Adam forced a bitter smile, “Alicia, I didn’te here to make you move rooms.”


    Alicia arched an eyebrow, a teasing smirk curling her lips. “Then what brings you here?” she sneered. “Surely you’re not here to care about me?”


    Adam shook his head, his voice gentle but firm. “I’m here to check on you,” he replied. “Are you feeling unwell? Just give me your report. I’ll make sure you get the best treatment possible.”


    “Doctor Johnson is responsible to me. No need to trouble you, Doctor Lawrence,” Alicia replied coolly.


    Adam’s expression tightened, frustration bubbling. “I just need a quick look. That Johnson is not someone who’d ever treat you half-heartedly!”


    He didn’t know that, as he was trying to convince Alicia, Harvey was just at the doorway, overhearing their conversation. Leaning against the doorframe, he listened quietly, amused.


    ‘Well, well… Adam’s running over here to badmouth me again,’ he raised a brow. ‘Let’s see what nonsensees out of this guy’s mouth this time.’


    “Why?” Alicia asked.


    Adam’s eyes flickered with a mix of guilt and helplessness, “Because you’re my sister.”


    He let out a helplessugh before continued, “As my sister, you’ve never really enjoyed any benefits from it. And yet, you’ve been treated unfairly. I really owe you. Just show me your report, and I’ll see what I can do.”


    Hearing this, Harvey’s temper red. ‘What’s Adam babbling about? Questioning my professional integrity like this?’ he thought.


    There might be tensions, sure, but Harvey knew that when it came to work and patients, he had always been fair and thorough—a doctor through and through.


    He bristled, ready to step in and set Adam straight, but Alicia’s next words stopped him in his tracks.


    “I trust Doctor Johnson,” said Alicia. “He wouldn’t do that. Doctor Lawrence, I guess you think ill of others because you’d do the same yourself?”


    A small smile crept across Harvey’s face. With that, he stepped fully into the room, shing a perfect grin at Adam.


    “Hey, Doctor Lawrence. Don’t judge a man by your own shadow,” said Harvey. “Bringing personal grudges into work… you’ve done that plenty, haven’t you? Is that why you’re so suspicious of me?”


    Adam’s face darkened. “You’d better treat Alicia well. If you think of crossing her, I won’t forgive you.”


    Harvey chuckled, “I’m a doctor, and I care for my patients. But you… your own sister is sick, yet you have others to send her here? Tell me, how does that make you an elder brother?”


    Adam was left speechless. He turned to Alicia. “I’ll leave now,” heforted. “Rest well. If anything happens in the hospital, reach out to me.”


    He started to turn, but Alicia’s voice stopped him, “Wait.”


    Hearing that, Adam felt an odd flutter of hope. It would be so nice if Alicia was not rejecting him anymore. He turned, eyes shining faintly as he looked at her.


    “Here. Take it,” to his surprise, Alicia pulled the debit card he’d given herst time from her pocket and held it out. “From now on, I have nothing to do with the Lawrences. You don’t need to give me any money either.


    Adam stared at the card. It was the same one he had handed her when she left. Panic rose in his chest.


    “Alicia, you grew up in the Lawrence family. You’ve never known hardship,” he tried to protest. “You wouldn’t survive without money. Trust me. Just take this. I’ll make sure you live asfortably as you would in the Lawrence family. You won’t suffer.”


    Alicia cut him off quickly. “No, no. I want a lighter life. I don’t want the kind of life I had in the Lawrences.”


    “What are you talking about?” Adam frowned, confused. “You had everything in our family, right? Good food, nice clothes…”


    He paused, a thought dawning on him. “I know what Mom and Dad made you do, and that wasn’t right. But that was after Tiffany returned. Before that, you were the Lawrence heiress.”


    He didn’t explicitly mention making Alicia paint for Tiffany, mindful that Harvey was still there. But Alicia understood his implication perfectly. Sheughed, sharp and scornful.


    “Adam… are you dumb? Or just incredibly naive?” Alicia sneered. “The Lawrence heiress? That only belongs to Tiffany now, after she returned. Not me. I’m just a puppet for you to put on a show for Maria.”


    Adam shook his head in disbelief. “No, that’s impossible. Before Tiffany came back, you were the only heiress. Mom and Dad, and all of us, we cared for you. Even if I was busy… the others often went home to apany you, didn’t they?”


    “And what good did that do me?” Alicia’sugh wasced with sarcasm. “If I didn’t buy groceries and cook myself, I ate leftovers from the servants. I couldn’t use your washing machines-had to hand-wash thick winter clothes, no hot water. The Lawrence family gave me a roof and nothing more.”


    Mentioning that, she seemed to recall something. “That’s right-living in the Lawrence family meant doing chores to pay rent and preparing gifts for everyone on holidays,” added Alicia. “If I ever ran out of money, you Lawrences called me ungrateful. I was only eight at that time, and you guys pushed me as if I could make money on my own.”


    “That’s impossible!” Adam stumbled backward, dumbfounded. “We have servants for cooking and washing. Before we started our jobs, Mom and Dad gave each of us a few thousand bucks a month as pocket money!”


    “That was for


    you. Not me,” Alicia replied coldly. “Leaving your family was a relief. Just leave me alone. I never want anything to do with you or your family again.” <fn5325> This update is avable on find{n}ovel</fn5325>


    Adam’s face drained of color, as if something inside him had copsed. He stepped out of the room numbly, heading toward where the Lawrence family were waiting.


    Now inside 606, only Harvey and Alicia remained.


    Harvey hade for a routine check-up on Alicia. Hearing her defend him earlier had genuinely pleased him. He knew she had a sharp eye.


    However, he was taken aback by her conversation with Adam regarding the Lawrence family. He didn’t even know someone could endure such a life for so many years.


    Watching Alicia, so pale and skinny, Harvey felt a pang in his chest.


    “Doctor Johnson?” Alicia noticed his gaze and called softly. Only then did Harvey snap back into reality.


    “If life in the Lawrence family was so unhappy, why didn’t you just run away?” he suddenly asked.


    AD


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