ã€ŠOnce a Nobody. Now A Queenã€‹


 Blizzard 1

    <b>Chapter </b><b>1 </b>

    55 vouchers

    The blizzard had raged for three <b>days</b>, burying Hirica under <b>a </b>suffocating nket <b>of </b>snow. The Sherman residence loomed like a frozen fortress. And there, on the icy driveway, the butler tossed Olivia¡¯s suitcase out.

    ¡°Ms. Summers, Mr. Sherman¡¯s orders: you¡¯re leaving today. The Sherman family was kind enough to <b>take </b>you in, but now that their real daughter has returned, your presence <b>is </b>no longer required,¡± the butler said, his voice oozing disdain.

    Then he tossed a slip of paper and a card onto the ground. ¡°Here¡¯s the info on your birth parents, the Summers. And this is five thousand dors<b>. </b>Consider itpensation for the years you spent with us<b>.¡± </b>

    Olivia didn¡¯t even nce at the card. ¡°No <b>need</b>.¡±

    ¡°And keep this,¡± the butler scoffed, tossing down onest document¨Ca formal disownment notice<b>. </b>

    Olivia ignored that too, slinging her bags over her shoulder. If she wanted to find her real parents, she¡¯d do it on her own terms. And she wasn¡¯t taking a single cent from the Sherman family.

    The butler watched her with open contempt. ¡®Pathetic, he thought. ¡°Too proud for her own good. Doesn¡¯t she realize? Since the true Sherman heiress had returned, why would they keep some nobody like her? That money is more than she deserved.¡¯

    ¡°Then see you, Ms. Summers.¡± With a final sneer, he mmed the door shut behind her.

    Olivia didn¡¯t flinch. Head held high, she walked away, her thin frame cutting through the falling snow. She felt no grief¡ªthe Sherman family had never given her love, so why mourn them now?

    From an upstairs window,ughter rang out as snowballs pelted the ground near her feet.

    ¡°Finally, she¡¯s gone. No more standing in Cheryl¡¯s way.¡±

    ¡°Never belonged here anyway. I was half¨Cafraid she¡¯d refuse to leave.¡±

    Olivia heard every word. A cold smile touched her lips, her expression as unreadable as the winter storm around her. Catching a snowke in her palm, she exhaled softly. ¡®Good riddance.¡¯

    *****

    In a traditional courtyard in Kingtonelle, the Summers family had gathered for an urgent meeting.

    At the center sat Samuel Summers<b>, </b>the family patriarch, dressed in a sharp suit thatmanded respect. His stern voice cut through the tense silence as he red at his grandsons. ¡°You call yourselves capable men? It¡¯s been over a decade, and you still haven¡¯t found Ivy?¡±

    The Summers brothers were among the most powerful men in Kingtonelle, each aplished and formidable. Yet now, they stood with their heads bowed, shame and regret burning in their chests.

    They were the ones who had lost her. Their little sister, Ivy, had been the sweetest child¨Cquiet, gentle, always smiling like a cute doll. That day, they had been careless, distracted by their own games, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

    For fifteen years, they had chased every lead, but the trail had gone cold after tracing her to a human trafficker¡¯s den. By the time they reached the town, Ivy had already vanished without a trace<b>. </b>

    ¡°Grandfather,<i>¡± </i>one of them spoke up, voice firm with resolve. ¡°I¡¯ll mobilize everyone immediately. We won¡¯t stop until we bring her home<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

    <b>1/3 </b>

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    Before Samuel could respond, a breathless aide rushed in, clutching a stack of documents. His hands trembled as he stammered, ¡°Sir, we¨Cwe¡¯ve found her! We¡¯ve located Ms. Ivy Summers.¡±

    Samuel shot to his feet, his own hands unsteady as he snatched the papers. ¡°Where is she? Take me to her now.¡±

    ¡°Hirica, the aide blurted. ¡°We don¡¯t have the exact location yet, but the confirmation <b>is </b>solid¨Cshe¡¯s there<b>.¡± </b>

    Samuel didn¡¯t waste another second. ¡°Get the car ready. We¡¯re leaving for Hirica immediately.¡±

    After being cast out by the Sherman family, Olivia didn¡¯t return to the orphanage. She waited for the snow to ease. Evening fell before she finally trudged back to her apartment, a modest unit in one of Hirica¡¯s older neighborhoods.

    As she parked, her neighbor Laura called out, ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re backte. Wannae over for dinner tonight?¡±

    Olivia offered a tired but polite smile. ¡°Thanks, Laura, but I¡¯m cutting back on carbs.¡±

    Downstairs, Helen, the woman who sold yogurt from her stall, handed her a cup. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you in weeks! My back¡¯s been killing me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and my eyes are getting worse,¡± another elderly resident chimed in. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you to check on us.¡±

    Olivia was well¨Cliked in the oldplex. Most of the residents were retired officials, who enjoyed chatting with her. She was humble, kind, and never pried into their pasts, which made her a favorite among them.

    The neighborhood might¡¯ve looked ordinary, but it was full of hidden talent. Even Helen had once been Kingtonelle¡¯s most sought¨Cafter tailor, her designs worth a fortune.

    Olivia never asked questions, though. She lived here simply because Grace Lane, the orphanage director, was nearby, making visits easier.

    Arms crossed, Olivia scanned their faces and sighed. ¡°Tomorrow afternoon, I¡¯ll set up a free clinic in the central square. And remember what I said? Follow my diet advice and cut back on the TV. That revenge drama isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±

    Lately, the seniors had been obsessed with a hit revenge series, binge¨Cwatchingte into the night and neglecting their health.

    Caught red¨Chanded, they exchanged guilty nces. ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯ll listen to you, Olivia.¡±

    It was remarkable how these aplished individuals¨Csome with shadowy pasts¨Cwould take orders from a young girl like her.

    ¡°Dr. Summers, you¡¯re back.¡± A cheerful man in a button¨Cup shirt hurried over, relief washing over his face. He¡¯d been waiting for her return.

    Olivia sidestepped as he got too close. ¡°Stanley, personal space.¡±

    Flustered, he scratched his head and held out a key. ¡°Sorry, I just missed you. Don¡¯t worry, though. I kept an eye on your ce. No one¡¯s messed with it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Olivia nodded and handed him some oranges.

    Stanley grinned, shooting a pointed look at the others. They were always pestering her, and it annoyed him. ¡°Thanks. So¡­. you¡¯re staying for good this time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Olivia said, pocketing the key. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    <b>8:49 </b><b>pm </b>D

    1 55 vouchers.

    Stanley smiled, ¡°Great then. Drop by when you can. Oh, it¡¯ste. Get some rest. Call me if you need anything. Anytime.¡±

    With a small smile, Olivia nodded and headed inside.

    After they left, Olivia unlocked her door. The exterior lock was in, rusty and unremarkable.

    But inside, it <b>was </b><b>a </b>different story. Behind several reinforced locks stood a high¨Ctech door with a biometric scanner. ¡°Facial recognition required,¡± a mechanical voice prompted.

    Olivia tilted her face toward the <b>screen</b>. ¡°Proceed.¡±

    ¡°Scanning¡­ Authenticationplete. Wee home, Master.¡± The familiar automated greeting, unheard for <b>weeks</b>, signaled the door¡¯s <b>release</b><b>. </b>

    As it slid open, lights flickered to life, revealing a space that defied the building¡¯s shabby exterior. Shelves overflowed with jars of rare dried herbs, while weathered medical texts lined the walls. The balcony functioned as an improvised greenhouse, thriving with medicinal nts.

    Dominating the living room was a massive disy screen, its interface tracking real¨Ctime fluctuations in microchip markets worldwide.

    Olivia grabbed a slice of cake from the kitchen and settled in, ready to finally watch that addictive revenge drama everyone kept talking about.

    Then the phone erupted with its obnoxious custom ringtone: ¡°Olivia, jobsing. Moneying! Olivia, jobsing. Money-¡±

    She mmed her palm on the answer button. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Boss, lucrative job in Hirica,¡± her subordinate said. ¡°Worth our time?¡±

    Rubbing her temples, Olivia sighed, ¡°Details.¡±

    ¡°Kingtonelle¡¯s wealthiest patriarch is offering 10 million to find his missing granddaughter. Intel suggests she¡¯s somewhere in Hirica.¡±

    Olivia stretchedzily. ¡°Missing heiress retrieval? Pass. Anything actually challenging, or should I hang up?¡±

    ¡°Wait! Here¡¯s another one, and you¡¯ll love it.¡±

    ¡°Really? Go on.¡±

    ¡°The Shea family just posted a bounty¨C15 mil for intel on you, 25 for a consultation. Even credible tips get 1.5.¡±

    That got her attention. Olivia set down her phone. ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s a fortune. Now that¡¯s interesting. Show me.¡±

    ¡°On

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 Blizzard 2

    The room¡¯s main screen shifted instantly to holographic mode, projecting the Shea family¡¯s extensive dossier. Their lineage. stretched back five centuries, with ancestors serving as royal advisors, effectively ruling from the shadows.

    Current intel showed they¡¯d summoned top physicians to Hirica¡¯s Orion Tower, screening them to <b>treat </b>family patriarch Andrew Shea. His prognosis <b>was </b>medically beyond salvation, though.

    The game just gotpelling. Olivia settled back, one leg casually draped over the other. ¡°Tell them I¡¯m in.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll have them wire the money.¡±

    ¡°Payment uponpletion,¡± Olivia interrupted. ¡°You know my terms.¡±

    Money <b>was </b>Olivia¡¯s primary motivator, but impossible medical cases ran a close second. The more hopeless, the better. This Shea situation <b>was </b>just textbook perfect.

    Here she was, the legendary Phantom Healer. Ironically, she might be the only physician who didn¡¯t care about the Shea name. For families like the Sherman family, merely receiving an invitation would require calling in every favor they had.

    Overnight, Hirica buzzed with activity. First, Kingtonelle¡¯s elite were searching for a lost heiress. Then the Shea family¡¯s medical summons. Whispers spread that they¡¯de specifically because the Phantom Healer operated here.

    The city¡¯s rumors about the mysterious doctor varied wildly. Some imed he was a middle¨Caged man named Frank, while others swore he was a century¨Cold spirit. And with the Shea family involved, the elusive healer might finally show their face.

    The next morning, Olivia got up early, sshed some water on her face, and decided to skip driving to avoid the morning rush. Instead, she grabbed her scooter at the gate and took off at a leisurely pace.

    ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re up early today,¡± someone called out.

    She grinned. ¡°Gotta make a living, don¡¯t I?¡±

    An hourter, she arrived <i>at </i>Orion Tower, one of Hirica¡¯s most famousndmarks. The lobby was buzzing with activity, and the entrance was packed.

    It looked like every big shot in the city had shown up. Among the rows of luxury cars, Olivia¡¯s scooter stuck out like a sore thumb.

    The guards here judged by the ride, not the rider. Before she could even park, one of the guards waved her off. ¡°Hey, you! This isn¡¯t some public park. Get lost. Private event today.¡±

    Olivia gave him a cool nce. ¡°I¡¯m here to heal that Shea guy.¡±

    The guard scoffed andughed, ¡°Yeah, right. How old are you? You don¡¯t even look like you¡¯ve got a medical license.¡±

    She smirked, pulling out her phone to send a quick voice message to her team. ¡°Tell them the Phantom Healer¡¯s here. Someone bettere get me.¡±

    The guard smacked the phone out of her hand. ¡°Phantom Healer? Pull the other one. Got an invitation? No? Then stop wasting my time<i>.¡± </i>

    He jerked his chin toward a nearby luxury car. ¡°Now that¡¯s a real VIP. Bet you¡¯ve never even seen a car like that.¡± With a sycophantic grin, he rushed to open the door.

    <b>8:49 </b><b>pm </b>D

    DE

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    Inside the car <b>sat </b>Cheryl, the long¨Clost Sherman heiress<b>, </b>arm¨Cin¨Carm with an elderly man.

    ¡°Mr. Evans, Ms. Sherman, everything¡¯s prepared inside,¡± the guard gushed.

    The two barely acknowledged him with a nod.

    Through the window, Cheryl caught sight of Olivia. Her pale <b>face </b>flickered with confusion. ¡®What¡¯s she doing here? she wondered.

    The old man beside her noticed her hesitation. ¡°Something wrong, Cheryl?¡±

    She forced a smile. ¡°Nothing, Henry. Just¡­ first time at an event like this. I¡¯ll follow you and pay attention.¡±

    The old man, Henry Evans, gave an approving smile.

    Meanwhile, Olivia didn¡¯t argue. She just swung her leg over her scooter and kicked off. A good physician knew when to walk away: some souls called for healing, while others reeked of nothing but transactional greed.

    This wasn¡¯t a house call anymore; this was a waste of her stethoscope. Her phone <b>was </b>already in hand, thumb poised to swipe the appointment into oblivion.

    Then a sharp scream cut through the air. ¡°Oh my God! What happened?¡±

    Near the luxury car, a crowd was gathering fast.

    ¡°Whose kid is this? Just running around like that?¡±

    ¡°Is she dead?<b>¡± </b>

    Olivia¡¯s instincts kicked in. Without thinking, she pushed forward.

    A little girl, no older than five,y crumpled on the pavement. Her face was twisted in pain, her forehead slick with sweat.

    Today was the Shea family¡¯s private medical consultation, so there were plenty of doctors around. One bystander grabbed the arm of a woman in a white coat. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re a doctor, right? Help her, please.¡±

    The woman yanked her arm back, scowling. ¡°I can¡¯t just treat her without family consent. What if something goes wrong? I¡¯m not risking my license for some random kid. Besides, she¡¯ll probably wake up on her own. I have real patients waiting.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°A doctor who picks and chooses who to save doesn¡¯t deserve the title.¡± She dropped to her knees beside the girl, her voice cutting through the noise. ¡°Everyone, back up. She needs air.¡±

    Something in her tone made the crowd listen instantly, shuffling backward.

    Olivia touched the girl¡¯s forehead, and then checked her pulse.

    The offended woman sneered, ¡°Who the hell are you? Some self¨Cproimed child genius? You¡¯re not even qualified to question me.¡±

    Panicked murmurs rose around them.

    ¡°Yeah, just call an ambnce. You don¡¯t have to do anything. If this kid dies, it¡¯s on you.¡±

    ¡°I saw the whole thing. She¡¯s got no parents around. She must¡¯ve wandered off.¡±

    ¡°Listen, girl, you¡¯d better not make it worse, or her family¡¯ll sue you into oblivion.¡±

    <b>8:49 </b>pm

    Olivia ignored them. She sliced open the girl¡¯s vest and quickly carried her to the shade of a nearby tree.

    The woman watched with a sneer. ¡°You even got a medical license? You¡¯re gonna kill her.¡±

    12 55 vouchers<b>) </b>

    Olivia barely nced up, a faint smirk on her lips. This was the first so¨Ccalled professional dumb enough to question her skills. ¡°Rx. If she dies, it <b>was </b>on me.¡±

    Her hands moved swiftly as she unzipped her medical kit. The rows of needles were meticulously arranged. She checked the girl¡¯s pulse again, prepping for acupuncture.

    ¡°Stop,¡± the woman barked. ¡°You can¡¯t just stab needles into someone like that.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t even flinch. The needles were in as she checked the girl¡¯s pulse again.

    The woman sneered, ¡°I¡¯m Natalie Evans, a grad student at Kingtonelle Medical University. My uncle is Henry Evans, the top surgeon in Hirica. You think you can just y doctor with no license? Enjoy prison, fraud.¡±

    Olivia stayed focused, her voice calm. ¡°Who said I¡¯m unlicensed?¡±

    Hirica¡¯s licensing exam tested both medical mastery and raw skill, and it was brutal. Natalie barely passed, and only because Henry pulled strings. So she scoffed, ¡°How old are you? Eighteen? No way you¡¯re certified. Just wait for the damn ambnce. Drop your act.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t look up. Looking all calm, she asked, her tone icy, ¡°Wait? So she can die in the ¡®golden hour¡®? Some doctor you

    are.¡±

 Blizzard 3

    Natalie¡¯s <b>face </b>twisted. ¡°You¡¯re the one wasting time with your fake medicine. Move. I¡¯m doing CPR.¡±

    Olivia shot her a re. ¡°She passed out from low blood pressure, and CPR¡¯s your only move?¡± Her voice <b>was </b>razor¨Csharp. ¡°Quack.¡±

    Natalie¡¯s face burned. She¡¯d just returned from an international medical conference with the Henry Evans, and this nobody had the nerve to question her? ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? Do you even know who my uncle is<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Don¡¯t care.¡± Olivia kept working, pressing a critical pressure point. ¡°Get out of my way, hack.¡±

    Natalie¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°Fine, she fainted. But you really think sticking needles in her will help? If traditional medicine worked, why would we even need real doctors? You kill her, and it¡¯s on you.¡±

    Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

    ¡°She¡¯s right. Modern medicine is more reliable.¡±

    ¡°Did you see how she checked the pulse, though? That looked legit.¡±

    When Olivia kept ignoring her, Natalie grabbed her arm. ¡°Stop right there, you fraud.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s voice dropped to a dangerous chill. ¡°Let. Go.¡± Two things pissed her off beyond reason: people who trash¨Ctalked traditional medicine, and idiots who got between her and a patient.

    Natalie released her with a shove. ¡°Fine! Show me your magic tricks, then. Actually save her, and maybe I¡¯ll apologize.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t blink. ¡°Better start rehearsing.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s hands moved fast, and three needles were ced with precision. The girl stirred, her brow furrowing slightly as a soft whimper escaped her lips.

    The crowd erupted. ¡°She¡¯s waking up!¡±

    Natalie¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°No way¡­ How the hell did a few needles do that?¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t hesitate. Two more needles shed in her hands, finding their marks instantly.

    Suddenly, the little girl¡¯s eyes flew open¨Cbig, round, and alert. Her pale face softened as she blinked up at Olivia, looking almost angelic.

    All eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°Holy shit, she did it!¡± Frank, one of the bystanders, burst outughing. ¡°Five little needles and bam, she¡¯s back with us?¡±

    Olivia carefully removed the needles, disinfecting the girl¡¯s arm. ¡°Not random pokes,¡± she corrected. ¡°She fainted. Hit the right points, and the body responds.¡±

    Natalie scoffed, crossing her arms, ¡°Oh, please. This has to be staged. Since when does jabbing someone with needles fix anything? Typical traditional medicine scam.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s re could¡¯ve frozenva, but before she could fire back, the little girl piped up in a voice sweet but sharp. ¡°Traditional medicine¡¯s been around for thousands of years. And you? You could do nothing. Maybe you should go back to school.¡±

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    <b>8:49 </b><b>pm </b>

    Natalie sputtered, face turning red. ¡°<b>Excuse </b>me?!¡±

    The crowd lost it, andughter exploded around them.

    Olivia smirked, wiping her hands. ¡°She¡¯s got a point. Might wanna hit the books again.¡±

    ¡°Pathetic peasants! I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± Natalie spat, turning on her heel to leave.

    A needle whistled <b>past </b>her ear, embedding itself deep into a pine tree behind her.

    Natalie froze. One inch to the left, and it would¡¯ve been her skull.

    Olivia¡¯s icy voice cut through the silence. ¡°Forgetting something, hotshot?¡± she smiled.

    The crowd stiffened. That sweet¨Cfaced girl suddenly radiated something dark and dangerous.

    Natalie swallowed hard, ying dumb. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°An apology.¡± Olivia tapped her temple, grinning like it was all a game.

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    Natalie¡¯s jaw clenched. This would destroy her reputation. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. And I don¡¯t respond to frauds. My patients need

    me.¡±

    A bystander scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re Henry Evans¡® niece? Damn, he¡¯d be ashamed.¡±

    Natalie whirled around and pped the man hard across the face. ¡°Shut your mouth, trash! The Evans family owns every hospital in Hirica. Piss me off, and none of you losers will ever get treated again.¡±

    The man¡¯s fists shook with rage. ¡°You! How dare-¡±

    Natalie, who had always sneered at ordinary people, failed to notice the icy danger flickering in Olivia¡¯s gaze.

    With a careless flick of her wrist, Olivia sent a small stone flying. Natalie¡¯s knees gave out, and she crumpled to the ground with a sharp cry.

    White¨Chot painnced through Natalie¡¯s leg. Her face twisted as the sickening crack confirmed that her kneecap must be shattered.

    She tried to speak, to move, but her body refused to obey. It was as if some invisible force had locked her in ce, rendering her helpless.

    Olivia stepped forward, bending down until their eyes met. ¡°A real doctor wouldn¡¯t miss a diagnosis this basic,¡± she hissed, voice like a de. ¡°This isn¡¯t about your ego. It¡¯s about people¡¯s lives. And you? You¡¯re not just bad at your job.

    ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace to the profession. Stay down. Think about what you¡¯ve done, if you¡¯re even capable of shame.¡±

    Natalie could only re, fury burning in her eyes.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re rted to Mr. Henry Evans,¡± Olivia continued coolly, ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡±

    A flicker of hope crossed Natalie¡¯s face.

    ¡°Spending the day like this won¡¯t kill you.¡± Olivia watched her with a slow, merciless smile. ¡°After all, Ms. Evans, no one pushed you. You chose <i>to </i>copse,¡±

    Natalie let out a strangled whimper, unable to form words.

    <b>2/3 </b>

    <b>8:49 </b><b>pm </b>

    ¡°Serves her right,¡± someone in the crowd muttered.

    ¡°Yeah, calling people peasants? She¡¯s a disgrace to doctors,¡± another added.

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    A particrly loud bystander shouted, ¡°Hey<b>, </b>everyone! Check out the Kingtonelle best med student groveling for mercy.¡±

    Natalie¡¯s face burned with humiliation, but she couldn¡¯t even snap back. More and more people turned to stare, whispering and pointing. She wished the earth would split open and swallow her whole. Instead, she could only lie there, seething with hatred.

    That little bitch! Just wait. Next time <b>we </b>meet, I¡¯ll make her regret this,¡® she thought angrily.

    Olivia didn¡¯t spare her another nce. If their paths crossed again, she wouldn¡¯t be so lenient.

    An elderly man stepped forward eagerly. ¡°Youngdy, with skills like yours, you muste from a family of traditional healers, right?¡±

    Olivia paused as her expertise hadn¡¯te easily. Then she nodded. ¡°Yes, my family practices traditional medicine.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll treat folks like us if we ever need help?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Olivia smiled warmly, without <i>a </i>trace of the Phantom Healer¡¯s usual aloofness. ¡°Come to 22 Willow Lane. My clinic¡¯s always open.¡±

    <b>3/3 </b>

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 Blizzard 4

    <b>Chapter </b>4

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    <b>As </b>the <b>crowd </b>dispersed, Olivia noticed the little girl she¡¯d saved standing quietly to the side, watching her with wide <b>eyes</b>. She wasn¡¯t crying or fussing. Instead, she just observed, sweet <b>as </b><b>a </b>button.

    Olivia crouched down to her <b>level </b>and gently ruffled her hair. ¡°You feeling alright?¡±

    The girl shook her head, then surprised Olivia by sping her hand. ¡°Are you a fairy?¡±

    Oliviaughed, ¡°No<b>, </b>sweetheart. I¡¯m just Olivia. I know a little about medicine, and that¡¯s all.¡±

    The girl, Jenny Shea, apparently blinked up at her with those big, earnest <b>eyes</b>. ¡°Thank you for saving me, Olivia. I¡¯m Jenny. That meandy almost killed me.¡± She stuck her tongue out at Natalie, still immobilized on the ground.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your family, Jenny?¡± Olivia asked.

    Jenny pointed toward Orion Tower. ¡°In there.¡±

    Orion Tower. That exined a few things. The people who lived there were wealthy and powerful. This kid¡¯s family was clearly no exception.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run off alone again, okay?¡± Olivia kept her voice gentle, though she wasn¡¯t usually one for patience. Strangely, something about this child tugged at her.

    She checked her watch and found her next house call wasing up. Slinging her medicine bag over her shoulder, she added, ¡°And with your condition, you should never go out without a bodyguard.¡±

    As Olivia turned to leave, Jenny suddenly wrapped her arms around her waist in a tight hug, staring up at her with silent determination. When Olivia took a step, the child followed like a shadow.

    With a soft sigh, Olivia crouched down to Jenny¡¯s level. ¡°Still not feeling well?¡± she asked gently.

    Jenny shook her head, then surprised her with an unexpected question in that sweet, childish voice. ¡°Olivia, do you have a boyfriend?¡±

    Olivia blinked. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± she answered honestly.

    Jenny immediately brightened, nting her hands on her hips with triumphant confidence. ¡°Then you should marry my brother Andrew. He¡¯s kinda serious, but super handsome and rich. You¡¯d be really proud to be seen with him.¡±

    Olivia couldn¡¯t help butugh, booping Jenny¡¯s nose yfully. ¡°That¡¯s sweet, but I¡¯m not looking to date anyone right now<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

    ¡°But you have to at least meet him,¡± Jenny insisted, her tiny face scrunched in determination. ¡°He¡¯s seriously hot. Not satisfied? Juste to me.¡± She spoke with absolute conviction about her brother¡¯s appeal.

    Amused, Olivia tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re really pushing for this matchmaking, huh? Does your brother treat you poorly?¡±

    ¡°No, Andrew¡¯s wonderful to me and our family,¡± Jenny said, her expression softening before turning worried. ¡°But he works too hard and gets sick a lot. Everyone wants him to find someone who can take care of him.¡±

    She looked up at Olivia with hopeful eyes and continued, ¡°You¡¯re so pretty and such a good doctor. You must have lots of suitors. I¡¯m <b>just </b>getting Andrew in line early.¡±

    Olivia smiled and pulled out a homemade candy from her bag. ¡°You should rest now. You¡¯re still recovering,¡± she said, offering the treat<b>. </b>

    <b>1/3 </b>

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    Jenny obediently <b>epted </b>it and then suddenly put on her best pitiful expression<b>, </b>batting her <b>eyshes</b><b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Olivia<b>¡­ </b>can you

    <b>feed </b>it to me?¡±

    At that moment, Ethan arrived searching for Jenny, only to <b>freeze </b>at the unexpected scene.

    Jenny, who normally sinks her teeth into anyone daring to touch her<b>, </b><b>is </b>not only allowing physical contact but being hand- fed candy? And by Olivia<b>, </b>of all people? She¡¯s <b>just </b>publicly disowned by the Sherman family!¡® he thought.

    His <b>eyes </b>narrowed briefly before he smoothed his expression and approached. While everyone in their <b>circle </b><b>knew </b>about Olivia¡¯s disgrace<b>, </b>she wouldn¡¯t recognize a mere assistant like him.

    <b>¡°</b>Jenny,¡± he called out, injecting just the right note of relieved exasperation. ¡°Do you have any idea how much trouble you¡¯re in? <b>Boss¡¯s </b>been-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Jenny clung to Olivia¡¯s leg, chin jutting defiantly. ¡°Olivia saved me. I¡¯m staying with her.¡±

    Ethan offered Olivia a respectful nod. ¡°We¡¯re grateful, Miss<b>.¡± </b>

    Olivia¡¯s gaze sliced through him like winter wind. ¡°Jenny already expressed her thanks.¡±

    The intensity of her stare made Ethan shift ufortably. He turned back to Jenny with pleading eyes. ¡°Please, Jenny. Boss skipped his medication when he heard you were missing. He came out here himself¡ª¡±

    Jenny¡¯s head whipped around. She didn¡¯t expect Andrew to look for her personally.

    Following her gaze, Olivia noticed the figure standing in the shadows of Orion Tower¡¯s entrance. Even at this distance, the manmanded attention. His tailored suit hugged broad shoulders, every button fastened with military precision.

    Olivia couldn¡¯t see his face clearly. Yet something about his posture¨Cthe slight stiffness in his spine and the way he avoided. direct sunlight¨Cspoke of chronic illness to Olivia¡¯s trained eye. The sort of patient who¡¯d spent years battling his own body.

    Ethan was practically wringing his hands now. ¡°He won¡¯t take his pills until he sees you¡¯re safe. Please?¡±

    Jenny hesitated only a second before squeezing Olivia¡¯s fingers. ¡°Wait right here. I¡¯ll be super quick.¡±

    Olivia nodded. Jenny took off running toward the shadowed figure, leaving Olivia alone with Ethan.

    Ethan held out a card, his tone polite but measured. ¡°Thank you for helping Jenny. Please ept this.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t take it. Instead, she arched a brow, a on her lips. ¡°You seem to know who I am. In a hurry to

    cut ties<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    t smirk yin

    ¡°I¡¯m just an <b>assistant</b>. Why <i>would </i>I know you, Ms.

    Sherman ble

    and just as intense as Andrew¡¯s.

    <b>A </b>chill ran down Ethan¡¯s spine. The pressure radiating off her was unmistakable

    much.

    The words slipped out before he could stop them. He¡¯d said too

    ¡°Rx, I get the message. I¡¯m not sticking around. Do me a favor, though. Wait five minutes before telling her I¡¯m gone,¡± Olivia said. Then she sped off on her scooter and left.

    Ethan exhaled in relief. Thest thing he needed was Olivia dragging the Shea family into something <b>messy</b>. They had a reputation for staying neutral. No alliances, no unnecessary drama.

    Under the bright midday sun, Olivia adjusted her headphones, her ponytail swaying <b>as </b>she rode away. Her posture was straight, confident, leaving nothing but the faint hum of the engine behind.

    From the doorway, Andrew caught only a fleeting glimpse of her before she disappeared. He crouched down<b>, </b>gently

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    pinching Jenny¡¯s cheek. ¡°<b>Was </b>that the one who saved you?¡±

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    <b>¡°</b>Yeah, Olivia¡¯s the best.¡± Jenny tugged at his sleeve, spinning around in search of her. ¡°Hey, where¡¯d she go? Ethan?¡±

    Ethan hurried over, dropping into a nervous crouch. ¡°Yes, Ms. Shea?¡±

    ¡°Olivia promised to wait for me.¡± Jenny¡¯s expression darkened, her voice turning stern. ¡°Did you scare her off? She¡¯s gonna be with Andrew. How dare you!¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, I <b>swear-</b>¡± Ethan¡¯s hands trembled. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d done a thing.

    In all of Kingtonelle, nobody dared cross this little firecracker. At just five years old, Jenny Shea was sharp as a tack and twice as ruthless when crossed. She had Andrew¡¯s cunning, his temper, and his knack for ying the victim when it suited her.

    The only person who could rein her in <b>was </b>Andrew himself¨Ceveryone else walked on eggshells around her. And yet, for some reason, she¡¯d taken an instant liking to Olivia.

    ¡°She was just disowned by the Sherman family,¡± Ethan admitted carefully. ¡°I was only being cautious. But honestly, she left on her own. I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

 Blizzard 5

    <b>Chapter </b>5

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    ¡°Shut up,¡± Jenny snapped. ¡°Olivia saved me because she¡¯s kind. If you idiots hadn¡¯t lost me in the first ce, I wouldn¡¯t have passed out on the street. Without <b>her</b><b>, </b>I¡¯d be dead thanks to that quack doctor. Just you wait-<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Jenny.¡± Andrew¡¯s <b>voice </b>cut through, low and icy. ¡°Ethan¡¯s doing his job. Don¡¯t throw a fit.¡±

    Jenny knew that tone. Andrew only used it when he was really angry.

    ¡°But Andrew<b>,</b>¡± she whined, flinging herself against him, ¡°I worked so hard to find you a perfect girl, and he ruined it. Now Olivia¡¯s gonna hate me.¡± The fake tears turned real as she buried her face in his shoulder.

    Ethan looked down deeply, frozen in dread. ¡®I made Ms. Shea cry. I¡¯m dead. So, so dead.¡¯

    Andrew sighed, brushing a tear from her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not getting married. So stop trying to set up for me, alright?¡±

    With a subtle gesture, he signaled Ethan to straighten up. The poor man nearly sagged in relief, his shirt drenched in <b>sweat</b>.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Andrew said. ¡°The meeting¡¯s starting.¡±

    As the group turned toward the building, the ss doors reflected a face of striking, almost dangerous beauty¨Cpiercing eyes, pale lips, and an expression so cold that it could freeze fire.

    He was powerful Andrew Shea, the untouchable head of the Shea Group. And yet, he was also the doomed patient, his illness beyond any doctor¡¯s reach.

    ¡°Since she saved Jenny¡¯s life,¡± Andrew said, his voice measured, ¡°we should show proper gratitude. Prepare some gifts. We¡¯ll pay our respects in person soon.¡± His sharp gaze pinned Ethan in ce. ¡°And Ethan, don¡¯t overstep.¡±

    Ethan¡¯s shirt was still damp with sweat, but fresh fear prickled down his spine. ¡°Yes<b>, </b>sir,¡± he answered immediately.

    ¡®But there¡¯s a problem, he wondered. ¡®She¡¯s been disowned by the Sherman family. Where would I even find her now? Right, the Sherman family. Maybe if they intervene, Olivia would be more receptive.¡®

    How wrong he was. Of all people, Olivia wanted nothing to do with the Sherman family.

    **

    Olivia had just put some distance between herself and the Sherman family when her phone buzzed. ¡°Boss, we found the guy you wanted. Intel¡¯s been delivered,¡± the voice said.

    ¡°Good work. Your bounty just went up five percent,¡± Olivia said, pulling over and unlocking her phone with a quick nce.

    ¡°Hell yeah. Thanks, Boss.<b>¡± </b>

    Her screen lit up with a holographic disy¨Crows of microchips, each marked as SOLD in bold red. The dark web interface flickered before splitting into multiple encrypted windows.

    Then a photo appeared: a man slipping a stack of prototype chips into his coat pocket, nked by armed guards as he entered a luxury hotel, which was one infamous for backdoor tech deals.

    ¡°The Sherman family really has no shame,¡± Olivia muttered, her grip tightening on the phone. She knew exactly where those chips hade from.

    But this operation <b>was </b>too slick for the Sherman family alone. Fragments of sharp, painful memory surfaced, making her chest constrict. ¡®Who¡¯s really pulling the strings here?¡® she wondered.

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    Suddenly, a sharp, cutting voice rang out from behind her. Olivia knew it all too well. It was Margaret, her adoptive mother, speaking with the same disdain as if she were scolding garbage, ¡°Olivia? What are you doing here?¡±

    Olivia turned to see a small crowd nearby. Alongside her adoptive father, William, were several Sherman family rtives, and Cheryl, the newly returned golden child.

    Dressed in elegant finery, Cheryl clung to the arm of an elderly man, shing a practiced smile. The old man patted her hand, his expression warm with approval. It was Henry Evans, the famous local doctor.

    Margaret¡¯s lips twisted in irritation. She clearly assumed Olivia had followed them, lurking outside like some desperate stray. She scoffed, ¡°You refused our money yesterday, and now you¡¯re chasing us here?

    ¡°We told you, your real parents are back in that backwater town. Why do you hang around where you don¡¯t belong? Have some dignity. Even if you beg, <b>we </b>won¡¯t take you back.

    ¡°If it¡¯s about the money, fine. I¡¯ll give you a little more. Just name your price and get lost.¡±

    She gritted her teeth. And her critical gaze swept over Olivia¡¯s simple outfit: the unadorned ck coat, the faded jeans that somehow still managed to showcase those annoyingly perfect legs, thepleteck of makeup, that worn white bag slung carelessly over one shoulder.

    Margaret smirked. ¡®Pathetic. Clearly, life without us has left her broke. Fine, I¡¯ll offer more. Anyway, she¡¯s lined the Sherman coffers well enough to justify a little extra. Without her, we would have been ruined years ago.

    ¡°Fine. I know you¡¯re bitter about being some country nobody,¡± Margaret sneered. ¡°For old times¡® sake, I¡¯ll give you thirty thousand. Now scram.¡±

    Olivia arched a brow, amusement flickering in her eyes. She opened her mouth to respond.

    But before she could, Henry cut in, his voice dripping with contempt. ¡°Margaret, who is this?¡± He eyed Olivia¡¯s outfit with open disdain. ¡°You brought this to a Shea family event?¡±

    Margaret caught the warning in his tone and quickly stepped in. ¡°Oh, just a student I used to sponsor. Imagine running into her here.¡± She gave a pitying sigh. ¡°She¡¯s fallen on hard times, so I thought I¡¯d, offer some help.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Henry nodded approvingly, patting Cheryl¡¯s hand. ¡°Cheryl, you¡¯ve got the same generous heart as your mother.¡± Then his voice turned cold. ¡°But you can¡¯t just let anyone wander in. There¡¯s a time and ce for charity.¡±

    Cheryl lowered her eyes, the picture of wounded sympathy. ¡°You¡¯re right. But poor Olivia, she really does seem to be struggling.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s the kind of grace I expect from a Sherman,¡± Henry said, visibly pleased. He shot William an approving nce. ¡°Your daughter is exceptional.¡±

    William, who had always despised Olivia, swelled with pride at the praise. ¡®Of course, he thought. ¡®A real daughter brings honor, not like that ungrateful impostor, always moping around as if the world owed her something¡®

    Aloud, he said, ¡°Cheryl¡¯s always had a tender heart. Even as a child, she couldn¡¯t bear to see others suffer.¡±

    Turning to Margaret, he muttered, ¡°Take everyone inside. I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    Margaret gave Olivia onest performative <i>look </i>of sympathy. ¡°Do talk to her, dear. She¡¯s clearly going through a rough patch.¡±

    The group murmured approvingly,pping up her act of kindness.

    Olivia watched the whole disy and nearly gagged. ¡®God, what a pack of pretentious vultures.

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    ¡°You want money, huh?¡± William sneered, thrusting a credit card at her. ¡°Here, 30 thousand. Take it and get lost. Don¡¯t humiliate us here.<b>¡± </b>Today <b>was </b>Cheryl¡¯s grand debut, her moment to shine in front of high society. Thest thing they needed was this stray ruining everything.

    Olivia kept her expression nk, but inwardly, she wasughing. ¡¯30 thousand? That¡¯s it? Do they really think I¡¯m some broke charity <b>case </b>begging for scraps<b>?</b>¡®

    The crowd watched, expecting her to snatch the money with grateful tears. Instead, Olivia plucked the card from his fingers. -and snapped it clean in half before tossing the pieces aside like trash.

    Everyone froze in shock.

    Margaret¡¯s face twisted in fury. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t go too far.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t speak trash,¡± Olivia said, shing a mocking grin. ¡°Mrs. Sherman, your acting needs work. One minute you¡¯re Mother Teresa, the next you¡¯re foaming at the mouth?¡±

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 Blizzard 6

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    ¡°Keep your money for your husband, Mrs. Sherman,¡± Olivia said, her voice icy. ¡°He¡¯ll need it for those mistresses of his. <b>I </b>hear they don¡¯te cheap.¡±

    ¡°You-¡± Margaret choked on her rage. William¡¯s <b>fists </b>clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. If not for the crowd, he would¡¯ve strangled her right there.

    Everyone knew the truth. Margaret¡¯s family had propped William up when he was nothing, securing their marriage.

    But once he had power, he¡¯d never looked twice at his in¨Cfaced wife, preferring younger, prettierpany. The whole elite circle whispered about it, but no one had the guts to say it aloud.

    Until Olivia. One sentence was all it took to shatter the Sherman family¡¯s carefully crafted illusion of a perfect family.

    William¡¯s jaw locked. ¡®If I¡¯d known she¡¯d turn out like this,¡® he seethed, ¡®I should¡¯ve let her rot in that damnb!¡®

    The mood was tense, and everyone¡¯s expressions were grim. Henry¡¯s frown deepened. He¡¯d clearly just found out all this. He pulled his arm free from Cheryl¡¯s grasp.

    Cheryl, who had only just returned, knew the truth behind everything. She couldn¡¯t let Olivia keep talking, or her carefully nned reveal would be ruined.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, there¡¯s no need to argue with Olivia,¡± she said with a practiced smile, forcing a tone of kindness. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. We shouldn¡¯t keep the Shea family waiting.¡±

    Her gentle voice snapped William out of his anger. He quicklyposed himself, smoothing over his expression.

    To keep up appearances, William turned to Olivia with a stern look. ¡°If you¡¯re struggling financially, just say so. I¡¯m happy to help. But don¡¯t go spreading lies to tarnish our reputation.¡±

    He then took Margaret¡¯s arm, sighing like a disappointed father. ¡°And you, you¡¯re too soft¨Chearted. This is what happens when kindness gets taken advantage of.¡±

    Margaret flushed with humiliation and shot Olivia a venomous re. But with so many eyes on them, she forced a sad expression and nodded along.

    Olivia tilted her head slightly, her piercing gaze fixed on them, cold and unsettling.

    Margaret nearly lost herposure, ready tosh out, but Cheryl quickly pulled her aside. ¡°Mom, she¡¯s not worth it,¡± she whispered urgently. ¡°Remember what¡¯s important today. Don¡¯t let something this small ruin everything.¡±

    That snapped Margaret back to reality. She dabbed at nonexistent tears and sighed dramatically. ¡°It¡¯s heartbreaking. I only wanted to help, and this <b>is </b>the thanks <b>I </b>get? I should¡¯ve known better.¡±

    Cheryl yed along seamlessly. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re right. Some people care more about their pride than honesty. If you offer cards, they¡¯ll refuse just to <b>save </b>face.¡±

    Olivia almostughed. ¡®Are they seriously calling me a broke liar now?¡® She watched their little performance with cold

    amusement.

    Noticing Olivia¡¯s silence, Cheryl stepped forward with a graceful bow. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m sorry for my mother¡¯s behavior. But if you refuse our help, then stop causing trouble for us. My mom is kind¨Chearted. She¡¯s too trusting to see through your little games<b>.¡± </b>

    Her words were firm yet diplomatic, instantly swaying the crowd. The onlookers nced between Cheryl, the picture of

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    poise, and Olivia¡¯s indifferent <b>stance</b><b>. </b>The contrast couldn¡¯t have been clearer.

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    Olivia caught the thickyer of hypocrisy in Cheryl¡¯s tone. She lifted her chin, lips curling into a knowing smirk, her sharp gaze cutting straight through the act.

    For some reason, Cheryl felt a flicker of unease under that stare. She despised Olivia, yet that piercing look sent a chill down her spine.

    She sneered inwardly, ¡®Olivia¡¯s acting bolder today, reckless and defiant. Since when? After living with my family for several years, does she really think she is some kind of nobledy now?¡®

    ¡°Cheryl¡¯s right,¡± Henry cut in, stepping forward. ¡°People struggling often confuse pride with dignity. They mistake generosity for pity. It¡¯s amon <b>w</b>.¡±

    His eyesnded on Olivia, brimming with disdain. ¡°The Sherman family helped you. The least you could do is show some gratitude. Acting like this just makes you look petty.¡±

    Olivia listened, then suddenly asked, ¡°You¡¯re Henry Evans, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Henry replied, tilting his chin up slightly, his frown deepening.

    ¡°Sharp eye,¡± Cheryl added smoothly. ¡°Mr. Evans is the director of Hirica Medical Group, as well as one of the most renowned doctors in the field. What exactly do you want?¡±

    ¡°No big deal,¡± Olivia said with an easy smile, nodding toward the street. ¡°I read tarot, and your cards just came to me. Your family, the one who cuts corners and doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing, almost got someone killed today.

    ¡°Right now, she¡¯s begging for mercy on the ground. Why don¡¯t you go see for yourself?¡±

    Henry scoffed inwardly, ¡®My only medical family is Natalie, a top graduate from Kingtonelle Medical University. No way she¡¯s endangered a patient.¡®

    ¡°You fool,¡± he spat. ¡°How dare you spread such lies! The Evans family has practiced medicine for generations. We would never-¡±

    Before he could finish, an elegantly dressed woman came rushing over in tears. ¡°Henry, you need to check on Natalie immediately. She copsed and couldn¡¯t move or speak. It¡¯s like she¡¯s possessed.¡±

    Henry¡¯s confident smile turned to stone.

    A heavy silence fell over the crowd. His face burned with humiliation as he stormed off toward Natalie¡¯s location.

    ¡°Oh, and one more advice for you,¡± Olivia called after him, waving casually. ¡°Tonight, take the back roads home. Avoid the main streets.¡±

    No one had ever dared disrespect Henry like this. He turned back to re at Olivia, his eyes promising this wasn¡¯t over.

    But Olivia couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°The Evans family had thising,¡® she thought. ¡®Corrupting medical standards and undermining the entire healthcare system. Someone should¡¯ve put a stop to them years ago.

    ¡°That so¨Ccalled ¡°top doctor¡± is nothing but a fraud, selling medical licenses to unqualified hacks and churning out generations of arrogant, ipetent practitioners.

    ¡®If I don¡¯t step in, they¡¯ll keep using my reputation to drag the profession further into the gutter. Hirica doesn¡¯t just need a new top doctor. It needs a reckoning.

    Margaret, trailing behind Henry, hid a smug smile. ¡°The Evans family dominates Hirica¡¯s medical scene,¡® she sneered

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    inwardly, ¡®By making an enemy <b>of </b>their patriarch, Olivia has just destroyed any future she might have had in the city.

    ¡°Time for this country bumpkin to crawl back to the sticks where she belongs.

    After they disappeared, Olivia turned to leave.

    But William stepped in front of her, blocking her path. His face twisted with anger as he jabbed a finger at her. ¡°We took care of you for years,¡± he shouted. ¡°And this is how you repay us? You ungrateful brat, I shouldn¡¯t have been so nice.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s gaze turned icy. The Sherman family had never shown her kindness. For years, they¡¯d given her nothing but cold indifference, beatings, and curses. Living with them had been worse than the orphanage.

    She had once hoped they could be family. But there was no love and only cruelty. And then William had sold her off, all for

    money.

    At the memory, the purple rose tattoo behind her ear throbbed. If not for them, she would never have suffered so much. Her head snapped up, her eyes burning with fury.

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 Blizzard 7

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    William, oblivious to the danger in her expression, sneered. ¡°You¡¯re no longer part of this family. If you don¡¯t back off now, I¡¯ll call the police and have you arrested.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± A voice cut in. Stanley skidded to a stop on his bike, ring at William. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are, talking to Olivia like that?¡±

    He¡¯d nearly slipped up and called her doctor. But Olivia hated drawing attention to her skills and preferred to stay under the radar. But seeing her disrespected like this? It took everything in him not to reveal the truth.

    William looked Stanley up and down, lips curling in disdain. ¡®Pathetic. Can¡¯t even afford a car?¡® His smirk turned vicious as he sneered at Olivia, ¡°So this is your new sugar daddy? Doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s got much to offer.¡±

    Stanley¡¯s jaw dropped. What kind of delusional nonsense is this? Olivia is leagues above anyone in this family. If my own son has even a fraction of her skill, I¡¯d die a happy man.

    ¡°Sir,¡± Stanley said coldly, ¡°you¡¯d do well to watch your mouth.¡±

    William ignored him, signaling the guard to drive them out. ¡°Get rid of them.¡± Then he turned on his heel and strode inside.

    It was the same guard who¡¯d stopped Olivia earlier. Recognizing her, he barked, ¡°I told you to go. Why are you still here?¡±

    Stanley let out a dryugh. Without a word, he flicked on his phone¡¯s shlight, illuminating his ID badge¨CTop Director of the government.

    The guard¡¯s face drained of color. His legs trembled as he bowed frantically. ¡°W¨Cwe had no idea this was a surprise inspection. If we¡¯d known-¡±

    ¡°Do I need your permission to inspect my ownpany?¡± Stanley¡¯s voice was icy. He shot off a quick text to his team: [Priority this week: Orion Tower.]

    The guard broke into a cold sweat. ¡°S¨Csir, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡±

    But Stanley had already turned to Olivia, his tone softening. ¡°Hang tight. I¡¯ll handle these idiots, then we¡¯ll head back. The patients need you.¡±

    Olivia nodded, popping a lollipop into her mouth.

    A healer?¡® The guard¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡®But Mrs. Sherman has sworn she¡¯s just some broke student. Oh god. Is she the Phantom Healer? Even an officer treating her with such respect. It all makes sense now. And I¡¯ve just insulted her. I¡¯m done for in town.

    His career was over. <i>No </i>one crossed the Phantom Healer and survived in Hirica. Slumping against a pir, he barely had time to process his doom before the hotel manager stormed over and dragged him away.

    Then Stanley leaned in, lowering his voice. ¡°Dr. Summers, are you here looking for someone?¡±

    Olivia shrugged. ¡°I came to save someone. But now? Not worth it.¡±

    Stanley brightened. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Then let¡¯s get out of here. Everyone¡¯s waiting for you.¡±

    His expression shifted, turning serious. ¡°By the way, have you made any enemiestely? Some guys showed up earlier, iming to be from Kingtonelle. They were asking for you. Looked shady, so I sent them packing.¡±

    Olivia frowned. The name meant nothing to her. The Sherman family had always called her a country bumpkin, so if she

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    had family, they¡¯d probably be farmers, not some mysterious group.

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    A faint smirk tugged at her lips. ¡°Probably enemies. Next time theye, let them in. I¡¯ll deal with them myself.¡±

    Stanley nearly choked. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Why would you invite trouble? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure they never get near you.¡±

    He shuddered, remembering the group¨Call sharp suits, towering figures, ridiculously good¨Clooking. Not the kind of people one¡¯d trust. Stanley <b>was </b>determined to keep them from Olivia.

    ¡°At first, I thought they might need healing,¡± Stanley muttered, ¡°but they asked for you by name. And the way they carried themselves <b>was </b>special.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t dwell on it. She¡¯d made plenty of enemies over the years, and her reputation as a healer meant strangers often sought her out¨Cfor better or worse. Stanley was right to be cautious.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± he urged, ncing at his watch. ¡°If we¡¯rete, they¡¯ll me me for ruining their precious TV time.¡±

    ¡°Fine. On my bike.¡± Stanley grinned, pping the seat of his bike. ¡°Save some cash, and enjoy the breeze.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t refuse and climbed on behind him.

    The Summers family waited in tense silence, their anxiety growing with each passing minute. They¡¯d found Ivy was here, but after waiting endlessly, she never showed up.

    Samuel had sent the younger grandsons home first. Now he sat fuming in the back of his luxury sedan, his knuckles white against the armrest. ¡°I was told she¡¯d be here,¡± he ground out. ¡°What kind of useless intelligence are we working with?¡±

    David Thomson, his assistant, wiped his brow nervously. ¡°Sir, all our intel indicates she¡¯s in this neighborhood. The Sherman family adopted Ms. Summers from Magnolia Town, and they only recently found their real daughter. She may still be with them.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s re could have frozenva. ¡°Then why are you standing here exining instead of finding her?¡±

    ¡°Right away, sir.¡± David scrambled into action.

    A sudden coughing fit wracked Samuel¡¯s frail body. Years of searching for his granddaughter while running the Summers. empire had taken their toll. This trip to Hirica was pushing his failing heart to its limits.

    His personal physician rushed forward in rm. ¡°Mr. Summers, you¡¯re in no condition for this journey. You need immediate hospitalization. If you refuse to return <i>to </i>Kingtonelle, at least let us admit you here in Hirica.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving¡­ until I see Ivy¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s protest ended as his eyes fluttered shut, his body slumping against the seat.

    As the frantic entourage sped toward the hospital, none of them noticed Olivia on a scooter passing just meters away.

    When Olivia returned, Helen rushed over and grabbed her arm, fussing over her like a worried mother. ¡°Olivia, are you okay? There¡¯ve been all sorts of people asking about you.¡± Helen¡¯s eyes darted over Olivia, checking for bruises or scrapes.

    Olivia gave her <i>a </i>reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Poor Stanley had toe all the way out here just to track me down.¡±

    Helen shot Stanley a look. ¡°Well, that¡¯s his job, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Stanley grinned, ying along. ¡°Sure. Working for our Dr. Summers is an honor, not just a job.¡±

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    Olivia chuckled, ¡°Still, I owe you one.¡±

    The three of themughed easily, the kind of banter only good neighbors share.

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    Stanley watched Olivia with quiet admiration. Despite her skills, she never acted superior. She was just straightforward, capable, and down¨Cto¨Cearth.

    ¡®She¡¯s going ces, he thought. ¡®Already a legend, and she¡¯s barely started. That arrogant man dared to disrespect her? What aplete idiot.

    <b>3/3 </b>

 Blizzard 8

    <b>Chapter </b>8

    EX 55 vouchers

    Olivia was just about to open her free clinic when her phone buzzed relentlessly, one notification after another flooding in.

    [Boss, are <b>we </b>seriously backing out of the Shea family deal? That¡¯s millions down the drain!]

    [Hey, you didn¡¯te today? Everything¡¯s set up for you.]

    [Got a lead on that intel you wanted. When can you swing by to check it out?]

    Annoyed, she fired off a quick reply: [I <b>was </b>there. Security turned me away.]

    On the other end, Lucas Grant nearly dropped his controller mid¨Cgame. His boss, the one he¡¯d fought tooth and nail to recruit, blocked by some rent¨Ca¨Ccop? [That¡¯s on me, Boss! I¡¯m on my way. Also, there¡¯s a charity thingter¡­]

    Olivia wiped her hands clean, cutting him off. [Not interested. I don¡¯t work with people who only care about profit.]

    Lucas knew better than to push. One wrong move, and she¡¯d boot him from the group without a second thought.

    ¡°But Boss, you need to be there tonight,¡± he typed frantically, pacing his apartment. ¡°Word is, NecroFlora Labs is making an appearance.¡±

    Her fingers stilled. A flicker of irritation crossed her face. So much for the free clinic. ¡°Sorry, everyone,¡± she announced to the waiting crowd. ¡°Emergency came up. We¡¯ll have to reschedule.¡±

    The neighbors didn¡¯t mind. They adored her¨Ceven when ns changedst minute, no one held it against her.

    ¡°No problem. We can wait,¡± Helen said, thumping her chest with a grin. ¡°Next time.¡±

    ¡°Go handle your business. Holler if you need backup,¡± Stanley chimed in, easygoing as ever.

    Olivia had built a reputation in Hirica¨Ctop¨Cnotch care, no fees, no questions asked. People traveled from all over just to see her. Locals, out¨Cof¨Ctowners, even folks from the rougher parts of the city,trusted her.

    With a quick thanks, she didn¡¯t linger. There was research to dig into and gear to pack.

    Hirica was the nation¡¯srgest charity hub, home to a renowned orphanage. Its annual g was a world¨Cfamous event, attracting wealthy families from all over. Rumor had it that the organization had a powerful backer¨Csomeone so influential that even high¨Cranking officials from Kingtonelle knew better than to cause trouble here.

    As night fell, Olivia arrived at the charity event right on time. This time, no one stopped her. She wasn¡¯t dressed for the asion, wearing just her usual puffer jacket and carrying a small bag slung over her shoulder.

    Walking straight to the VIP entrance, she shed the guard her phone with the verification code.

    The guard stiffened in surprise. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re- Wee, we¡¯ve been expecting-¡±

    Before he could finish, Olivia shoved a candy into his mouth and muttered, ¡°Keep it down. I¡¯m just here to find someone.¡±

    The guard nodded eagerly. ¡°Understood. Your identity stays confidential. I¡¯ll notify Mr. White right away.¡±

    Ignoring him<i>, </i>Olivia strode inside, following the trail to her target.

    Meanwhile, in the VIP lounge, Nathan Evans, son of the powerful Henry Evans, was finalizing the adoption of his new

    <b>1/3 </b>

    <b>8:50 </b><b>pm </b>D

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    goddaughter. Despite the unpleasant encounter with Olivia earlier, Cheryl was the perfect choice. The papers were signed, and the ceremony was underway.

    Standing nearby, Margaret beamed with pride, ¡°Cheryl, sweetheart,e meet your new godfather and grandpa<b>.¡± </b>

    Obediently, Cheryl smiled, ¡°Thank you for epting me. I¡¯m so happy to have your support.¡±

    Henry and Nathan exchanged satisfied smiles<b>. </b>

    Nathan squeezed Cheryl¡¯s hand with a chuckle. ¡°Now that you¡¯re officially my goddaughter, any hospital in Hirica <b>is </b>yours to choose from. Just say the word.¡±

    William and Margaret shared a knowing nce¨Ctheir n had worked perfectly. With the Evans family¡¯s backing, Cheryl¡¯s future was set.

    <b>sses </b>clinked in celebration.

    Olivia moved through the auction hall, scanning the crowd for any sign of trouble. NecroFlora Labs had stayed off the radar for years¨Conly recently had whispers of their activity surfaced. She couldn¡¯t afford to overlook even the smallest clue.

    Meanwhile, Elena Sherman stood near the center of the room, radiant in a light purple strapless gown thatplemented her skin. Her poised smile drew admiring nces from more than a few gentlemen.

    ¡°Ms. Elena Sherman, are you here to meet Mr. Simon Evans?<b>¡± </b>someone asked.

    ¡°Oh, she must be here for Mr. Beau White,¡± another chimed in. ¡°Everyone knows she¡¯s Hirica¡¯s leading phnthropist. Mr. White practically worships her¨Cshe¡¯ll probably take over the WorldAid Charity Foundation soon.¡±

    Elena gave a modest smile. ¡°That¡¯s too kind. Charity work is simply my calling. As for Mr. White¡­ we¡¯re just friends.¡±

    Just then, Cheryl glided over, her makeup wless, her tone sweet. ¡°Elena, don¡¯t be so humble. Mr. White¡¯s a legend in Hirica. Most people can¡¯t even get an audience with him. Only you have that privilege.¡±

    The two had been inseparable for years, until a DNA test revealed they were actually cousins. Cheryl¡¯s true background remained a mystery, but she yed the role of devoted rtive perfectly, always nudging Elena to publicly acknowledge their connection.

    ¡°And who is this stunningdy?¡± a guest asked, eyeing Cheryl.

    ¡°Yes, may I know her name?¡± another chimed in.

    Elena forced a smile. ¡°This is my cousin, Cheryl. We only recently reunited, so she¡¯s still new to the scene.¡±

    Cheryl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, demure and charming. ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you all.¡±

    Instantly, the men flocked to her, drawn by her gentle demeanor.

    Elena, suddenly sidelined, clenched her jaw in irritation. Then her gazended on Olivia, who stood in the VIP section, no less.

    Her face burned with anger. ¡°This g¡¯s exclusive, essible only through serious connections or deep pockets. Even I had pulled strings to get in. How the hell did that fraud Olivia waltz in like she belongs? And Simon¡¯s over there<b>!</b>¡±

    ¡°Olivia!¡± The name tore from Elena¡¯s throat before she could stop herself, her shrill voice cutting through the hum of

    conversation.

    8:50 pm &

    The entire room froze, heads swiveling toward themotion.

    55 vouchers

    Cheryl, mid¨Cconversation with an admirer, startled at the outburst. Following Elena¡¯s re, her eyes widened when theynded on Olivia.

    Cheryl caught Elena¡¯s arm, attempting damage control. With practiced sweetness, she addressed Olivia, ¡°How¡­ unexpected to see you here.¡±

    The whispers started immediately. Several guests recognized that Olivia was the student the Sherman family had grudgingly supported. Now they eyed her like something unpleasant tracked in on a shoe.

 Blizzard 9

    Elena saw her opening and pounced. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she snarled, advancing like a predator. ¡°Trying to crawl back to Simon? Get out before I have security throw you out.¡±

    Her handshed out, only to be caught mid¨Cswing. Olivia¡¯s grip looked effortless, but the way Elena suddenly shrieked and crumpled told another story.

    ¡°My hand¡­ Bitch, you broke my hand,¡± Elena wailed, cradling her wrist like a wounded bird. ¡°Someone call security. She¡¯s assaulting me.¡±

    The crowd murmured disapprovingly. The hierarchy was clear¨CElena Sherman, charity darling, versus some unknown girl. The narrative wrote itself.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the student the Sherman family took pity on? She¡¯s struggling and wants to get close to Mr. Evans?¡±

    ¡°First, she attacked, and then bullied Ms. Sherman. How shameless<b>.¡± </b>

    ¡°Pathetic. Can¡¯t even afford proper clothes but thinks she can crash high¨Csociety events. This is a private event. Probably slept her way in. Disgusting.¡±

    Elena hid a smirk behind her pained expression, drinking in the humiliation. ¡®Face it, Olivia,¡® she sneered inwardly. ¡®People like you don¡¯t belong here unless they¡¯re on their knees.

    Insults were hurled at Olivia, but she stayed calm. Her smile could have frozen hell over. ¡°Interesting theory. What if I prove I earned my spot?¡±

    ¡°With what?¡± Elena barked augh. ¡°Tonight¡¯s auction is top¨Ctier. The entry donation is 1.5 million. You¡¯re a broke student who can¡¯t even afford lunch. Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°Hypothetically,¡± Olivia mused, ¡°if I could prove it, what would you give me?¡±

    Elena rolled her eyes, thinking Olivia was just bluffing. ¡°If by some miracle you did, I¡¯d resign from WorldAid and leave Hirica,¡± she sneered with disdain. ¡°But when you fail, you¡¯ll apologize to Cheryl and me and beg for mercy.¡±

    Cheryl held Elena¡¯s arm and made a show of protest. ¡°Elena, that¡¯s too far.¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice cut like steel. ¡°Add one term: when I win, you get lost immediately.¡±

    Elena agreed without even thinking.

    Olivia pulled out her phone and dialed. ¡°Beau, it¡¯s me. Where are you?¡±

    The name Beau sent a ripple of unease through the room. In Hirica, Beau White was a legend. He was a man of immense influence, someone far beyond the reach of people like them.

    Yet here was Olivia, not only casually calling him but speaking to him like he worked for her. Everyone started wondering who she was.

    Elena burst outughing, her voice dripping with mockery. ¡°Wow, Olivia. And here I thought you didn¡¯t rely on men. Guess I was wrong. Looks like you¡¯ve already hooked up with Mr. White.¡±

    The crowd was too absorbed in the drama to notice the little girl watching from the VIP section. Jenny, looking every bit the spoiled princess, wandered around with a bottle of red wine in hand, her expression haughty.

    Ethan trailed behind her at a distance, anxiety gnawing at him. ¡®What¡¯s Boss thinking, putting me in charge of her? There¡¯s

    8:50 <b>pm </b>D

    55 vouchers

    no controlling Ms. Shea, especially not after I¡¯ve pissed her off that morning. She definitely isn¡¯t the forgiving type. My career is over,¡± he muttered inwardly, shoulders slumping.

    Then, grabbing a fleece shawl, he approached carefully. ¡°Ms. Shea, you, uh¡­ really like that Ms. Summers, huh?¡±

    Jenny didn¡¯t answer. Just <b>a </b>cold hmph. ¡®Olivia is beautiful and kind, like something out of a fairy tale. It must be fate. She has to be with Andrew,¡¯ Jenny decided. The thought made her lips curl into a rare smile.

    Ethan blinked. ¡®Am I hallucinating? Ms. Shea¡¯s smiling?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Shea,¡± he ventured cautiously, ¡°if you¡¯re not mad anymore, any chance you could, uh, not cut my sry?¡± That was a cool $150,000 on the line¨Cjust a little more, and he could finally buy that high¨Cend motorcycle he¡¯d been eyeing.

    Jenny ignored him, turning on her heel and striding back toward the VIP area. The light in her eyes dimmed slightly. ¡®The doctors have given me less than a year. If Olivia spends some time with me, what would happen when I¡¯m gone?¡®

    ¡°Ms. Shea, at least put your coat on,¡± Ethan called after her, baffled by her sudden mood shift. With a sigh, he hurried to catch up.

    In a nearby booth, William¡¯s eyebrow shot up, a smug grin spreading across his face. ¡°The Summers family from Kingtonelle? Here to discuss business<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    ¡°No, Mr. Sherman,¡± the butler replied. ¡°They specifically asked for Olivia and wanted to know where she¡¯s staying now.¡±

    The moment Olivia¡¯s name was mentioned, William¡¯s mood soured. ¡°Who gives a damn where she is? Probably crawled back to that orphanage to cling to that old hag.¡± He waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Tell them we don¡¯t know, and remind them who they¡¯re dealing with. We don¡¯t get dragged into petty squabbles.¡±

    His mind was already elsewhere. ¡®Cheryl¡¯s the Evans family¡¯s golden girl now, and with their backing, I¡¯ll soon be rubbing shoulders with the Shea family. Olivia? She¡¯s disposable, a pawn that has outlived its usefulness.

    ¡°Just handle it quietly,¡± William ordered. ¡°No messy scenes.¡±

    The butler nodded. ¡°Understood, sir.¡±

    William didn¡¯t know this decision would soon be the biggest regret of his life.

    *****

    Elena was convinced she¡¯d won. A smugugh escaped her lips as she taunted, ¡°Olivia, cut the act. Apologize and beg for my mercy. Do it well enough, and I might even throw you a tip. Isn¡¯t this all about money for you?¡±

    Then she reached out to grab Olivia. But a deep,manding voice cut through the air. ¡°Don¡¯t you touch her!¡±

    Everyone turned to see a striking middle¨Caged man approaching, his presence alone silencing the crowd. It was Beau. Then people started greeting him.

    Too caught up in her triumph, Elena barely registered his tone. Assuming he was here to back her up, she grabbed his arm, wincing through her own pain.

    She said, ¡°Mr. White, it¡¯s her. She attacked me and my cousin Cheryl, then had the nerve to flirt with Simon. You have to punish her and make an example out of her!¡±

    Beau¡¯s expression darkened. He flicked her hand away with barely concealed disdain. ¡°Ms. Sherman, you¡¯ve misunderstood the situation.¡±

    <b>8:50 </b><b>pm </b>

    <b>D </b>

    Elena froze, confused.

    Then, to everyone¡¯s shock, Beau strode straight to Olivia and bowed deeply.

    <b>3/3 </b>

 Blizzard 10

    Olivia gave <b>a </b>slight nod in acknowledgment.

    55 vouchers

    ¡°Ms. Summers, my apologies for what you¡¯ve endured,¡± Beau said gravely before turning <b>a </b><b>sharp </b>re on Elena. ¡°Ms. Summers is my honored guest<b>. </b>Insulting her is an insult to me.¡±

    The crowd erupted in murmurs, shocked that Olivia couldmand such high¨Clevel connections.

    Elena¡¯s <b>face </b>drained of color. She stood there<b>, </b>stunned, unable to process what was happening.

    Olivia rubbed her temples, her voice cool and detached. ¡°Beau, does just anyone get to walk in here now?¡±

    Beau stiffened, his <b>face </b>paling. ¡°My deepest apologies. This oversight won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°Olivia,¡± Elena shrieked, still in denial. ¡°You think you¡¯re untouchable just because you¡¯vetched onto Mr. White? You¡¯re nothing without a man-¡±

    Before she could finish, Beau¡¯s footshed out, sending her crashing to the ground. ¡°You insolent fool, how dare you speak to Ms. Summers that way?¡±

    Elena clutched her stomach, gasping in shock.

    Beau straightened his suit, looking down at her like she was trash. ¡°Do you even realize who you¡¯re dealing with? One word from Ms. Summers, and the WorldAid Charity Foundation will have a new director.¡±

    The crowd went wild.

    ¡°Who has that kind of power over the foundation? Who the hell is she?¡± someone whispered.

    ¡°I heard the rule. The biggest donor calls the shots. The foundation handles billions. Is she the real backer?¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t Olivia just some charity case the Sherman family took in? Where¡¯d she get that kind of money?¡±

    Nearby, Cheryl stood frozen, her face twisted in disbelief. ¡°This isn¡¯t how things are supposed to go. ording to the book, Olivia should have been exposed for fraud by now, left homeless and wandering the streets of Hirica.

    ¡®Instead, my donations are about to go public, catapulting her to fame as the nation¡¯s top phnthropist. How has Olivia be someone who could shake the entire foundation with a single word?¡®

    Beau¡¯s voice cut through the murmurs like a de. ¡°Ms. Summers isn¡¯t just any member. She holds an SSS+ tier with absolute authority and exclusive privileges.¡±

    The WorldAid Charity Foundation¡¯s auction tiers were no secret. A¨Clevel got you in the door. S¨Clevel unlocked the VIP section. But SSS+ was reserved for legends. In all of Hirica and maybe the entire country, only Andrew Shea had ever held that rank.

    Yet now, Olivia, the same girl dismissed as a penniless charity <b>case</b><b>, </b>stood among them, wielding that impossible status.

    Elena¡¯s smirk faltered as the realization hit her. Panic flickered in her eyes, but pride kept her from backing down. ¡°Beau, how much did she pay you?¡± she sneered, voice shrill. ¡°Everyone knows Andrew Shea is the only SSS+ member. You expect me to believe this nobody qualifies<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Beau shot her a ¡°stop talking before you make it worse¡± re. She ignored it.

    Olivia hadn¡¯t even bothered to argue. Instead, she tapped her phone once. A massive screen flickered to life behind her,

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    <b>8:50 </b><b>pm </b>

    disying a glowing SSS+ membership certificate with her name etched in bold.

    ¡°Elena,¡± Olivia said, voice dripping with amusement. ¡°Eyes working?<b>¡± </b>

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    Elena staggered back like she¡¯d been pped. ¡°This¨Cthis is impossible. What the hell <b>has </b>she been doing all these years?¡®

    Beau didn¡¯t wait for her to recover. ¡°What now? As Ms. Summers said, expel her from the foundation. Permanently. And cklist her from all events in Hirica.¡±

    He turned to Olivia, deference in his tone. ¡°Unless you¡¯d prefer another punishment, Ms. Summers<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Elena¡¯s legs gave out. Just minutes ago, she¡¯d been the darling of Hirica¡¯s elite, basking in admiration. <b>Now</b>, she <b>was </b>nothing.

    Cheryl stared at Olivia¡¯s face, her fear growing by the second. But she couldn¡¯t just stand there. She had to do something. If she didn¡¯t protect Elena, the Sherman family¡¯s reputation would be destroyed.

    With tears welling in her eyes, Cheryl rushed forward and bowed deeply. ¡°Olivia, please¡­ Elena didn¡¯t mean any harm. Can¡¯t you let this go, just this once? We were all family, after all.¡± Her trembling voice and pitiful expression tugged at the hearts of everyone watching.

    But in the shadows, Cheryl allowed herself a small, smug smirk. ying the victim always worked, and people couldn¡¯t resist feeling sorry for her. It was one of the perks of being a transmigrator, her own little cheat code.

    Olivia, however, wasn¡¯t fooled. She pulled out a chair, crossed her legs, and leaned back, scrolling through her phone with an unreadable expression.

    ¡°So,¡± Olivia said casually, ¡°I hear Ms. Sherman is quite the phnthropist?¡±

    Beau, eager to please, jumped in. ¡°Oh yes. She¡¯s donated 10 million. She¡¯s a real humanitarian. Word is she might even take over the WorldAid Charity Foundation soon.¡± He lowered his voice, leaning closer. ¡°Maybe we should¡­ go easy on her this time?<b>¡± </b>

    Olivia shot him a look. ¡°Beau, shut up.¡± He immediately mped his mouth shut.

    ¡°10 million dors,¡± Olivia mused, her voice cool and steady. ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±

    Elena, still defiant, sneered. ¡°That¡¯s right. So you¡¯d better let me go, or I¡¯ll cut off everyst donation.¡±

    Olivia smiled, soft, sweet, and utterly terrifying. Anyone who knew her recognized that look. ¡®Looks like I¡¯ve been too lenienttely, letting frauds like this operate under WorldAid¡¯s name.¡®

    ¡°Funny thing,¡± Olivia said, tapping her phone. The screen lit up with rows of transaction records. On one side were Elena¡¯s ims about making massive donations totaling 10 million dors. On the other side was the truth, showing she had barely donated one hundred dors.

    The crowd erupted in gasps. No one could believe the beloved phnthropist Elena was actually a fraud, and such a tant one <b>at </b>that,

    ¡°Ms. Sherman, is this <b>real</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    ¡°You bragged about ten million, but it was just pocket change? Come on, at least do some real donation.¡±

    Elena¡¯s legs gave out. She copsed to the floor, <b>face </b>white. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± she whispered.

    Her perfect<b>, </b>charitable image <b>was </b>gone in an instant.

    <b>8:50 </b><b>pm </b>

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    The victory was undeniably Olivia¡¯s when her SSS+ membership came to light. The crowd didn¡¯t know her exact background, but they knew power when they saw it. In an instant, the room turned in her favor.

    ¡°Ms. Sherman, shouldn¡¯t you apologize to her<b>?</b>¡± someone called out.

    ¡°Yeah, <b>weren¡¯t </b>you just saying you¡¯d make her beg? What happened to that bravery?¡±

    ¡°Quit stalling and get on with it.¡±

 Blizzard 11

    EX 55 vouchers

    Olivia took one look at Elena¡¯s pathetic state and didn¡¯t bother wasting words. With a snap of her fingers<b>, </b>a squad of stone- faced bodyguards stormed in. ¡°Take her away.¡±

    Elena iled like a wild animal, her face contorted with fury. <b>¡°</b>Get your hands off me.¡±

    But resistance was <b>useless</b>. Within seconds, they had her in a firm grip, dragging her out as she screeched and kicked, leaving nothing behind but a single red stiletto. ¡°Cheryl, do something. Help me!<b>¡± </b>

    As if Cheryl would dare. She stood rooted to the spot, silently praying the fallout wouldn¡¯tnd on her.

    Then, from the crowd, a phone camera went off.

    ¡°Delete those,¡± Elena shrieked, desperately trying to shield her face with her hair.

    Her voice faded as she was hauled out, and finally, silence settled over the room.

    Olivia smirked, turning to Beau. ¡°So, Beau, you knew about her little charity scam, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    He gulped, ying dumb instantly. ¡°Me? No idea what you¡¯re talking about, Ms. Summers.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh, really?¡± Olivia drawled, arching a brow.

    Beau broke into a cold sweat and wisely shut his mouth.

    Olivia knew all about his fling with Elena. But she wasn¡¯t the type to burn everything down. Elena had already served as the perfect example. Beau understood exactly where he stood now.

    ¡°Consider this your first andst warning,¡± Olivia said, her tone light but lethal. ¡°Next time, you¡¯ll be leaving more than just a shoe behind.¡± She nudged Elena¡¯s abandoned stiletto with her foot, grinning.

    The room collectively stiffened, unease rippling through the crowd at her unnerving aura.

    Cheryl, still standing nearby, shot Olivia a venomous re. Olivia met her gaze and raised a challenging eyebrow in return.

    Then, with a sigh, Olivia turned back to Beau. ¡°Beau, Ms. Sherman is still here. Do me a favor and escort her back where she belongs.¡±

    Catching her meaning immediately, Beau nodded. A couple of guards stepped forward, firmly guiding Cheryl back to the private room.

    With the drama finally over, the onlookers who¡¯d mocked Olivia earlier were now scrambling for ways to win her favor.

    But Olivia couldn¡¯t care less. She¡¯d onlye to dig up intel on NecroFlora Labs, and tonight had been a dead end.

    Beau noticed her spinning idly in her chair and leaned in. ¡°Ms. Summers, let me take you to the high¨Cend VIP suite.¡±

    Olivia tilted her head, fixing him with a stare that made everyone, even Beau, a seasoned yer, tense up.

    After a long pause, she stood. ¡°No need. We¡¯re done here.¡± With a dismissive wave, she signaled for him to stay put.

    As Olivia walked down the corridor, she suddenly felt the weight of someone¡¯s <b>gaze </b>on her. She spun around only to find the hallway empty. She thought maybe she was just being paranoid.

    <b>1/3 </b>

    <b>8:50 </b><b>pm </b>S

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    Then, out of nowhere, a blur of bright yellow came rushing at her. Caught off guard, Olivia stumbled back from the impact,nding hard on the floor.

    ¡°Olivia,¡± a high¨Cpitched, sugary voice chirped. A pair of huge, doll¨Clike eyes stared up at her, so bright that they might <b>as </b>well have been sparkling with <b>stars</b>.

    ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Jenny blinked, putting on her best pout. But inside, she was giddy. ¡®I only came here to kill time, and now look. This is way better than I expected. Up close, Olivia <b>is </b><b>even </b>cuter than usual.

    Finally getting a proper look at the little whirlwind, Olivia took in the pale yellow princess dress, the soft hair, and the faint whiff <b>of </b>something sweet.

    ¡°Of course I recognize you,¡± Olivia said, scooping her up without thinking, her voice softening. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± Jenny wrapped her arms around Olivia¡¯s neck, nuzzling into her. ¡°I missed you sooo much.¡±

    Oliviaughed, ¡°We just saw each other this morning. How can you miss me already?¡±

    Beau, who¡¯d been trailing Olivia just in case she caused trouble again, hurried over. When he saw Jenny clinging to Olivia, he asked, ¡°Hey, where are your parents?<b>¡± </b>

    Jenny shot him a re that could¡¯ve melted steel. ¡®Ugh, seriously? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡® she thought. ¡®I¡¯ll have Ethan fire you for this.¡±

    Beau froze, suddenly unsure whether to stay or bolt.

    ¡°Just leave,¡± Olivia said tly.

    He didn¡¯t need to be told twice and left.

    Jenny snuggled closer, grinning. ¡°Forget this morning. This is different. Oh, Andrew¡¯s here too. We came to bid on the Phantom Healer¡¯s Refreshing Pill. Wanna go see him?¡±

    Olivia froze. ¡°The Phantom Healer¡¯s Refreshing Pill? The ingredients for that are nearly impossible to find, and I haven¡¯t brewed one in years. There¡¯s no way a real one could be up for auction tonight. What¡¯s the item anyway?¡®

    She gently cupped Jenny¡¯s face. ¡°Listen, sweetheart. Go tell Andrew not to bid on that pill, okay?¡±

    Jenny didn¡¯t understand why, but if Olivia said so, she¡¯d believe it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tell him!¡± Jenny promised, squeezing Olivia in another hug. ¡°But Olivia, you have to meet Andrew. He¡¯s super hot.¡±

    Olivia couldn¡¯t help butugh at her enthusiasm. ¡°Not today. I¡¯m busy. Maybe next time.¡±

    Jenny¡¯s face fell, but she nodded stubbornly. ¡°Fine. But next time, promise! Oh, and don¡¯t forget my name, okay? You may know a lot of Jennies, but I¡¯m the most special one.¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± Olivia said, ruffling her hair before standing to leave.

    The second Olivia <b>was </b>out of sight, Jenny stomped her foot, arms crossed in a huff.

    Ethan, who¡¯d just arrived, barely stifled hisugh.

    Jenny whirled around, eyes zing, and drew a finger across her throat. ¡°I heard that.¡±

    <b>2/3 </b>

    <b>8:50 </b><b>pm </b>

    Ethan immediately raised his hands in surrender.

    ¡°Jenny.¡± A deep voice cut through the air behind them.

    ???

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    She spun around to <b>see </b>a man in an impably tailored suit approaching with measured steps. Broad¨Cshouldered with a trim waist, his pale features <b>gave </b>him an air of cool detachment as he casually dabbed at his hands with a handkerchief.

    ¡°Andrew,¡± Jenny huffed, her tone dripping with annoyance.

    He looked down at her, his stern expression softening slightly. When he reached to pat her head, she ducked away with practiced ease.

    ¡°I told you not to run off,¡± he chided, though his voice carried more concern than reproach. ¡°What if you cause trouble like you did this morning<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Jenny responded with an exaggerated snort, crossing her arms defiantly. ¡°If you¡¯d gotten here sooner, you could¡¯ve met Olivia, your future wife. No offense, Andrew, but you¡¯re not getting any younger. If you wait too long, someone as perfect as Olivia won¡¯t want you.

    ¡°Besides, once you¡¯re married, that witch will finally stop nagging you.¡±

    <b>3/3 </b>

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    <b>Chapter </b>12

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    Jenny¡¯s expression turned suddenly <b>sweet </b>as she tilted her head and batted her eyshes. ¡°Most importantly, I really like her. Could you marry her and make her stay with us? Pretty please?¡±

    Andrew¡¯s gaze drifted to the retreating figure disappearing through the building¡¯s exit. His lips quirked in faint amusement. Jenny isn¡¯t one to warm up to strangers. For her to be this attached in just a few hours seems intriguing.

    ¡°Stop meddling in my affairs,¡± he said finally, taking her hand in his. <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll handle my own business.¡± With that, he led her toward the auction hall, Jenny chattering excitedly all the way.

    The auction rules were that only S¨Clevel members could attend the main event, while key items were exclusive to SSS+ members.

    On the auction stage, the auctioneer unveiled today¡¯s highlight¨Cthe Refreshing Pill, crafted by the legendary Phantom Healer.

    ¡°This one¨Cof¨Ca¨Ckind pill can cure any illness within three days. A true rarity and only one in existence!¡± The auctioneer¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°Starting bid: 15 million. Who will open the bidding?¡±

    Andrew raised his paddle without hesitation. ¡°30 million,¡± he said coolly, as if tossing out pocket change.

    The crowd gasped. Even the auctioneer faltered for a second before recovering. ¡°Mr. Shea bids 30 million. Any higher offers?¡±

    Of course, there wouldn¡¯t be. Who in their right mind would challenge the Shea family over a pill? And 30 million was insanity.

    ¡°Thirty million, going once¡­ Thirty million, going twice-¡± The auctioneer could already taste hismission.

    Meanwhile, in his VIP suite, Andrew lounged back, sipping coffee, his expression unreadable.

    The auctioneer continued, ¡°Sold at thirty-¡±

    ¡°A hundred million.¡± A cocky voice cut through the room.

    The auctioneer nearly choked.

    Andrew¡¯s grip tightened on his cup as he shot a re toward the neighboring suite. Through the frosted ss, he could just make out the silhouette of a tall figure.

    Inside that suite, Lucas Grant smirked, texting Olivia: [Rx. I¡¯ve got this.]

    The moment he heard ¡°Refreshing Pill,¡± rm bells went off. The Phantom Healer, his boss, hadn¡¯t made one in years. He was determined to find out who was selling a fake.

    Andrew¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡®Someone actually dares to challenge me?¡®

    Lucas tapped the frosted ss divider, grinning. ¡°Better luck next time, pal.¡±

    <b>Lucas </b>had originally nned to secure the pill for a modest 15 million, but Andrew¡¯s interference had provoked him into reckless bidding. Spending 100 million on what was clearly a counterfeit was no big deal for him.

    Jenny, sitting beside Andrew, suddenly grabbed his wrist. ¡°Andrew, stop. Olivia warned us that we shouldn¡¯t buy the pill.¡±

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    But Andrew <b>was </b>past listening. His pride was on the line. He raised the paddle again. ¡°250 million.¡±

    The auctioneer <b>was </b>stunned, but his professionalism took <b>over</b>. ¡°250 million! Mr. Shea raises to <b>250 </b>million.¡±

    The tension in the room <b>was </b>suffocating. This <b>wasn¡¯t </b>just bidding. It was a power y.

    Jenny kept pulling at Andrew¡¯s sleeve, but he wasn¡¯t backing down.

    The murmurs spread through the ordinary seats. None of these spectators had seen <b>Lucas¡¯s </b>face before or knew his background, but with each audacious bid against Andrew, their whispers grew more urgent.

    ¡°Who the hell is this guy? No one outbids Andrew Shea.¡±

    ¡°Only a Grant has that kind of clout in town.¡±

    ¡°This item¡¯s for SSS+ members. And he¡¯s got the nerve? Who is he?¡±

    Beau was drenched in cold sweat. These idiots had no idea who they were messing with. Lucas wasn¡¯t just some rich heir. He was a high¨Cranking agent of the WorldAid Charity Foundation, second only to Olivia herself. Of course he had the clearance to bid.

    Luckily, Lucas couldn¡¯t care less about the whispers. His focus was locked on Andrew, lips curled in amusement. Without hesitation, he raised his paddle. ¡°300 hundred million.¡±

    The Refreshing Pill¡¯s price had skyrocketed far beyond reason. What started as a simple auction had turned into a full- blown pissing contest between two of the most powerful men in Hirica.

    The auctioneer¡¯s hands trembled. This had to be the most terrifying bidding war of his career. At this point, he wasn¡¯t even thinking about hismission. He just wanted to get out alive.

    Beau mopped his forehead, panic setting in. Offending Andrew was suicide, but Lucas wasn¡¯t one to back down either. With <b>a </b>silent prayer, he made the call and shut it down.

    The auctioneer¡¯s voice cracked as he announced, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, due to unforeseen circumstances<b>, </b>this item has been withdrawn from bidding. The Refreshing Pill has been deemed wed. We¡¯re sorry for this.¡±

    Jenny exhaled in relief. ¡®What the hell is Andrew thinking? He never loses his cool like this. It¡¯s like watching him fight over a damn lover, not a pill. Olivia has warned us. Thank God it¡¯s withdrawn.¡¯

    But Andrew¡¯s expression was storm¨Cdark, his jaw clenched tight.

    Jenny nudged him gently. ¡°Andrew, it¡¯s okay. That pill wouldn¡¯t have saved me anyway.¡±

    At her words, something in him fractured. His icy mask slipped, just for a second. He pulled her into a crushing embrace, voice rough with emotion. ¡°I won¡¯t let you die.¡±

    One way or another, he would find the real Refreshing Pill.

    *****

    Olivia was walking down the street when her phone buzzed. A message shed on the screen: [Boss, I¡¯ve got the pill.]

    She typed a quick reply: [Good. Check it. I need to know who¡¯s scheming behind my back.] Slipping her phone back into her pocket, she continued on her way.

    Night settled in, the flickering streetlights casting long shadows. Something shifted in the darkness¨Ca faint, blurry figure weaving in and out of sight. The road fell eerily silent, the usual rustle of leaves and chirp of insects gone. Above, the full

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    moon glowed pale and ghostly behind thin clouds.

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    Olivia slowed to a stop. Without turning, she murmured, ¡°You¡¯ve been following me long enough. Show yourself.¡±

    A teenage girl stepped hesitantly from the bushes, her clothes torn, her eyes wide with desperation. ¡°Please,¡± she begged, voice trembling. ¡°Miss<b>, </b>you <b>have </b>to help my grandma.¡±

    Olivia studied her, her gaze sharp. ¡°What makes you think I can heal her?¡±

    ¡°I saw you this morning. You fixed that little girl up easily. You must be able to help my grandma too.¡±

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 Blizzard 13

    Chapter <b>13 </b>

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    The girl clutched Olivia¡¯s hand like <b>it </b><b>was </b>the only thing keeping her from drowning. Her pleading eyes burned with hope.

    ¡°Meet me here tomorrow at nine,¡± Olivia sighed, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind the girl¡¯s <b>ear</b>. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do for your grandma.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± The girl¡¯s face lit up, but then dimmed just as quickly. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t have any money to pay you.¡±

    Olivia chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Free clinic today.¡± It wasn¡¯t like she needed the cash anyway.

    Tears welled up in the girl¡¯s <b>eyes</b>. ¡°Thank you so much. I¡¯ll pay you back somehow, I swear.¡±

    ¡°Just get home safe,¡± Olivia said, turning to leave. ¡°And avoid Liberty Avenue.¡±

    The girl didn¡¯t understand why, but she nodded and hurried off, sticking to the shadows as she disappeared into the night.

    After the charity g, Henry left with his entourage, his mind still stuck on the bizarre scene from earlier. ¡®Natalie has been frozen like a statue, unable to move or speak. Could that girl really be behind it? But she¡¯s so young. How could she even make it?¡®

    As his car approached the first intersection, he suddenly remembered Olivia¡¯s warning from that morning. He scoffed and didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°Jack,¡± he ordered, ¡°take Liberty Avenue.¡±

    The light was about to turn green when screams erupted from the left. Henry whipped his head around just in time to see a convoy of overloaded trucks barreling down the road at breakneck speed.

    One of them swerved violently, flipping onto its side. Steel pipes scattered like deadly spears, impaling pedestrians and shattering storefronts.

    If he hadn¡¯t stopped for the red light, he would¡¯ve been right in the middle of it.

    A cold sweat broke across his skin. His pulse hammered in his ears. Olivia¡¯s warning hade true. ¡®How the hell has she known?¡® he wondered.

    Night at the Sherman residence, William mmed his fist on the table, his face twisted in fury. ¡°I told you we never should¡¯ve taken her in. This is all your fault.

    ¡°You were the one who swore she looked like Cheryl and dragged her into our home. And now look what we¡¯re stuck with? A worthless, ungrateful wretch.¡±

    Margaret¡¯s lips curled in disdain. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m <i>to </i>me? You¡¯re the one who sold her off and pocketed the money. If anyone deserves her hatred, it¡¯s you.¡±

    Years ago, they¡¯d adopted Olivia solely because of her faint resemnce to Cheryl. It was <b>a </b>smallfort in their grief. And as she grew, their intentions shifted. She¡¯d be groomed to marry into wealth, another asset for the Sherman family,

    Yet Margaret could never stomach the thought of Olivia living in luxury while her own flesh and blood had suffered in some backwater town.

    ¡®No, Margaret thought, ¡®Olivia needs to know what it means to be truly alone and struggle without our protection. Let¡¯s see how she¡¯ll suffer.

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    Then her voice softened, slipping into the coaxing tone she knew William couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°Darling, remember that prophecy about Cheryl when she was little<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    William frowned, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said Cheryl is destined for greatness and she¡¯ll bring honor to the Sherman name.¡± Margaret leaned in, her eyes gleaming. ¡°And you¡¯ve seen how people adore her. She charms everyone she meets<b>.¡± </b>

    A greedy light flickered in William¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Now, with the Shea family¡¯s party in two <b>weeks</b>¡­¡± Margaret let the words hang. ¡°Just imagine if Mr. Shea took notice of her.¡±

    William¡¯s mouth twitched into a smile he couldn¡¯t suppress.

    ¡°As for that bitch?¡± Margaret¡¯s voice turned icy. ¡°If she dares stand in Cheryl¡¯s way, we¡¯ll simply have her removed.¡±

    Olivia was up at five on the dot the next morning. Like most elders, she didn¡¯t need much sleep, so she figured she¡¯d make up for the free clinic she¡¯d missed yesterday.

    The moment she settled in, a line had already formed.

    Soon, Helen was sitting across from her. Olivia checked on her. ¡°I told you not to let yourself get so worked up, Helen.¡±

    Helen gave an embarrassedugh, rubbing the back of her neck. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. That heroine¡¯s life is just infuriating.¡±

    Olivia smirked as she scribbled out a prescription. ¡°Well, revenge stories need a little suffering. It makes the payoff better.¡± She handed Helen the slip of tips. ¡°No spicy or greasy food. Stick to this regimen for three days. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Helen beamed with a nod, ¡°Alright, since you say so.¡±

    After seeing dozens of patients in a row, the free clinic finally wound down. Olivia checked the clock, grabbed her medicine bag, and headed out.

    By the time Olivia arrived, the girl had been waiting forever. ¡°You actually came,¡± she gasped.

    Olivia gave a faint smile. ¡°I keep my promises. Let¡¯s go to your ce.¡±

    They walked for what felt like ages before reaching a crumbling house, its walls cracked and peeling. Inside, the ce was barely furnished, just the bare essentials.

    The air smelled stale, and an elderly womany in bed. Her hair was thin and white, her eyes clouded and bloodshot, her lips pale as paper. She looked like she was clinging <i>to </i>life by a thread.

    Olivia turned to the girl, her sharp gaze softening. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your grandmother?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s got heart disease and high blood pressure,¡± the girl exined.

    Olivia took the old woman¡¯s pulse, then frowned slightly. ¡°Her pulse is¡­ off. Did she have heart surgery?¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yeah, a bypass a month ago.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Her heart¡¯s stable. It¡¯s just her high blood pressure. Why would they do bypass surgery?¡± She shook her head, pulling out a set of needles. ¡°I¡¯ll help wake her up first.¡±

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    The girl, Nina Sampson, nodded and stepped back, watching intently as Olivia worked.

    With practiced case, Olivia pressed a few key acupoints before sliding the needles in.

    A weak groan escaped the old woman¡¯s lips. Her hazy eyes flickered, and then slowly focused.

    ¡°Grandma,¡± Nina cried, tears spilling over. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡±

    Olivia smiled, ¡°Try to speak now.<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Nina¡­¡± the old woman rasped, trembling as she reached for her granddaughter¡¯s face.

    Nina clutched her hand, choking back a sob. ¡°I¡¯m here, Grandma. I¡¯m right here.¡±

    EX 55 vouchers

    Then, turning to Olivia, she whispered, ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ve been to so many hospitals, and they all insisted she needed that surgery. My dad died in a crash trying to get the money for it.

    ¡°And after the operation, she just got worse. We ran out of funds, so we¡­ we gave up. But then I saw you. You¡¯re a miracle

    worker.¡±

    Nina had spotted Olivia while picking up medicine and followed her for days, desperate for help. When Olivia finally agreed and refused payment, Nina felt something rare bloom in her chest: genuine, overwhelming gratitude.

    Olivia caught her arm before she could. ¡°This was just untreated hypertension. Her heart was fine. She just needed proper meds and maybe regr acupuncture. Who told her she needed bypass surgery?¡±

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 Blizzard 14

    <b>Chapter </b>14

    ¡°Just hypertension?¡± Nina sounded bewildered. ¡°But Dr. Evans said Grandma needed bypass surgery or she¡¯d die. The cost is 600 thousand dors. We sold our house and managed to gather 450 thousand, but still owe the bank 150 thousand.¡±

    Olivia frowned. For a regr family, 600 thousand dors was a sky¨Chigh price. Besides, a bypass surgery shouldn¡¯t cost anywhere near that much.

    ¡°Nina, listen to me,¡± Olivia sighed. ¡°Your grandma just had a minor problem. She didn¡¯t need surgery at all. In fact, this surgery only ruined her otherwise healthy body.¡±

    Olivia leaned down and whispered in Nina¡¯s ear, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your grandma may not have much time left.¡±

    Nina shook her head, unable to believe it. ¡°How could this happen? Dr. Evans is supposed to be the top doctor in Hirica. How could he<b>¡­</b><b>¡± </b>

    Olivia stayed silent. She didn¡¯t want to crush the kid any further. Honestly, no matter which hospital Nina went to, the diagnosis would always be the same.

    Olivia knew that the Evans family essentially controlled most of Hirica¡¯s hospitals. People trusted them as they were the dominant force in the city¡¯s medical field.

    Lately, their influence had surged, with everyone eager to secure an appointment with Nathan. Even the Shea family had traveled here solely because of the Evans family¡¯s renowned reputation.

    Nina slowly knelt by her grandma¡¯s bedside, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m so sorry. I was so stupid. It¡¯s all my fault. I did this to you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± the olddy said, smiling warmly. She knew her body well; since the surgery, she¡¯d been growing weaker daily. Yet, after just a few acupuncture sessions with Olivia, she felt significantly better and began to grasp the true situation.

    ¡°Nina, if something happens to me, you have to live your life well, okay?¡± Nina¡¯s grandmother said, gently stroking Nina¡¯s hair, her eyes full of warmth and love.

    Olivia¡¯s eyes turned icy, a lethal glint flickering in them. ¡®Is this how the Evans family preys on the vulnerable?¡® she mused. ¡°The wicked will face their reckoning,¡± she stated coolly, her stunning beauty untouched by her frosty demeanor.

    Nina¡¯s grandmother¡¯s ailment was minor, yet the Evans family had the audacity to suggest surgery. Nathan had needlessly ruined a healthy body¨Ca crime, exploiting the ignorance of ordinary people with false diagnoses and swindling them dry.

    Olivia stepped outside, took out her phone, and logged into the Shadow Syndicate. In every major industry, the name whispered in hushed tones was the Shadow Syndicate. It was an undergroundwork governed by the elite, nearly invisible to outsiders<i>. </i>Olivia was its leader.

    She quickly typed out her orders: [Starting now, the Shadow Security Division needs to dig up everything on the Evans family. The Violet Division is banned from helping them in any way¨Cno medical help, no money, nothing.]

    [No division is allowed to share any info with them. Break this rule and you¡¯re out.]

    [The Evans family is cklisted. Effective immediately.]

    She sent thosemands under the name ¡°Phantom Chief.¡± Most people called her the Phantom Healer because her legendary Phantom Thirteen Needles technique was that good. But only a few people knew she was really the Phantom

    Chief.

    Since Shadow Syndicate was founded, she¡¯d only ever spoken up three times. This time, her words blew up the whole

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    organization.

    Shadow Security Division: [By yourmand, Chief]

    Violet Division: [At yourmand.J

    Enigma Institute: [Message received, boss<b>.</b><b>] </b>

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    Phantom Chief never went after any of the big families. Her rule was simple: as long as people didn¡¯t mess with her, she¡¯d leave them alone.

    But now that she was targeting the Evans family, everyone in the Shadow Syndicate knew they¡¯d really ticked her off. Whatever they did, it had to be serious¨Cand now the Evans family was screwed.

    Olivia put her phone down, gazed at the sky, and murmured, ¡°The Evans family has really crossed the line.¡±

    News of the Evans family getting cklisted spread through Hirica like wildfire. All the major families in the city were gearing up to take them down. After crossing the Shadow Syndicate, the Evanses were basically toast.

    Lucas was absolutely thrilled. He shot Olivia a message right away: [Boss, you¡¯re a genius! The Evans family¡¯s always been bad news. Finally, we¡¯re going after them. I¡¯ll go dig up some dirt on them.]

    Olivia didn¡¯t reply. She turned off her phone, slipped it into her pocket, and walked back inside.

    Nina wasn¡¯t crying anymore. She was chatting andughing with her grandma, the two of them looking so close and happy together. Seeing this, Olivia felt her heart melt a little. She couldn¡¯t help but think of her own days with Grace.

    Olivia slipped a note into Nina¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°If you ever find yourself with nowhere to go, juste find me.¡± With that, she turned and walked away.

    Nina unfolded the note. It said: 22 Willow Lane.

    She would never imagine that the ordinary¨Clooking girl walking away was none other than the mysterious Phantom Healer.

    Meanwhile, Henry was sitting at the breakfast table, sipping his coffee and chatting with Cheryl, when a sudden chill ran down his spine.

    Just then, Nathan burst in, stumbling over himself. ¡°Dad, something¡¯s wrong. Seriously wrong!¡±

    ¡°Calm down and speak clearly,¡± Henry snapped. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Cheryl¡¯s right here.¡±

    Cheryl gave an awkward smile.

    Nathan finally managed to calm himself down, walked over to Henry, and said in a strained voice, ¡°Shadow Syndicate¡­ they¡¯re shutting us out. Every single industry, Dad. We¡¯re finished.¡±

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Henry shot to his feet, his cup crashing to the floor. He snatched Nathan¡¯s phone, frantically scrolling through the messages again and again. It was real¨Cthe cklist order came straight from Shadow Syndicate¡¯s top

    boss.

    ¡°No way. This can¡¯t be real,¡± Henry stammered, slumping into his chair, his face pale with shock. ¡°We never did anything to piss off Shadow Syndicate. How is this even possible?¡±

    Cheryl blinked in confusion. ¡°Shadow Syndicate? What¡¯s that?¡±

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>50

    Henry <b>was </b>in no state to answer her¨Che could barely keep himself together.

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    Nathan noticed how awkward Cheryl felt and quickly exined, ¡°Shadow Syndicate is a secretwork that only industry leaders know about. It¡¯s packed with big shots, and each division handles something different, selling everything from intel to rare medicines to secret recipes.¡±

    The Evans family became Hirica¡¯s top medical group, thanks mostly to the info and rare meds they got from the Shadow Syndicate. Honestly, without Shadow Syndicate, the Evans family would be nothing like they were today.

    Most people had no idea about any of this. But now, with the boss of Shadow Syndicate personally handing down the cklist, the Evans family <b>was </b>doomed.

    Suddenly, Henry thought of the broke student who read his fortune yesterday. <i>¡®</i>Could it be her?¡® he wondered. But he quickly dismissed the idea. ¡®No <b>way</b>. She couldn¡¯t possibly take down the whole Evans family. I must be getting old,ing up with wild ideas like this.

    Why? Why is this happening?¡® Henry wondered, utterly lost.

    ¡°Grandpa Henry,¡± Cheryl said, noticing how grim they both looked. She stepped up tofort them. ¡°The Evans family has been in Hirica for decades. So what if some underground group wants to cklist you? It¡¯s really not a big deal.¡±

    Nathan gave an awkward smile. He wanted to tell her she had no idea what she was talking about, but kept quiet so he wouldn¡¯t embarrass her.

    He thought, ¡®Shadow Syndicate shot to the top of the world in just a few years¨Cthe power behind it is off the charts. And she thinks it¡¯s nothing? She really has no clue.

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 Blizzard 15

    Chapter <b>15 </b>

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    Henry was anxious deep down, but he had to maintain his authority in front of Cheryl. If word got out, the Evans family would lose all <b>face</b><b>. </b>

    He nodded, saying, ¡°Cheryl¡¯s right. Our family still has some pull in Hirica. No way we¡¯re getting wiped out by the Shadow Syndicate. Nathan, you need to be steadier.¡±

    Cheryl kept praising Henry. ¡°Of course, Grandpa Henry, you¡¯re the boss around here. Half the hospitals in Hirica are yours. Nothing to be afraid of, right?¡±

    Nathan rxed a bit after hearing that. ¡°Yeah, Dad, Cheryl¡¯s got a point. Our hospitals are solid. Plus, the form for the Refreshing Pill is in our hands. The Shea and Grant families were practically at each other¡¯s throats for it atst night¡¯s

    auction.

    ¡°Once we whip up another Refreshing Pill and present it to Mr. Shea, our time wille. The Shea family is no less than the Shadow Syndicate.¡±

    After a long pause, Henry nodded. What mattered now was finding a powerful backer for the Evans family, or trouble woulde knocking soon. The Shea family was the best bet.

    But Henry still felt a wave of anxiety he just couldn¡¯t shake, ever since he¡¯d met that girl yesterday.

    ¡°The Shea family has already sent over their invitation. We¡¯ll meet their head together,¡± Nathan said, handing Henry a gold- embossed invitation.

    Cheryl suddenly remembered she didn¡¯t have an invitation from the Shea family. She let out a sigh. ¡°Grandpa Henry, I¡­¡±

    Henry took her hand and smiled, ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t tell me, Cheryl.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, you know I just got back, and I don¡¯t really know anyone in Hirica yet. You know how things are at home. I didn¡¯t get an invitation from the Shea family¡­¡± Cheryl¡¯s eyes welled up, a single tear slipping down her cheek¨Cenough to tug at anyone¡¯s heartstrings.

    Henry had always been a bit of a romantic in his younger days. Seeing Cheryl looking so pitiful, he softened right away. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll go with me.¡±

    Cheryl shook her head. ¡°No, Grandpa Henry, that¡¯d be too much to ask of you. And if Mom¡¯s not going, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d dare show up at something like that all by myself.¡±

    Cheryl was a master at acting sweet, and it didn¡¯t take her long to have Henry wrapped around her finger. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Henryughed. ¡°She¡¯s my god¨Cgranddaughter¡¯s mom; of course, she¡¯sing along.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Cheryl, you¡¯re so gorgeous. Maybe Mr. Shea will fall for you,¡± Nathan chimed in. ¡°If you end up as Mrs. Shea, don¡¯t forget about your godfather, okay?¡±

    Cheryl put on a bashful look. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to do my best.¡± Andrew was the future heir to the Shea Group¨Cwhat girl wouldn¡¯t want him? She was going to make him hers.

    Meanwhile, in the Maybach, Jenny was sitting beside Andrew, dutifully kneading his legs, her eyes sparkling with a pleading look. ¡°Andrew, don¡¯t you really want to <b>see </b>the beauty? Once we¡¯re gone, you won¡¯t get another chance.¡±

    Andrew rubbed his temples in silence. He hadn¡¯te to Hirica for some medical conference; he <b>was </b>after the Refreshing Pill. But not only did he miss out on the pill, now Jenny <b>was </bpletely taken with some strange girl.

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    Ethan gripped the steering wheel, watching Andrew¡¯s expression, and ventured, ¡°Boss, since we didn¡¯t get Phantom Healer¡¯s pill at the auction, what should we do next?¡±

    Andrew¡¯s eyes turned icy as he shot Ethan a look, and Ethan mmed up right away.

    Andrew ordered, ¡°Send someone to Shadow Syndicate and dig up everything you can on Phantom Healer. Money¡¯s no object. Make sure to <b>get </b>his contact info and a photo. He¡¯s the only one who can help Jenny now.¡±

    As Andrew nced at Jenny, there was a trace of worry in his eyes.

    Ethan nodded. He knew all about Jenny¡¯s illness. He¡¯d been by Andrew¡¯s side since he was ten, and they¡¯d been through a lot together. Andrew always had everything under control, never showing this kind of worry¨Cexcept when it came to Jenny.

    Over the years, they¡¯d brought in countless famous doctors, but every single one of them would just shake their heads and sigh after seeing Jenny, saying there was nothing they could do. Every one of them said the only person who could save Jenny was Phantom Healer.

    Phantom Healer was a mysterious doctor who emerged seemingly out of thin air in recent years. Whispers painted him <b>as </b>an enigma¨Cno photos existed, his workce remained unknown, and he always appeared where least anticipated. Those seeking him had no choice but to wait for his arrival.

    Andrew knew it would be incredibly hard to track Phantom Healer down and convince him to save Jenny, but she was his only sister. No matter what, he was going to do whatever it took to find Phantom Healer.

    ¡°Boss<b>, </b>we¡¯ve got an emergency,¡± Ethan said, frowning as he read a text message.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Andrew asked.

    Ethan grimaced. ¡°Mr. Samuel Summers is in Hirica, too.¡±

    ¡°Probably looking for his granddaughter. So what?¡± Andrew said casually.

    ¡°Right, but we just got word that Mr. Summers is in critical condition.¡± Ethan paused for a long moment before continuing, ¡°None of the Summers can get here in time. Right now, you¡¯re the only one in Hirica who can call the shots.¡±

    Andrew raised an eyebrow, saying nothing. With the Summers out of town, he was the only one Samuel really trusted around. ¡°Let¡¯s go <i>to </i>the hospital,¡± Andrew ordered.

    Ethan immediately turned the steering wheel and headed in a different direction.

    Snowkes began to drift down outside, silent and gentle against the window. Jenny, sprawled across the back seat, couldn¡¯t help but think about Olivia. She wondered what Olivia was up to at that moment,

    Through the falling snow, she thought she spotted Olivia standing at a bus stop, waiting out the weather. ¡°Ethan, pull over,¡± Jenny said, unbuckling her seatbelt. Her eyes darted as she quickly made up an excuse. ¡°My stomach hurts. I need to use the restroom!¡±

    ¡°<b>Please </b>wait a moment, Ms. Shea. There¡¯s a restroom about 2 thousand feet ahead,¡± Ethan said as he pulled the car over, grabbed an umbre, and got ready to walk Jenny to the restroom.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take her,¡± Andrew said, unbuckling his seatbelt to get out, but Jenny held him back.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Andrew. You¡¯re not in the best shape; you shouldn¡¯t catch a chill. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± she said, bouncing out of the <b>car </b>with a grin, not giving Andrew any chance to refuse.

    Ethan walked her to the restroom door. ¡°Ms. Shea<b>, </b>you¡¯ll have to go in by yourself. I can¡¯t apany you inside.¡±

    Ent

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>

    Chapter <i>15 </i>

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    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know,¡± Jenny huffed, shooting him an exasperated look. Ethan was always so uptight and by¨Cthe¨Cbook. Right now, her mind waspletely filled with thoughts of Olivia<b>. </b>She didn¡¯t <b>have </b>the patience for anyone else, so she hurried straight into the restroom.

    Once inside, Jenny pulled out her smartwatch, pulled up a virtual interface and tapped away for a moment. Then<b>, </b>with a mischievous grin, she casually chucked the watch into one of the stalls. ¡°Oops, sorry, Ethan,¡± she giggled to herself.

    <b>3/3 </b>

 Blizzard 16

    Ethan waited outside the restroom for more than ten minutes, but Jenny still hadn¡¯te out. <b>It </b><b>was </b>dead silent inside. He called out a few times, ¡°Ms. Shea, you done yet? Ms. Shea<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Receiving no response, Ethan waited another two minutes, but there was nothing. That was when he realized something was off. Not caring about anything else, he rushed straight into the women¡¯s restroom. Luckily, it was empty, so no one would call him <b>a </b>creep.

    He checked every stall, one by one. When he got to thest one, he spotted Jenny¡¯s smartwatch. As soon as he turned it on, a big, shy message exploded on the screen: [You idiot, I¡¯m outta here.]

    Ethan looked up and saw the bathroom window wide open, snowkes drifting in, making the ce feel even lonelier.

    Just like my future, Ethan thought.

    Jenny, who had just escaped from the women¡¯s restroom, relied on her memory and headed back the way she came. If she was remembering right, Olivia should be waiting at the next bus stop.

    As she walked, her pretty shoes and socks got soaked and covered in mud. ¡®Olivia won¡¯t dislike me just because of this, right?¡® Jenny worried to herself.

    But then, out of nowhere, an unwee figure showed up ahead¨Cit was Natalie, the one Olivia had taken down with a pressure point lock yesterday. The effect had just worn off, and now she was wandering the streets, lookingpletely lost and disheveled.

    Yesterday was utterly humiliating. Natalie had been immobilized on the street by that pressure¨Cpoint hold¨Ceven her uncle couldn¡¯t break it. Forced to stay there for over twenty hours, she endured stares and whispers, her dignity stripped away. She med Olivia for it all.

    Natalie hadn¡¯t gone far when she spotted Jenny, who was beaming with happiness and skipping her way over. ¡®Why does she get to look <i>so </i>cheerful and put¨Ctogether?¡® Natalie fumed.

    ¡°You!¡± Natalie¡¯s eyes were red with rage as she lunged at Jenny, hands reaching for her throat. ¡°You were definitely in on it with her. You both set me up.¡±

    Jenny jumped, startled, and darted aside to dodge Natalie.

    Still weak from the punishment all day, Natalie lost her bnce and copsed to the ground.

    ¡°Who do you think you are,ing at me?¡± Jenny shot Natalie a cold re, clear disgust in her eyes. ¡°You brought this on yourself. Don¡¯t me Olivia for setting things right.¡±

    Natalie froze, her body trembling. She¡¯d just been put in her ce by a little kid. Her face twisted with even more rage.

    ¡®It was all this brat¡¯s fault. With my medical skills, I would¡¯ve shone at the Evans family¡¯s consultation. With the Evans family¡¯s reputation, I would¡¯ve been famous in no time. But now, it was all ruined. I¡¯ve lost everything¨Cincluding my pride,¡® Natalie seethed,

    ¡°You damn kid¡­¡± Natalie <b>spat</b>, her teeth clenched in fury.

    Jenny didn¡¯t bother wasting her breath on Natalie. She just kept walking.

    ¡°Hold it right there! When an adult¡¯s talking, you better listen.¡± Natalie yanked Jenny back, easily overpowering her. ¡°If I can¡¯t

    <b>1/3 </b>

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>DE

    handle that brat, I can still take care of you.¡±

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    Jenny had grown up around tough crowds. There was no way Natalie could scare her. She shot Natalie a cold smirk. ¡°Take your filthy hands off me, unless you¡¯ve got a death wish.¡±

    Jenny¡¯s words made Natalie flinch. She nced around warily. ¡°You¡¯re just a kid, but you sure know how to lie. I knew it. You picked up those tricks from that brat yesterday. You two are definitely in this together.¡±

    ¡°How dare you call her like that?¡± Jenny¡¯s face darkened, her eyes turning frosty. ¡°Yesterday, we only punished you slightly. Looks like we went too <b>easy </b>on you. It¡¯s one thing to be useless, but you¡¯re a terrible person too.¡±

    Natalie, furious, mped her hands around Jenny¡¯s neck and squeezed even harder. ¡°Go to hell!¡±

    ¡°Help! She¡¯s trying to kill me!¡± Jenny never thought Natalie would actually attack her. She struggled and shouted for help, but as a kid, she <b>was </b>no match for an adult like Natalie.

    Natalie never intended to kill Jenny. She just wanted to scare her and teach a lesson. It wasn¡¯t guilt over roughing up a kid that bothered her; Jenny¡¯s polished, privileged appearance had simply provoked her.

    But in Hirica, the Evans family ruled supreme. Even if Jenny¡¯s people sought revenge, Natalie wouldn¡¯t lose a wink of sleep.

    Jenny¡¯s vision started to blur. Her tiny hands waved weakly, and her breathing grew fast and shallow. Her face turned bright red.

    Seeing this, Natalie instantly let go, her heart racing with guilt. She hadn¡¯t meant to go that far¨Cjust wanted to scare Jenny a bit. She was sure she hadn¡¯t used enough force to actually hurt Jenny.

    Natalie started shaking Jenny and tapping her on the head. ¡°Hey, quit ying dead!¡±

    Jenny felt terrible; her chest felt tight and painful. But she really didn¡¯t want Natalie anywhere near her. ¡®Olivia, where are you? I can¡¯t hold on¡­ And with that thought, everything started to fade away.

    *****

    Meanwhile, Olivia stood zoning out at the bus stop, watching the snow fall steadily. Deciding to brave the weather and walk home, she answered <i>a </i>call.

    Lucas reported, ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve got a new lead. The Evans family is offering 70 million for intel on Phantom Healer: location, photo, contact details.¡±

    ¡¯70 million? The Evans family must be desperate to see me, Olivia thought, a sly smirk curling on her lips, her eyes shing with calction.

    ¡°Spread the word. We¡¯re not touching this job.¡± She bet that there had gotta be a catch. No way they were dropping that kind of cash just to find her.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Lucas replied.

    ¡°And keep tabs on Shadow¡¯s crew,¡± Olivia said, pulling off her earpiece. ¡°I think someone¡¯s about to jump ship. Drag them out for me.¡±

    After hanging up, Olivia strolled ahead for a while. In the distance, she caught sight of a grown woman and a little kid locked in a scuffle and the kid looked <b>just </b>like Jenny, the girl she¡¯d rescued yesterday.

    ¡°Hey, quit faking it!¡± Natalie snapped, tugging hard on Jenny¡¯s ear. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can fool me. I¡¯m a doctor, remember?¡±

    <b>2/3 </b>

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>

    Jenny <b>was </b>gasping harder and harder, her pupils starting to lose focus.

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    Natalie, panicked by the sight in front of her, instantly let go and tried to run. But before she could get away, a force yanked her off her feet and she hit the ground hard.

    ¡°You just let someone die and still dare <b>to </b>call yourself a doctor?¡± Olivia snapped, scooping Jenny into her arms and shooting Natalie a cold re. Her free handnded a sharp <b>p </b>across Natalie¡¯s <b>face</b><b>. </b>

    Natalie was left dazed, her cheek burning. When she saw who it was, rage burned even hotter inside her. ¡°You again? How dare youy a hand on me!¡±

    ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes were full of disgust, her tone icy. ¡°A true doctor doesn¡¯t <b>care </b>about fame, only about having a clear conscience. You let someone die. Why shouldn¡¯t <b>I </b>p you?¡±

    ¡°This lunatic attacks a kid, then tries to run instead of helping. Even that p was letting her off easy, Olivia thought. If she wasn¡¯t worried about Jenny, she would¡¯ve rearranged Natalie¡¯s face. She turned away, pulling out her phone to call a ride.

    Seeing Olivia and Jenny about to leave, Natalie snapped and lunged after them. ¡°Stop! Exin yourself. Don¡¯t you dare walk away from me.¡±

    <b>3/3 </b>

 Blizzard 17

    fter just a few steps, Olivia kicked Natalie right in the arm.

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    Natalie stumbled and fell into the snow. She howled, clutching her arm. Snow and twigs smeared her <b>face </b>with muddy slush, leaving her aplete mess.

    ¡°Next time, it¡¯ll be your face<b>,</b>¡± Olivia threw out coldly, scooping Jenny into her arms and getting into the car.

    When Natalie came to her senses, the car <b>was </b>already long gone. ¡°Bitch! I¡¯ll make you pay,¡± she screamed, copsed on the ground, paralyzed by pain.

    Olivia saw Natalie¡¯s crazed look in the rear¨Cview mirror and didn¡¯t even bother with her. She quickly checked Jenny over and started basic first aid. ¡°Jenny, it¡¯s okay. As long as I¡¯m here, nothing¡¯s going to happen to you,¡± she reassured her.

    Outside the window, the snow kept falling, growing heavier by the minute.

    Meanwhile, inside the gray car, Andrew sat in the back seat, his fingers drumming impatiently against the window. He radiated a cold, dangerous aura, filling the car with a suffocating tension.

    Ethan shivered, goosebumps prickling all over. Honestly, the freezing snow outside felt warmer than the chill in here.

    ¡°Boss, w¨Cwe just got some news,¡± Ethan stammered, barely daring to speak. After all, he was the one who lost Jenny. The only reason Andrew hadn¡¯t ripped him to shreds yet was pure mercy.

    ¡°Report,¡± Andrew ordered, his voice icy.

    Ethan braced himself, avoiding Andrew¡¯s stormy re. ¡°We¡­ we still can¡¯t find Jenny anywhere around here¡­¡± he said quietly.

    Andrew stayed silent, his eyes clouded with worry and tension.

    Ethan could tell Andrew was about to explode. To Andrew, nothing mattered more than Jenny.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of having you guys if you can¡¯t even keep an eye on Jenny?¡± Andrew snapped, yanking the car door open, about to go look for her himself.

    ¡°Boss, you can¡¯t go out there! You¡¯re not in any better shape than Jenny. If you catch a cold, what¡¯s going to happen to the Shea family?¡± Ethan quickly stepped in to stop Andrew.

    Right then, Ethan¡¯s phone buzzed, and he couldn¡¯t hide the excitement in his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve got news about Jenny!

    ¡°After Jenny got out of the bathroom, she headed north and ran into Ms. Evans. Ms. Evans bullied her so badly that she had an episode, but then some girl came to the rescue and took Jenny away with her,¡± Ethan reported.

    Andrew¡¯s <b>eyes </b>narrowed, his voice tense. ¡°Which girl?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that young doctor who saved Jenny yesterday. Jenny¡¯s totally attached to her,¡± Ethan stressed the word ¡°attached,¡± making it clear <b>just </b>how much Jenny liked her.

    Andrew¡¯s frown rxed a bit. Knowing Jenny was safe eased his mind, even if just a little. ¡°Who is she?¡± he asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s the adopted daughter from the Sherman family, but they kicked her out. We still don¡¯t know where she is¡­¡± Ethan swallowed nervously. ¡°And Jenny got rid of her tracker, so we¡¯ve lost her signal.¡±

    <b>1/3 </b>

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>

    D

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    Thinking of that solitary figure, Andrew felt some of the tension in his <b>face </b><b>ease</b>. Knowing Jenny was with her actually let him breathe a little easier. Somehow, he just had this gut feeling¨Cshe would never hurt Jenny.

    The Shea family reigned supreme in Kingtonelle, and Andrew had seen countless people fawn over Jenny for her wealth and status. All the people <b>were </b>only to be coldly ignored.

    But this girl <b>was </b>different. Jenny didn¡¯t just tolerate her; she genuinely liked her. That piqued Andrew¡¯s curiosity even more. Frankly, the whole thing struck him as odd.

    Andrew barked out his orders. ¡°Track down where that girl is staying. I want Jenny in front of me by tomorrow night.¡± He shot Ethan a cold re. ¡°If you <b>screw </b>up again, kiss your year¨Cend bonus goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± Ethan jumped into action. The Shea Group¡¯s year¨Cend bonus wasn¡¯t just some random holiday cash. It was calcted by the day, and all those days stacked up to nearly half a year¡¯s pay. There was no way he could lose that bonus.

    Olivia didn¡¯t head back to the old neighborhood. Instead, she made her way to Willow Lane.

    The old neighborhood was packed with wealthy and influential people, and Jenny was someone important. If anyone recognized her, it¡¯d be a real mess. Besides, there weren¡¯t many medicines avable there anyway. Willow Lane was much quieter, with hardly anyone around.

    Number 88 Willow Lane was Grace¡¯s ce. Olivia, with Jenny in her arms, wound her way through the twists and turns until they reached a small house, the words ¡°Mercy Clinic¡± scribbled crookedly across the door. With nothing else marked, it was an obscure spot.

    Olivia walked in with long, confident strides, and the moment she stepped into the yard, a kid in an elementary school hoodie bolted straight toward her.

    ¡°Hold it right there,¡± Olivia said, her tone cool and matter¨Cof¨Cfact as she stepped back a little. ¡°Sean, where¡¯s Grandma?¡±

    Sean was a kid Olivia picked up off the street. He hardly ever talked, always seemed half¨Casleep, and loved to nap. Grace felt sorry for him and ended up raising him like her own grandson.

    But for someone with such a big appetite, Sean never seemed to grow. At ten years old, he was barely as tall as a five¨Cyear- old. The only thing that really stood out about him was his eyes: bright, and an unusually rare shade of blue.

    ¡°Grandma¡­ sleepy¡­ nap¡­¡± Sean mumbled, pointing inside, rubbing his bleary eyes and letting out a huge yawn. Then he caught sight of Jenny in Olivia¡¯s arms, and his eyes sparkled. ¡°Eat?¡± he asked, clearly mistaking Jenny for food.

    Olivia shook her head, her tone firm. ¡°Sean, she¡¯s like a little sister to me. She¡¯s my patient, not for eating.¡±

    Sean gave a vague nod, as if he only half understood.

    Olivia carefully carried Jenny inside. The inside was a whole different world from the shabby look outside. It <b>was </b>surprisingly ssy and elegant, all done up in simple shades of ck, white, and gray.

    Olivia gently ced Jenny on the bed and called out to the system, ¡°Scan the patient¡¯s condition.¡±

    Right away<b>, </b>a robotic voice chimed in, ¡°Master, here¡¯s the report: the patient has arrhythmia, is unconscious, and her breathing is abnormal. Rmend immediate <b>use </b>of a beta¨Cblocker.¡±

    ¡°Sean, fetch the medicine,¡± Olivia called out, opening a wooden box and picking out some herbs to grind up.

    Sean scratched his head, and then hurried over to rummage through the cabs.

    <b>2/3 </b>

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>

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    After Jenny took the medicine, she looked a lot better, but her cold little hand clung tightly to Olivia¡¯s, refusing to let go.

    Sean leaned in next to Olivia, curiously checking out the tiny Jenny. Shey there so quietly, her longshes fluttering, baby cheeks making her look extra adorable. Her <b>face </b><b>was </b>pale from being sick, and her little mouth moved as if she were trying to <b>say </b>something.

    To Sean, this <b>was </b>all a whole new experience. He couldn¡¯t resist reaching out and gave her chubby cheek a gentle poke.

    Even in her unconscious state, Jenny seemed to feel it. She frowned a little and murmured, ¡°Olivia¡­¡± in a soft voice.

    Sean thought her cheek was so bouncy and cute, he just couldn¡¯t resist poking it again.

    Olivia immediately swatted his restless hand away. ¡°Hands off,¡± she said.

    Scolded, Sean stood obediently behind Olivia, popping his head out to sneak a look at Jenny.

    After a while, <b>a </b>cough sounded from inside. ¡°Is that you, Olivia?¡± It was Grace, the former director of Sunrise Orphanage. She shuffled out, her eyes full of warmth. ¡°Why¡¯d youe by today?¡±

    Olivia smiled softly, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in ages. I missed you.¡±

    ¡°Do you really have to lie to me?¡± Grace sighed, looking at Olivia with a sad, loving gaze. ¡°I know all about what the Shermans did. It¡¯s my fault. I never should¡¯ve agreed to let them take you in. You¡¯ve suffered so much because of me.¡±

    <b>3/3 </b>

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    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>

 Blizzard 18

    As Grace spoke, her eyes grew misty<b>, </b><b>as </b>if she were lost in the <b>past</b>.

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    Olivia stood up, walked over, and hugged <b>Grace</b><b>, </b>gentlyforting her. ¡°Grandma <b>Grace</b>, it¡¯s not your fault. They have had their eyes on me for ages<b>. </b>The Shermans just got a little benefit and couldn¡¯t wait to sell me out.

    *Grandma, if it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be here. So please, don¡¯t me yourself,¡± Olivia said, her eyes filled with a tenderness she¡¯d never shown before.

    ¡°My little Olivia has grown up¡­¡± Grace traced Olivia¡¯s cheek with tender fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t let hatred hold you back, sweetheart. Your future¡¯s just beginning¨Cfull of opportunities waiting for you. I hope you¡¯ll go to Kingtonelle. That¡¯s where you belong, where you can shine.¡±

    Grace had seen too much in her life¨Ctoo many joys and sorrows¨Cand had learned to let go of many things. She didn¡¯t want Olivia to be trapped by hatred.

    Olivia nodded, just ying along, but in her heart, she wasn¡¯t buying it. The grudge she held against the Shermans ran deep; she would never let it go.

    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, Grandma,¡± Olivia replied sweetly. ¡°Once I get to Kingtonelle, I¡¯ll open a bookstore for you. Sean can handle the coffee, and you can just spend your days reading and rxing.¡±

    Grace gently patted Olivia¡¯s head, her eyes filled with relief and affection. ¡®My little Olivia is <b>so </b>sweet and sensible. How could her own family ever bear to let her go?¡® she thought.

    ¡°But you still need to keep up with your studies. The Shermans have already wasted so much of your time. They can¡¯t be allowed to ruin your whole life,¡± Grace said, pulling out a stic bag stuffed with loose change. She started counting it carefully.

    After a moment, she pressed the entire bag into Olivia¡¯s hands. ¡°Nowadays, folks look down on you without <i>a </i>degree. I¡¯ve been saving this for you¨Cuse it for tuition, alright?

    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll keep studying.¡± She paused, and then added quietly, ¡°I heard the Sherman¡¯s kid is top of her ss at Kingtonelle University¡¯s Design Department¡­¡±

    Olivia looked at the pile of money, small bills and coins. She knew every bit of it had been scraped together by Grace, selling herbs and washing clothes for others, saving up little by little.

    Olivia¡¯s heart ached. She gently pushed the money away. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve told you¨CI¡¯ve got money now. You don¡¯t need to work so hard. Let me take care of you.¡± She guided Grace to a chair and began kneading her shoulders. ¡°Look how tense you

    are.¡±

    ¡°Sean, don¡¯t mess with Jenny. <i>Go </i>get the herbal tea,¡± Olivia said, wrapping her arm around Grace¡¯s shoulders and continuing to massage her. ¡°Grandma, you really don¡¯t need to keep working. I can make enough money for both of us.¡±

    Sean, who had been ying with Jenny, froze at Olivia¡¯s words. He looked like a kid caught doing something wrong, quickly scurrying off to mix up the herbal tea. He came back with two big bottles, still chewing on some of the leftover herbs from the tea.

    Seeing Sean, Olivia shook her head.

    <b>Grace </b>chuckled. ¡°With Sean¡¯s appetite, I¡¯d go broke if I stopped working! The boy eats like a ck hole¨Cseven or eight meals a day.

    ¡°Last week, I took him for sandwiches. <b>The </b>vendor made one, and he devoured it. He wolfed down more than fifty on the

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>

    55 vouchers

    spot. Then he packed another hundred to go. Still hungry? You bet. By the time we got home, he¡¯d polished off half a pot of pasta.¡±

    Olivia shot Sean a look.

    Sean pursed his lips and lowered his head.

    ¡°He¡¯s still growing, so it¡¯s normal for him to eat a lot,¡± Olivia said.

    ¡°Yeah, being able to eat <b>is </b>a blessing,¡± Graceughed. ¡°But it really freaked out the vendor.¡±

    Oliviaughed too. ¡°Sean, don¡¯t eat like that when you¡¯re out, okay? If you ever go to a buffet, they¡¯ll probably put you on their cklist.¡±

    Sean cocked his head, pretending he didn¡¯t get it, and then happily trotted off to bed.

    Grace kept on, ¡°I¡¯ve been talking about Sean, but what about you? Because of the Shermans, you missed out on so much schooling. You can¡¯t just stop at middle school. I know a few principals. I could pull some strings and get you into high

    school¡­¡±

    ¡°Grandma, really, you don¡¯t have to,¡± Olivia cut her off with a sigh, thinking, ¡®Honestly, with my abilities, I could get into any college¨Chere or abroad. Why go back?¡® Then she exined, ¡°Right now, I just want to make a lot of money, not go back to school.¡±

    Grace had watched Olivia grow into her stubbornness and knew better than to argue. Still, she began silentlypiling a list of old contacts¨Cmaybe someone could nudge Olivia back to school. And Sean needed structure too; he couldn¡¯t spend his days eating and napping like a housecat.

    After finishing the massage, Olivia went inside and hauled Sean up, who was dozing off against Jenny.

    Sean looked dazed as he was lifted, waving his little arms and ncing up at her, confused.

    ¡°Quit sleeping,¡± Olivia said, her gaze lowered. ¡°Time to get moving.¡±

    Snowkes started falling again, swirling through the air. Olivia nced up at the sky and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s start with Natalie.¡±

    At that, Sean cracked a wicked grin, his blue eyes shing green as he pointed to his ear. ¡°Hear right? I. Beat?¡±

    Olivia dropped him down and dusted off her hands. ¡°You¡¯ve stuffed yourself with all those sandwiches¨Cgo work them off. Have fun, but try not to get anyone killed, okay?¡±

    Sean, given the green light, somehow produced a hammer out of thin air and hopped out the door. Nobody realized that this scatterbrained kid was actually Mystery¨Cthe legendary troublemaker every big corporation had been chasing with sky- high bounties for years.

    It wasn¡¯t so much that Olivia picked up Sean; he just tagged along and never left.

    The first time she met him, he was wrestling a vicious dog for a piece of bread. Olivia saw he could fight, so she had a brawl with him herself. After Sean lost, he just stuck to her like glue.

    Olivia figured Grace was bored, <i>so </i>she brought Sean home to keep things lively. Over the years in Willow Lane, his power level kept rising.. He got so strong that even Olivia started to feel outmatched when they sparred.

    With skills like that, Olivia made him her go¨Cto guy for beating people up and causing trouble.

    But after all this time, she still hadn¡¯t dug up anything about Sean¡¯s background. As for Sean, he seemed to have forgotten

    <b>8:51 </b>pm

    everything about his <b>past</b><b>. </b>These <b>days</b><b>, </b>all he ever did was cat and sleep.

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    At the Sherman vi, Ethan <b>sat </b>in the living room with a frosty look, tossing a photo onto the table. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Sherman, just a heads¨Cup. The person in this photo is someone the <b>Shea </b>family is after. You¡¯d better not try to hide anything.¡±

    William forced a smile <b>as </b>he picked up the photo, his eyes going wide. <b>¡®</b>Isn¡¯t this Olivia? What did this girl do to get on the Shea family¡¯s bad side again?¡® he wondered.

    William exined, ¡°Mr. Shea, we¡­ we honestly have no idea where she <b>is</b>. She was just a poor student we sponsored. That¡¯s all.¡±

    Cheryl, standing nearby, frowned in confusion, ¡°It¡¯s her?¡±

    Margaret immediately tried to distance herself, afraid of getting dragged in. ¡°Whatever she¡¯s done, it has nothing to do with us. Please, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    Then Margaret leaned in close to William and whispered, ¡°That little brat must¡¯ve stirred up trouble outside and used the Sherman name, hoping we¡¯d clean up her mess. If you don¡¯t want to get on the Shea family¡¯s bad side, you¡¯d better cut ties with her quickly.¡±

    <b>3/3 </b>

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 Blizzard 19

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± William realized btedly and chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re not close with her.¡±

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    Ethan frowned, thinking, ¡®Ms. Summers is supposed to be their adopted daughter. Why are they treating her like charity now?¡± Seeing no answers here, he cut the small talk short. Standing up, he offered a polite nod. ¡°If that¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll let you get back to it.¡±

    Margaret kept shooting William meaningful nces, signaling for William to step in and persuade Ethan to stay.

    Just as Ethan was about to walk out, William grabbed his arm. ¡°Mr. Shea, you rarelye by. Why not stay for dinner and let us show a little hospitality?¡± William said, his tone dripping with ttery.

    Ethan pulled his arm back, his face resolute. ¡°No need. I have other things to take care of. But thanks for the offer, Mr. Sherman.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± William looked a bit embarrassed at being turned down, but quickly bounced back. ¡°I have one more request. Not sure if I should even mention it.¡±

    Ethan was internally rolling his eyes. ¡®If you¡¯re not sure, then just keep it to yourself. Does he not realize how swamped I am right now?¡® Still, he kept his professional mask on and nodded to let William continue.

    ¡°Thing is, we heard Mr. Shea¡¯s throwing a party soon. Any chance the Sherman family could get an invite?¡± William said, as he shoved a card into Ethan¡¯s hand.

    Ethan¡¯s frown deepened. He liked money but only the honest kind. Bribes were beneath him. ¡°Mr. Sherman,¡± he said, shoving the card back with a steely look, ¡°the Shea family¡¯s invitations go out to the families we actually want to invite.¡± Plus, he had no say on this anyway.

    William¡¯s face burned with embarrassment. Ethan¡¯s message couldn¡¯t be clearer: the Sherman family wasn¡¯t even good enough to get an invite from the Sheas.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going,¡± Ethan said, desperate to leave. He practically bolted for the door.

    Margaret was livid. ¡°So what, he¡¯s saying the Sherman family isn¡¯t good enough for the Sheas now? And since when does an assistant get to tell us what to do?¡±

    ¡°Mom, he¡¯s actually right. We really can¡¯tpare to the Sheas at the moment,¡± Cheryl said gently, trying to soothe Margaret. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already got Nathan and Grandpa Henry¡¯s approval. They¡¯ll bring us along to the consultation

    event.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± William¡¯s face broke into a wide smile, all his worries gone in an instant. ¡°Cheryl, you¡¯re so thoughtful. You really are my good girl.¡±

    Margaret beamed with pride. <i>¡°</i><i>Of </i>course! Just wait till I get you all dressed up. Mr. Shea won¡¯t know what hit him. Once he falls for you, you¡¯ll be the Shea family¡¯s daughter¨Cinw for sure.¡±

    William was just as excited. He quickly handed the card to Cheryl. ¡°Your mom¡¯s right, Cheryl. Here¡¯s 30 thousand dors. Go buy yourself some nice clothes and jewelry. If that¡¯s not enough, just ask me for more.¡±

    Cheryl took the card and stood quietly to the side, lost in thought. Suddenly, she let out a softugh. She sneered, thinking. ¡°Trading 30 thousand dors for a Shea family invitation? Dad¡¯s so naive. As if a Shea family party could be bought for just 30 grand.¡¯

    ***

    <b>1/3 </b>

    <i>& </i>

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b><b>D </b>

    Chapter <i>19 </i>

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    At Willow Lane, <b>Grace </b>leaned over Jenny and checked if she <b>was </b>still breathing, her face full of worry. ¡°This girl¡¯s been out for a whole day. Why isn¡¯t she waking up?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am,¡± Olivia said. ¡°The medicine I <b>gave </b>her has a bit of a sedative effect<b>, </b>so it¡¯s normal for her to sleep longer.¡±

    Grace finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. When she wakes up, ask her where she lives and make sure she gets home safe.

    Olivia answered without looking up, her hands busy mixing a fresh batch of medicine. It <b>was </b><b>a </b>custom form for Jenny<b>¨C</b><b>a </b>fast<b>¨C</b>acting remedy for sudden breathlessness. Knowing the child hated bitterness, she rolled the pills in licorice candy coating.

    As night fell, Jenny finally drifted awake. She slowly opened her eyes<b>, </b>taking in the unfamiliar yetforting room. It felt oddly familiar, almost like somewhere she¡¯d visited in a dream. Turning her head, she spotted Olivia sitting on the couch, absorbed in a medical book.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Olivia said, getting up. ¡°Are you still feeling unwell?¡±

    Jenny¡¯s attack struck without warning. Her emotions had spiraled, and Natalie had grabbed her throat. The assault left her airway bruised and heart strained, but after targeted medicine and acupuncture, her color had already improved.

    ¡°Olivia, you saved me again,¡± Jenny said weakly, giving a faint smile. She struggled to sit up, reaching out her arms to Olivia for a hug.

    Jenny was all soft curls and big eyes, irresistibly sweet. Olivia melted every time. ¡°Weren¡¯t you with your family? How¡¯d you end up with Natalie?¡± She couldn¡¯t fathom a parent letting a child wander alone. If she hadn¡¯t shown up, Jenny¡¯s condition would¡¯ve taken a dark turn.

    Jenny¡¯s eyes flickered mischievously before she put on her best puppy¨Cdog look, staring up at Olivia. ¡°I missed you, so I came to find you.¡±

    Olivia couldn¡¯t help but let out a softugh. She hadn¡¯t expected Jenny to think about her so much. ¡°Next time, make sure you¡¯re safe before you decide to do anything,¡± Olivia said, ruffling Jenny¡¯s fluffy little head.

    ¡°So, Olivia, can you be my sister¨Cinw?¡± Jenny asked.

    This was already the third time she¡¯d asked, but the thing was, Olivia just wasn¡¯t into guys for now.

    When Olivia didn¡¯t answer, Jenny guessed she wasn¡¯t interested, so she switched topics. ¡°You¡¯re so amazing at medicine. Are you the legendary Phantom Healer everyone¡¯s talking about?¡±

    Olivia propped her chin on her hand, her eyes shining so brightly it was almost startling. ¡°You¡¯re really sharp.¡±

    ¡°So, Olivia, are you actually the legendary Phantom Healer?¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes went wide; she was totally stunned.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Olivia replied, shaking her head, her gaze deep and thoughtful. ¡°That name¡¯s way too much for me.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t lying. The title ¡°Phantom Healer¡± was actually earned by Grace back in her early days practicing medicine. Most people only know Phantom Healer, but hardly anyone realized there were actually two Phantom Healers¨Cone was Grace, the other was Olivia.

    <b>¡°</b><b>If </b>you¡¯re not the Phantom Healer, then who is<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>Jenny¡¯s shoulders slumped. She¡¯d seen countless doctors over the years, but none matched Olivia¡¯s skill. If Olivia wasn¡¯t the one, she¡¯d never find another who could.

    ¡°You look pretty disappointed,¡± Olivia said, a yful glint in her eye.

    Jenny nodded, her small <b>face </b>clouded with rare sadness. <b>¡°</b>It¡¯s my brother. He says only the Phantom Healer can cure us.¡±

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    Her voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°He came to Hirica to find her and to win the Refreshing Pill at that auction. But you said <b>we </b>can¡¯t even try¡­¡±

    <b>3/3 </b>

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    Jenny hung her head, shoulders sagging. <b>¡®</b><b>It¡¯s </b>all my fault,¡® she thought. ¡®If I weren¡¯t <i>so </i>frail, if I weren¡¯t doomed to die young, Andrew wouldn¡¯t have to chase the Refreshing Pill.¡®

    That legendary elixir <b>was </b>said to revive the dying, extend life, and even rewrite fate for those like her<b>, </b>cursed with a short existence.

    Olivia caught the meaning behind Jenny¡¯s words. If it were before, she would have crafted a Refreshing Pill just for Jenny. But now, with things <b>as </b>they were, she truly felt helpless.

    Jenny let out a soft sigh and clung to Olivia, refusing to let go. She murmured, ¡°Olivia, do you really think there¡¯s a medicine as magical as the Refreshing Pill? If it exists, could it really save me?¡±

    Olivia gently tucked the nket around her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jenny. We¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

    Jenny looked a bit disappointed but quickly bounced back. As Olivia was about to leave, Jenny tugged at Olivia¡¯s finger, pouting. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Olivia paused, suddenly remembering¨CJenny had been out cold for almost two days and she must be starving. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll get you something to eat.¡±

    Natalie finally managed to drag herself home through the snow. She changed into fresh clothes and was just about to step out to pick up a few things. The moment she left her building, someone mped a hand over her mouth. Everything went pitch ck.

    Natalie awoke in a warehouse, hands and feet bound. mes licked the walls, smoke stinging her eyes. ¡°Help! Anyone?¡± she screamed, voice cracking. Terror surged¨Cwas this how she¡¯d die?

    Suddenly, she noticed a child squatting nearby, munching on a sandwich and staring. ¡°Hey, untie me. I¡¯ll give you anything,¡± she pleaded, desperate enough to ignore why a kid was here.

    Sean licked his fingers clean, wiped his hands, and stood up, strolling over to Natalie.

    Her eyes sparkled with hope, sure her savior had arrived. But the next thing she knew, a pnded hard across her face. Dazed, she slowly lifted her head,pletely blindsided.

    Before she could react, another p followed. Rage red in Natalie as she yelled, ¡°What the hell are you doing? Who are you? Do you have any idea who I am? How dare you hit me!¡±

    Sean didn¡¯t even blink. When he got tired of pping, he just grabbed whatever was handy and kept going.

    That was when it hit Natalie; she was done for.

    As night settled in, a gray Maybach cruised into the old apartmentplex. Stanley Saunders, the chief of security, had just wrapped up his patrol when he noticed the unfamiliar vehicle.

    Being the head of security, Stanley took protecting the ce seriously. After all, everyone living here was a big shot, retired heavyweights with plenty of influence. So when a suspicious car suddenly appeared, there was no way he¡¯d miss it.

    Andrew had spent a day and night scouring the city for Jenny before finally locating Olivia¡¯s address. Exhausted to the bone, he jolted awake at a sudden knock on the window. He scrubbed his face, muttering, ¡°Ethan, roll it down.¡±

    <b>8:51 </b><b>pm </b>9 59

    Stanley gave him a warm smile. ¡°Hey there, handsome. Which unit do you live in?¡±

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    Andrew nodded politely, keeping his distance. His voice was cold. ¡°I don¡¯t live here. I¡¯m just here to find someone.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Stanley kept his guard up and started asking more questions. ¡°Who are you looking for? What¡¯s their name? Which building? I know this ce inside out. I can take you there.¡±

    Andrew was momentarily stumped by the barrage of questions and shot Ethan a look.

    Ethan immediately got the gist, jumped out of the car, and approached Stanley. ¡°We¡¯re searching for a girl¨CSummers. Eighteen or neen. No clue which building. Would you mind helping?¡± He spoke, offering a cigarette.

    Stanley¡¯s mind raced, thinking, ¡®Summers? A girl? That¡¯s Dr. Summers. Olivia¡¯s warning about enemies shed through his memory. He eyed the pair¨Cthey didn¡¯t look like allies. rm bells rang. ¡®Gotta protect our Dr. Summers, he resolved.

    ¡°I see,¡± Stanley said, waving off the offered cigarette, his face turning serious. ¡°Sorry, but there¡¯s no one named Summers living here. You must have the wrong ce.¡±

    ¡°No way. The info I got says she¡¯s here,¡± Ethan said, looking genuinely puzzled. ¡°Sir, are you sure you don¡¯t remember?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s no one by that name here. It¡¯ste, and you two need to leave now,¡± Stanley replied, his voice cold and full of authority, making it clear he wasn¡¯t taking any nonsense.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Ethan tried to say more.

    ¡°Ethan, that¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s go,¡± Andrew said with a slight frown, forcing a polite smile at Stanley. ¡°Thanks for your time. We¡¯ll head out now.¡±

    Ethan leaned in close to Andrew and whispered, ¡°What about Jenny?¡±

    ¡°Keep searching,¡± Andrew said, waving his hand and gesturing for Ethan to drive.

    Stanley politely saw the two out, and then quickly texted Olivia: [Blocked another one of your haters for you today!]

    Olivia had justdled porridge into bowls when her phone buzzed. She sent a quick thank¨Cyou sticker and returned to the stove. Jenny¡¯s appetite was returning, though food still tasted t. Olivia whipped up shrimp porridge, hoping to coax her into another bite.

    With the bowl of porridge in her hands, Olivia spotted Jenny from across the room, sitting quietly on the little bed, watching her with those big, obedient eyes. She was well¨Cbehaved, not making a peep.

    ¡°Olivia, I just know your cooking is the best,¡± Jenny said, her eyes sparkling as she showered Olivia with praise, not holding

    back at all.

    ¡°How can you be <b>so </b>sure if you haven¡¯t even tried it yet?¡± Olivia teased, checking Jenny¡¯s pulse again. Jenny was recovering fast. Just one more night and she¡¯d be as good as new.

    Jenny put her hands on her hips, looking all proud. ¡°Everything you make is yummy. Can you feed me, pretty please?¡± she added, giving Olivia the most pitiful puppy¨Cdog look she could muster.

    Olivia couldn¡¯t say no to that. She picked up the bowl, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, and carefully fed it to Jenny.

    Jenny opened her mouth right away, eating with the elegance of a little princess<b>, </b>every move full of grace<b>. </b>¡°Yum, this is delicious!¡± she said, her eyes lighting up.

    <b>8:52 </b><b>pm </b>

    ¡°If you like it, eat up,¡± Olivia said, offering her another spoonful.

    Watching Jenny like this, Olivia felt a bit dazed. It reminded her so much of that rainy night.

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    After dinner, Olivia soothed Jenny to sleep, and then tiptoed out of the room. Pulling out her phone, she logged into the Shadow Syndicate.

    Lucas called her right away, his voice urgent. ¡°Boss, there¡¯s a new bounty out. Mr. Summers from the Summers family of Kingtonelle is on his deathbed. The Summers family is offering a fortune for anyone who can save him. Name your price. Boss, are <b>we </b>taking this one?¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Olivia said tly. People like that, with all their money and power, have expert doctors lining up to help. They didn¡¯t need her.

    ¡°Lucas, you must be really boredtely,¡± Olivia said with azy grin. ¡°Got time to chase these bounties, huh? So, did you get anywhere with what I asked you to check out?¡±

    Lucas, who was just about to head out clubbing, nearly slipped in surprise. He scanned the room, suddenly on high alert. ¡®Why does it feel like the boss <b>is </b>watching me?¡® he thought.

 Blizzard 21

    As Grace spoke, her eyes grew misty, as if she were lost in the past.

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    Olivia stood up, walked over, and hugged Grace, gentlyforting her. ¡°Grandma Grace, it¡¯s not your fault. They have had their eyes on me for ages. The Shermans just got a little benefit and couldn¡¯t wait to sell me out.

    ¡°Grandma, if it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be here. So please, don¡¯t me yourself,¡± Olivia said, her eyes filled with at tenderness she¡¯d never shown before.

    ¡°My little Olivia has grown up¡­¡± Grace traced Olivia¡¯s cheek with tender fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t let hatred hold you back, sweetheart. Your future¡¯s just beginning¨Cfull of opportunities waiting for you. I hope you¡¯ll go to Kingtonelle. That¡¯s where you belong. where you can shine.¡±

    Grace had seen too much in her life¨Ctoo many joys and sorrows¨Cand had learned to let go of many things. She didn¡¯t want Olivia to be trapped by hatred.

    Olivia nodded<i>, </i>just ying along, but in her heart, she wasn¡¯t buying it. The grudge she held against the Shermans ran deep; she would never let it go.

    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, Grandma,¡± Olivia replied sweetly. ¡°Once I get to Kingtonelle, I¡¯ll open a bookstore for you. Sean can handle the coffee, and you can just spend your days reading and rxing.¡±

    Grace gently patted Olivia¡¯s head, her eyes filled with relief and affection. ¡®My little Olivia is so sweet and sensible. How could her own family ever bear to let her go?¡® she thought.

    ¡°But you still need to keep up with your studies. The Shermans have already wasted so much of your time. They can¡¯t be allowed to ruin your whole life,¡± Grace said, pulling out a stic bag stuffed with loose change. She started counting it carefully.

    After a moment, she pressed the entire bag into Olivia¡¯s hands. ¡°Nowadays, folks look down on you without a degree. I¡¯ve been saving this for you¨Cuse it for tuition, alright?

    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll keep studying.¡± She paused, and then added quietly, ¡°I heard the Sherman¡¯s kid is top of her ss at Kingtonelle University¡¯s Design Department¡­¡±

    Olivia looked at the pile of money, small bills and coins. She knew every bit of it had been scraped together by Grace, selling herbs and washing clothes for others, saving up little by little.

    Olivia¡¯s heart ached. She gently pushed the money away. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve told you¨CI¡¯ve got money now. You don¡¯t need to work so hard. Let me take care of you.¡± She guided Grace to a chair and began kneading her shoulders. ¡°Look how tense you are.¡±

    ¡°Sean, don¡¯t mess with Jenny. Go get the herbal tea,¡± Olivia said, wrapping her arm around Grace¡¯s shoulders and continuing to massage her. ¡®Grandma, you really don¡¯t need to keep working. I can make enough money for both of us.¡±

    Sean, who had been ying with Jenny, froze at Olivia¡¯s words. He looked like a kid caught doing something wrong, quickly scurrying off to mix up the herbal tea. He came back with two big bottles, still chewing on some of the leftover herbs from the tea.

    Seeing Sean, Olivia shook her head.

    Grace chuckled. ¡°With Sean¡¯s appetite, I¡¯d go broke if I stopped working! The boy eats like a ck hole¨Cseven or eight meals a day.

    Last week, I took him for sandwiches. The vendor made one, and he devoured it. He wolfed down more than fifty on the

    6:31 pm MMA

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    spot. Then he packed another hundred to go. Still hungry? You bet. By the time we got home, he¡¯d polished off half a pot of pasta.¡±

    Olivia shot Sean a look.

    Sean pursed his lips and lowered his head.

    ¡°He¡¯s still growing, so it¡¯s normal for him to eat a lot,¡± Olivia said.

    ¡°Yeah, being able to eat is a blessing,¡± Graceughed. ¡°But it really freaked out the vendor.¡±

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 Blizzard 22

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    Oliviaughed too. ¡°Sean, don¡¯t eat like that when you¡¯re out, okay? If you ever go to a buffet, they¡¯ll probably put you on their cklist.

    Sean cocked his head, pretending he didn¡¯t get it, and then happily trotted off to bed.

    Grace kept on, ¡°I¡¯ve been talking about Sean, but what about you? Because of the Shermans, you missed out on so much schooling. You can¡¯t just stop at middle school. I know a few principals. I could pull some strings and get you into high school¡­¡±

    ¡°Grandma, really, you don¡¯t have to,¡± Olivia cut her off with a sigh, thinking, ¡®Honestly, with my abilities, I could get into any college¨Chere or abroad. Why go back?¡® Then she exined, ¡°Right now, I just want to make a lot of money, not <i>go </i>back to school.¡±

    Grace had watched Olivia grow into her stubbornness and knew better than to argue. Still, she began silentlypiling a list of old contacts¨Cmaybe someone could nudge Olivia back to school. And Sean needed structure too; he couldn¡¯t spend his days eating and napping like a housecat.

    After finishing the massage, Olivia went inside and hauled Sean up, who was dozing off against Jenny.

    Sean looked dazed as he was lifted, waving his little arms and ncing up at her, confused.

    ¡°Quit sleeping,¡± Olivia said, her gaze lowered. ¡°Time to get moving.¡±

    Snowkes started falling again, swirling through the air: Olivia nced up at the sky and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s start with Natalie.¡±

    At that, Sean cracked a wicked grin, his blue eyes shing green as he pointed to his ear. ¡°Hear right? I. Beat?¡±

    Olivia dropped him down and dusted off her hands. ¡°You¡¯ve stuffed yourself with all those sandwiches¨Cgo work them off. Have fun, but try not to get anyone killed, okay?¡±

    Sean, given the green light, somehow produced a hammer out of thin air and hopped out the door. Nobody realized that this scatterbrained kid was actually Mystery¨Cthe legendary troublemaker every big corporation had been chasing with sky- high bounties for years.

    It wasn¡¯t so much that Olivia picked up Sean; he just tagged along and never left.

    The first time she met him, he was wrestling a vicious dog for a piece of bread. Olivia saw he could fight, so she had a brawl with him herself. After Sean lost, he just stuck to her like glue.

    Olivia figured Grace was bored, so she brought Sean home to keep things lively. Over the years in Willow Lane, his power level kept rising.. He got so strong that even Olivia started to feel outmatched when they sparred.

    With skills like that, Olivia made him her go¨Cto guy for beating people up and causing trouble.

    But after all this time, she still hadn¡¯t dug up anything about Sean¡¯s background. As for Sean, he seemed to have forgotten everything about his past. These days, all he ever did was eat and sleep.

    At the Sherman vi, Ethan sat in the living room with a frosty look, tossing a photo onto the table. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Sherman, just a heads¨Cup. The person in this photo is someone the Shea family is after. You¡¯d better not try to hide anything.¡±

    William forced a smile as he picked up the photo, his eyes going wide. ¡®Isn¡¯t this Olivia? What did this girl do to get on the

    6:31 pm MA

    Shea family¡¯s bad side again?¡® he wondered.

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    William exined, ¡°Mr. Shea, we¡­ we honestly have no idea where she is. She was just a poor student we sponsored. That¡¯s all.

    Cheryl, standing nearby, frowned in confusion, ¡°It¡¯s her?¡±

    Margaret immediately tried to distance herself, afraid of getting dragged in. ¡°Whatever she¡¯s done, it has nothing to do with us. Please, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    Then Margaret leaned in close to William and whispered, ¡°That little brat must¡¯ve stirred up trouble outside and used the Sherman name, hoping we¡¯d clean up her mess. If you don¡¯t want to get on the Shea family¡¯s bad side, you¡¯d better cut ties with her quickly.¡±

 Blizzard 23

    Chapter <b>23 </b>

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± William realized btedly and chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re not close with her.¡±

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    Ethan frowned, thinking, ¡®Ms. Summers is supposed to be their adopted daughter. Why are they treating her like charity now?¡± Seeing no answers here, he cut the small talk short. Standing up, he offered a polite nod. ¡°If that¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll let you get back to it.¡±

    Margaret kept shooting William meaningful nces, signaling for William to step in and persuade Ethan to stay.

    Just as Ethan was about to walk out, William grabbed his arm. ¡°Mr. Shea, you rarelye by. Why not stay for dinner and le us show a little hospitality?¡± William said, his tone dripping with ttery.

    Ethan pulled his arm back, his face resolute. ¡°No need. I have other things to take care of. But thanks for the offer, Mr. Sherman.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± William looked a bit embarrassed at being turned down, but quickly bounced back. ¡°I have one more request. Not sure if I should even mention it.¡±

    Ethan was internally rolling his eyes. ¡®If you¡¯re not sure, then just keep it to yourself. Does he not realize how swamped I am right now?¡® Still, he kept his professional mask on and nodded to let William continue.

    ¡°Thing is, we heard Mr. Shea¡¯s throwing a party soon. Any chance the Sherman family could get an invite?¡± William said, as he shoved a card into Ethan¡¯s hand.

    Ethan¡¯s frown deepened. He liked money but only the honest kind. Bribes were beneath him. ¡°Mr. Sherman,¡± he said, shoving the card back with a steely look, ¡°the Shea family¡¯s invitations go out to the families we actually want to invite.¡± Plus, he had no say on this anyway.

    William¡¯s face burned with embarrassment. Ethan¡¯s message couldn¡¯t be clearer: the Sherman family wasn¡¯t even good enough to get an invite from the Sheas.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going,¡± Ethan said, desperate to leave. He practically bolted for the door.

    Margaret was livid. ¡°So what, he¡¯s saying the Sherman family isn¡¯t good enough for the Sheas now? And since when does an assistant get to tell us what to do?¡±

    ¡°Mom, he¡¯s actually right. We really can¡¯tpare to the Sheas at the moment,¡± Cheryl said gently, trying to soothe Margaret. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already got Nathan and Grandpa Henry¡¯s approval. They¡¯ll bring us along to the consultation event.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± William¡¯s face broke into a wide smile, all his worries gone in an instant. ¡°Cheryl, you¡¯re so thoughtful. You really are my good girl.¡±

    Margaret beamed with pride. ¡°Of course! Just wait till I get you all dressed up. Mr. Shea won¡¯t know what hit him. Once he falls for you, you¡¯ll be the Shea family¡¯s daughter¨Cinw for sure.¡±

    William was just as excited. He quickly handed the card to Cheryl. ¡°Your mom¡¯s right, Cheryl. Here¡¯s 30 thousand dors. Go buy yourself some nice clothes and jewelry. If that¡¯s not enough, just ask me for more.¡±

    Cheryl took the card and stood quietly to the side, lost in thought. Suddenly, she let out a softugh. She sneered, thinking, ¡°Trading 30 thousand dors for a Shea family invitation? Dad¡¯s so naive. As if a Shea family party could be bought for just 30 grand.

    ****

    6:31 pm NA

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    At Willow Lane, Grace leaned over Jenny and checked if she was still breathing, her face full of worry. ¡°This girl¡¯s been out for a whole day. Why isn¡¯t she waking up?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am,¡± Olivia said. ¡°The medicine I gave her has a bit of a sedative effect, so it¡¯s normal for her to sleep longer.¡±

    Grace finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. When she wakes up, ask her where she lives and make sure she gets home safe.¡±

    Olivia answered without looking up, her hands busy mixing a fresh batch of medicine. It was a custom form for Jenny¨Ca fast¨Cacting remedy for sudden breathlessness. Knowing the child hated bitterness, she rolled the pills in licorice candy coating.

    As night fell, Jenny finally drifted awake. She slowly opened her eyes, taking in the unfamiliar yetforting room. It felt oddly familiar, almost like somewhere she¡¯d visited in a dream. Turning her head, she spotted Olivia sitting on the couch, absorbed in a medical book.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Olivia said, getting up. ¡°Are you still feeling unwell?¡±

    Jenny¡¯s attack struck without warning. Her emotions had spiraled, and Natalie had grabbed her throat. The assault left her airway bruised and heart strained, but after targeted medicine and acupuncture, her color had already improved.

    ¡°Olivia, you saved me again,¡± Jenny said weakly, giving a faint smile. She struggled to sit up, reaching out her arms to Olivia for a hug.

    Jenny was all soft curls and big eyes, irresistibly sweet. Olivia melted every time. ¡°Weren¡¯t you with your family? How¡¯d you end up with Natalie?¡± She couldn¡¯t fathom a parent letting a child wander alone. If she hadn¡¯t shown up, Jenny¡¯s condition would¡¯ve taken a dark turn.

    Jenny¡¯s eyes flickered mischievously before she put on her best puppy¨Cdog look, staring up at Olivia. ¡°I missed you, so I came to find you.¡±

    Olivia couldn¡¯t help but let out a softugh. She hadn¡¯t expected Jenny to think about her so much. ¡°Next time, make sure you¡¯re safe before you decide to do anything,¡± Olivia said, ruffling Jenny¡¯s fluffy little head.

    ¡°So, Olivia, can you be my sister¨Cinw?¡± Jenny asked.

    This was already the third time she¡¯d asked, but the thing was, Olivia just wasn¡¯t into guys for now.

    When Olivia didn¡¯t answer, Jenny guessed she wasn¡¯t interested, so she switched topics. ¡°You¡¯re so amazing at medicine. Are you the legendary Phantom Healer everyone¡¯s talking about?¡±

    Olivia propped her chin on her hand, her eyes shining so brightly it was almost startling. ¡°You¡¯re really sharp.¡±

    ¡°So<i>, </i>Olivia, are you actually the legendary Phantom Healer?¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes went wide; she was totally stunned.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Olivia replied, shaking her head, her gaze deep and thoughtful. ¡°That name¡¯s way too much for me.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t lying. The title ¡°Phantom Healer¡± was actually earned by Grace back in her early days practicing medicine. Most people only know Phantom Healer, but hardly anyone realized there were actually two Phantom Healers¨Cone was Grace, the other was Olivia.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not the Phantom Healer, then who is?¡± Jenny¡¯s shoulders slumped. She¡¯d seen countless doctors over the years, but none matched Olivia¡¯s skill. If Olivia wasn¡¯t the one, she¡¯d never find another who could.

    ¡°You look pretty disappointed,¡± Olivia said, a yful glint in her eye.

    Jenny nodded, her small face clouded with rare sadness. ¡°It¡¯s my brother. He says only the Phantom Healer can cure us.

    6:31 pm M MA

    :??

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    Her voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°He came to Hirica to find her and to win the Refreshing Pill at that auction. But you said we can¡¯t even try¡­¡±

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    Jenny hung her head, shoulders sagging. ¡®It¡¯s all my fault, she thought. ¡®If I weren¡¯t so frail, if I weren¡¯t doomed to die young. Andrew wouldn¡¯t have to chase the Refreshing Pill.¡®

    That legendary elixir was said to revive the dying, extend life, and even rewrite fate for those like her, cursed with a short

    existence.

    Olivia caught the meaning behind Jenny¡¯s words. If it were before, she would have crafted a Refreshing Pill just for Jenny. But now, with things as they were, she truly felt helpless.

    Jenny let out a soft sigh and clung to Olivia, refusing to let go. She murmured, ¡°Olivia, do you really think there¡¯s a medicine as magical as the Refreshing Pill? If it exists, could it really save me?¡±

    Olivia gently tucked the nket around her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jenny. We¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

    Jenny looked a bit disappointed but quickly bounced back. As Olivia was about to leave, Jenny tugged at Olivia¡¯s finger, pouting. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Olivia paused, suddenly remembering¨CJenny had been out cold for almost two days and she must be starving. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll get you something to eat.¡±

    Natalie finally managed to drag herself home through the snow. She changed into fresh clothes and was just about to step out to pick up a few things. The moment she left her building, someone mped a hand over her mouth. Everything went pitch ck.

    Natalie awoke in a warehouse, hands and feet bound. mes licked the walls, smoke stinging her eyes. ¡°Help! Anyone?¡± she screamed, voice cracking. Terror surged¨Cwas this how she¡¯d die?

    Suddenly, she noticed a child squatting nearby, munching on a sandwich and staring. ¡°Hey, untie me. I¡¯ll give you anything,¡± she pleaded, desperate enough to ignore why a kid was here.

    Sean licked his fingers clean, wiped his hands, and stood up, strolling over to Natalie.

    Her eyes sparkled with hope, sure her savior had arrived. But the next thing she knew, a pnded hard across her face. Dazed, she slowly lifted her head,pletely blindsided.

    Before she could react, another p followed. Rage red in Natalie as she yelled, ¡°What the hell are you doing? Who are you? Do you have any idea who I am? How dare you hit me!¡±

    Sean didn¡¯t even blink. When he got tired of pping, he just grabbed whatever was handy and kept going.

    That was when it hit Natalie; she was done for.

    As night settled in, a gray Maybach cruised into the old apartmentplex. Stanley Saunders, the chief of security, had just wrapped up his patrol when he noticed the unfamiliar vehicle.

    Being the head of security, Stanley took protecting the ce seriously. After all, everyone living here was a big shot, retired heavyweights with plenty of influence. So when a suspicious car suddenly appeared, there was no way he¡¯d miss it.

    Andrew had spent a day and night scouring the city for Jenny before finally locating Olivia¡¯s address. Exhausted to the bone, he jolted awake at a sudden knock on the window. He scrubbed his face, muttering, ¡°Ethan, roll it down.¡±

    6:31 pm M MA

    Stanley gave him a warm sinile. ¡°Hey there, handsome, Which unit do you live in?¡±

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    Andrew nodded politely, keeping his distance. His voice was cold. ¡°I don¡¯t live here. I¡¯m just here to find someone¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Stanley kept his guard up and started asking more questions. ¡°Who are you looking for? What¡¯s their name? Which building? I know this ce inside out. I can take you there.¡±

    Andrew was momentarily stumped by the barrage of questions and shot Ethan a look.

    Ethan immediately got the gist, jumped out of the car, and approached Stanley. ¡°We¡¯re searching for a girl¨CSummers. Eighteen or neen. No clue which building. Would you mind helping?¡± He spoke, offering a cigarette.

    Stanley¡¯s mind raced, thinking. ¡®Summers? A girl? That¡¯s Dr. Summers. Olivia¡¯s warning about enemies shed through his memory. He eyed the pair¨Cthey didn¡¯t look like allies. rm bells rang. ¡®Gotta protect our Dr. Summers, he resolved.

    ¡°I see,¡± Stanley said, waving off the offered cigarette, his face turning serious. ¡°Sorry, but there¡¯s no one named Summers living here. You must have the wrong ce.¡±

    ¡°No way. The info I got says she¡¯s here,¡± Ethan said, looking genuinely puzzled. ¡°Sir, are you sure you don¡¯t remember?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s no one by that name here. It¡¯ste, and you two need to leave now,¡± Stanley replied, his voice cold and full of authority, making it clear he wasn¡¯t taking any nonsense.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Ethan tried to say more.

    ¡°Ethan, that¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s go,¡± Andrew said with a slight frown, forcing a polite smile at Stanley. ¡°Thanks for your time. We¡¯ll head out now.¡±

    Ethan leaned in close to Andrew and whispered, ¡°What about Jenny?¡±

    ¡°Keep searching,¡± Andrew said, waving his hand and gesturing for Ethan to drive.

    Stanley politely saw the two out, and then quickly texted Olivia: [Blocked another one of your haters for you today!]

    Olivia had justdled porridge into bowls when her phone buzzed. She sent a quick thank¨Cyou sticker and returned to the stove. Jenny¡¯s appetite was returning, though food still tasted t. Olivia whipped up shrimp porridge, hoping to coax her into another bite.

    With the bowl of porridge in her hands, Olivia spotted Jenny from across the room, sitting quietly on the little bed, watching her with those big, obedient eyes. She was well¨Cbehaved, not making a peep.

    ¡°Olivia, I just know your cooking is the best,¡± Jenny said, her eyes sparkling as she showered Olivia with praise, not holding back at all.

    ¡°How can you be so sure if you haven¡¯t even tried it yet?¡± Olivia teased, checking Jenny¡¯s pulse again. Jenny was recovering fast. Just one more night and she¡¯d be as good as new.

    Jenny put her hands on her hips, looking all proud. ¡°Everything you make is yummy. Can you feed me, pretty please?¡± she added, giving Olivia the most pitiful puppy¨Cdog look she could muster.

    Olivia couldn¡¯t say no to that. She picked up the bowl, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, and carefully fed it to Jenny.

    Jenny opened her mouth right away, eating with the elegance of a little princess, every move full of grace. ¡°Yum, this is delicious!¡± she said, her eyes lighting up.

    <b>6:31 </b>pm M MA

    ¡°If you like it, eat up,¡± Ol¨ªvia said, offering her another spoonful.

    Watching Jenny like this, Olivia felt a bit dazed. It reminded her so much of that rainy night.

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    After dinner, Olivia soothed Jenny to sleep, and then tiptoed out of the room. Pulling out her phone, she logged into the Shadow Syndicate.

    Lucas called her right away, his voice urgent. ¡°Boss, there¡¯s a new bounty out. Mr. Summers from the Summers family of Kingtonelle is on his deathbed. The Summers family is offering a fortune for anyone who can save him. Name your price. Boss, are we taking this one?¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Olivia said tly. People like that, with all their money and power, have expert doctors lining up to help. They didn¡¯t need her.

    ¡°Lucas, you must be really boredtely,¡± Olivia said with azy grin. ¡°Got time to chase these bounties, huh? So, did you get anywhere with what I asked you to check out?¡±

    Lucas, who was just about to head out clubbing, nearly slipped in surprise. He scanned the room, suddenly on high alert. Why does it feel like the boss is watching me?¡® he thought.

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    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Olivia. We¡¯re close¨Cresults imminent,¡± Lucas lied, though his palms were slick with sweat. If she discovered his empty hands, she¡¯d skin him alive.

    The Evans family was slick, always going after unsuspecting, honest folks. If Olivia hadn¡¯t happened to catch on, Lucas would¡¯ve never figured it out.

    Olivia rubbed her temples, her tone cool and detached. ¡°You¡¯d better be,¡± she said, and then cut him off.

    On the other end, Lucas let out a breath, feeling like he¡¯d just saved his own skin.

    At the Easke Hotel, Ethan nervously handed a video to Andrew. ¡°Boss, this is the security footage of Jenny getting attacked. Please, try to stay calm.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s eyes narrowed as he took the phone. He preferred silence, so he muted the phone before ying the video.

    The video showed Natalie, looking like a total psycho, straddling Jenny and choking her. Jenny¡¯s face was pale, her body shaking, and she was clearly in agony, slowly losing consciousness.

    Andrew felt his heart clench, a heavy, suffocating feeling taking over.

    Seeing Jenny in trouble, Natalie ditched her and tried to run, but Olivia rushed in and stopped her.

    Before the video was even over, Andrew hurled the phone, smashing it into pieces. His eyes shed with a chilling, deadly intent. ¡°Who is she?¡±

    Ethan wasn¡¯t sure who Andrew meant, so he justid it all out. ¡°Ms. Evans was the one who attacked Jenny. She also left her to die the other day.

    ¡°The girl who saved Jenny is Ms. Summers. Boss, Ms. Summers has actually saved Jenny twice now,¡± Ethan blurted out, almost without thinking.

    ¡°The Evans family¡­¡± Andrew¡¯s face was cold as ice. ¡°Dig up everything on them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ethan replied, knowing full well that Andrew would never let anyone who hurt Jenny get away with it.

    Just then, Ethan¡¯s phone buzzed. He checked the message, and his eyes went wide in shock. ¡°Boss, we can¡¯t wait any longer. Mr. Summers is in critical condition, and no one can get hold of the Summers family right now. You need to get over there,

    now.¡±

    After a long pause, Andrew nodded.

    Jenny slept soundly, and as soon as she woke up, she burrowed straight into Olivia¡¯s arms, clinging to her like a little ko and refusing to let go.

    Olivia nced at Jenny in her arms, a faint smile on her lips, before turning on the TV.

    The news anchor reported, ¡°Financial update: Samuel, chairman of Kingtonelle¡¯s Summers family, is critically ill at Hirica General Hospital. With five sons, spection is rife about how the family fortune will be divided.¡±

    Jenny¡¯s expression turned gloomy as she watched. ¡®Is Grandpa Samuel really dying?¡® she wondered, her heart aching a little.

    6:31 pm MMA

    He¡¯d always treated her so well, doting on her.

    Olivia, ever perceptive, quickly picked up on Jenny¡¯s mood. ¡°Do you know him?¡±

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    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s always been super kind to me,¡± Jenny said sincerely, clinging to Olivia. ¡°Olivia, could you try to save him?¡±

    Olivia arched an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at her lips, but she stayed silent.

    Jenny felt anxious but wasn¡¯t about to reveal her true identity, so she improvised. ¡°Our families have been close for ages. Grandpa Samuel must be here looking for his granddaughter. He¡¯s already unwell, and this journey has likely worsened his condition. If you go, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll recover.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in the hospital, so there are plenty of top doctors. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Olivia replied, knowing that people with power and money always got the best care.

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    Jenny shook her head, her tone urgent. ¡°No, you¡¯re missing the point. They¡¯re only after the reputation. None of them truly cares about treating him. They just hope saving Grandpa Samuel will curry favor with the Summers family. They won¡¯t make a real effort to help.¡±

    Jenny¡¯s concerns weren¡¯t unfounded. Samuel, patriarch of the renowned Summers family, was indeed in the top hospital in Hirica, run by the Evans family. The doctors there were likely more preupied with who would im credit for the surgery than with actually saving Samuel¡¯s life, leaving Jenny deeply worried.

    ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re the finest doctor I know. You have to save him. Every medical text teaches that a true doctor begins withpassion. Please, have a little mercy.¡± Jenny nestled closer, her eyes brimming with hope.

    Olivia pretended to think, and then replied quietly, ¡°If you want me to take the case, my fee is one thousand.¡±

    Jenny nodded like crazy. With Olivia¡¯s skills, even one million wouldn¡¯t be <i>too </i>much.

    Olivia remembered the message Lucas had sent and started to suspect something. ¡°Jenny, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re from the

    Summers family?¡±

    Jenny froze as she was climbing out of bed, forcing augh to y it cool. ¡°No way¡­¡± she said, awkwardly. ¡®If she finds out who I really am, maybe she won¡¯t want me around anymore,¡® Jenny worried, thinking.

    Olivia¡¯s eyes shed, her lips curling into a half¨Csmile, half¨Csmirk. ¡°Rx, I was just messing with you.¡±

    Jenny finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡®There¡¯s no way she knows about the Summers family. She¡¯s soid¨Cback, probably indifferent to all that wealthy drama. Her life must be much simpler. She¡¯s definitely not entangled in Kingtonelle¡¯s affairs,¡® Jenny mused.

    The Summers family had always kept a low profile. Except for this time, when they sought medical help and searched for their granddaughter, they never drew attention to themselves. Among all the elite families in Kingtonelle, the Summers

    were the most discreet.

    Even the Summers brothers never revealed their family ties, making names for themselves in different circles. If Jenny ever exposed the Summers family, it would be a serious problem.

    Of course, none of Jenny¡¯s little tricks escaped Olivia¡¯s notice, but she didn¡¯t say a word. Olivia didn¡¯t care about anyone¡¯s background; she only cared about her patients.

    Soon, they arrived at Hirica General Hospital.

    In the ICU¡¯s top¨Cfloor SVIP suite, Samuely unconscious, surrounded by a tangle of tubes and wires. He moaned softly, barely able to whisper, but those who listened closely could discern the words ¡°Ivy¡± and ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    David, Samuel¡¯s assistant, was frantically pacing, on the verge of panic. Samuel¡¯s sudden, severe illness had baffled even the Summers family¡¯s top doctors.

    With no other options, David ced all his hopes on the Evans family, Hirica¡¯s most renowned medical dynasty. Rumor had it that Henry was a legendary, almost miraculous doctor, and his son Nathan was a world¨Cfamous surgeon.

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    Meanwhile, Nathan lounged in his office, obsessively tapping his phone to rig votes for himself. When he heard the intern¡¯s report, he just scoffed. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m upied? Make him wait. The sicker he gets, the more impressive my skills will seem when I finally intervene.¡±

    He was in the middle of the city¡¯s ¡°Best¨CLooking Doctor¡± contest, and with only ten minutes left before voting closed, he was frantically tapping away to rack up more votes for himself.

    The new intern, clearly worried, spoke up. ¡°But, sir, that elderly gentleman is really sick. If we wait any longer, he might

    not make it.¡±

    Nathan rolled his eyes, annoyed. ¡°He¡¯s not gonna die. Just tell them I¡¯m working on a treatment n. What¡¯s the rush?¡± He wasn¡¯t about to drop everything just because someone needed him. That would make him look <i>like </i>a pushover.

    ¡°Dr. Evans, this is an emergency.¡± The intern couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and kept trying to persuade Nathan.

    Nathan tossed a pair of tweezers at the intern with a sneer. ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, why don¡¯t you go save him yourself?¡±

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    ¡°And stop reporting to me. You¡¯re on your own now. Get lost,¡± Nathan snapped.

    The intern¡¯s face went ghostly pale as he stammered out apologies. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry, Dr. Evans. I messed up. I¡¯ll go talk to those people from Kingtonelle right away.¡±

    At the mention of Kingtonelle, Nathan¡¯s expression eased a little. People from Kingtonelle were either loaded or had

    serious connections.

    Even if he couldn¡¯t get in with them, it was still a bad idea to cross them. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head over in a bit,¡± he said, though he

    didn¡¯t actually move.

    David was freaking out. He tried calling the Sherman family for help, but before he could get through, the heart monitor in the room started beeping like crazy.

    The Summers family¡¯s top doctor rushed over, shouting, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with Mr. Summers! His heart¡¯s stopped. We

    need to start CPR now.¡±

    David¡¯s legs felt like jelly as he listened to the chaos. He thought about calling Charles, but with the way things were between Charles and Samuel, he wasn¡¯t sure if Charles would evene.

    The room was in total disarray. The surgeon wasn¡¯t there, and the interns and nurses were too scared to operate. They could only do basic life¨Csaving measures.

    Finally, David dialed Charles¡¯s number. Charles picked up, his voice zing with fury. ¡°David, are you out of your damn mind? Grandpa¡¯s on the brink and you only call me now?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Summers kept saying he was fine a¨Cand didn¡¯t want to bother you¡­¡± David stammered, voice trembling.

    ¡°You damn fool!¡± Charles roared, his eyes practically burning. ¡°I¡¯ming over right now. Listen up. If anything happens to Grandpa, you¡¯re going down with him.¡±

    After the call ended, David¡¯s legs gave out and he slid down the wall, panic flooding his mind. He was totally screwed now. Suddenly, he grabbed a doctor by the arm. ¡°Please, you have to save Mr. Summers! He can¡¯t die.¡±

    The Summers family¡¯s chief physician looked troubled. ¡°Mr. Summers¡¯s illness is extremely rare, and with all his underlying conditions, the wrong medication could be fatal. Honestly, Dr. Evans is probably the only one who can handle

    this.¡±

    ¡°But Dr. Evans still hasn¡¯te!¡± David¡¯s eyes were red with anxiety. ¡°We can¡¯t let anything happen to Mr. Summers. Is Dr. Evans doing this on purpose or what? I¡¯m going to find him.¡±

    ¡°Step aside. I¡¯ll take care of this,¡± Olivja said, strolling up to David with Jenny in tow. She shot a nce at Samuel lying in the <i>room</i>. Her voice was low andzy, yet it carried suchmanding presence that everyone instinctively turned to look

    at her.

    David racked his brain but couldn¡¯t ce her. He asked cautiously, ¡°And you are?¡±

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    Olivia looked young, her hair casually draped over her shoulders. Under the lights, her skin seemed <b>almost </b>perfect, and the dark mole beneath her right eye added a touch of world¨Cweariness to her beauty.

    ¡°She¡¯s a doctor,¡± Jenny dered proudly, lifting her chin. ¡°All the doctors here together couldn¡¯tpare to her.¡±

    David finally noticed Jenny and immediately recognized her. He tried to calm her down. ¡°Jenny, what are you <b>doing </b>here? Seriously, this isn¡¯t a ce for you to mess around.¡±

    ¡°David, just trust me,¡± Jenny interrupted him. ¡°Olivia saved my life. I mean it.¡± Her face was all seriousness. ¡°If anything. happens, I¡¯ll take the me.¡±

    David hesitated, and then finally nodded. He figured he had nothing to lose at this point. ¡°Alright, then please, give it a shot. Save Mr. Summers,¡± he said respectfully to Olivia.

    Olivia nodded back. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    Just as Olivia was about to step into the room, a mockingugh sounded behind her. ¡°What kind of reckless brat thinks she can perform surgery in the Evans family¡¯s hospital?¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s you,¡± Nathan said, his expression darkening as he recognized Olivia. His father had already told him about Olivia, the strange kid the Sherman family was sponsoring.

    She had allegedly made Natalie humiliated on the street all day and even predicted his father would have a car ident.

    that night. Nathan didn¡¯t believe a word of it.

    ¡°What, broke and now trying to con your way into the hospital?¡± Nathan sneered, giving Olivia a look full of contempt.

    ¡°You pick up those cheap tricks and now you are trying to fool people with that? Pathetic.¡± He turned to the staff, his voice

    icy. ¡°Get these outsiders out of here.¡±

    David and the Summers family¡¯s top doctor pushed back right away. ¡°No way. We¡¯re not leaving Mr. Summers.¡±

    Nathan snorted dismissively. ¡°Fine, do as you please. If you won¡¯t leave, I will. Let¡¯s see how long your old man manages without me.¡± He exuded arrogance since countless people were eager to receive his treatment.

    If they didn¡¯t cooperate, he simply wouldn¡¯t waste his time. After all, he was a world¨Css doctor, with people queuing up

    for miles just for a chance at his expertise.

    David was so mad he was lost for words. He¡¯d heard Nathan had a nasty temper, but he never imagined the guy could be

    this much of a jerk.

    Nathan shot Olivia another look, a wicked smirk twisting his lips. ¡°You want my help? Fine, but only if you y by my

    rules.¡±

    Everyone in the room turned their attention to him, sensing a glimmer of hope mixed with tension.

    ¡°This broke student here pissed off my old man and messed with my family,¡± Nathan sneered, jabbing a finger at Olivia. ¡°If you want me to save your grandpa, she has to apologize to me. And then, she¡¯ll have to sleep with me for two nights.¡±

    David¡¯s blood was boiling. He¡¯d never seen anyone so disgusting. Nathan should ask a girl to sleep with him, like he was even worth it.

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    ¡°And on top of that, she has to wipe my pants clean,¡± Nathan sneered, grabbing a cup of coffee and ¡°identally¡± spilling it all over his thigh. He let out a nastyugh. ¡°Do that, and maybe I¡¯ll save your old man.¡±

    David was shaking with rage. He stormed over and punched Nathan right in the face. ¡°You filthy animal! Scum!¡± Still not satisfied, he kicked Nathan hard. ¡°Look at you¨Cfat, ugly, and you think you deserve to touch a girl like her? Disgusting.¡±

    Nathan slumped to the floor, blood streaming from his nose and shards of his sses scattered everywhere. He touched his face, his expression turning cold. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m out. Let¡¯s see who else can save your precious chairman now.¡±

    ¡°Piece of trash¡­¡± David was trembling with rage, fists still clenched, ready to go at Nathan again.

    Olivia reached out to stop David, her tone t and unruffled. ¡°Focus on saving first.¡±

    David finally managed to steady himself and nodded. ¡°Please, we¡¯re counting on you. You have to save Mr. Summers.¡±

    Nathan rolled his eyes from the floor. ¡°You really think some broke kid can pull this off? Let¡¯s see if your old man can survive her messing around.¡±

    The Summers family¡¯s doctors started to waver and tried to talk sense into David. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for pride. Mr. Summers¡¯s lifees first. Dr. Evans is the only one in Hirica who can handle this. Don¡¯t get on his bad side now.¡±

    Nathan tilted his head back, looking down his nose at everyone. ¡°Hear that? I¡¯m the only one who can treat him.¡±

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    ¡°The patient¡¯s heartbeat is erratic; blood cirction is declining. He¡¯s disoriented, experiencing persistent headaches and vomiting, and his speech is slurred,¡± Olivia stated calmly, her voice steady.

    She added, ¡°This clearly indicates arrhythmiaplicated by pulmonary hypertension. Immediate emergency intervention is necessary. Doctor, why have you only just arrived? Was this intentional?¡±

    The doctors in the room were stunned. Everything Olivia said was absolutely correct.

    ¡°I was working on a treatment n. You know nothing.¡± Nathan¡¯s conscience was pricked by her words, but he kept up a skeptical front. ¡°Think you can show off with a bit of textbook knowledge in front of me? You¡¯re still too green.¡±

    The Summers family¡¯s personal doctor nodded, showing his approval of Olivia. ¡°She¡¯s absolutely right. I really think she

    knows medicine.¡±

    Nathan shot her a look of pure disdain. ¡°Knows medicine? How old is she, anyway? People have to be at least twenty¨Cfour

    just to be an intern, and people need an advanced medical license on top of that. As if she could ever have one.¡±

    Nathan was certain Olivia couldn¡¯t possibly possess an advanced medical license; he hadn¡¯t obtained his until he was forty¨Cfive. The qualifications were stringent, requiring candidates to have performed at least a hundred surgeries and demonstrate exceptional skill.

    There weren¡¯t even ten advanced doctors working in all of Hirica. Nathan totally didn¡¯t believe that a young girl, like

    Olivia, would be one of them.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t have an advanced medical license,¡± Olivia said, her brow furrowing slightly.

    Nathan¡¯s face lit up with a smug grin.

    ¡°But I do have this,¡± Olivia said, a faint smile ying on her lips as she casually tossed a certificate onto the table.

    ¡°she¡¯s

    The intern quickly opened it, his face full of shock. ¡°She¡¯s really not a senior doctor¡­¡±

    ¡°Say it out loud, kid,¡± Nathan said, shooting Olivia a challenging look.

    ¡°She¨CShe is a medical PhD supervisor¡­¡± the intern stammered, ¡°And also a certified senior physician,¡±

    Nathan¡¯s face burned with embarrassment. Everyone in the <b>room </b>was stunned.

    The doctors and nurses started whispering among themselves. ¡°She¡¯s already a fully certified senior physician at such a young age? How is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°And she¡¯s a PhD supervisor too? Do you think I could be her PhD student?¡±

    Nathan copsed to the floor, his face a picture of disbelief.

    By now, David had already led Olivia into the operating room

    ¡°Fine. You think you can show off in my territory? Everyone, stay out of it. I want to see what she can do all by herself.¡± Nathan gritted his teeth, furious. After all these years as a doctor, he¡¯d never <b>been </b>so embarrassed like this before.

    21:12 Fri, 29 Aug

    Based on Nathan¡¯s experience, Samuel was on the brink of death, and without a miracle worker, saving him seemed impossible. Nathan was eager to see if Olivia could perform any remarkable feats.

    Once she messed up and the old man died, Nathan nned to write a report and get her medical license and PhD supervisor title revoked. That would be payback for today.

    33%

    11

    +28

    Once Olivia stepped into the operating room, she turned to David and said, ¡°Remember to turn on the recording system, and make sure no unauthorized peoplee near the OR.¡±

    David nodded and did exactly as she asked.

    Nathan had issued a firm directive prohibiting any staff doctor or nurse from assisting, leaving only Olivia and two

    Summers family doctors in the operating room. They all donned surgical gowns and meticulously prepared for the

    procedure, ensuring everything was fully sterilized.

    Olivia methodically reviewed Samuel¡¯s medical records, and then asked, ¡°Any underlying conditions? What medications does he usually take?¡±

 Blizzard 29

    <b>Chapter </b><b>29 </b>

    32%

    ¡°Mr. Summers suffers from insomnia, a poor appetite, and some lung problems. He usually takes antibiotics and anti- inmmatories. After he fainted a few days ago, we administered antibiotics, but his condition worsened instead of improving,¡± the senior doctor exined.

    ¡°We ran out of our own medication, so we switched to the hospital¡¯s supply. Despite it being the same medication, it¡¯s proving ineffective.¡±

    Olivia looked a bit puzzled at that, but stayedposed. ¡°Did you run any tests?¡±

    +28

    ¡°We did, but nothing abnormal showed up. All his vitals look normal, but his condition keeps getting worse. Even putting him on a venttor hasn¡¯t helped at all.¡±

    The more the two doctors talked, the more baffled they became.

    Olivia just nced up, and instantly figured it out. ¡°If it¡¯s not a problem with the treatment itself, then the issue must be with the medication or the equipment.¡±

    The two doctors exchanged confused looks. They had no idea what she was getting at.

    Instead of grabbing a scalpel, Olivia opened up her own medical kit and took out her silver acupuncture needles.

    ¡°Are you really going to use those needles for something this serious?¡± one of the doctors blurted out, clearly worried. ¡°Mr. Summers¡® health is on the line here. Do you really think this is safe?¡±

    But before he could finish, Olivia had already ced the first needle. With every needle, they could actually see Samuel looking a little better.

    The two senior doctors, both versed in modern medicine, were rendered speechless. They had known of traditional medicine¡¯s storied past but had never witnessed it in action. As they observed Olivia¡¯sposed and skilled movements, they couldn¡¯t help but be momentarily awed by her.

    It didn¡¯t take long before the doctor monitoring the heart rate monitor suddenly shouted, voice trembling with excitement, ¡°We¡¯ve got a heartbeat. Mr. Summers is back!¡± His heartfelt cry rang out from the operating room, echoing down the hallway.

    Outside, David finally breathed a huge sigh of relief, nodding with obvious admiration. ¡°Knew she was the real deal.¡± Then he snorted, throwing shade at Nathan. ¡°Some doctors actually save lives, and some¡­ well, just make you sick.¡± He even pretended to gag for emphasis.

    Nathan¡¯s face was so dark that it was almost scary. He clenched his jaw, refusing to listen to the taunt.

    He thought, ¡®This isn¡¯t over yet. If she dares to use anything from this operating room, that old man¡¯s a goner for sure. Let¡¯s see how she exins herself when things go south

    Meanwhile, Jenny wasn¡¯t just sitting around. She¡¯d slipped into Nathan¡¯s office. ¡®That creep who keeps messing with Olivia has to be hiding something she thought.

    Jenny, well¨Cversed in the art of sneaking, quickly located Nathan¡¯s office and began rummaging through drawers and

    cabs.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she murmured, noticing a stack of papers tucked away in a particrly concealed spot. The pages were filled with names, each apanied by a varying price tag, and there were dozens of them.

    Were they selling grades? Or maybe even medical licenses?¡® Jenny wondered, her mind spinning. She automatically reached for her smartwatch to snap some pictures and upload them online. Then she realized that she¡¯d left it in the

    restroom.

    Jenny just pouted. Something like that was not going to stop her. She whipped off her hairpin, which doubled as a mini camera, and started snapping away at the papers. She¡¯d just have to upload them to herptopter.

    Meanwhile, in the hospital¡¯s SVIP elevator, a few of the hospital¡¯s higher¨Cups were there, barely daring to breathe. They all

    bowed slightly, ncing nervously at the man standing in front of them.

    The man wasn¡¯t in a suit¨Cjust a long coat¨Cbut the aura around him was intimidating by nature. Nobody dared say a word

    near him. As soon as the elevator doors slid open, a girl rushed in and crashed straight into him.

    ¡°Hey! Who do you think you are, blocking my way?¡± Jenny grumbled, rubbing her sore head and looking up angrily.

    ¡°Jenny,¡± the man said, his voice calm but firm.

 Blizzard 30

    <b>Chapter </b><b>30 </b>

    Hearing the familiar voice, Jenny slowly looked up and met a pair of cold eyes. She put on her sweetest smile. ¡°Fancy running into you, Andrew.¡± As soon as she said it, she tried to bolt, but Andrew caught her effortlessly.

    Andrew¡¯s vibe was ice¨Ccold. ¡°Where¡¯ve you been hiding these days?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go anywhere¡­¡± Jenny mumbled, turning her head away guiltily.

    +28

    Looking at this little troublemaker, Andrew just couldn¡¯t bring himself <i>to </i>scold her. He picked her up with a sigh. ¡°You can¡¯t just disappear like that, alright? Do you know how crazy Ethan¡¯s been looking for you these past few days?¡±

    Jenny didn¡¯t really want to agree, but to keep Andrew from getting mad, she nodded. Biting her lip, she whispered, ¡°Got

    it.¡±

    Ethan was practically in tears as he followed behind Andrew. He cried in his heart, ¡®Jenny, <i>you </i>nearly got me killed!¡®

    Andrew shot Harold, the director, a cold look. ¡°Is everything set up?¡°¡­

    Harold hunched over, giving a groveling smile. ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Shea. We¡¯ve set up an SVIP suite for him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Andrew closed his eyes, his tone indifferent and tired.

    Harold gulped nervously, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had just learned that a member of the influential Summers family from Kingtonelle was in his hospital. The Summers family could effortlessly erase his hospital from existence.

    They all kept quiet until the elevator stopped at the 21st floor. As soon as they stepped out, they ran into a bizarre scene.

    The hospital¡¯s top doctor, Nathan, was slumped on the floor with blood all over his face. A crowd of nurses and doctors was gathered outside a room, looking super anxious.

    ¡°Seriously, what are <i>you </i>all waiting for?¡± Harold couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Waiting for that wild kid <i>to </i>finish off the old man,¡± Nathan sneered. ¡°She¡¯s inside, ¡®saving¡® him right now.¡±

    Harold, sweating bullets, stormed over and socked Nathan. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Do you even know who¡¯s in there?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he just some old guy?¡± Nathan replied.

    Harold was about to say something when Andrew stopped him. ¡°Harold, don¡¯t get worked up. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s happening first.¡± His voice was low, but there was a chill in it that was hard to miss.

    David spotted Andrew and hurried over to fill him in on what had just happened.

    Jenny nodded eagerly, ¡°Yeah, Andrew, can vouch for him. I was right here the whole time. Everything David said is true.¡±

    Nathan still didn¡¯t realize how much frouble he was in, but he had a bad feeling about all this.

    ¡°Harold, your people are really something else,¡± Andrew said, his smile cold and not reaching his eyes.

    Harold was drenched in sweat, his voice trembling. ¡°Mr. Shea, this is all just a misunderstanding.¡± Then he spun around

    21:13 Fri, 29 Aug

    and snapped at Nathan, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why didn¡¯t you help him?¡±

    ¡°That girl disrespected me and didn¡¯t even apologize. And his family tried to hit me,¡± Nathan replied, totally unfazed.

    Harold was on the verge of losing his temper. ¡°You ¨C Nathan! If you¡¯re determined to get yourself sacked, don¡¯t drag me into it. That¡¯s the chairman of the Kingtonelle Summers family. How could you refuse to save someone over a trivial dispute? Where¡¯s your medical ethics?¡±

    Nathan was totally stunned. ¡°No way¡­ The Summers family of Kingtonelle¡­ How could they possibly be tied to that penniless kid? This can¡¯t be happening.¡±

    ¡°Enough! Get out of my sight. Consider yourself suspended, effective immediately,¡± Harold barked, waving him off.

    Nathan just couldn¡¯t take it. He copsed right then and there.

    Harold shook his head and signaled a couple of nurses to haul him off.

    +28)

    Inside the operating room, Olivia finished up, disinfected her hands, and took off her mask. She walked over to David, gave him a calm nod, and said, ¡°It¡¯s all done. He¡¯s going to be fine. I¡¯ll jot down the follow¨Cup instructions for you.¡±

    David was practically bowing with gratitude to Olivia.

    ¡°Andrew, that¡¯s the fairy who saved me twice,¡± Jenny whispered in Andrew¡¯s ear. ¡°Isn¡¯t she beautiful?¡±

    Andrew paused and followed Jenny¡¯s gaze, finallyying eyes on Olivia. Her eyes wereposed and unwavering, her voice steady and measured. She stood there, her expression cold and detached, her eyes exuding an icy calmness, as if nothing could rattle her.

    Olivia sensed someone watching her and instinctively turned her head. Andrew was leaningzily against the wall, half his face lost in shadow<i>, </i>his expression unreadable, giving off an intimidating vibe people couldn¡¯t ignore.

    Their gazes met and held, each challenging the other. His eyes, profound and unfathomable, resembled bottomless pits, concealing any trace of emotion or intent.

    Olivia just stared right back, totally unfazed. She felt something different about Andrew. He looked sickly pale, but still had this quiet, aristocratic grace about him.

    As soon as Jenny saw Olivia, she wriggled out of Andrew¡¯s grasp and dashed over. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re incredible! No wonder I¡¯ve already called dibs on you as my sister¨Cinw.¡±

    Olivia just smiled and gave her a yful tap on the head.

    David spotted Andrew and hurried over, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Thanks again, Mr. Shea.

    ¡°This youngdy was brought in by Ms. Shea. She must be the genius doctor you tracked down. When my boss arrives, I¡¯ll be sure to let him know it was all thanks to you, Mr. Shea.¡±

    Andrew just nodded, and then his gazended on Olivia, who was talking with Jenny. ¡®Is she really a genius doctor?¡® He watched her, a faint smile ying at his lips. Remembering what Jenny had said, he unconsciously murmured, ¡°Yeah,

    Fri, 29 Aug

    she¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    ???32%

    Meanwhile, Olivia strolled over with Jenny, her voice calm and distant. ¡°Pay close attention. What I¡¯m about to say, you need to remember every word.¡±

    David snapped to attention, whipping out his recorder and notepad like he was prepping for a big exam.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a prescriptionter. Take it twice a day. Skip the antibiotics. Keep the diet light¨Cno spicy food, no seafood, and nothing that¡¯ll set things off.¡± Olivia paused, and then added, ¡°Also, you should really find a different hospital.¡±

    David looked lost. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    Andrew just stood to the side, hands in his pockets, watching Olivia, clearly intrigued.

    ¡°Boss, shouldn¡¯t we¡­¡± Ethan leaned in, ready to suggest they head out. There were still a bunch of overseas contracts waiting for Andrew to sign back at thepany.

    ¡°Shh, I¡¯m listening to the doctor¡¯s orders,¡± Andrew replied.

    +28)

    Ethan stood in silence, thinking to himself, ¡®Boss, do you really have this much spare time? You can linger here listening to the doctor¡¯s orders, yet you can¡¯t find a moment to sign those contracts?

    ¡®What did I do to deserve these two bosses? Neither of them ever lets me off the hook.¡¯

    ¡°If you ask me, this hospital gives off bad vibes,¡± Olivia mused. ¡°Turns out I¡¯ve got a knack for fortune¨Ctelling, you know.¡± She decided there was no point in causing trouble before anything was certain.

    ¡°Quit kidding around,¡± Davidughed. He was pretty superstitious himself; he¡¯d seen his share of fortune¨Ctellers, but they were always old guys, never a young girl like her.

    ¡°Not buying it?¡± Olivia cocked her head and pointed at Andrew. ¡°Alright, let me read his fortune then.¡±

 Blizzard 31

    ? ?? 32%2

    David¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®Seriously, she¡¯s the boldest girl I¡¯ve ever seen. She actually pointed at Mr. Shea like that!¡® he thought. He tried to mask his astonishment with augh. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m a big fan of fortune¨Ctelling. <i>How </i>about reading mine instead?¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t even spare David a nce and headed straight for Andrew.

    Standing at 5¡¯7¡°, Olivia¡¯s long, slender legs and impable figure made her look stunning, even in simple scrubs. Paired with Andrew, who towered at 6¡¯0¡°, they resembled a couple straight from a romance drama.

    Andrew was cool and aloof, like an untouchable deity, while Olivia was a sharp, alluring beauty who knew how to

    captivate. Together, their chemistry was undeniable and impossible to overlook.

    Andrew raised an eyebrow slightly, watching Olivia, quietly waiting to see what she¡¯d do <i>next</i>.

    ¡°Before I read your fortune, I need to know if you¡¯re willing,¡± Olivia said, her voice calm and clear as she looked right at Andrew. ¡°Are you in?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be honored,¡± Andrew said, raising an eyebrow. For once, that cold, distant vibe he always had seemed to melt away.

    +28

    Ethan was utterly astonished. ¡®Did I really see and hear that? Is there another woman besides Jenny who can get close to the Boss, and he¡¯s showing a softer side? Am I hallucinating, or did someone slip something into his drink?¡® he wondered.

    Jenny stood aside, beaming. ¡®I knew it! My judgment is spot¨Con. Andrew and Olivia look perfect together. What a stunning sight. She¡¯s definitely going to be my sister¨Cinw someday. Andrew, just go for it already,¡® she thought.

    Everyone¡¯s faces showed something different, but Andrew dipped his head slightly, his gaze fixed on Olivia¡¯s eyes. ¡°What

    do I do next?¡±

    ¡°Stay still,¡± Olivia said, slightly taken aback by his sudden proximity.

    After a brief pause, she continued, ¡°This reading is my gift to you. The future is unpredictable; fate is capricious. It all begins with you, but happiness isn¡¯t in your destiny. You¡¯ll be frail and ill, and you won¡¯t live beyond thirty.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s brow furrowed just a bit, but his eyes stayed unreadable. He¡¯d heard this a hundred times before and didn¡¯t care

    anymore.

    ? ? ? ?

    Ethan¡¯s jaw practically hit the floor. ¡®Dang, she actually got it right,¡® he thought.

    David was sweating bullets. ¡®Girl, shut up already! You¡¯re scarily urate. Do you have a death wish or something?¡® he thought.

    ¡°Olivia, let¡¯s not push our luck with these readings¡­¡± David quickly stepped in front of Olivia, shielding her as he gave Andrew a nervous grin. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind her, Mr. Shea.¡±

    After all, Olivia had saved Samuel, and David was determined to protect her, no matter what.

    Andrew lowered his gaze, masking the flicker of surprise in his eyes, and returned to his usual cold, distant self. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    21:13 Fri, 29 Aug

    Hearing that, David finally let out a sigh of relief.

    Olivia¡¯s gaze was intense as she looked Andrew straight in the eye. ¡°Did I get it wrong?¡±

    *

    ?32% ¨C

    ¡°You nailed it,¡± Andrew replied, a rare softness flickering in his eyes as a small smile yed on his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve got real talent, Olivia.¡±

    Jenny, acting all sneaky, tugged on Ethan¡¯s ear with a mischievous grin. ¡°So, what do you think? Are Andrew and she a good match or what?¡±

    Ethan gave an awkwardugh, totally at a loss. ¡®Girl, you¡¯re really putting me on the spot here. No way I¡¯m saying anything about the boss¡¯s love life,¡® heined inwardly.

    Olivia looked at David, her face grave. ¡°David, once Mr. Summers improves, arrange for his transfer to another hospital. Don¡¯t linger here unnecessarily, and steer clear of their medicine or equipment. Remember what I told you.¡±

    David nodded seriously.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m heading out then,¡± Olivia said, picking up her medical bag and pulling up her phone. ¡°My fee is one thousand dors.¡±

    AD

 Blizzard 32

    <b>Chapter </b><b>32 </b>

    ¡°Oh, right, got it,¡± David said, finally snapping out of it. He quickly pulled out his phone and transferred the money. ¡®For skills like hers, one thousand dors is a steal. She¡¯s not just beautiful, but also super kind,¡® he thought.

    Just as Olivia was about to leave, Jenny wasn¡¯t having it. She dashed over andtched onto Olivia¡¯s leg, whining, ¡°Olivia,

    don¡¯t go.¡±

    Andrew was clearly annoyed by the scene, his voice tinged with impatience. ¡°Jenny, let go ande back here.¡±

    But Jenny just clung on, refusing to move.

    With no alternative, Olivia crouched beside Jenny, softly guiding her to face her. ¡°Jenny, why not go home with Andrew for the time being? You can always visit me whenever you miss me. You¡¯re such a sweet girl; you wouldn¡¯t want your family to

    worry, would you?¡±

    When it came to Jenny, Olivia always seemed to have endless patience and warmth.

    Jenny, who had been making a fuss just moments ago, suddenly wilted like a balloon losing air. She really couldn¡¯t bear to leave Olivia, but she didn¡¯t want Andrew to worry about her either.

    So, in Jenny¡¯s mind, the best way was to make Olivia her sister¨Cinw. Jenny nodded eagerly, grabbing Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Olivia, can you promise me one thing?¡±

    ¡°Tell me, what is it?¡± Olivia said, softly tucking a strand of Jenny¡¯s hair behind her ear and nodding.

    ¡°Be my sister¨Cinw,¡± Jenny blurted out.

    For a moment, everyone was speechless.

    ¡°Jenny,¡± Andrew called out, his voice icy and full of authority.

    Jenny felt a chill run down her spine.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll think about it. Now go home with Andrew for now, alright?¡± Olivia patiently coaxed her.

    Now that she got the answer she wanted, Jenny lit up and skipped happily back to Andrew¡¯s side.

    For some reason, Andrew felt a twinge of satisfaction upon hearing Olivia¡¯s response. He was truly amazed at how her few words could soothe Jenny so effortlessly.

    As Jenny¡¯s brother, he sometimes struggled to keep her in line, yet Olivia, an outsider, had Jennypletely under her spell. He had to admit that he was genuinely impressed.

    Ethan quickly followed after Jenny, worried she might wander off again.

    Olivia had only taken a few steps when she heard Jenny¡¯s voice behind her. ¡°Olivia, remember to miss me!¡±

    ¡°I will, Jenny,¡± Olivia replied warmly, her voice full of affection.

    As Olivia entered the elevator, Harold held the doors open, preventing her exit. ¡®If we could have someone like her on our

    31%2

    29)

    team, the Evans family¡¯s medical group would skyrocket in Hirica¨Cmaybe even nationwide,¡® he mused.

    ¡°Olivia, would you think about working with us as-¡± Harold started, sounding genuinely eager.

    But Olivia cut him off before he could finish. ¡°No,¡± she said tly, mashing the close button, her face icy and totally uninterested.

    ¡°Take your time, Olivia. We can discuss your sry. I¡¯ll offer you the top rate in the industry,¡± Harold urged, still attempting to persuade her. ¡°I¡¯ll make you the department head. Better yet, the one in charge! What do you say?¡±

    ¡°Not happening,¡± Olivia replied coolly, prying his hand off hers. ¡°I¡¯m just not interested.¡±

    ¡°What about a special appointment? You cane and go whenever you want,¡± Harold pressed, refusing to give up.

    Olivia sighed, realizing she had no choice but to show her hand. ¡°I barely finished middle school. Not even close to your hospital¡¯s requirements,¡± she tossed out, and then headed straight for the stairs.

    Harold finally snapped out of it. ¡°Wait, what did she just say?¡±

    ¡®Someone with skills like that, and she¡¯s not from any medical academy? Could she be from one of those hidden sects? But in Hirica, who could possibly have that kind of ability? Wait¡­ there actually is one person who could pull that off,¡® he thought.

    After Olivia left, Jenny¡¯s mood hit rock bottom. She just gave everyone the cold shoulder, ignoring anyone who tried to talk to her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Jenny,¡± Andrew warned, his tone carrying a clear threat.

    Jenny just flopped onto a stool, zoning out and refusing to budge.

    ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve got a lead on the Phantom Healer!¡± Ethan shouted, practically bouncing with excitement as he rushed over.

 Blizzard 33

    pter 33

    <b>Chapter </b><b>33 </b>

    31%

    +28

    ¡°Where exactly is he?¡± Andrew asked. He didn¡¯t hesitate, snatching the phone from Ethan. Tracking Phantom Healer had cost him dearly, and he couldn¡¯t afford to miss a single clue.

    ¡°It¡¯s showing the west side, Willow Lane,¡± Ethan said, pointing to the map. ¡°It¡¯s a residential area, perfect for hiding in in sight. Phantom Healer could be living here.¡±

    Ethan gestured at the moving red dot, puzzled. ¡°But the signal keeps shifting. Phantom Healer must have sensed something and is dodging us. Follow it, and we¡¯ll nail him.¡±

    ¡°Lead the way,¡± Andrew demanded.

    Ethan didn¡¯t waste time but led the way immediately. The group followed the red dot to an exercise area at Willow Lane. Joggers and walkers used machines like treadmills and stationary bikes, while elders strolled or yed chess.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, I think Phantom Healer might be an old¨Ctimer,¡± Ethan said,ying out his hunch. He checked the crowd one by one based on the message on his phone.

    After a while, he zeroed in on a pine tree. He wondered, ¡®Wait¡­ Could Phantom Healer be some kind of pine¨Ctree spirit?¡®

    ¡°Andrew, there¡¯s someone behind the tree,¡± Jenny suddenly said. Andrew looked where she pointed and instantly spotted a child ying with the tracker.

    Ethan saw it too and rushed over to check the tracker. The moment he got close, the red dot on his phone blinked wildly,

    which indicated that the tracker was definitely the one they had nted.

    Ethan couldn¡¯t help thinking, ¡®But how did it end up in a child¡¯s hands? Could Phantom Healer really be a spirit?¡®

    ¡°Hey, little one, you couldn¡¯t be Phantom Healer, could you?¡± Ethan asked cautiously, though he had doubts.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that? I only know ghosts.¡± The kid raised his toy doll, eyeing Ethan like he was crazy.

    ¡°So, how¡¯d you get this?¡± Ethan asked and pointed at the small stuff in the child¡¯s hands.

    ¡°This thing? A young man gave it to me,¡± the kid replied, and with that, he dashed off to continue his own game.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve been fooled.¡± Andrew gave a sharp, cold smirk.

    Jenny, usually so cheerful around Olivia, turned serious. ¡°Andrew, anyone who detected my tracking system isn¡¯t ordinary. There might be just one person in the world who could do that.¡±

    ¡°Mystery,¡± Jenny and Andrew said at the <b>same </b>time.

    Mystery was the world¡¯s top hacker, hunted by cybersecurity agencies everywhere. He hacked into systems and stole secrets without care, being a lone wolf shaking half the Inte. Andrew admired him and wanted to recruit him for his

    team.

    Andrew thought to himself, ¡®Could Phantom Healer and Mystery be connected? Or are they the same person?¡®

    ¡°Andrew, I never thought I¡¯d see you tricked.¡± Jenny burst outughing.

    21:13 Fri, 29 Aug

    Andrew sighed and muttered in his mind, ¡®Forget it. She¡¯s my sister. I¡¯ll leave her be

    31%1

    ¡°Well, I made a dumb move. So you¡¯ve got to help me find out who Mystery is and where Phantom Healer is,¡± Andrew said

    softly.

    Jenny replied, ¡°That depends on my mood.¡±

    Ethan¡¯s mouth twitched, envy ring within. ¡®Mr. Shea, you¡¯ve never said such soft words to me,¡¯ heined in his

    heart.

    Behind the distant bell tower, Olivia watched from the shadows, absorbing it all. Her fingers stilled briefly, and her eyes grew ice¨Ccold, radiating an inner chill.

    She had known someone had exposed her identity and nted a tracker in her belongings. She hadn¡¯t done anything about it because she had wanted to see who was so desperate to find her.

    ¡°So it was you guys,¡± she said to herself, her expression remaining cool and unreadable.

    At the Shea Manor in Kingtonelle, a phoney shattered. Winston fumed, ¡°What¡¯s happening? How did Samuel end up

    critical? What the hell is Andrew doing?¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, calm down. Andrew¡¯s tied up with something important,¡± Vivian said soothingly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Samuel¡¯s doing fine now. I heard Jenny brought along a talented young woman who pulled Samuel back from the brink.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Winston perked up at that. ¡°A girl with such skills in Hirica? Howe I never heard of her before?¡±

    ¡°That just shows she keeps a low profile,¡± Vivian said. She picked up a cup of coffee and chuckled, ¡°Jenny mentioned Andrew and that girl have a special connection.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great news.¡± Winston couldn¡¯t hide a smile. ¡°That stubborn brat finally took an interest in a girl. He never paid

    attention to women, and I was so worried.¡±

    He added, ¡°I¡¯m really curious about that girl. When can I meet her?¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, seeing her is simple.¡± Vivian yawnedzily. ¡°Just invite her to the party held by our family in ten days.¡±

    Winston stroked his chin, mulling over whether it would work. ¡°Alright, you arrange for it,¡± he said, looking forward to seeing his future granddaughter¨Cinw.

    Late that night at the Evans residence, word had spread about <b>Nathan¡¯s </b>suspension. He was standing in the living room being scolded by Henry. Henry was so angry that his chest pain red up. He sat on the couch, clutching his chest.

    Cheryl had known the news for a while and was bustling around helping. Seeing Henry like that, she feigned concern and asked, ¡°Grandpa Henry, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you so upset?¡±

    21:13 Fri, 29 Aug

    Nathan snapped, ¡°It¡¯s all because of that poor student your family supports. If it weren¡¯t for her, how could I-¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Henry interrupted Nathan. He banged his cane on the floor, his face flushed crimson. ¡°Nathan, sneaking around with women behind my back was bad enough, but to harass that girl in front of everyone? You¡¯ve wrecked your

    medical career.¡±

    Cheryl looked puzzled as she thought, ¡®A poor student? Could it be Olivia?¡® She asked, ¡°Grandpa Henry, please stop scolding Nathan for now. Is the girl you mentioned Olivia?¡±

    ¡°Who else?¡± Nathan snapped angrily. ¡°She picked up some basic traditional medicine, showed it off at our hospital, and

    that¡¯s how she screwed me over.¡±

    ¡°Olivia?¡± Margaret, who hade with Cheryl, sounded doubtful. ¡°Mr. Evans, you must be mistaken. She only got through junior high and never made it to college. No way she knows medicine.¡±

    Margaret wondered, ¡®After Olivia got out of that ce, we held her back from studying. All day, she¡¯d tinker with her things in her room or hang out with Grace. How could she possibly know medicine?¡®

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know? She¡¯s practically a pro,¡± Nathan yelled in fury as he pulled up the surgery footage.

    When they recognized the person in the video, Margaret and Cheryl froze and couldn¡¯t believe their eyes.

    Henry shook his head with a theatrical sigh and said, ¡°Margaret, <b>that </b>poor student you sponsored¡­ She¡¯s a sly one. Her acupuncture today cost my son his job. Even Harold was so impressed that he wanted to hire her as a special consultant.¡±

    Deep down, Henry muttered, ¡®Even though our family owns half the hospital, the absence of my kin there leaves me uneasy. If anythinges to light, we couldn¡¯t rush to the scene fast enough to handle it.

 Blizzard 34

    <b>Chapter </b><b>34 </b>

    ¡°Special consultant¡­¡± Cheryl muttered and couldn¡¯t help buttch onto that.

    Margaret quickly promised her allegiance, saying, ¡°Rx, Mr. Evans. Olivia¡¯s just a con artist. She spends her whole day glued to herputer or with Grace. Even if she knows her stuff, she¡¯s nowhere near as skilled as your medical dynasty.¡±

    ¡°Grace?¡± Henry was rmed and pressed further, ¡°You mean the former director of Sunrise Orphanage? How did the student you¡¯re funding end up with her?¡±

    Henry thought, ¡®If she were really with Grace, I¡¯d need to find out more about her. Grace isn¡¯t just anyone. If our family hadn¡¯t schemed against her years ago, she¡¯d likely be world¨Cfamous for her medical skills by now<i>.</i>¡®

    Margaret couldn¡¯t understand why Henry would fret over a former orphanage director. She offered a nervous smile and replied, ¡°Well¡­ Olivia was raised at that orphanage and gets along well with Grace. She <i>drops </i>by often. Honestly, it¡¯s all harmless.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t hold a grudge against a young girl, Grandpa Henry,¡± Cheryl said, presenting a gift <i>box </i>with a smile as she opened it. ¡°This is a small token from my father. Please ept it.¡±

    ¡°The Revival Grass,¡± Henry gasped, his eyes lighting up with joy. ¡°Where on earth did thise from?¡±

    It was Phantom Healer who had bred the Revival Grass¨Can agonizingly slow,bor¨Cintensive process. Fewer than ten

    des existed in the entire world. Beyond its power to reverse life and death, it was also one of the most crucial

    ingredients for the Refreshing Pill.

    Cheryl smiled, ¡°I came across it by chance and now give it to you, hoping you¡¯ll live a long, happy life.¡±

    Cheryl wouldn¡¯t admit she¡¯d stolen it. As someone who got transmigrated into a novel, she knew right where thest Revival Grass was hidden. To her surprise, it was buried in Sunrise Orphanage¡¯s backyard, and it took her real effort to dig

    it out.

    Henry held the gift box, grinning broadly but putting on a humble air. ¡°This Revival Grass is exceptionally rare,¡± he said. ¡°You ought to keep it for yourself.

    ¡°It could cure even Andrew¡¯s illness. If so<i>, </i>your Sherman family would be the Shea family¡¯s greatest savior.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Margaret eximed, thrilled. ¡°Is this item truly that useful? Then, thank you¡­.¡± She reached out to take it, but Cheryl stopped her.

    ¡°A gift given out should never be taken back,¡± Cheryl said with a gentle smile. ¡°After all the kindness you¡¯ve shown our Sherman family, who else could we possibly give this Revival <b>Grass </b>to?

    ¡°At the party held by the Shea family, we¡¯ll still rely on your guidance. Our family isn¡¯t as established as yours, and we¡¯ve never attended such a big event.¡±

    Thrilled by her ttery and the securing of the Revival Grass, Henry was in high spirits. He instantly brushed aside Nathan¡¯s troubles, saying, ¡°You¡¯re my granddaughter, so of course, I¡¯ll look after you.

    ¡°Margaret, you should join us too. When we present this Revival <b>Grass </b>at the event, the Shea family will be eternally

    <b>1/3 </b>

    28

    grateful.¡±

    Hearing that, Margaret beamed as if picturing her grand future ahead. Cheryl stood quietly by her side, smiling softly.

    With the Revival Grass in hand, Henry paid no mind to what they were thinking.

    Offending the Summers family was nothing to him for now. Once the Evans family curried favor with the Shea family, Hirica would be child¡¯s y, and they might even get their hands on the hospitals in Kingtonelle.

    ¡®Even if the Shadow Syndicate tried to shut us down, it wouldn¡¯t matter. Who would dare oppose the Shea family from Kingtonelle?¡® Henry thought to himself, broke into a delighted grin, and waved his hand grandly, excusing Nathan from his

    mistakes.

    Seeing Henry so thrilled, Cheryl felt more regretful. ¡®Did I make a mistake by handing over the Revival Grass so easily?¡® she

    asked herself in her mind.

    After Cheryl bade farewell to Henry and Nathan, her confusion lingered. She wondered, ¡®Only Phantom Healer could cultivate the Revival Grass, yet I found one de at Sunrise Orphanage. Grace is the former director and a healer. Could

    the two of them have some connection?

    ¡®But in the story I read, the mysterious Phantom Healer remained hidden until the end.¡¯

    ¡°Mom, tell me, does Grace really know medicine?¡± Cheryl asked, her worry mounting. She grabbed Margaret¡¯s sleeve at

    once. ¡°Did Olivia learn it from her?¡±

    Margaret reassured her, saying, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know squat. Grace is nothing but a fraud. When she ran the orphanage, she

    took bribes and poisoned the kids¡® food. Then she faked preparing antidotes, and it ended up killing over half of them.

    ¡°After the truth was found out, she was fired and holed up in some back alley to live out her days. That scandal was huge

    back then. If the Evans family hadn¡¯t stepped in, Grace would¡¯vended at least twenty years.¡±

    Margaret suddenly recalled something, grabbing Cheryl¡¯s hand and warning, ¡°Henry doesn¡¯t get along with her, so don¡¯t bring up Grace around him, or he¡¯ll blow his top.¡±

    ¡°So who runs Sunrise Orphanage now?¡± Cheryl nodded, though her confusion only grew.

    ¡°Probably Henry,¡± Margaret said, eyeing the invitation closely. ¡°Oh, forget about such nonsense. Focus on impressing everyone at the party hosted by the Shea family. Cheryl, you look gorgeous. You¡¯ll definitely catch the eye of all the young

    bachelors.¡±

    Cheryl nodded outwardly, but inside, her doubts grew. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that what happened between Henry and Grace wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed.

    ¡°What about Olivia? Does she really know medicine?¡± Cheryl continued pressing. ¡°I heard she saved Samuel from the Summers family, didn¡¯t she?¡±

    Margaret snorted and muttered, ¡°What could she possibly know? We sold her off soon after bringing her home. She didn¡¯t even attend school. Believe me, when she came <b>back </b>from that ce, she was barely human. Only in recent years has she be somewhat normal.¡±

    Seeing Cheryl¡¯s concern, Margaret murmured soothingly, ¡°Rx, Cheryl. She¡¯s no match for you. You¡¯re a top design

    21:13 Fri, 29 Aug

    student at Kingtonelle University, while she barely finished junior high. How could she everpare?¡±

    ¡°Fair point, but we should be cautious,¡± Cheryl frowned. ¡°If she makes a move, we¡¯ll need to be ready.¡±

    ? ?? 31%¨C

    Margaret gave a nod of agreement and figured, ¡®Worst case, we¡¯ll just sell her off again. Anyway, we won¡¯t allow her to block Cheryl¡¯s path.¡®

    ¡°Alright, I understand. I¡¯ll have someone watch over her,¡± Margaret replied. Cheryl was finally relieved. She linked arms with Margaret, and they continued walking.

    ¡°Cheryl, when the party rolls around, stay glued to Henry andwork. You might just marry into serious money,¡± Margaret said, looking at her daughter with pure, doting pride.

    <b>+28 </b>

    Margaret told herself in her mind, ¡®Cheryl inherited my beauty, and her gentle, timid nature makes everyone feel protective. Charming a wealthy heir or two would be a breeze. Once she marries into fortune, the Sherman family¡¯s status

    will soar.¡®

    Cheryl smiled and nodded, unable to resist daydreaming about her life ahead.

    Sean overheard their daydreams and curled his lips. He wondered, ¡®With that IQ, they think they can mess with Olivia? It¡¯s

    only a matter of time before the Evans family is toast!

    He threw Natalie at the Evans residence¡¯s doorstep and stomped off in the opposite direction.

 Blizzard 35

    <b>Chapter </b><b>35 </b>

    31%

    Olivia had just woken up when she saw Sean in the courtyard, gnawing on a reishi mushroom. His face twisted in frustration as he couldn¡¯t bite into it.

    The night was still, no wind at all, so Olivia slept soundly and woke in good spirits. ¡°This isn¡¯t meat,¡± she said, reaching out to pluck the reishi mushroom from Sean¡¯s mouth.

    She dropped it back into the medicinal wine, then turned and fixed her eyes on him. ¡°Everything taken care of?¡±

    Sean nodded and showed Olivia the videos and photos. ¡°Won¡¯t die¡­ just hurt for a few days,¡± he said, meaning Natalie¡¯s injury wasn¡¯t fatal, but it would definitely ache for a while.

    Olivia flipped through the photos and videos and gave him an admiring look. ¡°Well done,¡± she said.

    Hearing thepliment, Sean hugged his arms to his chest and lifted his chin proudly, his face craving more praise.

    ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m taking you to a buffet,¡± Olivia added.

    Thrilled, Sean did a little spin, then grabbed a ginseng root, and bit into it as an appetizer. Olivia just shook her head at the sight and let him be.

    Just then, a delivery guy appeared at the door and said, ¡°Is Ms. Summers here? Delivery service.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Olivia replied. She signed for the delivery and then got messages from Lucas.

    Lucas: [The Evans family has pulled a whole lot of shady business under the radar. You need to deal with them good and

    proper.]

    Lucas: [I¡¯ve sent everything to you. Remember to sign for it when it shows up. I¡¯ve been partying all night, so I¡¯m crashing Love you!] What followed was a flirtatious emoji.

    Olivia locked her phone nkly and ripped open the delivery bag. Inside were dozens of folders, about eight thumb

    drives, and countless lists.

    ¡°Lucas is pretty quick,¡± Olivia said, casually lifting a file folder, a sharp glint shing in her eyes. ¡°The Evans family¡­ I really

    underestimated them.¡±

    Sean stammered out while showing Olivia a video clip, ¡°Cheryl¡­ stole the grass¡­ gave it to Evans¡­ for Shea¡­¡± On the

    screen, Cheryl was sneaking around, swiping something from the backyard of Sunrise Orphanage.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying she stole the Revival <b>Grass </b>and handed it over to the Evans family to pass along to the Shea family?¡± Olivia

    asked, and Sean nodded.

    Olivia narrowed her eyes and grinned plyly. ¡°Fine, let them deliver it,¡± she said.

    The Revival Grass was a fake. Olivia wanted to see how the Shea family would react upon receiving it. The day the Evans family offered the grass would be their undoing.

    The Evans family used their grip on half the hospital to mess up the medical field and wipe out other medical ns.

    <b>1/3 </b>

    21:13 Fri, 29 Aug

    ? ??? 31%2

    They even fooled patients into thinking small sicknesses were deadly, and then pushed them to borrow big money for surgery. Afterward, they teamed up with debt collectors to demand payment at their homes.

    Moreover, the Evans family purchasedrge amounts of substandard drugs and equipment. In fact, the entire hospital failed every standard¨Cnothing was up to par. That was why Samuel¡¯s illness worsened during his stay.

    What Olivia hated most was doctors gambling with patients¡® lives. Her intuition told her the Evans family had far more shady dealings under wraps.

    ¡°Magnolia Town¡­¡± Olivia murmured, tracing her finger over the map in the file. She decided she needed to n a trip back to Magnolia Town soon.

    Sean raised his hand and looked very anxious. ¡°Count me in.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Olivia cut in at once. ¡°I¡¯m going alone. It¡¯ll be smoother that way.¡±

    Sean was about to protest when Grace walked into the yard with a basket of groceries. ¡°Both of you are up,¡± she said, handing Sean a sausage. ¡°How about salt and pepper ribs for lunch?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat whatever you cook,¡± Olivia said, dropping the file and moving to help. She shot Sean a knowing look over her

    shoulder.

    Sean caught on right away. He gathered the items, slipped back to his room, started hisputer, and got to some shady

    business.

    At a high¨Cend sanatorium in Hirica, Andrew guided Jenny into the lobby, holding her hand. A stern¨Cfaced man sat on the couch, his expensive dark blue casual attire giving him an unapproachable air, yet his towering six¨Cfoot¨Cthree frame made

    him stand out.

    The man, Charles, spotted the two of them from a distance. ¡°Jenny, it¡¯s been a while,¡± he said while slowly walking toward

    them.

    Jenny ducked instinctively behind Andrew and whispered tensely, ¡°Charles, we should keep a respectful distance.¡±

    Charles took it in stride, a warm smile spreading across his face. ¡°Jenny, that cuts deep,¡± he said.

    Jenny folded her arms and shot him a disdainful look.

    ¡°Alright, enough teasing Jenny. Did you wrap things up in Frelle?¡± Andrew steered the conversation.

    Charles¡¯s expression hardened instantly. ¡°<i>My </i>grandpa¡¯s affairse first, no matter what,¡± he replied.

    While they were talking, Jenny disappeared again. ¡°Jenny¡¯s such a handful,¡± Charles clucked, but his eyes held a deep

    sadness.

    Andrew sensed how he felt and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll find her,¡± he said gently.

    The gloom on Charles¡¯s face eased a little. For years, the Summers brothers had missed their younger sister nonstop. Sometimes, seeing Jenny made them wonder if Ivy might have been the same way.

    28

    Andrew nced at Charles and then looked down without a word. As the eldest of the siblings, Charles carried the heaviest load. He was known as a big shot in business circles, but at heart, he was just a man pining for his sister.

    ¡°How¡¯s Samuel?¡± Andrew asked as coffee arrived while they chatted.

    Charles picked up a cup, legs crossed. ¡°He¡¯s doing fine, thanks to that young doctor Jenny fetched yesterday.¡±

    David had filled Charles in on everything: doctors at the Evans family acted high and mighty, intentionally dying treatment for Samuel. ¡®If not for that girl stepping in, my grandpa would probably¡­¡® Just thinking about the Evans family

    turned Charles¡¯s expression fierce.

    ¡°So, tell me about this savior of ours,¡± Charles said, setting down the coffee and looking at Andrew with keen interest.

    Andrew smiled, recalling how Olivia had told his fortune the night before. ¡°She¡¯s quite an interesting <i>one</i>.¡±

    ¡°Well now,¡± Charles said, surprised. ¡°First time I¡¯ve ever heard youpliment anyone. I guess I ought to meet that girl

    myself.¡±

    Andrew simply said, ¡°Let¡¯s go see Samuel.¡±

    The two stood up and headed for the ward. On their way, Andrew¡¯s phone buzzed with a message. He frowned at the

    screen but didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°Who was that?¡± Charles asked, his curiosity piqued.

    ¡°ine, your sister,¡± replied Andrew.

    At those words, Charles¡¯s face darkened instantly. He shot Andrew a sharp look. ¡°She¡¯s not my sister. Only Ivy is,¡± Charles

    said, his words slow and deliberate.

    Charles wondered, ¡®It¡¯s all my crazy father¡¯s fault. Soon after Ivy vanished, he brought home a girl about Ivy¡¯s age, wanting to adopt her. If my mother hadn¡¯t threatened to kill herself, that girl¡¯d have taken Ivy¡¯s ce in the family long ago.¡®

    The thought of his mother brought Charles deep pain. A fierce aura radiated from him, his eyes hard to read.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what she told me?¡± Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow at Charles.

    Charles ignored him and irritably pulled a cigarette case from his suit pocket, lighting one up. But his gaze stayed sharp, shining with resolve. ¡°No matter what, we won¡¯t ept her as family.¡±

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    N

 Blizzard 36

    <b>Chapter </b><b>36 </b>

    Because of ine, the Summers family was torn apart. If not for his father, Charles assumed ine would¡¯ve died a hundred times over. Night after night, he dreamt of Ivy suffering out there, demanding why he never looked for her.

    For years, regret ate at him. Outside of work, he traveled daily, searching everywhere for ivy. Thinking of that, Charles felt a heavy stone pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

    ¡°She wants to alter the engagement,¡± Andrew said coolly, narrowing his eyes as a flicker of murderous intent shed in

    them.

    ¡°She¡¯s dreaming big,¡± Charles sneered, stubbing out letting her get so full of herself.¡±

    cigarette and flicking the butt away. ¡°I¡¯ve been too easy on her,

    Andrew said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t change a thing.¡±

    Charles¡¯s murderous look eased a bit. He pped Andrew on the shoulder and chuckled, ¡°Didn¡¯t see thating. You¡¯re damn loyal to Ivy, huh?¡±

    Andrew stayed silent, just offering a faint smile. It wasn¡¯t loyalty, but he was never meant for marriage. Who he was engaged to didn¡¯t matter to him. He had no intention of honoring it anyway.

    Charles gave his shoulder a pat and, noticing his reluctance, switched topics. ¡°Weren¡¯t you searching for Mystery? Theodore¡¯s got news on him.¡±

    He pulled Andrew to a stop and added with a grim expression, ¡°Six months ago, Theodore was in Seranka when he got caught in a refugee riot and random killings.

    ¡°It had been nned. The killer covered every trace. Local police came up empty on suspects, and the people were terrified. Talks between the two countries fell apart.

    ¡°For Clusia, Theodore posted a bounty in a hacker forum, and only Mystery stepped in. He hacked into the police¡¯s database<i>, </i>tracked down the killer¡¯s info and whereabouts, and shared all online, including a photo. The police nabbed the suspect right away using that photo.

    ¡°The whole thing took under five minutes, with no trace of the source code address left by Mystery as if he never existed.¡±

    Since then, Mystery had been a miracle in the hacker world.

    Andrew rested his chin on his hand, totally locked in. ¡®That level of power and the way he thinks is just in weird,¡® he thought to himself. ¡°He¡¯s that impressive? Do you know him?¡± he asked Charles.

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t actually know him,¡± Charles scratched his head. He¡¯d only heard about it from Theodore. Computers and stuff just weren¡¯t his thing.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve got his contact,¡± he added, jotting down the source code address for Andrew. They locked eyes for a second and instantly sent a text to the number.

    <b>At </b><b>Willow </b>Lane, <b>Sean </b>was glued to his <bptop</b>, watching a <b>food </b>stream. Suddenly, a hidden <b>window </b><b>popped </b><b>up</b><b>, </b>startlin <b>him</b><b>. </b>He worried Olivia had caught him sneaking aputer session and sent him a warning <b>text</b>.

    When he realized it was just a message from a stranger, he sighed in relief and went back to his food show.

    After a moment, he nced carelessly at the message. [Mystery, I¡¯m in Hirica. Where are you?]

    Sean knew the other person was clearly asking for a meetup, but he had no interest. He was only doing as Olivia ordered online. He tapped out some nonsense: [sfhwifuhwufbckasdjhakhdoq.]

    Charles, on the other end, was puzzled. ¡°What does this mean? Some new kind of code?¡±

    Andrew saw it and chuckled softly, ¡°He¡¯s fooling you, in and simple.¡±

    Charles felt powerless, having no idea how to respond.

    Meanwhile, Jenny slipped into a deserted corner and took out thetest model of smartwatch. She dialed a number and ced the call. Across town, Olivia¡¯s phone rang while she was reviewing documents.

    Jenny said, ¡°Hello? You there? Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Olivia¡¯s answer was simple.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Jenny,¡± Jenny blurted anxiously, terrified Olivia might¡¯ve forgotten her.

    ¡°I know.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice softened, though her hands never paused. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much. I wanted to ask you to dinner,¡± Jenny grinned, leaning against the wall. ¡°There¡¯s a new Frelle restaurant in Hirica. Sounds nice? Or we could go for other styles¡­¡±

    She was too focused on the call to notice footsteps approaching. ¡°Jenny, what are you up to now?¡± Andrew¡¯s voice sounded.

    Jenny froze mid¨Ccall<b>, </b>turning slowly with a guilty wince.

    ¡°Let me have that,¡± Andrew demanded and extended his palm. Jenny mutely surrendered the watch.

    The moment Andrew took it, a cool voice came through. ¡°Tonight¡¯s no good. I¡¯ve got ns.¡±

    ¡°ns? With who?¡± Andrew¡¯s brow furrowed almost instinctively as he asked.

    The voice on the other end suddenly shifted from cute to clear and masculine. Olivia blinked, catching on. ¡°Family,¡± she replied.

    Somehow, at those words, Andrew¡¯s expression brightened.

    When silence lingered, Olivia gave a wry smile. ¡°What? Want to join us?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Andrew agreed immediately¨Ca response even Jenny hadn¡¯t seening.

    13

    <b>Chapter </b>16

    <b>She </b>wondered, ¡®He always ate alone. What¡¯s happening to <b>him </b>now?¡®

    Olivia <b>paused</b>, surprised, but quickly regained herposure. ¡°Fine. At six tonight, Savory House,¡± she said briefly <b>and </b>then hung up<b>. </b>

    Andrew held the smartwatch, eyes crinkling at the corners. Hearing the name, Ethan immediately looked up the ce, finding it was a buffet.

    Ethan muttered in his mind, ¡®He never shared a table, not even with Ms. Summers. And a buffet? Unthinkable!

    He suggested, ¡°Mr. Shea, it¡¯s a buffet. Why don¡¯t you-¡±

    Andrew shot Ethan a nce and interrupted him. Then he tossed the watch back to Jenny and said, ¡°I never stand people

    up.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Ethan replied. He felt uneasy, though. If Andrew got sick from the dinner, Ethan¡¯s career would be finished.

    ¡°Ethan, don¡¯t worry. With a miracle healer around, we¡¯re safe.¡± Jenny patted Ethan¡¯s shoulder, pleased. ¡°She¡¯ll be my sister¨Cinw soon enough.¡±

    She was content yet Ethan wasn¡¯t at all, thinking his job was just so difficult.

    At the Evans residence, Nathan held the gift box. ¡°With the help of this Revival Grass, our family will stand firm,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Cheryl.¡±

    Henry nodded, and the whole family was overjoyed. But Rowan turned pale. Trembling, she asked, ¡°Henry, is Natalie truly incurable?¡±

    Natalie had only been <i>out </i>for a few days when she was beaten half to death and dumped on the doorstep. The Evans family found her barely breathing, and the sight shattered Rowan every time she remembered it.

    Henry looked grim. ¡°Rowan, I¡¯ve examined Natalie. The other injuries are minor and will heal after a few days of rest. But her hands are ruined. She¡¯s unable to perform surgeries again. She can¡¯t be a doctor anymore.¡±

    ¡°No! Natalie¡¯s dreamed of being a doctor since she was a child,¡± Rowan cried, clutching Henry. ¡°Henry, you¡¯ve got to help her. She¡¯ll earn her Ph.D. in just a year. Didn¡¯t you promise to make her head of obstetrics?¡±

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 Blizzard 37

    <b>Nathan </b>stepped forward and got Rowan¡¯s hands off Henry, his voice thick with disgust. ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t push Dad like <b>that</b>. Natalie made her own mess. She pissed off someone while running wild, and she had iting.

    ¡°It was more than generous for Dad to save her. Who knows if her stunts won¡¯t drag the family down? So drop it <b>already</b><b>,</b><b>¡± </b>

    ¡°She still dreams of being a doctor? She should be thankful she¡¯s alive,¡± Nathan¡¯s wife chimed in..

    She added, ¡°It¡¯s on you for spoiling her rotten. I heard she sufferedst time because she refused to save a dying person. And this time? It must be the same story. She thought she was untouchable and ticked off the wrong crowd.¡±

    Rowan shook her head in disbelief. She¡¯d had her

    it would turn out this way?

    aughter l

    te in

    life and cherished her more, but who would¡¯ve guessed

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t give up on Natalie.¡± Rowan bowed repeatedly to Henry, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Henry, Natalie is Shane¡¯s only child. Just imagine how shattered he¡¯d feel to see his daughter suffering like this.¡±

    Henry lowered his head with a heavy sigh. ¡°Fine. Let Nataliee with us to the Shea family¡¯s party,¡± he said.

    He sipped his coffee and added with a shrewd glint in his eyes, ¡°Her hands may be useless, but her face is still wless. She¡¯ll find a powerful husband easily.¡±

    ¡°But-¡± Rowan hesitated, wanting to say more.

    But a security guard at the gate stumbled in, pale¨Cfaced. ¡°Mr. Henry Evans, there¡¯s someone outside¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with all this panic? What a disgrace! Calm down.¡± Henry rapped his cane sharply.

    The security guard replied, ¡°There¡¯s a girl outside with a banner, saying the Evans family killed her grandmother.¡±

    Nathan snorted, ¡°That¡¯s utter nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Bring her in,¡± Henry ordered. Though over sixty, he had steered the Evans family through decades of business storms. Handling such a mess was simple for him.

    Nathan was confused. ¡°Dad, we should just drive her away. Why bother¡­¡±

    ¡°Nathan, who she is doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is shutting her up,¡± Henry said in a low, icy voice. ¡°Go prepare some coffee for our guest. And slip in something special.¡±

    Nathan got the message and headed out to get ready right away.

    When Nina was led in, the Evans family was sitting and chatting. ¡°Ah, our guest is here. Please, have a seat,¡± Henry said with a gentle smile that held a sharp edge.

    Nina, eyes red and voice hoarse, cried, ¡°You killed my dad and grandma. You¡¯ve got to apologize and pay for what you¡¯ve done.¡±

    Nathan stepped forward, held her back, and smiled politely as he handed her a cup of coffee. He said, ¡°Miss, you can eat whatever you want, but don¡¯t spout nonsense.

    <b>¡°</b>We <b>did </b>routine <b>exams</b>, tagrioses, and surgeries. Show us proof that we harmed your family. Out of all our patients why did we target only you? Keep this up, and we can sue you for defamation.¡±

    <b>Nina </b>had been crying for ages and was parched, so she drank the coffee down without hesitation. Seeing her do so, Henry spoke again<b>, </b>¡°Youngdy, if you¡¯ve got something to say, say it straight, but don¡¯t spout nonsense.

    Nina shivered andined, ¡°My grandmother just had amon illness, yet you imed she needed heart bypass surgery costing 600 thousand dors. To raise that exorbitant fee, my father lost his life.¡±

    ¡°In the dead of night, when you jolt awake, doesn¡¯t your conscience w at you?¡± Nina added. Her chest heaved, fists clenched, eyes zing with iron¨Chard defiance. ¡°You¡¯ll pay. Blood for blood.¡±

    Without a word, Henry gestured for the domestic workers to leave. Once only the Evans family remained, he slowly stood

    up

    and struck Nina with a backhand p.

    ¡°Conscience? That¡¯s for the weak.¡± Henry kept that same smile fixed, but his voice turned ice¨Ccold. ¡°To me, you and your family are nothing but insects.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all talk with nothing to back it up¨Cno proof, no pull. What can you hope to do against me?¡± Nathan let out a mocking chuckle. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be with your family again soon enough.¡±

    ¡°You jerk!¡± Nina swung her fist and charged. Nathan was too stunned to block, and her punch connected, blood spurting

    from his mouth.

    Nina¡¯s hair was a wild mess, tears pouring from eyes filled with hate. She roared, ¡°You heartless monsters don¡¯t deserve to be called doctors.¡±

    With that, she kicked Nathan in the groin. He screamed, curling into a ball with his chest pressed to his knees and writhing

    in agony.

    Henry, enraged, hurled his coffee cup. <b>It </b>gashed Nina¡¯s forehead, blood streaming down.

    ¡°Someone, get her out of here!¡± Henry ordered.

    Several guards seized Nina and hauled her out, shoving her roughly. Before they turned away, they looked down at her with disdain. Someone said, ¡°Who do you think you are? Daring to cross the Evans family, huh? You¡¯re way out of your league.¡±

    ?? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

    ¡°Just you wait. Since you crossed the Evans family, you won¡¯tst long in Hirica,¡± another added.

    Nina listened, her heart heavy with sorrow. Suddenly, rain started to fall. Winter in Hirica was already bitterly cold, and the rain only deepened the gloom.

    Nina brushed the rain from her forehead, her eyes empty. There was a bitter smile touching her lips like she¡¯d given up on fate, and her pale face looked even more pitiful in the downpour.

    She copsed in the rain, shattered yet resolute, her eyes burning with despair and determination. ¡°The Evans family treats people like dirt. I won¡¯t let them get away with this,¡± she told herself and clutched her recorder tightly, hatred zing in her eyes.

    Then she wondered, ¡®Now, with my family gone and rtives scattered, where could I turn?¡® Suddenly, she remembered

    ???

    Thapher #

    Olivia. She thought she could seek Olivia¡¯s help.

    Inside the vi, Henry was boiling with rage as he snapped, ¡°You ipetent fool! You can¡¯t even handle your mess, and you let her show up here.¡±

    He wrenched Nathan¡¯s ear, his voice thick with disappointment. ¡°How many times must I say it? The Evans name must never be tarnished. Yet here you are, stirring up trouble everywhere. Do this again and I¡¯ll beat you to a pulp.¡±

    Still aching from Nina¡¯s blows and terrified of another beating, Nathan trembled. ¡°Dad, I get it. I swear it won¡¯t happen

    again.¡±

    ¡°Forget it. The most important thing now is the party at the Sheas. We can¡¯t have any screw¨Cups there. Especially in the next few weeks, keep your head down,¡± Henry swallowed his anger and said, his voice calm but firm.

    He continued, ¡°Lately, someone in Hirica has been sniffing around us. I¡¯ve greased the right palms. We should be okay for now, but watch yourself from now on.¡±

    ¡°But if we stop those activities, how are we supposed to make money?¡± Nathan winced, clutching the aching part of his body. ¡°There are too many of us in the family. That little hospital profit won¡¯t even keep us afloat.¡±

    Henry spoke slowly, ¡°Hold off for a while. An inspection team¡¯sing soon. Justy low and ride this out.¡±

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll keep it under wraps so they find nothing.¡± Nathan understood immediately. The Evans family had been deep- rooted in Hirica for decades. There was no taking them down.

    AD

 Blizzard 38

    Outside Savory House at night, denny waved her hand in front of Andrear¡¯s face and asked, ¡°Andrews, what¡¯s got you <b>spacing </b><b>out</b>?¡±

    Andrew¡¯s usually cold expression softened slightly as he gently smoothed her hair.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, are you really going to eat here?¡± Ethan frowned, eyeing the scene a crowd all using the same fongs to grab

    food, which looked filthy.

    He didn¡¯t dare risk Andrew¡¯s safety. After all, the entire Shea family¡¯s future depended on Andrew. Besides, Ethan knew eating out was too dangerous, especially with Andrew¡¯s sensitive stomach.

    Andrew shot Ethan a sharp re and snapped coldly, ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re talking out of turn.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Ethan instinctively moved to bow.

    Jenny giggled, ¡°Ethan, we¡¯re in public.¡±

    Suddenly, Jenny pointed nearby and shouted, ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± The other two turned toward where she was pointing.

    Olivia showed up in a vintage id coat over a simple white tee and jeans, finishing the look with ankle boots. She walked like she owned the sidewalk¨Cevery step cool and confident, impossible to ignore.

    Ethan, standing behind Andrew, wore aplex expression. Having crossed Olivia before, he wondered if she¡¯d retaliate. Forcing a smile, he said, ¡°Hello, Ms. Summers.¡±

    Olivia acknowledged him with a cool nod. ¡°You¡¯re early.¡±

    ¡°We are having dinner with you, and I¡¯m excited about¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s voice wilted under Olivia¡¯s piercing gaze.

    A frost¨Cedged smile touched Olivia¡¯s lips. ¡°Excited about what?¡±

    Ethan flinched. ¡°N¨Cnot me! Mr. Shea-¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Andrew cut Ethan off, ncingzily at Ethan with a sh of warning in his eyes. Ethan snapped his mouth shut

    instantly.

    Olivia nodded slightly, watching Andrew¡¯s next move.

    ¡°You¡¯re finally here! Let¡¯s hurry inside. I¡¯ve missed you <i>so </i>much.¡± Jenny rushed forward and grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand.

    Before anyone could act, heavy footsteps echoed from behind Olivia. Sean moved in front of Olivia, clutching a big bag of snacks like a cat guarding its meal. He looked stunned by the sudden crowd of strangers.

    Jenny yanked Sean¡¯s cor, her eyes defiant. ¡°Hey, get outta my way.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Sean stammered, rubbing his eyes groggily.

    ¡°Stop it. Move aside now,¡± Jenny added.

    <b>1/3 </b>

    <b>Sean </b><b>yelled</b><b>, </b>lunging toward Jenny as if to take her on.

    <b>Seeing </b>them about to sh, Olivia grabbed Sean¡¯s cor and yanked him back. She smiled, ¡°Dinner first. Weren¡¯t you starving<b>?</b>¡±

    At the word ¡°dinner¡°, Sean nodded dazedly and shuffled inside.

    Ethan saw Sean, who barely reached his waist, struggling with a huge bag. With a grin, he offered, ¡°Hey, little one, let me help you with that.¡± But when he tried to lift the bag, he couldn¡¯t budge it even after a minute of trying.

    ¡°A bit heavy, huh?¡± Ethan said with an awkward smile, rubbing his hands that were red from the strain as he kept at it. Just some snacks and drinks. How could they weigh so much?¡® he wondered.

    Sean brushed him off and walked away with the bag. ¡°Oh, that kid¡¯s got some muscle,¡± Ethan said, trying to hide his embarrassment with a weak grin.

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just weak,¡± Olivia said casually as she walked in.

    Ethan felt like he¡¯d taken a serious hit. ¡°Mr. Shea, I¡­¡± he stammered, trying to get some reassurance.

    ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Andrew nced at him disdainfully. ¡°You¡¯re too weak,¡± he added, thinking it was time to strengthen his men¡¯s training.

    Ethan muttered, ¡°Great.¡± And there he was, the only one feeling the sting.

    The group made their way through the bustling lobby to a luxurious private room. ¡°Good evening. Do you have a reservation?¡± the waiter inquired politely.

    Olivia showed her membership code. ¡°I dislike interruptions. Keep it quiet,¡± she said coolly.

    The waiter¡¯s eyes lit up at the membership. Deep down, he murmured, ¡®It¡¯s a top¨Ctier member. I¡¯ve only ever heard of tales of top¨Ctier members and never seen one. Now, there¡¯s one right in front of me.¡®

    ¡°Sure! This way, please. If there¡¯s anything you need, just let me know.¡± The waiter gestured eagerly.

    He thought, ¡®People can only be top¨Ctier members here by spending over 1.5 million dors annually. Such clients are known forvish tips, often handing out about 30 thousand. If I nail this service, a single tip could be my pay for three whole months.¡®

    Once seated, Andrew faced Olivia across the table. Sean sat to her left and Jenny to her right, each ring at the other with open dislike.

    Andrew stayed silent. He just sat there, tapping the table with his fingers, his gaze calm yet zing. It pressed down like a weight, but it never felt sharp.

    Sean noticed him and leaned close to Olivia, stammering, ¡°Who¡­ who is he?¡±

    Too busy skimming the menu to look up, Olivia tossed off an answer: ¡°A patient¡¯s family.¡±

    Sean nodded, half understanding, and then nced at Andrew. He kept feeling Andrew gave off a quiet danger and those eyes of his held a storm.

    Meat mattered more to <b>Sean</b>, however. He stabbed the menu, ordering everything in sight. But Jenny erased each pick <b>with </b>her pen. Neither gave an inch.

    <b>¡°</b>You¡¯re so childish.¡± Sean snapped, his stutter gone

    <b>¡°</b>Who¡¯s the childish one here?¡± Jenny shot back. ¡°You¡¯re tiny, yet you eat like a truck. If your mouth worked half as well as your stomach, you¡¯d be fine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll order.¡± Olivia lifted her eyes and turned to Sean. ¡°No over¨Cordering today. Get cklisted again<b>, </b>and I¡¯m leaving you home.¡±

    Sean was small but ate like a wolf. Last time he sneaked off to an all¨Cyou¨Ccan¨Ceat buffet, they banned him. Olivia had to drive across town to bring him home.

    After being warned, Sean puffed his cheeks and took an angry sip of his drink. He thought he hadn¡¯t eaten much.

    Ethan stood to the side, barely breathing. The whole scene felt weird to him.

    He thought to himself, ¡®Mr. Shea is just sitting there, watching the others order. The two kids are loud, yet he looks rxed, even amused.

    ¡®But, is Ms. Summers¡¯s brother a stutterer? I suddenly feel bad for her. The Sherman family kicked her out when she was

    down.

    ¡®Now, as a poor student, she has to support herself and a disabled brother, and rumor has it that she also needs to take care of an old granny.¡®

    Ethan was a sensitive soul. The more he dwelt on it, the more he regretted how he¡¯d hurt Olivia by giving her the bank

    card.

    Sean raised a brow and caught Ethan staring. He tilted his head as if to ask, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m working for the patient¡¯s family¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡®No one gets the pain of a working stiff,¡® he wondered.

    Sean nodded and went back to sipping his drink.

    ¡°That¡¯s all, and bring one extra hot pot,¡± Olivia told the waiter, handing back the menu and asking for a pot of water.

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 Blizzard 39

    <b>Chapter </b><b>39 </b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>Alright</b><b>, </b><b>I¡¯m </b><b>on </b><b>it</b><b>. </b><b>Give </b>me a moment, please<b>,</b><b>¡± </b>the waiter replied.

    <b>Savory </b>House wasn¡¯t just a buffet. It was a top¨Ctier dining club. In the main hall, regr patrons served themselves<b>, </b><b>but </b>for elite members like Olivia, all they had to do was order, and the food came right to them.

    ¡°Are you cooking?¡± Jenny asked, puzzled by why Olivia was asking for a separate pot.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Olivia replied with a casual smile, her effortless beauty shining.

    ¡°You can cook?¡± Andrew, who¡¯d been quiet so far, asked curiously, his voice full of doubt.

    Olivia handed him a ss of water. ¡°Wanna try some?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Andrew replied.

    Jenny shook her head, thinking Andrew had no idea how amazing Olivia¡¯s cooking was.

    Soon, the cooking tools and ingredients arrived. Olivia pulled her hair back with a band, dropped diced purple sweet potato and barley into the pot, and tossed in a handful of corn. Every move was smooth and quick.

    Ethan watched from the side and felt his stomach growl. He had eaten fancy dishes all over the world with Andrew<b>, </b>but simple home cooking like that was rare for him.

    While the porridge cooked, Olivia cracked a few eggs, added minced garlic, and thenid in tofu and shrimp. She poured the eggs over the top. In minutes, a shrimp¨Ctofu omelet was done.

    It was just two in dishes, yet they pulled hard on Ethan¡¯s hunger. He forgot the rule about not sitting at Andrew¡¯s table, grabbed a stool, and waited to eat.

    Andrew gave him a puzzled look. Ethan pleaded, ¡°Mr. Shea, could you spare me a bite to eat, please? I haven¡¯t eaten all day.¡±

    ¡°All right, just this once,¡± came the reply. With permission, Ethan grabbed a spoon, rubbed his hands in anticipation, and got ready to dig in.

    Olivia knew how to order. Besides the two dishes she¡¯d cooked, every te was bnced¨Cmeat and veg, all the nutrients

    covered.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat.¡± She wiped her hands. ¡°My cooking¡¯s nothing special. Bear with it.¡±

    ¡°Getting to eat her food is your honor,¡± Jenny dered, arms folded, proud as could be.

    Ethan wanted to dig in, but training told him to watch Andrew first. Andrew had the ssic CEO problem¨Cbad stomach. Picky eater, fragile gut.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, maybe you just watch us eat and I¡¯ll get you somethingter¡­¡± Ethan didn¡¯t finish. One cool nce from Andrew shut him up.

    Olivia set down a few small bowls¨Cdishes she¡¯d ordered just for him. Her voice was t. ¡°Yours.¡±

    <b>1/3 </b>

    Chapter <b>39 </b>

    <b>¡°</b><b>Too </b><b>much </b><b>porridge </b><b>makes </b><b>more </b><b>acid</b>,<b>¡± </b><b>she </b><b>added</b>, <b>eyes </b><b>down</b>. <b>¡°</b><b>Stick </b><b>to </b><b>these</b>. <b>There¡¯s </b><b>soup </b><bter</b><b>¡± </b><b>A </b><b>doctor¡¯s </b>eye saw th <b>problem </b><b>in </b><b>one </b><b>look</b>.

    <b>Ethan </b><b>wanted </b><b>to </b>bow right there. <b>¡®</b>Thank you, lifesaver,¡® he wondered.

    <b>Andrew </b>watched her<b>, </b>eyes narrowing, a softugh in his throat. ¡°As you say,¡± he said<b>, </b>and then all of them started <b>eating </b>

    <b>Ethan </b>went for it. The shrimp omelet was tender and fragrant. He downed two bowls before he knew it.

    Andrew¡¯s stare darkened as he thought,¡®As if I never paid him a sry.¡¯

    He¡¯d nned on a few bites; his appetite was small. But one taste of the egg and he kept going until the bowls were almost empty.

    Jenny stared. Her brother had never finished five bites.

    Andrew had eaten little since childhood. Not enough food meant not enough fuel, so in a family where every man was

    over 6¡¯1¡°, he alone stayed shorter.

    All the doctors said it was mild anorexia. Eating less left him weaker. The Shea family tried a new cook every two weeks just to tempt him<b>, </b>but nothing changed.

    Now color warmed his pale face. Jenny thought, ¡®Olivia¡¯s a fairy. When we get home, I¡¯ll tell Grandpa I¡¯ve found Andrew a

    wife.¡®

    ¡°Ms. Summers, mmm, how is this so good?¡± Ethan asked while shoveling food, afraid talking would cost him a mouthful.

    Olivia ignored what the others were doing and fixed her eyes on Sean to stop him from eating too much.

    Sean held amb leg in one hand, a pig¡¯s trotter in the other, cheeks greasy. ¡°Ugh, you look gross,¡± Jenny said.

    Sean kept gnawing. He would never let himself starve..

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, no more,¡± Olivia said and pressed Sean¡¯s hand, stopping him with a warning look.

    Sean drooped, sulking. But Olivia didn¡¯t indulge him, letting him be.

    Belly full, Jenny looped an arm through Olivia¡¯s. ¡°Your medical skills are amazing. Can you check Andrew¡¯s pulse?¡±

    Olivia nced briefly at Andrew and showed no reaction.

    ¡°It¡¯s a weird illness,¡± Jenny said and rested her chin on her hand, small face scrunched. ¡°Hundreds of doctors gave up. Some say even the gods can¡¯t save him. But your skills are so remarkable. Maybe you can save him.¡±

    Ethan choked on his food in shock, coughing wildly as his face flushed crimson. He shouted in his mind, ¡®Oh<b>, </b>you¡¯ve just blurted out the secret the Shea family has been guarding.

    ¡®Apart from the Shea family¡¯s own people, anyone who learned about Mr. Shea¡¯s illness was silenced or buried.¡¯

    Ethan swallowed hard and then turned to watch Andrew. His eyes were frosty as he calmly lifted his cup. Though he gave <b>a </b>quick smile, there was an icy detachment about him.

    21:53 Sat, 30 Aug <b>O </b>

    W

    <b>39</b>%

    Ethan didn¡¯t dare say a word. He thought, ¡®Is he already thinking about how to kill Ms. Summers? Impossible. She <b>saved </b>Ms. Shea¡¯s life, after all. I have to step in. Even for this meal, I have to save Ms. Summers.¡®

    ¡°Mr. Shea, let¡¯s talk this out with Ms. Summers. She won¡¯t breathe a word about your condition. Why not¡ª¡± Ethan said,

    but Andrew cut him off mid¨Csentence.

    ¡°Shut it,¡± Andrew demanded. Ethan promptly closed his mouth. Just when he thought Olivia was done for, Andrew¡¯s next

    words stunned him.

    ¡°Any chance I can get you to take my pulse, Ms. Summers?¡± Andrew raised an eyebrow, his eyes dancing with yfulness and a hint of flirtation. But somehow, he didn¡¯te off as annoying.

    Olivia looked detached, the mole beneath her eye barely visible. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. She was very interested in the disease that the gods couldn¡¯t cure.

 Blizzard 40

    <b>Chapter </b><b>40 </b>

    Olivia stood up and ced her fingers on Andrew¡¯s wrist, attentively taking his pulse. Andrew narrowed his eyes <b>slightly</b><b>, </b>his gaze fixed on Olivia.

    Olivia felt that his pulse was deep and sluggish, indicating blockages and low vitality. ¡°Open your mouth,¡± she ordered, lifting Andrew¡¯s chin. Her finger identally brushed his Adam¡¯s apple, her expression nk.

    Andrew obeyed, opening his mouth, the corners of his eyes lifting as he studied her. Her eyes shone clear and sharp, projecting professionalism.

    Olivia¡¯s lips thinned as she checked the coating on his tongue, her breath nearly touching him. Andrew felt an itch in his throat and that something was straining to break free.

    Oblivious to his reaction, Olivia carefully examined the coating on his tongue.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have much time left,¡± Olivia said calmly, her eyes unnervingly vivid. ¡°Not even the gods could save you, and that¡¯s the in truth.¡±

    The words hit Ethan like a physical blow. What Olivia said was exactly what the other doctors, had told him.

    Jenny knew nothing of medicine, but she could tell from Olivia¡¯s words that Andrew couldn¡¯t be saved.

    Fearing Andrew might strike Olivia, Ethan dropped his spoon mid¨Cbite. He charged over without bothering to wipe his mouth, yanking her away to put distance between them.

    ¡°Please, control your temper. Ms. Summers¡­ she doesn¡¯t deserve death for this,¡± he said.

    Jenny stared at Andrew, a pang of regret tightening her chest. She felt she had made a mistake bringing Olivia to examine

    him.

    Andrew had been frail since childhood. Over the years, he consulted every renowned physician and sampled every rare remedy, all to no avail. The three of them came to Hirica to bid for the Refreshing Pill and seek Phantom Healer, but neither attempt seeded.

    In contrast to the others¡® tense demeanor<i>, </i>Olivia remained remarkably calm. She slowly withdrew her hand from Andrew¡¯s

    chin.

    From their first meeting, Olivia noticed his sickly pallor mingled with an air of nobility¨Cabination she¡¯d never seen before. She thrived on tackling such baffling cases, which was why she agreed to take his pulse.

    But Ethan¡¯s reaction was over the top. Putting together the events of the past few days, it was easy for Olivia to guess Andrew¡¯s identity: Andrew Shea, the fourth <i>son </i>of the Shea family, Kingtonelle¡¯s most prominent n.

    Olivia never considered a patient¡¯s status when treating them. It was always about fate. She¡¯d only treat the ones <b>who </b>trusted her.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Andrew lowered his head with a resigned sigh, his voiceced with an almost imperceptible chuckle. <b>¡°</b><b>Ms. </b>Summers, you¡¯re quite remarkable.¡±

    <b>21:53 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>30 </b><b>Aug </b>17

    Jenny stared at Andrew in disbelief. ¡®Wasn¡¯t he always the first to snap at anyone who brought <b>up </b>his illness<b>? </b>Yet <b>today</b><b>, </b><b>he </b>seems like a different man entirely,¡® she thought to herself.

    ¡°You¡¯ve long known about my illness, haven¡¯t you?¡± Andrew added, a faint smile ying at his lips as he eyed Olivia. <b>He </b>had a knack for reading people and had figured it out ever since she did that fortune¨Ctelling for him in the hospital.

    ¡°You¡¯re smart.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t mince words, a flicker of surprise crossing her otherwise calm expression. ¡°Your condition is peculiar. You seem frail, but you¡¯re actually robust. While other ailments are superficial or deep¨Cseated, yours defies suchbels; it¡¯s neither internal nor external.

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve never encountered anything quite like this. Curing it outright will be a challenge. Slow recovery is the only

    way.¡±

    There was one thought Olivia kept to herself. His symptoms suggested poisoning rather than illness.

    Ethan, shielding Olivia, stood dumbfounded. ¡®Could Ms. Summers actually be some miracle healer? She¡¯s nailed every symptom,¡® he wondered.

    Jenny tugged excitedly at Olivia¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Can you save Andrew?¡±

    ¡°Oh right, Ms. Summers, if you spotted the illness, you must be able to heal it, right?¡± Ethan nodded hard. Jenny had just taken the words out of his mouth.

    Ethan figured, ¡®With things the way they are now, tracking down Phantom Healer seems impossible. If Ms. Summers could

    save Mr. Shea¡­¡®

    ¡°Jenny, shut up,¡± Andrew whispered. ¡°Ms. Summers might not be able to heal me either.¡±

    Beyond Willow Lane, the asphalt roady deste. Biting windsshed, rain beat down harder, and the night deepened the cold.

    Nina pushed herself toward the alley. Inside, she felt a turmoil¨Csomething churning and searing her stomach.

    She knew it must have been because of that cup of coffee. ¡°The Evans family¡­¡± she growled, her eyes zing with pure

    hatred.

    Her lips went pale, her vision blurred, and finally, she copsed with a thud. Before losing consciousness, she caught glimpses of her grandmother and father. ¡®Sorry¡­ I couldn¡¯t avenge you<b>,</b>¡® she muttered in her mind.

    ¡°I can cure it,¡± Olivia said, her fingers absently drumming on the desk as she stared straight at Andrew. ¡°I can cure your

    illness.¡±

    She thought, ¡®Where the gods fail to heal his illness, Phantom Healer can. People in Hirica are saying that Phantom Healer can save someone even after the doctors give up.¡®

    Shock flickered in Andrew¡¯s eyes, He hadn¡¯t expected Olivia to say that.

    21:53 Sat, <b>30 </b><b>Aug </b>( ¨‹ W*

    ¡°Really?¡± Jenny sprang to her feet, bursting with excitement. ¡°So Andrew can be cured, right<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Olivia nodded in acknowledgement.

    <b>¡°</b>Ms. Summers, if you can cure Mr. Shea, you¡¯ll be¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s voice cracked with excitement, and his eyes shone <b>with </b>gratitude as he looked at Olivia¨Conly to stall mid¨Csentence.

    ¡®What should I say? The Shea family¡¯s savior? But we can¡¯t blow our cover. The future Mrs. Shea? Mr. Shea will kill me for suggesting that.¡® Ethan racked his brains, but couldn¡¯te up with a single good exnation.

    ¡°Who said I was nning to cure him?¡± Olivia eyed Ethan with amusement, her voice light and careless. ¡°I just think his illness is interesting.¡±

    Jenny¡¯s eyes instantly welled up with tears. ¡°You really can¡¯t save Andrew?¡± she pleaded, voice trembling.

    Olivia gently smoothed her hair. ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t,¡± she said softly. ¡°It¡¯s that I won¡¯t.¡±

    Then she lifted her gaze to Andrew. ¡°Your clothes make it obvious your family has wealth and power. Well, I happen to dislike treating privileged snobs like you. Besides¡­¡±

    ¡°Besides, your visit fee won¡¯t be cheap,¡± Andrew cut in with a dry chuckle. ¡°But like you said, I¡¯m filthy rich. Name your

    price.¡±

    The moment Sean heard ¡°rich,¡± he dropped his chicken leg, spun to Olivia like a top, and blinked hard like he was saying, ¡°Say yes. And charge thirty thousand per visit.¡±

    Seeing his dor¨Csign eyes, Olivia shook her head.

    ¡°Smart man,¡± she said, arms folded, eyes bright. ¡°If I save you, the fee is only part of it¡­¡±

    Olivia paused mid¨Csentence and moved in close to Andrew¨Cso close that she could smell the herbal scent on him. ¡°You must do exactly what I say,¡± she whispered in his ear, eyes gleaming with mischief.

    Andrew¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed twice. He murmured softly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Olivia stepped back, caught Sean sneaking a bite. ¡°Quit coffee first. Sleep is part of the cure,¡± she said. With that, she towed Sean away, yanking the chicken leg from his mouth. If they werete at home, Grace would worry.

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 Blizzard 41

    Chapter 41.

    ¡°Ethan, walk Ms. Summers out.¡± Andrew murmured in a low andzy tone, eyes shut, expression deep and mysterious, a

    faint <b>smile </b>ying on his lips.

    Ethan nodded, wiped his mouth, and stood to escort Olivia and Sean. ¡°No need,¡± Olivia said, waved dismissively, and

    walked off.

    After the two left, Ethan moved close to Andrew, expression serious. ¡°Mr. Shea, it seems you forgot something.¡±

    Andrew nced sideways at him, silent.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t get Ms. Summers¡¯s number. How are we supposed to set up her next appointment?¡± Ethan continued.

    Andrew¡¯s half¨Cshut eyes snapped open, a sharp re shooting straight at Ethan. Ethan froze<i>. </i>

    He quickly said, ¡°My bad. I¡¯ll go ask Ms. Summers for it now.¡±

    ¡°By the time you remember, pigs might fly,¡± Jenny snorted, pulling out her watch to show a string of numbers. ¡°Lucky I¡¯ve

    got it.¡±

    Ethan thanked Jenny gratefully, pulling out his phone to save the number. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Andrew said, nudging Ethan

    aside as he saved it himself.

    Even Jenny was dumbfounded, not just Ethan. What made the scene so eerie? The aloof head of the Shea family, who never spared anyone a second nce, was meticulously a girl¡¯s number after only a few meetings.

    Ethan struggled to hold it in, stifling augh. ¡®Mr. Shea, isn¡¯t it your habit to stay away from women?¡± he asked in his mind.

    Olivia had walked a good distance when she instinctively nced back. Andrew stood tall and graceful in the shadows,

    radiating an air of mystery.

    Though he took daily medication, he didn¡¯t have a gloomy air; instead, he seemedid¨Cback, as if he¡¯d let go of everything and no one in the world mattered to him. His illness was peculiar, yet intriguing.

    Sean patted her shoulder, puffing out his cheeks. ¡°You¡­ save him?¡±

    Olivia knew he was asking if she wanted to save Andrew.

    ¡°Yep. Why turn down the cash?¡± Olivia smiled, her eyes crinkling as her delicate features glowed. ¡°Someone so handsome

    -it¡¯d be a shame to lose him.¡±

    At the Evans residence, Natalie smashed everything on the table, shaking her head in disbelief after waking from her long. faint. ¡°My hands! How can I not be a doctor? You¡¯re all lying to me,¡± she screamed.

    Rowan sobbed as she tried to stop Natalie. ¡°Natalie, stop this, You¡¯re scaring me. Don¡¯t worry. Your life won¡¯t be ruined. Henry promised to take you to the party held by the Sheas. You¡¯ll find a good husband and live a good life.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s that woman! She did this to me,¡± Natalie yelled like crazy, clutching her head. ¡°I won¡¯t get married. You guys are

    4 harlor 21

    Just using me as a pawn to marry me off to some family)

    Rowan¡¯s tome softened. ¡°But what else can you do if you don¡¯t marry? Listen to me. Just stop-

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Natalie cut her off fiercely. ¡°That thug was definitely sent by her. I won¡¯t let her get away with this. I¡¯ll definitely make her pay.¡±

    Seeing she couldn¡¯t change Natalie¡¯s mind, Rowan sighed and closed the door behind her.

    Just then, Natalie got an anonymous text. Curious, she opened it; after reading, a wicked grin spread across her face ¡°You damned fraud, you¡¯re done for. Just you wait,¡± she yelled.

    Olivia strolled leisurely down the street, her gaze deep like a pool. She pressed her lips together. ¡®Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting, she replied to Natalie in her mind.

    After Sean beat Natalie, he slipped the newly developed bug onto her, hiding it where she couldn¡¯t see, to track her movements. ¡®Know your enemy and know yourself, and you won¡¯t lose a fight,¡® Olivia thought.

    The Evans family was just a pack of greedy jackals, running wild and bleeding the people dry to line their own pockets.

    Olivia wasn¡¯t short on money and sneered at their ill¨Cgotten gains. But she wouldn¡¯t stand for themon folks¡® cash ending up in the hands of the Evanses. Whatever they¡¯d gobbled up, they¡¯d have to spit back out.

    As Olivia stepped into the alley, she caught the metallic tang of blood hanging in the air. Her eyes sharpened as she swept

    the narrowne.

    ¡°Over there¡­¡± Sean pointed ahead; a figurey half¨Cprone in the gloom.

    Olivia moved closer to check the person. ¡°Nina?¡± Surprise flickered in her eyes and then vanished as quickly as it came.

    ¡°Sean, give me a hand,¡± Olivia said.

    Once at Willow Lane, Seany Nina down on the bed. Her skin was ashen, lips bloodless, a cold sweat beading on her forehead; faint tremors ran through her limbs.

    The overheadmp red on, and Sean stood ready with supplies in hand.

    Olivia pressed her fingers to Nina¡¯s pulse, brow knitting. Nina¡¯s breathing faltered, blood pressure plummeted¨Cthe poison was lethal. If she didn¡¯t make it through the night, she¡¯d be brain¨Cdamaged for life, even if savedter.

    ¡°It¡¯s acute poison,¡± Oliviamanded with icy calm. ¡°Get the operating room sterile and bring the long needle.

    ¡°Also, brew a remedy with phoebe wood and red dates. Mix in crushed locust honey and peri leaves, then dust it with golden lotus powder.¡±

    Without pause, Olivia climbed onto the bed, undid Nina¡¯s clothes, and began CPR with rhythmicpressions. If it had been a slow¨Cacting poison, she¡¯d have given the antidote step by step. But with acute poison, she had to save Nina¡¯s life

    first.

    <b>Sean </b>rolled up his sleeves, pushed the bed forward, and rushed into the operating room.

    <b>In </b>the operating room, Olivia slipped into her surgical gown, cap<b>, </b>and mask, leaving only her eyes visible. <b>Once </b><b>everything </b>was set, she gave a quick nod to Sean. ¡°Begin.¡±

    The poison raced through Nina¡¯s body, and if it reached her heart, she¡¯d be gone. Olivia had to pinpoint the poison¡¯s <b>path </b>and stop it, but the toxin twisted unpredictably. With Nina weakened by long¨Cterm malnutrition, any slip could have

    serious consequences.

    ¡°Overhead light,¡± Olivia murmured, finding the poison¡¯s trail. Sean knew nothing about medicine, but the tension snapped his spine straight.

    If it had been anyter, even the best doctor in the world couldn¡¯t have saved Nina. Olivia took the long needle, carefully avoided blood vessels, and inserted it at the eyebrow point, which was near the life gate point.

    Sean watched from the side, sweating, while Olivia¡¯s hands remained steady without a tremor. Throughout the process, her expression stayed calm and undisturbed as if it were just a minor surgery.

    Then Oliviaid her palm on Nina¡¯s lower abdomen and pressed in slow, counter¨Cclockwise circles. Nina winced in pain and vomited a spurt of dark blood. Slowly, color returned to her face.

    Her mind cleared bit by bit, and her vision sharpened. When she saw Olivia before her, her eyes widened slightly, and she whispered weakly, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    AD

 Blizzard 42

    <b>Chapter </b><b>42 </b>

    Seeing Nina had regained consciousness, Olivia leaned in close and said gently, ¡°You¡¯re still very weak. <b>Save </b><b>your </b><b>energy </b>We¡¯ll talk once you¡¯ve recovered.¡±

    After that, Olivia gave her the herbal drink that Sean had brought.

    Nina swallowed instinctively, feeling the burning in her body fade away. As the medicine took hold, warmth spread through her, and her tiredness vanished. She thought, ¡®Thisdy is truly a remarkable healer.¡®

    Once she¡¯d finished, Olivia took a call from David. ¡°Ms. Summers, Mr. Summers has woken up and would like to see you. When might you be free?¡±

    Olivia stretchedzily and let out a deep yawn. ¡°After I wake up,¡± she murmured. The day had worn her out. She needed <b>a </b>good sleep.

    ¡°All right. When should we meet? I¡¯ll have someone pick you up. How about tomorrow at one-¡± David¡¯s words were cut

    off as the call disconnected.

    Charles sat on the sofa, his brow furrowed, eyes icy cold and piercing. ¡°So what¡¯s her answer?¡± he asked.

    Feeling much pressure, David forced himself to say, ¡°Ms. Summers wille tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Charles stared thoughtfully at David, eyes sharp and watchful. He pressed his lips together and added, ¡°Since my grandfather¡¯s fine this time, I¡¯ll let it go. But if it happens again, you know what happens.¡±

    David nodded frantically and dashed out. He wondered, ¡®Mr. Charles Summers looks refined and cultured on the surface,

    but he¡¯s ruthless and cunning underneath, with top¨Cnotch business skills.

    ¡®At only 28, he¡¯s climbed to vice president of the International Chamber of Commerce, overseeing a global empire. Not one

    of the Summers heirs is ordinary.¡®

    1

    The next freezing day at the high¨Cend sanatorium in Hirica, Olivia bundled herself up in a long ck down coat and stepped inside with a thermos bottle. Outside SVIP room 2102, she caught a heartyugh, sounding nothing like someone who¡¯d just been revived.

    Samuel said, ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to thank her properly when she shows up.¡±

    Olivia knocked politely and walked in.

    Samuel, on the bed, had a weathered face etched with wrinkles. His hair, meticulouslybed, still showed silver threads. A warm smile graced his face, but his deep eyes held a quiet sadness. He carried a subtle air of authority that felt

    oppressive.

    Besides Samuel, a young man was present. He sat on the sofa, tablet in hand, gaze sharp and deep. Sunlight streamed through the window, lending him an air of quiet elegance.

    As Olivia walked in, he nced up with a faint smile that somehow put her on edge.

    <b>¡°</b><b>So </b><b>you </b>must be Ms. Summers, the one who saved Grandpa<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>Charles rose, stepped toward <b>Olivia</b>, and offered his hand. <b>¡°</b>Thank you on behalf of the Summers family. You¡¯re our family¡¯s savior.¡±

    Olivia reached out and shook his hand briefly. ¡°It was only natural. Saving lives is what doctors do.¡±

    Olivia moved closer to Samuel, poured the soup from the thermos into a bowl, and smiled, ¡°This medicine is made <b>from </b>poria, codonopsis, atractylodes, and licorice. It boosts people¡¯s energy, aids digestion, and eases fatigue¨Cjust what <b>you </b>need to recover after such major surgery.¡±

    Samuel smiled warmly, but he froze the moment he got a clear look at Olivia. He thought, ¡®Why? She looks just like Ivy <b>did </b><b>as </b><b>a </b>child. And she carries the Summers name.

    ¡®If I hadn¡¯t left Kingtonelle back then to handle the border crisis, Ivy wouldn¡¯t have vanished. It¡¯s my fault for her disappearance.¡®

    ¡°You¡­¡± Samuel blurted out, his voice trembling with emotion. ¡°Pardon me for asking, but do you have siblings? Are you rted to your family by blood? Or¡­¡±

    He broke into a harsh cough, yet kept his eyes locked on Olivia, filled with anticipation.

    Seeing his normally steady grandfather so excited, Charles began to suspect something. He studied Olivia again, sensing a vague familiarity about her.

    Olivia set the herbal brew down, her eyes gleaming slightly. ¡°I grew up in Magnolia Town. Then, when things happened, I

    ended up at Sunrise Orphanage. After that, I settled in Hirica.¡±

    Olivia smiled and lowered her head. ¡°When ites to family, only the director Grace truly feels like family.¡±

    Of course, Olivia considered Sean family, too. For some reason, Olivia felt she could tell Samuel anything from the moment they met. But she skipped her rtionship with the Sherman family. That painful memory wasn¡¯t worth bringing

    up again.

    Samuel sensed the answer but couldn¡¯t ept it, so he pressed on. ¡°Do you remember your parents? What were their

    names? Where did they live? And who told you your surname?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± Olivia shook her head. Her childhood memories had faded to a blur. It wasn¡¯t until after she escaped Magnolia Town that things cleared up; anything before that was just a nk.

    As for her surname Summers, the Sherman family was the one who told her. Grace added that when she ran from Magnolia Town<b>, </b>she kept mumbling ¡°Summers,¡± fingers curled around a pendant carved with ¡°Summers.¡±

    Later, Olivia came down with a bad illness and lost all her memories.

    ¡°Grace told me,¡± replied Olivia.

    The light faded from Samuel¡¯s eyes. Tears glistened as he let out a wry chuckle. ¡°Must be my old age. Seeing a pretty girl and mistaking her for my own granddaughter¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Summers,¡± Olivia reassured him gently. ¡°Your granddaughter wille back.¡±

    Samuel nodded firmly, his eyes shining with gratitude as he looked at Olivia. ¡°Yes, she will,¡± he said. Deep down, he added,

    21153 Sat 30 AUT-

    <b>¡®</b><b>She </b>had always been so obedient and well¨Cbehaved<b>, </b>ever since she was a child. <b>She¡¯d </b>never <b>dream </b>of leaving <b>me </b>

    Charles felt touched too, but then a sudden unease came over him. He wondered, ¡®Few people know we are <b>searching </b><b>for </b>Ivy<b>, </b><b>so </b>how in the world did this girl find out?¡®

    <b>¡°</b>Ms. Summers, how did you know our family is searching for someone?¡± Charles asked, his gaze wary as he studied <b>her</b>.

    ¡°The fact that I know shows just how bad your secret¨Ckeeping is,¡± Olivia murmured softly, her eyes flicking open. Her <b>voice </b>was cold and clear.

    She added, ¡°The Shea family¡¯s hunting for a doctor, and the Summers family¡¯s looking for ady. Such news is all over Hirica. No wonder I heard about it.¡±

    ¡°You might as well check if your people can keep their mouths shut,¡± Olivia reminded Charles, her tone tinged with defiance. ¡°Making such a fuss isn¡¯t the Summers family¡¯s style.¡±

    Such reckless words would have gotten Charles to kill someone ten times over on any normal day, but for Olivia, he had an unexined patience. He listened to every word she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. You¡¯re one of us, Ms. Summers,¡± Samuel said and looked at Olivia fondly. Then he nced sideways at Charles and demanded, ¡°Get your people under control.¡±

    AD

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Blizzard 43

    <b>Chapter </b><b>43 </b>

    Charles <b>gave </b>a nod and stepped out to make a call.

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this a surprise, Ms. Summers!¡± A low, amused voice came from the doorway. Andrew stood there, tall and rxed, his eyes half lidded withzy charm.

    He didn¡¯t seem the least bit surprised to see Olivia here. Leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, he watched her, one foot casually propped against the other.

    ¡°Andrew, you know Olivia?¡± Samuel sounded intrigued. He found it unusual, since Andrew wasn¡¯t known for mingling with women.

    ¡°We¡¯re not close,¡± Olivia said coolly.

    ¡°We know each other¨Cquite well.¡± Andrew tilted his head at her voice, giving her a teasing smirk. ¡°She¡¯s my only hope for a cure.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Shea, I never agreed to treat you,¡± Olivia said, propping her chin on her hand as she met his eyes. ¡°Who knew you¡¯d be so bold?¡±

    ¡°A man¡¯s got to do what he can to survive,¡± Andrew replied, nodding sagely. ¡°I even gave up coffee for you. That means you¡¯re responsible for me now.

    Olivia ignored him as she poured the medicine, though a faint smirk tugged at her lips. She didn¡¯t expect this spoiled rich boy to be so obedient.

    In traditional medicine, nothing frustrated a healer more than a patient who wouldn¡¯t listen. The stricter the warning, the harder they¡¯d resist¨Cuntil even the simplest cure slipped out of reach.

    Samuel frowned, baffled by the odd tension between them. ¡°Since when do you follow orders so well?<b>¡± </b>he asked Andrew.

    ¡°Samuel, my very life depends on her,¡± Andrew said, stepping closer to the bed. ¡°I¡¯d be a fool to disobey.¡±

    Samuel couldn¡¯t tell how much of that was sincere.

    Andrew was ruthless and calcting, yet he got along too well with Samuel¡¯s own grandson. Together, they were nothing but trouble, and Samuel wasn¡¯t about to let his guard down.

    ¡°So why are you really here?¡± Samuel moved protectively in front of Olivia, his voice sharp. ¡°Not to poach my doctor, I hope.¡±

    ¡°Andrew, haven¡¯t <i>you </i>learned to respect your elders?<b>¡± </b>Samuel tapped his cane threateningly against Andrew¡¯s shin, ¡°I¡¯m clearly the sicker one here. You¡¯ll have to wait for your turn.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s chest shook with silentughter before he held up his/hands in surrender. ¡°Rx. I wouldn¡¯t dream of stealing your physician, Samuel.¡±

    ¡°Then why darken my doorway?¡± Samuel¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Years had taught him that Andrew never visited without causing trouble.

    Andrew¡¯s gaze slid to Olivia, the unspoken words hanging heavy between them.

    Olivia needed no further hint. ¡°The herbal soup needs reheating,¡± she announced, already moving toward the door.

    Samuel¡¯s stern expression warmed as he watched he go.

    The door hadn¡¯t fully closed before Samuel¡¯s face hardened again. ¡°Get on with it, boy.¡±

    Andrew settled on the bed¡¯s edge, smoothing his sleeves. ¡°I¡¯m here to break the engagement.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s blood boiled. He nearly shattered his cane imagining Andrew daring to reject his precious granddaughter.

    They¡¯d been inseparable as children¨Cso close that their families had arranged the match.

    After Ivy disappeared, <b>the </b>engagement meant nothing anymore. Women chased after Andrew constantly, but to Samuel¡¯s surprise, <b>the </b><b>young </b>man <b>kept </b>

    07:19 Tue, 2 Sept

    OA

    89%

    refusing them all, always iming he was promised to Ivy.

    Samuel had always considered Andrew morally deficient, but the boy¡¯s striking looks and considerable wealth at least made him a viable candidate. For years, Samuel had upheld the engagement as a temporary arrangement¨Cone that could be easily voided once ivy returned.

    Andrew daring to reject the arrangement first was an insult that struck at the very heart of Samuel¡¯s authority.

    ¡°Andrew!¡± Samuel swung his cane with a sharp whoosh. ¡°You dare call off the engagement with my precious granddaughter? Name one reason she isn¡¯t

    worthy.¡±

    Andrew dodged effortlessly, rubbing his temples. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m not meant for marriage, and you know my health. Why condemn Ms. Summers to that fate? She¡¯s too good for me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Samuel grunted, his anger fading. A sharp intelligence shed in his eyes as he gathered his thoughts. ¡°There are two conditions for canceling the engagement: your grandfather muste speak with me personally, and you must apologize to Ivy in person.¡±

    The message was in¨CAndrew¡¯s grandfather had to be part of this, and finding Ivy was now his duty.

    ¡°Understood.¡± Andrew lowered his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll have Tony and the others begin the search at once.¡± Finding Ivy immediately became his priority¨Conly then could he be free of this engagement.

    Their discussion ended as Olivia entered carrying a thermos.

    Samuel¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Olivia, my dear. You¡¯ve saved my life and now bring my medicine too.¡±

    Samuel found himself strangelyfortable with Olivia. David had mentioned she was special, and Samuel could see why¨Cshe practiced medicine with absolute dedication, neverpromising her principles. This was exactly what made a truly great doctor for the people.

    Her transparent honesty showed in those clear eyes. Despite being fully aware of their powerful social standing, she never sought to profit from having saved them¨Ca quality Samuel found extraordinarily rare.

    After surviving decades in the cutthroat business world, Samuel believed he¡¯d encountered every kind of person imaginable. Yet Olivia¡¯s authenticity struck him as genuinely different. To his own surprise, he not only admired her but also became convinced she was meant for extraordinary achievements.

    ¡°Drink this while it¡¯s warm,¡± Olivia said, handing him the steaming soup. Her voice remained calm and even as she added, ¡°It should relieve that tightness in <i>your </i>chest.¡±

    Samuel initially dismissed the idea asforting nonsense, doubting that mere soup could have any real medicinal effect.

    But with each sip, a soothing warmth spread through his body, slowly easing his pain. When he finished the bowl, the heavy pressure in his chest vanishedpletely, and for the first time in days, he could breathe easily.

    He tested his arm in wonder. Strangely, he felt stronger after his illness than before. ¡®David wasn¡¯t exaggerating,¡® he thought. ¡®Olivia works miracles.

    Andrew observed the scene with quiet amusement, clearly familiar with her extraordinary skills.

    ¡°The herbal soup is part of your treatment,¡± Olivia said, securing the thermos lid. ¡°For the next few days, stick to simple meals¨Cabsolutely no seafood.¡± She met his eyes with quiet authority. ¡°And I¡¯ll need you to avoid strong coffeepletely.¡±

    A flush spread across Samuel¡¯s face. Coffee was his one indulgence, and Andrew¡¯s premium beans had been impossible to refuse.

    He hadn¡¯t expected a young woman to call him out like this. <i>Now</i>, being scolded like a careless child left him torn between embarrassment and reluctant

    admiration.

    When David hurried in, he found his formidable boss sitting meekly on the bed, taking instructions from Olivia, while Andrew merely watched, offering

    no rescue.

 Blizzard 44

    <b>Chapter </b><b>44 </b>

    ¡°Ms. Summers, how did you get in here? I was waiting to escort you,¡± David gasped, catching his breath. ¡°Leven thought you¡¯d gotten lost.¡±

    ¡°Took the back way,¡± Olivia said calmly. ¡°Main entrance was mobbed.¡±

    News of Samuel¡¯s transfer had sparked a media circus. Reporters clustered at the front gates like vultures waiting for scraps.

    ¡°I should¡¯ve thought of that,¡± David admitted, scratching his head before pulling a card from his pocket. ¡°From Mr. Summers. It¡¯s his personal thanks.¡±

    Samuel nodded vigorously.

    ¡°No need.¡± Olivia stepped back, refusing the card. ¡°One thousand was my fee. I don¡¯t take what I haven¡¯t earned.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s eyes gleamed with approval. Putting on his sternest face, he pressed, ¡°Call it 1.5 million<b>. </b>It¡¯s trivial. Just take it.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the gesture, Mr. Summers<b>, </b>but you don¡¯t have to.¡± Olivia¡¯s smile was polite yet unyielding. <b>¡°</b>It¡¯s about professional integrity.¡±

    When Olivia stood her ground, Samuel could only concede defeat.

    Andrew¡¯s amused expression froze as he watched her.

    Jenny¡¯s description came back to him¨COlivia¡¯s tiny home in that forgotten alley, the elderly woman she cared for, and the teenage boy who could devour a week¡¯s groceries in a single meal. Yet here she was<b>, </b>turning down easy money.

    ¡°Take it as payment then,¡± Andrew countered, arching an eyebrow. ¡°At 150,000 per session, this card covers ten. Does that meet your professional standards?<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Fine.¡± Olivia epted the card without further argument. Practicality outweighed pride.

    ¡°We¡¯ll renegotiate after ten,¡± she added, matching his raised brow. ¡°And we¡¯re counting yesterday as session one. Is that okay?¡±

    Andrew took a slow sip of coffee, his expression inscrutable. ¡°I¡¯ll agree to whatever you say,¡± he replied smoothly.

    Olivia packed away the thermos, considering. <b>¡°</b>Come by when you¡¯re free then. I¡¯ll send you the address.¡± She pulled out her phone. ¡°What¡¯s your number?¡±

    Andrew cleared his throat, his ears turning faintly pink. ¡°Actually, Valready have your number.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise before she nodded. ¡°Then add me on WhatsApp. Same number.¡± With that, she said goodbye to Samuel and left, leaving David utterly perplexed and Samuel scowling at Andrew¡¯s unfair advantage.

    David stood frozen, trying to piece together what he¡¯d missed during his absence. Samuel¡¯s envious re at Andrew spoke volumes¨Che wanted to be

    added to Olivia¡¯s contacts as well

    ¡°How did you get her number?¡± Samuel asked sharply.

    ¡°Got lucky,¡± Andrew replied with a shrug, silently thanking his sister.

    Samuel turned away from Andrew, his gaze following Olivia¡¯s retreating figure through the window. ¡°Our Ivy would be about her age now,¡± he murmured.

    <b>Just </b>then, Charles burst through the door. ¡°We¡¯ll find Ivy, Grandpa,¡± he said, his voice catching when he mentioned his sister. ¡°The trail leads to Magnolia Town. I¡¯m dispatching another search team immediately.¡±

    Samuel gave a terse nod, his brow furrowed, Magnolia Town? Olivia mentioned that ce recently. Could she possibly know <b>something </b><b>about </b><b>Ivy¡¯s </b>disappearance?¡® he wondered.

    ¡°Charles,¡± Samuel said after a moment¡¯s consideration, ¡°while you¡¯re at it, look into Olivia¡¯s <b>past </b>as well, I want <b>to </b><b>know </b><b>where </b><b>she¡¯s </b>been <b>and </b>who <b>she </b>

    <b>07:19 </b><b>Tue</b>, 2 Sept

    <b>knows</b>.¡±

    Though Olivia¡¯s story didn¡¯t align with Ivy¡¯s, some instinct told him the two women were connected in ways he couldn¡¯t yet tee

    <b>¡°</b>Got it.¡± Charles didn¡¯t question the order. When his grandfather spoke, he just obeyed.

    The strange familiarity in Olivia¡¯s manner made him smile despite himself. For one foolish moment, he imagined she might actually ise his forg

    sister.

    Morning light filled the window. Cheryl allowed herself a small smile as she read the message.

    Natalie: [I don¡¯t know who you are, but your information saved me. Thank you.<b>] </b>

    Cheryl was pleased to see Natalie proving so useful. Having read the book, she knew the Phantom Healer¡¯s identity was never revealed, which meant could designate anyone for the role.

    Lately, Cheryl had noticed the story¡¯s plot drifting off track. Worse still, her ¡°parents¡± from Magnolia Town wouldn¡¯t stop hounding her for money- something she couldn¡¯t spare, not when she¡¯d barely settled back into the Sherman family.

    ¡°Nydia, when are you sending the money?¡± The voice on the phone turned¨Curgent. ¡°They¡¯re closing <b>in </b>on our operation. Pay us now so we can disappear Remember your promise¨Cyou said you¡¯d support us after we sent you back. Don¡¯t break your word <i>now</i>.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>Is </b>money all you care about?¡± Cheryl snapped, and then her eyes gleamed with an idea. ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you say there¡¯s <b>a </b>fifteen¨Cthousand<b>¨C</b>dor bounty for delivering the right kind of girl<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Gina Johnson<b>, </b>Cheryl¡¯s so¨Ccalled mother, said with a dismissive wave. ¡°Our agent pays based on quality. The better the girl, the <b>higher </b>the price, with no upper limit.

    ¡°You turned this down before for what? That useless college degree? You¡¯ll ve away for years after graduation and still not make <b>what </b>you could in one year doing this.¡± Her voice grew louder, thick with excitement.

    ¡°Actually, the town head wants a son,¡± Gina added, ¡°He¡¯s looking for the right woman. Why don¡¯t you go? You¡¯re beautiful, intelligent, and our families are close. He¡¯d pay at least 30,000 for someone like you.¡±

    Cheryl bit back her anger and forced a smile. ¡°Mom, I know someone even prettier. With her looks<b>, </b>you¡¯ll make way more.¡±

    ¡°How much are we talking?¡± Gina asked, feigning disinterest.

    ¡°At least a hundred grand,¡± Cheryl replied coolly. ¡°And I¡¯ll give you another thirty thousand when it¡¯s done.¡±

    Gina perked up at that. ¡°Seriously? <i>Who¡¯s </i>the mark? That kind of money would cover Bobby¡¯s wedding. Hell, Nydia, you¡¯re a godsend!¡±

    ¡°Olivia. You¡¯ve seen her before.¡± Cheryl¡¯s eyes darkened, a cold edge creeping into her voice. ¡°She¡¯s the one who torched Magnolia Town and walked away scot¨Cfree.¡±

    ¡°That little bitch!¡± Gina¡¯s teeth clenched. ¡°<i>How </i>the hell do you even know her?¡±

    ¡°Turns out she¡¯s the Shermans¡® adopted daughter,¡± Cheryl said, her fingers digging into her palms.

    Cheryl burned with anger at Olivia, who¡¯d stolen the life meant for her and the future she deserved. She had no doubt about one thing¨Cto <b>take </b><b>back </b><b>what </b>was rightfully hers in this story, Olivia needed to be removed.

    <b>Gina </b>hesitated. ¡°The Shermans¡® foster kid¡­ That¡¯s ying with fire.¡±

    ¡°No,<b>¡± </b>Cheryl said coldly. ¡°The Shermans disowned her. As far as they¡¯re concerned, I¡¯m their only daughter now.

    <b>¡°</b>When we threw <b>her </b><b>out</b><b>, </b><b>I </b>made <b>sure </b>she believed her real family was <b>the </b><b>Summerses</b><b>. </b><b>I </b><b>even </b><b>gave </b><b>her </b><b>your </b><b>details. </b><b>Just </b>tell <b>her </b><b>you¡¯re </b>her <b>parents</b><b>, </b>and

    312

    she¡¯ll go with you without suspecting anything¡±

 Blizzard 45

    Cheryl had nned this carefully¨Cforging documents and having the butler slip them to Olivia. Everything had led to this moment.

    Gina bit her lip. ¡°But¡­ what if someone finds out?¡±

    ¡°Do you want a wedding for your son or not?¡± Cheryl snapped. ¡°She¡¯s uneducated and easy to fool. If things go wrong, you can just leave the town

    afterward.¡±

    ¡°Then take us with you,¡± Gina said, her voiceced with greed. ¡°We want to live in the city too.<i>¡± </i>

    Cheryl gritted her teeth. ¡°Deal. After this job, I¡¯ll have someone bring you over.¡±

    Gina¡¯s voice bubbled with excitement through the receiver. ¡°Wonderful. All those years raising you finally pay off. We¡¯ll be there within the week. That girt won¡¯t see iting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sending the photo now,¡± Cheryl said, forwarding the image with a quick tap.

    ¡°Pretty thing. She¡¯llmand a high price,¡± Ginamented.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your word then.¡±

    ¡°Just remember to arrange our transportation into the city,¡± Gina replied brightly.

    Cheryl let out a long, slow breath after hanging up. ¡®Olivia will suffer exactly what I did in that hellish town. Once she sets foot there, she¡¯ll never get out. She¡¯ll disappear, just another broken thing left to wither away in the dirt,¡¯ she thought.

    Afterst night¡¯s surgical shift, Olivia¡¯s body throbbed with exhaustion. She was heading for a much¨Cneeded massage when, at a street corner, she overheard the muffled sounds of an argument.

    ¡°Check it out. H doesn¡¯t talk. What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±

    ¡°Hey, weirdo, you¡¯re ten and not in school? You must be special needs or something.¡±

    ¡°I heard he has <i>no </i>parents, no friends. Guess he was too messed up for anyone to want him.¡±

    A group of second¨Cgraders had Sean backed against the wall<b>, </b>hurling insults. The leader, a heavyset boy in a yellow shirt, pointed at Sean with the half- eaten hot dog in his hand.

    Olivia spotted Sean and immediately tensed up. She¡¯d clearly told him to stay home.

    Sean stood motionless against the wall, taking their abuse without reaction. His cold stare never wavered, but his eyes began shining with something dangerous.

    Olivia recognized the warning signs. If she didn¡¯t stop this now, Sean would demolish these kids.

    Before Olivia could intervene, a little girl in a pink princess dress pushed through the crowd and shielded Sean behind her. ¡°Knock it off!¡± shemanded, <b>and </b>just like that, the bullying stopped.

    The leading boy nted his hands on his hips defiantly. ¡°Who are you supposed to be? My dad¡¯s Nathan Evans. If you mess with me, you¡¯re done for in this city.¡± He stood there grinning, clearly pleased with himself.

    ¡°Is that <b>so</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>Jenny stepped protectively in front of Sean, her small arms spread wide as she fixed the leading <b>boy </b><b>with </b>an icy stare. ¡°When ites to family prestige, the Sheas have never lost to anyone.¡±

    The leading boy¡¯s face paled <b>at </b>the mention <i>of </i>the Shea name. Though he didn¡¯t understand business matters, he¡¯d heard <b>his </b>father and <b>grandfather </b>

    speak of the Shea family often enough to know they were important.

    ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t forget this!¡± The boys who had been bullying Sean suddenly scattered, running off as if the devil were at their heets

    From her spot on the sidewalk, Olivia casually stuck out her long leg, tripping Nathan¡¯s son. The boy went down hard, <b>facs </b>nting on the pavement.

    Olivia¡¯s lips curved in a humorless smile, her eyes full of warning. ¡°Do watch your step, Mr. Evans.¡±

    The boy was ready to explode with anger, but the moment he saw Olivia, he suddenly lost his courage and quickly ran <i>away </i>

    After they left, Sean remained sitting on the ground, staring nkly without moving.

    The air in Hirica was thick with humidity, leaving the ground still wet. Sean¡¯s padded jacket, once clean and bright, was nowpletely covered in

    mud.

    ¡°Get up,¡± Jenny said as she reached down to pull him.

    Sean was still distracted, haunted by their cruel words¨Cthe way they¡¯d said his parents didn¡¯t want him. The idea of parents abandoning their child made no sense to him, but it didn¡¯t matter. Olivia and Grace were all the family he¡¯d ever need.

    ¡°Hey, I said get up.¡± Jenny kept pulling at him, her voice filled with frustration. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? When people bully you, you¡¯re supposed to <b>fight </b>

    back.¡±

    Sean finally looked up at her with confusion. ¡°Fight back?¡± he asked. But Olivia¡¯s warnings echoed in his mind¨Cviolence was wrong, and it would only

    Jenny nted her hands on her hips, putting on her best tough¨Cgirl act. ¡°Yes. My brother promised he¡¯d take care of any problems.

    ¡°So go ahead. If there¡¯s trouble, I¡¯ll handle¡­ I mean<b>, </b>I¡¯ll make sure my brother handles it.¡± She sped her hands behind her back and gave him a sweet, yful smile.

    Olivia chuckled as she walked over. She picked Sean up and checked him over carefully. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re not hurt. What brought you here? I thought you were staying home with Grandma Grace.¡±

    Olivia felt puzzled. While Sean could be absentminded, he never let people walk all over him. His behavior today seemed unusual.

    Sean suddenly remembered why he¡¯de. He began waving his arms urgently. ¡°Grandma Grace¡­ Someone¡­ causing trouble¡­ Our house¡­¡±

    Olivia immediately understood. Someone was causing trouble at her house. Without hesitation, she tightened her hold on Sean and broke into a sprint

    toward home.

    After taking a few quick steps, she turned back to call out to Jenny. ¡°Stay close and go find your brother right now.¡±

    Jenny blinked in confusion<i>, </i>suddenly realizing she¡¯dpletely forgotten why she¡¯d sneaked out in the first ce. ¡®Oh, no! I missed my chance to talk to her again,¡® she thought, stamping her foot in frustration.

    Ethan¡¯s anxious voice came from behind her, ¡°Ms. Shea, where have you run off to this time?¡±

    Olivia moved with quick purpose, <i>stopping </i>just long enough to grab a wooden stick from the corner store before continuing forward, her eyes zing with anger.

    A crowd had gathered outside her home, mostly unfamiliar faces, though she could spot a few curious neighbors watching from the sidelines.

    <b>At </b><b>the </b>front of the crowd, an older man was shouting and pointing angrily at Grace. ¡°You poisoned those children. My son died right after we finalized <b>the </b>adoption. What kind of monster would do such a thing?¡±

    Someone in the crowd muttered, ¡°She really killed someone? But wasn¡¯t she supposed to be some <b>kind </b><b>of </b><b>herbal </b>doctor<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°Who could forget? <b>That </b>orphanage scandal <b>was </b>the biggest <b>story </b>in Hirica for weeks<b>,</b><b>¡± </b>another chimed <b>in</b><b>. </b>

    saw it myself when they carried these p?r bur

    <b>¡°</b>Everyone knows,<b>¡± </b>a third one replied. ¡°That evil director poisoned the orphans. I saw it myself when they carried these per als ont of recher Worst thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>And now she¡¯s living right here with us? That¡¯s just wrong<b>,</b>¡± someone else remarked.

    <b>¡°</b>This is Olivia¡¯s house, right? I can¡¯t believe the one she¡¯s been living with was the murderer!¡± a person gasped.

    Grace stood at the center of the crowd, gripping the wall for support as she turned deathly pale.

    The old man pressed on, ¡°The only reason you¡¯re not in jail is because folks took pity on you for all <i>those </i>years at the orphanage.

 Blizzard 46

    ¡°But you? Living the good life in this nice house with your precious herbs?¡± The old man kicked over the drying racks, sending herbs flying everywhere. ¡°We all know what these are for. Cross the Evans family again, and you¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    The yardy inplete disarray, with dried medicinal herbs scattered across the ground like debris after a storm.

    Grace knelt on the ground collecting herbs, her hands shaking slightly, but her voice steady. ¡°Those are lies,¡± she said without looking up. ¡°You need to leave right now, or I¡¯m calling the police for trespassing.¡±

    The old man ground the herbs into dust under his shoe. ¡°Let me introduce myself properly,¡± he said coldly. ¡°I¡¯m Frank, the head butler of the Evans

    family.

    ¡°That girl you raised got Mr. Evans suspended from his position. His reputation is <i>now </i>in tatters because of her. What do you intend to do about this,

    Grace?¡±

    ¨C

    Grace¡¯s hands stilled as she processed this information. Olivia certainly had medical knowledge, but causing someone¡¯s professional suspension seemed impossible for the girl.

    ¡°Need I remind you that Mr. Evans kept you out of prison years ago?¡± Frank continued. ¡°<i>And </i>this is how you repay that kindness? You¡¯d better keep your

    His threat ended abruptly as his knees hit the dirt with a heavy thump.

    With a sharp strike behind his knees, Olivia¡¯s stick brought the butler crashing down in a humiliating heap before Grace.

    Frank spun around sharply. ¡°How dare you!¡±

    Olivia grabbed his chin and squeezed. ¡°Why not? I¡¯m here to kill you,¡± she said coldly. ¡°The Evans family just can¡¯t take a hint.¡±

    First, some kids had picked on Sean, and now, the Evans family dared to send someone to threaten Grace. They clearly underestimated Olivia.

    ¡°You¡­ you started this with the Evans family!¡± Frank screamed, unable to break free from her grip.

    While keeping him <i>pinned </i>with one hand, Olivia pped him hard with the other.

    ¡°You dare hit me?¡± Frank¡¯s face showedplete shock as he struggled uselessly. ¡°I was sent by the Evans family!¡±

    Without hesitation, Olivia delivered another sharp p to his right cheek. Frank¡¯s face contorted in pain as matching red handprints appeared on both

    sides.

    Olivia¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. ¡°Finished talking?¡± she asked with dangerous calm,

    Frank shrank back in fear, his entire body drenched in cold sweat as he gave a shaky nod.

    Olivia twisted his ear sharply, leaning in until her breath brushed his skin. ¡°I don¡¯t just cure people,¡± she whispered. ¡°I hex them too. Ask Henry about

    that<b>.</b>¡±

    A memory shed through Frank¡¯s mind¨CHenry returning home that night, shaking violently like a man who¡¯d stared into the abyss. Every instinct told him Olivia carried something dark within her.

    Olivia¡¯s voice dropped to a dangerous purr. ¡°Or maybe I should give you a taste of your own medicine,¡± Her eyes turned to ice. ¡°Poison is the Evans <b>family </b>trade, after all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s murder!¡± Frank¡¯s voice broke with <b>fear</b><b>. </b>¡°You¡¯ll end up in prison right beside Grace.¡±

    His mouth went dry as a terrifying realization hit him¨Cin all his <b>sixty </b>years, he¡¯d never seen such cold, murderous eyes<b>, </b>especially not <b>on </b><b>a </b><b>young </b><b>girl</b><b>. </b><b>He </b>was certain that if he made <i>one </i>wrong move now, Olivia would kill him without hesitation.

    07:20 Tue, 2 <b>Sept </b>

    Grace frowned deeply and grabbed Olivia¡¯s wrist. ¡°Let him go now, Olivia.¡±

    Too many people were watching, and Grace knew the Evans family loved creating drama from nothing. With her reputation already ruined, she couldn¡¯t let Olivia¡¯s get destroyed too.

    Olivia kept her face expressionless while increasing the pressure on Frank¡¯s chini, making him yelp in pain. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I know exactly what I¡¯m doing

    she said casually.

    Someone in the crowd shouted, ¡°Let him go. The police will be here any minute.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just got a big mouth,¡± another person said. ¡°An apology should be enough.¡±

    ¡°Right, you can¡¯t actually kill the guy,¡± a third voice added.

    Olivia gave the crowd a freezing look. ¡°If apologies fixed everything, we wouldn¡¯t need police.¡±

    Grace knew Olivia¡¯s temper well enough to fear what she might do. With unsteady hands, she pulled Olivia back while fixing Frank with a cold stare. ¡°<b>Tell </b>me exactly why Henry sent you here.¡±

    She recognized Henry¡¯s usual tactics¨Cthis whole spectacle was either about profit or humiliation.

    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s the Grace we know!¡± Frank struggled to his feet. ¡°Mr. Evans insists on catching up properly. He¡¯ll see you at the party held by the Sheas in ten days.¡±

    The gathered crowd buzzed with murmurs at this announcement.

    ¡°Someone from ourne has connections to the Evans family?¡±

    ¡°Grace is more important than we thought.¡±

    Grace linked arms with Olivia and scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us worth discussing. Tell Henry I won¡¯t be attending.¡±

    Frank smirked. ¡°Mr. Evans knew you¡¯d chicken out. So here¡¯s the deal¨Chand it over now, <b>or </b>we¡¯lle take it.¡± His voice turned nasty. ¡°A fake doctor <b>like </b>you should quit already.¡±

    ¡°The Sheas?¡± Olivia raised one eyebrow with a confident smile. ¡°We¡¯re definitely going.¡±

    ¡°You? No way.¡± Frank looked Olivia up and down with undisguised contempt before bursting intoughter. ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time, girl. No invitation means you¡¯re not getting in. Save your fantasies for bedtime.

    ¡°Only <i>the </i>Evans family gets invites in this city,¡± Frank said, pulling out an invitation and ripping it up. ¡°Mr. Evans was being nice to his old friend, but since you don¡¯t care, just stay home.¡±

    Olivia gave a coldugh. ¡°Tell <i>your </i>boss we¡¯ll see him in ten days.¡± What Frank didn¡¯t realize was that she could get an invitation with a single phone call.

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Frank scoffed, shaking his head as he walked away.

    Frank had mainlye to humiliate Grace and retrieve a certain item. The invitation was just for show¨Cthe Evans family had plenty to spare.

    As the car disappeared, Olivia smiled darkly. She¡¯d make sure people who hurt Grace regretted it.

    Frank barely made it into the car before realizing something was wrong. His jaw had gone ck, drool dripping down his shirt. The numbness terrified him. ¡®That little witch must have done this. But how did she know where to strike?¡® he thought.

    ¡°Drive! Let¡¯s <b>go </b>back,¡± he managed to say through his useless jaw.

    Willow Lane looked like a storm had passed. Sean scared off <b>the </bst spectators with a fierce growl before locking <b>the </b><b>gate</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>peace <b>finally </b><b>returned </b><b>to </b>

    the house.

    Grace sat stiffly in her chair, unable to hide her unease.

    Olivia picked up the fallen herbs and then ced a hand on Grace¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Grandma Grace, tell me what they¡¯re after¡± She knew well that the Evans family wouldn¡¯t send men for something unimportant.¡±

    Grace sighed deeply, her eyes filled with emotion. ¡°It belongs to you, dear.¡±

 Blizzard 47

    <b>Chapter </b><b>47 </b>

    Olivia froze. ¡°Me<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Grace stood and returned momentster with a crystal pendant, cing it in Olivia¡¯s hand.

    The pendant was crafted from pristine crystal, its oval shape fitting neatly in the palm<i>. </i>Cool to the touch, its polished surface seemed to pulse with calming energy. Delicate angel wings were engraved across the front, a ssic symbol of protection and guidance.

    Olivia turned the pendant over and discovered the small ¡°Summers<b>¡± </b>character etched <i>on </i>the back.

    ¡°You were wearing this when we found you near Magnolia Town,¡± Grace said, <i>her </i>eyes <i>clouding </i>with memory. ¡°When you woke, you couldn¡¯t remember

    anything, not even your own name.

    ¡°When I saw <b>this </b>character, and with those olive blossoms outside that morning, I knew Olivia Summers would be your name.¡±

    Olivia rubbed her temples as a headache pulsed behind her eyes. Memories flickered in her mind¨Can old man fastening a crystal pendant around her neck, surrounded by shadowy figures whose faces she couldn¡¯t quite make out.

    ¡°How is any of this connected to the Evans family?¡± Olivia asked.

    Grace¡¯s grip tightened around Olivia¡¯s hand as her face grew solemn. ¡°Here¡¯s what happened. Henry was in Magnolia Town when you escaped. He swore someone stole his family¡¯s priceless crystal pendant. For some reason, he became convinced you had it.

    ¡°When he found out I took you in, he harassed me for years trying <b>to </b>get it back. So I hid it to protect it. All this time they¡¯ve been hunting for me, and now¡­ I don¡¯t know how, but they¡¯ve found us.¡±

    A pang of guilt crossed Grace¡¯s face as she added, ¡°I know you might me me for keeping this from you<b>, </b>Olivia. But this pendant is the only link to your past. I couldn¡¯t risk letting the Evans family take it.¡±

    Olivia felt a lump in her throat. ¡°I could never me you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°You saved me when I had nowhere else <b>to </b>go.¡±

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re grown, this pendant should return to its rightful owner, Grace said as she fastened it around Olivia¡¯s neck with a gentle smile. ¡°They

    the way home.¡± say precious stones remember where they belong. Maybe this one can show you

    She then lovingly stroked Olivia¡¯s hair, her eyes shining with emotion. ¡°After being away for so many years, your family must be worried sick about you.¡±

    Olivia lowered her head obediently and murmured in agreement, though truth be told, she hadn¡¯t given much thought to her family.

    Grace¡¯s expression turned serious as she grasped Olivia¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°You mustn¡¯t go to that party. They¡¯re bad news, every single one of them, and they¡¯re definitely up <i>to </i><i>no </i><i>good</i>. Someone as simple as you would be easy prey for them.¡±

    Sean stopped chewing the stolen herbs when he heard the word ¡°simple.¡± He turned with a skeptical look, because no one would ever describe Olivia that way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going,¡± Olivia said with a sweet smile that made her look every bit the obedient girl. ¡°The Shea family¡¯s party isn¡¯t the kind of event just anyone can attend.¡±

    But in her mind, she knew she had to go. There was no way to bring down the Evans family without being there.

    Grace looked at Olivia with a mix of pride and deep regret.

    <b>With </b>her medical talent, Olivia could be famous in traditional medicine within ten years, But Grace¡¯s terrible reputation would haunt <b>her</b>, making people look down <b><i>on </i></b>Olivia whenever they asked about her teacher.

    ¡®I can¡¯t let my mistakes ruin her future,¡® Grace thought. After <b>a </b>long moment, she sighed and looked <b>at </b>Olivia with <b>affection</b><b>. </b><b>¡°</b><b>You </b><b>can </b>go if <b>you </b><b>want</b><b>, </b><b>but </b><b>be </b>careful <b>to </b>avoid the Evans family. <b>Don¡¯t </b>give them <b>any </b>chance <b>to </b>cause <b>trouble</b>.<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Not a chance,¡± Olivia said. If anything, she¡¯d be the one giving them trouble.

    ¡°The Shea family is the most powerful family in Kingtonelle,¡± Grace exined ¡°This would be a good experience for you, since you¡¯ll need connections when you move there.¡± She hesitated briefly before continuing, ¡°You might even meet that famous Phantom Heater everyone¡¯s talking about

    ¡°Phantom Healer?¡± Oliviaughed, resting her chin in her palm. ¡°Grandma Grace, you¡¯ll always be the one and only Phantom Heater to me

    Grace shook her head with a fond smile. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me. I stick to herbal remedies now. Those acupuncture days are long past¡±

    Olivia felt a pang of sadness watching Grace like this.

    Grace had practiced medicine for years, working her way up from a rural healer to be the famous ¡°Phantom Healer.¡± But at the peak of her career, she was used of poisoning children at an orphanage, with what seemed like solid evidence.

    Olivia refused to believe the usations. She knew Grace would never harm children¨Cthis was clearly someone¡¯s vicious scheme against her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about those old stories anymore,¡± Grace said as she stood up with the herbs. ¡°Just be careful when you¡¯re there. My closest friend¡¯s grandson will go with you, so you¡¯ll havepany and I won¡¯t worry as much.¡±

    Olivia stayed silent, her gaze fixed in the distance, showing nothing unusual.

    Only Sean realized the truth¨Cthe Evans family was about to meet their downfall.

    Back at the Evans residence, Henry¡¯s face clouded over at the news. ¡°Grace actually said that? After hiding all these years, she actually thought she could keep what¡¯s ours by staying out of sight.¡±

    Nathan massaged his father¡¯s legs as he spoke. ¡°We should just send someone to take it back. Why bother with all theseplicated ns?¡±

    Henry rolled his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Grace is too alert and too skilled. No ordinary person could get within five feet of her.¡±

    He clenched his fists as he continued, ¡°I also want it back immediately. The whole point was <b>to </b>trick her out of her house so we could search it. Now that n has failed.¡±

    Nathan nodded thoughtfully and turned to the butler. ¡°Frank, give me that invitation we prepared. If they won¡¯te, we¡¯ll just keep it ourselves.¡±

    Frank shifted ufortably, wiping his wrinkled hands on his coat/ ¡°Mr. Evans, about that invitation¡­¡±

    Henry stroked his beard, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Just out with it, Frank.¡±

    Frank¡¯s eyes darted sideways before he let out a tired sigh. ¡°Mr. Evans, you wouldn¡¯t believe how disrespectful Grace¡¯s adopted kid was. When I handed her the invitation, she tore it up in front of me and even spat out some nonsense about¡­¡±

    ¡°What nonsense?¡± Nathan¡¯s jaw tightened.

    ¡°She said she¡¯d never ept anything from the Evans family,¡± Frank replied, his voice shaking.

    ¡°How dare she!¡± Nathan¡¯s face flushed with anger. ¡°Who does she think she is? Insulting us?¡±

    Unlike his <i>furious </i>son, Henry stayed calm. ¡°Control your temper, Nathan. She¡¯s just a child¨Cno threat to us.<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Father<b>,</b>¡± Nathan hissed, leaning closer, ¡°those were invitations from the Shea family. You know what it cost us to get them.¡±

    Each invitation meant one entry. Now they were short a spot.

    After a pause, Henry let <b>out </b><b>a </b>sigh. ¡°Then William¡¯s family loses a seat.¡± They were only distant <b>rtives </b><b>of </b>the Evans family<b>, </b><b>so their </b><b>absence </b><b>wouldn¡¯t </b>

    matter much.

 Blizzard 48

    Besides, Henry observed that among the Sherman family, Cheryl was the only truly sensible one.

    87%·Û

    Olivia was just settling into bed after her nightly milk when the phone rang. Andrew¡¯s name shed on the screen

    ¡°This better be life¨Cor¨Cdeath,¡± she growled into the phone.

    On the other end, Andrew asked in a teasing tone, ¡°Were you asleep?¡±

    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Olivia rubbed her forehead and sighed. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Andrew¡¯s voice became serious. ¡°Are you free tomorrow? I need to make an appointment.¡±

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Olivia agreed. ¡°Alright. Next time, just send a text.¡±

    ¡°A phone call is more formal,¡± Andrew replied, his voice taking on a suggestive tone. ¡°Good night, Ms. Summers.¡±

    Andrew stood by the window after hanging up, his gaze lingering on the phone number. The storm in his eyes gradually cleared, leaving them calm and bright.

    Jenny muffled augh behind the couch. ¡®My brother wasn¡¯t the fool people imed. He even remembered to say proper goodnights,¡® <b>she </b>thought

    Olivia was still dreaming when Sean came charging in the next morning, a piece of bread dangling from his mouth <b>as </b>he shook her awake.

    Blinking sleep from her eyes, Olivia slowly sat up, her mind still foggy with dreams.

    With his mouth full of bread, Sean waved his arms excitedly. ¡°Patient¡­ outside¡­ treatment.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s slight frown deepened when she checked the time and saw it was barely eight in the morning. She wasn¡¯t expecting such an unusually early

    visitor.

    ¡°Early start,¡± Olivia remarked, pulling on <b>a </b>coat as she stepped outside. She yawned and nodded toward the inner room. ¡°Bed¡¯s in there.¡±

    Ethan surveyed the herb¨Ccluttered yard. The cramped but well¨Corganized space spoke of modest means,

    Andrey nodded obediently. <i>¡°</i>Alright then.¡±

    Ethan stopped in his tracks when he entered the room. The simple wooden bed had only a thin nket, though the space was adequately heated and carried a faint herbal aroma. The entire setup lookedpletely unprofessional.

    Swallowing hard, Ethan turned to his boss with concern. ¡°Perhaps we should find a different clinic?¡± He knew Andrew¡¯s delicate health might not withstand such basic conditions.

    ¡°It¡¯s humble, I know.¡± Olivia entered with her acupuncture kit, tying up her hair as she spoke. ¡°Feel free to leave, but the payment stays with me.¡± Once money reached Olivia¡¯s hands, there was absolutely no getting it back.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, what do you think?¡± Ethan began hesitantly.

    Andrew had always been particr about his surroundings, demanding pristine cleanliness and keeping even Ethan <b>at </b>arm¡¯s length.

    The idea of receiving treatment in this makeshift clinic made Ethan worry both about keeping his job and whether Olivia would live to <b>see </b>tomorrow.

    ¡°Your choice¨Clie down <i>or </i>sit up,¡± Olivia said, focusing on sterilizing the long needle rather than looking at <b>them </b>

    She normally used proper treatment rooms, but after Andrew had disturbed her twice, this minor inconvenience seemed appropriate paybart

    Noticing his hesitation, Olivia gave him an amused look. It¡¯s just sitting, not stripping. No need to be nervous<i>¡± </i>

    Ethan braced for his boss¡¯s reaction to such boldness, but to his surprise, Andrew just smiled and started unbuttoning his cost.

    Olivia finally nced at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Following my doctor¡¯s orders,¡± Andrew replied, his eyes flickering as he took a deep breath.

    She moved closer, guiding him down with a hand on his. ¡°You¡¯re being awfully obedient.¡±

    His fingers tensed slightly at her touch. When their eyes met, his gaze had darkened. ¡°Good patients live longer,¡± he murmured.

    Ethan felt <b>a </b>chill run down his spine as he realized he was intruding on something private. Without another thought, he turned and hurried from the

    room.

    Olivia¡¯s sharp eyes studied Andrew carefully. ¡°Your assistant appears <i>to </i>be frightened of me.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s eyes crinkled with quiet amusement. <b>¡°</b>No, he¡¯s frightened of me.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s skilled fingers began massaging Andrew¡¯s temples. ¡°Just rx,¡± she said in her professional tone. ¡°This is a standard acupuncture treatment.¡±

    She then picked up a medium¨Clength needle and inserted it near his heart, following the cement with gentle palm pressure.

    The room¡¯s warmth made the coolness of Olivia¡¯s fingers even more noticeable when they touched Andrew¡¯s skin, causing him to tense slightly.

    They fell into <b>a </bfortable silence, with only the sound of their breathing filling the quiet space.

    Andrew became aware of an unexpected dryness in his throat and adjusted his position slightly.

    <i>¡°</i>Keep still,¡± Olivia reminded him calmly.

    Andrew swallowed hard, his attentionpletely focused on Olivia.

    As she worked, each idental brush of her fingers against his skin made him increasingly aware of her presence.

    The acupuncture sessionsted about forty minutes. Andrew couldn¡¯t understand his own reaction¨Cevery time Olivia¡¯s fingers lightly touched him during the treatment, he had <b>to </b>consciously stop himself from grabbing her hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough for today,¡± Olivia said while putting away her needles. She noticed Andrew¡¯s flushed face and added, ¡°Is the room too warm for you?¡±

    The tips of Andrew¡¯s ears turned pink. He coughed lightly and looked away before mumbling, ¡°Maybe a little.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve treated your heart rhythm issues today. I¡¯ll write you an herbal prescription. Take it for ten days for best results.¡± Olivia tossed him a mint candy. ¡°This will help cool you down. And <i>you </i>should really get more sleep.¡±

    A faint blush colored Andrew¡¯s pale cheeks as he nodded. She wasn¡¯t wrong¨Che had stayed up far toote the night before.

    ¡°Your health is alreadypromised. Stop making/t worse by not sleeping,¡± she added.

    As Ethan eavesdropped outside, he nearlyplimented Olivia¡¯s thoughtfulness before her sharp words stopped him cold. He couldn¡¯t shake the worry that his boss might actually harm her in a fit of anger.

    When the treatment ended, they gathered in the yard for a simple breakfast Grace had prepared¨Can assortment of side dishes<b>, </b><b>a </b><b>pot </b>of nourishing oatmeal, and some toast.

    Olivia intercepted Andrew¡¯s hand as he reached <b>for </b><b>a </b>piece <b>of </b>toast. ¡°You need to eat lightly after acupuncture<b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>she </b><b>exined </b><b>firmly</b>. <b>¡°</b><b>Just </b><b>half </b><b>a </b><b>bowl </b><b>of </b>

    oatmeal for now.¡±

    07:20 Tue, 2 Sept A

    Andrew nodded obediently and ate only the small portion she rmended

    8487%

    I finally dawned on Ethan that Olivia was providing legitimate medical treatment, not just using therapy as an excuse to flirt with his boas

    After the meal, Olivia handed Ethan a dietary instruction sheet. ¡°Prepare these for your boss once daily when you return,¡± she instructed

    Ethan looked surprised. ¡°No medicine today?¡± That didn¡¯t make sense to him his boss had depended on daily medication ever since he was a toddler.

    Olivia stretchedzily, rolling her neck. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need it,¡± she said. ¡°Proper nutrition works better than pills. We only use medication as ast reson.<i>¡± </i>

    Besides, Andrew¡¯s condition went much deeper than what surface¨Clevel medication could address.

    Nodding in understanding, Ethan quickly put the sheet away. He noticed how his boss always ate heartily at Olivia¡¯s ce, leaving with noticeably better color in his cheeks. ¡®Mr. Winston Shea would be absolutely delighted to see this improvement, he thought.

    AD

 Blizzard 49

    <b>Chapter </b><b>49 </b>

    Seeing so many unfamiliar faces in her home, Grace assumed they were all Olivia¡¯s friends. She smiled warmly at Andrew ¡°I hope our Olivia hart bein any trouble to you.¡±

    Andrew paused, his expression softening as his gaze instinctively found Olivia. ¡°Not at all,¡± he replied ¡°She¡¯s been wonderful¡±

    Grace¡¯s face lit up at thepliment, her head bobbing in happy agreement. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Olivia¡¯s always been such a good girl since she was little. I just worry people might take advantage of her kindness.¡±

    Andrew studied Olivia for a moment, amused by the suggestion. ¡®Anyone who thought this woman could be taken advantage of clearly didn¡¯t know her he thought to himself.

    Still, he humored Grace with a polite response. ¡°That would never happen. She¡¯s far too kind for anyone to treat her poorly¡±

    His eyes drifted toward Ethan<b>, </b>who was chatting animatedly with Olivia. A flicker of irritation crossed Andrew¡¯s face as he called sharply. ¡°Ethan,m here. Now.¡±

    Ethan scrambled to his boss¡¯s side immediately, shing Grace a reassuring smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing. If anyone even looks at Ms. Summers the wrong way, I¡¯ll handle it personally. Wouldn¡¯t even need to trouble Mr. Shea.¡±

    Grace burst intoughter at Ethan¡¯s earnest deration.

    The warm moment was shattered when a loud voice echoed through the yard. ¡°Ethan, you in there?<b>¡± </b>

    All heads turned toward the breathless figure of Tony standing in the doorway, one of Andrew¡¯s most trusted men.

    Tony gulped air before delivering his urgent news. ¡°Mr. Shea, we¡¯ve traced the kidnappers from Magnolia Town. They¡¯ve given us thest known location where they held Ms. Ivy Summers.¡±

    ¡°Magnolia Town?¡± Olivia looked up at the mention of Magnolia Town<b>, </b>her eyes calm and steady.

    Ethan studied her reaction with interest. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know this ce.¡±

    Olivia and Grace shared a meaningful nce before Olivia replied, ¡°We know of it.¡±

    The timing was interesting since she¡¯d been nning to visit soon. She felt certain the town held some importance.

    Andrew quietly observed Olivia¡¯s thoughtful expression, making a mental note of her reaction.

    At that moment, the sound of a car engine broke the silence from the street beyond thene.

    Sean shifted ufortably. ¡®I have a bad feeling about this,¡® he thought.

    Soon after, a well¨Cdressed young girl came rushing in. ¡°Andrew, you came to see her without telling me!¡± Jenny eximed, her cheeks puffing out in

    protest.

    Grace, who always adored children, smiled warmly af Jenny. ¡°What a lovely youngdy,¡± she said, beckoning her closer. ¡°Come here, dear.¡±

    Jenny yfully stuck her tongue out at Andrew before rushing into Grace¡¯s open arms. The tender moment between them filled the yard <b>with </b>warmth.

    Olivia suddenly remembered something and setled into the seat beside Andrew. A knowing smile yed at her lips as she said, ¡°I hear the Sheas <b>are </b>throwing a party.¡± Her tone left no doubt this wasn¡¯t a question but a statement of fact.

    ¡°Your intel is spot¨Con, Ms. Summers,¡± Andrew acknowledged, folding his newspaper. When their eyes met, her unreadable expression <b>unexpectedly </b>drew a smile from him. ¡°Care to join us<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t mind either way.¡± Her casual indifference only served to intrigue him further.

    07:20 Tue, 2 Sept

    ¡°We¡¯d be delighted to have you,¡± Andrew said, his deep¨Cset eyes glinting with interest. ¡°Ethan, arrange a VIP invitation for Ms. Summers¡±

    While the sheas sent ordinary invitations to most guests, fewer than five people ever received the prestigious VIP version.

    Holding out the invitation, Ethan hesitated. ¡°Mr. Shea, if we give this to Ms. Summers, what will you use?¡±

    Andrew gave him a look that could wither nts. ¡°Where I go, they don¡¯t ask for invitations.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡± Ethan presented the embossed card with both hands.

    Olivia finally got the invitation she wanted. She turned it over a couple of times before tossing it carelessly on the stone table and returning to her herbs.

    Ethan felt physical pain watching this. ¡®People would literally kill for that invitation, but she treated it like yesterday¡¯s newspaper?¡± he thought while stealing a nce at Andrew, who was watching her work with undisguised interest.

    They stayed through the morning, only leaving when lunchtime approached.

    Driving away, Ethan shook his head and muttered, ¡°Who knew Ms. Summers could wrap Mr. Shea around her little finger like that?¡±

    ¡°You know, there¡¯s something between Ms. Summers and our boss,¡± Ethan said, his voice growing louder without him realizing it. ¡°First, she saved Ms. Jenny Shea, and now she¡¯s saved him too.¡±

    After ying all morning, Jenny fell asleep in Andrew¡¯s arms. Half¨Cdozing himself, Andrew couldn¡¯t suppress a small smile at the mention of their connection.

    After seeing them out, Olivia went to check on Nina. While the toxin was now under control, the treatments would have to continue indefinitely.

    ¡°It¡¯s time you woke up,¡± Olivia said as she inserted a long needle into Nina¡¯s forehead, applying firm pressure.

    Nina coughed several times as she gradually regained consciousness, her entire body wracked with pain.

    The unfamiliar surroundings came into focus as she opened her eyes. ¡°Where¡­ am I?¡± Nina asked weakly, her face pale as she clutched her chest and struggled to sit up.

    Olivia handed her a bowl of medicinal brew. ¡°My home,¡± she said coolly.

    Only then did Nina <i>properly </i><i>see </i>Olivia. Her lips trembled and her eyes grew moist. ¡°You saved me?¡±

    Olivia settled onto the edge of the bed, her expression calm but distant. ¡°No. You saved yourself bying to Willow Lane¨Cif you hadn¡¯t, we never would have met.¡±

    What really saved Nina had been her own stubborn will to survive.

    Nina¡¯s chest tightened with emotion as she looked at Olivia, words failing her. Olivia had now saved her twice.

    ¡°Please ept my thanks.¡± Nina bowed deeply, her voice thick with sincerity. ¡°I owe you my life. From today onward, I¡¯m in your debt.¡±

    Olivia epted the gesture quietly, knowing it would help ease Nina¡¯s conscience.

    As she helped Nina rise, Olivia asked matter¨Cof¨Cfactly, ¡°Now tell me who poisoned you.¡±

    ¡°The Evanses.¡± Nina¡¯s hands clenched at the name, her eyes darkening. ¡°They killed my grandmother, and now they tried to kill me by poisoning my drink. I was <i>so </i><i>stupid </i>to let my guard down around them.¡±

    The answer didn¡¯t surprise Olivia one bit. Compared to the other things the Evans family had done behind the scenes, poisoning was practically tame.

    ¡°It¡¯s not revenge that was your mistake,¡± Olivia said, softening her tone, ¡°but how recklessly you went about it. Never make your move until you¡¯re

    07:20 Tue, <b>2 </b><b>Sept </b>

    absolutely certain of sess.¡±

    Nina kept her eyes downcast, the silence stretching between them.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get justice,¡± Olivia promised. ¡°But first, focus on healing.¡± When Nina didn¡¯t respond, she added, ¡°You¡¯re wee to stay with man, I could use someone with your skills.¡±

    Nina gave a hesitant nod, and then suddenly stiffened. Digging through her coat pockets, she produced a voice recorder and pressed it into fivis¡¯s hands. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I trust,¡± she said, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°This might be helpful.¡±

    Olivia was just examining the recorder when a shrill voice cut through the air. ¡°My poor girl<b>!</b>¡± a woman wailed from the doorway ¡°We¡¯ve been worried about you.¡±

    AD

 Blizzard 50

    <b>Chapter </b><b>50 </b>

    Olivia turned and saw a couple¨CGina and Donald Johnson¨Cstanding in the doorway. Their wrinkled clothes and tired faces showed they¡¯d <b>been </b>traveling. They looked like good, ordinary people.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Olivia asked, ncing at them out of the corner of her eye, her expression calm and unreadable.

    Gina set her things down, wiped the sweat from her brow, and broke into a hopeful smile. ¡°We¡¯re here to find our daughter. I think¡­ her name is Olivia

    Summers.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly. ¡°I¡¯m Olivia.¡±

    Before Olivia could respond, Gina hurried forward, her eyes glistening with tears. ¡°My dear, I¡¯ve been searching for you all this time. Where have you been? We¡¯ve been so worried about you all these years.¡±

    Olivia stepped back, and Gina missed hugging her.

    Donald wiped his eyes, giving an awkward smile. ¡°Yes, your mom and I searched everywhere. Thankfully, we found you.¡±

    ¡°All our searching was worth it,¡± Gina said, taking Olivia¡¯s hand with a look of awe. ¡°Our daughter is so beautiful¨Cjust like me in my youth. You¡¯re the very image of how I used to look.¡±

    Olivia pulled her hand from Gina¡¯s grip and stepped aside to let them in. ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±

    The couple nodded eagerly, carrying their things in. Once inside, they looked around the yard with wide eyes<b>, </b>clearly not used to such surroundings¨Clike folks straight from a backwater.

    Olivia told Sean to bring some coffee and set out some fruit for them.

    The couple waved their hands and politely refused. ¡°This is too fancy for us. We really can¡¯t ept it.¡±

    Grace, watching from the side, was moved. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. Help yourselves.¡±

    Olivia remained wary. Her lips parted, but no words came.

    Olivia¡¯s continued silence seemed to break Gina¡¯s restraint. With a choked sob, she grasped Olivia¡¯s wrist, tears now flowing freely. ¡°Dear, it¡¯s all our fault. If we¡¯d been more careful, those traffickers could never have taken <b>you</b>.¡±

    Then she reached for Grace¡¯s hand, her eyes brimming with gratitude. ¡°Thank you for looking after our girl all these years. We heard how much she suffered after being taken, and it was you who protected her. We can never thank you enough.¡±

    She drew her husband to her side, their heads lowering in a shared bow of thanks.

    Olivia quickly stepped forward and gently stopped them, <i>her </i>smile faint but warm. ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need for this. Some things go beyond words, and Grandma Grace wouldn¡¯t want it either.¡±

    Then she suddenly cut <i>to </i>the chase. ¡°You say you¡¯re my parents. Got any proof?¡±

    <i>¡°</i>Olivia, I know you don¡¯t trust us,¡± Gina said, dabbing at her tears and nudging her husband. ¡°Come on, show Olivia what we brought.¡±

    Donald dug into his bag and pulled out a DNA report, handing it to Olivia. ¡°Olivia, these are the DNA results. You really are our girl.¡±

    Olivia nced <b>at </b>the paper. It said there was a 99.99% chance they were rted by blood.

    Olivia¡¯s memory was full of gaps. She couldn¡¯t recall anything from before she escaped Magnolia Town, and she really <b>had </b><b>left </b><b>her </b><b>info </b><b>with </b><b>a </b><b>public </b>welfare group.

    For <b>a </b>moment, she honestly couldn¡¯t tell <b>if </b><b>they </b>were legit, so she started grilling them for more details, just <b>to </b><b>be </b><b>safe</b>.

    Gina didn¡¯t hesitate ¡°That day, your father and I were working in the fields when you came looking for us the trafficks you to Magnolia Town. But when we arrived, the whole ce was ashes Ho trace of you left.

    AD

 Blizzard 51

    <b>Chapter </b><b>51 </b>

    8487%0

    ¡°Yearster, we kept searching until we got word you were at Sunrise Orphanage. By the time we got there, you¡¯d already left. The staff refused to say where you went, and after that, we had no leads left to follow.¡±

    Olivia remained still, her eyes downcast and expression detached, as if lost in thought.

    Everything they said lined up perfectly with what she knew, but the way they described it all in such detail made Olivia feel a strange sense of unease Something was off, but she couldn¡¯t identify exactly what it was.

    Grace studied the report, weighing Gina¡¯s words. After a moment, she drew Olivia aside and murmured, ¡°I think they¡¯re telling the truth. The documents check out, and¡­ you do have their eyes.¡±

    Olivia nced at Gina before picking up a mirror to look at herself. But for some reason, she just didn¡¯t see the resemnce.

    Seeing Olivia¡¯s hesitation, Gina put on a pitiful look, her smile turning anxious.

    She fidgeted slightly before speaking. ¡°Sweetheart<b>, </b>we¡¯re not rich, but we get by. We¡¯d never let you want for anything. We took out loans all these years to search for you. But your father and I have nearly paid them off. We¡¯d never burden you with this.¡±

    She started wiping her tears again. ¡°If you don¡¯t want us here, we¡¯ll leave right now. We won¡¯t be in your way.¡±

    ¡°Olivia,¡± Donald added, rubbing the back of his neck, ¡°we just wanted to see you. We¡¯re d to see you¡¯re safe and happy.¡± He held out arge, worn cloth bag. ¡°We brought some things from home. Nothing fancy, but it¡¯s what we have.¡±

    The bag sagged with its contents, but Olivia couldn¡¯t make out what was inside.

    Olivia closed her eyes for a moment, her face giving nothing away. Money was never a problem for her anyway. And these two truly seemed like parents who¡¯d spent a lifetime searching for their missing daughter.

    Grace watched, her throat tightening with emotion. She stepped forward to steady the couple¡¯s trembling hands, her voice thick with conviction. ¡°You¡¯ve been through so much. I can¡¯t imagine how difficult these years must have been for you.¡±

    They started making small talk, and Grace gently asked about their family back home.

    ¡°We have a son too<b>, </b>but he¡¯s had a tough life,¡± Gina replied, her smile strained. ¡°But life hasn¡¯t been kind to him. A childhood fever damaged his brain. Doctors say his mind will always stay at a child¡¯s level.¡±

    Grace shook her head and offered aforting smile. ¡°Don¡¯t <b>worry</b>, you still have Olivia.¡±

    ¡°Right, Bobby was thrilled when he heard we were going to find his sister. He really wanted toe, but we decided against it¨Che doesn¡¯t do well with strangers, and we didn¡¯t want <i>to </i><i>upset </i>Olivia.¡± Her voice trembled with emotion.

    Then she managed a smile. ¡°But now<i>, </i>everything¡¯s going to be okay. Soon, our family will finally be together again.¡±

    Olivia studied her for a long moment, something unreadable passing behind her eyes.

    Meanwhile<b>, </b>at the Orion Hotel, Andrew was tapping away on hisptop when he pressed his Bluetooth earpiece,

    ¡°Mr. Shea, Nathan has been trying to see <i>you </i>several times already, and he¡¯s sent over gifts worth tens of millions. Should we take them or not?¡± Brandon Hayes<b>, </b>another subordinate of Andrew, asked.

    ¡°Yes, take them,¡± Andrew replied with a faint/smirk. ¡°Why say no to freebies delivered right to our door? Just make sure you keep backups of everything.¡±

    ¡°So, are we really giving thend back to them?¡± Brandon pressed.

    <b>1/2 </b>

    07:20 Tue, <b>2 </b>Sept

    ¡°Who said I have to give it back just because I took their gifts?¡± Andrew¡¯s voice was cold and casual. ¡°The Exams family thought they had they pho doings well? Why would I give them thend so they can keep screwing people over?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Shea, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± Brandon muttered, exasperated. He couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®Why did I ever choose to follow this unpredictablem

    around?

    <b>AD </b>

    Comment

 Blizzard 52

    <b>Chapter </b><b>52 </b>

    ¡°Since the Evans family sent us a gift, we should return the favor,¡± Andrew said, his voice low and steady. ¡°The things Jenny prepared cane in handy

    <b>now</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

    Brandon shivered at his words. ¡®You really know how to torment people, Mr. Shea,¡® he thought to himself.

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Shea. You have your fun. I¡¯ll go take care of the rest,¡± Brandon said with a yful salute.

    In the Evans Group¡¯s executive conference room, Henry, Nathan<b>, </b>and the top brass were deep in discussion about the recent dip in stock prices and that piece ofnd the Shea family snatched up at a high price.

    Justst night, the Evans family had their eye on a plot in the Hirica suburbs, nning to build a nursing home to partner with their hospital.

    It promised a hefty profit, but at thest moment, the Shea family swooped in and stole it right out from under them.

    Though Henry had long since crossed seventy, the scandals never ceased. And despite it all, he refused to relinquish his hold on the Evans Group.

    For years, there¡¯d been talk that he was a gold¨Cdigger living off women, and with Nathan recently getting kicked out of the hospital, things only got messier for thepany.

    Now, the shareholders were seriously fed up with both Henry and Nathan, and even more frustrated that Henry wouldn¡¯t step down.

    With the Shea family snatching that crucial piece ofnd, thepany had lost a major asset. The disgruntled shareholders were more than ready to vent their frustrations at this opportunity.

    ¡°Henry, if we lose thisnd, you know we¡¯ll be bleeding money. We¡¯ve poured a fortune into medical equipment and sunk so much cash into this project. If it all goes up in smoke, who¡¯s going to take responsibility for that kind of loss?¡± one shareholder snapped.

    ¡°Right, and do I even need to mention your son? We¡¯re supposed to be a top medical group, but the chairman¡¯s own son gets kicked out? That¡¯s a PR nightmare,¡± another added.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for a new chairman. We should let someonepetent take over,¡± a third shareholder chimed in.

    Henry shook with rage under the shareholders¡® barrage, but he was at a loss for words.

    Trying to <i>keep </i>the peace, he forced himself to sound humble. ¡°Please, everyone, I¡¯ve already sent someone to negotiate with Mr. Shea. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to get thatnd back. Just trust me on this.¡±

    Nathan watched his father getting raked over the coals and finally cut in. ¡°Come off it, Mr<b>, </b>Stafford. You never had a problem cashing those dividend checks. And let¡¯s not pretend¨Cwe all know who really stirred the pot here.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get thatnd back<i>.</i>¡± His <i>voice </i>brimmed with confidence. After all, the gift he¡¯d prepared for Andrew was nothing short of priceless, and his assistant had just confirmed that Andrew had epted it.

    Seeing Nathan so sure of himself, the shareholders started murmuring among themselves, their attitude clearly shifting.

    Nathan stood off to the side, radiating confidence. He was here at this shareholders¡® meeting to prove himself. Since the hospital was a lost cause, his only hope <i>now </i>was to take over the family business.

    Henry mmed his hand on the table and stood up, putting his reputation on the line. ¡°Rest assured, everyone. Just give me ten days. I promise, thatnd will be ours again.¡±

    At the hotel, Ethan handed Andrew the files <b>with </b><b>extra </b><b>care</b><b>. </b><b>¡°</b>Mr. Shea, <b>this </b>is everything <b>we </b>could find. As <b>for </b><b>the </b><b>rest</b><b>, </b><b>our </b>hacker <b>team </b><b>just </b><b>can¡¯t </b><b>get </b>in-

    the Evans family¡¯s security is locked down tight. Honestly, only Ms. Shes could pull this off¡±

    Andrew stayed silent for a long time, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes.

    AD

 Blizzard 53

    <b>Chapter 53 </b>

    Jenny was a true hacking prodigy. From a young age, she was obsessed with code and hardware. By three, she could assemble circuits on her gun<b>, </b>and coding felt as natural as breathing. By four or five, she was already outsmarting the best hackers with ease.

    Her skills were only rivaled by Mystery¡¯s¨Cif not equal.

    Just two months ago, Jenny single¨Chandedly took down the so¨Ccalled world¡¯s most secure DUDU Firewall.

    If she stepped in, she¡¯d have the Evans family¡¯s secretsid bare in minutes. Ethan never doubted for a second what Jenny could do

    Andrew knew his little sister¡¯s skills all too well, but Jenny was an enigma.

    Most of the time, she was ice¨Ccold and unreadable, barely showing any emotion. When she did let loose, she could be downright arrogant and impossible to handle. The only person she ever dialed it back for was Andrew.

    A hack like this would take a lot out of her, and Jenny wasn¡¯t exactly in great health to begin with. Andrew hated asking this of her, but he needed <b>the </b>Evans family¡¯s intel, and he needed it fast.

    Meanwhile, in her room, Jenny was messing around with a nt she¡¯d gotten from Olivia¡¯s ce. Her little hands were busy¨Cone moment she <b>was </b>adding fertilizer, the next she was trimming leaves¨Cbut no matter what she did, it just looked off.

    Andrew walked over at a leisurely pace, pressed down on the nt, and said in a low voice, ¡°Who taught you to nt <b>it </b>like that?¡±

    Jenny looked up and shot him a re, and then turned to the now¨Cmangled nt, Without missing a beat, she fixed it back to perfection<b>, </b>muttering. ¡°Ugh, look what you did. You ruined it. You¡¯re the worst. I hate you.¡±

    Andrew was at a loss for words. ¡®What can I do? She¡¯s my sister. Even if it means swallowing my pride, I have to make this right<b>,</b>¡® he thought.

    Andrew took a seat on the couch, legs stretched out, torn about whether to say anything.

    ¡°Go on, what do you want from me this time?¡± Jenny said, barely ncing up as she kept watering the nt.

    Andrew¡¯s lips curled in admiration¨Chis little sister had always been razor¨Csharp.

    Jenny¡¯s bluntness cut through his hesitation like a debugmand, He tapped his fingers on the table and said, ¡°The Evans family¡¯s got some info we just can¡¯t crack. But I really want to take them down.¡±

    ¡°Andrew,¡± Jenny sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Weren¡¯t you always bragging about not keeping any ckers around? Looks to me like yourpany¡¯s full of them.¡±

    whole

    Andrew could only rub his forehead, speechless.

    Jenny paused, looking straight at Andrew. ¡°I¡¯ll help <i>you</i>, but you¡¯ve got to promise me something first.¡±

    ¡°Name it,¡± Andrew replied.

    Jenny grinned, drawing out each word. ¡°Let me crash at Olivia¡¯s ce for a couple of days.¡±

    ¡°Jenny, stop being difficult,¡± Andrew said, a chill in his eyes<b>. </b>He was clearly losing his patience.

    Jenny puffed out her cheeks. She¡¯d expected this result. ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing left to talk about.¡± She flopped into bed, burrowed under the covers<b>, </b>and called out, ¡°I¡¯m asleep!¡±

    Andrew could only sigh and head <b>for </b>the door. He knew it would end like this. Honestly, if there was anyone in the world Jenny <b>actually </b>liked, <b>it </b>was probably Olivia.

    11234

    07:21 Tue<b>, </b><b>2 </b>Sept

    In the yard, Donald was holding his wife as she cried her eyes out. They made it look like their family was going through a tough time

    Even Grace¡¯s eyes were a little red. She turned away and looked at Olivia, trying to see how she was taking it.

    Olivia just sat there, giving the couple a cool, steady look¨Cno one could tell what was going through her mind,

    87%

    It was gettingte, and Grace offered to let them stay the night. But the couple politely refused, saying they didn¡¯t want to trouble anyone and would just find somewhere else to stay.

    ¡°Just stay here¨Cit¡¯ll save you the hassle of finding somewhere else,¡± Grace urged. She nced at Olivia, her eyes silently pleading

    However, Olivia just remained indifferent.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Blizzard 54

    <b>Chapter </b><b>54 </b>

    Seeing Olivia¡¯s reaction, the couple started gathering their things to leave. ¡°No worries, really. We¡¯re not here to trouble you. We just wanted to check in on Olivia. We¡¯ll head out now and just crash somewhere for the night, they said.

    After the couple left, Grace pulled Olivia aside and whispered, ¡°They really don¡¯t look like they¡¯re preteriding. Did you see those calluses and scars? Only folks who work thend get hands like that.¡±

    She sighed, her eyes softening with sorrow. ¡°They never meant to lose you. I know that wound still festers- being left behind never really heals. But family is family, for better or worse. That bond doesn¡¯t break easily.

    Olivia shook her head, her eyes sharp and troubled. ¡°It¡¯s not that, Grandma Grace. I don¡¯t hold it against them. I just¡­¡±

    She just didn¡¯t feel that family bond with them. Her teacher always said her sixth sense was never wrong.

    Grace gently ruffled her hair and sighed deeply. ¡°I know you¡¯re hurting. You don¡¯t have to put on a brave face in front of me.

    ¡°I heard from them that your little brother¡¯s pretty sick back home.¡± When Olivia remained silent, Grace¡¯s gaze drifted into the distance. ¡°Olivia, why don¡¯t you go back with them and check on things? It¡¯s not far from Magnolia Town.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. Maybe being back there will help you remember something.¡±

    Olivia lowered her eyes, lost in thought. After a long pause, she said softly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Either way, she was going to get her memories back.

    When Olivia went missing, there wasn¡¯t much to go on¨Cthe trail went cold at Magnolia Town. Even the Shadow Syndicate couldn¡¯t dig up anything beyond that. If there was a ce even they couldn¡¯t reach, she had to see it for herself.

    ¡°Good. I¡¯m so d you understand,¡± Grace whispered, her eyes glistening. ¡°You have a family now¨Cparents who¡¯ll love you unconditionally.¡±

    Olivia had been tossed around by life for over a decade. She was only eighteen, but sometimes she seemed wiser and more world¨Cweary than people twice her age. There were moments when even Grace couldn¡¯t quite figure her out.

    Back then, when Grace secretly checked out Magnolia Town, she saw Olivia getting abused by her original adopted parents, and they were nning to marry her off for money.

    Grace just couldn¡¯t stand seeing a kid get hurt, so she schemed to get Olivia out of there.

    She had hoped Olivia would find refuge with the Shermans¨Cmaybe even a chance at happiness. But those so¨Ccalled parents turned out to be worse than useless.

    Thinking about it, Grace let out a long sigh. ¡°When they thanked me, I honestly felt ashamed. The Shermans were¡­¡± Her voice faded, the unspoken truth hanging heavy between them¨Cin some ways, they were worse than the orphanage ever was.

    <b>20:05 </b>Wed<b>, </b>Sep <b>3 </b>

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Olivia said, a smile shining in her eyes as she clung tightly to Grace¡¯s arin. ¡°You¡¯re my <b>real </b>family¡±

    Sean, who had juste back from sneaking some fried chicken outside<i>, </i>looked confused by the scene. He wanted to join the hug too, but Olivia kicked him away without hesitation.

    Grace just shook her head with a smile. ¡°These two are always up to some kind of mischief.

    I¡¯ve certainly made my share of mistakes in life. Here in my twilight years, having these two kids by my side is more than I ever dared hope for,¡® she thought.

    ¡°Sean, I¡¯m heading out for a couple of days. You need to watch the house and protect Grandma Grace,¡± Olivia said, tugging his ear. ¡°And don¡¯t even think about sneaking out for food again.¡±

    Sean red at her with his big, fierce eyes and huffed. With a sharp, defiant nod, he made his protest perfectly

    clear.

    ¡°No way. You¡¯ve been gone for years. I have to go with you,¡± Grace said, frowning. ¡°If anything happens, I want to be there to look out for you.¡±

    <b>AD </b>

 Blizzard 55

    <b>Chapter </b><b>55 </b>

    Olivia gave her hand aforting squeeze. ¡°Rx. I¡¯m just going home, not disappearing into the <b>wild</b><b>, </b>Honestly, you¡¯ve got nothing to worry about. You should be resting. If you push yourself too hard, I¡¯ll <b>be </b>the one taking care of you instead.¡±

    Grace still wasn¡¯t convinced. She mulled it over for a long time, but couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about it <b>a </b>

    ¡°Alright, if you won¡¯t let me go, at least let Scan go with you. That way, I¡¯ll feel better,¡± Grace said, pulling Sean over with a serious face. ¡°He might be a bit clueless, but he¡¯s got muscle. He¡¯ll watch your back.¡±

    Olivia just gave Sean a sideways nce. ¡°He sleeps twenty hours a day and is always sneaking snacks. If he doesn¡¯t make a mess, I¡¯ll count my blessings.¡±

    Sean just nodded along, totally lost about what they were talking about.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the DNA test results yourself, so what¡¯s left to worry about?¡± Olivia continued, reassuring Grace. She gave Sean a look. ¡°The Evans family¡¯s been stirring up troubletely. Sean, you need to stay and guard the house. Don¡¯t let anyone cause problems.¡±

    Sean¡¯s face lit up at the mention of the Evans family. He shot Olivia a sharp, eager look, as if he was ready to cause some serious trouble for the Evans family.

    After talking it over, Grace gave the couple a call.

    Grace said, ¡°Olivia¡¯s a thoughtful girl. She knows it wasn¡¯t easy for you toe all this way. In the next couple of days, she¡¯ll find some time to go back with you for a visit.¡±

    Olivia motioned for Grace to switch the call to speakerphone. Even through the line, they could feel the barely restrained energy radiating from the couple.

    ¡°Is this really true?¡± Gina stammered, her voice full of disbelief and emotion. ¡°We¡­ we just hoped Olivia didn¡¯t hate us. We never imagined she¡¯d actually agree toe back with us. Is this really happening?¡±

    Olivia smiled gently. ¡°Really. I want to check on my little brother.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Bobby will be so happy to see his sister,¡± Gina said, her voice breaking as she choked back

    tears.

    She thanked Grace again and again. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we really can¡¯t thank you enough for raising Olivia to be such a good kid. You¡¯re a real lifesaver for our family.¡±

    Seeing Grace about to get all emotional again, Olivia took the phone and said with a smile, ¡°No need for that. When are we leaving?<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°There¡¯s a bus leaving tomorrow at one in the afternoon,¡± Gina said, her voice full of excitement.

    ¡°Great,¡± Olivia said, and then hung up the phone.

    She rested against the doorframe, her expression unreadable. At first nce, she might have looked wistful¡ª but there was no nostalgia in those sharp eyes, only quiet assessment. That faint smile of hers hid something

    <b>20:05 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>

    <b>sharper </b>beneath.

    On the other end, Gina¡¯s expression changed as soon as the call ended. ¡°That girl¡¯s really hard to fool f Cheryl hadn¡¯t been smart enough to fake that document ahead of time, there¡¯s no way we could¡¯ve tricked her.

    Donald took a long drag on his cigarette, blew out a smoke ring, and gave a wild grin. ¡°She¡¯s actually pretty good¨Clooking. Just giving her away like this feels like such a waste.¡±

    Gina saw through his intention and punched his arm hard. ¡°Don¡¯t even dream about it,¡± she hissed, eyes shing. ¡°Devin wants her untouched. You ruin this payday for me, and I¡¯ll personally make sure you regret it.¡±

    Donald winced in pain, knowing he was in the wrong, and nodded. ¡°Alright, I get it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but I¡¯ve got this uneasy feeling,¡± Gina muttered with a frown, snatching the cigarette from Donald and taking a long drag.

    ¡°That girl was asking all kinds of questions today. She¡¯s really clever. Once we hit the road, you better keep a close watch on her,¡± she added.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been at this for years and never had any trouble. You really think we¡¯re gonna get taken down by some little brat?¡± Donald sneered.

    Ìï

 Blizzard 56

    Donald and Gina had been human traffickers for years, and they¡¯d never ones fullest

    With an innocent face and just enough #ting experience to make it dick, bins could pia tie amine even skeptics bought it

    Donald wasn¡¯t nearly as good at pretending, so he stuck to being her backup¨Cprepping the knockout drugs and dealing with the buyers.

    Rx. If anyone everes snooping around, we¡¯ll just show them those fake test results No one¡¯s ever gonna see through it. Donald said, pulling out his phone and starting up a card game.

    Gina frowned, her patience wearing thin. ¡°That little brat¡¯s been a headache since day one. She was bawling her eyes out when we snatched her, and after we sold her, she went and burned down the whole town

    ¡°Lucky for us that the family died in the fire, or they¡¯d be hunting us down for sure.¡±

    Her eyes shed with malice as she continued, ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that girl would end up making us money twice? Taking that job was totally worth it.¡±

    Donald¡¯s face darkened as he jumped in. ¡°Worth it? You really think so? You forgot how many times we¡¯ve had to skip town because of her?¡±

    ¡°That girl must¡¯ve been unwanted at home, or else her own father wouldn¡¯t have sold her off, Gina replied.

    The motel¡¯s walls were thin as paper, and footsteps echoed just outside their door.

    Gina, worried someone might overhear, rushed over and mped a hand over Donald¡¯s mouth, whispering urgently, ¡°Keep your voice down! Are you trying to get us killed?¡±

    They both fell silent.

    *****

    The next morning, Andrew was up way too early. He barely got any sleep thanks to the Evans family¡¯s firewall drama. Bleary¨Ceyed, he shuffled into the kitchen and started making himself some coffee.

    Jenny came downstairs after getting ready and spotted Ethan lurking by the kitchen door, sneaking nces inside every few seconds.

    ¡°Who¡¯s in there?¡± Jenny asked, raising an eyebrow.

    Ethan¡¯s face lit up with relief when he saw her. ¡°Thank God you¡¯re here! You won¡¯t believe this. Mr. Shea¡¯s in the kitchen trying to make coffee.¡± He looked genuinely shocked. After all, Andrew never set foot in the kitchen. This was unprecedented.

    ¡°Does he even know how to work a coffee maker?¡± Jenny frowned, already imagining the wreckage. She called out, ¡°Andrew, keep it down in there. Don¡¯t go causing a kitchen disaster, okay?¡±

    <b>20:06 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>

    Unlike their family hotel back home, any damage here woulde straight out of their pockets.

    ¡°Ethan, get me some pancakes and milk, Jenny said offhandedly. Then she grabbed herptop, climbed <b>onto </b>a kid¡¯s chair, and started typing away. Her fingers were short and a little chubby, but they were smooth <b>and </b>pretty¡ªand none of that slowed her down on the keyboard.

    Andrew, still in the kitchen, couldn¡¯t help but feel exasperated. ¡®Seriously, how dumb would I have to be to blow up the kitchen just making coffee?¡® he thought.

    The coffee machine hissed itspletion just as Andrew¡¯s fingers brushed the cup. Then Olivia¡¯s warning echoed in his head¨Cno more coffee.

    With a resigned sigh, he set it down and poured himself some juice instead. Azy smirk yed on his lips <b>as </b>he drawled, ¡°Gotta do what the doctor says.¡±

    Andrew handed Jenny a ss of milk, raising an eyebrow at her. ¡°So, have you made up your mind about what we talked aboutst night?¡±

    ¡°Same terms asst time,¡± Jenny said, squaring her shoulders with a confident grin as she met his eyes. ¡°Face it. You need me for this.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve got a deal,¡± Andrew said after watching her for a moment, his face giving nothing away.

    ¡°Really?¡± Jenny asked, her eyes lighting up.

    Ìï

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 Blizzard 57

    Andrew strolled over to the window, leisurely sipping his juice as he admired the river view, his handsome face half¨Chidden in the morning light. ¡°Yeah, really,¡± he said, and then added, ¡°but only if I¡¯m there.

    ¡°Why do you have toe with me?¡± Jenny grumbled, clearly annoyed. ¡®Great, so much for my freedom <b>if </b>Andrew¡¯sing along, she thought.

    ¡°To get my illness treated,¡± Andrew replied simply.

    Jenny shrugged, figuring at least he¡¯d agreed. ¡°Fine, deal,¡± she said, sealing it.

    Jenny got to work, fingers flying over her keyboard. It didn¡¯t take her long to track down the Evans family¡¯s secret database IP. She bypassed their digital defenses and slipped right inside¨Conly to run smack into another hacker, who seemed to be after the same files.

    ¡°Who¡¯s so bold to mess with me?¡± Jenny scoffed, tilting her chin up, not about to let anyone get the upper hand. Her hands moved lightning¨Cfast, instantly cutting off the intruder¡¯s connection.

    Meanwhile, over in Willow Lane, Sean shot up in bed when hisputer beeped. ¡®Who the hell just blocked my signal?¡® he thought.

    He jumped out of bed, grabbed hisptop, andunched a hacking duel against the intruder.

    After a few rounds, Sean realized this hacker was just as good as him¨Cmaybe even a notch above. He couldn¡¯t help himself and shot off a message. [Back off. This data means a lot to me.]

    Seeing the message, Jenny let out a cold smirk and fired back. [I refuse. If you¡¯re thatpetent,e and take it.]

    Sean mmed his keyboard, fuming, and sent another message. [Unbelievable! You¡¯re so childish.]

    [Like you¡¯re any more mature. This is a free¨Cfor¨Call. Winner takes all.] Jenny retorted, not backing down.

    They kept going back and forth, throwing shade at each other, neither one ready to admit defeat.

    Sean had just nted a Trojan and was letting it slowly chew through the firewall. This level of security was child¡¯s y for him, so he¡¯d been lounging in bed, half¨Casleep. But with this surprise challenger crashing the party, he knew it was time to get serious.

    The two of them went all out in a hacking free¨Cfor¨Call, not caring one bit about the mess they were making for the Evans family. Meanwhile, the Evans family¡¯s IT department was in full panic mode.

    ¡°Mr. Evans, our security system¡¯s been breached. All our encrypted files are gone, even the originals!¡± the assistant burst in, out of breath.

    Nathan shouted, ¡°What did you just say?!¡±

    As soon as they stepped out of the office, a crowd of executives blocked their way, every face twisted with panic and worry.

    <b>20:06 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>

    Nathan tried to y it cool, but his voice wavered. ¡°Everyone, what¡¯s the meaning of this?<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Mr. Evans, we all know about the hack. What are you going to do about it?¡± one of the execs demanded, frustration boiling over. ¡°This is a total crisis. In under five minutes, all our data was snatched. If itnds <b>in </b><b>the </b>wrong hands, we¡¯re screwed!¡±

    The Evans family had brought in the country¡¯s top¨Ctier hackers to guard their most confidential, off¨Cthe- record files, but they still got cleaned out in a single morning.

    After the breach, the team immediately tracked the intruder¡¯s location, but couldn¡¯t break through the encryption. They estimated it¡¯d take at least an hour to crack it.

    ¡°Quiet!¡± Henrymanded, his voice echoing down the hallway. ¡°Our hackers are the best in the country. Once we find out who¡¯s behind this, I¡¯ll make sure they regret it. They¡¯ll return what they stole, one way or another.¡±

    There was nothing anyone could do but wait.

    After two agonizing hours, the executives finally received the update from the Evans family¡¯s security team- only to realize they¡¯d beenpletely outsmarted. It was embarrassing, to say the least.

    When the team finally pinned down the IPs, they realized there were actually two hackers in y.

    They split up to chase both leads, but hit nothing but brick walls. One trail ended at a fake address, and the other was even wilder¨Cit traced right back to one of their ownpanyputers.

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 Blizzard 58

    Everyone in thepany knew just how important those files were no way it was an inside job. There <b>was </b>only one exnation: they¡¯d all been yed for fools.

    Henry was so furious that his blood pressure spiked, and he copsed right there.

    Nathan also realized just how serious things had gotten.

    Getting hacked wasn¡¯t anything new, but the hacker on the other side was on another level. They stole all the Evans family¡¯s data in no time and ran circles around the Evans family¡¯s own tech team. For any business, <b>that </b>was a fatal blow.

    Nathan felt a cold dread wash over him. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the Evans family was about to go under.

    Meanwhile, the more Sean thought about it, the angrier he got. He snapped hisptop shut with a loud smack and yanked out the power cord.

    Some stranger had jumped in mid¨Coperation and tried to snatch the goods from him, leaving him with only half the Evans family¡¯s data. ¡®Olivia is going to lose it when she finds out. If I¡¯d known, I wouldn¡¯t have slept at all, he grumbled to himself.

    After cooling off for a bit, Sean couldn¡¯t help but feel a spark of curiosity about the hacker challenging him. ¡®Who could this person be? I¡¯m the legendary Mystery. But there¡¯s actually someone out there skilled enough to block my code signals?¡® he wondered.

    ¡°Done and dusted,¡± Jenny said with a confident smirk, handing the USB drive to Andrew. ¡°Everything¡¯s here. There are a few rough edges, but it¡¯s more than enough for you to stir up trouble.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t managed to snatch everything, but teamed up with what Andrew had dug up, it was enough to take down the Evans family.

    ¡°Nicely done.¡± Andrew took the USB drive and nodded with satisfaction. ¡®My little sister might be a bit spoiled, but she always knew where her loyaltiesy,¡® he thought.

    ¡°Ethan, do it,¡± Andrew said coldly, tossing the USB drive over.

    ¡°On it,¡± Ethan replied, gathering up his team of tech wizards.

    Jenny hopped down from her chair and gulped down thest of her milk. ¡°I¡¯m joining you.¡±

    Not one of Andrew¡¯s ¡°experts¡± could match her skills, and there was no way she¡¯d miss out on the thrill of taking down the Evans family.

    <b>***** </b>

    The government office building in Kingtonelle was suddenly plunged into darkness as the power went out. Everyone in the office started to panic.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is¡­ is this ce haunted or something?¡± one of the more timid employees stammered.

    <b>20:06 </b><b>Wed</b>, <b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>

    ¡°Watch your words. We¡¯re in the government office building,¡± another warned.

    ¡°Crap, I didn¡¯t save my draft!¡± someone else groaned.

    The sudden ckout got the attention of the building¡¯s higher¨Cups, who immediately sent people to check <b>it </b>

    out.

    The very next second, their screens flooded with videos and all sorts of files. Less than thirty seconds <bter</b>, everything snapped back to normal like nothing had happened.

    When the documents and footage came into view,plete silence gripped the room.

    The top leader didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Get to the bottom of this. I want a full investigation on the Evans family.

    Meanwhile, hackers targeted Hirica¡¯s city government website, flooding its pages with fabricated allegations -grade maniption, medical equipment kickbacks, and other corrupt schemes¨Call falsely attributed to the Evans family.

    Stanley, who¡¯d been goofing off, hurriedly put on his reading sses and stared at the files. ¡°Oh, my¡­ what kind of mess is this?¡± he muttered, his face drained of color as he nervously scrolled through the evidence.

    ¡°Everyone, drop what you¡¯re doing,¡± Stanley barked, mming his hand on the desk. ¡°We¡¯re setting up a special investigation team for the Evans family. Anyone connected gets questioned or cuffed. This is top secret¨Cif anyone leaks a word, don¡¯t expect me to show any mercy.¡±

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 Blizzard 59

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    He waved his hand. ¡°Liam, get a SWAT team on standby for arrests. And notify the detectives. I want eyes <b>on </b>the Evans family at all times. Not a single one of them is getting away.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± his team replied, springing into action.

    Stanley didn¡¯t sit idly after giving his orders. He got on the phone with his higher¨Cups to report what had happened. Still, he couldn¡¯t shake the question¨Cwho on earth had dumped all this evidence on them?

    Sean stretchedzily and caught a whiff of something delicious. He immediately hopped over to check it out.

    Olivia was dressed in a gray jacket and ck boots, her hair pulled up in a high ponytail. She was carrying out a pot of multi¨Cgrain hot cereal.

    For as long as Sean could remember, Olivia would make him multi¨Cgrain hot cereal every few days to make sure he was getting enough nutrition.

    Sean dashed over to Olivia, hugging her leg and showing off. ¡°I¡­ I sent¡­ Stanley.¡±

    Feeling something tugging at her leg, Olivia looked down and saw Sean. She nodded. ¡°Nice work. You should eat moreter.¡±

    As soon as he heard he could eat more, Sean spun around in circles, his face lit up with pure joy.

    Ten minutester, Olivia brought out the cereal and m chowder. As soon as it hit the table, Sean started chowing down like there was no tomorrow.

    Grace frowned with concern. ¡°He¡¯s got a healthy appetite, but he¡¯s not growing at all. Olivia, perhaps you should take him to see a doctor.¡±

    Olivia shot him a nce anddled some m chowder into Grace¡¯s bowl. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He just hasn¡¯t hit his growth spurt yet.¡±

    Between yground brawls and nonstop movement, Sean burned calories at an insane rate. It was just part of being a growing boy.

    Olivia had barely started eating when her phone buzzed¨CLucas was calling.

    ¡°Olivia, sorry for bothering you so early. My deepest apologies and all that¡­¡± Lucas babbled.

    ¡°Spit it out,¡± Olivia interrupted.

    Lucas rubbed his tired forehead and let out a long yawn. ¡°Shadow Syndicate just sent word¨Cthere¡¯s finally some news about Juliet, the girl you¡¯ve been hunting for.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s hand shook for a moment, and she almost dropped her phone.

    Juliet was someone she¡¯d grown up with at the orphanage¨Ca friend who was more like family. She¡¯d been adopted before Olivia, and after that, she just disappeared from Olivia¡¯s life.

    <b>20:06 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Olivia asked, her voice tight with urgency,

    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ in a hospital in srough,¡± Lucas said, pausing for a moment before adding, ¡°You need to brace yourself, Olivia.¡±

    Olivia gave a slow nod, but the mention of Juliet being at a hospital sent a cold weight settling in her chest Hospitals often meant sickness.

    ¡°Juliet¡¯s sick¡­ really sick. It¡¯s brain cancer.¡± Lucas sighed heavily, tightening his grip on the medical files. ¡°Olivia, right now, you¡¯re her only chance.¡±

    Olivia took a deep breath. As the renowned Phantom Healer¨Ccelebrated across Clusia¨Cshe couldn¡¯t risk being seen in a hospital like that.

    But Juliet was like family to her. Even after all the years of hardship, Olivia had never stopped searching for her.

    Now, Olivia had finally found her, only to discover she was deathly ill. There was no question¨COlivia would do whatever it took to save her.

    ¡°Lucas, go get her and bring her to Hirica General Hospital-¡± Olivia started, but she immediately hesitated when she remembered that the Evans family controlled nearly all the hospitals in Hirica. She realized that sending Juliet there could actually put her in greater danger.

    ¡°Wait, take her to your family¡¯s hospital instead,¡± Olivia said, transferring 300 thousand to Lucas¡¯s ount without a second thought. ¡°Take good care of her. Once I¡¯m back from Magnolia Town, I¡¯lle over myself and do whatever it takes to save her.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re reallying in person?¡± Lucas blurted out, his excitement barely contained. But then his voice grew anxious. ¡°But the Shea family is searching for you everywhere.¡±

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    <b>Chapter </b>60

    ¡°Do you really need me to teach you how to keep my whereabouts a secret?¡± Olivia said, lowering her <b>gaze </b><b>a </b>little. Juliet¡¯s lifees first?

    Seeing how insistent Olivia was, Lucas had no choice but toply. After hanging up, he started contacting the hospital.

    Olivia rested her chin in her hand, lost in thought, hershes so long that they nearly shadowed her eyes.

    She had no clue where Juliet had been all these years, what she¡¯d gone through, or why she was so seriously <b>ill</b>. She¡¯d have to get the answers from Juliet himself.

    Fortunately, not every hospital in Hirica was run by the Evans family, so she could go to Magnolia Town without worrying.

    Just after they finished breakfast, Donald and Gina showed up lugging a bunch of bags. They lingered at the doorway, shifting ufortably¨Cthe very picture of humble, hardworking folks from the backwater.

    ¡°Come on in and have a seat,¡± Grace greeted them warmly. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? Perfect timing, you can grab a bite with us.¡±

    Olivia raised an eyebrow, speaking teasingly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t our ride supposed to be this afternoon? What brings you here so early?¡±

    Gina waved her hands frantically. ¡°Oh, no, thank you. We¡¯ve already eaten. We just couldn¡¯t wait any longer. We¡¯ve finally found our long¨Clost daughter, so we barely sleptst night. We had toe see her first thing this morning.¡±

    As she finished her words, Donald shoved a big bag of snacks into Olivia¡¯s hands¨Cjust some cheap chips and off¨Cbrand sodas.

    He grinned sheepishly. ¡°I had no idea what you liked, so I just picked up whatever looked good. I always see kids snacking on these, so I thought you might like them as well.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, your father rushed out at dawn to get these. Our town is way out in the sticks. It takes over ten hours to get there. These snacks are for you to eat during the journey,¡± Gina said nervously, afraid Olivia might not be pleased.

    Grace felt uneasy seeing how nervous they were, and her heart ached even more when she saw the snacks they¡¯d brought. ¡®They¡¯ve never seen much of the world. To them, those knockoff, cheap snacks are probably the finest treats around,¡® she thought bitterly.

    Olivia epted the bag with a nod of gratitude before turning to go inside, leaving the couple outside chatting amiably with Grace in the yard.

    Once inside, Olivia wrote a note for Sean.

    After reading it, Sean gave a quick nod and slipped out like a shadow, so sneaky that hardly anyone even noticed him leave.

    <b>20:06 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>

    Olivia packed up a few more things, and just as she was about to head out, she suddenly remembered her patient¨CAndrew. She sent him a quick message: [Don¡¯t forget to eat your herbal meal.]

    As soon as Andrew saw the message, his usually calm eyes lit up, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile before sending a reply. [Ms. Summers, you really care about me. Are you this attentive with all your patients<b>?</b><b>] </b>

    [Only with you.] Olivia typed back, and then sent over a blogger¡¯s profile. [I want to rmend a blogger <b>to </b>you.]

    Andrew clicked the link and found an utterly unremarkable ount¨Cjust over 30,000 followers<b>, </bpletely ordinary at first nce.

    Outside, Donald and Gina waited in the yard, awkwardly fidgeting with their hands.

    Olivia traveled lightly with just a crimson backpack, wearing ck boots that entuated her long, slender legs. Her pendant was the only essory, yet this minimalist style somehow elevated her natural beauty.

    Gina looked at Olivia and smiled kindly. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re really pretty.¡±

    Olivia ignored Gina and brushed past her, turning to Grace. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few days. Just remember to take your medicine on time, okay?¡±

    Grace gave a reluctant nod, her fingers lingering around Olivia¡¯s as she kept up a steady stream of small talk, trying to keep her around a bit longer.

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 Blizzard 61

    Chapter <b>61 </b>

    Nestled deep in the

    to take a long¨Cdis, ountains, Magnolia Town wasn¡¯t essible by direct bus or train. To get there they had

    to take a long¨Cdistance coach, transfer to a rickety local minibus<i>, </i>and then hike up the winding mountain <b>path </b>before finally reaching the remote settlement.

    Olivia hailed a taxi and headed straight to the bus station.

    Just after Olivia bought the tickets, Gina started fussing about not feeling well and imed she didn¡¯t want to squeeze onto the crowded bus.

    ¡°Olivia, I saw some delivery trucks parked outside. If we pay the drivers a little, maybe they can take us straight to Magnolia Town. It¡¯ll save us a lot of money,¡± Gina suggested.

    Olivia¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°Sure, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    Getting Olivia¡¯s agreement, Gina smiled with joy. She clung to Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Alright. I knew our girl was the thoughtful one.¡±

    ¡°Donald,¡± Gina called out to Donald, waving him over. ¡°Go get the truck.¡±

    Donald soon pulled up in a small delivery truck, a white towel slung around his neck. He waved at them from afar. ¡°It¡¯s ready.

    ¡°I worked it out with the driver. $500 for the round trip, and I¡¯ll be driving myself.¡± Donald grinned at Olivia. ¡°Whenever you want toe back, just let me know. I¡¯ll send you back with this.¡±

    Olivia remained silent and took her time checking out the inside of the truck. It was packed with everything one could possibly need for the road¨Cnkets, pillows, tissues, and utensils. Anyone would have a hard time believing this was just a rental.

    ¡°They¡¯ve even got tissues,¡± Olivia said, waving an opened pack of napkins in front of Gina. ¡°Guess that 500 really paid off, huh?¡±

    Gina gave an awkward smile. ¡°Yeah, your father really knows how to handle things. No wonder he got such a good deal on the rental.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t say anything else. She just climbed into the truck and settled in.

    The cab was pretty cramped. Donald took the driver¡¯s seat, while Gina sat on Olivia¡¯s right, holding onto her arm like she was afraid Olivia might run off.

    Olivia frowned slightly. ¡°Why are you holding onto me so tight?¡±

    ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± Gina scrambled to exin, looking embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I haven¡¯t seen you in so long, and I¡¯m so excited. I just want to be close to you.¡±

    The cab was tiny and stuffy, and the air reeked of something weird¨Clike a mix of musty odors and some kind of medicinal chemical.

    Donald floored it, and before long, they were out of the city and speeding down the highway.

    <b>20:06 </b><b>Wed</b>, <b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>

    Gina pulled out an unopened bottle of water and handed it to Olivia. ¡°Thirsty? Have some water

    ¡°A little,¡± Olivia replied, taking the bottle without a second thought and taking a couple of gentle sips.

    As soon as Olivia swallowed the water, Donald and Gina exchanged a look, their grinspletely unrestrained.

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit tired. I think I¡¯ll take a nap,¡± Olivia said, pretending to be exhausted as she stretched her neck.

    ¡°Sure, go ahead. I¡¯ll wake you up when we get there,¡± Gina replied.

    Olivia closed her eyes, a barely noticeable smirk flickering at her lips.

    Donald shot Gina a look. ¡°She¡¯s out.¡±

    Gina nodded, whispering, ¡°This stuff really works. Look at her¨Cshe¡¯s out cold in just a few minutes.¡±

    Hearing that, Donald finally rxed. He lit up a cigarette and said in a loud voice, ¡°My buddy¡¯s got real connections. He can get his hands on such a strong drug. Just a few drops, and she¡¯s knocked out.¡±

    Gina nced at the sleeping Olivia and snorted, ¡°These girls are so gullible. Say a couple of sweet words, and they¡¯ll just tag along.

    ¡°She really is a stunner. What a shame to waste her on that old geezer.¡± Gina tilted Olivia¡¯s chin up for a closer look. ¡°Nydia was right¡ªshe¡¯s got the perfect look.¡±

    Donald stubbed out his cigarette, sounding irritated. ¡°Don¡¯t go soft on her now. Weren¡¯t you the one who brought her here in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°I was just making conversation,¡± Gina muttered, frowning. ¡°No need to bring up old stuff. After this job, we¡¯ll move to the city. No one will find us there.¡±

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 Blizzard 62

    <b>Chapter </b>62

    Donald and Gina chatted on and on for a while, and finally, the car grew quiet,

    Olivia, resting with her eyes closed, let a barely noticeable smile slip across her lips. As a doctor, she <b>had </b>noticed something wrong with that bottle of water instantly. She was just curious to see what tricks <b>this </b><b>couple </b>was trying to pull.

    At the Orion Hotel, Andrew was lounging in gray casual clothes. His finger hovered over the chat window with Olivia, not sure what to type.

    ¡°Just text her if you want,¡± Jenny said, shooting him an exasperated look as she walked by. ¡°Andrew, if you keep dragging your feet like this, you¡¯re going to lose her for good.¡±

    Andrew shot Jenny a sideways nce, his breath growing heavier. ¡°Someone¡¯s chasing after her?¡±

    Jenny paused to think. ¡®With Olivia¡¯s looks, medical skills, and cooking skills, it¡¯s no surprise she¡¯s got men lining up for her.¡®

    ¡°Obviously.¡± Jenny nodded hard. ¡°So you better hurry up and make her my sister¨Cinw.¡±

    ¡°Sister¨Cinw,¡± Andrew echoed, the word tasting strange on his tongue.

    Jenny jabbed him hard. ¡°Step up your game, Mr. Shea!¡±

    He¡¯d lost track of how many times Jenny had brought up Olivia¡¯s name. His face was a mess of feelings that he couldn¡¯t even name.

    He couldn¡¯t help feeling a little jealous of Olivia. Jenny was his own little sister, but it seemed like she was always glued to Olivia instead of him.

    Suddenly, he crouched down and stared Jenny right in the eyes. ¡°Why do you like her so much?¡±

    Jenny¡¯s expression soured as she gave Andrew a re, like he was totally clueless. ¡°Why not? If I don¡¯t like her, you think I¡¯d like you instead?¡±

    Andrew was leftpletely speechless.

    ¡°Olivia¡¯s gorgeous, she¡¯s a doctor, and her cooking is amazing.¡± Jenny counted off on her fingers, and then red at Andrew. ¡°Are you trying to stir things up between her?¡±

    Andrew let out a heavy sigh and raised his hands in surrender. ¡°I was just asking.¡±

    No one would¡¯ve ever imagined that the legendary ice¨Ccold Andrew would get this kind of attitude from his own little sister.

    ¡°Whatever, I¡¯m going to find Olivia.¡± Jenny jumped off the stool and dashed to the door, yelling into the next room, ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re taking me there.¡±

    U:<b>UO </b>Wed<b>, </b>Sep 3

    Andrew rubbed his forehead and let out a soft sigh. ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    The same leaden gray hung over Hirica, the drizzle now whispering through the streets. Grace¡¯s hands shook as she hurried to collect the drying herbs. Then it hit her¨Cthat cold, familiar twist of dread in her stomach.

    Grace forced herself to breathe steadily. ¡°I need to rx. It¡¯s just a family visit. No one¡¯s trafficking Olivia or anything drastic.¡± Yet her eyes betrayed her anxiety, repeatedly checking the door despite her logical

    reassurances.

    ¡°Olivia!¡± Jenny¡¯s sweet little voice echoed through the whole yard.

    ¡°Hey, is Olivia not here?¡± Jenny nced around but didn¡¯t spot Olivia anywhere.

    When Grace saw who it was, a faint smile finally appeared on her face. ¡°Jenny, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Jenny nodded politely. ¡°Grandma Grace, is Olivia not here?¡±

    ¡°No. Her birth parents came for her, and she went home with them,¡± Grace replied, a trace of sadness in her eyes as she continued, ¡°It¡¯s just so far away, all the way in Magnolia Town. I don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll be back thi time.¡±

    At the mention of Magnolia Town, Jenny and Andrew shared a look, both getting a bad feeling in their gut.

    ¡°Ms. Lane, did Ms. Summers really go to Magnolia Town?¡± Andrew asked, his brow tightening.

    Grace nodded. ¡°Yes. Her parents showed up. Check this out¨Cthey even did a DNA test.¡±

    Ìï

 Blizzard 63

    She handed the report over, and as Andrew read through it, his frown never left his face.

    The DNA report looked almost wless, so real that it could fool anyone. But the moment he spotted the Evans Group¡¯s hospital stamp, it all clicked¨Cthis was a setup. Someone had deceived Olivia.

    Grace studied Andrew¡¯s expression, and a fresh wave of uncase washed over her. That same sick worry had haunted her since Olivia left. No matter how she rationalized it, her instinct screamed wrong.

    Andrew paused for a moment before finally telling her the truth. ¡°This DNA report is fake. She probably got deceived.¡±

    ¡°Fake?¡± Grace echoed, grabbing the report and staring at it in disbelief. A numb buzzing filled her ears while icy fingers of dread crawled up her spine.

    Who were those people? Why did they take Olivia?¡® Grace¡¯s mind spun as she slumped to the ground, her breathing turning heavy.

    ¡°Grandma Grace, careful!¡± Jenny rushed over to steady her, trying tofort her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry<i>. </i>Olivia¡¯s so smart and capable¨Cshe¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Andrew didn¡¯t say a word. Outwardly, he looked as calm and unbothered as ever, but inside, his thoughts were

    a storm.

    ¡®Olivia¡¯s way too sharp to fall for such an obvious trap. Unless¡­! A daring idea shed through Andrew¡¯s mind. ¡®Maybe she¡¯s walking right into the game on purpose, putting herself at risk to see what¡¯s really going on.

    ¡°Jenny, look after Ms. Lane,¡± Andrew said, his tone steady as he strode away with measured steps.

    He grabbed his phone and dialed Tony. ¡°Monitor the ¡®MysticHealer¡® ount closely¨Calert me the moment there¡¯s activity. And tell our teams near Magnolia Town to watch for strangers. If threats appear, their priority is protecting Olivia at all costs.¡±

    A hint of warmth softened Andrew¡¯s expression for just a moment before his usual stern mask slipped back into ce, the tightness around his lips rxing slightly. ¡®My doctor heals more than wounds¨Cshe unravels secrets too,¡® he thought.

    Meanwhile, stuck in a huge traffic jam on the highway, Donald grumbled and smacked the steering wheel. ¡°Seriously? It¡¯s not a holiday or anything. Why is it so packed out here?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. We¡¯ll just take the next exit and hit the back roads,¡± Gina said, cracking sunflower seeds and spitting out the shells. ¡°We¡¯ve already found her, so a few extra minutes won¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°Where are we now?¡± Olivia asked, feigning sleepiness as she rubbed her eyes.

    Seeing her awake, Gina immediately switched to her motherly tone. ¡°You¡¯re up. Did we wake you?¡±

    ¡°No, I just need the bathroom,¡± Olivia replied.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Gina nodded right away. ¡°This stretch is really jammed anyway. We¡¯ll get off at the next exit for the

    <b>20:07 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>3 </b>

    bathroom. Then we¡¯ll take the back roads instead of the highway.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia nodded obediently.

    Gina couldn¡¯t help but smirk to herself. ¡®Girls like her are just too naive. A few sweet words, and they¡¯re <b>putty </b>in my hands,¡® she mused.

    Once they stepped off the truck, Olivia didn¡¯t try to slip away or anything¨Cshe just headed straight for the bathroom, her backpack still hanging from her shoulder.

    Not far off, a middle¨Caged woman spotted her and squinted, recognizing Olivia from outside the Orion Tower. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you that doctor from the other day?¡± the woman came over, looking curious.

    Olivia recognized her and nodded.

    ¡°Oh, it really is you,¡± the woman said, her face lighting up as she pped her hands. ¡°I was just thinking of dropping by Willow Lane to have you check my shoulder. It¡¯s been acting up again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. You just need a quick adjustment,¡± Olivia said as she rotated the woman¡¯s arm a bit, smiling. ¡°When I¡¯m back in a few days, I¡¯ll give you a proper treatment.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡± The woman¡¯s face lit up, but then she looked a bit puzzled. ¡°So, where are you headed? Off to have some fun?<b>¡± </b>

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 Blizzard 64

    <b>Chapter </b>64

    ¡°Oh, just back in town to see family,¡± Olivia replied in aid¨Cback tone, shooting Gina a quick <b>nce</b>, Afraid Olivia might slip up, Gina hurried over to greet the woman. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Olivia¡¯s mom.

    There was something odd about Gina<i>, </i>but the woman couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. As a psychologist, she was used to solving cases by analyzing the minds of criminals.

    Years of training kicked in the moment she met this ¡°mother,¡± and something felt instinctively wrong. When she looked into Gina¡¯s eyes, she saw no trace of warmth or affection for Olivia, only a calcting glint.

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± the woman replied politely, nodding slightly before turning back to Olivia. ¡°Which town are you heading back to? Maybe we¡¯re going the same way.¡±

    The woman seemed friendly enough. And with her current assignment being mind¨Cnumbingly dull, tagging along with Olivia sounded infinitely more interesting.

    ¡°Yeah, Magnolia Town,¡± Olivia replied.

    At the mention of Magnolia Town, the woman tensed, her focus sharpening on Gina. Her mission required infiltrating that very ce, and running into Olivia was an unforeseenplication. Worse, Olivia appeared to have been deliberately deceived intoing.

    ¡°Girl, just hear me out¡­¡± The woman wanted to warn Olivia, concern flickering in her

    eyes<b>. </b>

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We should get moving,¡± Gina cut in with a strained smile, a warning glint in her eyes.

    The woman caught Gina¡¯s look and awkwardly fell silent.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Olivia asked, not seeming to notice anything off. ¡°What¡¯s up with Magnolia Town?¡±

    ¡®Magnolia Town is a ck hole for young women¨Ccollege students and fresh graduates vanish without a trace,¡¯ she thought grimly. But voicing this warning wasn¡¯t an option; one wrong word couldpromise her entire operation.

    She forced a strained smile, her voice heavy with concern. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious¨Cjust that the area¡¯s remote. and dangerous, with wild animals roaming freely. Please¡­ take extra care.¡± Her eyes flickered briefly toward Gina as she spoke.

    Gina noticed the woman¡¯s growing suspicion and quickly intervened. She draped an arm around Olivia while offering the woman a water bottle with exaggerated concern. ¡°You must be thirsty after talking so much. Here, have some water.¡±

    The woman didn¡¯t miss the threat in Gina¡¯s overly sweet tone. Swallowing her words, she fell silent, but her eyes were locked onto Olivia¡¯s, silently urging her to be careful.

    ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯m in a rush,¡± the woman replied, edging away from Gina but keeping her eyes locked on Olivia. ¡°Be careful out there, okay? We¡¯ll be waiting for you toe back and help us out.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s eyes softened as she gave a gentle nod. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    <b>20:07 </b><b>Wed</b><b>, </b>Sep <b>3 </b>

    Hearing that, the woman finally felt a bit more at ease. She¡¯s sharp. If anything goes wrong, she¡¯ll catch <b>on </b>1. just can¡¯t call the cops, or I¡¯ll blow my cover and tank the whole operation, she thought to herself.

    Magnolia Town appeared to be just another sleepy rural town to outsiders, but beneath the surface, it <b>thrived </b>with wealth. Cutting¨Cedge medical facilities and modern homes dotted the area, far surpassing <b>anything </b>found in nearby cities. Such development undoubtedly pointed to powerful backing.

    For years, every missing person case connected to Magnolia Town would hit a dead end. The woman had been sent here this time to see if she could uncover anything.

    She was still torn about whether to warn Olivia again, but Gina had already grabbed Olivia and hustled her into the truck.

    Olivia kept her eyes downcast, her face the picture of calmpliance. She just let Gina pull her along as if she hadn¡¯t noticed anything wrong at all.

    Before the woman could catch up, the little truck was already rumbling off.

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 Blizzard 65

    Gina wasn¡¯t about to let it go. As soon as they got in the truck, she kept probing Olivia. ¡°Who was that <b>woman</b><b>? </b>She looked unfamiliar, definitely not one of us from Magnolia Town.¡± She was clearly fishing for answers.

    Olivia didn¡¯t hold back. ¡°I met her once. That¡¯s about it. Don¡¯t really know her.¡±

    Gina rxed slightly. If the woman was truly just a passerby, then there was nothing to worry about.

    ¡°I thought she was someone you knew. If she¡¯s from Magnolia Town, we could invite her over sometime,¡± Gina said, handing Olivia the uncapped water bottle. ¡°Here, have some water. We¡¯ll get there in another two or three hours.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Olivia replied, taking several sips. The chill wind snagged at her hair as she automatically reached up to smooth it back, her lips curving into a ghost of a smile that never reached her watchful eyes.

    Gina looked at her with all the warmth in her eyes, gently running her fingers through Olivia¡¯s hair. ¡°Our precious girl is just so beautiful.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before Olivia¡¯s eyelids grew heavy, her thoughts blurring as exhaustion overtook her. She sank limply into the cushions, her body surrendering to sleep.

    The truck¡¯s cab was stiflingly close, Olivia¡¯s body slumped at an awkward angle against the seat. Her forehead was untroubled, breathing light and even.

    She seemed to be deep enough in sleep that even the sliding nket didn¡¯t stir her. To any observer, she appeared genuinely lost in dreams.

    Gina¡¯s lips curled into a satisfied smile. While Olivia was in the bathroom, Gina had slipped in twice the usual dose of the drug into Olivia¡¯s water¨Cenough to keep her knocked out until morning.

    ¡°I told you, you didn¡¯t put enough in. She almost woke up halfway and nearly blew the whole thing,¡± Donald snapped at Gina, his face twisted in annoyance.

    Gina reached over and gave Olivia a shove. When Olivia didn¡¯t react, she finally rxed.

    ¡°Yeah, easy for you to say. Give her too much, and she¡¯ll end up brain¨Cdead. Then what? We won¡¯t even be able to get rid of her,¡± Gina shot back, spitting at him in irritation.

    She then pulled a beer from the bag, cracked it open, and took a couple of swigs.

    The smell of beer filled the cab, making Donald crave it. ¡°Come on, let me have a sip.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to get us killed? Drinking while driving?¡± Gina snapped, clearly annoyed. ¡°Just get moving. The longer we wait, the more likely something will go wrong.¡±

    Donald shook his head, trying to reassure Gina. ¡°Rx. We¡¯ll be on our turf soon. By then, even wings wouldn¡¯t get her out.¡±

    Gina studied Olivia¡¯s sleeping face with a twisted mix of admiration and pity. ¡°She turned out even more beautiful than she was as a child. What a waste. She¡¯s destined to be nothing but Devin¡¯s broodmare.¡±

    Donald gave a cold snort. ¡°Don¡¯t go getting stupid ideas now. Devin¡¯s already got his eye on her, <b>so </b><b>don¡¯t </b><b>mess </b>

    this up.

    Cheryl had sent Devin Olivia¡¯s photos ages ago, and he was so pleased with what he saw that he insisted she <i>be </i>brought over right away.

    Gina had taken the money, so she was determined to get the job done right. She had to string Olivia along, keep up the act, and make sure Olivia didn¡¯t suspect a thing.

    So many college girls came here chasing money, only to regret it and end up desperate to get out.

    But leaving was never that simple. No matter how much they resisted, Gina always had a way to make them stay and work for her, whether they liked it or not.

    As they neared Magnolia Town, Gina pulled out her phone and dialed the doctor. They arranged to meet that evening. Once the payment was secured, the procedure would be scheduled at dawn.

    Once it was all done, Olivia wouldn¡¯t be leaving this ce¨Cwings or not.

    The old truck rattled into Magnolia Town, a surprisingly modern settlement tucked deep in the wilderness. Despite its remote location, it boasted all the amenities of a city.

    ¡°Wake up, sweetheart,¡± Gina said, shaking Olivia awake. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±

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    Olivia slowly opened her eyes, her fingers unconsciously clenching as she brushed her hair away from her temple. ¡°My head hurts a bit,¡± she said.

    Donald crushed out his cigarette and shed a knowing smile. ¡°Ten hours on the road will rattle anyone¡¯s skull. Take a walk¨Csome air and movement will clear the fog right out.¡±

    Gina helped Olivia from the truck and echoed, ¡°Your father¡¯s right. Long rides take getting used to. Let¡¯s walk it off. And believe me, you¡¯ll perk right up after dinner.¡±

    Olivia nced over. ¡°Who are we eating with?¡±

    ¡°With our family, of course. We¡¯ve been waiting for you for over ten years, and finally, you¡¯re back,¡± Gina said excitedly. ¡°Especially your grandma. She¡¯s been waiting for you all day.¡±

    ¡°Right. Your grandma is already in her sixties, and her health isn¡¯t great. She really wanted toe with us to pick you up, but we finally convinced her to stay home,¡± Donald said as he led Olivia toward the town.

    ¡°I know a little about medicine. I can check on Grandma when we get there,¡± Olivia replied softly. In that moment, she really did look like a naive, innocent girl.

    Gina seemed to be moved, showering Olivia with praise. ¡°That¡¯s so sweet of you, sweetheart. You¡¯re such a thoughtful girl.¡±

    Olivia lingered at the back as they entered town, her eyes quietly taking in the surroundings. She stayed silent with practiced timidity.

    Donald was pretty satisfied with how she was acting now. Back in the city, Olivia¡¯s whole vibe had always rubbed him the wrong way¡ªshe had that knowing little smile, like she could see right through people.

    Right now, she just looked like a regr college girl, blending right in with all the other girls taken here.

    Before long, they arrived at the Johnsons¡® ce¨Ca sprawling three¨Cstory house they¡¯d built with their own hands. In a town like this, it might as well have been a mansion, marking them as local royalty.

    In the yard sat a grand wooden armchair, and on the table were tes of fresh fruit and a pile of sunflower seeds. It was obvious the family was livingfortably.

    Suddenly, a little boy came running out, ring at Olivia. He rushed over and started hitting her, yelling, ¡°Get out! No girls in my house. Go away. Now!¡±

    Donald hadn¡¯t expected his son toe charging out like that. He quickly pulled the boy off Olivia, but Bobby kept swinging his little fists, looking like he was ready to fight her off.

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    ¡°Bobby, stop it!¡± Donald scolded, and then shouted angrily toward the house, ¡°Sally, what¡¯s wrong with you? Can¡¯t you even keep an eye on a kid?¡±

    Gina turned to check on Olivia. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re not hurt, are you? Bobby¡¯s just like that¨Che hits anyone he doesn¡¯t know. There¡¯s just no stopping him sometimes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± The girl named Sally came rushing out, flustered. ¡°I was in the middle of cooking and didn¡¯t notice Mr. Johnson had slipped out¡­¡±

    A sharp crack echoed as Donald¡¯s palm struck Sally¡¯s cheek, leaving an angry red mark. His voice was low, dangerous. ¡°Next time, you won¡¯t walk away.¡±

    Sally pressed a hand to her stinging cheek, shoulders hunched. She didn¡¯t dare to look up, but the light tremble in her frame gave her away.

    Olivia lingered at the edges, observing the scene with quiet amusement.

    Her so¨Ccalled ¡°real parents¡± were living like small¨Ctown nobility¡ªa three¨Cstory house, a maid to cook and watch the kid, and their son being pampered like the sole heir to a vast family empire.

    Olivia lifted her chin, one eyebrow arching as she gave a little scoff, clearly amused by the whole

    cene.

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    Gina caught her snicker and rushed to exin, ¡°Your father and I are out working the fields from dawn till dusk. We couldn¡¯t leave Bobby alone all day, so we got someone to mind the house and

    watch over him.¡±

    Olivia gave a nomittal nod, her gaze lingering on the boy. ¡°He¡¯s my brother?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Gina replied, her smile bright at first, but then fading into a look of sadness. ¡°He has good days and bad days¨Csometimes he¡¯s clear, sometimes confused. When it¡¯s bad, he doesn¡¯t recognize anyone.¡±

    He was born that way?¡± Olivia asked.

    Gina shook her head. ¡°He was normal as a child. One day, he went out to y and came homete. We never found out what happened, but after that, he changed.

    ¡°Now, if a girles to the town, he throws tantrums and tries to drive them away. He causes so much trouble that we have to keep him home.¡±

    Olivia nodded thoughtfully.

    ¡®Don¡¯t just stand around,¡± Donald called out with a grin. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready. Come and eat. Olivia, you must be hungry.¡±

    With that, Gina gently nudged Olivia toward the house.

    The dining room was sparsely upied¨Cjust the woman they called Olivia¡¯s ¡°grandma,¡± a gray- haired man well past sixty, and a heavily pregnant young woman.

    Olivia estimated the girl was around eight months pregnant. Her unkempt hair and hollow stare gave her a vacant look as she sat motionless in silence.

    ¡°This is your grandma, and this is Devin, the town head. And that¡¯s his daughter, Sophie,¡± Donald introduced them one by one.

    Olivia greeted each of them politely.

    Once <i>everyone </i>was seated, Olivia made her way over and sat down beside the pregnant girl, striking up a conversation. How far along are you?¡± she asked, her medical instincts kicking in as she showed concern for Sophie

    Sopdie didn¡¯t answer until Olivia repeated her question several times. ¡®Oh about five months, she murmured, her face flickering with unreadable emotions as she met Olivia¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°But you look nearly eight months along! Olivia said, instinctively reaching for Sophie¡¯s wrist to check her pulse, her forehead creasing

    11:50 pm

    E55 vouchers

    Sophie was telling the truth. She truly wasn¡¯t quite five months pregnant. Her unusuallyrge belly was due to carrying triplets.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Olivia started, but Gina cut her off before she could finish.

    Gina quickly dropped some food onto Olivia¡¯s te, shing a smile. ¡°Olivia, try this. Devin raised these chickens himself.¡± Clearly, Gina just wanted to shut Olivia up and steer the conversation away.

    Noticing Gina¡¯s stare, Sophie immediately ducked her head, mumbling to herself, ¡°Right, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Olivia shot Sophie a puzzled look. ¡°What happened to her?¡±

    ¡°Poor girl. She was a college student,¡± Gina said quietly. ¡°Some guy got her pregnant, and she once tried to kill herself. After they saved her, she lost her mind. Just stay away. You don¡¯t want her problems.¡±

    Olivia felt the pendant on her chest start to warm up. She pressed it lightly, a faint smile curling on her lips. ¡°I really feel sorry for her.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s actually been doing bettertely. Two months ago, when she found out she was pregnant, she was desperate to end it all. She even tried to get rid of the babies,¡± Gina said, watching Olivia¡¯s face carefully. ¡°You¡¯re not freaked out, are you?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Olivia shook her head, her sharp gaze fixed on Sophie. ¡°If she isn¡¯t afraid of death, why would life frighten her?¡±

    Sophie¡¯s eyes shed with surprise at Olivia¡¯s words, but she quickly looked down and went back to eating.

    Throughout the meal, Sally kept bustling in and out with dishes, stealing concerned nces at Olivia whenever she passed.

    Meanwhile, Devin sat beside Sophie, relentlessly adding food to her te. ¡°Eat properly. The baby needs nutrients, and you¡¯re barely touching your food.¡± His cold stare suggested he viewed her not as a daughter, but as some failing investment.

    The whole dinner had this weird, unsettling vibe from start to finish.

    Ìï

    AD

 Blizzard 68

    Devin saw that Sophie still wasn¡¯t eating, so he stopped putting food on her te and started feeding her by hand, rough and impatient.

    ¡°Is it wrong for me to make you eat? Hurry up!¡± he shouted.

    Sophie sat there like a puppet, letting him shove food into her mouth, only chewing a little now and then.

    Devin lost interest in her and turned to Olivia. ¡°This your girl?¡± he asked Donald.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Donald tossed a peanut into his mouth and asked out of nowhere, ¡°Pretty, huh?¡±

    Devin picked up his ss and nodded again and again. ¡°Pretty. Real pretty.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t say a word. Her hand slipped, and the drink in her ss spilled right onto Sophie¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Oops, my bad,¡± Olivia said, pretending it was an ident.

    Devin looked unhappy.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll take her to get cleaned up,¡± Gina said quickly. ¡°Olivia didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    She got up to pull Sophie along, but Olivia stopped her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take her.¡± Olivia stood, her eyes wide and meek. She added softly, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, after all.¡±

    Gina hesitated. ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°I need the restroom anyway.¡± Olivia narrowed her pretty eyes, looking downcast.

    Seeing her so docile, Gina rxed. She saw Devin nod, then said, ¡°Alright, you go with her.¡±

    Olivia helped Sophie up, and they walked out side by side. When they were far enough away, Devin, Donald, and Gina kept drinking.

    ¡°How could you let her go? If she slips up, we¡¯re done,¡± Donald said, worried.

    ¡°Rx. Sophie¡¯s not in her right mind, or I wouldn¡¯t have brought her out,¡± Devin said, taking a drag on his cigarette and shing his yellow teeth. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll beat her until she does.

    ¡°As long as the baby doesn¡¯t get hurt, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Even so, be careful,¡± Gina said, taking a bite. ¡°Do you know if it¡¯s a boy or girl?¡±

    Devin flicked his ash and shook his head. ¡°Won¡¯t know till five months in. But this time I ordered triplets. If it works, I¡¯ll get three sons at once.¡±

    11:50 pm

    Donald asked dumbly, ¡°What if they¡¯re girls?¡±

    Gina shot him a re.

    55 vouchers

    ¡°Girls? I¡¯ll toss them,¡± Devin said like it was nothing. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have Sophie get pregnant again in a few months.¡±

    Donald nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what women are for¨Chaving kids.¡±

    ¡°But I gotta say, this chick Nydia found is real pretty, and she looks obedient. I¡¯m happy with her,¡± Devin said with a smirk.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy. About the money-¡± Gina¡¯s eyes gleamed with greed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get your share,¡± Devin said, crushing out his cigarette with a hard look. ¡°But that bloodhound who¡¯d been tailing us¨Ckeep an eye on him. I don¡¯t want trouble.¡±

    At the mention of the man, Donald grew cautious and nodded.

    He didn¡¯t know where the guy came from, but he¡¯d followed them all the way to Magnolia Town, saying he¡¯d bring them to justice. Donald thought the man must have a death wish.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Donald said, mming the table. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s a cop- smart and good with his hands. If it weren¡¯t for our numbers, he might¡¯ve pulled it off.

    ¡°He even tried to take Sophie? Once you¡¯re in Magnolia Town, you¡¯re not getting out!¡±

    Devin lowered his voice. ¡°Still, keep your guard up. Watch him close, and make sure nothing leaks.¡±

    The three went back <i>to </i>chatting idly, the mood warm and easy.

    Olivia took Sophie to the third¨Cfloor restroom. Sophie wanted to talk to her, but there were cameras all over the building, <i>so </i>she didn¡¯t dare say a word.

    She could only squeeze Olivia¡¯s hand again and again, trying to send her a signal. But Olivia just looked at her with a faint smile, as if she didn¡¯t get the hint.

    Does she really not understand?¡® Sophie thought anxiously.

    Watching the two on the monitors, the three downstairs looked pleased.

    ¡°Told you it was fine to let them go,¡± Devin said smugly, taking a bite. ¡°No one gets away under my

    nose.¡±

    Ginaughed along. ¡°Yeah, this girl¡¯s way easier to fool than Nydia said.¡±

    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s just that Nydia¡¯s young and scared of everyone,¡± Donald said.

    But once Olivia stepped into the restroom, her look changed. Her eyes grew sharp and calcting.

    11:50 pm

    55 vouchers

    She slowly pulled a detector from her bag and swept the room. After making sure there were no cameras, she put it away and gave Sophie a smile.

    ¡°Still ying dumb?¡± Olivia¡¯s tone was calm, her voice steady. She stood tall, strong, and sure.

    ¡°You? You¡¯re- Sophie stared at her in disbelief, then lowered her voice so no one could hear. ¡°Are you with the police?¡±

    Olivia shook her head but kept working. She put on a pair of ck stud earrings and synced them with Bluetooth. In seconds, her watch showed full signal.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Sophie asked, stunned by what she was seeing.

    When she finished, Olivia opened a virtual screen, logged into the hottest streaming tform, and signed into her ount.

    On the screen, the ID ¡°Mystic Healer¡± appeared. Her followers had already climbed to five million.

    Olivia lowered her gaze, a faint smile ying at her lips.

    It seemed that Andrew was smart enough to get her hint. With this fanbase in ce, what she had to do next would be much easier.

    ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry. Tell me your situation, short and simple,¡± Olivia said as she adjusted her gear.

    Sophie hesitated. She was afraid Olivia might be working for the human traffickers, so she stammered. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°If you want out, trust me.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was low and firm, enough to calm anyone¡¯s nerves.

    At that, Sophie let out a long sigh. Her voice shook a little. ¡°My name¡¯s Sophie Reed. I¡¯m neen. I¡¯m a sophomore inw at Kingtonelle University.

    ¡°A <i>year </i>ago, I was kidnapped on my way out. When I woke up, I was in an unfamiliar operating

    room.

    Her eyes glistened with tears. ¡°They tied me to a bed, hooked me up to an IV, and imnted embryos in me without ever asking if I agreed.

    ¡°They forced me to sign a consent form and promised to give me 30 thousand dors after it was done. But I don¡¯t need the money. I just want to go home.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s eyes widened. She stayed silent, shocked that the Evans family was secretly running illegal surrogacy.

    Sophie went on. The first imntation failed, so they gave me drugs to end the pregnancy. Not long after, they tried a second imntation. It worked, but when they found out the baby wasn¡¯t a boy, they forced me to end it again¡­¡±

 Blizzard 69

    60 vouchers

    As she spoke, Sophie couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. Tears rolled down her cheeks to her chin, her voice shaking. ¡°This is the third time. In another month, they can check the baby¡¯s gender.

    ¡°They have a rule¨Cif three surrogacies don¡¯t please the employer, the mother gets sent to the egg house.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Olivia raised a brow, not getting what she meant.

    Sophie let out a bitterugh, her voice hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s where they harvest eggs. Girls who need money, girls who were trafficked, and girls like me who aren¡¯t worth anything anymore all get sent there.

    ¡°They don¡¯t use anesthesia when they take the eggs. One egg is fifty grand.

    ¡°Everything here has a price tag¡­¡±

    ¡°I just want to go home¡­¡± Sophie stroked her swollen belly, her eyes losing focus. She forced a polite smile, staring nkly into the distance, as if every bit of strength had been drained from her.

    Olivia pulled her close, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and gently patted her back. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±

    Meanwhile, inside Orion Tower, Ethan rushed to Andrew with his phone, looking excited. ¡°Mr. Shea, that fortune teller called MysticHealer just went live. But the background looks weird.¡±

    Andrew took the phone, a sly smile curling on his lips. ¡°Tell the PR team to push this ount with everything they¡¯ve got. Mystic Healer¡¯s stream has to hit tonight¡¯s trending list. Tomorrow, I want her on the trending list.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Shea, are you sure?¡± Ethan asked, thinking Andrew had lost it.

    That afternoon, Andrew had already bought MysticHealer five million followers, spending over a million dors. Ethan couldn¡¯t figure out why he cared so much about a fortune teller with no scientific basis.

    Andrew nced at him, his eyes cool and unreadable.

    Tll get on it,¡± Ethan said quickly.

    Ethan worked fast. With the massive follower base and the tform¡¯s insane traffic boost, Olivia¡¯s livestream was soon flooded with viewers.

    (What¡¯s this ount? When did I follow it?)

    [Did some rich guy buy me as a follower again?!

    11:50 pm

    [Why does the streamer¡¯s background look like¡­ a bathroom?]

    [My years online tell me this is gonna be one hell of a stream.]

    The chat buzzed nonstop. In no time, the live viewers hit half a million.

    <b>55 </b>vouchers

    Olivia arched a brow, her smile confident and bold. ¡°Wee, everyone. Today, I¡¯m not doing readings. I¡¯m showing you something special.¡±

    [Special? What kind of special?]

    [So you are a fortune teller? This is interesting. I¡¯m in.]

    ¡®Today, we¡¯re going inside an illegal surrogacy operation. Ladies, remember to protect yourselves.¡± Olivia spoke slowly and calmly, making sure every word was recorded clearly.

    Oh my god! Did I hear that right? Illegal surrogacy? Is this for real?]

    This has to be scripted. No way something this crazy is real.]

    Script or not, I¡¯m staying. Can¡¯t wait to see what happens.]

    I¡¯m already screen recording. Gotta save the evidence.]

    Once everything was in ce, Olivia adjusted her earring to make sure it wouldn¡¯t fall off. Then she ook Sophie¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°From here on, just keep ying dumb.¡±

    She had barely finished when Gina banged on the door from outside, her voice sharp with urgency. ¡®Olivia! What¡¯s taking so long? Do you need me to help you in there?¡±

    Gina¡¯s vignce was impressive. Barely three minutes had passed before she came checking in.

    [Wait, this isn¡¯t scripted? What¡¯s going on? Is the streamer actually busting a human trafficking ring?]

    [I thought I followed a fortune teller?]

    [Why am I feeling kinda hyped about this?]

    Olivia opened the door and smiled at Gina. ¡°Sophie wasn¡¯t feeling well, so it took a bit longer.¡±

    As she spoke, Olivia brushed her hair back just enough to reveal the earring. On the stream, Gina¡¯s face instantly filled the screen.

    Since Olivia had been <i>so </i>obedient all day, Gina didn¡¯t suspect a thing. She even smiled warmly. ¡°Olivia, I heard you know a bit of medicine?¡±

    ¡°A little,¡± Olivia said with a small nod.

    11:50 pm

    65 vouchers

    ¡°That¡¯s great. Devin¡¯s nephew works at the county hospital. He¡¯s tall, handsome, and a lead physician there. Why don¡¯t you meet him¨Cmaybe even date him?¡± Gina¡¯s eyes gleamed with

    calction.

    ¡°Date him?¡± Olivia¡¯s face darkened, her tone edged with irritation. ¡°I¡¯m not looking to be in a rtionship. I only came back this time to-¡±

    Before she could finish, Gina grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the stairs. ¡°Silly girl, all women need to marry. It¡¯s not like the city here¨Cgirls around eighteen marry young. Once you¡¯re over twenty, you¡¯re not worth much.¡±

    Olivia yanked her arm free, her expression instantly cold. ¡°I said I¡¯m not interested in dating. And I have no ns to get married.¡±

    A flicker of anger passed over Gina¡¯s face, but she quickly smoothed it away. Taking Olivia¡¯s hand in a gentler grip, she soothed, ¡°Olivia, Devin¡¯s the one suggesting you meet his nephew¨CI can¡¯t exactly refuse him, can I?

    ¡°Just meet that young man once. If you don¡¯t like him, think of it as exchanging some medical knowledge. I hear from Grace you have real talent in medicine. Even if you don¡¯t fancy him, you could still be friends, right?¡±

    [Why does it feel like every word out of her mouth is a trap?]

    [Seriously, why do women have to get married? Not marrying isn¡¯t a crime.]

    [Didn¡¯t the streamer say she grew up in an orphanage? Then why does she have a ¡°mom¡°?]

    When Olivia stayed silent, Gina¡¯s patience began to wear thin. Her tone hardened. ¡°It¡¯s just a meeting¨Cyou¡¯re not losing anything. Devin¡¯s done a lot for our family. You ought to be polite.¡±

    Sophie tugged lightly at Olivia¡¯s sleeve, signaling for her to agree.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen <i>to </i>you.¡± Olivia put on a timid look, took a deep breath, and let her voice tremble slightly. ¡°Can you at least tell me which hospital this doctor works at?¡±

    Seeing her act so interested, Gina slipped right back into her doting¨Cmother facade. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s impressive. He¡¯s an OB¨CGYN at Hirica Women¡¯s & Children¡¯s Hospital. You have to book his appointments two weeks in advance, and a single consultation costs over a thousand dors.¡±

    ¡°If you and he hit it off, our family could walk tall in this town.¡± Gina forced herself to rein in her excitement. ¡°But if it doesn¡¯t work out, that¡¯s fine too. Totally up to you.¡±

    The smile she wore was nothing but a cover. The ¡°meeting¡± was just an excuse to lure Olivia to the hospital. In her mind, there was no way Dr. Steven Lewis would ever be genuinely interested in

    Olivia.

    ¡°I still prefer someone handsome,¡± Olivia said lightly.

    11:50 pm

    E55 vouchers

    Gina tapped her on the forehead, eyes full of fake affection. ¡°Silly girl¨Chandsome doesn¡¯t put food on the table. What matters in a man is money and power.¡±

    11:50 pm

 Blizzard 70

    55 vouchera

    Gina went on, ¡°Devin¡¯s nephew Steven isn¡¯t just well¨Crespected in town¨Che¡¯s a man of influence throughout all of Hirica.¡±

    Olivia lightly brushed the dust from her clothes and replied unhurriedly, ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±

    Seeing Olivia¡¯s unyielding attitude, Gina lost interest in talking further. Her pace quickened as she went down the stairs.

    In Gina¡¯s mind, Olivia had little going for her besides a pretty face, unlike Nydia, who had managed to turn herself into the Sherman family¡¯s heiress. Gina onlymented that Nydia, with her beauty and high education, refused to be a surrogate.

    To Gina, surrogacy was just ten months of inconvenience in exchange for tens of thousands of dors¨Can excellent deal.

    Besides, this time it was Devin¡¯s family seeking a surrogate. The Lewis family was wealthy and powerful; if things worked out, Gina and her family would never have to worry about protection again.

    Just as they reached the bottom of the stairs, they ran into Steven Lewis.

    The sight of him made Sophie want to block Olivia¡¯s path, but she couldn¡¯t suppress the fear rising inside her.

    Steven was a monster in every sense of the word.

    By day<i>, </i>he delivered babies at the hospital, ying the role of a benevolent angel in white. By night, he became a scalpel¨Cwielding demon. It was he who had carried out all of Sophie¡¯s embryo imntations.

    Sophie didn¡¯t want Olivia to end up like her, so she grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°Miss¡­¡±

    Steven adjusted his sses when he saw Sophie. ¡°Sophie Reed, isn¡¯t it? How¡¯s your healthtely? Your poor appetite will affect the baby in your belly¨Cyou need to keep your nutrition up. This is the third time already, so try a little harder.¡±

    It was a thinly veiled threat, warning Sophie to keep her mouth shut.

    ¡°Sophie.¡± Olivia gave her a meaningful nce and slipped a small tissue ball into her palm, her gaze warm. ¡°You should listen to the doctor¨Cyour health matters most.¡±

    Sophie could feel the foreign object in her hand. She looked at Olivia with deep worry.

    At the same time, there was an inexplicable trust toward her. Olivia¡¯s deep, bright eyes seemed to see straight into people¡¯s hearts, bringing her a strange sense of security.

    <b>11:51 </b>pm D

    At that moment, the livestream chat erupted in heated discussion.

    55 vouchers

    [Why does what this doctor just said sound like a threat? What does he mean by ¡®third time¡®? Third pregnancy? But this girl doesn¡¯t look that old.]

    [MysticHealer, where on earth are you? This ce seems terrifying.]

    [Isn¡¯t that Dr. Steven Lewis? I just saw him for an appointment the other day¨Chow is he suddenly in this livestream?]

    [Oh my god, this is that notorious Magnolia Town.]

    [That¡¯s right¨CMagnolia Town. Every year, over a hundred thousand female college students go missing here.]

    In Magnolia Town, all signals were heavily blocked. For years, many who had tried to infiltrate the ce failed to send any information out; even the few women who managed to escape couldn¡¯t get a distress signal through.

    Olivia, however, was using advanced quantum¨Cencryptedmunication technology, which was the only reason she could connect to the outside world.

    Gina, annoyed by Sophie¡¯s presence, grabbed her by the arm and shoved her into a small room.

    Only when the coast was clear did Sophie dare to check the message hidden in the crumpled tissue

    in her hand.

    On it were the words: [Don¡¯t worry. Trust me. I¡¯ll save you.]

    Sophie instinctively covered her mouth to stifle any sound. A wave of warmth surged through her chest, and tears of gratitude welled up in her eyes.

    Olivia understood everything. She woulde for them.

    For some reason, clutching the tissue filled Sophie with a boundless courage.

    AD

 Blizzard 71

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Donald pushed the door open, his face twisted in impatience. ¡°They¡¯re gone. Get out here. You¡¯re carrying Devin¡¯s baby nowe eat.¡±

    Sophie tightened her grip on the paper, her eyes vacant. She gave Donald a dazed smile. ¡°It¡¯s snowing. It¡¯s snowing hard!¡±

    ¡°What a maniac!¡± Donald took several steps back. Then his gazended on Olivia¡¯s red handbag nearby. Snatching it up, he rummaged through it for a while, finding nothing but a few tissues and

    a pen.

    Only after checking thoroughly did Donald rx.

    ¡°I knew it. What kind of tricks could a young girl like her possibly have up her sleeve?¡± he sneered.

    Hearing this, Sophie finally felt a bit of relief.

    Olivia was smart¨Csmart enough to guess her bag would be searched, so she wrote her message on a used tissue to avoid suspicion.

    With that thought, Sophie¡¯s worry for Olivia eased. She believed that with Olivia¡¯s wit and resourcefulness, dealing with the hospital staff would be a simple matter.

    What she feared was that the hospital might use force.

    Over the past year, Sophie had tried refusing, reasoning, even running away¨Cbut she had failed every time.

    She had once asked, ¡°Why me?¡±

    They had told her, ¡°Because Devin likes your face. And your education.¡±

    Here, beautiful, highly educated women were in even greater danger.

    Besides, Magnolia Town had powerful backing, the kind that kept them untouchable for years.

    Sophie couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡®Would Olivia really seed?¡®

    Sophie didn¡¯t know that everything happening tonight was being streamed live by Olivia to viewers all across the country. With Andrew working behind the scenes to boost the stream, it had shot to the top of the national live¨Cstream rankings within the first ten minutes.

    Meanwhile, Steven and a few others were leading Olivia toward the hospital.

    Steven¡¯s gaze was thick with desire. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen since he became a surgeon.

    11:51 pm

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    Olivia was stunning¨Cslim waist, long legs, and those eyes¨Cso bright it felt like they could see straight through a man. She wasn¡¯t just beautiful¨Cshe was rare.

    Even Steven felt it would be a waste to turn her into just another surrogate. A girl like her, he¡¯d rather keep for himself.

    As the only surgeon in Magnolia Town, Steven had seen his share of women over the years.

    Some were kidnapped, others tricked intoing here, but their fate was always the same- surrogacy. And with his influence, one word from him could decide whether they lived or died.

    His tastes ran toward the young and pretty, and he never let them go after he was done. Instead, he¡¯d throw them into the egg¨Charvesting rooms to keep the money flowing.

    This time, he was here on his father¡¯s orders¨Cthings were ¡°under scrutiny¡±tely, and he¡¯d been told to keep a low profile.

    He¡¯d heard Olivia was young, beautiful, and had some medical knowledge, so he¡¯d decided to see for himself. Now that he had, she was even better than he imagined.

    Steven shed what he thought was a charming smile. ¡°Since you¡¯re Donald¡¯s daughter, that makes you a good friend of mine. If you ever need anything, juste to me.

    I hear you¡¯ve got a medical background too? Guess that makes us colleagues.¡±

    Olivia walked with an unhurried, steady grace, never once meeting his

    eyes.

    Steven¡¯s outstretched hand hung awkwardly in midair.

    The livestream exploded again.

    God, he¡¯s disgusting. Old creep, get away from her!]

    Don¡¯t touch her! I feel so bad for this streamer.]

    Why isn¡¯t the police doing something? Can someone exin why this doctor¡¯s harassing a young woman?]

    [Keep this stream at the top! It¡¯s already number one, don¡¯t let it drop.]

    Jenny, watching the stream on her phone, was frantic. She quickly sent Olivia ten virtual rockets.

    ¡°Why the hell would Olivia go to a ce like this?¡± she muttered to herself.

 Blizzard 72

    Jenny kicked Andrew. ¡°Go save Olivia! That guy¡¯s old and disgusting. I¡¯m not letting himy a finger

    on her.¡±

    ¡°How are you so sure she¡¯s in danger?¡± Andrew blinked and gave a slow, easy smile. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need me to save her.¡±

    His voice carried nothing but confidence in Olivia.

    ¡°You idiot!¡± Jenny rolled her eyes hard enough to hurt, waving her small hand in exasperation. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be her savior?

    ¡°Even if Olivia can save herself, think about it¨Cif she sees you show up anyway, she¡¯s gonna like you more, right? You¡¯ve gotta find a way to win her over.¡±

    Jenny was almost tearing her hair out. She thought, ¡®If you don¡¯t try, how will Olivia even remember you?¡®

    ¡°Come on, we¡¯re going to Magnolia Town,¡± she said.

    *****

    ¡°We¡¯re here¨Cthis is my hospital.¡± Steven pointed at a in¨Clooking building.

    Olivia lifted her gaze. Before her stood a five¨Cstory, weathered building, surrounded by mud¨Cbrick walls and half¨Chidden by a few trees.

    ¡°Looks pretty ordinary,¡± she said carelessly, as if nothing about it concerned her.

    Steven chuckled. ¡°Wanna take a look inside?¡±

    ¡°Sure, Olivia replied.

    Gina beamed. ¡°This woman was way <i>too </i>easy to fool,¡® she thought.

    From the outside, the hospital looked unremarkable. Inside, it was a different story.

    The hallways reeked of disinfectant. The relentless beeping of machines pierced the air. Cries of pain and sobbing echoed from every direction.

    To Olivia¡¯s surprise, a janitor was in the ultrasound room performing a scan on a young girl. The girl¡¯s face was etched with despair.

    As they passed an operating room, Olivia caught sight of an appallingly crude setuppletely unprofessional.

    Inside, a girl was being pinned to the bed, eyes wide with terror.

    11:51 pm

    The thin door did nothing to muffle the sound.

    55 vouchers

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to donate eggs anymore. It¡¯s been over a dozen times¨Cone more and I¡¯ll die,¡± the girl cried. ¡°Let me go. I want to go home.¡±

    The doctor holding a scalpel gave a coldugh. ¡°You¡¯d better behave. This isn¡¯t your decision to make.¡±

    ¡°Barely a dozen times. What¡¯s there to be scared of? You won¡¯t die.¡± With, that, he pulled out a twelve¨Cinch retrieval tube, didn¡¯t bother to sterilize it, and moved to insert it into her body.

    ¡°No!¡± the girl screamed.

    Olivia¡¯s brow furrowed. She eased the door open just a crack, flicked her wrist, and sent a needle sailing through the gap¨Citnded squarely in the doctor¡¯s hand.

    He howled in pain, dropping the instrument. Clutching his hand, he stared at it in shock. ¡°My hand What¡¯s wrong with my

    hand?<b>¡± </b>

    The people holding the girl immediately crowded around him in confusion.

    Seizing the chance, the girl on the bed scrambled to her feet and ran to the door¨Cstraight into Olivia¡¯s arms.

    Her face was chalk¨Cwhite, lips trembling, hands clutching Olivia¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Help me¨Cno, wait, run. You have to run!¡± she stammered.

    Some awful memory seemed to sh in her mind. She shoved Olivia away and staggered down the

    hall.

    She barely made it a few steps before copsing to the ground, her breathing ragged and shallow, slipping quickly into unconsciousness.

    Steven¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Take her downstairs.¡±

    A few nurses rushed forward, dragging the girl away.

    Olivia furrowed her brow slightly, pushing down the anger rising inside her. She put on a nk, confused expression.

    Steven gave her a small smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t scare you, did it? She¡¯s a little unstable. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡±

    [This ce is pure hell. Where are the cops?]

    [That girl¡¯s so pitiful¨Cdanger all around her and she¡¯s still telling the streamer to run.]

    [Oh my God, the whole hallway is filled with girls¡® cries. They must be so helpless.]

    11:51 pm

    [What kind of nightmare is this? Doesn¡¯t anyone care?]

    EX 55 vouchers

    Viewers in the livestream spammed mentions of the local police, some even called the cops. But it was like the Magnolia Town police had vanished¨Cthere was no sign of any response.

    Outside an office door, a couple had been waiting a long time.

    Steven immediately approached them with a ttering smile. ¡°You two have been waiting a while, haven¡¯t you? Right this way.¡±

    Gina joined in the greeting, bringing over some red wine.

    Once inside, Olivia picked a spot where she could fit everyone in the shot and casually sat down in a chair by the bed.

    ¡°I want a boy this time,¡± said a woman dressed in expensive clothes, sipping her wine. ¡°How much is it this time?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. White, you¡¯re one of our best clients¨Cyou know the rules,¡± Gina said with a ttering smile as she handed over a contract. ¡°Without choosing gender, it¡¯s 250 thousand dors. If you pick the gender, it¡¯s 300 thousand dors.

    ¡°And if you want to select looks, health, or other traits, the all¨Cin price is 400 thousand dors.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± the woman said, ying with her manicure, eyes fixed on Gina. ¡°But this time, it can¡¯t be likest time. Thest child died after just a few months. Such a waste.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re the biggest agency in the country. You¡¯ll be satisfied,¡± Gina said, puffing out her chest with confidence. ¡°Last time was an ident¨Cwon¡¯t happen again.

    ¡°This time, we¡¯ll use the best seed. We just got a top student from a prestigious college, 22 years old, healthy.¡±

    The woman nced at Olivia, sizing her up from head to toe. ¡°Is it her?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s¡­ my daughter,¡± Cina said with a hesitant shake of her head.

    <b>¡°</b>But I like her look, the woman said, interest growing.

    Steven and Gina exchanged a nce, both understanding what she meant.

    Gina leaned in close, lowering her voice. ¡°Mrs. White, she¡¯s already been booked by Devin. There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±

    ¡°How much did he pay? I¡¯ll pay double, the woman said, eyes still on Olivia, appraising her carefully. ¡°A surrogate of that quality will definitely have beautiful kids.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. White, let¡¯s go check out thend. We have plenty of seeds anyway¡­¡± Gina waved, and a nurse

    came in to lead the woman out.

    <b>11:51 </b>pm

    55 vouchers

    Once the office was left with just the three of them, Olivia picked up a cup from the coffee table, twirling it between her fingers. A faint, cold smile curled on her lips, as if everything was under her control.

    ¡°So this is your job?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Steven answeredzily, clearly not taking her seriously.¡±

    Olivia pressed on, ¡°You tricked me here¨Cwhat do you want?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re smart,¡± Steven grinned brightly, admiring her nerve. He didn¡¯t beat around the bush. ¡°Since you¡¯ve seen it all, I¡¯ll be honest.

    ¡°We¡¯re the biggest surrogate agency in the country. Women who donate eggs are called seeds. Surrogates are callednd.

    ¡°Women get paid $7,000 to $30,000 per egg donation. Surrogates make $30,000 to $70,000 per pregnancy. The exact price depends on your looks, age, education, and so on.¡±

    He sized Olivia up head to toe, nodding with approval. ¡°A woman of your quality would make $70,000 as a surrogate.¡±

    <b>AD </b>

 Blizzard 73

    1

    <b>11:51 </b>pm

    EX 55 vouchers

    Steven added, ¡°If you do well, the buyer might even give you extra tips.¡±

    Olivia pretended to be naive. ¡°Won¡¯t this harm my body?¡±

    Seeing Olivia¡¯s interest, Gina exined in detail, ¡°Silly, women only release one egg a month. Donating an egg to infertile families is a good deed.

    ¡°And it doesn¡¯t really hurt your body much. Before the procedure, the doctors give you daily nutrient shots to keep you healthy. After it¡¯s done, you get paid¨Cpretty worth it.

    ¡°Lots of surrogates here are young girls like you. Some have even paid off their family debts through surrogacy and now travel around with the money.¡±

    ¡°But your surrogacy is illegal,¡± Olivia said coldly, her expression growing serious.

    ¡°Illegal?¡± Steven scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve got connections. What¡¯s there to fear? I worked at the hospital by day and was picked up by a special car every night. You think anyone¡¯s caught us?¡±

    The livestream exploded withments, hitting an unprecedented level of heat.

    [This guy¡¯s the doctor who delivered my sister¡¯s baby. Didn¡¯t expect he¡¯s such a jerk.]

    [The streamer¡¯s right. This is illegal.]

    [This needs a full investigation. Who¡¯s his protection? CDC, where are you? Time to act!]

    [No wonder so many girls disappear in Magnolia Town. It¡¯s a whole dark industry chain. So scary.]

    ¡°So what about Sophie? Is she one of the egg donors too?¡± Olivia asked without showing any

    emotion.

    Gina clearly frowned, wanting Olivia to shut up. ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you shouldn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Gina,¡± Steven stopped her and looked at Olivia with interest. He seemed certain this young girl couldn¡¯t do anything to them, so he might as well tell her everything. ¡°Sophie¡¯s a lucky girl.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not just any donor. Her eggs are top quality. Later, Devin picked her to be his surrogate. But her uterine lining is too thin. She keeps miscarrying. If she fails again this time, she¡¯ll have no

    choice but to-¡±

    Suddenly, he stopped, eyes locking on Olivia with a curious look. ¡°Why so many questions? What are you after?¡±

    ¡°Curiosity,¡± Olivia tapped the table edge casually with her fingertips.

    11:51 pm

    :?

    255 vouchers

    ¡°So you¡¯re interested?¡± Steven studied her. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to you joining our program. I can offer you a $70,000mission.¡±

    Olivia raised an eyebrowzily. ¡°But I was tricked intoing here. As a doctor, you wouldn¡¯t force girls like us, ignorant ones, would you?¡±

    She said ¡°us,¡± not just ¡°me.¡± Olivia was speaking for all those women.

    ¡°Olivia, what nonsense are you talking?¡± Gina snapped, stepping forward to p Olivia.

    Steven stopped her, frowning. ¡°Gina, why¡¯d you bring a girl like this here?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Gina said, ring at Olivia. Olivia had yed the obedient act all day, even fooling Gina.

    Gina thought to herself, ¡®This girl¡¯s got some acting skills. If Steven gets mad, forget the money- her life might not be safe.

    Luckily, Steven didn¡¯t care much. He¡¯d tricked many girls over the years, and they all ended up staying quietly.

    He was sure it¡¯d be the same this time.

    Steven¡¯s gaze was glued to Olivia. He licked his lips. ¡°Volunteering is best. But if you don¡¯t want to, we have ways to make you want to.¡±

    ¡°Looking at you, you¡¯re probably still a virgin, right? It¡¯d be a shame to send you straight to be a surrogate.¡±

    He stood up and walked toward her. ¡°Here¡¯s your chance. Sleep with me, and I¡¯ll make sure you get more money. Once it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll <i>see </i>to it you get out of here.¡±

    Gina sneered, mocking her, ¡°Olivia, I advise you to know your limits and be grateful. Being noticed by Dr. Lewis is lucky for you. Otherwise, you¡¯re just waiting to be sent to the egg room.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about running. We have people everywhere here. You can¡¯t escape.¡±

    Magnolia Town was far from the city, surrounded by mountains. It was hard to find even on a map, and outsiders rarely made it here.

    Here, Steven was the most powerful man around.

    ¡°Besides money, I can offer you other things,¡± Steven said arrogantly with a cocky smile. ¡°You study medicine, right? I can get you into Hirica¡¯s biggest hospital¨Cthe one owned by the Evans family. You pick whatever you want.¡±

    Steven was used to big deals; he said this all calmly.

    Olivia twirled a pen between her fingers casually and repliedzily, ¡°The Evans family? What¡¯s your

    11:51 pm O

    55 vouchers

    rtionship with them?¡±

    ¡°Nathan Evans is my cousin,¡± Steven said with a grin. ¡°If you agree, name your demands¨Chouse, car, money, I can get it all for you.¡±

    Gina¡¯s eyes lit up hearing this. ¡®Steven has already arranged a car, a house, and a future for Olivia. All she has to do was say yes. What¡¯s she hesitating for?¡® she thought.

    ¡°Olivia, just agree!¡± Gina urged excitedly.

    On the way, Jenny wasn¡¯t idle either. She kept pounding the keyboard, hacking directly into major TV stations.

    Streaming online wasn¡¯t enough¨Cshe wanted to make sure the whole country knew about this.

    Andrew propped his forehead with his hand, watching Jenny work with interest. After a few his tablet, Olivia¡¯s live stream was no longer limited to the inte¨Cit was being broadcast on major TV channels.

    taps on

    It was dinner time, when people usually watched the news. Once Olivia¡¯s stream hit the TV screens, everyone across the nation saw everything crystal clear.

    [They¡¯re forcing this girl to be a surrogate? Damn criminals!]

    [@Hirica Police Department, officers,e handle this! This isn¡¯t just human trafficking, it¡¯s illegal surrogacy too.]

    [Women¡¯s lives matter! We¡¯re not cattle to be ughtered.]

    [Illegal surrogacy must be punished severely!]

    MysticHealer¡¯s poprity exploded like never before. Tonight, anyone online was stuck in her live

    stream.

    Stanley, who was at home scrolling through short videos, waspletely stunned. He recognized Olivia¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Olivia, you¡¯ve got guts¡­¡± he said, admiring her courage while immediately calling the nearest police station to request backup.

    A young woman boldly breaking into Magnolia Town and exposing its dark secrets naturally drew

    everyone¡¯s attention.

    Steven, meanwhile, had no idea he¡¯d stepped right into a trap.

    He just thought any girl brought here wouldn¡¯t be able to leave, which is why he acted so recklessly.

    11:51 pm

    55 vouchers

    Besides, he¡¯d heard from Devin that Olivia was an orphan, living with the orphanage director in a tiny, poor house.

    So he figured that as long as the conditions were good, she wouldn¡¯t refuse.

 Blizzard 74

    Chapter <i>74 </i>

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, still not satisfied?¡± Steven¡¯s smile deepened.

    EX 55 vouchers

    Olivia stood up and paced to the wall, leaning casually against it, eyes sharp. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you threaten me like that?

    ¡°I thought you were some big shot, but turns out you¡¯re just Nathan Evans¡® cousin. Just as disgusting as him.¡±

    Steven¡¯s smile froze on his face. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears¨Ccouldn¡¯t believe this young girl dared

    insult him like that.

    ¡°Who told you I¡¯d be interested in you?¡± Olivia shot him a disdainful nce, her face dripping with

    contempt.

    She thought to herself, ¡®What kind of low life would I have to be to go for this guy?¡®

    Hearing this, Gina and Steven both froze.

    Worried Olivia would drag her family into trouble, Gina stepped forward, about to p Olivia. ¡°You bitch, are you crazy or what?¡±

    Steven didn¡¯t stop her either; he thought Olivia deserved punishment for her harsh words.

    But Gina barely took a few steps before suddenly losing all her strength. She copsed to the floor, her vision blurring.

    ¡°Gina, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Steven rushed over to help her up. He smelled a faint scent of medicine and red fiercely at Olivia. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    Olivia looked up with a mischievous smile. ¡°Guess.¡±

    Seeing Olivia like this only fueled Steven¡¯s excitement. He¡¯d never met such a wild girl before. The more she resisted, the more thrilled he became.

    ¡°Gina, rest for a bit. I¡¯ve <i>got </i>this girl figured out today.¡± Steven dropped Gina and greed filled his

    eyes<b>. </b>

    He rubbed his hands together, ready to grab Olivia.

    ¡°Stop!¡± a shout came from outside the door.

    The girl who had been dragged away earlier was standing at the door holding a surgical knife, eyes

    bloodshot.

    Worried about Olivia, she had snatched the knife when no one was looking and was ready to rush

    in and save her.

    11:51 pm

    E55 vouchers

    Her life was already ruined, but she couldn¡¯t stand to watch Olivia¡¯s life be destroyed too.

    ¡°Let her go!¡± The girl¡¯s voice trembled.

    ¡°Ang Wynn?¡± Steven turned and sneered. ¡°Still not learned your lesson after all these nights? I don¡¯t have time for you today. Get out of here!¡±

    Ang didn¡¯t care about anything else. Seeing Steven about to attack Olivia, she immediately stepped in front of her and warned, ¡°Don¡¯te any closer, or I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Looking at the devilish man in front of her, Ang couldn¡¯t hide the hatred in her eyes.

    Three months ago, she came to this hospital to be an intern. Steven told her about a promising project and invited her to join. That¡¯s how she ended up with him.

    she was

    But she never expected Steven to drug her as soon as she arrived. When she woke up, already lying on a hospital bed. The doctors shoved egg¨Ccollection needles, longer than her forearm, inside her body.

    Without anesthesia, the pain made her sweat cold. Each time, she would faint from the pain. When she woke up again, she was taken to a dark room, given nutrient shots, and after a few days, sent back to have her eggs taken again.

    She had lived like this for three months.

    Gina sneered. ¡°Go ahead, stab me. If you do, I¡¯ll throw you in jail and you¡¯ll spend the rest of your

    life there.¡±

    ¡®You-¡± Ang was terrified. Her body shook uncontrobly. She had just graduated from college. She couldn¡¯t go to jail; her life would be ruined.

    Even though she hated Steven, she didn¡¯t want to pay that price.

    Ang felt weak, tears swirling in her reddened eyes. Her gaze blurred. She tried to scream wildly, but no sound came out.

    ¡®Don¡¯t hurt yourself,¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was low and calm, her expression unusually gentle. She gently took the surgical knife from Ang¡¯s hand without looking at Steven. ¡°They¡¯re just scum. You don¡¯t have to lose yourself for them.¡±

    Steven was losing his patience. ¡°Women are only good when they¡¯re knocked out. Sober ones are

    trouble.¡±

    Gina leaned close and whispered into his ear, ¡°Dr. Lewis, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got everything set. The water and food Olivia had on the way were drugged. The medicine will kick in soon. Have fun.¡±

    ¡°Gina, you¡¯re <i>so </i>thoughtful.¡± Steven sneered at Olivia, then nced at Gina. ¡°Should we make her donate eggs or be a surrogate?¡±

    <b>11:51 </b>pm

    55 vouchers

    ¡°She¡¯s pretty, do both,¡± Gina¡¯s eyes gleamed with greed. ¡°But remember, I get 30% of the fees.¡±

    Steven rested his chin on his hand, thinking it over. Olivia did look promising. Maybe giving Gina a bigger cut was worth it.

    ¡°Dr. Lewis, even if she¡¯s useless after they¡¯re done, you can sell her organs. Selling parts separately makes more money.¡± Gina lit a cigarette for him. ¡°If worsees to worst, sell her to a brothel. With how she looks, you won¡¯t lose out.¡±

    Even though she was a woman, Gina didn¡¯t pity the victims. Instead, she helped Steven squeeze everyst cent from them.

    Ang¡¯s eyes widened as she studied Olivia¡¯s condition. ¡°You drank their water? Feeling okay? It¡¯s my fault. I should¡¯ve brought an antidote¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Olivia calmly brushed a stray hair from her ear, making sure her earring wasn¡¯t hidden, then faced Steven. ¡°You¡¯re a respected doctor at a legit hospital, yet you do this behind the scenes. Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll get caught someday?¡±

    She tilted her head slightly in a subtle move most didn¡¯t notice.

    ¡°Caught?¡± Stevenughed arrogantly, thinking she was just struggling. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for <i>at </i>least five years. Do I look like I¡¯ve been caught? Honestly, my protectiones from the Evans family. Who dares touch me?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Olivia narrowed her eyes with unshakable confidence. ¡°Guys, start recording. Keep the evidence.¡±

    Steven didn¡¯t see the tiny hidden cameras and thought Olivia was bluffing. But the livestream and major TVworks had already exploded. Even Easnd News Network started reporting the story.

    [Always ready.]

    [Go, brave streamer! We¡¯re behind you.]

    [Feels like <i>we </i>just turned into superheroes. MysticHealer, take him down!]

    ¡°You think no one can touch you?¡± Olivia¡¯s voice held a smile but her eyes were ice cold.

    Steven looked at her like she was crazy, sneering. ¡°Maybe so. I won¡¯t speak for elsewhere, but here in Magnolia Town, I am thew.¡±

    He pped his hands, and a group of doctors in white coats strode in with sharp eyes.

    ¡°Seize those two!¡± Steven ordered.

    Olivia touched her earring again, smiling wider. ¡°Dr. Lewis, you think I¡¯de into your turf without being prepared?¡±

    11:51 pm

    She scanned the room from left to right, clearly filming all the doctors¡® faces.

    ¡°Everyone got a good look at these guys?¡± Olivia asked.

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    11:52 pm O\

 Blizzard 75

    Chapter <i>75 </i>

    [Got a clear look. Don¡¯t worry, Mystic Healer. We¡¯ll dig up their identities soon.]

    <b>55 </b>vouchers

    [So many criminals hiding here. Can¡¯t even imagine how many bad guys are lurking in the shadows.]

    [MysticHealer, be careful. They¡¯ve got numbers. Protect yourself.]

    Only then did Gina realize what was happening. Panic showed on her face as she pointed at Olivia. ¡°Dr. Lewis, she¡¯s¨Cshe¡¯s recording video!¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, don¡¯t say nonsense.¡± Olivia raised an eyebrowzily, her tone teasing. ¡°I¡¯m streaming live.¡±

    Hearing that, Steven staggered back a few steps, barely able to believe his ears. He asked in shock, ¡°What? Streaming live?¡±

    The ce was filled with signal jammers made by the Evans family¡¯s top tech team. Even hospital staff had to use special phones just tomunicate.

    Steven thought, ¡®How could she possibly connect to the outsidework and stream live? Does she really think the Evans family¡¯s hackers were useless?¡®

    With that thought, he quickly calmed down, deciding Olivia must be bluffing.

    ¡°Streaming live? You¡¯re really stubborn-¡± Gina stared at Olivia with contempt but only halfway through her sentence she suddenly felt something rush inside her, her throat tightened, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

    Steven, standing closest to her, was sttered with tiny blood droplets.

    ¡°Gina!¡± Steven grabbed her, suddenly panicked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you coughing up blood?¡±

    Gina kept coughing blood nonstop, her face growing pale, and she lost the strength to speak.

    Even so, she fixed her gaze on Olivia, weakly sobbing, ¡°It¨CIt¡¯s her¡­¡±

    Steven¡¯s eyes widened as he guessed what happened. He pointed at Olivia. ¡°You? You poisoned Gina? Do you know that¡¯s murder? It¡¯s illegal!¡±

    ¡°Poison? More like self¨Cdefense,¡± Olivia said with a wicked smile. Her eyeszily swept past the using finger toward her neck pendant. She took it off and twirled it in her hand, sneering, ¡°Illegal? Someone like you even dares to talk about thew?¡±

    At that moment, Donald¡¯s voice came from the doorway. ¡°Honey? Dr. Lewis?¡±

    Donald rushed in and saw Steven supporting the coughing Gina copsing on the floor, while a group of doctors just stood there, frozen.

    11:52 pm

    55 vouchers

    Olivia, who was tricked intoing here, stood straight and was barely holding backughter as she looked at them.

    Steven immediately signaled Donald to control Olivia.

    Donald, who had been involved in the underworld for years, quickly understood the situation. He charged at Olivia, ready to hit her.

    ¡°Bitch, die!¡± he yelled.

    But before he could get close, Olivia easily grabbed his wrist. With just a slight squeeze of her fingers, she effortlessly stopped Donald¡¯s hand as he tried to choke her.

    Her strength was shocking, like an overwhelming power bursting from within her.

    Then, she twisted her body and kicked Donald¡¯s groin with about 80% of her strength.

    Donald¡¯s face twisted in pain as he copsed to the floor, screaming. He felt his strength draining fast and couldn¡¯t even lift his hands.

    Soon, like Gina, he started coughing up blood and hacking violently.

    The livestream exploded.

    [Well done! So satisfying. MysticHealer, I support you taking down these criminals. How dare scum like that talk about thew? He doesn¡¯t deserve it.]

    [@Magnolia Division, why haven¡¯t you made a move after all this time? What are you waiting for?]

    [MysticHealer, your moves are insane. Scared them to death!]

    Steven stood there, frozen and trembling in fear.

    He thought, ¡®What kind of monster did Gina bring here? She said Olivia was just a poor student

    who

    got tricked here, an orphan with no background. Didn¡¯t she tell me to handle Olivia like the others before? So why is this girl so terrifying?¡®

    Donald held his groin, frozen in ce, unable to move.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ <i>you </i>already drank the water, didn¡¯t you? How could this be¡­¡± blood started trickling from the corner of Donald¡¯s mouth.

    Olivia still smiled, but her eyes were cold and serious.

    ¡°Looks like you really have no idea what I¡¯m capable of,¡± Olivia dropped the act of being naive and gullible. Her gaze was proud, like a queen on her throne. ¡°Your little knockout drugs aren¡¯t strong enough for me.¡±

    Aftering back from NecroFlora Labs, Olivia had be immune to toxins. Those drugs were

    <b>11:52 </b>pm ?

    useless against her.

    ¡°But I want to ask you, how does it feel to be drugged?¡± she said.

    55 vouchers

    ¡°Drugs? When did you put drugs in our drinks? How could you even get the chance-¡± Donald clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of ck blood.

    Donald had been a trafficker for years and never lost before. He couldn¡¯t believe he was getting outsmarted by a young girl today.

    ¡°You sat in that driver¡¯s cabin all afternoon. My drugs should have marinated you well by now.¡± Olivia raised an eyebrow, her expression fierce as she slowly said, ¡°My dear parents.¡±

    Gina couldn¡¯t speak anymore. If she had known how terrifying Olivia really was, she would never have dared trick her.

    Donald and Gina deeply regretted it but were helpless now.

    Nydia had told them Olivia was easy to fool, but now they were about to die at Olivia¡¯s hands.

    Donald weakly spoke, his tone softening. ¡°Girl, it¡¯s our fault. Sorry for lying to you. Give us the antidote, and we¡¯ll let you leave. Let¡¯s just pretend this never happened, okay?¡±

    At this point, survival was their priority.

    ¡°Leave? Why would I leave?¡± Olivia casually lowered her eyes, looking cold and proud. ¡°What you¡¯ve done here is going to be big news. I¡¯m not about to miss out on the spotlight.¡±

    ¡°Especially him, he¡¯s worth a lot.¡± She pointed at the stunned Steven. ¡°I¡¯m just a poor student. Every little bit counts.¡±

    Olivia wasn¡¯t lying. Hirica Police Department cracked down hard on this filth, offering rewards for tips starting at 30 thousand dors.

    Steven, a licensed hospital doctor, saved lives by day but harmed people by night¨Chuman trafficking, forcing women to be surrogates, tricking women into egg donation. Crimes at his levele with bounties of at least 150 thousand dors.

    Ang was stunned by Olivia¡¯s moves. Before she could react, Olivia had already taken down Gina and Donald.

    Donald, a burly enforcer, nowy helpless on the ground.

    Olivia studied traditional medicine and knew body pressure points well¨Ctaking down an adult was easy for her.

    Seeing Olivia couldn¡¯t be persuaded, Steven suddenly got an idea and showed a vicious look. ¡°You think you¡¯ll get away with this? You¡¯re streaming live, poisoning Gina and Donald in public is

    1:52 pm

    E55 vouchers

    basically murder. Even if I go to jail, you won¡¯t escape!¡±

    Donald nodded after the reminder. ¡°Right. Give us the antidote, and we¡¯ll forgive you. No jail time.¡±

    11:52 <b>pm </b>

 Blizzard 76

    <b>Chapter </b>76

    Donald, Gina, and Steven exchanged a look.

    ¡°You guys really are-¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was low but carried a weight of authority. ¡°So naive.¡±

    65 vouchers

    Even without her prior preparations, Andrew would be watching public opinion closely. There was no way she¡¯d end up in jail.

    Steven hadn¡¯t expected Olivia to be so determined. His eyes filled with hate. ¡°Fine. Then let¡¯s all go to hell together.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Olivia sneered. ¡°See you at the police station.¡±

    Her words hit Steven right where he wanted. He rolled his eyes and gave a triumphant smile.

    He hadn¡¯t wasted his time these past years. The Magnolia Division was full of his men. Steven believed once they got to the station, Olivia wouldn¡¯t get away.

    He muttered, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just throw her in with that arrogant guy from a few days ago.¡±

    Donald had given up hoping Olivia would give the antidote. His eyes were bloodshot, and all he could think about was killing her.

    He believed people were weak. Once Olivia was near death, she¡¯d beg them for mercy. Then he¡¯d make her hand over the antidote before killing her¨Cto settle his grudge.

    With that thought, Donald summoned all his strength and shouted, ¡°As!¡±

    As he finished, a huge dog, half a person tall, appeared at the door. Its eyes were ckened red, mouth wide open, drooling, growling low in its throat.

    ¡°Go tear her apart!¡± Donald ordered. The dog, named As, immediately charged at Olivia. In a sh, it leapt forward, ready to bite.

    Ang gasped, suddenly remembering that Donald and the others kept a big dog here.

    As was usually sent to hunt down women who had escaped. Those caught were often crippled. Their fate was always to be harvested for organs and left to die.

    Ang instinctively tried to grab Olivia but missed.

    Olivia moved quickly and smoothly, her face serious. She pulled out a pouch of powder from her bag and scattered it generously into As¡¯s eyes.

    As froze instantly; its red eyes began to return to normal.

    Olivia¡¯s gaze sharpened like a hawk¡¯s. She stepped forward with confidence and power behind

    every

    11:52 pm

    V4

    55 vouchers

    move.

    As, pressured by her steady approach, backed away uncontrobly. Its posture grew more hunched, letting out fearful whines.

    Olivia¡¯s voice was calm butmanding. ¡°Step aside.¡±

    Her tone was so imposing it sent chills down spines.

    At that moment, As seemed to see something terrifying. Shaking on all four legs, it immediately turned and fled¨Crunning fast without daring to look back.

    Donald was stunned. He had raised As for years, feeding it human meat just to train it to attack. Even he sometimes got spooked by the dog.

    But today, As just ran away like that.

    ¡°As,e back!¡± Donald shouted again and again, but the dog didn¡¯t return.

    Animals were sharp. As sensed danger from Olivia. Anyone who crossed her was doomed.

    ¡°Tell me, where¡¯s the person you¡¯re holding captive?¡± Olivia asked nonchntly.

    From Steven and the others¡® words, she knew a man who came to rescue someone was locked up here. Since he was an ally trying to help, she couldn¡¯t ignore him.

    Gina had been under the drug the longest. Now she had barely a breath left. All she felt besides hate for Olivia was regret¨Cshe regretted listening to Nydia and tricking Olivia here.

    Steven kept his face cold and stared hard at Olivia. He wanted to be angry, but he didn¡¯t dare move -he was afraid she¡¯d turn on him next.

    No one said a word. Olivia lost patience. She grabbed Donald by the cor and choked him until his neck turned red. ¡°Tell me where he is. Don¡¯t make me ask twice.¡±

    ¡°L¨Clet him go!¡± a child¡¯s trembling voice called from the doorway.

    It was Bobby, Donald and Gina¡¯s son. He wasn¡¯t the same dull kid anymore; his eyes were clear and sharp, not the slow kid everyone had thought.

    ¡°Miss, please spare my parents,¡± he said, bowing politely to Olivia. ¡°They are old. They can¡¯t take this kind of harm.¡±

    Olivia ignored him and tightened her grip, making it hard for Donald to breathe,

    ¡°Miss!¡± Bobby¡¯s voice grew more urgent. ¡°My dad¡¯s health is bad. He really can¡¯t take-

    ¡°If he can¡¯t take it, do you think the women he tricked here could?¡± Olivia cut him off, annoyed. Her brow knit and anger grew.

    11:52 pm

    12 55 vouchers

    ¡°Your parents trick people, traffic them, force girls into surrogacy and egg donation. Isn¡¯t that the truth? I¡¯m getting rid of harm for the people,¡± she continued.

    ¡°And you aren¡¯t you tired of pretending to be dumb?¡± She nced at Bobby like she¡¯d already seen through him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know what your parents do.¡±

    Bobby bit his lip and had no answer.

    Oliva was right. He knew about his parents¡® crimes, but they were his parents. He couldn¡¯t stop them. He¡¯d yed dumb and acted crazy, cursing and hitting the women to make them leave.

    Donald forced himself up and grabbed Olivia¡¯s hands, his face turning purple. ¡°You bitch¨Cdon¡¯t- don¡¯t you dare hurt my son!¡±

    Olivia kicked him. He flew back and mmed hard into the table.

    Donald coughed violently, spitting ck blood again and again.

    Before he could catch his breath, Olivia walked up to him.

    She grabbed his cor, pressed the surgical knife to his neck, and waved it at Bobby. ¡°Do you want to watch your dad get killed, or will you take me to the man he has locked up? Your choice.¡±

    Her red lips lifted in a dangerous, tempting smile that made it hard to look away.

    Bobby turned pale.

    ¡°Son, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t¨Cdon¡¯t listen to her¡­¡± Donald coughed harder, his face ashen. ¡°That man can¡¯t be let go!¡±

    The man they held had a lot of evidence against them. If he got away, Donald and the others would

    be ruined.

    The government had sent people before to check on them, but they had been fooled. If not for their mistake this time, they¡¯d never be caught.

    Olivia¡¯s eyes went icy. A strange, chilling smile crossed her face. ¡°Looks like you already made your choice.¡±

    She jabbed the de into Donald¡¯s neck. A thin line of blood began to seep out.

    Bobby, too young to watch his father hurt, crouched down and clutched his head, trembling.

    Finally he screamed, ¡°I¡¯ll take you! The key¡¯s in my mom¡¯s pocket.¡±

    ¡°Bobby!¡± Donald cried out in despair.

    Gina couldn¡¯t say anything. She stared, knowing it was over.

    11:52 pm

    Steven quietly pulled out a device and tried to send a signal for help.

    ¡°He¡¯s trying to call for backup!¡± Ang said, watching closely and noticing right away.

    E 55 vouchers

    11:52 pm

 Blizzard 77

    <b>55 </b>vouchers

    Olivia threw the scalpel in her hand, hitting Steven¡¯s hand dead¨Con.

    His phone dropped to the ground, the screen shattering into pieces.

    ¡°Stop dreaming. I¡¯ve blocked all the signals here.¡± The coldness in Olivia¡¯s eyes made Steven shiver.

    ¨C

    Forget sending a message they couldn¡¯t even make a call now.

    The doctors who saw what happened had already run far away.

    Olivia didn¡¯t waste words. She knocked Donald, Gina, and Steven each on the head, sealing their pressure points so they sat there limp, unable to move.

    She reached into Gina¡¯s pocket and pulled out a ring of keys.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to save him. Find a safe ce to hide,¡± Olivia told Ang.

    Ang froze for a second, then grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡±

    The two of them moved out. Bobby led the way, with Olivia and Ang right behind him.

    They arrived at a small thatched hut with cold wind blowing through it, surrounded by iron bars on the outside.

    It was already freezing in winter, but it was even colder inside. Stay in here too long, and one would get sick sooner orter.

    As soon as Olivia stepped in, she smelled a strong stench of blood.

    The hut was small, and they quickly saw the man lying in the corner.

    He was chained to the wall, thin and weak, blood dripping from his bony hands. He didn¡¯t seem to care, his eyes lifeless.

    His body was covered in wounds, and through the torn clothes, she could see scars both old and new<i>, </i>deep and shallow<i>, </i>packed <i>so </i>densely it was unbearable to look at.

    It was clear Donald and the others meant to slowly torture him to death.

    When he saw Olivia, the man didn¡¯t react much he even gave a faintugh.

    ¡°What new game are you ying today?¡± His Adam¡¯s apple moved as he spoke, voice weak. Clearly, he thought Olivia was one of Donald¡¯s sidekicks.

    Olivia stayed silent, studying him. She noticed his hands looked different from most people¡¯s ¨C slightly misshapen in a way that only came from years of holding a gun.

    11:52 pm

    While Olivia was watching him, the man was also watching her, momentarily stunned.

    55 vouchers

    Olivia was beautiful. Her features matched Clusian traditional idea of beauty. Her silky hair, red lips, white teeth, and cool expression made her even more striking. And she carried a calmness far beyond her years.

    The man looked into Olivia¡¯s bright, beautiful eyes and thought they looked a lot like his aunt¡¯s.

    The Monroe family was one of Kingtonelle¡¯s richest and most powerful ns. The current head, Martin Monroe, had two sons and one daughter.

    The eldest son, Michael Monroe, ran the family business and bore the weight of its affairs. The other two children¡¯s information was hidden from the public and never disclosed.

    In truth, Martin¡¯s second son, Edward, had joined the Easnd Special Forces at just twelve years old, secretly trained as a soldier. His movements were mysterious, his missions ssified, and no one could track him.

    Martin¡¯s daughter, Emily Monroe, had studied abroad for years and only returned recently. She was now a student at the Kingtonelle Conservatory of Music.

    The man now beaten and broken before her was Edward.

    He had carried out countless dangerous, deadly missions the hands of such seemingly simple country folk.

    He had underestimated the evil in human nature.

    The residents of Magnolia Town would deceive any

    ¡ª

    yet he never thought he would fall into

    outsider

    ¡ª

    man or woman.

    But to them, women held greater economic value. Men, on the other hand, were simply tortured to death, their organs harvested and sold.

    Edward had only passed through here by chance while on a mission. When he heard that many college girls had gone missing in this area, he decided to stop and investigate.

 Blizzard 78

    55 vouchers

    What he didn¡¯t expect was that the entire town was involved in this operation. Even when the girls¡® families came searching, the residents would stand united, blocking them from taking the girls away. In the end, the girls couldn¡¯t leave¨Cand neither could their families.

    Over the past few days, Edward had been imprisoned here, subjected to all kinds of torture. That was why he assumed Olivia was sent by Donald and the others.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Edward said, closing his eyes, waiting for Olivia to kill him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to kill you.¡± Olivia arched a brow, picked up the chain at Edward¡¯s feet, and slid a long needle into the lock. With a few deft movements, it clicked open.

    She gave him a small smile. ¡°Just like you, I¡¯m one of their victims.¡±

    Edward was momentarily surprised at herposure. He couldn¡¯t believe that a woman with such strong mental fortitude

    and the ability to rescue him ¨C was merely some naive college girl who

    had been tricked.

    ¨C

    Olivia¡¯s sharp gaze quickly spotted that his leg had been broken. She lifted her eyes slightly. ¡°This might hurt a little.¡±

    Without another word, she pushed and pulled, snapping his leg back into ce.

    Edward barely had time to process what happened before a stabbing, bone¨Cdeep pain shot through his leg, cold sweat beading across his forehead.

    Even so, nothing.

    he made no sound. Compared to the injuries he¡¯d suffered during training, this was

    ¡°Take care of it after we get out, or you¡¯ll lose this leg,¡± Olivia said, dusting off her hands, her voice steady and firm.

    Then she stepped forward to help him up, only to find his entire body ice¨Ccold.

    His injuries were severe, and after being kept in this freezing hut for days, his breathing and heart rate had slowed, his blood pressure had dropped, and his muscles had begun to stiffen. He was dangerously close to cardiac arrest.

    It was a clear case of severe hypothermia and right now, he was standing only by sheer willpower.

    The moment they stepped outside, Olivia and the others noticed Bobby.

    He was fiddling with his phone, clearly trying to make a call but unable to get through, his frustration in to see.

    11:52 pm

    55 vouchers

    Olivia motioned for Ang to support Edward, then stepped forward and patted Bobby on the shoulder.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t listen, do you?¡± Her voice was as soft as a feather, yet every word was wrapped in an indescribable hint of madness. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re the child of criminals.¡±

    Olivia turned Bobby around to face her. For some reason, the moment he saw her, a flicker of fear shed in his eyes. Hisshes trembled, and his voice shook. ¡°M¨CMiss, I¨CI¡¯m not-¡±

    Ang opened her mouth to speak, but Edward stopped her. He knew exactly what was going on- he had been deceived by Bobby.

    When he had first arrived in the small town, Edward had run into Bobby and asked him a few questions.

    He hadn¡¯t expected the boy to be unusually sharp, able to tell in just a few exchanges that Edward was here to investigate. In a few seemingly innocent sentences, Bobby had coaxed a lot of information out of him.

    If Bobby had been an adult, Edward wouldn¡¯t have said a word. But he was just a child¡ªyoung, naive, harmless¨Clooking¨Cso Edward had let his guard downpletely and told him everything.

    Just as Edward finished gathering evidence and was about to leave, a group of townsfolk surrounded him and blocked his way.

    And Bobby exined that he was afraid Edward would arrest his parents.

    In the end, it all came down to Edward being careless.

    Bobby¡¯s face turned deathly pale.

    ¡®I caught you red¨Chanded.¡± Olivia¡¯s cool fingertips brushed against Bobby¡¯s cheek. ¡°Tell me¡­ how should I punish you?¡±

    The boy rubbed his hands together, eyes shimmering with tears. He pleaded, ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry. I know I was wrong, but I just didn¡¯t want my mom and dad to be taken away. I-¡±

    Before he could finish, Olivia gripped his chin and tossed a pill into his mouth. The entire movement was smooth and swift, leaving Bobby no time to react.

    The boy clutched at his throat, his face flushing red as he coughed violently. ¡°What did

    me eat?¡±

    you

    make

    11:52 pm\

 Blizzard 79

    ¡°Rx, it¡¯s not poison.¡± Olivia calmly wiped her fingers, her face unreadable.

    55 vouchers

    ¡°Alright, folks in the livestream, that¡¯s it for today. See you next time.¡± She tapped her earring twice, and the feed went dark.

    If she kept streaming, the ount would get banned.

    Viewers were far from satisfied, flooding her page withments.

    [Hey, why¡¯d you cut it off like that? Come on, MysticHealer, get back here!]

    [So is that little boy good or bad? I really thought this trafficker¡¯s kid was different, actually caring about the girls who got tricked here. Guess he was faking it, just as bad as his parents.]

    [What a night! That was insane. I could watch this forever. You¡¯re way too good at keeping us hooked.]

    [Can¡¯t wait for the next part. You better win, Mystic Healer.]

    In just a few hours, MysticHealer¡¯s followers had shot up to twenty million.

    Not even half a minuteter, Bobby¡¯s knees buckled, his eyes going ssy. Olivia caught him gently andid him on the ground.

    ¡°Y¨Cyou drugged him?¡± Ang¡¯s eyes widened, guilt creeping in. ¡°He¡¯s just a kid¡­¡±

    ¡°Kindness is good,¡± Olivia said evenly, ¡°but don¡¯t waste it on the rotten. Bad parents rarely raise good children.¡±

    ¡°Right, buddy?¡± She tossed the question to Edward.

    Edward gave a faint nod. ¡°That kid set me up,¡± he said in a weak voice.

    The Monroe family raised their kids well¨Cso well that Edward found it hard to believe a child this young could be twisted into working with criminals.

    Silence fell between them.

    Kids were shaped by their environment. They would learn from whoever raised them.

    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Ang finally broke the quiet.

    ¡°They¡¯lle looking soon. We need to move.¡± Olivia pointed at the tracker watch on Bobby¡¯s wrist. ¡°The pressure point I used won¡¯t keep them still for long. We have to get out.¡±

    There were too many girls trapped here. The three of them alone couldn¡¯t save them all.

    11:52 pm O

    ¡°The exit is guarded,¡± Edward said simply.

    Everyone here stuck together. Getting out through the town¡¯s exit was nearly impossible.

    At that, Olivia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I have an idea.¡±

    <b>56 </b>vouchers

    She led Edward and Ang back to the hospital, dragging Steven out with them. She struck his pressure points so he couldn¡¯t move, then shoved him into the van¡¯s passenger seat.

    She twirled a scalpel between her fingers, letting the de glint in front of his face. ¡°Dr. Lewis, I don¡¯t need to tell you what to say or not say, do I?¡±

    Steven blinked rapidly, stammering, ¡°I¨CI know.¡±

    He knew that if he didn¡¯t cooperate, she¡¯d kill him without hesitation.

    Then he tried again, his tone oily. ¡°Miss, listen to me, I¨CI was forced into this too. If I help you, maybe you could help me and let me go, alright?¡±

    His groveling now was a far cry from the arrogance he¡¯d shown earlier.

    ¡°That depends on you, Dr. Lewis.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes curved with the ghost of a smile. She patted his cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve got a temper. If you do badly, I¡¯ll lose it.¡±

    ¡°O¨COkay. I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Steven said, shivering.

    Olivia swung her long legs into the driver¡¯s seat and started the engine. ¡°Lose that pathetic act,¡± she ordered Steven. ¡°I want the smug, untouchable Dr. Lewis back. Now.¡±

    Steven had no idea what she was nning. All he could see was the injured man in the back, leaning heavily on Ang, pale and barely conscious.

    The van¡¯s windows were frosted, and with night pressing in, no one outside would be able to make

    out who was inside.

    The road out of town had five checkpoints¨Ceach manned by different groups.

    The first four were a breeze. The moment the guards heard Steven¡¯s voice, they waved them right through.

    But at the final checkpoint, the guards were annoyingly thorough. They insisted everyone in the van get out for inspection.

    One of them even reached for the door handle.

    Olivia flicked her eyes toward Steven¨Ca silentmand. He caught on instantly.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try opening my door,¡± he snapped, slipping into his usual haughty tone. His cold re cut through the night. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You don¡¯t recognize me?¡±

    <b>11:53 </b>pm

    The guard froze. ¡°D¨CDr. Lewis, sir! What are you doing leaving so early? Finished with surgeries already?¡±

    ¡°My schedule is none of your business,¡± Steven growled.

    ¡°N¨Cno, of course not,¡± the man stammered, stepping back. ¡°Opening the gate now<i>.</i><i>¡± </i>

    The barrier lifted, and the guards stered on nervous smiles as the van rolled away.

    55 vouchers

    your

    It wasn¡¯t until the vehicle had disappeared into the distance that one of them scratched his head.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Dr. Lewis usually work until way past midnight?¡± The man looked at the car in confusion. ¡°And doesn¡¯t he ride in a ck executive car? That van looked¡­ different.¡±

    Back in town, Gina suddenly felt her strength returning. She pushed herself up and rushed to Donald. ¡°Donald, are you okay? See? I knew that bitch was bluffing. Look at me¨Cnothing¡¯s wrong. What could some little girl possibly do to us?¡±

    Donald¡¯s voice was trembling. ¡°Forget me. Go find Bobby. He¡¯s with her¨CI¡¯m worried¡ª¡±

    Gina didn¡¯t let him finish. She bolted straight to the room where Edward had been held.

    Outside the hut, Bobbyy sprawled on the ground.

    Gina rushed forward and scooped him up, her eyes hard with fury. Without hesitation, she mmed her hand against the nearest rm switch. ¡°Two women have escaped, and they¡¯ve freed the hostage. Seize them all!¡±

    She would never forgive Olivia for hurting her son.

    The entire town lit up in a hellish red glow. Everyone went out to hunt down Olivia and the others.

    Ang¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the sound. Dread crawled over her skin like ice.

    Olivia didn¡¯t understand the meaning of that rm¨Cshe¡¯d never heard it before¨Cbut Ang knew.

    She¡¯d tried to escape once, long ago. When the sirens went off, it meant a girl was on the run. Everyone in town would join the hunt. And when they caught the girl, they would beat her mercilessly.

    Ang¡¯s trembling wouldn¡¯t stop. Terror hollowed her out from the inside.

    She couldn¡¯t go back. She didn¡¯t want to be tied up on the cold hospital bed and treated like livestock again.

    Everyone heard the rm. Doors flew open, and people poured out¨Cmen, women, even the elderly and children¨Cbrandishing torches as the streets roared to life.

    11:53 pm a

    Olivia saw the fear in her eyes. Her voice softened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re not going back.¡±

    Edward backed her up, his tone low but steady as he patted Ang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Trust her.¡±

    By ¡°her,¡± he meant Olivia.

    55 vouchers

    Even Edward, who had always been told to be cautious, didn¡¯t quite understand why his guard slipped so easily around Olivia.

    Maybe it was her eyes¨Cso much like his aunt¡¯s¨Cthat made it feel like he could trust her.

    11:53 pm

 Blizzard 80

    The car had gone a few miles when Olivia nced at Steven and smiled.

    ¡°Nice acting, Dr. Lewis,¡± she teased.

    <b>55 </b>vouchers

    Steven swallowed hard and gave an awkward smile. Then he seemed to remember something and asked in a low voice, ¡°So¡­ the poison?¡±

    He meant the same poison Gina and Donald had.

    ¡°Ten minutes before it kicks in.¡± Olivia kept one hand on the wheel, her smile fading. The car sped down the mountain road. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the antidote when we get to the station.¡±

    ¡°Turn right at that next junction, then go straight,¡± Steven said quickly.

    He hated Olivia, but he wasn¡¯t about to gamble with his life. After seeing what happened to Gina and Donald, he knew how terrible the poison was.

    Still, Steven didn¡¯t think he¡¯d lost. He nned to get the antidote first, and then make Olivia pay for her arrogance.

    At that moment, Magnolia Vige Chief Paul Lowell was still sipping coffee, clueless that his name was blowing up online.

    He had gotten the job through connections, spent his days drinking coffee and ying with his birds, and never looked at news or live streams.

    Over in srough, where Magnolia Town belonged, Mayor Richard Stone was losing his mind. The incident had gotten so big that he couldn¡¯t ignore it, especially after he got an order from the Hirica government to send officers to rescue the trapped women.

    ¡°Richard, you have to step in,¡± Helen Fraley said, mming her phone on the table with a video ying on it. She was furious. ¡°If a young girl dares to walk into that hellhole alone, what are you waiting for?¡±

    Helen was the woman Olivia had met that afternoon. Back then, she had worried Olivia was being tricked into going, but now it seemed everything was part of Olivia¡¯s n.

    After watching Olivia¡¯s live stream, Helen admired her even more. She didn¡¯t care that she was in the middle of a mission¨Cshe rushed to find Richard and demand that he help Olivia.

    She knew it was useless to go to the Magnolia Town police. They were already in bed with the criminals, living off dirty money.

    ¡°With something this big happening in your district, aren¡¯t you afraid of losing your job?¡± Helen

    11:53 pm O

    55 vouchers

    crossed her arms and sat down on the couch, fuming. ¡°Send your men now. Saving liveses

    first!¡±

    Cold sweat ran down Richard¡¯s forehead as he tried to think of a way out.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to help Olivia, but the criminals in Magnolia Town had connections, and the locals were too united. Outsiders could hardly break in.

    On top of that, Richard himself had some dealings with the town, and he was terrified of being exposed.

    ¡°Richard, I think I finally get it,¡± Helen said, staring at him coldly. ¡°I know why the investigation on Magnolia Town has gone nowhere for all these years. Sure, the town¡¯s culture ys a part, but your inaction as mayor is a bigger reason.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Fraley, that¡¯s going too far,¡± Richard replied, sounding polite but clearly brushing her off. ¡°Things aren¡¯t like you think. We should go and hear what the townsfolk have <i>to </i>say. What if there¡¯s been some kind of misunderstanding?¡±

    ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± Helen gave a sharpugh, going straight for the point. ¡°Those machines in the video, the doctors talking to them, and those girls¨Cthose are hard facts. And you¡¯re talking about a misunderstanding? Where¡¯s your conscience, Richard?¡±

    Then she added, ¡°Or did they pay you off too?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Richard denied right away, but sweat was already forming on his forehead.

    His worst fear hade true.

    Other problems were easy to handle¨Che could just throw a few nobodies under the bus, have them apologize, take the me, and be done with it.

    But now Olivia¡¯s live stream had exposed Magnolia Town¡¯s crimes to the whole country.

    Richard still couldn¡¯t figure out how she¡¯d even managed to broadcast it.

    Helen was a psychologist, and she caught all his little tells¨Chis darting eyes, the way he gripped the edge of his coat, how he wouldn¡¯t meet her gaze,

    All signs of guilt.

    ¡®Richard, let¡¯s go to the scene first. Let¡¯s see it for ourselves.¡± She stopped pressing him to send officers and took a different approach.

    She knew ces like this often ran on cozy deals between officials and criminals. Breaking them all in one go was nearly impossible.

    Richard might not be clean, but for now, he was still useful. If they waited any longer, Helen feared

    11:53 pm D

    that Olivia might be in danger.

    Richard thought fast. He had no other choice, so he agreed.

    55 vouchers.

    On the way to Magnolia Town with Helen, he kept stalling, hoping Steven would hurry up and get Olivia onto an operating table.

    In his mind, once they harvested her eggs, her body would be ruined. Girls that age were all the same¨Cthey¡¯d never want to let the world know what they¡¯d been through. Even without the emotional and physical trauma, society¡¯s judgment alone could crush them.

    So he was certain Olivia wouldn¡¯t dare make a big scene.

    Richard already had a n: shut her up first. Once she stayed quiet, he could handle the rest.

    Not long after they hit the road, Richard¡¯s phone started blowing up. The caller ID showed it was his boss, Stanley Saunders.

    Stanley spoke calmly but with a warning in his voice. ¡°Richard, I suggest you stop wasting your time. This girl was personally picked by Mr. Dalton to be trained. Think carefully about your

    future.

    ¡°If you hurt her, I promise you won¡¯t make it to retirement.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mr. Saunders. I¡¯ll follow your advice,¡± Richard said, pretending to agree.

    The Mr. Dalton Stanley mentioned was his own mentor, Anthony Dalton. Since Anthony had been retired for years, Richard wasn¡¯t scared of him. Besides, the real masterminds were the Evans family, and he figured he had nothing to worry about.

    As if reading his thoughts, Stanley added, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. Let me tell you the truth¡ª the Evans family can¡¯t protect you. You really think we don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been up to all these years?¡±

    ¡°The Evans family is going down sooner orter. Think it over.¡± With that, Stanley hung up.

    Ever since Olivia¡¯s livestream was aired on TV, even retired officials who never watched anything online had seen it and started calling Stanley.

    Anthony, his seventy¨Csomething mentor, had even rushed over on his little electric scooter in the middle of the night to give him onest warning.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t save Olivia, kiss your job goodbye,¡± Anthony had said.

    These old officials might be retired, but every one of them was still sharp and powerful. Stanley could only hope Olivia was safe.

    After the call, Richard felt a jolt in his head. He opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say.

    11:53 pm

    55 vouchers

    Not when he¡¯d seen the livestream, not even when Helen had shown up, had he felt this panicked.

    Even when he sawizens tagging him like crazy, he thought he could handle it.

    But after that phone call, Richard was truly scared.

    He thought, ¡®So this girl had Mr. Dalton behind her? Just what kind of people had the folks in Magnolia Town messed with?¡®

    srough¡¯s government office wasn¡¯t far from Magnolia Town. Before long, Helen and Richard arrived.

    The town was lit up bright, mes flickering everywhere, sirens ring. Everyone was out¨Cyoung and old¨Csearching for Olivia.

    Ìï

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    Chapter <b>81 </b>

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    When Richard showed up, several townspeople immediately rushed over and started beating him. Leading the charge was Gina.

    ¡°You and that bitch must be in on this together,¡± Gina snarled. The drug¡¯s effects had worn off, and she was itching for someone to take her anger out on¨CRichard just happened to be there. ¡°Come on, everyone, hit him!¡±

    Gina was well¨Crespected in the town. At hermand, the townspeople swarmed in.

    ¡°Folks, listen to me, I¡¯m not-¡± Richard yelled from the ground, curled up with his arms over his head. But the crowd had lost their minds; they weren¡¯t listening <i>to </i>a word he said.

    From inside the car, Helen watched the scene and shook her head, muttering, ¡°Vicious peoplee from harshnds.¡±

    ¡°Stop! Can¡¯t you see who I am?¡± Richard shouted, shing his credentials. ¡°I¡¯m Richard Stone, mayor of srough. Where¡¯s Devin Baker? Get him here.¡±

    Hearing someone call his name, Devin hurried over, full of bluster. ¡°Who¡¯s looking for me?¡± he demanded.

    Tonight¡¯s events in town had already been enough of a mess; now, with outsiders showing up to stir more trouble, Devin was naturally in a foul mood.

    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Richard shouted hoarsely, still shielding his head.

    Gina couldn¡¯t care less who he was¨Cshe was too busy venting her rage, hitting harder and harder.

    When Devin finally saw who Richard was, his eyes went wide. Internally, he cursed Gina for not knowing her limits¨Cshe¡¯d dare hit anyone.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Devin¡¯s hand shook on his cane. ¡°This is Mr. Stone. Gina, stop at once.¡±

    At Devin¡¯s words, Gina finally froze. It took her a second to realize she¡¯d just assaulted the mayor.

    Devin quickly stepped forward to check on Richard, smiling ingratiatingly. ¡°Mr. Stone, are you all right? It¡¯s all because it¡¯s so dark out¨Cwe couldn¡¯t see clearly. They definitely didn¡¯t mean it. I apologize on their behalf.¡±

    Richard wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, ring at him with resentment before waving it off. ¡°Forget it. I won¡¯t hold it against you. Just hand over that girl.¡±

    ¡°What? What girl?¡± Devin avoided his gaze, stammering.

    ¡°Obviously the girl your whole town is out searching for,¡± Helen said as she opened the car door and stepped out.

    11:28 pm PPSS

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    Her steps halted briefly, her gaze turning ice¨Ccold, her entire presence radiating the oppressive authority of someone in power. She shot Devin a nce, her tone sharp. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. Hand

    her over.¡±

    ¡°And this is?¡± Devin tried to change the subject.

    Richard leaned in close to whisper, lowering his voice. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter who she is. What you need to know is you can¡¯t afford to cross that girl.

    ¡°She¡¯s someone many officials have named as needing protection. Don¡¯t do anything stupid now. If something happens to her, we¡¯re all finished.¡±

    Hearing that, Devin finally realized just how dangerous the girl Gina had brought in was. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he told Richard and Helen the truth. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to hand her over¨Cwe don¡¯t know where she went.

    ¡°Steven drove off with her. We¡¯re looking for them too.¡±

    ¡°Damn that Steven!¡± Richard¡¯s teeth clenched in rage, his fists tightening. He hadn¡¯t expected Steven <i>to </i>still be thinking about having sex at a time like this.

    In the past, whenever higher¨Clevel officials came to investigate, he always had a way to muddle through. But this time, with Olivia disappearing on his district, he had no idea how he was going to exin it to his superiors.

    Although Richard was worried, he still couldn¡¯t figure out why so many people were paying attention to an ordinary young woman. ¡®Was it really just because she was pretty?¡® he wondered.

    Seeing this, Helen didn¡¯t bother wasting any more time with them¨Cshe opened the car door and drove off.

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    However, as soon as she started the engine, the car radio began broadcasting. It was Olivia¡¯s voice.

    Olivia sounded calm and rxed, nothing like someone who had just narrowly escaped danger. ¡°Friends, since some of the footage isn¡¯t suitable for broadcast, I¡¯ll be switching to audio mode for the livestream.

    ¡°If you¡¯re just passing by, remember to give me a like.¡±

    Netizens who had been keeping an eye on Olivia¡¯s ount immediately flooded into the livestream, boosting its poprity.

    [MysticHealer, why not turn the camera back on? But it¡¯s fine¨Caudio¡¯s great too.]

    [I live in a town near Magnolia Town, and the police here have all been mobilized. This girl really is storming into a criminals¡®ir to rescue trapped women.]

    [Liking¡¯s not enough! I¡¯m sending you a rocket. You¡¯re a streamer with a conscience.]

    While viewers were chattering away in thements, a massive special effect suddenly shed

    across the screen.

    [The coolest guy in Hirica, Lucas Grant, has entered the livestream.]

    The entrance effect was ridiculously extravagant, with his entire username stretching across the

    screen.

    [Am I seeing things? MysticHealer actually attracted Lucas Grant? That¡¯s insane.]

    Anyone whose name could fill the whole screen was an ultra¨CVIP user¨Cmeaning they¡¯d spent at least 300 million dors on the tform. There were fewer than ten of them in total.

    And there was one supreme VIP user, rumored to be the hidden boss behind the entire tform. <b>But </b>he had never once appeared in a livestream<b>, </b>so mostizens assumed it was just a marketing gimmick.

    At first, Olivia¡¯s ount was just an ordinary one, with even her followers bought by Andrew through back¨Cend operations. Now, being able to attract someone of Lucas¡¯s caliber was truly impressive.

    Lucas<b>, </b>rich and generous, immediately sent ten rockets as soon as he entered.

    Each rocket was worth $800, and he sent ten in a row. The gift animations filled the ck screen, flying continuously for three minutes before stopping.

    [Oh my God, I¡¯ve never seen so many rockets in my life. This guy really deserves the ultra VIP title.]

    11:28 pm <b>Pp</b>.

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    [MysticHealer, you¡¯re amazing. After splitting with the tform 50/50, you¡¯ll have $1,500 in your pocket from just this wave.]

    [Stop sending gifts, okay? I want to watch MysticHealer¡¯s adventure.]

    Originally, Lucas had been frustrated at not being able to reach Olivia, wondering what she was up <ol><li>to. </li></ol>

    Then he stumbled upon a livestream and heard a voice strikingly simr to Olivia¡¯s. He entered the stream and saw that the streamer was indeed Olivia.

    He thought, ¡®No wonder I couldn¡¯t reach her¨Cshe¡¯s already deep inside the enemy¡¯s den.¡®

    ¡°Olivia rarely streams, so I have to support her,¡± Lucas muttered, a cigarette dangling from his lips, as he casually recharged $1.5 million.

    He then sent fifty rockets in a row until the moderators reminded him <i>to </i>spend rationally and forcibly froze his top¨Cup system.

    ¡°Damn it! What kind of garbage system is this?¡± Lucas cursed furiously.

    While his top¨Cup system was forcibly closed, he could only watch Olivia¡¯s stream in boredom.

    Suddenly, a ck¨Cand¨Cgold animation dominated the screen, nearly blinding him.

    ¡°Who the hell is that? That animation is shier than mine.¡± Lucas was a little displeased. As one of the tform¡¯s few ultra VIP users, his entrance effect was already top¨Ctier. The only one above him was that one and only supreme VIP.

    [Oh my God, am I seeing this right? That¡¯s the legendary supreme VIP! Thank you, MysticHealer, for letting me witness this moment.]

    [MysticHealer, you¡¯re about to blow up. Two big shots watching your stream back¨Cto¨Cback¨Cyou¡¯re incredible.]

    Sitting in his Maybach, Andrew tugged at his cor, leisurely sipped his coffee, and held his phone in his right hand.

    Jenny noticed his demeanor, and her little head leaned closer as she smacked her lips. ¡°Andrew,

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    Andrew¡¯s eyes were deep and unreadable, as if concealing a bottomless dark river.

    Ethan also chimed in, ¡°Ms. Shea is right. Mr. Shea, why not wait until Ms. Summers streams next time to make an appearance and get her familiar with you?¡±

    ¡°Ethan, are you implying I¡¯m short on money?¡± Andrew asked.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, my mistake. I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut from now on,¡± Ethan replied.

    No sooner had Ethan finished speaking than the livestream erupted into a grand frenzy.

    Andrew had just sent Olivia a gift, apanied by a line of text: [VIP Andrew has sent the streamer 10 rounds of Lucky Rain. 100 gifts are about to drop.]

    The livestream chat exploded.

    [To see 10 rounds of Lucky Rain in my lifetime¨CI can die happy now.]

    [I¡¯ve said ¡®I¡¯m jealous¡® so many times, I¡¯m tired of it.]

    Before they even finished grabbing the first batch of gifts, the system message popped up again: [VIP Andrew has sent the streamer 10 rounds of Lucky Rain. 100 gifts are about to drop.]

    Lucky Rain was the kind of reward only VIP users could afford. One round of Lucky Rain cost $30,000. Not only did it reward the streamer, but it also dropped gifts to viewers in the room¨Creal, tangible money ranging from $60 to $300 each.

    Because of the steep price, most viewers had rarely seen Lucky Rain, if ever.

    Yet Andrew had sent so many in a row, instantly pushing the livestream¡¯s poprity to its peak.

    Busy driving, Olivia had no idea what was happening in the chat and stayed silent¨Cnearly getting gged by the system for malicious streaming.

    Jenny almost spat out the milk she¡¯d just drunk when she saw this move. She quietly reminded Andrew<i>, </i>¡°Andrew, I know you want to show off your wealth, but I think you¡¯re using thepany¡¯s official ount¡­¡±

    Her words startled Ethan so badly that he almost lost his grip on the steering wheel. With this move, Andrew had probably scared Shea Group¡¯s senior executives enough to hold an emergency meeting overnight.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t notice,¡± Andrew said casually.

    Meanwhile, the Shea Group team in charge of running the tform immediately convened an emergency meeting.

    11:29 pm PPS

    ¡°This was Mr. Shea¡¯s doing?¡± the team leader asked in disbelief. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into him?¡±

    ¡°Should someone go ask?¡± a team member suggested.

    ¡°Who dares to ask? I¡¯m not going,¡± another replied.

    <b>***** </b>

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    At the Grant Estate, Lucas shot up from the couch in anger. ¡°Who the hell is this guy? Why¡¯s he trying to steal my number¨Cone spot?¡±

    If he¡¯d known, he would¡¯ve sent a Lucky Rain instead¨Crockets were just too slow.

    Lucas refused to let his love for Olivia be overshadowed like this. The moment his top¨Cup system was restored, he immediately started showering her with gifts¨Crockets, carnivals, sports cars¨Can endless parade of rewards.

    [Does anyone even remember what MysticHealer is doing right now?]

    [How did this turn into two big shots fighting for the number¨Cone spot?]

    [Gentlemen, stop sending gifts. Let¡¯s just watch MysticHealer¡¯s adventure.]

    As if answering the viewers¡® call, the gift¨Csending function in the livestream was suddenly disabled.

    In reality, it was Sean who¡¯d hacked in and shut the feature down. Sitting at hisputer, he took a huge bite of his burger without pausing his hands for a second.

    He found Andrew and Lucas incredibly annoying. Olivia was handling serious business, yet these two were flooding the room with gifts,pletely disrupting things.

    Sean swallowed his burger in record time, then promptly blocked both Andrew and Lucas.

    Lucas was stunned. He couldn¡¯t understand how he¡¯d ended up blocked.

    Andrew nced at his phone, his brows knitting slightly in thought. ¡®Was I just¡­ blocked?¡±

    ¡°Andrew<i>, </i>you-¡± Jenny hesitated mid¨Csentence,

    ¡°What?¡± Andrew looked at her.

    Jenny shook her head with a sigh. ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want to be mean.¡±

    *****

    Olivia, wearing only a pair of small earrings, couldn¡¯t see thements and had no idea what was going on. She tapped one of her earrings, making sure the audio pickup was working fine.

    S

    11:29 pm Ppss

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    She began speaking calmly. ¡°Guys, there¡¯s something I want to tell you. Human trafficking and forced surrogacy or egg donation are crimes.

    ¡°Women are not surrogacy machines. A womb must never be a tool of trade, and a baby should never be treated as amodity for dirty deals.

    ¡°And to certain women out there who are seeking someone <i>to </i>carry a child for them¨CI understand you don¡¯t want to suffer and would rather pay a poor woman to do it.

    ¡°But remember, this world is full of wealthy and powerful people who also don¡¯t want to suffer.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re not at the very top of the food chain, you will be prey to someone else. The moment you

    think you¡¯re above others, there will always be someone standing above you, ready to enve you.

    ¡°Ladies, beware of illegal egg trafficking. No matter what hardships you face, never trade your body for money.

    ¡°And to those who have been deceived¨Cplease don¡¯t give up. Being tricked and hurt is not your fault; it¡¯s the trafficker¡¯s fault. Don¡¯t demean yourselves. Victims are innocent.

    ¡°Women are not weaklings who need to cling to men to survive. Every woman can live a brilliant life on her own.¡±

    As the car slowly rolled to a stop, Olivia finished her words.

    She turned her head toward Ang, her gaze firm. ¡°Ang, did you hear that?¡±

    Ang stared nkly for a moment.

    Since escaping the town, her fear had only grown. She felt that even after getting out, she could never live like her peers again.

    She thought about how her body had been ruined after being tricked intoing here, how she had no idea where her eggs had been taken.

    Meanwhile, her ssmates and friends were all headed toward bright, promising futures.

    In just three short months, her sense of inferiority had seeped deep into her bones.

    <b>But </b>when Olivia stood there, arms crossed and smiling warmly at her, she felt as though a wellspring of courage had risen in her heart.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Ang¡¯s eyes glistened with tears as a warmth spread through her chest. ¡°The most important thing for a girl isn¡¯t her chastity¨Cit¡¯s her dignity, and the courage to face hardship without yielding.¡±

    11:29 pm PP.

    The more afraid she was, the more she must step outside and face the world.

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    [I¡¯m literally crying. MysticHealer, what you said makes so much sense. I¡¯m giving you a like.]

    [MysticHealer, you¡¯re so kind. Noticing the struggles women face¨Cyou¡¯re truly a broadcaster with a conscience.]

    [Don¡¯t lose hope,dies who¡¯ve been deceived. The ones guilty are those bad people, not you.]

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in then.¡± Olivia cast a nce at Steven. ¡°It¡¯s time to settle the score.¡±

    *****

    Meanwhile, Richard, who was speeding toward them, was drenched in sweat from nerves. He frantically dialed Paul¡¯s number, but it just wouldn¡¯t go through.

    With every sentence Olivia spoke, he felt like he¡¯d be sentenced to another year in prison. Panic rising, he floored the elerator, but somehow the car still felt unbearably slow.

    Rushing toward the scene from another direction was Andrew.

    The mountain road was too rugged for a sports car, so Andrew ordered a mountain¨Cspecialized vehicle to be brought over.

    Ethan could sense Andrew growing more and more severe, with a faintly dangerous air in his expression. That feeling had only intensified since Andrew first learned Olivia had been tricked.

    Even though Andrew said out loud that he trusted Olivia and wasn¡¯t worried about her, Ethan could see it¨Cthe coldness in Andrew¡¯s eyes was deepening, and he was close to shredding the handkerchief in his hands.

    ¡°Olivia¡¯s there,¡± Jenny said, holding up her tablet and pointing to a spot on the screen. ¡°Ethan, drive!¡±

    Jenny had only barely pinpointed Olivia¡¯s location by cracking the livestream¡¯s IP address. But Ethan was still waiting for Andrew¡¯s order.

    ¡°Hurry up, Andrew<i>,¡± </i>Jenny couldn¡¯t understand why he had to act cool at such a critical moment.

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    ¡°Tony, spread the word¨Cround up every criminal in Magnolia Town who¡¯s been involved in human trafficking or illegal surrogacy and egg trafficking, and throw them in jail.¡± Andrew¡¯s voice was cold as he spoke into the phone.

    ¡°And remember¨Cdon¡¯t let the Evans family find out about this.¡± He intended to deal with the Evans family personally.

    ¡°And leave that Dr. Lewis to me,¡± Andrew added. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him myself.¡±

    Hisst words were enunciated with unnerving rity, and in the darkness, they carried a bone- chilling edge.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Shea,¡± Tony replied.

    Jenny quietly praised Andrew in her mind. She couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®If you¡¯d acted like this earlier, Olivia would¡¯ve been your girlfriend by now!¡¯

    The Shea family making a move meant Magnolia Town was essentially finished.

    But at that moment, Steven was feeling smug, convinced he was about to be saved.

    He secretly mocked Olivia¡¯s stupidity for actually dumping him at the police station. After all, the police here would never help her.

    On the surface, however, he put on an ingratiating smile. ¡°Well, here we are. About the antidote-¡±

    Oliviazily raised an eyebrow. She didn¡¯t bother untying Steven¡¯s acupoints; she simply dumped him at the station entrance and feigned helplessness. ¡°Antidote? I don¡¯t have one.¡±

    She never made antidotes when she created poisons.

    Steven stared at her in confusion. Before he could get angry, Olivia grabbed him single¨Chandedly and tossed him in front of the station door.

    He wondered, ¡®Where the hell does she get that kind of strength? She just picked up me, a grown

    man, with one hand?¡®

    Olivia¡¯s movements were smooth and fluid, but they startled Paul,

    Paul didn¡¯t understand who would dare provoke him like this. Storming outside in anger, he was met with a surprising scene.

    Steven sprawled on the ground, and Olivia pinning him down with one foot, rolling him around like a ball. She arched an eyebrow at Paul.

    Seeing this, Paul roared at her, ¡°Let Dr. Lewis go! Who are you toe into Magnolia Town and act

    11:29 pm P PSD.

    tough? Assault is a crime, and I can order your arrest right now.¡±

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    ¡°Arrest me?¡± Olivia found itughable. ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong¨Cyou should be arresting him.

    ¡°He tried to force me to donate eggs, and he¡¯s hurt countless young women. That¡¯s got to be worth a few decades in prison, right?¡±

    Steven, his face pinned under Olivia¡¯s foot, was seething with humiliation. He spat out viciously, ¡°Mr. Lowell, arrest her! She¡¯s the one Gina brought back, and she¡¯s streamed everything happening in town. She poisoned Gina, Donald, and me.

    ¡°Just grab her, delete all the evidence, force her to hand over the antidote, and then find some excuse to kill her.¡±

    Desperate and grasping at straws, Stevenpletely forgot that Olivia was still livestreaming at that very moment.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Olivia stepped down hard on Steven¡¯s mouth.

    She rubbed her forehead, then lifted her gaze toward Paul. ¡°You don¡¯t arrest the criminals, but you want to arrest me? Mr. Lowell, is this how you do your job as a cop?¡±

    Paul¡¯s eyes flicked as he calcted his next move. Clearly, using force against this girl wouldn¡¯t work -he¡¯d have to y weak first.

    So, he stered on a fawning smile. ¡°Miss, hear me out. Let Dr. Lewis go first. If he¡¯s as guilty as you say, I promise I won¡¯t just let it slide.¡±

    Olivia blinked her clear, bright eyes, feigning innocence. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Paul nodded emphatically¨Cwhile inwardly nning to arrest this arrogant girlter and teach her a brutal lesson.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Olivia said slowly. ¡°If you were truly fair in enforcing thew, the number of missing girls wouldn¡¯t be growing.¡±

    As she spoke, she pressed harder on Steven, making him whimper helplessly.

    ¡°Miss, let¡¯s talk this out. No need for violence,¡± Paul said, worried for Steven¡¯s safety and trying to cate her. At the same time, he gave a subtle signal to the men nearby.

    Of course, Olivia noticed the gesture. She swiftly kicked Steven far across the floor.

    Paul hurried forward, and when he saw Steven¡¯s miserable state, he was livid.

    ¡°You little brat¨Cwho gave you the guts to hurt him?¡± he barked.

    ¡°He¡¯smitted countless crimes¨Cwhat¡¯s wrong with me beating him?¡± Olivia tilted her head, propping her chin on one hand. ¡°You¡¯re the police chief. Don¡¯t you care about thew?¡±

    11:29 pm P P &

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    Paul burst into wild, mockingughter, the fat on his face quivering. ¡°Thew? Let me tell something¨Cin Magnolia Town, I am thew. And Dr. Lewis is my honored guest.

    you

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s you or those other women¨Cif you were tricked intoing here, it¡¯s because you¡¯re stupid. You deserved it.¡±

    Oliviazily held her pendant in her hand. ¡°So this is what you said when Sophie, Ang, and all those other women escaped and came to you for help?¡±

    In truth, Paul had sent every one of those women back into the hellhole they¡¯d escaped from.

    ¡°Sophie? Ang?¡± Paul didn¡¯t recognize the names. He looked down at Steven. ¡°You know them?¡±

    Dr. Lewis answered with difficulty, ¡°I¡¯ve slept with them. One was for surrogacy, the other for egg

    donation.¡±

    ¡°And you hurt him like this over that?¡± Paul nced at Olivia with open disdain. ¡°You women are all the same¨Cnever learn your lesson until your body¡¯s ruined.¡±

    He waved his hand, signaling the men around him. ¡°Get her. Take care of her.¡±

    ¡°But since she¡¯s this pretty, I¡¯ll try her first.¡± Paul added with a sinister grin. He lunged toward Olivia.

    Olivia chuckled softly, then addressed the air. ¡°Viewers, remember to call the police for me, okay?¡±

    Not that she even needed to ask¨Cby now, her livestream was filled with police officers, many of them retired detectives.

    They were stunned by Paul¡¯s shamelessness. In all their years of work, none of them had ever heard anything so vile.

    One after another, they volunteered to take down Magnolia Town, and no one could stop them.

    Today, they were determined to get justice for the girls who had suffered.

    Paul gave a coldugh,pletely missing the point in Olivia¡¯s words. ¡°Call the police? I am the police. Who else do you think you can go to?¡±

    That was when Steven suddenly remembered¨COlivia had been streaming the whole time.

    ¡°Mr. Lowell, sh¨Cshe¡¯s live,¡± he blurted to Paul.

    Before Steven even finished speaking, one of Paul¡¯s men came over, phone in hand, trembling as

    he showed it to him.

    On the screen was a three¨Cminute recording¨Cevery word Paul had just said.

    Paul finally realized what was going on. He red at Olivia. ¡°You¡­ you did this on purpose.¡±

    11:29 pm <b>Pp </b>

    &

    Then he turned on Steven. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±

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    Steven had no idea himself why he hadn¡¯t thought of it earlier. His mind felt strangely foggy, and a dark suspicion crept in¨Cthat Olivia had poisoned him.

    Olivia stared back at him, her calm expression hiding a glint of menace.

    The drug she¡¯d given Steven wasn¡¯t ordinary. It was a slow¨Cacting poison that would eat away <i>at </i>his mind, make him gradually lose consciousness, until he became nothing more than a drooling idiot.

    In the end, he¡¯d bring about his own death.

    11:29 pm P P

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    But Olivia had no intention of telling Steven any of this.

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    No matter what sentences the other criminals in Magnolia Town ended up with, Steven was already

    finished.

    For Gina and Donald, she had used a different drug¨Cone that would let them briefly recover, only to meet death afterward.

    She wasn¡¯t going to let a single one of them walk away.

    Paul didn¡¯t care about the livestream. All he knew was that if he caught Olivia, forced her to hand over what she had, and silenced her, everything would be fine.

    ¡°Grab her!¡± he barked.

    The officers under hismand cracked their knuckles and charged at Olivia.

    She arched a brow. ¡°Just these few?¡±

    That wasn¡¯t nearly enough to give her a decent workout.

    ¡°Cut the crap,¡± Paul waved impatiently. ¡°Catch her, take her eggs, then kill her and sell the organs.¡±

    A calcting glint shed in his eyes.

    Meanwhile, in the car, Edward had already noticed what was happening outside.

    Years in the military had taught him to always stay alert.

    He had only let his guard down and dozed off because Olivia had made him feel safe. But he hadn¡¯t guessed she¡¯d bring them to the police station.

    It was obvious to him that Magnolia Town¡¯s police were in league with the criminals here. Edward shook his head helplessly.

    Olivia was still too young, too inexperienced to know how dirty these dealings were.

    He couldn¡¯t waste time thinking about it. Turning to Ang, he asked weakly, ¡°Miss¡­ would you help me out of the car¡­

    His voice was faint, sweat beading on his forehead, even lifting a hand looked exhausting.

    ¡°Are you sure you can?¡± Ang asked, worried.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Edward replied.

    Ang didn¡¯t argue further and helped him down.

    11:29 pm P PAD.

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    His steps were unsteady, like he might copse at any moment. Each footfall felt as if itnded on cotton, soft and unstable.

    Even so, he kept his gentleman¡¯sposure¨Clightly steadying himself with Ang¡¯s arm without leaning on her.

    Grinding his teeth, Edward forced himself to quicken his pace, stepping in front of Olivia. ¡°As the team leader of International Crime Patrol, I order you to stand down. One more step forward, and it will be considered an assault on an officer.¡±

    Olivia tilted her head slightly, intrigued. She could tell Edward wasn¡¯t an ordinary man.

    International Crime Patrol was an organization founded in the Northern Sea Alliance <i>at </i>the end of thest century, tasked with investigating terrorist activities, organized crime, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling.

    Its members were chosen from childhood and trained in secret. By rights, they were never supposed to reveal their identities.

    But with the situation this urgent, Edward had no choice.

    ¡°International Crime Patrol? What the hell is that?¡± Paul eyed him in confusion. ¡°You can barely stand¨Cteam leader, my ass. Quit pretending.¡±

    ¡°Get them all,¡± he ordered his men.

    Paul nned to take Olivia, Edward, and Ang, kill them, and strip their bodies clean for organs.

    Suddenly, the sound of tires skidding over the ground rang out.

    One car after another drove in, the grass on the ground swaying with the movement.

    Several of Paul¡¯s officers were stunned. They had never seen cars like these before.

    They still didn¡¯t realize how serious the situation was. One after another, they craned their necks, eager to see who was getting out of the vehicles.

    Aside from inclothes officers, the most eye¨Ccatching were Jenny in her soft pink outfit and

    Andrew in casual clothes<b>. </b>

    Andrew stepped out from the darkness. The headlights behind him cast a glow that split his face into two¨Cone half hidden in shadow, the other lit up.

    He had great proportions: broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, turning an ordinary shirt and ck pants into a perfect silhouette.

    <b>9/3 </b>

 Blizzard 87

    ¡°Good evening, my dear doctor.¡± Andrew slowly adjusted his gold¨Crimmed sses, his voice gentle. gaze slipped through the lenses andnded on Olivia, the corners of his lips curling slightly.

    His

    Jenny happily waved at Olivia. She had just started to throw herself into Olivia¡¯s arms when Andrew hooked her by the cor to stop her.

    Right after, a swarm of armed SWAT officers rushed forward.

    ¡°Freeze!¡± they shouted at Paul and the others.

    More cars kept arriving¨Cover a dozen in total.

    ¡°Chief, what¡¯s going on?¡± Paul¡¯s men were starting to panic. They had worked with Paul for and had never seen anything like this.

    Soon after, Richard¡¯s car pulled up.

    years

    ¡°Paul, what the hell are you doing?¡± Richard had barely stepped out before he froze at the sight, his soul nearly flying out of his body. He didn¡¯t even bother to close the car door.

    Paul still hadn¡¯t realized the gravity of the situation. In his mind, there was no need for Richard to step in¨Che could handle this himself.

    ¡°Richard, I¡¯m just dealing with a few little runaways,¡± Paul said with a forced smile. ¡°Why¡¯d youe yourself? I was going to send the money to you¨Cno need for you to¡ª¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Richard cut him off with a p.

    Inwardly, he cursed, ¡®This idiot¨Ccouldn¡¯t he see what was going on? Did he have no idea what to say and what not to say right now?¡®

    Paul stood there, stunned, staring at Richard in disbelief.

    Helen got out of the car right after.

    Seeing how clueless Paul was, Richard didn¡¯t bother arguing with him anymore.

    Instead, he walked up to Olivia, trying tofort them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll protect you. And those girls who got locked up¨CI¡¯ll get them all out and make it up to them.¡±

    Olivia found his words ridiculously funny and couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a pretty speech. But it seems you and Paul know each other quite well.¡±

    Richard¡¯s face went pale.

    Helen, who was following behind, stepped forward to check on Olivia. But as she got closer, she

    <i>& </i>

    11:29 pm PPSS

    caught sight of a face that felt all too familiar.

    <b>55 </b>vouchers

    ¡°Edward? What are you doing here?¡± Helen was stunned. Edward was her nephew. She¡¯d thought he was still in training, and never expected to run into him here.

    ¡°How did you get hurt so badly?¡± She noticed the wounds on Edward and frowned, shooting Richard a re. ¡°Richard, this is how you manage your men?¡±

    ¡°And you.¡± Helen pointed at Paul. ¡°How dare youy a hand on my nephew? Are you sick of living? Or do you think you¡¯re not even afraid of the Monroe family of Kingtonelle?¡±

    Paul froze. ¡®Kingtonelle? The Monroe family?¡®

    When Helen was out on missions, she never talked about her background. In fact, her sister was Martin Monroe¡¯s wife.

    And when she¡¯d gone to see Richard earlier, she hadn¡¯t exined much¨Cjust that Olivia was an acquaintance and she had to find her.

    She hadn¡¯t expected thating here, she¡¯d not only find Olivia but also run into her own rebellious nephew.

    ¡®Aunt Helen.¡± Edward greeted her tly, his expression slightly annoyed.

    When he worked outside, he never mentioned his family, preferring to keep his identity hidden. Yet Helen, with her loud personality, had just blurted it out.

    Standing off to the side, Ethan suddenly remembered that the Summers family¡¯s missing daughter had also disappeared here. He couldn¡¯t help but worry whether that girl could survive in such a terrifying little town.

    Clearly, the Summers family¡¯s search for their daughter still had a long way to go.

    Even Paul, dim¨Cwitted as he was, knew what it meant to hear the name Kingtonelle. People who lived there were all either rich or powerful.

    Ìï

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    11:29 pm PP.

 Blizzard 88

    <b>55 </b>vouchers

    Paul finally panicked. Grabbing Richard¡¯s hand, he said, ¡°Mr. Stone, you have to believe me. I swear I don¡¯t know that man.

    ¡°He came here to secretly take a bunch of evidence and tried to sneak it out. It¨Cit was Gina and Donald. They were the ones who led the charge to catch him and lock him up.¡±

    ¡°I knew nothing about it. I really didn¡¯t know.¡± Paul begged frantically, ¡°Mr. Stone, please save me. You were part of it too¡­¡±

    Richard pped him three times, fuming with rage.

    ¡°Bullshit!¡±

    He was already exhausted dealing with the people backing Olivia, and now a rich young man from Kingtonelle had shown up. Richard felt like his days were numbered.

    Just from what Paul had said, Richard¡¯s superiors would crush him without mercy.

    But Paul suddenly seemed to get an idea and crawled toward Olivia. ¡°Miss, this is all a misunderstanding.¡±

    Lying on the ground, Steven was barely conscious, his words slipping out beyond his control. All he had left was hatred toward Olivia and the others. ¡°Paul, what are you afraid of? Kill them. Just kill

    them all.

    ¡°In Magnolia Town, anyone who dares to cross me has to die. This woman has to die, and that man has to die too.¡±

    ¡°Dr. Lewis, what nonsense are you spouting?¡± Paul was terrified out of his mind. He thought Steven had

    gone insane. Edward had already revealed who he was, yet Steven still dared to provoke him.

    Paul quickly covered Steven¡¯s mouth and stammered an apology to Edward. ¡°Mr. Monroe, please don¡¯t hold this against us. We really didn¡¯t know who you were. If we had, we never would¡¯ve-¡±

    Before he could finish, Edward cut him off. ¡°Enough. You deceived innocent young girls, trafficked people, and harmed women. These crimes are unforgivable.¡±

    The Monroe family would never let this go.

    Paul saw this and decided to y the emotional card. He burst into tears and said to Richard, ¡°Mr. Stone, my son died saving you. You promised him you¡¯d protect me.¡±

    Hearing that, Richard was momentarily at a loss for words.

    Years ago, a mudslide blocked off the mountains. On his way out of town, Richard was caught in danger.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Paul¡¯s son, Eric, he wouldn¡¯t have made it out alive. But Eric lost his life in that

    PP

    1:29 pm P P

    mudslide.

    55 vouchers

    Since then, Richard had owed Paul his life. That was why he had been shielding Paul all these -covering up Magnolia Town¡¯s dirty secrets even though he knew all about them.

    years

    Fortunately, Paul wasn¡¯t an ungrateful man. During holidays, he would always bring Richard some gifts.

    Only now did Olivia realize the twists and turns behind it all.

    She had long suspected Magnolia Town wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed, and that the ties behind it were messy. But she hadn¡¯t expected this to be the reason.

    You can¡¯t let my son die for nothing!¡± Paul cried miserably, even throwing himself on the ground n a full¨Cblown fit. ¡°Son, you shouldn¡¯t have left like this.¡±

    More and more people gathered to watch. Seeing the scene, many of them grew uneasy. If this eally came to light, all of them would end up in prison.

    Not wanting to go to jail, they began crowding around Richard, trying to pressure him.

    Mr. Stone, Mr. Lowell has worked hard all these years. Maybe he¡¯s not perfect, but he¡¯s done his hare of work. You can¡¯t just stand by and watch him die.¡±

    Eric did save your life, after all. You should let Mr. Lowell go.¡±

    So he tricked <i>a </i>few women¨Cbig deal. They were going to have kids sooner orter, no matter who he father was. Besides, they get paid to give birth here. What¡¯s there toin about?¡±

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    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Blizzard 89

    <b>Chapter </b>89

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to arrest someone over this, then you might as well arrest all of us.¡±

    Almost every household in Magnolia Town was involved in these things¨Csome handled the scams, others did the dirty work.

    Many even sent their daughters off for egg donation or surrogacy once they reached a certain age. The whole town wasplicit.

    If the police really wanted to be strict about it, all of them should be sent to prison.

    Richard had a pounding headache. He knew there was no reasoning with these townsfolk.

    This also involved the Evans family. He really had to think carefully about how to deal with them.

    At this point, Richard could only pin his hopes on Edward. One word from him could decide the fate of the entire Magnolia Town.

    ¡°Mr. Monroe, maybe you could let this one slide? Just drop it?¡± he asked tentatively.

    Edward¡¯s face was deathly pale, but his words were sharp and clear. ¡°Drop it? If we let them go, who¡¯s going to give justice to the girls they hurt?¡±

    Richard wanted to plead again, but the townsfolk around them suddenly grew agitated, trying to

    close in on Edward.

    ¡°So what, just because he¡¯s some rich guy from Kingtonelle, he can push us old locals around?¡±

    ¡°Let them go? Why should we? There¡¯s so many of us¨Ctaking them down would be nothing.¡±

    ¡°Anyone who dares touch Paul today is going against all of Magnolia Town!¡±

    Supporting Edward, Helen had never seen such a scene before. She gritted her teeth. ¡°Idiots! Can¡¯t you even tell right from wrong?¡±

    But the townsfolk didn¡¯t care what she said¨Ctheir arrogance only grew.

    Olivia was unusually calm. She leaned close to Edward and asked, ¡°Can you still walk?¡±

    ¡°Not dying yet.¡± Edward coughed lightly, then warned her, ¡°No matter what, you can¡¯ty a hand on

    them.¡±

    Olivia nodded, then tilted her head slightly to the left. ¡°Three miles <b>that </b>way, my sidekicks are waiting. Take Ang and Helen and go.¡±

    <b>1/3 </b>

    She had already arranged for a few members of the Shadow Security Division to wait there.

    That note she gave Sean before leaving Hirica hadn¡¯t been for nothing.

    The Shadow Security Division was an assassination unit under Shadow Point, operating strictly from the shadows. Not even the Clusian central government could touch them.

    And Olivia was their sole leader.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this. It¡¯s been forever since we had a real fight.¡± A little boy with green hair was bursting with excitement.

    He wore a baggy hip¨Chop outfit, colorful stickers on his face, a heavy sword in one hand, and a telescope in the other as he surveyed the scene.

    Since Olivia rarely let theme out to have fun, he nned to make the most of it.

    ¡°Olivia has her own n.¡± A high¨Cponytailed woman gave him a cold look as she wiped her dagger, shooting a disdainful nce down the hill.

    ¡°Those men actually dare look at Olivia like that,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to dig their eyeballs out.¡±

    ¡°Come on. If we don¡¯t make a move now, then when?¡± The boy was itching to jump in.

    ¡°No.¡± Her eyes stayed calm. ¡°Wait for Olivia¡¯s order.¡±

    Olivia had said that unless it was absolutely necessary, the Shadow Security Division must never appear in front of ordinary people.

    The boy pointed at Andrew and the others, looking puzzled. ¡°Are these guys Olivia¡¯s recruits?¡±

    The woman shook her head without answering. She hadn¡¯t heard anything about Olivia having extral help.

    ¡°Does Olivia not trust me that much, <b>that </b>she went and found other people?¡± The boy crossed his arms, puffed his cheeks, and was about to run over to help.

    The woman grabbed him by the cor, stopping him. ¡°Watch and wait.¡±

    The boy grew even more upset, plopping down on the ground with a stormy face.

    <b>2/3 </b>

 Blizzard 90

    <b>Chapter </b><b>90 </b>

    The boy grumbled silently about Olivia¡¯s favoritism.

    He was really unhappy that Olivia only took Sean¨Cthe foodie guy with her, but not him. Finally, he got assigned a mission, and now she was calling in others. It all felt very boring to him.

    The woman looked at him and shook her head helplessly.

    Olivia nced at Andrew behind her but gave up on signaling.

    With him around, there was no need to use the Shadow Security Division.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving,¡± Edward shook his head, worry evident in his eyes as he looked at Olivia. ¡°If I go, what will you do?¡±

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I have bodyguards,¡± Olivia raised an eyebrow and nodded toward Andrew standing behind her.

    Then Olivia turned to Andrew, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised, a faint smile ying on her lips.

    ¡°Stop pretending to be cool and get to work.¡±

    Andrew took the cue and waved his hand. All the inclothes officers sprang into action, quickly surrounding Paul and the others.

    They moved swiftly, their guns in hand making the scene quite intimidating.

    The townsfolk were finally scared. They had never seen such arge force before.

    ¡°Mr. Lowell, what now?¡± Some of the townsfolk hushed their previous arrogance, feeling uneasy.

    ¡°Afraid? I¡¯m still a police chief. Who dares <b>mess </b>with me?¡± Paul wasn¡¯t scared at all upon seeing the officers. These people weren¡¯t <b>even </b><b>around </b>when he was <b>a </b>cop.

    ¡°We¡¯re all-¡± Before he could finish, a <b>woman </b>suddenly surged out from the crowd and mmed Paul <b>to </b>the ground

    Paul cried out in pain and looked up. ¡°Who are you? How dare you touch me?¡±

    The fair¨Cfaced woman showed her badge without a smile. ¡°Ava Sallowyn, Captain of the First Homicide Squad in Hirica, badge number 004. I¡¯m cing Paul Lowell, Steven Lewis, Gina Johnson, and others under <b>arrest </b>by order of my superiors.

    E

    <b>Sept </b>

    ¡°Please cooperate with our investigation.¡±

    Seeing the woman¡¯s face, Paul¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°It can¡¯t be you.¡±

    This woman <b>was </b>none other than Sally, Donald¡¯s family nanny.

    No one would have guessed she was a homicide captain<b>. </b>

    Paul had once held a glimmer of hope. Even if arrested, he thought he could find a way out.

    He had it all nned: using the fact that his son saved Richard, he¡¯d pressure Richard to bail him out, then stir up the townsfolk¨Ceventually he¡¯d be free.

    But now, hearing the name ¡°Homicide Squad,¡± he knew he was done for.

    He didn¡¯t understand why the Monroe family, the homicide squad, and this mysterious group of inclothes officers would all be involved in a missing person case involving just one young woman.

    Andrew walked up beside Olivia, a calm yet graceful smile curling at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Will youe, or should 1?¡±

    ¡°Youe. I¡¯m tired,¡± Olivia waved her hand <b>and</b><b>, </b>in one smooth motion, kicked Paul <b>in </b>the back of

    the knee, dropping him to the ground.

    Paul trembled as he looked at Andrew, a rising tide of fear washing over him.

    Andrew was strikingly handsome, exuding elegance and an extraordinary aura. Two buttons of his cor were undone, revealing a hint of danger beneath his refined exterior.

    ¡°Paul Lowell, right?¡± Andrew crouched down, took a dagger from Ethan¡¯s hand, and lifted Paul¡¯s chin. ¡°The Evans family has a message for you.¡±

    ¡°What¨Cwhat message?¡± Paul¡¯s face flickered with surprise. He couldn¡¯t understand how Andrew would know about the Evans family behind Magnolia Town.

    The Evans family was a secret known to very few. Paul began to doubt Andrew¡¯s true identity.

    ¡°They want you dead.¡± Andrew¡¯s eyes narrowed, a dangerous gleam flickering within them, his voice. low and rough.

    <b>¡°</b>You bullied Olivia, and Andrew¡¯s mercy in just killing <b>you </b>is more than enough,¡± Jenny said, hugging Olivia¡¯s leg and making a mocking face at Paul.

    Ethan, standing <b>next </b>to Andrew, <b>was </b>struck dumb. He wanted to remind Jenny <b>this </b>was a nationwide livestream.

    08:27 <b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>9 </b>Sept

    Chaptor ng

    K675

    But Andrew remained unfazed<b>, </b>his voice casual. ¡°You helped the viin, abducting my doctor. Asking for your life isn¡¯t too much, is it?¡±

    Paul saw murderous intent in Andrew¡¯s eyes and quickly turned to Richard for help. ¡°Mr. Stone, save me! I don¡¯t want to die. My son saved your <b>life</b>.<b>¡± </b>

    But Richard didn¡¯t dare get involved. He just prayed he wouldn¡¯t get dragged into this mess.

    Andrew sneered. ¡°Your son saved him? Paul, you¡¯ve lied to Richard for years, even fooled yourself. Want me to remind you how your son died?¡±

    Hearing that, Paul¡¯s face drained of color. He couldn¡¯t fathom how Andrew knew that secret.

    Andrew gave Ethan a subtle nod.

    Ethan immediately took the tablet and read aloud, ¡°Eric Lowell, son of Paul Lowell, resident of Magnolia Town, had been arrested multiple times for crimes including public indecency. He died seven years ago, cause of death-¡±

    Ethan paused, stunned by the shocking cause of death listed.

    Clearing his throat, he continued professionally, ¡°Cause of death was excessive intake of sildenafil,

    resulting in severe vasodtion, acute coronary syndrome, and heart failure.¡±

    Sildenafil ismonly known as a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction.

    Richard¡¯s eyes widened, and he was stunned <b>for </b><b>a </b>long moment. Only then did he realize Eric hadn¡¯t died saving him after all.

    Ethan went on, ¡°The mudslide incident was staged by Paul and Eric to fake the appearance that Eric sacrificed himself to save Richard. In reality, Eric died a day after the mudslide.¡±

    Paul waspletely dumbfounded. He couldn¡¯t understand how Andrew and Ethan knew so much.

    The townsfolk didn¡¯t know who Andrew was, but seeing the fleet of vehicles, they guessed he wasn¡¯t ordinary.

    They thought, ¡®This guy can call so many men here, and yet he¡¯s just that girl¡¯s patient? Then that girl must be truly terrifying!

    Realizing that some had even nned to send Olivia for egg donation and surrogacy, the townsfolk suddenly felt a wave of fear<b>. </b>

    Steven briefly came to his senses. Now, he was filled with <b>regret</b>.

    <b>3/4 </b>

    08:28 Tue, 9 Sept ti

    67%

    Hidden in the crowd, Gina¡¯s mind was in chaos, unable toprehend the situation. She had thought. Olivia was just an ordinary poor student¨Ceasy to fool, and could be bought off with some money.

    Nydia had also said Olivia wasn¡¯t the real daughter of the Sherman family, hated by them, and had been kicked out to live miserably with an olddy.

    Now Gina wished she could kill Nydia.

    She didn¡¯t understand what kind of person Nydia had brought to her. All she knew was that Magnolia Town was finished this time. They were all finished.

    Suddenly, Gina felt a wave of difort. Warm blood sprayed from her throat.

    The fierce pain swept through her body again. She felt her strength drain away and immediately copsed, startling those around her.

    ¡°Gina, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Why are you coughing up blood?¡±

    ¡°She usually seems <b>fine</b><b>¨C</b>what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Gina clutched her chest, unclear about what was happening. She thought she had recovered.

    Suddenly, she noticed something, looked up, and locked eyes with Olivia¡¯s half¨Csmiling, half¨Cserious

    gaze.

    Olivia also noticed Gina, slightly parted her lips, and mouthed, ¡°Rest <b>in </b>peace.¡±

    Gina couldn¡¯t speak anymore. Blood stained her clothes as she red viciously at Olivia, slowly losing

    consciousness.

    Before her breath stopped, her eyes remained fixed tightly on Olivia.

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 Blizzard 91

    Richard felt as though a bucket of icy water had been poured over him¨Cafter all these years, the guilt- he had carried toward Paul had been nothing more than a calcted scheme by Paul and Eric.

    Andrew sneered, ¡°So, how do you feel now, Richard? This is your so¨Ccalled ¡®benefactor.¡± He put extra weight on the word ¡°benefactor.¡±

    Richard was kicking himself now. He just wanted to distance himself from them as fast as possible. Hel blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s all a misunderstanding. I barely even know them.¡±

    Andrew raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just go ahead and kill him.¡± As he spoke, he raised his dagger, about to plunge it down, his eyes icy and ruthless.

    Olivia tapped her earring, ending the livestream right on cue, her smile growing wider. She thought, ¡®Andrew is downright ruthless. I like that.¡®¡±

    Ava stepped in, her expression serious. She said, ¡°Sir, Paul hasmitted a major crime and should face thew. Please hand him over to me, and I¡¯ll take him in for justice.¡±

    Andrew replied, ¡°Alright.¡± But as soon as he finished speaking, a glint of murderous intent shed in his eyes. His wrist twisted, and he drove the dagger straight into Paul¡¯s left hand.

    Blood sttered everywhere. Paul screamed in agony.

    Some of the more faint¨Chearted vigers passed out right then and there.

    Ava froze, her face full of shock.

    Ethan was used to this kind of thing. He handed over a towel to Andrew.

    Andrew sheathed his knife, took the towel, and wiped the de clean. Then he said, ¡°You can take Paul now<i>.</i><i>¡± </i>Right after, he pointed at Steven lying on the ground and added, ¡°But he stays with me.¡±

    Ava frowned but nodded. She ordered, ¡°<b>Arrest </b>them.¡±

    At hermand, all the inclothes officers sprang into action.

    The vigers<b>, </b>already terrified<b>, </b>huddled on the ground, covering their heads.

    The officers moved quickly, rounding up all the vigers involved.

    Those vigers never would¡¯ve imagined that all those cars were actually there to take them away.

    Ethan said to the lead officer, ¡°Anyone who needs to be sentenced, sentence them. Anyone who needs

    08:28 Tue, 9 Sept

    to be detained, detain them. Seize all their assets and get ready topensate the victims.

    ¡°And track down everyone who ran or is still hiding. Don¡¯t let a single one slip through<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

    Richard thought, ¡®I am screwed. They are investigating Magnolia Town now, and I will definitely be next. With everything that has happened, there is no way the Evans family would protect me anymore. I have to save myself.¡°¡®

    He had no clue who Andrew and others were, but after years in politics, his gut told him they had to

    be connected to Ivy, the missing heiress of the Summers family.

    So he quickly said, ¡°I have info on the missing heiress of the Summers family of Kingtonelle.¡±

    That one sentence struck a nerve with Edward. He couldn¡¯t care less about his state now. He asked

    anxiously, ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    Richard couldn¡¯t help but feel smug, thinking, ¡®I knew it.¡®

    Andrew raised an eyebrow, then quickly called Charles and gave him the rundown.

    Charles could barely contain his excitement, but then he asked, ¡°Wait, howe you always said had nothing before?¡±

    you

    Richard stammered, ¡°I had to keep an ace up my sleeve. Besides, they¡¯ve been trafficking people in Magnolia Town for years¨CI can¡¯t possibly remember every single case.¡± But Ivy was one name he could never forget.

    The Summers family came down on everyone like a ton of bricks when they were searching for Ivy. Richard didn¡¯t dare mention Ivy. He was afraid that if he did, the Summers family would destroy him.

    But <i>now</i>, with his back against the wall, he had no choice but to give up something valuable if he wanted to survive.

    Edward coughed twice, then yanked Richard up by the cor, his eyes zing red. He threatened, ¡°If you¡¯re lying, you¡¯re dead meat. I swear I won¡¯t let you off.¡±

    Funny thing was, he¡¯d never been that close to his sister, but with ivy¨Cthe Summers family¡¯s little cousin¨Che¡¯d always felt <b>a </b>special bond, cherishing her as if she were his flesh and blood.

    ¡°Edward, keep an eye on him. I¡¯ming over right now,¡± Charles said urgently on the phone. He had no clue why Edward was even there, but with things this serious, he didn¡¯t have time to worry about <ol><li>it. </li></ol>

    He grabbed his coat and hurried out the door.

    08:28 <b>Tue</b>, 9 Sept 6 ti

    Richard stammered, ¡°I¡¯m not making this up. <b>The </b>girl you¡¯re looking for was trafficked here by Gina and her crew. As for where she ended up after that, only they would know.

    ¡°All I know is, the girl was kept here for more than a year after being sold, and then she vanished during that big fire. For all I know, she might already be¡­¡± His voice faded, leaving the rest unsaid.

    Edward gasped, his chest heaving. He roared, ¡°Shut up. She¡¯s not dead. She can¡¯t be.¡±

    He thought, ¡®Ivy¡¯s always been sharp¨Ceven if she was taken, she¡¯d figure out a way out. She just hasn¡¯t made it back yet, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s brow furrowed as she unconsciously clutched the pendant in her hand. She pondered, ¡®The fire? I escaped with a few other girls who¡¯d been trafficked. Was one of them Ivy?¡®

    Even though she and the missing Ivy shared the samest name, Olivia had never really thought

    much about it.

    From what the Shadow Syndicate had found out, she¡¯d been snatched from inville by Gina and her crew. There was no mention of any link to the Summers family of Kingtonelle.

    Besides, Olivia never had any fondness for the Summers family. Not long after Ivy went missing, her father brought home a little girl from elsewhere, adopted her, and spoiled her rotten.

    To Olivia, this kind ofpensation was nothing but a performance¨Cjust putting on an act. She thought, ¡°If they cared about their missing daughter, why would they go and adopt another girl?<b>¡± </b>

    Most people, if they lost their child, would search high and low, never giving up, even after decades. But the Summers family? They lost their daughter and instead took in someone else¡¯s <b>kid </b>to raise. Olivia just couldn¡¯t understand it.

    She tried to imagine it from Ivy¡¯s perspective. A kidnapped child would be desperately hoping her parents woulde for her, only to find out they¡¯d already adopted someone else and poured all their love on her. How was Ivy supposed to cope with that?

    Nearby, Edward could tell Olivia wasn¡¯t too fond of the Summers family. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little down about it. But he was way more focused on finding Ivy right now, so he didn¡¯t dwell on it.

    He looked at Andrew and said, ¡°Mr. <b>Shea</b>, give Richard to me. I want to interrogate him myself.¡±

    Andrew nodded. Anything involving Ivy, he was all for it¨Cno objections at all.

    Olivia found herself having someplicated, hard¨Cto¨Cexin feelings about Edward. She thought, ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because we went through all that crazy stuff together? Is that why I feel like we¡¯re friends

    <b>now</b><b>?</b><b>¡® </b>

    08:28 Tue<b>, </b>9 Sept

    Olivia was deep in thought, openly staring at Edward the whole time.

    67% 2

    Andrew caught Olivia staring at Edward, and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. On his usually rxed face, a sh of cold sharpness mixed with irritation flickered for a moment. He grumbled inwardly, ¡°What¡¯s so special about Edward anyway?¡±

    ?

    <b>AD </b>

 Blizzard 92

    <b>Chapter </b><b>92 </b>

    7

    ¡°Mr. Monroe, save your strength. Charles will be here soon. Just let him handle it. This is Summers family business, after all,¡± Andrew said, his voice tinged with a coldness he didn¡¯t even notice.

    Then he coughed a few times, slowly lifting his head. His crisp white shirt was flecked with blood, and beads of it clung to the ends of his hair, dripping onto his forehead.

    His features were so refined they almost looked unhealthy, giving him a strangely captivating look.

    Olivia finally tore her gaze away from Edward and looked at Andrew. Seeing him like this, she raised her eyebrows and walked over. She said softly, ¡°Your health isn¡¯t great to begin with, so why are your trying to join the chaos?¡±

    Andrew said, ¡°Because you are here. You are my doctor. If something happens to you, who¡¯s going to

    save me?¡±

    Olivia shook her head helplessly and stuffed the sachet she carried into his hand.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it,¡± Andrew protested.

    Olivia leaned in close and said, ¡°There are herbs in here to soothe your nerves and cool your internal fire. As for the blood on you¡­¡±

    Her voice was barely above a whisper, and for a moment, their breaths tangled together<b>. </b>Her hair. brushed his cheek, making his nose itch<b>, </b>and his breathing grew heavier, his Adam¡¯s apple moving up

    and down.

    ¡°It¡¯s not mine,¡± Andrew answered, his voice clear and gentle, with a soft warmth that made him seem

    almost ethereal.

    Jenny was hiding behind Edward, enjoying the scene. She thought, ¡®Andrew, you really know how to y your cards.

    Olivia nodded and stepped back, keeping a respectful distance from Andrew.

    Then she said, ¡°About a couple of miles east of the vige entrance, there¡¯s an abandoned hospital. That¡¯s where the other girls are being held. I couldn¡¯t get them out myself. Take your team and get

    them <b>out</b><b>. </b>

    ¡°I poisoned the trafficker couple. They won¡¯t get far. Track down the guy¨Che¡¯s the one who handles moving the girls around. If you need info, he¡¯s your best bet. But you need to hurry¨Cthe poison <b>I </b><b>used </b>will kick in thirty minutes, tops<b>.¡± </b>

    08:28 Tue<b>, </b><b>9 </b>Sept

    Andrew listened quietly, nodding asionally.

    67<b>% </b>

    ¡°Bring that couple over here. I have some questions for them,<b>¡± </b>Olivia said, suddenly remembering something.

    Andrew replied, ¡°Got it.¡± He then nced at Ethan and ordered, ¡°Take care of it.¡°¡±

    Ethan nodded and got to work.

    ¡°What made you bring that up?¡± Olivia asked, her voice a little hoarse from talking all day. She took a

    sips of water, her gazending on Andrew.

    few

    Andrew paused, fingers idly moving as he thought. ¡°Jenny sent me to y the knight in shining armor,¡± he said with azy grin.

    Olivia let out a softugh and said, ¡°Honestly, maybe I would¡¯ve handled things even better if you hadn¡¯t shown up.¡±

    Andrew arched a brow, teasing, ¡°So I just made things messier for you?¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°A little, yeah. But you did save me a lot of effort.¡±

    Andrew didn¡¯t say a word¨Che just let a small smile tug at his lips.

    av

    Edward lingered nearby, wanting to chime in but couldn¡¯t find the right moment. The two of them were getting along so well¨Cit¡¯d be super awkward for him to butt in now.

    With a thousand worries swirling in his mind, Edward figured he¡¯d better track down that trafficker

    couple and get some answers.

    His hypothermia was getting worse¨Cskin icy, hands and feet numb¨Cbut nothing could stop him from searching for ivy. He refused to let himself copse.

    Helen¡¯s heart ached for <b>him</b>. She said, ¡°Edward, listen to me. Get in the car and see a doctor, okay? I¡¯ll stay here and keep watch for you. Don¡¯t worry about a thing.¡±

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 Blizzard 93

    Edward replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Helen. I¡¯m not going down that easily. I have to know what¡¯s happened to Ivy.¡± Although his lips were pale, years of training kept him on his feet.

    Olivia asked, ¡°Who is Ivy to you?¡±

    answer, ¡°She¡¯s my cousin.¡±

    Edward was starting to lose his grip on reality, but he still managed to answer,

    Olivia lowered her gaze, her longshes casting a faint shadow as the teardrop¨Cshaped beauty mark

    beneath her eye became even more noticeable.

    She thought, ¡®Ivy, if you¡¯re still out there, pleasee home soon. Everyone¡¯s waiting for you¨Cthey miss you more than you know.¡¯

    Olivia then took Edward¡¯s pulse. She said, ¡°You¡¯ve been out cold too long¨Cit¡¯s gotten serious. You need to get some food and fluids into you, then head to the hospital for emergency care. It¡¯ll help get your blood circting and bring your temperature back up.

    ¡°If I¡¯m right, you¡¯re already starting to feel out of it and slow to react, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Edward nodded, a little dazed. Right now, Ivy and Olivia¡¯s faces seemed to blur together in his mind. In his daze, he kept seeing traces of Ivy in Olivia¡¯s face.

    He reached out and touched Olivia¡¯s cheek. He choked out, ¡°Ivy, we have missed you so much<b>. </b>Where have you been all these years?¡±

    When he was locked up in that pitch¨Cck room<b>, </b>Edward couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Ivy had been abandoned somewhere just as hopeless.

    He thought, ¡®Ivy has always been the delicate one¨Cshe¡¯d throw a tantrum if it was even a little chilly outside in winter. How could someone as small and fragile as she is possibly survive in a ce like

    this?

    ¡®If she was lucky enough to make it <b>out </b>alive, had she been spending <b>all </b>these years in this vige, forced <b>into </b>egg donation or surrogacy<i>? </i>Or <b>perhaps </b>she¡¯d managed to run away, disappearing somewhere they¡¯d never be able to find her.

    ¡®Or maybe¨Cjust maybe¡ªshe¡¯d already died in that fire, and I would never get the chance to see her again.¡±

    <b>Edward </b>had <b>a </b>million questions¨Che wasn¡¯t going anywhere until he got the <b>truth</b>. Eyes zing with desperation, he insisted, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. Not until I find Ivy.¡±

    <b>08:28 </b>Tue<b>, </b>9 Septti

    Seeing Edward so distraught, Olivia couldn¡¯t help feeling moved. Maybe it was because she, like Ivy, had been taken away <b>as </b>a child, but something inside her stirred. Her mind was in turmoil, her thoughts scattered.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re so determined, I¡¯ll make sure you pull through,¡± she said, picking <b>up </b>a long needle and sliding it into an acupoint on Edward¡¯s wrist, her gaze steady and intense.

    She added, ¡°But listen¨Ctwo hours, max. After that, you have to get to the hospital.¡±

    As the long needle slid in<b>, </b>Edward instantly felt his body lighten up. Warmth started in his chest and spread to his fingers and toes, filling him with new strength.

    Watching Olivia work her magic, Helen could finally rx. She¡¯d seen Olivia¡¯s skills firsthand¨Cif Olivial said she could keep Edward going for two hours, one could count on it.

    Edward shot Olivia a grateful look. They¡¯d only just met, but she was already willing to help him this

    much.

    Olivia gave him another acupuncture point on his neck and said, ¡°Drink some hot water to keep your body warm. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find your sister.¡±

    She meant it. Even though she wasn¡¯t fond of the Summers family, she still admired Edward.

    She thought, ¡®Hees from a big¨Cname family, but he relies on himself, not his family connections. Even in a mess like this, he is still thinking about rescuing the other victims. That kind of guts is really something.¡®

    Olivia¡¯s words eased Edward¡¯s mind a lot. He cracked a smile and said, ¡°Thanks¨Chere¡¯s hoping your

    words bring me some luck.¡±

    As the thought crossed her mind, Olivia started to wonder about her origins¨Cwho she was and where she came from. Everything after Magnolia Town was a total nk in her memory.

 Blizzard 94

    <b>Chapter </b><b>94 </b>

    Even when Olivia returned to the vige, no memories surfaced. It felt as though those years had. been forcibly ripped from her mind. Still, she was certain she wasn¡¯t Ivy¨Cafter all, she looked nothing like Samuel or Charles.

    With her mind a total nk, the only way to reim her past was to pry the truth from Gina and the

    others.

    Andrew watched Edward, his emotions in a tangled mess, a strange anger simmering inside him. He thought, ¡°Why wasn¡¯t it me Olivia saved? Why does she keep staring at him? Is he really that good- looking? No way he looks better than me.¡®

    Ethan moved fast, and in just a few minutes, he brought the couple over. He stepped up to Andrew and reported, ¡°Mr. Shea, they¡¯re here. The woman didn¡¯t make it¨Conly the man and the kid are still alive.¡±

    Ang, who had been following Olivia, was still in a daze. So much had happened in just a few hours that she could hardly believe it was all over. She gently nudged Olivia and asked, ¡°Miss, can I really go

    home now?¡±

    She was afraid her parents would turn their backs on her, afraid she wouldn¡¯t be able to start over.

    She said, ¡°My body is ruined. Going back would only be a burden to them. And my boyfriend probably

    won¡¯t want me anymore.¡±

    Ang came from a happy family, with parents who loved each other dearly. After the SAT, she got together with her first love, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before they started talking about marriage.

    If none of this had happened, her life would have been easy, happy, and worry¨Cfree. So she was truly

    sacred.

    Olivia held Ang¡¯s <b>hand </b>and said, ¡°They¡¯re all waiting for you. Because they love you.¡±

    Just then, Andrew walked over and showed Ang his tablet. He said, ¡°Your boyfriend has been <b>turning </b>the world upside down looking for you. And your parents <b>quit </b>their jobs and have been asking everyone they <b>can </b>for news about you.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t stopped looking for you, not even for a single day, these past three months.¡±

    Ang¡¯s hand trembled as she reached out, but she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to touch the screen, <b>fear </b>and longing tangled in her heart.

    The table showed a photo. And in the photo, Ang¡¯s parents looked exhausted and disheveled<b>, </b>

    08:28 Tue<b>, </b>9 Septti

    <b>67</b>%ÈÕ

    clutching Ang¡¯s picture as they searched everywhere for news, rain or shine, never giving up, not matter how rough things got.

    Ang choked out, ¡°They were college professors.¡±

    Her once dignified parents had gone through so much for my sake. And her boyfriend, right when hist career was taking off, had quit his job just to look for her.

    She couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore, hugging the tablet as she broke down in tears. She choked out, ¡°I

    miss them all so much.¡±

    Olivia patted her shoulder gently and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. She said softly, ¡°Go home¨Clove will give you the courage to face anything.¡±

    Then she turned and locked eyes with Andrew. She thought, ¡®He really came prepared.¡¯

    Andrew grinned at her, as if to say, ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡±

    Honestly,pared to Olivia charging into that hellhole all by herself, Andrew had everything

    covered.

    Andrew asked, ¡°Olivia, can I make a suggestion?¡±

    Olivia ran her fingers through her hair, ncing sideways at him. She asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Andrew replied, ¡°Next time you¡¯re about to do something this dangerous, let me know first, so I can brace myself.¡±

    Olivia cocked her head, her eyes zing. She asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you?¡±

    Andrew was the only one Olivia had ever told about the MysticHealer ount.

    After a long moment, Andrew heaved a deep sigh, then lowered his head and gave a soft chuckle. He said, ¡°Yeah, <b>guess </b>I¡¯m just not clever enough to read you like a book.¡±

    When he learned she was putting herself on the line, he had faith in her, but he couldn¡¯t help but

    worn a little

 Blizzard 95

    <b>Chapter </b><b>95 </b>

    He handed her a cup and said, ¡°Jenny specifically asked me to bring you this. Hot chocte. Go ahead and have some. I¡¯ll handle things with them.¡±

    With Andrew taking care of everything, Olivia could finally let herself breathe. She took hot chocte and passed it to Ang first. Ang¡¯s emotions were all over the ce, and Olivia figured she needed

    it far more than she did.

    Ang replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine. When I get married<b>, </b>you¡¯ve got toe celebrate with me.¡±

    Olivia smiled and nodded, and then started drinking, sipping it quietly as she finally allowed herself a moment of peace.

    ¡°And make sure to bring your boyfriend along, too,¡± Ang added with a smile.

    Olivia froze, not quite following. Then it hit her: Ang had mistaken Andrew for her boyfriend. She had no idea how to clear up the misunderstanding, and before she knew it, she just nodded along.

    Well, that pretty much made it official¨CAndrew was now her ¡®boyfriend¡® by default.

    Andrew hadn¡¯t gone far, and when he overheard that, his eyebrows arched, and he couldn¡¯t help but let a grin slip. As Olivia turned to look his way, he quickly cleared his throat, trying to y it cool¨Clike he hadn¡¯t heard <b>a </b>thing.

    Jenny gave Andrew a look of utter contempt, her face full of disgust. She scoffed inwardly, ¡®Look at him, acting all chill but secretly loving it.¡®

    Then she bounced over to Olivia, grabbed h¨¦r hand, and checked her from head to toe. She said, ¡°Olivia, are you okay? You nearly scared me to death. If anyone dares mess with you, I¡¯ll wreck them.¡±

    As she spoke, she even pulled a scary face to show she meant business.

    Ang chimed in, ¡°How are you supposed to take anyone out? You¡¯re just a little squirt.¡±

    Jenny puffed up her cheeks, looking all innocent and proud. She said, ¡°I¡¯ll just have Andrew handle it

    for me.¡±

    Ang said, ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡± She turned to Olivia and asked, ¡°Is she your sister?¡±

    Before Olivia could answer, Jenny <b>said</b>, ¡°Nope. She¡¯s my future sister¨Cinw.¡±

    Jenny had already called dibs on Olivia as Andrew¡¯s future wife,

    Ang immediately realized that Jenny was Andrew¡¯s younger sister.

    08:28 Tue, 9 Sept

    Chapter <b>95 </b>

    ÈÕÌìÆø:67%•þ

    Olivia just shook her head, not even bothering to exin. She thought, ¡®Kids are just blunt like that.¡±

    When Donald was dragged in, he was still hooked up to an IV, barely hanging on¨Clooked like he could drop dead any minute. minute.

    Donald was desperate to stay alive. Gina had already died from the poison, and he was determined not to end up like her. He thought, ¡®Once I get my strength back, I will drag that little brat down with

    me if ites to it.¡¯

    But just as he was still on the drip, a bunch of people barged in, tied him up, and hauled him off, IV

    and all.

    It wasn¡¯t until Edward staggered in, barely on his feet, that Donald made a desperate attempt to sit <ol><li>up. </li></ol>

    The inclothes cops moved quickly, pinning Donald down. At Andrew¡¯s signal, they forced a dose of medicinal herbs down Donald¡¯s throat to keep him conscious.

    Donald, who had been suffering badly, suddenly felt much better, his energy slowly returning. He shot a suspicious look at the people in front of him. ¡°What did you just give me?¡± he demanded.

    Andrew said, ¡°It¡¯s the antidote. But it¡¯s just a third of the real thing. If you want to stay alive, you¡¯d better answer every question we ask.¡±

    Edward shot Andrew a puzzled look. He thought, ¡®How the heck does he have the antidote?¡®

    There was no real antidote. The so¨Ccalled herbs were <b>just </b>random weeds Ethan had grabbed from the roadside, mixed with something to keep Donald awake¨Cjust enough to threaten him.

    Whenever Olivia brewed up <b>a </b>poison, she never bothered to make an antidote.

    Richard stood off to the side, his face serious. He said, ¡°Donald, you¡¯d better start talking.¡± He then nced nervously at Andrew and added, ¡°The Evans family can¡¯t protect us anymore.¡±

    272

 Blizzard 96

    <b>Chapter </b>96

    Donald wasn¡¯t stupid. When he saw so many vigers being hauled off by the cops, he knew there was no way to keep this under wraps anymore. His only shot at survival was toe clean and confess everything.

    He said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll talk. I¡¯ll tell you everything, I swear.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the girl you guys trafficked from Kingtonelle fifteen years ago?¡± Edward demanded, his voice edged with anger.

    Donald was no fool¨Che could tell they were here to pin everything on him, so he tried to y it safe and dodge the real answer.

    He put on his innocent face and said, ¡°Gentlemen, look, in our line of work, we move a lot of kids every year. How am I supposed to remember each one?

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry¨Cwe always pick the best families. Those kids? They¡¯re not suffering. If anything, they¡¯re living better than ever.¡±

    Just then, a man¡¯s angry shout came from outside, demanding, ¡°You call ripping someone¡¯s precious child away from their family a better life<b>? </b>That¡¯s just cruel.¡±

    Charles had rushed over just in time. Hearing Donald¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t hold back his fury any longer. He stood in the doorway, his face stormy with anger, eyes fixed on Donald.

    ¡°I am telling the truth. Why won¡¯t you guys believe me?¡± Donald protested, his voice cracking with desperation.

    Charles¡¯s gaze grew even icier. He sneered, ¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s see how you like the feeling of being torn away from your kid.¡± With that, he pped his hands<b>.. </b>

    The next second, David hauled Bobby in, stuffed a towel in his mouth, and dumped him roughly onto

    the floor.

    Richard¡¯s panic shot through the roof¨Che could practically feel the murderous intent radiating off Charles. He snapped, ¡°<b>Donald</b>, if you don¡¯t start telling the truth, none of your family will make it out.

    alive.¡±

    He grumbled inwardly, ¡°Seriously? At a time like this, Donald¡¯s still trying to weasel his way out.¡±

    <b>Seeing </b>Bobby tied up, Donald gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯lle clean, but you gotta promise me- spare my boy.¡±

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    Chapter

    Everything he and Gina did, all that dirty money¨Cthey just wanted to give Bobby a shot at a better

    life.

    Charles¡¯s eyes <b>were </b>cold and murderous, staring at Donald like he was looking at a pile of rotten meat. He snapped, ¡°You¡¯re in no position to bargain with me.¡±

    Then he pulled on a pair of ck gloves, snatched a knife from Andrew, and jabbed the de right at Donald¡¯s eye. He stopped just a centimeter from Donald¡¯s pupil.

    Charles had zero patience for this whole father¨Cson drama¨Che only cared about one thing: where was Ivy? He demanded, ¡°Spit it out¨Cwhere did you send those kids you snatched from Kingtonelle?¡±

    ¡°Kingtonelle? We never went to Kingtonelle. There¡¯s no way we snatched anyone from there,¡± Donald stammered, his heart pounding so hard he could barely think straight.

    He thought, ¡®Kids from Kingtonelle alle from powerful families¨Ceven a fool wouldn¡¯t darey a finger on them. Offend just one of those people, and I would be dead before I know it.¡±

    Charles and Edward locked eyes, both frowning deeply, worry etched across their faces. missing in Kingtonelle¨Cthere was no way they could be mistaken about that.

    Ivy had

    gone

    Back then, the Summers family had rented out the biggest amusement park in Kingtonelle for Ivy¡¯s birthday, dressing Ivy up like a little angel. They¡¯d all hidden to give her a surprise, but in just a split second, she vanished without a trace.

    When they heard Donald im he¡¯d never even set foot in Kingtonelle, they didn¡¯t believe it.

    Edward¡¯s eyes were red with rage as he pressed a gun to Bobby¡¯s head. He snapped, ¡°You still won¡¯te clean, huh? If I can¡¯t find the person I¡¯m after, your son¡¯sing down with you.¡±

    Donald said, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. Kingtonelle¡¯s full of big shots¨Cwe¡¯d never dare touch anyone from there. We only dare to snatch kids from small cities and poor areas.¡± His voice was shaking with panic as he begged Edward not to kill Bobby.

    From the look on his face, he didn¡¯t seem to be making <b>this </b>up.

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    Charles slowly lowered his hand. He thought, ¡®If he is telling the truth, then where is Ivy? Ivy, where are you?¡®

    The room fell into a terrifying silence.

    Suddenly, Andrew asked, ¡°What about the cities near Kingtonelle?¡± His eyes were lowered, hiding the brief flicker of emotion before returning to their usual cold<b>, </b>distant look.

    Realization struck Charles. He thought, ¡®Right, the nearby cities. That amusement park is right on the outskirts of Kingtonelle.¡¯

    Donald shook all over as he racked his brain to remember. He stammered<b>, </b>¡°Well, we did go to

    Riverdale once and picked up a bunch of kids there. The folks in charge told us to shuffle them through a few ces before making the sale.

    ¡°But honestly, I can¡¯t remember where they all ended up. By the time we got to Magnolia Town, there

    were only three or four little girls left.¡±

    ¡°How old were those girls?¡± Edward pressed.

    Donald replied, ¡°About three or four, I guess. There was this one little girl who wouldn¡¯t stop crying, so we got fed up and just handed her over to some viger to be a child bride.¡±

    Edward thought, ¡®Three or four years old? That¡¯s exactly the right age. Crying all the time? That¡¯s gotta be Ivy. She was always the little princess, a total crybaby¨Cwe had to coax her for ages just to get a

    smile.

    ¡®How could they even think of selling her off as a child bride?¡±

    Charles sucked in a sharp breath and demanded, ¡°Tell me the time. Exactly when did it happen? And that family¨Cwhere are they now?¡±

    Donald replied, ¡°From Riverdale to inville, then here, it must¡¯ve been around mid¨COctober, if I remember right.¡±

    Charles was on the verge of <b>losing </b>it, his voice raw with desperation as he demanded, ¡°Where is that little girl now?¡±

    Donald was <b>too </b>scared to say a word.

    That little girl was sold to the family, and for more than a year she endured nothing but abuse- beaten and screamed at<b>, </b>her body a mass of bruises.

    08:29 Tue, 9 Sept

    ×Ô<b>ºÅ</b>65%Òô

    When the traffickers passed by, they could hear her being cursed and beaten, the sounds echoing

    from within.

    Then one night, something inside the girl snapped. While the family slept, she set the house on fire. The whole family died in the ze.

    The mes swept through the entire vige; every able hand turned out to fight them. A few of the other trafficked girls slipped away in the chaos; the rest were not so lucky and perished with the

    vige.

    Donald didn¡¯t dare say any of that out loud.

    Charles hadpletely lost it. He grabbed Donald by the cor, his eyes bloodshot with fury. He demanded, ¡°Speak up.¡±

    This was the closest Charles had ever gotten to Ivy.

    Donald stammered, ¡°That family was consumed by the fire. I have no idea if that little girl made it out,

    or <b>if </b>she died in there too.¡±

    Before he could finish, Edward kicked him to the ground.

    Once again, the trail had gone cold.

    Charles just stood there, totally spaced out, his mind feeling hollow and empty.

    For more than ten years, they¡¯d been searching for Ivy all over the ce. But every single time, it failed. When things <b>got </b>crazy, they even went to a fortune teller for answers.

    The fortune teller said Ivy¡¯s luck was a mix of fortune and misfortune. He said that Ivy was still alive, but living on the edge¨Cevery day <b>was </b><b>a </b>gamble with fate.

    That was why Charles never stopped believing that Ivy was still alive out there somewhere.

    But today, yet again, the trail had gone cold.

    Charles¡¯s eyes dimmed as he forced a bitter smile that never touched his eyes. He said, ¡°The trail¡¯s gone cold again.¡±

    Andrew knew all about the Summers family¡¯s search for lvy. He knew how much Charles and others. had been through over the <b>years</b>, and just how much Ivy meant to Charles.

    He put a hand on Charles¡¯s shoulder and <b>said</b>, ¡°We¡¯ll find her.¡±

    Edward looked downcast for a moment, but quickly regained hisposure. He shot a cold look at

    213

    9 <b>Sept </b>

    Richard and said coldly, ¡°Richard, you know what needs to be done here.¡±

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    66%

    Richard wasn¡¯t stupid. The warning in Edward¡¯s words was crystal clear. Given his current situation, he¡¯d count his blessings just to keep his position¨Cno way he¡¯d risk talking about any of this to

    anyone.

    Edward then fixed a hard stare on Donald and said, ¡°And as for him, human trafficking, luring women -let him rot in prison for the rest of his life.¡±

    His gut told him that if he wanted to find Ivy, he needed to keep Donald alive.

    ¡°Why not just kill him?¡± Charles asked, his eyes cold as he stared at Edward.

    Edward replied, ¡°Old habits die hard, I guess. I just have a hunch we¡¯ll need him if we want to find Ivy.¡±

    Charles said, ¡°But he¡¯s hurt so many girls. Those girls are someone¡¯s daughters, someone¡¯s precious little sisters.¡±

    Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Donald¡¯s head¨Csomething just clicked. He went over every clue and found that Ivy and Olivia matched up in every way.

    He then looked up, studying Charles closely, and noticed just how much he resembled Olivia, especially around the eyes.

    He thought, ¡®No doubt about it. It¡¯s exactly what I thought. Bunch of idiots¨Cthe person they¡¯re looking for is right under their noses<b>, </b>and they still can¡¯t see it. But I won¡¯t tell them. This is my ace in

    the hole.¡±

    Suddenly, he screamed, ¡°Go ahead and kill me¨Cnone of you will ever find that damn girl.¡±

    But nobody bothered to listen to his crazy ranting.

    Human traffickers had this habit¨Cthey always kept photos of their victims. Donald was still clutching those photos of the children. Each picture <b>was </bbeled with the price the child had fetched or the

    amount they could stillmand.

    Rich families <b>always </b>wanted boys. Girls were tougher to get rid of¨Cunless they were pretty, then

    someone might buy them to raise as a child bride.

    Donald said, ¡°If you <b>promised </b>to let me go, I¡¯d hand over the photos.¡±

    Charles¡¯s lips twisted into <b>a </b>cruel smirk, and he <b>said</b>, ¡°No one threatens me. Cripple him, then throw him <b>in </b>the Summers family prison. And remember¨Cmake sure he gets special treatment.¡±

    08:29 Tue, 9 Sept

    His men nodded, duct¨Ctaped Donald¡¯s mouth shut, and dragged him off.

    Charles thought, ¡®I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help¨CI can find Ivy on my own. As long as she is still out there, I¡¯ll find her. One day, no matter what.¡®

    ¡°Charles, let him live,¡± Edward said, his face drained of color, eyes starting to lose focus,

    Charles frowned, but gave a small nod. He thought, ¡®If Edward insists on keeping Donald alive, he must <b>have </b>his reasons.¡¯

    Out of nowhere, Edward suddenly fell backward and crashed hard onto the floor.

    Ethan¡¯s heart skipped a beat¨Che was freaking out. He quickly grabbed Edward, making sure he didn¡¯t get hurt any worse. He said, ¡°Crap. Ms. Summers warned us his body was already running on fumes. We need to get him emergency help, fast.¡±

    ¡°Is there a hospital around here?¡± Charles scowled, annoyed.

    Ethan replied, ¡°Technically, yeah.¡±

    The so¨Ccalled hospital was just a cover for a dirty surrogacy business. No way they¡¯d be able to save Edward in a ce like that.

    Andrew said, ¡°Get the car¨Cwe¡¯re taking him to the city hospital.¡±

    Just then, Olivia walked in and said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with all that. He¡¯s not dying.¡±

    Seeing Olivia, Ethan finally rxed. He asked, ¡°Ms. Summers<b>, </b>can you save him?¡±

    As a wage ve, Ethan was nothing more than a pack mule. No matter if it was the heirs, the heiresses, or any of their cousins, if he was on duty, it was his job to keep them out of trouble.

    If anything went wrong, he¡¯d be the one getting docked pay. At this rate, he¡¯d be paying off his

    mortgage for the next eighty years.

    ¡°I can fix this,¡± Olivia said, her tone t. She crouched down, checked Edward¡¯s eyelids, and took his pulce

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    <b>Chapter </b>99

    Ethan felt relieved. He knew that with Olivia around, no problem was beyond fixing.

    66%

    Olivia hade over mainly to hear what Donald had to say and to get Ang and the others settled <ol><li>in. </li></ol>

    Given Edward¡¯s state, Olivia figured they¡¯d never reach the city hospital in time¨Cthe county hospital. was their only shot. She said, ¡°Take him to the county hospital.¡± As she spoke, she sealed off a few of Edward¡¯s pressure points.

    When the group got to the hospital, they threw Edward onto a gurney and raced him toward the OR. Olivia perched on the edge of the gurney, working her needles to keep him hanging on, and shed a

    credential at the dean.

    That credential wasn¡¯t an ordinary medical license. It was a special pass issued by the country¡¯s top health bureau¨Canyone holding it had ess to any operating room in the nation, no questions asked.

    Every med student had heard of it, but almost nobody had ever actually seen one in real life. Only doctors who¡¯d made huge contributions to medicine in the country ever got their hands on one of

    these.

    The dean turned the credential over in his hands, shock written all over his face. He thought,

    ¡°Unbelievable¨Ca girl this young has this credential.¡® He looked at Olivia and asked, ¡°Miss, what do you

    need?¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°Emergency¨CI¡¯m taking over your OR. The patient has been exposed to cold for too long and might need a transfusion. Is the blood bank stocked?¡±

    The dean nodded, clearly impressed. He said, ¡°We¡¯ve got plenty. Just focus <b>on </b>saving him.¡±

    Olivia ordered, ¡°Get him to the OR.¡± She then asked Andrew, ¡°Do you know his blood type?¡±

    Ethan jumped in and said, ¡°It is Type B.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Olivia replied, already nning. She thought, ¡®It¡¯s always good to have a backup. If the blood bank runs low, we can always calf in someone of the same type, just in case.

    They wheeled both Edward and Olivia straight into the OR.

    Andrew almost rushed in after Olivia, but the dean caught him at the door <b>just </b>in time.

    The dean said, ¡°Sorry, sir, no unauthorized personnel past this point.¡±

    08:29 Tue, 9 Sept

    <b>Chapter </b><b>99 </b>

    Ethan felt relieved. He knew that with Olivia around, no problem was beyond fixing.

    Olivia hade over mainly to hear what Donald had to say and to get Ang and the others settled <ol><li>in. </li></ol>

    Given Edward¡¯s state, Olivia figured they¡¯d never reach the city hospital in time¨Cthe county hospital was their only shot. She said, ¡°Take him to the county hospital.¡± As she spoke, she sealed off a few of Edward¡¯s pressure points.

    When the group got to the hospital, they threw Edward onto a gurney and raced him toward the OR. Olivia perched on the edge of the gurney, working her needles to keep him hanging on, and shed at

    credential at the dean.

    That credential wasn¡¯t an ordinary medical license. It was a special pass issued by the country¡¯s top health bureau¨Canyone holding it had ess to any operating room in the nation, no questions.

    asked.

    Every med student had heard of it, but almost nobody had ever actually seen one in real life. Only doctors who¡¯d made huge contributions to medicine in the country ever got their hands on one of

    these.

    The dean turned the credential over in his hands, shock written all over his face. He thought, ¡®Unbelievable¨Ca girl this young has this credential.¡® He looked at Olivia and asked, ¡°Miss, what do you

    need?¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°Emergency¨CI¡¯m taking over your OR. The patient has been exposed to cold for too long and might need a transfusion. Is the blood bank stocked?¡±

    The dean nodded, clearly impressed. He said, ¡°We¡¯ve got plenty. Just focus on saving him.¡±

    Olivia ordered, ¡°Get him to the OR.¡± She then asked Andrew, ¡°Do you know his blood type?¡±

    Ethan jumped in and said, ¡°It is Type B.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Olivia replied, already nning. She thought, ¡®It¡¯s always good to have a backup. If the blood. bank runs low, <b>we </b>can <b>always </b>calf in someone of the same type, just in <b>case</b>.¡±

    They wheeled both Edward and Olivia straight into the OR.

    Andrew almost rushed in after Olivia, but the dean caught him at the door just in time.

    <b>The </b>dean said, ¡°Sorry<b>, </b><b>sir</b><b>, </b>no unauthorized personnel past this point.¡±

    Andrew didn¡¯t mind. He just plopped down next to Charles on the bench in the hallway, settling in to

    wait.

    Charles sighed and asked, ¡°Andrew, any news on Ivy?¡±

    Andrew shook his head.

    He¡¯d been trying to get some leads for the Summers family, but everything he¡¯d found was useless- and he¡¯d already ended up embarrassing himself big time once before.

    Last time, with the help of the Shea family, they rounded up a dozen girls of the right age and simr appearance, and ran DNA tests on each one of them. The results showed that three of them were Ivy.

    Anyone could tell someone was tampering with the results behind the scenes. Good thing Charles was sharp¨Che managed to catch the culprit red¨Chanded.

    Ever since then, both the Summers and Shea families have kept their search quiet, only digging for clues discreetly. Every tip they received was either bogus or a dead end.

    Charles asked, ¡°Will I ever be able to find Ivy?¡±

    Andrew calmly took the folder Ethan handed him and started working. He wanted to find Ivy just as badly as Charles did, so he could finally get out of this so¨Ccalled engagement with her.

    Inside the operating room, Olivia slipped into her surgical gown, her movements swift and sure.

    Scalpel, forceps, disinfectant, checking blood pressure and blood sugar¨COlivia didn¡¯t miss a beat, handling every step like she¡¯d done it a thousand times. Anyone watching could tell¨Cshe was the real

    deal.

    Edward had been hanging on for way too <b>long</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>after all that emotional turmoil just now, his body was a mess¨Cwounds all over his body, some festering for days.

    In the face of such a situation, even some veteran doctors were hesitant and couldn¡¯t believe that

    Olivia could handle it.

    E

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    <b>Chapter </b>100

    Olivia, on the other hand, was unfazed, like she was just poking around with a couple of needles instead of performing surgery.

    The doctors and nurses watching were stunned, marveling at Olivia¡¯s skills.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her young age fool you. She¡¯s got magic in her hands,¡± one of them said.

    ¡°She¡¯s a total badass. If I could have even half her skills<b>, </b>I¡¯d be over the moon,¡± another added.

    Olivia wrapped up the minor surgery in no time.

    Edward was still under the influence of the anesthesia, his head swimming and his vision blurry. When he saw Olivia next to him, without thinking, he instinctively tugged at the hem of her shirt.

    Olivia¡¯s face seemed to merge with his memories of Ivy. In his daze, he could almost see the gentle, adorable Ivy, grinning and begging him to take her out for cheesecake.

    ¡°Ivy,¡± Edward mumbled, but the drugs got the better of him, and his grip loosened.

    Olivia didn¡¯t catch what he said. She checked <b>his </b>heart rate and made sure he was stable before

    taking off her protective gear.

    As Olivia washed and sanitized her hands<b>, </b>a nurse said, ¡°Your friend¡¯s got some serious stamina. He¡¯s handling this dose of anesthesia like a champ. He seemed to be quite reliant on you when he was just drifting off. Is he your brother or something<b>?</b>¡±

    Then the nurse thought, ¡®But they don¡¯t really look alike, and besides, family members aren¡¯t supposed to operate on each other¡®

    Olivia said, ¡°No. He must be confused because of the anesthesia. After all, he¡¯d already mistaken me for someone else once before.¡± With that, she left the operating room.

    The nurse muttered to herself, ¡°There¡¯s just this weird vibe between them, like they¡¯re somehow alike, but I can¡¯t quite say why. Could they be a couple?¡± Her imagination was running wild.

    As soon as Olivia <b>stepped </b><b>out</b>, she made a beeline for Andrew. She still needed to talk to Donald. ¡°Where is <b>Donald</b>?¡± she asked in a steady voice¨Cone¡¯d never guess she¡¯d juste out of surgery.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about itter,¡± Andrew said as he handed her a slice of red velvet cake and a cup of coffee. He added, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten all night. Have something to keep your energy up.¡±

    Olivia took a sip of the coffee, feeling instantly better. She asked, ¡°Did you have coffee too?¡±

    <b>1/2 </b>

    08:30 Tue, 9 Sept

    Ethan jumped in, ¡°Mr. Shea remembers what you said, Ms. Summers. Not only did he stop drinking coffee, he even tossed out all the beans.¡±

    Olivia nodded and said, ¡°Not bad, you do listen.¡± She then handed the coffee back to Andrew and dug into the cake. She asked, ¡°How did you know I like <b>cake</b>?¡±

    ¡°When you want to know something, you just do,¡± Andrew replied. He gently tucked a strand of Olivia¡¯s hair behind her ear so it wouldn¡¯t get in the way while she ate, a teasing glint flickering in his

    deep eyes.

    Neither of them noticed Charles standing off to the side, lookingpletely dumbfounded.

    Charles had known Andrew for ages, but he¡¯d never seen Andrew act this way before. Today was definitely an eye¨Copener.

    Olivia took a few bites of the red velvet cake and said, ¡°Next time, skip this one¨CI¡¯m all about cheesecake.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, whatever you say,¡± Andrew replied, arching an eyebrow<i>, </i>his eyes glinting with yful flirtation.

    When Charles heard the word ¡°cheesecake¡°, he froze, his breath hitching. He tried to say something, but nothing came out. He thought, ¡®Ivy is crazy about cheesecake, too. Is it just a coincidence?¡®

    Charles took a few hurried steps toward Olivia, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted.

    ¡°Ms. Summers, someone¡¯s here to see you,¡± a nurse said.

    Olivia set down the cake and headed out the door.

    <b>2/2 </b>

 Blizzard 101

    are looking over herp

    Quite a few nurses and doctors in this small county town, they had never seen such an extraordinary and distinguished¨Clooking man as Charles. Such people were truly rare.

    As soon as Olivia stepped outside, she was swept into a tight embrace.

    Sophie hugged Olivia, her eyes brimming with tears. She said, ¡°Thank you. You came back for me.¡±

    Olivia gently wiped away the tears at the corner of Sophie¡¯s eyes and said softly, ¡°Once you¡¯re out,

    you can start over.¡±

    Sophie ced a hand on her stomach, her expression uneasy, her toes curling in her slippers. She asked, ¡°Do I even have a chance?¡±

    Olivia replied, ¡°Of course. It¡¯s never toote to start over.¡±

    The light softened Olivia¡¯s delicate features, making her look even gentler. A strand of hair slipped

    down her forehead, and she tucked it behind her ear. She asked, ¡°What do you want to do about the

    baby?¡±

    Sophie looked wrecked¨Chair falling in her face, lips pale, eyes shining with tears she refused to let fall. She tucked her shaking hands into her sleeves and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want it. I would never have a kid

    for that bastard.¡±

    Olivia¡¯sshes fluttered, her clear, bright eyes meeting Sophie¡¯s gaze. She said, ¡°They¡¯ve injected you. with way too many hormones, and after so many egg retrievals and surrogate pregnancies, you¡¯re facing the risk of organ failure, ovarianplications.

    ¡°If you terminate this pregnancy, you might lose your ability to have children in the future.¡±

    But instead of panicking, Sophie just gave a casual shrug. She replied, ¡°So what? I¡¯ve got my own mind, my own soul, and big ambitions. I¡¯m <b>free</b>, I¡¯m independent, and I¡¯m going to live my own life- not the one someone else expects.

    ¡°Who says women <b>have </b>to have kids? I can still be true to myself without them.¡±

    Olivia couldn¡¯t help but smile at that<b>. </b>She was stunning, like a masterpiece, and her smile was like spring sunshine melting away the winter snow.

    She helped Sophie sit down and said, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. I¡¯m d you see it that way.¡±

    Olivia had been worried that Sophie might not be able toe to terms with everything, but thankfully, that <b>wasn¡¯t </b>the <b>case</b><b>. </b>

    66%

    Sophie said, ¡°When I get out, I want to be awyer. The very first case I¡¯m going to fight is the one. from Magnolia Town.¡±

    Olivia wrote down a prescription for her and said, ¡°That¡¯s a great n. Once you¡¯ve taken care of that unwanted baby, drink this herbal remedy for two weeks. It¡¯ll help your body heal and make things a little easier.¡±

    Sophie gazed at her with gratitude, her eyes turning red again. She whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    They chatted a little longer, but Sophie was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. In the end, she reluctantly tore herself away.

    After Sophie left, Olivia gave azy stretch, feeling the tension melt away.

    Andrew showed up behind her out of nowhere and gently draped a ck coat over her shoulders. Hel asked. ¡°Tired?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Olivia said, grabbing the coffee from his hand, and couldn¡¯t resist another sip. She then asked, ¡°Where did that couple <i>go </i>

    ¡°Gina¡¯s already dead<b>, </b>and Donald was taken away by Charles,¡± Andrew replied.

    Olivia pressed, ¡°Where can I find them?¡±

    Andrew said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault things didn¡¯t go as nned. You probably won¡¯t get to see him.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Olivia asked.

    Andrew replied calmly, ¡°Charles asked for Donald personally. It¡¯s out of my hands.¡±

    Olivia clicked her tongue in annoyance.

    Andrew caught the look on her face and cocked his head, a teasing glint in his eyes. He said, ¡°If you want to see him, it¡¯s not impossible. Charles only listens to one person.¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°Do you mean Samuel?¡±

    §à

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    08:30 <b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>9 </b>Sept

 Blizzard 102

    <b>Chapter </b><b>102 </b>

    F²Ë.66%Òô

    Andrew nodded, unable to hide the admiration in his eyes. He thought, ¡®She¡¯s really smart.

    Olivia clutched the pendant, her face giving nothing away. She decided to talk to Samuelter and see if she could meet Donald. The whole Magnolia Town incident was finally over, but her memory still hadn¡¯te back. She knew Donald was her final lead.

    Besides human trafficking, there was also forced surrogacy among the dirty secrets <b>in </b>Magnolia Town. Olivia had no say in what would happen to this vige.

    Her main reason foring here, besides trying to recover her memory, was to let the world know what happened in this ce.

    She wanted every woman to protect herself and stay alert to danger. Women¡¯s safety wasn¡¯t just talk -it was something that had to be taken seriously.

    Once everything was settled here, Andrew returned to the hotel. He made sure Jenny was asleep first, then went back to his room to shower and get some rest.

    About an hourter, Andrew came out of the shower with a towel around his waist, water still dripping off him. He unhurriedly wiped his wet hair with one hand and picked up the phone that wouldn¡¯t stop buzzing.

    It was <b>a </b>call from Winston.

    Andrew was a little impatient, but he still hit the answer button. He said, ¡°Hey, Grandpa.¡±

    Winston snapped, ¡°You little brat, how dare you bring up breaking off the engagement with Winston? Do you have any idea how many people are dying to marry into the Summers family? And here you are, not even realizing how lucky you are.

    ¡°Let me warn you, don¡¯t mess around. Once Ivyes back, Samuel will definitely want to keep her by his side¨C<b>he </b>might even take a son¨Cinw.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know if you can hold onto your spot as her official fianc¨¦, and you¡¯re already thinking about calling it off? Have I spoiled you too much?¡±

    Andrew let out a long sigh and thought, ¡®Grandpa is always this bossy and short¨Ctempered.¡¯ He poured himself a drink, tossing in a few ice cubes.

    fevyice

    He said, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m just not cut out for marriage. Why drag her down with me? This is something for us younger folks to handle¨Cwhy are you always stirring things <b>up</b><b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    08:30 TUC,

    <b>pens </b>

    wobble

    Winston mmed his hand on the table<b>, </b>making the pen holder shake and the pe everywhere, even sshing a few drops of ink from the inkwell.

    He snapped, ¡°Messing things up? Who¡¯s messing things up? You¡¯re my only grandson¨Chow could I not be anxious? Be honest with me¨Cdo you already have your <b>eye </b>on someone?

    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been spending a lot of time with a girl who knows a bit of medicely.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s annoyed look softened a bit when Olivia was mentioned. He said, ¡°Keeping tabs on me, old

    man<b>?</b>¡±

    Winston snapped, ¡°Show some respect. I¡¯m your grandpa.¡± His jowls quivered with anger, but he swallowed his frustration and let out a long sigh.

    He continued, ¡°Ever since that fortune¨Cteller said you were doomed to be single, you¡¯ve kept your distance from women. It¡¯s been driving me nuts with worry.

    ¡°Now I hear you¡¯re getting close to a girl, and honestly, I¡¯m thrilled. So tell me the truth¨Cdo <b>you </b>like

    her or not?¡±

    He thought, ¡®If Andrew has feelings for that girl, I would shamelessly go to Samuel and ask to break off the engagement I¡¯d do whatever it takes to make things work for Andrew.¡¯

    Just then, Andrew picked <b>up </b>the herbal pouch Olivia had given him, and her image appeared in his

    mind. A faint, almost unnoticeable smile softened his eyes.

    Winston demanded, ¡°Say something, you brat.¡±

    Andrew said softly, ¡°I¡¯m interested.¡±

    Winston¡¯s eyes lit up, and he couldn¡¯t hide his excitement. He eximed, ¡°Really? Atta boy.¡± Then he crossed himself and murmured, ¡°Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your grace.¡±

    Andrew had always been a loner¨Ccold, distant, and seemingly indifferent to women. Winston had watched him spend every free moment with Charles and had almost begun to wonder whether he might be attracted to men.

    Andrew said, ¡°So, can we call off the engagement now? After all, I¡¯ve already got someone I¡¯m interested in.¡±

    Winston paused for a moment then replied firmly, ¡°It can be done, but ording to Samuel, you have to talk to Ivy yourself and get her forgiveness. So if you want to break off the engagement, you have to find Ivy first,¡±

    08:30 <b>Tue</b>, 9 Sept

    <b>66</b><b>%</b><b>) </b>

    Andrew replied, ¡°Got it.¡± He traced the rim of his ss with his finger, then knocked back the drink in one go. The liquor burned down, leaving his chest hot. He added, ¡°Is there anything else you want to

    talk about?¡±

    Winston said, ¡°Obviously, I¡¯ve got real business¨Cwhy else would I call? Aren¡¯t you still hunting for the Phantom Healer? I just got word: tomorrow afternoon, he¡¯ll show up at a hospital in Hirica to treat a patient diagnosed with a brain tumor.¡±

    ¡°Is that reliable?¡± Andrew asked.

    Winston replied, ¡°Hard to say, could go either way. Wouldn¡¯t surprise me if the Phantom Healer put out the fake news himself, to mess with people. We¡¯re not the only ones after him, you know.¡±

    Winston¡¯s tip wasn¡¯t just some rumor¨Che¡¯d shelled out a hefty sum for it. True or not, there was no way Andrew was going to miss out on this.

    Besides, the hospital was run by one of Winston¡¯s old buddies, so the news sounded pretty credible.

    Word was, his friend¡¯s grandson had gathered everyone for a meeting today, announcing that someone important would be showing up at the hospital tomorrow. They had to be on their toes- everything had to go perfectly.

    Chances were that mysterious VIP was none other than the legendary Phantom Healer.

    Andrew replied, ¡°Alright. Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s real or not, I¡¯ll go see for myself.¡± He couldn¡¯t afford to miss any lead¨Conly the Phantom Healer, maker of the Refreshing Pill, had a chance of saving Jenny.

    Winston replied, ¡°Alright. If you manage to track down the Phantom Healer, no matter what it costs, you have to convince him to treat Jenny. And if he can cure you, too, that would be even better.

    ¡°Honestly, you and Jenny are the only things left weighing on my heart. Once you¡¯re both healthy, I can finally face your grandma in the afterlife.¡±

    Winston had spent decades running the huge family business and dominating the business world, but now, at the end of the day, his only real worries were Andrew and Jenny.

    Andrew lowered his gaze<b>, </b>letting out a long, quiet breath. He didn¡¯t say a word for a while.

    Winston doted on him and Jenny more than anyone else. Out of all the grandkids in the family, only he and Jenny had health problems.

    All these years, Winston had tried every famous doctor he could find, but none of them could cure Andrew or Jenny. Now, the Phantom Healer was theirst and only hope.

    08:30 Tue, 9 Sept

    66% I

    Winston cleared his throat softly and said, ¡°Alright, enough of that. I¡¯m heading to Hirica in a few. days. When the family partyes around, make sure you bring that girl along. I am curious about

    her.¡±

 Blizzard 103

    Andrew replied, ¡°Grandpa, nothing¡¯s even started yet. Why are you so worked up?¡±

    Winston shot back, ¡°Can¡¯t I just have that girl take a look at me? Listen, I don¡¯t care how you do it, just get her here or I¡¯ll go myself. Andrew, it¡¯s up to you.¡± With that, he hung up the phone.

    Andrew walked over to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window with his ss, his expression aloof and a restrained smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He muttered, ¡°Phantom Healer.<b>¡± </b>

    Meanwhile, at Shea Manor in Kingtonelle, Winston was reclining in an armchair, absentmindedly rubbing the reading in his hand. He muttered, ¡°Fated to be alone¨Clove simply isn¡¯t in the cards.¡±

    Back then, the fortune¨Cteller had said something else, but Winston had kept that part from Andrew.

    The fortune¨Cteller said, ¡°If you want to break this fate, marrying a heiress from the Summers family might be the answer.¡±

    At the same time, the fortune¨Cteller had read Ivy¡¯s fortune too, and Winston remembered every word.

    The reading said, ¡°The road ahead is unknown, ever¨Cchanging. Fate begins with you, and everything is already set in motion.¡±

    Because of those readings, Winston and Samuel set up a marriage contract between Andrew and Ivy.

    But life threw them a curveball. Ivy was only three when she was kidnapped, and Samuel grieved so hard it felt like his heart was literally breaking.

    Winston looked up at the ceiling, feeling <b>a </b>headacheing on. He muttered, ¡°What am I supposed to do about this engagement?¡± He then thought, ¡°Whatever, let the kids find their own happiness.¡±

    As soon as Olivia got home, Grace anxiously examined her<b>, </b>making sure she was alright from head to toe, inside and out.

    Grace grabbed her hand and said, ¡°I <b>was </b>so worried. me me for not spotting that fake DNA report sooner. Thank goodness you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Olivia reassured her, ¡°Rx, Grace. You know how clever I am¨Cnothing can get past me.¡±

    Grace nodded, finally feeling like a weight had been lifted off her chest.

    While Olivia was gone, Grace had been worried sick every single minute. Now that Olivia was back safe and sound, she could finally rx.

    <b>Jue</b><b>, </b>9 <b>sept </b>

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    Olivia said, ¡°By the way, Grace, do you still remember anything about Magnolia Town? I can¡¯t recall a thing myself.

    ¡°I went back there, but none of my memories came back. It¡¯s like someone dug those memories right out of my head¨CI can¡¯t remember a single thing.¡±

    Grace lowered her head, lost in thought for a moment. Her mind wandered back to those days in the vige years ago.

    She said, ¡°When I first met you, you were just a tiny kid, not even up to Sean¡¯s shoulder. It was the dead of winter, and you barely had clothes on¨Cno proper shoes, just cracked, aching feet.

    ¡°You¡¯d plunge those little hands into icy water to scrub clothes until they turned scarlet, your lips. blue. Every winter, the chilinse back, don¡¯t they? It must hurt so much.¡±

    Bathed in moonlight, Olivia smiled softly, her expression gentle and calm. She replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡±

    Grace picked up the ointment and gently massaged it into Olivia¡¯s fingers. As she worked, she reminisced, ¡°Back when I was doing research there, I¡¯d walk past your house every day.

    ¡°No matter how rough things were for you, you always greeted me with the brightest smile. That afternoon¨Cthest day of my stay¨Cyour foster father was about to press a red¨Chot iron to your face when I stepped in <b>and </b>stopped him.

    ¡°You looked so helpless and pitiful, I just couldn¡¯t leave you there. So I told you to wait for me under the tree at the vige entrance at eleven that night.¡±

    Olivia listened in silence, feeling nothing inside. She had no recollection of these painful memories at all.

    Grace continued, ¡°Honestly, it was as if fate itself couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore. That night, the foster family¡¯s house caught fire; the mes spread so fast they devoured the entire vige.¡±

    Grace had feared the worst for Olivia, but to her shock, Olivia burst out of the inferno with several other abducted girls right behind <b>her</b>.

    Even after all she¡¯d suffered, Olivia never forgot the other trafficked girls¨Cshe helped them escape.

    too<b>. </b>

    With Grace¡¯s help, some of the girls made it back to their families, some came to the orphanage with Olivia, and others were weed by kind¨Chearted strangers.

    Grace said, ¡°It¡¯s the oddest thing. After you escaped the fire, you were unconscious for days. When you

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    08:30 Tue, 9 Sept 6

    finally woke up, you couldn¡¯t remember a thing¨Cexcept me, somehow.

    ¡°I took you to a psychologist, and the doctor said it was most likely dissociative amnesia.¡±

    ¡°Dissociative amnesia?¡± Olivia echoed, frowning a little.

    Grace nodded and exined, ¡°Traumatic¨Cor dissociative¨Camnesia is a serious psychological condition. After a massive physical and emotional shock, the mind blocks certain key memories to

    shield itself from the trauma.

    ¡°So all your everyday knowledge is still there, but your family, your friends, everything that happened in Magnolia Town¨Cgone. Usually, those memories start to return within months, maybe a year.

    ¡°Ten years on and you still draw a nk¨Cthat¡¯s the part no one can exin.¡±

    It felt less like psychological amnesia and more as if someone had tampered with Olivia¡¯s memories

    on purpose.

    Olivia¡¯s fingers tapped unhurriedly against the edge of the table, her eyes unfocused, lost in thought. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something wasn¡¯t quite right.

    She asked, ¡°Grace, who was looking after me those days I was out cold?¡±

    Grace replied, ¡°That was me.¡± Then, as if something had just urred to her, she added, ¡°Hold on- actually, there was a man who came by to check on you during that time.¡±

    ¡°A man?¡± Olivia echoed, her curiosity piqued.

    Grace nodded and said, ¡°He said his daughter had gone missing and wanted to check if she was here. He looked at the kids outside first, then came in to see you¨Conly stayed for three or four minutes.

    ¡°After that, he said you weren¡¯t his kid and just left. Never showed up again.¡±

    Olivia thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°Was it just the two of us in the room back then?¡±

    Grace replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. The orphanage was hectic at the time. I was about to go in with him when someone called me <b>away </b>for a few minutes<b>. </b>He was handsome¨Cmaybe in histe twenties or thirties -and he carried himself with a quiet,manding <b>air</b>.¡±

    Olivia caught a whiff that something wasn¡¯t right. She realized the man was the missing piece.

    She thought, ¡°I¡¯ve always had <b>a </b>steel¨Ctrap memory and steady nerves. Not even those hellish days in theb broke me¡ªso how could that fire in Magnolia Town wipe everything away? Impossible.¡±

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    Olivia thought, ¡®The only exnation is that someone wiped my memories. But why would anyone do that? Who would be hurt by what I remember?¡® For now, she was at a loss.

    Grace continued, ¡°But that fire was suspicious. It was winter¨Chow did it even start, and why did it spread so fast?¡±

    Olivia curled her lips into a sly grin, a glint of mischievous glee in her eyes. She replied, ¡°Maybe I started it.¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense,¡± Grace said, gently tapping Olivia on the head. She added, ¡°Are you hungry? Let me whip up something for you to eat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll fix something for Sean, too. He¡¯s always eating, but he never grows any taller. He¡¯s already ten and still stubbornly refuses to go to school.¡°.

    Grace kept muttering to herself as she walked into the kitchen, leaving Olivia sitting properly and quietly by herself in the courtyard.

    Olivia thought, ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking nonsense. If it came down to it, I really could¡¯ve burned the whole vige to the ground.¡±

    Before long, Sean burst into the courtyard and handed Olivia a report.

    ¡°Good job,¡± Olivia said, ruffling Sean¡¯s fluffy hair. She then took the report and scanned it carefully.

    It was Juliet¡¯s medical report¨CSean had hacked the hospital¡¯s website to get it.

    Olivia frowned at the tumor on the scan and thought, ¡®Just like Lucas said, it¡¯s a nasty one. But there¡¯s still a chance it can be cured.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s medical skills were solid. Her fingers danced across the virtual keyboard, and she quickly mapped out a hybrid surgical n mixing traditional and modern techniques.

    She sent it straight to Lucas, telling him to forward it to the hospital so they could start prepping for the surgery.

    In a sh, Sean had already darted into the kitchen to raid the fridge.

    Grace shouted, ¡°Sean, that¡¯s not <b>even </b>cooked yet¨Cyou can¡¯t eat that. Put the spat down. And stop gnawing on the ginger.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t even have to look¨Cshe was sure Sean had already turned the kitchen into a total mess.

    08:30 Tue<b>, </b>9 Sept

    ?? 65<b>% </b>

    After their midnight snack, Grace headed inside to sleep, while Sean scampered off into the night to hunt for wild mushrooms. Olivia perched on a stool, prepping the medicine she¡¯d need for tomorrow.

    The courtyard was wrapped in silence. The moon hung high, spilling silver light that dappled the shadows and made the night feel even colder.

    I

    Olivia thought, ¡®Who could that guy be? Sure<b>, </b>I have made plenty of enemies these past few years with my bossy ways, but back then, I was only four. What kind of enemies could a little kid even have? Looks like this has something to do with my family.¡±

    if events

    Aftering to that conclusion, Olivia found curious about her origins.

    Olivia had pulled an all¨Cnighter,bing through every scrap her contacts at the Shadow Syndicate had unearthed about her past¨Cyet she still came up empty.

    Word from the Enigma Institute was that some mysterious force kept blocking their probe; someone out there is hell¨Cbent on making sure Olivia never learns where she came from. That only made Olivia more certain her hunch was right.

    Olivia lowered her eyes, idly fiddling with the pendant. She couldn¡¯t help but feel like it was warmer

    than before.

    After breakfast, Olivia jumped in her car and headed straight to the hospital where Juliet was staying.

    Before she went in to operate on Juliet, Olivia wanted to visit her in her room¨Cnot as the Phantom Healer, but as Olivia.

    Juliet¡¯s room was on the oncology floor, so Olivia took the elevator up to the 21st floor. She¡¯d told Lucas to keep things low¨Ckey. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she ran right into a woman,

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    The woman was rocking a ck fur coat, big sunsses, and a bright red handbag. She was nicely curvy, probably in her forties.

    Olivia didn¡¯t recognize her, so she shifted to the side, nning to just walk past her.

    The woman was on the phone and, whether it was on purpose or not, brushed right into Olivia as she passed by.

    The woman said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That brat¡¯s not gonnast much longer. She¡¯s got brain cancer¨Cwhat¡¯s the point in even trying to save her? The hospital said she¡¯d be lucky to survive another three days.

    ¡°Once things quiet down tonight, we¡¯ll <b>send </b>someone to finish her off¨Cso none of that dirtyundry gets aired, and Natalie¡¯s future stays clean.

    ¡°A little orphan nobody wanted¨Cshe should¡¯ve died ages ago. Once she¡¯s gone, I¡¯m cashing in big time.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s brow furrowed, her fists tightening. Her gut told her this woman was talking about Juliet.

    If Juliet¡¯s surgery weren¡¯t about to start¨Cand Olivia weren¡¯t desperate to see her¨Cshe would¡¯ve made the woman pay. She seared that face into memory.

    Thanks to the room number Lucas gave her, Olivia found Juliet in no time.

    It had been years since they¡¯dst met, and while Juliet hadn¡¯t changed much, she¡¯d lost a lot of weight¨Cher illness leaving her face gaunt.

    Juliety there, eyes half¨Cclosed<b>, </b>propped weakly against the pillows. The hospital gown hung loose on her frail frame. Her face was ghostly pale, and she absently ran her tongue over dry, cracked lips.

    A stic water cup trembled in her grip, beads of sweat on her forehead¨Cshe was in agony.

    In Olivia¡¯s <b>memory</b>, Juliet had always been the girl whoughed easily, her smile as soft and warm as <b>a </b>spring breeze<b>. </b>

    In only a few short <b>years</b>, <b>illness </b>had reduced her to someone so frail that even a gentle breeze might carry her off. The old Juliet was nevering back.

    Seeing her friend suffering like this, Olivia felt a sharp ache in her chest¨Cshe couldn¡¯t keep it inside any longer. She sat down by the bed, gently brushed the hair off Juliet¡¯s face, and wiped the sweat from her forehead<b>. </b>

    08:31 Tue, <b>9 </b>Sept

    She said softly. ¡°Juliet, I¡¯m here.¡±

    65%×Ô

    Still drowsy, Juliet stirred at Olivia¡¯s touch, her eyes slowly fluttering open, clouded with confusion. When she realized it was Olivia, a flicker of recognition shed in her dull eyes, and her breathing quickened.

    She forced herself upright and reached out to hold Olivia¡¯s hand. She called out, ¡°Olivia.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s hand was rough and covered in calluses, the texture almost like the bark of a tree.

    Olivia was shocked. She thought, ¡®How did things end up like this? Wasn¡¯t she adopted by a rich family?¡®

    Juliet was so weak that she couldn¡¯t even speak. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

    Olivia quickly slipped her left arm under Juliet to steady her. She asked, ¡°Juliet, what are you trying to say?¡±

    Before Juliet could say anything, a sharp, angry voice cut through the air.

    A woman snapped, ¡°Who are you? Why are you here? What are you trying to do to my daughter?¡±

    Olivia turned to see the woman from earlier¨Cthe one on the phone¨Cstorming into the room.

    Olivia nced at the woman, all dressed to the nines, then at Juliet, who looked so thin and sickly- and it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out what was going on.

    She scoffed inwardly. ¡®So this is Juliet¡¯s adoptive mother. Rolling in money and stuffing her face, while. Juliet looks like a stiff breeze could snap her in two.¡±

    ¡°Who I am is none of your business,¡± Olivia replied, her tone steady, carrying a quiet, natural

    authority.

    She narrowed her eyes as she sized up the woman coldly. She then shot back, ¡°But you? Maybel should report you for abusing your adopted daughter. Ever wonder how many years you¡¯d get for that?¡±

    ¡°YC

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    Fiona¡¯s bravado crumbled under Olivia¡¯s sharp gaze. She retorted, ¡°I¡¯m her mother. How could I possibly abuse her?¡±

    ¡°Mother? You think you deserve that title?¡± Olivia sneered, yanking up Juliet¡¯s sleeve to reveal her arm: it <b>was </b>covered in bruises of every size, each more shocking than thest.

    She snapped, ¡°If you took Juliet in, then why do you abuse her like this?¡±

    Fiona grew uneasy at Olivia¡¯s words¨Cif Juliet woke up and spilled everything, all her scheming would go down the drain. She moved to hustle Olivia out. She said, ¡°None of this concerns you. Get out, now, <b>or </b>I¡¯ll call security.¡±

    Olivia gentlyid Juliet down, tucked her in, and turned to face Fiona. She shot back, ¡°I¡¯m one of her own. I heard she was sick, so I came to see her. Is that a problem<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Fiona snorted, as if she¡¯d just heard the most ridiculous thing ever. She whipped off her sunsses and jabbed a finger at Olivia, her eyes full of contempt.

    She snapped<b>, </b>¡°Her own? Since when does a nobody orphan have a family? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re just after her money.¡±

    Juliet was pretty talented in music, <b>had </b>written a few songs, and made a decent chunk of change from royalties. All that cash was sitting in Fiona¡¯s pocket now.

    Fiona figured Olivia was after Juliet¡¯s money, and she lost it, shouting, ¡°As if you¡¯d care about her for nothing. You¡¯re just here for her money, aren¡¯t you?

    ¡°Juliet¡¯s my daughter now. To put it bluntly, even if she drops dead right now, every cent she owns. goes to me. It¡¯s got nothing to do with you.

    ¡°Some stray girl nobody¡¯s ever heard of, trying to worm her way into Juliet¡¯s life¨Cwhat a joke!¡±

    Fiona¡¯s voice was shrill and vicious, drawing stares from patients and their families passing by.

    Andrew was in the crowd too, having rushed over as soon as Winston tipped him off.

    Ethan said, ¡°Mr. Shea, isn¡¯t that Ms. Summers?¡±

    Andrew replied dryly, ¡°I can see just fine.¡±

    Among the crowd of onlookers, Andrew stood out in his dark gray suit, exuding an air of elegance that didn¡¯t belong in a ce like this. But everyone was too busy staring into the room to notice him.

    08:31 Tue, 9 Septti

    *65<b>% </b>

    Fiona continued, ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are¨Cget <b>out </b>of here right now. My daughter¡¯s already like this, and you¡¯re still after her money? Isn¡¯t that just shameless?

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you, just leave her alone. <b>Can¡¯t </b>you just let her live in peace for a few days? Juliet had it rough¨Cno parents, no family, just hardship after hardship.

    ¡°We only took her in a few years ago, and now she¡¯se down with this illness. Oh, my poor girl. Life¡¯s already been so cruel to you, and now this cold¨Chearted girles to make things worse.¡±

    Fiona¡¯s act was so convincing that the people outside the room fell for it, and they started pointing fingers at Olivia.

    One said, ¡°Hey, youngdy, give the poor girl a break. She¡¯s already on her deathbed, and you¡¯re still after her money? That¡¯s just too much.¡±

    Another chimed in, ¡°Her mom¡¯s got it tough, too. Why don¡¯t you just leave them alone<b>?</b>¡±

    Someone said, ¡°Her mom doesn¡¯t look poor at all. What illness can¡¯t be treated these days anyway?¡±

    People were all talking at once<b>, </b>saying all kinds of things.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, should we step in and help Ms. Summers?¡± Ethan asked, his irritation clear as he listened to the crowd. He hadn¡¯t known Olivia for long, but he knew for sure she wasn¡¯t that kind of person, no matter what people said.

    ¡°No need. She¡¯s got this,¡± Andrew replied with a faint smile, the little mole under his eye shifting with his grin. He thought, ¡®If I jump in now, Olivia will just end up scolding me for meddling again.¡±

    Ethan nodded in acknowledgment and kept quiet, just watching from behind.

    Olivia didn¡¯t even react to Fiona¡¯s antics. She just stood there unmoving between the hospital bed

    and Fiona <b>like </b>an immovable wall.

    Her face was utterly indifferent<b>, </b><b>as </b>if nothing around her mattered at all, but the cold detachment she radiated sent a chill through everyone in the room.

    The quieter Olivia got, the <b>more </b>guilty Fiona felt. Olivia¡¯s stare made her skin crawl, but Fiona still <b>snapped </b>back, ¡°Staring at me like that won¡¯t do you any good.¡±

    Just then, <b>Olivia¡¯s </b>phone chimed with a new <b>message</b>. All the details about Fiona were spelled out, clear <b>as </b>day.

    Olivia lowered her gaze, her <b>eyes </b>flying over the text as she quickly picked out the key points.

    08:31 Tue, 9 <b>Sept </b>ti

    S55<b>%</b>®a

    Fiona, originally from srough, married into the rich Lewis family years ago. After years without children, she and her husband adopted Juliet from Sunrise Orphanage.

    Fiona¡¯s older sister<b>, </b>Rowan, ended <b>up </b>marrying into the Evans family in Hirica and had a daughter, Natalie.

    Olivia thought, ¡®Turns out Fiona¡¯s tied to the Evans family¨Cno wonder she¡¯s shameless. She used me of being after Juliet¡¯s money, which isughable; I¡¯ve never been short on cash.

    ¡®The Evanses are predators¨Ccorrupting the healthcare system by day and trafficking babies through illegal surrogacy by night.

    ¡®If Juliet hadn¡¯t developed a brain tumor, Fiona would have forced her into the same scheme. will I let Juliet¡¯s money¨Cor Juliet¨Cend up in their hands.

    No way!

    Olivia retorted, ¡°Lady, I¡¯m just here to check on my childhood friend. What¡¯s got you so

    defensive?

    Money? That¡¯s not my concern. What I do know is, no mother would every a hand on her child like

    this.¡±

    She pointed at Juliet¡¯s bruised arm and sneered, ¡°From the moment I walked in, you haven¡¯t said a word about her health. All you talk about is money. Your motives couldn¡¯t be more obvious.¡±

    The onlookers, shaken by Olivia¡¯s revtion and her razor¨Csharp usations, turned on Fiona in an

    instant.

    Andrew smiled. Seeing Olivia so cool and detached, he felt a surge of satisfaction. He thought, ¡®Ethan was worrying for nothing. Olivia¡¯s got this handled.¡±

    With that thought, he straightened his tie and headed off to find Phantom Healer. After all, that was

    the real reason he¡¯de here.

    The chaos in the hospital room was nowhere near finished. Fiona was so mad she could barely contain herself, and just keptshing out.

    Olivia was done wasting her breath on Fiona. She mmed the call button and gave Fiona a look that could freeze hell over. She demanded, ¡°Move. I¡¯m taking Juliet to the OR.¡±

    Fiona blocked the <b>way</b>. She snapped, ¡°Just who the hell do you think you are? Taking Juliet to the OR<b>? </b>What, you think <b>you </b>can just waltz her into surgery? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to cut her open yourself?¡±

    Olivia just arched a brow and shot back, ¡°Why not?¡±

    Fiona sneered, ¡°What a joke! You¡¯re just a kid, acting like some miracle doctor? Do you even know

    what she¡¯s got? She¡¯s got a malignant brain tumor. The doctors already gave up. You think you¡¯re some genius who can do what they can¡¯t?

    way <i>you </i>

    65%0

    ¡°Judging by the look, I bet you¡¯ve never even touched a medical book. If you dare operate on her, you¡¯re basically signing her death warrant.¡±

    Fiona was still yapping nonstop, but Olivia was getting seriously fed up. Every second counted¨Cany more dy, and Juliet¡¯s life would be on the line. If Fiona kept blocking her, Olivia wouldn¡¯t mind making sure she ended up like Natalie.

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    ¡°Move while I¡¯m still talking nicely,¡± Olivia said, her eyes narrowing with a cold, dangerous glint and clear impatience on her face.

    Seeing Olivia like this, Fiona grew even more uneasy, but she still blocked the doorway. She said, ¡°Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? Do you even know who my niece is?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are. Get lost,¡± Olivia snapped. Darkness clouded her eyes, her expression turning even more menacing as her patience hit its limit.

    She stepped forward, about to grab Fiona by the cor and teach her a lesson, when a woman¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside the door.

    Natalie called out, ¡°Aunt Fiona.¡± The next second, she stormed in, her sky¨Chigh heels clicking with every step, looking all fired up.

    After everything she¡¯d been throughtely, Natalie hated Olivia now. Her temper shot through the roof the second she saw Olivia. She demanded, ¡°You? Why are you here?¡±

    Fiona grabbed Natalie¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Natalie, that¡¯s her¨Cthe one who imed she was going to operate on Juliet.¡±

    Natalie sneered, ¡°Her? She¡¯s just a quack pretending to know traditional medicine. Surgery? Please, don¡¯t buy into her crap.¡±

    With Natalie here, Fiona¡¯s confidence came flooding back, and her arrogance was on full disy. She shot Olivia a mocking look and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Natalie¡¯s a real professional, a graduate of Kingtonelle Medical University.

    ¡°Besides, she¡¯s from the Evans family¨Ca family of doctors. If she says something, you better believe she¡¯s the authority here.¡±

    Natalie lifted her chin even higher. Even though her hands were messed up and she couldn¡¯t do surgeries anymore, with the Evans family¡¯s reputation, she could still keep her ce in the medical field.

    Besides, she had a PhD from Kingtonelle Medical University, specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Give her a few years<b>, </b>and she¡¯d be running the department¨Cher promotion was guaranteed.

    Natalie had already checked out Juliet¡¯s <b>case</b>. The brain tumor was in a super risky spot, surrounded by nerves and blood vessels.

    08:31 Tue, 9 Sept

    2? 65%Ö±

    She thought, ¡®Not even the head of neurosurgery could pull it off¨Chell, even if Dr. Odin himself came back to life, he couldn¡¯t save Juliet.¡®

    That was exactly why Fiona agreed toe from srough. She thought, ¡®Dead is dead, doesn¡¯t matter where Juliet dies. Plus, that guy named Lucas said he¡¯d pay for everything¨Cfood, lodging, the works. No reason not to take advantage<b>.</b>¡±

    Natalie cleared her throat and said, ¡°Did you hear that, you little quack? Let me spell it out for you. Her tumor is right under the brainstem, connected to the nervous system and the respiratory center. It¡¯s a super high¨Crisk spot.

    ¡°One tiny mistake during surgery, and she¡¯s done for. Even if she somehow survives<b>, </b>she¡¯ll be paralyzed from head to toe. You, ¨¤ quack who¡¯s never even held a scalpel, and you think you can pull off brain surgery? You¡¯re way out of your league.¡±

    Olivia propped her chin on her hand, watching their little show with obvious amusement. She thought, ¡®Brain surgery? Please, that is nothing to me. I have handled even the most dangerous cases

    before.¡®

    Fiona might not have understood a word Natalie just said, but she was still acting all smug. She said, ¡°Did you hear that? Natalie¡¯s the best. If she says it, it¡¯s the truth, end of story. By the way, Natalie, why are you here today?¡±

    That was just what Natalie was hoping for. She gave a little smile and said, ¡°Nothing special. I heard my master wasing today, so I came to see him in person.¡±

    Fiona suddenly remembered something and put on a look of fake shock. She eximed, ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me your master is that legendary Phantom Healer?¡±

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    <b>Chapter </b><b>108 </b>

    Natalie nodded and said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s him. But he likes to keep a low profile, so he specifically told me not to make a fuss about it.¡±

    She then shot Olivia a pointed look and added, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for someone here pretending to be at miracle¨Cworking doctor today, I wouldn¡¯t have even brought it up.¡±

    Fiona said, ¡°Natalie, you¡¯re incredible. With Phantom Healer backing you up, the Evans family will rule Hirica. You¡¯ve always been a top student, and now with Phantom Healer teaching you, it¡¯s only a matter of time before you be a legendary doctor.¡±

    Natalie lifted her chin even higher, beaming with pride.

    After getting that anonymous text, Natalie pored over every bit of info about Phantom Healer again and again. From what she¡¯d gathered, Phantom Healer was rumored to be some old man in his fifties or sixties, always traveling around and barely ever seen in public.

    She wasn¡¯t dumb enough to pretend to be Phantom Healer himself¨Cthat was just asking to get exposed. It was much safer to say she was just his apprentice. She figured Phantom Healer would never find out.

    Olivia¨Cthe one and only Phantom Healer¨Cfound it quite amusing. She thought, ¡®I definitely don¡¯t have disciples this dumb.¡¯

    She then asked, ¡°Care to describe what your master looks like? You have met him before, haven¡¯t you? No apprentice goes without seeing their own master.¡±

    The crowd erupted with questions. Phantom Healer was famous all over the country, and everyone

    was curious about him.

    ¡°Yeah, girl, show us a photo of your master,¡± someone called out.

    ¡°We want to see Phantom Healer too,¡± another person echoed.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you showing us? Are you just making this up? I knew it¨Cthere¡¯s no way Phantom Healer

    I

    would take <b>on </b>an apprentice so easily,¡± someone else scoffed..

    Natalie started to panic, suddenly tongue¨Ctied. She thought, ¡®If I can¡¯t show them something, they¡¯ll know I¡¯ve never actually met Phantom Healer. He¡¯s just supposed to be some old dude anyway. I¡¯ll just grab a random photo and pretend that¡¯s him. Easy,¡®

    She blurted out, ¡°Of course I do.¡± She then whipped out her phone, pulled up a picture, and zoomed in. She said, ¡°Here¨Cthis is the legendary Phantom Healer, my master.¡±

    <b>1/2 </b>

    08:31 Tue, 9 <b>Sept </b>i

    ter <b>108 </b>

    Chapter

    Olivia was just dumbfounded. She grumbled inwardly, ¡®Natalie, couldn¡¯t you at least find a more convincing fake photo? Are you expecting people to believe this guy is Phantom Healer?¡±

    65%

    Ethan, who had been watching the whole thing unfold, leaned in to get a better look at the supposed Phantom Healer, figuring it might help him track the guy downter. Just one nce, and he felt like his eyes had been sullied.

    The guy in the picture was a disaster¨Cmessy beard, picking at his foot, the very image of a greasy, sleazy middle¨Caged creep.

    Ethan thought, ¡®Seriously? This guy is supposed to be Phantom Healer?¡±

    Olivia pinched the bridge of her nose, utterly at a loss for words. After all her years as a doctor, she¡¯d

    never been trolled this hard in her life.

    Ethan couldn¡¯t believe it either. In his imagination, the legendary Phantom Healer should be some dignified old man with a white beard, always ying with herbs¨Cnot the greasy mess in that photo.

    He scoffed, ¡°Girl, that photo is way too fake.¡±

    Natalie forted an awkward smile, totally embarrassed. She hadn¡¯t even bothered to check¨Cjust googled a random picture and shed it. She thought, ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought it¡¯d be this bad?¡®

    Still, she defended, ¡°My master doesn¡¯t care about appearances. Anyway, I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s met him. You people wouldn¡¯t get it anyway.

    ¡°Just being able to see his photo is already a huge privilege for you, and you still have the nerve to question me? Do you even deserve it?¡±

    Ethan rolled his eyes and headed off to find Andrew. He thought, ¡®No way that creep is Phantom Healer. Once Mr. Shea tracks down the real Phantom Healer, I will spill the beans and let Phantom Healer set this wannabe apprentice straight.¡±

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    Olivia didn¡¯t want to waste another second on Natalie and Fiona. Just as she was about to make her move, she felt someone tug at her sleeve. She turned around and saw that Juliet had woken up.

    Juliet was staring at Olivia, her eyes barely moving, and a few weak, broken sounds escaped her

    throat.

    Olivia immediately squatted down, took her hand, and leaned in close. She said softly, ¡°Juliet, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll save you.¡±

    Seeing this, Fiona and Natalie exchanged a panicked look. They thought, ¡®If Juliet makes <b>it </b>out alive, that money would be gone for good.

    Juliet spotted Fiona and Natalie lurking behind Olivia, and instantly knew what they were after. She thought, ¡®So it¡¯s all about money, huh? No way I¡¯m letting them get what they want.

    Her breath came in gasps as she used every ounce of strength she had left. She muttered, ¡°When I die, all the rights to my work go to Olivia.¡± With those words, she fell unconscious.

    The heart monitor in the ICU started beeping wildly, the rm echoing through the room.

    Olivia immediately climbed onto the bed, tore open Juliet¡¯s hospital gown, and started performing CPR, her hands moving with practiced precision.

    Several nurses rushed in. Seeing Olivia already in action, they immediately assisted with the rest of the emergency procedures.

    Olivia said, ¡°The patient is in cardiac arrest. She¡¯s unconscious, and her pupils are dted to 5 millimeters<b>. </b>Transport her to the OR immediately. Prepare 1 milliliter of epinephrine for subcutaneous injection. Also, get lidocaine and atropine ready.

    ¡°Tell Lucas to use the OR we bookedst night immediately.¡±

    The nurses, <b>even </b>though they had no idea who Olivia was, just went along with her orders without. question, pushing the bed straight to the operating room.

    Natalie, who was a med student herself, was floored by Olivia¡¯s actions.

    Olivia was so calm and collected; her skills <b>were </b>on another level. Even with five or six years of medical training under her belt, Natalie doubted she could ever pull something like this off.

    Natalie thought, ¡®How the hell is she pulling this off?¡®

    08:31 Tue<b>, </b>9 Sept

    Fiona shoved Natalie and said, ¡°Natalie, hurry up. She¡¯s already followed them in¨Cwhy are you still spacing out?¡±

    By the time Natalie snapped out of it, Olivia and others had already disappeared down the hall.

    Fiona leaned in close to Natalie¡¯s ear and whispered<b>, </b>¡°If we can¡¯t get Juliet¡¯s money, then don¡¯t let her

    walk out of here alive.¡±

    Natalie nodded and said, ¡°You can count on me. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Raised in the Evans family, Natalie had grown up surrounded by this kind of thing. Making sure someone died in a hospital bed was almost second nature to her.

    Without wasting another second, Fiona grabbed Natalie and hurried toward the operating room.

    The OR was locked down tight. Without the proper clearance, there was no way in. They¡¯d gotten there toote¨COlivia and the others were already inside.

    Natalie and Fiona stood at the door for what felt like forever, trying to figure out how to get in.

    Just then, a bright, cocky voice called out from behind them, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me she was here? You got a death wish or something?¡±

    Natalie turned to see a tall, handsome young man in a blue sports jacket hurrying toward the operating room. She recognized him <b>as </b>Lucas, who owned the hospital and was the heir to the Grant

    family.

    She thought, ¡®If anyone can help, it¡¯s him.¡® So she blocked his way and greeted, ¡°Mr. Grant.¡±

    Lucas stared at Natalie with annoyance. He asked, ¡°Who are you<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Lucas was already on edge because Olivia had arrived, and he hadn¡¯t even had a chance to greet her. Now, with everything going sideways, Natalie had to jump out and get in his way.

    Natalie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and gave him a sweet, flirtatious look. She said,

    ¡°Mr. Grant, I¡¯m Natalie Evans from the Evans family. We¡¯ve met before.

    ¡°I¡¯m a med student, and the patient who was just rushed in is my aunt¡¯s daughter. <b>I </b>need to go in and

    check on her.¡±

    Before she could finish<b>, </b>Lucas ?ut her off. He said, ¡°No way. You¡¯re not even part of our hospital staff; you can¡¯t just walk into the operating room.¡± With that, he brushed her off and hurried inside.

    He¡¯d reserved the best operating room days in advance, all for Olivia. He was dead set on making sure

    08:31 Tue<b>, </b>9 Sept

    she had the mostfortable setup possible.

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    He knew better than anyone how picky Olivia could be¨Cif she was in a bad mood, no surgery; if the weather sucked, no surgery; if she didn¡¯t sleep well, still no surgery.

    He had put so much effort into just getting Olivia the perfect OR. His grandfather had nearly nagged

    him to death over it.

    Natalie said, ¡°Mr. Grant, please. Just let me in. Phantom Healer is my master. If you let me in, you

    won¡¯t regret it.¡±

    That made Lucas pause. He turned to Natalie, his face full of confusion. He thought, ¡®Since when did Olivia ever take on a student?¡® He asked, ¡°Did you just say you¡¯re Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice?¡±

    Natalie¡¯s eyes lit up¨Cfinally, a chance. She nodded eagerly and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice.¡±

    Lucas said, ¡°Let me ask you just one thing¨Cis Phantom Healer a man or a woman?¡±

    ¡°A man,¡± Natalie replied instantly, not even hesitating.

    Lucas turned away and gave a cold snort. He thought, ¡®Knew it. She¡¯s totally bluffing.¡¯ He then walked off, not even bothering to hide his annoyance.

    Seeing he was about to leave, Natalie rushed up and grabbed onto his sleeve. She said, ¡°Mr. Grant, let me in with you.¡±

    Lucas jerked his arm free, ring at her in frustration. He said, ¡°Are you done yet? Listen up-

    Phantom Healer is already inside. If you were his apprentice, do you think he¡¯d leave you standing out here?¡±

    He grumbled inwardly, ¡®Even the top oncologist at the hospital could only y second fiddle to Olivia. And now this nobody has the nerve to im she¡¯s Olivia¡¯s apprentice? If I let her in, Olivia would probably kill me on the spot.

    When Natalie heard Phantom Healer was inside, her eyes went wide. She didn¡¯t care if her lie got exposed¨Cher only thought was to get inside and get herself noticed by Phantom Healer.

    Phantom Healer¡¯s skills were legendary. Every med student dreamed of being even a third as good as Phantom Healer. If they could reach that level, they¡¯d die happy.

    Even scrubbing in on one surgery with Phantom Healer was enough to brag about for the rest of someone¡¯s life.

    Natalie thought to herself, ¡°If I could just get in front of Phantom Healer, I might be able to convince. him to take me on as an apprentice¨Cand then my bluff would pay off.¡±

    With that thought in mind, she pleaded with Lucas even more desperately. She said, ¡°Mr. Grant, please, just let me in. I¡¯m a huge fan of Phantom Healer. Let me see him just this once, okay?¡±

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    <b>Chapter </b><b>110 </b>

    Fiona could see right through it now¨CNatalie was just bragging about being the Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice. But at times like this, she had to stand by her own family.

    So she stepped forward and chimed in, ¡°Hey, handsome, do us a favor and let my niece in. She¡¯s from the Evans family in Hirica. If you help her out, the Evans Medical Group will make sure you get the best support in the future.

    ¡°Medical equipment, medicine¨Cwhatever you want, it¡¯s yours<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

    After all these years in this circle, Fiona had learned one thing: money and power were always the best tools. She believes that Lucas would be smitten as long as the conditions were right.

    Lucas looked at them like they wereplete fools. He thought, ¡®Who¡¯d even touch anything from the Evans family these days? Even if she put the whole Evans family on the table, I won¡¯t let her in. Keeping Olivia happy is all that matters.¡¯

    Natalie and Fiona just wouldn¡¯t let up, and Lucas guessed Olivia was almost done with the surgery. Hel was genuinely furious. He snapped, ¡°You¡¯re driving me crazy. Seriously, how many times do I have to say it? Not happening.

    ¡°If you keep making a scene, I will call security and toss you out.¡± With that, he hurried into the

    operating room.

    Natalie¡¯s face twisted with humiliation. The thought of Olivia meeting the legendary Phantom Healer while she was stuck out here made her so jealous that she could barely think straight.

    Natalie was fuming. Not <b>caring </b>if anyone inside could hear her, she mmed her fists against the operating room¡¯s iron door. She roared, ¡°Why can¡¯t I go in? Why does that fraud get to go in? Why her

    and not me<b>?</b>¡±

    Lucas had just walked in when he caught Natalie ranting. Instantly, his temper red, and he forgot all about Olivia¡¯s warnings. He yelled back, ¡°She¡¯s got the credentials. You don¡¯t. She knows the Phantom Healer.

    ¡°The Phantom Healer picked her himself. You¡¯re just a wannabe trying way too hard.¡±

    Letting loose like that, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. He thought, ¡®Guess cussing someone out does wonders for <b>one¡¯s </b><b>mood</b>.

    Natalie didn¡¯t buy it for a <b>second</b>¨Cshe figured <b>Lucas </b>was just talking trash, venting his anger. She thought, ¡®Seriously, how could that fraud even know the Phantom Healer?¡±

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    ¡°Why does she get to go in, and I don¡¯t?¡± she muttered under her breath, her jealousy ring.

    Fiona¡¯s expression soured. She hadn¡¯t expected that Juliet would have a friend like Olivia at that

    orphanage. And that this friend would know the Phantom Healer. She thought, Juliet just gets all the

    luck.¡®

    Meanwhile, inside the operating room, Olivia was already dressed head to toe in surgical gear, with only her eyes visible.

    Lucas had handled all the preparations for this surgery. The operating room and equipment were well¨Cprepared, and even the circting nurse had been told to keep quiet about the Phantom Healer.

    The only thing Olivia was worried about was Lucas¡¯s big mouth.

    Once everything was set, Olivia gave a nod to the circting nurse.

    With a press of the surgical timer, the operation officially began.

    Brain surgery was no joke¨Cespecially with Juliet¡¯s tumor in such a rare, dangerous spot. One wrong

    move, and her life would be on the line.

    A young nurse came over and handed Olivia the instruments. She said, ¡°The hair¡¯s all shaved, blood

    supply is good to go. Are we starting the craniotomy now?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Olivia replied. She picked up the scalpel, her hand rock¨Csteady as she made the first cut.

    She instructed, ¡°Start the anesthesia.¡±

    Within seconds, Olivia announced, ¡°Scalp incisionplete, skull opened.¡± She quickly located the

    tumor<b>. </b>

    Lucas couldn¡¯t handle the sight¨Che kept his distance, his face twisting up as he caught a glimpse of

    the tumor.

    <b>2/2 </b>

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    Lucas didn¡¯t get the medical details, but Thomas, the hospital director, understood everything perfectly. He muttered, ¡°That spot, if it were any bigger, it would be pressing right on the

    nerves.¡±

    He had cleared his entire schedule just to observe this operation. This was hands down the mostplicated surgery he had ever witnessed in all his years as a doctor.

    Not a flicker of emotion crossed Olivia¡¯s face, but her fingers tensed just a little as she kept her cool.

    She navigated around the critical blood vessels and nerves, meticulously cutting away the tumor bit by bit, separating it from the surrounding tissue.

    With their hearts in their throats, the nurses and anesthesiologists watched. One wrong move, and it would be a catastrophe. But Olivia¡¯s hands were rock¨Csteady, not a single tremor.

    Nodding with obvious approval, Thomas watched Olivia work. ¡°Mr. Grant, your friend is a real prodigy,¡± he said.

    ¡°You bet she is,¡± Lucas replied, pride written all over his face.

    ¡°Do you

    think she¡¯d ever consider working at our hospital?¡± Thomas asked, not wanting to let this genius slip through his fingers.

    He thought, ¡®After more than a decade, it¡¯s high time we shook up Hirica¡¯s medical world. With her on our side, we could finally challenge the Evans family.¡®

    ¡°She¡¯s not gonnae,¡± Lucas replied without a second thought.

    Thomas frowned and said, ¡°How do you know she wouldn¡¯t want to? You haven¡¯t even asked her.¡±

    ¡°No need to ask,¡± Lucas said confidently. He thought, ¡®With skills like Olivia has, she¡¯s way above working at some hospital.¡®

    Thomas tried to say something, but Lucas cut him off.

    Lucas said, ¡°Thomas, stick to your own duties. Who gets hired here is none of your business<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

    Thomas shut up, looking a bit embarrassed.

    Outside the operating room, the hallway was a madhouse.

    Earlier, when Lucas turned down Natalie, he had practically shouted ¡°Phantom Healer¡± for

    everyone to hear, and the crowd was buzzing.

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    ¡°The Phantom Healer is here? We¡¯re saved for sure,¡± someone cried out, eyes wide with hope.

    ¡°Seriously? The Phantom Healer showed up? It¡¯s like a living legend just descended to save us,¡± another person gasped.

    ¡°With the Phantom Healer here, there¡¯s nothing he can¡¯t fix,¡± someone else chimed in, excitement spreading like wildfire.

    The hospital was packed with patients battling terminal illnesses. Every day, they wished for a miracle, but endless surgeries and meds had left them in despair. When things <i>got </i>too tough, they¡¯d pray to anyone who would listen.

    So when word got out about the Phantom Healer, the whole ce erupted with hope and excitement. To them, the Phantom Healer was nothing short of a miracle worker.

    The hallway outside the operating room was jammed with people, all desperate to catch a glimpse of the Phantom Healer, pleading for a miracle and hoping for a second chance at life.

    Andrew got word of what was happening and immediately rushed over.

    When they arrived, the hallway outside the operating room was already jam¨Cpacked.

    Ethan tried to squeeze through to get a glimpse, but a crowd of people pushed him right back

    out.

    Andrew ordered, ¡°Ethan, send someone to wait at the back door of the OR. We have to meet

    the Phantom Healer face¨Cto¨Cface.¡±

    He thought to himself, ¡®The Phantom Healer is no fool¨Che knows there¡¯ll be a crowd waiting outside, so chances are he¡¯ll make his exit through the back.¡¯

    Ethan hurried off to carry out the order.

    An hourter, Olivia walked out of the operating room, having changed out of her surgical

    gear.

    The moment Natalie saw her, she marched right up and spat, ¡°You, a quack, actually dared to set foot in the OR? And you even tagged along with the Phantom Healer? Don¡¯t you have any shame at all?¡±

    Andrew frowned as he saw Olivia step out of the operating room. He thought, ¡®What is Olivia doing here?¡®

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    Andrew thought, ¡®Why is Oliviaing out of the operating room? The Phantom Healer is in the operating room. This hospital belongs to the Grant family, and the management is extremely strict¨Cthere¡¯s no way they¡¯d let outsiders in.¡®

    He raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile ying at the corner of his lips. He thought, ¡®Looks like Olivia is hiding more than a few secrets!¡®

    Just then, Lucas rushed out and said, ¡°Sorry, everyone, but the Phantom Healer is already gone. Please don¡¯t stand here¡ªour patient needs to rest.¡±

    As he spoke, Olivia signaled the nurses to take Juliet to the recovery room for further

    recovery.

    Everyone looked skeptical at Lucas.

    Natalie was the first to scoff. She said, ¡°Come on. We¡¯ve been standing here the whole time¡ª nobody¡¯se out.¡±

    The crowd quickly chimed in.

    One said, ¡°Seriously, kid, quit making stuff up.¡±

    Someone else said, ¡°We¡¯re just desperate folks hoping to see the Phantom Healer for help. Stop blocking us.¡±

    Another said, ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting forever and haven¡¯t seen anyone leave. The Phantom Healer must still be inside.¡±

    Faced with this frantic crowd of patients and their families, Lucas was at a loss¨Che didn¡¯t know what to do.

    When it came down to it, they were just sick people desperate for the Phantom Healer to save their lives¨Cone couldn¡¯t me them for that. But Olivia would never want her true identity

    exposed.

    After thinking it over, Lucas clenched his jaw and said firmly, ¡°I said the Phantom Healer is gone, and that¡¯s final. This hospital belongs to my family, and I know every inch of the operating room¨Ctrust me, there¡¯s a secret passage.

    ¡°I understand how anxious everyone is, but trust me¨Cour doctors will give you the best care possible. So let¡¯s clear the way. We¡¯ve got other surgeries lined up, and we can¡¯t have the entrance blocked.¡±

    He grumbled inwardly, ¡®Seriously, what does it look like with all these people crowding the

    OR door?¡®

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    Olivia stood with her arms crossed, shooting a calm nce at Lucas. She thought, ¡®This guy really is useful when it matters.¡¯

    Just then, Ethan rushed over andid a blueprint in front of Andrew. He reported, ¡°Mr. Shea, this is the hospital¡¯s design n. The structure is pretty standard¨Cthere¡¯s only one entrance to the operating room, no secret passages.

    ¡°The Phantom Healer could only have left through this door.¡±

    Hearing this, Andrew fixed his gaze intently on Olivia. When he noticed Olivia was watching Lucas, he pressed his lips into a thin line, feeling a surge of irritation. His doubts about what Lucas had said only deepened.

    He wondered, ¡®Why is Lucas trying so hard to hide where the Phantom Healer went?¡®

    There were still plenty of people crowding around the entrance to the operating room, and no one looked like they were leaving anytime soon.

    Andrew gave Ethan a nod, and a team of security guards in ck uniforms rushed forward, quickly dispersing the rowdy crowd until only Lucas and Olivia were left standing.

    It was only then that Olivia noticed Andrew. She pulled off her mask and asked, ¡°Do youe to see a doctor?¡±

    Looking approachable with a gentle smile and gold¨Crimmed sses, Andrew wore a brown suit. ¡°Yeah, just here to see a doctor,¡± he replied. Eyes intense and direct, he locked his gaze on Olivia, with a mysterious depth that was hard to read.

    Stuck outside the crowd, Natalie and Fiona were grinding their teeth in frustration. They thought, ¡®That guy looks like someone important¨Cwhat on earth is he doing here for that phony doctor?¡®

    Turning to look at Lucas, Andrew said, ¡°Mr. Grant, as far as I know, you¡¯re not a surgeon. Since you insisted the Phantom Healer had left, where did he go?¡±

    If looks could kill, Lucas would have been dead a hundred times over. Lucas was the same guy who tried to snatch the Refreshing Pill from Andrew at thest auction.

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    Lucas didn¡¯t look the least bit fazed. With a cocky glint in his eye, he drawled, ¡°Mr. Shea, fancy running into you here. I¡¯m just the messenger. The Phantom Healer took off right after the surgery. I don¡¯t know where he goes.

    ¡°If you¡¯re that curious, go hunt him down yourself. And tell your guys to clear out. This is a hospital, not your personal casino.¡± With that, he grabbed Olivia¡¯s arm, ready to whisk her

    away.

    He said, ¡°Olivia, you must be starving after hanging around here so long. Let¡¯s go get some seafood boil. I¡¯ve already made all the arrangements.¡±

    He thought to himself, ¡®Olivia went through all this trouble toe here; I have to make sure she¡¯s well taken care of.¡¯

    Olivia nodded. She turned to Thomas and said, ¡°Make sure there are two guards outside Juliet¡¯s room, 24/7. No one gets in unless I or Lucas says so.¡±

    She then shot a pointed look at Natalie and Fiona and added, ¡°Especially certain people who just don¡¯t get it.¡±

    Thomas nodded eagerly. There was no way he¡¯d dare ignore the Phantom Healer¡¯s orders. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±

    Andrew watched the way Olivia and Lucas acted so close, his fists tightening as he barely held himself back from snapping.

    Lucas nced over at Andrew and, with a casual grin, called out, ¡°Mr. Shea, wanna grab some food with us<b>?</b>¡±

    ¡°Sure<i>,</i>¡± Andrew replied, which was totally out of character for him.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame¨Cmaybe next time,¡± Lucas blurted out, caught totally off guard. He honestly thought Andrew would turn him down without a second thought. He eximed, ¡°You¡¯reing too?¡±

    Andrew nodded.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your stomach can¡¯t handle eating with other people?¡± Olivia said, her tone light and teasing as she arched an eyebrow.

    Andrew chuckled and said, ¡°You¡¯re not just anyone to me.¡±

    Lucas hadn¡¯t seen thating. He shot Olivia a sideways look, trying to gauge her reaction.

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    Olivia stretchedzily and casually remarked, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head out. Seafood boil is just perfect for winter.¡±

    Performing surgery was hard work, and this one was a real marathon. By the time Olivia finished, her breakfast felt like ancient history¨Cno wonder her stomach was growling now.

    Ethan wanted to stop Andrew, but the thought of getting his pay docked gave him pause. In the end, he figured it was safer to just let it go. He thought, ¡®Anyway, with Olivia around, nothing¡¯s likely to go wrong!¡®

    Olivia took the opportunity to think things over.

    When Juliet was first adopted, Fiona and her husband seemed to adore her. Olivia wondered how things had ended up like this after just a few years.

    Back then, Fiona and her husband showed up at the orphanage every single day, helping out from morning till night. All to win Juliet¡¯s heart, snacks and toys just kept pouring in.

    That was why Grace was convinced they truly cared about Juliet and signed off on the adoption.

    Thinking about it now, Olivia felt that all the attention they showered on Juliet just felt off. She thought to herself, ¡®If they don¡¯t have some ulterior motive, why bother trying so hard to please a kid?¡®

    But she¡¯d only find out once Juliet woke up.

    Always thinking several steps ahead, Olivia had witnessed her share of power struggles among the rich. No matter what the future held for Juliet, she was already making sure there¡¯d be a safety in ce¨Cjust in case things ever went south.

    Andrew noticed Olivia¡¯s absent¨Cmindedness.

    He nced across the table at Lucas, who was happily snacking on fried shrimp while waiting for the seafood boil to simmer so he could throw in more ms. All he could do was shake his head in helpless amusement.

    All over Hirica, Lucas was famous for being a carefree foodie and notorious flirt who never took anything seriously. His reputation was so well¨Cknown that even the kids on the street could chant it like a nursery rhyme.

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    In Hirica, when the weather turned cold, people loved to gather around a seafood boil, tossing in shrimp and ms and dipping them in the garlic butter sauce from Kingtonelle that left a lingering fragrance in their mouths.

    As soon as the pot started boiling, Lucas hurriedly threw in the shrimp and ms. He asked, ¡°Olivia, want some shrimp? Crab legs? All for you. And the mussels¨CI¡¯m telling you, theye out so vorful.¡±

    Lucas was talking a mile a minute, and Olivia couldn¡¯t get a word in edgewise. She just nodded. She watched as her bowl filled up like a small mountain.

    Just as Olivia lowered her head to grab a bite, her hair kept falling into her face, which was kind of a pain.

    Seeing this, Andrew pulled a hair tie out of his pocket and, without missing a beat, tied her hair back for her.

    Olivia munched on the meat and shot him a quick, ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Andrew replied, ¡°Just something I did in passing. Aren¡¯t you curious why I have a girl¡¯s hair tie on me?<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to guess,¡± Olivia replied, still eating, without even looking up. She went on, ¡°That hair tie is pink and way too cute¨Csomething for a little girl. I¡¯m betting it¡¯s Jenny¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Summers, you¡¯re sharp,¡± Andrew said with a smile, dropping a few pieces of beef into her bowl. And, almost offhandedly, he asked, ¡°Ms. Summers, do you know the Phantom Healer?¡±

    Lucas, who was still chewing on a piece ofmb, immediately looked up, thought, ¡®Did Andrew find out?¡®

    his eyes wide. He

    Andrew topped off Olivia¡¯s water, his finger lightly resting on the cup. Honestly, his hands were slender and fair, with sharp joints¨Cpretty attractive.

    Olivia found herself sneaking a few more nces before she replied offhandedly, ¡°I guess so.¡±

    Andrew nced up at her, a teasing smile on his face. He said, ¡°Honestly, I was starting to think you might be the legendary Phantom Healer.¡±

    Hearing this, Lucas spat out a mouthful of water and started coughing uncontrobly.

    ¡°Slow down, Mr. Grant,¡± Andrew said.

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    ¡°I¡¯m good, really,¡± Lucas said, clearing his throat and coughing a few more times into his hand. His eyes

    darted around nervously, and he even flinched a little.

    Avoiding Andrew¡¯s gaze, he busied himself poking around in the pot and muttered, ¡°The shrimp are donee on, dig in.¡±

    Ethan just shook his head helplessly. He thought, ¡®People always get extra fidgety when they¡¯re feeling guilty.¡®

    Olivia, on the other hand, was surprisingly calm. Her expression gave nothing away as she took a sip of the water and said, ¡°You and Jenny are alike. She asked me the same thing.¡±

    Andrew stared at her, as if trying to see right through her. He said, ¡°I¡¯m really curious what you¡¯d say, Ms. Summers.¡±

    Olivia met his gaze without a flicker. She then replied, ¡°No. The Phantom Healer everyone talks about is supposed to be some middle¨Caged guy in his forties or fifties.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an old man, and I¡¯m nowhere near that age, so how could I possibly be Phantom Healer? Do I really look that old to you?¡±

    Andrew was taken aback for a second, then chuckled softly and shook his head. He said, ¡°Ms. Summers, you¡¯re young and gorgeous¨Cno one would ever call you old. If you say you¡¯re not, then I believe you.¡±

    Andrew already had his own answer in mind, but he chose to trust Olivia. He¡¯d believe anything she told him.

    ¡°Do you know Ivy, the heiress of the Summers family in Kingtonelle?¡± Olivia asked out of the blue.

    ¡°Yeah, I know her,¡± Andrew replied, stopping Lucas just as he was about to grab thest shrimp. Instead, Andrew dropped it into Olivia¡¯s bowl and added, ¡°Why the sudden interest?¡±

    Lucas froze mid¨Cair, staring at Andrew in confusion.

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    Olivia didn¡¯t even nce at Lucas, her mind clearly elsewhere as she answered offhandedly, ¡°Just curious.¡±

    Setting his fork down, Andrew said, ¡°I met her once, fifteen years ago. She was a really smart little girl. An engagement was arranged between us, as our families have been close for generations.

    ¡°From the moment she was born, her whole family doted on her. Even my grandpa was smitten. If Samuel hadn¡¯t stepped in, he probably would¡¯ve tried to steal her away and raise her himself.

    ¡°But then she was taken, and no one has any idea where she is now.¡±

    Andrew looked genuinely wistful as he said this. He¡¯d only talked to Ivy a couple of times as a kid, but she once gave him a cheese pastry. In his eyes, Ivy was a warm, sweet little girl.

    All these years, Andrew had tried to help look for Ivy, but the clues were always scattered, and it was impossible to tell what was real and what was just a rumor. They never managed to find her.

    ¡°An engagement?¡± Olivia echoed. For some reason, out of everything Andrew had just said, that was the only thing she heard.

    Afraid Olivia might get the wrong idea, Andrew quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the engagement is canceled. My grandpa already promised me¨Conce she¡¯s found, the engagement will be over.¡±

    Olivia just gave a soft ¡°mm¡± and didn¡¯t say anything more, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit lighter inside.

    Andrew finally sensed something was off and asked tentatively, ¡°Ms. Summers, how do you feel about engagements like that?¡±

    Not even looking up from her food, Olivia replied, ¡°It¡¯s just forcing people into something against their will.¡± She thought, ¡®If anyone ever tries to arrange a marriage for me, I¡¯d definitely beat them up.

    Andrew took off his sses and rubbed his brow. He said, ¡°Ms. Summers, you and I do think alike. Honestly, I¡¯ve barely met Ivy Summers. The whole engagement was rushed just because of some fortune¨Cteller¡¯s reading.¡±

    As soon as he brought up fortune¨Ctelling, Olivia instantly got interested. She asked, ¡°What kind of reading was it?¡±

    Andrew exined, ¡°A fortune¨Cteller said my whole life was doomed¨Cno romance, weak

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    health, constant disasters, and I¡¯d never make it past 28. The only way to break the curse was to marry Ivy Summers and borrow her good fortune to ward off my bad luck.¡±

    Olivia raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°That¡¯s really something. So why are you still trying to cancel the engagement? You¡¯re just going to throw your life away?¡±

    Andrew paused for a moment, his fingers twitching slightly. He then said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in fate.¡±

    Besides, Andrew thought, ¡®If I just marry Ivy to save myself without ever asking what she wants, that¡¯s way too unfair to her. She deserves better than that.¡®

    Popping another piece of meat into her mouth, Olivia said, ¡°You¡¯re quite the rebel, huh?¡± The room grew warm, so she started fanning herself. She reassured Andrew, ¡°Rx, as long as I¡¯m here, you¡¯re not dying on my watch.¡±

    With his eyes full of amusement, Andrew picked up a folding fan and gently fanned her. He said, ¡°Seems like I¡¯ll be counting on you then, Ms. Summers.¡±

    Olivia wasn¡¯t just making it up¡ªshe¡¯d actually done a fortune¨Ctelling for Andrew herself. Her reading said he¡¯d pass away at thirty, not twenty¨Ceight.

    She thought, ¡®His illness is pretty rare, but it isn¡¯t like there¡¯s no way to fix it. Getting him back to full health is just a matter of time.¡¯

    Lucas watched Andrew, rolling his eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn¡¯t get stuck. He grumbled inwardly, ¡®Always kissing up to Olivia. What a phony!¡®

    Suddenly, something clicked for Ethan. He stared at Olivia, her face tugging at his memory- she looked so familiar. Out of nowhere, he murmured under his breath, ¡°Olivia Summers, She¡¯s a Summers, too.¡±

    AD

 Blizzard 116

    Ethan thought, ¡®Ms. Summers grew up in an orphanage, with no idea who her parents were- she was an orphan through and through. Could she be the missing heiress of the Summers family?¡®

    He quickly pulled out a photo of Samuel and held it up forparison, but honestly, he didn¡¯t see much resemnce. He thought, ¡®Maybe I am overthinking things!¡¯

    Andrew noticed Ethan¡¯s movements and instantly understood what he meant. He leaned toward Olivia and asked in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Summers, have you ever looked into your family background?¡±

    Olivia caught his subtle change in attitude and knew exactly what was on his mind. Her voice was cool as she replied, ¡°I was taken from Riverdale. I¡¯m not the Ms. Summers you guys are talking about.¡±

    Ethan, having his thoughts exposed, felt a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and gave Olivia an awkwardugh. He said, ¡°You saw right through me, Ms. Summers. You¡¯re sharp.¡±

    To cover up his embarrassment, he quickly changed the subject. He said, ¡°Ms. Summers, Mr. Shea could help you find your parents! I mean, everyone wants to find their roots.¡±

    He kept talking for a while before suddenly mping up. He thought, ¡®Did I just volunteer Mr. Shea for this? Am I asking for trouble or what?¡®

    But Andrew didn¡¯t get mad at all. Instead, he just smiled gently at Olivia and asked, ¡°Do you want my help?¡±

    Olivia shook her head. She thought, ¡®If I want answers, I can dig them up myself. No need to get him involved.¡®

    After dinner, they all headed back to the hospital.

    When Olivia got to the ward, she carefully checked on Juliet. Once she was sure Juliet was out of danger, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Olivia, she¡¯s gonna be alright, right?¡± Lucas asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s out of danger now. As long as we take good care of her, there shouldn¡¯t be any major problems,¡± Olivia replied, her voice low and cool.

    Then Olivia recalled the subtle shift in Andrew¡¯s attitude earlier. She thought, ¡®With how sharp he is, he¡¯s probably already put two and two together about who I really am.

    ¡®Showing up at the hospital is ast resort. If Andrew starts getting suspicious, I have toe

    14:16 Wed, <b>Sep </b>10

    up with a way to throw him off the scent.¡®

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    She ordered, ¡°Lucas, put out some info about Phantom Healer¨Cmix up the real and the fake, just to mess with them.¡±

    ¡°On it,¡± Lucas replied. He nced at Juliet and let out a long sigh. ¡°This girl¡¯s been through hell,¡± he said. ¡°She barely looks like herself anymore.

    ¡°When I went to pick her up, her mom didn¡¯t even show¨Cjust left her alone in the ward, hooked up to all those tubes, and no one thought to bring her a sip of water. It was heartbreaking.

    ¡°Look what they did to her¨Cher long hair was so beautiful, and now it¡¯s all gone. Those people are scum. I swear, if I could, I¡¯d make them pay.¡±

    Olivia teased, ¡°Since when did you get so kind¨Chearted?¡±

    Lucas froze for a second and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve always been this nice, you know.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure why, but seeing Juliet lying there in the hospital bed just made his heart ache.

    He asked, ¡°By the way, Olivia, how are you going to deal with them?¡±

    Olivia¡¯s smile widened, and her brows rxed. She said, ¡°Sean will take care of it.¡±

    Meanwhile, Sean had already slipped into the hospital¡¯s surveince room. From the moment he got Olivia¡¯s orders that morning, he¡¯d been tailing the targets, lurking in the shadows and keeping tabs on everything.

    Through the security feeds, he caught every second of Natalie and Fiona mocking Olivia, and he fumed.

    As Sean watched Natalie and Fiona waiting by the elevator, a mischievous idea shed through his mind. He thought, ¡°They dared to mess with Olivia¨Clet me give them a taste of punishment.

    He immediately pulled out his portable keyboard, hooked it up to theputer, and his fingers flew over the keys. In no time, he had hacked into the hospital¡¯s system.

    He took control of several elevators, making sure none of them stopped on Natalie¡¯s floor.

    Natalie, fuming, started jabbing the elevator buttons like crazy. She said, ¡°What the hell is going on? Is this elevator possessed or something? It¡¯s like this stupid thing has it in for me.¡±

    Fiona, who¡¯d weathered everything and never lost her cool, stayed perfectlyposed. She said, ¡°Natalie, don¡¯t get so worked up. Why waste your breath on that girl? How many people survive brain surgery?

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    ¡°And you think some clueless kid could save Juliet? It¡¯s pure fantasy. Focus on yourself¨Cpick a killer dress and own the room at the Sheas¡® bash. For women,nding the right man is the sweetest revenge.¡±

    Then Fiona handed Natalie a business card, grinning from ear to ear. She said, ¡°This is from the hot new jeweler, Gemini. I hear she¡¯s in Hirica and just finished a piece called Emerald Serenity. Word is, it already went for a crazy 25 million.

    ¡°Gemini¡¯s quirky¨Cshe never sells; she only gifts. ims she¡¯s waiting for the right person. You should give it a shot, Natalie. Who knows? Maybe you¡¯re the one she¡¯s looking for.

    ¡°Just imagine showing up at the Shea family party with that jewelry. You¡¯d have all those rich boys falling at your feet.¡±

    Natalie scoffed, tossing the card aside with a look of utter disdain. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t buy any of that. Who says a woman¡¯s gotta get hitched?¡±

    Fiona looked a bit miffed. She said, ¡°Natalie, why can¡¯t you tell when someone¡¯s giving you good advice?¡±

    Just then, the elevator finally showed up.

    Fiona and Natalie stepped in together, both wearing stormy expressions.

    As soon as they got in, Natalie felt something was off. The vibe in the elevator was weird¨Cjust chilly and kind of spooky. She kept thinking the lights looked dimmer than usual, like they weren¡¯t even at full brightness.

    Fiona grew uneasy, too, her nerves worsening by the second. Instinctively, she clung to Natalie¡¯s arm. She stammered, ¡°Natalie, something just feels wrong.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Maybe the hospital¡¯s power is just acting up or something,¡± Natalie said. Although she said <i>so</i>, her nerves were shot. She thought, ¡°This is a hospital¨Cpeople die here every single day. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if some creepy things are lurking around.

    Sure, Natalie had gone <i>to </i>med school and studied anatomy and dissection, but as an Evans, she¡¯d never had to dirty her hands. She¡¯d never even touched a corpse. She wasn¡¯t cut out for scenes like this.

    Suddenly, the elevator stopped.

    Natalie nced at the floor disy¨Cthey were on basement level three.

    Fiona asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t we supposed to go to the first floor?¡± She frantically pressed the elevator buttons, but the elevator didn¡¯t respond at all.

    Natalie said, ¡°Either way, the elevator is useless now. Let¡¯s just get out and see what¡¯s going on.¡±

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    She mustered up her courage, grabbed Fiona¡¯s arm, and headed out. She added, ¡°We¡¯ll just take the stairs up.¡±

    The moment Fiona and Natalie stepped out, the elevator doors mmed shut behind them with a heavy thud.

 Blizzard 117

    The entire floor was pitch ck, asionally pierced by eerie flickers of green light.

    ¡°Natalie, this ce is seriously creepy¡­¡± Fiona whispered, her voice trembling with fear. Suddenly, she spotted a glow up ahead. Her spirits lifted, thinking she¡¯d found the way out. ¡°Look! Light over there. It must be the exit.¡±

    Before Natalie could process it, Fiona was dragging her toward the light, and they stumbled into a room. Scattered points of light glimmered around them, illuminating rows of bodiesid out side¨Cby¨Cside. The room was thick with a horrifying atmosphere.

    ¡°This is a morgue!¡± Natalie gasped, turning to leave, but the door mmed shut behind them and locked with a heavy click.

    Terrified, Fiona started pounding on the door. ¡°Is anyone out there? Help us. Let us out!¡±

    As she frantically beat against the metal, an icy hand crept onto her neck. A cold breath hissed near her ear. ¡°Heh¡­¡±

    Fiona, already scared out of her wits,pletely lost it. ¡°A ghost!¡± she screamed hysterically.

    Natalie was just as terrified. She watched in utter horror as one of the corpses right in front of her sat up. She screamed frantically. Her soul practically left her body. She fainted on the spot. Fiona, too, copsed in a dead faint.

    ¡°Boring! Selena, these two have no backbone,¡± a kid in hip¨Chop gearined, sticking out his tongue in disappointment. He crossed his arms. ¡°Sean has no taste. He called us here just to mess with these losers<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    Selena wiped her face calmly. ¡°Sean reports directly to the Boss. His orders are the Boss¡¯s orders.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever. You and your rules!¡± the boy grumbled.

    He gave Natalie¡¯s unconscious form a light kick with his sneaker, a nasty grin spreading across his face. ¡°Hey, you think I should scratch up her face a bit? You know, to vent some of the Boss¡¯s anger?¡±

    Selena shot him a cold re. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck. The mission¡¯s done. We¡¯re leaving,¡± With that, she grabbed the boy by the cor and marched out of the room without a backward nce.

    After dealing with the two women, Sean, tilting his head with a lollipop dangling from his mouth, quickly edited the surveince footage. He seamlessly cut out Selena and the boy, restoring the recording to its original state without a single trace left behind.

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    It wasn¡¯t until the hospital cleaning staff arrived to tidy the morgue that they discovered the two unconscious women. When Natalie came to and reviewed the security tapes, she found nothing. The footage was hopelessly blurred. No faces were recognizable.

    Fiona, however, had been scared right out of her mind. She kept rocking back and forth, sucking on her fingers and muttering, ¡°Ghosts¡­ There were ghosts¡­¡±

    Natalie was furious, demanding answers. She stormed into Lucas¡¯s office, fuming. ¡°Lucas! How can you just ignore this? My aunt and I were attacked in your hospital. My aunt¡¯s mentally broken now. You have to take responsibility.¡±

    Lucas knew the Boss had ordered Sean to handle it, so he wasn¡¯t surprised. Frankly, he thought the Boss had gone too easy on them. It was just a scare. If it were up to him, he¡¯d have been much harsher.

    ¡°Responsibility? For what?¡± Lucas drawled, one hand tucked casually in his pocket, his long legs propped up on his desk. Azy<i>, </i>mocking smile yed on his lips, the picture of a careless, spoiled young master.

    ¡°This hospital¡­ well, let¡¯s just say strange things happen. You expect me to handle every little ghost story?¡± He lit a cigarette, taking a slow drag and blowing out a cloud of smoke.

    He added, ¡°To put it bluntly, I¡¯ve dated plenty of girls. Does that mean I have to marry every single one of them?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Natalie was so enraged that she could barely speak. She pointed a shaking finger at Lucas, her eyes zing red with fury. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯re unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°Just get out. I don¡¯t have time to watch you have a meltdown,¡± Lucas said, propping his chin on his hand with a smirk that was both amused and condescending. ¡°Unless you want me to have security throw you out.

    Ìï

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    14:17 Wed, <b>Sep </b>10

 Blizzard 118

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    ¡°Though getting physically tossed would really be the ultimate humiliation for the Evans family, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Lucas¡¯s most striking feature was his handsome, defiant face, mixed with a reckless, untamable wildness. Right now, that face was lit by a wicked, utterly arrogant grin.

    Despite her rage, Natalie found herself faltering under the force of his looks and his sheer audacity. She couldn¡¯t muster a sufficiently cutting retort. ¡°Fine, Lucas. Just you wait!¡± she finally spat out before storming off in a huff.

    *****

    Time flew by, and soon the day of the Shea family party arrived. On January 27th, under a light fall of snow, preparations were underway at the Shea family¡¯s countryside vi.

    The guest list was so extensive that no hotel could have amodated it, prompting the Sheas to purchase a sprawling estate just outside Hirica specifically for hosting such grand

    events.

    Olivia hadn¡¯t been sleeping welltely and wasn¡¯t feeling her best, so she decided against driving herself. She hailed a rideshare, made a quick stop on Willow Lane to pick up Nina, and then they were on their way to the party vi.

    Their driver was chatty. When he heard the destination Olivia entered, his face lit up with excitement. ¡°Wow, littledy, didn¡¯t expect that!

    ¡°You¡¯re young, but you must be someone important! I heard that a really wealthy family is throwing a huge party there. Only the big shots are getting in.¡±

    Olivia, who preferred <i>to </i>keep a low profile, just shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just going for the free food.¡±

    The driverughed, a hint of scorn returning to his face. ¡°Yeah, that makes more sense. I was thinking you looked a bit young to be some high¨Cflyer.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she casually reached over and felt Nina¡¯s pulse. ¡°You¡¯ve been recovering well these past few days.¡±

    ¡°All thanks to you. I¡¯d be dead otherwise,¡± Nina replied with a grateful smile. Olivia¡¯s medical skills were incredible. After just over ten days of taking her prescribed medicine and a few acupuncture sessions, Nina¡¯s health had improved dramatically.

    ¡°But are you sure it¡¯s okay for me toe?¡± Nina asked, her expression clouding with worry. ¡°I offended the Evans family so badlyst time. Won¡¯t me being with you cause you trouble¡­?¡±

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    Olivia raised an eyebrow, a sly glint in her eyes. ¡°Rx, it¡¯ll be fine. I went to a lot of trouble to get this invitation. I¡¯m taking you along for some fun.¡±

    The Shea vi was stunning, the service impable, and five¨Cstar chefs prepared the food. An event like this was utterly exclusive. The invitation was the only ticket in.

    The guests were all prominent figures from major families, many of whom knew each other and were already mingling and chatting easily.

    Newer faces or those from less established backgrounds mostly drifted around the outer reception areas, making awkward small talk, unable even to gain entry to the main hall where the real event was happening.

    Margaret was among them. She had only managed to get in by clinging to Cheryl¡¯s coattails and didn¡¯t have the status to go further. Still, just being inside this opulent vi was an experience she could brag about for years toe.

    She was busy taking picture after picture on her phone, her face stered with unconcealed vanity. ¡°It¡¯s so magnificent! If only our Cheryl could marry into a ce like this someday.¡±

    ¡°Margaret, please,¡± Henry said from behind her, where Cheryl was helping him walk. ¡°Don¡¯t be so embarrassing. You¡¯re making us look like we¡¯ve never seen anything nice.¡±

    Henry looked at Margaret with utter disdain. ¡®So provincial,¡® he thought. ¡®So utterlycking in

    ss.¡¯

    Too wrapped up in her excitement to detect the sarcasm, Margaret just nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Oh, Henry, it¡¯s all thanks to you. If it weren¡¯t for you, Cheryl and I would never get to see a ce this beautiful!¡±

    Cheryl watched her mother with pure contempt, mortified. After the Evans family received word that they had to reduce their number, William and Margaret had argued fiercely about who would get to go.

    Margaret had won. And now here she was, acting like a wide¨Ceyed country bumpkin. ¡®So embarrassing,¡¯ Cheryl thought.

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    ¡°This is what you deserve, Margaret,¡± Henry said, patting Cheryl¡¯s arm with great satisfaction. ¡°You¡¯ve raised such an exceptional daughter. For my god¨Cgranddaughter Cheryl¡¯s sake alone, I would make sure you were here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, really,¡± Henry sniffed, his expression turning sour. ¡°That one invitation was wasted because of that wretched girl. Otherwise, William could have joined us.¡±

    He scoffed inside, ¡®Just let me cross paths with that insolent little nobody again. I¡¯ll make sure she regrets it.¡®

    Margaret nodded vigorously in agreement. ¡°Don¡¯t let some silly girl ruin your mood, Henry. Today is a wonderful day. But if I see her, trust me, I won¡¯t let her off easy!¡±

    Although the Evans family was well¨Cknown in Hirica, they were ultimately out of their depth here,pletely unustomed to this scale of grandeur and far from having any real connection to the mighty Shea family.

    Today marked Henry¡¯s first exposure to such a scene, though he maintained <i>a </i>facade of cool, unppableposure.

    Cheryl wore a long, cyan¨Cblue gown with a full skirt. Sequins on the delicate tulle sparkled brilliantly under the lights. Her hair was professionally styled, and her makeup was meticulously applied, enhancing her beauty significantly.

    The moment she stepped into the courtyard, all eyes turned toward her, everyone quietly specting about her identity.

    Seeing this, Margaret smiled with deep satisfaction. She had invested a small fortune in Cheryl¡¯s appearance tonight, banking on her daughter making a connection with the Shea family.

    Standing beside Henry, Cheryl maintained a polite smile. Herrge, dewy eyes blinked demurely as she subtly scanned her surroundings.

    The thought of potentially meeting the mysterious Andrew Shea, a figure straight out of the stories, made her heart pound with wild anticipation.

    A significant amount of time had passed, yet the party showed no sign of beginning. The guests were growing restless, murmuring among themselves.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it supposed to start at six? What time is it now?¡±

    ¡°Right? Look, not a single member of the Shea family is here. What could they possibly be doing?¡±

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    ¡°Keep your voice down. This is the Sheas¡® turf, after all.¡±

    Cheryl¡¯s eyes flickered with curiosity at the exchange. The situation was clear. They were waiting for someone. She mused, ¡®But who? Who could be important enough to make the Sheas wait?¡®

    Before she could ponder further, Rowan approached with a smile, leading Natalie by her side. ¡°Henry, finally found you,¡± she said cheerfully, then turned her gaze to Cheryl. ¡°And who is this lovely youngdy?¡±

    ¡°This is Cheryl Sherman, Nathan¡¯s goddaughter,¡± Henry replied warmly. ¡°And that¡¯s her mother, Margaret. I¡¯ve mentioned them before. Consider this a proper introduction.¡±

    Cheryl stepped forward gracefully. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what a delight!¡± Fiona beamed, instantly taken with Cheryl. She pulled Natalie forward gently. ¡°This is my daughter, Natalie. Since you¡¯re Nathan¡¯s goddaughter, I suppose that makes you two almost like sisters.¡±

    Natalie hadn¡¯t been herself since the hospital incident. Her spirits were low. She wore <i>a </i>conservative champagne¨Ccolored gown with a high neckline, paired casually with a shawl. Her expression was weary, and she offered only a polite nod in Cheryl¡¯s direction, saying nothing.

    Lately, she had been gued by nightmares, sleeping fitfully night after night. The dark circles under her eyes were so pronounced that even concealer couldn¡¯t hide them, and her makeup seemed to do little to enhance her appearance.

    Cheryl, ever the social butterfly, immediately showered Natalie withpliments. ¡°Natalie, your gown is absolutely stunning. It suits you perfectly.¡±

    Girls usually enjoyed being praised. Natalie¡¯s mood lifted slightly, and a hint of pride crept into her voice. ¡°Of course. It was custom¨Cmade by a top designer.¡±

    Cheryl continued to tter her skillfully, and within minutes, the two were chatting like old friends.

    Meanwhile, in the third¨Cfloor sitting room, an elderly man dressed in a traditional suit sat with a smile.

    His face was etched with the lines of time, but his eyes, sharp and bright beneath thick eyebrows, sparkled with warmth and kindness.

    ¡°Grandfather, the guests have all arrived. It¡¯s time to go down,¡± Vivian said as she brought him a cup of coffee.

    Winston pushed the cup away irritably. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going. That young woman Jenny

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    mentioned still hasn¡¯t arrived.¡±

    Vivian shook her head helplessly. ¡°Grandfather, she never confirmed she woulde. Keeping everyone waiting like this is impolite. It makes our family seem arrogant.¡±

    ¡°Let them think what they want,¡± Winston retorted, crossing his arms with a dismissive snort. ¡°A Shea family party nevercks for attendees. Those who can¡¯t wait are free to leave. We don¡¯t need them.¡±

    Seeing that the stubborn old man wouldn¡¯t be persuaded, Vivian gave up. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but feel curious about this mysterious girl.

    Winston¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the surveince monitor, scrutinizing every guest who entered. Anyone his usually arrogant grandson found interesting enough to share a meal with was worth his attention.

    If not for this party, that rascal Andrew would never have allowed him toe to Hirica to see the girl for himself.

    It was the middle of the evening rush hour, and the roads were congested. Olivia arrivedte. Most attendees were dressed in evening gowns and tailored suits, making her stand out awkwardly.

    She wore the same ck puffer jacket and light blue jeans, a simple, casual outfit. Nina, who followed behind her, was also dressed for a cold day in a white winter coat, lookingpletely out of ce amid the formal attire.

    A security guard stopped her at the entrance. ¡°Excuse me, may I see your invitation?¡±

    Before Olivia could respond, a mockingugh came from inside. ¡°Well, look who it is. Just some broke college student.¡± It was Natalie who strode over confidently with her arms crossed, followed by Cheryl and a few others.

    Coincidentally, it seemed everyone Olivia had ever crossed paths with or offended was there.

    The guard hesitated. ¡°Do you know thesedies?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re enemies,¡± Olivia replied lightly without even ncing their way.

    ¡°You admit it? How dare you show your face here then?¡± Natalie snapped, irritation shing in her eyes at Olivia¡¯s indifferent attitude. ¡°Are you really trying to scam your way into a Shea family event?

    ¡°Do you even know what kind of ce this is? Or are you just that desperate?¡±

    Natalie had been humiliated by Olivia more than once, and she¡¯d been waiting for a chance to retaliate. Now was her opportunity.

    ¡­

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    Margaret watched with disdain. ¡®Such a wild, uncultured girl,¡® she thought. ¡®Who shows up to an event like this in a worn¨Cout puffer jacket without even a proper dress? Thank goodness we cut ties with her. She would¡¯ve embarrassed the Sherman family name forever.

    ¡°Olivia, why didn¡¯t you wear an evening gown?¡± Cheryl chimed in innocently, blinking as though surprised. ¡°Events like this require formal attire. Dressing like this is just¡­¡± She trailed off, leaving plenty of room for the others to imagine the rest.

    Cheryl knew exactly how to wield words. With just a few phrases, she painted Olivia as a clueless, impoverished student who didn¡¯t belong in high society.

    Natalie jumped back in. ¡°Ha! What would a pauper like her know about upper¨Css etiquette?¡±

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    ¡°Now, Natalie, don¡¯t be too hard on the girl,¡± Henry said with fake concern, though his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

    He mused, ¡°This niece of mine might not be the sharpest, but she never holds back. Even if she can¡¯tpletely crush Olivia, she can sure humiliate her¡®

    ¡°Uncle Henry, you¡¯re so kind. Someone like her doesn¡¯t deserve any sympathy,¡± Natalie shot back, not hiding her disgust. ¡°Just two weeks ago, she humiliated me on the street in front of everyone.¡±

    Cheryl covered her mouth with a lightugh, linking arms with Natalie. She nced

    dismissively at Olivia and sighed softly. ¡°Natalie, don¡¯t waste your energy being upset. I¡¯m sure Olivia didn¡¯t mean any harm¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop right there,¡± Olivia cut in, a mocking smile ying on her lips. ¡°I meant every bit of it.¡± Her challenging gaze shifted to Henry. ¡°So the famous doctor Henry didn¡¯t even realize she had been pressure¨Cpoint sealed? Quite the expert, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    A murmur swept through the crowd. Olivia¡¯s im drew shocked whispers and skeptical

    reactions.

    ¡°Pressure¨Cpoint sealing? Isn¡¯t that something out of a novel?¡±

    ¡°She seems serious, though. Maybe she really knows how.¡±

    ¡°Art imitates life, after all. And Henry¡¯s a renowned doctor. How could he not recognize it?¡±

    Natalie let out a scornfulugh. ¡°You¡¯re just making this up! Pressure points? If it were real, my Uncle Henry would definitely know about it.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s eyes narrowed, her voice cold and clear. ¡°Just because you can¡¯t do it doesn¡¯t mean no one can. A renowned <i>doctor </i>in Hirica who¡¯s never heard of acupoint sealing?<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time <i>to </i>stop calling yourself a miracle healer. How embarrassing.¡± She tilted her head slightly, casting a deliberate look of disdain toward Henry.

    ¡°How dare you! Ridiculous. You¡¯re spouting nonsense,¡± Natalie fumed. ¡°Say that again if you have the guts.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Natalie,¡± Henry interrupted. Though seething inside, he knew making a scene in front of so many people would only shame the Evans family. If Natalie kept shouting, soon everyone would know he was ignorant about pressure¨Cpoint techniques.

    ¡°But-¡± Natalie tried to protest.

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    Henry stroked his beard, forcingposure. ¡°She¡¯s a student supported by the Shermans, after all. Let it go this time out of respect for them. She¡¯s just a young girl saying whateveres to mind.¡±

    He turned to Olivia with a condescending tone. ¡°But child, let me offer some advice: arrogance will only make you enemies.¡±

    The crowd murmured in admiration of Henry¡¯s generosity.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s the renowned physician of Hirica. He¡¯s skilled and magnanimous.¡±

    ¡°Only Henry would be this patient. Anyone else would¡¯ve thrown her out by now.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not even wearing evening attire. Who invited her? Or is she just crashing?¡±

    Olivia deliberately drawled, ¡°Enemies? Sorry, but I¡¯m not exactly short on those.¡±

    Seeing an opportunity, Natalie¡¯s eyes glinted with mischief. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t stop you from making enemies. But looking at you, it¡¯s pretty obvious you weren¡¯t actually invited to this party.¡±

    Margaret instantly caught on and joined in. ¡°Exactly! Why would the Shea family ever invite someone like her? What a joke. I bet she doesn¡¯t even have an invitation. Get out of here.¡±

    The surrounding guests began eyeing Olivia with suspicion and disgust, questioning whether she truly belonged there at all.

    A smug smile spread across Henry¡¯s face. Natalie had done well, making that girl utterly lose face in public.

    Margaret eagerly added fuel to the fire. ¡°How could she possibly have an invitation? She¡¯s young, but she sure loves to pretend.¡± She didn¡¯t even need to think it over. Olivia simply couldn¡¯t have one.

    She thought, ¡®An orphan raised by an old woman? How would someone like her get an invitation to the Shea family¡¯s event? Even the Shermans had only gotten in through our connection with the Evans family!¡®

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be <i>so </i>hard on Olivia,¡± Cheryl interjected, pretending to smooth things over while clearly hinting at something else. ¡°Why not just let security check her invitation?¡±

    Then she turned to Olivia with a faint, mocking smile. ¡°I believe she wouldn¡¯t fake something like that.¡±

    Cheryl didn¡¯t know how Olivia had managed to escape Magnolia Town, but she had no intention of letting her off easily.

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    Several security guards exchanged nces before turning to Olivia and politely asking, ¡°Miss, could you please show us your invitation?¡±

    Olivia knew exactly what they were up to. They thought she had no invitation and wanted to humiliate her. But they had miscalcted. She actually did have one.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Olivia replied calmly, a faint smile ying on her lips as she pulled the invitation from her bag and handed it to the guard.

    The guard took it, scrutinizing it again and again in disbelief. He thought, ¡®This¡­ This can¡¯t

    be¡­¡®

    Natalie hadn¡¯t expected Olivia to actually produce an invitation, but judging by the guard¡¯s reaction, she quickly guessed the truth. It must be fake.

    She let out a scornfulugh. ¡°See? I knew you couldn¡¯t possibly have a real invitation. You actually made a fake one? How pathetic!¡±

    ¡°Natalie, no need to be so harsh. Kind words lead to kind oues,¡± Henry said, putting on a magnanimous act. ¡°Youngdy, if you¡¯re in a difficult position, you could have just said so. Forging an invitation is going too far.¡±

    He continued condescendingly, ¡°If you really want to go in, you could¡¯ve asked me. I¡¯m not like those petty elders. If you beg me, I might have brought you in with me.¡±

    His words were met with murmurs and judgmental whispers throughout the crowd.

    ¡°She actually faked it? How bold. And at the Shea family¡¯s event, no less.¡±

    ¡°Henry is so generous. Even after all this, he¡¯s still willing to help her.¡±

    Olivia was growing impatient. She turned coldly to the guards. ¡°Haven¡¯t you finished checking?¡±

    The guards snapped back to attention. They bowed deeply three times and respectfully gestured for her to enter. ¡°Our apologies, miss. We failed to recognize an honored guest. Please,e in.¡±

    One of them quickly spoke into his earpiece, ¡°Attention all units. VIP guest arriving. Prepare for the reception immediately.¡±

    The entire crowd froze. The guards¡® actions felt like sharp ps across every doubting face in

    the room.

    A security guard in sunsses politely handed Olivia a cup of ginger tea. ¡°It¡¯s cold out. You¡¯ve had a long journey. Please enjoy this warm tea. A dedicated attendant will escort you inside shortly. If there¡¯s anything you need, just let me know.¡±

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    The other guards nodded earnestly, though inwardly they were trembling. That was a VIP invitation. Only one of fewer than five was issued.

    Unlike the standard invitations, this type bore the Shea family¡¯s unique insignia, recognizable only to insiders. It was specifically designed to stand apart from ordinary invites.

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    Standard invitations were sent out by the Shea family¡¯s assistants, but VIP invitations were personally distributed by members of the family themselves.

    And judging by the handwriting on this one, it appeared to be from Winston himself. Though none of the guards knew who Olivia was, they were certain of one thing: if they failed to let her in, their careers would be over.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Olivia replied calmly. She epted the tea and took a sip, feeling the chill around her fade slightly. ¡°There is one more thing.¡±

    ¡°Please let us know. We¡¯ll take care of it immediately!¡± The guards stood at attention, backs straight.

    ¡°Get a cup for this youngdy as well.¡± Olivia gently pulled Nina forward. Nina had only recently started feeling better, and after standing so long in the cold, she needed something

    warm.

    The guard promptly obeyed, serving Nina a cup of ginger tea.

    It was only then that Henry got a clear look at Nina¡¯s face. ¡®How is she still alive?¡® he wondered. No one survived after being poisoned by the Evans family.

    Henry thought, ¡®And yet here she was, not only alive but standing with that wretched girl!¡® A sense of foreboding crept over him.

    When he looked up, he met Olivia¡¯s sharp, knowing eyes. She smiled back at him, a hint of mockery in her expression. Henry¡¯s face darkened. He still couldn¡¯t believe her invitation was real.

    Olivia thought to herself, ¡®It seems that patient of mine can be useful sometimes, giving me a VIP invite. I¡¯ll have <i>to </i>thank him properly when I get back.¡¯

    The other guests watched in stunned silence. When they had entered, these guards had acted aloof and superior. Everyone knew the Shea family was notoriously proud, even their security

    team.

    Calling them ¡°security¡± was almost an understatement. They were more like a small special ops unit with each member retired from elite covert forces. They called themselves security mostly to avoid drawing too much attention.

    The guests thought, ¡®And yet, this very team was treating Olivia with such respect? It was unbelievable!¡®

    Olivia adjusted her backpack and prepared to enter through the VIP passage the guards had

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    opened. Grandma Grace had specifically reminded her not to draw too much attention. Besides, arguing with these people wasn¡¯t why she was here.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Margaret shouted, unwilling to let Olivia enter. ¡°Are you sure you looked closely? Is that invitation really genuine?¡± She thought, ¡®How could someone like Olivia possibly get a real invitation?¡®

    Cheryl felt embarrassed and gently tugged at her mother¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Mom, let it go. This is the Shea family¡¯s event.¡± She wasn¡¯t worried about Olivia. She was worried Margaret¡¯s behavior would anger the Sheas and get them all thrown out.

    Margaret snapped back to reality at Cheryl¡¯s reminder. She was so used to throwing her weight around that she¡¯d almost forgotten where she was.

    But Natalie wasn¡¯t nearly as sharp. Convinced Olivia¡¯s invitation was fake, she turned on the guards. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? She¡¯s a fraud! How could you just let her in?¡±

    The security team was growing impatient, though they maintained a professional demeanor.

    ¡°Say something! Why won¡¯t you speak? I get it. She must have paid you off. This is all an act,¡± Natalie sneered,pletely missing the lead guard¡¯s darkening expression.

    ¡°Miss, if you continue like this, I will have to ask you to leave,¡± the guard said, his voice cold.

    Natalie scoffed. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like¡ª¡±

    Henry quickly mped a hand over her mouth, afraid she¡¯d say something even worse. This was the Shea family¡¯s territory. If they decided to take action, getting kicked out would be the least of their worries.

    The lead guard cleared his throat and addressed the crowd. ¡°If anyone else causes trouble on Shea family grounds, there will be consequences.¡± Then he turned to Olivia with a respectful smile. ¡°Please, go ahead.¡±

    Olivia nodded. She cast a nce toward Margaret and remarked lightly, ¡°I don¡¯t think that woman should be allowed inside<i>,¡± </i>

    The guards immediately moved to block Margaret as she tried to enter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. You are not permitted entry.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing? I have an invitation.¡± Margaret sputtered furiously. ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡±

    ¡°Escort her out,¡± the head guard ordered with a wave. Several guards promptly lifted Margaret off her feet and carried her away.

    ¡°Mr. Evans!¡± Margaret cried, hoping he would intervene on her behalf.

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    But Henry wanted nothing to do with her. He straightened up and said sternly, ¡°Margaret, I warned you about your sharp tongue. You should¡¯ve been more respectful. I can¡¯t help you now. You brought this on yourself.¡±

    Margaret¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She thought, ¡®Henry is Cheryl¡¯s god¨Cgrandfather! How could he abandon me like this?¡®

    She huffed, ¡®My family had spent small fortunes currying favor with the Evans family, sending gifts, donations, everything to build that connection. And now, just like that, I am cast aside?¡®

    Margaret tried to shout again, but a guard covered her mouth, silencing herpletely.

    Cheryl watched her mother being dragged away, her voice trembling as she turned to Henry. ¡°Grandpa Henry, my mother, she¡ª¡±

    ¡°Be quiet!¡± Henry snapped, anger shing in his eyes. Those two had nearly ruined

    everything. He was beginning to wonder whether making Nathan Cheryl¡¯s godfather had been a mistake.

    Without another nce in their direction, Olivia took Nina¡¯s arm and walked calmly into the vi.

    The scene of Margaret being removed served as a stark warning to everyone present: crossing the Shea family was not an option.

    Margaret was, after all, a respected member of the Sherman family, and yet she¡¯d been publicly humiliated and thrown out. After witnessing that, no one dared disrespect Olivia again. From that moment on, everyone chose their words very, very carefully.

    Henry¡¯s expression remained dark throughout the ordeal. If this hadn¡¯t been the Shea family¡¯s territory, he would never have tolerated such humiliation. But this was Kingtonelle, and the Shea family held power far beyond what he could challenge.

    ¡°Her invitation¡­ How could it have been real?¡± he muttered, unable to let it <ol><li>go. </li></ol>

    Cheryl bit her lip, the first to regain herposure. ¡°Grandpa Henry, whether her invitation was real or fake isn¡¯t the point. What matters is where she got it.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t believe he was still hung up on the invitation¡¯s authenticity. The real question was how Olivia had obtained it. The Shea family¡¯s security wasn¡¯t made up of amateurs. They wouldn¡¯t have mistaken a fake.

    Outside, Margaret stood shivering in the bitter winter cold. She had worn a low¨Cback evening gown for the party, and when she was dragged out, she hadn¡¯t been able to grab her clutch or

    coat.

    ¡­

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    Now, freezing and humiliated, she couldn¡¯t help but regret her choice. She thought, ¡®If only I had worn a down jacket like Olivia, I might not have been so cold¡­¡®

    Rubbing her hands together, she approached the two guards at the entrance with an awkward smile. ¡°Hey, could you let me back in to grab my coat? It¡¯s seriously freezing out here¡­¡±

    ¡°No,¡± one of the guards replied tly, without a hint of emotion. ¡°Anyone expelled by the Shea family is not permitted re¨Centry.¡±

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    Margaret¡¯sposure cracked. ¡°Are you trying to freeze me to death?¡±

    The guards remained unmoved, their expressions cold and detached.

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    Seeing that they wouldn¡¯t budge, Margaret gave up. She crouched in a corner, rubbing her arms vigorously to keep warm, and muttered under her breath, ¡°Cheryl has <i>to</i>¡­ has to make me proud!¡±

    ¡°Just wait¡­ wait until my daughter catches the eye of Andrew Shea¡­ bes the young mistress of the house¡­ Let¡¯s see who¡¯ll dare look down on me then!¡±

    Her voice was low, but it carried just enough for the two guards to hear. They thought, ¡®Did we hear that right? Her daughter, catching Andrew¡¯s eye? And bing the young mistress of the Shea family?¡®

    They exchanged a nce, sizing up Margaret¡¯s appearance and mentally picturing what her daughter might look like. They shook their heads in unison.

    Unless Andrew had gone blind, there was no way he would ever be interested in this woman¡¯s daughter. They thought, ¡®Why did we have to hear such nonsense? It is downright unbearable.

    Back inside, Henry, still seething from the public humiliation, urged impatiently, ¡°Stop staring. Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    Cheryl cast onest reluctant nce in Margaret¡¯s direction before following Henry inside. She was determined <i>to </i>win over Andrew Shea. Once she did, no one would ever dare look down on her again.

    The grand party hall was bustling with energy, brilliantly lit, with guests holding crystal sses, chatting in small groups. An enormous chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the entire room.

    Every time a new guest arrived, the attendant at the door would announce their name and affiliation. When Olivia entered, the announcement of ¡°Ms. Summers¡± drew everyone¡¯s attention.

    It wasn¡¯t because Olivia was particrly important, but because she was an anomaly. Every other guest present belonged to a powerful family, except for Olivia, who had arrived alone, with no family backing.

    Almost in unison, the crowd chose to ignore her. No one stepped forward to speak to her. Some even deliberately kept their distance when she approached.

    In their eyes, a young woman with no family connections wasn¡¯t worth associating with.

    14:18 Wed<b>, </b>Sep 10

    Besides, she was the only one not wearing evening attire. Her status was obvious.

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    Henry, who entered right after Olivia, immediatelymanded the room¡¯s attention. Men and women alike swarmed him, eager to curry favor. ¡°Mr. Evans, long time no see! We didn¡¯t actually think you¡¯de.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, an invitation from the Shea family. I had to stop by and see what¡¯s up,¡± Henry replied, a smile finally returning to his face. The dignity he¡¯d lost outside was swiftly being restored.

    He worked the room with Natalie and Cheryl in tow, his smile widening whenever he spotted Olivia isted and ignored on the sidelines. Just as I knew, he thought smugly, that sharp- tongued little brat wouldn¡¯t be weed anywhere.

    Olivia, for her part, couldn¡¯t have cared less. She led Nina over to wander near the buffet tables. Andrew had chosen his caterers well. The spread wasvish. A long table wasden with dishes: salmon sashimi, chocte mousse, Boston lobster¡­

    Olivia picked out a few items, found a spot for her and Nina to sit, and got ready to eat.

    ¡°Olivia¡­ Is it okay if I eat this?¡± Nina asked, her voice still timid. She had never in her life been to a party like this and was being overly cautious, terrified of embarrassing Olivia.

    ¡°Of course you can. We¡¯re already here. Might as well get our money¡¯s worth in food,¡± Olivia said, popping a piece of chocte mousse into her mouth. She then shook her head. ¡°This cake is pretty mediocre, though.¡±

    Suddenly, a familiar voice grumbled nearby. ¡°Yeah, yeah, Grandpa, I got it. I¡¯ll find the girl, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll keep an eye on her for you, alright?¡±

    Olivia looked up. The speaker was none other than Lucas. A ck diamond stud gleamed in his ear, and he wore a ck leather jacket.

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    A cigarette smoldered between his fingers, and he was scrolling through his phone with his other hand, a look of pure annoyance on his face.

    He thought, ¡®My grandfather must be seriously bored,¡® he thought, ¡®sending me here to babysit his friend¡¯s granddaughter. Since when is this kind of errand my job?¡®

    Then he spotted Olivia from across the room. He immediately stubbed out his cigarette and strode over, plopping down beside her, his face now lit up with excitement.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned! Olivia? What are you doing at a ce like this? This is a first. Since when do you bother with this stuffy family functions?¡± He shed a friendly grin at Nina. ¡°Hey there, kiddo.¡±

    Nina gave a hesitant nod, somehow feeling a sense of fear around this overly familiar man.

    Olivia responded with a nonchnt, ¡°Came for the food,¡± as she cut off another piece of steak and ate it.

    ¡°Is it really that good?¡± Lucas sounded skeptical but picked up a piece of tempura and tried it. His eyes instantly widened. ¡°Whoa, okay, you¡¯re right. This is actually amazing!¡±

    Olivia just rolled her eyes at him and couldn¡¯t be bothered to engage.

    Getting eye¨Crolled by her didn¡¯t faze Lucas one bit. This was his boss, through and through, unimpressed by everything.

    He remembered when he¡¯d first met her, he could barely believe it. He then thought, ¡®How could the legendary figure who dominates every field she touches be a neen¨Cyear¨Cold girl?¡®

    It had taken him a long time to ept that fact, and his loyalty to her was now absolute.

    He thought, ¡®But wait, didn¡¯t she say she won¡¯t take the Shea family job? So why is she here all of a sudden? Could it be¡­ she is actually broke?¡®

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Olivia wiped her mouth and nced at Lucas.

    Her question snapped him back to reality. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Seeing you got me so excited, I nearly blew off my grandpa¡¯s mission! He told me to find his friend¡¯s granddaughter and look out for her, make sure she doesn¡¯t get bullied.¡±

    Lucas rubbed his temples, exasperated. ¡°I mean,e on, me? The third son of the Grant family, ying babysitter for a little girl? It¡¯s so beneath me!¡±

    A sly smile touched the corner of Olivia¡¯s mouth. ¡°Would this friend of your grandfather¡¯s¡­

    ¡­

    happen to have thest name Lane?¡±

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    ¡°Holy, Boss, you¡¯re psychic! How did you know that?¡± Lucas pped his hands in amazement, then stopped, a thought striking him. ¡°Wait a second, how do you know that?¡±

    ¡°Unless¡­¡± Lucas¡¯s gaze swept over to Nina, who was sipping her drink quietly. His eyes widened with sudden certainty. ¡°It¡¯s you! You¡¯re the granddaughter, right?¡±

    Nina visibly froze mid¨Csip. Before she could even form a denial, Olivia let out a soft sigh. ¡°It¡¯s

    me.¡±

    Now it was Lucas¡¯s turn to be stunned. His hand hung motionless in the air. He thought, ¡®My grandfather asked me to take care of¡­ my boss? Oh god, the things I just said¡­¡®

    Lucas immediately sped his hands together and bowed his head toward Olivia three times in a quick, apologetic gesture. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m so sorry. Please forgive me!¡±

    Olivia lifted her eyeszily and couldn¡¯t be bothered to make a big deal out of it.

    ¡°But, uh,¡± Lucas began, his voice trembling slightly, ¡°I think Grace probably told you to, you know, keep a low profile¡­¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t I been low¨Ckey enough?¡± Olivia retorted, pointing at her outfit. This down jacket was literally the cheapest item in her closet.

    Lucas immediately backpedaled. ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ I mean, you¡¯re maybe a little too low¨Ckey.¡±

    ¡°For an event like this, everyone¡¯s supposed to be in formal wear. Look, even I got strong- armed by my grandpa into wearing a suit.¡± He gestured vaguely at his own attire.

    ¡°Since when,¡± Olivia said, raising an eyebrow, ¡°do you get to have an opinion about what I wear? I¡¯ll wear whatever I want.¡±

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    ¡®It¡¯s cold in winter. Shouldn¡¯t I be wearing a down jacket? Do I have to dress as lightly as they do in a thin gown?¡® Olivia thought to herself.

    ¡°Olivia, I was wrong,¡± Lucas apologized again, bowing respectfully.

    ¡®I must have been out of my mind toment on Olivia¡¯s attire,¡® Lucas thought.

    The young man following Lucas noticed his strange behavior and, puzzled, quickly approached. ¡°Lucas, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    It was Mitchell Grant, the youngest son of the Grant family.

    Mitchell, though young, was dressed in a simple, basic suit. His bangs fluttered gently, and his clear eyes gave him a gentlemanly, elegant, and innocent look.

    ¡°Shut up, Mitchell¡ª¡± Lucas grabbed Mitchell and gave him a mock chokehold.

    Mitchell immediately pleaded for mercy. ¡°I¡¯m wrong, Lucas. I can¡¯t breathe.¡±

    After escaping from Lucas¡¯s grip, Mitchell noticed Olivia and Nina. He looked at them curiously. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¨CIt¡¯s¡ªGrandpa¡¯s friend¡¯s granddaughter,¡± Lucas straightened his sleeves, maintaining a calm expression. ¡°This is Olivia.¡±

    Lucas was excited to see Olivia, but in front of others, he still had to help conceal her mysterious identity.

    Mitchell¡¯s eyes twinkled. He scratched his bangs and gave a greasy smile. ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m Mitchell Grant. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    Olivia nced at Lucas and tilted her head. ¡°Is he your younger brother?¡±

    Mitchell covered Lucas¡¯s mouth to stop him from speaking and smiled even more greasily, ¡°Don¡¯t rush to reject me. Give me a chance to get to know you.

    ¡°I have a wide range of hobbies¨Cviolin, sketching, racing, I can do anything. Or, whatever you like, I can learn-¡±

    Before Mitchell could finish, Lucas covered his mouth.

    ¡®Does Mitchell even know who he¡¯s talking to? Shut up, Lucas thought.

    Lucas gave an awkward smile to Olivia. ¡°He¡¯s just joking. Don¡¯t mind him.¡±

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    Lucas turned and pped Mitchell¡¯s head hard. ¡°Kid, I told you to watch less of those greasy soap operas. And now you¡¯re imitating him? How embarrassing.¡±

    Although Mitchell was young, he loved watching soap operas, especially one featuring a greasy male actor.

    No matter how much Lucas tried to stop or dissuade him, Mitchell would still watch.

    ¡°I-¡± Mitchell began.

    Seeing that Mitchell was about to cause more trouble, Lucas quickly grabbed him and whispered, ¡°Keep a low profile. Everyone around us is watching. I¡¯m warning you not to cause any trouble.¡±

    Mitchell shrugged. ¡°So what? What kind of waves can I make? They¡¯re all businessmen, talking about business. I really don¡¯t know why you insisted on bringing me here.¡±

    ¡°Fool, Grandpa must have a reason for bringing you, and you¡¯re stillining,¡± Lucas said.

    Olivia shook her head helplessly as she watched the bickering pair.

    These were the two most notorious good¨Cfor¨Cnothings in Hirica. Often, Lucas would start trouble, and Mitchell would make it worse.

    Neither of them was willing to take over the family business, always thinking of ways to escape their fate. They were theughingstock of the entire Hirica family circle.

    Olivia shook her head, closed her eyes, and couldn¡¯t see a future for the Grant family.

    ¡®Mr. Grant¡¯s two grandsons are really useless. I feel so sorry for him,¡® Olivia thought.

    *****

    Natalie and Cheryl clinked their cocktails together.

    Cheryl smiled slightly and raised her ss, ¡°Natalie, thanks to the Evans family, I¡¯m able to be here. Thank you.¡±

    A hint of pride flickered in Natalie¡¯s eyes as she took a gentle sip of her drink. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. We¡¯re friends. Just enjoy yourself.¡±

    The next moment, Natalie turned and went to chat with another heiress,pletely ignoring Cheryl.

    Cheryl had just returned and didn¡¯t know any of the heiresses in this aristocratic circle.

    Upon watching Natalie¡¯s retreating back, Cheryl¡¯s eyes were filled with disgust, and her lips

    curled downward.

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    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for wanting to climb the socialdder with the help of the Evans family, I wouldn¡¯t be ttering Natalic. Who does Natalie think she is? She¡¯s just a bit better off at birth,¡® Cheryl thought.

    Though Cheryl thought this way, she quickly wiped the contempt off her face. She gracefully sipped her cocktail and pasted on her elegant smile, just as usual.

    Cheryl was quite good¨Clooking. With the dress entuating her features, she looked quite beautiful and attracted a lot of attention.

    Gradually, people began to approach her to chat and make small talk. When asked who she was, Cheryl would vaguely mention that she hade in with the Evans family, which helped her maintain her precarious dignity.

    Cheryl knew that the Sherman family was not impressive in this context. ¡®Everyone here is a prominent figure. I don¡¯t want to embarrass myself,¡® Cheryl thought.

    Soon, Cheryl also noticed themotion around Olivia. She quickly moved to Henry¡¯s side and lowered her voice. ¡°Grandpa Henry, are the two people chatting with her there nning to help her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them before. I don¡¯t know who they are,¡± Cheryl said pitifully, biting her lip gently, her voice conveying her helplessness and vulnerability.

    Seeing Cheryl¡¯s frailty, Henry was filled withpassion. He patted Cheryl¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Those two good¨Cfor¨Cnothings won¡¯t be able to cause much trouble.¡±

    ¡°Just the two good¨Cfor¨Cnothing sons of the Grant family.¡± Henry raised his eyebrows, gesturing to the right. ¡°The truly powerful people in Hirica are over there. The ckwell family, the Granger family, and Simon. Curtis ckwell controls severalpanies.¡±

    ¡°Although Simon hasn¡¯t made much of a name for himself, he is good¨Clooking.¡± Henry changed the subject. ¡°And he mentions you every day.¡±

    Cheryl bit her lip coquettishly, a blush creeping up her cheeks. ¡°Grandpa Henry, stop teasing me. Simon and I are just friends.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t mention it,¡± Henry said understandingly. ¡°I know you¡¯re beautiful and have many admirers. But why not consider Simon? Look, his eyes haven¡¯t left you for a second. As for the Grant family? They pose no real threat.¡±

    Henry¡¯s eyes grew cold at the mention of the Grant family.

    The Grant family had always been inpetition with the Evans family in the medical field

    ¡­

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    and other industries, but they had always been second to the Evans family.

    They were rivals by fate.

    When the Shadow Syndicate ordered a boycott of the Evans family, the Grant family was visibly delighted. Lucas even went so far as to hire fireworks to celebrate, which infuriated Henry.

    But Henry wasn¡¯t worried. The Evans family had Revival Grass, an important ingredient for the Refreshing Pill, the only medicine that could save Andrew.

    Even if the Shadow Syndicate was powerful, Henry wasn¡¯t afraid.

    Now, the Grant family had actually stooped to associating with a con artist student.

    ¡®They can¡¯t even find a good patron as we can,¡® Henry thought.

    The Shea family had strict rules, and guests needed to register their identity information.

    Mitchell chewed on the pen cap and turned to Olivia. ¡°Olivia, whose family are you from? I¡¯ll help you fill it out and submit it to the Shea family.¡±

    Olivia thought for a moment, about to speak, when she was interrupted.

    ¡°Who do we have here? The fake heiress who was kicked out by the Sherman family,¡± a voice

    rang out.

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    The voice was so loud that the entire venue heard it.

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    Cheryl¡¯s face turned pale with fear. She was desperate to distance herself from Olivia, not wanting anyone to know that she had once been the Sherman family¡¯s adopted daughter.

    Who on earth exposed Olivia¡¯s identity?¡® Cheryl wondered.

    The speaker was none other than Simon, the heir of the Evans family.

    Simon looked at Olivia and sneered. ¡°It seems that even nobodies can now attend the Shea family¡¯s parties.¡±

    Then, Simon nced at Lucas and Mitchell, his disdain almost dripping off him.

    Simon let out a cold snort. ¡°Has the Grant family sunk so low that they consort with a fake like her?¡±

    ¡°Out of the kindness of my heart, considering we all grew up together, I¡¯m warning you two to stay away from this imposter. Be careful not to be ruined by her,¡± Simon red at Olivia viciously.

    ¡°In order to cling to her status as the Sherman family¡¯s heiress, she tampered with Cheryl¡¯s DNA. And you dare to associate with such a venomous woman?¡± he added.

    Cheryl¡¯s fists clenched tightly, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

    Olivia had never tampered with her DNA. It was Cheryl herself who had done it, in order to frame Olivia and drive her out of the Sherman residence.

    Cheryl wanted to ensure that she was the only heiress of the Sherman family.

    Later, to gain Simon¡¯s sympathy, Cheryl had exaggerated a lot. As a result, Simon came to

    hate Olivia.

    Cheryl hadn¡¯t expected this fool to blurt it all out.

    Henry was unaware of these details. He frowned slightly and stared at Cheryl. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Didn¡¯t your parents say she was a poor student they were sponsoring? How did she be the Sherman family¡¯s adopted daughter?¡±

    Cheryl hung her head low, her voice filled with grievance. ¡°Actually-¡±

    ¡°Actually, what?¡± Henry was somewhat displeased and questioned Cheryl. ¡°Are you saying your parents lied to me?¡±

    Cheryl¡¯s mind raced, and she quickly came up with an exnation.

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    ¡°My parents did adopt her for a while, but her behavior was so bad that they decided to give

    her up.

    ¡°But my mother, being kind¨Chearted, felt sorry for the poor girl and decided to sponsor her education.¡± Cheryl¡¯s fingertips twisted the corner of her dress involuntarily, and her nose twitched slightly.

    ¡°Grandpa Henry, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s my fault. I should have told you sooner,¡± she added.

    Cheryl even began to sob slightly; her act of ying the victim was very convincing.

    Henry¡¯s heart softened a bit, and he no longer scolded her harshly. He put his arm around her shoulders andforted her softly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not ming you. Now that I know<i>, </i>it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Cheryl gradually stopped crying after getting away with it.

    Now things wereplicated. With Simon exposing her connection to Olivia, she was bound to have <i>a </i>lot of trouble in the future.

    ¡®Hopefully, Simon will make things difficult for Olivia, so she¡¯ll know when to quit and stay away,¡¯ Cheryl thought.

    Mitchell, who was always quick to react and couldn¡¯t stand Simon¡¯s arrogant attitude, was even more intolerant now that Simon had insulted Olivia. Rolling up his sleeves, Mitchell was about to go and punch him.

    ¡°Simon, you son of bitch, I can¡¯t stand your shameless doing,¡± Mitchell passionately spoke out. ¡°I make friends based on character, not background. Whoever she is, I¡¯m making friends with

    her.¡±

    ¡°What about the Sherman family? The Evans family? I don¡¯t care about any of them,¡± Mitchell added.

    Simon looked bewildered and let out a coldugh. ¡°Mitchell, have you gone mad? You¡¯re rushing to befriend a girl who was kicked out by the Sherman family?¡±

    The Sherman family had expelled the fake heiress.

    At that, the people present were stunned for a moment.

    They had never heard of the Sherman family having an adopted daughter.

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    Although the Sherman family was small and had little influence, information circted within the circle. They only knew that the Sherman family had always had a daughter, but nothing more.

    Then<i>, </i>pointing at Cheryl and raising his voice, Simon said, ¡°The true miss of the Sherman family is her.¡±

    Instantly, all eyes were on Cheryl.

    ¡°Ah, so she¡¯s from the Sherman family. I thought she was the heiress of some prestigious family. Turns out the Sherman family is such a small one.¡±

    ¡°She just imed she came in with the Evans family. I thought she was something special, but it turns out she¡¯s from the Sherman family.¡±

    ¡°Why are you all so clueless? She¡¯s the true heiress of the Sherman family, which makes her better than that fake one who got kicked out, right?¡±

    ¡°How can you call her a fake? If the Sherman family adopted and then abandoned her, shouldn¡¯t you be criticizing the Sherman family instead? Pfft, they had their own daughter and forgot about their adopted one.¡±

    The guests¡® opinions on the matter were mixed, with Cheryl¡¯s face flushing red and then pale.

    She was grateful to Simon for rifying her identity, but at the same time, she thought he was meddling.

    Today¡¯s attendees were all from prominent families, and the Sherman family was not impressive at all. Revealing her identity like this was just causing her trouble.

    Simon¡¯s gaze finally fell on Olivia, and upon recognizing her face, he clenched his fists again.

    ¡®Was Olivia always this beautiful? No, I like Cheryl now; I have to help Cheryl, Simon thought. ¡®Logically, Olivia shouldn¡¯t have been able to get in. How did she manage to enter, and who brought her in?¡®

    Faced with skepticism and disdain, Olivia sat calmly, leisurely eating her cake.

    Inside the hall, the chatter of the crowd continued.

    ¡°So she is the adopted daughter of the Sherman family? If she¡¯s an adopted daughter, why is she so down and out? She¡¯s still quite beautiful, but her demeanor and behavior-¡±

    ¡°I actually heard that Mr. Evans had a crush on a girl before. I wonder if it¡¯s this girl?¡±

    <b></b>)

    ¡°It could very well be. Looking at her, I¡¯d be tempted, too.¡±

    ¡°She even resembles that very popr movie star from twenty years ago.¡±

    Simon was taken aback by the conversations in the crowd.

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    ¡®What? How could this be? Shouldn¡¯t they be criticizing her? Why is it turning into a discussion about me?¡® he thought.

    Olivia had a disdainful smile on her lips, staring straight at Simon. ¡°Mr. Evans, I heard you had a crush on me?¡±

    Simon was instantly struck, ring at Olivia. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. I wouldn¡¯t be interested in someone like you.¡±

    Back in middle school, during the age when Simon first started to develop romantic feelings, he had a crush on Olivia.

    But that was many years ago. He was still young at the time.

    ¡°I remember I rejected you,¡± Olivia didn¡¯t care whether he admitted it or not. Teasing members of the Evans family had be her new hobby.

    ¡°Was I not clear enough, or is there something wrong with your brain that you can¡¯t understand?¡± she sneered.

    Olivia¡¯s eyes sparkled with a provocative air spreading in the atmosphere.

    Simon took a deep breath to steady himself. ¡°Stop talking nonsense. I¡¯m the heir of the Evans family, and I wouldn¡¯t like someone like you.¡±

    He said while gazing tenderly at Cheryl, ¡°I only have feelings for the true heiress of the Sherman family.¡±

    ¡®I can clearly distinguish who is more important between a poor orphan and a Sherman family heiress,¡¯ Simon thought.

    The chatter in the crowd grew louder.

    Lucas couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and was about to get up and punch this shameless guy.

    As Lucas started to rise, Olivia held him back.

    ¡°Simon, don¡¯t you have a mirror at home?¡± Olivia looked up at him.

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    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lucas asked, puzzled.

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    ¡°Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. You¡¯re being narcissistic<i>,</i><i>¡± </i>Olivia said, sizing him up and down with a click of her tongue. ¡°I like good¨Clooking people. You, on the other hand, are hard to describe.¡±

    What Olivia meant was that Simon was unattractive and didn¡¯t meet her standards.

    Lucas was the first to burst into derisiveughter.

    Setting aside other aspects, Simon¡¯s appearance was far from appealing.

    Simon took after his father, with an average and somewhat plump look, making him quite ordinary.

    Yet Simon was extremely confident, with a particr fondness for beautiful women.

    People in the hall began to turn against him one after another.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Mr. Evans does look quite ordinary,¡± someonemented.

    ¡°He¡¯s just trying to bring her down because he can¡¯t have her,¡± another added.

    ¡°Simon is just like his father, a yboy. Clearly, he couldn¡¯t get this pretty girl, and now he wants to embarrass her,¡± someone else chimed in.

    Compared to Olivia, they liked Simon even less.

    Simon was instantly embarrassed, his facial expression freezing, and he looked at Olivia in disbelief. ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    Everyone else had told him he had the makings of a movie star, but Olivia actually said he was ugly.

    ¡°She said you¡¯re ugly,¡± Lucas taunted, exining for Olivia. ¡°Not only are you ugly, but you¡¯re also narcissistic. The Evans family is really beyond help.¡±

    ¡°Lucas, you-¡± Simon was so angry that he trembled all over and couldn¡¯t speak.

    Henry¡¯s face changed dramatically.

    Cheryl also frowned,

    ¡®What¡¯s going on? At this moment, Simon should be the one being praised, and Olivia should

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    be the one too humiliated to speak. Why has it turned around? This isn¡¯t right,¡¯ she wondered.

    Olivia continued to stoke the fire. ¡°Mr. Evans, I still remember how you used to wait at our ssroom door every day, begging me to give you a second nce.¡±

    ¡°You were like chewing gum that I just couldn¡¯t get rid of,¡± Olivia said with a look of disgust. ¡°It was extremely annoying.¡±

    Then, Olivia nced at Cheryl. ¡°As for the DNA switch, you know the truth.¡±

    Cheryl swallowed hard, her face pale.

    ¡®Olivia wouldn¡¯t really say it, would she? No way, no one would believe her. She has no evidence, Cheryl wondered.

    So Cheryl, with her eyes slightly red, looked at Olivia with an air of grievance. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯ve misunderstood me. It¡¯s not what you think-¡±

    Seeing Olivia about to shift the me to Cheryl, Simon immediately stepped in front of Cheryl, as if to protect his girlfriend.

    ¡°Take it out on me, not Cheryl,¡± Simon said, looking down at Olivia. ¡°It was you who harmed Cheryl. The truth? Don¡¯t pretend.¡±

    Cheryl was genuinely afraid that Simon would cause trouble, so she quickly stepped forward, grabbed Simon, and pretended to be magnanimous. ¡°Forget it, Simon. Olivia¡¯s had a tough time. It¡¯s okay if I suffer. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    With that, Cheryl dragged Simon away.

    Mitchell rolled his eyes. ¡°Simon must be blind. Can¡¯t he see she¡¯s acting?¡±

    ¡°People in love aren¡¯t rational,¡± Lucas shrugged, turning to look at Olivia. ¡°Olivia, you really have mellowed out. You let someone like him off the hook?¡±

    ¡°Just a pre¨Capocalyptic party,¡± Olivia said with a half¨Csmile.

    Thinking of what was about to happen, Lucas quietly gave Olivia a thumbs¨Cup. ¡®Olivia is really something, he wondered.

    Mitchell, not understanding, asked in confusion, ¡°Lucas, why do you respect Olivia so much?¡±

    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Lucas replied, flicking him on the forehead.

    Seeing his grandson¡¯s reputation tarnished in public, Henry couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and stepped forward to defend him. ¡°Simon is the only grandchild and future heir of the Evans family. I don¡¯t know what gives you the right to look down on him.

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    ¡°The Evans family is prominent in Hirica and won¡¯t tolerate such contempt. Or is it that with the Grant family backing you, you think you can do whatever you want?¡±

    Henry¡¯s words were quite skillful.

    In one fell swoop, he brought the Grant family into the spotlight, hinting to everyone to take

    sides.

    Those guests who were not as prominent as the Evans family dared not whisper anymore. Henry was clearly establishing his authority, and they couldn¡¯t afford to offend him.

    The pretty young girl was in for a tough time.

    Olivia casually rubbed her temples, looking indifferent.

    Mitchell sensed the tension in the air and looked at Olivia, who had offended the Evans family. ¡°Olivia, aren¡¯t you scared?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of with a bunch of clowns?¡± Lucas spoke up for her before Olivia could say anything.

    Today, they would witness Olivia¡¯s tactics.

    Olivia gave

    Lucas an approving look; he was finally showing some progress.

    The drama in the hall hadn¡¯t ended yet when a heartyugh came from the second floor.

    ¡°Apologies for the wait, everyone. I extend my apologies on behalf of the Shea family.¡± Vivian, dressed in a dark red gown, walked to the center, exuding confidence and elegance.

    She picked up the microphone. ¡°Wee to the Shea family party. Your presence is an honor for us.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± Olivia raised an eyebrow.

    Lucas patiently exined, ¡°She¡¯s Vivian Shea, the daughter of the first branch of the Shea family. Her parents passed away, and she waster adopted by Andrew¡¯s father and grew up with Andrew. Though they¡¯re not blood siblings, they have a great rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate her. She¡¯s the number one criminal profiler in Clusia and has solved many major criminal cases. Back when Andrew was still growing into his role, the Shea Group was managed solely by her.¡±

    Lucas added, shuddering involuntarily as he looked at her, ¡°Moreover, her methods for interrogating criminals are unparalleled¨Clet¡¯s just say, she hits really hard.¡±

    Olivia nodded and continued to observe Vivian.

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    Vivian had clear eyes that hid a ruthless nature. Her brows conveyed a sense of valor, her lips were a deep red, and she was both beautiful and dangerous.

    She stood there like a blooming poppy, instilling fear yet irresistible in her charm.

    Despite the dangerous aura around her, her upbringing and manners were impable, not at all inferior to those of ady from a noble family.

    Olivia was very intrigued by Vivian. ¡®If I could bring her under my control and use her to my advantage-¡® she thought.

    Vivian continued, ¡°To thank you all, we have prepared some small gifts for you. Hope you will like them.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, waiters came forward one by one, each carrying a gift box, one for each guest.

    The gift box contained a crystal pot and a unicorn carved out of ruby.

    The Shea family was indeed generous with their gifts.

    Henry, being a shrewd individual, didn¡¯t touch the box. Instead, he smiled at Vivian and said, ¡°Ms. Shea, you¡¯re too kind. We¡¯re all here for the Shea family, not for these gifts. Thank you very much.¡±

    None of the guests dared to touch the box, echoing Henry¡¯s words.

    ¡°Yeah, Henry¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Shea, thank you.¡±

    ¡°No one dares <i>to </i>take it-¡±

    Vivian looked around and saw that no one dared to touch the box, and she frowned slightly.

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    Olivia didn¡¯t bother with pretenses and opened the box, cing the items into her bag. ¡®Why not take a gift that¡¯s handed to you?¡® she thought.

    Seeing Olivia¡¯s actions, Henry let out a cold snort. ¡°Typical of someone who¡¯s never seen the world. No manners at all.¡±

    Lucas was really getting annoyed with this incessant old man. ¡®Why does he have to be so nosy? He should just keep quiet. No one would think he¡¯s mute,¡® he thought.

    Ignoring Henry¡¯s mockery, Olivia continued to put the items away.

    The people around her, seeing her actions, joined Henry inughing at her.

    ¡°She¡¯s clearly a poor student, so excited about the jewelry,¡± onemented.

    ¡°Who else here has touched the gifts? I thought she was different, but she¡¯s just asmon as theye,¡± another added.

    ¡°Only Henry can hold his own in such situations. He¡¯s seen it all,¡± someone else chimed in.

    The voices of the guests grew louder, all directed at Olivia. Even Vivian noticed what was happening.

    As Vivian turned her head, she caught Olivia in the act of putting the gifts away.

    This girl is really interesting,¡® Vivian thought.

    Vivian had made her way in the business world, and she believed that no one could truly dislike money.

    The hypocrisy of these people, pretending to disdain the gifts, struck her as insincere.

    Among the crowd of people pretending to be above such things, Olivia¡¯s actions won Vivian¡¯s

    favor.

    ¡°Miss, are you satisfied with the gifts prepared by the Shea family?¡± Vivian asked with a faint smile, her gaze falling on Olivia.

    This question once again made Olivia the center of attention.

    Everyone in the room sneered, sure that Vivian must look down on Olivia¡¯s mercenary behavior.

    Henry¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°See? You¡¯ve been called out.¡±

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    Olivia¡¯s behavior was really not fitting for high society.

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    Simon and Cheryl exchanged nces, feeling somewhat schadenfreude. ¡®Thankfully, we distanced ourselves from her just now,¡® they thought.

    Vivian, unaware of the situation, was puzzled by the mockery directed at the young girl.

    Though Olivia wasn¡¯t wearing an evening gown, it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    No one had stipted that one must wear an evening gown to a party. Vivian believed that as long as one wasfortable, that was the most suitable attire.

    ¡®Could it be that they look down on this girl just because of this? If that¡¯s the case, then these people are really too snobbish,¡® Vivian thought.

    Vivian was just about to speak up in Olivia¡¯s defense when she was interrupted.

    Olivia¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile as she ran her fingers over the box and nodded. ¡°Not bad, I like them. The Shea family has prepared some great things.¡±

    Henry led the sneering. ¡°Of course, the Shea family prepares only the finest. But we¡¯re not as money¨Cgrubbing as you. You just took the items right there, looking like amoner.¡±

    The guests, unsure of what to do, some followed suit and agreed, while others just watched indifferently.

    ¡°So what?¡± From beginning to end, Olivia¡¯s tone and expression remained calm andposed, not even a wrinkle on her brow, but she spoke clearly. ¡°Loving money is human nature. Since the Shea family has given these gifts, why shouldn¡¯t I ept them?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that being pretentious and making a big deal out of epting gifts is polite? Or do you think the gifts are not good enough and you don¡¯t want to take them?¡± Olivia sneered, tapping her fingers lightly on the table.

    ¡°All I know is that epting the gifts graciously is the real respect for the giver,¡± she added.

    ¡°Girl, what do you know? This is basic etiquette. Has no one taught you about honor and integrity?¡± Simon was getting more and more annoyed. She implied that they were all just pretending to be above the Shea family¡¯s gifts.

    Simon¡¯s anger grew, and he mmed his hand on the table, standing up. ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson.¡±

    ¡°A yboy has the right to talk about honor and integrity?¡± Lucas smirked, clicking his tongue. ¡°Mr. Evans, too much wrong will backfire. You¡¯d better deal with those girls outside instead of wasting your time here.¡±

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    Lucas scrolled through his phone and projected several photos onto the public screen.

    They were hotel pictures, scrolling one after another.

    The main subject of the photos was Simon, while the faces and bodies of the girls were carefully obscured.

    ¡°You ying around with women is one thing, but going after minors? That¡¯s just despicable,¡± Lucas hated these predators who preyed on women. Simon had actually gone after minors, taking photos afterward to use as ckmail.

    The girls who had been victimized were too afraid of damaging their reputations to speak out, so they kept quiet about the whole thing.

    If it weren¡¯t for Olivia asking Lucas to look into the Evans family, Simon might have continued to get away with his actions.

    Simon¡¯s face turned pale. ¡®Where did Lucas get these pictures from? How could he have gotten them? I thought I had covered everything up,¡® he wondered.

    Henry was furious, mming his hand on the table as he stood up. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯ve gone too far. How dare you insult us like this? Do you think I¡¯m not here? Who are you to use Lucas? He¡¯s my grandson.¡±

    Olivia tugged at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Let the police figure out if it¡¯s true or not.¡±

    Then, she looked at Vivian. ¡°Ms. Shea, what do you

    think?<b>¡± </b>

    Vivian¡¯s expression was stern, and her words were resounding. ¡°The Shea family will not allow any criminal to go unpunished.¡±

    She pped her hands, and a group of well¨Ctrained bodyguards immediately surrounded Simon, quickly pinning him down.

    ¡°Take him away and hand him over to the police, along with the evidence,¡± Vivian said with amanding air.

    Then, she stared coldly at Henry. ¡°Mr. Evans, rest assured. If your grandson is innocent, I will personally apologize. On the other hand, if he¡¯s guilty, I¡¯ll make sure he spends the rest of his life in jail.¡±

    Vivian had a faint smile on her lips, but her face was as cold as frost.

    With years of experience as a profiler, she had a keen and perceptive mind and a calm reasoning ability. It only took her a few nces to determine that Simon had definitely done those things.

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    With Vivian¡¯s words so definitive, Henry couldn¡¯t say much more and could only watch as his grandson was taken away.

    Moreover, this was the Shea family¡¯s territory, and the photos had been exposed in public. The Shea family couldn¡¯t just ignore it.

    Lucas had really yed a ruthless move.

    In just a short while, what had happened here had been posted online, causing a huge stir.

    With Sean¡¯s help in spreading the news, it quickly ignited public opinion.

    The people at the scene were still unaware of what was happening online.

    Rowan was stunned. In just a few minutes, Simon had been taken away.

    She was foolish and couldn¡¯t help but question Olivia. ¡°Olivia, these photos are doctored¡ª¡±

    Henry¡¯s voice was deep andmanding. ¡°Silence.¡±

    Rowan was taken aback, turning her head to look at Henry¡¯s expression. ¡°Henry¡ª¡±

    She didn¡¯t understand what Henry was afraid of.

    Henry was really at his wits¡® end. Rowan was more of a hindrance than a help.

    If they dared to bring out the photos, they weren¡¯t afraid of being investigated.

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    Moreover, it was evident that Vivian was siding with them. Any further words from the Evans family would only make them seem more guilty.

    Henry was already troubled by thepany¡¯s issues; thest thing he needed was to offend the Shea family.

    The Evans family¡¯s fate was in the hands of the Shea family, who held thend that was crucial to their survival.

    As for Simon, Henry had plenty of ways to get him out of this mess.

    The scene fell into an eerie silence.

    ¡°What an interesting youngdy,¡± a heartyugh broke the stillness.

    It was Troy ckwell, the patriarch of the ckwell family, a cheerful old man who yfully nudged his grandson, Curtis. ¡°You should learn from her and stop putting on airs.¡±

    Curtis smiled appropriately and nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Natalie, feeling a bit miffed, retorted sharply. ¡°Mr. ckwell, she¡¯s just a money¨Cgrubbing woman. What¡¯s there for Curtis to learn from her?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Rowan, still smarting from Henry¡¯s rebuke and eager to find some way to save her dignity, quickly chimed in, ¡°You have no idea. She¡¯s just a poor student who¡¯s never seen anything fancy. Mr. Curtis ckwell doesn¡¯t need to learn from her.¡±

    Troy and Curtis¡¯sments had already eased the awkwardness in the room.

    However, Natalie and Rowan¡¯s sudden outbursts reignited the tension.

    Henry was fed up with this mother¨Cdaughter duo who always caused him trouble.

    Troy, being a straightforward person, couldn¡¯t stand the Evans family¡¯s condescending attitude. ¡°Natalie, stop pretending. To put it bluntly, who in this world doesn¡¯t love money?

    ¡°I like the youngdy¡¯s frankness. Unlike some people who pretend to look down on money but can¡¯t even teach their grandchildren properly, leading them tomit crimes.¡±

    Still not satisfied, he continued, ¡°Henry, I remember when you were at your lowest, rummaging through discarded clothes for pocket money. Howe now you¡¯re pretending to be high and mighty?

    ¡°I think the award for best actor should go to you.¡±

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    Troy¡¯s down¨Cto¨Cearth remarks immediately set off a wave ofughter and derision in the

    room.

    Henry¡¯s face turned ashen as he listened to the waves of mockingments, feeling extremely annoyed. He shouted, ¡°Who dares tough again?¡±

    His outburst did quiet the room somewhat, but oneugh lingered on.

    ¡°Who still dares tough?¡± Henry mmed his hand on the table and looked around.

    He wanted to see who was brave enough tough at him.

    ¡°Me.¡± Vivian raised her hand, looking straight at the fuming Henry.

    Troy was still as blunt as ever, not caring about others¡® feelings.

    ¡°You-¡± Henry was about to scold her when he saw that she was from the Shea family. Reluctantly, he swallowed his words.

    Vivian stoppedughing and walked down from the second floor, approaching Olivia.

    ¡°I like people who say what they mean,¡± Vivian said with a smile, looking at Olivia. ¡°I really appreciate this youngdy¡¯s frankness. If you all don¡¯t ept the gifts, I¡¯ll think it¡¯s because our gifts aren¡¯t good enough for you.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the crowd began to stir, and everyone started to take the gifts.

    No one had expected Vivian to y her cards so unconventionally.

    Vivian still wore her smile. ¡°Guys, there¡¯s no need for exnations. I understand. I hope the rest of the party won¡¯t disappoint you all.¡±

    ¡°This straightforward youngdy is really interesting. I¡¯d like to take her to meet my grandfather, Vivian thought to herself.

    Olivia nodded slightly. ¡°Ms. Shea, you tter me. I¡¯m just simply fond of money.¡±

    Vivianughed. She liked this youngdy more and more, and her curiosity about her deepened. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with liking money. I¡¯ve decided to befriend you.¡±

    As soon as she said this, the whole room was abuzz with astonishment.

    Vivian¡¯s deration to befriend her was essentially an invitation from the Shea family to form a friendship with Olivia.

    In other words, Olivia had just secured the backing of the Shea family.

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    That was no ordinary family¨Cthe Shea family was the Kingtonelle overlord, the preeminent among the aristocratic families.

    Olivia was truly lucky.

    Before Olivia could respond, a waiter hurriedly handed Vivian a phone with a flustered expression.

    Vivian answered the call, her demeanor flickering with a moment of tension that quickly passed.

    Olivia, observant as ever, noticed Vivian¡¯s brief unease.

    The only ones who could possibly make Vivian anxious were members of the Shea family.

    Sure enough, after ending the call, Vivian walked to the center of the hall, nced over the crowd, and spoke in a calm voice, ¡°I apologize, everyone. Tonight¡¯s party will, unfortunately, not proceed as nned.

    ¡°My grandfather has suddenly fallen severely ill and requires immediate treatment.¡±

    ¡°For the time everyone has wasted tonight, I extend my apologies on behalf of the Shea family. The Shea family will take responsibility for any losses incurred,¡± Vivian said, her eyes scanning the expressions of those present.

    Henry was the first to react, stepping forward. ¡°Ms. Shea, there¡¯s no need for such trouble. The Evans family is the premier medical family in Hirica.

    ¡°Though I may not be the most talented, I do possess genuine skills. Allow me to give it a try?¡±

    To Henry, this illness of Winston¡¯s was quite timely.

    ¡®Who else present could im to have better medical skills than me?¡® Henry wondered. ¡®If I could cure Winston, people would forget every embarrassing moment just now. Moreover, even if I fail, it doesn¡¯t matter. I still have Revival Grass,¡¯

    Most of the guests, not being medical experts, thought Henry¡¯s proposal was a good idea when they heard it.

    If he could cure Winston, they wouldn¡¯t have to leave the Shea family party.

    No one knew when the Shea family would host another party. They couldn¡¯t afford to miss this opportunity.

    ¡°Putting aside other things, Henry¡¯s medical skills are indeed the best in Hirica. It would be quite appropriate to let him treat Winston,¡± one guest said.

    ¡°Yeah, although his character leaves something to be desired, his medical skills are undeniable. Didn¡¯t they say he¡¯s highly skilled?¡± another chimed in.

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    ¡°Besides him, no one else here knows much about medicine. Ms. Evans, though also medically trained, specializes in gynecology and can¡¯t save Winston,¡± someone else added.

    The crowd buzzed with various opinions, all talking at once.

    Listening to the praise around him, Henry felt quite confident. ¡®Who else but me can handle this?¡® he thought.

    ¡°Grandpa Henry, rest assured. No one but you can save him.¡± Cheryl ttered Henry.

    ¡°How dare a quack who doesn¡¯t even know the acupuncture points im to be able to save someone?¡± Olivia¡¯s tone was mocking as she spoke with a lightugh. ¡°Mr. Evans, save your reputation. Don¡¯t throw that away, too.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think you are to speak ill of Uncle Henry?¡± Natalie couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and stepped forward to defend Henry.

    Olivia propped her chin on her hand. ¡°Did I say anything about you? Ms. Evans, I still vividly remember you bowing on the street.¡±

    Natalie pointed at Olivia, her face turning red with anger.

    Just mentioning that incident made Natalie furious.

    Henry suppressed his anger, took Natalie¡¯s hand, and said calmly, ¡°Olivia, you call me a quack, but what skills do you have then? You¡¯re quite young, yet so boastful.¡±

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    Natalie snorted coldly, ¡°Oh, and who are you to judge Uncle Henry? You think you¡¯re some kind of medical genius?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m nothing special,¡± Olivia replied, snapping her fingers dismissively. ¡°But I¡¯m definitely better than both of you.¡±

    Rowan truly could not stand Olivia¡¯s demeanor and mocked, ¡°If you are <i>so </i>capable, why don¡¯t you go and save Mr. Shea?¡±

    ¡°Sure I will,¡± Olivia said without even blinking.

    Natalie scoffed, convinced that Olivia was just bluffing. Her voice dripped with scorn as she said, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve lying through your teeth. A fraud like you daring to treat Mr. Shea? Are you trying tond yourself in jail?¡±

    Lucas let out a disbelievingugh, as if he¡¯d just heard something utterly absurd. His eyes turned sharp, and his voice grew threatening. ¡°nder is a crime. I¡¯d worry more about yourself ending up behind bars.¡±

    He thought, ¡®Are they really questioning Olivia¡¯s medical skills? How ignorant. If they have any idea who she really is, they wouldn¡¯t dare speak to her like that.¡¯

    ¡°Lucas!¡± Natalie truly couldn¡¯t understand why Lucas always seemed to be against her.

    Noticing that several people were about to start arguing again, Vivian immediately stepped in to smooth things over.

    ¡°Please, everyone, do me a favor and stop arguing.¡± Although Vivian was still smiling, a trace of impatience had crept into her voice.

    She nced at the group and said crisply, ¡°Since you all im to be medical experts, why don¡¯t we put your skills to the test?¡±

    Troy watched the scene unfold with keen interest. ¡°So how exactly is this going to work?¡± he asked. He¡¯d always had a soft spot for messy, dramatic showdowns.

    Vivian gestured toward the hallway on the right. ¡°It¡¯s simple. In that room is a patient who¡¯s been sick for years. He¡¯s seen top doctors from around the world, but no one¡¯s been able to help him.

    ¡°Since you both im to be experts, you¡¯ll each examine him. In the end, the patient will decide who really helped.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Mr. Shea supposed to be the one receiving treatment? Why has someone else taken

    :.

    his ce?¡± Natalie frowned.

    :

    Vivian gave her a cold look. ¡°My grandfather isn¡¯t just avable to anyone.¡±

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    Natalie fell silent, not daring to talk back. She had no choice but to swallow her words.

    ¡°My grandfather is very particr. If you can¡¯t pass this test, don¡¯t even think about meeting him.¡± Vivian nced at the group. ¡°Any other physician in?¡±

    The people below remained absolutely silent.

    No one would dare to challenge Henry and Olivia, unless they were crazy.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s begin,¡± Vivian said as she led Olivia and the others inside. ¡°Just so you know, the patient is uneasy around strangers. Only two people may enter at a time. Decide who will assist you.¡±

    She paused at the doorway of a room and made an inviting gesture. ¡°If you have understood, this way please.¡±

    Henry entered the room first, with Natalie following behind.

    He was intent on giving a thorough examination, ready to show Olivia that his ster reputation was no exaggeration.

    Olivia was not annoyed and smiled as she ate a macaron.

    She greatly enjoyed the food prepared by the Shea family, especially the desserts.

    The patient was presenting a highly unusual case. Henry spent over twenty minutes inside with them.

    After more than ten minutes, he finally came out looking somewhat grave, but he carried himself with his typical calm demeanor.

    He confirmed theplexity and thought, ¡®It¡¯s a unique situation, all right. However, I¡¯ve drafted a surgical strategy. It¡¯s not going to be easy, but it¡¯s manageable. You can still get away with muddling through.

    ¡°Checking Mr. Evans out. He must be,¡± someone murmured.

    Another said, ¡°Of course. After all, he is the leading physician in Hirica.¡±

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    ¡°This young girl can¡¯t be experienced. No matter how impressive she may be, she¡¯s still not as remarkable as Henry.¡±

    Mitchell shifted ufortably as he listened to the debate. Leaning toward Olivia, he whispered, ¡°Maybe we should just drop this. Neither Lucas nor I know anything about medicine. What if something goes wrong?¡±

    ¡°Lucas.¡± Olivia ignored Mitchell entirely, fixing Lucas with a pointed look.

    ¡°Lucas,e on, talk some sense into her,¡± Mitchell pleaded, tugging on his brother¡¯s sleeve.

    Lucas yanked his arm away, exasperated. ¡®My idiot brother,¡® he thought. In one swift motion, he kicked Mitchell¡¯s legs out from under him.

    Sitting on the floor and rubbing his sore shin, Mitchell finally fell silent.

    Henry stood there, smiling as he looked at Olivia, not taking bo

    seriously.

    He thought, ¡®What could possiblye from pairing a broke young student with a cynical trust¨Cfund baby? I¡¯ll bet they don¡¯t even know how to write a proper prescription.

    ¡®And even if she can do anything, the second it¡¯s revealed that her mentor is Grace, everyone will see her for what she truly is.¡¯

    That year, the incident in which Grace nearly poisoned all the children in an orphanage caused a sensation throughout Hirica.

    He knew that the moment the Shea family learned Olivia was Grace¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦, they would forbid her from treating Winston.

    Natalie also followed in to take a look. The patient¡¯s illness was so severe that even Henry could barely manage to cure it. She thought Olivia would certainly not be able to do anything.

    Olivia¡¯s brow furrowed as she checked the patient¡¯s wrist. His pulse was strong and his breathing regr, but she found no clear cause for his condition.

    Lucas appeared entirely unconcerned, lounging with his legs crossed as he leisurely observed Olivia. If she couldn¡¯t cure it, then no one could.

    ¡°Describe your symptoms.¡± Olivia lowered her eyes and smiled.

    ¡°I just feel like my hands and feet are always cold, and I haven¡¯t been able to eat or sleep well.¡± The patient¡¯s face was mostly hidden behind a mask, but his voice sounded elderly.

    ¡°Sometimes, I also get this tightness and pain in my chest, and I just have no energy.¡± He handed Olivia a scan from the hospital. ¡°I had this done, but they said nothing showed up.¡±

    ¡®No wonder his condition has been so hard to pin down,¡® Olivia thought. She was quiet for a moment, and then her expression softened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing seriously wrong.¡±

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    ¡°What do you mean?¡± the old man asked, his low voice tinged with doubt. ¡°You can tell that just from checking my pulse? I¡¯ve been to several hospitals already.¡±

    ¡°What you¡¯re experiencing¨Cpoor cirction, low appetite, and fatigue¨Cit¡¯s all rted to your daily life,¡± Olivia exined gently. ¡°Try to avoid stress, cut back onte nights and strong tea, and incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet.¡±

    After she finished speaking, Olivia picked up her pen, wrote a prescription, and handed it to the old man. Smiling, she turned and left the room.

    The entire process took no more than five minutes.

    Everyone outside the room was stunned. It had only been a short while, and she was done.

    Natalie gave a derisiveugh. ¡°Oh, you came out so quickly. Found nothing, huh?¡±

    ¡°What could she possibly understand?¡±

    ¡°A yboy and an arrogant girl¨Cwhat could the two of them possibly figure out?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Evans remained inside for thirty minutes, whereas theysted only five. It is likely that they were unable to linger any longer.¡±

    Upon hearing these murmurs, the smile on Henry¡¯s face grew broader.

    ¡®The Evans family is renowned. No way they would instead trust a young girl. I¡¯m their choice,¡® he thought.

    Standing outside the crowd, Curtis merely shook his head and said nothing.

    Meanwhile, Vivian received the final result, and a glimmer appeared in her eyes.

    As expected, it was just as she had anticipated.

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 Blizzard 132

    ¡°Everyone, we have the results.¡± Vivian stood and moved to the most prominent spot in the room. Her voice was resonant and firm. ¡°Both candidates are outstanding physicians, and I expect that this result will in no way lead anyone to question their considerable expertise.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Evans.¡± Vivian nced at Henry.

    Henry wore a proud expression and nced at Olivia. ¡®I knew I would win,¡¯ he thought.

    Olivia sat there, lightly took a sip of her coffee, her expressionposed.

    When Mitchell heard Vivian call out Henry¡¯s name, his heart sank. ¡®We¡¯re done for. Henry definitely won¡®

    Seeing that Olivia was still sipping her coffee, Mitchell grew anxious. ¡°Olivia, aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡±

    ¡°Why should I?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Henry would win. Look at Natalie. She is getting so carried away.¡± Mitchell frowned. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I am here to support you. The Evans family won¡¯t dare do anything to you.¡±

    Lucas shook his head helplessly. ¡®Oh, what a fool.¡®

    Upon witnessing the scene, everyone assumed that Henry had won and was about to offer their congrattions.

    Vivian said, ¡°Mr. Evans, your medical skills are impressive, but the prescription you provided this time was incorrect. It was not suited to the patient¡¯s condition at all. For this reason, you have ced second on this asion.¡±

    Her voice was remarkably clear and prating, reaching everyone in the room.

    Everyone got it. There were only two participants. cing second meant he hade inst.

    Henry¡¯s smile froze on his face. This sounded impossible to him.

    Natalie was also taken aback. ¡®Did I hear it wrong? Uncle Henry lost and that girl won?¡®

    ¡°Therefore, the winner is Olivia,¡± Vivian announced with a faint smile. ¡°Olivia, would you care to exin your prescription?¡±

    A single, stark rmendation was disyed on the screen: Emotional stability.

    ¡°Can this really be considered a prescription?¡± someone asked.

    Another one said, ¡°That¡¯s all? She¡¯s not prescribing any medicine?¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>Is </b>she serious?<b>¡± </b>someone else chimed in.

    Once again, all eyes in the room were on Olivia.

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    Natalie did not believe the result and rushed forward to snatch the slip of paper from Vivian¡¯s hand.

    Olivia was indeed the winner.

    ¡°How is this possible? How could she win?¡± Natalie shouted.

    ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve gone too far.¡± Vivian¡¯s gaze grew colder. Everyone who tried to take something from her had paid for it.

    rmed, Rowan yanked Natalie backward. ¡°I am so sorry, Ms. Shea. Please, just ignore her,¡± she pleaded repeatedly.

    Vivian decided not to let the incident spoil her day. With a contemptuous flick of her wrist, she dismissed them.

    Cheryl was also stunned, unable to believe her own ears. ¡®Olivia really knows medicine? But that¡¯s not in the novel. What on earth is going on?¡®

    Mitchell also felt somewhat shocked and scratched his head. ¡®Did I hear that right? Did Olivia truly win?¡®

    Henry¡¯s cane tapped the floor for emphasis as he turned to Vivian, his anger boiling over. ¡°Alright, Ms. Shea, I want to know why. They say a solid case can withstand debate, so let¡¯s debate it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got years of experience under my belt. I¡¯ve seen it all. So how does a man with my record lose to aplete amateur? I¡¯m not buying it.¡±

    When the others saw that Henry had voiced his doubts, they too found the courage to speak up, and the

    discussion continued.

    ¡°Why is this young girl ranked first? That¡¯s not convincing.¡±

    ¡°Could it be that they¡¯ve already colluded with each other?¡±

    ¡°That is a Shea we¡¯re talking about. Who could possibly collude with a Shea? That¡¯s nonsense.¡±

    Some believed Olivia, while others believed Henry.

    Troy took a leisurely sip of his coffee, a man privy to a secret no one else knew. With unshakable conviction, he dered, ¡°Anyone who doubts that young girl is a fool.¡±

    If his hunch was right, the patient in that room could only be Winston.

    Winston had always been an irascible, entric old man. For years, his difficult personality had been its own kind of affliction. Yet people always suspected his condition was far moreplicated than it really was.

    And just like that, Henry made an incorrect diagnosis.

    ¡°Grandfather, please do not say that,¡± Curtis said. He lightly pressed his thin lips together, the curve at his mouth perfectly measured. His schrly and refined aura emerged effortlessly, entuating hisposure.

    It was simply Troy¡¯s way to tell the truth, often leaving others embarrassed.

    8:57 Fri, <b>Sep </b>12

    Vivian let out a coldugh. ¡°Mr. Evans, do you not trust me, or do you not trust the Shea family?¡±

    She sounded angry¨Cclearly, she was on the verge of losing her temper.

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    ¡°Ms. Shea, please don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Cheryl cut in smoothly, linking her arm with Henry¡¯s while keeping her expression perfectly neutral. ¡°Mr. Evans has the utmost respect for you. But this is apetition. Its credibility rests on the rules beingpletely fair, impartial, and transparent.¡±

    By carefully avoiding any mention of her personal ties to Henry, she subtly separated herself from the Evans family.

    If the Evans family won, her words would be seen as contributing to their victory. If they lost, her position would remain untainted.

    ¡°Besides,¡± Cheryl continued, casting a meaningful nce toward Olivia, ¡°we can¡¯t rule out the possibility of prior collusion¨Cwhether with the patient or the staff. Without absolute transparency, any hint of impropriety could damage the Shea family¡¯s reputation.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to simply share the medical details and your own assessment? Then we can all see who truly has the superior skill¨Cand who genuinely deserves first ce.¡±

    After hearing what Cheryl said, Henry nodded in satisfaction, very pleased with his goddaughter.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Natalie echoed in agreement.

    Mitchell rolled his eyes, raising his voice. ¡°Come on, Henry, if you can¡¯t handle losing, you shouldn¡¯t be ying the game. Being older doesn¡¯t give you the right to throw your weight around. Have some shame, man.¡±

    Lucas shot him a thumbs¨Cup, his expression full of approval of this speech.

    ¡°Brat, this is none of your concern!¡± Rowan snapped. ¡°Is that how you speak to an old man?¡±

    Troy gave a dismissiveugh and remarked, ¡°Although his words are blunt, his reasoning is sound.¡±

    He then fixed his gaze on Henry and said earnestly, ¡°Henry, you¡¯re a grown man. Can¡¯t you show a bit moreposure?¡±

    Although Natalie was held back by Rowan, she was still furious. ¡°Who can¡¯t ept losing? And what the hell is that prescription she gave?¡±

    With a smirk, Natalie turned to Lucas. ¡°Lucas, you went in with her. Why don¡¯t you exin this prescription?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the expert here, Lucas. Exin it to us.¡±

    It was a tant trap. Aware he knew nothing about prescriptions, she was deliberately putting him on the spot to return the humiliation he¡¯d dealt her.

    Lucas was not annoyed; his gaze fell upon Olivia, and he made an inviting gesture. ¡°Olivia, please.¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°The core issue is psychological. He¡¯s holding onto a lot of anger, and his body is manifesting that stress physically. It¡¯s causing muscle tension that leads to chest constriction and is suppressing her hunger

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    ¡°I believe Mr. Evans¡® misdiagnosis was due to lung congestion seen on the X¨Cray.¡± Olivia spoke with shing eyes and a faint smile. ¡°So he concluded it was a pulmonary function issue. Actually, it was merely a smudge on the image.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. They thought, ¡®She even exined why Mr. Evans made a diagnostic error?¡®

    Natalie murmured, ¡°How could that be? The patient had clear symptoms of a bitter taste and dry mouth. How could it not be the case?¡±

    ¡°A dry or bitter mouth rtes to air quality and water intake,¡± Olivia said clearly.

    She added, ¡°This patient drinks strong coffee¨Che¡¯ll drink a ton when he¡¯s in a good mood, but sometimes goes all day without water if he¡¯s down. So yeah, it¡¯s pretty normal for him to feel like this.¡±

    Mitchell watched Olivia as she spoke, then turned to look at Lucas in confusion, like he was saying, ¡°Dang, she really knows her stuff?¡±

    Lucas just rolled his eyes like he was saying, ¡°Duh.¡±

    Olivia continued, ¡°It is not a serious illness. Avoid anger andte nights, and he should recover within half a month.¡±

    Before Henry could even get a word in, an old man strolled out from behind the curtain. ¡°Hey, kid, you got some serious skills.¡±

    Everyone turned at the sound. The old guy had salt¨Cand¨Cpepper hair and a face full of stories, but his cheeks were rosy and his eyes sparkled. He burst outughing, shing a huge, toothy grin.

    He said, ¡°You are indeed an interesting young girl.¡±

    Vivian walked up with a smile and said, ¡°Grandpa.¡±

    The old man was vigorous and spoke with a resonant voice, showing no signs whatsoever of illness.

    ¡°I heard everything you all said.¡± Winston grabbed Vivian¡¯s hand and said loudly, ¡°The girl nailed it¨Cmy problem is exactly what she said. She gets first ce, hands down. If anyone¡¯s got a problem with that,e talk to me.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, he nced at Cheryl and let out a snort. He knew it was always Cheryl instigating the situation. He thought, ¡®Pretty, but she is far too scheming.¡®

    Cheryl felt creeped out under his gaze, retreating and hiding behind Henry.

    With Winston Shea speaking up, nobody dared say a word.

    Henry was fuming inside, but he forced a smile. He said, ¡°My friend, this is all a misunderstanding.¡±

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    Vivian said with a threatening smile, ¡°Mr. Evans, my grandfather certainly never had a friend like you.¡±

    Henry¡¯s expression darkened further. Vivian embarrassed him again, but she was from the Shea family- someone he couldn¡¯t afford to offend.

    The folks who just backed Henry all looked down, wishing they could melt into the floor.

    They had never anticipated that the patient would be Winston. If they¡¯d known, not in a million years would they have sided with Henry.

    Cheryl¡¯s mind raced. She panicked, thinking, ¡®If the Evans family tanks, I¡¯m screwed.¡®

    In the book, the Evans family made it to the end just fine. That was why she had her folks bend over backwards to kiss up to them, so she could be their adopted daughter.

    ¡®My good days just started¨Cthe Evans family cannot go down now,¡® she thought. ¡®Wait. The Revival Grass<b>!</b>¡®

    ¡°Grandpa Henry, don¡¯t worry. You still have the Revival Grass.¡± Cheryl immediately calmed Henry and reminded him. ¡°That is a vital ingredient for the Refreshing Pill, and there is only one such herb in the world.¡±

    Henry¡¯s eyes lit up like he just got smacked with wisdom. He thought, ¡®That¡¯s right. I still haven¡¯t taken out my

    ace.¡®

    He immediatelyposed himself and raised his voice. ¡°Mr. Shea, I feel so sorry that I messed up your diagnosis. But you gotta believe me, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.

    ¡°But honestly, I came to this party for an even bigger reason.¡± Henry waved for the waiter to bring something

    over.

    He said, ¡°I know your grandson¡¯s sick, and you guys have been trying to get the Refreshing Pill. Trouble is, that pill¡¯s missing one crucial ingredient. Lucky for you, I just happened toe across it.¡±

    Everyone knew how rare that pill was and how impossible it was to get that missing herb.

    Winston had seen all kinds of crazy things. He lifted his hand, looking serious. ¡°Mr. Evans, you know as well as

    I do how rare the Revival Grass is. If you really have it, I¡¯ll pay whatever it takes.¡±

    Although Winston was somewhat irritable, he cared deeply for his grandchildren. If Henry truly possessed Revival Grass, Winston would definitely buy it.

    ¡°I sure do,¡± Henry said, opening the wooden box himself to show everyone.

    ¡°That¡¯s the Revival Grass!¡± someone cried, spotting it right away.

    Even Troy stood up. He thought, ¡®Did Henry truly manage to obtain the Revival Grass?¡®

    Curtis just nced at it, shook his head, and stayed calm. He thought, ¡°That herb¡¯s been gone for years. Even if it showed up again, how could itnd in Henry¡¯s hands?¡®

    This herb was extremely rare and disappeared three years ago. It was said that the Phantom Healer was unable to cultivate Revival Grass, and as a result, the Refreshing Pill could no longer be produced.

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    The most remarkable property of Revival Grass was not its use in producing the Refreshing Pill but the ability to neutralize all poisons and prolong life.

    Three years ago, in Hirica, an olddy fell gravely ill. It was the Phantom Healer who used thest Revival Grass, thereby saving her life. There shouldn¡¯t be even one left now.

    Curtis wondered, ¡®How could the Evans family possess Revival Grass?¡®

    Even Vivian finally looked moved. The Shea family had been chasing doctors for years, all for her brother and sister¡¯s lives.

    The Shea family was rich enough, but they didn¡¯t have enough time. Andrew had been frail since childhood. Fortune¨Ctellers had all predicted that he wouldn¡¯t make it past thirty. The Shea family¡¯s most beloved youngest daughter didn¡¯t have much time left.

    No one outside the Shea family was aware of these matters.

    Vivian thought, ¡®If we just had one Revival Grass, at least Andrew or Jenny could be saved.

    Before Winston could speak, Vivian said, ¡°Mr. Evans, since you know how important the Revival Grass is to the Shea family, just name your price.¡±

    She figured, with enough money, she could buy that grass, no doubt.

    At these words, an uproar ensued. Being able to name a price with the Shea family was a very enticing offer. Everyone looked at Henry with great envy.

    Just a minute ago, folks thought the Evans family pissed off the Sheas, and now boom¨Cthe tables turned and the Sheas needed them. No one knew whose side to be on now.

    However, Henry shook his head and smiled graciously. ¡°We know what your family¡¯s going through, so we decided to give you the Revival Grass as a gift.¡±

    Winston also raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised. He wondered, ¡®Would the Evans family be so generous? Yeah, right. There has to be a catch.¡®

    Sure enough, Henry added, ¡°But there is one catch: The Evans family wants to be the Sheas¡® only doctors and medical partner. Deal?¡±

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    The Evans family¡¯s demand to be the Sheas¡® only doctors and medical partner was audacious. Given the Shea family¡¯s dominance across Clusia, securing such a position would be an unparalleled achievement.

    Winston frowned, thinking hard about whether this would even work.

    He thought, ¡®Andrew already picked his own doc, and it has to be that girl. Even Jenny¨Cshe¡¯s only willing to be treated by her. Those two are as stubborn as mules when they make up their minds.

    ¡®However, the Evans family has Revival Grass.

    At that moment, Winston was really stuck.

    Vivian also fell into contemtion. From the perspective of the Shea family group¡¯s long¨Cterm development, it was absolutely impossible to cooperate with the Evans family.

    But the stuff that could save her brother and sister was right in their hands.

    After thinking it over, Winston finally said, ¡°I¡¯ll have to check with my grandson. That kid always does whatever he wants¨Cif he says no, I can¡¯t force him.¡±

    Naturally, Henry had no objections. He simply did not believe that Andrew could possibly refuse.

    Once they epted the herb, Henry figured he¡¯d cook up another n¨Cget the Sheas to release Simon and take care of that cocky girl for good.

    Then the Evans family could walk tall wherever they went¨Cnot just in Hirica, but even in Kingtonelle.

    Winston right away sent someone to grab Andrew for his thoughts.

    Truth was, Winston didn¡¯t want to agree at all. If they gave in now, who knew what the Evanses would demand next? He didn¡¯t want his family cornered.

    Olivia wasn¡¯t in any rush to call out the Evans family¨Cshe was curious what Andrew would do when it came down to his own life.

    Soon, a servant brought over a little slip of paper.

    Winston read the note and let out a snort ofughter. Just like he expected.

    ¡°Mr. Evans, thank you for your kindness. This Revival Grass is indeed rare. But my grandson is unpredictable,¡± Winston said, stroking his beard. ¡°He says no.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s answer was simple: only that one girl could treat him. He didn¡¯t care what the Evanses had¨Cno amount of herbs would change his mind. The Shea family had enough money anyway.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, please. This is the Revival Grass¨Cthere¡¯s only one in the entire world.¡± Henry could hardly believe his ears. ¡°People would kill for this stuff¨Cliterally!¡±

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    Vivian looked troubled too, and whispered in Winston¡¯s ear, ¡°Grandpa, this herb is crazy rare¨Cyou can¡¯t just let Andrew be stubborn. Even if he doesn¡¯t need it, Jenny sure does.¡±

    But Winston wasn¡¯t about to change his mind. He hated being questioned, and once he made up his mind, that was that. ¡°I said no.¡±

    Henry was floored. He figured handing over the Revival Grass would have the Sheas singing his praises. He never thought they¡¯d actually turn him down.

    Cheryl was just as shocked. She¡¯d risked everything to sneak that Revival Grass out of the orphanage¨Cno way she thought the Sheas would turn it down.

    Getting turned down in front of everyone stung like hell for Henry.

    Cheryl leaned over and whispered, ¡°Grandpa Henry, this is the only real Revival Grass out there. If the Sheas don¡¯t want it, plenty of people will.¡±

    This remark reminded Henry. She was right¨Ceven if the Sheas passed, others would dly snatch it up.

    He quickly straightened up and said, ¡°Guess it¡¯s just not meant to be for the Shea family. If you don¡¯t want it, we¡¯ll keep it in the Evans family.

    ¡°We¡¯re the top medical family in Hirica too¨Csooner orter, this thing wille in handy for someone.¡±

    As soon as he said that, everyone stopped looking down on the Evanses.

    They thought, ¡®Well, that is Revival Grass. Even if the Sheas don¡¯t want it, it¡¯ll never go to waste.

    ¡®If word gets to the Shadow Syndicate, maybe they¡¯ll even lift the ban on the Evans family. Having this thing is like a get¨Cout¨Cof¨Cjail¨Cfree card.¡¯

    The Evans¡® reputation was about to make aeback when Olivia stretched and smirked, ¡°Showing off with a fake Revival Grass? Give me a break.¡±

    Natalie couldn¡¯t stand Olivia anymore. Olivia was constantly creating obstacles for the Evans family.

    ¡°Olivia, do you just not want the Evans family to seed?¡± Natalie was practically shooting daggers from her eyes. Olivia was ruining their lucky streak¨Cagain.

    Cheryl also red at Olivia with jealousy and resentment and thought, ¡®What right does she have to say it¡¯s fake? If the Evans family finds out the herb is fake, they¡¯lle for me first. I¡¯ll be dead!¡®

    Cheryl yed innocent, all big doe eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t me Olivia. She means well. Ever since she got kicked out of her family, she hasn¡¯t been herself¨Csometimes she just talks crazy.¡±

    Natalie frowned. ¡°Cheryl, you¡¯re way too nice! That¡¯s why she always pushes you around. You found the herb. Go on, tell everyone.¡±

    Cheryl hadn¡¯t expected to be put on the spot and got flustered, but replied anyway, ¡°Yeah, I just came across the Revival Grass by luck. I gave it to Mr. Evans so it wouldn¡¯t go to waste.

    8:58 Fri, Sep 12

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    ¡°She¡¯s saying it¡¯s fake just because she doesn¡¯t like me,¡± Cheryl said, looking like she was about to cry. ¡°It¡¯s not anyone else¡¯s fault¨Cif you want to me someone, me me.¡±

    ¡°Cheryl, don¡¯t always take responsibility upon yourself,¡± Natalie said, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s obvious she¡¯s just making trouble for no reason and talking nonsense here.¡±

    ¡°Natalie, I taught you to keep your cool,¡± Henry said calmly. ¡°If you argue back over everything, someone will start thinking there¡¯s something fishy about our Revival Grass.¡±

    He deliberately emphasized the word ¡°someone¡± with eyes fixed intently on Olivia. No one missed the point -he meant her.

    Olivia¡¯s eyes shed with sarcasm. ¡°Cheryl, drop the act. Want me to tell everyone where this herb actually came from?¡±

    Lucas piped up, ¡°Yeah, fake herb, by the way.¡±

    Cheryl felt a bit guilty, lowering her head and not daring to look at Olivia.

    ¡°You just won¡¯t admit you¡¯re wrong till you see proof with your own eyes,¡± Natalie fumed. ¡°You¡¯re saying our herb is fake? Got any proof? Bring it out!¡±

    Olivia debated for a second about outing herself as the Phantom Healer¨Cshe grew this thing herself, after all,

    so she knew the truth.

    ¡°Proof? You bet,¡± Olivia said, propping her chin on her hand. ¡°The reason Revival Grass is so rare is all about

    the root.

    ¡°The real deal has a blue root¨Cnot green. That¡¯s what makes it special.¡± With that, she pulled the herb out of the box and held it up for everyone to see. ¡°But this fake right here? The root¡¯s red.¡±

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    If Revival Grass was damaged during cultivation, it would turn red. It had no effect at all. Instead, it was actually toxic.

    Henry snorted. ¡°Ha! You can tell if it¡¯s real just by looking at the roots? Who do you think you¡¯re fooling, kid?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like whatever you say must be true, huh? People might actually believe you¡¯re the Phantom Healer or something,¡± Natalie chimed in.

    After all, only Phantom Healer, who cultivated Revival Grass, could determine whether it was genuine.

    ¡°Perhaps I really am.¡± Olivia shrugged, acting all chill.

    ¡°Keep dreaming,¡± Natalie huffed, all confident. ¡°I swear, there¡¯s nothing wrong with this Revival Grass<b>.¡± </b>

    Vivian felt puzzled and asked her, ¡°And how do you guarantee that?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m the Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice.¡± Natalie puffed up with pride.

    She¡¯d pulled this line on plenty of people before and figured it¡¯d work again.

    Even Henry shot her a look. ¡°Since when did you be Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice? Howe I never heard about this?<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Uh¡­ it just sorta happened. My mentor likes to keep things low¨Ckey. Told me not to talk about it. That¡¯s why I never said anything,¡± she mumbled.

    Natalie shot a re at Olivia, not even trying to hide her disgust. ¡°If it were not for someone iming that the Revival Grass was fake, I would never have revealed my identity.¡±

    After a brief consideration, Henry immediately stated, ¡°Mr. Shea, I¡¯ll put the Evans family name on the line- this Revival Grass is totally legit.¡±

    He grabbed Natalie, speaking even louder. ¡°And my niece trains with the Phantom Healer. If she says it¡¯s good, it¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡®Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice? Seriously?¡® everyone thought and stared at Natalie, startled. For a second, Henry¡¯s words had the whole room buying it.

    All at once, everyone began to trust Natalie, praising her as young and aplished.

    ¡°Ms. Evans <b>is </b>really something! Bing Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice at her age¨Cshe¡¯s got a crazy bright future,¡± someone eximed.

    ¡°Looks like the Evans family is about to level up in the medical world,¡± another one said.

    Not everybody bought it, though¨Csome folks had doubts.

    ¡°But isn¡¯t Phantom Healer supposed to be super mysterious? Never heard of them taking any apprentices<b>,</b><b>¡± </b>

    <b>8:58 </b>Fri<b>, </b>Sep 12

    someone said.

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    ¡°Yeah, plus, Ms. Evans didn¡¯t even grow this Revival Grass. Why should we take her word for it?¡± another one asked.

    Olivia just stared at Natalie, trying not tough. She thought, ¡®Wow. Setting herself up with that fake identity, huh? Bet she¡¯s been milking the Phantom Healer name for all it¡¯s worth.¡¯

    She wasn¡¯t about to out herself as the real Phantom Healer¨Cshe¡¯d never get a moment¡¯s peace. But she sure as hell wasn¡¯t letting Natalie drag her name through the mud either.

    After thinking it over, she figured Lucas was the best one to expose Natalie. She shot him a look.

    Lucas caught her hint and started slow¨Cpping. ¡°Wow, Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice. Brilliant!¡±

    Lucas lounged around, hands in his pockets, looking all chill. ¡°Hey, you guys all heard about Phantom Healer performing surgery at my family¡¯s hospital, right?¡±

    That was all over the news, with photos of the crowd and everything, which further substantiated the authenticity of Phantom Healer¡¯s identity.

    But after the surgery, Phantom Healer bailed and didn¡¯t let anyone see their face.

    The mere appearance of Phantom Healer caused the Grant family¡¯s stock to rise for a week straight. It was evident how influential the Phantom Healer was.

    That made Winston pause for a sec. He thought, ¡®Yeah. My grandson was there too. Never saw Phantom Healer though¡­

    ¡°So, you met Phantom Healer?¡± Vivian fixed her gaze on Lucas.

    Everyone turned to Lucas, eager for the answer.

    ¡°Yup.¡± Lucas tossed down his fork and wiped his hands. ¡°I was there for the surgery. Saw Phantom Healer myself. And guess what? Ms. Evans was there too.¡±

    With that, he raised his eyebrows and shot Natalie a sly grin. ¡°Right, ¡®Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice¡®?¡±

    Natalie clenched her teeth and gave a firm nod. She thought, ¡®How could I have forgotten Lucas? He certainly knows the facts. If by any chance he reveals the truth, my lie will be exposed immediately.¡¯

    ¡°Ms. Evans was actually crying at the operating room door, begging me to get her in, just so she could work with Phantom Healer,¡± Lucas smirked. He nced at the messages he had received, his graceful chin lifting slightly.

    He asked, ¡°Tell me¨Cif you really were Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice, why¡¯d you need to beg me to get you in?

    ¡°If you¡¯re really Phantom Healer¡¯s apprentice, would you have been locked out? Only one answer: you¡¯re lying.¡±

    Lucas¡¯s voice was exceptionally loud, echoing throughout the entire hall.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t you twist this! You¡¯re the one who stopped me from seeing my mentor.¡± Natalie backed away, voice shaking.

    ¡°Shameless.¡± Lucas gave her a look of disgust and flipped his phone around. ¡°Maybe this¡¯ll jog your memory.¡±

    On the screen, Natalie was straight¨Cup begging Lucas to let her in, looking totally desperate. Now it was obvious who was lying.

    ¡°I even asked Phantom Healer straight¨Cup¨Cshe said she never takes students,¡± Lucas added.

    He rested one hand on the table, leaning forward slightly. A provocative glint shone in his eyes, and his smile carried a hint of roguishness without detracting from his charm, making his presence impossible to ignore.

    ¡°And she¡¯d never let some liar be her student,¡± Lucas smirked. ¡°Ms. Evans, Phantom Healer wanted me to pass a message to you. Bad karma always catches up.¡± He shot her a nasty re.

    Natalie took in every nuance of Lucas¡¯s expression, feeling a slight twinge in her heart. She wondered, ¡®Do I really seem so pathetic in his eyes?¡®

    At this point, the crowd finally figured out what was going on and started giving Natalie the side¨Ceye.

    Someone said, ¡°I believe Mr. Grant is right. Phantom Healer would not take on students so easily. Can¡¯t believe everything she says.¡±

    Another said, ¡°Mr. Grant has met Phantom Healer. If he says it¡¯s not true, it¡¯s not true.¡±

    ¡°Just look at her face¨Cshe knows she¡¯s been exposed,¡± someone whispered.

    No one needed to say more¨CNatalie had been totally busted for pretending to be Phantom Healer¡¯s student.

    Cheryl just frowned the whole time, wondering, ¡®This isn¡¯t how I thought things would go¡­¡®

    In Cheryl¡¯s n, no matter what, being linked to Phantom Healer should¡¯ve boosted the Evans family.

    Henry¡¯s face was a storm cloud. He thought, ¡®Didn¡¯t even get any mileage out of that Phantom Healer student scam before it all blew up. Natalie is just useless. But¡­ can¡¯t throw in the towel yet.

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    Henry figured, ¡®Right now, I¡¯d better y nice and think of a workaroundter.

    ¡°Natalie may be mischievous, but it was only a minor mistake. Let¡¯s not hold it against her,¡± Henry said with a smile. Then, turning to Olivia, he continued, ¡°But since you say the herb is fake, how about you prove it?¡±

    Henry thought, ¡®I¡¯ll just make this girl vouch for the herb. Once that¡¯s done, I can handle the fallout!

    ¡°It is quite simple. Take a bite, and you will understand.¡± Olivia stared intently at him. ¡°I need to warn you that the fake Revival Grass is extremely toxic. Eat it, and you¡¯ll be dead in ten minutes. Wanna bet your life?¡±

    Olivia¡¯s voice seemed to be magical, making Henry want to change his mind.

    Olivia meant he could only prove its authenticity by personally testing it on himself. If he didn¡¯t dare, it meant the herb was fake. But no way was Henry gonna risk his own life.

    While Henry was deep in thought, Olivia cast a sidelong nce at Cheryl and said, ¡°Cheryl, did you ever think that the Revival Grass you stole from the orphanage was fake?¡±

    Cheryl jumped, stammered, and shook her head. ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t steal anything! I have never been to Sunrise Orphanage.¡± Her pitiable demeanor quickly elicited sympathy from those around her.

    Mitchell rolled his eyes. ¡°Ms. Sherman, stop pretending. Olivia never mentioned ¡®Sunrise Orphanage¡® at all, okay?¡±

    ¡®What a dumbass,¡® Mitchell thought.

    ¡°No, I¡­¡± Cheryl bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears. She felt deep regret and thought, ¡®Why did I have to say so much?¡®

    Natalie, pissed that her bestie was being picked on, jumped out. ¡°Enough! There¡¯s only one orphanage in Hirica. using us because of that is way too much.¡±

    Everyone saw Cheryl¡¯s reaction, and it was highly likely that she had stolen the herb for the Evans family; however, no one had expected it to be a fake.

    Still, as long as the orphanage stayed quiet, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Even if the Evans family had stolen it, it didn¡¯t

    matter.

    Most of the crowd just watched. Cheryl looked so pathetic anyway; some folks actually felt sorry for her.

    But some individuals spoke out against unfairness.

    Troy was furious. ¡°Kids these days have no sense. Straight up stealing stuff? Unbelievable!¡±

    Mitchell joined in the scolding. ¡°Exactly. They stole the herb and then gave it to the Shea family¨Cjust trying to gain for nothing.¡±

    The two were totally on the same page. With these words, the Shea family was even less likely to take the

    8:58 Fri, Sep 12

    stolen Revival Grass<b>. </b>

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    ¡°You guys know what you did,¡± Olivia said, peeking at her watch. ¡°But now, prove if this Revival Grass is real.

    ¡°What, scared now?¡± Olivia shot Henry a look. ¡°Didn¡¯t you swear this was legit?¡±

    Cornered by Olivia, Henry walked up to her. He lowered his voice. ¡°Listen, kid, sometimes you gotta let things go. The Evans family is influential in this city. You sure you wanna cross me?¡±

    Olivia looked at him, her smile bold and unrestrained. ¡°That¡¯s a threat? But your day of reckoning¡¯s here. Get ready for hell,¡± she said, pping her hands.

    With a loud bang, the main doors of the hall were kicked open.

    Cops in full SWAT gear stormed in, armed to the teeth, like they were here on a serious bust.

    Before anyone could say a word, they pped cuffs on Henry and his crew.

    Henry struggled. ¡°Who are you? Why are you arresting me?¡±

    The team leader shed his badge. ¡°Kingtonelle Criminal Case Investigation Team, please cooperate!¡±

    Everyone was stunned and thought, ¡®That investigation team only handles the biggest cases. Why would theye here to arrest Henry?¡®

    Vivian remained silent, watching with indifference as members of the Evans family were apprehended.

    She¡¯d heard about the stuff the Evans family had pulled. If anything, the cops werete¨Cthese psychos had gone unpunished for way too long.

    Olivia poured a cup of coffee for Nina, her face expressionless. ¡°Watch closely¨Cthe consequence of our enemy.¡±

    Nina nodded, staring at the scene, determined to burn it into her memory.

    Rowan shouted hoarsely, ¡°Let go. We are from the Evans family¨Chow dare you!¡±

    One cop taped her mouth shut and shoved her head down.

    That was when Henry realized how screwed he was¨Cthis had all been set up. He immediately put on a smile. ¡°Sir, please don¡¯t misunderstand. I am from the Evans family, the one in Kingtonelle¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan Evans, the guy you bribed into office in Kingtonelle? He¡¯s already been stripped of his job,¡± the lead cop said, stone cold. ¡°Thought you could buy your way to safety?¡±

    Ryan was from a branch of the Evans family. Henry paid a significant price to send him to serve as an official in Kingtonelle, all to make things easier for the Evans family. And now he was told that Ryan had been arrested.

    Henry was stunned, but continued to make excuses. ¡°Impossible! Ryan has always been an honest official, serving the country and the people.¡±

    8:58 Fri, Sep 12

    ¡°Save it!¡± the cop red at him and snapped. ¡°Ryan spilled everything you guys did.

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    ¡°Like swapping out cheap equipment for real medical gear and cashing in, scamming patients, threatening loans, doing botched surgeries that killed people¨Chell, you even poisoned families to shut them up. Some real psycho shit.¡±

    That hit home for Nina¨Cher eyes filled with tears. Finally, someone saw what they¡¯d suffered.

    The cop added, ¡°And don¡¯t forget¨Cyour people ran that whole surrogacy and child¨Cselling ring in Magnolia Town; working with traffickers, tricking college girls, forcing them into surrogacy, and even organ trafficking. You treat people like livestock!

    ¡°All of it¨Cdownright evil. Arresting you is getting off easy,¡± the cop said, gripping Henry¡¯s chin. ¡°When it¡¯s execution day, I¡¯ll be first in line to pull the trigger.¡±

    In addition, the Evans Group had also engaged in numerous illicit activities behind the scenes. All of these matters would be thoroughly settled with Henry.

    Henry shook his head in disbelief and eximed hysterically, ¡°Impossible! I don¡¯t believe it. The Evans family <b>is </b>innocent. I am innocent.¡± He looked like a total madman.

    Natalie was extremely frightened and pleaded with a tearful voice, ¡°Mom, Uncle Henry, please think of something.¡±

    Rowan realized it was over for the Evanses. The only one she couldn¡¯t bear to lose was her daughter¨Ca brat who always made enemies.

    But Natalie was Rowan¡¯s beloved daughter. In order to save Natalie¡¯s life, Rowan even had Fiona adopt a child just to get a bone marrow match for Natalie. No way Rowan¡¯d watch her daughter go down with the Evans family.

    Rowan sobbed and struggled, desperate for someone to notice her.

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    A member of the investigation team noticed Rowan¡¯s unusual behavior and reported to the leader, ¡°Sir, she seems to have something to say.¡±

    The leader said, ¡°Loosen her.¡±

    Someone quickly pulled the gag out of Rowan¡¯s mouth. Rowan coughed hard, trying to catch her breath.

    ¡°You¡¯d better have something important to say,¡± the guy said, rubbing his forehead.

    ¡°If I provide additional information, will you let my daughter go?¡± Rowan asked directly. ¡°This is my only request.¡±

    The leader replied, ¡°Depends on how much you give us.¡±

    Henry looked at Rowan, his eyes filled with disbelief. He asked, ¡°Rowan, are you out of your mind?¡±

    Rowan gritted her teeth and raised her voice. ¡°I report that Henry poisoned his own younger brother, my husband Shane Evans.¡±

    Shane should¡¯ve been the Evans family¡¯s head. However, driven by jealousy, Henry switched Shane¡¯s medicine and poisoned his daily meals with a slow¨Cacting toxin, thereby elerating his death.

    All of these were gradually discovered by Rowan in the days that followed.

    Even after Shane died, Henry was still jealous. Back then, when Natalie¡¯s hand was ruined, Henry didn¡¯t even try to save her.

    ¡°He switched my husband¡¯s medication and even poisoned his food, causing my husband¡¯s death.¡± Rowan red fiercely at Henry, years of deeply buried hatred threatening to spill over. ¡°After my husband died, he finally became the head of the Evans family as he wished.¡±

    Rowan shouted, ¡°I will use him of intentional homicide.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the crowd fell silent.

    There were two sons in the Evans family, both talented. Shane was chosen as the next head of the family, but he dropped dead right before taking over, so Henry took his ce.

    After Henry assumed office, he indeed led the Evans family¡¯s medical enterprise to new heights, establishing it as the leadingpany in Hirica.

    But nobody could have anticipated that such secretsy behind this.

    Natalie was also stunned. The person responsible for her father¡¯s death was actually her father¡¯s elder brother -the very one she had always been proud of. She couldn¡¯t believe that.

    Henry shouted angrily, ¡°You madwoman! Utter nonsense. I¡¯ll kill you.¡± With that, he struggled, trying to hit

    Rowan.

    8:58 Fri<b>, </b><b>Sep </b>12

    The leader stepped on him and said coldly, ¡°Who are you to act like this in front of me?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll check it out.¡± The leader pped his hands. ¡°Take them all away.¡±

    Henry and his group were dragged out together.

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    As Henry got pulled away, he suddenly remembered what Olivia told him and started desperately looking for her. Suddenly, he spotted Olivia. She toasted him with a ss of red wine.

    ¡°You wretched girl! You did this to me.¡± Henry¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, his face flushed with rage. Restrained by others, he could do nothing but watch helplessly as Olivia moved farther and farther away.

    As Rowan was being dragged away, she kept her tear¨Cfilled eyes fixed on Natalie. She thought, ¡®This may be thest time I see you, my beloved daughter.¡®

    Rowan had always been timid, except when it came to matters concerning her daughter.

    If Shane had be the head of the Evans family back then, perhaps things would not have turned out this

    way.

    The police did not spare Natalie and Cheryl, who were standing to the side; the two of them were dragged out together.

    Cheryl frantically exined that she was a Evans, thereby avoiding being taken away.

    The atmosphere throughout the hall became tense immediately.

    The mood of everyone attending the party waspletely ruined. The crowd was extremely anxious, terrified that the matter might implicate them.

    The Evans family¡¯s affair immediately topped the trending list, causing an uproar throughout Hirica.

    The prominent aristocratic families present did not dare to speak, while some smaller families were chatting enthusiastically.

    ¡°Is the Evans family truly finished this time?¡±

    ¡°Human trafficking, organ trafficking¨Cany one of these charges would be enough to have Henry executed 800 times over.¡±

    ¡°No wonder the Evans family has managed to maintain its position in Hirica for so many years. It turns out they have been engaging in these illicit activities behind the scenes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. My phone!¡±

    ¡°Quick, look at your phones!¡±

    In an instant, everyone¡¯s phone was controlled, and a videosting over ten minutes started ying on everyone¡¯s phone. No one could stop it.

    Not just phones¨Ceven the big screens at malls, hospitals, subway stations¨Call got hacked to y the video,

    8:59 Fri, Sep 12

    including the one right in the hall.

    :

    The video began with a ck screen, followed by an audio segment.

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    A young woman angrily asked, ¡°My grandma just had a regr illness, yet you im she requires coronary artery bypass surgery, with a procedure fee of 600 thousand. My dad died trying to pay for it. Can you even sleep at night?¡±

    There was a loud p, then Henry¡¯s voice. ¡°Why can¡¯t I? You and your folks are nothing to me.¡±

    He continued, ¡°You have nothing but empty words¨Cno evidence, no power, no influence. What do you have to fight me with? But it doesn¡¯t matter. Soon, you¡¯ll be reunited with your family. Guards, throw her out at

    once!¡±

    The audio concluded at this point and transitioned to a video segment.

    In the video, a visibly pregnant woman¨CSophie¨Cheld up her ID and said, ¡°I¡¯m Sophie, and I¡¯m calling out the Evans Group for what they did in Magnolia Town.

    ¡°They work with traffickers and trick college girls into donating eggs and being surrogates. When they¡¯re used up, they¡¯re sold for their organs!¡±

    Immediately afterward, the video showed an increasing number of young women¡¯s faces.

    In unison, they dered, ¡°We are reporting the Evans family for treating women¡¯s wombs asmodities and regarding us as reproductive tools. We urge the police to arrest them and bring them to justice.¡±

    Next, another scrolling list was appended; it was a list of victims who were unwilling to record videos.

    A lot of women there got super emotional¨Csome even cried.

    The scene shifted again, revealing Nathan¡¯s face. He looked visibly irritated and said, ¡°As I stated, the surgery costs 600 thousand. No discount.¡±

    A man replied, ¡°But I¡¯m just a farmer. I can¡¯te up with that much money.¡±

    ¡°Then no treatment,¡± Nathan replied coldly. ¡°Or, I¡¯ve got two options for you.

    ¡°The card on the left is for loans.¡± Nathan pushed two cards forward. ¡°The one on the right is a good way to make money quickly. You have a daughter, don¡¯t you?¡±

    The scene abruptly came to a halt. Another video appeared on therge screen.

    Nathan showed up at the farmer¡¯s house with some thugs. ¡°No money? Then pay with your body.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± A little girl blocked her father. ¡°You must not touch my father.¡±

    ¡°Pretty girl.¡± Nathan lifted her chin, his eyes gleaming with greed. ¡°Take her away.¡±

    8:59 Fri, Sep 12

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    The farmer tried desperately to stop Nathan, but was kicked down by Nathan and died instantly.

    Later, they just said the farmer was drunk, fell at home, and died.

    The oue for that girl was obvious. She was taken away by Nathan.

    <b>85 </b>

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    At the end of the video, a bunch of doctors and nurses showed up¨Call of them had been messed with by the Evans family.

    ¡°Simply because I told the truth, I was cklisted across the entire industry by the Evans family.¡±

    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t say hello to Nathan, I was dismissed.¡±

    ¡°They used cheap junk during surgery and caused an infection. When I couldn¡¯t save the patient, they med it all on me. They fired me and told every hospital in the city not to hire me.¡±

    After each of them spoke up, the doctors and nurses all started to recite the Hippocratic Oath. ¡°As a member of the medical profession: I solemnly pledge to dedicate my life to the service of humanity. The health and well¨Cbeing of my patient will be my first consideration¡­

    ¡°¡­I will attend to my own health, well¨Cbeing, and abilities in order to provide care of the highest standard. I will not use my medical knowledge to vite human rights and civil liberties, even under threat. I make these promises solemnly, freely, and upon my honor.¡±

    When the final section of the oath was recited, everyone was deeply moved. The Hippocratic Oath was a pledge known to every medical student. This concluded the video.

    A sentence was written on the ck screen. [What goes aroundes around. Good or bad, everyone pays the price eventually.]

    These words instantly resonated with countless individuals: office workers scrolling through videos after work, people out shopping, even old folks chatting in the park..

    The video disappeared immediately after it finished ying, leaving no trace whatsoever. Good thing some savvyizens screen¨Crecorded it for proof.

    The moment the video finished ying, it triggered a significant public outcry. It shot to the top of every trending list out there.

    Someone kept trying to hire bot armies to kill the buzz.

    But whoever was pulling the strings kept running into pushback. Their bots and shady tricks just didn¡¯t work

    -they had no choice but to watch the whole thing spiral.

    *****

    On the third floor of the vi, Jenny sat with a lollipop in her mouth, humming as her fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard.

    8:59 Fri, Sep 12

    <b>85 </b>

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    Andrew had said someone would totally try to buy bots to bury the story. So, he arranged for Jenny to monitor the situation in advance.

    Jenny snorted. ¡°Anyone whomits wrongdoing must be punished.¡±

    The video kept blowing up, not just in Hirica¨Cthe whole country was talking about it.

    The Evans family went from top dog in Hirica to total pariahs overnight. Even the Evans Group¡¯s official ount got roasted.

    Anyone who ever had ties with the Evans family was suddenly dying to cut them off.

    Overnight, the Evans Group¡¯s HR got swamped with resignations. All their hospitals went on strike.

    Nathan saw all this at home and just dropped to the floor. He thought, ¡®The Evans family is screwed¡­¡®

    He tried calling his ¡°big boss,¡± but no one picked up.

    After making more than a dozen phone calls, Nathan realized that it was over. This time, the Evans family was truly finished.

    Soon, someone knocked on the door of the Evans residence. Nathan knew¨Cthis time, they wereing for

    him.

    ¡°Nathan Evans, you¡¯re wanted for multiple charges¨Cassault, trafficking, fraud, and more. You need toe with us.¡± The cops started handcuffing him. ¡°Please cooperate.¡±

    Nathan had nothing left in him¨Che didn¡¯t even fight it, just let them haul him away.

    After Nathan was taken away, a text message appeared on his phone: [Don¡¯t call me. Take the fall and wait for further instructions. I will protect the younger members of the Evans family.]

    A few minutester, the message disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

    *****

    Truth was, the investigators had everyone pegged for a while, but the Evans family just never showed together until this Shea family party gave them the perfect chance for a roundup.

    To keep it under wraps, they picked the party day to make their move.

    up all

    The investigation team had arrived unexpectedly. No one knew how they obtained the evidence. It was as if preparations had been underway for a long time.

    The video went poof after one y, with nothing left behind. Even the investigators¡® tech guys couldn¡¯t track where it came from.

    After the Evans family was taken away, the cop leader approached Vivian, nodded slightly, and said, ¡°Sorry for crashing your party. Hope you¡¯ll forgive us.¡±

    Winston was actually in a pretty good mood. ¡°No worries. Happy to help you catch the bad guys.¡±

    8:59 Fri, Sep 12

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    Vivian raised her brow. ¡°Leo, you don¡¯te out often. Is this case really that huge?¡±

    Leo Clifton nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t think a little family like the Evanses could cause so much drama. Whoever¡¯s got their back must be real powerful.¡±

    Vivian snorted, eyes a little smug. ¡°Guess you¡¯ve got your work cut out for you. Better dig out whoever¡¯s hiding in the shadows.¡±

    ¡°You got it.¡± Leo bowed to Winston and hurried out.

    After the investigators left, Winston shook his head helplessly and let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°If doctors are like this, how can anyone in Hirica ever feel safe?¡± Winston¡¯s smile vanished. He looked pretty pissed.

    He¡¯d been in business forever¨Che knew how dirty these things were. The people of the world were drawn together by profit; in the absence of profit, they dispersed.

    Vivian understood what Winston was thinking. She gave an order. ¡°Tell them to ensure that the Evans family¡¯s affairs are handled fairly.¡± She ced particr emphasis on the word ¡°fairly.¡±

    There was no way the Evans family alone could have caused this much chaos in Hirica. A bigger mastermind must be lurking in the shadows.

    With the whole city watching, whoever¡¯s behind this must know exactly what was up. Covering for the Evanses would be a p in the face to the victims.

    When Vivian said ¡°fairly,¡± she meant public and transparent¨Cno way to let the puppet masters mess things <ol><li>up. </li></ol>

    In her gut, she figured the people backing the Evans family were just as powerful as her own family.

    The whole thing blew up; everyone at the party was gossiping.

    ¡°The Evans family is messed up! So many college girls¡­¡±

    ¡°Nathan tricked patients into loan shark debts, sent thugs to their homes, and even went after their daughters. What a monster!¡±

    ¡°Feels like this world is just falling apart.¡±

    Families in the room that were tight with the Evanses suddenly mademe excuses and peaced out¨Cthey didn¡¯t wanna get caught in the mess.

    Someone asked, ¡°Does this mean that from now on, we can only go to the Grant family¡¯s hospital?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s the ckwell family too,¡± someone else replied.

    Mitchell Grant was quick on the uptake¨Che wasn¡¯t going to let this publicity slip.

    He jumped in, ¡°Rx. Our Grant family would never do anything so low. Anyone doesn¡¯t trust us<b>¨C</b>you¡¯re

    8:59 Fri, Sep 12

    wee to check us out, inside and out.¡±

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    <b>Chapter </b><b>139 </b>

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    Lucas nodded. He hadn¡¯t done anything shady, so there was no reason for him to feel guilty.

    Winston dered, ¡°Enough. The matter concerning the Evans family will be investigated by the proper people. The party cannot go on. You may all leave.¡± His tone was so firm that it felt like he was giving orders.

    That was it¨Cthe party was over. Taking Winston¡¯s word as final, the guests began filing out.

    Olivia calmly sipped her coffee and handed Nina a tissue to wipe her tears. No one in their wildest dreams would connect a girl like her to a crisis that had shaken the entire Clusia.

    Curtis sensed something amiss. Before leaving, he approached Olivia with practiced grace. ¡°May I have a word with you?¡±

    Without even ncing at him, Olivia replied, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in making friends.¡±

    Her words left Curtis momentarily speechless, yet he showed no irritation. He just kept smiling faintly, his face looking good under the light.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. See you.¡± With that, he turned and left, receding into the distance.

    Lucas watched him leave and instinctively shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s still the same as when we were kids¨Calways putting on a front.¡±

    Olivia raised her eyebrows. ¡°Care to borate?¡±

    Lucas said, ¡°We all used to call him the ¡®big poser¡®. Ever since we were kids, wherever he went, he carried that look like nothing in the world could faze him, like he saw right through everything.¡±

    Lucas exined, ¡°He hasn¡¯t changed a bit. Girls go crazy for that type. What do you call it¡­ a smooth yer, right?

    ¡°What makes him better than me? Why does every girl rave about how good¨Clooking he is, while all I ever get <b>is </b>the dreaded ¡®nice guy¡®bel?¡±

    Lucas leaned closer to Olivia, his expression deadly serious. ¡°Olivia, just be real. Who¡¯s hotter, me or him?¡±

    Olivia replied with no expression, ¡°Him.¡± She had never been one to lie.

    Lucas copsed onto the table, pounding his legs wildly as if struck by a terrible fact.

    Mitchell burst intoughter at Olivia¡¯s blunt honesty, unable to stop himself.

    Olivia paid him no mind and turned instead to check on Nina.

    From the very start of the video, Nina had been crying nonstop. Her eyes were swollen, and her once¨Cbright gaze clouded with tears. The drops rolled down her cheeks, leaving faint streaks across her face.

    ¡°Olivia, they finally got what they deserved.¡± Nina buried herself in Olivia¡¯s embrace, her shoulders trembling

    <b>8:59 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>12

    incessantly as she sobbed.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Olivia stroked Nina¡¯s forehead softly. ¡°Karma is real.¡±

    $85

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    Now that the Evans family had fallen, all those who had colluded with them were thrown into panic, especially Cheryl, who had just been taken in as their adopted daughter.

    The downfall of the Evans family hade so suddenly that no one had been prepared. And no one had a clue who took them down so quietly.

    Mitchell suddenly asked, ¡°Olivia, who do you think had the guts to take the Evans family down?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy about it?¡± Olivia gave him a casual nce, her expression cool. She remembered well that the Grant family and the Evans family had always been enemies.

    ¡°Of course, I am.¡± Mitchell pped the table and leapt to his feet, his face lit with excitement. ¡°I¡¯ll buy out every firework in Hirica and set them off for three days to celebrate.¡±

    Lucas got this weird sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The way Mitchell was being so loud and carefree kind of lifted his mood.

    ¡°Very well.¡± Olivia¡¯s tone stayed calm. ¡°Maybe it was Lucas.¡±

    Lucas pointed at himself, baffled. ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡± Mitchell shot Lucas a look of disdain. ¡°If he were that smart, the Grant family would have surpassed the Evans family long ago, instead of being under their thumb for over a decade.¡±

    Lucas rubbed his forehead with a bitter smile. ¡°That much is true.¡±

    ¡°Your family¡¯s businesses include hospitals, too. Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Olivia looked up at him.

    ¡°Of course not. The Grant family has never done anything shady.¡± Mitchell was brimming with pride. If Lucas hadn¡¯t held him back, he would have climbed onto the table in excitement.

    Olivia smiled. ¡°I heard from Grandma Grace that Mr. Logan Grant was a man of integrity. Even when everyone believed she had poisoned the children, he stood firmly by her. A man like that won¡¯t easily fall into danger.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, they finally went down. I¡¯m so happy.¡± Mitchell pulled out his phone. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy a trending slot online to celebrate.¡±

    Lucas nced at the boisterous Mitchell and just shrugged.

    Suddenly, Olivia felt a gaze fixed on her. Instinctively, she lifted her eyes toward the third floor.

    Sure enough, someone really was looking at her.

    Kicked out of the vi, Margaret shivered violently in the cold.

    The investigators entered through the back door, and those taken away had been escorted out the same way.

    8:59 Fri, Sep 12

    As a result, Margaret had no idea what had actually happened.

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    The Shea family kept things locked tight. And this time, Andrew had been in the know from the very beginning.

    Dressed in a tailored gray overcoat, Andrew stood before the window, sipping his coffee. When he noticed Olivia looking up, he smiled. ¡°Oops, looks like she caught me.¡±

    ¡°Ethan, why was the system breached?¡± Andrew¡¯s gaze shifted to Ethan. ¡°Or are you telling me you don¡¯t want to work here anymore?¡±

    Ethan was at a loss for words. Someone had just broken through the Shea family¡¯s firewall and forcibly streamed the video in. It was the first time the Shea family had ever suffered a hacker intrusion.

    He said, ¡°Mr. Shea, they came so suddenly. We truly were powerless to stop it.¡±

    The hacker¡¯s ID was encrypted, and when they traced the signal, all they found was a virtual address. It was clear the hacker was a seasoned hand at cyber infiltration.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want excuses.¡± Andrew hated exnations after the fact. The damage was done, and apologies didn¡¯t mean anything. What he wanted was answers.

    ¡°Understood, Mr. Shea.¡± Ethan stiffened. ¡°We¡¯ve already sent word to Shadow Syndicate, and we¡¯re reaching out to Enigma Institute, hoping to track the man down quickly.¡±

    Ethan suddenly thought of something and added, ¡°It almost reminds me of¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already confirmed. It wasn¡¯t Mystery.¡± Andrew cut him off.

    At first, they suspected Mystery right away, but after digging deeper, they confirmed it wasn¡¯t him.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, I wasn¡¯t talking about Mystery.¡± Ethan shook his head, his expression solemn. ¡°Do you remember Queen?¡±

    Queen showed up out of nowhere four years ago as a hidden protector in the dark. With code as her weapon, she carved out truth and stood as a shield for justice.

    Ìï

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    <b>Chapter </b>140

    Four years ago, she snuck into the border between Clusia and Northwyn, tore down a giant scam ring, and helped countless Clusians get free. Then she blew the whole thing wide open online, and that was how Queen shot to fame overnight.

    However, after that, Queen just disappeared. She never appeared online again. Stranger still, every trace of her presence was wiped away, as though she had never existed at all.

    Ethan¡¯s eyes lit up with admiration. <b>¡°</b><b>If </b>someone that sharp isn¡¯t Mystery, then it¡¯s gotta be Queen.¡±

    ¡°Interesting.¡± Andrew frowned, his deep eyes unreadable, void of any emotion. He murmured under his breath, ¡°Queen, right?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll keep digging,¡± Ethan said quickly.

    Andrew stayed silent, looking down at Olivia, who was enjoying her dessert, his expression heavy as he fell deep into thought.

    ¡°That¡¯s just dumb.¡± A yful voice drifted in from the door. Jenny stood there with a notebook, staring at them in disbelief.

    ¡°Ms. Shea, you shouldn¡¯t-¡± Ethan muttered nervously, worried Andrew would blow up.

    Jenny walked right in. ¡°I¡¯m only telling the truth.¡±

    ¡°Then enlighten me. What brilliant idea do you have?¡± Andrew squinted.

    ¡°Easy. It¡¯s gotta be someone who hates the Evans family.¡± Jenny sneered. ¡°They pissed off so many people. Retribution was inevitable.¡±

    Ethan caught her meaning instantly. ¡°Ms. Shea, you¡¯re saying this is revenge, right?¡±

    Jenny nodded and said, ¡°Instead of chasing after this so¨Ccalled Queen, why not investigate who the Evans family has offended recently? Perhaps the one they crossed is Queen herself.¡±

    Andrew nodded slightly, thinking Jenny had a point. ¡°Ethan, investigate the Evans family¡¯s connections. I want a list of everyone they have wronged and harmed.¡±

    Ethan looked troubled. ¡°The Evans family has offended far too many people. Sorting it out may take time.¡±

    ¡°Start with those who bore the deepest grudges,¡± Jenny said, exasperated by his slowness. She could never understand how someone as brilliant as Andrew ended up with such a dumb assistant.

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll get on it at once,¡± Ethan said.

    Andrew loungedzily on the couch, looking totally rxed, though his eyes still held that chilly, distant look he always had. Deep down, he was sure the mysterious hacker wasn¡¯t done yet.

    ¡°Was this all your n?¡± The door flew open, and Winston barged in, clearly fuming.

    <b>9:00 </b>Fri, Sep 12

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    ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t get upset,¡± Andrew replied coolly. ¡°The doctor said you need to keep your temper in check.¡±

    Winston rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Stop dodging me. Why did you refuse the Revival Grass? Do you have any idea who I went through all that trouble for?¡±

    ¡°I told you I only want her treatment. No one else will do.¡± Andrew stepped behind Winston and began kneading his shoulders. ¡°Besides, that Revival Grass was a fake.¡±

    Ethan realized this talk wasn¡¯t for him, so he quietly left.

    ¡°I get it, but you¡¯re not getting any better. We need to act fast.¡± Winston sighed deeply. ¡°The Evans family was just too greedy, so it¡¯s no surprise they crashed. You did well today.¡±

    Andrew didn¡¯t show a flicker of emotion. ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m notplimenting you,¡± Winston said, crossing his legs. ¡°You need to face the truth about your health.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve been fely.¡± Andrew kept his face neutral, working on the massage. ¡°We don¡¯t need the Phantom Healer. My current doctor is good enough.¡±

    Suddenly, a pang in his stomach reminded him of Olivia¡¯s medical skills. It seemed he would need <i>to </i>find time to see her again.

    ¡°Who else could treat you besides the Phantom Healer?¡± Winston looked conflicted. ¡°I had pinned my hopes on Henry, but with the Evans family¡¯s sudden copse¡­ never mind.¡±

    Andrew stopped what he was doing and smiled. ¡°Naturally, there is someone who can fix me.¡±

    Winston yed dumb. ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Stop pretending.¡± Andrew sat down, rolling up his sleeves as he picked up a cup. ¡°Ethan must have already told you about me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why would Ethan tell me about you?¡± Winston cleared his throat and took a sip of coffee.

    Andrew remained silent. He knew that besides his bad temper, Winston had an insatiable curiosity. The less he was told, the more he wanted to know.

    Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long before Winston couldn¡¯t contain himself. ¡°Alright, who is it? That little girl was here earlier, right?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you figure it out already?¡± Andrew raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°I want you to say it yourself.¡± Winston wasn¡¯t even sure if he was right.

    Since Andrew had been treated by her once, his appetite had improved noticeably. That was great news for the Shea family.

    He wanted to know who the girl was. He wanted to meet her, thank her, and see if she was actually pretty.

    ¡°<b>Is </b>it that interesting girl?¡± Winston rested his chin in his hand, thinking hard. ¡°She¡¯s very pretty, and I quite

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    like her. She seems professional and humble, unlike those from the Evans family. Could it be her?¡±

    Jenny desperately wanted to interrupt them and tell him it was indeed her.

    However, Andrew had warned her not to say too much, or she wouldn¡¯t be allowed to see Olivia again. Thinking of this, she held back her words.

    ¡°Take a guess. I know you¡¯ve always been sharp,¡± Andrew said, raising an eyebrow, his tone tinged with mischief.

    Winston didn¡¯t bother arguing. He knew Andrew was always the most calcting of the Shea family.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Jenny,¡± Winston said, scooping up Jenny. His voice softened immediately. ¡°Tell me, is it that girl?¡±

    Holding her toy, Jenny cast a timid nce at Andrew.

    Andrew staredzily at Jenny, the intensity in his gaze unmistakably threatening.

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Jenny yelled, terrified of crossing Andrew. She broke free from Winston¡¯s hold and ran off. ¡°Andrew said I can¡¯t tell.¡±

    ¡°Andrew, are you deliberately teasing me?¡± Winston snapped, anger ring as he mmed everything on the table to the floor. ¡°I am your grandfather.¡±

    Andrew said, ¡°Rx, Grandpa. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡±

    B

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Blizzard 141

    Andrew spoke gently, carefully shifting the topic. ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite impressed with that girl.¡±

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    Winston nodded. ¡°She¡¯s very clever. She doesn¡¯t just rely on X¨Crays to make a diagnosis. Henry got misled by the images and made a mistake. She saw the mistake right away and pointed out what was really wrong.¡±

    Winston stroked his beard. ¡°The person you admire must be exceptional. When Vivian¡¯s gifts were rejected by everyonest time, she epted them and openly admitted she loved money. That¡¯s interesting.¡±

    ¡°She truly does love money.¡± Andrew¡¯s smile faded.

    ¡°It¡¯s her, right?¡± Winston immediately picked up on it, unable to hide his happiness. ¡°I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so excited?¡± asked Andrew.

    ¡°This is about your whole future,¡± Winston said, getting excited as he started listing potential gifts. ¡°I¡¯ll give her eight houses in Kingtonelle, three in Hirica, seven in Bayhurst, and a few estates in Engloria.¡±

    As he spoke, he stood and pped his hands. ¡°She loves money, doesn¡¯t she? Too bad I only have one million dors in cash this time.¡±

    Winston said, a bit annoyed, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough.¡± He pointed at Andrew. ¡°It¡¯s your fault. You insisted we stay low¨Ckey; otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be this short on funds.¡±

    The Shea family was extraordinarily wealthy, with every member ustomed tovish spending. Yet Andrew acted with restraint, disliking extravagance, and often urged others to stay low¨Cprofile as well.

    Even this party was held in a modest vi of his choosing. Had it been up to Winston, he would have booked thergest hotel in Hirica for several days.

    ¡°Grandpa,¡± Andrew said, finally cutting him off. ¡°You¡¯re getting ahead of yourself. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m already engaged.¡±

    Winston came to his senses and snickered. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to cancel the

    engagement?¡±

    Andrew said, ¡°I failed again.¡±

    After a long silence, Winston nodded, his expression serious. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Once we find Ivy, your engagement will be called off. What¡¯s more urgent now is your personal matters.¡±

    Andrew raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled by his words.

    Seeing the bewildered look on Andrew¡¯s face, Winston waved his hands in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m talking about your rtionship issues.¡±

    When Winston was young, he was charming and popr with women. He couldn¡¯t understand why Andrew was theplete opposite¨Cno woman seemed to take an interest in him.

    Andrew let out a sigh and looked Winston in the eye. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just born to be unlucky in love, and with my health, I¡¯m not really thinking about dating right now.¡±

    Winston frowned. ¡°Astor said you¡¯re born unlucky in love, but he never said you can¡¯t fall in love. It¡¯s time you start thinking about it. Your fate is in your own hands.¡±

    Winston knew that Andrew was making excuses. Everything stemmed from the reading. The thought that Andrew might not live past twenty¨Ceight saddened him deeply.

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    He thought for a moment, then decided to let it go. After all, Samuel¡¯s granddaughter hadn¡¯t been found yet. He would deal

    with itter.

    What truly troubled him was how Andrew had spent over twenty years alone, living a life of solitude.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you,¡± Winston sighed deeply, his tone softening. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t provide you with a better life.¡±

    Andrew interrupted gently with a cough, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I believe in fate, and I have noints about my life.

    He felt that if his death could bring peace to the Shea family, then he wouldn¡¯t have any regrets.

    Winston lightly patted him on the back. ¡°Good boy.¡±

    People only saw the wealth of the Shea family, but few understood the bitter struggles hidden behind their prestigious

    name.

    Many years ago, Winston made a wrong business decision that indirectly led to the copse of several families. Although heterpensated them, he always felt a deep sense of guilt.

    He felt that his actions had affected Andrew.

    Astor had once foretold that Andrew¡¯s life would turn around, but after so many years of waiting, they were beginning to lose hope.

    Andrew understood what Winston was thinking, but didn¡¯t interrupt. He leaned backzily on the couch, picking up a document to skim through.

    As he flipped through the pages, an idea suddenly crossed his mind. Though the Revival Grass was fake, it still had to be returned to its rightful owner.

    It took Nina a while, but she finally stopped crying.

    Olivia helped her to her feet, sending a quick message to Sean. [Mission aplished. Come back.]

    She also transferred 150 dors to Sean. [Here¡¯s your reward.]

    After a brief pause, Olivia decided to send another 1,500 dors.

    Upon receiving the message, Sean broke into a broad smile and quickly left. He decided to treat himself to a hearty meal tonight. Before he left, he left behind a few virtual addresses to throw off anyone who might be tracking him.

    Just as he was about to head out, he heard Grace¡¯s voice from inside. ¡°Sean, did you chew on the TV cable again? It¡¯s broken.¡±

    Sean had a tendency to bite everything in sight. He shook his head, though¨Cit wasn¡¯t him this time.

    That was Olivia¡¯s idea. She worried Grace wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the <b>news </b>just yet, so she made the TV malfunction. Everyone in Hirica knew about the Evans family, but Grace was in the dark.

    ¡°Sean?¡± Grace came out with medicine in hand, only to find he was gone. ¡°Where did he go?¡±

    Some wealthy women, who had left the Shea Manor early, took pity on Margaret and offered her a coat, saving her from freezing to death.

    As Margaret¡¯s body warmed up, she couldn¡¯t resist showing off. She began chatting with the wealthydies waiting for their

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    11:06 am <b>p </b><b>p </b>PD.

    cars by the roadside.

    One of them said, ¡°Mrs. Sherman, your daughter is going to college, right?¡±

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    Margaret kept rubbing her hands, her face filled with pride. ¡°Yeah, though Cheryl has been away from home for over ten years, she¡¯s still doing great. She just got into Kingtonelle University¡¯s Design Department, and she was first in her ss.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Sherman, you must be so proud of your daughter.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Congrattions.¡±

    Margaret, ttered by the praise, continued to boast. ¡°I am. After the New Year, our whole family will be moving to Kingtonelle.¡±

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 Blizzard 142

    ¡°What? Is the Sherman family moving to Kingtonelle? What about yourpany?¡±

    ¡°Come on, Mrs. Sherman¡¯s family has a branch in Kingtonelle.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡±

    55 vouchers

    Some of thedies from smaller families couldn¡¯t help but envy Margaret. While Hirica was certainly prosperous, it couldn¡¯tpare to Kingtonelle. Theworks and economic development in Kingtonelle were far beyond what Hirica could offer.

    ¡°It¡¯s all for the sake of my daughter. Moving to Kingtonelle will make it so much easier for her to attend university,¡± Margaret said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m really proud of Cheryl.¡±

    As Margaret was speaking, Cheryl rushed out, her hair messy and her dress all crumpled. She looked panicked. ¡°Mom, something is wrong.¡±

    Margaret saw Cheryl¡¯s state and immediately knew something was wrong. However, she didn¡¯t want to humiliate herself, so she quickly covered Cheryl¡¯s mouth, forcing a smile. ¡°Sorry, she¡¯s not feeling well. I¡¯ll take her home.¡±

    Thosedies were all aware of what had happened, but they agreed not to tell Margaret to avoid bringing trouble upon themselves.

    ¡°Sure, see you.¡±

    ¡±

    ¡°What a poor girl.¡±

    Many of them knew about the rtionship between the Sherman family and the Evans family, and they couldn¡¯t help but gloat. Margaret used to act all high and mighty thanks to the Evans family, but now that they had fallen, she was less cocky.

    Cheryl leaned into Margaret¡¯s arms, ying along, and reluctantly apologized, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t feel well. I can¡¯t talk right now. I¡¯lle visit you next time.¡±

    With such a major incident, it was clear the party couldn¡¯t continue. Cheryl calmed down.

    At that moment, thedies¡® cars arrived, and she and Margaret quickly made up an excuse to leave. They walked far enough until the cars were out of sight.

    Margaret was freezing, and after walking quickly for a long while, her throat was sore. Irritated, she shook off Cheryl¡¯s hand and squatted by the side of the road. ¡°What happened? Why are you in such a rush?¡±

    Cheryl looked around to make sure no one was nearby before squatting down and lowering her voice. ¡°The Evans family is in trouble. I¡¯m worried it might drag us down.¡±

    Margaret copsed to the ground. ¡°How could the Evans family be in trouble?¡± She looked at Cheryl in disbelief, anxious. ¡°The people behind them are powerful, who could even rival the Shea family.¡±

    Cheryl thought Margaret was referring to Ryan Evans and interrupted her coldly. ¡°Ryan has already been arrested. The Evans family¡¯s trouble is partly his fault.¡±

    She grasped Margaret¡¯s hand, her voice trembling. ¡°Mom, do you think we¡¯ll get dragged into this?¡±

    Even though Cheryl didn¡¯t say it directly, many people in the circle knew that she was treated like a family member by the Evans family and that the Sherman family was very close to them.

    11:06 am PPPD

    55 vouchers

    ¡°Mom, what should we do?¡± Cheryl was really scared, still shaken by the events that had just happened. If she hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, she might have been caught up in the arrest as well.

    Margaret hadn¡¯t fully processed the situation yet, muttering, ¡°How could that be? The people behind the Evans family won¡¯t

    be arrested.¡±

    Cheryl saw that Margaret was still out of it and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her urgently. ¡°Mom, think carefully. Do we have any other ties with the Evans family? Any business dealings?¡±

    She was thinking of issuing a statement tomorrow to say that they had no connection with the Evans family. Although the Sherman family¡¯s reputation would be affected, at least they wouldn¡¯t be arrested.

    Margaret came to her senses and let out a bitterugh. ¡°Cheryl, with our family¡¯s standing, there¡¯s no way we could have any business dealings with the Evans family.¡±

    William had no interest in doing business and didn¡¯t focus on the right path. If it hadn¡¯t been for Margaret¡¯s support from her family, the Sherman family would have copsed long ago.

    Upon hearing these words, Cheryl felt a little more at ease and let out a small sigh of relief. Since there were no business dealings, the Sherman family wouldn¡¯t be dragged down, no matter what happened.

    Margaret couldn¡¯t quite ept it, murmuring to herself, ¡°How could the Evans family get arrested? All of our efforts were in

    vain.¡±

    William had sent the Evans family a lot of antiques and money, totaling over a million dors, just to please them. Cheryl even put in a lot of work to get that Revival Grass to give them. And now, the Evans family copsed.

    For all this time, Margaret had been sucking up to the Evans family, hoping to help Cheryl get close to them.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Evans family¡¯s influence in Hirica, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered trying to tter them.¡± Margaret¡¯s voice was tinged with frustration, her tone rising unintentionally.

    Cheryl looked around, frowning. ¡°Mom, lower your voice. The Shea Manor is nearby. What if someone hears us?¡±

    Thanks to Cheryl¡¯s reminder, Margaret finally realized she had raised her voice too much and quickly covered her mouth.

    Cheryl said calmly, ¡°All the major families in Hirica are busy distancing themselves from the Evans family. We need to do the same, but once we break ties with them, we will be in even greater trouble.¡±

    The Sherman family had a good reputation, but their business was nowhere near as sessful as the other families.

    After thinking for a while, Margaret calmed down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your dad¡¯s forty¨Cfifth birthday ising soon. We¡¯ll throw a big celebration and invite some influential people. With the Sherman family¡¯s reputation, I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t refuse.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find a new backer then. It won¡¯t take long before we¡¯re back on top.¡±

    Margaret was the perfect example of a wealthy youngdy raised in a prestigious family who relied on others, never learning to stand on her own.

    Although Cheryl didn¡¯t quite approve of Margaret¡¯s methods, she had no other choice. Sometimes, she resented her, but as long as she returned to the Sherman family, she could find protection.

    Margaret didn¡¯t notice the look on Cheryl¡¯s face and sighed deeply. ¡°What a waste of a million dors. It was the entire year¡¯s profit for the Sherman family.¡±

    She thought, ¡®It¡¯s bad enough we didn¡¯t get close to the Shea family, but now we almost ended up pulling ourselves into it,

    too.

    <b>¤Æ</b>¤Æ<b>¤Æ </b>

    11:06 am <b>P </b>

    65 vouchers

    ¡®No. I need to reach out to the Granger family and let them know what¡¯s going on. No matter what, the Granger family will make sure we¡¯re safe.

    Cheryl didn¡¯t pick up on anything odd in Margaret¡¯s eyes. She nudged her and said, ¡°Mom, are you sure Ms. Lane knows nothing about medicine? Olivia definitely doesn¡¯t seem like someone who doesn¡¯t know her stuff.¡±

    She felt that not only did Olivia know it, but she was also incredibly capable.

    <b>11:06 </b><b>am </b>

 Blizzard 143

    Olivia was even better than Henry.

    55 vouchers

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Margaret said, her voice dripping with contempt for Olivia. The very thought of her made her blood boil, and she regretted ever taking her in.

    Margaret said to Cheryl, ¡°I know you¡¯re kind¨Chearted, but you must understand, once you get involved with people like them, they¡¯ll never let go.¡±

    Cheryl nodded and said softly, ¡°She truly understands medicine and is incredibly skilled. She even outdid Henry. Even Winston had nothing but praise for her.¡± Cheryl was so angry that she clenched her teeth.

    ¡°What?¡± Margaret almost yelled, her voice rising with frustration, ¡°Did Winston really take an interest in her?¡±

    If Winston had set his sights on Olivia, their entire n would have been ruined.

    Cheryl shook her head. ¡°No. He is just interested in her, and he even brought her up to his grandsons.¡± She paused, then shifted her focus. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Grace taught her medicine.¡±

    ¡°The Grant boys?¡± Margaret squinted slightly. ¡°I knew she would manage to get close to the Grant family. Don¡¯t worry, those two boys from the Grant family are losers.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed by what Grace did for her,¡± Margaret said, her tone filled with contempt.

    ¡°What do you mean? Does Ms. Lane have any connections?¡± Cheryl frowned. If that were true, she would have to be more cautious.

    Margaret sneered. ¡°She¡¯s just the head of an orphanage. She¡¯s from a small town with no backing whatsoever. If there¡¯s anything special about her, it¡¯s probably the affairs she got herself into when she was young.¡±

    Margaret snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but it seems she¡¯s had affairs with Henry, Logan, and Troy.

    ¡°She was good at medicine back then, but after she poisoned those kids at the orphanage, her reputation was ruined, and she ended up in court. Since then, only the Grant family has backed her up, so it¡¯s not surprising they¡¯re so close.¡±

    Cheryl hadn¡¯t heard that part of the story before. It was only now that she realized why Grace¡¯s medical skills were so remarkable, and why she was connected to the leaders of the major families in Hirica.

    She didn¡¯t get why Margaret had waited so long to tell her such important information.

    Margaret noticed Cheryl¡¯s difort, assuming it was due to potential trouble with the Evans family. She pulled her closer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The key thing now is we need to find a new ally. Getting close to the Shea family would be the best move.¡±

    Margaret said pointedly, ¡°Cheryl, men are obsessed with you. You¡¯ll definitely be able to win over that young heir of the Shea family.¡±

    Cheryl forced a bitter smile. Margaret was always urging her to use her beauty to get men¡¯s attention, but Andrew wasn¡¯t some superficial guy who only cared about looks.

    ¡°Actually, there is a way to get into the Shea Manor,¡± Cheryl said slowly.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Margaret asked.

    Cheryl said, ¡°When Henry was taken away, the Revival Grass was left in the Shea family¡¯s living room. They will definitely let us <i>go </i>in and retrieve it, but the problem is, we already gave the Revival Grass to the Evans family.¡±

    55 vouchers

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Margaret cut in. ¡°The Evans family has been arrested. No one cares about them now. The Revival Grass originally came from the Sherman family, so it makes perfect sense for us to retrieve it.¡±

    Margaret gently stroked Cheryl¡¯s face and said, ¡°You¡¯re so smart, always keeping your guard up. I¡¯m so proud of you. The best decision I ever made was bringing you into this world.¡±

    Cheryl didn¡¯t say a word, but the image of Olivia examining patients earlier today kept shing in her mind. She couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint it, but something about it felt strange.

    Cheryl didn¡¯t realize how much Olivia had taken up space in her mind. Every time something rted to her came up, she found herself turning hostile and harsh.

    ording to the original storyline, Olivia was just a minor character with no real significance. The main focus of the story was Cheryl¡¯s entrepreneurial journey, followed by a man¡¯s love story that would unfold muchter.

    She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that what was happening now didn¡¯t quite align with the story she had been reading. The differences were stark, as if the characters were the same, but the plot had taken an entirely different turn.

    She wondered, ¡®Could my appearance have caused a butterfly effect? Either way, I can¡¯t let Olivia continue to ruin things for me.¡¯

    Margaret didn¡¯t dwell on it. She thought Olivia couldn¡¯t cause any real problems. Olivia had dropped out of school after middle school, while Cheryl had made it into Kingtonelle University. It was pretty obvious who had the upper hand.

    She was confident that once Cheryl got close to the Shea family and established herself in Kingtonelle, the Sherman family would make aplete turnaround.

    Margaret was lost in her fantasies of the future when Cheryl interrupted her. ¡°Mom, who did the Evans family offend to end up in such a mess<b>?</b>¡±

    There weren¡¯t many people in Clusia who had the ability to do something like this.

    ¡°The Evans family has been reckless, making a lot of enemies.¡± Margaret rolled her eyes. ¡°Every one of them is a troublemaker. Maybe one of their enemies secretly filmed them and turned them in.

    ¡°Bad deeds always catch up with you. Alright, enough about that. Let¡¯s go back and figure out how to make use of your dad¡¯s birthday party.¡±

    Cheryl nodded. She felt that she was the main character in this story, so there was nothing for her to worry about.

    Meanwhile, just as Olivia was about to leave, she was stopped by Vivian.

    Vivian was polite yetmanding. ¡°Wait a second. I have a gift for you.¡±

    She stood at the door, her hair gently blowing in the wind, revealing an effortless charm. Draped in a ck coat, her delicate. corbones were exposed, exuding both wildness and allure.

    Mitchell was taken aback. ¡°What? What do you want with Olivia?¡±

    Mitchell spoke so loudly that it made people ahead of them turn around. They were surprised to see Vivian wanting to speak with such a young girl.

    Vivian squinted, a threatening glint shing in her eyes. She lowered her voice and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you, kid.¡±

    She then looked up at Olivia, her expression softening. ¡°Someone asked me to give you the Revival Grass. Ms. Summers, this way.¡± Vivian gave a slight bow.

    11:07 am PP PD <ul><li></li></ul>

    Lucas, worried that Olivia might be mistreated, quickly stepped in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ll go with her.¡±

    55 vouchers

    <b>11:07 </b><b>am </b><b>P </b>PPD.

 Blizzard 144

    ET 55 vouchers

    ¡°Why do you guys always have to interfere?¡± Vivian¡¯s patience was wearing thin. ¡°Let me say this one more time. I only need Ms. Summers. Lucas, you don¡¯t want to cause trouble on the Shea family¡¯s turf.¡±

    Olivia, worried that the Grant boys might sh with Vivian, pushed Lucas aside. ¡°Alright, <b>I¡¯ll </b>go with you.¡±

    ¡°Olivia.¡± Mitchell tried to stop her.

    Lucas understood that Olivia had her own ns, so he grabbed Mitchell to prevent him from causing any trouble.

    Mitchell didn¡¯t get it, pulling Lucas¡® arm to get free. He thought, ¡®What is Lucas doing? What if the Shea family bullies Olivia? We should be calling for help right now.¡±

    Mitchell looked around, seeing that the security guards all seemed tough and ready for a fight.

    Olivia had no idea what Vivian was returning, but she wasn¡¯t worried. She made up her mind that if they made things difficult for her, she would strike back.

    Vivian led her to a door, stopping in front of it and offering a smile. ¡°Ms. Summers, here it is.¡±

    ¡°Just me?¡± Olivia asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Vivian opened the door for her.

    Olivia nodded, striding confidently into the room. It was a in meeting room, with only a clean table in the center. On the tabley a box, along with a pen and some paper. Inside the box was the Revival Grass.

    The moment Olivia entered, she sensed something was off. The room was sparse, with nothing but a table in the center.

    Olivia instinctively looked around but couldn¡¯t find anything unusual. Then, suddenly, she felt that scorching gaze once again, as if someone was watching her.

    Olivia shot a teasing nce at the southwest corner. She stared at the spot defiantly, then wrote a few lines on the paper. [Why don¡¯t you dare show me your face? If you spy on me again, I¡¯ll rip your eyeballs out.]

    Once Olivia finished writing, she put the Revival Grass into her bag and turned to leave. Her handwriting wasn¡¯t particrly elegant, but it was clear enough to read.

    Olivia had always been bold. She had held back from writing something rude on the paper.

    Not long after Olivia left, Andrew entered the room.

    Vivian crossed her arms, looking at Andrew with a teasing smile. ¡°Why do you have to hide behind the camera? What¡¯s there to be scared of?¡±

    She knew that Andrew was always hard to read, so she had no choice but to try to figure out what was going through his mind.

    Vivian leaned closer to Andrew, catching sight of the contents on the paper. She couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°She caught you.¡±

    Andrew also chuckled. Suddenly, he looked at the pen on the table.

    ¡°Did she use my pen?¡± Andrew asked, his arms crossed, his expression calm.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you prepare this on purpose?¡± Vivian asked, not noticing anything odd.

    <b>11:07 </b><b>am </b>PPPD

    Ethan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he quickly spoke up. ¡°Ms. Shea, he doesn¡¯t share his pens with others.¡±

    55 vouchers

    It wasn¡¯t until Ethan reminded her that Vivian realized how much Andrew despised anyone touching his pen. ine had once touched it, and he had given her a cold shoulder for weeks.

    ¡°My bad. Should I get you a <b>new </b>one?¡± Vivian frowned, realizing that she had made a mistake.

    She found Olivia an interesting person. Not only had she noticed the hidden camera Andrew had ced, but her message was also quite funny. In all these years, no one had dared to speak to Andrew like that.

    Andrew picked up the pen and twirled it between his fingers, smiling. ¡°No need.¡±

    Ethan froze, bewildered. He thought to himself, ¡®Did I hear that wrong? I thought he would be mad.

    ¡°Andrew, you¡¯ve changed,¡± Vivian said, her eyes glinting with amusement.

    ¡°I did not.¡± Andrew folded the paper and ced it aside with a neutral expression. ¡°You misread it.¡±

    Vivian raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more.

    Ethan immediately took out his phone with a serious face.

    Andrew leaned over, only to see that Ethan <b>was </b>searching for why someone¡¯s personality had suddenly changed.

    ¡°Ethan, mind your own business,¡± Andrew said, his eyes darkening.

    Ethan jumped at the sudden voice, dropping his phone to the floor. He looked at Andrew with fear in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Shea, I¡¯m sorry, don¡¯t cut my sry. I¡¯ll walk Ms. Olivia Summers out now.¡±

    Ethan said no more and turned to leave.

    Andrew said, ¡°No need.¡±

    Olivia already knew about everything that happened. If Ethan went after her now, it would only anger her. Andrew decided he would apologize to her personally when they met again..

    The next day, employees across majorpanies were too distracted to work, all gossiping about the Evans family.

    ¡°Did you see that video yesterday? I found it had been deleted. I was hoping to watch it again.¡±

    ¡°I backed it up. Do you want it?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the person who got arrested that doctor from the hospital next door?¡±

    ¡°Good for him. He should have been arrested long ago. My grandma spent a ton of money booking an appointment with Nathan, and then he suddenly refused to see her. We wasted all that money.¡±

    The gossip never stopped.

    The whole neighborhood was buzzing, with a group of retirees gathered together, gossiping and chatting.

    ¡°Stanley, you need to take care of this.¡± The old woman selling yogurt pped her thigh in frustration.

    ¡°They¡¯ve gone too far. They¡¯ve ruined the futures of so many college students. <b>It¡¯s </b>such a shame.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Saunders, you must handle this properly.¡±

    11:07 am P PPD.

    ¡°Yeah. They need to be severely punished.¡±

    55 vouchers

    Stanley felt tremendous pressure as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. This matter was far too serious, beyond his control, but deep down, he hoped these people would face the harshest punishment.

    Thinking about how Ava seemed to be attending the uing hearing, he felt that he could ask for her help.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the call from Olivia, he would never have known that Ava had been working undercover in Magnolia Town alone for several years. He felt deeply proud of her.

    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯lle up with the best solution,¡± Stanley said dismissively as he sped off on his scooter.

    Olivia had just woken up. She always felt drained as soon as winter hit, and when she opened her eyes, she realized it was already nine thirty.

    <b>1:07 </b><b>am </b>P PPD

 Blizzard 145

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    Grace had breakfast ready¨Cbaguettes and oatmeal, and they gathered in the yard to enjoy it.

    Sean chewed on the baguette, restless and fidgety, as though he couldn¡¯t sit still.

    Olivia took a sip of milk and handed Sean the crystal pot she had brought back from the Shea family. ¡°Here.¡±

    Sean¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw a new toy. He carefully examined the crystal pot, treating the priceless artifact <b>as </b>if it were just a ything.

    <b>¡°</b>Is it expensive?¡± Sean said.

    Olivia nodded. ¡°It looks pretty expensive. The Shea family knows how to spoil people.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sean felt furious.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± Olivia warned, knowing exactly what he was thinking, as she tapped his forehead.

    Sean felt discouraged and lost his appetite.

    Grace noticed Sean¡¯s defeated expression and took a spoonful of oatmeal. ¡°This is the first time <b>I¡¯ve </b>seen Sean act like this. When you weren¡¯t around, he nearly destroyed my courtyard.¡±

    <b>¡°</b>Is that so?¡± Olivia kept smiling, but her gaze toward Sean grew colder. ¡°Seems like he¡¯s quite mischievous.¡±

    She believed the best way to deal with naughty children was with strict discipline, and it had been a while since she had had the chance toy down thew.

    Sean felt a chill run down his back and hurried to exin, ¡°I didn¡¯t. I¡¯ve been very well¨Cbehaved.¡±

    Sean feared nothing except Olivia. She never went easy on him when it came to punishment.

    ¡°He¡¯s mostly well¨Cbehaved,¡± Grace said, pouring Olivia a ss of milk. ¡°He should be in primary school, but as soon as I mention sending him to school, he gets angry.¡±

    Sure enough, as soon as Sean heard the word ¡°school¡°, his eyes widened, his cheeks puffed out, and he looked furious.

    Olivia squinted slightly. ¡°Never mind. Sean isn¡¯t suited for school. Let him stay at home for now. When I have some free time, I¡¯ll teach him myself.¡±

    She knew that letting Sean out would only bring trouble her

    way.

    Grace didn¡¯t insist. Suddenly, as though a thought crossed her mind, she said, ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re smart, but a middle school diploma isn¡¯t enough. Thepetition is getting tougher. Without a higher education, you¡¯ll be looked down upon.

    ¡°Just the other day, I heard La mention a popr influencer online who said many college graduates can¡¯t find jobs. It¡¯s hard for college grads, and your situation will be even tougher.¡±

    Grace <b>grew </b>anxious as she thought about it<b>, </b>setting her cup down. She knew that education didn¡¯t define a person, but in today¡¯s world, ack of education meant being looked down upon.

    She also knew that there would always be people who criticized Olivia for herck of education, calling her illiterate<b>. </b><b>It </b>broke her heart every time she heard it.

    If the Sherman family hadn¡¯t taken Olivia out of the orphanage back then, Grace would have made sure she finished her

    11:07 am P PPD

    university degree no matter what.

    155 vouchers

    Olivia set down her cup and reassured Grace. ¡°I have my own ns. You don¡¯t need to worry about anyone looking down on me because of my education.¡±

    Sean took a few bites of the baguette, staring at Olivia, looking somewhat surprised.

    Olivia noticed Sean¡¯s gaze and shot him a nce. ¡°You¡¯ve had enough. No more food for today.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Sean reluctantly set down the baguette and sheepishly walked away.

    Grace nodded and said, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s up to you. I have friends who can get you into high school, and with extra money, you can be enrolled in college next year. Even though you¡¯ve been away from school for a while, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Olivia had been out of school for many years, and Grace wasn¡¯t sure if she could adjust back <i>to </i>that life.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go back to college,¡± Olivia said, knowing that going back to school would put Grace at ease. She didn¡¯t have any particr preference for school, though, because she didn¡¯t need anyone to teach her.

    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll contact themter.¡± Grace finally smiled. All these years, she had felt guilty towards Olivia, so she wanted to make it up to her as much as possible.

    ¡°Grandma Grace, there¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you.¡± Olivia set down her cup, her expression serious<b>. </b>

    ¡°What <b>is </b>it?¡± Grace asked.

    Olivia¡¯s face remained calm, her tone gentle. ¡°The Evans family was arrested at the party held by the Shea family. They¡¯re said to havemitted serious crimes.¡±

    Grace¡¯s hand trembled, and the cup slipped from her grasp, shattering on the floor. She looked up sharply, stunned. ¡°What? Was the Evans family arrested? Did they take Henry away?¡±

    Olivia nodded. ¡°The Evans family is used of selling fake medicine and trafficking women and students. The police barged in yesterday and arrested them, and it even made the news.¡±

    ¡°The TV was broken yesterday. No wonder I didn¡¯t know about it,¡± Grace said, looking down, her face filled with a mix of

    emotions.

    Olivia was concerned about how Grace would react, which was why she hadn¡¯t let her see it earlier. She only feltfortable telling her now.

    ¡°Grandma Grace, are you all right?¡± Olivia asked with a hint of concern in her voice, though she didn¡¯t think she had done anything wrong.

    The Evans family did so many terrible things, so it was no surprise they ended up like this. And given how cruel they had been to Grace<b>, </b>Olivia had wanted to take them down for a long time.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Grace took Olivia¡¯s hand and sighed quietly. ¡°I¡¯m just shocked that Henry ended up like this. He was the most talented among us, but his fatal w was his scheming nature.¡±

    No one knew that Grace and Henry had studied under the same teacher.

    Grace studied traditional medicine from an obscure teacher. One day, she met Henry and the two quickly became <b>partners</b><b>, </b>studying under the renowned Taylor Flores.

    Later, Henry gave up traditional medicine and switched to modern medicine, tempted by the promise of wealth, gradually forgetting why he started in the first ce.

    <b>11:07 </b>am p p PD

    Fb vouchers

    Grace had always remainedmitted to learning traditional medicine, and the gap between her and Henry grew wider. Eventually, their conflict erupted during a treatment session.

    Grace insisted on using traditional medicine to treat the patient, while Henry stubbornly favored modern medicine. In the end, neither of them could convince the other, and the patient was taken away by Taylor.

    Afterward, Henry left and went home to run his medical career, severing ties with Grace. Beyond their bond as ssmates, there had been a tender, youthful love between them, but that too had faded into nothing.

    After finishing her studies, Grace traveled all over the country, healing people and eventually bing the head of Sunrise Orphanage. She stayed single, while Henry built a happy family and became a powerful figure in Hirica.

    Grace sighed. ¡°His ideals werepletely consumed by greed. He¡¯s getting exactly what he deserves<b>.</b>¡±

 Blizzard 146

    55 vouchers

    Grace shook her head, a deep sadness in her eyes. ¡°We were once so close, and now look where we are.¡±

    Henry provoked her, hurling insults at her. Even the poisoning case from back then had his fingerprints all over it.

    The more Grace thought about it, the deeper her disappointment grew, and soon that disappointment turned into disdain, mixing into a strange sense of hatred.

    Olivia frowned. ¡°Grandma Grace, be honest with me. Is the poisoning case at the orphanage also connected to the Evans family?¡± She always had a way of finding the truth amidst the chaos.

    Grace nodded gravely. She had to admit that Olivia was way too smart.

    She said, ¡°The children ate just like usual that day. Halfway through, some began vomiting and having diarrhea, with foam in their mouths. Then, more kids started having the same symptoms.

    ¡°I checked all the food, and there was no sign of poison. I thought it was just food poisoning, so I gave them the typical medicine. However, after they took the medicine, they didn¡¯t get any better¨Cin fact, they just got worse.

    ¡°Coincidentally, a group of people suddenly barged in, taking pictures of us. The kids had to wait for <i>a </i>long time before being sent to the hospital. Some survived, but others didn¡¯t.¡±

    As Grace thought about it, she choked up, her voice breaking. She had always seen each child at the orphanage as her own, and their faces were a constant source of joy and peace for her.

    Olivia gently wrapped her arm around Grace¡¯s shoulders, saying softly, ¡°I understand. I know you would never harm them.¡±

    The children at Sunrise Orphanage were all abandoned by their parents, with most of them being girls.

    Grace took them in, raising them with love. She was like their guardian angel, protecting them unconditionally.

    Grace gently patted Olivia¡¯s hand, suppressing her emotions, and continued, ¡°Later, the police came to search the orphanage. They found cyanide and thallium buried under a tree in the yard.¡±

    Cyanide and thallium were both highly toxic and deadly.

    Ingesting cyanide led to vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing, while thallium was even worse¨Cjust a tiny amount could cause serious harm.

    Putting cyanide and thallium together was a deadlybination. It was something only a trained medical professional would understand.

    Grace was the only one with medical knowledge in the entire orphanage, which naturally made her the prime suspect in the police¡¯s investigation.

    ¡°The food wasn¡¯t poisoned. Was it the water?¡± Olivia asked.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Grace nodded. ¡°They checked the surveince footage and imed I poisoned the water that morning, but the truth is, I was in my room all morning.¡±

    Grace frowned, feeling something was off. Normally, she was an early riser, but that day, she felt unusually tired and ended up sleeping in until noon.

    When she woke up, she immediately joined the children for breakfast, never onceing near the water source.

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    <b>11:07 </b><b>am </b>P PPD

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    However, the ¡°Grace¡± in the surveince footage looked exactly like her. The clothes she wore that day, her walking posture, and even the mole on her palm were all the same.

    The children also imed to have seen her putting something into the water. All the evidence pointed to her as the real

    killer.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get them to believe me, no matter how hard I tried,¡± Grace said, her voice trembling with anger. ¡°They arrested me right after. A crowd of media blocked my way, and the people wanting to adopt the children were all questioning me.¡±

    Overnight, she went from being a respected woman to a viin everyone wanted to destroy. The ¡°Grace¡± who resembled her so closely vanished without a trace, leaving her unable to defend herself.

    Grace smiled bitterly. ¡°I was stripped of my position as head of the orphanage and sentenced to twenty years in prison. In the end, it was Henry who stepped in and got me out.¡±

    Only now did Olivia learn the full story of what had happened back then. When Grace was in trouble, she was busy in theb, unable to help. She had no idea what the ¡°Grace¡± in the surveince footage was all about.

    Grace let out a long sigh of relief and said, ¡°It¡¯s all over now. As long as the children are doing well, I¡¯ll be at peace. What I¡¯m curious about is who managed to take down the Evans family.¡±

    Sean raised his hand.

    Seeing Sean¡¯s serious expression, Grace chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re too young to handle something like that. Don¡¯t joke around.¡±

    Sean shook his head in frustration. He was telling the truth, but no one believed him. He huffed angrily and ran around the yard.

    Grace, worried that he might destroy her courtyard, quickly tried to calm him down. ¡°Alright, I believe you. You¡¯re so clever. Taking down the Evans family is just so easy for you, right?¡±

    Sean could tell she was just humoring him. Annoyed, he kicked a tree, his anger bubbling up.

    The tree shook, almost as if it were about to fall over.

    Olivia red at him. ¡°Sean, stop.¡±

    Sean immediately stopped.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the things the Evans family has done over the years. They mistreated patients, were driven by greed, and lost thepassion of a true healer.¡± Grace sighed. ¡°They finally paid the price.¡±

    Henry had once been her ssmate, and seeing him end up like this was truly a bittersweet irony.

    Olivia said nothing, just giving a soft smile as she looked at Grace. She knew that she had always been good¨Chearted and treated everyone with sincerity. If not, she wouldn¡¯t have saved Olivia back then.

    However, her kindness eventually turned against her.

    Olivia sent a message to Lucas. [Find the surveince footage from the day of the incident at Sunrise Orphanage four years ago.]

    Meanwhile, Lucas had juste back after a night of drinking and was about to sleep after a shower when Olivia¡¯s <b>message </b>popped up.

    Lucas shot back a quick reply, his frustration evident. [That incident caused a huge stir. The video must have been locked down by the National Security Bureau. I don¡¯t have the skills to hack into their system.]

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    11:07 am P <b>P </b>P D

    Lucas had no intention of refusing her, but he knew this would be tough.

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    On one hand, the National Security Bureau¡¯s security system was top¨Cnotch. One slip¨Cup, and he would be caught. If he were used of stealing national secrets, the consequences would be dire.

    On the other hand, his hacking skills were pretty poor, and he thought Sean would be way better for this job.

    Olivia sent another message. [Do what you have to. I just want the results.]

 Blizzard 147

    Olivia: [If you can¡¯t get it done, you know there will be consequences<b>.</b><b>] </b>

    Lucas rubbed his forehead. ¡°Please, just give me a break.¡±

    However, the next second, he took the job.

    Sean was still running around the yard.

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    Grace said earnestly, ¡°Olivia, as a doctor, you must never forget your true purpose. We are thest hope for patients. If we are blinded by money, what will happen to them? Remember, life is always more important than money.¡±

    Sean leaned closer to Olivia, signaling with a hand gesture that he didn¡¯t get what Grace was saying.

    Olivia gently tapped his forehead and said, ¡°A famous doctor once told his students that life is precious, and as a doctor, one needs to stick to his principles.¡±

    Grace nodded approvingly and said, ¡°Exactly. The Evans family has long discarded these principles.¡±

    ¡°I will not be like them,¡± Olivia said with a soft smile, her

    eyes

    resolute.

    Grace smiled, lightly tapping her nose. ¡°I know you won¡¯t. You¡¯re my best student.¡±

    As the night deepened, Olivia got a message from Lucas with a video file.

    Lucas said on the phone, ¡°Olivia, I found it. I almost got caught. You owe me a reward. What¡¯s weird is that the original IP for the surveince footage is in Kingtonelle, not Hirica.¡±

    Olivia frowned, tapping her fingers on the table. She thought, ¡®Why is the IP address for the Hirica orphanage¡¯s surveince in Kingtonelle? Could the person who framed Grandma Grace be in Kingtonelle?¡®

    Olivia smiled slightly. It seemed she would have to hurry up and head to Kingtonelle.

    She clicked on the strange video and watched it three times from start to finish. There was nothing unusual in the footage, just a well in the orphanage¡¯s courtyard.

    The ¡°Grace¡± in the video appearedpletely normal. Her clothing, movements, and even her expression were identical to the real Grace<b>. </b>However, the more she resembled her, the weirder it became.

    Lucas felt a chill as he watched the video, an odd sense of fear creeping over him. Everything looked fine, but there was something unsettling, so he quickly sent it to Olivia.

    He said, ¡°Olivia, if it wasn¡¯t Ms. Lane, could it be¡­ a ghost?<b>¡± </b>

    Olivia was speechless. ¡°Please, we¡¯re in the 21st century.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>It¡¯s </b>still possible,¡± Lucas suddenly said, a shiver running down his spine. ¡°Do you think Ms. Lane could have been possessed?¡±

    <b>Lucas</b><b>, </b>who usually enjoyed horror movies, had a vivid imagination. After watching the video, his mind ran wild, scaring himself in the process.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t talk to you anymore. The more I <b>say</b>, the more scared I get. I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight.¡± With that, he hung <ol><li>up. </li></ol>

    ¡°How ridiculous,¡± Olivia muttered under her breath.

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    Clearly, someone was scheming behind the scenes, but Lucas went on about ghosts and spooked himself.

    Besides, even if ghosts existed, Olivia wouldn¡¯t be scared.

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    Suddenly, Olivia noticed something off. Zooming in, she saw a dark figure in the corner. It looked like a man, but his face wasn¡¯t clear.

    Sean pointed at it, equally shocked.

    A man shouldn¡¯t be in an orphanage full of women and children.

    ¡°I saw it,¡± Olivia said calmly, freezing the frame and uploading it to a professional site to enhance the quality.

    Soon, the image became much clearer. It was a handsome man in a ck coat and top hat. Olivia searched her mind for a while, realizing she didn¡¯t recognize him.

    Sean tapped her and murmured, ¡°Kingtonelle.¡± He was indicating the man was from Kingtonelle.

    Olivia paid close attention to his clothes after the hint.

    Sean was right. That top hat was only sold at Veloria Clothing in Kingtonelle, exclusively to locals, and only ten existed. This man wasn¡¯t ordinary.

    ¡°Looks like we need to head to Kingtonelle,¡± Olivia said, ncing at Sean. ¡°And once we go there, you really have to start school.¡±

    Sean was clearly dissatisfied, making a rejecting gesture at Olivia. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to teach me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too busy to teach you.¡± Olivia snapped her fingers. ¡°Besides, a kid your age should be in school. Staying home all day alone isn¡¯t healthy.¡±

    Sean really didn¡¯t want to go to school. All he wanted was to stay home.

    ¡°If you refuse school again, the child protection people wille talk to me.¡± Olivia frowned. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it after we go to Kingtonelle. For now, enjoy yourst taste of freedom. And don¡¯t forget to take care of that stuff.¡±

    After saying that, Olivia headed inside to sleep.

    Sean¡¯s eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief.

    Andrew, who was at the Orion Hotel, hadn¡¯t slept yet. They had already located the hacker¡¯s IP address and were now tracking it.

    Soon, they locked onto the location. Ethan excitedly grabbed the iPad and said, ¡°Mr. Shea, we found it.¡±

    ¡°Show me.¡± Andrew waved. He was very interested in this hacker, which was why he had been waiting.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Ethan froze. The code on the screen dissipated, finally exploding into a burst of fireworks. ¡°Why did the IP disappear? It was just in Hirica a moment ago.¡±

    Andrew paused, then said, ¡°Whatever.¡±

    Only then did he realize they had long been discovered and had been yed with. Going further would just make them look foolish.

    Ethan could only give up. He had messed up again, and another deduction would make his sry negative.

    11:08 am P PPD

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    Olivia had gone to bedtest night and slept until noon. As soon as she woke up, she received an invitation from Samuel, asking her to check on him.

    Samuel said, ¡°Olivia, I¡¯m feeling unwell again. Do you have time to check on me?¡±

    Olivia had no reason to refuse. She had treated Samuel before. Yet, she hadn¡¯t expected the Summers family to put on such

    a scene.

    She packed her medical kit, and the moment she stepped outside, the noise hit her. People filled the alley entrance, murmuring and gossiping.

    Olivia grabbed La and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    La was overjoyed, leaning close to Olivia. ¡°It¡¯s been ages. Thest time I saw you, I think it was-¡±

    ¡°What is happening up ahead?¡± Olivia cut her off, going straight to the point. She was in a hurry to get to the Shea Manor.

    <b>11:08 </b><b>am </b>PPPD

 Blizzard 148

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    ¡°A luxury car is parked ahead, worth over 300 million dors. It must be some rich guy visiting.¡± La sounded jealous. ¡°We¡¯ve never seen such an expensive car. I think it¡¯s a Mayb-¡±

    Olivia smiled. ¡°Maybach.¡±

    La said, ¡°Right, that¡¯s it. Not sure who they¡¯re here for.¡±

    Olivia nodded, not paying much attention. She instinctively felt it had nothing to do with her.

    Just as Olivia stepped around the crowd to get to her bike, someone blocked her path.

    ¡°Hi, Dr. Summers.¡± It was David. He rushed toward Olivia. ¡°I finally found you.¡±

    ¡°David, what are you doing here?¡± Olivia nced at him.

    David scratched his head. ¡°Mr. Summers instructed me to pick you up. You¡¯re our honored guest.¡±

    Olivia said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I can get there myself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too cold. You¡¯ll catch a cold riding your bike.¡± David gestured politely. ¡°Dr. Summers, this way.¡±

    With all eyes on her in surprise, Olivia got into the car.

    David looked like he wanted to say something, but held back.

    Olivia noticed his odd behavior and said, ¡°David, just say it. I prefer honesty.¡±

    David¡¯s fingers tightened on the wheel. He slowed the car, ncing at Olivia in the back seat, his voice trembling. ¡°You might meet someone soon. I think I should tell you in advance<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>

    Seeing him hold back, Olivia felt annoyed. ¡°Who is it?¡±

    David lowered his voice and said, ¡°Ms. ine Summers is here. She isn¡¯t well and gets nervous around strangers. She¡¯s the Summers family¡¯s adopted daughter, cherished by Mr. Summers. You mustn¡¯t offend her.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Summers?¡± Olivia frowned slightly. ¡°Do you mean Samuel?¡±

    David shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about his son, Elliot Summers.¡±

    Olivia nodded slightly. Thest time she saw Samuel, she could tell he loved his granddaughter dearly. She was surprised the family would adopt another girl.

    Olivia said calmly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the girl missing? Where did this youngdye from? Do wealthy families also like to find substitutes<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>

    David sighed. ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t actually resemble Ms. Summers. After Ms. Summers went missing, Mr. Elliot Summers was very upset. About half a monthter, he brought a girl home, saying she reminded him of Ms. Summers, and adopted her.

    ¡°Mr. Samuel Summers argued bitterly with him over this, and even Mrs. Summers also-<b>¡± </b>

    He shook his head in resignation, not sure whether he should continue.

    Olivia sneered. ¡°Interesting. He was only sad for a few days over his lost daughter, then immediately brought a fake one home, huh? Does he think that will console him? Instead of looking for his real daughter, he puts on a show. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±

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    Olivia thought that if she were the missing girl, she would never return.

    David immediately said, ¡°Be careful with your words. After all, he is-¡±

    Although he didn¡¯t understand Elliot¡¯s actions either, he felt it best not toment further.

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    David said seriously, ¡°By the way, Ms. Emily Monroe is also here. She¡¯s Ms. ine Summers¡¯s cousin, and they¡¯ve been close since childhood.¡±

    Olivia realized he was cautioning her not to upset either of them. She nodded. ¡°Got it.¡±

    She truly had no patience for wealthy family drama.

    Just as they arrived at the nursing home, a few people came into view. The shorter girl was dressed in designer clothes, with wless skin, beautiful hair, and sparkling eyes¨Cshe looked adorable.

    A distinguished woman followed her, holding a coat, her voice full of concern. ¡°Ms. Emily Monroe, put this on. You¡¯re not in good health and can¡¯t catch a cold.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Emily said irritably, pushing the coat away.

    The other girl smiled softly and draped the coat over Emily¡¯s shoulders, saying gently, ¡°If you fall ill, I¡¯d surely be med for not taking good care of you.¡±

    It was ine. She had long curly hair down to her waist and wore a dark red custom suit that showed off her curves. Her eyes were soft, with a touch of charm.

    Her voice was soft, making people instinctively lower their tone when speaking to her.

    The two girls were of contrasting styles¨Cone full of charm, the other delicate and soft. Compared to them, Olivia seemed overly in, exuding a distant aura from head to toe.

    David didn¡¯t expect to see ine and Emily here. He sighed and greeted them with a smile. ¡°Hi, Ms. ine Summers, Ms. Emily Monroe.¡±

    They nodded slightly in response.

    They were so beautiful that everyone nearby looked at them. People in Hirica had never seen girls with such elegance.

    A man in a suit passing by stepped forward to speak to Emily. ¡°May I know your name?¡±

    Emily sized him up and saw he looked rich. She smiled softly. ¡°Just call me Ms. Monroe.¡±

    Wealth didn¡¯t impress her. In her eyes, he only earned the right to know her surname.

    The man froze. ¡°Are you from the Monroe family of Kingtonelle?¡± His voice trembled. He realized he had almost offended someone he shouldn¡¯t have.

    <b>His </b>voice was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.

    ¡°The Monroe family? Never heard of them.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? The most famous one in the country is the Monroe family of Kingtonelle.¡±

    ¡°No wonder she seems different. She¡¯s the heiress of the Monroe family.¡±

    11:08 am PPPD

    Admiring murmurs washed over Emily, and she smiled faintly, used to being admired.

    Since she was little, her jewelry, bags, and even essories have been incredibly valuable.

    Someone asked, ¡°What about the other girl?¡±

    ¡°No idea. Could she be from the Summers family?¡±

    ¡°No way. The Summers family only has boys, no girls.¡±

    ¡°Shut up. They have a girl, but she should be adopted.¡±

    ¡°Then she doesn¡¯t count.¡±

    <b>11:08 </b><b>am </b>P PPD

 Blizzard 149

    <b>Chapter </b><b>149 </b>

    The speaker¡¯s mouth was covered by herpanion.

    ine¡¯s face had a momentary crack, but she quickly regained herposure.

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    ¡°Watch your mouth. They dote on ine. Even if their daughter came back, she wouldn¡¯t be as favored,¡± herpanion

    warned.

    Hearing this, ine felt a bit morefortable.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter whether I¡¯m their biological child or not. As long as I¡¯m favored, I¡¯m the Summers family¡¯s treasure, ine thought to herself.

    Among the onlookers were no shortage of wealthy individuals, but they had never seen such extravagantly rich people.

    For these folks, making a few hundred thousand dors a year was the peak, yet the bags the two girls <b>were </b>carrying started at a million dors each. Clearly, this indicated they were incredibly wealthy.

    ine spoke up. ¡°David, could you please disperse the crowd? There¡¯s no show here, and we don¡¯t need so many spectators.¡±

    David nodded and had the security personnel maintain order.

    The woman apanying Emily said, ¡°Ms. Monroe, you haven¡¯t eaten yet. What would you like? I¡¯ll get it ready.¡±

    Emily frowned slightly but still replied politely, ¡°Kiki, you don¡¯t have to go out of your way to take care of me. If I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯ll eat.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not an option. Your health is fragile; you need to have your three meals a day on time. It¡¯s my job to ensure that,¡± Kiki Carter said, almost pleading with Emily. ¡°Why not eat something? What if you faint from low blood sugar?¡±

    ine chimed in, ¡°Emily, be good and listen to Kiki.¡±

    Emily sighed in resignation and nodded. ¡°Alright, just make something quick.¡±

    Olivia, propping her chin up with her hand, seemed to have figured it out.

    ine was the adopted daughter of the Summers family that David had mentioned.

    Emily was Edward¡¯s sister, the heiress of the Monroe family.

    But Olivia thought Edward and Emily didn¡¯t look alike.

    As Olivia was pondering this, there was <b>a </b>sudden thud, and Emily copsed straight down.

    Not far away, David saw this and nearly lost his soul in fright.

    This was the precious gem of the Monroe family, raised with utmost care.

    ¡°Hurry up and get a doctor,¡± Kiki said, holding Emily and frantic.

    But it was mealtime, and all the doctors were on their lunch break.

    David was in a dilemma when he suddenly had an idea. ¡®Wait a minute. I brought a doctor with me,¡® he thought.

    <b>11:08 </b><b>am </b>PPPD

    Then, David sprinted over to Olivia. ¡°Dr. Summers, please save Ms. Monroe.¡±

    Olivia nodded. Saving lives was a doctor¡¯s duty.

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    As Olivia squatted down to check on Emily, she was forcefully pushed away by Kiki. ¡°Who are you? How dare you touch Ms. Monroe?¡± Kiki scolded furiously.

    Fortunately, Olivia was squatting firmly and only got pushed back a bit without taking any serious fall or injury..

    Olivia understood the maid¡¯s concern for Emily. After all, Emily was a noble youngdy.

    Olivia patiently exined, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. I¡¯m here to help her.¡±

    David frowned. ¡°Kiki, Dr. Summers is a distinguished guest invited by Mr. Summers. You¡¯d better show some respect.¡±

    David had asked Olivia for help for Emily¡¯s sake, but he didn¡¯t expect Kiki to be so ungrateful.

    Olivia remained squatting, her expression indifferent. She was wearing a ck jacket that day. With her legs bent and her hair tied up, she looked somewhat gloomy.

    Kiki nced at her and felt uneasy. She had never liked such an aggressive¨Clooking appearance; it made her ufortable.

    Kiki was still reluctant. ¡°How old is she? Does she even have a medical license? Ms. Monroe is very delicate. What <b>if </b>she messes up her treatment? Whose responsibility would it be?¡±

    David leaned in, his expression turning cold. ¡°Dr. Summers has even cured Mr. Summers. What? Is Ms. Monroe so high and mighty that Dr. Summers isn¡¯t qualified to examine her?¡±

    David had never particrly liked Kiki, who was always overly anxious about Emily.

    Maybe in Kiki¡¯s mind, Emily was more precious than the president¡¯s daughter.

    ine noticed the displeasure in David¡¯s words and leaned over to whisper in Kiki¡¯s ear. ¡°Kiki, stop being picky. At <i>a </i>time like this, Emily¡¯s health is what matters.¡±

    Only then did Kiki change her attitude, though her expression was stillplicated. ¡°Miss, go ahead,¡± she said, her tone still grudging and her dislike for Olivia unmistakable.

    Kiki didn¡¯t believe for a second that this woman had cured Samuel. ¡®She¡¯s so young. How skilled could her medical practice be? She must have used some trick to coincidentally bring Mr. Summers back to health, she thought to herself.

    But given the current situation, Kiki had no choice but to let Olivia give it a try.

    If Olivia truly cured Emily, Kiki would be more than happy.

    On the flip side, if Olivia failed, Kiki wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook easily.

    Olivia could sense Kiki¡¯s aversion but didn¡¯t say much, proceeding to examine Emily.

    ¡°Is she afraid of the cold, with cold limbs and light sleep?¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was deep and cool, with a faint sense of detachment lingering in it.

    Kiki¡¯s expression flickered, thinking to herself, ¡®She¡¯s hit the nail on the head.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± ine nodded slightly.

    <b>2/3 </b>

    11:08 am P PPD.

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    ¡°Her body is weak,monly manifested by sore limbs, dullplexion, and frequent bloating<i>,</i><i>¡± </i>Olivia said, taking out a short needle and pricking it into a point on Emily¡¯s wrist.

    Her voice remained t. ¡°Usually, pay more attention to her diet. She should eat warm foods and avoid cold, raw, and seafood that are cooling in nature. She needs to increase her heat intake through food. She can eat some beef, mutton, and chicken.¡±

    ¡°Also, have her take this soup daily. Here¡¯s the recipe. ording to the recipe, steep it for <i>5 </i>to 7 minutes and then have her drink it.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as she finished the acupuncture treatment.

    ¡°If you keep this up, you¡¯ll see results in two to three months.¡± With that, Olivia put the needles away.

    Seeing that Emily still hadn¡¯t woken up, Kiki became annoyed, convinced that Olivia was a fraud and that everything she had said was a lie.

    ¡°I knew you were a fraud. Why isn¡¯t Ms. Monroe waking up?¡± Kiki demanded.

    David pulled Olivia up, shielding her behind him and frowning. ¡°Kiki, you have to give it some time, right? No one gets cured the moment they¡¯re treated.¡±

    David had unwavering faith in Olivia¡¯s medical skills. He believed she could definitely cure Emily.

    ¡°David, I only listened to you and gave her a chance, but look at this,¡± Kiki said, holding Emily in her arms and noticing her shivering.

    ¡°Where on earth did you find this wild girl and just let her treat Ms. Monroe? Now look what¡¯s happened,¡± she added. ¡°David, if anything happens to Ms. Monroe, I¡¯ll never let you off the hook.¡±

    ine chimed in, ¡°David, where did you find this person? How could you just let anyone treat Emily?¡±

    David, usually amiable, furrowed his brows now, not understanding what they were so worried about.

    ¡°The blood flow in her body is slow. I just stimted her acupoints. It takes time for it to start flowing again,¡± Olivia exined.

 Blizzard 150-

    <b>Chapter </b>150

    Olivia met her gaze squarely, her conscience clear.

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    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Kiki said, her voice cracking as she averted her eyes from Olivia and fixed them on David. ¡°David, where on earth did you find this fraud?¡±

    Olivia sighed in frustration, thinking to herself, ¡®Do I look like a fraudster? Why does everyone keep calling me

    one?¡®

    David was also furious, his voice cold. ¡°Kiki, please watch your words. We specifically invited Dr. Summers to treat Mr. Summers.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± Kiki said, scrutinizing the two of them with a coldugh. ¡°I get it now. She¡¯s someone you brought in to pull some strings, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    David realized then that Kiki had misunderstood the rtionship between him and Olivia. He was so angry at Kiki that he was at a loss for words. Well¨Ceducated as he was, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to curse at an elder.

    ¡°Why are you pointing fingers at me?¡± Kiki¡¯s arrogance grew even more, as if Olivia and David had caused Emily¡¯s death. ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯ve won Mr. Summers¡® favor, you can do whatever you want.

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know? It was you who insisted that Ivy was in Hirica, and you persuaded Mr. Summers to go which led to his rpse. What are your intentions?¡±

    there,

    David was truly in a position where he couldn¡¯t exin himself clearly.

    Kiki was a special employee of the Monroe family, specifically hired to take care of Emily. David couldn¡¯t just deal with her as he pleased. Offending the Monroe family would also put the Summers family in an awkward position.

    Kiki¡¯s

    gaze

    fell on Olivia. ¡°You¡¯re so young, yet you pretend to be a great doctor, spewing nonsense.¡±

    Faced with Kiki¡¯s provocation, Olivia gave a light smile, but her eyes were cold and frosty. That smile hid a sharp de, as cold as the winter wind, sending a chill down one¡¯s spine.

    ¡°From now on, I will no longer take on cases from the Monroe family,¡± Olivia said.

    David was taken aback, thinking to himself, ¡°They¡¯ve really offended Dr. Summers badly!

    Kiki let out a cold snort, <b>as </b>if she had heard a very funny joke. ¡°Who do you think you are? Refusing to take on cases from the Monroe family?

    ¡°Do

    you know how many people are lining up to treat the members of the Monroe family every day? Who do you can threaten?<b>¡± </b>

    think

    you

    Olivia stood up, flicked her hair back, and smiled dangerously. ¡°Not many people are needed. Just remember to tell Mr. Edward Monroe.¡±

    Olivia still remembered the man she had seen in Magnolia Town, the second son of the Monroe family, Edward.

    Olivia tugged at David¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s go. She is not worth my saving.¡±

    David nodded. He really couldn¡¯t stand this shrew anymore andforted Olivia. ¡°Dr. Summers, the Summers family is not like the Monroe family. You must¨D¡±

    Olivia cut him off with a gentle nod. ¡°I know. I won¡¯t let the Summers family down.¡±

    <b>11:09 </b><b>am </b>P PPD

    She would never involve others in her problems.

    55 vouchers

    Emily gradually regained consciousness, coughed a few times, and recognized the people in front of her. ¡°Kiki, ine, and David? What happened to me?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Monroe? You¡¯re alright now,¡± Kiki said, overjoyed to tears at Emily¡¯s awakening.

    ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Emily asked.

    ine exined gently, ¡°You fainted, and this youngdy saved you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you- Emily began.

    ¡°No need,¡± David coldly interrupted her.

    Kiki red at David, signaling him to keep quiet.

    Emily heard David¡¯sst remark and stared at him, her eyes moist. ¡°David, what do you mean? What do you mean the Summers family is different from the Monroe family? Are you trying to distance yourself from the Monroe family?¡±

    Emily moved closer to ine. ¡°But ine and I are good friends, and our families are cousins. How can you just cut ties so cleanly?¡±

    David had little affection for any of the three and spoke coldly. ¡°Ms. Monroe, Kiki has offended the distinguished guest invited by the Summers family. Mr. Summers specifically instructed us to respect her.¡±

    David nced coldly at Kiki. ¡°Kiki has offended her. If something happens to Mr. Summers in the future, who will treat him?¡±

    David had witnessed Olivia¡¯s skills. They had gone to great lengths to find such a skilled doctor. If Kiki drove Olivia away, Samuel would definitely be furious.

    ¡°What? Just a young girl, I still-¡± Kiki began, intending to continue her usations.

    Emily frowned. ¡°Silence.¡±

    Emily¡¯s words carried a clear warning. Although Kiki was somewhat unhappy, she still closed her mouth.

    Emily was very smart. Offending a distinguished guest of the Summers family would be detrimental to both her and the Monroe family..

    ¡°Miss, I apologize on behalf of Kiki. She¡¯s just been so worried about me,¡± Emily said, slowly rising to her feet and blinking her eyes gently, her expression one of meekness. ¡°Thank you for your help. Please don¡¯t take Kiki¡¯s behavior to heart.¡±

    Emily¡¯s humility and respect won over the people present immediately.

    Olivia lifted her eyelids slightly, nced at Emily coldly, and gave a faint nod.

    This signified that she had epted Emily¡¯s apology and would no longer hold a grudge.

    But Kiki wasn¡¯t pleased. ¡°What do you mean? Ms. Monroe is talking to you, and that¡¯s the attitude you show? Do you even consider us at all?<b>¡± </b>

    Emily frowned and took Kiki¡¯s hand. ¡°Kiki, stop. No matter what, she saved me.¡±

    ¡°But Ms. Monroe-¡± Kiki tried to say more, but Emily covered her mouth.

    <b>2/3 </b>

    <b>11:09 </b>am P P P D.

    ¡°We should treat our savior with courtesy and not tarnish the Monroe family¡¯s reputation,¡± Emily said.

    55 vouchers

    Then, Emily turned to Olivia, took out a card from her bag, and handed it to Olivia. ¡°Kiki is like this; she gets a bit anxious whenever ites to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble she¡¯s caused. This is the payment for your services and the Monroe family¡¯s gratitude. Please don¡¯t think it¡¯s too little and ept it.

    Emily¡¯s words were perfectly crafted. At first nce, they seemed full of humility, but in reality, she was telling Olivia to take the money and leave.

    Her big, misty eyes looked particrly innocent.

    Olivia raised an eyebrow and suddenly let out a softugh. ¡°Quite the Monroe family.¡±

    ¡°$70,000? It¡¯s not even enough for my appearance fee,¡± Olivia said, never having looked at the card but easily guessing the amount inside.

    Emily was somewhat surprised, thinking to herself, ¡®How did she know there was $70,000 on that card?¡®

    ¡°Miss, if you think it¡¯s too little, we can negotiate.¡± Emily maintained her refined smile, feigning generosity as she took out another card. ¡°This one has 150 thousand. Consider it my apology.¡±

    As she spoke<i>, </i>Emily moved toward Olivia.

    Olivia took a few steps back, her eyes turning cold. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer.¡±

    The air pressure around Olivia seemed to drop instantly, and her rejection was very clear.

    If Emily couldn¡¯t understand that, then she was just pretending.

    Kiki let out a cold snort. ¡°Some people really love to put on airs. You still think it¡¯s too little? Do you think you¡¯re some kind of peerless divine doctor?¡±

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    After mocking Olivia, Kiki put on a serious tone to coax Emily. ¡°Ms. Monroe, if she doesn¡¯t want it, then forget it. She¡¯ll nevere across a patient as kind¨Chearted as you again.¡±

    Emily ignored Kiki, feeling somewhat embarrassed by Olivia¡¯s retreat. She looked at Olivia questioningly. ¡°Miss, what do

    you mean?¡±

    Emily thought she had done a great job, being polite and respectful, giving Olivia all the respect she deserved. ¡®What¡¯s she acting so awkwardly for?¡® she thought to herself.

    Olivia lightly raised her hand and flicked back the strands of hair from her forehead. ¡°I want to draw a clear line between us.¡±

    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>still stand by my words. I won¡¯t take on any more <b>cases </b>from the Monroe family,¡± Olivia said, her eyelids lifting slightly, her tone seemingly gentle but with a hidden sharp chill. ¡°I hate people who love to put on a show.¡±

    Emily was far from simple; with just a few words, she had painted Olivia as someone insatiably greedy.

    Emily and Kiki yed off each other well, establishing Emily¡¯s gentle and delicate image.

    Olivia didn¡¯t want to waste her breath on such people and decided to draw a clear line.

    Emily was taken aback by Olivia¡¯s words, her eyes slightly red and moist as she looked at David. ¡°David, I¡ª¡±

    David had seen Kiki¡¯s attitude just now. Emily had been humiliating Olivia with money, which was why Olivia was angry.

    Even David couldn¡¯t stand it. So, he wouldn¡¯t say a word in their defense.

    ¡°Ms. Monroe, you¡¯re precious, and you must keep your emotions stable. If anything happens to you again, Dr. Summers won¡¯t bother.¡± David¡¯s words were sharp.

    He red at Kiki coldly. ¡°Let Kiki treat you. I¡¯m going to take the Summers family¡¯s distinguished guest to see Mr. Summers

    now.¡±

    Olivia nodded gently and threw a parting shot at Emily. ¡°Ms. Monroe, don¡¯t casually unt your credit cards in the future.¡±

    It was best not to show off one¡¯s wealth easily.

    Emily was dressed in designer brands and acted in a way that clearly announced her wealth.

    In just this short while, she had already caught the attention of some people around her.

    Out of kindness, Olivia still gave Emily a warning.

    But Emily thought Olivia was mocking her.

    ¡®It¡¯s a great honor for an unknown doctor to treat me, and she¡¯s so rude, she thought. Just because Kiki scolded her a bit, she <b>acts </b>so arrogantly.

    ¡®How dare she be so confident? Besides, I¡¯ve already apologized to her, but she still won¡¯t ept it?¡®

    ¡°Too outrageous,¡± Kiki fumed. Since she started serving Emily, she had never encountered such a rude person.

    She stamped her foot in anger. ¡°Acting as if someone¡¯s begging her to treat Ms. Monroe. The Monroe family is well¨Cknown; they won¡¯t have trouble finding a famous doctor.¡±

    <b>11:09 </b><b>am </b>P PPD

    Just because she got lucky and saved Emily, she thinks she¡¯s some divine doctor now?¡® Kiki thought.

    Emilyposed herself and put on a magnanimous expression. ¡°Alright, Kiki, let¡¯s drop it.¡±

    55 vouchers

    Kiki patted her hand sympathetically. ¡°Ms. Monroe, you¡¯re just too kind¨Chearted, which is why you get bullied by such ungrateful girls. David is outrageous. He brings over any doctor he finds and calls her a distinguished guest of the Summers family. Bullshit.¡±

    David, walking behind Olivia, couldn¡¯t stand Kiki¡¯s words after just a few steps. He quickly stepped in front of Kiki. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re so great. You run the whole Monroe family. The one who doesn¡¯t know their ce is you.

    ¡°Dr. Summers kindly offered to treat you. First, you, this ungrateful old woman, blocked her from treating you. Your words were so venomous, and she didn¡¯t even argue with you, which was already giving you face.¡±

    ¡°Dr. Summers saved Ms. Monroe, and you¡¯re still stirring up trouble. Anyone who doesn¡¯t know better would think you¡¯re the head of the Monroe family,¡± David was genuinely furious.

    ¡°From now on, if you want anything to do with the Monroe family, don¡¯te to me. I work for the Summers family, not for you,¡± he added.

    Hearing this, Emily realized the gravity of the situation.

    David, though not a member of the Summers family, was someone Samuel had grown ustomed to. He would definitely report today¡¯s events to Samuel.

    ¡®If this affects the rtionship between the Monroe family and the Summers family, it will be bad,¡® Emily thought.

    With this in mind, Emily immediately softened her tone. ¡°David, calm down. It¡¯s not worth it for that woman. Kiki didn¡¯t mean it. You know she¡¯s always been one to speak her mind.¡±

    David wasn¡¯t buying it, letting out a cold snort. ¡°Ms. Monroe, I wouldn¡¯t dare get angry with you. If you want to apologize, take her and exin to Mr. Summers yourself.¡±

    David made it clear that he would definitely tell Samuel about this.

    Emily pursed her lips, thinking of a way out. She looked at ine, her eyes full of pleading.

    ine, after all, <b>was </b>the adopted daughter of the Summers family. Her words would always carry more weight than Emily¡¯s.

    ¡°David, Emily and Kiki didn¡¯t mean it. Let it go,¡± ine said, picking up on Emily¡¯s signal and forcing a gentle smile. ¡°After all, the Monroe family is our cousins.¡±

    ine had expected David to heed her words.

    But David just let out a soft chuckle, neither servile nor arrogant. ¡°Ms. Summers, you¡¯re joking. I wouldn¡¯t dare to hold a grudge against them. I just like to speak the truth.¡±

    David had never liked ine and certainly didn¡¯t have a pleasant expression for her.

    ine stood there, stunned, feeling a pang of embarrassment. ¡®Why does David not care about my ce at all?¡®

    ¡°David, you¡¯re being too much,¡± Kiki sneered, still maintaining her haughty demeanor. ¡°You¡¯re just a doctor. What¡¯s the rush? There are so many famous doctors in Clusia. Are we worried about not finding one? Don¡¯t bring Mr. Summers into this. Even if it esctes to-¡±

    Before Kiki could finish her sentence, David turned and walked away.

    11:09 am <b>P </b>PPD.

    ¡°Ah-¡°Emily¡¯s forehead broke out in a fine sheen of sweat as she let out a cry and copsed straight down.

    ¡°Emily?¡± ine quickly caught Emily, preventing her from hitting the ground.

    David also heard the noise and turned to see what had happened.

    Kiki panicked, her voice trembling. ¡°Somebody. Please, somebody help.¡±

    55 vouchers

    Emily was still conscious. She clutched Kiki¡¯s hand and spoke in broken sentences. ¡°Kiki, this time it¡¯s your fault. You need to apologize to her-¡±

    ¡°Ms. Monroe, don¡¯t talk about that now,¡± Kiki urged, though she was reluctant to apologize in her heart. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to swallow her pride and apologize to a young girl.

    ¡°Kiki, promise me,¡± Emily said.

    ¡°I promise. Just stop talking,¡± Kiki was on the verge of tears and had to agree. Her gaze fell on David as she pleaded, ¡°David, please. Help us. Ask that Miss to save Ms. Monroe. She¡¯s the only one who-¡±

    Before Kiki could finish, David walked away without looking back.

    <b>11:09 </b>am PPPD

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    ¡°You¡¯d better find someone else,¡± David said.

    256 vouchere

    Not only was Olivia unwilling to help them anymore, but David himself was also reluctant to assist. Moreover, Olivia had already stated that she would no longer take on any cases from the Monroe family.

    How convenient they think it is. When they need something, they suddenly start asking for help. There¡¯s no such good thing in the world,¡¯ David thought to himself.

    He hadn¡¯t walked far when he saw Olivia.

    Dressed in ck, Olivia stood under the spotlight, watching their drama with great interest.

    ¡°David, I thought you might have a change of heart,¡± Olivia said with a smile ying on her lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m no saint,¡± David replied earnestly. ¡°They were so rude. Dr. Summers, not just you, but I wouldn¡¯t treat them, either.¡±

    ¡°Forget about those unlucky people. Let¡¯s go. Mr. Summers <b>is </b>waiting for you,¡± David said.

    Olivia was amused by David¡¯s words and felt much better.

    The person everyone else adores bes an unlucky person in his eyes? Interesting,¡® she thought to herself.

    As Olivia approached the ward door, she heard a cheerfulugh.

    ¡°Grandpa, you really know how to keep secrets. If you had passed away, I would have cried my heart out.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was very pleasant, clear, andzy, but his drawling tone sounded a bit teasing.

    Olivia followed the sound and saw a young man who didn¡¯t look very old.

    His figure was slightly thin but upright. The red racing suit he wore was a bit ill¨Cfitting. He reached up to tug at the cor, revealing long, straight fingers from the cuffs.

    His pretty, round face still had a bit of childishness. His eyes seemed to smile even when they weren¡¯t curved. He wore a pair of Bluetooth earphones<b>, </b>with messy hair, full of vigor, and exuding a cool and rebellious aura.

    Samuel, lying in the hospital bed, picked up his cane and gave him a light tap. ¡°Can¡¯t you hope for my recovery?¡±

    It was a harmonious scene.

    ¡°Mr. Summers, Dr. Summers is here,¡± David said with a smile as he pushed the door open.

    ¡°Pleasee in quickly,¡± Samuel was very excited and eager to meet Olivia.

    Olivia came in with her medical bag, frowning slightly.

    The room felt off; there was a strange smell in the air.

    And she seemed to have encountered this smell somewhere before.

    ¡°Let me see what this doctor who saved Grandpa looks like,¡± the young man in the racing suit turned around and looked at

    Olivia.

    As soon as he got a clear look at Olivia¡¯s face, he froze, his breathing hitched, his heart pounded loudly, and <b>he </b><b>felt </b><b>a </b><b>bit </b>lightheaded.

    11:10 am

    PP

    2

    It¡¯s Ivy he thought to himself.

    55 vouchers

    Howard Summers was overjoyed and rushed forward to embrace Olivia tightly, his eyes slightly red. ¡°Ivy, I finally found you.¡±

    ¡°Howard, let go,¡± Charles, sitting nearby, frowned. ¡°She¡¯s not Ivy.¡±

    Charles and Samuel had also suspected it before, but after an investigation, they found out that although Olivia looked like Ivy, she had indeed never been to Kingtonelle.

    When Samuel received this news, he was very sad for a long time.

    ¡°How could that be? She is Ivy,¡± Howard¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve dreamed of Ivy. She looks just

    like this.¡±

    ¡°Howard, that¡¯s enough,¡± Charles said angrily.

    But Howard still clung to Olivia, being very stubborn.

    Olivia spoke softly. ¡°Sir, you have mistaken me for someone else. I really am not Ivy.¡±

    Although she had also wondered if she might be that Olivia, otherwise, there would not have been so many people who mistook her for Ivy.

    But she really had never been to Kingtonelle, and she was indeed not Ivy.

    <b>11:10 </b><b>am </b>P PPD

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    ¡°What?¡± Howard felt a bit powerless as Charles pulled him away several steps, until he was several feet away from Olivia.

    ¡®How could she not be Ivy?¡® Howard thought to himself.

    Howard and Ivy were fraternal twins. When they were young, they sometimes even had the same dreams; they could be said to be very telepathic.

    Ever since Ivy went missing, Howard often had a recurring dream.

    In the dream, Howard was trapped in a fire, with heavy objects pressing on him.

    He was about to die when, suddenly, a little girl around four years old rushed over, knocked off the heavy objects on him, saved him, and then led him out of the fire.

    But every time he woke up from the dream, Howard¡¯s memory would be jumbled, and he couldn¡¯t <b>recall </b>the face of the little girl.

    Yet his intuition told him that the little girl must be Ivy.

    Samuel didn¡¯t know why Howard had suddenly be like this, but he was used to it.

    Howard had always been impulsive. He left home at the age of thirteen to be a racing driver, to pursue his dreams, and he wouldn¡¯te back even once a year.

    If it weren¡¯t for Samuel¡¯s illness, Howard wouldn¡¯t havee back this time.

    ¡°Dr. Summers, how have you beentely?¡± Samuel waved at Olivia, signaling her to sit beside him.

    Olivia, carrying her medical bag, sat demurely next to Samuel. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    She always subconsciously wanted to get close to Samuel, which she found strange herself.

    Samuel¡¯s smile deepened. His health had improved significantly, and he wanted to see Olivia again.

    Samuel had been in Hirica for so long without finding Ivy. The business in Kingtonelle couldn¡¯t be left unattended, and he had to go back.

    ¡°Mr. Summers<b>, </b>is there something wrong with you?¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was indifferent, getting straight to the point.

    Samuel didn¡¯t hide anything from her. ¡°I¡¯m a bit unwell. I always feel a tingling in my hand, and I feel cold all over.¡±

    ¡°Let me take a look at you.¡± Olivia examined him, her eyebrows flickering slightly.

    ¡°There¡¯s no serious problem,¡± Olivia said with a lightugh, shaking her head. ¡°In traditional medicine theory, the tingling you feel indicates that your breath can reach the area, but the blood can¡¯t. With long¨Cterm conditioning, you will recover. There won¡¯t be any major issues.¡±

    ¡°How should I condition myself?¡± Charles frowned, as he was most worried about his grandfather¡¯s health.

    ¡°Warm the meridians, unblock the coterals, activate the blood cirction, and increase physical activity. Acupuncture or taking traditional medicine can also help,¡± Olivia said without looking up, inserting a long needle into Samuel¡¯s neck casually.

    ¡°Long¨Cterm conditioning won¡¯t work; there¡¯s not enough time. We have to use a quick method,¡± she added.

    <b>1/2 </b>

    11:10 am P PPD

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    As soon as the needle went in, blood immediately gushed out from Samuel¡¯s neck, staining his hospital gown red.

    Charles was worried, his voice urgent. ¡°Ms. Summers, what-¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± a voice rang out.

    ine had juste in to check on Samuel and saw Olivia holding a long needle to Samuel¡¯s neck.

    Although she didn¡¯t know much about medicine, she knew that the carotid artery was in the neck. Coupled with what had just happened outside, she instinctively thought that Olivia was trying to harm Samuel.

    ¡°Let go of my grandfather,¡± ine raised her voice and lunged to grab the needle from Olivia.

    Olivia was quick to react, dodging aside and grabbing ine¡¯s wrist with her other hand, her voice calm. ¡°Miss, interrupting a doctor while they¡¯re treating a patient is very dangerous.¡±

    Olivia used a clever force. Although it wasn¡¯t strong, it was effective because she knew the right acupoints. With just a slight press, she made ine feel a lot of pain.

    ¡°Ouch, that hurts.¡± ine frowned, her pretty face contorted.

    Her long eyshes trembled slightly, and a blush spread across her face. Even with such an expression, she still looked charming and beautiful.

    <b>11:10 </b><b>am </b>PPPD

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    But everyone in the room was coldly watching ine, and no one spoke a word.

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    Olivia pinched harder. She had never liked ine to begin with, and this was a good opportunity for a small revenge.

    ¡°Charles, save me,¡± ine, in pain and contorted, pleaded with Charles.

    Although Charles didn¡¯t like her, he had to maintain a surface rtionship and gently reminded Olivia, ¡°Ms. Summers, let her go.¡±

    Olivia would naturally listen to Charles, as she still had things to ask of him.

    ¡°Ah-¡°ine fell backward due to the sudden release and inertia.

    ¡°Charles, look at what she did-¡± ineined with a sense of grievance.

    ¡°How many times have I told you? We¡¯re not that close. Don¡¯t call me Charles.¡± Charles¡¯s voice betrayed a hint of impatience. ¡°And who said you coulde here?¡±

    He had never liked ine and would never acknowledge her as his sister.

    Charles had only one sister.

    ine bit her lip, her eyes slightly red. ¡°Dad is a bit busy and asked me toe see Grandpa on his behalf. Also, to bring you guys back-*

    ¡°What kind of dad is he?¡± Howard red at ine, as if there was fire burning in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m telling you for thest time. He¡¯s only your dad. Don¡¯te here pretending to be rted to us.<b>¡± </b>

    Ever since Howard could remember, this so¨Ccalled dad of theirs seemed to have forgotten about Ivy, always doting on that adopted daughter and even trying to put her in the family register.

    In that man¡¯s eyes, the rest of the brothers seemed not to exist.

    For over a decade, that man had never cared about them. Sending ine here now surely didn¡¯t have good intentions.

    Howard didn¡¯t like that man and certainly wouldn¡¯t like ine.

    ¡°Get out. Get out of here.¡± Howard¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and he had bitten his lower lip so hard it left a mark. ¡°Don¡¯t make me throw you out.¡±

    Charles knew Howard¡¯s temper and immediately stepped in front of him, looking at ine coldly. ¡°You should leave. You¡¯re not wee here.¡±

    ine looked up at Samuel with a pitiful expression. ¡°Grandpa-<b>¡± </b>

    ¡®Dad sent me here to win Grandpa¡¯s favor. I can¡¯t leave without achieving something,¡® ine thought to herself.

    Samuel, enduring the difort in his neck, stared at ine coldly. ¡°Tell your father I¡¯m fine. Go back. I don¡¯t want to <b>see </b>you.¡±

    David had an idea. ¡°This is a good time to tell Mr. Summers about what just happened,¡® he thought.

    David leaned in close to Samuel and whispered, ¡°Just now-¡±

    <b>11:10 </b><b>am </b>PPPD

    After hearing it, Samuel¡¯s gaze toward ine grew even colder, as if it held a hidden de.

    55 Vouchers

    ¡°Go back to your good friend,¡± Samuel was clearly upset. ¡°Dr. Summers is my distinguished guest. Bullying her is the same <b>as </b>bullying me. Make sure you tell them that.¡±

    ine bit her lip, unable to utter a word.

    David had told Samuel after all.

    ine was already not favored in the Summers family, and now she was even less so.

    ¡°ine, please,¡± David opened the door, putting on a business¨Clike expression.

    ¡®I certainly won¡¯t call her Ms. Summers. The Summers family has only one daughter,¡® David thought to himself.

    ine knew she couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. She got up, bowed to Samuel, and slowly walked out.

    She took a deep breath and encouraged herself. ¡®One day, I will be the legitimate heiress of the Summers family, she thought.

    Samuel coughed a few times,posed himself, and looked at Olivia. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve made a fool of myself in front of you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Olivia shook her head and carefully supported his head. ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Charles, seeing the blood increasing, became worried. ¡°Ms. Summers, is this really going to be alright?¡±

    Grandpa is, after all, quite elderly. Everything has to be done with great care.

    A moment¡¯s inattention could lead to serious consequences.

    Before Olivia could speak, Samuel chuckled reassuringly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I trust Dr. Summers. Nothing will go wrong. If anything does happen, it¡¯s because my health is failing, not because of Dr. Summers¡® medical skills.¡±

    A warm current surged through Olivia¡¯s heart. ¡®His words sound like a grandfatherforting his granddaughter,¡® she thought to herself.

    Olivia lowered her eyes, her gaze soft. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be fine.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just releasing some toxic blood,¡± Olivia said as she pulled out the long needle and wiped away the blood.

    In an instant, the bleeding stopped, leaving only a small puncture mark.

    As soon as Olivia¡¯s hand left, Samuel felt refreshed and invigorated.

    The soreness he had felt in his body over the past few days was gone, and he even felt a bit lightheaded from the relief.

    Olivia packed up her things and advised, ¡°You really need to replenish your nutrients. When a person is too weak, their limbs can experience numbness. The limbs are farther from the heart and don¡¯t get nourished as easily, which leads to the sensation of numbness<b>. </b>

    ¡°I got a prescription. For replenishing blood, you typically use the medicine on the left, and for replenishing breath, you need the medicine on the right.

    ¡°When breath flows, blood flows. Blood is a yin substance, inherently inclined to be still. Its movement relies on the propulsion of breath. Both are very important.¡±

    <b>11:10 </b>am P P P D

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    She added, ¡°These medicines can both replenish energy and strengthen the spleen. The spleen and stomach are the sources of transformation and transportation. When your energy is sufficient, it can ward off harmful energies, and you¡¯ll be able to withstand minor illnesses.¡±

    As she spoke, Olivia wrote down the names of the herbs she had mentioned and handed the list to David. ¡°You can add some of these to your water or soup. Medicinal diets are the most nourishing.¡±

    After speaking for so long, Olivia felt a bit thirsty and took a few sips of water from the ss on the table.

    ¡°Also, you should exercise moderately. Doing morning exercises is a great idea,¡± Olivia added.

    Samuel nodded, curious. ¡°Dr. Summers, that acupuncture was really powerful. After just one needle, I feel like I¡¯m all better.¡±

    ¡°It was just a single needle to detoxify, to expel the toxic blood from your body. Normally, it should be a gradual process.

    ¡°But since you¡¯re heading back to Kingtonelle soon, we had to use this method,¡± Olivia exined, taking another sip of water and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing the purple rose¨Cshaped birthmark.

    Howard, standing behind Olivia, saw this rose¨Clike birthmark.

    Ivy also had a birthmark of the same shape.

    He truly felt that Olivia was his sister.

    ¡®But Grandpa and Charles both say she¡¯s not, and even Olivia herself says she¡¯s not. What could have gone wrong here? Could it be amnesia? A car ident?¡® Howard wondered.

    Howard loved watching soap operas, and his mind quickly came up with many dramatic scenarios.

    ¡®No, my brothers and Grandpa have waited for Ivy for too long. I can¡¯t make a fuss without being absolutely sure, Howard thought to himself.

    Suppressing his excitement, Howard asked Olivia softly, ¡°Dr. Summers, do you like sweets<b>?</b>¡±

    His voice <b>was </b>weak and unsteady, revealing his inner turmoil and anxiety.

    Although Olivia didn¡¯t know why he was asking, she answered truthfully out of politeness. ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    <b>AD </b>

 Blizzard 155

    ¡°I knew it-¡± Despite Howard¡¯s attempt to stay calm, his voice couldn¡¯t help but tremble.

    He would have to investigate thoroughly next.

    55 vouchers

    Samuel, oblivious to Howard¡¯s odd behavior, struck up a conversation with Olivia. ¡°Dr. Summers, have you ever thought about developing your practice in Kingtonelle? With your incredible medical skills, you shouldn¡¯t be buried in Hirica.¡±

    He spoke sincerely. Nowadays, modern medicine was dominant, and fewer and fewer people believed in traditional

    medicine.

    But traditional medicine was their cultural heritage. It shouldn¡¯t just fade away.

    However, he believed that with talents like Olivia, traditional medicine wouldn¡¯t decline.

    Olivia slightly raised her eyebrows and smiled faintly. ¡°I will go there eventually.¡±

    She was bound to go to Kingtonelle; it was just a matter of time.

    Samuel was delighted. ¡°That¡¯s great. When youe to Kingtonelle, make sure to look me up. I¡¯ll show you around the city.¡±

    Olivia agreed with a smile.

    After chatting for a while, Olivia caught a whiff of that strange smell again.

    It was very faint, and an ordinary person would definitely not notice it, but Olivia did.

    ¡°Samuel, have you been using any scented candles in the room?¡± Olivia asked nonchntly.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never liked the smell of scented candles,¡± Samuel nced at David. ¡°David, did you light any incense?¡±

    David blinked. ¡°No, you said you don¡¯t like those smells.¡±

    Then, he seemed to remember something. ¡°Actually, Ms. Whitmore sent over a pot of grass a few days ago, saying it could help Mr. Summers recover?¡±

    ¡°Mia?¡± Charles said.

    ¡°Grass?¡± Olivia spoke at the same time.

    ¡°How could Mia be here?¡± Charles couldn¡¯t control his emotions. ¡°Didn¡¯t she go abroad?¡±

    David steeled himself. ¡°Mr. Charles Summers, Ms. Whitmore didn¡¯te herself; she sent it through someone else.¡±

    ¡°Charles, don¡¯t lose yourposure.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression turned a bit stern.

    ¡®Damn it, Mia again. She is like a bad penny that keeps turning up,¡® Charles thought to himself.

    ¡°Where is that pot of grass? Can I take a look?¡± Olivia didn¡¯t want to get involved in the affairs of the wealthy; her eyes slightly curved at the corners.

    Samuel nodded.

    With Samuel¡¯s permission, David hurried off. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get it.¡±

    <b>11:10 </b><b>am </b>PPPD

    Soon, David returned.

    The pot of grass looked quite ordinary, nothing special about it.

    Olivia leaned in, waved her hand over it, and smelled a strong medicinal odor.

    ¡°Sarin, ricin-¡± Olivia named the herbs as she smelled them, her eyebrows unconsciously furrowing.

    55 vouchers

    Charles noticed her odd behavior and asked urgently, ¡°What does this mean? What are the things you mentioned?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a slow¨Cacting poison.¡± Olivia nodded slightly, her gaze calm and her tone even. ¡°Ricin is extracted from castor beans. <b>If </b><b>a </b>person ingests even a small amount of ricin, it will cause respiratory failure, organ failure, and pose a serious threat to life.

    ¡°Sarin is even more toxic. It¡¯s a deadly gas, hundreds of times more lethal than oxides. Even if you inhale a little, over time, it will damage the heart and lung functions-¡±

    ¡°You mean this pot of grass is poisonous?¡± Howard¡¯s pupils dted slightly as he turned to David. ¡°This pot of grass was sent by Mia?¡±

    ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Charles was dazed and incredulous. ¡°Mia wouldn¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°At this point, are you still defending her?¡± Samuel felt a chill. Charles was good in every way, except that he was blind when it came to rtionships.

    Charles¡¯s expression wasplicated as he suppressed his shock. ¡°Grandpa, that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯ve long ended things with Mia, you know that.¡±

    ¡°Enough.¡± Samuel¡¯s features turned colder. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Dr. Summers, I would have been dead in a few more days.¡±

    Howard then remembered that the pot of grass was poisonous.

    He immediately pulled Olivia over, threw the pot of grass into the trash can, and asked her with concern, ¡°Are you alright? That grass was poisonous, wasn¡¯t it? Are you okay?¡±

    Olivia was taken aback for a moment, gently disentangling her hand from Howard¡¯s grasp. ¡°It won¡¯t do any harm just from smelling it for a while.¡±

    Howard then realized hispse inposure and coughed to cover his embarrassment. ¡°David, get rid of this thing. And in the future, don¡¯t ept anything sent by Mia.

    ¡°She¡¯s not even part of the Summers family; what¡¯s she sending anything for?¡±

    David was more than happy to find an excuse to escape the awkward atmosphere, and this one had justnded in hisp. ¡°Sure thing, Mr. Howard Summers<b>, </b>I¡¯m on it.¡±

    Charles¡¯s eyes were filled with disappointment and aplex array of emotions.

    The truth wasid bare before him.

    ¡°Well, in that case<b>, </b>I¡¯ll head back first,¡± Olivia said, ncing out the window at the darkening sky as she got up to take her leave.

    Samuel wanted to get up to see Olivia off, but she stopped him. ¡°Mr. Summers, you should rest. There¡¯s no need to see me

    out.¡±

    Howard chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Grandpa, you should rest. I¡¯ll see her off.¡±

    <b>11:10 </b><b>am </b>P PPD

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes cooled slightly, her smile momentarily freezing before returning to normal.

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    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Olivia,¡± Howard said, producing a set of car keys from somewhere with azy smile in his ride and show you some speed and passion.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take cyes.

    for <b>a </b>you

    Olivia turned around with her medical bag and began to walk away.

    ¡°Hey, Olivia,¡± Howard quickly caught up. ¡°Wait for me.¡±

    In the end, the two of them still headed back.

    Olivia¡¯s reason was simple. ¡°No street racing in the city.¡±

    As night fell, outside Willow Lane, Olivia could distinctly feel a few people following her. Yet Howard seemedpletely oblivious, chattering away nonstop.

    He asked, ¡°Olivia, where do you go to school? Olivia, what¡¯s your favorite color? Do you like Tiffany¡¯s dresses? I¡¯ll buy you

    one.¡±

    Olivia walked forward with her medical bag, expressionless and not uttering a single word to him.

    At the corner of the alley, a young man stood tall and upright, his long legs elegantly crossed, leaning casually against the wall with his arms folded, watching her.

    ¡®It¡¯s Andrew. What¡¯s he doing here?¡® Olivia thought to herself.

    ¡°Olivia, there¡¯s some food over there. Do you want to-¡± Howard asked.

    Olivia abruptly pushed Howard away, her eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°I¡¯m home. You can leave now.¡±

    ¡°But I-¡± Howard didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence before Olivia walked away, heading straight for the man.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Olivia asked.

    ¡°To cure an illness,¡± Andrew replied, his gaze falling on Howard in the distance. ¡°Is he your new suitor?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not close,¡± Olivia said.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Andrew¡¯s thick eyebrows lifted in a half¨Csmile. ¡°On the way back, didn¡¯t you notice anything different?¡±

    ¡°I know. You go ahead and wait over there.¡± Olivia handed her medical bag to Andrew, flexing her fists. ¡°Take good care of my bag. It¡¯s expensive and I don¡¯t want it lost.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s eyes lingered on Olivia, but he didn¡¯t move.

 Blizzard 156

    <b>Chapter </b>156

    <b>¡°</b><b>Miss</b>, someone paid us to teach you a lesson,¡± the man at the front, with a tattoo on his face, stared intently at Olivia. ¡°What a pity for such a pretty girl. Who did you offend? We¡¯re just doing our job for the money.

    ¡°The Sherman family, right?¡± Olivia replied with a clear, softugh.

    <b>¡°</b>Why would I tell you that? Guys, get her, the leader said.

    Andrew raised an eyebrow. ¡°Need my help?¡±

    ¡°No, stay back.¡± Olivia said.

    The next second, one of the men lunged at them, aiming to strike Andrew.

    Olivia casually raised her hand and grabbed the man¡¯s throat, her voice cold. ¡°The person who paid you didn¡¯t tell you that I¡¯m the reigning champion of thest martialbat tournament?¡±

    Before Olivia could even make a move, the man was kicked to the ground, and Howard started beating him, straddling him.

    Howard cursed as he hit the man. ¡°You jerk, instead of going home and sleeping at night, you follow Olivia. I¡¯ll beat you so hard your mom won¡¯t recognize you.¡±

    Hearing this, Olivia knew who it was.

    The remaining men charged at Olivia.

    Olivia picked up a wooden stick and struck one of the men¡¯s knees.

    Crack. The sound of a bone breaking.

    ¡°Whoa¨COlivia, you¡¯re fierce.¡± Howard¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement.

    Another thug rushed over, but Howard was quick, grabbing his neck.

    Howard lifted a burly man with one hand.

    Howard growled, ¡°Come at me. I¡¯ll tear you apart with my bare hands. You like fighting so much. I¡¯ll give you a real beating.¡±

    The man Howard had grabbed hadn¡¯t even reacted before he was punched t, stretched out, and then punched t again.

    This cycle repeated, and it was unclear how much time had passed.

    Olivia had already taken care of the remaining thugs and was now standing next to Andrew, watching the show.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be so strong.¡± Andrew, propping his chin on his hand, was very impressed with

    Howard¡¯s fighting skills.

    Olivia nodded.

    C46 )

    1758 vouchers <fn676c> For original chapters go to fin?novel</fn676c>

    After all afternoon, she still hadn¡¯t figured out what Howard was after.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t kill him,¡± Olivia said coldly. ¡°I need to ask him some questions.¡±

    Howard stopped, dropped the man to the ground, and tilted his head, signaling Olivia to ask her questions.

    The man was in so much pain that he was rolling on the ground, but with Howard stepping on him, he couldn¡¯t even move much.

    ¡°Tell me, who sent you?¡± Olivia squatted down and lifted his chin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The man was still being stubborn, gritting his teeth and holding out.

    Just as Howard thought Olivia was about to strike, she let go, narrowing her eyes and sending a chilling

    coldness toward the man.

    Even Howard was scared and warned, ¡°I suggest you tell the truth.¡±

    His intuition told him that Olivia was extremely dangerous.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to persuade him. We¡¯ll handle this civilly.¡± Olivia cracked her neck and waved at Andrew. ¡°Medicine box.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Howard was puzzled and didn¡¯t understand what she was up to.

    ¡®These people came to fight her. How can she handle it civilly?¡® Howard thought to himself.

    Andrew had already brought over the medicine box.

    ¡°Give me the short needles,¡± Olivia said without looking up, took the needles Andrew handed her, and waved them in front of the man on the ground, her smile sinister. ¡°Have you guys ever heard of a type of torture?

    ¡°Silver needles into the body, twelve needles in total, one by one, inserted into your body.

    ¡°After that, whether you walk, sit, or lie down, these silver needles will move through your blood, traveling inside your body and causing you unbearable pain.¡± Olivia held the man¡¯s finger, the silver needle in her hand gleaming brightly.

    ¡°When these silver needles reach your brain, even the best doctor won¡¯t be able to save you,¡± she added.

    Olivia still wore that same smile, her eyes filled with gloom, like a venomous snake or scorpion, sending chills down one¡¯s spine and making escape impossible.

    The man finally realized who he had offended and shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll talk,¡± just before Olivia was about to prick his finger with the needle.

    ¡°Y¨Cyou should have spoken up earlier.¡± Howard swallowed hard, suppressing his shock.

    15:12 Thu, Oct2 #

    *Your employer is Margaret Sherman? Olivia wiped her hands and tossed the items to Andrew,

    Andrew caught them and dutifully put them away.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Mrs. Sherman,¡± the man answered Olivia through the intense pain,

    ¡°The details of the assignment?¡± Olivia said.

    ¡°She wanted us to beat you up and then dump you in the wilderness, where someone could sell you off,¡± the man shivered uncontrobly, ¡°Basically, she didn¡¯t want you to show up in Hirica again

    ¡°Is that all?¡± Olivia raised an eyebrow,

    Just to drive me out of Hirica? Margaret wouldn¡¯t be that kind¨Chearted, she thought to herself.

    ¡°Also, she wanted us to sever the tendons in your hands, so you could never, ever hold a scalpel to save people again,¡± he added.

    Just as I thought. Typical Margaret, Olivia thought.

    Andrew, standing to the side, narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes, surrounded by an aura of coldness.

    The entire atmosphere was filled with an indescribable sense of danger, inspiring fear.

    ¡°Margaret-¡°Andrew repeated the name.

    ¡°What? You know her?¡± Olivia nced at him.

    Andrew let out a softugh, the light in his eyes dimming slightly. ¡°My future enemy.¡±

    ¡°Oh my-¡± Howard eximed, goosebumps covering the ground.

    ¡°This guy is really good at ttering, Howard thought to himself.

    ¡°Your hair is messy.¡± Andrew noticed her hair and reached out to tidy it. ¡°Do you need me to step in?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got my own ns,¡± Olivia rejected without a second thought.

    She was waiting for William¡¯s birthday party to give him a big surprise.

    Howard looked at the two of them, somewhat bewildered.

    He thought, ¡®Weren¡¯t they just fighting? What kind of atmosphere is this now? It seems like I¡¯m intruding on them.¡±

    ¡°What about this guy?¡± Howard asked.

    ¡°Stalking a woman in the middle of the night? Of course, we¡¯ll hand him over to the authorities,¡± Olivia cracked her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the cleanup to you.¡±

    Then, she took Andrew¡¯s hand and walked back, leaving Howard standing there, stunned.

    5 Vouchers

    ¡°No, you¡¯re leaving me to deal with all these people?¡± Howard said. By the time he looked up again, the two of them had already walked away.

    ¡°Did youe here just to treat me?¡± Olivia asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Andrew carried the medicine box in one hand, his gaze on her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t havee sote, but work got in the way.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Olivia said nonchntly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Jennye?¡±

    Andrew felt a flicker of displeasure, his eyes showing a hint of arrogance.

    ¡®I waited for her in the cold for half a day, and all she asks about is Jenny, not caring about me at all?¡® he thought to himself.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask her toe,¡± Andrew¡¯s tone was casual.

    Olivia nodded slightly, which was taken as a response.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask anything else?¡± Andrew said.

    Clearly, Olivia didn¡¯t want to talk, walking forward in her ck boots, taking a few steps before suddenly turning her head and staring at Andrew.

    ¡°Hurry up. You¡¯ve been freezing in the icy cold for half a day. If you stay any longer, you¡¯ll catch a cold,¡± said

    Olivia.

    Olivia herself didn¡¯t realize that her words came out gently.

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    Olivia grabbed Andrew¡¯s right hand and pulled him forward. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your hand?¡± Andrew, observant as always, noticed something odd about Olivia¡¯s hand. He held it, his brows furrowing slightly. ¡°Did you get it from the fight just now?¡±

    Olivia grabbed Andrew¡¯s right hand and pulled him forward. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your hand?¡± Andrew, observant as always, noticed something odd about Olivia¡¯s hand. He held it, his brows furrowing slightly. ¡°Did you get it from the fight just now?¡±

    Olivia¡¯s fingers were somewhat purple, with tiny spots covering all ten of them, and there was some swelling.

    ¡°Mr. Shea, you really are a wealthy man,¡± Olivia said with a t expression, her eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°These are chilins, something you rich folks wouldn¡¯t know about.¡±

    Winter was a cold season for ordinary people. Moreover, it was the season when social sses were the most distinct. <fn9d6c> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? F?ndNovel</fn9d6c>

    ¡°For the rich, winter is about dignity and warmth,¡± Olivia spoke calmly, her presence reserved yet powerful. ¡°But for ordinary people, it¡¯s about the cold. So getting chilins is nothing to be surprised about.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°When did you get them? Can¡¯t they be cured?¡±

    He was puzzled because Olivia, being a doctor herself, should be able to treat them.

    ¡°When I was young, I went through a tough time,¡± Olivia said lightly. ¡°Cold winds and severe cold freeze the skin and cause sores due to stagnant blood and energy. They can be treated, but it requires keeping warm, and it¡¯s a bit numbing-¡±

    Her words were cut short.

    Andrew suddenly took her hand, bent down, and breathed warm air onto it, his movements gentle. He was warming Olivia¡¯s hand.

    The warm breath sprayed on Olivia¡¯s fingers, creating a tingling sensation that was slightly ufortable for her.

    But she didn¡¯t seem to dislike his closeness.

    ¡°What are you doing-¡± Olivia, who didn¡¯t like being too close to others, instinctively tried to pull her hand

    away.

    Andrew, however, held her hand tighter, not allowing her to move.

    His eyes were filled with a soft glow, his gaze tender, focused entirely on Olivia, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°I have to leave for a few days,¡± Andrew said, lowering his eyes and gently rubbing Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed the Summers family. They¡¯ll bring that man over in a while.¡±

    Olivia then remembered that she had forgotten to mention to Samuel about the arraignment of Donald

    today.

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    He seemed to read Olivia¡¯s thoughts, his breath shallow. ¡°Mr. Summers likes you a lot. He agreed.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Olivia felt a slight itch in her fingers, pulled her hand out, feeling a bit flushed, and pretended nothing had happened. ¡°How many days are you going?¡±

    ¡°Three days.¡± He imperceptibly curled his lips, his eyes softening. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll die out there,¡± Olivia clenched her fingers, slightly tilting her head. ¡°In your current condition, without medication within ten days, you¡¯ll start to deteriorate. All my previous efforts would be in vain.¡±

    Andrew watched Olivia pull her hand away, his smile fading. ¡°You don¡¯t like it when I warm your hand?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky.¡± Olivia turned and walked toward home. ¡°If it were anyone else, they¡¯d have been kicked into the sea by now.¡±

    Andrew looked around, frowning. ¡°Is the security here at night this bad?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s usually quite good,¡± Olivia wrapped her down jacket tighter, nonchntly. ¡°Tonight is an exception.¡±

    ¡°Should I leave Ethan with you?¡± Andrew asked for Olivia¡¯s opinion.

    Ethan, hiding in the shadows, shivered. ¡®Mr. Shea, I¡¯m just an employee,¡® he thought to himself.

    ¡°What would I want with a good¨Cfor¨Cnothing?¡± Olivia rejected without a second thought. Ethan seemed useless; Sean was more reliable.

    Ethan was stunned, thinking, ¡®I¡¯m a good¨Cfor¨Cnothing?¡®

 Blizzard 158

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    ¡°You can choose whoever you like.¡± Andrew handed Olivia a roster of bodyguards.

    Olivia pushed it away, her expression indifferent. ¡°I prefer to work alone.

    Besides, those thugs wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to her.

    Andrew didn¡¯t press further. He knew she was still wary of him. ¡®If she really liked working alone, she wouldn¡¯t keep Sean around,¡® he thought to himself.

    ¡°Well, alright,¡± Andrew sighed dramatically, feigning hurt. ¡°It¡¯s just that my men are useless and don¡¯t meet your standards, Ms. Summers.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly-¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t stand seeing people act wronged in front of her, and her heart softened a bit. ¡°You paid me, so you¡¯re my patient. We¡¯re just doctor and patient. I don¡¯t need your help.¡±

    Her words were gentle, but the meaning was clear.

    They were just doctor and patient, and Andrew shouldn¡¯t cross the line.

    Andrew became cold all over.

    He was very quiet and cool, walking alone in the shadows.

    As he walked, he suddenly stopped, turned his head, and walked back to Olivia. His usually calm voice had a slight change.

    ¡°I thought we were friends,¡± he said slowly, enunciating each word clearly, his tone drawn out a bit, as if he was afraid of something.

    ¡°Of course, we are friends,¡± Olivia said softly, looking up at Andrew. ¡°If we weren¡¯t friends, why would I agree to treat you?¡±

    Andrew saw how sincere she looked, and the corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily. He knew she was telling the truth.

    ¡°Alright,¡± his voice was deep, gentle, and a bit maic, quite pleasant to the ear as he said.

    Olivia really liked his appearance, and with such a nice voice, he was indeed quite charming.

    Unfortunately, he already had a fianc¨¦e.

    Olivia had no interest in men who were engaged.

    ¡°Are you not going to prescribe me some medicine today?¡± Andrew¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, and he couldn¡¯t help but cough a few times.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been in the cold wind for so long; your throat must be suffering,¡± Olivia said as she opened the door and set up a small pot in the courtyard.

    15:13 Thu, <b>Oct </b><b>2 </b>

    After the water boiled, she added some medicine and pears.

    Amidst the rising steam, Andrew¡¯s gaze was fixed on Olivia and didn¡¯t waver.

    Olivia brought him a cup of pear soup and went back into the house to get some more herbs.

    P

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    ¡°During your time away, soak some of these every day, and by the time youe back, we can proceed with the next step of the treatment,¡± she said, assembling the herbs and not forgetting to settle the bill with Andrew<b>. </b>

    ¡°I won¡¯t charge you for the pear soup, but these herbs count as one treatment. You should avoid seafood, cold foods, and staying upte,¡± she added.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Andrew replied, his tone indifferent despite the depth in his eyes.

    After finishing everything, Olivia stretched and waved her hand to signal that Andrew could leave.

    Andrew took a few steps, then suddenly turned his head at the door, his eyes bright. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your orders, Dr. Summers.¡±

    ¡°When Ie back, let¡¯s have a meal together,¡± Andrew said, giving Olivia no time to react before he disappeared.

    Olivia flicked her hair back and poured out the remaining pear soup. She thought to herself, ¡®I don¡¯t think I agreed to that, did I? Where did this sweet atmospheree from?¡® <fn7890> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? f¦É?dn¦Ïvel</fn7890>

    The tingling sensation in her hand seemed to linger, refusing to fade away.

    Inside the house, Grace was baking tarts for Sean and Nina.

    Sean, enduring the heat, clutched the piping hot tart and took big bites, steam constantly rising.

    Grace looked at him affectionately. ¡°Eat slowly, don¡¯t burn yourself.¡±

    Olivia brought over the pear soup she had just made, and the group shared it.

    Nina took Olivia¡¯s down jacket, carefully folded it, and put it away, showing her thoughtfulness.

    ?

 Blizzard 159

    <b>Chapter </b>159

    :

    ¡°Olivia, were today¡¯s patients difficult to treat?¡± Nina asked.

    56 vouchers!

    ¡°Not really,¡± Olivia replied, grabbing the tart from Sean¡¯s hand and taking a bite, her speech slightly muffled. ¡°Just a bit too many of them.¡±

    Today, she had treated three people in total.

    Sean, having his tart snatched away, was hopping around in frustration. Grace, worried he might tear the house apart, quickly handed him another one. ¡°Calm down. Here, take this.¡±

    Sean¡¯s mood instantly brightened, and he continued to munch on the tart.

    Olivia slowly sat down and took a piece of paper to wipe her hands. ¡°Why is Sean so happy today?¡±

    Just because of a bite to eat?¡® she thought to herself.

    ¡°Because he won a prize,¡± Nina said with a smile. ¡°There was a lottery event at the alley entrance this afternoon, open only to children under ten years old. I took Sean to give it a try, and he won quite a few things.¡±

    Nina pointed to the nearby tablet, smartphone, and a pile of other electronic gadgets. ¡°All of those were won by Sean, and he also got a ck card from the supermarket. We won¡¯t have to spend money on groceries anymore.¡±

    Sean puffed out his chest proudly, patting himself and muttering, ¡°I¡¯m awesome.¡±

    Olivia ignored him and stared at the items. The more she looked, the more familiar they seemed.

    That tablet was thetest model, a limited edition, with fewer than 20 units in the entire Clusia, and it was from the Shea family¡¯spany.

    ¡°I feel like something¡¯s fishy here.¡± Grace frowned, not believing in such good fortune. She snapped her fingers. ¡°I bet the poverty alleviation office saw how difficult we were and made up an excuse to give us these things.¡±

    Nina nodded in agreement, her voice soft. ¡°There were many people participating in the lottery, but only we won, and so many prizes at that. It does seem a bit deliberate.¡±

    Though young, Nina had grown up apanying her father in business and had seen the world. She quickly realized something was off.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not being able to provide you with a good life. We¡¯ve lived in poverty for so many years,¡± Gracemented, pounding her leg and shaking her head in regret.

    ¡°Other kids have thetest phones and watches, and I can¡¯t even afford to buy them for you-¡± she added.

    Even the decor in this old house had been put together bit by bit by Olivia.

    15:13 Thu, <b>Oct </b><b>2 </b>

    Grace felt utterly useless.

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    Sean scratched his head, puzzled. ¡®Does Grace think we¡¯re poor? But doesn¡¯t Olivia make millions with each job she takes?¡® he thought to himself.

    Olivia smiled gently, ¡°Grace, don¡¯t belittle yourself. We¡¯re all orphans abandoned by our parents. The fact that you took us in is already wonderful.¡±

    In her early years, Grace was renowned worldwide. Her consultation fees were not exorbitant, but they were enough to livefortably.

    However, to run the orphanage and ensure the children there had good food and rest, she spent all her savings on repairs and nutritious food.

    As a result, Grace lived in poverty, her coat washed until it was threadbare, and the cotton¨Cpadded jacket she wore was an old model from over a decade ago.

    Grace was willing to spend money on the children but never on herself for new clothes.

    Every time Olivia tried to buy something for Grace, she would refuse.

    Grace would say, ¡°I don¡¯t need these. You should use that money to buy yourself good food, drink, and some pretty clothes.¡±

    ustomed to a frugal life, Grace had little savings left. She usually earned some money by processing medicinal herbs. Any good food or drink she had would be saved for Olivia and Sean, while she just watched from the side.

    Olivia was touched and poured her a bowl of pear soup. ¡°Grace, how many times have I told you? Don¡¯t always feel like you owe us. Without you, who knows where we¡¯d be.¡±

    Love often felt like a debt; even though Grace had given them her best, she still felt she owed them.

    Nina also nodded, her voice trembling. ¡°Yes, Grace, Olivia¡¯s right. I had nowhere to go. If you hadn¡¯t taken me in, I¨CI don¡¯t know where I¡¯d be wandering now.¡±

    Even Sean nodded vigorously, his mouth full and mumbling in agreement.

    Grace looked at the sensible children, her eyes slightly moistening. She then took out an old card from her pocket.

    It was a bank card.

    Over the years, the money Grace had saved was all in that card, meant for the children¡¯s school tuition.

    ¡°Olivia, take this money. Buy whatever Nina and Sean need,¡± Grace pressed the bank card into Olivia¡¯s hand. ¡°There¡¯s 3,000 dors here, set aside for your schooling. It¡¯s not much, but it shouldst for a while.¡±

    Grace felt a bit embarrassed, but that was all she could spare.

    Olivia didn¡¯t take the card, handing it back to Grace with a serious expression. ¡°Grace, don¡¯t worry, I have

    15:13 Thu, Oct <b>2 </b>

    money,

    Grace thought Olivia was just trying to cheer her up and insisted on not taking it. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me. You¡¯re just a little over eighteen. What money could you possibly have<i>?</i>¡±

    ¡°I know what the Sherman family has done to you. They wouldn¡¯t give you any money to use? Grace¡¯s eyes shed with hatred whenever she mentioned the Sherman family.

    ¡°Listen to me. Take this money. In a while, I¡¯ll send you to that SAT prep ss,¡± she added.

    Grace had gone through a lot of trouble to secure Olivia a spot in the SAT ss.

    ¡°Grace, I¡¯ve grown up. I can make money now,¡± Olivia smiled gently, trying to reassure Grace. ¡°I treat people, and they pay me quite a lot. At least 150 thousand.¡±

    Grace¡¯s eyes widened slightly, finding it hard to believe. ¡°150 thousand? Really? Olivia, don¡¯t lie to me just to make me feel better.¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true,¡± Olivia said earnestly. ¡°I¡¯m your student, and I¡¯ve learned well from you. 150 thousand is actually on the low side.¡±

    Grace was amused by Olivia¡¯s words and finally smiled.

    ¡°Alright, alright. Don¡¯t worry. Sean and I have grown up. We¡¯ll always be together,¡± Olivia promised.

    Sean nodded vigorously in agreement.

    ¡°Me, too,¡± Nina chimed in with a smile, raising her hand.

    Hearing the children¡¯s words, Grace felt a warmth in her heart and a lump in her throat. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll always be a family.¡±

    Inside the house, there was a harmonious atmosphere.

    Outside, snowkes were falling gently.

    The next afternoon, Olivia was tinkering with a new device in the yard.

    ¡°Olivia, what are you doing?¡± Nina asked, bringing out some herbs to dry, and saw Olivia¡¯s activity.

    ¡°Just killing some time. I¡¯m going to do a live stream,¡± Olivia said, adjusting the equipment and winking at Nina. ¡°And make a bit of extra cash.¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter whether Sean went to school or not, as he didn¡¯t like reading much. <fn329b> Th?s chapter is updated by find~novel</fn329b>

    But Nina had to study. She was only fifteen, and her life was just beginning.

    ¡°Live stream?¡± Nina put the things down and leaned in to look at the equipment. She had never seen such novel devices before and found them very intriguing, examining them with great interest.

    15:13 <b>Thu</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>2 </b>

 Blizzard 160

    <b>Chapter </b><b>160 </b>

    :.

    €46

    Live streaming was quitemon nowadays. Many people who browsed short videos often came across it on their phones.

    However, it was the first time someone was live¨Cstreaming in front of Nina, so naturally, she found it very interesting.

    Olivia was happy to have Nina watch and patiently exined the names and uses of the equipment.

    The development of the Inte was an unstoppable trend. There was no harm in learning more; it mighte in handy in the future.

    ¡°Olivia, what are you going to broadcast?¡± Nina was curious. ¡°Are you going to live¨Cstream medical consultations?¡±

    After thinking it through, Nina felt that medical consultations were the best thing to broadcast.

    ¡°No,¡± Olivia shook her head and instead wrote on the live stream description: [Fortune Teller], which simply covered all the content.

    Nina was excited. ¡°Olivia, you can also be a fortune teller? That¡¯s amazing.¡±

    Olivia turned on the camera, pointing it at her upper body and the tools on the table. ¡°I know a bit.¡±

    In the past, when she was bored, Olivia would live¨Cstream fortune¨Ctelling, randomly connecting with people who had a connection for a reading. But she hadn¡¯t done it many times, and thest time she went live was in Magnolia Town.

    As soon as Olivia opened her private message backend, she found that she had received several million private messages and countlessments.

    Everyone was asking her to go live, saying they would tip her.

    Seeing thosements, Nina let out a softugh. ¡°Olivia, everyone¡¯s waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t waste any time and directly clicked to start the broadcast.

    Since thest incident, her followers had skyrocketed, and she now had over eight million fans.

    Therefore, as soon as Olivia went live, a crowd of people rushed in.

    Although it was winter, the afternoon sun was very warm and feltfortable on the skin.

    Olivia sat in the courtyard, closing her eyes to rest, ignoring the chat messages on the screen.

    The chat messages kept rolling nonstop.

    [You finally went live. I¡¯m going to let my friends know.]

    15:13 Thu, <b>Oct </b><b>2 </b>

    [The background today is so beautiful, it feels very warm, looking forward to it.]

    [I saw the description says fortune telling. Are you going to do a reading today?]

    55 Vouchers

    Olivia slowly opened her eyes and spoke in a calm tone. ¡°I¡¯m doing a fortune reading today. If anyone is interested, you can connect with me.¡±

    There were many people in the living room, but believers were in the minority, with the majority being skeptics.

    [Fortune telling is too mystical. I don¡¯t like to watch it.] <fnaf44> This text is hosted at find?novel</fnaf44>

    [The tform has banned many so¨Ccalled fortune tellers recently. Be careful, I really like you. I hope you don¡¯t cross the line.]

    [You¡¯re so young. Don¡¯t go around deceiving people. Be careful about getting caught.]

    [You¡¯re not even in your twenties yet, and you¡¯re learning fortune¨Ctelling. Haven¡¯t you seen that those famous masters are all in their forties or fifties? At your age, you should go back to school. Getting a good university education is the real thing.]

    [Are you guys crazy? The host originally started out in fortune¨Ctelling;st time, they led us on an adventure. Now that they¡¯re back to their original profession, what¡¯s wrong with that? Haters, get lost.]

    The chat messages scrolled rapidly, with all sorts ofments.

    Olivia didn¡¯t say anything, sipped some water with a smile, and lightly tapped her fingers on the table in front of her.

    Suddenly, aizen named CookieBunny asked, ¡°How much for one session?¡±

    ¡°300 dors.¡± Olivia stopped tapping her fingers and let out a softugh. ¡°For one reading.¡±

    After deducting the tform¡¯s share, Olivia would receive 150 dors.

    Compared to other fortune tellers on the tform, this was a normal price.

    However, many people still thought it was too expensive.

    [That¡¯s 300 dors for one reading. That¡¯s a bit pricey. Don¡¯t you think?]

    [Take care of your reputation. Don¡¯t overprice your services.]

    [I knew it; these fortune tellers are just here to make a quick buck.]

    CookieBunny replied, [I¡¯m still a student and can¡¯t afford that much. How about 150 dors?]

    The ie would be halved.

    Olivia cleared her throat. ¡°For minors to have a fortune told, 3 dors is fine. Also, if my reading is inurate, I¡¯ll refund the full amount.¡±

    15:13 Thu, Oct <b>2 </b>

    As soon as Olivia said this, the living room became lively again.

    [So touched, 3 dors? That¡¯s so cheap. You¡¯re so considerate.]

    [Other streamers don¡¯t mention refunds. What a good heart.]

    €<b>46 </b>

    155 vouchers

    [She doesn¡¯t have the skills and is afraid of being criticized for inurate readings, that¡¯s why she says that.]

    Sean kept a close eye on the live room to prevent any unusual situations. He noticed that FionaWhiteLily kept posting negativements about Olivia.

    Although some people loved watching the live stream, while others didn¡¯t, it was quite unusual for someone to keep posting bad reviews.

    Sean immediately became alert and carefully observed this ount.

    No matter how the chat messages shed, CookieBunny firmly believed and directly paid 3 dors.

    [If your reading is urate, I¡¯ll top up 150 dors to you.]

    The chat messages flew again.

    [Don¡¯t take advantage of kids¡® money.]

    [Is she a minor? Don¡¯t her parents know?]

    [This money is easy to earn. I want to earn it too.]

    ¡°No need.¡± Olivia¡¯s fingers tapped the edge of the table at a leisurely pace, her voice cold. ¡°I said 3 dors, that¡¯s 3 dors. What¡¯s your question?¡±

    Then, Olivia clicked to connect with the audience.

    On the other side of the screen, a girl with a delicate appearance appeared, wearing a school uniform.

    When theizens saw the pretty girl, they were very excited.

    [What a beautiful girl.]

    [Why isn¡¯t she in ss at this time? Why is she watching a live stream?]

    [You don¡¯t allow her to rest? But you go to work. How do you have time to watch live streams?]

    The girl had no mood to look at thosements. Her eyes were filled with worry and unease, as if she might break down at any moment.

    ¡°Miss, our school has recently had incidents of female students going missing,¡± she said anxiously, wringing her hands. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen my good friend for two days, and I¡¯m worried about her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve looked everywhere I can think of, but I just can¡¯t find her,¡± her eyes slightly red, she choked out.

    ÁãˆF

    #365 Vouchers

    ¡°Her family said she never came home, and the police haven¡¯t been able to find her either. The fortune tellers her parents consulted were also wrong,¡± she added, ¡°I really, I really don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    As she spoke, she began to wipe away her tears.

    Seeing this scene, theizens began tofort her one after another.

    [Don¡¯t worry. You will find her.]

    [It¡¯s Hirica High School, right? That school always has problems, and the school doesn¡¯t care.]

    [But, could her friend have already met with some misfortune-]

    Seeing thements, the girl became very emotional. ¡°No way. She wouldn¡¯t. She must be okay.¡±

    Olivia ignored thements and looked straight at the girl. ¡°Do you know her date and time of birth?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact time,¡± the girl said doubtfully. ¡°But I know she¡¯s sixteen this year, and her birthday is on April 17th. Is that enough?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Olivia took out the Tarot cards and calmlyid them on the table.

    0

 Blizzard 161

    <blockquote>

    Chapter <b>161 </b>

    ¡°Select a number between 2 and 89,¡± Olivia said.

    ¡°49,¡± Susan replied.

    Olivia lowered her gaze, pondered for a moment, and her brows furrowed slightly.

    Susan, sitting opposite, could not help but ask, ¡°MysticHealer, is she still alive?¡±

    ¡°Alive.¡± The light in Olivia¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly. ¡°But her condition is not very good.¡±

    ¡°To simply be alive is enough,¡± Susan said.

    46

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    ¡°In the storage room of your school¡¯s Third Teaching Building, in the southeast direction.¡± Olivia pointed to the divination book. ¡°You have two hours left. You¡¯d better bring more people and keep the evidence, or your friend will be in danger.¡±

    Olivia spoke in a veiled manner, but Susan quickly understood her. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go right now.¡± She looked a little flustered and asked cautiously, ¡°MysticHealer, I¡¯m a bit scared. Do I have to stay on the line?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± A hint of a smile finally appeared in Olivia¡¯s eyes and brows, her voice steady. ¡°The viewers in the livestream should also want to see it.¡±

    [Yeah, totally. We really want to see it too. The host is awesome.]

    [Already ready to record the screen; evidence will be retained.]

    [Stay safe, youngdy.]

    She acted quickly, calling for help from many people while on her way to school by taxi, and also called the police. Ten minutester, at the school gate, several tall boys were already waiting.

    The group immediately rushed toward the teaching building Olivia had indicated, carrying wooden sticks and clubs, clearly ready for a big fight. <fncf5c> For original chapters go to F?nd-Novel</fncf5c>

    As soon as they entered the teaching building, they were at a loss. This building was thergest teaching building in the school, with a total of ten floors. Each floor had a storage room.

    ¡°MysticHealer, on which floor do you think she might be?¡± Susan asked.

    ¡°Fourth floor,¡± Olivia said firmly. ¡°First room on the left.¡±

    Several people rushed upstairs immediately. As soon as they arrived at the door of the utility room, they heard a sudden noise.

    ¡°Do you know where you went wrong?¡± Immediately, the sound of a heavy object striking the wall came from inside.

    ¡°Damn it, answer me. Are you stupid?¡± one sneered.

    15:13 Thu, Oct <b>2 </b>

    ¡°Do you still intend to inform Susan? In your dreams¡± Another chimed in.

    55 Vouchers

    ¡°If she wants to talk, let her. She and Susan are close, right? Bring her over and let¡¯s all hang out together.

    A feeble voice was heard. ¡°No, do not look for Susan.¡±

    Susan had already figured out most of it and signaled to the tall young man beside her to take out his phone and prepare to preserve evidence.

    Once everything was ready, Susan kicked open the door that was on the verge of copse.

    In a dimly lit corner, a group of people surrounded the area. A blue backpack was tossed aside, and books were scattered messily across the floor. A girl in a school uniform cowered in the corner, her voice weak as she said, ¡°Let-¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, a fat girl stepped forward and pped her hard, grabbing her chin with a vicious expression. ¡°You bitch, trying to run away? I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    Immediately, she gave another p. The girl was struck and knocked to one side, coughing incessantly. Those individuals were in high spirits and did not notice the people at the entrance.

    ¡°Wendy Quinn, stop ying the victim. You still want to report me to the teacher? Keep dreaming.¡± Immediately afterward, another foot stepped on her shoulder, and Wendy whimpered a few times in pain.

    Susan picked up the livestream device, aimed it at the girls, and shouted urgently and angrily, ¡°All of you, stop right now.¡± Her voice was very loud and carried extremely well.

    A.D

    Comment

    Send gift </blockquote>

 Blizzard 162

    55 vouchers

    The girls instinctively turned their heads, and their faces were all clearly captured in the photograph.

    The girl in front was the first to react; she immediately covered her face with her hands and eximed, ¡°They are filming.¡±

    ¡°Who are you? Don¡¯t film! Don¡¯t film.¡±

    ¡°Quick. Run.¡± The girls rushed out in a state of panic, disregarding everything else and intent solely on escaping as quickly as possible.

    The tall male students reacted quickly and immediately ran after them. With tears in her eyes, Susan forced herself to step forward and look at Wendy. ¡°Wendy, are you okay?¡±

    It was winter, yet Wendy was dressed in a summer school uniform. Susan nced at the school uniform jacket discarded to the side; it had already been cut to shreds by them.

    Her arms and body had shoe prints, bruises, and puncture wounds. Her sses were crooked, her left cheek swollen, and her eye cut. She tried to lift her head to see Susan, but her vision was too blurry.

    ¡°Susan, I thought I would never see you again.¡± Her voice was faint, like a whisper from afar.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Susan¡¯s voice trembled, her eyes were full of heartache. ¡°Have you been here these past two days? Was it J Garcia and the others who did this?¡±

    Wendy nodded with difficulty, her voice was intermittent: ¡°They don¡¯t let me speak. Otherwise, you would be implicated as well.¡±

    As she spoke, she suddenly began to cough violently and copsed backward, her whole body powerless.

    Susan quickly grabbed her in an embrace and shouted anxiously, ¡°Wendy.¡±

    ¡°Point the screen at her face.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice came from the phone that had fallen on the ground. Susan immediatelyplied, positioning the screen to face Wendy.

    ¡°To all viewers, in order to protect the girl¡¯s privacy, the screen recording and screenshot functions in the livestream room are now disabled.¡± Olivia calmly turned off these features in the livestream room, even disabling the sharing function. <fn9fe5> Checktest chapters at Find_Novel(.</fn9fe5>

    Suddenly, the person recording the screen saw their disy go ck and could only exit.

    ¡°Please protect the girls¡® privacy. Thank you, everyone.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was cool, imparting a sense of serenity and entirely devoid of malice.

    ¡°Go make an emergency call,¡± Olivia said to Nina, standing to the side.

    Nina was momentarily stunned and only responded after a brief pause, saying, ¡°Oh, all right.¡±

    Olivia began tofort Susan, saying, ¡°Calm down. Now listen to me.¡±

    15:13 Thu, Oct <b>2 </b>

    46

    65 voucher¡¯s

    ¡°Pale skin, rapid breathing, syncope¡­¡± Olivia looked up. ¡°This is hemorrhagic shock caused by massive blood loss. Locate the bleeding site and cover the wound with a clean cotton pad or towel.

    ¡°You are now resting your head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat. If severe shock urs and symptoms such as cardiac and respiratory arrest are present, immediately initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation.¡±

    Susan panicked, trembling with fear. ¡°I¨CI can¡¯t stop the bleeding.¡±

    ¡°Use your fingers to apply pressure to the bleeding vessel, pressing firmly against the bone. Stand behind the injured person, cing your thumb on the back of their neck and your other fingers on the front, pressing on the carotid artery near the throat.

    ¡°This can stop bleeding from the head and face. But don¡¯t press for too long, or the injured person may suffer from insufficient blood supply to the brain due topression of the sympathetic nerves.¡±

    Olivia manages affairs in an orderly manner, never allowing any disorder, and remains calm and unassuming.

    ¡°Do not move from your current position. An emergency call has already been ced; please wait for emergency personnel to arrive.¡±

    The live streaming room has already taken off.

    [Oh my God. This is tant school bullying.]

    [I have already taken screenshots of what those people looked like. If you need to report this to the police, I can provide evidence.]

    [The host is amazing. Absolutely incredible.]

 Blizzard 163

    Chapter <b>163 </b>

    [Have you noticed? The host seems to know something about medicine.]

    [Yeah, you finally realized.]

    46

    55 vouchers!

    The police and the medical team arrived promptly. The girls involved in bullying were also apprehended and brought back to provide formal statements.

    The underlying reason was that Wendy repeatedly ranked first in her grade, which made J very annoyed. As a result, several members of her small group collectively bullied Wendy.

    From the initial pranks to the subsequent ps, Wendy endured the pranks and ps in silence. Because J¡¯s family held a significant official position in Hirica, Wendy did not dare to offend her.

    During the two days of her disappearance, she was locked in this storage room by J and her group. The girls who have recently disappeared were also hidden by J and her friends.

    Hirica High School had consistently turned a blind eye to these matters. The atmosphere in the livestream room was extremely indignant.

    [How can there be such a bad child!]

    [This is outrageous. They¡¯re already bullying others at such a young age. What¡¯s next, murder?]

    [Their family has such high¨Cranking officials. Do they really think no one can deal with them?]

    [Don¡¯t use the JJDPA as an excuse. Have you forgotten those three junior high school boys who beat a ssmate to death and even buried him? They were also just teenagers.]

    [Support for severe punishment. Age is not a get¨Cout¨Cof¨Cjail¨Cfree card. For those who havemitted serious crimes, only punishment can make them recognize their guilt.]

    <b>***** </b>

    A wide range ofments are continuously being posted in the live streaming room. Arge number of people paid attention to the incident, and this case of campus bullying quickly surged onto the trending list.

    Olivia narrowed her eyes, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the edge of the table. ¡°The officials of Hirica,

    ¡°Viewers, kindly follow the host and consider giving a like.¡± Olivia lowered her gaze slightly, the corners of her lips tugging faintly, and spoke slowly, enunciating each word. ¡°Regarding this matter, the host has a few words

    to say.

    ¡°Verbal abuse, harm, and rumors, all constitute bullying.¡± Olivia spoke softly, yet each word resonated deeply. ¡°Bullying, whether in schools or in society, is a serious issue. Opposing bullying is the responsibility of every individual.

    ¡°Pain may gradually fade from memory, but scars leave their mark. They turn violence into a joke and, with their unreasonable troublemaking, devour the souls of others.

    ¡°Therefore, if you in front of the screen are also enduring the same situation, please boldly say no, stand up to denounce them, and bring them to justice.

    ¡°Stand up. Even if your voice trembles, ensure that the world hears your voice.

    ¡°We also urge everyone to pay attention to this matter and to ensure justice for the victim. Every silent bystander is, in effect, acquiescing to bullying.

    ¡°This concludes today¡¯s livestream; the host will now end the broadcast.¡± After Olivia finished speaking, she casually turned off the livestream.

    Resisting bullying was never just a fight. It was a form of protection, safeguarding dignity and justice.

    ¡°Sean, look into J,¡± Olivia said.

    Crouching in the corner and gnawing on a burger, Sean nodded emphatically. His small hands flew across the keyboard. ¡°Olivia, what are you going to do?¡±

    Nina helped Olivia pack up the equipment. She knew that Olivia must have ended the livestream because she had something to do. <fnb434> This content belongs to </fnb434>

    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Olivia¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°They bully others, so I¡¯ll bully them back.¡± She couldn¡¯t stand people who use their family background to bully others.

    Sean dashed over with hisptop in hand. Olivia scrolled through it, a slight smile ying on her lips. She thought it was some big¨Cshot official. Immediately, Olivia took out her phone and dialed a number.

    ?

 Blizzard 164

    <b>Chapter </b>164

    46

    Xayolishers

    Meanwhile, Stanley, who was cheerfully ying chess with Frank in the residentialmunity, saw who was calling; his pupils dted slightly.

    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this Olivia?¡± He answered the phone immediately, but before he could speak, his mobile was snatched away by the elderly woman selling yogurt.

    ¡°Olivia, why haven¡¯t youe back recently? I miss you very much.¡± The elderlydy gently swirled her hot coffee in her hand. ¡°You, my dear child, never think abouting back and visiting us.¡±

    Olivia let out a softugh. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few days. I¡¯m dying for your homemade yogurt.¡±

    ¡°You only think of your grandma when you want yogurt. Alright then, I¡¯ll get the yogurt ready and wait for you toe back. There¡¯s a brand new vor out, yellow peach and aloe, and I¡¯ve saved some just for you.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Olivia said dotingly. ¡°Please pass the phone to Stanley. I have something to discuss with him.¡±

    The phone was finally returned to Stanley, who addressed Olivia politely, saying, ¡°Olivia, is there something you need?<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Um, I have something.¡± The tone closely resembled that of an exchange between a superior and a subordinate.

    ¡°You are not busy right now, are you?¡± Olivia¡¯s voice remained cold, betraying no emotion.

    Stanley moved to a ce where no one was present and, in a humble tone, said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I have had plenty of free timetely.¡±

    ¡°Pleasee over here to Willow Lane now.¡± After she finished speaking, Olivia hung up the phone.

    ¡°Hello? Hello?¡± Before Stanley could react, the sound from the other side disappeared.

    ¡°Olivia¡­¡± Stanley muttered, without pausing as he mounted his scooter and left.

    In winter, the cold was severe, and the wind made his bones ache with pain. ¡°Mr. Saunders, go out?¡± someone asked.

    Stanley draped the windproof nket over himself and nodded firmly. It was not that he was unwilling to speak; rather, the cold wind was pouring into his mouth.

    Meanwhile, Olivia is in the courtyard brewing coffee over the stove and preparing some peanuts and fruit.

    There was a sudden knock at the door. Nina set aside what she was using to tend the fire and stood up to open the door.

    ¡°Who is MysticHealer?¡± A man, Ansel Nash, in a police uniform burst in, his gaze falling on Nina. ¡°Are you MysticHealer?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not MysticHealer.¡± Nina waved her hands repeatedly, but was pushed to the ground by that man.

    15:13 Thu, <b>Oct </b><b>2 </b>

    Nina held her arm and frowned, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Where is MysticHealer?¡± Ansel ignored Nina and shouted toward the courtyard.

    46

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    ¡°Here.¡± Olivia stood up, her face full of aggression. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± After speaking, Olivia stepped forward to help Nina up, then fixed a cold gaze on Ansel.

    ¡°You have been reported for conducting a fraudulent livestream. The content was scripted, and the participants were preselected.¡± Ansel let out a derisiveugh. ¡°Pleasee with me and cooperate with our work.¡±

    Olivia remained silent, nced at him, and immediately sensed that something was amiss<b>. </b>

    Judicial procedures follow strict protocols. When police officers conducted investigations at a residence, they always operated in pairs; it was impossible for only one officer toe.

    It was even less likely that someone would want to take her away immediately upon arrival. It was evident that this person came for her.

    ¡°Officer, we have not engaged in fraudulent live streaming.¡± Nina supported herself as she stood up, clutching her lower abdomen, and exined urgently, ¡°All our live streaming activities are recorded in the backend; you can review the yback.¡± <fn04ca> Follow current nov?ls on find~novel</fn04ca>

    Ansel, clearly impatient, snapped, ¡°Stop talking nonsense. If you keep interfering with official business, I¡¯ll have you arrested as well.¡±

    ¡°Police officer-¡± Nina was about to say something more, but Olivia stopped her.

    Olivia looked at Ansel with interest and said, ¡°Nina, ignore him. What kind of police officer is he?¡±

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    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, you damned girl?¡± Ansel became agitated, his face twisted with rage. <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>am a member of public security. How dare you speak to me like that?¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Olivia raised an eyebrow, with a faint, ironic smile. ¡°Then please show me your employee ID and yourw enforcement warrant.¡±

    Ansel looked somewhat stunned and, stammering, was unable to say a word. He wondered, ¡®Why is she <b>so </b>hard to fool?

    ¡®Ordinary people were so intimidated by his attire. How could they possibly dare to ask him for identification? I encountered a formidable challenge.

    ¡°I am sorry, but I cannot show my credentials casually.¡± Ansel spoke with a serious expression. ¡°In short, I have received a report. Please cooperate ande with me.¡±

    ¡°Quite the performer, indeed.¡± Olivia tilted her head and chuckled softly a few times. ¡°Then tell me, what consequences has so¨Ccalled fake live streaming actually brought? Or whom has it harmed?¡±

    ¡°Your fraudulent live streaming has deceived others out of their money and poses a serious threat to cybersecurity,¡± Ansel snorted coldly. ¡°We must bring you to justice to clean up the online environment and safeguard its security.¡±

    ¡°What a grandiose excuse.¡± Olivia scoffed, her eyes glinting with icy intent. ¡°If anyone should be caught, it ought to be you.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Ansel felt uneasy under Olivia¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¨CI haven¡¯t broken anyws.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯vemitted a crime,¡± Olivia stated matter¨Cof¨Cfactly. ¡°Impersonatingw enforcement and judicial authorities. You do not even possess the most basic identification documents.¡±

    Olivia crossed her arms, looking serious. ¡°For most cases, two to three officers are sent each time. When they arrive, they¡¯ll show their badges, gather all the details, and get the full story of what happened.¡±

    Immediately, Olivia shot him a nce and said, ¡°Also, that uniform you¡¯re wearing is the same as the one worn by the security guard at the entrance to my apartmentplex.¡±

    Nina could not help but let out augh. Olivia¡¯s point was that Ansel was wearing a security guard uniform, not a proper police uniform.

    ¡°Go all out if you¡¯re going to fake it. Next time, get your act together,¡± Olivia said darkly. ¡°For two dors in donations? Doesn¡¯t that sound ridiculous?¡±

    Ansel¡¯s face flushed, and for a moment, he was unable to speak. Originally, two people were supposed toe together; however, in order to earn more money, he told the employer that he alone would be sufficient.

    He didn¡¯t expect Olivia to be so difficult to deal with, and she seemed to know thew pretty well. Feeling that being nice wouldn¡¯t work, he decided to take a tougher approach.

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    ¡°The facts will be rified at the station. However, I have received a report, and I am required to take you in now.¡± Ansel firmly grasped Olivia¡¯s arm. ¡°Whether you are innocent or wronged, save your exnation for the police station.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch Olivia. If you want to arrest someone, arrest me.¡± Nina stepped in front of Olivia.

    ¡°You little brat, let go of me,¡± Ansel shouted.

    The courtyard was bustling with activity. Outside in the alley, Fiona had already been waiting, having arranged a camera crew and just waiting to send Olivia onto the trending list.

    ¡°You little brat. You dared to offend us, just see if I didn¡¯t teach you a lesson.¡± Fiona gritted her teeth viciously.

    Fiona married a wealthy man early in life but divorced soon after. Later, she married a senior official and became a stepmother. <fn8d46> Get full chapters from fin?novel</fn8d46>

    That senior official is J¡¯s father, Marcus Hale. This matter was also carried out by her at the instruction of Marcus.

    The moment Marcus saw J¡¯s face, he understood most of the situation. He immediately suppressed the information and instructed Fiona to reprimand Olivia, telling her not to speak carelessly.

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    Fiona agreed without hesitation, motivated by her desire to vent her own anger. Yet she was unaware that this would be the worst choice she ever made.

    Stanley received a message on his way here instructing him to pick someone up. This individual was none other than Victor Lang, the soon¨Cto¨Cbe¨Cappointed municipal party secretary of Hirica.

    Victor, full of youthful vigor and enthusiasm, was at an age marked by earnest ambition. Determined to aplish practical work for themon people, he specifically requested Stanley to apany him to observe the situation of the people in Hirica.

    ¡°Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Saunders,¡± Victor said politely.

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble; I happen to have business in that direction as well.¡± Stanley brought the electric cart to a stop. ¡°Young people should spend more time at the grassroots level. We must emerge from among the people, and then return to them.¡±

    Victor nodded gently. ¡°Yes, you are right. After all, I¡¯m just trying to do more for the people as well. If there is anything I haven¡¯t done well, I hope you will kindly offer your guidance.¡± <fnbac8> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? FindN()vel</fnbac8>

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it guidance, but I will be keeping an eye on you.¡± Stanley patted his shoulder, a gratified expression on his face. He thought,¡®Indeed, the younger generation is to be reckoned with.

    ¡®I introduced Victor to Olivia so that if I retire, he can look after her. This way, we old folks can feel at ease.¡¯

    However, before the two reached Olivia¡¯s doorstep, they could already hear the sounds of amotioning from inside. Stanley rushed forward immediately, his eyes widening in disbelief at the scene before him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Victor hurried over and witnessed an inconceivable scene.

    Sean pinned Ansel impersonating a cop to the ground and beat him. Ansel was left with a bruised and swollen face, with several bite marks on his cheeks. Grace tried to intervene, but Nina stopped her.

    Meanwhile, Olivia sat leisurely to the side, eating sunflower seeds and observing the scene with keen interest. Seeing Stanley, she grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and called out, ¡°Hey Stanley, want some?¡±

    ¡°Oh my! You scared me to death.¡± Stanley quickly stepped forward to check on Olivia. ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    If Olivia were to be wronged, given her capabilities<b>, </b>it would be no challenge for her to make this man suffer.

    Stanley cycled all the way, his hands frozen and icy cold. He asked, ¡°What exactly is the situation?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Olivia poured a cup of coffee for Stanley to warm him up, then nced at Ansel, who was nearly bitten to death by Sean. ¡°He insists he¡¯s a police officer and wants to arrest me.

    ¡°So, Sean insisted on ying with him for a while, and I was unable to stop him.¡±

    Victor thought, ¡®Is this a joke? Ansel is on the verge of being beaten to death.

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    ¡°Sean, stop ying ande eat.¡± Olivia lowered her gaze and added more fuel to the small stove. Sean finally climbed off him and brushed the dust from his clothes.

    ¡°This is intentional homicide. I¡¯m going to call the police.¡± Ansel, beaten so that his face was bruised and swollen, spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°None of you will get away.¡±

    ¡°Call the police?¡± Olivia pulled at the corner of her mouth, as if about to smile but not quite, and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were a police officer yourself?¡±

    ¡°You are assaulting a police officer.¡± Only then did Ansel realize what was happening. He stared at Olivia, his face burning.

    If word got out, he would beughed at to death; he was

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    He was simply taken to be in league with Olivia, and with a coldugh, snapped, ¡°Who are you? Is this any your business? Get lost.¡±

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    Ansel could never have imagined that the person he looked down upon was, in fact, a principal department- level official.

    ¡°How can you, as a young colleague, speak in such a manner?¡± Stanley was flushed with anger. Despite his many years working in the office, he had never encountered anyone who dared to challenge him so directly.

    ¡°You old bastard.¡± Ansel, already in a foul mood after being beaten, grew even more furious. ¡°If you mess with me again, I¡¯ll grab you too.¡±

    Victor watched for a long time, his brows remaining furrowed throughout. He thought, ¡®Whose subordinate is this guy, anyway? He talks so rudely and even has a bit of a bandit vibe.

    ¡®It should be noted that personnel of public security agencies would not dare to speak to the public in such a manner. Serving the people is not intended to permit anyone to oppress them!¡¯

    ¡°Who is your superior?¡± Victor raised his voice. ¡°Who authorized you to enforce thew in this manner?¡±

    ¡°None of your damn business, pretty boy.¡± Ansel hadpletely stopped caring and was acting recklessly, showing hostility to everyone. ¡°I¡¯m only after Olivia. If you keep interfering, you¡¯re obstructingw enforcement.¡±

    As he lunged forward to restrain Olivia, a stone flew through the air, striking him squarely on the knee. He copsed to the ground with a grimace, his face contorted in pain.

    ¡°Sorry, my hand slipped.¡± Olivia gave him a gentle smile.

    Ansel gritted his teeth, took out his phone, and called for backup. ¡°I need support. There are people at 66 Willow Lane. There has been a murder.¡±

    Immediately afterward, he ran out. His phone callpletely blew the matter up.

    Stanley let out a derisiveugh. ¡°Fine. We¡¯re not afraid of them.¡±

    ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anyone like this before. Let me see whose subordinate this worm really is,¡¯ he thought.

    Victor lowered his gaze and quickly realized something was wrong. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± he said.

    ¡°There is certainly a problem.¡± Only now did Olivia notice Victor and scrutinize him carefully. ¡°There is definitely someone orchestrating this from behind the scenes.¡±

    Olivia had met many people, and at a nce<b>, </b>she could tell that Victor was extraordinary. Moreover, he was brought here by Stanley.

    Stanley then remembered and asked Olivia, ¡°Olivia, why did you call me here?¡±

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    ¡°Mr. Saunders, do you know Marcus?¡± Olivia showed Stanley a photo of J. ¡°His daughter attends Hirical High School and is leading acts of campus bullying. Aren¡¯t you going to do something about it?¡±

    ¡°We must handle this. Absolutely.¡± Stanley examined J¡¯s photo carefully, utterly confused. ¡°I really don¡¯t know this girl, and Marcus, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard that name before.¡±

    Stanley holds a high position; he did not know some of the grassroots¨Clevel junior cadres.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call and ask.¡± Before Stanley could make the call, a group of people rushed into the courtyard.

    The group of people brought by Ansel were all junior officers from local precincts. They had never met Stanley, and even less did they know Victor, who was about to assume office.

    Olivia asked Nina to stay and apany Grace.

    The others were all led by that group. Going to the police station was also something Fiona had nned in advance.

    Marcus had a connection. Paul, the chief of the northern district sub¨Cbureau, was his fellow disciple. Because of this rtionship, Paul would naturally do Fiona a favor.

    Stanley was so infuriated that his hair nearly stood on end. ¡°How can you enforce thew in this manner?¡± The people who arrived disregarded what he said and took him away immediately. <fnab61> ?????? ???? Find1Novel</fnab61>

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    Compared to Stanley, Victor was much moreposed. He had started his career as a military officer, but after being injured and unable to remain in the army, he transitioned to a civilian administrative path.

    His advancement was smooth. Naturally, there were petty people causing trouble, and someone used underhanded means to have him assigned to Hirica. Still, he was not upset¨Cafter all, serving the people was the same no matter where he worked.

    But Victor had not expected to encounter such an incident immediately upon arriving in Hirica. However, he was also quite interested in what would happen next.

    Hisposure stems from his status; that was the source of his assurance.

    Olivia¡¯sposure took Victor by surprise. Olivia was unconcerned by these matters, instead finding them very interesting, and the smile on her face never left. <fne9d0> Th?s chapter is updated by find{n}ovel</fne9d0>

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve never been to a police station before.¡± Olivia nced sideways at Nina, signaling her not to worry, and then followed them into the car.

    Seeing that several of them were being taken away, Nina grew somewhat anxious and held Grace¡¯s hand. ¡°Grandma Grace, Olivia should be all right, shouldn¡¯t she?¡±

    Nina was, after all, still young. Her emotions were written inly on her face. Upon hearing that she was being taken to the police station, she felt even more uncertain.

    Grace patted her hand gently and reassured her in a soft voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Olivia knows what she¡¯s doing. If she had the nerve to tie this knot, she could figure out how to untie it.¡±

    If she could rescue an entire vige of trapped girls at the age of four, she could definitely handle this group

    now.

    Nina furrowed her brow and suddenly thought of something. ¡°I¡¯ve got it. I have a solution,¡® she said. As she spoke, Nina gathered a few belongings and exited through another door.

    ¡°Nina.¡± Grace stood alone in the courtyard and let out a long sigh.

    Crouching outside, Fiona could not conceal the smile on her face when she saw the group being escorted out. ¡°You little brat, just you wait,¡± she said.

    She could never have imagined that, apart from Olivia, among those taken into the car were also a department¨Clevel official and the future municipal party secretary.

    At the police station, as soon as Stanley entered, he put on a stern expression and said, ¡°Call your director here.¡±

    He was such a high¨Cranking official. Having been inexplicably brought to the police station, he couldn¡¯t possibly be expected to show a pleasant face.

    Boris Smith, seeing his appearance, didn¡¯t think of him as any kind of leader. He kept his legs crossed, sipping coffee, and said, ¡°Have a seat over there. You think you can just meet our chief?¡±

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    He really did receive orders from above to give Olivia a good lesson. But he really didn¡¯t expect there would also be two men.

    ¡°Is that any way to speak?¡± Stanley got angry.

    ¡°This is the police station, not your own home?¡± Boris officer cast a cold nce at them, his gaze settling on Olivia. ¡°Are you the one who was reported?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was clear and smooth. ¡°Why do you make statements without even bringing a pen?¡±

    Boris sat there, initiating the interrogation without holding anything in his hands.

    ¡°What do you think you are? You even dare to interfere with how I take statements?¡± Boris mmed his hand on the table. ¡°You disrupted thework environment. Do I even need to take a statement from you?¡±

    Olivia gave a derisiveugh. ¡°So this is enough to convict me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because youmitted a crime,¡± Boris said smugly, tossing a piece of paper to her. ¡°All right, since you¡¯re still young, you¡¯ll just be fined 30 thousand and detained for a month. When you get out, remember to be a good person.¡±

    The higher¨Cups had ordered her to be detained for a month and to leave a record. By the time she was released, the issue would have been resolved.

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    Olivia snatched the piece of paper and, without even ncing at it, casually tore it into fragments. Boris was furious. ¡°You think the penalty is not severe enough, is that it?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Saunders, isn¡¯t there something wrong with his interrogation process?¡± Olivia raised an eyebrow and looked at Stanley.

    ¡°This is a serious problem.¡± Stanley suppressed his anger. ¡°Has no one ever instructed you in the proper procedure for taking statements?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Olivia yawnedzily, her voice slow and rxed. ¡°The person behind you is quite clever, sending you alone for the interrogation. If nothing goes wrong, everyone stays safe. But if something goes wrong, guess who¡¯ll be the first to take the fall.¡±

    Olivia fixed her gaze on Boris, as if trying to see right through him. ¡°Anyway, I guess it¡¯s not that beautiful leader of yours who¡¯s hiding behind you.¡±

    Boris stared with wide eyes, feeling somewhat shaken inside. He wondered, ¡®Why does she know that someone is instructing me from behind the scenes.

    ¡®Moreover, she¡¯s absolutely right. If anything goes wrong with this, I¡¯ll be the one to take the me.

    ¡®It was only so that my family could live better that I agreed to help them. If, in the end, I end up sacrificing myself, the losses would outweigh the gains.¡®

    ¡°If I were you, I would go to the director right now and have hime over to handle it.¡± Olivia raised her finger slightly, offering him a clear solution.

    ¡°Otherwise, I will hire awyer.¡± Olivia raised her eyes to meet his, systematically dismantling his psychological defenses.

    ¡°I am not someone who simply lets matters go. Are you sure that you and those behind you can withstand an investigation? When the timees, you will definitely lose your job.

    ¡°I am also curious whether the person behind you would sacrifice you as a pawn,¡± Olivia said.

    For a moment, Stanley found it difficult to discern who was interrogating whom.

    Boris paused in thought, nodded slightly, and said, ¡°Well, wait here. I will go find the chief.¡±

    ¡®Olivia made a very urate observation. The person who gives me money will never protect me, this little pawn,¡® he thought.

    ¡°Olivia, you are truly remarkable,¡± Stanley said with admiration, nodding. ¡°This is truly ruthless.<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Just as expected.¡± Olivia let out a soft chuckle, tucking her hair behind her ear to reveal a purple rose mark.

    By sheer coincidence, Victor happened to see the mark, and his pupils contracted slightly. ¡®No wonder I found Olivia so familiar. It turns out she is¡­ Victor thought.

    15:14 Thu, Oct <b>2 </b>

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    ¡°You¡¯re selling yourself short,¡± Stanley said, pulling Victor over. ¡°Let me introduce you. This is Victor, the future¡­¡±

    Stanley nced around, lowered his voice, and said, ¡°The future municipal party secretary.¡± <fn0ad5> Find the newest release on find?novel</fn0ad5>

    Olivia casually raised her eyebrows and nodded gently. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± However, the name Victor did seem somewhat familiar.

    ¡°Well, it is a pleasure to meet you.¡± Victor propped the side of his face with one hand, his gaze fixed on her. ¡®Finally, I get to meet you, Olivia,¡® Victor thought.

    ¡°Victor, once you take office, you must exercise strict oversight. These people have bepletelywless,¡± Stanley continued indignantly.

    ¡°They arrest people indiscriminately, which shows just how terrifying this systemic corruption has be. They are recruiting anyone and everyone.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Olivia said nonchntly, ¡°It is evident that they are targeting me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Olivia, you don¡¯t understand just how deep things run here.¡± Stanley kept talking endlessly, while Olivia was contemting Victor.

    ¡°The municipal party secretary who has not yet assumed office. He exudes a strong presence, as if he were dispatched by higher authorities to rectify the ethos in Hirica,¡® she thought.

    Olivia had already more or less guessed the identity of Victor, but did not say more. The more she spoke, the more errors she might make.

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    Victor was well aware of Olivia¡¯s intelligence, and at that moment, he figured she had probably already seen through him.

    ¡°Mr. Saunders, calm down. Only by going undercover at the grassroots level can we uncover more hidden truths,¡± Victor said, ncing at Olivia. ¡°Olivia, do you happen to know anything about medicine?¡±

    Before Olivia could respond, Stanley interjected, ¡°How did you know? Olivia not only understands but is also highly skilled.¡±

    Olivia nodded slightly to indicate her agreement. She was not surprised; there were plenty of people who knew about her medical expertise.

    Even someone like Victor, who was meeting her for the first time, could infer her medical expertise simply by seeing the courtyard filled with medicinal herbs.

    ¡°Truly, heroes emerge from among the young.¡± Victor looked on with eyes full of admiration. ¡°Knowing both medicine andw, such a rare talent is hard toe by.¡± <fnf89d> Find the newest release on findnovel</fnf89d>

    ¡®After several years apart, Olivia has be increasingly aplished,¡® Victor thought.

    ¡°Absolutely.¡± Stanley nodded repeatedly, fully agreeing with what Victor had said. ¡°In a few years, Dr. Summers will definitely be a very famous figure in Hirica.¡±

    All the retired officials in old residentialmunities said this. Olivia was certain to achieve significant aplishments in the future.

    ¡°Hirica? I probably won¡¯t be in Hirica in the future.¡± Olivia spun once in her swivel chair; her voice was full of yful amusement.

    ¡°What?¡± Stanley sprang to his feet, pping the table in agitation. ¡°Olivia, where are you going?¡±

    The old folks in themunity are all very fond of Olivia. If she left, Stanley would definitely be pestered to death by them.

    ¡°To Kingtonelle.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t hide anything and spoke honestly. ¡°I just have to go and see a broader world.¡±

    Moreover, news had arrived from the Shadow Syndicate. It was stated that she was not abducted from Riverdale, but from Kingtonelle.

    Olivia guessed that her background might be connected to Kingtonelle. Going there, she might find her family.

    At the same time, in the city government building, everyone was waiting for the new municipal party secretary. It was said that he was sent from Kingtonelle, and was no ordinary person. Rumor had it that he was even from the Lang family.

    The Lang family was one of the established families in Kingtonelle. Although they were not as wealthy as the Shea family, they had served in government for generations and were a genuine family of official rank.

    MG C4

    256 vouchers.

    In the conference room, the heads of all districts and counties had assembled, awaiting the address of the new leader.

    But they waited and waited, and no one came. Even Stanley did not attend, which is highly unusual.

    Marcus huddled in the corner, quietly calling J. ¡°I¡¯ve already warned you to be cautious. Do you realize how significant the consequences of this could be? If it esctes, I might even lose my job.¡±

    Across from him, J was unconcerned. ¡°That¡¯s your issue. Besides, how could I have known someone would show up? I¡¯ve been doing this for a long time, and nothing has ever gone wrong. There¡¯s no reason it should be any different this time.¡±

    As she said these words, she actually felt a bit guilty. Those who participated in the bullying with her were all taken away. She was not caught only because she ran quickly.

    ¡°The only reason nothing happened to you before was because I was watching over you.¡± Marcus¡¯s voice rose uncontrobly. ¡°Do you have any idea how much money I¡¯ve spent because of you for all these things?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and spend it. After all, all your money was acquired through corruption. It¡¯s better for you to spend it on me than on that woman.¡± J spoke sharply, showing no regard for the fact that she was addressing her own father.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯ve never seen me as your daughter. All you care about is your career and that woman. What am I to you? I¡¯m just a disgrace, someone who only embarrasses you. I¡¯ve never made you proud,¡± J added.

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 Blizzard 171

    <b>Chapter </b><b>171 </b>

    J continued, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why did you bring me into this world? I would rather never have been born. Then I wouldn¡¯t have stood in the way of your rise to power and wealth, Mr. Hale.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she felt aggrieved again, and her nose prickled as she fought back tears.

    She understood that her father called not out of concern for her, but because he feared that his career prospects might be ruined by her. Absolutely no one cared about her.

    After her mother passed away, her father stopped caring for her. The stepmother he married paid attention only to her own family every day, or to the adopted daughter who had a brain tumor; she never saw her at all.

    The reasons she bullied her ssmates wereplex: first, she needed a way to vent her frustrations; second, she felt genuine jealousy towards Wendy; and third, she hoped to gain her father¡¯s attention through her

    actions.

    ¡°You little bastard. I¡¯m your father. How can you talk to me like this?¡± Marcus frowned, his words full of reproach. ¡°I remarried to give you aplete family, for your sake.¡±

    ¡°Stop trying to glorify yourself. You are doing this for your own sake.¡± J wiped <i>away </i>her tears and said stubbornly, ¡°What I want are my families.¡±

    Marcus suddenly felt powerless. ¡®How could my daughter have changed like this?¡® he wondered.

    ¡°J, how did you be like this?¡± Marcus sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to concern yourself with this matter anymore. I¡¯ve already asked Fiona to handle it. You¡¯d better behave yourself from now on.¡± <fna8e2> Fresh chapters posted on F?nd-Novel</fna8e2>

    After saying that, he hung up the phone, but the anger in his heart still lingered.

    Suddenly, he forcefully threw the documents in his hand onto the floor, scattering papers everywhere with a loud crashing sound.

    In an instant, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on him. Only then did Marcus realize hispse inposure. He gave a few embarrassed smiles and bent down to pick up the items.

    ¡®When will J finally allow me some peace of mind? She always makes me clean up the mess she leaves behind, he thought,

    On the other side, J was listening to the beeping sound on the phone and was slowly sliding down the wall.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to help.¡± J tried hard to hold her head high, not letting her tears fall.

    In the office, people waited, but the municipal party secretary did not show up. Some individuals, unable to contain themselves, began to whisper.

    ¡°Why has the municipal party secretary not arrived yet? Has something happened?¡± One whispered.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Who would be so reckless as to challenge the municipal partymittee? All of us will have to make a living under him in the future.¡± Another chimed in.

    19:41 <b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    ¡°Alright. His official position is no less significant than Mr. Saunders¡¯s; both are prominent figures whom we cannot afford to offend,¡± a third voice added.

    ¡°It¡¯s really strange today. Mr. Saunders did note either.¡± Someone else gossiped.

    Marcus had just finished picking up the items and had just sat down when he heard these things. For some reason, he felt a bit unsettled.

    ¡®It must be because of that troublesome girl,¡® he thought. When he got back, he was going to have to discipline her properly.

    Connor Vale showed no trace of impatience in response to the discussions among his subordinates. He was aware of Victor¡¯s whereabouts.

    The iing municipal party secretary was also an interesting young man. He said he wanted to go for a walk through the alleyways with Stanley to look into people¡¯s livelihood issues.

    Connor did not dare to voice any opinions and only fully supported the decisions of the leaders.

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 Blizzard 172

    While the group was having a lively discussion, a sudden, forceful knocking sounded at the door.

    Everyone assumed that the municipal party secretary had arrived, so they immediately fell silent and adopted their most respectful demeanor to wee the leader.

    A girl of about sixteen opened the door. Her features were delicate, and her forehead was covered in sweat She scanned the crowd anxiously and said, ¡°Sorry to bother you, I¡¯m looking for Mr. Vale.¡±

    The entire conference room was frighteningly quiet, with only the hum of the air conditioner echoing in the ears. After a brief period of silence, sound began to emerge.

    ¡°Is this our newly appointed Secretary? A woman? How can a woman serve as Secretary?¡± Someone blurted

    out.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t women be Secretary? Don¡¯t discriminate.¡± Another whispered.

    ¡°But the problem is, this girl looks so young. Isn¡¯t our municipal party secretary already over thirty?¡± Another guessed.

    ¡°I heard it¡¯s a guy.¡± Another chimed in.

    It was only then that Connor realized everyone had mistaken this young girl for Victor. He had met Victor before, and he knew for sure that Victor didn¡¯t look anything like her.

    Someone also asked Nina, ¡°Are you our new leader?¡±

    Nina hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I have an urgent matter and need to see Mr. Vale.¡±

    ¡°Youngdy, I am the person you are looking for.¡± Connor stood up and said, ¡°What is the matter?¡±

    Connor, having served in officialdom for many years, immediately recognized the courage in this young woman. Although she appeared delicate, her eyes conveyed resilience and bravery.

    Even disregarding other factors, the mere fact that she was able to single¨Chandedly make her way into this high¨Clevel meeting room demonstrates considerable courage.

    Therefore, he was very willing to help this girl.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s about this gentleman.¡± Nina showed Connor the video of Victor and carefully observed his expression.

    Nina could tell that Victor possessed an extraordinary demeanor. Furthermore, Olivia had mentioned that the people around Stanley were all high¨Cranking officials.

    Therefore, she extracted Victor¡¯s face from the surveince footage and came to the administrative building again.

    She was gambling. Betting on Victor¡¯s identity was no simple matter.

    <b>19:41 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    <b>As </b><b>expected</b>, Connor¡¯s expression froze momentarily after viewing the photograph, and his demeanor grew visiblyplex.

    <b>¡°</b><b>May </b><b>I </b><b>ask</b><b>, </b>what is your rtionship to him?¡± Connor was also a shrewd individual. He recognized the people around Victor. However, this young woman was a new face, so he had to be more cautious.

    ¡°I am his newly appointed assistant.¡± Outwardly, Nina appearedposed and unruffled, yet internally she <b>was </b>in turmoil, her thoughts scattered.

    She must not let anyone notice anything amiss<b>; </b>she has to help Olivia.

    ¡°I see.¡± Connor nodded with a cheerful smile and said, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Mr. Lang arrived yet? Has something dyed him on the way? Do you need me to send someone to pick him up?¡±

    With a serious expression, Nina said, ¡°Mr. Vale, do you know anyone at the Northside Precinct?¡±

    ¡°Of course I know,¡± Connor said with a broad smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Could it be that Mr. Lang is going to inspect work there?¡±

    Apart from conducting inspections, he genuinely could not conceive of any other reason.

    Nina said with a serious expression, ¡°Mr. Lang has been taken away by the police from Northside Precinct.¡± <fn7d38> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? FindN0vel</fn7d38>

    In an instant, all presents were rendered motionless. Connor¡¯s expression stiffened, and he could hardly believe his own ears. ¡®Did Mr. Lang was arrested?¡® he thought.

    ¡°What did you say? Who was arrested?¡± Connor asked.

    ¡°Mr. Lang has been taken away by the police from Northside Precinct,¡± Nina repeated earnestly. ¡°Mr. Saunders has also been detained. Please intervene and secure their release.¡±

    ¡°Who did you say was arrested?¡± Connor still could not believe it.

    Nina frowned, ¡°Mr. Vale, time is already very tight. Please stop confirming again; resolving the issue now is the top priority.¡±

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    <b>19:41 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    C

 Blizzard 173

    hapter 173

    <b>Chapter 173 </b>

    Everyone else in the meeting room was stunned. They wondered, ¡®Who would actually dare to apprehend Stanley and the iing municipal party secretary?

    ¡®Are they crazy? They just offended these two powerful figures all at once!

    ¡°Who is in charge of the Northside Precinct?¡± Connor felt as though his heart was about to leap out of his chest.

    Marcus swallowed a mouthful of saliva and timidly raised his hand. The area to the north of the city falls under his jurisdiction.

    ¡°Marcus? How could it be you?¡± Connor looked at Marcus in disbelief. As far as he knew, Marcus was not someone who would make such a mistake; he was known as an honest and upright official.

    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m not sure either,¡± Marcus said, feeling somewhat guilty. ¡°Maybe my subordinates mishandled things, which led to a mistaken arrest.¡±

    ¡®How the hell do these idiots get anything done? Isn¡¯t it enough for them to just catch a young girl?¡® Marcus thought.

    At that moment, all Marcus could do was pray that those two big shots hadn¡¯t been arrested by his subordinates. If they had, he would be in deep trouble.

    A municipal party secretary who had just arrived in Hirica was immediately arrested by his own subordinates. If news of this were to spread, it wouldn¡¯t be considered eptable.

    ¡°Marcus, how could you make such a mistake?¡± Connor frowned, clearly displeased. ¡°Who is the chief of the Northside Precinct?<b>¡± </b>

    ¡°Nn Briggs.¡± Marcus¡¯s voice trembled slightly.

    ¡°Contact him immediately,¡± Connor instructed his subordinates. ¡°Hurry!¡±

    Nn served at the Northside Precinct as a grassroots officer and was a trusted subordinate personally promoted by Marcus. He was not acquainted with individuals at Stanley¡¯s level.

    ¡°Mr. Vale, I can¡¯t get through on the phone.¡± As Marcus continued speaking, his voice began to tremble involuntarily. ¡®What on earth is Nn doing?¡® he thought.

    Connor was also anxious, his heart pounding. ¡®Whether it is Stanley or Victor, both are extraordinary individuals whom one cannot afford to offend. Who on earth is it?¡® he thought.

    Connor mmed his hand on the table. ¡°Get the car ready. We¡¯re heading to the Northside Precinct right now. Marcus, you¡¯reing with me.¡±

    Marcus verbally agreed, but he was extremely afraid inside. He was afraid that after repeated investigations, the focus would eventually turn to him.

    The Northside Precinct was ustomed to such actions. With Marcus¡¯s instructions and protection, there was

    19:41 Fri, <b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    Chapter 173 <fn3abb> Official source is FindN0vel</fn3abb>

    GS VOUGHRIZ

    nothing they wouldn¡¯t dare to do.

    Soon, Boris arrived with Nn, the head of the police station.

    Nn knew that this girl was being targeted at Marcus¡¯s instigation. He plopped himself down, ignoring everyone else, and made a few sarcastic remarks.

    ¡°Youngdy, being attractive is an asset, but you shouldn¡¯t swagger about and swindle people online. Other people¡¯s money is also earned through hard work and sweat.

    ¡°Since we have received a report, we are obliged to handle this matter. Ensuring the security of the online environment is a central focus of our work and is very important.¡±

    Nn, a seasoned veteran, knew that being forceful would not work. He held a ss cup, took a sip of coffee, revealed his yellow teeth, and smiled at Olivia.

    He said, ¡°You need to learn to be content. You¡¯re only being fined and will be detained for a period of time. Once that¡¯s done, the matter will be over. Don¡¯t fail to recognize what¡¯s good for you.¡±

    Although Nn spoke very politely, the underlying message was straightforward. He wanted Olivia to know better than to defy him and to ept her punishment obediently.

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s right and wrong?¡± Olivia¡¯s gaze sharpened instantly, her voice assertive. ¡°I was simply conducting a regr livestream, yet your subordinates inexplicably detained me.

    Ìï

 Blizzard 174

    <b>Chapter </b><b>174 </b>

    ¡°There was no adherence to any procedural rules, and when I asked for identification, none was provided. Then, without distinguishing right from wrong, you dragged us in. What kind of police officer does that make you?¡±

    ¡°Youngdy, that¡¯s not how you say it¡­¡± Nn¡¯s face turned livid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to morally ckmail me here; I¡¯m already annoyed.¡± Olivia raised her eyebrows. ¡°Just tell me how much the person behind you gave you.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Nn pped the table and stood up. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? No one is backing

    me.¡±

    ¡°Enough. Stop pretending. Will you only admit it if I reveal the name of the person behind you?¡± Olivia said.

    Nn clenched his teeth, making up his mind not to let Olivia know. He let out a cold snort and said, ¡°It seems there is no way tomunicate with you properly.¡±

    ¡°Marcus.¡± Olivia¡¯s lips curved into an enigmatic smile, her gaze piercing. ¡°What, you don¡¯t recognize him?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Nn¡¯s expression changed abruptly in fear. He stared at Olivia in terror, his voice trembling as he asked, ¡°How do you know¡­¡±

    No sooner had he spoken these words than he regretted it. This constituted an implicit acknowledgment of his rtionship with Marcus.

    Olivia smiled slightly, her already exquisite features bing even more striking. Of course, she already knew; Sean had figured it out long ago.

    J¡¯s father, Marcus, serves as the district chief of the North District of Hirica, overseeing people¡¯s livelihood issues.

    More importantly, Olivia saw his current wife. It was Fiona. Furthermore, considering the contrarian¡¯s remark Fiona WhiteLily during the livestream, it was easy to guess.

    This matter must have been fanned by Fiona behind the scenes.

    ¡°Why do you care how I know?¡± Olivia said.

    Nn took anotherrge gulp of water and forced himself to calm down. As long as he adamantly refuses to admit it, that was enough.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± He red coldly at Olivia. ¡°I advise you to sign it immediately. Once you pay the money, this matter will be settled.¡± <fn2a3b> Read full story at F¦ÉndNovel</fn2a3b>

    He then turned his head to look at Stanley and Victor. ¡°As for the two of you, you can be released once your family memberse to post bail.¡±

    Anyway, the higher¨Cups just wanted Olivia. They didn¡¯t care who the others were.

    <b>19:42 </b><b>Fri</b>, <b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    8

    Stanley red in anger, his eyes wide. ¡°How could you handle things this way? We have done nothing <b>at </b><b>all</b>. Why do we need someone to bail <b>us </b>out?¡±

    ¡°Is that so? You really have the nerve to say that.¡± Nn looked at him coldly. ¡°Ansel outside is still shouting in pain. You have to pay for his medical expenses.¡±

    ¡°I hurt him.¡± Olivia turned her head, entirely unconcerned. ¡°<b>Is </b>there a problem?¡±

    Nn let out a derisiveugh. ¡°Really? Very well, I will give you a choice.

    ¡°If you want to leave, that¡¯s possible. There¡¯s always a way out.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes flickered as he raised five fingers. ¡°150 thousand for the freedom of all three of you. Not expensive, is it?¡±

    ¡®Marcus only gave him 70,000 dors. What use is that? Why not just ask them for a bit more? As for Marcus, he can just make something up to muddle through,¡® he thought.

    Victor raised his eyes slightly. ¡°Are you trying to make us bribe?¡±

    Victor thought, ¡®I¡¯ve long heard about the disorder in Hirica, but I didn¡¯t expect it would be brought out into the open for discussion.

    ¡®On reflection, that makes sense. If something like what happened with the Evans family could ur, then there¡¯s nothing they wouldn¡¯t be capable of doing.

    ¡®Whenever I thought about the Evans Group, I got angry. A ce meant to save lives was scamming people and harming female students. Truly outrageous. Connor was really trying to fool me.

    ¡®If even a mere police station chief dares to openly demand bribes, one can only imagine how deep the water runs here.¡®

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 Blizzard 175

    Victor felt it was imperative that he conduct a thorough investigation.

    Nn said, ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t put it that way. I¡¯m just offering a solution¨Cwhether you choose to take it is <b>up </b><b>to </b>you.¡± After finishing his remarks, he set down his cup and stared at Victor and his group.

    He had held this post for years and knew every trick in the book¨Cgrab what he could, however he could,

    Seeing that none of them nodded, Nn grew visibly displeased and red at the group. He pressed, ¡°What, still haven¡¯t made up your minds? I don¡¯t care who you are¨Conce you get to Hirica, you¡¯d better tuck your tails between your legs.¡±

    Victor sneered, ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a good one. I didn¡¯t expect the Hirica public security system to be this corrupt. It seems my visit here today was indeed the right decision.¡±

    Nn shot back, ¡°Who do you suppose you are?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing particrly remarkable¨Cjust the soon¨Cto¨Cbe municipal party Secretary,¡± Victor said calmly.

    Nn scoffed, ¡°Are you dreaming? Do you even know who promoted me? That was¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, he was pped across the face.

    After making every effort to hurry, Marcus finally arrived. He had just arrived when he heard Nn rambling on, almost giving him away.

    Seeing Victor and his group standing aside, Marcus nearly lost it. He thought, ¡®Both VIPs are actually here. Nn, just how stupid are you?¡®

    Nn was about to curse, but when he saw it was Marcus, his tone softened at once. He asked, ¡°Marcus, why¡¯d you hit me?¡±

    Cold sweat broke out on Marcus¡¯s forehead as he snapped, ¡°You fool! Do you know who these two people are? Either one of them could have me removed from office.¡±

    From the moment Nn stopped answering the phone, Marcus sensed something was wrong. Beforeing, he had been praying, hoping only that Nn himself would not be so foolish as to offend Victor and Stanley,

    He kept calling Nn¡¯s phone, but Nn never picked up. Marcus was frantic. The moment he stepped inside, his world came crashing down; he knew his position was as good as gone.

    Connor, who followed behind Marcus, was extremely anxious, especially when he saw the expression on Stanley¡¯s face; his heart sank.

    He thought, ¡°The next municipal party secretary kidnapped by a police station chief? Good heavens<b>, </b>what the heck is this crazymotion?¡® He felt a buzzing sensation in his head.

    Nn still hadn¡¯t realized how serious things were. Seeing Connor and not knowing who he <b>was</b>, <b>he </b><b>casually </b>snapped, ¡°Anyone who¡¯s not involved<b>, </b>get out now. Don¡¯t make trouble here.<b>¡± </b>

    <b>19:42 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    He couldn¡¯t care less who others were¨Che only knew he was the boss here.

    Marcus pped Nn again. He snapped, ¡°Shut up. You fool. He is Mayor Connor.

    Grassroots officials like Nn had never met the mayor; at most, they¡¯d glimpsed him from so far away that his face was just a blur. The moment Nn realized he had just told the mayor to get out, his face drained of all color.

    Nn thought, ¡®How could Mayor Connore here?¡® His head was buzzing, and hecked the strength to stand. He remained slumped in his chair.

    Victor said, ¡°Mr. Vale, your timing is impable. Although Hirica is not arge ce, the people here are certainly formidable.

    ¡°It seems there is no need for me to serve as the municipal party secretary; perhaps I should yield the position to this rather arrogant police station chief. What do you think?¡±

    Upon hearing this statement, Connor immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

    Although the mayor and the municipal party secretary held the same official rank, the party secretary wielded greater authority and practical influence.

    This was because the party secretary was responsible for major affairs, guiding the overall direction. overseeing the broader situation, and managing key priorities. Not to mention that Victor held the position of vice¨Cprovincial¨Clevel official.

    Upon hearing this, Nn was so frightened that he fell from his chair andnded on the floor buttocks¨Cfirst. He screamed inwardly, ¡®He didn¡¯t lie¨Che actually is the municipal party secretary. What exactly did I just do?¡±

    Connor quickly said, ¡°Mr. Land, you¡¯ve misunderstood; this is all a misunderstanding.¡± He gave Marcus a look and snapped, ¡°Marcus, what¡¯s going on with your subordinates? Why are they arresting people indiscriminately without distinguishing right from wrong?¡±

    Before Marcus could speak, Stanley let out a cold snort and said, ¡°Mr. Vale, I don¡¯t believe there is any misunderstanding. I saw it clearly myself. The personnel here not only fail to follow proper case¨Chandling procedures, but also coerce individuals into offering bribes.

    ¡°I suspect those behind the scenes have received considerable sums.¡± As he spoke, he cast a meaningful nce

    at Marcus.

    Stanley felt a fire burning in his chest and unconsciously raised his voice. He said, ¡°Handling cases like this will lead to countless wrongful convictions.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been here today, Olivia¨Ca good young woman¨Cwould have died unjustly at the hands of certain people. Is this what you call a misunderstanding?¡±

    A cockroach in the daylight betrayed an infestation behind the walls. Stanley understood that sign.

    Connor received a scathing, no¨Cstone¨Cunturned reprimand. He nced at Olivia¨Cthe girl Stanley had spoken

    of¨Cand found her <b>face </b>familiar.

    <b>19:42 </b>Fri, Oct <b>3 </b>

    ÁãÊ³

    Then it clicked: she was the young heroine who, only days earlier, had slipped into Magnolia Town alone and razed the surrogacy ring to the ground. Stanley had wanted to present her with a banner ofmendation, but she had politely declined.

    Even the dozen¨Codd press releases issued by the bureau had crossed Stanley¡¯s desk for final approval. Word was that Olivia would receive the Hirica Top Ten Outstanding Youth Award at year¡¯s end.

    Connor thought, ¡®How did she end up getting taken to the police station? And almost get convicted?

    Connor said, ¡°Rest assured, I will give you a full ount.¡± Then he turned to look at Nn, his face livid with anger. He demanded, ¡°What exactly is going on here? Why was that young girl dragged in?¡±

    Nn stammered, ¡°S¨Csomeone filed a report, using her of disrupting the online environment and conducting fraudulent live streaming.

    ¡°We sent contract officers as soon as we received the report. Then, the officers said the suspects assaulted the police, so they were brought back.¡±

    At the mention of contract officers, Connor frowned.

    Due to establishment ceiling constraints, it was impossible to grant every officer a permanent post. The service therefore adopted a contract¨Cbased system, hiring officers on short¨Cterm engagements and requiring them to clock in for each shift.

    Nevertheless, every official operation must be conducted jointly with a duly sworn, regr police officer; contract officers were never to be sent out alone.

    Connor thought, ¡®The atmosphere here is aplete mess.¡®

    He snapped, ¡°Conducting fraudulent live streaming? What nonsense are you talking about? Are you aware that even the Kingtonelle police are monitoring her ount? How could it possibly be a fake livestream?¡±

    Ever since Olivia slipped into Magnolia Town at night and went viral during a live broadcast, police departments nationwide have been watching closely, waiting for her next stream.

    Connor thought, ¡®How could a stream monitored by the cyber¨Cpolice itself be fake? If any fraud urred, the channel would <i>be </i>shut down instantly!¡®

    He demanded, ¡°Who reported it?¡±

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 Blizzard 176

    <b>Chapter </b><b>176 </b>

    Nn looked toward Marcus, not daring to say anything.

    Marcus snapped, ¡°Why are you staring at me? Even if you¡¯re my prot¨¦g¨¦, I can¡¯t shield you now. I told you long ago to do your job right and serve the public.

    ¡°You brought this on yourself¨Cdo you expect me to bail you out? Talk! Who¡¯s backing you?¡±

    His eyes zed with menace. The message was unmistakable: if Nn dared to testify against him, his family would pay the price.

    Nn was not foolish; he naturally understood what was meant. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡®I don¡¯t know. That was an anonymous ount.¡±

    Connor snapped, ¡°An anonymous ount? You proceeded to arrest without even verifying the informant¡¯s identity? This is aplete disregard for established rules.¡±

    From that point on, regardless of Connor¡¯s questions, Nn refused to speak.

    Afraid the questioning might drag him into it, Marcus stepped in before Connor could continue. He said, ¡°Mr. Vale, don¡¯t waste your anger¨Che¡¯s not worth it. Someone, take him away.¡±

    Marcus had originally intended to remove all the corrupt subordinates under hismand before Victor assumed office, and he had already given advance notice in all relevant ces.

    He thought, ¡®As long as the situation is sufficientlyplex, enough personnel are implicated, and everyone maintains strict confidentiality, even if Victor investigates again, nothing will be uncovered.

    Yet, he hadn¡¯t anticipated that his own daughter would encounter such an incident at this critical juncture.pelling him to utilize his personal connections to manage the aftermath on her behalf.

    Marcus thought, ¡®Of all things, that idiot Nn dragged Victor into it¨Che¡¯s practically handing them the smoking gun!¡¯

    At Marcus¡¯smand, someone had already arrived to drag Nn away.

    Just then, Olivia said, ¡°No rush.¡± She lifted her eyes, a trace of coldness flickering beneath her gaze. She sat there, bored, scrutinizing the men before her. She added, ¡°I have a way to make him tell the truth.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marcus became flustered. He said, ¡°Youngdy, I understand that you are displeased at being wronged, but this is a matter for our organization. There is no need for you to be further involved.¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°But I simply enjoy meddling in other people¡¯s affairs.¡± She then turned to Connor and said, ¡°Mr. Vale, I am the victim here.

    ¡°Not only am I not holding this against you, but I can also help you get to the bottom of this. Why would <b>you </b>

    still be reluctant?<b>¡± </b>

    Olivia had always been an eye¨Cfor¨Can¨Ceye sort of person; she wasn¡¯t about to let this go so easily. Moreover, the reason she called Stanley was precisely to deal with Marcus; if he <b>were </b>to <b>get </b>away, her <b>entire </b>n would

    19:42 Fri,

    be wasted.

    ±ØÁã

    Connor hesitated for a moment, uncertain of what to do. He turned to Victor and Stanley. He asked, ¡°Mr Lang, Mr. Saunders, what are your thoughts on this matter?¡±

    It wasmon for interrogators to apprehend and question suspects, but for an apprehended interrogator to conduct interrogations¨Cnow that was truly unprecedented,

    Stanley was naturally willing to help Olivia. He said, ¡°Connor, I don¡¯t think this is hard to handle. Since Olivia has a way, let her review it.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marcus felt a sudden jolt in his heart and inwardly eximed, ¡®This is bad

    He spat out, ¡°No!¡± Realizing his reaction was somewhat excessive, he quickly exined, ¡°She is, after all, not a regr staff member. Wouldn¡¯t this be somewhat inappropriate? It¡¯s not in ordance with the rules.

    Victor said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing inappropriate, then let her interrogate as my special advisor.

    He nced at Marcus and sneered, ¡°Rules? Take a look around this police station¨Cdo you see even the slightest bit of rules here? And now you want to talk to me about rules.¡±

    Olivia sat there, arms crossed, silently smiling.

    Rendered speechless, Marcus only then remembered to go <i>see </i>Olivia.

    Olivia was beautiful. Her eyes seemed to captivate the soul. Although she was just a teenage girl, her aura was so strong that it was almost frightening.

    Marcus had worked in his field for over twenty years and had met countless individuals, yet he had never encountered anyone like Olivia. His original intention to muddle through was instantly dampened by half.

    Since both Victor and Stanley agreed, Connor had no objections either. He said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to the youngdy then.¡±

    Marcus clenched his teeth, not daring to disagree, and could only silently pray that Nn would not talk

    nonsense.

    Stanley, noticing Marcus¡¯s reluctance, immediately understood the situation. Combined with what Olivia just said, he promptly offered his support.

    He said, ¡°Olivia, feel free to ask your questions. If anyone refuses to cooperate, just let me know. Everyone in Friendship Community will stand behind you.¡±

    The mere mention of Friendship Community startled both Connor and Marcus.

    Friendship Community was an old residentialmunity, but all the apartments there were retirement housing for high¨Cranking officials. The residents, before retiring, all held provincial¨Clevel government positions.

    Connor had long heard that there was a young girl in that residentialmunity who was very well¨Cliked and was especially liked by the former leaders. He didn¡¯t expect Olivia to be the girl.

    <b>19:42 </b>Fri, <b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    ?

    Connor was so furious that he nearly fainted. He red coldly at Marcus and snapped, ¡°This is the kind of person your subordinates have produced. You deal with it yourself. I can¡¯t help <i>you </i>anymore.¡±

    He then turned to Olivia and said, ¡°Youngdy, I will leave it to you.¡± With that, he sat down to the side and acted like he was washing his hands of the whole thing.

    Olivia did not request a separate interrogation room and began the interrogation directly in front of everyone. She thought, ¡®Only by reviewing together can we uncover the juicy details! <fn616a> Th?s chapter is updated by f¦É?dn¦Ïvel</fn616a>

    Olivia stood up and stretchedzily, then walked unhurriedly over to Nn. She raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°You¡¯d better speak for yourself. Don¡¯t make me get physical.¡±

    Nn kept his head lowered, still feigning ignorance. He replied, ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡±

    Although he did not know the identity of Olivia, he was certain that as long as he remained silent, there was nothing they could do to him. He would certainly be released once the matter had been resolved.

    Olivia said, ¡°Annoying.¡± She mped Nn¡¯s chin and then forced the pill she carried into his mouth. She moved so fast that no one even knew what had hit them.

    Nn clutched his neck and repeatedly struck his chest. He asked, ¡°What did you give me to eat?¡±

    Olivia raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Rx¨Cit¡¯s not poison. It¡¯s a truth serum.¡± She bent down, leaned in until her lips almost brushed Nn¡¯s ear, and whispered something.

    I

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 Blizzard 177

    Olivia whispered, ¡°If you tell the truth, nothing will happen to you. However, if you lie, all the blood vessels in your body will gradually rupture, and you will die slowly as a result.¡±

    The pill Olivia slipped Nn was called Truth Serum. She¡¯d cooked it up on a slow afternoon just for fun- never imagining she¡¯d actually get to use it.

    Nn refused to believe that such a thing could exist. He thought, ¡®Something that only appears in novels could not possibly exist in reality. She is trying to deceive me!

    Olivia saw through his thoughts and said casually, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try it. First question: Is the person directing you from behind the scenes present right now?¡± As she spoke, she stepped aside, revealing several people behind her.

    Marcus felt a chill in his heart and secretly clenched his fist. He thought, ¡®She¡¯s clearlying after me!

    Nn paid no heed to Olivia¡¯s remarks and blurted out, ¡°Of course not.¡±

    Hearing this, Marcus felt considerably reassured. He was certain that Nn did not have the courage to expose him.

    In the next moment, Nn spat out a mouthful of blood. He covered his mouth in disbelief, staring at Olivia in terror.

    Olivia said, ¡°See? I told you. If you¡¯re sure you can take it, go ahead and give it a shot. Second question: Do you know Marcus?<b>¡± </b>

    Marcus¡¯s expression changed dramatically.

    Only then did Nn realize the gravity of the situation¨COlivia was using his life to force him to tell the truth.

    Olivia caressed her fingers and said, ¡°Think carefully before you answer, okay?¡± She didn¡¯t even look at Nn. She was sure that Nn would tell the truth.

    She thought, ¡®If Marcus could threaten Nn through his family, I will threaten Nn with his own life. Men like that love themselves more than they love anyone else.¡¯

    Nn struggled for a long time before finally admitting, ¡°I know him.¡±

    Olivia raised an eyebrow and pressed, ¡°Then, is Marcus the one who made the anonymous report? Is he also the person behind it?¡±

    Nn replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Olivia asked, ¡°What did he promise you, and what did he ask you to do?¡±

    Nn said, ¡°He promised me a payout once the job was done. He wanted me to get you arrested, saddle you with a record, and wipe out your channel¨Call just for¡­¡± He looked up at Marcus and couldn¡¯t force another

    word out.

    19:42 Fri, <b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    11&vouched

    Olivia added, ¡°To prevent his daughter¡¯s actions from being exposed, right?¡± She then stared at Marcus and snapped, ¡°Marcus, your career is promising, and your life is fulfilling.

    ¡°Yet your daughter, J, has bullied and harassed her ssmates at school, destroying the bright futures of so many others. Physical bullying, malicious rumors, social exclusion, psychological abuse¨Cshe hasmitted every one of them.

    ¡°And you are fully aware of all this. Not only did you fail to stop her ongoing bullying, but you also assisted her in covering it up and silencing the victims.

    ¡°Are you truly acting in her best interests, or are you primarily concerned with safeguarding your own career prospects? Do you think that having Nn silence me will solve everything?¡±

    Olivia spoke slowly, her voice soft and gentle¨Cyet every word carried a hidden sting. She continued, ¡°But I am not the only one who witnessed this. You may silence me, but can you silence the voices of the masses?¡±

    Everyone present was a shrewd individual. Now that Olivia had made her point so clear, if they still failed to grasp the underlying implications, their years of experience would have been for nothing.

    Victor felt a chill in his heart upon hearing this; the darkness of people¡¯s livelihood was exactly what he least wanted to see. He thought, ¡®Even these officials are contributing to darkness. How desperate those bullied people must feel.¡®

    He snapped, ¡°Marcus, how dare you exploit your position to do such things? Your daughter is leading the bullying of her ssmates, and you do nothing about it. What kind of official do you think you are?¡±

    Stanley understood the whole story.

    During a livestream, Olivia inadvertently exposed a student being bullied. The bully turned out to be Marcus¡¯s daughter. To shield his daughter, Marcus teamed up with Nn to frame Olivia¨Can usation that could saddle her with a permanent record.

    Stanley thought, ¡®Olivia is barely eighteen and incredibly gifted. Come New Year, she¡¯ll sit for the SAT and could easilynd a top university¨Cunless this leaves her with a record. How vicious of Marcus and Nn.

    ¡®Thank goodness I came today¨CI can¡¯t imagine how badly they would¡¯ve treated her otherwise. She¡¯s orphaned, with Grace as her only family.

    ¡®She finally built a following and hoped to earn a living from streaming, yet this mob still hauled her off to the station. It¡¯s downright heartless!

    Connor looked both surprised and incredulous. He had met J before. She wasn¡¯t especially striking¡ª petite and seemingly well¨Cbehaved¨Cand he couldn¡¯t picture her as a school bully.

    He thought, ¡®Could J¡¯s good¨Cgirl act be nothing but a fa?ade? And since her school falls under Marcus¡¯s jurisdiction, Olivia¡¯s story suddenly sounds a lot more believable!

    Marcus protested, ¡°nder. What nonsense are you spouting? J is such a well¨Cbehaved child. How could she possibly bully her ssmates?¡±

    As he spoke, he reached out to tug at Connor, pleading aloud, ¡°Mr. Vale, please believe me. You have met J before. Atst year¡¯s opening ceremony, she even acted as your introducer as the outstanding student

    representative.¡±

    Olivia sneered, ¡°Marcus, you must have spent quite a bit. Outstanding student representative¨Cdo you need me to remind you how this title was obtained?¡±

    ording to information obtained by Sean, J had an average academic performance. Marcus considered J¡¯s ordinary grades a source of embarrassment and spent tens of thousands of dors to buy scores for

    her.

    Even so, J was consistently overshadowed by Wendy. Over time, her envy turned into hatred, and she began bullying Wendy at school.

    Marcus¡¯s face turned livid as he stubbornly refused to back down. He said, ¡°You need evidence for your words. If you make baseless usations like this, I can sue you for defamation.¡±

    Olivia nodded and said, ¡°People who ask me for evidence are my favorite<i>.</i><i>¡± </i>She had been racking her brain for the perfect moment to unveil the proof that would bury him once and for all. <fn8d29> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? F¦ÉndNovel</fn8d29>

    Immediately, Olivia disassembled her wristwatch.

    The wristwatch had been extensively modified: whenever she wanted, it could transform into a projector, a drone, or even aser gun. After a few deft twists, a tiny projection flickered to life.

    Olivia turned off the light in the room and slid her fingers casually across the virtual panel a few times. She said, ¡°Here is the evidence you wanted. Watch closely.¡±

    The room waspletely dark, and immediately afterward, a video appeared on therge screen.

    AD

 Blizzard 178

    <b>Chapter </b>178

    In the footage, a group of girls corner another girl, raining down punches and kicks while hurling insults<b>; </b>they only back off when someone intervenes.

    The camera then lingers on the bullies¡® faces, and Olivia had sharpened the image to each of them was instantly recognizable.

    She said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t she look familiar, Marcus? The one leading them¨Cisn¡¯t that your beloved daughter?¡±

    Marcus¡¯s face turned pale. He thought, ¡®How does she have this footage? I had it destroyed!

    Olivia tapped on the virtual keyboard and said, ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Next is all the evidence of bribery since Marcus took office, as well as the transaction records of his embezzlement.¡±

    Sean had already investigated these matters in the afternoon; Stanley was also called in for this matter.

    Soon after, countless bank transaction records appeared, along with various photographs and video screenshots<b>¨C</b>some clear, others blurry¨Cbut all recognizable as Marcus.

    With each additional photograph ced, Marcus¡¯s sense of despair deepened. He thought, ¡®It¡¯s over. I am done for.¡®

    If he was still trying to resist just moments ago, now he no longer has the strength even to offer a defense. With so much evidenceid out, any attempt at exnation would be pointless.

    Stanley seethed. He thought, ¡®If a mere district chief can be this crooked and let his own daughter get away with bullying ssmates. God knows what the rest of them are up to.¡¯

    He said, ¡°I will report these matters truthfully. Not only will Victor investigate, but we will also conduct our own investigation. Everyone up and down the organization will be scrutinized.¡±

    At those words, both Nn and Marcus turned pale¨Cthey were done for.

    Only now did regret hit Nn. He thought, ¡®Had I known, I¡¯d never have agreed to Marcus¡¯s scheme, even if it killed me. Why didn¡¯t he warn me about this girl¡¯s background? He was setting me up to take the fall.

    *****

    Fiona, unaware of what happened to Marcus, barged straight into Olivia¡¯s courtyard. <fn3a43> Read full story at Find¡ïNovel</fn3a43>

    Nina had gone out; now only Grace remained in the courtyard.

    Fiona sneered, ¡°Olddy, I advise you not to be ungrateful. Hand over the money at once, or I¡¯ll make sure Olivia spends the rest of her life behind bars.¡±

    It had been Fiona¡¯s own idea to squeeze Grace for cash. Even though Marcus had embezzled millions, he <b>still </b>refused to give her a cent, iming he was saving every penny for J.

    All she got was thirty thousand a month in spending money¨Cpocket change that would make the other

    society wives dieughing if they ever found out.

    :

    Meanwhile, Juliet¡¯s fate was still up in the air, and Fiona couldn¡¯t touch the money in Juliet¡¯s ount. Her own funds were gone, and with the Evans family now in trouble, Fiona was in real danger.

    So she decided to go all in: squeeze Grace onest time, unload every piece of jewelry Marcus had ever given her, and vanish with the cash.

    Grace was beside herself with worry. Olivia had been gone for two or three hours, and she still hadn¡¯t heard a word from Nina.

    Fiona removed her sunsses, cast a disdainful nce over the courtyard, and said with marked contempt. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just 100 thousand? Spending 100 thousand to buy Olivia¡¯s freedom is hardly a loss.

    ¡°To be honest with you, I¡¯m the one who reported it. As long as you pay up, I¡¯ll withdraw the report right away, and Olivia will be out immediately. Otherwise, she can just wait to stay locked up inside.

    ¡°Spending a few days in detention is not a big deal. However, this criminal record will stay with her. Her future will be ruined. Wherever she goes, people will point fingers at her.

    ¡°Think it over carefully. However, I must inform you that time waits for no one. If you wait any longer. I may raise the price. At that point, it will be more than 100 thousand.¡±

    After speaking, Fiona sat on the small stool and waited for Grace to give her the money.

    Grace wasn¡¯t worried about herself; what scared her was the thought that something might happen to Olivia. Still, she took Fiona¡¯s words with a grain of salt¨Cshe knew Olivia would never move unless she was sure.

    Fiona fixed Grace with a cold stare and said, ¡°Let me make this clear: my husband is the district chief of the north district of Hirica. The only person who can¨Cand dares to¨Chandle this matter is me.¡±

    Noticing that Grace was somewhat moved, Fiona continued, ¡°You can take your time to think it over. But once Olivia is convicted and imprisoned, even if you beg me to help, I won¡¯t go.¡±

    Grace was no fool; she could easily tell that Fiona was trying to extort her. She snapped, ¡°Why should I trust you?¡±

    Fiona scoffed, ¡°Believe it or not. Once you miss this chance, there won¡¯t be another. Think carefully, olddy -I¡¯m the only one who can save Olivia.¡±

    She thought, I¡¯ll grab the cash and disappear. By the time Olivia gets out, I¡¯ll be long gone¨Cshe¡¯ll never track me down.¡®

    Grace leaned on her cane, her expression somber and grave, remaining silent throughout.

    Fiona pressed, ¡°Well? Will you agree or not?¡± She was full of confidence, certain that Grace would consent.

    Grace replied, ¡°No. Olivia has done nothing wrong. The judicial system will definitely clear her name. But you are taking advantage of the situation and ckmailing me. I have recorded everything, and I can sue you.¡±

    Grace¡¯s dignifiedposure momentarily surprised Fiona.

    <b>19:42 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>

    After a long pause, Fiona said through gritted teeth, ¡°Fine. As expected, that wretched <b>girl¡¯s </b>family <b>is </b><b>just </b>as <b>sharp</b><b>¨C</b>tongued. Very well, then¨Cjust wait for your precious granddaughter to end up in prison

    She thought, ¡®It seems Olivia isn¡¯t all that important to this old woman, after all.

    The moment Grace heard this, she calmed down even more, now certain that Fiona was lying. She thought, <b>¡®</b><b>If </b>things are really that bad, how could Fiona possibly manage them by herself? Olivia¡¯s sharp and resourceful¨Cshe¡¯ll figure something out. I trust her.

    Fiona said, ¡°Fine. Since that¡¯s how it is, don¡¯t me me for not giving you a chance.¡± With that, she rose to <b>leave</b><b>, </b>certain that Grace would follow her out.

    Fiona was too sure of herself¨Cshe had no idea Victor and Stanley were also caught up in this, and Marcus was about to go down for good.

    At this moment, dosed by Olivia¡¯s serum, Nn could only tell the truth¨Cyet he still resisted, deliberately steering the conversation toward issues that had nothing to do with him.

    Simrly, Marcus only disclosed a few matters of little consequence. From beginning to end, not a single word was mentioned about Fiona.

    After Marcus had finished speaking, Olivia asked, ¡°Fiona is your wife, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    AD

 Blizzard 179

    Marcus paused in surprise, then nodded.

    Olivia sat in a swivel chair, spinning a pen between her fingers. She said, ¡°Are you even aware that Fiona¡¯s been running a loan¨Csharking ring? A government official¡¯s wife secretly charging sky¨Chigh interest¨Cdo you know what crime that adds up to?¡±

    Victor chimed in, ¡°Three years ago, usury became a criminal offense.

    ¡°Under thew, anyone who lends money for profit without state approval and repeatedly offers loans to the public¨Cdisrupting the financial market¨Cfaces at least three years in prison if the case is serious.

    ¡°If such illegal lending urs more than ten times, the sentence increases with each additional vition.¡±

    Olivia nodded and said, ¡°Marcus, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know about this. You¡¯ve taken quite a bit of this money yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Hearing this, Connor was so furious that his head throbbed. He had risen through the ranks himself and knew every twist of the system, yet he never imagined his own subordinates would turn out to be the masterminds behind the scheme.

    Stanley mmed the table and barked, ¡°Marcus, have you lost your damn mind? You swore an oath to serve the public, not to line your own pockets.¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°You knew exactly how serious this was, so why go through with it? Is someone else pulling your strings?¡±

    She thought, ¡®If Marcus only wanted to save J, he could have done it a dozen ways without ever targeting me. Someone higher up must be pulling his strings.¡®

    Marcus stammered, ¡°H¨CHow do you know?¡± He was stunned; he had not expected Olivia to guess it.

    Olivia raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°I read fortunes¨CI predicted all of this.¡± She looked every inch the cunning fox.

    Victor gently shook his head. He thought, ¡®Olivia is still the same as before.

    Olivia added, ¡°Before I take action, you had best exin yourself.¡±

    Suddenly, Marcus clutched his head and cried out, ¡°It was Fiona¨Cshe wanted to help the Evans family take revenge.¡±

    ¡°Then who is behind her?¡± Victor and Olivia spoke in unison.

    Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure either. Sometimes, Fiona says it¡¯s the Sherman family, and at other times, it¡¯s said to be the Evans family.¡± Then he raised his head and fixed his gaze on Olivia. He added, ¡°They all despise you.¡±

    Connor pondered, ¡®Hasn¡¯t the Evans family already fallen? And which Sherman family is Marcus talking

    about? The one in Hirica?¡®

    <b>19:43 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b>Oct?

    no surchiol

    Victor was puzzled; during his posting in Kingtonelle, he had never heard of the Evans family. It wasn¡¯t until he received his transfer to Hirica that their name first came up.

    Olivia asked, ¡°The Shermans are involved, too?¡± She thought, ¡®T¡¯d been so focused on bringing down the Evans family that I¡¯dpletely overlooked the Shermans.

    Marcus said, ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case. I don¡¯t know how Fiona and the Sherman family established contact. The Sherman family merely reached out, saying they wanted to teach you a lesson. And then they entrusted this matter to Fiona to handle.¡±

    Connor jabbed a finger at Marcus and snapped, ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re a real piece of work.¡±

    These usations alone¨Cshielding his daughter, making arbitrary arrests, and taking bribes¨Cwere enough to put Marcus behind bars for life. <fne016> Chapters first released on Find1Novel</fne016>

    Marcus realized that there was no way for him to escape at this point; in the final moments, he only wanted to protect his daughter.

    J was the only daughter Marcus had with his first wife. His first wife had stuck with him through everyte¨Cnight study session and double shift while he crammed for the civil¨Cservice exams.

    She died before she could enjoy any of the rewards, and he had never forgiven himself for failing to give her the life she deserved.

    To ease his guilt over his first wife, Marcus showered J with whatever she wanted. Yet J never seemed to appreciate it and kept causing trouble at school.

    Each time, he cleaned up the mess, convinced he was just giving her the life he¡¯d failed to give her mother.

    Marcus pleaded, ¡°I admit to everything. Punish me however you see fit¨CI ept it. Just spare J. Please forgive her. She hasn¡¯t done anything wrong; she¡¯s only young and naive. If anyone¡¯s to me, it¡¯s me for failing to raise her right.¡±

    Olivia shot back, ¡°Forgive her? Who¡¯s going to get justice for the girls she tormented? L jumped to her death justst month¨Csix months after J¡¯s bullying drove her to the brink.¡±

    Marcus froze, shock shing across his face. He thought, ¡®I paid her off¨Chow could this still happen?¡®

    Olivia went on, ¡°J spread obscene rumors iming L had promiscuous rtionships. L was expelled and had to endure daily whispers and stares.¡±

    L had simply put her hair up in a bun with a few pretty pins, yet J and her clique spun obscene rumors about her. The story swept through the school, and soon the neighbors near L¡¯s home were whispering too.

    L came from an ordinary family. Her parents died young, leaving only her grandfather at home. While shopping for groceries, he heard the rumors, copsed from rage, and died.

    L went to the police, only to be beaten up and turned away with a warning to stay out of it. No amount of Marcus¡¯s money could ever restore her family, her reputation, or her innocence¨Cthey were gone forever.

    Ultimately, L suffered an emotional breakdown and jumped from the roof. Another young life was <i>lost</i>.

    <b>D </b>

    At the time. J¨Can outstanding student representative¨Cwas waiting to receive her award at the citymendation ceremony.

    After learning the whole story, Victor was consumed with rage, his voice trembling as he said, ¡®Marcus<i>, </i>your indulgence cost a girl her life.¡±

    Stanley was trembling with anger as well. Having children of his own, he could empathize even more deeply He said, ¡°What did that girl do wrong? Why should she have to suffer such injustice?

    ¡°All of this is the result of your daughter¡¯s willfulness and your indulgence.¡±

    Marcus hung his head, then burst out hysterically, ¡°It¡¯s all their fault. Why did J pick on L and not someone else? They provoked her¨CL had iting.¡±

    Olivia pped Marcus hard across the face.

    Marcus was stunned by the blow and momentarily rendered speechless.

    Olivia said, ¡°In cases of school bullying, we should not look for the problem in the bully.¡± Her voice was as clear and cold as a mountain spring, carrying a faint chill¨Cthe kind that bites like winter wind and makes the heart shiver.

    Ìï

 Blizzard 180

    <b>Chapter </b>180

    D

    Olivia said, ¡°School bullying <i>is </i>inherently illogical. What your daughtercks most in her education is learning how to respect both others and her own differences. Beyond her own malice, there is also your failure as a father.¡±

    Victor added, ¡°This is not affection¨Cit¡¯s indulgence. How can you sleep every night?¡± <fna4bd> Checktest chapters at F?ndNovel</fna4bd>

    Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I did not know. But my daughter is still a minor. Please release her. Punish me. It is all my fault.¡±

    Seeing Marcus like this, Olivia knew she wouldn¡¯t get anything more out of him. Still, she couldn¡¯t let J off the hook¨Canything less would betray L¡¯s memory¨Cyet she had no idea how to deal with the situation.

    She walked over to Stanley and asked, ¡°Mr. Saunders, how would a case like J¡¯s normally be judged?¡±

    Stanley replied, ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to decide on a sentence¨CJ¡¯s still a minor. And since it was a group offense that only indirectly led to L¡¯s death, the punishment will probably be light.¡±

    Victor said, ¡°Anyone over sixteen is criminally liable. Given the vicious nature of the bullying, the death it caused, and the multiple victims, a few years behind bars is almost guaranteed.¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°Have the school expel J and her crew to set an example. Then make them apologize to every student they bullied and pay fullpensation¨Cbefore they serve their prison sentence.¡±

    Victor said, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll keep an eye on this matter.¡±

    Anyone who had been bullied knew the fear¨Crumors, exclusion, fists. Bullies shrugged it off as ¡°just kidding¡± or ¡°ying around,¡± but for the victims, every single day was hell.

    Bullying might stop, but the damagested a lifetime; the emotional scars never faded. The bullies would forget their words, but the victims couldn¡¯t forget the helplessness or the feeling of having nowhere to turn.

    Olivia sneered inwardly, ¡®Marcus thinks he can keep shielding his daughter from justice? Not a chance!

    On the other side, the interrogator instructed Nn to make his own statement.

    With Olivia no longer watching, Nn gave evasive, meaningless answers, trying to throw the interrogators off. He said, ¡°It¡¯s all a misunderstanding. At worst, I helped the wrong side. I haven¡¯t done anything truly wrong.¡±

    The interrogator put handcuffs on Nn and said, ¡°You are under arrest.¡±

    Nn blurted, ¡°No way¨Cwhy me?¡±

    The interrogator said, ¡°Even Marcus has been arrested; what are you still struggling for?¡±

    No sooner had the words been spoken than the door opened. Marcus entered, wearing handcuffs.

    Nn¡¯s expression changed abruptly. He stammered, ¡°H¨CHow could it be?¡±

    the vouchers

    The interrogator said, ¡°Stop being so incredulous. Hurry up and get inside. You two will share a cell¡±

    Fiona was standing in front of the Sherman Group building. Since the Evans family fell from power, her life had grown harder by the day. Only her lingering connection to Margaret kept her afloat in Firica.

    Fiona entered Margaret¡¯s office with practiced ease. The moment she sat down, she said, ¡°Honestly, your methods don¡¯t work. Look at me¨C1 did it with almost no effort, and Olivia was hauled in right away. Without the Shermans, she¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Margaret frowned and said, ¡°Did I not tell you? Do note to thepany. Tell me, what¡¯s going on with Olivia now?¡±

    Fiona said, ¡°She will be convicted soon. At thetest, by tomorrow, she will definitely be in prison.¡±

    Margaret¡¯s expression softened upon hearing this, and she poured some coffee for Fiona. She said, ¡°That¡¯s good. This has put my mind at ease. Don¡¯t let her get away again. Don¡¯t let her get away again.¡±

    If it were not for the fact that Fiona¡¯s husband held an official position, Margaret would never lower herself to associate with Fiona.

    Margaret thought, ¡®Good¨CFiona came through and had Olivia taken into custody right away. Cheryl¡¯s made it clear: give Olivia a record, and no one will ever stand in her way again.¡¯

    Fiona said confidently, ¡°Rx¨Cshe won¡¯t get out. That director owes his promotion to my husband; my word isw there. If it weren¡¯t for Olivia, my sister wouldn¡¯t end up like this. Olivia brought it on herself.¡±

    Margaret squeezed Fiona¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset. Locking Olivia up will at least avenge your sister.¡±

    Fiona said, ¡°Yes, I have avenged my sister. But Grace still won¡¯t hand over the money. Her cold¨Cheartedness is staggering.¡±

    Margaret said, ¡°Grace? After poisoning so many children back then, what genuine emotion could she possibly have? Even her apparent concern for Olivia is just an act.¡±

    Fiona set down her cup and fixed her gaze on Margaret. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether she¡¯s acting or not, but I do know that you wouldn¡¯t. When will you give me the money we agreed on earlier?¡±

    Margaret asked, ¡°Are you certain Olivia has already been apprehended?¡±

    Fiona said, ¡°Of course. Whether she is guilty or not is irrelevant¨Cif I say she is guilty, then she is guilty. My husband is the district chief; dealing with a young girl like her is a trivial matter.¡±

    Margaret wasn¡¯t sure how much clout Fiona¡¯s husband really had, but Fiona¡¯s confidence put her at ease. She said, ¡°Then I¡¯m good. Let¡¯s stick to the n: 100 thousand.¡± With that, she picked up her phone to prepare for

    the transfer.

    Fiona said, ¡°Wait a moment, Mrs. Sherman. 100 thousand was only yesterday¡¯s price.¡±

    <b>19:43 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b>Oct 3

    Margaret asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Fiona said, ¡°In other words, the price has gone up now. I want 150 thousand now

    Margaret gripped her phone tightly and snapped, ¡°In your dreams. This <b>is </b>an arbitrary price increase Fiona said casually, ¡°Mrs. Sherman, please don¡¯t be upset.¡±

    Ìï

 Blizzard 181

    <b>55 </b>vouchere

    Fiona said, ¡°Whether you give it or not is your business, but I advise you to make up your mind quickly. Otherwise, if I change my mind and release Olivia. Then who knows what will happen?¡±

    Margaret¡¯s mind raced. 150 thousand was no small sum for the Shermans. Yet Cheryl had insisted that only by eliminating Olivia could their family¡¯s situation improve. Thus, Margaret gritted her teeth and agreed.

    She said, ¡°Fine, 150 thousand it is. You had better keep your word.¡± She then transferred the money to Fiona¡¯s

    ount.

    Fiona grinned from ear to ear as she checked the iing funds in her ount. She said, ¡°As long as the money is in ce, everything else can be arranged. Mrs. Sherman, just wait for the celebration¨Cthe rest is up

    to me.¡±

    No sooner had the words been spoken than Fiona¡¯s phone began to ring.

    ¡°Who could be calling at this hour?¡± Fiona muttered as she answered the phone, her previously smiling face gradually growing tense.

    It was Marcus¡¯s driver on the line. He said, ¡°Mrs. Hale, Mr. Hale¡¯s been arrested. They¡¯reing for you next. Run¨Cnow. They are already at the Sherman Group.¡±

    Before he could finish, the office door was knocked open. A group of individuals dressed in police uniforms stood at the entrance and presented their identification.

    One of them said, ¡°Fiona, we have a case that requires your cooperation in the investigation. Pleasee with

    us.¡±

    Fiona¡¯s hand shook; the phone ttered to the floor. She¡¯d weathered crises before and refused to lose her head now. Forcing a smile, she asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t broken anyw. Why am I being arrested? Don¡¯t you have to tell me what I¡¯m charged with?¡±

    As she spoke, she directed a gaze seeking help toward Margaret.

    Margaret nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s absolutely right. This is the Sherman family¡¯s territory. You cannot simply take someone away just because you say so.¡±

    The leader officer cast a cold nce at Margaret and said, ¡°If you do not cooperate withw enforcement, I can take you in as well.¡±

    Margaret¡¯s eyes widened. She grumbled inwardly, ¡®How dare he? I am thedy of the Sherman family!

    Before Margaret couldsh out, Fiona shot her a warning look and handed the officer a cup of coffee. She said, ¡°Please, have some coffee first. Let¡¯s talk this through calmly.¡±

    The lead officer snapped, ¡°If you have anything to say, save it for the station. You have the right to remain silent; anything you say may be used against you.¡± With that, he handcuffed Fiona.

    It was only then that Fiona realized the gravity of the situation. She asked, ¡°Are you from the North District Police Station?¡±

    <b>TU</b><b>:</b>14 Sat, <b>Oct </b><b>4 </b>

    <b>94 </b>

    55 vouchers

    The officer snapped, ¡°Why do you talk so much, olddy? If I tell you to follow, then follow. If you¡¯re innocent, no one will wrong you.¡±

    Fiona turned to look at Margaret.

    At this moment, Margaret did not dare to speak up for her, worried about what she would do if the investigation implicated her.

    After all, the Sherman family¡¯s own dirty dealings were every bit as bad as Fiona¡¯s¨Cif not worse¨Cand wouldn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny either.

    As the officers shoved her into the back seat, Fiona¡¯s panic red into frenzy. She thrashed against the cuffs and yelled, ¡°Let me out. Get Nn here¨Cnow. My husband is Marcus.¡±

    Her shouts echoed off the metal doors and died unanswered. Even now, she couldn¡¯t ept that Marcus had finally fallen.

    The Sherman Group was located in the city center, where many people passed by. Just like that, Fiona was taken away in full view of the public. The news quickly spread throughout thepany and on the inte.

    After watching Fiona being led away from the Sherman Group, countless partners phoned Margaret, anxious that thepany might be in jeopardy.

    One caller snapped, ¡°Margaret, that woman was dragged out of your office. You can¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know. It¡¯s all over the news¨Cwhat are you going to do about it?¡±

    Margaret replied calmly, ¡°She¡¯s a friend. It¡¯s nothing serious¨Cshe was just brought in for questioning. The real issue is the underprivileged student we sponsored; she¡¯s the one they¡¯re holding. My friend went to assist with the inquiry.

    ¡°Rest assured, there will be no issues; I can guarantee this. No, how could we possibly have any connection with that student? We¡¯re strangers now¨Cthere¡¯s absolutely nothing between us.

    ¡°Very well. When William¡¯s birthdayes around, we would be honored if you coulde visit us.¡±

    Margaret spent quite some time exining with a smile before she was able to reassure the business partners.

    After hanging up, Margaret fumed inwardly, ¡®William¡¯s vanished since this mess began¨CGod knows whose bed he¡¯s warming now. I¡¯m the one keeping the entire family afloat.¡®

    Margaret¡¯s faith in Fiona didn¡¯t rest on Fiona¡¯s talent; it rested on Marcus, the district chief. Margaret figured anyone who¡¯d reached that level had real clout. But she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that something awful wasing, and it was driving her crazy.

    Fiona¡¯s anxiety spiked as soon as she reached the station. She didn¡¯t recognize a single officer, and rm turned to dread when she spotted Nn inside the interrogation room. Her steps faltered. She thought, ¡®Nn¡¯s finished. I will be the next.

    The police officer who brought Fiona did not waste any time and threw her into another interrogation room. He demanded, ¡°Marcus has already confessed; you should hurry up, too.¡± <fnd68a> For original chapters go to f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fnd68a>

    10:14 <b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>4 </b>

    8:0

    20

    Fiona said, ¡°I want to see Marcus. Until I do, I won¡¯t believe a word¨Cand I won¡¯t say a word.¡± So far, she¡¯d only heard rumors; until she saw it with her own eyes, she wouldn¡¯t believe it.

    The officer said, ¡°As you wish.¡±

    The next second, all officers withdrew, leaving Fiona alone in the interrogation room.

    The cold, gloomy interrogation room made Fiona shiver despite herself. She kept whispering, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be out soon.¡± But when the door opened again, her face drained of color.

    Marcus stood there in handcuffs, shoulders sagging, eyes vacant.

    Fiona said, ¡°Marcus, what happened?¡±

    Marcus¡¯s anger red the moment he saw Fiona. He thought, ¡®If she¡¯d handled this cleanly and left no loose ends, I wouldn¡¯t be in cuffs.¡® He snarled, ¡°Fiona, this is all on you. You botched a simple job, and now we¡¯re all finished.¡±

    Over the past few hours, Marcus¡¯s life had careened from peak to abyss, leaving him raw. Had anyone¡¯s grip slipped for a second, he would have throttled Fiona with his bare hands.

    Fiona trembled, finally realizing her schemes had copsed¨Cher patron had fallen too.

    Marcus snapped, ¡°This is all because of you and that idiot Nn.¡±

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 Blizzard 182

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    1

    55 vouchere

    Marcus snarled, ¡°You had Stanley arrested, and then, still not learning your lesson, you went and had the municipal party secretary detained. Are you deliberately trying to ruin me?

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not J¡¯s real mother, and you can¡¯t be like a real mother, but I never imagined you could be this foolish.¡±

    Fiona could not believe her ears. She knew Stanley, but she had no clue about the municipal party secretary. She thought, ¡®Who the heck is it anyway? The one standing next to Olivia?¡®

    She stammered, ¡°H¨Chow is that possible? I never told Nn to arrest the municipal party secretary. How could I possibly dare?¡± She was so frightened that she trembled.

    Marcus said, ¡°The two men Nn brought in are the city Party secretary and Stanley. Fiona, how stupid could you get? I¡¯m done, and you¡¯re going down with me.¡±

    What Marcus hated most was Fiona¡¯s sheer stupidity¨Cshe¡¯d let herself be caught without a fight. If she¡¯d stayed free, he¡¯d still have a shred of hope; he¡¯d been counting on her to look after J.

    Fiona muttered, ¡°Impossible. How could the municipal party secretary and Stanley possibly go to a ce like that? Only poor people live there.¡±

    Marcus said through gritted teeth, ¡°You¡¯re as dumb as a sack of bricks.¡± He grumbled inwardly, ¡®Apparently, Victor and Stanley appeared there to conduct an incognito visit. Fiona, that fool, still cannot figure it out.

    Victor did not conceal this matter; instead, he required them to issue a public announcement to disclose the facts.

    He said, ¡°These personnel issues reflect our poor oversight, and we owe the public an apology. Concealing the facts would be the worst mistake.¡±

    But before the announcement was issued, the matter had already spread.

    Margaret still hadn¡¯t grasped the gravity of the situation. She assumed Fiona had simply been taken in for a quick round of questioning and would soon be released. While waiting, she called Cheryl.

    She said, ¡°Cheryl, rest assured. I have arranged everything; this time, Olivia won¡¯t be able to make aeback.¡±

    Cheryly on her bed, idly flipping through thetest magazine with one hand. She replied, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the best. But I heard Fiona was taken in. Is something wrong?¡±

    Margaret said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing¨Cher husband¡¯s the district chief. Even if they hold her overnight, she¡¯ll be out soon. Once this blows over, we¡¯ll head to Kingtonelle.

    ¡°You¡¯ll start sophomore year as a day student, so you cane home every night, and I¡¯ll have dinner waiting.¡±

    A wave of warmth filled Cheryl¡¯s heart. She said, ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡±

    10:14 <b>Sat</b>, <b>Oct 4 </b>

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    <b>94 </b>

    5 vouchers,

    After enrolling at Kingtonelle University, Cheryl worried constantly about tuition¨Cher foster parents in Magnolia Town would never help. She scraped together her freshman year¡¯s fees and living costs with loans and part¨Ctime jobs.

    Later, she realized she had transmigrated into a novel and knew every plot twist. When she presented the DNA report to the Sherman family, Margaret¨Cthough far from brilliant¨Cwas unreservedly affectionate.

    Margaret said, ¡°Stay at home and enjoy yourself for now, and start preparing for the designpetitioning up in the spring. I heard that the first¨Cce winner in thatpetition will have the chance to meet Gemini, so you must do your best.

    ¡°If you can win Gemini¡¯s favor, you¡¯ll be unstoppable in the design industry.¡±

    Cheryl replied, ¡°Got it,¡± and lowered her gaze. The magazine in her hands had fallen open to the Gemini productunch spread. Cheryl thought, ¡®One day, I will undoubtedly surpass this Gemini and be the world¡¯s top designer.¡¯

    In the Orion Hotel, Jenny, in pajamas, stood on the bed. She eximed, ¡°What did you say? Olivia is in trouble?¡± <fn2a8b> Discover more novels at find¡¤novel</fn2a8b>

    Tony nodded and said, ¡°She has already resolved it.¡±

    Jenny said, ¡°Olivia¡¯s incredible. But we can¡¯t let this slide.¡± She speed¨Cdialed Andrew and filled him in.

    After learning what had happened, Andrew¡¯s aura immediately turned cold.

    Ethan could clearly sense the chill emanating from Andrew. He knew that someone was about to suffer misfortune.

    Andrew was originally in the middle of a meeting when he suddenly received a call from Jenny. Fearing that something had happened to her, he immediately left a group of people to answer the phone.

    Ethan wondered what Jenny had said to make Andrew¡¯s expression grow increasingly cold.

    After hanging up with Jenny, Andrew drummed his fingers on the desk. He thought, ¡®They waited until I was gone to pick on Olivia¨CHirica really is a ma for every kind of lowlife.¡¯

    Ethan forced himself to speak, ¡°Mr. Shea, everyone is still waiting for you to start the meeting over there.¡±

    Andrew rested his chin in his hand, contemting for a moment before he ordered, ¡°Ethan, go call my grandfather.¡± He thought, ¡®Grandpa¡¯s the best choice¨Che¡¯s got plenty of free time, and this¡¯ll give him something useful to do.¡®

    <b>*** </b>

    Connor was so furious that he only felt better after swallowing some antihypertensive medication. He never expected his subordinates to be so brazen, and the deeper he dug, the more dirt kept surfacing.

    Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a call from Winston.

    <b>10:14 </b><b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>4 </b>

    944

    55 vouchers.

    Connor started to panic again. He answered the call with utmost caution. He said, ¡°Mr. Shea, it¡¯s quitete¨Cdo you have any instructions?<b>¡± </b>

    Winston snapped, ¡°Connor, I think your career as an official is finished. How have you been serving as mayor? If I hadn¡¯t received word, I wouldn¡¯t have known you were such a failure as mayor.¡±

    Connor was puzzled, unable to understand what he might have done wrong to make Winston unhappy. He said, ¡°Mr. Shea, please don¡¯t be upset. What exactly is the matter?¡±

    Winston said, ¡°Are you truly unaware, or are you just pretending not to know? That Marcus under yourmand, a government official abusing his authority to frame my granddaughter¨Cinw¨Cwhat do you intend to do about it?¡±

    Connor asked cautiously, ¡°Who is your granddaughter¨Cinw? I have never heard of her before.¡±

    Winston demanded, ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me. I¡¯m talking about Olivia, whom your subordinate had arrested.¡±

    Öæ

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    25 vouchers

    Winston mmed the table and snapped, ¡°Since when do I need your permission to have a granddaughter- inw?¡±

    Vivian frowned and thought, ¡®Didn¡¯t Andrew say Olivia was just the attending physician? How¡¯d she suddenly be the so¨Ccalled granddaughter¨Cinw? Grandpa¡¯s shooting his mouth off. If Andrew hears this, he¡¯ll be furious.

    Connor was dumbfounded. He thought, ¡®Who exactly is Olivia? She has the backing of retired officials from the Friendship Community, and even Winston has personally called to demand an exnation. Marcus messed with the one person he never should have crossed.

    He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said apologetically, ¡°I didn¡¯t know about this before. This is a misunderstanding, aplete misunderstanding. If I had known, I certainly wouldn¡¯t have let them act so recklessly.¡±

    Connor thought, ¡®Had I known, I¡¯d have treated Olivia like the apple of my eye¨Cnever let that idiot Marcus cross her. Now my own future looks anything but easy.

    Winston sighed and said, ¡°Olivia¡¯s life has been hard enough. Framed and cast out by the Shermans when she was barely more than a child, she still found one elder willing to take her in.

    ¡°All she wanted was to earn a little through livestreaming¨Cwhat crime is that? Don¡¯t insult my intelligence: how much did she actually make? Not even enough for groceries.

    ¡°Dragging her to the station over this¨Cwhat kind of justice is that? A deliberate attempt to ruin her, in and simple.¡±

    When Olivia was taken away in a police car, many people witnessed it. People who didn¡¯t know the facts started talking, and before long, rumors were flying. Olivia was tough enough to shrug it off, but anyone more sensitive would¡¯ve been eaten alive by self¨Cdoubt.

    Winston went on, ¡°I feel for Olivia. It¡¯s hard for someone so young to make a living and support her family. I just want her tough days to get a little easier. And remember¨Cshe¡¯s still ted to receive the Outstanding Youth Award.¡±

    Connor¡¯s guilt deepened. He thought, ¡®Olivia is barely an adult, yet she¡¯se from a tragic past and refused to give up hope. All she wanted was to make a modest living from livestreaming, only to expose a bullying ring.

    ¡®For that, the bully¡¯s father¨Ca government official¨Cframed her, had her arrested, and threw her into jail. If that isn¡¯t sheer misfortune, what is?¡®

    At the thought, Connor was almost ovee with anguish; he found himself wishing Marcus and the rest could be dragged out and made to pay the ultimate price.

    Connorid out the entire story¨CStanley¡¯s and Victor¡¯s arrests, the suicide tied to school bullying, everything -emphasizing that Olivia had merely supplied the information.

    When he heard the full story, Winston stroked his beard, pleased. He said, ¡°Not bad. Olivia¡¯s admirable-

    10:15 Sal, 0614

    mired in adversity yet still speaking up for the victims. That¡¯s real leadership¡±

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    25 vouchere

    Commor said, ¡°She¡¯s remarkable¨Csharp<b>, </b>resourceful, and in just a short time she got a full confession from Nn, something even seasoned officers struggle to achieve

    Winston said, ¡°Don¡¯t let herpetence blind you to her needs¨Cshe¡¯s the real victim. Around here<i>, </i>connections trump everything; they figured she had no backing and could be pushed around.

    ¡°Let me be clear: the Shea family is her shield now. Had she not been clever¨Cand happened to be detained alongside Stanley and his crew¨Cthis case would never have wrapped up so cleanly, would it?¡±

    Winston¡¯s words were blunt¨Cand right on the mark. Connor lowered his head and remained silent for a long time. <fn7926> Chapters first released on f?ndnovel</fn7926>

    He thought, Winston¡¯s right¨Cif Stanley and Victor hadn¡¯t been involved today, I¡¯d have had no jurisdiction at all, and Olivia might have been wrongly destroyed!

    Connor said, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll give both you and Olivia a full ount.¡± The faulty with hisx oversight, and he knew he had to own it.

    Winston said, ¡°This is necessary. I require you to release a truthful statement of the case and clear Olivia¡¯s name. Otherwise, even if she is acquitted, she will still be subject to criticism.¡±

    Connor said, ¡°Please rest assured about this. Mr. Lang has already given instructions, and we willmunicate the facts truthfully to external parties.¡±

    Winston said, ¡°All right, let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± With that, he hung up and turned to drink a cup of the coffee that Vivian had just prepared.

    Vivian said, ¡°Grandpa, be careful, it¡¯s hot.¡±

    Winston clicked his tongue in disgust. He said, ¡°I¡¯m just furious. Just think about it¨Ca perfectly decent young girl was saddled with such an usation by them, and she almost ended up with a criminal record. Isn¡¯t that despicable? It¡¯s truly unconscionable.¡±

    Vivian said, ¡°Rx¨COlivia¡¯s no ordinary person. She¡¯ll find a way. Believe me, even without you, Stanley, or anyone else, she¡¯d stille out on top. She might even do better.¡±

    Winston crossed his arms and said, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that I messed things up.¡±

    Vivian smiled and said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. I¡¯ve prepared a gift for Olivia¨Cthink of it as a thank¨Cyou for stepping in as Andrew¡¯s attending surgeon.¡±

    Winston asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Vivian rose and said, ¡°You will find out soon.¡± With that, she went upstairs.

    The facts were released immediately. Within minutes, a post shot to the top of the trending list and dominated the front pages of every major tform. Issued by the Kingtonelle Police Department, it mentioned the Hirica police and was concise and to the point.

    10:15 <b>Sat</b>, <b>Oct </b>4

    65 vouchere:

    The post read: [We express our sincere gratitude to Olivia Summers for her assistance and will formallymend her for her contributions. Should any defamatory or inappropriatements be made about her, we will take appropriate legal action.

    [The Kingtonelle Police Department also urges all schools and social organizations to stand against bullying so that children can enjoy a safe, positive campus life.

    [Effective immediately, we areunching a dedicated anti¨Cbullying tip line. Verified reports will trigger swift action against the perpetrator, and tipsters will receive a 1,500¨Cdor reward, funded by the Shea Group.]

    The entire article could be distilled into a single sentence: the Shea family supported Olivia.

    Upon publication, the post immediately caused a huge uproar online.

    Onemented: [I just watched the livestream this afternoon, and it turns out the bully¡¯s father is the district chief. He¡¯s even defending his own daughter¨Cthis is utterly insane.]

    <b>AD </b>

 Blizzard 184

    :

    Anothermented: [Why is it the Kingtonelle police that issued this statement?]

    Ament read: [Another child has died by suicide. Such a good child, just left like this.]

    Onement read: [Evil needs to be nipped in the bud. If these women serve only a few years and walk free. they¡¯ll just get another chance to hurt someone.]

    Someonemented: [The Shea family is so warm¨Chearted¨Cthey even encourage everyone to report bullying. It really makes me cry.]

    Onemented: [Not only is this young woman meless, but she has also contributed. She ought to be rewarded.]

    Anothermented: [The more I think about it, the scarier it gets¨Ca district chief¡¯s daughter leading bullying. Just how corrupt must the officials in Hirica be? How are we ordinary people supposed to live?]

    Onemented: [Hirica¡¯s future looks downright bleak.]

    Ament read: [How strange. Normally, at this time, marketing ounts would be frantically reporting on this matter. Why is it so quiet today?]

    Vivian made it in: any marketing ount that tried to steer public opinion would be treated as an enemy of the Shea family.

    With both the Kingtonelle police and the Shea family behind this, not a single big ount dared lift a finger. Not to mention, this was a bullying issue¨Cit was so sensitive that they didn¡¯t even dare to touch it.

    A notice was subsequently published on the official website of Hirica.

    It read: [Following investigation, Marcus, the district chief, was found to have engaged in prolonged abuse of power, giving and epting bribes, coercion, and inducement, resulting in multiple wrongful convictions.

    [The case has now been transferred to the Supreme Court for handling.]

    The notice also detailed the wrongdoings of Nn, Fiona, and others.

    As soon as these notifications were released, the inte immediately exploded.

    Olivia¡¯s livestream had already drawn heavy traffic, yet she cut it off so abruptly that viewers barely had time to process what they¡¯d seen.

    At first, they assumed it was just another bullying incident, but the deeper they dug, the more officials they uncovered¨Ceven the local police chief was implicated.

    From the top down, all of Hirica was shaken. All individuals associated with Marcus were currently busy dissociating themselves from him.

    Grace read the same reports and nodded with relief; the knot in her stomach finally loosened. Fiona¡¯s

    <b>10:15 </b>Sat, <b>Oct </b><b>41 </b>

    :

    personal attempt to extort money, Grace decided, was the perfect piece of evidence. <fn7836> Original content can be found at F?nd-Novel</fn7836>

    Just then, Sean returned.

    Grace beckoned to him and said, ¡°Sean,e here and send this video to Olivia.¡±

    Sean sent it right over.

    $<b>94 </b>

    55 vouchers

    Meanwhile, upon seeing the news, Margaret was taken aback. She thought, ¡®Marcus is arrested? Doesn¡¯t that mean Fiona will face justice, too? Then all the money I gave her just went down the drain.

    Just then, Cheryl called. She demanded, ¡°Mom, what exactly is going on here?¡±

    Margaret said, ¡°Cheryl, I¡¯m afraid Olivia has escaped again. It¡¯s all right. Next time, we certainly won¡¯t let her get away again.¡±

    Cheryl said through gritted teeth, ¡°Why is it that she is always so lucky?¡±

    Margaret said, ¡°Cheryl, do not be upset. She cannotpare to you. Rest assured, I will not let her off; next time, she certainly will not be so fortunate.¡±

    Cheryl frowned and asked, ¡°But why would the Shea family help Olivia? What is so special about her that so many people are helping her?¡±

    Margaret said, ¡°Didn¡¯t she save Winstonst time? This time, Winston is simply returning a favor¨Cthere¡¯s nothing to make a fuss about. If you ask me, she was just lucky and happened to save Winston by ident.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this. Get yourself ready; we still have dinner ns tonight.¡±

    Cheryl replied, ¡°Alright. Mom, hurry up and sever ties with them. Don¡¯t get implicated.¡±

    Margaret said, ¡°Rest assured, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    Online users were still discussing this matter.

    Onemented: [Everyone, do not let them get away.]

    Anothermented: [I know Fiona. She¡¯s a notorious loan shark. A friend borrowed tens of thousands from her, and within two weeks the debt had doubled to fifty grand.

    [What started as a short¨Cterm cash¨Cflow fix turned deadly: when he couldn¡¯t pay, Fiona and her thugs beat him, forcibly harvested one of his kidneys, and he vanished without a trace.]

    Ament read: [The most detestable person here is Marcus. As a local official, not only did he fail to stop it, but he also assisted in covering it up afterwards. He is a perpetrator.]

    Onemented: [I¡¯m a student at Hirica High. I can confirm that J struts around school like she owns the ce, and bullying is routine.]

    [She never listens in ss and turns in nk answer sheets, yet somehow she¡¯s always near the top of the grade and even gets picked as an outstanding student rep¨Call because her dad¡¯s the one with the power.]

    10:15 <b>Sat</b>, <b>Oct </b><b>4 </b>

    P

    Anothermented: [Is Hirica High left unsupervised because certain people are protecting it?)

    Once L¡¯s story broke, public outrage surged. The hashtag (SchoolBullying] rocketed to the top of the trending charts, andizens poured out their condolences to L.

    Onemented: [L, those bad guys have been apprehended; please rest in peace.]

    Anothermented: [In your future life, may every day be filled with joy.]

    However, L and her family could no longer see these things.

    After the incident, Olivia¡¯s livestream ount shot up to be <i>one </i>of the most¨Cfollowed channels, with both the Kingtonelle and Hirica police highlighting it for special attention.

    After the event concluded, Olivia leisurely drank coffee in the lounge.

    Momentster, Stanley came in with two bowls of instant noodles. He said, ¡°Olivia, it¡¯ste and the kitchen¡¯s closed¨Cwe¡¯ll have to settle for this. Next time, I¡¯ll treat you properly.¡±

    The paperwork had taken far longer than expected, and by the time he remembered to eat, dinner was long

    over.

    Olivia took the bowl and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine¨Cthis is great.¡± In the worst times, she couldn¡¯t even afford instant noodles.

    While eating, she asked, ¡°How many years could Fiona be sentenced to?¡±

    Stanley said, ¡°Probably eight to fifteen years. After all, she¡¯s only an aplice<i>, </i>not the principal offender, so she can¡¯t be sentenced to many years.¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°What if she is ckmailing Grace?¡± She set down her bowl, swiped on her phone, and yed a video. She said, ¡°This is the evidence.¡±

    Stanley spluttered, staring at Olivia in disbelief. He snatched the phone and hit y; sure enough, it was exactly as she¡¯d said. He said, ¡°That can be sentenced to at least twenty years.¡±

    Olivia nodded and said, ¡°Good¨Ckeep her in a few more years so she can¡¯t hurt anyone. Has she still refused to talk?¡±

    Stanley wolfed down the noodles. With righteous resolve, he said, ¡°Rx, I¡¯ve got all night to go round¨Cfor- round with her.¡± Back when he was a rookie officer, he¡¯d pulled all¨Cnighters grilling suspects.

    He tossed the trash and wiped the table. He said, ¡°Olivia, if nothing else is urgent, you can head home. It¡¯s going to be a long night.¡±

    10:15 <b>Sat</b>, <b>Oct </b>4

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    <b>94 </b><fnb94c> Original content can be found at find[?]ovel</fnb94c>

    <b>55 </b>vouchers.

    ¡°After 1 wrap up here, I need to meet my niece to discuss something about Montisara. I can¡¯t drive you home today, so please be careful on your way back.¡±

    Stanley paused, a flicker of concern crossing his face as the thought of her going alone settled in. Then he shook his head. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m notfortable with you going alone. I¡¯ll have Victor escort you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine on my own, Mr. Saunders. Really, don¡¯t worry,¡± Olivia said, her eyes crinkling into a smile. ¡°Montisara? What happened there?¡±

    She knew that Stanley¡¯s niece was the tenacious police captain she had met back in Magnolia Town, so she guessed something might have happened.

    ¡°Ava hates human trafficking, hence her relentless pursuit of those cases. If you hadn¡¯t mentioned itst time, I wouldn¡¯t have known she¡¯d been undercover in Magnolia Town for so long.¡± When Stanley talked about his niece, his face softened with unmistakable pride.

    ¡°It¡¯s said there¡¯s been a possible sighting near Montisara of a woman who went missing over a decade ago. Ava insists on verifying it herself.¡±

    He sighed, ¡°The missing woman was a graduate student. But after all these years, the chances of finding her

    are slim.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Montisara?¡± she murmured under her breath. The ce was named for the vast, rugged mountains that surrounded it¨Ca sprawling and incredibly isted region.

    Flying over that endless sea of peaks felt like a shortmuter flight, highlighting how utterly cut off from the world any vige down there would be. For anyone trafficked into those forgotten viges, the chances of escape were almost zero.

    ¡°I told her it was dangerous,¡± Stanley said with a sigh, ¡°but Ava is determined. She says the victims are waiting for rescue, and their families are desperate for answers.¡±

    Worry warred with pride in his expression. ¡°That¡¯s just how she is. She¡¯s been stubborn as a mule since she was little. Once she makes up her mind, no one can talk her out of it.¡±

    Olivia frowned thoughtfully. After a moment, she asked, ¡°Mr. Saunders, when is your niece leaving for Montisara?¡±

    ¡°The day after tomorrow, I believe,¡± he said, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°With the New Year rush, tickets are hard to get. She said that was the earliest avable.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Saunders,¡± Olivia said, her eyes lighting up as she offered him her phone, ¡°could I have your niece¡¯s contact information? I¡¯ve been considering a trip to Montisara myself. It might be nice to have somepany.¡±

    Stanley¡¯s expression tightened. ¡°Olivia, don¡¯t joke about that. That ce is extremely dangerous. Trust me¡ª stay home and wee the New Year.¡±

    ¡°You know me, Mr. Saunders. Telling me not to go just makes me want to even more.¡± Olivia¡¯s expression

    10:15 <b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b>4

    remainedposed. A beat passed. ¡°Her family wants her home for the New Year too.

    Stanley heaved a deep sigh, knowing he was fighting a losing battle. Reluctantly, he entered Ava¡¯s contact information into Olivia¡¯s phone, his expression grim.

    ¡°Be careful, Olivia. ces like that, cut off from the world, breed deep suspicion of outsiders and a kind of desperation where society¡¯s usual rules don¡¯t apply. Promise me you won¡¯t let anyone give you <b>any </b>trouble over there.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Olivia replied, a faint, knowing smile touching her lips. She was far more likely to cause trouble than to get into it.

    Olivia¡¯s decision to go to Montisara stemmed from something she¡¯d seen during her earlier livestream¨Ca message that had scrolled across the screen:

    [MISSING PERSON¨CREWARD: SHAWNA PETAL. Last seen 13 years ago. Master¡¯s graduate (Engineering), Luminus University. Any information gratefully received.]

    The message had appeared a few times but was quickly drowned out by the flood ofments in her busy

    chat.

    <b>AD </b>

 Blizzard 186

    But Olivia had caught it. Now, hearing Stanley mention a missing graduate student, the connection clicked instantly, ¡®Could it be the same case?¡® she wondered.

    <b>94 </b><fn965e> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find?novel</fn965e>

    Coincidentally, she also had some business to deal with in Montisara, apelling reason to investigate while she was there.

    A short whileter, Victor emerged, holding a ck overcoat. His voice was calm and pleasant. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. Let me take you home.¡±

    Both lost in thought, they walked slowly in silence. As they neared Willow Lane, Victor finally spoke, his voice soft. ¡°How have you been all these years?<b>¡± </b>

    Olivia arched a brow, sidestepping the question. ¡°You say that like you¡¯ve known me for ages.¡±

    Victor nced down, a quiet chuckle escaping. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±

    Olivia kept her expression neutral, studying Victor from the corner of her eye. A flicker of familiarity tugged at her memory, but she didn¡¯t dare acknowledge it. In her world, mistaking a friend for a foe¨Cor vice versa- could have dire consequences.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember?¡± Displeasure edged Victor¡¯s voice, tinged with something like hurt. ¡°How could you forget me?¡± Of all people¨Chim, the one who¡¯d doted on her the most.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± Olivia said, feigning a bored yawn. ¡°I tend to lose track. One can¡¯t be expected to remember every passing acquaintance.¡±

    ¡°Merak,¡± Victor said, urgency seeping into his tone. ¡°You really don¡¯t remember? It¡¯s me¨CDubhe!¡±

    Disbelief shed across Olivia¡¯s face, her poised stance faltering briefly. She hadn¡¯t heard the name Merak in years. It was the code name given to her during her time in Mystic Phytoria.

    Mystic Phytoria was a valley famed far and wide for its unique cultivation techniques and vast reserves of rare medicinal herbs. Blessed with a perpetually mild, spring¨Clike climate, it was an ideal environment for nurturing nts.

    However, it was also veiled from the world in an isted reach, its paths opening only to those the valley itself summoned.

    Olivia had stumbled upon the valley by pure chance after fleeing the NecroFlora Labs. The master of Mystic Phytoria found her poisoned and on the brink of death. He brought her back and saved her life, and ultimately epted her as his disciple.

    Disciples of Mystic Phytoria received rigorous training in herbology and pharmacology. They mastered the properties of countless ingredients and excelled at crafting potent elixirs that could enhance one¡¯s constitution or cure devastating diseases. Each disciple was an exceptional apothecary.

    The name Merak was given to Olivia by the Master, drawn from the constetions he revered. Merak corresponded to the Big Dipper asterism¡¯s second star, symbolizing wisdom and strategy, a guide for the discerning. Noting Olivia¡¯s sharp intellect, he deemed it fitting.

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    Dubhe marked the lead star, symbolizing divine authority andmand¨Ca star under which great heroes were said to be born.

    Dubhe was Mystic Phytoria¡¯s eldest disciple, and he had always cared for the younger ones. Yet he always wore a mask, his true face a mystery to all. After Mystic Phytoria fell, they were separated, contact lost entirely.

    Moreover, Mystic Phytoria¡¯s destruction robbed Revival Grass of its ideal environment. The few sprouts Olivia had taken with her became thest of their kind in existence. This irrevocable loss made refining the Refreshing Pill an impossibility.

    Olivia had tasked the Shadow Syndicate with finding those behind Mystic Phytoria¡¯s ruin. The investigation yielded nothing solid save one tenuous lead: a link to NecroFlora Labs.

    Now here stood a man iming to be Dubhe, calling her by her old codename. Hope surged, shing with deep¨Cseated caution. ¡®Could it truly be him?¡® she wondered, unable to be sure.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Her voice stayed carefully neutral, features schooled into nk confusion. Victor, knowing her wariness well, didn¡¯t push. Instead, he replied with calm certainty, ¡°By the root that heals.¡±

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    <b>10:15 </b><b>Sat</b>, <b>Oct </b><b>4 </b>

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    ¡°And the thorn that defends.¡± Olivia met his gaze, her voice steady as shepleted the ancient vow¨Ca mantra known only to the disciples of Mystic Phytoria.

    A soft smile touched Victor¡¯s lips. ¡°Merak, I still have a bone to pick with you about those rare herbs you ¡®borrowed¡® on your way out all those years ago.¡±

    Years ago, he and the Master found her lying grievously wounded at the entrance to the valley. They saved her. Day after day, they used medicinal baths, specially prepared meals and rare herbs from across the valley to pull her back from the brink.

    She waster epted as a disciple, though she notoriously despised book learning. Yet her innate talent was undeniable, and she quickly excelled in the art of potion¨Cmaking.

    She had once run off in a fit of pique after the Master scolded her for sneaking sweets. Tragically, not long after her departure, Mystic Phytoria was destroyed.

    Olivia¡¯s hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her eyes glistened, growing warm with unshed tears. ¡°Dubhe¡­ I¡­¡± Her voice was faint and tremulous, like a dry leaf quivering in a breeze.

    Mystic Phytoria had been her sanctuary, a ce where she had been doted on endlessly. Despite all her years away, she missed her time in the valley more than anything¨Ca home that was now lost forever.

    ¡°No need to exin. I understand,¡± Victor said, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Just seeing her today told him more than enough about the hardships she had endured on her own all these years. He swore to make those responsible pay.

    Olivia took a steadying breath. ¡°And the others?¡± she asked softly, her voice barely a whisper. ¡°The Master? The rest of them? How are they?¡± She knew Mystic Phytoria had fallen, but the fate of its people remained a mystery.

    Victor¡¯s silence was heavy, his expression grim. He pressed his lips into a tight line, lost in painful memory.

    ¡°And Aurora?¡± Olivia asked, a nostalgic smile breaking through her usual reserve as she propped her chin on her hand. ¡°Is she well? I still owe her a Luminpearl. It¡¯s been so long. She probably wouldn¡¯t even recognize me.¡±

    However self¨Creliant and detached she used to be, around Victor, that facade now melted away.

    Victor let out a long, weary sigh, his eyes shadowed with grief. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. ¡°In the attack, some disciples fell protecting the valley¡¯s treasures. Others scattered, fleeing with whatever they could carry.

    But you¡¯re the first I¡¯ve managed to find since that day.¡± He hung his head, guilt washing over him. ¡°I failed them. I wasn¡¯t strong enough to protect them.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s throat tightened. After a long moment, she reached out and ced a firm hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°As long as it lives in our memory,¡± she said, her voice steady with conviction, ¡°Mystic Phytoria is not truly gone. One day, we will rebuild it¨Cnot just restore it to its former glory, but make it greater than ever before.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Victor said, a genuine smile breaking through his sorrow. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±

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    Leaning on Nina for support, Grace had been waiting for what felt like an eternity. She hurried forward the moment she saw Olivia.

    ¡°You nearly scared me to death!¡± she scolded, patting Olivia¡¯s hand, though her eyes were full of warmth and concern. ¡°Are you hungry? Let me get you something to eat.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Grace, I already ate,¡± Olivia reassured her. ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen to me. Don¡¯t forget¨CI¡¯m the apprentice of the previous Phantom Healer, and now I am the Phantom Healer. Who would be foolish enough to mess with me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you and your sharp tongue!¡± Grace finallyughed, the worry easing from her face. ¡°I¡¯ve just made <i>a </i>fresh pot of chicken and ravioli. I¡¯ll go warm some up for you. I¡¯m sure Sean is starving too.¡±

    Out in the yard, Seanpletely engrossed in constructing an borate mud fortress¨Cnodded his head so vigorously it seemed liable to tumble right off his shoulders.

    After Olivia and Grace went inside, Nina remained in the courtyard, rooted to the spot. Alone with her thoughts, her mind raced.

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    Her pupils dted then contracted sharply as her heart hammered against her ribs. ¡®I couldn¡¯t have heard that right. Could I? Olivia is the Phantom Healer? The legendary Phantom Healer?¡®

    The pieces clicked into ce with staggering force. ¡®No wonder she was able to save me. The realization struck her like a lightning bolt. ¡®I should have realized it sooner. Who else in the entire world possesses medical skills that profound except the Phantom Healer?¡®

    Nina edged closer to Olivia, her voice hushed with awe. ¡°Olivia, is it true? You¡¯re really the Phantom Healer?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Olivia admitted freely, without pretense. ¡°Though ¡®Phantom Healer¡® is just a title others use. I prefer ¡®Phantom Chief.¡±

    She then gestured toward Grace inside the kitchen. ¡°But the true heart of the Phantom Healer is in there. With that, she walked inside to help, leaving a stunned Nina behind.

    Nina stood alone in the courtyard, her mind reeling. ¡®Just how many extraordinary people am I living under the same roof with?¡®

    Arge bowl of steaming chicken and ravioli was ced on the table. Olivia ate a small portion, feeling the warmth spread through her. Sean promptly devoured everyst spoonful remaining in the pot.

    Grace watched them eat with relish, a profoundly kind and contented smile on her face. ¡®This is what I¡¯ve held on for all these years,¡® she thought. ¡®Seeing them like this, well¨Cfed and content, is my greatest joy.¡¯

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot,¡± Grace said, entering the room and bringing out a sheet of paper filled with Olivia¡¯s information. ¡°The SAT prep course is arranged. You can start tomorrow.

    ¡°But this SAT prep course is a bit unusual¨Cthey¡¯re administering a mock exam on the very first day to assess everyone¡¯s level,¡± Grace continued.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Just do your best. We¡¯re notpeting with anyone; we¡¯ll bridge whatever gaps you have. There are still several months before the SAT, so there¡¯s plenty of time to prepare.¡±

    She had called in a favor with Troy to secure this spot. It was an elite SAT boot camp run by the Hirica Central High School, designed for students who had already aced the test but were aiming for perfect scores.

    Make no mistake, every student in that program was a top¨Ctier overachiever. It was essentially a ruthless feeder program for Kingtonelle University.

    The instructors were all Kingtonelle professors, and the practice tests were literally those used by the university¡¯s admissions board. Grace¡¯s biggest worry was that Olivia would be in way over her head.

    Olivia¡¯s formal education had stopped after middle school. The gap between her and those academic sharks was astronomical. Grace feared she would be eaten alive.

    ¡°If it¡¯s too much, dear, juste home. Don¡¯t force yourself. There will always be a roof over your head and food on the table for you here,¡± Grace said, smoothing Olivia¡¯s hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Olivia said with a softugh. ¡°How can I let you take care of us forever? Especially Sean¨Cthat

    bottomless pit.

    5576uchers

    Sean shot her a mock¨Coffended look and promptly scraped his bowl clean, as if to prove her point.

    ¡°I don¡¯t make much, but it¡¯s enough to get by,¡± Grace said with a smile. ¡°But you can¡¯t stay in Hirica forever. You need to see the world that lies beyond this town.¡±

    ¡°So, Grace, Nina asked, curious, ¡°if you could go anywhere, where would it be<i>?</i>¡± <fnfe1f> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find1Novel</fnfe1f>

    Olivia, too, was curious about Grace¡¯s deepest wish.

    ¡°Kingtonelle, Grace said, her gaze growing distant and dreamy. ¡°The capital. I¡¯ve neverid eyes on it, not once in my entire life.¡±

    To every Clusian, Kingtonelle was more than just the capital; it was the promise of arger life. For Grace, it represented that promise fulfilled¨Cthe hope that the children could have the future she herself had only dreamed of.

    ¡°Alright then, Kingtonelle it is,¡± Olivia said, her eyes drifting shut for a moment as if visualizing it. ¡°I¡¯m bored out of my mind in Hirica anyway. It might be fun to shake things up a bit.¡±

    Sean bounced to his feet, his eyes wide with excitement.

    ¡°I will take you there,¡± Olivia said, rolling her eyes at his antics but unable to suppress a smile. ¡°So easily excited.¡± Then she turned to Nina. ¡°What about you? Are you in?¡±

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    A soft smile touched Nina¡¯s lips as she nodded. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± Her revenge wasplete. There was nothing left for her in Hirica.

    ¡°Good. We¡¯ll get your records transferred,¡± Olivia said, getting to her feet and nudging Sean with her toe. ¡°You¡¯re going to school too, and you¡¯re going to behave. Understood?¡±

    Sean rubbed his backside with a theatrical pout, clutched his te, and scampered out of the room.

    Grace beamed, her smile wide enough to split her face.

    Nina alsoughed, but her mind was elsewhere, heavy with unspoken thoughts. The truth was, she had no desire to return to a traditional school. What she craved was to learn from Olivia, to acquire the kind of real- world skills she¡¯d seen from Olivia.

    Another three years in a ssroom seemed like a waste when she could be at Olivia¡¯s side now, learning how to truly help her. But voicing these thoughts felt far too presumptuous.

    An hourter, fresh out of the shower, Olivia had just settled into bed to stream a movie when her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp call from a certain someone.

    It was only then that she noticed the dozen¨Cplus messages from Andrew that she¡¯dpletely ignored. A nce at the time told her it was well past 11 p.m.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Olivia said, clearing her throat. ¡°Sorry, today was busy. I meant to text you back.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Andrew¡¯s voice was a low, maic hum, soft and intimate. ¡°Jenny filled me in. They didn¡¯t give you any trouble, did they?¡± <fndfdb> This text is hosted at fin?novel</fndfdb>

    ¡°Nope, all good,¡± she said, her tone light and breezy. The day had its stresses, but running into Dubhe because of it had made the whole ordeal worth it.

    ¡°Wish I could¡¯ve been there,¡± Andrew said, his voice dropping, a chill creeping into it. If he had been, he would have handled it differently.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t necessary,¡± Olivia dismissed instinctively. ¡°I had it under control.¡± The idea of waiting around for some knight in shining armor was absurd to her.

    Andrew was silent for a beat. ¡°Right. I forgot. The formidable Olivia,¡± he said, a tinge of wistfulness and unmistakable petnce coloring his tone. ¡°Doesn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help, least of all mine.¡±

    ¡®God, a grown man pouting like that. So tedious.¡® Olivia had zero bandwidth to coddle his ego. She was busy picking a movie.

    When Olivia didn¡¯t rise to the bait, Andrew shelved the sulking and switched gears. ¡°So. I hear you¡¯re starting that SAT prep ss tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°You seem to know an awful lot about my schedule.¡± Olivia mused. her attention still mostly on her movie

    selection.

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    ¡°Of course. Sean is very cooperative. I find him quite agreeable,¡± Andrew said, a glint in his dark eyes.

    ¡°Sean?¡± Olivia¡¯s finger stilled over the remote, her expression darkening. ¡°How much did it cost to buy his intel? That little traitor has a bottomless pit for a stomach.¡±

    ¡°It was Jenny¡¯s idea, Andrew rified, the ghost of a smile ying on his lips. ¡°I just provided the funding. A minor investment. 30 thousand grand is a small price for quality intelligence.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Olivia said tly.

    ¡®Oh, that little weasel, Sean. Building a secret nest egg off my back. Just wait till I empty his pockets tomorrow, she decided.

    ¡°My point is,¡± Andrew said, his features schooled into neutrality though the moonlight sculpted them elegantly, his voice a quiet murmur, ¡°if you have trouble, you can ask me. I¡¯m an excellent tutor.¡±

    ¡°I have a lot of it,¡± Olivia replied.

    ¡°Really.¡± Andrew¡¯s lips quirked in amusement. ¡°You strike me as someone with a capable mind. I find it hard to believe someone with your grasp of medicine struggles with studying.¡±

    ¡°I have more important things to do than study,¡± Olivia stated, finallynding on a movie and dropping the remote. It wasn¡¯t a lie. Formal study was a pedestrian waste of her time.

    ¡°Never mind. I can teach you,¡± Andrew said, his voice softening despite the miles between them. He could only imagine her face, but the tenderness in his eyes was real.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ll keep it in mind,¡± Olivia relented.

    ¡°You sound impatient,¡± Andrew observed. His gaze, when it flicked to his assistant, Ethan, was ice. ¡°I want results tonight.¡± His voice lost its warmth.

    ¡°I¡¯m indeed impatient,¡± Olivia drawled, loungingzily against her pillows, her eyes glued to the screen. ¡°You¡¯re killing my movie buzz.¡±

    ¡°My deepest apologies for disturbing your cinematic immersion,¡± Andrew replied, his tone dripping with mock formality.

    Strangely, she heard a genuine thread of disappointment slip into his sarcastic tone. ¡®He hadn¡¯t actually done anything wrong,¡® she thought, a twinge of guilt surprising her.

    ¡°I mean¡­,¡± she paused. ¡°Do you¡­ maybe want to watch it with me?¡± The words were out before she could stop them, her voice softer than she¡¯d intended, almost gentle.

    Beep! The call disconnected abruptly.

    Before she could even process the hang¨Cup, her screen lit up with an iing video call from him.

    It was impulsive, but Olivia hit ¡®ept¡® anyway. ¡®Well, I did offer,¡® she reasoned. ¡®Backing out now would make

    10:16 Sat, <b>Oct </b><b>4 </b>

    me look ky.¡®

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    Andrew¡¯s annoyingly handsome face filled her screen quickly. He was in a sharp gray suit and gold¨Crimmed sses, apparently still at the office even at this hour.

    She hadn¡¯t adjusted her camera angle yet, and the feed inadvertently broadcast a few seconds of her movie- right as a horde of decaying zombies lurched into close¨Cup, giving Andrew a full¨Cfrontal jump scare.

    A loud THUD echoed from his end, followed by the sound of ttering. Then, his feed went ck.

    ¡°Boss, are you okay?¡± Ethan¡¯s voice,ced with panic, came through the speakers. ¡°Don¡¯t you die on me! Not before you approve my bonus.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡®Did he just have a heart attack? That was fast. A more pressing concern surfaced. ¡®Well, there goes my biggest client.¡®

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Andrew¡¯s voice came through, strained. ¡°Just hand me the phone, Ethan.

    After a moment, his video feed flickered back to life. His face was still ridiculously perfect, just several shades paler than before.

    Olivia had righted her camera by then. One eyebrow arched. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the great Andrew Shea got scared by a little zombie movie?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Andrew coughed, a faint blush creeping up his neck. His eyes darted to her image on the screen, then instantly away, as if burned.

    Olivia frowned, not following. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Your, uh¡­ pajamas,¡± he managed, his voice rough as his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. He was visibly struggling to maintain hisposure.

    Olivia nced down and finally noticed the top button of her pajamas hade undone, offering a rather generous view of her corbone and then some.

    She snagged a throw nket from a nearby chair and draped it loosely over her shoulders. The soft light highlighted the porcin quality of her skin and the captivating contrast of the small beauty mark near her

    eye.

    Through it all, Andrew pointedly kept his face turned away from the camera, a study in forced nonchnce. Yet Ethan, still in the room, could practically feel the shift in his boss¡® aura¨Ca strange mix of tension, embarrassment, and something else he couldn¡¯t name.

    ¡°Okay, all good.¡± Olivia blinked her limpid eyes.

    Only after her assurance did Andrew cautiously nce back at the screen. Taking in her now¨Ccovered state, he seemed to regain his footing. A faint, teasing smile touched his lips. ¡°So. Horror movies are a particr taste, Ms. Summers.¡± <ol><li>TU<b>. </b></li></ol>

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    ¡°So?¡± Olivia teased, feigning innocence. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? It¡¯s just a horror film. This one¡¯s not even that scary, Zombie Apocalypse: Season Two is way more intense¡±

    A sly grin spread across her face. ¡°Wait a minute. Is the great Andrew Shea actually scared of a little movie?

    Andrew cleared his throat, the tips of his cars turning pink. ¡°No,¡± he said, a little too quickly. ¡°It was¡­ my hand slipped. That¡¯s all.¡±

    Olivia was delighted by hisme excuse, her expression a mix of glee and mischievous schadenfreude. Noticing the faint flush on his cheeks, she leaned closer to the screen with mock concern. ¡°Do you have a fever?¡± she asked, her doctor¡¯s instincts kicking in automatically.

    ¡°Dr. Summers, your diagnostic skills are truly remarkable, even through a screen,¡± Andrew said dryly, rubbing his temple. ¡°Maybe a slight one. It¡¯ll pass.¡±

    ¡®Probably the only person who¡¯d think I¡¯ming down with something, he mused.

    ¡°Well, remember to take something for it then,¡± she said, fiddling with the remote. ¡°I¡¯m hitting y. You still in?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Andrew said, swallowing hard and steeling himself.

    After a few more minutes of tense zombie action, Olivia spoke up casually. ¡°That official statement from the Kingtonelle PD the other day. That was your doing, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± Andrew said, his tone deliberately offhand. ¡°That was all my sister, Eleanor. She said to consider it a thank¨Cyou for what you did for my grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Well, tell her thanks,¡± Olivia said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°But next time, tell her not to bother.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Andrew¡¯s yful demeanor vanished, his voice turning serious. ¡°Did it cause you problems?¡± He was genuinely perplexed. Nobody refused a favor from the Shea family. And it was just a simple request to the policemissioner. It wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    ¡°No,¡± Olivia said, propping her chin in her hand and studying his pixted image. ¡°I just don¡¯t like owing people.¡±

    ¡®And damn,¡® she couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®he is ridiculously good¨Clooking. It was a fact that struck her anew every time she saw him.

    Andrew was silent for a long moment before replying, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible. Eleanor is as stubborn as a mule and does exactly what she wants. She doesn¡¯t listen to anyone. Except maybe Grandpa.¡±

    ¡°Not even you?¡± Olivia raised an eyebrow. ¡°And here I thought you were the most powerful man in Kingtonelle.¡±

    ¡°You overestimate my influence,¡± Andrew said with a wry smile. ¡°Everyone is powerless against my sister. Trust me.¡± He didn¡¯t add that once Eleanor set her mind to something, she became an unstoppable force¨Ca

    10:16 Sat, <b>Oct </b>4

    true force of nature in their world.

    2300

    Olivia supposed he had a point. She didn¡¯t want to cause family drama. ¡°Fine,¡± she sighed in resignation. ¡°Ad it to my tab. I¡¯ll find a way to pay you back someday.¡± <fnafab> Follow current nov?ls on F?nd-Novel</fnafab>

    ¡®Good luck with that,¡® Andrew thought, a n already forming. ¡®I¡¯ll make sure that tab never gets settled. Let her owe me. Preferably forever.¡®

    The movie yed on, but Andrew¡¯s focus had shifted entirely. Olivia¡¯s livestream incident had been a major event, yet his tform had failed to alert him. ¡°They are utterly useless, he fumed inwardly.

    That evening, a directive went out to all senior executives of the tform. The message was brief and to the point: henceforth, any and all issues pertaining to the streamer ¡°Mystic Healer¡± were to be escted directly to him.

    This was far below the usual threshold for bothering the CEO. ¡®What¡¯s gotten into Mr. Shea today? <b>they </b>wondered. ¡®Personally issuing a directive for a single mid¨Ctier streamer? Oh no. A major streamer?

    Mystified butpliant, a chorus of ¡°Received and understood¡± replies came in. A new priority had just been added to everyone¡¯s list.

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    They didn¡¯t talk much more. After the credits rolled, they ended the call. Just before disconnecting, Andrew¡¯s voice softened. ¡°Good night, Olivia.¡±

    The exchange felt charged. Olivia tossed her phone onto the bed, pulled the covers over her head, and pressed her cool palms against her warm checks. ¡®It¡¯s just because he¡¯s stupidly handsome, she told herself. ¡°That¡¯s all. Getting distracted by a pretty face.

    Strangely, since meeting Andrew, he¡¯d started making asional appearances in her dreams. But in these dreams, he was just a boy, maybe seven or eight years old, dressed in a miniature suit, standing solemnly under a tree with a book in his hands.

    Every time dream¨COlivia tried to approach him, he would simply fade away before she could reach him. She felt an inexplicable pull of familiarity towards him, as if they shared a history she couldn¡¯t ess.

    ¡®It has to be connected to the gaps in my own memory. Maybe we did meet, a long time ago, she thought before sleep finally took her. ¡®Maybe I just forgot.¡®

    The next morning, sunlight poured through the window, painting Olivia¡¯s form under the nkets. She merely burrowed deeper into her cocoon offorters, only a shock of blonde hair and the soft curve of a cheek visible.

    Grace bustled in and began ruthlessly extracting Olivia from her nest of nkets. ¡°Olivia, up now! It¡¯s your first day at the new prep school. You cannot bete.¡± In Grace¡¯s worldview, education was paramount.

    ¡°Five more minutes¡­¡± Olivia mumbled, incoherent with sleep, clutching the duvet like a lifeline to preserve thest vestiges of warmth.

    ¡°No ¡®five minutes¡®! You¡¯ll bete,¡± Grace dered, winning the battle with the nkets.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about keeping up, just try your best. If it works out, good. If not, no matter! I¡¯ll get you a tutor. We¡¯ll learn right here at home, no need to stress with those other kids.¡±

    She had heard Logan mention his grandson was home for the summer and looking for something to do. He was the top of his ss. She thought she could ask him to tutor Olivia.

    Finally, a half¨Casleep Olivia was maneuvered out of bed and dressed like a sleepy doll.

    Seeing how much this meant to Grace, Olivia nodded, ying the part of the dutiful child. ¡°I¡¯ll

    get

    the

    top

    score.¡±

    Graceughed. ¡°Just do your best, sweetheart, that¡¯s all I ask. And if you don¡¯t test well, so what? The world is full of paths that don¡¯t require a perfect SAT score.¡±

    Olivia had nned to blow off the test, but Grace¡¯s earnestness was a potent motivator. ¡®Fine,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I¡¯ll actually try. Her skills were far beyond what the SAT could measure, but she¡¯d y along for Grace¡¯s peace of

    mind.

    Grace had made Olivia¡¯s favorite breakfast: cheesy baked grits and a warm, soothing custard scented with vani and honey. It was sweet but not overwhelming, the fragrance lingering pleasantly.

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    Normally, Grace would fret about cavities and limit sweets. The fact that she¡¯d not only made this but added extra cheese showed just how special she considered this day.

    ¡°I¡¯ve packed your bag. Don¡¯t be nervous,¡± Grace said, handing it over before fluttering around the room on ast¨Cminute checklist. ¡°Do you have your pencils? Your calctor?¡±

    Olivia couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Grace, anyone would think I was taking my actual SAT today, not just a cement test.¡±

    ¡°And when you take the real thing, I¡¯ll be right there to drive you,¡± Grace said, wrapping a scarf around Olivia¡¯s neck and smoothing her hair before seeing her out the door.

    Nina was also at the door to see Olivia off.

    Settling into the back of the taxi, Olivia immediately pulled out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen. The Evans family case demanded her attention. Beyond their respectable public facade, she knew,y a far deeper and more shadowywork of holdings.

 Blizzard 192

    5 vouchers

    She was determined to rip the Evans family out by the roots. Having gathered enough evidence, she called Lucas. ¡°Package it all up and send it to the Kingtonelle PD. Tell them to throw the entire damn book at them.¡±

    ¡°Copy that, boss. You know I live for this,¡± Lucas said, his voice crackling with anticipation. He truly thrived on chaos. ¡°But, uh, boss? There¡¯s something else you should probably know.¡± His tone shifted, the usual bravado reced by uncharacteristic hesitation.

    ¡°Spit it out,¡± Olivia said, a note of impatience sharpening her tone as she nced at the clock. She was running <fna0cb> Follow current nov?ls on F?ndNovel</fna0cb>

    ¡°Howard is offering 3 million dors. To investigate¡­¡± Lucas trailed off, searching for the right words.

    ¡®The guy has some nerve,¡® he thought, ¡®targeting our boss?¡®

    ¡°Lucas. Now.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice sharpened into a de.

    ¡°He wants us to investigate¡­ you,¡± said Lucas.

    A beat of silence passed before a low, amused chuckle escaped her. ¡°Howard wants to investigate me?¡±

    ¡®Now that was interesting,¡® Olivia mused. Howard¡¯s image in his racing gear shed in her mind¨Ccocky, but otherwise unremarkable.

    ¡°Did he give a reason?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Lucas confirmed, double¨Cchecking the order details. ¡°Just that the 3 million is a down payment. Another 3 uponpletion. Total 6 million.¡±

    ¡®Well, well. Howard is flush with cash,¡® Olivia mused. ¡®Do Fl drivers really make that much? Maybe I¡¯m in the wrong business.¡® Her thoughts began to wander,pletely forgetting Lucas was still on the line.

    ¡°So¡­ boss? What¡¯s the call?¡± Lucas¡¯s voice pulled her back to the present.

    ¡°No,¡± Olivia said. ¡°Why would I help someone investigate me? It seems like a spectacr waste of my time.¡± With that, she ended the call and stared out the taxi window, her mind already racing down other avenues.

    ¡°What? Rejected? Why?¡± Howard yelled into his phone, not caring who heard him. ¡°I thought Shadow Syndicate took any job if the price was right. 6 million dors isn¡¯t enough? Name your price. Money is no object!¡±

    Howard, with his shock of styled red hair and a tall, athletic build, radiated a cocky, rebellious energy.

    He leaned against the sleek chassis of his newly acquired Auros Rush¨C1999 hyperbike, helmet tucked under his arm, looking every bit the racing star in his dark grey designer jacket.

    He¡¯de to pick up Olivia, hoping to casually probe her memory. The t¨Cout rejection from Shadow

    25 vouchers

    Syndicate was a major p in the face. ¡®What¡¯s their problem? Do they know who I am?

    ¡°It¡¯s not the money,¡± the contact said, his voice low and hurried. ¡°Word is, the order came down from the very top. You might want to do a serious inventory of who you¡¯ve pissed offtely. The line went dead with a conclusive click.

    Howard was floored. ¡®Who could I have possibly pissed off? I¡¯m freaking delightful!

    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll just go see Ivy first,¡± he muttered, shelving the investigation idea for now. ¡°Shadow Syndicate isn¡¯t the only yer in this game.¡±

    Every instinct he possessed screamed that Olivia was Ivy. He was, like, ny percent sure. All he needed was a DNA test to confirm it, but the right opportunity hadn¡¯t presented itself.

    The rose¨Cshaped birthmark was identical to Ivy¡¯s¨Csame ce, same intricate pattern. The only discrepancy was the color¨Ca vivid amethyst instead of the expected ruby red. ¡®It bugged the hell out of him<b>. </b>

    A rapid, impatient pounding on the gate made Grace jump, the snap pea she was hulling tumbling from her fingers.

    ¡°Goodness, who in the world could that be at this hour?¡± Grace muttered, wiping her hands on her apron as she hurried to answer the door.

    Howard stood on the doorstep, hefting two massive, crinkling bags overflowing with chips and candy. A brilliant, slightly nervous grin split his face. ¡°I¡¯m here to see my sister!¡±

    Grace took an involuntary step back, her eyes sweeping over the mboyant young man with deep suspicion. ¡°Who are you looking for, young man?¡±

    ¡®He¡¯s looking for his sister?¡® she thought warily. ¡®Could he be rted to one of the children?¡®

    ¡°Right! Introductions,¡± Howard said, dropping the bags with a soft thud and running a hand through his hair with practiced casualness. ¡°I¡¯m Howard Summers, an F1 driver.¡±

    An awkward silence settled over the courtyard.

    Across the yard, Sean¡¯s eyes locked onto the snack bags withser focus. He immediately began inching toward the prize with single¨Cminded purpose, sessfully maneuvering the bags into the shadows while everyone was distracted.

    By the time Howard processed the prolonged silence, his peace offering had vanished. ¡°Hey, you little thief! Those were for my sister,¡± Howard eximed, making a move as if to chase after Sean.

    ¡°Wait, sir!¡± Nina said, stepping swiftly between Howard and Sean. ¡°Who exactly are you looking for? Are you certain you have the correct address?¡± Nina was quick thinking despite her youth.

    ¡°This is the ce,¡± Howard insisted, shooting a fierce re toward Sean and forcibly reining in his anger. He took a calming breath. ¡°I sent her here yesterday. She¡¯s Olivia.¡±

    <b>12:10 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b>Oct <b>6 </b>

    At the mention of Olivia¡¯s name, Nina and Grace exchanged a silent, wary nce..

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    Grace¡¯s eyes swept over Howard. She had to admit, there was a slight resemnce around the eyes. But after being fooled by Gina¡¯s scheme, her trust was fragile. This could easily be another trick.

    Last time, she even had faked a DNA report and almost taken Olivia away if not for Olivia¡¯s sharp instincts. The old saying was right: once bitten, twice shy. She would not let her guard down around this young man iming to be a long¨Clost brother.

    ¡°Young man,¡± Grace said, her voice kind but firm, ¡°it¡¯s not wise to im family so quickly. Summers is amon enough name. Sharing a surname doesn¡¯t make you siblings.¡± She <i>kept </i>her tone gentle, hiding her fear of leading Olivia into another trap.

    ¡°I¡¯m not mistaken,¡± Howard insisted, frustration etching lines on his brow. He forced himself to modte his tone. ¡°I know she¡¯s my sister. Please, you have to believe me.¡±

    They were twins. The bond was different. When he first saw her, his heart just knew. It was pounding out of his chest. There was this voice in his head screaming, ¡°That¡¯s her!¡±

    And it was not just a feeling. She had the mark behind her ear, just like Ivy did. It was identical¨Cor almost identical.

    His grandfather had had a mystic read Ivy¡¯s fortunes based on it years ago. He remembered the fortune teller saying it was unique. No one else would have one.

    Nina spoke up again, her voice calm but persistent. ¡°Sir, do you have any proof? Anything tangible?¡± She watched his face closely, looking for any sign of deception. She knew Grace¡¯s fears, and she shared them.

    Howard¡¯s confident demeanor faltered. ¡®She was right. What did I really have? Except for a gut feeling and a glimpse of a birthmark?¡®

    Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He did have one thing!

    <b>***** </b>

    It was 9:35 AM when Olivia arrived at the Sailing Education Center. Brutal traffic had made Olivia exactly five minuteste.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m here for the prep ss. Olivia Summers,¡± she said, handing her enrollment papers to the man at the reception desk.

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 Blizzard 193

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    This clite SAT prep course was selective. It even required a letter of rmendation. Grace had gotten Troy to write one for Olivia.

    ¡°Alright,¡± the man at the desk said. He took the letter and typed Olivia¡¯s information into the system.

    He leaned in and lowered his voice. ¡°Just a heads¨Cup, today¡¯s teacher is Ms. Brown, and she has zero tolerance for students beingte. My advice? Apologize, keep your head down, and just let her get over it.¡±

    The man handed Olivia her student pass and pointed her toward the stairs to the second floor.

    ¡°Thanks, I got it.¡± Olivia nodded back politely.

    She hated studying and definitely didn¡¯t want some teacher breathing down her neck. But she waste, so she¡¯d have to suck it up.

    Since she¡¯d promised Grace she¡¯d take this seriously, she decided to just act like a normal student and follow the rules.

    As Grace went up the stairs, she could hear someone speaking fluent Englorian from a ssroom to her left.

    In the hallway, she ran into some guy in a suit¨Cprobably a course supervisor. He was clearly annoyed to see her just strolling in. ¡°You¡¯re just getting here now?¡± he snapped. ¡°Do you have any concept of time?

    ¡°The SAT doesn¡¯t give you extra minutes to waste. You think five minutes is nothing? You¡¯ve just thrown away valuable prep time.¡±

    Olivia let out a soft scoff. ¡®Seriously? It¡¯s five minutes, not the end of the world.

    But he wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°I have no patience for students like you with no respect for time. Do you have any idea that Ms. Brown is using her own break to teach this cram session? The least you could do is show some gratitude¡­¡±

    Olivia just gave him a side¨Ceye and kept walking, heading straight for the ssroom. He was left standing there, his mouth still half¨Copen. He nced around, relieved that no one had seen him get so thoroughly shut down.

    ¡®This kid¡¯s got some attitude, he thought. ¡®But whatever. I don¡¯t have to deal with her. Ms. Brown will eat her alive. I can¡¯t wait to see her get tossed out.

    Olivia walked to the ssroom door and gave it a light knock. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Got stuck in traffic.¡±

    The Englorian lesson screeched to a halt. The tiered ssroom went silent, and every pair of eyesnded on her. Olivia paid them no mind, heading for an empty seat in the back.

    ¡°Stop right there,¡± a sharp voicemanded from the front. The woman at the lectern pushed her sses up her nose. ¡°Did I say you coulde in?¡±

    Olivia paused, finally taking in the teacher. Her skin was rough and wrinkled. Behind a pair of red¨Cframed

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    sses, her eyes were small and beady. Her face was all sharp angles with high cheekbones and thin lips.

    ¡®She looks like a real piece of work,¡® Olivia thought. She instantly disliked her and felt a spark of annoyance. And this <b>is </b>supposed to be the best SAT prep course? Where¡¯d they find thisdy?¡®

    Olivia just ignored her and continued toward the back. But what happened next proved the teacher was even worse than she looked.

    ¡°Are you deaf, or are you ignoring me?¡± Hallie Brown snapped, mming her lecture notes on the desk. ¡°Now, get up here.¡±

    Hallie knew that some bumpkin had pulled strings to get into her ss. She didn¡¯t need to ask who. One nce at Olivia¡¯s cheap outfit, and she knew this had to be the one. Just seeing Olivia was enough to set her off.

    Hallie was a star teacher at Hirica Central High School, a big name in the city¡¯s education circles since her youth. Honestly, if the pay wasn¡¯t so ridiculously good, she never would have stooped to teaching a ss like this.

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    I have to be careful with these rich kids. I can¡¯t afford to piss them off, she thought. ¡®But some poor brat waltzes in herete? That¡¯s a p in the face. I have to teach her a lesson today!

    ¡°Why should I?¡± Olivia asked. She stood on the aisle steps, looking down on Hallie from above. Though her voice was quiet, it carried a surprising weight.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m the one in charge,¡± Hallie snapped, forgetting her lessonpletely as she red up at Olivia. ¡°You werete. You broke my rules. And now you have to face the consequences.¡±

    ¡®Consequences?¡® Olivia thought. She almostughed. ¡®Five minuteste, and I get consequences. What¡¯s next, detention for breathing wrong?¡®

    ¡°Alright,¡± Olivia said, tossing her ck bag onto an empty desk. She turned back to Hallie, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. ¡°So, what¡¯s it going to be?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t make this difficult,¡± Hallie said, pulling a book from her bag and dropping it on the floor. ¡°Copy this Englorian novel fifty times, and I¡¯ll let this go.¡± She jerked her chin at the book, telling Olivia to pick it up.

    A quiet shock went through the room. It would take a couple of days just to read that book, let alone copy it. They all knew Hallie was being brutal, but nobody was brave enough to say a word.

    Olivia didn¡¯t move. She just stood there, watching Hallie¡¯s little power trip unfold. She hated literature, and the thought of copying a whole book by hand was just absurd.

    Her eyes scanned the room, noting the thick stacks of paper on everyone else¡¯s desks¨Cthe Englorian study materials.

    It only took her a second to see the problem. The worksheets were full of basic vocabry and grammar. They were barely rted to the actual SAT. She realized Hallie was ripping everyone off.

    ¡°Are you deaf? Why are you still standing there?¡± Hallie demanded, her expression souring. ¡°If you don¡¯t do as I say, ss <b>is </b>over.¡±

    At that, a few students started to get anxious. Their parents had paid a fortune for this course.

    Hallie had been teaching graduating seniors for more than ten years. She was a legend who¡¯d supposedly even written questions for the real SAT.

    And on top of that, this was the only ss she was teaching. They couldn¡¯t afford to miss this opportunity. A few students started trying to reason with Olivia.

    ¡°Hey, just give in,¡± one of them whispered. ¡°Just say sorry to Ms. Brown.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we need this ss,¡± another added. ¡°The SAT is just a few months away. We can¡¯t have Ms. Brown walk

    out.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll help you with the writing,¡± another offered desperately. ¡°Just don¡¯t get the ss canceled.¡±

    The girl next to Olivia leaned in. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. Ms. Brown is paid by the minute,¡± she whispered. ¡°She has

    <b>12:10 </b><b>Mon</b>, Oct 6

    all the power here. If you get on her bad side, you¡¯re out. For good.¡±

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    After a heavy silence, Olivia started down the steps. A smug smile spread across Hallie¡¯s face. ¡®Doesn¡¯t matter who she thinks she is, she thought. ¡®In my ssroom, she has to bow down to me.

    A secondter, Hallie¡¯s smile froze. Olivia bent down, picked up the book, and then casually tossed it onto Hallie¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Parents paid a lot of money for you to teach,¡± Olivia said, her voice low and cutting. ¡°And this is what they¡¯re paying for? Wasting our time?¡±

    Hallie¡¯s jaw dropped. She couldn¡¯t believe Olivia had the nerve to talk back to her. In a blind rage, she swept the chalk box from her desk. It burst on the floor, coating the tips of Olivia¡¯s boots in a fineyer of white dust.

    Hallie¡¯s voice turned ugly,ced with pure contempt. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? Look at yourself. You¡¯re not worthy of being in my ssroom, bumpkin.

    ¡°My students get into top universities. Their families have money and influence. And you? You¡¯re a nobody, a charity case who thinks she can y with the big kids. <fn9df2> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? find[?]ovel</fn9df2>

    ¡°And even if I bothered to teach you, could you even keep up? I¡¯ve seen the files for everyone in this room. They all came in with solid SAT scores.¡±

    F

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 Blizzard 195

    Chapter <b>195 </b>

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    ¡°They¡¯re just here for onest push to get into a school like Kingtonelle University,¡± Hallie spat. ¡°But you? You didn¡¯t get into high school. What are you doing here? What gives you the right to even be in the same room?¡±

    In her mind, a star teacher like herself should only be teaching the best and brightest, not some bumpkin who never even went to high school. She felt it was embarrassing to have someone like Olivia in her ss.

    The other students were floored. From the way she carried herself, they¡¯d all pegged Olivia as being smart- quiet but sharp. They just assumed she was like them, shooting for a top like Kingtonelle University.

    It never urred to them she¡¯d never been to high school. Suddenly, she wasn¡¯t one of them anymore.

    They all knew Hallie¡¯s temper. To cross her on the first day, especially for someone like Olivia, was social suicide. Her time in this program was going to be a living hell.

    But Olivia¡¯s expression didn¡¯t flicker. She just kept her arms folded and waited for the performance to end.

    Seeing that Olivia wasn¡¯t taking the bait, Hallie¡¯s voice got even nastier. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what you had to do to get in here, especially dressed like that.¡±

    She gave Olivia a slow, insulting look from head to toe, a cruel smile ying on her lips. ¡°A shady deal, I guess? Some girls have no shame these days. Get out. You¡¯re wasting my time.¡± <fnd56c> Read full story at find{n}ovel</fnd56c>

    Then, Hallie turned on the rest of the students. ¡°Listen up, and listen good. My rules are simple: no one iste, and no one leaves early. In my ssroom, there are no second chances. You arete once, you are gone forever.

    ¡°You¡¯re all here because you want to get into a better college. Then you¡¯re going to act like you actually want to learn. Otherwise, you can join her on the way out.

    ¡°Your old SAT scores mean nothing to me. In this room, you all start at zero. The practice exam we¡¯re havingter will tell me who is actually worth my time. And believe me, I don¡¯t teach idiots.¡±

    Hallie kept lecturing, but the students just sat in silence, too scared to make a sound. It was clear this was her method: break them down until they were too scared to fight back.

    ¡®Seriously?¡® Olivia thought. ¡°They just sit here and take this crap?¡®

    A sly glint appeared in Olivia¡¯s eyes. She nodded sweetly and said, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I understand.¡±

    Hallie didn¡¯t expect Olivia to cave so fast. ¡®Am I seeing things? There¡¯s something creepy about the way this girl¡¯s looking at me¡­¡®

    But one look at Olivia¡¯s cheap outfit, and Hallie decided she was imagining it. She let out a cold snort. ¡°If you understand, then get out of my ssroom. Or do you want me to drag you out?¡±

    But Olivia wasn¡¯t leaving. Instead, she bent down, using a tissue to pick up the pieces of chalk from the floor. Then, she calmly uncapped the ss of water on Hallie¡¯s desk and dumped the entire mess inside.

    Olivia slid the now cloudy ss across the desk toward Hallie. A sweet smile yed on her lips. ¡°All that

    talking must have made you thirsty,¡± she said brightly. ¡°Drink up.¡±

    ±Ø²èð^

    Hallie and all the students gaped. Their minds were short¨Ccircuiting as they tried to process what had just happened.

    ¡°My ss!¡± Hallie finally shrieked, staring at the cloudy water in horror. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? That¡¯s an import from Engloria. It costs a thousand dors.

    She snatched the ss and frantically dumped the chalky water out. Her face was practically purple with rage as she red at Olivia. ¡°I knew it,¡± she hissed. ¡°You¡¯re a troublemaker, through and through.

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    ¡°With your grades, the only way you got in here was because someone pulled strings. We would never have epted trash like you otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I never imed to be a model student,¡± Olivia replied, tilting her head. ¡°My grades?¡± she repeated, her voice light. She hadn¡¯t expected Hallie to bring up her school record.

    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me. Your SSAT scores were aplete joke. It¡¯s embarrassing,¡± Hallie sneered. ¡°Forget the bad grades. You¡¯re just a rotten person. I don¡¯t know who raised you, but they did a terrible job.¡±

    The moment she mentioned family, the yful light in Olivia¡¯s eyes vanished, reced by pure ice. That was the one line people did not cross with her. The chalk in her hand crumbled to dust as she fixed Hallie with a cold, hard stare.

    A knot of fear tightened in Hallie¡¯s stomach. ¡°Wh¨Cwhat¡¯s with that look? Did I say something wrong?¡±

    ¡°You call yourself a teacher, huh?¡± A chilling light glinted in Olivia¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not a teacher. Teachers are supposed to teach. You¡¯re a predator who gets off on breaking students down because it makes you feel powerful.¡±

    Hallie flinched, but her pride wouldn¡¯t let her back down. ¡°How dare you!¡± she shrieked. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are to lecture me? Get out. Now.¡± She lunged, trying to shove Olivia out of the room.

    ¡°Hit a nerve?¡± Olivia caught her wrist, her grip like iron. Her gaze dropped to the test paper on the desk. ¡°And this is the material you prepared? You call yourself an SAT expert?¡±

    She shook off Hallie¡¯s hand and picked up the test paper. ¡°Question one,¡± she announced to the ss, ¡°is from the official SAT Study Guide, page 234, problem eight. <fnc84c> Fresh chapters posted on findnovel</fnc84c>

    ¡°Question seven is from the third state¨Cwide practice exam¡­ And the essay prompt? The College Board released that as a sample two years ago.¡±

    A chaotic rustle of paper swept the room. Voices erupted in shock.

    ¡°She¡¯s right. These really are just copied from the practice books. She didn¡¯t even change answer choices,¡± one student said.

    ¡°No way. Didn¡¯t Ms. Brown say she wrote this test herself?¡± another asked.

    ¡°Wait, so she just copied everything? This whole thing is a scam,¡± someone else chimed in.

    The murmuring grew louder. Up on the stage, the color drained from Hallie¡¯s face. This little brat is here to destroy me,¡® she thought in a panic.

    Thest trace of amusement vanished from Olivia¡¯s face, reced by pure disgust. ¡°You pass off this copy- paste garbage as your own work.

    ¡°And the material you were teaching earlier? It is useless for the actual SAT. Who made you think you could treat these students like crap?¡±

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    ¡°The first rule of being a professional is not letting your emotions affect your work, Olivia said as she shot a cold nce at Hallie. ¡°But I guess that¡¯s too much to expect from a two¨Cbit bully who only knows how to brown¨Cnose the wealthy.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense,¡± Hallie scoffed, trying to act bored. ¡°I¡¯m the teacher here, not you.¡±

    She forced herself to calm down and scanned the room. ¡°If you don¡¯t want <i>to </i>be in my ss, you can get out right now,¡± she screamed. ¡°But just so you know, there are no refunds.¡±

    The angry whispers died down. A smug smile crept back onto Hallie¡¯s face. She stared daggers at Olivia. ¡°This conversation is over. I don¡¯t care who got you in here. You¡¯re out.

    ¡°We have standards, and we don¡¯t ept students with your grades and your rotten attitude. Find another gutter to crawl into.¡±

    Olivia, who had no desire to stay another second anyway, justughed. ¡°Fine by me. Those are your words,

    not mine.¡±

    ¡°They are my words. Now, get the hell out,¡± Hallie screamed, looking like she was about to physically tear Olivia apart.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Olivia said with a shrug, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be here anyway.¡± She grabbed her bag and turned to leave.

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    ¡°She¡¯s not going anywhere,¡± a powerful voice dered from the hallway. The ssroom door was thrown

    open.

    An older man in a sharp, expensive suit strode in. Age had lined his face, but his posture was straight and his eyes were electric with intelligence.

    It was Troy. As the co¨Cfounder of the program, he had decided to stop by on the first day. He¡¯d partnered with Hirica Central High School to create a ce where kids could get the edge they needed to excel.

    He was also here on a personal mission from Grace: to keep an eye on Olivia. He¡¯d just arrived and was looking for her when he saw the same fascinating girl from the Shea family¡¯s party, currently in a standoff with the teacher.

    Troy was just in time to hear Hallie tell the girl to leave. A shock went through him.

    ¡®Is this woman insane?¡® he thought. ¡®That girl is a genius. Her skills are already good enough for a special early admission to Kingtonelle University¡¯s medical program. And this teacher is trying to kick her out?¡®

    The blood drained from Hallie¡¯s face. She might have contempt for her students, but the ckwell family was on another level entirely. They were gods in her world.

    The ckwells were giants in the education world, not just in Hirica but across the entire country of Clusia. Pissing them off was career suicide.

    Hallie scrambled to smooth over her panicked expression and hurried toward him, forcing a smile. ¡°Mr. ckwell. What an honor. I wasn¡¯t expecting you today.¡±

    Troy looked right past her as if she were a piece of furniture. His sharp gaze swept over the students. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Olivia Summers,¡± he said.

    Grace had told him all about Olivia, a young girl with medical knowledge far beyond her years. She was destined to be a world¨Cfamous doctor. The description alone had captured Troy¡¯s interest.

    ¡°Looking for me?¡± Olivia asked, one eyebrow raised.

    Troy stared at her,pletely thrown. ¡®Her?¡® he wondered, his mind reeling. ¡°This is Olivia? Grace¡¯s granddaughter?¡®

    It took a second for the pieces to click together. ¡®Of course,¡® he thought, a slow realization dawning on him. ¡®It had to be her. A girl that young with that much talent¡­ Who else but Grace could produce someone so remarkable?¡®

    Halliepletely misread the situation. She assumed Troy was here to back her up, and her arrogance surged back. She red at Olivia and snapped, ¡°Are you still here? Stop being an eyesore and get out. You¡¯re bothering Mr. ckwell.¡±

    After all, the ckwell family paid her a fortune. In her mind, that meant they were on her side.

    Olivia¡¯s eyes flicked between Hallie and Troy, her mouth set in a grim line. ¡°Are you on the same side?¡±

    12:11 <b>Mon</b><b>, </b>Oct 6

    Hallie lifted her chin proudly. ¡°Of course we-¡±

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    ¡°Of course not,¡± Troy snapped, cutting her off. He turned a warm, fatherly smile on Olivia. ¡°I¡¯m on your side.

    He guided Olivia toward a seat, speaking to her in a low, gentle voice. ¡°Olivia, your grandmother and I go way back. The doors to this program will always be open for you. You are wee here anytime-<b>¡± </b>

    Hallie couldn¡¯t stand it. She interrupted, her voice high and strained. ¡°Mr. ckwell, you don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s done. This girl has no respect.

    ¡°She waste, she was rude, and she doesn¡¯t even have a high school diploma. She will destroy the elite reputation we have worked so hard to build.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with Olivia wanting an education?¡± Troy gave Hallie a cold stare. ¡°Is that all you care about? Reputation? Your job is to teach, not protect your image.¡± <fn503c> The source of th?s content is f?ndnovel</fn503c>

    ¡°And you would crucify a student for being stuck in traffic? Where is your decency, Ms. Brown?¡±

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    <b>10 </b>vouchers

    A few minuteste. Troy thought in disbelief, ¡®and she wants to blow the whole thing up? Hiring her was <b>a </b>serious mistake.

    The students started whispering among themselves. Hallie felt a hot flush of humiliation creep up her neck. Thinking fast, she changed her strategy.

    ¡°Mr. ckwell, if you¡¯re going to y favorites, I can¡¯t stop you,¡± she said, her voice dripping with false sincerity. ¡°But she is a stain on this institution.

    ¡°What happens when she takes the SAT and fails? It¡¯ll be a ck mark on our record. So let me be clear, Mr. ckwell. It¡¯s her or me. This program isn¡¯t big enough for both of us.¡±

    Troy frowned. He was in a tough spot. He waspletely on Olivia¡¯s side, but he was still responsible for the other students.

    On one hand, Hallie was an expensive hire, and firing her would be a costly headache. On the other hand, Olivia waspletely in the right.

    Troy knew why Olivia never went to high school. And he knew it was the fault of two assholes from the Sherman family.

    They had stolen her chance at a normal education. With Olivia¡¯s brilliant mind, Troy had no doubt she would have excelled at any high school she chose.

    Olivia saw the conflict on Troy¡¯s face. After a moment¡¯s thought, she turned to Hallie. ¡°So, what do you want?¡±

    ¡°You see that, Mr. ckwell? That¡¯s the disrespect I¡¯m talking about.¡± Olivia¡¯s calm question only made Hallie angrier. ¡°In all my years, I have never encountered a student with such aplete and utterck of respect.¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Troy snapped, mming his hand on the desk. His patience was gone. ¡°Olivia is trying to give you a way out of this, so stop the drama. Let me make myself clear: I will fire you before I allow her to leave this program.¡±

    A wave of shock silenced the ssroom. No one could understand who Olivia was to make Troy defend her like that. Some even started to wonder if Olivia was a secret daughter of the ckwell family.

    Troy pinned Hallie with an icy stare. ¡°Either do your job or get out. Believe me, there¡¯s a long line of teachers who would kill for your spot.¡±

    Troy had made up his mind. ¡®Losing Hallie is nothing,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I can hire another teacher tomorrow. But finding a genius like Olivia¡¯s? That¡¯s impossible.

    ¡®Besides, Hallie started this whole thing. And instead of admitting she was wrong, she tries to threaten me with quitting? Seriously? In a country of over a billion people, she thinks I can¡¯t find another Englorian tutor?¡®

    Troy¡¯s words hit Hallie like a physical p, making her head spin. ¡®Did I hear him right?¡® she thought, panicking. ¡®He¡¯s really going to fire me over this little brat? No. No way!

    ¡°That ispletely unfair, Mr. ckwell,¡± Hallie shrieked. ¡°You can¡¯t just fire me to shut me up. It doesn¡¯t

    <b>651 </b>

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    change the fact that she never went to high school. If you let her stay, this elite SAT prep course bes aughingstock.¡±

    The students started whispering again, their voices filled with doubt. <fnbe39> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on F¦Énd£Îovel</fnbe39>

    ¡°Ms. Brown¡¯s right¡­ This is a prep course for top scorers. Why is a person who never went to high school here?¡± one of them muttered.

    ¡°Exactly. She hasn¡¯t even taken the sses we have. How is she going to keep up? She¡¯s dragging us all down,¡± another chimed in.

    But another voice cut through. ¡°Are we forgetting she¡¯s the one who exposed that the test was a fraud? She seems to know the material better than the teacher¡­¡±

    ¡°Ms. Brown, you-¡± Troy clutched at his heart, feeling his blood pressure skyrocket. ¡°What is your endgame here?¡±

    ¡®What is Hallie¡¯s problem?¡® he thought. ¡®Why is she so determined to destroy Olivia?¡®

    Ìï

 Blizzard 199

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to protect my own reputation,¡± Hallie said, folding her arms.

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    10 vouchers

    She shot Olivia a look of pure contempt and continued, ¡°I simply don¡¯t believe someone who never went to high school can handle the SAT. It¡¯s better to end the course to cut your losses now before you publicly humiliate yourself.¡±

    Troy was speechless with rage. ¡®How the hell did we hire this woman?¡®

    Seeing how worked up Troy was getting, Olivia worried he might burst a blood vessel. She put a calming hand on his arm, a silent signal to let it go.

    Then, she turned to Hallie and asked, ¡°What makes you so sure I can¡¯t handle the SAT?¡±

    ¡°Do you even have to ask?¡± Hallie said, giving Olivia an insulting look from head to toe. ¡°Look at you. I¡¯m surprised you can afford your next meal, let alone a top¨Ctier education.¡±

    Olivia nced down at herself. It looked fine to her. She was wearing a gray mid¨Clength puffer coat and light blue jeans. That was a totally normal, casual outfit. She had no clue why Hallie thought this screamed ¡°broke.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Olivia asked with a soft, dangerousugh. ¡°And what if I can?¡±

    ¡°If you can prove you¡¯re that good, I¡¯ll quit. I won¡¯t teach Englorian here ever again.¡± Hallie sneered. ¡°Not only that, but I will retire from the field of education for the rest of my life.

    ¡°And if you can¡¯t? You will get out of this ssroom and make a formal, public apology to me. And you must make a written statement that you will never take the SAT exam.¡±

    A wave of shocked gasps swept through the room. The bet was insane.

    Hallie was a legend in her field. She was nearing retirement, but her name still carried immense weight. To quit under these circumstances would be to end her entire career in disgrace.

    But for Olivia, the stakes were infinitely higher. Without the SAT, the door to every famous university would be mmed, locked, and bolted forever.

    A good university wasn¡¯t the only way to seed in life. But it was the most reliable path. And for most people, it was the only one that mattered.

    A fresh wave of whispers rippled through the ssroom as the students stared at Olivia with a mixture of disbelief and pity.

    ¡°No way she takes that bet, right? Even if she¡¯s smart enough for the SAT, she can¡¯t risk losing her chance to even take it,¡± one said.

    ¡°Exactly. And making an enemy of Ms. Brown is a death sentence. I heard her family is a big deal¡­¡± another. whispered.

    ¡°Man, picking a fight with a teacher on day one. It¡¯s legendary,¡± someone muttered.

    12:11 Mon, <b>Oct </b><b>6</b><b>. </b>

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    The whispers didn¡¯t faze Olivia in the slightest. She stood calmly beside Troy, toying with the pendant at her

    throat.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, her voice clear and even. ¡°I ept your terms.¡±

    Hallie¡¯s eyes lit up with triumph. ¡°Mr. ckwell, you heard her. She agreed. You are a man of integrity, and I trust you won¡¯t interfere. All these students are witnesses.¡± <fn2da0> This text is hosted at find[?]ovel</fn2da0>

    Troy felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He was cornered. With a heavy heart, he nodded. As much as he wanted to save Olivia from this, the bet was made in public. His hands were tied.

    ¡°Olivia, think about this,¡± Troy pleaded, grabbing her hand. ¡°This is your future we¡¯re talking about. It¡¯s not a game.¡±

    ¡®Grace told me to watch out for Olivia so she could take the SAT, not get banned from it forever,¡¯ Troy thought, panicking. ¡®How am I going to exin this to her?¡®

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Olivia reassured him calmly. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± To her, the SAT was hardly a real challenge.

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    <b>Chapter </b>200

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    Curtis, who had been silent behind Troy, finally spoke up. ¡°Grandpa, trust her. Olivia can do it. <fn30c2> Find the newest release on Find[?]ovel</fn30c2>

    Olivia nced back at him, a flicker of a genuine smile touching her lips. ¡°See? He gets it.¡±

    Troy shot Curtis a furious look and gave him a sharp kick on the ankle. ¡°What do you know?¡± he hissed, lowering his voice. ¡°Forplicated reasons, Olivia never went to high school.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a genius, but you know as well as I do how hard that curriculum is.¡±

    The academic leap from middle school to high school was massive. Students who were straight¨CA geniuses in eighth grade often struggled to just pass their sses as freshmen.

    Curtis didn¡¯t care about the kick. He couldn¡¯t speak to her other academic skills, but he had zero doubts about Olivia and the SAT. Her medical knowledge was staggering, which meant math and science would be a cakewalk.

    And anyone who could memorize thousands of herbal remedies andplex chemical forms had to have a photographic memory. The reading and writing sections would be no match for her.

    But still, Troy couldn¡¯t shake the heavy feeling of dread that had settled in his heart.

    ¡°Such a fool,¡± Hallie sneered. ¡°Since you¡¯re so eager to fail, I¡¯ll make the terms simple. Like everyone else, you will take today¡¯s diagnostic exam.

    ¡°It was designed by our top instructors to be slightly more challenging than the real SAT. My demand is this: all you have to do is score in the top twenty percent of this ss. That¡¯s it. Manage that, and I will concede.¡±

    She tilted her chin up, a look of absolute certainty on her face. She was going to destroy Olivia.

    The top twenty percent meant cracking the top ten. For any normal student, that would be a challenge. For a person who never went to high school, it was unthinkable.

    Every single student in this room was a top performer, the best of the best from their schools. Just making it into the top half of this ss was a major aplishment.

    The room buzzed with the impossible terms.

    ¡°Top twenty percent? So, she needs to get into the top ten? No way.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Brown¡¯s being a little unfair, isn¡¯t she? That¡¯s not a challenge. It¡¯s an execution. There¡¯s no way someone who didn¡¯t even go to high school can pull that off.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ She seems pretty confident. Maybe she really can do it.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. As long as we don¡¯t have to listen to a lecture, I¡¯m good.¡±

    Troy thought this had gone way too far and started to protest, but Olivia ced a calming hand on his arm, stopping him.

    <b>12:11 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b>Oct 6

    She calmly tucked her hair behind her ear, her focus entirely on Hallic. ¡°I ept,¡± she said.

    ¡°If I score in the top ten, we¡¯ll go with your terms,¡± Olivia said, a ghost of a smile ying on her lips. ¡°However, I have a few conditions of my own.

    ¡°If I make the top five, you¡¯ll do everything you said. And you will issue a formal, public apology to every single student you¡¯ve been mean to.

    ¡°And if I make the top three, in addition to all of that, you will personally return every single award for teaching excellence you have ever received.¡±

    Olivia took a step closer, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper that only Hallie could hear. ¡°Because you are not worthy of them.¡±

    ¡°You-¡± Hallie choked, her face flushing a deep red. ¡°That is insane.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Olivia asked, tilting her head. A look of pure contempt shed in her eyes. ¡°Are you afraid you¡¯ll lose?¡± That was the final straw. ¡°Afraid?¡± Hallie scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of anything. Fine. I ept. I ept it all.¡±

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    <b>12:11 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>6 </b>

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    The exam started momentster. Troy and Hallie patrolled the aisles like wardens, while Curtis monitored a bank of screens in the security office. With that much surveince, cheating wasn¡¯t just risky. It was impossible.

    The first section of the exam was Englorian. As Hallie dropped the test booklet on Olivia¡¯s desk, she scoffed. ¡°I wrote this section myself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad when you can¡¯t answer a single question. Just turn in your nk sheet and save us all some time.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Brown,¡± Troy said, his voice sharp and low. ¡°This is a timed exam. Do not distract the students.¡±

    Hallie walked away awkwardly.

    ¡°Pace yourself,¡± Troy murmured as he passed Olivia¡¯s seat. ¡°Read everything carefully. There¡¯s no rush.¡± <fndf2e> For original chapters go to find?novel</fndf2e>

    Olivia gave a slight nod, but the pen in her hand was a blur, flying across the answer sheet.

    A cruel, knowing smirk spread across Hallie¡¯s face as she watched from the front of the room. ¡®Look at her go, she thought with satisfaction. ¡®Pure panic. She¡¯s not even reading the questions, just filling in bubbles at random.¡®

    Troy¡¯s stomach twisted into knots. ¡®Olivia, please, slow down,¡® he thought. ¡®You have more than enough time. Just think.¡¯

    Olivia was moving so fast that even the students sitting near her were getting distracted. They started muttering under their breath.

    ¡°What¡¯s her deal? Is she pretending to be some kind of genius?¡±

    ¡°Dude, the way she¡¯s flipping those pages¡­ Is she trying to psych us out?¡±

    ¡°I get it if you don¡¯t know the answers, but why put on a show? It¡¯s throwing off my focus.¡±

    ¡°Silence,¡± Troymanded, tapping his hand on a desk.

    The room quieted down, the only sound being the scratching of pens on paper. Olivia never stopped. She finished the entire Englorian section in exactly one hour.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready for the next section,¡± Olivia announced, raising her hand. Her face was perfectly calm, as if she¡¯d justpleted a crossword puzzle.

    Every pen in the room stopped moving. All the heads turned to stare at her in stunned disbelief. They didn¡¯t know whether she was a genius or a lunatic. The fastest student in the ss wasn¡¯t even halfway done.

    Hallie happily handed her the math section of the exam. She was utterly convinced that Olivia wouldn¡¯t be able to answer a single question.

    <b>12:11 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b>6

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    Troy, however, was growing more worried. Olivia¡¯s speed was unnatural, and it was starting to terrify him.

    With the math problems, Olivia¡¯s pace became almost inhuman. To Olivia, the problems were nothing more than elegant puzzles. She didn¡¯t solve them. She broke them down, finishing the entire section in just under an hour.

    In the security office, Curtis watched the monitors with a smile. Propping his chin on his hand, his eyes were filled with pure admiration. If anything, he thought Olivia was taking her sweet time.

    ¡°Next section, please,¡± Olivia said, letting out a rxed stretch and idly spinning her pen.

    A fresh wave of disbelief rippled through the ssroom. Most of them were still sweating over the Englorian passages, and she was already moving on to the third part of the test.

    Troy had given up on understanding. He numbly waved a hand at the proctors. ¡°Give her the papers.¡±

    This mock exam was supposed to be an all¨Cday affair. It wasn¡¯t even noon, and Olivia was two sections down. At this rate, the entire test would be a wrap by mid¨Cafternoon.

    The proctors simply gave Olivia all the remaining sections at once. At 1:30 PM, she put her pen down. She was finished.

    Troy personally sealed Olivia¡¯s answer sheet in arge envelope and held it high for the ss. ¡°For the record,¡± he announced, ¡°this exam has been sealed without interference. It is being delivered directly to the graders

    now.¡±

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    He had a staff member escort the envelope to the scoring office, ensuring a clear chain of custody. This public disy was for Olivia¡¯s sake¨Cto silence any whispers of cheating before they could begin.

    Olivia let out a long,zy stretch and stood up, ready to leave. All that writing had made her hungry. It was time for lunch.

    ¡°Hold it,¡± Hallie snapped, her eyes cold as she watched Olivia head for the door. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? I never dismissed you.¡±

    ¡°Lunch,¡± Olivia said, not even bothering to turn around. She leaned casually against the wall, her backpack slung over her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s one¨Cthirty. I¡¯m hungry. Any objections?¡±

    ¡°You-¡± Hallie began, but the word died in her throat as she caught the murderous look in Troy¡¯s eyes. She instantly fell silent.

    ¡°Olivia, I¡¯ll have Curtis take you to lunch,¡± Troy said, his warm smile returning as he took her hand. ¡°We have a cafeteria here. But if you don¡¯t like it, just have him take you somewhere nice.¡±

    Olivia smiled. ¡°That sounds great. Thank you, Mr. ckwell.¡±

    Curtis was already waiting by the door, a striking figure in a tailored white suit. He adjusted his gold¨Crimmed sses, his gaze soft as it settled on Olivia.

    He had everyone¡¯s attention. A wave of excited whispers broke out among the girls in the ss.

    ¡°Wow, he¡¯s gorgeous. Is that her boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°No freaking way. That¡¯s who she¡¯s dating?¡±

    ¡°That suit, that watch¡­ He has to be the heir of some crazy rich family.¡±

    Even Hallie found herself momentarily captivated by his charm.

    As Troy watched Curtis and Olivia fall into step together, he thought they looked like a perfectly matched set. He nodded with deep satisfaction.

    ¡®It would be wonderful if Curtis could win her over, he thought. ¡®Grace and I are already so close. This would be the ultimate family alliance!

    Meanwhile, the students who had just finished the first two sections of the exam were packing up their things. Their whispers followed the couple out the door.

    ¡°Okay, not gonna lie, they look amazing together.¡±

    ¡°And their height difference is perfect. It¡¯s like they¡¯re walking a red carpet.¡±

    ¡°Wait, he¡¯s a ckwell, right?¡±

    12:11 Mon<b>, </b>Oct 6

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    Tm so jealous. The ckwells are basically royalty in Hirica, Can you imagine marrying into a family like <fn36eb> Readplete version only at f¦É?dn¦Ïvel</fn36eb>

    that?

    Curtis overheard the gossip, and his smile grew wider. This was music to his ears.

    ¡°Ms. Summers,¡± he said, turning his head slightly to look at Olivia. ¡°Where can I take you for lunch? The cafeteria is an option, of course, but I know a few excellent ces nearby. The choice is yours.¡±

    Troy had asked him to do this, but Curtis was more than happy to escort Olivia himself.

    As they stepped into the biting wind, Olivia instinctively pulled her jacket tighter. ¡°Cafeteria¡¯s fine, she mumbled into her cor. ¡°Anything is fine.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s freezing out here, she thought, ncing at Curtis. ¡®Is he really not cold in just a suit<b>? </b>

    ¡°As you wish,¡± Curtis said.

    Meanwhile, back at Willow Lane, Howard was at his breaking point. Grace and Nina had been interrogating him for hours on end.

    These two are the most suspicious people I have ever met,¡® he thought, his head spinning. They¡¯ve been grilling me all morning. At this point, the only thing they haven¡¯t asked me is the color of my boxers.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Howard pleaded, his voice cracking with fatigue. ¡°Do you believe me yet?¡±

    Nina leaned into Grace¡¯s ear. ¡°His story hasn¡¯t changed once,¡± she whispered. ¡°I think he¡¯s telling the truth. What if he really is Olivia¡¯s brother?¡±

    Grace wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡®He¡¯s earnest, she thought. ¡®But he has no real proof. It¡¯s just a feeling on his part.¡®

    ¡°Alright,¡± Grace announced, cutting the tension. ¡°Let¡¯s break for lunch.¡±

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    Grace changed the subject. She said, ¡°It¡¯s already past one o¡¯clock; everyone must be starving by now.

    At the mention of food, Sean got excited, dropped the potato chips in his hand, and rushed over.

    Howard¡¯s expression darkened, his gaze growing colder. He said, ¡°After all I¡¯ve said, you still don¡¯t believe me.

    Grace let out a sigh and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but you haven¡¯t provided anything convincing. I really can¡¯t believe you just based on your words.¡±

    Howard suppressed his anger and said, ¡°How can nothing be convincing? Her hair, her blood, and mine¨Cany of these can be used for a DNA test to prove it. What exactly are you being <i>so </i>difficult about?¡±

    His patience had beenpletely exhausted over the past few hours. He could not understand why Grace remained so obstinate; she refused and would not permit him to meet Olivia.

    Grace said, ¡°DNA results can be falsified as well.¡±

    For a moment, Howard was at a loss for words and did not know what to say. He thought, ¡®Grace must have been burned before to say something like that¨CI can¡¯t me her. How am I supposed to prove Olivia¡¯s identity? Wait, the pendant.¡®

    Their family had two matching crystal pendants custom¨Cmade for Howard and Ivy. His was a small four¨Cleaf- clover charm. Hers was a delicate horseshoe, points up. <fn35cb> Chapters first released on FindN()vel</fn35cb>

    Howard said, ¡°She should be wearing a pendant: a delicate horseshoe, points facing upward, engraved with the word ¡®Summers.¡°¡±

    He took the pendant from around his neck and showed it to Grace. He added, ¡°It looks almost identical to this -think carefully, have you seen it before?¡±

    When Howard and Ivy were born, Samuelmissioned a master crystal¨Ccutter to create these two pendants. He chose wless, museum¨Cgrade crystal, and the artisan spent three full months hand¨Ccarving every facet.

    There wasn¡¯t¨Cthere never would be¨Ca third piece like them anywhere in the world.

    Most importantly, only members of the Summers family were aware that these pendants existed. Over the years, plenty of people hade forward iming to be Ivy, but every single one fell short.

    Beyond failed DNA tests, the missing pendant was the decisive proof none of them could produce.

    Grace¡¯s mind went nk, and she suddenly looked up at Howard. The sunlight blurred her vision, and gradually, the faces of Howard and Olivia merged into one.

    She thought, ¡®All the pieces fit: he described the pendant down to the smallest detail, and the resemnce between them is uncanny¨Cthis can¡¯t be a mere coincidence.¡®

    After a long silence, Grace said softly, ¡°You are right; she does indeed have such a pendant.¡±

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    At that moment, Howard¡¯s mind went nk, as if an electric current had surged through <b>him</b>. All sound faded

    away.

    He dropped into a crouch, eyes reddening, and whispered, I¡¯ve found Ivy. I knew it¨Cfrom the very <b>first </b>second I saw her, she felt like home.¡±

    Howard felt that Heaven had been guiding him all along. He had never trusted the investigations Samuel and Charles carried out; he trusted only his own gut. And now the results proved his instinct right: Olivia was Ivy.

    Howard wanted to see Olivia at once and tell her, ¡°I¡¯m your brother¨CI¡¯vee to take you home.¡±

    Over the years, Howard had flown around the globe forpetitions, hoping to pick up any news of Ivy. A major reason was his deep irritation with ine.

    Not long after Ivy went missing, Elliot insisted on bringing ine home to raise her, regardless of how strongly his sons had opposed it at the time.

    Howard thought, ¡®Ivy is irreceable. Now that Ivy has been found, let¡¯s see how Elliot and ine will handle themselves.

    Just then, Grace said, ¡°It is only a pendant. You have never seen it before, so how can you be so certain? What if you are mistaken?¡±

    Howard rose to his feet and said, ¡°It can¡¯t be a mistake¨Cthe pendant¡¯s design is one of a kind. If it looks familiar to you, then you must have seen its mate.

    ¡°Has Olivia worn that pendant since childhood? Was she wearing it when you saw her? And what clothes was she dressed in when you first met her?¡±

    Grace gently pulled him to sit down and said, ¡°Young man, calm down and let me exin slowly.¡±

    Nina brought Howard a cup of coffee and, tactfully, withdrew to the kitchen to cook.

    Grace recounted to Howard everything Olivia had endured in Magnolia Town¨Chow she lost her memory after escaping the fire and waster adopted by the Sherman family.

    An indescribable ache rose from the depths of Howard¡¯s heart, caught in his throat, and froze into a sigh he could not release.

    His eyelids lowered, gaze fixed on the tiny teardrops glistening on the back of his hand before they slipped away. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed once, as if swallowing the pain in silence.

    He thought, ¡®How much has Ivy suffered? She should have grown up surrounded by love, doted on by all of us. It¡¯s our fault¨Cwe failed her. We should have found her sooner.

    Grace said, ¡°The Shermans were even worse. The moment their own daughter came back, they threw Olivia out. And William¨Che sold her for a mere hundred and fifty thousand dors.

    ¡°If Olivia hadn¡¯t been clever enough to escape, God knows what would have be of her.¡± At that point, her heart clenched even tighter.

    12:12 Mon<b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>6 </b>

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    Howard mmed the table, extremely agitated. He snapped, ¡°Are you saying that the good¨Cfor¨Cnothing from the Sherman family sold Ivy? Who was she sold to?¡±

    He thought, ¡°That bastard William¨Che sold Ivy. She¡¯s the treasure of the Summers family!

    Grace said, ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. It seems to be some kind ofboratory, but I don¡¯t know exactly what they do. All I know is that after Olivia came back from there, she seemed like apletely different person.

    ¡°She must have endured inhuman torment there. But since she does not wish to speak of it, I will not force her.¡±

    Olivia had once been cheerful and lively, radiating the warmth of a little sun. But after escaping thatb and returning, she grew withdrawn and gloomy, indifferent to everything around her.

    She stayed on edge even while asleep¨Csleeping lightly, muscles tensed, as if expecting danger at any

    moment.

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    Grace surmised that Olivia must have endured terrible mistreatment in theb, and her heart ached for the girl. She thought, ¡®Why on earth would the heavens treat such a kind young soul this way?¡¯

    Howard felt both distressed and surprised. He realized theb Grace talked about was NecroFlora Labs.

    NecroFlora Labs was founded by a cabal of rogue scientists who conduct human¨Ccloning research, develop imntable neural chips, and engineer deadly pathogens. To them, human beings were merely test subjects for horrific experiments.

    Howard thought, ¡®It is evident how much suffering Ivy has endured.¡¯

    Suddenly, Nina¡¯s voice broke the sorrowful atmosphere. She called out, ¡°Dinner is ready.¡±

    Several dishes were arranged on the dining table, each exquisite and visually appealing.

    Sean had been hungry for some time and was happily gnawing on a chicken drumstick in his hand.

    Howard asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t he eat two bags of snacks already?¡± He had prepared them especially for Olivia, but in the end, Sean finished them all.

    Nina said, ¡°Sean has quite an appetite; it¡¯s normal to eat more when you¡¯re growing.¡± She then gently pinched Sean¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°If Olivia finds out you snuck so many snacks, she¡¯ll definitely be angry.¡±

    Although Olivia tended to indulge Sean, she didn¡¯t like letting him eat too many snacks, saying they weren¡¯t good for him.

    Howard could not eat; his mind was entirely upied with thoughts of Ivy. He asked, ¡°Grace, do you have any childhood photos of Ivy¨COlivia when she was young?¡±

    Grace pulled Howard to sit down and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first¡ªyou can¡¯t fight on an empty stomach. After dinner, I¡¯ll show you the pictures.¡±

    Grace was already seventy to eighty percent sure Howard was Olivia¡¯s brother, yet the final confirmation could wait a few minutes; a brief dy would not affect their schedule, so she suggested they eat first.

    Howard wolfed down his food and, still chewing, blurted out, ¡°Can I see it now?¡±

    Grace smiled and shook her head. She set down the bowl in her hand, entered the room, and took out a photo album.

    The photo album was small and thin, containing only a few pictures, most of which were of Olivia.

    Grace opened the album and set it in front of Howard. She said, ¡°Olivia¡¯s never liked being photographed. Even these few shots were a trade¨CI had to bribe her with cheese sticks before she¡¯d stand still for the

    camera.¡±

    As soon as Olivia¡¯s childhood photos appeared, Howard¡¯s eyes filled with tears. He thought, ¡®She¡¯s Ivy¨CI don¡¯t need a DNA test.

    14:05 Tue<b>, </b><b>Oct </b>7

    :

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    In the slightly blurry photo, Olivia¡¯s eyes sparkled at the sight of sweets¨Cbright, cager, cheese crumbs still on her cheeks, her hair in two little braids fastened with ribbons Cheney had made. Adorable and a little dazed all at once.

    Howard thought, ¡®Everyone says ine and Ivy look alike, but they¡¯re nothing alike. Here she is¨Cright here in the photo¨Cmy dear sister, Ivy!

    He retrieved the photos stored on his mobile phone andpared them with the printed photos. Apart from the difference in clothing, there was no distinction whatsoever in appearance or temperament. He thought, ¡®It is indeed her. I found her.¡®

    Howard felt his eyes grow moist and immediately took out his phone to call Samuel. He found a quiet ce,posed himself, and dialed the phone number of the Summers Corporation.

    Before Olivia could be brought home, Howard knew he had to y it safe, so he decided to speak to Samuel first. He thought, ¡®There are quite a few in the Summers family who don¡¯t want Ivy back¨CDad may feel the

    same.¡®

    The call was transferred through several people before finally reaching Samuel¡¯s office.

    Inside the chairman¡¯s office, Samuel sat back in his chair, idly sipping coffee. Remembering Ivy at home was too painful, so he hade to the office just to be somewhere else.

    With every operational matter already delegated to Charles, he was now only a figurehead; no one disturbed him.

    Just then, David pushed the door open and entered, looking somewhat uneasy. He said, ¡°Mr. Summers.¡±

    Samuel said, ¡°Say what you have to say.¡±

    David reported, ¡°ine is here. She said she wants to apologize for what happenedst time, and she has prepared some soup for you to try.¡±

    Before David could finish speaking, the phone¨Cwhich had never rung before¨Csuddenly rang.

    Samuel answered the phone immediately; never before had he felt so grateful for this call.

    On the other end, Howard eximed, ¡°Hello, Grandpa, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Samuel replied, ¡°Hey, what kind of mischief have you been up to this time? Tell me, how much do you need this time?<b>¡± </b>

    He had long since grown ustomed to Howard gallivanting around the world, and he assumed the boy only came looking for him when the fun was over and the money had run out.

    Although Howard was yful, his sweet¨Ctalking made Samuel quite fond of him.

    Howard asked, ¡°Grandpa, is there anyone with you over there?¡±

    Samuel gestured for David to lock the door, then whispered, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    <b>14:05 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b>7

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    The office was well soundproofed and the phone encrypted, making cavesdropping impossible. Utterly devoted to Samuel, David would never breathe a word to outsiders.

    Howard said, ¡°Grandpa, hold on. Please don¡¯t be rmed by what I¡¯m about to say. I found Ivy.¡±

    Samuel was momentarily stunned, and his phone nearly fell. He asked urgently, ¡°You found Ivy? Really? Where is she¨Cno, where are you? Is she doing well? Is she eating well?<b>¡± </b>

    Howard replied, ¡°I am in Hirica. She has endured great hardship. Fortunately, she encountered a group of kind people. She hasn¡¯t gone astray.¡±

    He then turned to look at Grace and the others. He thought, ¡®Without them, Ivy¡¯s life would <i>be </i>even more difficult.¡® He was sincerely grateful to Grace and the others for protecting Olivia.

    Samuel said, ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯lle right now. I want to see Ivy.¡±

    Howard said, ¡°Grandpa, your health is not good. You have only just returned to Kingtonelle; please do not overexert yourself. Listen to me. In fact, you have already met Ivy¨Cyou just did not recognize her.¡±

    Samuel shot back, ¡°Nonsense. If I saw Ivy, how could I possibly fail to recognize her?¡± As he spoke, he searched his memory for girls he had met who were about the same age as his Ivy.

    Howard said, ¡°Ivy is none other than Olivia, the very person who treated your illness.¡±

    He grumbled to himself, ¡®Grandpa and Charles are so dense. They¡¯d already met Ivy but failed to recognize her. When I told them Olivia was Ivy, they wouldn¡¯t believe me.¡¯

    Samuel¡¯s phone slipped from his hand and thudded to the floor. He stood frozen, mouth ajar, unable to speak for a long moment.

 Blizzard 205

    After a long pause, Samuel finally remembered to pick up the phone.

    20 vouchers

    Advanced in age, Samuel kept his phone volume high, so David heard every word Howard had said¨Cthough he was less stunned than Samuel.

    David thought, ¡®Did I hear that right? Ivy is the girl who saved Mr. Summers? This has to be fate.

    Samuel sank into the grand master¡¯s chair, still dazed. He muttered, ¡°No wonder she felt so familiar¨Cshe¡¯s my granddaughter. I was a fool; she was right beside me and I didn¡¯t see it.¡±

    Just then, a few knocks sounded at the door.

    ine stood outside the office door, holding a thermal container in her hand. She called out, ¡°Grandfather, I was at faultst time. Please do not be upset with me. I have specially prepared some soup for you; would you please have some?¡±

    She grumbled inwardly, ¡®If Dad hadn¡¯t insisted, I wouldn¡¯t havee. I¡¯ve been standing here for ages without anyone greeting me, and now, with everyone watching, I¡¯m mortified.

    Hearing ine¡¯s voice, Samuel finally came to his senses. He picked up the phone and said, ¡°Howard, take good care of Ivy. I will be there right away.¡±

    Howard said, ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t. I can handle it myself.¡± He was genuinely worried; if anything happened to Samuel, Charles would kill him.

    Samuel replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can endure it. Even if I die, I want to see our Ivy first. Don¡¯t tell Charles about my trip to Hirica¨Cno need to worry him.¡±

    After speaking, he hung up the phone and looked over at David. He ordered, ¡°Prepare the car. I am going to Hirica. Just tell others that I am going to purchase coffee beans.¡±

    He thought, ¡®In their eyes, I¡¯m just an entric old man¨Cwhatever odd thing I do never seems out of ce.

    David nodded repeatedly and replied, ¡°Understood. I will make the arrangements immediately.¡±

    Samuel was shrewd; he knew no information could be allowed to leak before Olivia was brought home. Should anyone with ulterior motives overhear, they might <i>try </i>to stop her from returning.

    Samuel picked up his coat and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± But as soon as he opened the door, the smile on his face disappeared.

    ine stood at the doorway in a tailored dress and patent¨Cleather shoes, her every gesture announcing to the world that she was the Summers heiress.

    People arounde and go, asionally casting a nce this way.

    ine saw Samueling out and, assuming he hade to see her, hurried over with a pitiful look. She said, ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t be upset. I know I hurt youst time. Don¡¯t stay angry with me over someone who doesn¡¯t matter, okay?¡±

    <b>14:05 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>7 </b>

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    David rolled his eyes and thought, ¡®Doesn¡¯t she know who it is that doesn¡¯t matter? She and Emily made life difficult for Olivia, and now she shows up acting¨Cwho¡¯s she putting on this show for?¡®

    ine went on, ¡°Grandpa, I know you love beef stew. I spent the whole morning making it¨Cplease try some She lifted the lid, and the rich aroma instantly filled the air.

    She¡¯d heard Samuel adored beef stew, especially in winter, so she found a teacher and practiced for ages to perfect it. After some research, she finished it with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for extra depth.

    Samuel¡¯s love of beef stew began with Ivy. As a child, she hated it¨Cuntil the day he sprinkled toasted sesame seeds on top and she downed two bowls.

    After she disappeared, he had the stew made whenever he missed her, as if she were still at the table.

    David thought, ¡®Mr. Elliot Summers must have told ine these details on purpose, so she could win Mr. Samuel Summers¡® favor and secure her spot as the Summers heiress. But no matter what she does, Ivy¡¯s ce can never be reced.¡¯

    Samuel didn¡¯t spare ine a nce. He said, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Save your filial piety for your dear father.¡± With that, he walked away.

    Left alone where she stood, ine burned with embarrassment, wishing the ground would swallow her. As Samuel¡¯s figure dwindled into the distance, the smile on her face melted away. <fn13bb> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? find?novel</fn13bb>

    She thought, ¡®If I didn¡¯t need his nod to get on the family tree, I¡¯d never havee here to humiliate myself. Now look¨Chalf thepany saw me make a fool of myself. How am I ever going to show my face here again?¡®

    Just then, ire walked past the doorway.

    ine grabbed ire¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°ire, is Grandfather still angry with me?¡±

    ire gave a faint smile and replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Summers, but I can¡¯t answer that. I¡¯m only a secretary; I¡¯m not in a position to specte on Mr. Summers¡® intentions.

    ¡°Onest thing, though¨Cgreed rarely ends well, and this stew is a step too far.¡±

    ine¡¯s breath hitched, her smile freezing into something brittle. She thought, ¡®I¡¯m the Summers family¡¯s acknowledged heiress¨Chow dare a secretary speak to me like that?¡®

    ¡®Never mind. As long as I keep Elliot on my side, the family will eventually relent and add me to the register. Yet she couldn¡¯t pinpoint the source of her agitation, and a lingering sense of foreboding kept nagging at her.

    ine sent a message to Elliot: [Dad, Grandpa has gone out. Do you know where he went?]

    Elliot replied: [I have made inquiries; he is merely out for leisure. Rest assured, there is nothing to be concerned about.]

    ine felt at ease only after receiving the answer.

    After Samuel left the building, he immediately got into a car and switched vehicles several times along the

    <b>14:05 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b>7

    <b>way </b>to avoid being followed.

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    Following Troy¡¯s instructions, the Sailing Education Center cafeteria was fully renovated at considerable expense. Every day¡¯s meals were made from fresh, local produce, ensuring the students ate clean, healthy food, and a wide selection of snacks was always avable.

    Olivia ordered two dishes and a soup. While Curtis ordered avish spread of dishes.

    Olivia asked, ¡°Are you very hungry?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen anyone cat like this¨Cexcept Sean.

    Curtis replied, ¡°I¡¯m worried you won¡¯t have enough to eat.¡±

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 Blizzard 206

    <b>Chapter </b>206

    Curtis slid the bowl of stew toward Olivia and said, ¡°It¡¯s cold out¨Chave some to warm your stomach.¡±

    Olivia lowered her gaze.

    The stew glistened, its gravy a deep, glossy brown, thick from hours of gentle simmering. Rich, savory aromas rose like a soft cloud, instantly coaxing her appetite awake.

    Olivia replied, ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t care for stew.¡± She then casually picked up a ravioli and popped it into her mouth.

    The ravioli skins were paper¨Cthin; once they were cooked, the bright¨Cred filling glowed through the translucent dough.

    Olivia lifted one out with the broth, tasted the rich soup and fragrant meat together, and felt the warmth chasing away the chill that had settled in her stomach all morning, leaving her wonderfullyforted.

    Curtis was not upset by the rejection; he simply served himself a spoonful of stew. After only a few bites, he set down his spoon and gazed at Olivia, lost in thought.

    After a while, he suddenly said, ¡°I would never have guessed, Olivia¨Cyou are truly full of hidden talents.¡± He spoke with a gentle tone and elegant phrasing, disying the demeanor of a young master from a distinguished family.

    Olivia said casually, ¡°Average.¡±

    Curtis rested his chin on his hand and looked at her, his eyes probing. He said, ¡°You are being modest. I have reviewed your exam paper. The logic is clear and the structure is well¨Corganized. Unless something unexpected happens, it should be a perfect score.¡±

    Olivia shrugged.

    Curtis said, ¡°Everyone says you only finished junior high¨Cso how did you solve these SAT questions? Are you some kind of genius?¡±

    Olivia put down her fork and looked Curtis straight in the eye. She replied, ¡°There aren¡¯t that many geniuses in this world. I just nce at it a couple of times when I¡¯m bored, and then I know how to do it.¡±

    With that, she continued eating.

    Curtis simply looked at Olivia. He thought, ¡®She is quite interesting!¡®

    The number of people in the cafeteria continued to grow, and everyone who witnessed the scene was left

    stunned.

    One whispered, ¡°Why does it always feel like they¡¯re filming an idol drama when they eat?¡±

    Another chimed in, ¡°The man is handsome and the woman is beautiful¨Cdefinitely easy on the eyes.¡±

    Someone else said, ¡°Or am I just jealous of how good their food looks? It¡¯s making me hungry.¡±

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    Andrew, standing in the doorway, heard every word clearly. His expression iced over, eyes narrowing, and a lethal intent shed through them. The air around him seemed to freeze.

    Ethan followed behind Andrew, not daring to utter a single word.

    Andrew had just rushed back after spending more than ten consecutive hours on a red¨Ceye flight¨Cupon arrival, he immediately caught sight of Curtis and Olivia sitting together.

    Andrew possessed a refined and noble demeanor. Combined with his handsome features, he immediately attracted the attention of those around him.

    Everyone found it difficult to look away from his face.

    Andrew was dressed entirely in ck today, pairing a long overcoat with a thick turtleneck sweater, which made his demeanor appear even more distant.

    A faint smile lingered at the corner of his lips, and his deep eyes were filled with the image of Olivia.

    The crowd¡¯s reaction was so pronounced that Olivia naturally noticed Andrew over here. However, she was truly famished and had no time to look up at him. The food in this cafeteria was quite good and really suited her taste.

    Curtis peeled a shrimp and was about to ce it into her bowl.

    Suddenly, Andrew appeared beside the table and asked, ¡°Are you truly hungry? Are these dishes not to your taste?¡±

    Without looking up, Olivia said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I quite like it.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Curtis¡¯s smile deepened. He raised his voice slightly and said, ¡°If you like it, have some more.¡± As he spoke, he ced the freshly peeled shrimp into Olivia¡¯s bowl.

    Olivia did not touch the shrimp in her bowl. She looked up at Andrew and asked, ¡°Are you showing off again?¡±

    Andrew¡¯s gaze flickered, a fond smile appearing at the corners of his eyes and brows. He said, ¡°I have already kept a low profile. Today, I only brought Ethan.¡±

    Ethan peeked out from behind Andrew, smiled, and greeted Olivia, ¡°Hi, Ms. Summers. We meet again.¡±

    Olivia gave a slight nod, which could be considered a response. She scrutinized Andrew¡¯s attire and said, ¡°Who put this together? It really does not look good.¡±

    Andrew nodded and said, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t wear it next time.¡±

    The two engaged in an animated conversation, as if Curtis were not even there.

    Curtis, disying tact, straightened his clothes and stood up. He said, ¡°I have other matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll take my leave. Please order as you wish; put it on my ount.¡±

    :

    Andrew replied, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary; I¡¯ll pay myself. No need for you to go to the expense<b>.¡± </b>

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    Curtis ignored Andrew and smiled at Olivia. He said, ¡°See you next time.¡± With that, he turned and left.

    Andrew was somewhat displeased, though he did not show it. He adjusted his coat and sat down opposite. Olivia. He asked, ¡°Do you know him well?¡±

    Olivia took in every nuance of his expression and unconsciously tapped her fingers. She replied, ¡°No. Why did you suddenlye back?¡±

    Andrew crossed his legs in a rxed manner and said, ¡°What, am I not wee? I came straight here from the airport.¡±

    He thought, ¡®I went to great lengths to obtain a blueberry cheesecake made by the top pastry chef, specifically to bring it for her to enjoy, but this is how she reacted. I¡¯m disheartened.¡¯

    Olivia asked, ¡°Do you want me to put up a banner for you?¡±

    Andrew raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Fine.¡± <fn1400> Official source is Find¡ïNovel</fn1400>

    The students around them erupted again.

    One eximed, ¡°Oh my god, this one is even cooler.¡±

    Another said, ¡°Was that just a battlefield? I could smell the strong scent of gunpowder in the air.¡±

    A student said, ¡°That girl¡¯s so lucky¨Ceach guy is hotter than thest.¡±

    One said, ¡°I think these two are a better match.¡±

    Moments ago, Curtis and Olivia had the vibe of a domineering CEO and his star pupil. Now, with Andrew beside her, they seemed like two ethereal beings who¡¯d wandered down from the heavens¨Ccalm, untouchable, and twice as mesmerizing.

    Andrew opened the exquisite box, and a beautiful cake appeared before Olivia.

    A blue butterfly served as the base, adorned with intricate cream patterns and individual blueberries, creating an exceptionally enticing appearance.

    Olivia asked, ¡°Is this for me?¡±

    Andrew said, ¡°The head pastry chef¡¯stest creation: blueberry cheesecake. Would you do me the honor of trying it?¡±

    Olivia¡¯s eyes blinked, and her head dipped slightly, signaling her agreement.

    Standing to one side, Ethan waspletely unaware of the upward curve at the corners of his mouth. The more he looked at Andrew and Olivia, the morepatible they seemed.

    He thought, ¡®If the socialites of Kingtonelle were to see Mr. Shea like this, it would set tongues wagging.

    14:06 Tue<b>, </b>Oct 7

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    ¡°They¡¯ve managed to stay on friendly terms only because, popr as he is, he keeps every woman at arm¡¯s length¨Cnone of them enjoys any special status. Should they discover Ms. Summers¡® situation, she would instantly be their target.¡¯

 Blizzard 207

    Ethan thought, ¡®Mr. Shea is pure trouble wrapped in a handsome face. Being the object of his affection, Ms. Summers is rather pitiable.¡®

    Several female ssmates gathered around Ethan, and one of them asked, ¡°Do you know that handsome guy?¡±

    Ethan nodded.

    The girl pressed, ¡°Is he pursuing Olivia?¡±

    Attending sses was already exhausting, so girls relied on watching dramas unfold online to pass the time.

    Ethan replied, ¡°I suppose so.¡± He thought, ¡®Working nonstop for over ten hours just to deliver a cake to Ms. Sumners¨CMr. Shea must be pursuing her, right?¡®

    The girl became visibly excited. She said, ¡°He is really something, daring to go after Olivia. I guess what they say is right: brave people get to enjoy the world first.¡±

    Although it was their first time meeting Olivia, they had observed her actions that morning withplete rity. Olivia had now be an idol for many young girls.

    In their eyes, Olivia was both beautiful and coolly charismatic, maintained dignity without arrogance or servility, and boldly spoke out against injustice¨Cshe truly was the ultimate strong female protagonist.

    Ethan was confused. He began to doubt his ability to understand what people were saying. He could only tell that the girl wasn¡¯t praising Andrew.

    Olivia took small bites of her cake while Andrew watched from the side.

    Olivia said, ¡°The cake is indeed quite good.¡±

    The delicate mousse harmoniously blended multipleyers of tartness and sweetness. The blueberry pieces were plump,plemented by handcrafted blueberry sauce. The sweetness was precisely bnced, ensuring a pleasant taste without any cloying aftertaste.

    Olivia spooned up bite after bite until her stomach felt pleasantly full. The crowd kept swelling, and their stares grated on her¨Cshe hated being watched while she ate. To her, dining was private, and the scrutiny made her skin crawl.

    Olivia looked directly at Andrew and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating?¡±

    Andrew handed a napkin to her and said, ¡°My stomach is weak; I cannot eat cakes. Why have you stopped eating? Do you not like it?¡±

    Olivia took the napkin and wiped the corner of her mouth. She said, ¡°I like it very much, but it¡¯s best not to eat too much¡ªbeing about eighty percent full is ideal. Let¡¯s take the rest back for Sean to eat.¡±

    Andrew said, ¡°As long as you like it.¡±

    14:06 Tue, Oct 7 ¡­

    Olivia pushed her own te of dravioli toward him, indicating that he should have some.

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    The ravioli was wonderfully savory, and the warm broth was soothing¨Cperfect for someone with a sensitive. stomach.

    Andrew picked up the spoon and drank a few mouthfuls of soup.

    Seeing this, Ethan¡¯s jaw almost dropped in astonishment. He grumbled inwardly, ¡®Didn¡¯t Mr. Shea say he wouldn¡¯t eat with others? Howe he shares a te of ravioli with Ms. Summers?¡®

    Ethan took a photo and sent it to Jenny.

    Jenny transferred 70 thousand to David with the note: [Well done¨Cyour bonus.]

    Ethan restrained himself from crying out. He thought, ¡®It is 70 thousand. Ms. Shea<b>, </b>I want to work for you for my whole life.

    Andrew asked, ¡°Did you find your exam difficult?¡±

    Olivia leaned back and replied, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Just scribbled something.¡± If not for the sake of Grace¡¯s feelings, she would not havee here and wasted her time at all.

    Andrew nced at the shrimp in her bowl, recalling the scene of Curtis and Olivia talking andughing together.

    His thoughts churned, his jaw tightened, and a trace of anger appeared on his otherwise cool andposed face. He asked, ¡°Are you familiar with Curtis?¡±

    He knew Olivia was fiercely guarded, quick to tense whenever a stranger breached her space. Yet she¡¯d sat down to eat with Curtis, even letting him peel shrimp for her. <fn2f93> Checktest chapters at Find_Novel(.</fn2f93>

    After what he¡¯d witnessed at the Shea family¡¯s party, Andrew couldn¡¯t help but read too much into it.

    Immediately afterward, he blurted out, ¡°That Curtis is cunning beneath his polished manners¨Che¡¯s a scoundrel at heart. He¡¯s not right for you. Your taste isn¡¯t that bad, is it?¡±

    Olivia rested her chin on her hand in contemtion. She then asked, ¡°You think I like Curtis?¡± Suddenly, she leaned in closer to Andrew, forcing him to meet her gaze.

    She added, ¡°Curtis is good¨Clooking, has a good physique, and his family background is decent¨Che¡¯s definitely a good catch.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s smile faded, and there was a chill in his voice as he said, ¡°He is good.¡± He thought, ¡®That damn Curtis. In a moment, I will have Jenny hack into hispany¡¯s security system.

    Noticing that Andrew¡¯s face darkened with anger, Olivia let out a smallugh and said, ¡°But he is not my type.¡±

    She propped her chin on her hand, staring at him with a self¨Csatisfied smile. She added, ¡°It¡¯s just that Troy¡¯s gracious invitation was hard to refuse, so I let Curtis join me for a meal.¡±

    Truth was, she felt more rxed and natural with Andrew than she ever did with Curtis.

    :

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    Only then did the dark cloud on Andrew¡¯s face dissipate a little. He thought, ¡®So that¡¯s how it is. I was just so rude¨Cit didn¡¯t even sound like me. All that gossip got under my skin.

    Olivia suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°By the way, do you have any nster?¡±

    Andrew raised his wrist and nced at the time. He replied, ¡°Yes, but attendance is optional. Is something the matter?¡± He had a few business meetings to attend, but he figured he could just have Ethan cancel them.

    Olivia put away

    the cake and said, ¡°Go meet Donald. Some matters need to be confirmed.¡±

    She felt that Donald knew something else about her origins. However, since Donald was held by the Summers family, it would indeed be somewhat improper to go there rashly on her own. So she asked Andrew to go with her.

    Andrew immediately understood Olivia¡¯s intention and nodded slightly. He said, ¡°All right, I will go with you.¡± He then took out his phone and called Charles.

    Charles nced at the caller and answered the phone. He said, ¡°Mr. Shea, what¡¯s wrong? Hurry up; the meeting starts in five minutes.¡±

    Andrew said, ¡°I want to summon Donald for questioning. Just letting you know.¡±

    Charles replied, ¡°Is that all? If you need to interrogate him, just go ahead¡ªthere¡¯s no need to ask me specifically. It¡¯s not like the Summers family doesn¡¯t know you. Just don¡¯t mess him up for me.¡±

    Edward insisted that Donald must still know something about Ivy, so he would not allow anyone to have him killed. Otherwise, Charles would not have let Donald live until now.

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 Blizzard 208

    Charles said. ¡°He might even know about Ivy¡¯s whereabouts, so I need to keep him alive.¡±

    Andrew replied, ¡°Understood.¡± With that, he hung up.

    In fact, Andrew also very much hoped to find Ivy as soon as possible. He and Ivy, in a certain sense, shared amon destiny.

    *****

    In the Orion Hotel, Jenny held the photo sent by Ethan and gave a mischievous smile. She thought, ¡®At the rate Andrew¡¯s going, when will Olivia ever be his wife? Let me give him a little push.

    She took out her modifiedptop and processed the image, applying a mosaic to Olivia¡¯s face. Only Andrew¡¯s back was left visible, and it was faintly apparent that a beautiful young woman was seated opposite him.

    With a lollipop in her mouth, Jenny¡¯s fingers flew swiftly across the keyboard. She quickly hacked into the Shea family¡¯s security system and logged into Shea Group¡¯s official ount.

    Jenny uploaded the doctored image and scheduled it to go live at the stroke of midnight on New Year¡¯s Eve. She also embedded a snippet of code that made the post impossible to delete¨Cexcept by her.

    She thought, ¡®Let this be my New Year¡¯s gift to Andrew¡®

    On Hirica Avenue, a ck Porsche 911 sped along the road. Scenery on both sides shed rapidly past the car windows.

    Andrew, seated in the front passenger seat, wore a tense frown. The car elerated, as if striving to break free from restraint.

    Seated in the back, Ethan clutched the overhead handle as the engine roared and wind whipped past the windows. Swallowing hard, he covered his mouth to keep from vomiting. He thought, ¡®No one warned me that Ms. Summers drives like a maniac.¡¯

    Ten minutes ago, when Olivia saw the Porsche, she smirked and said, ¡°That¡¯s a pretty cool car.¡±

    Andrew asked, ¡°Want to try?¡± He signaled Ethan to bring over the key.

    Olivia replied, ¡°All right.¡± Without waiting for anyone else, she seated herself in the driver¡¯s seat and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t driven at all since I got my license.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Ethan shivered involuntarily. He felt a sense of foreboding. And it turned out that his intuition was correct.

    The car flew down the road, and Ethan squeezed his eyes shut in fright. He thought, ¡®My 70 grand¨Chaven¡¯t even had a chance to spend it.

    14:06 Tue, <b>Oct </b><b>7 </b>

    Andrew wasn¡¯t scared; he was just uneasy. A wrecked car meant nothing¨Closing Olivia did.

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    In the end, the scare passed without harm; Olivia chased speed and passion, yet her skill never faltered

    Upon arrival at the destination, the vehicle came to a steady stop.

    Ethan began vomiting uncontrobly as soon as he got out of the car, unable to utter aplete sentence. He said, ¡°Ms. Summers, your driving skills are really beyond words.¡±

    Olivia tilted her head to look at Andrew and asked, ¡°What does he mean?¡±

    Andrew said, ¡°He is saying you¡¯re amazing.¡±

    Olivia nodded. She pushed the door open and entered. With Andrew standing guard at the door, she feltpletely at ease.

    It was dimly lit inside the room. An iron chain was fastened around Donald¡¯s ankle. He appeared dejected and unkempt, with tangled hair matted to his head. Flies hovered nearby.

    Upon seeing Olivia, his reaction became noticeably more intense, and he struggled to stand up.

    However, he had not eaten for days. His captors only dropped by sporadically to give him IV drips¨Cjust enough to keep him alive. Now hecked even the strength to speak, let alone stand.

    Olivia casually took out a pill and tossed it into his mouth. She said, ¡°Rest assured, it¡¯s not poison. It will simply help you stay alert and answer my questions properly.¡±

    She pulled a chair over and sat down, her long legs crossed, squinting as she looked at Donald

    Donald clutched his own neck, feeling as if his throat were blocked and he was choking. Remarkably, after a short while, he felt noticeably less weak and sensed strength returning to his body.

    He snarled, ¡°This is all your fault. You are the one who did this to me. My hands and feet are ruined¨Care you satisfied now? Why are you here again? What new poison do you intend to give me now?¡±

    He still remembered that Olivia had poisoned him and Gina; Gina died as a result of that poison. Fortunately, he was clever and left himself a life¨Csaving charm. His captors racked their brains every day to detoxify him, so he got to survive until now.

    The guard, concerned that Olivia might be frightened by Donald, kindly reminded her, ¡°Ms. Summers, he is extremely radical. Please be careful.¡±

    Ever since Donald was brought here, he had been extremely crazy. When he was lucid, he cursed people; when he was confused, he just grinned foolishly.

    The guard only knew that Donald was the one who abducted Ivy and had steadfastly refused to disclose her whereabouts. As a result, Charles spared his life but ordered that he must not die and that no one else was permitted to visit him.

    Olivia was brought by Andrew; had it been anyone else<b>, </b>she certainly would not have been permitted to enter.

    <b>14:06 </b>Tue<b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>7 </b>

    Chapter 208 <fn383a> Checktest chapters at find?novel</fn383a>

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    Olivia said. ¡°It¡¯s all right. He can¡¯t hurt me. You should go out first. I can do this alone.¡±

    The guard hesitated; Andrew had told him to protect Olivia, and he feared she might be hurt. He could <b>see </b>that Andrew cared deeply for her.

    Olivia said, ¡°There is no need to worry. With the fence between us, he couldn¡¯t approach me. Moreover, Andrew is just outside; if anything happens, I only need to call out and he wille in immediately.¡±

    Moreover, knocking down such a loser was no challenge for her.

    Upon hearing this, the guard left.

    Olivia stared coldly at Donald. She twirled a strand of hair around her fingertips; her entire demeanor exuded a calm, merciless aura. She said, ¡°Donald, male, forty¨Ctwo years old, a resident of Magnolia Town, makes his living by trafficking children.¡±

    She took a short knife from the wall and toyed with it in her hand. She said, ¡°Tell me, do you think you will die by my hand today?¡±

    Donald did not dare to meet her gaze, keeping his head lowered, yet his words remained defiant. He said, ¡°I happen to know a major secret about the Summers family. They wouldn¡¯t darey a hand on me¡ªand neither would you.¡±

    Olivia¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile; her gaze was icy cold. She dered, ¡°The Summers family? I have never taken anyone seriously. Try it and see if I dare touch you.¡±

    Donald felt a tingling sensation on his scalp and trembled all over. He retreated step by step until he could go no further, then staggered and sat down heavily on the ground.

    He thought, ¡®She is the devil, a demon that has crawled out of hell.

    Olivia demanded, ¡°Who told you and Gina toe see me?¡±

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    Olivia thought. Few people are aware of my circumstances, and even fewer know about my past. Gina and Donald are not exactly the brightest; they certainly acted on someone else¡¯s advice beforeing to the city to look for her.

    They even fabricated a DNA test report. Who would believe it if someone said no one orchestrated this<b>? </b>

    Donald flinched¨Che hadn¡¯t expected the question. Still, he tried to bluff. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. me yourself¨Cyou torched the vige when you were a kid. We came to make you pay.

    He crawled forward with a sinister grin, clutching the bars. He added, ¡°You slipped away, but this isn¡¯t finished. Life¡¯s long; you can¡¯t be sure I¡¯ll die here. Once I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    Such a scene would have sent most people reeling, but Olivia¨Chardened by a lifetime of wing her way through every danger¨Cnever even flinched.

    She gently touched the cold de; smiling eyes and subtly upturned lips conveyed yful amusement. Though the face appeared harmless, it nheless sent an involuntary shiver through the heart.

    With hesitation, Olivia thrust the de directly into Donald¡¯s left wrist. Instantly, blood gushed forth.

    Donald¡¯s hand, which was already in severe pain, hurt even more. He screamed.

    Olivia demanded, ¡°Speak. Who is it?¡± She moved closer to Donald, her cold, gloomy eyes fixed on him.

    Donald did not dare to meet her gaze and timidly lowered his head. He said, ¡°It¡¯s my daughter, Nydia.¡±

    Olivia didn¡¯t expect Donald to have a daughter. She asked, ¡°Who is your daughter?¡±

    Donald thought, ¡®I must sever ties with Nydia to protect her.¡® So he said, ¡°After she found out what her mother and I had done, she ran away from home. I haven¡¯t seen her in years. <fn6434> This content belongs to f¦É?dn¦Ïvel</fn6434>

    ¡°Later, she suddenly sent a message, telling us toe and abduct you. It just so happened that someone needed a surrogate, and they wanted someone good¨Clooking.

    ¡°Nydia said you were pretty, so we agreed. We forged the paperwork, handed you over, and collected our cut. After that, Nydia vanished again¨Cno calls, no letters, nothing.¡±

    Olivia pondered, ¡®The information does not mention that Donald and Gina have a daughter. It appears that his daughter is the key to the matter.¡¯

    Olivia drew the short de without a change in expression. She said, ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll consider that you passed this question. Now tell me, where exactly did you abduct me from?¡±

    She had always believed that she was abducted from Riverdale. Only recently did she discover that, before arriving in Riverdale, she seemed to have visited other ces. These memories were scattered and fragmented, and she was unable to piece them together.

    However, she was certain that her home was definitely not in Riverdale.

    14:06 Tue, Oct 7 ***

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    Olivia pinched Donald¡¯s bleeding wrist, dislocating it effortlessly. The corner of her mouth lifted in a faint, almost imperceptible smile, every movement marked by a bloodthirsty cruelty. She said, ¡®Do not lie to me. I can tell

    Donald truly did not expect her to be this clever. He thought, ¡®By the time we arrived in Riverdale, every child had been administered drugs, how could she possibly still have memories?

    Donald did not dare to speak and could only feign ignorance. He said, ¡®I don¡¯t know?

    Olivia carelessly tossed aside the dagger in her hand and seized him by the throat. She said, ¡°You won¡¯t tell the truth? Good. I won¡¯t kill you, Instead, I¡¯ll hang you up and let everyone spit on and curse you

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you die. I¡¯ll hand you over to those victims. I¡¯m quite curious to see what they will do to you<b>? </b>

    Upon hearing this, Donald shuddered. He knew she would do something like that. He thought<b>, </b><b>¡®</b>If she hands me to those people, I will suffer a fate worse than death¡®

    He said, ¡°You can¡¯t. The Summers family wille after you.¡±

    Olivia said, ¡°Why not? I like to do as I please. Alternatively, if I bring your son here, you may be more inclined to speak the truth.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Donald finally panicked. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯ll say.¡± He thought, ¡®Bobby is my only flesh and blood¨Cnothing must happen to him!¡¯

    Olivia dragged the chair over and sat upright. She demanded, ¡°Start from the beginning.¡±

    Donald said, ¡°You really weren¡¯t abducted from Riverdale. It was Kingtonelle.¡±

    Olivia lifted her gaze and thought, ¡®As expected¡®

    Donald continued, ¡°You weren¡¯t abducted by us; you were handed over. We¡¯d snatched about a dozen kids near the Riverdale¨CKingtonelle border and couldn¡¯t find buyers.

    ¡°Just as we were leaving, a man from Kingtonelle carried you in¨Cfast asleep. He said you were <i>a </i>foster child they no longer wanted and paid us to move you through several towns so no one could trace you.¡±

    Olivia asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    Donald said, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure either; he didn¡¯t say. I suppose it¡¯s to prevent others from finding out that they abandoned you. Maybe it¡¯s just an excuse because they don¡¯t want you to look for them.¡±

    Olivia snapped, ¡°Cut the crap. What happenedter?¡±

    Donald continued, ¡°Later, when we moved from Riverdale to inville, then on to Hirica, it was nearly October. You cried the whole way, begging for home and your brother. Nothing calmed you, so we finally drugged you.

    ¡°We kept trying to sell you, but every buyer backed off. The moment anyone came close, you screamed, and that red birthmark behind your car red like a warning light. They called you cursed.

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    ¡°In the end, we reached Magnolia Town, invented some lucky omen, and sold you to the Lewis family <b>as </b><b>a </b>child bride. A yearter, you burned their house down.

    ¡°Strange¨Can ordinary kitchen fire shouldn¡¯t have spread so fast; it nearly took the whole vige. In the chaos, every child we¡¯d taken vanished. After that night, we thought you¡¯d died in the mes.¡±

    Olivia frowned. In her few remaining memories, she recalled being deeply cherished by her family; she wondered how she could have been handed to Donald.

    Ìï