Linda administered acupuncture to Noelle and prepared a prescription for a herbal remedy meant for pregnant women.However, Charles remained cautious and called for Margaret to evaluate it as well. Since Margaret practiced normal medicine and Linda's prescription was based on alternative medicine, Margaret hesitated.She looked at Charles apologetically. "Mr. Hoffman, I'm sorry, but alternative medicine isn't my area of expertise."Linda pouted at them. "Relax, I wouldn't harm her. Since you're friends of my benefactor, I'd never do anything to hurt her."Linda understood that her young age naturally made others question her medical abilities.However, if anyone else dared doubt her skills, Linda would not hesitate to poke them with needles. However, seeing the attractive people in the ward, she held back. After all, everyone here was so good-looking.Unaware of Linda's inner thoughts, Charles squinted and glanced at Peter, who nodded subtly. Only then did Charles hand the prescr
Although Charles did not know exactly who Yves was, being associated with the Hoffmans suggested they shared some similarities in behavior and methods.Since Charles had the confidence to use Kelly as a move against Yves, he had already considered numerous possibilities."My people are monitoring the area around Caspian Villas. Kelly's signal was last located there," Charles said as he stood by the window, gazing at the flickering city lights.For once, his demeanor seemed subdued. "This might be the final confrontation, but bringing Tania into this..."He rubbed his temples in frustration."They came prepared, so it's something we couldn't have predicted," Peter said as he stood, placing a reassuring hand on Charles' shoulder. "He won't stay in the shadows for long."…Meanwhile, in the car heading back to the Lennon residence, Jeremy drove while Tania sat in the back seat, cradling Brandon.Beside her was Linda, the young girl who, despite looking tired, was bubbling with ene
Peter immediately left with Sean."Sean, you're driving!" Peter tossed the car keys to Sean, climbed into the passenger seat, and quickly opened his laptop to track Tania's phone.He made a call to both Lareal and Steven. "Steven, I'm sending you Tania's location—she's in danger!"Steven, who was about to go to bed at the villa, froze when he received Peter's message. He squinted, grabbed a jacket, and headed out. A capable-looking woman followed closely behind him."Mr. Fischer!"Steven paused and glanced at her. "Didn't I tell you to stay in Cascade City and keep an eye on Eloise?""Sir, Eloise—" the woman started, but before she could finish, Eloise herself appeared from the side."Sir," Eloise greeted calmly.The instant Steven saw her, his expression darkened, becoming almost menacing. "What are you doing here?"Eloise's demeanor remained steady. "I came to see if there's anything I can help with."She said this as she looked directly at Steven and then at the woman behi
Although Tania was terrified, she did not let it show. She merely shook her head and said firmly, "Jeremy, focus on driving. Don't worry about me and Linda. We'll take care of ourselves." Despite her calm words, her eyes stayed glued to her phone.She knew she could not afford to panic or add to Peter's stress. Holding Brandon tightly in her arms, she whispered reassuringly, "Brandon, don't be scared. I'm here!"Peter, who was listening to Tania through the phone, clenched his jaw with bloodshot eyes. "Sean, drive faster!"Sean stepped harder on the gas pedal. Something occurred to him, and he quickly called Charles. "Charles, I haven't had time to keep an eye on Liliana. If this attack is really targeting the Hoffmans, Liliana might—""I'll take care of it," Charles interrupted. He had already assigned people to protect Liliana, but Sean's call made him tighten security.He immediately dialed Ronald's number. "Who's currently assigned to Liliana?""It's… Raymond, Mr. Hoffman,"
The car was hit hard, producing two loud bangs. "Mrs. Lennon, are you alright?" Jeremy asked."I'm fine!" Tania gritted her teeth as she felt the pain from the heavy impact. "Brandon, I'm here. Don't worry."Brandon remained calm throughout the ordeal. He was not unafraid, but he stayed quiet to avoid worrying Tania.Jeremy reversed the car slightly and tried to accelerate forward again. However, the vehicles behind them were relentless, pursuing them closely until Jeremy's car was eventually surrounded.Jeremy's face turned pale. "Mrs. Lennon, stay in the car. Don't get out. I'll—"Before he could finish, a gunshot echoed. Jeremy quickly shielded Tania and Brandon, urging them to duck.Meanwhile, Peter and Steven's car had arrived. Seeing Jeremy's car surrounded, Peter immediately raised his gun and fired.His movements were swift and precise, shooting at the enemy vehicles and killing several attackers instantly. The remaining men exited their vehicles and advanced toward Ta
"It should cause chaos," Steven scoffed coldly. "I want to see how far they're willing to go. Get in the car!"Sean shrugged, muttering, "Alright, fine!"However, after getting into the car, Sean did not forget to call Liliana.…Liliana, who had just finished working late, was stopped by a strange man as soon as she stepped out of her building."Ms. Hoffman, I'm Raymond."Liliana paused and instinctively took on a guarded expression as she looked at Raymond Wells. "I don't know you.""Ms. Hoffman, I work under Mr. Hoffman. Ronald Wells is my brother," Raymond explained, pulling out his ID. "Mr. Hoffman asked me to escort you back.""Back?" Liliana asked, confusion clouding her face. "Back where? Mr. Wells, I'm heading to the hospital right now."Even though he claimed to be Charles' subordinate, Liliana did not trust him and had no intention of going with Raymond.Realizing he could not convince her, Raymond called Charles. "Yes, Mr. Hoffman. Ms. Hoffman... She's refusing to
Raymond dropped Liliana off at the hospital and personally watched her enter through the main entrance before calling Charles to report the situation.He also recounted what he had noticed on the way. "There didn't seem to be any witnesses at the scene, but I did see a few people who looked like trained fighters. They lingered around for a while before leaving."Charles' dark eyes flickered as he listened. "Alright, I understand. You've done well today. Go home and get some rest."After hanging up, Charles immediately called Peter. Upon confirming that everyone was safe and unharmed, he finally felt some relief.Noelle, who had been watching Charles make multiple phone calls despite being in the ward with her, grew suspicious. "Did something happen?""No," Charles replied firmly. "It's late. Get some rest."He had no intention of burdening Noelle with the situation, so he chose not to explain. "Ms. Holt will come tomorrow to check on you. Alright?"Noelle nodded without pressing
"I'm not going!" Liliana rejected both options outright. "No matter what you say, I won't go!""Liliana, now isn't the time for you to be stubborn and unreasonable!" Sean reached out, attempting to grab her hand, but Liliana swiftly pulled away.She glared at him coldly. "What's this? First, you forced me to stay at your villa, and now, you want to force me into something else?"Liliana's icy tone left Sean at a loss for words. "I…""Since Bobby is already asleep, I'll go check on Noelle!" Liliana declared, cutting off any further argument. Though she had her grievances with Sean and Charles, she still cared deeply for Noelle.After all, it had been a while since they last met, especially after Liliana found out Noelle was pregnant.Sean escorted Liliana to Noelle's hospital ward. Inside, Charles was gently coaxing Noelle to sleep, but her wide-open eyes fixed on the ceiling made it clear she was not tired.Hearing footsteps from outside, Noelle turned her head toward the door.
Eloise's fingers shook just a little, but she nodded seriously. "Take your medicine, get better, and I'll go. Just don't send me away now, please."With that, Eloise held out the glass of water to Steven again. "You need to take care of yourself. You haven't had any rest for days."Steven stared at Eloise's defiant face and suddenly laughed mockingly. He stood up, towering over her with his tall frame. He tilted her chin up with his long fingers, his icy eyes locking onto her bare face. His words cut deep. "You seem to have forgotten that you're just a pawn to me. Even your name, Eloise, was chosen by me. Remember your place!"Eloise's face went white as she heard his words. Her hands balled into fists at her sides. She tried to read his expression, but his eyes were like ice—no warmth nor emotion."Yes, I've always known who I am," Eloise said quietly, looking down. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably still be lost."She looked up again, her eyes then as cool and detached as his
Charles squinted at him. "You don't seem too happy to have me around!""No, no, don't get me wrong. Noelle and Kelly are my sisters, and they’re part of the Smith family. I wouldn't ever dislike them! But don't you think you're wasting resources by being here?"Sean was practically pleading. "Look, if you're not smart with your money, that's fine by me!""Silly Sean! You just said they're your sisters, yet now you're talking about money?" Charles raised an eyebrow. Sean's face fell. "I messed up. I don't want your money. I'll pay you to leave, okay?"Charles just smirked. "Alright, I'll have my things packed up and head out in a couple of days."Sean let out a big sigh of relief. "Okay! I'll have someone clean up for you right away. It won't even take two days. We'll have it done today!" After saying that, Sean whistled cheerfully and bounced away.Charles rubbed his forehead, a bit frustrated, and quickly reviewed the latest reports about the Collosus Group.Steven had been sec
Yves's car lingered long at the hospital entrance, finally pulling away as the last bit of night faded.Yves had been hanging around the hospital entrance for a while, and the secret guard who was watching him had already told Charles about it. Actually, Charles had seen the car parked outside the hospital on the security screen a long time ago.Charles was staring at the screen, lost in thought.After a bit, a tiny smile appeared on his face, and his eyes sparkled.Charles was surprised that Yves cared so much about Kelly. He was brave enough to come there all by himself, even though it was dangerous. The hospital was full of their own people. If Charles had not been sitting there and had caught Yves instead, this whole thing might already be over.The door to the hospital room opened, and Sean, who was tall and striking, stood there. He had been at the hospital a lot those days, staying close ever since he started looking after Kelly. Linda was there too.Every day, Linda was b
"You must really want to die!" Yves twisted his hand, and Elon's arm popped out of its socket. "Who told you the York family has a dungeon? My father? Or...""No! The old master has nothing to do with this!""Hmph!" Yves glared at Elon. "You never saw me as your master, did you? Only my father?" Yves squeezed Elon's cheek. "What did my father give you that made you remain so loyal, even years after his death?""Nothing... You are my master. The old master gave me my life and asked me to follow you for all of it, so no matter what you do, I will obey.""Then why didn't you listen when I said not to hurt her?" A dangerous look flickered in Yves' eyes. "Hmm?""Because I know she'll mess up your big plans, Sir. You don't see it now, but one day you'll understand that I am doing all this for you." Elon clenched his teeth against the pain. "Sir, please see the truth. This woman will only hold you back. Even if you take my life now, I won't complain, but don't let her ruin your big plans
Nobody knew if Kelly was alive or not because Sean's hospital would not let any information slip out. The place was locked down tight by Charles's crew, and not even Yves's toughest guys could bust in and rescue Kelly. Yves did not have a clue about Kelly's condition, so he could not just rush in without a plan.Somewhere hidden on the outskirts of town, a man was strung up on a scary-looking rack, his eyes shut and barely breathing.Yves sat on a chair nearby, fiddling with something in his hands, his eyes icy as he stared at the man hanging there. "You know you messed up, right?"The man, who was called Elon, kept his eyes shut tight and would not say a word. Yves glanced sharply at another guy standing close by. This guy was an assassin Yves had trained, just like Elon. They were always at Yves's side.Elon was usually the one out in the open, but this other guy, Yoan, worked from the shadows. They were Yves's main guys.Yves did not take Elon with him to Francoria that time be
"Alright, then I'll leave my sister in your hands!"After spending some time with Linda, Noelle had come to realize that apart from being extremely serious when treating patients, Linda was otherwise quite childish. At moments like this, she was still very much a child at heart.However, spending time with Linda was easy. She had a way of making treatments feel relaxing, ensuring there was no pressure at all.Once Linda finished joking around, Charles led her away, taking her directly to Sean's lab for research.For the past few days, Linda had not stepped out of the hospital because she was entirely focused on finding a cure for the virus. She had practically made Sean's lab her home, eating, drinking, and sleeping there without a care.Despite her young age, Linda was undoubtedly a medical prodigy. She was only in her teens, yet she handled these complex medical challenges with astonishing composure.Sean had always believed his medical skills were exceptional—at least within h
His slightly rough fingertips brushed against Noelle's skin, his gaze filled with tenderness as he shook his head slightly. "It's okay now."Noelle, however, couldn't hold back her emotions. She leaned her head against Charles' chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her voice carried a hint of grievance. "Why didn't you tell me?"If she had not noticed Linda's secretive behavior and recalled Peter's and Tania's hesitation that night, she would have never known just how much suffering Kelly had endured.Not to mention, it was all because of her. If not for the virus in her body, Kelly would not have put herself in danger."Don't cry." Charles coaxed her gently. "She wouldn't want you to be sad, would she?"Through the glass panel of the hospital room, he saw Linda putting away the silver needles. He gently patted Noelle's back. "Do you want to go in and see her?"Noelle pulled away from Charles, took the tissue from his hand, and wiped her tears. She nodded firmly. "Yes!""
"Don't worry! You two really are sisters. Just as you're concerned about her, she's been worried about you too!"Linda was still young, and she did not quite understand the depth of sisterly bonds.She had grown up in a completely different environment. Though her family was large, there was never this kind of closeness.The person she was closest to was her older brother, but Saxon was a man, and his way of caring was completely different from that of a sister. Hence, Linda had a hard time grasping the emotions that Kelly and Noelle shared.However, even if she could not fully comprehend it, she could feel that these two truly cared for each other."During the time you were missing, Noelle could barely sleep at night. She kept having nightmares. Some days were better than others, but I could only help ease her pain temporarily." Linda sighed. "And now, you've only just woken up, and the first thing on your mind is Noelle.""How is Noelle now?" Kelly asked anxiously, her eyes fil
Kelly remained in the ICU for two days before she finally woke up. This was not exactly what Linda had expected, but at least Kelly showed no adverse reactions upon regaining consciousness.However, she barely spoke.Linda had already spent several hours in the hospital ward, checking Kelly's condition and even performing acupuncture to alleviate her pain. However, Kelly was like a puppet on strings—silent and unresponsive. She did not speak, did not complain, and did not even flinch at the pain.Linda stared at Kelly's face, which looked almost identical to Noelle's, and sighed in boredom."Hey... You don't have to worry. Once your body recovers, I can remove the scars on your face and body." Linda reassured her."Trust me. After all, I do come from a family of doctors… Kelly, are you mute? Why won't you say anything?"Linda had been observing Kelly for hours now, and she was even quieter than a mute person.Even those who could not speak would at least make some sounds when th