It took a long while for Helen to come to her senses. "Cindy? When did you come back to the country?"Cindy was supposedly studying abroad and would only return next year.Still, Cindy flashed a sweet smile right then, "Actually, I recently started a company with a partner, and we're aiming to get into the Riverton market. You have to help me out, Helen—business is booming in Lane Holdings, so you can't forget about the rest of us.""Oh, what are you saying?" Gina exclaimed. "If you want to start a business, Helen can let you manage one of our subsidiaries. Why partner with others?""Mom." Helen quickly cut her short. "Cindy must have her own plans since she's partnering with friends."Lane Holdings was short on money themselves, and giving away a subsidiary right now was no different from cutting off a piece of themselves. Moreover, Helen knew how vain her mother got with her family, but she had to think for herself too!Thankfully, Cindy shook her head. "That's alright, Aunt Gi
Kenny was surprised that the panacea polypore was that popular.And since he had promised Frank that he would get it for him, it would be awkward if someone else bought it instead.Still, Frank went up to the worker and said, "Can we meet the owner? I'm willing to buy it at a high price.""Yes… Yes!" Kenny nodded in response, whipping out a stack of dollar bills and handing it to the worker. "You can have this—take us to the owner right now."The worker was left staring at the fat stack of cash, his awkward expression instantly turning into a smile. "This way please, gentlemen."-At the back of Vintagers, Cindy was just exclaiming excitedly, "Mr. Wicker, do show us the panacea polypore!"Johnny Wicker, the pudgy owner of Vintagers, was all smiles as he drew out a wooden chest. "Calm down, miss—this is it, the panacea polypore. Five million dollars, and I won't take any bargaining."Cindy quickly turned toward Gina. "You can pay him now, Aunt Gina.""Huh… actually, is it reall
Frank said, "It's pointless even if you buy the polypore, Cindy. I can help you with any condition you have and pay you on top of that."Cindy snorted in disdain. "You, help me? Who do you think you are?! Also, I'm plenty healthy!"She had always belittled because he had nothing to his name and thought Helen was blind when she married him.It was certainly smart of her to divorce him!On the other hand, Frank was speechless. "Why would you buy it if you're not sick?"Cindy reared her chin at him. "I'm presenting it as a gift to Ms. Salazar. She needs it, and she just might appoint me a direct broker when her family starts marketing the Beauty Pill.""It's not going to sell." Frank chuckled. "Sell the polypore to me, and I'll appoint you the broker of a pill that would sell even better."It was no empty promise—his Reinvigoration Pill would definitely outsell the Beauty Pill, if not render it worthless.Cindy, however, snorted. "You're so full of it. I won't take whatever you ma
Gina absolutely refused to lose face in front of her niece, even if paying forty million dollars for it hurt a lot.Even Johnny was left dumbstruck.Selling a panacea polypore for forty million dollars? This would probably never happen again!He quickly turned to Frank and Kenny. "Gentlemen, are you going to raise the bid?"Both men were frowning.Raise? They only had thirty million dollars together.That being said, they did not expect Gina and her niece to be that stupid to buy a polypore for forty million dollars!And since neither man spoke, Johnny turned to Gina and Cindy with a smile. "It's all yours, Ms. Zonda."Gina whipped out her card while shooting Frank a gleeful, triumphant look despite her heart bleeding.And once the payment was made, Cindy got her wish as she took the wooden chest containing the polypore. "I'll definitely become a partner of the Salazars with this!" Her eyes were aflame with excitement as she opened the door.The panacea polypore lay still w
The customers of Vintagers were immediately drawn by the racket Gina was causing, but Johnny was no slouch, having run the business for years!Knowing that Gina was trying to curry sympathy, he bellowed, "How dare you mess around on my turf! Guards!"The security officers hurried to the scene at his order!Seeing things were getting out of hand, Helen quickly said, "Calm down, Mr. Wicker. We won't ask for a refund, alright?"There was no way three women would win against a dozen burly security guards, not to mention that Gina was already silenced once they arrived."Then put a leash on your mother," Johnny growled icily. "Slander me again and watch what happens."Nearby, Frank was almost laughing out loud.Even if Johnny was definitely a shady businessman, he was still amused seeing Gina suffer.Forty million dollars for a dead herb? She was simply one of a kind!Nonetheless, as Gina wobbled up to her feet, her eyes suddenly landed on Frank, and she ran up to him. "You wanted
There was a blood-red section within the panacea polypore—it was a young bloody polypore that was growing from the inside!Everyone watching around Frank was left in dumbfounded disbelief."What?!""Isn't that a bloody polypore?""It's alive, too…""So that's why the polypore is dying. Its nutrients are being drained from the inside!"Gina was left completely bewildered.She knew nothing about herbology, so she asked Cindy, "What's a bloody polypore?"Cindy's eyes were aflame with jealousy. "It's a parasitic polypore growing within normal polypores. It sucks the polypore outside dry, which is why it's a treasure among polypores."Beside Frank, Kenny's eyes lit up as he stared at the bloody polypore. "My goodness… your eyes are as sharp as they are wise, Mr. Lawrence! You actually spotted a bloody polypore hidden within!"He was dead sure that Frank must have noticed right away, or he would not have spent two million dollars buying a dead herb!Frank smiled. "I was just lucky
Gina snapped, "If I'd known there was a bloody polypore inside, I wouldn't have sold it to you!""That's right!" Cindy echoed. "Give us the bloody polypore. You can have your two million back."Everyone around them was actually shocked.Even Johnny, unscrupulous as he was, did not demand for his sold merchandise to be returned. How despicable could these women be to actually say it out loud?"Haha!" Frank laughed out loud. "Why should I tell you that there's a bloody polypore inside? Who are you to me? The polypore isn't yours the instant you took my money.""That's right, Mom!" Helen reasoned. "It's his once the money changed hands, and both parties were willing. There's no takesies backsies!"She was also feeling humiliated and would rather her mother stopped causing a scene, especially with so many people watching!"You ingrate! How could you take sides against your family?!" Gina snapped at Helen instead, furious that she would rather take Frank's side than hers!"I'm not t
Still clutching her face, Cindy suddenly turned toward Helen. "Just look at him! Just what kind of friends have your ex-husband been making?!"Cindy was clearly trying to blame her, but Helen shrugged nonchalantly. "We're divorced—the friends he makes have nothing to do with me. Also, I'm leaving now since I have something else to do."With that, she strode off, leaving Gina and Cindy behind.She certainly did not want to embarrass herself further!-Frank took the bloody polypore back to Skywater Bay after parting ways with Kenny.He was just about to call Vicky about it when she called him first. "Hey, Frank? Where are you?""Skywater Bay."Vicky was stunned for a moment before demanding, "Skywater Bay? When did you move there?!""When I visited the Quills," Frank replied. "Robert Quill gave me a mansion."Vicky gasped. "Only the richest and most powerful people live there, and Robert gave you one? What, did you get him a wife or something?"Frank was blue with shock. "No,