Chapter 35 Chapter 35 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 the compliment, 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 blankly 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 flashing 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 Grass 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 clans. 1/3 21:13 Fri, 29 Aug Chapter 35 ས ཏཱི 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 purchased large amounts of substandard drugs and equipment. In fact, the entire hospital failed every standard-nothing 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 plan 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 his computer, and got to some shady business. At a high-end sanatorium in Hillarica, Andrew guided Jenny into the lobby, holding her hand. A stern-faced man sat on the couch, his expensive dark blue casual attire giving him an unapproachable air, yet his towering six-foot-three 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. "My grandpa's affairs come 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. 2/3 28 Chapter 35 Andrew glanced 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 delaying 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 one." "Well now," Charles said, surprised. "First time I've ever heard you compliment 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. "Elaine, 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 place 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 accept her as family." 3/3 AD Comment Send gift N Freelance photographer Violet Beck is forced into an engagement with CEO Roy Payne. He is everything her wild heart rebels against: proper, predictable, and painfully kind. But love has a way of devel...