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    Henry was the head of the Reyes family and also Rex''s father. It''s not just ra who''s responsible for Rex''s good looks.


    Even though Henry was already in his forties, he still radiated a sophisticated and mature aura.


    "Elia, here''s the jewelrypany I promised to give you earlier Henry handed over a clear file bag containing documents to change the person in charge, along with thepany''s various seals and financial records, giving them all to her. Ophelia almost forgot this was even a thing. "Thanks." She took it, and since there was nothing else, she intended to leave.


    "Aren''t you going to open it and check thepany''s financial status? Aren''t you worried I''m giving you an empty shell?" Henry joked in a rxed, fatherly tone.


    She wasn''t worried about that. She trusted Henry, and with Keh supporting her, the Reyes family wouldn''t do anything sneaky over something so minor.


    But it was a different story with the Huxley family. They made big promises at the family meeting, but now it''s all quiet.


    Henry said, "Oh, by the way, there''s a political and business banquet in Denex on the 5th. If you''re free, feel free to join. I''ll have ra send you an e-invitationter. And in the future, if you have any business issues, don''t hesitate to ask." "Alright, thanks in advance." Before leaving, Ophelia looked back at Theo.


    Theo said, "Jackson,e and y chess with me!"


    Jackson refused and said, "Never mind, I''m just a researcher, and I don''t know how to y chess. Howard, you keep Grandpapany."


    "Let Rex do it!" Howard shrugged off.


    Just as Rex was about to sit down opposite, Theo, with a disdainful look, said, "Go away! You terrible chess yer, I''m not ying with you!" The family''s lively atmosphere was very harmonious.


    After leaving Carnegie Vi, Ophelia nned to go borrow Wyatt from Chloe.


    She had already arranged with Chloe, and since it was the New Year''s holiday, she nned for Keh to experience fatherhood.


    On her way, she received a phone call. "Hello? Is this Ophelia? It''s Lucas, do you remember me?"


    It was that physically disabled little brother, Lucas Turner, who stood behind Felix Ashby. She had told him before that if anyone from the slums needed medicine, he could register and tell her, Ophelia asked, "Yeah, does someone need medicine?"


    "Yes, yes. L recently caught a cold, and Mrs. Leno and her adopted granddaughter both have a fever. It''s been days, and there''s still..."


    Lucas recited the list of medicines people needed, mostly fever reducers, cold medicines, and anti-inmmatory drugs. These were medicines that every household should have, but they were a luxury for people in the slums. The prices were simply too high, and they couldn''t afford them given their circumstances.


    She remembered that the Huxley family mainly dealt in pharmaceuticals and healthcare. "That''s quite a profitable business." She thought to herself.


    Ophelia drove to the pharmacy, realizing she''d have to dy borrowing Wyatt for a bit longer. Just likest time, she bought Chapter 145


    a lot of food and delivered it to the slums.


    Caleb and Barrett helped unload the food from the car, handing it over to Felix and Lucas for distribution.


    Felix and the others skillfully distributed the food and medicine to the elderly and children who had difficulty moving around.


    "Mrs. Sinir, you''re genuinely kind." Barrett said, trying to tter her.


    Ophelia gave Barrett a sidelong nce, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Did you forget about Ronald Noyes, the guy I threw into the sea before?" She thought, ''Using the word "kind" to praise me? Seriously?''


    Barrett coughed awkwardly. Meeting her eyes, he felt a chill run down his spine.


    45


    Ophelia leaned against the car door, an apple-vored lollipop in her mouth. She thought, ''In this life, I never intend to be a kind person!


    "Ophelia!" Felix called out, panting as he ran over.


    Ophelia turned towards the voice and saw Felix holding a little girl in his arms. The girl looked no older than five dark skin and a thin body. Her face was flushed red, with chapped, purplish lips. six, with


    "What happened?" Ophelia stepped forward, immediately taking off her coat to wrap the little girl tightly.


    Felix said, "Ophelia, Mrs. Leno... she''s not doing well..."


    Ophelia frowned and immediately instructed Caleb to take the little girl to the hospital, while Barrett stayed with her to check on Amy.


    As soon as they neared the slum, the air filled with the foul smell of rotting fish and shrimp.


    The foul odor almost made Barrett gag; even a tough guy like him found it difficult to handle. Yet, Ophelia seemed unaffected, showing no sign of distaste on her face.


    Felix led the way to a shabby shack made of shipping containers. Pulling aside the heavy cotton curtain revealed a dark, cramped space with a musty, moldy smell that filled the air.


    On some tattered nketsy an elderly woman with white hair a hunched body, and heavy eyelids lined with deep


    with her face full of wrinkles like ridges. grooves,


    "Mrs. Leno..." Felix bent down and carefully helped Amy sit up against the wooden wall.


    Amy''s eyelids fluttered as she tried to open them halfway. "Dora... please, save Dora... she''s just a child... don''t worry about me. I should have been gone a long time ago..." Ophelia stood by the door, silent, as if she had been frozen in ce. When her grandma passed away back then, she was also concerned about leaving Ophelia behind. Barrett said, "Mrs. Leno, don''t talk like that. We''re taking you to the hospital right now."


    Amy waved her hand. "No need, just save Dora... the child is the hope..."


    The older generation in the slums ced all their hopes in the children. With children, there was hope. They hoped that when the kids grew up, they would leave the slums and break free from its hold. With that, Amy let her hand fall weakly as her heavy eyelids slowly closed, taking her final breath.


    0


    12:41 Sun, Nov 17 ti w


    1$3 80%=


    Felix looked at Amy, lowered his head, and let out a long sigh. He regretted charging them protection fees back then.


    "Ophelia, let me handle the arrangements." Felix offered.


    Ophelia nodded, left some money behind, pulled down the cotton curtain, and turned to leave.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Just as she stepped out, Caleb called. Ophelia brought the phone to her ear, her gaze calm. "Mrs. Sinir, it was toote by the time the little girl got to the hospital. She is just so fragile..." Ophelia''s heart sank, but she kept a neutral expression, replied quietly, and hung up the phone.


    She didn''t want to mourn the fragility of life anymore. Things liked this happened every year in the slums.


    If it weren''t for Keh back then, she probably would have frozen to death here too.


    She stood on the half-copsed wall and gazed out. The sea was scattered with floating toxic waste, and the houses looked


    like ruins.


    In the distance, on the other side of a low hill, skyscrapers rose into the sky.


    She thought, ''Why can''t this ce be developed? What materials were really used for thend remation project back then?''