With Joe and the elite team in charge of the corporation, Cyrus Hawthorne being absent for a short period shouldn’t cause any major issues. The worry is that the Hawthorne Family’s rivals might take advantage of the situation and stir up trouble at this critical moment. That’s why Ann Vaughn decisively asked Bella Hawthorne to hold off the lawyer and negotiated for three days of time. "So, my brother now..." "He’s still in a coma and will need some time to recover." Bella Hawthorne solemnly assured, "I understand, don’t worry sister-in-law, before my brother wakes up, I will try my best to keep Grandpa and the family from getting suspicious." "Alright, it will be hard on you for this period." After a brief chat, Ann Vaughn hung up the phone, letting out a low sigh. For now, they could only keep the secret for as long as possible. Otherwise, once the news got out, the consequences would be unimaginable. Two days later, Ann Vaughn found time to return to the European-style villa halfway up the mountain to meet someone. As soon as she pushed open the door at the end of the downstairs corridor, a slightly cold breath rushed to greet her. Ann Vaughn looked into the room and instantly saw Elias Hawthorne standing in front of the bookshelf. He was slightly bowing his head, seemingly looking at the row of books in front of him, but his gaze was not focused on the books at all, more like he was lost in thought. Upon hearing the noise, Elias Hawthorne turned his head, his light blue eyes locking straight onto Ann Vaughn, calm as a pool of dead water. Ann Vaughn felt a shock in her chest, an inexplicable urge to retreat rose within her. But it was too late, Elias Hawthorne looked at her and said, "You came." His eyes seemed to say "I knew you would come," calm yet firm. Though she didn’t know why she suddenly had such a premonition, after understanding the meaning conveyed in Elias’s gaze, Ann Vaughn hesitated for a few seconds, then moved forward. "You guessed right," as Ann Vaughn came to him, Elias Hawthorne continued, "It was I who kidnapped you that day, and I who injected you with the mutant OX virus." It was the first time Ann Vaughn heard him speak so much at once, he seemed to stumble a bit, as if he had just overcome a reluctance to speak. But what shocked her most was that he directly admitted to doing all those things. She had only speculated before but wasn’t sure, but now... Ann Vaughn looked at him with complex eyes, "Are you avenging Harold Hawthorne?" Although Harold Hawthorne’s downfall was entirely due to his and Wanda Chamberlain’s evil collusion, bringing his own destruction. But Elias Hawthorne was still his son, hating Cian Hawthorne for this was understandable... Who knew Elias Hawthorne’s eyes for the first time revealed a hint of indifference, "He doesn’t deserve it." To him, Harold Hawthorne was no different from trash. Who would avenge a pile of trash? "You use me to heavily damage Cyrus Hawthorne, but what you want is not the Hawthorne family’s wealth and power, your goal is very clear, only Cyrus Hawthorne’s life." Saying this, Ann Vaughn’s delicate face grew more solemn. "Elias, the way you look at Cyrus Hawthorne always seemed like you weren’t just looking at someone you hate or despise, I don’t believe you did this out of personal vendetta... unless you were under orders." Elias’s eyelid slightly drooped, "Yes." Ann Vaughn’s eyes were dazed for a moment, watching Elias’s incredibly cooperative manner, a tinge of peculiarity flashed in her heart. But without thinking deeply, she continued to ask, "Since the day at White Queen Town, the stalker who kept appearing beside me... was it also someone you hired?" "The two times we met on the plane before, those were not coincidences either. I guess you had already thought of doing something to me back then, but just didn’t find the opportunity." Elias Hawthorne raised his eyes, denying her words: "It wasn’t a lack of opportunity, but someone was aiding you in secret." If he had acted against Ann Vaughn then, he would have fully exposed himself, so he chose to continue lurking. Ann Vaughn lightly frowned, assuming he referred to the Hidden Guard sent by Cian Hawthorne, she didn’t ponder further. "I initially suspected you lied to me before, claiming it was Jane Sheridan who sent you to spy on me, just to lower my guard against you," Ann Vaughn thought for two seconds, "but now I realize, you actually wanted to use her to cover for the real person who commanded you after the incident." Without any other leads, thinking of the information Elias previously revealed to her made her undeniably suspicious of Jane Sheridan. But Ann Vaughn felt that, though Jane Sheridan might dare let Elias monitor her, she didn’t necessarily have such terrifyingly deep calculations. Link after link, each one deadly— Hearing this, admiration flickered in Elias’s eyes, "You’re very smart." "Do you remember the challenge the J Country Medical Research Institute issued to you?" Ann Vaughn certainly remembered, after that bet, every client who came to the clinic would ask if she could make them young again, restore youthfulness. The price could be anything, sparing no expense. Though J Country’s Medical Research Institute hadn’t bothered her since, appearing as though nothing had ever happened. Yet the words Lewis Hale said at the time, Ann Vaughn hasn’t forgotten. "There is a force targeting you, we’re just a stepping stone." Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by novèlfire.net Suddenly thinking of something, Ann Vaughn looked at Elias in surprise, "Is the person who ordered you the same as the one who used J Country’s Medical Research Institute to target me?!" "Who is that person?" Ann Vaughn frowned, having no clue in her mind. The mastermind used her to inflict serious damage on Cyrus Hawthorne, because as long as Cyrus existed, taking her down and extracting the life-extension drug from her wouldn’t be easy. So he took a risk, using her to eliminate Cyrus Hawthorne. Such profound methods, who could it be... Elias’s eyes flickered, avoiding Ann Vaughn’s confused gaze, looking instead at a book on the shelf, "I don’t know, but I have no choice but to obey him." "If you want to know, trace the line through J Country Medical Research Institute, there will be clues." Up to now, he had been very cooperative, coupled with his gaze being very clear, without a trace of deceit, Ann Vaughn chose to temporarily believe him. "I’m surprised you’re telling me this," Ann Vaughn’s lips pressed slightly, she couldn’t help but ask him, "Didn’t you think of escaping from that person? Willing to be at his mercy forever?" Elias chuckled softly, "The giver of my rebirth, I am like a torch, lit or extinguished not by my will." Speaking, he turned his gaze to Ann Vaughn, "I also want to ask you a question." "How did you guess the one who kidnapped you was me?" "In fact, at first, I didn’t associate you with that kidnapper," Ann Vaughn replied, "Later one time, I happened to see you in the company taking out an Amulet to play with." "The Amulet had a bell attached, it seemed specially made, the sound was crisp, unforgettable."