gestured wildly as he spoke. He pointed at the house behind him, then


    at Joaquin, who was unconscious on the ground.


    "It''s him! The man I saw in the surveince video; it''s him! The man from five years ago is him!"


    As soon as Tom said that, Savannah felt her soul leave her body in utter shock.


    Katherine''s expression shifted, and her body seemed to be frozen. She couldn''t move an inch, and her


    mind wentpletely nk.


    At that moment, time seemed to have stood still, and even the air was stagnant. Everything seemed to


    have frozen at that single moment.


    The man from five years ago is him!


    These words seemed to have traveled from outer space, and they circled in her ears as they


    resounded ceaselessly.


    A long whileter, she finally recovered her senses. Then, she stiffly turned around and locked her


    gaze on the man''s face. Back then, the man who forced himself on her despite her screaming and


    sobbing¡­ was him?


    How could it be¡­ How could this possibly be¡­


    As she slowly regained consciousness, she parted her lips to say something, but she couldn''t utter a


    word. The news came all too suddenly, and she didn''t even have the time nor the mood to doubt its


    credibility before she fell into a trance.


    "Boss? Boss?" Savannah was shocked as well, and she took a long time to pull herself together. When


    she saw her boss like that, her eyes were filled with worry. What exactly is going on? What is Boss''


    rtionship with this man? And how did this man be the man from five years ago?


    From the looks of it, Katherine didn''t know anything, and now that her past was revealed so suddenly,


    she was shocked. Also, Savannah could sense that this man was someone special to her boss. What


    should we do now?

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236


    Savannah''s voice pulled Katherine''s thoughts back, and Katherine''s wits slowly kicked in. Her exquisite


    face had a stiff expression on it. A whileter, she finally pursed her lips as she looked at Tom,


    questioning in an icy voice, "Are you sure that you didn''t get the wrong guy?"


    Tom himself was wondering how the man who appeared in the video could coincidentally end up in his


    backyard. When he heard Katherine''s words, he nodded hastily.


    "Of course! I''ve watched the video in detail a few times already!"


    He could see that Katherine doubted him, so he quickly stomped his feet and pointed urgently at the


    back door.


    "If you don''t believe me, you cane with me to watch the video. Surely you''ll understand after


    watching it!"


    Seeing how confident he was, Katherine knew in her heart that she had already believed him.


    However, it was a matter of great importance, and she had always been a careful person, so she tilted


    her head to look at Savannah, then gave thetter a look.


    Savannah understood immediately. She quickly got up and said to Tom, "I''ll follow you inside for a


    look."


    Tom had no objections to that as he led her through the back door.


    Within five minutes, the two quickly returned.


    Savannah''s expression was grave as she nodded at Katherine.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Now, Katherine hadpletely cleared her doubts, but her feelings only got moreplicated.


    "Boss, what do we do with him now¡­?"


    Noticing her boss'' silence, Savannah couldn''t quite grasp Katherine''s thoughts, so she could only pose


    the question tentatively.


    Having worked closely with her boss for so many years, she knew all too well the effect the man from


    five years ago had on Katherine, and she also knew how much Katherine hated him.


    But now, with this situation, it really was quite unexpected¡­


    At the side, Katherine still had said nothing. Her clear eyes were filled withplexity as she stared


    unblinkingly at the unconscious man.


    Just then, Tom, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn''t help but ask out of curiosity.


    "What is going on? Why did this man suddenly appear in my backyard? And what''s up with his


    wounds?"


    He looked terribly confused as he alternated his gaze between the three people.


    This time, Katherine parted her red lips and finally spoke. Her voice was calm as always and even


    sounded a little cold.


    "From now onward, forget everything you saw today, and don''t tell a single soul about this. If someone


    comes to you and asks you some questions or inquiries about the man''s whereabouts, you have to


    pretend you don''t know anything. Understand?"


    Tom couldn''t react in time to her sudden orders, and he clicked his tongue.


    "Why? What exactly happened? This man¡ª"


    However, before he could finish talking, Katherine shot a frosty re at him. He immediately silenced


    himself out of fear, and he dared not make another sound.


    "Just do as you''re told. No questions!"


    At the side, Savannah reprimanded him in annoyance, then threatened, "If you dare speak a word of


    this, you''ll wish you were dead!"


    Tom was so scared that he shuddered. When he remembered how Katherine flung the knife, he dared


    not say ''no'' as he nodded furiously, trembling as he promised that he definitely wouldn''t say a word.


    With both mercy and fury applied, Katherine knew that he had seen for himself how fearsome she was.


    It was only then that she slightly eased out of her coldness.


    "Don''t worry, you''ve helped me a lot, so I should thank you. I will give you your due reward. Someone


    will drop byter to give you a check, so just rx and wait."


    After that, she added nonchntly, "As long as you keep it a secret, the check would be enough to


    keep your family alive for three generations."


    When Tom heard that, he was naturally pleased. Therefore, he was grinning as he repeated his thanks.


    After that, Katherine and Savannah carried Joaquin into the car.


    Through the rearview mirror, Savannah looked at the two people in the back, one unconscious and the


    other wide awake. She hesitated for a bit before asking, "Boss, where are we going?"


    Katherine said coldly, "Back to my ce."


    Hearing that, Savannah didn''t dy any further as she hastily drove toward Katherine''s vi in Fontan.


    ¡­


    Half an hourter, the car pulled up in the yard of a luxurious vi. There were no residents in the area,


    and the vi took up arge piece of thend. The scenery was amazing, and most importantly, it was


    secure and private.


    After helping Joaquin into a room, Katherine saw that his face was pale, so she called Savannah over


    to help draw her blood. When Savannah heard the orders, she was both surprised and confused.


    "Boss, what are you drawing blood for?"


    Katherine decisively rolled up her sleeves as she said straight away, "We may have stopped his


    bleeding, but he still lost too much blood. A blood transfusion is in order, or he won''t be able to survive."


    Hearing that, Savannah was shocked to the core. What? Does she want to give her blood to the man


    who forced himself on her five years ago?! Has she gone crazy?


    "Boss, even if you want to save him, you don''t have to give him your own blood. Do you know his blood


    type? I can get some from the blood bank at the hospital nearby!"


    "It''s no use." Katherine''s gaze fell upon the man''s pale face as she exined calmly, "He''s the same as


    me. We both have AB-negative blood."


    "But¡­"


    "What are you waiting for? Just draw my blood already. Have you gotten so rebellious that you refuse


    to listen to me?" Seeing Savannah''s hesitation, Katherine reprimanded her in a crisp voice.


    At that, Savannah dared not speak another word as she reluctantly did as she was told. After drawing


    the blood, she hastily transfused the blood into Joaquin''s body. As she did so, she mumbled in her


    heart.


    She didn''t know who the man was, that he could do such a wretched thing but was still pardoned.


    She''s willingly giving him her blood. Where is the justice in this?!


    After the transfusion, when Savannah saw that the man was still asleep, she could no longer rein in her


    curiosity as she asked, "Boss, who exactly is this man? You already knew him, didn''t you? Then how


    do you n to deal with him?"


    Katherine nced at her, knowing that she had been waiting to ask these questions. She didn''t me


    Savannah for that. After all, she had already told this girl about the incident five years ago.


    Furthermore, she trusted Savannah, so there was nothing to hide.


    After a moment in silence, she slowly spoke, and her gaze was a littleplicated as she looked at


    Joaquin.


    "He''s Joaquin Levisay. My husband."


    As soon as Katherine said that, Savannah was stunned.


    "Joaquin?! The crippled Joaquin Levisay from the Levisay Family of Hovington?!" She looked in shock


    at the man on the bed, but confusion was more apparent in her eyes. "That can''t be. This man isn''t


    crippled."


    "He was only faking it before. You weren''t in Hovington, so you didn''t know that, but most people


    already knew about his real identity."


    "Oh." It was only then that Savannah nodded in understanding, then she was immediately rmed


    once again. "So, um¡­ You''re married to him?!"


    "Yes." Katherine nodded.


    Savannah felt that this world was too fantastical. How many things have I missed out on just because I


    didn''t go to Hovington? I didn''t even know she got married! Also¡­


    "B-Boss, this is too much of a coincidence! You married¡­ that man from five years ago?!"

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237


    Katherine had graduallye to terms with the fact at this point, and she smirked enigmatically. "Yeah,


    who would have thought, right? Surprise, surprise."


    She''d be lying if she said she wasn''t stupefied the second the revtion hit her. It was such a bolt from


    the blue that it felt like she was in a prank show. But as she let it sink in, her mind grew more ruffled.


    Those b*stards up there sure like to pull pranks, sending me on such a wild goose chase!


    To think the man from five years ago, the one who took her virginity and gave her nights after nights of


    nightmares was none other than her husband!


    Huh, to think something this outrageous would happen to me¡­


    Suddenly, a memory hit her. Beatrice once imed Joaquin vowed to hold himself responsible to her


    and that she had already shared a bed with him.


    She was referring to the incident five years ago, wasn''t she? So, Joaquin feels guilty about the incident,


    too, huh? He just got the wrong person.


    However, it didn''t mean it could be an excuse to offset the harm he gave her from that night!


    Though she had to spare the mystery man for the sake of Noah, she''d make his life a living hell after


    hunting him down. But now that the face of the loathsome man and Joaquin''s ovepped, she was


    actually beginning to question her decisions.


    To think it''s him¡­ But how can it be him?!


    Savannah, on the other hand, didn''t look too happy too when she saw her boss looking somewhat lost.


    "Boss, what are you going to do now?"


    "I don''t know," monotoned Katherine after pondering for a while, baffling Savannah. "Sorry?"


    Katherine nodded and reiterated, "I don''t know."


    She genuinely didn''t know what to do. Her head was a mess, and she still couldn''tb through her


    thoughts yet.


    "Whatever. Whatever it is, the most important thing now is saving Noah."


    Savannah could only nod at that. As she had other things to deal with and the case of the mystery man


    had pretty much been sorted out, she left temporarily.


    Meanwhile, Katherine fixed her gaze on the unconscious man grimly, staying motionless for a long time


    as her mixed emotions for Joaquin ruffled her mind.


    The truth she had been finding for so long was now in front of her, and yet not.


    She believed the Joaquin she had been interacting with all this while wasn''t a scoundrel, so what made


    him do that to her back then?


    She never dared revisit the details of that night all these years, but for some reason, right then, she


    actually wanted to dig up the very memory she had buried deep within her head.


    Sure, the difort still lingered, but it was no longer as intense as it used to be.


    Gradually, the night returned to her. Though he had been very impatient, he had actually also been


    holding himself back as much as possible and didn''t just do whatever he wanted with her.


    Now that it was alling back to her, she also remembered how he kept soothing her with great


    patience and even¡­ even vowed to hold himself responsible to her.


    Thus, because he mistook her for Beatriceter on¡ªor perhaps she had deceived him¡ªthat he would


    keep her by his side and even spared her because of ''their past'' even though Beatrice had done such


    wicked acts.


    At that, an indescribably odd feeling arose within her.


    A whileter, she took a deep breath and massaged her temples. Don''t let your imaginations run wild


    anymore, Cornell. There''s no point in overthinking, anyway. Now that we''ve finally found the guy, the


    truth will beid in front of you once you twoe clean.


    On the contrary, she was finally getting somewhere with the toxin in Noah''s body.


    If she remembered correctly, the toxin in Joaquin''s system was Zephyr. No doubt the toxin was already


    in his system back then.


    Though she used neurotoxins tobat the Zephyr built up in his system, the same method couldn''t


    be applied to the toxin in Noah''s body.


    Just as she was deep in her thoughts, the doorbell rang.


    However, she had just arrived at Fontan, and Savannah was the only one who knew she hade.


    What was more, thetter knew the password to the door, so there was no reason for her to ring the


    doorbell.


    So, who can it be?


    At that, she headed downstairs with caution, and when she checked the surveince at the door, she


    was surprised by who she saw standing outside.


    "Jayden, what are you doing here?!" Katherine asked after answering the door.


    Jayden smiled amiably but didn''t answer her question. "Are you not going to invite me in?"


    A glimmer of light shed across the young woman''s eyes as she led him to the living room and sat


    across from each other.


    "What brings you to Fontan, and how do you know where I am?" she asked, filled with questions.


    On the other hand, he looked tenderly at her, his eyes filled with nothing but adoration. "I didn''t go back


    to Kynd that day after you left. I was actually hoping to persuade you to go to Kynd with me, but


    by the time I tried looking for you again, you were already on your way to Fontan. So, I came as soon


    as I got your address from Corey."


    When it came to old friends, Corey was probably the closest to Katherine and also the one she trusted


    the most. Thus, she told him about the address of her residence in Fontan once.


    "That big mouth¡­" Katherine quirked her lips in dissatisfaction after learning of the story.


    "Don''t me him. He didn''t want to say anything at first. He only finally said it after he couldn''t stand


    my questions anymore." Jayden defended the man, then smiled. "Besides, what do you have to hide


    from me? Do you not trust me, Kathy?"


    There was more or less a hint of probing in his question, but Katherine decided to y dumb and


    quirked a brow. "It''s all just in your head. I just don''t want too many people to visit me."


    She brushed it off, then changed the topic. "I know you''re worried about me, but I already made it clear


    to youst time. I won''t go back to Kynd with you. As for protection, I can defend myself just fine."


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    However, the man wasn''t giving up, still trying to convince her. "Kathy, I know you''repletely


    capable, but I''m sure you know many in Hovington already know how skilled you are as a medical


    practitioner. That identity alone was enough for many influential families to want to make you theirs.


    Even those in Kynd were itching and constantly sending their men to screw with you. There''s


    nothing apart from danger there. What''s the point of staying?"


    Katherine began growing impatient, seeing that he was nagging again, and just as she was about to tell


    him to mind his own business, a voice came from the staircase. "Kathy?"


    Katherine looked in the direction in response and found Joaquin, awoken at some point, standing at the


    corner of the stairs in a bathrobe.

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238


    Grimness enveloped Joaquin''s face as he looked at the unfamiliar room after regaining consciousness,


    for he instinctively assumed he had been held captive. But the idea was quickly dismissed as he


    noticed his wounds had been treated.


    Even if the enemy kept him alive after capturing him, they wouldn''t be nice enough to treat him either.


    So, who saved me?


    He rxed his brows and scanned the room with a deadpan face before getting out of bed.


    For someone mysophobic, Joaquin naturally couldn''t stand the tattered shirt he was wearing. So, he


    changed into the bathrobe, left inside the bathroom, and headed out.


    As he came to an unfamiliar corridor, he hesitated for a second before walking toward the stairs, and


    that was when he heard the familiar voice.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    At that, his tense nerves rxed, and his apprehensive heart finally eased.


    Fate was truly wondrous. Even when he was on the other side of the world, he would still run into her


    somehow.


    Delight filled him up as the thought came to him, and he descended the stairs with a smile, only to stop


    in his tracks the next second. His inchoate joy, too, vanished, reced by hostility.


    Jayden Hall? What''s he doing here? Huh¡­ You can never get rid of this hound, can you?!


    Right then, graveness enveloped his piercing gaze as he pulled a malicious grin.


    Alright, since you''vee asking for humiliation, I shall take this chance toy my im for once.


    At that, he nced at the bathrobe he was wearing, and a hint of mischief enveloped his handsome


    face.


    The next second, he loosened the belt and exposed a small part of his toned chest while covering up in


    injuries perfectly.


    Followingly, he ruffled his hair before finally descending the stairs, calling out to Katherine listlessly and


    tenderly.


    Just like that, Katherine looked up only to be rendered stumped by what she was seeing, blinking as


    she mused, Dude¡­ you''ve just woken up. What the heck are you up to? Can''t you just walk down the


    stairs like a normal person?! Why are you acting so sexily? It''s like¡­ like¡­ we had¡ª


    Stop! Hold it! What are you thinking, Katherine Cornell?!


    She gulped and hurriedly halted her inchoate, dirty thoughts before replying, "You''re awake. How are


    you feeling? Good?"


    Joaquin quirked a brow as he strode down the stairs and stood next to her, looking into her eyes. "I feel


    better than just good. Why didn''t you tell me beforeing down? I was looking for you everywhere."


    He spoke so casually that Katherine didn''t think in that direction at first, only thinking he sounded weird.


    You were out cold. How am I supposed to tell you I''m down here? By shaking you awake?


    But gradually, it came to her, and rednessced her cheeks as she red usingly at him.


    Dude, what the heck?! Can''t you talk like a normal person for once?!


    As though he could read her mind, Joaquin quirked his brow as a hint of amusement shed across his


    gaze at her while remaining an innocent front.


    Can you me me when it''s you who asked such a suggestive question? I can''t miss such a good


    chance, now, can I?


    While the couple conversed through their gazes, Jayden was looking less than jovial. Or, more


    specifically, he had been looking grim from the second Joaquin showed up.


    Howe this guy''s here too?! Did Katherine bring him along? Just what is their rtionship? Why is


    he everywhere? And what he just said¡­ wasn''t too pleasant.


    Jayden fixed his gaze at the two with furrowed brows and cleared his throat, interrupting the couple''s


    oblivious state.


    Hearing the foreign noise, Joaquin looked up and reacted with surprise as though he had just


    discovered they had a visitor. "Aren''t you the guy who went to Hovington looking for Kathy? What are


    you doing here? Do you have some business with Kathy again?"


    Katherine, on the other hand, couldn''t help feeling speechless as she knew all too well that this man


    was ying dumb.


    Exasperated, Jayden pursed his lips and said, "The name''s Jayden, Jayden Hall."


    "Oh." Joaquin raised his brows and nodded knowingly. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hall."


    ''A pleasure'', he said, but he didn''t extend his hand for a handshake either.


    Jayden, too, obviously had no intentions of shaking Joaquin''s hand either. Both men''s animosity for


    each other was evident, and Katherine couldn''t help feeling troubled.


    "What are you doing in Kathy''s home, then, Mr. Levisay? I remember you left in a hurry thest time we


    met." Jayden made the first attack, asking monotonously.


    Joaquin smirked in response. He had been waiting for the man to ask the million-dor question all day.


    "I had an emergency to get to, so I couldn''t introduce myself properly then. But who''d have thought


    we''d meet here, Mr. Hall? What a coincidence."


    At that, confidence¡ªbut really, loftiness¡ªshed across his eyes as he revealed, "Looks like Kathy


    hasn''t had the chance to tell you yet. I''m her husband."


    The news came like such a bolt from the blue that it fried Jayden crisp.


    "H-Husband?"


    He nced shockingly at Joaquin before shifting his gaze to Kathy, seemingly waiting for her to say


    something.


    The reveal caught Katherine off guard too, and her gaze at Joaquin was one of astounded.


    Of course, she knew he did it on purpose. She''d be an idiot if she didn''t know he wasying his im


    as her husband. That said, his intense possessiveness still caught her a little off guard.


    At the same time, an inexplicablyplicated emotion brushed past her, reeling her in bewilderment.


    Then, she looked toward Jayden when she felt his gaze. After some consideration, she admitted it,


    believing there was no reason for her to hide this. "Yeah, he''s my husband."


    Jayden''s face nched as a result, and his gaze was filled with none but incredulity. "You¡­ You''re


    married?! When? Why didn''t you say anything?"


    "A little while ago. It was quite rushed, so we didn''t announce it to others."


    At that, Joaquin added with a smile. "Yeah, Kathy and I were engaged since we were kids, and since


    she''s back, our families decided to settle the marriage, but because of some things, we couldn''t throw a


    party. But no matter¡­"


    He riveted his gaze on Katherine. "I''ll give you a grand wedding one day. I promise you that."

 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239


    As calm andposed Katherine usually was, Joaquin''s words left herpletely stupefied, for she


    had never expected the man to be that direct.


    For a moment, she couldn''t tell how she was feeling.


    While her heart ached, she was also feeling warm and fuzzy, and the contradicting feelings left her


    feeling multitudes.


    As shrewd as she was, how could she not tell what he was thinking? But it was also precisely so that


    she was even more perturbed, as the night five years ago was like a thorn stuck in her heart, difficult to


    pull out.


    Even when she now knew that man was him, she still felt disturbed when the story remained


    ambiguous.


    That said, Jayden was still present, so she couldn''t make a big deal out of it and only rolled her eyes


    speechlessly at Joaquin. "Alright, that''s enough."


    Joaquin''s eyes lit up as he smiled, saying no more.


    Meanwhile, Jayden was riddled with jealousy as he watched the couple interact. He couldn''t believe


    Katherine was married, and by the looks of it, the couple was doing pretty well.


    At that, he furrowed his brows. He had had enough of seeing the couple''s interaction, yet he wasn''t


    willing to leave just like that either. Hence, he suggested, "Hey, it''s already noon. I bet you guys still


    haven''t had lunch yet, right? Kathy, I''vee to Fontan just for you. We should at least have a meal


    together, and since you and I are both avable, why don''t we have this meal now?"


    It was a rather mild request, so Katherine nodded in agreement.


    Then, remembering that Joaquin was suffering some injuries, she turned to him with a tilted head.


    "Why don''t you stay home and rest while I bring your lunch back after I have mine, or I can have


    someone bring it back to you if you prefer."


    Of course, Joaquin was displeased by the suggestion. "Kathy, what wife leaves her husband waiting at


    home while she goes out for lunch? Of course, I have to go with you. Our friend hase all the way


    here. How can we not entertain him as husband and wife?"


    You want me to stay here while you have an affair with a man who clearly has a thing for you? Fat


    chance! No way was he going to give any man a chance. He would make sure to sever the thoughts of


    whoever dared think to covet his Kathy!


    Katherine couldn''t help feeling helpless yet amused. Honestly, did a bullet get stuck in your head? How


    have you suddenly be so b*tchy?


    But, hey, since he said he was doing alright, and the medicine she gave him worked great, there was


    nothing to worry about, so she let him follow as he pleased.


    Just like that, the trio headed to a restaurant ''nearby''.


    Because Katherine''s mansion was practically hidden, it took them thirty minutes to arrive at the


    restaurant despite being nearby.


    Coincidentally though, the lunch rush had just passed when they arrived, so there were only a few


    customers. At that, they chose a window seat.


    s, the atmosphere at the table was rather grave and maybe even intense at that, as Jayden kept


    reminiscing about the past, for he still wanted to win Katherine''s heart over while also making Joaquin


    jealous.


    And Joaquin, on the other hand, was naturally displeased, grim even, when he found the two chatting


    away, snubbing him. However, he was a master at managing his emotions and expressions. Thus, he


    pulled a smile very quickly and tucked an errant lock of hair by Katherine''s cheek to the back of her ear.


    Because of what he did, Katherine and Jayden''s conversation came to an abrupt halt, and the air at the


    table froze over.


    While Katherine was taken aback, Jayden turned grim, and Joaquin, on the other hand, yed dumb,


    giving her a te of shrimp that he had deshelled for her and also exchanging the te of steak ced


    in front of her for the one he had sliced up, taking care of her like she was a child who couldn''t feed


    herself.


    "What are you waiting for? Eat up. It won''t be as good if it gets cold." While speaking, he ruffled her


    soft, luscious hair, causing Katherine to p his hand away disdainfully, making a moue as she


    comined, "Don''t touch my hair when you have shrimp hands."


    A chuckle escaped Joaquin as he gazed tenderly at his beloved. "Oh, I forgot. Okay, alright, you''re the


    boss."


    While Katherine was made speechless, Jayden couldn''t help but curse internally, F*cking hell.


    The couple''s interaction made the already annoyed man even more exasperated, so much so that he


    had lost his appetite.


    Fortunately for him, lunch came to an end pretty quickly.


    As Katherine has had enough of Joaquin''s b*tchy act, she made a random excuse to shoo Jayden


    away. "I have some businesses to attend to in the afternoon, so if you don''t have anything else, go


    back to Cechirus, alright, Jayden? Don''t try to persuade me to go back to Kynd anymore. I have my


    ns."


    Jayden frowned in response, and displeasureced his amber eyes as he nced at the man standing


    behind Katherine, who was also boring into him with a half-smile, before shifting his gaze back onto


    Katherine. "I know nothing can change whatever you''ve set your mind to, Kath, but I won''t give up


    either. Since you''re going to stay here, then I definitely can''t leave Fontan alone. It''s quite rowdy here,


    and I''m worried for your safety¡­"


    Meanwhile, Joaquin furrowed his brows at the fact that Jayden was courting Katherine as if her


    husband wasn''t right there. Does this b*stard think I''m invisible?!


    At that, he pushed his tongue against his left cheek in exasperation, then took a step forward to wrap


    his arm around Katherine''s shoulder as he lookedposedly at Jayden. "Thank you for your concern,


    Mr. Hall, but Kathy will be perfectly safe with me. You don''t need to worry at all. In fact, I believe you


    should pray for your safety, Mr. Hall. After all, it''s quite rowdy in Fontan, and given your scrawny body, if


    anything bad happens to you guys, forget about protecting Kathy; I might even have to go in and save


    you too."


    Though rendered speechless, Katherine couldn''t help wanting tough, made amused by Joaquin''s


    retort. Joaquin sure has a perfect record for roasting others.


    Sure enough, Jayden turned grim, and his eyes were enveloped in nothing but displeasure after


    hearing Joaquin''s words. But before he could say anything, thetter had already hailed a cab and


    flicked his chin toward Jayden. "Your ride''s here, Mr. Hall. Have a good rest of the day."


    Livid and speechless, Jayden nced grimly at Joaquin before turning affectionately to Katherine,


    bidding her goodbye before finally leaving reluctantly.


    Then, after the cab had driven away, Katherine and Joaquin hopped into the car Savannah had


    prepared for them.


    As soon as they made themselvesfortable in their seats, Katherine poked Joaquin''s wound lightly,


    causing the man to groan in pain while tiny droplets of sweat formed by his temples. His face nched


    instantly, and blood, too, drained from his lips.


    "What are you, trying to kill your husband?" He nced indignantly at her and couldn''t help mumbling,


    "Don''t tell me you''re feeling indignant for that pretty boy."


    The jealousy was so obvious that there was an imaginary neon sign above his head that said, ''I''m


    jealous''.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Katherine, on the other hand, was so at a loss for words that she didn''t answer him but red daggers


    at him instead. "I told you to rest at home, but no, you just have toe out with me. See what


    happens?! Do you have a thing for masochism?"

 Chapter 240

    Chapter 240


    It wasn''t until Joaquin took another hissing breath and let out another one that he felt slightly better.


    Then, he quirked the corner of his lips sulkily upon hearing her words and slouchedfortably in the


    front passenger seat, no longer putting up a tough front.


    "It''s not to the point of masochism. I know my body well. Besides, I have you to treat me, don''t I?


    What''s there for me to be afraid of? There is one, though¡ªpeople coveting you." At that, he snorted


    disdainfully. "Don''t think for one second that I can''t tell he likes you."


    Katherine couldn''t help wanting to roll her eyes in response. "So, what if he does? Isn''t it more


    important that I don''t like him? Don''t tell me you think I''ll leave you for him."


    "It''s a possibility, isn''t it?" Joaquin clicked his tongue grimly. "But to think he has feelings for you that he


    shouldn''t have makes me want to mangle him!"


    He growled histter words through gnashed teeth,cing in animosity.


    Katherine''s heart skipped a beat in response, and she didn''t know what to say for a moment, so she


    avoided the subject with pursed lips, then chucked a jade jar at him.


    Joaquin opened it to find it containing a rather pleasant medicinal-scented ointment.


    At that, he quirked a brow, then chucked the jar back to her and behaved like he was the king of the


    world. "I''m a casualty and have no strength. Apply it for me."


    A casualty? Have no strength? Katherine mused. Huh, you looked pretty alive to me when you were


    roasting Jayden during lunch.


    But at the thought that his injuries were indeed quite serious and that he came out to cause mischief as


    soon as he got a little better, her heart softened, and she just did as he asked.


    "Remove your shirt, then." She was exasperated while smearing some ointment onto her fingers.


    Joaquin obliged at once, knowing things would go against his wishes if he took it a step further. But as


    he unbuttoned his shirt, a thought hit him, and he asked, "Why do you have menswear at your home?"


    At that, Katherine took a gander at his skeptical gaze, then applied a little more pressure onto his


    wound while applying the ointment, causing Joaquin to wince involuntarily.


    The next second, he felt a cooling sensationing from the wounds, alleviating the pain, and he


    couldn''t help closing his eyes infort.


    "I had Savannah buy them on the road when we took you back to my ce."


    "Savannah?"


    "My assistant in Fontan. She helps me deal with everything here."


    After having one question solved, he followed up with another. "How did you find me then? I remember


    hiding in someone''s yard."


    That was all I could remember, to be honest.


    Katherine froze for a second before returning to the task at hand like there was nothing. "I happened to


    pass by." With that, she asked, "And what about you? What are you doing in Fontan? And also suffered


    a serious injury at that. Do you know who did this to you?"


    Joaquin opened his eyes at that, and fright filled his eyes as frost zed them. "I''vee for official


    business, but because it''s an order from Area Seven, I can''t say anything. As for the person who hurt


    me¡­ He''s dead."


    However, he got separated from the guyster and also got hunted down, so he ended up hiding in


    Tom''s yard.


    Katherine, on the other hand, asked no more, seeing that it was confidential information.


    Later, after she was done applying the ointment, she wiped her hands, then started the engine and


    drove home.


    During the journey, Jeremy came to Joaquin''s mind, and he was certain the young man would be


    freaking out at this point when he couldn''t contact Joaquin. Thus, he asked Katherine for her phone


    and gave Jeremy a call.


    The call was answered in two shakes, and sure enough, Jeremy had been freaking out as the young


    man was choking with sobs when he heard Joaquin''s voice. "F*cking hell, Mr. Levisay! You''ve seriously


    given me the scare of my life! I''ve been looking for you all day. Where are you? I''ll pick you up right


    away!"


    "It''s fine." Joaquin nced at the young woman driving. "I''m with Kathy. No need toe over. What


    about the guys? How are they faring?"


    "Katherine?!" Jeremy eximed in shock. "Sh*t, Katherine''s in Fontan?! Wait, was she the one who


    saved you? Jesus, to think the coincidence!"


    Finding his subordinate loud, Joaquin moved the phone away and interjected with thinned patience,


    "Quit rambling and answer me."


    Aftering to himself, Jeremy chuckled apologetically, then reported the situation at once. "Don''t


    worry, sir. Everyone''s alright. No deaths, but two casualties, though. But their injuries aren''t severe. The


    mission''s a sess. We even managed to invade their hideout. Some died while the rest were


    captured. We can go back now!"


    Joaquin raised his brows after hearing the result, clearly very pleased. "Good job. You guys make the


    arrangements to escort them back ASAP."


    "Yes, sir!" At that, Jeremy asked, "What about you, Mr. Levisay? Are you noting?"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "No," Joaquin answered without even a split second of hesitation.


    "Oh¡­" Jeremy drawled knowingly. With how massive of a sess their mission was, it was apparent


    he was in seventh heaven. "I see, sir. You want to spend some quality time with the missus, huh? I get


    you. I get you. We''ll head back then, Mr. Levisay. You and Katherine go ahead and spend your


    honeymoon here!"


    At that, Joaquin pushed his tongue against his cheek in annoyance and exasperation. "That''s enough."


    A honeymoon? In a hellhole like Fontan?! Excuse you!


    Come to think of it, not only did they not have a proper wedding, but they didn''t even go on a


    honeymoon. To be honest, their wedding was certainly haste, and there were so many procedures


    missing.


    With that, he looked toward Katherine, who naturally overheard Jeremy when they were in a confined


    space, and now that she noticed Joaquin was looking at her, she felt inexplicably ufortable.


    "What are you looking at?!" she chided lightly, but it did nothing to Joaquin. In fact, he even stared at


    her with an affectionate smile just like that.


    "Kathy, what do you say if I make you a grand wedding, then take you on a honeymoon once all this is


    over?"


    They had been hit with back-to-back incidents, and it was high time they took a breather.


    Katherine, however, fell silent after hearing his suggestion as mixed emotions filled her eyes.


    Seeing so, Joaquin turned to her and vowed, "Kathy, I''m serious about all of it."


    s, it wasn''t after some time that the young woman answered, "Let''s see how things go. There''s still


    a lot to deal with, and the priority is Noah''s sickness."


    Knowing where she wasing from, Joaquin nodded and no longer hold on to the topic.


    That said, he had set his mind to the matter and would certainly see to it one day.

 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241


    At the mention of Noah, Joaquin''s attention was quickly diverted. "That reminds me. Haven''t youe


    to Fontan to investigate the incident five years ago? How is iting along? Have you found


    anything?"


    Katherine suddenly didn''t know how to answer him when he brought the topic up, and her grip on the


    steering wheel tightened.


    Besides, they were in the car right then; it wasn''t a good ce to talk about this. Then, a hint of


    deliberation shed across her eyes, but she still decided not toy her cards out now. "I have. I''ll tell


    you after we get back."


    As Joaquin was still oblivious to the truth, he didn''t overthink and just nodded.


    However, after arriving at Katherine''s mansion, he began feeling sluggish. Perhaps the ointment had


    taken effect.


    In addition to living through a heart-stopping chase, he even went out for lunch despite still recovering


    from a major blood loss and a serious injury. Having been through all that, coupled with the medicine


    taking effect, he naturally began feeling drowsy.


    Katherine, on the other hand, frowned when she noticed he was looking sluggish and brought him into


    the bedroom right away. "Sleep, now. You''re not Wolverine, and you should be recuperating in the first


    ce. Whatever it is you want to talk about, it can wait until you''re better."


    While speaking, she chucked her phone to him while pulling out another one from the drawer.


    "The things you usually keep close to you are gone. You''ve probably lost them during the chase.


    Jeremy will probably call this number if he wants to contact you, so you take it."


    She had many other reachable contacts anyway, and Savannah would naturally adapt if she couldn''t


    reach Katherine.


    Joaquin was already on the verge of falling asleep and couldn''t even lift a finger either at this point.


    After humming a response submissively, he was out cold.


    It was summer in Fontan, and it was much warmer and more humid than in Hovington.


    After having just gone out for lunch, Katherine thought she was going to melt, and she was covered in


    a stickyyer of sweat that made her feel super ufortable.


    Thus, after making sure his wounds were looking okay, she returned to her bedroom next door for a


    shower.


    Aftering out fresh and clean from the shower, she sat drying her hair while ruminating about all


    that had happened in the morning in the air-conditioned room.


    Half of the mysterious night five years ago had been revealed, but now she was somewhat bewildered,


    and right when Joaquin asked her the question on the road, she honestly didn''t know what to say.


    As much as she wanted toy her cards on the table, she was feeling resistant as well, for she didn''t


    know how she should face him anymore after theyid everything bare.


    If he was fully conscious at the time¡­ Then she genuinely didn''t know how she could forgive him and


    how to continue being married to him after what he did to her.


    The more she thought about it, the more exasperated she grew, and the hair entangled in her fingers


    became even tighter. In the end, she just flopped into her bed and stared at the ceiling.


    It suddenly hit her that she seemed to have changed a lottely.


    If it were in the past, she wouldn''t have been this hesitant. She would''ve gone straight to the point once


    she found out who the mystery man was. In fact, the only emotion she''d be feeling was impassiveness


    and none of all this bull. But now¡­ Why do I feel so troubled? Just why¡­


    Suddenly, her days spent with Joaquin shed across her mind.


    It turned out that she had gotten used to having him by her side and a life with him before she even


    realized it. Hence, it was why she would be so shocked and also had such a hard time epting the


    fact that he was the man from five years ago.


    Sigh¡­ She let out a long, murky breath and flipped to her side, feeling helpless.


    Never had she thought that this man would have such a great impact on her, making her so hesitant.


    But either way, the most important thing at that point was to save Noah.


    She couldn''t dy it anymore, for Noah''s sake. What was more, they would have toy this on the


    table sooner orter, and now, sooner was better thanter.


    At that, she bit her lip and buried her face in the pillow, feeling extremely helpless.


    She had rushed straight to Tom''s residence after ten-plus hours of flying, then there was the


    questioning and also saving Joaquin, so she hadn''t managed to sleep a wink until that point.


    Now that she was lying in bed and her mind was a mess, she began feeling groggy, and in no time, she


    fell into a deep slumber.


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    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was fast asleep next door when the phone by his pillow suddenly rang.


    He had always been a light sleeper; now, even when he was injured, his vignce would still respond


    reflexively. Hence, the second he heard the ringtone, his eyes instantly opened, filled with nothing but


    rity and alert.


    At that, he turned his head aside to nce at the screen. After seeing the familiar phone number, he


    answered it at once.


    "What is it?" He closed his eyes, still feeling somewhat lethargic, and rubbed his temples with one hand


    while holding the phone with the other.


    "Can you talk now, Mr. Levisay? There''s something important¡­" Jeremy gulped, sounding grave.


    His nervousness was even apparent to Joaquin through the phone, and thetter opened his eyes


    again as ice frosted over them, for he instinctively assumed something went wrong while they were


    escorting the people.


    At that, he sat right up and demanded icily, "What happened? Speak!"


    "T-Take it easy, Mr. Levisay. Listen to me. Um¡­" Jeremy reassured him, then hesitated for a moment


    before finally asking gingerly, "Is Katherine next to you?"


    Having been caught off guard by the question, Joaquin furrowed his brows and answered impatiently,


    "She''s not. Just what the hell happened? Cut to the chase!"


    He had never been one for suspense, and Jeremy knew that well, so the young man no longer dared


    mumble and answered solemnly, "You''ve asked me to dig into the woman in the bar from five years


    ago, didn''t you? I''ve gotten an update!"


    Joaquin''s countenance turned grave at once, and a hint of darkness enveloped his eyes along with a


    sliver of anxiety, all while an intense apprehension wrapped around his heart.


    "Who is it?" It was only then he realized his voice was beyond hoarse, tight.


    Jeremy, on the other hand, gulped and rted the event instead of revealing who it was right away, "I


    found the bar, but the boss said he didn''t own the ce five years ago. Then I followed the trail and


    found the boss from five years ago. I asked if he remembered the Cechirusian woman who had gone to


    the bar that night five years ago, and lo and behold, he was shocked by my question. He said a woman


    hade to him not too long ago also asking about that night. However, the person she investigated


    was a Cechirusian man!"


    At that, a hint of strangeness shed across Joaquin''s head. Something¡¯s not right.


    A woman is also investigating that night, and she even asked for the Cechirusian man who was there¡­


    Can it be¡­ Can she be the woman I spent the night with?


    "Then?" he pressed on, choking on his words badly.


    As troubled as he felt, Jeremy knew he had to bite the bullet. "That woman is Katherine!"

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242


    Joaquin was bewildered after hearing this information, and his pupils shrank in horror. "What did you


    say?!" His taut voice turned hoarse. One could even deduce from his voice alone that he barely had a


    handle on his emotional turmoil.


    Jeremy knew firsthand how out of this world this news was. It was like a bomb thrown into a calmke,


    which caused a massive shockwave. Even he was utterly astonished when he heard it, so he couldn''t


    even imagine what Joaquin was feeling at this moment. He licked his lips and stammered, "That


    woman in the bar five years ago w-was Katherine!"


    Then, he hastily added as if he remembered something, "By the way, when I met the bar owner today,


    he was muttering something like ''''Damn it. What is up with them? Why did everyonee to ask me


    about that day''. It sounded rather strange, so I asked him about it, a-and he told me that Katherine had


    gone to meet him earlier and said that she already knew who the man was..."


    It meant that Katherine knew that Joaquin was the man from five years ago.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Joaquin squeezed his phone tightly as his veins bulged due to his agitation. He pursed his thin lips into


    a line, and his well-defined features couldn''t even hide his gloominess. He did not say a word. Perhaps,


    it was more like he couldn''t bring himself to say anything asplicated emotions shed within his


    dark eyes. Plus, he could barely untangle the mess that was in his mind.


    How can it be... She was the woman from five years ago! I''ve been looking for her for so long, but she


    has always been by my side!


    His eyes fluttered shut as he tried to digest this shocking news. Finally, he suppressed the well of


    emotions in his eyes as he rubbed his forehead.


    "Boss..." Jeremy hesitantly spoke up on the other end of the line since Joaquin hadn''t given him a


    reply, so he was curious to know what Joaquin intended to do.


    However, before he could finish his sentence, Joaquin hung up on him.


    "Hey?! Boss!" He gasped in bafflement when he heard the dial tone. Then, he sighed helplessly.


    Who would have thought that Joaquin and Katherine had already met five years ago? Still, the


    nonsensewsuit five years ago should finallye to an end.


    Moreover, Joaquin had to think about how to exin himself to Katherine. Fortunately for Jeremy, that


    was none of his business.


    At the thought of this, he rxed since he had sessfully finished one of his errands. He even


    whistled in delight as he boarded the ne.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Joaquin stood rooted on the spot in Katherine''s vi after ending the call with shaky hands.


    After a beat, he lowered his hand that was massaging his forehead, snapped his eyes open, and


    frowned. There was a dark and gloomy tide raging in his eyes.


    Although the call hadsted only less than 20 minutes, he felt as if he had been out for a decade. It


    was as though he had entered a stimtion only to experience the incident that had urred five


    years ago again.


    He was the one at fault back then. Thus, he had always been brooding about it.


    Once, when he was dreaming, he thought about what the woman whom he had held and made love to


    would look like, but he couldn''t see anything, no matter how hard he tried.


    Even though Beatrice had been by his side these past few years, he had never experienced the same


    feeling from that night.


    When he learned that Beatrice was a fake and not the person from five years ago, he felt angered and


    dazed. But more than that, he felt utterly relieved.


    He had never liked Beatrice the way a boyfriend loved a girlfriend. He even beat himself up because of


    this. Nheless, he was d that Beatrice was not the woman he wanted, but what followed was


    bottomless remorse and dilemma.


    As his feelings for Katherine deepened, they soon overwhelmed him, and he willingly fell into the abyss


    of love.


    Nevertheless, the feeling of guilt toward the woman he slept with back then only became harder to


    ignore.


    This dilemma had been bothering him for a long time, and he didn''t know if he should love Katherine


    wholeheartedly or back down because she deserved better. However, now that he learned Katherine


    was the woman that night five years ago, he didn''t know how to face her.


    Was he happy? Of course! He had never denied his feelings for Katherine. He loved her and didn''t


    want to hide his affection for her.


    Initially, he didn''t know how to handle all these twisted emotions, but now, since she was the woman he


    had been searching for, he had nothing to worry about. He loved the right person, so he didn''t have to


    worry about an unknown woman appearing in his life one day. Regardless, the guilt that had been


    eating him up surged like a tsunami.


    He was aware of how repulsed Katherine was toward physical intimacy and how he had scarred her


    after that night.


    What happened that night was her nightmare! How would she look at him now? How should he face


    her after what he had done? Especially when he knew his actions had deeply hurt her?


    His heart and mind were an utter mess. The longer he thought about it, the more irritable he became


    and the more clueless he was about his situation.


    He suddenly remembered that although she looked the same as usual today, he noticed some minute


    differences when observing her expression closely, especially how she looked at him. Her gaze was


    tinged with something he couldn''t quite ce when she sneaked nces at him.


    What should I do? Should Ie clean about this matter? Will she forgive me when she knows the


    truth?


    He furrowed his brows tightly as his frown seemed as though it was etched on his face. His handsome


    face exuded an aura of despair and guilt.


    Just when he was about to run his fingers through his hair due to annoyance, the door opened, and


    Katherine walked in.


    "Oh? Why are you awake so early?" She had ointment in her hand. It was apparent that she was about


    to apply it for him.


    Joaquin turned and took a nce at her youthful, yet beautiful face that was free of makeup. He pursed


    his thin lips and nodded hesitantly.


    Katherine had something on her mind right now, so she didn''t notice anything unusual about him.


    Therefore, she walked to the bed and handed him the ointment without further ado. "You have to apply


    the ointment every two hours. Since you''re already awake, you can do it yourself."


    He had no objections to her suggestion and nodded slightly in response. When he took the ointment


    from her, his fingertips lightly slid across her palm, and he instantly noticed that she trembled slightly as


    if his touch had electrified her.


    He felt his heart twist in pain when he saw that. It felt like someone had punched him in the gut, making


    it hard for him to breathe. D-Did she loathe him so bad that she couldn''t even handle his touch any


    longer?


    When he arrived on that train of thought, he tried his best to conceal his heartache despite feeling even


    more distraught and miserable. Finally, he couldn''t help but raise his head to look at her. "Kathy, I have


    something to¡ª"


    Before he could finish his words, she sat down on the bed, slightly away from him, but she didn''t look


    repulsed or resistant by his presence. "Do you have something to say?" She looked at him with her


    bright doe-eyes. Although she looked normal, and there was not a hair out of ce, there was still a


    hint of steel in her eyes that made him straighten in his seat. "That''s fine. I also have something to say.


    Let me say my piece first."


    Joaquin was startled by her words. Nheless, he could only nod in agreement despite his hesitation.


    "Okay."


    Katherine took a deep breath, and her eyes darted sideways nervously when she saw him staring at


    her. Finally, she fidgeted slightly and ordered, "You should apply the ointment while listening to me."


    "Alright." Joaquin fiddled with the ointment before nodding warily. He had a feeling that she wanted to


    talk about what had happened five years ago...

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243


    Joaquin''s guess was right on the money. Katherine did want toe clean. Yet, it was a tricky topic to


    discuss, but for the sake of Noah, she couldn''t drag it out any longer. She had to talk things out with


    him.


    When she thought about her daughter, she tried her best to ignore the difort in her heart and


    suppressed the anxiety in her bright eyes. Finally, she opened her mouth and said softly, "I''ve told you


    about Noah''s father, but that''s not the whole truth. I want to tell you everything today. Do you want to


    hear it?"


    When Joaquin heard this, he almost lost control. There was a crack in his usual calm demeanor as his


    hands trembled when applying the ointment to his injury. Hence, he lowered his eyes, and for the first


    time in his life, he did not dare to look at her. So, he merely hummed softly as his eyes flickered with


    trepidation.


    Then, Katherine told her version of the incident that had happened five years ago. Although her voice


    had a faint tremor, in the beginning, her voice became firmer as time passed. It felt as though she was


    tearing through the mess of scars from her past; it was both painful and cathartic. "Back then, I was


    terrified and desperate. I had no room to fight back, so I could only bear it miserably. That night was a


    nightmare that I will never forget. I''ve been looking for that man and wanted to ask him why he did this


    to me. I needed an exnation. I wanted closure."


    There... I finally said it. As she exposed the bloody wound that had been lingering in her heart, it didn''t


    feel as agonizing as she expected. Instead, there was a faint sense of relief as those words left her lips.


    She exhaled lightly, and it felt like her very breath carried a faint sense of corruption that had finally left


    her body. Then, she looked straight at Joaquin and stared intently into his eyes. "Joaquin, I want to


    know where you were that night five years ago."


    Joaquin remained silent in the face of her questioning gaze. When he heard her side of the story, he


    felt invisible vines had taken root in his heart as they ruthlessly strangled it. Every breath brought a


    sharp pang as the vines'' thorns twisted and poked bloody holes into his heart


    Although her tone of voice was calm as she spoke, he could still feel the fear and despair she had felt


    back then. He truly wanted to p himself for doing something so dastardly!


    Even if he had no choice and had lost his mind due to the drug, how could he have done such a thing?!


    He was an utter b*stard!


    His silence confused her. She couldn''t see his emotions since he had already lowered his head by the


    time she scrutinized him. So, she thought his actions were one of avoidance, and he didn''t want to


    answer her. As the seconds ticked by, the hope in her eyes slowly dimmed.


    Before Katherine entered, she had thought this through. As long as he admitted what he had done and


    gave her a reasonable exnation, she could forgive him.


    The hatred that had fueled her the past five years slowly burned away into nothing when she saw him.


    She didn''t know why, but she felt that she could trust Joaquin. She felt that maybe everything was a


    misunderstanding, and he was also another victim.


    Yet now, he refused to say anything...


    Then, just when she felt that she hade for nothing, he suddenly raised his head and looked at her


    solemnly. His eyes were filled withplex emotions and held a touch of shame.


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    "On that fateful day five years ago, I received a task from my superiors and was ordered to destroy a


    harmful toxin at the TruMark Research in Fontan. But the news was leaked somehow, and TruMark


    Research set a trap and prepared for the intrusion in advance. My men and I were ambushed and


    identally poisoned during the fight. We were escaping from the fight when they were chasing after


    us. That was when I decided to hide in a bar to avoid the pursuers."


    Katherine was startled as she didn''t expect him to talk about the past so bluntly. Thest shred of hope


    in her eyes grew as it burned like a minuscule me swaying in the wind, one wrong word, and the


    harsh truth would blow it out. She looked at him quietly as he reminisced about the past.


    "At that time, I just wanted to find a ce to hide. The bar was the best ce because of its loud music


    and chaotic environment. But I didn''t expect that the poison in my body would kick in so soon, and the


    side effect of that poison was..."


    When he reached this part of the story, he paused and forged on, his voice deeper than before.


    "It was a sexual enhancer. Despite my irond self-control, I couldn''t resist the drug''s effect on my


    body. At that time, I waspletely confused, and all my rationality and whatnot were thrown out the


    window. The effect of the poison was too potent, and I couldn''t control myself, so I..."


    Finally, the truth was out in the open, in and simple. Joaquin''s expression was filled with guilt and


    misery. For the first time in his life, he felt extremely ashamed and remorseful for his actions. When he


    continued recounting his past, his voice was even hoarser.


    "I''m sorry, Kathy. I couldn''t control myself at all at that time. I know this may seem like an excuse to


    you, but I didn''t mean to hurt you. When I came to my senses, everything had already happened. At


    that time, I only had one thought, and that was to marry you. I had made a vow to take care of you for


    the rest of my life, and I wouldn''t marry another woman. Even though it was an overbearing and


    unreasonable decision, I didn''t know how else to make up for the mistake I made..."


    He had always been taciturn. However, this was the first time Katherine had heard him say so many


    words in one breath.


    She remained silent and simply looked at him steadily. It was as if she tried to see through him and


    glimpse at his very soul. People had always said that the eyes were the windows of the soul; she


    wanted to peek through his eyes to discern whether he was telling the truth.


    So, this is the truth behind the terrors that had been guing me. It was all a misunderstanding¡ªa


    terrible yet frustrating misunderstanding. He is not a frivolous man, nor did he intend to hurt me that


    night. It was all an unfortunate coincidence.


    At this moment, the nightmare that had been tormenting her for many years seemed to disappear as


    the truth came to light. The sun shone through the curtains and illuminated that hidden corner that had


    been shadowed for five years.


    When she came to that realization, her lips curled into a tiny thing. But it was a genuine smile all the


    same.


    Joaquin gazed at her nervously and was on pins and needles after finally forcing himself to confess his


    crime. This was the first time he had felt this way, and it was even worse when the person witnessing


    his shame was the person whom he loved the most. Nheless, he was startled when he saw her


    smile. He couldn''t help but feel utterly dazed as he expected to be condemned and despised.


    After a few seconds, he gently parted his thin lips and asked warily, "W-What are you smiling at?"


    Katherine quirked a brow and nced at his tightly clenched fists. Her smile widened when she saw


    how his actions betrayed his anxiety. "I''m mocking you. You have always been so calm and collected,


    but who would have thought that there would be a day when a drug seeded in controlling you? It''s


    just so unbelievable."


    Joaquin was even more confused when he heard her words. Therefore, he stammered, "D-Do you


    believe me?"


    She took the ointment from him, closed it securely, and palmed it as she mused, "Why? Are you


    implying that I shouldn''t believe what you said? Should I doubt you?"


    He blinked rapidly and rubbed his nose, mumbling, "No, that''s not what I mean."


    This was the first time she saw him looking like a guilty little boy. She was relieved as she finally


    received the closure she had been chasing. Hence, she was so delighted that she tossed all her


    worries away as she finally took a good look at his guilty appearance.


    When he noticed that she wasn''t about to hurl obscenities at him, he hesitated briefly, scooted a little


    closer, and asked gingerly, "Kathy, w-will you forgive me?"

 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244


    When Katherine heard this, she cheekily thought that this was a golden opportunity to tease him. So,


    she deliberately donned a grave expression as she raised her eyebrows imperiously and remained


    silent as she stared at him.


    Joaquin felt his heart reach his throat when he saw her reaction. It was an utter torment to be in this


    position right now. He had never experienced such a thing for more than two decades. Suffice it to say,


    this was an urrence that would only happen when he was around her.


    A hint of joy shed in her eyes when she saw him staring at her nervously. Therefore, she slowly let


    out a sigh after she figured that she had had fun.


    "It''s all in the past now. You''ve exined your part of the story, and I believe you. It''s just a


    misunderstanding, and it was not like you were of sound mind. What else can I do? Should I torture you


    or beat you to a pulp? Or should I hate you for something that you were also a victim of? We should let


    bygones be bygones. I forgive you, and I''m happy to say goodbye to the festering anger that had


    bogged me down in the past. I want to embrace the future fully, and I''m no masochist, so I want my


    nightmares gone. You''ve given me the closure I''ve sought for all this time, and I would be a fool to


    dwell on nonexistent injuries."


    Her voice turned into a low murmur when she said thest sentence, and a bleak light gleamed in her


    eyes. Although she had truly forgiven him, the pain she had endured couldn''t just disappear magically.


    She needed time to heal from her torment.


    Joaquin''s heart ached when he heard Katherine''s words. He tightened his hands slightly before


    reaching out, taking her hand, and carefully holding them in his hands.


    His shoulders drooped slightly as he curled into himself in relief when he realized that she didn''t avoid


    his touch. Nheless, he was wholly earnest and solemn as he intoned, "Kathy, I know it''s not easy


    to let bygones be bygones, but that doesn''t matter. From now on, I''ll always be by your side, and I''ll


    protect you from any harm as best as I can."


    She knew that he was serious. So, she nodded slightly in response and said nothing more.


    The room fell silent as both parties came to terms with the truth. After the confession, the atmosphere


    between the two became charged with something other than anxiety and guilt.


    Joaquin fixed his gaze on his beloved Katherine. He couldn''t bear to look away, and his heart felt like it


    was bursting at the seams with his affection for her.


    Life had yed a cruel prank on them. Who would have thought that the woman back then would be


    her, and their meet-cute was anything but?


    He had been walking around in circles as he tried to uncover her identity for five years. But when he


    learned the truth, he had already be her legal husband. Their union was so baffling yet somehow


    just right. He felt so choked up by his emotions that he didn''t know how to convey his feelings.


    Still, Joaquin couldn''t help but feel immensely grateful that he didn''t miss out on this remarkable


    woman. Their rtionship might not be the most conventional, and there were so many bumps in the


    road. Ultimately, none of that mattered as long as he had Katherine for better and for worse. He felt


    grateful that she had given him a chance to atone for his sins. So, now he had all the time in the world


    to make things up to her.


    Her eyes flickered slightly as if she could sense his emotional journey. Finally, she raised her head to


    meet his eyes and looked at him. She suddenly let out an amused huff when their gaze met.


    "So, you always thought that Beatrice was the woman you had hurt back then, so you protected her,


    right? Frankly, I don''t even know whether fool is enough to describe your idiocy, Joaquin."


    He actually thought that awful woman was her, and he protected and showered her with affection. Now


    that she thought about it, she felt highly displeased.


    Joaquin twitched his lips with a resigned look on his face when he noticed her annoyed expression.


    "When I woke up, I went back to the bar to look for you, but I ran into Beatrice. She imed to be you


    and was also the only Cechirusian there, so I didn''t doubt her ims. But, over the years, I did feel


    something was off. The first thing that made me suspicious of her was that she never evoked the same


    emotions within me as you did. But the instant I thought of what I had done, I couldn''t bear to ask her


    the truth. So many chances to discover the truth these five years slipped through my fingers due to my


    negligence and guilt. I wouldn''t have imagined that she was not the woman back then if you hadn''t


    exposed her for the fraud she was."


    Katherine narrowed her eyes slightly, snatched her hands out of his, and stared at him with a mirthless


    smile. "You couldn''t feel what you felt back then when you were with her?" She repeated his words


    expressionlessly and even raised her voice toward the end of it.


    rms red within the confines of Joaquin''s mind as he hurriedly exined, "No! No, that''s not what I


    meant! I just thought that she didn''t look like you back then. I didn''t do anything with her. You know that


    I never mess around."


    There was a hint of ttery in his tone and actions. Although she was smiling, she felt anything but


    happy. She pouted and snarked, "How would I know? You spent five years thinking she was me, after


    all."


    "It''s true, Kathy. You have to believe me." Joaquin leaned toward her and held her hands desperately.


    He sped her hands and squeezed them to prevent her from shying away from him.


    She knew that he was telling the truth. Beatrice had told her that he had never touched her or slept with


    her all these years, but Katherine still couldn''t help but feel upset.


    He felt uneasy at first, but as he scrutinized her, his eyes lit up, and he curled his lips into a smirk.


    "Kathy, you''re jealous, aren''t you?" he asked out of the blue, and there was a hint of delight in his


    voice.


    Jealous? Katherine frowned and rolled her eyes. "As if. Jealousy is beneath me."


    "Is that so?" Joaquin teased.


    Katherine felt a little embarrassed. So, she shook him off and rose to her feet. "What? Are you


    questioning me now? Don''t push your luck, got it?"


    He was worried that she was genuinely annoyed, so he quickly scampered to his feet, embraced her


    tightly, and reassured her, "I''m sorry. It''s all my fault. I should have known that she was the wrong


    person, and I shouldn''t have mistaken her for you for so many years. I was blind and stupid. Please be


    a bigger person and forgive me for my idiocy, okay?"


    He knew what was upsetting her, so he willingly coaxed her.


    Katherine leaned on his shoulder, utterlyforted and rxed by his gentle tone as his unique scent


    engulfed her. Suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat as her eyes turned teary when she thought of all


    the difficulties she had faced in the past.


    Over the years, she had gotten used to hiding her true self behind a tough and strong fa?ade, and she


    had never once cried in front of anyone. She had never shed a single tear because of this incident,


    even when alone at night. Yet, she had the urge to cry when she was in his embrace.


    Fortunately, she had strong self-control. Thus, she quickly reigned in her emotions and forced her tears


    back.


    "You''re still recovering. Sit down," she pushed him gently and said sullenly.


    Joaquin sat down and pulled her to sit beside him. He intertwined his hand with hers and refused to let


    go. After a brief moment of silence, he couldn''t help but inquire curiously, "Why did you leave?"


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "Why?" Katherine pursed her lips. "How could I stay there after what happened? Did you expect me to


    stay there and kill you? If I hadn''t¡ª" ¡ªbeen pregnant with Noahter, and Noah was afflicted with such


    a strange disease, there was a high chance I wouldn''t have wanted to see you ever again. Honestly, I


    would just let Savannah handle it if I stumbled upon you one day.


    "What about you?" She dismissed those what-ifs with a shake of her head and brought up the main


    topic. "You were poisoned. What happened next?"


    Joaquin frowned when he recalled what had happened. His expression sank as he continued his side


    of the story, "I fell unconscious, and you probably left by the time my subordinates came to rescue me.


    They thought it would take some time for the drug to be flushed out of my system, but they never


    expected the poison to bepletely out of my system once I woke up."

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245


    "Are you saying that the poison on your body was gone as soon as you woke up? But your sensory


    pain nerves are busted. What happened then?" Katherine felt something was amiss, so she questioned


    him with a frown.


    "I''m not entirely sure about that. In short, after I woke up, I did an examination and found that the


    residual poison in my body was gone, and along with it was my sense of pain. It went on like this for


    years. Later, I discovered that it could be cured using Xyadin by some odd coincidence. Unfortunately,


    the treatment was dangerous, and it was hard to locate the cure. Thus, I''ve dyed treating my illness


    for so long."


    This time it was Katherine''s turn to look grave as an idea popped into her mind.


    She clearly remembered that the rose birthmark on her body had been aching for several days after


    that incident that year. Then, she was highly preupied with her alleged rape and didn''t pay it any


    mind, especially since she was a traumatized victim at the time. But now, she couldn''t help but


    specte something when she observed the changes her rose-shaped birthmark would show following


    her physical condition.


    Perhaps, that unique patterned birthmark could detoxify poisons? Or something in her body could do


    so, and that also affected the birthmark''s changes. That would exin why the poison on Joaquin''s


    body was gone after their tryst.


    They were physically intimate, and the rose birthmark detected the toxin, so it took effect and


    neutralized the poison in his body.


    Despite the detoxification, the toxicity of the poison was so potent that it left a severe side effect, which


    was shown through his damaged nerves. Moreover, due to the high toxicity of the poison, some of it


    entered her body during the neutralizing process, and she couldn''t clear the toxinpletely.


    Furthermore, she had a unique constitution because of the rose birthmark. As a result, the toxin was


    transferred to the fetus, which would exin why Noah was born with poison in her system!


    The longer Katherine thought about it, the more likely it seemed.


    She didn''t tell Joaquin about the rose birthmark because she didn''t know anything about it so far; it also


    sounded like something straight out of a fairy tale. So, she left it out of her theory and only told him


    about the rest.


    Joaquin''s expression became sullen after he heard this, and his eyes turned icy. He didn''t expect the


    incident five years ago to have such severe consequences.


    "Kathy, I''m sorry. It''s all because of me..." He pursed his lips and apologized hoarsely.


    Katherine waved him off. "You don''t owe me any apology. This matter is beyond your control. Besides,


    no one would have thought things would turn out this way."


    Then, she immediately grasped the crucial point and demanded, "You said that you were infected with


    Zephyr five years ago when you breached into TruMark Research to destroy the toxin, right?"


    "Yes." Joaquin nodded slowly. "This toxin is hazardous. Area Seven attached great importance to the


    news as soon as they received it, which was why I was immediately assigned to Fontan with my men to


    eliminate the toxin. Plus, the operation was extremely ssified. So, only those with high clearance


    would even know that such an operation was in the works. Thus, it was still a mystery how the leak


    happened and who was behind it."


    Katherine had heard about TruMark Research. It was different from the Third Research Institute. By


    that, she meant that it was a secretive organization, be it in Fontan or even worldwide. No one knew


    what they were researching or the fruits of theirbors, but it was an open secret that they were


    involved in shady businesses.


    Nevertheless, she didn''t expect that the powerful Zephyr was a product of TruMark Research.


    "What happened next? Did your destruction operation fail?" she asked.


    "No." Joaquin shook his head. "On the contrary, we seeded in the end. We destroyed Zephyr."


    "What?" She was surprised by this news. "How? Didn''t you say that someone had exposed the


    operation?"


    At this point, Joaquin cast her a meaningful nce. "This is also something that has bothered me for


    years."


    Five years ago, he led his men and finally found TruMark Research''s stronghold, only to find the ce


    empty and chaotic, as if a storm had ransacked the facility. When heid his eyes on the facility, he


    immediately guessed that his mission was exposed, and the research facility employees had already


    packed anything useful and left.


    However, he didn''t give up. Instead, he asked his men to conduct a carpet search just in case they


    could get their hands on any residual toxins that TruMark Research was producing.


    Perhaps, the people in the research facility retreated in a hurry because they discovered the lone


    research left behind in one of theboratories. Joaquin checked it carefully and found that it was none


    other than Zephyr!


    So, he immediately rounded up his men and ordered them to destroy all the toxins in the facility. But, to


    their bewilderment, the people of the research facility suddenly returned and attacked them, catching


    them off guard.


    The opponent hade prepared and had more manpower than Joaquin and his men. The opponent


    also had no qualms about using dirty tricks. It also didn''t help that Joaquin and his men didn''t know the


    situation and environment well, so even if they tried their best to fight back, they couldn''t defeat their


    opponents. To make matters worse, he was also poisoned during that fight.


    "So, you suspected that there was a mole, right?" Katherine immediately pointed out his suspicions.


    Joaquin looked at her; his eyes were filled with tant admiration for her quick thinking. "Yes. I''ve been


    running through all the possibilities repeatedly and felt that something had gone wrong somewhere.


    Perhaps, the people in TruMark Research received the news at the veryst minute and promptly


    retreated, but why did they return? At first, I thought they were rushing back to retrieve Zephyr, but


    later, I realized I might be wrong because those people never entered theboratory where Zephyr was


    stored. Rather, their entire focus was on my team and eliminating us!"


    She immediately came to an epiphany. Her eyes had a calctive gleam as she narrowed them


    slightly. "So, that means that their main goal wasn''t Zephyr but to ambush you!"


    "Yes. The poison in thoseboratories might be a cover, and it may not be the real Zephyr! They had


    already taken away the real thing!"


    "What happened next? Did you hear any news about TruMark Research?"


    Joaquin shook his head in frustration. "The research institute went to the ground after that, and we


    didn''t pick up any chatter until recently. Area Seven has tried to track it down, but this matter involves


    two countries, and several diplomatic disputes have urred. Thus, Area Seven couldn''t act rashly


    until they received clear orders from the higher-ups."


    Katherine understood that politicking could be messy, especially when said politics involve shady


    dealings regarding biological warfare. So, she nodded lightly upon hearing this piece of information.


    Indeed, there had been no news from TruMark Research for the past few years, and she even


    entertained the thought that the institute had been rounded up and forced to close. Nheless, she


    felt it was improbable that it happened after receiving another piece of the puzzle from Joaquin.


    Moreover, it seemed TruMark Research had powerful backers, which aroused her interest and


    curiosity.


    "What should we do about Noah''s illness?" Joaquin hastily inquired. "The poison in my body was


    Zephyr, and you cured me with Xyadin. So, you should be able to devise a solution to detoxify Noah''s


    poison too."


    Katherine shook her head as she said in disappointment, "The poison in Noah''s body is far more


    complicated than Zephyr since her leukemiaplicates her condition. It is not possible to just


    neutralize the poison with poison. I say this because I know that Xyadin is highly toxic. Noah is already


    of frail health, so she would not be able to withstand such treatment."N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

 Chapter 246

    Chapter 246


    Joaquin''s brows furrowed tightly as he heard her words, and his expression became grave at the


    thought of his daughter''s illness. "What is the toxin in her body? Haven''t you found a solution yet?"


    Since they were on the topic of solutions, Katherine immediately thought of Q. "I know a person on the


    Red Web who specializes in poison research and is an expert in this field. I''ve already sent Noah''s


    blood sample to him. So now, I can only wait for his prognosis."


    Joaquin knew he couldn''t rush her, especially when she had already exined the measures she had


    taken. Therefore, all they could do for now was to wait patiently.


    As their conversation fell to a close, the two fell silent. Finally, the truth about five years ago, which had


    been a burden for the two, waspletely unveiled. The two inevitably felt mixed emotions at this


    moment, and the atmosphere became quite strange.


    "Why are you looking at me?" Of course, Katherine noticed his gaze. But her mind was still a mess, so


    she was still trying to untangle the said mess. However, she could no longer bear his unabashed


    attention on her person as she stared straight at him.


    There was a bright grin on his handsome and charming face, and his starry eyes gleamed with pride as


    he replied boldly, "Because I want to look at you. You''re my wife. So, there''s nothing wrong with me


    looking at you."


    Katherine pursed her lips and almost rolled her eyes at his antics.


    "You''re still hurt and on bed rest for two days. Doctor''s orders. Get some rest. I''m leaving now." With


    that, she was about to get up when Joaquin suddenly tugged on her wrist. She staggered, fell onto


    Joaquin''sp, and her body was pressed against his firm chest.


    "Hey! W-What are you doing?!" His actions shocked Katherine, and she hastily tried to remove herself


    from this intimate position. Unfortunately, he refused to let go. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her


    tightly and stopped her from leaving.


    He looked down, and his eyes were filled with gratified satisfaction. His lips curled into a small smile,


    and he pressed his forehead against hers.


    Their sudden close proximity made her feel flustered, and she froze on the spot. It didn''t help that they


    could feel the warm breath spreading on each other''s faces as they breathed.


    Katherine''s eyshes fluttered slightly. Her cheeks felt a little warm, and she could tell that there was a


    growing flush right up to the tips of her ears. She frantically looked away, not daring to meet his eyes.


    Joaquin didn''t mind her bashfulness; he felt that it was quite adorable. He remained silent as he


    regarded her with a passionate gaze. After some time, he finally parted his thin lips and whispered


    lowly with an unmistakable hint of tion, "Kathy. It''s actually you. I''m so happy that it''s you..."


    This remark was filled with emotions, including surprise, relief, and endless joy.


    Katherine pursed her lips slightly without saying anything, but his words had tugged at her heartstrings.


    ...


    That night, she was still thinking about whether she should return to Cechirus tomorrow or wait for


    Joaquin to recover when her phone rang.


    She nced at the caller ID, and it was an unknown number. She nned to ignore it, but on second


    thought, she remembered that she hadn''t used this number for a long time in Fontan. So, who could it


    be, especially at this hour?


    Countless questions filled her mind. Hence, she hesitated for a while and finally decided to pick it up.


    "Hello. Who is it?" she asked.


    To her surprise, a shocked and suspicious voice came from the other end of the line, "Y-You?! I-It''s


    you!!"


    Katherine didn''t notice anything odd in the beginning and was utterly confused by the other party''s


    remarks. Thus, she demanded, "Who are you? What do you want? How do you know this number?"


    Unfortunately, all that greeted her the next second was a series of busy tones. She stared at the phone


    and frowned in bafflement. What the hell is going on? Is that person crazy? What the hell is this?


    Joaquin came over with a te of fruits in his hand. He fed her strawberry while asking, "What''s the


    matter? Who called?"


    Katherine shook her head. She swallowed the strawberry and was about to mock the caller when her


    expression changed drastically. The voice on the phone just now was Keith''s!


    "Keith!" she blurted in bewilderment as soon as she recognized the voice from earlier.


    Joaquin looked at her curiously. "Did you tell him your number in Fontan? Why did he call you?"


    "Of course not! How could I tell him this number? This is the number I use to contact Savannah in


    Fontan!" She immediately denied it.


    When he heard the pure astonishment in her voice and realized something was fishy, so he asked,


    "How did he know the number then? Were you mistaken?"


    "He''s my brother! How could I not recognize his voice?" Katherine retorted hotly.


    Judging from his flustered voice earlier, she could tell that he did not expect her to be the one


    answering the phone. What was going on?


    She frowned as she tried to puzzle things out, but she still couldn''t make heads or tails of this matter.


    Eventually, she decided to call back, but Keith hung up as soon as the call was connected. This


    happened several times in session.


    Meanwhile, in Kynd, Keith was pacing back and forth in theboratory with his phone in hand.


    Bewilderment, panic, and aghast were written all over his face.


    How could it be Katherine?! He hacked into the system, found WW''s address and phone number, and


    called her! But how could Katherine be WW?!


    Did he lose his mind after stuffing himself in theboratory day and night these days?! Or was he


    hallucinating?


    Just when he started to doubt himself, the phone rang again. He wanted to hang up, but he jumped in


    fright when he saw the caller ID.


    This time, it was Katherine''s number in Hovington!


    Why did she call him at this moment? Oh gosh! She was the one who answered the phone just now,


    wasn''t she?!


    Forced to a corner, he had to answer Katherine''s call, albeit reluctantly. Thus, he gritted his teeth and


    replied, "Kathy..."


    "Northtitude 34 degrees, east longitude 108 degrees. You made a call to the number 711xxxxxxx five


    minutes ago. Keith, exin yourself." Katherine''s indifferent voice came from the receiver, sending a


    chill down Keith''s spine.


    Damn it! Damn! How did she find out my exact location so quickly?! Also, I used a virtual number just


    now!


    Just when he was struck dumb and couldn''t find the words to exin himself, Katherine slowly drawled


    out, "My dear, do you think I wouldn''t be able to find the caller just because you used a virtual number?


    Others may not be able to do it, but it''s me we''re talking about. So, hurry up and exin yourself. Who


    are you? What did you do behind my back?"


    Keith pursed his lips awkwardly. How could he forget that Katherine was the most mysterious person in


    the world?! There were always surprises in store when she was involved.


    At this point, he knew that he had to face the music. So, he closed his eyes as though he was in pain,


    swallowed anxiously, and forced out, "Kathy, you''re WW, aren''t you?"


    Katherine''s eyes widened but quickly narrowed into slits when she heard him. She didn''t bother


    answering him as she demanded austerely, "How did you know this code name? Be honest!"


    Keith felt himself tremble violently as he answered truthfully, "R-Red Web."


    Katherine''s pupils shrank at his candid answer. Suddenly, a thought shed in her mind, and she


    instantly figured things out. s, she couldn''t hide her tremulous tone as she questioned, "A-Are you


    Q?"N?velDrama.Org content.

 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247


    As soon as Katherine finished asking the question, Keith couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. She knows my


    codename...


    "Uh..." He hesitated before admitting reluctantly. "Yes, I''m Q."


    Katherine, who had always been levelheaded, was still taken aback by the answer. Her own brother


    was actually Q, an expert in poison research on the Red Web. This was all too surreal and bizarre for


    her.


    Immediately afterward, she frowned and became agitated when the realities behind having a


    codename hit her like a sledgehammer. "Keith Cornell! I sent you to Kynd to study. So, what are you


    doing on the Red Web with an ount? A well-known ount! What were you thinking?!"


    She knew full well about the nature of the Red Web and the dangers that lurked more than anyone


    else.


    Now that Keith had seeded in creating an ount on the Red Web as the famous ''Q'', there will be


    several people gunning for a sliver of information on the poison expert. Some might even attempt to


    find his real identity and force him to work for them. It would be perilous if someone really discovered


    his identity!


    Keith heard the rising fury in her tone. So, he licked his cracked lips sheepishly and quickly exined


    himself, "Kathy, calm down. I hide my tracks very well. No one knows that I''m Q. Besides, I''m always in


    myb, and no one will associate me with Q. I''m safe. So, don''t worry about me."


    "That''s easy for you to say! Do you think everything will go as nned?" Katherine snapped in dismay,


    "What is going on in that little head of yours? Why did you visit the Red Web? Why aren''t you cing


    your focus on your studies and research?"


    Keith scratched his cheek awkwardly as he chuckled. "Don''t worry. My study and research are


    progressing smoothly. I have nothing to do in my spare time, so I surf the Red Web with a fake name.


    There are all kinds of rare and strange things there, and sometimes Ie across new toxins or some


    drugs that I''ve never seen or heard of in the market. So, I usually study these things to pass the time!"


    Study these things to pass the time... Oh, God, give me patience, or I maymit fratricide. Katherine


    pped her forehead in exasperation. She was rendered utterly speechless by her own brother and did


    not know where to begin reprimanding this carefree fool.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Nevertheless, he quickly took her silence as an opportunity to take control of the conversation, "Wait a


    minute! What about you? You have an ount on the Red Web too! I never expected you to be WW!


    Sure, you''re worried about me. But what about you?!"


    Katherine smirked and quipped nonchntly, "Grandpa created the Red Web. I just took over the


    administration side of things quite recently."


    "What?!" This remark blew Keith''s mind. "Grandpa was the founder of the Red Web?!" He was so


    dumbstruck that it took him a while to digest the fact. "Damn, Grandpa is so cool! He actually founded


    the Red Web!"


    After his brief fanboying attitude, he became displeased. "Wait a minute, Kathy! How could you keep


    this secret from me?! This is the Red Web we''re talking about!"


    She rolled her eyes at his nattering, knowing how foolhardy he could be without supervision.


    Considering his handle as ''Q'', she would say that her insults about his character were well-founded.


    "Do you think it''s a good thing to be in on this secret? Have you ever imagined how dangerous our


    situation would be if people learned about this?! The Red Web is eye-catching because of its


    great influence. Plenty of people are practically frothing at the mouth to know who is behind the Red


    Web. After your forbidden foray into the Red Web, which we will be talking about after this, you should


    know how many users haveplicated and dangerous backgrounds. I didn''t tell you about this


    because I don''t want to cause you unnecessary trouble. Most importantly, I don''t want you to be


    stressed out by this!"


    Her voice was crisp and clear, but her tone became harsher as she reprimanded him, "Keith, all I hope


    for is for you to be safe and healthy for the rest of your life. So, from now on, please don''t get involved


    in anything, and stay away from the Red Web. Just focus on your studies and research, do you hear


    me?! I''ll break your legs if I ever catch you doing anything dangerous! You hear me?!"


    Keith knew she was scolding him because she worried about his well-being. So, he didn''t protest as he


    nodded timidly. "Okay, but I''m worried about you too¡ª"


    "You don''t need to worry about me," Katherine snapped, cutting him off. "I''m no slouch. Have you ever


    seen anyone taking advantage of me?"


    Then, her expression became solemn as she immediately got down to business. "Why did you contact


    me this time? Do You have the results of the blood sample I gave you?"


    Keith also shook away the trepidation of being caught red-handed by his sister when they talked about


    his expertise. His expression turned grave as he questioned, "First of all, whose blood sample is this?"


    She pursed her lips, hesitated momentarily, and answered truthfully, "Noah''s."


    "I knew it. No wonder her condition is so severe." Keith sighed as hemented lightly.


    "How is it? Have you found a way to detoxify the toxin in her body?" Katherine asked hurriedly.


    Keith nodded and reassured her, "Calm down, Kathy. Don''t worry. I contacted you to tell you that I''ve


    extracted the toxin from the blood sample, analyzed itsponents, and developed the corresponding


    antidote."


    "Really?!" Katherine''s eyes lit up with delight. "Are you sure there are no severe side effects?"


    "I''m sure. I divided the blood sample you sent over into several portions, one for research and the


    others for detoxification experiments."


    He sighed as he remarked, "I had no idea that there was such a potent poison running around in


    Noah''s body. She is very strong to be able to survive in the past few years."


    "What do you mean by that?" Katherine was startled by his words.


    "Don''t you know?" Keithmented in puzzlement. "The poison attacks in stages. Once it begins, she


    will feel immense pain that attacks her internal organs. Based on my research, most adults couldn''t


    bear such agony, but she seeded in holding out for so long. It''s really brave of her. Also, I''m talking


    about mild symptoms. Severe symptoms cause seizures and even cause the body to go into shock!"


    At this point, Katherine was utterly stunned by her brother''s diagnosis. Suddenly, she recalled the


    moments when Noah was huddled in the room alone. asionally, when she would check in on Noah,


    she would refuse to open the door no matter what. Then, when she finally left the bedroom, she would


    be drenched in sweat as if she had fallen into the pool, and her face would be ghastly pale.


    She had mistakenly thought that it was because of Noah''s autism that her daughter would act so oddly.


    Yet, ording to her brother, it seemed that it was caused by the toxin running in Noah''s veins! She


    had indeed neglected Noah all these years...


    "Kathy? Kathy? Are you listening?" Keith''s voice seemed toe from a distant ce as it interrupted


    Katherine''s thoughts.


    She noticed that there was a breath of warm air beside her. When she turned her head, she saw


    Joaquin sitting beside her, gently holding her hand. He curled his lips and gave her aforting smile.


    For some reason, she felt inexplicably calmed by him. Thus, she hummed faintly and asked, "I


    understand. When can youe to Hovington?"


    Keith answered, "I''ve finished my experiments here, and I don''t have any tasks at hand. I can return


    anytime. Noah''s illness is serious. I''ll be buying the quickest ne ticket home!"

 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248


    After Katherine ended the call, she looked at Joaquin and parted her lips to exin everything. s,


    she felt as though something was stuffed in her throat, and her voice refused to cooperate with her.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    He was sitting right next to her the entire time, so he had already listened in on the conversation


    between her and Keith. He hugged her gently and reassured her, "I know. Don''t worry. Since Keith has


    the antidote, we can save Noah."


    At this point, he could feel a tidal wave of emotions thrashing in his heart. Previously, his love for Noah


    was a natural bond that he had dismissed because he thought his love for her was due to Katherine


    and a yearning to have a daughter of his own with Katherine.


    Now that he thought about it, he finally realized where the inexplicable and unconditional love he had


    for Noah came from. As part of the saying goes, ''blood is thicker than water''. Noah was his biological


    daughter!


    When he thought of this, he quickly whisked out his phone and excitedly booked a flight ticket. Thus, he


    threw the doctor''s advice out the window and returned to Cechirus with Katherine that very night.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Jayden immediately got the news that Joaquin and Katherine had left Fontan the instant


    they reached the airport. "Boss, Miss Cornell just boarded the flight to Hovington."


    Jayden was currently flipping through a file. So, when he heard of this, he raised his dark eyes and


    asked, "Did she leave alone?"


    "No." His assistant, Aaron, shook his head. "She was with a man, but Boss, you wouldn''t have guessed


    who that man was!" At this point, Aaron looked solemn. "He''s from Area Seven! He was the man who


    was ordered to destroy ourb five years ago!"


    Jayden didn''t even flinch when he heard the news, but his gaze was filled with unnamed emotions.


    Aaron was a little puzzled by hisck of reaction. "Boss, why aren''t you surprised?"


    "Why would I be?" Jayden sneered. "I''ve already met him."


    "You did?" Aaron blurted, appalled. "Did he¡ª"


    "No, don''t worry. He doesn''t recognize me." Jayden rose to his feet, stood before the floor-to-ceiling


    window, and swept his gaze across the base outside with his hands behind his back. A hint of


    viciousness hovered under his eyes. "I have never made any public appearance as the mastermind


    behind TruMark Research, nor do I have a codename. So, how would he know my true identity?"


    Aaron only heaved a huge sigh of relief after Jayden''s words. Then, he grinned maliciously, "He came


    to Fontan to destroy ourb, but we were one step ahead of him. Although he managed to destroy our


    undergroundb, we had plenty of other hideouts, and thatb was just the least important one we


    owned. He could destroy it however he liked. It didn''t hurt us at all."


    Aaron was right. Jayden had already abandoned that underground research institute, so it didn''t matter


    when Area Seven trashed it. Furthermore, he intended to take this opportunity of Joaquin''s destruction


    of the toxin to erase TruMark Research''s traces from the public. From then on, he could hide in the


    shadows, which was easier for him to make his move.


    His chips had fallen where he intended, and everything went ording to his n. It seemed as if


    TruMark Research had been wiped out from the face of the earth after that night, and any eyes on


    them decreased tremendously. Therefore, he raked in a lot of cash by secretly selling the toxins his


    facility produced.


    "But what is the rtionship between Miss Cornell and that man? How did they end up together?"


    Aaron muttered curiously.


    Jayden''s face sank at those words. He pursed his lips tightly and said nothing.


    Joaquin''s appearance was a surprise to him.


    He had never hidden his admiration for Katherine. He had always known that Katherine was very


    aplished, talented in medicine, and adept at concocting reagents. Thus, he knew that it would be


    highly beneficial for him if he could win her heart. Hence, he pursued her with a strong motive.


    However, as time went by, he had a change of heart and fell in love with her.


    Katherine was simply too charming and charismatic! She radiated a brilliance everywhere she went,


    and he couldn''t take his eyes off her! Such a woman was a perfect match for him!


    Therefore, he would do anything to win her heart. It didn''t matter, even if she was now Joaquin''s wife!


    A sinister gleam shed in his eyes when he thought of Joaquin''s existence as he ordered coldly, "I''ll


    hand over the affairs here to you. Book a flight ticket for me to Cechirus. I''m leaving today."


    Aaron was taken aback by the sudden order and asked respectfully, "Boss, are you returning to


    Kynd?"


    "No," Jayden uttered coldly. "I''m going to Hovington."


    ...


    Katherine and Joaquin returned home as soon as they touched down at Hovington.


    Keith was already home and waiting for them. His eyes lit up in excitement when he saw the two of


    them. "Kathy! Have you found out anything?" When he came home, Jennifer told him that Katherine


    had gone to Fontan to locate Noah''s biological father.


    Jennifer heard the ruckus, so she came out of the room and beamed. "You''re back! Come. Sit down.


    Tell me, have you found out anything from this trip?"


    Katherine and Joaquin exchanged nces at their concern before walking over together.


    Katherine sat beside Jennifer, but Joaquin remained standing, so Jennifer muttered in confusion, "Joe,


    don''t just stand there. Join us."


    Joaquin pursed his lips and looked at Katherine''s face before taking a long breath and said gravely,


    "Grandma, I want to apologize to you."


    "What?" Jennifer was even more bewildered at this point and blinked dazedly. "Why are you


    apologizing to me?"


    Then, she turned to Katherine and questioned, "Kathy, what''s wrong? Did you guys fight?"


    Katherine shook her head and instinctively wanted to exin, but Joaquin interjected before she could


    say a word, "No, Grandma. I''m apologizing to you for the incident five years ago."


    "Five years ago?" Jennifer and Keith said in unison, wholly perplexed by his apology.


    Joaquin decided to pull off the Band-Aid by exining himself in one go, "Actually, I''m the person Kathy


    is looking for, and Kathy is also the person I''m looking for."


    As soon as he said this, Jennifer and Keith were stunned, and neither spoke. Finally, after a long


    moment of silence, Jennifer widened her eyes and stuttered out, "Y-You are that man?! Y-You are


    Noah''s father?!"


    Joaquin nodded solemnly. "Yes, I am Noah''s father. Unfortunately, I only found out about this recently."


    Nheless, he lowered his head in shame as he continued, "Back then, such an outrageous matter


    happened because of an uneptable reason. After that, I''ve been looking for Kathy high and low, but


    an impostor faked her identity, which was why it took me so long to find her. When I learned I had made


    a mistake; I sent my men to investigate the matter. I coincidentally found the same clues as Kathy,


    which revealed the truth behind that night."


    At this point, he clenched his fists tightly and looked tense as he forged on, "I know I messed up that


    night. I hurt Kathy, but I had already made up my mind at the time that I would take care of her for the


    rest of my life. Unfortunately, I didn''t do as I promised due to my negligence. Don''t worry, Grandma. I


    can assure you that from now on, I will never let any harme to Kathy and Noah. I will protect Kathy


    and Noah with my life!"

 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249


    Jennifer and Keith were both dumbstruck by Joaquin''s sudden confession. They stared at him


    unblinkingly as they tried to digest this bombshell.


    "W-What?!" After a long while, Keith stammered, his face filled with disbelief.


    Joaquin pursed his lips and intoned deeply, "Yes. The man from five years ago Kathy was looking for is


    me."


    At this moment, Keith abruptly jerked to his feet and started pacing agitatedly. Jennifer finally came to


    her senses and stared at Joaquin with her mouth agape. "Y-You were that man five years ago! Y-You


    are Noah''s father!"


    As she muttered to herself, she shook her head as if she couldn''t believe it. "No, how can that be? How


    can it be such a coincidence?"


    She frantically looked at Katherine and wanted to hear it from her lips. "Kathy, is that true? Tell me! Are


    you guys trying to fool me because you didn''t find that guy? I may be old and useless, but I''m not


    stupid. So, don''t even try lying to me!"


    Keith also eximed in frustration, "Grandma''s right! Kathy, this is impossible! That man was a piece of


    sh*t! He raped you! Only a scum and b*stard would do such an awful thing! Joaquin is such a nice guy.


    He wouldn''t do something so horrible. No way, he''s not that jerk! Is this a joke to you? It''s not funny,


    okay? Don''t make such a lousy joke!"


    Joaquin was rendered speechless by Keith''s insults, and his lips twitched with each derogatory term.


    A piece of sh*t? Scum? B*stard? Jerk? Hah...


    As soon as Keith finished speaking, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine and trembled in response.


    He scratched his nose in confusion and quickly sensed someone boring a hole into his body with their


    gaze alone. He turned his head and was even more aghast when he met Joaquin''s eyes and saw the


    mirthless smile on his face.


    Their reactions highly amused Katherine as she hurriedly exined, "Grandma, it''s true. Why would we


    lie to you about this? H-He is indeed that man back then."


    When she confirmed Joaquin''s words, the huge living room suddenly fell quiet, falling into a strange


    and awkward silence. Keith and Jennifer''s eyes simultaneously flicked back and forth between Joaquin


    and Katherine. Then, they stared at Joaquin as if seeing him for the first time.


    After a while, Jennifer finally spoke, "Joaquin, are you really that man from back then?"


    Joaquin''s heart skipped a beat when she addressed him as Joaquin instead of Joe, and he quickly


    figured out that something would go wrong if he didn''t exin himself. Therefore, he nodded solemnly


    and recounted the events from five years ago before Jennifer turned into a rampaging bull. "Grandma, I


    know it''s toote for me to say anything now, but I didn''t mean to hurt Kathy. In fact, I swore at that time


    that I would love Kathy and only Kathy for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, something happened, and


    we missed each other''s path for five years. I can assure you that my oath has not changed. Please


    believe me."


    Jennifer didn''t expect that something soplicated had urred five years ago. Although she knew


    he wasn''t entirely at fault, she still couldn''t ept this. Instead, she felt furious and saddened for


    Katherine because she saw first-hand how that incident had hurt Katherine.


    When she thought of the hardships and grievances Katherine and Noah had endured in the past five


    years, she felt irritated and conflicted.


    Keith felt the same way too. His only family in the world were Jennifer and Katherine. So, when he


    learned the truth, he naturally felt biased toward Katherine, his sister.


    No one could bring themselves to break the silence. Thus, the atmosphere suddenly became tense


    and heavy. The air seemed stagnant, and everyone in attendance was like frozen statues.


    Joaquin stood rooted on the spot, and his breathing turned light as he waited for the verdict to fall. This


    was the first time in his life that something could make him more nervous and anxious than being


    inspected by his superiors.


    Katherine sighed when she sensed the awkwardness hanging in the air and spoke softly, "Alright,


    Grandma, Keith. We have already cleared the air about what happened five years ago, and I''ve


    forgiven him for what he did. But things happened, and he didn''t do it on purpose, nor did he intend to


    hurt me. So, let¡¯s just let bygones be bygones. We should focus on Noah''s illness right now. She needs


    us right now."


    Jennifer and Keith pursed their lips upon the mention of Noah, and their expressions changed slightly.


    Finally, Jennifer let out a long sigh, and her wrinkled face was full of helplessness and sorrow. "Well,


    things happen for a reason. Who would have thought that you guys would meet in that bar five years


    ago and that something so bizarre would happen? Even more unexpectedly, you guys were engaged


    ages ago and are legally married. Noah is also the byproduct of that night. There are too many


    coincidences between you to wave things away and force you apart. There is no right and wrong


    regarding this matter."


    "Grandma..." Joaquin was touched when he heard her words.


    Nheless, she cut him off with an austere tone, "I''m going to ask you a question, and I expect you to


    answer me truthfully. Can you do that?"N?velDrama.Org content.


    Joaquin nodded without hesitation. "Yes!"


    "Everything that happened in the past was absurd, to say the least. So, I want to ask you, what are


    your feelings toward Kathy?"


    This is the one thing that bothered her the most. She desperately wanted to know how Joaquin viewed


    his marriage with Katherine after knowing the truth.


    Joaquin''s usually calm and stern expression changed slightly when he heard the question, and he was


    momentarily struck dumb.


    Regardless, he immediately curled his lips into a genuine smile, and his expression practically radiated


    sunshine and contentment. "Grandma, I understand your concerns. You are worried that I''m choosing


    to be with Kathy because of the guilt I hold toward her. I can reassure you right now that you have


    nothing to worry about. The moment I proposed to Kathy, I''d already made up my mind to love her and


    adore her no matter who she was, what kind of woman she was, and what kind of status she had. She


    will always be my wife, who I will cherish and love for the rest of my life."


    At this point, he seemed to recall something, and his smile deepened. "Besides, I admit that I was a


    little apprehensive before because I made an oath five years ago that I would never take that woman


    for granted. Because of this, I struggled with my feelings for Kathy and that oath, but I could never bring


    myself to hide my affection for Kathy. Later, when I learned that Kathy was the woman five years ago.


    The woman I love and the one I wanted to protect are the same person¡­ I feel very blessed by the


    gods. I''ve never been one to believe in superstitions, but I can''t deny that, at that moment, I felt truly


    fortunate to have met and fallen for Kathy."

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250


    Jennifer waspletely stunned, as if she had not expected to hear such a confession from Joaquin.


    Keith was equally dumbfounded. His mouth was slightly agape as he stared at Joaquin''s earnest face,


    but he didn''t know what to say.


    Actually, Katherine was caught unawares as well. Ever since they openly discussed this matter and


    cleared up all the misunderstandings in the past, she had never heard him say something so sweet.


    So... that''s what he thinks, huh? Suddenly, she felt as if his words were like Cupid''s arrow. It urately


    pierced through her defenses.


    She pursed her lips and looked away shyly. Her eyelids were half-lidded, and her long and thick


    eyshes fluttered like two butterflies fluttering their wings. She even felt that her cheeks and ears


    were slightly warm, and she instinctively raised her hand to touch her crimson cheeks.


    Joaquin''s eyes never left her, so he naturally saw the bashful joy through her actions. Her makeup-free


    wless face reflected in his dark eyes. When he spotted the slight flicker in her eyes, he curled his lips


    into a smile, and his eyes brimmed with pure joy.


    Jennifer also noticed their subtle interactions. She looked at the two of them back and forth and finally


    regained herposure. As severalplicated thoughts shed in her mind, she finally calmed down


    and sighed heavily.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    "Fine. I don''t know what to say, seriously. Not only are the both of you married, but that incident five


    years ago also happened to you guys. Oh, and Noah! What a fateful encounter. Joe, since you have


    given me your promise, I''ll also ce my trust in you. Just don''t make me regret giving you my


    blessing."


    Joaquin was relieved when Jennifer addressed him as Joe again. He knew then that he had won


    Jennifer''s and Keith''s trust.


    With that done, the misunderstandings that happened five years ago were untangled, and the dilemma


    that had gued his heart was finally long gone. He was no longer bogged down by any worries, and


    he could finally shower Katherine with affection without any guilt or shame.


    "Jennifer, thank you for trusting me. Don''t worry. I''ll never make you regret your decision, nor will I do


    anything to hurt Kathy''s feelings." He had long regarded Katherine as his other half and would never


    hurt her.


    Jennifer nodded and said nothing, but Keith was grumpy about something. He immediately rose to his


    feet, cleared his throat, and remarked, "Joe! Kathy had been suffering for years because of you! From


    now on, I''ll kick your *ss if you ever harm a single hair on her!"


    He knew full well how strong Joaquin was, so he had mustered up all his courage to say such a thing to


    him. Nheless, Joaquin simply nced at him indifferently, nodded slightly, and hummed faintly in


    response.


    Keith pouted at his reaction orck thereof. Alright, fine! I''m young, and my words carry little weight.


    So, I''m just going to sit down and sulk.


    However, Joaquin was thinking, You cursed me and called me a jerk, huh? Alright, I remember


    everything you said to me just now. I''ll make you pay one day, young man.


    "Enough with your nonsense," Jennifer spoke softly and went straight to business. "Since you are


    Noah''s father, you should know about the poison in Noah''s body. What''s going on?"


    Katherine took over the conversation with a cold and calm expression. "At first, I thought I would be


    able to know what the toxin in Noah''s body was after I found her biological father, but this is far more


    While she spoke, she nced at Joaquin and asserted emphatically, "The toxin in Joe''s body is not a


    common poison. It''s unique, but it has been detoxified. Most of the poisonous elements in Noah''s body


    came from him, but the toxin might have undergone some changes during the embryo''s development


    when I was pregnant with her. Therefore, the poison in her body is not a replica of the toxin in Joe''s


    body. Because of this, it''s even more challenging to deal with.''''


    Jennifer still seemed a little confused, but she understood the core of the problem. "In that case, you


    still don''t know what the toxin in Noah''s body is now, right? And you can''t find a way to detoxify it. What


    should we do now? Will we still be able to treat her leukemia if we can''t neutralize the toxin?"


    Katherine gently patted the anxious Jennifer on the back and reassured her, "Please calm down and


    listen to me. Yes, if we don''t neutralize the toxin in her body, she may not be able to recover even if she


    undergoes a bone marrow transnt. But fortunately, we have found a solution to that problem."


    "Can it be detoxified?!" Jennifer was momentarily startled by the news. She clutched Katherine''s hands


    desperately and gasped, "How?! What is this solution you thought of?"


    "No, it''s not me who figured it out." Katherine shook her head. "I contacted a person and sent Noah''s


    blood sample to him. Now, that person has developed an antidote."


    When she said this, she stealthily sneaked a nce at Keith, who stood behind Jennifer. Sure enough,


    she saw him pleading with her, obviously begging her not to reveal his identity.


    Jennifer was getting on in age now, and he didn''t want her to worry about him. Besides, his notoriety as


    Q indicated that he would involve himself in all kinds of troubles in the future.


    Katherine looked away and did not reveal his identity because she was also worried about Jennifer.


    Regrettably, Jennifer became doubtful since none of them said a word about ''that person'', which


    resulted in her skepticism. "Who is that person? Where and how did you know him? Is his antidote


    reliable? Has it been clinically tested? What if the antidote fails? Will it cause any bad effects on


    Noah?"


    She was concerned as she bombarded them with multiple questions. Katherine merely smiled and


    continued tofort her, "I understand that you don''t trust him, but you could at least trust my decision,


    right? Don''t worry. I trust the man. He said the antidote can cure Noah''s illness, and I''m sure he''s right."


    Jennifer was still wary about cing her trust in someone she didn''t even know, but when she saw


    Katherine''s firm and confident expression, she didn''t protest any further.


    After Jennifer returned to her room, Katherine got up and went to Noah''s room. It was alreadyte at


    night, and Noah was so deeply asleep that she didn''t notice that someone was sitting by her bed.


    Katherine didn''t turn on the light. Instead, she looked at her daughter''s tiny figure on the bed through


    the moonlight shining in from the window. Her gaze, which had always been cool, held a hint of


    tenderness as her eyes roved over her daughter''s sleeping form.


    She didn''t wake Noah up as she simply gently touched Noah''s cheek and tucked her in before leaving


    the bedroom.

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251


    When Katherine left Noah''s room, she closed the door with a barely there click, turned around, and


    saw Joaquin standing right outside the door.


    "Aren''t you going in?" she asked. He leaned against the wall of the corridor and shook his head.


    When he learned that Noah was his biological daughter, he wanted to see her as soon as possible, but


    now when he was right outside her room. For some reason, his feet felt like it was weighed by lead,


    and he couldn''t move any further.


    Noah had lived a very difficult life for the past five years. Not only did she face hardships in terms of


    material wealth, but she was also very lonely.


    In the past five years, he, the father, had not been by her side to witness her growth and progress.


    Whenever he thought about this, he felt overwhelmed by guilt and didn''t know how to make it up to her.


    Katherine raised her eyebrows at his despondent figure, leaned against the wall on the other side, and


    faced him, seeing through his troubled thoughts. "What''s going on here? Don''t you dare say that you''re


    afraid of your daughter?"


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    She wanted to tease him, but she didn''t expect him to think about it seriously for a moment and then


    give her a solemn nod. "Yes."


    "Oh..." Katherine scratched her button nose awkwardly and slowly conveyed her thoughts, "There''s no


    need for you to be like this. Noah won''t me you."


    In fact, she bet that Noah would be over the moon once she learned that Joaquin was her biological


    father. Then, maybe, they would see some improvements in her ASD. At that happy thought, Katherine


    asked, "Have you ever thought about when toe clean to Noah?"


    Joaquin seriously pondered this question and then shook his head. "I don''t think I should do it so soon.


    The most important thing now is to cure her illness. We can take things slowly after that."


    The main problem here was that he didn''t know how to exin the truth to Noah and that he was her


    biological father.


    Therefore, he straightened, walked to Katherine, held her hand, and walked toward the room next door.


    "It''s gettingte. It''s time for us to rest."


    ...


    Katherine happened to finish showering first and immediately made herselffortable in bed. After a


    while, she heard the sound of the bathroom door opening, and for some reason, she felt her heart race.


    Shortly after, Joaquin turned off the bedsidemp, and she felt the spot next to hers be weighed


    down by a warm body.


    Suddenly, her whole body tensed up, and her heart began to hammer in her chest. She felt somewhat


    out of sorts today, but she didn''t know what was bothering her.


    When Joaquin wrapped his arms around her slender waist and embraced her from behind, her heart


    leaped to her throat. Yet, she didn''t resist his physical touch, but a different kind of feeling aroused


    within her.


    Joaquin, who was behind her, curled his lips into a sly smirk as he could sense her body stiffening. He


    kissed her ear gently. "Don''t worry. I promise I won''t touch you until you feel at ease around me. I value


    your opinions. Be good and go to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow to take Noah to the


    hospital."


    As soon as he finished speaking, he stopped moving. He hugged her, closed his eyes, and went


    contentedly to sleep.


    Katherine only felt safe and relieved once she couldn''t feel additional movement from him. Wisps of


    sweetness flowed from the bottom of her heart. She pursed her lips while she listened to his steady


    heartbeat and shallow breathing and did not dare to move a muscle, but she gradually rxed in his


    arms. After a while, she fell asleep peacefully.


    ...


    The following day, Katherine woke up and realized that she was alone in bed. She stretched her arm


    out to the other side of the bed and found that it was still warm. That meant that Joaquin had just


    woken up not long ago.


    Her face began to redden when she thought of them sleeping togetherst night. Although they had


    slept together in the past,st night seemed different from before.


    Last night was the first time the two fully rxed as they slept together after they opened up about their


    past.


    She never expected anything to be different¡­ Still, she had to say it felt like an odd puzzle finally


    meeting its match, and they just clicked.


    Her mind was running wild as she mechanically went to wash her face. Then, she ambled out of the


    room.


    Noah had already been awake for a while. She knew that Katherine was back, but she didn''t want to


    disturb her, so she sat on the couch in the living room and stared yearningly in the direction of


    Katherine''s room.


    Noah immediately jumped off the couch when Katherine opened the door and dashed toward her. She


    looked up at Katherine with anticipation, joy, and a little anxiety.


    "Mom, you''re back..." After a while, she seemed to muster up her courage and greet Katherine in a


    whisper.


    Katherine looked at Noah''s tender little face and smiled. Then, she instinctively gentled her tone, "Yes,


    I''m back." Then, she took Noah''s hand and asked, "Did you wash up?"


    Noah''s eyes lit up with delight when Katherine took the initiative to hold her hand. The joy on her face


    was so evident that it deepened Katherine''s smile. She nodded profusely as she reported cheerfully,


    "Yes, I''ve already washed up. Mom, I''m a good girl." She looked a little cautious when she said this,


    and her expression when she looked at Katherine was like a puppy asking for a treat.


    Katherine saw through Noah''s intention with just a nce, but she just smiled brightly and patted her


    daughter''s cheek softly. "Alright, let''s go have breakfast."


    Noah grinned from ear to ear when she heard this. She nodded obediently, held Katherine''s hand


    tightly, and walked to the dining room together.


    Jennifer had already prepared breakfast for the family, and Joaquin was helping out as he arranged the


    cutleries and tes.


    "You''re awake. Sit down and eat." Joaquin smiled when he saw Katherine and helped the mother-and-


    daughter duo to their seats


    During breakfast, Joaquin attended to Noah even more gingerly than before, taking care of her every


    need. Noah was a little puzzled by his unusual behavior but felt thrilled to be treated like a princess.


    She sounded even sweeter than before when she addressed him as ''Daddy''.


    Katherine curled her lips into a serene smile as she watched their interactions.


    They went to the hospital immediately after breakfast. Jennifer was getting old and couldn''t walk as fast


    as she used to. Besides, it was exhausting for her to move around, so she decided to stay home and


    wait for the news.


    As soon as Keith entered the hospital, his usualckadaisical attitude changed into a more professional


    demeanor. After hemunicated with the doctor, he decided to inject the antidote today if possible.


    Noah didn''t understand what was happening, but she noticed the stern expressions on the adults''


    faces. She swayed her short legs back and forth while sitting on the hospital bed and took the initiative


    to hold Katherine''s hand. "Mom, I''m not sick. Why did you take me to the hospital?"


    From her limited experience, she knew that she would only have to go to the hospital if she was


    seriously ill.


    Katherine gently ran her fingers through Noah''s hair, and her gaze unconsciously softened when she


    looked at Noah''s little braids. "Don''t worry, Noah. After today''s treatment, you''ll bepletely cured."


    "Completely cured? Really?" Noah was slightly surprised to hear this, and her eyes widened in awe.

 Chapter 252

    Chapter 252


    At this moment, Joaquin came over and sat down beside Noah. He carried her, ced her on hisp,


    and hugged her tightly. "It''s true, Noah. We have the cure for your illness. You''ll recover soon."


    Noah was over the moon when she heard the news, but her smile quickly turned upside down. "But I


    remember that I had leukemia. I heard that I needed someone with the same bone marrow as mine to


    help me. Also, only my family, who is rted to me by blood, would have the same bone marrow as


    mine."


    At this point, she lowered her head slightly. The light in her gaze dimmed, and her tone became a little


    muffled as she added, "Mom, your bone marrow is different from mine, so you can''t help me. And my


    daddy..."


    Joaquin felt his heart pang when he saw Noah''s downtrodden expression. He parted his mouth and


    wanted to tell her the truth right there and then. But, on second thought, Noah might be having the


    surgery soon, and she should be calm before she enters the surgical suite. Hence, he pursed his lips


    and forced the words down his throat.


    He took a deep breath andforted her, "Noah, you don''t have to worry about this. Just remember


    that we will be with you at all times. We''ll do our best to cure your illness." He wrapped his big palm


    around her little hand as he spoke and squeezed it gently. His voice became even more sympathetic,


    and encouragement filled his eyes.


    "Don''t worry. Your mom and I will be here with you. All you have to do is be strong, okay?"


    When Noah heard his uplifting words, she raised her head to look at Katherine, then Joaquin, and then


    nodded solemnly. "Okay. Mom, Daddy, don''t worry. I''ll be strong. I believe in you and also myself."


    Katherine felt a surge of warmth in her heart when she saw this scene before her. There was a hint of


    fondness in her usually stern gaze.


    Right then, Keith strode to them with the test results. "Kathy, all the indicators of Noah''s condition are


    within a stable value. She can go into the operating theater now."


    Katherine nodded lightly upon hearing this. The longer the toxin stayed in Noah''s body, the more


    dangerous it would be. She knew she could not dy the treatment any longer, which was why


    she asked Keith to bring the antidote to the hospital today.


    Soon, Noah was pushed into the operating room, followed by Keith and the doctor-in-charge.


    Katherine wanted to apany Noah, but Keith stopped her. "Kathy, you should rest. I assure you that


    the antidote is fine, and Noah will not be in pain during the process. I''ll send Noah back to you, fully


    cured. In the meantime, you shouldpare your bone marrow with Noah''s to see if it''s a perfect


    match."


    Keith had brought up a critical point. Although Joaquin was Noah''s biological father, the bone marrow


    of the parents might not be a perfect match.


    Katherine looked at Joaquin and didn''t insist on forcing herself into the operating room. Instead, she


    watched helplessly as Keith walked into the room that held her daughter''s fate in their hands.


    Joaquin stood next to her. He first looked at the red light in the operating room and then at her tense


    side profile. "Don''t worry. They can detoxify the poison in Noah''s body. You should trust Keith and also


    Noah."


    Katherine inhaled sharply and nodded lightly but didn''t say a word.


    Joaquin observed her actions and knew she wouldn''t leave any time soon, so he squeezed her fingers


    and said gently, "Wait here. I''ll go to the doctor to do a bone marrow match. The faster I do it, the


    quicker I can get the results."


    She nodded firmly, her eyes never leaving the bright red ''Operating'' sign. "Okay. Go ahead."


    ...


    An hourter, Keith came out of the operating room, followed by doctors, nurses, and Noah lying on the


    mobile hospital bed.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Katherine jolted up from the bench, scurried over, and went straight to Noah. She frowned when she


    saw Noah''s pale face, feeling a pang of distress in the deepest recesses of her heart.


    "Rx, Kathy. I promised you that I would bring Noah out intact, and now I have fulfilled my promise."


    "How did it go?" Joaquin happened to return just then. He had already gotten through the bone marrow


    test and would receive the results in two days. His eyes were filled with worry when he nced at


    Noah''s tightly shut eyes. "When will she wake up? Has the poison in her body been detoxified?"


    "Of course!" Keith raised his chin proudly. "There''s nothing I can''t do."


    After his brief boast, he exined, "Don''t worry. The antidote has already been injected. The dose of


    the antidote is rtivelyrge because the poison in her body is too potent, but it''s within a range that


    she can handle."


    "Why isn''t she awake yet?" Joaquin pressed for answers.


    Keith cast him a nce, signaling him to calm down. "Rx, please. Hear me out. Now, the toxins and


    antidote in her body are fighting against each other, which will greatly cause her body to be


    imbnced for a time. So, she needs to be hospitalized for a few days to maintain her body''s well-


    being through the infusion. Also, we would have to monitor the toxin content in her body constantly.


    Thus, it is best to take blood samples every few hours. Then, we can end the infusion when all the


    toxins in her body are gone."


    During their conversation, they arrived at the exclusive VIP ward with the nurses who assisted in


    pushing Noah''s bed into the room.


    Katherine nodded and felt relieved when she fixed her gaze on Noah, who was still unconscious.


    Joaquin felt the same way, followed by heartbreaking despair. Noah was still so young, but she had to


    endure these agonizing procedures and endure such pain and torment.


    It''s all my fault! He bellowed in his mind, Maybe everything would have been different if I hadn''t been


    poisoned and hadn''t slept with Kathy back then. But everything happens for a reason. If none of those


    things had happened, Kathy and I would not have had such a lovely daughter.


    Hence, Joaquin never left Noah''s side and refused to budge for two whole days.


    Katherine was amused by the sight and felt that he was a little too high-strung. He no longer looked


    almighty and aloof like he usually did.


    He shrugged indifferently. "The one lying here is my daughter. Why can''t I keep vigil by her side?"


    When Noah woke up and saw how the concerned Joaquin was hovering over her, she felt touched and


    delighted. "Daddy, you''re so kind. Just like the father in my dreams..."


    Joaquin''s expression froze slightly, and his lips twitched awkwardly. When heid his gaze on her pure


    and innocent face, he hesitated for a moment. Finally, he couldn''t help it and wanted to tell her the


    truth.


    Right at this moment, a doctor entered suddenly with a solemn expression. "Mr. Levisay, the test


    results are back."

 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253


    The looks on Katherine and Joaquin''s faces changed.


    Joaquin snapped out of it first. He ced the girl on the bed and patted her cheek. "Stay here. Daddy


    and Mommy need to go out, but we''ll be back in a moment, okay?"


    Katherine''s heart fluttered as she witnessed how tenderly he treated the girl, and she pursed her lips.


    The girl looked at him, then at Katherine. She wanted to know what was going on, but she didn''t ask


    any questions. "Sure," she promised. "I''ll wait for you."


    Joaquin stood up. His eyes met with Katherine''s, then both of them left the room. They stood side by


    side in the corridor, staring at the doctor solemnly.


    In the end, Katherine broke the silence. "What''s the result?" Her voice was calm, but a hint of


    trepidation hid within.


    The doctor handed them the results with a smile. "Miss Cornell, Mr. Levisay, good news. The marrows


    match."


    Surprise grasped Katherine''s heart for a moment, and then relief took over. She took a look at the


    results, and once she confirmed it, a weight was lifted off her shoulders.


    For once, Joaquin froze. A momentter, he snapped out of it and asked, "When can I do the


    transnt, then?"


    The doctor mused over it for a moment. "The patient isn''t fully healed yet. Once the toxins are removed


    and her health returns to normal, we can do the transnt."


    He was then reminded of something, so he said, "Oh, Mr. Levisay, don''t just focus on the patient''s


    numbers. You should take care of yourself as well. A marrow transnt is no small surgery. The donor


    and receiver must be kept under strict observation."


    Joaquin nodded. "Of course. I''m fine with it."


    The doctor left, and Joaquin looked at Katherine. There was excitement and delight in his eyes. "This is


    good news. We can save Noah now!"


    Katherine might look calm, but the excitement in her eyes proved otherwise. "Yeah, we can save Noah


    now," she muttered. She could finally feel relieved.


    Joaquin then checked in to the hospital and stayed in the same ward as Noah. The girl wondered why


    he was wearing patient attire. "Are you sick, Daddy? Is that why you''re staying in the hospital?"


    Joaquin opened his mouth, but he had no idea how to exin the truth, so he made up an excuse


    instead.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    "I''m feeling unwell, so I''m staying with you. Is that okay?"


    Noah nodded. She then slid off her bed and waddled over to his bed. The girl leaned on his chest and


    looked up at him. "You''re unwell? Want me to massage you?"


    She''s so understanding. Joaquin paused for a moment, and then heughed. For once, a gentle light


    shone in his eyes. "I''m fine, Noah. As long as you''re here, I''m fine."


    "Really?" Noah was a little skeptical. "Tell me if any spot starts to hurt, Daddy. Don''t hold it in."


    Joaquin''s eyes glinted at that. "Why do you care about me so much, Noah?"


    "Of course, I care." She nodded. "You''re my daddy."


    She was on guard when he first appeared in her life, but Noah was always paying attention to detail. It


    didn''t take long for her to figure out Joaquin was genuinely nice to her. Moreover, she loved the time


    she spent with Joaquin and her mother.


    It was the kind of life she never had the chance to live, but now her dream wasing true. She


    leaned on his chest, muttering under her breath, "I wish you were my true dad, Daddy."


    Joaquin froze for a moment. He then snapped out of it and looked at the girl. A moment of hesitation


    later, he asked, "Do you miss your real father, Noah?"


    The girl put some thought into that question, and then she shook her head. "No."


    Something glinted in Joaquin''s eyes. He asked, "Really?"


    Instead of answering his question, she asked, "Will you stop being my daddy if my real fatheres?"


    The question made Joaquin pause, but he said in the end, "Of course not. As long as I''m with your


    mother, I am your daddy."


    "What if you stop being together with Mommy?" A look of concern flooded her face.


    Joaquin shook his head, smiling. "Impossible. Don''t think too much, Noah. We''ll always be together."


    "Really? Are you sure?"


    She''s still worried. Joaquin looked down. "What''s wrong? Are you worried about something?"


    The girl bit her lip and looked down. She mumbled, "If my real father shows up, Mommy might break up


    with you. But I want you. I don''t want any other daddy. I want to get better, but some part of me doesn''t.


    If I get better, then that means my real father has shown up."


    Wow. She''s young, but she thinks a lot. This is¡­ surprising. A surge of warmth filled his heart. It was


    surprising to learn how much Noah valued him.


    I wonder how she would feel if I told her that I am her father. The idea had just popped up, but then


    someone opened the door, and in came a man.


    "Kathy!"


    The voice caught Joaquin''s attention. He looked at the man. His face fell and he clenched his jaw.


    The man looked surprised to see him as well. "What a coincidence, Mr. Levisay."


    "It is, Mr. Hall."


    The gentlemen greeted each other. Joaquin looked at Jayden, impatience creeping into his eyes.


    "Why are you here?"


    "How did you find this ce?"


    The men asked at the same time.


    A frown creased Jayden''s forehead. He scanned the room and finally looked at Noah for one moment


    before looking away.

 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254


    "I heard Kathy''s back, so I came." He asked, "Where is she?"


    Instead of answering, Joaquin chuckled. "You just ran into her in Fontan, and now you showed up right


    after she came back. Did you tail her?"


    If he''s being so straightforward, then¡­ "Yeah. I''m worried about her. Dangers are closing in on her, so I


    thought I woulde and protect her."


    You, protect her? What do you think I am? Chopped liver? Joaquin''s face fell, but a smirk curled his


    lips, and he shot Jayden a look. "You don''t have to worry about her. I''m her husband, and I can protect


    her. If nothing else, you can go back to Kynd now."


    Jayden looked at his attire and chortled. "Do you think you can protect her with how you are now?"


    Is that a challenge? The look on his face darkened, and his eyes were filled with fury.


    Just when he was about to say something, Noah suddenly stood up and stared at Jayden, a sense of


    solemnity filling her face. "Mister, my mommy doesn''t need you. She has my daddy, and that''s all she


    needs."


    Jayden froze. He stared at the girl, his eyes filled with shock. "W-Who are you? Who are your


    parents?" He sounded stiff.


    Noah answered, "I''m Noah. Katherine''s my mommy." She pointed at Joaquin. "He''s my daddy," she


    answered matter-of-factly.


    Shock grasped Jayden''s heart. "You''re Katherine''s daughter?"


    He had no idea Katherine had a child that was already in kindergarten, nor did he expect Joaquin to be


    the father of the child. Impossible. They just got married. No way they have a child who is at this age. A


    thousand questions raced through his mind. He frowned, but he couldn''t say anything.


    Joaquin''s lips formed into a smile. He didn''t even bother to exin. "Mr. Hall, even my daughter thinks


    her mother doesn''t need your help. You should leave. You wouldn''t want to embarrass yourself further."


    Joaquin would spare no pleasantries for Jayden, not when he was trying to go for Katherine. It was


    already nice enough of him to stay calm.


    Jayden tensed up, and then he snapped, "I can choose to stay if I want. You might be her husband, but


    you have no right to order me around."


    Just then, Katherine came back in. She had gone to get some food earlier. She was surprised to see


    Jayden here. "Jayden? Why are you here?"


    Jayden put on a friendly look.


    "You''re back. I heard you came home and I''m worried, so I came as well." He looked at Joaquin and


    Noah. "I can''t believe you didn''t tell me you guys got married. And you have a daughter now."


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Katherine cocked her eyebrow and smiled. "It''s just a private matter. Getting married and having kids


    aren''t really big deals, and I wanted toy low, so I told no one."


    Jayden noticed the overly formal tone, and he froze. However, he brushed that aside and continued


    asking questions. "How old is she? You never told me you guys have already been dating for years."


    Obviously, Jayden wanted to get more information, but Katherine ignored it. She didn''t want to talk to


    him.


    Joaquin took that chance to speak. "Yeah, Mr. Hall. We''re destined to be lovers. That will never


    change."


    Dammit.


    Tension started brewing in the air. Katherine quickly ced the food on the table. "Sorry, Jayden. I


    didn''t expect you to show up, so I only got food for three. It''s lunchtime. You should go for lunch. Call


    me if you need anything."


    She was obviously telling him off, much to his chagrin, but it would look bad on him if he stayed, so he


    relented. Jayden smiled at Katherine. "I''ll be in Hovington for a while. We can meet up anytime. See


    you around." He smirked at Joaquin before leaving.


    Joaquin pursed his lips, but he said nothing. He then took Noah to the bathroom and got their hands


    washed before they started eating lunch. Still, he was miffed the entire meal.


    Katherine blinked. "You look upset. Is it the food?"


    Joaquin shot her a look and answered, "No. It''s the people."


    Katherine looked away. She put her cutlery down and tried to get up.


    Joaquin quickly held her hand. "Where are you going?"


    "You said the people upset you. We''re the only people around, so I must be the one doing the


    upsetting. I should leave."


    Joaquin rxed his clenched jaw and pulled her back to the chair. "I wasn''t talking about you. Sit back


    down."


    Katherine thought it was amusing seeing him so fidgety. "So why the long face? Did someone get on


    your nerves?"


    "You know who. The guy who came earlier got on my nerves." Joaquin poked her forehead.


    "Jayden?" Katherine cocked her eyebrow, her eyes filled with amusement. "Why do you care about him


    so much?"


    Joaquin remained tense and quiet. He couldn''t tell her he was jealous. It didn''t fit his personality. Not


    once in his life did he ever feel jealous. He couldn''t tell her that, so he could only stay silent. In the end,


    he picked his cutlery up and said, "Nothing. Just dig in."


    Katherine knew what he was feeling, but she didn''t expose him, nor did she prod him for answers. She


    picked her cutlery up as well and dug in.


    That made Joaquin a little nervous.


    Noah was staring at her parents in confusion and curiosity.

 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255


    Jayden woulde to the hospital every day to chat with Katherine. Katherine had set everything


    aside to stay with Noah until the day of the surgery, so she didn''t refuse Jayden''s attempts to chat,


    though they only made small talk. Sometimes, if she felt like it, she would even engage in a


    conversation.


    That made Joaquin jealous. He kept being sarcastic, but Katherine wasn''t like any other woman. She


    wouldn''t talk to him as long as he was sarcastic. Their rtionship suffered for it.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Even Noah noticed the worsening of their rtionship.


    Today, Katherine was taking a nap on the bed beside Noah''s. Joaquin was reading with his daughter,


    the quiet room illuminated by golden rays of sunshine.


    Noah stole a nce at her mother. Still asleep. She huddled closer to Joaquin and looked up at him.


    She muttered, "Daddy, are you and Mommy fighting?"


    Joaquin paused for a moment. He asked, "Why do you ask?"


    Noah pouted and muttered, "You haven''t been talking these couple of days, and you look annoyed.


    Everyone''s going to think you guys are fighting."


    Surprised, Joaquin frowned. "I look annoyed?"


    "Yeah." Noah nodded. "You should look in the mirror, Daddy. You look super emo."


    Amused, Joaquin pinched her little nose. "And where did you learn that word?"


    "Self-taught. I''m super smart." She dodged his hand and raised her head proudly, but the next second,


    she gave Joaquin a look of disapproval. "That''s not a good look, Daddy. You can''t win Mommy over like


    that, and someone''s going tough at you."


    What? Someone''s going tough at me? He frowned again. "Who?"


    "Mr. Hall, of course." Noah looked disappointed. She crossed her arms and put on a precocious act.


    "Didn''t you notice? Mr. Hall has been really smugtely. I can see the look in his eyes. If this keeps up,


    he might steal Mommy away."


    Joaquin''s frown deepened. He argued, "No way. She won''t fall for Jayden." He can''t take her away. He


    doesn''t have the ability.


    Noah clicked her tongue and shot Joaquin another disapproving look. "Not yet, but who knows what


    might happen? Mr. Hall is friendly enough. She might fall for him. You can''t go on like this." She sat up


    and pulled Joaquin closer to her, then she whispered, "Daddy, Mommy''s pretty, but she''s really aloof


    and doesn''t care about a lot of stuff. If you don''t work for it, she might ignore you. Then you might lose


    me."


    Joaquin''s face fell, and his eyes glinted with cunning. Nobody can take her away from me. Seems like


    I''ve beenxtely. Some people think this is their opening. I''ll teach them otherwise.


    Noah''s warning came at the right time. He looked at the napping Katherine, and his eyes glinted.


    Resignation filled his face. She''s different from everyone else. For his whole life, Joaquin was the


    center of everyone''s attention. Never did anyone give him the cold shoulder, until he met Katherine.


    Guess I''ll have to make the first move.


    ¡­


    But his n came a bit toote. Before he could even try to woo Katherine, the date of Noah''s surgery


    was brought forward.


    The night before the surgery, Katherine sat before Noah''s bed, peeling an apple for her. When she


    looked up, she was met with the girl''s gaze. "What is it?" she asked coolly.


    Noah bit her lips. A moment of hesitationter, she whispered, "Will this work, Mommy? I-I''m scared. If


    it fails, I''ll never see you again."


    Katherine was surprised. She looked away for a moment and put the knife down. Then she split the


    apple in half, giving one half to Noah. When the girl took it, she smiled. "Don''t worry. It''ll work, I


    promise. You''ll be better. You''ll be just like the other kids; healthy and happy."


    The promise excited Noah, and her eyes glimmered like stars. She nodded. "I''ll do my best. When I get


    better, I''ll stay with you. Forever."


    The girl''s love touched Katherine''s heart. Tormented by the tragic events that happened five years


    prior, she felt conflicting emotions regarding the child. She was a reminder of that painful past, so


    Katherine would instinctively ignore her. She would give her the cold shoulder, so to speak.


    She hadn''t been a good mother. Now that the truth was out and she had forgiven Joaquin, she thought


    she should get over herself. Noah was just a child¡ªa child who knew nothing of the past. She couldn''t


    choose who her parents were, and Katherine brought her into this world anyway. She was innocent.


    The past flooded Katherine''s mind, and it hurt her heart a little. A pang of guilt filled her soul. She


    stared into the girl''s eyes. They were filled with delight and excitement. Katherine ced the apple


    down, picked the girl up, and hugged her, then rested her chin on Noah''s head. "When you get better,


    I''ll take you to the amusement park. I''ll buy you anything you want."


    Noah paused for a moment, surprise filling her eyes.

 Chapter 256

    Chapter 256


    "Really?" She stared at her mother with anticipation in her eyes.


    Katherine gave her a gentle smile. "Of course. I never lie."


    tion filled Noah''s heart. Her face was even gleaming, and her eyes shone like stars. She hugged


    her mother tight, immersing herself in this pool of happiness. Tears even began to well up in her eyes.


    "Promise me, Mommy. You, Daddy, and I will go to the amusement park together."


    Joaquin? Katherine looked away. She chose not to talk about Joaquin. "Yes."


    Noah was reminded of something. She backed out of Katherine''s embrace and looked up at her


    carefully. "Mommy, are you fighting with Daddytely?"


    Katherine was a little surprised by that. "Why do you ask?"


    "Because you two haven''t been talking much," the girl answered seriously. Before Katherine could say


    anything, she quickly pleaded, "Mommy, Daddy still likes you. He''s nice to you, so can you not split up?


    I want him to be my Daddy."


    Katherine was more astonished that the girl would make that request. "Do you like him that much?" she


    asked.


    Without hesitation, Noah nodded. "Yeah. I like Daddy. I don''t want anyone else to be my daddy. Please


    stop fighting with him, Mommy."


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    Katherine was a little amused. She wasn''t fighting with Joaquin. His sarcasm got on her nerves, that


    was all. She wouldn''t try to butter up anyone who wouldn''t talk nicely to her. If he wouldn''t talk like a


    mature adult, she wouldn''t talk to him.


    But the girl''s concern did catch her by surprise. Katherine patted her head and smiled. "Don''t worry too


    much. This is between your father and me. Just rest up and prepare for tomorrow''s surgery. Get plenty


    of rest after that. We''ll go home when you get better, alright?"


    The girl nodded and returned to her bed. She stared at her mother, hesitating for a long time, and


    finally, she asked, "Mommy, who''s the donor? Have you¡­ found him?"


    Katherine stopped tucking her in for a moment and stared into the girl''s eyes. She noticed the


    trepidation hiding within. A momentter, Katherine pulled her hands back. Instead of answering, she


    asked, "Do you want to know who your real father is, Noah?"


    Noah paused for a moment. First, she nodded, then she shook her head.


    Katherine smiled. "Is that a yes or no?"


    "Yes, I mean both." A moment of silenceter, she muttered, "I''m worried. What if I lose Daddy if I find


    out who my real father is?"


    She was talking about Joaquin, and Katherine knew that. She wondered what she should say. Should I


    tell her the Daddy she likes so much is her real father?


    After some deliberation, she decided to keep quiet about it. The implications of that fact would be big.


    Noah might feel a thousand emotions coursing through her at the same time should she find out the


    truth. And I bet he wants to tell her himself.


    She smiled gently. "Don''t think about it. What''s important now is your surgery. Be brave. We''ll be


    rooting for you, you hear?"


    If Mommy says so. Noah eventually didn''t press on with any more questions. She nodded and closed


    her eyes. Before sleep imed her, a thought crossed her mind. Mommy''s a lot gentler and warmer


    now. It feels like the wall of ice between us is finally melting.


    Once the girl was fast asleep, Katherine came out of the ward. She saw Joaquin standing at the end of


    the corridor, staring out the window. He looked a bit forlorn, and her eyes glinted. She approached him.


    "Why are you standing there? You''re going to catch a cold. You don''t want to dy the surgery, do


    you?" She closed the window.


    Joaquin looked at her. He whispered, "Is she asleep?"


    "Yes." She nodded and arched her eyebrow. "She likes you a lot and is starting to be reliant on you.


    She even dislikes her father, whom she has never seen before. What now? When are you nning to


    tell her that you''re her real father?"


    Joaquin froze for a moment. Eventually, he regained his senses and pursed his lips. "I don''t know." This


    wasn''t a small matter. He had no idea what to tell the girl, nor did he have any idea how to face her. He


    wondered how Noah would feel when she knew the truth.


    Katherine looked at him. For some reason, his musing face tickled her funny bone. "Ah, so you do fear


    something. You won''t tell your daughter you''re her real father."


    A frown creased Joaquin''s forehead. His face fell, and he pursed his lips.


    Katherine cocked her eyebrow, and a sigh escaped her lips. "Alright, I was just teasing you. It''s fine if


    you want to be honest. She loves you. If she knows you''re her real father, she''d be ecstatic. You


    keeping it a secret is just going to make her worry. She might be young, but she''s more attentive than


    you think. She might being up with a lot of worst-case scenarios."


    A moment of silenceter, Joaquin eased up a little, and then he nodded. "I understand."


    Katherine said nothing more on the subject. "Get some rest. The surgery is tomorrow." She was about


    to leave, but Joaquin held her hand. Katherine stopped for a moment and shot him a curious look.


    "What is it? Do you have something else to say?"


    Joaquin stared at her for a long while, but he said nothing. Eventually, he let her go. "Nothing. Good


    night."

 Chapter 257

    Chapter 257


    The next morning, Joaquin and Noah were taken into the operating room.


    Jennifer and Keith were there as well. They waited with Katherine, worried about Joaquin and Noah.


    Time passed by at an agonizingly slow pace. A second felt like an eternity.


    Keith paced back and forth like a man possessed, while Jennifer clutched the bench''s armrest tightly,


    her eyes filled with worry. Katherine kept her eyes on the doors, the look on her face icy and calm. Two


    hourster, the sign over the doors finally dimmed. A doctor came out and took off his mask in


    exhaustion.


    Keith darted toward the doctor, and Katherine helped Jennifer get up before they too came up to the


    doctor.


    "How did it go?"


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    The three of them stared at the doctor. He heaved a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile.


    "The surgery is a sess. The marrow has been transnted, but the patients must be kept under


    observation. They can only be discharged when their health levels return to normal. Also, the girl must


    come for follow-ups every month. If she remains fine for six months, then she won''t need toe back


    for follow-ups."


    Keith, Jennifer, and Katherine heaved a sigh of relief. A weight was lifted off their shoulders. Joaquin


    and Noah were taken back to their wards. Since he wasn''t nning on telling Noah he was her real


    father yet and he didn''t want her to worry, they were taken to different wards. After that, Katherine went


    around the wards to take care of them.


    Jennifer was concerned about her, and she frowned while saying, "Why don''t we get a caretaker? At


    this rate, you''re going to tire yourself out."


    Katherine didn''t mind. "I''m fine, Grandma. This is okay."


    If you insist, then. Jennifer looked at Keith and grumbled, "Keith, I can''t believe you aren''t offering any


    help."


    Keith was a little miffed. "Grandma, I am helping. I''m responsible for buying food!"


    Katherine cocked her eyebrow and nced at him. "That''s all you can do. If I left them in your hands,


    you would mess everything up." Keith grew up not knowing how to do any chores. He had no idea how


    to care for anyone.


    Noah woke up for a moment only to return to sleep, but her vitals were normal. Seeing that everything


    was fine, Katherine went to Joaquin''s ward.


    He was still asleep. She stood before his bed, staring at his face in silence. This man used to be proud


    and mighty, but now he was lying on a hospital bed, weak as a baby. It was somehow charming for her.


    She was still indulging in her imagination when Joaquin''s eyshes started to flutter, and then he


    opened his eyes. He seemed confused, and he stared at the ceiling dumbly. rity returned a moment


    later. He turned his head and met Katherine''s gaze. "Hey¡­" He tried to say something, but the first


    thing he noticed was how hoarse his voice was.


    Oh, he''s thirsty. She got him a ss of water and held him up so she could feed him.


    Joaquin would have done it himself, but since she was helping him, he let her feed the water to him.


    "How''s Noah doing?" He wanted to know if his daughter was fine.


    Katherine ced the ss of water on the bedside table and tilted the bed a bit. She ced a pillow


    behind his back before answering, "She''s fine. She woke up for a moment but the anesthetic worked its


    magic, and she fell asleep again. Her vitals are fine. The doctor said the surgery was a sess. They


    just have to keep you guys under observation. If nothing happens, you guys can go home."


    Joaquin felt relieved.


    "What about you? How do you feel?" She asked, "Are you unwell anywhere? Should I get a doctor?"


    Joaquin shook his head. "I''m fine. You''re the best doctor around. I don''t have to worry about anything."


    She cocked an eyebrow and teased, "I didn''t know you could get a glib tongue through a bone marrow


    transnt surgery."


    Joaquin had no strength to engage in banter. He forced a smile, but all he wanted right now was to see


    Noah. Yet the moment he lifted his nket, Katherine stopped him.


    "What are you doing? Just tell me what you need."


    "I want to see Noah."


    Katherine was speechless. "You can''t see her right now. Look at you. Get some rest. You''ll have time


    for her once you''re better."


    Well, if you insist. "I''m fine now. Go to Noah. She''s going to be scared if she wakes up and nobody is


    around."


    Katherine was amused seeing him so worried about Noah. "Would you be fine? I''ll get Keith over. He


    can keep an eye on you."


    Joaquin shook his head. "No need, I''m fine. Really. Just go to Noah. I''ll stay here by myself."


    If you say so. She told him to get some rest and was about to leave, but then someone opened a door,


    and an uninvited guest came in.


    "Jayden?" Katherine was surprised to see him. "Why are you here?"


    Jayden looked around the ward and stopped for a moment to look at Joaquin. Then he turned his


    attention to Katherine and smiled. "I heard Noah''s surgery was done, so I came. Is she well?"


    Katherine nodded. "She is."


    rm bells rang in Joaquin''s head, and his face tensed up. The sight of Jayden upset him. I know what


    he''s trying to do. He''sing for my wife. I won''t stand for it. He coolly said, "You need to get your


    eyes checked. Noah is in the ward next door. This is the wrong room."


    To his surprise, Jayden wasn''t angry. Instead, he smiled. "Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Levisay. Kathy,


    can you take me to Noah?"

 Chapter 258

    Chapter 258


    The look on Joaquin''s face changed. Damn this guy.


    Katherine didn''t think much about it. She nodded and was about to take him to Noah''s ward.


    A frown creased Joaquin''s forehead, and he sat up straight. Noah''s message still rang in his head.


    That guy has been trying to get close to Katherine. He looked even more upset. I''m not letting them


    stay in a room alone. Something glinted in his eyes. Just before Katherine and Jayden could leave the


    ward, he gasped.


    Katherine quickly returned to him. "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"


    In fact, he was fine, but Joaquin put on a look of agony and pointed at the surgical wound. He frowned.


    "The effects of the anesthetic have worn off. The pain''s kicking in."


    Katherine looked at the wound. "I''ll get a doctor."


    Joaquin held her hand, refusing to let her leave. "No. It''s just a little throb. Nothing else. Don''t trouble


    the doctor."


    Katherine frowned. "So, what do you want to do?"


    Joaquin shrugged. "I''ll just hold it in until it passes."


    "Okay." Is he trying to start something? Well, he just got out of surgery, so I''ll leave it at that. She said,


    "Get some rest. I''ll see Noah now."


    Joaquin didn''t let her go. Instead, he held her tighter and gnashed his teeth. Is she that clueless? He


    said, "It hurts, Kathy."


    That''s why I said you needed a doctor. What are you doing? You won''t get a doctor, and now you


    comin about the pain. I thought you said you were fine. What''s going on?


    She wondered why he was acting like he was in pain. "What are you¡ª" It was then that realization


    struck her. She looked at Jayden, then at Joaquin. Oh, I get it. For some reason, she wanted tough,


    and another kind of feeling welled up within her. "But if you won''t see a doctor, you''ll have to hold it in.


    Or do you want me to give you an injection?" she teased.


    Thanks, but no thanks. He nced at Jayden from the corner of his eyes and pursed his lips. And then


    he turned his gaze to Katherine, passion ring in his eyes.


    "It''s alright. The pain will go away if you''re with me." I can''t believe I''m saying this. Goddammit, I''m


    getting goosebumps. This is so not me.


    Katherine was surprised as well. That was the first she heard Joaquin say something so mushy. She


    blinked dumbly for a moment, then she touched his forehead, and then she touched hers.


    Confused, Joaquin asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Katherine smiled gently. "It''s nothing. Just trying to see if you''re down with a fever. Guess you''re fine."


    What the hell are you even thinking about? At least don''t say that out loud. It''s embarrassing.


    Jayden suddenly chortled. There was a smirk in his eyes. "Never thought you could put on a coy act. I


    thought onlydies did that."


    Coy? Katherine and Joaquin felt disgusted hearing that.


    Joaquin narrowed his eyes in enmity and mocked, "This is something couples do, Mr. Hall."


    Jayden choked on himself, and his face fell. He retorted, "Mr. Levisay, if I''m right, it hasn''t been too long


    since you married Kathy. Moreover, it''s a marriage of convenience. You guys have never met before


    your marriage. I don''t think there''s much love involved in this rtionship."


    Joaquin''s heart sank while a hint of annoyance filled his eyes. Did he send his men to look into this? I


    see he has a lot of information about it. A fake smile tugged at his lips. "You''re outdated, Mr. Hall. Yes,


    we''re newlyweds, but we met five years ago, and it was love at first sight. Only friends and family


    know." He was calling Jayden an outsider and telling him to shut up.


    Katherine watched the men argue, and it gave her a headache. What is up with them? Are they trying


    to start drama? This is so childish.


    She was speechless, but she had to stop them from arguing. "You just got out of surgery, Joaquin.


    Don''t waste your energy on this. Get some rest. We''ll talk after you heal." She tried to push him back


    down.


    But Joaquin refused to follow her orders. He started clinging to her, refusing to let her leave with


    Jayden. "Your grandma and Keith are with Noah right now, aren''t they? My wound hurts. I can''t move.


    What if I need water? You have to stay with me, please."


    Oh my god. He can act even cuter than most girls can.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Jayden was about to mock Joaquin again, but someone opened the door, and in came Jennifer. "Oh,


    the gang''s all here." She smiled at Jayden and approached Joaquin''s bed. "Who is he, Kathy? I''ve


    never seen him before."


    Katherine answered immediately, "Jayden. A friend of mine in Kynd."


    Jayden quickly greeted Jennifer, "Hello, Mrs. Olsen. I''m sorry I didn''t bring any gifts. Why don''t we have


    lunch together? My treat." He tried his best to leave a good impression.


    Jennifer smiled, but she didn''t agree to it. "It''s alright. Noah and my grandson-inw just got out of


    surgery. I can''t leave them behind."


    Did she just call Joaquin her grandson-inw? rm bells rang in Jayden''s head.


    Jennifer looked at him with a grin in her eyes. "So, you''re Kathy''s friend from Kynd. I''ve seen


    everyone close to Kathy, but I''ve never seen you. You guys must not talk much."

 Chapter 259

    Chapter 259


    The look on Jayden''s face changed immediately. His smile stiffened up, but he kept it on. Warmly, he


    said, "Yes. We''ve been out of touch these few years, but we were good friends."


    "I see." Jennifer nodded. She then tilted her head to the side and smiled while muttering, "It''s been a


    few eventful years. Kathy''s been out of touch with a lot of her old friends. I don''t mind them meeting up


    asionally. Everyone''s living their own lives now, and they can share some stories." She looked like


    she was reminded of something, and then she asked, "Oh, Jayden, are you married?"


    The question caught him by surprise. It took him a while to react, and he shook his head. "I''m not."


    "Do you have a girlfriend, then?"


    Jayden shook his head. "No."


    "Huh?" Jennifer put on a look of surprise. "Oh, but you''re so handsome. You must be adies'' man,


    and yet you''re still single?"


    Jayden turned his gaze to Katherine instinctively. Something shone within his eyes, and he turned his


    attention back to Jennifer.


    "Mrs. Olsen, actually¡ª"


    Jennifer didn''t let him finish. She happily interrupted, "Jayden, if you''re still single, I can match you up


    with ady. Want to give it a try?"


    The proposal surprised Jayden, and he quickly waved his hands. "It''s alright, Mrs. Olsen. That''s


    alright."


    He tried his best to remain courteous as he rxed his jaw and said with a smile, "We can''t force a


    rtionship. I''d like to go with the flow, and I believe fate has everything in store for me. If I like


    someone, I will try my best to woo her."


    Everyone else would have thought nothing of that statement, but not the people in the room. Jennifer


    had seen a lot in her life. She had overheard the conversation between Jayden and Joaquin before


    coming in, and she knew something was off.


    So, she came in and kept making small talk so Jayden would stay away from Katherine. At the same


    time, she wanted to help the kids. She got what Jayden was trying to say, and she retaliated easily.


    "Well, you''re right. You don''t want to leave any regrets in your life. Of course, you need to woo the ones


    you like." She acknowledged Jayden''s statement, but then she added, "On the condition that thedy


    feels the same about you. If she doesn''t harbor any feelings for you, your efforts will be for nothing. And


    even if you wish to woo ady, you need to make sure you aren''t hurting anyone. If you try to woo a


    lady who''s in love with someone else, or worse, a taken or married woman, you will be nothing but a


    homewrecker."


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    She emphasized thest word, and Jayden''s face fell.


    But Jennifer''s eyes never left him. She noticed the change in his expression, and she smiled. Then she


    turned around and held Katherine''s hand, patting it. "But you got one part right. You can''t force a


    rtionship. You have to go with the flow. Take Kathy and Joaquin for example."


    She''s dragging me into this? Katherine was a little speechless. "Grandma!"


    Jennifer ignored her protests. Instead, she kept smirking at Jayden. "Kathy and Joaquin are fated to be


    together. They ran into each other five years ago by chance, and now they''re married because of a


    promise. They get along well, and now they''re in love with each other. A match made in heaven, I''d


    say."


    Grandma, you''re embarrassing me!


    Jennifer turned to Joaquin and tossed the ball into his court. "Don''t you think so, Joaquin?"


    Oh ho. Jennifer is friendlier than usual. She''s trying to help me out, eh? A smile curled his lips. Right in


    front of Jayden, Joaquin gave Katherine a loving look, and his smile broadened. "Jennifer''s right. Fate


    works in magical ways. My fate has been intertwined with Kathy''s since a long time ago. I''m honored


    that I can raise a family with her. And I''m blessed." He enunciated every word slowly, injecting all the


    love he could into his statement.


    For some reason, the passionate look and promise Joaquin gave Katherine made her heart thump.


    She couldn''t even look him in the eye. Something felt weird. She felt a little embarrassed.


    Jayden''s face fell. He was already annoyed by what Jennifer and Joaquin said, and seeing this scene


    now was uneptable for him. He thought Joaquin and Katherine''s rtionship was nothing but a


    marriage of convenience. He thought it was a weak bond, but they proved otherwise.


    Jennifer wouldn''t stop irritating Jayden. She beamed and said, "See, Jayden? Even though Kathy and


    Joaquin''s paths diverged initially, they still found each other in the end. You''ll find yourdy in due


    time."


    He wanted to protest but this wasn''t the time, so he forced a smile. "Thanks, Mrs. Olsen."


    Then, an awkward silence fell over the room. Even the air seemed to freeze. Whoops. I have to move.


    Jennifer moved to the ward''s entrance. "You''re here to see Noah, aren''t you? I''ll take you to her." She


    then shot Katherine a look. "You stay here and look after Joaquin, Kathy. Keith and I will keep an eye


    on Noah. Don''t you worry about her."


    Jayden was reluctant, but he still had to leave with Jennifer.


    And then there were two. Joaquin cocked his eyebrow, his eyes lit up with delight.


    Once again, Katherine was speechless. "I can''t believe you just said something so mushy."

 Chapter 260

    Chapter 260


    She had just finished her sentence when Joaquin curled his lips into a smirk. "I''m not being shameless


    ¡ªI''m just expressing my genuine feelings. Everything that I just said came from the bottom of my


    heart. Don''t you trust me, Kathy?" he said in a gentle tone.


    Katherine nearly choked upon hearing his words. Her cheeks were flushed. She had always been


    quick-witted, but she didn''t know what to say at that moment. Her pupils darted all over the room for a


    while before she calmed herself down and stuck her bottom lip out. "What''s there to trust? I know what


    was going on in your head while you were singing that duet with Grandma earlier," she muttered as she


    poured him a ss of water.


    Katherine was attempting to shift the topic of conversation, yet Joaquin refused to go along with her. He


    held the ss of water that she had poured for him without sipping it. He held it in his palm while


    staring into her eyes. "Hmm¡­ Does that mean that you know what I was thinking? Tell me about it,


    then," he said in a rather yful and provocative tone. It was then that Katherine realized how she had


    dug her own grave.


    However, Katherine immediately pressed her lips together before giving the man her exaggerated eye-


    roll. She wore a rather awkward expression on her face. "What nonsense are you talking about? Don''t


    you have anything better to do? You faked your pain; you faked your romantic speech¡ªI''m starting to


    wonder if the surgery did something bad to you. Well, you can be here alone, right? I''ll go over to visit


    Noah," she uttered before turning around.


    However, to her surprise, Joaquin reached out to grab her wrist before he pulled her into his arms. He


    hadn''t lowered the cup in his other hand, and the water inside threatened to ssh out of the cup.


    Katherine stumbled into his arms, and she felt her head spinning and her heart racing as she watched


    the water in the ss. "Hey! What are you¡ª" Katherine instinctively tried to escape the situation that


    she was in. However, Joaquin didn''t let her go. His grip was just right¡ªfirm enough to hold her yet not


    strong enough to hurt her. He simply held onto her as he watched her cheeks turn red. It was rare to


    see Katherine looking that way¡ªhe narrowed his eyes when he saw how adorable she looked.


    Katherine tried to wrestle her way out, but she only felt more helpless when she realized that she


    couldn''t do it. She felt frustrated at the man''s silence, so she looked up to re at him. For a brief


    moment, their gazesnded directly on each other''s, and they both felt a current of electricity shooting


    down their spines. "You¡ª" Katherine parted her lips as she tried her best to suppress the peculiar


    sensation that she felt. "What are you looking at?" she cried.


    The very next second, Joaquin returned to his senses before speaking in his usual, gentle voice. "I''m


    looking at your gorgeous face. You''re a treat to my eyes," he said.


    Katherine was utterly speechless. She barely had the time to respond to the man''s deration of


    romance when she felt the man''s warm breath against her ears. His breath made her ear feel itchy¡ª


    she felt like she was being tickled by feathers. Her first instinct was to shrink away from Joaquin, but he


    didn''t let go. She couldn''t escape him as his thin lips pressed against her earlobe. He opened and


    closed his lips to speak in a tone so sexy that it felt almost illegal. His words felt like spurts of electricity


    that gave Katherine a buzz. "I''m jealous, so you have topensate me, Kathy."


    Finally, Joaquin lowered his ego to admit the fact that he was jealous. Katherine''s gaze widened when


    she heard what the man said. "You¡ª" She parted her lips as she turned around to look at him.


    However, before she could say anything else, Joaquin pressed his lips against hers before he started


    making out with her. All her words were shoved back down her throat.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Katherine had no idea how long the kisssted, but she felt like her lungs were about to burst by the


    time Joaquin finally released her. He pressed his forehead against hers as he panted lightly. After a


    while, he looked up and stared into her eyes. The warmth and passion were practically overflowing in


    his gaze.


    "I got mypensation," he uttered.


    Katherine was speechless¡ªshe couldn''t seem to stop her heart from pounding against her ribcage.


    She couldn''t soothe the heightened pace of her heartbeat. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes


    were watery. Even though she couldn''t bring herself to speak, her thoughts were loud in her head.


    Damn, this b*stard is so good at flirting!


    ¡­


    The look on Jayden''s face was as grim as death by the time he returned to the hotel. Jayden''s


    assistant, Aaron, braced himself as he brought a cup of coffee over to his boss. Aaron had intended to


    slip in and out of the room without being noticed. However, he had no choice but to turn back around


    when he heard Jayden calling for him. "What is it, Boss?"


    Jayden didn''t exin himself immediately. Instead, he stood by the floor-to-ceiling window that showed


    him the view of the entire city with a dark and mysterious look on his face. A glint shed in Jayden''s


    narrowed eyes just before he started speaking. "I heard that the Rosenburgs have been facing a lot of


    issuestely. Is that true?" he asked.


    Aaron froze for a moment before nodding in haste. "Yeah. They had Mr. Walton watching their back


    before this, and their situation was rtively decent at that point. It seems like Mr. Walton is no longer


    on their side right now¡ªhe no longer watches over them as he did before. It doesn''t take much for


    others to realize this, and the Rosenburgs have been given the cold shoulder ever since then. Tons of


    other businesses arepeting and overpowering them, and it seems like the Rosenburgs are about


    to copse."


    Jayden cocked his eyebrow as he curled his lips into a smile. "That''s all because of the Rosenburg


    Family''s ignorance. They were the ones who got rid of their greatest support." Jayden turned around to


    continue giving his orders. "I want you to contact the Rosenburgs. You can get Mrs. Rosenburg to


    contact Katherine¡ªKatherine will help them through this tough period," Jayden uttered.


    "Ah¡­" Aaron was rather puzzled after hearing this statement. "Well, it''s not as if the Rosenburgs hadn''t


    asked Miss Cornell for help in the past. Miss Cornell chased them out back then. Furthermore, the


    Rosenburgs now intend to use Miss Cornell¡ªthey''re trying to arrange a marriage with the other family


    to reinstate their family''s name. You¡­" I know that Boss is interested in Miss Cornell. If that''s the case,


    why would he allow another person to get involved with Miss Cornell?


    Jayden let out augh even before Aaron could say anything. The sly smile on Jayden''s face made it


    obvious that Jayden knew what Aaron was thinking about. "Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing. I just


    want you to do as you''re told," Jayden ordered.


    Since Jayden had made his orders clear, Aaron figured that there was no point in saying much else, so


    he simply went along with his orders. After Aaron left, Jayden continued to stand in front of therge


    window with his gaze fixed on the view outside. Hah. I know exactly what the Rosenburgs are nning


    to do. I would never just hand Katherine over, would I? I just want to benefit from the Rosenburg Family


    for a bit. Once the Rosenburgs arrange a marriage, I''ll get to mess with Katherine and Joaquin''s


    rtionship. Then, I''ll eventually be the greatest winner of all this¡­


    The next day, Katherine was feeding Noah some food when Mrs. Rosenburg rushed over with a look of


    panic on her face. "You have to save the Rosenburg Family, Katherine! You''re the only one we have


    now!" Emma couldn''t stop herself from getting to her point right after she saw Katherine.


    Throughout this period, the Rosenburgs were shamed and bullied. As a result, Emma no longer felt as


    grand or smug as she used to be¡ªher back was slightly hunched as she shuffled her feet over.


    However, Emma''s eyes still lit up with greed when she saw Katherine. It was as if Emma was staring at


    a bag full of gold.

 Chapter 261

    Chapter 261


    Katherine turned her head. When she saw who it was, her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she let


    out a soft snort.


    "I''m sure we''re not that close, Mrs. Rosenburg. I''m afraid it''s inappropriate for you to call me that. I


    would very much prefer you to call me by my name," she drawled. Not even bothering to spare the


    older woman another nce, Katherine turned back again to continue feeding the girl.


    The moment Noah saw Emma, she immediately remembered what thetter saidst time. Soon, her


    eyebrows knitted into a frown as she turned petnt.


    "What is she doing here, Mom?" the child grumbled.


    Katherine sent a spoonful of congee to Noah''s mouth and indifferently huffed, "Don''t know, don''t care.


    She''s no one important, anyway."


    After hearing that, Noah scrunched her nose and whispered, "I don''t like her, Mom. Can we tell her to


    leave?"


    Needless to say, Noah still held a grudge and was worried that the old woman would take Katherine


    away.


    Katherine reached out to pat Noah on the head when she heard those words. She knew what her


    daughter was thinking.


    Jennifer, who was watching from the side, was incredibly displeased about Emma''s arrival. She didn''t


    even need to think twice before she stomped in Emma''s direction and blocked her with her body.


    "What are you doing here? Scram! You''re not wee here!"


    Emma was upset when she overheard Katherine and Noah''s conversation.


    If this had been any other day, she would have put on airs as an elder and scolded them for


    disrespecting their seniors.


    However, she had no choice but to keep her anger at bay as she had something more important to do


    now. Putting on a kind and honest face, she spoke in a genuine tone like never before.


    "Oh my, Jennifer! Why do you treat me so coldly? We''ve been friends for so long. I made a mistakest


    time, so how about Ipensate you for it?"


    Emma tried to appeal to them emotionally by warming up her friendship with Jennifer before she turned


    to the door and shouted, "Come,e! Hurry up ande in, Warden!"


    As soon as she said that, a bear-like man came in from outside the ward and stood beside Emma.


    Jennifer immediately went on high alert when the stranger came in. She started to take a good look at


    him then.


    He was a handsome man, but it took only one second for her to decide that she didn''t like his devil-


    may-care temperament.


    "Ha! You even brought someone with you? What''s the matter? Are you going to kick up another fuss


    today?"


    Emma''s face froze for a second when she heard Jennifer''s scorn, but she forced a smile. "What


    nonsense are you talking about, Jennifer? Didn''t I say that I was in the wrongst time? I lost control


    for a moment because I was too agitated. Don''t worry. I''m sincere ining here today."


    As she spoke, she started to introduce the man beside her.


    "Come! Jennifer and Kathy, let me introduce you all. This is Young Master Warden Brown from the


    Brown Family. The Brown Family from Kynd is an affluent name. Both Warden''s identity and status


    are unlike anyone else!"


    Emma''s eyes kept drifting in Katherine''s direction.


    However, Katherine didn''t react and had her back to them the whole time. As though not hearing


    Emma, she continued to feed Noah absent-mindedly.


    While she kept quiet, Jennifer didn''t hold back and immediately chewed Emma''s head off. "Who cares


    what his name is? It''s got nothing to do with us. Why did you bring someone we don''t know here?


    Leave now! Can''t you see how busy Kathy is? Stop embarrassing yourself. "


    As furious as Emma was, she had no choice but to calm down and persuade in a patient and gentle


    tone. "I know that Kathy''s busy taking care of her sick daughter, which is why Warden and I dropped


    by."


    "For what? What exactly are you here for? What has he got to do with Kathy?"


    "Uh¡­" Emma gritted her teeth as she muttered, "They don''t know each other yet, but they''ll get close


    the more they get to know each other!"


    She quickly shot Warden a knowing look after she finished her sentence.


    He raised his eyebrows when he noticed the look. His eyes had been on Katherine the whole time from


    the moment he walked in.


    Even though Katherine had her back toward him, he was already captivated by her otherworldly beauty


    just by looking at her back and side profile. His eyes were practically glued to her.


    Right then, he let out a half-smile and purred frivolously, "Mhmm. Miss Cornell, we might not know each


    other, but I''m sure you''ve heard of the Brown Family. How about we have lunch together? Let''s sit


    down and have a pleasant chat, yeah?"


    Emma quickly echoed, "Sounds like a great idea! You should both talk over lunch and get to know each


    other. How wonderful!"


    Katherine finally started to feel annoyed as she listened to the duo singing the same tune.


    Leaving the spoon in the bowl and passing it to Noah so that the girl could eat by herself, she turned


    around and peered at them with cold eyes.


    She first sized the man up with her scrutinizing gaze before she turned to Emma''s direction with


    indifference. Immediately afterward, she seemed to smile as she casuallymented, "Sounds fun. I''ll


    let you take my ce, then."


    Emma''s face turned pale as she choked the instant Katherine said that. Still, she swallowed the insult


    and faked augh while gesturing with her hands.


    "What are you talking about, Kathy? You and Warden are the youngsters here. Both of you happen to


    be about the same age. It''s about time you consider marriage¡­"


    She casually brought up the marriage talk as she spoke.


    Jennifer''s expression instantly turned cold when she saw how persistent Emma was and she didn''t


    hold back when she fired back at Emma. "You old hag! Don''t you think before you speak, or do you


    simply not have a brain? Or is it the most basic morals that you''recking? Kathy is a married woman.


    Don''t you know how embarrassing it is for you toe all the way here just to suggest something like


    this? What are you trying to do? You''re trying to break up Kathy''s marriage by force, aren''t you? It


    seems your skin has grown thicker with age!"


    Emma''s face paled, and she stiffened after Jennifer scolded her to her face. Even Warden looked


    somewhat awkward standing there. The mood here had gone cold in an instant.


    However, it wasn''t as though he cared about the fact that Katherine was married. To him, a woman''s


    marital status was the least of his concerns. He could have fun with them if he wanted to. There was no


    need for him to worry over trifles.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    He swiftly shed Katherine a smile that he thought was attractive.


    "Marriages don''t have tost a lifetime anyway. Couples can get a divorce if they can''t get along with


    each other. Miss Cornell, you should get to know as many men as you can. What if you end up finding


    one who gets along best with you? Wouldn''t it be a pity if you missed someone like that?"


    Katherine couldn''t help feeling disgusted at the tant flirtation. She didn''t hesitate to sneer, "Is that


    so? The yboys I know have ended up barely functioning as real men should. Do you¡­ want to give


    it a try? I don''t mind helping you out."


    As soon as Warden heard those words, the smile on his lips froze while his eyes were filled with fear.

 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262


    Barely functioning as real men should? Is she capable of doing that? Warden gulped. His inquisitive


    eyes peeked at Emma, seemingly asking her what was going on.


    However, there was no way Emma would know. Even she was taken aback when she heard


    Katherine''s words.


    At that point, she quickly tried to mediate. "Hush, Kathy! What is ady like you talking about


    something like that? That''s not very nice¡ª"


    However, she had only started talking when Jennifer did not hesitate to interrupt with a scoff.


    "Why do you care what Kathy says? You''re concerning yourself with way more than you should."


    Right then, Katherine nonchntly raised her eyebrows without a hint of warmth in her eyes.


    "I''m not joking," she announced. "You should try to find out my reputation in Hovington, Young Master


    Brown. I''m sure you''ll have more than one person telling you about how I crippled a few scumbags."


    She spoke so confidently without missing a beat as if she was speaking nothing but the truth.


    Seeing the unwavering look on her face, Warden felt cold sweat gather on the back of his torso, and


    his legs and stomach seemed to quiver.


    "Uh¡­" He gulped again. His eyes were darting everywhere nervously as thoughts of retreating started


    filling his head.


    Katherine took it up a notch when she noticed this.


    "If that''s too much effort, I can give you a taste of what I''m capable of."


    The moment she started stalking toward him, he was so frightened he quickly stepped backward while


    trying to stop her with words.


    "D-Don''t get any closer! I-I''m only here to pick up some girls. I''ll leave if you''re not up for it!"


    Warden was only trying to score a date. He wouldn''t think he would be betting the rest of his life off!


    After throwing that out, he quickly turned around to leave.


    Emma immediately turned ashen when she saw this, and she tried to stop him.


    "Young Master Brown! Don''t go! L-Let''s talk it out¡ª"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    However, the man, who was in a hurry to leave, impatiently frowned and pushed her away from him.


    "Get up! What''s there to talk about?" he roared. "I wouldn''t havee if you hadn''t lied to me about


    her wanting to marry me. This was a waste of time. I''m warning you, I don''t want to see you around


    begging me for anything again!"


    He then stormed out of there.


    Katherine wasn''t surprised at all by how things had panned out.


    Even though she didn''t know much about the Brown Family, she had heard rumors about Warden.


    The man was a yboy who loved visiting brothels, but he had the courage of a mouse, on top of


    being a narcissist.


    Katherine only intended to scare him for a bit, which was why it surprised her when he scampered


    away from fear.


    Emma, too, didn''t think things would turn out this way. For a moment, she couldn''t stop her emotions


    from showing on her face. However, she didn''t dare blow her top.


    It was because of her that their rtionship turned sour back then. Even Arthur stopped backing up the


    Rosenburg Family after that.


    She knew the Rosenburgs would be ruined if she messed this up again.


    At that thought, she clenched her jaw and decided the best way was for her to continue ying the


    same old emotional card.


    "Kathy, I know that I was the one at faultst time. It''s only right that you''re mad at me. But no matter


    what, we''re family! Your mother was so close to marrying into the Rosenburg Family. I wouldn''t have


    been against the marriage if I knew she was pregnant with you."


    "Ha! You sure have a way with words!" Jennifer sneered. Her squinted eyes were filled with mockery. "If


    you had known that my daughter was with child, you would have wasted no time in forcing her to get an


    abortion! What lies are you spouting? Don''t try to y nice now."


    "I¡­" Emma quickly tried to exin herself. "You''re wrong. I wouldn''t do that. Joshua loved Elsie so


    much¡ª"


    "Don''t give me any of that nonsense!"


    Jennifer wasn''t going to fall for Emma''s act. It pained her to even think about her daughter.


    "Elsie put up with and went through so much back then. Her life wouldn''t have been a living hell if you


    hadn''t made it so hard for her!"


    Seeing how agitated Jennifer had gotten, Katherine immediately went to the older woman and helped


    her sit down. She then turned to look at Emma with a piercing cold gaze.


    "Are you done? Get out of here if you are. You''re not wee here and I don''t want to see you. I''ll


    pretend I didn''t hear all the other nonsense you spouted."


    Emma froze from being watched by those eyes. She opened her mouth to speak and yet, she couldn''t


    find a word to say.


    Just the thought of the terrible state the Rosenburgs were in now made her panic. She didn''t even care


    anymore as she set her pride aside and fell on her knees with a thud.


    With tears and snot streaming down her face, she wailed, "Please save the Rosenburgs, Kathy! We''ve


    been driven up the wall. Your mother might not have taken the Rosenburg name, but you are still our


    flesh and blood! You can''t just stay out of this. You will return to us one day. Your name will also be on


    our family''s register. Your helping us is the same thing as helping yourself!"


    Emma''s tearful voice had grown raspy as she cried for help.


    Despite that, Katherine only looked at her with cold eyes. The older woman was a hrious sight to


    behold.


    "Did you say you want to add my name to the family register? Ha! That depends on whether or not I


    want in. Also, I have nothing to do with the Rosenburgs. Don''t you dare start iming that I''m one of


    you!"


    "What do you mean you have nothing to do with the Rosenburgs?" Emma blurted out. "Your mother


    and my son were so close to getting married. You are a Rosenburg! It''s absurd that you''re not helping


    your own family! It''s treacherous! It''s abominable!"


    Treacherous? Abominable?


    Katherine had grown impatient at first but as soon as she heard those words, her eyes and expression


    grew cold.


    Right as she was about to lose her temper, an emotionless, deep voice suddenly rang out from the


    door of the ward.


    "Abominable? Save that for your family."


    Katherine swiftly lifted her head when she heard the familiar voice, only to see Joaquin entering the


    room.


    He was still in his hospital gown as he hadn''t made a full recovery. She also noticed theck of color on


    his face.


    And yet, his aura was so overwhelming it seemed to physically affect everyone else in the ward.


    Ben, who looked unbothered, was following closely behind with an upset and disdainful expression on


    his face.


    When Katherine realized that it was Joaquin, her sleek brows immediately pulled into a frown. "You''re


    still unwell. You should be lying down."


    Instead of answering her, he smiled and strode to her side and stood with her.


    "I''m alright." Unlike before, his tone grew a lot gentler. "I can''t just leave you here to deal with a


    vexatious swindler by yourself."


    With that, he brought his hand up to caress her cheek. He then turned around and observed Emma


    from his height, his face no longer holding the gentleness it had just a moment ago.


    "I''m surprised you haven''t given up after that mess you causedst time. In that case, I''ll make sure


    you give uppletely!"

 Chapter 263

    Chapter 263


    "Ben, give her the documents," Joaquin immediately ordered in a cold voice.


    The man did as was told and instantly tossed the documents he was holding to the ground.


    "Here you go, hag. See for yourself." Ben used a sarcastic tone when he talked, and he did not show


    even a hint of respect for the unreasonable woman.


    Emma''s expression darkened when she turned her attention to him. Resentment dripped from her as


    she recalled him as the person calling Arthur during theirst encounter.


    As the realization dawned on her, she scowled and got up in a wobbly fashion. Then, she used


    harshly, "Do all the Hovington residentsck manners just like you? Is that how you treat the elderly?"


    Ben scoffed at her words and he did not bother to hide the sarcasm in his tone as he countered, "I can


    be respectful to the people who deserve it. You''re not among them, so spare me from your nonsense.


    Get out right away after you read the documents. You aren''t wee here."


    He heard that the dishonorable woman in front of him dared challenge Joaquin and try to take


    Katherine away, so he didn''t bother to be friendly toward her.


    "You¡ª" Emma almost blew a gasket after he fired the words at her.


    At that moment, Joaquin parted his thin lips and chimed in coldly, "You keep saying Kathy is one of the


    Rosenburgs. However, you''re just using your title as a family elder and your old age to take advantage


    of her besides being unreasonable. She let it slip only because she is kind, but I won''t let you off the


    hook that easily. I hate every sleaze who dares to try my patience, including you. I don''t care whether


    you''re an elder or a child. As long as you try to harm Kathy, you don''t deserve my friendliness."


    As he said that, he nced at the documents on the ground before the corners of his lips curled into a


    sneer.


    "Kathy and Grandma have been telling you that she isn''t rted to any of you. Since you have trouble


    comprehending human words, you should see for yourself. The results have proven that Kathy isn''t


    rted to the Rosenburgs, nor she is your blood."


    Emma paused at his statement before she bent down to pick up the documents from the ground.


    Once she skimmed through the documents, her face immediately contorted in anger and her hands


    trembled uncontrobly.


    "No way. That''s impossible!" The same sentence was repeated again and again as if she refused to


    believe the results.


    Joaquin cut to the chase and called out her act without hesitation. "Cut it out. You know the truth better


    than anybody else. Back then, Mrs. Cornell broke up with Joshua in April and cut off all ties with him.


    She only found out she was pregnant in June of the same year, so she couldn''t possibly be carrying a


    child of the Rosenburg Family. Look at the section that states Katherine''s blood type on the paper. She


    has golden blood, but nobody in the Rosenburg Family has the same blood type. Thus, there''s no way


    Joshua could be her father. What you said is ridiculous."


    He spoke each word in a calm but firm manner. Every word struck Emma like a lightning bolt with


    unquestionable authority.


    The words left her speechless. The papers crumpled in her hands due to her tightening her fingers


    around them.


    After Joaquin spoke his mind, Ben couldn''t help but side with his friend as he mocked, "I heard that the


    Rosenburg Family is expecting its ultimate downfall, so your goal is obvious to us. You don''t have a


    backup n, so you''re desperate to grasp any straw you can reach. You know the truth but use


    Katherine as a sacrificialmb in the alliance marriage with the Brown Family in exchange for your


    family''s future."


    He clicked his tongue. "Old hag, I bet you don''t have any conscience. Even though Katherine already


    has a partner, you still want to take advantage of her. Do you have no shame at all?"


    "You¡ª" Nobody had ever talked to her like that in her whole life. Her breath immediately caught in her


    throat and suffocated her. The disadvantage put her at a loss for words, but she couldn''t bring herself


    to fight back, which frustrated her more.


    As the situation took a dramatic turn, she knew she had run out of tricks. Therefore, she tossed the


    documents back on the ground and began throwing a tantrum. "Fine. You Olsens have no shame at all!


    And Elsie was the worst b*tch among you! One moment she swore loyalty to Joshua and said she


    loved him but the next moment, she married Jorge not long after she left Joshua. She was a real


    yer, always having her eyes on the next one even when she was in a rtionship."


    Emma''s face scrunched up and anger drove her over the edge as she threw insults at the others.


    "It seems to me that she had hooked up with Jorge long before we even noticed. She wanted to have


    both men, but we saw her true colors. She eventually had no choice but to choose Jorge!" She sneered


    before continuing, "It''s no surprise, though. A b*tch like she would sleep with every man she came


    upon. If it wasn''t for Jorge, nobody would ever marry her."


    Katherine''s expression instantly turned cold, but Jennifer reacted faster. The older woman took a quick


    step forward as her eyes were blown wide in anger, ring an intense hole at Emma.


    "Enough with this nonsense or else, I''ll make you regret this."


    Emma only sneered. Not only did she ignore the warnings, but she even retorted, "Make me regret it?


    What are you going to do? Listen carefully, Elsie was a sl*t who was desperate for the men''s attention.


    She had no shame at all! Her daughter, who is another shameless sl*t, is no differentpared to her,


    proving the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree."


    The foul words fueled Jennifer''s anger and it turned into fury. She wanted to fight back, but the fury


    overwhelmed her mind without warning and she immediately cked out and fell backward.


    "Grandma!"


    "Great-grandma!"


    The situation spiraled out of control in a split second.


    Katherine and Joaquin helped the older woman to her feet with nervous expressions on their faces.


    Meanwhile, Noah burst into tears at the sight as she slid down the bed and joined them.


    When Ben saw the situation, he rushed out of the room to get the doctor.


    Katherine frowned when she took Jennifer''s pulse. Just as she was looking for her pouch to perform


    acupuncture, Emma''s hystericalugh reached her.


    "Did she faint? Or is she dead? She had iting! You must pay for not helping us, so she deserves it!


    All of you should just go with her!"


    She let out augh as those words left her.


    "After all, like mother, like daughter. Katherine, you''re just another b*tch! If your grandmother dies, keep


    in mind that your decisions led her to death."


    Katherine was now posed to strike as an icy look dawned on her face. Her neck snapped in Emma''s


    direction and her eyes shot daggers at the other woman. If looks could kill, Emma would already be six


    feet under.


    Icy rage shed through Katherine''s eyes and she leaned forward, ready to lunge at the older woman.


    She had only one goal at the moment, which was to kick Emma in the chest with force.


    However, Joaquin grabbed her by the wrist and gave her a look.


    "It''s your top priority to save Grandma. Leave the rest to me."


    As he finished his words, he tightened his jaw and raised his voice. "Jeremy!"


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    A momentter, Jeremy, who had been standing by outside, walked into the room. "What can I do for


    you, Mr. Levisay?"


    "What are you waiting for?" Joaquin began in a stern voice, evident anger coating his words. "Throw


    her out. No Rosenburgs are allowed entry in the building from now on."


    Jeremy tensed at Joaquin''s outburst before he hurriedlyplied. Emma''s protest fell on deaf ears as


    he dragged her out of the hospital.

 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264


    Once the eyesore got thrown out of the ward, Joaquin immediately rushed to Jennifer''s side and


    expressed his concern with a frown. "How''s Grandma?"


    Pursing her lips, Katherine didn''t give him the answer he was expecting. "Give me a hand. Help me get


    Grandma to bed."


    He did as told without wasting time.


    Once he put Jennifer on the bed, Katherine opened her needle pouch and performed acupuncture on


    Jennifer with her utmost attention.


    After a while, Jeremy hurriedly returned to the room.


    "Mr. Levisay, I''ve thrown the old h*g out. She won''t be able to sneak past the security guards outside.


    I''ve also alerted the doctor."


    However, Jeremy only received a displeased nce from Joaquin.


    He instantly took the hint and cut his words short. He grabbed the doctor, who was walking over to


    check on Jennifer, by the arm and stopped him in his tracks.


    They began to lose track of time while Katherine''s forehead started to bead with sweat. Her hand was


    slippery with sweat, but her fingers didn''t stop fiddling with the needles.


    She then took Jennifer''s pulse onest time before she pulled out the needles.


    After she pulled out thest needle, her body slightly wavered to the side. Her face paled and the blood


    drained from her lips.


    Joaquin was worried about her and he reached out a hand to help steady her.


    "How are you feeling? Are you alright? Do you want to take a break?"


    Katherine shook her head at his concern. Even so, the frown between her brows remained as she


    raised a hand to wipe at the sweat on her forehead.


    "Don''t worry about me. It''s just that I stood up too fast."


    The visage of her forcing herself didn''t ease Joaquin''s worries. Therefore, he helped her to the chair on


    the side before he shot Jeremy a look. At that, Jeremy let go of the doctor''s arm and allowed the other


    man to pass through.


    However, Katherine''s chimed in abruptly, "There''s no need for that. Grandma is stabilized and she will


    wake up in a bit."


    The doctor was surprised to hear that.


    The moment he entered the ward and saw Katherine performing acupuncture, he was already in awe


    of her ability.


    The words she spoke now only surprised him even more. Even so, the doctor still performed a check-


    up on Jennifer to make sure she was all right.


    Katherine didn''t stop him when he approached Jennifer and checked the elderly woman''s condition.


    After a moment, the doctor gasped in surprise. "What amazing skills you have! The patient looks good."


    However, he didn''t get any answer from Katherine. Her eyes were half-closed and she looked utterly


    exhausted.


    When Joaquin saw her in such a condition, he frowned even harder.


    At that point, he shifted his gaze to Jeremy. Thetter immediately took the hint and led the doctor out


    of the ward.


    It was only when they left that Noah, who had tears in her eyes, approached the pair. She put her small


    hands around Katherine''s hand. A sad frown appeared on her pale face, indicating that she was


    traumatized by the scene earlier.


    "Mom, are you okay? When will Great-grandma wake up? I''m scared."


    The words caught Katherine''s attention and she turned her head in her daughter''s direction. Her pale


    lips parted and she whispered, "Don''t be afraid. I''m fine. And Great-grandma is going to be fine too."


    Still doubtful, Noah sniffled and nodded, even though her eyes were telling that she was wary.


    Joaquin''s heart was filled with worry. Knowing Katherine was exhausted after the acupuncture, he


    carried her in his arms without asking.


    As she was caught off guard by his sudden movement, her mind went nk for a second and she


    involuntarily braced her hands against his chest.


    "W-What are you doing?"


    He pursed his thin lips into a tight line before exining in a deep voice, "I''m taking you to rest in the


    next room."


    Hearing those words, she promptly protested, "You don''t have to. I''m fine. I''m more worried about


    Grandma. I¡ª"


    Before she could finish her words, he interrupted, "And I''m more worried about you. Grandma will be


    fine since you performed acupuncture on her yourself. I''ll take care of her, so you should take a break. I


    promise you that I''ll immediately wake you up if anything happens. You have my word, so be good, and


    don''t make me worry about you."


    Thest sentence was said in a mumble, showing a hint of resignation and heartache.


    This time, Katherine only hesitated for a moment before she finally nodded. Bracing her arms around


    Joaquin''s neck, she rxed and leaned against his shoulder.


    It was rare for her to show her vulnerable side. As such, Joaquin tightened his arms around her body


    and headed to the ward next door with steady steps. After putting her on the bed, he tucked her in and


    watched her close her eyes. Once her breath calmed down into a quiet one, he left.


    He saw Noah waiting beside Jennifer''s bed when he returned to the young girl''s ward. His expression


    softened at the scene.


    "Noah, it''s time to go to bed." Walking over to join her, he carried the girl in his arms and coaxed her


    softly.


    She put her arms around his neck without protest. However, concern was written all over her round


    eyes.


    "Great-grandma will be alright, won''t she, Daddy?"


    Meeting her gaze, he nodded quietly as determination and tenderness escaped his eyes.


    "Yes, she''ll be fine. You need to believe in Mommy''s skills. Besides, the doctor said the same thing.


    Great-grandma looks good. She''s just a little exhausted and needs rest. Noah, you should sleep too.


    Great-grandma might just wake up by the time you awake tomorrow."


    Noah tightened her fingers around the nket, her voice betraying her uncertainty as she croaked,


    "Really?"N?velDrama.Org content.


    "Of course." Joaquin smiled at her. "When did I ever lie to you?"


    The girl pondered for a moment before she shook her head with a serious expression. "Never."


    "That''s right. Noah, always remember that I''ll never lie to you. You can rest assured now."


    As the girl had unconditional trust in Joaquin, she nodded as soon as he made the promise. "All right. I


    will remember that."


    Just as she was about to close her eyes and sleep, she remembered something and was startled as


    she sat upright.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Joaquin was surprised at her behavior. At that, Noah pulled his hand into her palms as she fixed her


    round eyes on him.


    "Daddy, did you also get sick? You don''t look all right to me. Did you also have surgery?"


    Truth was, she had noticed it upon seeing him walking into the room. However, as things took a


    dramatic turn, she only remembered it after he put her to bed.


    For a moment, Joaquin was taken aback by the question before he collected his thoughts.


    He didn''t mean to worry her in the first ce. He was nning to avoid her for a few days until he


    looked better and finally visited her. At the same time, he would reveal his identity as her biological


    father to her.


    However, none of them had expected Emma to barge into the ward and kick up a fuss.


    Meanwhile, Noah waited for his answer. Complicated emotions flickered beneath Joaquin''s eyes as he


    decided not to tell her at the moment. After all, it wasn''t a good time to discuss such a serious matter


    with her when everything was so chaotic.


    "Yes, I haven''t been too well recently and am living in the ward next door. You don''t have to worry about


    me, though. I''m already getting better."


    At that, Noah sized him up again with her big round eyes to make sure he spoke the truth before letting


    it go.


    "All right, Daddy. If you get sick again, you must tell me, okay? Don''t keep me in the dark. It''s not


    good."


    She scrunched her nose in disapproval as the words left her. Joaquin''s heart was warmed by her


    sincere words. Stretching out his hand, he caressed her head affectionately before putting her to sleep.


    Once Noah fell asleep, he cast a nce at Jennifer, whoy on the next bed, and his expression


    darkened at the sight.

 Chapter 265

    Chapter 265


    Even though Katherine revealed nothing earlier, Joaquin could tell she was hiding something when he


    looked at her expression.


    The frown on her face must have something to do with Jennifer''s condition.


    He was afraid that the elderly woman''s condition wasn''t as positive as Katherine told them.


    As he pondered, Jeremy walked into the room with silent footsteps. Shifting his gaze to the two people


    on the beds, he remained silent as a courtesy and waited for Joaquin''s order respectfully.


    Joaquin cast a nce at him before rising to his feet and walking out of the ward without a word.


    The two stood in the corridor.


    They were now in the VIP ward, which had lesser wards andrger spaces. As such, there weren''t any


    visitors in the corridor.


    Jeremy finally began with his report.


    "That old hag from the Rosenburg Family refuses to go. She is making amotion at the hospital


    entrance. I initially wanted to get someone to chase her away, but she pulled a dirty trick and used her


    age against us. Now she''s sitting on the ground and not willing to get up."


    When Joaquin heard that, a hint of cold anger shed across his eyes and his lips curled into a sneer.


    "The Rosenburgs can be quite cheap if they want to. Who would''ve thought that she would throw


    tantrums in public?"


    "Right. And they dare to call themselves a big family." Jeremy hadplex feelings about the matter.


    "She must be desperate since her family is no longer as powerful as before. Besides, manypanies


    have cut off connections with them. They''re struggling to maintain the capital chain and are already on


    the verge of bankruptcy. Their doom is only a matter of time."


    At the end of his sentence, he paused for a moment and continued with slightly minced words, "Mrs.


    Rosenburg is trying to manipte Katherine. She is manipting Katherine into believing that she is a


    member of the Rosenburg Family to force her into an alliance marriage with the Brown Family. That


    way, the Browns will provide funds for the Rosenburgs to make aeback."


    Joaquin sneered at the statement as anger swirled within him.


    ¡°Nice try. However, she shouldn''t have overextended herself and thought of manipting others.¡±


    As he finished the words, he narrowed his eyes and ordered in a cold tone, ¡°Take over all their


    avable cooperation projects. Then, inform all banks to no longer approve any loans to the


    Rosenburgs. They should also collect the avable loans back as soon as possible by the name of


    liquidity creation. As for any otherpanies that are still interested in coborating with the


    Rosenburgs, ask them to think twice before making the Levisay Group their enemy.¡±


    As the order came out, Jeremy immediately understood what Joaquin was implying.


    It was obvious that the man wasn''t keen on sparing anyone.


    It seemed like Jennifer dug her own grave the moment she set foot in the ward and got on Joaquin''s


    bad side.


    Nobody woulde to the Rosenburg Family''s rescue since Joaquin had made up his mind.


    Jeremy instantly proceeded with carrying out Joaquin''s orders.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Katherine had no idea that Joaquin had found a way to deal with the Rosenburgs behind


    her back.


    When she woke up after a long sleep and checked on her phone, she was overwhelmed by the same


    news, which covered the news of the Rosenburg Family''s downfall.


    She was surprised to wake up to this news. Quickly turning the television on, she switched to the news


    channel.


    As expected, the television coverage was highlighting the news.


    The Rosenburg Group had built a centennial foundation and stood tall as one of the top enterprises


    over the years. Besides, they were renowned among the greatest families.


    As such, it was shocking to see such a hugepany with countless connections being uprooted in a


    short time.


    The video ying on the news focused on thepany''s building entrance. The police had used


    barrier tape to limit ess to the building, and the people in the building were long gone.


    At that point, Joaquin pushed open the door of the ward and entered.


    "You''re awake." He strode over to her upon noticing that she was sitting on the bed.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    She nodded in response. After a moment of hesitation, she began, "Did you..."


    She didn''tplete her sentence, but he got her meaning right away.


    Joaquin saw no point in hiding from her, so he nodded quietly and admitted, "I did."


    Taken aback by his honesty, she took a few seconds to process the statement before she chuckled to


    herself.


    "You don''t have to do things to such a degree. I can solve the problem on my own."


    After Emma caused a scene in the ward, Katherine had already decided to deal with the Rosenburgs


    after she woke up so they could no longer cause her any problems.


    To her surprise, she didn''t even have the chance to form a n. Once she woke up, everything


    changed.


    Joaquin shrugged off her worries.


    "I''m not a stranger, Kathy. I''m your husband. How can I just do nothing when someone is trying to hurt


    you and Grandma?"


    She held back her words as she bit her lip.


    She knew it was a kind gesture from him. However, standing up for her must have caused him a lot of


    trouble.


    Even though the Rosenburg Family had been declining over the years, they were still richer and more


    powerful than ordinary people. Although they had be less influential than before, they had a


    centennial foundation of connections. It wasn''t an easy task to take them down.


    However, he managed to bring the Rosenburg Group down within two hours. It didn''t take a rocket


    scientist to guess that Joaquin had used all avable resources to do that.


    Since he was doing it in Hovington, it must have something to do with the Levisay Group. When the


    time came, Katherine had a feeling that the Levisays wouldn''t let the matter slip and would use her


    instead.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin saw through her and read her mind. The corner of his lips turned up into an


    amused smile as he reached out to pinch her cheek.


    Wincing in pain, she swatted his hand away and squinted her eyes in displeasure. "What do you


    want?"


    Finding her expression amusing, he raised his brows slightly.


    "Stop worrying. Since I can do that, I have ways to deal with them. Other things don''t matter. You don''t


    have to worry about them. Just keep in mind that nobody cany a hand on you or our families."


    The mention of ''our families'' instantly touched the softest spot in Katherine''s heart.


    Scratching her nose, she mumbled something to herself and let it slip.


    Joaquin turned the television off and shot her a question. "Do you want to go and see Grandma?"


    She nodded and immediately slid down the bed before following Joaquin to the ward next door.


    However, Jennifer hadn''t woken up when they came to see her. Her pale face was worrisome.


    Katherine took her grandmother''s pulse before casting a nce at Noah, who was still asleep. "Has


    Grandma not woken up even once since then?" she whispered.


    Joaquin shook his head regretfully. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to ask the question that


    had been on his mind.


    "What exactly happened to Grandma? Even if she was overwhelmed by fury, it''s unnatural for her to


    not wake up after a long time."


    His question cut straight to the heart of the matter. Pursing her lips, Katherine eventually decided not to


    hide the truth from him and spilled the beans.


    "The anger indeed overwhelmed her and caused her to have a mood swing. She couldn''t calm herself,


    so she fainted. However, it was too much for her body. She has been in poor health in recent years.


    Now, her days are numbered."


    Joaquin was at a loss for words when she confessed.


    He didn''t expect it to be a serious matter. Now, her serious expression earlier made sense.


    Katherine didn''t have many living rtives left. Jennifer was the only person that had been there with


    her through thick and thin over the years, so it was surely difficult for Katherine to admit that her


    grandmother had fallen sick.

 Chapter 266

    Chapter 266


    After a moment of hesitation, Joaquin asked quietly, "Is there¡­ another way to save her?"


    Katherine pursed her lips before letting out a barely audible sigh.


    "Death is inevitable. We can''t escape the cycle of life and death. It is only a matter of time. Grandma''s


    health has been declining over the years, but I have been using my skills to prolong her life. Her time


    has nowe and I have been expecting it. However, it still hurts me to ept that she''s dying."


    Katherine''s words implied that no skills were possible to save Jennifer from the jaws of death.


    The realization put a weight on Joaquin and his heart sank. Feeling at a loss for words, he put his hand


    on her shoulder and squeezed it in aforting manner.


    Even though he met Jennifer not long ago, this was the first time he felt the happiness of having a


    family after spending some time with her.


    Compared to the Levisays who were rted to him by blood, Jennifer was more like family to him.


    Therefore, when he heard the truth, a pang of sadness welled up inside him.


    As Katherine tucked Jennifer''s hand under the nket, a hint of reluctance emerged in her eyes.


    "Although Grandma''s days are numbered, I''ll still look into ways to prolong her life as much as


    possible, so she can feel less pain. I know she hasn''t been happy all these years because she worries


    about many people and matters. I only hope that she can spend the remainder of her life happily. I want


    to make it worthwhile for her. It''s the least I can do for her."


    Joaquin nodded andforted her in a soothing voice, "Don''t worry. Grandma will understand your


    kind gesture. We''ll stay by her side until the veryst moment of her life."


    As the two spoke quietly, someone knocked on the door all of a sudden.


    He patted her shoulder lightly before turning around and answering the door.


    It turned out that it was Jeremy who was standing outside the ward, along with another unexpected


    guest¡ªMarcus.


    Joaquin raised his brows in surprise. "Why are you here, Marcus?"


    Before the other man could answer, Jeremy chimed in to exin with a bitter look on his face.


    "Mr. Levisay, I keep exining to him that you and Katherine aren''t seeing guests at the moment.


    However, he tried to make a break anyway, saying that he came here with urgent news. He won''t listen


    to me, so I have no choice but to bring him in to see you."


    Joaquin squinted at Jeremy but didn''t use him of negligence.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Meanwhile, an impatient Marcus poked his head into the ward and scanned the surroundings with a


    desperate look on his face.


    "Mr. Levisay, is Miss Cornell here?"


    Joaquin avoided the question and countered, "What is it? I''m afraid she''s not avable to meet you, but


    you can tell me what happened. It''s the same."


    Considering Katherine wasn''t in a good mood at the moment, Joaquin wanted to keep other troubling


    matters at bay for her.


    However, Marcus frowned at the words and looked as if he was facing a dilemma.


    "Mr. Levisay, I have no idea what happened earlier and I don''t mean to disturb her, but there''s


    something important going on right now. I have to see her."


    An idea urred to Joaquin as he noticed the urgency in Marcus'' tone. "Is it about the man-faced


    curse?"


    Marcus pursed his lips into a tight line and nodded firmly. "Yes."


    "Didn''t Kathy save the senior officials'' lives back then? The curse in their bodies has been cleared as


    well, so what is it now?"


    "Even though the officials are out of a critical condition, things are different in the Fraser Family."


    "The Fraser Family?" Joaquin knitted his brows at that.


    At that moment, Katherine walked over to them after themotion at the door caught her attention


    and the fragments of their conversation reached her.


    She wasn''t surprised to see Marcus, so she asked quietly, "What''s wrong?"


    "There you are, Miss Cornell!" Marcus'' face brightened at her presence as if she was his savior.


    "Miss Cornell, I guess you didn''t hear about it, but the man-faced curse has affected the whole Fraser


    Family and the situation is out of control. I don''t mean to bother you, but there''s nothing I can do to help


    them. Pleasee with me and save them!"


    Katherine''s expression turned serious at his words.


    She recalled her n of visiting the Fraser Family to check on their condition.


    However, since the five officials were poisoned at the same time, she immediately made a trip to


    Kynd. After the problem was settled, the business with the Fraser Family had slipped her mind.


    Katherine then did some simple calctions. Every person who had close contact with Zak in the


    family would have been infected by the curse. As the disease was transmitted from person to person,


    she affirmed no one in the household was spared from the curse.


    "Have you started to limit their ess?" she immediately asked. She was worried that the Frasers''


    contact with the outside world would result in the man-faced curse bing widespread.


    Marcus nodded at that. "I have. After you told me the curse was infectious, I have since asked my men


    to take control of the situation. None of them are allowed to go out. We send the food and drinks to


    them from the entrance. The person in charge of the food delivery is also forbidden to have physical


    contact with them."


    "You''re doing the right thing." Relief flooded Katherine when she heard that and she nodded.


    Her reaction gave Marcus hope of her agreeing to go with him. Checking the time on his watch, he


    suggested, "Miss Cornell, it''s an urgent matter, so we have to go now. There''s a private jet waiting. I''ll


    fill you in about the situation of the Fraser Family once we get on the jet."


    To his surprise, Katherine shook her head with a calm expression.


    "I''m not going with you, but I''ll tell you the method to relieve their symptoms. Find somebody else to


    save them."


    "What?" Marcus wasn''t expecting a rejection. His shocked expression sank into a bitter one as


    realization dawned.


    "But Miss Cornell, you''re the best doctor who can even bring a dying patient back to life. There''s


    nobody who has more expertise than you. Besides, the ''somebody'' won''t possibly know the method to


    tackle the man-faced curse. Miss Cornell, you should reallye with me."


    However, Katherine rejected it again without the slightest hint of hesitation.


    "I''m not going. I''ll send the method to your pher. You can go now."


    With that, she returned to the ward without a backward nce. Sitting beside the bed, she fixed her


    gaze on Jennifer, who was still asleep.


    Jennifer was in a bad condition at the moment, so Katherine couldn''t just walk away as she pleased.


    No matter what happened, she would stay by Jennifer''s side for as long as she possibly could.


    She didn''t share her thoughts with anyone, but Joaquin understood the situation. Thus, he stopped


    Marcus in his tracks. Disinterest coated his expression when he muttered, "You should go. Kathy isn''t


    going to change her mind. Besides, she isn''t responsible for the Frasers'' well-being nor has any


    obligation to save them. She isn''t some superhuman but a normal person like us, so she doesn''t have


    the time to tend to your request. She has something else to do."


    With that, Joaquin gave Jeremy a look and gestured for him to send Marcus away.

 Chapter 267

    Chapter 267


    Jeremy got the message and was about to send Marcus away.


    However, Marcus refused to leave. The Frasers were in such a bad state that if he couldn''t bring


    Katherine back, none of them would survive!


    Hence, he gritted his teeth and stood there firmly. "I''m sorry," he muttered to Joaquin before blocking


    the door and pleading loudly to whoever was in the room, "Please, Miss Cornell! Consider it as doing a


    good deed! If you refuse to help them, the Frasers will perish! You are the only one who can save them


    right now¡­"


    On the other hand, Joaquin had a solemn and dissatisfied expression when he saw Marcus pull such a


    trick.


    "Are you still not leaving? Jeremy, get someone to drag him away!"


    At this moment, Jennifer, who was fast asleep the entire time, suddenly moved her eyelids. The next


    second, her eyes opened and she stared nkly at the ceiling.


    Katherine, who had been staring at Jennifer all this while, dashed over to her. "You''re awake,


    Grandma. How do you feel right now? Do you feel sick?"


    Joaquin, too, ignored everything else and dashed to the other side of the bed. "Grandma, you''re finally


    awake! You almost scared Kathy and me to death," he said as he looked at Jennifer with a serious


    gaze.


    Meanwhile, Jennifer took some time to fully regain her consciousness. Her blurry eyes became more


    focused as she stared at Joaquin, then Katherine, before she cracked a weak smile.


    "Kathy, don''t be afraid. I''m all right. I merely slept more as I was tired."


    The older woman could maintain her cool andfort Katherine even when she had just fainted.


    Katherine felt her heart ache as she heard Jennifer''s words and tears welled up in her eyes.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Fortunately, she kept her rationality and managed to keep her emotions hidden.


    It was just that when she opened her mouth, her slightly hoarse voice revealed a little of her inner


    turmoil.


    "You scared me, Grandma. Don''t let this happen again. Whatever the others do, don''t get too worked


    up. Leave everything to me and I will certainly seek justice on your behalf."


    Jennifer gave a weak nod when she heard that. "I know that now. You are always so thoughtful to me,


    my dear granddaughter."


    She blinked her wrinkled eyelids as she inquired, "Who was the one shouting earlier? What happened


    to the Fraser Family?"


    Katherine did not expect Jennifer to hear Marcus shouting. After hesitating for a while, she decided to


    keep the matter from Jennifer.


    "Nothing happened. It was just a bystander shouting and it had nothing to do with us. Don''t be


    concerned, Grandma. The only thing you have to do now is to rest well. Noah and Joaquin are


    recovering well. When you get better, we''ll return home."


    Jennifer shook her head in response.


    "Don''t try to hide it from me, Kathy. Though I am old, I''m not deaf or blind. I heard just now that


    someone was asking you to save the Frasers. Is that Marcus?"


    Jennifer was smart and she managed to get it right at the first guess.


    As such, Katherine had no choice but to purse her lips and nod. "Yes, it was him, but I''ve already


    turned him down."


    "What?" Jennifer tried to get up as soon as she heard Katherine''s words. "How could you turn him


    down?" she asked.


    Seeing that, Joaquin quickly went to hold her and keep her from getting up. "Please lie down,


    Grandma."


    However, Jennifer was an adamant person and she insisted on getting up. In the end, she fixed her


    gaze firmly on Katherine.


    "You have to go, Kathy! This is a matter of life and death!"


    That made Katherine frown. "I can''t, Grandma. You have not recovered and I don''t want to leave you


    here. I''d like to stay with you."


    "My body is failing because of my old age; why do you want to stay with me? Furthermore, I


    understand my condition well. Nothing will happen to me for the time being. Just go."


    "But¡­"


    Katherine wanted to decline once more, but Jennifer grabbed her hands and said solemnly, "Kathy, the


    greatest deed of all is to save lives. The Frasers are all innocent. Since you have a way to save them,


    how could you take a step back and do nothing instead? Besides, few people are aware of the man-


    faced curse. No matter how capable Marcus is, he will never be able to find a master who knows how


    to deal with the man-faced curse in such a short period. No matter what, you have to go with him."


    After hearing that, Katherine bit her lower lip, clearly perplexed. "But Grandma, I can''t leave you


    here¡­"


    Jennifer appreciated Katherine''s filial piety and she patted the younger woman''s hands gently. "I


    appreciate your considerate thoughts for me, Kathy, but rest assured that I am fine. I will wait for you to


    come back. Besides, don''t you have the pills for me? Leave the pills and I will take them as instructed. I


    have faith in your medical abilities. Donald is also with me, so everything will be fine."


    Jennifer turned to face Joaquin and with a benevolent gaze, she added, "Joaquin, Kathy is a little


    obstinate. Please don''t follow in her footsteps. If she decides not to save them because of me, she will


    regret it in the future. After all, this is a tricky situation and the man-faced curse is an extremely


    dangerous curse to handle. She will be uneasy if she doesn''t pitch in this time."


    Jennifer knew her granddaughter well. Though Katherine appeared to be aloof and looked as if she


    didn''t care about anything, she was a gentle and kind woman. She became such a skilled medical


    practitioner all because she wanted to save lives.


    After hearing what Jennifer said, Joaquin hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.


    Katherine, too, had no choice but to give in to Jennifer. Thus, in the presence of Jennifer, she called


    Marcus and told him she would go with him.


    Marcus was standing by the hospital entrance, looking utterly frustrated when he received Katherine''s


    call. When he learned that she had agreed to go with him, he was so overjoyed that he yelled, "Thank


    you! I am waiting for you at the hospital entrance now! We can board the ne whenever you are


    ready!"


    After hanging up the phone, Katherine was still worried and she tilted her head to look at Noah, who


    was lying on another bed.


    Jennifer sensed her concern. "Don''t worry. I will take good care of Noah. Just focus on saving them


    and don''t think of anything else," she said in aforting tone.


    Then, she patted Joaquin and continued, "Joaquin, get me the bag that I left on the couch."


    Joaquin did as he was told and handed Jennifer the ordinary-looking bag.


    Jennifer opened the bag and began rummaging around the fabric on the side. Suddenly, a zipper


    appeared.


    Joaquin and Katherine were both taken aback when they saw this. No one would have thought that


    such an unassuming bag would have something more to it.


    Under their watchful gazes, Jennifer unzipped it and took something out.


    It was an ancient-looking parchment scroll, looking dull and dusty as if it was passed down over many


    generations.

 Chapter 268

    Chapter 268


    "Grandma, this is¡­"


    Katherine looked slightly shocked and her eyes were filled with doubt as she stared at the parchment


    scroll.


    Jennifer, on the other hand, remained silent. She lowered her head and gazed at the parchment scroll,


    feeling nostalgic. Her wrinkled hands rubbed the scroll gently for a few moments before she let out a


    faint sigh.


    "This was passed down to me by my mother, your great-grandmother. It contains information on how to


    stop and curb the man-faced curse, as well as prevent it from spreading. I am passing this on to you


    because the situation is critical. This is the only thing your great-grandmother left behind when she


    died, so please treat it with care."


    While Jennifer spoke, she took Katherine''s hand in hers and handed her the parchment scroll, finishing


    with a gentle pat.


    Katherine''s gaze froze as she stared at the parchment scroll. Instead of beingforted, her doubts


    increased.


    "How did great-grandmother get this, Grandma?"


    Jennifer coughed several times and heaved a long breath, looking sentimental as she reflected on the


    past.


    "Your great-grandmother was also a genius doctor in the past. Her abilities were exceptional and she


    could even save those on the verge of death. She became intrigued after hearing rumors about the


    man-faced curse. Later, she learned that the Scott-Tutton Family had some unclear ties to such a


    curse, and that was why she married your great-grandfather. Using her extraordinary medical abilities


    running in her genes, she conducted an in-depth study on the man-faced curse and eventually


    understood it thoroughly. Because of the serious nature and the dire consequences it would bring, your


    great-grandmother was afraid that something would happen in the future that no one would know how


    to deal with, and she was also afraid that the information and the methods for dealing with such a curse


    would be lost with time, so she drew up such a scroll herself."


    Katherine had never imagined her ancestor would have such a history. Her brows were raised slightly


    and her face was filled with admiration for this great-grandmother she had never met.


    Despite this, she was still hesitant to leave Jennifer.


    "Grandma, I need to see you recover with my own eyes. Since we now have this scroll containing the


    methods to save the Frasers, we can give it to Marcus so that he can try to buy more time for the


    Frasers'' lives, and I can go there a few dayster..."


    When Jennifer heard that, she immediately put on an angry act and reprimanded, "How could you say


    such a thing? This is our ancestors'' scroll, which is only known to our family. How could you possibly let


    someone else have it?"


    Katherine was naturally aware of this. However, to her, Jennifer was simply more important than the


    parchment scroll.


    She had already lost a lot of the people she cared about, and she couldn''t leave her grandmother


    again.


    "I don''t want to leave you, Grandma¡­" After realizing she couldn''t persuade her grandmother,


    Katherine brought out the big guns, which meant she would hug Jennifer and act coquettishly.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    She couldn''t recall thest time she did this. To the outsider, she appeared distant and aloof, always


    keeping her distance from everyone else.


    Only when she was in front of her grandmother did she behave like a child.


    Truth was, Jennifer couldn''t bear Katherine leaving too. However, she understood that she needed to


    let go of Katherine for thetter to do what she needed to do.


    Hence, Jennifer tried to harden her heart. Putting on a disgruntled expression, she berated, "You''re not


    a young child anymore, so stop behaving this way! You have to go no matter what. Lives are at stake


    here! You cannot let those lives be sacrificed solely because of your selfishness! Your great-


    grandmother personally drew this scroll because she did not want future generations to lose their lives


    because of the man-faced curse. As her descendant, how could you waste her efforts and disappoint


    her?"


    With her lips pursed, Katherine let go of Jennifer when she heard that.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin, who was standing nearby, quickly chimed in to lighten the mood.


    "Don''t worry, Kathy. Grandma will be fine since she is taking the pills you prescribed. When we arrive in


    Kynd, we can contact her whenever we want."


    Then, with a warm gaze, he looked at Jennifer and said, "Kathy rarely behaves in this manner,


    Grandma. It is all thanks to you I have the privilege of witnessing her coquettish side today. Take good


    care of yourself and leave Katherine to me. I will protect her."


    Katherine''s attention was drawn away by him the moment she heard his words. "Are you going too?"


    she raised her gaze and asked.


    "Of course. Do you think I''ll be okay with leaving you alone? I have to stay by your side," Joaquin


    responded rightfully while raising his brows.


    However, Katherine frowned and declined immediately after his words. "But you just had surgery and


    are still recovering. You need to rest. I''ll go by myself. There''s nothing to be concerned about."


    When Joaquin heard that, he took her hand and ced it in his palm, thereafter pinching it gently.


    "It''s for my benefit, not yours. I will panic if I am not by your side, so please don''t turn me down."


    He said it with such tenderness that Katherine began to hesitate, but before she could decide, Jennifer


    agreed to it.


    "It''s a good idea. I''ll feel more secure if you are with Kathy, Joaquin. I''m sure Kathy will take good care


    of your health during the journey, though it will still be difficult for you."


    Joaquin smiled and his expression was gentle as he murmured, "Not at all. It will only be hard on me if


    I don''t have Kathy by my side."


    With this, the issue was settled.


    Katherine wanted to object again, but she knew she couldn''t win. As such, she had no choice but to go


    with what they had agreed on.


    In the end, she and Joaquin then returned to pack their belongings before boarding Marcus'' private


    ne.


    ¡­


    Just after they left, Jennifer quickly contacted her bodyguard, Donald.


    "Pack all my things now ande get me from the hospital."


    Donald was perplexed to hear that from the other end of the line.


    "Jenny, why are you in the hospital? What happened?"


    Jennifer hissed impatiently in response. "What could have happened to me? Of course, it''s nothing! My


    great-granddaughter just underwent surgery and is still in the hospital. Arrange for more men toe


    and protect her around the clock!"


    Donald quickly agreed before asking, "So why do I need to pack? Where do you want to go?"


    Jennifer squinted her eyes when she heard that and fury filled every inch of her vision. "I am going to


    Kynd," she enunciated clearly.


    A serious Donald reached not long after.


    Rather than rushing to send Jennifer to Kynd, he was here to stop her.


    Jennifer was sipping her tea when he arrived. When she heard his voice, she turned around and


    furrowed her brows upon seeing him. "Why didn''t you pack the luggage?" sheined.


    Donald was gasping for air after rushing to the hospital. To calm himself, he drank a ss of water and


    hurriedly said, "Jenny, you shouldn''t go to Kynd!"


    Jennifer frowned at this. "Is Kynd a ce that will eat me alive? Why can''t I go?"


    "I am sure you know the reason why you shouldn''t go!" Donald refuted her anxiously and continued,


    "You will be in big trouble if you appear in Kynd!"

 Chapter 269

    Chapter 269


    ra, Jennifer''s mother, originated from the Morans. They were one of the four most influential families


    in Kynd.


    She was not a simpledy. Back then, she already had the Morans'' secret notebook.


    When she passed away, the important notebook was then passed on to Jennifer for safekeeping.


    The Morans had always wanted to get the notebook back ever since they knew it was in Jennifer''s


    hands.


    As such, they had been bothering Jennifer for the past few years.


    Even when Jennifer was abroad, they went to tremendous measures to find out where she was so that


    they could steal the notebook.


    However, Katherine''s protective measures were so carefully done that the Morans were unable to find


    any gaps. With that, they could only keep the matter in abeyance for the moment.


    Now that they knew Jennifer had returned to the country, they were nning to make a move again.


    Although Jennifer was in Hovington rather than Kynd, the Morans had already made several sneaky


    movements there.


    Jennifer would be walking right into their trap if she returned to Kynd now!


    That being the case, Donald naturally had to stop her from doing so.


    "Jenny, the Morans have been eyeing you as if you are their prey. Even though you are now well


    protected by Miss Cornell and they can''t do anything to you, your every move is being watched.


    Kynd is their territory. It would be extremely easy for them toy their hands on you if you leave


    Hovington right now and go there."


    Jennifer''s face revealed her frustration. After a lengthy pause, she muttered, "I am well aware of that,


    but I have my reasons to go back."


    She raised her gaze to look at Donald and continued with a solemn expression, "Kathy has gone to


    Kynd. The Frasers are in trouble because of the man-faced curse. Since Kathy can save and heal


    them, she can''t just sit back and do nothing. Hence, I''ve already asked her to go. However, I am


    worried. The matter of the Frasers suffering from the man-faced curse surely has something to do with


    my brother and his gang. I am concerned that something might happen to Kathy this time."


    Donald did not expect such an incident to happen. He furrowed his brows after he heard Jennifer''s


    words. "Are you worried about¡­"


    Jennifer nodded in response and sighed. "I''m afraid that if my brother and those on his side find out


    about Kathy, they will do something to her. I can never rest in peace if Kathy dies in their hands. I have


    to go to Kynd now so that she can be safe from them!"


    When it came to Katherine, Jennifer was unyielding.


    Donald knew this too. Seeing her determined expression, he understood that he could not change her


    mind no matter what he said or did. Hence, he agreed to her request.


    An hour and a halfter, Donald packed everything and went back to the hospital.


    Jennifer had called Xavier earlier to take care of Noah, who was in the hospital. Before departing with


    Donald, she had also told Xavier not to notify Katherine that she was leaving Hovington.


    ¡­


    Just as they had anticipated, they were noticed by the Morans when they reached Kynd, even


    before they had found a ce to stay.


    Donald furrowed his brows as he looked through the rearview mirror at the car that was tailing them.


    "Hold on tight, Jenny. I have to get rid of these irritating flies."


    Jennifer hastily buckled up her seatbelt and gripped the armrest by the door as she nodded. Her body


    leaned backward when the car elerated as it cut nimbly and erratically through the traffic like an


    arrow sent flying from a bow.


    Fifteen minutester, Donald finally got rid of the car following them. He steered the vehicle into a


    shadowy alley and came to a stop.


    At the same time, Jennifer opened her bag and took out a full set of cosmetics. She then began to work


    on her face.


    Fifteen minutes passed before she set the mirror down. Her looks appeared dramatically different with


    makeup on. It was as if she were apletely different person.


    Jennifer then took her time to pack her belongings before she pulled out a coat that was entirely out of


    character for her from her luggage.


    When everything was done, she cleared her throat and said, "I''m done. Let''s get out of the car." Even


    her voice had changed drastically.


    Donald immediately did as he was told. After locking the car, he looked back at Jennifer and couldn''t


    help but give her a thumbs up.


    "Your disguise techniques are foolproof, Jenny! No one would have realized that you are wearing a


    disguise or that you are the Jennifer Moran that they know!"


    At her age, Jennifer naturally enjoyed hearing ttering remarks. As such, when she heard Donald''s


    compliments, she narrowed her eyes proudly and eximed, "Since the Morans want to hunt me down,


    let them do whatever they want. With their meager capabilities, they will never be able to locate a


    person who has disappeared even if they turn Kynd upside down!"


    She spoke in a way that would have seemed overconfident to someone else.


    However, Jennifer was indeed capable enough to be overconfident. Her skills at disguising herself were


    unrivaled. Once she put on her disguise, no one would realize who she was, just as it was practically


    futile to find a needle in a haystack.


    Both of them then left the car, made their way out from the other side of the alley, and blended into the


    crowd.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Joaquin and Katherine had arrived at the Fraser Residence.


    Katherine stepped out of the car and stood at the Fraser Residence''s front entrance. Looking at the


    magnificent manor, she lifted her eyebrows slightly andmented, "The Fraser Family seems to be


    doing well all these years."


    Marcus nodded in agreement as he stood next to her. "You are correct. The Fraser Family is a well-


    known family in Kynd, and each generation has made a substantial contribution to the nation. Mr.


    Fraser has contributed a lot too, so it makes sense that they are being treated nicely."


    Although Katherine knew he was right, she refrained from responding. She quickly exchanged a nce


    with Joaquin before entering the manor.


    Marcus trailed behind. They then reached a red wooden door, after which he rang the doorbell.


    Within seconds, the door was opened. A woman in her early forties appeared, looking panicked. She


    exhaled a sigh of relief when she spotted Marcus, but she wrinkled her brows as she shifted her gaze


    and noticed Katherine and Joaquin.


    Instead of letting them in, she stood by the door and asked, "Mr. Town, who are¡ª"


    Seeing that, Katherine frowned, seemingly annoyed by the woman''s attitude.


    "They are the ones whom I invited from Hovington. Let us in now!"


    Only after the woman heard Marcus'' words that she opened the door and moved to the side.


    Katherine merely threw a passing nce at the woman and entered with an indifferent expression.


    As soon as she got to the living room, she smelled a strong vinegar smell which made her uneasy and


    caused her to furrow her brows.


    Joaquin also raised his hand to cover his mouth and nose as he scanned the living area with a deep


    frown.


    "What happened? Why is there such a strong vinegar smell?"


    The woman who had opened the door earlier moved forward and gave a tepid response. "Madam,


    Miss Fraser, and Mr. Fraser all looked sickly. I had no idea what to do, so I sshed vinegar all over


    the house. Vinegar kills germs, no?"


    Hearing that, Katherine simply gave her a sidelong nce while remaining silent.


    However, such a nce of hers made the woman displeased and she immediately hissed impolitely.


    "Mr. Town, I know you''ve put a lot of effort into helping the Frasers and it has been really hard on you,


    but why did you bring in these two rookies?"

 Chapter 270

    Chapter 270


    Joaquin instantly frowned at these words while Katherine merely looked coldly at the woman from the


    corner of her eye without so much as a change in her expression.


    Marcus stepped forward at once. Looking at the woman in displeasure, he reproached sternly, "Watch


    your mouth, Lexie! How can you call her a novice? She''s the only person who can save the Frasers!"


    After finishing his sentence, he shot her a contemptuous re. "Also, you''re nothing but a maid of the


    Fraser Family. I didn''t bother to argue with you since you always take good care of the Frasers, but


    you''d better not forget who you are. Don''t think you can do whatever you want now that the Frasers are


    in trouble. It''s not up to you to swagger around in this mansion like you''re the master," he said,


    immediately exposing Lexie for who she was.


    Lexie''s face darkened somewhat at the man''s words. The Frasers had recently been afflicted with the


    man-faced curse; so, as the only person unaffected by the outbreak, she had been taking care of the


    Frasers these days. With all her employers bedridden, she lived much morefortably in this


    mansion despite being a petty maid. As her employers had to be quarantined in their respective


    bedrooms, she was left with nothing to do. Not only that, she''d even make tea and coffee for herself


    and enjoy lounging on the luxurious couch. As a result, she became more presumptuous and even


    acted like the master of the house for a time. Now that Marcus had exposed her like that in front of


    others, she felt embarrassed for quite a while.


    Not wanting to waste time and not bothering to gauge Lexie''s mood, Katherine asked in an impassive


    voice, "Where are the patients?"


    He answered at once, "They''re all upstairs. Mr. Fraser hasn''t returned here in thest couple of


    months, so he probably wasn''t infected. The only ones in the Fraser Residence are his daughter-inw


    Patricia, his granddaughter Cyndi, and his grandson Myles." In other words, the only ones here were


    Zak''s wife, daughter, and son.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Katherine nodded before immediately going upstairs and checking on the three of them in turn. "This


    woman''s condition is the most urgent," she said, giving her judgment immediately. Pointing at the


    shrunken-looking Patricia in bed, she continued, "She has to be treated first, or she may not be able to


    make it and die here in no time."


    Havingplete faith in her medical prowess, Marcus instantly nodded at her words. "Alright. Do you


    need my help with anything?"


    She shook her head; her eyes flickered when she thought of the secret parchment scroll in her hand. "I


    have only one request: Nobody will be allowed to enter the room while I''m treating her. Please get


    these nurses out of the room."


    Complying fully with her request, he quickly shot the nurses in the room a look. "Get out of here, you


    all."


    At this moment, however, Lexie popped up again, blocking the door and refusing to let the nurses


    leave. At this sight, Marcus reproached in displeasure, "What the hell are you doing?"


    "That''s my line, Mr. Town! Ain''t I the one supposed to ask that woman about this?" Lexie frowned while


    raising her hand to point at Katherine in an apparent disy of defiance. "It''s not that I don''t believe


    you, Mr. Town. I trust your character, but I think you might''ve been fooled by this woman. Just look at


    how young she is. What does she know? How could she possibly be that superbly skilled in medicine?


    And now, she''s demanding that everyone get out of the room. I think she''s just a chatan who knows


    nothing and is pulling the wool over our eyes! She''s only asking everyone else to get out to not give


    herself away!"


    Seeing as to how she had gone so far in her speech as to be simply unreasonable, Marcus was


    infuriated. "What nonsense are you talking about?! Why would shee with me if she couldn''t cure


    diseases and save lives? What''s more, even if she gets everyone else out of the room, won''t she give


    herself away even further if she fails to cure Mrs. Fraser of the curse?"


    At this, Lexie immediately snorted withughter like a know-it-all. "Isn''t that simple? Nobody knows


    anything about this man-faced curse, anyway, and there''s no cure for it. All she has to do is stay in the


    room for about an hour¡ªperhaps ying some petty tricks while she''s at it¡ªthene out and say


    that she''s done everything she could, no? Ha! I''ve already seen through the trick she''s got up her


    sleeve!"


    "Shut up!" He wished he could p his hand over her mouth to silence her when he heard this. "What


    do you know? You''re just assuming everyone is as despicable as you are! Just step aside if you know


    nothing!"


    At this moment, Katherine, who had been silent all this time, suddenly shifted her gaze toward Lexie.


    Her pretty face seemed to turn into frost as her cold, piercing gaze fell upon Lexie''s face. "It''s fine to


    have nomon sense, but if your brain is addled, you better seek treatment before it''s toote.


    Perhaps your brain can still be saved," shemented casually as if it was a joke, but it carried a


    sarcastic undertone


    The instant Lexie heard this, her face turned livid; she opened her mouth and was about to retort.


    Just then, Patricia seemed to be awakened by the noise. Waking up in a daze, she weakly looked


    around the room with a confused look. "What¡­" As soon as she spoke, her voice cracked terribly like


    that of a person letting out theirst cry in the final moments before their death. Perhaps because she''d


    been in a lethargic state for too long, arge mouthful of air filled her dry throat when she suddenly


    opened her mouth, causing her to choke and burst into coughing fits.


    At the sight of this, Lexie hurriedly stepped forward. Still, fearing that she might get infected, she could


    only serve Patricia a ss of water while cautiously keeping her distance from thetter. "Please have


    some water, madam," she said. Then, shooting a nce at Katherine from the corner of her eye, she


    immediately beganining. "Madam, you''re not aware of this, but this woman might''ve killed you


    had I not stopped her just now!" she said, deliberately describing the situation in a bad way.


    When Patricia heard this, her hand trembled in fright, spilling water out of her ss onto the covers.


    Marcus never expected Lexie to say that, and his face clouded in an instant. "What nonsense are you


    talking about?"


    Patricia turned her gaze toward Katherine, then turned to look at Marcus. The worry was written all


    over her sickly face. "Mr. Town, w-what exactly is going on?"


    At this moment, Joaquin took a step forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Katherine. Then, he


    exined on her behalf, "Mrs. Fraser, my wife was invited here by Mr. Town to save the lives of your


    family, but this maid of yours is very ungrateful. Not only does she show zero gratitude, but she slings


    mud at my wife instead. Do the Frasers discipline their maids so loosely as to allow one of them to


    point fingers and make irresponsible remarks at visitors and even willfully throw wild usations


    against someone who''s about to save their lives?"


    Patricia''s eyes lit up when she heard that Katherine could relieve the Frasers from their misery, but her


    brows furrowed at how young thedy looked. "May I know who the two of you are?"


    Hearing her question, Marcus immediately attempted to introduce the couple.


    However, Katherine spoke before he could. With a chilly expression, she cocked an eyebrow slightly


    while looking down at the woman before her with a vague half-smile. "Does it matter that much who we


    are? When you see a doctor to save your life, would you care about who the doctor is? Isn''t it enough


    to know they''re a doctor?"

 Chapter 271

    Chapter 271


    After that, she paused for a moment and asked, "Marcus has been run off his feet for your family''s sake


    these days. Why do you doubt him so much?" Even though Patricia hadn''t said anything just now, she


    could tell at a nce that this woman didn''t trust her at all.


    Seeing that she''d asked the question, Patricia finally stopped hiding it. Pulling a long face at once, she


    first gave Marcus an apologetic nod. "Sorry, Mr. Town, it''s not that I don''t believe you, but I don''t trust


    her," she said before turning to look at Katherine with a weak sneer. "You look very young to me, and it


    doesn''t seem like you''re capable of anything. Who knows if you''re just a pretty face? How can I trust


    you to save my life?"


    A cold smirk yed across Katherine''s lips when she heard Patricia say so. "Oh, really? Well, then, I


    wonder who you think can save your life. Does it have to be some gray-haired man or woman who''s


    advanced in years? It''s not good to believe in stereotypes, Mrs. Fraser."


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    "Humph!" Patricia let out a soft, disdainful snort through her nose. "Even if I don''t believe in


    stereotypes, there''s no way you can be a doctor with how you look! How can I possibly put my life in


    your hands? Wouldn''t that be suicide?"


    At this moment, Lexie chimed in next to her, "That''s right, madam! I thought she was suspicious, which


    was why I did my best to stop her. Even Mr. Town is deceived by this woman, which proves she''s not


    easy to deal with!"


    Marcus frowned. Finding it impossible to talk sense into these two women, he couldn''t help feeling an


    ache creeping up his head. "Mrs. Fraser, Miss Cornell really can save your life. It was she who saved


    Mr. Fraser''s life!"


    Patricia still looked doubtful when she heard this. "Really? Where is my husband now?"


    Marcus immediately answered, "Mr. Fraser is already out of danger now, but he has to rest for several


    days beforeing back. He''s still in Hovington at the moment. When he''s fully recovered, he''ll be


    able toe back and reunite with you."


    However, Patricia''s face took on a rather strange expression after she heard Marcus'' answer.


    Obviously, she was still skeptical. "Mr. Town, that means my husband hasn''t really turned the corner


    yet, no? What if this woman is just stalling you guys? What if she only made my husband appear to


    show signs of getting better without actually curing him?"


    What if this, what if that¡­ There aren''t so many what-ifs! thought Katherine. Getting tired of listening to


    Patricia''s conjecture, she finally reached the limit of her patience. "Since you distrust me so much, I


    don''t want to impose myself on you either. Just do whatever you want. If you want to kill yourself by


    dilly-dallying, then do as you please," she said. With that, she turned around in an attempt to leave.


    Joaquin was very respectful of her opinion and followed her wherever she went. Therefore, he


    immediately attempted to leave after her.


    At the sight of this, Marcus quickly stopped them. "Hey, hold on, Miss Cornell! Please stay! What about


    the Frasers if you''re gone?"


    Unexpectedly, Patricia let out a sneer with contempt written all over her face. "Ha! Hurrying to run away


    now that you''ve given yourself away, eh? Do you think you cane in and out of the Fraser


    Residence as you please? Look who you''re trying to deceive here! Do you think I''m an idiot? How dare


    you try to deceive us the Frasers!"


    Katherine suddenly let out a chuckle as if she had heard some funny joke. She turned around and


    looked down mockingly at Patricia, saying, "Are you not an idiot? Or do you feel good about yourself


    and think you''re smart? Who ced you under such a delusion?"


    "How dare you!" Having never been mocked like this before, Patricia had a surge in blood pressure the


    instant she heard this. She yelled loudly, "Guys, get her and send her to the police! What a nerve she''s


    got, bluffing around at my home and contradicting me! I''ll make her feel sorry for this!"


    As soon as she finished her sentence, the bodyguards who had been hiding around the Fraser


    Residence immediately came over and blocked the entrance.


    Not expecting things to turn out this way, Marcus couldn''t help but feel another headacheing on.


    He''d always been inarticte and was even worse at arguing, so he was at his wits'' end as to how to


    deal with Patricia''s unreasonableness.


    On the other hand, Joaquin reacted swiftly; immediately, he dragged Katherine behind him, shielding


    her as his eyes darkened. When the bodyguards walked up to them, he immediately attacked them


    with savage moves, knocking them out in no time. However, he''d just undergone surgery. His wound


    had yet to healpletely, so such big moves quickly became too much for him.


    Noticing how the man staggered somewhat toward the end of the fight, Katherine looked at his face


    and saw that it had paled a little. In an instant, her face grew frosty as though it had frosted over.


    Without the slightest hesitation, she strode to the side of the bed and looked down at Patricia. Then,


    she instantly raised her hand and pped Patricia across the face.


    Never did Patricia expect her to do that all of a sudden. The p stupefied her, the impact of which


    tilted her head to one side and made her ear buzz. After a few seconds, she finally came to her senses


    and turned to re at Katherine. "H-How dare you hit me!"


    Katherine sneered. "Yeah, I hit you, so what? Do you think I was willing toe to your house and


    save your life? If Marcus hadn''t invited me here, I wouldn''t have bothered toe over. What''s the


    difference between whether or not someone wretched as you are is alive? Your being alive is a waste


    of resources!"


    "You¡­ You¡­" Having never been humiliated like this before, Patricia was instantly speechless with


    rage. Unable to catch her breath, she started coughing away.


    Seeing how angry she was, Marcus hurriedly stepped forward to defuse the situation. "Miss Cornell,


    please calm down. Please don''t be angry¡ª"


    Katherine darted a nce at him with not the slightest warmth in her eyes. She replied coldly, "Marcus,


    I''ve done you a favor bying here, and you''ve seen the situation now. It''s not that I refused to save


    them, but they don''t need me to save them at all. Since that''s the case, it''s meaningless to insist." As


    she spoke of this, her lips curled into a mocking smirk that didn''t reach her eyes. "I wonder if the


    Frasers ending up like this now is a punishment for that person''s sins," she said. With that, she took


    Joaquin by the hand and quickly left, ignoring Marcus'' attempts to stop her.


    Patricia could still be heard swearing intermittently from behind, but it went in one ear and out the other


    for Katherine as she paid no mind to it. It wasn''t until she''d stepped out of the Fraser Residence that


    she stood by the roadside and let go of Joaquin''s hand. Then, she turned around and looked him up


    and down with a deep frown. "Are you alright? Does the wound hurt very much?"


    Instead of answering her, the man merely half-lowered his bright and clear eyes, staring fixedly at her


    before a hint of amusement flickered across his fathomless eyes.


    Katherine was puzzled at the sight of this. "Why are you staring at me? Don''t tell me you feel so unwell


    that it has driven you out of your mind?"


    Joaquin smiled. "No, I''m not unwell. On the contrary, I feel great both physically and mentally. Kathy,


    you stuck up for me just now because you felt sorry for me, right?"

 Chapter 272

    Chapter 272


    Katherine never expected him to say that, and her expression looked a bit unnatural. Then, keeping a


    straight face, she darted a look at him from the corner of her eye with feigned indifference. "Sticking up


    for you? What are you talking about? Why would I care about you? I just hated to see them act


    snobbishly, that''s all."


    "Oh? Really?" Joaquin raised an eyebrow as amusement flickered in his good-looking eyes. "Are you


    sure¡­ that you didn''t do that for my sake?" he asked, slowly raising his tone of voice toward the end of


    his sentence.


    Katherine continued to stubbornly deny it, saying, "Of course not. And besides, nobody asked you to


    insist oning to Kynd with me. Given your condition, you''re supposed to rest and recuperate!"


    Obviously, she was rather dissatisfied that he had insisted on following her around despite his health


    condition. However, when it urred to her that he had done all this for her sake, she felt indescribably


    warm and rather happy inside, so her feelings were somewhat mixed.


    Joaquin''s eyes flickered for an instant when he caught sight of this. The next second, though, his face


    assumed a different expression. Looking as if disappointed, he hung his head and fell silent.


    Katherine had thought he''d say something and was waiting for him to speak. When she didn''t hear


    anything from him after waiting for a long time, she couldn''t help but turn to look at him in puzzlement,


    only to see him looking like this. Stunned, she felt at once speechless and helpless. After gently biting


    her lip for a moment, she had no choice but to feign a cough, clearing her throat before saying, "Okay,


    it did have something to do with you¡­" As she spoke of this, she seemed to feel quite embarrassed.


    Rubbing her petite, upturned nose with her hand, she muttered in a whisper, "How dare those men


    actuallyy hands on you? Like hell I could put up with it¡­"


    Hearing every word that she said, Joaquin was instantly blissed out; he smiled and raised his hand to


    stroke her hair. "That''s more like it. Honesty is a virtue, so one''s got to be honest."


    Katherine was rendered speechless. Virtue, my *ss! What a sly fox you are! she thought to herself


    before attempting to leave.


    At this moment, Marcus hurried outside and blocked their path while panting heavily. "Miss Cornell! Mr.


    Levisay! Please stay, the two of you!"


    Katherine shot a nce at him expressionlessly in a chilly manner. "You don''t have to say anything


    else, Marcus. Since they don''t trust me, I don''t have to go out of my way to save them." Never have I


    done such a thing as to kiss somebody''s *ss!


    Marcus'' face screwed up into an utterly helpless expression. "Please calm down, Miss Cornell. The


    Frasers only offended you because they were addled by illness. Please be the bigger person and


    forgive them this once!" he said. Then, he quickly exined, "I''ve called Mr. Fraser just now. He''s


    conscious right now and will exin everything to his family¡ª"


    Before his voice could fade, Lexie hurriedly ran outside and spread her arms in front of Katherine as if


    fearing that Katherine would leave. "Miss Cornell, my madam only doubted you just now because she


    was confused, so please don''t take it to heart. My madam would like to ask you to go back and save


    her life; she even promised that you''ll be rewarded handsomely if you can save the lives of the


    Frasers!"


    At this, Katherine suddenly let out a snort ofughter as if she had heard some funny joke. "Reward me


    handsomely, eh? Does it seem to you that I''m short of that kind of money? Just tell your madam to use


    her brains. Such insincere words will only make peopleugh their heads off," she said before slightly


    narrowing her eyes with a look of mockery. Then, she continued, "But that''s no longer necessary. After


    all, she''ll die very soon and no longer has to use her brains anymore." With that, she walked past Lexie


    and was about to leave, not bothering to pay more attention to the maid.


    Just then, a weak voice suddenly rang out from behind them. "M-Miss Cornell¡­ Please stay¡­ I-I''m


    begging you¡­"


    Hearing the voice, everyone turned around and was instantly surprised. Patricia, who had been


    bedridden at first, had followed them outside before they knew it. Feeling light-headed, she staggered


    forward unsteadily, surrounded by quite a few bodyguards and nurses who apparently wanted to stop


    her. However, none of them dared get near her as they were afraid of the man-faced curse on her.


    At the sight of this, Marcus immediately walked up to Patricia. "Mrs. Fraser, what are you¡ª"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Patricia shook her head. No longer looking as arrogant as she had been a while ago, she staggered


    along like an old person until she was two steps away in front of Katherine before stopping. "Miss


    Cornell¡­ Please forgive me for my insolence just now," she said, looking genuinely sincere as tears


    sparkled in her eyes.


    Seeing her change in attitude, Katherine didn''t show much emotion. Her expression still cold, she


    lowered her gaze upon the woman without saying anything.


    Patricia pursed her lips with tremendous effort before shooting a look of displeasure at Lexie. "I told you


    to do your best to ask Miss Cornell to stay, and that was all you said? Don''t you think it''s insulting to


    judge someone in mary terms?"


    Lexie shuddered for a moment while looking at a loss for what to do. "H-How would I know what to


    say¡­" sheined under her breath.


    Patricia, who was seriously ill and had poor hearing, didn''t hear what she said, but Katherine heard


    every word of it. She shot a frosty sideways nce at Lexie, sending a chill down thetter''s spine and


    causing her to hold her breath in fear.


    At this moment, Patricia hesitated for a moment and let out an apologetic sigh. "Miss Cornell, I''m very


    sorry for offending you and hurling insults at you just now. It''s just¡­ It''s just that I really couldn''t believe


    at first that you could be so highly skilled in medicine at such a young age, so I thought you were a


    fraud. My husband isn''t home at the moment, and there was no word about him while I was confined to


    bed. To me, there''s no knowing whether he''s dead or alive. How can I trust a stranger to treat my


    children and me under such circumstances?" she said, exining her previous attitude in fairly sincere


    words.


    "That was why I got anxious for a moment and feared that you''d do harm to our family. As you know,


    the Frasers are a huge family with arge family fortune, but we have a lot of enemies, too. I''d been


    worried in the first ce that someone might take this opportunity to destroy our family, and you


    showed up right at this moment. As a result, I got nervous and thought you were some unknown


    person sent by our enemies who wanted toy a hand on my children and me. If that were to happen,


    I''d be too ashamed to face the Fraser Family''s ancestors even if I died¡­"


    When Marcus heard this, he couldn''t help but let out a sigh. "Mrs. Fraser, it''s okay if you didn''t trust


    Miss Cornell, but how could you distrust me as well? Am I that gullible to you? You''re too paranoid."


    Patricia nodded with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, Mr. Town. Indeed, I wrongfully assumed you


    guys to be up to no good," she said before shifting her gaze back toward Katherine. "Miss Cornell, I


    know my exnation may not soothe your anger, but surely you have a kind heart as a doctor. I''m


    begging you, please save our family! However you want to vent your anger on me after this, I''ll ept


    it; I don''t care even if you refuse to save me. But please save my innocent children¡­"

 Chapter 273

    Chapter 273


    She was extremely sincere as she uttered those words, while Katherine pursed the corners of her lips,


    falling silent. Her cold gaze swept over the woman''s sickly face as if trying to see through her, and she


    only withdrew her gaze unhurriedly after a long pause.


    Seeing this, Marcus was about to plead on Patricia''s behalf again, but before he could open his mouth,


    he was stopped by Katherine.


    "You don''t have to speak anymore."


    At her words, Marcus felt his heart skip a beat while Patricia''s face turned ashen with regret.


    Unexpectedly, Katherine gave Lexie a cold nce and said in a deep voice, "What are you still


    standing there for? Hurry up and take Mrs. Fraser back to her room."


    After hearing this, Lexie froze for a moment before her expression turned somewhat embarrassed.


    Katherine sensed her concern and revealed a smirk at the corner of her lips. "What''s wrong? Are you


    afraid? I heard that your master treats you well, but why are you so afraid now that they are in trouble?"


    Her words were full of sarcasm, causing Lexie to freeze with embarrassment and distress, but she


    eventually gritted her teeth and stepped forward to assist Patricia in walking back.


    On the other hand, Marcus'' eyes lit up as he asked expectantly, "Miss Cornell, does that mean¡­"


    Katherine lifted a hand and straightened her cuffs, saying in anguid and breezy manner, "The Fraser


    Family''s condition can''t be dyed any longer, especially Mrs. Fraser, so we''ll proceed with the


    treatment now."


    Hearing that, Marcus was instantly ted, nearly pping his hands in glee. "That''s great! Miss


    Cornell, you really are the kindest person in the world!"


    "Kind?" She weighed her words before letting out a detached scoff. "That''s the first time someone has


    described me that way. Marcus, you''ve misjudged me."


    Kind was not a word that existed in her book; she felt that it was not something she deserved to be


    described with yet.


    Just then, Joaquin raised his hand and caressed her hair with a soft smile. "In fact, Kathy is the


    greatest person in the world."


    He did not describe her as ''kind,'' but used the word ''great'' instead. However, as it was a broad term


    that covered many different merits, Katherine had no idea which part of her he was referring to.


    Still, she didn''t ask any questions. Instead, she swatted his hand away and pursed her lips before


    swiveling around to go back in. "Let''s go."


    Behind her, Joaquin watched her retreating back and couldn''t help but shake his head with a smile.


    Marcus, who was standing by the side, couldn''t help but move over when he saw this. He rubbed his


    chin, his tone rather sour as hemented, "Mr. Levisay, you''ve truly lucked out to be able to marry


    Miss Cornell."


    Joaquin did not refute his words, his bright eyes glinting as he unexpectedly nodded in agreement.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I am lucky."


    To be able to meet her by chance and cross paths with her, even happily tying the knot with her, he


    must''ve used all the luck he had.


    As she had previously requested, Katherine remained alone in Patricia''s room. First, she used


    acupuncture to put Patricia to sleep before repeating the same technique to remove the man-faced


    curse from her body. She then opened the secret parchment scroll passed down to her by Jennifer and


    followed the steps and methods recorded on it topletely cleanse the curse that was hidden in


    Patricia''s body.


    As it turned out, once the man-faced curse had been in the human body for a long time, it would


    develop a form of poison that was deeply hidden in the muscle. Even if the man-faced curse was


    removed, it would be difficult to eliminate the poisonpletely.


    Although Jennifer had recorded a way to remove the poison in the parchment scroll, it was somewhat


    out of line with the current medical technology as this method was invented a long time ago. If


    Katherine was not proficient in ancient medicine, she would have had difficulty even with this secret


    parchment scroll.


    Two hours had passed when Katherine emerged from Patricia''s room. She was drenched in sweat, and


    her damp hair stuck to her face, which caused her to feel ufortable. When Joaquin, who had been


    waiting outside, saw here out, he hurriedly rushed over and whipped out his handkerchief to help


    her wipe her sweat, and tucked her hair behind her ears.


    Compared to everyone else, he was more concerned about her well-being. When he noticed the


    fatigue in her expression, he couldn''t help but frown and ask, "How was it? Are you tired? Do you need


    some rest?"


    On the other hand, Marcus was more interested in knowing the situation in the room. The moment


    Joaquin finished speaking, he asked urgently, "How is Mrs. Fraser now, Miss Cornell?"


    Katherine first shook her head at Joaquin, indicating that she was fine, before looking at Marcus.


    "She''s out of the woods now. Go and gather the medicine listed on this prescription. Remember to


    gather more. Once you have the medicine, boil it for six hours on low heat, then feed it to them."


    As he heard her mention the word ''them,'' Marcus'' expression brightened and he took the prescription


    from her before asking, "Miss Cornell, are you saying that the Frasers can be cured today?"


    Katherine nodded, but Joaquin''s eyebrows immediately furrowed deeply in disapproval at her words.


    "You''ve spent so much time and energy just from saving one person. How would your body be able to


    cope if you try to save two more this soon? You should rest a little."


    As he spoke, he held her hand to bring her to a guest room to rest, but Katherine declined and grabbed


    him instead, shaking her head at him.


    "They aren''t in good condition right now. If I drag things on, the poison might infiltrate their body even


    further, making the cleansing process even more difficult and time-consumingter. It''d be better to


    start as early as possible."


    "Poison?" Joaquin echoed in confusion. "What''s that about?"


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    "I''ll exinter. I''m going back in now. You haven''t fully recovered yet, so you don''t have to wait by the


    door. Get some rest in a room for a while, and I''ll look for you once I''m done."


    As soon as she finished, she headed straight into Cyndi''s room next door. Joaquin was aware of her


    desire to save the lives of others and was not in a position to stop her, but he was still worried for her.


    Hence, instead of leaving to get some rest himself, he continued to wait at the door.


    About five hourster, by the time Katherine walked out of Myles'' room, she was so exhausted that she


    nearly copsed. Her body was coated in severalyers of sweat, nearly soaking through her clothes


    that clung damply to her body, and she looked as if she had been fished out of a pool of water.


    "He''s alright now. I''ve gotten some nurses to watch over him. Let me know if anythinges up." After


    she had given Marcus the necessary instructions, she asked, "How''s the medicineing along?"


    Marcus was overjoyed as the burden on his shoulders had finally been lifted, and he nodded profusely.


    "Just as you requested, it''s still simmering on low heat."


    "Okay." Katherine nodded. She was just about to turn around to say something to Joaquin when her


    vision turned ck and her mind went nk.


    As Joaquin watched her sink to the ground before his eyes like a withered leaf, he reflexively caught


    her by the waist and brought her into his arms, nearly going mad with worry.


    "Kathy! Kathy¡­"


    s, Katherine could no longer hear anything at that moment. Saving three people had consumed too


    much of her energy, and she copsed from exhaustion.

 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274


    When she reawakened, the sky had turned pitch ck. The bed was illuminated by a warm light, and


    although it wasn''t bright, she was still blinded by the light as soon as she opened her eyes. Just as she


    raised her hand to shield her eyes, arge, warm hand suddenly and gently covered her eyes.


    She jolted and was still recovering her senses when a familiar low voice sounded beside her.


    "Are you awake? How do you feel? Do you feel better now?"


    After taking a second to react, her eyes adapted to the light in the room and she grabbed the hand in


    front of her to move it away, looking at the man by her bed.


    "Huh¡­ Why am I here? This is¡­"


    When Joaquin looked at her bleary eyes and confused expression, resignation filled his eyes. "You


    fainted. This is one of the guest rooms at the Fraser Residence."


    Upon saying that, he couldn''t resist furrowing his brows, his expression full of disapproval and even


    displeasure as he looked at her.


    "Your body clearly couldn''t handle it, so why did you try to push yourself and save three people all at


    once? How much energy did you spend in all that time? Do you think you''re made of steel?"


    The moment he saw her copse in front of him, he was filled with so much panic that he felt like he


    was suffocating. As he stayed by her bedside and watched as she remained unconscious, he felt both


    anxious and worried, dreading that she would remain asleep like this.


    This was probably the first time in his life that he had been so worried about someone, and it was a


    feeling he had never experienced before. Now, he finally knew that falling in love with someone meant


    that he would only have her in his heart and that everything about her would stir up this many emotions


    in him as if nothing else existed besides her.


    As Katherine looked at his deeply furrowed brows, her heart skipped a beat for reasons unbeknownst


    to her. Subconsciously, without putting much thought into her actions, she raised her hand.


    Joaquin was puzzled as he held her extended hand. Worried that she wasn''t feeling well, he hurriedly


    stopped chiding her and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Katherine tilted her head, her ck hair cascading down both sides of the pillow like a waterfall as her


    clear yet unreadable eyes reflected his figure.


    "Come a little closer," she suddenly ordered in a small voice.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Although Joaquin was uncertain, he did not hesitate and obediently moved closer before he lowered


    his head. Soon after, Katherine''s fingertipsnded on his tightly wrinkled brow, and she lightly caressed


    it.


    "Stop frowning all the time. It doesn''t look good."


    Joaquin froze at her sudden words, staring at her nkly as if to see through her eyes and to her heart.


    A beatter, he finally came back to his senses, his thin lips swiftly curling upward into a smile. He drew


    her hand toward him and ced it by his lips, leaving a gentle kiss by her fingertips.


    "Are youforting me?" he asked with a smile, his voice carrying a trace of hoarseness that made


    him all the more seductive.


    Katherine felt a little self-conscious by his words and pursed her lips, intending to withdraw her hand.


    However, Joaquin refused to let go and instead held her hand in his, gently kneading it.


    "So, I''ve always been really handsome to you." He teased her in a voice full of joy. His frown had


    disappeared from his face as well, making him exceptionally good-looking.


    Feeling a little overwhelmed, Katherine looked away awkwardly and mumbled in a small voice, "I just


    thought you were talking too much¡­"


    Joaquin knew her personality well. Even if she had something on her mind, she would rarely reveal it


    outwardly, so he stopped teasing her when he saw fit and let out a helpless sigh.


    "You have no idea how terrified I was when you fainted. Kathy, I know that you have your way of doing


    things, but you can''t let it affect your health no matter what. To me, nobody else is as important as you.


    Do you understand?"


    It was a rare asion for him to confide his feelings to her in such a serious manner, and Katherine


    realized that she had scared him. After pursing her lips, she eventually nodded.


    Then, she propped herself up into a sitting position and frowned upon feeling the mminess on her


    body.


    "I want to take a bath."


    Joaquin nodded. "Alright. Wait here and freshen up; I''ll get the bath ready for you."


    The moment he finished, he got up to leave, but Katherine quickly grabbed him before he could.


    "By the way, how are the people from the Fraser Family?"


    "They''re in a stable condition now. They''ve been fed the medicine ording to your instructions, but


    they''re still unconscious. They aren''t showing any signs of waking up yet."


    At his words, Katherine looked at the time and pondered for a moment before saying, "In about two


    hours, they''ll wake up one by one. When that timees, feed them the medicine again. After that,


    just continue to have someone keep an eye on them, and they''ll be fine by about tomorrow morning."


    "Okay, I''ll let them know."


    Once Joaquin finished speaking, he left the room.


    Five minutester, there was a knock on the door again. Thinking that it was Joaquin, Katherine leaned


    back on the bed and said casually, "Come in."


    Unexpectedly, the neer was Marcus. He was holding a tray in his hand with a bowl of congee and


    some side dishes on top of it. From a nce, it was clear that the congee had been cooked for quite a


    while. It was soft and mushy and was still hot.


    "Miss Cornell, since you''re awake, you should have some food to fill your stomach up."


    When Katherine saw that it was him who came in, she was a little surprised, her eyebrows half raised


    as her gaze fell on the tray. Marcus set up a small table for her on the bed and ced the tray down,


    showing the utmost care for her. She lifted the bowl of congee and took a taste of it, only to find that it


    was her favorite beef congee. Plus, it tasted just right.


    "Thank you, but you didn''t have to go through all this trouble," she said. Although her tone seemed


    indifferent, there was a trace of sincerity that could be found in her expression.


    Marcus waved his hand and said courteously, "It''s not a big deal. In fact, Mr. Levisay was the one who


    instructed Lexie to prepare this for you. He was worried that you would be hungry when you woke up,


    so he had her simmer the congee on low heat in case you woke up and were unable to have


    something warm to eat. When you woke up, he immediately went to inform Lexie. I''m just here to help


    bring the congee to you since he left to run a bath for you."


    At that, he let out a rueful sigh.


    "Miss Cornell, Mr. Levisay truly is devoted to you. When you fainted, he was worried sick, and none of


    us dared to approach him because he looked angry the entire time."


    Not expecting that situation to have happened, Katherine froze for a moment, her hands slowing down


    as shedled up the congee. A momentter, the corners of her mouth gently curved up, and a smile of


    satisfaction surfaced in her eyes.


    Marcus didn''t leave and simply watched her instead. At the sight of her unusually serene demeanor, he


    couldn''t help butment to himself that Katherine and Joaquin were a perfect pair. They were both


    incredibly outstanding, but neither of them obscured the brilliance of the other. And if they were to be


    gentle, they were both so lovely. When he thought about how he was still all alone even though he was


    in his thirties, he couldn''t help but click his tongue, his heart filled with jealousy.


    After letting his thoughts drift for a while, he returned to his senses and stowed his cluttered thoughts


    away, his face swiftly turning solemn as he inquired about the condition of the three people from the


    Fraser Family.


    After finishing her congee, Katherine wiped her mouth and replied nonchntly, "They''ll be fine. Give


    them a few days and they''ll be able to recoverpletely."

 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275


    Hearing that, Marcus finally let out a sigh of relief.


    "Miss Cornell, I knew that asking for your help was the right choice! You''re amazing for being so


    talented at a young age!"


    However, Katherine didn''t think there was anything to be proud of and raised her hand at that moment


    to stop hispliments.


    "Don''t get too excited. Even though I''ve taken care of the man-faced curse and the poison in their


    bodies, there are probably quite a few more people who have been infected."


    As soon as she said this, Marcus jolted in surprise and soon frowned.


    "Other people have been infected? I''ve sent someone to iste the Fraser Residence from the outside


    world. Other than Lexie, no one can enter this ce. Besides, no one has gone near the three patients,


    and so far, everyone else has been fine¡­"


    Katherine shook her head, her slightly pale face cold and solemn.


    "You''ve only seen the surface, but things are far from being as simple as you think. You said that the


    man-faced curse ran rampant in the Fraser Family three years ago, except that they weren''t poisoned


    for long and weren''t at the point of a terminal illness. Even though some people had died, there was no


    full-blown outbreak, so nobody took it seriously. When I was treating these three people today, I found


    that although the outbreak of the man-faced curse was intense, it had existed in their bodies a long


    time ago. In other words, the man-faced curse has a certain incubation period, and while the duration is


    unknown, it''s still contagious even within the incubation period."


    Upon hearing her words, Marcus finally realized the severity of the situation and instantly grew


    nervous.


    "What should we do, then? After all, before the outbreak of the man-faced curse, the Fraser Family


    members must havee into contact with many people, and we can''t find them all even if we start


    searching for them now. Besides, those people wille into contact with even more people, so won''t


    it spread further? Even if you are highly skilled in medicine, surely you can''t save so many people¡­"


    It had taken her so much of her time and energy today just to save three people. It was a no-brainer


    that her skills alone were far from enough to treat everyone who was infected.


    Just as he was breaking out in a cold sweat, Katherine spoke up in a calm voice, unlike his frantic


    demeanor. "Rx and calm down. Things aren''t that bleak."


    Hearing that, Marcus brightened up and asked curiously, "Miss Cornell, are you saying that¡­ you have


    a way?"


    Katherine fell silent with pursed lips, but just as she was about to speak, Joaquin returned.


    "You can continue talkingter. Kathy, the bath is ready."


    Immediately after, he came forward and bent over to carry her.


    Katherine jolted, hurriedly pushing him away. "It''s alright. It''s not like I broke my leg. I-I can walk by


    myself."


    For some reason, she inexplicably felt a little nervous at that moment and even stumbled over her


    words when she spoke.


    Upon seeing her lowering her head to look for her slippers, Joaquin raised an eyebrow and nodded,


    heeding her words. "Alright. You can walk by yourself."


    Next to them, Marcus cleared his throat a little awkwardly. "About that¡­"


    He was still upied with Katherine''s unfinished sentence and longed to press her for the answers.


    However, Joaquin cast him a nce and said coldly, "Kathy is already exhausted. She''s just woken up,


    so let her have some rest."


    Since he had already said so, Marcus stopped questioning further and was forced toply helplessly.


    ¡­


    When Katherine finished her bath and returned, she saw Joaquin sitting by the bed with his head


    lowered, browsing his phone. The warm yellow light cast a halo around him, and his usual aloofness


    seemed to have eased greatly at this moment.


    She stood in the doorway with a towel in one hand as she stared at him nkly, somewhat lost in


    thought. As if sensing her gaze, Joaquin raised his head and met her eyes, raising his strong


    eyebrows.


    He extended a hand toward her and said in a soft voice, "Come on over, Kathy."


    When Katherine returned to her senses, she realized that she had been staring at him for a long time.


    There was an awkward look on her face. As though trying to hide something, she walked over with an


    air of indifference while toweling her hair dry.


    "Why are you still here? Aren''t you going to rest?"


    Joaquin''s upturned eyes narrowed slightly as he questioned instead of answering, "Do you want me to


    stay in another room? Kathy, we are now husband and wife, so it''s natural for us to stay in the same


    room."


    His words rendered Katherine speechless. Eventually, she cleared her throat and took a seat on the


    other end of the bed, choosing not to reply to him.


    She was about to continue toweling her hair when the towel in her hand disappeared. When she looked


    up, the towel fell on her head. Immediately after, a pair of hands began drying her hair with the towel


    gently.


    "I can do it myself¡­" Katherine''s cheeks warmed, her voice involuntarily turning quiet when she spoke.


    A deep chuckle sounded above her head, and Joaquin continued to dry her hair as he said, "You don''t


    have to be so formal around me, Kathy. It''s time to change this habit of yours."


    Katherine blinked nomittally. Over the next few moments, neither of them spoke again, and the


    atmosphere in the room inexplicably became somewhat ambiguous, filled with subtle nuances. After


    some time, her hair was finally toweled dry.


    Joaquin set down the towel and was going to tease her a little more, but when he stepped forward and


    took a look, he saw that her expression had turned somewhat solemn; she looked deep in thought.


    Seeing that, he raised his eyebrows and couldn''t help but sigh helplessly to himself.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    This woman really doesn''t take a break, even for a moment.


    At once, he raised his hand and lightly knocked on her spotless forehead, saying softly, "Come to bed


    and lie down. Stop thinking so much. You haven''t gotten enough rest yet. Come here, let''s sleep."


    However, Katherine shook her head. "I just woke up, so I don''t feel sleepy now."


    Besides, her mind was still racing, leaving her even more sleepless.


    Right after that, she walked toward the only desk in the room and sat down. After rummaging through


    the drawers for a piece of paper and pen, she began to bury herself in writing.


    Joaquin knew he couldn''t persuade her, so he had no choice but to step over and stand beside her,


    looking at her as she wrote down series after series of chemical forms on the paper.


    "What''s this?" When she finally set her pen down, he couldn''t help but feel curious.


    Katherine clenched the paper with a flickering gaze, and it was only after a slight pause that she began


    speaking.


    "This is a unique type of antidote."


    "Antidote?" Her words left Joaquin even more confused. He couldn''t understand why she would write


    that down all of a sudden.


    Katherine nodded before swiftly raising her gaze to look at him, her expression turning serious.


    "When I was treating those three from the Fraser Family earlier today, I noticed that they had the same


    kind of poison in their body that I''ve never seen before. It probably has something to do with the man-


    faced curse. Hence, I made a bold guess: the reason why the man-faced curse has an incubation


    period in the human body for a certain amount of time and has such a sudden and intense outbreak


    must be closely rted to this poison¡­"

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276


    Joaquin''s expression darkened significantly as soon as Katherine''s words hit. "Isn''t this the venom you


    mentioned today?"


    Katherine nodded slightly. "That''s right. The man-faced curse causes fatality because of its venomous


    properties. Initially, as the curse enters one''s body, one will not feel anything. That''s because the


    venom of the curse hasn''t developed. The effects of the curse will cause one to feel that something is


    off, but it is not fatal. The whole time, the man-made curse will slowly generate venom. The venom


    produced will then slowly disperse within the host''s body and muscles. It remains well-concealed so


    most of the time, the venom will not be detected by routine body check-ups."


    She frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Previously, I treated some of the senior officials, but I didn''t


    discover the venom in their bodies. Today, when I referred to the secret parchment scroll given by


    Grandma, I finally figured out that I''d somehow used the right method by ident."


    His eyesnded on the long andplicated form she had written on a piece of paper, and he


    paused for a moment as he appeared to ponder the situation.


    "Have youe up with an antidote that quickly?" His question wasn''t intended to sound doubtful. It


    was more of an exmation at her impressive capabilities.


    Katherine nodded, but she soon shook her head in response. "I''ve targeted the symptoms of this


    venom and came up with a form to an antidote that can relieve those symptoms, but I''m not too sure


    if it works. Further research is required. I''ve extracted the venom from the body of the three of them


    and would need to conduct more research in theboratory. I will need to run some repeated tests to


    come up with a unique antidote that is fully effective."


    Early morning the following day, she spoke about this matter to Marcus.


    Marcus had been curious and keen to learn about it the previous night. After hearing the situation, he


    instantly said, "I can sort out theboratory facilities! Lab 7 has the bestboratory facilities in Kynd.


    The equipment avable and the technologies in Lab 7 are thetest and mostprehensive. You


    can rest assured, Miss Cornell. Roughly when would you like to¡­"


    Katherine immediately responded, "As soon as possible, please. The clock is ticking. Right now, I''m


    unclear of the situation, so producing an antidote quickly is the only way to avoid future disasters."


    She wasn''t one to drag things along and since she had an idea, she wanted to implement it as soon as


    possible.


    Meanwhile, Marcus was naturally open to that since she had mentioned things on her own ord, and


    he confirmed things with a p of his hands. "Sure. I''ll sort everything out!"


    As such, one hourter, Katherine was led to Lab 7.


    It was inconvenient for Joaquin to tag along, so he remained at the Fraser Residence. Coincidentally,


    he could keep an eye on things at the Frasers. Until now, the Frasers were not allowed to interact with


    the outside world.


    At Katherine''s arrival at Lab 7, the professor in charge of theboratory, Howard Walt, was already


    waiting for her at the entrance. He wasn''t aware that Katherine was here to figure out the unique


    antidote for the man-faced curse. All he knew was that Marcus had found an imposing figure to conduct


    research.


    However, it was obvious that Howard had his doubts upon meeting Katherine. How can this young


    woman here be an imposing figure? Could it be that Marcus was mistaken?


    "Professor Walt, this is Miss Katherine Cornell. She will be using your research institute temporarily to


    conduct some experiments over the next few days. The actual details of the research are strictly


    confidential, so I would need you to clear the ce and allocate time for Miss Cornell. Thanks for


    amodating me." Marcus didn''t mention ''amodate Miss Cornell'' but instead, he mentioned


    ''me''. It was clear that this research was conducted on the country''s behalf.


    At that point, Howard became increasingly doubtful. Who''s this woman here? Does shee from an


    important background?! Marcus is respectful toward her and even included her in such a substantial


    research project!


    Of course, his questions were unsuitable to be asked in public, so he merely smiled and agreed.


    "Miss Cornell, I''ll show you inside." He gestured and led the way for Katherine.


    With a nod, Katherine went along and no longer bothered with being overly courteous. She walked into


    theboratory with a cold expression.


    Just then, there were a lot of researchers crowded in front of the lobby of the institute. They had gotten


    wind of things and wanted toe over to find out the exact situation.


    They noticed the figure that arrived was a stunning beauty. They were initially quite impressed by that,


    but they developed odd expressions soon after.


    The male researchers expressed their curiosity toward Katherine while the female researchers scoffed


    at her.


    "Tsk! I had assumed that the personing over would have a very prestigious background. However,


    she''s just a pretty face! Mr. Town must be out of his mind!"


    "That''s right. She must have pulled a lot of strings to be able toe and use ourboratory


    resources!"


    "Gosh. She''s got the looks and her figure''s impressive too, so it would be a piece of cake. Ha!"


    By then, Marcus had left after giving the instructions to Howard. Katherine was left alone in the


    laboratory, as per her request.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    She didn''t like the unnecessary hassle and was always fixated on her work when she was conducting


    research. It would be a waste of time for Marcus to wait there, so it made much more sense for him to


    continue with his work.


    At that moment, the crowd''s whispers were audible to Katherine. However, she remained unperturbed


    and there was not even the slightest change to her expression as she ignored them andid out her


    request directly to Howard.


    "I won''t be using too much of your resources. I have a list here with the reagents and types of


    equipment I need. Professor Walt, please make the necessary arrangements for me as soon as


    possible. After that, you just need to allocate aboratory for my use. You guys can go ahead with your


    work and you don''t need to bother about me."


    Howard didn''t utter a single word, but as he took the list from her and nced at it, he furrowed his


    brows immediately.


    "Miss Cornell, your request is too much. There are several facilities needed in your list and the two


    reagents here are not only extremely expensive but also quite hard to get too. If you damage or waste


    them, the consequences are¡­"


    Although he did not finish his sentence, his tone and the slight sneering smile on his face indicated his


    point.


    "Professor Walt, do you mean to tell me that you''re not going to provide me with these?"


    Howard was of mature age and he had tons of experience, so he had a glib tongue. "Of course not,


    Miss Cornell. You''re Mr. Town''s guest, so I would need to respect him and help you as much as I can.


    However, I''m honestly unable to supply the things on your list despite my strong willingness to help. As


    you can see, there are so many researchers here and every team has a specific task to deal with. Lab


    7 is the most important research institute in Kynd and the research topics are pertinent to the


    country. I can''t possibly instruct my teams to stop their research and help you research this¡­"


    He didn''t finish his sentence this time either, but the mocking tone in his voice was unmistakable.


    Evidently, he was disdainful of Katherine and felt she had entered this research institute by pulling


    some strings, so her research topic was not of great importance.


    Just then, a woman in herte twenties walked over with a mocking expression. Taking Howard''s side,


    she stated, "That''s right. Professor Walt''s concerns are quite valid. If you utilize all of our expensive


    pieces of equipment and reagents, what are the rest of us going to do? Our three research teams here


    have been conducting our research over the past three years, so we won''t be able to stop our work


    halfway. I don''t think you would need to use these pieces of equipment and reagents in your study. It


    would be a waste of resources. Anyway, based on your capabilities, I don''t think that you''d be able to


    conduct decent research work. Would you be able to shoulder the responsibility of wasting the precious


    reagents or inflicting damage to our equipment?"

 Chapter 277

    Chapter 277


    As soon as the researcher finished her sentence, the other researchers covered their mouths and tried


    to hide theirughter.


    "Rita, that''s very rude of you!" Howard lifted his brows and chided her, but from the tone of his voice, he


    didn''t hold her ountable.


    Meanwhile, Katherine maintained a neutral expression throughout. She shot an indifferent look at Rita


    and lifted her well-shaped brows slightly.


    Suddenly, Katherine spoke up and her cold voice rang out. "Your surname''s Cornell too."


    At that point, Rita lifted her chin and revealed an arrogant expression. "Yeah, is that a problem?"


    Katherine curved her lips into a slight smile and replied calmly, "Yes."


    Clearly, Rita didn''t expect this reply from Katherine, so the former couldn''t help but frown before


    expressing rudely, "What''s the problem?"


    Katherine countered as rudely as Rita, "The problem here is that we''ve both got the same surname,


    Cornell, but you''re foolish beyond words."


    As soon as Rita heard that, her expression turned quite ugly. "What do you mean by that?!"


    However, Katherine didn''t respond to Rita immediately. She turned to look at therge screen in front of


    the lobby, which disyed the details of each team member within a research unit, their research


    topics, and their research progress.


    "E1 reagent. That''s such a simple research topic and yet, your team has spent three years on it without


    making a breakthrough. What''s the point of continuing your research? You should give up yourb


    coats and leave this ce."


    As soon as Katherine said that, Rita and the other team members in the same research unit glowered


    and revealed angry expressions.


    "What sort of nonsense are you on about?! You make it sound as if you''re very knowledgeable, but do


    you even know what an E1 reagent is?! Do you have any idea how difficult our research is? How dare


    you brag loudly in front of us?! You''re quite boastful, aren''t you?"


    "Yeah! You make it sound as if you''ve found the research oue, but you''re just giving us crass


    comments here."


    Katherine smiled briefly when faced with the group''s usations. However, she didn''t bother to rebuke


    their words. She merely took a pen and a piece of paper from the reception area and started scribbling.


    The crowd wasn''t sure what she was doing, so everyone red at her with frowns.


    Rita loathed the sight of Katherine, and the former couldn''t contain herself as she immediately stepped


    forward and snatched the paper and pen from Katherine''s hands.


    "Stop with the act! Don''t you dare touch the items in ourboratory! You should just¡ª"


    However, Rita didn''t get to finish her words. She was about to get into contact with Katherine when


    suddenly, she felt a pen prick her shoulder. She immediately froze in ce and was unable to move a


    single inch.


    Katherine''s expression remained unchanged, but there was a stern look in her eyes as she pricked


    Rita with the tip of a pen to stop the woman from approaching.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    "What''s the rush? I''m figuring things out for you to avoid being troubled by such a simple topic. I


    wouldn''t want you to suffer hair loss from worrying about this. More importantly, it''s such a waste of Lab


    7''s resources. Furthermore, the loss incurred would be quite substantial for the country too."


    "You¡ª" Rita clenched her teeth in anger upon noticing Katherine''s arrogance and with a furious re,


    she attempted to move forward.


    Katherine had only pressed a pen against Rita''s shoulders but for some inexplicable reason, Rita found


    herself unable to move a single inch.


    "You annoying woman! Y-You''d better let go of me!"


    At that instance, Rita was about to blow a gasket, but she could onlysh out with her words.


    Katherine lifted a well-sculpted brow and did not bother to correct Rita''s rudeness. She didn''t even


    have to exert force as she shoved Rita to the ground by using the pen''s tip.


    "Ouch!" Rita tried to maintain her bnce but failed and fell to the ground. At that point, she winced in


    pain.


    Just as she fell to the ground on her bottom, Katherine had swiftly finished writing the final sentence of


    the content and she casually tossed it to the woman on the floor.


    "You!" Rita scrambled to get up quite awkwardly and her eyes looked molten-red from anger. She was


    just about to scrunch up the piece of paper tossed to her when she noticed Katherine''szy smile.


    "Are you quite sure that you won''t take a look? I''ve written down some groundbreaking achievements


    regarding the E1 reagent."


    As soon as Katherine mentioned that, everyone''s jaw dropped. Even Howard had a look of disbelief on


    his face.


    At that point, Rita froze in her act but soon enough, she frowned and scoffed derisively.


    "Stop bullsh*tting us! We''ve conducted three years of research without any conclusive oue, yet


    here you are just randomly scribbling on a piece of paper and then boasting about some


    groundbreaking achievement! Do you take us as fools?"


    Katherine remained exceptionally calm and continued to stare at Rita patiently.


    "Well, I don''t know how foolish the others are, but you¡­"


    As Katherine spoke, she lifted a hand to tap her temple with her slender fingers before expressing


    nonchntly, "You''re a bit off here so I guess you must be quite foolish."


    Rita nearly blew a fuse upon hearing Katherine''s words. The former clenched her teeth and was about


    to crush that piece of paper in her hand. It was quite fortunate that Howard stepped forward and


    snatched the paper from Rita''s hand.


    "Professor Walt!" Rita had an incredulous look on her face upon seeing Howard study the paper''s


    content.


    Howard''s eyes became as wide as saucers in just a minute, and there was a surprised and excited


    look in his gaze.


    "So that''s how it is! I can''t believe that''s how it should be! Why didn''t I realize this?!"


    As soon as Howard finished his sentence, the other researchers who were engrossed in the drama


    unfolding crowded around Howard to retrieve the paper from his hand as they passed it around and


    studied it.


    Subsequently, everyone was in shock, especially the team members in Rita''s research unit. They were


    ted and yet in disbelief. None of them could tear their eyes away from the piece of paper.


    Meanwhile, Rita''s expression turned uglier than ever upon seeing their reaction. Even a fool could tell


    what was going on right now.


    This woman has solved the issue in my research topic! How can that be possible?! Isn''t she just a


    pretty face who had to pull strings to get in here?! How can she possibly be so capable?!


    Just then, Rita couldn''t quite swallow her pride to go over and find out what was written on the piece of


    paper. She remained frozen in ce as her body stiffened. There was a beaten expression on her face,


    and she wished so badly to be able to leave this ce right away without anyone realizing it. She felt


    utterly humiliated.


    At the same time, Howard finally realized the capability of this woman in front of him, and he


    immediately regretted his bad attitude from before.


    "Look¡­ Miss Cornell. I-It was just a misunderstanding from before, so please don''t take it personally."


    At that moment, he had no other option but to let go of his pride and apologize to her.


    His logical mind overcame his pride, and he finally realized that Marcus hadn''t just randomly brought


    Katherine into thisboratory. She was actually of crucial value to them.


    It was likely that her research topic contained some extremely critical content too.


    Initially, Howard had assumed that she would be incapable of achieving anything, so even if she


    comined to Marcus about being treated badly, Howard could stille up with an excuse for her


    ipetence.


    However, things were quite different right now.


    If sheined about today''s matter to Marcus, then Howard would be relinquished of his professor


    position and his role as the person in charge of Lab 7.


    At the thought of that, Howard broke into a cold sweat and quickly tried to appease Katherine in hopes


    that he could smooth over his rude behavior from before.


    "Miss Cornell, please rest assured that I will make the arrangements for every single thing you''re after.


    There won''t be any issues at all. I''ll give you priority to obtain even the rarest reagents. You''ve traveled


    all the way to get here, so you must be exhausted. Why don''t you go over to the lounge to take a rest?


    I''ll make the necessary arrangements as soon as possible and once everything is sorted, I''ll inform you


    immediately!"

 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278


    Katherine was carrying out a much more important assignment and she had no intention of fighting with


    these people.


    At that moment, she shot him an indifferent look before stating calmly, "Where''s the lounge?"


    Howard heaved a slight sigh of relief upon seeing her relent. He quickly nodded and bowed as he


    pointed to the corridor on the left.


    "It''s that way, Miss Cornell. Go ahead."


    As Howard said that, he turned around and spoke to the other researchers standing by the side. "You


    guys, why are you standing around in a daze? Hurry up and make the necessary arrangements.


    Prepare some snacks and beverages and send them over to Miss Cornell in the lounge."


    The others finally came to their senses upon hearing his words and they proceeded with their tasks.


    However, Katherine suddenly announced coldly, "I don''t need snacks or beverages. Just bring me a


    ss of water."


    As she said that, she shot an indifferent look at Rita before turning to look at Howard.


    "Professor Walt, I''m not one to waste time. I''ve wasted half an hour because of the researchers


    working under you, so I''ll only spare you fifteen minutes to get everything ready for me. Fifteen minutes


    later, I want to start work promptly in theboratory. As for this woman¡­"


    Katherine lifted a hand and pointed a finger at Rita.


    "I don''t want to see her when I''m working in theboratory over the next few days. You can get her to


    take a break or fire her. I just don''t want her to appear in front of my eyes."


    As soon as Katherine said that, Rita paled and she revealed a horrid expression.


    Howard was momentarily stunned as well but after weighing the pros and cons, he naturally went along


    with Katherine and quickly nodded earnestly.


    "Okay! Sure! No problem! Don''t worry, Miss Cornell. She definitely won''t appear in front of you ever


    again!"


    Katherine no longermented on anything else upon hearing his assurance. In the end, she headed


    over to the lounge.


    After Howard escorted Katherine into the room, he came out and immediately summoned Rita.


    Subsequently, he informed Rita quite abruptly, "Pack your belongings and leave the ess card to Lab


    7 behind before you leave the ce."


    As soon as Rita heard that, the blood drained from her face and she felt as if she was submerged in ice


    water. At that point, her lips trembled uncontrobly.


    Lab 7 was the ultimate goal of every researcher. Most strived to gain a job there but to no avail. Rita


    had worked extremely hard since she was young and didn''t dare to ck off just to gain a foothold in


    this ce. However, she was about to be fired because of this matter.


    At that point, she was finally hit with frantess. She hurriedly pleaded for mercy with Howard and


    begged him to let her stay.


    However, the man merely frowned at her.


    "What can I do? There is no point in you begging me for mercy. Katherine is Mr. Town''s guest so even


    if you find her an annoyance, you shouldn''t have tantly spoken so rudely to her. You''ve even


    shed so badly with her, so how on earth could she possibly forgive you that easily? Even if you go


    down on your knees to plead for mercy, there is no chance I will be able to let you stay on. Otherwise,


    Lab 7 might run into trouble. Hurry up and gather your belongings then leave the ce."


    After Howard said that, he no longer bothered himself with Rita and turned around to leave.


    Meanwhile, Rita was left in a daze and she stood rooted there, as though her world hade


    crumbling down.


    ¡­


    Once Katherine threw herself into work, she would end up fixated to the point of giving up food and


    sleep.


    If it wasn''t because of Howard''s worry that Marcus would me him for Katherine copsing in his


    laboratory, he would not have been so diligent in reminding Katherine regrly to take her meals.


    Without Howard''s constant reminders, it was very likely that Katherine would have forgotten to eat and


    drink.


    Over the next few days, she didn''t step out of theboratory at all as she repeatedly ran tests on the


    unique antidote.


    Five dayster, she finally seeded in producing an antidote.


    In the afternoon, Marcus rushed over excitedly when he heard the news. He looked at the antidote in


    Katherine''s hands as if it was a precious treasure.


    "Miss Cornell, is this antidote effective? If you''re sure that everything is fine, I''ll hand it over to


    Professor Walt''s staff and get them to mass-produce it as soon as possible.


    Katherine nodded in response.


    "This antidote here is way more effective at prating the target and it can enter deep into the body to


    fight against the venom produced within the infected person''s body. Once the venom is cleared from


    the human body, we can then proceed with the next step of handling things. By then, the man-faced


    curse will no longer be able to use the human body as a host, and we will be able to achieve the goal of


    inactivating the curse."


    Marcus did not fullyprehend her exnation, but he knew that he should trust her. As such, he


    nodded earnestly and turned around to hand it over to Howard.


    Howard, on the other hand, knew not to ask unnecessary questions and agreed to the job without any


    comments.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    At that moment, Marcus felt a huge relief at having resolved this troubling matter. He nced worriedly


    at Katherine, who looked quite unwell, and he suggested on his own ord, "Miss Cornell, I''ll send you


    back to the Fraser Residence right now. You must have gone without sleep for the past few nights, so


    go back and have a good rest."


    However, Katherine shook her head. "I don''t want to go to the Fraser Residence. You can send me to


    any hotel that''s nearby."


    Subsequently, she added, "Don''t inform Joaquin yet that I''ve already left theboratory. I''ll head back to


    the Fraser Residence after I''m fully rested."


    Katherine had been without sleep for several nights now and after looking at herself in the mirror in the


    toilet earlier on, she noticed that her eye bags were massive and looked very haggard.


    She knew that Joaquin would worry if he saw her in this state.


    "Well¡­" Marcus hesitated upon hearing that but in the end, he chose to respect her wishes. He


    immediately sent her to a five-star hotel in Kynd and chose the presidential suite.


    "Miss Cornell, get some rest and give me a call once you wake up. I''ll leave some men here to guard


    the ce and they can send you directly to the Fraser Residence after that."


    Katherine expressed her gratitude and then quickly took a hot shower. After showering, she fell asleep


    immediately upon getting into bed.


    She was exhausted mentally and physically, so she remained in deep slumber for quite some time.


    It was the afternoon of the following day when she finally awoke.


    The ring sunlight streamed through the French windows and filled the entire room. There was some


    movement of Katherine''s eyelids, but she didn''t open her eyes. She lifted a hand to cover her eyes as


    she took some time toe to her senses.


    At that moment, she heard a voice by her side and she immediately jumped up in fright.


    "Are you awake? Are you feeling better?"


    She was momentarily stunned and instantly opened her eyes wide to nce in that direction. Just then,


    a handsome face appeared right in front of her eyes.


    She saw that Joaquin had somehow arrived without her realizing it and was currently lying next to her.


    He appeared to have just woken up and had a slightly drowsy look in his eyes.


    "W-Why are you here?"


    Katherine expressed her surprise and instinctively wanted to shift backward. At that moment, she


    realized that his arms were wrapped around her waist.


    Joaquin sensed that she wanted to retreat, so he lifted his eyebrows and tightened his grip to hug her


    tightly.


    Their bodies were pressed against each other and it was only then that Katherine realized he was


    actually bare-chested without any shirt on. Her face instantly blushed.


    "You¡­" She opened her mouth and for a moment, her eyes wandered because she didn''t know where


    to look. Surprisingly, she seemed quite ill at ease.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was tickled by her awkward expression as he smiled in response. Subsequently,


    he inched closer and osted her on the lips while she was preupied.


    "I arrived yesterday. I''ve been waiting for you for five days and it''s been such a long wait. However, not


    only did you keep the news of you leaving theboratory from me, but you even made Marcus keep me


    in the dark! That''s so mean of you."


    Katherine was speechless when she heard that. Faced with his usations, she grimaced slightly. "I


    find the Fraser Residence too rowdy, so I came to a hotel to get some rest first."

 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279


    Truth was, Katherine didn''t want Joaquin to worry about her, but she stubbornly refused to admit it.


    Meanwhile, the man was aware of this.


    At that point, he narrowed his eyes and purposely teased her as he spoke in a sad voice. "Is that so?


    My wife has never considered my feelings at all. It looks like I need to do something to exert my


    authority."


    He had just woken up, so his originally low voice sounded slightly hoarse and somehow quite sensual.


    Katherine felt the tip of her ears turn red and her heart trembled as she looked at him warily.


    "Y-You¡­ What are you trying to do? I''m warning you¡­"


    Meanwhile, Joaquin curved his lips into a smile. "Get some more rest. I''ll freshen up and you can take


    a shower after I''m done."


    With that, he turned around and went into the bathroom.


    As for Katherine, she blushed bright red upon recalling his earlier behavior.


    ¡­


    Once Katherine finished taking afortable shower and came out, Joaquin had justid out some


    food on the table.


    "Come over and have some." He gestured upon seeing her walk out.


    Katherine had been asleep for a long time, so she was ravenous. She immediately went over and


    started eating after getting some utensils.


    As for Joaquin, he wasn''t too hungry, so he served her as he ate.


    After dinner, he stated, "I heard from Marcus that you''ve seeded in producing the antidote. What do


    you n to do now?"


    Katherine took the tissue he handed her and wiped her mouth before replying, "I''ve got to head over to


    the Fraser Residence and check on the condition of the Frasers."


    As soon as Joaquin heard that, he frowned subtly but it disappeared soon enough.


    "Why would you still want to go over to the Fraser Residence? I thought you''ve nursed them back to


    health, no? I notice that they''re recovering quite well."


    However, Katherine shook her head.


    "Even though they''ve been nursed back to health, the method I used was an ancient way from the


    secret parchment scroll. It has been too long since the three of them were gued by the curse, so I


    need to check on them again to see whether they need another dose of the antidote. Once I''ve


    confirmed it, we can head home to Hovington."


    Joaquin had no choice but to go along with her words upon noticing her insistence, and he no longer


    said anything else.


    Soon, the two of them arrived at the Fraser Residence.


    They had just walked through the front door when they heard a shrill woman''s voiceing from the


    living room.


    "I''m fully recovered after treatment, so why do you still assign men to keep an eye on us? Are you


    trying to restrict my freedom? I''m warning you that I will sue you for this!"


    The woman''s voice sounded young and Katherine could tell right away that it was the beloved daughter


    of the Fraser Family, Cyndi Fraser. At that point, Katherine lifted her brows.


    Inside the living room, Cyndi realized that she could not talk sense to Marcus'' bodyguards, so she was


    pretty annoyed.


    Her tone turned nastier than ever and she growled, "Don''t think that everything will be fine just because


    you remain silent! I want to go out right now! I want to go shopping and get a facial done. I''ve missed


    so many tea parties organized by the other girls. I''m bored out of my mind being stuck at home! If you


    don''t let me out right now, I''ll give Mr. Perry a call and get him to punish you guys directly. You should


    consider this carefully because Marcus is several ranks lower than Mr. Perry. Are you sure that you


    want to go against me?"


    A sneer shed across Katherine''s face upon hearing Cyndi threaten the bodyguards with someone


    else.


    At that instance, one of the bodyguards spoke up firmly without giving an inch. "Miss Fraser, our


    instructionse from Mr. Town. He mentioned that Miss Cornell has forbidden every member of the


    Fraser Family to have contact with the outside world right now. That''s why we can''t let you leave the


    house. Please cooperate with us. Once Miss Cornell gets here and confirms that everything is fine,


    you''ll be free to go wherever you want."


    "Miss Cornell?!" As soon as Cyndi heard that, her rage intensified and she cursed angrily, "She''s just a


    country bumpkin from that little town called Hovington! How dare she keep me confined? Who does


    she think she is?! She thinks so highly of herself just because she''s got some medical knowledge¡­"


    As soon as Cyndi said that, Joaquin''s expression darkened significantly.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    He was about to enter the living room when suddenly, a stern voice rang out. It was Patricia who


    spoke.


    "Cyndi, watch your words! Miss Cornell is our savior. How dare you behave so rudely?!"


    Cyndi was much more displeased upon realizing that her mother, who usually doted on her the most,


    also stood up for Katherine.


    "Mom, why do you keep siding with that outsider? I''m your daughter! Katherine Cornell is a nobody!


    She was born in that little town and even her own family looks down on her. She''s such a lowlife, so


    how can she marry Joe?!"


    As soon as Cyndi brought up Joaquin, frustration brewed within her.


    "Joe hasn''t visited us over thest two days! Could he have gone to see Katherine?! Mom, hurry up


    and figure out a solution for me¡­"


    Joe? As soon as Katherine heard Cyndi address Joaquin by his nickname, there was a sh of


    realization in Katherine''s eyes. She had now figured out why Cyndi was generally so hostile toward her.


    She instantly tilted her head and shot a half-smile at Joaquin as she teased him softly, "You''re as


    charming as ever, huh? You''ve just stayed over at the Fraser Residence for several days and yet,


    you''ve managed to win another young debutante''s affection."


    Joaquin''s expression had initially turned somber and cold upon hearing Cyndi''s words but when he


    heard Katherine''s tease, he couldn''t contain the wave of resignation that hit him.


    "I find her extremely annoying, so I moved to a hotel two days ago. Anyway, Marcus'' men are here to


    keep an eye on things."


    Just as the two of them were whispering to each other, Patricia''s stern voice suddenly rang out and she


    chided Cyndi, "That''s enough! Cyndi, how can you say such things and harbor such ill thoughts?"

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280


    "And why can''t I? I love Joe, and I''m gonna marry him. Katherine Cornell is not his match!"


    "Zip it!" Patricia''s patience was running thin. Her voice became stern as she mmed the desk.


    "Joaquin is a married man! How could you fall for him and speak such words? Don''t forget who you


    are, Miss Fraser. You should never be a homewrecker. Besides, Katherine saved our family, and you''re


    standing right here, thanks to her! Don''t you know how to be grateful? I beg you to stop uttering such


    disrespectful words about her. Is this how I taught you?"


    Cyndi gritted her teeth at being reprimanded by Patricia as she finally showed signs of caving in. Still,


    the anger in her remained as jealousy filled her. "Even if they''re married, they can file a divorce in the


    future! I don''t care if it''s Joaquin''s second marriage. Mom, you''re right. I am Miss Fraser. So, how am I


    not a match for him? We''re supposed to be the perfect match!"


    "Enough!" Disappointment shed across Patricia''s gaze as she failed to talk some sense into Cyndi.


    Her countenance turned somber. "Cyndi Fraser, you better stop right now. Do not be hot-headed or


    bring this up again. If you dare to disgrace us, don''t me me for the consequences!"


    "Mom!" Her strong protest shocked Cyndi.


    Meanwhile, at the foyer, Joaquin frowned deeply as irritation clouded his eyes. It seemed like he did not


    want to set foot into the house. Katherine was rather chill about the situation, for smidgens of interest


    were evident in her eyes.


    Cyndi is one malevolent woman, but her mother is rational. She was aware of Patricia''s nature on the


    day Patricia ran out to her just to offer an apology, albeit sick.


    Back to the present, Katherine raised her eyebrow and gave Joaquin a sideways nce. Then, she


    strode to the living room. Leaving with no choice, he followed suit despite his reluctance.


    "Greetings, Miss Cornell, Mr. Levisay," the bodyguards greeted them in ones and twos upon noticing


    the iing guests.


    She nodded lightly in acknowledgment before her indifferent gazended on Cyndi.


    Herplexion seemed better than when Katherine saw her a few days ago. With thebination of


    exquisite make-up and a yellow dress, she was a doll, but not to the point of having extraordinary


    beauty.


    Yet, it was undoubtedly a minus point, especially when Cyndi''s expression was contorted in menace.


    On the other hand, Patricia was surprised and nervous upon Katherine''s arrival. She was worried that


    their conversation was overheard. "Miss Cornell, how long have you been here? Why didn''t you tell me


    beforehand? I could''ve weed you at the door."


    Following that, shemanded Lexie. "Hurry and make some tea for Miss Cornell."


    "No need for the hassle. I only dropped by for a follow-up visit. I''ll leave if everything''s fine." Katherine


    turned down the offer.


    "That quick? Are you leaving Kynd?" Patricia was surprised.


    Instead of answering the question, Katherine scanned the living room. "Where''s Myles? Is he around?"


    Patricia replied hurriedly, "He is. He''s in his room getting some rest."


    Katherine nodded. "Okay. Let''s take this slowly. Come along with me. The others gotta wait."


    Having said that, she headed to the study room on the first floor to examine Patricia''s condition.


    In the meantime, Joaquin sat on the couch in the living room to wait for Katherine, whereas Cyndi''s


    gaze was glued onto him and it ticked his nerves.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    In fact, her eyes did not shift away from him the moment he stepped into the house. Her gaze was


    overflowing with affection.


    At that moment, her brows knitted, and her expression was rife with despondence. In a coquettish


    voice, she initiated a conversation. "Joe, are you returning to Hovington?"


    Annoyed, he frowned and gave her a t hum. His attitude and expression distinctly proved his


    reluctance to speak to her, but she kept approaching him as though she failed to read the room.


    Due to that, his countenance darkened. Before she sat next to him, he turned his head and shot cold


    stares at her. "Watch your actions, Miss Fraser."


    Hatredced in his icy warning, whichnded her in a trance. Since when had the ever-prideful Miss


    Fraser faced such aversion?


    The color drained from Cyndi''s face upon hearing that. Embarrassed, she dared not take another step


    closer to him and remained standing just like that. Still, she found it awkward to neither stand nor sit at


    that time.


    She had been making advances for the past few days, yet Joaquin gave her zero response. It was her


    first time experiencing such a cold treatment.


    Yet, when he came alongside Katherine two dayster, the distance between them suddenly widened,


    and he even spoke to her in such a way!


    As her blood boiled, she med everything on Katherine. Joe''s treating me this way all because of that


    b*tch!


    At the same time, Patricia happened to walk out of the study room. "Cyndi, it''s your turn." As if she


    remembered something, she added, "Don''t forget how Miss Cornell has saved you. She''s even here for


    a follow-up. Watch yournguage, behave, and act properly."


    Cyndi clenched her teeth as a cold glint fleeted in her eyes. Ha¡­ Behave?


    She entered the room quietly. Katherine, who was sitting behind the desk, beckoned her over. "Have a


    seat." The silent Cyndi stared at her while seating herself opposite her. Katherine requested, "Your


    hand."


    Cyndi did as she was told. When the check-up ended, she withdrew her hand and stayed put.


    Subsequently, her squeaky voice resounded abruptly. "Katherine Cornell, do you think you''re someone


    great just because you have an inkling of medical skill? Even so, you''ll always be the one serving


    others, not someone of prominence. Don''t make me bring up your hometown, Hovington. The Cornell


    Family has fallen, and no one is your backer! So, how dare someone like you strikes against me?!"


    Katherine was not surprised one bit upon hearing that. Instead of springing up in anger, she burst into a


    soft chuckle.


    Cyndi frowned and barked, "What''s so funny here?"


    "Nothing." Katherine regained herposure. "I just didn''t expect you to be this jumpy. Seems like


    you''ve paid no heed to your mother''s advice."


    Cyndi was stunned at her counter. "You overheard us?" She gritted her teeth as if she was going to


    upend the whole ce. "Great. It''s better that you know. It saves me time from exining the whole


    thing again. File a divorce from Joe, and I''ll give you anything you want. Just name it."

 Chapter 281

    Chapter 281


    Lifting her brow, Katherine did not foresee Cyndi uttering that. As such, mockery sat upon her brows.


    "Really? Are you sure? Will you agree to all of my wishes?"


    The disdain on Cyndi''s visage grew as she smiled and raised her chin. "That is for sure. I am Miss


    Fraser. How can I not fulfill your wish?"


    "Oh?" Katherine raised her brow. "Then, I guess I gotta be wise with my choice." She acted like she


    was chewing it over for a minute before smiling. "I''ve made up my mind."


    Cyndi nudged her chin, prodding Katherine to say it. Based on her knowledge, someone from a rural


    area who had spent many years in Fontan would nevere up with a bizarre request, hence her bold


    confrontation.


    However, Katherine raised her palms at her. "Ten billion. How''s that?"


    Cyndi''s eyes widened as she red at her, for she had not expected Katherine to put the bite on her.


    "Ten billion? Are you mad?"


    Katherine shrugged her shoulders as though it was a matter of fact. "You said it yourself that I can


    request anything. Besides, it''s Joaquin. With his looks, body, and background, you ain''t losing anything.


    Most importantly¡­" She narrowed her eyes and uttered slowly, "He''s amazing in bed."


    Cyndi wrapped her head around it almost instantly. She mmed the desk and rose to her feet in a fit


    of pique. "How dare you, you b*tch!"


    Katherine raised her eyebrow, looking at hernguidly. "I''m just telling the truth. We''re a married


    couple. Is it a surprise that we''ve gone that far?"


    "You¡­" Cyndi was so speechless that she could not continue with her words.


    Katherine touched her chin while sizing her opponent up. "Tsk, tsk. I didn''t expect you to be this


    innocent, though. I guess you''re not a fit for him. Even if we divorced, you can''t take my ce."


    "And how do you know that? Who do you think you are?!" Cyndi was not backing off.


    "I''m his wife. Of course, I know," Katherine retorted calmly. She then pointed at her head while smiling.


    "That''s because he despises dumb b*tches."


    As soon as she said that, Cyndi''s face went beat red. "H-How dare you!"


    Katherine giggled. "So, you''re aware. Guess you aren''t that stupid."


    The smile on her face suddenly vanished, and her demeanor took a one-eighty change. Even if she


    was confronting Cyndi while staying seated, she did not lose one bit of her aura. Precisely speaking, it


    was more dominating than Cyndi''s.


    Narrowing her eyes, Katherine stared at her like she was a fool. Her voice became icy cold when she


    warned, "Who gave you the nerve to wield your power over me, huh? And where did you get that


    confidence from thinking that Joaquin would choose you? Going on a strike against you?" She scoffed


    like it was a joke. "I didn''t have to do that from the very beginning. You may leave the room now."


    Katherine shifted her gaze away from Cyndi, leaving her riveted at the spot with crimson cheeks. She


    gritted her teeth as she desperately wished her re could prate Katherine. "You¡ª"


    She intended to argue further, but Katherine''s patience reached its limit as she frowned. "Are you


    leaving or not?"


    That authoritative tone made Cyndi''s hackles rise. Fuming in anger, she bypassed the desk to grab


    Katherine''s wrist. "Why do I have to leave? This is my ce! The one who should be leaving is you!


    Get out of¡ª"


    Yet, Katherine parried her hand away before she could touch her. Gazing at the red mark on the back


    of her hand, Cyndi almost lost it. "How dare you, Cornell!"


    Katherine rubbed her ears in total apathy andined, "I can be rough, and I can even silence you


    if you say another word."


    Feeling the blood boil in her veins, Cyndi swept the things across the table. The nging sound


    ricocheted against the four walls in the room. Then, she fell backward, and her buttnded on the floor.


    Katherine raised her brow, but Patricia and Joaquin darted into the room before she could say


    anything.


    "What''s going on here?" Patricia was shocked by the mess.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin walked toward Katherine with a solemn expression. His heart sank from his throat


    only after he confirmed she was unharmed.


    Cyndi''s jaw clenched at how the man did not care for her the second he entered. She called pitifully,


    "Joe, could you help me up?"


    Quietly, he looked down at her and did not move a muscle. Awkwardness permeated the air at once.


    Patricia frowned as she quickly helped Cyndi up. Although she was oblivious to the situation, she could


    make a vague guess that it was her daughter''s doing.


    Despite her burning fury, she could only gloss it over as peacefully as possible. "Look at what you''ve


    done, Cyndi. You''re not a kid anymore. Why are you always so fussy? Can''t you watch where you''re


    going? Gosh, you had iting."


    Her caring words covered Cyndi''s antics, but Cyndi was never a meek one. Tactfulness was not in her


    dictionary as she kept crossing the line by wailing next, "Mom, I didn''t fall on my own. I-It''s¡­"


    She took a few nces at Katherine on purpose while stammering on her words, and who could not


    possibly see through her little scheme?


    No one budged at her usation, but Patricia''s expression revealed hints of embarrassment.


    Myles happened to enter the room at that time, catching sight of his sister''s forlorn state. Ire surged in


    him immediately. "Cyndi, who did this to you? Tell me. I''ll settle out the score with them!"


    Myles, the feckless man, was two years younger than Cyndi. He had been causing a ruckus in Kynd


    because of his status from a prestigious family.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Now that he had mistakenly thought someone bullied Cyndi, he could not help the urge to straighten


    things out for her. He found out about Joaquin and Katherine''s marital status a few days ago, but he


    only disyed contempt at that news.


    He could not help but sneak a few nces at the gorgeous woman in the room, but the moment he


    realized that it was Katherine, his countenance became grim.

 Chapter 282

    Chapter 282


    "You''re Katherine Cornell?" Myles'' tone was unfriendly.


    Patricia''s brows furrowed tightly as she scolded, "Myles, behave! Straighten up your attitude. Miss


    Cornell is your savior. "


    He snorted. "And did I ask her to do so? Besides, thanks to her rusty medical skills, I''m still feeling pain


    all over my body. How is she my savior? She shouldn''t have butt her nose in when she couldn''t. Savior,


    my *ss."


    "Myles!" Patricia''s expression was gloomy.


    Joaquin''s mood was no less different as well. Narrowing his eyes, he took a step forward instinctively,


    but Katherine held his hand before he could vent his anger.


    Quietly, she motioned him to stay calm and turned to Myles, sizing the man up. "You feel pain all over


    your body?"


    He gave her an eye roll. "Yeah. Didn''t you hear me?"


    "Be precise. Where and how does it hurt?" she questioned, ignoring his attitude.


    However, he showed contempt instead of answering the questions. "Enough. Stop the act, you lowly


    doctor." He then continued with his ''interrogation''. "Tell me. What have you done to my sister?"


    Katherine frowned as she was absorbed in her thoughts, whereas Cyndi''s visage became bolder now


    that someone took her side. She feigned grievance and put on such an act that even her eyes were


    red! "Myles, don''t speak to Miss Cornell that way. It wasn''t intentional either¡­"


    It was a direct usatory arrow pointing at Katherine. His demeanor turned rigid at the drop of a hat.


    "Unintentional? Spill the details, Cyndi. It has already happened, so we can''t just let it slide. I''m on your


    side. Let''s see who has the nerve toy a finger on us."


    She bit her lower lip as though she was fighting through a dilemma. "I-I was just in awe about how nice


    Joe is. He''s been taking care of us, but Miss Cornell became upset in split seconds. I don''t know why. I


    just wanted to talk to her, but she pushed me away, so I lost my footing. I bumped into the desk and fell


    onto the ground¡­"


    Patricia could see through her made-up story as soon as she heard that. She hurriedly pulled Cyndi''s


    sleeves in an attempt to prevent things from going out of hand. Still, Cyndi paid no heed to the wake-up


    call.


    It was indeed a lowly scheme that even Katherine burst intoughter upon hearing it.


    At that, Myles frowned before his speech became acrimonious. "What''s so funny about this? You


    pushed my sister, so how dare you sit there like a boss instead of apologizing?"


    He was going to yank Katherine from her seat, but she did not budge an inch. Like brother, like sister.


    They are the same.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin could not put up with this ridicule anymore. Standing right in front of Katherine, he


    coldly stared at Myles with an icy expression. "Wanna know what''ll happen if you touch her?"


    The ever-daring Myles wavered in the face of his confrontation, which gained the upper hand.


    Yet, he soon regained hisposure by straightening his back. "Joaquin Levisay, you''re all puffed up


    just because Cyndi likes you, aren''t you? Don''t make me remind you that you''re from Hovington. You


    have nothing to be proud of, dude. It''s your honor that Cyndi falls for you, and look at this green-eyed


    country bumpkin. What''s there for you to take her side? I''m warning you¡ªwake up and file a divorce at


    this instant or I won''t pull myself back."


    Patricia was livid because of her immature kids. She intended to stop them, yet the lump in her throat


    rendered it impossible. Anger piled up in her, but she had nowhere to vent it. Clenching her teeth, she


    stood before Katherine and Joaquin before facing her children. It was an attempt to keep a lid on the


    situation before the couple lost it. "Silence, both of you! Get back to your rooms!"


    Myles refused to do so. "Mom, why are you always on the outsiders'' side? What''s there to worry


    about? No matter how powerful they are, we''re above them, aren''t we?"


    Joaquin piped up, "You can give it a shot if you want to know the truth. I can make you sit in a


    wheelchair for the rest of your life."


    It was rare for him to blurt such straightforward words, which stunned Myles. It was not because of the


    threat but the aura exuded from Joaquin. This man¡­ He''s scary.


    His whole body somehow trembled just at the sheer sight of that man standing before him. Cyndi, who


    stood next to her brother, sensed something was off with him. Her heart was on tenterhooks as she


    observed Joaquin''s expression.


    In actuality, the scheme sprouted in her head at the spur of the moment. It was to bacsh against


    Katherine and build on Joaquin''s hatred toward his wife. However, not only did it seem useless, but he


    had more reason to despise the Fraser Family now.


    Ugh, nothing''s going my way!


    In addition to being frantic and anxious, she med Katherine for all this. The anger directed at her


    zed, yet she dared not utter a word.


    Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Katherine suddenly smiled and rose. She pulled Joaquin''s


    hand while gazing at Myles. "Save the hassle. He won''t be able to stand up after three days at most.


    Since they look down on me and won''t let me check on them, fine by me. I don''t like forcing others


    anyway. I''ve done what I can, so we shall take our leave."


    She intended to leave with Joaquin, but a frantic Patricia tried to stop them. "Miss Cornell, what do you


    mean by that? Myles won''t be able to s-stand after three days? What¡ª"


    Katherine was calm in the face of the panic-stricken woman. "Mrs. Fraser, I''m here for a follow-up. This


    is not my responsibility nor duty, let alone exin anything to you."


    Although Myles was shocked and panicked momentarily, her reply calmed him down. "Gosh, Mom!


    Just let them go. Why are you asking a lowly doctor like her? She''s just pretending to be mysterious,


    trying to scare the daylight out of us, but I am Myles Fraser. Stop your awful act, loser!"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Ignoring Patricia''s plea, Katherine left alongside Joaquin without looking back. Cyndi watched their


    backs as her teeth clenched, and her eyes were rife with utter resentment.

 Chapter 283

    Chapter 283


    Joaquin looked grim after leaving Fraser Residence with Katherine holding his wrist.


    When she noticed his expression, she lifted a brow and grinned mischievously. "Tsk tsk. I thought Mr.


    Levisay was unemotional. Why the anger?"


    He gave her a side-eye and grunted. "That rascal was rude to you. Why did you hold me back?"


    Had she not restrained him, he would have beaten Myles to a pulp and made him live in regret forever.


    She understood his intention. Letting go of his wrist, she let out azy yawn. "Why waste your time on


    men like Myles? He''s not the first one to be rude to me. If I were to take it personally every time I was


    humiliated, I would have died of high blood pressure a long time ago."


    He fell into a short silence but soon raised a brow at a newfound realization. He knew that Katherine


    was generous, but she was not foolishly kind either. "What did you mean when you said he would be


    paralyzed within three days?" His eyes shined.


    She released her grip on his hand again. This time, there was a cheeky twinkle in her eyes. At that


    moment, she looked different from her usual cold demeanor in front of others; she was more animated,


    like a wily fox.


    "Didn''t hein about having pain throughout his body? If my guess is correct, the poison must


    have been in his system for too long and caused long-term damage. I insisted on visiting the Frasers


    for a follow-up checkup precisely because I was worried about this scenario. Well, if they don''t need


    one, there''s no issue here. He can bear the suffering for all he wants."


    Joaquin was surprised to hear that. "Is the side effect that serious to the point of paralyzing a person?"


    "Of course." Katherine shot him a sly smile, and her expression was aggressive yet charming at the


    same time.


    "This deadly poison has been in his system for a while. I bet it has damaged a lot of his nerve cells.


    The pain he''s feeling must be a warning from his nerves. Judging by his look today, I think he can only


    make it to three days before beingpletely paralyzed."


    He nodded and put an end to the conversation. To be honest, he felt that Myles deserved the tragic


    oue because of his rude treatment toward Katherine.


    Joaquin checked the time and asked her, "What''s next? Are you heading right back to Hovington or


    staying in Kynd for another two days?"


    Katherine wanted to leave soon because she missed her grandma. However, she hesitated upon


    seeing his pale face.


    Despite receiving surgery recently, Joaquin followed her to Kynd without getting his much-needed


    rest. Taking a ne back to Hovington would be a full-day trip, and she worried his health might


    crumble under the pressure. After various considerations, she came to a decision.


    "I haven''t been to Kynd for a while! I shouldn''t waste this opportunity since I''m already here. I''ll stay


    for another two days and explore the city. There are two good restaurants around here. I''ll bring you to


    try them out!"


    He never interfered with her decision and immediately agreed to her n. "Great."


    ¡­


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    At noon, she instructed the cab driver to drive a few rounds in the city and down its winding alleys


    based on her vague memory. Finally, they arrived at her destination.


    When Joaquin exited the cab, he was greeted by an entrance with a signboard reading ''Simply Pure


    Bistro''. "Did you spend the day finding this vegetarian ce?"


    She gave him a look. "You can forget about eating meat in your condition now. The health food menu


    here is solid. Of course, it''s still no match for Aberama''s restaurant, but this one has its unique style. I


    was a regr in the past! I wanted to bring you here this time."


    They entered the bistro and Joaquin was surprised to see its old-fashioned interior that was not a result


    of deliberate renovations.


    Sensing his confusion, Katherine started exining, "This ce is historical. It''s been around long


    before World War II. From what I''ve heard, the family behind this bistro has been in business for


    generations. They are skilled at what they do. They tend to use a lot of herbs in their food, which is why


    their menu tastes different from the marketed ''health food''. At first, I couldn''t ept the vor profiles,


    but it didn''t take me long to adapt."


    Amidst their conversation, a host led them to their seats. Since it was Joaquin''s first visit, Katherine


    took over the task of ordering food.


    Soon, the food was served. She took in the smell and appeared nostalgic. "Indeed, their recipe remains


    the same over these years. They did a good job at passing down their legacy."


    Then, she shared some sides with him and filled a bowl of soup for him. "Eat while it''s hot. These


    dishes are great for your health."


    Joaquin did not eat right away. Instead, he stared at Katherine and suddenly smiled, which confused


    her. "Why? Do I have something on my face?"


    Even his eyes were smiling, for he was in a joyful mood. "Nothing. I''m just happy to be taken care of by


    my Little Miss Cornell. It''s an honor."


    She was speechless at his exaggeration. Smiling, she rolled her eyes at him. "Quit it. Just eat."


    Later, she nonchntly focused on her food, but her cheeks felt hot. She would never admit that he


    had swayed her heart with ''Little Miss Cornell''.


    ¡­


    After lunch, Katherine received a call from Marcus. "Miss Cornell, Lab 7 has produced the batch of


    special antidotes you invented. I''ll issue a notice for patients with simr symptoms to get their


    injections at the hospital. Is there anything else I should look out for? Any reminders that I need to


    share?"


    She wiped her mouth and exined, "After getting the antidote, patients should refrain from eating oily


    and spicy food, including meat. They need to observe their symptoms and see a doctor right away if


    they develop a severe itch. The hospital will run checkups and administer the treatment. If they get the


    treatmentte, they will be solely responsible for the consequences."


    She did not borate on said consequences and Marcus did not inquire either. His mission was to


    solve the man-faced curse that befell the Frasers. Now that there was a solution, he was not concerned


    about the follow-upplications.


    Marcus efficiently issued the notice in the same afternoon. Like Katherine had predicted, many victims


    fell to the man-faced curse, but they were exposed to the curse recently, unlike the Frasers. Therefore,


    the curse was in its incubation period and easier to be controlled.


    Katherine was not overly concerned by the situation after being briefed. Unbeknownst to her, the news


    of the antidote ruffled the feathers of someone that night.


    "Huh. There hasn''t been a solution to get to the roots of the man-faced curse. How could there be an


    antidote now? Look into this matter! I wanna know the identity of this genius who got in my way!"

 Chapter 284

    Chapter 284


    The next day, Katherine slept to her heart''s desire and woke up close to noon. She was fully awake


    after realizing that the side of the bed was empty, and her groggy eyes were finally in focus.


    She got out of bed without slippers and walked on the plush carpet until she reached the windows.


    Subsequently, she pulled apart the curtains.


    Almost immediately, the eye-blinding sunlight poured into the room through the French windows,


    causing her to squint. Soaking in the sunlight, she savored the warmth.


    Marcus, her sensible aide, must have known that she had no ns to leave Kynd yet. Therefore, he


    added more days to her hotel presidential suite reservation so that she could enjoy a worry-free stay.


    The hotel was located in the busiest district in Kynd. She stood on a high floor and took in the view


    of the city beneath her. The roads were humming and buzzing with traffic and crowds.


    At that moment, Joaquin opened the door and entered. "You''re up?"


    She turned around and saw hisnky body leaningzily against the doorframe. It was a great picture,


    specially enhanced by his great looks.


    "Yeah." She nodded. "Any food? I''m famished."


    He raised a brow. "I''ve prepared breakfast for you. Come on."


    She walked to the tiny kitchen attached to the presidential suite and saw a hearty spread on the bar


    table. "Did you prepare all these?"


    He took a seat across from her. "Who else if not me? There''s no other person in this room." He handed


    her the cutlery and urged, "Hurry. It''s getting cold."


    Noticing that he was about to have breakfast with her, she blinked in surprise. "You haven''t had


    breakfast?"


    He nodded and answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "Yeah. I was waiting for you."


    Her expression did not change much, but her heart was filled with warmth.


    Halfway through the breakfast, someone knocked on the door. Assuming it was the hotel staff


    performing room service, she wanted to answer the door, only to be stopped by Joaquin.


    "Stay here. I''ll go." Then, he headed toward the door.


    She went back to having breakfast without much thought, but soon, she was interrupted by his gasp.


    "Professor Muller! Why are you here?"


    She was frozen for a moment upon hearing that. Immediately, she went to the door and found two


    more visitors apart from Theodore. There stood Zak, the man she saved from the grim reaper, and


    David tt, a nice-looking young man she befriended in Kynd.


    After a brief moment of surprise, sheposed herself and greeted the professor. She merely nced


    at Zak, and her eyes finallynded on David. "It''s been a while."


    David smiled back at her, sounding like an old friend. "Kathy, we haven''t seen each other for a while


    now." His eyes were tender.


    Joaquin could not refrain from stealing a look at that man who casually called Katherine''s nickname,


    but he did not make anyment about it. He knew that the three visitors came all this way for her.


    Hence, he decided to stand aside without a word.


    "Kathy, I was worried that you might already head home to Hovington. Thankfully, I checked with Mr.


    Town and was informed that you are staying here," Theodore greeted her with a smile to clear the


    awkwardness quickly.


    She nodded at him. "I''m done with work. I''ll head home after taking a two-day rest here."


    Following that, she invited them to take a seat inside the suite. They seated themselves in chairs


    around the couch. Then, Zak took the opportunity to thank her. "Miss Cornell, I am grateful for your


    kindness and skills that saved me from death. I didn''t have a chance to thank you before. Today''s visit


    was a little rushed, and I didn''t bring any gifts for you. I promise to hold a dinner, which I hope you''ll


    attend. I shall be the host to you and show you my gratitude."


    He shed her a grateful smile. "I heard that you saved my wife and daughter as well. I am beyond


    words! You are the hero of our family. Miss Cornell, if there is anything you need, just let me know. I''ll


    fulfill your wish!"


    Theodore hurriedly cleared his throat after hearing the speech and gave him a look. "Zak, you are a


    shallow man. Kathy does not care for materialistic rewards."


    Based on his understanding of her, she never cared much about mary returns, which she did not


    lack anyway. He was worried that Zak''s words might irritate her instead.


    At that, David chimed in gentlemanly with a smile. "Indeed, Kathy has never been interested in


    materialistic stuff. She saved your family at Mr. Town''s request and to fulfill the Hippocratic Oath."


    Since the two men had attempted to save the situation, Katherine, despite herck of expression, did


    not make it awkward for them. Instead, she dropped a casual remark. "That''s too much of a


    compliment. It''s wrong to say that I have no worldly desires. Who doesn''t like money? It makes the


    world go around."


    Then, she nced at Zak. "Mr. Fraser, you don''t have to stress over it. David was right. I didn''t save


    your family because you''re the Frasers, so don''t worry."


    He smiled with a toady attitude. "That''s very kind of you, Miss Cornell! You are truly different from the


    others¡ªfrom the way you carry yourself to your generosity!"


    Tired of going in circles, she suddenly looked straight at him and asked, "Tell me. You have recently


    recovered from illness, but you rushed back to Kynd right away. What''s your purpose in asking


    David and Professor Muller toe with you?"


    Staring at her cold expression, he had no idea how the situation would y out. Fighting against his


    nervousness, he bit the bullet and chuckled awkwardly. "Miss Cornell, you''re quite straightforward.


    Alright, then. I will tell you. Since you have saved many lives in my family, you are now our hero. How


    about saving one more life toplete your kind deed? Please save my father!"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    The atmosphere turned ufortable after he confessed his purpose of visit. Katherine remained


    expressionless, and her eyes that pierced through him betrayed no emotions.


    He cowered under her stare, and his heart was thumping wildly. He had no courage to look her in the


    eyes. Instead, he stole a nce at David and Theodore.


    The two men wanted to help him out, but she spoke ahead of them, "If this is the purpose of your visit, I


    will tell you that you have pleaded with the wrong person. I will never save him."


    Zak was anxious after getting rejected. "Miss Cornell, you''re such a great doctor! Why would I be


    pleading with the wrong person? If you agree to help, my father will recover from his illness! Look, you


    have saved many of us in the family. How about one more? Don''t worry! If you''re willing to save him, I


    can satisfy any of your wishes!"

 Chapter 285

    Chapter 285


    Despite hearing the offer, Katherine did not move her eyebrows as she outright refused him. "I don''t


    care what you offer me; the answer is no. I will not save Mike, for this was his own doing. Now, he''ll


    have to face the music. Retribution hase for him, and it is all preordained."


    Stunned, Zak asked, "What¡­ Retribution? What do you mean?"


    Together with the other three people, he also did not understand her words.


    David naturally asked, "What sin did Mr. Frasermit? Kathy, what do you know?"


    Yet, she did not answer him and merely responded, "If you want to know, ask Mike. See if he has the


    guts to say it." Subsequently, shey down on the couch candidly, looking like there was no more room


    to talk. "No matter what you say today, I will not save him. Now, if you don''t have anything else to talk


    about, please leave."


    Although Zak was perplexed, he knew he had to save his father no matter what. "Miss Cornell, are you


    gonna let a man die when you know you can save him?" This time, he was not as polite as before. His


    tone became stern, just like his expression.


    As soon as she heard that, her originally half-closed eyes slowly lifted and shot a calm yet sharp gaze


    at him. "If I say yes, what are you gonna do about it? Your tone implies that you''re threatening me, no?"


    A speechless Zak frowned deeply, and his expression darkened considerably.


    For some reason, even though he was older than her and had far more experience in life, he felt as if


    this young woman''s aura dominated his at that moment. She might be lounging around, but the aura


    she exuded oppressed his.


    That realization made the also impatient Zak even angrier, for he clenched his teeth and peered at her


    through his frosted eyes.


    Noticing that the situation was slowly heating up, David and Theodore exchanged looks before quickly


    getting up andughing to cool down the tense mood.


    "You''re still a woman with principles, Kathy. You haven''t changed despite the many years." David then


    patted Zak on the shoulder. "Mr. Fraser, since she''s unwilling to do it, it''s best not to force her. There''s


    always another way. We''ll find another solution eventually."


    An unamused Zak looked at him. "What''s left? My father is dying! I don''t have much time to waste¡­"


    While stating in a choked tone, he stopped suddenly upon meeting David''s gaze.


    Then, David used the chance and stated, "I know the time is tight. Don''t worry. We''ll find another


    solution. There''s another vital matter that I need to discuss with you. It''s about the project


    coboration¡­" He slowly fell silent, seeing that this was not the ce to talk about such a matter, so


    he left with Zak in tow.


    Yet, Theodore did not leave, for he sighed subtly after looking at Katherine''s cold visage. "Kathy, what


    kind of unforgivable sin did Mr. Frasermit for you to have such a bad opinion toward him? Why are


    you refusing to treat him?"


    She shrugged her shoulders emotionlessly. "I don''t have anything against him. In other words,


    whatever I do or not do to him doesn''t interest me in the slightest. You want me to save him? Dream


    on."


    Frankly, even Katherine did not know about Mike''s misdeeds at first. She had little to no ties to the


    Frasers, let alone interacting with him.


    Yet, it was because of a mission a few years back that led her to bump into Mike out of coincidence.


    Fate took charge, and she somehow used fortune-telling to learn about his past, thus knowing the sins


    hemitted like the back of her hand.


    Although she did not n to disclose this to anybody else, she did not n to do anything to him either.


    Seeing that she was staying silent, Theodore knew she would not spit a word out even if he were to


    force her, so he gave up.


    At that moment, Joaquin gave Theodore a cup of tea, which he happily received. "Mr. Levisay, long


    time no see. I was in such a hurry that I didn''t get to greet you."


    Joaquin replied politely, "Indeed, it''s been a long time. What brings you to Kynd, Professor Muller?"


    At that, Theodore looked carefully at Katherine before sighing helplessly. "It''s all because of the


    Frasers. Some years back, I built up a somewhat close rtionship with them. Since I couldn''t ignore


    Mr. Fraser''s condition, I had toe."


    However, he stopped there and did not continue his words.


    ¡­


    At Fraser Residence, Mike had already been sent home when Zak arrived. As soon as Zak heard


    about it, he instantly rushed upstairs.


    At this stage, Mike was terminally ill, and it was no surprise that he would notst until the next dawn.


    Seeing that his son had returned, he wanted to prop himself up, yet his powerless body did not permit


    his actions.


    "Dad, lie down!" Zak quickly went up and tucked him back in bed.


    Patricia''s presence was announced at that moment by the medicine she had prepared as the thick


    aroma filled the room. "Dad, take your medicine." She went to the other side of the bed, wanting to feed


    Mike his medicine.


    "Let me do it." Zak immediately took the initiative.


    Yet, Mike shook his head. "What use is there in taking this god-forsaken concoction? I don''t seem to be


    getting any better anyway. Get it out of my sight. I won''t take it."


    Zak could not help but frown. "Dad, you¡ª"


    Not wanting to hear him nag, Mike questioned, "Did you visit Katherine Cornell today?"


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    His words made Zak freeze before he nodded with a solemn expression.


    "So, she still won''t do it, will she?"


    Zak did not know how to answer him as he stirred the ck-looking medicine. After a short while, he


    piped up, "Don''t worry, Dad. Even if I''d failed the first time, I''ll go again. No matter what, I''ll bring her


    here and heal you!"


    When he said that, a dangerous glint was evident in his gaze. Yet, Mike did not notice it, for he had his


    eyes shut while heaving a long sigh.


    In actuality, he had already predicted this, but he still could not ept the fact.


    Although Zak hesitated upon seeing his condition, he could not suppress his curiosity. "Dad, did you


    do¡­ I don''t know¡­ something when you were younger?" Since he could not tantly reiterate what


    Katherine said, he could only beat around the bush.


    Hearing this, Mike opened his eyes and looked at him without an answer. After a slight pause, he finally


    decided something and shut his eyes. When he opened them again, he announced, "Zak, call


    everyone outside toe into the room. I have something to say."


    Shocked, Zak could specte that something was about to happen, so he quickly hinted at Patricia


    with his eyes. She understood the sign and immediately went outside to carry out the order. Soon, the


    whole family, including David, who was waiting outside, entered the room.

 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286


    Mike wanted to sit up, so Zak quickly helped by propping a pillow behind him. Following that, he sighed


    audibly before scanning the room and articting in a hoarse tone, "There''s something I''ve kept deep


    within myself for many years. I think it''s time this matteres to a proper closure¡­"


    ¡­


    After half an hour, Mike fell into a deep slumber after spending his already limited energy reiterating his


    stories.


    Exiting from the bedroom, everyone wore an ambiguous expression. Patricia had Cyndi and Myles


    head back to their rooms while the others sat in the living room.


    Zak sighed and stated, "I can''t believe that happened."


    David did not expect it either. "Seems like Katherine was right. No wonder¡­" Suddenly, there was a


    hint of impatience on his face.


    With the age difference, Zak and David should not be this close under normal circumstances. However,


    Master tt was on good terms with the Frasers, and David could also be said to have grown up with


    Zak, hence their rtionship.


    That was why Zak brought him along to see Katherine, thinking that David could help persuade her.


    Yet, who could have expected that she would not budge no matter what?


    The thought of that enraged Zak. "No matter what happened, it''s all in the past now! It''s not like it has


    much to do with her, so why does she need to be this persistent? I think she''s doing this on purpose!"


    heined begrudgingly, yet David looked at him in disapproval.


    "Although it''s in the past, it doesn''t mean it didn''t exist. If you''re wrong, you''re wrong. Putting Katherine


    aside, it still doesn''t change the fact. She isn''t obliged to heal Mr. Fraser, nor is it her fault whether she


    chooses to save him. Zak, I think this is inappropriate of you."


    As he recalled their friendship, Zak did not utter anything else and remained quiet. Still, Mike''s illness


    had bugged him, so he could not give up so effortlessly after giving it some thought.


    Just as he wanted to say something, a shriek echoed from upstairs that was apanied by the


    sound of ss shattering.


    "Young Master Myles! Young Master! What''s wrong?"


    Hearing themotion, Zak and David exchanged nces before rushing upstairs with Patricia


    following them. They entered Myles'' room only to see the servant standing beside the bed with a


    horrified expression.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Fraser, Myles¡­ H-He¡­" She turned around stiffly upon sensing their arrival, as if she


    had just experienced a huge shock while pointing at Myles, who was lying on the bed, shaking


    uncontrobly.


    "What happened?" The clueless Zak went up to check on his son, only to have a sudden change in


    expression.


    Myles was lying in bed wide-eyed, looking like he was in a state of horror.


    Using his tremendous willpower, he managed to look in the direction of his father, wanting to utter


    something. Yet, no words came out of his mouth, for he only made some meaningless sounds.


    "Myles, what''s wrong? What is¡­" Zak quickly reached out to hold him, but no matter how much he


    shook his son or tried to speak to him, Myles did not budge an inch except for staring widely.


    That sight spooked Zak, prompting him to order his servant, "What are you standing around for? Call


    for the doctor!"


    The servant snapped back to reality and quickly did as she was told. A short whileter, the Frasers''


    family doctor came rushing into the room.


    After a brief check, the doctor concluded, "I''m afraid your son has full-body paralysis, Mr. Fraser. He


    won''t be able to take care of himself from now on. Even his speech will be impaired¡­"


    His words caused Zak to pale while Patricia wailed out of shock.


    "How did this happen?! Wasn''t he fine just moments ago? Do you have any way of treating him at all?"


    Compared to the Fraser couple, David was calmer as he continued to ask critical questions.


    The doctor shook his head. "There are no other methods. Mr. Fraser''s brain cells havepletely died.


    He can only live on in a vegetative state from now on."


    Suddenly, Zak stumbled backward as his legs went weak at the news. Thanks to David holding him at


    thest moment, he did not fall.


    At that point, the sobbing Patricia suddenly recalled Katherine''s words. He won''t be able to stand up


    after three days at most.


    Then, she stood up by using the wall as support and suddenly rushed to Zak''s side while holding his


    hands, staring at him.


    "What are you doing?" he questioned impatiently, surprised at his wife''s action.


    She could not care less as she stated in a panic, "Miss Cornell! Quick! Go beg Miss Cornell!"


    He was stunned for words. "What¡ª"


    "Miss Cornell came to conduct a checkup yesterday, saying that Myles will be paralyzed within three


    days! Didn''t this¡­e true? Since Miss Cornell is so capable, she''ll be able to cure Myles! Go and


    seek her now!"


    Taken aback by the sudden twist, Zak was shocked beyond belief. He nced at the only son he had


    lying on the bed before clenching his teeth and exiting the room with David in tow.


    "David, please help me think of something! I need Katherine to heal my father and son! She can''t just


    watch them die like this!"


    Frowning, David replied, "Don''t panic first. It''s just one doctor''s opinion for now. How about we send


    Myles to the best hospital and have their elites there to take a look?"


    Zak shook his head, for his panic had reached a boiling point. "My family doctor is the best in the whole


    country! If he says there''s no other way, what use is there in sending Myles to a hospital? Besides, my


    father can''t wait any longer! If Katherinees, then they''ll all be saved! David, on ount of our


    friendship, please help me out. Please!"


    Since he had put it that way, David could not refuse him and epted his plea.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Katherine was unaware of the chaos transpiring at the Fraser Residence.


    She, together with Joaquin, had invited Theodore for a meal. During the process, Theodore wisely


    decided not to bring up the Frasers. Yet, they were halfway through their meal when a familiar voice


    called out to her.


    "Kathy, I can''t believe you didn''t tell me you were in Kynd. That''s quite rude of you, no?"


    Looking up, they saw Corey Gray walking over calmly.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    She raised her eyebrows and stated, "We came in a hurry due to emergencies, so I didn''t tell you." She


    wore a mysterious smile. "But you sure have sharp eyes to know I was in town."


    Corey first greeted both Theodore and Joaquin before smiling. "You wanna guess how I found out?"


    The waiter added another chair to their table, so he sat down without reservations.


    Wiping the corner of her mouth, she spoke in an emotionless tone, "It''s not a hard guess. Who else


    could it be but David? Say it. What did he ask you toe here for?"

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287


    Corey knew that she was clever, so he didn''t have the slightest intention to lie. He readily admitted to it


    right away.


    "That''s right, he''s the one who sent me. Since you''re so smart, you should know what he''s aiming for."


    "Hah¡­" Katherine snorted. "I don''t even have to think to know. Who else could it possibly be but


    Mike?"


    Corey nodded, then shook his head.


    "It''s something more than that now. Myles'' entire body is severely paralyzed, and he can''t even talk


    now."


    As soon as he finished speaking, he stared straight at Katherine. When he saw how calm she was, he


    raised an eyebrow slightly. "You don''t look surprised."


    Katherine looked disinterested. "It''s not out of my expectations, but it did happen sooner than I thought


    it would."


    "Is there still hope for him, then?"


    She side-eyed him before replying indifferently, "You don''t have to beat around the bush with me. It


    doesn''t matter if there''s hope for him or not; I still won''t do anything about it. If he won''t, then Mike won''t


    either."


    It was such a straightforward answer from her.


    Corey knew her temperament, so he wasn''t surprised. He nodded in understanding, and when he next


    spoke up, he had changed the topic.


    "How long are you nning to stay in Kynd? You should give me, your old friend, a chance to


    wee you as a host."


    With that, he shifted his gaze and directed it at Joaquin with a smile.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "Also, some of our old friends in Kynd have already heard about your marriage. They''re all curious


    about your mysterious husband''s identity. Why don''t you find an opportunity to introduce him to us?"


    Joaquin calmly took a sip of water, but his ears perked up as he awaited Katherine''s reply.


    However, Katherine was worried about his body, so she firmly declined. "Let''s skip the meet-ups.


    Perhaps next time, if possible. We don''t have anything else to do, so we''ll be returning to Hovington


    tomorrow."


    Joaquin seemed indifferent, but his gaze darkened a little.


    Corey clicked his tongue, then teased her, "Look at how protective you are! You don''t even want the


    others to see him. Do you have to hide him that well?"


    He chatted for a bit longer, then decided to stop bothering them, so he got up and left.


    There was a faint glint in Katherine''s eyes as she looked at him, but she didn''t stop him from leaving.


    After leaving the restaurant, Corey headed straight for the Fraser Residence.


    David and Zak were already waiting for him. As soon as Zak saw Corey, he hastily asked, "What did


    Miss Cornell say?"


    Corey shook his head. He didn''t say anything, but the meaning was obvious.


    In an instant, Zak''s expression fell.


    David frowned and was about to say something when Corey lifted a hand to stop him.


    "I can understand your desire to help the Frasers, and there''s not much time left before my partnership


    with the Fraser Corporation ends. Now that something like this has happened in the Fraser Family, I''m


    upset as well. Still, you know what Kathy is like. You asked me to try and convince her, and I did as I


    was told, but persuasion never works on Kathy. I''m sure you know that as well. As soon as she makes


    up her mind, no one can change it. It has always been like that."


    David froze, and he was instantly at a loss for words.


    "So, we''re just going to give up?" Zak was persistent. "What about my son and my father, then? How


    can I just stand by and watch?"


    Corey was silent for a moment, then he sighed. "I''ll do everything I can to find a good doctor who can


    treat them. Zak, just be patient and keep waiting."


    There weren''t any other options at the moment, but to just wait patiently? Sure, Zak could certainly


    wait, but could his father do the same?


    While sitting on the couch, he gritted his teeth as a vicious look shed across the depths of his eyes.


    ¡­


    The next day, Katherine noticed that Joaquin looked slightly better, so she decided to return to


    Hovington.


    "Gather your things; let''s go home today. I''ll book the tickets." During breakfast, she spoke up casually.


    Joaquin didn''t even bat an eyelid. "Okay."


    Katherine looked at him, for she sensed that something was wrong. "Are you feeling unwell?" she


    asked.


    "No."


    "Are you in a bad mood?" she asked again.


    "No."


    Just then, she put down her cutlery and gazed at Joaquin without flinching. "Well, what''s wrong with


    you?"


    Joaquin nced at her, emotionless. "It''s nothing."


    Katherine fell silent. He is obviously lying.


    She narrowed her eyes, then calmly studied him. "You''ve been acting like that ever since we finished


    lunch yesterday. You''re behaving so indifferently, and you haven''t shown any emotions. Who''d believe


    you if you say that it''s nothing?"


    Joaquin was silent for a moment, then put down his cutlery as well. He stared right back at her in the


    eyes as if he were trying to see through her heart. "Do you think I''m unsightly?"


    His words were a surprise, and Katherine was instantly stunned by the question. "What?"


    He was still expressionless. "Do you feel troubled at the thought of introducing me to your old friends?"


    After an entire 30 seconds, Katherine finally realized what he was getting at. It turned out that¡­ he was


    actually sulking!


    When she realized that, she felt likeughing for some reason. The corners of her lips turned up


    uncontrobly, and she didn''t say anything as she supported her chin while keeping her gaze on him.


    Perhaps feeling a little uneasy from her stare, Joaquin frowned a little and said in a tense voice, "What


    are you looking at?"


    Katherine raised an eyebrow. "You."


    Joaquin''s expression shifted even more as he averted his gaze. "What''s so nice to see?"


    "Who said there''s nothing nice to see? You look cute when you''re jealous."


    Joaquin was at a loss for words. He couldn''t do anything about her, and he was silent for a while before


    he decisively looked up. His glistening ck pupils took on an offensive quality as he stared right at


    her.


    "Yes, I''m jealous. Do you want to appease me?"


    Katherine didn''t expect him to be so blunt about it. Her cheeky expression froze, then she coughed


    lightly in an attempt to hide her slight awkwardness.


    "Um, I''m full now. I''ll go and pack up."


    She awkwardly changed the subject, then got up and went into the bedroom.


    She wanted to tease him, but she was the one getting teased instead! She felt humiliated.


    While seated at the mini bar, Joaquin watched her retreating figure as a smile crept onto his lips. The


    dark clouds looming over his heart dissipated considerably.


    However, when he finished his congee, he heard Katherine''s raised voiceing from the bedroom,


    so he hastily walked over to her.


    "What''s wrong?" As soon as he walked through the door, he saw Katherine seated by the bed. She


    was gripping her phone tightly, and she looked agitated.


    Katherine didn''t say anything right away. Her eyes were dark, and she finally looked up at him after an


    entire minute.


    "Keith¡­" Scrambling tomunicate, Katherine''s voice was shaking. She hastily calmed herself down,


    then continued, "Keith has contracted the man-faced curse."


    As soon as Katherine said that, Joaquin was astonished. "How can that be? Has he taken the


    antidote?"


    She pursed her lips, her voice sinking to the extreme. "He has, but it was no use. His teacher called me


    just now and said that Keith felt some difortst night. After an examination, they found that his


    symptoms were the same as getting the man-faced curse. They injected the antidote right then and


    thought he would be fine the next day, but he was found with a high fever this morning. He''s not himself


    now."


    After a brief exnation, she tossed her luggage to the side, got up, and walked out.

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288


    When Joaquin saw that, he hastily went after her. The two proceeded to head straight for Kynd


    Hospital.


    When they arrived, Keith''s teacher, Tyler Morris, was already waiting at the entrance.


    Since they had discussed it over the phone, Katherine knew what clothes he was wearing, so she


    could recognize him straight away. She hastily walked up to him.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    "How is Keith now, Mr. Morris?"


    Tyler examined her and Joaquin from head to toe. "You''re Keith''s sister?"


    Katherine nodded. "Yes, I am. My name is Katherine Cornell."


    At the side, Joaquin also introduced himself immediately, "Hello, Mr. Morris. I''m Joaquin Levisay,


    Kathy''s husband and also Keith''s brother-inw."


    Tyler nodded. "Hello. Miss Cornell and Mr. Levisay. Let''s go in first."


    He quickly brought the two to Keith''s ward, but they couldn''t enter because the ward had been sealed


    off.


    Katherine peered in through the ss window on the door to see Keith lying weakly on the sick bed.


    His face was pale, and he looked thin and scrawny.


    In an instant, her pupils constricted, and the color drained from her face.


    "Mr. Morris, what exactly is going on? My brother was alright before he came to Kynd; how could he


    turn out like this after just a week or so?"


    Tyler sighed, then pointed to a bench at the side. "Miss Cornell, please calm down and have a seat. I''ll


    tell you everything."


    However, Katherine didn''t move an inch. She stayed rooted at the entrance of the ward with a sullen


    expression.


    Seeing that, Tyler didn''t force her either as he briefly ryed the incident.


    "He was fine untilst night. For some reason, he began feeling nauseousst night and kept throwing


    up. He thought it was a minor illness, so he dismissed it and insisted on conducting the experiment. But


    I noticed that he was looking worse, so I forced him to get checked at the hospital. After the


    examination, we found out that he had already contracted the man-faced curse. However, we didn''t


    think much of it since we already developed an antidote. I''ve been in contact with him for a long time,


    so we both took the antidote, but¡­"


    At that, he frowned a little. It seemed as though he couldn''t understand it either.


    "For some reason, I waspletely fine. When I came for a checkup this morning, they said I wasn''t


    infected, but Keith''s condition worsened. He shrunk so much overnight, and his high fever wasn''t


    receding. He was unconscious, so I could only get him hospitalized to get emergency treatment."


    "What about the doctors? What did they say?" As Katherine listened, her frown deepened. She then


    queried in haste.


    Tyler shook his head. "The doctors were at a loss as well, and they couldn''t arrive at a conclusion.


    They just said that the man-faced curse had not been removed, and Keith was even showing


    symptoms atypical of the man-faced curse¡­"


    As soon as Tyler said that, Katherine''s expression turned extremely sour.


    She gritted her teeth but didn''t say anything as she moved to rush into the ward.


    Seeing that, Tyler quickly tried to stop her. At the same time, a nurse appeared and pushed her away


    as well, ring at her with a disapproving look.


    "Who are you?! Who allowed you to just casually barge into a person''s ward?"


    Caught off-guard, Katherine stumbled a little. Fortunately, Joaquin was quick to act as he supported


    her.


    Joaquin immediately sent the nurse a cold re, his voice even colder as he said, "Is this how the staff


    at your hospital treats the patients'' families?"


    The nurse was briefly startled when she saw his face, and she was intimidated by his re. She hastily


    averted her gaze, but in the next moment, she met Katherine''s sharp gaze instead.


    "I am a family member of the patient lying in there. I''m his biological sister. Is there a problem with


    that?"


    When the nurse heard that, she frowned.


    "Even if you''re his sister, you can''t just barge in like that. Don''t you see the sign saying only authorized


    personnel are allowed in? He has an infectious disease. If anything happens, can you shoulder the


    responsibility?"


    Katherine was emotionless as she said coldly, "Yes, I can. I''ll know what disease he has if I go in, so


    move!"


    Hearing that, the nurse immediately snorted in disdain.


    "You? Are you as good as the doctors? Even the most knowledgeable doctors in our hospital cannot


    figure out what is wrong with him, so how can you possibly know? Stop showing off! Even boasting has


    its limits, so just stay away! Otherwise, I''ll call the bodyguards over to drag you out!"


    When Joaquin heard that, he suddenly let out a low chuckle. "Is that so? Go ahead and try, then. I''d


    like to see who''d dare to touch a hair on her head!"


    Seeing that he was pissed and about to explode, Katherine took his hand and tugged it a little. She


    kept her gaze on the nurse, however, and her expression was icy cold.


    "Where are the doctors in charge of my brother?" she suddenly asked.


    The nurse was stunned for a moment, then responded with another question, "Why are you asking?"


    "What, are you too scared to tell me? Or are all the doctors in your hospital unsightly?"


    "What nonsense are you talking about?!" Hearing that, the nurse was instantly upset as she red at


    Katherine in annoyance. "Right now, all the authoritative doctors in our hospital are in a meeting, so


    who would have the time to humor you? Who do you think you are¡ª"


    Unexpectedly, the nurse had just finished speaking when Katherine suddenly took two steps forward.


    She pinned the nurse against the door that led to the ward, her re turning into des that cut into


    the nurse''s face.


    "I''m asking you, where are they right now? Are you telling me or not?"


    For an unknown reason, Katherine was overflowing with authority at that moment. There was a chilling,


    fear-inspiring aura surrounding her.


    Meanwhile, the nurse was so intimidated that she couldn''t breathe. She gulped, then tried with all her


    might to suppress the trembling as she spoke without meaning to.


    "They''re at¡­ the main meeting room on the 15th floor¡­"


    When Katherine heard that, she let go of the nurse, not bothering to spare thetter another nce.


    Then, she turned around and left with hurried steps.


    Seeing that, Joaquin hastily followed suit.


    Meanwhile, Tyler was confused and shocked at the scene he had just witnessed. Looking at the


    situation right now, he decided to go with them as well.


    The three soon arrived at the 15th floor. Katherine went straight for the meeting room and didn''t even


    knock as she boldly barged inside.


    At the moment, a seminar was being held. When the people inside saw her and two other people


    barging in, they were all astonished.


    When the dean, the person in the lead, saw that, he immediately frowned and shouted sternly, "Who


    are you? Who let you barge in just like that? Get out!"


    Meanwhile, the nurse realized that something was off, so she hastily followed as well.


    "Mr. Richards!" Acting as if she had finally found someone to support her, the nurse quickly used,


    "This woman is that patient''s sister. She insisted on barging into the ward just now, and I managed to


    stop her. She got so upset that she wanted to see you and the other doctors, and she said that the


    authoritative doctors in our hospital are useless¡­"


    As soon as she said that, all the doctors present red at Katherine. They looked extremely offended


    with their belittling gazes directed at her.

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289


    Katherine couldn''t care less about the looks on their faces as she stared straight at the dean. Her


    expression seemed to be perpetually cold.


    "Mr. Richards, I am Keith''s sister. I want to go in and have a look at him. If anything happens, I can take


    full responsibility for it, but I have to enter the ward right now to see my brother."


    Hearing that, the dean looked at her like he was looking at someone out of their mind.


    "I can understand how you feel, but you can''t just say that you''ll take full responsibility. If something


    happens, how are you going to take full responsibility for it?"


    Just then, the doctor in charge of Keith snorted in disdain.


    "Exactly! What a hoot! Imagine aplete outsider daring to brag here! Hah, young people these days


    don''t know their ce!"


    When Katherine heard that, she tilted her head so that she was directly looking into his eyes. She then


    curved her lips into a sneer.


    "We don''t know our ce, huh? Enlighten me, then¡ªall of you are authoritative doctors, and you call


    yourselves the frontiers of the medical field, but you can''t even deal with a man-faced curse you''ve


    studied before, and you have to hide all the way here to hold a meeting! You''ve discussed it for so long,


    so what conclusions have youe to until now?"


    As soon as she said that, the doctors were at a loss for words, and they looked very upset.


    Just then, the dean spoke up indifferently. "We need time to investigate. Even though we don''t have


    any findings at the moment, we mighte up with a conclusion very soon. With you barging in here, itN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    will only waste our time!"


    Hearing that, Katherine acted as if she had just heard some kind of joke. Her expression was filled with


    sarcasm.


    "Me, wasting your time? Pfft, you''re just worried that you can''te to a conclusion, so you''re trying to


    me it on me! I''ve never heard of doctors choosing to have a meeting instead of going to theb to


    study a case they cannot solve! You are the ones wasting time here! Don''t you know that with every


    passing second, the patient in the ward edges even closer to death? If you don''t figure out the cause of


    the illness as soon as possible, you''ll never find a way to deal with it! Don''t think I don''t know what


    you''re doing here. You''re just spouting nonsense and trying to find ways to escape responsibility so


    that even if my brother cannot be saved, you can still wash your hands off the incident!"


    After conducting research in the medical field for so long, she knew the inside stories of some


    hospitals.


    Doctors who genuinely wanted to cure the illness should be busying themselves on the frontline


    instead of hiding and running away from the problem!


    Upon hearing her words, the doctors lost their cool, and even the dean could hardly maintain his


    composure.


    Realizing that the situation was worsening, the nurse hastily stepped forward and spoke up on behalf of


    the doctors, venting her dissatisfaction at the same time.


    "What nonsense are you saying?! Even if you''re the patient''s family and are worried sick about him,


    you can''t just use our doctors like that! You''re interrupting medical operations, don''t you


    understand? Also, despite how bold your words are, how much do you actually know? The doctors are


    toiling away! Do you think it''s that simple to achieve findings? You don''t know anything about medicine,


    but you''re hereining about everything. Who do you think you are?!"


    Her words were an immediate reminder to all the doctors present.


    One by one, the doctors recovered their arrogant attitudes as they began finding fault with her as well.


    Keith''s doctor had just been ridiculed, so now that he had the chance, he began sneering at her.


    "That''s right, Miss Cornell. You don''t know anything about medicine, so you have no right to be pointing


    fingers here. What do you even know? Do you think your brother''s condition is that simple? Let me tell


    you, every doctor here has at least a decade of experience in the field, and some of them have been


    practicing for decades! They''re all famous doctors! Who are you to make a fuss here?"


    Hearing that, Katherine sneered. "So what? I''m still here, aren''t I? Hah, who cares if you guys have


    been doctors for long enough? You''re still a quack if you''re not capable!"


    If these people had half the intention to save Keith, she wouldn''t be here making a fuss either.


    However, she knew very well that these old weasels had decided to give up on Keith!


    Her expression darkened instantly, and her aura was terrifyingly threatening.


    "I''ll say it again; open up the ward right now. I want to go in to see my brother! If the dy affects his


    condition, I''ll make sure that everyone in this room will regret this for life!"


    "You b*tch!"


    When they heard her calling them quacks, the doctors present couldn''t take it anymore as they all


    stood up furiously.


    Keith''s doctor was especially enraged. His eyes went as wide as saucers, and he pointed a finger at


    her while he shouted, "Who do you think you are?! How dare you act so boldly in front of me! Do you


    think you can do anything you want just because you''re the patient''s family?! You''re still too young to


    talk to me like that!"


    When he finished speaking, he turned to look at the dean. "Mr. Richards, what are you zoning out for?


    This woman has interrupted hospital operations, so just get someone to chase her out!"


    "Yes! Chase her out!"


    In an instant, the doctors were all shouting with faces turned red from anger.


    The dean didn''t look very happy as he snorted at her. He went to the extension line right away and told


    the security guards toe up.


    Seeing everyone in an uproar, Katherine curved her lips into a cold smile. She took out her phone


    immediately and made a call to Marcus.


    No one could hear what she said.


    Keith''s doctor grinned mockingly as he jeered, "You''re so good at boasting, aren''t you? With things


    turning out like this, why don''t you run away as smart people do? What are you faking by making calls?


    Who are you trying to intimidate? Even if you manage to get the most prestigious person in the world to


    come here, you''re still getting kicked out of the hospital!"


    When Tyler saw that, he was furious, but he couldn''t do anything about it.


    He was a teacher in the institute, and he spent all his efforts on his studies, so he had never dealt with


    the outside world. Hence, he didn''t know anyone influential.


    Now that this had happened, he could only watch in anxiety as he realized his inability to do anything.


    For a moment, he feared that Katherine would be chased out, so he hastily stepped forward and


    walked up to her, trying to convince her in a small voice as he said, "Miss Cornell, just forget about it.


    This is the best hospital in Kynd, and all the authoritative doctors here are well-known in the medical


    field. No one in Kynd dares to offend them, for they would have to count on these doctors when


    they''re gued with sickness. You can''t afford to mess with them. Let''s go back downstairs together; at


    least we can keep Keithpany outside the ward¡­"


    When Katherine heard that, a scornful look shed across her eyes.


    "If the people of Kynd have to entrust their lives to these people, then there''s not much hope left for


    Kynd!"


    As soon as she finished speaking, the security guards swarmed in as ordered.


    When the dean saw that, he instantly said in a stern voice, "Guards, kick these three out of the


    hospital, and don''t allow them to take even half a step inside!"


    The guards immediately nodded upon receiving his order. Without another word, they stepped forward


    to chase the targets out.

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290


    When Joaquin saw that, he grabbed Katherine and pulled her behind him, stepping in front of her as he


    assumed the position of a guardian. His gaze was cold, and his expression was firm.


    "Don''t you darey a finger on her!" he said in a low voice. His tone was so cold and dark that it


    sounded like it hade from Hades himself. Everyone present was stunned for a moment.


    When the security guards saw that, they paused as well.


    Just then, Keith''s doctor came to his senses and roared immediately, "What are you zoning out for?!


    He''s just one person. Even if you have to fight, how can he be a match for you? Get to it already!"


    Hearing that, the security guards hastily produced the electric batons they carried at their sides, then


    resumed their strides.


    Joaquin''s expression darkened as he clenched his fists, preparing to attack at any moment.


    Meanwhile, Katherine''s expression had darkened considerably.


    She never expected the corruption in Kynd to have progressed this far; even the best hospital in


    Kynd could operate like some mafia and pull off something so outrageous.


    At that moment, she made preparations for the worst and turned to look at the trembling Tyler. She said


    in a low voice, "Please stand back. You might get hurtter."


    With that, she was about to step forward, and everything was about to explode when Marcus'' voice


    suddenly sounded from the door.


    "What are you doing?! Stop this at once!" he yelled in anger as he barged in with his men. In the blink


    of an eye, the security guards were defeated, and theyy here and there on the floor as they groaned


    in pain.


    The doctors were astonished at the scene, and even the dean was incredibly shocked. He stared at the


    men on the ground, stunned, then looked up at Marcus with eyes so wide that they were bulging.


    "M-Mr. Town!"


    At once, he let out a surprised yelp and hastily went forward, intending to shake hands with Marcus and


    greet thetter. His attitude quickly shifted as he tried to suck up to the man.


    However, Marcus ignored him. He simply side-eyed the dean coldly, then turned to look at Katherine.


    In that instant, Marcus changed his attitude in front of everyone and immediately put on a respectful


    expression.


    "Are you alright, Miss Cornell? My apologies. I rushed over as soon as I received your call, but I was


    stillte. I''m so sorry that you had to experience that."


    By then, Katherine had already rxed her fists. She looked calm as she talked to him in a rtively


    polite tone.


    "No, you''re notte. If you hade mere momentster, you''d be carrying them out by then."


    She spoke arrogantly, but Marcus wasn''t the least bit upset when he heard that. Instead, he let out a


    long sigh.


    "That''s good to know. On my way here, I was worried that you would get hurt, and I was so anxious


    about it. I''m d to see you in one piece. I heard that your brother¡ª"


    At that, he paused for a bit, his expression turning grave.


    "How did he suddenly contract the man-faced curse and cannot be saved? What is going on?"


    As soon as he said that, Katherine let out a snort as she passed a gaze over the dumbfounded doctors.


    "You should ask these gentlemen here. None of them can cure the illness, but instead of researching


    the problem, they hid here and held a meeting. They were probably discussing ways to shirk


    responsibility in case my brother couldn''t make it."


    After hearing that, Marcus immediately frowned and turned to look at the people, questioning sternly,


    "Is that so?"


    When they heard that, the doctors, who were still in shock just now, instantly froze as they began to


    panic.


    At first, they didn''t think anything seemed odd when Marcus first appeared.


    But when they saw how Marcus treated Katherine, they got confused, then started to panic.


    They knew very well who Marcus was. He was the leader of the Department of State, and his position


    was exceptionally prominent.


    However, he treated this woman with such respect, so who exactly was this woman?


    Now that Marcus was interrogating them like that, they finally felt afraid. They gradually realized that


    they had messed with the wrong person.


    By then, the dean was sweating buckets as his legs trembled uncontrobly. He could only grit his


    teeth and exin, "Mr. Town, it''s a misunderstanding. It wasn''t like that, we¡­ were also very


    concerned about Mr. Cornell''s condition, so we held a meeting to discuss how we could treat¡ª"


    "Hah, you don''t even know the details of the illness, but you were discussing how to treat it, you say?


    Do you think you can just fool everyone like that?" Katherine sneered as she interrupted him.


    Then, as she turned to Marcus, there was a certain dignity and aura in her eyes that far surpassed


    what someone of her age should possess.


    "Mr. Town, I''ve met many higher-ups of authoritative hospitals. Many of them are serious and


    responsible, but some of them are tricksters as well. However, this is my first time seeing this side of


    the most authoritative hospital in Kynd. They were irresponsible, but more importantly, they acted


    like gangsters and tyrants. Hah, what a surprise! If the people of Kynd have to rely on these doctors


    to save their lives, does Kynd even have a future?"


    Her words were simple, but when Marcus heard them, he immediately understood what she was


    getting at.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    At once, his expression darkened as he turned to look at the dean.


    "Mr. Richards, is this how you run Kynd Hospital after it was entrusted to you?"


    When Mr. Richards heard that, he trembled like a leaf in the wind. He finally realized that he had


    committed a huge mistake, and he didn''t even dare defend himself as he hastily admitted, "Mr. Town,


    I¡­ It''s my fault. I''ll apologize to Miss Cornell right away!"


    With that, he hastily took two shaky steps forward. He bowed to Katherine as he kept repeating his


    apologies.


    "Miss Cornell, I''m sorry for not realizing who you are. I was foolish for going against you. Please have


    mercy and let me off this once. I¡­ I''ll open the ward so you can meet your brother right away. I''m so


    sorry, please forgive me¡­"


    Katherine had no time for his nonsense. She didn''t even spare him a look as she said to Marcus, "I''m


    leaving this to you." With that, she turned around and left.


    Joaquin followed right after her. When Tyler saw that, he also recovered from his shock as he hastily


    went after them.


    Marcus narrowed his eyes, then nced around at the others. Without another word, he took out his


    phone and made a call.


    "Fire the dean and all the authoritative doctors at Kynd Hospital. They have no medical ethics, so


    revoke their medical licenses as well. From today onward, none of them are allowed inside Kynd,


    and neither are they allowed to stay in the medical field! Transfer a group of experienced doctors here,


    then appoint the vice dean of Kynd Third Hospital as the new dean here. Get it done as soon as


    possible."


    Kynd Third Hospital was a military hospital belonging to the strongest troop in Kynd. If the vice


    dean was transferred here to manage Kynd Hospital, they should be able to clear out all the


    corruption here.


    However, all this had nothing to do with these doctors anymore.


    When they heard of their punishment, their faces turned ashen, and the dean even fainted on the spot


    ¡ªno one knew if it was out of fear or shock.


    Meanwhile, Marcus simply nced at them and snorted. "If you had known things would turn out like


    this, you wouldn''t have done it!"


    With that, he ordered his subordinates, "Keep an eye on these people and make sure that they hand


    over their work as soon as possible. Chase them out right after they''re done. They have to leave


    Kynd within one day, or they will be forced to!"

 Chapter 291

    Chapter 291


    When Katherine rushed to Keith''s ward, he was still unconscious. His eyes were sunken, and his


    cheeks were hollowed; he looked badly out of shape.


    "He was just fine yesterday. Who knew he would turn out like this after a night had passed?" Tyler


    sighed, looking worried.


    Listening to his words, Katherine bit her lips and immediately pressed the bell. When the nurses came


    into the room, she ordered them, "Push him into the examination room. I''m going to give him a


    checkup."


    Since the nurses had just received an order to cooperate with Katherine no matter what she did, they


    didn''t hesitate and quickly obliged.


    The nurses ushered Keith into the examination room, and Joaquin stood outside of the room since he


    knew he couldn''t be of any help. As for Tyler, he was bewildered by the oue. While they waited


    outside the room, he couldn''t help but ask Joaquin, "Who exactly is Miss Cornell? Is she an expert in


    the medical field too?"


    Hearing his words, Joaquin only hummed in response, seemingly uninterested in answering the man''s


    question. Noticing his reaction, Tyler understood and stopped asking.


    After all, there were many hidden talented people in the world. As someone who held a high position,


    he had met some of those people, so he was not surprised at all.


    Half an hourter, Katherine walked out of the examination room with the nurses pushing Keith back to


    the ward. When both men saw her, they trailed behind her and asked, "How''s Keith?"


    At this moment, Katherine''s face looked paler than before and she was perspiring profusely, seemingly


    as if she had used up all her strength. "It''s bad. He is being infected by the man-faced curse. It wasn''t


    that of a big deal at first, but Keith has a special physique. Thus, not only will the antidote be


    ineffective, but it will also shorten the curse''s incubation period in his body, which is why he had an


    outbreak after a night. To Keith, the antidote is useless now," she replied.


    When Joaquin heard her words, he was stunned. "Does that mean there is no way of saving Keith from


    the man-faced curse?" he asked.


    "Yes. I tried my great-grandmother''s ancient medical techniques, and it didn''t work." Katherine nodded.


    "Well, what do we do now?" Tyler was anxious as he didn''t expect things to turn out like this. "Keith is


    my utmost outstanding student. He is a genius, and I was going to rmend him to advance his


    studies to a higher level. He can''t have anything happen to him!"


    Hearing his words, Katherine bit her lips without saying a word. She was Keith''s sister, and she didn''t


    want anything to happen to him too. At that moment, her eyes darkened, and she said seriously, "Well,


    there is a way to save him. The curse will be lifted if we find the source of it."


    "Source? What does that mean?" asked Joaquin with a frown.


    "There is a mother insect andrva in the man-faced curse. Since the mother insect controls thervae,


    it will still be within the body even though thervae have been killed. Only when the mother insect dies


    will thervae disappear, which means the mother insect is like a switch. Thervae will stop being


    active once the mother insect is gone. Now, it was thervae who infected everyone."


    As Katherine exined about the curse, Tyler felt lightheaded from the information, and it took him a


    while to understand what she was saying. I only found out about the man-faced curse two days ago,


    but she knows so much about it. Plus, she mentioned some sort of ancient medical technique, so she


    must be highly skilled.


    Thinking about it, Tyler couldn''t help but change his perspective of her and was in awe. "How do we


    find the mother insect, Miss Cornell? You can leave this to me," he said.


    From his perspective, he felt it would be more convenient for him to take up the task than Katherine.


    After all, he had lived in Kynd at a very young age and knew many people within the medical field


    and scientificmunity.


    However, she shook her head and replied, "You won''t be able to find it, Mr. Morris, but I will entrust you


    to keep an eye on Keith. I have already sedated his nerves, so he will be fine for now. I''ll do my best to


    find the mother insect."


    When Joaquin heard her words, he frowned and looked at her worriedly. "I''ll go with you. Where are


    you going to look for it, though?"


    However, Katherine didn''t reply to him and only said solemnly, "I need a room where no one will disturb


    me."


    When Joaquin and Tyler heard her request, they were stunned, but no one asked questions.


    "Alright, I''ll tell the nurse about this," replied Joaquin as he nodded.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Katherine nodded upon hearing his words. After Joaquin left the room, she looked at Keith lying in bed,


    her gaze dark. In that split second, she sensed something was off and raised her head abruptly to stare


    at Tyler.


    "Keith never came in contact with the man-faced curse, nor did he encounter any of the patients


    before, so how did he get infected by it?" she asked.


    Tyler was stunned when he heard her words. However, he shook his head and looked lost. "I¡­ I''m not


    sure. Keith is indeed a good kid. He never walked around Kynd and only stayed in the test


    Suspicion rose in Katherine when she heard his words. Then, she quickly asked, "Did he meet anyone


    or do anything when he had the symptoms yesterday?"


    Judging by Keith''s condition, Katherine knew that he had been infected yesterday. However, it was


    abnormal as to where he had gotten the curse from.


    "Nothing special in particr¡­" Tyler shook his head. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as if he had thought of


    something. "Oh, right! The school administrator came to inspect eachboratory. Keith was busy doing


    experiments in theb, and the school administrator made small talk with him." As he spoke, he


    paused for a moment and frowned. "However, this happens once a month, so there isn''t anything


    unusual with it."


    At that moment, Katherine squinted her eyes and had her guard up. "Did that school administrator have


    any physical contact with Keith?" she asked.


    "Physical contact, you say¡­" He thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I don''t think so."


    Although he denied it, she still felt that something was off. She pondered for a moment before


    requesting, "I want to see the testboratory''s footage from yesterday, Mr. Morris."


    As soon as Tyler heard her request, he immediately understood what she was thinking and looked


    surprised. "Do you think¡­"


    "Although it is still unknown, I will thoroughly investigate every clue I find. I hope that you can


    understand." Katherine bit her lips.


    After hesitating for a moment, Tyler sighed and said, "Fine. After all, Keith is one of my students.


    Seeing him lying here makes my heart ache too. All I can do is help him with this." Then, he


    immediately called the staff member at the testboratory and asked them to send him the footage


    from yesterday.


    Fifteen minutester, he received the footage, and Katherine immediately forwarded the timestamp to


    where the school administrator was checking up on Keith. Then, she inspected it closely.


    At that moment, time passed slowly. After five minutes, Tyler suddenly gasped in surprise while


    Katherine''s face turned cold, her eyes filled with fury.


    As the footage yed out, they saw the school administrator pouring white liquid into Keith''s cup when


    he was getting something from the cab!

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292


    When Keith returned, the man immediately put the tube back into his sleeve and acted as if nothing


    had happened.


    At this moment, Tyler and Katherine understood how Keith got the curse. Clearly, the tube contained a


    liquid that was contaminated with the man-faced curse.


    "How¡­" Tyler mumbled in disbelief.


    On the other hand, Katherine gripped her knuckles tightly and said coldly, "Does this person have any


    grudges against Keith?"


    "No. Keith put all his mind into researching and seldom interacted with others at school. Moreover, he


    has nothing inmon with the school administrator, so there''s no way they would have any grudges


    against each other," answered Tyler as he shook his head.


    Listening to his words, Katherine knew that she was right on track. "That only leads to one thing¡ªhe


    had been ordered to do so."


    As soon as her words fell, Joaquin walked in with a confused look. "Ordered? What''s going on?"


    Immediately, Katherine showed the footage to him. When Joaquin saw the scene, his expression


    changed as he knew what had happened. Without hesitation, he took out his phone and called Jeremy,


    asking him to investigate the school administrator.


    Tyler was stunned when he saw Joaquin''s actions, and he finally realized that the man had a strong


    background. However, he was smart and didn''t say anything about it.


    After 20 minutes, Jeremy sent a message to Joaquin, saying that the school administrator was a friend


    of Zak, and the man had invited him to have lunch together yesterday.


    When Katherine understood the whole situation, she sneered coldly.


    "I didn''t expect Zak to hurt Keith so that you''d give in!" Joaquin''s face darkened as he spoke.


    "He has a great n, though. However, he probably doesn''t know that not only can I save Mike and


    Myles, but I can also let them live a miserable life for eternity!" Katherine smiled as she spoke, but


    there was no trace of happiness in her eyes. Instead, it felt like the calm before the storm.


    At this moment, she was enraged, and the temperature around her was low. As Joaquin looked at her,


    he knew she wouldn''t forgive the Fraser Family for what they had done to Keith. However, there was


    more important stuff than getting revenge at the moment. Hence, he pursed his lips and grabbed her


    hand.


    "There will be time for you to get your revenge on the Frasers, but Keith doesn''t have much time left.


    Let''s think of a way to save him first," said Joaquin.


    Hearing his words, Katherine bit her lips and said nothing. Of course, she knew the priority between


    these two matters, but she just couldn''t sustain the rage in her. After taking a few deep breaths, she


    shut her eyes and opened them again. "I''ll let them live longer for a little while!" Then, she looked at


    Joaquin and asked, "Is the room ready?"


    Joaquin nodded and led her to the room. Although he was clueless about what she was going to do, he


    would never ask about it and just listened to her orders.


    Katherine asked Joaquin to wait outside the room as she entered it. After that, she forced herself to


    calm down while taking out a piece of paper and a pen. Then, she closed her eyes and began


    scribbling on the note.


    If she wanted to find the mother insect, she had to find Eddie or his descendant. However, the Scott-


    Tuttons were mysterious, and there had been no news from them for the past few years. Hence, all she


    could do was perform divination.


    Ten minutester, the paper was filled with strange lines. Just as her arms were about to get sore, she


    finally stopped. The next moment, she opened her eyes and frowned, seemingly confused.


    It turned out that when she had done the divination three times, each of the results indicated that Eddie


    was still alive. Now, he was heading toward the Fraser Residence! His actions confused Katherine


    since she had never heard anything between the Scott-Tuttons and the Frasers.


    Why is Eddie heading toward the Fraser Residence? If the Frasers knew about him, they would''ve


    gone to him instead of asking for my help. However, if the Frasers don''t know Eddie, how did they get


    infected by the man-faced curse?


    At that moment, questions filled Katherine''s mind, and she couldn''t pick up the pieces. Knowing that


    she couldn''t think about it thoroughly, she put it in the back of her mind and focused on what was


    happening. After all, the most important thing right now was finding Eddie.


    It looks like I have to revisit the Fraser Residence. A glint shed across her eyes as she thought about


    it.


    When she left the room, Joaquin was leaning against the wall. "How was it? What are we going to do


    next?" he asked.


    "Let''s head to the Fraser Residence," said Katherine grimly.


    When Joaquin heard her words, he was stunned; he thought she wanted to get her revenge first.


    However, before he could think any further, Katherine exined, "I know what''s important. Right now, I


    have to see Eddie, and he will be at the Fraser Residence. That is why I need to be there."


    Hearing her words, Joaquin was bewildered. "You¡­" Initially, he was going to ask how she knew


    Eddie''s whereabouts, but on second thought, he knew that she would tell him if she wanted to. Hence,


    he didn''t ask about it in case she was notfortable talking about it. Thinking about this, he nodded


    and said, "Okay."


    With that, they both headed toward the ward and told Tyler about their n before heading toward the


    Fraser Residence immediately.


    On the way to the Fraser Residence, Katherine looked at the scenery outside the window with an


    expressionless face. Then, she seemed to have thought of something and turned to look at Joaquin.


    "I read about it," she said.


    Her sudden words startled Joaquin, and he didn''t understand what she was referring to. "What?" he


    asked.


    Katherine pursed her lips and sighed. "When I was at Fontan, I met a master. He was mumbling about


    destiny when we first met, and I thought he was a liar. It turns out he had read my fate correctly. At first,


    I thought that he was spying on me, but Iter found out that he could read my future. Perhaps


    because of fate, he decided to teach me this skill. Normally, I wouldn''t use it since I have no interest in


    looking at someone else''s future. I only use it when it is a crucial moment. That is why I know that


    Eddie is going to the Fraser Residence."


    At this moment, Joaquin understood what she was talking about and was quite surprised. "Turns out


    there is indeed divination in this world¡­" Then, he looked at Katherine and smiled. "I can''t believe that


    you know everything. What a talented woman you are. You always surprise me."


    Hearing his words, Katherine smiled but didn''t say anything.


    Knowing that she was not in the mood to joke around, Joaquin didn''t push his luck and held her hands.


    Then, he squeezed her hand gently, almost as if he was trying to give her strength through it. "Don''t


    worry, Keith is your brother, and you two are incredibly strong. I''m sure he will get through this."


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    As he spoke, Katherine kept her head low. When she heard his words, her eyshes fluttered, and she


    hummed gently in response.


    While the two were heading toward Fraser Residence, Eddie was a step ahead of them and had


    already arrived. At this moment, no one was in the house except for Myles, who was disabled, and


    Mike, who was severely ill. When Eddie entered the house, he pretended to be Mike''s best friend and


    requested to see him.

 Chapter 293

    Chapter 293


    When Lexie heard that, she believed Eddie without a shadow of a doubt, immediately showing him to


    Mike''s room on the second floor.


    At that moment, Mike had just woken up from his sleep and was taking his medicine by the side of the


    bed. When he heard the noise, he lifted his head slowly to look over. It only took one nce for his


    rheumy eyes to be filled with shock.


    "You¡­" He parted his lips and wanted to say something, but he couldn''t breathe smoothly. As the air


    blocked his airway, he couldn''t help but cough.


    Seeing that, Lexie quickly went over to pat him on the back to help him breathe.


    Suddenly, ruthlessness shed in Eddie''s eyes, but he still had an innocent look on his face when he


    went forward with a smile. "You can rest now. I''ll take care of him."


    When Lexie heard that, she was stunned for a moment. "But¡ª"


    "Why? You don''t trust me? Mr. Fraser and I have been friends for many years."


    As Lexie hesitated, she lowered her head to look at Mike, who was catching his breath, and noticed


    that he showed no signs of rejection. So, without any suspicion, she nodded and left the room.


    In the end, only Mike and Eddie were left in the room.


    Mike struggled for a long time before he could finally breathe as usual. Even though he was staring


    daggers at Eddie with his predator-like eyes, he didn''t have much strength to do anything. "W-What are


    you doing here?"


    Now that no one was around them, Eddie didn''t need to act anymore. He put on a long face right away


    and smirked coldly. "Of course, I''m here to look at the karma you''re receiving! Do you think that I''m


    here to visit you and see how you are doing? I''m just checking to see why you''re not dead yet!"


    As soon as he said that, Mike''s expression changed at once, and he felt as though something was


    stuck in his throat and was going nowhere. It was hard to tell if his face was beet red from anger or that


    he was holding his breath.


    After some time, his expression changed again as he slowly exhaled. "s." He sighed feebly, which


    sounded as though he was disappointed with the situation and himself. "I knew that. I knew you


    wouldn''t care about me. It''s all because I''ve caused too much harm previously. It''s understandable for


    you to wish me dead."


    "Haha! Such a joke! After so many years, are you finally admitting that you''re the perpetrator?" It


    looked as though fire was burning in Eddie''s eyes as he red fiercely at Mike. "You did this to


    yourself, Mike! You shouldn''t be alive! However, you''ve said one thing right. Not only do I wish for your


    death, but I wish for the death of all Frasers!"


    These words impacted Mike. Instantly, he looked at Eddie in shock, as though he couldn''t believe his


    own ears. "Scott-Tutton, w-what do you mean?"


    At this moment, Eddie said with a loud scoff, "Haven¡¯t I made myself clear? Are you still not getting it? It


    seems like you''re sick, so sick that your brain can''t function anymore."


    A horrible thought came into Mike''s head, and his face turned disgruntled all of a sudden. As he


    opened his mouth, his lips couldn''t stop quivering. Then, he asked shakily, "A-Are you saying that the


    illness we have had all these times was because of you?"


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    "Are you only realizing it now, old thing?" Eddie ridiculed Mike with his husky voice and contempt


    crawling all over his face. Yet, at the same time, his eyes were filled with the thrill of his revenge. "I


    guess you want to ask me whether I''m involved in the man-faced curse that the Fraser Family has


    gotten. Well, I can tell you the answer now. Yes, I''m involved. Not only that, but I was the one who


    ced the curse on the Frasers!"


    The moment Mike received the affirmation of his doubt, he was so pissed and anxious. He propped his


    body up, wanting to sit up straight, but he didn''t have any strength. Even worse, he couldn''t catch his


    breath because of the action. "You¡­ You¡­"


    He repeated the word ''you'' for a long time but wasn''t able to continue his sentence. At this moment,


    Eddie moved slowly to sit on the chair by the bed and red at Mike with a devilish smile. "You what?


    Are you trying to curse at me? Do you think you''re in the right ce to do that, Mike?"


    Mike was so anxious that he started coughing, and with his extremely frail voice, he said in a woeful


    tone, "You could''ve juste at me with whatever grudges you hold! W-Why did you hurt the others?


    The Frasers¡­ They''re all innocent!"


    Hearing that, Eddie wasn''t moved at all. "What''s wrong? Are you feeling sorry for them?"


    After that, his gaze turned sharp, as though it was a knife stabbing right at Mike with so much hatred.


    "What about them? Have you ever thought that those people died innocently at that time too?! When


    you did what you did, have you ever thought that they were supposed to be living their lives happily?


    Huh?!"


    These questions were like countless arrows aimed right at Mike. Instantly, he held his breath and


    parted his lips as though he wanted to exin, but in the end, he closed them helplessly.


    When Eddie saw that, he was overwhelmed by his anger at once, and his hatred, which had been


    piling up for all these years, exploded at this very moment. "Why? You don''t dare to talk about it? Or do


    you have nothing to say? You don''t deserve to be alive, Mike! God was blind for all these years. Letting


    you die alone on the street is just too good for you! People like you should be stabbed and skinned


    alive! Since God let you off, I''ll let you die in my hands, for God''s sake!"


    After saying that, he stood up sharply, making a shrill sound of the chair scraping the floor, but it didn''t


    stop him at all. He took two steps forward and stood close to the bed as he stared at Mike with an evil


    gaze, just like a venomous snake. "Don''t worry. I''ll grant you an easy death, so you can go to hell and


    be reunited with your family. Not missing any one of them!"


    Hearing that, Mike was so horrified that his forehead was covered in a cold sweat. He looked at Eddie


    in terror, with his lips quivering. "D-Don''t hurt the Fraser Family. They are innocent¡­"


    However, Eddie''s hatred was too strong for him to listen to any of those words. He burst outughing


    right away. "Innocent? How are they innocent? Their greatest sin was being born into the Fraser


    Family!"


    As soon as he said that, he reached out his hand and choked Mike on the neck with a fierce gaze.


    "Now, just stay still and go to hell!"


    Just then, the door of the room was rammed through, which was followed by a cold warning. "Stop


    what you''re doing, Eddie Scott-Tutton!"


    It was unexpected for Eddie to hear someone calling his name. Stunned, he turned around to find out


    who that was.


    Right at this moment, when he zoned out, Katherine rushed forward and pushed Eddie away instantly.


    Then, she stood in front of Mike''s bed and raised her hands to block the way.


    At this moment, Eddie took a few steps back, and his face darkened when he saw the man and woman


    who turned up in the room. "Who are you? How do you know my identity?"


    Ignoring the question, Joaquin strode to Katherine''s side without saying anything.


    Katherine didn''t tell Eddie about her connection with him either. She chose not to answer but to ask, "It


    doesn''t matter who we are. The important question here is, why are you here, Eddie? And why are you


    laying your hands on Mike?"

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294


    When Eddie heard Katherine, he knitted his brows tightly together. "Do you know what he did? On what


    grounds are you protecting him?! Who are you?"


    Katherine didn''t answer, but she just looked at him with an icy expression and an intense gaze as she


    pondered.


    At this moment, Mike suddenly spoke in shock, "M-Miss Cornell? You came!"


    He thought that he was dreaming, so he rubbed his eyes as he shivered. When he saw the side profile


    of the man beside her from the corner of his eyes, he was even more shocked, and his body trembled.


    "Are you¡­" He was already frail and dying, but an obvious shock could still be heard in his feeble


    voice. "Are you¡­"


    When Joaquin heard that, he gave Mike a sidelong nce with a poker face and didn''t say anything.


    Yet, this nce affirmed his guess about Joaquin''s identity. Instantly, he used all the strength that he


    had left to sit up straight.


    "It''s really you, Colonel Levisay!" Instantly, he recognized Joaquin. With his eyes shining with


    admiration, he continued, "I didn''t know I could meet you once again before I die."


    He knew about Joaquin''s prestigious identity. In those days, he had been on a mission with Joaquin,


    but something nearly went wrong halfway through the mission. Only with Joaquin''s calmness in that


    situation could they continue the task sessfully. After that, he grew a lot of respect for Joaquin, even


    though he was much older than him.


    So, when he saw Joaquin, he was shocked and curious. "W-Why are you here, Colonel Levisay?"


    Hearing that, Joaquin looked at him from the corner of his eyes and finally gave him some reaction.


    "Kathy is my wife. If she wants toe, I''ll obviously follow her." In two sentences, he exined his


    rtionship with Katherine and also exined that his arrival had nothing to do with Mike.


    The moment Mike heard that, he was even more surprised. His eyes darted between Katherine and


    Joaquin. "Wife? Colonel Levisay, you and Miss Cornell¡­" he mumbled subconsciously without


    realizing the change in Eddie''s expression.


    Although Eddie wasn''t sure about Joaquin''s exact identity, from what he had heard, he knew


    Katherine''s partner was no ordinary man. Mike respects him so much. He has a high status.


    At this thought, he felt the urgency of the issue. It seems like things are going to turn difficult. After


    grinding his teeth, he suddenly shouted, "I don''t care who you are, but this is a matter between Mike


    and me! It has nothing to do with you! You should leave now if you''re sensible enough!"


    When Katherine heard him, she suddenlyughed out loud. Then, she said in an icy tone with a mere


    smile tugged on her lips, "No matter how strong your grudge against Mike is, it''s not a reason for you to


    kill. I don''t care how much you hate him, but you can''ty your hands on him."


    Instantly, Eddie''s face darkened. "Why not? Also, why must I obey what you say?"


    Although there was a casual smile on her face, no one knew its meaning. "Well, that''s because I still


    need you. You will go to prison if you kill him now. How are you going to work for me if that happens?"


    As soon as she said that, Eddie was even more confused, and he knitted his brows together even more


    tightly. "What are you yapping about? Why do you need me? What do you want to do?"


    However, Katherine didn''t exin explicitly. "Let''s talk it out over coffee. Why don''t we go somewhere


    else and I''ll exin everything to you? "


    Hearing that, Eddie scoffed, "Go somewhere else? Are you trying to buy time? Haha! I think there''s no


    need for you to do that. I want Mike dead today! You should leave now if you don''t want to be dragged


    into this! If you still insist on stopping me, I won''t hold back either!"


    Yet, Katherine was not afraid of his threat at all. On the contrary, it seemed like she found it


    entertaining. "Oh, yeah? What are you going to do if I insist on stopping you?"


    When he noticed that no words were working for her and that Joaquin was standing beside her as a


    guardian, his gaze turned dark instantly.


    At this moment, he was in a dilemma. Even when he wanted to leave, Katherine wouldn''t let him go so


    easily, and he didn''t want to lose this perfect chance to end Mike, but if he were to stay here, the two of


    them would definitely stop him.


    Just as he was pondering the solution with a frown, Mike suddenly started coughing intensely. He lost


    his bnce and was going to fall forward.


    Seeing that, Joaquin turned around swiftly to hold him, but it was at this instance when a spark shed


    in Eddie''s eyes. He suddenly went forward and reached out his hand to p Katherine in the face.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Luckily, Katherine reacted quickly, for she dodged his attack swiftly and turned around to fight him. Yet,


    there was something she didn''t know. Eddie didn''t want to kill her, but he was nning something else.


    Just when she was going to capture him, she suddenly felt a needle poking into her shoulder, followed


    by very mild pain.


    The minute a shadow of doubt shed on her face, Joaquin turned around and pulled her behind him


    without saying a word. With a darkened face, he scoffed, "Ha¡­" His expression was so cold that it


    made the temperature around him reach the freezing point. "Don''t you dare!" His words were simple


    yet impactful.


    Cruelness shed in his eyes, and he strode forward to get closer to Eddie. Following that, he started


    attacking him, with every move hurting him.


    Although Eddie wasn''t bad atbat, it was still apparent that he was losing to Joaquin. And as he


    grew older, his moves became slower. He was defeated by Joaquin within three moves and was


    already kneeling.


    At this moment, Katherine had already regained her senses and was staring coldly at the man on the


    ground with her beautiful eyes. "Do you want to kill Mike that badly, Eddie? You know very well that


    even if we didn''t show up here today, you wouldn''t be able to escape forever if you killed him."


    Eddie spat a mouthful of blood and scoffed, "So what? Since I want to kill him, I didn''t n for things to


    end well for myself!"


    As he said that, he squinted his eyes. "I''m just a dying person anyway. I don''t have much time left. I


    can''t die knowing I didn''t get my revenge!"


    Hearing that, Katherine frowned and addressed the question that was bothering her. "You keep saying


    that you want to kill Mike for your revenge, but what did he do to you?"


    "Why should I tell you?! Who are you?!" Eddie scoffed.


    When Joaquin heard that, his chiseled face became even more fierce. He raised his leg and was going


    to kick Eddie.


    However, Katherine quickly stopped him and shook her head before looking at Eddie. "I know that Mike


    has done some harm previously. Now that he''s seriously ill, he has already received the punishment,


    but it seems like the harm that he caused at that time has something to do with the Scott-Tutton Family,


    right? Or else, you won''t take the risk of letting everyone in the Fraser Family catch the man-faced


    curse. Am I right?"

 Chapter 295

    Chapter 295


    Although Katherine already had a few unproven spections in her mind before she got there, she was


    sure her suspicions were correct when she saw Eddie trying to kill Mike.


    Nevertheless, Eddie only smiled in a sinister manner without even bothering to deny it. "You know


    what? You''re right, but what''re you going to do about it? The Frasers deserve to go to hell, anyway! I''m


    just doing what should be done in the name of God!"


    "Really?" She snorted with a cold grunt. "Mike might have done something terrible in the past, but his


    family is innocent. How dare you go around taking innocent lives in the name of God!" A few seconds


    later, she pressed on and questioned Eddie, demanding, "What did Mike do to make you hate him so


    much?"


    Although Katherine was able to predict Mike''s irredeemable sins, she couldn''t tell what really happened


    in the past. However, she was curious to know why Eddie hated Mike to the bones, wondering what


    kind of vendetta could motivate Eddie so much that he would hurt the Frasers.


    Eddie gritted his teeth, speaking hatefully like a beast grinding its teeth. "What did he do? Do you want


    to know? Fine, let me tell you. He killed more than twenty innocent lives back then for the sake of the


    Fraser Family''s interest. Can you imagine that? I bet you don''t even know that at all, do you?"


    As soon as Katherine and Joaquin heard about Mike''s crime, they exchanged gazes shortly before


    Joaquin frowned and replied, "I''m not going to lie. This is the first time I''ve heard about this matter, but


    we''re talking about more than twenty lives here. It wasn''t something trivial, so how did whoever was


    behind this manage to keep this covered for so many years?"


    "What was so difficult about that? The Fraser Family had a part in many intricate connections all over


    Kynd, so what do you think those twenty lives were to Mike? To him, their lives didn''t matter, and


    pulling a few strings was all he needed to do to get away with it. Furthermore, since the water in


    Kynd was always polluted, Mike had nothing to worry about when he covered his tracks, not to


    mention the Fraser Family''s power and influence back in the day!"


    Katherine squinted and shifted her gaze to Mike, only to see him keeping his head down with a pale


    face. At the same time, his forehead was covered in sweat, indicating that he was likely guilty of what


    he did back then. A few momentster, he smiled bitterly and murmured, "Y-Yeah, it was all my fault. I


    deserve what''sing to me¡­"


    "Haha. What do you think is going to change by admitting your mistakes now?" Eddie fixed his


    bloodshot eyes on Mike as if he was trying to drill a hole through his chest. "Do you think those people


    who lost their innocent lives back then could juste back to life because of that?"


    At that moment, Joaquin noticed something worth asking after hearing Eddie''s words. "So, what does


    that have to do with you?" he asked coldly.


    As soon as Eddie heard that, his forehead was covered in veins so obvious that he looked like an


    angry beast. "My little boy was among the innocent people who lost their lives, and you asked what that


    has to do with me?! You have no idea how much I wish I could just skin this man alive and drink his


    blood! I pray for him to go to hell, where he will rot for eternity!"


    It was then that Katherine finally understood why Eddie had gone into hiding over the years and why he


    attacked Mike at the Fraser Residence. "So, the reason you''ve been trying to hurt the Frasers is that


    you realized they were responsible for that matter, right?" she asked.


    Eddie smashed the ss onto the ground without denying Katherine''s usation. "You''re right! It was


    me who hired someone to put the man-faced curse on the Frasers so that they suffered from its effects.


    In fact, the five senior officials, who also suffered from this incident, were the ones that protected Mike


    despite the crime hemitted back then. They covered his tracks for him, which was the reason that


    made me take the opportunity to put the curse on them when they gathered together. Haha! It was a


    sight for sore eyes to see them suffering from a fate worse than death, but guess what? Karma didn''t


    do me justice when some spoilsport decided to step in and rescue those idiots. Besides, whoever was


    behind that even invented an antidote and thwarted my n!"


    After hearing Eddie''s story, Katherine blinked in silence, pondering what else to find out. Just when she


    was about to ask her questions a few momentster, she suddenly felt dizzy and fatigued. As strange


    as the feeling was, it was also apanied by unbearable pain like all her organs were intertwined


    together. In that instant, she knitted her eyebrows, sensing something wrong just when she was about


    to run a quick diagnosis on herself, only to realize she couldn''t even lift her hand. The moment she


    tried to move, she immediately copsed onto the ground,pletely sumbing to the pain that


    made her feel as if all her organs were out of ce.


    When Joaquin saw that, he quickly crouched down to get a hold of her. "Are you alright, Katherine?


    What''s wrong?" he asked with a hoarse voice, his face turning pale.


    She was covered in a cold sweat, clenching her jaw in pain while shaking her head. "I don''t know¡­"


    Although she didn''t run a diagnosis on herself, she could tell from the strange feeling she had that she


    must have been poisoned, yet the poison was one she had never seen before. The next second, she


    gritted her teeth and red at Eddie, questioning, "W-What did you do to me?"


    Joaquin radiated a chilly aura when he heard that from Katherine, whereupon he immediately shifted


    his attention to Eddie. At the same time, Eddie stood up unconcernedly with a sinister smile on his


    face. "You''re smart indeed. It took you sooner than I thought to figure out it was me."


    Joaquin''s eyes were filled with rage, his face written with anger like a demon that was crawling out of


    hell to wreak havoc. "What! Have! You! Done?!" He gritted his teeth and demanded an answer from


    Eddie as if he was about to kill the man standing before him anytime.


    However, Eddie only smiled in an unconcerned manner. "Oh, you don''t scare me, Mr. Levisay. I''m the


    one who decides whether the woman you love is going to live or die now, so you''d better watch your


    tone when you''re talking to me." At the same time, the man produced a little vial from his pocket and


    shed it right in front of his eyes. "The poison in Miss Cornell''s body is mytest creation, extracted


    from the man-faced curse and refined to be better. It''s about ten thousand times more lethal than the


    man-faced curse I spread out earlier. Therefore, the only way for her to get rid of the poison and


    survive is to take my antidote pill, or she is going to suffer from excruciating pain as her organs start to


    fail one by one from the poison attack until she dies a painful death. So, what do you think, Mr.


    Levisay?"


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    After hearing Eddie''s sinister intention, Joaquin was taken over by his anger, his eyes turning red like a


    beast. In the meantime, Katherine was overwhelmed by agony as she began to shiver uncontrobly


    from head to toe. However, she clung to her will and restrained herself from crying in pain, staring at


    Eddie hatefully. Jeez! I can''t believe I fell for an evil scheme of someone like this man! He must have


    intentionally told us the story to buy himself some time for his poison to kick in.


    In the meantime, Mike was also stunned by what he saw. "Eddie Scott-Tutton!" The man added while


    panting, "I-I don''t care how much you hate me, but why are you hurting these innocent people? Since


    I''m the one you want, just direct your anger at me!"


    "Shut your mouth up! You, of all the people here, do not get to say that!" Eddie snarled at Mike like a


    madman. "When you took my son''s life back then, did you ever spare a thought for him? He was also


    innocent!"

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296


    Mike was stunned and speechless upon hearing Eddie''s words. With his hand on his chest, he had no


    idea what to say. At that moment, Joaquin, motivated by his anger, asked with a cial expression on


    his face, "So, what do you want then?!"


    "There is only one thing I want to do¡ªkill Mike to avenge my son!" Eddie responded coldly, staring at


    Joaquin and Katherine for a moment until he grunted. "But guess what? It seems that I don''t have to do


    it myself. If you want the woman you love to live, you should do what I want you to do, Mr. Levisay. Kill


    Mike in exchange for the antidote! So, it''s Mike''s life for her life. What do you say? Deal?"


    When Katherine heard that, she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "What a clever n you have


    there!"


    "Haha. I was never nning to use the two of you, but since you insisted on sticking your nose into my


    business, I had no choice but to do what I had to!" Eddieughed maniacally. "No matter what, I''m


    taking Mike''s life today! Mr. Levisay, if you don''t kill him for me, you''re going to watch the woman you


    love die right in front of you. Mind you that she won''tst for more than a few hours with the poison


    attack. By then, the only thing that awaits her is death, so think about it carefully because time isn''t on


    your side."


    Stiffening from head to toe, Joaquin was holding Katherine with one hand while his other one was seen


    clenching. In the meantime, Katherine, who was resting in his arms, could barely keep her eyes open


    as she fixed them on his chin and shook her head. Deep down, she didn''t care about Mike''s fate


    because it wasn''t important to her. Instead, it was Eddie whom she had been trying to stop from


    creating trouble because she still needed him.


    As for Joaquin, he didn''t want Katherine to get into trouble because of him. After all, no one else was


    more important than Katherine. Thus, if he had to do it, he would kill Mike to make sure Katherine could


    survive. At the thought of that, he only knitted his eyebrows, his eyes filled with a strong, indifferent


    aura.


    "So, how is it, Mr. Levisay? Have you thought it through? My patience is wearing thin." Eddie smiled


    comcently while wiping the blood on the corner of his lips, thinking he had won the battle against


    them.


    Just when the atmosphere intensified, Mike suddenly held onto the bed frame and used all his strength


    to get up. cing his hand over his mouth, he coughed a few times before catching his breath. "Eddie,


    this is between you and me. I admit that I made a mistake back then, so I''m going to brace myself for


    what''sing to me. Do your worst now. My days are numbered, anyway. Since you want me dead so


    badly, just kill me and settle our score once and for all!"


    He sighed and looked at Joaquin. "Colonel Levisay, please listen to him and do what you must."


    Nevertheless, he smiled bitterly a few secondster when something seemingly crossed his mind.


    "Fine, you don''t have to do it, Colonel Levisay. It''s only going to get your hands dirty and put you in a lot


    of trouble, so I''ll do it by myself."


    Upon hearing that, Joaquin knitted his eyebrows in silence, but on the other hand, Eddie seemed rather


    surprised about that. "Did I just hear that from you, old man? That you''re going to put an end to all this


    by taking your own life? What''s wrong with you? Did your conscience find its way back to your heart?"


    Mike clenched his shivering fists for a while and let them go after that. "I knew this day was going to


    come, not to mention the fact that you want revenge on me. Miss Cornell is right. I should be punished


    for my sins, so I''m not surprised that you want me dead. Nevertheless, I want to make one thing clear


    ¡ªsince my life is now yours, you will give Miss Cornell the antidote. She is just as innocent as the rest


    of the Fraser Family, so give me your word that you will not hurt them."N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Satisfied with the deal, Eddie nodded gleefully. "Yes! Yes, I will give the woman the antidote as soon as


    you die right in front of me. After that, we''re even; but if you ever dare to fool me, the Fraser Family is


    going to pay for that."


    In the meantime, Eddie didn''t say a single word as he turned his attention to Joaquin with a painful look


    on his face. "Colonel Levisay, I''m deeply sorry for putting you and Miss Cornell in so much trouble


    because of me, but once I''m a dead man, you will no longer be kept under Eddie''s thumb. By then, you


    and Miss Cornell will be free. Therefore, I hope you can forgive me as a token of appreciation for


    keeping your hands clean."


    Soon, he paused and paced back and forth for a few seconds before he added, "Apart from that, I don''t


    want the Fraser Family to be in trouble because of me. For that, I would like you to keep an eye on


    them for me because everyone else in the Fraser Family is innocent." Mike was hoping he could get


    Joaquin to protect the Fraser Family by killing himself without getting Joaquin''s hands dirty.


    While Joaquin pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows, Katherine was gritting her teeth in agony, her


    forehead covered in a cold sweat that rolled down her cheeks to her shirt. When Joaquin saw that, he


    felt as if the pain that was tormenting him mentally was greater than the one tormenting Katherine


    physically. Thus, he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head, his eyes turning


    red.


    However, Eddie wasn''t concerned about Katherine''s condition because all he wanted was to see Mike


    dead. Because of that, he kept urging them to do what he wanted. "Enough already. What''s taking you


    guys so long? If you''re going to kill yourself, you''d better do it now, or I''m keeping the antidote!" He


    then produced a knife from his pocket and tossed it onto the bed. "Show me your sincerity. Slit your


    throat with this de. It''s going to be painless!"


    Keeping his eyes on the knife, Mike gritted his teeth and stuck out his shaking hand to reach for it. Just


    when he was about to end his life, someone suddenly barged into the room.


    Stunned by the suddenmotion, everyone else in the room was drawn to the source of the noise,


    especially Eddie, who was furious and irritable at that moment. "Who''s there?! Show yourself¡­" Before


    he could finish growling, he was shocked by the person who stepped into the room, his mouth wide


    agape just as he went silent.


    At the same time, Katherine and Joaquin were both surprised when they saw the visitor, their eyes


    widened. "G-Grandma¡­"


    With a serious expression on her face, Jennifer looked around her after setting foot in the room. When


    her eyes fell upon Katherine, she was overwhelmed by pity and anxiety. However, instead of checking


    on her granddaughter immediately, she put her emotions aside and directed her attention to Eddie.

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297


    After a brief silence, Jennifer let out a long sigh and announced in a deep voice, "You''ve done a lot. It''s


    time for you to stop."


    At that, Eddie, who finally managed to pull himself together, had a grave look on his face. "Huh, I''ve not


    seen you for so long, and I''m surprised that you''re still alive! I thought that you were long dead!"


    "I''m only a few years older than you. If you''re still well and alive, what makes you think that I''m already


    dead?" She scoffed and ignored his sarcastic remarks.


    With that, she was done talking nonsense with him and started lecturing him. "Are you done with your


    heinous acts? Not only have you turned the Fraser Family upside down, but you even poisoned the


    innocent! I think that you have forgotten all about our family rules! Our family did not dabble in this field


    for you to harm others! Hurry up and hand over the antidote!"


    Eddie was filled with rage upon hearing Jennifer''s remarks. "You''re not part of the Scott-Tutton Family


    anymore, so don''t bring up the family rules in front of me! You aren''t even rted to the Scott-Tutton


    Family, so who are you to lecture me?"


    Jennifer was lost for words, and her face turned pale. After a brief pause, she finally replied bluntly,


    "Even if you don''t admit it, I will always be your sister. That is a fact that can''t be changed!"


    However, Eddie seemed unfazed and mocked her, "Sister? Fine! Since you brought up our blood ties


    and that you insisted that you are my sister, let me tell you this. Mike killed my youngest son, which is


    also your nephew! Are you saying that I shouldn''t kill him, and do you think he doesn''t deserve to die?!"


    "Even if he deserves to die, you shouldn''t drag other people into this! You even used such treacherous


    poison! I haven''t seen you in many years, and this is the person you have be?" she questioned


    him anxiously.


    "So what if I have dragged the others into this?" He didn''t seem to feel guilty about it. "They got in my


    way, so I had no choice but to teach them a lesson!"


    "You¡ª" Jennifer was trembling with anger when she saw how stubborn Eddie was.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Seeing that, Donald immediately went up to her and carefully held her so she could stabilize herself.


    "Jenny, please calm down. Some people are just not worth your anger."


    Jennifer couldn''t sit still anymore, and to her, her health was nothingpared to her granddaughter''s


    life! The moment when she saw how pale Katherine''s face had gotten, she decided that she would


    reveal Katherine''s identity.


    "Eddie, do you know who she is?" she asked while pointing at Katherine.


    He couldn''t be bothered with it, as all he could think of was to avenge his son''s death. He didn''t even


    care when Katherine called Jennifer ''Grandma''. Heughed coldly and scoffed, "I don''t care who the


    heck she is! No one can get in my way!"


    "She is my granddaughter. So, you''re her uncle!" As soon as Jennifer revealed Katherine''s identity,


    there was a heavy silence in the atmosphere. Katherine, who was enduring the twitching pain all over


    her body, raised her gaze and looked at Eddie.


    Eddie was startled by the revtion and stood still for a few seconds before looking at Katherine and


    Jennifer again. Suddenly, heughed as if he had made sense of the situation. "Uncle? Jennifer, is this


    a joke? I see that you''re starting to sputter nonsense just to save her!"


    He didn''t believe it. Because of that, Jennifer''s expression became grave. She got anxious and


    frustrated, but she had to suppress her feelings and exin to him patiently.


    "Do you think that matters like this could be joked about? Her name is Katherine Cornell, and she is


    Darren''s and my granddaughter! She is also Elsie''s biological daughter! Elsie got unlucky and married


    Jorge Cornell. Later on, they had Kathy, and both of us have been living together ever since, so why


    will I lie to you about it?"


    Jennifer was so worked up that her face became even paler. Donald knew that she was fatigued when


    he felt that her whole body was trembling. Fearing that she was unable to take it, he wanted to get her


    to sit down and take a rest. However, she shook her head and pushed his hand away while staring at


    Eddie. "If you don''t believe me, you can check whether she is Elsie and Jorge''s daughter over at


    Hovington!"


    There seemed to be subtle changes in Eddie''s expression¡ªfrom his initial disbelief to suspicion and


    the calmness that he was now experiencing. It was apparent that he was taking in Jennifer''s words and


    had slowly started to believe her. Even so, after a while, he broke intoughter and provoked, "I see. I


    never thought that thisdy was of the Scott-Tutton Family bloodline, but so what?"


    The wide-eyed Jennifer never expected to get such a reaction from him. "H-How could you say this?


    She is your niece!"


    "My niece? Jennifer, don''t forget that you''re not part of the Scott-Tutton Family anymore! If that''s the


    case, then that applies to your granddaughter too! I wouldn''t let her off even if she is my


    granddaughter!"


    Eddie continued while grinning, "I never thought that I would poison your granddaughter by mistake!


    But you shouldn''t me me for this, as what goes aroundes around. This is your karma for the


    choice you made back then!"


    Jennifer''s expression turned solemn. Katherine, on the other hand, looked at Jennifer and then at


    Eddie in confusion. As she tried to hold in pain, she asked, "What do you mean?"


    Due to the pain, she clenched onto Joaquin''s hand and inadvertently dug her nails into the back of his


    hand. Even so, he didn''t make a sound and merely held her in his arms anxiously. As he stared at


    Eddie with bloodshot eyes, he had the urge to charge at Eddie and knock him over to snatch the


    antidote from him. However, he didn''t dare to act rashly, worried that there would be any trick up


    Eddie''s sleeve.


    At the end of the day, he could only stare at Eddie coldly while pursing his lips.


    "Why? Didn''t your grandma tell you about it?" Eddie looked over and scoffed.


    "Tell me about what?" Katherine was still sober and rational, even if she was experiencing extreme


    pain.


    "Huh, I guess you are unaware of it." He looked at her with disdain. "Well, I''m not surprised if she didn''t


    tell you since it''s her embarrassing secret."


    With that, she looked over at Jennifer and gave an evil smile. "Jennifer, since you dread to speak about


    it, I can do that for you. It''s time for your granddaughter to know about what happened in the past."


    Just then, Jennifer finally managed to calm herself down. There was a trace of disappointment in her


    eyes as she let out a sigh.

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298


    "So many years had passed, so why wouldn''t I dare to bring it up? Moreover, it isn''t anything


    scandalous. It''s just that you''re unaware of the inside story."


    "I''m unaware of the inside story?" Eddie repeated disdainfully. "Do you think of me as a fool? The entire


    Scott-Tutton Family knows about your shameful past!"


    "Shameful?" Jennifer suddenly raised her gaze andughed as if she had heard the biggest joke. At


    the same time, she sounded annoyed. "Who exactly is shameful to the family?" Back then, what had


    the Scott-Tutton Family done to prevent me from being with Darren? Will you only believe me if I reveal


    the actual events that happened?"


    He furrowed his brows when he noticed her expression as he had a bad feeling about it. "What are you


    trying to say? Weren''t you adamant about cutting ties with the Scott-Tutton Family back then? You


    knew that¡ª"


    "Yes! I wanted to cut ties with the Scott-Tutton Family, but do you think it was only because I was


    insistent on being with Darren?"


    "What other reason could there be? Didn''t you abandon the Scott-Tutton Family because they


    disagreed?" Eddie''s frown deepened.


    Then, he had a look of disdain as he said, "You knew that the Scott-Tutton Family and the Olsen Family


    aren''t on good terms, but you insisted on being with Darren. When the Scott-Tutton Family opposed


    your decision, you cut off ties with the family without hesitation and even changed yourst name. How


    dare you speak of the house rules, given what you had done in the past? I think you aren''t sure of


    which family you belonged to."


    Hearing that, Jennifer merely kept quiet, making Eddie think that what he said was spot on and caused


    him to speak more boldly. "So what if you stayed with our uncle and got married using thest name


    ''Moran''? Ultimately, you had to live under the radar, change yourst name to ''Wood'', and even cut ties


    with the Moran Family. You thought that they were being sincere, but in fact, they were after the


    secretary who used to work for Mom. This is your karma!"


    "Karma?" she mumbled upon hearing Eddie''s remarks and smirked.


    Just then, Katherine gazed over at Eddie, and when she noticed that he was staring at Jennifer, she


    stretched her trembling hand into her pocket and took out a silver needle set. Joaquin noticed that and


    immediately turned to look at her. When their eyes met, he instantly understood what she was trying to


    do.


    He nonchntly moved over and blocked her front to create a blind spot as he cautiously observed


    Eddie. The next moment, Katherine ced a few needles on the acupoints to stop the poison from


    spreading within her body.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    However, she didn''t stop there and took out a few more silver needles. She ced them on the


    acupoints on her torso with the slightest possible movement while looking at Jennifer as she asked


    calmly, "Grandma, what exactly happened in the past?"


    She looked straight at Jennifer, stunned for a moment, but soon understood her intentions.


    Before Eddie noticed what was happening, Jennifer sighed to attract his attention. "Fine! Eddie, both of


    us haven''t met for so many years, and till today, you harbor such deep resentment toward me, thinking


    that I had abandoned the Scott-Tutton Family. It seems like you don''t know what happened, and the


    Scott-Tuttons didn''t tell you the truth, which caused your misunderstanding. Hence, today, I''ll tell you


    what happened. Whether it''s right or not is up to you to decide."


    "You im that it''s a misunderstanding? But how do I know if what you said is true? Are you assuming


    that I will believe you just because you sputter some nonsense?" Eddie proimed in an unhappy tone.


    However, Jennifer didn''t mind his attitude and waved at him as she exined, "You''ll be able to tell


    whether it''s the truth or not just by listening. Or else, you can get confirmation from the Moran Family


    since they don''t have a reason to cover for me. They would want to get to me through you, so they


    won''t lie. Therefore, you''ll be able to tell whether I speak the truth by seeking rification from them."


    She suddenly felt weak since their journey was a tiring one and she had also spoken too much. On top


    of that, she had experienced fluctuating emotions. She grabbed Donald''s arm and shut her eyes while


    they walked over to the couch. After that, she took a seat and caught her breath.


    When Katherine noticed that Jennifer seemed unwell, her expression turned solemn as she was


    worried about her. "Grandma, you¡ª"


    However, Jennifer merely smiled at her and looked at her with gentle eyes. "Kathy, don''t worry. I''m fine.


    I''m just a tad tired and need to take a seat. Don''t worry about me, as you''re more important right now.


    I''ll clear the misunderstanding and ask your uncle to give you the antidote."


    What Jennifer implied was that she wanted Katherine to look after herself. Even though Katherine was


    feeling anxious, she had to listen to Jennifer''s advice since the poison was still in her body.


    With that, Jennifer started revealing the past. "Eddie, you only know half of the story. Do you know why


    the Scott-Tutton Family and the Olsen Family do not get along with each other?"


    Hearing that, Eddie paused as he wasn''t exactly sure of the reason. "What else could it be? It''s the


    family grudge from the older generation!" he answered.


    Katherine was surprised to hear that answer, but since she had no idea what had happened back then,


    she started paying attention to their conversation.


    Hearing that, Jennifer sighed before exining, "Indeed, it''s a grudge held by the older generations,


    but you were still young, so you''re unaware of it. Do you still remember our uncle''s death?"


    Jennifer and Eddie had an uncle, George Scott-Tutton, who passed away when Eddie was still a


    toddler.


    Because of that, Eddie barely had any memories of him. "It was a long time ago, but what does it have


    to do with the Olsen Family? Didn''t he die from a car ident?"


    "You''re right. He died in a car ident. It''s just that¡­ the Scott-Tuttons couldn''t ept the fact that his


    death was due to a car ident and med it on the Olsen Family!"


    Eddie, who was unaware of it, was startled upon hearing that.


    "Actually, before the death of Uncle George, both families were on good terms and were pretty close.


    Before the ident, Uncle George had just returned from a business dinner, and he had had some


    alcohol before that. He was drunk when he drove himself home in which he steered the steering in the


    wrong direction and collided with an approaching car. Connor Grant, the head of the Grant Family, was


    the driver of the other car, and Darren''s father, Khalid Olsen, was seated in the passenger seat. After


    the collision, Uncle George passed away, but both men in the other car were alive."


    Katherine, who didn''t know about all these, pursed her lips and could guess how things unraveled


    thereon.

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299


    Sure enough, Jennifer sighed heavily. There was an additional hint of derision in her voice when she


    next spoke. "Over the generations, the Scott-Tutton Family has had a long history where only one son


    is produced in each generation. Forget having any children, Uncle George was not even married then.


    Therefore, the incident was a huge shock to the entire family. Although Uncle George''s drunk driving


    caused the car ident, they simply refused to ept the truth. At the time, both the Grant Family and


    the Olsen Family expressed sympathy for the situation and provided significantpensation to the


    Scott-Tutton Family after the incident. However, the Scott-Tutton Family firmly believed that Khalid


    Olsen and Connor Grant were the ones who caused Uncle George''s death. That was the reason


    behind their bitter falling out with the Grant Family and the Olsen Family."


    Eddie''s cloudy eyes shifted ufortably, but he did not make a sound.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    He never imagined that such an incident caused the feud between the Scott-Tutton Family and the


    Olsen Family.


    "Uncle George was actually the only one at fault in this entire incident. If he had not been driving drunk,


    then the car ident would never have urred in the first ce. Besides, Khalid and Connor also


    suffered from varying degrees of injuries from the car ident, even though they were lucky enough to


    survive. Be that as it may, the Scott-Tutton Family refused to ept the truth and stubbornly pushed


    the me for Uncle George''s death on them. Tell me, Eddie¡­ Was it right for the Scott-Tutton Family


    to do that?"


    He did not answer but naturally understood that the Scott-Tutton Family was at fault.


    Jennifer did not seem to have expected an answer from him and only paused for a few seconds before


    she continued with the story, "Although the Scott-Tutton Family and the Olsen Family were at odds with


    each other, one''s feelings are not something that one can control at will. Darren and I were in love, and


    our rtionship had nothing to do with the family''s grievances. Unfortunately, the Scott-Tutton Family


    used any means possible to prevent the marriage between Darren and me due to their hatred toward


    the Olsen Family. In the beginning, I heeded their wishes and even thought about breaking up with


    Darren for some time. However, we were reluctant to part with each other after experiencing countless


    ups and downs throughout our rtionship. Ultimately, I had no other option but to leave the Scott-


    Tutton Family temporarily. I originally thought they would relent and give us their blessings after some


    time. Who could have imagined¡­ When I decided to marry Darren and returned to inform them about


    our engagement, they continued to disapprove vehemently of the marriage. In fact, they even¡­"


    At this point, she fell silent and clenched her fingers tightly into a fist on herp.


    "Even what? What did they do?" Eddie probed anxiously. He instinctively felt that something was going


    to change, but he was determined to learn the truth behind this matter.


    After some time, Jennifer seemed to ovee some sort of mental obstacle and regained her


    composure.


    She snorted in disdain, but the look in her eyes was frigid.


    "You were too young. It''s only natural that there were many things you didn''t understand at the time.


    Besides, the Scott-Tutton Family would never tell you about such things. All you knew was that I


    resolutely decided to leave the Scott-Tutton Family after this incident. But do you know why I had to


    leave? You used me of being improper and indecent, but did you know that the Scott-Tutton Family


    are the actual vile and repulsive ones? They only have the family''s interests in mind. To them, there are


    no such things as warmth and affection! To force Darren and me to separate, they even used very


    special means to force me to give up my intentions!"


    At this point, she fell silent. It felt as though there was a ball of fire raging in her heart, silencing her


    voice and causing her eyes to redden.


    It was the first time Katherine had ever seen her grandmother in such a state, and she immediately felt


    distressed on her grandmother''s behalf. Just what did the Scott-Tutton Family do back then that


    caused Grandma to hold such a deep grudge over that incident after so many years?


    As she was brilliant, the possibility came to her almost instantaneously. Her eyes froze in horror at the


    realization. "Grandma, they can''t have¡­"


    Jennifer closed her eyes, suppressing the hatred surging from the depths of her eyes. After a while,


    she opened her eyes and continued telling them the story in a chilly voice.


    "That''s right, Kathy. I see that you''ve already figured it out. In order to force Darren and me to separate,


    they did not hesitate to ruin my reputation! They drugged my food and locked me up inside a room.


    Moreover, they found a man from somewhere and locked him inside the room with me so that he would


    defile my virtue!"


    Her voice trembled. No matter how she tried to suppress her emotions, she could not hide the rage


    burning in her.


    "Fortunately, my medical skills had improved considerably by then. I barely managed to suppress the


    effects of the drugs in my body, but that man refused to leave me alone. I¡­ I fought back desperately


    and smashed his head with a vase. He bled profusely from the wound and eventually fell unconscious.


    When the Scott-Tutton Family heard themotion from outside the room, they finally unlocked the


    door out of fear that something had happened. It was not until they saw the man lying unconscious on


    the floor that they temporarily gave up on their attempt to ruin me, lest he died as a result. In any case,


    that incident left mepletely disillusioned with them. I took the opportunity to escape and never went


    back there again, resolutely cutting off all ties with the Scott-Tutton Family since that incident¡­"


    Katherine felt a burst of anger erupting in her heart as she listened to her grandmother''s story, and the


    corners of her eyes reddened in response. "Grandma, they were your family. How could they¡­"


    Jennifer sneered, but tears gleamed at the corners of her eyes. "That''s right¡­ They were my


    immediate family. But they did not hold the slightest sense of affection or love for me whatsoever! In


    fact, they did not hesitate to ruin me for the sake of their selfish desires! I would rather not have such a


    despicable family!"


    Katherine could sympathize with the pain and hatred that engulfed Jennifer''s heart. She gritted her


    teeth, suppressed the turbulent emotions in her heart, and tried her best to recover herposure.


    Then, she probed further. "What happened afterward?"


    Jennifer inhaled deeply before letting out a massive breath. A short while passed before she quietly


    continued her tale, "My escape from the Scott-Tutton Family was not very sessful. They tried every


    means possible to destroy and humiliate me, but I always managed to ovee their attempts at the


    last minute. Eventually, they tried to punish me ording to familyw and locked me in the basement.


    They initially started by torturing and berating me. However, they eventually realized their methods


    were not working and decided to starve me instead. They only allowed me to drink some water, hoping


    to destroy my will in the process.


    "As a result, I was constantly covered in wounds. At the time, the butler was the only one who couldn''t


    bear to see me in such a miserable state. He would often bring me some medicine whenever he


    brought water for me. I begged him to help me for a long time. In the end, he couldn''t watch me suffer


    any longer and helped me escape. When I finally managed to flee, the Scott-Tutton Family immediately


    sent people after me as soon as they discovered my absence. I was forced to flee to Uncle Hyman''s


    house. I was fortunate that Uncle Hyman willingly took me in. Afterward, I took on the surname ''Moran''


    and married Darren under the identity of Uncle Hyman''s daughter."


    With that, the truth of the past was wholly revealed.


    Katherine''s expression was cold and sullen, but her eyes were scarlet.


    She never imagined that her grandmother suffered so many grievances in the past, not to mention that


    the Scott-Tutton Family could be so vile and repulsive.


    They were not worthy of being called humans!


    She turned to look at Eddie and discovered that he had a look of disbelief on his face. Moreover, he


    gaped at her incredulously.


    Likewise, Jennifer turned to look at Eddie. Her voice had returned to normal. "And now you know why I


    went estranged from the Scott-Tutton Family, Eddie. How could I possibly live with that kind of family?"


    Eddie did not respond immediately. After a while, he finally shook his head and muttered under his


    breath, "No. That''s impossible¡­"


    "Impossible?" Katherineughed coldly. She calmly raised the needle and questioned in a chilly tone,


    "How is it impossible? I can''t believe you still refuse to face the truth after everything you''ve heard. Has


    the Scott-Tutton Family brainwashed you?"


    "Shut up!" Eddie shouted in a highly irritable voice and turned to look at Jennifer. "I don''t believe a


    single word you said! You''re trying to deceive me! How could the Scott-Tutton Family be so vile? I don''t


    believe it!"


    Jennifer abruptly jerked to her feet in response and red at Eddie furiously. The look in her eyes was


    indescribably sharp and piercing in the face of his usations.

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300


    "Me? Deceive you? I don''t believe you don''t know what the Scott-Tutton Family is like! You are just like


    them, never willing to believe the truth or admit your mistakes!"


    Jennifer couldn''t help feeling utterly disappointed as she arrived at an epiphany.


    "It looks like the Scott-Tutton Family has instilled many evil ideas in your head over the years. I can''t


    believe how incapable you are of telling between good and evil! I truly regret my actions now. Why


    didn''t I bring you with me when I left back then? Instead, I''ve left you to be exactly like the rest of


    the Scott-Tutton Family¡ªcold-blooded and callous!"


    Then, she took two steps forward. Her whole body exuded a powerful aura, and her expression was


    imposing.


    "I''ve told you everything I have to say and exined everything I know about the past events to you.


    That''s all I have to say. I don''t have an ounce of guilt toward the Scott-Tutton Family, let alone you.


    Whether you believe me or not is up to you! I have nothing more to say to you if you wish to continue


    deluding yourself with those lies! But you need to remove the poison in Kathy''s body immediately! She


    is my granddaughter on my daughter''s side! She has nothing to do with the grievances between you


    and Mike!"


    Eddie kept his mouth shut tightly. The muscles in his cheek twitched, and his expression was hideous.


    He refused to believe the story he had told him earlier, but he had the vague realization that she was


    speaking the truth. The conflicting and contradictory emotions in his heart ripped his reasoning apart.


    After some time, he shook his head firmly. In the end, his hatred gained the upper hand, and he


    returned to his usual ruthless demeanor.


    "You want me to save her? Impossible! I didn''t tell you the truth earlier. The poison I used on her is the


    mother curse! There is no cure! If I save her, I will suffer the bacsh of the poison instead! Jenny, if


    you still regard me as your younger brother, then you should feel sorry for me. How could you allow me


    to suffer from the bacsh?" After he said that, he grinned ferociously. "Unless¡­ Unless you are willing


    to kneel and beg me to save her! Instruct Joaquin to help me kill Mike. Then, I might be willing to


    remove the poison from her body!"


    As soon as the words left his mouth, she immediately froze in shock.


    "You¡­ You used the mother curse!? Are you insane?!"


    He threw his head back andughed wildly. "What do you mean by insane? It doesn''t matter what I


    need to do to achieve my goal! I will kill Mike no matter what! Only by killing will I be able to avenge my


    youngest son! Who cares whether I survive the attempt or not?"


    At this moment, Jennifer waspletely shaken to the core.


    She initially thought that Katherine would be able to remove the poison through the self-medication


    administered earlier. The reason she went to the trouble of telling her story just now was to make Eddie


    drop his guard and bring out the antidote, just in case.


    Who could have imagined that he had used the mother curse on Katherine?


    The poison of the mother curse was ten thousand times more difficult to remove than ordinary poison!


    For a moment, she became uncertain as to whether Katherine could sessfully remove the poison


    through self-medication. What if¡­


    Before she knew it, a denseyer of cold sweat had formed on her back. She looked at Katherine''s


    ashenplexion. She couldn''t suppress her worry, so she finally decided on apromise.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "Eddie, promise me! As long as I kneel before you, you will hand over the antidote!"


    Eddie sneered, "That will depend on whether you can satisfy me. I might not be willing to hand over the


    antidote even if you knelt before me, but I definitely won''t bring out the antidote if you refuse to kneel


    before me! Jenny, you were far more decisive when you left the Scott-Tutton Family than you are now!"


    She knew that he would not relent upon hearing those words. She clenched her fists tightly and


    ultimately gave a heavy sigh. "Fine. I will kneel."


    As soon as the words left her mouth, Donald immediately turned pale with horror. "Jenny!"


    Both Katherine and Joaquin looked grim. "Grandma!"


    That was especially so for Katherine. She even shot a sharp look at Eddie. At the same time, her wrist,


    which had been hanging by her side, moved slightly. She repeatedly clenched her fingers into a fist and


    rxed her grip.


    Eddie failed to notice Katherine''s movements. Instead, he was staring fixedly at Jennifer with a look of


    contempt in his eyes. "You should have thought about the consequences of betraying the family when


    you left the Scott-Tutton Family back then!"


    Jennifer ignored him and took two steps forward. Her expression was nk and emotionless. Then,


    she lowered her body into a kneeling position after taking a deep breath.


    At that fleeting moment, Katherine confirmed that she had regained strength in her body. She shoved


    Joaquin aside, exchanged a look with him, and then stood up abruptly.


    The instant he received her signal, he followed her example and rose to his feet without saying a word.


    At the same time, he grabbed Jennifer right before she knelt on the ground and said coldly, "Grandma,


    you can''t kneel."


    He quickly pulled her behind him to protect her. When he looked up again, he saw Katherine moving


    forward with a frigid expression and kicking Eddie hard in the knee before Eddie even had the time to


    react.


    In the next moment, there was a loud ''thud''. Eddie, who waspletely caught off guard, felt a sharp


    pain in his knees and immediately fell to a kneeling position on the ground.


    Meanwhile, the bottle of antidote in his hand rolled to the side.


    He was stunned. A while passed before he btedly realized what had happened and instinctively tried


    to crawl to his feet.


    Nevertheless, he felt somebody pressing him down by the shoulders before he could make a move.


    "What? Are you trying to get up? Hah¡­"


    A cold and sharp voice rang out from above his head, causing his entire body to tremble in response.


    He abruptly raised his head and saw Katherine bending down in front of him. She had one hand


    pressed against his shoulder.


    At this moment, her delicate eyes seemed to be covered in ayer of evesting frost. Her originally


    scarlet lips were pale and bloodless, but they were curved into a chilling smile.


    Frankly, it was obvious that she had not used much strength. Be that as it may, he could not move a


    muscle despite struggling hard against her.


    Then, a shocked expression appeared on his face. "You¡­ You¡­"


    Eddie stuttered for a long time but could not finish his sentence. Katherine was in no hurry either. She


    leaned to the side, used her other hand to pick up the bottle of antidote from the floor, and toyed with it


    in the palm of her hand.


    "Are you surprised to see that I''m fine?" she suddenly asked in a tone that was mixed with ridicule. "I


    don''t mind telling you the truth. Although you poisoned me, my physique has always been different


    from others. The strength of any poison that enters my body will weaken by more than half. The mother


    curse might be powerful, but I only need to perform acupuncture for fifteen minutes to remove the


    effects easily. All I needed was a period of time that was free of any hindrances."


    As soon as he heard those words, his pupils immediately contracted violently. His expression was filled


    with utter disbelief. "How¡­ How is that possible!?"


    He looked at her as though he was staring at a monster. Then, he immediately realized something.


    "That''s why you and your grandmother¡­"


    Before Eddie could finish his sentence, Katherine guessed what he wanted to say. She immediately


    raised an eyebrow and shook her head.


    "It''s true that I was deliberately stalling to buy more time. Like how you used your past with Mike to buy


    time for the poison to take effect in my body, I was buying time to remove the poison from my body.


    However, that is unrted to my grandmother''s story. Everything she told you was the truth. It''s just


    that you refuse to believe her." After she said that, she narrowed her eyes. Her body had recovered its


    strength by 80%, and she increased the force exerted in her hands by a small margin.


    How could an old man like Eddie endure such immense powering from her? His expression


    immediately twisted in extreme agony.

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301


    "Is that the limit of your pain tolerance?" Katherine looked at Eddie calmly and continued coldly, "If my


    grandmother had knelt in front of you just now, then the pain would have been greater than the


    insignificant difort you are feeling right now."


    "You¡­" Eddie gritted his teeth and suddenly yelled loudly, "You are being unfilial! I am your granduncle!


    How can you treat me in such a manner!?"


    She burst into mockingughter upon hearing those words, reacting as though she had heard the


    funniest joke in the world. However, the smile did not reach her eyes.


    "My granduncle? Hah! Even after learning my identity, you showed no intention of removing the poison


    from my body. So what? Do you really expect me to show you respect when you don''t cherish me?"


    Immediately after that, the smile on her lips vanished without a trace. She pressed her lips into an


    extremely sharp line and continued, "Actually, I''m surprised you actually know the meaning of the word


    ''filial''. Why didn''t you think about how unfilial you were being when you forced my grandmother, who is


    also your sister, to kneel before you? Huh?"


    Eddie seemed intimidated by the aura emanating from her body for some reason. He stared up at her


    nkly and couldn''t find the right words to refute her.


    Nheless, Katherine was in no hurry. She stared down at him from this position and waited for some


    time before she continued, "In that case, you should kneel for a little longer as an apology to


    Grandma."


    At this moment, Jennifer finally recovered from her shock and rushed forward to scrutinize Katherine.


    "Kathy, are you alright now?"


    Katherine gave Jennifer aforting look. "Don''t worry, Grandma. I''m fine."


    While she was reassuring her grandmother, she could feel a slight burning sensationing from the


    rose birthmark on her chest.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    However, it was not convenient for her to examine herself carefully with so many outsiders present. So,


    she could only ignore the strange feeling for the time being and tipped out a single pill from the


    porcin bottle in her hand.


    Although she had performed self-medication to remove the poison from her body, she was not


    completely recovered. The poison from the mother curse was highly potent. Therefore, it was better for


    her to consume the antidote topletely eradicate the poison from her body, just to be on the safe


    side.


    Then, she tilted her head back and swallowed the pill with that thought in mind.


    As expected, a bacsh reaction immediately urred when she removed the poison from the mother


    curse from her body. Eddie suddenly began panting heavily and clutching at his chest as though he


    was in great pain.


    Katherine quickly released her grip on Eddie in response. She regarded the man on the ground coldly,


    took several steps back, and dragged Jennifer along with her.


    In the next moment, Eddie''s face turned red, and his eyes widened in horror. He threw up a mouthful of


    blood without warning. However, the color of his blood was not crimson like normal but ck.


    "Eddie!" Jennifer immediately screamed in fright and instinctively tried to rush forward to help him.


    Katherine reached out and stopped Jennifer from approaching him. "Grandma, don''t go. He is suffering


    from the bacsh of the mother curse."


    After the words left her mouth, a cold sneer appeared on her face. She looked down at the man


    writhing on the ground in pain and mockingly pointed out, "That''s true karma and retribution."


    "S-Save me¡­"


    The bacsh of the mother curse was terrible. As a result, Eddie writhed on the ground in agony,


    seemingly suffering from immense pain. One of his hands clutched tightly at his chest, and his other


    hand reached out weakly toward the void. Yet, at the same time, he kept pleading for them to help him.


    Jennifer couldn''t bear to watch Eddie in such a miserable state and quickly nced at Katherine with a


    troubled expression on her face. In spite of the conflicting emotions in her heart, she begged on his


    behalf anyway, "Kathy, please save him."


    Katherine''s expression was far from pleasant. "Grandma, did you forget how he treated us just now?


    Why would you save him now when he refused to show us any mercy earlier?"


    She had never been the type to repay grievances with kindness. She knew that she was not that


    magnanimous, so she had no intention of reaching out to provide a helping hand whatsoever.


    She also knew that the bacsh of the mother curse was not deadly, even though the effects were


    harrowing. Hence, there was even less reason for her to be worried.


    Unfortunately, Jennifer was not aware of that knowledge. When she saw the veins bulging on Eddie''s


    forehead, she couldn''t help feeling increasingly anxious.


    "Kathy, I know that you''re angry, but regardless of the circumstances, he is your granduncle. If he dies,


    then you will carry the sin of murdering your granduncle! It''s just that the Scott-Tutton Family has


    deceived him. He lived his entire life with them, so they have instilled all sorts of lies in him since he


    was young. So, it''s understandable that he doesn''t believe me¡­"


    It did not matter how furious she was. Eddie was her only brother. Moreover, her mother had entrusted


    her with the duty of taking good care of him. She simply could not bear to watch him suffer without


    doing anything.


    Katherine''s expression remained dreadful despite hearing those words.


    "Which part of him has been blinded by them? It''s more like he has no capacity for empathy and


    kindness! The entire Scott-Tutton Family is trash!"


    Whenever she recalled the Scott-Tutton Family''s despicable actions toward Jennifer, she was filled with


    such a strong sense of hatred that her teeth tingled from the animosity.


    How could Jennifer not understand Katherine''s thoughts? She took Katherine''s hands and sighed


    helplessly.


    "Kathy, my sweet child. That''s all in the past now. Don''t let the grievances from our generation affect


    you. Won''t you save your granduncle, please?"


    Katherine had no desire to respond to the request at the moment. Instead, she turned to look at


    Jennifer and stared at the olddy intently. Then, she frowned deeply and began to scold Jennifer.


    "Grandma, do you really have the time to worry about others? What did you promise me before I


    came? Didn''t you promise to protect yourself well and take a good rest to recuperate?"


    Katherine''s sudden admonishment momentarily stunned Jennifer, and Jennifer unconsciously nced


    toward Donald for help.


    Donald caught Jennifer''s signal and doggedly spoke up for her, "Miss Katherine, Jenny just¡ª"


    Katherine red at him and bluntly answered, "You don''t need to speak for my grandmother. I know


    she forced you to bring her here."


    Then, she turned her attention back to Jennifer and helped the olddy to a nearby couch.


    "Grandma, why did you break your promise to me? How can you disregard your health and travel all


    the way to Kynd? Why did youe here? Are you trying to worry me on purpose?"


    Jennifer hesitated for a moment, not knowing whether she should reveal the truth to Katherine.


    On the other hand, Donald realized they could no longer conceal the truth. He sighed heavily and


    spoke on her behalf, "Miss Katherine, please stop scolding Jenny. Jenny only came to Kynd for your


    sake. This is the Moran Family''s territory. She was worried that your arrival would cause the Moran


    Family to be aware of your existence. They were bound to create various problems for you if that


    happened. That''s why she deliberately followed your trail as soon as you departed. It was all to help


    you settle the troubles that the Moran Family might cause and relieve your worries. Afterward, she


    discovered the movements of the Scott-Tutton Family. When she learned that Eddie hade to


    Kynd, she guessed that he woulde for the Fraser Family. She was worried that something


    might happen to you, so she hastily hurried over to help you."


    After Katherine listened to Donald''s exnation, she was taken aback. There was a mixture of


    conflicting emotions in her heart, including anger and self-me.


    If she had note to Kynd, then her grandmother would not have dragged her frail body here¡­


    As soon as Jennifer saw Katherine''s expression, she immediately knew what Katherine was thinking.


    First, she red at Donald, then she took Katherine''s hand and gave her a gentle pat.


    "Kathy, please don''t me yourself. It''s not your fault. You had to rescue the Fraser Family. What did I


    teach you? We should never ignore a person in need. Besides, I came to Kynd willingly. I would


    have been distraught if a single hair on your body was harmed. Even if I had to be buried six feet


    underground¡­"

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302


    It might be that the words ''buried six feet underground'' sounded extremely grating on the ears.


    Katherine scowled and shook her grandmother''s hand in dissatisfaction.


    "What nonsense are you saying, Grandma? Why are you saying that you''ll be buried six feet


    underground? You still have a long life ahead of you. So, don''t you dare say such nonsense again."


    Jennifer parted her lips helplessly. A bitter look shed through the depths of her eyes, but she did not


    reveal any emotion on her face.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eddie trembling on the ground in pain and felt very anxious.


    Thus, she decided to throw a tantrum like a child.


    "Kathy, I taught you never to ignore a person in need. Your Granduncle is currently in trouble.


    Regardless of his identity, you can''t just turn a blind eye to him!"


    Katherine did not expect such words from her grandmother, but she kept a straight face and said


    nothing.


    Jennifer continued her efforts. "I''m really fine. Look! Aren''t I standing in front of you right now with no


    issues? You silly girl¡­ If you really want the best for me, then you should save your Granduncle as


    soon as possible. It will also reduce my worries, and my health will naturally recover once I no longer


    have any worries on my mind."


    Katherine had no intention of agreeing to her grandmother''s request at the beginning, but she could


    see that her grandmother''splexion was very poor. Furthermore, she was rightfully worried that her


    grandmother might suffer from a heart condition because of this matter, so she had no choice but to


    agree.


    She stood up, surveyed the room, and then turned toward Joaquin. "Carry him away."


    Joaquin nodded and inquired, "Where should I take him?"


    She pondered for a moment. "Away from the Fraser Residence. Let''s go back to the hotel. If the people


    from the Fraser Family catch sight of him, they will surely kick up a huge fuss."


    Jennifer thought the same and quickly nced toward Donald. "Help Joaquin. Please carry Eddie into


    the car together."


    Donald responded affirmatively and worked together with Joaquin to haul Eddie away.


    There were only three people left in the room. Katherine looked back at Mike with a calm expression.


    "Just pretend that today''s incident never happened."


    Mike had no reason to disregard her words, so he nodded repeatedly. "Don''t worry, Miss Cornell. I


    won''t tell a soul about what happened today!"


    He hesitated for a moment and finally asked in a tentative voice, "About the illness that Myles and I


    have¡­"


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    Katherine did not respond to his question. She didn''t even spare a nce at Mike as she helped


    Jennifer out of the room.


    ¡­


    After they returned to the hotel, Eddie was ced in a room alone. Katherine did not waste any time


    and quickly went to treat him.


    One hourter, she came out of the room and returned to the room next door.


    "How is it? Is he feeling better?" As soon as Jennifer saw Katherine, she anxiously fired a barrage of


    questions.


    Katherine massaged her neck and gave Jennifer a reassuring look. "Don''t worry. He''s fine. He is


    unconscious at the moment, but he will be back to normal once he regains consciousness."


    Jennifer finally rxed after hearing her reassurances.


    At this moment, Joaquin took Katherine''s hand and pulled her over to the couch. His gaze was fixed on


    her face, and there was a frown on his face. "Why is yourplexion still so pale?"


    He also quickly handed her a ss of water.


    She took the ss from him and took a sip of water, but she did not take his question seriously.


    "I probably overexerted myself during the treatment. I''m fine. I''ll be back to normal after some rest."


    He was still highly concerned. "Are you sure the poison ispletely gone? Do you need to go to the


    hospital?"


    She shook her head and smiled gently. "I''m sure. Don''t you believe in my medical skills? Do you think


    the hospital doctors will know the man-faced curse better than me?"


    He pondered in silence for a moment. However, he did not force the issue and said in resignation,


    "How could I not believe in you? I''m just worried."


    By the side, Jennifer slowly exhaled in relief and curved her lips into a small smile.


    "I''m relieved to see that you have such a good rtionship with each other. Joaquin, Kathy is great at


    everything. Her only weakness is her tendency to act tough. Even if she feels ufortable or unwell,


    she will endure the pain without saying anything. So, you need to pay more attention to her. If you


    discover something is wrong, and she doesn''t say anything, you have to bring her to the hospital, even


    if you have to tie her up and drag her there by force!"


    Joaquin smiled slightly. "Okay, Grandma. Don''t worry. I will do as you say."


    Katherine felt somewhat embarrassed after listening to their conversation, so she couldn''t help


    mumbling under her breath, "That''s not true¡­"


    He raised his eyebrow at her. "It doesn''t matter whether that happened or not. I have to do as Grandma


    said in the future, so you had best be on your best behavior. Don''t make me worry."


    Her cheeks flushed slightly. Therefore, she ignored him and turned to look at Jennifer as she started to


    behave like a mother toward Jennifer.


    "Grandma, yourplexion is terrible. Have you been eating the medicine I prescribed for you on


    time?"


    Although she was confident in her skills, it wasn''t enough to alleviate her worries. Hence, she decided


    to take a seat next to Jennifer. "Forget it. Let me examine your body."


    A strange gleam shed through Jennifer''s eyes when she saw Katherine moving toward her. She


    quickly waved her hands dismissively. "Why are you examining me? I''ve had enough of the doctors


    examining me in the hospital. I''m sick of seeing you and the doctors examining me every single day. It


    wasn''t easy for me to obtain some freedom. Silly girl¡­ Can''t you let me rx for a bit? Just pretend


    that I''m not sick for today."


    Katherine was rendered speechless by Jennifer''s tirade.


    As she couldn''t find it in herself to reprimand Jennifer, her only option was to coax Jennifer patiently.


    "Grandma, I can only feel at ease if I examine you and confirm that you''re fine."


    Be that as it may, Jennifer stubbornly refused. She was scared that her condition would be exposed, so


    she quickly changed the subject, saying, "Even if you want to examine me, can''t you let me have some


    food first? Myplexion is so poor because I''m starving. I didn''t even get a sip of water today, not to


    mention any food. It''d be strange if myplexion were great under such circumstances!"


    Finally, she turned to Joaquin and started behaving petntly. "Joaquin, do something about your wife!


    Hurry up and bring me out for dinner!"


    Her words left Joaquin feeling a mixture of frustration and amusement. He could only nod obediently in


    response.


    "Alright, Grandma. What do you want to eat? I''ll reserve a table immediately and bring you there for


    dinner."


    Jennifer stretchedzily and pondered for a moment before she decided. "Let''s go to Spring Pce. It''s


    been so many years since I returned to Kynd. I am craving the roasted duck at Spring Pce."


    Katherine could not bring herself to spoil the mood in this situation, so she suppressed her worry for the


    time being and helped Jennifer off the couch.


    It might be that Jennifer was highly relieved to hear that Eddie was safe. But,bined with the fatigue


    over the past few days, her body could no longer endure the stress. She only managed to take two


    steps before her vision went ck, and she fainted.


    Katherine barely realized what had happened. But when she saw that the olddy next to her was


    falling backward all of a sudden, she quickly reached out to support Jennifer.


    "Grandma! Grandma!" When sheid her eyes on Jennifer''s tightly closed eyes and ashenplexion,


    white noise filled her mind as she hoarsely cried out for her grandmother.


    Joaquin turned back and immediately rushed forward to help support Jennifer upon hearing the


    commotion.


    He instinctively realized that something was amiss and took the lead by instructing with a solemn


    expression, "Let''s get her back to the room."


    Likewise, Donald was frightened by the sudden turn of events. He followed them into the room and


    called out in a trembling voice, "Jenny! Jenny! Wake up¡­"


    Katherine''s head momentarily went nk. After a few seconds, she forced herself to calm down. She


    abruptly raised her head and stared straight at Donald.


    "Tell me honestly. How has my grandmother''s condition been recently?"


    Donald shook under her sharp gaze. At this point, he didn''t dare to conceal the truth any longer, so he


    promptly revealed everything.


    "Jenny''s condition is bad. She has been enduring by willpower alone for the past few days. Miss


    Katherine, the medicine you gave her¡­ She¡­ She has been doubling the dosage to persevere until


    now¡­"

 Chapter 303

    Chapter 303


    As soon as Katherine heard those words, she felt a buzzing sound flooding her mind to the point where


    she couldn''t hear anything else.


    Herplexion paled rapidly as she stared intently at Jennifer''s face. Finally, she pressed her lips


    tightly together into a thin line.


    Beside her, Joaquin looked sullen at the ill news. Then, he suddenly grabbed her hand and gave her a


    gentle squeeze.


    She raised her head and gave him a dazed look. Only then did she recover from her shock.


    "Don''t panic. Grandma will be fine," he reassured. His low voice was very soothing andforting.


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    She only lost herposure for that fleeting moment. After that, it didn''t take long for her to calm down


    again. Still, she only managed a mechanic nod. "Yeah, I know."


    As soon as the words left her mouth, she discovered her throat was parched. Her voice was so hoarse


    that it felt like she had sand in her throat.


    She gritted her teeth and remained silent. Instead, she took out her needles and did her best to stay


    calm. Then, she methodically performed acupuncture on Jennifer.


    Katherine had always been poised in the face of crisis. Even when she was forced to face Noah''s


    repeated fainting spells, she could deal with the situation calmly.


    However, her hands couldn''t help but tremble uncontrobly at this moment. To make matters worse,


    her palms were also coated in ayer of perspiration.


    An ominous premonition flooded her without any exnation, causing her to feel highly uneasy. She


    desperately tried to suppress the feeling, but that sense of dread continued to twist around her heart


    like poison ivy.


    Fifteen minutester, Jennifer''s heavy eyelids seemed to flutter slightly. It took great effort for her to


    open her eyes.


    Her cloudy eyes were momentarily confused. She stared at the ceiling for some time before her gaze


    roved around the room and glided over the faces of every single person in the room. Eventually, her


    gazended on Katherine''s face.


    "Kathy," she called Katherine''s name in a raspy voice. Then, she lowered her gaze slightly, only to see


    needles sticking out of her body. When she saw Katherine still trying, she breathed out lightly. "Don''t


    bother. There''s no need for further acupuncture."


    Jennifer''s words came out of nowhere, causing Katherine to freeze for a moment. Katherine tightly


    pursed her lips and continued moving her hands without heeding Jennifer''s words.


    Jennifer sighed with a resigned expression on her face as she watched Katherine performing the


    acupuncture treatment in stubborn silence. "I know my own body well. Kathy, listen to me."


    That statement nearly caused Katherine to break down emotionally.


    She gritted her teeth and forced out a hiss, "Grandma, please stop speaking. It''s not good for your


    health if you speak during acupuncture. Once I get your vitality under control, I will prescribe some


    medicine to you. Your health will improve once more."


    Jennifer chuckled softly upon hearing those words. Nevertheless, she no longer had any strength to


    refute Katherine. Her lips had gone entirely bloodless in seconds.


    "What medicine will you prescribe for me? Kathy, I''m sure you''ve already noticed that I don''t have any


    time left. How could you stabilize my condition?"


    Those words caused Katherine''s movements to freeze, and a visible tremor ran through her hands.


    Indeed, Jennifer was speaking the truth.


    Before Katherine started the acupuncture treatment, she had taken Jennifer''s pulse and discovered


    that Jennifer''s pulse was fluttering weakly. In fact, it was almost non-existent. Jennifer''s vitality was


    practically undetectable.


    That was a symptom of death, but how could she ept the fact that her grandmother was dying right


    before her very eyes?


    The grandmother who loved her the most was practically at death''s door, about to part ways with the


    world of the living. How could she go along with the reality that her grandmother was about to leave her


    forever?


    That was why she had kept her mouth shut. Instead, she simply did her best to utilize everything she


    learned in her life and attempted to save her grandmother by performing acupuncture.


    Unfortunately, precious time slipped away with every passing moment. Jennifer''s body only became


    weaker and weaker with time. Regardless, her pulse had barely fluctuated even when she spoke.


    Katherine''s fingertips went numb and she felt like she had fallen into a cavern of ice.


    Jennifer couldn''t help feeling distressed as she observed Katherine''s disheartened expression. The


    corner of her eyes reddened slightly, but she was afraid to make Katherine even more distressed. So,


    she forced her tears back as she feigned calmness. Then. she looked at Joaquin and smiled with great


    effort.


    "Joaquin, please do something about this silly girl. This girl is getting more and more rebellious. She


    won''t even listen to me anymore."


    Joaquin pressed his lips together into a grim line as aplicated expression painted across his face.


    For a time, he could not bring himself to say anything.


    Donald, who was standing by the side, couldn''t help calling out to Jennifer. His voice was very choked


    up, "Jenny¡­"


    Jennifer nced at Donald and closed her eyes helplessly. Nheless, she remained smiling.


    "Donald, you''ve served me for such a long time. You know my preferences and my temperament. I


    don''t like seeing the people around me looking so depressed. It''s very upsetting to me."


    Needless to say, he knew that she was deliberately making those statements. He immediately took a


    deep breath, but a haunting look of sorrow clouded his eyes.


    Anybody could tell that she did not have much longer to live just by looking at Jennifer''s appearance.


    The emotions in her heart were reflected on her face like a bright mirror. She turned her gaze toward


    Katherine again. Then, she took Katherine''s hand in hers and stroked her granddaughter''s hand gently.


    "Kathy, stop the treatment. Don''t waste your energy. I don''t have long left to live, and I want to spend


    this time talking to you. When I made this trip to Kynd, I knew that my life wasing to an end


    soon. I was struggling to hold on because I was worried that the Moran Family might hurt you.


    Unfortunately, I can only protect you once. I can''t protect you forever. After this¡­"


    She had to stop and pant slightly after every few words to regain her breath. It was clear that talking


    was a veryborious task.


    Katherine felt as though there was an invisible hand squeezing her heart painfully as she listened to


    what sounded like her grandmother''sst words. The pain was unbearable, but she still forced herself


    to remain optimistic.


    She interrupted Jennifer''s speech with a tense and stiff expression. Moreover, her tone was blunt and


    stubborn.


    "Grandma, stop talking. Talking is harmful to your health. You''re only going to make my acupuncture


    efforts go to waste by talking," She even retracted her hand as she spoke and spread out the cloth bag


    containing the silver needles.


    Jennifer frowned slightly at the sight. "Silly girl, why are you being so stubborn? Are you nning to


    snatch my soul from the hands of the grim reaper? Listen to me¡­"


    "I don''t want to!" All of a sudden, Katherine raised her voice and threw a tantrum like a child. "I don''t


    want to listen! It''s not like I''ve never saved somebody from the jaws of death before! So what if I do it


    again? You won''t leave me! I won''t allow it!" Her eyes reddened while she was speaking. The urge to


    cry mmed into her, and she nearly burst into tears right there and then.


    At this moment, she felt as though the clock had turned backward, and she was once again a naive


    child. Whenever something did not work out the way she wanted, she would throw a tantrum in front of


    her grandmother.


    Katherine''s current behavior reminded Jennifer of the past. Her eyes burned slightly, and tears flooded


    her eyes.


    She stretched out her bony and wrinkled hands to Katherine, her voice choking with sobs. "My dear


    Kathy¡­ I don''t want to leave you either, but people are bound to die eventually. I should have died five


    years ago. It''s only because of you that I''ve stubbornly held onto this life. Now that you''ve gotten your


    revenge and the dilemma hounding you are gone. You have married a reliable man. Joaquin treats you


    so well, and Noah''s disease has been cured. There''s nothing to worry about anymore. I''m so tired¡­


    Won''t you let me go peacefully¡­"


    Katherine could no longer hold back her tears, andrge drops of tears flowed out of her eyes. Even


    though her gaze was blurry with tears, she continued with her outburst, "I won''t! I won''t let you leave


    me! Noah is still so young! How can you leave now? I refuse to ept your decision!"


    As soon as she yelled out those words, she raised her hand and messily wiped away her tears. Then, a


    look of determination shed through her eyes. Suddenly, she dug out a small de from the pocket of


    her cloth bag and swiped the knife against her palm.


    Crimson blood instantly gushed out of her palm, shocking everybody in the room.


    "Miss Katherine!"


    "Kathy! What are you doing?!"

 Chapter 304

    Chapter 304


    Jennifer was also stunned by the turn of events, but she quickly realized what was happening, and her


    eyes widened. "Kathy, you''re¡­"


    Katherine ignored everyone''s reactions, grabbed the ss of water that was next to the bed, threw the


    water on the floor, and held the rim of the ss tightly. Soon, blood trickled and flowed into the ss.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Joaquin was taken aback by her actions. He had a bad premonition and wanted to stop her out of


    reflex. However, his hand had barely touched Katherine''s shoulder when she barked, "Don''t stop me,


    or I''ll never forgive you for the rest of my life!"


    This was the first time she spoke so harshly to him, and he froze in response. A knot appeared


    between his brows, but he didn''t stop her this time.


    On the other hand, Jennifer was worried. "Stop now, Kathy! How can you use the secret practice? That


    will cause terrible damage to the energy flow in your body! You know you won''t be able to handle the


    bacsh!"


    Katherine gritted her teeth as she resolutely forged on the path she intended to take. "I have to do this!


    There is no way I''ll allow you to leave me like this!"


    Finally, she dropped all the silver needles into the ss, held her breath, and started to apply the


    blood-soaked needles to Jennifer.


    Joaquin felt useless as he couldn''t even help, even if he wanted. Therefore, he could watch helplessly


    from the side. As he watched on with eyes full of worry, he realized that the locations where she


    applied the needles were different from usual. Furthermore, the technique was also vastly different, and


    he couldn''t help but scrutinize Kathy''s actions.


    When he considered the things Jennifer had said earlier, he reckoned that this was a secret technique


    that could revive the dead.


    Katherine was only halfway done, but blood had already drained from her face; she looked absolutely


    horrible.


    She staggered backward slightly when she suddenly felt a surge of energy within her body running


    amok, causing immense pain.


    "Kathy? Kathy!"


    It sounded as though Joaquin''s voice had been muffled, and she couldn''t hear it clearly.


    Nevertheless, she stood rooted to the spot by sheer force of will as her vision started to turn blurry.


    Everything turned ck when she was about to say something, and she had no idea what happened


    next.


    Before she passed out, Joaquin swiftly caught her in his arms. Then, he shouted in a panicked tone,


    "Kathy! Wake up!"


    He pressed on her philtrum as he called out her name again and again, but her eyes remained shut. It


    also didn''t help that her face was pallid, and her body felt cold.


    As the treatment was forcefully suspended, Jennifer, who had slipped into a semi-conscious state,


    forced her eyes open.


    The instant she saw the scene unfold before her, she felt her heart twist and gasped with difficulty, "H-


    Hurry. Lay her down¡­"


    Joaquin didn''t hesitate for a single moment as he hastily carried Katherine to the couch on the side and


    laid her t.


    Although Jennifer''s mind was conscious, her body was not. So, she only managed to tilt her head and


    watch on with worry. After that, she instructed Donald weakly, "Go¡­ Go get some herbs and boil them


    with ginger. Make Kathy drink it once she''s awake."


    Donald hesitated, but she immediately urged with great difficulty, "Why are you still standing there?


    Go!"


    Hence, he had to do as told, even if he was reluctant to do so, leaving only three people in the room.


    Suddenly, she slowly raised her arm with great effort and pulled out all the silver needles. Even though


    Joaquin had his full attention on Katherine, he caught sight of her actions through his peripheral view.


    He was startled by her daring and immediately jerked up to his feet to stop her, "Grandma¡ª"


    But before he could say anything, she shook her head sadly. "It''s useless."


    Her words made him stop in his tracks, and he was at a loss for words.


    Finally, she took a nce at Katherine, raised her eyes to him, and turned her attention to him before


    patting the bedside, saying softly, "Joaquin, sit here. I have something to tell you."


    Joaquin pursed his lips but did as she requested. Then, Jennifer let out a weary sigh.


    "Even if Kathy uses this skill, these old bones of mine won''t be able to handle it. It''s time for me to go,


    but thisss is as stubborn as a mule and insists on wasting her efforts."


    "Kathy is¡ª"


    Naturally, she noticed the unabashed concern he had on his face, so she reassured him, "She''s fine.


    She had just used up a lot of energy to save her granduncle. It''s just that the energy flow in her body is


    not enough to sustain her after saving him and then me in such quick session. Although her current


    condition isn''t the best, she will be fine after some rest."


    After he heard that, Joaquin''s stern face only eased up a little, but when he gazed at Jennifer''s current


    condition, his face turned grim. "Grandma, you¡ª"


    She waved her hand to dismiss his words before she cut him off, "I know what you want to say. It''s


    useless, so don''t waste your efforts. There are some things I would like to tell you while I still have the


    time," she said, turning to Katherine with a heartbroken look in her eyes. "It looks like I can''t make it


    until this girl wakes up. It''s been years since shest acted like a child. Since I know her so well, I don''t


    think I can handle it if she wakes up now. So, don''t feel sorry that I''ll be leaving before seeing her one


    last time. In any case, this is a good thing. None of us will have to struggle to bid our goodbyes in this


    life¡­"


    "But Grandma, she''ll still be sad once she wakes up. Please hold on for a little longer. For Kathy''s


    sake? You know her medical skills. You''ll be able to live a long life once she has regained her


    bearings."


    It was rare for him to say such things, and it made her huff in amusement before she retorted with a


    chuckle, "A long life? Oh my, since when did you brush up your coaxing skills, young man?" When he


    went silent, she smiled and added, "I know that you feel sorry for Kathy and don''t want me to go, but


    can you consider my point of view? I''ve been wanting to meet that old man for a long time. He''s been


    waiting for me on the other side for so long. Don''t you think it''s about time for me to meet up with him?"


    At the mention of this, she looked a little upset as Darren''s image appeared in her mind. Meanwhile,


    Joaquin''s heart turned heavy at her confession, and his chest felt tight and uneasy.


    "Actually, my body would have given up a long time ago. I wouldn''t have held on until now if it weren''t


    for Kathy''s unresolved issues. Fortunately, now she has you by her side, which sets me at ease.


    Speaking of which, both of you share an incredible fate. As it turns out, you''re the knot in her heart from


    five years ago. But I''m gratified that she already sorted that out and Noah''s biological father is found.


    There''s nothing I have to worry about since you are so good to Noah and Kathy. I''ll entrust them both to


    you from now on, and I know that you''ll take good care of them. So, there''s no need for me to leave


    you any advice, but there''s one thing I have to tell you before I go," she said solemnly, scanning around


    the room before finally pointing at her bag. "Child, please get me my bag."


    Joaquin quietly did as he was instructed with a heavy heart. She took the bag from him, whisked out a


    notebook from inside, and passed it to him.


    "My mother left this for me when she passed. Apart from that secret parchment scroll, there''s also this


    notebook, which records all sorts of secret practices of the Scott-Tutton Family. It''s very important, and


    I''ve been keeping it with me this whole time instead of passing it to Kathy because it will bring her a


    whole lot of trouble. I have a hunch that you also know that people have hunted me, and it''s all


    because of this. Both the Moran and the Scott-Tutton Families want it, and they would resort to any


    means to get their greedy little paws on it. That''s why I''ve never passed it to Kathy all these years, as


    I''m afraid that it wouldnd her in peril, but¡­" she trailed off and paused. Then, she wheezed a few


    times and sighed. "Now, I have no other choice but to give it to her. This is a legacy from the Scott-


    Tutton Family and my only legacy for Kathy. Pass this to her once she''s awake and tell her that it''s my


    wish for her to guard it well. Also, warn her to beware of the Moran and the Scott-Tutton Families!"

 Chapter 305

    Chapter 305


    Joaquin cautiously took the notebook from her, and he couldn''t help but think it felt as heavy as lead.


    Still, he masked his sadness and donned a serious expression as he vowed, "Grandma, I''ve


    remembered everything you said. I''ll protect Kathy and Noah with everything I have. Nothing will


    happen to them as long as I''m around."


    He seldom made any promises throughout the years. Yet, all the things he swore to do were made to


    Katherine and the olddy in front of him now.


    Jennifer nodded in gratification, and her face turned a shade paler while her breathing also turned


    weaker. Since she couldn''t sit up with her own power, he carefully helped hery back on the bed.


    "Don''t talk anymore, Grandma. Just wait a little longer, and Kathy will be awake soon. She''ll be


    heartbroken if she can''t see you onest time."


    "Good child." Jennifer''s voice was so soft that he had to lean forward to hear it well. "I know that all of


    you are good children. It will only break Kathy''s heart even more if she sees me leaving. Please, save


    it. I can''t hold on until then, nor do I want to see her cry in front of me. This child may seem like she


    doesn''t care about anything, but she''s more emotionally attached than anyone else. This trait of hers is


    simr to her mother¡­" Her eyes gradually lost focus as she spoke, and they roamed around the room


    aimlessly. She had a dazed look on her face as though she was caught in a memory.


    "You know what''s funny? I fell for Darren exactly because he valued rtionships and was a righteous


    man. Unfortunately, all these years, he''s been buried in Kynd, and it''s my fault that I''ve not visited


    him. But it''s okay. I''ll be meeting him soon¡­"


    "Grandma¡­" Joaquin had always been reserved, but in such a situation, his voice sounded a little


    hoarse as he tried to blink back his tears.


    Jennifer gave him a weak smile and whispered, "Don''t be sad, Joaquin. I''m just going to meet that old


    man, but there''s one more thing I need to tell you. After my death, bury me together with Darren. We


    vowed to share the same bed in life and the same grave in death."


    He pursed his trembling lips and locked eyes with her anticipatory gaze. Finally, he remained silent but


    gave her a firm nod.


    Only then did a satisfied smile spread across her face, and she turned her head, staring at Katherine


    with reluctance in her eyes. Her gaze swept over every inch of her face as she gradually lost her sight.


    A long whileter, a single tear rolled down from the corner of her eye, and she repeated in an almost


    inaudible whisper, "I leave Kathy to you¡­"


    Then, her eyes slid to a close and brought a tone of finality with it.


    Joaquin felt a lump stuck in his throat as he felt that she looked smaller than she was in life. He


    swallowed the sadness choking him for a few minutes before finally croaking, "Okay."


    Just then, Donald burst in with the herbs in tow. However, when he saw Jennifer on the bed without a


    trace of life, he felt his eyes going blurry with tears, and he dropped the bag in his hand.


    "Jenny¡­ Rest in peace¡­" he warbled, kneeling next to her bed and resting his head heavily on the


    headboard, motionless for a long while.


    ¡­


    Katherine didn''t know how long she was unconscious, but she could feel consciousness drifting into a


    bottomless abyss. So, it took her a long while before she was awake. As she nkly stared at the


    ceiling, her mind yed catch up before she finally realized what had happened.


    The next second, she sprang to her feet, rolled off the bed, and wanted to walk out barefooted.


    Coincidentally, the door swung open, and Joaquin came in with the medication. "Oh, you''re awake,


    Kathy. Here, drink this medicinal soup first."


    Unfortunately, it seemed as though she hadn''t heard anything as she looked past him and headed for


    the door.


    When he gazed at her pallid face, he genuinely couldn''t bear to see her in this state. Nevertheless, he


    ced the soup on a small table at the side before quickly grabbing her before she could leave.


    "Where are you going? You''re not even wearing shoes¡ª"


    "I want to see Grandma," she interrupted with an expressionless face.


    A terrible suspicion was growing in her heart with every passing second, pushing her to the brink of


    insanity.


    Joaquin pursed his lips at her demand but still held onto her firmly and said in concern, "Drink the soup


    first. You overexerted yourself and will only feel better after taking this."


    She refused to budge as she repeated, "I want to see Grandma."


    Then, as though she sensed his reluctance, she started struggling to break free, but to no avail. It also


    didn''t help that the unease she felt grew as he kept blocking her way. In the end, she fought tooth and


    nail to shake him off.


    "Let me go! Let me go now! I want to see Grandma!"


    Perhaps she already knew the oue, but she still insisted on seeing it with her own two eyes. Soon,


    her face turned stark white, and she couldn''t reign in the rampant emotions running wild in her heart.


    Thus, she acted out of the norm and utterly lost it, harshly smacking his hand as she wailed, "Why


    won''t you let me see Grandma? What''s wrong with her? Release me! What happened to Grandma?"


    No matter how she hit him, he didn''t loosen his grip even the slightest and merely stared at her with


    sorrowful eyes. Suddenly, he extended his arms and pulled her into his embrace.


    "Kathy, you know that thest thing Grandma wanted was to see you sad."


    Kathy was momentarily stunned by his words as her face was smushed against his shoulder. When it


    finally hit her, her eyes turned bloodshot. Yet, it seemed that she refused to ept reality as she


    struggled like a mad woman, repeatedly shrieking that she wanted to see Jennifer.


    But Joaquin simply held her tighter, wrapping himself around her as his heart broke for her. He didn''t


    break the news to her bluntly because he knew that, with her intelligence, she would understand what


    he was implying.


    Perhaps, her body was failing after exerting itself as she finally came to an abrupt stop after a long


    while. By the end of it, she was covered in so much sweat that even the hair on her forehead was


    drenched.


    Then, she suddenly raised her hand and clutched the back of Joaquin''s shirt as tightly as she could.


    "Grandma¡­ Grandma¡­"


    Eventually, she let the tears flow, crying as she never did before. She sobbed like a child who had lost


    their favorite toy¡ªwithout restraint so that she could unleash the sorrow in her heart.


    Ever since her mother''s death, Jennifer was her only kin who unconditionally cared for and loved her


    besides Keith.


    She might not have made it during those years in Fontan if it wasn''t because of Jennifer.


    In fact, she was anything but strong. She would often feel so weary that all she wanted to do was plop


    into bed and drift into a never-ending dream.


    It was Jennifer who, despite her ailing body, would always be her rock. It was Jennifer who would


    encourage her and give her the strength she needed to continue.


    s, the grandmother who only had love to give still left her in the end¡­


    Katherine didn''t know how long she cried, but it was so long that she had no more tears left in her, and


    her voice had turned hoarse. There was no strength left in her body, and her head felt heavy. She could


    feel that she was close to passing out.


    In the meantime, Joaquin continued to hold her until he realized her physical condition and lifted her off


    the floor. Then, he slipped into bed with her,y on his side with his head propped up, and hugged her.


    "Do you feel better?" he asked in an incredibly gentle voice.


    She hid in his embrace and didn''t say a word. He sighed helplessly because he knew that there was no


    way she would be able to feel better after experiencing the death of her closest kin.


    Since she didn''t want to talk, he simply apanied her in silence. Half an hour passed, and the soup


    had turned cold, but that didn''t bother him.


    Another half an hour went by, and she clutched his shirt tightly, saying suddenly, "What did Grandma


    say before she left?"


    Katherine only realized how terrible she sounded when she finally spoke.


    Joaquin frowned slightly and softly said, "She left quite a list." Nheless, he was worried that she


    still couldn''t take it, so he asked tentatively, "Would you like to hear them now?"N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    A few secondster, she closed her eyes in resignation. When she did, she felt a slight sting due to the


    sobbing fest earlier. Finally, she nodded.

 Chapter 306

    Chapter 306


    Katherine''s query meant that she was ready to ept the fact that Jennifer had passed away and that


    she was going to bid her farewell.


    Joaquin knew that she was immersed in her grief, so he spoke in an especially slow and soft tone to


    take care of her feelings. When she heard that Jennifer would like to be buried next to Darren, she felt


    tears brimming in her eyes.


    A few minutester, she croaked, "Grandpa is buried in Mount Southpeak, which is located on the


    outskirts of Kynd."


    "Okay." He slowly rubbed her back as heforted her gently, "I got it. Just leave this to me." Then, he


    asked, "Would you like to take a look at that notebook now?"


    She nodded before finally humming in agreement.


    At her acquiescence, he reached out, retrieved the notebook from the bedside drawer, and passed it to


    her.


    Katherine stared at the thick notebook in her hands and ran her fingers across the surface reverently.


    However, she didn''t open it right away as she held it to her chest, as though she was giving Jennifer a


    last hug.


    This was the only legacy Jennifer left for her, and maybe it was her mind ying tricks on her, but she


    thought she could still feel thest embers of Jennifer''s soul.


    The moon hung in the night sky, and she asked, "How long was I out?"


    "Ten hours," Joaquin answered honestly. "It''s almost 9.00PM now."


    She didn''t reply to that, and after a couple of minutes, she murmured, "Where''s Grandma?"


    There was a short moment of silence as he lowered his gaze, watching her with a profound look.


    "She''s in the room next door, and Donald is with her. Are you ready to visit her?"


    She sat up without a word, felt the thick notebook in her hands again, and nodded with lowered eyes.


    Joaquin didn''t stop her this time. After all, she had to face this sooner orter, so he apanied her,


    saying, "Give me a minute."


    A confused Katherine raised her head at him, and he sighed helplessly, "Grandma would be sad to see


    you like this."


    She swallowed her parched throat as bitterness welled up within her. Still, she didn''t cry and watched


    silently as he walked out of the room. He returned a few minutester with a hot towel in his hands.


    She remained motionless like a doll as she allowed him to clean her face carefully with it before tossing


    it on the table. When he deemed her ready, he held her hand and squeezed it gently as a show of


    silent support. "Come on, let''s send Grandma off."


    Meanwhile, Jennifer was lying on the bed peacefully. She seemed asleep if only one could ignore her


    not rising chest.


    Katherine stood next to the bed and stared at Jennifer for a long time before she finally muttered,


    "Grandma, don''t worry about me. I''ll take care of myself, so go ahead and reunite with Grandpa on the


    other side."


    Then, she gently lifted the sheet on Jennifer''s chest and covered her face.


    "I''ll miss you, Grandma¡­"


    Katherine couldn''t really recall what she went through that night. All she could remember was Joaquin


    coaxing her into taking the medication before eating. Then, she drifted off to sleep without a fuss.


    Her body had overexerted itself on this day. In addition to her emotional breakdown and the effects of


    the medication, her body couldn''t handle the stress she had put it under. So, it was without surprise


    that she eventually slipped into unconsciousness once again.


    Jennifer''s figure was wispy in her dream, but her voice echoed in her mind. "Don''t cry, Kathy. I''ve


    already met your grandfather. You have to promise me you''ll live well because we''re watching you from


    above. Everything is fine as long as you''re doing well¡­"


    When she opened her eyes, it was already daytime. Yet, as she stared at the sunlight pouring through


    the window like golden liquid, she felt as though she was in a whole new world.


    "You''re awake?"


    A familiar voice sounded close by, and she turned her head to the source only to see Joaquin dressed


    smartly and sitting at the side.


    "Yeah," she answered. Unfortunately, her voice was still rough, which caused her to frown in


    difort.


    The next second, a cup of warm water with a tea bag soaked inside appeared in front of her. Clearly,


    he prepared this beforehand.


    She slowly pushed herself up, epted the cup, and took a few sips. "Thanks," she said softly.


    Joaquin quirked a brow as he asked warmly, "Have you calmed down?"


    Katherine paused for a beat. Then, she bit her bottom lip lightly and nodded softly.


    "Yesterday¡­" she trailed off midway, not knowing how to continue.


    Yesterday was the only time she had felt such strong emotions in all these years, and she could


    vaguely remember that thest time something like this happened was during her mother''s death.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Joaquin''s eyes flickered at her sorry state. He could deduce her thoughts, so he raised a hand and


    ruffled her hair affectionately with a soft expression on his face.


    "You gave me a shock yesterday because I''ve never seen you that way before. Or is this how you used


    to be?"


    His question caught her by surprise, and she stared at him in dumbstruck silence.


    A smirk tinged his lips, but there was a tinge of sadness in his warm eyes.


    "There''s nothing bad about it. Even if you''re used to being distant and putting on a strong facade in


    front of others, I still wish you''d remove all of your so-called strong fronts when you''re with me. If you''re


    sad, you can do as you did yesterday and cry in my arms all you want. You don''t have to worry about


    getting mad, and it''s even better if you can find it in yourself tough heartily. I like you for you."


    He ditched his usual curt demeanor as he said all those things. She couldn''t help but feel that it


    sounded like both a confession as well as words offort.


    Katherine was bbergasted and didn''t know how to reply, which rarely happened to her. Therefore,


    she ended up gaping at him for a long time without uttering a word.


    On the other hand, Joaquin waited patiently for her in silence.


    A few minutester, she parted her lips, lowered her eyes, and mumbled, "It''s not appropriate for you to


    say such things now, don''t you think?"


    He had never expected that she woulde up with such an answer, so he was startled before curling


    his lips into a resigned smile. "Yeah, it''s not appropriate." His deep, dark eyes danced with tiny sparkles


    as he gazed at her. "But I still want you to hear it."


    She scratched her nose awkwardly, but she knew that this was his way offorting her, and she felt


    warmth blooming in her cold heart. "Okay," she grunted and rolled off the bed.


    "Where are you going?" he asked, following after her.


    She slowly wore her slippers, and when she lifted her head again, she had recovered her usual


    demeanor. Still, her calm and collected eyes were filled withplicated emotions.


    "It''s time to take care of Grandma''s funeral," she said in a dispassionate tone.


    Since Jennifer said that she wanted to be buried together with Darren, Katherine would have to stay in


    Kynd. Her mind was running a mile a minute as shepiled a list of tasks she had to consider,


    such as contacting the cemetery and funeral homes as well as holding the funeral.


    Even though Jennifer''s death was sudden, she was in Kynd, after all. Besides, she wanted to


    complete everything perfectly as a way to show her love for Jennifer.


    Joaquin sighed inwardly at the sight of her lonely yet resolute silhouette and casually said, "I''ve already


    contacted the cemetery and bought the plot next to Grandpa. As for the funeral home, I''ve also


    contacted them, and Grandma will be delivered there in a while. So, you don''t have to worry about the


    funeral, just inform the others about Grandma''s death and let''s fix tomorrow as the funeral date, as it''s


    better to hold it early thante."


    As he listed those things in an orderly manner. she turned to him in surprise as her eyes widened in


    shock. "You¡­ When did you make all these arrangements? Didn''t Grandma just pass awayst night?"

 Chapter 307

    Chapter 307


    Joaquin replied in a soft voice, "I reached out at midnight. I still have some connections in Kynd, so


    it''s not difficult for me to make these arrangements."


    Katherine went silent upon hearing his words as she was momentarily at a loss for words.


    After all, she was supposed to be the one who made these arrangements in the first ce. Yet, he had


    already done them in her stead in such a short time too.


    It was as if he figured out what was on her mind, for he reached out and smoothened the crinkle


    between her brows with his fingertip.


    "Don''t worry about it. We are legitimately married, after all. Therefore, Mrs. Olsen is my Grandma too.


    And since we are a family, it doesn''t matter who made the necessary arrangements. These are all the


    things we should do for her."


    As he spoke, his eyes flickered slightly. Then, he took advantage of the current situation and brought


    up another topic to divert Katherine''s attention.


    "By the way, your Granduncle Eddie¡­" Joaquin paused, and his facial expression froze briefly when he


    mentioned the title. He feared that it would upset Katherine, so he immediately amended his previous


    remark. "Eddie is awake and currently in the next room. I have arranged for someone to watch over


    him, but he keeps demanding to see you. How are you going to deal with him?"


    Her facial expression turned stone cold at the mention of Eddie''s name. "Don''t release him. I''ll see him


    later."


    Joaquin nodded agreeably. Then, he didn''t bother asking any further questions as he got up and


    brought her a set of clothes.


    "Why don''t you take a shower? We''ll discuss other matters once you''re done with your shower, food,


    and your medicine."


    Katherine obediently took the medicine and nodded slightly.


    After all, yesterday had taken a lot out of her. She had saved lives, burst into tears, and even lost


    control of her emotions, causing more stress to her already tired body. As a result, she was currently


    feeling wholly ufortable.


    She entered the bathroom and spent nearly an hour taking afortable hot shower. By the time she


    felt human again, he had just finished preparing breakfast.


    Joaquin figured she probably didn''t have any appetite, so he only prepared congee and some light side


    dishes for her.


    "Even if something huge happens, you still have to eat when it''s time to have your meal. Otherwise,


    your body will crumble. These side dishes can help with your appetite, so please try to have some," he


    advised gently as he ced the tableware in front of her.


    Katherine swept her bewildered gaze across the dining table and asked, "You made all these?"


    Joaquin nodded. "I fear that you aren''t used to the taste of the food from other restaurants, so I asked


    my subordinates to buy me some ingredients to make these. It''s no trouble at all."


    She pursed her lips upon hearing that, but she picked up a spoon and started eating the congee quietly


    without saying a word.


    After her breakfast, something crossed her mind, and she gave voice to her curiosity, "Where''s


    Donald?"


    Joaquin replied lightly, "He has already eaten and is watching over Grandma. Do you want to check on


    Grandma again? Or do you want to go and see Eddie straightaway?"


    As she was rightfully afraid that she would have another episode when sheid her eyes on Jennifer,


    she immediately made her way to Eddie''s room.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    She paused at the door for a moment before lifting her foot to enter.


    He couldn''t understand her hesitance, so he looked at her and asked concernedly, "What''s wrong?"


    Katherine shook her head to convey that she was okay. After a moment, she murmured, "Grandma


    definitely doesn''t want me to harm him."


    After she said that, she raised her head again, pushed the door open, and strode in.


    It just so happened that Eddie was anxiously pacing back and forth in the room like a headless chicken


    with his arms akimbo.


    His eyes widened with anger the moment he saw Katherine. Then, he wasted no time reprimanding her


    harshly, "I am your Granduncle Eddie, yet you actually dare to hold me in captivity! This ispletely


    outrageous! I would definitely discipline you if we were in the Scott-Tutton Residence!"


    Katherine graced him with a cold smile, but there was no mirth in her eyes as she drawled,


    "Granduncle Eddie? Don''t you think you''re being a little too quick to take on that role? My, my, look at


    how fast you are in epting the fact that I am a part of the Scott-Tuttons."


    Eddie spat at her. Disdain was written all over his face as he added, "You still wish to be a part of the


    Scott-Tuttons? Dream on! You are just like your grandma, biting the hands that feed you!"


    Her eyes turned as cold as ice after she heard Eddie insulting Jennifer in such a way. A silver needle


    instantly appeared on her fingertip with a flick of her wrist.


    Immediately afterward, she took two steps forward and suddenly kicked Eddie in the stomach without


    saying a word. By doing so, she seeded in catching him off guard, and she used the momentum to


    embed the needle in his acupuncture point.


    Eddie''s face showed signs of pain almost instantly. He parted his lips to swear like a sailor but was


    horrified after discovering that he was rendered mute.


    On the other hand, Katherine stared at him condescendingly with her piercingly cold gaze. "To prevent


    you from speaking rashly without hesitation again and saying something outrageous, I have to shut you


    up just a bit. So now, you just have to answer whatever question I ask. Nod if the answer is yes, and


    shake your head if the answer is no. Got it?"


    Eddie was aghast yet furious. Therefore, he staggered on his feet, intending to put up a fight.


    However, she mercilessly stepped on his leg, utterly ceasing his actions with brute violence.


    His face twisted in agony. This woman has brilliant medical skills. She could break the curse that I cast


    and even dismissed the counterattack of the mother curse on me. When he thought of this, he furrowed


    his eyebrows tightly. As he felt somewhat fearful at this juncture, he didn''t dare to test her patience.


    Katherine noticed his silent surrender, so she looked at him expressionlessly before demanding sternly,


    "Is the mother curse of the man-faced curse currently with you?"


    At first, Eddie showed no sign of movement. However, after a few seconds, he begrudgingly shook his


    head.


    She raised a brow at his admittance and asked further, "So, it''s at the Scott-Tutton Residence?"


    Eddie nodded.


    "Are you currently the one in charge of the Scott-Tuttons?"


    Once again, he nodded.


    "Listen: I can allow you to return to the Scott-Tutton Residence with the condition that you will keep the


    mother curse of the man-faced curse safe for me and prohibit anyone from intervening. I will be visiting


    the Scott-Tutton Residence to get it in a few days."


    He was utterly stunned by her sudden request. Soon, an obvious sign of unwillingness was painted


    across his face as he red at her with a displeased frown.


    Katherine wasn''t anxious at his evident reluctance. Instead, she slightly narrowed her eyes, and a chilly


    gleam shed across them as she intoned, "I want the mother curse because I want to save someone.


    But, Eddie, I''m just going to warn you once. Since this is a matter of life and death, I won''t hesitate to


    let the entire Scott-Tuttons die with you if you dare to devise an underhanded scheme amid everything.


    But you can give it a try if you think I''m joking. Either way, I think you should know very well whether I


    can turn the entire Scott-Tuttons upside down and let them¡­ wish they were dead instead of being


    alive."


    The corner of her mouth curved into a small smile when she said these words. Her easygoing manner


    made it seem that she didn''t care if he chose to test her.


    Yet, Eddie felt a chill running down his spine for some reason. He couldn''t help shivering as an


    inexplicable sense of fear rose in his heart. She''s clearly just a young woman, yet I still feel she wasn''t


    joking when she said those words.


    It didn''t take long for panic to take root in his entire being. Soon, his face took on a ghastly pallor as he


    recalled how he had first-hand experience of Katherine''s capability yesterday, the respect Mike had for


    Katherine, and the power Joaquin, the man next to Katherine, truly possessed.


    Meanwhile, Katherine watched his ever-changing reactions with a calm andposed demeanor.


    When she saw that Eddie was sufficiently terrified and finally took her warning seriously, she removed


    the silver needle without notice.


    "Okay. You can go. Don''t forget what I said."


    Eddie rubbed his aching abdomen, which was bruised due to Katherine''s actions, gritted his teeth, and


    unsteadily rose to his feet.


    However, he turned his head to look at Katherine again after he took two steps and asked in an


    unfriendly tone, "Where''s your grandma?"


    The veins on the corner of Katherine''s forehead throbbed a little. Nevertheless, she restrained her


    emotions and asked tly, "Do you have any business with her?"


    "Of course, I do. I have yet to settle scores with her! Besides, I still have something to say to her! Tch!


    Your grandma certainly is impressive, huh? I haven''t seen her for so many years, yet she manages to


    pull off an extremely grand, imposing manner the moment we meet!"


    Even though there was sarcasm in his words, she didn''t pay any mind to it. She swallowed all the


    snarling barbs she wanted to say before sneering mockingly, "My grandma is indeed amazing.


    However, you have to look for her on the road to the afterlife if you wish to talk and settle scores with


    her. In fact, I can personally send you there myself if you''re in such a hurry."

 Chapter 308

    Chapter 308


    Eddie was momentarily stunned when he heard the words that escaped Katherine''s lips. Shortly after,


    an inexplicable facial expression crossed his face as he began hesitantly, "You mean¡­"


    However, before he finished his sentence, he sized both Katherine and Joaquin suspiciously with his


    eyes.


    After a while, as if he was sure that Katherine was telling the truth, a somewhat strange look was seen


    on his face before he burst intoughter. Mockery was painted all across his eyebrows as he jeered,


    "Ha! Haha! I knew it! This is her karma! Who told her to break ties with the Scott-Tuttons in the first


    ce and even stop me from killing Mike?! Now that I know she''s dead, I''d say she deserves it! Even


    God Himself thinks it''s unfair for her to be still with the living after so many years and hase to take


    her life! Haha¡­"


    Heughed wantonly. It was like he was exceptionally delighted about Jennifer''s death.


    Katherine narrowed her eyes, which were as cold as ice, and a dangerous gleam shed in them as


    time went on, and he showed no signs of stopping. Her tightly pursed lips indicated that she was


    restraining herself from doing any permanent damage to Eddie.


    "Eddie, the reason why I''ve decided to let you live is entirely because of Grandma. You might already


    be dead now if it wasn''t for the fact that she didn''t want to see you in trouble! But¡­"


    Then, she swiftly changed the topic midway. At the same time, the temperature in the room dropped to


    sub-zero levels as her entire being exuded murderous intent.


    "You do realize that I can harm you, right? So, I don''t need to educate you on what to say and what not


    to say, do I?"N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Eddie''s facial expression instantly twisted in anger, for he couldn''t believe that he was being threatened


    by someone younger than him in such a manner.


    Therefore, he bellowed, "Katherine! Don''t forget that you still need my help! After all, the mother curse


    of the man-faced curse is in my possession!"


    Katherine sized him up as she scoffed before musing unconcernedly, "You seem to have


    misunderstood things here. I don''t need your help. Rather, it''s you who is forced to obey me.


    Otherwise, I can''t say for sure what will happen to the Scott-Tuttons."


    As she didn''t want to waste her time with a man like him, she stopped smiling and her facial expression


    turned cial.


    "Eddie, I can and will turn you into a mute for the rest of your life with a flick of my finger if you even


    breathe my way wrongly. So, be a good little dog and get out, hm?"


    Since Eddie had never been disrespected like this before, calling his face nasty would be an


    understatement.


    His eyes were sullen, and he looked highly resentful. Yet, he kept his mouth shut, snorting derisively


    before leaving withrge strides.


    Katherine withdrew her gaze from that wretched man. Then, she turned to look at Joaquin.


    Before she could say anything, Joaquin spoke up gently as if he could read her mind, "Don''t worry. I


    have already arranged for someone to keep a close eye on him. I''ll let you know if anything happens."


    Katherine pursed her lips and nodded slightly.


    Shortly after, shepartmentalized her emotions before she sent Jennifer''s corpse to the mortuary.


    On this day, Joaquin carried out his promise. He helped Katherine to take care of Jennifer''s funeral


    affairs while she was in charge of notifying Jennifer''s friends and rtives.


    Since Jennifer didn''t have many rtives and friends in Kynd while she was alive, Katherine didn''t


    have to notify many people.


    On the contrary, Corey, Jayden, and some of Katherine''s old friends in Kynd all called to check on


    her. They gave her their condolences and told her they would attend Jennifer''s funeral.


    Just like that, she was swamped untilte evening. Even though she was exhausted, she didn''t return


    to the hotel and rest. Instead, she kept vigil beside Jennifer''s coffin at the mortuary.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin tasked himself to coax her into eating some food. His eyes were full of concern


    when he saw Katherine in such a fragile state.


    She has lost a lot of weight in these two days. As a result, her face, which was initially slightly bigger


    than the size of a palm, has shrunk.


    Suddenly, he was extremely d that he could be by her side and bear the pain with her.


    I can''t imagine how hard it would have been for her to face all these alone.


    "By the way." Joaquin hesitated for a moment as he thought of the incident in Hovington. Then, he


    asked, "How is Keith''s situation in Hovington? Is he alright?"


    As Katherine wasn''t that hungry, she stopped after barely finishing a bowl of congee.


    She wiped her mouth, nodded, and said, "I have given Mr. Morris a call. He said that Keith''s current


    condition is pretty stable, and he''ll be fine for a few days. Besides, I gave Keith some medicine before I


    left. The medicine can temporarily keep him alive when he''s in the red."


    As she spoke, her facial expression froze for a moment. Then, she continued with a determined fire in


    her eyes, "Keith can definitely make it. He''s my younger brother, so he will make it."


    Joaquin''s gaze was profound as he responded softly, "That''s right. He will pull through."


    Katherine didn''t sleep a wink that night as she kept vigil beside Jennifer''s coffin until dawn.


    When Joaquin saw her behaving this way, he remained by her side as a silentpanion.


    The next day, there was a drizzle despite the weather report that there would be clear skies for the


    week. Instead, the cloudy sky added ayer of gloom to the dark-clothed guests who came to offer


    their condolences.


    Corey arrived together with Jayden, and they both frowned when they saw the awful look on


    Katherine''s face.


    "You''ve lost weight! And you''re not looking too hot either," Jayden muttered with a displeased look on


    his face as he involuntarily cast a nce at Joaquin, who was behind Katherine.


    Nevertheless, Joaquin brushed it off as he turned a blind eye to Jayden''s unfriendly gaze.


    Katherine''s face remained expressionless. She simply nced at Jayden and then looked away. After


    that, she said tly, "I''m fine."


    Jayden''s brows furrowed tighter at her words. "You''re calling this fine?! How can I not worry after


    seeing you in such a state?! Follow me to the Hall Residence once you''ve settled all the affairs here. I


    will find someone to look after your health."


    "That won''t be necessary," she declined indifferently.


    "That can''t do¡­" Nevertheless, Jayden still wanted to persuade her.


    Just then, she suddenly looked straight at him. There wasn''t even the slightest trace of warmth in her


    demeanor as she stared him down with her stony gaze.


    "My grandma just passed away. What do you expect me to look like? Having a st and beam with


    happiness?"


    Jayden instantly choked on his words. He couldn''t find the words to defend himself.


    When Corey noticed that the atmosphere became a little strained, he promptly jumped in and pulled


    Jayden to stand behind him, signaling him to be silent.


    "Now, now, Katherine, Jayden is just worried about you. In fact, I don''t feel good seeing you in such a


    state either. Alright, let''s not talk about this. Katherine, we''ll pay our respect to Mrs. Olsen now."


    After that, he left with Jayden in tow.


    Momentster, David also came to express his condolences. He first gave Katherine sce, followed


    by a hesitant expression.


    Unfortunately, she currently wasn''t in the mood to discuss anything with him, so she didn''t pay any


    attention to him as she turned around and kept herself busy with Jennifer''s funeral.


    After a while, all those who came to offer their condolences slowly trickled away. Only Katherine and


    Joaquin were left in the funeral hall.


    At this moment, Katherine''s mobile phone rang. It was a call from Xavier.


    "Help me light up a candle for Mrs. Olsen." Xavier''s voice sounded somewhat depressed on the phone.


    "Consider it as my respect for her. Unfortunately, I''m currently here apanying Noah, so I can''t


    make it to her funeral."


    Katherine hummed lightly before she asked, "You haven''t told Noah yet, have you?"


    "No. I figured you don''t want me to. Because if you do, you would have informed me about taking Noah


    to Kynd."


    "Let''s hide it from her for now," Katherine said as she pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a little


    tired. "Noah is still recovering, and her autism has just improved. She shouldn''t make a trip to Kynd,


    let alone experience any emotional rollercoasters. She''s close to Grandma, and if she finds out


    Grandma has passed away, she won''t be able to endure the pain."


    "But she will find out sooner orter. So, when will you break this news to her?" asked Xavier.


    Katherine went silent for a moment before she replied calmly, "I''ll find the right time to tell her once I


    return."


    Then, she changed the subject and inquired with concern, "How is Noah doing?"


    Xavier sighed wearily, "She''s recovering well. Everything''s fine, except for the fact that she''s feeling


    lonely. Every day, she will talk about you, Joaquin, and even Mrs. Olsen."


    Katherine felt her throat dry up upon hearing his remarks.


    She was just about to say something in response when suddenly, she heard amotioning from


    the front of the funeral hall.

 Chapter 309

    Chapter 309


    Katherine frowned in response. Then, she swiftly hung up the phone and walked out to check on


    things.


    There, she saw Joaquin standing in front of the funeral hall with a stoic face and blocking three


    unfamiliar-looking people from entering.


    Among the three people, one was an old man with a walking stick, whereas the other two seemed to be


    a middle-aged couple. Both currently stood there with a prideful expression.


    There were also several men dressed in ck, who seemed like their bodyguards, behind these


    peacocks. They were all blocking the entrance of the funeral hall.


    Katherine''s gaze darkened slightly after she evaluated the situation. She quickly walked to Joaquin''s


    side in a few steps and asked lowly, "What''s going on? Who are these people?"


    When he saw her, he parted his lips. He wanted to answer her when suddenly, he saw the old man


    squint his eyes and study Katherine before he abruptly spoke, "You should be Katherine Cornell,


    Jennifer''s granddaughter."


    She instantly figured out the old man''s identity as soon as she heard this. Even so, she yed dumb


    and asked him nonchntly, "And you are?"


    Since she sounded rather rude and didn''t address him courteously with the correct title, the old man


    immediately eyed her with displeasure.


    "Who am I? You still don''t know who I am? I''m your grandma''s cousin! And ording to seniority, you


    should address me as Granduncle Xander!"


    As expected!


    Katherine snorted inwardly and thought to herself, They really came! Well, they certainly are impatient.


    At that moment, she looked at the old coot coldly. The tone in her voice became even ruder as she


    continued, "So, you are Augustine Moran''s son, Xander Moran."


    As he didn''t expect that Katherine dared to address him in such an impolite manner, Xander banged


    his walking stick against the ground. He was slightly frothing in rage as he yelled, "You¡ª"


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Yet, to Xander''s surprise, she utterly dismissed him. She looked away at the huffy man and sized up


    the middle-aged couple.


    "In that case, you two should be his son, Mason Moran, and daughter-inw, Melise Whitler."


    As soon as these words escaped Katherine''s lips, the two were stunned, feeling somewhat shocked.


    "You know the Morans?" Mason questioned her doubtfully.


    Katherine curved her lips upward into a mirthless smile upon hearing his words.


    Truthfully, she knew nothing about the Morans. Fortunately, she had taken the time to read through the


    information about the Morans in advance yesterday. Therefore, it was only natural that she could


    recognize each one of them now that she had a face to a name.


    Nheless, she didn''t bother answering Mason as she said bluntly, "Funny. As far as I remember, I


    did not invite any member of the Morans to my grandma''s funeral. So, why don''t you go back to


    wherever you came from? Take these men behind you and leave this ce at once."


    She didn''t want to have a spat with them in front of Jennifer''s funeral hall on the day of Jennifer''s


    funeral, so she demanded that they leave in a considerably polite tone.


    Yet, the Morans didn''t seem to be on the same page.


    After all, the very reason they came here today was to cause a scene in the funeral hall. Therefore, it


    was impossible for them to agree to leave so readily.


    Thus, Xander thumped his walking stick against the ground. Then, he snorted with an austere look on


    his face, "Do you think we''re just going to leave as told? Who do you think you are? My cousin has just


    passed away. Sure enough, the Morans have toe and offer our condolences. Don''t tell me you''re


    stopping us from paying our respects?"


    Katherine quirked a brow at his daring, looked at them with her sharp gaze, and retorted, "You''re right. I


    do want to stop you. You got a problem with that?"


    "You¡ª" They didn''t expect her to be so blunt, so the Morans didn''t know what to say in response.


    At this juncture, Katherine felt that she no longer had to be polite to them. Hence, she sharply


    questioned them with a fierce aura surrounding her, "Do you think I''m a fool? Who would bring along so


    many people when offering their sincere condolences? Do you honestly think I don''t know what


    thoughts you have running in your mind? I''m giving you a fair warning. You''d better trash those useless


    thoughts of yours and immediately get the hell out of here with your men! My grandma doesn''t need


    the condolences from the Morans, and I don''t want you to take a single step into the funeral hall so as


    not to defile this ce."


    When those words fell from her lips, she coldly dismissed them. It was clear that she didn''t want to


    reason with them any longer.


    Hence, Joaquin hurriedly stood at the entrance of the funeral hall. Then, he took advantage of his tall,


    stalwart figure and his strong aura as he looked down at them and questioned bluntly with a grim look,


    "Why aren''t you leaving?"


    These members of the Morans were instantly infuriated, for they didn''t expect to receive severe rebuff


    from Katherine and Joaquin.


    So, Mason boldly took a step forward and red at Joaquin. "Who the hell are you?! What right do you


    have to boss us around in such an arrogant manner?! The deceased is a rtive of the Morans, so as


    an outsider, this is none of your business!"


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows indifferently upon hearing Mason''s words. Suddenly, he chuckled without


    even the slightest trace of a smile in his eyes, "Who says it''s none of my business? The deceased is


    my wife''s grandma. So, that also makes her my grandma. So, of course, I have to stay here and keep


    vigil beside her coffin. On the other hand, you guys are nothing but very distant rtives of Mrs. Olsen.


    I have never seen you care about her regrly, yet you guys are rushing over like flies now that she''s


    dead. In fact, you can''t even bother to cover up your intent, even for a little bit. Don''t you feel ashamed


    of yourself?"


    "You¡ª" Mason bristled with anger. At this point, even Xander was rendered mute.


    "Y-You are Joaquin Levisay?!" Clearly, Xander had heard of Joaquin.


    Katherine narrowed her eyes at the old man. The corner of her mouth curled into a menacing smile as


    she drawled, "It seems that Eddie has secretly tipped you off. I knew it! Grandma has always been


    cautious and never revealed her identity aftering to Kynd. Therefore, how is it possible that you


    can find out that Grandma is here so soon, just like wild dogs catching sight of bones?"


    As the words spoken by Katherine were highly unpleasant to his ears, Xander immediately went


    ballistic. His face crimsoned with anger as he roared, "You little brat! What sort of nonsense are you


    spewing?! Is this how you talk to someone who is your senior?"


    Mason chimed in as well, "That''s right! So, not only did you not address your senior with the proper


    title, but you also dared to speak conceited nonsense! That''s unfilial of you!"


    "Unfilial?" Katherine huffed in amusement as though she had heard the funniest joke. "Allow me to ask:


    what rtionship do I have with the Morans?"


    Xander snorted derisively, "You are Jennifer Moran''s granddaughter, and Jennifer is a member of the


    Morans. Therefore, you are rted to the Morans!"


    "Jennifer Moran?" Katherine raised her eyebrows and asked tly, "Who is Jennifer Moran?"


    "W-What do you mean?!" Xander''s eyes immediately widened. It was as though he couldn''t understand


    a word Katherine was saying.


    Yet, Katherine wasn''t annoyed. Instead, she slowly paced around the entrance of the funeral hall.


    Then, she squinted her eyes as if she was deep in thought.


    "My grandma''sst name is Wood, and the person you are looking for has thest name of Moran.


    Considering this, it is safe to say that they are not the same person at all. In other words, you have


    come to the wrong ce. And as for me, I have no responsibility or obligation to be respectful to you.


    Therefore, I advise you to stop wasting your time here and iming ties willy-nilly. I reiterate, go back to


    wherever you came from, and stop making things difficult for you and me!" she announced calmly as


    she seeded in cutting any rtionship between her and the Morans.


    The Morans were flummoxed when they registered her words. They looked at each other in disbelief as


    their faces flushed red with anger.


    "Such a glib talker!" Xander leaned on his walking stick and shouted in an imposing manner, "You think


    you can cut ties with the Morans simply by saying those words? Didn''t your grandma tell you anything?


    Did she not tell you about how she came to the Moran Residence back then? Did she not mention how


    my dad took her in and married her into the Olsens? None?"


    Katherine kept a straight face as she intoned eloquently, "No, I''ve never heard of such a thing my entire


    life."

 Chapter 310

    Chapter 310


    Xander suddenly coughed and his face turned dark.


    Katherine, on the other hand, acted like she didn''t see that. Standing in front of the funeral hall with her


    tall slender figure, she curved her lips up mockingly and raised her beautiful eyes that were filled with


    coldness slightly.


    "My grandma told me that in Kynd, there''s a fly called the Moran Family. They shamelessly pester


    and disturb her. But she''s too nice and didn''t want to cause a scene, so she had always been tolerating


    them. I, however, am different. What I hate the most is being pestered by people and I don''t have the


    best patience. So, if you''re not going to leave today and insist on looking for trouble, then don''t me


    me for being rude."


    She drawled out the words steadily and calmly, but in the ears of the members of the Moran Family, it


    felt like an invisible pressure had fallen on them.


    Xander gritted his teeth as a cloud of darkness swept over his wrinkly face, and his eyes were filled


    with menace.


    "Fine, you foolish girl. Since you refuse to listen, then don''t me me for not holding back! You want us


    to leave? Sure. You just need to hand over the secret scroll your grandma left behind and we''ll leave


    immediately and not pester you anymore!"


    When Katherine heard the words ''secret scroll'' being mentioned, anger shed in her eyes as her aura


    dropped in temperature so much that it could make ice.


    Ha! These people finally couldn''t hold back and showed their true colors!


    She didn''t reply immediately, but the look on her face changed slightly. It wasn''t an expression of anger,


    but it seemed like she didn''t understand what he said as she furrowed her brow with a questioning


    look.


    "Secret scroll? What secret scroll? Are you out of your mind? It''s not umon for people to get hazy


    in their minds when they be older. You should go visit a doctor soon. Don''t wait until dementia


    catches up on you. Then, it''ll be toote."


    Xander''s face was as ck as coal as he pulled a long face.


    Beside him, Mason couldn''t take it anymore as well and tore down the thin wall of politeness as he


    pointed his finger at Katherine and scolded her.


    "Stop acting like you don''t know anything! That old hag had the Scroll of Ancient Medicine Techniques


    that the Scott-Tutton Family had passed down through generations. Now that she''s dead, how could


    she not pass it down to you? Are you trying to fool us? In your dreams! I''m warning you to hand it over


    while we''re still willing to talk nicely. Or else! I don''t mind making things tough for you."


    As soon as he was done speaking, Joaquin stepped forward, shielding Katherine behind him, and


    pped away Mason''s hand before she could respond. His eyes were as still and cold as the winter


    lakes.


    He snickered and the tip of his tongue touched the top of his pte. "Make things tough? Ha! We''ll see


    who will make things tough for who!"


    As he didn''t hold back his strength and Mason wasn''t expecting the push, Mason stumbled back and


    almost fell.


    Melise, who had been watching from the sides, immediately helped steady him and couldn''t help but


    chip in.


    "What are you doing? We''re here to take back what belongs to the Moran Family! There''s nothing


    wrong with that. Are you trying to keep it for yourself if you''re not handing it over? Are you not


    ashamed?"


    Hearing that, Katherine was outraged, but sheughed instead.


    "Ashamed? Now, we should be clear about who''s the one having no shame here. As you mentioned,


    this secret scroll was passed down through generations in the Scott-Tutton Family. Since when did it


    belong to the Moran Family? Who''s the one trying to keep it for themselves here? So, what is it now?


    You even brought your whole entourage here. Are you trying to take it by force? Aren''t you afraid of


    tarnishing your family''s reputation when word gets out and bing theughingstock of many?"


    Xander was nonchnt and acted matter-of-factly.


    "Even if it was passed down through generations in the Scott-Tutton Family, Jennifer changed herst


    name to Moran when she took refuge in the Moran Family back then. So, the things that she brought


    with her should naturally belong to the Moran Family!"


    Katherine''s face became chilly when she saw how shameless they were being. "Allow me to remind


    you all once more. My grandma''sst name isn''t Moran. It''s Wood. All of her belongings have nothing


    to do with the Moran Family! Don''t think that I don''t know what you all did to her back then. You let her


    into the Moran Family because you only wanted the secret scroll that she owned. You revealed your


    true colors when she didn''t want to hand it over. That was why she cut off ties with the Moran Family!


    Ha! I don''t mind telling you that the secret scroll is indeed in my hands. However, since Grandma didn''t


    give it to you back then, I will never hand it over as well! Now if you know what''s good for you, you''d


    better get lost immediately!"


    Jennifer''s passing had already put Katherine in a bad mood. Now that she was forced to deal with


    these people from the Moran Family, her patience was running thin. She even dropped her smirk and


    looked at them with a stony face.


    At first, she didn''t want to create a scene at her grandma''s funeral. Thest thing she wanted was for


    something to happen in front of the funeral hall. So, she wanted to get rid of these people as soon as


    she could.


    However, now that she had seen how shameless they could be, she knew that they would not leave


    until they got their hands on the secret scroll. So, she decided to drop all pretense of politeness.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    The three people from the Moran Family noticed Katherine''s change in attitude and their faces fell


    terribly.


    "Fine. Since you''re being so dense, don''t me me for ruining your grandma''s funeral hall. I hope that


    she''ll suffer in hell!"


    With that, Xander stomped his walking stick on the floor before ordering loudly, "Search the ce! Flip


    this ce inside out if you have to and look for the secret scroll. If you can''t find it, smash the ce. If


    you still can''t find it, knock these two out and bring them with us!"


    The few burly men behind him stepped forward at his order, wanting to charge in.


    Katherine''s pupils dted instantly at the scene as anger enveloped her body.


    Beside her, Joaquin held his calm and stepped in front of her as he said in a deep tone, "Leave it to


    me."


    She frowned as she recalled he just had surgery not long ago. So, she pulled him behind her. "Don''t


    worry. I got this."


    The corner of her lips curved up once again as wrath shed in her eyes. "I can take down these few


    people."


    Just when she was about to make a move, in the blink of an eye, an unfamiliar but loud and steady


    voice rang.


    "Hold your horses!"


    The voice was so sudden that it stopped everyone in their tracks.


    People turned their heads to see a ck stretch Lincoln limousine parked not far away and a middle-


    aged man getting out of the car.


    The voice from just now seemed toe from him.


    At the same time, he wasn''t the only one who got down. Behind the limousine were a few more cars


    and four men dressed in ck came out of the cars respectively. They all looked buff. It was obvious


    they knew martial arts.


    Katherine stared at the leading man and felt that he looked familiar but couldn''t recall where she had


    seen him.


    As for the three people from the Moran Family, their eyes widened in unison and their faces changed


    dramatically when they saw the man.


    Mason gritted his teeth, squeezing out the words from his mouth with much effort. "Josiah Grant! It''s


    you?"

 Chapter 311

    Chapter 311


    The man called Josiah Grant had a poker face but narrowed his eyes as he coldly regarded the few


    people. After a few seconds, he asked emotionlessly, "Why can''t it be me? Is there a rule that says that


    only you cane here and I can''t?"


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Mason was rendered speechless by his refute, and he looked like he had swallowed a fly.


    That was when Katherine remembered who the man before her was.


    As there was some distance between them just now, she couldn''t get a clear look and only thought he


    looked familiar. However, when she heard Mason call out his name, she remembered him instantly.


    He was the man she met in the church back then. He¡­ Is he here to pay hisst respects to


    Grandma?


    Suddenly, she was feeling a little perplexed inside. Pursing her lips, she didn''t say anything.


    Joaquin noticed the change in her mood and reached out to hold her hand before lightly squeezing it,


    hoping tofort her.


    In the meantime, Xander put on a glum face and questioned Josiah, "Why are you here? Jennifer''s


    death doesn''t seem to have anything to do with the Grant Family. What are you here for?"


    Josiah''s stony face twitched at his words and he shot daggers at Xander before coldly retorting, "How


    do you know that this has nothing to do with me?"


    Mason furrowed his brow. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Ha¡­" Josiah was not going to borate. "No matter if this has anything to do with me or what kind of


    rtions we have, the Moran Family has nothing to do with this. So, it''s not up to you to question me


    because you have no ce in this."


    Then, he changed the topic swiftly, his expression remaining unchanged.


    "Speaking of which, Jennifer had long since changed herst name to Wood. She doesn''t have any


    rtions with the Moran Family anymore. So, what brings you here then?"


    As Xander and Mason didn''t expect him to be so well-informed that he even knew of Jennifer changing


    herst name, their faces darkened. They couldn''t help but mutter in their hearts, wondering about the


    rtionship between Josiah and Jennifer.


    However, Josiah didn''t care at all what they were thinking about. He narrowed his eyes and scanned


    the room.


    "What? Is the Moran Family here to pay theirst respects or to stir trouble? You even brought so many


    people with you as if you''re afraid people don''t know how big and strong your family is."


    At that moment, Mason clenched his teeth before bellowing harshly, "Josiah! I''m warning you. We''re


    here today to settle our debts with the olddy. It has nothing to do with the Grant Family. So, you


    better stay out of this. If you insist on meddling, the Moran Family will never let you off the hook! When


    that timees, it won''t look good for both families. Don''t me us for being harsh then!"


    Hearing that, Josiah acted like he heard a good joke as a trace of a smirk appeared on his calm face.


    "It''s soughable what you just said, Mason. The Grant Corporation and Moran Corporation have


    always been on bad terms. Both families have been at each other''s throats all this time. It has never


    looked good since the beginning. Besides, when has the Moran Family been nice? What your family


    has done to Jennifer back then and how you have forced her to leave your family, then tried to


    assassinate her, is an open secret amongst the upper ss of Kynd. Do you still need me to


    borate on every incident in front of everyone?"


    As his words came to an end, Xander was fuming and Mason was so furious that he felt like his chest


    was about to explode.


    They wanted to use this chance to obtain the secret scroll from Katherine but didn''t expect Josiah to


    show up at this very critical moment, disrupting their ns.


    Soon, Mason started scanning the area as the wheels started turning in his mind.


    However, Josiah wasn''t about to give him the time as he continued talking.


    "When I heard that Jennifer passed, I figured that you people woulde buzzing like flies. So, before


    coming to pay myst respects, I arranged to have more mene along in case anything happened.


    They¡ª"


    He pointed at his men beside him, his angr face frigid, but his words were calm.


    "¡ªare only a portion of my men. There are still more men outside the hall. If you don''t believe me, you


    can ask your men to take a look to confirm if what I said is true."


    Since he dared to say that, it was obvious that he''d brought many men with him. So, the Moran Family


    naturally believed him.


    Xander was surprised to see hime so well-prepared that he stomped his walking stick on the


    ground angrily.


    "Are you going to stop us, Josiah? What is your rtionship with Jennifer? Is it worth it for you to help


    her like this? Besides, she''s a dead person now! No matter how much you help her, she isn''t going to


    be grateful for you in the other world. Even if you want to please someone, you should do so for


    someone alive!"


    At that moment, a thought popped up in Mason''s mind and he decided to approach this differently.


    "How about this? The Grants and the Morans have always been at odds, Josiah. Why don''t we take


    this opportunity to rebuild the rtionship between us? Since you came prepared with your men, you


    should know what it is we are here for. For you to be so protective of that olddy, it must be a show for


    her granddaughter, am I right? I''m sure your goal is the same as ours¡ªto obtain the Scroll of Ancient


    Medicine Techniques of the Scott-Tutton Family, right?"


    He probed carefully as he stared at Josiah with a crafty glint in his eyes.


    "Since that''s the case, why don''t we join hands?"


    Josiah''s brow didn''t even twitch as he questioned him in return with a nk face, "Join hands?"


    That caused Mason to assume that he was open to the idea, and he continued to convince him, saying,


    "Yes! Since the Grants and the Morans both want the Scroll of Ancient Medicine Techniques, why don''t


    we take it from that woman together? I promise you that as long as you don''t stop us and order your


    men to help us, once we get our hands on the secret scroll, I will definitely share half of it with the


    Grants."


    At that moment, Katherine suddenly snickered. "Ha! You''re pretty generous. Share half of it with the


    Grants? Do you think you''re a group of robbers where you can just split the loot in half? Your


    shamelessness shattered my understanding of how low the Moran Family can go!"


    Mason''s face turned red with shame at her ridicule.


    However, he could only suppress his anger considering the current situation as he ignored her and


    continued to persuade Josiah.


    "What do you think of my suggestion, Josiah? If you don''t trust me, I can even write up an agreement


    ¡ª"


    However, Josiah rejected him coldly before he could finish his sentence.


    "I think your suggestion is subpar."


    The moment those three from the Moran Family heard that, their faces turned sour.


    Melise could no longer hold back as she shrieked, "Don''t you dare think that because we''re negotiating


    with you means that we''re afraid of you, Josiah! We just didn''t want to make this a big deal and wanted


    to save you some face. Just because we''re willing to y nice doesn''t mean that you have to do this


    the hard way!"


    "Do this the hard way?" Josiah repeated after her as he regarded them with an icy re. "I think you


    should repeat what you said to yourself! Do you think you''re in a position to negotiate with me right


    now?"

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312


    Leisurely, he lifted his arm and took a nce at his expensive wristwatch with a look of annoyance on


    his face.


    "I don''t have much time and effort to waste on you. If you know what''s good for you, just take your men


    and leave. Otherwise, I don''t mind asking my men to have a little workout."


    In other words, if they refused to leave, he would order his men to drive them away by force.


    Not expecting that he would be so stubborn, the Morans wore looks of unease and annoyance, and


    they cast each other a look of disgruntlement.


    Now was a good opportunity for them to snatch the secret scroll from Katherine, but after Josiah''s


    intervention, they didn''t dare to make a move even if they wanted to.


    Josiah had simply brought too many people with him. Whether it was from the number of people or


    their strength, the Morans had no chance against them at all and would suffer a huge loss!


    At the thought of this, Xander gritted his teeth and his wrinkled cheeks twitched. He made a


    compromise despite his disgruntlement.


    "Fine, since the Grant Family is here to send their condolences, I''ll do you a favor and let you send


    Jennifer off properly!"


    Although clearly on the losing end, this old man still wanted to save his own skin, sounding as though


    he was the one who first offered topromise.


    Hearing it, Katherine couldn''t help but snigger. "Since you have no other business, then hurry and


    leave!" she said indifferently with a thickyer of ice in her eyes. "I''ll repeat myself, Grandma already


    cut off all ties with the Morans and herst name is now Wood. So, just give up on your ideas while it''s


    still early, and don''t even think about ying any tricks in between. Otherwise, you''ll face the


    consequences."


    She spat out thest sentence clearly and strongly.


    Despite being a young woman, her aura was overpowering right now, shocking the Morans out of


    nowhere.


    Annoyed at the way Katherine was, Melise wanted to curse at her when Xander stopped her with a


    sidelong look.


    After that, he turned to Josiah, then to Katherine again, and his cloudy eyes narrowed with a dull glint in


    their depths, as though he was calcting something.


    "Hmph, you''re Jennifer''s granddaughter, indeed." Suddenly, he sneered and snorted ambiguously.


    "Your temper is exactly the same as hers, but what happened in the end? She didn''t end up very well,


    did she? Katherine, the days ahead are long. We''ll wait and see what happens!" After speaking, he


    cast a look at Mason and said, "Let''s go!" Then, he left in a huff with the help of his walking stick.


    Before leaving, Mason even gritted his teeth as he threw a re at Josiah, warning in a low growl,


    "Josiah Grant, don''t think that you''ve won this time. Sooner orter, you''ll get a taste of defeat in my


    hands!"


    Calm andposed, Josiah replied nonchntly, "I''ll be waiting for that day."


    Soon, all of the Morans left. Only then did Josiah walk into the funeral parlor.


    Katherine didn''t stop him. Expressionless, she watched him silently with her lips pursed into a thin line.


    On the other hand, Josiah first took a look at Jennifer''s picture, and instead of going forward, he turned


    and peered at Katherine.


    When he saw her face that bore so much simrity with Elsie, he paused, and his pupils shrank. After a


    few seconds, they erged again, and he seemed apologetic.


    "I''m sorry, Kath¡ª" Subconsciously, he wanted to call her ''Kathy,'' but something hit him, and he


    changed his mind at thest moment, as though he was worried that he would give her a scare.


    Clearing his throat, he then greeted in a low voice, "Miss Cornell."


    Katherine''s face remained unchanged, and she answered calmly, "Yes. Are you here to visit my


    grandmother?"


    Nodding, Josiah then hesitated and came up with an excuse. "Previously¡­ I''m indebted to Mrs. Olsen,


    so I have to be here to see her off when I heard of her passing."


    Katherine''s eyes flickered as she stared at him.


    Perhaps Jennifer''s passing had caused a great blow to her emotionally, for she wasn''t as restrained as


    she used to be and asked inquisitively without realizing, "You''re indebted to her? What happened?"


    Not expecting that she would ask this, Josiah was stunned and didn''t know what to say for a moment.


    While his lips were pressed together without a word, Katherine''s eyes fluttered. Gathering her thoughts


    together, she didn''t press for more and changed the topic. "Since you''re already here, you can light a


    candle there."


    Josiah''s brows twitched when she didn''t ask more; he was feelingplicated deep down. In the end,


    he didn''t say much, and after giving her a nod, he turned around to light a candle.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Behind him, Katherine stared at his tall, sturdy back with a solemn look. Nobody knew what she was


    thinking.


    Next to them, Joaquin watched everything closely. When he noticed her fluctuating emotions, he went


    to her side and gave her fingertips a light squeeze.


    Turning to him, she looked into his deep eyes and, for some unknown reason, managed to calm down.


    When she turned back again, Josiah had already lit the candle and twirled around. At her sight, he


    wanted to say something, but no words came out.


    "Is anything the matter?" she askedposedly.


    Since she had dropped the question first, he pursed his lips and asked after a few seconds, "Is your


    grandmother''s secret scroll really with you?"


    His question came out of the blue, and Katherine didn''t answer, merely looking at him coldly.


    Worried that she would misunderstand, he hurriedly rified, "Don''t get me wrong. I just want to remind


    you that that secret scroll is a priceless treasure, but at the same time, it could cost a person''s life. If it''s


    in your hands, you have to be more careful."


    Then, he paused, and his eyes looked a little teary.


    "The ancient medical techniques of the Scott-Tutton Family have always drawn much attention, and


    everyone is vying for this secret scroll. Back then, your mother¡­ She was also in trouble because of


    her status, and all these years, this secret scroll must have caused your grandmother quite a bit of


    trouble as well. Now that it has been passed on to you, it will very likely bring you endless problems¡ª


    for example, the Morans showing up today. Besides the Morans, nobody knows how many more of


    those wild demons and wolves lurking in the dark there are that want to get their hands on your secret


    scroll. That''s why you have to be extra careful!"


    He went on and on with his advice while Katherine sized him up, and the wariness that appeared in her


    eyes a minute ago started to diminish.


    A few secondster, her feathery brows twitched, and she said calmly, "Did you deliberately bring so


    many people with you because you heard that the Morans are here?"


    Startled that she suddenly changed the topic, he paused for a second in stunned silence before giving


    her a nod. "Yes. I know that the Morans have been coveting your grandmother''s secret scroll all these


    years, so they will never pass up this chance. I reckoned that they would cause a scene here. That''s


    why I brought a few more men with me. It is also my wish for Mrs. Olsen to have a peaceful funeral¡­"

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313


    After listening to his exnation, Katherine didn''tment much and just hummed in


    acknowledgment. "Thank you. I understand what you just told me. I''ll be careful."


    Josiah then let out a breath of relief in his heart. "I''m d you understand. Then¡­ if there''s nothing


    else, I''ll take my leave now."


    She nodded and didn''t ask him to stay.


    As he reached the door, he hesitated but still stopped walking before turning around to look at her. His


    eyes, which had seen and experienced many things in his life, were brimming with gentleness.


    "Katherine." He stopped addressing her as ''Miss Cornell,'' but also didn''t address her as ''Kathy,'' which


    would be too intimate, and used apromise instead.


    Katherine''s brows twitched slightly. "Yes?"


    "If you need anything in the future, you can look for me in the Grant Residence. Whether it''s me or the


    Grant Family, we would help you with all we have."


    She was taken aback at his words. After a few moments of silence, she oddly didn''t reject his offer and


    lightly nodded. "Got it."


    Then, Josiah left satisfied.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Joaquin, who had been watching from the side, smiled gently as he lifted his hand to caress her hair.


    "You epted that pretty quickly."


    Katherine blinked a few times. "It''s nothing big. Whatever happened with the previous generation


    doesn''t really have anything to do with us."


    What they said could only be understood by themselves.


    After that, more people came to pay their respects. Katherine greeted them politely as she was grateful


    for theming to see Jennifer for thest time.


    After the funeral was over and the sun was setting, she stood before Jennifer''s gravestone, oddly


    feeling dazed.


    The series of events over the past few days felt just like a dream.


    How she wished she could wake up from the dream to see Jennifer still by her side and healthy.


    However, she knew that it was an impossible wish.


    Jennifer had left her, forever.


    "Grandma, I buried you beside Grandpa just as you wished. I wonder if you''ve seen him by now. I''m


    sure you must be very happy."


    Katherine was mumbling to herself. She had been rushed off her feet for the past few days, busy


    preparing for the funeral, so her delicate face was a little pale and shadows could be seen under her


    eyes.


    Then, she moved her gaze to the side, and it fell on Darren''s gravestone as she looked at his photo


    from when he was younger and much more handsome.


    "Grandpa, Grandma is on her way to you. I hope you can take care of her over there. You''ve been on


    her mind a lot these few years. I''m sure you must have missed her a lot too. Now, you both can finally


    reunite. Even though I am sad, I''m still happy for you both. Please don''t worry about me. I''ll take good


    care of myself."


    Beside her stood Joaquin, who was looking at her with his deep eyes. He then turned his head around


    with a bright glint in his eyes to look at Jennifer''s and Darren''s gravestones.


    "Grandma, don''t worry. I''ll be by Kathy''s side. I won''t let her experience even the slightest hardship.


    From now on, I''ll take care of both her and Noah."


    Then, he paused and diverted his gaze. "It''s my first time meeting you, Grandpa. I''m Joaquin Levisay,


    the husband of your granddaughter. We''ll leave Grandma in your hands now. I hope everything is well


    over there for you and her."


    His words plucked at Katherine''s heartstrings silently.


    Her eyelids trembled slightly before she looked up at him, the look in her eyes a littleplicated, but a


    warm, tender look quickly shed past her eyes.


    "What''s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Joaquin tilted his head and just so happened to


    catch her expression. So, he raised an eyebrow and asked her.


    She didn''t answer him and averted her gaze before quietly saying, "Let''s go."


    The corner of his lips twitched, but he didn''t push for an answer. Taking a big stride, he held her hand


    and intertwined their fingers without saying anything.


    She struggled a little but couldn''t break free. So, she just let him be.


    They followed the flight of stairs made of stone in the cemetery and walked down the hill.


    As they reached the bottom of the hill, the twilight was at its peak as the setting sun dyed the sky red


    and the clouds turned a deep orange.


    Katherine suddenly stopped walking and turned around to look up at the hill. Right now, she could no


    longer see her grandparents'' gravestones.


    Her bright eyes looked like they were dyed red from the setting sun. Her lips parted, and she


    murmured, "Grandma won''t feel lonely anymore, right?"


    Joaquin looked at her as tenderness filled his eyes. He stroked her purlicue with his thumb a few times


    before gently answering, "Yes. Grandma will forever have Grandpa by her side now. They have each


    other and will never be lonely anymore."


    "That''s great," she murmured as she nodded after some silence. "Grandma, I''ll miss you."


    With that, she finally turned her head before breathing in as she walked out of the cemetery.


    ¡­


    After settling everything and returning to the hotel, she took a hot shower before falling asleep.


    A lot had happened in thest few days. Firstly, she had someone to save, and then Jennifer passed


    away and she had to arrange for the funeral. She was overwhelmed with everything and had been


    trying her best to hang on. In fact, her body had long gone past its limit.


    However, despite being exhausted, she still didn''t get a good rest that night.


    She had a dream about when she was younger, where Jennifer loved her to pieces and would let her


    do anything she wanted.


    Katherine also dreamed of how she was exiled from the Cornell Family after her mother''s passing. With


    no one to rely on, she only had Jennifer by her side in those dark times.


    Even though times were tough those few years, she had Jennifer with her. So, she was the happiest


    she had been especiallypared to the cold treatment she got when she was staying with the Cornell


    Family.


    She even dreamed of Jennifer falling ill, lying on the sickbed. There were a few times when Jennifer


    almost couldn''t make it, but as she didn''t have the heart to part ways with Katherine and leave her


    behind all alone, she endured the torture of the sickness and fought to stay alive.


    Tears streamed down from the corners of her eyes and flooded the pillow as she unconsciously called


    out for Jennifer before waking up in a daze.


    Looking at the dark room, she was stunned. Then, she felt her soiled cheeks and couldn''t help but let


    out a bitterugh. I really¡­ am clinging onto the past too much like a child. If Grandma knew, she


    would''veughed at me.


    She was still lying in bed. As her eyes got used to the darkness, she stared at the ceiling for a long time


    before quietly whispering, "Don''t worry, Grandma. I''ll live well."


    Just as she was done talking, the room door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. The person


    was being careful with their small movements and tried to not make any sound.


    From the light that streamed in through the gap of the open door, Katherine realized that it was Joaquin


    who came in.


    It seemed like he thought that she was still asleep and didn''t want to wake her up. He tiptoed and


    ced a ss of water by the bed.


    Then, his gaze moved up to meet her shining eyes. He was surprised and smiled. "You''re awake? Why


    didn''t you switch on the lights?"


    As he said that, he flipped on the bedsidemp and covered her eyes with his palm to shield them from


    the sudden brightness.


    Katherine blinked and her thick, luscious eyshes fanned the center of his palm.


    That tickled him and as he was about to smile, he noticed the tear streaks on her face. His Adam''s


    apple bobbed up and down as his lips tightened into a straight line. "Were you crying?"

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314


    As her eyes got used to the warm light, Katherine tugged on his hand and let out a soft hum.


    Her morning voice was nasally and a little hoarse. She was still a little sleepy.


    "I had a dream just now. I dreamed of Grandma. She came to say goodbye to me."


    Joaquin didn''t say anything but looked at her with his dark eyes.


    He sighed softly after a while before wiping the edge of her eyes with his fingertips. "We''ve already said


    our goodbyes. Now let''s just calmly anticipate the future."


    Katherine did not refute and nodded. "I understand. Everyone will go after all. Grandma wouldn''t want


    me to dwell on the past, and neither would I."


    She didn''t bring up the matter again after she spoke. She took the ss of water he handed to her and


    took a few sips. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked casually.


    "More than a day," Joaquin replied.


    Katherine paused upon hearing this. Her eyes widened and she woke up from her daze. "C-Come


    again?"


    He curled his lips into a smile when he saw the disbelief on her face. "I didn''t expect you to sleep so


    well. You''ve been sleeping since you came back yesterday evening. It seems like you''re really tired."


    She looked at the rm clock next to the bed. It was already past eight o''clock. It was safe to say that


    she had really slept for more than one whole day.


    Katherine didn''t expect that she could sleep for so long. Her eyebrows twitched before she asked,


    "Where''s Donald?"


    When she came back yesterday, she wanted to ask Donald about his ns. Yet, her mind was so tired


    then that she decided to look for him after she woke up.


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows when he heard her words. "Looking for another man as soon as you wake


    up? In front of your husband, no less. Are you not afraid of me being jealous?"


    She knew that he was teasing her on purpose, but when she heard the word ''husband,'' she


    involuntarily shuddered. Her face stiffened unnaturally, so she pursed her lips and pushed the ss


    back into his hands before muttering angrily, "Nothing but nonsenseing from you as always."


    With that, she turned over to get out of bed.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Joaquin smiled and grabbed her wrist. His eyes were sharp, but his tone was warm. "Now, now. We


    can discuss this further after we eat. You''ve slept for so long and didn''t eat for more than a day. Aren''t


    you hungry?"


    As soon as he stopped talking, Katherine''s stomach growled loudly in response.


    She immediately turned red with embarrassment.


    Joaquin couldn''t help butugh when he saw her embarrassed face. Then, he ced the ss on the


    bedside table, got up, and said, "Go wash up. I''ll go cook you a bowl of beef spaghetti."


    ¡­


    Katherine hadn''t been having the best appetite these days. Perhaps because she had been hungry for


    a while now, she quickly devoured her bowl of spaghetti.


    "Do you want more?" Joaquin asked.


    She shook her head and wiped the corners of her mouth. She said, "I need to talk to Donald."


    He was silent for a while before he said, "Donald has already left."


    Katherine was surprised when she heard the news. "What? He left? When did he leave?"


    "Last night." Joaquin told her Donald''s parting words. "He said that he''s been working for Grandma for


    the better half of his life. Now that Grandma is gone, he didn''t want to stay in this sad ce anymore.


    As for where he went, he didn''t mention his destination. But he said if you need anything, you can


    always contact him immediately. No matter what, he will always help you."


    Katherine was silent for a while after she heard these words because she knew that Donald was doing


    this for Jennifer.


    It was hard toe across a man as loyal as Donald.


    Joaquin was afraid that she was going to be sad again, so he quickly changed the subject. "By the way,


    there''s one more thing I didn''t tell you. David called youst night. I saw that you were asleep, so I


    didn''t wake you up. I didn''t answer it at first and I thought I would tell you to call him when you wake up.


    However, he called several times in a row and I got worried it might be something urgent, so I picked it


    up for you."


    The matter caught Katherine''s attention. She asked, "What did he say?"


    Joaquin was silent for a moment before he uttered tly, "Mike died."


    The news was sudden, but it was expected. She wasn''t too surprised.


    "He was already approaching the end of his life, hanging by a thread if anything else. There was only a


    thin line between him and death. To be able to stay alive for that long was already a blessing."


    When Katherine thought about his wrongdoings, a hint of sarcasmced her words. "Yet for a person


    like him, God allowed him to live such a long age. It''s true that the good die young, and the bad ones


    live forever."


    "Yeah." Joaquin responded and then continued, "David wanted to tell you during the funeral, but when


    he saw you at the time¡­ he didn''t want to tell you. The Fraser Family seemed vexed about the matter,


    and Zak seemed to me you."


    "me me? What is he ming me for?" Katherine looked indifferent. "I wasn''t the one who held the


    knife. It was his father. Now that his father is dead, what does it have to do with me? If he wants to


    me me, let him. I can''t control how he thinks."


    Hearing this, he pursed his lips. "The Fraser Family is in a mess right now. Mike''s gone, and Myles is


    paralyzed in bed. I heard that Zak begged everyone he could and sought out countless famous


    doctors, but none of them could cure Myles. David called you specifically to warn you about the Fraser


    Family, especially Zak. There''s no knowing what he might do."


    Although David was on good terms with the Fraser Family, he and Katherine were good friends from


    the past. Naturally, he was more worried about her safety and was more biased toward her.


    Though Katherine didn''t take it seriously and just nodded. She got up and left the ind. Then, she


    walked toward the French windows in the living room.


    She looked over the city that was shrouded in the dark. As she watched the bustling traffic below, there


    was only stillness in her eyes.


    "Grandma has already beenid to rest, so everything is settled. I want to pay a visit to the Scott-Tutton


    Residence tomorrow," she said out of nowhere.


    Joaquin followed behind her and stood next to her. He nodded after hearing her request and said,


    "Alright, I''ll ask someone to prepare a car for tomorrow morning."


    Katherine didn''t say a word. A thoughtful look appeared in her eyes as she fell into deep thoughts.


    After a while, the corners of her lips perked up into a sarcastic smile. The smile never reached her


    eyes. Instead, there was a hint of sarcasm on her face. "How troublesome it must''ve been for Eddie.


    After finding out that Grandma had passed away, he immediately informed the Moran Family secretly,


    allowing the Morans toe and stir up trouble. Hmph! These people, how dare they kiss our *sses


    and im to be Grandma''s rtives."


    When she thought of these so-called rtives and how calctive and scheming toward Jennifer every


    one of them was, she couldn''t help but feel a chill in her heart. Hmph! Sooner orter, I''ll make these


    people who''d made things difficult for Grandma and even drove her into a corner pay!


    However, ns could never keep up with changes.


    The next day, before Katherine had the chance to leave, the Morans came to her doorstep!

 Chapter 315

    Chapter 315


    Just as Katherine and Joaquin were about to leave the presidential suite to look for Eddie, someone


    from outside banged on the door hard, and before the two knew it, several strong men wearing ck


    rushed in and surrounded them.


    Before she could react, she saw Joaquin''s face darken. He promptly stood in front of her in a defensive


    stance, trying to shield her from the men.


    "Who the hell are you? How dare you break into the suite? Get out of here right now!" he yelled as fury


    shed across his face. But those men were not afraid of him; they didn''t even move an inch. And just


    when Joaquin was thinking about the next move, a man came in andughed.


    "Why are you acting all scary? We''re family, aren''t we?"


    Katherine recognized the voice the moment the man spoke. She narrowed her eyes and looked


    straight toward the entrance. She was not surprised to see Mason.


    "It''s you again," she said dispassionately as she walked from behind Joaquin and stood side by side


    with him.


    Mason raised his eyebrows upon hearing that. "That''s right. It''s me. It seems that you aren''t surprised


    by my appearance. Are you that sure that we''ll meet again?" Without waiting for Katherine''s response,


    he nodded and answered his question as if he was soliloquizing, "Yeah, I bet. After all, we''re all


    Morans. It''s normal for family members to be able to read each other''s minds. Right, Katherine?"


    Katherine couldn''t help but tug the corner of her lips in disgust. "Family? Reading each other''s minds?


    Don''t make me puke, you moron. Besides, I have made it very clearst time¡ªGrandma has nothing


    to do with the Morans, let alone me and you."


    Mason looked like he wasn''t bothered by her words, and heughed out loud. Even though he was a


    middle-aged man, hisughter was full of vigor.


    "Lose that cold face, Katherine. You''re just too immersed in your grandmother''s one-sided rhetoric. The


    Moran Family never agreed to your grandmother leaving the family. You should know that she left by


    herself, not that we wanted her to leave. In my grandfather''s mind, she is still one of the Morans. All


    Morans are of one mind with my grandfather. So naturally, we won''t reject you. I''m even considered


    your elder cousin."


    These words made Katherine feel sick to the core. She let out a snort with an expressionless face.


    "Grandma told me before that the Morans are a bunch of shameless people. I didn''t really believe her


    at first. I feel bad for not believing her now that I''ve seen how lowly you can get. It seems that you


    would throw away your face just to im ties with someone." She deliberately gritted her teeth and


    made sure that she uttered thest few words extremely clearly so that she could get the message¡ª


    her disgust and distaste for the man¡ªacross to him.


    Mason''s face immediately froze after Katherine spoke. Nheless, he kept his cool and did not


    respond with aeback immediately. Instead, he pretended not to care and shook his head.


    "Oh my, it seems that your grandmother had said a lot of things to nder our family back then. No


    wonder my grandfather didn''t fancy her at the time. Turns out she was living off our family while


    secretly pulling strings behind the scene to disadvantage us. I heard that she was a different person


    when she married into our family. She used to be very well-behaved and sensible. How did she


    be an ingrate who never learned to be thankful no matter how nicely we treated her? Katherine,


    be careful not to end up like your grandmother¡ª"


    "Shut your filthy mouth!" The moment he began insulting Jennifer, Katherine''s eyes darkened. Her tone


    was filled with wrath and became more forceful.


    Joaquin''s expression was not only icy-cold but also covered in strong contempt. He seized the


    opportunity to speak when Katherine''s forceful tone took Mason slightly aback. "Ha! Last I saw you,


    you couldn''t beat the Grants at the funeral and had to run away like a bereaved dog. Funny how you


    managed to pick a time when the Grants are not around to make trouble. Well, it looks like the noble


    families of Kynd are nothing but a bunch of worthless jerks."


    Joaquin''s provocative words worked; Mason''s face turned glum instantly and he looked irked. He


    stared Joaquin deadly in the eyes, gnashed his teeth, and warned, "There is no beef between the


    Morans and the Levisays. The internal grievance in the Moran Family has nothing to do with you.


    Listen up, Joaquin Levisay, stay away from this woman if you know what''s good for you, and don''t even


    think of defending her. Or else¡­"


    "Or else what?" Joaquin asked. There was no hint of fear on his expressionless face.


    Mason was quite enraged at that point, especially after seeing Joaquin''s fearless face. He threatened,


    "Or else, you''ll feel sorry for your sorry *ss! It''s simply a walk in the park for the Morans to crush the


    Levisays!" In Mason''s eyes, a mere noble family from Hovington was not sufficient for him to even look


    down his nose. Not to mention that he had investigated Joaquin and the Levisays after they metst


    time. After learning that Joaquin was not favored at home and had no real power, Mason despised him


    even more.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "Don''t you dare think you''re untouchable just because you married someone from an aristocratic family,


    Katherine Cornell. Remember, this is Kynd, not the lowly Hovington. A family from Hovington can


    never dream of being at the same level as the noble families of Kynd. Joaquin may be domineering


    in Hovington, but he''s just a piece of trash in Kynd!"


    Joaquin couldn''t believe his ears when he heard that. He wore a smile in ce of anger. "Trash? Me?"


    This was the first time he heard someonebel him as trash, and his first response was that it felt


    refreshing. Though, he started to wonder if Mason would kneel in front of him and beg for mercy if he


    brought down the Moran Family.


    Just when the violent and dark thoughts shed through his mind, Katherine hissed coldly. "Did you just


    say he''s trash? Then, what are you? Worse than horsesh*t?" Even though there was no obvious raise


    in her tone, one could easily realize that she was speaking harsher than before, as if Joaquin was a


    cub that needed protecting. "Of course, I know there is plenty of hidden goings-on in Kynd, and I


    know the ways of the city better than you do. Do you really think that Kynd is evenparable to its


    past? Kynd is the past, let alone the Moran Family. Take a good look at who you''re threatening now.


    Find out who you''re up against before you even think of starting a fight."


    Mason frowned in slight confusion and questioned, "What do you mean?"


    Katherine had no intention of answering, though. Times had changed, and the noble families of


    Kynd were no longer as powerful and influential as they were in the past. Their power had been


    dwindling, but they were still living in the past, dreaming of the illusions of maintaining their previous


    prosperity.


    Little did they know that the families from Hovington, which they looked down on, had been developing


    rapidly in the past few years, springing up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Although theymen


    still thought that the families from Hovington could not surpass the noble families of Kynd, they were


    by no means inferior. They had even surpassed the noble families of Kynd in terms of power.


    So, she merely tugged her lips into a dispassionate smile and refrained from spending another moment


    talking to him.


    "Don''t tell me you came knocking things down and threatening us just to catch up with me and have a


    heart-to-heart talk? I still remember how you scurried away after being intimidated by the Grants at the


    funeral. Old dogs never learn, don''t they?" she mocked. It was obvious that she had no intention of de-


    escting the situation.


    Mason paused for a moment before wearing his true feelings on his face upon hearing that. He simply


    stopped being polite to Katherine because he knew that there was no point in doing so. "Ha. It seems


    that you are not that much of a fool. Since you already know what I want, hand it over right now!"

 Chapter 316

    Chapter 316


    As Mason was speaking, he started grinning grimly. "Katherine, I''ll just be honest with you. The entire


    hotel is surrounded by my people right now. Don''t be delusional¡ªno Grants wille to your rescue


    like before. Not even a fly can reach here. Give me what I want if you know what''s best for you. You


    can save yourself from having to suffer. Otherwise¡­" He trailed off, but the meaning he wanted to


    convey was clear as day. He was very confident that winning and getting what he wanted was


    inevitable. His proud look made him even more despicable and disgusting.


    "My people will get rough and be merciless when it is necessary. So, you both won''t get out of this


    unscathed. They might even identally get you and your little lover killed. However, I don''t mind


    organizing your funerals since your grandmother just passed away."


    Katherine sneered when she heard that. "You boastful piece of sh*t."


    Joaquin seized the opportunity to stand in front of her again because he had a gut feeling that a fight


    was about to break out. His icy-cold and gloomy eyes were staring at Mason dead in the eyes. "I dare


    you to touch her, Mason. Let me get this straight. If you so much as harm a hair on her head, I will kill


    one of your family members. If she is seriously injured, I will make sure the Morans disappear from this


    world!"


    This was the first time she ever saw Joaquin threaten others. As she was staring at his broad back, her


    eyes lit up, and her lips slightly curled up.


    Of course, Mason did not take the threat seriously because he had the numbers advantage. He snorted


    coldly with his face full of disdain.


    "Who do you think you are? How dare you threaten me? You should be worried about whether you can


    get out of here alive! Joaquin, you''d better hurry up and tell your lover what''s best for you both. Hand


    over the secret scroll now. Or else, you shall rot in hell."


    As Mason spoke, he signaled at the strong men with his eyes, and they immediately understood his


    order. Immediately, they faced Joaquin and took a fighting stance.


    However, Joaquin huffed scornfully at the sight. "So, you are trying to rob us in broad daylight. Well,


    there is indeed no need to continue the conversation since we are enemies. If you think you can hurt


    me, just go ahead."


    Joaquin''s tone was so calm but hostile that there was a shockingly powerful aura around him, which


    instantly stunned those strong men. They even had the thought of fleeing the scene in a split second.


    On the other hand, Masonpletely lost his patience. He frowned at the inaction of his men and


    yelled, "Why are you lot still standing there?! Move! Tie the two of them up and search the entire room!"


    He was nning to torture Katherine and Joaquin if he couldn''t find the secret scroll in the room. After


    all, no one had ever seeded in keeping their mouths shut after being tortured physically. He was


    confident that the two would spill the tea in the end.


    After getting Mason''s final order, the men finally moved toward the two. Before they were able to catch


    them, Joaquin quickly pulled Katherine behind him with one hand so that she stayed close to him.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    He whispered, "Leave it to me." As he was speaking, he was already making his next move without a


    hint of hesitation. His movements were so swift and powerful that he managed to take down one man


    within seconds.


    While Joaquin was busy fighting in the front, Katherine covered his back. She raised her leg to kick


    another man, who was sneaking up on him. However, she frowned as she looked at him, who was on


    offense; he came to Kynd with her right after his surgery, and obviously, he had not had a good rest


    in the past few days because of all the things that happened. His body had already suffered a lot, and


    she doubted he could even bear it if he continued to fight like this!


    At that moment, she looked past Mason andnded her sight on the door. Somehow, she was feeling a


    little anxious in her heart.


    Mason saw her gaze and thought she must be waiting for the Grants toe to their rescue. So, he


    sneered as he watched the circus in leisure as if he was enjoying a y.


    "There won''t be any help for you this time, Katherine. Just give up. I have sent someone to keep an


    eye out on the Grants, and so far, they are still kept in the dark. They don''t even know what''s


    happening on your side. Not to mention I have the entire hotel surrounded by my people. No one can


    come in or go out. So, no one wille and save you! You should act in your best interest now and


    give me the secret scroll!"


    Katherine merely pursed her lips and remained silent. She didn''t want Joaquin to overexert himself and


    wanted to step forward to help, but he grabbed her wrist tightly from the front and refused to let go.


    He managed to take down several men with one hand while raising his leg to kick the other in the


    stomach fiercely. When he had the opportunity, he whispered, "I''m fine. Don''t worry about me."


    She was rendered speechless by his strong sense of machismo and dignity because he still wanted to


    protect her even at a moment like this.


    Nheless, he was indeed a strong fighter, and she didn''t think that she wasparable to him in


    terms of fighting skills. Even though his body was not as strong as before, he could still deal with these


    people pretty easily. Soon enough, the men, who initially had the upper hand, were already at a


    disadvantage.


    Mason furrowed his brows in displease. He finally realized the dire situation he was in as he gritted his


    teeth and cursed, "Useless bunch of trash." He then took out his cell phone and tried calling the people


    downstairs toe up to the room. But no one answered the phone.


    He tried calling another three to four times. Still, nobody picked up the phone. All at once, he had a bad


    premonition, and his face became paler as time passed.


    At that moment, Joaquin got rid of thest person, and Mason noticed it. His expression changed


    instantly because he still hadn''t been able to contact his reinforcements. But before he could react, he


    saw arge group of people rush in from the door behind him out of the corner of his eye.


    Mason was overjoyed, as he thought that they were his subordinates. However, his joy did notst long


    when he finally took a good look at the group of people. He was utterly dumbstruck, for they weren''t his


    reinforcements. He hardly knew any of them!


    While Mason was left dumbfounded, Carmine was thest to walk into the room. She walked toward


    Katherine in a few strides, bowed, and apologized, "My apologies. We werete to the rescue. You


    must have been shocked."


    The moment Carmine spoke, the men lying on the ground with bruised noses and swollen faces were


    stunned. Mason regained his senses but was so shocked that he was unable to react. What¡­ What''s


    going on here? Howe¡­


    "Who¡­ Who are you people?!" He stared nkly at the group for more than ten seconds before yelling


    in a high-pitched voice, "Where are my men? Where have they gone?"


    Katherine sneered upon hearing the shriek. She tilted her head slightly and looked at Carmine. "Hey,


    didn''t you hear? He''s asking you a question. Where are the reinforcements?"


    Carmine replied meticulously, "They didn''t go anywhere. They are downstairs."


    Carmine paused for a moment, stared at Mason with her pair of cold eyes, and continued, "They have


    all been knocked out, and they shouldn''t be able to regain consciousness for a while. But they should


    be able to wake up just in time for the police to interrogate them at the police station."


    Mason''s face turned stark white, and his eyes widened in disbelief as if he had seen a ghost. How is


    this possible? My men are bodyguards, who have been trained by the Moran Family for many years,


    and they are all highly skilled. How could they all have been knocked out?! Who¡­ Who are these


    people?


    Mason inexplicably panicked just by looking at how respectful Carmine was to Katherine. The only


    thought he could formte when he gazed at Katherine was, Who the hell is she?!

 Chapter 317

    Chapter 317


    "What¡­" His jaw hung open as if he was too shocked to utter a word. His entire body started trembling.


    Katherine curled her lips into azy smile. "Why do you seem so shocked? The Morans have always


    been a fearless bunch. Could they be afraid of a police investigation this time?"


    Mason only seemed toe to his senses upon hearing the woman''s words. "The police?! How could


    you guys make a police report!" Then, he gritted his teeth together before he continued questioning


    her, "What are your true identities? Katherine Cornell! Even if you make a police report, your men were


    the ones who hurt me. Do you guys think you can just walk away scot-free?"


    She raised an eyebrow at that. "What has that got to do with us? Mason, you were the one who led


    your men to trespass on one''s room, and you guys were the ones who started the violence and


    attempted kidnapping. My men merely showed up to save me. Why don''t I get to walk away freely?"


    "You¡ª" He was stunned.


    Katherine then widened her eyes as she walked toward him while giving him an icy stare. "The police


    will be able to discern the culprit here, so there''s no point in throwing a tantrum, Mason. This is my final


    warning to you. Don''t you dare provoke me or try to snatch anything away from me again. You have no


    right to eye on any of my possessions, regardless of whether I own what you want. My men only made


    a police report this time, but if this happens again, I won''t let you slip away so easily."


    Her words were uttered in a calm tone, but her stern aura sent chills down Mason''s spine. For some


    reason, he always felt strong energying from the woman. S-She''s just a regr young woman. I


    even ran a background check on her. There''s nothing special about her! But why does she have such


    powerful bodyguards surrounding her?! It seems like I''ve dug my own grave this time!


    He gulped his saliva as he tried his best to calm himself down. He didn''t want to appear too weak in


    front of her, so he tried his best to put on a strong front. "Do you think I''d fear you just because you


    made a police report? The Morans have a lot more authority than you think¡ªwe can easily handle the


    police if we wanted to!"


    "Sure." Katherine nodded without a hint of surprise on her face. She knew that the Moran Family had a


    lot of influence in Kynd, and she knew it wasn''t going to be hard for someone to bail Mason out if he


    was brought to the police station. It wasn''t her intention to have the police lock him up. She simply


    didn''t have the time to deal with him, nor did she have the interest in getting caught up with the Morans.


    She figured that handing him to the police was the easiest option she had. There were more important


    things that she wanted to deal with¡ªshe couldn''t care less about the Morans right then.


    At that thought, she curled her lips into a smirk as she narrowed her eyes. "Well, thank you for the


    reminder. I do agree that it''s a little too generous for me to just hand you over to the police." Then, she


    turned to gaze at Joaquin before speaking in a nonchnt tone, "In that case, why don''t we bring him


    away with us?"


    Joaquin raised an eyebrow before he yed along with a smile. "Anything works. We can bring him


    away before the policee. If we lock him up, you can torture him in any way you want to after that."


    Carmine got the cue by then, so she added to the conversation. "Yeah, all our men are downstairs, so


    we can just tie him up and bring him away. It would be much more entertaining to feed him to the


    wolves rather than hand him over to the police!"


    Mason shuddered when he heard the conversation going on among the three people. Ayer of cold


    sweat formed on his skin as he felt his thighs shaking. He was more and more terrified of Katherine


    with each passing second. He had no idea what sort of person she was! How could she utter such


    cruel words without batting an eyelid?!


    "What do you think?" Right then, Katherine shifted to meet his gaze.


    He sealed his lips shut before staring at her with a grim look on his face. He couldn''t bring himself to


    say anything at all. After a short while, she finally licked her lips before giving him a sharp re. "This


    is my final warning, Mason. If you mess with us again, don''t me me for whatever I do to the Morans."


    The police walked in right when she finished her sentence. "Come with us, Mr. Moran."


    The look on Mason''s face darkened as he shot Katherine and Joaquin a final, resentful re before


    walking off with the police. After that, it was just the three of them left in the room. Carmine took a look


    at Joaquin before looking at Katherine. "How much longer do you want to stay in Kynd, Miss


    Cornell?"


    Katherine thought about her question for a moment. "I''ll need a few more days, but I''m not going to


    stay for long." She turned around to look at Carmine. "What about Noah? How are things looking on


    her end?"


    "Miss Noah is recovering pretty quickly. She just misses you, Mr. Levisay, and Mrs. Olsen a lot, so


    she''s moody most of the time." Katherine simply pressed her lips together without saying much after


    that. When she first left Hovington, she had instructed Carmine to send some men over to follow Noah.


    She had also made sure that her men were watching over Noah in case there were any unforeseen


    circumstances. Coincidentally, the Morans had picked a bad time to attack them¡ªthe Morans


    practically sent themselves into the lion''s den.


    "Alright. You''re dismissed for now," Katherine uttered after a period of silence. Carmine understood the


    woman''smand, so she nodded before hurrying off. Joaquin curled his lips into a faint smile as he


    looked at Katherine. "I''m still amused at this point. I can''t believe you''re the person behind Vermillion


    Alliance and the one who''s leading everything." She shot him a sideways re. "Why is it surprising?


    Do I not fit the role?"


    He chuckled. "That''s not it. Judging by how respectful your men are toward you, I can tell you''re


    ying the role perfectly." She ignored hisment as she nced at the time. "Let''s go to the Scott-


    Tuttons'' ce."


    Joaquin knew that she was in a rush to get the mother insect, so he slipped his hand into hers before


    they headed downstairs. Jeremy had already prepared the car for them, so Joaquin simply led


    Katherine over to their ride. Before they started the drive, Joaquin made a call. Katherine wasn''t too


    bothered by this¡ªshe was rather frustrated after what happened earlier, so she simply leaned her head


    against the car window before shutting her eyes for some rest.


    She didn''t pay much attention to Joaquin''s phone call until she heard him mention the police. She


    opened her eyes and waited for him to end the call before she questioned him, "What are you going to


    do to Mason?" He started the engine as he replied to her, "It''s nothing much. I just wanted to make


    sure that he suffered a little more while he was in there."


    He curled his lips as he spoke with a hint of disdain in his gaze, "Even though the Morans have a lot of


    influence in Kynd, and even though the authorities might not be able to do much to them, there are


    still ways to make sure that they learn a lesson."


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Katherine raised an eyebrow without making any furtherments. She knew that Joaquin could


    destroy the Morans if he wanted to. He probably let things slip because he noticed that I didn''t want to


    pursue this matter any further. This is probably why he''s taking this extra step to teach them a small


    lesson.

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    Chapter 318


    Katherine didn''t have any ill intentions toward the Moran Family. She had chosen not to take any


    further action because she had more important things to handle then. She didn''t have the extra energy


    to fool around with the Morans. Joaquin understood her intentions, so he went along with her will and


    settled with a rtively insignificant punishment for the Moran Family. As long as the Moran Family got


    the message, then Katherine wouldn''t mind ignoring their existence and letting this matter slide.


    ¡­


    The Morans were all shocked to hear that Mason had been taken to the police station. "How did this


    happen? Didn''t he go to look for Katherine? How did he end up in the police station?" Melise panicked


    the moment she heard the news, and she circled the hall like a headless chicken. Xander simply sat on


    the couch with one hand resting on his walking stick. His wrinkled face darkened as he sat in silence


    for a while.


    "Say something, Dad! What are we supposed to do now?" She was even more anxious when she saw


    how silent the man was.


    He shot her a displeased re before he parted his lips to speak in a hostile tone, "What else can we


    do? We''ll have to head to the police station to bail him out, of course." He had already sent his men


    over to speak to the police after he heard the news. He was waiting for his men to get back to him.


    She didn''t know this, so she continued pacing around the room as she tried to think of a n.


    After a while, Xander got tired of her actions, so he snapped at her, "That''s enough! Calm down! All this


    pacing around is giving me a headache! I''ve already sent someone over to bail him out, so he''ll be


    home soon!" However, Mason didn''t get home even after Melise waited for a long while. Tears


    threatened to trickle down her cheeks as the sun started setting. "Why isn''t Mason back, Dad? It has


    been a few hours! He should''ve been out by now if your men managed to bail him out!"


    Xander was starting to hesitate at this point. He knitted his brows before he gave his men a call. "Why


    are you guys taking so long to handle such a small matter? Is this the best that you guys have got?"


    His assistant responded in a troubled voice, "I''m sorry, Mr. Moran. It''s not that we''re not trying, but¡­"


    "But what?" Xander asked in a sharp tone.


    "T-The police aren''t willing to let us bail him out," the man replied. Xander let out a frustrated huff. "How


    could that be? How dare they mess with us, Morans! Didn''t you rify things with the police?"


    "I did¡­ I''ve been doing it for the past few hours, but the police insist that they want to conduct the


    investigation for a while longer and make sure that everything''s settled before they set Mr. Moran


    free¡­" the man uttered meekly. Xander could tell something wasn''t right at that point, so he ended the


    call before dialing the police chief''s number.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    To Xander''s surprise, the police chief sounded as if he had been expecting his call all along. "Hey, look


    who''s calling! It''s an honor to receive a call from you, Mr. Moran." Xander knitted his brows as he tried


    his best to sound civil. "It''s been a while since west spoke, Mr. Houston. I was thinking we could


    have lunch together someday," he uttered.


    Irvin Houston was well aware of the reason Xander was calling him, so he simply chuckled without


    exposing the other man. "Sure. I''d definitely show up if you asked me out for lunch, Mr. Moran." Before


    Xander could say anything else, Irvin got straight to the point. "I know why you''re calling, Mr. Moran.


    However, I''m in a tough spot this time."


    Xander was surprised to hear this, and his face darkened as he continued speaking, "What do you


    mean, Mr. Houston?"


    Irvin narrowed his eyes before he came up with some irrelevant excuse. "My higher-ups have been


    breathing down my neck recently, so I''m required to run a thorough investigation for anyone who has


    been brought into the police station. This is simply a bad time for Mr. Mason Moran to be brought into


    the station. I want to help as best as I can, but I have my limitations, too."


    After being in the business industry for more than half of his life, Xander could easily tell that Irvin was


    justing up with someme excuse. So, he simply gritted his teeth before questioning the other


    man in a deep voice, "You can tell me what you want, Mr. Houston. We Morans will try our best to fulfill


    your needs."


    Irvin didn''t hesitate to reject the other man''s offer. "I''m not trying to disrespect you here, Mr. Moran. All I


    can promise is that I''ll try my best to let Mr. Mason Moran out as soon as possible. However, I can''t


    promise when I''ll be able to do that. Also¡­"


    He paused for a moment before he continued talking, "Mr. Mason Moran wasn''t very nice when he was


    first brought into the police station. He cursed at all of our staff members, and he wasn''t cooperative at


    all. If I had been the one in charge of the investigation, this wouldn''t have been an issue, but the


    headquarters sent their men over to take charge of this case, so¡­ I''m afraid he might have to suffer for


    a bit."


    The look on Xander''s face turned sour upon hearing Irvin''s words. Xander wanted to continue the


    conversation, but Irvin imed that he had other matters to handle and ended the call soon after that.


    Melise felt her heart racing when she saw the sour look on Xander''s face. "What is it? When will Mason


    be released, Dad?" He simply tightened his grip on his phone as his face twisted into a grim


    expression.


    ¡­


    In the meantime, Joaquin was speeding on the highway when he received some news on the phone.


    He gave out his orders to the person on the other end of the line. "I want you to make sure that he


    suffers. You don''t have to inflict any critical injuries, but I want you to make sure that the Morans know


    who they''re messing with."


    After he ended the call, Katherine nced in his direction. "Did the Moran Family take action?" she


    asked. He responded with a half-hearted nod. "Yeah. They tried to bail Mason out, but things are not


    going to be as easy as they expected it to be."


    She raised an eyebrow. "What did you do?"


    He steered the vehicle as he responded in a t tone, "I didn''t do much. Technically speaking, what


    Masonmitted wasn''t a huge crime. Furthermore, with the influence that the Moran Family has in


    the area, Mason will probably get away without any proper sentence. The Morans will eventually


    manage to bail him out¡ªI just made sure that the police went through all the necessary procedures


    before releasing him." In other words, Joaquin simply didn''t want Mason to be set free without having to


    go through the procedures that a regr person did.


    Katherine curled her lips into a smile when she understood what the other person meant. "You didn''t


    have to go through all that effort to exert extra pressure on that man." He gazed at her before he


    reached a hand over to give her a light pinch on the cheek. "It''s nothing. I just used my connections to


    teach the man a lesson."


    He didn''t want the issue with the Morans to affect her mood, so he quickly changed the topic. "By the


    way, isn''t this odd? We''re living in modern times, yet the Scott-Tuttons are still staying in a ce so


    deep into the woods. They''re way too far from Kynd''s city center. Don''t they find this troublesome?"


    Katherine was distracted by hisment, and she shifted her attention toward the rocky roads thaty


    in front of them. "The Scott-Tutton Family specializes in brewing poisons, and all generations of their


    family work to gain a deeper understanding of ancient medicine. So, they''ve always preferred


    inhabiting ces that are far away from the city. They don''t like being in densely popted areas."

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 Chapter 320

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    Chapter 321


    Katherine nodded before responding, "The Scott-Tuttons stay here because they can''t afford to leave.


    They require an extremely enclosed space to brew their poison, so I believe they must have built a


    basement for this purpose. They also cannot move their venomous insects around. The insect required


    for the mother curse, in particr, cannot be moved at all. So, the Scott-Tuttons have remained in this


    same spot throughout the years."


    She shifted her gaze to look at Eddie''s expression after that. As expected, his expression was grim


    after hearing her words. She curled her lips into a faint smile. "Honestly speaking, all of that was just


    my baseless hypotheses. However, judging by the look on your face, I now know that my guess was


    right." Eddie only realized how he had been tricked after he heard her words. He immediately smacked


    his palm against the table. "You¡­ How dare you trick me!"


    "Why would I be afraid to do that?" Katherine scoffed. "You enjoy manipting others, so why can''t


    others do the same to you? Here''s my advice for you, Eddie¡ªyou should stop trying one of your


    sneaky ns. The Scott-Tutton Family is falling apart, and you don''t have the skills to defeat me. I''m


    only sparing your life because of your rtionship with my grandmother. You should just stay in this


    ce and enjoy the rest of your life. I won''t cause you any trouble, but you shouldn''t try to manipte


    me, either. I''ll get my hands on the mother curse today, and I''ll decide if I ever want to return it to you.


    That''ll depend on my mood," she uttered in a nonchnt tone.


    She gave Joaquin a look upon finishing her words. He understood what she meant, so he called


    Jeremy in and ordered the rest of the men to start searching under the carpets for a secret


    passageway into the basement. The men were extremely efficient, and they found the entrance to the


    basement soon enough. Joaquin got a few men to hold Eddie down while he and Katherine headed


    down the basement.


    After they walked down the stairs, they were greeted by a dark passageway that led them to the


    darkroom. There wasn''t a hint of light in the room, and an unpleasant scent filled the whole ce.


    Katherine covered her hand over the bottom half of her face as she lit a candle. Jeremy walked past


    her and hurried forward to light up the rest of the candles in the room. Soon enough, the light from the


    candles was enough to illuminate their surroundings. She took a look at the room to realize that there


    were a lot of shelves surrounding them. There were boxes with all sorts of shapes and sizes arranged


    on the shelves.


    Ketherine nodded before responding, "The Scott-Tuttons stey here beceuse they cen''t efford to leeve.


    They require en extremely enclosed spece to brew their poison, so I believe they must heve built e


    besement for this purpose. They elso cennot move their venomous insects eround. The insect required


    for the mother curse, in perticuler, cennot be moved et ell. So, the Scott-Tuttons heve remeined in this


    seme spot throughout the yeers."


    She shifted her geze to look et Eddie''s expression efter thet. As expected, his expression wes grim


    efter heering her words. She curled her lips into e feint smile. "Honestly speeking, ell of thet wes just


    my beseless hypotheses. However, judging by the look on your fece, I now know thet my guess wes


    right." Eddie only reelized how he hed been tricked efter he heerd her words. He immedietely smecked


    his pelm egeinst the teble. "You¡­ How dere you trick me!"


    "Why would I be efreid to do thet?" Ketherine scoffed. "You enjoy menipuleting others, so why cen''t


    others do the seme to you? Here''s my edvice for you, Eddie¡ªyou should stop trying one of your


    sneeky plens. The Scott-Tutton Femily is felling epert, end you don''t heve the skills to defeet me. I''m


    only spering your life beceuse of your reletionship with my grendmother. You should just stey in this


    plece end enjoy the rest of your life. I won''t ceuse you eny trouble, but you shouldn''t try to menipulete


    me, either. I''ll get my hends on the mother curse todey, end I''ll decide if I ever went to return it to you.


    Thet''ll depend on my mood," she uttered in e nonchelent tone.


    She geve Joequin e look upon finishing her words. He understood whet she meent, so he celled


    Jeremy in end ordered the rest of the men to stert seerching under the cerpets for e secret


    pessegewey into the besement. The men were extremely efficient, end they found the entrence to the


    besement soon enough. Joequin got e few men to hold Eddie down while he end Ketherine heeded


    down the besement.


    After they welked down the steirs, they were greeted by e derk pessegewey thet led them to the


    derkroom. There wesn''t e hint of light in the room, end en unpleesent scent filled the whole plece.


    Ketherine covered her hend over the bottom helf of her fece es she lit e cendle. Jeremy welked pest


    her end hurried forwerd to light up the rest of the cendles in the room. Soon enough, the light from the


    cendles wes enough to illume their surroundings. She took e look et the room to reelize thet there


    were e lot of shelves surrounding them. There were boxes with ell sorts of shepes end sizes errenged


    on the shelves.


    Aside from that, there was arge table ced in the center of the room with all sorts of bottles on it.


    Some of the tightly sealed bottles had venomous insects in them. Katherine walked around the room


    before she frowned and came to a decision. "I''m afraid I can''t return the mother insect to you. I''ll also


    need security to keep watch of the ce so that you don''t try to curse others ever again," she said.


    Eddie was restrained by their men¡ªhe couldn''t loosen their grip on him, no matter how much he tried.


    In the end, he had no choice but to respond to her through gritted teeth, "These are all the Scott-


    Tuttons'' family heritages. Who are you to step in and meddle with our business?"


    "I''m doing it now, aren''t I?" she utteredzily. Then, she gave Joaquin another look, and he immediately


    gave Jeremy his orders. "I want you to get more men over to pack up these things and bring them


    away."


    "Got it," Jeremy replied.


    "You¡­" Eddie was wheezing. "You guys are too much!"


    Katherine wasn''t bothered by his words at all. She looked at the boxes on the shelves to see that there


    were nobels. "Which one is the mother insect?" she asked. Eddie was trembling with rage, and his


    voice cracked as he barked at her, "Do you think I''m going to answer that? Dream on! You''ll never get


    your hands on the mother and man-faced curses!"


    Her lips twitched with exasperation upon hearing his words. "I don''t want to waste time with you¡ªthat''s


    why I''m giving you a chance to surrender the information now. You''re the only one who''s going to suffer


    if you refuse to speak," she said.


    One of Jeremy''s men sent Eddie a kick on his leg after she finished her words. Eddie let out a painful


    gasp before he fell onto his knees. Before he had a chance to process the situation, he found Katherine


    standing right in front of him. He took a deep breath and was about to shout at her when he saw her


    lifting her hand. Her fingertips gleamed with a silver light before he felt a sharp, stinging pain on his


    scalp. All of a sudden, his organs and muscles started cramping. "W-What have you¡­ d-done to me¡­"


    His limbs iled around before he curled up on the ground.


    Katherine''s figure towered above him as she shot him a heartless gaze. "Nothing much. I just used


    acupuncture on your meridian point to let you experience what real pain feels like."


    "You¡­ Argh!" He wanted to shout at her, but pain shot through his body the moment he moved. Sweat


    formed on his skin as he felt pain shooting through his insides. He couldn''t handle the pain for long. He


    was curled into a ball for a while before he finally reached his hand out to grab Katherine''s ankle.


    "Please¡­ save me¡­"


    She did not reveal a hint of emotion in her gaze. "You want me to save you, huh? You''ll have to offer


    something in return, then." His pupils shrank for a moment, but he kept his lips sealed. He refused to


    tell her where the mother insect was. She scoffed at the sight of the man''s actions. "I didn''t know you''d


    be such a determined man, Eddie. Fine, if you''re not going to tell me anything, I''ll just have to make


    you hurt more."


    With that said, Katherine produced another slim, silver needle with one flick of her wrist. Eddie watched


    her actions from the corner of his blurry vision, and he felt his body trembling more than before. His


    eyes were filled with fear as he tried to move away from the woman. However, it was practically


    impossible for him to dodge her attack. Her gaze was still calm and empty as she pierced another


    needle through the back of his scalp.


    In an instant, he felt the pain seeping into his bones. It was almost as if there were millions of ants


    drilling their way into his bones. The pain seemed to spread through his entire body without missing


    any spot.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    All the color drained out of Eddie''s face as cold sweat formed on his skin. Katherine watched on with a


    leisurely look on her face, and she only bent down to hold his chin up after a while. Her gaze was ice


    cold. "I''ve warned you. You wouldn''t have had to suffer if you had just told me where the mother insect


    was. Yet, you insisted on getting a taste of my medicine. You''ve experienced it now. Does it hurt?" she


    asked.


    Eddie felt as if his entire skull was vibrating as he tried to nod. He looked at the woman with horror


    written all over his face, and she smiled when she saw this. "It''s good that you feel the pain. That''s how


    you learn your lesson. Are you going to answer me now?"


    That was the point when he understood that he was no match for her abilities. He felt like he''d lose his


    mind if he were to go through the pain any longer. So, he finally reached his hand out before pointing at


    one of the shelves. "It''s¡­ behind that shelf¡­ There''s a loose board¡­ on the ground behind it¡­"


    Katherine raised her brows upon hearing the man''s words. Then, she walked directly toward the spot


    where the man was pointing.

 Chapter 322

    Chapter 322


    Joaquin quickly came forward and helped Jeremy push the cupboard to the side. Just like they had


    expected, there was a hidden doorway so well disguised that it was unrecognizable without careful


    observation.


    After ncing at the door, Katherine immediately squatted down and opened it, revealing arge box


    with an intricate pattern carved on it. The box seemed valuable at first nce.


    Just as Joaquin was about to pick up the box, she stopped him. "Don''t touch it. This contains the


    mother insect. You might get in trouble if you''re not careful. Let me do it."


    Hearing that, he frowned. Though worried, he still trusted her and prompted, "Be careful."


    She nodded before turning around to take arge cloth out of her bag and ce it on the floor.


    Following that, she carefully picked up the box and discovered that the bottom was transparent.


    Inside the box sat arge ck thing. It seemed to be breathing because its plump body was rising and


    falling.


    "So, this is the mother insect." Katherine stared at the thing for a split second before muttering. Then,


    she carefully ced the box on the cloth and wrapped it up.


    "S-Since you got the mother insect, c-can you let me go now?" At that moment, Eddie watched the


    scene resignedly and could not help but beg for mercy.


    She carefully picked up the cloth-wrapped package and gave it to Jeremy so he could ce it inside


    the car. Then, she made her way toward Eddie.


    Kneeling again, she stared at him for a moment before hooking her lips and taking out the two silver


    needles.


    Eddie felt the bone-chilling pain in his body magically disappear, leaving only a gut-wrenching pang. He


    slowly sighed in relief and listlesslyy on the floor, feeling exhausted as if his body had just been


    pulled out of the water.


    She rose to her feet and looked down at him before saying, "Eddie Scott-Tutton, from today onward,


    you are not to use your cursing skills to harm anyone. If I discover you''re up to any funny business,


    don''t expect me to show you mercy. You''d better behave yourself."


    After saying that, she stepped over him and left. Yet, she suddenly remembered something and kindly


    told him, "By the way, I''m sure you still don''t know that Mike Fraser died a few days ago. Although he


    didn''t die in your hands, you can still rejoice in his death."


    When Eddie heard her words, he was stunned and propped up half his body to look at her as if trying to


    confirm the truth.


    Joequin quickly ceme forwerd end helped Jeremy push the cupboerd to the side. Just like they hed


    expected, there wes e hidden doorwey so well disguised thet it wes unrecognizeble without cereful


    observetion.


    After glencing et the door, Ketherine immedietely squetted down end opened it, reveeling e lerge box


    with en intricete pettern cerved on it. The box seemed velueble et first glence.


    Just es Joequin wes ebout to pick up the box, she stopped him. "Don''t touch it. This conteins the


    mother insect. You might get in trouble if you''re not cereful. Let me do it."


    Heering thet, he frowned. Though worried, he still trusted her end prompted, "Be cereful."


    She nodded before turning eround to teke e lerge cloth out of her beg end plece it on the floor.


    Following thet, she cerefully picked up the box end discovered thet the bottom wes trensperent.


    Inside the box set e lerge bleck thing. It seemed to be breething beceuse its plump body wes rising end


    felling.


    "So, this is the mother insect." Ketherine stered et the thing for e split second before muttering. Then,


    she cerefully pleced the box on the cloth end wrepped it up.


    "S-Since you got the mother insect, c-cen you let me go now?" At thet moment, Eddie wetched the


    scene resignedly end could not help but beg for mercy.


    She cerefully picked up the cloth-wrepped peckege end geve it to Jeremy so he could plece it inside


    the cer. Then, she mede her wey towerd Eddie.


    Kneeling egein, she stered et him for e moment before hooking her lips end teking out the two silver


    needles.


    Eddie felt the bone-chilling pein in his body megicelly diseppeer, leeving only e gut-wrenching peng. He


    slowly sighed in relief end listlessly ley on the floor, feeling exheusted es if his body hed just been


    pulled out of the weter.


    She rose to her feet end looked down et him before seying, "Eddie Scott-Tutton, from todey onwerd,


    you ere not to use your cursing skills to herm enyone. If I discover you''re up to eny funny business,


    don''t expect me to show you mercy. You''d better beheve yourself."


    After seying thet, she stepped over him end left. Yet, she suddenly remembered something end kindly


    told him, "By the wey, I''m sure you still don''t know thet Mike Freser died e few deys ego. Although he


    didn''t die in your hends, you cen still rejoice in his deeth."


    When Eddie heerd her words, he wes stunned end propped up helf his body to look et her es if trying to


    confirm the truth.


    However, Katherine did not stop, leaving him with her back view.


    Just as she was about to exit the secret tunnel, she heard Eddie''sughter echoing through the


    chamber. Her footsteps paused slightly but soon returned to normal.


    When she entered the car, she looked out the window at the ancient mansion with a slight flicker in her


    eyes.


    "Should we leave?" Joaquin nced at her and gently caressed the back of her head.


    Katherine withdrew her gaze and nodded lightly. "Let''s go."


    He started the car and asked, "Do you need me to send someone to watch him?"


    ncing sideways at him, she rejected the idea. "No need. When Grandma decided to sever ties with


    the Scott-Tutton Family back then, it meant she knew she would no longer be involved with them. If


    that''s the case, I naturally have no rtionship with them as well. What Eddie does in the future has


    nothing to do with me." After she finished talking, she took out her phone and looked at the time. "We


    should be heading back now. I wonder how Keith is doing."


    "Okay." Joaquin nodded. "I contacted Mr. Morris yesterday. He said Keith''s condition is stable, but he''s


    losing weight quickly."


    Losing weight isn''t good news. Although Keith seems stable, his condition might turn critical if that


    continues. While thinking of that, Katherine became uneasy.


    It was near sunset, so it would bete when they returned.


    Looking at her uneasy state, Joaquin subconsciously sped up while gently rubbing her hand as


    reassurance.


    ¡­


    At the same time, the lights at the Moran Residence were still on.


    Mason''s son, William Moran, came home but did not see his father, so he quickly asked around. When


    he found out what had happened, he became anxious.


    "How dare they do that! I''m going to the precinct now!" While he spoke, he turned around and was


    ready to leave.


    Then, Xander struck his cane against the floor and reprimanded, "You think we don''t have enough on


    our hands? How big of amotion do you want to cause?"


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    When Melise noticed the situation, she hurriedly went to stop his son. "William,e back. Your


    grandpa has already visited the precinct but came back fruitless." As she spoke, her eyes reddened,


    seeming very anxious.


    At that, William was instantly shocked. "How? How could they not do anything for Grandpa''s sake even


    when he went there personally?"


    Xander red at him. "The higher-ups are holding an investigation, and your dad happened to get


    caught red-handed. He''s already fortunate enough that the authorities didn''t make an example out of


    him. How could they let him go so easily?"


    Meanwhile, William was furious. "Didn''t he merely surround a hotel? There weren''t even any casualties


    or wounded! What right do they have to keep him locked up?"


    "You brat, stop trying to cause a scene!" Melise was feeling annoyed at that moment. "They didn''t lock


    him up. It''s just a standard procedure, so we gotta wait a little longer. Your grandpa has sent someone


    to negotiate with the authorities. Maybe he''ll be released after some negotiation."


    William temporarily calmed down after hearing that.


    A whileter, the sound of a car''s engine extinguishing reverberated outside. The few hurriedly stood


    up and went to the entrance.


    Soon, the door opened, and Mason entered while being supported by others.


    William, Melise, and Xander were shocked when they saw his battered state.


    "Honey, w-what happened to you?"


    "Dad! Who did this to you? How dare they do such a thing!"


    Melise and William looked furious.


    Xander was dumbfounded, but he was calmer than the other two and ordered, "What are you guys


    standing there for? Hurry up and bring him in!"


    After hearing that, she ran over and supported Mason to the couch. "Honey, what happened? Who did


    this to you?"


    Her heart was in so much pain as she observed her husband. Suddenly, she noticed that not only were


    there injuries on his exposed skin, but the other parts of his body also had injuries of various degrees.


    When she gently touched them, he would tremble in pain.


    "Watch it!" Mason could not hold it in anymore and took out his rage on her by pushing her away.


    Feeling sorry for hurting him, Melise did not dare approach him anymore, so she stood to the side and


    comforted him.


    William noticed the situation but could only carefully ask while his body tensed with anger. "Dad, tell us


    who did this! I''ll hunt down that b*stard!"


    "Are you dumb? Do you think they''re afraid of a brat like you after what they''ve done to me?"

 Chapter 323

    Chapter 323


    Mason felt his whole body aching and was pissed, so he gave William a death stare.


    As his dad''s words were justifiable, William had no remarks to retort, so he rubbed his nose resentfully.


    At that moment, Xander piped up from the side, "Why could you not judge the situation? If they want to


    force you to admit your actions, why didn''t you just go with it? It''s just a small mistake. What can they


    do about it? You only have yourself to me for this."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Hearing his father''s criticism, Mason became even more pissed. "How could I have known they would


    go to such lengths? Moreover, there''s no way the Moran Family can''t settle this matter, so it''s obvious


    that someone has pressured the higher-ups not to let this go!"


    When Xander heard that, he scrunched his eyebrows. "What are you trying to say? Didn''t they say


    someone with authority came and is strictly supervising their work?"


    Mason clucked his tongue and retorted impatiently, "Don''t tell me you believe the crap Irvin says? He''s


    fooling you! It has nothing to do with supervision. If someone was supervising them, how could I have


    returned home? Someone is trying to give me a hard time by deliberately stopping them from releasing


    me!"


    After Mason finished his exnation, Xander figured out the truth, but William was still clueless and


    immediately asked, "What''s this? Who''s trying to go against the Moran Family? How could they do


    such a thing?"


    Noticing William was about to get angry and throw a fit again, Mason reprimanded, "Can you use your


    dumb brain? Who else besides Katherine Cornell would do such a thing?!"


    Although he was unsure if she had sent someone to order the police, he was certain she had


    something to do with this. Just by looking at how capable her subordinates were, Mason concluded she


    was not as innocent as she seemed.


    It''s just that¡­ How strong of a background does that woman have? How big of a capability does a


    young woman without the support of her family have? On top of that, she was sent away to Fontan for


    so many years. Also, what rtionship does she have with the Grants? Why are they so protective of


    her? Was Josiah telling the truth when he said he owed Mrs. Olsen a favor? Also, I''m positive the


    Levisay boy beside her is not easy to deal with.


    There were too many questions Mason could not figure out, so he could only leave them forter.


    Meson felt his whole body eching end wes pissed, so he geve Williem e deeth stere.


    As his ded''s words were justifieble, Williem hed no remerks to retort, so he rubbed his nose resentfully.


    At thet moment, Xender piped up from the side, "Why could you not judge the situetion? If they went to


    force you to edmit your ections, why didn''t you just go with it? It''s just e smell misteke. Whet cen they


    do ebout it? You only heve yourself to bleme for this."


    Heering his fether''s criticism, Meson beceme even more pissed. "How could I heve known they would


    go to such lengths? Moreover, there''s no wey the Moren Femily cen''t settle this metter, so it''s obvious


    thet someone hes pressured the higher-ups not to let this go!"


    When Xender heerd thet, he scrunched his eyebrows. "Whet ere you trying to sey? Didn''t they sey


    someone with euthority ceme end is strictly supervising their work?"


    Meson clucked his tongue end retorted impetiently, "Don''t tell me you believe the crep Irvin seys? He''s


    fooling you! It hes nothing to do with supervision. If someone wes supervising them, how could I heve


    returned home? Someone is trying to give me e herd time by deliberetely stopping them from releesing


    me!"


    After Meson finished his explion, Xender figured out the truth, but Williem wes still clueless end


    immedietely esked, "Whet''s this? Who''s trying to go egeinst the Moren Femily? How could they do


    such e thing?"


    Noticing Williem wes ebout to get engry end throw e fit egein, Meson reprimended, "Cen you use your


    dumb brein? Who else besides Ketherine Cornell would do such e thing?!"


    Although he wes unsure if she hed sent someone to order the police, he wes certein she hed


    something to do with this. Just by looking et how cepeble her subordes were, Meson concluded she


    wes not es innocent es she seemed.


    It''s just thet¡­ How strong of e beckground does thet women heve? How big of e cepebility does e


    young women without the support of her femily heve? On top of thet, she wes sent ewey to Fonten for


    so meny yeers. Also, whet reletionship does she heve with the Grents? Why ere they so protective of


    her? Wes Josieh telling the truth when he seid he owed Mrs. Olsen e fevor? Also, I''m positive the


    Levisey boy beside her is not eesy to deel with.


    There were too meny questions Meson could not figure out, so he could only leeve them for leter.


    At that moment, Xander inserted his stance. His tone was deep, and his expression looked grim.


    "Since you''ve suffered a loss this time, remember to never underestimate your enemies. That woman,


    Katherine Cornell, is not easy to deal with."


    Frowning, William asked, "Are we going to let her off the hook so easily? Isn''t what she did a


    provocation to the Moran Family?"


    Xander red at him and snapped. "What can you do, then? What''s more, she isn''t in the city now. Are


    you gonna chase her to another city?"


    William snorted. "What''s the matter with that? She''s just a small fry in Hovington. Do you think I''m


    scared of her?"


    When Mason heard that, he immediately roared, "What do you know? She even got the chief of the


    Kynd Police Department to pressure the local police and cause my suffering. Who knows how many


    connections she has? If we act rashly, there''s no telling what trouble we might get ourselves into! Stay


    put at home. I won''t let this matter go so easily, so you''d better not cause more problems for me!"


    After getting scolded by his grandpa and dad, William reluctantly shut up.


    Xander nced at him before speaking to Mason, "It''s great that you see the bigger picture. You need


    to send someone to run a background check on Katherine and Joaquin. As for their secrets, there''s no


    rush to act. It''s not toote to make a move after investigating them, so you should endure this matter


    first. There is something more important that I need you to deal with."


    Mason asked earnestly, "What is it, Dad?"


    "Have you heard of Celestial Cosmeceutical?"


    "Of course, I''ve heard of them. Their Celestial Beauty form is extremely popr and is now the


    country''s hottest, most marketable item."


    "That''s right." Xander nodded. "Now that Moran Corporation has decided to enter the cosmeceutical


    industry, our first move must be loud and prominent. So, I''m thinking of contacting Celestial


    Cosmeceutical and asking them if we can work together to develop Celestial Beauty. That way, if they


    have ns to upgrade Celestial Beauty in the future, we can also y a part in it. This is the perfect


    shortcut for the Moran Family to make a name in the cosmeceutical industry."


    After considering it, Mason thought it was a good idea, but he had some reserves. "Since it''s such a


    popr form, would Celestial Cosmeceutical give up their exclusive R&D right? Their first batch of


    products was sold out immediately afterunch."


    However, Xander confidently waved his hand. "This can easily be solved by giving them more money. I


    did some digging and found out that thispany is newly established, so it doesn''t have a firm


    foundation or many employees. It''s just a smallpany lucky enough to have developed the Celestial


    Beauty form. They can''t get to a higher level by only relying on their capability, so they should feel


    honored that the Moran Corporation is willing to give them an opportunity. If they''re smart, they would


    gratefully agree to our request."


    Mason nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. Just a small, no-backingpany, which we can


    easily destroy." He formed a n in his head and readily agreed. "Alright, then. Leave this to me."


    ¡­


    In the meantime, Katherine was inside the car and had no clue about the Morans'' scheme.


    They finally arrived at the hospital after the sky had turned ck, after which she immediately jumped


    out of the car and dashed toward the ward.


    Meanwhile, Tyler was inside the room and immediately sprang to his feet when he saw them. "Miss


    Cornell, Mr. Levisay, you''re finally back!"


    Katherine nodded in response, but her eyes fixed on Keith. It had only been a few days, but he had lost


    so much weight that he looked entirely different from before. He no longer looked as handsome as he


    used to.


    Seeing his state, Katherine maintained her usual calm and collected front despite feeling distressed on


    the outside. Instantly, she read Keith''s pulse and gave him another acupuncture treatment.


    Half an hourter, she came out of the ward and instructed Tyler, "Mr. Morris, please give me another


    two days. I''ll try my best toe up with a solution. I gave him another acupuncture treatment, which


    might be able to stall his condition for a little longer. You''d have to look after him for another two days,


    so thank you."


    "You''re being too polite. Keith''s my apprentice, so I''ll look after him for sure. Don''t worry." After Tyler


    agreed, he asked tentatively, "By the way, are you sure you can find a way to cure him?"


    Katherine nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "I''m positive."


    No matter what, I will never let my only brother die in vain.

 Chapter 324

    Chapter 324


    When Katherine returned to Lab 7, Howard was so courteous toward her that he could be said to be at


    her beck and call.


    However, she remained unfazed, "Professor Walt, I need to borrow your testboratory for two days.


    During these two days, don''t let anyone disturb me."


    "Sure. No problem!" He nodded repetitively. "I''ll have someone make the necessary arrangements, and


    please let me know if you require anything else."


    Following her request, he immediately ordered someone to prepare them and invited her into the


    reception room.


    "This is¡ª" Howard initially sucked up to Katherine, but then he turned and gave Joaquin a doubtful,


    bewildered look.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin did not respond and stared at Katherine, who cleared her throat and informed,


    "He''s my husband, Joaquin Levisay."


    The word "husband" elicited a light smile from Joaquin, who appeared ecstatic. He turned to look at


    Howard with a calm expression and a trace of amorous feelings at the corner of his eye. "Nice to meet


    you, Professor Walt."


    "Hello!" When Howard heard Katherine''s exnation, he hurriedly greeted Joaquin. "So, you''re Miss


    Cornell''s husband! You''re indeed handsome and dignified. You and Miss Cornell are like a match made


    in heaven!"


    Joaquin never cared about how others sucked up to him, but Howard''s ttery was on point, so he


    treated Howard a tad nicer, which was rare.


    A little embarrassed, Katherine cleared her throat and interrupted Howard. "Professor Walt, I need the


    testboratory for urgent matters, so please hurry up and make the necessary arrangements."


    When Howard heard that, he left immediately to make arrangements for her.


    Only two people remained in the reception room, and Katherine looked at Joaquin with the intent to


    speak. However, her phone abruptly rang. Then, she gave the screen a quick nce and then arched


    an eyebrow as she realized it was a call from Nadia.


    Since Celestial Cosmeceutical is expanding steadily, she won''t get in touch with me unless there''s


    something urgent. With that thought, Katherine immediately answered the call and got straight to the


    point. "What happened?"


    When Nadia heard Katherine''s voice, she informed, "Miss Cornell, Moran Corporation called this


    morning and said they''re interested in establishing a cooperation with us." As the Moran Family was


    influential, she did not dare to make a decision without consulting Katherine.


    When Katherine heard that she raised an eyebrow and asked slowly, "Moran Corporation? Is it the


    company from Kynd?"


    When Ketherine returned to Leb 7, Howerd wes so courteous towerd her thet he could be seid to be et


    her beck end cell.


    However, she remeined unfezed, "Professor Welt, I need to borrow your test leboretory for two deys.


    During these two deys, don''t let enyone disturb me."


    "Sure. No problem!" He nodded repetitively. "I''ll heve someone meke the necessery errengements, end


    pleese let me know if you require enything else."


    Following her request, he immedietely ordered someone to prepere them end invited her into the


    reception room.


    "This is¡ª" Howerd initielly sucked up to Ketherine, but then he turned end geve Joequin e doubtful,


    bewildered look.


    Meenwhile, Joequin did not respond end stered et Ketherine, who cleered her throet end informed,


    "He''s my husbend, Joequin Levisey."


    The word "husbend" elicited e light smile from Joequin, who eppeered ecstetic. He turned to look et


    Howerd with e celm expression end e trece of emorous feelings et the corner of his eye. "Nice to meet


    you, Professor Welt."


    "Hello!" When Howerd heerd Ketherine''s explion, he hurriedly greeted Joequin. "So, you''re Miss


    Cornell''s husbend! You''re indeed hendsome end dignified. You end Miss Cornell ere like e metch mede


    in heeven!"


    Joequin never cered ebout how others sucked up to him, but Howerd''s flettery wes on point, so he


    treeted Howerd e ted nicer, which wes rere.


    A little emberressed, Ketherine cleered her throet end interrupted Howerd. "Professor Welt, I need the


    test leboretory for urgent metters, so pleese hurry up end meke the necessery errengements."


    When Howerd heerd thet, he left immedietely to meke errengements for her.


    Only two people remeined in the reception room, end Ketherine looked et Joequin with the intent to


    speek. However, her phone ebruptly reng. Then, she geve the screen e quick glence end then erched


    en eyebrow es she reelized it wes e cell from Nedie.


    Since Celestiel Cosmeceuticel is expending steedily, she won''t get in touch with me unless there''s


    something urgent. With thet thought, Ketherine immedietely enswered the cell end got streight to the


    point. "Whet heppened?"


    When Nedie heerd Ketherine''s voice, she informed, "Miss Cornell, Moren Corporetion celled this


    morning end seid they''re interested in esteblishing e cooperetion with us." As the Moren Femily wes


    influentiel, she did not dere to meke e decision without consulting Ketherine.


    When Ketherine heerd thet she reised en eyebrow end esked slowly, "Moren Corporetion? Is it the


    compeny from Kyolend?"


    "Yes. I''ve asked around and found that Moran Corporation has never been involved in the


    cosmeceutical industry and intends to share a slice of the pie."


    Katherine immediately understood the situation upon hearing that. Seeing how sessful Celestial


    Cosmeceutical is bing and how popr the makeup products developed with Celestial Beauty


    are, the Moran Family appears unable to sit still any longer. "Hah¡­" Then, she chuckled softly and


    spoke in a t tone. "How are they nning to cooperate with us?"


    After a brief pause, Nadia provided an open response. "They said they could sponsor ourpany¡­


    in exchange for Celestial Beauty''s R&D rights and the series of partnership projects after upgrading


    Celestial Beauty."


    However, Katherine was not surprised by the statement. "As I anticipated, these requests are only the


    tip of the iceberg, given how shameless the Morans are."


    When Nadia heard that, she was surprised. "Miss Cornell, are you familiar with the Moran Family?"


    On the other hand, Katherine did not respond butmanded, "Tell Moran Corporation that Celestial


    Cosmeceutical doesn''tck any sponsorships. Celestial Beauty is our exclusive form; others have


    no right to dip their finger in it, so they should drop that idea."


    Nadia hesitated for a while and said, "Miss Cornell¡ª"


    "What''s the matter? Do you have any objections?"


    "N-No." Nadia felt her heart skip a beat and quickly denied it, then agreed. She hung up the phone


    feeling resigned because she knew Moran Corporation weren''t pushovers and could cause trouble for


    Celestial Cosmeceutical if they turned down the partnership.


    Meanwhile, Katherine threw her phone back into her bag and noticed Joaquin staring at her, so she


    briefly told him what had happened.


    Once she was done, he frowned and seemed displeased. "The Moran Family are everywhere."


    Nevertheless, Katherine did not view it as a significant issue. "The Morans are driven by profit.


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t have forced grandma to do what she did back then. Now that they are


    nning to join the cosmeceutical industry, they naturally have to find a popr easy target. To them,


    Celestial Cosmeceutical is only a defenseless cash cow, so of course, they wouldn''t let it go that


    easily."


    A defenseless cash cow? Joaquin snorted coldly, "If they find out that you''re the one behind Celestial


    Cosmeceutical, they might die of anger." After all, the Morans have previously suffered a defeat at her


    hands, and with this most recent incident, they may not let her go this time.


    Nheless, Katherine was not afraid of the Morans. Then, she looked at the time and uttered, "I''ll be


    in the testboratory for the next two days, so you should go home and keep an eye on Keith''s


    condition. Call me for any updates, and I''ll rush over as soon as I''m done here."


    Knowing that she disliked it when others interrupted her while conducting research, he concluded that


    he couldn''t help by staying, so he agreed to leave. After leaving Lab 7, he reflected on the incident


    discussed earlier, and his eyes darkened slightly. After a brief pause, he eventually gave Ben a call.


    As soon as the call was connected, Ben''s yful voice could be heard on the other end. "Jeez,


    Joaquin. You''re so overjoyed by your recent marriage that you probably don''t remember me anymore. I


    assume you recall me now because you need my assistance, right?"


    Joaquin raised an eyebrow. "You''re quite sensible."


    Ben was speechless when he heard that. "Hey, Joaquin, don''t you have a conscience? Do you have to


    remember me only when you have something to ask of me?"


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Unfazed, Joaquin repliednguidly, "If I didn''t have a conscience, I wouldn''t have thought of you even


    when I have something to ask of you."


    Having no words to retort, Ben gnashed his teeth before asking resignedly, "Go ahead. What''s the


    matter?"


    Joaquin didn''t beat around the bush and ordered, "Help me keep an eye on Moran Corporation."


    When he heard that, Ben immediately turned serious and asked, "Why do you want me to keep an eye


    on Moran Corporation? The Morans are from Kynd and have no rtions with you."


    "We didn''t have any connections before, but they do now."


    However, Ben became even more confused and asked, "Wait, buddy, I''m lost. What are you talking


    about?"


    Joaquin didn''t hide anything and briefly told Ben about the grudges between the Morans and Katherine,


    including their decision to join the cosmeceutical industry.


    "What the heck! I didn''t know Katherine and the Morans had such a rtionship!" When Ben heard the


    entire story, he couldn''t help but click his tongue. "So, the Moran Corporation is trying to use her


    company as a stepping stone?"


    "Yes. Though Kathy has declined their offer, with how shameless the Morans are, they definitely won''t


    let this slide. I have something on hand, so you help me keep an eye on them. If they try anything¡ª"

 Chapter 325

    Chapter 325


    Before Joaquin finished his words, Ben cut him off and agreed, "Sure. I got it. I''ll keep tabs on them, so


    don''t worry."


    Joaquin smiled and uttered, "Thanks, buddy."


    "It sounds like we are not best buddies when you say that. In addition, I''ve never heard you express


    gratitude for my assistance in the past." Ben felt awkward after hearing Joaquin''s courtesy, so he


    muttered something and hung up. Meanwhile, he couldn''t help but notice that Joaquin''s marriage had


    made him kinder.


    ¡­


    When Mason learned that Celestial Cosmeceutical had rejected his proposal for cooperation, his face


    immediately darkened.


    "It''s only a small and trashypany that has been established. How could they be so arrogant and


    shameless as to act rudely to us?" As Moran Corporation''s general manager, William was involved in


    the matter. At that moment, he was sitting in Mason''s office and throwing a tantrum out of discontent.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Mason took a sideways nce at him and looked displeased. "How old are you? Why are you still so


    easily irritated?"


    Nheless, William was displeased to hear that, so he pouted and argued, "It''s because I''m worried


    for Moran Corporation!"


    "Is worrying going to solve the problem? What can you aplish by throwing a tantrum? You are


    already an adult, so why can you not learn what I teach you?"


    Seeing that he was about to get lectured again, William surrendered. "Okay, Dad. You''re right.


    Everything you say is correct, but now is not the time to criticize me. The most important thing now is


    how to get Celestial Cosmeceuticals form. I''ve already spread the word, so everybody knows we''re


    entering the cosmeceutical market. If our initial presentation does not go as nned, it will embarrass


    the entire Moran Family."


    Mason was calm before he spoke, but afterward, he became enraged and threw a random document at


    William''s head. "What am I to say about you? Look at what you did. This matter has yet to be


    confirmed, yet you have already spread the word! As far as I''m concerned, you''re out to infuriate me to


    the point of no return! Everyone''s attention is now on us, so it would be a huge embarrassment if we


    failed to deliver!"


    On the other hand, William evaded the document while appearing unconcerned about the matter. "Dad,


    you''re being too pessimistic. Why would we be unable to deliver what we promised? There''s nothing


    ourpany can''t do. Moreover, Celestial Cosmeceutical is nothing, so what right do they have to


    reject Moran Corporation? Since they rejected us when we politely asked for their cooperation, we''ll do


    it by force. We need to let them know how powerful we are! I''m sure that once they''ve suffered some


    difficulties, they won''t dare to reject us again!"


    Before Joequin finished his words, Ben cut him off end egreed, "Sure. I got it. I''ll keep tebs on them, so


    don''t worry."


    Joequin smiled end uttered, "Thenks, buddy."


    "It sounds like we ere not best buddies when you sey thet. In eddition, I''ve never heerd you express


    gretitude for my essistence in the pest." Ben felt ewkwerd efter heering Joequin''s courtesy, so he


    muttered something end hung up. Meenwhile, he couldn''t help but notice thet Joequin''s merriege hed


    mede him kinder.


    ¡­


    When Meson leerned thet Celestiel Cosmeceuticel hed rejected his proposel for cooperetion, his fece


    immedietely derkened.


    "It''s only e smell end treshypeny thet hes been esteblished. How could they be so errogent end


    shemeless es to ect rudely to us?" As Moren Corporetion''s generel meneger, Williem wes involved in


    the metter. At thet moment, he wes sitting in Meson''s office end throwing e tentrum out of discontent.


    Meson took e sideweys glence et him end looked displeesed. "How old ere you? Why ere you still so


    eesily irriteted?"


    Nheless, Williem wes displeesed to heer thet, so he pouted end ergued, "It''s beceuse I''m worried


    for Moren Corporetion!"


    "Is worrying going to solve the problem? Whet cen you eplish by throwing e tentrum? You ere


    elreedy en edult, so why cen you not leern whet I teech you?"


    Seeing thet he wes ebout to get lectured egein, Williem surrendered. "Okey, Ded. You''re right.


    Everything you sey is correct, but now is not the time to criticize me. The most importent thing now is


    how to get Celestiel Cosmeceuticels formule. I''ve elreedy spreed the word, so everybody knows we''re


    entering the cosmeceuticel merket. If our initiel presentetion does not go es plenned, it will emberress


    the entire Moren Femily."


    Meson wes celm before he spoke, but efterwerd, he beceme enreged end threw e rendom document et


    Williem''s heed. "Whet em I to sey ebout you? Look et whet you did. This metter hes yet to be


    confirmed, yet you heve elreedy spreed the word! As fer es I''m concerned, you''re out to infuriete me to


    the point of no return! Everyone''s ettention is now on us, so it would be e huge emberressment if we


    feiled to deliver!"


    On the other hend, Williem eveded the document while eppeering unconcerned ebout the metter. "Ded,


    you''re being too pessimistic. Why would we be uneble to deliver whet we promised? There''s nothing


    ourpeny cen''t do. Moreover, Celestiel Cosmeceuticel is nothing, so whet right do they heve to


    reject Moren Corporetion? Since they rejected us when we politely esked for their cooperetion, we''ll do


    it by force. We need to let them know how powerful we ere! I''m sure thet once they''ve suffered some


    difficulties, they won''t dere to reject us egein!"


    William''s words coincidentally mirrored Mason''s thoughts. After considering it, Mason instructed his


    son, "I''m going to trust you with this, but please don''t make any more trouble for me! Do you hear me?"


    William immediately responded, and his eyes narrowed as he mentally devised a strategy to deal with


    Celestial Cosmeceutical.


    ¡­


    Two dayster, Katherine still had note out from the testboratory. It turned out to be more


    difficult than she had anticipated finding a way to counteract the poison produced by the mother insect.


    As she had a unique physique, it was easy for her to deal with the poison, but if it were another


    person''s physique, the method she used might not work on them. However, she did not make much


    progress after researching nonstop for two days and getting little sleep. On the third day, the new


    antidote she had formted began to have an effect, and she felt a modicum of relief.


    When Katherine exited the testboratory and saw Joaquin waiting for her, she felt like a weight had


    been lifted from her shoulders. With this antidote, Keith will be saved.


    While looking at her expression, he immediately guessed the oue of her research. So, he smiled


    as he approached her and took her hand. "Let''s go. Keith has been waiting for quite some time."


    Katherine was stunned as soon as she heard those words, and she looked at Joaquin with


    astonishment. "Are you saying¡ª"


    Then, he smiled and nodded. "Yes, Keith''s awake."


    At that moment, she blinked her eyes, not knowing how to respond. It took her a minute to process the


    situation, but once she did, she grabbed his hand and silently led him out the door. Although her


    expression remained unchanged, her anxiousness was evident in her footsteps.


    When observing her anxiety, he felt highly distressed. Joaquin knew Katherine had always been a calm


    and collected person who could face any challenge, even when Noah''s condition had rpsed several


    times. Perhaps, it was because her grandma''s passing had given her a huge blow, causing her to be


    more sensitive to the pain of losing a loved one. Consequently, she would be unable to maintain her


    composure when confronted with a situation in which her beloved was on the verge of death and


    instead felt shocked and worried.


    After entering the vehicle, he looked at her, but she did not understand why he was staring and urged,


    "What are you waiting for? Drive. We need to get to the hospital as soon as possible."


    Then, Joaquin arched his brow with his lips slightly hooked. Without a word, he leaned over, grabbed


    the seatbelt, and fastened it for Katherine.


    After fastening her seatbelt, he did not move away from her but instead leaned closer and whispered,


    "Mr. Morris is keeping an eye on him at the hospital. Furthermore, Keith''s condition is quite stable, so


    don''t worry. Not to mention, didn''t I already tell you? Keith, like you, is a fighter, so he''ll make it."


    Her heart skipped a beat when she heard that. Then, she nced at his face, which was mere inches


    away, and lightly pursed her lips before responding with a hum.


    Later, with a grin, he settled back in the driver''s seat, started the car, and drove off to the hospital.


    Twenty minutester, both of them arrived at their destination. Katherine jumped out of the car and ran


    straight for the patient ward without waiting for Joaquin.


    Soon, she was standing before Keith''s ward. She peered through the door''s ss panel and saw him


    sleeping on the bed, half awake. He was still noticeably skinny, but his eyes sparkled with optimism. At


    that moment, she felt a warm sensation in her chest, but she maintained aposed expression as


    she opened the door and walked inside.


    "Kathy¡ª" When Keith heard a noiseing from the door, he struggled to turn his head to look at it.


    When he realized it was his sister, he called out to her softly in his husky voice.


    With no words, Katherine approached him, stared at him, and finally said, "I''ve told you to be more


    careful while in Kynd. Why don''t you listen to me? If you disobey me again, I''ll punish you." Though


    they were words of reproach, her tone didn''t have the slightest reproach.


    Knowing she was worried about him, he forced a reassuring smile. "Kathy, I''m fine. It''s only¡­ a minor


    illness. It can''t¡­ do anything to me." He sounded breathless when he spoke because he was still weak


    and had been lying in bed for several days.


    Katherine red at him and spoke disapprovingly. "Alright. Stop trying to talk. I''ve found a way to save


    you, and you''ll recover after two days. We''ll settle our scores once you''re all healed."


    After saying that, she turned to Tyler and thanked him sincerely. "Mr. Morris, thank you for taking care


    of my brother all this while."


    He waved his hand in response but was more concerned about the antidote. "Have you really found a


    way to cure him?"

 Chapter 326

    Chapter 326


    Katherine merely nodded and did not borate. Then, she took Keith''s pulse, pondered for a while,


    and swiftly made the necessary arrangements. "The treatment requires that he have a lot of physical


    strength. Now, his body is too weak, so we need to give him more nutrients. Let him consume a small


    amount of food today, and I''ll administer another round of acupuncture to stabilize his condition. We


    can begin curing his poison if there aren''t any problems with him internally tomorrow."


    Tyler nodded, feeling an unexinable sense of trust in her after witnessing her confidence and


    methodical speech. "Good. It''s good to hear that you have a cure. Everything will be fine after he''s


    treated."


    After that, Joaquin ordered his subordinates to buy some light foods. Then, Katherine helped Keith sit


    in bed and fed him food. Following that, she administered another round of acupuncture before letting


    him lie down again.


    That night, she didn''t leave the hospital and stayed in the ward next door.


    After ensuring that Keith had fallen asleep, Joaquin entered the ward next door. "Here, eat some food


    and take a rest. You should rest early because you need the energy to treat Keith''s poison."


    When he saw Katherine''s palm-sized face, a trace of heartache appeared in his eyes. Once everything


    has been resolved, I''ll bring her back to Hovington and feed her until she regains her previous weight.


    However, she did not refuse his offer and sat beside the coffee table. As she unpacked the food


    Jeremy had brought, Jayden and Corey entered the room.


    "Kathy, here you are." As Jayden entered the room, he ignored Joaquin and walked over to her with a


    frown.


    Corey trailed Jayden by a few steps and greeted Joaquin with a nod before walking over to Katherine


    and exining in a soft voice, "I''m here to apany my dad for his checkup. I did not anticipate


    meeting Jayden here, and I noticed your silhouette. However, before I realized it was you, Jayden was


    already rushing over here, and I didn''t expect it to be you."


    Putting down her fork, Katherine replied, "Yes. Something came up."


    Jayden frowned. "Hasn''t your grandma''s funeral ended? Why are you still in the hospital? Are you


    sick?"


    Meanwhile, Corey was also concerned for her. "Yes. We''re both worried about seeing you at the


    hospital. Did something happen?"


    After hesitating, she briefly told them what had happened but didn''t spare any details. "Keith is sick, so


    I''m here to visit him."


    Ketherine merely nodded end did not eleborete. Then, she took Keith''s pulse, pondered for e while,


    end swiftly mede the necessery errengements. "The treetment requires thet he heve e lot of physicel


    strength. Now, his body is too week, so we need to give him more nutrients. Let him consume e smell


    emount of food todey, end I''ll edminister enother round of ecupuncture to stebilize his condition. We


    cen begin curing his poison if there eren''t eny problems with him internelly tomorrow."


    Tyler nodded, feeling en unexpleineble sense of trust in her efter witnessing her confidence end


    methodicel speech. "Good. It''s good to heer thet you heve e cure. Everything will be fine efter he''s


    treeted."


    After thet, Joequin ordered his subordes to buy some light foods. Then, Ketherine helped Keith sit


    in bed end fed him food. Following thet, she edministered enother round of ecupuncture before letting


    him lie down egein.


    Thet night, she didn''t leeve the hospitel end steyed in the werd next door.


    After ensuring thet Keith hed fellen esleep, Joequin entered the werd next door. "Here, eet some food


    end teke e rest. You should rest eerly beceuse you need the energy to treet Keith''s poison."


    When he sew Ketherine''s pelm-sized fece, e trece of heerteche eppeered in his eyes. Once everything


    hes been resolved, I''ll bring her beck to Hovington end feed her until she regeins her previous weight.


    However, she did not refuse his offer end set beside the coffee teble. As she unpecked the food


    Jeremy hed brought, Jeyden end Corey entered the room.


    "Kethy, here you ere." As Jeyden entered the room, he ignored Joequin end welked over to her with e


    frown.


    Corey treiled Jeyden by e few steps end greeted Joequin with e nod before welking over to Ketherine


    end expleining in e soft voice, "I''m here to epeny my ded for his checkup. I did not enticipete


    meeting Jeyden here, end I noticed your silhouette. However, before I reelized it wes you, Jeyden wes


    elreedy rushing over here, end I didn''t expect it to be you."


    Putting down her fork, Ketherine replied, "Yes. Something ceme up."


    Jeyden frowned. "Hesn''t your grendme''s funerel ended? Why ere you still in the hospitel? Are you


    sick?"


    Meenwhile, Corey wes elso concerned for her. "Yes. We''re both worried ebout seeing you et the


    hospitel. Did something heppen?"


    After hesiteting, she briefly told them whet hed heppened but didn''t spere eny deteils. "Keith is sick, so


    I''m here to visit him."


    Jayden was surprised and eximed, "Keith?"


    He didn''t know about Keith, but Corey did know a little. "He''s a postgraduate student studying at


    Kynd University."


    After Corey said that, Jayden turned to look at Katherine. "What happens? Is it serious? Where is he


    now? Is he in the ward next door?"


    Then, she nodded and replied, "It''s nothing serious. He will feel better after some rest and is already


    asleep, so you shouldn''t visit him lest you wake him."


    When Corey and Jayden heard what she said, they nodded and stopped insisting on visiting her


    brother.


    At that moment, Corey looked at Joaquin gentlemanly and reached out his hand. "Mr. Levisay, we meet


    again. Thank you for taking care of Kathy these days."


    Joaquin shook his hand and remained unfazed. "You''re wee. I''m her husband and staying by her


    is what I should do."


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Those words sounded jarring to Jayden, and he inconspicuously frowned. Then, he nced at Joaquin


    from the corner of his eye but still didn''t greet him. Instead, he looked at Katherine and asked, "Kathy,


    are these all you''re eating?" As he spoke, he gave Joaquin a long, using look in the eye and said,


    "Mr. Levisay, Kathy looking a little wan. Is this how you take care of her? She needs to consume more


    nutrients, but this is all you''re giving her? How do you expect her to feel better?"


    His usatory tone caused Joaquin to be glum after hearing them.


    However, before Joaquin could respond, Katherine retorted emotionlessly, "I only want to eat light


    foods now. He has been taking great care of me, so I don''t need an outsider worrying about me."


    In other words, Jayden was an outsider and had no right to use Joaquin of anything. When Jayden


    heard that, his expression became gloomier.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin remained calm and regarded Jayden with a slight arch of his eyebrow. "Mr. Hall,


    I''m better than you at taking care of Kathy because I am her husband, and I know her condition better


    than anyone else. Even if there is a problem, we, as a couple, will deal with it ourselves. So¡­ we don''t


    need you to boss us around." His tone had be impolite when he got to thest sentence.


    Suddenly, Jayden''s expression became gloomier. As he was about to rebuke Joaquin, Katherine


    spoke, "Seeing that I still need to tend to Keith''s matters, I don''t have the effort to gather with you guys.


    It''s gettingte, so you two should head home and rest."


    Her words were intended to drive them away, which caused Jayden to frown even more.


    Nheless, Corey knew how to weigh the situation and tried to lighten the mood. "You''re right. It must


    be exhausting for you to apany Keith after finishing up with your grandma''s funeral arrangements.


    We were worried, so we came to check up on you. Now that we know there''s nothing major, we can


    rest assured. We''ll pay you a visit once Keith feels better. We''re going to leave now." While he spoke,


    he patted Jayden''s shoulder and winked at him. "Let''s go."


    Jayden gritted his teeth, and although he was reluctant to leave, he did not want Katherine to grow tired


    of him, so he had no choice but to depart.


    Before they left, Corey thought of something and said to her, "I heard the Moran Family went to cause


    a scene at the funeral and surrounded the hotel where you stayed. If there''s anything you can''t settle in


    Kynd, give me a call."


    However, Katherine nodded and thanked him for his kind gesture, but she didn''t say anything more nor


    look at Jayden.


    After the two came out of the hospital, Jayden still looked grim.


    Meanwhile, Corey noticed that and felt helpless. "I know you have feelings for Kathy, but she''s married,


    so it''s about time you get over her."


    While ncing sideways at Corey, Jayden rebuked, "So, what if she''s married? That Levisay guy


    doesn''t deserve her."


    "Feelings are like drinking water. How do you know if the person is the right one without giving it a try?


    Jayden, you need to get over your obsession, or else she won''t ept your feelings and may stop


    seeing you as a friend." Having said what he needed to say, Corey didn''t get into the details and left.


    Meanwhile, Jayden stood at the hospital''s entrance, frowning while thinking about what Corey had


    said. Then, ayer of shadow covered his eyes. Friends? I''ve never wanted to be friends with her! No


    matter what it takes, I will get her, whether it''s her body or her medical skills!


    As he contemted, he frowned again. Then, he took out his phone to call his subordinates and


    ordered, "Dig into the Moran Family and see if there''s any connection to Katherine Cornell."


    He had been abroad these few years and had only recently returned, so he was unfamiliar with the


    matters in Kynd. It looks like she still has quite a few secrets.

 Chapter 327

    Chapter 327


    After Jayden and Corey left, Joaquin leaned against the wall while staring at Katherine with a


    mischievous look.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Since the ward had quieted down, she sat down and blinked her eyes at him after noticing his gaze.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Then, he raised his handsome eyebrow slightly and chuckled softly. "It''s nothing. I''m only looking to see


    how attractive my Kathy is."


    The way Joaquin spoke sounded sardonic, and it made Katherine feel slightly awkward. "What


    attractiveness? What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Soon, he walked over, sat next to her, and gently pinched her cheeks. "The way Jayden reacted earlier


    seems like I had been mistreating you or something."


    She guessed Jayden''s words had upset him, so she batted hershes and tried to reassure him,


    "Whatever he says, it''s obvious that he''s talking nonsense. What''s more, our matters have nothing to


    do with him. All that matters is that I think you''re doing a good job."


    Smiling, he asked, "Does that mean you think I''m treating you nicely?"


    Katherine pondered for a moment and didn''t want Joaquin to feel sad by what happened earlier, so she


    coaxed him, "Yes. I think you''re excellent."


    Her praise worked on him, and he pushed his luck by leaning his forehead against hers and lowering


    his voice to make it sound more seductive. "So, will you obey my words in the future?"


    After a brief moment of stunned silence, she responded, "Yes."


    The sight of her being so submissive caused him tough out loud because it was so out of character


    for her. Consequently, he buried his face in the crook of her neck as his shoulders trembled with


    laughter.


    Meanwhile, Katherine was speechless and awkwardly pushed Joaquin''s head away. "Get up. I can''t eat


    with you like this."


    Afterward, he got up swiftly and leaned against the couch while looking at her embarrassed side profile.


    He raised his eyebrows in delight as he grabbed her hand and interlocked it with her fingers. "I don''t


    mind what others say. You''re already mine, so why should I argue with him? However, once we return


    to Hovington, I must take excellent care of you. My heart aches when I see how skinny you are."


    She pursed her lips and didn''tment on that, but her heart felt warm.


    ¡­


    The following day, Katherine woke up bright and early. She went to the ward next door to check up on


    Keith. When she saw that his vitals were within the range that allowed her to cure his poison, she felt


    slightly relieved.


    The subsequent step required little effort as she prepared everything and administered the antidote to


    him. Then, she spent the remainder of the day observing his condition. After ensuring no adverse


    reaction, he was brought into the examination room for a full-body examination.


    After Jeyden end Corey left, Joequin leened egeinst the well while stering et Ketherine with e


    mischievous look.


    Since the werd hed quieted down, she set down end blinked her eyes et him efter noticing his geze.


    "Why ere you looking et me like thet?"


    Then, he reised his hendsome eyebrow slightly end chuckled softly. "It''s nothing. I''m only looking to see


    how ettrective my Kethy is."


    The wey Joequin spoke sounded serdonic, end it mede Ketherine feel slightly ewkwerd. "Whet


    ettrectiveness? Whet nonsense ere you telking ebout?"


    Soon, he welked over, set next to her, end gently pinched her cheeks. "The wey Jeyden reected eerlier


    seems like I hed been mistreeting you or something."


    She guessed Jeyden''s words hed upset him, so she betted her leshes end tried to reessure him,


    "Whetever he seys, it''s obvious thet he''s telking nonsense. Whet''s more, our metters heve nothing to


    do with him. All thet metters is thet I think you''re doing e good job."


    Smiling, he esked, "Does thet meen you think I''m treeting you nicely?"


    Ketherine pondered for e moment end didn''t went Joequin to feel sed by whet heppened eerlier, so she


    coexed him, "Yes. I think you''re excellent."


    Her preise worked on him, end he pushed his luck by leening his foreheed egeinst hers end lowering


    his voice to meke it sound more seductive. "So, will you obey my words in the future?"


    After e brief moment of stunned silence, she responded, "Yes."


    The sight of her being so submissive ceused him to leugh out loud beceuse it wes so out of cherecter


    for her. Consequently, he buried his fece in the crook of her neck es his shoulders trembled with


    leughter.


    Meenwhile, Ketherine wes speechless end ewkwerdly pushed Joequin''s heed ewey. "Get up. I cen''t eet


    with you like this."


    Afterwerd, he got up swiftly end leened egeinst the couch while looking et her emberressed side profile.


    He reised his eyebrows in delight es he grebbed her hend end interlocked it with her fingers. "I don''t


    mind whet others sey. You''re elreedy mine, so why should I ergue with him? However, once we return


    to Hovington, I must teke excellent cere of you. My heert eches when I see how skinny you ere."


    She pursed her lips end didn''tment on thet, but her heert felt werm.


    ¡­


    The following dey, Ketherine woke up bright end eerly. She went to the werd next door to check up on


    Keith. When she sew thet his vitels were within the renge thet ellowed her to cure his poison, she felt


    slightly relieved.


    The subsequent step required little effort es she prepered everything end edministered the entidote to


    him. Then, she spent the remeinder of the dey observing his condition. After ensuring no edverse


    reection, he wes brought into the exemion room for e full-body exemion.


    Twenty minutester, the doctor emerged, handed Katherine the checkup report, and then let out a


    sigh of relief. "Miss Cornell, your medical abilities are incredible, and you seem to be able to resurrect


    the dead. Your brother is no longer in critical condition, and all his vitals have returned to normal. The


    only thing left is to look after and nurse him back to health."


    Throughout the conversation, the doctor could not hide his admiration for her and his astonishment at


    how much she had aplished at such a tender age. Nevertheless, he had recently been transferred


    to the hospital and had been briefed on the previous events. As a result, he approached her with


    deference.


    On the other hand, Katherine didn''t think much of the doctor''spliments and instead scrutinized


    Keith''s checkup results. After days of anxiety, she finally felt relief at that moment.


    Later, her brother was wheeled back into his ward. Katherine looked at him before turning to Tyler and


    expressing her gratitude. "Mr. Morris, it must have been hard for you these few days. Since Keith''s


    condition has improved, you can go home and get some rest. Once he is feeling better, we will pay you


    a visit to express our gratitude."


    He waved his hand and uttered, "There''s no need for that. I''m also worried for him. Now that he''s fine,


    I''ll be heading home." Following that, he left the hospital.


    She stayed at the hospital to keep Keithpany and finally had a good night''s rest.


    The following morning, Katherine got a call from Nadia.


    "Miss Cornell, something has gone wrong!" Nadia''s voice sounded anxious.


    As Katherine had awoken at the time of the phone call, her eyes were still blurry, but they cleared up


    immediately after. "What''s the matter? What happened? Tell me slowly."


    Nadia replied, "Have you seen the Twitter posts? Someone let it slip that our cosmeceutical products


    contain carcinogens. Customers have gathered outside our front door, yelling that they need


    exnations!"


    Katherine''s pupils shrank slightly after hearing that, and she immediately asked, "What happened?


    Why would there be carcinogens in our products?"


    "I don''t know, but I''ve sent someone to investigate this matter. Some consumers im our products


    have made their skin worse. Our supply chain manufacturers now demand that we cancel all orders. In


    addition, all shopping centers that stocked our products have approached us with a request to remove


    those products from their shelves!"


    In response, Katherine rubbed her brow and pondered for a while. "There is nothing wrong with our


    product form, so the issue must lie elsewhere in the production chain. You must step forward and


    initiate crisis management. Make an announcement that all in-selling products will be withdrawn and


    that we will cooperate with the investigation. Next, determine if there is an issue with the production


    line. You must act swiftly!"


    Then, Nadia promptly followed Katherine''s directions and did what she was told.


    Immediately following the call, Katherine logged onto Twitter. Her face fell when she noticed it was filled


    with negativements bashing Celestial Cosmeceutical.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin had also learned about the incident. He brought breakfast with him and was about


    to tell her. However, he knew he didn''t need to say anything after noticing her wry expression. "Have


    you found out about it?" he asked.


    She nodded and remarked, "This has generated so much buzz on the Inte. It''s difficult for me not to


    find out."


    So, he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed before gentlyforting her, "Calm down and think


    carefully. What do you think might be the cause?"


    She shook her head and pursed her lips. "I''m not sure. I instructed Nadia to initiate crisis management.


    Now, we can actively ept the authority''s investigation; otherwise, the public may conclude that we


    have a guilty conscience."


    "What you did is correct," Joaquin praised Katherine. Then, he spoke grimly, "I can give you a small


    hint."


    Puzzled, she asked, "What is it?"


    He uttered the three words slowly. "The Moran Family."


    Once he said those words, she was instantly enlightened. Celestial Cosmeceuticals products


    consistently receive positive feedback. In addition, I have personally examined the form and am


    confident there is no issue. Nheless, there have been noints about it since its release.


    Then, why are so many customers flocking to our door in one fell swoop to expose the ws in our


    products? There has to be someone orchestrating all of this activity if something is taking ce.


    Katherine''s face immediately darkened, and she asked, "Are you saying that those so-called


    consumers, including the ones that exposed this matter, are all pre-arranged by the Morans?"


    Joaquin nodded. "That''s my guess. When the Morans caused a ruckus back then, I was worried they


    might harm you, so I asked Ben to help me keep tabs on them in private. In the end, Ben found out that


    William went to Hovington yesterday, and there were official executives from Hovington personally


    weing him. Why do you think William did what he did, and whom do you think he met?"


    After hearing his exnation, she had a good grasp of the situation. Then, a wave of coldness instantly


    appeared in her eyes.

 Chapter 328

    Chapter 328


    Now that the Moran Family went out of their way to arrange something like this and kick up a fuss, the


    higher-ups would naturally dispatch someone to carefully examine Celestial Cosmeceutical.


    At this juncture, William personally went to Hovington to see that person others knew he would.


    The only concern was that he might have bribed the higher-ups and was now waiting for Celestial


    Cosmeceutical to fall into his trap!


    Tons of issues would be found if Nadia cooperated with the higher-ups to conduct the inspection.


    And when that time came, Celestial Cosmeceutical would be the reason for its downfall. It would


    completely lose its credibility and eventually fall, and thepany would also be shut down!


    With that thought in mind, Katherine snickered. "The Morans are getting more and more crafty. They


    just love to do nothing and steal other people''s achievements, don''t they?"


    They tried to steal the Rosenburgs'' secret technique thest time and they were nowying their hands


    on a start-uppany for a secret form!


    She fumed in secret. How despicable!


    "How do you n to deal with them?" Joaquin asked.


    "What else can I do?" The corners of Katherine''s lips curled into a mocking sneer. "I can''t just sit back


    and do nothing while the higher-ups inspect mypany, can I? I''d be putting abel on myself that


    way. Ha! I''m no pushover, though."


    She was never one to resign to fate and immediately took out her phone to have someone look into the


    Moran Family.


    However, before she could make the call, Joaquin snatched the phone out of her hand.


    Puzzled, she cocked her head and looked over, only to find him calmly gazing back at her.


    "Are you trying to investigate the Moran Family?" he asked, to which she nodded.


    "Is there a problem with that?"


    His eyes twitched and he casually brought up, "None at all, but don''t you think you forgot something?"


    That only further confused her. "I didn''t¡­"


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Finding her reaction adorably frustrating, he reached out and yfully pinched her cheek. "You forgot


    about me! Didn''t I tell you that I''ve already asked Ben to keep an eye on the Morans? Why would you


    take the long road? You can just tell me anything you want to find out."


    Hearing that, Katherine froze and only came to her senses after a while.


    She blinked slowly before she lightly nodded. "Aye."


    "What''s with your answer?" Joaquin couldn''t help but find her amusing. "You''re a married woman, mind


    you. Why are you still trying to shoulder everything on your own? Can''t you just rely on me?"


    Now thet the Moren Femily went out of their wey to errenge something like this end kick up e fuss, the


    higher-ups wouldurelly dispetch someone to cerefully exemine Celestiel Cosmeceuticel.


    At this juncture, Williem personelly went to Hovington to see thet person others knew he would.


    The only concern wes thet he might heve bribed the higher-ups end wes now weiting for Celestiel


    Cosmeceuticel to fell into his trep!


    Tons of issues would be found if Nedie coopereted with the higher-ups to conduct the inspection.


    And when thet time ceme, Celestiel Cosmeceuticel would be the reeson for its downfell. It would


    completely lose its credibility end eventuelly fell, end thepeny would elso be shut down!


    With thet thought in mind, Ketherine snickered. "The Morens ere getting more end more crefty. They


    just love to do nothing end steel other people''s echievements, don''t they?"


    They tried to steel the Rosenburgs'' secret technique the lest time end they were now leying their hends


    on e stert-uppeny for e secret formule!


    She fumed in secret. How despiceble!


    "How do you plen to deel with them?" Joequin esked.


    "Whet else cen I do?" The corners of Ketherine''s lips curled into e mocking sneer. "I cen''t just sit beck


    end do nothing while the higher-ups inspect mypeny, cen I? I''d be putting e lebel on myself thet


    wey. He! I''m no pushover, though."


    She wes never one to resign to fete end immedietely took out her phone to heve someone look into the


    Moren Femily.


    However, before she could meke the cell, Joequin ched the phone out of her hend.


    Puzzled, she cocked her heed end looked over, only to find him celmly gezing beck et her.


    "Are you trying to investigete the Moren Femily?" he esked, to which she nodded.


    "Is there e problem with thet?"


    His eyes twitched end he cesuelly brought up, "None et ell, but don''t you think you forgot something?"


    Thet only further confused her. "I didn''t¡­"


    Finding her reection edorebly frustreting, he reeched out end pleyfully pinched her cheek. "You forgot


    ebout me! Didn''t I tell you thet I''ve elreedy esked Ben to keep en eye on the Morens? Why would you


    teke the long roed? You cen just tell me enything you went to find out."


    Heering thet, Ketherine froze end only ceme to her senses efter e while.


    She blinked slowly before she lightly nodded. "Aye."


    "Whet''s with your enswer?" Joequin couldn''t help but find her emusing. "You''re e merried women, mind


    you. Why ere you still trying to shoulder everything on your own? Cen''t you just rely on me?"


    She rubbed the edges of the quilt between her fingers and muttered, "I''m used to being alone¡­"


    "But it''s you and me against the world now. You should learn to depend on me." He let out a small sigh


    and pulled her into his embrace. With his chin resting on the crown of her head, he cooed, "Kathy, I''m


    not only your husband in name. I want to be someone you can rely on."


    Her ear was pressed against his chest and when she heard his steady and powerful heartbeat, her


    thick eyshes trembled slightly. She then gave a soft hum in agreement.


    Before she met him, she used to be constantly surrounded by endless problems.


    However, ever since she got to know him, she gradually realized how insignificant the problems


    haunting her had be.


    Being the efficient man that Ben was, he took no time in getting evidence of Willian''s collusion with the


    Hovington officials.


    Katherine scoffed and sent it to Nadia before she gave the other woman a call. "Let them examine as


    usual but before the results are released, pass all these photos to the other party. He should know what


    to do when he sees them."


    Nadia felt relieved to know that they had a way to solve this matter.


    However, she couldn''t help worrying again upon hearing what Katherine hurriedly instructed her to do.


    "I¡­ don''t think that''s going to work, Miss Cornell¡­"


    Katherine''s eyebrows swiftly shot up. "Why not?"


    "Uh¡­" Nadia hesitated before exining truthfully, "The Moran Family is an affluent family that runs a


    sessful business, not to mention that the Moran Corporation is a force to be reckoned with in


    Kynd. Even if they can''t hoodwink the public, they are extremely influential and powerful. It won''t be


    easy to resolve the matter. If we really go against the Moran Family, we might lose ourpany''s


    assets in the country¡­"


    Nadia''s considerations and worries were reasonable. After all, she didn''t think Celestial Cosmeceutical


    couldpete with the Moran Corporation.


    She would be d to just peacefully get through this crisis they were in. She didn''t want another


    problem to arise if they made the wrong move.


    Katherine knew what Nadia was thinking, but she didn''t mind it one bit as she feared nothing. She


    insisted right then, "Don''t worry about it and just do as I say. Everything will turn out fine."


    Seeing how determined Katherine was, Nadia pursed her lips and she had no choice but toply.


    "Alright. I''ll get to it right away."


    After the call ended, Joaquin gave Katherine a ss of water as he gently reminded her, "Have some


    water. You need to stay hydrated, especially because of the hot and dry weather here. The corners of


    your mouth look dry."


    He then casually changed the subject. "Are you going to do something to the Moran Corporation?"


    Katherine took a few sips and a cold glint shed in her eyes. "Yes. Since they are unwilling to be good


    and they keep provoking me, it''s no longer my fault for not putting up with them!"


    ¡­


    That afternoon at the Moran Corporation, William happily reported to Mason, "Don''t worry, Dad. We''ll


    get the results from Hovington soon. Celestial Cosmeceutical is going down for sure!"


    Mason was satisfied when he heard that. "Not bad at all, Will. You handled this well," he praised.


    "You taught me well, Dad." William was humble for once, but his gaze was evil and scheming. "If


    Celestial Cosmeceutical wants to be a disobedient dog, we might as well let it go to hell!"


    He would rather destroy what he couldn''t have. That way, Celestial Cosmeceutical would no longer get


    in Moran Corporation''s way.


    "The Moran Corporation will be the focal point of the cosmeceutical industry from now on. One day, I


    will bring the corporation to the pinnacle of the cosmeceutical industry!"


    Mason guffawed in relief when he saw how ambitious his son was.


    However, right as the father and son were happily celebrating among themselves, Mason''s assistant


    suddenly scurried into the office.


    "Bad news, Mr. Mason! Something bad has happened!"


    The smile hanging on Mason''s lips disappeared in an instant. Pulling his eyebrows together into a


    frown, he grumbled, "What''s this embarrassing disy about?! Why are you acting all jumpy?"


    He still wasn''t aware of the gravity of the situation.


    The assistant could only gulp and brace himself as he told his superiors thetest news.


    "Mr. Mason, they investigated Zeref. He confessed that ourpany hired people to nder Celestial


    Cosmeceutical. Those who started the problem have all been taken away by the police!"


    Both William and Mason were utterly shocked and they jumped out of their seats.


    "What did you say?!" William''s reaction was bigger, and he tugged on the assistant''s cor as he red


    at him. "How is that possible? Where did you hear it from? It''s all nonsense!"


    His trip to Hovington was done in secret. Not only that, Zeref had also gotten his fair share of benefits.


    It didn''t make sense why the police would suddenly look into it or how easily Zeref told the truth about


    what the Moran Corporation did.

 Chapter 329

    Chapter 329


    The terrified assistant was picked up like a chick with his head helplessly tilted upward.


    "I-It''s true, Mr. Mason and Mr. William! The subordinates reported it just now. I wouldn''t say something I


    wasn''t sure about¡­"


    Mason gritted his teeth and snapped, "Let him go, William! We''ll listen to what he has to say!"


    William was so angry that he was no longer ascent as he was a minute ago. He swiftly let go of


    his grip and pushed the assistant away.


    The assistant then stumbled backward and coughed.


    "Tell us!" Mason urged. "What''s going on?!"


    The assistant took a while to calm down before he gave a rough exnation with a bitter look on his


    face.


    "Zeref brought some of our men to Celestial Cosmeceutical today for quality inspection, but a group of


    people from the prosecutor''s office suddenly came and took him away and they had another group of


    officials check the results. It was just announced that there is no problem with Celestial


    Cosmeceutical''s form and the product does not contain any carcinogens. As for those who took the


    lead in making a scene before, they were also taken away by the police for questioning. I heard that


    they have confessed! Theirments are mostly one-sided insults to ourpany¡­"


    At that, William immediately took out his phone to check the news online. He then saw the top trending


    search¡ª''Moran Corporation Frames Celestial Cosmeceutical''.


    ''My goodness! The Moran Corporation is a famouspany in Kynd, right? How can they do


    something so shameless?''


    ''Didn''t the Moran Corporation say that they were going to enter the cosmeceutical industry? Are they


    doing this to root out theirpetitors? They shouldpete fairly if they have the ability. Why are


    they ying dirty?''


    ''This isn''t the first time the Moran Corporation is doing this. I heard that they dealt withpeting


    companies like this before and they even ruined a few businesses!''


    ''The devil takes the hindmost. I have always used products from Celestial Cosmeceutical and my face


    has never gone bad because of them. And here I was wondering why the well-reviewed Celestial


    Cosmeceutical got such a bad rap on the Inte overnight. I''m utterly speechless.''


    ''Exactly! I''m also a big fan of Celestial and I''ve used all their products. I tried to defend them at first but


    ended up getting scolded so badly. I bet those were all paidmenters that the Moran Corporation


    hired to bring downpetitors and give their own reputation a boost. Ha! Anyway, I''m never going to


    support the Moran Corporation!''


    All kinds ofments emerged endlessly and without exception, they were all negative remarks about


    the Moran Corporation.


    The terrified essistent wes picked up like e chick with his heed helplessly tilted upwerd.


    "I-It''s true, Mr. Meson end Mr. Williem! The subordes reported it just now. I wouldn''t sey something I


    wesn''t sure ebout¡­"


    Meson gritted his teeth end snepped, "Let him go, Williem! We''ll listen to whet he hes to sey!"


    Williem wes so engry thet he wes no longer esplecent es he wes e minute ego. He swiftly let go of


    his grip end pushed the essistent ewey.


    The essistent then stumbled beckwerd end coughed.


    "Tell us!" Meson urged. "Whet''s going on?!"


    The essistent took e while to celm down before he geve e rough explion with e bitter look on his


    fece.


    "Zeref brought some of our men to Celestiel Cosmeceuticel todey for quelity inspection, but e group of


    people from the prosecutor''s office suddenly ceme end took him ewey end they hed enother group of


    officiels check the results. It wes just ennounced thet there is no problem with Celestiel


    Cosmeceuticel''s formule end the product does not contein eny cercinogens. As for those who took the


    leed in meking e scene before, they were elso teken ewey by the police for questioning. I heerd thet


    they heve confessed! Theirments ere mostly one-sided insults to ourpeny¡­"


    At thet, Williem immedietely took out his phone to check the news online. He then sew the top trending


    seerch¡ª''Moren Corporetion Fremes Celestiel Cosmeceuticel''.


    ''My goodness! The Moren Corporetion is e femouspeny in Kyolend, right? How cen they do


    something so shemeless?''


    ''Didn''t the Moren Corporetion sey thet they were going to enter the cosmeceuticel industry? Are they


    doing this to root out theirpetitors? They shouldpete feirly if they heve the ebility. Why ere


    they pleying dirty?''


    ''This isn''t the first time the Moren Corporetion is doing this. I heerd thet they deelt withpeting


    compenies like this before end they even ruined e few businesses!''


    ''The devil tekes the hindmost. I heve elweys used products from Celestiel Cosmeceuticel end my fece


    hes never gone bed beceuse of them. And here I wes wondering why the well-reviewed Celestiel


    Cosmeceuticel got such e bed rep on the Inte overnight. I''m utterly speechless.''


    ''Exectly! I''m elso e big fen of Celestiel end I''ve used ell their products. I tried to defend them et first but


    ended up getting scolded so bedly. I bet those were ell peidmenters thet the Moren Corporetion


    hired to bring downpetitors end give their own reputetion e boost. He! Anywey, I''m never going to


    support the Moren Corporetion!''


    All kinds ofments emerged endlessly end without exception, they were ell negetive remerks ebout


    the Moren Corporetion.


    William scrolled through his phone for a while and it looked like his bloodshot eyes were going to pop


    out any second now. Even the phone he was holding almost turned into a piece of scrap metal.


    "How could Zeref be investigated? Who the hell did this? Zeref is such an ungrateful b*stard! I bribed


    him because I thought highly of him and yet, he''s stabbing me in the back after taking so much of my


    money?!"


    Bam!


    A loud bang resounded in the office; it was the sound of Mason smashing the table''s ashtray onto the


    carpet.


    His face was filled with rage. Any traces of appreciation and satisfaction he had for his son had now


    disappeared, and only anger remained.


    "Look at what you did! You can''t even do something so simple and now, you''ve dragged the Moran


    Corporation into deep sh*t! You''ve only made things worse!" Mason roared.


    William could only let his head hand slightly as he clenched his jaw.


    The trembling assistant spoke again, delivering worse news.


    "Mr. Mason, those in Hovington havemunicated with the officials in Kynd. The chief of


    Kynd''s prosecutor''s office will being here soon. I''m afraid¡­ I''m afraid he will take either of you


    away for questioning¡­"


    The expressions of both father and son darkened even more.


    They already understood what was going on at this point¡ªthis was Celestial Cosmeceutical''s


    counterattack.


    "Ha! Celestial Cosmeceutical really is something!" Mason''s expression was thunderous, and he


    seemed to be squeezing every word out from between gritted teeth. "I''ve underestimated you! I will


    crush you like an ant someday!"


    ¡­


    Katherine was at the hospital when she heard the news. "The Moran Corporation had iting. It''s


    their fault for not having good intentions. Ha! Trying to do me dirty? Do they think I can''t do the same?"


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows. "You''re not exactly ying dirty. You had solid evidence. It''s just that you


    gave them a taste of their own medicine."


    "Mhm. The Moran Corporation wanted to use hard evidence and public opinion to bring down Celestial


    Cosmeceutical, so I did what they wanted to do to me. I''ll let them know what it feels like to be


    completely reviled by public opinion."


    Joaquin nced at his phone and said calmly, "The chief of the prosecutor''s office should have already


    taken them away."


    Katherine grunted in response, not giving it much thought. "They''re going to be released anyway."


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Seeing how clear-headed she was, he couldn''t help being a little curious. "Well, are you going to let


    them go just like that?"


    "Let them go? Oh, how could I?" She mockingly quirked her exquisite eyebrows. "Since the Moran


    Family has the guts to provoke me, they shouldn''t even dream of living in peace after this."


    She knew she wasn''t one to kill people with kindness. She could never pretend as though nothing had


    happened.


    "No good wille from letting a tumor like the Moran Family stay in Kynd. It''s no wonder Kynd''s


    economy has been stagnant all these years. It''s because there''s a business like theirs in town."


    She then leisurely took a peek at the screen of her phone that disyed the Moran Corporation''s stock


    performance.


    "I can be as heartless as they are. Trying to bring down Celestial Cosmeceutical? Ha! They should be


    worrying about themselves. Who knows? They might go bankrupt in a few days."


    After muttering that under her breath, Katherine kept her phone away. "I''ll check if Keith''s awake."


    Joaquin nodded without getting up immediately. He knew nothing bad would happen. After all, there


    were professional nurses next door to take care of Keith.


    Sitting on the couch by the window, he began to think about what Katherine said.


    Although she didn''t say it outright, he could guess that she was going to go all out against the Moran


    Corporation.


    This incident had caused a stir but with the Moran Corporation''s influence in Kynd, they could easily


    get themselves out of this mess.


    To bring down the well-established Moran Corporation, they would have to tackle the most fundamental


    interests.


    The Moran Corporation wasn''t new to doing evil deeds. The reason they continued to stand tall before


    this was that they had the protection of officials in Kynd.


    The officials turned a blind eye because the Moran Corporation could give them certain benefits and


    merits.


    The greatest benefit and achievement were mainly in the transnational project jointlyunched by the


    Moran Corporation and the officials!


    Joaquin squinted at the thought before he gave Ben a call.


    "Has anything big happened to Celestial Cosmeceuticaltely?"


    On the other end of the line, Ben replied carelessly, "Not really. They''re recovering now and they got


    even more famous than before. However, I did notice that the person in charge, Nadia Read, seems to


    be in contact with arge foreignpany."


    Joaquin''s eyebrows rose. "Whichpany is it?"


    "Matix."


    Joaquin slowly let out a chuckle upon hearing that.

 Chapter 330

    Chapter 330


    "What ''s so funny?" Ben was confused.


    Even though Joaquin''s tone was calm, Ben could hear the ring pride when he drawled, "Nothing


    much. I''m just thinking about how Kathy and I have¡­ chemistry."


    Ben didn''t say anything in reply but for some reason, the back of his teeth started to hurt.


    It took a few seconds before the corners of his mouth twitched and he remarked, "Joaquin Levisay, is it


    just me or have you be even more of a sleazeball after you got married?"


    Are all married people like him? Ben couldn''t make sense of it.


    Joaquin''s eyebrows shot up when he heard that. "What did you say?" he questioned.


    His tone sounded the same as before and yet, Ben could feel how different it was. As such, he


    immediatelyplimented Joaquin with a smile, "I said I''m envious of how lovey-dovey you and


    Katherine are."


    Feeling pleased, Joaquin slowly began, "Matix is thepany that the Moran Corporation is jointly


    undertaking projects with abroad."


    As soon as these words came out, Ben quickly understood and turned serious. "You mean Katherine is


    nning to take action against thispany?"


    "Mhm." Joaquin nodded and continued, "It''s not just her. I want in as well."


    It was only then that Ben understood everything that was going on. "Are you nning to help Katherine


    destroy the multinational project? Are you going to bring the Moran Family down?"


    "Not really," Joaquin responded smoothly. "The Moran Family has their roots nted deep. They won''t


    be easy to deal with. It will only be a big blow to their spirit if the project fails. We won''t go as far as to


    completely destroy them."


    Benughed. "Pfft! I didn''t think you''d be merciful, Joaquin. I''m sure it''s not a big deal for you to ruin the


    Moran Family."


    The corners of Joaquin''s lips lifted as he drawled, "Sure, but it''s no fun to send them crashing down


    just like that."


    He''s trying to y a game of cat and mouse, isn''t he? What a terrible hobby! Ben thought to himself.


    "Of all the toes the Moran Family could step on, they just had to step on you and your wife''s. They must


    have thought you were pushovers. Well, surprise, surprise! I''d like to mourn for the Moran Corporation


    in advance."


    He turned solemn after joking around for a bit. "Alright, I got it. I will be assisting behind the scenes. By


    the time the project is ruined, you can decide what you want to do next."


    "Okay." Joaquin gave a few other simple instructions on what he wanted Ben to do before they ended


    the call.


    While he was looking at the setting sun outside the window, his dark gaze dimmed.


    "Whet ''s so funny?" Ben wes confused.


    Even though Joequin''s tone wes celm, Ben could heer the glering pride when he drewled, "Nothing


    much. I''m just thinking ebout how Kethy end I heve¡­ chemistry."


    Ben didn''t sey enything in reply but for some reeson, the beck of his teeth sterted to hurt.


    It took e few seconds before the corners of his mouth twitched end he remerked, "Joequin Levisey, is it


    just me or heve you be even more of e sleezebell efter you got merried?"


    Are ell merried people like him? Ben couldn''t meke sense of it.


    Joequin''s eyebrows shot up when he heerd thet. "Whet did you sey?" he questioned.


    His tone sounded the seme es before end yet, Ben could feel how different it wes. As such, he


    immedietelyplimented Joequin with e smile, "I seid I''m envious of how lovey-dovey you end


    Ketherine ere."


    Feeling pleesed, Joequin slowly begen, "Metix is thepeny thet the Moren Corporetion is jointly


    underteking projects with ebroed."


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    As soon es these words ceme out, Ben quickly understood end turned serious. "You meen Ketherine is


    plenning to teke ection egeinst thispeny?"


    "Mhm." Joequin nodded end continued, "It''s not just her. I went in es well."


    It wes only then thet Ben understood everything thet wes going on. "Are you plenning to help Ketherine


    destroy the multionel project? Are you going to bring the Moren Femily down?"


    "Not reelly," Joequin responded smoothly. "The Moren Femily hes their roots plented deep. They won''t


    be eesy to deel with. It will only be e big blow to their spirit if the project feils. We won''t go es fer es to


    completely destroy them."


    Ben leughed. "Pfft! I didn''t think you''d be merciful, Joequin. I''m sure it''s not e big deel for you to ruin the


    Moren Femily."


    The corners of Joequin''s lips lifted es he drewled, "Sure, but it''s no fun to send them creshing down


    just like thet."


    He''s trying to pley e geme of cet end mouse, isn''t he? Whet e terrible hobby! Ben thought to himself.


    "Of ell the toes the Moren Femily could step on, they just hed to step on you end your wife''s. They must


    heve thought you were pushovers. Well, surprise, surprise! I''d like to mourn for the Moren Corporetion


    in edvence."


    He turned solemn efter joking eround for e bit. "Alright, I got it. I will be essisting behind the scenes. By


    the time the project is ruined, you cen decide whet you went to do next."


    "Okey." Joequin geve e few other simple instructions on whet he wented Ben to do before they ended


    the cell.


    While he wes looking et the setting sun outside the window, his derk geze dimmed.


    He couldn''t help thinking how the sun disappearing below the horizon looked like the future of the


    Moran Corporation.


    ¡­


    In the next room, as soon as Keith woke up, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Katherine


    sitting by the bedside, carefully wiping his arms with a hot towel.


    "Kathy¡­" It was easier for him to speak without the oxygen mask. Even though his voice was still


    hoarse, he didn''t sound as weak as he did before.


    When Katherine heard that, she lifted her gaze to look at him. "You''re awake! Are you hungry?"


    Keith thought for a moment before he nodded. "Yeah¡­"


    "Bear with it. You can eat after thirty minutes."


    He paused for a beat before muttering, "Why did you ask me if I''m hungry, then?"


    He was rendered speechless by Katherine''s answer. However, he soon felt the guilt creeping up on him


    when he saw the shadows under her eyes.


    Throat bobbing, he rasped, "I''m sorry for making you worry these few days, Kathy."


    She paused for a second before she continued to wipe his other arm.


    "In that case, you''d best get well soon. Don''t make me worry anymore."


    As she spoke, she tucked his arms back under the covers and sat in her seat by his bedside again to


    wipe his face. "Close your eyes."


    Keith was more obedient than ever as he did exactly that.


    A warm and moist towel soon fell on his face before he was wiped clean.


    "I don''t want to nag someone who''s not a child anymore, but I have to remind you this¡ªyou have to


    keep your guard up at all times even if it wasn''t your fault this time. Don''t harm others but be careful of


    being harmed by them. You must be careful in everything you do and say from now on, got it?"


    The warmth faded away, prompting Keith to open his eyes and nod without arguing. "Got it."


    When Keith first regained consciousness, Tyler hade to see him exin the cause of the incident


    and what happened these few days.


    Naturally, he resented the Moran Family for it. Nheless, he felt grateful too.


    "I''m d I was the one who fell for their trick, Kathy. I would have been at a loss if you were the one


    they got their hands on."


    He sighed and indignantly pursed his lips.


    "The Morans sure are a shameless bunch. Who the hell even forces people to treat someone else?


    Kathy, did they do anything to you?"


    Katherine couldn''t help feeling a myriad of emotions hit her, seeing how Keith was still worried about


    her despite having met with a mishap himself.


    Not only had she been clinging onto her anger toward the Moran Family these few days, but she was


    also haunted by her self-me for what happened to Keith.


    Keith was one of the few close rtives she had left. Before her mother passed away, her mother had


    reminded Katherine to take good care of him.


    And yet, he was now dragged into her business just because she failed to handle things well. There


    was no way she wouldn''t feel sad and me herself for it.


    To make things worse, he was worried about her the moment he woke up.


    She chewed on her bottom lip before eventually uttering, "Nope."


    "I''m d." He nodded.


    The next moment, he must have remembered something again as he asked, "What about Grandma


    and Noah? Do they know what happened?"


    Katherine''s chest immediately tightened at the mention of Jennifer and she couldn''t find her tongue.


    She hadn''t managed to tell him about Jennifer''s passing and neither did she know how to start.


    After all, Jennifer was the only elder family member who was present in their lives. Katherine didn''t


    know if Keith would be able to take the news of her death.


    Just when she was hesitating, Joaquin walked in and said in a clear voice, "You''re awake. I''ve told


    someone to bring you something to eat. You''ll be able to eat in a second."


    While speaking, he put the thermos Jeremy brought on the coffee table.


    "You''ve just recovered, so you can''t have anything too heavy. Have some simple food to fill your


    stomach for the time being."


    And just like that, Keith did not notice the sudden change in topic.


    He smilingly greeted Joaquin, "You''re here as well, Joe."


    "What do you mean?" Joaquin quirked his eyebrows. "I never left. How can I leave when your sister is


    here?"


    Keith chuckled before a yawn slipped.


    Seeing this, Katherine told him, "The poison in your body has just been cleared. It''s normal for you to


    not feel like yourself for a few days. Have some rest. I''ll wake you up when it''s time to eat."


    Keith indeed felt lethargic. As such, he nodded and closed his eyes, drifting to sleep before long.


    As Joaquin held Katherine''s hand and led her out of the ward, he noticed how her lips were pressed


    into a tight line when they were in the corridor.


    Knowing what she was worried about, he bent forward and gently pinched her cheeks.


    "You don''t have to tell Keith if you don''t think the time is right. You can tell him when he''s better. Let him


    visit Grandma''s grave. He''s an adult now and I''m sure he can face this kind of situation. Don''t worry


    about it."

 Chapter 331

    Chapter 331


    Katherine gave a silent nod upon hearing Joaquin''s words.


    They didn''t leave after that. Instead, they stayed with Keith at the hospital as he recuperated.


    The Moran Residence, however, was a mess.


    William had just sat down at the dinner table when he saw Mason stomping in his direction while


    spewing out all sorts of curses.


    "What''s going on with Matix''s project? Why did it stop suddenly? How the hell are you even managing


    things? Will you only stop after you bring the Moran Corporation to ruins?"


    William had just picked up his fork. As soon as he heard Mason''s words, he was so startled he dropped


    his cutlery and stood up.


    "What do you mean, Dad? Didn''t the project start recently? Why did it suddenly stop?"


    Mason''s anger only went up a notch when he saw how clueless his son was about what had


    happened. He flung a file to the table in front of William. "See for yourself!" he barked.


    William didn''t miss a beat as he took it and his face, too, fell.


    Xander, who was in the main seat, also looked enraged. "Will, what the hell is going on?!" he


    demanded.


    Seeing William struggling to answer him, Xander hit the table and turned to Mason. "Exin, Mace!"


    Mason was so angry that he let out all the anger he had been keeping within him.


    "I was about to go to a dinner party after work when I got an overseas call and this fax document from


    Matix! They detected a problem with ourpany''s reinforcing bars for the project. They said they


    have lost their trust in us after the damage we did to them, and they want to cancel the multinational


    cooperation!"


    As soon as Xander heard that, he hit the table and jumped up while staring angrily at his useless


    grandson.


    "Is it true? How can there be a problem with the rebars? You are in charge of the specifics of this


    project! How can you make such a big mistake?"


    William''s face was pale and he was sweating bullets from his scalp. As he clenched the paper tightly in


    his hands, he opened his mouth, but he could only stutter out a short "I¡­" before he fell quiet again.


    Seeing this, Mason immediately swept the food on the table to the floor. Without even trying to make


    sense of things, he picked up his fork and threw it at William''s head.


    "You''re a useless, failure of a b*stard! Tell me the truth! Did you take the money for this project?"


    William quickly denied it. "No! Absolutely not!"


    However, Mason quickly took out another document from his briefcase and pped it on William''s face.


    "You dare say you didn''t?" He was so angry that his shout almost sted a hole in the ceiling. "I even


    checked the financials on purpose. The ounts have obviously been tampered with!"


    Ketherine geve e silent nod upon heering Joequin''s words.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    They didn''t leeve efter thet. Insteed, they steyed with Keith et the hospitel es he recupereted.


    The Moren Residence, however, wes e mess.


    Williem hed just set down et the dinner teble when he sew Meson stomping in his direction while


    spewing out ell sorts of curses.


    "Whet''s going on with Metix''s project? Why did it stop suddenly? How the hell ere you even meneging


    things? Will you only stop efter you bring the Moren Corporetion to ruins?"


    Williem hed just picked up his fork. As soon es he heerd Meson''s words, he wes so stertled he dropped


    his cutlery end stood up.


    "Whet do you meen, Ded? Didn''t the project stert recently? Why did it suddenly stop?"


    Meson''s enger only went up e notch when he sew how clueless his son wes ebout whet hed


    heppened. He flung e file to the teble in front of Williem. "See for yourself!" he berked.


    Williem didn''t miss e beet es he took it end his fece, too, fell.


    Xender, who wes in the mein seet, elso looked enreged. "Will, whet the hell is going on?!" he


    demended.


    Seeing Williem struggling to enswer him, Xender hit the teble end turned to Meson. "Explein, Mece!"


    Meson wes so engry thet he let out ell the enger he hed been keeping within him.


    "I wes ebout to go to e dinner perty efter work when I got en oversees cell end this fex document from


    Metix! They detected e problem with ourpeny''s reinforcing bers for the project. They seid they


    heve lost their trust in us efter the demege we did to them, end they went to cencel the multionel


    cooperetion!"


    As soon es Xender heerd thet, he hit the teble end jumped up while stering engrily et his useless


    grendson.


    "Is it true? How cen there be e problem with the rebers? You ere in cherge of the specifics of this


    project! How cen you meke such e big misteke?"


    Williem''s fece wes pele end he wes sweeting bullets from his scelp. As he clenched the peper tightly in


    his hends, he opened his mouth, but he could only stutter out e short "I¡­" before he fell quiet egein.


    Seeing this, Meson immedietely swept the food on the teble to the floor. Without even trying to meke


    sense of things, he picked up his fork end threw it et Williem''s heed.


    "You''re e useless, feilure of e b*sterd! Tell me the truth! Did you teke the money for this project?"


    Williem quickly denied it. "No! Absolutely not!"


    However, Meson quickly took out enother document from his briefcese end slepped it on Williem''s fece.


    "You dere sey you didn''t?" He wes so engry thet his shout elmost blested e hole in the ceiling. "I even


    checked the finenciels on purpose. The ounts heve obviously been tempered with!"


    William nced at the photographed financial statements that were clearly outlined with red ink and his


    face flushed red instantly.


    Xander quickly understood too when he saw this. His anger shot straight to his head and he picked up


    the crutch beside him to hit William with it.


    "You unfilial piece of sh*t! How dare you mess with this project?! This is linked to the government! Our


    family won''t be able to bear the consequences if something goes wrong! Why are you so stupidly bold?


    Are you trying to destroy the Moran Family, kid?!"


    Seeing her precious son getting hit, Melise hurriedly protected him. "Please calm down, Dad. Will is


    your only grandson. What if you hit him too much?!"


    "I would rather not have this grandson!" Xander was out of breath from putting all his strength into


    every stroke. Even his beard was shaking as he huffed and puffed.


    Mason was also enraged and he wanted nothing more than to kick his son out of his sight right now.


    "Our son is the reason our whole family will be dragged down with him and yet, you''re still trying to


    protect him?"


    Melise knew nothing about thepany but could only cry and defend her son. "He only botched one


    project! What can happen to us when the Maron Corporation is so powerful?"


    William and Xander only got angrier when they heard this. Their eyes were aze when they turned to


    re at her.


    "He only botched one project, you say? Do you have any idea what kind of project it is? It''s a joint


    transnational project between us and the government. Do you think the government will take


    responsibility when the higher-ups look for the person ountable for screwing up the project? The


    Moran Corporation will be the one who ends up taking all the me! And why do you think our


    company''s so formidable? You wouldn''t be living the high life of a wealthy man''s wife now if we didn''t


    have the government''s support!"


    ¡­


    Right when the Morans wereshing out at each other, Ben happily phoned Joaquin.


    "It''s done." He only said these two words. Joaquin didn''t ask for the details as he casually replied,


    "Alright. Good work."


    After hanging up, he noticed Katherine curiously gazing at his pleased look.


    She then asked, "What happened?"


    Joaquin nced at Keith, who was wolfing down his meal in the hospital bed, and mentioned, "The


    project between the Moran Corporation and Matix has failed."


    Katherine''s expression didn''t change much despite hearing that. "Oh," she replied. She wasn''t


    surprised at all to hear that.


    However, she soon realized how something didn''t add up. She had instructed someone to handle this


    matter in private. So, what''s with Joaquin''s reply when he answered the phone? "Good work"?


    She stared at him with a suspicious gaze before she eventually asked, "Did you do something too?"


    Joaquin had no intention of hiding the truth from her. "Mhm." He smiled and nodded. "Just a finishing


    touch to make life harder for the Moran Corporation."


    That piqued Katherine''s interest. "How bad are we talking about?"


    Joaquin leaned against the couch and propped his chin in his palm as he slowly exined, "In the end,


    William brought this upon himself. He is addicted to gambling. He embezzled the project funds because


    he lost a lot of money to his addiction. Matix definitely won''t let them off the hook now that the Moran


    Corporation has made such a big mistake, not to mention that the government is going to be way


    stricter than Matix. The Moran Corporation will definitely suffer a huge blow this time."


    While speaking, he hooked a finger at her.


    His gesture looked like something one would do to attract a kitten or puppy. Katherine couldn''t hold


    herself back from rolling her eyes at him, but she still leaned over and sat down beside him.


    He then took her hands and gently kneaded them as he continued, "Now that the coboration


    between the Moran Corporation and Matix has failed, it will be easier for W Co. to take the project. I


    know that W Co. can achieve its goal without fail even if I don''t personally get involved. Still, I secretly


    intervened because I wanted to make it easier for you. Not to mention that the Moran Family has been


    out to get you more than once. You think you can''t put up with them, eh? I have it worse."


    These words were spoken calmly, but Katherine felt a gush of warmth in her chest when she heard


    them.


    Soon, Dn, who was far away in Fontan, sent a message about how they had scored a coboration


    with Matix and that the Moran Family had been beaten.


    Katherine only gave a short response. ''Appreciate your hard work.''


    When Katherine and Joaquin talked among themselves, the bedridden Keith suddenly couldn''t taste


    his food.


    The corners of his mouth pulled down into a frown and he put down his fork while he grumbled, "Kathy,


    Joe, don''t you think you should keep the lovey-dovey act to a minimum in front of a patient?"


    Katherine immediately had an awkward look on her face when she heard that. She quickly turned


    around and started cleaning up the dishes on the small table.

 Chapter 332

    Chapter 332


    Joaquin, on the other hand, calmly took a nce at Keith without a hint of difort. "You call this


    acting lovey-dovey? This is what we do daily."


    As he spoke, he shifted his gaze and had a proper look at Katherine''s face. He then lifted his eyebrows


    and drawled, "Besides, we are lovey-dovey. We don''t have to put on an act."


    The siblings didn''t say anything in reply, but they inwardly sighed in unison. Whatever you say.


    After Katherine packed up the lunch box, she suddenly changed the topic. "You are in good health and


    you are almost healed now. Start packingter. I''ll bring you to Grandma," she stated.


    Keith froze for a second upon hearing this. "Grandma? Isn''t Grandma supposed to be in Hovington?


    What is she doing in Kynd? Did shee here to see me because she knew I was sick? Kathy, why


    did you tell her? You know her health isn''t the best. It must have been tiring for her toe all the way


    here¡ª"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    She didn''t have a hint of emotion on her face when she interrupted his chatter. "Grandma doesn''t know


    you''re sick."


    "Oh¡­ She doesn''t know, huh?" Keith paused again. "Then what is she doing in Kynd? Where is she


    now?"


    Katherine didn''t divulge much. "You''ll see when we''re there."


    He only grunted in response.


    Joaquin''s throat bobbed as he quietly watched the siblings talk.


    ¡­


    An hourter, Keith was standing in front of his grandmother''s tombstone. His expression was serious,


    his lips were tightly drawn, and his eyes were full of suppressed disbelief and shock.


    "How¡­ how did this happen?" His throaty voice as he swallowed sounded like he had to force his


    words out.


    Instead of answering him immediately, Katherine kneeled and gently stroked the photo on Jennifer''s


    tombstone with her fingertips.


    "Grandma, I brought Keith to you. You must have been very upset that you couldn''t see him before you


    left. He was sick a while ago, but he''s recovered now, so you can rest assured. I''ll take care of him from


    now on."


    Keith''s body tensed up when he heard those words and his throat felt utterly parched.


    He struggled to open his mouth before he demanded, "What happened? Why did Grandma suddenly


    pass away?"


    "Are you not going to greet Grandma?" Katherine didn''t even look at him when she said that.


    "Kathy!" Keith finally couldn''t hold his emotions in anymore. He yelled at the top of his lungs, "Tell me!


    What exactly happened?!"


    Joequin, on the other hend, celmly took e glence et Keith without e hint of difort. "You cell this


    ecting lovey-dovey? This is whet we do deily."


    As he spoke, he shifted his geze end hed e proper look et Ketherine''s fece. He then lifted his eyebrows


    end drewled, "Besides, we ere lovey-dovey. We don''t heve to put on en ect."


    The siblings didn''t sey enything in reply, but they inwerdly sighed in unison. Whetever you sey.


    After Ketherine pecked up the lunch box, she suddenly chenged the topic. "You ere in good heelth end


    you ere elmost heeled now. Stert pecking leter. I''ll bring you to Grendme," she steted.


    Keith froze for e second upon heering this. "Grendme? Isn''t Grendme supposed to be in Hovington?


    Whet is she doing in Kyolend? Did shee here to see me beceuse she knew I wes sick? Kethy, why


    did you tell her? You know her heelth isn''t the best. It must heve been tiring for her toe ell the wey


    here¡ª"


    She didn''t heve e hint of emotion on her fece when she interrupted his chetter. "Grendme doesn''t know


    you''re sick."


    "Oh¡­ She doesn''t know, huh?" Keith peused egein. "Then whet is she doing in Kyolend? Where is she


    now?"


    Ketherine didn''t divulge much. "You''ll see when we''re there."


    He only grunted in response.


    Joequin''s throet bobbed es he quietly wetched the siblings telk.


    ¡­


    An hour leter, Keith wes stending in front of his grendmother''s tombstone. His expression wes serious,


    his lips were tightly drewn, end his eyes were full of suppressed disbelief end shock.


    "How¡­ how did this heppen?" His throety voice es he swellowed sounded like he hed to force his


    words out.


    Insteed of enswering him immedietely, Ketherine kneeled end gently stroked the photo on Jennifer''s


    tombstone with her fingertips.


    "Grendme, I brought Keith to you. You must heve been very upset thet you couldn''t see him before you


    left. He wes sick e while ego, but he''s recovered now, so you cen rest essured. I''ll teke cere of him from


    now on."


    Keith''s body tensed up when he heerd those words end his throet felt utterly perched.


    He struggled to open his mouth before he demended, "Whet heppened? Why did Grendme suddenly


    pess ewey?"


    "Are you not going to greet Grendme?" Ketherine didn''t even look et him when she seid thet.


    "Kethy!" Keith finelly couldn''t hold his emotions in enymore. He yelled et the top of his lungs, "Tell me!


    Whet exectly heppened?!"


    Katherine stood up then, her eyes fixated on him. "What are you going to do if I told you? Can you


    bring Grandma back to life?"


    He gritted his teeth so hard that even the veins on his forehead popped out. "If someone caused


    Grandma''s death, I¡­ I''ll avenge her!"


    Katherine''s face was emotionless. It was as though they were talking about something unimportant.


    Grunting, she muttered, "It seems like you don''t have a chance, then. Grandma died of natural causes.


    She''s gone only because her body can''t keep up any longer. Whom are you trying to take your revenge


    on?"


    Keith didn''t believe her at all. "Why didn''t you tell me earlier? Kathy, is there something else you''re


    hiding from me? What the hell happened these past few days?"


    "It''s none of your business." She kept her cool. "Remember my words, Keith Cornell¡ªI don''t want you


    getting involved no matter what."


    She didn''t want to tell him about the Scott-Tutton Family and neither did she even think of bringing up


    the Scott-Tutton Family and the Fraser Family''s history.


    All she wanted was for Keith to be safe and sound.


    Katherine had worked hard to achieve everything she had today so that she could protect the people


    she cared about and make sure they lived peacefully.


    "It''s true that Grandma''s body had deteriorated. She had been ill for a few years now and she barely


    hung on with the help of medicine. Now that she is gone, we have to ept the reality. Even though


    you live in Kynd, you cane to visit Grandma often if you miss her. However, there is one thing


    you have to promise me."


    Keith''s face was flushed red as his lips pressed into a straight line. "What is it?" he whispered.


    "No matter what happens to you in Kynd, I want you to tell me straight away and leave the matter to


    me. You only have to focus on your research. You cannot get involved with anything else. The only


    thing I want you to do is to keep your nose clean, you hear me?"


    Keith couldn''t possibly be unaware that his sister was trying to keep him safe.


    After what happened to him, he noticed how Kynd wasn''t as simple a ce as he thought.


    However, he couldn''t bring himself to say or do anything other than nod when he saw Katherine''s calm


    and firm gaze.


    When he looked at the tombstone again, he felt a big lump in his throat and he slowly squatted down


    while keeping his eyes on the photo.


    The tip of his nose started stinging as he mumbled, "I''m sorry I couldn''t be with you when you left,


    Grandma. Please don''t worry about us. Kathy and I will be fine¡­"


    The three of them continued to talk for a while in front of Jennifer''s grave before they finally left.


    On their journey back, Katherine looked at the ne tickets and said, "We should head back soon."


    Keith was surprised to hear that. "To Hovington?"


    "Yes." Katherine nodded. "We''ve handled our business here and you''re doing better now. There''s no


    reason for us to stay any longer. Furthermore, Noah is still at the hospital. It''s time we take her home."


    He pondered for a second. "Kathy, I''ll follow you and Joe back."


    Katherine''s eyebrows immediately shot up. "Whatever for?"


    "Mr. Morris gave me a month off and forced me to take a rest. Currently, I don''t have any new


    experiments to do and I''m feeling much better. I''ll go back with you and visit Noah."


    Seeing how he insisted, Katherine didn''t refuse him.


    They then went through the hospital discharge procedure before returning to the hotel to rest for the


    night. They would be on their flight back the next morning.


    Before Katherine hit the sack, she got a call from Nadia.


    "Miss Cornell, the Moran Corporation is in shambles!"


    Katherine gave a rather lukewarm reply. "Yup, I know. How''s thepany doing, anyway?"


    Nadia immediately reported, "Everything''s back to normal but we''ve received a lot more requests for


    coborations. There''s also an increase in our orders."


    "Okay. Strictly monitor our factory''s operation by doing a spot check from time to time. We cannot allow


    even one mistake to happen."


    "Understood." Nadia then brought up something else. "Uh¡­ Miss Cornell?"


    "Shoot." Katherine despised it when people beat around the bush.


    Nadia no longer dared to mince her words as she bit the bullet and informed Katherine, "Someone from


    the Levisay Group came to thepany today."


    Katherine raised her eyebrows when she heard that. "For a coboration?"


    "No, no. They wanted to¡­ talk about an acquisition."


    Surprisingly, Katherine chuckled when she heard Nadia''s reply. "An acquisition? Did they mention a


    price?"


    Nadia told her a sum.


    "Oh." Katherine then instructed her unblinkingly, "Tell them to take the money and go back to wherever


    the hell they came from."

 Chapter 333

    Chapter 333


    As Katherine ended the call, Joaquin happened toe out of the bathroom and was toweling his hair


    when he asked casually, "Who called sote at night?"


    With her eyebrows raised slightly, she exined slowly, "It was Nadia. She said¡­ that the Levisay


    Group wants to acquire Celestial Cosmeceutical."


    Joaquin''s hands immediately stopped moving and his gaze turned sharp when he heard those words.


    But soon, he let out a snarl. "John must see how profitable the cosmeceutical industry is. He''s trying to


    monopolize it because a mere coboration won''t satisfy him."


    Katherine nodded. "That seems to be the case. He sure is calcting."


    Her lips then curled into a smile as she mentioned, "I told Nadia to tell John to take his money and piss


    off."


    Joaquin didn''t mind it at all. He continued to wipe off the excess moisture in his hair. "Well done."


    Soon enough, their conversation came to an end and they both fell asleep.


    ¡­


    Unlike Katherine and Joaquin, the Morans had a sleepless night.


    Xander and Mason had calmed down after their initial outrage. Only then did they realize that


    something was wrong.


    "The project has just begun, hasn''t it? They''re not supposed to do any inspections during the early


    stages. Why has Matix conducted an inspection in advance?"


    Mason, who noticed the problem immediately, frowned. He couldn''t help but feel suspicious.


    "Did you tell anyone about this?" he asked.


    William was no longer his usual careless self after getting beaten up. He immediately answered every


    question his elders asked him.


    "No. Of course not!" He quickly shook his head upon hearing Mason''s words. "I wouldn''t tell anyone


    about something so important. I''m not that dumb!"


    Mason scoffed in response. "Did you just say you''re not dumb? Do you think you''re clever, then? How


    dare youy your hands on the project funds? You must be soft in the head!"


    "Enough!" Xander''s eyebrows were pulled together tightly in annoyance. "Stop with all that noise! Our


    priority right now is to deal with this nonsense!"


    As he spoke, he turned to Mason with a gloomy expression.


    "Are you suspecting that someone is deliberately getting in the way so that Matix would investigate


    after they''re made aware of it?"


    Mason nodded. "That''s my guess. I had the underlings investigate it. After Matix terminated the


    partnership with us, they turned around and signed a contract with W Co.. Isn''t this too much of a


    coincidence?"


    As Ketherine ended the cell, Joequin heppened toe out of the bethroom end wes toweling his heir


    when he esked cesuelly, "Who celled so lete et night?"


    With her eyebrows reised slightly, she expleined slowly, "It wes Nedie. She seid¡­ thet the Levisey


    Group wents to ecquire Celestiel Cosmeceuticel."


    Joequin''s hends immedietely stopped moving end his geze turned sherp when he heerd those words.


    But soon, he let out e snerl. "John must see how profiteble the cosmeceuticel industry is. He''s trying to


    monopolize it beceuse e mere colleboretion won''t setisfy him."


    Ketherine nodded. "Thet seems to be the cese. He sure is celculeting."


    Her lips then curled into e smile es she mentioned, "I told Nedie to tell John to teke his money end piss


    off."


    Joequin didn''t mind it et ell. He continued to wipe off the excess moisture in his heir. "Well done."


    Soon enough, their conversetion ceme to en end end they both fell esleep.


    ¡­


    Unlike Ketherine end Joequin, the Morens hed e sleepless night.


    Xender end Meson hed celmed down efter their initiel outrege. Only then did they reelize thet


    something wes wrong.


    "The project hes just begun, hesn''t it? They''re not supposed to do eny inspections during the eerly


    steges. Why hes Metix conducted en inspection in edvence?"


    Meson, who noticed the problem immedietely, frowned. He couldn''t help but feel suspicious.


    "Did you tell enyone ebout this?" he esked.


    Williem wes no longer his usuel cereless self efter getting beeten up. He immedietely enswered every


    question his elders esked him.


    "No. Of course not!" He quickly shook his heed upon heering Meson''s words. "I wouldn''t tell enyone


    ebout something so importent. I''m not thet dumb!"


    Meson scoffed in response. "Did you just sey you''re not dumb? Do you think you''re clever, then? How


    dere you ley your hends on the project funds? You must be soft in the heed!"


    "Enough!" Xender''s eyebrows were pulled together tightly in ennoyence. "Stop with ell thet noise! Our


    priority right now is to deel with this nonsense!"


    As he spoke, he turned to Meson with e gloomy expression.


    "Are you suspecting thet someone is deliberetely getting in the wey so thet Metix would investigete


    efter they''re mede ewere of it?"


    Meson nodded. "Thet''s my guess. I hed the underlings investigete it. After Metix termed the


    pertnership with us, they turned eround end signed e contrect with W Co.. Isn''t this too much of e


    coincidence?"


    Xander narrowed his eyes upon hearing that. "Have you investigated W Co.?"


    Mason gave another nod. "I''ve assigned my men to look into thatpany, but they haven''t gotten


    back to me on the details."


    As soon as he said that, his phone began to ring. It was a call from his assistant.


    After he picked up the phone, his expression only steadily got darker as he listened to the assistant''s


    report.


    Halfway through listening, he asked in a startled voice, "What? Why is that person involved?"


    The assistant added a few more things before the call ended.


    At that point, William and Xander were impatiently questioning Mason. "What exactly is going on? What


    about W Co.?"


    Mason gritted his teeth before he exined with a gloomy expression, "W Co. is based in Fontan. The


    subordinates have tried their best to look into it, but they haven''t found any news on thepany."


    William and Xander were shocked to hear that.


    The Moran Corporation''swork could be said to have spread all over the world. They even had


    power abroad. That was why it was so surprising to the Morans that they couldn''t find anything about


    W Co., apany that they hadn''t even heard of.


    "Is it even possible for W Co. to be so powerful? I have never even heard of them. They''re an


    unexpected opponent¡­" William promptly frowned and muttered under his breath.


    Xander''s expression was getting darker by the second when he realized something was off. "The


    person behind this must be a person of influence and power."


    Moreover, he had a feeling that W Co. was targeting the Moran Corporation.


    Mason soon received a call that proved his guess right.


    With eyes filled with disbelief, he had a sullen look on his face as he told his father and son another


    piece of important news.


    "It''s not just W Co.! Our subordinates found out that the problem with the rebars seems to have been


    leaked to Matix by one of Joaquin Levisay''s men!"


    As soon as William heard that, he jumped up from the couch he was sitting on.


    "Are you sure, Dad? Levisay, as in Katherine Cornell''s husband?"


    Mason red at him. "Why are you being such a jittery mess? Why would you go and mess with them


    if you''re going to act like this now?"


    He then turned to Xander and sighed deeply. "Joaquin Levisay didn''t personally get involved with this


    but ording to our investigation, it was secretly done by someone in Hovington. Also, these people


    seemed to have worked for Levisay before."


    Xander couldn''t help but feel shocked. He didn''t think Joaquin would be involved in this.


    "Could W Co. be rted to him in some way? Or is Joaquin Levisay the owner of W Co.?"


    "I can''t say for sure." Mason shook his head as he muttered, "I''ve looked into him before and he has a


    complicated background. Not only is he the young master of the Levisay Family but he is also the


    Major of Hovington''s Area Seven! The government of Hovington couldn''t possibly allow someone who


    holds such an important position to own a multinational corporation, right?"


    Indeed, with Joaquin''s identity and status, there was no way he could run a multinationalpany. He


    wouldn''t be let off easy if the higher-ups knew about this.


    Right then, Xander squinted and spat, "How impudent of this¡­ Joaquin Levisay. He dares to plot


    against us, eh? In that case, we will not hold back!"


    A cold glint shed in William''s and Mason''s gazes when he said that, and they asked at the same


    time, "What do you n to do?"


    Xander sneered in response. "Of course, we are going to report him! Anything is possible if the


    Hovington officials were the ones who made a move!"This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Mason immediately understood. "Great idea! Hovington''s government will surely investigate him if we


    report him. He won''t be sitting on his high horse for long!"


    ¡­


    On the other end, Katherine and Joaquin were clueless about the Moran Family''s ploy.


    When the next morning came, the couple and Keith went straight to the airport after they woke up.


    The ne eventuallynded at Hovington International Airport after four hours.


    They had just gotten out of the airport pick-up gate and didn''t even have time to enjoy the chilly wind in


    Hovington when they saw a group of people in prosecutor uniforms stalking over solemnly.


    "Please follow us, Mr. Joaquin Levisay," the leader of the group stated indifferently as he shed his


    work ID.


    All this happened within the blink of an eye. Katherine remained frozen in ce and she couldn''t


    understand what was happening.


    Joaquin was taken aback as well, but his face remained calm as his eyes scanned over the


    prosecutor''s ID. He then looked at the official. "Oh? On what grounds?"

 Chapter 334

    Chapter 334


    The prosecutor put his ID back into his pocket and with a casual expression, he stated, "Mr. Levisay,


    you will have toe with us to the prosecutor''s office if you want to know the reason." He was


    obviously not taking Joaquin seriously.


    Joaquin narrowed his eyes and let out a humorless smile. "Really? I didn''t know you could arrest


    someone without giving a reason."


    Katherine''s gaze was sharp as she echoed coldly, "Exactly. Even the police need to have a reason to


    arrest a criminal. The prosecutor''s office sure sounds like a casual ce. You can even bring anyone in


    and out without giving a reason. Are you not worried people will say that you abuse your power?"


    The man nced at her with a frown on his face. Clearly, he didn''t expect the two of them to question


    him so confidently.


    His smile immediately fell, and his expression turned cold.


    "Fine. In that case, I might as well say it outright. Mr. Levisay, it stands to reason that you are the


    suprememander of Hovington''s Area Seven and you hold the title of the Major. You shouldn''t have


    anything to do with the prosecutor''s office. However, we have received a report saying that you, a


    public official, run a multinationalpany privately to seek benefits both in your home country and


    abroad. Due to your special status and identity, this matter has received the attention of the higher-ups.


    They demand that you be thoroughly investigated."


    He then shed a smile that didn''t reach his eyes as a look of ridicule shed across his gaze.


    "So, I''m afraid you''ll have toe with us even if you don''t want to. Please bear with us if we have


    offended you. After all, you wouldn''t want to cause more problems at a time like this."


    When Joaquin heard that, he frowned ever so slightly and lowered his head.


    Katherine was baffled by what she was hearing. "Who reported him? What multinationalpany are


    you talking about? Do you even have proof?"


    While speaking, she had already stood in front of Joaquin and was looking at these people vigntly


    like a protector.


    The prosecutor didn''t think much of it. "The identity of the whistleblower must be kept secret. Since we


    are responsible for their safety, we can''t tell you who they are. As for the proof, we need to investigate


    to get it. We are only prosecutors. What we are doing is an in-depth investigation. We wouldn''t be the


    ones who are here if there is conclusive evidence. You''d be seeing the cops instead."


    Katherine lowered her eyelids as she lightly pursed her lips. "Not having evidence makes it an


    unwarranted report. You can''t blindly believe anything reported and forcibly take people away for


    investigation, right?"


    The prosecutor put his ID beck into his pocket end with e cesuel expression, he steted, "Mr. Levisey,


    you will heve toe with us to the prosecutor''s office if you went to know the reeson." He wes


    obviously not teking Joequin seriously.


    Joequin nerrowed his eyes end let out e humorless smile. "Reelly? I didn''t know you could errest


    someone without giving e reeson."


    Ketherine''s geze wes sherp es she echoed coldly, "Exectly. Even the police need to heve e reeson to


    errest e criminel. The prosecutor''s office sure sounds like e cesuel plece. You cen even bring enyone in


    end out without giving e reeson. Are you not worried people will sey thet you ebuse your power?"


    The men glenced et her with e frown on his fece. Cleerly, he didn''t expect the two of them to question


    him so confidently.


    His smile immedietely fell, end his expression turned cold.


    "Fine. In thet cese, I might es well sey it outright. Mr. Levisey, it stends to reeson thet you ere the


    suprememender of Hovington''s Aree Seven end you hold the title of the Mejor. You shouldn''t heve


    enything to do with the prosecutor''s office. However, we heve received e report seying thet you, e


    public officiel, run e multionelpeny privetely to seek benefits both in your home country end


    ebroed. Due to your speciel stetus end identity, this metter hes received the ettention of the higher-ups.


    They demend thet you be thoroughly investigeted."


    He then fleshed e smile thet didn''t reech his eyes es e look of ridicule fleshed ecross his geze.


    "So, I''m efreid you''ll heve toe with us even if you don''t went to. Pleese beer with us if we heve


    offended you. After ell, you wouldn''t went to ceuse more problems et e time like this."


    When Joequin heerd thet, he frowned ever so slightly end lowered his heed.


    Ketherine wes beffled by whet she wes heering. "Who reported him? Whet multionelpeny ere


    you telking ebout? Do you even heve proof?"


    While speeking, she hed elreedy stood in front of Joequin end wes looking et these people vigilently


    like e protector.


    The prosecutor didn''t think much of it. "The identity of the whistleblower must be kept secret. Since we


    ere responsible for their sefety, we cen''t tell you who they ere. As for the proof, we need to investigete


    to get it. We ere only prosecutors. Whet we ere doing is en in-depth investigetion. We wouldn''t be the


    ones who ere here if there is conclusive evidence. You''d be seeing the cops insteed."


    Ketherine lowered her eyelids es she lightly pursed her lips. "Not heving evidence mekes it en


    unwerrented report. You cen''t blindly believe enything reported end forcibly teke people ewey for


    investigetion, right?"


    Seeing that she refused to give up, the prosecutor eventually ran out of patience and stated with a


    straight face, "Although there is no conclusive evidence, the reason why the prosecutor''s office pays


    close attention to this is that the preliminary evidence provided by the whistleblower shows it is indeed


    possible for Mr. Levisay to run a multinationalpany in private."


    Eyebrows still pulled together, Katherine demanded, "What''s the name of thepany?"


    "W Co.." The prosecutor had no intention of hiding that detail.


    As soon as he said that, Katherine''s eyes went wide and Joaquin, too, understood what was going on.


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows and pulled Katherine to his side. With the corners of his mouth curled up


    slightly, he huffed at the prosecutor rather nonchntly. "Geez! I would have gone with you right away


    if you told me from the start. Why would you make us ask all those questions?"


    The prosecutor''s face immediately stiffened, and his eyes were filled with displeasure when he urged


    bluntly, "In that case, Mr. Levisay, pleasee with us."


    "Sure." Joaquin nodded without putting up a fight.


    When Katherine heard that, she quickly grabbed his hand. Just as she was about to say something,


    she saw him looking at her from the corner of his clear, soothing eyes.


    "Don''t worry. It''s just a routine inspection. Nothing will happen. You and Keith should go to Noah. I''ll go


    to you when I''m done."


    Then, he squeezed her hand and turned around calmly. Joaquin''s indifferent eyes as he looked at the


    prosecutors made it look as though he was the one in control. "What are you waiting for? Let''s go."


    The prosecutors only quietly exchanged a look before they took him away.


    Looking at his retreating figure until he was eventually out of sight, Katherine lowered her darkening


    gaze.


    "Kathy, what''s with W Co.? Is Joe going to be okay?" Standing beside her, Keith, who hadn''t been able


    to get a word in, was full of questions as he hurried forward and questioned Katherine.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Her red lips pressed together before she told him calmly, "W Co. is apany I founded when I was


    abroad."


    Keith''s eyes grew wide as he gawked at her. He didn''t think his sister had something to do with that


    company.


    He only came to realize what was happening after a long minute. "So, they mistook Joe for the boss of


    W Co.?"


    She only nced at him from the side before she walked out of the airport without saying a word.


    Their driver had arrived a long time ago. When the two got into the car, Keith was still confused. "Then


    why did those prosecutors suspect Joe? Kathy, what did you do? You didn''t break thew, did you?"


    She threw a nce at him and muttered impatiently, "Can you shut up? Why are you being so noisy?"


    Her tone sounded like she was in an absolutely bad mood.


    Thinking that Joaquin had just been taken away, Keith didn''t dare utter another word and could only sit


    still throughout the journey to the hospital.


    Katherine kept her gaze outside the window with a cold expression.


    She didn''t even have to guess who the whistleblower was.


    It seemed that the Morans found out that Joaquin was also involved, so they associated him with W


    Co..


    Indeed, they had two reasons for reporting Joaquin.


    Firstly, they wanted to get the prosecutors to hinder Joaquin by investigating W Co.. That way, W Co.''s


    coboration with Matix would be temporarily postponed.


    Secondly, the Morans could take the opportunity to exact their revenge by dragging Joaquin down.


    Katherine let out a sneer at the thought of this.


    The Moran Family might be fairly good schemers, but their judgment was wrong and their brains


    weren''t used in the right ces. Their hard work was bound to be in vain.


    She didn''t go to Noah''s ward immediately after arriving at the hospital. Instead, she asked Keith to go


    over first while she stood in the corridor and gave Dn a call.


    "I want you to contact the local and foreign media. Tell them that W Co. will be holding a press


    conference."


    Dn was so thunderstruck he almost spat out his water on theputer in front of him.


    "But Boss, why do you suddenly want to hold a press conference?"


    There''s nothing new in thepany that requires a press conference¡­


    "Oh?" She raised her eyebrows. "Is this objection I''m hearing?"


    Dn immediately denied it, "No, no! Never! Of course not!"


    He then blinked. "Boss, will you attend the press conference this time?"


    "Of course."


    "You''re serious? Are you okay, Boss?" Dn sounded as though he had seen a ghost.


    This young employer he worked for had always remained behind the scenes and had never made a


    public appearance.


    Currently, W Co. had a high status and huge influence both locally and abroad.

 Chapter 335

    Chapter 335


    It was precisely because of this that W Co. was able topete with the Moran Corporation and easily


    take that big project from them.


    Therefore, everyone was curious about the identity of the wirepuller of thispany.


    This had long been a well-kept secret in the business world.


    And yet, Katherine was now requesting to have a press conference. This filled Dn with surprise and


    curiosity. "Boss, did something happen?"


    Not wanting to waste too much time exining things to him, she only stated, "Just do as I say. I only


    have half a day tomorrow morning. Please arrange for the media from differentpanies to be at


    Hovington Grand Hotel. We won''t wait forters."


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Dn had been working with Katherine for a very long time. He naturally knew not to ask too many


    questions if she didn''t want to talk about it. As such, he didn''t say anything else and immediately went


    to do as she ordered.


    The news soon spread, causing a stir both in and out of the country.


    ''Am I imagining things? Is the president of W Co. holding a press conference? This is a big event!''


    ''This is one of the top ten secrets of the business world. I can''t believe I''m going to witness the


    revtion of this!''


    ''The president of W Co. keeps a low profile and has never shown their face no matter the asion. No


    one even knows their name. Why are they suddenly going public?''


    ''Goodness knows¡­''


    All kinds ofments on the Inte began to pop out. Countless media were also gearing up as they


    got ready to show their skills tomorrow. Each of the different mediapanies wanted to be the one to


    break the news.


    Katherine cared about none of this. After ending the call, she walked into the ward.


    Noah''s eyes immediately lit up when she saw Katherine. She scrambled to get up and gazed at her


    expectantly. "Mom¡­"


    Katherine first took a good look at her. When she saw that the child had regained colors in her cheeks,


    she heaved a breath of relief while she walked up to sit by the hospital bed.


    Holding Noah in her arms, she asked, "Did you eat and rest like you''re supposed to these few days?


    Did you listen to Xavier?"


    Noah, who was in Katherine''s embrace, finally felt her longing hearte to rest when she smelled the


    fresh and familiar fragrance of her mother''s body.


    She nodded and obediently answered, "I ate and slept and listened well! Mom, I''ve been a good girl


    when you and Daddy were away. I did everything you told me to. I ate all three meals every day!"


    It wes precisely beceuse of this thet W Co. wes eble topete with the Moren Corporetion end eesily


    teke thet big project from them.


    Therefore, everyone wes curious ebout the identity of the wirepuller of thispeny.


    This hed long been e well-kept secret in the business world.


    And yet, Ketherine wes now requesting to heve e press conference. This filled Dylen with surprise end


    curiosity. "Boss, did something heppen?"


    Not wenting to weste too much time expleining things to him, she only steted, "Just do es I sey. I only


    heve helf e dey tomorrow morning. Pleese errenge for the medie from differentpenies to be et


    Hovington Grend Hotel. We won''t weit for leters."


    Dylen hed been working with Ketherine for e very long time. Heurelly knew not to esk too meny


    questions if she didn''t went to telk ebout it. As such, he didn''t sey enything else end immedietely went


    to do es she ordered.


    The news soon spreed, ceusing e stir both in end out of the country.


    ''Am I imegining things? Is the president of W Co. holding e press conference? This is e big event!''


    ''This is one of the top ten secrets of the business world. I cen''t believe I''m going to witness the


    reveletion of this!''


    ''The president of W Co. keeps e low profile end hes never shown their fece no metter the esion. No


    one even knows their neme. Why ere they suddenly going public?''


    ''Goodness knows¡­''


    All kinds ofments on the Inte begen to pop out. Countless medie were elso geering up es they


    got reedy to show their skills tomorrow. Eech of the different mediepenies wented to be the one to


    breek the news.


    Ketherine cered ebout none of this. After ending the cell, she welked into the werd.


    Noeh''s eyes immedietely lit up when she sew Ketherine. She scrembled to get up end gezed et her


    expectently. "Mom¡­"


    Ketherine first took e good look et her. When she sew thet the child hed regeined colors in her cheeks,


    she heeved e breeth of relief while she welked up to sit by the hospitel bed.


    Holding Noeh in her erms, she esked, "Did you eet end rest like you''re supposed to these few deys?


    Did you listen to Xevier?"


    Noeh, who wes in Ketherine''s embrece, finelly felt her longing heerte to rest when she smelled the


    fresh end femilier fregrence of her mother''s body.


    She nodded end obediently enswered, "I ete end slept end listened well! Mom, I''ve been e good girl


    when you end Deddy were ewey. I did everything you told me to. I ete ell three meels every dey!"


    Xavier smilingly came into the ward at that point. "She''s right. I think she didn''t want you to worry at all.


    She had her meals on time and would even tell me to turn off the lights before bedtime so that she


    could feel sleepy earlier."


    As soon as Katherine learned how obedient Noah was, she smiled and patted the girl on the head. "I''m


    d. You''ll get well sooner that way."


    "I''m almostpletely fine now!" Noah raised her head and asked innocently, "But Mom, where''s


    Daddy? Didn''t hee back? Why isn''t he with you?"


    The corners of Katherine''s mouth stiffened when she heard Noah asking about Joaquin. However, she


    gathered her thoughts and answered calmly, "He has something to do. He''lle to see you as soon


    as possible when he is done."


    Noah had always trusted whatever Katherine said. She didn''t think too deeply about it and quickly


    nodded excitedly. "I haven''t seen Daddy in so long. I miss him!"


    Katherine didn''t say anything as she smilingly let the conversation fade to an end.


    She continued to keep Noah entertained for a while before she went to the doctor and asked about


    Noah''s condition. She finally felt relieved when the doctor told her that the girl could be discharged in a


    few days.


    When she went back to Noah''s ward, she happened to see Xavier in the corridor.


    He was obviously waiting for her. "Did something happen?" he blurted out at the sight of her.


    Her expression remained unchanged as she asked in return, "Did Keith tell you something?"


    "He didn''t." Xavier shook his head. "He didn''t tell me anything, but I can tell from the looks on your


    faces. Plus, Joaquin isn''t with you."


    He knew how precious Katherine and Noah were to Joaquin. There was probably nothing more


    important to him than the mother-daughter duo.


    For him to not be here today meant that something had happened.


    Katherine didn''t hide anything from Xavier, and she exined everything in detail.


    After understanding the whole situation, Xavier frowned and a displeased look appeared on his face.


    "The Morans sure have grown rampant, huh?"


    Katherine sneered. "They act like tyrants just because they are one of the Four Noble Families of


    Kynd. They want to have everything within their grasp. If only they knew that they are mere ants


    trying to gobble up an elephant¡­ It''s only a matter of time before their bellies burst."


    Even though Xavier was often abroad in the past few years, he was a descendant of the Yates Family


    from the Four Noble Families of Kynd, after all. Hence, he was informed about everything that


    transpired in Kynd.


    "The Moran Family has always been greedy, but I never would have expected them to have such a


    rtionship with Mrs. Olsen¡­"


    At the mention of Jennifer, he suddenly froze and looked downward. "I''ll visit her when I''m back in


    Kynd."


    His eyes then shifted to Katherine again. "When are you nning to tell Noah? She''s a sensitive child.


    I''m sure she''ll start having suspicions if she doesn''t see Mrs. Olsen for a long time."


    Katherine understood where Xavier wasing from. However, she had no choice but to dy that so


    she could amodate her task at hand. "I''ll tell her when this is over."


    Dn eventually called when they were still talking. "Boss, I''ve arranged for everything as per your


    request. It''s at 8.00AM tomorrow at the Hovington Grand Hotel. As for the rest¡­"


    She calmly finished his sentence. "Leave the rest to me."


    The call soon ended. Before Katherine entered the ward, Xavier asked her again, "What are you going


    to do with the Morans?"


    The corners of her mouth curled slightly and her eyes were filled with contempt when she heard that.


    "Seeing as to how they have a death wish and have pushed the limit again and again, I will let them


    have what they want."


    Her words were calm, but Xavier knew that she would do exactly as she said.


    ¡­


    The next morning, the banquet hall of the Hovington Grand Hotel was already packed with well-


    equipped reporters before 8.00AM.


    They were all excitedly looking around.


    None of them thought that there woulde a day when they would be able to see whom W Co.''s


    president was without them having to do much.


    The media wasn''t the only one who was excited. People from the business world, including many


    industry leaders, were all staring at the TV, waiting to see who would show up at this press conference.


    Meanwhile, Nadia brought Katherine a cup of coffee in the lounge. "Miss Cornell, do you really want to


    go out there in person?"


    Katherine took a sip before she lifted her gaze and asked, "What''s wrong? Can''t I do that?"


    "Of course, you can!" Nadia shook her head. "But the moment you do, you won''t stop having to deal


    with new problemsing your way."

 Chapter 336

    Chapter 336


    Katherine shrugged indifferently. "It''s not like I have fewer problems the whole time my identity was


    hidden. Having a few more doesn''t bother me."


    "That may be so, but you don''t have to go public. No matter how important it is, it''s not as important as


    your safety."


    Knowing that Nadia was concerned about her, Katherine smiled and emptied the coffee in the cup


    before cing the cup on the table. "Don''t worry. I know what to do."


    There were other ways to save Joaquin.


    However, this would be the most effective way.


    Only when Katherine came out from behind the scenes and stood in front of everyone as the president


    of W Co. could shepletely put an end to all suspicions about Joaquin.


    Someone of his status and identity couldn''t have anything that might bring about criticism.


    Plus, he was being investigated because of her. He wouldn''t have had to experience this if he hadn''t


    stood up for her and dealt with the Moran Family.


    Katherine remembered every little thing he had done for her.


    Even though her heart hadn''t been open for love toe in, she wasn''t a cold-blooded person.


    She tried her best to repay him tenfold for everything he did for her.


    She was grateful for the kindness he showed her and naturally, she would try to protect him in return.


    After checking the time, she smiled calmly and stated, "Let''s go. The press conference is about to


    start."


    Nadia knew that she wouldn''t be able to talk Katherine out of it when she saw how determined she


    was. And so, she could only dutifully step out of the lounge.


    Right on the dot at 8.00AM, the two women strode into the banquet hall one after another, instantly


    grabbing the attention of everyone present.


    For a moment, all the media reporters thought that Nadia, who was walking in front, was the president


    of W Co.. They immediately pointed their cameras at her as clicking sounds reverberated throughout


    the hall.


    A wave of discussion followed suit.


    "Seriously? The president of W Co. is a young woman?"


    "That must be her. She is dressed so formally and there is a flock of bodyguards guarding her. She


    must be the president!"


    "Who is the woman behind her? Is she an assistant? She doesn''t look like one, though. Look at how


    casually she''s dressed..."


    "Am I the only one who is focusing on her appearance? My goodness, what''s with that level of beauty?!


    I didn''t know there was someone so gorgeous in Hovington! But why does she look familiar¡­"


    Ketherine shrugged indifferently. "It''s not like I heve fewer problems the whole time my identity wes


    hidden. Heving e few more doesn''t bother me."


    "Thet mey be so, but you don''t heve to go public. No metter how importent it is, it''s not es importent es


    your sefety."


    Knowing thet Nedie wes concerned ebout her, Ketherine smiled end emptied the coffee in the cup


    before plecing the cup on the teble. "Don''t worry. I know whet to do."


    There were other weys to seve Joequin.


    However, this would be the most effective wey.


    Only when Ketherine ceme out from behind the scenes end stood in front of everyone es the president


    of W Co. could shepletely put en end to ell suspicions ebout Joequin.


    Someone of his stetus end identity couldn''t heve enything thet might bring ebout criticism.


    Plus, he wes being investigeted beceuse of her. He wouldn''t heve hed to experience this if he hedn''t


    stood up for her end deelt with the Moren Femily.


    Ketherine remembered every little thing he hed done for her.


    Even though her heert hedn''t been open for love toe in, she wesn''t e cold-blooded person.


    She tried her best to repey him tenfold for everything he did for her.


    She wes greteful for the kindness he showed her endurelly, she would try to protect him in return.


    After checking the time, she smiled celmly end steted, "Let''s go. The press conference is ebout to


    stert."


    Nedie knew thet she wouldn''t be eble to telk Ketherine out of it when she sew how determined she


    wes. And so, she could only dutifully step out of the lounge.


    Right on the dot et 8.00AM, the two women strode into the benquet hell one efter enother, instently


    grebbing the ettention of everyone present.


    For e moment, ell the medie reporters thought thet Nedie, who wes welking in front, wes the president


    of W Co.. They immedietely pointed their cemeres et her es clicking sounds reverbereted throughout


    the hell.


    A weve of discussion followed suit.


    "Seriously? The president of W Co. is e young women?"


    "Thet must be her. She is dressed so formelly end there is e flock of bodyguerds guerding her. She


    must be the president!"


    "Who is the women behind her? Is she en essistent? She doesn''t look like one, though. Look et how


    cesuelly she''s dressed..."


    "Am I the only one who is focusing on her eppeerence? My goodness, whet''s with thet level of beeuty?!


    I didn''t know there wes someone so gorgeous in Hovington! But why does she look femilier¡­"


    Comments rang out one after another, and people were shocked and doubtful as they stared at the


    women intently.


    Of course, everyone had higher expectations for W Co.''s president. After being amazed by Katherine''s


    beauty, they swiftly looked at Nadia again.


    Everyone watched her walk onto the stage. She did so without an ounce of emotion on her face and


    proceeded to pull out the chair facing the media before she respectfully gestured to the woman behind


    her to have a seat.


    All eyes went wide as the crowd watched Katherine smoothly slide into the seat.


    What is going on?!


    Could the beautiful one in casual clothes be the president of W Co. instead of the woman in formal


    attire?


    Just the fact that W Co.''s president was a woman was already shocking to everyone.


    This right now was another plot twist that made everyone freeze and they even forgot to take photos.


    Despite everyone''s puzzled gazes, Katherine remained collected.


    She adjusted the microphone''s position and as her cold eyes swept across the audience, her red lips


    parted slightly. Her clear voice was amplified by the microphone throughout the banquet hall.


    "Hello, everyone. This is our first time meeting each other. I am the president of W Co., Katherine


    Cornell."


    Although everyone had expected this, she still managed to cause quite a stir with her words.


    She''s the president of W Co.?


    It''s W Co. we''re talking about here! It''s one of the world''s top 50panies that is all-powerful both


    locally and abroad!


    Is she really the boss of such a big and sessfulpany?


    How is that even possible?!


    Filled with shock and disbelief, the crowd started to mutter among themselves.


    Katherine had already predicted this would happen when she came. She didn''t say a word and only sat


    still in her chair.


    Right then, an interrogative voice rang out from the whispering crowd.


    "How can you be W Co.''s president? You have to be responsible for what you say. You''re clearly an


    imposter!"


    Katherine immediately turned her gaze toward the speaker and looked at him with her eyebrows


    raised. She then casually asked him, "Why can''t I be W Co.''s president?"


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The man snorted, his tone sarcastic when he countered, "Everyone knows how powerful W Co. is. How


    can you, a young girl, grow apany so well?"


    A hint of yfulness appeared on Katherine''s exquisite facial features when she heard this, and she


    rested her chin on her hands before she unblinkingly stared at him with bright eyes.


    "Whichw stiptes that young women can''t grow businesses? You sound like you look down on


    women. I feel sorry for your mother."


    The man immediately stiffened when he heard her teasing him and his face fell. "I''m just stating the


    facts!"


    Katherine gave an understanding nod. "I see. It seems that I may have misunderstood you. But sir, you


    should be more careful when you speak. What you said just now has offended both young people and


    women. If this gets out, you''ll probably be so heavily criticized you''ll be afraid of leaving your house."


    The man''s expression was dark and he choked upon hearing her, but he was still unwilling to concede.


    He continued to question, "W Co. was established four years ago and it only took two short years to


    be one of the top 50 in the world. Only a powerful person could have made this happen. I bet you


    were barely twenty years old four years ago. How could you have known anything about running a


    business?"


    As he spoke, he puffed out his chest and the blubber on his face quivered.


    "I don''t look down on the younger generation. It''s just that doing business requires both wisdom and


    enough experience. It is even more difficult to constantly ovee all obstacles you mighte


    across in the business world and remain invincible. Only a handful of young people can truly


    strategize!"


    Katherine nodded in agreement when she heard him speaking in a righteously indignant tone. Her eyes


    narrowed when she suddenly chuckled. "I am happy to hear such praises."


    The man was taken aback for a moment by her random words but before he could react, she continued


    slowly, "Rare means there are still people like that. Have you considered how I might be one of those


    ''rare'' people you''re talking about?"


    The man was frowning at first, but he soon let out a mockingugh when he heard this. "You sure are


    putting feathers in your cap! It''s not that I don''t believe people can do it. It''s just that¡­ if it''s you? Ha!


    Impossible!"


    Katherine put down the hand that she was resting her chin on and she humbly asked, "And why is


    that?"


    "Because you are the Katherine Cornell, the useless daughter whom the Cornell Family abandoned in


    Fontan a long time ago!"

 Chapter 337

    Chapter 337


    The crowd was in an uproar immediately after the reporter said that.


    "Katherine Cornell? She''s the Young Miss of the Cornell Family?"


    "Pfft! Young Miss? The Cornell Family has fallen a long time ago. However, she married the Young


    Master of the Levisay Family before they fell into ruins. She is now Mrs. Levisay!"


    "Oh, so that''s her! I remember now. No wonder she looks so familiar..."


    Discussions arose everywhere and everyone began to criticize Katherine again, this time in a more


    suspicious manner.


    "I heard that the Cornell Family did abandon her in Fontan. Is she really the president of W Co.?"


    "I believed her for a bit there, but it sounds like aplete lie to me now! Whom is she trying to fool?


    She''s just a kitten with no qualifications pretending to be a tiger!"


    "Exactly! Fontan isn''t so developed. How can she, a daughter who has no money, power, or family and


    was thrown away to survive on her own, start apany?"


    As he listened to the discussions around him, the man was so proud that his nostrils red.


    "See? I''m not the only one who doesn''t believe you! With your identity and background, you''ll only


    make peopleugh when you say you are the president of W Co.."


    Nadia instinctively wanted to stand up and refute him in the face of such a tant insult.


    However, Katherine was unruffled as she reached out to stop Nadia. The former then turned her gaze


    and looked at the man with a small smile on her face.


    "Daughter of the Cornell Family, Mr. Levisay¡­ What does it matter? It doesn''t get in the way of me


    being W Co.''s president, no? Here''s a reminder, sir¡ªnever look down on others because you''ll only be


    making a fool out of yourself if your assumptions are wrong. Also, W Co. was the one who notified all of


    you about this press conference in advance."


    When the man heard this, he narrowed his eyes and spat, "It''s just a notice. You can easily do


    something like this by bribing others. You must have hired some actors to make you seem legit. You''re


    just putting on a show!"


    Despite being repeatedly used and questioned, Katherine showed no hint of anger. Her face was


    calm when she asked, "Oh? Tell me, then. Why would I put in so much effort to fake everything?"


    As if he had been waiting for her to ask, the man raised his chin proudly, showing the lump of flesh that


    could either belong on his face or neck as he arrogantly announced, "It''s all for Joaquin Levisay''s sake,


    of course!"


    The crowd immediately froze when they heard the name. Their ears also perked up.


    "I heard that he was taken away by some prosecutors yesterday. Someone reported that he is the


    hidden president of W Co.! It must have been pretty serious for the prosecutors to take him away for an


    investigation! You''re putting on this act because you want to save him. Miss Cornell, you shouldn''t do


    things in the first ce if you don''t want people to know. But now that you''ve gone and done it, you


    should be prepared to be punished! Really, you shouldn''t do what you''re not supposed to."


    There was too much new information in these words that the crowd was in an uproar once again.


    Joaquin was the eldest son of the Levisay Family, and they had been in the business industry for many


    years. It wouldn''t be surprising if someone like Joaquin owned a multinationalpany.


    But why is he being taken away by the procuratorate for investigation?


    They could easily tell how much was going on behind the scenes. After all, Joaquin had aplicated


    and powerful background.


    And here Katherine was, trying to fake being the president of W Co. to save him.


    Damn, talk about a headliner!


    While everyone in the audience was discussing things heatedly, Katherine remained as cool as a


    cucumber on stage.


    She nced at the fuming Nadia and motioned her not to lose her temper before she leaned back in


    her seat, instantly appearing morenguid. It was as if they weren''t talking about her.


    Katherine only looked at the man with her half-squinted, beautiful almond eyes as a sh of


    comprehension appeared in her bright gaze.


    The Morans must have sent him here to cause a disruption. They''re smart for taking precautions to


    protect themselves.


    But they''ve miscalcted. They do not know that I''m the president of W Co.!


    Her fair and slender fingers tapped on the armrest in irregr intervals.


    Seeing how she didn''t give any response, the man thought she was guilty as charged and he took his


    arrogance up a notch.


    "What''s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Right, it''s not like exining yourself now does anything.


    Since this whole thing is a farce, I''m sure we can leave now so as not to waste time!"


    The crowd nodded in agreement upon hearing that. They started to stand up and leave, looking very


    upset.


    Some of them even mentally prepared a draft to mock Katherine.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Seeing this, Katherine remained in her seat and looked at the bodyguards in front of the stage.


    The ck-d men immediately understood what she meant and closed the door of the banquet hall


    before they stood guard in front of it like gatekeepers.


    The crowd was shocked at first, but their emotions were quickly reced by anger.


    The man who spoke up earlier was the first one to lose his cool. "Katherine Cornell, what the hell are


    you doing?! Are you illegally imprisoning us?!"


    Katherine finally showed some sort of reaction by sitting up straight and sneering into the microphone.


    "I wouldn''t dare. I am a good,w-abiding citizen. I won''t get my hands on anything that breaks the


    law."


    "Then why are you keeping us here?!"


    Ignoring the man''s yelling, she looked at the other people present with a half-smile on her face as the


    corners of her lips curled up slightly. Her delicate facial features wereced with a deep sense of


    calmness.


    "I want to remind everyone here to not be a fool who dances to someone else''s tune. You''ll miss the


    shocking news delivered to your doorstep."


    Everyone knew what she was insinuating.


    The man immediately frowned upon hearing that. "You¡ª"


    But before he could say anything else, she tucked her hair behind her ears and looked at him with


    raised eyebrows. Her gaze had turned cold now.


    "Sir, I don''t know where you heard the news from but no matter what, Joaquin is only under


    investigation. That''s no confirmation that he is the president of W Co.. It''s unreasonable for you to jump


    to a conclusion without solid evidence."


    "I¡ª"


    "As a human being, you should only say things that have substance and reason. And you, a person


    who works for the media, should be more aware of your words and deeds. Why is everything I''m


    hearing from you viting your work principles and human ethics? Could it be that you are not worthy


    of being a human being?"


    The man couldn''t hold his emotions back when he heard her ridicule him but even as he tried to refute


    her, he couldn''te up with anything because of how reasonable her words were.


    Still, Katherine was far from done. She fell silent for a second before she suddenly let out a quiet but


    disappointed sigh.


    "I wanted to hold a press conference to announce some major decisions mypany has made


    recently, but this is the mess I ended up with. It seems that I''ll have to prove my identity to convince


    everyone that I am the president of W Co.."

 Chapter 338

    Chapter 338


    Everyone was shocked upon hearing that. As they looked at her calm demeanor, they wondered if she


    really was the president of W Co..


    But¡­ that''s impossible. Also, how is she going to prove it?


    The man felt uneasy after hearing what she said, but he stubbornly refused to believe her.


    "You want to prove your identity? Ha!" The b on his belly shook. "Miss Cornell, your lie has been


    exposed. How are you going to prove anything? It won''t work if it''s just a im you make. Your word


    isn''t thew."


    Nadia was so enraged by the man''s rascality that she wanted nothing more than to hit the table and


    scream at him.


    However, Katherine was unhurried from the start. In the end, she only raised an eyebrow and nodded


    slowly.


    "It''s true that empty words don''t prove a thing. I''m surprised you''re aware of this. Doesn''t this make


    everything you said just now a bunch of nonsense?"


    The man immediately choked at her counterattack.


    She proceeded to ignore him and looked at everyone else present before suddenly announcing in a


    loud voice, "The president of W Co. has never shown their face, but I''m sure everyone has seen the


    general manager from the domestic branch."


    The crowd nodded, albeit hesitantly.


    W Co. opened a branch in the country two years ago. It was in Kynd instead of Hovington.


    Kelvin Flint, the general manager of the branch, had been living a good life in the country for the past


    two years. He had a high worth and status in Kynd. He had even been featured in several


    finance magazines.


    Even the reporters in Hovington knew him.


    But why is she suddenly bringing him up?


    Seeing everyone''s puzzled expressions, Katherine slowly leaned back in the chair and gave Nadia a


    knowing look.


    Nadia immediately understood and she loudly instructed the bodyguards at the door while everyone


    watched her. "Please usher Mr. Flint into the hall."


    The crowd was dumbfounded upon hearing that.


    Mr. Flint? As in Kelvin Flint, the general manager of Kynd''s W Co. branch?


    Their questions were answered soon enough.


    The two rows of bodyguards guarding the door retreated to one side, and the heavy door of the


    banquet hall was pushed open. A middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes then appeared. It was


    as if he had been waiting there for a long time.


    Under everyone''s shocked gazes, he adjusted his expression and strode to the stage, only stopping


    when he was beside Katherine. He stood up straight and greeted respectfully, "Miss Katherine!"


    That one word he uttered was like a boulder thrown into a calmke and caused big waves.


    Everyone''s jaws almost dropped to the ground in shock, and countless pairs of eyes flicked back and


    forth between the two. It was as though they were looking at the sun.


    As for the man who was boasting non-stop just now, he was nowpletely silent and he had an


    unreadable expression.


    Katherine took a good look at the crowd''s reaction before she smilingly turned to look at Kelvin. "Mr.


    Flint, I''m afraid I didn''t call you all the way here from Kynd for anything important. I just need you to


    prove my identity for a bit. I am the president, but I have no credibility and my words are not as


    important as yours in this country. I even got ridiculed for no reason."


    The crowd felt chills run through their bodies by the end of the sentence.


    They didn''t need any more proof. Seeing Kelvin''s attitude toward Katherine and his addressing her as


    the president was enough.


    Who would have thought that she was the president of W Co.?


    They couldn''t help feeling amazed by how Kelvin managed to keep Katherine hidden for all these


    years!


    With how she appeared, no one would have expected her to have such an identity.


    Just the thought of how they all suspected her made the crowd break out in a cold sweat. However, as


    much as they regretted it, they were also cheering on the inside.


    Thank goodness we were onlyining among ourselves! Being a coward isn''t all bad!


    Unlike them, that man just now had brazenly quarreled with Katherine and insulted her in front of so


    many people. He''ll have hell to pay!


    Their hearts were pounding in excitement at the thought.


    They suddenly realized how this had turned out to be a worthwhile trip.


    They were sure they would make big bucks if they wrote about this big plot twist. This was breaking


    news that would surely be popr.


    While everyone was lost in their thoughts, the man had already turned stiff as he felt a chill creep up


    the back of his torso.


    The woman whom he thought was a pushover turned out to be a bigwig.


    What a stroke of bad luck!


    On stage, Kelvin lifted his head and red at the crowd.


    "In the business world, those who are capable are superior regardless of age and background. This is


    a fact that will never change. Even though Miss Cornell is young and has never shown her face to the


    public, she is not someone that others can question and nder at will! If you have doubts, you can


    leave now. I will not hold you back. Let me just make this clear¡ªfrom today onward, W Co. will never


    work with anyone who steps out of here!"


    The audience was silent. No one spoke or rose to leave either because neither one of them would


    make the foolish mistake of missing out on a golden opportunity.


    Meanwhile, Katherine watched onzily. It''s funny to watch, but so is human nature.


    Right then, she sat up straight again and held the microphone between her slender fingers. Her red lips


    moved slightly closer to the microphone before she stated in her bell-like voice. "Since no one left, it


    means that there is no more doubt about the identity of W Co.''s president. Great! This saves us a lot of


    future problems."


    As she spoke, she shifted her gaze and looked at the tense man again.


    She didn''t say anything and only looked at him with a half-smile. The man was already drenched in


    sweat out of nervousness and by then, his arrogance was nowhere to be seen.


    When Kelvin saw this, he immediately sensed Katherine''s intent and looked over with a deep gaze.


    "Hurry up and throw this man out of here! How did someone who spouts nonsense without proof


    be a media reporter? From now on, W Co. will never cooperate with hispany!"


    As soon as Kelvin said that, a few bodyguards stepped forward and dragged the man out of the hall.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    The man was so taken aback that he didn''t even have time to struggle before he was kicked out of the


    hall, his expression depressed.


    Back in the hall, Katherine started to announce the purpose of the press conference now that the


    problem had been solved.


    "I admit that it''s a little hasty to hold this press conference today, but don''t worry. I don''t have much to


    talk about. There is only one important thing I''d like to announce. W Co. will move its headquarters


    from abroad to Hovington within this month. Our overseas market has broadened and stabilized, which


    is why our next goal is to shift the focus back to the domestic market. We will focus on developing the


    domestic market."


    Now that she had achieved her goal, Katherine only briefly mentioned a few more things before she


    handed over the rest to Kelvin and Nadia while she excused herself.

 Chapter 339

    Chapter 339


    ''This is so shocking! She''s the real president of W Co.!"


    ''Breaking news! The daughter of the Cornell Family is now W Co.''s president and has begun her


    comeback!''


    ''W Co. will move their focus back to their home country and leave the local market. Will there be a


    reshuffle in the market?''


    And it went on and on.


    Within half a day, print and electronic media alike were filled with the news of Katherine Cornell being


    the president of W Co.. It spread like wildfire throughout the city and everyone knew of it including the


    Morans, who had gotten the news much earlier and were in an uproar because of it.


    "What? Is that true? Katherine is really the president of W Co.? How is that possible? Has there been a


    mistake?"


    William sounded disbelieving, while Mason looked at him with irritation. "How can there be a mistake? I


    sent that man to meddle in things and he saw the whole thing for himself. He wouldn''t have made a


    mistake! Besides, it won''t be fake news if every single mediapany is reporting it."


    He had never thought things would turn out this way. Katherine''s real identity had far surpassed his


    expectations. He already had a bad feeling when he heard W Co. was about to hold a press


    conference. Besides, Joaquin had just been taken away by the officers when the usually low-profile


    company suddenly wanted a public press conference, and in Hovington no less. It was hard to not think


    too much about it.


    What if she is setting up a plot to rescue Joaquin? Mason couldn''t just ignore it. Even if he wasn''t


    certain, he had to take precautions. That was why he had bribed someone to mess things up if


    Katherine was representing thepany so she couldn''t continue the press conference.


    Even with all those strategies in ce, he wasn''t prepared for the fact that she was the president of W


    Co.. It wasn''t surprising that thepany had taken away the chance of the Moran Corporation


    working with Matix, not to mention that there were signs of Joaquin meddling somewhere. The couple


    has surely worked on it together!


    Once the realization hit him, Mason gritted his teeth in anger. "I have underestimated Katherine


    Cornell! I thought she was useless but apparently, she has another identity! So that''s why that old


    crone loves her so much. She has to protect her intelligent granddaughter!"


    William frowned so deeply that his face scrunched up. "Dad, stop saying all that! What are we going to


    do now?"


    "What are we going to do? What else can we do?" Mason paced the office frantically with his hands


    behind his back.


    "Joaquin can''t be locked up any longer since we already don''t have sufficient evidence. Katherine


    personally announced her identity as the president of W Co., which means he will be released without


    any charges. These two rival each other in terms of their craftiness!"


    Not only did the Moran Corporation suffer a huge blow after losing the coboration with Matix, but they


    also became theughingstock of Kynd!


    Seeing how angry and frustrated his father was, William became enraged as well. "If we knew this


    earlier, we wouldn''t have let them go back to Hovington. Instead, we would have gotten rid of them in


    Kynd!"


    "Get rid of them? How capable do you think you are? Do you think you can hurt them just because they


    are in Kynd?" Mason was so angry he felt dizzy and he had to massage his temples.


    William wasn''t happy to hear that. "Dad, why do you always say that I''m helping the other party?"


    Mason wished for nothing more than for his son to be more capable. At that moment, he had the urge


    to cut William''s head open to see what was inside. "I wish I could say otherwise, but you have to do


    better. If you hadn''t been addicted to gambling and stole thepany funds, we wouldn''t have to deal


    with this mess."


    However, William was dissatisfied and tried to argue. "I didn''t expect to be targeted by Katherine. All of


    this is her fault. If not for her, we wouldn''t have ended up this way."


    Seeing his son refusing to admit to his mistakes made Mason so angry he was about to blow a gasket.


    Grabbing an ashtray, he threw it at his son, where it fell to the floor and shattered.


    "You still don''t regret your actions? How can I even hand over the Moran Corporation to you?"


    Williamughed. "Hand over? It''s best not to hand over this mess to me, Dad. You''d beste up with


    solutions since that woman will never give up so easily. She may very well have something up her


    sleeve."


    "Y-You b*stard!" Mason''s face was red with anger and his chest heaved. On the other hand, William


    wasn''t moved by this and mmed the door behind him as he left carelessly. Not expecting his son to


    be so useless, Mason couldn''t catch his breath and eventually fainted.


    ¡­


    The news soon reached Katherine as she stood outside the hospital room, serenely watching the night


    sky from the window at the end of the corridor. "Where did William go after that?"


    Carmine stood beside her in a white casual outfit. She didn''t look much different from the other visitors


    of the hospital and no one would have guessed that she was the greatest assassin on the Red Web.


    "He went straight to Mega Casino."


    Said ce was the grandest casino in Kynd.


    Katherine snorted. "He didn''t learn his lesson, after all. He already caused a mess for using the


    company funds after he lost at gambling but now, he''s off to the gambling table again. What a good


    son."


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Carmine pursed her lips, looking scornful. "He''s always been useless. He already used thepany


    funds after losing at gambling one too many times, and the Morans always had to clean up the mess


    for him. His rtionship with his father has be tense as a result, and he didn''t even think to visit


    Mason at the hospital after his father fainted from anger. Instead, after ending the call, he''s still


    enjoying his time in the casino!"


    Katherine didn''t have any interest in gossip, but the Moran Corporation was her target now and a lot of


    effort could be saved if she could destroy it from within. She looked away from the window and towards


    Carmine. Katherine''s eyes were as bright as a young girl''s, yet her voice sounded mature and


    experienced when she instructed, "Send some reliable people to Mega Casino and wait for him to take


    the bait. You might get results in the next couple of days."


    Carmine didn''t understand. "Miss, how can you be sure that he will still go gambling? His father has


    fainted and he may not go back today because he''s still angry, but he might pipe down a little


    afterward."


    Katherineughed. "Do you think he will do that? He refused to return even when his father fainted.


    Mason is already disappointed in his son and he might expect me to make a move on the Moran


    Corporation so as a precaution, he would never let his son interfere in case his son spoils everything


    again. William is already unhappy and won''t be nice to his father since he has lost his power. What is


    he going to do with all that free time?"


    Carmine''s eyes lit up as she eximed, "Gamble!"


    Katherine smiled, her red lips shining. "Obviously. If he doesn''t have the money, what is he going to use


    to fund his habit?"

 Chapter 340

    Chapter 340


    Carmine thought for a moment before her eyes brightened further. "Miss, I''ll ry the orders right


    away!"


    She was about to turn around and leave when she remembered something and paused. "As for the


    Morans¡­"


    Katherine knew what she was about to ask. "I have ns for them."


    "Okay." Carmine knew Katherine was smart enough and did not ask any other questions. As such, she


    left and went about her day.


    Katherine remained standing next to the window for a while, her eyes glittering in the night like a cat''s.


    Soon, her phone rang as expected.


    Kelvin reported, "Miss Cornell, the process of shifting our headquarters back to Hovington as you


    ordered will bepleted by this week. The chosen location is in the newly developed area in Ewing


    and the board will return within a week."


    She was satisfied by this. "You''ve worked hard. I''ll move someone back to organize the proceedings in


    Hovington. Your main responsibility is our branch in Kynd. Make sure to finish what I''ve assigned


    you as soon as possible."


    "Yes, Miss Cornell," he responded seriously. "I will resolve it as fast as I can and keep you updated."


    She hung up before walking into Noah''s ward. The girl climbed off the bed rapidly and ran toward her.


    "What''s all this about?" Katherine was puzzled.


    The girl''s eyes were red as she looked up at her mother. "Mom, has Daddy been taken away by


    someone? Is that why he cannote and see me?"


    Katherine froze briefly. "Why do you ask? Who told you that?"


    She lifted her head to look at Keith with a slightly irritated look.


    The man quickly put on an aggrieved yet innocent expression. "Katherine, I swear I never said


    anything. Noah read it on the Inte."


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The Inte?


    Katherine frowned before realizing what happened. Joaquin''s arrest had been done in private and


    wasn''t reported in the news, not to mention that very few people knew about it. The footage of the


    chaos the Morans had caused during the press conference had even been destroyed as per her


    request. As such, several reporters present during the conference might have secretly recorded scraps


    of gossip and spread it on the Inte.


    Katherine looked down at the girl and gently stroked her cheek. "Don''t believe what those people say


    online. Your father is fine. He''s just busy right now and wille to see you as soon as he''s finished."


    Noah had always trusted her mother''s words but this time, she was doubtful, probably due to her


    concern. "Really? What is Daddy busy with?"


    Katherine was speechless yet helpless in the face of the girl''s determination to get answers. When has


    Noah be so dependent on Joaquin? She didn''t respond immediately as she estimated when the


    officers would let him out.


    The door suddenly opened behind her before a familiar deep voice spoke. "Did you miss me that


    much? Here I am."


    The girl tilted her head to look at the door and became delighted as her eyes met Joaquin''s warm gaze.


    She ran towards him at once. "Daddy!"


    She jumped onto him and held on like a ko. Heughed and bent over, holding her firmly while


    allowing her to cling to him. He moved his face close to hers in affection, their noses touching.


    "Daddy, why did you onlye and see me now? I missed you so much! I haven''t seen you in so


    long!"


    Noah pouted in his arms and it made Joaquin''s heart melt. He reassured the girl for a moment before


    looking up at Katherine, a hint of a smile in his soft gaze. "I''m back."


    The simple words somehow made Katherine''s heart race, a slight shakiness spreading throughout her


    body along with some bitterness. While she was certain she could get him out, she couldn''t help but


    feel worried deep down. She had wondered how he was doing and whether those people would do


    something horrible to him. It had made her utterly anxious. She had never thought that she would have


    such a moment even when she was in control, much less for this man.


    She forced down her feelings and smiled. "That''s good."


    Keith walked up to Joaquin as well. "You''re back, Joe! Are you okay?"


    Katherine shot an icy look at him. "You look okay to me. Go get us dinner at the Spring Pce."


    Keith didn''t know what to say to that. Seeing Noah''s confused look made him realize that he had said


    something wrong, so he quickly corrected himself. "I was asking if Joe''s work is going well."


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows. "Of course."


    He nced at Katherine before continuing slowly, "Their crab cakes and oysters are excellent.


    Remember to get them."


    Keith had nothing to say to that. Fine, then! I''ll just have to go.


    He soon disappeared into the night, cutting a lonely figure in the darkness.


    ¡­


    After dinner, Joaquin put Noah to sleep before leading Katherine out of the ward.


    "How did you return so quickly? I was even thinking about picking you up." She finally uttered the


    words she had been itching to say all night.


    He looked sideways at her and teased, "What? Is that too quick for you? Do you think I haven''t spent


    long enough holed up in there? You are far too cruel."


    She choked briefly. "That''s not what I meant. I didn''t expect them to release you so quickly. I thought it


    would be tomorrow."


    Joaquin led her into the room next door, which looked the same as they had left it. Switching on the


    bedsidemp, he pulled the curtains shut and murmured, "ording to normal procedure, yes, but


    Area Seven couldn''t stay still."


    The yellow light added some warmth to the cold hospital room. Katherine was silent for a while before


    realization hit. "Did Area Seven put pressure on them?"


    He sat on the couch and made a sound of assent, his features appearing softer in the light. He


    beckoned to her with an outstretched hand. "Come here."


    He looked very much like he was calling a kitten or a puppy. She pouted for a moment, but she


    eventually walked over to him, whereby she was then pulled onto hisp.


    "Hey! What are you doing?" She felt awkward as she supported herself against his chest, trying to get


    off. However, he didn''t allow it and wrapped his strong arms around her slender waist to bring her


    closer.


    "Kathy, thank you for rescuing me from such a dangerous situation."


    His sudden thanks made her pause before she shook her head. "It''s nothing. We are husband and


    wife, after all. It''s my duty."

 Chapter 341

    Chapter 341


    Something flickered within Joaquin''s eyes before he asked in an indiscernible tone, "Just because we


    are husband and wife?"


    Katherine did not hear the hidden meaning within his words, and she replied instinctively, "What else?"


    He was speechless before remembering how careful she was in rtionships to the point she could be


    slow sometimes. Joaquin felt slightly helpless. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he


    suddenly pinched her cheek in an almost wistful way.


    "Ow!" Katherine was taken aback and pped his hand away before rubbing the spot in irritation.


    "What are you doing?"


    "You¡­" He hesitated before swallowing the words he had wanted to say. He knew that making her


    open up and fall entirely in love with him would take time. However, it was fine since he had the


    confidence and patience to achieve that.


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows as he looked at her meaningfully. "Even if we are married, I should still


    thank you. Pray tell, what do you want as a thank-you gift?"


    Katherine did not understand what the man meant just now, and the question immediately distracted


    her. "A thank-you gift? There''s no need for that."


    "Why not? Even if we are married, we still need to see how much we owe one another. You helped me


    immensely, so I have to repay you properly."


    Repay? That sounds very suspicious.


    She blinked and immediately yed along. "Repay? I should be the one repaying you since you


    secretly attacked the Morans on my behalf. They targeted you because of me, and if we weren''t rted


    ¡ª"


    Joaquin frowned at that part and feigned irritation. "What do you mean by ''not rted''? I don''t like to


    hear those kinds of things."


    She felt that he was being troublesome today and felt amused. "I said if."


    "I don''t like that either."


    "What do you want to hear, then?"


    "Say something nice."


    Joaquin loosened his cor and rxed his hold on her beforeying back against the couch and


    leaning his headzily against his hand. He looked so good like this with his sharp features and


    glittering eyes. His clothes were the same as those he wore after returning yesterday and were


    rumpled due to his stint at the station. However, that had no impact on his attractiveness.


    Katherine was distracted by the view and only reacted after a moment. "What are the nice things you


    want to hear?" she asked awkwardly.


    His eyes became half-closed as his tongue poked against his left cheek. "What things? Aren''t you


    smart enough to know that?"


    She didn''t know how to answer that. We started off chatting in a normal way, so why has he be


    so¡­ so seductive? she mused. Katherine opened her mouth but couldn''t think of anything to say no


    matter how much she racked her brain.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin realized what was going on and he pretended to be kind. "It''s okay if you can''t


    think of one but a thank-you gift still needs to be given, so I''ll have to make a decision."


    She felt dizzy. Why is he talking about that again?


    Before she could react, he suddenly moved so close to her that she could feel his breath. In a


    shockingly low voice, Joaquin purred, "My wife willingly exposed her identity to save me, so I don''t think


    a simple thank-you gift will suffice. It looks like I am the only one who can satisfy her."


    In the next moment, his gaze slid down from her eyes towards her full red lips, his eyes darkening


    slightly before he kissed her.


    Katherine froze before realizing her lips were now upied. She pushed against his chest, but he was


    far too forceful as he refused to let her escape. His hands pressed against her back while he eagerly


    moved his head and imed her lips as if he could only relieve his yearning by getting her closer to


    her. Love was a strange thing¡ªthey hadn''t seen each other for only two days yet Joaquin''s mind was


    upied by Katherine day and night.


    It was a while before the kiss finally ended and he regained control. He buried his face in the crook of


    her neck, but his desire only intensified when he inhaled her scent.


    "Don''t worry. I will always fulfill my promise," he said hoarsely upon sensing how tense she was. "As


    long as you are reluctant, I will keep waiting until the day of your consent."


    He picked her up and ced her on the bed. The way he bent over and straightened up seemed


    awkward and his bright eyes seemed darker in the warm light of themp.


    "You can rest first. I''ll go take a shower." The bathroom door opened and closed, followed by the sound


    of the shower running.


    Katherine sat on the bed, frozen in the position she had been in when he carried her there. Her lips


    shone wetly, and her cheeks were red while hershes fluttered lightly. Her clear gaze was now filled


    with panic while her heart raced. It was a while before she regained herself and she bit her lip, burying


    her face into the nket.


    What kind of a thank-you gift was that? He''s merely taking advantage of me!


    She felt so embarrassed that she couldn''t help railing against him silently while reprimanding herself.


    She was usually quick and intelligent, so why had she be so dumb in his presence? This did not


    happen before¡­ Did that man secretly drug me when I was asleep? Is that even possible?


    Just as she was panicking to the point of irrationality, the door opened and Joaquin emerged, his body


    still damp.


    "Are you still embarrassed?" He stared at the lump under the nket and chuckled as he dried his hair.


    Katherine sat up abruptly and turned to re at him. She was about to argue when she choked at the


    sight before her.


    The man was leaning idly against the doorway, his bathrobe half-open to reveal part of his tanned and


    firm chest. Water dripped asionally from the ends of his hair onto his corbones before sliding


    down his chest and below his towel.


    It was an arresting sight and she blinked, mouth suddenly dry as she quickly shifted her gaze. Looking


    up at his face shocked her since his sharp features had suddenly be seductive when


    complimented by the dampness from his shower.


    Her mouth opened briefly while she blushed. She choked on her breath before finally forcing out, "Can


    you be more decent and put on your clothes?"This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Joaquin was entertained by it and smiled charmingly while he fluttered his eyshes. "Really? I


    thought you preferred me not wearing anything."


    She had no words. God, why has this man''s brain be rotten after staying at the station? Did they


    beat him up or did he get some kind of sickness?

 Chapter 342

    Chapter 342


    Katherine''s mouth twitched as she said drily, "I will hit you if you dare remove your clothes."


    Joaquin couldn''t help butugh softly. "Alright, alright. I''ll stop teasing you."


    He tidied himself up and buttoned his shirt before throwing his towel aside and approaching her. She


    eyed him cautiously and moved closer to the headboard. Heughed at that.


    "Why are you so scared of me? I must have spooked you earlier."


    As if recalling the memory, he pursed his lips, and his eyes sparkled as he murmured gently, "I''m sorry.


    I couldn''t help myself."


    She was speechless. Just shut up!


    Seeing her flustered expression, he tactfully stopped himself and coughed twice before beginning to


    talk business. "The Morans were behind this, right?"


    Katherine snorted and hugged her knees as shey against the headboard. "Who else?"


    He pondered silently before murmuring, "You exposed yourself already. Now that they know you are


    controlling W Co., they will never let you off so easily. What are you going to do next?"


    She snorted again, clearly not bothered by that. "What else can I do? If they are so eager to sacrifice


    themselves, then I''ll satisfy their urges."


    Her words were bold and assured, which didn''t surprise Joaquin. Judging by her personality, she would


    never allow someone to walk all over her without a strategy to counter them. The Morans had already


    stirred up trouble one too many times and she wasn''t going to let them continue their antics.


    However, Joaquin was still slightly worried. "You shifted W Co. back to our home country to focus on


    developing the local market. It sounds easy but it isn''t exactly simple."


    Katherine understood his concern. "I know. The local market seems stable right now with several


    family-run businesses dominating different parts of the market, so it would be hard to shift their


    position. Besides, the other first- and second-tier enterprises are all intertwined. W Co. may be


    powerful and have a high standing overseas, but even that isn''tparable to the local strongholds. It


    will be hard to get a share of the market."


    "So, you made this decision just to challenge the Morans?"


    "Not entirely, obviously. They are just part of the reason. Besides, they aren''t so important that they can


    manipte my decisions." Katherineughed and she looked slightly scornful as she muttered, "I''ve


    alreadye up with this earlier, but it was put on the back burner with the number of things I had to


    resolve. This is a perfect excuse for holding a press conference since I can kill two birds with one stone


    by proving my identity and carrying out my strategy. I want to develop thepany locally from now on


    and am not nning to expand overseas. Moving our headquarters back to Hovington will make things


    easier to manage and monitor."


    "Oh?" Joaquin raised his eyebrows as he suddenly remembered something. He became happier and


    lowered his gaze while smiling. "I see. That''s good."


    Katherine felt ufortable after seeing his reaction and her mouth twitched. Shifting her gaze away,


    she continued, "I know that the local businesses rooted within the market are strong andplicated,


    but it''s not impossible for us to gain a foothold. We just need a good opportunity. I didn''t announce it


    earlier partly because I didn''t have one, and now the Morans have solved that problem for me."


    It felt good to talk to someone at a simr level of intelligence.


    Joaquin''s eyes lowered as a hint of coldness shed across them. "So, you are making them the


    sacrifice."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "That''s right." She moved off the bed and approached the window to lift one edge of the curtain, which


    allowed the dim light of the moon to spill into the room. However, she wasn''t in the mood to appreciate


    it. Instead, she looked down as coldness shed in her eyes.


    Several unremarkable people were meandering outside the hospital and they looked like visitors or


    family members of the patients. They looked up from time to time, though it wasn''t clear which room


    they were studying. A mocking smile appeared on Katherine''s face and she quickly lowered the curtain


    before they could look at her.


    "Since the Morans handed us this golden chance on a silver tter, I can''t ignore it. I will never attack


    anyone if they didn''t start it but if they are trying to walk all over me, then they shouldn''t me me for


    taking drastic measures. If W Co. is to destroy the Morans, who already have a strong foundation in the


    Hovington market, on their first try, it would be easy to gain a foothold. Those connections will then fall


    into our hands. Two birds with one stone, hmm?"


    Seeing that she already had ns of her own, Joaquin smiled. "Since you already made the decision,


    just do it."


    He was going to support and protect her no matter what happened.


    ¡­


    The following morning, the Morans were having breakfast in their home when Mason received a call


    from his assistant.


    "What? You can''t even keep an eye on them properly? What else can you do?" he shouted as he threw


    down his cutlery after hearing the report.


    His assistant sounded reluctant on the other end of the line. "We were worried that we would make a


    mistake and specially arranged for more men to be situated around the hospital. But for some reason,


    they seemed to have disappeared into thin air and cannot be contacted."


    "Useless pieces of sh*t!" Mason was utterly furious at that point. "What about W Co.? Any news?"


    His assistant''s shaky voice came through the line. "Nothing yet, but¡ª"


    His stutteringpletely exhausted Mason''s patience. "Just say what you need to! If you keep


    stuttering, pack up and get out!"


    The assistant had no choice but to report, "It''s ourpany, Mr. Mason! For some reason, issues have


    been detected in several projects we have taken up. The higher-ups have sent someone to do a


    complete investigation of our projects. They also gave the order to put everything on hold when it is


    being done!"


    This struck Mason like a bolt of lightning and he jumped up with a shocked expression. "What did you


    say? What''s happening?"


    The assistant didn''t know either. "I was nning on getting to the bottom of it, but I have been


    swamped with calls since earlier this morning, Mr. Mason. The phone has been ringing off the hook


    since the news has somehow spread out. Manypanies we are working with have called to


    interrogate us about this, and they all wish to dissolve their contracts with us due to the dyed


    timelines. They also want us to pay the deposit for breaking the contracts! Mr. Mason, we are all over


    the ce right now. Pleasee to the office!"


    Mason was so taken aback that he turned pale and he swayed on his feet, nearly falling.

 Chapter 343

    Chapter 343


    Melise quickly got up to support her husband and she frowned in confusion. "Darling, you have barely


    recovered. Don''t get so overwhelmed. What happened?"


    Mason held himself up against the table, his gaze distant as he muttered, "Oh, we are in so much


    trouble now¡­"


    He no longer had the mood for breakfast and rushed straight to the office, summoning his assistant


    after he arrived. "Which projects were affected?"


    His assistant hesitated before telling him. Mason got so angry that he mmed his hand against the


    table. "B*stard! Is he not going to stop until he makes us lose everything?"


    As it turned out, William had been responsible for nearly all those projects. It didn''t take a rocket


    scientist to realize that he had once again siphoned money from them, which led to this mess.


    "Where''s the general manager? Why isn''t he here when we are in such a great mess?"


    His assistant licked his lips and answered haltingly, "I already called him, but I couldn''t get ahold of¡ª"


    "Couldn''t get ahold of him?" Mason''s fury red up once more. "Keep calling until he picks up!"


    "Yes, Mr. Mason!" His assistant did not dare argue and turned away to do just that.


    In the end, Mason was left alone in his office. He was so enraged he nearly hit hisputer, but he


    remembered that he had many other things to do besides dealing with the investigators. As such, he


    forced himself to stay calm as he tried toe up with solutions.


    However, after making a round of calls, he didn''t expect that no one was willing to help him. All his


    close partners in the past were now distancing themselves from him. Even the other three noble


    families were ignoring him. He was so panicked that he could only try to contact the higher-ups, but all


    the friends he had clinked sses with at banquets refused to lend him a hand.


    "You already made a gross and humiliating mistake during the project with Matix. Now that there''s


    something like this, the government won''t tolerate it anymore! You''d best think of something else!"


    Mason was dismayed upon hearing that. "But¡ª"


    He was about to plead his case once more but the person on the other end of the line refused to listen


    and hung up.


    Beep!


    Mason copsed in his chair with a pale and lost expression at the sound. He knew that they were


    facing a catastrophe and they could never escape unscathed even if they survived it.


    ¡­


    When Katherine received Kelvin''s call, she had just finished her lunch with Noah. She nced at the


    notification before walking to the corridor to answer the call.


    Kelvin reported, "Miss Cornell, everything has been done as per your orders."


    She grunted indifferently in reply. Leaning against the wall, she stated, "What''s the situation with the


    Moran Corporation?"


    "All their projects have been put on hold after just one day and are under investigation. Mason has


    asked around for help, but I have already taken care of it, so none of the people he contacts will help


    him. The Moran Corporation is now stranded and also facing a great number of penalties for viting


    their contracts. They have no one to turn to now."


    The Moran Corporation had recently sustained huge losses due to the Matix project. Hence, they did


    not have a lot of working capital. With so many projects simultaneously on hold, they wouldn''t be able


    to cough up that much money even if they emptied their coffers.


    Katherine raised an elegant eyebrow and she looked satisfied. "Good job."


    Kelvin chuckled before asking, "Miss Cornell, don''t we need to deal with the government? The Morans


    have close connections with them and I''m concerned that¡ª"


    Before he could finish, she interrupted, "You are concerned that they will tolerate the Moran


    Corporation flouting thews because of their connections, right?"


    He answered in the affirmative.


    She stretched out her legszily and a mocking smile appeared on her face. "Don''t worry. From now


    on, they will not cover up for the Morans no matter what happens. The Moran Corporation is doomed."


    Kelvin didn''t understand why she was so confident about that. "But¡­"


    Katherine''s lips curved up as shemented, "They have offended the government with the recent


    Matix fiasco. Now that they are clearly weakening, everyone is eager to assist in their downfall. The


    Moran Corporation is now abandoned by the government since helping them won''t be advantageous.


    Don''t forget that the Moran Corporation cannot even afford to pay off their penalties now."


    No matter how close the Morans had been with the government, there were virtually none who would


    care about connectionspared to financial benefits. Matix canceling the project caused the


    government humiliation and with that in mind, they would no longer assist the Moran Corporation.


    Now finally understanding the connection between both sides, Kelvin asked once more, "Miss Cornell,


    what shall we do next?"


    She did not beat around the bush. "Dominate the market which the Moran Corporation once ruled


    over."


    He understood at once and immediately began carrying out her orders.


    When Katherine turned around, she saw Joaquin leaning against the doorframe while staring at her


    with interest.


    "Why are you out here?" she asked.


    He nodded towards the room. "Keith is ying a game with Noah and he''s determined to turn the


    tables even though he has been soundly beaten three times."


    She smiled slightly. "It''s just a game and yet, he''s so bad at it."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Joaquin smiled at that. "Keith isn''t bad at it. It''s just that Noah is far too smart."


    Katherine naturally agreed with that. "Of course. She''s my daughter, after all, and takes after me in


    terms of intelligence."


    Her pridefulment made himugh and he lowered his head for a moment before ncing into the


    room. He then turned back to her and led her to a bench nearby to sit.


    "I notice that you are much closer to Noah and she''s also more dependent on you. All her symptoms


    from before seem to have disappeared as well."


    Katherine smiled as she considered this. "Hmm, that''s true. Her autism came from something which


    troubled her for a long time and since that has been resolved, she will recover."


    She looked at Joaquin with glittering eyes as she murmured, "It''s all thanks to you, though."


    "Me?" He raised his eyebrows. "Why is that?"


    "I can see that she is most dependent on you. Did you know how dejected she was during the days you


    didn''t return although she didn''t say anything? Her issues were resolved recently because of you too


    since your appearance changed her life."


    Katherine had distanced herself from her daughter because of the past. Although she knew it wasn''t


    fair to Noah, she couldn''t help it, and this had caused the girl to be closed off. It was great that Noah


    had finally recovered.

 Chapter 344

    Chapter 344


    Joaquin could see how much Katherine med herself and he squeezed her fingers. "Don''t think too


    much about that. It''s already in the past, plus you didn''t want things to turn out this way. You have done


    your best. Honestly, it''s my fault. If I had not mistakenly identified¡­"


    His eyshes fluttered and he lowered his gaze. "Noah wouldn''t have such a repressed childhood."


    As the atmosphere became grave, Katherine exhaled and turned her palm to grip his hand, thereafter


    gently moving it. "That''s enough. Is this a confessional? You''re right. It''s all over now and things are


    getting better, so let''s not mention the past anymore."


    Joaquin inclined his head. After some hesitation, he asked, "When are you going to tell her about her


    grandmother''s passing?"


    Katherine fell silent at that and she looked slightly reluctant. "I haven''t thought about that yet."


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    He knew why she was so conflicted. "I know that it''s difficult. Noah''s grandma was her closest rtive


    and I''m worried that Noah cannot ept it as she has just recovered. However, you should know that


    she is a perceptive child and will suspect that sooner orter after not seeing her grandma for a long


    time."


    Just as he finished speaking, a child''s voice came from behind them. "H-Has Grandma passed away?"


    The couple turned around to see Noah standing at the entrance of the ward. Her hair was cascading


    down her shoulders, revealing her pale face. Her sharp gaze was fixed unblinkingly on them while


    Keith stood behind her, shrugging helplessly and spreading his hands.


    Katherine''s heart stuttered and her lips moved, but she didn''t know what to say.


    Joaquin sighed internally when he saw the anxious little girl. Stretching out a hand, he murmured,


    "Come here, Noah."


    The girl bit her lip and slowly shuffled toward him.


    He carried her up and ced her between him and Katherine before kissing her forehead gently.


    "Noah, we didn''t tell you earlier because you were still sick."


    Before he could finish, she argued, "I''m okay now. I want to hear it, Daddy. Is my great-grandma really


    gone?"


    She looked up at him with a stubborn expression. "She wouldn''t go so long withouting to see me.


    Something must have happened to her, right?"


    He fell silent and looked up at Katherine, who did not hesitate any longer and gritted her teeth. Her


    voice was gentle when she spoke. "Noah, great-grandma is gone. She couldn''te back and is now


    buried together with your great-grandfather in Kynd. I will take you there to visit her when I have the


    time. I didn''t tell you immediately because I was afraid you could not ept it. Besides, your great-


    grandma wouldn''t want you to be sad for her and hurt yourself."


    Tears flowed from Noah''s eyes and left damp tracks on her face. She did not sob loudly or throw a


    tantrum. Instead, she cried silently with her mouth slightly open, voice choked with how much she was


    holding back her sobs.


    "I knew it. I knew it already, Mom. I saw her cloth bag in your luggage when you came back, so I knew


    something had happened to her since she always carried it about. She has definitely passed away


    because she was always unwell and suffering from her illness. She was just holding it in."


    The little girl rambled on, the tears running down her cheeks a testament to her heartache. "It''s good


    that she has passed as she doesn''t have to suffer any longer. She was always thinking about my great-


    grandpa. They''re probably reunited by now."


    Katherine felt heartbroken at Noah''s reaction. She bit her lip and held the girl silently as she gently


    patted her back. The girl shivered briefly before hugging her mother tightly, no longer able to contain


    her sobs.


    "Oh, Mom¡­ I only have you and Daddy now¡­" Noah cried so hard that she only stopped after a long


    time and she slowly fell asleep.


    Katherine then carried her back into her room and cleaned her tear-streaked face with a towel.


    Joaquin watched on, feeling sad yet reassured.


    Just then, Keith approached him with a serious expression. "Kathy, Joe, someone is here."


    Joaquin was the one who asked first. "Who is it?"


    Not many people knew that Noah was in the hospital, so whom could it be?


    Keith hesitated but before he could say anything, a pretentious voice rang out. "Joaquin, it''s Mom and


    Dad!"


    The four people in the group froze in unison and turned around.


    In the next moment, Hera walked over with her hands full of bags. Without waiting for Keith''s


    permission, she walked into the room while John and Elizabeth trailed behind her.


    Joaquin stood up with a frown. "What are all of you doing here?"


    His tone was unfriendly, which caused Elizabeth to p the armrest of her wheelchair with a stony


    expression. "Joaquin, watch your attitude. We are the elders of the family, yet you refused to greet us


    and even interrogated us in that tone. What is this behavior?"


    Elders of the family? He snorted and his gaze turned scornful. "What? Did youe here to reprimand


    me?"


    The atmosphere turned tense and Hera''s gaze shifted briefly before she immediately tried to smooth


    things over. "Oh Joaquin, what are you talking about? Your grandmother didn''t mean that. We are here


    because we heard Noah was sick and wanted to visit. See? I brought her so many things."


    She lifted the bags and shook them briefly before pretending toin about Katherine. "And you


    too, Kathy. Why didn''t you tell us? Even if Noah isn''t rted by blood, we are family, after all. You are


    married to Joaquin, so your child is his as well as the Levisays''. How can you treat us like outsiders?"


    A scornful look shed across Katherine''s features when she saw Hera''s fake smile which stretched


    ear to ear. Chuckling lightly, she mocked, "Really? So, you do understand social cues. I may have


    med you by mistake since not one of the Levisays ever talked about Noah. I thought none of you


    cared about her and you are all just here for a favor. Now that I know you are here to see Noah, I feel


    much more reassured."


    Her words made the expressions of the three visitors change slightly. They hadn''t said much, yet she


    had already made them swallow their words.

 Chapter 345

    Chapter 345


    As if not noticing their facial expressions, Katherine took the bags Hera was carrying before showing


    them the door in a natural way, saying, "Dad, Mom, Grandma, I''m grateful to you guys foring to


    visit Noah, but she''s now asleep and isn''t avable for a visit. Now that you all have seen her, why


    don''t you guys go back first? Grandma is quite old, after all; it takes her a lot of mental and physical


    effort toe out, so it''s better for her to go back early for some rest."


    Not expecting her to turn them away in a few words, the Levisay trio turned even surlier.


    Having suffered at the youngdy''s hands a couple of times, Elizabeth was already seething with fury,


    so she was the first to lose her cool. Her face darkened as she reprimanded, "Katherine, however


    much you dislike us, you don''t have to go so far as to chase us away with such impatience, do you?!


    You''ve married into our family, which makes us your elders. It''s unreasonable to chase your elders


    away as soon as they arrive, no? And besides, we''re here to visit my great-granddaughter! What''s the


    matter with you? Won''t you even let us take another look at her?"


    Upon seeing how the old woman condescended to her like an elder, Katherine raised an eyebrow and


    carelessly tossed the bags aside as a smile slowly spread across her face. "Grandma, what are you


    talking about? I''m just worried about your health. After all, you''re already getting on in years and have


    one foot in the grave, so you''ve got to be careful. Otherwise, it''ll be toote for regret if anything bad


    happens to you," she replied with a nonchnt air.


    Elizabeth had steaming out of her ears, though. "What do you mean I have one foot in the grave?!


    How¡­ How dare you say such a thing?!"


    Katherine blinked with fake innocence while pretending to be puzzled. "Am I wrong, Grandma? You


    know your own health condition better than anyone else. I did do acupuncture on you before, but it only


    alleviated the pain that had been troubling you. I''m not very skilled in medicine and could only do so


    much, but you''re already in your twilight years. Even if I stick needles into all parts of your body, there''s


    no way your body parts can go back to the way they were in your prime. Without careful maintenance,


    they''ll have no choice but to stop working, upon which you''ll turn up your toes," she said, ignoring


    Elizabeth''s face, which turned livid with anger. Then, she smiled apologetically and continued,


    "Grandma, I''m bad at talking, so what I say may sound unpleasant, but I''m just speaking the truth.


    Surely you won''t be mad at me for this? You''ve got such a kind heart, after all."


    As Joaquin listened to this from the sidelines, the corners of his mouth turned up; he had to restrain


    himself in order not to burst outughing.


    Keith even began apuding his sister in his mind.


    As for Elizabeth, she nearly passed out in anger, her age-spot-covered hands tightly clutching the


    armrests of her wheelchair. Bad at talking? This darn little girl clearly has a clever tongue, doing all the


    talking while shutting me up with every word she says!


    Hera and John''s expressions were strained as well. Unable to stand Katherine''s words any longer, he


    finally cleared his throat and said in a grim voice, "That''s enough, Katherine! Just shut up instead of


    talking back to your grandma like that." Then, he turned to face Joaquin. His gloomy eyes were full of


    displeasure, but as he recalled his purpose ining here, he had no choice but to suppress his


    emotions for the time being.


    Feigning solicitude, he continued, "Joaquin, I''ve heard that you were taken away for questioning by the


    authorities a few days ago. Had I not seen the press briefing held by Katherine being mentioned on the


    inte, I would''ve been still in the dark about this. Thest couple of days must''ve been tough on


    you."


    This was the first time Joaquin had ever heard such ''caring'' words from the man, which he couldn''t


    help but find amusing.


    At once, he replied indifferently, "Well, you''re pretty ill-informed indeed. Noah has been staying in the


    hospital for such a long time, but only now does it ur to you guys toe over and take a look. I


    guess it''s an improvement that you learned about the press briefing just a few days after it was held by


    Kathy. That being said, you guys haven''tid eyes on Noah even once sinceing in here, which


    proves that you guys aren''t really here to visit her. Since you guys aren''t here out of sincerity, you don''t


    have to stay here any longer. Just go about your business instead."


    Not bothering to continue ying nice with them, he spoke his mind right away.


    John''s face instantly turned as dark as thunder. "What are you talking about?!"


    At this moment, Joaquin stopped feigning politeness toward them. He said with a snort ofughter, "I''m


    still being nice to you, but it may not remain soter if you guys insist on staying."


    "How dare you¡ª"


    Seeing that John was on the verge of blowing up, Hera hurriedly stopped him for fear of messing things


    up. "Okay, enough already! Why argue like this? We''re a family. Can''t we talk nicely to each other?"


    she said before pretending to shoot a re at John in displeasure. "And you, too! It''s not like you have


    no idea about our son''s temper. How could you actually get angry at him?"


    John''s cheeks puffed up. Apparently, he was still in a rage, but he suppressed his anger nheless.


    Katherine couldn''t help but click her tongue in wonder while coolly watching the scene. This stepmother


    of Joaquin''s is the best when ites to pretending. Immediately, she said with a smile on her face,


    "Indeed, Joaquin is even worse than I am at expressing himself. We just thought the room was small,


    so we were afraid that we''d be a bad host to you guys. We can''t even serve you guys drinks since it''s


    not convenient at the moment, so please don''t take it to heart. Now that you''ve seen us, there''s nothing


    else left for us to talk about. Let''s gather again as a family when we have time."


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    When you have time? When will you ever have time for that? We wouldn''t have bothered toe all


    the way here if you two hadn''t been so elusive!


    Just then, Hera''s eyes flickered, and she pretended to suddenly recall something. "Kathy, you''re the


    most sensible, after all. By the way, speaking of it, there''s one thing that we haven''t mentioned to you


    before. Since we''ve met today, let''s talk about it and spare the trouble of meeting up again next time.


    The Levisay Group is keen on coborating with W Co.tely. We were thinking of finding time to


    contact thepany, but who would''ve thought thepany''s president would be a member of our


    family? What a coincidence, don''t you think? Well, it saved us a lot of trouble."


    She smiled ingratiatingly, but her smile looked somewhat strained to Katherine. "Oh, really?" she


    asked. In reality, she''d long figured out these people''s purpose ining here, so she wasn''t surprised


    to hear this. Instead, she merely found it amusing. "I truly had no idea."


    At this moment, John put on a straight face and said in a grave voice, "That''s right. Actually, the


    Levisay Group has always been interested in working with W Co.. It''s just that we never found the right


    opportunity before. I hear that W Co. is going to move back into the country and base itself in


    Hovington, which is a good thing. Hovington isn''t as prosperous as Kynd, but it''s developed rapidly


    over thest few years and has a lot of room for development. You''ve made a good decision."


    Hearing the man''s deadpanment amused Katherine even more. She slowly walked to the couch


    and sat down right in front of the trio. Leaning back against the couch, she held her head up slightly in


    a leisurely andfortable posture that somehow gave off a feeling of superiority. Then, she slowly


    replied, "Yeah, I also think it''s a pretty good decision."

 Chapter 346

    Chapter 346


    Elizabeth frowned with dissatisfaction at her attitude. "Since you''re W Co.''s president, why didn''t you


    tell us earlier about it? Your dad got held up for such a long time because of you!"


    Katherine nearlyughed aloud when she heard this. How can each of these three people sound more


    justified than thest? There''s a limit to shamelessness, but I guess they have no sense of shame at


    all. "Grandma, you''ve wronged me by saying this. None of you have ever mentioned to me what


    happened to the Levisay Group. And besides, I did marry into the Levisays, but Joaquin isn''t in charge


    of the Levisay Group, so I know nothing about its affairs. How am I supposed to learn that Dad wants to


    coborate with W Co.?" She threw her hands up while looking all innocent.


    Her words indeed made sense. Unable to find fault with what she had said, Elizabeth had no choice but


    to keep a straight face and say in a stern voice, "It''s not toote for you to know that now. Now that


    you''ve moved yourpany back to Hovington, coborating with the Levisay Group can help you get


    established quickly in Hovington, even the entire country. It can only do you good."


    ying good cop to Elizabeth''s bad cop, Hera kept on smiling ingratiatingly whileing to Katherine''s


    side. Feigning amiability, she took thetter''s hand and patted it gently, saying, "That''s right, Kathy.


    We''re supposed to stay united as a family in the first ce. It''ll be a win-win if our twopanies can


    work together. You know what they say about keeping the goodies within the family. You''ve got to give


    such a great opportunity to your own family, right?"


    Offended by the woman''s touch, Katherine quietly pulled her hand out of her grasp. Resting her elbow


    on the armrest next to her, she propped her chin in her hand and eyed the woman leisurely without


    saying a word.


    Unable to gauge her mood, Hera had no choice but to shoot a nce at John.


    Taking the hint from her, John said reluctantly atst, "Don''t worry, Katherine. I''m Joaquin''s dad, so as


    long as you''re willing to coborate with the Levisay Group, I definitely won''t let you and Joaquin get


    the short end of the stick. I''ve decided to give Joaquin five more percent of the Levisay Group''s shares.


    What do you think?"


    Upon hearing this, Joaquin smiled a half smile with a cool expression. "That''s a rare magnanimous


    gesture from you, Dad. I remember that Robert holds 20 percent of the Levisay Group''s shares without


    having to do anything, no? I''ve had only five percent shares over these years. Now that you''re willing to


    give me five more percent to secure a coboration with W Co., I''m so touched," he replied in a


    sarcastic manner that showed his scorn for the shares. Why would I care about these shares? I


    couldn''t even care less about the Levisay Group!


    John''s face froze. The next instant, he knitted his brows, chiding, "How could youpare yourself


    with your brother?!"


    Hera also gnashed her teeth in anger inwardly when she heard this. At first, she''d been very


    dissatisfied with the decision, but she had no choice but topromise for the sake of the Levisay


    Family''s glory in order for her and Robert to livefortably for the rest of their lives. Since Robert


    hadn''t been showing any signs of recovery, he might never get better in the future, so she had to n


    for his future. As for the shares, even though they''re given to Joaquin, it''s not impossible to get them


    back once the Levisay Group doesn''t have to rely on W Co. anymore!


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Just when she was thinking to herself, Joaquin replied with a snortingugh, "Yeah, I can''tpare


    myself with Robert. He''s already a cripple, after all."


    Provoked by such words at once, Hera immediately stood up and red at Joaquin fiercely, wishing


    she could step forward and tear his mouth to pieces.


    Elizabeth and John''s faces darkened, too.


    At the sight of this, Katherine unhurriedly got up. "Why are you getting all worked up in the midst of a


    conversation? We''re a family. Can''t we talk nicely to each other?" she said with a half-smile, using


    Hera''s own words against the trio. Then, she cut the Gordian knot by saying in a businesslike tone,


    "Dad, it''s not that I''m not willing to do you the favor, but I''m not the only person who makes decisions in


    thepany, where everything has to follow some sort of a procedure. What about this? I''ll give you


    the phone number of the head of the project department, so if you have something to talk about, you


    canmunicate with him directly. As for whether ourpanies can coborate, that depends on the


    Levisay Group''s performance. That being said, I have had my hands full moving thepany back to


    the countrytely, so I can''t say for sure when you''ll get a reply. You''ve got to be patient; just wait for


    some time and perhaps you''ll get a reply."


    The instant she said so, Elizabeth was the first to voice her strong dissatisfaction. "How could you ask


    your dad to wait?! Would anyone do such a thing as you did? How could you be unable to make


    decisions on such a trifling matter as thepany''s president? In my opinion, it''s just because you


    don''t want to!"


    Hera dropped all pretense, too; she revealed her acidic side while echoing Elizabeth. "That''s right!


    Whom are you attempting to fool with such an excuse? Katherine, do you think we''re pleading to


    coborate with you? We just thought you were a member of our family and wanted to lend you a


    helping hand! How dare you not appreciate our kindness when all we wanted was to help you gain a


    firm foothold in Hovington as soon as possible! Don''t forget that the Levisay Group is a leading


    enterprise with some authority in Hovington! Now that we''re willing to help you, you should''ve epted


    it with gratitude. Don''t think you can put on airs in front of us just because you''re W Co.''s president! At


    the end of the day, you''re our daughter-inw, and it''s only proper to obey your elders!"


    Tsk, tsk. Turning hostile as soon as we can''t talk things out, eh? This trio is so unpredictable. Katherine


    blinked her eyes.


    Just as she wanted to say something, Joaquin dragged her behind him. "Obey our elders, eh?" He


    touched the inside of his left cheek with the tip of his tongue as his eyes narrowed. "Seems like you


    guys have forgotten that I''ve never obeyed you all despite being the son of the family. Why does my


    wife have to obey you guys? When did she ever need you all to teach her how to do things here? She


    can do whatever she wants. Now that you''vee and said whatever you have to say, there''s nothing


    else for us to talk about, so get out of here right now! Or do you want to embarrass yourselves further


    by staying here?"


    Not expecting him to say that, the Levisay trio instantly turned livid and then purple with rage. "You¡­"


    Elizabeth started gasping for breath. "What an ingrate! I think you''ve forgotten which family you came


    from!"


    John was exasperated as well. "Joaquin! What good would it do you to go against the Levisays?"


    Joaquin''s lips curled into a smirk. "It wouldn''t do me any good, but it''s fine as long as it makes me


    happy."


    Seeing how explosive the situation was, Katherine raised an eyebrow before stepping out from behind


    Joaquin with a stic smile. "Dad, Mom, Grandma, please don''t be angry. Such is the kind of temper


    Joaquin has, so let''s ignore him. I understand what you guys meant, but W Co. has a rule where all


    coborations have to be done ording to the procedure. As thepany president, I have to set a


    good example. And besides, I believe that the Levisay Group can surely get approved by W Co. with its


    capabilities. Dad, don''t you think so too?"


    Naturally, John couldn''t deny what she said.


    Knowing that she wouldn''t agree to it, the Levisay trio exchanged nces with one another. Having no


    alternative, they had no choice but to leave with sullen expressions.

 Chapter 347

    Chapter 347


    Before leaving the room, Hera even shot a vicious re at Katherine. Apparently, she was very bitter


    toward thetter.


    However, Katherine didn''t mind it at all. She kept smiling with her eyes crinkled, which angered Hera


    even more.


    After the trio had left, Keith couldn''t help pping. "Tsk, tsk. Seriously, Joaquin, each member of your


    family is more shameless than thest," hemented casually. As soon as he said that, he recalled


    that Joaquin was still a member of the Levisay Family. Hence, he promptly pped his hand over his


    mouth.


    Joaquin didn''t take his words to heart, though. His eyes darkened as he sneered, saying, "They could


    hardly sit still as soon as they learned the news. They''re like dogs attracted to the smell of meat."


    Such ament by one of the Levisay Family''s own members was the deadliest, and it was obvious


    from how Joaquin spoke so unfavorably of the trio that he was totally indifferent toward his family.


    Recalling the terms John had proposed just now, Katherine pondered for a moment before asking, "Do


    you really not care about the Levisay Group''s shares? If you mind, I can¡ª"


    Joaquin raised his hand and gave her a gentle knock on her smooth forehead. "What are you thinking


    about? Even if I want to get my hands on the Levisay Group''s shares, I''ve got plenty of ways to do so. I


    don''t need you to make concessions." He''d only never touched the Levisay Group because he couldn''t


    care less about it. Still, it wouldn''t be difficult for him toy his hands on thepany if he wanted.


    Naturally, Katherine knew full well what he was capable of. She curled her lips, arguing, "I just wanted


    to help save you some trouble, no?"


    Amused by her response, Joaquin raised his hand again and lightly pinched her on the cheek. "What''s


    the matter with you? You wanna keep me as a lover?"


    Katherine was rendered speechless by his words.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Joaquin visibly brightened up as a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. "To think I could live off a


    woman at such an age."


    Keith was rendered speechless. Acting all lovey-dovey in public as though there''s nobody else present,


    huh? Are they treating me as nonexistent?


    Katherine pped Joaquin''s hand away, feeling rather speechless at the man''s ability to act lovey-


    dovey toward her anytime and anywhere. Instead of bantering with him, she replied in all seriousness,


    "I''m not joking with you. I can help you if you want the Levisay Group''s shares, and you don''t have to


    feel embarrassed about it. You''ve helped me a lot before, so I should get thepany''s shares for you


    in order to return the favor. It''s just a coboration, no? Don''t worry. Even if W Co. really coborates


    with the Levisay Group, I can make sure that they won''t gain anything from it."


    Joaquin was both annoyed and amused by her serious suggestion. "Returning the favor, huh? Is that


    what you''re supposed to say to your husband?"


    Katherine''s fine brows knitted for a moment as a hint of bafflement flickered across her beautiful eyes.


    Did I say something wrong? Why does he seem to be unhappy? "I just thought¡­" she replied in an


    attempt to exin herself. However, seeing that the man really didn''t give a damn about the shares,


    she said with a curl of her lips, "Fine, never mind if you don''t want my help. Just do whatever you


    want."


    Seeing that she didn''t at all understand what he meant, Joaquin pursed his lips slightly with a hint of


    helplessness in his deep eyes.


    After that, Katherine stayed with Noah as thetter took an afternoon nap. Joaquin had nothing to do


    and didn''t want to disturb the mother and daughter, so he simply went out for a stroll.


    No sooner had hee out did Keithe out chasing after him. Walking beside the man, he slowly


    let out a sigh, saying, "Sigh, Joaquin, you''ve still got a long way to go in winning your wife''s heart."


    Joaquin looked sideways at him without stopping at his sudden remark. "Just say whatever you want to


    say."


    Keith let out a chuckle. "Hehe! Joaquin, my sister seems smart and could see through facts at a


    nce, but she''s kind of dense when ites to rtionships." He had seen it very clearly just now;


    although Katherine had married Joaquin, she was still keeping her distance from him without devoting


    herselfpletely to their marriage. "She seems to have no desire whatsoever, but perhaps because


    she''s been through a lot, she actually takes rtionships very seriously. She doesn''t dare to be kind to


    anyone as she pleases, but there''s one thing that she''s always insistent about¡ªshe''d always do her


    best to repay exponentially any favor done to her. She remembers the kindness you''ve shown her,


    which is why she wants to repay you for that. She might seem distant from you, but in reality, you


    already have a ce in her heart."


    Not expecting him to say this, Joaquin gradually stopped in his tracks; a hint of contemtion shed


    across his ink-ck eyes. So, I have a ce in her heart, huh?


    Keith continued, "This is the first time I''ve seen her put so much trust in someone other than her


    rtives and those close aides of hers after such a long time. Joaquin, my sister is quite slow in terms


    of rtionships, but that doesn''t mean she''s a person without feelings. They say love will always find a


    way. Since you''re already halfway toward winning her heart, you''ve got to try harder instead of giving


    up halfway."


    Joaquin turned his gaze toward him while cocking an eyebrow. "How can I try harder?"


    Keith immediately started giving him advice with a bright smile, saying, "My sister doesn''t take any crap


    from anyone, but that depends on who the person is. At the moment, she''s been trying to repay your


    kindness, so it''s only natural that she''ll be more softhearted toward you than toward others. Just court


    her tirelessly and smother her with tenderness, and you''ll melt even the stoniest heart. And besides,


    you''ve still got Noah, no? She''s the child you share with my sister. Now that her rtionship with my


    sister is getting better, you can totally help them bond while using her to get closer to my sister."


    After listening to this, Joaquin sank into deep thought.


    ¡­


    On the other hand, the Levisay trio looked displeased as they returned home.


    Having never been snubbed like this, John was simmering with repressed anger. The instant he


    entered the house, heined grumpily, "I told you two not to go, but you two just wouldn''t listen!


    That Katherinedy isn''t easy to deal with! Even if she''s W Co.''s president, she won''t easily help our


    family!"


    Hera was in a bad mood as well, and her brows furrowed. "Didn''t I do that for the sake of our family?


    We''d never know if we didn''t try it!" At first, she had thought that if they could coax Katherine into


    allowing W Co. to coborate with the Levisay Group, thetter would be able to benefit a lot from it.


    With Hovington and even the whole country being all astir with the news of W Co.''s relocation and


    expansion in the country, everyone was currently paying close attention to thepany. If they could


    secure a coboration with thepany immediately, the Levisay Group would definitely scale greater


    heights and enjoy a higher prestige. Only when the Levisay Group was doing well and the Levisays


    remained invincible could she seek more benefits for her and her son.


    Recalling how her son had be a cripple at the moment, she gnashed her teeth in hatred. If only


    Robert was fine and well right now, I wouldn''t have had to rack my brains scheming like this!


    At the thought of this, she gritted her teeth and looked daggers at John in displeasure. "Do you think I


    was willing to go to her?! Did you forget how our son ended up the way he currently is? It was all


    because of that b*tch! I''ve done my very best in brazening it out to go to her and plead with her, so how


    could you be upset with me right now?! I''m upset, too, but who can I go to about it?! And besides,


    would I have to lose face like this if things hadn''t been looking bad for the Levisay Grouptely?!"

 Chapter 348

    Chapter 348


    "What are you yelling for?!" John was put out by her words. "Why do you have to mention Robert while


    we''re talking about this?!"


    Seeing that he was obviously trying to avoid the subject, Hera grew even more indignant. "Why can''t I


    mention Robert? He''s a descendant of the Levisay Family! He''s be like this for such a long time,


    but have any of you ever cared about him? Don''t tell me you''re gonna abandon him!" she ranted, flying


    into a rage as she spoke.


    Then, as the anger went straight to her head, she even began to speak rudely to Elizabeth, saying, "I''m


    telling you two, don''t you dare even think about it! Robert has the Levisay Family''s blood in his veins,


    so you all have to find a way to cure him no matter what! Otherwise, who are you gonna hand over


    such arge family business to? Joaquin? Ha! Don''t forget how much he hates our family! Look how he


    treated us today; he never gave a damn about you all!" Obviously, John''s suggestion today to give


    Joaquin five percent of the Levisay Group''s shares was a thorn in her flesh, and she was still resentful


    about it.


    Getting more and more irritated by her words, John pointed at her nose and scolded angrily, "You dare


    speak to me like this? Shut up!"


    "No, I won''t shut up! Why should I?" Hera stuck her neck out while refusing to drop the subject. "I''m


    warning you, John, don''t even entertain those ideas! Just hurry and find a way to cure Robert instead.


    The Levisay Family mustn''t fall into Joaquin''s hands, or I''ll never let you guys off even if I die!"


    At this moment, Elizabeth, who had been silent all this while, suddenly picked up the remote control on


    the coffee table and flung it to the ground. The sound of it breaking into pieces reverberated around the


    room, followed by her stern voice. "Shut up, both of you! What are you doing, squabbling with one


    another at this hour?!" she rebuked.


    Upon hearing this, John and Hera finally shut up despite their reluctance.


    Elizabeth raised her wrinkled eyes and red at the couple in displeasure before pping the armrest


    of her wheelchair with all her might. "What''s the use of arguing over these trifles? What we''re supposed


    to think about right now is how to get W Co. to coborate with the Levisay Group!"


    Still feeling aggrieved about this, Hera wanted to exin herself, but Elizabeth raised a hand to stop


    her. "I know what you want to say. You''re just worried about Robert, but know this: I am equally as


    worried. After all, he''s also my grandson, and I know how he ended up like this. Do you think I''m not


    angry at that b*tch? But what''s the use of getting angry? That b*tch refused to treat him despite her


    medical skills. Do you think she''ll listen to you when you openly ask a favor of her?"


    Sensing the hidden meaning in Elizabeth''s words, Hera instantly assumed a serious expression. She


    quickly asked, "Mom, do you mean¡­"


    John also turned to look at Elizabeth inquiringly.


    Elizabeth''s eyes narrowed slightly; her face, which had be wrinkled over the years, was full of


    scheming calctions. She smiled sinisterly, saying, "If we can''t openly get her to treat Robert, we can


    only resort to other methods. Katherine might be a tough nut to crack, but it''s not like she doesn''t have


    weaknesses. That b*stard daughter of hers is her own child. I don''t believe she''ll still insist on not


    treating Robert if we threaten her with that b*stard little girl!"


    The instant she said so, Hera immediately realized what she meant, and her face lit up with delight.


    "What a great idea! How could I have forgotten about that b*stard little girl?"


    On the other hand, John looked worried after listening to his mother''s words. "But if we do so, it''ll be


    even more impossible for Katherine to let W Co. coborate with the Levisay Group."


    "Are you stupid or something?" Elizabeth shot a re at him in exasperation. She exined,


    "Katherine definitely won''t help the Levisay Group; it won''t be of any use no matter how hard you


    persuade her! Like I said, if open persuasion doesn''t work on her, we''ll have to resort to some


    underhand methods. We sounded her out today. She brushed us off, but she didn''t turn us down tly.


    When the timees, you just have to send someone to W Co. to negotiate the coboration. Then,


    regardless of whether the negotiations work out or not, just spread the news of the twopanies''


    uing coboration. Don''t forget that everyone knows she''s the daughter-inw of the Levisay


    Family. In the eyes of outsiders, W Co. and the Levisay Group are supposed to be one. Even if the


    coboration doesn''t work out, the Levisay Group will definitely be able to take advantage of it in the


    commercial world."


    To put it simply, what she meant was to raise the Levisay Family''s reputation and seek benefits for the


    Levisays by riding on the coattails of W Co. in the name of the family.


    The moment John heard this, his calm eyes instantly brightened up. "Mom, I just knew you still got it in


    you. As expected, the older, the wiser!"


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in the hospital¡­


    As soon as Katherine awakened from sleep, she felt a chill on her back, and her fine brows furrowed


    unnoticeably. Then, looking at the warm sun shining through the window, she slightly narrowed her


    delicately charming eyes.


    Just then, Joaquin quietly padded in. Upon meeting her eyes, he asked with a smile, "You''re up?"N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Katherine nodded before turning her gaze toward Noah. Seeing that thetter was still asleep, she got


    up as quietly and slowly as she could.


    Joaquin came near her before handing her a ss of warm water. "Carmine has arrived and is waiting


    in the hallway. She probably has something important to report to you."


    Katherine was startled for a moment. Taking the ss of water from him, she took a sip from it before


    going out. Before leaving the ward, she said to him, "Time to wake Noah up. She''ll have trouble


    sleeping tonight if she keeps on sleeping."


    Joaquin replied with a faint smile, "Okay."


    Without saying anything else, Katherine turned around and stepped out of the ward. The instant she


    walked out, a thought crossed her mind. Somehow, I feel that Joaquin seems to have be gentler.


    The tenderness in his eyes is almost overwhelming¡­


    Seeing here out of the ward, Carmine stood up and greeted her deferentially, saying, "Miss


    Katherine."


    With her thoughts interrupted, Katherine looked at her impassively. "What''s the matter?"


    Carmine first looked left and right in the hallway. After confirming there was no one else around them,


    she finally reported with a poker face, "Miss Katherine, as you''d expected, William Moran never went


    home and had been at the casino all this time. The Moran Family was already in chaos, but he never


    went back to take a look."


    Katherine was unsurprised to hear this, and her red lips slowly curled into a sneer. "How could he know


    what happened to the Morans? He''s already preupied with gambling, after all. Has the thing I


    wantede into our hands?"


    Carmine smiledcently. "Yes, it has! Miss Katherine, you really are long-headed. You actually


    guessed it right that he''d gamble with it!"


    Katherine thought nothing of it, though. "He''d long gambled away whatever he had, so he didn''t have a


    lot of chips in his hands in the first ce. And besides, the people we''d sent pressed him at every


    stage and then gave him hopes of winning at the right moment, so it was only natural for him to take


    the bait and want to make ast-ditch struggle."


    Carmine replied, "Yeah, that''s right. That being said, he really is a weirdo. He didn''t get anxious despite


    losing in gambling. Instead, he took a stroll inside the casino as if nothing had happened. He only left


    just now."


    "How could he not get anxious?" Katherineughed. She raised her hand to look at her beautiful


    fingertips before turning her hand over to look at her glittering pink fingernails. "How could he actually


    not care about such an important bet? He''s got a n up his sleeve. Even if he''s left the casino, he still


    has eyes in there. He''s got to be waiting for our people to get out of the casino so that he can drag


    them into a corner and beat them up before snatching it back. Tell your men to be careful."

 Chapter 349

    Chapter 349


    As expected, the people sent by Carmine were mobbed as soon as they left the casino. However, the


    situation didn''t turn out as William had expected. Not only did he fail to teach them a lesson, he even


    had the sh*t beaten out of him.


    When Mason learned about this, he nearly fainted in anger. "That good-for-nothing b*stard! He''s


    nowhere to be found when ourpany is in such a huge crisis. Turns out he''s gone gambling again!


    He should''ve gotten beaten to death out there!"


    Melise immediately spoke for her son, objecting, "What are you talking about? That''s our son! How


    could you wish him dead as his father?"


    Mason growled at the top of his voice, "Do you mean I should let him anger me to death instead? It''s all


    your fault for spoiling him rotten! Look at him now; I have to lose face going around begging for help


    because of the mess he caused! I''m gonna break that b*stard''s leg when hees back!" After that,


    he mmed the door and left straight for his office.


    However, no sooner had he reached his office and sat down in his chair than the bad news arrived.


    "Bad news! Bad news, Mr. Mason! The results of the investigation havee out, and two-thirds of our


    company''s projects have toe to aplete halt!"


    The instant Mason heard this, his eyes widened in disbelief; he nearly overturned his chair as he


    jumped to his feet. "What?"


    His assistant had only learned of the news just now, and he was still catching his breath after rushing


    here to report on it. "H-Here''s the list of the projects," he said while handing over a document.


    Mason took the document and flipped through it, upon which his face turned ghastly pale at once.


    Almost all of the projects included on the list were the backbone of the Moran Corporation!


    His assistant looked all anxious, too. "Mr. Moran, ourpany''s phones are now ringing nonstop with


    phone calls either asking to terminate coborations or demandingpensation. Well¡­ What should


    we do now?"


    Thest vestige of color drained from Mason''s face. His lips trembled as he muttered, "What should we


    do? What else can we do¡­" Without these coborations, the Moran Corporation would be left as an


    empty shell, and the breach-of-contract damagesbined would be sufficient to reduce the Morans to


    poverty!


    ¡­


    That afternoon, Katherine took a trip to the new development zone in Ewing.


    After the car pulled up in front of a towering building in the most central part of the development zone,


    she stepped out of her car and took off her big sunsses, which covered half of her face. Looking up


    at the sparkling ss building, she was very satisfied.


    This was W Co.''s new headquarters after its relocation to Hovington.


    Owen Barber, W Co.''s general manager, was already waiting for her at the entrance. He weed her,


    saying, "Wee, Miss Katherine."


    Toying with the sunsses in her hand, Katherine went in like a boss while mumbling a response. She


    asked impassively, "How is everything going?"


    Owen replied honestly, "Everything is almost done. The building can officially go into operation the day


    after tomorrow, and the online campaign is also ready."


    Shortly after that, Katherine sat in the presidential office on the top floor while slightly raising her


    attractive eyes at her spacious and simplistic surroundings. "You''ve done a nice job."


    Owen replied with a smile, "I was just following your orders without the slightest deviation." Then, he


    switched to a different subject, saying, "Miss Katherine, the tt Corporation, the Hall Enterprise, the


    Gray Corporation, and the Grant Group''s branches in Hovington have sent representatives to negotiate


    coboration with us, saying they can ept any condition."


    The first three branches were run by those old friends of Katherine''s, so it was only natural for them to


    help create fanfare for her as soon as W Co. moved back to the country. Although this wasn''t


    necessary, she appreciated their kindness. As for the Grants, though¡­


    Katherine''s eyshes fluttered at the thought of Josiah, but she said nothing in the end. Instead, she


    ordered impassively, "It''s not necessary to take advantage of them. Just do everything by the book.


    After all, coborations are all about win-win."


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Understanding what she meant, Owen replied submissively, "Yes, Miss Katherine."


    Katherine then processed some documents that had to be handled by herself before leaving.


    The evening sun was setting in the west, dyeing the sky a brilliant orange. As Katherine drove


    mindlessly, Josiah inadvertently came into her mind. That guy was my biological father. I also have a


    brother, the seriously ill Kian¡­


    Bang!


    Just then, her thoughts were interrupted by a crash, the impact of which threw her forward before she


    was yanked back by her seat belt.


    Realizing that she''d been rear-ended, she frowned slightly before unfastening her seat belt. Before she


    could step out of her car, though, someone dashed over from behind and pounded on her car window,


    yelling, "Hey! What kind of driving was that?! Get out of the car!"


    A hint of displeasure flickered across Katherine''s eyes at the person''s shrill voice. Looking at the


    person through the car window, she somehow thought the person looked familiar. After turning it over in


    her mind, she realized that the person was none other than Joaquin''s cousin, Be. Ha! What a


    coincidence.


    She darted a nce in her rearview mirror at the red sports car that had rammed her car from behind


    before raising her beautiful eyebrows. Then, instead of stepping out of her car, she slowly rolled down


    her car window.


    Be was surprised to see her. "It''s you?"


    Leaning back in her seat, Katherine stared at thedy for a long time as if she didn''t know her. "You


    know me?"


    "You!" Be was rendered speechless for a moment. "I''m Be Cooper, Johdy''s cousin!"


    "Oh." Katherinenguidly rested her hands on the steering wheel. She said nonchntly, "Sorry, but I


    have a bad memory, especially when ites to idiots."


    Be grew even more exasperated when she heard this. "You¡­ How could you call me an idiot?!"


    Katherine got amused by her response. "When did I ever call you that? But I never thought you''d know


    yourself so well."


    Be''s eyes reddened in anger. She grabbed the door handle in an attempt to break the car door open,


    but the car door was locked and wouldn''t budge. "Why you¡­ Get out of the car right now! The front of


    my car got wrecked because of you! Are you blind or something?"


    Katherine blinked her intelligent eyes innocently. "Sorry, but I do have no eyes in the back of my head.


    Could you have eyes in the back of your head instead? Well, that''s out of the ordinary. Why don''t you


    turn around and let me take a look?"


    "You¡­" Be began, but she struggled for words to answer back. Unable to outspeak Katherine, she


    simply stretched out her hand in an attempt to yank the former''s hair, but before her hand could even


    touch Katherine, it was smacked away with a loud p, which caused the back of her hand to turn red.


    As a result, she flew into a rage at once. "Katherine! How dare you hit me!" she yelled, her voice raising


    several pitches.


    Katherine rested her cheek in her hand with her elbow propped on the car window. The corners of her


    mouth turned up, but the look in her eyes was frosty. "The surveince camera is watching. It was you


    who struck first, so what I did was only self-defense. And besides, I was driving normally ahead of you.


    You were the one who rear-ended me, so how could you me someone else instead? It''s nice


    enough of me not to ask you to pay for the repairs. Who would''ve thought you''d make a spectacle of


    yourself on the street by shifting the me onto me?"


    "Damn you, Katherine Cornell!" Be uttered between clenched teeth while looking infuriated.


    Katherine let out a snort before correcting her. "Are you ill-mannered or something? How could you act


    so insolent toward me? I''m married to your cousin, which makes me your cousin-inw, you know."


    "In your dreams!" Be red daggers at her upon hearing this. She uttered between clenched teeth,


    "Like hell if you''re my cousin-inw! My cousin will divorce you sooner orter; I''m the one who''s


    supposed to marry him!"

 Chapter 350

    Chapter 350


    It wasn''t like Katherine was unaware of Be''s feelings for Joaquin. She hadn''t thought much of this


    before, but now that she heard this from Be, a bout of displeasure washed over her for some reason.


    In an instant, the smile on her lips faded, and a frosty look came over her beautiful eyes. "Oh, is that


    so? Well then, I''ll look forward to it," she replied. With that, she rolled up the car window, stepped on


    the gas, and drove away.


    She still felt kind of annoyed when she returned to the hospital. After entering the ward, she tossed the


    car keys directly to Joaquin, saying, "I just got rear-ended. Here are the car keys; go take the car for


    repairs."


    The instant Joaquin heard this, his eyes froze at once, and a nervous expression overtook his


    countenance. "What happened? Did you get hurt?"


    Katherine looked askance at him and retorted coldly, "Can''t you see it for yourself?"


    Her words sounded sarcastic, but Joaquin didn''t notice it immediately as he was worried about her.


    Only after he carefully looked her up and down did his expression ease a little. "Good thing that you''re


    fine. Who rear-ended you? Why didn''t you ask them topensate for that?"


    Katherine replied icily, "I didn''t ask forpensation because I feared you might feel sorry for her."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Joaquin was puzzled by her words. "Who should I feel sorry for?"


    Katherine didn''t hide it from him either. She answered frankly, "It was that pampered little cousin of


    yours who rear-ended me. As her cousin-inw, I can''t bully her, no?"


    Realizing whom she was referring to, Joaquin was surprised. "You mean Be?"


    "That''s right," Katherine said slowly while peeling an orange for Noah. "She''s thinking about you all the


    time, and she just dered to me that she wanted tomit incest with you."


    "Cough, cough¡­" Keith, who was curled up and dozing on the couch, couldn''t help but choke on his


    saliva when he heard this. Katherine darted a sideways nce at him, upon which he immediately sat


    up and said, "Well, uh, I''ve got to take a trip to the restroom." With that, he swiftly left the room. Sigh,


    what a shame that I can''t watch the drama.


    Only then did Joaquin realize that Katherine was being unhappy. Surprised and delighted by her


    behavior, he immediately raised his brows and exined, "It wouldn''t be considered incest. She and I


    aren''t blood rtives, after all."


    "Oh." Katherine nodded. "That''s pretty nice. I wish you both happiness in advance, then."


    Joaquin didn''t know whether to frown orugh at her words. "What nonsense are you talking about? I''m


    just exining myself. She and I are totally unrted, and I''m avoiding her as much as possible."


    Katherine tore off a segment of the orange and put it in her mouth before giving the rest to Noah. She


    curled her lips, saying, "Oh. I guess I can skimp on the wedding gift, then."


    At this moment, Joaquin came up and bent forward slightly while staring at her with bright, ck eyes.


    "Kathy, are you being jealous?"


    Katherine was baffled by his question. "Why am I being jealous?"


    "What do you think?" Joaquin tickled her chin with his hand as if teasing a kitten. "It seems that you do


    care about me. Otherwise, why would you react as such?"


    Katherine was stunned; only when the man had said so did she realize that her response was indeed a


    little different from before. She hadn''t been so annoyed in the past when faced with those who loved


    Joaquin. That being said, she was shy of admitting it, of course. Subsequently, she flung the orange


    peels at the man, saying, "Why would I care about you? I''m only in a bad mood because my car got


    crashed into! What nonsense are you talking about?!" Overwhelmed by embarrassment, she got up


    and left the room.


    Joaquin wasn''t at all displeased at having orange peels thrown at him. Instead, he lowered his eyes


    and chuckled, his shoulders heaving up and down.


    Noah, who''d been looking on from the sidelines, blinked her big, ck eyes. She ate the orange while


    giving her father a thumbs-up, saying, "You''re so amazing, Daddy! This is the first time I''ve seen Mom


    being jealous!"


    Upon hearing her words, Joaquinughed even more heartily.


    Katherine also never expected she would actually be jealous one day. However, herdylike shyness


    was soon cut short by a phone call from Kelvin, who said to her, "Miss Katherine, the Morans have


    started to sell off their shares, funds, and several real estate properties."


    Katherine wasn''t surprised to hear this. She ordered him, "Try to buy them up at the lowest price."


    Kelvin replied, "Roger that, Miss Katherine. As for thosemercial partners¡ª"


    Knowing what he wanted to ask, Katherine instructed right away, "It''s time to hold out an olive branch


    to them. Since the Morans are meeting their doom, they have to know the reason for their demise."


    Kelvin took the orders and went ahead to carry them out.


    ¡­


    It was another brightly lit night at the Moran Residence in Kynd.


    Thanks to the drastic turn of events, Xander became gravely ill and was confined to bed, leaving


    Mason to support the whole Moran Family alone.


    Despite racking his brain the entire night, Mason couldn''t figure out how things hade to such a


    point. All of this had happened so fast. In just a few days, the Moran Corporation had gone from


    flourishing at its height to being reduced to a declining enterprise forced to sell off its assets!


    As the saying went, a wealthy family would still be richer than a poor family even if it were to be


    less rich than before. This time, however, the losses suffered by the Moran Corporation were so huge


    that the Morans were stripped of almost all of their fortune, and it was still unknown whether the


    remaining bit of their wealth would be sufficient to get thepany through this.


    That night, he repeatedly contacted the three other noble families in an attempt to ask them to lend the


    Morans a helping hand, but he got not a single response from them. Snobbery wasmon in human


    nature, but it wasn''t until it was his turn to fall victim to it that it finally struck a chill in his heart.


    In the early morning, William finally returned home.


    Mason had been sitting in the living room all night. Upon hearing the noise, he looked back and was


    instantly infuriated by the sight of William.


    An ashtray was hurled to the ground before it broke into pieces with a loud Crash! Right after that,


    Mason''s sonorous voice roared angrily, "You b*stard! I thought you wouldn''te back again! Look at


    the trouble you''ve caused!"


    William had only heard of what had happened to the Moran Corporation in the hospital, which was why


    he hurried home in the early morning. At this moment, he frowned with a look of displeasure. "Calm


    down first, Dad. What happened? Why are so many projects forcibly halted all of a sudden?"


    "How dare you ask about this? I have to beat you to death today, you unfilial son!" Mason was boiling


    with rage. He turned around, picked up the leather belt he''d prepared, and charged at William,


    intending to give him a good whipping.


    Hearing themotion, Melise quickly came out and stopped him. "You can''t beat him! He''s our son!


    He''s just recovered. What if he gets badly injured again?"


    Seeing how she stood in front of William to protect him as tears streamed down her face, Mason


    gnashed his teeth in anger. "This is no time for you to keep spoiling him!"


    Melise wept and sobbed while refusing to step aside. "Can''t you talk nicely instead? Will the Moran


    Corporation get better if you beat up our son?"


    William held her and asked, "Stop crying, Mom. What actually happened? Why am I the only one out of


    the loop?"


    Trembling all over with rage, Mason hurled the leather belt at him with all his might. "What else do you


    know other than to gamble?! It was all because of your gambling that you had the gall to make such a


    huge mistake as to misappropriate construction funds! That''s why our family is reduced to who we are


    today!" He had been in poor health over thest few days, so the yelling quickly became too much for


    him. cing one hand on the couch for support, he sat down and closed his eyes while propping up his


    forehead with his other hand.


    Worried about his health, Melise hurriedly poured him a ss of water and told William briefly what had


    happened over the past few days.


    However, instead of reflecting on his mistakes, William started thinking after listening to her story.


    "Everypany woulde across such troubles eventually, no? These projects have always been


    doing well. Why would they be found out to be problematic all of a sudden?"

 Chapter 351

    Chapter 351


    Mason was breathing heavily, and he looked like he could eat someone alive. "What is it? You had an


    issue, yet you''re ming others for running checks on you, huh?"


    William didn''t seem too bothered by his father''sment and simply changed the topic. "Don''t you find


    it odd, Dad? Why have we been so unlucky recently? They found issues in the past two or three


    projects that they checked. Specifically, the projects at Jade Lake and the holiday resort on the


    outskirts of Northside were both projects that I handled well. It got past all the inspections, and all that


    had been left was the final eptance check. Why would they dig these projects up for reinspection?"


    Mason frowned upon hearing William''s words. "Are you saying that someone''s messing with us?"


    Mason was immediately distracted by this thought. He had considered this possibility in the past, but


    everything had happened so quickly, and he had too much on his te. He was too exhausted even to


    contemte this matter.


    "That''s right," William uttered firmly. "This whole thing is too fishy, and it''s all happening at the same


    time. I''m sure someone is messing with us. We have to find the culprit behind this, or we''ll be dead


    meat!" he eximed.


    Mason clenched his jaw as his expression turned grim. "Well, what good would it do for us to know


    who''s responsible for this? That doesn''t help us to resolve our current situation!"


    William didn''t seem to have fullyprehended the severity of the matter. "You never know! After all,


    the Morans are one of the most powerful families in Kynd. Who would dare mess with us? This


    person is probably hiding because they are afraid our family will try to get revenge. If we manage to


    hunt this person down, we can teach them a lesson and bring our family out of the troughs. I think this


    n would work," he uttered with a scoff.


    "It''s not that simple!" Mason growled. Right then, his phone rang. It was a call from his assistant. He felt


    his head pounding at the sight of the call, and the corner of his eyebrow twitched a little before he


    picked the call up. "What is it this time?"


    The assistant sounded more flustered than before. "We just got the news, Mr. Mason. The partners


    who ended their contracts with us have just officially started a partnership with W Co.!"


    Mason froze upon hearing his assistant''s words. He lowered his hand, which he had pressed against


    his forehead. "What did you just say?" The look on his face had turned sour. His assistant had no


    choice but to repeat himself. After hearing his assistant''s words the second time, Mason leaped to his


    feet before he mmed his phone onto the ground. The phone shattered into pieces.


    Melise was shocked by Mason''s sudden change in demeanor, and she was too stunned to do anything


    for a while. "What is it, Dad?" William widened his eyes. "You were right. Katherine must be the one


    who''s messing with the Moran Family this time!" Mason uttered through gritted teeth.


    William was stunned to hear what his father had said. "Was she the one who did this? How could this


    be? How did she manage to¡ª"


    "Have you forgotten about the fact that she''s the CEO of W Co.? Of course, she can manage to do


    this!" Mason''s face had an eerily grim look on it¡ªit felt almost as if he was about to summon a storm.


    William came to a sudden realization then. "That exins it! She was the one who ruined Project Matix!


    Now, she''s using the same tactics again. She''s trying to ruin the Moran Family!"


    "That b*tch!" Melise finally understood what was going on. "We haven''t even dealt with her after what


    happened previously. How dare she sabotage us again?!" she cried furiously.


    Mason clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles began to crack. This b*tch! She keeps trying to mess


    with the Moran Family. I''m not going to allow her to ruin us! That being said, I guess karma is real.


    We''ve been engaging in these immoral acts for so long, and now, we''ll have to pay for it. Mason


    reached out to all of the local and international connections he had, but even after a full day of work, he


    didn''t manage to get a single thing done.


    Furthermore, the bad news kept knocking on the Moran Corporation''s door. Firstly, a fewpanies


    came over to have their debts settled, and somepanies requested penalty fees for breaching their


    contracts. Then, Mason received the news of thepany''s shareholders withdrawing their


    investments and the higher-ups leaving for anotherpany. Even low-level workers started quitting


    their jobs. Some workers packed up and left without even asking for their final month''s sry!


    Moran Corporation had once been grand and reputable, but one day was all it took for the entire


    building to be emptied! In the meantime, W Co. also made a grand announcement of them taking over


    the projects that had been terminated by Moran Corporation. W Co. offered topensate for all the


    losses just to solidify their rtionships with all their partners and to work better together in the future!


    W Co. had a good reputation, to begin with, but these actions only made them seem more trustworthy.


    The public cheered for their actions, and they sessfully portrayed the image of a respectable and


    admirable organization! W Co. managed to steady their business even though they had just shifted to


    target the local market.


    Throughout all this, W Co. also managed to announce its online operations. They highlighted that their


    business wouldmence in Hovington the very next day and that many famous entrepreneurs would


    be there for the opening ceremony! Mason''s face was drained of color when he saw the news. He lost


    all his energy, and he felt like a headless chicken that had been utterly defeated.


    Mason had just received another call from his assistant, and he found out that all of the liquid assets


    the Moran Family had were not worth much and that there weren''t a lot of buyers. The onlypany


    that was willing to purchase their assets offered a really low sum for it, and the sum was nothing in


    comparison to the penalties that thepany had to pay for breaching all the contracts! Furthermore,


    the assistant told Mason that the buyer hadn''t bothered to conceal their identity. The buyer was


    someone from W Co.!


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Joaquin was in a hospital in Hovington. He was peeling an apple for Noah while they


    chatted, "Aren''t you afraid that Mason might not sell it?"


    Katherine was sitting by the side of the room, munching on a pear with a rxed look on her face.


    "Don''t worry. I''m sure he''ll buy it," she uttered firmly.


    "How are you so sure?" Joaquin smiled.


    Crunch! Katherine''s pear was extremely crunchy, and its juice sttered all over her cheeks. She


    swallowed her bite before responding in a wise tone, "Well, I revealed my identity to put more pressure


    on Mason. It''s my way of telling him that I will be the sole buyer of his assets and that no one else will


    have the guts to buy them from him. If he doesn''t sell it to me, he''ll never get to sell it to anyone, and


    he''ll never get the money he needs.


    "The penalty fees have a daily interest, and the longer he takes to pay up, the more he''ll have to pay.


    Do you think he''d be dumb enough to continue resisting me? He''s not an idiot. He knows he''s forced to


    sell his assets to me, even if he doesn''t want to do it. He doesn''t have a say anymore."


    Joaquin found some admiration for the woman when he saw the twinkle in her narrowed gaze. He


    pressed his tongue against the ceiling of his mouth for a while before he spoke, "You offered a lower


    price because you didn''t want to benefit the Morans, but aside from that, you''re also trying to make


    them go bankrupt, right? You know that the sum of money you''re offering will not be enough for them to


    pay their penalties. You''re still exerting pressure on the Moran Family because you want Mason to


    completely give up on the corporation."C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Katherine didn''t deny his ims. Instead, she threw the leftovers of her pear into the trash before she


    took a wet wipe from Joaquin to clean her hands. "Well, I''ve never enjoyed driving others into a corner,


    but I feel the need to do it with Moran Corporation. I guess I''m avenging my grandmother."

 Chapter 352

    Chapter 352


    That night, the final blow was delivered to the Moran Family''s doorstep. Carmine''s people hade


    looking for them. Bang! Bang! Bang! The Morans were already down in the dumps, and Melise stormed


    over to the front door when she heard someone knocking. A few burly men invited themselves into the


    house after she opened the door.


    She was shocked. "Who are you guys? How dare you just barge in like that! Get out!" she cried.


    However, the few men simply ignored her and headed directly to the living room. Both Mason and


    William turned and got to their feet when they heard the noise. William felt chills running down his spine


    when he saw their visitors. His insides began to tremble with fear.


    Mason, on the other hand, hadn''t realized anything about his son''s strange behavior. "Who exactly are


    you guys? Who permitted you toe in? Get out! I''m going to call the cops otherwise!" he shouted


    while ring at the people. The few men startedughing after that.


    The leader of the group tilted his chin up with a nonchnt expression on his face. "I think your son


    knows who we are. Don''t you?" The man nced at William. One of his people added to his words,


    "That''s right. And for your information, we didn''t barge in. We''re legally allowed here! You can call the


    police if you want. The police will only speed up the procedure of things!"


    Mason had no idea what was going on, but he had an uneasy feeling as he turned to look at William.


    "What do they mean?" William''s gaze darted all over the ce, and his shaky voice revealed how


    uneasy he was. "I-I don''t know. I don''t know them¡­"


    The leaderughed before exposing William. "That''s not right of you, William. We shared the same


    table just a few days ago. How could you have forgotten us already?"


    William flinched. "I¡­"


    Mason seemed to figure out what was going on then. That b*stard of a child must have gone gambling!


    He must have caused more trouble there! Mason immediately turned to re at William. "What have


    you done this time?! Tell me!" he growled while stomping his feet. William didn''t have the guts to


    exin himself, so he simply lowered his gaze to the floor. His muscles were tense, and he felt like his


    heart was at his throat.


    However, the visitors had no reason to keep William''s deeds a secret. The leader of the group licked


    the inside of his cheek before smirking. "Calm down, Mr. Moran. It''s no big deal. The few of us are just


    here to im the house."


    Both Mason and Melise felt their world spinning upon hearing the man''s words. They were utterly


    confused. "im the house? What house?" Mason asked.


    The visitor raised an eyebrow as he looked at his surroundings. "This house, of course. Why else


    would we be here?"


    Mason felt as if he had been struck by lightning at that moment. He felt light-headed as he fixed his


    re on the man. "What¡­ What did you just say?" Melise was just as shocked. "What nonsense are


    you saying?!" she shouted in a high-pitched tone. "This house was left for us by our ancestors. You can


    never take it away! Hurry up and leave! Or I''ll call the police and sue you guys for trespassing and


    making false ims!"


    The visitor scoffed¡ªhe didn''t seem the least bit threatened by them. Instead, he pulled his phone out


    and handed it to Melise. "Here. Call the police. Do whatever you want." She was stunned to see how


    calm the other man was, and she no longer knew whether to take the phone from his hand. The man


    held his phone up for another ten seconds. Eventually, he tutted at herck of action. "I can make the


    report if you guys don''t want to do it. But are you guys sure about this? You guys will have to leave the


    property once the police arrive," he uttered. Then, he unlocked his phone as if to make a call.


    Mason panicked as he had no idea what was going on. "Wait!" His instincts told him to stop the man.


    "What is it? Have you changed your mind?" the visitor asked.


    Mason was clenching his jaw so hard that he felt like his teeth were about to shatter. "How could you


    guys take the house away just like that? All the property documents are in my hands. William has no


    right to wager this piece of property! His words cannot be taken even if he promised you guys


    anything!" he uttered in a hoarse voice.


    The man scoffed when he saw how desperate Mason was. "Give it to me," he said to one of the men


    behind him while holding his hand out. Soon enough, the man handed a document file to his leader.


    Mason panicked when he saw the documents. The visitor pulled out two sheets of papers from the file,


    one of them being a property transfer agreement, and the other being¡­ the real estate license for their


    house!


    Mason felt as if he had been struck by lightning once more. "H-How did you get these?" He was utterly


    shocked. The visitor let out azy smirk. "How do you think I got them? William was the one who


    handed this license to me. I''ve already processed the property transfer agreement and went through


    the transfer procedures beforeing over. You guys don''t need to do anything else. You Morans are


    no longer the legal owner of this house," the visitor announced.


    Melise felt as if she had forgotten how to breathe for a moment. Her legs turned into jelly as she


    copsed onto the ground. "How did this happen¡­" Mason''s face turned pale as he mumbled to


    himself through his trembling lips.


    William, on the other hand, was silent the whole time. He hid in the shadows with a grim look on his


    face. He hadn''t expected these men to be so efficient ¡ªthey hadn''t even given him any time to turn


    things around! The visitor looked at the three people''s faces before he spread his lips into a smirk of


    satisfaction.


    "Well, it''s just a house. You guys have a huge business, and I''m sure you guys have the money. You all


    can move out after losing this house. I''m sure wealthy families like you have other pieces of property


    elsewhere. We are understanding individuals, and we wouldn''t mind allowing you guys to stay here for


    one more day. You can start packing up now. We''lle over to collect the house tomorrow. If you


    guys aren''t gone by sunrise, I''ll have to call the police to take you guys away, Mr. Moran."


    With that said, the visitor chucked the transfer agreement onto the coffee table before he led his men


    out. The hall waspletely silent after that. Mason''s vision turned ck for a moment, and he felt like


    he was about to faint. He had to clutch onto the couch to steady himself. All of a sudden, he let out a


    hystericalugh before jabbing his finger at William''s chest. "You b*stard! Are you trying to ruin our


    whole family?!"


    Mason was screaming when Melise''s shrill voice interrupted him. "It''s her! I can''t believe it''s her!" She


    picked up the transfer agreement to see the signatures at the bottom of the page. One of them was


    William''s signature, while the other was¡­ Katherine''s signature! "It''s Katherine! She''s the one who sent


    them over!" Both Mason and William froze upon hearing this.


    William couldn''t believe his ears for a moment. Katherine''s the one who nned this all out?! Mason


    stood still for a long while before he copsed to the ground. He looked utterly defeated. "It''s her¡­ I


    can''t believe it''s her¡­"


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Katherine had just brought Noah for her full-body checkup when she saw Carmine had


    come over to visit her. "Everything has been settled, Miss Cornell. The Morans will move out of their


    housetest by tomorrow. They''ve been thoroughly defeated this time. If they don''t im bankruptcy,


    they''ll be in debt for a long, long time. They won''t be able to crawl back up anytime soon," Carmine


    announced.


    Katherine beamed at the sound of this.

 Chapter 353

    Chapter 353


    The following day at 9.00AM, Katherine and Joaquin showed up at the W Co. entrance. Many people


    had gathered at that time and were crammed together at the door like herrings in a barrel. Most were


    media reporters withrge video cameras and a small group of prominent businessmen from Hovington


    and other countries who were influential businesspeople.


    Some familiar faces who attended the event were Corey Gray, Jayden Hall, and David tt, who had


    also rushed from Kynd.


    Corey offered them a polite smile. "Congrattions."


    On the other hand, David couldn''t help teasing Katherine, "Do you even consider us your friends,


    Kathy? How could you not let us know about such important news? Do you know what people are


    saying about you now?"


    She raised her brow and smirked, "What are they saying?"


    Then, he responded, "They describe you as a rare business genius and a powerful woman who is


    simply unheard of and unseen!"


    However, she didn''t take his words seriously. "There''s nothing unexpected about that. There are so


    many young talents out there in the business world. It''s nothing new to be a woman."


    Corey raised his brows andmented, "It''s not new, but someone as powerful as you are rare."


    While the threeughed and chatted, Jayden''s gaze stayed on Katherine''s bright face.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin noticed it and silently moved sideways, blocking Jayden''s line of sight.


    Suddenly, Jayden furrowed his brows and shifted his gaze to meet Joaquin''s half-smile.


    "Long time no see, Mr. Hall. Thanks foring all the way to attend my wife''s ribbon-cutting


    ceremony."


    Jayden''s thin lips pursed slightly before he responded with a low voice, "Kathy is my friend. It is only


    right that Ie and support her."


    Then, Joaquin''s sharp brows twitched as he offered him a polite smile. "Yes, you are her friend."


    Those words irritated Jayden, but Katherine failed to notice the spark between the two men. Realizing it


    was almost time for the ceremony, she tugged on Joaquin''s shirt hem and urged, "Let''s go."


    So, he turned around to look at her with tenderness in his eyes. "Sure."


    After the couple bid goodbye to Corey and the rest, they headed toward the entrance.


    As Jayden watched them fade away in the distance, his eyes became gloomy, and his expression


    belied a deeper meaning. Corey and David observed the change in his eyes but could do nothing to


    help him. They were both aware that rtionships could be challenging andplex.


    On the other hand, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was a sess. As president of W Co., Katherine gave


    a brief speech. She was glowing when she took the stage, and her presence captivated the audience.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin''s face was permanently gleaming with pride for his wife''s aplishments.


    Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Owen prepared a grand banquet in the main hall on the first


    floor of the building.


    As the host, Katherine had to exchange customary greetings with the guests. When she saw Josiah,


    the calmness in her orbs became unsteady. "I didn''t expect you to rush over from Kynd, Mr. Grant. It


    is my honor to have you here."


    Soon, his stiff expression softened into a smile as he expressed his genuine happiness for her. He


    said, "Don''t mention it. If I were on the other side, I would make the trip to this event." His gaze lingered


    on her face for a while as he could not contain his excitement. However, some words became lodged in


    his throat as he deliberated whether or not to speak them. At some point, Josiah couldn''t hold it in any


    longer, and in a raspy voice, he uttered, "If your mother saw you from heaven, she would definitely be


    proud of you."


    Katherine was taken aback by his statement, parted her lips slightly, and stared at him with clear eyes.


    Perhaps, he could not withstand her stare; Josiah quickly added, "You must be busy greeting the other


    guests. I shall take my leave now." Following that, he looked at Joaquin with a meaningful gaze,


    nodded, and left.


    She was frozen in silence for a moment before unconsciously turning her head to watch as Josiah''s tall


    and broad figure exited the hall. Soon, a hint ofplexity shed across her crystal-clear eyes.


    Seeing her, Joaquin reached out to pinch her fingers lightly and urged with a tender smile. "Let''s go."


    Then, she withdrew her gaze and nodded with her usual expression.


    The banquet went off without a hitch, but about halfway through, Owen came over and reported to


    Katherine in hushed tones, "Miss Katherine, Mason Moran is here."


    When she heard that, her brows raised slightly, and a spark flickered in her beautiful eyes. "Is that so?


    Where is he?"


    "I worry he might cause a fuss, so I didn''t let him in. He''s currently at the entrance of the building and


    insists on seeing you."


    She smiled and said, "How can we be rude to guests? Bring him to the guest lounge. I''lle over in a


    bit."


    "Sure." Owen did as told.


    After half an hour had passed, and as the banquet came to an end, guests began to leave one by one.


    Within half an hour of the media publicizing Katherine''s new business, a group of people approached


    her to propose coborations with her.


    However, she did not bother to entertain them, so she asked Joaquin to send the guests off and


    dismissed those who requested coboration. Then, she spared some time to meet Mason in the guest


    lounge.


    Mason had waited for her for what seemed like an eternity. By the time she walked into the lounge, his


    head was hung low in humiliation. "Miss Cornell, I''m sorry I offended you in the past because I was too


    naive. Please have mercy on our family. I beg you!"


    Even in desperation, he was direct and did not beat around the bush. Despite being a middle-aged


    man, his current bitter expression made him look older than he was.


    On the other hand, Katherine raised her brow and judged Mason. He seems to have endured so much


    torture over the past few days. Now that I''ve set the ball rolling, I will not let him go so quickly. "What


    are you talking about, Mr. Moran?" She smiled like a docile cat, but the words she spat were ruthless.


    "Don''t beg me for mercy. When you did that to my grandma in the past, you never considered letting


    her go."


    Suddenly, hisrge frame began to tremble, and he began to resemble an elderly man.


    With a horrified expression, Mason exined, "My family was to me for that incident, but that is in


    the past. Why should we let the grievances of the previous generation affect us? Even if you refuse to


    admit it, your grandma is rted to the Moran Family. Moreover, you are also an inseparable existence


    to us. Therefore, I promise that from now on, no one in our family will try to provoke you. Please forgive


    us for our past mistakes!"


    "Hah!" Katherine snickered. Her pretty eyes curved into beautiful crescent shapes. "You''re an expert at


    ming your ancestors, huh? If they heard what you said, wouldn''t they emerge from their graves to


    see you in the middle of the night?"


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    When he heard that, a chill ran down his spine, and he froze. "This¡ª"


    Then, she sat leisurely on the couch, but her tone was stern when she finally spoke again. "Besides,


    did you forget how loud you were when you made a scene at my grandma''s funeral hall back then?"

 Chapter 354

    Chapter 354


    After the Morans had been defeated, Mason sought out Katherine to beg for mercy. Did he actually


    treat her as if she were a fool?


    Feeling a burning sensation on his face, he was embarrassed. Then, he clenched his teeth and


    endured the humiliation, pleading, "Miss Cornell, I was ignorant back then. Please spare my family! I


    swear that as long as you have mercy on us, I will do anything for you!"


    "Ignorant?" As if hearing some kind of joke, Katherine snickered out loud. "The word ''ignorant'' is


    usually used to describe youngsters. You''re not young anymore. Aren''t your actions inappropriate for


    your age? If you want to call someone ignorant, your good-for-nothing son is the perfect example. How


    do you feel being messed up by your own son? Is it fun?"


    After hearing her remarks, Mason was taken aback, and his face turned green briefly out of anger and


    embarrassment. Is she aware of how much resentment and reluctance I must muster to travel to


    Hovington and beg her forgiveness? In addition to the Moran Corporation''s bankruptcy and the Moran


    family''s destruction, my entire family was evicted from the Moran Residence this morning by this


    b*tch''s subordinate! There''s no way I''d beg for her forgiveness if I had somewhere to go.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Looking at his livid expression, Katherine naturally knew that he was not reconciled. He wasn''t sincere


    when he came to beg for mercy. Hence, the sarcasm in her tone grew even more intense the more she


    spoke.


    "You said you''d do anything for me, huh? Forget it. I have so many people working for me now that I


    need no ungrateful brat. Even if therees a day when I need manpower, I will recruit someone


    obedient. Moreover, your family is nothing more than a gang of thieves. If I had you people working for


    me, I''d have to worry that you''d betray me one day. I''m not that dumb."


    Following that, she got up from the couch. Despite being shorter than Mason, she looked at him with a


    dominant and oppressive gaze.


    "Mason Moran, what goes aroundes around. I''ve long been aware of the grudges between


    grandma and the Morans. I wasn''t nning to do anything at first, but since you keep stirring up


    trouble, I should shut you up once and for all. From now on, the Morans no longer have a foothold in


    Kynd. Go home and think about how to spend the rest of your life."


    After hearing that, he trembled even more violently, and his face quickly became ashen.


    After standing strong in Kynd for years, the Morans had made countless enemies. However, due to


    their powerful influence back then, no one dared to provoke them. Soon, things went from bad to


    worse, and the Morans were left destitute. Everyone wouldpete to be the cherry on top, and it


    would be inevitable that they encounter people who were ready to add insult to their injury.


    Nheless, those who used to dislike or have animosity toward the Morans would no longer sit


    quietly!


    "Kath¡ª" Mason was about to say something when his phone abruptly rang.


    "Honey! Honey,e home now! Our son¡­ he¡ª" Melise''s cry could be heard on the other end of the


    line.


    Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat as he asked in a hurry, "What''s wrong with William?"


    "S-Someone broke his leg! Honey,e home and take a look at him. Sob!"


    Melise''s sobs were so loud that even Katherine, standing far away, could hear them.


    Katherine furrowed her brows, and without exhibiting the slightestpassion, she exited the lounge


    aftermenting, "Good luck with that."


    Mason stood behind her, tightly gripping his phone as he watched her leave. As she walked away, two


    balls of fire appeared in his eyes, and he could no longer suppress his rage and resentment. B*tch!


    Everything happens because of you! You have caused the destruction of my family! There is no way


    that I am letting you go without a fight! No way!


    After Katherine left the guest lounge, she intended to look for Joaquin and head back to the hospital


    together. However, she heard hurried footsteps behind her. Without much thought, she assumed it was


    a staff member and nned to step aside. That was when she noticed a glimpse of a cold, silver light


    shing from the corner of her eyes.


    Instantaneously, her eyes widened as she quickly sidestepped to the left, but beside her was the


    staircase''s handrail. However, she couldn''t duck out of the way of the gleaming metal because of the


    barrier. Her brow furrowed indistinctly, and she hooked her slender arm over the handrail like a vine


    without the slightest hint of panic. Her body was extremely flexible, allowing her to lean back against


    the handrail until half of her body was suspended in midair. Eventually, she could evade the knife as it


    slid past her cheek. The following instant, she swiftly kicked the weapon out of Mason''s hand.


    Following a crisp sound, the knife fell to the ground. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he pounced on


    her like a madman.


    Katherine was quick to notice, and the corners of her lips curled into a smirk. As she was about to fight


    back, a familiar figure entered her line of sight. Soon, a gust of wind blew in her direction, and her wrist


    was mped. She was yanked forward without control. Then, a forcended on her waist, but before


    she could react, she was right beside Joaquin. At the same time, he lifted his long legs and kicked the


    man''s chest who was going to attack her.


    Bang!


    When she turned around, she saw Mason sprawled out on the ground, clutching his chest and wailing


    in pain.


    "What brings you here?" Ignoring Mason, she turned to look at Joaquin. She was met with his dark and


    cold eyes, which startled her. "You¡ª"


    He did not respond, instead sweeping his gaze across her face andnding on her ear. That tiny red


    mark that caught his eye immediately fueled his rage. "Did he hurt you?" His voice was hoarse and


    deep, carrying an unknown amount of anger that could easily make one tremble for no apparent


    reason.


    On the other hand, Katherine was not frightened, and after falling into a brief daze, she hesitantly


    touched her ear and uttered nonchntly, "Nah. It''s only a light scratch."


    Despite her reassurance, Joaquin pulled a long face, and his orbs were as gloomy as dark clouds as


    he repeated, "He hurt you." At that moment, his sentence was not a question but a statement.


    Simultaneously, Owen, who heard themotion, quickly brought the security guard to the scene. In


    addition, a group of men led by Jeremy also tagged along behind them.


    "I''m so sorry for my negligence, Miss Katherine!" Looking at the man moaning on the ground, Owen


    couldn''t help feeling the lingering fear surge in his heart.


    She finally regained her senses and suppressed the fear in her heart as she replied softly, "It''s okay.


    Take him out."


    Mason had turned into a mad dog, and any further interaction with him would be fruitless.


    However, Joaquinmanded, "Hand him over to Jeremy." These words were spewed with rage, and


    his every utterance was intimidating.


    In response to the order, Jeremy grabbed Mason and hauled him away. At that moment, Mason


    regained strength and began cursing like a maniac.


    "You b*tch! You won''t get away with this! I''m telling you, as long as I am alive, I will never let you go,


    w*nch!"


    These vile remarks were innocuous to Katherine, but the hostility in Joaquin''s eyes seemed to solidify


    into frost. Suddenly, he stepped forward and stomped on the hand Mason used to hold the knife earlier


    with his well-crafted Iberian leather shoes. His action quickly elicited an agonizing moan from Mason,


    followed by the sounds of his bones cracking. Soon, his shrilling voice nearly toppled the roof of the


    building.

 Chapter 355

    Chapter 355


    Ignoring the sounds, Joaquin looked down at the man wailing in agony and he smirked


    condescendingly. "You won''t let her go? Hah. Let''s see how you are going to do that." After saying that,


    he slowly removed his feet and looked at Jeremy. "Don''t make him dirty the W Co. floors. Drag him out


    and torture him alive." He said such merciless words calmly, causing everyone present to be terrified.


    Nevertheless, Jeremy understood themand and did as told.


    While being dragged away, Mason growled, "What are you doing to me?! Let me go!" He was initially


    enraged butter became terrified and begged for mercy. Even though he was dragged far away, his


    pleas resonated in their ears.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Katherine pursed her lips. Why would you do such a thing when you know the oue?


    After the fuss was over, Joaquin took her hand and left the scene. After the couple got into the car, he


    still radiated icy disdain. Then, he closed his eyes while seated in the driver''s seat. He couldn''t imagine


    what would happen if he had arrived a secondter. Even though he knew she was skilled in self-


    defense, he could not stop his heart from clenching up in agony at the thought.


    On the other hand, Katherine had fastened her seatbelt, but she noticed that Joaquin didn''t start the


    car, and his side profile seemed rigid and resolute. It was evident that he was still upset about the


    incident earlier.


    "Erm¡­" Recalling how serious his gaze was earlier when he noticed her injury, she blinked and


    exined softly, "I''m fine. It''s only a light scratch. Mason wouldn''t have been able to hurt me. Don''t be


    upset anymore, okay? He isn''t worthy of your anger."


    Hearing how serious she was atforting him, Joaquin batted hisshes and turned to look at her


    with a burning gaze. Parting his thin lips, he calmly said, "He isn''t worthy of my emotions, but you are."


    Taken aback by his statement, Katherine shuddered for no reason. Does this imply that he is not angry


    with Mason but concerned about me? With that thought, she could not look him in the eyes with her


    peach blossom eyes. Instead, she lowered her eyelids and replied with silence to avoid meeting his


    gaze.


    Seeing that, he couldn''t help but sigh softly in his heart. He didn''t want to drive her to a corner, so he


    softened his tone. "Does it hurt?" His usually cold voice was filled with tenderness, making his deep


    voice particrly pleasant.


    Suddenly, she felt a tingling sensation in her ears as if something had tickled her. After clearing her


    throat, she calmly shook her head. "No, it doesn''t. It''s only a thin cut."


    Joaquin''s gaze was fixed on the nearly invisible wound on Katherine''s ear, and he said nothing. Only


    then did he start the car and drive off.


    Shortly after the pair left, Jeremy dealt with Mason ording to his superior''s order in an alley two


    blocks away from W Co.


    Then, Jeremy stood up, took the handkerchief his subordinate handed him, and slowly wiped the blood


    stained on his hands. "Did you say you won''t let go of Katherine?" he snickered and tossed the


    handkerchief stained with blood to Mason before leaving with his men.


    Later, a figure suddenly appeared and slowly walked against the light of the alley entrance. The


    silhouette was wearing a pair of valuable handmade leather shoes and stopped in front of Mason.


    Afterward, a meaningful voice sounded, "Do you want the Morans to survive?"


    ¡­


    Half an hourter, Katherine and Joaquin returned to the hospital.


    She instantly felt something ominous when she pushed the door, and when they entered the ward, she


    froze. Keith was lying unconsciously on the floor while the hospital bed was empty!


    All of a sudden, Joaquin''s expression turned stern. He first checked the bathroom while Katherine


    checked on her brother. Shaking him, she cried, "Wake up, Keith!" Even after several attempts to shake


    him awake, he showed no signs of regaining consciousness.


    When Joaquin returned from the bathroom, his face had turned frosty. "Noah isn''t inside."


    Killing intent painted across her exquisite features. So, she scanned the ward with a knife-like gaze


    before letting it settle on the ss of water on the coffee table. Only half of the water was left in the


    ss. When Katherine smelled it, she couldn''t sense anything out of the ordinary, so she took a sip.


    Joaquin frowned and was about to stop her when she spat the water out and eximed, "The water


    was drugged!"


    The drug was odorless and tasteless, so most ordinary people would not be able to detect it. However,


    she was knowledgeable about medicines and had excellent senses of smell and taste. As a result, she


    could pick up the subtle vor in the water.


    Immediately, she came to a conclusion. "Noah was taken away!"


    Instantly, his face turned ice cold, and he gave off an intimidating aura as he pulled out his phone. He


    called Jeremy and ordered, "Find out whoever entered Noah''s ward today!"


    With a sullen face, she took out a silver needle and pierced several acupuncture points on Keith''s body.


    After a while, he sat up as if awakened from a dream.


    "Kathy! Joaquin!" He was a little dazed at first, but after a while, he realized what had happened. With


    an anxious expression, he eximed, "Noah was kidnapped!"


    Katherine stared at him. "Tell me everything that happened."


    After licking the corner of his lips, he recalled the incident earlier. "After you guys left in the morning, I


    had breakfast with Noah and brought her for her routine checkup. The results were positive, so we


    came back after a while. Later, I suddenly felt dizzy and drowsy. It was then that I realized I had been


    drugged, but the drug was so strong that I passed out before I could do anything. Before my mind


    totally cked out, I noticed someoneing in. I reckon that they covered Noah''s mouth and took her


    away. My consciousness was too weak at the time, so I wasn''t able to stop them¡ª"


    Following that, he ruffled his hair in annoyance and apologized guiltily, "It''s all my fault, Kathy. It''s all my


    fault for not protecting Noah well¡ª"


    "There is no point in saying that now. Our priority is to find Noah." Katherine didn''t me him but


    asked, "Have you seen that person clearly?"


    Keith tried his best to recall but shook his head eventually. "My mind was hazy, and I couldn''t see


    anything clearly earlier. I didn''t even know whether that person was a man or a woman¡ª"


    As he spoke, he seemed to have remembered something and suddenly raised his voice. "That person


    seemed to be wearing a white coat at that time! So, it must''ve been a doctor here!"


    Hearing that, Katherine denied it with a gloomy face. "That might not be true. They could be an internal


    doctor, but they could also be an outsider who deliberately pretended to be a doctor to confuse the


    public and ease the mission."


    "What should we do, then?" Keith inquired anxiously.


    Clenching his teeth, Joaquin uttered in a low voice, "Let''s check the surveince camera first."


    Soon, Matthew was rmed by the incident and was sweating profusely from nervousness as he made


    his way to the control room. Katherine was a superior guest! Now that her daughter was taken from the


    hospital, wouldn''t he be doomed?!

 Chapter 356

    Chapter 356


    "Don''t worry, Miss Cornell. We have surveince cameras here. We will certainly find the culprit!" When


    Matthew met Katherine, he quickly reassured her.


    The three people in the room exuded a domineering aura, particrly her and Joaquin. After Matthew


    tried to console her, he could not help but gulp nervously, and beads of sweat quickly formed on his


    forehead. However, no one paid attention to him as the trio stared at the screen so intently that their


    sharp gaze almost poked a hole in it.


    After a while, Keith pointed to a figure on the screen and eximed, "It''s him!"


    Matthew felt his heart skip a beat as he looked over quickly. Immediately, he eximed in shock, "He


    isn''t one of our doctors!"


    Katherine looked at the man carrying Noah in the freeze-frame intensely. Subconsciously, she


    tightened her fists. Then, she quickly took a photo of that person and sent it to Carmine before calling


    thetter. "Check all the surveince cameras on the road to see where this person headed after


    leaving the hospital."


    After hanging up the phone, she turned to look at Matthew with an icy cold gaze. "Mr. Murray, is your


    hospital a market where anyone cane and go casually? Does your hospital allow anyone to dress


    up as a doctor and kidnap patients? Is this how you manage your hospital?" Her tone was calm and


    emotionless, but when Matthew heard it, his knees went weak, and he started shaking.


    "I-I¡­ didn''t imagine something like this would happen. I¡ª"


    The corners of Katherine''s lips hooked upward as she spoke in a cold voice. "A tragedy had happened


    because you did not anticipate it." After saying that, she walked past him in hurried footsteps.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin stepped back for a moment, staring at Matthew with dark eyes as if he were


    looking at a dead person. "If something happens to my daughter, the hospital will cease operations!"


    Matthew was so terrified that he felt something lodged in his throat, making it impossible for him to


    speak.


    ¡­


    When Katherine returned to the ward, she looked at Noah''s bed with a tense body.


    Joaquin quickly caught up with her. Watching her cold side profile, he pursed his thin lips and took her


    hand in his before gently prying open her tightly clenched fingers. "Does it hurt?" Seeing the nail prints


    on her flushed palms, he knitted his brows. "Why are your hands so cold?"


    However, Katherine remained silent, and her expression was nk. She didn''t realize that her


    fingertips had pierced her palm, and she also failed to notice that she seemed to be falling into an ice


    cave that made her shiver. In her head, she had only one thought, Noah had disappeared. Her


    daughter was kidnapped.


    In the past, she never felt the slightest hint of panic, even when she discovered Noah''s condition.


    However, she could feel that her nervousness would be easily triggeredtely.


    Although she tried her best to stay calm, her mind went nk when she learned that her daughter had


    disappeared. She felt as if a part of her heart had been gouged out. When Katherine considered the


    possible whereabouts of Noah and what her daughter might be going through, she felt as though she


    were being cooked alive in hot oil.


    Standing next to her, Joaquin noticed her stiff expression and read her mind. His eyes darkened as he


    pulled her into a reassuring hug. "Don''t worry. Noah will be fine. I have already sent Jeremy to look for


    her. We''ll find out her whereabouts soon." That statement was not to reassure her but also tofort


    himself.


    Then, he rested his chin on the top of her soft hair. His eyes were as dark as a storm; his angr


    features were sharp, and the lines of his face were chiseled. His whole existence was a daunting


    presence.


    Unexpectedly, he was right about receiving news of Noah''s whereabouts.


    However, the news was not delivered by Carmine or Jeremy but by the perpetrators who contacted


    them.


    The wait became too long for Katherine, and Joaquin''s phone abruptly rang as she was about to go out


    to look for her daughter. So, she turned back to find him staring at the phone screen with furrowed


    brows.


    It was a call from Elizabeth Levisay. "Joe,e home for lunch today with Kathy." Those words


    sounded more like an order than an invitation.


    Hearing that, he coldly rejected her, "No, thanks."


    Following that, he was about to hang up when Elizabeth''s words made him think twice. "What are you


    saying? Are you going to leave Noah alone here? She''s been waiting for you."


    The green veins on the back of Joaquin''s hands were suddenly visible, and he almost crushed the


    phone with his bare hands.


    "Were you the one who kidnapped Noah?" Though it sounded like a question, his tone was firm.


    Nheless, Katherine listened to the conversation with a look of despair in her eyes.


    On the other end of the line, Elizabeth chuckled. Her old and raspy voice carried a hint of treachery.


    "How could you call that kidnapping? She''s my great-granddaughter. I merely invited her over to our


    house so that I could get to know her. What''s wrong with that?" After saying that, she added, "I''m


    waiting for you," before hanging up.


    Joaquin''s face turned horrified when the phone call was disconnected, and hostility red in his eyes.


    He closed his eyes to contain the raging storm brewing inside of him, and when he opened them again,


    he did his best to stifle the impending rage. "Sorry, Kathy. It was the Levisays who kidnapped Noah."


    Katherine didn''t utter a word, but her expression was stern.


    At that moment, her phone rang. As soon as the call was connected, Carmine''s eager voice sounded.


    "Miss Cornell, it''s the Levisays! It''s the Levisays who sent someone to take Miss Noah away!"


    Katherine''s crisp voice seemed to be dusted in the sand as she replied hoarsely, "I know."


    "One more thing! Levisay Group released an article about working with W Co.!"


    Hearing that, Katherine bit her red lips and sneered. They''ve been nning this all along!


    Soon, the couple rushed to the Levisay Manor.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    On the way, Joaquin clutched the steering wheel tightly as the veins on his forehead throbbed. "Don''t


    worry, Kathy. The Levisays don''t have the guts to hurt Noah."


    Katherine''s expression remained icy cold as she spoke. "I know." They kidnapped Noah to use her as a


    bargaining chip to force me into epting the cooperation. Hah. What a cunning family. I can''t believe


    they''re using Noah as bait!


    Fifteen minutester, Joaquin drifted and parked his car in front of the Levisay Manor.


    Mrs. Jaco opened the door for them and snorted, "Oh! Mr. Levisay and Mrs. Levisay came to visit,


    huh? Old Madam and Madam Levisay have been anticipating your arrival."


    Without sparing her a nce, Katherine strode into the house.


    Mrs. Jaco withdrew her smile as she watched the couple disappear into the distance. With a cold


    expression, she mused, Pfft, they think too highly of themselves! Why would they treat an illegitimate


    child like a precious jewel? If she wasn''t worthy of use, the Levisays wouldn''t have even bothered to


    bring her back! Her presence is merely a disgrace to the family!

 Chapter 357

    Chapter 357


    Katherine walked into the living room, ignoring the individuals on the couch. She nced around the


    living area but couldn''t find Noah. As a result, her face grew pale and she inquired harshly, "Where is


    my daughter?"


    At that moment, Elizabeth and Hera were sipping tea and they nced at her.


    Elizabeth was upset with Katherine''s demeanor. On the other hand, Hera looked at Elizabeth calmly


    before turning to look at Katherine as she slowly smiled.


    "There you are, Joaquin and Katherine. Please take a seat. Dinner will be ready soon. We haven''t


    eaten as a family in a long time."


    Hera tried to avoid answering the question by not mentioning Noah.


    As a result, Joaquin grimaced and asked in a thunderous tone, "Where did you lock Noah up?"


    Elizabeth couldn''t handle their bad attitude any longer. She banged the teacup on the coffee table and


    eximed, "Is this how you interact with your elders? Your mother is nice to you and yet, you didn''t


    even acknowledge her! You questioned her without any courtesy!"


    She acted like a bad cop while Hera yed the good cop.


    "It''s fine, Mom. They''re only concerned about the child. I''m all right. Besides, Joaquin usually speaks in


    this manner. I know he doesn''t mean it."


    Then, like a wolf in sheep''s clothing, she smiled at the two.


    "Don''t worry. Noah is your child, and we regard her as such. She''s doing fine. You don''t have to worry


    about her because the maids are watching over her."


    Are the maids watching over her? Bah! Her bodyguards are keeping an eye on her! Hera had her


    imprisoned!


    Katherine''s eyes gleamed as the thought passed through her mind and she lost her patience to deal


    with Hera''s performance. As a result, her tone got more irritated as she questioned, "Are you not going


    to tell me?"


    If that''s the case, I''ll find Noah myself!


    Then, she turned around and began walking toward the stairs.


    Hera scowled silently and turned to wink at Mrs. Jaco. Having picked up on the hint, Mrs. Jaco rushed


    forward with her back to the stairs and obstructed Katherine.


    "Please, Mrs. Levisay. You should not go up without first greeting Old Madam and Madam Levisay.


    Madam Levisay also stated that the maids are keeping an eye on Miss Noah, so you don''t need to be


    concerned."


    Seeing Mrs. Jaco putting on airs under Hera''s order, Katherine scowled and said slowly, "Get out of my


    way."


    Mrs. Jaco frowned as she stood there, and she continued to stretch her arms wide to keep Katherine


    from passing.


    "Stop putting on airs, Mrs. Levisay. This is the Levisay Residence, not your house. Even if you dislike


    the Levisays, you must respect Old Madam and Madam Levisay. As a young mistress from an affluent


    household, you should not be so careless."


    Katherine sneered as soon as she heard that. "Who are you to criticize my behavior here? You''re


    nothing more than a servant. I''m your master because you call me a young mistress. Do you mean a


    servant can step on a master in their home?"


    "I¡­" Mrs. Jaco was taken aback since she hadn''t expected Katherine to say that, and she couldn''t


    think of a retort.


    Katherine did not intend to wait for her reply. She merely turned around and red at Hera.


    "You''re too nice to the servants, Mom. Mrs. Jaco is instructing me and attempting to be a master. If


    anyone finds out about this, they will realize she is now the head of the Levisay Family."


    Katherine said this with sarcasm and mockery, making Hera feel embarrassed.


    "What are you on about? Mrs. Jaco is only trying to help you, Katherine. You and Joaquin raced over


    and haven''t even had a cup of tea yet. Don''t worry about Noah. Just let her have fun here."


    Katherine frowned bitterly and countered, "No, thank you. I''m runningte, so I''ll leave after picking


    Noah up."


    She turned around and tried to push Mrs. Jaco away as she said this.


    When Mrs. Jaco noticed this, she shook her shoulders, refusing to move. "Mrs. Levisay, if you rush up,


    you will offend the elders. Furthermore, it shows that you do not trust Old Madam and Madam Levisay."


    Katherine was amused to hear that. "That''s true. It''s not the first time I''ve mistreated them and I won''t


    hesitate to do it again. As for my trust in them¡­ What does that have to do with it? I don''t need


    anyone''s permission to take my daughter away."


    Her smile disappeared and she put on an indifferent expression when she spoke. "Once again, I''m


    telling you to get out of my way!"


    Elizabeth cleared her throat and chimed in when she observed the heated scene, "Noah is indeed your


    daughter. However, once you marry a Levisay, she also bes a Levisay. Katherine, we did not


    detest your daughter of unknown origin and we weed her into the Levisay Residence because we


    have respect for you. You must ept our generosity!"


    Those words were harsh. Katherine red bitterly at the elderly woman, a sh of coldness in her


    gaze.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    However, before she could react, Joaquin sneered in a deep voice. "Respect? You''re being


    dishonorable and yet, you im to respect her? Furthermore, Noah is our daughter and has nothing to


    do with the Levisays."


    Elizabeth became irritated and she hit the coffee table. "Y-You little¡ª"


    Hera could only smooth things over for the time being and appease Elizabeth as she thought of their


    unfulfilled goal. "Please rx, Mom. Let''s just talk things out. Don''t quarrel over Noah today. It''s her


    first day in our house. After all, she will be with us for a long time."


    When Katherine and Joaquin heard that, their expressions turned thunderous.


    "What? Do you intend to confine my daughter for an extended period?" Katherine''s beautiful face was


    covered in frost.


    Hera faked a smile and added, "Don''t exaggerate! I''m not. Take a look at yourself. You''re so worried


    about Noah. I was initially going to tell you during dinner, but it looks like I''ll have to tell you now. We


    brought Noah here for your benefit, as well as hers. We talked about it for the past two days and came


    to a decision."


    She then paused and stared at the duo, waiting for their inquiries.


    However, Katherine and Joaquin remained silent as they stared at her coldly.


    As a result, Hera became embarrassed and was forced to continue with her words. "We all know that


    Noah''s biological father is unknown. However, since you have married into the Levisay Family, Noah is


    wee here. We intend to add her to the Levisay family tree!"

 Chapter 358

    Chapter 358


    "As long as she is included in the family genealogy of the Levisays, she will be a legitimate heir of the


    family. From now on, she is no longer an illegitimate child with no biological father. Katherine, this is a


    hard-won blessing for Noah. It''s wonderful that you no longer have to worry about her identity being


    questioned." She smiled as if she truly cared about Noah.


    Katherine grinned at the thought of Noah not being able to move out. Pfft! Entering the family


    genealogy of the Levisays, eh? This family has given all in just to win W Co.''s cooperation.


    Immediately, she scoffed. "It seems like you''re being very thoughtful. However, it''s a pity that Noah


    doesn''t bother about such useless things as the Levisays'' genealogy."


    "You! You''d better not be this arrogant!" Elizabeth couldn''t help but bellow when she heard that.


    Meanwhile, Hera''s expression became a little tense. "What are you talking about? It is her blessing to


    be a part of the Levisay Family without even knowing who her biological father is!"


    "She doesn''t need this blessing. You should save it for your children," Katherine replied slowly as she


    lifted her hand to tuck her hair behind her ears.


    Bang!


    Elizabeth could no longer bear it. She flung the teacup to the ground, causing the tea to ssh out


    from the porcin cup, making a muffled sound as it fell onto the carpet.


    "Very well! From what I see, you don''t know how to be grateful!" As she spoke, she turned to Joaquin


    and began ming him. "This is the woman you brought into the family! Never forget that you are from


    the Levisays too! She''s disrespecting the elders and rtives of the family, yet you don''t have a single


    reaction at all. Are you deaf or mute?"


    At that moment, Hera couldn''t help but join in and said sarcastically, "Exactly! In any case, even if she


    is no longer fond of the Levisays, her kid is inherently your daughter since she''s married to you. What''s


    wrong with us letting Noah into our genealogy? She shows such reluctance that I think there''s


    something behind it. Joaquin, is your wife unsatisfied with us, or is she having second thoughts about


    you? Even if she doesn''t ept the offer out of respect for us, she should ept it for your sake! You


    have to be vignt and don''t let this woman fool you!"


    The corners of Katherine''s mouth twitched as she heard those words. It seemed that these idiots of the


    Levisay Family didn''t have the slightest idea on how to sow discord.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin''s brows furrowed deeply as annoyance covered his perfectly crafted face. "I know


    my woman best. I disagree with the choice just as much as she does! Don''t think I don''t know what''s


    going on. You guys always take advantage and y your schemes. We know in our hearts what you all


    intend to do with Noah."


    "You¡­ ck sheep!" Elizabeth ran out of breath, wishing she could rush over and beat him with her


    cane.


    At this moment, Katherine suddenly took out her mobile phone and called Owen Barber in front of


    them.


    "Notify the public rtions department and issue an official statement that W Co. does not n to


    cooperate with Levisay Group from now on."


    After she ryed her instructions curtly, she hung up the phone and smirked at the two women who


    were in shock.


    "I almost forgot that there''s some unfounded news that I have to disprove. I won''t be bothering Dad


    with such a small issue since it only requires one statement from me."


    Hera instantly gazed at her furiously after losing all remaining patience with her. "What are you doing?


    Do you feel wronged if the Levisay Group coborates with the W Co.?"


    Elizabeth bellowed, "You should think about the Levisay Family''s best interests because you are our


    daughter-inw. You must let the W Co. work with the Levisay Group! Putting aside the fact that you


    constantly go against the elders of the family, you even dare to let your employee disprove the


    allegations. Aren''t you just embarrassing us on purpose? What about our reputation? Do you think you


    can be excluded if we be the butt of every joke?"


    "Of course, she can!" Suddenly, Joaquin raised his cold voice.


    "She is not sold to me or the Levisay Family; she is wedded to me! It is her freedom to do anything she


    wants, and all of her decisions fully represent her only. What does it have to do with the Levisay


    Family? Likewise, if the Levisays are having issues, it has nothing to do with her too! As for your so-


    called reputation, it makes no difference how the family''s reputation turns out; it would have no bearing


    on hers. She is my woman and the high-ranking president of W Co., so who would dare speak poorly


    about her?"


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Those words were so intense that not only the two members of the Levisay Family but even Katherine


    felt slightly dazed as they looked at him.


    Unconsciously, the depths of her heart began pounding, and a strange sensation began to rise when


    she nced at the sharp-edged, gorgeous features of his side profile.


    It wasn''t until Hera''s sharp and piercing voice that her wandering thoughts were drawn back. "You, all


    of you¡ªit seems like you want to do it the hard way!"


    Her eyes were filled with rage, empty of the hypocritical smile she had previously.


    "I must warn you, Katherine. If you obediently allow W Co. and the Levisay Group to work together, we


    may still live in peace as a family. As for your daughter with an unknown identity, I can still allow her


    into the family! Otherwise, don''t even consider taking her away!"


    Watching how she shed all previous pretense of cordiality, Katherine turned hostile as well. She


    straightened up her slender and tall body, emitting an icy aura from her.


    "It''s much more natural now that you have ripped off your disgusting act of cordiality, revealing the


    hideous side hiding underneath," she said mockingly, and her clear, crystal-like pupils were so cold that


    they could pierce through bones. "However, it''s not up to you to decide whether I can take Noah or


    not."


    As she spoke, she turned around to look at Mrs. Jaco sharply. "For thest time, get out of the way!"


    Mrs. Jaco was somewhat frightened by her re, and her heart pounded uncontrobly.


    Her gaze went past Katherine as she looked at Hera. However, upon catching sight of the woman''s


    fierce gaze, she regained herposure and stood still in ce.


    Besides disobeying Katherine, she also became impolite after watching how they were no longer acting


    cordially. "Mrs. Levisay, I''d advise you to listen to Madam. You have to think of Noah even if you don''t


    consider yourself. It''s a blessing for her to be able to enter the Levisays'' genealogy. The family is


    gracious enough to ept her even though she doesn''t have a father or share the same bloodline.


    After all, we might be a joke to others if we have a kid who doesn''t even know who her father is! You


    should be d and thankful that the Levisay Family is willing to ept such an illegitimate child¡ªah!"

 Chapter 359

    Chapter 359


    Before she could finish her long-winded and sarcastic speech, it was abruptly cut off by a scream.


    With a sharp snap, Katherine swung her hand and pped Mrs. Jaco, and a crisp sound echoed


    through the room.


    The p was so harsh that it sent Mrs. Jaco tumbling onto the stairs and hitting her waist against a


    step as she moaned in pain.


    Katherine remained emotionless, her eyes cold and her lips curling into a cruel smile. "Illegitimate


    child?" she sneered. "What makes you think you can bark in front of me?"


    Behind her, the two individuals were shocked that she would resort to violence. Their expression


    changed dramatically, aghast at the situation.


    "Katherine! How dare youy your hands on my family! This is the Levisay Family''s territory, and you


    can''t just cause trouble here!" Hera shouted through gritted teeth. Her eyes burned with anger, wishing


    she could step forward and tear the woman''s mouth apart.


    Katherine simplyughed, yet her eyes were devoid of any glimmer of a smile. "Am I not allowed to


    cause trouble here? I just did, though." she retorted. "Since the Levisays have no shame, why should I


    care?"


    She was tired of engaging in a meaningless argument with these people, so she simply spoke her


    piece and turned to step over Mrs. Jaco''s body, intending to head upstairs.


    "Stop her! Don''t let her go up the stairs!" Hera quicklymanded.


    Despite being in pain and sweating buckets of cold sweat, Mrs. Jaco had to obey themand, so she


    reached out to grab Katherine''s ankle. But before she could even touch her, Katherine raised her foot


    and kicked her viciously on her chest, causing Mrs. Jaco''s face to turn pale as she let out a painful


    scream.


    At the sight of this, Elizabeth became frantically anxious. She pounded the coffee table furiously and


    shouted, "Stand still, you b*tch!"


    Hera could no longer hold back too. She raised her leg, ready to rush over and grab her.


    At that moment, Joaquin stepped forward with a menacing look, blocking the entrance to the stairs and


    grabbing Mrs. Jaco, throwing her toward Hera.


    "Go upstairs and find Noah; I''ll keep a watch down here." He turned to look at Katherine and gave her


    a reassuring gaze.


    She understood and quickly went up.


    Downstairs, Hera hadn''t even had a chance to react when she was knocked by Mrs. Jaco, who was


    flung toward her. As such, the two of them tumbled onto the ground.


    Mrs. Jaco was getting on in years, so she couldn''t withstand such a fall. She winced and let out a


    series of moans, feeling as though her whole body was about to fall apart. Likewise, Hera was not any


    better. The impact felt like she had been run over by a car.


    Rage filled her. As the wife of the powerful Levisay Family, she had never been humiliated like this,


    especially not by someone she despised¡ªJoaquin, that sc*mbag!


    Instantly, she got to her feet and let loose a barrage of insults at him. "How dare you defy your elders


    and eveny a hand on us?! You scoundrel! You are an ingrate! You are as low as your mother! I will


    tell your father about this and see if he will beat you to death, you rebel¨C"


    She was so enraged that she lost control of her words.


    Little did she know, her words had struck a nerve with Joaquin.


    His pitch-ck eyes were suddenly filled with rage, and his entire demeanor was filled with a


    murderous aura. He approached Hera step by step, forcing her to retreat until he reached out and


    strangled her neck all of a sudden!


    "Ah!" Before Hera could even respond, she shouted and was forced to tilt her head back, her face


    beginning to turn red.


    Elizabeth was taken aback by his actions and quickly rose to her feet, supporting herself as she


    shouted, "Joaquin! What are you doing? Are you rebelling against your mother and going to kill her?"


    "Mother? Is she even qualified to be my mother?" He sneered as if he had just heard a hrious joke.


    "She''s not even worthy of cleaning my biological mother''s shoes, yet she still speaks poorly and insults


    her. So what if I kill her?"


    "How dare youmit such a crime?! I will have your father chase you out of the Levisay Family when


    he returns. We do not need someone like you!" Elizabeth warned.


    However, Joaquin''s smile only grew colder upon hearing Elizabeth''s words. He didn''t seem to care at


    all.


    "The Levisay Family is nothing! Do you think I''m bothered? What has the family provided me with over


    the past few years? Do you think I would care if I were chased out? As for killing being a crime, it


    appears that you are not ignorant of thew either. In that case, why didn''t you realize that your


    abduction of Noah was illegal as well?"


    As he spoke, the pressure in his hand grew stronger.


    Hera was trying to pound his hand to get him to release her, but as time went on, she started to feel as


    though her lungs were ready to burst from theck of air. She tilted her head back in sheer


    helplessness, her face getting more and more agonizing.


    Elizabeth gazed at her with a mixture of anger and shock. She had never witnessed Joaquin exhibit


    such amanding side as if he didn''t care, and he was strangling Hera was like crushing an ant!


    Just when Hera felt she was about to suffocate, Joaquin eventually let go of her, throwing her to the


    ground like he was discarding a used rag.


    He pulled out a handkerchief and slowly wiped each finger, making it seem as though he had just


    touched something dirty; the pressure emanating from him was frighteningly strong.


    "I''m only teaching you a lesson this time. It won''t be this simple if you insult my Mom even in the


    slightest next time."


    When she was finally able to breathe again, Hera inhaled arge amount of air while coughing and


    choking to the point that it looked like she would cough out her lungs. There was no way she could say


    a word.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Katherine didn''t have to explore every room upstairs. As soon as she noticed the two bulky


    men standing guard in front of a room at the end of the right side of the corridor, it was clear that Noah


    was being held captive in that room.


    Without hesitation, she approached them with a cold expression.


    When the two men saw her, they immediately snapped to attention but weren''t bothered by Katherine.


    In their eyes, she was nothing different from other women, weak and vulnerable. They thought that it


    would take no effort to drag her downstairs.


    However, they weren''t prepared for Katherine''s expressionless approach and momentary stillness; she


    suddenly grabbed one man''s wrist and yanked him forward.


    Before the two could react, she raised her leg, bent her knee, and harshly kicked the man in hisher


    regions.


    A muffled groan echoed through the hallway. The man was in so much pain that he couldn''t even make


    a sound. His face grew pale as the cold perspiration covered his entire body, and he immediately


    fainted on the spot.


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    When the other man finally reacted, Katherine grabbed him by the wrist before he could do anything.


    She extended her other hand and reached for the man''s shoulder, lifting him with both hands.


    Snap!


    The sound of someone''s bone snapping echoed, for Katherine had broken the man''s arm. Instantly, a


    howl resounded throughout the corridor as well.

 Chapter 360

    Chapter 360


    Katherine''s movements were lightning-fast, and the two men she faced were no match for her. Before


    the fight even began, it was already over.


    Ignoring the two men sprawled on the floor, she yanked at the door handle which wouldn''t budge. She


    lifted her foot in frustration and kicked the door. In no time, the sturdy door frame buckled, and the door


    finally opened.


    "Noah!" she called out while hurrying into the room. What she saw made her heart race; Noah''s tiny


    form was curled up in the corner of therge, empty bed with her head buried between her knees,


    terrified.


    "Noah, Mommy''s here," she said as gently as possible; she didn''t want her previous anger to frighten


    her.


    The little girl, who was originally huddled up, raised her head in disbelief when she heard the familiar


    voice, her round eyes turning red the moment she saw her. "Mom... have youe to pick me up?"


    She spoke in a hoarse voice, possibly from all the crying she had done.


    It made Katherine''s heart throb as if an invisible hand was clutching at it. She quickly nodded and


    moved forward to gently embrace the girl in her arms while resting her chin on Noah''s shoulder. "Yes,


    I''m here to pick you up. Let''s go home."


    Upon hearing that, the little girl lifted her hands and wrapped them around Katherine''s neck. She


    couldn''t help but quiver slightly as her tiny, cold body sought warmth in her embrace.


    "Mom, you''ve finallye for me. I don''t like it here. No one here is nice. Two olddies are always


    mean to me, and they even locked me up. I tried to escape, but I couldn''t. I want to go home; I want to


    be with you and Dad..."


    As the little girl spoke in a soft, tender voice, Katherine''s heart broke while her anger boiled. She


    squeezed her daughter''s hand tighter and leaned down to give her aforting kiss on the cheek.


    "Okay. Daddy''s downstairs. We''ll go home together."


    When Katherine appeared downstairs with the little girl in their arms, Joaquin quickly stepped forward,


    caressing Noah''s face while examining her closely. "Noah, are you okay?"


    Noah shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes as she saw him. "Dad, I miss you. I want to go


    home..."


    Hearing this, Joaquin''s heart ached with each beat. He parted his thin lips and said in a deep voice,


    "Okay, let''s go home." His voice was full of tenderness andpassion.


    Meanwhile, both Elizabeth and Hera were surprised by the scene.


    Hera finally stopped coughing, but her throat still felt like it was burning. Her voice was shrill as she


    questioned, "How is that possible?! How did you¡ª"


    Katherine only replied coldly, "Are you referring to the two upstairs? You should call an ambnce.


    One broke his arm, and the other is unconscious."


    Though she spoke as if that was no big deal, Hera was extremely shocked upon hearing Katherine''s


    words.


    The scream from just now was real! I thought I was hallucinating earlier.


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    Next to her, Elizabeth''s expression also darkened, for she didn''t expect this woman to be so skilled in


    martial arts.


    The Levisay family had trained those brawlers for many years, yet she handled them effortlessly and


    even retreated unscathed; it was simply beyond anyone''s expectations.


    It appeared that this woman was indeed a cut above the rest, with life-saving medical skills and the


    ability to transform herself into the CEO of W Co. easily, not to mention her impressive level of agility.


    However, it was fortunate that she did not underestimate her enemies this time and had made proper


    arrangements.


    "Hmph, do you think that knowing some martial arts will allow you to leave the Levisay Family with this


    wild child unscathed? Dream on!" she shouted harshly and pped her hands twice.


    In a sh, a dozen burly men dressed identically to the ones Katherine met earlier burst into the living


    room and surrounded them, trapping everyone inside.


    "Let me tell you, the reason I''ve called you here today is not to let you leave so easily! Not only these


    men, but I also have backup waiting outside the Levisay Residence. This ce is fully surrounded by


    my men. You can only leave if I give the word!"


    At the sight of this and Elizabeth''s haughty demeanor, Katherine narrowed her eyes. "Do you n on


    keeping us captive forever?"


    Elizabeth sneered, looking down her nose at them. "Keep you captive? That''s not my intention! If you


    want to take your leave, you must agree to my terms. This illegitimate child in your arms will be


    recognized as Levisay Family''s heir as long as you''re willing to make a permanent partnership between


    W Co. and Levisay Group. This is yourst chance!"


    At the mention of an illegitimate child, Joaquin''s blood boiled.


    He pursed his thin lips while his hands balled into fists, his muscles bulging. Just as he was about to


    strike back, Katherineughed. "What if I don''t agree?"


    Elizabeth''s wrinkled face showed no mercy or kindness; she scoffed and tapped her cane against the


    ground. "If you disagree, don''t me us for not showing mercy. You may go if you like, but the child


    must stay. She will still be here when you finallye to your senses."


    When Hera finally could breathe again, she directed her anger at Katherine and exploded.


    Her expression was distorted, and she said in a voice full of malice and sarcasm, "That''s right! Also, let


    me tell you that the Levisay Family will no longer acknowledge the identity of this b*stard. With even


    her own father''s identity unknown, she has no right to appear in our family. If you make us wait any


    longer, not only will the Levisay Family disown her, but we will also spread all the scandals you''ve been


    involved in!"


    At this point, Joaquin''s eyes were as cold as frost, and they were on the verge of freezing solid.


    However, Katherine still wore a smile on her face as if she didn''t care about the woman''s words at all.


    "Scandals? Why don''t you tell me what scandals I''ve been involved in?"


    "How dare you still have the nerve to ask us? Don''t you know how this child came to be? Do you think


    no one knows about your chaotic private life in Fontan? You slept with so many men that you don''t


    even know who you''ve slept with! Perhaps that''s why you don''t even know who the father of this child


    is!"


    "How can there be a woman as shameless as you in this world? Moreover, you even dared to give birth


    to this b*stard! Disgusting! The Levisays have always been pure and clean. You should be grateful that


    we allowed a woman like you to marry into our family, and we''ve even given the green light for this


    b*stard to step into our home! However, you''re acting so grandiosely in front of us. Do you think the


    child in your arms is a pot of gold? Let me tell you this¡ªas long as we spread the word of your


    scandals, you, along with this b*stard, won''t have an easy life in Hovington."

 Chapter 361

    Chapter 361


    Those words were so harsh that they were unbearable to the ear, and even if Katherine covered


    Noah''s ears, the little girl could still hear them clearly.


    Suddenly, Noah retorted emotionally, "You are talking nonsense! My mom is not how you describe her


    to be! You''re lying, you liar!"


    Hera''s eyes widened in response, and she red menacingly at her. Then, she cursed harshly, "Shut


    up, little b*stard! You have no right to speak. A little b*stard like you¡ª"


    Before she couldplete her sentence, she saw Katherine put her daughter down on the ground and


    step forward.


    Seeing that, Hera was frozen for a second before knitting her brows and asking warily, "W-What are


    you doing? I''m warning you. If you dare toy a finger on me, these people¡ª"


    However, her sentence was cut short again by Joaquin, whose tight lips morphed into a smirk and


    loudly called, "Jeremy!"


    The next moment, the Levisay Manor door was kicked open. Then, a group of men in ck barged in.


    These men were swift and dexterous andunched an assault before a dozen bodyguards could even


    react.


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    Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Hera were terrified by the unexpected attack. Soon, the two frantically


    huddled together and watched the scene from a distance in a state of panic. As time went on, their fear


    rendered them speechless and dumbfounded.


    Although the number of men who stormed in was less than the Levisays'' bodyguards, they were highly


    skilled. They could engage in one-on-onebat and be superior to the bodyguards. Afterward, more


    than a dozen guards from the Levisay Manor were thrown to the ground and rendered defenseless


    without much effort.


    "Y-You guys¡ª" Elizabeth didn''t expect the group of guards she deployed, including the ones in the


    yard, to be knocked down. She was instantly fueled with rage as she chastised, "How dare you people


    barge into someone''s private property! You even hurt my people! Who gave you the authority to do so?


    Aren''t you afraid I''ll call the police to arrest all of you?!"


    Meanwhile, Jeremy dusted off his hands and disregarded Elizabeth''s warning. Instead, he walked up to


    Joaquin respectfully and informed him, "Boss, everything outside has been taken care of. The driver is


    waiting outside, so you may leave whenever you wish."


    Joaquin pulled a stern face and hummed. However, he did not immediately leave but cast a cold nce


    at Elizabeth. "Call the police?" As if hearing a funny joke, he snickered, "I won''t stop you if that''s what


    you want to do. Not only that, but I can also help you call the police. I will dly exin everything to


    them, including how you kidnapped my daughter from the hospital and brought her here."


    His words immediately drove a dagger into the Levisays'' hearts.


    Suddenly, Elizabeth and Hera''s expressions became distorted. Thetter rolled her eyes and


    immediately retaliated, "Kidnap?! Isn''t she Katherine Cornell''s daughter? That means she also belongs


    to our family. All we did was send someone to bring her back. How can that be considered


    kidnapping?!"


    At that moment, she exemplified the definition of the word incorrigible.


    Meanwhile, Katherine was standing one pace away from Hera as she red and sneered at her. "Oh,


    is that so? Didn''t you deny that Noah was from your family earlier? Why did you change your mind?


    Does the world revolve around you? Are you allowed to do or say whatever you want?"


    "You¡ª" Hera seethed through gritted teeth. With a ferocious look, she growled, "We have the final say


    on whether to recognize her as our own! What are you trying to do? Are you going to hit me? You are


    an unfilial child! I am your mother-inw, for goodness sake!"


    "Is that so?" The wry smile on Katherine''s face grew, but the coldness in her eyes was piercing.


    "Whether you''re my mother-inw or an elderly person, I don''t care. What would you do if I physically


    attacked you for ridiculing my daughter?"


    At that moment, she no longer cared to show any deference to her elders! She had no intention of


    letting go of anyone who harmed or ndered her child, regardless of their social standing.


    Seeing the hostility rising in her eyes, Joaquin stepped forward and took Katherine''s hand while giving


    her a knowing nce. Then, he turned her head and shot a sharp gaze at Hera and Elizabeth. In a


    deep and solemn tone, he questioned, "Who told you that Noah''s biological father is unknown?"


    His question that came out of the blue startled the two elders.


    Nevertheless, Hera was the first to react as she remarked sarcastically, "Is that even a question?


    Everyone knows this woman has a messed-up private life. A child of this age, whom she ims to have


    raised on her own, appeared out of nowhere. Isn''t that enough to prove the rumor? Either she doesn''t


    know the man or knows who that man is but is too embarrassed to introduce him. Perhaps, this b*stard


    was a product of her one-night stand!"


    The word ''b*stard'' that came out of her mouth was filled with disgust.


    The color of Joaquin''s face changed in an instant, and as he pressed his lips together into a thin line,


    he cast a side eye toward Jeremy.


    Jeremy was quick to pick up on the subtle hint and moved forward to grab Hera''s arms. After he had


    her arms pinned behind her back, he gave a powerful kick to the back of her knees.


    Thump!


    She grimaced in agony, dropped to her knees, and screamed as her arms were pinned behind her


    back. "L-Let me go¡­ Let go! Ah!"


    When Elizabeth saw that, she was aghast and trembled fervently, possibly out of anger or panic.


    "H-How could you?! Joaquin, she''s your mother. How could you instruct your men to hurt her?! Let go


    of her this instant! You unfilial son¡ª"


    Joaquin snorted, "Listen. I''m not one to use violence on a woman, but that doesn''t mean I can tolerate


    her being unscrupulous in front of me. Also, let me repeat what I said. I have a biological mother, and


    she is nothing to me!" After saying that, he added, "Speaking of blood-rted, Noah is my biological


    daughter. From now on, I do not want to hear the word ''b*stard'' being mentioned ever again. If anyone


    spreads rumors about my family, I shall sue them for nder, no matter who they are. Got it?"


    His warning was directed to Hera and Elizabeth.


    Hera bared her teeth in pain, but when he said those words, she struggled to stand up but was pinned


    down to the point where she could not move.


    On the other hand, Elizabeth widened her cloudy eyes as if she had heard something imusible.


    "What are you talking about? Are you willing to go so far as to fake your biological connection to defend


    Katherine?"


    "Who told you it was fake?" Joaquin snickered. "Noah is the child of Kathy and me. She is my biological


    daughter, whether byw or by blood. What''s with the rumor that her father is unknown? That''s


    bullsh*t!"

 Chapter 362

    Chapter 362


    "You can get a DNA test done if you don''t believe what I''m saying, but I don''t see why that would be


    necessary to prove anything to you. So, I''m going to repeat it. From today onwards, I don''t want to hear


    any word of nder toward Kathy and Noah. Go ahead if you''re not afraid of the consequences!"


    Joaquin''s words ended with ruthlessness and determination in his dark eyes.


    "Don''t even try to bring up the affluence of our family or our hypocritical rtionship bound by blood.


    The Levisays meant nothing to me. Hah! If I had a choice, I would not have chosen to be born into this


    family!"


    Following that, he picked up a bewildered Noah in one hand and grabbed Katherine''s hand in the other.


    "Let''s go home."


    Then, Katherine bit her lips as she followed him out of the house without uttering another word.


    After the three had left, Jeremy let go of Hera and dusted his hands before leaving with his men.


    Meanwhile, therge living room was in shambles, as if hit by a violent storm.


    At that moment, Hera''s entire body was throbbing with pain, and she clenched her teeth in defiance of


    the difort. "Mom, look at what that b*stard and b*tch have done! How could someone from our


    family be so rebellious and unfilial? How could he hurt me? You have to seek justice for me, Mom!"


    Suddenly, Elizabeth''s face became ashen, and she red at her in annoyance. "Justice? What justice?


    Don''t you know how capable those two are?"


    Hera was stunned by that remark and uttered, "A-Are we going to throw the towel on them like that?


    How could we?! We suffered such a big loss today. There is no way we''ll give in to them like that!"


    At that moment, Elizabeth''s anger intensified as she caught sight of her fallen bodyguards sprawled all


    over the floor. "Leave the matter alone for the time being." Then, as exhaustion crept into her mind, she


    returned to her bedroom.


    "Mom! Mom, you¡ª" Nevertheless, Hera was still unable to let the matter drop. When she saw


    Elizabeth ignore her, her expression became more subdued as she turned to the bodyguards to


    release her pent-up rage. "What''s the use of having all of you good-for-nothings?! I can''t believe you


    couldn''t even take down that group of people! Moreover, you have dropped the ball on this one!"


    She was fuming with rage but was unable to do anything about it. Consequently, after cursing angrily,


    she stormed off to her room in a huff. Nheless, she wasn''t willing to leave the matter to rest, so she


    immediately called John and vented her frustrations to him.


    ¡­


    On the other hand, Joaquin and Katherine were unaware of what Hera did, nor did they take it to heart.


    As soon as the couple and child left the manor, they got into their car and drove off.


    Meanwhile, Noah snuggled in Katherine''s embrace, but her gaze was fixed on Joaquin. She looked at


    him in rapt attention, seemingly unable to get enough of him.


    When the traffic lights turned red, he pursed his lips and used that as an opportunity to turn sideways


    and poke the child''s chubby cheeks. "You must have been terrified. Sorry that we camete. Let''s


    spend a lot of time together at hometer, and I''ll cook all your favorite dishes, alright?" He sounded


    like he was getting used to coaxing children.


    After hearing that, Noah blinked her eyes and asked him in a soft voice, "Does that mean I don''t have


    to go back to the hospital?"


    In response, Joaquin shook his head. "Nope. Didn''t you say you wanted to go home? I''ll take you home


    right now."


    Since her health has been gradually improving, it is okay to stay home to recuperate. Furthermore, I


    have reservations about leaving her in the hospital. If the Levisays went insane and did something


    terrible to Noah, I have no idea what I would do in that situation! Suddenly, a quick chill shed across


    his eyes, but it was fleeting. Then, he quickly put on a gentle front and gently pinched his daughter''s


    cheek.


    After waiting for the traffic light to turn green, he resumed driving in the direction of their home.


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    Meanwhile, Katherine took advantage of the opportunity to thoroughly examine Noah. Once she had


    confirmed that her daughter had no injury marks, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    When they got home, Noah washed her hands with her mother, staggered up to Joaquin, raised her


    head, and tugged on his cuff.


    "Daddy," she called him with a hesitant but anticipatory expression. "I have something to ask you¡ª"


    Joaquin knew what she was going to ask, so he kneeled down, picked her up in his arms, and sat


    down on the couch while he asked her patiently, "What is it?"


    Then, Noah twiddled her thumbs, hesitated for a second, and blurted, "When you said you were my


    biological father in the Levisay Manor, is it true?" When she finally managed to get the question out of


    her mouth, she did so with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. A small part of her was worried that


    her happiness would be for naught if he told her it was a lie.


    After hearing his earlier deration, she was ovee with joy. Throughout her life, she had no idea


    who her father was, and she even entertained the idea that her father might be a horrible person. As a


    result, she had to go through an excessive amount of suffering and misery that a person her age


    shouldn''t have been forced to endure.


    As if he could read his daughter''s thoughts and emotions through her eyes, Joaquin felt heartbroken for


    her. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her silky hair as his expression


    softened to one of love and pity.


    "I''m so sorry for not staying by your side all these years, Noah. I regret not being able to watch you


    grow and not being able to share your joys and sorrows. It''s all my fault. Will you give me a chance to


    make it up to you by staying by your side and protecting you as you grow?"


    That statement stunned Noah, and it took her a moment to respond. Then, she straightened up, raised


    her chin, and stared intently into his eyes with her sparkling eyes. "Does that mean it''s true, Daddy?


    You are my father, and we are blood-rted, right?"


    As he looked into his daughter''s hopeful eyes, Joaquin nodded, his expression unchanged and his


    eyes filled with tenderness.


    Suddenly, her eyes turned red, and tears quickly formed.


    Seeing her tearful appearance, he felt helpless and quickly wiped the crystal-clear tears rolling down


    her cheeks.


    "Don''t cry, Noah. Be good. It''s all my fault. If you can''t ept me for the time being¡ª" He assumed she


    was either overwhelmed by the new information or resentful of him. Still, he did not expect her to throw


    herself into his arms and start crying in the middle of his statement.


    "You''ve finallye to me, Daddy¡­ Daddy¡ª" Noah sobbed uncontrobly, almost shattering


    Joaquin''s heart with each sob. Instantly, he wrapped his arms around her andforted her in a


    soothing tone.


    Nevertheless, it took her quite a while to calm down. She broke down in her father''s arms, but a look of


    contentment spread across her face, and her eyes sparkled with happiness and joy despite being


    drenched with tears.


    "I finally have a father. We are aplete family now! I''m so thankful that it''s you, Daddy. I can''t


    describe how happy I am now¡ª"

 Chapter 363

    Chapter 363


    When Joaquin heard Noah acknowledge him, his dark eyes filled with astonishment and happiness.


    She''s right. We''re finally aplete family! The corners of his lips curved upward as he chuckled.


    As Katherine watched the touching exchange from a distant corner of the living room, she couldn''t help


    but crack a grin. The issue between the father and daughter has been resolved. In the end, my


    involvement is not necessary. Moreover, Noah''s affection for and reliance on her father have flourished.


    Then, with a sigh of relief, she straightened up and returned to her bedroom.


    However, her grin soon faded as she entered her bedroom. Then, she cast a wary nce as she


    walked to the balcony to call Owen. "I don''t want to see any news regarding Levisay Group in the next


    few days."


    The man was a quick thinker and immediately grasped that Katherine was instructing him to cause


    trouble within the Levisay Group to slow their momentum. When Owen heard hermand, he felt


    ted and immediatelyplied. "Don''t worry, Miss Katherine. I know what to do."


    Without uttering another word, she hung up the call.


    As Katherine admired the view from the balcony, a chilly light glinted in her bright eyes.


    She had no trouble bringing down the Levisay Group. However, Joaquin was still a member of the


    Levisay Family, and although she was aware of his hatred for them, she did not know what he was


    nning. She believed that, given his skills, he could control the Levisay Group. Moreover, she


    wondered if his low profile in recent years was because he was waiting for the right opportunity.


    Therefore, she did notmand Owen to utterly destroy the Levisays but instead made him oppress


    them to teach them a lesson. Hah! How dare the Levisays try to coborate with W Co. and even use


    my daughter as bait to threaten me? Nevertheless, their n is poorly thought out and despicable.


    Katherine was extraordinary mercy by sparing the Levisays for the time being. For the sake of Joaquin,


    she decided to let them off the hook. There was no assurance that she would make the same decision


    if they tried to pull the same stunt again.


    After pondering for some time, she decided to collect her thoughts and return to the bedroom to change


    her clothes.


    Suddenly, Katherine stopped in her tracks and looked around the room cautiously before her eyes


    settled on the bedside table. She approached the table, looked at the seemingly ordinary surface, and


    opened the drawer. All the items inside were neatly organized the same way as before, but she was


    observant enough to notice the change. Her brows furrowed, and she bolted to the closet for a quick


    peek before racing back to the living room to examine the furniture arrangement.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin conversed happily with Noah on the couch. Soon, he was perplexed by


    Katherine''s actions and inquired, "What are you looking at?"


    She pursed her lips and pointed to the living room shelf with her index finger. "It looks like it has been


    moved by someone."


    Suddenly, he froze up as soon as she said that and warmly urged his daughter to return to her room


    before walking over to the shelf and examining it. He had always had an eye for detail, so he quickly


    discovered something off. "Indeed, it had been moved."


    Katherine said, "Someone has also gone into the bedroom and rummaged through the drawers and


    cabs. They''ve searched all the ces they could find. Although they tried their best to cover up the


    traces and rearranged them to their original state, I can still tell the differences."


    Then, Joaquin knitted his brows and questioned, "Who do you think it is, and what is their purpose?"


    She sneered, and her gaze turned cold. "I don''t even have to think about it. They must havee for


    my grandma''s belongings. Now that the news of her death has spread, someone must have been


    unable to hold back their greed and came to rummage through our house."


    Joaquin had the same thought; his sharp-edged face sank, and his eyes sharpened. Then, he


    remarked sarcastically, "It must have been a rough journey for them toe all the way from Kynd."


    Nheless, Katherine had been vignt in the past few days, as she knew that the items left by her


    grandmother were crucial and could easily cause trouble. So, she hid the box with other things she had


    left behind in Theodore''sboratory. There was a secret room in thatboratory, and when she returned


    to the country, she asked Theodore for permission to install the most stringent security monitoring


    system possible in that room. Moreover, that room had such tight security that even he could not enter.


    As for the items hidden in the room, no one knew what they were except for her and Joaquin.


    She nned to leave it there for some time before returning to check on it. On the other hand, it


    appeared as though the thieves were so eager to steal the items that belonged to her grandmother that


    they traveled all the way to her house to find them. Seeing that the thieves were interested in her


    grandmother''s possessions, it must be crucial. In the wake of that incident, she became increasingly


    curious about her grandmother''s belongings.


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    Immediately, she shed a sardonic grin. "Let them be anxious. No matter what they do, the items


    won''t ever fall into their hands."


    Seeing how confident Katherine was, Joaquin could finally rx, and his brows furrowed slightly as he


    asked, "What is your n for now?"


    She looked at him sideways, and a hint of guile shed in her clear eyes. "I had to pretend to be dumb


    and pretend I didn''t know anything, but now¡­ I really want to take a look at it myself."


    After pondering about it, he responded, "Sure. I''lle with you. Anyway, I have kept the keys


    grandma gave me with her belongings back then."


    Katherine shook her head and dismissed his suggestion. "Nah. I''ll go on my own. Things will be


    complicated if too many people go at once. Stay here with Noah. I''ll be back in no time."


    However, Joaquin didn''t find it appropriate and insisted, "There must be many people out there spying


    on you right now. I can''t bring myself to let you go out by yourself."


    In response, she blinked, revealing a slight sparkle in her eyes. "Don''t worry about that. I have a n."


    Following that, she turned around and entered the bedroom. After fiddling around for some time, she


    came out after twenty minutes.


    Joaquin took out the keys and was about to hand them to her when he looked up and was frozen in


    mid-thought by what he saw. "You¡ª"


    At that moment, Noah came out of the room and walked over to stand next to Katherine. Holding her


    mother''s hand, she smiled at her father. "Look how talented Mom is, Daddy! It''s like she knows magic!"


    It turned out that Katherine had transfigured entirely after fiddling around in the room for twenty


    minutes. Her appearance had transitioned from a beautiful young woman to a middle-aged woman with


    a darkplexion and freckles. She was dressed in an outfit that looked quite dated, but upon closer


    inspection, he realized that it was made of high-quality, expensive fabric. While it appeared a little worn,


    it didn''t stand out andplemented the rest of her outfit quite nicely.


    "Why are you¡ª" Joaquin suddenly acted shocked and amused. "I didn''t expect you to be skilled in


    transfiguration too!"

 Chapter 364

    Chapter 364


    After her transfiguration, Katherine raised her eyebrows and smiled brightly, but her face looked


    strange. "Of course. My grandma''s transfiguration technique was unmatched. As her granddaughter, I


    naturally take over her talent. With my current ordinary appearance, I''m sure no one will be able to


    recognize me in a sea of people if they don''t look carefully. They won''t be able to imagine who is hiding


    under this facade."


    Joaquin casually leaned against the back of the chair and raised his brows slightly. "It''s true, though. I


    was shocked."


    Noah appeared quite proud of her mother, and as she shook her hand, she remarked, "Mom,


    transfiguration seems fun. Can you teach me how to do itter?"


    The way she said it sounded a bit coquettish, causing Katherine to feel a strange emotion. Somehow,


    she felt appreciated and unexpected joy.


    As she looked down at her daughter, tenderness oozed out of her eyes. They even had a touch of


    dottiness to them. "Sure. I''ll teach you when you get older." Then, she said warmly, "I have to leave to


    settle some matters. Stay at home with daddy in the meantime, okay? I''ll be back real soon."


    Noah tilted her small head, and her round eyes sparkled. "Daddy said he''s going to cook my favorite


    dishes. We''ll wait for you at home!"


    "Okay." Katherine smiled at her.


    She grabbed the keys Joaquin gave her and walked to the door. Then, she informed him, "I already


    told Carmine to settle Noah''s discharge matters, and she''ll send Noah''s stuff and her medication over


    later."


    Joaquin nodded and walked to the door, ncing at her with dark eyes before exhaling. "Is it really


    okay for you to go alone? Maybe I should send Jeremy to protect you secretly."


    Instinctively, he had a bad feeling about the situation. He knew those who broke into the home and


    rifled through the drawers and cabs were well-prepared. Since they had discovered nothing, those


    people would not let them go.


    Still, Katherine understood his concern, and with a slight crease between her brows, she reassured


    him, "Don''t worry. I know what to do."


    Soon, she left Soulin International by taking a cab. Then, she got in the vehicle without telling the driver


    where she was going and instead made him drive severalps around the block.


    However, the driver was perplexed as he looked at her in the rearview mirror and inquired, "Where


    would you like to go, madam?"


    Katherine looked out the window calmly and uttered in aposed tone, "Drive exactly how I tell you


    to, and I will tell youter."


    It was the first time the driver encountered a passenger with such a strange request, but since he could


    earn more money, he didn''t prod any further. So, he stepped on the elerator and merged into the


    traffic.


    On the way, she noticed the two cars tailgating them in the rearview mirror. Her gaze turned cold as


    she sneered inwardly, Hah! They''ve finally caught up to me. They must be so vignt that they don''t let


    go of any suspicious people leaving Soulin International.


    Suddenly, an expression of icy disdain painted her face as Katherine looked at the driver. She


    commanded, "I''ll pay you ten times the normal rate if you get rid of the two cars following us."


    Soon, the driver''s eyes instantly lit up when he heard the offer. "No problem! Sit tight!" As soon as he


    said that, he stepped on the elerator. Like an agile snake, he slid past through the traffic skillfully.


    Approximately twenty minutester, the car drifted and parked in front of Lab 1.


    The driver turned around, showed her a toothy grin, and extended his hands. "Ten times the normal


    rate, madam!"


    That request left her at a loss for words.


    As expected, a skilled master wouldn''t lie.


    Then, Katherine fished out the money and paid him. After getting out of the vehicle and checking her


    surroundings, she finally entered theboratory''s entrance.


    When the researchers saw her, all of them were puzzled. "Madam, may I know whom you''re looking


    for?"


    She cleared her throat and changed her voice before uttering, "I''m looking for Professor Muller."


    Later, Theodore came out and was startled when he saw her. However, when he met those clear eyes,


    he widened his eyes in shock and came to a realization. "Oh, it''s you!" On the surface, he remained


    calm and continued, "Come with me."


    Afterward, he turned around and waved a hand of dismissal at the nosy researchers. "What are you


    looking at? Aren''t you busy? Are you guys done with the experiments at hand already?"


    Hearing that, the crowd quickly dispersed to return to their own posts. Before they left, however, they


    couldn''t help taking a few more nces at the woman.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Why would a middle-aged woman suddenlye looking for Theodore?


    However, they would not know that the woman was actually Katherine.


    Nheless, Theodore''s ability to recognize the woman was due to her forewarning about her


    appearance en route here.


    Once the two entered the lounge, he could not hide his curiosity. After making sure the coast was clear,


    he hurriedly asked, "Kathy, h-how did you be like this?"


    Katherine raised a brow and beamed at him. "It''s only a small trick." Then, she switched the subject


    and spoke seriously, "Professor Muller, I have to visit the darkroom for a while. If someonees,


    please send me a message to inform me."


    Hearing that, he quickly realized the purpose of her visit was extremely important.


    Even though he was unaware of what she was up to, he never questioned. He was content as long as


    she was willing to work in hisb. It was also a promise made between them back then.


    Back then, Theodore noticed what a rare genius Katherine was. Her high attainments and abilities


    enabled her to develop reagents that countless medical experts and capable individuals could not


    formte. Hence, he was determined to recruit her at all costs.


    Initially, he even considered the highest sry and benefits he could offer her. Still, when they met to


    discuss, she discovered that hisb was located in Hovington. Later, she made him build a secret


    darkroom in theb without asking for anything else.


    Moreover, Katherine''s request shocked Theodore, but he was an experienced man and knew it was


    inappropriate for him to ask specific questions. So, he immediately agreed to her request without


    hesitation.


    She had entered the darkroom several times, but he never asked her about it. So, he would do the


    same again and keep his mouth shut. Immediately, he nodded with a serious expression. "Sure. Go on.


    I''ll keep watch for you."


    The main entrance of the darkroom was under the floor of a high-levelboratory that only Theodore


    could use.


    Without another word, Katherine went down to the dark room after making sure there were no threats.


    The wooden box her grandma gave her previously was lying inside the safe that was ced in the


    darkroom. When she took it out, she intended to open it and take a look. After considering that she was


    in theb and there were many people around, she couldn''t guarantee that an ident might happen.


    Hence, she changed her mind and left through another secret exit with the box.

 Chapter 365

    Chapter 365


    The secret door led out through the back of theboratory to an abandoned vacantnd. For the safety


    and secrecy of theboratory, its location was quite remote, without any industrial or residential


    buildings nearby, even though it was somewhat close to the city. The entire swathe ofnd belonged to


    theboratory, and except for the actual building itself, the rest of thend remained empty.


    After stepping out of that secret door, Katherine raised a hand to touch her changed face with slightly


    raised eyebrows.


    When she was about to head back to Soulin International using the way she came, she suddenly heard


    a loud rumble from a distance. She had always been a perceptive woman. The moment she noticed


    something wrong, her gaze turned sharp, and she stuffed the wooden box into her bag. She then


    clenched tightly to the backpack''s straps.


    The next thing Katherine knew, over a dozen men came out of nowhere and charged over to her to


    surround her. One look at their outfits and her entire face went cold.


    These men were mercenaries. It seemed like her opponent thought highly of her. They even hired


    mercenaries to attack her. Nevertheless, how did these men find her here? She had already thrown off


    two of her shadows and even disguised herself. Why were these men here?


    However, Katherine did not have time to think. She looked around at the mercenaries closing in on her,


    and she coldly let out a tsk. "Persistent pest. Who sent you? I''ll pay you twice the amount if you


    disappear from my sight now."


    The mercenaries were all stronger than the average fighter. Every individual was as strong as her Red


    Web killers. Even then, there were so many of them here. With her skills, it was no problem to defeat


    them. Still, she only had two hands, and it was impossible to get out of the situation unscathed.


    When they heard that, there were nk looks on their faces. "Enough with the nonsense," one of them


    crudely barked. "Hand over the thing, and we''ll let you go!"


    As Katherine suspected, they were after her grandmother''s possession. Then, she smirked as her


    hands tightened around her backpack. In a calm and unbothered tone, she asked, "What if I don''t do


    that?"


    "We won''t be holding back then!" he snapped.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    As soon as he said that, he shot the other mercenaries a look. Soon, they moved closer, a clear sign


    that they would snatch the backpack from her.


    Suddenly, a sharp look shed in Katherine''s eyes. As they moved in, she swiftly sent Carmine a


    message before dashing to the side and dodging an attack. Afterward, she scanned her surroundings.


    In her current situation, she should save energy and keep avoiding it. She thought she would be fine if


    she could stall until Carmine''s arrival. Unfortunately, she miscalcted once more on that day. Soon, in


    a matter of minutes, the mercenaries had backed her into a corner.


    Seeing the worsening state of her situation, she scowled. Her beautiful eyes turned frosty.


    These men seemed to insist on forcing her to retaliate.


    In that case, she slid the backpack on, tightly knotting the straps, and took a few more steps into the


    dead-end she was back into. Then, with some space between her and them so that she could


    adequately fight, she lowered herself into a fighting stance.


    The mercenaries stared at her in disdain. In their eyes, trying to fight them showed that she did not


    know her own strength. Two of them immediately charged forward, reaching for her backpack''s straps.


    As they did so, her upper body suddenly bent backward as she dodged their hands.


    Next, Katherine viciously gripped their arms and flung them toward each other. As they had put all their


    strength into their attacks, they were caught off-guard and swiftly crashed into each other. That was not


    the end of her counterattack, though. She raised a leg, took a moment to aim, and kicked them hard


    behind the knees.


    Bam! The two of them were still hurting from mming into each other when they were suddenly sent


    crashing into the ground again. The rest of the mercenaries had ugly looks on their faces when they


    saw that. They quickly charged at Katherine soon after.


    Due to her exceptional spatial awareness, she deftly swerved around all their attacks while striking


    back. She was both defensive and offensive at the same time. However, she was still one woman


    fighting against many men at once. Her stamina was depleted fast. Soon, her breath came out in harsh


    pants as her limbs slowed down.


    She was slowly being cornered when she suddenly heard someone running closer. Out of the corner of


    her eye, she spotted a few neers. One of them looked extraordinarily familiar.


    Her eyes lightened up. Before Katherine could call out at them, the familiar figure defeated one of the


    mercenaries attacking her before sauntering over to her.


    "I''m here." Joaquin''s voice was deep yetforting to hear.


    Katherine looked up at him and smiled. "Are you that worried about me, Joaquin? Why are you here?"


    He gently pursed his lips as a solemn look was painted over his handsome face. "No matter how strong


    or skilled you are or how many people you have by your side, I will never stop worrying about you."


    The abruptness of his statement stunned her. Her mouth dropped open. She was about to say


    something, but then her eyes went cold as they focused on something behind him.


    Two of the mercenaries were suddenly charging over to attack Joaquin. At that moment, an icy gleam


    shed across her eyes as Katherine instinctively reached out to grab his hand. She was going to drag


    him to stand behind her so that she could protect him.


    Then, as she did so, he swiftly turned his hand around to grab her, firmly holding her petit hand in his.


    "Don''t worry." Those were the only words he said, but he spoke so casually and softly that it sounded


    like he knew everything that was happening at that moment.


    The two mercenaries were soon stopped not far away from him. They had been dragged away by


    Joaquin''s men to be beaten up.


    A few minutester, the arrogant mercenaries had all been beaten to the ground by Joaquin''s men.


    Seeing that the tables had turned, the mercenaries quickly ran away, limping due to their injuries.


    The scufflested only a few minutes, ending swiftly due to Joaquin''s arrival. It was only then that


    Katherine''s anxiety faded away. She stared into his eyes as her lips tilted up in a smile. "Thank


    goodness you came in time. Otherwise, grandma''s possession might be lost. Still, why are you here all


    of a sudden?"


    Even if he was worried, there was no need to bring so many men with him. He scanned her up and


    down for a moment, only replying after he was sure she was not hurt. "There are hidden cameras in the


    living room."

 Chapter 366

    Chapter 366


    When Katherine heard Joaquin say that, an icy re shed in her eyes. "Only the living room?"


    He nodded. "They must have predicted we would be extremely cautious in checking out the bedroom.


    Thus, there were no cameras there. They only installed hidden cameras in the dead corners of the


    living room where they would be easily missed. That way, they could continue spying on us. I only


    thought about that after you left. Hence, I checked the whole ce once more. As expected, there were


    several cameras."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She frowned. She had checked the bedroom from top to bottom before leaving. Even then, she did not


    examine the living room. Nevertheless, she ignored that room because there was not much furniture. It


    seemed like she had been too careless. Life has been so eventful and hectictely. With limited time to


    focus on everything, it was hard to prevent missing out on something.


    Their enemy must have seen her disguise. That was why she was followed. However, Katherine had


    already thrown off everyone following her. How did the mercenaries find her?


    Moreover, she went out the back door. If their enemy did not know the ce beforehand, they must


    havebed the entire area to encircle theboratory. Even then, how did they know she would be


    there? While her job with Professor Muller at theboratory was not a big secret, few knew about it.


    When Katherine was racking her brain over it, Joaquin grabbed her hand. "Let''s go. Get it in the car


    first. While those men are gone, this ce is still not safe. We can talk once we''re home."


    She nodded, then asked, "About back home¡ª"


    "Don''t worry." He knew what she was going to ask. "I have asked Jeremy to thoroughly search the


    entire ce back home. My men have evenbed through the area around Soulin International.


    Everything is so well-guarded that not even a fly can enter without us knowing."


    She only rxed after hearing that, so she grabbed the backpack and followed Joaquin to the vehicle.


    Back home, Katherine first checked on Noah. After experiencing a traumatic event, the girl could only


    rx at home, where she was fast asleep in her bed.


    "She fell asleep not long after you left. Only then did I have the time to search the other sections of the


    house. After I found the cameras, I recalled how the other party likely knew what you look like when


    disguised. That was when I told Jeremy to look for you. Thankfully, we arrived in time." When he said


    that, his face went cold. He did not dare think about what terrifying consequences there would be if he


    waste.


    The more Joaquin thought about it, the more afraid he was. So, he gripped Katherine''s hand and held it


    tightly. He was worried she might vanish right before his eyes.


    "Kathy, no matter what happens in the future, I will always do my best to be by your side. I will never let


    you face any danger alone again."


    If something terrible happened, like the incident five years ago, he might go mad.


    Her bright eyes gleamed as Katherine stared at Joaquin''s solemn face. Something tugged at her heart


    as it slowly pounded faster and faster. Soon, she smiled with pursed lips before clearly responding,


    "Okay." Unable to contain her indescribable joy, she epted his generosity without reservation for the


    first time.


    Still, for the moment, they did not have much time left. They were also not in the mood to ponder their


    feelings. Hence, they began to discuss the oddities of the day.


    "Do you suspect something?" He got up and poured her a ss of water, only handing it to her after he


    tested the ss with his hand to ensure it was warm.


    She epted it and took a few sips while organizing her thoughts. It was only then that she briefly


    summarized her suspicions.


    For every word that Katherine spoke, Joaquin''s frown deepened. "This is certainly abnormal. Since he


    knew your disguise, why would he send only two cars after you? After you threw them off their trail,


    how could they ambush you at theboratory? How did they know?"


    She set the ss of water down, and because the warmth on the tips of her fingertips lingered, she


    subconsciously rubbed them together. Her eyes slowly darkened as she sank deeper into her thoughts.


    She pursed her lips as if she were trying toe up with a reasonable exnation for all the


    suspicious events.


    "They are very meticulous, so there was no way they would only send two cars after me. Doing all this


    meant they were in full control of everything."


    "Full control?"


    "Yes." Katherine nodded. "The only possibility is that they already know where I was going to go."


    It was then that Joaquin thought of something. "You suspect they might be someone you know?"


    Then, she leaned back against the couch and crossed her arms. "Not only do I know them, but they


    might also be someone very close to us."


    He scowled harder as he slowly said in his deep voice, "They could only anticipate you going to


    Professor Muller''sboratory because they are close to you. In that case¡ª" At that thought, his gaze


    turned frigid. "That means those mercenaries did not catch up to you. Instead, they were patiently


    waiting in ambush. They might not know there is a secret room or a trapdoor inside. However, they had


    their men be ready. The whole ce was likely surrounded. So, when you appear, you will be trapped."


    Katherine solemnly nodded before pouting at what Joaquin said. "I might have been nearly caught, but


    I was not trapped."


    She then turned her attention back to the topic. "Still, they were well-prepared to deal with me. Hah! I


    was too careless this time."


    She never expected the enemy to send mercenaries after her.


    Still, Joaquin found that rather suspicious. "Anyone who wants you dead will not be weak. They can


    hire so many mercenaries to steal grandma''s possession from you. Do you have any suspects in


    mind?"


    Katherine pondered in silence for a moment before shaking her head. "Not at the moment. I never liked


    to suspect my friends. Since they have the nerve to do this, it is clear they are not worried I would find


    any damning evidence against them."


    Even when she said that there was no sign of upset or anger on her face. Instead, her lips were tilted


    upward in a mischievous smirk.


    "I am quite curious as to who this secret mastermind is," shemented with a chuckle. "Why are they


    so interested in what grandma left me?"


    She then turned her attention to the backpack before ncing at him. "Shall we take a look? Let''s see


    what grandma left me."


    With raised eyebrows, he sat beside her and pulled out the wooden box from the bag. "You open it."


    She silently pulled out the key she had kept close to her and finally opened the intricately carved


    wooden box.

 Chapter 367

    Chapter 367


    The box did not contain many items.


    Except for another two secret tomes left that used to belong to a great-grandmother, it contained a


    stack of documents and an address book.


    At the bottom of the box, there was also a letter addressed to Darren Olsen, Katherine''s grandfather.


    She exchanged nces with Joaquin before opening the letter.


    Inside the envelope was a piece of paper; written on it were a string of numbers and a phone number.


    With just one nce, she knew to whom the number belonged. "This is the contact number for Regal


    Summit Bank."


    He was surprised to hear that.


    Regal Summit Bank was the most private bank in the entire world. They provided a storage service for


    anything and everything.


    Ever since that service started, the bank never lost a single thing. It was highly praised and extremely


    trusted. Many of the rich and powerful stored their personal belongings there.


    "It looks like Grandpa deposited something very important there, but Grandma never once went to


    retrieve it."


    Her hand clutched around the piece of paper as her eyes gleamed.


    "In that case, I''ll have to go there."


    He shot her a sideways nce. "Regal Summit Bank is located in Zoscistan. You want to go there?"


    She nodded and ced the piece of paper back in the envelope before returning the letter to the box


    and locking the box up.


    "Since Grandpa has something locked up in Regal Summit Bank, a ce well-known for its tight


    privacy and security, then it must be very important. Those men likely weren''t just after Grandma''s


    secret tomes. They might be after what Grandpa left behind. I must go there and see what he left us. At


    least then, I can be mentally prepared."


    He understood that logic. Without hesitation, he suggested, "I''ll go with you."


    Startled, she turned to look at him. "You¡­"


    He raised an eyebrow. "Did you forget what I just said? No matter the situation, I''ll do my best to be by


    your side."


    He then raised his hand to pinch her ear. At that moment, there was a gentle smile on his face. "I can''t


    stop worrying otherwise."


    What he did was obviously very normal. Furthermore, he was merely saying a line that she had heard


    many times. Still, for some reason, her heart skipped uncontrobly fast. Deep down, she was touched.


    She could sense that it was getting easier and easier for her to be affected by his words. It seemed like


    whatever he said could easily pull at her heartstrings.


    Her ears and cheeks started burning. The spot he pinched started tingling like her heart. It was as if a


    tiny kitten had just brushed up against her.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    She softly cleared her throat and pretended to speak naturally as she mumbled, "Well, if you want to


    go¡­"


    Then, a thought struck her. "About Area Seven¡­"


    Before she could finish speaking, Joaquin smiled and interrupted, "It''s fine. I haven''t had any missions


    lately. If I am assigned a job, I will tell Jeremy to do it. As for Noah, I''ll have someone take care of her."


    Ben was not busy right now. Rather than letting him loaf around all day like a freeloader, putting Noah


    into his care should be no problem.


    Meanwhile, Ben who was curled up at home ying games suddenly felt a chill run down his spine,


    making him sneeze.


    As he rubbed his nose, he wondered if someone was talking about him behind his back.


    "Let''s put Xavier in charge of Noah''s care," Katherine suggested. "She just got better. It will be better


    for her to be with someone she knows."


    "Very well. As you say." Joaquin nodded.


    Once everything was sorted out, they decided to depart the next day.


    Just before they left, they told Noah all about their arrangement. She listened with wide eyes, her eyes


    shone with glee instead of any feelings of upset.


    "Mom, Dad, are you going on your honeymoon?" she asked.


    The question stunned Katherine. "We¡­"


    Joaquin could not resist chuckling when he heard that. With warm eyes, he lifted Noah up into his


    arms. Then, before Katherine could answer the question, he replied, "It''s not a honeymoon. We''re


    going on a business trip."


    He thennguidly said, "Thank goodness you reminded me though. We have been so busy after


    getting married that we forgot about our honeymoon. Do you have anywhere you want to go, Noah?"


    With starry eyes that shimmered brightly with surprise and joy, she asked, "Dad, are you saying you''ll


    take me on your honeymoon?"


    The cute look on her face made him chuckle once more. He tapped her on her tiny nose and said, "Of


    course. We are family. Naturally, we should go on holiday together."


    She was beside herself with joy when she heard that. "Okay!" she eximed with a happy p. "I want


    to go to the beach!"


    He took a moment to think about his answer before an idea struck him. "Okay. I''ve got it. Once we''re


    back, I''ll make sure everything is perfectly organized. We''ll go on a vacation then. Before that, you


    have to be a good girl and listen to Xavier. Eat your meals and go to bed on time. When it''s time to take


    your medicine, don''tin about how bitter it is, and finish it. Deal?"


    "Deal!" There was now nothing he said that she would object to. She repeatedly nodded like a


    woodpecker. "I will behave and do as I''m told."


    The father-daughter duo''s interactions felt quite funny to Katherine. Standing beside them, she could


    feel her cheeks gradually turning bright red.


    Honeymoon? She had never once thought of that.


    Speaking of which, when she first married Joaquin, she was thinking of divorcing him once the time


    was right. She did not expect their rtionship to develop so far.


    Coincidentally, he was the man from five years ago, Noah''s biological father.


    Coincidentally, there were more reasons tying the two of them together even if the child and marriage


    were out of the equation.


    As her mind drifted, Joaquin nced at her and smiled before putting Noah in her arms. "You promised


    me to behave, but you have yet to promise your mommy," he said to Noah. "Hurry up and promise her


    to do the same. I''ll go start your bath."


    The abrupt appearance of a warm body in her arms startled Katherine. Worried that Noah might fall,


    she hurriedly wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter. Before she could recover from the


    surprise, she saw Joaquin winking at her before walking into the bathroom.


    Noah wrapped her arms around Katherine''s neck and softly said, "I will behave. You and Dad don''t


    have to worry about me. I pinky promise."


    Her words melted Katherine''s heart. As she stared at the child in her arms, her face softened as a


    doting look was painted on her face.


    "Okay," she said. "It''s a pinky promise." She reached out and hooked her pinky with Noah''s.

 Chapter 368

    Chapter 368


    The next morning, Katherine had Carmine prepare the private jet.


    Joaquin was shocked when he got out of the car. "You have a private ne?"


    "The Vermillion Alliance works for clients from all over the world," she casually exined with a raised


    eyebrow. "A private jet will make things easier."


    Her answer made his eyes gleam withughter. "It seems like I''ve married an amazing woman. I never


    thought I would be a trophy husband."


    The two then boarded the ne and strapped themselves in. Katherine nced at him with a yful


    look in her eyes. "Not everyone can be my trophy husband. You''re the first to qualify. Besides, you also


    have the looks."


    That made him burst outughing. His shoulders shook from how hard he wasughing.


    "Yes, it is such an honor. I am the first, and I will be thest. I must maintain my body and beauty so


    that you don''t get tired of me."


    The way he answered was so smooth that it made her blush red as she pursed her lips.


    She had been the person teasing him, yet she was now being teased. Embarrassed, she ignored him


    and turned to her subordinate. "Let''s take off and hurry to Zoscistan."


    "Yes, madam," her subordinate replied. After passing them cups of coffee, they headed into the cockpit.


    Soon, the ne departed Hovington and was steadily soaring through the clouds.


    Some time into their journey, their ne suddenly started shaking hard.


    Katherine had been sleeping when it happened. When she jerked awake, Joaquin quickly grabbed her


    hand and reassured her, "Don''t be scared. It might just be some turbulence."


    However, just as he said that, one of her men stumbled out of the cockpit; panic was written all over his


    face as he hurried over.


    "Bad news, madam! Someone is trying to hijack the ne!"


    Both Joaquin and Katherine''s faces twisted when they heard that.


    "Who are they? How many enemy nes?" Katherine demanded, swiftly calming down.


    "We don''t know who they are, but they do not seem like any infamous groups we know. There are three


    interceptor aircraft. One to our left, one to our right, and another straight ahead. We have been


    surrounded!"


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Her eyes grew cold as her mind raced through several possible solutions.


    She knew of quite a few infamous groups that dabbled in air piracy and which regions were more likely


    to be targeted.


    However, she never expected it to happen to her.


    She only paused to think for a few short seconds before barking out her decision. "Emergencynding."


    It was too risky to take over their ne while they were in the air. Even if their opponents were


    veterans, they would still need time and act cautiously.


    Currently, their best option was tond.


    "Where are we now?" Joaquin asked, frowning.


    "We are currently flying over Fontan," the man replied.


    "That''s not bad. Tell the pilot to avoid the three jets at all costs whilending as soon as possible."


    Thankfully, they were not flying over any jungle, icy mountains, or oceans. It was fortunate that there


    was a safe area tond on.


    Soon, the pilot was deftly dodging the other three nes'' pincer attack. As ordered and with the help of


    their expertise, theynded safely in Fontan.


    Katherine only stopped worrying after the nended.


    At the same time, many more questions popped up in her mind.


    Next to her, Joaquin unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over to release her as well. "What are you


    thinking about?" he asked.


    She hesitated for a moment before answering, "Fontan is not a safe country. nes are asionally


    hijacked, but something about this feels more than a mere coincidence."


    "Coincidence?" He hummed as he pondered. "Rather than coincidence, I would call it suspicious."


    Her eyes gleamed. "You noticed it too?"


    He nodded as his lips raised in a cold smile with a deep look in his eyes.


    "No one hijacks nes like that. They did not evenpletely surround us. It''s like they were pushing


    us to make an emergencynding."


    She nodded. It was obvious she thought so too. "I think they want us tond here."


    As soon as she said that, they looked each other in the eye and simultaneously stated, "Ambush!"


    As expected, her man came rushing back once more.


    "Madam! Quickly think of a way to get us out of here. There are a lot of people outside. They look like


    mercenaries, and they''re about to surround us on all sides."


    Again, they are met with mercenaries!


    Her face went cold. "It looks like the same mastermind fromst time is behind this incident. What a


    persistent pest. They even followed us here."


    Joaquin nced out of the window to assess the situation. He then shot to his feet and dragged her up


    as well. "Let''s not talk about that. Our main priority is to leave this ce."


    Fontan was not a big country; it was barelyrger than Hovington.


    While he did not spend a lot of time in Fontan, his amazing memory meant he still had a rough map of


    the area imprinted in his mind.


    "We should be in the outskirts of Ewing," he stated. "We''re not that far from the city, so there should be


    people living around here. Let''s borrow a car and drive to the city."


    Crowded areas were the best ces to hide. Also, it would be harder for the mercenaries to act.


    She agreed with him and followed him off the ne.


    Meanwhile, the mercenaries had arrived and were about to surround the ne.


    However, due to Joaquin''s many years of experience and participation in countlessbat scenarios,


    he was able to maintain calm in the face of danger.


    No emotions showed in his deep, dark eyes; his sharp gaze scanned the group of mercenaries, looking


    for a weakness to exploit.


    Soon, he came to a decision. He dragged Katherine over to a spot behind him where she would be


    protected before charging to a spot behind them to their right where the circle looked the weakest.


    Katherine followed closely behind. Staring at his tall figure, she whispered to him, "It''s fine. You don''t


    have to protect me. I can do this."


    However, he gave no sign of letting go of her. His eyes were trained straight ahead while using his free


    arm to fend off the mercenaries.


    In an instant, he was like a god of murder. His nk face was like ice as a murderous aura lingered


    around him¡ªas if he was a demon straight from hell.


    On the other hand, Katherine tried to struggle away a few times, but he was holding her wrist so tightly


    that she had no choice but to follow him and let him protect her.


    He forged a path to freedom in a few short moments and led her through it. It was only then that he


    turned to look at her. Despite the danger they were in, he smiled reassuringly at her.


    "Don''t worry," he said. "I can handle it. I did say I would always protect you."


    He tightened his grip around her hand before turning over, fixing his gaze at a house with a car parked


    right in front of it.

 Chapter 369

    Chapter 369


    There was someone from that family who happened to be basking in the sun in the yard. Joaquin


    walked over quickly, negotiated with that person in Fontanian, then quickly handed him a card. Next, he


    took the car keys and led Katherine into the car. This entire process was quite fast, and before


    Katherine could react, she was already sitting in the co-pilot seat of the car. While she was still thinking


    about what Joaquin said just now, the car had already zoomed off. She had to admit that just now when


    she heard him make such a firm promise with such a calm expression, there was a throbbing sensation


    in her heart that could not be ignored. This sensation seemed so inappropriate at a time like this, yet it


    was so uncontroble. She never thought that one day, she would be protected by someone like this,


    not to mention, being protected by this man. Moreover, what amazed her the most was that she didn''t


    mind such protection; she even felt a little bit of joy melting in her heart.


    Realizing that her thoughts were drifting away, she bit her lips lightly and forced herself to calm down


    before remembering to ask him, "What did you just tell that person? Why did he just let you drive it


    away?"


    Joaquin stepped on the elerator and the car sped up, but he was not nervous at all. It was as if he


    was on vacation. Hearing this, he looked at her with a careless smile on his lips. "It''s easy. In this world,


    there is almost nothing that can''t be done with money. Money touches the heart all the time. It''s a solid


    truth."


    Katherine thought of the card he had just handed to that person and felt it made sense. That card was


    a gold card, so it must contain money with an amount of up to seven digits. Thinking about it this way,


    she couldn''t help but feel a little wasteful. "This car is so broken; it''s not worth the money you gave¡­"


    Joaquinughed after hearing this and squeezed her cheek with one hand. "You''re so stingy. The


    situation was so urgent at that time that there was no time to bargain. It''s just a card, so it doesn''t


    matter."


    While speaking, he nced at the rearview mirror. His gaze suddenly became deep and icy, and when


    he spoke again, his voice became much colder.


    "Furthermore, it''s only a few million. Our two lives are worth much more than that."


    Katherine also took advantage of the opportunity to nce at the rearview mirror, only to see several


    jeeps following behind them.


    Tsk, they keeping after us. How annoying.


    She curled her lips. "You''re right. As long as we can shake off this group of people, it''s a good deal."


    After speaking, she took out her phone and sent a message to Dn. "We''re in Fontan. Meet us in the


    city center. Bring men with you."


    At the same time, in the LW Laboratory, Dn was chatting out of boredom with a few other


    researchers in the lounge of the research institute. When he saw the message, he was taken aback


    and immediately jumped up from his chair.


    "Holy crap, the boss is back!"


    As soon as these words came out, the rest of the people were also shocked.


    "What? Really? Why did shee back suddenly?"


    "Could there be a new reagent to research on? Wow, I have waited for this day. I joined thepany


    late and I wasn''t able to witness the development of the D3 reagent back then!"


    "As long as the boss makes a move, there is almost no research in the world that cannot be done! I''m


    so excited. My project has just finished up recently, so maybe I can help the boss to do research


    together!"


    "Dn, tell me quickly! When will the boss arrive? We can prepare to wee her¡­"


    The researchers chattered non-stop, but Dn didn''t respond at all. He just held his phone and tapped


    on the screen quickly. After more than 10 seconds, he put the phone in his pocket, withdrew his


    previous carefree expression, and looked serious instead. "It''s just a temporary visit, so she might not


    come here. You guys should go off and do your jobs first. I have something else to do, so I''ll leave first."


    Then, he quickly picked up his coat and car keys before striding away. Just now, he had notified his


    subordinates to meet directly in the city center.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Joaquin drove the car into the city center. There was more traffic on the road, but his


    expression remained unchanged as he drove through the traffic easily. However, the cars at the back


    still tailed them persistently, and Joaquin wasn''t able to distance his car from theirs.


    Looking at the traffic getting denser in front of him, Joaquin frowned slightly before making a quick


    decision. "Abandon the car!"


    Katherine nodded, unfastened her seat belt, and prepared for the signal to get out of the car. After


    passing through an intersection, Joaquin mmed on the brakes and came to a stop at an alley. In the


    next moment, the two leaped out of the car together and ran into the alley.


    Seeing this, the mercenaries also abandoned their cars and chased after them.


    At this point, the situation became more and more desperate. Katherine and Joaquin were being


    hunted, so they couldn''t run on the main roads and could only run around in the alleys.


    "This way!" Katherine looked at the forked road before her and pointed to the right. She then nced at


    the mercenaries who were chasing after her with a look of displeasure in her clear eyes. These people


    are as annoying as flies. Where''s Dn?


    Just as she was muttering to herself, she suddenly noticed that someone was standing at the fork in


    front of her. Joaquin also saw the person and suddenly stopped running. His expression turned hard,


    and he became alert at once. He thought it was one of the mercenaries who came to stop them. Just


    as he was thinking about how to fight his way out, he realized that the man was waving at him and


    Katherine.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    "Kathy! It''s me! This way!" the man called out.


    When Joaquin and Katherine heard this voice, they were both stunned for a while. That person was


    actually Jayden!


    Why is he here?


    For a moment, doubts lingered in Joaquin''s heart. His brows furrowed, and the vignce in his eyes


    increased instead of diminishing when he realized that it was Jayden. However, Katherine didn''t think


    too much about it. Seeing that the other party was someone she knew, her eyes lit up, and she quickly


    tugged on Joaquin and ran over.


    Jayden nced at Joaquin, ignored him, and said directly to Katherine, "If you have anything to tell me,


    we''ll talk about itter. Follow me first, and I will take you to a safe ce."


    Katherine didn''t suspect him at all, so she pulled Joaquin and ran out of the alley together. Then, they


    got into the parked car. As Joaquin and Katherine had been hunted and had been running around in


    the alley for a long time, they were a little tired and their breathing was unstable, causing them to pant


    rapidly.


    While driving, Jayden made sure to take care of the two behind him. He took two bottles of water and


    passed them to the back. "Here, drink some water first. I''ll get rid of those people."


    As he said that, he stepped on the elerator a little harder, and the car whizzed by. After three


    blocks, the cars following behind finally disappeared.


    Katherine came back to her senses, breathed a sigh of relief, and then finally remembered to ask,


    "Jayden, why are you here?"

 Chapter 370

    Chapter 370


    Jayden held the steering wheel with both hands, looked ahead, and briefly exined the reason why


    he appeared there. "I have a coborative project in Fontan, so I came to have a look. I saw you on the


    street just now, and I thought I recognized you. When I saw that you were looking harried, I chased


    after you to find out what was going on and saw that those people were hunting you down. So, I drove


    the car over, thinking that I could help, but I didn''t expect that I would actuallye in handy."


    Thinking about the situation just now, Katherine smiled faintly. "Thank you for showing up on time."


    "There''s no need to be so polite to me." Jayden smiled slightly. He nced at the rearview mirror,


    paused for a moment on Katherine''s face, then changed the subject.


    "But who are those people? Why are you here?"


    Katherine thought about it and decided not to hide anything from him. Then, she began to brief him


    about the situation. However, she still concealed her purpose of going to Zoscistan. Hearing that,


    Jayden frowned before saying, "These people not only hijacked the ne but also chased you here?


    What are they trying to do? Why are you going to Zoscistan all of a sudden?"


    He asked in a very casual way as if he cared for her from the bottom of his heart. Katherine hesitated


    for a while, but still didn''t tell the truth. She just said vaguely, "There are some things I have to deal


    with. As for¡­"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Joaquin, who had been silent all this time, suddenly held her


    hand. He then looked straight ahead, and through the rearview mirror, he fixed his gaze on Jayden''s


    face.


    "Kathy and I haven''t had time to go on our honeymoon since we got married. Since we have nothing


    else to do right now, we''re just going to Zoscistan for a few days to rx."\


    Hearing this, Katherine turned her head to look at him. She met his smiling gaze, then pondered for a


    while before she spoke again. "Yeah, that''s right."


    This time, Jayden''s smile fell, and his dark eyes dimmed a little. He raised his eyes and looked in the


    rearview mirror. After meeting Joaquin''s gaze for a moment, his eyes moved away expressionlessly.


    "Right." A t response came from him, and he didn''t ask anymore.


    He merely added, "It''s not safe for you to be outside now, so I''ll take you back to my ce where you


    can stay temporarily. I don''t know when these hired mercenaries will show up again, so justy low and


    wait for trouble to pass. You can leave after that."


    Katherine thought about it and felt that he was right, so she did not refuse his offer. "Thanks then."


    Jayden smiled lightly. His tone was much gentler as he replied, "I''ve said this before. Considering the


    rtionship between you and me, there is no need to be so polite."


    What he said made Joaquin feel a little upset.


    Rtionship? Ha, what rtionship? Everyone can see Jayden''s intentions. Now that he''s saying this


    in front of me, what is he really trying to do?


    Currently, Joaquin felt a little distraught, but considering Katherine''s safety, he had to do what this man


    said.


    After a while, the car stopped at the gate of the vi. Jayden got out of the car first, then opened the


    rear door for Katherine. "We''re here."


    Katherine thanked him, looked up at the vi, and raised her eyebrows. "The environment here is


    great. It''s quiet amidst the hustle and bustle, and it''s not far from the city center. Your choice of location


    is very good."


    While she was talking, the three of them walked in. When Joaquin saw the interior decoration, his eyes


    flickered slightly. He then said tly, "Mr. Hall, you''ve been living in Cechirus for a long time, right? I


    didn''t expect that you would own property here. Besides, it seems that you oftene here to stay."


    Jayden nced at him, and his tone was equally indifferent. He did not sound as warm and gentle as


    he was talking to Katherine. "Well, I do have a coborative project in Fontan, so I have toe here


    from time to time. Thus, it''s not unusual for me to have a residence here."


    Joaquin didn''t say anything more, and Katherine didn''t ask any more questions either. Soon, Jayden


    quickly allocated rooms for them. Originally, he had allocated two rooms, but Joaquin refused with a


    smile, "Mr. Hall, we don''t need two rooms; one is enough."


    He nced at Katherine with a smile, and his tone was smug as he continued, "Kathy and I are already


    husband and wife, so it is natural for us to sleep together."


    Katherine was speechless. Her expression was slightly awkward, and she kept silent.


    Jayden''s eyes darkened at that, but as if he didn''t hear those words, he simply said to Katherine,


    "Everything you need is inside. If you need anything else, just tell me. Have a good rest first, and you


    cane down to eatter."


    "Okay." Katherine nodded. She wanted to thank him out of habit, but then she remembered what he


    said on the road just now, so she just smiled and said nothing more.


    In fact, she and Jayden were good friends before, but because she sensed his romantic intentions and


    knew that her feelings did not reciprocate, she began to distance herself from him. If it was during the


    usual times, she would definitely not ept his arrangement and trouble him like this. But she had to


    ept it considering the current situation.


    She went back to the room first, and Joaquin was a step behind her. He stared at Jayden withplex


    emotions in his eyes. When Jayden looked back at him, his mouth suddenly and slowly parted into a


    smile.


    "Mr. Levisay, you seem to be very hostile toward me."


    There was no expression on Joaquin''s face, but his eyes slightly narrowed. After a moment of silence,


    he spoke slowly with a calm tone.


    "It''s not really hostility. Mr. Hall, you saved Kathy and me from danger. I am very grateful to you for this


    matter. However, we have to consider each matter on its own. I hope that we can always live in peace


    like this."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    He didn''t make things very clear and simply pointed it out vaguely, but his underlying meaning was


    unmistakable. After Jayden listened to it, his eyes lowered slightly, and then he said in a low voice, "Mr.


    Levisay, you have a lot of thoughts in your mind, don''t you? Kathy and I have a past that you, a


    later, won''t be able to understand. But there''s no need to care about it. After all, whether you care


    or not, nothing will change."


    These words sounded a bit provocative. Hearing that, Joaquin suddenly let out a snort. "So what if I''m


    ater? Mr. Hall, the important thing is that my rtionship with her prevails. As for whether


    anything will change, I don''t care. As long as Kathy is by my side, that''s enough."


    The two of them were arguing, but their argument was full of vague riddles. After finishing his sentence,


    Joaquin turned around and entered the room in front of Jayden. Like a winner, he closed the door with


    a haughty expression.


    Now that Jayden was alone, his face suddenly turned ugly. He knew that he couldn''t hide his feelings.


    In fact, he never hid them at all, but he didn''t expect that Joaquin would care so much. Heh, it seems


    that this man has genuine feelings for Katherine. But so what? As long as she is whom I want, I will


    grab her at all costs!


    Immediately, he called the maid over, told her to prepare lunch, and then went back to his room.


    His room was separated from Katherine''s guest room by some distance, and the sound instion here


    was excellent, so he took out his phone without any hesitation and made a call.

 Chapter 371

    Chapter 371


    "Tell those mercenaries to stop. There''s no need to look for them anymore because they''re here with


    me," he ordered in a deep voice.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    On the other end of the phone, his assistant, Hansel, responded, "All right. Then, do we need to send


    them back to X Research Institute?"


    Jayden didn''t answer immediately. He thought for a while before replying, "Send back some of them


    and have the rest continue monitoring them. Have them show their faces from time to time. Don''t


    withdraw fully, otherwise, they''ll be suspicious."


    After hanging up the phone, he stood on the balcony, looking at the scenery in the courtyard of the vi,


    his eyes slightly narrowed with interest.


    Heh, Katherine surprises me all the time. She actually knows how to disguise herself. If I hadn''t


    arranged everything in advance, I would almost have been fooled by her. They''re now saying that


    they''re going to Zoscistan by private jet. I''m afraid it''s not as simple as they make it out to be! I want to


    see what they''re really up to!


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Katherine showered, washed off the dust, and then sat by the bed, meditating on what


    happened today. After a while, Joaquin joined her.


    "What are you thinking?" he leaned over, sat next to her, and asked. The scent of the shower gel on his


    body was very pleasant.


    Sniffing, Katherine couldn''t help clinging to him before replying slowly, "I''m thinking about today''s


    affairs, and the more I think about it, the more something feels wrong."


    This action of hers did not escape Joaquin''s gaze. The man smiled, then threw the towel on the back of


    the chair before dragging Katherine to lie down.


    Startled, Katherine struggled quickly. "Hey, what are you doing? I''m talking about serious matters here.


    You¡­"


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows, leaned backzily on the bed, and pulled her toward him without


    releasing his grip. Katherine fell into his arms all at once, and her smooth forehead hit his muscr and


    hard chest, causing some pain.


    Hissing in pain, she rubbed her forehead and mumbled, "What are you doing?"


    Joaquin turned sideways, held her before him, and put a hand behind her ear. Smiling, he said, "What''s


    going on in your mind? What did you think I was going to do?"


    Katherine''s expression froze, then she muttered wryly, "N-Nothing."


    Nevertheless, Joaquin didn''t let her go and teased her on purpose, "You enjoyed the scent of my body


    just now, didn''t you? Go on then. I''m a generous person. You can smell me as much as you want."


    Katherine was speechless. This jerk goes crazy at any time!


    She red at him in annoyance and tried to get up while holding onto his chest. But her re looked


    like a flirtatious stare to Joaquin, which made him even happier. He grabbed her slender waist tightly,


    unable to let her go.


    "Hey, you''re really¡­" Katherine couldn''t move away, so her face went red with shame. Joaquin stopped


    teasing her and let go of her waist. He put his warm palm on her back and carefully supported her,


    afraid she would turn over and fall. Then, his expression became serious.


    "Okay, I won''t tease you anymore. Tell me, what do you think about this matter?"


    Seeing him bring up the serious matter, Katherine curled her lips, leaned against his arms, and started


    talking without any further struggle.


    "Why do you think the other party didn''t want to hijack the ne but simply wanted us to make an


    emergencynding in Fontan?" she asked first.


    Joaquin narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a while, and quickly came up with his own answer.


    "Forcing us to make an emergencynding in Fontan and then ambushing us when we arrive? That


    shows that the enemy''s sphere of influence is concentrated in Fontan."


    This was an obvious possibility, so Katherine nodded.


    "But I thought about it for a while, and I couldn''t think of any rivals in Fontan. Besides, the other party


    started the attack in Hovington, so he is a Cechirusian. Most importantly, he knows me well, but I can''t


    think of a suitable candidate who ticks all the boxes. I don''t recall having such an enemy."


    She frowned and pondered for a long time but couldn''t think of anything.


    However, when Joaquin heard her words, his eyes shed, and a figure suddenly appeared in his


    mind. However, he didn''t speak up right away. He understood Katherine''s personality and knew that


    she didn''t like people who were paranoid. Most of all, she didn''t like to be suspicious of her friends, so


    she didn''t think about this possibility. Therefore, before there was sure evidence, he would not talk


    nonsense. He thereafter asked, "Do you have any opponents in Fontan? Not personal rivals, but


    business rivals."


    "Business?" Katherine froze. "Do you mean theboratory?"


    Joaquin nodded. "The LW Laboratory has a huge reputation. Although your identity has not been


    disclosed to the public, there is no guarantee that someone interested wouldn''t find out. Other


    laboratories might have already targeted you."


    Hearing this, Katherine contemted it for a while, then seemed to think of something and said in a low


    voice, "It is true that severalboratories have targeted LW Laboratory before, but those weren''t very


    serious issues. However, there is oneboratory that proposed to acquire ourboratory a few years


    ago, but we couldn¡¯t reach an agreement. So, they then asked for coboration instead and wanted to


    jointly develop new reagents, but I rejected them. After that, thatboratory seemed to vanish, but in


    the past two years, someone came forward again and said there is a good project in hand that they


    wanted to jointly develop with LW Laboratory. They earnestly wanted us to share resources with them,


    but I also rejected them then."


    With the strength and influence of LW Laboratory, they could get any project they wanted. Moreover,


    the LW Laboratory did not need any new projects at all, let alone coborate with others. The reagents


    developed by them alone were enough to set off waves around the world. Therefore, no amount of


    temptation would move Katherine.


    Joaquin felt inexplicably proud of this, but the more he listened, the more he felt that something was off.


    "What''s the name of thatboratory?" he asked abruptly.


    Katherine searched in her mind and replied, "Lab X. It used to have arge sphere of influence in


    Fontan, but for some reason, it suddenly seemed to keep a low profile, and I haven''t heard anything


    about them. There had been no movement until two years ago when the person in charge suddenly


    approached Dn. Dn was taken aback and thought that the person was a scammer, but the other


    party proved his identity, so Dn believed it. But in the end, we didn¡¯t have an agreement. At that


    time, because of this matter, they were very unhappy with us, and Lab X even threatened to ruin us in


    the market."


    Speaking of this, she sneered, "They speak boldly, but whether they have this ability is open to


    discussion. Anyway, until now, I haven''t seen any movement from Lab X."


    "Lab X?"


    The moment Joaquin heard her mention the name, his face changed suddenly and astonishment came


    to his eyes. "Are you sure it''s Lab X?"

 Chapter 372

    Chapter 372


    A puzzled Katherine said, "That''s right. There''s no way I''m mistaken. After all, Lab X used to be


    famous. Although I''ve never paid attention to them over the past two years, I still remember their name


    clearly."


    She lifted her gaze and realized that Joaquin appeared shocked. Doubtful, she asked, "What''s wrong?


    Do you know thatboratory?"


    Joaquin frowned and narrowed his eyes. His usually calm gaze darkened. He parted his lips and spoke


    in a husky voice with a hint of gloominess. "I told you before that I only came to Fontan five years ago


    because I epted a mission. Do you remember?"


    It was because an ident happened while he carried out his mission that the fateful night between


    them happened.


    Hearing that, Katherine appeared slightly surprised. "Did youe to Fontan to destroy Lab X at that


    time?"


    Joaquin nodded. "That''s right. When we arrived, there was no one in Lab X as they had retreated in


    advance. With that said, we still managed to confiscate some drugs. Perhaps they had left in a hurry.


    There hasn''t been any news on them since then. I guess it''s for this reason that they''ve been trying to


    get back on their feet. Those from Area Seven have been keeping an eye on them, but they haven''t


    found any traces. I thought that those from Lab X would remain in hiding for a long time, but it seems


    that they''ve already started taking action in secret."


    A sneer yed on his lips as his gaze turned grim. "Thatboratory has always been in some sort of


    illicit business. I guess the reason they wanted to coborate with you was that they had their eyes on


    the new drugs that had been developed in yourboratory. You were right to turn them down."


    Katherine rose from the chair and pondered on the series of incidents before saying, "Suppose that this


    is indeed Lab X''s doing, the mastermind behind theboratory must be someone I know. However, I


    can''t think of anyone who might have this identity."


    Joaquin wasn''t surprised one bit. "This identity must be very different from what he disys to the


    public. That''s how he manages to fool everyone, so it''s not easy to discover it."


    While they were analyzing the situation, Jayden knocked on the door. "Lunch is ready. Let''s have it


    together."


    Standing near the door, Joaquin smiled faintly and said in a gentle voice, "Thanks for the meal."


    Jayden was apparently not fond of him, but he wouldn''t show his contempt for him in front of Katherine.


    After a dispassionate grunt, he turned around and went downstairs.


    At the dining table, Katherine and Joaquin stopped discussing the issue as they had their food silently.


    Jayden was seated across from them. Watching as Joaquin cut the steak into pieces for Katherine, his


    expression darkened. Even the food he was having tasted nd.


    After putting up with it for a moment, he could no longer hold his displeasure in. "It''s only natural that


    young couples love showing their affection for each other publicly. However, don''t you think it''s


    inappropriate for you to do so at your age, Mr. Levisay?"


    Katherine was speechless at that. She already felt embarrassed by Joaquin''s gesture, and upon


    hearing Jayden''s words, she started blushing. What''s wrong with Joaquin? He seems to have


    transformed into a different person since we got here.


    On the other hand, Joaquin didn''t seem bashful at all. At this moment, he was slowly peeling the


    prawns for Katherine. When he was done with that, he cleaned his hands with a piece of tissue. "Are


    you saying that I''m old, Mr. Hall? If I remember correctly, you''re one year older than me. Are you


    starting to feel old now?"


    Jayden was speechless at that. He was displeased at the fact that the other man retorted.


    Nheless, a relentless Joaquin went on to say, "Anyway, we''re not really showcasing our affection.


    These are just the small things in life. You must have some prejudice against couples who show


    affection for one another. Why don''t Kathy and I show you how it''s really done?"


    While Katherine was at a loss for words, Jayden replied politely, "Thanks. There''s no need for that."


    Certainly, he was shocked by Joaquin''s shamelessness, and he was perplexed as to what Katherine


    saw in him that convinced her to marry him. The doubt remained in his mind for a long time as he


    couldn''t get his head around it.


    After lunch, Jayden asked, "What are your ns, Kathy?"


    Following some deliberation, Katherine replied, "Since everything is still up in the air, I''ll probably wait a


    bit longer and set off two dayster."


    Beside her, Joaquin said dispassionately, "That''s right. We''re just trying to unwind anyway. I don''t mind


    staying in Fontan for two more days."


    Jayden was furious as he had the urge to chase this man out of his house. However, he could only hold


    his fury in for Katherine''s sake. He then nodded and replied, "That''s a good idea. Just stay here for two


    more days. When you''re ready to go, just contact me anytime. I''ll see you off."


    Katherine turned him down with a faint smile. "We''ve already troubled you so much for staying here, so


    you don''t have to see us off. We''ll inform you in advance when we''re ready to leave."


    Jayden frowned but remained silent.


    ¡­


    Upon returning to the room, Katherine took a look at her phone and realized there were many missed


    calls, which were all from Dn. Only then did she recall that she had been ignoring him. As such, she


    called him back at once.


    As though waiting for her call, Dn picked it up the moment his phone started ringing. "Damn it,


    Katherine! Why didn''t you pick up my calls? I almost went all over Fontan to look for you!"


    Hearing the man wail over the phone, Katherine felt helpless. "I forgot to inform you that I had gotten


    out of the woods."


    Upon learning that she was safe, Dn set his mind at ease. He then asked, "Where are you now? I''ll


    send someone over to pick you up."


    When he arrived at that ce a while back, Katherine was nowhere in sight. He became anxious as he


    was worried that something bad had happened to her because he waste.


    Initially, Katherine wanted to bring Joaquin to LW Laboratory. However, after the conversation with him


    earlier, she changed her mind. "There''s no need for that." She turned him down. "Don''t worry about me.


    I''m at my friend''s ce, so I''m safe. Anyway, I need you to look into something for me."


    Dn had never disobeyed her orders. He asked, "What''s the matter?"


    "Go and find out the whereabouts of those from Lab X. I don''t care how you''ll do it, but you have to


    ascertain the mastermind behind theboratory. Also, investigate what they''ve been up totely."


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Hearing that, Dn was perplexed. "Lab X? Haven''t they disappeared for a long time? They were still


    somewhat active two years ago, but there hasn''t been any news on them since we turned them down."


    Without exining anything, Katherine ordered, "Just do as I say. Prioritize this task and inform me at


    once if you''ve found anything."


    Dn tactfully stopped asking further and replied, "Yes."


    Meanwhile, Joaquin stood on the balcony while he told Jeremy to investigate Lab X over the phone.


    After the call ended, he returned to the room and saw Katherine shooting him a look. Finding it


    amusing, he took the initiative to ask, "Why are you looking at me like this?"


    Katherine rolled her eyes. "What''s wrong with you today?"

 Chapter 373

    Chapter 373


    "What do you mean?" Joaquin arched his brow and ambled toward the woman.


    "Stop ying dumb." A speechless Katherine pursed her lips. "Why did you put on an act in front of


    Jayden today?"


    Hearing that, Joaquin broke intoughter as a glint shed across his eyes. His shoulders heaved as


    though he had just heard a funny joke.


    For some reason, Katherine felt her face flushing as the manughed. She snapped, "What are you


    laughing at? Why do you behave strangely today?"


    Instead of answering her, Joaquin questioned, "Do you really have no idea why I behave this way?"


    Taken aback, Katherine looked away and ignored him.


    Joaquin approached her slowly and sat down beside her. His narrowed eyes glittered like the stars.


    "Jayden obviously has an ulterior motive for approaching you. As your husband, there''s no way I can


    put up with it."


    That guy doesn''t even hide his feelings for Kathy. How I wish I could just kill him!


    A helpless Katherine cleared her throat and muttered, "There''s nothing between us, so there''s no need


    for you to be concerned."


    "I know there''s nothing between you two." Joaquin nodded and spoke impassively. "However, that


    doesn''t mean I have to put up with him."


    Realizing that they mustn''t go on with the topic, Katherine fell silent and let the man be.


    As they intended to head out and find out more about the current situation the next day, they decided to


    go to bed early that night.


    When Joaquin got up in the middle of the night, he saw that Katherine was flushing and her lips were


    parted. Worried that she might feel thirsty, he decided to head downstairs with a cup.


    However, when he arrived at thending, he realized that the lights in the dining hall were still on at this


    hour.


    Who is that? Why isn''t he asleep?


    Although he was doubtful, he didn''t read too much into it. Just as he was ready to continue walking


    down the stairs, the voice from the dining hall made him stop.


    That voice was familiar, for it was Jayden''s, and what he said shocked Joaquin.


    "They''re going to head out tomorrow. Send some people to follow them. There''s no need to do


    anything in particr. Just follow them secretly and let them know that the mercenaries are still running


    after them."


    The mercenaries?! Is he speaking to one of them? Does that mean that he''s the one who has hired the


    mercenaries?


    Upon learning the shocking secret inadvertently, Joaquin turned gloomy at once. He stepped back and


    hid behind the other side of the corner as he listened attentively to the voice from the dining hall.


    However, when Jayden was done saying that, he didn''t have another order. He remained silent for a


    long time as though he had hung up the call.


    Momentster, the sound of a cup being ced on the table was heard. Following that, the lights in the


    dining hall were turned off, and the sounds of footsteps reverberated across the ce.


    Joaquin had acute eyesight, so he got used to the darkness quickly. He turned around and headed


    upstairs stealthily. With years of training andbat experience, he managed to make no noises at all.


    Upon returning to the room, he closed the door lightly and leaned his ear against it.


    Soon, Jayden came upstairs as well and shuffled toward the other end of the corridor. Several minutes


    later, the sound of a door closing was heard.


    In the darkness, Joaquin squinted and fell into his thoughts.


    In fact, when he was having a discussion with Katherine in the morning, he already became suspicious


    of Jayden. It never crossed his mind that his suspicion would be proven in such a way.


    Why would it be so coincidental that right after they were forced tond in Fontan, they came across


    Jayden?


    What was more, when they were hunted down and besieged in the alley, Jayden could urately


    locate them.


    Joaquin wasn''t someone who believed in a series of coincidences, which looked more like a n that


    was well thought out in his eyes.


    Moreover, Jayden was someone Katherine was familiar with, and they had a partnership in Fontan. In


    other words, he was quite powerful in this ce.


    These two points met the criteria for the mastermind that Katherine had listed.


    Now, it seemed that Jayden had already had his eyes on Katherine back in their own country. That was


    why he was aware of Theodore''sboratory and told the mercenaries to lie in ambush in advance.


    Since the mission was unsessful, he decided to run after them. To make it easier for him to make a


    move, he pretended to hijack the ne and forced them tond in Fontan so that the mercenaries on


    land could do their job. They pretended to hunt them down, and Jayden put up an act of saving them at


    the most critical moment. That was because he had to gain Katherine''s trust.


    Well, that''s a lot of twists and turns. He''s such a cunning man!


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Nheless, given Jayden''s identity, he supposedly wasn''t able to hire any mercenaries.


    Although the Hall Family could be considered wealthy in Kynd, they were not one of the four most


    prestigious families, after all. As such, they didn''t have the right to contact the mercenaries.


    The only possibility was that Jayden still had an identity that was hidden from others, and that identity


    must not be underestimated.


    As Joaquin racked his brain, he soon thought of Lab X.


    It was apparent that Jayden was after Jennifer''s inheritance. The outsiders only knew that Jennifer was


    proficient in medicine, and they were eager to get the Scott-Tutton Family''s secret scroll from her.


    Since Jayden was after the secret scroll, his hidden identity must have something to do with the


    medical field as well.


    As such, Joaquin couldn''t help but think of Lab X. With that said, he couldn''t confirm that Jayden was


    indeed the mastermind.


    After all, many people wanted to get Jennifer''s secret scroll. With the secret scroll in possession, one


    would acquire endless benefits.


    While Joaquin was in his thoughts, Katherine turned over and sensitively detected that something was


    off in the room.


    She abruptly opened her eyes, and with the help of the moonlight filtering through the window, she saw


    a man standing at the door. She tensed up at once.


    Nevertheless, when she realized that the person was Joaquin, she was relieved. She sat up with


    difficulty and asked, "Why are you standing there in the middle of the night?"


    Joaquin came to his senses and shuffled toward her with an empty cup before replying gently,


    "Nothing. I was about to head downstairs and pour a cup of water for you. Are you thirsty? I''ll do it for


    you now."


    Katherine rubbed her eyes and shook her head. She then muttered, "It''s fine. I''m not thirsty. Come and


    get some sleep."


    Joaquin stroked her hair and put the cup down on the bedside table. Then, hey down on the bed and


    pulled the woman into his embrace. "Alright, let''s sleep."


    Following that, hended a kiss on her blemish-free forehead.


    Without reading too much into it, Katherine dozed off once more as she was extremely sleepy.


    Once she started breathing stably, Joaquin retracted his hands carefully and adjusted the quilt for her.


    Then, he headed to the balcony and called Jeremy.


    "Have you found any information regarding Lab X?"


    Jeremy was still awake in Hovington. He replied promptly, "Not yet, but I''ve asked my subordinates to


    look into the matter. I''m sure we''ll find some useful information soon."

 Chapter 374

    Chapter 374


    The night in Fontan was much colder than that in Hovington. Although Joaquin was d in thin clothes,


    he didn''t feel cold at all.


    His eyes were as calm as a stillke, and his gaze seemed even darker than the night sky. He parted


    his thin lips and said impassively, "Tell your subordinates to handle this matter. Now, I want you to focus


    on investigating Jayden Hall''s background."


    "Jayden Hall?" Jeremy was startled for a moment as he found the name familiar. "Isn''t that the young


    master of the Hall Family in Kynd? Why do you want to investigate him, Mr. Levisay?"


    "Do I need to give you a reason before telling you to do something?" Joaquin questioned


    dispassionately.


    A chill ran down Jeremy''s spine. "I''m sorry."


    He had been working for Joaquin for a long time, after all. As such, he soon realized the crux of the


    problem.


    "Mr. Levisay, do you suspect that the young master of the Hall Family has something to do with Lab


    X?"


    Joaquin''s gaze darkened when he heard Jeremy''s on-point question.


    "It''s just a suspicion. After all, there are too many coincidences. Just look into the matter and inform me


    the instant you find anything."


    "Yes." Certainly, Jeremy wouldn''t dare to disobey him. He then hung up the call and started taking


    action.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Joaquin didn''t fall asleep the entire night. Since he was suspicious of Jayden, he had to be more alert.


    Therefore, he couldn''t possibly sleep soundly in Jayden''s vi.


    He went on to keep Katherine safe for the entire night. At the break of dawn the next day, his phone on


    the bedside table started vibrating.


    Jeremy''s name was shown on the screen.


    Joaquin picked up the phone and got up carefully so that he wouldn''t wake Katherine up. After


    reaching the balcony, he closed the ss door behind him and picked up the call. "Have you found


    anything?"


    Soon, Jeremy was heard speaking over the phone. "Yes, Mr. Levisay."


    A glint shed across Joaquin''s eyes. "Tell me at once."


    "Jayden has always been a cautious person, so it''s not easy to find any information about him.


    However, he can''t possibly erase all the traces. I looked into what he had been doing during this period


    and found out that he had visited an underground bank in Kynd on several asions. The


    underground bank''s owner is involved in the business of mercenaries. After Jayden visited the


    underground bank for thest time, some mercenaries went hunting Mrs. Levisay down. So¡ª"


    He had been babbling on without getting to the important parts. An impatient Joaquin frowned and cut


    him off. "Cut to the chase."


    Jeremy chuckled like a fool. "I was just trying to tell you that the investigation took me a lot of effort.


    Anyway, I got some people to break into the underground bank and tortured the owner. He soon


    confessed everything and told us that Jayden had given him a lot of money to send some mercenaries


    to kill Mrs. Levisay."


    Nheless, Joaquin was displeased. "I''m already aware of it. Did you spend the entire night only to


    find this piece of information?"


    Jeremy pursed his lips, but he wouldn''t dare to talk back. Ignoring his boss'' bad temper, he went on to


    say gently, "Mr. Levisay, please allow me to finish my words as that''s not the most important part.


    What''s important is that I''ve acquired the transaction records between Jayden and the underground


    bank''s owner. Just like what you have expected, Jayden indeed has a different identity. Certainly, he


    wouldn''t strike such deals using his identity as the young master of the Hall Family. As such, he didn''t


    use his real name to transfer money to the owner. Instead, he used an ount in Fontan."


    Hearing that, Joaquin narrowed his eyes. "Fontan?"


    "That''s right. The Hall Family has some forces in Fontan. I looked into it and realized that Jayden didn''t


    use the ount of his subsidiary in Fontan either. Instead, he used an ount that seemingly wasn''t


    rted to him. I found the ount familiar, so I investigated further and found out that the ount was


    closed five years ago. Back then, Lab X had used that ount before."


    Joaquin''s face fell when he heard that.


    Just like what he had spected, Jayden was closely connected to Lab X.


    "Is there anything else?" he asked. "Have you found more useful information? What''s the connection


    between Jayden and Lab X?"


    Jeremy was unable to provide an answer.


    "That''s all we''ve found so far. After all, Lab X has been missing for years. We couldn''t verify many


    details of the things that happened five years ago, not to mention an ount that hasn''t been in use for


    so long."


    Joaquin certainly understood that, so he fell silent.


    "So, do we keep looking into the matter, Mr. Levisay? If we do, where do we start?"


    Faced with the question, Joaquin didn''t reply to him immediately. Instead, he pondered on it for a


    moment.


    Then, he suddenly curled up his thin lips and formed a faint smile. "Unless he has never done it, there


    must be some traces he left behind. Two years ago, those from LW Laboratory said that Lab X


    contacted them suddenly and wanted to coborate with them. Start from there and investigate that


    person. Perhaps we''ll find something useful."


    Hearing that, Jeremy agreed to it at once.


    After the call ended, Joaquin looked up at the sun in the sky as a sneer shed across his dark gaze.


    Then, he turned gloomy all of a sudden.


    Jayden is truly inscrutable. He has different identities that he could use to deal with different people. He


    appears to be smitten with Kathy, but he''s only after the secret scroll in her hands. He has even done


    things to harm her to get that secret scroll. For those who try to hurt Kathy, I will never let them off!


    It wasn''t until the coldness and pressure around him dissipated that he reentered the bedroom.


    Katherine happened to be awakening. Hearing the noises, she opened her eyes and looked in the


    balcony''s direction.


    She was startled for a moment before recalling where she was. Still in a groggy state, she asked in a


    muffled voice, "Why did you wake up so early?"


    Presently, Joaquin''s expression had already turned milder. Watching as she awakened, he appeared


    even more gentle.


    "I just woke up." He didn''t tell her that he had been wide awake for the entire night, nor did he inform


    her what Jeremy had found.


    Everything was still up in the air for now. He wanted to wait until Jeremy ascertained the rtionship


    between Jayden and Lab X before breaking it to her.


    All the same, they couldn''t stay in this ce any longer.


    He wouldn''t have minded it if he were on his own, but he couldn''t let Katherine spend more time with


    someone who was ill-intentioned, for he would be worried.


    After giving it some thought, he went over and carried the woman up from the bed. Then, he said


    gently, "Since you''re awake, why don''t we pack up and leave now?"


    Katherine was startled. "Huh? Where are we going?"


    "We''ll either head straight to Zoscistan or check into a hotel. I don''t think it''s appropriate for us to keep


    troubling Jayden." Joaquin came up with a random excuse for them to leave.

 Chapter 375

    Chapter 375


    Katherine was stumped by his words for a moment before bing fully awake. "What led you to


    make that decision in the early morning? Has somethinge up?"


    Joaquin was contemting how to answer her when a knock came at the door.


    "Kathy, are you awake?" It was Jayden.


    Joaquin frowned in response, looking clearly displeased. This guy is everywhere!


    Of course, his displeasure hadn''t gone unnoticed by Katherine, and she felt inexplicably amused, for


    she thought she had figured something out while blinking.


    "I am." Katherine cleared her throat and answered, seeing Joaquin had no intentions of speaking up.


    At that, Joaquin could only get up and answer the door to look into Jayden''s eyes with his piercing


    gaze.


    Jayden, on the other hand, was originally wearing a smile behind the door, but upon seeing that it was


    Joaquin, he frowned at once.


    "Good morning, Mr. Hall," Joaquin greeted dispassionately while leaning against the doorframe, and a


    hint of ridicule shed across his eyes when he saw the change in Jayden''s eyes.


    "Morning. Where''s Kathy?" Jayden also replied emotionlessly, not intending to be weing toward


    Joaquin.


    While speaking, Jayden gazed into the room, only for Joaquin to stretch his arm out and obstruct the


    former''s view. "Don''t you think it''s a little rude for you to look into the room of another man''s wife, Mr.


    Hall?"


    Jayden frowned in response, but he knew he shouldn''t retort, so he just monotoned, "Breakfast is


    ready. Tell Kathy toe down and eat."


    With that, he turned around to leave but looked as though he remembered something as he looked


    toward Joaquin and added, "I''ve personally made her favorite¡ªbeef congee."


    Exasperated, Joaquin narrowed his eyes and jabbed the inside of his left cheek with the tip of his


    tongue as he recalled Jayden''s provocative words while boring into his retreating figure.


    As if he wasn''t already exasperated enough, Katherine''s voice came from behind. "You''re in luck.


    Jayden''s beef congee is a must-try. C''mon, let''s go."


    "Why is eating all you can think about?" Joaquin gazed grimly at her.


    "Because I''m hungry." Katherine looked at him with her eyes curved, then lowered her head to pass


    through under the arm he propped against the doorframe and went downstairs.


    Katherine became inexplicably happier at the thought of Joaquin''s grim countenance, and her footsteps


    couldn''t help bing lighter.


    In no time, the three took their seats at the dining table, and Jayden personally served Katherine a bowl


    of congee, even cing it in front of her. He was arguably attentive, and his gaze at Katherine was


    beyond gentle.


    Joaquin, on the other hand, couldn''t help feeling even more jealous as he watched the two''s


    interaction.


    Of course, he knew Katherine didn''t reciprocate Jayden''s feelings, but it still couldn''t stop him from


    feeling upset toward Jayden''s fawning. Even more, what upset him was the man''s agenda.


    Hence, he couldn''t care less about sweeping everything under the rug anymore like he had the day


    before toward Jayden and just stood up to him.


    "Thank you, Mr. Hall, but I will take care of my wife. Your service won''t be necessary."


    At that, he took the bowl of congee in front of Katherine away before scooping another bowl of congee


    and cing it in front of Katherine while saying softly, "Here. Careful, it''s hot."


    Katherine, on the other hand, inevitably felt somewhat awkward, and she quirked her lips somewhat


    apologetically at Jayden, gesturing for him not to mind the situation.


    But how could Jayden not mind it?! The man''s countenance was beyond grim at this point, and if it


    wasn''t that Katherine was still present, he would''ve probably flipped out right there and then.


    Yet, Joaquin wasn''t stopping, even deliberately challenging him. "I admit that you are good at taking


    care of others, Mr. Hall. But I suggest you save the attentiveness for after you have gotten yourself a


    wife."


    At that, he stared at Jayden with great interest and brightly lit eyes. "Speaking of which, you''re already


    at the age of starting a family. I''m sure your family has introduced you to many suitable maidens,


    haven''t they? I wonder whom you''ll end up taking a fancy to and marry."


    Grim had be an understatement to describe Jayden''s countenance at this point, and he kept


    silent for a few seconds before finally seething impassively. "That''s my private matter. Your concern


    won''t be necessary."


    "C''mon, don''t say that," Joaquin pulled a faint smile and said somewhat carelessly. "You''re Kathy''s


    friend, so that also makes you my friend. I should be more caring."


    Not even Katherine, who had been eating her congee the whole time, could take it anymore at this


    point. What is up with Joaquin? Why is he acting so pushy?


    At that, she put her spoon down and cleared her throat to break the awkward atmosphere. "Um, the


    congee''s getting cold, guys. Jayden, your cooking is amazing, as usual. The congee''s really good."


    Jayden''s grimness alleviated in response, and he said, "d you like it."


    Joaquin, on the other hand, quirked a brow subtly and said, "Yeah, whatever it is, it''s important that


    Kathy likes it."


    And just like that, the atmosphere that had just eased tensed up again.


    With that, Katherine slipped a hand under the table and tugged Joaquin''s sleeve, indicating for him to


    stop. However, it was as though the man didn''t get what she was trying to tell him, for he held her hand


    and smiled tenderly at her instead. "Eat your breakfast. We can wait until it''s just the two of us to


    whisper and fiddle."


    Joaquin Levisay, I swear to God¡­ Katherine was rendered exasperated.


    ng! Having had enough of this, Jayden chucked his spoon into the bowl and gazed maliciously at


    Joaquin whilementing, "You seem to have a big problem with me, Mr. Levisay."


    "Do I?" Joaquin asked with feigned innocence.


    "Do you not? Why would you have something to rebut about everything I say then?"


    Joaquin smiled in response. "I have a problem with you just because I rebut whatever you say? Maybe


    I do, then."This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    His answer upset Jayden as it was as though thetter had thrown a punch at cotton candy. However,


    before he could say anything else, Joaquin sighed, "Looks like Mr. Hall and I can''t be friends. In that


    case, Kathy and I won''t bother you much longer."


    "You''re leaving?" A hint of hostility shed across Jayden''s eyes upon hearing Joaquin''s words.


    "Yeah," Joaquin shrugged. "Is there a problem?"


    Katherine was also taken aback as she thought Joaquin wasn''t actually serious about leaving. Who''d


    have thought he actually meant it?


    Jayden pressed his lips into a straight line as grimness enveloped his eyes before warning gravely,


    "We still don''t know the situation outside. If you take Kathy away just like that¡ª"


    "Don''t worry," Joaquin interjected with a faint smile. "Kathy''s my wife, and I will naturally keep her safe


    at all times."


    Seeing that the man had made up his mind about leaving, Jayden frowned and asked bluntly, "Why are


    you in such a hurry to leave, Mr. Levisay?"

 Chapter 376

    Chapter 376


    Joaquin leaned his back against the chair while retaining his devil-may-care smile. "Why do you think


    I''m leaving, Mr. Hall?"


    He threw the question back to Jayden instead, and thetter''s countenance turned grimmer by the


    second.


    Very quickly, Jayden found Joaquin raising an arm, bringing it across Katherine''s back, and resting it on


    her chair.


    It was evident that the man was asserting dominance, a tant challenge toward Jayden, who locked


    his brows into a tight furrow in response.


    "Mr. Levisay, even if you''re Kathy''s husband, you don''t need to have this much animosity toward me, is


    there? Kathy and I go way back, no matter how. Don''t you think you''re¡­ being unreasonable? Have


    you ever thought about how Kathy would feel? Are you expecting Kathy to sever her ties with all her


    friends?"


    A snort ofughter escaped Joaquin upon hearing Jayden''s words, but his gaze remained


    undiscriminating, looking as though nothing Jayden said would get to him at all.


    "Look at what you''re saying, Mr. Hall. Of course not. That''s not what I mean at all. I just think it''s


    inconvenient for Kathy and me to stay here for long. After all¡­" At that, he quirked a brow and blurted


    cheekily, "We need our sex life too. It''s ultimately not so convenient if we stay over in somebody else''s


    house."


    Cough, cough, cough¡­


    Katherine choked upon hearing Joaquin''s startling words, and she gazed at Joaquin with her brightly lit


    eyes widened with shock.


    I swear to God, you are a shameless b*stard, Levisay! How can you say something like that like it''s


    nothing?!


    Jayden, too, was stupefied, and he parted his lips only to realize he was rendered at a loss for words,


    unsure of what to say.


    It took him a long time to recover his voice, but a ringtone interrupted him before he could even speak


    up.


    Immediately, he pursed his lips tightly and nced at his phone screen. His pupils suddenly shrank


    subtly upon seeing the caller ID.


    "You go ahead and eat, Kathy. I have to take this," he said to the young woman¡ªignoring Joaquin, of


    course¡ªwhile standing up. With that, he headed into the study with his phone, leaving the couple in


    the dining room.


    Meanwhile, Katherine was still recovering from disbelief when she couldn''t help hammering her


    husband.


    "You¡ªwhat are you talking about?! How can you say that in front of other people?!" she chided with


    what sounded like feigned anger, unsure if it was because she was mortified or abashed.


    Joaquin, on the other hand, turned his body to the side, propped his elbow against the table to support


    his leaning head, and gazedposedly at her with brightly lit eyes. "Since he''s ''other people'', you


    don''t have to be bothered by it. Besides, don''t you ignore these things?"


    At that, Katherine red peevishly at him as redness tinted her face and the tip of her ears.


    "And I still don''t. But you don''t need to bring it up so deliberately, do you?! These things¡­" she


    grumbled with displeasure. "You sure can get jealous¡­"


    Instead of feeling ashamed, Joaquin was, in fact, proud of what he did, and he quirked a brow while


    glee enveloped his eyes. "I''ll naturally be upset when he has thoughts that he shouldn''t have toward


    you, and it''s even more impossible for nothing to happen when he and I are in the same space. I''ve


    already booked a hotel. We''ll leave right after breakfast."


    Katherine said nothing more, seeing that the fellow had already sorted everything out. After all, she


    didn''t want to bother others either.


    After that, she just quietly ate her congee, but something inexplicably odd was brewing within her.


    She knew Joaquin was being jealous, and as mortified as she was, she had to admit that she was


    somewhat happy.


    However¡­ She had no ns on revealing it to the man lest he became insatiable and even cockier.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Jayden''s countenance became much grimmer and more terrifying as he answered the call


    inside his study.


    "What did you say? Are you certain?" He pressed on, looking like he didn''t believe the caller.


    On the other end of the line, Hansel, too, sounded anxious as he reported, "Affirmative! I''ve just gotten


    the news as well. Stonewall from the underground bank had gone missing the whole day yesterday.


    Then, he shut down the ce after showing up. I tried reaching him, but he wouldn''t answer my calls at


    all, and he''s nowhere to be found either. I called you immediately when I thought this wasn''t right. Also,


    The air surrounding Jayden became sub-zero as grimness enveloped his face. "Why would something


    like this happen? What about the others from the underground bank?"


    "Our men are looking for them, but it''s like those people have disappeared into thin air. We can''t reach


    them at all. I don''t think this is coincidental. It must have something to do with our ount being looked


    into. Perhaps the underground bank boss disclosed our information."


    Moments after Jayden left the conversation hanging, animosity shed across his eyes, and he asked,


    "Do we know who it is?"


    "We don''t know," Hansel answered, biting the bullet. "We''re still looking into it, but they''re very sneaky.


    They didn''t leave a trace."


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "How can there be no traces?!" Jayden flipped out. "The slightest clue, even if you have to dig it up


    from the center of the earth, dig it up!"


    "Yes, sir!" Hansel obliged, but considering the current situation, he still suggested, "But given the


    current situation, the mercenaries have probably been out. Then, there''s Lab X, Mr. Hall. Should we¡­"


    He left his words hanging, but Jayden already knew where he was going with them.


    As unwilling as he was to resign to fate, he had no choice but to sever his ''limb'', given how dangerous


    of a situation they were in.


    At that, he gritted his teeth and ordered, "Tell everyone in theb to retreat. Abandon whatever''s


    necessary and retain only the core information and reagent. Get to it ASAP!"


    "Yes, sir!" Hansel obliged.


    After the call ended, the air around Jayden froze up as he narrowed his eyes slightly. It was evident he


    was mulling over the entire thing.


    Who has gotten to me? Can it be¡­ Levisay? But judging from the way he''s behaving just now, it


    doesn''t look like he has any other thoughts apart from being jealous.


    Besides, Lab X wasn''t the onlypany operating in the shadows. There were others too. So, it was


    hard to say who exactly it could be.


    Jayden pondered for a long while but couldn''t reach anywhere. So, he merely left it aside for now.


    It wasn''t until after he recollected himself and went back downstairs that he discovered Katherine and


    Joaquin had already packed up and were ready to leave.


    He frowned in response and tried to keep his voice as calm as possible. "Are you sure you want to


    leave, Kathy? Who''s to say the people hunting you aren''t still keeping an eye on you? I''m worried for


    you."


    At this point, Katherine had regained herposure, and she smiled inly. "Don''t be. I know what I''m


    doing."

 Chapter 377

    Chapter 377


    Joaquin, too, echoed with a devil-may-care attitude aside. "That''s right, and I will naturally keep my wife


    safe at all times, Mr. Hall. Your concern is unnecessary."


    Jayden''s expression stiffened for a second. Instead of entertaining Joaquin, he turned to Katherine.


    "You really won''t stay?" He tried retaining her once more but not insisting on it, as one, he didn''t want


    Katherine to sense his utilitarianism, and two, he was in no mood to retain her given the tricky situation


    he was in and that he had a lot to deal with.


    "No." Katherine smiled. "Thank you for saving us and even letting us stay for the night. We won''t


    trouble you further."


    "Alright. I''ll take you to the hotel then." Jayden said nothing more but only nodded, seeing that she


    insisted. Then, as though purposelessly, he asked, "So what''s next? Are you guys heading straight to


    Zoscistan?"


    A twinkle shed across Joaquin''s eyes, and he answered with an ambiguous smile, "It''s our private


    matter, Mr. Hall. No need to worry too much."


    Jayden frowned in response, and his displeasure was palpable.


    Seeing that the tension between the two men arose again, Katherine, worried the two would be at each


    other''s necks again, hurriedly eased the atmosphere and answered without much thought. "I n on


    resting for another day before leaving for Zoscistan tomorrow."


    Then again, she didn''t reveal too much either, as she fell silent for a moment before smiling inly.


    "After all, I''ve been staying in Fontan for far too long. It''s boring here and a waste of time, too, if I''m to


    spend my break here."


    She didn''t give an entirely honest answer. Not because she was wary of him but just because she


    didn''t want to add to the trouble, not just for her but for others as well.


    Joaquin might have remained silent, but his gaze had been subtly on Jayden the whole time, checking


    his every expression.


    However, the man''s expression stayed the same throughout. Even the brilliance in his eyes shed


    across within a split second.


    Very quickly, he smiled and said, "Alright. Since you have already made up your mind, go and enjoy


    yourself. Have a good trip."


    After bidding goodbye, Katherine and Joaquin left Jayden''s mansion, and since entering the car,


    Katherine couldn''t help wanting tough when she recollected Joaquin''s out-of-the-ordinary behavior in


    the past two days.


    That said, she didn''t say anything, for at this point in time, she was still oblivious to what was toe


    and believed her man was only kicking up a fuss from jealousy.


    And what she didn''t know was that after the two checked into their hotel room, Joaquin received


    Jeremy''s call while she was in the shower.


    "Mr. Levisay, we''ve hit a dead end with the clue." Jeremy cut to the chase and gave Joaquin the


    update.


    However, Joaquin didn''t seem at all surprised, as he didn''t even quirk a brow. "What happened?" he


    asked impassively.


    With that, Jeremy took a deep breath and rted the story briefly. "I had wanted to use the ount


    information to trace for any possible clues, but the ount got deleted half an hour ago. So, we can''t


    retrieve any information anymore. As for the information on Lab X, we don''t have any more reliable


    sources so far. They''re all just hearsay. The credibility is iffy."


    At that, Joaquin snorted. "Sever his limb to continue surviving, huh? He reacts quickly, that''s for sure.


    Lab X has probably already received the news and has gone into hiding. It''s pointless even if we


    continue searching with this lead."


    "Sorry, Mr. Levisay," Jeremy apologized with shame. "We''ve alerted them, haven''t we?"


    "You haven''t. They''ve run away, knowing the ce can''t keep them hidden. I have a feeling they don''t


    know who''s investigating them."


    "What do we do now?"


    Joaquin narrowed his eyes slightly and smirked as a hint of malice shed across his eyes. "Since he''s


    moving so quickly, no doubt he won''t be resting for a while. Have someone keep a close eye on Hall.


    See that we know his every move and notify me if there''s anything suspicious."


    Jeremy obliged at once.


    For the rest of the day, Katherine and Joaquin hung out inside the hotel, going nowhere, preparing to


    head for Zoscistan the next day.


    Lo and behold, they were met with another assassination attempt at three in the morning.


    Fortunately, Joaquin was never dead asleep the whole night. After hearing barely audible noiseing


    from outside the door, he immediately shook Katherine up.


    The young woman was groggy when she awoke, and just as she was about to ask him what was up,


    she felt his hand covering her mouth in the dark at once.


    His cid eyes looked exceptionally sharp against the crisp moonlight that shone through the window.


    Shh¡­ he whispered barely audibly.


    A split-second gaze at his icy face was all it took for Katherine to realize something wasn''t right, and


    her drowsiness was gone as her eyes cleared up in an instant.


    She perked up her ears, and her gaze turned frosty when she acutely sensed the noiseing from


    outside the room in the dark.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Someone''s out there, and they''re not alone!


    Realizing that, she immediately exchanged a nce with Joaquin, and the couple understood each


    other''s thoughts wordlessly quickly.


    At that, they hurriedly got out of bed, dashed carefully and silently to the side of the door, and pressed


    against the wall where the direction of the door panels would open.


    Very quickly, the people outside unlocked the door, and with a soft click, the door opened.


    With breakneck speed, Katherine and Joaquin booted the door, mming it against the personing


    in with a bang.


    Instantly, two cries of pain rang out, alerting the people behind to rush into the room.


    At the same time, the couple made their attacks.


    As the two were exceptionally skilled fighters that not just about anyone could defeat, their opponents


    were defeated in two shakes despite outnumbering the couple.


    Just like that, the scene quieted down after five minutes, and Joaquin turned on the lights, illuminating


    the chaos of five mercenary-dressing men sprawled across the room.


    Katherine, on the other hand, moved her leg away from a mercenary''s back while frowning. "Why are


    these guys everywhere? It''s like they''ve put a tracker on us."


    At that, Joaquin gazed profoundly at her. "Maybe you''re right."


    Katherine blinked in stupefaction and asked, "No way, haven''t we checked for them at Jayden''s after


    fighting these mercenaries? We didn''t¡ª"


    The young woman stopped abruptly, and her countenance shifted multitudes, clearly having thought of


    something.


    "You''re saying¡­" She looked skeptically at Joaquin a dozen secondster, having trouble believing the


    possibility.


    Joaquin, too, didn''t give her a direct answer but drawled, "Kathy, think about it. Don''t you think all that


    we''ve been encountering has been too coincidental?"

 Chapter 378

    Chapter 378


    Too much of a coincidence? Katherine''s frown deepened as everything that had happened during this


    period shed in her mind.


    In Hovington, she had already transfigured and shaken off those annoying flies that were tailing her, but


    she was still ambushed outside of Theodore''sboratory. It was obvious that the other party was sure


    that she would be there. This must be the doing of a person who knew her very well.


    Other than that, Joaquin and she experienced a hijacking on their way to Zoscistan. Mercenaries were


    ambushing and going after them after the ne was forced tond. In the end, Jayden saved them out


    of ''coincidence''. ording to what Jayden said, he was there by chance.


    However, what if everything that had happened wasn''t a coincidence or by chance? What if everything


    was secretly nned by Jayden? If that were the case, everything would finally make sense!


    Since he was behind it, it was made possible for the mercenaries to chase after them on the same


    night after they left his vi and reached the hotel.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    It seemed like all the dots were connected. Without extra verification, Katherine had already made her


    own judgment.


    At this thought, she bit her lower lip, and her face turned disgruntled. She immediately turned around to


    rummage through her clothes and luggage.


    "What are you looking for?" asked Joaquin.


    With a sullen voice and in a furious tone, she answered, "A tracker."


    Hearing that, he put on a smile and took out a little ck item that looked like a button from his pocket.


    "There''s no need to look for that. I took it out when you were in the shower."


    When Katherine turned around and saw the tracker in his palm, rage shed in her clear eyes.


    Throughout all these years, although she had a cool personality and seldom got in touch with her


    friends in Kynd, she had always seen Jayden as her friend. This was the reason why she didn''t


    suspect him even when so much coincidence happened. She couldn''t believe that it was really him!


    "Why are you still keeping it? Throw it away now. Do you want to continue to let him track us?" She


    became hot-tempered whenever the thought of being betrayed by her trusted friend came into her


    mind.


    As Joaquin arched his eyebrows, he nced at the mess on the ground before gradually turning


    around to look at her. "We should leave this ce first. Let''s talk about it when we''re safe."


    Katherine just pressed her lips together and didn''t say anything.


    Without wasting much time, they changed their clothes and left the hotel.


    "Where should we go now?" she asked him while they were standing at the entrance of the hotel.


    After some thought, he asked, "Can we go to your LW Laboratory?"


    She had no idea that he would ask her that, so she was a little surprised. "We can, but¡­" The tracker


    in his pocket suddenly came into her mind. "You''re keeping this tracker to let Jayden know where we


    are going, right? So, why should we go to the LW Laboratory? There''s a signal blocker there. The


    tracker will lose its signal once we get there. What do you have on your mind?"


    Yet, a faint smile tugged on his lips as he said, "As long as we can go there. Let''s go. We''ll talk in the


    car."


    "What car?" Her eyes flickered when she heard that. Initially, she wanted to ask Dn to send


    someone to pick them up, but she saw Joaquin walking to the right and opening the door of a car.


    Of course, she was a little surprised. Her eyes were darting between the man and the car. "Is this¡­"


    With his coal-ck eyes shining even brighter that night, Joaquin gave her a smile in reply. "I have


    some connections in Fontan. It''s not a difficult task for me to get a car here. Hop in. We should go


    now."


    Without saying anything, Katherine entered the car as he said, her eyes glimmering.


    Almost immediately, the car started its journey in the dark.


    The streetlights looked dim from inside the car. As Katherine was staring at the shing street view


    outside the window, she suddenly remembered something. "No wonder¡­"


    Since there was finally an answer to her doubts, she couldn''t help but mumble with a scornful


    expression.


    "What is it?" While driving, Joaquin nced at her.


    When she turned around to look at the front, her expression was a little upset, and her voice sounded


    sulky as well. "I suddenly remember the time when I was creating a special elixir, it was leaked


    somehow, but luckily, that elixir doesn''t bring any harm. At that time, I ran an investigation but didn''t


    obtain any results in the end. And with other matters on hand, I stopped the investigation. So, it was left


    unsettled. Come to think of it now, Jayden came by my house once when I put that report there, and it


    disappeared after he left. I took him as my friend at that time, so I''ve never suspected him."


    At this point, a smirk yed on her lips, with an ironic essence around her brows. "I really can''t believe


    that the person whom I trust so much has already started plotting against me a long time ago."


    As Joaquin was driving the car, heforted her, saying, "Don''t be upset because of those unworthy


    people and things."


    "I don''t feel upset; I just think it''s ironic." In fact, she was telling the truth, for she wasn''t upset at all. She


    was a person who would embrace everything she faced, so she would never waste her energy being


    upset because of those unworthy people. However, there was still some doubt left in her. "It seems like


    you have already known everything and knew that he would track us a long time ago."


    Hearing that, he arched his brows. "Yes, but not a long time ago. I only noticed that everything was too


    much of a coincidence after he saved us. And that night, when I went downstairs to pour you water, I


    heard him talking on his phone in the dining room by chance. The moment he mentioned mercenaries,


    I became certain that it was him."


    When Katherine recalled his strange behavior these past two days, she suddenly understood


    everything. "Oh, so it''s because you found out about his identity. I thought you were¡­" She ended her


    sentence abruptly since she was embarrassed to say the word ''jealous''.


    However, even if she didn''t say it explicitly, Joaquin could still guess it. As his beautiful hands were on


    the wheels, his long finger was tapping on the wheel rhythmically. A mere smile could be seen from the


    corners of his eyes and brows. "It''s not entirely because I found out that he was the one behind it. Of


    course, there are some other reasons."


    Suddenly, he paused and used the tip of his tongue to touch the roof of his mouth, expressing his


    annoyance. "His eyes were like they were fixed on you. He just rubs me the wrong way. Do you think I


    can still be nice to him? I''m sorry, but I''m not that tolerant."


    When she heard that, her heart started beating faster. She looked down a little and mumbled, "He just


    pretended to fall for me because he wanted to plot against me."


    However, that was not what he thought. Although it was a fact that Jayden was plotting against


    Katherine, it wasn''t true that he didn''t have feelings for her. Of course, Joaquin wasn''t going to tell


    Katherine about this.


    After clearing his throat, with a calm expression, he started talking about business, "Actually, I only


    know that he was the one who sent the mercenaries. His identity is still uncertain. Do you have any


    ideas, Kathy?"

 Chapter 379

    Chapter 379


    Just as Joaquin finished his sentence, he stopped the car at the entrance of LW Laboratory.


    At the same time, Katherine was startled by his question, but before she could start thinking, she saw


    Dn standing at the entrance, staring at their car with his eyes gleaming.


    When they were on the way to LW Laboratory, she had already texted Dn to inform him that she


    would be bringing Joaquin along. So, after Dn received the message, he dropped everything in a


    hurry and came out to wee them excitedly.


    Katherine put her thoughts aside for the time being and got out of the car after unbuckling her seatbelt.


    The moment Dn saw her, he ran over to her so excitedly as though he had seen his life savior.


    "Katherine! You finally came! I thought you were noting to theb this time!"


    When she saw how happy he was, she felt as though she was infected by his happiness. A smile


    yed on her lips, and she put those terrible things at the back of her mind for now. "Hi. I didn''t n to


    come, but something came up, so here I am."


    As she was talking, she noticed that Dn''s eyes were fixed on Joaquin. So, with her eyebrow


    quirking, she introduced Joaquin to him. "This is Joaquin Levisay. He''s also my¡­ husband."


    She didn''t know why, but when she mentioned the word ''husband'' in this simple introduction, she


    fluttered and felt her heart pounding faster uncontrobly. It seemed like this strange reaction had


    urred more often recently. When she realized that, her face started flushing.


    So, she cleared her throat and wanted to continue talking as though nothing happened, but Dn was


    circling Joaquin like he was looking at a treasure. "Hi, Joaquin! Nice to meet you! I''ve heard a lot about


    you!"


    He suddenly shouted after staring at Joaquin for quite some time. Then, he reached out his arm,


    wanting to shake hands with Joaquin.


    At this moment, both Katherine and Joaquin were speechless.


    Feeling that this situation was hrious, Joaquin lifted his brows and reached out his arm to shake


    hands with Dn. Yet, Dn suddenly withdrew his arm and rubbed his palm a few times on his shirt


    before reaching it out again.


    Joaquin found this series of actions even funnier. As a smile tugged on his lips, he tried hard to hold his


    laugh. After he shook hands with Dn, he politely asked, "You are?"


    All this while, Dn was blinking so much as though he was a fan who had met his idol. "I''m Dn


    Longman!"


    Seeing this scene unfold from the side, Katherine was speechless. Why did he turn into a fool after


    meeting Joaquin? He''s usually normal.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin wasn''t offended at all, but he felt that Dn was quite funny. Then, he politely


    greeted Dn, "Hi, Dn. Nice to meet you."


    When Dn heard that, he happily smiled before he started prattling beside Joaquin. "I hope you''re not


    offended, Joaquin. I''m just too curious. When ourb researchers see you tomorrow, their reactions will


    surely be more enthusiastic than mine! After all, a man who can win Katherine''s heart is even rarer


    than a treasure. You probably don''t know this, but Katherine¡­"


    "Ahem, ahem!" Katherine couldn''t hear any more of it, so she pretended to cough to cut him off. At the


    same time, she secretly rolled her eyes at him as well. "It''ste already. Let''s go in." After saying that,


    she walked straight into theboratory, leaving the two men behind.


    After seeing that, Dn smiled and quickly showed Joaquin inside.


    As they were walking into theboratory, Joaquin casually asked, "Why are you still in theb thiste


    at night? Don''t you need to rest?"


    "Sigh, I''m researching a new reagent recently. Since I don''t have anything else to do, I started staying


    in theb recently. Katherine came just in time," replied Dn.


    Then, he couldn''t help but walk closer to him and mumble behind Katherine''s back, "How did you win


    Katherine''s heart, Joaquin? She''s famous for being chic and cool. I''ve never seen any men around her


    throughout all these years." At this point, he suddenly realized something wasn''t right, so he quickly


    added, "Except for me. I''m her right-hand man."


    While looking at Katherine''s beautiful and slim figure from the back, Joaquin put on a faint smile, and


    the corners of his eyes were lifted. Then, he calmly replied to Dn with four words, "Fate brought us


    together."


    At this moment, Dn was at a loss for words. Tsk, that makes me salty.


    LW Laboratory was huge, as it was separated into two sections, upper and lower ground. Other than


    laboratories, it was equipped with a lounge and private rooms. As the leader of LW Laboratory,


    Katherine''s private room was a luxury bedroom which was nothing less than a seven-star hotel''s


    president suite.


    After Dn put down Katherine and Joaquin''s luggage, he asked with a smile, "Do you guys need


    anything else?"


    Katherine shook her head upon consideration. "Nope. You should rest now. We''ll talk tomorrow."


    "Okay. Have a good rest, you two." After that, he left sensibly.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    At this moment, there were only two of them in the room. Katherine sat by the bed to sort out her


    thoughts and continued their conversation in the car just now. "You said that Jayden''s identity is still


    uncertain. What do you mean?" She felt that there was an insinuation in that remark.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin removed his jacket and went over to lie down on the bed. With his arms crossed


    behind his head, he looked at her. "Have you ever thought that he has another identity? He''s the son of


    the Hall Family and is managing Hall Enterprise, but the medical field is never a part of Hall


    Enterprise''s business area. If so, why must he chase after you and get his hands on your


    grandmother''s relic? What''s in it for him to get those ancient medicine secret tomes?"


    When she heard that, her beautiful brows drew together as she pondered. "So, you think that he has


    another secret identity that is in charge of another organization?"


    He calmly hummed in acknowledgment. "With the Hall Family''s power, they won''t be able to hire


    mercenaries. To tell you the truth, I''ve already asked Jeremy to look into it." As hey on his side, he


    propped his head with one hand and slowly told her the result of Jeremy''s investigation.


    "You actually did so many things secretly? Why didn''t you tell me before this?" She was surprised to


    hear what he said.


    With a smile, he held her hand with his other hand and massaged it in his palm. "I know that you see


    Jayden as a friend and won''t suspect him, so I didn''t want to tell you anything without solid proof. I


    wanted to tell you after finding out about his connection with Lab X and confirming his identity, but I


    didn''t expect him to lose his cool and pressure us so quickly. It seems like he has already suspected


    our motive of going to Zoscistan."


    As she frowned, she bit her lower lip. "I didn''t know that¡­"


    He knew what she wanted to say, so he cut her off in a gentle tone. "It''s not your fault. He''s the one


    with ill intentions, ruining his friendship with you. It''s his fault."


    After a moment of silence, she nodded, and her gaze changed as she returned to her usual calm and


    clear-headed self. "It''s out of my expectations that he''s actually associated with Lab X¡­"

 Chapter 380

    Chapter 380


    "I didn''t think much about it before either, but after giving it more thought, I realize that since Jayden


    wants the secret book collection of ancient medicine in your hands, his identity must be rted to the


    medical industry. You mentioned that Lab X once approached you for coboration and they coveted


    the reagent you developed, so I thought of that. However, I didn''t expect Jayden to have ties with Lab


    X. So far, I can''t confirm how this matter is rted to him though. I have asked Jeremy to make an in-


    depth investigation, and he has already sent someone to watch Jayden. Jayden will definitely make the


    next move soon. Just wait."


    Katherine''s delicate gaze was cold, and her rosy lips parted with a hint of sarcasm.


    "Yeah, he pursued after me all the way here and he didn''t even hesitate to spend a lot of money to hire


    mercenaries to chase me down. How could he give up so easily after making such a big fuss?"


    She remembered the tracker and grabbed Joaquin''s hand suddenly. "What do you think about that


    tracker? Why didn''t you throw it away before?"


    Joaquin''s eyebrows moved slightly as he slowly took out the ck tracker that was the size of a button


    from his pocket, then yed with it between his fingers. "I thought he would follow us. I only discovered


    this tracker after we arrived, but it doesn''t matter now. This just proves Jayden''s intentions. I didn''t


    throw it away, so as not to alert him."


    Katherine sorted out her thoughts, then quickly realized what he wanted to do. "Are you trying to lure


    him out?"


    Joaquinughed when he heard that. He raised his hand to pinch Katherine''s cheek and said, "As


    expected of my woman! You''re smart."


    Katherine pushed his hand away, rubbed her cheeks, and muttered softly, "Any fool can think of this."


    She cleared her throat, concealed her momentary embarrassment, and said nonchntly, "Even


    though you were pursued by mercenaries to the hotel, you didn''t throw away the tracker. Doesn''t that


    mean you don''t want Jayden to know that you have already noticed his tricks? You brought this tracker


    here to avoid alerting others to it. Jayden would only think that we''d arrived at a ce with a weak


    signal, and he would not think that we had discovered something about him. In this case, he will


    continue to act, and you''re doing this just to expose him."


    Joaquin nodded slightly without denying it. He yed with the soft hair that fell on her shoulder and


    replied, "Instead of letting him keep scheming us in the dark, we should take precautions out in the


    open. It''s better to let his identity bepletely exposed so that we can know his other identity. We


    don''t have to waste time dealing with him anymore."


    Katherine thought this was reasonable. She pondered for a while and soon came up with an idea. "He


    should only know that I have the secret book collection of ancient medicine left by my grandmother and


    that I work in Professor Muller''sboratory. Judging from the previous situation, he still doesn''t know


    that I am behind LW Laboratory. Since he has always been interested in the medicine developed by LW


    Laboratory, it is better to use this as bait to lure him out and see what kind of identity he has."


    Hearing this, Joaquin considered for a while. "Jayden is very cautious. LW Laboratory has always


    rejected Lab X''s coboration requests. Now that we suddenly offer him an olive branch, he will


    definitely be suspicious."


    "Naturally." Katherine also thought of this, so she didn''t intend to do so.


    "Of course, I won''t contact Lab X directly; I just need to spread the news on the Inte."


    "What news?"


    "That the D3 Reageant is now for sale."


    Jayden had always coveted the D3 Reageant. Not only he, but many people were also full of curiosity


    about the D3 Reageant. However, the D3 Reageant was not officially for sale so far, and no one had


    any means to obtain it.


    "I used it in the early stages of clinical practice. After that, I used it once on your team member, Hawk.


    After that, the D3 Reageant never appeared in public again. I think Jayden won''t be able to hold back


    for a long time. If we post the news of the sale of the D3 Reageant now, even if he is suspicious, he will


    not miss this opportunity, and even if he is risking himself, he will definitely try his best to get it."


    When Joaquin heard this, his dark eyes shifted a little. "That''s true, but how can you be sure that


    Jayden will show up in person, and under what name will he show up? What if he sends someone


    under him, or pretends to be another person with another identity? What are you going to do then?"


    Katherine had thought about this a long time ago. At that moment, there was a sly light in her clear


    eyes. "Not just about anyone can buy the D3 Reageant even if they want it. Naturally, we have to


    choose our customers vigntly. In this regard, LW Laboratory has the absolute right to choose. Hence,


    whether to sell it or not is up to us. Since Jayden wants to get it, he has to show full sincerity. As for the


    reason for selling the D3 Reageant, that''s easy. Everyboratory needs a huge amount of money to


    conduct long-term research. The economy has been sluggish for the past two years, so selling


    reagents and so on is normal. If he is really from Lab X, he will understand this and won''t have many


    doubts."


    Since Katherine had already said so, Joaquin had nothing left to worry about.


    "Okay, then do what you want. What can I do to help?" he asked.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Katherine thought for a while, then curled her lips into a smile. "Just rx."


    When Joaquin heard this, he immediately smiled. He thereafter lowered his head and shrugged. "Okay,


    then I''ll listen to you."


    ¡­


    Soon, the news that LW Laboratory was selling the D3 Reageant in batches appeared on the Inte.


    As nned, Jayden got the news immediately. Hansel couldn''t help but feel a little worried as he


    asked, "President, hasn''t LW Laboratory been unwilling to coborate with us before? I have never


    heard of them selling reagents developed by themselves either. Why are they suddenly selling the D3


    Reageant now in batches? Is there any deception?"


    As for Jayden''s reaction, it was as expected by Katherine.


    "It''s nothing surprising. You haven''t heard of it before doesn''t mean they didn''t sell it privately. It''s just


    that they didn''t allow outsiders to purchase it before. As for the sudden sale of the D3 Reageant in


    batches, it''s probably done to get funding for the development of new reagents for new projects. A


    laboratory like that without government support does not have many funds, and they can only rely on


    selling their own reagents to get funds. It is normal for LW Laboratory to do this out of the blue."


    Hansel understood this and asked him again, "Then, President, are you nning to buy it?"


    On the other side of the phone, Jayden put down the coffee cup in his hand, then replied slowly but


    determinedly, "Of course, I want to buy it. How could I miss such a good opportunity?"


    Even though he couldn''t get the research report of the D3 Reageant, as long as he could obtain the


    finished product, he would be able to research it in reverse!

 Chapter 381

    Chapter 381


    His n was very precise, but he didn''t know that he had already been tricked.


    "If that''s the case, President, who do you n to send to negotiate this matter?"


    The information said that a face-to-face interview was required. This was a reasonable request. After


    all, the D3 Reageant was such an important thing, so this was a rare and important purchase.


    Jayden pondered for a while and did not answer immediately, but instead asked, "Have Katherine and


    Joaquin made any moves as of now?"


    At the mention of this, Hansel straightened his expression and answered seriously, "They are already


    nning to leave for Zoscistan today, but there is something odd. The mercenaries we sent were all


    taken out in the middle of the night yesterday. Then, they left the hotel. After a period of tracking, there


    was no signal at all. As for the location where the signal was lost, it is also very vague, and there is no


    way to track them for a while. It was not until this morning that the signal was regained."


    In this regard, Jayden wasn''t really surprised.


    "The situation in Fontan is very chaotic. There are many private gangs, which may have interrupted the


    signal."


    Since Katherine and Joaquin were nning to set off for Zoscistan, they probably had nothing to do


    with the upper management of LW Laboratory. Before, he only knew that Katherine was rted to the


    LW Laboratory. Due to that, she could get the D3 Reageant and even the research and development


    reports of other reagents. But now, it seemed that her position should be simr to her job in Professor


    Muller''sboratory. It was just a job, and she wasn''t part of the core process.


    Thinking of this, he didn''t pay much attention to the information and said, "There''s no need to send


    anyone else. I''ll go in person."


    Hearing this, Hansel was taken aback. "President, how can you go there in person?"


    Jayden didn''t take it seriously. "Do you think that LW Laboratory will sell it to me if I send someone else


    to negotiate? I have to show my sincerity. If they don''t feel good about selling it to me, then Lab X will


    not be able to get it. We had requested coborations twice before, so this time, I will take this


    opportunity to have a good talk. Aren''t they short of funds? Heh, I have plenty of funds. I''m sure they''ll


    be tempted."


    This matter was thus settled. Soon, Hansel got in touch with the people from LW Laboratory on behalf


    of Jayden. After Dn got the news, he immediately reported it to Katherine. "Katherine, as you


    expected, Lab X is really going to send their top leader!"


    Katherine raised her eyebrows, not at all surprised. "When and where''s the meeting?"


    "3.00PM at the cafe on the top floor of Jurysdale Tower."


    Katherine nced at the time. There were still two hours left.


    "What about the ne? How''s the arrangement?" she asked.


    Dn immediately replied, "It has been done ording to your instructions, and you can leave at any


    time. I''ve arranged for men to guard you. If there is any issue, they wille in handy. You and


    Joaquin can definitely leave for Zoscistan."


    "Okay." Katherine nodded. "We''ll leave in an hour."


    "Noted!"


    An hourter, Dn drove the two of them straight to Jurysdale Tower. When they arrived, the


    members of Lab X hadn''t arrived yet. Katherine and Joaquin sat in the corner that was hidden by


    potted nts while Dn sat in front by the window as agreed before. From this angle, Katherine and


    Joaquin couldn''t be seen from his table, but they could see Dn''s table clearly. When the time was


    approaching 3.00PM, finally, a figure walked over.


    "Excuse me, are you Mr. Longman?" The man''s tone was quite polite, but his gestures revealed his


    attitude as that of a leader.


    Dn raised his eyes, nced at him, then got up and shook hands with him. He thereafter said


    politely, "Yes, sir. Are you¡­"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    The man smiled slightly, his handsome face full of confidence. "I am the leader of Lab X, Jayden Hall."


    Not far from the scene, Katherine and Joaquin, who were hidden by nts, exchanged nces without


    any surprise, as if Jayden''s appearance was an expected matter. From this, their previous analysis was


    correct, and all their guesses were on point.


    "Heh, I have been friends with Jayden for so many years, yet I never thought that he would be so


    mysterious," Katherine couldn''t help muttering in a low voice, her tone a little displeased.


    Knowing the truth, Joaquin rxed, but he was in the mood to tease her. "You two are pretty much the


    same."


    Katherine twitched the corners of her lips in a very disapproving manner. "How are we the same? My


    LWboratory has never done anything harmful to nature, and the reagents I develop are also


    beneficial to the medical industry and people. Compared to Lab X, which is a lowlyb that does


    anything as long as it benefits them. They don''t care whether their things are harmful to people or not


    as long as they can make huge profits. They simply develop reagents blindly, and they are viins who


    are only interested in profit!"


    Her voice was lowered, and she had rare resentment on her face. Originally, she had always looked


    down on the activities of Lab X in private, but she did not expect that these activities were actually done


    by those she considered friends, so it was hard for her not to be angry.


    Seeing her tiny fair and tender face full of anger and her eyebrows puckered, Joaquin couldn''t help but


    want tough. He raised his hand to pinch her cheek, thenforted her gently, "Okay, we can''t force


    others to do ording to our wishes. As long as we can stand by our own values, that''s good enough."


    Katherine pursed her lips and said nothing.


    On the other side, Dn ordered two cups of coffee and pretended to negotiate a deal with Jayden. No


    matter what, the result of the interview was that the D3 Reageant would not be sold to Lab X, and as


    for coborations with Lab X, those were even more out of the question.


    When Jayden heard this, his face sank slightly, and his lips were pressed hard together. His expression


    was somewhat displeased as he said, "Mr. Longman, are you joking with me? We''ve already talked


    about the conditions, yet you say you won''t sell it now? Do you think my deal is not attractive enough?"


    As he spoke, he snorted to himself.


    "Mr. Longman, although the prices of the reagents researched and developed by LW Laboratory are


    very high, the price I offer should be the highest. If you don''t believe me, you can talk to others and see


    if anyone can offer a better price than me. Besides, you''ll benefit greatly from the coboration between


    our twobs. Since you are short of funds, I can supply you with the funds. You can use them for as


    long as you want, and we¡¯re not in a hurry for results here. So, what''s wrong?"


    Dn listened expressionlessly while he sneered inwardly.


    What a calctive man. But the research report of the LW Laboratory is worth more than any amount


    of money he can offer. He''s saying it nicely, but in fact, Lab X is the one gaining from such a


    coboration. Does he think I''m stupid?


    Seeing that he didn''t respond, Jayden frowned and subconsciously wanted to throw out a threat.


    But at this moment, a voice sounded behind him. "Jayden, you''re really good at scheming, huh?"

 Chapter 382

    Chapter 382


    Chapter 381 The Same Could Be Said About You


    The voice was all too familiar. An involuntary shudder swept over Jayden; it even took a moment for


    him to turn around. The moment he saw Katherine, he eximed with his eyes full of disbelief, "Kathy,


    didn''t you¡ª"


    Katherine''s lips slowly curled into a chilly smile that didn''t reach her eyes. "Didn''t I what?" she asked in


    a quiet voice. "I was supposed to have gone to Zoscistan already, right? Is that what you wanted to ask


    me?"


    Jayden''s expression froze. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came to him for a moment. He


    shifted his gaze away from her, only to turn even paler when his eyes fell upon Joaquin''s face next to


    hers.


    Taking in all his reactions, Katherine let out a sneer and slowly walked up to Dn, who was good


    enough at taking hints to promptly stand up and offer his seat to her without hesitation.


    Sitting on the freshly vacated seat in an instant, Katherine looked up slightly with her eyes fixed


    squarely on Jayden. She was looking up at the man from a lower position, yet her bright and clear eyes


    gave the feeling that she was looking down at him. "Jayden, have you ever heard the quote, ''Too much


    scheming will lead to the schemer''s undoing?'' It suits you perfectly, I''d say."


    Jayden''s smile faded away as he pressed his lips together without making a sound. Now that things


    had gotten to this point, how could he not understand that he had fallen into Katherine''s trap?


    After being silent for a quarter of a minute, he turned around with his eyes half-lowered. Staring at her


    with an unfathomable look in his eyes, he countered somewhat frostily, "Scheming, eh? Didn''t you


    scheme against me as well, Katherine? Otherwise, we wouldn''t have met in such a way today, no?"


    Katherineughed out loud at his words as if she had heard some funny joke. "So, you''re ming this


    on me now? How on earth is this my fault? Jayden, I''ve never schemed against you from the


    beginning. I don''t think I''ve ever been unfair to you as a friend, but look at what you''ve done! You sent


    mercenaries after me and ambushed me in Fontan by pretending to hijack my flight, trying to kill me the


    second time when your first attempt ended in failure. Not only that, but you also posed as a Good


    Samaritan and saved me just to make me let my guard down. And now you''re ming me for the


    things that you have done?" Her smile faded away as she spoke; a hint of frostiness appeared on her


    face. "Would I have had to set this trap if you hadn''t plotted against me again and again? Everything


    has its cause and effect, and you''re only reaping what you''ve sown. You can''t me anyone else!"


    Just then, Joaquin came to her side and leaned against the sofa she was sitting in with a nonchnt


    expression. "That''s right, Mr. Hall. One''s got to be reasonable, you know. You''re in the wrong, to begin


    with, so don''t me others for turning their backs on you after you''ve betrayed them."


    Jayden''s hands quietly clenched into fists at his sides when he saw the man speak in support of


    Katherine. His cheeks trembled for a moment before he set his jaw. Then, he said in a tense and


    somehow hoarse voice, "When did you find out about me?"


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows without saying a word.


    Katherine slowly answered, "I didn''t suspect you at first, Jayden. Surely you know that I''d hate to


    suspect those around me. One can say that I trust my friends a hundred percent despite being cool on


    the outside, so I''d never suspected you even when such an impossible coincidence urred. However,


    you''ve gone too far." As she spoke of this, she suddenly raised her eyes and fixed Jayden with a


    piercing gaze that would chill one to the bone. "You easily gave yourself away because you were too


    anxious to get your hands on the stuff left in my hands by myte grandmother. The way you nted


    that tracker of yours was really clumsy. You were certain that I wouldn''t suspect you at all, so you dared


    to use these underhand methods so tantly. Still, it was hard for me not to suspect you when you''ve


    done so many bad things."This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Right after she finished her speech, Joaquin unhurriedly picked up  where she had left off. "Kathy didn''t


    suspect you since you two were old friends. Well, she trusted you, but I wouldn''t. To put it bluntly,


    Jayden, those little tricks of yours are what I would have used when I first started, and they''re neither


    honorable nor brilliant."


    The veins bulging on Jayden''s forehead throbbed at Joaquin''s words, as though he were struggling


    hard to control himself. "Ha!" A sneer escaped his lips as his expression grew frosty. "We''re both


    plotting against each other, so how does that make either of us more virtuous than the other? We''re


    birds of the same feather, anyway. Neither of us has the right to denounce the other!"


    Katherine cocked her fine eyebrows and looked at him with a hint of contempt. "Jayden, do you think


    everyone is just like you? You only get schemed against because you''ve plotted against others in the


    first ce! You only care about your own interests and would stop at nothing to get what you want.


    How is it my fault when all I did was defend myself justifiably? What kind of logic is that?"


    Jayden knitted his brows. Trying to defend himself, he retorted, "All I wanted was to borrow your


    grandmother''s secret tome from you! Would I have had to set one trap after another if you had let me


    take a look at it right away? Kathy, just ask yourself whether you really treat me as a friend! If you''d


    really treated me as a friend, why would you keep yourte grandmother''s belongings in your hands


    without showing them to anyone?"


    She never expected him to say such a ridiculous thing. "What''s wrong with that? Is there anyw


    stating that I have to show myte grandmother''s belongings to others? Or is there any unwritten rule


    that puts me under an obligation to share my belongings with my friends? Myte grandmother''s


    belongings are left to me, not you! Since all her belongings are mine, no one has the right to tell me


    what I should do with them, so why do I have to let you take a look at them? Are you trying to guilt-trip


    me? I really never expected such a shameless reply from you, Jayden!" There was a disappointment


    and, more than anything, anger in her eyes. "I''ve been friends with you for so many years, but I''ve


    never expected you to be such a person! Jayden, are you good at hiding your true self, or have we


    never seen through you for who you really are?"


    Jayden''s face turned red one moment and pale the next with embarrassment. After clenching his teeth


    with a taut expression, he retorted with a stony face, "The same could be said about you! You''ve never


    told us about your real identity either. Who would''ve thought that you''d be the real mastermind behind


    LW Laboratory? You''re also hiding your real identity very well, aren''t you?"


    Seeing how the man stubbornly refused to mend his ways even now, Katherine looked all frosty with a


    forbidding air about her. After letting out a sneer, she slowly stood up and stared fixedly at him with a


    look of disdain in her piercing eyes. "It''s true that I''m hiding it, but it''s because I don''t feel like revealing


    who I really am! Also, I don''t want to get my friends and family into trouble! You think my identity is a


    morous one, huh? In reality, this identity has only brought me endless trouble!"

 Chapter 383

    Chapter 383


    Chapter 382 A Complete Falling-Out


    "I don''t want the lives of my close family and friends to get disrupted because of me, so I don''t think I''m


    wrong to hide my real identity from them," Katherine said, stressing each word icily. "You and I are


    fundamentally different! LW Laboratory has never done anything immoral; all its research is done with


    the purpose of improving human lives and providing better treatment to people. I can say with a clear


    conscience that I''ve never done even one thing that gave me a guilty conscience from the moment I set


    up LW Laboratory until now. But what about you, Jayden? Do you dare to say with a clear conscience


    that you''ve never done anything that you feel guilty about?"


    Jayden was instantly stumped by her question. Pressing his lips together, he looked terrifyingly sullen.


    Katherine let out a sneer without sparing his feelings in the slightest. "Your Lab X only cares about


    making profits. You don''t give a damn about developing some harmful drug; as long as it can earn you


    money and huge profits, you''ll do it without blinking an eye. Can you count how many lives have been


    destroyed by those reagents of yours? So, Jayden, don''t mention you and me in the same breath.


    You''d only made me sick to my stomach by doing this." She stopped ying nice with the man


    altogether now that they were turning against each other.


    All of a sudden, the atmosphere became extremely tense, and Jayden''s face darkened more and more.


    He looked as ck as thunder. "Kathy¡­" He opened his mouth, trying to win Katherine over as he was


    still unwilling to fall out with herpletely.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Katherine wasn''t some saint, though; she never showed mercy to those who had betrayed her. "Don''t


    call me that! It makes me feel like throwing up. Jayden, the novel drug research and development


    report that you stole from me two years ago didn''te in handy, right? Guess what? That report was


    iplete! The research into every reagent would always involve hundreds or even thousands of


    hypotheses. Some of the data in that research and development report was faulty, so you didn''t


    manage to develop the final product even after stealing the report from me. Well, I guess that''s the


    reason why you started to have suspicions about my identity, am I right?" Her eyes were full of sarcasm


    as she had contempt written all over her exquisite features. "You probably have long suspected that I''m


    a member of the LW Laboratory. It''s just that you had no idea what position I''m holding in the


    laboratory, so you often made advances to me, making up all kinds of excuses to approach me just to


    discover any clues about it. However, that iplete research and development report made you think


    that I''m just an insignificant nobody in theboratory. Moreover, your men tracked Joaquin and me


    down and thought we''d departed for Zoscistan, so you let your guard down, thinking that I''m not a


    senior member of theboratory, which was why you openly showed up here today. You never thought


    you''d get outsmarted, but in the end, you gave yourself away."


    Beforeing here, she had thought that if Jayden really were the mastermind behind Lab X, then she


    would blow her cover just as he got exposed for who he really was. On second thoughts, however, LW


    Laboratory and Lab X were on bad terms in the first ce. The twoboratories were enemies, so what


    did it matter if she exposed her real identity? She and Jayden could no longer be friends, anyway.


    Since they had be enemies, there was nothing wrong with them being through with each other.


    Jayden''s brows furrowed the moment he finished listening to her speech; his hands clenched into fists


    by his sides, while blue veins stood out on the back of his hands. "Katherine, do you mean you''re


    gonna sever our friendship? Don''t forget that I''m one of the few people who can help you in Kynd as


    a member of the Hall Family! What''s wrong with us working together? We can make fortunes and live


    in luxury together! Wouldn''t that be good for both of us?" he said before shifting his gaze toward


    Joaquin. Eyeing the man with hostility, he asked, "Joaquin, did you make mischief between Katherine


    and me? What did you say to her?"


    Joaquin couldn''t help but find it amusing that Jayden still had the cheek to question him as if justice


    were on his side. "Jayden, what makes you so confident to think that Kathy will forgive you and remain


    friends with you after all the bad things you''ve done? You know why she turned up her nose at you?


    Anyone sane would think it''d be strange for her to take a liking to someone like you. My Kathy is the


    best woman in the world. Wouldn''t it be a match of beauty and the beast if she really were to go out


    with you?"


    Jayden''s temples instantly throbbed with rage at these words. "How dare you!" Grinding his teeth hard,


    he rested his piercing gaze on Joaquin''s face for a moment before turning to look at Katherine with a


    complicated look in his eyes. A momentter, his eyes grew more and more ferocious as he stopped


    concealing his selfish desires altogether. "Katherine, this is thest opportunity I''m giving you. Are you


    gonna work with Lab X or not? Think about this again!"


    Katherine let out a sneer at his words. "Are you threatening me right now?"


    Joaquin''s eyes darkened. "You can interpret it that way. The decision is up to you, but I can make it


    clear to you that LW Laboratory will eventually be mine! Starting today, I want not only all the reagents


    of yourboratory but also to have the wholeboratory at my disposal! If you''re willing to work with me,


    I''ll show you mercy, but if you''re not willing to do so, Kathy, then don''t me me for being merciless to


    you despite all the years of our friendship!"


    His threats didn''t induce the slightest fear or anxiety in Katherine. Instead, she felt likeughing. "You''re


    overestimating yourself, Jayden. Do you seriously think your Lab X can have its own way in Fontan?


    Do you think LW Laboratory is definitely weaker than Lab X? You want to take control of myboratory?


    Show me what you''ve got, then!"


    With thest pretense of cordiality gone between them, the atmosphere at the scene instantly became


    vtile.


    Just then, Joaquin reached out and held Katherine''s wrist before dragging her behind him. Then, he


    narrowed his eyes, which flickered menacingly. "Jayden, you''re gonna have to walk over my dead body


    if you want to touch Kathy!"


    "Is that so?" Jayden smirked in ridicule without taking Joaquin''s warning seriously. He said, "Joaquin, I


    think you''re the one who''s overestimating yourself. Who the f*ck do you think you are?! You''ve got no


    right to say this to me, whether in Hovington, Kynd, or Fontan! Don''t forget how you lost to me five


    years ago. You''ve lost to me before and will always do!" He had nevere to terms with Katherine''s


    marriage to Joaquin, which added fresh grievances to the past grudges he held against this guy. He


    had wanted to raise his hand against Joaquin for a long time!


    He thought Joaquin would fly into a rage at such words, but the look on thetter''s face surprised him.


    Instead of getting angry, the man had indifference written all over his dashingly handsome face,


    whereas his lips curled into a nonchnt smile in an offensive manner, as if Jayden''s taunts were


    useless against him. "I''ve lost to you? Jayden, you seem to have forgotten how you fled with your tail


    between your legs when I brought my men to Fontan to deal with yourboratory!"

 Chapter 384

    Chapter 384


    Chapter 383 Going Their Separate Ways


    "So, you think it''s honorable to run away with your tail between your legs because you didn''t have the


    nerve to confront me head-on? You think it''s something to brag about?"


    Jayden''s jaw was set; his expression turned grim at the man''s sarcastic remarks.


    In contrast to him, Joaquin seemed rxed to the point of being casual. "Jayden, let me give you a


    piece of advice¡ªone should take their capabilities into consideration before making threats. It''s true


    that I''m not as powerful in Fontan as you are, but haven''t you heard the saying ''good will always


    triumph over evil?'' The bad things you''ve done are gonna backfire on you sooner orter. As for


    whether I''ll lose to you, well, just go ahead and try to beat me. However, I can also make it clear to you


    that I''ve never lost to you before, nor will I lose to you in the future. In fact, you''re the only loser here,"


    he said before turning his head. Despite the tense situation, he was able to smile cheerfully. As he


    pinched Katherine''s cheek affectionately, he said, "Alright, let''s go."


    His hand held hers. Before he left, he paused for a moment as if recalling something. Then, he fished


    something out of his pocket, turned around, and tossed it to Jayden.


    An object that looked like a ck button ran down Jayden''s clothes before dropping to the floor with a


    faint thud. It was the tracker.


    "Here, it''s yours. I''m giving it back to you," Joaquin said before striding off with Katherine.


    At this moment, Dn, who had been looking on silently the whole time, also cast a mocking nce at


    Jayden before leaving quickly.


    Left alone in the whole top-floor cafe, Jayden stood where he was without moving for a long time while


    staring down at the tracker quietly lying on the floor. His face was sullen, while his eyes were azeThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    with rage. Ha! Now that we''ve turned against each other, I don''t have to show mercy anymore. I''ve


    given Katherine the opportunity, but she doesn''t know to cherish it. Since that''s the case, I don''t mind


    resorting to underhand tricks! I have to keep her in the palm of my hand no matter what! The next


    instant, he took out the phone with a scowl and called Hansel. He coldly ordered, "Listen, I want you to


    do this right now¡­"


    ¡­


    After getting into the car with Katherine, Joaquin headed straight for the site where their private jet was


    parked.


    Resting her elbow on the car window, Katherine propped her head in her hand while staring nkly out


    the window along the way. As the car traveled at full speed, the wind messed up her smooth, ck,


    and shiny long hair. However, instead of fixing it, she stayed in the same posture expressionlessly as if


    to empty her mind.


    Joaquin paid attention to the look on her face from time to time as he drove. When the car stopped at a


    red light, he turned and fixed his gaze on the side of her exquisitely gorgeous face for a moment with a


    flicker in his eyes.


    The red light turned green a momentter. Controlling the steering wheel, he drove on while asking,


    "What''s on your mind?"


    Katherine''s mind stopped wandering at the broken silence in the car. Brushing a lock of hair away from


    her face as if it had made her itch, she tucked it behind her ear while staring impassively at the traffic


    ahead. After a long time, she replied somewhat dejectedly, "I was thinking about the old days."


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows slightly. "The old days?" he asked, wanting to know what she meant.


    Katherine replied, "Uh-huh. I recalled my time in Kynd. I just came back from Fontan at the time, but


    instead of going back to Hovington or telling anyone about my return, I went to Kynd alone and


    started W Co.. After that, I got to know Corey and others. Well, I was tired during that time, but I often


    felt less tired thanks to these friends. I didn''t have many friends in Fontan, and my life in the Cornell


    Family was a mess, so I understand better how great it is to have friends. We''ve rarely kept in touch


    over these years and are cool toward each other, but our friendships have never changed. I really


    never expected Jayden to be such a person." At the mention of this, she recalled the frequent


    advances Jayden had made to her, which she couldn''t help but find ironic. "Money and power can


    change a person indeed. I just don''t understand what else Jayden is dissatisfied with. He''s already the


    son of the Hall Family and the president of Hall Enterprise, no?" She wouldn''t have cared if this were to


    happen to anyone else, nor would she have trouble wrapping her head around it. However, she was


    baffled now that the person was Jayden.


    Joaquin understood her feelings. Clenching the steering wheel with his hands, he rested his head


    against the back of his seat while looking straight ahead with ck, bright eyes. He replied in a gentle


    voice, "It''smon for people to get tempted by money, and no one could stop some ill-behaved


    people with sinister intentions from going astray. Perhaps Jayden has always been such a person. It''s


    just that he''s good at hiding it, so you guys have never realized it. Kathy, as I said before, never waste


    your effort on people and things that are unworthy of it."


    Katherine fell silent for a moment before her lips curled into a faint smile. "Yeah, I know that. I just feel a


    little upset about this. That being said, Jayden and I aren''t of the same kind, so we''re bound to go our


    separate ways. Everyone has to pay the price for the choice they make."


    The couple didn''t continue on the subject after this.


    Another half an hourter, they finally arrived at the southern outskirts. This ce used to be an air


    base, but it fell into disuse after the airport was moved to somewhere else.


    At this moment, their private jet was parked right there.


    Dn had arrived before they did. "Just board the ne, Katherine. I''ll take care of the rest."


    "Okay." Katherine nodded. Before boarding the ne, she instructed, "Jayden isn''t an upright person,


    so he mighte up with underhand tricks against LW Laboratory. You''ve got to keep a close eye on


    him and prevent him from exploiting any opportunity."


    "Got it."


    The two then exchanged a few words briefly before Katherine and Joaquin boarded the ne.


    However, the ne didn''t take off immediately. As soon as Katherine seated herself, she saw several


    jeeps through the cabin window, which surrounded the ne before many mercenaries jumped out of


    them. "Ha! Just as expected, he''s sent mercenaries here." Letting out a sneer, she sat still without


    panicking in the slightest.


    Joaquin wasn''t panicked either. Taking a drink of the ck coffee served by the flight attendant, he


    unhurriedly replied, "Jayden isn''t an idiot, after all. Once you''ve left Fontan, it''ll be difficult for him to


    threaten you again, so he''ll certainly do everything he could to trap you in Fontan. Well, it seems like


    he''s spared no expense. Look at how many mercenaries he''s hired."


    So what if he''s spared no expense? The mercenaries are formidable, to be sure, but my Vermillion


    Alliance isn''t just for show either, thought Katherine.


    Just as Jayden''s mercenaries were about to charge toward the ne, a group of people emerged from


    all directions and came to blows with these mercenaries soon afterward.


    At this moment, Katherine was sitting on the ne with a cup of coffee in hand. Not only did she not


    look the least bit anxious, she even watched the fight leisurely. "Jayden''s too big for his britches. He


    thinks I''m much less powerful in Fontan than he is, so he ys all of his cards in a moment of


    desperation. Well, he doesn''t realize that there are always people who can outsmart him. Now that I


    know he can afford to hire mercenaries, I won''t let my guard down, of course."

 Chapter 385

    Chapter 385


    Chapter 384 The Regal Summit Bank


    Upon hearing this, Joaquin smiled with a hint of pride on his peerlessly good-looking face. "That''s right!


    My Kathy isn''t the kind of person who''d let others take advantage of them. And besides, not even the


    most formidable mercenaries are a match for the Vermillion Alliance."


    As the world''s leading organization of assassins, Vermillion Alliance was unmatched by any other


    organization, and its position in the world had never been shaken.


    Katherine raised an eyebrow while putting down her cup of coffee. Slightly narrowing her attractive


    eyes, she looked out the cabin window at the chaotic scene outside with a nonchnt expression.


    "Since Jayden''s the mastermind behind Lab X, theboratory has to be destroyed. I''ll have Dn get


    the opportunity to sort them out." Inwardly, she was still resentful at the thought that Jayden actually


    had something to do with the incident five years ago.


    Joaquin''s eyes flickered. Having figured out what she was thinking, he lowered his eyes and suddenly


    let out a soft chuckle.


    Baffled, Katherine turned to look at him with eyes full of bewilderment. "What are youughing at?"


    Joaquin''s thin lips curved into a good-looking smile. When he lifted his eyelids, his eyes, which were as


    dark as night, twinkled as though there were stars in them. "I never dreamt that I''d marry such a


    capable wife, let alone that fate would bring us together in such a way that''s beyond description."


    Naturally, he was referring to the incident five years ago.


    When Katherine heard this, her expression turned kind of awkward, and her lips twitched for a moment.


    "What a perverted sense of humor you have! How could you call it ''beyond description?''"


    Listening to her grumbles, Joaquin replied in a good temper, "Alright, I admit that it''s a bad choice of


    words. I also think that what happened five years ago was outrageous, but I''m d about it sometimes.


    I''m d to have met you back then, and I''m d that we have such a clever and adorable daughter like


    Noah."


    His sudden unbosoming instantly made Katherine feel uneasy.


    Luckily, Dn got on the ne at this moment. He reported with a grin, "Katherine, Joaquin, the ne


    may take off now. The mercenaries down there have been dealt with."


    Katherine cleared her throat to hide her brief embarrassment. Putting on an imperturbable front, she


    instructed, "Take good care of the matters here. Also, send somebody to find out the inside information


    about Lab X and dig up as much as possible. I''ve left you a group of people, who can all be trusted. Let


    them stay at LW Laboratory to beef up the security there." Despicable as Jayden was, he might harm


    LW Laboratory directly, so she had to be cautious by having every detail considered.


    "Roger that," Dn said before getting off the ne.


    A quarter of an hourter, the ne finally took off smoothly and flew straight to Zoscistan.


    ¡­


    Shortly after that, Jayden received word of their departure from Fontan, upon which he turned livid with


    rage. "You morons! All you guys had to do was corner two people! Yet you guys couldn''t even do such


    a simple thing! What''s the use of me hiring a bunch of mercenaries like you all?!"


    The leader of the mercenaries frowned at his words as though he were displeased. "Mr. Hall, my


    people can''t be med entirely for this, no? I''ve gone all out with my best team. And besides, you


    didn''t tell us before that our enemies are so formidable!"


    Jayden''s face darkened even more at the man''s words. "You''ve gone all out? Then why couldn''t you


    guys even stop them? I know full well what you guys are capable of, so don''t give me excuses!"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    At this moment, Hansel came in. Noticing the tense atmosphere in the office, he quickly mediated


    between them by speaking for the mercenaries. "Please calm down, Mr. Hall. Actually, they can''t be


    med entirely for this. I-It''s just that Katherine and Joaquin''s people are really too formidable."


    Jayden knitted his brows. "What do you mean?"


    The leader exined sharply with a snort, "You previously told me that they were just a bunch of small


    fries, but none of those who turned up today were beneath us in terms of fighting skills. It was clear at a


    nce that they''d undergone rigorous training. Not only that, these people have probably been trained


    for a long time. It''s even likely that they''ve lived in such a way since they were born and have


    undergone even more rigorous training than we have! In any case, they were absolutely not as


    insignificant and unworthy of mentioning as you said!"


    Jayden''s countenance changed at his words. "What? How''s that possible?" Jayden''s mercenaries were


    already a formidable organization in the world, and one must at least be both wealthy and powerful in


    order to be able to hire them. But it turned out they could actually rival these mercenaries and even


    gave them a crushing defeat.


    Could they be from Joaquin''s Area Seven? No, that''s unlikely. Indeed, those from Hovington''s Area


    Seven are all extraordinary fighters who can rival these mercenaries, but they''re supposed to be evenly


    matched. How could those people defeat these mercenaries so easily?


    But whose men are they if not Joaquin''s? Well, they could only be Katherine''s men, but why would she


    have such a formidable team under hermand? And besides, these mercenaries are matched only


    by a handful of organizations around the world. Could Katherine be connected to another mysterious


    organization?


    As Joaquin''s suspicions grew, deep wrinkles formed between his eyebrows, and the look in his eyes


    grew increasingly sinister. Ha! Seems like this woman''s still keeping a lot of secrets about herself! Well,


    it seems that I must keep her in the palm of my hand to have her at my disposal!


    ¡­


    Four hourster, the private jetnded in Zoscistan.


    Katherine wasted no time in order to avoid any further trouble that might ur halfway. After getting off


    the ne, she headed straight for the Regal Summit Bank with Joaquin. When she spelled out the


    number of the locker in which Darren had stored his belongings to the bank employee, thetter''s


    countenance changed immediately, and they called the bank manager over.


    The bank manager was a middle-aged man at nearly 50 years old, but he seemed to be in good spirits


    and appeared much younger for his age. "Hello, Miss Cornell," he said, greeting Katherine politely.


    Katherine darted a nce at the name tag on his chest. She politely replied, "Hi, Mr. Smith."


    Mr. Smith nodded before shifting his gaze toward Joaquin. "And what should I call you, sir?"


    Joaquin extended his hand. "I''m Joaquin Levisay, her husband."


    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Levisay."


    The three of them greeted each other briefly. Then, Mr. Smith led Katherine and Joaquin into the bank''s


    innermost elevator and pressed the button to the second basement.


    Ding! Soon afterward, the elevator door opened, and the three were greeted by arge iron door that


    looked very heavy.


    The door had an intricate lock on it.


    Mr. Smith shot a look at Katherine and Joaquin, who took the hint and turned sideways immediately.


    The next instant, they heard a jingling sound as though severalyers of locks had been opened.


    In the end, Mr. Smith retrieved the key that opened thest lock, and the door opened automatically.


    "Alright, pleasee in."


    When Katherine turned around, she saw what looked like a huge stockroom behind the door, inside of


    which many lockers were arranged with spaces between them¡­

 Chapter 386

    Chapter 386


    Chapter 385 Matryoshka?


    "Miss Levisay, Mr. Cornell, this way, please," Mr. Smith invited respectfully, pointing at a row of drawers.


    Katherine nodded and exchanged a nce with Joaquin before they traversed past several drawers


    and finally stopped in front of one particr drawer. In this row, the drawers were extremelyrge, as if


    they were filled with items.


    "Miss Levisay, this is your grandfather''s safe where he kept his belongings, and this is the key," Smith


    said as he handed a small and exquisitely crafted key to Katherine.


    She epted the key and turned it over in her palm,menting, "I don''t recall seeing a key with this


    design on the market."


    Smith chuckled. "That''s right. Your grandfather designed this key himself. Back when he stored his


    things here, his only wish was to forge the safe and the key as well as its lock ording to his


    instructions, and this is the only one we have in the bank."


    At his words, a spark appeared in Katherine''s eyes as she had an idea of what Darren had been


    nning. He probably expected someone to secretly sneak into this ce early on. Although Regal


    Summit Bank''s security system was second to none in the country, nothing could be certain, and


    Darren did this to ensure an extrayer of protection.


    Hence, even if someone hade all the way to this ce from the outside world, it would still be a


    fairly difficult feat to open the lock that was one of its kind in the entire world, and they wouldn''t be able


    to take the safe with them nor have the spare time to investigate the lock either.


    "Mr. Smith, thank you so much for helping my grandfather take care of this key for so many years."


    The fact that Darren had handed such an important key to Mr. Smith showed that he trusted him, and


    there was a trace of respect in Katherine''s gaze as she turned to him once more.


    Mr. Smith shook his hands. "You''re being too courteous, Miss Levisay. As a matter of fact, it was my


    father who was on good terms with your grandfather, and it''s my honor to obtain your grandfather''s


    trust."


    At the sight of him talking about Darren with so much reverence, Katherine lifted her eyebrows and


    remained silent. However, her curiosity was piqued.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    If Darren did everything possible to store his belongings here and even went out of his way to design a


    lock like this, it meant that the contents of the safe were of great importance. Moreover, Mr. Smith''s


    attitude toward Darren made her feel that whatever was inside was something that held a great amount


    of influence.


    "Miss Levisay, Mr. Cornell, I''ll give you some privacy now. You can open this safe freely, and if you n


    on taking the contents away, juste to my office to let me know after you leave."


    It wasn''t appropriate for him to remain with them when it came to withdrawing personal belongings, so


    he tactfully took his leave, leaving only Katherine and Joaquin in the vast room.


    The two exchanged a nce, and Joaquin raised an eyebrow as he said gently, "Ready to open the


    safe?"


    Katherine didn''t seem nervous and curled the corners of her lips into a jaunty smile. "What is there to


    get ready for? Didn''t wee all the way to take what''s inside the safe?"


    Upon saying that, she clenched the key in her hand and quickly opened the primarytch of the safe


    without any hesitation.


    "As expected of a lock that was personally designed by my grandfather. Even if we have the key, it still


    isn''t easy to open."


    She failed to open it the first time, but after she turned the key twice, the lock opened with a loud ck.


    Then, she keyed in the password that she had obtained from Jennifer''s belongings, and the second


    latch was finally unlocked. A wooden boxy inside the safe, identical to the one that had belonged to


    Jennifer.


    Katherine looked at it firmly for a few beats before she removed it from the safe. As it had remained


    unopened for a long time, there was a thickyer of dust shrouding the wooden box.


    After wiping it down with a tissue, she raised her gaze to look at Joaquin. "Let''s go. Come out with me


    and wait for me in the hall. I''m going to the washroom."


    Joaquin was a little taken aback by her answer. "What are you nning? Aren''t you going to open it


    here?"


    Katherine shook her head, her eyes twinkling as she said with a confident expression, "It won''t be as


    interesting if we open it here. The fun is still yet toe."


    "Fun?" Joaquin repeated in confusion. "What fun?"


    However, he quickly returned to his senses and asked, "Does that mean that Jayden''s men are already


    here?"


    Katherine narrowed her eyes, a trace of mocking appearing in her smile. "I''m not that sure either, but


    there''s a good chance. He''s an extremely despicable and shameless person, and he definitely won''t let


    us go after we tricked him before leaving Fontan. Since he''s so set on my grandmother''s belongings,


    he''ll definitely send someone after us."


    Joaquin finally came to a realization. "Are you nning to put on a show for them?"


    Katherine nodded and urged, "Let''s go out. If we stay here any longer, they might not take the bait


    anymore.


    The two quickly walked out, and as soon as they stepped out of the entrance, the heavy metal doors


    slowly closed from both sides as if sensing their departure and locked themselves close with a ck.


    Following Katherine''s instructions, Joaquin went to wait in the hall while she headed straight to the


    bathroom with the box in her hands.


    As she sat in a locked stall and looked at the exquisite wooden box on her legs, she took a deep breath


    and slowly opened it. To her surprise, there was nothing out of the ordinary inside except for a single


    piece of paper. Feeling a little taken aback, she took the paper out and looked at it carefully, only to


    realize that there was nothing else but two words written on it¡ªancestral shrine.


    Katherine was rendered speechless. Could this be a matryoshka? They''d followed a clue to yet another


    clue where they found a new clue, and after running around in circles, they finally came to this clue that


    pointed to the ancestral shrine.


    The said ancestral shrine must be the Olsen Family''s shrine. As their family was located in Kynd,


    the shrine must be as well. Although she had never heard of it, it wouldn''t be difficult to find it. As for


    what exactly was hidden in the shrine, she had to find out.


    With a sigh, Katherine closed the box. Just as she was about to stand up and leave, as if recalling


    something, she hurriedly took a seat again. Then, she opened the box and tore the piece of paper into


    pieces before opening the cover of the toilet seat and tossing it in, flushing it away.


    After repeating this a few more times, she pulled out a bottle of liquid that she had prepared with a pair


    of twinkling eyes and ced it into the wooden box. This liquid was not just any other liquid, but a


    special reagent that she had developed in secret. She rarely used it except for special circumstances,


    and the current situation just so happened to be one.


    Once she was finished, she exited the bathroom and went to the hall to look for Joaquin. The two then


    headed to Mr. Smith''s office toplete the withdrawal paperwork before leaving the bank. Before they


    walked out, Katherine held the wooden box to herself and chatted with Joaquin calmly, but she


    deliberately lowered her voice.

 Chapter 387

    Chapter 387


    Chapter 386 Ancestral Shrine


    "We''re leaving now. If someonees to take the box, just fake it when fighting them. And let them


    take it away."


    Hearing that, Joaquin was a little dubious. "You took the box so that they can take it away?"


    Katherine smiled with a confident and certain expression. "That''s right. If we don''t let them take it from


    us, how would I give Jayden a taste of his own medicine?"


    As the two spoke, they walked out of the bank.


    Before he could ask her what exactly she was scheming, her guess was right, and a few men dressed


    in ck swarmed over out of the blue, intending to take the box in her hands. The poorly executed n


    and the fact that it was carried out at the entrance of the bank showed that these people were not


    nning to let her take the box into the car.


    His expression hardening, Joaquin immediately rushed forward and stood in front of Katherine to


    protect her. Just then, a few people rushed out from the bank and darted behind Katherine before


    rapidly snatching the wooden box away from her hand.


    With her back toward them, a spark suddenly shed past Katherine''s eyes, and she tightened her grip


    so that the box would not fall into their hands easily. However, she only put up a fight for a short


    moment before the men eventually snatched the box. Seeing this, their leader instantly retreated with


    his men. In just ten minutes, these people vanished without a trace, leaving even the bank security


    dumbfounded and wide-eyed.


    With a nce at each other, Katherine and Joaquin didn''t linger any longer and quickly entered the car.


    After the car pulled away from the bank, Joaquin maneuvered the steering wheel with one hand and


    rested the other on the window, his cheek on his hand as he let out a smallugh, his expression


    turning rxed.


    "All right, what exactly did you put in the wooden box?"


    Katherine looked at the fleeting scenery through the window carelessly, in a good mood as well, and


    she asked instead of answering, "Before or after?"


    Joaquin raised his eyebrows before idly saying, "Both."


    Katherine shrugged with a nonchnt expression. "If it''s before, I don''t know, but I know very well


    what''s after¡ªit''s a reagent I developed myself."


    Stopping at a red light, Joaquin looked at her sideways with a quizzical gaze. "A reagent you


    developed yourself?"


    "Yeah, that''s right. Just in case, I took two bottles before leaving LW Laboratory. I didn''t expect to use it


    so soon."


    Didn''t expect it? Joaquin didn''t believe her and said, "Looks like you thought things through. You even


    predicted that the ident today would happen and what Jayden would do next."


    Katherine smiled humbly. "A great fighter doesn''t only think of what''s next. It''s only by thinking further


    ahead and considering your opponent''s next moves that you can fully prevent anything from going on."


    Joaquin nodded to indicate that he approved, his lips raising into a smile as he was filled with pride.


    "What does that reagent do?" he asked.


    At this question, Katherine''s eyes turned smug as she turned to look at him pridefully. "Although the


    reagent isn''t that powerful, it''s not weak either, and it might even cause harm at a close distance. The


    bottle is custom-built, and as long as someone opens that wooden box, it''ll explode automatically,


    causing the reagent to turn into a gas. The person who opens the box won''t be able to dodge it in time,


    and they''ll be burned by the gas as soon as theye into contact with it."


    Hearing that, Joaquin let out augh. "That''s awesome."


    "Of course." Katherine lifted her brow before continuing, "Besides, the wound it leaves will be a little


    special due to the gas. As long as I see it, I''ll immediately know who opened the box."


    "Who do you think it''ll be?"


    Katherine shot him a look. "Do you still have to ask such an easy question? Besides Jayden, who else


    could it be?"


    Joaquinughed. "Well, what if one of hisckeys opened it before him on the way back?"


    Katherine raised her thin hands and waved at him. "That''s impossible. Someone like Jayden will never


    let hisckeys encroach on his power. He likes to feel like he has everything in the palm of his hand, so


    of course he''ll be the one to open something this important. His men won''t be that stupid."


    Her tone was carefree and instantly lifted Joaquin''s mood as well. He watched her extended finger out


    of the corner of his eye and felt an itch in his heart, wanting to take her hand in his and y with it


    gently. However, the light turned green, so he could only tuck his intentions away and focus on driving.


    "And what was in the box before? What do you mean when you say you don''t know?"


    At this question, Katherine thought for a moment and told him without hiding anything, "There was only


    a sheet of paper in the box and the words ''ancestral shrine,'' so I''m guessing that Grandpa left


    something important there, or maybe even hid it."


    "The Olsen Family''s ancestral shrine?" Joaquin was a little taken aback by her words. "Isn''t it in


    Kynd?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Yeah." Katherine slumped in her seat, feeling a little glum. "Say, why did Grandpa do all of this?


    Putting a sheet of paper in Regal Summit Bank but storing the actual item in a shrine in Kynd¡ªisn''t


    he just toying with us?"


    She hadn''t expected that aftering all the way to this ce and even getting chased by


    mercenaries, they still had to turn back.


    Spotting her huffy face from the corner of his eyes, Joaquin couldn''t help but feel amused.


    "Grandpa definitely has his reasons for doing this. Maybe it''s safer this way. However, this also shows


    that this belonging of his is extremely important, and it probably is just as powerful too."


    Hearing that, Katherine fell into deep thought before she nodded with a solemn expression. "You''re


    right. Didn''t Grandma get hunted down before her identity was even revealed? Those people were after


    Grandpa''s belongings, so whatever he''s hiding definitely can''t be underestimated."


    Then, she hesitated for a moment before mumbling, "But I can''t believe he hid it in the Olsen Family''s


    ancestral shrine. They''ve fallen from power recently and aren''t as powerful or influential as before, and


    I heard that they''ve all settled down as regr people now."


    Joaquin hummed in reply. "I know this. I''ve heard about the Olsen Family when I was on a mission


    before, and I''ve passed by their ancestral shrine too."


    "Eh?" Katherine''s eyes brightened. "You''ve been there?"


    "Yes. The Olsen Family''s shrine isn''t in their mansion but in a remote area in Kynd. Their previous


    mansion has already been sold and doesn''t belong to them anymore, and as for the shrine, they rarely


    go there except for important asions."

 Chapter 388

    Chapter 388


    Chapter 387 Heading to Kynd


    "Is that so¡­" Katherine murmured under her breath, then she asked, "Do you still remember the


    location?"


    Joaquin smiled. "Of course, I remember. My memory is not that bad."


    "In that case, that''ll make things much easier." She, too, broke into a smile. "I was going to ask


    Carmine to investigate the location of the Olsen Family''s ancestral hall, but having you here will save


    me considerable trouble instead."


    The car drove smoothly along the road. The smile on Joaquin''s face deepened. "Yeah. You can rely on


    me at any time. It makes me very happy."


    His statement hade out of nowhere. She blinked in stunned silence for a moment, then she


    nced sideways at him with a faint blush that dyed her cheeks red. "Cocky b*stard."


    Her soft grumble did not escape his ears, but he was not bothered by her insult. On the contrary,


    listening to her made his mood lighten even more.


    At this moment, her phone rang. It was a video call from Noah on WhatsApp.


    "Mom!" As soon as the call connected, Noah''s adorable and tender appearance appeared on the


    screen. She seemed to be in great spirits, and her smile was dazzling.


    Katherine''s heart seemed to subconsciously indulge in the gentle voice, and her delicate eyes


    involuntarily softened at the sight of her daughter.


    "Noah, are you outside?" she asked. Her voice revealed great affection without her knowledge.


    Beside her, Joaquin heard the tenderness in her voice and looked over at her. Just by looking at her


    beautiful side profile, he could see the maternal instinct in her eyes that she unconsciously radiated.


    His thin lips lifted into a smile.


    "Yeah!" The little girl seemed to be very excited. She nodded vigorously, resembling a little chick


    pecking hungrily at the ground. "Xavier noticed that I was going crazy from the boredom of staying


    home all day, so he brought me to the theme park!"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    At that, Katherine also smiled. Her smile was so wide that her eyes turned into little crescents. "In that


    case, you should thank Xavier properlyter. Was the theme park fun?"


    The little girl''s eyes shone with excitement; it was so bright that they resembled the stars in the sky.


    Looking at her expression, one would almost believe that she had discovered a new continent in the


    world. "It was fun! It was super fun! Mom, it was my first time ying at the theme park. I discovered so


    many fun and interesting rides! Although some of the rides seem rather stupid, they are still quite fun to


    y. Xavier also bought a doll and hairpins for me! Oh! There were many delicious foods too! He even


    gave me a small ice cream!"


    Katherine looked at the bunny-eared hairpiece that Noah dangled in front of the camera and couldn''t


    help bursting intoughter. Her heart practically melted at the sight. Without really thinking about it, she


    blurted out the thought that suddenly popped up in her head. "Make sure to have loads of fun with


    Xavier today. When I get home, I will bring you to other theme parks and ygrounds. We will also visit


    the aquarium and the zoo¡­"


    When she thought about how this little girl had never been to any of the ces that children often


    visited, an indescribable sense of heartache flooded her heart. Although she had experienced simr


    thoughts in the past, she had never been able to express her thoughts properly due to the worry that


    constantly gnawed at her heart. In the end, she deliberately avoided her daughter and feigned


    indifference toward her daughter.


    Now that they had gotten closer, she finally understood¡ªshe was bothered by all the things that Noah


    could never enjoy. In fact, she cared about these things more than Noah did.


    As a mother, she was much too ipetent in her role.


    With that thought in mind, a deep sense of love and pity welled up in her eyes. She stroked Noah''s little


    face with her fingers through the screen. "As long as it''s a ce you''ve never been to, I will bring you


    there."


    Beside Katherine, Joaquin wanted to add the words "Daddy will too" upon hearing her statement.


    Before he could say anything, he heard enthusiastic cheersing from the little girl on the other side


    of the screen.


    "Really? Really? Mom, you have to keep your word! And Daddy too! Our entire family will go together!"


    Then, she excitedly asked, "Where''s Daddy? Why don''t I see Daddy?"


    Joaquin smiled with a sense of warmth that filled his heart. The little girl was his beloved daughter


    indeed.


    Meanwhile, Katherine turned the phone screen in Joaquin''s direction and exined, "He is driving right


    now, so he can''t divert his attention to chat with you on the video call. You can tell him about all the fun


    things you did today when we get home, okay?"


    Joaquin turned sideways to sneak a few peeks. When he saw the red-faced little girl ying on the


    screen, his smile showed in his eyes. "That''s right. I am driving right now. Noah, I promise to y with


    you properly when I get home."


    The eyes of the little girl on the screen brightened even more when she caught a glimpse of her father.


    "Okay!" She nodded obediently. Then, she added in a soft voice, "Daddy, I miss you. Make sure you


    safely bring Mom home. I will be waiting for you!"


    Her gentle and loving words immediately pierced the hearts of the two adults.


    Joaquin pursed his lips. His deep voice was mixed with great warmth and adoration. "Okay. I will


    definitely bring your mother home safely, so you have to wait for us at home."


    "Okay! I will!"


    Afterward, Katherine asked Noah to pass the phone on to Xavier. It did not take long before Xavier''s


    handsome face appeared on the screen.


    "Xavier, I''m sorry for troubling you these past few days." Katherine took the initiative to speak. Although


    her tone was light, her gratitude was sincere.


    Xavier sighed heavily. "What are you saying? Don''t be so polite. Noah is my student. It''s only natural


    for me to take care of my student. Don''t worry. Noah will be fine with me. I didn''t let her y dangerous


    stuff. Besides, she has undergone her regr checkup. The doctor mentioned that she is recovering


    very well, so her diet can be more diversified from now onward. As for junk food and the likes, she can


    eat a small amount of these snacks."


    She nodded, not feeling the slightest worry about leaving her daughter in his capable hands. "We will


    probably return after two more days. I will leave Noah with you for a few more days."


    He agreed without any hesitation. "No problem. Where are you now? Are you still in Zoscistan?"


    She replied, "Yeah, but we''ll be leaving soon."


    "Are you flying back today?" He pondered for a moment. "Will you be arriving in Hovington tomorrow? I


    can pick you up from the airport."


    Unexpectedly, she rejected his offer. "No need. I won''t be back in Hovington tomorrow."


    Her response stunned him. "Not Hovington? Then, where are you going?"


    He was simply being curious, but she did not hide the truth either. A bright light shed through her


    eyes, and she bluntly said, "We''re heading to Kynd."


    ¡­


    At the same time, the mercenaries brought the box to Jayden.


    Inside the living room of the vi, Jayden stared at the exquisite wooden box in front of him with a


    triumphant expression.


    In the end, it did not matter how influential and well-prepared Katherine and Joaquin were. Their


    meticulous ns had failed due to the slightest negligence on their part. And, he had taken advantage


    of that tiny loophole.


    Hah¡­ It''s just like I said. Everything that belongs to Katherine will eventually be mine. As for


    Katherine herself¡­ I will have her dancing in the palm of my hand one day!


    "You''ve done well. You will be rewarded for your efforts." ncing at the mercenaries in front of him, he


    coldly issued an order. "Out."


    They exchanged nces with each other but obediently followed his orders.


    Afterward, Jayden was the only person left in the spacious living room. He picked up the wooden box


    and stroked the surface of the box with his fingertips. A smile curved the corner of his lips.


    "Heh¡­ The material and workmanship of this wooden box are exquisite. The objects hidden within


    must be extraordinary."


    He did not know that the box contained the inheritance left behind by Katherine''s grandfather.


    Mistakenly thinking that the box contained the inheritance left behind by Katherine''s grandmother, he


    was absolutely overjoyed.

 Chapter 389

    Chapter 389


    Chapter 388 Disfigured


    Thinking that this was the manual he wanted, Jayden happily opened it up, but then something


    unexpected happened. The moment the special bottle hidden inside came in contact with the air, it


    burst open, and shards of ss flew everywhere, slivers of white smoke unfurling into its surroundings.


    Jayden froze for a moment. The shards sliced through his face, but the pain didn''t register, and then a


    burning sensation held him. A momentter, his face felt like it was on fire, and the pain made him


    scream. He tried to cover his face with his hands, but then the burning sensation spread to his hands


    as well, turning his screams into shrieks.


    Hansel was making arrangements for the mercenaries outside, but when he heard Jayden''s screams,


    he jumped and quickly ran inside. When he saw what was going on, his legs buckled, and he was at a


    loss. The smoke slowly dissipated, but the air was still filled with a rancid stench, yet Hansel didn''t


    care. He was staring at Jayden in horror as if Jayden was a monster. "S-Sir¡­ Y-Your face¡­"


    Jayden couldn''t even open his eyes, but with sheer determination, he opened his right eye by a


    fraction, then he curled on the sofa, basking in agony. He roared, "What''s with my face?"


    Beset by shock, Hansel trembled, unable to even make a coherent sentence. He stammered. "Burn¡­


    It''s burnt¡­"


    The pain was torturing Jayden still. He felt like he could pass out at any second, but he gnashed his


    teeth and stayed awake. He roared, "Don''t just stand there! Take me to the hospital!"


    Hansel snapped out of it and quickly whipped his phone out. He wanted to call an ambnce, but then


    he decided against it. He tucked his phone away and held Jayden up, then he led him outside. A short


    whileter, Hansel drove Jayden to the hospital.


    Two hourster, the doctor came out of the emergency room looking tired and drenched in sweat.


    Hansel had been waiting all this time, and he went up to the doctor, quickly asking, "How is he doing,


    doctor? Is his face alright?"


    The doctor wiped his sweat off and heaved a sigh. "It''s ruined."


    Hansel froze for a moment. "Ruined? What is? Doctor, can you exin? What is ruined?"


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    The doctor took his mask off and shook his head. "His face is probably burned by some gas, and most


    of it is ruined. I can''t heal him. The gas permanently damaged his face, and he has to live with the


    scars. He''s not in mortal danger, however, so don''t worry. Aside from the scars on his face and hands,


    he''s fine."


    Hansel was dumbfounded. "So, you mean to say he''s disfigured?"


    "Yes, I am." The doctor nodded, looking a little confused. "But we have no idea what kind of gas hurt


    him. It''s powerful, and the damage it left is quite peculiar. It''s different from your regr burns."


    "W-What should we do? What will it take for you to find out what kind of gas it is?" stammered Hansel.


    The doctor looked hesitant. "I can''t say for sure. Your first priority is to make sure your employer''s


    wounds don''t get worse. If they start to rot, then scars will be the least of his worries. He might hurt his


    insides, and that''s going to be disastrous."


    Hansel felt his heart thumping, and it took him a while before he stammered, "I-I see."


    A whileter, Jayden was taken into a VIP ward. Once Hansel was done with the admittance


    paperwork, he stood outside the ward, reluctant to go inside. In the end, he looked at the time, took a


    few deep breaths, and went inside despite how much he refused to.


    The first thing he heard was something crashing against the ground. A vase fell beside him, smashed


    into pieces, and the flowers within fell around, water covering the ground. Hansel was worried, but he


    couldn''t take a step back, so he stepped past this mess and stopped beside Jayden''s bed. He had no


    courage to stare at Jayden, so he slowly raised his head to nce at Jayden. Jayden''s head was


    bandaged, and Hansel panicked. He quickly looked down.


    Jayden said, "What happened?"


    Hansel knew he was asking about the wooden box. He gulped and tried his best to steady his voice,


    then he answered, "I''ve asked them. They snatched it right outside of Regal Summit Bank. Katherine


    and Joaquin put up a fight, but the mercenaries got the upper hand and took it away from them.


    Nobody opened it. They gave it to me right after they took the box."


    Jayden clenched his good hand up into a fist, his eyes filled with malice. "You fools!" He roared and


    swept all the things on the table away. "You fell for her trap!"


    Hansel quickly retreated. An ashtray hit his foot, but he didn''t even wince, just in case Jayden flew into


    more of a rage.


    Jayden''s rage did not fade. His eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze was venomous. "She knew I would


    send someone to take it from her, so she was prepared. She did a switcheroo! She knew I''d open it!"


    He wanted to scream. This was not the first time Katherine had set him up, but he still wouldn''t give up


    on her. She ruined my face. His eyes were filled with malice, and he hissed, "She ruined my face, so


    I''m ruining her whole life."


    His failure didn''t beat him down. Instead, it solidified his determination to get his hands on Katherine.


    He would do anything and go to any lengths just for that. "Call Wale and tell him toe up with a


    special medicine that can control anyone I want to. ASAP. He has two weeks. Fail, and I will kill him."

 Chapter 390

    Chapter 390


    Chapter 389 Keeping an Eye


    Wale was the most trusted scientist in Lab X, and he was also the most talented one.


    Hansel felt numb, his heart palpitating. He gulped and nervously said, "Sir, two weeks is a bit too fast. If


    the medicine doesn''t work, your n will fail. That won''t be good, so why don''t you give him more ti¡ª"


    Jayden shot him a withering re. If looks could kill, Hansel would be dead. "You talk like you''re the


    boss here."


    Hansel felt all air sucked out of his surroundings. He stopped talking and cleared his throat. "I-I''m not.


    You''re the boss here, sir."


    "Then shut it." Jayden''s eyes went wide, and he roared, "Tell Wale to start working on what I want right


    now!"


    "Yes, sir," said Hansel with a trembling voice, then he quickly made a call.


    ¡­


    Joaquin and Katherine had boarded their private jet and were ready to fly to Kynd. While on the jet,


    Katherine stared out the window, where the clouds fluttered, and thoughts raced in her mind.


    "What are you thinking?" Joaquin took a nket and draped it over her legs.


    Katherine turned around to look him in the eye. A moment of silenceter, she leaned her head on the


    back of her seat and looked up. "I was just wondering what Grandpa left in the ancestral hall. So many


    people want it. So many people will kill for it. What did Grandpa do when he was alive? Honestly, I don''t


    remember much about him, and Grandma barely brought him up."


    "No idea, but we are in no hurry. You can uncover the secret once you''re in Kynd," said Joaquin.


    Katherine closed her eyes and said nothing more. A few hourster, they finallynded in Kynd''s


    outskirts.


    Before they boarded the ne, Joaquin called Jeremy and told him to wee them. The moment


    they disembarked, Jeremy was already waiting for them. "You must be exhausted. The car''s ready. It''s


    right ahead, so let''s go." Once Joaquin and Katherine came out, Jeremy weed them.


    Joaquin cocked his eyebrow and held Katherine''s hand, then they went to the car. Jeremy stared at


    them, feeling jealous. Man, they''re so loving. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a partner. Me and


    the boys don''t even have a girlfriend. He got into the car and looked back. "So where are we going?"


    Joaquin asked, "So you wanna go now or do you want to rest?"


    Katherine gave it some thought. "We''ll get some rest." The flight exhausted her, and too many things


    had happenedtely. She could dy the trip to the ancestral hall. For now, she needed some rest.


    "Sure." Joaquin did what she wanted, and he said, "To the Silver Gardens."


    "Yes, sir," said Jeremy.


    Curious, Katherine asked, "Silver Gardens?"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Joaquin looked at her gently. "It''s an estate I have in Kynd, and I haven''t been staying there for a bit.


    Forgot to clean it upst time because we were in a hurry, but the ce is cleaned up now."


    Surprised by how prepared he was, Katherine blinked. "You have an estate here? Man, you have a lot


    of hideouts."


    Amused, Joaquinughed and patted her head. "What are you talking about?" The Silver Gardens


    were located in northern Kynd, and it was surrounded by vis. Every vi had a bit of distance


    between them, so it was safer here.


    One out of the car, Katherine looked around. "Oh, I remember Gray Residence is somewhere around


    here. Can''t believe you have an estate here. It must have cost a lot."


    Joaquin nodded. "The security is tight, so the cost isn''t important."


    He talks like an upstart. Katherine chuckled. "Well, let''s go inside, then."


    "Yeah."


    Jeremy opened the door, and the couple went inside. At the same time, a car was standing outside the


    vi, and someone rolled its window up.


    The man in the backseat said, "That woman was Katherine?" He has a husky but energetic voice not


    unlike a leader''s.


    His driver, who was also his assistant, said, "Yes. The young master is on good terms with her. I''ve


    seen her twice."


    "Darren''s granddaughter is all grown up now. He can rest in peace."


    The assistant said, "And I heard she''s also the president of W Co. That''s a shocker. Who could''ve


    known she was the one controlling W Co.?"


    The man listened quietly. A whileter, he said, "Keep an eye on her, and make sure they don''t realize


    we''re spying. Including that man."


    The assistant froze for a moment. "Sir, you¡­"


    The man looked at him. "That man with her is Joaquin of Hovington Area Seven. He''s alert. If his men


    find out we''re spying, you''re fired."


    The assistant trembled, and he quickly said, "Yes, sir." A moment of hesitationter, he asked, "Sir,


    what kind of news would you like to find out?"


    The man ced his hands on hisp, calmly answering, "She almost neveres to Kynd, but


    every time she does, it''s trouble. I bet it''s the same this time. Just keep an eye on her and tell me


    everything you find out."


    The assistant obliged and asked nothing else.


    Katherine and Joaquin were in the vi, oblivious of this little conspiracy. They stayed at the vi for a


    day. The next morning, they came down for breakfast, and Katherine asked, "So where''s the hall


    anyway?"


    Joaquin handed her a peeled egg and wiped his hands off a towel. He answered, "There''s an empty


    residence in western Kynd, and it used to be the Olsens'' ancestral home. They then moved to the


    city, so that ce became the ancestral hall."

 Chapter 391

    Chapter 391


    Chapter 390 One Possibility


    "I see." Katherine finished the egg and dusted her hands off. "Let''s go."


    Joaquin smiled and got up to get the car keys. "Let''s go." He didn''t let Jeremye with them that day.


    Instead, he took Katherine, turned the GPS on, and drove away.


    Half an hourter, they stopped in front of an old house.


    Katherine got out of the car and looked at the deserted house, and she sighed. "Everyone''s gone. This


    ce is abandoned."


    Joaquin went around the car and stood beside her, staring at the house. Calmly, he said, "After the


    Olsens went into a decline, nobody ever came back. It''s normal that this ce looks abandoned."


    Curious, Katherine asked, "Not a single Olsen came?"


    "Yes." Joaquin nodded. "They go their own separate ways now. Not many are in Kynd."


    Katherine thought it was a pity. "Well, nothingsts forever, even riches." They went inside without


    saying anything more.


    The ce was so old, they managed to unlock the door without much strength, then they hung the


    rusted lock aside. That made this house look even more abandoned. Everything and everywhere in this


    house was coated in a thickyer of dust. Since the windows were coated with dust as well, not much


    sunlight coulde in. Only a sliver of it managed to illuminate this ce, keeping it out of total


    darkness'' reach.


    "This ce looks like a haunted house." Katherine slowed down and looked around the house, then


    she muttered, "Did Grandpa really leave that thing here?"


    Joaquin followed her all the way inside and handed his handkerchief to her so she could cover her


    nose, then he fanned her. "He went all the way to tuck that slip inside Regal Summit Bank, so it


    shouldn''t be fake. This ce is remote and deserted. It''s perfect to hide something. Nobody would


    think that he would hide something in an abandoned ancestral hall." He pointed at the floor-to-ceiling


    window. "The hall should be in the backyard."


    Katherine looked where he was pointing and nodded, then she went to the backyard. Since this ce


    had been abandoned for a long time, a lot of things were starting to decay, including the wheels under


    the window. She tried her best to push, but it wouldn''t budge.


    "I''ll do it." Joaquin pushed her behind. "You cover your face."


    He held the window and yanked it forward. An ear-piercing screech ripped through the air, and the


    window finally opened. Dust rained from above, spreading across the air. Even though Katherine had


    her face closed, the dust still made her choke. "There''s so much dust here."


    Joaquin pursed his lips and led her outside.


    Only when they were out in the open did Katherine put her hands down and heave a sigh. "Nobody


    ever came back, I see. Look at this ce. It''s practically covered in dust. Honestly, Grandpa had


    foresight." She nced at the little house on the left. "I take it that the ancestral hall is there?"


    Joaquin looked at where she was looking and nodded. "Yes. There''s a que there."


    They went to the house and noticed that the door was open, then they frowned. Katherine''s face fell,


    and she said coolly, "I think we''ve oversimplified things a little. Somebody dide here, but they went


    straight to the hall."


    Surprised, Joaquin frowned. "Who? And why did theye straight to the ancestral hall?"


    Katherine shook her head, her eyes filled with thoughts. "Not sure. But they could find this ce easily,


    so they must know the family well. Perhaps they used to be friends too," she mocked, a smirk curling


    her lips. She then went inside. The ancestral hall was like those of other houses. There was empty


    ground in the first half of the hall, and the second half of the hall was taken up by the ancestors'' tablets.


    It looked deserted, for it had been too long since anyone came.


    Joaquin strolled around and whispered, "Someone was here not too long ago. The footprints aren''t


    even covered up yet."


    Katherine looked where he was pointing, but she said nothing. Instead, she followed the footprints


    around. "They left without finding anything," she said after a while.


    Surprised, Joaquin asked, "How do you know?"


    She pointed her chin at the footprints. "These footprints look patterned, not focused. The guest


    probably walked around and left without finding anything."


    Joaquin cocked his eyebrow. "Where do you think your grandpa would hide the stuff?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Katherine mused for a moment and muttered, "He hid it here, so it won''t be easy to find, and the fact


    the guests found nothing proves it. It must be well hidden. Perhaps there''s a hiddenpartment


    somewhere. Reminded of something, she chuckled. "Man, the old guys really love being mysterious.


    The Scott-Tuttons'' ancestral home has a secret chamber too."


    Joaquin nodded. "Every rich family has that, including mine. I''ve never gone into it, though."


    Katherine blinked, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned around to look at the hall, wondering


    where a secret chamber orpartment would be.


    Joaquin went into a search as well, but they found nothing.


    "Odd. We checked everywhere. Every inch of the ground, but there''s nopartment."


    Katherine bit her lips, a deep frown hanging on her forehead. Did Grandpa leave me a fake trail?


    Maybe he knew someone might take the box from Regal Summit Bank, so he left me a fake? No, I


    can''t think that. That''d open up a big can of worms.


    He went all the way to keep this information in Regal Summit Bank, and Grandma never spoke about it,


    so it must be real. Which means it''s here, but where is it hidden? She looked around the hall sharply,


    and something struck her, then she looked up. "Since it''s not on or under the ground, that leaves us


    with one ce¡­"

 Chapter 392

    Chapter 392


    Chapter 391 Crate


    Joaquin looked up and understood what she was trying to say. "So, you mean he hid it on the roof?"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Katherine still looked at the roof intently, and she answered, "Yep. He did tell us it''s hidden here, so it


    must be here. If it''s not on the ground, and if there''s nopartment, then that leaves us with the roof."


    She pointed up. "Look at the beams. Some of them are abnormally huge."


    The ancestral hall was built a long time ago, and nobody ever refurbished it, so the style of the original


    building remained. It felt like a house straight out of an ancient era. The beams that held this ce up


    crossed each other a lot. Every beam was wide, and some abnormally so.


    Something in Joaquin''s eyes glinted, and he got something. "So, you think your grandfather hid it on


    the beams?"


    Katherine nodded. "On the beams, or¡­ inside the beams."


    Joaquin paused for a moment, then he realized what she was talking about. A moment of silenceter,


    he nodded. "True. These beams are wide, and they do look like hiddenpartments. The entrance


    might be on the beams."


    Katherine smiled. "Yeah. Most people would only think to look through the obvious ces, so they tend


    to overlook the roof. Grandpa must have considered that and hid the stuff in the beam. It''s possible.


    Very possible," she said confidently, and then she thought that was true.


    Joaquin looked into her beautiful eyes and smiled as his eyebrow arched. Delighted, he said, "It''s good


    enough that you can think so far, Kat."


    The praise made Katherine blush, and she smacked him. "Not the time to joke around. We need to find


    a way to reach the beams."


    Joaquin smiled and shrugged. "Easy. Give me two chairs. I''m tall enough to reach them."


    He just loves to praise himself every chance he gets. She rolled his eyes and tried to get some chairs


    for him, but there was only one around. She gave it some thought and looked at the little table where a


    censer stood. She thought, Sorry to disturb you, ancestors, but I need this. She moved the censer


    away and took the table over. With her help, Joaquin stood on the stacked table and chair. They


    pointed at one beam. "Let''s check this one out."


    There was nothing there, but they didn''t give up. They went on to the next beam and found a hidden


    door on the third beam. Katherine couldn''t see what was going on, but when Joaquin stopped moving,


    she asked, "So, can you open it?"


    Joaquin shook his head. The hidden door was covered in dust, so he wiped it away and said, "There''s


    a lock here."


    Katherine frowned. "A lock?" I don''t remember there being a key.


    Reminded of something, Joaquin said, "Remember that key in your Grandma''s wooden box?"


    Among Jennifer''s belongings was a small key that couldn''t unlock anything. Katherine thought Jennifer


    left it there because she had forgotten about this thing''s existence, yet she kept it around just in case


    there might be a need for it, and now Joaquin thought the key must have something to do with this


    contraption.


    Katherine quickly rummaged through her pocket. "I bring it around with me. This can be the lock."


    "Toss it to me and we''ll find out." Joaquin extended his hand and grabbed the key she tossed. To their


    surprise, the lock opened. It was old and rusty, so it was hard to take away, but it did open. Joaquin


    smiled and cocked his eyebrow. "Good thing you had it on you, or we''d havee all the way for


    nothing."


    Excited, Katherine said, "Come on, just take the stuff. I want to see what Grandpa''s been hiding all this


    time."


    Joaquin leaned into thepartment, but when he saw what was inside, his face turned solemn.


    His silence piqued Katherine''s curiosity, and she quickly asked, "Why aren''t you moving? Come on,


    take the stuff already."


    Joaquin said nothing. He stared at the item in silence for a moment before he took it out. To be precise,


    he was holding it in his arms. The thing hidden within was a big crate. Katherine took over with difficulty


    and ced it on the ground, then she circled the crate. "What is this thing? And what''s that pattern on


    the crate?"


    Joaquin came down from the chair and stepped on the ground, staring at the box solemnly. "It means


    top secret," he said. A momentter, he continued, "This crate is used to store weapons." Living in Area


    Seven all his life gave Joaquin the opportunity to check out everything in the armory. He had seen


    crates like this before.


    Surprised, Katherine asked, "So you''re saying there''s a weapon inside this crate?"


    Joaquin shook his head. "Not necessarily, but highly probable. Your grandfather went through a lot to


    hide this thing. It''d be a waste to hide anything other than a weapon." The crate was made with special


    components. It was waterproof, fireproof, and pressure-proof.


    Katherine looked at Joaquin and turned her attention to the crate. A whileter, she took a deep breath.


    "There''s only one way to find out what''s inside. There''s a passcode. Probably the same one as the safe


    box in Regal Summit Bank. They''re nine numbers."


    "Yeah." Joaquin nodded. "You do the honors."


    Katherine didn''t say no. She crouched and touched the crate, then she pressed on the keypad. When


    she pressed the ninth number, a green light lit up, a beeping sound rang across the air, and the crate


    was unlocked.

 Chapter 393

    Chapter 393


    Chapter 392 Infrasound


    To her surprise, there wasn''t anything shocking in the crate. There was only a file. A surprised


    Katherine met Joaquin''s gaze.


    Joaquin pursed his lips. "Open it up." For some reason, he had a feeling the content of this file was


    crucial. It could probably turn this world on its head.


    Katherine realized that as well. Her hand started to sweat as she opened the file. And her heart started


    to race, but she gulped and calmed herself down. Then she opened the file and took a document out.


    What she saw made her freeze. The title read, ''Infrasound Weapon.'' "This is¡­" She blinked in disbelief


    and stared at the title a few more times. "This is a top-secret file. I can''t believe Grandpa kept it here."


    Joaquin saw it as well, and his face fell. He did not expect this. "No wonder he kept this in a ce so


    secret and put us through a few hoops. This is the file for an ultimate weapon. If this gets out, the


    consequences are disastrous."


    Katherine had no idea about how weapons worked, but judging from what her grandfather did and


    Joaquin''s reaction, it must be serious. She stared at the title again and handed the file to him. "You


    should read it."


    Joaquin shook his head. He didn''t take it. "This is your grandfather''s research. You should be the first


    to read it. And Area Seven does have research on this weapon."


    Curious, Katherine asked, "What is this? Is it that serious? Does it bring a lot of harm?"


    Joaquin nodded solemnly. "Yes. If it''s used, it''ll bring about a horrible ending. Infrasound weapons rely


    on sounds lower than 20 Hertz. We can fire attacks that have sounds lower than that. Perfect for an


    ambush. It can be fired from a long distance, can pierce through a lot of things, and it doesn''t pollute


    anything."


    Katherine didn''t really know what he was talking about, but that piqued her interest more. "That''s


    awesome."


    "Yeah. Infrasound weapons can be split into two types. One targets the nervous system, disrupting its


    function and ruining the target''s health. Death at worst. The other targets the organs. Infrasound''s


    vibration is about the same as human organs. It can evoke resonance and change the organs'' position


    or shape. At worst, destroying them and killing the target."


    Katherine''s eyes went wide. "That''s¡­ serious." No wonder Grandpa kept this a secret from all of us. If


    someone were to take it, it''d be bad. Really bad. "I had no idea Grandpa actually made something like


    this. Didn''t know he was a weapons master."


    Joaquin pursed his lips, feeling nothing but respect for Katherine''s grandfather. "We''ve made this


    weapon. Your grandfather''s research is probably rted to a newer model or a powered-up version."


    Katherine flipped the file open and started reading. There was a lot of jargon she didn''t understand, but


    she got the gist of the content, and she realized this file was priceless.


    "No wonder those people wouldn''t stop harassing Grandma so they could get this. They probably knew


    my Grandpa was making this, so they wanted to see what he made." Katherine started looking solemn,


    and she frowned. The thought that this file falling into the wrong hands made her shudder. "Good thing


    we didn''t dawdle around. Who knows what might have happened if we came even that bitter?" She


    looked at the document and tucked it back into the file, then she looked at the crate. "We should put


    this back."


    Surprised, Joaquin asked, "We aren''t taking it away?"


    "We''re taking the file away, but not the crate. If someone were toe, we can at least lead them on a


    wild goose chase. Maybe they''d give up if they find out there is nothing in this crate. Maybe they''ll think


    Grandpa came up with nothing." She handed the file to Joaquin and said seriously, "This is too


    important for me to keep. You should hand this to Area Seven."


    Joaquin was surprised she made that decision right away. "Are you sure? This is your grandfather''s


    work."


    There was determination in Katherine''s eyes, and she said, "Yeah. He spent his whole life making this


    and made sure to keep it underyers of secrecy. He must not want anyone to take it. He''d always


    been a righteous guy. I bet he''d do this if he was still alive. Only by giving this to the government can it


    be used correctly. That''s what he would want."


    Joaquin listened, and he smiled. "You''re determined. Fine, I''ll take this. Once we get back, I''ll tell


    Jeremy to take this to Area Seven."


    Katherine shook her head. "No. You''re doing it yourself. I don''t want anyone else to do it. I can''t trust


    them."


    "And you can trust me?" Joaquin cocked his eyebrow.


    Katherine shot him a look that said, ''Duh.''


    "Very well." Joaquin stopped teasing her, and he nodded. This was serious, after all. "I''m going back


    then. Are youing with me?"


    Katherine gave it some thought and said no. "You go back. I miss Grandma, and I want to see her. And


    I can tell Grandpa what happened too."


    Joaquin let her do what she wanted. "Sure. You stay here. Come back when you want to. Noah and I


    will be waiting for you."


    That settled it. Once they left the ancestral hall and returned to Silver Gardens, Joaquin and Jeremy


    immediately set off for Hovington.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 394

    Chapter 394


    Chapter 393 Emmanuel


    After Joaquin was gone, Katherine stayed at Silver Gardens for a day.


    Right after they left the ancestral hall, a car left as well. While Katherine was in Silver Gardens, the car


    was parked under a tree nearby. Since the windows were made with one-way ss, nobody could see


    inside the car, but the people inside the car could see outside. The people who passed by this ce


    thought the car was empty, but there was someone inside.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As the sun was setting, the people in the car could no longer wait, so they made a call. "Chairman,


    she''s not even doing anything, and it''s sundown. Can we stop keeping an eye on her?"


    A man said coldly but terrifyingly, "And where''s Joaquin?"


    The man in the car answered, "Never came back. He''s probably left Kynd."


    The man on the other end of the call fell silent for a while. "Keep watching her. They must''ve found


    something."


    The man in the car was perplexed. "How are you so sure, sir? We can''t be sure that Darren actually


    came up with anything, and nobody''s found his files."


    A hoarseugh came from the other end of the phone. The chairman was confident that something was


    found. "He must''ve seeded, or there wouldn''t be anyone who would go after his wife. We might''ve


    found nothing, but that doesn''t mean nobody found anything. No secret can go unnoticed. It is


    impossible for Darren to keep his sess a secret. Now his granddaughter is here in Kynd and just


    paid her ancestral home a visit. Something must''ve happened."


    The man finally understood why he still had to do this, but he asked, "If she really did find something,


    then why didn''t she leave Kynd? And why did Joaquin leave?"


    The chairman fell silent. As if he had figured out something bad, the man''s face fell, but still, he wanted


    to give his n a shot. "She''s probably staying for some unfinished business. Joaquin probably went


    back to Hovington with Darren''s research. That''s an important file. She probably thought she couldn''t


    protect it, so she handed it to Joaquin. Don''t worry, though. Just keep an eye on her."


    "I understand," said the man.


    The chairman said, "Surround her when she''s alone. Do not let her escape to Hovington."


    "Yes, sir."


    ¡­


    Katherine had no idea of this conspiracy surrounding her. She packed up her stuff the next day and


    went to the cemetery holding two bouquets. When she came to her grandmother''s grave once more,


    she was calm and at peace. She stared at her grandmother''s photo and smiled. "Hi, Grandma. You


    must be with Grandpa by now."


    She turned her attention to her grandfather''s grave. "We found the file, Grandpa. The one about


    infrasound weapons. I asked Joaquin to hand it over to his boss. He''s Area Seven''s captain. I trust him.


    Him handing it over to his boss is the best oue we can hope for. They won''t let it fall into the wrong


    hands.


    A man behind her bellowed, "I knew he must have found something, that Darren. Must be why he


    chose to retire! He told everyone he lost interest in the research, but I guess that was a lie. He


    seeded. That sly old fox, he hid it from everyone. Nobody managed to ever find it, and it''s all thanks


    to your grandmother."


    Katherine froze for a moment and turned around. She was met with a group of peopleing up the


    stairs. The man in the lead looked familiar, and he was followed by his assistant and bodyguards. It


    was surprising he knew her grandfather so much, but she kept calm and tried to figure out who he was


    to no avail.


    Noticing what she was thinking, the man in the lead smiled, and he said, "You''ve never seen me


    before, but I think you''ve met my son. You two are good friends."


    His son? Katherine frowned, but before she could ask anything, the man answered, "I am Emmanuel,


    Corey''s father."


    Katherine paused for a moment and looked at the man closely. Ah, so that''s why he felt familiar. So,


    he''s Corey''s father. The Gray Family was the top aristocratic n in Kynd. The only one she knew


    was Corey, and everyone else in the family, she had no idea about. No wonder I didn''t recognize him.


    Now that she knew who this man was, Katherine calmed down and coolly asked, "And what did you


    mean by that?"


    Emmanuel smiled. Even though he was in his midlife, he kept himself well and looked younger than he


    was, but he also had the air of an experienced man. "Don''t y dumb with me. We all know what I''m


    talking about, so let''s cut to the chase. You went to the ancestral hall yesterday, so you must have seen


    the file."


    Katherine''s face fell, her eyes filled with cold fury. "You were following me?" she growled.


    Emmanuel shrugged. "That was just a necessary act. I think it was on par for the course. If I hadn''t


    found out you came to Kynd, I probably would have had no idea you went to the ancestral hall. You


    gave me that chance."


    Katherine looked at him coolly, thinking, This sly old fox. She pursed her lips, rm bells ringing in her


    head. "I don''t have the file anymore. It''s pointless trying to kidnap me," she said icily. "Besides, you


    probably need more people if you want to take me."

 Chapter 395

    Chapter 395


    Chapter 394 You Have Three Days


    It was an arrogant reply, but Emmanuel had looked into her case, and he knew that she wasn''t


    bragging. She was skilled enough to defeat everyone he brought and more. He was surprised to find


    out that she was a skilled fighter. The Cornells abandoned her, but she went to Fontan and came back


    a changed woman. She was a powerful fighter and the president of W Co. Heh. They must be


    regretting it right now. "I know I can''t stop you." He wasn''t fazed. Instead, he nodded. "And I never


    thought I could. Not with this group."


    Katherine frowned subtly, wondering what he was trying to say.


    Noticing her question, Emmanuel walked ahead, but Katherine stepped back, putting some distance


    between them. She would fight at any given moment.


    "Calm down. I told you I wouldn''t hurt you, so I won''t." He looked at Darren''s grave calmly. "All I want is


    the document. Hand it over to me, and I won''te after you. And I promise I will keep it safe. What do


    you think?"


    A smirk curled Katherine''s lips. That was the fattest joke she had ever heard, and she mocked, "My


    god, you''re trying to justify your thievery?" As if you''ll keep it safe. I call bull.


    Emmanuel shrugged her mockery off. "Don''t worry. Your grandfather and I used to be friends, and I


    know as much about infrasound as he did. If this were to fall into anyone else''s hands, it might cause


    trouble, but it won''t if I have it. I can promise that. Trust me."


    "You expect me to trust you?" Katherine found thatughable. "I''d rather trust a drug dealer that he


    wouldn''t sell drugs anymore. Besides, I don''t have the file. You can''t make me give you something I


    don''t have."


    "It''s alright. The file is yours. You can always take it back if you want. I can wait for Joaquin," he said


    calmly like he knew he could have the file.


    Katherine was speechless. "Forget it. I won''t hand it over to you, so give up." She looked at the people


    behind Emmanuel, her eyes filled with fury. "You won''t attack me, and I''m holding you to that. I want to


    leave now, so you and your men get out of my way."


    She left no grounds for negotiations, and Emmanuel narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked.


    "Not going to give it to me?"


    Katherine sneered. "Didn''t you hear me? Or do you want to attack me?"


    "I won''t," said Emmanuel. "I am a man of my word, and I won''t go back on it. But¡­" He smiled, but it


    was an eerie smile, then he said, "But you can''t have me going back empty-handed. I will not stop until


    I get what I want. If n A doesn''t work, then I guess I''ll have to go with n B." He pped his hand.


    Katherine wondered what that meant, but a few men went down the stairs. What is going on? "What''s


    the meaning of this?"


    Calmly, Emmanuel said, "Calm down, Miss Cornell. This is our first meeting, and I think a present


    should be in order. Have patience. Your gift wille soon."


    The men came back with something. When Katherine saw what they were holding, she froze. They


    came up to her holding a person, and they tossed it in front of her. That person was lying on the ground


    unconscious. Even without turning him around, Katherine knew it was Corey. She went down and


    turned him around, but he looked pale as a ghost, and a frown furrowed his brows. "What did you do to


    him?" Fury red in her heart. When she spoke again, there was anger in her voice.


    Emmanuel looked at Corey calmly, like he was just a ragdoll he could throw away. "He''s poisoned.


    Can''t tell you what kind of poison it is."


    He''s poisoned? But ho¡ª No way. "You poisoned him?"


    Emmanuel shrugged. "Calm down. He won''t die. Not for now, but whether he survives depends on your


    decision."


    If looks could kill, Emmanuel would have been dead. "You''re mad! He''s your own son, and you''re using


    him as a hostage? You vile, filthy fiend!"


    The insults didn''t faze Emmanuel. "He should be honored that I wanted to use him. He''s not my only


    son. If he can''t be used at all, then he''s worthless to me."


    The Grays had a lot of children. Aside from the kids Emmanuel sired with his wife, he had kids he sired


    with his mistress out there. He had four sons, and all were smart. Corey was the best of them all, but


    he was never loved. No matter how great his achievements were, Emmanuel never showed him any


    affection, so he poisoned him and used him as a hostage.


    "I heard you two are friends, and he''s been nice to you. Do you want to watch him die? Just hand over


    the file to me. I am a man of my word. Hand it over to me, and I''ll give you the cure, and you can save


    your friend. Or, you can watch him die. You have three days, so make your decision quick."Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 396

    Chapter 396


    Chapter 395 Lower Than a Beast


    Three days? Katherine looked at her pale friend, and the air around her tensed up. Coldly, she asked,


    "How long before the poison acts?"


    Slowly, Emmanuel raised his fingers. "Three days. Sharp."


    Katherine''s face fell, her eyes filled with fury. He doesn''t even care about his son, the sly old fox. He


    thinks I would give him the file if I don''t want Corey to die.


    "Don''t give me that look." Emmanuel didn''t care that Katherine was ring at him. He straightened out


    his coat. "I have to sacrifice something to get something. You know what I''m saying. If I don''t use him


    as a hostage, you won''t ever give me the file, but¡­" He smiled, his eyes glinting with cunning. "If you


    don''t give me the file, then he will die, and you''re the main reason for that."


    Katherineughed mirthlessly. "That''s brazen. You poisoned your own son with all the intention to kill


    him, and yet you call me the killer? You have no conscience at all. You''re the culprit here, but I guess


    you''re shameless enough to not admit it. You''re worse than an animal, Emmanuel. Most animals won''t


    hurt their own children, but you? Heh. I can put you in a pig''s pen and nobody could tell that you''re any


    different from them."


    Emmanuel froze for a moment, but he calmed down quickly. "Talk all you want. I''ve given you the


    choice, and now it''s up to you. Don''t disappoint me. Hand it over, and everyone will be happy." He


    looked at the unconscious Corey like he was but a stranger. "Since he''s your friend, I''ll let you take him.


    I think you''d be able to reach a decision faster if you can see himnguish right before your eyes." He


    and his men left.


    Katherine red at him, biting her lip so hard it was turning white. And then only she and Corey were


    left. The sun was scorching, and her forehead was drenched in sweat. She clenched her teeth and


    tried to hold Corey up, but she fell back down right away. A frown furrowed her forehead, and she


    called Carmine.


    Fifteen minutester, Carmine came. She noticed the unconscious Corey and froze. "Miss, that''s¡ª"


    Katherine pursed her lips, but she didn''t exin. "Take him into the car. We''re going to Silver Gardens."


    Carmine did as she was told.


    While on the way back, Katherine called Joaquin. Someone picked the phone up, but it wasn''t Joaquin.


    Noah said, "Daddy''s cooking, Mommy. When are youing back?"


    The voice of her daughter made Katherine ease up a little. Patiently, she said, "I have something to


    settle in Kynd, so I might not be back for a while. Give me a few days, sweetie. I''ll have time for you


    then."


    Noah was smart enough not to throw a tantrum at this moment, so she said, "Okay. Be careful there,


    alright? Remember to eat your meals and sleep on time and¡­"


    She babbled on and on, and a hint of warmth flickered in Katherine''s eyes. She cleared her throat. "I


    know, I know. Tell Daddy to take the call. I need to talk to him."


    "Aww¡­" The girl reluctantly went to the kitchen and looked up at her father. "Mommy wants to talk to


    you, Daddy."


    Joaquin wiped his hands off and pinched Noah''s cheek, then he took the phone. Gently, he said,


    "What''s wrong? Coming home soon? When? I''ll pick you up."


    "No. Something happened."


    Joaquin knew something was wrong. His smile faded, and he tensed up. "What happened? Where are


    you?"


    Katherine looked outside the window and frowned again. "I went to the cemetery, and I''m on my way


    back to Silver Gardens. Corey''s poisoned."


    Joaquin froze for a moment. "What? How did that happen? Are you going to see the Grays?"


    Katherine massaged her forehead. "No. He''s with me. I''m taking him back to Silver Gardens."


    She told him what happened in the cemetery, and Joaquin frowned. "I don''t know Emmanuel well, but I


    do know he''s a cunning man. A quote-and-unquote friendly guy. He backstabs his friends and has a lot


    of kids. I can see why he doesn''t care about Corey. Corey might be the legal heir, but Emmanuel can


    always take his position away, so Corey''s status in his family isn''t that strong. I can''t believe he''d


    poison his own son for the file, though."


    Katherine closed her eyes. Solemnly, she said, "I have no idea what kind of poison Corey has, and I''ll


    need to check his pulse. I have three days to give the file to him, or Corey dies. He won''t give me the


    cure unless I hand the file to him."


    Joaquin didn''t look too happy. "So, what will you do? Will you give it to him? I still have the file, and I


    won''t be seeing my boss untilter. You still have time."


    Katherine sneered. "As if. This file is crucial. If I hand it to him, he''s going to sell it off to someone else


    just to make money. It''d be disastrous for everyone."


    Joaquin could see that happening, and he nodded. "What about Corey? If he''s handed Corey over, that


    means he knows you can''t solve this problem. The poison must be custom-made, at least."N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Katherine chortled, her eyes filled with mockery. "He''s ten years too early to pull the rug from


    underneath me. I cured the man-faced curse. This poison is nothing."

 Chapter 397

    Chapter 397


    Chapter 396 Attacking Gray Corporation


    It might sound arrogant, but it was in line with her abilities. Katherine was a genius doctor who could


    cure any poison. The time constraint was the only thing she had to consider, and she made a decision.


    "That file is too important and dangerous to fall into his hands. You have to hand it over to your boss


    today. I''ll handle everything on this side. I''ll be staying in Kynd for a bit."


    She''s not even panicking. A moment of silenceter, Joaquin chuckled. She''s always so calm. Nothing


    can defeat her. Well, I guess I can rx a little. "I''ll go to Area Seven after I have lunch with Noah.


    Don''t worry, I''ll handle the file. Do you need me there?"


    "No," Katherine refused. "You stay with Noah. I have Carmine with me, and Emmanuel''s a sly old


    b*stard. Who knows what he''ll do? You stay in Hovington. We''ll split up and cover more ground."


    Spoken like arade. Joaquin wanted tough. "Sure," he said. "Call me if you need anything."


    ¡­


    Once back at the Silver Gardens, Katherine checked Corey''s pulse. The poison was a lot more


    complicated than she thought. She mused over her options and quickly gave him an acupuncture


    session to calm his pulse down and slow down the poison''s spread. One hour had gone by when she


    was done. When she came out of the room, her back was drenched with sweat.


    Carmine approached her and asked, "Do you need my help, miss?"


    Katherine didn''t answer right away. Instead, she went to the dining room and got herself a ss of


    water. She gulped it down in one go and heaved a sigh, then she took her phone out and typed on it. A


    momentter, she sent the message to Carmine. "Buy these herbs and serums. I need them in one


    hour, and I don''t care how much money you have to spend."


    Carmine went through the list and nodded. She quickly went to purchase them. She was efficient. Half


    an hourter, she came back with everything. "Is this all, miss? Do you need anything else?"


    Katherine opened the bag and checked the items, then she said, "This is all. I have something else I


    need you to do."


    Carmine''s eyes lit up. "Anything, miss."


    Katherine cocked her eyebrow. "Go to W Co. and tell Kelvin to break Gray Corporation''s cash flow."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Carmine froze for a moment. "You want to attack Gray Corporation?"


    Katherine looked down and fiddled with her ss. "Why? I can''t?"


    "No¡­" Carmine hesitated for a moment, then she said, "The Grays are powerful, especially in Kynd.


    It''s hard to attack them. They are a lot more powerful than the Morans. They are the top family."


    Katherine knew what she was worried about, but she didn''t care. "Ignore everything else and tell Kelvin


    about it. He can do whatever he wants, just show me results. I don''t care how much he has to spend."


    Well, if you insist. Carmine did as she was told and ryed the order to Kelvin.


    ¡­


    At the same time, the Grays were under a lot of tension. What Emmanuel did caused an uproar, and


    his wife, Sharon, was beside herself. She fainted a few times.


    Philip Gray was furious. "He is your son. How could you poison him?"


    Emmanuel was unfazed even in the face of his father''s scolding. "Don''t worry, Dad. He''ll be fine."


    Philip was trembling in rage, and he thought he would have a heart attack. His face was red with anger.


    "And how are you so sure? Do you have any idea how important and valuable that research of Darren


    is? His granddaughter won''t hand it over. Corey is just her friend, and she won''t sacrifice something so


    important for him."


    Emmanuel leaned on the sofa. With certainty, he said, "I''ve looked into her case, and she values her


    friends and family. She won''t leave Corey to die. No matter how reluctant she might be, she must hand


    it over to me, or Corey will die because of her."


    Philip sneered. "And how are you so sure? I heard she''s a genius doctor. So what if you poisoned him?


    And you actually handed Corey over? She can cure him without even handing the file to you now."


    Emmanuel shook his head and smiled. He looked like he didn''t care about his son. "Rumors, Dad. She


    might be a doctor, but she''s not as good as they say. Besides, the poison isplicated. Even if she is


    a genius, she can''t cure it in three days. If she wants the cure, she has to get it from me, and if she


    wants me to give the cure, she must hand the file over. Just leave this to me, Dad." He chuckled.


    "Dad, you and Darren were rivals, and you never won once. Now I''m avenging you. No matter how


    smart he was in life, now we have him. He might have seeded in his research, but after years of


    hiding, he still has to give it to us."


    Philip''s face fell, and he gnashed his teeth, his howls swaying. "He''s still your son. Your only legal heir.


    You''re putting the family''s future in jeopardy. Do you expect your illegitimate sons to take over the


    family? I will not allow it. This is beneath us."

 Chapter 398

    Chapter 398


    Chapter 397 Three Kinds of Poison


    "Do you have any idea how much you''ve embarrassed us over the years? Scandal after scandal gets


    out! You''re already an adult, for Pete''s sake. Can''t you settle down?"


    Despite his father''s lectures, Emmanuel was unfazed and unrepentant. He sat downnguidly and took


    out a cigar only to fiddle with it. A smirk curled his lips. "Calm down, Dad. I''m doing this for the family.


    Look at the Olsens. They used to be so powerful. More powerful than we were, but so what? They fell.


    Their descendants are few, and all of them are useless. Now, they are nothing. Nobody remembers


    them anymore."


    He narrowed his eyes. "Katherine is an exception, although she''s not an Olsen. She''s decent to say.


    And she''s the owner of W Co. A talented woman, but not even she can revive the Olsens. Now we''re


    the strongest family around. So what if they''re illegitimate? They''re all sessful. We can do without


    Corey."


    "Why you little¡­" Philip almost cked out because of fury. "You are his father! How could you say


    that?" He mmed his hand down on the couch''s armrest and gnashed his teeth. "If anything happens


    to him, I will kill you! I know Sharon will do it too, but I''m doing it first!"


    Emmanuel shrugged. "Do what you like." He left for thepany and entered his office. Then he


    summoned his assistant. "How''s the Petite Town going?"


    His assistant fell silent for a while and answered, "It''s going well, but¡­"


    "But what?" Emmanuel looked at him and narrowed his eyes.


    The assistant felt a chill run down his spine, and he said, "Universe Group has just announced a


    permanent partnership with W Co."


    Emmanuel frowned, and his face fell. Petite Town was a joint coboration between Gray Corporation


    and Universe Group. Now they''re working with W Co.? Something''s off. Emmanuel knew that. He


    tensed up, his eyes twinkling. A whileter, he said, "Keep an eye on W Co. and Universe. Tell me if


    anything happens."


    "Yes, sir."


    "What about Katherine?" asked Emmanuel.


    The assistant said, "She never came back out after she took Master Corey back."


    Emmanuel sneered. "She can''t think she can save him herself, can she? That''s just arrogance. She''ll


    pay for that arrogance."


    He was sure Katherine was behind the Universe and W''s partnership, but he didn''t care. W Co. might


    be powerful, but they hadn''t established themselves well here. The Grays still ruled this city. She thinks


    she can topple us with herpany? What a fool. Even though he knew Katherine was behind this, he


    thought nothing of it. Unbeknownst to him, this arrogance of his would cost him dearly.


    ¡­


    Two days went by, and David had gotten news of Corey''s condition. He came straight over. "So, is he


    alright? Is his poison cleared?" He couldn''t calm down when his longtime friend was dying.


    Katherine got some tissues and wiped the sweat off her forehead, then she sat down on the couch.


    Exhausted, she leaned on the couch''s back.


    David was worried, but he didn''t want to push Katherine, so he sat down, still fidgeting.


    A whileter, Katherine heaved a long sigh. "He''s fine for now. I treat him once every three hours, and


    he''s taken some medications. The poison has weakened."


    David''s eyes shone with hope. "So, he can be saved?"


    Still looking solemn, Katherine said coldly, "Not necessarily. The poison is powerful, and Emmanuel


    probably poisoned him the night before he came to me. It''s gotten to his organs. He won''te out of


    this unscathed. All I can do now is weaken the poison and keep his innards safe. Holding down the


    poison''s spread is all I can do. Whether he can survive depends on him now."


    David froze. "What do you mean? There''s no cure?"


    An icy smile curled Katherine''s lip. "Well, Emmanuel said there is. He''ll give it to me if I give him my


    grandfather''s research."


    "Um¡­" He opened his mouth, looking a little fidgety. "So, what are you going to do?"


    She didn''t answer right away. A moment of silenceter, she asked, "Do you trust me?"


    Without hesitation, David said, "Of course." They were longtime friends, and he trusted Katherine.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Katherine heaved a sigh and organized her words, then she said, "From what I''ve seen, there are three


    kinds of poison in his body. Each keeps the other in check, and the cure works that way as well."


    David didn''t really understand what she meant. "What are you saying?"


    "Emmanuel does have a cure. He might not care about Corey, but he wouldn''t leave him for dead, but


    he hid an important piece of information. Even if Corey is cured, he will never go back to his old self.


    He''ll be a shadow of his former self."


    David shot up. "You mean he''s going to end up with a crippling condition?"


    Katherine shook her head. "No. I mean he''ll have to rely on the meds from now on, and the med is also


    a kind of poison. A weak poison, but taking it long-term will change him. He''ll never be normal again."


    He finally understood what she was trying to say. "So, you mean he''ll develop an addiction?"

 Chapter 399

    Chapter 399


    Chapter 398 H1 Reagent


    "Yes." Katherine nodded. "The cure is nothing but a drug. He can use it to control Corey and in turn


    control me. That''s his goal. The reason he handed Corey over to me is that he thought I couldn''t cure


    him. And he thought even if I could cure him, he could still have me under control."


    David''s face fell. He stood around for a moment and sat down, then he mmed his fist down on the


    coffee table. "That''s his own son! How could he do that? He''s even worse than an animal!"


    Katherine had seen how cruel Emmanuel could be, so she could ept the fact that he was evil. "He''s


    a cautious man who only cares about himself. His family and his lovers are nothing but stepping stones


    for him, and he''ll use them however he wants. Family is nothing to him." I can''t believe Corey grew up


    to be such a happy-go-lucky guy when his family is this f*cked up.


    "What now? Are we going to drag it out? How long can he survive?" David gnashed his teeth, looking


    worried.


    Katherine pursed her lips and answered, "He''s not in any danger for now. I can''t cure all the poisons at


    the same time, so I''ll have to take it slowly. I''ve sent my men to collect the necessary reagents, but it''s


    rare. Even the ck market rarely sells it. I wonder if I can even get it this time. If I can''t¡­" She paused


    and narrowed her eyes. I think I might have to use Lab 7.


    Just hearing that filled David with trepidation. "What about Emmanuel? You only have three days. If you


    don''t give him the file tomorrow, he''lle after you."


    "I know." Katherine didn''t care. There was mockery in her eyes, and a smirk curled her lips. "But he


    won''t have time for me tomorrow."


    David paused. He wasgging a bit. "How so?"


    Katherine didn''t answer. Instead, she looked at her phone for a while. "Time for him to take his meds.


    You do it for me. I need to make a call."


    "I see." David couldn''t force her to say what she didn''t want to, so he went into the kitchen to take the


    meds without saying anything.


    Once he went upstairs, Katherine went to the balcony and called Joaquin. The call went through right


    away.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "What happened?" Joaquin asked. There was concern in his voice.


    Katherine heaved a long sigh. "It''s fine now, but I''ll need H1 Reagent to save him. Carmine''s on it now."


    Joaquin paused for a moment. "What if she can''t find any?"


    "Then I''ll have to make it myself, which is going to be a hassle. I might have to stay in Kynd for a bit


    more."


    Joaquin got worried. "I should go. Xavier and Jeremy are here to keep an eye on things. I can''t just let


    you handle things yourself."


    Katherine didn''t refuse this time. She mused over it and agreed. "Fine. If she still hasn''te back


    tomorrow, I''ll make my way to Lab 7. It''ll take a few days. If you''re here to take care of him, I can work


    in peace."


    "Sure." Joaquin sighed. "But it''s been two days. Can hest much longer?"


    "He can. I''ve weakened the poison. Another acupuncture session tomorrow, and he canst for a


    week."


    "I''ll pack up and go there right away."


    ¡­


    He literally meant ''right away,'' much to Katherine''s surprise. Two hourster, he showed up, and dusk


    had just descended. "Y-You''re fast." She couldn''t believe it. A flight from Hovington to Kynd took


    ny minutes with boarding and disembarking being added to the time taken for the journey. So, he


    went to the airport after we hung up?


    Joaquin looked at her and smiled. "I drove all the way here, and I might have sped through things a


    little."


    Katherine frowned. "You sped through things?"


    Joaquin smiled. "Just worried that you''re alone."


    A voiceined, "What am I, chopped liver?"


    Joaquin raised his head and looked past Katherine''s shoulder, then he saw David. "It''s been a while,


    Mr. tt." He smiled.


    David nodded. "It''s been a while, Mr. Levisay. You''re fast. I can see you''re really worried about her."


    Katherine blushed, but this wasn''t the time for nonsense. She cleared her throat and turned to look at


    Joaquin. "Where''s Noah?"


    Joaquin said, "Xavier is with her. She''ll be fine."


    "I see." It had been a while since she saw Noah, and Katherine missed her.


    "What about Carmine? Any news?" Joaquin asked.


    Katherine became solemn and shook her head. "Not yet."


    A sigh escaped Joaquin''s lips. "We''ll wait for her."


    ¡­


    At the same time, Jayden had gotten news of it as well. He was in Fontan. "Emmanuel poisoned his


    own son just to get that file?"


    Hansel nodded. "Yes."


    Jayden narrowed his eyes, light glinting within them. "I see. She didn''t go to Zoscistan for her


    grandmother''s belongings; she went there for her grandfather''s."


    Hansel paused for a moment. "Sir, how do you know¡ª"


    "Of course, I know. The Grays and Scott-Tuttons are barely rted, but they were friends with the


    Olsens. Emmanuel and Darren researched infrasound weapons back in the day, and the whole of


    Kynd knows that. But they went their separate ways after that. I see he''s trying to take Darren''s


    research from her."

 Chapter 400

    Chapter 400


    Chapter 399 I Can Save Him


    Whoa. Never thought there''d be this much history. Hansel was surprised. "Infrasound weapon?


    That''s¡­" He tried to describe it, but in the end, he said, "Miss Cornell''s grandfather was something.


    Can''t believe he made something like that, but why did he hide it, then?" That''ll be a waste.


    Jayden smirked, his scar wriggling on his face.


    "He didn''t want anyone to find it. He could''ve used that thing to make a ton of money, but he was a


    righteous man, so he didn''t. He had no one who could seed him. Elsie was his only daughter, but


    she died young, so he ced all his bets on his only granddaughter. He hoped she could find it when


    she became capable enough, and for all those years, his wife became the only keeper."


    Hansel was a little confused. "But why didn''t her grandmother hand that thing over to her when she


    was alive? Why did she have to wait until she was dying?"


    Jayden shot him a look that said, ''Are you an idiot?'' "You think that''s a good thing? There are two sides


    to this coin. The more valuable something is, the bigger the effort must be exerted to keep it safe. Do


    you have any idea how many people are keeping an eye on them? Have you forgotten that Katherine''s


    grandmother was hunted all these years? I thought they were after the Scott-Tuttons'' manual, but now I


    see some were after that file. Both invite trouble, of course. If the olddy did hand everything to


    Katherine, they would go after her. Perhaps even kill her just to get what they wanted."


    He was one of the hunters, but he was different. He wouldn''t kill her. All he would do was lock her down


    and keep her by his side forever.


    Oh, I see. He nodded and asked, "What about you, sir? Are you going to join in? What if they take the


    manual from her?"


    Jayden wasn''t worried at all. Instead, he smiled. "They think they can take it from her? She''s capable


    enough to topple them. They can never take anything from her. Emmanuel went as far as to poison his


    own son to take her stuff, but he will lose." Not even my mercenaries could seed. No way anyone


    else can.


    "But the Grays are powerful. Emmanuel won''t stop until he gets what he wants." Hansel was still


    worried. "You might want toe up with a backup n."


    "No." Jayden was confident. "Emmanuel can''t touch Katherine. Besides, Katherine wouldn''t take this


    lying down. The fact that Emmanuel poisoned his son just to force her to cough up the file just


    warranted revenge from Katherine. She''s probably doing something as we speak." He narrowed his


    eyes more, and his scar wriggled. "Finish up work here and tell Wale to speed up his experiment. We''ll


    then go back to Kynd."


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hansel was a little surprised. "But sir, you are still scarred. It''s not the best time to show yourself. You


    should rest a little more."


    The mention of his scar made Jayden freeze, then he shot Hansel a dark look. "You could have not


    mentioned that," he barked, the veins on his hand popping. He was still bothered by that, but


    fortunately, he had contacted someone to get rid of his scar. If the scars couldn''t be erased, it didn''t


    matter. He would take Katherine one way or the other. Since she made this, she''s going to atone for


    the rest of her life by staying by my side. "Emmanuel will fall. It''s getting messier, and I''m going to use


    this situation to my advantage."


    Shocked by his look, Hansel quickly nodded. "I''ll do it right away."


    ¡­


    A whole night went by, but there was no response. Morning came, and Katherine knew what had


    happened.


    Carmine came in looking hurried and apologetic. "Sorry, miss. I''ve gone through all the ck markets,


    but none sell H1."


    Katherine ced her bottle of medicine down and wiped her hands, looking solemn. "Thanks for your


    help." She didn''t me Carmine. H1 wasn''t an easy reagent to find.


    Joaquin was beside her, crossing his arms. He too looked solemn. "What now? Should we call Marcus


    and use theb?"


    Katherine nodded. "This is our only avenue. I''ll do it. It''s much better than waiting for something to


    show up." She turned to Carmine. "I''ll be leaving for a few days. Corey''s poison is weakened, but it


    might rpse. I''ll be giving you two prescriptions. Feed it to him. The first prescription is to be taken


    once every six hours. The second one is just in case. If the poison does rpse, feed it to him. Make


    sure you brew one dose every day, for emergencies. It''ll help himst a week."


    "Of course."


    Carmine was about to take the prescriptions, but David took it. "I''ll take care of him. I have nothing to


    do anyway." He looked solemn, and he had an unspoken question in his eyes.


    Katherine knew what he wanted to ask, and she shot him a reassuring look. "I''ll do my best. I can save


    him."


    That was enough for David. He heaved a sigh of relief. Katherine would never lie, after all. Now that


    she was so sure about it, he knew she could save Corey sooner orter. And now that she''s leaving,


    that means Corey at least can hang on until shees back. We still have time.


    Joaquin whispered, "They can take care of things on this end. I''ll go with you."


    Katherine shook her head. "No. I have something else I need your help with."

 Chapter 401

    Chapter 401


    Chapter 400 Trap


    Carmine and David exchanged a look and left the kitchen.


    Joaquin said, "What''s the matter?"


    Katherine opened her mouth, but her phone rang, and it was a call from an unidentified number. She


    narrowed her eyes, smirked, and took the call.


    As expected, it was Emmanuel. "So, Miss Cornell, have youe to a decision?" he asked confidently,


    and there was smugness in his voice.


    Katherine looked at the kitchen counter coolly. "I have, and you''re not taking anything away. Not the


    file, and not your son''s life."


    The refusal came as a surprise, and Emmanuel stopped smiling, and his face fell. "Is that your choice?


    You can''t save him that easily. Even if you are a genius doctor, he''s still unconscious, isn''t he?"


    Katherine said nothing, and Emmanuel knew he was right. Smugly, he said, "I was right, wasn''t I? I


    didn''t give him to you for nothing. I knew you couldn''t save him, so give the file to me. He doesn''t have


    long left. You don''t want to see him dead, do you?"


    Reminded of something, he smiled. "And don''t try to pull anything. You''re ten years too early to stop


    Universe from working with me. I''m more experienced in this field than you are. I''ve just signed a


    permanent partnership with them. Yourpany might be powerful, but you can''t win here."


    Katherine''s brow arched, and her eyes red with a triumphant me. "Is that so? Congrattions,


    then, but you''re not going to be the one whoughsst, so save that confidence. If or when your n


    crumbles, you might just¡­ snap."


    It was a confident reply, but Emmanuel shrugged it off, thinking she was just bluffing. "You need to look


    into the mirror, Miss Cornell. You can never win against me. You have until midnight. If you refuse to


    hand the file over, I''ll feed the cure to the dogs, and then it''ll be toote to save him."


    He hung up. Katherine heard nothing but beeps, and she smiled.


    Joaquin looked into her eyes, then he smiled. "You set him up, didn''t you?"


    Katherine tucked her phone away and looked at Joaquin. "You figured it out."


    "Of course." Joaquin scraped her nose. "He might be smart, but you''re smarter."


    Katherine blinked. She didn''t even bother to be humble this time, and she smiled. "Of course, I am."


    "So, what do I have to do this time?" Joaquin looked at the meds. It was almost done, so he killed the


    heat.


    Katherine went into business mode, and she said, "He''s fallen for it, and now''s your time to shine. I


    need to concoct the reagent, so I don''t have time to deal with this. I told Kelvin to get in touch with and


    start a partnership so Emmanuel''s gonna panic. Universe is world-famous, and the Grays would never


    want to lose this partner. Worried that I might take them away, Emmanuel would try to keep them by his


    side, but that was exactly what I was counting on."


    Joaquin''s eyes glinted. "Why''d Universe listen to you?"


    Katherine smiled. "I saved their boss'' life once. He owes me one. I don''t really care about it, but since


    he wants to repay the favor, I cashed in. Now that Gray Corporation has signed a permanent


    partnership with Universe, Universe has frozen all their liquid assets. Aside from their projects, they


    can''t defend themselves against any risk. Once their projects slip up, the wholepany''s going to


    descend into chaos."


    Joaquin got what she was trying to say. "So, you want me to find the holes in his projects?"


    Katherine nodded. "The Grays have established themselves for many years. Strong, yes, but not


    impregnable. There will be projects that don''t meet the requirements. You can always use that to your


    advantage."


    Joaquin mused over it. "Sure. Leave it to me. I''ll make sure they''re taken down while you''re making the


    reagent."


    "Yeah, but¡­" A moment of silenceter, she said, "Don''t actually take them out. Corey is still part of


    them, and he worked on part of thepany too. Leave some room for survival for them. Corey can


    call the shots once he wakes."


    Joaquin cocked his eyebrow. "It''s not like you to let your enemies survive." She usually takes them all


    out.


    Katherine didn''t mind. "Emmanuel might fight back and rise from the ashes, but he''s not a threat. I''m


    just doing this for a friend." She quickly called Marcus.


    Marcus quickly made the arrangements and picked her up, then they went to Lab 7.


    ¡­


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    It was afternoon. Emmanuel was in his office, waiting for Katherine to beg for the cure, but then his


    assistant came running in. He was sweating. Upset, Emmanuel chided, "Slow down. You''re


    embarrassing me."


    The assistant stood still, his face pale, and his eyes were filled with horror. "Bad news, sir. It''s about the


    Coast Resort. It''s in trouble."


    Emmanuel looked shocked. "What did you say?"


    The assistant shivered, but still, he answered, "The contractor for that project swindled our money and


    ran away. They stopped the project, and now the workers are outside thepany demanding


    payment. And theponent supplier just called. They found out we''ve been using subpar


    components, so they want to cancel the contract and demand rpense."

 Chapter 402

    Chapter 402


    Chapter 401 Dragging Gray Corporation Down


    Emmanuel was shocked. He shot up and ran to the French window, seeing a big crowd gathered at the


    entrance of the building. He was too high up to hear what they were shouting about, but he could see


    the fury on their faces. Some were looking like they would attack. He frowned and ordered, "Quick! Call


    the guards! They mustn''t let these people in!"


    The assistant said, "Already ryed the order. The guards are stopping them by the entrance, but


    they''re outnumbered, and the protesters are agitated. They can''t calm those people down. If we aren''t


    paying, they aren''t leaving."


    Emmanuel flew into a rage. "It''s not like we''re trying to dy their payment! Where''s the foreman?


    Can''t you contact him?"


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    The assistant was panicking yet couldn''t do anything about it. "I can''t. I''ve called many times. First, he


    didn''t take the calls. Then, he even canceled his number. I sent someone to find him, only to find out he


    had run off with our money. He left Hovington and went missing."


    "Then, call the cops!" Emmanuel felt like screaming.


    His assistant shot him a look of dilemma. "Mr. Gray, this is moreplex than it looks. The contractor''s


    done a lot of shady deals, and now everyone knows we purchased subpar materials. If we call the


    cops, they will definitely look into our case, and then¡­"


    That thought had escaped Emmanuel for a brief moment due to how furious he was. However, now


    that the assistant brought it up, he finally realized the severity of the matter. But we owe these people a


    huge sum of money. We don''t even have any cash to pay them at the moment. He gritted his teeth and


    commanded, "Chase them away however you can! I don''t care what you have to do. The nerve of them


    to protest right in front of thepany! This is such an embarrassment! Also, send someone to hunt


    that contractor down! I want you to find him, no matter where he''s hiding."


    His assistant had no idea how to even settle that matter. "Sir, even if we can chase these people away


    and find the contractor, it''d still be useless. The fact that he swindles our money away means he''s not


    going to pay us back. And these people signed on with us, not the contractor. He''s just a bridge


    between the workers and us. We''re the ones who have to settle this. Now that the workers are here,


    they won''t stop until they have what they want."


    Infuriated, Emmanuel mmed his ashtray onto the ground, and it fell with a thud. "Do you have any


    better ideas, then?!" Furiously, he roared, "You''re settling this! I don''t care how you do it; just settle it!"


    The assistant was reluctant to take on this nearly impossible task, but he had no choice. To their


    surprise, however, the case had gotten into the eyes of the public. Just within half an hour, ''Gray


    Corporation owes worker sry'' had made its way to the top of trending. At the same time, someone


    also leaked the news that the construction of Coast Resort was using subpar materials, and that topic


    made its way to second on trending.


    Gray Corporation was brought to the forefront of the court of public opinion, and theizens judged it


    harshly.


    ''Holy cow! Even Gray Corporation makes shady deals?!''


    ''Are you sure the news is reliable?''


    ''I just went by theirpany today and wondered why a big group of people was gathering outside the


    building. So, they owe those workers their pay, huh? This is outrageous.''


    ''Welp, guess everypany''s the same. They''d do anything for profit. The only matter is if they''re


    caught in the act. Gray Corporation rules Kynd. This is probably the tip of the iceberg. I hope the


    media uncovered more of their dirty deals. Can''t wait to see them getting toppled.''


    ''This is shocking news!''


    ''Indeed.''


    Emmanuel almost had an aneurysm when he saw thements, and Philip almost cked out.


    He called Emmanuel, and the sounds of the beeps alone were making his blood pressure rise. When


    the call went through, he roared, "How did this happen?! Do you have any idea how serious this is? Is


    this how you handle thepany? By running it into the ground?!"


    Emmanuel''s mind was in chaos. He massaged his forehead, and his brows furrowed deeply. No longer


    did he look smug. "Calm down, Dad. I''ll deal with this."


    "Deal with this? How?!" Philip barked. "The public knows what you did! This is the very first time that


    ourpany has had to endure such humiliation! What a capable son I have!" He mmed his table,


    his face red with fury. Then, he cursed, "Look at what you did! You went and bought subpar materials.


    You''ve just damned thepany''s reputation, you useless brat!"


    Emmanuel gnashed his teeth as he held back his urge to m the phone. Hoarsely, he said, "I never


    wanted this to happen, but it did. Now, we have to settle this instead. Arguments are just a waste of


    time."


    He''s talking back to me?! Philip could''ve breathed fire. "Fine! You think you can handle everything now.


    You think I''m too old to lecture you, huh? Fine, I''ll see how you settle this. If you can''t deal with the


    problem, I''m kicking you out of the family. You just ruined the whole family''s reputation, boy!" He


    mmed his phone down and hung up.


    Emmanuel was as ck as thunder, but he forced himself to calm down and called his assistant back.


    "Tell the PR department to take down the top two searches. Stop the news outlets from talking about


    this and see if we can appease the public."


    The assistant had a lot of work on his te, but he dared not to protest, so he quickly did as he was


    told. To his surprise, the top search couldn''t be taken down, no matter how much the PR department


    tried.


    When Emmanuel was told of it, he kicked his desk in a fit of rage. "How did this happen? How dare


    they try to fight us! I''m going to sue them."


    The assistant trembled in fear, but still, he answered, "Mr. Gray, I think¡­ someone''s behind this. They


    intend to drag the wholepany down."

 Chapter 403

    Chapter 403


    Chapter 402 Fall From Grace


    Emmanuel''s expression turned icy when he heard that. He knew someone was behind this, but the


    priority now was to settle this matter. He thought it would not be that hard to settle the matter given the


    power of hispany, but he was wrong. The mastermind was more cunning than he thought. They''re


    trying to take us down seriously.


    Emmanuel narrowed his eyes and leaned on his chair. Gray Corporation was a bigpany, and they


    had taken a lot of business from theirpetitors, so they had a lot of enemies. Though, not many


    dared to stand up against them. The only one who had the power and reason to do so right now was


    Katherine. The moment that woman crossed his mind, Emmanuel froze as a realization struck him. So,


    this is what she was aiming for.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hah, does she think she can take me down like this? I bet this is herst stand, but not even this can


    help her save Corey. Though, I have to say it has indeed worked in her favor. Now that I have my


    hands full on this matter, I can''t spare time to snatch that file from her. However, this isn''t the end yet!


    "Tell the PR department to work their *sses off and take the public eye off us. I don''t care what they do;


    just make something up to distract the public." He turned his attention to the protesters outside, and he


    frowned. "Why aren''t these insects going away?"


    The assistant wiped off the sweat on his forehead and gulped. "They demand to get paid by today, or


    they won''t leave. And they said¡­"


    "What else did they say?"


    "T-They want to see you. The protesters said that they''ll keep waiting until you meet them."


    Emmanuel was as ck as thunder. "They want to see me? And what use would that be? Do these


    lowly peasants think they have the right to see me? What a joke!" His eyes glinted with malice. "Find


    someone to distract the reporters. When nightes, get someone to chase these insects away."


    The assistant realized what he was nning to do. "Sir, you wish to solve this with¡­ violence?"


    Emmanuel sneered. "These parasites won''t leave unless we beat them up. We can''t let them stand


    outside. It''d be an embarrassment for us."


    He waved his assistant down impatiently. "Don''t just stand there. Do as I say!"


    The assistant quickly left the office.


    ¡­


    At the same time, Katherine arrived at Lab 7.


    Howard was excited to see her. "It''s an honor to see you again, Miss Cornell."


    The otherb members turned their attention to her as well. They knew of her skills and achievements


    now, so they were looking at her in a different light.


    Katherine didn''t waste any time on small talk. "Is theb all set?"


    Marcus had told Howard about her request while they were on their way, so Howard nodded. "It''s


    ready."


    "Thank you. Please lead the way." Katherine nodded and changed into ab coat before entering the


    lab. For the next two days, she didn''t evene out. All she did was concoct the H1 Reagent. She had


    no idea what was happening to Gray Corporation, but she wasn''t worried at all. She trusted that


    Joaquin could easily take them down.


    And she was right. Gray Corporation was in hot soup. No matter how much they tried to distract the


    public eye from their scandal, every top trending search was still about them.


    Emmanuel was beyond livid, and to make things worse, someone found out he chased the protesters


    away with violence. They spread the news over the Inte, and the public did not take it well.


    Everyone was attacking Gray Corporation.


    ''They call themselves the toppany of Kynd and the world? How pathetic. This is an


    embarrassment.''


    ''Disgusting. These capitalists are worse than pigs. I can''t believe they attacked their workers instead of


    solving their project''s problem.''


    ''Apany that''s worth billions can''t even pay their workers. Pathetic.''


    ''Imma boycott all their products.''


    ''Me too. Unbelievable.''


    When Philip was made aware of the furor, he almost fainted from fury. It took him a long time to calm


    down, but when he saw the dipping share prices, he felt his blood pressure rise again. He then called


    Emmanuel, his hand shaking from anger. "Get. Back. Here. Right. This. Instant!"


    Twenty minutester, Emmanuel came home to Gray Residence, looking upset. Before he could even


    stand still, Philip hurled an ashtray at him. "What is going on? Is this how you settle things? The whole


    Inte is after us! You''re an embarrassment!"


    Emmanuel didn''t exin himself. He was already inundated by the fiasco hitting thepany. The


    shareholders were demanding an exnation for the dipping share prices, whereas many of their


    partners called just to cancel their partnership in light of this madness. Some of the projects that were


    in the process of negotiation were lost. In less than two days, Gray Corporation fell from grace.


    Everyone thought the Grays were a joke, and Emmanuel was the main focus of it.


    The thought of the one who put him in this ce filled Emmanuel with fury, and he clenched his fists.


    "This is all Katherine''s fault! That b*tch did this!"


    "What?" Philip froze. "Katherine?"


    Emmanuel''s face was as ck as thunder. Through gritted teeth, he said, "She did this. She set up a


    partnership with Universe Group and made me think she was nning to sever our partnership with


    Universe. I sought out the president of Universe Group and signed a permanent partnership because of


    that. I even invested all our money into it. Our liquid assets can''t be taken out, so we don''t have any


    money to solve our debts right now. She knew this would happen. That''s why she set up this trap for


    me."

 Chapter 404

    Chapter 404


    Chapter 403 A Giant Fallen


    "T-That girl did this? How cunning must she be?" Philip was shocked, and he fell to the couch in


    disbelief. Just then, he recalled something. "What about Corey? How is he doing?"


    Impatiently, Emmanuel said, "I don''t have time for him. We''re in a big mess."


    Furious, Philip mmed his hand on the coffee table. "You don''t have time for him?! He''s your son! Our


    family''s descendant! You can''t just leave him to die! What kind of father are you?!"


    Emmanuel grabbed his hair, looking frustrated. "He won''t die! The fact that Katherine dragged this all


    out means she knows what she''s doing. We have to settle our problems first, or else we''re all going to


    fall, not just Corey!"


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "You brat!" Philip almost had a heart attack, and he went red with rage. "If you hadn''t tried to go after


    Katherine, none of this would have happened! You thought you could control her, but she proved you


    wrong! If we fall, you''re the main reason behind it! Let''s see how you like that!"


    Emmanuel refused to listen to his father''s yells. He frowned and left without saying another word.


    Philip quickly asked, "W-Where are you going?!"


    Emmanuel didn''t even turn back or answer. Once back at thepany, he asked his assistant toe


    over. "Find out where Katherine is right now."


    The assistant gulped and answered, "My sources told me she''s at Lab 7."


    Emmanuel was surprised. "She''s in theb? Who''s behind this mess, then?"


    A moment of hesitationter, the assistant replied, "She''s probably trying to concoct an antidote for


    Master Corey. I think Joaquin is the one handling this whole attack on us."


    Emmanuel''s shock mounted. "Joaquin? I thought he went back to Hovington. How did he manage to


    get his people in Kynd to do his bidding? Not even the captain of Area Seven can meddle in our


    affairs."


    "He''s not in Hovington." Despite theing storm the assistant was feeling, he answered, "He''s in


    Kynd."


    Emmanuel leaped to his feet, his eyes wide in shock. "What?! When did hee back? Why didn''t you


    tell me?"


    Resigned, the assistant said, "I only found out about this when I looked into Katherine this morning. S-


    She probably told him toe back because she had business with Lab 7."


    His voice trailed off, and the air was fraught with tension. Emmanuel was, once again, looking as ck


    as thunder. He thought Katherine was the only enemy he had to deal with, but now he knew Joaquin


    was involved as well. Joaquin was famous for his quick decisions and even quicker executions. Even


    though he barely had any experience in the battle of business, his experience in the army was enough


    for him to dominate the business world. "Damn them." Emmanuel''s face was filled with malice, and he


    sneered. "They set up this borate trap to drag me in, and Joaquin''s trying to bury us."


    A moment of hesitationter, the assistant carefully asked, "What should we do now, Mr. Gray? Many


    of our partners have canceled their contracts, and our share prices are dipping."


    Emmanuel gritted his teeth, but he said nothing.


    ¡­


    Back in Silver Gardens, David went straight to the study after feeding Corey his meds. "Did Kathy give


    you any news?"


    Joaquin was staring at the stock market disyed on the screen. He slowly moved his gaze away from


    the screen and shook his head. "Not yet."


    David frowned slightly. Worriedly, he asked, "How much longer do we have to wait? Corey hurled most


    of the meds I fed him."


    Joaquin looked at the bowl David was holding. "Up the dosage. If he pukes, keep feeding him until he


    takes the necessary dosage. Kathy knows what she''s doing. We can only trust her." That''s the only


    thing we can do for now.


    David sighed. "What about Gray Corporation?"


    Joaquin sneered. Calmly, he said, "They are at the end of their rope."


    David raised his eyebrow a little and then looked at the screen. Whoa, their share prices have gone to


    sh*t. He sighed. "I can''t believe you two toppled a Kynd giant. Just look at how far they have fallen


    within just a few days. I bet Emmanuel wouldn''t have believed this even if he had foreseen this would


    happen. He''s probably regretting now for going after you two."


    Joaquin shrugged. "Gray Corporation might be powerful, but over thest few years, they''ve opted for


    more¡­ unsavory methods in their business. They''re corrupted. All Kathy did was set them up, and all I


    did was get a few people to push this corrupted narrative forward. If Emmanuel hadn''t been going


    against everyone''s wishes, nobody would have risen against him."


    The only reason they could topple Gray Corporation was the distribution of profit. Over thest few


    years, Gray Corporation, or Emmanuel to be precise, took most of the profit in all the partnerships they


    entered. If they hadn''t done that, their partners wouldn''t have been so quick to cancel their contract. All


    Katherine did was set up a trap and let everyone know the corporation''s true colors. She destroyed


    what was left of the profit in the corporation''s project, so the partners quickly canceled their contracts.


    This was all Emmanuel''s fault and no one else''s.


    The mention of Emmanuel upset David. "Karma. He poisoned his son, and now hispany is going


    to fall. His whole family''s wealth is ruined in his hands. What a joke."


    Joaquin cocked his eyebrow, but he said nothing. Just then, he received a call from Jeremy, and he


    picked it up even though David was there. Jeremy said something over the phone, and Joaquin curled


    his lips. "Good. Now that you have dirt on them, it''s time for the final attack. Tell your men to leak this


    info at midnight. We should see the oue by tomorrow morning." He hung up and smiled


    confidently. "Time for a giant to fall."

 Chapter 405

    Chapter 405


    Chapter 404 Toppling


    An uproar arose on Twitter the next morning.


    ''Shocking! Gray Corporation''s multiple projects are in lockdown. Partners demand contract cancetion


    and a huge amount of reimbursement. Bankruptcy is imminent.''


    This piece of news took over the headlines and trending, and there were already a lot ofments.


    ''No way! That''s like practically all of their projects. How dirty must they be?''


    ''Oh, sh*t. They''re the developers of where I''m staying. I''m panicking.''


    ''I can''t believe they actually toed the line of crime. Are they mad?''


    ''Man, this is an unlucky streak. How many scandals does this make? They''re over. Fines,


    reimbursement, and the court of public opinion''s judgment at the same time. It''s a huge blow.''


    ''Serves them right. Who knows how many dirty deals they''ve done? I say keep exposing them.''


    There were a lot ofments, but all were against Gray Corporation. Even the cops said they would


    punish thepany''s administrator, which lent credence to the stories posted online. Gray Corporation


    was, once again, at the forefront of the court of public opinion, and they didn''t even manage to recover


    from theirst fiasco.


    When Philip woke up and found out what had happened, he coughed up blood and fainted. The Grays


    were in chaos, and Emmanuel finally panicked. He didn''t think things would turn to hell in just a single


    day. His assistant called him incessantly, but he remained seated on his bed, dazed and silent.


    Sharon had been crying her eyes out for Corey, and now she couldn''t hold it in anymore. "You call this


    a sure win? Look at the mess you made! You sacrificed our son and thepany! Give my son back!


    Give him back to me!" She was unkempt, her clothes were messy, and she screamed and shouted as


    she abused Emmanuel.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The man didn''t move. He stared ahead vacantly, thinking, We''re done for.


    The cops quickly came to him. "Mr. Emmanuel Gray, multiple projects under your supervision are found


    to be involved in criminal activities. We need you toe with us. We have questions for you."


    Emmanuel finally reacted and quickly backed off. "It''s just a little problem. There''s no need to be taken


    for interrogation, is there? And do you know who I am? I''m Emmanuel Gray. I''m this family''s leader. I


    know your chief. How dare you arrest me!"


    The cops shrugged his arrogance off, and the leader sneered. He rebutted, "I don''t care who you are or


    whom you know; you''reing with us. If you refuse, then you''ll be charged with obstruction of official


    duty. We can arrest you right now. You cane with us, or we can make you."


    Being the leader of the business industry meant nobody had ever talked to Emmanuel like this before,


    and he was furious. "Why you¡­" He wanted to shout, but before he could say anything, the cop in the


    lead lost his patience and shot his colleagues a look.


    Two of the cops went ahead and held Emmanuel''s arms before turning his arms around. In pain,


    Emmanuel shouted, "How dare you! I want to see your chief!"


    The cop in the lead sneered, unfazed by the threat. Without fear, he responded, "You can''t see the


    chief just because you want to. If you have anything you want to say, save it for the interrogation. Even


    if you want to see him, he might not even take this case." He shook his head at the cops restraining


    Emmanuel. "Take him away."


    Sharon was in shock. Then, she tried to stop the cops after snapping out of her reverie, but she alone


    couldn''t stop them. All she could do was watch helplessly as her husband was taken away. She had no


    idea if her son was still alive, and the family was in a mess. And now, her husband had been taken


    away. Overwhelmed by despair, she cked out.


    ¡­


    David told Joaquin about the news right away. "Damn, you''re awesome. The whole family is in a mess."


    Joaquin didn''t really care. He knew this would happen. "It''s all their fault that this happened."


    David sighed. "The Grays are in a mess, but Emmanuel''s b*stard kids won''t even stand up for them.


    What a bunch of cowards. The shareholders are going crazy at thepany since they can''t find them.


    Even their employees are going on strike. Thepany can''t even run well now."


    Joaquin narrowed his eyes. "Good. Emmanuel won''t stay captured long. He can bust himself out, but


    I''m sure he''d rather go back in than face what''s waiting for him outside. Debt collectors, those people


    that he has offended, the government¡­ He''s going to deal with the matter for a while. Whether he will


    survive through it, it all depends on him now."


    David was amused. "Depends on him? More like it depends on you. You can destroy him if you want."


    Joaquin didn''t answer that. "I have no grudge against them. I only did this for Kathy. What happens to


    them depends on her. If she wants them to fall, then they shall fall. If she wants them to live, then I will


    spare them. It makes no difference to me. All I have to do is buy enough time for her."


    Just then, someone called him. When he saw who the caller was, he broke into a smile, his eyes


    twinkling with delight. "It''s Kathy." He wagged his phone in David''s face and went to the balcony to take


    the call. "What is it, Kathy?" he asked right away.


    Katherine said, "The antidote is done. I''m going back now. How''s Corey doing?" She sounded hoarse


    and tired but confident.


    "He can still hold on. I''ll pick you up." He hung up and returned to the lounge to get his car key. Then,


    he left.

 Chapter 406

    Chapter 406


    Chapter 405 Exhausted


    When Katherine came out of theb, Howard was already waiting outside. "You must be exhausted.


    Want to have breakfast? We can have breakfast together. It''s been a while since we met, yet we''ve


    never had the chance to have a meal together. Let''s do it today," he said genuinely, his eyes ring


    with delight. It felt like he was looking at something he loved.


    It had been a few days since Katherine had any rest, and she didn''t look too good. Her lips were pale.


    "No," she refused right away. "I have something to do. Maybe next time."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Howard was smart enough to know it wasn''t the right time to press on further, so he nodded. "Yes, of


    course. I''ll get a driver to take you home. Where are you staying?"


    Katherine looked at her phone. Joaquin''s here. She coolly declined, "No need. Someone''s here to pick


    me up."


    She tucked the reagent into her bag and left. Seeing that his attempt to get closer to her had failed


    again, Howard gave up and sent her all the way to the research center''s entrance to see her off.


    Joaquin looked in the rearview mirror. Howard was but a speck now, and Joaquin teased, "He really


    likes you. It seems like he thinks of you as his invaluable treasure."


    Katherine leaned on the back of her seat and shrugged the tease off. "He''d love to have a bit of my fruit


    ofbor. Of course, he''s nice to me."


    Joaquin was a little worried seeing her so exhausted. So, he changed the subject. "You must be tired.


    Take a nap. We''ll be home soon," he said gently, his eyes filled with concern.


    Katherine''s eyes were still closed, and she shook her head. "No. I''ll just rest my eyes. I haven''t slept a


    wink, and I''m seeing double. Once I cure Corey, I''ll sleep."


    "You sure that''ll work? Corey''s condition hasn''t been the best for the past few days. It feels like his soul


    is missing."


    Katherine opened her eyes and looked at him. "You don''t trust me?"


    Joaquin smiled. "I do. But you know howplex his situation is. Even I got worried."


    She sneered. "Corey has his father to thank. I can''t believe Emmanuel did this to his own son."


    Reminded of something, she kept quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, there was an iciness in


    her tone. "But I guess he''s not the only cruel man around. My father is the same. I wonder how he''s


    doing now." She brought up Jorge without any facial expression. It was as if he was just a stranger to


    her.


    Joaquin stopped at a red light and patted her cheek. "Don''t think about him. It''s in the past now. He got


    what he deserved, and soon, Emmanuel will share his fate. Now, you have to rest. I thought you said


    you wanted to rest your eyes. It will take some time to get home, so you should get some rest. I''ll tell


    you once we reach home."


    "Alright." Katherine was exhausted. She nodded and rested her head against the car window before


    closing her eyes.


    Twenty minutester, they came back to Silver Gardens, and David had been waiting by the entrance


    for a while. Once the car had stopped, he opened up the passenger seat door. "How did it go, Kathy?


    Did you make it?"


    Katherine unbuckled herself and got out of the car. Then, she looked at him. "That''s why I came back."


    As she spoke, she went into the vi. "Where''s Corey? How is he doing?"


    David followed her, taking big strides. He was nervous. "Not too good. He''s getting weaker and puking


    up more meds. He puked up half at first, but now he''s puking up about two-thirds. I had to up the


    dosage."


    Katherine wasn''t surprised. "That''s normal. There''s some residual poison in his body attacking his


    innards. But as long as he lives, I can save him."


    Her confidence assured David, and they entered Corey''s room. Joaquin followed closely. Corey was


    lying on the bed, looking worse than he was before Katherine left. He was so pale that his blood


    vessels were almost visible. His lips were parched and cracking, and his eyes were sunken like all his


    vitality was sucked out.


    Katherine frowned and checked his pulse. He was too weak to be administered the reagent. A moment


    of musingter, she took her silver needles out and gave him an acupuncture session. When she was


    done, she was already drenched in sweat.


    Worried about her, Joaquin took his handkerchief out and wiped her forehead. After checking Corey''s


    pulse a second time, Katherine heaved a long sigh before whipping out the reagent and injecting it into


    him. "Done. Feed him three more days of meds, and the poison should be cleared."


    She handed David the prescription she had written in theb and stood up. She wanted to say


    something, but her exhaustion got to her, and she lost consciousness.


    "Kathy!" Shocked, Joaquin quickly held her and pulled her into his embrace. She was pale as a ghost,


    and he frowned. Quickly, he held her in a princess carry and took her to the room next door.


    A worried David tried to go with him, but Joaquin said, "She''s just exhausted. She''ll be fine with some


    rest. Get someone to get the meds. Don''t waste her effort."


    David looked at the unconscious Katherine, pursed his lips, and did as he was told.


    Joaquin carefully ced Katherine on the bed and took a basin of hot water and a towel from the


    bathroom. He was about to wipe her face and hands when he noticed the deep frown on her face. She


    looked ufortable, and then Joaquin realized it must have been because she was drenched in


    sweat.


    A moment of hesitationter, he pursed his lips and heaved a sigh. Then, he took Katherine into the


    bathroom and cleaned her up. It was a slightly arduous process since he had to close a lot of thoughts


    away. A long whileter, he came back out with Katherine wrapped in a piece of towel. Only when she


    was finally lying on the bed and not frowning did Joaquin finally sigh in relief. He, too, was drenched in


    sweat, so he went to take a shower.

 Chapter 407

    Chapter 407


    Chapter 406 Bailout


    Katherine slept for a long time. When she woke up, it was already dusk. She looked outside the


    window and wondered why she was there. A momentter, she realized she had returned from Lab 7.


    "You''re awake," someone said. "Are you thirsty? Do you need any water?" the husky voice asked.


    She paused for a moment and turned around in surprise. Joaquin was lying on his side, resting his


    cheek in his hand as he stared at her.


    Noticing her nk stare at himself, he smiled and pulled her into his embrace. "Well, why aren''t you


    talking?"


    Katherine didn''t refuse his hug and rested on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Slowly, the fog in her


    mind lifted. "I''m not thirsty," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "How''s Corey?"


    Joaquin cocked his eyebrow, staring at her. "The first thing you care about right after you wake up is a


    man other than me. I''ll get jealous, you know."


    He''s teasing me. Katherine rolled her eyes. "Just answer me."


    The man smiled and didn''t tease her further since she was worried. "He''s fine. He didn''t puke any


    meds anymore, and he''s looking better, too." Joaquin pulled her hair back and touched her cheek.


    "He''s fine now. Get some sleep if you have to. David is keeping an eye on him, so don''t worry."


    "Okay." Finally, she could rx. Instead of getting out of bed, she leaned into his embrace.


    She took her time to calm down, then she blurted, "What about Gray Corporation?"


    Joaquin smiled. Confidently, he replied, "On the brink of bankruptcy. Gray Corporation''s liquid assets


    are all trapped in a project, so they can''t pay their partners'' damages. I''ve told all the banks not to


    approve any of their loans. A lot of their projects are on hold, so now, they''re on theirst legs."


    Katherine wasn''t surprised to hear that at all. She nned this, after all. "Did he send anyone to check


    on Corey?" she asked after a moment of thinking.


    Joaquin sneered. "He''s locked up. He has no time for his son. I thought it would be easy for him to get


    out, but no one came to help him. He''s in the police department, and no one in the family can keep


    things under control, so they''re in a mess. Guess karma doese for everybody. This is payback for


    all the dirty deeds he did."


    Katherine thought so, too. "Honestly, he poisoned his own son. He can die for all I care, but I think he


    gets off a little too lightly if he only suffers an easy death."


    "What about hispany? Do you want to leave it as it is, or should we just destroy them?"


    Katherine mused over it and remained firm on her old stance. "Leave it as it is. We''ll wait until Corey


    wakes up to decide what to do with it. He can call the shots. He did work on part of thepany, and


    he''s given a lot to it, but his stupid father just can''t see it."


    They chatted for a while longer before someone knocked on the door. Joaquin looked at the time and


    got out of bed. "It''s probably David."


    And true to his words, David was standing at the doorway. He then looked inside. "Is Kathy awake?"


    Joaquin nodded. "She is. Why?"


    David frowned. "Corey''s getting a fever."


    Katherine froze for a moment and quickly got out of bed. "I''ll take a look." She changed into her


    slippers, and only then she realized she was in a bathrobe, much to her surprise. "When did I¡­"


    Joaquin cleared his throat and closed the door, keeping David from seeing Katherine. "You were


    sweating and couldn''t rest well, so I bathed you."


    She blushed upon hearing his exnation and stammered, "Y-You could have told someone else to do


    it."


    He cocked his eyebrow at that. "Carmine isn''t here. I had no one else to call."


    Katherine didn''t say anything else after that, and she blushed. Even her ears turned red.


    Joaquin wanted tough but figured she might feel even more embarrassed if he did that, so he


    covered his mouth behind his fist. "It was just a bath. Besides, we''re a couple. That was nothing."


    Even so, she still blushed hard. She bit her lip and thought she was overreacting, but still, she shot him


    a look. "G-Get out. I want to change."


    The man was delighted to see Katherine getting flustered, but he knew it wasn''t the time to flirt around.


    Regrettably, he had to break the air of romance, so he nodded. "Sure. I''ll check on Corey." With that, he


    left the room.


    Katherine remained in her spot and touched her blushing cheeks, her eyes filled with embarrassment.


    She had to force herself to push that weird feeling down. Afterward, she quickly changed and checked


    on Corey. He wasn''t in a severe condition. It was a low fever, and she was relieved after checking his


    pulse to find he was fine. "It''s alright. The reagent is working its magic. He''ll be fine once the poison is


    cleared." She then looked at the time. "He might wake tonight. He''s been having IV fluid for days, so


    give him some real food. Liquid food would be best. And make sure he doesn''t eat too much. He''ll be


    fine after tomorrow or so."


    "Okay," said David.


    ¡­


    Emmanuel was still locked up, but then an officer came in. "Emmanuel Gray, you can leave now."


    Emmanuel had been staring at the ground, but as soon as he heard those words, he froze for a brief


    moment before looking at the officer in disbelief. "I-I can go now?"


    The officer clicked his tongue impatiently. "Do you want me to repeat myself? Someone bailed you out.


    Now, leave before I close the door."


    Emmanuel couldn''t believe that someone had bailed him out, but when he emerged from the police


    department and saw who it was outside, he frowned. Hansel politely greeted him, "Mr. Gray, our


    president wishes to meet with you. He''s in the car."Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 408

    Chapter 408


    Chapter 407 A Decision


    "You are¡­" Emmanuel paused for a moment before shifting his gaze toward the car. "Wait. Did Jayden


    bail me out?"


    Hansel didn''t answer. He merely beckoned Emmanuel to enter the car.


    Emmanuel''s face fell, but he got into the car, and Hansel quickly returned to the driver''s seat and drove


    away. Emmanuel looked beside him and saw Jayden. Curious, he asked, "Why are you here?" When


    he noticed the scar on Jayden''s face, he added, "And what''s with your face?"


    Jayden hated it when people talked about his face. His face fell for a moment, but then he smiled. It


    was a fake smile, of course. "I''m surprised you still have the time to worry about me, Mr. Gray."


    Emmanuel tensed up. "What do you mean? Are you here tough at me? Technically speaking, I''m


    your uncle, Jayden."


    Jayden didn''t even care what he said, but he nodded. "Yes, our families used to be friends. I know the


    Grays think my family is beneath them now, but you can''t deny we used to be partners. Technically,


    yes, you are my uncle."


    Jayden spoke calmly, but Emmanuel caught the mockery in his tone, and he looked upset. Jayden


    continued, "But it doesn''t matter now. What matters is my business with you. You didn''t think I bailed


    you out just tough at you, did you? Do you know how many people are watching you and your


    company? It''s not easy to bail you out, you know."


    Emmanuel knew that, but he wasn''t grateful at all. He knew Jayden bailed him out for a reason. "Your


    family might not have made it to the top ranks, but you''ve run your family''spany well. You won''t do


    anything for nothing in return. So, what is it this time?" Emmanuel cut to the chase without even saying


    thank you.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Jayden wasn''t mad. In fact, he chuckled. "I expect no less from a veteran like you, Mr. Gray. Guess I


    can''t hide it now. It''s just so easy talking to smart people," he teased, but then he stopped smiling, and


    his gaze was as sharp as a falcon''s. "Yourpany is on the brink of copse, and no bank would give


    you a loan, but I can."


    Emmanuel paused for a moment and looked at Jayden like he had just cracked the world''s biggest


    joke. "You can do something even the banks can''t? This isn''t a small loan, you know. Mypany


    needs a big sum of money to get back on its feet. Stop fooling around. Just because you made some


    money doesn''t mean you can help us out. Even if we''re in a decline, we are still the biggestpany


    around. You know that, don''t you?"


    Jayden knew he would say that, so he didn''t really get mad. He crossed his legs and tapped lightly on


    his knee. He looked like someone in control right now. "Mr. Gray, you are limited by your experience.


    Never deny someone''s capabilities. My family''spany isn''t the same as it was, and I''m not just


    representing thepany. Even without it, I can still save Gray Corporation. Why else would I bail you


    out? I am not one to have a losing business."


    Emmanuel was surprised that Jayden was so confident, and he frowned. A moment of hesitationter,


    he asked, "If you''re not going to rely on yourpany, then who''s your benefactor?"


    Jayden looked at the other man as he said sharply, "I know you''re a smart man, so don''t ask anything


    you shouldn''t ask. Knowing too much isn''t a good thing. Just know that I can save yourpany. Do


    we have a deal?"


    Emmanuel disliked that attitude; it made him feel like he was beneath Jayden in this case. It was


    annoying, but more than that, he was curious. What is he trying to do? And he''s so confident. Does he


    have some sort of power I''m not aware of? But the Halls having a benefactor? That''s unheard of.


    While Emmanuel was immersed in his thoughts, Jayden tapped his knee faster, his patience waning.


    "We''re almost at your home. Are you done thinking?" He paused and narrowed his eyes. "Or are you


    giving up your revenge? Don''t forget who did this to yourpany."


    That hit Emmanuel where it hurt most, and his face fell. He would never forget the one who plunged the


    company into despair. The thought of Katherine alone filled him with rage. "I want revenge, but how


    can I trust you? How can I know for sure that you can save us?"


    Jayden smiled. "Simple. Just do as I say, and I''ll inject enough funds into yourpany to save it."


    Emmanuel was silent for a while. Then, he narrowed his eyes. He had questions. "Why did you go so


    far for this? What''s your goal?"


    At this time, the car had already stopped in front of the Gray Residence. Jayden looked outside for a


    brief moment before turning his attention back to Emmanuel. His smile was wiped off, and his


    expression turned grim. "My goal is simple. I want you to attack Katherine."


    Emmanuel froze. He never thought this was the request. "You and Corey are her old friends. Why do


    you want to stab her in the back? Are you sure this isn''t a joke?"

 Chapter 409

    Chapter 409


    Chapter 408 Revival


    Jayden sneered. "Do you think I''m joking?"


    Frowning, Emmanuel didn''t say anything to that.


    "Just do as I say and don''t ask any questions. Besides, this isn''t a bad thing for you. Even without me,


    you''d still go after her anyway. However, from now on, you can''t attack her how you want. You will do


    as I say, get it?"


    Emmanuel could see that he wasn''t joking. Jayden was serious about this, and that made Emmanuel


    calm down a little. "Is that all? Nothing else?"


    Jayden cocked his eyebrow and said nothing.


    Emmanuel fell silent for a moment. Then, he asked, "When are the fundsing in?"


    "If we have a deal, yourpany will be saved tomorrow. I will send my men in to reinforce you, and


    we''lle up with an agreement. Whatever you want to do next will be discussed after that."


    Emmanuel fell silent again after hearing that. No matter how he cut it, these terms were good for him.


    He finally made up his mind. "Fine, I''ll do it. Give me the funds tomorrow, and we''ll have a deal."


    Jayden knew this would happen, so he wasn''t surprised. He then added, "Also, you can forget about


    taking what''s hers."


    Emmanuel froze and turned around, looking upset. "What do you mean? You want to take it?"


    Jayden nodded. "Yes. Everything she has will belong to me in the end. Anyone who tries to take


    whatever is hers will be my enemy."


    Emmanuelughed mirthlessly. "You think too highly of yourself. Do you have any idea what she''s


    holding?"


    Jayden looked at him coldly. "I know more than you do. This is my request. If you refuse, then our deal


    is off. You can watch as yourpany falls into ruin. If you ept, we''ll all be happy. Oh, and don''t try


    to fight back. I can save yourpany but also bring it back down. Think before you leap. Don''t do


    anything stupid, or else, the next time yourpany falls, I won''t help you."


    It was merciless, and Emmanuel went pale with rage. He had never been this humiliated by someone


    younger than him. Katherine was one, and Jayden was the other. The losing streak Emmanuel had to


    go through put him in a bad mood, but he had to grit his teeth and take it if he wanted to save his


    company. After taking a deep breath, he said, "Fine." The talks came to an end, and Emmanuel went


    home.


    Jayden saw him off and looked away. "Keep an eye on him. I will allow no failures."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Hansel quickly said, "Yes, sir!" He then asked, "Sir, are we going back to the residence or your vi?"


    Jayden mused over it and touched his face. Coldly, he said, "The vi."


    Hansel drove away. Jayden looked ahead coldly, his eyes filled with cunning. He then said, "Tell our


    men at Hovington to get in touch with the Levisays. They can start attacking the Levisay Group now."


    "Yes, sir."


    ¡­


    After a good night''s rest, Katherine felt a lot better, and she regained some color. "How''s he doing?"


    she asked Joaquin right after she woke up.


    Joaquin woke up a while ago and had just exercised in the yard. He only came back to check if she


    was awake. He raised his eyebrows as he heard her question. "Corey woke up once at midnight, but


    he''s asleep now. He''s better now."


    Katherine felt more at ease, and she stretched her arms. "Good. Finally saved. Once he''s awake, I''m


    having him treat me to something good."


    Joaquin was amused. "That''s all it takes to satisfy you? Man, that''s low maintenance."


    Katherine ced her hands on the nket and stared at the ceiling, sighing. "I might not even have the


    luxury of getting treated. If he finds out I brought his family''spany to near bankruptcy, who knows


    how he''s going to feel? And he has a lot of mess to tend to. Probably can''t even make some time for


    me."


    Joaquin knew she was concerned, and he smiled. "You''re friends. You did this for him. He''ll


    understand."


    Katherine nodded. "I know."


    "Alright, get up and have breakfast. You haven''t eaten much, and you''ve been working for days. Time


    to catch a break."


    The man smiled and took her hand to pull her up. She let him pull her out of bed, and she brought her


    phone into the bathroom. However, before long, she came back out while holding a toothbrush, looking


    a little solemn.


    "What''s wrong?" Joaquin was confused.


    Katherine looked at her phone with a frown and said, "Carmine just texted. Someone bailed Emmanuel


    outst night."


    Joaquin was surprised. "Everyone''s trying to back off now, so who did that?" And the Grays are in deep


    trouble this time. It''s going to be a big hassle just to bail him out. Who would do something like that?


    Katherine''s face fell, and she bit her lip. "Not sure."


    "Not sure?"


    "Carmine looked into it, but all she knew was someone had bailed him out. She couldn''t find out who


    did it." Looking grim, she added, "And the news said they paid all the damages and solved all the


    problems of their stopped projects. They''re starting to function normally again."


    Joaquin got even more puzzled. "How can that be? Not a single bank would give them a loan, so how


    did they get so much money?"


    Katherine gripped her phone tightly, her eyes glinting. "There''s only one exnation. Someone lent


    them a lot of money in private. With these funds, Gray Corporation can finally breathe. After they solve


    their problems, they may even rise from their ashes and be stronger."

 Chapter 410

    Chapter 410


    Chapter 409 Another Problem Arises


    Joaquin didn''t see this twisting. "Who''s helping them? Who''d be that stupid? Everyone''s trying to


    cut ties with them."


    Katherine had no idea. "I told Carmine to look into it, so we have to wait." She paused and was about


    to say something when David knocked.


    "Corey''s awake. You should see him, Kathy."


    She tucked her thoughts away and went to the room next door.


    Corey was on the bed, taking his medicine. When he heard something rustle, he looked up and smiled


    weakly at Katherine. "You''re here. Thank you for helping me."


    She shook her head. He still looks pale. She checked his pulse, and a momentter, she pulled her


    hand back. "The poison is cleared, but you should still take some meds to stabilize your condition."


    He nodded. "Of course."


    A moment of silenceter, she asked, "So, what will you do?"


    She didn''t ask any specific questions, but Corey got the gist of it. He stared at the ground, hiding the


    look in his eyes. His smile faded, and he didn''t respond to her question. A pregnant pause descended


    upon them. Then, he hoarsely responded, "Nothing. David had told me everything. You did it for me,


    and you have my gratitude for that."


    Katherine pursed her lips. "It''s not all for you. He tried to take my grandfather''s belongings from me,


    and I wouldn''t take that lying down."


    "I understand." Corey nodded. His skin was so pale that the blood vessels were almost visible. "I''ve


    lived my whole life as carefully as I could, worried that I might do something wrong and bring myself


    and the family trouble. Yet, he never saw me as a part of the family. I couldn''t believe he would poison


    me. Then again, I should have seen iting. He''s blinded by greed and will do anything for money.


    Family is merely a bargaining chip he can throw away when he wants to. Family is nothing but trash for


    him." His lips had gone paler after saying all of that.


    Katherine understood how he felt, but she said nothing about it. "You haven''t fully recovered yet, so just


    rest up. Don''t worry. Joaquin and my men will keep an eye on things so no one can intrude. You can


    stay as long as you like. If you want to return to the Grays, that''s an option too."


    Corey forced a smile. "Thank you, Kathy." Exhaustion washed over him again. He sipped some chicken


    soup before falling back asleep.


    Katherine emerged from the room and stood in the corridor, keeping silent. Joaquin patted her head.


    "Don''t worry. Carmine is looking into the Grays'' case, and Corey can handle his business himself.


    You''ve done enough."


    "Yeah." Katherine stared at the ground, nodding.


    Just then, Joaquin''s phone rang, and he looked at the screen. "It''s Ben." He took the call. "What is it?"


    Hurriedly, Ben said, "You''re still in Kynd? You shoulde back right now."


    A frown creased Joaquin''s forehead, and the look in his eyes darkened. "What happened?"


    "Your family''spany. They''re trying to split your shares up and kick you out of thepany."


    Joaquin''s face fell.


    Ben quickly added, "I''m not sure about the details, but they''re trying to use you of ridiculous stuff so


    they can impeach you and take your shares. Though, I have a feeling that things aren''t that simple.


    They''re after something else."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    A momentter, Joaquin said coldly, "I see."


    Seeing that he hung up the call while looking so upset, Katherine was worried. She asked, "What


    happened?"


    Joaquin pursed his lips and told her what Ben had said. It filled her with disgust. "I can''t believe they


    won''t give up. Trying to take your shares for themselves? And they call themselves Hovington''s top


    family? What a joke."


    He sneered. "This is just a fraction of their malice. They can do anything and go to any lengths for


    money. Splitting up my shares among themselves is nothing." He grew up among these disgusting


    beasts, and he knew them well. He knew all the dirty tricks they would y, so this was no surprise.


    "So, what now? Are you going back?" Katherine asked.


    Joaquin''s facial expression was icy. "I don''t care about the shares, but I won''t let them take my shares


    away that easily. I''ve worked hard to get some of those shares after all."


    Katherine agreed, "Yeah, you should go back and settle this."


    He nodded. "And that''s not the only reason I''m going back. I have a feeling they''re doing this for


    another reason."


    "Another reason?"


    "Yeah." He narrowed his eyes, and they glinted. "Don''t you think this is too much of a coincidence?"


    Katherine followed that line of thought. "Yeah. It feels like a lot of stuff is happening at the same time."


    "That''s right. We might be imagining things, but it''s best I go back to settle it. If they are conspiring, I


    can stop them."


    Since Joaquin had made up his mind, Katherine didn''t stop him. "Sure, go ahead. I need to stay,


    though. Corey is¡­"


    "I know. He''s still ill, so you have to stay back and take care of him. Just leave the Hovington matters to


    me."


    She mused over something before suggesting, "Tell Xavier to bring Noah with him."


    Surprised, Joaquin asked, "Why do you want Noah toe here all of a sudden?"


    "I''m almost done with my business, and there''s nothing much to do. Carmine can handle the


    investigations, and Emmanuel has to work on hispany, so he won''t have the time toe after me


    for now. Besides, it''s time for Noah to see Grandma and Grandpa."

 Chapter 411

    Chapter 411


    Chapter 410 Distraction


    "I''ll tell Xavier that." Joaquin smiled gently and pinched her cheek. "You''re getting along well with Noah.


    You must miss her a lot if you want to see her."


    Katherine blinked but said nothing, though she replied to that question in her heart. I do miss Noah


    after not seeing her for days, and the sense of longing has gotten a lot stronger. That never happened


    before. When she came back to Hovington, she left Noah and her grandmother overseas, and she


    never once thought of Noah. However, she was now longing to see the girl. She had finally ovee


    that hurdle in her mind.


    Joaquin was d to see this. Seeing Katherine and Noah get along filled him with peace. He quickly


    packed his things up and returned to Hovington. He had nned to leave Jeremy here, but Katherine


    insisted she could handle herself well. "It''s alright. I have Carmine with me. Take Jeremy with you. He''s


    your lieutenant. If anything bad happens on your side, he can help you."


    Since she insisted, Joaquin did as she wanted him to.


    ¡­


    At the same time, Jayden got news of Joaquin''s departure. "Sir, Joaquin is gone."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Jayden looked at Hansel coolly. "Alone?"


    Hansel answered, "He took his men with him."


    Jayden sneered. "He''s not even worried at all. He even took his men with him. Looks like he''s annoyed


    by what the Levisays are doing."


    Hansel suggested, "Since nobody''s protecting Katherine, why don''t we¡­"


    Jayden knew what he wanted to say, and he rejected, "No. We''ll wait."


    Hansel didn''t understand why. "But this is our best chance. If Joaquin finishes up his business and


    returns, we''ll never get this chance again."


    Jayden didn''t think so. He fiddled with his teacup, his eyes ring with a dark light. "You think it''s that


    simple? Katherine isn''t an idiot. She will never put herself in danger."


    "Um¡­"


    "My mercenaries have fought her a few times, but they never won. Even the Morans lost, didn''t they?


    She''s a powerful fighter, and she must have even more powerful bodyguards hiding around. I have no


    idea how she managed to hire those people, but we''re no match for them. If you send your men in,


    she''ll know we''re up to something, and Joaquin is going to be rmed as well."


    Hansel finally realized what he had missed. "That''s¡­ a perfect n, sir. So, what next? We have no


    idea how long Joaquin will stay in Hovington. If we don''t take this chance¡­"


    Jayden ced his cup back on the coffee table, and a tap rang out in the air. "Calm down. The


    Levisays will buy us some time. At least a few days. It won''t be easy for him toe back."


    He stood up and went to the French window. The whole of Kynd unfurled before them. The cars


    speeding through the streets looked like ants traversing through a little path. It felt like he could stomp


    them to death easily. "Keep an eye on Katherine and tell the Grays they can make a move on her now.


    I want to see exactly how strong she is."


    "Yes, sir. Right away."


    And then, only Jayden was left. The night went on, and the French window reflected his visage. He


    stared at his disfigured reflection, the look in his eyes dark. The show''s just begun, Katherine. You''re


    going to fall into my trap, and then I will keep you my prisoner for life.


    ¡­


    Joaquin didn''t go back to the Levisay Residence when he came back to Hovington. He went to meet up


    with Noah first.


    The next morning, Xavier and Noah came to Kynd. It had been a while since Noah saw Katherine,


    and she was excited to see her. The girl quickly ran into Katherine''s embrace. "Mom!"


    Katherine felt her heart melt. She picked the girl up and held her in her embrace. "How''s the trip? Are


    you tired?" She looked at the girl''s face. She seems fine. Katherine felt a bit more at ease.


    The girl shook her head. "No. The taxi wasfy. I slept all the way here just so I could see you right


    after I woke up." After going so long not seeing her mother, the girl wanted to spend all the time with


    her. "I missed you, Mom. I want to have your cooking. I want to sleep with you."


    A surge of warmth filled Katherine''s heart, delighting her. She kissed Noah''s cheek, and her eyes filled


    with love. "Sure, sweetie."


    She looked at the couch, and Xavier was sitting right there, sipping some tea. He looked like he owned


    the ce.


    She cocked her eyebrow. "Are you staying here?"


    Xavier shook his head and sipped some more tea. "No. It''s been a while since I came back. Time to


    see my friends. Call me when you''re going back to Hovington. We''ll be going together."


    Katherine nodded. "Sure. Be careful out there."


    They made small talk, and Xavier quickly excused himself.


    Noah had always got nervous easily when she was in a new ce, but with Katherine by her side,


    delight triumphed over her nerves, and she was curious about the vi. "Is this your home in Kynd,


    Mom?"


    Katherine smiled. "No. It''s your father''s house."


    The girl tilted her head in confusion. "What''s Daddy''s is yours, isn''t it?"


    Katherine froze for a moment before realizing what Noah was talking about, and she had no idea what


    to say.


    The girl chuckled. "You guys are married. We''re a family, so his house is your house."

 Chapter 412

    Chapter 412


    Chapter 411 Lady of the House


    Katherine was amused by the response, and she flicked the girl''s forehead. "And where did you learn


    that, girl? That''s nonsense."


    Noah rubbed her forehead and puffed her cheeks. She defended herself, "That''s not nonsense. It''s a


    fact." She turned around and went upstairs, shouting, "I''ll be looking around the ce, Mom."


    Katherine looked at her, amused. "Slow down. You''ll fall."


    Noah went around the corner and answered, "Yeah, I know." Her voice was silvery like the trill of a bird.


    Katherine stood on the first floor, thinking about what Noah had just said, and a smile twinkled in her


    eyes. She''s not wrong. While Noah was looking around, Katherine took some time to think about


    Joaquin and what he was doing. In the end, she called him. "So, did your family do anything to you?


    What''s the situation?" She cut to the chase right after the call went through.


    Instead of answering, Joaquin teased, "Well, aren''t you worried about me?" There was a hint of delight


    in his voice.


    Katherine fell silent for a moment. For some reason, she felt sheepish. "Come on, stop messing


    around."


    He stopped teasing her right away lest he made her blush. "Elizabeth called. She wants me home by


    afternoon."


    "I see¡­" Katherine went to the balcony and narrowed her eyes, basking in the sun. "They''ve set up a


    trap, huh? Guess their sources are fast."


    Joaquin sneered. "Yeah. Right after Ie back, they want to pick a fight with me."


    "So, are you going?"


    "Of course," replied Joaquin without any hesitation. "I need to find out what they''re up to."


    She knew he wasn''t afraid at all, and she smiled. "Sure. You stand up against them while Noah and I


    will cheer you on. Don''t let them gobble you up."


    He cocked his eyebrow. "So, how are you getting along with Noah?"


    She smiled. "She just got here, and she''s gone upstairs to check things out. Noah seems to like this


    vi and its decor."


    "Is that so?" Joaquin fell silent for a while. Then, he said, "I see. I know how the decor has to go now."


    Katherine wondered what he was talking about. "What decor? Are you going to refurbish the condo?"


    Joaquin chuckled. For some reason, Katherine thought it was sexy. "No. It''s for the new vi."


    She blinked. "You got a new vi again?"


    "Yes," he said. "But not for me. It''s for us."


    I see¡­ Katherine opened her mouth and muttered, "Us? Wait, is it our marital home?"


    Joaquinughed. "Yes. Well, technically speaking, anyway. I''ve been preparing for a while now. I


    picked thend before we got married, but our wedding went by a bit quickly, so I couldn''t finish my


    preparations. But it''s built now. Once youe back, we''ll move into our new home. As a family."


    It was really heartwarming, and Katherine''s ears turned red. She felt a surge of warmth traveling


    through her veins. "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He cocked his eyebrow again. "It was a surprise, so I wanted to keep it a secret."


    Sheughed. "Now, it''s not a secret anymore."


    "Yeah, sorry about that. I couldn''t hold it in. It just happened." The apology didn''t sound sincere; he was


    doing it on purpose. Then, he asked, "So, are you going to move in and be thedy of the house?"


    Katherine pretended to hesitate. "Not enough time to think. It hasn''t even been a few minutes since you


    announced it."


    Joaquin yed along. "Sure. Tell me how long you need, then. I can wait as long as you say yes."


    "Hmm¡­" She narrowed her eyes, then sheughed. It was a hearty, delightfulugh. "Sure." She


    wasn''t one to drag things out. She would say whatever was on her mind. Since Joaquin was making


    that offer, she wouldn''t say no. Just like Noah had said, they were a family. They were also married, so


    they needed their own ce.


    Everything around her brightened up, and she felt sweet. It wasn''t every day she had this feeling, but


    she didn''t dislike it. She wouldn''t lie to herself. By now, she had feelings for Joaquin. She had no idea


    how deep those feelings ran, but she knew she would like to live her life out with him.


    Joaquin looked down and smiled, his eyes filled with tenderness, and delight filled his heart. "No taking


    back. This house belongs to our family now."


    "Sure." She hung up and held her phone, her heart racing. Katherine touched her face, and it felt


    remarkably warm. A smile curled her lips, but she thought, You''re married and a mother of one. You


    can''t act like a young maiden in love.


    "Well, someone is beaming."


    Someone behind her spoke, and she almost jumped. Quickly, she turned around, and she saw David


    holding Noah in his arms. They were both staring at her. "Could you at least make some sound when


    you walk?" She knew he must have seen her grin, and she quickly stopped smiling out of


    embarrassment.


    A suspicious David narrowed his eyes. "I''ve known you for years, but you''ve never been startled like


    that before. Whom did you call? You''re practically grinning from ear to ear."

 Chapter 413

    Chapter 413


    Chapter 412 Maiden in Love


    Katherine got even more sheepish. She cleared her throat and rolled her eyes. "None of your


    business."


    Noah blurted, "Oh, I know. That must be Daddy. She only looks like a maiden in love when she talks to


    Daddy."


    Maiden in what now? Miffed, Katherine poked Noah''s forehead. "And where did you learn that from,


    youngdy? I am not a maiden in love!"


    Noah held her forehead and relented, "Okay, I was talking nonsense." Then, she chuckled and huddled


    closer to David. She whispered, "She did look like a maiden in love, didn''t she?"


    I can hear you, Noah! In case they teased her again, Katherine changed the subject. "How''s Corey


    doing? Is he awake?"


    David nodded. "Just woke up. We came to summon you."


    They went upstairs. Corey was looking a lot better, and he could even walk. He was pacing around the


    room, and when Katherine came in, he smiled. "You''re here. Your meds work wonders. I feel a lot


    better now."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She looked at him and nodded. "I can see that, but you shouldn''t move too much. Take it slow. The


    poison ran deep, and it stayed deep for quite a while. You need time to recover. Taking it too fast will


    put a lot of burden on your body, which leads to slow recovery."


    "Alright," said Corey. A moment of silenceter, he stopped smiling. "I''ve heard what happened to Gray


    Corporation. Thank you for what you did."


    Calmly, Katherine answered, "It''s all right. You''d do the same if I were in trouble. We''re friends, after


    all."


    Corey sighed, his eyes filled with mncholy. "I''ve been thinking. Blood really does mean nothing,


    does it? The people whom I call family see me as nothing but a bargaining chip. They''d go so far as to


    threaten my life to get what they wanted. On the other hand, the people whom I''m not even rted to


    could go so far just to help me. This is ironic."


    Katherine understood his feelings. She fell silent for a while before saying, "Don''t lose hope. There''s


    always light at the end of the tunnel. Like me, you have a deadbeat father. Jorge was cruel to me, too.


    He never saw me as his daughter. Don''t feel sad over pieces of scum like them. You have other people


    who love you."


    Corey was reminded of his mother, and he frowned. "Wonder how Mom and Grandpa are doing."


    Katherine and David exchanged a look, then Katherine answered, "Your grandfather almost had a


    heart attack and was taken to the hospital. Your mother is fine, but I heard your family had gotten into a


    big fight for you." She mused over something for a moment. "So, when will you go back to them?"


    Corey pursed his lips and thought about it for a moment before answering, "Not sure. If I go back as I


    am now, he''s going to use me again. He won''t stop until he gets what he wants. I don''t mind suffering,


    but I don''t want to be used against you, so I''m not going back for the time being."


    Katherine could understand that, so she didn''t say anything. "Sure. Stay as long as you want. Heal up."


    ¡­


    Katherine took Noah to the cemetery that afternoon.


    Noah held her mother''s hand and walked up the stairs. "Are Great-grandpa and Great-grandma buried


    here, Mom?"


    Katherine nodded. "Yes. Grandma wanted to be buried together with Grandpa, and that''s what we did."


    They came to Jennifer''s grave. Noah looked at Jennifer''s photo, and she teared up. She went ahead


    and touched Jennifer''s photo. Her voice cracked as she spoke, "I''m finally here, Great-grandma. You


    promised you''d only go for a stroll, but you never came back. I waited for so long¡­"


    A pang went through Katherine''s heart as she heard the girl''s words. She felt something glistening in


    her eyes. Noah talked a bit more to the grave, then she went down on her knees and bowed. "Don''t


    worry, Great-grandma. I''m alright now. I can be like the other kids now. You wanted that, didn''t you? I


    know you''ll be happy if you know. Mom, Daddy, and I are doing fine. We''ll be together now. You don''t


    have to worry anymore."


    Noah said a lot. Then, she turned to the other grave. She looked up at her mother. "Is this Great-


    grandpa?" She wasn''t born when Darren died, so she didn''t know him at all.


    Katherine nodded. "Yeah, it''s him."


    Noah moved to that grave and went down on her knees again, paying respect the same way she did


    for Jennifer. "Hi, Great-grandpa. This is our first time seeing each other. I''m your great-granddaughter.


    You were handsome back in the day. As handsome as Daddy. You must be in heaven now, happily with


    Great-grandma. Take care of her. She really missed you. She had always told me about you. I''m really


    happy that you guys are together now."


    Noah was still feeling sad, and she started to shed some tears. "Mom." She stood up and held


    Katherine''s hand, staring up at her. There was sadness in her eyes. "I miss Great-grandma a lot."


    Katherine held her sadness back and wiped Noah''s tears away. "I miss her too, but it''s alright. The


    ones we love never truly leave us. They live on in our hearts."


    Dusk descended, and Katherine took Noah back, but the moment she stepped foot into Silver Gardens,


    the look on her face changed.

 Chapter 414

    Chapter 414


    Chapter 413 Stop It


    A big group of burly men in ck stood in the vi, looking like they wanted to kill someone. Carmine


    and her men were standing opposite them, ready to fight. She paused momentarily, then Katherine


    pulled Noah behind her, but someone still noticed her.


    A certain man turned his head around and looked at her sharply. "Well, if it isn''t Miss Cornell." This man


    was none other than Emmanuel.


    Katherine''s face sank as she saw him, her eyes narrowed, and she sneered, "It has been a while. Mr.


    Gray, I heard yourpany can finally breathe a little. Shouldn''t you be working to raise it out of


    ashes? Why did youe to my ce?"


    He looked smug and proud; it was as if he didn''t juste out of a crisis. Then, he pulled his hand out


    of his pocket to wag his finger. "Your sources are fast, Miss Cornell. Mypany fell into a crisis


    thanks to you, but we''re strong. Not every random man or woman can bring us down. No matter how


    many traps youy out for us, you cannot topple us."


    "Is that so?" she scoffed, not nervous at all. Instead, she said calmly, "I heard you were arrested a few


    days ago. It''s proof that you guys can still be toppled no matter how strong you are."


    The mention of his arrest made Emmanuel''s face fall. His time in the detention center was the most


    disturbing aspect of this crisis for him. He had been worshiped by everyone his entire life; however, this


    one w marred his otherwise perfect life. Everyone gave him the cold shoulder ever since Gray


    Corporation got into a crisis. It felt worse than losing all his money. "I know you''re powerful." He


    stopped smiling. "Still, you can''t beat experience, youngdy. W Co. might be powerful, and I don''t


    deny that Joaquin is also a powerhouse, but you two alone can''t bring us down. I know you tried to buy


    some time to save Corey, so I''ll let it slide. Let bygones be bygones, shall we?"


    Nevertheless, Katherine was surprised he would say that. She mused over the matter and looked at


    the sly old b*stard coolly, then snickered, "You''re more flexible than I thought, Mr. Gray. So, you


    brought your men here to ask for peace?"


    After hearing that, he said, "You may say so, and I am also going to take Corey home. I know he''s


    been disturbing you as ofte."


    Her face fell upon hearing his words. "You want to take him home? Why? So, you can use him again?"


    "Oh, no, Miss Cornell. He''s my son. I''m just worried about him. It''s alright for a father to take his son


    home, don''t you think?"


    It was brazen of Emmanuel, but Katherine was used to it. "Cut the loving father act. You poisoned your


    own son. Don''t act as if you care about him."


    However, he wasn''t even fazed by her interrogation. "That''s in the past now. Let bygones be bygones,


    shall we? I''ll settle my problems with Corey in private."


    She couldn''t believe how low he could go and gave him a disdainful nce. "You''re being a bit too


    shameless there. I never agreed to let bygones be bygones. If I knew this would happen, I would''ve


    destroyed Gray Corporation immediately. You''d be a beggar roaming the streets by now."


    Her insults were forthright, and Emmanuel''s expression darkened upon hearing them. "Don''t push your


    luck, Miss Cornell. Just because I''m being courteous doesn''t mean you can insult me. You''re ten years


    too young to take me down, and words alone won''t hurt me."


    "We''ll see about that. You know full well I can take you down." Katherine stood up straight, refusing to


    back down. "You wouldn''t have made aeback if it weren''t for your benefactor. I don''t know who he


    is, but I know he''s as much of a piece of scum as you are. You''d better keep your head tucked down


    low. If I find out who your benefactor is, I''ll topple them and your wholepany."


    Then, he looked down at her. "So, you''re going to wage war against me instead of letting me take


    Corey home?"


    In response, Katherine sneered, "War? Please, you''re nobody. This is barely a skirmish. I won''t let you


    take him away. Now get out of my house or else."


    Negotiations broke down, and malice filled Emmanuel''s eyes. "Very well, then I must take him by


    force." He shot the men in ck a look.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    The burly men in ck understood what he was trying to say, and everyone got into their battle stance,


    ready to fight. Suddenly, a voice came from the top of the staircase, "Stop it!"


    Katherine''s brows furrowed at the voice, and she looked up to see Corey descending the stairs.

 Chapter 415

    Chapter 415


    Chapter 414 Your Daughter


    After a few days of rest, Corey had almost recovered, and hisplexion improved.


    After seeing his son, Emmanuel maintained his outwardposure, but on the inside, he was shaking


    with shock. He knew Katherine was a doctor, and everyone said she was a genius, but he never


    thought much of it. To him, those were merely rumors, but after he saw his son, he realized they


    weren''t. It pained him to admit it, but she was a true genius. Even more surprisingly, she was able to


    counteract that particr poison. Before he came, he thought Corey would at least be crippled, but


    instead, he looked healthy. I see I''ve underestimated her. That''s why I fell for her tricks. Soon, he


    composed himself and put on a smile. "It''s good to see you in one piece, Corey. Come with me. Let''s


    go home."


    However, Katherine thought that was aughable greeting, and so did Corey. He looked at his father


    like he was a stranger to him.


    Something flickered in Emmanuel''s eyes, and he sighed. "I know you''re angry at me, but this is all a


    misunderstanding. Let''s clear things up when we get home, alright?"


    "Misunderstanding?" She finally lost herposure and sneered, "You poisoned your son and called


    that a misunderstanding?"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Emmanuel was slightly annoyed about the interruption, but heposed himself and ignored


    Katherine. Still, he tried to convince Corey to go home with him. "This is all a family feud, that''s all.


    You''re my son. I wouldn''t hurt you. You shouldn''t trust anyone but your family. They''re only trying to pit


    us against each other. Blood is thicker than water, you know."


    Corey listened silently, but he thought his father was grating. There was only indifference in his eyes.


    He no longer hoped his father would show him affection but eventually decided to go with him. "I''m


    almost healed now. There''s no need to stay here, Kathy."


    She frowned upon hearing those words. In addition, she didn''t agree to that. "You can''t go with him."


    Corey knew she was worried about him, and he shook his head, reassuring her. "It''s alright. I need to


    go back sooner orter. I can''t stay here my whole life." He was a part of the Gray Family and could


    never change that. No matter how much he tried, there was no way he could cut all ties with them. If he


    didn''t leave, Emmanuel would start a fight. Hence, he refused to create more trouble for Katherine.


    Noticing her look ofint, he smiled. "I''m a Gray, after all. They won''t hurt me."


    She frowned in response. However, she didn''t think this was a good idea, but she was not one to


    interfere with someone else''s decision. Now that Corey had made his choice, she could only ept it.


    Emmanuel smiled upon hearing his son''s words. "You''re smart, Corey. Come with me. Your mother and


    grandfather are worried."


    Corey dodged his hand and made his exit without looking at Emmanuel. Seeing his son''s behavior, his


    father''s face fell, but he said nothing. Now that he had gotten what he came for, he gave his men a


    look, and everyone left.


    Soon, only a few people were left, and Emmanuel made his way to the entrance. When he went by


    Katherine, he stopped and looked at Noah. "This must be your daughter. She''s cute." Then, he


    narrowed his eyes.


    On the other hand, Noah was highly perceptive, and she knew this man was evil, so she quickly hid


    behind her mother. Seeing that, Katherine defended her, looked at him coldly, and pursed his lips.


    Later, he left when he realized he could not carry on a conversation.


    As soon as everyone left, Katherine walked into the lounge, her expression darkening. "What


    happened?" Surprisingly, Emmanuel and his men could break into the vi despite Carmine''s team''s


    vignce.


    At that moment, Carmine stepped up and apologized, "I''m sorry, Miss. They barged in out of nowhere


    and are as tough as we are. We were outnumbered, so they got past us."


    "They got past you?" Katherine frowned. "That is not something I expected from the Vermillion


    Alliance."


    Her fury made Carmine''s skin crawl, so she kept on apologizing.


    Any more chastising would bring no good anyway, so Katherine pursed her lips. "Did you find out whom


    they worked for when you fought?"


    Carmine mused over it and shook her head. "Not sure. They fight in the same way as regr fighters,


    but their moves are stronger, crueler, and most likely trained."


    Katherine said nothing after hearing that. She knew the Grays couldn''t have been the ones to train


    these people. So, it must have been his benefactor. They see me as their enemy. Suddenly, her face


    fell. "Keep a close eye on Emmanuel. See who he''s been in contact with. Also, get more people here. I


    don''t want something like this to happen again."


    "Yes, Miss." Carmine went away to do her job.


    ¡­


    In the meantime, Emmanuel returned home and got into his study without talking to Corey. Then, he


    locked the door and called Jayden. "I''ve taken him home. I did as you advised and brought a team of


    men to assess her might. She doesn''t have a lot of bodyguards with her, but all of them are skilled."


    Jayden snickered and uttered, "Obviously. I only wanted you to find out how many bodyguards she


    has. Of course, if there aren''t too many, they can handle them."


    Emmanuel disliked that tone but held his anger down and reported, "Oh, and I saw her daughter."

 Chapter 416

    Chapter 416


    Chapter 415 A Deep Secret


    Jayden paused momentarily, then said, "Isn''t Katherine''s daughter in Hovington?"


    Emmanuel smirked upon hearing that. He finally had the chance to mock Jayden, saying, "I thought


    you had a lot of spies. Why didn''t you know of this? You really need to hire better people."


    Jayden frowned in response, and his face fell. "You talk too much, Mr. Gray. Now that things have


    improved at yourpany, you obviously don''t want them to go backward, do you?"


    He''s threatening me?! Emmanuel stopped smiling and shut up. "I have no idea how her daughter


    came, but I didn''t see Joaquin. The girl was the only one who came. Katherine probably asked him to


    take the girl to her because she wanted to see her daughter. I don''t know if this is alright, but I think this


    is our chance."


    Jayden leaned in his chair and crossed his legs. His eyes narrowed, and a cunning glint filled his eyes.


    A momentter, he actually praised, "Not bad. That''s the information I needed to know." Katherine''s


    daughter is here, eh? This is a chance I can exploit. I''ve been trying to find a way to take her, and now I


    have an opportunity to do it. "My assistant will inject the final funds into yourpany. I do hope you


    can be as efficient as you are today. I''ll be in contact when I need you. Run yourpany well, and


    don''t try to pull anything stupid. Don''t even try toe up with any ideas. My men are watching you. If I


    know you''re trying to betray me, I will take your wholepany down."


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He hung up before Emmanuel could say anything, and Emmanuel was furious. After all these years,


    everyone revered him, and they thought of him as a god; however, a man who was young enough to be


    his son was threatening him. With that thought, he wanted to smash his phone. Then, he put his hands


    on his hips and paced around the room. He was trying to find a way to break free from Jayden''s grasp,


    but to his exasperation, he found no way out.


    Nheless, Jayden had control over Gray Corporation''s cash flow. If he did anything to anger


    Jayden, he would cut off all funds and demand an exorbitant rpense. After that, Emmanuel''s


    company would be done for.


    While he was in the middle of his frustration, someone knocked on the door. Since he was in no mood


    to see anyone, he roared, "Piss off!"


    However, the one standing outside walked in, ignoring his order.


    Hearing the footsteps, Emmanuel got angrier. He picked up his ss and hurled it at the iing


    person. "I said scram!"


    The ss hit the door, fell to the ground, and smashed into pieces. On the other hand, the other person


    didn''t even dodge. Emmanuel turned around and saw Corey looking at him coldly, the air around him


    tense. "Here to interrogate your father?" He harrumphed and straightened his clothes out, then sat


    behind his desk, losing all the kindness he had shown at Silver Gardens earlier.


    Corey wasn''t surprised by his father''s sudden change of attitude. He stood firm and approached him.


    Coolly, he said, "What are you trying to do to Kathy?"


    Emmanuel frowned in response, and then he smiled. "Thought you''d ask me why I poisoned you. I


    didn''t expect you to be concerned about her." He smirked at his son. "You hid your feelings well. She


    probably doesn''t know you like her so much."


    When he heard that, Corey froze momentarily, then said, "We''re old friends."


    "You can''t lie to me, boy." Emmanuel didn''t believe him, and he waved him down. "You can hide all you


    like, but I can see through you. That''s how blood works. You might hate your bloodline, but you''re one


    of us, and you must ept that."


    Corey took a deep breath and stopped the conversation. Coldly, he said, "I''vee to ask you what


    you intend to do to her."


    Emmanuel chortled and replied, "I can''t do anything to her. You''re making things up. I didn''t do anything


    to her back at her ce."


    "Then, who was it you were calling?"


    The sudden exposure made Emmanuel''s face fall. He narrowed his eyes, his lips curling down. "Didn''t


    take you for an eavesdropper."


    Corey stared into his father''s eyes, trying to find an answer.


    Emmanuel''s face fell when he met his son''s gaze. "This has nothing to do with you. Get back to your


    room."


    However, Corey refused to budge. There was tension in the air as he faced off against his father. "I


    don''t care what you do with your life, but I won''t sit out if you try toy a finger on Kathy. Who''s your


    benefactor, and whom were you calling? What are you two up to? Are you trying to hurt her?"


    Emmanuel''s face fell in response, and he mmed his hand on the table, fury filling his eyes. Already


    angered by Jayden''s attitude, he lost his temper at Corey''s persistent probing andshed out at him.


    "You''re interrogating me? You''re a part of this family, boy, and she almost ruined us. How dare you help


    her? Are you daft or dumb?"

 Chapter 417

    Chapter 417


    Chapter 416 Imprisonment


    Emmanuel shot up and roared, "You think you get to question what I do? As long as I am alive, you can


    never be the leader of this house!"


    Sharon noticed themotion. Worried about her son, she quickly came in and tried to de-escte the


    situation. "What are you two doing? Corey had juste home after so long. Can you stop yelling at


    him? He needs to heal."


    Emmanuel sneered, "I''m not trying to yell at him. He should''ve stayed in his room if he wanted to heal,


    note here and tell me what to do."


    Since she couldn''t convince Emmanuel to stand down, she turned to her son. "Let''s go, son. You need


    to rest. You''ve given me a proper scare, you know. Quick, go back to your room. Don''t make your


    father mad."


    Corey didn''t move. He kept staring at Emmanuel. "I don''t care whom you want to hurt, but if you try to


    do anything to Kathy, I will stop you." He then turned to leave.


    "What are you doing?!" Emmanuel asked.


    Corey didn''t answer. He merely kept walking away. A hint of fury clouded Emmanuel''s eyes, and he


    called for his guards. "Stop him and take him to his room! Do not let him leave without my permission,


    or I''ll break your legs!"


    His bodyguards quickly approached the study and surrounded Corey. Apologetically, one of them said,


    "Master Corey, please go back to your room."


    Corey turned around and looked at Emmanuel coldly. "Why? Are you trying to imprison me?"


    "Why? Can''t I? I am your father. I can do whatever I want." He shot his bodyguards a look. "Take him


    away and confiscate all hismunicating devices. Do not let him contact anyone."


    Corey''s eyes went red with rage. He gnashed his teeth and looked at Emmanuel coldly like he was his


    nemesis. However, he was too weak to fight these bodyguards, so he was taken back to his room. He


    could do nothing but watch as they took his phone andputer away with a tense look. Even though


    he had no idea who Emmanuel''s benefactor was, he was sure they would attack Katherine.


    Katherine¡­ The thought of Katherine made him sit down. He hung his head low and buried it in his


    arms.


    ¡­


    When David came back and didn''t see Corey, he panicked. "How low can they go? They took him back


    after what they did to him?"


    Katherine had already calmed down by then. Coolly, she said, "They''re family, after all. Emmanuel


    probably thinks he can still use Corey."


    A worried David frowned and paced around the living room. "What should we do now? Just watch him


    go back to that hell of a home?"


    Katherine looked at her phone. "I''ve sent someone to stake the Gray Residence out. I don''t think


    Emmanuel''s going to hurt him. Corey needs to rest and heal up. Hope he won''t be subjected to any


    more torture."


    David still thought they couldn''t just wait around. "My family is friends with the Grays. I''ll check on him."


    Katherine knew he was worried about his friend, but she said, "You can''t see him even if you go."


    Confused, David asked, "Why?"


    "Corey must have had a falling out with Emmanuel. The fact he took Corey back meant he won''t let him


    go that easily. He''ll have Corey under tight security, and they''re going to refuse your meeting him. I


    don''t know what kind of excuse they''ll use, but they will stop you."


    David''s frown deepened. "The Grays are too much."


    Katherine snickered. "Too much? He poisoned his own son. Keeping him imprisoned is the best Corey


    could hope for."


    Still, David was worried. "I need to make a trip anyway. At least find out what their deal is."


    Katherine wouldn''t stop him. "Sure. Your family is friends with them. They won''t hurt or do anything to


    you."


    David left after a while. Thereafter, Katherine had dinner with Noah and put her to sleep before she


    called Joaquin.


    Not long after, Joaquin picked his phone up. With a tired voice, he said, "Kathy."


    Katherine felt her heart melt a little, and then worry came. "What''s wrong? Are you down with a cold?"


    Joaquin massaged his forehead. "No. I''m just busy."


    Still worried, she asked, "Have you seen your family? What happened?"


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    The mention of the Levisays made Joaquin put his hand down. A smirk curled his lips as he replied,


    "Yes, and just as we suspected, it was a trap."


    Katherine frowned. "What kind of excuse did theye up with this time?"


    "Doesn''t matter. Their goal wasn''t to split my shares up. Their goal is W Co."


    Katherine froze for a moment before realizing what was going on. "They''re holding your shares hostage


    and asking you to establish a partnership between W Co. and Levisay Group?"


    Joaquin snickered. "Yep, and a permanent one at that. Since they can''t convince you or me to do that,


    they came up with this n. They said I haven''t made any contributions to thepany and they won''t


    reward someone who hasn''t done anything to help out thepany."


    Joaquin''s shares were his, but as the highest executive of thepany, John can always pull some


    trick and take the shares back.


    Katherine never thought she would bring so much trouble to Joaquin just because she told everyone


    she was W Co.''s boss, and it made her feel a bit guilty. "Um¡­" She wanted to say something, but


    Joaquin stopped her.


    "I can handle this. Don''t worry. The more they want to use W Co. to raise themselves to a higher level,


    the more I won''t let them. If they''re going to hold us hostage, then I don''t have to hold back anymore."

 Chapter 418

    Chapter 418


    Chapter 417 Reshuffling


    "Do you have a n?" Katherine pursed her lips.


    Joaquin chuckled. His sour mood was finally lifted. "Don''t look down on me. I''m not as weak as you


    think."


    There was a hint of teasing in his voice, and Katherine blushed. She lowered her voice a little while


    saying, "I didn''t say you were weak."


    Joaquin thought she was being coy. He cocked his eyebrow and felt delighted. "Just trust me on this. I


    can handle things on this side." He then asked, "What about Noah?"


    "She just fell asleep." Katherine pursed her lips and tensed up, then she told him about Emmanuel


    taking Corey away.


    Joaquin frowned. "Emmanuel''s men went toe-to-toe with the Vermillion Alliance? Impossible."


    Katherine''s eyes glinted. "I thought it was weird. Even if he wanted Corey, he wouldn''t have spent so


    much money to hire those men."


    "So¡­" Joaquin was silent for a moment. "You suspect it was his benefactor?"


    "Yes. Emmanuel had no need to take Corey away. The only exnation is that his benefactor lent his


    power to him."


    "Then, his benefactor is not to be underestimated."


    Katherine smirked. "Of course. Not everyone can save Gray Corporation. Even the other aristocratic


    families tried to avoid them. The fact that his benefactor stepped in meant he wanted to use Emmanuel


    to get something. He even lent him some of their men. Obviously, their goal is important." But I still


    can''t figure out what they''re trying to get.


    Joaquin was worried. "Want me to send in some of my men? If Carmine and her team¡­"


    Katherine declined. She didn''t take these enemies seriously. "No. Emmanuel''s taken Corey away. He


    can''t take anything more from me. He knows I''ve given my grandpa''s stuff away, so he won''te


    after me. Even if he does, he won''t win that easily against the Vermillion Alliance. A battle''s oue is


    always uncertain." Unbeknownst to her, Emmanuel''s team was just a fraction of the traps Jayden had


    laid out for her.


    Joaquin mused over it and heaved a sigh. "I see. I can''t leave for now, but I''ll go back once I settle


    things here."


    "Sure," said Katherine softly.


    They talked for a bit more before hanging up the call.


    Just then, someone knocked on the door. Joaquin ced his phone on the table and sat down before


    saying, "Come in."


    Soon, Jeremy walked in, announcing, "He''s here, Mr. Levisay."


    Calmly, Joaquin said, "Let him in."


    "Yes, sir." Jeremy went back out and led a man in a suit in.


    The man was obviously an elite of society, but he humbled himself before Joaquin. "You''re looking for


    me, Master Joaquin?"


    Joaquin grunted and pointed to the seat opposite from him. "Sit, Mr. North."


    The man who just walked in was Arlo North. After saying thanks, he strode to the opposite side of the


    table to sit down.


    Joaquin poured a cup of tea for him and cut to the chase, "Did you bring what I told you to, Mr. North?"


    Arlo nodded and handed a file to him before taking a sip of tea.


    Joaquin took over the file, skimmed through it, and a sneer curled his lips. "I see we have a lot of


    parasites."


    Arlo put his cup down and heaved a sigh. "Yeah. To think Alexander had raised thepany up to the


    top of this city''s hierarchy, but now it''s so corrupt in such a short span of time. It''s lost its old glory."


    Arlo was a student of Alexander, and Alexander was the one who saw his talent. Back when he was


    still a newbie in the business world, he learned a lot from Alexander and saw a lot of stuff. Slowly but


    surely, he made his way to the crux of the administrative section. Alexander noticed his talent and


    raised him to the pinnacle of the business world, and Arlo worshipped him. In the end, he managed to


    be Alexander''s most trusted ally.


    Before Alexander passed on, he told Arlo to keep a close eye on thepany but to never interfere


    unless he absolutely had to. Alexander knew his son too well. John was not a man who would tolerate


    the existence of anyone better than him in thepany, so Alexander left Arlo with a task. No matter


    what happened, Arlo must take Joaquin''s side and help him out. Thanks to that, Arlo became Joaquin''s


    spy.


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    "Alexander loved you. If he knew you were set up and had your power taken away, he would be


    devastated." Arlo sighed.


    Joaquin put the file down. "I don''t care much for thispany. They can take my power away for all I


    care."


    Arlo paused for a moment and quickly said, "But thispany is Alexander''s life''s work. I know you


    might not care about it, but you can''t leave it for dead."


    Joaquin fell silent for a moment and said, "Calm down, Mr. North. What I''m saying is if John and Robert


    can run thispany, I can always leave things in their hands, but things are different now." He paused


    and narrowed his eyes. "Sometimes, just because you want to stay away from things doesn''t mean


    trouble won''te knocking. He''s running thepany to the ground. Hence, I must act." He wouldn''t


    leave his grandfather''s life''s work in an ipetent buffoon''s hands.


    Arlo calmed down and nodded. "If you were to take over thepany, I''m sure we can rise back to the


    top."


    Joaquin shook his head. "I can interfere, but I won''t being back right away. Nevertheless, a


    reshuffling is in order, and we can substitute some people out for our men."

 Chapter 419

    Chapter 419


    Chapter 418 An Imminent Change


    "You wish to put our men into the top brass?" Arlo paused for a moment before asking, "Do you have


    someone in mind, Master Joaquin?"


    Joaquin narrowed his eyes, a smile filling them. Airily, he said, "I might have not helped out at the


    company much, but that doesn''t mean I did nothing. Before Grandpa died, he gave me a list of names.


    Names of people I can trust. I''ve stayed in touch with some of them over the years."


    Arlo was a little shocked, but he was also surprised. "So, you have a lot of allies here?"


    "You can say so." Joaquin nodded. "It''s all thanks to my father."


    That confused Arlo. "What do you mean?"


    "Remember how he doubled down on Grandpa''s followers right after he took over? He lost a lot of their


    trust that day, and those people had secretly been my spies. As the saying goes, Rome wasn''t built in


    one day. They never did submit to my father because of his behavior. He''s too narrow-minded. In fact,


    he tried to keep all thepany''s profit in his hands. Also, the rtives he made top brass are useless.


    They dragged thepany down, and a big part of thepany doesn''t like that, including my spies.


    However, my father ignored it. He thinks he can do anything just because he''s president."


    Arlo was reminded of the time John took over thepany right after Alexander died. It was¡­ a dark


    period. He sighed and shook his head. "Never underestimate the will of the people. Your father never


    did seem to understand that."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Joaquin snickered. "He''s an arrogant man. He thinks no one can take him down."


    "So¡­" Arlo hesitated for a moment before he asked, "Master Joaquin, who do you have in mind? The


    company might be in a state of disarray, but John still has a lot of people on his side. It''s not easy


    taking him down."


    A moment of silence ensued as Joaquin tapped his finger against the table. "The one I have in mind is


    a veteran. Someone who has a sizable number of shares and the power to call the shots. And he must


    be someone who has a bunch of followers too. He can''t take over right away. You can''t just rece a


    company''s president out of the blue. It''d be disastrous. We need to take it slow. Get the man to the


    position of VP so he can ''help'' my father with things."


    "Help" was just a euphemism, but Arlo knew Joaquin was trying to take power out of his father''s hands.


    If the VP was on their side, John could no longer make all the decisions himself.


    Arlo mused over the criteria. "Wait, it can''t be¡­" Reminded of something, his eyes shone. "Donovan?"


    Donovan Gant was Alexander''s most trusted ally alongside Arlo. They used to be his lieutenants.


    After Alexander died, Donovan took John''s side and became his confidant. That was why John didn''t


    attack him back when he was trying to shave off some of the veterans'' power. On top of that, he gained


    a lot of shares over the years, gaining status, power, and his own followers.


    Thinking Donovan betrayed Alexander, Arlo got into a fight with him and had a falling out. He


    remembered Donovan giving him a conflicted look, and he said, "I can understand why you won''t


    forgive me, Arlo, but I won''t exin myself. Time will prove my integrity. You''ll understand why I''m


    doing this."


    Beset by anger, Arlo scoffed at Donovan, but now he knew Donovan was speaking the truth. "Master


    Joaquin, he''s¡­ he''s your ally, isn''t he?" Arlo looked at Joaquin with anticipation in his eyes, hoping to


    get an affirmative answer.


    Joaquin didn''t let him down. He looked into Arlo''s eyes, cocked his eyebrow, and nodded. "Yes, he is."


    Arlo teared up, and he buzzed with excitement. "I see¡­ I see!" He seemed to be chiding himself. "So, it


    was all a misunderstanding, I see¡­"


    Joaquin understood how he felt, and he said, "Don''t beat yourself up. I told him to keep everything a


    secret."


    Arlo was confused. "Why did you do that, Master Joaquin? Because of that, we''ve been isting him


    all these years. Everyone thought he was a traitor."


    Joaquin smiled. "That''s what I was gunning for. John is wily. He wouldn''t believe Donovan is on his side


    unless he''s isted and turned into your enemy."


    Oh, so that''s how it is. "So, you set up a show just for Donovan to gain John''s trust."


    "Yes. He must''ve kept a close eye on Donovan for a long time. Only when he was sure Donovan had a


    falling out with you guys did he believe Donovan took his side for profit. He wouldn''t have trusted


    Donovan otherwise."


    I see. Poor Donovan. He was misunderstood for so many years. But I can understand him. "Sometimes


    we have to pay a price if we want to make something of ourselves. All the insults he''s received helped


    him gain John''s trust. And now it''s time to reap the rewards."


    "Yep." Joaquin poured a cup of tea for himself and blew on it, then he took a sip. "Now''s the time to


    stand up. John probably wouldn''t see thising. The man whom he thinks is a servant is actually a


    hunter." He ced the cup down and picked the file up, his eyes glinting with cunning. "It''s the monthly


    shareholder meeting tomorrow. Time to act."


    Arlo got excited. "You''reing tomorrow, Master Joaquin?"


    Joaquin cocked his eyebrow. "Naturally. It''s the meat of the show tomorrow. Time for a reshuffle in the


    company."

 Chapter 420

    Chapter 420


    Chapter 419 Shareholder Meeting


    When Katherine woke up the next day, she saw Noah spacing out right beside her. Noticing the vacant


    look in her eyes, Katherine woke up. At that moment, she felt her heart sink. As she sat up, her eyes


    shone while she stared at Noah. "What''s wrong, Noah?" she asked, her voice hoarse from her just


    waking up.


    Noah snapped out of it and turned around, her eyesing into focus, and she smiled. "You woke up,


    Mommy."


    Katherine heaved a sigh of relief and pulled the girl into her embrace, then she touched Noah''s


    forehead. No fever. She asked, "What were you thinking about? Why''d you spaced out? Did something


    happen?"


    Noah shook her head. "No. I had a dream."


    Katherine heaved a sigh of relief. She thought Noah was rpsing into her old self, and it scared her.


    Now that she was sure Noah was fine, Katherine asked, "What dream was it?"


    Noah tilted her head and frowned. "I remember seeing Daddy, but I couldn''t remember what dream it


    was. Tried to remember it, but nothing happened." She frowned, seemingly frustrated. Subsequently,


    she curled up in her mother''s embrace. "When can we go home, Mommy? I miss Daddy."


    Katherine blinked and patted her back. "Do you really want to go back that badly?"


    "Yeah." Noah nodded. "I want to see Daddy."


    "But he''s busy. Even if we go back, he won''t have time for you." Katherine suggested, "We''ll pack


    things up and go home once Xavier is here, alright?"


    Even though Noah wanted to go home as soon as possible, she still agreed to that. "Sure. We can


    wait. I don''t want to trouble Daddy if he''s busy."


    Katherine smiled and patted her head. "Good girl, Noah. What would you like for breakfast? I''m


    cooking."


    Noah''s eyes lit up, and she smiled sweetly. "I want some egg custard. You make the best egg custards,


    Mommy, and I''ve been wanting to have some for a long time."


    "Easy. Get up and wash yourself up. I''ll make your egg custardter." They went to the bathroom and


    brushed their teeth. Looking into the mirror, Katherine felt contentment and a surge of warmth flow over


    her body. She thought about what Noah told her earlier, and her thoughts wandered to Hovington.


    Wonder what Joaquin is doing.


    Meanwhile, Joaquin had breakfast and read the newspaper. Then, he changed into his suit and went to


    thepany.


    The receptionist was surprised to see him, but she quickly greeted him. "Master Joaquin, it''s¡­ it''s an


    honor to see you. What brings you here?"


    Joaquin shot her an icy look. "Why? Do I need your permission toe here?"


    The receptionist was terrified by his aura, and she shook her head. "No, of course not, but¡­ the


    president is calling a shareholder meeting today, so he might not have time for you."


    Joaquin wasn''t surprised that the receptionist showed him no respect. Even though he was a


    shareholder and a Levisay, he almost never showed up at thepany, and everyone saw him as an


    outsider. They only put up a fa?ade of politeness, but in reality, they looked down on him. He was


    nothing but an abandoned member of the family who would never inherit thepany, so there was no


    need to suck up to him. Joaquin didn''t really care about that. "I know, and that''s why I''m here. I am a


    shareholder, after all," he said coolly.


    The receptionist was bbergasted. Not once did Joaquin join the meeting before, so this came as a


    surprise. She had no idea what to say to that.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Joaquin wasn''t about to give her time to respond. He was getting impatient. "I am a shareholder.


    There''s no need to ask for permission for me to join a shareholders'' meeting." He went around the


    receptionist and made his way to the elevator.


    "Master Joaquin!" The receptionist froze. She then tried to stop him, but it was toote. Joaquin had


    gone into the elevator, so she had no choice but to call John''s assistant.


    When the assistant got the news, he knew things were going to go bad, so he ran to the elevator.


    Joaquin came to the top floor. The first thing he saw when the elevator doors slid back was John''s


    assistant waiting for him. He narrowed his eyes and emerged from the elevator. "You sure you want to


    stop me?"


    The assistant could feel the air around him getting sucked out. A chill ran down his spine, and he


    smiled drily. "This is not the best time, Master Joaquin. The president is calling a meeting. Please wait


    for him in the waiting room. I''ll tell the president you''re here when the meeting is over. You can see him


    then."


    Joaquin listened to him in cold silence and sneered, "So this is what thepany has be. A lowly


    assistant trying to order me around? I am not just thispany''s shareholder, you blithering fool. I am


    a part of the Levisay Family. You dare stop me?"


    The assistant was getting more and more fearful, but he had no choice. He had to stand before


    Joaquin. "No, that''s not it, sir. The president really has no time now."


    "I never said I was here for him," interrupted Joaquin. "I am a shareholder, and I am here for the


    meeting."


    The assistant was in a big dilemma. "Um¡­" He wanted toe up with an excuse to stop him, but


    Joaquin wouldn''t let that happen.


    "What? You want to stop me from joining a shareholders'' meeting when I am a shareholder myself?"


    Joaquin snickered and made his way to the meeting room, not giving the assistant any attention. He


    would barge in if he needed to.


    rm bells rang in the assistant''s head, and he chased after him. "Master Joaquin, the president has


    banned you from the meeting. You can''t just¡­"


    Joaquin shoved him away and pushed the meeting room''s door open. The one making the report


    stopped talking, and all shareholders turned around to see who the neer was. At that moment,


    everyone in the room was shocked to see Joaquin.

 Chapter 421

    Chapter 421


    John red at Joaquin sharply, like he was furious, but his son wasn''t even fazed. Joaquin knew his


    father would bring this up. This whole fiasco was only a show to force Joaquin to be the bridge between


    W Co. and Levisay Group. They thought he would do it to keep his shares.


    Before he could say anything, John noted tersely, "I know you don''t want to lose your shares, and I


    don''t wish to see that happen either. If you can bring profit to thepany, I can let you off the hook.


    We wish to have a part in one of W Co.''s projects. If you can take it for us, it''ll be great for the


    company''s future, and you can keep your shares. That''s not all; if you can take the project and form a


    partnership with us and W Co., I can offer you a position in thepany, and you''ll be among the top


    brass. That''s a good idea, isn''t it?"


    Amused, Joaquin wanted tough. He hung his head low, and his shoulders bobbed. He looked like he


    had just heard the best joke in the world.


    However, the other shareholders wondered what he was doing, and John frowned. "This is serious.


    Why are youughing?"


    Soon, Joaquin''s smile disappeared, but there was mockery in his eyes. "Something I heard was


    amusing."


    John narrowed his eyes in response. "What is?"


    "You. You''re a joke," Joaquin said curtly.


    John shot up, his eyes filled with rage, and he mmed his hand on the table. "Watch your tongue,


    boy! You''re talking to me."


    Then, Joaquin cocked his eyebrow, but he didn''t stand down. He was still looking nonchnt. "I know


    who you are, of course. The famous, prideful, proud president of Levisay Group. I don''t understand


    how naive you can be as an experienced businessman. Do you think thepany can take over W


    Co.''s project as it is? It''sughable. Even if I were to present the project to you, Levisay Group could


    never get a single cent of profit from it. No, in fact, this project will be its death knell."


    John was surprised by that, and everyone was confused by his statements.


    "H-How so?" someone asked.


    Furious, John roared, "Nonsense! We''re the top corporation in Hovington! Who else can take the


    project but us? Our partnership is the best deal on the table and will not impede thepany''s growth!


    Are you trying to curse us? You think I can let you handle any projects as you are right now?"


    Joaquin sneered at his remarks. There was no need to be courteous any longer, and he tossed a file


    over to John. "I bet you have no idea what''s happening with yourpany. Here, check it out. See how


    your most trusted allies have taken thepany''s assets bit by bit."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Everyone was bbergasted, including John. He was in a daze for moments, then when he snapped


    out of it, he turned his attention to the file. A moment of hesitationter, he picked it up, looking grim.


    He then took the documents out and skimmed through them. When he saw the content, his face turned


    ck as coal.


    At that moment, Joaquin watched him in silence, and he smiled. "I see you have no idea about all


    these things. You call yourself thepany''s leader and have no idea what your subordinates are


    doing. That is a fatal w in thepany. Mr. Levisay, thepany has not regressed under your


    leadership, but it is no longer as powerful as it was during Grandpa''s tenure. Haven''t you wondered


    why? Maybe it''s you."


    Angrily, John gnashed his teeth, and he roared, "What do you want?"


    Joaquin cocked his eyebrow in response. "Smart. That is but a copy of the original document. I have


    more. If you don''t want thepany, or you for that matter, to fall, you should step down as president


    and hand over the position to someone else. Being a chairman has its perks, you know. You wouldn''t


    lose any fame or renown and wouldn''t have to be concerned about thepany. All you have to do is


    sit at home, and we''ll pay you dividends. Good choice, isn''t it?"


    "N-No, that''s not great at all!"


    John''s supporters eventually spoke up after hearing those remarks.


    "Yeah! Mr. Levisay is in his best years. He can''t retreat like that. What are you doing, Joaquin?"


    "He''s been the one holding thepany together all these years. You can''t just tell him to resign


    because you have some papers in your hand."


    Joaquin looked at them as they kept attacking him, then he smiled. "Ah, you guys still don''t understand


    what this file means. Fine, I''ll exin." He looked around coolly and continued, "Within these files is the


    evidence of your wrongdoings. These acts of wrongdoing are enough to warrant an arrest and jail time


    of¡­ Probably a decade or two. As thepany''s leader, Mr. Levisay will also be arrested. Once your


    deeds go public, thepany will be locked down, and you and Mr. Levisay will be taken in for


    questioning. Then, it''s time for your verdict."


    Everyone was shaken by the statements and turned their eyes to John, asking him to confirm if it was


    true. Nheless, John''s face was ck as coal, and he red angrily at Joaquin. Through gritted


    teeth, he hissed, "Where did you find these?" These files are confidential, and they suffice as evidence


    of their deeds. There''s no way he could''ve found this unless¡­ He has allies in thispany! Then, he


    shot all the shareholders with a sharp look, trying to see through them. Some stared at him in disbelief,


    but some remained seated and calm like they weren''t involved.

 Chapter 422

    Chapter 422


    Witnessing the scene, John understood what was happening, and his expression instantly fell,


    resembling a dark stormy sky. Then, he swept a fierce, razor-sharp gaze across every shareholder''s


    face. "Over the past few years, Levisay Group has been nothing but beneficial to each of you. So, how


    could you do such a thing? Why would you betray me and work with someone else to scheme against


    thepany? Don''t you have a conscience?"


    After that was said, the other shareholders on his side began to reprimand those people.


    "That''s right! Don''t you have a conscience? Mr. Levisay has never shortened your dividends all these


    years, so how could you betray him?"


    "Are you trying to ruin Levisay Group?"


    "This is outrageous! You''re all ungrateful b*stards who don''t deserve Mr. Levisay''s trust!"


    "Mr. Levisay is too kind. He should have fired all of you and stripped you of your positions and shares!


    Otherwise, do you think you would have the chance to stay here and wreak havoc on Levisay Group?"


    "How shameless¡ª"


    As those being reprimanded sat and listened to the criticism of the others, some of them could no


    longer maintain theirposure. The first to stand up was Arlo North. He looked at the angry faces


    before him with a sneer. "Wreck havoc? Who''s the real one wrecking Levisay Group? How dare you all


    say such a thing? What a joke!"


    After hearing that, John red at him. "You¡ª"


    However, Arlo did not allow John to speak and rebuked him. "John Levisay, have you forgotten how


    hard it was for Old Mr. Levisay to establish Levisay Group and make it the toppany in Hovington?


    Don''t you remember how glorious thepany was when he was still here? Look at what thepany


    has be! Although it''s still the toppany in Hovington, it''s living off the previous profits we


    earned! Do you know how much money the Levisay Group has lost over the years and how corrupt it


    has be? Look at the documents in your hands; you may not be familiar with everything written


    there, but you certainly should be with the more significant matters! You even consented to it! Don''t you


    have a guilty conscience after doing such things? Do you think you can still face Old Mr. Levisay in the


    underworld after you die?"


    John was enraged by Arlo''s words, and he barked at him, "Arlo North!" Afterward, he mmed his


    hand so hard on the table that the sound reverberated throughout the room. Then, with a more high-


    pitched voice, he questioned, "Who do you think you are to use me of such things?"


    On the other hand, Arlo wasn''t afraid of him. "My words are insignificant, and my status isn''t as great


    as the others, but I vowed to protect the foundation Old Mr. Levisay worked so hard to build!"


    At that moment, a raspy but deep voice sounded inside the conference room. "Indeed, Arlo doesn''t


    have a high status, but¡­ I do have the right to speak up, don''t I?"


    Once that was said, everyone looked at the person speaking and took a sharp breath. The one who


    spoke was the stern-looking Donovan Gant. Even though he was a middle-aged man with wrinkles


    on his face, his domineering personality remained as overbearing as it had been for years. His hawk-


    like gaze swept across the faces of everyone in the room before finallynding on John''s shocked face.


    Then, Donovan calmly stood up.


    In the meantime, John was obviously in a state of disbelief. "Donovan, you¡ª"


    Before he could ask, Donovan cut him off. "John, are you done wrecking Levisay Group? When are


    you going to stop? After Levisay Group ispletely destroyed and goes bankrupt?"


    After hearing those words, John was stunned until he finally realized what was up. "So, it was you. It''s


    you!" He said it twice, and his tone changed from shock to anger. "Donovan, you were the one I trusted


    the most when I became the president! In the end, you''re the one who took the lead in betraying me!


    All of these people must have gotten orders from you. That''s why they dare to do such a thing!"


    After that, Donovan nced at John unhurriedly. "Don''t give me so much credit. They chose to go


    against you not because they listen to me but because they''re unsatisfied with how you run things.


    Most of them are seniors who had worked beside Old Mr. Levisay. Why don''t you ask them why they


    chose to betray you?" After saying that, he changed topics and smiled. "Come to think of it. They aren''t


    betraying you because they chose to stay loyal to Levisay Group from the moment they joined. The


    real betrayer in this room is you and your group of henchmen. You betrayed thepany. That is why


    you''re not wee here anymore!"


    "That''s right." At that moment, Joaquin, observing from the sidelines, came forward and stood beside


    Donovan at the front of the conference table. His handsome face didn''t show any emotion as he looked


    at John like he was a stranger. "The situation when grandpa was in charge is entirely different from


    when you were in charge, Mr. Levisay. Your men are too greedy, and you are also full of greed. I''m sure


    you know very well how many deficits there are in Levisay Group and that thepany will cease to


    exist if we don''t fill in those deficits."


    "You¡ª" Suddenly, John was so furious that he felt like exploding. He couldn''t form aplete


    sentence and kept repeating the word "you."


    Without giving him any time to take a breath, Joaquin questioned, "So, what''s your decision, Mr.


    Levisay? How are you going to deal with these documents?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    While gnashing his teeth, John stared at the files before him and realized he was already a tied-up


    criminal with no chance of escaping. He finally spoke up after a long silence and asked unwillingly,


    "What do you want?"


    Seeing how John was reacting, Joaquin smiled as his eyes were filled with mockery. "It seems like


    you''re quite sensible and decided not to go head-to-head with us."


    John heard the mockery in Joaquin''s voice and became even more furious. "Head-to-head? What''s the


    use of that?" He knew there was no opportunity for a turnaround when these documents had fallen into


    Joaquin''s hands. Once Joaquin turned over these documents to the police and had them investigated,


    it would implicate many of Levisay Group''s shareholders, all of whom were his men. Also, he knew that


    Joaquin must have leverage over him but wanted to use it as a trump card but didn''t reveal it. As he


    had anticipated, no one in the world was more cunning and devious than his son. "Say it. What do you


    want?" He asked impatiently.


    With a raised eyebrow, Joaquin didn''t beat around the bush. He looked at the crowd and announced,


    "From today onward, Mr. Levisay shall be Levisay Group''s chairman. He will no longer participate


    in any matters at thepany."


    When that was said, some people in the room immediately lost their cool.


    "No way! If Mr. Levisay bes the chairman and no longer participates in any matters at Levisay


    Group, who will be in charge of thisrge cooperation? Are you going to keep this position vacant?"


    "That''s right, or would you want to take that position? Joaquin, you don''t even know how to run a


    company. How can you take up the position ofpany president?"

 Chapter 423

    Chapter 423


    While being doubted by those people, Joaquin remained calm and spoke astutely, "Everyone, don''t


    worry. Despite being a shareholder, I have no interest in being president of thepany. After all, I


    have no interest in Levisay Group. However, as a shareholder and a Levisay, I can''t stand to see it fail,


    nor would I allow anyone to ruin my grandpa''s hard work. So, I would like to put my hand up for


    Donovan Gant to be the vice president and let him deal with thepany matters. Of course,


    he would have to discuss with the board regarding any huge decisions."


    When John heard that, his expression turned grim while his posse looked pale. Everyone knew that


    Joaquin was deliberately turning his father into a mere figurehead! Even though John would be


    chairman, hecked authority. So, what was the use of having that position? It was only a title that


    sounded nice!


    "How can that be¡ª" Someone tried to object, but Joaquin shot him a cold stare right after he began


    talking.


    "Why can''t it be like that? In terms of experience, Mr. Gant has more experience than all of you put


    together. Moreover, he was there every step of the way when my grandpa started the Levisay Group.


    Hence, his abilities areparable to everyone else''s in this room. As for loyalty, I''m sure no one is


    more loyal to thepany than him. So, no matter what criteria, he is the best candidate to take up the


    position of vice president and take over thepany''s matters." Those words were reasonable and


    justifiable, so no one in the room could rebuke them.


    After Joaquin finished speaking, there was a brief moment of silence. Then, several of those who


    supported Donovan stood and apuded to show their support.


    "I think it''s a good choice!"


    "Me too. I believe that appointing Donovan as vice president is the best choice!"


    "I agree with Mr. Levisay''s suggestion!"


    "I agree too¡­"


    When John''s supporters saw many people supporting that idea, they knew they had lost, so they kept


    quiet.


    In the meantime, John felt his heart sink to the bottom when he saw the scene, and his expression was


    as dark as coal.


    However, there was another pressing matter, so Joaquin looked around calmly and announced, "The


    people involved in the matters listed in this document have caused significant harm to thepany,


    and I believe they are unfit to remain with Levisay Group. They should be punished, their shares should


    be revoked, and their employment terminated."


    As soon as Joaquin said that, a few people immediately turned pale, and they all looked toward John,


    hoping he could help them. However, he couldn''t even protect himself. So, how could he manage to


    save himself and his men?


    After hearing that, John gritted his teeth, and his eyes widened with anger as he gave Joaquin a death


    stare. It was like he wanted to swallow his son. "Very well. Very well, indeed! You even dare to deal


    with my men! How ruthless of you! You''re such a ''good'' son!"


    To that, Joaquin calmly replied, "Thank you for thepliment. This is nothing. You haven''t seen what


    I''m capable of."


    John was at a loss for words. Ultimately, he felt embarrassed and red at Joaquin before leaving the


    conference room without turning back.


    Suddenly, the atmosphere inside the conference room became awkward as John''s posse looked at


    each other before leaving with pale faces.


    After a while, only Donovan''s supporters remained inside the conference room.


    Donovan then turned around and looked at Joaquin with admirable and respectful eyes, feeling


    relieved and grateful. "Mr. Levisay, thank you. Old Mr. Levisay would be proud to know what you''ve


    done for Levisay Group."


    When facing these people, Joaquin became less cold and more respectful. "Mr. Gant, you''re


    ttering me. I''m only doing what I should. I''ll leave the future of Levisay Group in your capable hands."


    After that, he nced around at the other people there and nodded. "Everyone should be on high alert


    because John Levisay will not give up easily and may try something else."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll keep our eyes on him." Donovan agreed and added, "Mr. Levisay, are you really not


    nning on returning to Levisay Group?"


    After a brief pause, Joaquin replied, "Not for the moment. In any case, I''m relieved to have you in


    charge of thepany."


    Hearing that answer, Donovan thought it was a pity and patted Joaquin''s shoulder. "Alright. I''ll help you


    take care of thispany. You can ask me anything anytime. You are always wee to return to


    Levisay Group and take the position. The president of Levisay Group will always be you."


    ¡­


    After exiting the Levisay Group, Joaquin got in the car and immediately took out his phone to call


    Katherine.


    "How is it? Have you settled the matter?" Her worried voice was heard right after the call was


    connected.


    Soon, the coldness inside his eyes melted and gradually faded. A gentle smile finally appeared on his


    face, and his expression rxed. "Yes. It''s all settled. I just left thepany." He parted his thin lips


    and replied gently.


    When Katherine heard that reply, she finally felt relieved and sighed lightly. Then, she couldn''t help but


    exhort Joaquin. "Now that you''ve pushed John out of his position, he won''t forgive you that easily. You


    should be more careful because he is full of vicious tricks."


    When he heard that, he raised an eyebrow and looked out the window calmly. "Don''t worry. I know


    what to do." After that, he changed the topic. "Where''s Noah?"


    Then, she looked beside her and saw the little girl with an excited face. She chuckled and gave her


    phone to her daughter. "Here. Your daddy is asking for you."


    The little girl was super excited and took over the phone before hurriedly speaking into the speaker.


    "Daddy! I''m here!"


    Her soft and cute voice melted Joaquin''s heart and filled it with gentleness when he heard it. "Noah, did


    you miss me?"


    "I did!" the little girl replied. "I missed you so much! Mom and I can return to Hovington once Mr. tt


    returns from Mr. Gray''s house. Then, our family will be reunited!"


    "Oh, is that so?" Joaquin chuckled. "Then, I''ll await your return and fetch you from the airport."


    The father-and-daughter duo talked for a while before reluctantly ending the call.


    "Mom, Mr. tt has gone to Mr. Gray''s house for a long time. Why isn''t he back yet? When will he be


    back?" After putting the phone back on the coffee table, Noah ced her hands together and asked


    expectantly.


    Katherine noticed Noah''s impatience and found it amusing, so she pinched her small cheeks.

 Chapter 424

    Chapter 424


    "Are you so eager to go home and see your daddy? When are you so dependent on him?"


    Noah smiled shyly at that question, and her eyes were squinted into little crescents. "I miss Daddy a lot


    and depend on you too, Mom. I love you and Daddy the most. I want our family to be together."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Katherine''s heart was warmed by the little girl''s words. Back at the Cornells, she had never


    experienced the warmth and love of being part of aplete family. After what she had been through,


    she didn''t want her daughter to go through the same thing. Immediately, she hooked her lips into a


    gentle smile. "Okay. We''ll wait until Mr. ttes back. Once he returns and everything turns out


    well, we can go home."


    "That''s great." The little girl beamed and nodded.


    After some time, David returned, but he did not appear happy and emanated a gloomy aura.


    "How was it?" When Katherine saw him, she had a bad premonition.


    He poured himself a cup of water and drank it in one go as if he were trying to put out the fire inside


    him. However, when David started speaking, he couldn''t suppress his anger and frowned. "I thought of


    this matter too simply! Emmanuel Gray isn''t an ordinary person. He''s truly ruthless! He even put Corey


    under house arrest!"


    Katherine was shocked to hear that and asked, "House arrest? What happened?"


    "When I got there, I didn''t see anyone besides Emmanuel. So, I told him I wanted to check on Corey,


    but Emmanuel refused, iming that Corey had recovered and was resting. Ultimately, I had a hunch


    that something wasn''t right, so I had someone look into it. Then, I discovered Emmanuel had ced


    Corey under house arrest after bringing him home. Moreover, he had also ced Corey''s mother under


    house arrest. It''s like he''s afraid she would let Corey escape or something. How could someone like


    that call himself a father? That ispletely insane!"


    At that point, her face had turned gloomy, and her clear eyes suddenly had a glimmer of coldness.


    "Someone who could poison his own son couldn''t be an ordinary person, so it''s reasonable that he


    would do something like putting them under house arrest. Moreover, now that he and Corey had gotten


    into a dispute, keeping Corey locked up at home is the best way to keep him under control."


    "Can he keep Corey locked up forever? He wouldn''t let Corey spend the rest of his life in that room,


    would he?" David gritted his teeth as his expression became ghastlier.


    On the other hand, Katherine seemed calmer. After that, she narrowed her eyes and thought about it.


    Soon, she understood why this was happening. "Don''t fret. I don''t think Emmanuel would keep him


    locked up forever. This might be temporary, and Corey would be released after this matter ends."


    David was puzzled upon hearing that. "What do you mean?"


    Sitting opposite him, she poured herself a cup of water and took two sips. "Someone must be assisting


    Gray Corporation''s turnaround, and that someone might not be whom you''d expect. That person


    supporting thepany might want to make Emmanuel a henchman, so Corey might have considered


    this possibility and gone home to confront Emmanuel. Perhaps, Corey found out something, or he


    might not have discovered the whole truth, but no matter which it is, Emmanuel wouldn''t take such a


    risk. Therefore, he would want to hide the truth from Corey, and if he wanted Corey to not know


    anything, the only way is to shut Corey up. Now that Corey is locked up and can''t contact the outside


    world, he can''t tell anyone what he knows. This is why Emmanuel did what he did."


    After listening to Katherine''s exnation, David frowned even more. "Then, who is the person behind


    Emmanuel? Why would he go through so much just to save apany that is about to go bankrupt?


    Even the other three noble families were unwilling to help the Grays, so why did that guy decide to help


    them?"


    After hearing that, she quickly replied, "To deal with me."


    After Katherine said that, David was taken aback, but he responded quickly and understood what she


    meant. "Are you saying someone wants to use the Grays to get to you?"


    "That might be it." She nodded. "Until this point, the Grays and I have a grudge, and I am why Gray


    Corporation has fallen to the point of almost getting bankrupt. I suppose the one behind all this wants to


    use Emmanuel''s hatred and hostility against me, making him a pawn to deal with me."


    Nheless, there was also the possibility that she was overthinking this matter. After all, Emmanuel


    had made lots of enemies all these years. That was why the other three noble and prominent families


    didn''t help the Grays when they faced the crisis. It might also be because the person in the back


    wanted to use Emmanuel to deal with the other three noble families. No one was sure, but Katherine''s


    intuition told her it might be the first possibility.


    After a moment''s silence, David was worried. "What are we going to do now? Do you have any clue


    about who is the person behind Emmanuel?"


    She shook her head in response. "I have no idea."


    If she had to pick a possible suspect, that would be Jayden. However, she had injured him so seriously


    that it was unlikely for him to make a move after such a short period. As for the others¡­ Since


    revealing her identity as W Co.''s president, she had unwittingly amassed many enemies, making it


    challenging to identify the culprit. Still, no matter what, it wouldn''t be a good idea to stay in Kynd.


    "Since the enemy is in the dark and we''re out in the open, the situation isn''t looking too good for me, so


    I have to return to Hovington."


    "You''re leaving?" David pursed his lips. "What about Corey?"


    "You don''t need to worry about him." Katherine gave him a reassuring nce. "Emmanuel must be


    guarding against me, so once I leave, he wouldn''t do anything to Corey and would release him after a


    while."


    After listening to her insight, he decided not to ask her to stay. "When are you going to leave? I''ll send


    you off."


    She shook her head in response and replied, "No thanks. You should go home. You''ve been staying


    here all this while and should take a rest. Since I''m going to leave, I need to start packing. I''m nning


    on leaving tonight."


    "Is it safe for you and Noah to go out alone?" David was worried.


    "We''re going to be fine, and I have Carmine''s men with me."


    When he heard that, he grunted before nodding. "Fine. I won''t send you off, then. Be careful on the


    way, and remember to call me once you reach Hovington."


    Katherine nodded. "Sure."


    ¡­


    On the other hand, she had oversimplified the situation in her head. She had underestimated Jayden''s


    resolve to exact revenge and his ruthlessness. Also, he had expected that Katherine wouldn''t go over


    the bottom line and kill him because of their past rtionship. Therefore, he decided to make a move


    before she did.


    That evening, after buying their tickets, she and Noah began to pack their bags. The little girl was so


    excited that she was going home that she quickly packed her stuff. Meanwhile, Katherine watched her


    and found her behavior amusing. Suddenly, she heard the roar of several car engines outside the


    window!

 Chapter 425

    Chapter 425


    The uproar was pretty loud, indicating arge number of people outside.


    Katherine was immediately alerted, and her face became solemn as she approached the window.


    When she looked down, she saw several Jeeps had surrounded Silver Gardens from all directions.


    Meanwhile, Carmine, who had also heard themotion, reacted immediately and led her


    subordinates outside. Then, they got into a protective stance to protect the vi behind them.


    Katherine kept a stony face as she observed the events below from the second floor and made a few


    educated guesses. As she had anticipated, she saw several familiar faces as the people in the Jeep


    exited the vehicle in unison. These were the same people Emmanuel had brought with him thest


    time! At that moment, her gaze became a little harsh as she pursed her lips and watched every move


    the people below made.


    After alighting from the vehicle, these people made a beeline for the entrance and rushed in without


    hesitation. On the other hand, Carmine''s subordinates weren''t easy to deal with either and immediately


    began fighting the intruders.


    Katherine thought there wouldn''t be any problems at first, but her face turned ghastly when she saw


    how lopsided the situation was. Even though they were the same people who hade before, their


    combat skills had greatly improved! Also, she could see that those people were using the same secret


    technique as the Vermillion Alliance!


    Nevertheless, Carmine''s subordinates hadn''t expected this either. Their enemy immediately caught


    their weaknesses and attacked them harshly, defeating Carmine''s subordinates within a few minutes.


    This was a situation the Vermillion Alliance had never experienced before!


    When Katherine noticed the situation, she gritted her teeth and was about to head downstairs.


    "Mom." Noah suddenly called her at that moment, causing her to stop moving. The little girl couldn''t


    see what was happening downstairs and could only hear themotion, but she felt something wasn''t


    right. Her young and pale face was immediately filled with worry. "Did something happen to Carmine


    and the others downstairs? Why is it so noisy?"


    Looking down at the dumbfounded Noah, Katherine averted her eyes and squatted down to hug her.


    "Noah, I need to head downstairs. It''s dangerous downstairs, so you must not leave this room. No


    matter what movement you hear outside, do not leave this room. After I leave, you have to lock the


    door and only open the door once I return. I''lle to get you once I''ve settled the matters downstairs,


    and then we''ll go home, alright?"


    Her daughter was sensible and knew her mother must have a reason for making such an arrangement,


    so she immediately nodded. "Okay. Don''t worry, Mom. I''ll stay inside the room and won''t go outside."


    While she spoke, she ced her small hand on Katherine''s face. She caressed it whileforting her


    mother, "You must be careful too, Mom. Don''t get hurt, or Daddy and I will feel sad."


    As time was of the essence, Katherine hurriedly agreed and left the room. As soon as she exited the


    room and heard the door being locked, her expression turned icy as she descended the stairs.


    When she arrived at the entrance, she noticed that the fighting gap between the two parties was


    gradually widening. Carmine and her subordinates were clearly at a disadvantage and were putting up


    a valiant fight against the enemy.


    When Carmine saw Katherine from the corner of her eye, she quickly retreated and stood with her back


    against Katherine, wanting to protect her. "Miss, there''s something wrong with this situation. Bring Miss


    Noah with you and leave. We''ll hold them back!"


    Katherine frowned while watching the fierce battle between both sides. "How are you going to hold


    them back? Seeing how hard they''re fighting, it''s impossible for them to let me leave, and I can''t


    abandon you guys and go off alone!"


    The members of Vermillion Alliance were her subordinates, but they were also her family. For so many


    years, if the members of Vermillion Alliance hadn''t apanied her, guarded her, and done things for


    her, she wouldn''t be who she was. Therefore, she couldn''t leave them behind.


    However, Carmine didn''t want Katherine to take the risk and insisted, "Miss, you should stop¡ª"


    After hearing that, Katherine nced sideways at Carmine and stepped forward. "Stop talking and


    focus your attention in front. These people don''t seem normal, so something must be going on!" After


    saying that, she and Carmine stood side by side and attacked the people charging toward them with a


    composed attack.


    Katherine was clearly more skilled, so it was easy for her to deal with these people. She consecutively


    beat several people with quick, precise, and ruthless moves. During the fight, she kept having strange


    feelings.


    She noticed that these people''s attacks were inconsistent and mixed with a few techniques devised by


    the Vermillion Alliance. She felt that such incongruity was the worst. It was then that she realized why


    one of the top organizations in the world, the Vermillion Alliance, would get beaten up. Their enemies


    didn''t have aplete system or perfected training, causing them to be more unpredictable.


    In the meantime, Katherine''s ability to think while fighting allowed her to quickly pick up on her


    opponent''s rhythm and identify their weak points. Seizing the chance to get close to Carmine, she told


    Carmine, who told her subordinates, and the situation finally turned around.


    Gradually, the Vermillion Alliance had the upper hand, causing their opponent to lose their morality as


    the fight prolonged.


    At first, the sudden ambush was about to end, but no one expected the enemy to retreat sooner than


    Katherine imagined!


    Those who were still fighting stopped fighting and seemed to have reached a consensus or order, so


    they stopped fighting and retreated into their cars.


    Katherine was perplexed by the sudden turn of events and furrowed her eyebrows while watching


    those people retreat to their cars.


    Meanwhile, Carmine seemed satisfied and released a rxed breath. "These b*stards are finally


    gone!"


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    When Katherine saw those cars driving away, she kept her eyebrows knitted tightly as she suddenly


    realized a problem. "Why were they here in the first ce?"


    Carmine was stunned by the question. She gave it a thought but didn''t know how to reply. "Maybe they


    came here to capture you?" After grunting, she scratched her head as she was also confused. "What


    can they do after capturing you? These people should be Emmanuel''s people, but shouldn''t the Grays


    be busy reorganizing thepany? Could it be an act of revenge? Are they trying to show you what


    they''re made of and capture you so that they can teach you a lesson?"


    "Then, why did they give up in the end?" Katherine asked.


    Carmine thought about it and replied, "Isn''t it because they couldn''t defeat us, so they sensibly went


    away?"


    However, Katherine disagreed with that. "These people are obviously fighting differently than thest


    time. Do you remember how you felt when you fought with them thest time?"


    At the mention of the previous battle with these people, Carmine became solemn. "It was indeed very


    different. During thest time, they were a well-trained group and fought with vicious tactics, and their


    skills were on par with Vermillion Alliance. This time, it was like they deliberately gave up their previous


    tactics and insisted on using some unorganized tactics. Also, they even imitated our moves¡ª"

 Chapter 426

    Chapter 426


    While Carmine spoke, she gradually felt like something wasn''t right. "How could they learn the


    Vermillion Alliance''s moves so quickly? Although they hadn''t mastered those moves, they''d learned at


    least seventy to eighty percent. It means they arepetent, so they must have deliberately chosen to


    fight with us this way!"


    "You''re right." Katherine nodded. "These people are deliberately disrupting the Vermillion Alliance''s


    rhythm. That is why you guys were at a disadvantage initially and kept getting beaten up. Once you find


    their w, it''s easy to defeat them. So, the question is, why would they do such a thing? Why would


    they take us head-on?"


    After the conversation, Carmine fell into deep thought, and a sudden insight came. "Miss, perhaps¡­


    There''s a possibility that they never intended to take us head-on?"


    There is a possibility that they never intended to take us head-on, but what could be the reason for their


    actions? With so many thoughts running around in her head, Katherine forced herself to remain calm


    and carefully think about it. Suddenly, she turned ghastly and immediately looked up at the second


    floor. Her gazended on the window of the room Noah was in!


    Carmine followed her gaze and looked up as well. She seemed to have understood something and


    instantly turned pale too. "Miss, are you suspecting¡ª" Before she could finish, she saw Katherine


    dashing into the vi. Her heart sank, and she quickly followed behind Katherine.


    The two ran upstairs one after another and made a beeline for Noah''s bedroom. When they saw the


    wide open door, their hearts sank. No one was inside the room, and the little girl was nowhere to be


    seen!


    "Miss Noah¡ª" Carmine tensed up immediately and looked through every nook and cranny inside the


    room. Finally, she gulped and said, "Miss Noah might have been taken away¡ª"


    That possibility was now a reality, and Katherine''s expression soon became as icy as her bottomless


    eyes. She finally understood why those people suddenly attacked them. It wasn''t to take them head-on


    but rather to buy time! Perhaps, their initial target was her, but once they saw she wasn''t easily caught,


    they decided to stall for time and turn their attention to Noah! They took her daughter!


    Clearing her mind, she felt like she had fallen into an ice cave. She closed her eyes and forced herself


    to calm down, trying to remain clear-minded. In her mind was the scene when Emmanuel looked at


    Noah before he left that day. Then, she opened her eyes and took out her phone to make a call.


    It wasn''t long before someone answered the call. "Oh, my. Isn''t this Miss Cornell? This is the first time


    you''ve called me. What''s the matter? Is there something you want to ask from me?"


    It was Emmanuel''s voice, and he was as arrogant as ever. Katherine could even imagine how he was


    behaving by listening to his voice.


    However, she didn''t beat around the bush and got straight to the point. She spoke in such a cold, icy


    voice. "Where did you take my daughter?"


    Nheless, he was unfazed and began leisurely avoiding the subject. "What do you mean took her?


    Miss Cornell, you used me of something straight away. It caught me off-guard. What''s the matter?


    Has your daughter gone missing? That''s not good. You must be very anxious, but I''m unsure why you


    called me. Could it be that you suspect me of kidnapping your daughter? That''s simply nonsense."


    Emmanuel''s voice was obviouslyced with gloat as if he was deliberately provoking Katherine. "Miss


    Cornell, don''t you forget that Gray Corporation has just dealt with a crisis, so where would I find the


    time to find trouble with you, let alone kidnap your cute little daughter? So, you should look for


    someone else. As for me, I have something to do."


    After saying that, he was prepared to hang up, but she suddenly spoke up. "That bunch of people


    aren''t yours, am I right? Who dispatched them to help you?"


    When Emmanuel heard that question, he rolled his eyes before speaking again. "Oh, you''re talking


    about those people. Are you sure they are the ones who took your daughter? I want to rify that those


    people have nothing to do with me. I merely rehired the same people, so our rtionship is purely


    transactional, and I have not contacted them since then. So, if you''re looking for them, you''vee to


    the wrong person because I don''t have any news about them."


    This time, he didn''t wait for Katherine''s response and hung up immediately.


    On the other hand, he sat on his office chair, happily sipping his tea and feeling joyous. When he


    reflected on the difficult days that he endured due to that woman, he felt furious. This time, he naturally


    wouldn''t give up such a good opportunity. He had to make that woman feel as anxious as he was. It


    would be best if she would frantically run around like a headless chicken because that would make


    things more interesting!


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    At that moment, his assistant knocked on the door and walked in after receiving permission. "Mr. Gray,


    we''ve got her. She''s currently at the abandoned building in the northern suburbs."


    "Very good." Emmanuel sipped his tea again and asked slowly, "Where are those people?"


    "They are still guarding the building, saying they''re waiting for you to report to Mr. Hall."


    The word "report" made Emmanuel feel exceptionally ufortable, as it sounded like he was inferior


    to Jayden. Nheless, given his current circumstances, he was clearly beneath Jayden. He had no


    choice but to put up with this disparity. "I understand. You may leave."


    The assistant left shortly after that, and Emmanuel remained seated for a while longer before he


    grudgingly called Jayden.


    "Is it done?" Jayden asked directly in hiszy voice on the other end of the call.


    "Yes, it''s done. Katherine''s daughter has been brought to an abandoned building in the northern


    suburbs," Emmanuel reported the results.


    In the meantime, Jayden was satisfied with what he heard. "Katherine isn''t someone easy to deal with


    and capturing her alive is not easy. Fortunately, she brought her daughter here, which gives us an easy


    target." Then, he changed the topic and ordered, "You can call Katherine now. Tell her she must go to


    the abandoned building alone if she wants to save her daughter."


    Hearing that, Emmanuel fell silent and hesitated. "Are we going to inform her so soon? Shouldn''t we let


    her worry for a while longer?"


    However, Jayden had a different idea and immediately warned Emmanuel, "Do as I say and don''t


    cause any unnecessary trouble." With his understanding of Katherine''s character, she could turn


    Kynd on its head. There was no telling what might happen if they gave her some time and an


    opportunity. Moreover, he would not allow any mishaps in this matter, and since there was a huge


    opportunity, he must seize it! He had to get that woman under his control as soon as possible!

 Chapter 427

    Chapter 427


    Since that was Jayden''s order, Emmanuel dared not say anything more. Instead, he obediently


    epted the order despite being unhappy about it. "Okay. I''ll inform her as soon as possible."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Hovington, the news of John getting dismissed and secretly promoted to the position of


    chairman was soon announced by Levisay Group''s public rtions department. In less than half a day,


    that news had spread throughout the city and caused quite a stir.


    ''Could it be? I thought my eyes were ying tricks on me. So, the president is now the chairman.


    However, I remember him being quite young. How could he have stepped down so soon?''


    ''He didn''t step down from his position. He was forced to give it up. As for him bing the chairman,


    it''s only a nice title. The chairman from otherpanies still has authority, but look at Mr. Levisay. He


    doesn''t have any of that! The announcement clearly says that from now on, the new vice president and


    the board of directors will discuss and decide allpany matters! Though it says they would discuss


    those matters, I think the new vice president could probably decide most of the matters on his own."


    ''What the heck! Things at Levisay Group have changed so quickly. I don''t think anyone saw this


    coming, and John Levisay might have also been shocked.''


    The public wasn''t stupid, and they quickly realized there must have been some kind of conflict between


    the two sides, so they started asking for the inside scoop.


    ''I did some digging on the new vice president, and oh, boy, he''s a real senior. He had fought alongside


    Old Mr. Levisay when he conquered the business industry back then, and he''s Old Mr. Levisay''s most


    trusted partner!''


    ''Could it be that Old Mr. Levisay''s old followers had regained control over Levisay Group? I remember


    how Old Mr. Levisay ran thepany is different from how Mr. Levisay is currently running it.''


    ''There''s something even more shocking! Just now, my friend at Levisay Group said that Joaquin had


    attended the shareholders'' meeting that day!''


    Once that news came out, it immediately attracted the attention of manyizens.


    ''Joaquin? I thought he didn''t work in the Levisay Group. So, why would he attend the meeting?''


    ''Even if he doesn''t work there, he is still Levisay Group''s shareholder. I heard that he was the one who


    caused this situation.''


    ''Could Joaquin have helped this new vice president to this position? Is he looking to take over Levisay


    Group as well?''


    ''ording to the Levisay Group notice, the changes do not include Joaquin. So, he still has no position


    at Levisay Group. This is so confusing! What is he trying to do?''


    ''Jeez! So, what if he doesn''t have a position? He can easily turn the tides and even y his father into


    the palm of his hand. What can''t he do? I think he probably doesn''t care about having a position inside


    the Levisay Group. He is a shareholder, so he can sit back and earn the dividends.''


    ''Tsk! I''m so jealous, but Joaquin is definitely something. He''s usually quiet andys low, but who would


    have thought he could do something like this?''


    ''Of course. Did you forget that he''s from Area Seven? When ites to intelligence and means, no


    one can beat him¡ª''


    Soon, the Inte was filled with discussions on this matter. With such a hugemotion, the Levisay


    Family would naturally know about it too.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    That was why Elizabeth anxiously came forward after John returned home. There was a big frown on


    her wrinkled face, and she asked, "Is it true that Joaquin has stripped you of your authority and position


    at Levisay Group?"


    On the side, Hera had been worried for the whole day, so she urged John, "Honey,e on. What


    happened?"


    He had been frustrated by his inability to express his anger elsewhere, and upon returning home, he


    completely lost it. However, he didn''t answer immediately but went to the living room with a solemn


    expression. His gaze was so gloomy it was like a storm wasing.


    Noticing the situation, Hera came forward and patted him. "Come on, talk. Mom and I are waiting¡ª"


    On the other hand, she had no idea that John would go berserk and charge toward the antique cab


    when she opened her mouth. Then, he grabbed an antique vase and began throwing them to the


    ground. Instantly, the continuous sounds of porcin hitting the ground and smashing into pieces rang


    inside the living room.


    Seeing that, Hera and Elizabeth were terrified and quickly retreated.


    "Honey, w-what are you doing? Stop!"


    However, he was in such a raging temper that he refused to listen to what they had to say and ramped


    up his object hurling. Crash! After thest vase hit the ground and broke, John finally stopped. He was


    heaving while looking at the mess on the floor. The corners of his eyes were red, and there were also


    red veins in his eyes. "That son of a b*tch!" He said every word through his gritted teeth. "Joaquin, that


    son of a b*tch! I must be cursed to have him as my son. I would rather have a pet than him. At least a


    pet would be more obedient than him!"


    His behavior confirmed the news, and Hera and Elizabeth paled at the sight.


    "How could that be? How could you lose to a brat who has only stepped foot in thepany a few


    times?" Elizabeth immediately criticized him with a stern expression.


    John was still breathing heavily and red from the face down because of his anger. "That brat has long


    colluded with the remaining people siding with Dad. Then, he used who knows what method to make


    those seniors who supported my dad willingly abide by his words! I f*cking have no idea he had so


    many spies under my nose!"


    "What?" Hera''s expression turned pale after hearing that. "Then¡­ Wouldn''t that mean he has long


    thought about taking over Levisay Group?"


    Meanwhile, Elizabeth was also furious. "That little b*stard! He even pretended like he wasn''t interested


    in thepany. However, now that we mentioned splitting his shares, he immediately reveals his true


    intentions!"


    Hera had a solemn expression, and her eyes were filled with reluctance and jealousy. She reflected on


    how she had assisted Robert in devising numerous ns, but she had not expected her son to meet


    such a tragic end. Until now, Robert was still crippled and spent his days in despair as though he had


    given up on himself.


    Even though she had found many well-known doctors, none could cure his condition! Since she and


    her son were trapped in this state with no means of escape, Joaquin suddenly appeared! This was


    turning into the situation she feared the most, so how could she ept it? Robert was her son, so she


    wanted him to take over Levisay Group and leave nothing for that b*stard, Joaquin. However, she


    couldn''t have known Joaquin would secretly contact the senior members at Levisay Group. So, what


    was she and Robert supposed to do now? Wouldn''t that mean they no longer have a ce in the


    Levisay Group?


    While Hera gritted her teeth, she had a reluctant expression as she looked at her husband. "Honey,


    you''re our family''s breadwinner and Levisay Group''s boss. Are you willing to see that b*stard son of


    yours take away your rightful ce? You have to do something! You must get thepany back no


    matter what, or else our family will be done for!"

 Chapter 428

    Chapter 428


    Elizabeth also criticized John, "Hera''s right! Joaquin has never sided with the Levisay Family, so what


    will we do if he takes control of the Levisay Group? I think that our family would probably be broke by


    then! So, hurry up and think of a n to kick that b*stard out of thepany immediately!"


    He was only considering using Joaquin''s shares as leverage to threaten him to obtain the rights to


    permanent cooperation with W Co. at the time. Presently, John could care less about the partnership


    with W Co. because he was about to lose hispany. His only thought now was to remove his son


    from Levisay Group altogether! How could he not want that? Given his current position and power at


    Levisay Group, his every move was under Joaquin''s watch, so it was difficult for him to make a


    turnaround!


    While frozen in his spot, John gnashed his teeth so hard that it felt like they were about to break off.


    Ultimately, he said nothing and grabbed his phone before walking to his study.


    ¡­


    On the other hand, Jayden wasn''t surprised when he got a call from John. "Is there something you


    need?" he asked while flicking the burning ash from his cigarette.


    He soon heard John''s frustrated voiceing from the other end. "I did what you told me, but Joaquin


    has taken away all my authority at Levisay Group! I''ve paid twice for your n, so what should I do


    now?"


    In regard to this matter, Jayden had looked into it in advance. Not to mention the entire Hovington, the


    news also caused a stir in Kynd. Now everyone was bing more interested in Joaquin.


    Nevertheless, Jayden hadn''t expected that and was shocked when he received the news.


    Heh! I underestimated this little Captain from Area Seven. I didn''t expect he could still turn things


    around in the business industry, and he is pretty good at stirring up a storm. Jayden soon calmed down


    and mused, No matter how glorious Joaquin is in Hovington, he can''t beat me. I only have to keep him


    busy. At that moment, he smiled and spoke slowly. "What''s there to be flustered about? Don''t forget.


    You''re still the chairman of Levisay Group, so you can''t embarrass yourself."


    John was unhappy with that reply and grunted, "To hell with being the chairman! What''s the use of


    being a chairman when you have no authority? You tell me not to embarrass myself? Can I embarrass


    myself more than I already have? Everyone is looking at me like I''m some kind of clown! I got f*cking


    tricked by my own son. That''s the most humiliating thing in the world!" If this man hadn''t suddenly


    contacted me and asked that I do this, saying that I could get the cooperation with W Co. this way,


    would I have done such a thing? The more he thought about it, the angrier he was and the harsher his


    tone became. "Jayden, you came up with this idea, so you must take responsibility for this mess. You


    must give me an idea on how to solve this matter."


    When Jayden heard that, he raised an eyebrow and replied, "Why are you so worked up about this? It''s


    not like Levisay Group is going to belong to someone else. There''s still a chance." He thought about it


    before casually informing, "Don''t worry. Since I asked you to work for me, I wouldn''t mistreat you. This


    situation is temporary. Once this period passes, I''ll help you reim your position. By then, you will still


    have control over thepany. At this moment, you must stay calm and not cause any more problems.


    Keep a low profile, and most importantly, you have to help me keep Joaquin out of my way."


    On the other hand, John was confused when he heard that. "Keep Joaquin out of your way? What


    does that mean?"


    Jayden didn''t exin but replied calmly, "If things go as nned, he might leave Hovington for Kynd


    within these two days. Therefore, you must stop him and keep him from leaving."


    At that point, John was even more lost. "Why would he be going to Kynd?"


    Feeling frustrated, Jayden retorted, "Why are you asking so many questions? Just do as I say, and I''ll


    give you the benefits you deserve. Keep in mind that you must not allow him to leave." After saying


    that, he didn''t wait for a response and hung up, feeling everything was going how he wanted.


    Meanwhile, John heard the call being cut off suddenly and frowned. His expression was very gloomy.


    As he was aware of the Hall Family''s status, he gave it a good thought after receiving Jayden''s call and


    thought it was doable. That was why he followed his n. Nheless, it seemed things weren''t as


    simple as he thought, and he had underestimated Joaquin''s ability. Also, Jayden couldn''t exin the


    situation clearly, which made him look untrustworthy.


    If Joaquin left for Kynd, he wouldn''t have the effort to watch over what happened in Hovington. So,


    once he left, John would have an opportunity to do something secretly. After having such an idea, John


    thought, Why should I listen to Jayden and stop Joaquin from leaving Hovington? There is no need for


    that! With that thought in mind, his eyes dimmed as he thought of a n.


    ¡­


    On the other hand, Katherine was preparing to start a nket search over Kynd when she received


    a call from Emmanuel. When she saw the familiar contact number, her clear eyes turned cold while she


    narrowed them. She left the phone to ring for a while before answering.


    Soon, she heard his mocking voice from the speaker. "Hey, why did you take so long to answer my


    call? It seems like you''re busy looking for your daughter, right? How''s it going? Have you found any


    clues yet?"


    While Katherine pursed her lips, she raised an eyebrow. "Does it concern you whether I found any


    clues or not? It seems like you''re quite free now that Gray Corporation is back on its feet. If that''s how it


    is, I don''t mind causing some trouble for yourpany so that you would have something to worry


    about."


    "Jeez! Your tone is still as arrogant as ever!" Emmanuel scoffed. "Do you think that you are still capable


    of causing trouble for Gray Corporation?"


    However, she didn''t back down. "Who knows? No one knows what would happen without trying. After


    all, you previously thought I couldn''t cause any problems for Gray Corporation, but weren''t you


    detained and questioned by the police? It hasn''t been long since yourpany almost copsed, but


    you seem to have already forgotten about it."


    Both were like tit-for-tat, and their tones were more impulsive than the other.


    When he heard what she said, he frowned but then gave it a thought before smiling casually. "Miss


    Cornell, you''ve always been good at arguing. Whether I was brought to the police station for


    questioning or whether mypany had faced a crisis, the final winner was still Gray Corporation. You,


    Miss Cornell, are too young and delusional. I''d suggest you stop thinking of such unrealistic things."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "So, what? Why did you call me?" Katherine had no intention of arguing with Emmanuel. She had run


    out of patience, so she questioned, "Do you have too much time on your hands, which is why you


    decided to call and throw sarcastic remarks at me? If that''s what it is, then you''re being very childish.


    Being a middle-aged man, you''ve already lived half of your life, so you shouldn''t be this immature."

 Chapter 429

    Chapter 429


    When the words "half your life" entered Emmanuel''s ears, his face fell, and he looked unhappy. He


    instantly lost his patience in mocking Katherine and snorted, "Miss Cornell, you''re indeed as eloquent


    as before. It seems your missing daughter hasn''t made you lose your cool, but don''t you want to know


    where your obedient daughter is right now?"


    On the other hand, she had long guessed that his call had something to do with Noah, so she said


    nothing and waited for him to continue.


    Like what she had expected, Emmanuel felt he had somewhat lost his dominant position in this


    conversation when she didn''t ask the question he wanted to hear. That made him feel displeased, but


    when he thought of Jayden''s orders, he could only grit his teeth reluctantly and speak up. You must


    have been worried sick and had no intention of talking to anyone. Seeing that you and Corey are


    friends, it wouldn''t be appropriate for me, as an elder, to stand by and do nothing. I called you today to


    point you in the right direction."


    "The right direction?" Katherine sneered. "Is it the right direction, or are you steering me into another


    trap?"


    After swirling his cup, he took a casual sip of his tea. "My, how could you say such a thing? Why would


    I steer you into a trap? Don''t get me wrong. I did this out of the kindness in my heart. Your daughter


    was kidnapped, so I sent my men to help you look for her. After all, the Gray Family has more power


    than you do in Kynd, and we''re more familiar with the environment. My men just got word from a


    reliable source, so I called you immediately. As for whether it''s true or not, I don''t know, but it is still a


    clue, and you can decide whether you want to believe it. So, how about it, Miss Cornell? Are you


    interested?"


    Katherine''s eyes were icy as she demanded, "What''s with all the nonsense? If you want to tell me, say


    it. Otherwise, shut up."


    Hearing how rude she was, Emmanuel was furious. He was the president of Gray Corporation, and no


    one dared to speak to him in such a disrespectful way, and no junior would dare to go against him.


    However, she was an exception! So, to avoid causing unnecessary problems, he suppressed his


    emotions and pretended he wasn''t offended by her words. "Miss Cornell, don''t be so anxious. I was


    about to tell you." Afterward, he changed the subject, and his voice sounded more normal. "Things


    went like this. My men heard that the people who took your daughter drove to the northern suburbs of


    Kynd. There''s an old and dpidated abandoned building, and your daughter has been left there. If


    you believe me, you''re wee to search there. That wouldn''t take too much of your time, right?"


    An abandoned building in the northern suburbs¡­ Katherine''s clear eyes were now as dark as coal.


    Raising her eyes slightly, she pursed her lips. Then, she said nothing and hung up.


    Emmanuel, on the other hand, Emmanuel was still grinning, waiting for her response. Nheless, he


    only heard the hung-up tone, and his expression instantly fell. Then, he threw his phone onto the coffee


    table out of anger. The force was so strong that the phone slid across the surface and fell from the


    table''s edge beforending on the floor.


    Inside the office, it was so quiet that the only sound inside the room was his breathing. He sat there


    with a gloomy expression, and his eyes were filled with hostility like a vengeful ghost. I''m eager to see


    how long that b*tch Katherine canst. Once Gray Corporation is revived, I''ll see who dares to


    command me! Jayden Hall, I''ll find a way to bring you down and show you who has power over others!


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Carmine saw Katherine get off the call at Silver Gardens and immediately asked, "Miss,


    why did Emmanuel call you?"


    With a sneer, Katherine replied, "What else? Of course, it''s to lure me into a trap."


    However, Carmine was puzzled after hearing that. "Lure you into a trap? What did he say?"


    Seeing that, Katherine didn''t hide the details and told her, "An abandoned building in the northern


    suburbs of Kynd."


    The chopped-up sentence confused Carmine briefly, but she soon understood what it meant. "You


    mean they brought Miss Noah to that ce?"


    "Yes. That should be where Noah is." Katherine nodded, and her beautiful eyes narrowed while she


    added, "Taking her away isn''t their primary goal. It''s because they can''t do anything to me for now.


    They would first kidnap her and use her as leverage against me."


    Though Carmine understood that point, she was still worried. "Miss, do you believe what Emmanuel


    said is true? Maybe Miss Noah isn''t there, but he still said it because he wants to lure you there?"


    When Katherine heard that, she smiled slightly, but her smile didn''t reach her eyes. "Whether or not it''s


    true, I have no choice but to go. Since he gave me this clue, it wouldn''t be fake. It depends on whether


    I would dare to head over."


    "They would have set up an ambush there. If Miss Noah isn''t there, and you fall into their trap, wouldn''t


    that¡ª"


    "That won''t happen." Katherine objected to the idea. "If Emmanuel is smart, he wouldn''t do that."


    Carmine was even more puzzled by her statements. "Why are you so sure about that?"


    "If I went there and didn''t see Noah, I wouldn''t have anything holding me back from fighting my way


    out. Emmanuel knows what I''m capable of, and he has previously faced the Vermillion Alliance.


    Therefore, he wouldn''t dare to let me fight my way out. Hence, he must have Noah with him. That is


    because only by kidnapping her would he have leverage over me and make me wary of him."


    After listening to Katherine''s exnation, Carmine finally understood. "Then, when are we leaving?"


    Katherine corrected her and replied, "It''s not ''we'' but ''me''."


    Hearing that, Carmine was stunned for a moment and then became nervous. "Miss, are you going to


    go there alone? How can you go there alone when they have so many people on their side? That''s like


    treading through dangerous grounds."


    While casting Carmine a reassuring nce, Katherine exined, "Don''t worry. Emmanuel would make


    sure that I head over alone. That''s unavoidable, so I must appear there alone."


    "Still¡ª"


    "I am going there alone, but I didn''t say you can''t bring your men toe after me."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    At that moment, Carmine understood what Katherine meant. "Miss, rest assured that I will lead the


    others from the Vermillion Alliance to protect you!"


    A light shed across Katherine''s eyes as she smiled mockingly. "Emmanuel wouldn''t have guessed


    there would still be a head-on battleter."


    During their conversation, Joaquin called. "I''m done dealing with the Levisay Family''s matter. How''s


    your end? Is Corey alright? When are youing back? I''ll go fetch you." His tone was gentle,


    indicating that he was in a good mood.

 Chapter 430

    Chapter 430


    Katherine pursed her lips and did not respond immediately.


    However, Joaquin waited for a moment, but when he heard nothing but her shallow breathing, the


    curve of his lips gradually faded. He immediately sensed that something was amiss as if he had


    telepathy. Soon, his face became serious as he asked, "What''s wrong, Kathy? Did something happen?"


    Her nerves had been stretched taut all day, and the sound of his voice made her feel like a string had


    snapped, with exhaustion washing over her. She was not a quitter, and nothing could stand in her way.


    However, she felt exhausted in that man''s presence for the first time. She wanted to rely on him and


    wanted him to be by her side. With these thoughts in mind, she bit her lip lightly and finally spoke up in


    response to his gentle and patient urging. "Joaquin, can youe to Kynd?"


    Even though her voice sounded the same as usual over the phone and the vast distance between


    them, he could hear a note of vulnerability in her words. "Okay," he responded without hesitation, giving


    her a sense of reassurance. "I''ll pack up and head over there now." Then, he switched to hands-free


    mode and began packing while talking to her. "Kathy, what happened? Can you tell me in advance?"


    Katherine fell silent momentarily before telling him, "Emmanuel sent someone to kidnap Noah."


    Joaquin''s movements abruptly halted when he heard that, his face turning as dark as iron. "Noah got


    kidnapped? What exactly happened?"


    She rubbed her forehead and briefly exined, "Noah should be in the abandoned building in the


    northern suburbs of Kynd. I''m going to go there."


    He gritted his teeth upon hearing that. His expression was a mix of anger and worry. "You''re going


    now? Maybe it''s better to wait for me to get to Kynd, and we can go together. Since Emmanuel


    wants to use Noah to threaten you, he won''t dare to do anything to her."


    Nheless, she refused and said, "No, I''m still not at ease. Although Emmanuel probably won''t be


    stupid enough to harm Noah, the danger increases every minute she''s in someone else''s hands. I can''t


    take that risk."


    "Still, you''re going alone¡ª"


    "Don''t worry, Carmine will send people to follow me. I''m not foolish enough to go to my death alone.


    Besides, I have you. You don''t need toe to Silver Gardens. Just head straight to the abandoned


    building in the northern suburbs. I''ll wait for you there."


    Joaquin clenched his hand into a fist at his side, gritting his teeth in silence. After she said that, he


    understood her worries and could onlypromise. "Okay then, but please be careful. I''ll be there


    soon."


    "Okay." After hanging up the phone, Katherine didn''t waste any time. She checked the map and


    immediately turned and left.


    On the other hand, Carmine was still worried, so she followed Katherine out and watched her get into


    the car. "Miss, please take care of yourself. I''ll bring people to catch up with you immediately!"


    "Yeah. Don''t worry." Following that, Katherine rolled up the car window. Then, she started the engine,


    stepped on the gas pedal, and the car shot out like an arrow.


    ...


    On the other side, in Hovington, John was surprised when he heard the news. "He really left the city?"


    The assistant nodded. "Yes, he just left the city. He should be heading to Kynd."


    John squinted his eyes upon hearing that, deep in thought. Huh! It looks like Jayden has done


    something in Kynd. Oh! Isn''t Katherine in Kynd? Heh! I think I understand what is happening.


    As for Jayden''s advice, it had long been ignored by him. In addition, Joaquin''s departure from


    Hovington presented a fantastic opportunity for John. He needed to use his son''s absence to reim


    control of the Levisay Group!


    ¡­


    After about an hour, Katherine finally arrived at the abandoned building in the northern suburbs of


    Kynd. She carefully surveyed the surroundings and found the area deste and deserted. There


    wasn''t a single person or car in sight. So, sheposed herself and focused on the abandoned


    building before her. A few burly men guarded the entrance, and a faint yellow light could be seen


    through the cement frame without windows.


    Noah is likely inside. Thinking of this, she felt a cold chill run down her spine, but she remained calm


    and strode confidently toward the building.


    When the guards saw her approaching, they immediately stepped forward to stop her. Katherine


    sneered, her eyes devoid of warmth as she red at them. "What? Your master didn''t tell you I was


    coming? Have you lost your sight? Don''t you recognize me already?" She remembered these men who


    had invaded Silver Gardens twice before.


    The guards¡¯ faces turned sour at her scolding. One of them said impatiently, "What do you think this


    ce is? You can''t juste in here whenever you want."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    "Oh?" Sheughed as if she had heard a funny joke. "Silver Gardens isn''t a ce where you can just


    go in, but you still barged in without saying a word. What''s the matter? Double standards now?" With a


    cold expression, Katherine raised her hand and pped the guard before her. He was caught off guard


    and was knocked out on the spot after the back of his neck went numb.


    The other guards were stunned for a moment but quickly recovered. Then, they encircled her in a tight


    circle. However, she showed no fear and looked coldly at them. "What? You make mee and then


    not let me in? What does your master want? Does he want to toy with me? I don''t have that kind of


    patience!"


    At that moment, a voice came from inside the building. "Let her in."


    The guards reluctantly stepped aside, allowing Katherine to walk in calmly. As expected, she saw


    Emmanuel inside, but her eyes quickly scanned the surroundings. Aside from the cement walls, there


    was nothing else. The floor was dusty, with abandoned building materials piled up in the corners. The


    only light source was a single bulb hanging from the ceiling covered in dust, which cast a dim yellow


    glow.


    She noticed a set of cement stairs in the northwest corner leading to a tform on the second floor,


    without any visible obstruction. Her gaze followed the stairs up to the tform, which had no cover, and


    she saw Noah bound hand and foot, looking helpless and pleading for help with her eyes. Her mouth


    was covered with ck tape, and her eyes were watery, but she held back her tears. Two burly men


    stood guard on either side of her, watching the captive girl closely.

 Chapter 431

    Chapter 431


    As Katherine saw this scene, her face became extremely dark. She stared at Noah for a full minute,


    using her gaze tofort her daughter before shifting her sharp eyes straight toward Emmanuel. "So,


    it was you. The fox finally decided to show its tail. You yed this whole scheme so well, Emmanuel. If


    you''re not going to be an actor, it''s a great loss to the entertainment industry."


    Her words were full of ridicule, but Emmanuel didn''t seem to care. "Miss Cornell, this is called ''all''s fair


    in love and war.'' Even if you know it''s me, what can you do? You still have toe to me obediently."


    Then, he smirked mockingly and looked up at the second floor. "Speaking of which, I have to thank


    you, Miss Cornell. Thanks to you, I had the opportunity to seed."


    After hearing that, she furrowed her brows but didn''t say anything.


    "If you hade alone, I don''t know what I could have done to capture you. Still, who would have


    thought that you would bring your precious daughter to Kynd? It''s such a good opportunity for me to


    use, right? This isn¡¯t what I usually do, so you¡¯re the one who gave me this opportunity." Emmanuel''s


    shameless words were spoken so naturally that they made Katherine feel nauseous.


    She had not considered the situation well enough and allowed this man to exploit her weakness. She


    regretted it, but at the moment, it was not the time for regrets. The most important thing was to rescue


    Noah from these people''s hands.


    After a moment of consideration, she lifted her gaze. She looked at him again with eyes that were as


    cold as ice. "You went to all this trouble to go after my daughter just to lure me out. Now that I''m here,


    can you please release my daughter? If there''s anything you want,e directly to me. Taking


    advantage of a young girl is not something to brag about. Are you not afraid of losing your reputation?"


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Emmanuel sneered at her words, seemingly indifferent. "Although it''s not honorable to kidnap your


    daughter and deceive you toe here, the process doesn''t matter to me. The most important thing is


    the result. As long as I get what I want, any means will do. As for losing reputation, heh, Katherine


    Cornell, you are underestimating things. Only you and I know about this, so there''s no way the word of


    it would get out to anyone else!"


    He was implying in his words that she would fall into his hands.


    Hearing that, Katherine coldly smiled. "Emmanuel, it seems you hate me to the core by going through


    all this trouble to deceive me here. Well, what do you want to do? Humiliate me, or maybe kill me? Or


    should I ask you what your backer wants to do?" She hit the nail on the head as Emmanuel¡¯s face


    stiffened momentarily when he heard the word "backer." It was indeed his sore spot.


    "What, did I hit the mark, and now you feel embarrassed?" She kept her eyes on his expression, not


    missing the slight stiffness that passed over his face. Suddenly, she broke into a broad grin, exuding an


    air of ease and not like someone who had been deceived. "Emmanuel, of course; I know you hate me


    to the core. After all, I almost bankrupted your Gray Corporation and sent you to try out prison food in


    the police station for a few days. You naturally hate me and want to kill me to feel better, but at most,


    you can only think about it in your heart. You can''t do so, and you can''t do a thing to me."


    Katherine''s words immediately angered Emmanuel. At that point, his face darkened. His eyes fiercely


    red at her like a wolf, and his cheeks tensed. "What nonsense are you spouting? Who says I can''t


    do a thing to you? You are under my control now, aren''t you? Stop talking big!"


    Nheless, she remained calm andposed. She intended to use a small effort to achieve what


    she wanted. "You are the one talking big. Am I really under your control, or am I under the control of


    your backer? You and I know it well. There is no need to y guessing games. Troubles have gued


    Gray Corporation, and Kynd''s other three noble families have been unwilling to lend a hand. Other


    families andpanies won''t help you either. You have nowhere to turn and can only watch yourself


    be a helpless and powerless loser. Could you walk out of the police station if no one was


    protecting you?" Then, she continued, "I know exactly who protected you and what he wants to do. You


    are nothing more than his puppet or a marite that he can control. He''s injected funds into Gray


    Corporation to help ite back to life, but it''s all a scheme to use Gray Corporation to control you. If


    you obey his orders and do everything he asks, everything will be peaceful and fine. Yourpany will


    continue to prosper, and the Gray Family will be secure. Still, it''s all an illusion. You know that once you


    try to break free from his control or if you mess up, you will no longer be useful to the person behind


    you. He will not hesitate to destroy Gray Corporation and destroy you."


    It was a rational analysis, and Emmanuel felt he had been stripped bare listening to it. Suddenly, anger


    rose from the bottom of his heart, and his face turned red. He red at Katherine with a fierce and


    vicious look as if he wanted to tear her apart. "You little girl, what do you know! It''s all nonsense!"


    "Oh, really?" She smiled brighter, the angrier he got. "Is it nonsense from me, or do you feel humiliated


    and don''t want to admit it?" She remained calm on the surface, but from the corner of her eye, she


    nced toward the second floor. As she spoke, she began to sway back and forth, seemingly careless


    and aimless, and she was slowly moving toward the direction of the stairs. "Do you think everything


    you¡¯ve done is wless? With so many loopholes, how can you still argue? It''s not embarrassing to be


    backed by someone, but it''s embarrassing to be controlled by someone. Emmanuel, you''re really pitiful.


    As the chairman of Gray Corporation, you''ve been in the limelight for half of your life, but now you''re


    being manipted by an outsider. You¡¯re letting him crush and reshape you at will. You''re unwilling but


    can''t fight back. You can only be hispdog, obediently obeying orders, working hard, and selling your


    life for him. It''s heartbreaking just to think about it¡ª" She clearly wanted to provoke him, and soon he


    had lost all his calmness.


    Emmanuel''s emotions were in turmoil, and he was easily ignited with anger. "You''re talking nonsense!


    I''m not doing his bidding. He wants to use me, but he''s got nothing! It''s me who''s using him. Do you


    understand? He''s a little kid who hasn''t experienced as much as me and can dream about controlling


    me. What a joke!"

 Chapter 432

    Chapter 432


    A little kid? Ha, it seems like the person controlling him is quite young.


    The doubts Katherine had been harboring were graduallying to the surface. She smirked while


    looking at Emmanuel with a mocking expression and continued to push his buttons.


    "Is that so? But all I see is that you''re being bossed around by a little kid. He tells you to go east, then


    you won''t dare go west. He tells you to go south, then you won''t dare go north. You can shout and be


    tough in front of me, but when you''re in front of him, you''re as obedient as a dog."


    As she spoke, she sighed mockingly.


    "Actually, it was my fault. I was the one to make you hate me. He just took advantage of your situation


    and your hatred toward me to make you work yourself to death for him. I bet if you had tricked and


    captured me yourself, you probably would have found a way to humiliate me or even killed me directly.


    But now, all you can do is stand here and do nothing. You''re probably afraid of the people around you.


    After all, these thugs aren''t your own men."


    As she spoke, her gaze subtly scanned the surroundings, mentally calcting how many people were


    there. Including the four guards outside the door and those guarding the area, there were probably less


    than 20 people.


    Not bad. There are quite many of them. They must really think highly of me.


    Emmanuel''s face grew even uglier as he was being exposed. He was so angry that his face turned red


    and his veins bulged as he denied her usations. "Stop spouting nonsense!"


    Seeing his reaction, Katherineughed even more heartily. "How could I be spouting nonsense? After


    all, your thugs previously fought with mine. Besides,pared to these people, they''re not even on the


    same level. Even if you sent ten of your men, I could still take them down. But these people here look


    like they''re either your boss'' men or hired by him. I''m really curious, though. How can you stomach


    having so many spies around you all the time? Can you eat and sleep well?"


    In an instant, Emmanuel''s face turned pale.


    "What? Don''t you know that these people are actually your backer¡¯s spies ced beside you?


    Otherwise, do you really think they are here to help you? Ha, your every move is under their watchful


    eyes, and your backer will know everything you do. As long as you have any thoughts of betrayal, he


    can easily sell you out or even eliminate you, let alone destroy Gray Corporation."


    As Katherine spoke, her eyes narrowed slightly at Emmanuel¡¯s expression, and she continued to lead


    Emmanuel toward the truth.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    "Don''t forget. Everything you did for him is illegal. He''s a criminal, and you are his aplice. If


    anything goes wrong, he''ll sell you out first. And with all the secrets you know, do you really think he''ll


    let you live if you be useless to him? If you''re lucky enough to be useful, you might survive, but if


    you be a worthless pawn, you might not be so lucky to keep your life."


    Emmanuel''s face turned white with fear. He knew that Jayden''s men were monitoring him, but he never


    thought that they might turn on him.


    In an instant, fear rushed through his body, and he felt like he was in an icy cold cave where his hands


    and feet were bing cold. However, he couldn''t show any signs of weakness in front of Katherine


    and had to refute her with a strong voice, "Do you think you''re a prophet? You should worry about


    yourself! As for my affairs, you don''t need to worry about them! I know how to handle things myself. No


    one can control me!"


    "Oh? Is that so?" Katherine remained calm andposed, her expression was still cold and clear. "If


    you''re not being controlled, then what are you doing here? If it weren''t for him asking you to trick me


    here, you would have acted against me by now. So, what are you waiting for? If I''m not mistaken,


    you''re waiting for Jayden''s orders."


    She spoke in a calm and steady tone, not forgetting to mention Jayden''s name casually at the end. He


    was the person she had suspected the most all along, and after this long conversation, she felt that he


    was most likely the culprit.


    When she spoke before, she was not only trying to buy time but also intentionally trying to provoke


    Emmanuel. She wanted to disrupt his emotions and momentum and catch him off guard. Now, the facts


    had proven that her thoughts werepletely correct.


    Emmanuel was seething with anger, and Katherine''s words had easily lit the fuse. He was so


    consumed by rage that he didn''t even register the mention of "Jayden".


    "Why would I be waiting for his orders? What makes Jayden think he can lord over me? Even if I''m


    currently under his thumb, do you think I''ll be forever under his control? I''m just showing him respect for


    now. Once Gray Corporation stabilizes, he''ll pay dearly!"


    But before he could continue, a burly man emerged from the shadows and barked, "Shut up!"


    Emmanuel was momentarily stunned by the man''s ferocity.


    "You idiot! She''s trying to trap you!" The man''s gaze was razor-sharp and disdainful as if he were


    looking at a dead man walking.


    It took Emmanuel a moment to grasp what was happening. He turned to Katherine with a re. "You


    ¡ª"


    Katherine''s expression darkened. "Ah, so it really is him."


    It seemed that Jayden wasn''t afraid after getting injured. He continued to set traps for Katherine and


    caused trouble for her, and he had done so seamlessly and in record time.


    Katherine had underestimated Jayden''s power. Before, she couldn''t bepletely sure that


    Emmanuel''s backer was Jayden, but now, she had reason to believe it was. In her opinion, although


    Jayden was the heir of the Hall family, the overall strength of the Hall family was far inferior to that of


    the Gray Corporation. She had previously thought that while he might have some mysterious identity,


    his influence alone was not enough to save the faltering Gray Corporation from bankruptcy.


    But now, she realized that she had misjudged him. Jayden''s power and influence went far beyond what


    she had expected.


    This guy''s identity is a mystery, and it seems like there''s more to him than just being in charge of the


    lab. Or maybe, hisb is aplex web of secrets.


    "I''m quite surprised, really. Even you, the chairman of Gray Corporation, are being manipted by a


    young upstart like Jayden. It''s true what they say, I guess. A tiger falling from grace is preyed upon by


    dogs."


    She sneered and turned her attention to the burly man who had interrupted Emmanuel. "It seems that


    you''re more useful than this useless waste of space. So, tell me, why did Jayden go through all this


    trouble to lure me here?"

 Chapter 433

    Chapter 433


    The man furrowed his brows, his face looking unpleasant as he gave Emmanuel a fierce re before


    turning to Katherine. "It''s not your turn to ask me questions yet. When it''s time for you to know, I will tell


    you," he said.


    Upon hearing this, Katherine smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes. She then spoke in a cold and


    harsh tone, "It¡¯s not my turn to ask you questions?! What does that mean? Do you expect me to just


    stand here and wait?"


    At that moment, she turned the tables on him, her aura suddenly bing fierce. "Who do you think


    you are to make me wait? Even Jayden is just a foolish loser who lost to me. You''re just hispdog,


    and yet you¡¯re trying to show off in front of me? Ha, we''ll see if you''re worthy of that!"


    She berated him, causing his face to turn as ck as coal. He tried to retaliate by threatening her,


    "Who do you think you are then? You¡¯re just a trapped woman. I still have your daughter in my hands,


    so you should cooperate with me or she will face the consequences!"


    He thought she would be afraid, but Katherine''s reaction was unexpected; her pressure dropped


    sharply, and she fixed a deadly gaze upon him. "If you dare to touch her, try me," she warned.


    From a distance, her gaze shot toward the man like an arrow, fierce and sharp. For some unknown


    reason, the man felt a chill run down his spine and even broke out in cold sweat on his back. He felt


    inexplicably uneasy. Just as the atmosphere became tense to the extreme, a burly man walked in with


    something in his hand and quickly approached the man, whispering something into his ear.


    His expression immediately changed as he took whatever the burly man was holding and squinted at it.


    Katherine watched their every move, her eyes lingering on the bag while she contemted her next


    move. At the same time, she calcted when Carmine and the others would arrive.


    At first, she thought she could hold on for a while longer, but unexpectedly, the man''s expression


    returned to his previous arrogance, with a glint of determination in his eyes.


    "Ha..." he let out a coldugh from his throat, then raised his hand and pped.


    After a few ps, more burly men rushed out and immediately surrounded Katherine.


    The man stood outside the encirclement, watching the scene with cold eyes before saying slowly, "Miss


    Cornell, you know very well that we captured your child to lure you out. Now that you''re here, we''ll


    proceed ording to protocol," the man said.


    Protocol? Katherine''s heart sank, sensing a bad omen.


    She kept herposure, not showing any emotions, and asked, "What protocol?"


    The man chuckled. "I can''t tell you the protocol, but if you want to save your daughter, there''s only one


    way. You have to surrender."


    Surrender? Ha, that''s not my style.


    Immediately, she raised her chin arrogantly and said, "Since you''re Jayden''s people, you should know


    from him that capturing me and making me surrender is not an easy task. I can tell you without


    reservation that even if all of you attack me together, you may not gain the upper hand!"


    The man nodded knowingly. "That''s true. I admit that your skills are impressive. However, don''t forget


    that your daughter is still in our hands. If you fight us, there won''t be enough time to save her. Do you


    want to watch her die in our hands?"


    Katherine gritted her teeth at the mention of Noah and raised her eyes to the second-floor tform.


    Noah was full of worry at this moment; she wanted to rush to Katherine''s side immediately!


    However, she couldn''t because not only was she tied up, but there were also two burly men guarding


    her, making her unable to move.


    Katherine naturally understood this and knew that if she acted rashly now, it would inevitably be


    detrimental to Noah.


    Noah was her weak point. Her weak point was currently in the hands of the enemy, so she couldn''t act


    recklessly.


    As Katherine watched the atmosphere be increasingly tense, her brows furrowed, secretly


    wondering why Carmine and the others hadn''t arrived yet.


    ording to the n, the Vermillion Alliance should have already arrived by now!


    As if he had guessed what was on her mind, the man suddenlyughed, looking arrogant and proud.


    "Are you still waiting for reinforcements? Let me give you some news. Your subordinates are all


    trapped and killed in your vi. Seeing them again will be difficult, let alone theming here," he said.


    As soon as these words were spoken, Katherine''s gaze became serious. "What do you mean by that?"


    The man looked calm andposed. "You won''t get a chance to see them again anyway, so telling


    you won''t hurt. Here''s the thing. After you left, I had my men pour gasoline around Silver Gardens and


    set it on fire. Your subordinates are trapped there and, given the time estimate, they should be burning


    in Silver Gardens by now. You''ll never see them again in your life!"


    Hearing this, Katherine froze. Her blood seemed to freeze, her pupils suddenly dted, and her face


    turned pale.


    The man leisurely enjoyed her reaction and continued, "You''re smart, but so what? Mr. Hall is even


    smarter. He already knew your people woulde to rescue you, so he preemptively dealt with them


    from the start. Mr. Hall sent a few inconspicuous men disguised as beggars to wander around, and they


    made their move when you left Silver Gardens. They set it on fire, and from what I heard, none of them


    made it out. They were all burned in the fire."


    Jayden¡­ Jayden!


    In an instant, a fierce hatred burned in Katherine¡¯s heart. The thought of herrades in arms who had


    followed her everywhere being killed caused her blood to surge to her head.


    Her eyes were filled with blood, and her teeth were almost ground to pieces. Her hands, which hung at


    her sides, clenched into fists, and her fingernails dug into her palms while she was oblivious to the


    pain.


    At that moment, she really felt an impulse to kill these people!


    Sensing her intention, the man slowly nced upstairs.


    The two strong men upstairs received his signal and finally got up. They pulled Noah down the stairs


    and stopped a few steps away from the encirclement.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Then, the strong men surrounding Katherine opened up a path, cing Noah at the other end of the


    pathway.


    At that moment, the mother and daughter faced each other across a distance. Katherine could clearly


    see the tears and fear in the little girl''s eyes as well as the determination and stubbornness to control


    the fear.


    "What a touching mother-daughter scene. Miss Cornell, for the sake of your daughter, shouldn''t you


    make a sacrifice voluntarily?"

 Chapter 434

    Chapter 434


    Make a sacrifice voluntarily?


    Katherine felt like there was a lump in her throat which made her extremely ufortable. She forced


    herself to calm down and tried to stayposed. She knew she couldn''t rely on Vermillion Alliance


    anymore, and the only one she could count on was herself. She had to stay calm, or everything would


    be over.


    At that moment, she regained herposure and coldly looked at the leader of the group. "What do


    you want?" she asked.


    The man raised his eyebrows and signaled to hispanion, who immediately understood and took


    out a bundle of rope and tape from behind and threw it in front of Katherine.


    "First of all, you can''t move. You must ept being tied up obediently," he said.


    Looking at the rope on the ground, Katherine sneered, "Do you think I''m stupid? My daughter is still in


    your hands. If you tie me up, how do I know if you''ll let my daughter go?"


    The man shrugged it off. "I''ll do as I say."


    Katherine didn''t back down. "You¡¯re a person who kidnaps a young girl to ckmail someone, so why


    should I trust you?"


    Then, she changed the subject and proposed a condition. "You let go of my daughter first, and you''re


    not allowed to send anyone after her. I have to see her leave safely!"


    Upon hearing this, the man chuckled. "Do you think you can have whatever you want? Do you think


    you can negotiate with me in your current situation? What reason do I have to trust you?"


    Katherine''s eyes were cold. "If we don''t trust each other, then we can fight. But I think you might not be


    able to exin yourself to your boss when the timees."


    Unexpectedly, her remark caught the man off guard, and his face froze.


    With just one look, Katherine knew she was right. In fact, she was just testing him. She knew Jayden


    only sent people to capture her and wouldn''t allow anyone to hurt her.


    If something happened to her, these people would undoubtedly be punished by Jayden.


    At this moment, she suddenly smiled indifferently. With more confidence, she said, "You know my


    daughter is my weakness and my bottom line. I can stay here and listen to you patiently because my


    daughter is still safe. But if you try to harm my daughter, I won''t let you go. If chaos ensues, it won''t be


    me who dies! It''ll be you!"


    As soon as she finished speaking, the man''s face darkened.


    After a brief silence, he finallypromised and signaled to the two strong men next to him with a dark


    face.


    The two burly men understood the man''s signal and untied Noah, then removed the tape from her


    mouth. Tears welled up in Noah''s eyes as she regained her freedom, and she instinctively tried to go to


    Katherine.


    However, Katherine immediately spoke up and stopped her. "Noah, don''te over! Listen to me.


    Leave this ce, go as far away as possible, and nevere back!"


    Noah couldn''t hold back her tears and shook her head. "Mom, I won''t leave... I want to be with you..."


    Katherine felt heartbroken but had to remain stern, and she scolded Noah sharply. "Listen to what I say


    right now! Leave now!"


    Noah gritted her teeth and turned away before walking away quickly. She believed that her mother


    would find a way and knew that she herself was a burden. If she stayed, her mother would still be at


    their captors'' mercy. Only by leaving could her mother find a way out!


    The little girl had always been clever and had a clear understanding of the situation. She ran away


    without looking back and found a hiding ce off the road.


    Meanwhile, back in the abandoned building, Katherine had been keeping an eye on the direction of the


    door, and only when she was sure that Noah''s silhouette had disappeared for a long time with no one


    chasing her did she finally rx a little.


    "So, Miss Cornell, what do you say? We''ve kept our promise, so now it''s time for you to fulfill yours.


    Shouldn''t you let us tie you up?"


    Katherine turned around and looked at the faces of everyone in the room before turning to the leader


    and smiling all of a sudden. "Why would Jayden find such an idiot like you to be his strategist?"


    The man''s face changed immediately at her words. "What do you mean? Are you going back on your


    word?"


    "I didn''t promise you anything, did I? I never said that you could do whatever you wanted with me once


    you released my daughter. Where does the talk of going back on my worde from?" Katherine


    retorted calmly.


    "You¡ª" The man grew angry but then realized that Katherine had only set a condition earlier without


    specifying what the oue would be.


    He became furious, his face turning red with anger. "You''re ying tricks on us!" he used.


    Katherine shrugged nonchntly. "It¡¯s nothing much. Compared to your lowly tactics, I''m still far


    behind."


    Her face grew darker as she stepped backward, forcing the group of men toward the door, step by


    step. "You burned down Silver Gardens and harmed my people; all I did was return the favor. Can''t


    take it? Well, there''s more toe!"


    With that, she suddenlyunched an attack, catching the group of men off guard. Two of them were


    immediately knocked down.


    The leader''s expression changed drastically at the sight. He quickly regained his senses and shouted,


    "What are you waiting for? Capture her alive!"


    Indeed, that was their n all along!


    Katherine''s eyes turned cold as she fought fiercely against the group, constantly watching the door and


    not allowing anyone to leave. Noah had just escaped, and if she were caught again, the consequences


    would be unthinkable!


    Despite Katherine¡¯s impressive skills, she was still at a disadvantage against so many opponents.


    Moreover, she had other concerns. Soon, her upper hand was gone, and she was surrounded once


    again.


    Finally, someone kicked her leg from behind, causing her to lose bnce and kneel on the ground.


    Taking advantage of this moment, several people rushed forward and captured her despite her


    struggles. She had used up all her strength and was too weak to break free, especially with so many


    people around.


    The leader walked up to her with a vicious smile, sneering. "You wench! Do you think you''re invincible


    just because you have some skills? How dare you threaten me! Today, I''ll let you see with your ownContent ? N?velDrama.Org.


    eyes what your fate will be!"


    As he spoke, he pulled out something from the bag. Immediately, Katherine''s face suddenly turned


    pale.

 Chapter 435

    Chapter 435


    The bag contained a syringe filled with a colorless and transparent liquid.


    Since Katherine had worked in the field of research, she had experience in handling various


    injectables. At first nce, she immediately felt chills running down her spine.


    "W-What is this?"


    Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms, but she was unaware of it. She merely tried


    to calm herself down.


    The man snickered in response. "What''s this? Something that will make you stay still! I''m not a fool to


    tell you what is inside and what it can actually do!"


    As soon as he finished his sentence, his gaze turned sharp.


    "Mr. Hall was right. Dealing with you is indeed not an easy task, but luckily, he had a backup n and


    told Mr. Benedict to develop the drug in advance. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have known how to hold you


    down."


    After saying that, he nced at the few people beside her.


    Those people immediately took the hint and pressed Katherine down.


    Katherine intended to struggle, but she was outnumbered by the number of men pinning her down.


    Her fingertips dug even deeper into her palms as she bit her lips, almost making her lip bleed. As if


    sharp lights were emitted from her eyes, she looked deste yet stubborn.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    At the same time, her mind never stopped running as she tenaciously analyzed the possible effects of


    the drug.


    She was well aware that the drug wasn''t ordinary.


    Jayden''s subordinate had put in much effort to develop the drug. Hence, the ingredients used were


    definitely not simple.


    One thing she was sure about was that the drug wouldn''t kill her or harm her severely.


    After taking so much effort to kidnap her, there was no way Jayden intended to injure or kill her.


    Narrowing the possibilities, she figured that the drug could possibly induce a sense of dependence so


    that she couldn''t leave Jayden. Eventually, she would be totally under his control and would never be


    able to escape from his grasp!


    As soon as that idea popped into her mind, she managed to gather strength and struggle once again.


    No way she was going to let herself fall under Jayden''s control!


    The strong desire to escape dominated her mind and limbs until she was able to stand up and resist


    the men.


    The few men didn''t expect she would suddenly react that way, thus they were all startled. Immediately,


    they tried harder to pin her down.


    The head of the pack instantly turned glum and scolded them. "What the hell are you guys doing? How


    could you not even hold a woman down? Useless b*stards! Pin her down already!"


    His subordinates dared not defy him. They dared not even show their temper and were even eager to


    use their feet to hold Katherine down.


    However, they were instantly intimidated by the thought of how their master valued this woman.


    On the other hand, the man was holding the syringe in hand. Afraid ofplications, he didn''t wait for


    Katherine to stop struggling before injecting the syringe into her arm.


    The stabbing sensation made Katherine''s eyes widen. She turned her head abruptly to see the content


    of the syringe being injected into her arm. Immediately, her gaze turned sharp.


    She was still struggling desperately, but the man grabbed her arm tightly and wouldn''t let go.


    At the critical moment, the sound of harsh brakes sounded outside, startling everyone inside.


    Everyone was taken aback and quickly looked in the direction of the noise. Before they could react, a


    group of people came rushing in.


    "Let her go!" A cold, baritone voice mixed with anger pierced through the dodgy unfinished building.


    The owner of the voice was none other than Joaquin!


    Everyone present knew who he was. At that moment, they were extremely shocked by his sudden


    appearance.


    "A-Aren''t you supposed to be in Hovington?!" The man holding the syringe instantly hid the syringe


    behind his back and eximed in shock.


    Joaquin''s gaze was currently stered on Katherine,pletely ignoring the man''s abnormal behavior.


    As soon as he saw her kneeling on the ground, his beautiful features distorted. An evident tinge of


    resentment was present on his face.


    The atmosphere surrounding him dropped to an all-time low. The murderous aura he exuded was


    intimidating.


    "How dare youy a finger on her?! Hah. You''re going to have a taste of your own medicine!" All of a


    sudden, he parted his lips and spat those words in an eerie, threatening voice.


    "Jeremy! Kill every single one of them!" he ordered.


    "Yes, sir!" Jeremy had never seen Katherine in such a difit state. His eyes turned bloodshot as he


    epted the order.


    Then, he led his group of people and started fighting.


    Joaquin, on the other hand, dashed toward Katherine, knocked down the men around her without much


    effort, and supported her.


    "Are you alright, Kathy? Are you hurt?"


    As soon as Katherine saw him, tears streamed down her eyes.


    She nearly thought no one would rescue her and was even starting to break down at the thought of


    bing Jayden''s puppet.


    Fortunately, Joaquin was here. He came for her.


    "I¡ª" All kinds of emotions surged wildly in her heart. She parted her lips, but she didn''t know what to


    say. Her voice was slightly hoarse.


    Joaquin''s heart ached at that sight. He immediately pulled her into his embrace. Resting his chin on her


    head, heforted her gently, "I''m here, Kathy. Don''t worry, I''m here. I''m sorry foring sote and


    making you suffer."


    Snuggling in his warm embrace and inhaling his familiar scent, she was finally able to calm down.


    All of a sudden, she thought of Noah. She shoved him a little and raised her head to look into his eyes.


    "Noah! We have to look for Noah! I told her to escape, but I don''t know where she is! Quick! Look for


    her!"


    After hearing that, Joaquin froze and agreed. Then, he raised his head to give Jeremy a look.


    Thetter took the hint and nced around to find that the men have mostly been knocked down. It


    was then that he led a small group of men out to search for Noah.


    On the other hand, as soon as Emmanuel noticed the situation going haywire, he escaped. The head


    of the gang had also hidden in a safe ce as soon as Joaquin showed up.


    As for the rest, they also scrambled away when they realized they were no match for Jeremy''s men.


    All of a sudden, the scene was a mess.


    At the mere thought of themying their finger on Katherine, Joaquin couldn''t help wanting to kill them.


    However, as soon as he intended to chase after him, he saw Katherine turn pallid and lose


    consciousness.


    "Kathy! Kathy!"


    He immediately turned pale with fright and carried her in his arms, shook her, but to no avail.


    In a corner not far away, a man watched the scene and quietly fled.

 Chapter 436

    Chapter 436


    When Katherine woke up, it was already nighttime.


    Gazing at the unfamiliar ceiling, she fell into a daze for a moment and recalled everything that


    happened.


    In an instant, she sat up abruptly and observed her foreign surroundings. Then, her face turned ashen.


    Just as she was about to get out of bed, the door to the room was pushed open. Joaquin came in with


    a ss of water.


    "You''re awake, Kathy?" As soon as he saw her, his eyes lit up as he quickly shuffled to her bed.


    "How do you feel now? Do you feel ufortable? Do you want some water or some food?"


    Watching his concerned look, Katherine pursed her pale lips and grabbed his arm while asking


    anxiously, "Where''s Noah? Where is she? Did you find her?"


    Joaquin gave her aforting gaze and ced the ss of water on the bedside table. Then, he


    reached out to caress her face.


    "Don''t worry. Noah is already asleep. Jeremy searched along the road and found Noah not too far


    away. She had been hiding under the road, waiting for you toe and pick her up. She was here


    beside your bed for some time just now, but due to shock and exhaustion, she fell asleep already. I just


    carried her back to her room. Why don''t you see her tomorrow morning?"


    Katherine felt relieved after hearing that.


    Thankfully, Jayden and his men didn''t take her away. Otherwise, she couldn''t imagine the


    consequences.


    However¡­


    The man''s words echoed in her mind again, making her face turn pale.


    "Carmine¡­" After a while, she bit her lips and regretfully muttered.


    Hearing that, Joaquin smiled and flicked a finger on her smooth forehead.


    "I know what you''re worried about, but don''t be. Carmine is still alive, and the rest of the Vermillion


    Alliance members are doing fine."


    Katherine was taken aback by his statement as she gazed at him dumbfoundedly.


    "W-What? Carmine and the rest are still alive? Did you know that Silver Gardens was on fire, and t-they


    were trapped inside¡­"


    At the end of her sentence, Xavier came in with a grin.


    "Did you forget about me, Kathy?"


    His appearance made Katherine puzzled. Soon, she recalled something and hummed, "Yeah. Too


    many things have been going on recently that I forgot about you."


    Xavier was speechless at that.


    Does she not care about my pride at all?


    "Ouch. I''m one of the contributors here too, alright? Can''t you be a little more tactful?" Xavier raised a


    brow and snapped his finger. "Come on in. Miss Cornell is looking for you."


    Soon, Carmine entered the ward and looked at Katherine with gleaming eyes.


    Seeing Carmine standing before her in one piece, Katherine doubted her own eyes. She scanned her


    from top to toe to make sure she wasn''t seeing a ghost but a real-life person.


    At that realization, Katherine felt a roller coaster of emotions. She took deep breaths and finally


    managed to take a big gasp of air. Unconsciously, she leaned forward.


    "How did you escape? What on earth happened? Where are the rest?"


    Carmine smiled and nced at Xavier.


    "It''s all thanks to Mr. Yates. When the fire broke out, he happened toe back and rescue us.


    Otherwise, we would have been trapped in Silver Gardens and would not have been able to escape."


    She could tell that Katherine was still worried, so she added, "Don''t worry, Miss Cornell. Everyone else


    in Vermillion Alliance is alright. They''re now standing guard around the vi."


    As soon as she heard that, Katherine was reminded of where she was currently, so she asked, "WhereConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    are we?"


    Joaquin gently answered, "We''re in one of David''s vis. When he heard that a fire broke out in Silver


    Gardens, he went over to help out. He''s letting us stay in this vacant vi in the meantime."


    Katherine feltpletely relieved upon hearing that.


    Just then, Xavier questioned, "Who are they? Why did they kidnap you? Are they going for something


    you have? But haven''t your grandfather''s belongings been given to Area Seven? What''s the use of


    them kidnapping you?"


    At the mention of that topic, Katherine went silent.


    She lowered her eyes and nced at her arm.


    The spot that the man pierced into was nearly invisible, but she remembered clearly that part of the


    content in the syringe had entered her system.


    She believed that her assumptions were right.


    The drug must have a restraining effect or an ability to control.


    Unfortunately, one-third of the drug wasn''t able to control her fully. Instead, it stimted the rose


    birthmark on her chest.


    She remembered the rose birthmark on her chest heating up as the man injected the drug into her


    body.


    The feeling was way too familiar. She had experienced it previously, hence she knew that it was the


    rose birthmark that resisted the effects of the drug.


    Even though she knew it, the other party wasn''t aware of it.


    During this time, she had always stayed on the surface, while Jayden had been hiding in the dark,


    constantly plotting to trap her.


    Now, it was time for her to alter the situation.


    At that thought, she felt a spark shing in her eyes. "I''m not sure, but I think you''re right. Emmanuel is


    a very paranoid person. He has resented me since I ruined Gray Corporation back then. That''s why he


    tried to use Noah to force me to surrender."


    Joaquin''s brows furrowed, seemingly not buying her statement.


    "Was it Emmanuel Gray? But those people didn''t look like they work under him. Weren''t they the ones


    who supported him plotting this whole scene?"


    Katherine hesitated while meeting his doubtful gaze. Then, she covered her head, seemingly in pain.


    "I¡­ I can''t remember."


    Joaquin''s face twisted at that sight.


    "What''s wrong, Kathy? Is it a headache? I''ll get the doctor!"


    Watching him leave, Katherine didn''t stop him. She acted as if she was at a loss, but in fact, she was


    conscious.


    If she wanted to deceive Jayden, she must keep her lips tight, and that included deceiving Joaquin.


    Jayden would only believe that something went wrong with her in that case.


    On the other hand, Jayden sat on the couch in the living room with a murderous gaze.


    "Useless trash!" Following a growl, he smashed the ss on the ground.


    "You managed to kidnap her but couldn''t bring her to me! Are you guys dumb*sses? How could you not


    do such a minor thing right? What''s the use of hiring you people?!"

 Chapter 437

    Chapter 437


    Hansel was trembling hard. His heart was in his throat, and it felt like it would leap out at any moment.


    He nced at Shaun. The sight of Shaun meekly hanging his head infuriated him, yet he had no choice


    but to step forward to calm Jayden down.


    "Mr. Hall, please calm down. Don''t stress your body because of this. Let''s slowly discuss¡­"


    Before he could finish speaking, Jayden interrupted him with an angry roar.


    "Discuss? No way! The entire n has been ruined! Why would I be in the mood to slowly discuss it?


    Did a horse kick you in the head or have you turned into an idiot?"


    The insults hurled at Hansel rendered him too scared to even speak now.


    Upon realizing no one could help him, Shaun forced himself to bear the brunt of his boss'' anger and


    exined himself.


    "We had the upper hand at the beginning, boss. We hadplete control over Miss Cornell, b-but Mr.


    Benedict''s drug waste. It was the cause of the dy. By the time I had the drug and was about to


    inject Miss Cornell with it, Joaquin suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I¡­ None of us expected that¡­"


    Bam!


    Jayden mmed a fist against the desk as his entire being radiated with so much anger that he looked


    like he was on the verge of exploding.


    "Joaquin Levisay." That name was the most infuriating part of the story for him.


    "Didn''t I tell the Levisays to stop him? Why was he in Kynd?"


    "I¡­" Hansel flinched and trembled in fear when Jayden turned to re at him.


    Ever since Jayden''s face was scarred, he had turned into a rather unpredictable man who was


    terrifying whenever he flew into a fit of rage.


    Nevertheless, all Hansel could do now was tentatively answer in a quivering voice, "I-It''s likely because


    John couldn''t stop him in time¡­"


    Could not stop Joaquin in time?


    Ha! Other people might be clueless, but Jayden could tell that it was not because John did not make it


    in time. John simply did not want to stop Joaquin!


    At that thought, he pulled out his phone and called John.


    The phone rang for a while before John finally answered the call. His impatience was audible in his


    voice, but so was his guilt.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "What is it? Didn''t I tell you not to call me on a whim?" John asked.


    A cold smirk shed across Jayden''s face. "Yes, I would not be calling you for nothing in the future.


    Still, John, you sure are great at backstabbing others."


    John''s face twisted as he heard that. However, he obstinately refused to confess to anything.


    "What nonsense is this? Backstabbing? I did nothing of the sort!"


    "Ah, of course. You did nothing. You did not even do what I told you to do. Tell me. What can you even


    do?"


    Jayden''s voice was vicious. It was as if he wished he could reach across the phone to tear John into


    pieces.


    "How dare you disobey me, John Levisay. Did you know you''ve ruined my ns by letting Joaquin


    leave Hovington?"


    Despite being in a different city with only a phone connecting Jayden to him, John still felt a strange


    oppressive feeling that made it hard for him to even breathe.


    He was filled with both frustration and terror.


    He had assumed he was superior to Jayden since he was older, so why was he stuck under Jayden''s


    thumb?


    Upon thinking that, he clenched his jaw and decided to stop acting. He was going to fight back.


    "Don''t think you''re all that, Jayden! Do you really think you are powerful enough to order me around


    right now? Dream on! I have fallen this far from grace because I obeyed you and worked with you.


    Now, I don''t even have control over the Levisay Group! Why should I listen to you? Do you think I''m a


    fool? I am done with this partnership. From now on, we are going our separate ways. You mind your


    own business and I''ll mind mine. Do not contact me ever again!"


    John hung up before Jayden could respond.


    Meanwhile, Jayden''s face had twisted into an ugly look when he heard the abrupt dial tone.


    A few secondster, his eyes narrowed into slits as a dangerous glint shed in his eyes.


    Go separate ways and mind his own business?


    Ha! What a wishful thought.


    Did John think he could get split off from Jayden whenever he pleased?


    Jayden was eager to see if John could regain the Levisay Group without his help.


    He turned to look at Hansel with eyes as sharp as ice and barked out an order.


    "The Levisays are useless now. Since John will not listen to me, it is time to teach him a lesson.


    Release everything you have. I want to see just how a disreputable chairman could survive in the


    Levisay Group and seize back control of thepany!"


    Hansel hurriedly nodded in affirmative and left to do as ordered.


    Now, the only people left in the office were Jayden and Shaun.


    Shaun was still staring at the floor, trembling in fear due to messing up. He was too afraid to even


    breathe.


    Upon seeing that, Jayden realized there was no outlet for his anger now. He continued to seethe as his


    bulging veins throbbed on his forehead.


    After a few moments, he stood up and walked to stand by the floor-to-ceiling window. When he was


    finally calm, he coldly asked, "You said that you injected some of the drugs in her?"


    Shaun let out the breath he had been holding when he realized there was ack of murderous intent in


    Jayden''s voice. Then, he hurriedly spoke up in response, "Yes. We nearly seeded, but Miss Cornell


    had struggled so hard that we had to stop when Joaquin charged into the room. Still, about a third of


    the drug was injected into her by then. I don''t know if it''ll have any effect¡­"


    "Oh, right," he blurted as though a thought suddenly struck him. "Boss, I hid in a corner and watched


    before I left. That woman fainted before she could say a word."


    "She fainted? Are you sure?"


    Jayden abruptly whirled around to stare at Shaun when he heard that.


    Shaun was so terrified by Jayden''s oppressive aura that he fervently and stiffly nodded. His voice


    trembled from anxiety as he spoke up.


    "That''s right! I confirmed it before I left. It was very chaotic back then as Joaquin had charged in with


    his men without knowing how many of us there were. I hid the moment he barged into the room, and I


    made sure he did not know about the drug. I was afraid Miss Cornell might say something, so I took the


    risk to stay. However, she was so concerned about her daughter that she only told the men to look for


    the child. She fainted right after that. I think¡­ the drug might have taken effect then."


    Jayden fell silent in thought.


    A momentter, he called for Mr. Benedict.


    "Could the drug still be effective at a reduced dosage?" Jayden asked.


    Wale frowned in confusion.


    "What do you mean by that? I gave you just enough of the drug to be used on one adult. I cannot


    guarantee its effects at a reduced dosage, but I can tell you for sure that there will be side effects."

 Chapter 438

    Chapter 438


    "Side effects? What side effects?" Jayden was stunned by what he heard. He then red at Wale.


    "Why would there be a side effect?"


    Wale stared back, speechless. It was evident he was dissatisfied with Jayden''s reaction.


    "Mr. Hall, while I am thankful for how much you are paying me, you are still too ignorant in terms of


    researching and developing drugs," Wale stated. "It was extremely impossible for me to research a


    drug that could brainwash a person in such a short amount of time. I was ordered to do so though, so I


    had no choice but to rush the process."


    "We might have a drug now," he continued. "But to be honest, it has never been tested. I didn''t even


    have time to conduct clinical trials. Hence, it is more unlikely for me to know what side effects there


    would be. However, all drugs are poisons to a certain extent, especially if the effects are strong. If the


    dosage is not strictly adhered to, there would be severe effects on the body. As for what those effects


    are, we would have to wait and see. I can''t say for sure what will happen."


    Wale was a chemist with high standards and was working with Jayden due to financial troubles.


    However, that did not mean he fully agreed with Jayden''s methods. For example, Jayden''s


    unreasonable request had given him a serious dilemma.


    Thus, Jayden''s question clued him in on what likely happened. His face instantly twisted into an ugly


    look.


    Jayden''s face darkened considerably when he heard Wale''s answer. It further deepened his impression


    of Shaun as a useless worker.


    Still, what has happened, happened. There was no point talking about it any longer.


    He spent a few more minutes pondering before calling Shaun back in.


    "Where are Katherine and the others now? Have they left Kynd?" he asked.


    Shaun shook his head. "Not yet. Miss Cornell fainted, so Joaquin was unable to take her away from the


    city. They have been moved to one of David tt''s vis."


    David?


    Jayden''s eyes narrowed as an idea struck him.


    "Keep an eye on them. Remember, be careful, and don''t tip them off. Let me know the moment


    something happens."


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    "Yes, sir!" Shaun responded with a nod. "Don''t worry, Boss. I''ll be careful. I won''t make another


    mistake."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, at David''s vi, it waste at night when Joaquin charged up to the second-floor bedroom


    with a doctor in tow.


    Katherine was currently huddled in bed and leisurely chatting with Xavier. While Katherine looked as


    calm as usual, Xavier''s face gradually darkened.


    He immediately stood up upon realizing the doctor was there. Then, he shot Joaquin a hesitant look.


    "What is it?" Joaquin asked.


    Xavier opened his mouth for a moment before snapping it close and swallowing back the words


    lingering on the tip of his tongue. "Nothing much," he eventually said. "Let''s have the doctor look her


    over first."


    He then moved away to let the doctor get closer to Katherine.


    Soon, the doctor was done checking her over, but he could not diagnose anything wrong with her.


    "Thedy is suffering from a few mild injuries. Her muscles are not damaged though, so she will be fine


    after a few days of rest."


    His simple answer made Joaquin frown. "Is that all?"


    The doctor let out a hum of confusion before mumbling, "That''s it. What else could there be?"


    Joaquin''s face turned even more unpleasant when he heard that. He walked over to Katherine to gaze


    deep into her eyes before turning back at the doctor.


    "Are you sure her head was not injured? She seems to have a headache, and she''s even showing


    signs of amnesia."


    The doctor was stunned to hear that, but he soon fervently shook his head.


    "No, sir. I''ve thoroughly checked her head just now. There were no signs of an injury or even having


    been knocked. As for the amnesia you mentioned, what happened?"


    Joaquin exchanged nces with David before casually stating, "She said she does not remember what


    happened today."


    The doctor stroked his chin in thought and answered, "There''s a possibility she''s suffering from jumbled


    memories or temporary amnesia due to shock. How about this? Let''s observe her for two days while


    she rests. If the problem persists, bring her to the hospital for a round of thorough testing and a CT


    scan of her brain. If there''s a need, we might do an MRI of her head region. We can only know what''s


    happening once we have those test results."


    Even the doctor could not diagnose any further, so they had no choice but to acquiesce to that


    decision.


    Joaquin had his men escort the doctor out while he continued to frown at Katherine who was silently


    staring back at him with wide eyes.


    He sat down beside her and held her hand in his. His mind was filled with worry as he massaged her


    hand.


    "Are you hungry? How about I ask the servants to prepare some food for you?" he asked.


    Since the doctor said she should rest, he would not be questioning her about what happened earlier


    that day. All he would do was look after her.


    She thought about his question for a moment before nodding. "Now that you mention it, I do feel


    somewhat hungry."


    "Very well. I''ll have them prepare something light and easy. It''ste, so you shouldn''t eat something


    heavy. Just bear with it for tonight and rest early. I''ll have them prepare your favorite food tomorrow


    morning."


    She nodded. "Okay."


    She did not seem any different than usual, but for some reason, something about her behavior felt off.


    He sat with her while she ate and only tiptoed out of the room when she finally fell asleep.


    After heading downstairs, he found Xavier sitting in the living room as though Xavier had been waiting


    for him.


    "Well? Has Kathy fallen asleep?" Xavier immediately asked upon spotting Joaquin.


    Joaquin nodded and walked over to sit across from Xavier. His brows remained furrowed, and they had


    never rxed the entire night.


    Seeing that, Xavier hesitated for a moment before voicing the question he had wanted to ask earlier.


    "You feel something is off as well, don''t you?"


    His abrupt question stunned Joaquin who turned to shoot him a sharp look. "What have you


    observed?"


    "She has memory issues," Xavier replied with a nod, not beating around the bush this time.


    Joaquin''s pupils shrank as he pursed his lips in silence.


    Xavier sighed and told him all about his observations.


    "When you went to fetch the doctor, I was talking to Kathy. I realized some of her memories were stuck


    in the past before she came to Kynd. As for what happened after arriving here, she does not recall


    most of it. She''s also acting strange. Before, she was cold yet calm. Now, she is much more impatient


    and easily frustrated. We would argue for a few seconds before she starts refusing to speak. Just now,


    she even threw a temper tantrum. She has never done that before."

 Chapter 439

    Chapter 439


    "Moreover, Kathy doesn''t just have holes in her memories," Xavier exined. "There were even


    jumbled memories. When I asked her about certain events in the past, she would tell me a distorted


    version of the events. What happened just over 10 years ago would suddenly be an event that


    happened 20 years ago. I didn''t realize it at first, but the more we talked, the more holes I discovered in


    what she told me. It was only then that I noticed her memory issues. I even tested her to confirm my


    guess."


    There was an extremely stormy look on Joaquin''s face when he heard that.


    He did notice something off about Katherine''s behavior, but he did not expect his feelings to be proven


    true.


    He shot to his feet, wanting to head back up to her, but David stopped him.


    "What are you doing?" David asked, giving him a worried stare.


    Joaquin pursed his lips and coldly replied, "I''m taking her to the hospital."


    David sighed and stood up to block his way.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    "I know you''re worried. I am her friend as well. I am concerned about the issues she has, but I think we


    should still listen to the doctor and observe for now. Let''s see what happens tomorrow. After all, she did


    suffer a shock. Perhaps, she''ll be much better after some sleep. It will not be toote to bring her to the


    hospital tomorrow when her condition does not improve. She''s exhausted. Let her rest."


    Joaquin silently stood there for a moment before agreeing to the suggestion. Still, there was an


    extremely stormy look on his face.


    Her condition did not improve the next day.


    After Katherine woke up, she just sat up on the bed and huddled under her nket, not even moving


    an inch.


    When she saw Joaquin enter her room, she even scowled and grumbled, "Why didn''t you knock before


    you enter?"


    He was stunned. He had never seen her act like this before. His feet faltered as he wondered if he


    should continue walking over to her.


    Her face turned even uglier as she barked out in an even harsher tone, "Who are you? How can you


    just enter my room? What do you want?"


    She then warily shuffled backward until her back was t against the headboard.


    His entire face froze. His throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed before hoarsely asking, "Don''t


    you recognize me, Kathy?"


    She scanned him up and down with a suspicious re. "Should I know you? Just who are you?"


    Her questions made his face go scarily dark. His conflicted emotions and worry were evident in his


    eyes as he stared at her.


    There was a moment of silence before he eventually asked in a warm voice, "I''m your husband,


    Joaquin Levisay. Kathy, do you really not remember me?"


    "Joaquin? My husband?" She frowned in clear disbelief. "Are you for real? You''re not lying to me, are


    you? I''m not married."


    Just then, David and Noah walked into the room. They did not know what was going on, though, and


    started smiling when they saw she was awake.


    "Kathy, did you sleep well? Do you feel better?" David asked.


    Noah was ecstatic to see her and immediately leaped onto the bed.


    "You''re finally awake, Mom! I was so worriedst night. I waited and waited, but you never woke up. I


    was so worried that I couldn''t sleep at all. Do you feel better now?"


    Katherine seemed to be lost in thought for a moment as she stared into Noah''s wide eyes. Eventually,


    she nodded and wrapped her arms around Noah in an embrace.


    "I feel much better now, Noah. Why am I here though?"


    Noah was shocked by Katherine''s question. She stared at Katherine in confusion. "What''s going on


    with you, Mom? Don''t you remember what happened yesterday?"


    "Yesterday? What happened yesterday? Also, where is this ce?"


    Katherine was absolutely confused. She spent a moment observing David and Noah before her gaze


    locked with Noah''s. "What is going on here?"


    Her question made the entire room go so silent that an awkward tension was steeped into every corner


    of the room.


    With a face full of shock, David turned to stare back at her. "You don''t remember anything at all? Have


    you forgotten everything from yesterday?"


    She reached up to massage her forehead. "I-I don''t remember anything. Why am I here?"


    Evidently, she did not even remember waking up yesterday.


    At such sight, both David and Joaquin turned pale.


    Joaquin clenched his jaw and spat out, "Get the car ready! I''m bringing her to the hospital."


    David immediately left the room to order the men to get ready. He knew this trip could not be dyed.


    Half an hourter, the group arrived at the hospital where a doctor immediately subjected Katherine to


    a full-body check-up.


    David and Joaquin sat outside the examination room with stormy looks on their faces. Even Noah''s


    tender face was clouded over.


    Noah walked over to Joaquin and tugged at his hand while looking up into his eyes.


    "Dad, why does Mom not remember you? She sounds like she has forgotten about a lot of things. Will


    she forget about me one day?"


    Her eyes were red-rimmed with worry by the time she was done asking her questions. They shimmered


    with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let the tears fall.


    Joaquin''s heart clenched in pain upon seeing that. He hurriedly held her hand back as he tried his best


    to reassure her.


    "That won''t happen. She''s only suffering from some temporary issues. She''ll remember everything


    once the doctor cures her. You are her most beloved daughter. She will never forget you."


    As the father-daughter duo talked, a doctor walked out of the examination room.


    "Excuse me, who is the patient''s husband?" the doctor asked after taking a moment to examine the two


    men waiting in the hallway.


    Joaquin stared at the doctor for a moment before he snapped back to his senses and hurriedly stepped


    forward. "I am. How is Kathy?"


    The doctor pointed at the door and replied, "Come with me. The patient wishes to see you. We can talk


    inside."


    Kathy wanted to see him?


    Joaquin immediately pushed everything aside, left Noah in David''s care, and strode into the room.


    Inside the doctor''s office, Katherine was uneasily shifting around in her seat as her slender brows were


    locked together in a frown.


    The moment he walked into the room, she shot to her feet and dashed over to grab his sleeves as


    though he was her savior.


    "Why did you bring me to the hospital for a check-up? The hospital makes me uneasy. Joe, can we go


    home?" she asked.


    This never-before-seen side of her surprised him.


    What was even more surprising was the familiar nickname she used. His eyes lit up as he stared at her


    in anticipation and surprise. "You remember me."


    Unexpectedly, she shot him a look as though he was acting like a fool. "What do you mean by


    ''remember you''? When did I forget about you?"


    He was stunned by her response. He stiffly turned to the doctor with tightly pursed lips.


    "What is going on with her, doctor? What do the results say?"

 Chapter 440

    Chapter 440


    The doctor exhaled and carefully informed Joaquin of his situation.


    "You''ve witnessed her condition for yourself, so you should have a rough guess on what''s going on. I''ve


    looked through all her test results. Nothing is wrong with her. She is not suffering from any injuries nor


    is there anything abnormal to be found in her blood test results. When I talked to her just now, I realized


    there is something off about her mental condition. She keeps jumbling up her sentences and


    contradicting herself. It is a condition usually seen in patients suffering from mental disorders or


    undiagnosed severe amnesia."


    Joaquin was not surprised to hear that.


    Just as the doctor said, after what he had witnessed over thest two days, he had guessed it.


    However¡­


    "What could be the cause behind her amnesia? Could the tests not tell us?" he asked solemnly.


    The doctor hummed in thought. When he finally spoke, his face was covered in a thin sheen of sweat.


    "The tests are unable to find anything wrong for now. On the surface, she seemspletely fine. I''m


    actually quite curious about just what could have turned her into this state. However, there is a chance


    that it is simply due to shock."


    Amnesia caused by overstimtion?


    Katherine was not that weak, and Joaquin did not think it was possible.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    However, since the doctor could note up with any other exnation, Joaquin did not wish to


    continue with the same topic. "How should we cure her then? When will she recover?"


    The doctor shook his head. "I can''t say for sure. Some recover in just a few days while others would


    take three to five years. There are even some who¡­ would live out the rest of their life with a hazy


    mind. I have no way of giving you a sure-fire answer. All I can say is that you should do your best to


    treat it."


    At that, Joaquin went silent. In the end, he nodded and left the room with Katherine and the prescribed


    medicine.


    When they walked out of the doctor''s office, she blinked in surprise upon seeing David waiting in the


    hallway.


    "Huh? Why are you here, David?"


    David was stunned to hear her ask that. He subconsciously nced at Joaquin.


    When Joaquin shot him a look in return, he immediately understood what was going on. He could not


    help but sense a headache building.


    Nevertheless, his only choice was to y along as he calmly nodded and replied, "Hm? I''m here to


    check in on you."


    She smiled. "What is there to check on? I''m fine. Stop worrying."


    She then looked down at Noah and ran her hand through Noah''s hair. "Don''t worry, Noah. I''m perfectly


    fine."


    Her blinding smile stunned Noah. As Noah dazedly stared up at Katherine, she felt like her mother had


    turned into apletely different person.


    While Katherine had been nice to Noah before, she had never smiled at Noah with that kind of smile.


    This was the first time ever.


    The four of them left the hospital with three of the party dazedly shuffling along. Katherine was the only


    person who had a carefree smile on her lips the entire time.


    Before getting into the car, she turned to look at the hospital with a deep stare.


    "Everyone says doctors are angels, but I never want to step foot in a hospital again. It''s terrifying being


    hooked up to all sorts of machines while my blood is taken from me and every inch of me has been


    scanned from inside out."


    Joaquin was opening the car door when he heard that. He froze and turned to look at her. "You are


    afraid of that? Don''t you handle those machines all the time?"


    "Who handles those machines all the time?" she asked, shooting him a confused look. "Me? That''s


    impossible. I''m not a doctor."


    As soon as she said that, everyone else went stiff and stared at her in disbelief.


    David was unable to resist eximing, "What do you mean by that? Aren''t you¡­"


    Halfway through his question, he suddenly realized what sort of situation he was in and hurriedly


    stopped talking.


    Something shed in Noah''s eyes as she stepped forward to tug at Katherine''s hand and whisper,


    "Mom, you are an amazing doctor. You''ve always been the one to help me nurture my sickly body,


    remember?"


    Katherine burst outughing as though she had been told the world''s greatest joke. "How is that


    possible? I don''t even know a single bit about healing anyone. Noah, are you trying to tter me?"


    It was then that they realized what was going on.


    Her amnesia had affected her other memories to the point where she had forgotten her skills as a


    doctor.


    Joaquin pursed his lips and darkly said, "Let''s get in the car. We''ll talk back home."


    On the drive home, he contacted Theodore while waiting for the traffic light to turn green.


    Coincidentally, Theodore was currently at Kynd. The instant he heard Katherine was suffering from


    amnesia, he hurriedly set a time and ce for them to meet up.


    ¡­


    Jayden was informed of the new developments not long after.


    "What? She even forgot about her own skills as a doctor. Are you sure?" The news shocked him so


    much that he shot to his feet to give Hansel a hard stare.


    Hansel swiftly nodded. "It''s absolutely true, Mr. Hall. ording to the doctor my men interrogated, he


    said that based on Miss Cornell''s current behavior, her memories had been jumbled together. She


    might even be suffering from amnesia. The men also overheard Katherine saying she is not a doctor.


    She seems like apletely different person right now. Mr. Benedict did say that there would be side


    effects if the drug was not administered at the correct dosage. I believe this is one of the side effects."


    Jayden scowled. His mood worsened instead of improving upon hearing that piece of news.


    He had not expected the situation to develop to this stage.


    How could Katherine have forgotten so much about herself, especially her incredible healing skills?


    That was what he wanted control over. How could she forget about it?


    He flew into a fit of rage and mmed a palm against his desk, causing every molecule in the room to


    tremble in fear.


    "Useless fool! Absolutely useless! You can''t do a single thing I tell you to do. Look at what you''ve done!


    You''ve ruined everything!"


    Hansel quivered in fear as well. His eyes darted all around the room as he forced himself to reassure


    Jayden.


    "It''s not all that bad, sir. Think about it. Now that Miss Cornell has health issues, Joaquin would surely


    comb through every inch of the earth to find someone to cure her. We could actually seize this chance


    to get our hands on Miss Cornell once more. Then, she would be firmly under your thumb."


    Jayden fell silent when he heard that. After he spent a few moments considering the suggestion, the


    ugly look on his face faded slightly.


    A momentter, he sat back down with a dark look on his face and ordered, "We''ll keep an eye on


    every move they make. Report back to me the instant something happens."


    "Yes, sir!" Hansel responded, frantically nodding.


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