Chapter 15



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Nora frowned. Before she could respond, a soft but anxious voice reached them. “Are you trying to drive me to my grave, Henry?”

In the hospital bed, a gentle middle-aged woman in a hospital gown struggled to get out of bed. She wore her hair shorn and looked frighteningly thin due to her illness. Her cheeks were sunken, but that couldn’t hide her gentle personality.

It was Irene Smith, her aunt.

Nora took a couple of quick steps forward and sat on the edge of the bed. She held out her hand and greeted, “Aunt Irene.”

Irene looked Nora up and down for a moment. Then her eyes turned red. “You look so much like your mother after you’ve lost weight, Nora.”

Her voice trembled as she spoke. “You’ve had such a hard time outside all these years.”

During the five years she had lived abroad, Henry had never given her a single penny. Instead, it was his aunt who always sent him some money for his upkeep.

Although it wasn’t much, it was her way of showing her kindness.

Nora’s heart grew warm.

At that moment, her stepmother, Wendy, said, “Nora, your aunt has been very good to you since you were a little girl, hasn’t she? Now she’s sick and you’re the only one who can cure her. You won’t watch her die, will you?”

Nora frowned.

A brain tumor…

Unfazed, she pulled out the medical report and CT scan she had next to her, then began to read them earnestly.

A scolding Wendy said, “Your aunt’s operation is very difficult, Nora. One moment of carelessness and she will suffer brain damage, so no one at the hospital wants to do it. Dr. Larson, Head of the Neurology Department at this hospital, is Angela’s Professor at her university’s Medical School. If she begs him to do it, he might be willing to take the risk and give it a try.”

Wendy sighed at this point before continuing. “But now, Anthony says that without the company, he will never commit to your sister. Your sister is terribly upset and moody. She can’t possibly be asking someone for help in such a somber way, can she? So, as long as you give your sister the company, we’ll let Angela ask Dr. Larson for help. Whether your aunt’s operation goes through or not is entirely up to you now.”

When Wendy finished speaking, Henry shouted angrily, “You must also apologize to Angela for sabotaging her marriage proposal, seducing Anthony out of spite, and for beating her up!”

Wendy, who was playing nice, said, “We are a family, why are you saying all that? Fuu, Nora, your aunt’s illness can’t be delayed any longer, why don’t you sign the agreement immediately?”.

While the two of them were doing a joint act, Nora finished reading her aunt’s CAT scan.

Indeed, it was a bit complicated. The tumor had engulfed the blood vessels, so the slightest oversight would lead to mistakes and cause her aunt to die in surgery.

Not many doctors would dare tackle such an operation even in New York, let alone Dr. Larson in California.

Well, excluding her, that was.

Irene shouted angrily after hearing what they were saying. “Henry, that company is the only thing Nora’s mother left her. How can the two of you be so shameless?”

Wendy smiled. “That’s not quite right, Irene. What do you mean she left it to Nora? Henry’s mother and Nora were husband and wife at the time. It’s their joint property.”

“You’re so cheeky…!” Irene looked at Nora again. “Don’t listen to his nonsense, Nora. My disease is incurable. Even if you sign the agreement and have me operated on, there’s a 90% chance I’ll fail anyway. Hurry up and leave.”

“Okay. I’ll visit you again when I have time.” Nora put down the chart, turned and walked out.

Her aunt was in serious condition and, indeed, would brook no further delay. The important thing now was to contact the hospital and borrow their equipment and facilities first.

Henry and Wendy didn’t expect her to just up and leave. What’s more, she even disappeared from the room in the blink of an eye.

Henry cursed, “She’s a total ingrate. Your kindness to her has been in vain.”

Wendy also spoke sarcastically. “You were very kind to her, Irene. But in the end, she didn’t even want to stay here with you a moment longer!”

Irene bit her lip with reddened eyes. “Finding me a doctor had nothing to do with Nora from the beginning…”

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In the presidential suite on the top floor of the Finest Hotel.

“Why didn’t you finish your noon homework, Pete? This section is completely blank! How are we supposed to proceed with the afternoon program if you do that? Finish your homework.”

With a cold stare, Pete looked at the homework that had obviously not been given to him at noon and was already beyond his syllabus.

He didn’t speak, but just stared at the tutor blankly.

The tutor curved her lip. “Why are you looking at me? I heard that your father completed all these lessons effortlessly when he was your age. Don’t you even know how to ask this question? If that’s the case, then it must be your mother who lowered your IQ genes!”

It was only at the word ‘mom’ that Pete finally reacted. His jaw was tense as he picked up the pen. Then, he began to write silently in the workbook.

He knew how to solve these problems a long time ago.

Her mother wasn’t stupid.

But as soon as she finished answering, the tutor said, “It’s wrong. Why didn’t you include the problem-solving process? I’ve told you many times! Reach out.”

Is it necessary to include the problem-solving process for such a simple question?

Pete didn’t move.

The tutoa immediately grabbed his hand, grabbed the ruler, and slapped his palm hard a few times.

Pat! pat! pat! pat!

The pain made Pete’s eyes widen, but he pressed his lips tightly together and refused to speak.

“This is punishment for not taking the class seriously. Now, your punishment is to continue the class by standing.”

Pete stood for two hours, until his calves ached. Only then did the tutors dismiss the afternoon class. The two tutors were still whispering to each other when they left:

“He really can’t talk?”

“All right, don’t talk too much. The old lady has ordered us to take good care of the little lord.”

“All right. We’ll come again to report to Mr. Hunt in the evening. We must make him look a little more stubborn and misbehave. Children who don’t do their homework are not good children.”

After the two left, Pete looked at the homework assigned by the tutors on the table. He knew his answers were definitely ‘wrong’ again.

Even if he had completed them, they would still say he hadn’t done the homework.

But still, he didn’t want to talk. If he did talk… He pressed his lips tightly together at the thought of the consequences.

All she wanted right now was to talk to Mom and the little girl next door who was great at playing…..

The light in her eyes went out again as she thought about that.

Unfortunately, the lady next door had left and moved one floor down.

One floor down…

Pete stood up suddenly. He put on his clothes and quietly left the room. It was impossible for him to take the elevator because all the bodyguards were standing guard there.

He walked along the wall towards the corner and slipped into the stairwell. Then, he opened the door and darted inside.

At the same time.

Downstairs, Cherry took the opportunity while Mrs. Lewis was preparing dinner to slip away quietly as well.

She didn’t get to go yesterday, so today she would go upstairs to get her father.

Cherry’s tiny form, wearing a fresh child’s outfit, entered the stairwell. Her little legs climbed the stairs with great effort.

As she walked, she suddenly heard footsteps coming from upstairs.

As soon as Cherry looked up, she saw Pete coming down.

“…”

Their eyes met, and for a moment, the air was incredibly still and silent.

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