《After her rebirth》


 Chapter 1

    The summer sun was beating down on the busy streets, making everyone feel like they were melting. People were rushing around in front of the hospital, and the scorching sunlight was hitting everyone equally. Meanwhile, in a hospital room, Katniss Manners slowly woke up from aa, blinking her eyes open to a strange and mysterious scene.


    The gray walls were covered with a red cross, and an old table stood by the bed. The stale air and the strong smell of disinfectant hit her nose, making her already aching head spin even more.


    Wait, wasn''t she dead? How the heck was she in a hospital?


    Katniss remembered.


    She hade to the hospital to see her sister, ra Manners, with a bunch of flowers she had carefully picked out. The hot weather had her drenched in sweat, but she didn''t care. Her heart was full of worry and love for ra. Dodging pedestrians and cars, Katniss hurried along, her anxiety and urgency pushing her forward.


    Finally, she reached the hospital entrance and rushed into the ward. The next second, she heard ra and Elodie Smith talking inside.


    "Mom, how did I get this disease? If I can''t find a kidney donor, I''m gonna die. What am I gonna do?" ra''s voice trembled as she held the examination report, her eyes filled with helplessness and sadness.


    Elodie tried tofort her, "Your second brother is a doctor; he''ll figure something out. We''ll find a kidney donor soon." ra''s tears flowed like a river, her fear and despair rising like a tide.


    Listening quietly, Katniss felt a tightness in her chest. Knowing the family''s struggles and conflicts, she had tried so hard to please her family but was always ignored and treated coldly. Elodie''s suggestion shocked her, a me of resistance igniting in her heart.


    "I''m afraid I won''t make it until then, Mom. I''m still young, I have kids to raise, and I haven''t had a chance to take good care of you," ra said sadly, her words showing her appreciation for life.


    Elodie''s eyes shed with a hint of darkness as she said, "By the way, didn''t Katniss get stomach cancer? Maybe we can use her kidney. It would be a waste otherwise." These words hit Katniss like a punch to the gut, making her feel helpless and angry.


    Standing at the door, Katniss listened to ra and Elodie''s conversation, her mood swinging wildly. She stood quietly in the hospital corner, thinking about her life. As theter to the family, she had gone through countless struggles, each one shaping her strong heart.


    At ten, the Manners family found out that Katniss was actually their real daughter who had been mistakenly taken away. She was brought back from the countryside. This unexpected discovery flipped Katniss''s life upside down. She had envisioned a hopeful new life, only to find herself facing family challenges and hardships.


    Katniss tried hard to fit in with her family but found it tough. She kept trying, longing for their recognition.


    Her four brothers were the family''s golden boys, always doting on ra, the mistaken daughter. "Katniss, you screwed up again!" Their constant nagging cut deep, and the family''s cold and unfair attitude towards her was like a p in the face. ra''s tears always got the family''s sympathy, while Katniss was the scapegoat. "I just wanted to help," she''d say, but her efforts to solve the family''s money problems were met with cold shoulders and me. She couldn''t wrap her head around why she was always the one getting the short end of the stick.


    Sometimes, Katniss felt like ra was the real Manners kid, and she was just some outsider.


    The Manners family was into business, so they were pretty loaded, but as more people got into the game, they started having cash flow issues.


    It was Katniss who busted her butt day and night to fix the financial mess, just to get a nod from the Manners family, but she worked herself sick. Instead of getting their sympathy, they wanted her life.


    Laughing bitterly, she should''ve known that no matter how hard she tried, she''d never get their care, not even a smidge.


    Katniss closed her eyes, trying to bear the pain. Suddenly, a violent cough broke the silence, and she unintentionally made a sound because of her aching body.


    Katniss groaned in pain, the atmosphere in the ward getting heavy. Elodie and ra heard the noise outside the ward, and Elodie quickly pushed the door open, frowning and ring at Katniss. "Were you eavesdropping?" Elodie''s voice was full of anger and repression.


    Katniss immediately felt a chill. She hurriedly stood up, wanting to escape the awkward situation. But Elodie wasn''t letting it go, her eyes filled with anger and displeasure.


    "Don''t run!" Elodie shouted angrily, quickening her pace to catch up.


    Katniss''s heart sank into an icy abyss. Panicked, she ran down the corridor, finally slipping and identally falling down the stairs.


    The sound of the fall echoed through the stairwell. Elodie reached the stairwell and saw Katniss lying on the ground, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction and pleasure. "Finally got rid of this trouble!" Elodie said with relief.


    "Katniss, listen to me. You''re alone, with no attachments, and you''ve got stomach cancer and won''t live long. But ra is different. She has a family and kids. You can''t be so heartless and let her die!" Elodie said. She seemed to have found a solution to the problem, feeling a sense of pride and relief, while Katnissy on the stairs, groaning in pain, helpless and desperate.


    Elodie never disappointed her. At this moment, Elodie said another sentence that made Katniss''s heart sink to the bottom, "Falling from such a high staircase won''t affect the quality of the kidney, right? Vomiting so much blood, you probably won''t survive. That''s good; ra''s illness will be cured."


    Hearing this, Katniss stared at Elodie with wide eyes. The hatred and unwillingness in her heart made her die with her eyes open.


    But unexpectedly, she was reborn.


    This was God''s chance for her to start a new life.

 Chapter 2

    Katniss was still riding the high of her second chance at life, but the shadows of her past were never far behind. Outta nowhere, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. A voice she knew all too well called out, "Katniss!" She whipped her head around and saw her dad, Oliver Manners, storming in with a bunch of rough-looking dudes. "What the hell is going on?" Katniss asked, her eyes wide with confusion and a hint of fear.


    Oliver marched up to her bed, his eyes cold and hard. His face was a mix of anger and authority.


    "You have some guts to ask what''s going on." Oliver''s voice was dripping with rage. "You little monster, you hurt ra! Why''d you let those jerks mess with her? Do you even get that you could''ve killed her?" Katniss felt her heart drop. She''d been given a second shot at life, back in the summer of her neenth year.


    She''d just started college, dreams and hopes all lined up. On the way home with ra, they ran into some thugs, and things got ugly real fast.


    "What do you want?" Katniss red at the punks, ready to throw down to protect ra.


    Before she could even finish her sentence, the thugs attacked. Katniss and ra fought back with everything they had, but they both got hurt bad.


    Katniss took the worst of it, her blood shining bright in the sunlight. But her family didn''t see it that way. Oliver rushed to her, with Elodie and ra right behind. Seeing Katniss covered in blood, their anger exploded. "Katniss! What did you do?" Elodie''s voice was sharp, like she already knew Katniss was to me.


    Katniss tried to get up, but the pain held her down.


    "Mom, it wasn''t me." Katniss''s voice was weak, tears blurring her vision.


    Her forehead was busted up, needing stitches, while ra just had a small bump. Yet, Katniss got med for "ordering thugs to mess up ra."


    In her past life, her so-called dad had grilled her the same way. She tried to exin, to apologize, but all she got were cold stares. No one believed her.


    So this time, Katniss didn''t even bother. No one would believe her anyway. She snapped back to the present, asking coldly, "So, did she die?"


    Oliver was livid, his eyes zing with fury. He looked like he wanted to strangle her. "Katniss, what''s wrong with you? That was too much! How can you be so heartless, saying something like that, wishing ra dead?"


    Her older brother, Lucas Manners, was so mad the veins on his neck were popping out. He rushed over, ring down at her.


    "Katniss, how could our family raise someone as cold as you? We should''ve left you alone back then." Lucas spat.


    Katniss just stared at Lucas, not saying a word.


    The other brothers wanted to jump in and tear into Katniss, but Elodie stopped them.


    She sat by the bed, holding Katniss''s hand, smiling gently.


    "Katniss, I get it, you had it rough growing up outside. We brought you back, tried to make it up to you, and supported your studies. Now you''re in college, while a lot of girls your age didn''t even finish middle or high school. You should be thankful," Elodie said.


    As she talked, her eyes started to get all teary. "You shouldn''t have hurt ra. A girl''s reputation is everything. Even though she wasn''t our real kid, she grew up with us. I''ve treated you both the same. Don''t hold a grudge against her, okay?" Looking at Elodie''s fake concern and remembering her words before she died, Katniss felt colder than ice.


    Yeah, the Manners family let her go to school, which was rare.


    But wasn''t it just to shut people up and show off that everyone in the Manners family went to college?


    ra had a fancy room, while Katniss got stuck in a storage room. Everything she ate, wore, and used was ra''s leftovers.


    And they had the nerve to call that fair. What a joke.


    Plus, Katniss was already beat up, and instead of caring, they came to use her.


    They didn''t care about right or wrong, just med her.


    Katniss sneered, not wanting to waste another word.


    Her fourth brother, Simon Manners, couldn''t take it anymore and yelled, "Katniss, don''t push it. You did something awful to ra, and you can''t take a little criticism? You''re always up to no good, but now you''re actually cursing your sister?. What''s wrong with you?"


    Her third brother, Nathan Manners, chimed in, "Katniss, everything you have now is because of the Manners family. What more do you want? Do you really want ra dead to be happy?"


    Her second brother, Dn Manners, looked like he wanted to say something but stayed quiet. His eyes showed clear disappointment.


    Katniss pulled her hand away, her eyes cold and indifferent, turning her head. She didn''t want to argue anymore.


    For those who didn''t believe her, every word was a waste.


    The door opened again, and Katniss saw Dning in, looking tired and helpless.


    "Katniss, don''t be so stubborn. Apologizing to Mom and Dad isn''t hard. They''ll forgive you," Dn said. Katniss closed her eyes, not responding.


    Dn sighed, "Rest up. I''m out."


    The door closed again. After all the drama, Katniss felt thirsty and decided to get some water.


    The hospital hallway was busy but quiet, with different people in the rooms. This scene wasn''t new to her. Katniss filled a cup with cold water from the corner dispenser, feeling refreshed. As she turned to leave, she saw a man in a wheelchair behind her.


    The guy had sharp features, dressed sharp, giving off a vibe of nobility and distance.


    "Hi, Mr. Hamilton," Katniss stammered, greeting him.


    Maximilian Hamilton looked up at her, asking, "Who are you?"


    "I''m Katniss Manners. I met you at The Boleyn Manor," Katniss introduced herself nervously.


    Maximilian said coolly, "You''re Desmond Boleyn''s friend, from Oliver Manners''s family, right?"

 Chapter 3

    Katniss gave a nod, kinda shocked that Maximilian even knew who she was. She''d only seen him a couple of times; he was Desmond''s half-brother on their dad''s side. Anything tied to Desmond always grabbed her attention. Word on the street was that Maximilian had been dealing with some chronic illness since he was a kid, but he had mad skills in business.


    The Boleyn family''s whole empire was basically in his hands, making him the top dog in the family. Even though he was the oldest son, for some weird reason, he didn''t carry the Boleyn name.


    Maximilian was drop-dead gorgeous, but those icy eyes of his gave off some serious bad vibes, making Katniss a bit uneasy.


    At school, Katniss was always in the limelight, but not for any good reasons. It was all because she was head over heels for Desmond. In her past life, her heart beat only for him.


    Desmond was the big man on campus. Handsome, charming, and talented, he had girls falling for him left and right, with Katniss being the most obsessed.


    From the moment they met, Katniss was hooked on Desmond, chasing after him like a madwoman, just to get a little closer and feel his warmth.


    "Desmond, I like you!" she once yelled in a crowd, getting all sorts of weird looks andughs.


    But Katniss didn''t give a damn. Desmond was her whole world; nothing else mattered.


    "Haha, look at Katniss, she''s lost it!" people would gossip, pointing fingers.


    But all that noise didn''t faze Katniss. She kept stalking Desmond, obsessed with his every move.


    ''Desmond, will you ever notice me?'' she silently wondered, hoping for a miracle.


    But her obsession didn''t get her anywhere. Desmond stayed out of reach, like he was on another.


    One day, Maximilian couldn''t take it anymore and spilled the tea to Katniss.


    "Desmond doesn''t care about you; you''re just a joke to him," he said, his words cutting through her fantasies like a knife.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, but she kept doing her thing, thinking her sincerity would win Desmond over. Even though she failed, she never forgot the rare kindness Maximilian showed her.


    To Maximilian, his words were probably no big deal, but to Katniss, they were a lifeline. She suddenly remembered that in two years, Maximilian would die young from his illness.


    Thinking about it made her heart skip a beat. She nced at Maximilian''s almost perfect profile, her eyes filled with mixed emotions.


    In her past life, she was so wrapped up in the Manners family drama that she didn''t know when Maximilian died. When she found outter, she felt a pang of regret.


    Katniss looked at the water dispenser, then at Maximilian''s wheelchair. She decided to pour him a cup of water and handed it to him.


    Maximilian took the cup, saying coolly, "Don''t bother trying to butter me up; I can''t do anything about Desmond."


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, the hospital''s water room got eerily quiet, with just the hum of the water heater and their breathing filling the space. Katniss felt a wave of emotion and decided to spill her guts to Maximilian.


    "Mr. Hamilton, you probably don''t know this, but I gave a lot for Desmond, only to realize he wasn''t worth it. I''m done being someone else''s doormat; I want my independence and self-respect back." Her voice was a mix of helplessness and determination.


    Maximilian listened in silence, his eyes showing some deep emotion. He seemed to be soaking in every word, trying to get a read on her true feelings.


    Even though he didn''t say a word, Katniss felt a newfound respect in his gaze, like a refreshing spring for her parched soul. She looked at him gratefully, finding a sense of peace and reliance in his eyes. Maximilian''s eyes had a profound light. He seemed to see the fire and courage in Katniss''s heart, and his impression of her quietly shifted. Soon enough, it was discharge day.


    Outside the hospital entrance, a luxury car was parked by the curb, its windows reflecting the golden emblem of the Manners family. Lucas and Nathan, all dressed up, stood by the car, anxiously waiting for ra to be discharged. Finally, the hospital doors swung open, and out walked a girl in a light blue dress, all graceful and poised. This was ra, the family''s precious gem. Lucas and Nathan immediately rushed forward, showering her with warm wees. "ra, you okay? We''re all set; let''s get you home," Lucas asked, ready to drive her back.


    Meanwhile, Katniss was left hanging, seemingly invisible. She stood silently at the hospital entrance, watching the luxury car roll away, feeling a pang of helplessness and loneliness.


    It felt like everyone had forgotten about her. She walked out of the hospital, waiting by the roadside for a taxi.


    After a short wait, a ck sedan suddenly pulled up in front of her.


    Katniss instinctively looked into the car and saw the rear window slowly roll down, revealing a man''s deep-set face, his expression cold and indifferent, exuding an extraordinary aura. Maximilian nced at her and said slowly, "Get in the car."


    Katniss was momentarily stunned, then blurted out a confused, "What?"


    Maximilian frowned, his voice calm, "You have blood on your dress."


    Hearing this, Katniss''s cheeks immediately flushed. She looked behind her in a panic, spotting a small red stain on the back of her blue dress.


    Even though it was September, the weather was still scorching, and she only had this dress on.


    Embarrassed, Katniss tried to cover the stain with one hand, but Maximilian had already seen it, making her feel even more awkward.


    Maximilian''s cold voice came again. "Get in the car." At that moment, the driver, Felix, got out, smiled kindly, and opened the rear door, gesturing for Katniss to get in.


    Katniss didn''t hesitate, awkwardly climbing into the car.


    But she didn''t dare sit on the seat, afraid of staining it..


    With her head down, Katniss could only half-squat, looking helpless and pitiful.

 Chapter 4

    Felix mmed the car door shut, slid into the driver''s seat, and asked, "Where you headed, miss?"


    "The Manners family''s factory," Katniss replied, all nervous, unsure where to put her hands and feet.


    Maximilian nced at her squatting and said coolly, "Ain''t that ufortable?" "No, it''s fine..." But before she could finish, Katniss, all jittery, banged her head on the car roof and bit her lip to keep from yelping. Feeling a bit down, Katniss lowered her head even more, barely breathing.


    Maximilian''s lips tightened into a straight line as he looked at her, then shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it onto the seat next to him. "Use this as a cushion."


    Katniss''s eyes went wide, her eyshes fluttering. That suit looked pricey.


    She was struggling to afford basic necessities; how could she dare use such an expensive suit as a cushion?


    Seeing her hesitation, Maximilian raised an eyebrow, "You think I need to scam a student?"


    True.


    Katniss took it, still surprised, and carefully sat down.


    As the car sped down the road, to avoid the awkward silence, Katniss kept staring out the window.


    Maximilian''s profile reflected in the ss, all handsome and clean-cut, yet mature.


    Such an amazing guy, how could he die in two years? What a waste.


    When the car stopped at the corner, Katniss let out a sigh of relief, thanked him, and jumped out.


    For some reason, Felix also got out and called her.


    He hesitated for a moment, "Miss, you always lived here? You know an olddy named Aurora Miller?" Katniss looked up, curious, "You know my grandma?" "Your grandma? Where is she now?" Felix''s voice was full of excitement. Katniss nodded, looking a bit sad. "My grandma passed away three years ago."


    Felix looked like he couldn''t handle the news, his face full of disappointment.


    In the end, Felix just smiled weakly, "We came toote. You should head up."


    Katniss nodded, turned around, and walked back, a guess forming in her mind.


    Was Felix looking for Aurora because of Maximilian''s illness? In her past life, did Maximilian eventually die because they couldn''t find Aurora and they had no cure?


    She hadn''t walked far when Felix''s anxious voice came from the car.


    "Sir, what''s wrong? Where''s the medicine?" Felix frantically searched the car for the backup meds but couldn''t find them.


    Katniss stopped, quickly ran back, and opened the car door, seeing Maximilian in pain, his brows tightly furrowed, his face pale as paper, cold sweat on his forehead, and veins bulging on his hand supporting his head, clearly having an attack. Katniss instinctively reached out to check him, trying to assess his condition. She squinted her eyes, calmly analyzing.


    "This pulse is wrong, clearly problematic," Katniss said, frowning.


    Maximilian closed his eyes, veins bulging on his forehead, even his breathing seemed difficult. He held his head, sweat dripping from his forehead.


    "What''s wrong?" Katniss asked softly, her tone filled with concern.


    Maximilian struggled to open his eyes, a cold glint in his ck pupils. "Stay away from me!" His voice was hoarse and tired.


    Katniss was startled but didn''t back down, asking, "You look pale. Do you have any backup meds?"


    Felix was frantically rummaging through the car''s storagepartments, clearly remembering putting the backup meds there, but they were nowhere to be found.


    Katniss took Maximilian''s hand, feeling the weak pulse, a determined look shing across her face.


    "Don''t worry, I can help you!"


    Felix nervously urged Katniss to leave, his brows furrowed, worried that if Maximilian had an episode, he would be violent and might hurt the young girl.


    "Miss, it''s not safe here. You should leave! Maximilian''s emotions are unstable and can be very dangerous." Felix''s voice was tense and warning.


    Katniss looked deeply at Felix, her eyes showing determination and courage. She shook her head firmly, saying resolutely, "I won''t leave. Now is the time to save him. Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing." Felix, hearing this, showed an indescribable expression. Knowing Katniss had made up her mind, he reluctantly nodded and silently waited for what would happen next. Katniss tightly grasped Maximilian''s strong arm.


    "If you don''t get treated, you''ll die!" Katniss shouted sternly, "Don''t move!"


    Katniss''s fierce expression startled Felix, who stood there dumbfounded, watching her actions.


    With a swift motion, Katniss took out a few silver needles from her bag, asking, "Do you have any alcohol?" Felix reacted quickly, hurriedly taking a bottle of rubbing alcohol from the car''s trunk and handing it to Katniss. Katniss then quickly disinfected the silver needles and skillfully inserted them into Maximilian''s head.


    Fortunately, she carried silver needles for self-defense; otherwise, she wouldn''t know where to find them at this moment.


    Seeing Katniss''s exceptionally skilled needlework, Felix''s eyes shed with surprise and astonishment. Though young, Katniss''s technique was practiced and proficient, showing at least ten years of experience.


    As the silver needles pierced, Maximilian suddenly closed his eyes, hisrge frame copsing, showing a rare moment of fatigue. Katniss swiftly reached out, catching his falling face.


    Her heart tightened, she quickly supporting Maximilian to prevent him from falling heavily to the ground.


    Felix, dumbfounded, asked, "What''s wrong with Maximilian?"


    Katniss, without a trace of panic, answered with focused determination, "Don''t worry, he''s just undergoing treatment. He''ll be fine soon."


    Maximilian''s forehead was covered in fine sweat, as if enduring some pain, but his brows gradually rxed, showing a hint of ease andfort.


    He quieted down, his head resting on Katniss''sp. He was too heavy for Katniss to move, so she let him continue resting on herp.


    The warm touch on her skin, even through the fabric, allowed her to feel his strong shoulders and impressive chest muscles. Katniss''s eyshes fluttering, she looked at Felix with a face full of helplessness.

 Chapter 5

    Felix''s mouth twitched as he tried to hold back a few coughs. He quickly swung open the other side of the car door and carefully helped Maximilian out.


    Once done, Felix felt a wave of sadness hit him. To the outside world, Maximilian looked like some super-rich noble, but no one knew the crap he was dealing with. He lost his mom when he was just a kid, and his dad? Well, he had a mistress and a bastard kid who was eyeing the family fortune.


    After getting hit with a nasty illness, Maximilian''s health went downhill, leaving him with nightmares and sleepless nights.


    The sleep issues, along with headaches, meant he had to pop meds to ease the pain.


    Buttely, his body got used to the meds, and the stuff the docs gave him stopped working. Sometimes, Maximilian couldn''t even catch an hour of sleep. How could a guy like him survive on less than an hour of sleep a day?


    What was easy for most people was like climbing Everest for Maximilian. But now, the dude was actually asleep.


    Felix, with red eyes, looked at Katniss and asked, "How''s he doing now?"


    Katniss nced at the sleeping Maximilian, and Felix got the hint. They walked a few steps away.


    "I learned medicine from my grandma since I was a kid. She taught me everything," Katniss said, keeping it short.


    Hearing this, a spark of hope lit up in Felix''s eyes. His lips trembled as he asked, "Can you fix Maximilian''s illness?" After thinking for a bit, Katniss said, "I''ll give it my best shot."


    Felixughed and cried at the same time, wiping his tears and nodding awkwardly, "Good, do your best. We''ll tackle this together." Hope is always a good thing.


    Maximilian was such an amazing guy; fate shouldn''t be this harsh!


    About half an hourter, Maximilian slowly opened his eyes, turning his head to see Katniss squatting by the car.


    Seeing Maximilian awake, Felix asked about his condition with concern.


    Katniss stood up and quickly walked over, asking, "Maximilian, how are you feeling now? Any better?"


    Maximilian looked into Katniss''s eyes, clear and beautiful, like a harmless kitten.


    He looked away and answered coolly, "Yeah."


    Felix, still worried, handed the pills he found to Maximilian, saying, "Sir, are you really okay? Need to take a pill?"


    "Felix, can I see the pills you''re holding?" Katniss asked, her nose twitching slightly.


    Felix didn''t answer but looked at Maximilian, who gave him a nod, and he handed the pills to Katniss.


    Katniss had already caught the herbal scent from Maximilian, which matched the smell of these pills.


    The pills were for treating insomnia, nightmares, and mental weakness, especially diazepam, showing how serious things were.


    Long-term sleep issues can make someone irritable and lead to nervous exhaustion. Treating it like simple insomnia is pointless.


    Katniss''s face changed slightly as she sniffed the pills. Something was off. While most ingredients were fine, one was definitely not a regr painkiller.


    "Maximilian, you usually pop these pills for your headaches? How long you been on ''em?" Katniss asked.


    Whoever prescribed these knew their stuff; a regr Joe wouldn''t catch the issue.


    It was a tiny detail, easy to miss if you weren''t looking close.


    Even though it was a minor drug, using it long-term could lead to chronic poisoning.


    Messing with someone like this was seriously messed up.


    Katniss couldn''t help but wonder if Maximilian''s early struggles were tied to these pills.


    "A long time," Maximilian said, looking beat and clearly not in the mood to chat.


    Felix suddenly remembered something and said to Katniss, "A month ago, the Boleyn family brought in some hotshot doctor to treat Maximilian. This is what he prescribed. Is there something wrong with these pills?" The doc brought in by the Boleyn family, huh?


    "Hard to say, maybe my medical skills aren''t up to par," Katniss said with a light smile, her eyes shifting. "If you trust me, I can whip up a different pill for Maximilian."


    Maximilian finally closed his eyes in peace, enjoying half an hour of calm. At this point, Felix was totally on board with Katniss. Who couldin?


    Katniss''s clear voice was even more soothing, "Can I take over making Maximilian''s pills?"


    Felix nodded right away, even asking when they could pick them up once they were ready.


    Even though she didn''t know the beef between the Boleyn family and Maximilian, since Katniss knew there was a problem with the pills, she couldn''t let Maximilian keep taking them. This wasn''t stirring the pot; it was just basic doctor ethics. As soon as the suggestion to change the meds was made, Maximilian, being sharp, would naturally handle the details.


    His expression stayed the same, cold and indifferent, his gaze shifting to her dress. He tossed his folded suit jacket at Katniss, making her a bit awkward as she reluctantly put it on.


    Katniss carefully put on the jacket, saying, "Maximilian, I''ll wash your clothes and get them back to you."


    Maximilian said nonchntly, "No need, just toss ''em."


    Katniss was taken aback, not expecting Maximilian to be so decisive. A sense of admiration welled up in her heart, and she said, "You''re really loaded, huh? Not even caring about a suit worth thousands of dors." Maximilian''s eyes were indifferent as he looked at the clothes in Katniss''s hands, seemingly unconcerned about material stuff.


    Katniss felt a bit miffed about Maximilian''s extravagant attitude, silently criticizing his overspending.


    Maximilian smiled and said to Felix, "Felix, get in the car."


    As the car sped away, Katniss withdrew her gaze, considering putting on Maximilian''s suit. Although it was a bit big, it at least covered the stains on her clothes.


    Katniss clutched her aching stomach, walking towards the residential area behind the clothing factory.


    "Felix, toss that bottle of pills," Maximilian suddenly said.


    Felix nodded quickly, wanting to speak but immediately shutting up at a nce from Maximilian.

 Chapter 6

    After getting herself ready, Katniss crashed for a couple of hours. Come evening, she grabbed her prescription and headed to the pharmacy to snag her meds. Walking in, she handed the script to the pharmacist with a grin, "Hey, can you hook me up with these meds and grind ''em into powder? Thanks a bunch." The pharmacist took a look and smiled back, "Sure thing, just a sec."


    About ten minutester, the pharmacist handed Katniss a bag full of powdered meds and started ringing her up.


    "That''ll be seventy-eight bucks," the pharmacist said.


    Katniss pulled out a wad of cash from her bag, counted it, and handed it over.


    Holding the heavy bag of meds, she felt a sting in her chest. She only had three hundred bucks, and this bag of meds cost nearly eighty. Making money ain''t easy!


    Finding a part-time gig was a must; otherwise, she''d be starving.


    She also grabbed some honey, nning to make pills when she got home.


    Speaking of home, did she even have one? But until she could stand on her own, she still had to go back to The Manners Vi.


    The Manners Vi was tucked behind the clothing factory''s residential area, with a unique three-story house and some pretty distinctive decor.


    Years ago, Oliver ditched his job and was one of the first to dive into business.


    Gotta say, Oliver hit the jackpot. In recent years, he made bank running a clothingpany and became the talk of the town.


    At this time, there were just a few old guys sipping tea in the courtyard and some middle-aged women gossiping under a tree.


    Seeing Katniss stroll back alone with her canvas shoulder bag, they weren''t too shocked, like they were used to it.


    But as usual, they couldn''t resist being nosy.


    "Katniss, why''d youe back alone? Your older brothers drove to pick up your sister this morning. Why didn''t they bring you back too?" L asked, her eyes shing a bit of envy. The Manners family was known to be loaded and influential around here.


    Everyone in the courtyard was green with envy.


    L was famous for being a busybody, always sticking her nose in everyone''s business.


    This L seemed super "concerned" about their family drama. How did she used to respond?


    To cover for the Manners family, she used to say she got car sick and would puke as soon as she got in the car, so she walked.


    But this time, Katniss wasn''t gonna hide it anymore. She didn''t care about pleasing the Manners family, so no need to lie.


    "I wanted to take the car, but ra thought I was dirty and wouldn''t let me in. What could I do? L, you don''t know, I live in the storage room at home. As soon as you walk in, there''s this nasty smell. It''s so gross to live in during this hot weather."


    As Katniss spoke, she started to tear up, continuing to spill, "I can''t even eat at the table. I have to wait until ra''s done before I can eat. The clothes I wear are ra''s hand-me-downs, and this backpack? Only got it after ra didn''t want it anymore."


    The middle-aged women sighed and gave Katniss all the sympathy they could muster.


    The Manners family was rolling in dough, yet they treated their own flesh and blood like a maid while spoiling their adopted daughter rotten. What a joke!


    Turned out, all that kindness towards Katniss was just for show. They only had eyes for ra, their adopted darling. Only the Manners could pull off something so twisted.


    "Honey, don''t cry. What kind of family is this? If I had a granddaughter like you, I''d treat you like gold. I don''t know what they''re thinking."


    "They act all nice to you, but it''s all fake. I can''t believe they''re so rich and still so cheap with their own daughter. It''s just too much!"


    Hearing this, a flicker of satisfaction crossed Katniss''s eyes. This was exactly what she wanted.


    In a few days, this story would be all over the courtyard. She wondered how they keep up their act then.


    "I can''t chat anymore. I gotta get back and cook. If I''mte, I''ll get chewed out by my parents and brothers again," Katniss said.


    This was true. Katniss''s cooking skills were top-notch in the Manners family.


    She didn''t know when it started, but she had to juggle school and cooking three meals a day.


    Just because ra wouldn''t touch the maid''s cooking, Katniss had to handle all the meals. But now, she was done ying chef for them.


    L looked puzzled and couldn''t help but ask, "Didn''t the Manners family hire a maid? Why do you still have to cook?"


    A storm was brewing. Katniss stood in the middle of the courtyard, crying out to the onlookers, "ra only eats what I cook! She treats me like a servant!" Katniss''s voice was full of hurt and anger. Everyone listened to Katniss''sints, feeling both sympathy and rage. "ra is too much! Treating her own sister like a servant, it''s just bullying!" a middle-aged woman couldn''t help but shout. "Yeah! Katniss, you''ve been wronged! We got your back!" another woman said, holding Katniss''s hand in support.


    Katniss, wiping away her tears, bravely continued, "I can''t even eat in peace. I''m always thest to eat. I sleep in the storage room she assigned!" Katniss''s words were full of dissatisfaction and hurt, resonating with everyone. "ra is too much! Stay strong, we''ll help you!" a middle-aged woman encouraged Katniss, hoping she could get through this tough time.


    No one expected the biological daughter of the Manners family to live worse than a servant. It was truly tragic!


    Although they couldn''t wrap their heads around the Manners family''s actions, they got the main point: all of Katniss''s misery was because of ra, who usually seemed so sweet and sensible but was actually a snake. You really can''t judge a book by its cover!

 Chapter 7

    The yard at The Manners Vi was huge, packed with all kinds of colorful flowers and nts, plus a few rose bushes. The air was filled with a sweet scent that just made you feel good. In the living room, the whole family was gathered around, checking out gifts andughing. The ce was buzzing with joy.


    Out in the big yard, a gentle breeze made the flowers and nts sway. It was such a peaceful scene. Katniss tried to sneak through the living room to her room but got caught by ra, who had this challenging look in her eyes, clearly looking to mess with Katniss.


    ra grabbed Katniss''s hand with a big smile, "Katniss, you''re back! We got guests today, and Dad bought a ton of yummy food to celebrate us getting out of the hospital. Your cooking is the best, and I can''t wait to eat your dishes." That was when everyone noticed Katniss. Seeing ra all buddy-buddy with her, they all frowned, looking pretty sour.


    Lucas walked over, gave Katniss a quick nce, and then reached for ra. "ra,e here. Remember how you got hurt? Stay away from Katniss; she''ll hurt you."


    "Lucas, I''ve told you a million times, it wasn''t Katniss..." Nathan cut her off, "It wasn''t her, but she let those thugs mess with you. ra, stop defending her. You''re too nice, and that''s why Katniss bullies you."


    Katniss didn''t want to deal with them and headed straight to her room, but they weren''t about to let her go.


    "Katniss, where do you think you''re going? nning to set ra up again?" Nathan sneered, blocking her path with a smirk.


    Katniss frowned, not wanting to get into it with Nathan] "I got stuff to do in my room. Move."


    Nathanughed mockingly, "Stuff to do? More like running from your responsibilities. Katniss, you can''t keep hiding from this. I''ll make you pay."


    Simon walked over, handed Katniss a piece of paper and a pen, and ordered, "Katniss, since you''re back, apologize to ra and write a self-reflection. You messed up, so you''ll have to make it right." Katniss looked at the paper and pen, a cold smile creeping onto her face.


    She took the paper, her eyes turning icy. Without a second thought, she tore the paper into pieces and tossed the pen to the ground with a snap.


    "Katniss, what the hell are you doing?" Simon''s voice had a hint of anger, his eyes zing.


    Katniss turned to face Simon, her expression firm, "I''m not writing a self-reflection, and I''m not apologizing. I did nothing wrong."


    Simon''s face darkened, his voice low, "You''re openly defying the family rules. Aren''t you scared of the consequences?"


    "I''ve thought about the consequences long ago," Katniss''s voice was cold, "I won''t wrong myself, and I won''t bow to you."


    Simon was fuming, veins popping on his forehead. He sneered, "Alright, if you''re gonna be that stubborn, get ready to face the music."


    Just then, a tall guy in a white shirt walked over. It was Desmond, Katniss''s so-called fianc¨¦.


    "Katniss, you think you can hurt ra and fool everyone? Think again," Desmond used, not holding back.


    Was he here to y the hero for ra? How touching.


    Desmond strutted over, thinking his scolding would make Katniss cave, apologize to ra, and write a self-reflection like before.


    Her ingrained humility was seriously annoying.


    But Desmond seemed to forget that Katniss had just refused to apologize and tore up the paper in front of everyone.


    Clearly, she wasn''t the same pushover anymore.


    Katniss looked at Desmond, a hint of mockery in her eyes.


    She used to love this seemingly gentle guy, hanging on his every word. But now, her attitude towards him was ice-cold.


    "Desmond, don''t treat Katniss like this. She''s your fianc¨¦e, and she might have her reasons. She must be really upset," ra said, trying to defend Katniss. "Fianc¨¦e?" Desmond said with a cruel smile, "Not for long."


    Desmond stared at Katniss, his eyes shing with malice, a mocking smile on his lips, "If you don''t apologize, I''ll break off the engagement."


    He thought Katniss would panic and rush to apologize, exining herself humbly like before.


    But Katniss just stood there, unmoved, like it didn''t even matter.


    Her lips curled into a slight smile, she sneered, "Oh, go ahead. The sooner, the better."


    Katniss looked at Desmond, feeling a wave of disgust. She thought about their engagement, wondering why she didn''t object back then. Was this something she even wanted?


    Desmond''s anger was clear, veins bulging, fists clenching.


    "Desmond, it''s all my fault. Don''t argue. Katniss is just speaking out of anger. Don''t me her," ra said softly, holding Desmond''s hand.


    Desmond turned, ring at Katniss, "You!"


    "Desmond, don''t get worked up. Let''s talk this out," ra said, holding Desmond''s hand tightly, her eyes filled with reluctance.


    Lucas couldn''t stand ra''s behavior. She was the victim, yet she was defending Katniss, making his heart ache. He pointed at Katniss and yelled, "Katniss, how can you be like this? ra is speaking up for you, and you still don''t repent. This is yourst chance, apologize now!"


    Nathan pulled ra, ring at Katniss, "Don''t think ra''s kindness will save you. If you don''t apologize today, this won''t end."


    ra''s eyes showed surprise. Katniss had changed.

 Chapter 8

    Back in the day, if her brothers even hinted at something, Katniss would freak out and do whatever they said.


    But this time? Nah, she wasn''t having it. No matter what her brothers threw at her, Katniss stood her ground. Nobody knew what had changed.


    Oliver stormed over, yelling at Katniss, "Look at ra, she''s got her act together, and here you are, getting people to mess with her. Katniss, you''re a disgrace to the Manners family!" Everyone looked at Katniss like she couldn''t even breathe right.


    Hearing all this crap, Katniss felt a pang in her chest.


    She used to crave family warmth, but what did she get in return?


    The Manners family hurt her the most.


    Katniss lowered her eyes and said, "I''m not apologizing for something I didn''t do."


    Oliver was about to blow a gasket.


    The once obedient Katniss had turned into this? He was totally lost.


    "Dad, I''m fine. Katniss is my sister, I won''t hold it against her," ra said, then turned to Katniss, "Come on, apologize to Dad, cook a nice meal, and this will all blow over." ra kept defending Katniss, acting like she''d rather suffer herself than let Katniss be embarrassed.


    She tried so hard to get Katniss to back down, it was almost impossible to say no.


    Katniss sneered, "ra, tell me, what did I do wrong? If you can say it, I''ll apologize."


    Katniss used to think ra was a rare gem. Every time the Manners family criticized her, ra would be the first to stand up for her, always looking out for her.


    But after dying in her past life, Katniss had changed. She saw ra''s true colors and wasn''t falling for it anymore.


    ra was caught off guard, her expression turning venomous, tears welling up in her eyes.


    She just wanted to give Katniss a way out, but Katniss wasn''t ying along, leaving ra speechless.


    In the past, whenever Katniss got criticized by her brothers, ra would stand up for her, which seemed totally normal.


    But now, not only did Katniss not appreciate it, she even mocked ra, like she was a whole new person.


    "Katniss, I just want the family to get along. Isn''t that the best?" ra exined helplessly, tears streaming down.


    Desmond couldn''t take it anymore, pulling out the marriage contract and throwing it at Katniss, yelling, "A woman, who''d betray herself to hurt her sister like you, disgusts me. I''m calling off the engagement, right now!" Nobody could stop him.


    Katniss was hit by the contract, looking coldly at Desmond and agreeing, "Fine!"


    "Desmond, you..." ra pretended to speak up for Katniss.


    "ra, stop defending Katniss. You''re too kind, that''s why she bullies you," Desmond interrupted.


    ra looked at Katniss helplessly, tears welling up.


    A trace of coldness shed in Katniss''s eyes as she mercilessly tore up the marriage contract Desmond had thrown on the ground, making the paper scraps fall like snow. "Desmond, since you like ra, you two be together. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Katniss''s voice was cold and resolute.


    Desmond was fuming, a ruthless glint in his eyes as he shouted, "Katniss, you bitch!"


    ra watched, her heart aching like a knife, fists clenched. "Katniss, how can you do this?"


    But Katniss didn''t flinch, a mocking smile on her lips. "ra, aren''t you the saint? Gofort your Desmond."


    Desmond had been itching to ditch this engagement, but he never thought the once meek Katniss would dare to defy him. His anger hit the roof. "Katniss, you''ll regret this!"


    Katniss let out a coldugh, turned, and walked away, leaving behind a mess of paper scraps. Yet, she felt oddly relieved and pleased.


    Oliver was about to blow a fuse. "Katniss, what kind of attitude is this? This marriage was arranged by your grandfather. How dare you call it off just like that?"


    Katniss was getting more and more out of hand, not even respecting him as an elder. Oliver''s temper soared.


    "Katniss, why are you doing this? ra just got out of the hospital today, and you''re being so unreasonable? Learn from ra and make things easier for us," Elodie said bluntly as she came down the stairs. Seeing ra''s swollen eyes, Elodie hugged her heartbrokenly,forting her, "Don''t be sad, your health is more important."


    Elodie''s disdain for Katniss was at its peak; she wished Katniss would disappear from her life.


    Every time Katniss came home, it felt like doom followed, making the whole family uneasy. Elodie grew to hate her own daughter, finding Katniss''s presence intolerable. And Katniss equally loathed Elodie as a mother. She couldn''t understand why a mother would be so cold to her own daughter, even wishing her daughter would leave this world. "Katniss, you useless thing, every time youe home, you bring trouble!" Elodie angrily scolded Katniss.


    Katniss let out a coldugh, "You think I want toe to your house?"


    Looking at Elodie, Katniss felt an indescribable anger. She tried her best to control her emotions, not letting the tears show, but the disappointment in her heart grew deeper. "Katniss, what do you mean by this?" Lucas said disdainfully, "If you were half as sensible as ra, things wouldn''t have gotten this bad."


    Nathan added sarcastically, "Katniss, what right do you have topare with ra? You''re not even worth a strand of her hair."


    Desmond looked at Katniss with aplicated expression. She was different now. Facing her family''s criticism, she remained calm andposed, not even trying to please them. Suddenly, she had be tough, and no one knew what Katniss was thinking. Desmond couldn''t read any emotions from Katniss''s eyes, which made him inexplicably irritated. "Katniss, you''re going too far!" Oliver was furious, yelling, "We need to clear this up today."


    Katniss shook her head wearily, feeling exhausted. "Yes, you''re right. ra is the best, the most sensible, and I''m the freak. Is that enough? I won''t disturb your family reunion anymore, I''m leaving." Katniss stood at the door, eyes filled with determination and defiance, ready to leave this suffocating home.

 Chapter 9

    "Katniss, you can''t just bail!" Oliver said, blocking the doorway like a stubborn bouncer, his face set in stone.


    Katniss shot him a look of pure disdain. "I don''t need to stick around in this fake-ass house, Oliver. You''re just a loser trying to save face!"


    "How dare you!" Oliver roared, his face turning red. "You think you can just walk out on the family? Who do you think you are?"


    Katniss didn''t flinch. "I don''t want to stay with a narrow-minded, hypocritical jerk any longer!"


    Oliver''s anger hit the roof, his eyes zing. "You ungrateful brat! You''re not leaving until you exin yourself."


    "What do you want to hear? I''m not wrong. Desmond and I broke off the engagement, so now ra can date Desmond without any drama. What more do you want?" Katniss snapped back. This whole mess was for that, right? Now that she had stepped aside, how was it her fault?


    Oliver never wanted Katniss to break off the engagement. Sure, she was a pain sometimes, but she was still his daughter.


    Seeing Katniss trying to keep it together, Oliver felt a heavy weight in his chest. He wanted to exin, but the words just wouldn''te out.


    Katniss''s eyes were full of disappointment. As she turned to leave, tears fell on the back of her hand, cold and heart-wrenching.


    Just like her current state of mind, cold and devoid of warmth.


    "Katniss, what happened? Who pissed you off?" Dn asked.


    At the gate, Dn suddenly appeared. Katniss turned around, wiping away her tears, not wanting to show weakness in front of her family.


    Dn immediately knew it wasn''t simple; it must be another sh between Katniss and someone else.


    The current Katniss had changed, no longer timid.


    This Katniss made Dn feel a sense of pity.


    Stepping forward, he sighed, "Come on, I''ll go home with you and exin everything to them. After all, you''re our sister; they won''t make things difficult for you."


    Katniss sneered at Dn, shaking off his arm. "You don''t know anything and just assume I''m wrong?"


    At the entrance of The Manners Vi, Dn anxiously tried to persuade Katniss to stay. "Katniss, it''s so dangerous outside now. It''s not safe for a girl to be out there alone. What if something happens? You should stay. Besides, where else can you go besides The Manners Vi? Now is not the time to act on impulse."


    Katniss, however, let out a coldugh, seeing through Dn''s hypocrisy. He didn''t dare to answer her question directly, only trying to ease the situation in his self-righteous way. "I can take care of myself; you don''t need to worry." "Katniss, listen to me..." Dn tried to say more but was firmly interrupted by Katniss.


    "No need, Dn. There''s nothing more to say between me and the Manners family." Katniss''s expression was resolute as she mercilessly rejected Dn''s persuasion, bypassing him and walking out of The Manners Vi. In the courtyard stood old buildings, their renovated exteriors still revealing the passage of time.


    When Katniss first returned to the Manners family, she didn''t fit in with them. So she and Aurora relied on each other, living together in the courtyard and spending her youth from age 10 to 16 there.


    With eyes still red from crying, Katniss took a deep breath and stepped into the familiar house.


    In her memories, her grandfather was a ghost, a hero who died catching a thief, leaving only the stories Aurora told.


    Grandma Aurora had been a military doctor, fighting alongside her grandpa. After retiring, she opened a tiny clinic next to the courtyard.


    Katniss learned all her medical skills from Aurora, especially focusing on taking care of Nathan, who was always sick.


    But Nathan always seemed to prefer ra''s care, making Katniss feel like her efforts were pointless.


    Oliver and Aurora''s rtionship was always rocky. He barely visited, only showing up on holidays. The beef between Aurora and Oliver was a mystery. Every time they met, it was like World War III, sometimes even with brooms. "You ungrateful brat!" Aurora would yell, waving a broom at Oliver.


    Oliver would helplessly block the broom, trying to exin, "Mom, I really have stuff to do and can''te often. Please don''t get it twisted."


    But Aurora''s rage was like a storm, impossible to calm. Over time, Oliver''s temper got just as bad.


    Eventually, Oliver stoppeding to the courtyard altogether, leaving an awkward silence.


    When Aurora passed away, she left the house to Katniss, along with a bank card.


    It was Aurora''s life savings, but Katniss never touched it, not wanting to use that money.


    The house was on the second floor of the third building. Katniss unlocked the door and stepped inside. It was a two-bedroom apartment with old-school furniture. Katniss felt like stepping into a time machine. But it had been empty for so long, the windows were covered in cobwebs, and the cabs were thick with dust.


    Standing in the mess, Katniss frowned slightly, deciding to bring this ce back to life.


    She rolled up her sleeves and got to work. Dust flew, cobwebs broke, and the silence was shattered, revealing a vibrant life.


    "This ce used to be so clean and tidy," Katniss muttered to herself, a hint of a smile on her lips.


    After a lot of hard work, the apartment looked brand new, even the air felt lighter and more pleasant.


    Looking at her handiwork, Katniss smiled slightly, feeling a sense of satisfaction. ''Finally, it feels a bit more like home.''


    At that moment, her stomach growled. Katniss took out a stack of money she had saved over the year from a hidden pocket in her wallet.


    Originally meant for ra''s birthday gift next month, it could now be used for an emergency. It was a mix of pennies, one-dor bills, and thergest denomination, ten dors. She counted it, totaling three hundred and six dors, enough tost her for a while.


    At the gate of the courtyard, there was a small shop where Katniss bought spaghetti, some eggs, and other essentials. A te of steaming spaghetti was ready. Katniss found it particrly delicious.


    Free from the Manners family''s demands, she could finally live her own life.


    Letting gopletely, Katniss found a life of incrediblefort.

 Chapter 10

    In the dead of night, the phone''s ring cut through the silence like a knife. Katniss was out cold, and without a second thought, she hung up. But the damn phone kept ringing, messing with her sleep and pissing her off. Eyes still shut, she hit the answer button.


    Desmond''s voice came through, pissed as hell. "Katniss, what the hell? You hang up on me?"


    Katniss scowled, snapping back, "Desmond, seriously? It''s the middle of the night! What do you want?"


    Desmond, breathing heavily, shot back, "You gotta go back to school tomorrow and cede your exam spot to ra! Or else, you''re gonna regret it!"


    Hearing this, Katniss''s eyes shed cold. No way she was letting them win. "Desmond, you lost your mind? The exam spot? Not happening. I''m not backing down."


    Desmond, sounding all smug, said, "This is from the Manners family too." Katniss could hear dishes clinking in the background, like they were having dinner.


    Then Oliver''s voice chimed in, "Just give your spot to ra. You owe her for putting her in the hospital. She shouldn''t suffer, and you can always apply next year." Katniss shot back, "No way! Keep dreaming!"


    Oliver, now fuming, barked, "Katniss, what''s with the attitude? Got no manners?"


    Nathan grabbed the phone, mocking, "What''s up, Katniss? Throwing a fit again? You''re so spoiled, you shouldn''t talk to your parents like this. Without the Manners family, you''re nothing." Elodie tried to calm things down, "Everyone, chill. Katniss, just apologize to Dad and Nathan, and this will be over."


    Katniss wasn''t having it. "No way! Over my dead body." She hung up with a snap.


    The Manners family was left staring at each other, stunned. They didn''t expect Katniss to be so cold.


    The next morning, Katniss was up and out to school after breakfast. The old school building still had that historic vibe, with a golden que above the gate reading "Nexus Nova College." Katniss got to school earlier than usual. Only a few students were around, some girls with earphones in, looking all trendy.


    After chilling in the ssroom for a bit, Juniper Davis walked over. Katniss put down her book and stood up to greet her.


    "Katniss, you good now? I wanted to visit, but my family was moving, so I got held up. Don''t be mad," Juniper said, holding Katniss''s hand, looking both happy and guilty. Juniper had sharp features and a tall frame, a real beauty.


    "I''m good. Come on, let''s hit up Caleb''s office," Katniss said.


    She needed to transfer the spot before Desmond could pull any moves, or it''d be toote.


    Katniss knew Juniper, who was all about public speaking, had always wanted to apply but missed the boat, and it bummed her out for ages.


    "Sure, you just got back to school, you should say hey to Caleb," Juniper said, tagging along with Katniss to the advisor''s office and giving the door a polite knock.


    "Come in," came the voice from inside. Caleb put down his book, waiting for them to spill. Katniss looked at Caleb and said, "Caleb, I wanna give my English speech spot to Juniper." Caleb looked at her, eyebrows raised. "You sure? Once you change it, there''s no going back." Juniper was just as puzzled. Katniss hadn''t mentioned this before, and it was out of the blue!


    "Katniss, this is your shot. Why give it to me?" Juniper said, holding Katniss''s hand, then quickly turned to Caleb, "Caleb, she''s just recovered from being sick. She''s not thinking straight. Don''t change it." But Katniss knew exactly what she was doing. She was done being ra''s pawn. This time, she was handing the opportunity to her friend Juniper.


    "Katniss, what''s up with you? You fought for this spot. Why the sudden change?" Juniper asked, eyes full of confusion.


    Katniss smiled softly and said, "Juniper, I know you''ve always dreamed of this. I just wanna help you get it."


    Juniper was both shocked and touched, holding Katniss''s hand with tears in her eyes. "Katniss, you''re amazing! I''ll make the most of this!"


    "I''ve made up my mind. I want Juniper to have the spot," Katniss told Caleb firmly.


    To her, letting Juniper give the speech wasn''t just an opportunity; it was the right thing to do.


    In her past life, ra had snatched the speech spot from her, taking $8,000 and going abroad as an exchange student. She had hogged all the glory!


    This time, no way ra was getting the spot. Katniss knew the risks, but she wasn''t scared.


    Of course, Katniss had her own reasons. She and Juniper were tight, and she knew Juniper worked hard and was stoked about the speech. Katniss believed she''d crush it better than ra.


    Plus, Katniss had a little n. The Davis family wasn''t small potatoes; they had clout. No matter how powerful the Boleyn family was, they couldn''t snatch the spot from them.


    In no time, the spot was changed. Caleb handed it over, asking, "It''s done. Anything else?"


    "I n to transfer to the medical department," Katniss said. Caleb looked a bit worried, reminding her that transferring required passing an exam.


    Switching to the medical department was no joke. Many students found it too tough and ended up going back to their original majors, which messed with their studies. But Katniss was set on transferring, and it definitely shocked everyone around her.

 Chapter 11

    "Yo, Katniss, you sure you wanna jump into the medical program? That''s some serious stuff," Juniper asked, eyes wide in disbelief.


    Katniss nodded, eyes zing with determination. "Yeah, I''ve always wanted to be a doctor. This is my shot."


    "But those med exams are brutal. You really think you can handle it?" Juniper pressed, still stunned.


    Katniss took a deep breath. "Just give me a chance. I''ll ace those exams." She was confident, having shadowed Aurora for years and picking up tons of practical skills.


    Juniper was floored. Katniss ditching her speech slot was already wild, but now switching to med? She couldn''t wrap her head around it. Did something major go down during her hospital stay?


    Caleb sighed, a bit skeptical, and said, "Katniss, you should talk this over with your family. Supporting a college student ain''t easy. Don''t wanna see you regret it and bum them out."


    Katniss got where Caleb wasing from and appreciated his concern. But she was set on this path. Failing to switch majors now would just waste her parents'' money and her time. She knew the stakes but wasn''t backing down. As for her parents, whether she left or stayed, they probably wouldn''t care. Heck, they might even be relieved if she was out of their hair.


    "I''ll handle my own decisions. Just help me set it up. I won''t make a fool of myself," Katniss said, resolute.


    Caleb sighed again but agreed to help. He''d try to get her a shot, but the rest was up to her.


    "I''ll talk to the med program professors, but no promises. Be ready for anything," Caleb warned.


    Katniss nodded, satisfied. "Thanks. I''ll take whateveres."


    She was grateful for Caleb''s help and felt a surge of happiness. She dragged a stunned Juniper out of the office.


    "Katniss, are you for real?" Juniper asked, still in shock.


    Katniss shrugged. "You saw it. That''s the deal."


    Juniper touched Katniss''s forehead, checking for a fever. This decision was out of left field.


    "Is it ''cause the Manners family gave you grief again?" Juniper guessed.


    Katniss didn''t confirm or deny. "Don''t overthink it. Just focus on your speech prep!"


    "Katniss, move in with me. My ce is huge, and my dad''s hardly ever home. My mom loves you and keeps asking when you''ll visit," Juniper offered.


    Juniper couldn''t stand how the Manners family treated Katniss and ra''s fake niceness. It made her skin crawl.


    The Manners family ignored their real daughter Katniss but doted on the adopted ra. It was enough to piss anyone off. Even Juniper, an outsider, couldn''t stand it, let alone Katniss.


    "Juniper, thanks for looking out for me. I''ve got my own ns. Don''t worry, I''ve already bailed from the Manners Vi. No more dealing with their crap," Katniss reassured her.


    Juniper''s jaw dropped. "Wait, what? You moved out? Where are you crashing now? It''s sketchy for a girl to live alone. Just move in with me. My ce is huge, and you can pick any room." Juniper''s enthusiasm warmed Katniss''s heart, but she had her reservations.


    "If you feel weird about staying over, juste by and cook for me sometimes. I''m obsessed with your cooking," Juniper teased.


    Katniss chuckled, feeling both amused and touched. She was about to respond when a voice called out from behind.


    "Katniss, hold up, I need to talk to you," someone shouted.


    Katniss''s smile vanished, her eyes turning icy. She didn''t want to engage, but the thought of ra badmouthing her on campus made her blood boil.


    She turned to see ra, decked out in designer gear, looking like she stepped out of a fashion magazine. Dior hat, Gi jacket, LV shirt, Herm¨¨s scarf, Cartier bracelet, Chanel handbag, and red-bottomed heels. The whole nine yards. Katniss sneered internally, thinking, ''ra, you really think I''m not miserable enough and need more humiliation?''


    Katniss, the real daughter of the Manners family, got kicked out of the house, and now she was facing the adopted daughter ra on her first day back at school. It was a scene straight out of a soap opera, and the students were eating it up. Katniss stood her ground, her expression hard, eyes cold and disdainful. Her simple but neat outfit gave her a unique vibe.


    ra hadn''t even opened her mouth yet, but her eyes were already welling up, ying the innocent and sweet card. "Katniss, I''m here to convince you toe home. You need to learn to control your temper. It''s not safe for a girl to live outside."


    Katniss sneered, "Oh, you''re here to care about me? How touching."


    The students started whispering, eyes glued to the drama unfolding. "Katniss is so bold, standing up to ra!"


    "ra''s got a huge rep. How''s she gonna handle this?"


    "This drama''s just getting started. I can''t wait to see what happens next!"


    The crowd buzzed with excitement, pointing at Katniss. Juniper wanted to jump in and defend her, but Katniss stopped her.


    Juniper''s bluntness might make things worse, and Katniss didn''t want her dragged into this mess.


    She shot back sarcastically, "Home?Oh! You mean that cramped, cluttered storage room? It''s so kind of you, ra."

 Chapter 12

    The storage room was a total dump, and Katniss had had it up to here with it. Unlike ra, who was all about keeping up appearances, Katniss wasn''t scared to wreck stuff if she had to. Juniper was floored when she heard about it. She always knew Katniss was tough, but she had no clue her living situation at The Manners Vi was such a nightmare. It was just too much. There was only one ss in the afternoon, and as soon as it was over, Katniss bolted out of there with her backpack. She spotted a food truck by the road, and her eyes lit up like Christmas lights. Her stomach growled like a beast. When she lived at the Manners Vi, the Manners family barely kept her from starving and never gave her a dime. "How can this food only be a buck? It looks so good!" Katniss said, her eyes wide and practically drooling. The owner gave her a warm smile. "Want a hot dog?"


    Katniss was tempted. She felt the few bucks in her pocket and hesitated, finally shaking her head. "Nah, I''m not hungry."


    The owner saw right through her and said with a hint of pity, "Don''t worry, this one''s on me."


    Katniss felt her eyes get all misty. A stranger cared more about her than her own family. She took the hot dog, tears in her eyes, and thanked the owner, quietly leaving a dor on the table.


    Sure, there are kind people out there, but she couldn''t live off free meals forever. While waiting for the bus, she pulled out her phone, habitually looking for part-time gigs.


    But her phone was ancient, only good for calls and texts, no inte.


    Just then, it rang. She saw the caller ID and hung up right away.


    A few secondster, it rang again. Katniss turned it off, not in the mood for any more crap.


    Back home, she pulled out the medicinal powder she bought earlier, ready to make some pills to sell for some cash.


    She poured honey into a pot, cranked up the heat, then simmered it down, skimming off the yellow foam until it stopped.


    Then she added the medicinal powder, stirring it into a thick paste, cooking it until it was done.


    Once it cooled, she started rolling small pills. Her arm ached; it had been a while since she did this.


    But she didn''t make a ton, and after two hours, the pills were done. She looked at the perfectly sized pills with satisfaction. After cleaning up, she crashed on her bed, exhausted, and fell asleep.


    The next day, she packed the pills into little bottles and tossed them in her bag for school.


    She overslept and had to grab two pieces of bread at the school gate to fill her stomach.


    Just as she walked in, someone grabbed her wrist. Before she could see who it was, she was yanked aside.


    The bread slipped from her hand and hit the ground, and Katniss was fuming.


    She had just bought that bread and barely had a few bites!


    ring at the person, she yelled, "Desmond, are you out of your mind? What the hell are you grabbing me for?"


    Desmond sneered, "Katniss, you still have the mood to eat bread!"


    Katniss didn''t want to deal with this nutjob and tried to walk away.


    Seeing her trying to leave, Desmond grabbed her wrist tighter, his eyes zing.


    In the empty campus, his low voice echoed, "Katniss, where do you think you''re going? Have you forgotten you still owe me an answer?" Desmond''s sharp eyes bore into her. The pain in her wrist only fueled her anger. She gritted her teeth and snapped, "Get lost!"


    "Katniss, don''t you feel guilty? You didn''t give the spot to ra but to someone else. What does that mean?" Desmond spat out angrily. Yesterday, Desmond had gone to Caleb to ask about the speech spot and found out what Katniss had done.


    He was so mad he almost lost it and wanted to beat her up.


    The Davis family''s status might not mean much to him, but their money was undeniable. He heard the Davis family had a good father-daughter rtionship, and pissing them off wasn''t worth it, but he wanted to settle this score with Katniss for ra.


    So that''s the deal.


    Katniss smiled coolly and said, "The spot is mine. I can do whatever I want with it. Stay out of it."


    Desmond had always been like this. Seeing ra cry made his heart ache. No matter how harsh he was to Katniss, he would turn into a softie at the sight of ra''s tears, all shaky and weak.


    ra''s tears were his kryptonite. Even a hint of moisture in her eyes would make Desmond panic,pletely at a loss.


    Once, ra was identally knocked down by a ssmate on campus, her fragile body hitting the ground, tears streaming down her face.


    "Ah, I''m sorry!" the ssmate apologized frantically.


    Desmond turned around and saw ra''s tearful, innocent, and pitiful face, his heart aching like it was stabbed.


    "Don''t cry, don''t cry, it''s okay." Desmond hurried over, gently patting ra''s shoulder, looking all concerned.


    ra, hearing this, raised her eyes, her tear-streaked face full of endless grievance, saying, "Desmond, I... I..."


    "Don''t say anything, I get it, don''t cry." Desmond quickly pulled out a handkerchief, gently wiping away ra''s tears. The ssmate who knocked ra down naturally didn''t have a good ending and got expelled. Desmond, backed by the Boleyn family, had done a lot of bad stuff for ra. And Katniss was always the one who got the worst of it.


    "Go find Caleb and change the spot to ra''s, or else you''ll regret it!" Desmond''s words were harsh and infuriating.

 Chapter 13

    Katniss was fuming, running into a total moron first thing in the morning!


    She balled up her fists, her eyes going icy as she fought the urge to deck him. She yelled, "Why? I already said, I could do whatever I want with the spot. Even my family can''t influence my decision, so who the hell do you think you are?" All that sweet and obedient act? Total BS. Thinking about it, Desmond''s anger just skyrocketed.


    Katnissughed, "Wow, you''re really pulling out all the stops for ra, huh?"


    She used to be all about Desmond, just wanting him to be happy. No matter how crazy his demands were, as long as he was happy, she was down.


    But now? Katniss didn''t have any love left; she was ready to fight back whenever.


    Desmond''s face turned beet red with anger, but he couldn''t say a word, just stood there like a deer in headlights.


    Katniss yanked her hand away from Desmond, pointing with her swollen hand, and snapped, "Don''t mess with me, or next time I won''t be so nice."


    "Fine, you chose this path, don''te cryingter!" Desmond spat out, furious.


    Katniss sneered, she had walked the path he''d chosen for her, but it had led to a dead end.


    She had been good to them, and they repaid her by letting her die in the hospital.


    Her mom only cared about whether her organs could be used for ra after she was gone.


    The weakling she was in her past life? Not happening again.


    She tossed the bread away and bought two more, feeling way better.


    As soon as she got to the ssroom, Juniper came over, saying, "Hey, Katniss."


    "Juniper, morning!" Katniss replied, her words muffled by a mouthful of bread.


    "Bread alone isn''t enough, here, drink this." Juniper said, handing Katniss a bottle of milk.


    Katniss took it, chugging several gulps.


    "I heard Desmond was giving you trouble. He didn''t get physical, did he? Is it about ra fainting, and he''s taking it out on you?" Juniper asked. She hadn''t seen Desmond bullying Katniss, or she wouldn''t have just stood by. Katniss finished the milk, tossed the carton, and sat down.


    "It''s about the speech spot." Katniss raised an eyebrow and smirked, "What can he do? He''s just trying to stand up for ra."


    But there were plenty of people she couldn''t stand, and Desmond was just another one on the list.


    Juniper looked worried, saying, "Katniss, I should give the spot back to you, or it might get bad for you."


    "If you give it back to me, they would take it away from me and give it to ra. So no!" Katniss eximed, annoyed, not wanting to see that happen, so she had to act first.


    Katniss knew Desmond would do it; if the spot was in her hands, he''d switch it to ra''s the first chance he got.


    In her past life, she tried to please the Manners family; in this life, she wasn''t making the same mistake.


    Juniper said, "I''ll keep the spot. If you change your mind, just let me know. ra can keep dreaming!" Katniss felt a bit touched.


    Juniper treated her way better than the Manners family ever did; it would be a lie to say she wasn''t moved.


    After school at noon, the cafeteria was packed.


    Katniss and Juniper got their food, heading to the back.


    Just as they walked, a tall figure suddenly bumped into them, knocking Katniss''s tray out of her hands without any exnation. Food sttered all over the floor, the tray making a loud tter. "Damn it!" Katniss cursed, ring furiously at the person who had knocked over her tray.


    Everyone in the cafeteria looked over, eager to see the drama.


    Katniss looked at Simon standing there, feeling annoyed and giving him a cold stare.


    Because of this idiot, she had to spend an extra three bucks.


    Didn''t he know better than to waste food? He even knocked over a whole te! Just thinking about it made her blood boil!

 Chapter 14

    Simon was built like a tank, and no matter how hard Katniss tried to shake him off, it was like trying to move a mountain.


    "Simon, what the hell are you doing? Let go of me!" Katniss''s voice was all fire and steel.


    Simon''s eyes shed with disdain as he snapped, "Katniss! You''d rather give the speech slot to some rando than to ra? That''s cold, even for you!" Katniss rolled her eyes, "I earned that slot fair and square. If ra wants to speak, she should earn it herself."


    Simon stomped his foot like a toddler, yelling, "You''re asking for it!"


    Katniss and Simon were twins, practically mirror images, but their rtionship was a dumpster fire.


    Everyone knew Simon couldn''t stand Katniss. Every time he saw her, he made it his mission to stir up trouble and embarrass her.


    Katniss shot Simon a look of pure contempt, "Simon, are you seriously standing up for ra?"


    Simon puffed out his chest, eyes zing, "Damn right I am! You disgrace, how dare you even show your face here!"


    Katniss snorted, "Standing up for ra? How noble of you, but you''re seriouslycking in the skills department."


    The cafeteria crowd started to gather, the air thick with tension.


    Out of nowhere, ra walked over with two tes of food. She handed one to Simon, saying, "Simon, chill out. I got you a fresh te." Simon red at Katniss, his voice dripping with disgust. "Katniss, you actually think ra can calm me down? That''s a joke." Katniss was floored by his twisted logic. "Are you nuts? You should definitely get your brain checked!"


    Simon took the food, his eyes softening as he looked at ra, "Thanks, ra."


    ra, all innocent, said, "Simon, Katniss is actually working really hard."


    Simon sneered, "Hard work? She just takes other people''s stuff and calls it her own. And she has the nerve to talk about hard work!" Juniper had enough. She mmed her utensils on the table, ready to tear into Simon, but Katniss held her back.


    When it came to the Manners family, Katniss preferred to handle things herself to avoid unnecessary drama.


    Even though the Davis family had money and wasn''t scared of the Manners'' crap, they still found it annoying. Katniss didn''t want Juniper getting dragged into her mess with the Manners.


    Katniss shot Juniper a look that said, "Let''s bounce."


    Juniper picked up on it right away and followed Katniss. They walked out with purpose, heading straight for the exit.


    "Why''d we leave? I wanted to give him a piece of my mind," Juniper asked, a bit miffed.


    Katniss gritted her teeth, after a moment, she said, "Seeing that jerk makes me wanna puke. I can''t stand the sight of him."


    Juniper thought about the Manners family and felt a wave of nausea herself. She grumbled as they walked, "Katniss, are you really twins with Simon? How can he be so obsessed with ra? He''s totally blind." Katniss found a new spot, ordered two meals, handed one to Juniper, and mumbled, "This chicken leg is pretty good. Give it a try."


    Juniper watched Katniss chow down but had no appetite herself. She wondered if Katniss was so pissed she was taking it out on the chicken leg like it was a Manners.


    Juniper pushed her meal over to Katniss. "You can have mine too."


    Katniss looked up and shed a sweet smile.


    After they finished eating and said their goodbyes, Katniss decided it was time to find a part-time job.

 Chapter 15

    Katniss was just wandering around the school when she spotted a job posting at the entrance of a coffee shop. She figured, why not, and strolled inside.


    The coffee shop had this cozy vibe, with coffee samples all over the counter. The ss cab was packed with different coffee beans and fresh fruits, making the ce smell amazing. The decor was pretty chill, with hand-painted watercolor paintings of fruits and flowers on the walls. It felt fresh and inviting.


    By the window, there were these white tables and chairs, all set up with little bottles of condiments and tissue boxes.


    Behind the counter, a young woman in a pink apron was brewing coffee like a pro, smiling as she worked. She was clearly into what she was doing.


    The whole ce had aid-back, happy atmosphere. A few female students were hanging out, chatting andughing over their coffee.


    The coffee brewer was now feeding a little boy, maybe five or six years old. When she saw Katnisse in, she put down the bowl and asked, "What can I get for you?"


    Katniss pointed to the job posting and smiled. "I''m a freshman at Nexus Nova College and I''d love to work here. Is that cool?"


    She walked up to the owner, Amara Garcia, really hoping tond the job. Amara looked a bit unsure, preferring to hire someone with experience.


    "You''re a freshman, huh? No work experience?" Amara asked.


    Katniss nodded. "Yeah, but I''m hardworking and really passionate about this."


    Amara frowned, thinking it over. She could see Katniss was sincere, but hiring a newbie was risky.


    "I usually hire people with experience," Amara said hesitantly.


    Katniss looked determined. "I might not have experience, but I''ll work hard and won''t let you down."


    Amara was still on the fence. Business had been goodtely, and she was working on new products while also taking care of her kid. She needed a part-timer.


    Just as Amara was about to decide, there was a loud crash behind her. She turned around to see the little boy on the floor, red-faced and struggling to breathe, having knocked over a small table. Amara panicked, trying to help the boy, but whatever was stuck in his throat was too deep.


    "Don''t move, listen to me!" Amara cried out, tears streaming down her face.


    Katniss quickly stepped in, pushing Amara aside. "No, don''t dig around, that''s only making it worse."


    Amara, desperate, asked, "Then what should I do?"


    "Leave it to me," Katniss said calmly.


    She picked up the child from behind, figuring he had something blocking his airway. She decided to perform the Heimlich maneuver, cing her fingers on his abdomen and pushing upward forcefully. After a few pushes, the child let out a violent cough, and a shiny ss marble flew out of his throat,nding on the floor with a clink.


    Katniss realized she was drenched in sweat after the ordeal.


    The child, still scared, cried loudly and clung to Amara.


    Amara, with red eyes, quicklyforted him. Once he finally fell asleep, she looked at Katniss with gratitude.


    "Thank you. If it weren''t for you, my child would''ve been in real danger," Amara said, choking up. "You can work part-time here!" "You cane in the evenings to help. We close at eight, and we''ll pay by the hour," Amara suggested.


    Katniss agreed, "Okay, I''ll start tomorrow."


    As she was about to leave, a chubby little hand grabbed her.

 Chapter 16

    The kid woke up, handed Katniss a lollipop, and whispered, "Thanks."


    Katniss gave his cheek a gentle pinch and said, "Watch yourself next time. You freaked your mommy out."


    The boy nodded. "Got it!" Amara smiled and ruffled his hair.


    Katniss headed back to school. She was switching majors and knew she had to hustle.


    The school had some strict rules. To change her major, she had to ace the entrance exam for the medical program and score above 90 in all her current sses. No exceptions.


    So now, she was juggling her current courses and medical school sses. Running around all day, she felt like she was about to drop.


    When she finally got home, something felt off. The door lock was busted, and the ce looked like a tornado hit it.


    Stepping over broken ss and scattered books, she walked into the living room. The sofa cushions were ripped apart, and pillows were everywhere. She widened her eyes, searching for any clue about who did this. "Who the hell did this?" Katniss muttered, anger bubbling up.


    She headed to the bedroom and found the quilt on the floor with footprints all over it. Drawers were open, and clothes and jewelry were scattered everywhere. The room was a mess. Katniss gently touched the wrecked items, her heart pounding with rage.


    Then she spotted a note under a book on the desk. She grabbed it. It read, "Katniss, we won''t let you go!"


    She frowned, clutching the note, a chill running down her spine. This was definitely revenge. She couldn''t pinpoint who, but it had to be someone from the Manners or Boleyn families.


    She pocketed the note and pulled out her phone to call the cops.Next door, an elderly couple heard themotion and came out. They had seen everything through their peephole but were too frail to do anything. Now that Katniss was back, they felt safe enough to speak up.


    Seeing the mess, they gasped.


    They had watched Katniss grow up and couldn''t understand how she had gotten into such trouble.


    I Jones, looking worried, said, "Katniss, those people looked dangerous. You should stay with us for a while."


    Owen Jones, tapping his cane, agreed, "Yeah, we have plenty of room. Stay with us."


    Katniss felt a warmth in her heart. She smiled at I, "They''ll definitelye and trash my ce again. Hiding at your ce won''t solve anything."


    I hesitated, "Then what?"


    "Call the cops." Katniss waved her phone, "Let the pros handle this."


    I nodded, "You''re right. We should call the police."


    Owen, understanding, pulled his wife back and said, "Katniss, don''t be scared. Call the cops! We saw everything, and the scene is untouched. We''ll testify for you. We can get them into jail and make them pay for the damages." Though Owen was old, his mind was sharp. He remembered the legal details and fully supported Katniss.


    "Thanks, Owen." Katniss smiled, then dialed the police.


    When the call connected, a female voice answered, "Hello, dispatch center. How can I help you?"


    "Hi, I need to report a break-in..." Katniss exined everything. After hanging up, she wanted to take photos but sighed at her phone''s dark screen.

 Chapter 17

    After she hung up, she stared at her wrecked ce, feeling all kinds of messed up. This was the crib she shared with Aurora, where she had a st growing up before the Manners family found her. The cops rolled up to Katniss''s house pretty quick. In their uniforms, they started poking around with serious looks on their faces.


    "Man, this girl''s got some bad luck, dealing with this crap so young," a rookie cop muttered.


    "Yeah, looking at this mess, whoever did this was quick, but they probably left something behind," an older cop replied.


    The cops checked every nook and cranny, snapping pics and bagging evidence. They inspected each trashed item, hunting for clues. "Anything on this note?" a female cop asked, pointing to a piece of paper on the floor.


    "Let me see," an older cop bent down, reading it carefully, "Katniss, we won''t let you go!'' This ain''t just some random threat." "Someone''s got a serious beef with her," another cop said, frowning.


    During the search, they found some prints and started matching them with the database, trying to nail down who did this.


    They hit up the security room to check the footage. Katniss saw Simon lugging a bucket of paint on the screen. Even though she kinda knew, seeing it made her stomach turn. With the footage and witnesses, the cops had solid proof.


    "We''ll nab these jerks soon and make ''em pay," the lead cop said firmly. They also told Katniss toy low for a few days before they bounced. After they left, Katniss started cleaning up the mess.


    Owen and I were busting their butts helping Katniss scrub the red paint off the walls. The red paint was a total eyesore, screaming misery. "How much hate do you need to trash someone''s home like this?" I sighed, wiping the paint off.


    Katniss looked at her elderly neighbors gratefully, "I, Owen, thanks for the help."


    "Don''t sweat it, Katniss. We''re neighbors; we gotta look out for each other," Owen said with a kind smile, still tidying up the chaos.


    "Katniss, don''t worry. We''ll help you fight for your rights," I said, holding Katniss''s hand firmly, showing her support.


    A determined fire lit up in Katniss''s eyes. She wasn''t gonna take this lying down anymore. She was ready to make those jerks pay. Just then, someone called out, "Katniss, what happened?"


    Katniss turned to see Felix, carrying a big stic bag, his eyes full of concern. "Nothing much, just a break-in. Some stuff got stolen," Katniss replied coolly.


    Felix was shocked, "Oh no, are you okay? Need any help? Maximilian''s got connections; we can talk to the cops..."


    "I''m fine, Felix. I already called the cops!" Katniss quickly said, wondering why Felix was here sote. She asked him.


    Felix looked surprised, smiling, "You didn''t know? We live nearby, just over there. Maximilian moved out, living alone, sometimes going back to The Boleyn Manor."


    Katniss was a bit surprised, not knowing Maximilian had moved out and was living near Aurora''s ce. Felix was out shopping and had to get back. After making sure Katniss was okay, he left. When he got home, Felix started putting away the groceries, mentioning Katniss''s situation.


    "I just got back from shopping and ran into Katniss, poor girl, living alone so young. Her ce got broken into this afternoon. I saw her holding a bunch of trashed stuff. These jerks didn''t even spare a young girl."


    He added, "But Katniss is tough. She didn''t cry and calmly called the cops."


    After cleaning up, Katniss started moving the broken stuff downstairs. Each shattered item was something she had saved up for. It broke her heart, knowing these things could never be fixed.

 Chapter 18

    Felix lugged the groceries back to The Hamilton Manor, where Maximilian was chilling. As soon as Felix got home, he started spilling the tea about what went down at Katniss''s ce to Maximilian. Maximilian was lounging on the couch, propping his head up with one hand, slowly opening his eyes. At that moment, it was like a curtain lifted, revealing a hidden gem.


    Maximilian said coolly, "She''s got guts."


    Felix looked at Maximilian, mulling it over, and finally decided to ask, "How about we give the cops a heads-up? Make sure they take it seriously. Don''t let them brush off Katniss just ''cause she''s a young girl." Maximilian raised his head, a thoughtful look in his eyes, then nodded, saying, "Yeah, use the house phone."


    Felix immediately called the police station andid out the situation, hoping they''d take the case seriously.


    The voice on the other end sounded a bit nervous. They had nned to sweep the case under the rug due to pressure from the Manners family, but they didn''t expect a call from Maximilian, giving them a stern warning. "We''ll send someone to handle it ASAP. Please be patient," came the steady voice from the police station.


    The cops had been hesitant, but now they were determined to nab the suspect.


    Early the next morning, I made some porridge and called Katniss for breakfast. Katniss couldn''t say no to the warm invite and had a bowl. Owen had a stroke and was paralyzed a few years ago, and Aurora healed him without charging a dime. After Katniss was taken back by the Manners family, she was quiet, self-conscious, and sensitive. The two old folks genuinely liked her, always thinking of her when there was something good to eat. You could say the years Katniss spent with Aurora were the happiest times of her life.


    After finishing the porridge, Katniss went to wash the dishes, then hurried downstairs.


    At the corner of the stairs, a strong hand suddenly grabbed Katniss''s wrist. Before she could react, she was yanked down the stairs. Her body jolted and stumbled, causing her pain as she was dragged down. "Let go of me! Who are you?" Katniss struggled and shouted.


    "Shut up! Don''t move!" a deep voicemanded.


    Her wrist was hurting more and more, but Katniss gritted her teeth, staring ahead. They moved quickly, and she struggled to keep up, being forcibly pulled along, enduring a rough and bumpy ride. Finally, they stopped at the entrance to a dimly lit basement, dust swirling in the air. Katniss barely managed to stand, staring at the shadow in the darkness and asking, "What do you want?" "Shut up ande with me," the voice was cold andmanding, clearly Lucas.


    Then a powerful force yanked her up the steps. Katniss lost her bnce, falling heavily against the wall.


    Katniss let out a cry of pain, feeling a sharp pain in her ankle.


    She tried to endure the pain, gritting her teeth and attempting to get up. "What are you doing? Let go of me!" she shouted angrily.


    Lucas responded coldly, "You brought this on yourself. Katniss, you dared to report Simon to the police, getting him arrested. How could you be so vicious?" Lucas''s voice was harsh. Lucas angrily said, "How can you be so cold-blooded and heartless, sending your own brother to the police?"


    Katniss calmly replied, "I used thew to protect my rights. There''s nothing to feel guilty about."


    Lucas couldn''t stay calm. The Manners family was in a frenzy, wanting to kill Katniss. ra was so worried that she skipped breakfast.


    Katniss looked at Lucas, her expression calm, saying, "I was just protecting my rights. Simon was out of line." Katniss had been prepared, knowing the Manners family wouldn''t stand by. Lucas angrily questioned Katniss, "How can you say that? Simon is your brother, and you sent him to jail. Are you mad?" Provoked by Katniss, Lucas became agitated and lost his temper.


    Katniss looked up disdainfully, responding, "Oh? I treated Simon as a brother, but did he treat me as a sister? If he doesn''t care about my well-being, why should I care about his?" Seeing through the true nature of the Manners family, Katniss retorted without hesitation.


    Lucas couldn''t help but p Katniss across the face, shouting angrily, "Katniss, I always thought you were just willful, but I didn''t realize you were so cruel. You don''t deserve to be our sister!" Katniss felt like she was exploding, her ears ringing, her whole body trembling.


    With frost in her eyes, Katniss coldly looked at Lucas, saying, "This is thest time I''ll let you hit me." Lucas had initially wanted to talk, but seeing Katniss''s cold attitude, his anger red even more.


    He said, "If you hadn''t promised ra the spot and had given it to Juniper, would Simon have done those things? It''s all your fault. Simon was just messing around a bit. What good does blowing it up do you?" Katniss felt a chill in her heart, her eyes reddening, saying, "He smashed Grandma''s house! The only thing she left behind."


    It was also the only thing Aurora left her after she died.

 Chapter 19

    This ain''t just a house; it was a scrapbook of her and Aurora''s memories. Every brick and tile here screamed Aurora''s life and hard work. She wouldn''t let it go without a fight; no way she''s backing down!


    Katniss was fuming. These things were like gold to her, but to the Manners family? Just some junk.


    Seeing Katniss''s eyes all red, Lucas was a bit thrown off, then his look got serious, asking, "But you want Simon to have a criminal record over a dead person?"


    Katniss scoffed, "People gotta own up to what they do."


    Just like her, her dumb mistakes in her past life cost her everything.


    Simon should pay up too.


    With that, Katniss, not wanting to waste more breath, turned and walked off.


    She still had sses and a part-time gig. Too much to do to waste time arguing with them.


    On the quiet street, a car pulled up, and the door swung open. Lucas grabbed Katniss''s arm, yanking her into the car.


    "Let go of me! Are you nuts?" Katniss yelled, struggling like mad, sinking into despair.


    Lucas''s eyes were ice-cold. He shoved Katniss into the car, ignoring her kicks and screams.


    "Cut it out! Shut up!" Lucas growled, rough as ever.


    Katniss got banged up in the struggle, pain shooting through her body.


    "What the hell are you doing! Let go of me!" Katniss screamed, desperate.


    Lucas looked at the barely conscious Katniss, mmed the car door shut. The car started, vanishing into the night.


    With bruises all over and her clothes a mess, Katniss looked wrecked.


    But Lucas didn''t care, radiating authority. He red at Katniss, starting his threats without a second thought.


    "Katniss, you''ve been stirring up trouble for days. Time to cut it out. Look at yourself; you totally deserve this!" Lucas''s voice was icy. "If you wanna get back with the Manners family, you better do what I say." The scenery zipped by outside the car window. Katniss bit her lip, hesitated, then sneakily pulled out her phone and sent a message.


    Sitting in the car, Katniss looked stone-cold, saying nothing, her eyes icy.


    The car stopped at the police station. Lucas got out, dragging Katniss, who was too numb to feel the pain, into the interrogation room. Inside, two cops were grilling Simon. Seeing Katniss brought in, Simon almost lunged at her, eyes zing, but the cops held him back. "You troublemaker, calling the cops on me! Get outta my way; I need to teach her a lesson!" Simon yelled, losing it.


    Katniss clutched the cop''s sleeve, saying, "He''s gonna hit me, what do I do?" her voice shaking.


    "Calm down!" Officer Nn barked at Simon, then softened his tone, speaking gently to Katniss, "Don''t worry, we got you."


    Katniss nodded, looking scared, hiding her scheming thoughts.


    Lucas wanted her to bail Simon out, but no way!


    In front of the cops, she didn''t think they''d dare touch her. Now was the perfect time to mess with them.


    "This is a misunderstanding. Simon likes to mess around with Katniss at home. Lately, Katniss has been acting out. They''re siblings; it''s normal to fight." Lucas exined, ring at Katniss, then looking at Colin, saying seriously, "Officer Colin, can we talk?" Colin nodded, telling his guys to keep an eye on things.

 Chapter 20

    Officer Nn couldn''t shake the gnarly scene he saw at Katniss''s ce. If he hadn''t seen the mess with his own eyes, Lucas might''ve pulled a fast one on him. Seriously, who trashed their sister''s house and thought it was cool? As Lucas bailed, Katniss, tears streaming, managed to say, "Our school had this speech gig, and I snagged a spot. But my parents and brothers made me give it to ra. I said no, and Simon went berserk and wrecked my ce." Family love, huh? What a joke.


    Katniss decided to flip the script on them. If she couldn''t get back at them, she could at least make them squirm.


    And boy, did it work. Lucas was fuming, giving her the death stare, trying to shut her up.


    Katniss acted like she didn''t notice, wiping her tears and going on, "I know I grew up with my grandma and don''t have much of a bond with them, but they can''t just push their own sister around!"


    Knowing what the Manners family was all about, Katniss made sure to hammer home the word "sister" to piss off her brothers.


    Simon was losing it, wanting to charge at Katniss, but the cuffs held him back. All he could do was curse up a storm.


    "Katniss! You bitch! You''ve ruined me, and I won''t let this slide!" Simon''s voice was dripping with rage and despair. He fought against the cuffs, grabbed a chair, and chucked it at Katniss.


    Katniss, already hiding behind the cop, now had a cold, wary look in her eyes. "Help me! He wants to kill me! I''m scared!"


    Simon''s face twisted with fury, his eyes wild. "Katniss, let me tell you, ra is my only sister. You''ll always be an outsider! She''s the princess of our family, and I''m not your brother! If I ever get out, this isn''t over!" Simon yelled, his frustration boiling over.


    Simon hated Katniss, refusing to see her as family.


    In her past life, Katniss had cried over this countless times, but now she was numb. This so-called sibling bond? Whoever wanted it could have it.


    Katniss sneered inside but put on a pitiful, hurt look to milk some sympathy.


    Officer Nn looked at Simon, puzzled. "That''s weird. ra''s your sister, but Katniss isn''t? Was she adopted?"


    Katniss''s lips curled slightly, staying quiet, feeling pretty pleased with herself.


    Simon''s face showed a flicker of guilt, but seeing Katniss''s smug look, he snapped. He couldn''t stand her having the upper hand. "Who said that! Katniss is not my sister, never will be. ra is my only sister! Katniss was adopted!" Katniss watched Simon lose his cool, finally admitting they never saw her as family. But seeing him so pissed off? That was pure satisfaction.

 Chapter 21

    Lucas and Colin strolled in with this sharp-dressed mystery dude.


    Lucas had that boss vibe, barely giving Katniss a nce before locking eyes with a sulking Simon.


    Simon, seeing Lucas, whined, "Lucas, when are we bouncing? I can''t stand another minute here."


    Lucas shot him a look, "Next time, use your brain!" He''d ditched his work to deal with Simon''s mess, tracking down Katniss first thing in the morning. The cops had rock-solid video proof. Simon was caught red-handed, busting into the house and wrecking stuff.


    Lucas was over it. How could Simon be such a screw-up?


    Holding back his rage, Lucas snapped, "You think you''re some hero for ra? She was so freaked out about you getting nabbed, she skipped breakfast." Simon jumped up, "What? ra fainted yesterday, and now she''s not eating?"


    Lucas red, "All because of you."


    Lucas shot him a frosty look. Compared to Simon, he was more pissed at Katniss. If she hadn''t called the cops and got Simon hauled in, ra wouldn''t be stressing. So what if some old house got trashed? Big whoop.


    Katniss was a real piece of work, no wonder everyone liked ra better.


    Lawyer Grant Adams stepped up to Simon, talking smooth, "Katniss, I heard about the drama with Simon. He messed up, he knows it. Whatever you lost, your bro will pay double. You two are acting like kids. It''s just a sibling squabble, why drag the cops in? It just tears the family apart. Won''t your folks be crushed?"


    Katniss just smirked, ice-cold, "No way I''m letting this slide. Let''s do this by the book."


    Grant raised an eyebrow, "Katniss, stop joking. It''s not funny."


    Katniss looked down, murmuring, "Mr. Adams, you started this joke."


    Aurora was gone, everything smashed. How could they make up for that?


    Could they even afford it?


    Plus, Simon hadn''t even said sorry.


    She wanted Simon to apologize to thete Aurora.Colin frowned, switching tactics, "Why are you being so stubborn? Is this drama really necessary? It''s embarrassing!"


    Grant, hearing Colin''s words, chuckled, "Pissing off the Manners family won''t end well for you, Katniss. Trust me, you''re young and might need them someday. Keep this up, and you''ll end up alone, still having to eat crow."


    Suddenly, the sound of a wheelchair rolling in caught everyone''s attention. A man in a wheelchair, radiating this icy, regal vibe, filled the room with a chill.


    He was rocking a sharp suit, fitting him perfectly. Katniss''s eyes met his, her heart skipping a beat.


    Grant, being the Manners family''swyer, had dealt with the Hamilton family before because of their marriage ties, so he knew Maximilian.


    "Mr. Hamilton, fancy bumping into you here," Grant said, all polite.


    Maximilian tilted his head slightly, cold as ice, "Do I know you?"


    Then he motioned to Katniss, "Come here."


    Katniss blinked and walked over to him.


    Felix, hearing Katniss got caught up in something, rushed over, "Katniss, you okay? What happened to your wrist? Did they hurt you?"


    Katniss nced at the marks on her wrist, smiling, "I''m fine, Felix, don''t sweat it."


    She was a bit on edge, not expecting Maximilian to show up. She''d texted Juniper for help, knowing only Maximilian had the clout to handle Lucas and the Manners family.


    Seeing Katniss''s nervous look, Maximilian''s heart softened a bit, "Felix said you had some trouble at home, and the cops want to drop the charges?"


    "They want me to drop the charges," Katniss quickly corrected.


    Maximilian raised an eyebrow, eyeing Grant and Colin, who were too scared to say a word.


    Finally, Grant reluctantly exined, "Mr. Hamilton, it''s a misunderstanding. It wasn''t a break-in, just a spat between Katniss and Simon. Simon lost his cool and went overboard." "Do you want to drop the charges?" Maximilian asked Katniss, his tone indifferent.


    Katniss shook her head, "No."


    "Katniss!" Lucas shouted, storming in, ring at her, "Are you lying in front of Maximilian?"


    Then he turned to Maximilian with a smile, "Maximilian, she''s just talking nonsense. It''s just a minor sibling squabble, nothing serious."


    Maximilian''s expression stayed cold, "Is that so?"


    His tone was t, emotionless. He gestured to Felix, who nodded and left.


    Maximilian wheeled himself forward, "Aren''t you leaving?"


    "Maximilian, what''s your business with Katniss?" Lucas asked.


    Maximilian replied coldly, "That''s my private matter."


    He made it clear he wasn''t going to exin. Katniss got the hint that Maximilian was backing her up, so she stepped forward to push his wheelchair, leaving the police station together. Lucas frowned, his eyes darting between Maximilian and Katniss, but he kept his mouth shut.


    After they left, Lucas turned to Simon, "Katniss is shameless!"


    Simon snorted, "How can she have no shame at all? She''s a disgrace to the Manners family."


    "Exactly, no shame at all," Lucas fumed.


    Rolling his eyes, Simon added, "Yeah, just looking at her makes me sick."


    The two brothers agreed that Katniss''s behavior was disgusting, even starting to feel that having her as a sister was a disgrace.


    "She''s just a shameless bitch!" Lucas spat angrily.


    Simon nodded, "Someone like Maximilian could never be into Katniss. He''ll see her true colors soon enough and drop her."

 Chapter 22

    Stepping out the door, Katniss let out a big sigh of relief and turned to Maximilian, "Max, seriously, thanks a ton for today."


    She was genuinely grateful. Without Max, today would''ve been a total mess. He not only scared off those jerks but also helped her sort everything out. Maximilian gave her a long, hard look before asking, "So, you moved out of The Manners Vi? Had a blow-up?"


    Katniss was caught off guard for a sec, then gave a bitter smile, "Yeah, I''m done with the Manners family for good." Cutting tiespletely.


    Maximilian''s eyes narrowed a bit, and he nodded.


    Suddenly remembering something, Katniss pulled out a bottle of medicine from her bag and handed it to him.


    "Max, these are pills I made for you. Take one whenever you have an episode; it''ll help a lot," she said.


    It might''ve been a small thing for Max, but for her, a broke student, it was a big deal.


    Max took the bottle and casually shoved it in his pocket, "Got it."


    Katniss wanted to say more, but seeing Max''s reaction, she felt a rush of joy from being trusted!


    She was in a great mood.


    She hitched a ride back to school with Max. When Juniper saw her, she finally rxed.


    "Katniss, you''re back! Your message freaked me out. I''m so d you''re safe; I was about to call my cousin," Juniper said. She''d been in a panic after getting Katniss''s message and followed the instructions quickly.


    Juniper called, and a young guy answered. She cried, saying Katniss had been taken by the cops.


    There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, then he said he understood and hung up. Juniper was nervous for a while before remembering she had a cousin who was a big shot over there.


    "It''s all good, I''m back safe. Thanks," Katniss said, holding Juniper''s hand with a happy smile.


    With Max''s help, it wouldn''t be easy for Simon to clear his name.


    But the Manners family wouldn''t let it slide so easily.


    Katniss wasn''t scared, ready for any challenge.


    Juniper sighed, "It''s crazy what your family does. Your brother acts like an enemy."


    Juniper didn''t know how tofort Katniss, so she just held her hand, "Stick with me from now on, I''ll take care of you!"


    Katniss nodded, deeply moved, knowing Juniper had always had her back and understood her, which was why she trusted her so much. Morning sses flew by. After lunch, Katniss got ready to head to the coffee shop for work.


    A few minutester, she arrived at the shop, out of breath.


    Inside, a bunch of her female ssmates were sitting together, chatting.


    Amara was busy making coffee behind the counter. It was Tuesday, so Amara''s son Preston should be in kindergarten.


    Seeing Katnisse in, Amara handed her three cups of coffee.


    "These are for those three girls. They''re all the same, so no need to separate them," Amara gently reminded.


    Katniss took the coffee and walked over to the table, cing the cups down with a polite smile.


    "Here are your coffees. Enjoy," she said courteously.


    The three girls stopped what they were doing and looked at Katniss with various emotions. Isn''t this ra''s sister?


    Just a few days after leaving the Manners family, and now she was working in a coffee shop.


    Life''s a trip. Even if she''s the Manners family''s real daughter, it meant nothing because her family didn''t love her. ra had been cherished for years. One of the girls pulled out a ten-dor bill and threw it at Katniss''s face.


    Katniss picked up the money, put it on the tray, and smiled slightly, "Thanks for the tip."


    With that, she walked back to the counter and whispered to Amara, "I wish more loaded fools like her woulde here."


    Amara nced at Katniss, who seemed young but had a strong heart. It wasn''t easy being humiliated like that and still staying calm.


    The girl watched Katniss pick up the money, feeling even more disdain for her.

 Chapter 23

    The constant buzz of the coffee shop made two hours feel like minutes. Working in a ce that smells like coffee all the time? Not too shabby; at least you always smell good. After wrapping up, Katniss turned to Amara and said, "Hey, Amara, I''ve got sses this afternoon, so I might not make it tonight."


    Amara just smiled and nodded. "No worries, girl. You do you. Young folks gotta live their lives."


    As soon as Katniss stepped out of the coffee shop, she spotted a familiar face sitting on her bike. It was her cousin, Saskia Manners. Hearing her name, Katniss stopped in her tracks, "Saskia?"


    Oliver had three siblings; he was the oldest, with two younger brothers and a sister. Saskia''s dad was the youngest. Because of some old drama, the brothers hadn''t talked in ages.


    Besides Aurora, Katniss was especially close to her third uncle, Wesley Manners. When she was a kid, she lived with Aurora, and Wesley was always super nice to both of them.


    Saskia walked up to Katniss, gently touching the scar on her forehead, her eyes full of concern, "Were you nning to keep this from us forever? This is big news, and you didn''t tell us? Do you even consider us family?"


    Even though she was scolding her, you could hear the worry in her voice.


    Yeah, it was kinda wrong not to tell them about the move. Katniss had nned to get settled before reaching out.


    She felt a bit awkward, especially since it had been a while since she saw Wesley''s family.


    She gave Saskia an apologetic smile, "I was nning to visit you guys in a few days."


    Wesley''s family wasn''t rich, but they treated Katniss and Aurora like gold. They lived close by and were always hanging out.


    After Aurora passed away, Katniss went back to the Manners family and lost touch with Wesley''s side.


    During the years with Aurora, Saskia treated her like a real sister, always looking out for her and sharing fun stuff.


    Saskia, a few years older, was gentle and kind, and already married. After college, she married somepany exec, so her family was better off than Wesley''s.


    But even with all that, Saskia had a rough time.


    In the final days of Saskia''s life, Katniss didn''t see much of Wesley''s family. She only heard that Saskia had it bad. Her husband was a jerk, and her mother-inw was a nightmare. After giving birth, Saskia couldn''t take the bullying anymore and jumped off a building.


    Seeing the lively and gentle Saskia now, Katniss''s eyes filled with tears, and a wave of pain hit her heart.


    She wanted to say something, but seeing Katniss''s red eyes, Saskia softened.


    Saskia gently said, "How long have you been moved out? Why haven''t youe by? My dad told me about your situation. If I hadn''t gone home, I wouldn''t have known."


    The more Saskia showed concern, the worse Katniss felt.


    Because the Manners family didn''t like Wesley''s family, Katniss distanced herself from the people who truly cared for her to please the Manners family, eventually bing almost estranged.


    Seeing Katniss lower her head in silence, Saskia sighed, looking at the scar on her forehead, and asked with concern, "Does it still hurt?"


    That simple question brought tears to Katniss''s eyes, making her heart ache.


    A lot had happened in the past few days. Although some people cared, no one asked if she was in pain.


    Wiping her tears, Katniss forced a smile, "It doesn''t hurt anymore."


    Katniss was always the easy target in the Manners family, used to being hurt. To her, these injuries were nothing.


    Saskia held Katniss''s hand, "Come home with me after school. My parents already know about your situation, and they''re mad. Even though we''re not rich, we all have jobs. Supporting you, a college student, is no problem at all."

 Chapter 24

    Hearing Saskia''s words, Katniss got all choked up again. The tears she just wiped away started making aeback.


    Life''s been a real grind for Katniss. Back when she was with Aurora, she was the baby of the family. Sure, things were tough, but at least no one messed with her. But after she got back to the Manners family, even though they had money, she was pretty much invisible, and only ra got all the love.


    Katniss agreed to Saskia''s request, not wanting to stress out Wesley''s family, and also to dig into what had led to Saskia''s depression and suicide.


    Seeing Katniss nod, Saskia felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She checked her watch and freaked out-it was already 12:30. She had to hustle home to whip up lunch.


    "It''ste. I gotta get home and make lunch for my mother-inw," Saskia said, all flustered. "Katniss, pack your stuff this afternoon. I''ll swing by to pick you up after school."


    Katniss knew Saskia''s mother-inw was a real piece of work, so she didn''t argue, just found the nearest bus to send Saskia off.


    Saskia was now a stay-at-home wife with no job and no cash. Every time she needed money, she had to beg her mother-inw. Maybe that was part of why Saskia would develope depression. No matter what, Katniss had to figure it out. When Saskia got home, she saw her family sitting on the couch, looking all ticked off.


    She threw on her apron and apologized, heading into the kitchen to get lunch going.


    Kieran Scott stormed into the kitchen, ring at Saskia as she prepped the meal, and snapped, "Why are youte and not making lunch? We''re starving here."


    Saskia quickly exined, "I waste ''cause I had to deal with something with Katniss. I''m really sorry. Next time, I''ll get the meal ready ahead of time."


    Kieran''s face stayed hard as he barked, "You need to apologize to my mom right now. Don''t piss her off again, got it?"


    Saskia''s eyes flickered, and she bit her lip, nodding reluctantly.


    "I''ll apologize right away," Saskia said, putting away the ingredients. Even though she felt crappy, she exined patiently.


    Kieran grumbled, "You''re married now. Why are you still so wrapped up with your family?" Before Saskia got back, his mom had chewed him out for over ten minutes.


    Saskia was beautiful and sweet, always listening to him, which Kieran liked. But she couldn''t win over his mom, always leaving the old couple annoyed.


    Saskia paused while washing the veggies, saying, "It was Katniss. There was a break-in at home, and my parents were worried. Since I live nearby, I went to check." "Katniss? That girl from your uncle''s family?" Kieran remembered seeing her once at their wedding. Katniss was pretty cute.


    Saskia didn''t expect Kieran to remember.


    Kieran asked, "Is she in college now? Is she seeing anyone?"


    Saskia looked at Kieran, puzzled, replying, "No, why do you ask?"


    "I think Katniss looks pretty good. If she''s not seeing anyone, I could set her up with someone," Kieran suggested. "My cousin''s son is still single. You met him at our wedding. If it works out, it would be great for both families." Saskia replied, a bit annoyed, "Katniss is still young, and your cousin''s son is a total mismatch."


    She remembered the guy well, thanks to Kieran''s mom always bringing him up. He was in his thirties, unmarried, wasting his days on video games and booze, with no real job. No way she was setting Katniss up with someone like that. "What do you mean ''mismatch''? If he likes Katniss, it''d be a blessing for your family. Be careful, all that book reading might leave her single forever!" Kieran said, coughing from the kitchen fumes.


    After a few more words, he quickly bailed from the kitchen.


    "Tell Katniss about the setup. She might go for it," he instructed Saskia. "Didn''t she move out? Bring her home for a meal."


    Saskia pursed her lips, saying coldly, "You hate the kitchen smell. It''s hard to clean your clothes. You should go out."


    After sending Saskia off, Katniss bolted towards the ssroom to save time.


    On the way to school, Katniss had a moment to think about the little episode at the coffee shop. This part-time gig was busy but full of interesting stories. But the real drama always happened in the ssroom. Luckily, the school wasn''t far, and she made it just before the bell rang.


    "Did you hear? Katniss actually sent her fourth brother Simon to the police station herself. He''s gonna be there for a week. ra''s so worried she can''t even eat."


    "ra''s the real sibling. Katniss doesn''t deserve to be a Manners. She didn''t even spare her own brother. No wonder she got kicked out."


    A few girls were whispering. When they saw Katniss walk in, they immediately shut up. Katniss shot them a cold look, and they scattered like scared rabbits.


    A bunch of cowards who pick on the weak.


    The more the Manners family got riled up, the happier Katniss felt.


    Maximilian''s moves were seriously impressive. Not only did he put the Manners family in their ce, but he also got Simon punished. This whole scene really lifted her spirits!


    Katniss thought she should properly thank Maximilian for all his help.


    Felix said they lived near her house, probably in some rich folk neighborhood, so they should be easy to find.


    In the afternoon, Katniss went to audit a medical ss. Juniper, seeing her working so hard, could only shake her head and sigh.


    She asked, "Katniss, do you really need to switch to the medical department? It''s so exhausting every day. And it''s really not necessary."


    Juniper was the only daughter of a coal mine owner, spoiled since birth. She felt for Katniss and wanted to help, but Katniss always refused.


    Katniss organized her desk, saying lightly, "It''s fine. It''s good to learn more while we''re young. You go home. I''m heading to ss." Juniper sighed helplessly, watching Katniss leave with her books.


    After the medical ss, it was nearly six o''clock. Even though it was autumn, it was still pretty hot outside.


    Katniss walked out of the ssroom, spotting Saskia by her bike, sweating like crazy, as if she had been waiting forever.

 Chapter 25

    Katniss strolled over, all apologetic, "Saskia, my bad for keeping you waiting so long!"


    Saskia shed a smile, "No worries, I''ve just got here."


    Truth was, Saskia had no clue when Katniss''s ss ended and didn''t have her contact info. She''d been hanging around the door since 4 AM.


    Saskia turned to Katniss, "Let''s hit up Grandma''s ce to grab your stuff. My parents have already set up your room, and it''s all brand new. You''re gonna love it." Katniss felt a wave of gratitude. Wesley had really gone the extra mile to make her feel at home with all the new stuff.


    Compared to her real parents, Wesley''s family showed way more care. Her own parents had just handed her ra''s old sheets and clothes.


    ra even pretended she was giving her the stuff she cherished most, but it was really just junk she didn''t want.


    The hand-me-downs from ra, which the Manners family saw as trash, were just tossed to her, showing her low status in the family.


    The school was just a quick ten-minute bike ride from their destination.


    After hopping off the bike, Katniss waved off Saskia''s help with her luggage, not wanting her to see the mess at home.


    She quickly stuffed some clothes and toiletries into a bag and headed downstairs.


    Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Saskia came over to help with the suitcase, which was super light, holding just a few pieces of clothing.


    Saskia sighed. Oliver''s family had money, so why didn''t they buy Katniss more clothes?


    She remembered visiting Oliver''s family when they moved into the new house. ra had a walk-in closet that couldn''t even fit all her clothes, shoes, and bags. Yet her own daughter''s clothes couldn''t even fill a suitcase.


    Saskia smiled, "This weekend, let''s go shopping for some new outfits. You can still rock summer clothes now, but in a couple of months, they won''t cut it." "Stuff''s pricey now; it''ll be cheaper when it gets colder," Katniss said with a grin.


    If Wesley took her shopping, he definitely wouldn''t let her pay.


    Wesley''s family wasn''t loaded, and her staying there was already a bit of a strain.


    She needed to make more money in the next few months; winter clothes were expensive.


    Saskia thought for a moment, agreed with Katniss, and didn''t push it.


    While riding, Katniss suddenly noticed a band-aid on Saskia''s hand.


    "Saskia, what happened to your hand?" Katniss asked, concerned.


    "It''s nothing, just got sshed by oil while cooking lunch," Saskia replied.


    Katniss''s face darkened, thinking seriously, ''Looks like Saskia''s life isn''t easy either. Cooking sote, she must be having a tough time.''


    But Katniss kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to stir the pot.


    "Saskia, is Kieran treating you right?" Katniss asked.


    "Why do you ask? My husband treats me well," Saskia replied with a smile.


    Katniss blinked, staying silent.


    If Kieran was really good to her, then why did she seem so off?


    She didn''t know much about Saskia''s situation.


    By the time she found out, Saskia was already gone.


    Thest time she saw Saskia was at the funeral, staring at her ck-and-white photo.


    Katniss and Saskia quickly reached their destination.


    Stepping into this ce again felt like a trip down memoryne. Since returning to the her parents'' family in her past life, Katniss hadn''t set foot here. Now, being back, a wave of familiarity and warmth washed over her. Suddenly, an elderly woman carrying a fruit basket walked over and smiled at Saskia, saying, "Whose little girl is this? She''s so pretty."


    Saskia smiled slightly, nodding, "This is my cousin. I haven''t seen her in ages, so I brought her home for a meal."


    The elderly woman continued, "I was wondering why your parents bought so many groceries today. Turns out you have a guest. Alright, it''s gettingte. You two should head home." Saskia and Katniss smiled sweetly at her.


    Wesley''s family lived on the fifth floor of the third row, in a three-bedroom apartment. Saskia rummaged through her bag but realized she had hurried out and forgotten the keys, so she rang the doorbell. After a bit, the door opened, and a middle-aged man appeared.


    "Katniss is here,e on in!" Wesley said, joy lighting up his eyes when he saw Katniss.


    Katniss smiled, "Uncle Wesley."


    At that moment, a middle-aged woman walked out of the living room, her eyes red.


    "Katniss, I heard you got hurt and ended up in the hospital. Let me see," Daphne Parker said, pulling Katniss into the living room to check her wounds.


    Seeing the scar on Katniss''s forehead, Daphne said with distress, "How could your parents treat their own daughter like this? They kicked you out and trashed your ce?"


    "What? That''s insane!" Wesley said angrily,pletely unaware that Katniss''s home had been trashed.


    "I just heard from someone at the store that it was Simon, doing it for ra, trying to take Katniss''s speech slot," Daphne said angrily.


    Wesley was furious but gentlyforted Katniss, "Katniss, don''t worry. From now on, you can stay here. We''ll protect you."


    Daphne nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we won''t let Oliver''s family hurt you again."

 Chapter 26

    Katniss was straight-up bawling, feeling that warm, fuzzy family vibe only at Wesley''s crib. She made up her mind to stop kissing up to her parents ''cause they treated her like trash. Katniss was like, "They didn''t boot me out; I bounced on my own."


    "Good on you for figuring it out. Those folks are bad news. They bullied you, and karma''s gonna get them. You did the right thing by bailing," Saskia said, handing Katniss a cup of water.


    The water slid down her throat, warming her up from the inside out.


    That long-lost feeling of being wrapped in love hit her like a ton of bricks.


    Daphne looked at her with a face full of heartache. She''d watched Katniss grow up, always so well-behaved. She said, "Saskia''s right. In this house, no one''s gonna let you suffer. If you need anything, just holler. Treat this ce like your own home."


    Who knew what Oliver and his n were thinking? They treated her like an enemy, not their own daughter.


    Even though ra had been around for over a decade and was closer to them than Katniss, blood is thicker than water. Katniss was Elodie''s real kid. How could they not cherish their own flesh and blood and instead favor an adopted daughter with shady motives?


    Daphne remembered when Katniss first came back, she was tiny, weak, and super reserved.


    At first, Katniss''s mom, Elodie, was all about her, butter she started favoring ra, thinking Katniss was too shy and not as outspoken as ra. She''d often say stuff that put Katniss down.


    Aurora, seeing Katniss suffer in that house, took her in and cared for her for years. When Aurora''s health went downhill, she had to send Katniss back.


    But not long after, Katniss got kicked out again. Daphne''s feelings were all over the ce.


    Wesley headed to the kitchen to whip up a meal, tying on an apron. "You all chat, I''ll handle the cooking," he said.


    Daphne grabbed some fruit from the fridge, washed it, and put it in a bowl, handing it to Katniss.


    "Help yourself. If you need anything, just let us know. No need to be shy," Daphne said.


    Katniss nodded with a smile, "Thanks, Aunt Daphne."


    Watching Wesley hustle in the kitchen, Katniss felt a pang in her heart. Memories of Wesley''s fate in her past life shed through her mind. The once strong man was diagnosed withte-stage stomach cancer a few yearster, making even eating tough, and eventually, he passed away.


    At that moment, Wesley''s cooking came to a halt.


    "Uncle Wesley, what''s up?" Katniss asked, her eyes full of worry.


    Wesley turned around with a slight smile, "It''s nothing, just feeling a bit off."


    "A bit off? You''re being way too chill about this!" Katniss frowned, her tone dripping with concern and a bit of scolding.


    "Don''t sweat it, I''ll hit up the hospital for a check-up," Wesley reassured, but he was clearly hiding how he really felt.


    Watching Wesley''s back, Katniss felt a wave of helplessness.


    This time around, she was dead set on making Wesley get checked out, to catch any issues early and avoid any tragedy. She also needed to brush up on her medical skills to keep Wesley safe. Daphne handed Katniss an orange, saying gently, "Katniss, you''re so thoughtful. Don''t worry, in a few days, I''ll drag Wesley to get a check-up."


    Katniss took the orange, munching on the sweet fruit, feeling grateful.


    Suddenly, the sound of the door opening came from the entrance. It was Daphne''s mom, Anna Parker, and Katniss''s cousin, Micah Manners,ing home.


    "Grandma, Micah, Katniss moved in today," Saskia happily introduced Katniss to Anna.


    Anna smiled, weing Katniss.


    Micah looked at Katniss, coldly asking, "Got kicked out?"


    Daphne shot Micah a furious re.


    "Shut it! If you can''t say something nice, zip it!" Daphne said to Katniss, "Ignore him."


    Katniss''s expression stayed cool, and Daphne sighed in relief, turning to Micah, "Can you just chill for once?"


    Katniss looked at Micah, feeling a wave of guilt. In her past life, because of her screw-up, he ended up alone. She wished she could p herself.


    Back then, Micah had a thing for a beautiful girl, Anouk Brown, who Dn also liked. To please Dn, Katniss did everything she could to set up Dn and Anouk. Eventually, thanks to Katniss''s meddling, Anouk chose Dn over Micah. Micah felt crushed, watching the couple, a sense of helplessness and heartache eating at him. "Maybe this is just how it''s meant to be," Micah murmured, his eyes shing withplex emotions.


    But after they got married, Dn and Anouk''s rtionship went south. Micah saw it all but could only hide his indescribable sorrow.


    Katniss looked at Micah, feeling a pang of heartache, realizing her actions had caused him pain.


    In this new life, she was determined to change the fate of Micah and Anouk, to make sure those who truly loved each other ended up together.

 Chapter 27

    Micah had a thing for Anouk, but she was already dating his second brother, Dn. Katniss was responsible for this, as she had helped set them up. Instead of kicking her out, Micah just gave her the cold shoulder. That was pretty chill of him. ''I gotta figure something out,'' Katniss thought to herself, dead set on stealing Anouk back from Dn before they tied the knot.


    Seeing Katniss all quiet, Saskia thought Micah''s words had bummed her out. She quickly tried to cheer her up, "Katniss, don''t be sad. Micah''s just in a funk. He''d totally love for you to move in, right, Micah?" Saskia whispered, "Micah''s in a bad mood ''cause his crush has a boyfriend."


    Saskia didn''t know the whole story, but Katniss was in the loop.


    The table was loaded with all her favorite dishes. Katniss felt touched; even after three years, Wesley still remembered what she liked.


    Anna frowned and scolded Wesley, giving him a hard time for making too much food. She didn''t get why these young folks were so wasteful.


    Wesley nodded like crazy, exining, "Mom, I made extra ''cause Katniss is here, and it''s not easy for Saskia and Micah toe back. It won''t go to waste."


    Even with his exnation, Anna still looked ticked off. All that yummy food, how much did it cost?


    One more person meant more expenses, and Katniss was gonna be here for a while. She had to chip in for the living costs; she couldn''t just freeload. Daphne handed Katniss a bowl of chicken soup, saying with concern, "Careful, it''s hot. You''re so skinny; you need to drink more chicken soup."


    Katniss took a sip and praised, "This chicken soup is bomb."


    Micah, munching on his food, heard Katniss''spliment and sneered, which ticked off Daphne.


    "Don''t be so snarky," Daphne red at Micah, scolding him.


    Micah shot back coldly, "She does need to eat better, seriously. Her brain''s not getting enough."


    After saying that, a sh of pain crossed Micah''s eyes, like it hit a sore spot.


    The Wesley family stared at Micah in shock, his harsh words leaving them stunned.


    Katniss''s face turned red, and she mustered the courage to look at Micah.


    "Micah, I messed up. I''ll fix things," Katniss admitted honestly.


    Micah sneered, "No need."


    He''d been independent and tough since he was a kid, not needing much interference. Even Daphne, who looked around with a pained heart, couldn''t sway him.


    "Micah, Katniss is still young. If she made a mistake, teach her properly. Don''t say such hurtful things," Daphne tried to calm Micah down.


    Micah''s mouth twitched, ignoring Daphne''s words, and said, "I''m full. I''m going to work."


    Daphne sighed, turning tofort Katniss, "Don''t be mad. I''ll make him apologize when he gets back." Katniss forced a smile, feeling Daphne''s bias towards her, but she didn''t dare to make Micah apologize. "Daphne, Micah''s right. I was wrong and made a lot of mistakes," Katniss apologized, feeling guilty. Daphne looked at her with affection, adding more food to her te and suggesting, "Eat more."


    After the meal, Katniss and Saskia got ready to wash the dishes, but Daphne suddenly said, "You two don''t need to wash the dishes. I''ll do it. You go watch TV." Katniss looked at Daphne, saying, "You shouldn''t tire yourself out. We''ll wash them."


    Daphne smiled, patting their shoulders, "It''s okay. Let me do it. You two go rest."


    Just as they walked to the living room, Katniss''s phone rang.


    Seeing the caller ID, it was her so-called father calling.


    She knew this call wouldn''t bring good news because in the Manners family, good news was never meant for her.


    She answered the call, and Oliver''s roar came through.


    "Katniss, you''re too presumptuous. Changing majors is a big deal. Why didn''t you discuss it with us? Do you even consider me your father?" Katniss raised an eyebrow and hung up the phone directly.


    No matter how she exined, they would never believe her. She didn''t want to waste any more time dealing with people who didn''t care.


    After hanging up, she saw Wesley looking at her worriedly from the doorway, asking, "Was that your dad?"


    Katniss nodded, and Wesley frowned, asking with concern, "Does he usually talk to you like that?"


    Even though he knew about Katniss''s situation in her family, it still made Wesley uneasy hearing Oliver insult Katniss like that.


    He took out some cash, handing it to Katniss and saying, "Buy yourself something nice to eat. You''re too thin."


    Katniss looked at the money and couldn''t help but speak her mind, "Uncle Wesley, is this your secret stash?"

 Chapter 28

    Oliver was mid-sentence when Katniss mmed the phone down with a loud click, leaving him fuming.


    He let out a sharp breath, his eyebrows knitting together, and started drumming his fingers on the table. "That brat Katniss hung up on me! Fine, no more allowance for her! Let her deal with the mess ande crawling back to apologize!" Nathan, staring at Oliver, backed him up with a serious tone, "Dad''s right. Katniss needs to learn the rules; we can''t let her get away with this."


    Oliver shot a cold look at the equally angry Nathan, deciding to go all in, "Yep, not a single penny from now on! She needs to face the music; no more easy outs!"


    The Manners family thought their decision would hit Katniss like a ton of bricks, forcing her to give in and apologize. Elodie was on board too; they needed to teach the stubborn Katniss a lesson. Elodie had been having a rough timetely. Simon ended up at the police station, and ra, worried sick about him, cried every day. Elodie''s anger boiled over, ming it all on the ungrateful Katniss. She gritted her teeth, eyes shing with anger, "Even if she begs on her knees, she can''te back! She got Simon into the police station; she has no limits!" The beef between Simon and Katniss wasn''t new, but this time it had Elodie seeing red.


    "Simon getting arrested is a nightmare! He''s been spoiled his whole life; how can he handle this? It breaks my heart!" Elodie couldn''t hold back her tears, crying. The old stuff at home wasn''t worth much; they were willing to pay Katniss off, but she refused the money, insisting on sending Simon to the police station.


    With Maximilian stepping in, the cops were sticking to the rules, throwing the whole family into chaos.


    "What does Katniss even want? Does she want toe home or not?" Elodie said, super agitated.


    Just then, ra came over with a fruit tter, smiling, "Mom, Dad, have some fruit to calm down. Katniss might''ve acted on impulse. She''s jealous, thinking you treat me too well. Once she cools off, it''ll be fine." Oliver felt a warmth in his heart, looking at the thoughtful ra, his resentment towards Katniss growing.


    "If Katniss were half as sensible as you, I''d be so much more at ease." Oliver sighed.


    After all, she was his own flesh and blood. Despite her current rebellious streak, Oliver still wished she could be as sensible as ra.


    ra, feeling guilty, said, "It''s all my fault. If it weren''t for me, Katniss wouldn''t have moved out, and Simon wouldn''t have been arrested. It''s all on me."


    Elodie patted ra''s shoulder, trying tofort her, "Don''t me yourself. It''s Katniss who''s in the wrong. She''s ungrateful, forgetting her ce. It''s maddening."


    Nathan chimed in, "Yeah, ra. It''s not your fault; don''t beat yourself up."


    Dn sipped his tea silently, his brows furrowing slightly, not saying a word.


    The housekeeper Lily brought in thest dish, calling out, "Dinner''s ready."


    Everyone got up and headed to the dining table to dig in.


    Elodie served ra a bowl of soup, gently saying, "ra, have some soup to warm you up."


    ra took a sip and frowned slightly, thinking it was nowhere near as good as Katniss''s cooking and kinda hard to swallow.


    Meanwhile, Lucas was in his room, rummaging for clothes, getting ready for an evening engagement.


    He called out, "Lily, where''s my blue shirt?"


    Usually, Katniss handled his clothes, and he could always find what he needed with her help.


    Now that Katniss was gone, housekeeper Lily was in charge of their daily needs. Lucas, busy with work, was rarely home. This time, he came back because of Simon''s situation, feeling a void, like something was missing.


    Lily wiped her wet hands on her apron and hurried over, asking, "Sir, which one are you looking for? Need my help?"


    Lucas nced at the greasy Lily and shook his head, replying, "Never mind, I''ll find it myself."


    When Katniss was around, she could always find the clothes he wanted. But now the wardrobe was a mess, and Lucas missed her.


    He quickly threw on a shirt, about to leave when Elodie stopped him, saying, "Lucas, you need to have some fish soup before drinking!"


    She brought a big bowl of fish soup, and Lucas took a couple of sips, almost gagging, thinking Katniss''s cooking was way better than this.


    "Mom, I don''t have time. You enjoy the fish soup; I gotta go," Lucas said, hurrying out.


    Katniss slept soundly that night. After breakfast the next morning, she rode Saskia''s bike to school. Before leaving, Saskia even gave her some change to buy snacks.


    Holding the still-warm money, Katniss felt a warmth in her heart. Wesley''s family treated her so well.


    Suddenly, Katniss got a call from an unknown number. On the other end was Maximilian''s voice.

 Chapter 29

    "Shoot me your card number, I''ll handle the medical bills," Maximilian''s voice came through the phone.


    Earlier at the police station, Maximilian had already bailed her out big time. How could she even think about asking him to pay her for her medical services? But then she felt the few crumpled bills in her pocket and realized she was t broke.


    Katniss hesitated but finally gave in.


    "My card number..." Katniss mumbled, then it hit her-she didn''t even have a bank card.


    "I don''t have a bank card. I''ll go get one," Katniss said, deciding to fix this ASAP so she wouldn''t miss out on the cash.


    From the other end, Maximilian''s voice came through, "Got it."


    His voice was deep and husky, kinda sexy.


    After hanging up, Katniss clutched her phone, suddenly realizing that with Maximilian as her patient, she wouldn''t have to worry about money anymore.


    After wrapping up two sses, Katniss rushed to the bank and got herself a shiny new bank card.


    Walking out of the bank, she checked her watch. It was still early, so she decided to hit up the coffee shop to work. Pushing open the door, she saw the ce was buzzing, and there was a messy table in the corner. She grabbed a cloth and went over to clean it up.


    Amara smiled approvingly; Katniss was a hard worker.


    Turning around, she saw a couple at the door, looking all lovey-dovey. But the girl was scanning the ce like she was looking for someone.


    Amara walked up to them and asked, "What can I get you two to drink?"


    The girl ignored her and pointed at Katniss, who was busy in the corner, covering her mouth in shock. "Desmond, is that Katniss? Why is she working here as a waitress?"


    Yep, the girl was ra.


    Desmond saw Katniss cleaning up and walked over with a sneer, kicking over the trash can and spilling garbage everywhere.


    Katniss looked up, ring at Desmond, who rudely said, "Don''t think sucking up to my brother will change anything. What''s not yours will never be yours, no matter how hard you try! I will never like you!"


    ra, seeing this, angrily pushed Desmond and quickly apologized to Katniss, helping to pick up the trash on the ground.


    Desmond gently helped ra up, saying, "Let Katniss pick it up herself. Don''t dirty your dress. If it gets dirty, they wouldn''t afford to pay for his even selling this shop."


    This dress was a special birthday gift Desmond had someone bring back from abroad for ra, designed by a top designer, and the only one in the city.


    ra said guiltily, "I just wanted to help Katniss. It''s tough for her living alone. My dad won''t let us help her with money, so this is all I can do!"


    After saying that, ra pulled out a bank card from her pocket and handed it to Katniss.


    "Katniss, this is some of my New Year''s money I haven''t blown yet. Take it for emergencies."


    Katniss eyed the bank card, then sneered, "Are you for real? Quit acting all nice."


    ra was taken aback for a second, a mix of emotions shing across her face. "I just want to help you. You''ll regret leaving your family like this, Katniss." Katnissughed out loud, "Haha, don''t sweat it. Leaving you was the best move I''ve ever made."


    Seeing things heat up, Amara, worried a fight might break out and Katniss would get hurt, quickly brought over a broom. Katniss took it, signaling her not to worry.


    Amara didn''t dare mess with ra and Desmond, who were clearly loaded and not to be messed with. She could only sigh quietly.


    As Katniss swept the floor, she said coldly, "Desmond, a proper ex-fianc¨¦ should act like he''s dead. Stop bugging me."


    She had already decided to stay away from the Manners family and Desmond, but these people kept showing up, trying to make their presence known. It was super annoying! Desmond''s eyes were icy as he stared at Katniss, his expression shifting unpredictably.


    ra''s eyes reddened, she grabbed Desmond''s arm, whispering, "Desmond, it''s my fault for causing you two to argue. Let''s stop this and not mess up Katniss''s work." Desmond, not wanting ra to suffer, was furious.


    "Fifty cups of coffee!" Desmond pped down two hundred-dor bills, pointing at Katniss and ordering.


    "She has to make them all by herself and deliver them to the school gate. No one else can help." Desmond was being a total jerk.


    Amara looked at Katniss with concern; this was straight-up bullying. She wanted to refuse him but was stopped by Katniss, who said, "Amara, don''t miss this chance to make some good money!"


    She tossed the trash, went to the counter, grabbed the two hundred bucks, and said, "Alright, we''ll do it."


    Katniss wasn''t dumb enough to turn down money, especially when she needed it.


    She worked quickly, leaving Desmond stunned.


    ra tugged on Desmond''s arm,ining, "Desmond, you''re being way too harsh. Katniss has sses in the afternoon. How can she finish fifty cups of coffee by herself?" Desmond gently patted ra, saying, "You''re too naive. I''m helping you."


    ra was troubled, saying, "I''ve told you a million times that Katniss didn''t bully me. Why don''t you believe me?"


    "Katniss, add some milk!" Amara directed, her eyes showing a hint of sympathy.


    Katniss stirred the coffee cups vigorously, silently cursing these two annoying people.


    "Add some more sugar!" Desmond''s voice was arrogant and cold, like he thought Katniss was just a worker bee.


    ra muttered, "Desmond, let her take a break. Her hands are about to give out."


    Desmond nced disdainfully at Katniss, saying, "Feeling tired over such a small task? She should know how to seize the opportunity!"


    Katniss ignored the two of them, just wanting to finish the fifty cups of coffee quickly and get rid of these two jerks.

 Chapter 30

    Amara saw Katniss dragging, so she tried to chill her out, saying, "Katniss, girl, you gotta call it a day. Save some juice for tomorrow." Katniss didn''t even blink, "Yeah, you''re right. We''re almost outta coffee beans anyway. We can shut down early, so I''m bouncing now."


    She figured she''d hit the books with the extra time. Sure, she wanted to stack some cash, but acing that big exam was the top priority. The school entrance was buzzing with people since it was mealtime. Just as she got there, someone hollered her name.


    "Katniss!" Felix''s voice cut through the noise, making her jump. She turned, "Felix, what are you doing here?"


    Her heart skipped a beat, worried something was up with Maximilian.


    "Katniss, Max asked me to give you this," Felix said, handing over a paper bag.


    Katniss paused, not expecting Max to send cash.


    Max and Desmond were brothers, but they were like night and day.


    Thinking about Max''s kindness, Katniss felt a pang of regret. Such a good man, gone too soon in his past life. She silently vowed to fix Max''s illness, making sure he lived a long life this time!


    She took the bag, smiling gratefully. Even though she didn''t wanna take it, she really needed the dough right now.


    Max was her lifesaver! This cash was just the start; his treatment had to keep going.


    Katniss felt a wave of emotion, the bag heavy in her hands. She decided to whip up a special medicinal meal for Max.


    Felix beamed, "Katniss, Max has been feeling way better since he started your meds. We''re counting on you."


    Katniss was all set to cook up something special for Max.


    Blinking, she said happily, "Thanks, Felix. I''m gonna make a special meal for Max to help him bounce back faster."


    Felix was stoked, "Awesome! When can Ie grab it?"


    Katniss decided she''d deliver it herself, feeling grateful for Max''s kindness.


    Thinking about how good-hearted Max was, Katniss felt even more determined to save him.


    Felix drove off, the ck Mercedes parked by the curb.


    Katniss lugged the heavy bag, hustling towards the school. She thought it was full of medicinal herbs, but when she peeked inside, she found stacks of crisp hundred-dor bills!


    Her eyes nearly popped out of her head! She reached out with shaky fingers to touch the cash. How could it be money?


    "Holy crap!" she gasped, eyes wide with shock and disbelief.


    What the heck was going on? Had Max sent her cash again? Katniss''s heart was pounding, and a grin spread across her face. How much was in here? Maybe enough to stock up on a ton of medicinal herbs! Her eyes got even wider, and she couldn''t help but mutter, "Max, you are way too generous!"


    How much had he given her? Looked like at least five or six grand!


    Max was seriously generous! Katniss decided she''d whip up a fancy medicinal meal for him tomorrow!


    She was dead set on helping Max get better and sorting out his problems. After getting back to school, she immediately went to buy the ingredients and herbs she needed, lugging around big bags. She still had some stuff left to buy, like fresh meat and fish, which she''d get on the day.


    Katniss hauled the items home. It was still early, so Wesley and Daphne weren''t back yet; only Anna was home. Anna eyed her shopping bags suspiciously.


    Anna asked, "Katniss, why''d you buy so much stuff?" Katniss vaguely mentioned she was making a medicinal meal for someone.


    "You? Making a medicinal meal? Can you even do that?" Anna asked, full of doubt, reaching for one of the bags. As soon as she opened it and saw all the ingredients, she mumbled, "This must''ve cost a fortune, right?" Katniss quickly shook her head, "I don''t know how much it cost. The gentleman bought it and had it sent to me."


    Anna asked again, "You''re doing it for free?"


    Katniss replied, "Of course not, I''m getting paid a bit."


    "A fee? How much is he paying you?" Anna''s eyes lit up. These ingredients weren''t cheap, and someone asking for a medicinal meal must have money. Katniss was living here for free, and Anna had been thinking about how to ask her for living expenses. This was the perfect chance.


    "Not much, Grandma Anna. I''ve got a ton of homework, so I''ll head to my room now." Katniss said, putting the items in the kitchen and quickly retreating to her room.


    Anna was a bit miffed, watching Katniss''s back. Katniss was clearly dodging her. How rude, running off before she finished talking. No wonder her family didn''t like her, she deserved it!


    Katniss bolted so fast, Anna didn''t even get a chance to bring up the living expenses.


    Back in her room, Katniss let out a sigh of relief, not wanting Anna to ask too many questions or for others to know about Max.

 Chapter 31

    As a doc, keeping patient info on the down-low is a must. Aurora always said it''s part of the gig. Katniss had made up her mind to be a legit doctor this time around, not just using her skills for Nathan. So, she was doing this to keep her patient safe.


    Anna was eavesdropping at the door but didn''t catch any studying vibes. She wasn''t sure if Katniss had hit the books.


    Seeing the stuff in the kitchen, Anna started organizing with a big grin.


    These things are seriously top-notch!


    Katniss knew Anna always looked down on her, but Wesley and Daphne were still cool with her. Since her ce wasn''t ready yet, she had to crash at Wesley''s for now, trying not to stir up any drama with Anna.


    As long as Anna didn''t start anything, Katniss could chill.


    The next morning, with no sses, she hit up the supermarket, grabbing a bass to make some soup.


    When she got home and opened the jars of ingredients, she paused for a sec, wondering if it was just her imagination, but it seemed like there were fewer ingredients than yesterday.


    She didn''t think much of it until she noticed other ingredient boxes were also missing some stuff.


    Katniss frowned. She was the only one home; everyone else was out. She decided to let it slide for now.


    Rocking afy apron and with her hair in a high ponytail, Katniss started cooking.


    She picked up the knife, handling the ingredients like a pro. Steam rising from the pot, the heat waves making anyone''s mouth water.


    She added the prepped ingredients to the pot one by one. The clear water boiling, the bubbling sound filling the air. She gently stirred with a wooden spoon, mixing the soup to let the vors and nutrients blend. The aroma wafting from the pot was mouthwatering.


    After an hour of hard work, a pot of steaming bass soup was finally ready. Katniss poured the soup into a big bowl, ready to serve. She tasted a spoonful, smiling with satisfaction. This pot of soup was not only a treat for the taste buds but also had some medicinal benefits.


    She hoped Maximilian would dig this homemade goodness.


    With a thermos in hand, Katniss headed out. She had asked Felix for Maximilian''s address yesterday, which was in a nearby residential area.


    When she arrived, Katniss realized that Maximilian lived super close to Aurora''s house, just around the corner.


    She was stopped by security, so she called Felix, who came to take her inside.


    The vi area was filled with blooming flowers and picturesque scenery, with sparrows chirping as they flew by. Felix pointed to a vi, saying, "Here we are."


    Katniss looked up at the standalone vi. The exterior was simple, and the yard was bare, almost like a wastnd.


    Was this Maximilian''s crib?


    Upon entering the vi, Katniss felt the space was super sparse and empty. The room was almost devoid of furnishings, with in white walls and no decorations or photos. The floor was covered with a simple rug that seemed never to have been stepped on.


    In the middle of the room was this long table with just one lonely chair, looking all sad and abandoned. A few books were stacked in the corner, giving off a musty smell, and there was a simple bookshelf with barely any books on it. Other than that, the room was pretty much empty. The whole minimalist vibe of the vi made it feel like no one actually lived there, or the owner was just super into keeping things simple, totally ignoringfort and warmth. The emptiness made Katniss feel kinda surprised and uneasy.


    Luckily, Felix soon opened the door again, smiling, "Katniss,e on in."


    Katniss quickly stepped inside, a faint woody scent immediately surrounding her. She looked up and saw Maximilian''s ridiculously handsome face, making her inexplicably nervous.


    She lifted the thermos in her hand, greeting him, "Maximilian." She was here to drop off some medicinal food.


    Maximilian gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.


    Katniss put down the food container, hesitated for a moment, and pulled out a small notebook from her pocket, speaking softly, "Maximilian, I''ve prepped some medicinal food to help stabilize your body first. We''ll go for stronger treatmentster." She handed over a piece of paper, adding, "These are the do''s and don''ts while using the medicinal food."


    Maximilian stayed silent, not even ncing at her. Just when Katniss thought he wasn''t paying attention, Maximilian slowly raised his eyes and took the paper.


    Katniss had written these notes hoping Maximilian would take better care of himself and not repeat past mistakes. She remembered the past when Desmond inherited all the family assets, making her furious.


    She decided that Maximilian had to live well! So, besides the medicinal food precautions, Katniss wrote down everything beneficial for his health.


    Katniss exined, "Maximilian, you need to eat the medicinal food on time. Reheating it won''t be as effective." Maximilian nodded, as Felix went to grab the utensils.


    With just the two of them left in the room, the atmosphere got super quiet. Katniss didn''t dare to look around, only seeing Maximilian''s hands.


    His handsy open on the table, pale but smooth and soft. The veins on the back of his hands were faintly visible, outlining perfect lines. His fingers were long and slender, with neatly trimmed nails that had a faint rosy hue, giving off a slight rose fragrance, like freshly picked petals.


    Each joint of his fingers was clearly visible, like ayered work of art. When he moved, his fingers exuded elegance andposure, showing off a unique charm and vibe.


    Katniss couldn''t help but be totally drawn to these perfect hands, feeling like she was pulled in by some mysterious force, unable to look away. Such elegant hands made one marvel at how beautiful hands could be.


    Katniss was mesmerized, thinking what woman could possibly resist such a perfect man?


    She stared intently, her gaze traveling upward from his wrist, lingering on his pants.


    Suddenly, Maximilian asked, "What are you staring at?"

 Chapter 32

    Katniss didn''t mean to gawk at his junk, but there she was, caught red-handed. It was so awkward. Her brain was scrambling for a way out!


    Blushing like crazy, she blurted out, "Wow, your hands are like, art or something!" Maximilian just stared at his hands, totally baffled by the randompliment.


    Katniss thought, if she dared to call Maximilian handsome, he''d probably flip out. She bit her lip, reminding herself to keep it cool.


    Maximilian was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, the golden boy of his family. Even with his chronic illness, people had been kissing up to him his whole life. He definitely didn''t need her sweet talk. She still remembered the first time they met, Maximilian had told her not to bother trying to butter him up.


    He probably hated that kind of stuff.


    Maximilian coughed lightly, noticing Katniss''s red face, and a small smirk yed on his lips.


    Even though he was as quiet as ever, she could tell he was in a better mood. The vibe around him was way more chill than before.


    In her past life, Maximilian was like an ice king. Anyone who got too close would get the cold shoulder. Back then, she didn''t dare say a single extra word to him.


    Felix popped open the thermos, and the steam that rose up made everyone''s mouth water.


    Tempted by the smell, he took a deep breath, closing his eyes as the aroma filled his nostrils, making his taste buds do a happy dance and his mouth water like crazy. The bright colors of the ingredients and the mouth-watering smell were a feast for the senses.


    Felix stared at the soup bowl with wide eyes, swallowing hard as his appetite kicked into overdrive. He felt pretty lucky to stumble upon such a treat.


    Even though he''d had his fair share of tasty food, this soup was on another level, making him drool.


    He thought it was gonna be some bitter medicinal soup, but it turned out to be better than anything from a five-star restaurant, with no weird herbal taste. Felix held back his hunger and served a small bowl to Maximilian first.


    Maximilian gently blew on the soup, the warm steam brushing his lips. The fresh, savory taste spread in his mouth like a spring breeze, bringing a touch offort. Each sip danced on his tongue, telling a story of softness and richness. With each sip, he felt more rxed, the tiredness and gloom on his face slowly fading, reced by warmth andfort. The nutrients and restorative properties in the soup started working their magic, making him feel a surge of energy he hadn''t felt in ages.


    After finishing the soup, he noticed Felix and Katniss both staring at him, and he paused for a moment.


    Katniss eagerly asked, "How is it? Tastes good?" Maximilian smiled slightly, "Not bad."


    Katniss wanted to say she wasn''t hungry, but seeing Felix already had food ready, she kept quiet.


    Felix led her to the living room, suddenly remembering the dessert in the fridge. "Katniss, want some dessert?" At the word "dessert," Katniss''s eyes lit up.


    She nodded excitedly and followed Felix to the kitchen, her eyes glued to the big fridge.


    The fridge was a double-door one, way fancier than the old single-door fridge at The Manners Vi.


    It only had some instant food and a piece of cake, which barely filled the huge fridge, leaving plenty of space inside.


    Felix took out the cake, saying, "The housekeeper made this yesterday. She sometimes brings food for Maximilian, but he usually has a poor appetite and rarely eats it."


    "Maximilian''s sleep and mood are pretty bad, so it''s no wonder his appetite isn''t great. But with the medicinal soup, he''ll start eating better," Katniss encouraged Felix.


    Katniss continued, "You know, sleep quality really affects the body. Poor sleep can mess with hormones, affecting appetite and mood. Some ingredients in the medicinal soup are packed with nutrients and have restorative properties, helping to regte sleep, improve mood, and boost appetite."


    She added, "Plus, the medicinal soup has herbs that help with the spleen and stomach, boosting immunity and digestion. With the soup''s restorative effects, his health will gradually improve, and so will his appetite."


    Maximilian''s health had always been poor, probably because of some kind of poison.


    With her around, no one would dare mess with Maximilian!

 Chapter 33

    Felix was thinking about how Max had downed three bowls of soup, grinning and saying, "Katniss, you''re a lifesaver. Seriously, if it weren''t for you, I''d be lost. Max saw a ton of doctors and popped a bunch of pills, but nothing worked. Now,


    he''s finally getting better."


    Felix''s eyes got all serious as he spoke.


    Katniss figured Felix had already figured out the issue with Max''s meds. With their cash and connections, they''d definitely get to the bottom of it.


    She was curious why Felix hit up Aurora. Sure, she had mad medical skills, but she just ran a tiny private clinic.


    These days, everyone wants the big hospitals. Even if a private doc is good, people still go for the big names. Max had money and power, so why couldn''t he find a top-notch doc?


    "Felix, I''ll do everything I can to help Max get better!" Katniss said, all determined.


    Felix was touched by her resolve.


    There were tons of people in the Boleyn family, but none of them cared about Max as much as this outsider did.


    Katniss blinked her big eyes, cheerfully looking at Felix and saying, "Felix, we should totally stock up this huge fridge with loads of yummy food!"


    Felixughed heartily and nodded, saying, "No problem, Katniss. This fridge has double doors and tons of space. Go wild, put in as much as you want!"


    After munching on some bass soup outside, Felix couldn''t stop raving about Katniss''s cooking skills. He even drove her to school after the meal.


    The speech contest wasing up. When Katniss walked through the school gate, she saw a poster for the contest on the bulletin board, listing the participants.


    Katniss originally wanted to slip away but saw that besides Juniper, ra''s name was also on the list, which puzzled her.


    Hadn''t she already given the spot to Juniper?


    Since she had a ss, she nned to go to the ssroom to ask Juniper but ran into Nathan.


    Nathan was a junior, majoring in design, often running errands for ra.


    He had been in poor health since childhood, frail and prone to minor illnesses. He had been taking medicine for years to maintain his health, which made his skin paler and more delicate than his peers, making him look even thinner under his tall frame.


    Nathan was particrly prone to fatigue and weakness, often looking pale with a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead. He frequently needed medication to maintain his strength and health, doctors repeatedly advising him to avoid overexertion. Despite his poor health, he persisted in bringing ra small cakes, never giving up easily.


    In Nathan''s life, medicine yed a crucial role. To manage his condition, he had to take it regrly every day to keep his body stable. In her past life, Katniss had always been making medicine and medicinal food for him, helping him nourish his body.


    Thanks to Katniss''s long-term efforts, his health had improved significantly. But in the future, Katniss wouldn''t do it again!


    Seeing the obviously weaker Nathan, Katniss felt a sense of satisfaction.


    Nathan didn''t even deserve her treatment.


    Nathan''s face changed when he saw Katniss. He looked a bit ticked off, forcing a bitter smile and saying softly, "Katniss, I just wanted you to help deliver a cake to ra. Didn''t think you''d be so against it."


    Katniss frowned at Nathan''s words, shooting back, "What bugs me is that you alwayse to me because of her. Is ra the only one who gets your attention?"


    Nathan''s face darkened at her retort, his voice getting a bit harsh, "Is it so wrong for me to care about ra? You don''t need to butt in."


    The tension between them was thick. Katniss didn''t want to waste more words, so she headed straight to the ssroom.


    As she turned to leave, Nathan grabbed her arm, not letting go. Katniss, furious, her eyes zing, shoved Nathan away with all her might. He lost his bnce and hit the ground, the small cake in his hand smashing into crumbs. "Katniss!" Nathan looked at the broken cake, both heartbroken and angry, shouting at her. He was upset about the cake and furious at Katniss.


    Nathan''s face showed anger as he stood up, breathing heavily. He looked at the broken cake and then at Katniss, his voice low and filled with rage, "My cake! That was for ra!" Katniss shot back, "You brought it on yourself!"


    "Nathan!" ra hurried over, asking, "Are you okay?"


    "ra, I''m fine," Nathan said, shaking his head, feeling guilty. "The cake is ruined. I''ll get you another one."


    ra looked at the broken cake, nodding, but her gaze shifted to the ssroom. "Nathan, what happened? Why did Katniss treat you like this? We''re family."


    Nathan sneered, "Katniss never considered us family. Simon is still at the police station, and she''s so heartless. ra, you need to stay away from her; she''ll hurt you."


    Nathan''s tone was filled with resentment as he coldly looked at Katniss, as if she were a criminal.


    ra wanted tofort Katniss, but Nathan stopped her, saying, "Katniss shouldn''t have taken her anger out on me. She crossed the line."


    ra ran towards Katniss, but Nathan blocked her, saying, "Katniss, don''t avoid the issue. If you''re angry, take it out on me, but don''t me Nathan."


    "ra, don''t try to reason with that vicious woman. She''s not worth it!" Nathan said, anxiously chasing after her, afraid Katniss would harm ra.


    Katniss sat at her desk, feeling irritated. She was waiting for Juniper, but instead, these two showed up. Katniss didn''t want to see their sibling affection, not because she was sad, but because she was annoyed.


    She just hoped to take the exam soon, switch to the medical program, and get away from these annoying people.


    Seeing them still chattering, Katniss took out a tissue from her pocket, slowly crumpling it, and stuffing it into her ears in front of them. Then she started reciting, "Bicarbonate is an importantponent of the body''s pH buffering system..."

 Chapter 34

    Nathan was fuming, feeling the shade being thrown his way but couldn''t pin it down. Katniss was off to the side, cool as a cucumber, going over her notes, not even looking his way. Her chill vibe cut him deep.


    He spotted some medical books sticking out of Katniss''s bag and thought, ''Seriously, Katniss wants to switch to med school? With her half-baked knowledge? She''s so full of herself. When she bombs that transfer exam, she''ll be bawling, and no one will give a damn. She asked for it.''


    ra, looking all kinds of awkward, softly called out to Katniss, trying to break her focus, but Katniss just cranked up the volume, catching the attention of students trickling into the room.


    Out of nowhere, ra''s eyes filled with tears.


    "Katniss, do you really hate me that much?" ra asked, her voice breaking.


    ra''s friends swooped in to console her.


    "ra, ignore her. Katniss is just a heartless witch who doesn''t know the meaning of gratitude. Don''t waste your tears."


    "ra,e sit with me. Forget about her."


    "Katniss, have you no shame? Treating your family like this. Apologize to ra right now!"


    Everyone was all over ra, throwing shade at Katniss like she was the viin in some soap opera, and they were the heroes calling her out.


    Katniss kept on with her notes, acting like she couldn''t hear a thing.


    It wasn''t that Katniss didn''t care about her rep anymore; she just knew exining herself was a waste of breath.


    To them, she''d always be less than ra, seen as a schemer trying to get ahead, alwayspared to ra-a total joke.


    So, Katniss decided to let it go.


    No matter what she did, she''d get dragged, so she chose to just chill and enjoy her peace.


    She kept reciting her notes. The crowd, seeing her unbothered attitude, got even more riled up for ra. Just when they were about to lose it, Juniper burst into the room.


    "Who''s messing with my Katniss!" Juniper yelled from the doorway, listening for a sec before storming in like a bat out of hell.


    Seeing ra and Nathan, Juniper was livid and pointed right at ra, saying, "Quit ying the victim and stop harassing her. She''s been through enough!"


    "Juniper, what are you talking about?" Nathan shot back, his face red with anger.


    "Juniper, how can you say that? I just want Katniss toe home so we can be a happy family," ra said, tears streaming down her face, looking all innocent and fragile.


    "You think I don''t see through you? You''re always stirring up trouble for Katniss." Juniper''s words were like daggers, filled with anger towards ra, who looked like she might faint from the shock. "Juniper, I was just trying to be nice. She''s my sister. How could I hurt her? You''ve misunderstood me," ra cried, looking all pitiful, making the surrounding students feel sorry for her. Juniper, with her high status, good looks, and top grades, was usually untouchable. But right then, someone decided to stand up for ra.


    "Juniper, how can you say that about ra? She''s pure and kind. We all see it. Maybe Katniss has fooled you."


    "Juniper, you''re usually cool. Why are you being so harsh?"


    "Maybe it''s because ra is a strongpetitor in the speech contest, and Juniper is jealous."


    Everyone started chiming in. Nathan wanted to speak up but got drowned out by the noise, turning the ssroom into a madhouse.


    Suddenly, a loud bang grabbed everyone''s attention.


    Katniss had mmed her book on the desk, her eyes locked on ra, shouting, "Get out."


    Nathan, fuming, stormed towards Katniss, raising his hand to hit her, but what happened next left him speechless.


    Katniss moved like lightning, raising her book and bringing it down so fast no one could react. The book smacked Nathan''s arm with a heavy thud.


    Nathan felt a sharp pain shoot through his arm. He was caught off guard, unable to dodge, and the pain twisted his face.


    Katniss''s move was quick and brutal, letting out all her pent-up anger in that single hit.


    Everyone around was stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing. Katniss''s actions left them all in shock. Nathan''s arm throbbed with pain, and he gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with disbelief and fear. ra, scared out of her mind, hid behind Nathan, her tears frozen in shock.


    Gasps filled the room.


    Nathan, in pain, stared at Katniss, unable to believe she had actually hit him. She dared!


    At that moment, Nathan looked into Katniss''s eyes for the first time, trying to understand her true feelings. Those eyes, so beautiful.


    Undoubtedly, those eyes were incredibly captivating, even more so than ra''s, resembling the Manners'' eyes. Thickshes framed enchanting eyes, with slightly upturned corners full of yful and alluring charm.


    Even the double eyelid folds were identical to the Manners family brothers, with no difference. They were indeed siblings.


    However, at this moment, Katniss''s eyes were icy cold, like a drawn bow ready to shoot a deadly arrow.


    Nathan was stunned. Katniss was his biological sister. How could she show such hatred in her eyes?


    But the moment passed quickly, ra''s worried voice filled his ears again, "Nathan, are you okay? It''s all my fault for making Katniss angry, but I didn''t expect her to hit you."


    Everyone was in shock. Katniss didn''t want to deal with these people any longer. After hitting someone, she grabbed her backpack and walked out without looking back.

 Chapter 35

    Katniss hit up the library to cram, sticking around till after six. She finally ditched her books, stood up, stretched, and got ready to bounce. But just as she stepped out of the school gate, Juniper popped up outta nowhere, dragging her to a dessert shop on campus.


    With a cheeky grin, Juniper handed Katniss a cute little cake.


    "This one''s for you. Way prettier than ra''s," Juniper said. Katniss was stunned, holding the cake, her eyes wide with surprise and gratitude. "Thanks, Juniper," Katniss said.


    Juniperughed, "Whatever ra''s got, you should have too, Katniss!"


    Katniss stared at the cake, tears welling up in her eyes.


    She took a deep breath and said seriously, "Juniper, you gotta crush it. You have to beat ra in this speech contest!"


    Juniper rolled her eyes. Even with all the feels, Katniss was still nagging her to study.


    What Juniper didn''t know was that Katniss was thinking way beyond just this contest. If Juniper beat ra, she''d get to go abroad as an exchange student. Juniper would have no regrets, taking a different path from her past life. When Katniss got home, the ce was empty. She plopped the cake on the table and decided to whip up a fancy dinner for Wesley and the crew. Just as she stepped into the kitchen, she heard the door creak. She turned around and saw Anna.


    "Cooking?" Anna asked, peeking in. Katniss smiled and nodded.


    Anna looked at her and asked, "Katniss, got a boyfriend?"


    Katniss replied, "Nah, I''m still young, not thinking about it yet." Anna waved it off, saying, "If you wait till your twenties, it''ll be toote. Guys like young girls. What''s the point of all this studying? You still gotta get married and have kids. Find someone early."


    Anna added, "If you don''t have a boyfriend, I can hook you up with someone." Katniss smiled and kept chopping, saying coolly, "Anna, don''t you know? The girl next door hooked up with a guy in his forties who''s already married. She''s a side chick. We Manners don''t do that kinda shady stuff."


    Anna''s face twisted, and she left in a huff. Katniss sighed, enjoying the rare peace.


    But when Katniss brought out the dishes, she noticed the little cake was gone. She thought for a sec, then heard a key turning in the door. Wesley, Daphne, and Anna were back. Daphne said, "Katniss is so on top of things, dinner''s already ready."


    Katniss smiled, "Dig in, guys." She realized she''d never cooked for Wesley''s family before and felt a bit guilty.


    Wesley praised her as he walked over, and Katniss smiled, presenting each dish with pride.


    Katniss''s eyes sparkled with love and care, every detail showing off her cooking skills and affection for her family.


    Wesley listened, silently amazed at how the once naive Katniss had grown up, not just mentally but also in her cooking game.


    After naming a couple of dishes, Katniss noticed Anna was quiet in the back and casually asked, "Grandma Anna, did you see the cake on the table when you got back?"


    "Oh, that cake? The neighbor''s kid loves sweets, and I thought you didn''t want it, so I gave it to him," Anna exined awkwardly.


    "Oh, no worries. I thought I misced it," Katniss smiled slightly, acting like it was no big deal.


    Wesley and Daphne shot nces at Anna but didn''t say anything, though their looks made Anna feel the heat.


    Anna thought, ''What''s Katniss getting at? It''s just a cake. If it''s gone, someone in the house must''ve eaten it. Is it worth making a scene? This Katniss, after a few years, has gotten pretty crafty.'' To break the tension, Daphne quickly praised Katniss''s cooking.


    Even though Anna didn''t say anything, she was eating faster than anyone else, like she was afraid she''d miss out.


    "Katniss''s cooking is so good, we''re lucky to have her," Wesley said proudly. "Someone even asked her to make medicinal meals because she''s that good."


    Katniss smiled, soaking in thepliment.


    Being appreciated felt awesome. If it were her parents, they''d probably just sneer and say what she did was too basic to be worth praising.


    Anna suddenly asked, "Katniss, do you make money from making medicinal meals for people?"


    Since Katniss could make money, she should chip in for the family and buy stuff for the elders!


    Knowing how Anna was, Daphne quickly cut in, "Mom, Katniss is still in college. It''s good enough she has a job. How much can she really make?"


    Katniss smiled faintly, "Not much, just helping a friend, about ten bucks each time."


    She based the price on her part-time gig at the coffee shop. A full-time server''s monthly pay was around seven to eight hundred bucks, and her part-time job at the coffee shop brought in close to three hundred bucks a month. Anna''s eyes lit up at the mention of three hundred bucks, "That''s quite a bit. It''s not safe for a young girl to carry so much money."


    "Thanks for the concern. I''ll be careful," Katniss smiled, feeling a bit wary.


    After that, Katniss put down her utensils and started clearing the empty bowls and tes to take to the kitchen.


    Daphne quickly followed, whispering, "Let me handle this, Katniss. You go chill in your room."


    Wesley also came in, saying, "Don''t mind what Anna said. She''s getting old and confused. It''s not easy for a young girl like you to earn some money. Save it for yourself. A girl should have some cash on hand."

 Chapter 36

    Anna nced at the folks in the kitchen, all yapping away, probably bad-mouthing her.


    She was about to blow a fuse. What''s the big deal about asking Katniss for some cash? Shouldn''t she chip in for the household bills? Who was she doing this for? Wasn''t it for the family?


    Anna stormed into the bedroom, dragging Daphne along.


    Lighting up a cigarette, she shot a displeased look at Daphne standing there. She couldn''t help but rant, "What the hell! Look at your husband. He''s broke, has no ambition, and can''t even afford a decent house. What did you see in him? You''re making things hard on yourself!"


    Daphne frowned, trying to calm her down, "Mom, Wesley might not be loaded, but he''s solid and treats me well. Money isn''t everything in today''s world."


    Anna pped her leg in frustration, "How can you be happy without money? Don''t buy into that crap, you really can''t do without it!"


    Taking a drag, she kept on, "I knew it would''ve been better if you married that guy with the Mercedes. You''d have a big house, designer bags, and a car to drive you around. Life would be so much better!" Daphne sighed, knowing her mom''s mindset was tough to change, and just listened quietly, keeping her worries to herself.


    Meanwhile, Katniss had already retreated to her bedroom, locking the door behind her.


    She sat down, turned on a dim deskmp, and pulled out a notebook, jotting down detailed medicinal recipes. She was nning her schedule in her head. With morning sses sometimes, she had to manage her time well. After listing the recipes, she decided to send a copy to Maximilian, so he and Felix would know her schedule. Plus, she was thinking of making a small investment with her money, not wanting to miss out on a chance to make some cash given her knowledge of future economic trends.


    "Maximilian." Katniss''s voice was clear and bright, her eyes sparkling with determination and gentleness, showing her care and gratitude.


    Maximilian watched her quietly, a hint of surprise and warmth in his eyes. Whether it was real or not, Katniss always felt his gaze had softened a lot.


    Hisplexion looked way better than before, too.


    In her past life, she had missed out on so much. Now, with a second chance, she had found her hope. As long as you''re alive, there''s always hope.


    "Maximilian!" Katniss called out cheerfully, thinking he looked a bit lonely sitting there by himself. She ran over with a goofy smile, pushing him from the shadows into the sunlight by the floor-to-ceiling window, saying, "Maximilian,e out and get some sun. It''s good for you."


    Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing Maximilian in a golden glow. He felt the warmth wrapping around him, his skin glowing softly. He lowered his eyes, looking at the light and shadow on his knees, the coldness on his face slowly melting away.


    "Feels good, doesn''t it?" Katniss smiled as she got closer, a hint of amusement in her eyes.


    "Yeah." Maximilian nodded, his gaze softening, like a touch of warmth on an icy mountain.


    "Sunshine really does wonders for your mood," Katniss said softly, looking at his face, her heart filled with hope.


    After pushing him there, Katniss quickly opened a box of yogurt and handed it to him, saying, "Maximilian, this is my special recipe, you can''t buy it anywhere. Try it." The yogurt she made was way different from the usual homemade stuff, using a future recipe. It had a finer texture and was super smooth.


    Maximilian stared at the yogurt in his hand, his eyes narrowing slightly. Katniss opened another box and handed it to Felix, smiling, "Felix, you try it too."


    Felix wanted to take a bite but felt a bit shy eating in front of Maximilian. He took it but didn''t eat, instead watching Maximilian''s reaction closely. Maximilian usually ate very little, especially sweets.


    Even though he wasn''t into sweets, seeing Katniss''s hopeful eyes, he picked up the spoon and took a bite, slightly curling his lips, saying, "It''s delicious."


    Katniss''s eyes widened; Maximilian actually smiled! She had been with him for quite some time, but he had always been cold. This time, he smiled so warmly.

 Chapter 37

    "What''s up?" Maximilian asked, his smile starting to fade.


    Katniss snapped back to reality, shing a bright grin. "Maximilian, you''ve got such a killer smile. There''s this dude at our school who''s super popr with the girls, but honestly, you''re way hotter than him!" She quickly added, "I''m just keeping it real. You''re way more handsome, and you''re loaded too. If I had to pick someone, it''d be you."


    Realizing she might''ve overstepped, Katniss awkwardly exined, "What I mean is, being in a good mood is great for your health. Science says a good mood can even fight off cancer cells."


    She wasn''t sure if Maximilian bought it, but Felix eagerly asked, "Katniss, is that for real?"


    Maximilian hadn''t smiled in ages. When was thest time he even cracked a grin? Felix tried to remember, only recalling how happy Maximilian used to be as a kid. But then...


    Felix looked at Katniss like she was a miracle worker, totally stoked.


    Katniss let out a sigh of relief and turned to Felix, saying, "Felix, staying in a good mood is key. Like me, I don''t get mad when people try to mess with me. It''s not worth it. If you get mad and it kills you, wouldn''t that suck?"


    Felix suddenly got it. Even though Maximilian didn''t blow up often, he was always in a funk. He needed to cheer him up more.


    Despite being young, Katniss knew her stuff, a true reflection of her grandmother. Felix thought she shoulde around more to lift Maximilian''s spirits.


    While they were chatting, Maximilian finished his yogurt, his uneasy look fading away.


    Katniss turned around, seeing the small stic cup looking tiny in his hand.


    She looked at Maximilian, his smile warm and appreciative, making her heart skip a beat and her smile widen.


    "Maximilian, let me check you out," Katniss said, determined to help him.


    Maximilian''s hand gently rested on the wheelchair armrest, feeling Katniss''s small, warm hand grasping his.


    Her fingers were delicate and soft, like a gentle caress on his skin, bringing a subtle sensation. He could feel the warmth of her palm, a delicate touch that felt like an electric current flowing between them.


    Katniss seriously checked his pulse, her touch carrying a hint of romantic tension, which caused Maximilian''s heart to flutter slightly, with his eyes flickering with a strange light.


    Despite thinking his hand was beautiful, she focused intently on her diagnosis.


    Maximilian looked down and saw her long eyshes, like the quiet wings of a butterfly, shimmering golden in the sunlight.


    After finishing the check, Katniss breathed a sigh of relief, smiling, "Maximilian!"


    Maximilian met her gaze, the light in his eyes shining, asking calmly, "How is it?"


    "Your pulse is steady, stronger than before," Katniss said happily. "I will control the illness and help you recover slowly. Maximilian, you will get better!"


    Although Maximilian''s condition had been present for a long time, the improvement made Katniss feel very satisfied.


    Maximilian wouldn''t fall easily, despite being watched by countless people hoping for his early demise.


    Even his biological father was involved.


    Regarding Katniss''s treatment, he just felt that her eyes were too pure, too determined, as if she really wanted to save him.


    "Really?" Maximilian asked, lifting the corner of his mouth.


    "Of course, don''t you trust me?" Katniss asked, widening her eyes.


    Maximilian slightly curled his lips, softly saying, "I do."

 Chapter 38

    Upon hearing Maximilian''s answer, Katniss blinked and shot up like a rocket. She dug through her bag and pulled out a bottle of medicine, her eyes shing with urgency and concern. "Almost forgot, you''re probably running low on this stuff. Here''s the next batch," Katniss said, handing the bottle to Maximilian, her voice dripping with genuine care. "You gotta keep taking it for it to work." Katniss moved with a gentle touch, her eyes glowing warmly. Right then, she had one wish: for Maximilian to get better, step back into the sunlight, and start living his life again. After a moment, Katniss suddenly perked up, "Hey, I don''t have sses tomorrow morning. I''ll bring you some special porridge."


    "Awesome!" Maximilian said, nodding and ncing over at Felix.


    Felix was over the moon seeing Maximilian so cooperative.


    He totally bought into what Katniss was saying; Maximilian had been looking better these past few days.


    Suddenly, with Maximilian''s eyes on him, Felix whipped out a ck card, grinning, "Katniss, use this card for buying medicine and groceries from now on."


    Katniss was floored.


    Did she see that right? Felix just handed her a ck card?


    She''d seen a ck card in ra''s hand once, given by Lucas, to use however she wanted.


    But that was like six or seven years after the country''s economy boomed, when the Manners family had already bounced back from the financial crisis and were rolling in dough. After a few seconds of stunned silence, Katniss was deeply touched.


    Even her own parents and brothers had never been this generous. Maximilian was a gem!


    Before, Katniss had treated Maximilian with a bit of a patient-care vibe, but now she looked at him with full-on admiration.


    "Thanks, you''re super generous," Katniss said, taking the card with a smile. "I''ll keep a detailed list of the prices for the medicine and groceries."


    With the ck card, shopping would be a breeze. No more lugging around cash every day, which was both risky and a hassle.


    Plus, who wouldn''t want a ck card?


    That sleek, luxurious ck was just gorgeous!


    But aside from medicine and groceries, she wouldn''t use this card for anything else!


    "No need," Maximilian replied shortly.


    Katniss didn''t push it, just smiled at Maximilian. She''d never use the money on this card for her own stuff.


    She carefully tucked the ck card into her bag and then pulled out her prepared list, saying, "Felix, this is my ss schedule. I cane for consultations whenever I''m free. The circled days are when I''ll bring medicinal meals." Felix raised an eyebrow, asking, "Katniss, why are you juggling sses in two departments?"


    Maximilian nced over too.


    Katniss felt a bit sheepish, exining, "I was dumb before, signing up for the Literature Department to be with Desmond. Now I''m trying to switch to the Medical Department."


    She couldn''t believe she had been so stupid to like someone like Desmond.


    Felix suddenly got it, saying, "Oh right, you were engaged to Desmond..."


    Halfway through his sentence, he noticed Katniss''s attitude towards Desmond had done aplete 180, almost like she was disgusted.


    Maximilian stayed quiet.


    Katniss shook her head, saying, "Felix, my engagement with Desmond is off. From now on, I have nothing to do with him."


    Felix couldn''t believe his ears, but seeing Katniss''s serious face, he figured he might have misunderstood.


    He couldn''t wrap his head around it. Katniss used to be all about Desmond, following him everywhere. How could she just stop liking him out of the blue?


    Even so, he knew Desmond didn''t give a damn about Katniss and even disliked her.


    A guy like Desmond didn''t deserve a good girl like Katniss.


    "It''s good you called off the engagement. You''ll find someone better," Felix tried tofort her.


    He knew Katniss had been head over heels for Desmond and couldn''t just let go that easily, so he needed tofort her well.


    Katniss knew Felix didn''t believe her, just like Desmond and the rest of the Manners family.


    They all thought she was just throwing a fit because of unrequited love.


    Katniss sneered inwardly, wishing she could erase Desmond from her lifepletely.


    She smiled calmly. "A girl doesn''t have to get married. Being single is pretty awesome too."


    Suddenly, her phone rang, and Micah''s impatient voice came through.


    "Katniss, where are you? My mom bought you a cake, and I''m supposed to bring it to you."


    Micah came to the school?


    Katniss quickly said, "I''m still at a friend''s ce. I''ll head back to school right away."


    On the other end, Micah snorted. "I don''t want to wait for you. Juste back and eat it yourself!"


    The call ended.


    Katniss looked a bit embarrassed as she nced at Felix and Maximilian, saying, "I gotta go now. The yogurt''s in the fridge; I''ll grab it tomorrow."


    Felix nodded, saying, "Alright, Katniss, you go ahead."


    Maximilian silently watched Katniss leave in a hurry.


    Felix watched her go, sighing, "Katniss has it rough, getting bullied by the Manners family and hurt by Desmond, yet she can still talk about not getting married." Maximilian gazed deeply out the window at the departing Katniss.


    "nt roses at the entrance," Maximilian''s voice suddenly broke the silence.


    "Huh?" Felix was a bit confused, then smiled and said, "Sure, roses are beautiful. They bloom every month, and Katniss said they look nice too!" "Yeah," Maximilian said.

 Chapter 39

    Katniss rolled back home and spotted a birthday cake chillin'' on the table.


    "Aunt Daphne, is it Micah''s birthday today? I totally spaced," Katniss asked, scratching her head.


    Daphne grinned, "Nah, it''s for you, Katniss. I know you dig cake."


    Katniss felt all warm and fuzzy inside; Daphne was always so sweet to her.


    Anna walked in, eavesdropping for a bit, feeling kinda salty.


    They took Katniss in, fed her, gave her a roof, and now even bought her a cake. Why were they so nice to her?


    Anna grumbled, "Cake''s pricey. It''s cool to have it once, but don''t spoil the kids. How will they handle the real world?"


    Daphne noticed Anna at the door and got a bit tense, "Mom, this cake was a bargain. Someone else ordered it, and I got it cheap." Wesley chuckled, "Yeah, it''s for the fam. It''s okay if it''s a bit pricey. We don''t eat it every day, and it wasn''t that expensive."


    Anna still felt uneasy. Why were they pampering Katniss so much?


    After some nagging, the vibe in the house got awkward. Daphne and Wesley tiptoed around, scared of ticking Anna off again. Katniss frowned; the whole mood was shot.


    Micah popped out, "Granny, it''s just a cake. Think of it as an early birthday treat for me."


    Seeing Micah''s attitude, Anna softened a bit, "Alright, if you wanna eat it, go ahead. But remember to be frugal."


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Katniss shot Micah a grateful look, feeling a spark of hope.


    Micah, though, just coldly headed to the kitchen.


    But Katniss didn''t mind; she owed him big time.


    Katniss quickly ran to help, grabbing the yogurt she had saved for the family, sticking close to Micah, "Micah, try the yogurt I madeter."


    Micah ignored her and walked away.


    Katniss secretly vowed to help Micah get Anouk back after the exams!


    The next morning, Katniss whipped up some herbal dishes and headed to The Hamilton Manor. Once inside, Felix asked her to wait in the guest room.


    "Sure thing!" Katniss agreed, noticing a couple of extra pairs of shoes at the door and guessing who the guests might be.


    Could they be Maximilian''s business buddies? But the shoes looked kinda old-school, so maybe rtives?


    With no phone to mess with, Katniss yed detective in her head.


    Meanwhile, Felix made his way to Maximilian''s study, knocking a few times.


    A raspy yet strong voice came from inside, "Come in."


    Inside, besides Maximilian, there was an old man with silver hair at his temples, eyes full of wisdom and experience. He rocked a dark gray suit, neat and ssy, with a thumb ring on his left hand, adding a unique ir. Despite the wrinkles, his eyes had a hidden smile, showing a calm and elegance honed by time. His vibe screamed authority and brilliance.


    "Sir, Ms. Manners is here, waiting in the guest room," Felix said, more respectful than usual.


    Maximilian nodded, not saying much.


    But the old man got curious, smiling, "What Ms. Manners? Has Maximilian got a girlfriend?"


    "No," Maximilianzily lifted his eyelids, ncing at the old man, "She''s just a college kid, barely an adult. I''m way older than her. Don''t start rumors."


    "Ms. Manners isn''t Maximilian''s girlfriend," Felix confirmed for Katniss, but for some reason, this made Maximilian feel a bit uneasy.


    Samuel Hamilton didn''t buy it, thinking his grandson felt differently about Ms. Manners. Confidently, he said, "Not now, but who knows in the future." Listening to Samuel, Maximilian felt a mix of emotions. But being naturally reserved and respectful of his grandpa, what could he say?


    Felix was left speechless but filled with various spections.


    "Katniss is already an adult. A big age gap isn''t unusual," Felix suddenly said, a sly glint in his eye. "And older husbands tend to be more caring."

 Chapter 40

    Felix''s words hit Samuel right in the feels.


    Samuel shot him a sneaky thumbs up.


    "Ms. Manners is the doc taking care of Maximilian. His recovery? All thanks to her," Felix kept hyping up Katniss. Samuel''s eyes lit up, "A doctor? Oh, that''s perfect for Max."


    Samuel was jumping the gun without even meeting her or knowing the deets.


    But Samuel''s reaction made sense. Max never had any girls around, except for the nanny and now Katniss.


    Max had always been a lone wolf, with no interest in dating or marriage. Even Felix was getting antsy about it.


    But with Max''s health issues, romance was thest thing on their minds.


    Seeing Felix getting swayed by Samuel, Max felt the pressure. If he didn''t speak up, they''d be nning a wedding soon. "Grandpa, Katniss isn''t..." Samuel cut him off, "Still not admitting she''s your girl?"


    Max just shook his head, exasperated.


    Samuel grinned, "So you''re basically agreeing."


    He was stoked, "Go get Ms. Manners. I wanna meet my future granddaughter-inw today."


    Felix hesitated, unsure if he should call Katniss.


    "Felix, you ignoring me ''cause I''m not paying you anymore and only listening to Max?" Samuel stood up, ready to go himself if Felix didn''t move. Felix couldn''t let that happen. "I''m on it."


    "That''s the spirit. If you didn''t go, I would''ve," Samuel said, patting Felix on the shoulder, nudging him towards the door, and whispering, "We all know Max hasn''t dated anyone. If we don''t step in, he''ll be single forever!" Felix felt uneasy but went anyway.


    Max rubbed his forehead. "Grandpa, I''m sick, but not deaf."


    Samuel sat back, smug, "So what if you heard? What are you gonna do about it?" He poured himself another cup of tea.


    "Katniss showed up, and you started getting better. She''s your lucky charm," Samuel said.


    Max stayed quiet for a bit, not denying it. He didn''t believe in fate, but Katniss''s care made him feel warm inside. Samuel watched, thinking there was hope!


    "If you don''t make a move, you''ll be single forever!" Samuel teased.


    Outside, Katniss''s sweet voice called, "Felix, did Max sleep wellst night?" Samuel''s eyes lit up, straightening his sleeves and trying to look cool. Katniss walked in, seeing Samuel''s warm smile, looking a bit puzzled.


    Samuel introduced himself, "Ms. Manners, I''m Max''s grandpa. Call me Samuel." Katniss nced at Max, seeing he wasn''t mad, and obediently said, "Samuel." Samuel beamed, "You''re a good girl."


    Katniss looked confused but smiled along, seeing the old man happy.


    Felix watched, feeling a bit guilty, like he was tricking a nice girl.


    Max indulged in the warmth for a moment, his fingers curling slightly before he lowered his eyes and smiled faintly. But then Katniss frowned, making Samuel feel awkward.


    "What''s wrong?" Samuel asked, worried.


    Did hisughter scare her? Samuel''s heart raced. He didn''t want to scare Max''s future wife off!

 Chapter 41

    Katniss leaned in and whispered, "Samuel, mind if I check you out?"


    Samuel blinked, a bit thrown off, and then it hit him-Katniss was the doc who patched up Maximilian. He''d been so wrapped up in their drama, that he totally spaced on that. Katniss was a lifesaver for their family. Samuel had seen Max''s rough shape and felt the pain, hunting down top docs everywhere, but nothing worked. And now, here she was.


    Snapping back, Samuel grinned, nodding like a bobblehead, "Sure thing, but I didn''t bring any cash for a consult."


    Katniss shed a sweet smile, dimples and all, "No sweat, it''s on the house."


    Samuel''s heart melted a bit; that smile reminded him of his daughter. She had those same deep dimples...


    "Katniss, you see something off?" Felix piped up, always on high alert about health stuff after hanging with Max for so long.


    He could tell Katniss had spotted something.


    Katniss hesitated, "Can''t say for sure without a check-up."


    The room went dead quiet for a few beats before Max chimed in, "Alright, let''s do it."


    Samuel shrugged; he knew his body was fine, but he was curious if Katniss was as good as Felix said. So, he sat down for the exam.


    As Katniss got to work, the room went silent.


    A momentter, Katniss looked up, eyes serious, "Samuel, you got pain in your ribs?"


    Samuel''s eyes widened, "Yeah, a bit, but it''s no biggie."


    No biggie? Small problems left unchecked can snowball into a catastrophic mess.


    Katniss shook her head, looking all serious, "You gotta treat stuff early. If you let it slide, it can get bad. Everything''s connected in the body. Rib pain might seem minor, but it''s ''cause your liver and galldder meridians are blocked." Seeing Katniss drop some serious knowledge, Samuel''s face got serious too, "You''re right. What do you suggest?"


    Everyone was glued to Katniss. She didn''t flinch, her confidence shining through.


    "It''s not major, but don''t ignore it. I''ll start you on some meds. After my exams in twenty days, I''ll do some acupuncture."


    Acupuncture would be quicker, but Katniss was swamped right now.


    "Exams?" Samuel blinked, "How old are you?"


    Katniss blinked back, "Neen, still in school."


    Samuel was stunned, then shot a look at Max.


    Max gave him a puzzled look.


    Samuel''s look said: "She''s so young, and you''re still chasing her?"


    Max was speechless.


    If Katniss had caught their looks, she''d probably wonder what the heck was up with Samuel.


    She ducked her head, rummaging through her bag for some paper and a pen, then scribbled out a prescription.


    Felix reached for it, but Samuel snatched it first, muttering, "Dang, your handwriting''s on point. You into calligraphy or something?"


    In her past life, Katniss had dabbled in calligraphy during her downtime. Most of her time was spent on the Manners family, leaving little for herself, let alone fun stuff.


    Calligraphy was a chill, indoor hobby.


    Katniss shrugged, "Just a bit."


    Samuel grinned, "That''s pretty cool. If you were my granddaughter, I''d be over the moon!"


    They were having a st, and Samuel totally forgot about his n to make Katniss his granddaughter-inw. When he snapped back, he saw Maximilian giving him the silent treatment. Samuel quickly said, "Katniss, you should check on Maximilian too."


    He still needed to y matchmaker for these two.


    Katniss nced at Maximilian, noting he looked better than yesterday, and shook her head, "No need today, I''ll swing by in a couple of days."


    She''d just checked him yesterday; not much would change overnight.


    She had to rush back to school for sses.


    So, Katniss cheerfully said her goodbyes and headed out.


    Maximilian didn''t even get a word in.


    As Katniss was about to leave, Samuel suddenly remembered something, "Hey, when''s your birthday?"


    Katniss looked a bit puzzled but answered honestly.


    Her birthday was at the start of next month.


    It wasing up, right after her exams.


    But no one had ever celebrated her birthday; she''d be celebrating solo again.


    Katniss left with a smile, thinking about enjoying her birthday cake alone next month.


    As soon as Katniss went downstairs, Maximilian peeked out the window, watching her leave. She looked all happy like a silly little animal. Before she left, she even asked a gardener for a flower, then started hopping away.


    Yep, like a happy little bunny.


    Maximilian''s eyes followed her until she was out of sight. When he turned around, he was met with Samuel''s gossiping, excited eyes.


    Samuel said, "Maximilian, neen''s not too young. She can get hitched!"


    He was all fired up, thinking this was a solid n. He could almost see Maximilian and Katniss tying the knot next month.


    "Grandpa," Maximilian frowned, "Ms. Manners and I are just doctor and patient."


    Hearing him switch up how he addressed Katniss, Samuel knew he was ticked off.


    So he mmed the table, "Fine, doctor and patient. But if you don''t like Katniss, there must be someone else. At twenty-five, my buddy''s grandson already has a kid." Maximilian''s brows knitted tightly. Despite his usual decisiveness, he seemed helpless in front of Samuel.


    But with the vibe around Maximilian growing colder, no longer the warm and peaceful one from before, he calmly said, "Grandpa, I have no ns to get married, nor will I have any rtionship with Ms. Manners." After he died, should Katniss be left to mourn him?


    Someone like him should go to hell alone, why drag Katniss down?


    She should find a healthy guy from a good family, have kids, and live a happy, peaceful life.

 Chapter 42

    Samuel was pissed.


    Maximilian lost his mom young, stuck with a crappy family.


    Samuel felt bad for the kid, growing up through all that mess.


    If he didn''t look out for Maximilian, how could he face his daughter when he kicked the bucket?


    Seeing Maximilian''s eyes go cold, Samuel chilled out, his anger fading fast. "Alright, if you don''t dig Katniss, pick someone else. But saying you won''t get hitched? If your mom were..." Sadness and reluctance shed on Samuel''s face. He finally waved his hand, saying, "Take your meds, I''ll head out."


    Before leaving, Samuel grabbed the prescription Katniss left on the table, folded it carefully, and stuffed it in his jacket pocket.


    He thought Katniss was a good match.


    After Katniss and Samuel left, the vi went back to its usual quiet. Maximilian stared out the window at the birds flying away, not moving an inch.


    With autumning, flocks of birds circled the gray-blue sky before taking off.


    Felix followed his gaze but had no clue what he was looking at, feeling a deep sense of pity.


    Maximilian wasn''t nning to get married, or even stick around for a few more years!


    When he was so sick he couldn''t sleep more than an hour or two a day, how could he have any hope for the future?


    Felix said, "Sir, Samuel''s just worried about you. Don''t sweat it."


    "I know." Maximilian said, closing his eyes and then opening them again, no longer looking out the window. "Felix, bring me the medicinal food."


    Felix nodded, left the room, and went downstairs to get the medicinal food Katniss had brought, but couldn''t help but sigh.


    Well, the days ahead were long, take it one step at a time.


    Maybe, as Katniss said, the future would be full of hope.


    After all, Maximilian was getting better after taking Katniss''s medicine; he would surely be cured!


    After delivering the medicinal food, Katniss kept bringing it several more times, but Maximilian seemed to be getting busier. A few times, he was at thepany, so she had to wait outside the vi area, having Felix take it in. For some reason, she felt that Maximilian was deliberately distancing himself from her.


    Once, when she went and he was there, he didn''t even talk to her. When he saw hering, he went back to his room to work.


    Katniss felt a bit of inexplicable disappointment but quickly adjusted her mood.


    Because the coffee shop business was gradually improving, she was earning a decent ie from it, her attention shifting more towards the coffee shop.


    Days passed, the leaves on the trees turned from a full golden yellow to a dry caramel color, and Katniss''s short-sleeved dress changed to a white long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans.


    Her high ponytail bounced as she walked, radiating energy and turning heads.


    There being still some time before the speech contest started, she was hurrying to cheer for Juniper to defeat ra!


    Juniper hollered, "Katniss!"


    From a distance, she saw Katniss, jumping up and down, waving like a maniac.


    Katniss sprinted over, asking, "Juniper, are you nervous?"


    Juniper shook her head, grinning, "Don''t worry, I''ve got this! You''ll be cheering me on when I totally crush ra."


    Seeing Juniper''s confident vibe, Katniss felt a wave of relief.


    But then, a snarky voice piped up from behind, "Crush ra? Dream on!"


    They spun around to see ra and her sidekick Ruby Hayes. Ruby came from money and was an only child, which made her a bit of a brat. Most ssmates didn''t dare mess with her. ra tugged at Ruby''s sleeve, saying, "Ruby, Juniper''s usually top of the ss. She''s got the chops to back it up."


    "ra, no matter how good she is, she shouldn''t be so cocky!" Ruby sneered, her re turning icy.


    Ruby and Juniper had always butted heads. Both came from good families, but Juniper was prettier and more popr.


    Once, Ruby overheard some ssmatesparing the two, saying she wasn''t as good as Juniper.


    Since then, she had it out for Juniper.


    And Katniss, who used to be so shy and in, was now getting all this attention for her looks.


    How could someone change so much? Did she get stic surgery?


    Katniss raised her eyes, looking at them without flinching, "Yeah, being number one is awesome. But you''ll never get there, so don''t even think about it." Katniss knew better than anyone how hard Juniper had worked for thispetition.


    As for ra, she had seen her at various school social events.


    In the past, ra snagged the spot easily without any realpetition, spending months prepping to win first ce.


    This time, she dropped thirty grand to buy the spot but spent her days goofing off, with Juniper as her rival. Katniss wondered if ra could even snag third ce. Juniper couldn''t stand Ruby either, snapping back, "Yeah, there are lots of great people, unlike some who think ra''s the only one that matter."


    "Juniper!" Ruby shouted, knowing she was being mocked, and was about tosh out but ra held her back.


    ra said, "Ruby, thepetition''s about to start, we can''t argue."


    Ruby was fuming but, thinking about ra''spetition, had to hold back, ring at Juniper before storming off with ra.


    But as Ruby walked, she got angrier, saying, "Juniper? She''s not even in your league. What''s she thinking?"


    ra lowered her eyes, looking a bit sad, "Juniper''s really good, Ruby. I''m kinda scared. If I don''t ce, how can I face Lucas after he spent so much money on me?" Seeing ra about to cry, Ruby felt her heart break.


    ra, so pure and kind, deserved first ce. If someone like Juniper got it, she''d be livid.


    No way, she wouldn''t let Juniper get first ce!

 Chapter 43

    ra slumped her shoulders, fishing out her speech from her bag. "Thepetition kicks off in like, thirty minutes. Gonna cram a bit more."


    Just as she pulled out the speech, her hand trembled, and a bag of meds tumbled out of her bag.


    Ruby heard the tter, nced down, and spotted the meds. She scooped them up and asked, "ra, what''s this?"


    Still flipping through her speech, ra replied, "Ruby, my stomach''s been acting up, so I''ve been popping thesexatives."


    She reached out to grab the meds back from Ruby.


    But Ruby dodged her hand, grinning. "ra, lemme take these. I''ve been feeling kinda off too. Maybe they''ll help."


    "Sure, but Ruby, wait till you get home to take ''em. Thesexatives are pretty hardcore. If you take ''em now, you might miss the speechp. Check the dosage when you get home, okay?" ra smiled, noticing Ruby''s mood lift. Ruby nodded, "Got it, ra. You keep cramming. I''m hitting the restroom."


    Before ra could say anything, Ruby bolted.


    ra watched her go, shaking her head with a sigh, muttering to a ssmate about Ruby always being in such a rush.


    "Haha, Ruby probably had to go real bad, holding it in to keep youpany," a ssmate joked.


    The ce was packed since this speechpetition was a big deal, drawing a huge crowd.


    Besides teachers and students, there were some old folks in suits and some sharp-dressed pros.


    Katniss, worried about losing Juniper and causing any prep chaos, clung to Juniper''s hand, following her to the contestants'' seats.


    Juniper''s turn was somewhere in the middle, and the contestants'' seats were right up front, so they were pretty close to the stage.


    As they sat down, two old guys in suits took seats in the guest area across the aisle, followed by two middle-aged dudes in suits in the row ahead. They seemed to know each other and started chatting.


    As thep time neared, people gradually found their seats. Many contestants sat next to Katniss and Juniper, and student volunteers began handing out water bottles.


    The contestants, nervously reviewing and practicing, quickly cracked open the water bottles to wet their dry mouths.


    Feeling her lips getting dry, Juniper reached for a bottle of water and was about to open it when she hesitated.


    "What''s up, Juniper?" Katniss asked.


    Katniss''s voice was sweet and clear, catching the attention of a few people across the aisle. Seeing that Katniss was especially attractive and full of youthful energy, they couldn''t help but steal a few more nces before looking away. Juniper shook her head, smiling, "Nothing, this water''s just easy to open."


    With that, Juniper was about to take a sip.


    In a sh, something clicked in Katniss''s mind, and she instinctively stopped Juniper''s hand, saying, "Wait!"


    Her voice was so tense and excited that a few people nearby looked over again.


    "What''s wrong, Katniss?" Juniper asked, puzzled by Katniss''s sudden tension.


    Katniss frowned, wondering if she was just being paranoid, but to be safe, she grabbed the bottle from Juniper and held it up to the light.


    Upon closer look, she saw some white, cloudy stuff floating in the water. Her expression changed, and she almost squeezed the bottle too hard, nearly spilling it.


    What a nasty trick!


    Katniss couldn''t help but think back to her past life, when she busted her butt for the Manners family''s business, even leading a team to develop a new product that got major props from the higher-ups. Just when she was about to present her product to the visiting bigwigs, she was a no-show.


    Because she had drunk tampered water.


    She was out of it for two days and had to take sick leave, letting ra step in for the presentation.


    Later, the leaders showered ra with praise, who was already a favorite.


    But the product credit went to ra as the developer under the Manners family''s name.


    Katniss''s eyes reddened.


    "Katniss, what''s wrong? Don''t freak me out," Juniper said, thinking Katniss was sick and trying to get up.


    Katniss held her down, shaking her head and lowering her voice to avoid being overheard. "Juniper, I''m fine. But the water is messed up." "Water?" Juniper was confused.


    Katniss smirked. "Someone messed with this water."


    She dipped her finger in the water and tasted it, confirming her suspicion.


    "It''s a strongxative, and a lot of it. If you drank it, you''d be out of thepetition." Katniss sneered. "What a dirty move." In her past life, she never found out who tampered with her water, even the surveince footage had a missing segment.


    But after that incident, Katniss had trained herself to identify drugs by taste, bing super sensitive to different vors. With eyes wide, Juniper couldn''t believe such a thing could happen.


    She quickly reacted, "Katniss, we should tell the teacher!"


    Katniss frowned, "Now might not be the best time. The school will probably try to cover it up to keep thepetition running smoothly. Don''t worry, Juniper. I''ll protect you. After your speech, we''ll figure it out. That way, it won''t mess with your performance."


    Juniper felt reassured by Katniss''s logic. If she had gone to the teacher, the school would have tried to hush it up to keep thepetition going, which would have messed with her mood and performance.


    Juniper nodded vigorously, "Katniss, don''t worry. I''ll focus on my speech."


    Katniss smiled, looking much more at ease.


    Seeing Katniss''s smile, Juniper feltpletely reassured.


    After a while, as Juniper reviewed, Katniss poured out half the bottle of water, leaving the other half on Juniper''s desk, and started observing the students'' seats.


    Across the aisle, the two old guys in suits had watched everything. Their frowns rxed, exchanging a nce, looking at Katniss with clear admiration.


    As the crowd settled, the host gave an inspiring opening speech, and thepetition officially kicked off. Contestants took turns delivering their well-rehearsed speeches passionately.


    When it was Juniper''s turn, she confidently walked to the stage, with Katniss pping enthusiastically.


    Suddenly, a voice came from beside her. "Hello."

 Chapter 44

    Katniss followed the voice and spotted two old dudes in suits who had just sat down, grinning at her. A few guys in the front row also turned to check her out. Did they catch what she just said?


    While Katniss was still mulling it over, one of the old guys asked, "You just took a sip and figured out there was axative in the water?"


    Knowing everyone around had heard it, Katniss wasn''t shy about admitting it. If it weren''t for Juniper''s state of mind, she would''ve gone to the teacher earlier.


    She nodded, saying, "Yeah, I''m pretty sensitive to the taste of meds, and this bottle was already opened."


    The two old dudes exchanged looks, a spark in their eyes.


    "Are you in the medical department? I don''t think I''ve seen you before," the old guy kept asking.


    Katniss smiled, a bit hopeful, and replied, "Nope, but I''m taking the exam to transfer to the medical department next month."


    "That''s awesome!" The old guy lit up, looking super pleased.


    Hearing his words, Katniss suddenly felt this old guy was kinda like Samuel in temperament.


    The other old dude next to him looked at Katniss curiously and asked, "So why''d you pour out half the bottle just now?"


    Katniss nced around, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret, "Usually, criminals like toe back to the scene of the crime. I poured out half the bottle to make it look like my friend drank it, hoping the person who messed with it might show themselves."


    Actually, Katniss wanted to see who''d pay attention to the water, but after watching for a while, she didn''t notice anything weird. Instead, the people around her noticed first.


    "You''re pretty sharp, and with your sensitivity to meds, you''d be great in medicine. Keep studying hard," The old guy said.


    "Yeah." Katniss, eager to find the person who tampered with the water, brushed off the two old dudes.


    If it weren''t for this incident, she would''ve been happy to chat with the two old guys about medical studies.


    As she turned her head, the two old men started whispering to each other.


    "Brent, looks like you''re gonna have another good student. This girl has both smarts and character!" One of the old guys said.


    "Didn''t expect to meet such a promising student just by attending a lecture. It''s a good thing she''s going into medicine; otherwise, I''d have to find a way to recruit her!" Brent said.


    Seeing Brent in a better mood, the other old man cautiously brought up something, "By the way, the person you asked me to findst time has been found, but sadly, she passed away six months ago."


    Brent was stunned, looking like he couldn''t believe it, with tears welling up in his eyes. After a long while, he sighed deeply, "When I parted ways with Ms. Miller back then, I thought we''d meet again soon, but in the blink of an eye, more than a decade have passed, and that parting would be forever..."


    "Brent, don''t be sad. Ms. Miller taught you so much, and now you''re a medical teacher, passing on what she taught to excellent students. She''d be happy in heaven."


    Brent nodded heavily, but his face still had a trace of sadnesspared to before.


    While the people below were feeling down, the lecture on stage kept going enthusiastically.


    Katniss''s eyes kept darting between Juniper on stage and the crowd, finallynding on someone in the corner.


    Ruby was ring at Juniper, then eyeing the half-empty water bottle on the table, looking confused.


    She probably couldn''t figure out why Juniper didn''t get the runs!


    Katniss''s eyes narrowed like a hawk''s, and Ruby noticed. The second she saw Katniss, she shrank back and bolted.


    Now, Katniss was almost sure Ruby had something to do with this!


    Katniss''s gaze shifted, locking onto ra, who was waiting to go on stage.


    Was she involved too?


    Ruby wasn''t even in the speech contest, so why mess with Juniper?


    Juniper''s speech was killer. As soon as she started, she blew everyone else out of the water, grabbing most of the audience''s attention.


    But then, something crazy happened.


    A banner with a wooden stick suddenly fell from above the stage. Amidst the crowd''s gasps, Juniper was almost hit. Luckily, she reacted fast, stepping back just in time to dodge the stick, which was as thick as a grown man''s leg. Katniss jumped up, ready to rush over.


    Juniper, regaining her cool, saw Katniss''s worried face and quickly calmed down, cracking a few jokes with the audience, which got themughing and turned the whole thing into a harmless incident.


    When she finished her speech, the apuse was deafening.


    Katniss had already run to the stage, but as she got there, she saw ra and Ruby slipping away.


    "Katniss, I''m fine. Look, I nailed it, right? I feel like the first prize is mine!" Juniper said, trying to reassure Katniss as soon as she came down.


    Katniss checked her over, finding she was indeed okay, and sighed in relief, asking, "Why did the banner suddenly fall?"


    Not only Katniss had this question, but others did too. Worried about it falling again, five or six staff members came over to check what had happened.


    Turns out the rope holding the banner hadn''t been tied properly.


    "How could you be so careless, not even tying a rope right? It''s a good thing it didn''t hit that student!" someone in charge said.


    "I''m sorry. But it''s weird. I remember tying three knots," the staff member apologized.


    Katniss''s eyelid twitched. Taking advantage of no one paying attention, she pulled Juniper to the other side of the banner, looking at the knots that were tied three times and were dead knots, impossible toe undone without human intervention.


    "Katniss?" Juniper asked, sensing something was off, feeling a bit worried.


    "It''s okay. Let''s go find a teacher and have them check the surveince footage," Katniss said, feeling certain that ra and Ruby were involved.


    She couldn''t let them off the hook for using such dirty tricks and nearly hurting Juniper.


    Katniss was about to leave with Juniper when someone suddenly blocked their way. "Katniss, why are you checking the surveince footage?" Ruby asked sharply.


    Her shrill voice immediately drew a lot of attention.


    "You know very well why we need to check the surveince footage," Katniss retorted coldly.


    With her expression showing a hint of unease, Ruby shouted, "What are you talking about!"


    Katniss sneered, trying to bypass her, but Ruby suddenly rushed forward, grabbing them both tightly and shouting, "You''re not going anywhere!"

 Chapter 45

    Katniss was totally blindsided when Ruby yanked her wrist like she was trying to rip it off. Instinct kicked in, and she shoved Ruby away hard, making her stumble and almost eat dirt.


    Their little scuffle caught everyone''s eye.


    "What is going on?" ra asked, looking all confused.


    Juniper, seeing Ruby''s sketchy reaction, got suspicious too. "Ruby, ra, did you two mess with my water?"


    She''d only had beef with these two before thepetition.


    ra''s eyes went wide, and she shook her head like crazy. "Juniper, what are you even talking about?"


    Ruby''s eyes shed with guilt, but she shot back loudly, "Juniper, what kind of crap are you spewing? You''re just trying to mess with ra''s head before thepetition!" Ruby''s voice was so loud it got everyone whispering, and even some teachers started looking over. Juniper was fuming, ready to throw hands, but Katniss held her back. "Juniper, don''t fall for her BS. Let''s go find a teacher and check the surveince footage. The truth wille out," Katniss said.


    Without solid proof, they couldn''t just use Ruby of tampering.


    Checking the surveince footage was their best bet.


    Taking advantage of Ruby''s distraction, Katniss dragged Juniper towards the surveince room.


    "Stop right there!" Ruby yelled, throwing caution to the wind and chasing after them.


    ra wanted to follow but got held back by someone.


    "Simon?" She turned around, surprised to see him.


    Simon looked pissed. "ra, you focus on thepetition. I''ll handle Katniss for you!"


    That Katniss, always causing trouble out of jealousy! Not only did she get him into the police station before, but now she was spreading nasty rumors to mess with ra''s head right before herpetition. He must''ve been blind to think Katniss was honest just because she was quiet!


    After getting ra on stage, Simon stormed off to find Katniss and Juniper, his face dark with anger.


    Today, he was gonna settle all scores, old and new!


    When Simon reached the small clearing behind the bleachers, he saw Ruby had already caught up with the two.


    "Katniss, keep running! Why''d you stop?" Ruby panted, cornering them.


    Simon was about to step in when, to his shock, Katniss stepped up and pped Ruby hard.


    The p echoed, leaving everyone stunned.


    It took Ruby a full five seconds to react. She clutched her burning cheek, screaming, "Katniss, how dare you hit me!"


    "You dare drug someone, why wouldn''t I dare hit you?" Katniss''s voice was icy, her gaze even colder. She''d just noticed traces ofxative around Ruby''s fingernails, almost confirming Ruby was the culprit. "Stop falsely using me! You dare hit me? That''s assault, and I''m calling the cops!" Ruby screamed. "Go ahead, call them. I''d love that," Katniss mocked. "I''m afraid you won''t."


    Ruby''s eyes showed more guilt. Drugging someone was serious business. If it got out, she''d definitely be expelled! Damn it, how did they find out? No one saw her!


    As the standoff dragged on, Simon couldn''t take it anymore. He lunged forward, grabbing Katniss by the cor and yelling, "Katniss, you psycho,e with me to see the teacher!" Katniss fought back, but Simon''s strength was too much. She managed to scratch his face, leaving some nasty marks. Juniper jumped in to help.


    "Simon, have you lost your mind? Katniss is your sister!" Juniper shouted.


    If he kept pulling, Katniss''s clothes would be in shreds!


    "I don''t have a sister this vicious!" Simon yelled, his face stinging from the scratches.


    Seeing this, Ruby rushed over, eyes gleaming. She yanked at Katniss''s cor, but it just loosened more without tearing. Katniss, even angrier, pped Ruby twice more.


    The four of them were tangled in a chaotic fight, no one gaining the upper hand, when suddenly a furious shout rang out. "What are you students doing!" They turned to see several school leaders ring at them, freezing them in their tracks.


    "Come to my office!" Vice Principal Eli barked. With outside investors present, he couldn''t scold them on the spot, so he had to take them to his office first. Unexpectedly, Ruby ran excitedly to someone nearby, her eyes lighting up. "Dad!"


    Calvin Hayes then realized one of the fighting students was his daughter. When Ruby got closer, he saw her face was badly swollen.


    "Ruby, what happened to your face?"


    "Dad, you have to stand up for me!" Ruby cried.


    Seeing Ruby''s beaten face, the school leaders looked embarrassed.


    This was bad. The investor, who had been considering donating a building to the school, was now seeing his daughter beaten up here!


    Eli quickly pointed at the other three, ordering, "You three, call your parents immediately! They muste and apologize!"


    Ruby nced triumphantly at Katniss.


    ''Call her parents? She wouldn''t dare. When her parents arrived, they would definitely side with me and Simon!''


    ''Katniss has no one to back her up, so how does she have the nerve to hit me?"


    "Sir, this isn''t our fault," Juniper tried to exin, but Eli wouldn''t listen, turning to apologize to Calvin.


    "Mr. Hayes, I''m very sorry about this. I will make sure you get a satisfactory exnation today," Eli said.


    The group was taken to Eli''s office. Ruby and Calvin sat on the sofa while the other three stood, getting scolded by the vice principal.


    "Look what you''ve done - you call yourselves students? Bullying is uneptable! Get on the phone right now and call your parents. They need to hear about this immediately!" Eli scolded.


    Juniper shook her head, saying, "That''s not what happened. Ruby putxatives in my water before mypetition. We were trying to check the surveince footage, but she stopped us, leading to the fight. Besides, she was involved in the fight too!"


    Eli was taken aback, frowning.


    Katniss calmly added, "Check the surveince footage. This is a serious matter involving drugging."


    Ruby jumped up, yelling, "I did not! Stop falsely using me! You just wanted to disrupt ra''spetition, and I caught you! Katniss, you dared to p me three times. My dad won''t let you off!"


    Katniss sneered, about to speak, when Calvin, who had been listening on the sofa, suddenly stood up in anger, rushing over and pping Katniss hard.

 Chapter 46

    Katniss took a hard p.


    She wasn''t ready for it, biting down on the inside of her cheek, blood filling her mouth instantly, and her ears ringing.


    Calvin was still yelling, "You got the guts to hit my daughter? You''ll regret it. I swear!"


    Everyone was shocked, not expecting someone to throw a punch when things had already calmed down.


    "Katniss!" Juniper cried out, heartbroken, wanting to protect her.


    Ruby, though, smugly pushed her away, keeping her from getting close to Katniss and saying, "Katniss, you had thising! You pped me three times, and you still owe me two more!" Calvin snorted, "Katniss, right? If you want to make this go away, you need to let my daughter p you back twice as hard, or we''re not done here!"


    Simon, standing nearby, was stunned.


    He instinctively wanted to step in, say something for Katniss, after all...


    But he quickly steadied himself, looking coldly at her.


    She deserved it. If she hadn''t messed with ra and dared to hit Ruby, she wouldn''t be in this mess.


    Besides, she sent him to jail, and he hadn''t even settled that score with her yet!


    These three ps, she deserved them.


    Double, even, wouldn''t be too much! Simon didn''t move.


    Juniper protested angrily, "Why! It was your daughter who drugged me first! You guys..."


    Seeing Calvin still looking like he wanted to hit her, Katniss swallowed a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva, holding Juniper back and saying, "Juniper, go call your dad." She couldn''t let Juniper get hit too.


    After speaking, she pressed her tongue against the bitten spot.


    It really hurt.


    Eli, seeing Calvin still looking like he wanted to hit someone, quickly tried to mediate, "Mr. Hayes, this isn''t the way to handle things. Let''s call the parents, have both sides sit down and talk this out." Ruby, hearing this, immediately gloated, "Dad, let her call her parents. When they get here, you can p her in front of them, and they won''t say anything." Saying this, Ruby gave Calvin a look.


    Seeing Ruby''s swollen face, Calvin felt heartbroken and he couldn''t bring himself to refuse. Besides, even if the girl''s parents came, they wouldn''t dare mess with him. They might even p her themselves! So Calvin nodded, replying, "Alright, call their parents, and we''ll ''discuss'' this slowly."


    Juniper instinctively looked at Simon who just gave Katniss a cold look, saying, "Katniss, you still have time to think about what to say to the parents!"


    Then he went to the corner to make a call.


    "Katniss, what should we do? Should you call Wesley and Daphne?" Juniper asked worriedly.


    Katniss smiled faintly,forting her, "Juniper, go call your dad. Maybe we''ll need his helpter."


    Getting the answer, Juniper suddenly realized. Their family wasn''t any worse than Ruby''s. At the very least, Katniss wouldn''t get hit!


    Juniper quickly went to make a call.


    Ruby, seeing Katniss still standing there, got even more smug, saying sarcastically, "Katniss, why don''t you call your parents?"


    Katniss shot her a disgusted look, pulled out her phone, scrolled through her contacts, passed by Amara, Daphne, and Saskia, and finally pressed a number, walking to the corner to make the call. Ruby muttered to herself that Katniss must have called that Wesley.


    ra had mentioned that her uncle was just an ordinary office worker.


    An ordinary office worker, trying to stand up to her dad? And he wasn''t even Katniss''s real dad, why would he throw himself into this for her?


    Just wait, her dad would humiliate Katniss and that Wesley!


    After everyone made their calls, it wasn''t long before Elodie arrived.


    "Mom," Simon stepped forward, greeting.


    Elodie scanned the office, her gaze pausing on Katniss before frowning and looking away, asking, "Where''s ra? Did she get hurt in the fight?"


    Simon exined, "ra isn''t here. She should have just finished her match."


    Elodie sighed in relief, then remembered to ask what had happened.


    "Dad, this has nothing to do with Simon. He came to help me. When Katniss hit me, he quickly came to stop her!" Ruby exined, remembering that Simon had stopped Katniss from pping her.


    Thinking about it, Ruby nced shyly at Simon.


    The Manners were good-looking, especially Simon, who was her type handsome and domineering!


    With his expression softening slightly, Calvin greeted Elodie, "Hello, I''m Ruby''s father. These two girls hit my daughter, and I n to settle this with their parents. Sorry to bother you."


    Elodie''s frown rxed a bit, then tightened again, with aplex expression. Finally, she looked at Katniss with disdain, saying, "Sorry, this one is also my daughter."


    Calvin was about to scowl when Elodie poked Katniss''s face with her finger, scolding, "Katniss! How did I raise you? I must have spoiled you! How dare you hit your ssmate! People will think I never taught you!" "Don''t touch me," Katniss said, feeling physically nauseous at the sound of her voice.


    Hearing Elodie''s voice, Katniss remembered that sentence: Maybe we can use her kidney. It would be a waste otherwise.


    Disgusting, so disgusting.


    Elodie was stunned for a moment, then started cursing, "I''m your mother, what kind of attitude is this! Are you defying me?"


    She was furious. This troublesome girl had sent Simon to jail before, now daring to talk to her like this!


    "Are you?" Katniss spat out each word, each one like a knife, full of thorns.


    "How dare you!" Elodie shouted, raising her hand to p her.


    This time, Katniss was prepared and stepped back, dodging the p. However, Elodie, using too much force, almost fell. Calvin watched in astonishment, pulling Ruby aside and asking, "Is that really Katniss''smom?"

 Chapter 47

    Ruby paused for a sec but quickly got what Calvin was hinting at.


    So she calmly exined, "Dad, it''s all ''cause Katniss is cold-hearted. She even ratted out her own brother to the cops!"


    Calvin suddenly got it, feeling a bit better. No one would back up someone that heartless. Today, not only could Ruby get her revenge, but he could also watch Katniss''s own mom deal with her.


    Awesome, he would show Katniss what it took to mess with his daughter!


    Elodie was so mad at Katniss that she felt like she was on fire inside.


    Seeing there were still people around, Elodie held back the urge to have Simon pin Katniss down so she could smack her, and coldly ordered, "Katniss, your usual rudeness is my fault for not teaching you better, but today you must apologize to this Ruby. Otherwise, this is intentional harm, and you could end up in the police station too!"


    Katniss nced at her but stayed silent.


    For some reason, that look made Elodie feel uneasy.


    It was like Katniss hadpletely given up on her, treating her like a stranger.


    But soon, a wave of anger surged in her.


    Why did Katniss look at her like that? She was her mom, who had carried her for ten months, and she was just asking her to apologize.


    Calvin chimed in at the right moment, "Ma''am, let me be clear. Today, an apology isn''t enough. My precious daughter got hit by that wild girl! She needs to let my daughter p her back three times, or she goes to the police station!" Elodie was stunned for a moment, looking at Ruby, finally noticing her swollen face.


    "Elodie, it''s me, Ruby, ra''s friend! Today, I was trying to stop Katniss from messing with ra''s speechpetition, and she hit me!" Ruby cried out, feeling wronged. She had been to The Manners Vi before, not often, but Elodie should at least recognize her.


    "What?" Elodie eximed, shocked, finally recognizing the swollen-faced Ruby. She quickly got furious, saying, "Katniss, you dared to mess with ra''spetition! And you hit her friend!"


    Before Katniss could say anything, Elodie coldly looked at her, saying, "Mr. Hayes, I think we should settle this privately. I can''t let my family be disgraced in public."


    The family had been running around for Simon''s issue, spending a lot of money without resolving it.


    Settling privately meant letting Ruby hit back.


    And Ruby flexed her wrist, smugly walking up to Katniss.


    Ruby sneered inwardly, ''Bitch, now it''s my turn. I''m gonna p you hard, and I''ll scratch your face. You''re not going to turn heads anymore.''


    Juniper was anxious seeing these people being so vicious to Katniss!


    She wanted to step forward to help, but Simon blocked her with an arm, saying, "She brought this on herself!"


    Seeing no one stopping her, Ruby walked up to Katniss with her eyes gleaming.


    Katniss instinctively guarded herself but heard Elodieining from the side, "She''s a walking disaster, constantly stirring up trouble! Simon, you go exin to Wesleyter. I don''t want to see them!" Katniss lowered her eyes and dropped her raised hand.


    If she ended up at the police station, even if it was proven Ruby''s faultter, she''d be stuck there for a while. Wesley''s family would have to deal with the mess.


    Ruby red at the silent Katniss, her sharp nails twitching as she raised her hand high.


    Suddenly, the office door swung open, and Ruby instinctively stopped, looking over to see an elderly man.


    Could it be Juniper''s dad? Or Katniss''s uncle?


    Before she could react, there was a sound from outside like wheelchair wheels rolling on the floor.


    A man in a wheelchair was pushed in.


    Ruby was stunned.


    How could there be such a handsome guy in the world?


    The man had a cold and stern face, with sharp and finely sculpted features, noble and handsome.


    Even sitting in a wheelchair, he exuded an imposing aura, giving off a sense of authority and coldness that kept people at a distance.


    Such a person would stand out in a crowd, making people notice him at first nce and not look at anyone else.


    Ruby was so mesmerized that she forgot to move her hand.


    But the man, seeing her actions and the person in front of her, frowned slightly.


    "What the hell is going on here?" Felix asked, not expecting to see someone about to hit Katniss as soon as he entered. He rushed over, shielding Katniss behind him and asking, "Katniss, you okay?" Katniss was also stunned.


    Why was Maximilian here too?


    Every time something happened, Maximilian would be there. While it reassured Katniss, it also made her anxious.


    Would Maximilian think she was a troublemaker, always causing problems?


    Eli thought these two were also Katniss''s rtives, hesitating. After all, it wouldn''t be good if word got out that a student was beaten in front of the vice principal. But how could he calm Calvin''s anger? Just as Eli hesitated, Calvin''s expression changed. He ran over to Maximilian in the wheelchair, greeting, "Mr. Hamilton, delighted to see you here. I was nning to visit you in a few days." When reaching Maximilian, the previously arrogant Calvin bent over, almost lowering his head below Maximilian''s.


    Maximilian nced at Eli coldly, asking, "Is this how you handle conflicts between students?"


    Katniss''s heart skipped a beat, and she shrank her neck, looking particrly pitiful.


    Calvin looked between Katniss and Juniper, suddenly realizing, and smiling obsequiously, "Hahaha, so this is your kid. We are truly fated!"


    Saying this, Calvin looked at Juniper with a kind expression, saying, "So you are from the Hamilton family. I''m sorry for not recognizing you."


    Juniper blinked, her mind stuck. Was he talking about her?


    Calvin tried hard to gain favor with Juniper to make up for the earlier unpleasantness but didn''t notice the strange looks from Elodie, Simon, and even Juniper herself.


    Just as Calvin was about to approach Juniper, Maximilian suddenly looked up, his gaze directly at Katniss, asking, "Got into a fight?"


    Maximilian''s voice was casual, making it hard to tell if he was happy or unhappy.


    Katniss''s heart tightened, feeling like Maximilian was somehow backing her up. This thought made her blush, and she awkwardly answered, "Yeah, I did."

 Chapter 48

    "I got it," Maximilian shot back to Katniss.


    Katniss couldn''t hold back her tears, her eyes getting all red and puffy.


    Who wouldn''t want the safety and security of having someone to lean on? But no one had ever given her that kind of support, making her fearless. Except for Maximilian.


    Now, she had someone to back her up too.


    Maximilian''s voice, though not loud, hit Calvin like a bolt of lightning.


    Did he hear something wrong?


    The person Maximilian mentioned was Katniss?!


    Wasn''t the old man who just came in Katniss''s guardian?


    Before he could ponder for long, Felix had already said to Katniss, "Katniss, Maximilian happened to be with me, so we came together to see you."


    In just three seconds, Calvin was drenched in cold sweat, his legs going weak.


    If Maximilian got angry, would there be any way out for their family?


    Seeing Calvin''s state, Ruby felt embarrassed.


    So, she couldn''t hit Katniss?


    If she had known, she would have pped Katniss earlier. So frustrating!


    Look at her own face, what had that bitch Katniss done to it!


    Ruby was still covering her face when Maximilian noticed the p mark on Katniss''s face.


    "Mr. Hamilton, I''m sorry Katniss called you here. She''s such a headache," Elodie quickly stepped forward to greet him, knowing the gravity of the situation.


    But Maximilian didn''t even nce at her. He just looked at the swollen p mark on Katniss''s face, his eyes deepening, asking, "Who hit you?"


    Feeling a lump in her throat, Katniss nced at Calvin without speaking.


    Maximilian then turned his gaze to Calvin.


    Calvin was so scared that his back was drenched. After a long while, he stammered, "Mr. Hamilton, it''s a misunderstanding! I really didn''t know Ms. Manners knew you. I''m truly sorry, Ms. Manners. I apologize."


    "Sir, I understand you have authority, but that doesn''t give you the right to intimidate people. My father only intervened to protect me," Ruby said as she pushed her swollen face forward, trying to mimic the tough-but-attractive heroines on TV


    Maximilian just nced at her and ignored her, then looking at Katniss and asking, "How do you want to resolve this?"


    "Mr. Hamilton, Katniss is my daughter. Our family has already decided to settle this privately with Mr. Hayes. It''s not appropriate for you to intervene," Elodie couldn''t help but speak up.


    She couldn''t understand how Katniss managed to get Maximilian''s support. She didn''t think that Maximilian''s power would extend to overruling her parental rights.


    Simon, who also had some fear of Maximilian but resented him for helping Katniss against him, also spoke up, "Mr. Hamilton, can you stop meddling in our family affairs? You have no rtion to Katniss, right?"


    Juniper couldn''t stand it anymore. They didn''t back Katniss, now wanting to drive the people who supported Katniss away. Were they even human?


    She didn''t know what the rtionship between Maximilian and Katniss was, but she deliberately shouted, "Settle this privately? You mean pping Katniss a few more times?"


    Calvin stumbled, feeling like he was caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    Maximilian hadn''t known about his previous demands. Now that he did, could this matter be resolved lightly?


    Maximilian nodded slightly.


    Calvin yanked Ruby behind him, ring at her and barking, "Ruby, what are you spouting? Apologize to Ms. Manners!"


    "Dad!" Ruby called out, totally shocked. Why should she apologize?


    She wanted to argue, but Calvin pped her face, demanding again, "Apologize now!"


    With tears streaming down her face, Ruby clenched her fists, totally unwilling to apologize to Katniss.


    At this moment, Katniss finally spoke, "Maximilian, I don''t need an apology, but I want the truth about what happened today. If the school can''t provide it, I''ll call the cops." Maximilian, who had just arrived and didn''t know the details, waved his hand after hearing her.


    The bodyguard pushing his wheelchair called out, and eight burly dudes in ck suits instantly crowded into the small office, their biceps straining against their suits. Everyone in the room felt a wave of suffocation.


    Calvin repeatedly said, "Alright, Ms. Manners, not only will I apologize today, but I will also give you the truth. Please don''t let Mr. Hamilton get angry."


    After speaking, he hesitated for a moment before pping his own face twice, saying, "This is my apology to you!"


    Only then did Ruby realize the severity of the situation, her face turning pale, she didn''t dare to speak anymore.


    Who was this guy that made her dad so scared? Her dad was a big shot in Luminous City''s business world!


    Eli, on the other hand, tried to minimize his presence, fearing that Maximilian would notice him.


    If he had known Katniss had such a powerful backer, he would have protected her at all costs!


    Elodie, repeatedly ignored, looked very upset, especially since she couldn''t understand why Maximilian was so protective of Katniss! Why Katniss?


    Even if Elodie couldn''t understand, she didn''t dare to speak up, only watching as Katniss meticulously recounted everything that had happened. Eli quickly had someone retrieve the surveince footage, confirming the events. It turned out Ruby had drugged Juniper, causing Katniss to hit her.


    And the drug hade from ra.


    Elodie''s eyelid twitched.


    Felix coldly watched these people, then stepped forward and asked, "Sir, should we bring ra here?"


    "No!" Elodie shouted first, extremely agitated. "Didn''t you all see? This has nothing to do with ra. It was Ruby who asked ra for it on her own. She didn''t know anything!"


    No one paid attention to her.


    Maximilian still looked at Katniss, waiting for her opinion.


    Katniss thought for a moment, then raised her head and asked, "Maximilian, wait a moment. I have one more question. Ruby, did you untie the banner rope?"


    When watching the surveince, Katniss had wanted to see the banner rope, but it was in a blind spot and wasn''t captured.


    At that time, it wasn''t just Ruby standing there.


    ra was there too!

 Chapter 49

    Ruby, with her face all puffed up, tried hard not to scream at Katniss. She frowned and grumbled, "What rope?"


    "The rope holding the banner got untied by someone, making it fall and almost hit Juniper," Katniss said, way too chill for Ruby''s liking.


    Katniss''s calmness just made Ruby even madder. She snapped, "Why the heck would I untie the rope? That banner could''ve killed someone! I might not like Juniper, but I ain''t that crazy!" Katniss just nodded and stopped grilling her, then went back to Maximilian and said, "Maximilian, I''m done asking. No need to drag ra into this."


    Elodie let out a sigh of relief, thinking Katniss still had some decency. If Katniss had pulled ra into this mess, Elodie would''ve lost it!


    Eli finally got the gist of what was going on. He still didn''t know who Maximilian was, but he was cursing Ruby in his head for her reckless, despicable act of drugging someone.


    Seeing that Maximilian hadn''t said a word, Eli finally spoke up, all weak-like, "Mr. Hamilton, I''m Eli, the vice principal. I''m really sorry about today. We''ll make sure Ruby gets the punishment she deserves." Maximilian stayed silent, not even ncing at him, which made Eli feel like he was about to break out in a cold sweat.


    He wanted to say more, but Felix cut him off sternly, "Sir, the resolution of this matter depends on the victim."


    Katniss felt a warm rush in her heart. So, Maximilian hadn''t spoken because he wanted her to decide. He was giving her the power to handle this.


    Felix was looking out for her too!


    Eli didn''t think a young girl could handle this right, but he forced a smile and said, "You''re right. Katniss, how do you want to resolve this?"


    Katniss felt more confident, her eyes lighting up. She turned to Eli and said, "Sir, this matter shouldn''t be handled by you. I don''t trust you."


    Eli felt everyone''s eyes on him. He opened his mouth but couldn''t say a word. He really wanted to kick himself. How could he have agreed to let Ruby hit back earlier? That was so unprofessional and unfair to the students. No wonder Katniss didn''t trust him.


    Katniss continued, "No need to call the cops; it''s a school matter."


    As soon as she said that, Eli and Calvin both visibly rxed, while Ruby looked like she expected it.


    Too soon to rx.


    Katniss smirked, "Then let''s expel her. Let Ruby start over."


    "What!" Ruby screamed, "You want me to drop out? Katniss, how dare you?"


    "It''s not dropping out; it''s expulsion," Katniss exined, almost sweetly.


    "Katniss, you really are as your family says-vicious and selfish!" Ruby, fuming, started cursing uncontrobly. Calvin turned pale, quickly covering her mouth and saying, "Mr. Hamilton, my daughter is immature. We''ll discuss her expulsion with the school right away."


    Maximilian finally lifted his somber eyes and asked, "How many words did she just curse?"


    "Two," Calvin answered, trying to remember Ruby''s nasty words. Then, like a light bulb went off, he said, "Mr. Hamilton, I''ll back out of the bidding for those two city center plots this time?"


    Maximilian nodded, his face still stone-cold, but Calvin looked like he was about to cry.


    Finally, a flicker of fear crossed Ruby''s face.


    She usually didn''t care about her dad''s business, but she knew from his rants and phone calls that those plots were a big deal. He''d been working on it for almost two months, yelling at his staff non-stop.


    The next second, Calvin turned to Ruby, anger shing in his eyes, but he held it back. After a quick goodbye to Maximilian, he dragged Ruby out of there.


    Eli, on the other hand, felt totally helpless. How did he end up in this mess? But when he looked at Elodie and Simon, he couldn''t help but grumble to himself.


    Maximilian didn''t seem to have any real connection to Katniss, yet he was all about protecting her. Those two were her actual family, but they treated her like dirt. If they hadn''t been so indifferent andplicit earlier, he wouldn''t have backed off when Katniss was getting hit.


    Elodie looked a bit embarrassed. She hadn''t expected this whole thing to not be Katniss''s fault. But she couldn''t bring herself to apologize. Plus, she was still grossed out by the idea that Katniss had tried to drag ra into it earlier. Simon''s face was even moreplicated.


    Why was Maximilian so protective of Katniss?


    With him around, would Katniss even need to go back to the Manners family?


    Who knew?


    Finally, Elodie spoke up, but her tone was all high and mighty, "Katniss, I misunderstood earlier, you..."


    "Maximilian, I''m good now. Let''s bounce," Katniss said, like she hadn''t even heard Elodie, smiling sweetly and taking over the wheelchair herself. Maximilian said, "Alright."


    Katniss pushed the wheelchair and winked at Juniper behind her, saying, "Let''s roll, Juniper."


    Juniper immediately followed.


    Her mind was buzzing with questions. Who was this guy treating Katniss so well? Katniss wouldn''t have to worry about the Manners family anymore!


    In a sh, the once-busy office turned cold and awkward.


    Eli looked at Elodie and Simon with some resentment, saying, "Ma''am, if I may, Katniss is also your kid. How could you side with outsiders and let someone hit her?"


    "You don''t get it. Katniss has always been a handful. If I''m not strict, how can I control her?" Elodie answered, full of grievances. Could she be med? It was Katniss who was disobedient.


    Eli shook his head, saying, "Even so, kids have their dignity. While discipline is necessary, home should be a safe haven. If a child is bullied outside and their family doesn''t offer support, it''s like tearing down the very foundation of their security. How can they feel loved or respected if their own family doesn''t protect them?"


    Elodie was stunned, wanting to retort but not knowing where to start.

 Chapter 50

    After what felt like forever, Elodie finally blurted out, "I''ve always had her back, but she''s just bad news, even harming her own family!"


    Eli wanted to chime in, but Elodie cut him off, "Alright, since this mess has nothing to do with my son, I''m out. As for Katniss, she can be anyone''s kid but ours. If she gets into trouble at school, call that Maximilian guy, not us." With that, she grabbed a still-stunned Simon and stormed out.


    Eli watched them leave, thinking that woman was far from a good mother. Then he quickly shifted gears to figure out who this Mr. Hamilton was.


    And if Ruby got kicked out, how was Calvin gonna donate that building? No way Maximilian was handling this!


    What a total disaster!


    Unaware that Eli was cursing her out, Elodie marched out of the office and muttered, "I wonder if ra''s done with herpetition. If Katniss messed up ra''s performance, she''s gonna pay!"


    Simon, trailing behind her for a while, suddenly asked, "Mom, did we ever really support Katniss?"


    Elodie frowned, thinking back. In all the years they raised Katniss, she couldn''t recall any standout memories.


    Finally, she shrugged it off. "I don''t know. Katniss never caused trouble before, and she was so quiet. Probably not. Why are you bringing her up now?"


    Simon stayed quiet for a bit, then shook his head, "It''s nothing, let''s go find ra."


    As they walked through the school, Simon kept his eyes on the fallen leaves, one after another.


    He never really noticed fallen leaves before.


    They were just leaves, nothing special.


    But today, he realized the ginkgo leaves covering the ground were actually pretty beautiful. They just didn''t make a sound, so he never noticed them. The beauty of falling leaves doesn''t stem from his gaze; they were always beautiful.


    Simon looked up and saw ra running towards them, but he couldn''t help but think of Katniss from earlier.


    She was probably gonna block Ruby''s p, but after hearing Elodie mention Wesley, she put her hand down.


    Elodie didn''t give Katniss a safe ce and even tore down the little world Katniss had built for herself, leaving her to face the storm alone. ra arrived and stepped on a leaf, the crunch snapping Simon back to reality.


    But the leaves on the ground were crushed to pieces.


    "Simon, what''s up?" ra asked, concerned.


    Seeing ra, Simon''s heart softened, and he shook his head, saying he was fine. But looking down at the crushed leaf, he felt a pang of loss.


    Elodie took ra''s hand and asked, "ra, how''d thepetition go?"


    ra''s eyes flickered, and she hesitated before saying, "Mom, I didn''t do well. It''s my fault for wasting the money Lucas gave me. There''s a better contestant in our department named Juniper. She''s Katniss''s friend and the one Katniss gave the spot to."


    Elodie was ticked off, "If that''s the case, tell Katniss to get her friend to back out. That spot was yours to begin with, and Katniss agreed to give it to you. You didn''t sign off on passing it to someone else, so it doesn''t count." Simon frowned a bit, listening.


    "Mom, Katniss definitely won''t go for that. She wants Juniper to snag first ce," ra sighed. "Before thepetition, Katniss even dragged Juniper to find me and Ruby, using us of spiking Juniper''s water. I don''t know what she got twisted, but she definitely hates me more now."


    Elodie was fuming, "ra, I already know about this. It was Ruby who spiked the water, and Katniss tried to pin it on you! But it has nothing to do with you. Ruby''s been expelled, so cut ties with her."


    "Ruby got expelled?" ra was floored.


    "Yeah, and it''s all because Maximilian helped Katniss. I don''t know what he''s thinking, always bailing her out. Don''t sweat it. If you can''t get first ce, second ce is fine. The family''s ready to throw you a party, the food''s already bought." Before Elodie could finish, Simon caught something and asked ra, "ra, why aren''t you surprised that Ruby really spiked the water?"


    ra blinked, looking confused and a bit hurt, "Oh, I forgot. I was too upset when I heard Ruby got expelled. Simon, what''s up?"


    Elodie also found Simon''s reaction odd and snapped, "Simon, why are you grilling ra like that?"


    "Nothing," Simon shook his head, pushing down the weird feeling in his gut.


    ra didn''t seem shocked that Ruby had spiked the water, just that she got expelled.


    Thinking about what Katniss had said, Simon couldn''t shake the suspicion. When the banner fell, both Ruby and ra were there, and the rope looked like it had been tampered with. Why did Katniss stop questioning after grilling Ruby?


    Why didn''t she ask if ra had messed with the rope?


    Didn''t she hate ra? With such a golden opportunity, why didn''t she go for it?


    Simon felt like he was tangled in a web of mysteries, so close to the truth but just out of reach.


    Seeing he wasn''t asking more questions, they quickly switched topics.


    Soon, they arrived at the speechpetition venue. All the contestants had wrapped up their speeches, and it was time to announce the results.


    A guy went up on stage, talking with a lot of energy.


    After he finished, the crowd went wild.


    "He said the first-ce winner gets to go to Skndia as an exchange student! And all tuition fees are covered!" someone shouted excitedly.


    Going abroad as an exchange student was a huge deal, and most people never got the chance. The school might only have one or two spots a year, and the tuition was crazy expensive. But now, with a spot and tuition covered, who wouldn''t want in on that sweet deal!

 Chapter 51

    ra''s eyes lit up, and she tugged on Elodie''s sleeve, "Mom, I wanna study abroad too."


    Just as she said that, the host on stage called out the first-prize winner.


    It was Juniper.


    Juniper kept her cool, cracking a joke on the fly to lighten the mood. Plus, her speech game was on point.


    The crowd went wild with apuse. Juniper stood up, grinning, and the middle-aged guy next to her, who looked a lot like her, was beaming with pride. ra felt a wave of disappointment, but a flicker of doubt crossed her mind.


    Where was Katniss? Was she still with Maximilian?


    She had seen Maximilian before. Wasn''t he supposed to be all cold and distant? Why was he always helping Katniss?


    It had to be him who got Ruby expelled today.


    ra bit her lip. If someone as powerful as him was on her side, she would''ve snagged that first prize for sure.


    The host kept announcing winners, but even after the third prize, ra''s name was still missing.


    Elodie''s face turned dark.


    Putting aside everything else, just for this speech gig, Simon ended up in the police station, and Lucas shelled out a whole thirty grand.


    The Manners family had given up so much, and ra didn''t even get a third prize. It was a total waste!


    ra snapped back to reality, her eyes welling up, "How could this happen! Mom, does this mean I won''t get to study abroad?"


    Simon found it odd too. ra usually aced her studies, so how did she not even get a third prize?


    "It must be Katniss and Maximilian stirring up trouble. ra, wait here. I''m gonna talk to your leaders. This is so unfair!"


    The more Elodie thought about it, the more convinced she was. Katniss must''ve been jealous and caused trouble. Why else would she suddenly change her mind about giving ra the slot? It was just to mess with ra! "Mom, forget it. It''s my fault for not studying hard enough. If we go to the leaders and they say it''s on me, what will my ssmates think?" ra covered her eyes and ran off.


    Elodie quickly chased after her, trying tofort her, forgetting about going to the school leaders.


    Elodie said with concern, "ra, don''t cry. If you wanna study abroad, I''ll pay to send you!"


    Watching them run off, Simon hesitated for a moment, then headed towards the judges'' table instead. Not far away, Katniss heard the loudspeaker announce Juniper as the first-prize winner and smiled.


    She pushed Maximilian out of the school while listening to the announcement.


    Unexpectedly, ra didn''t even get a third prize this time.


    Maybe she didn''t study well, or she did something shady before thepetition, causing her to underperform. Earlier in the office, knowing there was no surveince or concrete evidence, Katniss didn''t push the matter further. Because even if she did, nothing woulde of it.


    Just like thexative that was likely given to Ruby by ra, they had no evidence to prove it directly.


    Having been burned by ra too many times before, Katniss knew catching her slipping up wouldn''t be a walk in the park.


    She just had to keep her distance from ra and the Manners family.


    Luckily, in this new chapter of her life, she had new family and friends.


    Katniss looked down at Maximilian, her eyes sparkling, "Maximilian, Felix, thanks a ton for today!"


    She didn''t wanna bug Wesley and the others, so she hit up Felix.


    To her surprise, Felix was down right away, and even more surprising, Maximilian tagged along too.


    If Maximilian hadn''t shown up, she might''ve had to put up with the bullying and figure out how to report itter.


    Felix, still fuming from what he saw in the office earlier, said, "Katniss, how can your school''s leaders let this slide, letting someone bully you! They only do this ''cause you got no one to back you up. Are your mom and brother even your real family? Good thing we got here in time. Next time something like this goes down, don''t just take it. If they won''t stand up for you, I will!"


    Katniss felt like she had sand in her eyes today; why else did she keep wanting to cry?


    Her eyes were sore, but she managed a slight smile, "Thanks, Felix. Sorry for the hassle today."


    "No hassle at all."


    Maximilian cut in before Felix could respond.


    "Next time, just call me directly."


    Katniss was taken aback.


    Ever since she met Maximilian''s grandpa at his ce, she felt like Maximilian had been keeping his distance.


    Every time she visited, Felix would say Maximilian was busy or not home, and sometimes she felt like Felix was lying.


    Katniss remembered Maximilian telling her not to try to please him, so she thought she had been too eager and decided to back off.


    But now, it seemed like the wall between them hade down.


    Katniss didn''t wanna seem too excited, fearing Maximilian would think she was trying to please him again, but she couldn''t hide her smile and said, "Thanks, Maximilian!"


    The autumn wind was chilly, but she felt warm inside as she pushed Maximilian to their car outside the school.


    "Bye, guys! When I finish my exams, I''ll whip up something delicious for you!"


    Katniss waved, her voice sweet and clear, making it obvious how much she liked the people she was talking to.


    Maximilian got into the car and, looking back, saw Katniss standing under the golden sycamore tree, waving high. Her white shirt and blue jeans blended with the autumn colors, creating a vibrant, dynamic painting. A strand of her smooth hair swayed in the wind, brushing against her dimpled face.


    The car door closed.


    The painting in his view was erased, leaving only the dark, static car door.


    The car was quiet, with only faint noises as it moved.


    After a long time, Maximilian looked out the window again.


    "Felix, have someone go back to the school and send some medical ice packs."


    Felix, who was driving, was slightly taken aback but quickly got it and used the inte to inform the bodyguards in the car behind them.


    There were few cars on the road, and Felix nced at Maximilian''s expression in the rearview mirror.


    Was Maximilian no longer keeping his distance from Katniss?

 Chapter 52

    Felix had been noticingtely that Maximilian was straight-up ghosting Katniss since that day.


    Honestly, he got it. Maximilian never really thought about tying the knot before. He barely had any girls around him, and now Samuel''s pushing him to marry Katniss? No wonder he was dodging her like the gue. A few times when Katniss swung by, even if Maximilian was chilling at home, he''d have Felix lie and say he wasn''t there.


    But just now, Maximilian told Katniss to hit him up directly if she had any issues and even sent over some ice packs. Clearly, he decided to stop ying hide and seek with her.


    I mean, Katniss was a sad case-parents didn''t give a damn, and her brothers were total jerks. Anyone who knew her felt bad for her. Maximilian must''ve felt the same.


    This was a good sign. After that mess years ago, Maximilian seemed dead inside. No feelings for love, friendship, or even stuff.


    The only time he showed any emotion towards Samuel was ''cause Samuel was annoyingly persistent.


    Now that Maximilian could feel sympathy, it meant he was slowly turning normal.


    Felix was stoked, hoping Katniss could be around Maximilian every day to help him get better, both in body and mind. The future was looking bright.


    After getting the ice pack, Katniss said goodbye to the bodyguard and found a quiet spot where she broke down crying. She was super grateful to Maximilian and Felix for showing her that life was worth living and that she mattered. There was still real kindness in the world. If she treated people right, they''d do the same.


    In the Manners family, she was treated like trash, so she got no love.


    Katniss cried her heart out, but her face hurt, so she pressed the ice pack to her face and sobbed into it.


    If she couldn''t help Maximilian get better, make him happy, and let him live a long life, she might as well end it all!


    To make sure her exam went smoothly and she''d have time to nurse Maximilian back to health afterward, Katniss wiped her tears, cleaned up, and hit the books hard.


    The transfer exam was just days away, and she had to ace it!


    In the following days, Katniss studied like a maniac, not even hitting up the bubble tea shop. At home, she burned the midnight oil, never letting go of her books. Wesley and Daphne didn''t dare bug her. Meanwhile, Anna always looked like she had something to say whenever she saw Katniss, but she never got the chance. Katniss didn''t even look up when she saw her.


    Time was precious, and she wasn''t wasting a single minute on people she didn''t care about.


    As the calendar flipped to a new page, the transfer exam finally arrived.


    Early in the morning, Katniss rushed to school. She grabbed a waffle for breakfast at the school cafeteria, sat down, opened her backpack, and kept studying while munching on the waffle. "Hey, isn''t that Katniss?" There were whispers nearby.


    "It really is. I heard Ruby got expelled because of her. Ruby''s dad was gonna donate ab building to our school, but now that''s not happening. We''ll have to make do with our experiments." "I wonder what really went down."


    "I heard from Ruby that Katniss messed with ra before thepetition, totally throwing her off her game. Ruby couldn''t take it and threw hands with her. But guess what? Katniss has some big shot backing her, and they got Ruby kicked out."


    "No wonder ra bombed and didn''t even snag third ce. But Katniss is such a piece of work. She''s young, and even if she''s broke after leaving home, she could have gotten a part-time gig. Leaning on some powerful dude? That''s just shady."


    "She''s always been trouble! I heard she''s taking the transfer exam for the medical department today. With that attitude, she''s gonna fail for sure. I heard Professor Brent Jenkins from the medical department is personally overseeing the exam. Maybe Brent won''t even let her in ''cause of her bad rep!"


    The whispers got louder, but Katniss kept her nose in her book, not giving a damn.


    Suddenly, someone stood up, and the tray ttered loudly on the table, making a piercing sound.


    Everyone''s heads turned.


    Katniss looked up and saw it was Simon.


    What was he up to now?


    After shutting everyone up, Simon didn''te to mess with Katniss but coldly said, "If you got beef with thepetition results, why don''t you report it yourselves?" Everyone went quiet, not getting his outburst but stopping their gossip about Katniss.


    The Manners family had a solid rep, and each member was a looker and a brainiac, making them big shots. Regr students wouldn''t dare mess with them. Except for Katniss. ra walked in, confused by the sudden hush in the cafeteria. But when she saw Katniss, her eyes lit up, and she moved Katniss''s backpack to sit next to her.


    "Katniss, you taking the exam today?"


    Katniss ignored her and kept munching on her waffle.


    Simon, unnoticed by ra, frowned.


    "Katniss," ra moved closer, "I''m sorry. I really didn''t know Ruby would use thexatives I lent her on Juniper. If I had known, I wouldn''t have given them to her!"


    Katniss finished thest bite, closed her book, stood up, and walked around ra to put her book back in her backpack and left.


    She ignored ra the whole time.


    "Katniss!" ra seemed really upset and chased after her.


    "ra," Simon walked over and grabbed her, "Katniss has a bad temper. You shouldn''t go near her. She''ll hurt you."


    "Simon, you''re here too," ra said in surprise, quickly nodding obediently, "I know."


    Simon nced at Katniss''s retreating figure, feeling weirdly worried.


    The transfer exam wasn''t a walk in the park. Katniss seemed to have prepped for ages, but the medical department professor had all the power. If the rumors kept her from taking the exam, then what? But soon, Simon felt annoyed.


    Why was he worried about Katniss? If she couldn''t take the exam, wouldn''t that be exactly what he wanted?


    After a moment of hesitation, Simon told ra he had something to do and quickly followed Katniss.


    He wanted to see if Katniss could get into the exam room!


    The transfer exam room wasn''t far. Katniss, holding her backpack, arrived to find the smiling old man at the door was the same one who had grilled her during the speech contest. "You''re here," Brent said warmly, like he was seeing his own granddaughter, leaving Simon, who had followed, totally stunned.

 Chapter 53

    Simon was floored for a sec but then thought, no way this could be the legendary big shot, Brent Jenkins.


    Brent was a giant in the medical world.Snagging an appointment was like winning the lottery, and his lectures were always jam-packed. Some students even brought their own chairs to his sses. How the heck could Katniss know such a big shot?


    Maybe the news about him personallying to proctor the exam was bogus. Someone of his caliber wouldn''t have the time toe and proctor an exam.


    But then Katniss hesitated and tentatively asked, "Professor Jenkins?"


    Brent nodded warmly and said, "You must be Katniss. You''re the only candidate today, so don''t sweat it. Just do your best."


    Standing at a distance, Simon was floored again.


    Could it really be Brent Jenkins?


    Or was it just someone with the samest name?


    Judging by their interaction, Katniss not only got into the exam room but even if she bombed it, Brent could probably pass her. Given his status at the school, he could easily make that happen. Katniss smiled slightly, ced her backpack on the table outside the exam room, and prepared to take only a pen inside with her.


    But after searching for a while, she frowned.


    Her pencil case was really missing.


    Katniss turned her backpack inside out but couldn''t find it.


    Could it have fallen out on the way?


    But the backpack wasn''t torn, and she had checked everything beforeing.


    Seeing that the exam was about to start, Katniss had no choice but to apologize, "Professor Jenkins, I''m really sorry, do you have a pen? I lost mine on the way."


    Simon, who had been eavesdropping the whole time, sneered. This Katniss, forgetting to bring a pen to such an important exam and making excuses, was really embarrassing the Manners family. Even if the professor had a good impression of her, it would surely change now. How could a medical student be so careless?


    But Brentughed heartily and took a pen from his shirt pocket, "Use mine for now. I''ll get you some inkter."


    "Thank you," Katniss said gratefully, taking the pen and entering the exam room.


    Seeing how lenient Brent was with Katniss, Simon pursed his lips and walked away. Katniss didn''t need his concern because plenty of people cared about her!


    No, he wasn''t concerned about Katniss. He just felt a bit guilty after what Eli said yesterday, especially since he hadn''t intervened when Ruby wanted to hit her. After all, Katniss was his sister, and he should have protected her.


    Simon walked back and happened to see ra throwing out the trash.


    "ra," he said, smiling as he walked over. ra seemed startled and quickly threw the trash into the bin.


    "Simon!"


    "What''s wrong, ra?" Simon teased with a smile, "You resemble a thief."


    ra''s face turned pale, and she looked a bit aggrieved.


    Seeing this, Simon wanted to p himself. How could he call ra a thief?


    He quickly ruffled her hair and said, "Look at my stupid mouth, can''t say anything right. How could ra be a thief? You''re my little princess."


    "Simon," ra finally said with a slight smile, "Alright, aren''t you going to ss? I gotta go."


    Simon had a ss too, but it didn''t start for another half hour. He knew ra''s schedule by heart and knew she had a ss soon, so he waved, "Alright, ra, go to ss." ra nodded and walked towards the teaching building. After a bit, she turned back to look, and Simon quickly waved again. Only when she entered the building did he turn to leave. Halfway there, he looked back and saw ra still hadn''t gone inside, watching his back.


    Simon thought to himself, ''ra really cares about me!''


    Feeling pretty pleased, Simon headed back to ss.


    An hourter, Simon was sitting in ss, bored out of his mind and twirling his pen, when something suddenly clicked.


    "I need to use the bathroom!"


    Momentster, Simon bolted out of the ssroom and ran to the spot where he had said goodbye to ra. Without a word, he opened the trash can.


    A foul smell hit his nose, and Simon almost hurled.


    But he quickly reached in and started digging through the trash.


    Just when he thought he had found nothing and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he saw a piece of light-colored fabric under the trash. His heart sank. When Simon pulled out the fabric, it was indeed a pencil case.


    Even then, Simon tried to fool himself, thinking maybe it wasn''t Katniss''s pencil case.


    But when he opened it, he saw Katniss''s name signed inside.


    ra.


    Simon''s hand trembled uncontrobly.


    He began to question his long-held beliefs.


    Another hour passed.


    Katniss finished her exam, checked her answers, and handed the paper to Brent.


    Brent nced at it and his eyes lit up with approval, saying, "Well done, Katniss."


    He flipped through the paper again and asked, "Have you studied medicine before?"


    Katniss hesitated and then nodded, "My grandma used to run a clinic, and I learned from her."


    Brent chuckled, "I thought you had a natural talent. So you had another teacher. Where did your grandma run her clinic?"


    The medicalmunity in Luminous City was small, and Brent knew almost everyone. He asked casually, wondering if she was the child of someone he knew. Katniss said with a bitter smile, "My grandma passed away six months ago."


    Brent was taken aback and quickly changed the subject, saying, "I see. Katniss, don''t be too sad. Your grandma would be happy to know you''re pursuing medicine." "Thank you," Katniss nodded earnestly.


    "So, will youe to ss tomorrow? I''ll have my assistant send you the schedule and books," Brent said, increasingly convinced that he shouldn''t waste such a promising student.


    Katniss quickly said, "Professor Jenkins, I have to take my department''s exam tomorrow. I need to pass it to transfer. And the teacher said I need toplete some paperwork before I can attend your sses."


    Brentughed heartily and patted his chest, "No problem, leave it to me. Juste to ss tomorrow. I''ll have my assistant handle the paperwork right now!"

 Chapter 54

    Katniss was stoked to have one less exam to worry about.


    Now she could whip up something tasty for Maximilian.


    After saying goodbye to Brent, Katniss headed back to her old ssroom to grab her books and let the teacher know.


    The moment she walked in, she saw a bunch of people crowding around Juniper, grilling her about her uing exchange student trip abroad.


    The Davis family wasn''t about to let Juniper miss out on such a sweet gig. The school she was headed to was top-notch, and you couldn''t just buy your way in.


    This meant Juniper and Katniss were about to go their separate ways.


    Seeing Katniss, Juniper broke away from the group and came over, saying, "Katniss, I''m about to head abroad."


    Katniss gave her a yful pinch on the cheek and smirked, "You better go. If you bail because of some dumb emotional stuff, I''ll kick your butt."


    Life ain''t all about feelings.


    Juniper''s eyes got all watery, "But I''m gonna miss you."


    "Hey, if you miss me, send me a ton of postcards! And don''t forget to hook me up when you get back!" Katniss said, grinning. "Oh, and guess what? I passed my transfer exam, and Professor Jenkins said I can skip tomorrow''s test." Juniper''s eyes lit up. She''d been so caught up with everyone else''s questions that she forgot today was Katniss''s big exam day!


    "Katniss, that''s awesome! Did Professor Jenkins think you were so smart he just passed you on the spot?"


    "Totally," Katniss said with a big grin. "Come on, coffee''s on me."


    "Let''s go! I should be the one treating you!"


    They walked out arm in arm, leaving the students who were waiting for Katniss to bomb her exam totally stunned. Did Brent really think Katniss was that great? Maybe Brent hadn''t heard about Katniss''s rep?


    Yeah, that had to be it. Brent must not know about Katniss''s sketchy past, which is why he passed her!


    "Man, the universe must be blind to let someone like Katniss win."


    "Professor Jenkins must''ve been duped by Katniss''s looks. If he knew what she was really like, he''d probably kick her out. Character''s key for being a doctor!"


    Some students grumbled, but since it wasn''t their problem, they quickly scattered, not wanting to stir up trouble for Katniss.


    "I feel the same. Katniss must''ve pulled some strings to fool Professor Jenkins. No way she transferred without taking the department''s exam," ra''s deskmate griped.


    ra shook her head, "If Katniss passed, it''s ''cause she''s got skills. I''m happy for her."


    Just as she finished talking, she noticed Simon standing in the aisle next to her.


    She was about to call out to him but froze when she saw what he was holding.


    "ra,e out. We need to talk," Simon said, taking a deep breath before walking out of the ssroom.


    ra''s face went pale, but she still got up and followed him out.


    Once they found a quiet spot, Simon spun around. "Why''d you swipe Katniss''s pencil case?" he demanded.


    "Simon, I didn''t," ra said, biting her lip, her eyes welling up with tears.


    Normally, seeing ra like this would make Simon''s heart melt, but this time he steeled himself. "Didn''t you? ra, are you seriously lying to me? We''re the only ones here. Do I need to pull the surveince footage?"


    "No!" ra cried softly, tears streaming down her face. "Simon, I was mad. Mad that on the day of mypetition, Katniss messed with me before I went on stage, screwing up my performance. So I didn''t want her to do well either."


    Hearing ra''s confession made Simon feel let down. "ra, are you seriously ming others for you not winning? I talked to the judges, and they showed me yourpetition footage. And Juniper almost got hit by a banner. Did that mess her up? In the end, it was you who weren''t ready for thepetition."


    "Plus, you knew Professor Jenkins was personally overseeing the exam today. Katniss could''ve been cklisted by him and not even allowed to take the test. Did you take her pencil because you didn''t want her to do well or because you didn''t want her to take the exam at all?"


    ra was trembling, shaking her head desperately, saying, "Simon, I didn''t know Professor Jenkins was supervising today. Simon, I really didn''t think it through. I''ll go apologize to Katniss right now."


    Seeing ra cry so pitifully, Simon''s heart softened. "I''ll cover for you this time, but Katniss is transferring to the medical department and will be far away from us. You need to stay away from her and not get involved in anything rted to her, got it?"


    Hearing his stern tone, ra looked up with tearful eyes, nodded, and cautiously asked, "Do you not like me anymore? Do you like Katniss now?"


    Simon instinctively frowned and said with anxiety, "How could I like her? You''re my only sister."


    ra finally smiled through her tears. "Okay."


    Simon''s frown rxed, but something still bugged him.


    He looked down at the pencil case in his hand and couldn''t help but grip it tightly.


    At the most popr coffee shop near the school, Katniss and Juniper had a long chat. Juniper learned that Katniss not only had a strong backing but also had a share of the coffee shop''s ie. This made her feel totally at ease about going abroad.


    Before this, her biggest worry was Katniss, fearing that ra would find ways to bully her once she was gone.


    A few dayster, Juniper boarded a flight to Skndia. Katniss saw her off, watching the ne disappear into the vast sky, and sincerely wished her well.


    The next day, Katniss got home and started prepping ingredients to make medicinal food for Maximilian.


    But when she opened the small bucket containing the herbs, she was stunned.


    The bucket, which had been more than half full thest time she used it, was now almost empty.


    She ate at home every day and knew that Wesley and Daphne hadn''t touched the herbs she brought back for medicinal food, and Saskia and Micah hadn''t been home recently. It was clear who had messed with them.

 Chapter 55

    After thinking it over for a sec, Katniss didn''t make a big deal out of it. She just packed up the leftover ingredients. The next day, she hit up the supermarket, grabbed some more stuff, and hauled everything over to the Hamilton Manor to get ready.


    When she rolled up to the Hamilton Manor, she spotted some fresh rose bushes nted in the little garden by the entrance. Since they were grafted roses, they were popping in all sorts of colors: bright red, soft pink, orange-yellow, and snow- white. Each flower was vibrant and beautiful, like a ssh of spring in the cool autumn air.


    She couldn''t help herself and leaned in to take a whiff. The sweet, elegant scent hit her like a gentle kiss on the cheek.


    She thought, ''These flowers smell amazing.''


    Walking into the house, she saw Maximilian chilling by the floor-to-ceiling window, nose deep in a newspaper. He didn''t even nce up when she walked in, just kept to himself.


    She chirped, "Maximilian, your flowers are gorgeous!"


    Hearing that, Maximilian finally looked up from his paper, sitting there surrounded by roses, and shed her a gentle smile.


    That smile? It totally threw Katniss for a loop. When a good-looking guy smiles like that, it can really make your heart skip a beat.


    Katniss quickly nodded, feeling a bit awkward, and dashed to the kitchen.


    With a guy like Maximilian, she didn''t dare entertain any wild thoughts. She just needed to focus on curing his illness!


    Still, while asking Felix where to put stuff, she couldn''t help but think about that handsome face she just saw.


    In her past life, with someone like Maximilian around, why did she ever go for Desmond?


    Isn''t it true that people always chase after those who don''t like them?


    When Katniss finally got down to making the medicinal meal, she totally zoned in, focusing hard on prepping the ingredients. Felix watched for a bit and couldn''t help but click his tongue. This medicinal meal wasn''t something just anyone could whip up; it looked superplicated.


    Felix had thought about learning a bit so he could make it for himself when he retired.


    But after watching, he threw in the towel.


    An hour and a halfter, Katniss finally emerged from the kitchen, while Felix had already gone out to water the flowers.


    She dragged a round table from the corner of the living room over to Maximilian and then went back to the kitchen to bring out porridge, a few appetizers, and some creamy oatmeal cookies. "Maximilian, you may have the medicinal meal for lunch today."


    "Okay." Maximilian set down his newspaper.


    Katniss grabbed a chair, nning to chill for a bit. As she came back, her eyes caught the news on the newspaper.


    The first headline was all about how the real estate market was gonna boom in the next ten years.


    Katniss couldn''t help but lean in to see which author had such foresight, "This author knows what''s up. The real estate market in the next decade is gonna be more than just good; it''s gonna be crazy prosperous. Prices have only gone up a bit now, but in a few years, they''ll skyrocket by tens or hundreds of times. Maximilian, you should snag a few more properties now. Trust me, you won''t regret it." Maximilian nced at her, looking puzzled. "You follow real estate too?"


    "It''s just my hunch, but Maximilian, trust me on this." Katniss said earnestly, "I''m nning to save up and buy two or three properties myself. That way, if I ever wanna take a break from work, I can live off the rental ie."


    "You can have all the money in the world, but it won''t mean anything if you''re not healthy and happy." She looked him straight in the eyes, saying, "As long as you''re alive, there''s hope. If you''re gone, then everything is truly lost." Thinking about her crazy past life, Katniss straightened up and gazed out the window, "Not for anything else, but just to see the sun rise in the east and set in the west every day, or to look at the flowers you like, you gotta live happily." Now, the folks from the Manners family meant less to Katniss than these few flowers outside.


    At least these flowers made her happy just by looking at them.


    Katniss turned back to look directly at Maximilian, saying, "Maximilian, you gotta live well, to be safe and happy for a lifetime."


    Even though Katniss was looking at Maximilian, it didn''t seem like she was really seeing him.


    Even though she was talking to him, it wasn''t amand; it was more like a wish.


    No one just goes around telling people to live their best life


    Maximilian didn''t ask, his eyes flickered, and he avoided her gaze.


    After a bit, he replied in a slightly hoarse voice, "Yeah, I''ll live well."


    Katniss''s lips instantly curled up, feeling super happy.


    But Maximilian quickly added, "I''m hoping to stick around long enough to see you be a rich woman."


    Katnissughed out loud.


    Why hadn''t she noticed before that Maximilian had such a funny side?


    Maximilian stared at her face, looking kinda puzzled as to why she wasughing.


    Katniss served him food with a warm smile and then sat down herself, "Maximilian, you don''t mind if I join you for lunch, do you?"


    "I don''t mind." Maximilian''s voice seemed to go back to its usual coldness.


    But Katniss inexplicably felt that his vibe wasn''t as distant as before.


    After a bit, Felix came in too. Katniss made him sit at the table to join them.


    Felix wanted to resist, but Maximilian told him to sit down, so he did.


    At the table, Katniss asionally chatted with Felix, mostly Felix praising her cooking skills. Maximilian listened from the side, and the atmosphere was super warm.


    Seeing the good vibes, Katniss tentatively asked, "Felix, why can''t he walk anymore?"


    Felix hesitated, a trace of sadness shing in his eyes, "Maximilian used to be able to walk, but his health went downhill over time. The more medicine he took, the less he could walk, and in recent years, hepletely lost the ability to walk." Katniss felt a bit relieved.


    The reason she hadn''t mentioned treating Maximilian''s legs before was that his body was too weak at the time. The priority was to nourish his body and make sure he got enough sleep.


    Lately she felt his body had been recovered well, but she was afraid he had some unspeakable reason, so she had dyed until now.


    If it was due to the side effects of too much medication and the previous toxins, then treating it would be easier than if it were caused by something like a car ident.


    "Then after lunch, I''ll take a look at Maximilian''s legs."


    Felix was overjoyed and quickly agreed, "Katniss, you can treat legs too?"


    Katniss said, "My grandma''s acupuncture skills are pretty famous in our area, and she has a technique for treating legs. I can try it on Maximilian."


    Katniss quietly observed Maximilian''s expression.


    Sure enough, hearing that his legs might be treatable, Maximilian''s expression stayed as stoic as ever.


    She really wondered what could make his perpetually stoic face show other emotions.


    "Thanks in advance, Katniss!" Felix was almost moved to tears, "I heard that your grandma''s acupuncture skills were extraordinary and that she used to be a medical teacher who taught many students. That''s why I searched everywhere for her. Although we couldn''t find her, we met you. It seems everything in this world is destined!"


    Maximilian''s body wouldn''t havested a few more years, but thankfully, god sent Katniss, his savior, to his side!

 Chapter 56

    Katniss was totally floored for a sec.


    Aurora used to teach medicine?


    She had no clue. Aurora never mentioned having students.


    "Felix, all I know is my grandma was a military doc. She never said anything about teaching."


    Felix was kinda taken aback too, but he realized he only heard it in passing and didn''t have much more to add, so he just shrugged. Katniss didn''t push it. If Aurora never brought it up, there had to be a reason. Maybe teaching wasn''t a great memory for her.


    After dinner, Katniss was about to do the dishes, but Felix jumped in, "Katniss, I''ll handle these. Can you check out Maximilian''s leg?" Seeing Felix all worried, Katniss put down the dishes and went over to Maximilian, squatting a bit, "Maximilian, I need to check your leg." Maximilian just stared at her silently.


    Katniss took his silence as a yes and started pressing on his leg.


    "Done with your exam?" Maximilian suddenly asked, his voice kinda raspy.


    It felt like an elder grilling a kid about their grades, making Katniss a bit nervous. She smiled slightly, "Yeah." "How''d you do?"


    "Not bad." Katniss wanted to say she aced it, but in front of a genius like Maximilian, her grades felt small.


    She''d heard Maximilian had dual degrees and a full ride, with top universities fighting over him.


    Maximilian''s lips tightened a bit, "You seem kinda scared of me?"


    Especially when they were alone, Katniss acted like a rabbit in front of a lion, all obedient and stuff.


    Katniss wanted to deny it but ended up looking up sheepishly, "A little bit."


    Maximilian was quiet for a few seconds, then gave a faint smile.


    Katniss was momentarily stunned. Right then, Maximilian seemed gentler than ever.


    After a moment, Katniss refocused and seriously checked his leg.


    Maximilian looked down at her, his gaze lingering for a moment before looking away.


    At home, Maximilian was in soft cotton lounge pants. The thin fabric transmitted the not-too-warm temperature of Katniss''s palm, making him a bit ufortable, his muscles tensing up. Katniss thought, ''Weird; why are his muscles so firm and strong?''


    Logically, after not walking for years, the muscles should''ve atrophied and gone ck.


    Katniss furrowed her brows and started pressing along the acupuncture points on his leg, one by one.


    Maximilian''s shoulder twitched slightly, and he instinctively grabbed her hand as it moved upward.


    Interrupted, Katniss looked up, confused, "Maximilian, what''s up?"


    Maximilian replied, "Is there a problem?"


    "Not really." Katniss''s eyes darted around before saying, "Maximilian, have you been doing physical training for your legs? I can feel you still have muscle, and it''s well-maintained." Maximilian was silent for a few seconds, then smiled wryly, "You can tell that?"


    "Of course!" Katniss responded cheerfully.


    She could almost confirm that the cause of his leg condition was as Felix had said, due to prolonged illness and poisoning, as well as the side effects of some meds.


    But it had been a long time, at least over ten years, and curing it would take some time.


    But Aurora was always super proud of her acupuncture technique for treating legs and kept drilling it into Katniss to learn it well. Using that technique, Aurora once got a soldier who''d been disabled for years back on his feet after a battlefield injury.


    Even though Katniss was all about Nathan''s treatment back then, she still picked it up pretty well.


    After checking Maximilian''s leg, Katniss thoughtfully covered it with a thin nket.


    "All done with the exam?"


    Katniss nodded, "Yeah, I''m just figuring out the treatment n."


    Even though Katniss looked young, she had this crazy skill and experience when it came to treating patients, like she''d been doing it for decades.


    Maximilian put his hands back on his legs and asked calmly, "You''ve got sses and my treatment to handle. Can you juggle it all?"


    "I can manage," Katniss said with a slight smile, "Plus, with the kind of money you''re paying, how could I not take it seriously?"


    Was it really just about the money?


    Maximilian lowered his eyes. She always seemed to be in need of cash.


    Katniss was deep in thought about the treatment n and didn''t catch Maximilian''s expression.


    After a bit, Katniss spoke up, "I''m thinking of using medicinal food and pills to help regte your body. For the leg injury, I''ll go with acupuncture and massage." "We''ll start with a one-month n and see how it goes."


    She got up and jotted down the method on a piece of paper.


    Just then, Felix walked in, and Katniss handed him the prescription, "Felix, take a look and keep this. It''s the acupuncture method for treating Maximilian''s leg."


    Felix quickly wiped his hands clean and took it with both hands. After his initial excitement, he couldn''t help but ask, "Katniss, aren''t you gonna do the acupuncture yourself?"


    Katniss said, "I will, but I just finished my exams for changing majors, and I''ll be starting med school soon. I''m worried my studies might take up too much time. With this prescription, you can also find other doctors to continue the treatment." Maximilian had been drugged, and though she didn''t know all the details, Katniss could guess it wasplicated.


    By treating Maximilian and leaving the prescription out in the open, she could ease their minds.


    Plus, the future''s uncertain. If something happened to her, Felix could use the prescription to find other top-notch doctors to keep treating Maximilian.


    "You''re so thorough." Felix touched the prescription, thinking that even though Katniss was young, she was super perceptive.


    She handled things like a pro.


    After the consultation, Katniss had finished her work and thought about whipping up a new dessert she''de up with for them to try. "Felix, want some dessert? I just created a new one, and it''s delicious!"


    Felix smiled warmly, looking at Katniss with increasingly kind eyes, "Sure, Katniss, you''re amazing. You can handle everything!"


    With his approval, Katniss turned and headed to the kitchen to make the dessert.


    After Katniss left, Felix turned and handed the prescription to Maximilian. "I''ll have someone check this out to make sure it''s all good." Even though he trusted Katniss, it was better to be safe than sorry.


    Especially since Katniss had once been Desmond''s fianc¨¦e and was head over heels for him.


    The Boleyn family would love nothing more than for Maximilian to kick the bucket.


    Maximilian lowered his eyes before saying, "Felix, do you think she would harm me?"

 Chapter 57

    Felix stood there, kinda dazed, his eyes flicking over to the kitchen door. Through the frosted ss, he could see Katniss hustling around, her slim figure moving non-stop.


    "If she was out to get me, why''d she tell me someone was messing with my meds?" Maximilian''s voice was all cool and detached, but his eyes had this sarcastic glint. "If it weren''t for her heads-up, I''d probably be six feet under by now, thanks to that poison."


    Felix''s face went pale in a heartbeat.


    "Don''t jinx it like that," Felix said, frowning hard.


    For a sec, he was genuinely freaked out.


    Katniss whipped up a small pot of coffee pudding, set aside two bowls for Felix and Maximilian, and packed the rest into some stic containers.


    She shoved the leftover ingredients into the fridge.


    No way she was taking them home. Her family never got to taste any of it. Anna probably gave it away or sold it, which ticked Katniss off.


    After wrapping up, Katniss said her goodbyes and headed to the coffee shop with the coffee pudding.


    Even though it was almost finals season and students were cramming, the coffee shop was still hopping.


    The ce originally had like a dozen seats, but now they had outdoor seating too.


    Still, it wasn''t enough. Tons of people were grabbing their drinks to go, forming a long line.


    "Honey, let''s hit up another spot. This line''s insane!" The guy outside the shop was already feeling the headacheing on.


    The woman, all dolled up, pouted, "No way! They got this new drink, and I already bragged about it to my friends. If I show up empty-handed, I''ll look like a fool! Are you waiting with me or not?" "Alright, alright, we''ll wait. Happy now?"


    They quickly joined the line.


    The students who cameter noticed that besides the usual crowd, there were now some locals at Amara''s coffee shop.


    Made sense, though. Amara''s ce had been dropping one killer new drink after another, totally outshining the other coffee shops. The coffee elsewhere just didn''t cut it.


    Amara''s coffee shop was the new hot spot.


    Word on the street was that other coffee shops were trying toe up with something new too, but Amara''s ce had already made a name for itself. Drinking coffee from her shop was the new cool thing.


    Inside, three girls finally got to the front of the line. One of them frowned at the new server and asked, "Where''s Katniss? We want her to serve us."


    The server, who was new and kinda clueless, said, "Katniss? Sorry, but we don''t have anyone by that name here."


    The girls exchanged looks and quickly snickered, "With her clumsy self, she probably got canned by Amara. No way they''d keep someone like her." They giggled and ced their orders. As soon as a table opened up, they snagged it.


    "Hey Laura, doesn''t your dad''s business have a tea shop? With this coffee ce blowing up, you guys thinking about jumping into the coffee game too? If you open a coffee shop, we wouldn''t have to wait in these crazy lines." Laura Evans sneered, "Our tea shop caters to high-end clients. How can you evenpare it to this lowly coffee joint? Besides, how much money can you really make from it? It''s just popr with regr folks. You think they can open a chain?" One of the girls, hearing Laura''s snobby tone, kept quiet. She scooped up some of the soft pudding and thought to herself that this coffee shop seemed to have a lot of potential, as evidenced by the constant stream of customers. She didn''t know much about business, but she knew that good stuff sells itself.


    She began to suspect that Laura''s family was in business, but Laura had no vision,ing here just to mess with Katniss. Last time, Laura even threw ten bucks at Katniss to insult her. Such an idiot.


    Just then, another girl nudged Laura''s arm and said, "Katniss."


    Laura looked over and saw Katniss not only skipping the line to enter the shop but also carrying something into the kitchen.


    Laura''s face instantly turned sour.


    "What''s up with that server? Didn''t she say there was no Katniss?"


    Laura stood up abruptly and stormed to the counter. "Didn''t you say there''s no Katniss here? Then who just walked in?"


    The server looked confused. The other server, who had been there a few days longer and knew Katniss, quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Excuse me, ma''am. If there''s an issue, let''s discuss it over here."


    With so many people in line, holding things up would surely make the customers impatient.


    Laura mmed her coffee onto the counter. "Is deceiving customers and being dismissive your idea of good service? In my family''s business, you''d be out the door for that." Coffee spilled everywhere, even getting into the calctor.


    The staff hurried to clean up, but it was toote.


    "Ma''am, how could you do this?"


    "Get Katniss out here!" Laura was furious. How dare they mess with her? In the Evans family, everyone had to show her respect.


    The people in line, seeing themotion, were curious but also a bit anxious.


    What was going on?


    In the kitchen, Katniss and Amara were discussing new products when they heard the noise outside. They exchanged a nce and quickly walked out.


    Katniss looked and saw that the angry girl at the front was the same one who had humiliated her with moneyst time.


    What was she here for now? Katniss didn''t even know her.


    Amara greeted them with a smile as she said, "What''s the matter, ma''am? Is there anything we could have done better? How about we give you this coffee for free?"


    Seeing Katniss, Laura pushed Amara aside. "Who needs your free coffee? I specifically asked for Katniss to serve us, but your server said she wasn''t here. Do you think we''re blind? Do you know who I am? With one word, I can shut this ce down!"

 Chapter 58

    Amara could totally tell this girl had it out for Katniss and was here to stir the pot.


    "Hey, sorry about this, ma''am. This employee''s new, and their shifts don''t always line up, so they might not know each other. No one''s trying to trick you," Amara said, forcing a smile. "If this doesn''t work for you, what do you want us to do?" By now, folks were catching on. It was obvious these two had beef, and one worked here while the other was just here to cause drama.


    But Amara had a point. A lot of the staff were newbies. Back when the shop was smaller, they didn''t even have waiters. This girl was just here to mess things up and waste everyone''s time.


    "Exactly, youngdy, chill out. Everyone knows the staff here are new. It''s normal if they don''t recognize each other," an old customer piped up, backing Amara.


    Unexpectedly, this just made Laura even madder. Was it her fault now?


    Laura''s face flushed red with anger, then she sneered, "Fine, since you''re all about protecting Katniss, you can take her ce."


    With that, Laura went back to her seat, grabbed her friend''s coffee, and smashed it on the ground, ring at Amara with a mocking smile.


    "Oops, my bad. It''s dirty now. Could you clean it up and get me another one just like it?"


    Coffee sttered everywhere, making it impossible to walk without stepping in it.


    Laura tilted her head back arrogantly and grinned.


    Everyone was stunned. That wasn''t an ident; it was totally on purpose!


    She was nuts.


    Amara frowned a bit, then quickly turned to the employee next to her and whispered something before grabbing a mop and a bucket of water. She cleaned up the mess like a pro.


    Employee Lisa rushed into the kitchen and found Katniss. "Amara said someone''s here to mess with you. You should sneak out the back." "Someone''s here for me?" Katniss''s eyes darkened. She took off her gloves and was about to head out.


    The kitchen door was closed and well-insted, so even though it seemed noisy outside, she hadn''t realized someone was causing trouble.


    She wanted to see who it was.


    Lisa quickly grabbed her and said, "What are you doing? Don''t go out there. Amara said if you don''t show up, she won''t be able to make a scene. She''ll leave after a while. Just take the day off and go." Katniss frowned.


    Seeing Katniss still hesitating, Lisa didn''t waste any more time and dragged her toward the back door.


    Out front, Amara wiped up thest bit of the mess with a towel, then looked up with a smile, saying, "All clean now. Please have a seat. Your coffee''sing right up."


    Amara walked to the counter, where the employee had already prepped the coffee and handed it to her with a frustrated look.


    "Who is that? She''s nuts."


    Amara took the tray and said with a soft smile, "In this line of work, we get all kinds. It''s cool, just get back to it."


    After calming the employee down, Amara quickly carried the tray to Laura''s table.


    Just a few steps away, Amara suddenly felt her foot slip, and the coffee went flying, dirtying the floor again and soaking her clothes. "Amara, you okay?"


    Seeing this, several employees rushed over to help her up.


    Laura propped her face with one hand, grinning smugly. "You''re really dumb, you even messed up my shoes!"


    Laura then stood up, walked over to Amara, and pointed at her ck leather boots with a bit of milk on them. "Clean them and apologize." Laura nced toward the kitchen. Katniss didn''t even dare toe out to face her.


    What a coward!


    Since Amara wanted to take Katniss''s ce, she''d make sure Katniss saw Amara get humiliated because of her.


    "Bad woman! Don''t bully my mom!" Suddenly, a kid rushed out like a little cannonball and shoved Laura hard. "Ah!"


    Laura, caught off guard, crashed into the table behind her, a sharp pain shooting through her lower back.


    Laura''s face turned pale with pain, and she red viciously at Preston.


    Laura''s friend, seeing Laura hurt, rushed over and pped Preston hard, trying to avenge Laura. "Where did this brate from? Watch out, I''m gonna knock you out!" Preston took the p hard, his face swelling up instantly, and he burst into tears.


    "Preston!"


    Seeing Preston''s swollen face, Amara''s expression changed. She couldn''t care about anything else and rushed to fight the girl who had hit him. The scene quickly descended into chaos.


    Seeing Amara fighting, the employees immediately jumped in.


    With more people on their side, the situation quickly turned.


    Laura''s friend, clutching her face, screamed and ran to Laura.


    Laura shouted in a trembling voice, "I''m telling you, my dad is Jackson Evans. If you dare to hit me, this shop will be shut down soon. You''re all dead!"

 Chapter 59

    Jackson Evans? Yeah, he was one of those rich dudes around here, a new money guy who''d been on TV and all that.


    How could a no-name coffee shop tick him off?


    The crowd looked at Amara with pity, thinking she was toast.


    Seeing her dad''s name scare everyone, Laura felt a rush of confidence. She shot a dirty look at her friend who was bawling and cursed her uselessness in her head.


    Laura thought, ''Bunch of losers! You almost got me smacked.'' She red at the crowd, all high and mighty, "Just wait, I''m calling my dad. None of you are getting away with this." "What are you yelling about?" Katniss popped out of the kitchen, her eyes cold as ice. "Without your daddy, you''re nothing."


    "You!" Laura was floored by the insult.


    "Can''t even talk straight. Is your brain broken? If it is, stay home and stop embarrassing yourself!"


    This world loves to pick on the weak and suck up to the strong, especially the reckless ones.


    Katniss grabbed a cup of ice water from the counter, walked up to Laura, and sshed it right in her face without a second thought.


    "Ahhh!" Laura screamed, shivering from the cold, her whole body shaking with rage as she red daggers at Katniss. "Katniss! How dare you ssh me!"


    Laura''s friends were stunned.


    Katniss, how could she dare?


    But Katniss didn''t just ssh her; she grabbed Laura''s hand as she tried to p her, tossed her aside with a sneer, "Laura, you better go home and check on your parents! Stop acting all high and mighty." Laura was dumbfounded, "What do you mean? What''s wrong with my parents?"


    Katniss stayed cool, "Your dad''s been skimming off the top and is under investigation. If you go home now, you might catch ast glimpse of him before he heads to jail. Andfort your mom, don''t let her do anything crazy." "You''re talking crap!" Laura was about to lose it, wanting to rip Katniss''s face off for saying that about her parents!


    "Whether I''m talking crap or not, you''ll see when you get home."


    Katniss said it so calmly, it didn''t seem like a lie. For a moment, Laura''s two sidekicks exchanged nces, thinking Katniss might be onto something.


    If Laura''s family went broke, would she still be the rich princess?


    Not just them, but the crowd started whispering, giving Laura knowing looks.


    Laura was fuming. She''d always been the Evans Group princess, never humiliated like this. She grabbed a ss nearby, ready to smash it into Katniss''s face, hoping to scar her for life!


    Just as Laura reached out, the TV in the coffee shop switched from a drama to a news sh.


    "Evans Group President Jackson Evans is under investigation by the Luminous City police for bribery and embezzlement of public funds..."


    Laura was in shock, her face going pale as she looked up at the TV. The news showed her dad, Jackson, being cuffed and taken away by two cops.


    "Dad!"


    Laura''s face turned ghostly white, her whole body feeling colder than when she got sshed with ice water.


    Was the Evans Group going belly up?


    Everyone else caught the news and started buzzing.


    "Serves her right, acting all high and mighty. Karma''s a b****!"


    Laura''s two sidekicks had a glint in their eyes.


    Laura ain''t the rich princess anymore; they ain''t putting up with her crap now.


    "Laura, can you move? Don''t tell me you still got time to gossip about the Evans Group with our staff."


    Katniss chimed in.


    Honestly, she didn''t know Laura before, but when she mentioned Jackson, it clicked.


    In her past life, there was an Evans family in the business world. Laura, the Evans'' daughter, was in the same year as her at Nexus Nova College. But right after a speech contest, the Evans family got nailed for bribery and embezzlement, leading to their downfall.


    Jackson got locked up soon after, and his wife jumped off a building. She survived but ended up paralyzed.


    Jackson''s kids, spoiled rotten, were useless. They couldn''t bounce back. Even theirst bit of cash got swindled by rtives and so-called friends. Laura barely made it to her junior year in college before dropping out ''cause her family couldn''t afford it.


    In her past life, Katniss had only heard about this. She didn''t expect that in this life, the one causing her trouble would be the Evans'' daughter.


    Remembering who Laura was, Katniss wasn''t scared of her causing trouble for Amara.


    Laura started shaking, and hearing Katniss''s voice, she snapped out of it, screaming, "Katniss, how dare you curse my family! Go to hell!"


    Saying this, Laura grabbed a ss nearby.


    Before Laura could throw it, one of her sidekicks snatched the ss away, apologized to the shop, and dragged her out.


    Laura struggled like crazy, "Debra, how dare you drag me!"


    Debra red at her, "Laura, if you hit someone, we''re going to join your family in jail."


    These two sidekicks had always been Laura''spdogs.Never before had they dared to question her. Laura, hearing her speak like this, instinctively raised her hand.


    Debra pped her hand away, sneering, "Laura, drop the attitude. Do you think you''re still the rich heiress everyone wants to pamper? Get real. You''re the daughter of a criminal now!"


    "Yeah, Laura, if it weren''t for the money, who''d wanna hang with you? You''ve pissed off so many people at school; your bad days areing. Just wait and see!" another girl added, grinning.


    Laura was stunned. Her two friends, her loyalpanions, had turned on her in a heartbeat. She couldn''t believe they''d always harbored these thoughts. She had spent so much money on them!


    "You!" Laura''s fingers trembled with rage, pointing at the two, wanting to curse them. But they rolled their eyes and walked away, griping about Laura''s bad habits. Their tone made it clear they''dined behind her back plenty. Laura wanted to curse them, but the news on the TV kept going, and soon she started trembling all over.


    It was over! Her days of being the high-and-mighty heiress were totally over!

 Chapter 60

    Watching Laura strut off like she owned the ce, the folks in the coffee shop couldn''t help but let out a collective sigh.


    After telling them to tidy up, Amara turned her attention to Preston, trying to calm him down.


    She couldn''t resist asking Katniss, "Katniss, how''d you know about the Evans family? That''s some wild stuff."


    Katniss thought for a sec, then said, "Amara, I heard it from my rtives. Didn''t think it''d pop up on the news today, though."


    Amara just nodded, not pushing it further. She and Katniss grabbed an ice pack to soothe Preston''s swollen, red face, trying tofort him.


    Preston, with his young face all puffy and red from crying, looked like a mess.


    Amara''s eyes got misty, and she said angrily, "I can''t believe that girl Debra would be so cruel to a kid. I used to give her discounts ''cause she was a regr."


    Katniss remembered the Debra that Laura had cursed outside the store, made a mental note of her face, and told Amara, "Next time she shows up, just kick her out." After a busy spell in the shop, Katniss decided to check on the house Aurora had left her, see how the renovations were going.


    Fixing up the ce after Simon trashed it had drained a lot of her cash, and now she was feeling the pinch again.


    Even with Maximilian''s consultation fee, she''d still have to pay the final bill once the repairs were done. Plus, she needed new furniture.


    Adding it all up, she still needed a chunk of change.


    Katniss sighed and decided to hoof it to the bus stop. It was just over two miles, and she could save a few bucks.


    After crossing this traffic light, it was just over 1,000 feet to the bus stop.


    Katniss stared at the busy road, a bit lost in thought. This ce would be a prime financial hub in the future, and even a tiny storefront would cost a fortune. "Hey, isn''t that Katniss?"


    Inside the hotel, Felix suddenly shouted, pointing at the crowd by the traffic light.


    Samuel and an older guy squinted, trying to spot her, "Where?"


    Maximilian looked up, followed Felix''s finger, and immediately saw Katniss in the crowd.


    She looked so thin, with a white crossbody bag, standing quietly among the people, looking all innocent, like a perfect little angel.


    Seeing this, Maximilian couldn''t help but smile.


    A furry head popped up beside Maximilian, big round eyes peeking out, climbing up with hands and feet, standing on tiptoes, trying to see outside. A kid asked, "Where?"


    Samuelughed heartily, and within a few seconds, he spotted Katniss too. He quickly nudged Maximilian, saying, "What a coincidence, Maximilian, why don''t you call her over for dinner!" As he spoke, he seemed sure Maximilian would call Katniss over, pulling his old friend beside him and saying, "Brent, today you''ll meet the girl who''s even more impressive than you!" Maximilian nced over, and before he could say anything, Felix had already handed him his phone, saying, "Maximilian, call Katniss quick, she''ll leave once the light turns green!" Maximilian paused for a moment, then took the phone and dialed.


    Just as the light turned green, Katniss was about to cross the street when her phone rang. Seeing it was Maximilian, she answered right away. "Hey, Maximilian?"


    "Katniss, you eaten yet?" Maximilian''s voice was all calm and soft on the other end.


    "Huh?" Katniss blinked, "Not yet."


    Maximilian said, "Cross the street and wait for me. Let''s grab dinner together?"


    For a moment, it felt like time stood still. Katniss suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the hotel across the street. Maximilian was in that hotel?


    How could Katniss say no to Maximilian''s invite? She immediately agreed, "Okay."


    "The ce is the Starry Night Hotel lobby. I''ll have Felixe get you." Maximilian responded and then hung up.


    Looking down, he saw Katniss jogging across the street, ncing up at the hotel.


    Maximilian wasn''t in the best health, and Katniss didn''t want him waiting too long, so she jogged across the street as soon as the light turned green.


    The Starry Night Hotel had a famous chef who made a killer dessert, limited to 50 servings a day. Once they were gone, that was it. She had tried it once and couldn''t forget it. But ra also loved it, and Lucas would snag a serving for her if there were any left.


    But Katniss never got any.


    Just as she was about to enter, a ck Mercedes sped over, almost hitting her.


    The screeching sound of the tires braking was ear-piercing.


    Katniss was so scared she took a few steps back.


    "Are you nuts?!" the driver yelled at Katniss.


    Katniss''s anger red up immediately. Almost hitting someone and still daring to yell?


    Was that driver out of his mind? Just as she was about to yell back, she saw the man in the car, and her voice got stuck in her throat.


    A refined and handsome man got out from the back seat, walked around to the other side, and opened the door. A woman dressed in ck stockings got out of the car.


    It waste autumn, and people were wearing jackets and long pants. The woman getting out of the car had bare shoulders, a short skirt, and ck stockings, looking stylish and alluring. Several men on the roadside couldn''t take their eyes off her legs.


    As soon as the woman got out, the man naturally put his arm around her waist.


    Katniss''s eyes turned cold, and she couldn''t help but speak, "Kieran!"


    Kieran was stunned for a few seconds when he saw Katniss, then quickly remembered who she was, Saskia''s pretty little cousin, Katniss.


    His arm around the woman stiffened, and he quickly withdrew it.


    "Katniss? What are you doing here?"


    Remembering Saskia''s death in her past life, which had a lot to do with Kieran''s infidelity, Katniss''s eyes turned icy.


    Katniss smirked, "Shouldn''t I be asking you that? Saskia said she was going home to make you lunch, but you''re not home. What are you doing here with an old woman?" Old woman?


    Brenda White''s face darkened at the words and said angrily, "Watch your tone!"


    Katniss''s expression remained unchanged, her cold eyes fixed on Kieran.


    That look made Kieran feel guilty.


    But seeing Katniss''s pretty and youthful face, Kieran quickly regained hisposure and pulled Brenda, "She''s just a kid."


    With a refined smile, Kieran exined to Katniss, "I was going to head back, but then a dinner meeting came up unexpectedly. This is my colleague, Brenda White."


    Brenda''s eyes shed with a hint of jealousy as she took a good look at Katniss''s face.


    After hearing Kieran''s exnation, Katnissughed and said, "What kind of colleague rtionship involves putting your arm around her waist?"

 Chapter 61

    "Not at all, Katniss. You got it wrong. Brenda just tripped, and I helped her out," Kieran said, spreading his hands with an innocent look.


    Brenda eyed Katniss, quickly curling her lips into a smirk. Katniss was just a t-chested, t-bottomed little girl.


    She was his wife''s cousin, still in college, a girl who hadn''t even stepped into the real world yet.


    Katniss smiled slightly, "Really? Maybe I did get it wrong."


    So, Kieran was already messing around with other women this early on.


    Watching Saskia tirelessly serve the Scott family day after day, even getting scolded for beingte with dinner, filled Katniss with a burning sense of injustice.


    Kieran looked at Katniss suspiciously, unsure if she was being honest. "Alright, I have a social event today. It''ste, and a girl shouldn''t be wandering around ces like this. If you''re bored, hang out with your sister. She''s always at home with nothing to do."


    Brenda, growing impatient, red at Kieran with her beautiful eyes. "It''s gettingte, Kieran. Let''s go!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m not alone," Katniss nced at the two of them, her lips curling slightly. "I''m here for dinner."


    Brenda sneered mockingly, "Do you know how expensive it is here? Can you even afford it?"


    It would cost at least a thousand dors a meal at the Starry Night Hotel.


    Katniss''s entire outfit probably cost just over a hundred dors. She was a student kicked out by her family with no money.


    What a joke.


    Kieran also realized that Katniss couldn''t possibly be here for dinner at the Starry Night Hotel. She must be here to spy on them for Saskia. Kieran''s face darkened, and he reached out to press Katniss''s shoulder, scolding, "Katniss, stop fooling around. This isn''t a ce for you."


    Disliking Kieran''s touch, Katniss frowned and avoided his hand. She smiled, "I told you, I''m here with a friend for dinner."


    Though Katniss appeared delicate, she stood with a straight back, exuding a stubbornness that wouldn''t easily bend. Her eyes held a faint smile, but it seemed mocking, as if saying she wasn''t easy to fool. Brenda and the nearby security guards watched, making Kieran feel embarrassed.


    A man''s pride was paramount.


    How could he let a woman, a little girl, trample on it?


    Kieran''s face darkened.


    Brenda changed her posture, deliberately leaning towards Kieran in front of Katniss. "Kieran, you should teach her a lesson. These days, young girls will do anything to get into high-end ces."


    She hinted, then clicked her tongue and looked at the security guard, "Don''t let anyone just waltz in here. If they offend someone important, can you afford the consequences?"


    The security guard nodded repeatedly, thinking that there were indeed important guests at the Starry Night Hotel today. If they were offended...


    The security guard''s face changed, and he raised his hand to drive Katniss away, "Miss, please leave. It would be easier for everyone if you did."


    Though he was just a security guard, he had seen many women like the one in front of him trying to sneak into the Starry Night Hotel to mess around with rich people. They all imed their friends were inside.


    If it were not for her good looks and familiarity with the two guests, he would have kicked her out long ago.


    Dressed like this,ing to mess around, did she think she was in a soap opera?


    Katniss looked at the security guard coldly, "Is this how you treat your guests?"


    Brenda pouted and whispered to Kieran, "If she causes any trouble inside, we can''t afford to take responsibility."


    Hearing Brenda''s words, Kieran got angry.


    "Stop her!" Kieran grabbed Brenda''s wrist and walked inside. "Let''s go."


    Inside the entrance, Maximilian watched the scene unfold, his eyes darkening.


    Felix, sensing Maximilian''s change, bent down and whispered, "I''ll get the manager to handle it."


    Maximilian, expressionless, looked ahead, "I don''t want to see these people at the Starry Night Hotel again."


    "OK." Felix nodded.


    He then signaled to the nearby bodyguards, and soon the Starry Night Hotel manager appeared at the entrance with several bodyguards, heading straight for Kieran and Brenda.


    The manager, seeing Katniss, bowed respectfully, "Ms. Manners, we are here on Mr. Hamilton''s orders to escort you. Please follow us."


    Mr. Hamilton? Was it Maximilian?


    Katniss looked up, through the ss door, and saw Maximilian''s elegant and noble figure not far to the right.


    Maximilian had this charm, even sitting in a wheelchair, his innate nobility couldn''t be hidden.


    Then, Maximilian''s tightly pressed lips curved slightly, silently mouthing a word to her, "Come here."


    From dozens of feet away, Katniss''s heart felt like it was hit, beating and contracting rapidly.


    A few secondster, Katniss hurriedly looked away, avoiding Maximilian''s face.


    Suddenly, a small figure that had been quietly standing by Felix''s side shot out like a little rocket.


    "Aunt Katniss!" Ivan Jenkins quickly ran to Katniss, hugging her arm. "Are you my aunt? I''m here to pick you up."


    Ivan, with his cute and handsome face, dressed in trendy children''s clothes, was clearly a rich kid.


    At this moment, his big, bright eyes stared at Katniss, seemingly very fond of her.


    Katniss was just as surprised as everyone else.


    "You were mean to my aunt. You''re in trouble. Maximilian is angry and will fire you!" Ivan, hands on his hips, turned and warned the security guard fiercely.


    Then Ivan held Katniss''s finger, leading her inside, "Maximilian is waiting for you."


    The security guard, seeing Ivan''s face, turned pale. He had no idea that the inly dressed Katniss was connected to the Hamilton family.


    As Katniss and Ivan walked away, the manager''s previously respectful expression vanished. He nced coldly at the security guard and Kieran''s group, "You''re fired. Go collect your pay and leave."


    The security guard, face ashen, looked at the manager, pleading, "Manager, could you put in a good word for me with Mr. Hamilton?"


    "This is beyond my control." Then he looked at Kieran and Brenda, frowning. "You''ve offended our guest and are now on our cklist. Please leave immediately."


    Kieran''s face changed dramatically, "Who is Mr. Hamilton?"


    Could it be the heir of the Hamilton and Boleyn families, Maximilian?


    Kieran''s eyes lit up, and he grew bolder, "Do you know who I am? That Ms. Manners who just went in is my wife''s sister!"


    "Get out of my way!" Kieran, excited, saw a golden opportunity to connect with the Hamilton family right in front of him!

 Chapter 62

    "I brought my aunt over!" Ivan boasted, looking for some praise.


    Katniss was totally baffled, thinking, How did she end up being his aunt?


    Felix quickly covered Ivan''s mouth with a grin, "How about we go get some yummy cake?"


    Ivan''s eyes lit up, and he eagerly nodded, following Felix without a second thought.


    With just the two of them left, Katniss broke the silence, "What a coincidence, Maximilian. You having dinner here too?"


    "Yeah, my grandpa and the others are upstairs," Maximilian replied, his hands resting on his legs as he nced behind her. "Who are they?"


    Katniss turned to see Kieran and Brenda lingering at the door. She frowned and sneered, "The guy''s my cousin''s husband, and the woman''s his colleague. They''re supposedly here on business, but who knows what they''re really up to!" They were way too cozy to be here for ''business'' only.


    Seeing Katniss''s cheeks puff up in anger, Maximilian chuckled, "Need any help?"


    Katniss''s eyes darted around, "Can I save that offer forter? Just in case?"


    "Of course." Maximilian agreed without hesitation, making Katniss smile genuinely, "Thanks, Maximilian. You''re so kind, you''ll definitely live a long life!"


    Maximilian smiled and looked down quietly.


    Katniss seemed to have a thing for wishing him a long and healthy life.


    At the entrance, Brenda watched in confusion as Kieran, moments away from being tossed out, suddenly puffed up his chest and acted like he owned the ce.


    The owner of the Starry Night Hotel wasn''t someone to mess with; even powerful people avoided trouble here.


    Otherwise, they would''ve dealt with Katniss at the door, but they couldn''t make a move at the Starry Night Hotel.


    "Kieran, let it go," Brenda said.


    Kieran shook off Brenda''s hand, his face glowing as he stared at the man in the distinctive wheelchair nearby. Who else could it be but Maximilian?


    Kieran boldly pushed past the manager, straightened his cor, and quickly walked towards Katniss.


    Brenda gritted her teeth and followed.


    The manager''s subordinate hesitated, "Shouldn''t we stop them?"


    The manager gave a deep look, "Why bother? Send a couple of people to keep an eye on them, the rest can disperse."


    If the guy was Katniss''s brother-inw, he was family, and they couldn''t interfere in family matters.


    If they made upter, he''d be the bad guy.


    Brenda caught up and saw Katniss, who hadn''t left yet, and the man in the wheelchair beside her.


    "Who''s that?" Brenda asked curiously.


    Kieran quickened his pace, his tone filled with excitement, "That''s a billionaire, the heir holding the lifelines of both the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family, Maximilian!" Maximilian?


    Brenda''s gaze fixed on Maximilian in the wheelchair.


    Maximilian''s hand, casually resting on the wheelchair''s armrest, was pale, with the cuff slightly rolled up, revealing a cufflink set with a green sandstone.


    The sandstone cufflink, with a slight glimmer, first caught Brenda''s eye.


    She remembered seeing an identical pair on a luxury website yesterday, priced at over six thousand dors.


    To meet wealthy people, Brenda had put a lot of effort into recognizing luxury items.


    She couldn''t immediately pinpoint the brand of Maximilian''s suit, but from the texture alone, she knew it was definitely high-end, probably custom-made.


    Finally, she looked at Maximilian''s face and was stunned.


    That profile could make any woman swoon, and it made her heart skip a beat.


    At that moment, Maximilian was just sitting there quietly, his eyes gentle, fixed on Katniss.


    Maybe sensing Brenda''s intrusive gaze, he looked back.


    With just one nce, the coldness was like a winter river, making everyone around feel suffocated.


    It wasn''t until Kieran''s ttering voice broke the silence that Brenda snapped back to reality, her back drenched in cold sweat.


    "Mr. Hamilton, what a coincidence running into you here," Kieran said warmly, smiling, then turned to scold Katniss, "Katniss, you scared the heck out of me! Why didn''t you tell me you were having dinner with Mr. Hamilton? Now I can finally breathe easy. Otherwise, I''d have to exin to your sister why you were out sote!"


    After speaking, Kieran handed over his business card, "Mr. Hamilton, hello, I''m Katniss''s brother-inw. Here''s my card, I''m the product manager at Vertex Company."


    "Hello," Maximilian replied politely, his expression indifferent and distant.


    Anyone could hear the coldness in his tone, but even this brief response excited Kieran.


    Kieran didn''t feel awkward and enthusiastically said, "It''s fate that we met. How about I treat you to dinner today?"


    Maximilian frowned slightly and calmly said, "Sorry, I already have ns."


    Kieran decided to approach Katniss, "By the way, Katniss, how do you know Mr. Hamilton?"


    Katniss blinked. It seemed Kieran really didn''t know much about the Manners family.


    After thinking for a moment, Katniss smiled faintly, "Maximilian''s brother, Desmond, is my ex-fianc¨¦."


    Seeing Kieran''s enthusiastic attitude, Katniss understood he wanted to connect with Maximilian.


    But she was still angry about what had just happened. Now he wanted to act like nothing had happened and use her?


    Moreover, given Kieran''s past behavior, which led to Saskia''s death, Katniss didn''t want Kieran to get close to Maximilian.


    He''s not a good person!


    Kieran and Brenda fell silent, both looked awkward, especially Kieran. Although he knew Katniss had a fianc¨¦, Saskia had never mentioned that the fianc¨¦ was Desmond!


    Saskia, how could she not tell him such important news?


    Kieran thought quickly, and he signaled Brenda with his eyes.


    Brenda immediately understood, feeling a bit nervous but more excited. The temptation to connect with Maximilian was too great.


    If she could gain Maximilian''s favor, she could forget about her worries for good.


    Brenda deliberately adjusted her shawl to reveal her impressive curves and bent slightly, extending her hand, "So you are Mr. Hamilton. I''ve always admired you. Could you leave your contact information? I hope we can coborate in the future." When she bent down, her impressive chest practically spilled out, leaving nothing to the imagination.


    Katniss was shocked. She knew women who''d mess with married men had no shame, but this was a whole new level of brazen.


    Katniss instinctively looked at Maximilian, feeling wronged.

 Chapter 63

    ''If Maximilian goes for it, I''m done helping him with his leg!'' Katniss thought.


    Maximilian kept his cool, his icy gaze sweeping over Brenda. "Honestly, I don''t think there''s anything yourpany can offer us." Katniss couldn''t help butugh out loud.


    For the first time, she saw just how sharp Maximilian''s words could be.


    He straight-up dismissed the otherpany as too small and not worth his time.


    Brenda, who had bent down to shake hands, now found herself in an awkward spot, her face looking pretty sour.


    "Yeah, Kieran, looks like yourpanies don''t have much ovep in terms of business, "Katniss said, circling behind the wheelchair with a sweet smile. "It''s gettingte, don''t you have work to do? Hurry up and go, so you can get home early." With that, Katniss pushed the wheelchair and left.


    Watching them leave, Kieran''s face darkened with anger. Was Katniss stupid or just clueless, not even helping her own family?


    Brenda bit her lip, feeling super resentful. Rejecting a hot-bodied beauty for a young girl who hadn''t even grown up yet. Was Maximilian dumb?


    "What''s up with Katniss, not even helping her brother-inw!" Brenda sneered.


    Kieran snapped, "Don''t me me for your failed seduction attempt!"


    Giving Brenda a cold look, Kieran strode away.


    Brenda stood there for a moment, stomped her foot, bit her lip, and followed.


    Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Starry Night Hotel, a group of rich kids had seen the whole thing.


    "Hey, Desmond, isn''t that your ex-fianc¨¦e who used to follow you around?" someone sneered.


    Desmond red at his friend. "I broke off the engagement with her a long time ago!"


    Anything rted to Katniss disgusted Desmond.


    If it weren''t for Katniss, he could be with ra now, even get engaged to her, and marry her right after graduation!


    Desmond wanted to marry ra and give her the best of everything.


    One of the group, a particrly devilish-looking guy, suddenly said, "Your ex-fianc¨¦e is something else. After breaking up with you, she immediatelytched onto Maximilian. If Maximilian weren''t sick, he''d be more sought after than you." "I think she''s set her sights on your family. If she can''t marry you, she''ll marry your big brother. One way or another, she wants to marry into your family! Desmond, wouldn''t she be your sister-inw then?" another guy said. Hearing his friends'' nonsense, Desmond''s face darkened, "My brother would never be interested in her, she''s just a country girl. Stop talking nonsense!"


    Seeing Desmond angry, the group exchanged nces and dared not joke anymore, changing the subject.


    Desmond, however, lost his appetite, feeling more and more irritated.


    His friends'' words reminded him that if Maximilian weren''t sick,the outside world wouldn''t favor him at all.


    But Maximilian was sick and wouldn''t live long.


    Katniss''s intentions were obvious.


    Desmond''s face grew darker, wishing he could rush over and strangle Katniss right now.


    Meanwhile, Katniss was pushing the wheelchair, with Maximilian guiding her.


    Maximilian suddenly spoke, "You don''t seem to like your cousin-inw very much."


    Katniss gripped the wheelchair handles tightly, her eyes shing with hesitation. Should she tell Maximilian about this family scandal?


    But then she thought, Maximilian was smart, maybe he coulde up with a good solution.


    "He cheated, though I''m not sure if it was with the woman he was with today," Katniss bit her lip. "Their family treats Saskia like crap too. They even scold her for wasting money on a cab. I want them to get divorced." Only by divorcing early, before Saskia got pregnant in a few months, could she escape the Scott family.


    Maybe then, she could change Saskia''s tragic fate.


    "Want my advice?" Maximilian turned slightly, looking at her.


    Katniss nodded naturally.


    "Make a list of assets to prevent him from transferring them, gather evidence of his cheating, and aim for the maximum financialpensation in court," Maximilian said calmly. "I can get you awyer from the Hamilton Group. He''s top-notch and can make him lose everything."


    Katniss''s eyes widened. No wonder he was a formidable businessman.


    But considering how miserable Saskia was in her past life, making Kieran lose everything in this life was nothing.


    A cold glint shed in Katniss''s eyes, and she sweetly thanked him, "Thank you, Maximilian. Please make sure he loses every penny!"


    Maximilian chuckled softly.


    At the door of the private room, the waiter opened the door, and Katniss pushed the wheelchair inside.


    As soon as they entered, they saw Samuel happily holding Ivan, who had a face full of cream.


    Hearing the noise, Samuel looked up and saw that it was Maximilian and Katniss.


    Katniss pushed the wheelchair and stood behind it. This scene made Samuel''s heart warm. The man was elegant and steady, the girl was bright and charming, what a perfect match! Their future kids would surely be even more beautiful than Ivan next to them!


    The more he looked, the more he felt they were a perfect match!


    "Katniss, you''re here! Come sit, you must be hungry!" Samuel said with a smile, then called the waiter in. "Order whatever you like! Look at you, you''ve gotten so thin at school!" Katniss touched her face.


    She had clearly gained weight.


    The waiter handed the menu to Katniss and briefly introduced the dishes.


    Katniss''s eyes lit up, and she blurted out, "Do you still have Red Velvet Cake?"


    Actually, Katniss didn''t have much hope. It was already evening, and given the reputation of the Starry Night Hotel, it would have been reserved long ago.


    The waiter was momentarily stunned, then looked at Maximilian. The 50 portions had long been gone.


    Maximilian''s dark eyes lifted slightly, and he gave a light nod.


    The waiter, being perceptive, immediately said enthusiastically to Katniss, "Yes, we still have some. Would you like anything else?"


    "No, that''s enough." Katniss was a bit surprised and smiled sweetly.


    She then handed the menu back to the waiter.


    "Do you like it?" Maximilian asked softly. "If you want to eat it, juste to the Starry Night Hotel, and I''ll save a portion for you." Maximilian''s deep voice echoed in Katniss''s ears, making her feel a bit dazed.


    She stared at Maximilian, feeling a strange sensation.


    Did she love Red Velvet Cake? Maybe she did, but more than that, it was a reminder of her pathetic past life.


    Who wouldn''t love such a popr dessert?


    ra loved it, and whenever the Starry Night Hotel had it, her family would always remember to pack a portion for her.


    She loved it too, but there was never a portion for her.


    The first person to say "I''ll save a portion for you", was actually a stranger she''d only recently met.


    Katniss felt a bit of a lump in her throat, waved her hand, and smiled, "No need, I can''t afford it." She just wanted to have a taste for her past self.

 Chapter 64

    Maximilian nced at her and said, "Just put it on my tab."


    Katniss raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer, whispering, "Seriously? That''s pretty fancy."


    Maximilian chuckled softly, not looking embarrassed at all.


    Katniss''s eyes lit up with joy. Maximilian was so loaded that the cost of these desserts was nothing to him.


    After that, Katniss was all over Maximilian, serving him tea and water, always ready to help.


    Samuel watched with a scowl, snorting, "A grown man, perfectly healthy, needing a young girl to serve him. I''d be embarrassed to admit it." Ivan nodded, "Samuel''s right, it''s pathetic! I don''t need any help; I eat by myself! My mom says that''s what being an independent man is."


    As he spoke, Ivan stuck his tongue out at Maximilian.


    Katniss quickly exined, "Maximilian is strong and independent too, but he''s sick and needs care. Don''t you need someone to take care of you when you''re sick?"


    Ivan furrowed his brows, "But when I''m sick and want to sleep with my mom, my dad says I''m not a three-year-old anymore and need to be independent. He says that''s called growing up." Maximilian nced overzily and said, "Don''t be jealous."


    Samuel, clearly annoyed by Maximilian''s words, huffed and turned away, then looked at Katniss with a bright smile, "Katniss, you came a bitte. Ivan''s grandpa just left, or I could have introduced you."


    He added, "I don''t think he''s that great, even though he''s an honorary professor. He''s been treating Maximilian''s leg for years with no progress, and you''re much better."


    Katniss smiled modestly, "Samuel, everyone has their expertise. He''s an honorary professor. Even if I work my whole life, I might not achieve that."


    An honorary professor, after all, is a rare figure.


    They happily finished the meal, and Katniss was eager to get back home to check on Aurora''s house.


    When Samuel asked for directions, it turned out to be on the way.


    Without hesitation, he had Maximilian take Katniss home first while he waited for the driver to bring the car around.


    It wasn''t too far from the Starry Night Hotel to Aurora''s house.


    Having interacted a few times, Katniss was no longer as nervous sitting in his car and even had the mind to pay attention to other things.


    Seeing him dressed lightly, Katniss started to nag, "Maximilian, it''s almost winter. Your leg can''t handle the cold. You shouldn''t dress so lightly. In the car or the office, you should have a small nket to keep warm and improve blood cirction."


    "And you need to replenish your energy. You can have Felix buy some nuts or other snacks." Once Katniss started talking, she couldn''t stop.


    When she realized it, it seemed like she had been talking to herself.


    These nagging habits were cultivated in her past life to please the Manners family. She forced herself to pay attention to all aspects of them. Katniss worried that she might be annoying, like she was trying too hard to please.


    For example, Nathan got annoyed with her for nagging too much.


    She never forgot what Nathan said before, "Katniss, who do you think you are? A miracle doctor? Do you have to control everything? Is it because I can''t move well that you think you can be so presumptuous? Can''t you see I hate you? Stay out of my sight."


    Katniss snapped back to reality and immediately shut her mouth, scratching her head awkwardly. "I''m being too naggy, aren''t I?"


    "No, you''re just being thorough. I appreciate it," Maximilian said with a warm smile.


    Just then, the car pulled up to the gate. Katniss quickly opened the door herself, jumped out, and waved to Maximilian and Felix. "Maximilian, Felix, I''m home. You guys should head back."


    With that, Katniss walked home briskly.


    As soon as Katniss left, the warmth in Maximilian''s eyes turned cold and indifferent.


    Maximilian took out his phone, dialed a number, and asked coldly, "Has he given up the others?"


    "Not yet, he''s very stubborn."


    Maximilian looked out the car window, the scenery shing by in the darkness. His already dark eyes grew even darker. "If he''s stubborn, what about his family? Use whatever means necessary to make him talk."


    Jesse Turner was silent for a moment, understanding Maximilian''s meaning. He exhaled smoke and replied with a grin, "Did he really think you''de out of all that and still be a good guy? He clearly doesn''t know you very well!"" Maximilian didn''t listen further and hung up the phone.


    Jesse stomped out his cigarette, grinding it with his toe, then looked up with a cruel, cold smile.


    In therge abandoned steel mill, a man had been beaten badly, with blood pooled on the ground.


    Jesse, with his buzz cut and tough, fierce face, looked particrly intimidating. He casually grabbed a chair and sat in front of the man. "When I talked nicely, you didn''t listen. Now, you''ll say whatever I want to hear."


    As soon as he finished speaking, several men in ck pushed a group of bound people roughly to the ground. The ck cloth covering their eyes was torn off, and they were horrified to see the man beaten half to death, screaming and crying.


    Jesse, annoyed by the noise, dug at his ear. "Shut them up."


    Immediately, someone stepped forward and stuffed foul-smelling rags into their mouths.


    The two older ones were the man''s parents, and the younger ones were his children.


    "Come at me if you have a problem. Why drag my family into this? You think karma''s gonna let you get away with that?" the man mumbled through blood, roaring in anger.


    Jesse''s eyes turned cold. "Shut up. You know what I want. How much they suffer depends on you."


    As Jesse finished speaking, four or five men with iron rods surrounded them and began beating them mercilessly. The iron rods hit flesh with every blow.


    The gagged people could only whimper, their faces full of terror and tears, looking desperately at the man for help. The screams echoed through the air. "Stop!"


    "Bastards, stop!"


    "Please, don''t hit them. They''ll die," the man shouted.


    The damp air mixed with the pungent smell of blood filled the entire steel mill. Jesse, with a cigarette in his mouth, looked impatient, seemingly annoyed by the cries.


    The pleas gradually weakened, and one person, unable to withstand the beating, had already passed out. It was unclear if he was dead.


    The man on the ground showed a look of despair, lowering his head in resignation. "I''ll talk. It was Derek. He ordered it."


    Jesse lit a cigarette, stood up, and looked at him coldly. Stepping over the bloodied man, he waved his hand and left with all his men.

 Chapter 65

    The temperature on winter nights quietly dropped.


    The cold wind slipped through the cracks in the stairwell, making Katniss shiver.


    Katniss quickly ran up to the second floor. The lights were off. She fumbled for her keys in her pocket while exhaling a breath.


    The voice-activated light on the stairs flicked on.


    Katniss stopped in her tracks, her eyes locking onto Desmond, who was waiting at her door.


    Katniss frowned, her face turning cold as she walked up.


    "What are you doing here?" Katniss''s face was fair and delicate like porcin due to the cold weather, shedding the dullness and vulgarity she had at the Manners Vi. She was still young, her face tender, but you could imagine how stunning she''d be in a year when she fully matured.


    Desmond held a cigarette between his fingers, the gray smoke rising and blurring his unreadable face.


    "Katniss, stay away from my brother." Desmond took a deep drag of his cigarette, feeling a bit regretful about his earlier thoughts.


    What was he even thinking?


    Even if Katniss grew to be more beautiful than ra, so what? A person''s kind nature is far more important.


    To him, Katniss was a gold-digger with a heart of ice, while ra was a diamond in the rough, with genuine kindness.


    Hearing Desmond''s words, Katniss ignored him.


    She opened the door with her key and was about to close it when Desmond forcefully blocked it with his hand and wedged half his body inside.


    Desmond''s eyes were sharp as he said coldly, "Katniss, did you hear what I said?"


    Katniss was getting annoyed. Was Desmond out of his mind?


    She had already stopped approaching him and ra, but now Desmond came overte at night to warn her. He must be really bored.


    "Desmond, if you''re sick, go see a doctor. Who I''m with has nothing to do with you." Katniss stared at Desmond.


    "Katniss, are you an idiot? That''s my brother. Do you think it has nothing to do with me?" Desmond''s expression was irritable as he kicked the door Katniss was holding. The force was so strong that the old door shook weakly.


    From her past life to now, Katniss never quite understood theplex rtionship between Maximilian and the Boleyn family.


    In her previous life, after Maximilian died, the Boleyn family members were not sad at all, instead, they were visibly excited.


    She felt that the entire Boleyn family had been anticipating Maximilian''s death.


    Once, at Maximilian''s funeral, she overheard rtives from Desmond''s mother''s side saying that with Maximilian dead, and Desmond around, they would be rich.


    At the time, she naively thought it was a struggle for inheritance, so it was normal for Desmond''s rtives to dislike Maximilian.


    In her previous life, her heart was full of Desmond, so she naturally sided with the one she loved.


    But thinking back now, Maximilian was too outstanding. Even though his illness, Desmond could never match up to him.


    Only with Maximilian''s death could Desmond rise to power.


    Thinking of this, Katniss felt a chill down her spine, and the cold wind blowing through the building felt even more piercing. "Don''t you find your concern for himughable?" she sneered.


    "What do you mean?" Desmond asked.


    Katniss let go of the door, giving up her resistance, and said calmly, "Maximilian is gravely ill. The ones who most wish for his death are the Boleyns."


    The Boleyn family and the Hamilton family, thoughrge, had only two legitimate heirs: Maximilian and Desmond, who was once an illegitimate child butter recognized.


    Desmond grabbed her by the neck, gritting his teeth. "My brother''s illness has been there since birth. If you don''t know, don''t talk shit."


    Desmond''s grip was strong, and Katniss''s slender neck felt as fragile as a feather in his hand.


    "His weakness is from birth, but what about his leg?" Katniss struggled to breathe, her face turning red.


    Desmond''s expression changed, and he let go.


    Katniss clutched her neck, defensively stepping back a few steps, ring at Desmond with a mocking look.


    "In any case, stay away from my brother. If you think you can be my sister-inw, you''re dreaming." Desmond''s tone was icy, "If I see you clinging to my brother again, you''re going to pay for this."


    Katniss''s hands dropped, revealing the obvious marks on her neck. She leaned against the wall, trembling, andughed bitterly, "Desmond, what gives you the right to control everything I do? It''s like I''m constantly walking on eggshells around you. What have I done to deserve this?"


    "You shouldn''t covet things that don''t belong to you!" Desmond replied.


    Katniss''s eyes were cold, "What do you mean by things don''t belong to me? My biological parents, my four brothers, and you, my ex-fianc¨¦? Was it my fault that I was switched at birth? Did I choose to leave my family for over a decade? ra is enjoying what should be mine!"


    Switched at birth, she grew up in the countryside. Because she was a girl, her family couldn''t afford to send her to school. After elementary school, her foster parents wanted her to go work with fellow vigers.


    She was a people-pleaser, a yes-man, with no knowledge or education. Was it her fault?


    She had no choice!


    Katniss''s sudden outburst stunned Desmond, "But ra is innocent too."


    That was the difference, Katniss realized.


    They only felt sorry for the pampered ra, worrying about how she would cope with the hardships of the countryside.


    But no one ever thought that she had grown up that way.


    Katniss chuckled softly, rushed to the door, and pushed Desmond out forcefully, mming the door shut with a bang, "Get out! Don''te here again!"


    Desmond staggered but steadied himself, his eyes deep as he stared at the door.


    Being scolded by Katniss left him feeling uneasy.


    But the things Katniss said stirred a strange emotion within him.


    Desmond quickly walked downstairs, got into the driver''s seat, and lit another cigarette but didn''t smoke it.


    Actually, Katniss was the biological daughter of the Manners family. As long as Katniss didn''tpete with ra, she would have everything a Manners family daughter should have.


    Thinking of this, a bizarre thought suddenly popped into Desmond''s mind, ra''s things originally belonged to Katniss.


    The cold wind blew in through the car window, making Desmond shiver, and the thought was quickly suppressed.


    His face showed no hint of a smile as he drove away with a dark expression.


    After hearing the car start, Katniss finally rxed.


    She walked to the bedroom window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and saw the car leaving.


    She also saw her own tear-streaked, miserable reflection in the ss.

 Chapter 66

    Katniss dropped the curtain and flicked on the living room light.


    The living room had taken the worst hit-sofa, chairs, tables, all trashed, and the walls were sttered with red paint.


    The renovation crew had repainted the walls white, covering up the ugly red mess. Now, all she had to do was get new furniture.


    Sure, she could buy new stuff, but it wouldn''t be the same as what Aurora had.


    The house felt empty, all the familiar things were gone. Katniss felt a weird sense of unfamiliarity.


    She took a quick look around and then left.


    She went out and bought a bunch of white lilies.


    Katniss hopped on the bus to the cemetery on the outskirts of town. Aurora was buried in the northern cemetery, thanks to Oliver. It was pretty fancy, for appearances'' sake.


    It was almost nine now, and the cemetery was deserted, no streetlights, just the cold wind howling.


    Katniss was dressed lightly, feeling like she was in an icebox. Her exposed hands and feet were already turning a bit blue.


    Finally, she got to the cemetery. The caretaker, an old man, shone his shlight in her face. "The gates are closed now. If you want to pay your respects,e back tomorrow morning."


    Katniss was taken aback, "I''m sorry, I didn''t know you couldn''t visit at night."


    Not wanting to cause trouble, she apologized quietly and turned to leave.


    The caretaker saw Katniss, a young girl, standing in the cold wind with thin clothes and holding flowers. She must have had some grievance and no one to talk to, so she came to pay respects to her deceased rtive. How pitiful.


    "Alright, alright,e in. But make it snappy," the caretaker said.


    Katniss thanked him gratefully and, following her memory, found Aurora''s tombstone.


    The ck-and-white photo showed Aurora''s aged face.


    Katniss''s nose tingled, and she ced the flowers in front of the grave.


    Katniss said softly, "Grandma, I''m here to see you. I''m useless. I was bullied so badly in my past life, and I don''t have much ability to fight back in this life either. Maybe even God thinks I''m too ashamed to see you, so He let me die and live again."


    She continued, "But why did you leave so early? After you left, no one loved me. They all liked ra. I''m not doing well, not well at all. Today, Desmond even scolded me, saying I''m vain and greedy, with ambitions too high."


    "You see, you died early, and no one protects me anymore. They even dare to block my door, preventing me from entering my own house, and Simon went even further, smashing your things! But I didn''t let him get away with it. I had him locked up in the police station for a week, and Oliver couldn''t bail him out." Katniss rambled on, saying a lot.


    Katniss sniffled, stood up, patted the dust off her knees, and turned to leave.


    Just as she left the cemetery, her phone suddenly rang.


    Katniss took out her phone and saw it was Wesley.


    "Katniss, it''s almost ten o''clock. Why aren''t you back yet? Did something happen?" Wesley''s anxious voice came through.


    Katniss''s throat was a bit hoarse from talking so much, "I went back to my grandma''s house. The renovation workers called me to say everything was fixed, so I went to check it out."


    "I forgot to tell you. It''s my fault for making you worry," she added.


    Hearing that Katniss was okay, Wesley was relieved and told her toe back soon.


    By the time Katniss returned to Wesley''s house, it was veryte.


    Katniss tiptoed in, trying not to make any noise and wake anyone up.


    As soon as she stepped into the dark room, the light flicked on. Katniss turned around, surprised, to see Micah standing there with a stern look on his face. "Where did you go?" Micah asked.


    Katniss blinked, "Didn''t Wesley tell you? I went back to my grandma''s house."


    Micah''s eyes narrowed, coldly staring at her, "Tell me the truth, where did you really go?"


    Even if she went to Aurora''s house, it''s sote now. The house isn''t that big; she should have been back long ago.


    "I went to the cemetery to see my grandma." Micah was smart, and Katniss knew she couldn''t hide it, so she confessed.


    Micah frowned slightly. "Why did you suddenly go to the cemetery?"


    Katniss bit her lip and lowered her head, not knowing what to say.


    Only the Hamilton family knew about her treating Maximilian and believed her.


    If she told Micah, would he believe her?


    With the little medical knowledge she learned from Aurora, she dared to treat Maximilian.


    "Forget it, go wash up and rest early. Don''t let Wesley worry again." Micah nced at her and said lightly.


    Then he turned and went back to his room.


    Micah didn''t press further, and Katniss breathed a sigh of relief.


    The next morning at breakfast, Katniss took out an envelope she had prepared the night before and handed it to Wesley.


    Wesley was startled, and when he saw it was money, his face immediately darkened, "What are you doing?"


    As he spoke, Wesley threw the envelope on the table.


    Katniss smiled and tried to soothe him, "Wesley, it''s the first time I''ve earned money. I want to repay your kindness. Do you think it''s too little?"


    Anna, on the other hand, perked up at the mention of money, her eyes glued to the envelope.


    Wesley''s expression softened a bit. He was happy Katniss was a grateful kid, but there were other ways to repay him.


    Wesley could guess Katniss''s intention. Katniss was thoughtful and gave money to appease Anna.


    But Wesley couldn''t bring himself to do it.


    Seeing Wesley not taking it, Anna reached out, smiling so much her face wrinkled, "Come on, it''s a gift from Katniss! Don''t be embarrassed, just take it. I''ll hold it for you if you want." Then she eagerly opened the envelope, finding several hundred-dor bills.


    Now, even Anna found Katniss more pleasing to the eye.


    Katniss took the opportunity to say, "By the way, there''s something else I need to tell you. My grandma''s house is renovated, and I''ll move back this week. It''s been a hassle staying here." "That''s too sudden. Can''t you wait a few more days? I''ll help you move and check out your ce. Be careful those renovation workers didn''t do a shoddy job." Wesley was worried. He was worried that once Katniss moved back, the Manners family would bully her again.


    Micah said, "If they trick her, it''s because she''s dumb. You can''t take care of her forever. You''re not strong enough to help move; let me do it."


    Wesley was so angry he raised his hand and hit Micah, making him yelp.


    Katniss watched this scene, feeling warm inside and smiling.


    The next second, her phone vibrated. Katniss looked at the caller ID, it was Lucas.


    After thinking for a few seconds, Katniss picked up the phone and went back to her room to answer.


    "Katniss, it''s Mom''s birthday this week. You can throw a tantrum all you want, but remember toe back that day!" Lucas said.

 Chapter 67

    On the weekend, Katniss moved back to Aurora''s ce.


    She didn''t have much stuff when she first came to Welsey''s home just one box. Now, she had a few more things, thanks to Wesley and Daphne.


    Micah, despite his sharp tongue andck of kindness towards Katniss, still did what needed to be done. He even helped carry her suitcase upstairs.


    "If you''re moving back, then be tough. Don''te crying to us if you get bullied again," Micah shot Katniss a re, grabbed his suit, and walked off without another word. Katniss chased after him and called out at the stairway, "I got it, Micah."


    Life went back to normal. After passing the transfer exam, Katniss got her books and schedule. She''d officially start sses this week.


    On her first day at medical school, Katniss looked at the grand, unfamiliar building and finally felt like she had escaped her tragic past. She wouldn''t let herself make the same mistakes again. After finding her ssroom, Katniss picked a seat by the wall, where she could see the yellowing ginkgo leaves outside. When the wind blew, they fell gently.


    But once she sat down, she noticed a lot of people staring at her.


    It seemed like she shouldn''t be sitting there.


    "Who''s that? Never seen her before," someone asked.


    "Is she another fangirl trying to get Cecil Marshall''s attention?" another said.


    "Just wait, when Cecil gets here, she''ll be in for it," someone sneered.


    Hearing the murmurs, Katniss didn''t care. She opened her book to start previewing. Passing the exam was just the beginning; the real challenge was ahead. There was still a lot she didn''t know, and she needed to work even harder.


    As ss time approached, more people filled the room.


    Suddenly, the back door swung open, and a group of tall boys walked in. The one in the middle had an arrogant, unapproachable look, with cold, ssy eyes. They walked to their usual spot, only to find someone already sitting in Cecil''s seat.


    Cecil paused, his eyes showing impatience and irritation.


    Byron Reyes and Daryl Fields, Cecil''s close friends, exchanged mischievous smiles and whispered, "From the back, this girl looks pretty good."


    From their angle, the girl had long hair draped over her shoulders, a delicate side profile, long, curled eyshes like butterfly wings, and a slender neck that exuded an alluring charm. Her innocence was a captivating disguise for a seductive allure.


    Daryl said, "She doesn''t seem to be from our school. If she was, all the other girls would be scrambling for second ce."


    The most beautiful woman in the medical school was Byron''s crush, Ashley Cross. He immediately protested, "What are you talking about! Ashley is always the most beautiful in the medical school. If it weren''t for ra having so many supporters, Ashley would be the most beautiful in the whole school."


    As the two were discussing, Cecil walked up to Katniss with a cold face and mmed his book on the desk with a loud bang. Katniss was startled and looked up at him.


    "Get out," he shouted.


    The guy was handsome, with sharp features. Dressed in ck with a skull ne, he looked more like a rebel than a med student. Maybe someone else would have been scared and left crying immediately.


    But Cecil''s tone was nothing new to Katniss. In the past, whenever ra had any issues, the Manners family would me her.


    Katniss looked up at Cecil, her face expressionless. "Are you in elementary school? If you want this seat,e earlier next time." With that, she lowered her head and kept reading.


    The ssroom buzzed with whispers because of Katniss''s words.


    "Who is she? She''s so bold, daring to talk back to Cecil!" someone asked.


    "Oh, I remember now. I heardst week that someone transferred from another department. Could it be her?" another replied.


    Cecil''s face darkened, ring at Katniss. "Don''t think you can get my attention this way. Next time, I''ll throw you out."


    Cecil sat down next to Katniss with a cold face.


    Katniss, with the mentality of someone much older, sighed helplessly at such words.


    She continued reading, marking key points with a pencil, and said, "Do you need me to diagnose you? I''m pretty good at it. I think you need to see a neurologist." Cecil was stunned.


    Byron and Daryl, sitting behind them, burst intoughter.


    This girl was strong!


    Daryl,ughing uncontrobly, poked Katniss''s arm and said with a grin, "I need a diagnosis. Can you check me out?"


    Byron turned his head in shock, mouthing, "You''re shameless."


    Katniss twirled her pencil with her slender fingers, nced at him, and actually turned halfway, rolling up her sleeve to reveal a small part of her arm. She ced her hand on Daryl''s wrist.


    After a moment of contemtion, Katniss said, "You are weak. Your mom probably took the wrong medication when she was pregnant with you. Exercise more, or you''ll have trouble with fertility."


    Hearing that Daryl might have fertility issues, Byron couldn''t help butugh, realizing Katniss was just messing with them.


    Daryl had never shown any signs of poor health or medication issues.


    Daryl, however, stared at Katniss in disbelief, then quickly withdrew his hand. "Nonsense, I''m perfectly healthy." Katniss also withdrew her hand and calmly turned back. "Suit yourself."


    He was a patient and a medical student himself, if he still avoided treatment, it was beyond her concern.


    Cecil, who had been pretending to nap on the desk, opened his eyes, nced at her, and then closed them again. Katniss was busy in medical school, with not only theoretical knowledge but also manyb ssester on.


    At noon, ss finally ended, and Katniss packed her things to leave.


    She hadn''t spoken a word to Cecil during the ss.


    Just as Katniss reached the door, Juniper suddenly appeared and hugged her. "Katniss!"


    "Juniper, what are you doing here?" Katniss was pleasantly surprised, showing a bright smile.


    "You just transferred, so I came to check on you and see the legendary most handsome student in the medical school, Cecil! Is he really that handsome?" Juniper stood on tiptoe, craning her neck to look into the ssroom. Katniss chuckled. "You might be disappointed. He''s probably got some mental issues."

 Chapter 68

    Cecil held the book, listening to Katniss talk. He had a smile on his face, but his eyes were ice-cold.


    Daryl and the gang knew Cecil well enough to see that Katniss might be in for some trouble.


    "Cecil, looks like your charm''s wearing off. Katniss hasn''t even nced your way all morning!" Byron teased with a smirk.


    He and Daryl had assumed the new girl, Katniss, was just another one of Cecil''s admirers.


    They''d heard that Laura wanted to switch to the medical school just to be near Cecil, but her grades weren''t good enough to make the cut.


    Cecil''s face darkened, sending out a clear warning, "You''re talking too much!"


    With that, Cecil strode forward, and Byron and Daryl quickly followed.


    In the cafeteria.


    "My dad found out I''m going abroad as an exchange student and said he''s proud of me. If I hadn''t stopped him, he would''ve thrown a three-day party," Juniperined, looking glum. Katnissughed and asked, "Have you set the date for going abroad?"


    Juniper looked reluctant. "Yeah, it''s set for December. But I don''t want to leave you guys. I''m scared to go abroad alone, where everything''s unfamiliar."


    "You don''t want to go? There are plenty of people waiting for your spot," Katniss teased.


    "No way, I''m just kidding. If I don''t go, my dad will have someone drag me there!"


    Seeing Juniper shake her head vigorously, Katniss chuckled and then reminded her of the things she needed to prepare.


    Halfway through, Juniper suddenly poked Katniss''s arm, signaling her to look to the right.


    Following her direction, Katniss''s eyes widened as she saw Laura.


    Laura had changed a lot since theyst saw her. She looked gloomy and scary, with no one daring to approach her.


    She was a far cry from the previously arrogant and well-groomed Laura.


    Katniss asked, "What happened to her?"


    Juniper replied, "Ever since Laura''s family had trouble, her former friends abandoned her and started badmouthing her, revealing all the bad things she had done."


    Laura''s family used to be wealthy, and some people followed her for money. Now that Jackson had fallen, and it was all over the news for days, everyone knew Laura''s family was bankrupt and owed a lot of money. Their house was even seized. No one knew where she''s living now.


    Katniss looked away from Laura. Everyone has their own path, and this was Laura''s burden to bear.


    "Hey, Laura is looking at you," Juniper said, finding Laura''s gaze a bit scary. "She is looking at you like you''re her enemy. She''s been acting strangetely. When I''m not around, you should avoid her."


    Hearing this, Katniss looked up but only saw Laura''s back.


    Katniss furrowed her brows and obediently agreed with Juniper.


    In truth, she had nothing to fear. Jackson was arrested for his own crimes, and no matter how much Laura hated, it couldn''t be directed at her.


    After lunch, Juniper went back to the dorm, and Katniss nned to go to the library, so they parted ways at the cafeteria.


    As a result, Katniss didn''t see Laura staring at her as she left.


    After finishing her meal, Laura silently got up and walked to the sink, vigorously scrubbing her greasy, sour-smelling lunchbox.


    The water from the faucet sshed onto her clothes, soaking them, but Laura seemed oblivious, focusing only on scrubbing the lunchbox, her fingers turning white from the pressure.


    In the next moment, she turned off the faucet..


    "Laura, I heard about your family''s situation. Are you okay?" ra asked, looking genuinely worried.


    ra was dressed in a white knit dress with an elegant coat, looking like a noble princess. In contrast, no matter how clean Laura''s clothes were, they still looked cheap.


    Embarrassed by ra''s sudden appearance, Laura took a few steps back, hiding her worn lunchbox behind her. "Are you here tough at me too?"


    ra''s eyes widened in surprise, and she gently refuted, "Laura, how could you think that? I''m worried about you. My brother Nathan was sick recently, and I was taking care of him. As soon as I heard about you, I came to find you." The concern on ra''s face was genuine, and her eyes were sincere.


    After being abandoned by everyone, the first person to show her concern made Laura burst into tears. "ra, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have misunderstood you."


    Laura had experienced too much of the world''s coldness recently.


    After her father went to prison, thepany went bankrupt, and their vi was seized and auctioned off. She couldn''t take anything with her.


    The uncles and aunts who used to be kind to her now mocked her.


    Even her uncle suggested to her sick mother that given their situation, she should stop studying since her family couldn''t afford it. Instead, she should get married while she could still fetch a good price.


    The candidates he suggested were all in their forties or fifties, with one even older than her father!


    How could they be so disgusting? After her father went to prison, they shamelessly wanted to defile her.


    Laura felt like she couldn''t hold on any longer.


    ra endured the sour smelling from Laura and hugged her, softlyforting, "Laura, it''s okay. No matter what happens, we''re still friends. And..."


    ra let go of Laura, hesitating, "And I heard that your father''s situation was due to an anonymous tip-off. I don''t know if your father or you offended someone, but they seem to be out to get you." She continued, "Laura, if you ever need help, just let me know. I''ll do whatever I can."


    Laura''s heart trembled at the mention of an anonymous tip-off. Who did she offend? Could it be her?


    In a daze, Laura didn''t hear the rest of what ra said.


    In the library.


    Katniss had been reading for hours, and her eyes were starting to hurt. With sses in the afternoon, she closed her book and put it in her backpack.


    She went to the library''s restroom and washed her face to wake up.


    Just as she was about to leave, Katniss suddenly felt a ckness before her eyes as someone covered her head with a ck backpack.


    Immediately, someone with a powerful force kicked her in the back, causing her to fall forward and m heavily into the tiled sink, a sharp pain shooting through her forehead.


    Next, the assant seemed to grab a mop and started hitting her on her body, head, and arms, each blow harder than thest.


    The wounds that had just healed from her previous hospital stay reopened, and blood stained the floor.


    It seemed like the attacker had a deep-seated grudge, intent on beating her to death.


    Katniss curled up, nearly passing out from the pain, unable to utter a single word.

 Chapter 69

    Katniss, driven by sheer survival instinct, whipped out her phone and dialed a number from her contacts.


    Desmond was the first name on her speed dial.


    The phone buzzed, and Desmond paused, seeing Katniss''s name sh on the screen.


    Just as he was about to pick up, Lucas turned around and asked why he wasgging behind.


    "Katniss is calling," Desmond said, showing Lucas the screen.


    Lucas squinted at the name, "So, she''s finally caving in and calling for mercy? Wasn''t she all tough, wanting to ditch the Manners family, and now she''s back to bugging you?" Desmond might''ve agreed with Lucas before.


    But after theirst rough conversation, Desmond wasn''t so sure.


    Lucas, though, snatched Desmond''s phone, hung up, and turned it off.


    "If she wants to beg, she better show some real effort. Don''t go soft on her!" Lucas patted Desmond''s shoulder, "Come on, today''s deal is crucial. You''ve put in so much work, don''t let it go to waste."


    Lucas added, "Seal this deal, and your grandpa will see you differently. You''ll have a say in your marriage with ra."


    Desmond hesitated for a moment, but hearing ra''s name, his expression softened, and he pocketed the phone.


    Lucas was right. For his future with ra, he had to nail this deal.


    Katniss''s call could wait.


    Leveraging Maximilian''s brotherly bond and Lucas''swork, Desmond''s preparations paid off, and he closed the deal.


    Excited to share the news with ra, Desmond drove to her school to wait for her after ss.


    After school, ra quickly found his car, thanks to Desmond''s text.


    ra loved wearing white, symbolizing purity and cleanliness, like an angel. She ran towards Desmond, "Desmond! I''m here, did you wait long?"


    ra hopped into the passenger seat, looking at him shyly.


    Desmond, ever the gentleman, helped her with the seatbelt and then pulled out a dessert bag from the back seat, filled with her favorite treats, "Slow down, what if you fall? You''re already not in the best health, be more careful." ra nodded obediently. "I know, you''re such a worrywart."


    She took the dessert bag, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her favorite little cakes.


    "It''s my favorite vor," ra beamed.


    "I never forget what you like!" Desmond nced at the time and casually asked, "Did Katniss call you today?"


    While waiting for ra, he had tried calling Katniss back, but no one answered.


    ra took a bite of the cake and shook her head, "No, you know Katniss doesn''t like me much. I try to steer clear of her at school to avoid any drama." Desmond''s eyes darkened with displeasure. "You shouldn''t have to tiptoe around her."


    "I''ve been given so much. I just want everyone to be happy and not fight because of me." ra lowered her head sadly, looking like she med herself. Desmond''s heart ached, and he held ra''s small hand. "ra, that''s on her, not you. Let''s not talk about her. Do you know why I''m so happy today?" "Why?"


    "With Lucas''s help, I locked down a big contract. This means I can join thepany and talk to my grandpa about our marriage," Desmond grinned.


    ra was stunned for a moment, then threw herself into Desmond''s arms, whispering, "Desmond, there''s no rush. I''ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. We will be together."


    ra nestled close, her scent filling his senses with just a slight tilt of his head.


    Unlike Katniss, who wore old, faded clothes and smelled like the cheapestundry detergent.


    ra''s delicate arms wrapped around him, her eyes shyly meeting Desmond''s, her heartbeat quickening.


    The girl he had liked for so long was in his arms. Desmond''s Adam''s apple bobbed, his eyes falling on her luscious lips, and he leaned in to kiss her.


    Their lips met, and his breathing grew heavier.


    The car''s narrow space suddenly felt even more confined.


    ra panted softly, then boldly wrapped her arms around Desmond''s neck, "I like you. I''ll only be yours."


    Desmond''s heart raced, his strong arms tightening around ra.


    Meanwhile, in the ssroom, Juniper looked around, noticing everyone had left, but there was no sign of Katniss. Unable to hold back, she asked someone if they had seen Katniss, only to be told she hadn''te to ss at all. Juniper''s face changed. Katniss didn''t attend ss?


    And she wasn''t answering her phone. Could something have happened to her?


    Juniper thought it over, remembering Katniss was treating someone named Maximilian. Could she be there? After searching for a while, she found the number Katniss had given her and called it. After a few rings, an elderly voice answered.


    "Hello, this is Katniss''s ssmate, Juniper Davis. I wanted to ask if Katniss is with you?"


    Juniper''s anxious voice came through the phone, and Felix paused, sensing something was wrong, "Ms. Davis, Katniss is not here. Has something happened to her?" Hearing Katniss wasn''t there either, Juniper started crying, saying Katniss had been missing since the afternoon.


    Felix quicklyforted Juniper, asked a few more questions, and then hung up.


    Juniper realized she didn''t have the Manners family''s contact info. Even if she told them, they wouldn''t care, so she immediately called the police. Maximilian watched Felix quietly.


    "Katniss''s ssmate called, saying Katniss is missing," Felix said.


    Maximilian narrowed his eyes, making a call while wheeling himself out the door, "Hello, this is Maximilian. I have a situation that needs..."


    As the door opened, the cold wind rushed in. Felix quickly grabbed a nket from the sofa and followed him out.


    After the police were notified, they informed the Manners family.


    Juniper, worried, stayed at the police station, her eyes swollen from crying.


    The first to arrive was Katniss''s brother, Lucas.


    Not long after, Lucas entered the police station, his expression dark. Katniss had called Desmond in the afternoon, they ignored it, and now she was ying the missing game. It was clearly a calcted provocation.


    Lucas, looking extremely displeased, dialed Katniss''s number several times, but it was off.


    Losing patience, he sent a text: [Katniss, don''t go too far!]

 Chapter 70

    [Katniss, turn on your phone! Don''t make me mad!]


    [Do you have to make everyone uneasy before you''re happy?]


    Lucas fired off a bunch of texts, but got nothing back.


    Katniss used to never pull stunts like this. What''s she up to now?


    Lucas red at his phone, his eyes narrowing with each unanswered message.


    Meanwhile, Juniper was talking to the cops. She was the one who called them and thest person to see Katniss.


    Tears streaming down her face, Juniper said, "I split up with Katniss around noon. I went back to the dorm to rest, and she said she was heading to the library to study before her afternoon sses. I waited for her after school, but she never showed. Everyone else had left, and her ssmates said she didn''t show up for her sses."


    She went on, "I''ve checked everywhere she usually goes, even the library, but none of her stuff was there. I can''t reach her by phone either. Katniss wouldn''t just disappear, right? Please, you have to find her." There had been a string of missing female college students on the newstely.


    Juniper''s mind was racing with all sorts of fears, worried something bad had happened to Katniss.


    Katniss was so beautiful, it was possible someone had targeted her.


    After the cops finished questioning her, Juniper walked over to Lucas, still sobbing, "Lucas, any news about Katniss?"


    "Maybe she''s just out having fun and hiding to avoid being chewd out. You should go home; you don''t want your parents to worry." Lucas tried tofort Juniper, not really taking Katniss''s disappearance seriously. This wasn''t the first time Katniss had pulled something like this.


    Last time, when ra got hurt, Katniss had a hand in it. Scared of taking the me, she made the injury seem worse.


    This time, it was just a ploy to get back to the Manners family. She was using this as an excuse.


    Juniper looked at Lucas in shock, her anger rising, "If ra were missing instead of Katniss, would you still be this calm?"


    "ra wouldn''t do something so irresponsible." Lucas frowned, annoyed by Juniper''s words.


    "So, in your eyes, Katniss is just being irresponsible?" Juniper shot back.


    Lucas''s face darkened, "Juniper, this is a family matter. We don''t need outsiders telling us what to do. I''ll have someone take you home."


    Juniper was furious. No wonder Katniss wanted to move out. In such a biased family, her heart must have been shattered.


    She sneered, "No need. I have a car. My parents care about me and would never be as cold and biased as you. I feel sorry for Katniss for having a brother like you! You don''t deserve to be her brother." People like him didn''t deserve Katniss''s kindness.


    Lucas was picky about food, and Katniss spent ages learning recipes just to make sure he ate well.


    Her genuine efforts werepletely wasted.


    It hurt so much, a piercing pain that kepting in waves.


    Then, Katniss heard faint voices nearby.


    "Good thing she got here early. With this cold weather, she was left with some nasty injuries, soaked with water, and locked in a bathroom overnight. If she hadn''t been brought to the hospital, who knows what would''ve happened. The injuries are all in critical areas. She managed to protect her head, but her arm''s in bad shape. I heard she''s studying medicine?" the doctor said.


    "Yeah." Felix nodded.


    "I rmend a thorough check-up on her arm once she recovers. Medical students can''t afford to mess up their hands. Also, keep her diet light and not spicy."


    "Got it, thanks, doc."


    After the doctor left, Felix turned to Maximilian, "Sir, the doctor''s done examining Katniss."


    Maximilian said, "Bring Emilio ir in."


    The door opened, and a guy in a ck hoodie walked in, wearing a mask that only showed a pair of sharp, captivating eyes. He looked lean and tall, with a wild, untamed vibe.


    "Mr. Hamilton." The dim light cast shadows on his chiseled face, giving him a cold, eerie look.


    Maximilian slightly turned, "Find out who did this. I want answers within a day, no matter who it is."


    Emilio lowered his eyes, "Understood."


    With that, he left like he was never there.


    Katniss didn''t have any enemies who''d want her dead, but he had plenty.


    This mess might''ve been because of him.


    Maximilian turned back, his hawk-like eyes fixed on the unconscious Katniss. His already cold face now looked like it was carved from ice.


    Katniss slightly opened her eyes, feeling disoriented. How could she see Maximilian and hear his voice?


    But she didn''t stay conscious for long and soon drifted back to sleep.


    She felt cold and in pain, like being pricked by needles. Every movement felt like a knife stabbing into her, causing excruciating pain.


    "Felix, take care of her," Maximilian said.


    Felix opened his mouth, nced at the door, but said nothing and agreed.


    Maximilian silently wheeled himself out of the room.


    "Maximilian." As soon as Maximilian came out, Desmond''s face changed, a look of fear spreading from his eyes. He stood up nervously, not daring to look at him. Maximilian, sitting in his wheelchair, exuded a calmness that came from having seen it all, rather than the vigor of youth.


    Desmond waited for a few seconds but didn''t hear Maximilian speak. His face turned even paler, and his body tensed up.


    Maximilian''s expression didn''t change. "Don''t you have anything to say?"


    Taking advantage of the night, Desmond raised his head, his heart pounding, and spoke with a tight voice, "Maximilian..."


    "Katniss''sst call was to you. Why didn''t you answer?" Maximilian''s tone was calm, not seeming angry, but it made Desmond inexplicably fearful.


    Desmond took a deep breath, his feet feeling frozen, "I was in a business meeting at the time. I didn''t know it was a distress call. If I had known, I would''ve answered."


    He didn''t expect things to escte to this point. He thought, like Lucas said, it was just one of Katniss''s tricks.


    He had just heard the doctor''s words. Katniss''s injuries were severe, with multiple fractures.


    When Katniss was found, there was a pool of blood under her, her body was nearly frozen, her breathing was weak. A littleter, and she wouldn''t have made it.


    She would''ve either bled to death or frozen to death.


    Maximilian rubbed the cold armrest of his wheelchair, "Since you find Katniss so unbearable, I''ll grant your wish. The engagement with Katniss is off. I''ll talk to Grandpa and arrange for ra to be your fianc¨¦e instead. I hope you won''t regret


    it."

 Chapter 71

    Despite the removal of obstacles to his marriage with ra, Desmond found himself inexplicably uneasy, his joy not as boundless as he had expected. With a heavy heart, Desmond forced a smile. "Thanks, Maximilian."


    But Maximilian''s words only made his doubts grow. Was he stepping in for him or for Katniss? "Stay here until Katniss wakes up and apologize to her," Maximilian said, his voice low but firm. "Maximilian!" Desmond''s fingers clenched. He didn''t want to, but he was scared to argue, too.


    Sure, he missed the call, but he wasn''t the one who hurt Katniss. So why should he apologize?


    Maximilian''s sharp eyes bore into him. "You still think you''re meless? It''s fine to cherish ra, but what has Katniss done wrong? You couldn''t stand up for yourself, so you took it out on a girl. Is this what the Boleyn family taught you?" Maximilian went on, "Your engagement is still on, yet you''re messing around with your fianc¨¦e''s sister. Do you have any idea how scandalous this looks for the Boleyn family?"


    "I''ll ask you again, where were you tonight?" Maximilian''s gaze was intense.


    Desmond''s heart skipped a beat. If Maximilian found out he was with ra, it would only make things worse for her.


    Grinding his teeth, Desmond felt a wave of frustration. "I''ll apologize to Katniss."


    Katniss was badly hurt and didn''t wake up until two dayster.


    Around five in the afternoon, the sunset poured through the hospital window, lighting up the room.


    Katniss slowly opened her eyes, her fingers twitching. It felt like her insides had been rearranged, causing sharp, intense pain.


    It reminded her of when she had cancer in her past life.


    By the time she was diagnosed, it was alreadyte-stage. Her whole family, including herself, had given up on treatment. Dn, being a doctor, only gave her meds to ease the pain.


    She endured night after night of agony, foolishly worrying about her family''s concern.


    No one really loved her; they were just waiting for her to die so they could use her organs for ra.


    The anesthesia had worn off, and Katniss''s face was as pale as a ghost from the pain.


    Blinking her longshes, she took a slow breath and let out the difort.


    "Ms. Manners, you''re awake?" The nurse noticed Katniss stirring and rushed out to get the doctor.


    Soon, the doctor came in to check on her and told the Manners family, who had hurried over, "Be careful in the next few days. Make sure she gets enough nutrition and take good care of her. Protect her hands and avoid any injuries during recovery."


    A surgeon''s hands were everything. If the nerves got damaged, it could end a career.


    Elodie nodded over and over. "Got it."


    The doctor gave some basic instructions and left with the intern assistant.


    After the doctor left, Elodie sat down, her eyes red, carefully looking at Katniss in the hospital bed. Her face was still bruised, the marks standing out against her pale skin.


    Katniss hadn''t eaten in days, surviving on IV fluids, and she had lost a lot of weight, her cheeks slightly hollow.


    "I''ve already told your dad and brothers you''re awake. They''ll be here soon," Elodie said, reaching out to hold Katniss''s hand but stopping herself. "Why are you so stubborn? Just admit you were wrong ande home. Wouldn''t it be nice for everyone to be happy?"


    "Look at you, you''ve only been out for a bit and ended up like this," Elodie sighed.


    Katniss''s hand, clutching the nket, stiffened. She opened her eyes and looked calmly at Elodie. "Only you all will be happy, not me. You are the real family."


    She should never have been brought back, intruding into a family that never epted her.


    Elodie was hurt by her words, her emotions surging. "You are also my daughter, the one I gave birth to. Katniss, I want to care for you too, but you''re so full of thorns. I''m exhausted. Can''t you be a little more obedient?"


    Yeah, they were family. Every time Katniss was hurt, sheforted herself, reminding herself that she was Elodie''s biological daughter.


    She and her four brothers were connected by blood.


    But in the end, it was they who repeatedly disappointed her, leading her to despair.


    Katniss was too tired. She let out a lightugh, her gaze mocking as she looked at Elodie. "If that''s the case, then we''re better off going our separate ways. You can''t be fair, and I''m not gonna put up with this favoritism crap anymore." Elodie was stunned, anger rising within her. "You still have injuries. We''ll talk about thister."


    They fell into silence.


    Soon, as Elodie had said, the Manners family members arrived at the hospital one after another.


    Dn had surgery and couldn''te, and Nathan was still at school.


    The others all came, making the room feel cramped.


    Elodie told everyone the doctor''s diagnosis, and knowing that Katniss just needed to recuperate, they all breathed a sigh of relief.


    Seeing Katniss, Oliver''s heart softened a bit. He turned to Lucas and asked, "How''s it going? Did you catch the culprit?" Katniss didn''t move but slowly opened her eyes.


    In her previous life, she hadn''t encountered this situation. Some things had changed because of her rebirth.


    The news that Laura was the culprit surprised her, but it made a strange kind of sense. Yet, she couldn''t understand. While they didn''t get along, she never wished her dead."


    Laura''s sudden hatred seemed inexplicable.


    Oliver, hearing that the culprit had been caught and was a former ssmate of Katniss, was furious. "Laura''s a psycho. We must not let her off. She needs to be properly educated in prison for a few years." Simon had been at the police station for a solid week and felt a sense of schadenfreude seeing Katniss beaten like this. "Why would Laura target Katniss specifically? Katniss must have done something to provoke her." Lucas''s face was also grim. Based on what Juniper had said that day, he knew Katniss had spoken ill of them.


    Lucas''s lips tightened, his voiceced with icy disapproval. "You caused quite a scene out there, embarrassing us all. Are you satisfied now?"


    To repeatedly cause trouble and end up at the police station, Katniss was truly the first.


    Several business friends had asked him about it, and he was too embarrassed to exin.


    "Lucas, don''t talk to Katniss like that. She''s already very upset about being injured," ra gently advised.


    Simon pulled ra aside, ring at her. "You''re still defending Katniss? We''re the ones who have to clean up her mess!"


    ra bit her lip. "Simon, maybe it''s not Katniss''s fault. No matter the conflict, such a heavy hand shouldn''t have been used."


    Oliver had been extremely busytely, and with Katniss''s incident, he was even more frustrated.


    Fortunately, ra had always been well-behaved and didn''t cause any trouble.


    Oliver''s face darkened as he spoke to Katniss, "So, do you now understand what it''s like to be bullied without the protection of the Manners family? Are you still going against us?"

 Chapter 72

    The southern winters were brutal-cold and damp.


    Back then, Katniss used to sleep in a tiny storage room. Every winter, she struggled to get any rest. Her body stayed cold all night, never warming up.


    The next day, her hands and feet would still be freezing.


    She always took care of everyone else, never thinking about herself.


    But now, even though it was just the start of winter and the sunset was still warm, Katniss felt a chill that cut deeper than those bone-chilling nights in the unheated storage room.


    Her pale face grew even colder as she nced around at the people in the room.


    Turns out, even family ties could shatter beyond repair.


    Fighting the pain in her bones, Katniss sat up a bit, her voice raspy from not talking for so long, "Sometimes, I wonder if I''m really part of this family."


    "Since you walked in, it''s been half an hour. You''ve even talked about the offender, but has anyone even asked about my injuries?" Katniss''s eyes trembled slightly. Ignoring their shocked faces, she smirked, "If you''re done talking, get out. I don''t want to see you. If I had a choice, I wouldn''t have been born into the Manners family!"


    Simon suddenly blew up, "Katniss, are you out of your mind? We all came here, isn''t that enough? Do you want us to kneel and treat you like a princess?"


    Lucas looked at Katniss''s calm face, pressing his lips together in frustration.


    Oliver was even more pissed, "I thought after all this, you''d learn something. But no, you''re just as stubborn and even more outrageous. Katniss, you''re getting ridiculous. How dare you!"


    ra looked deeply at Katniss, wondering if she was just biding her time.


    "Katniss, we''ve all been worried about you. Don''t make Mom and Dad any angrier. Let''s all take a step back." ra moved closer, trying to hold Katniss''s hand.


    Katniss frowned, pulling away coldly, "ra, did you forget what I saidst time?"


    Elodie, always sensitive about ra, immediately asked, "ra, what did Katniss say to you? Did she bully you?"


    ra quickly shook her head, "No, Katniss just said she didn''t want to see me. I get it."


    Elodie couldn''t believe Katniss was bullying ra at school. ra was soft-hearted and probably suffered a lot without saying anything.


    Thinking about this, any warmth Elodie felt for Katniss disappeared.


    Elodie spoke in a sad, defeated tone, "Katniss, what do you want? Since you came, we''ve all had trouble. ra has put up with so much. Is your heart made of iron? What do you want to turn this family into to be satisfied?"


    "It''s my fault. I couldn''t be fair, which made you jealous. Take it all out on me, but leave ra alone!" Elodie''s eyes reddened as she hugged ra, looking at Katniss with resentment and disappointment.


    From childhood to adulthood, ra was the perfect kid obedient, smart, and talented. She excelled at everything and was Elodie''s pride and joy, the daughter she had poured her heart into raising.


    But then, one day, someone dropped a bombshell: ra wasn''t her daughter. There had been a mix-up.


    Her real daughter had been raised in the countryside, uneducated and rough around the edges. Elodie''s world fell apart.


    At first, Elodie felt sorry for Katniss, her real daughter who had suffered so much.


    But over time, Elodie couldn''t take it anymore.


    Katniss was always lying, scheming, and ying the victim. She pretended to be good, took credit for ra''s achievements, and tried to win over her brothers.


    Elodie didn''t want a daughter like that-morally corrupt and venomous.


    Simon sneered, "Mom, you''ve been too soft on her. She even got her own brother thrown in jail. What won''t she do next? Before shemits murder or arson, we should cut ties with her!" Lucas frowned, pulling Simon back. "What are you saying!"


    "Am I wrong? Do you know what I went through that week in jail? If she''s heartless, why should I be kind?" Simon red at Katniss.


    Katniss was exhausted, her heart strangely calm.


    Well, it''s finallye to this.


    Katniss felt a long-lost sense of relief, light and free.


    She and her old self had forged separate paths, and that was fine.


    Katniss faintly smiled, "Let''s do it then. From now on, you live your lives, and I have nothing to do with the Manners family. You are no longer my family." Cut ties?


    To traditional-minded people, every word Katniss said was rebellious.


    Oliver was trembling with anger. He just wanted to scare Katniss, but now, not only was she not afraid, she wanted to cut ties.


    "I''m not dead yet!" Oliver shouted.


    Katniss looked up and met Oliver''s fiery eyes. The next second, her wrist was grabbed and forcefully yanked down.


    Just waking up from her injuries, Katniss had no strength to resist and fell off the hospital bed in a mess.


    "Let go! How dare you treat me like this!" Katniss shouted.


    "You think you can get away with this? Katniss, as long as I''m alive, I''m your father, and I''ll make you pay for this!" Oliver roughly pulled Katniss down and threw her hard. He swept everything off the table, the items ttering onto Katniss.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Oliver kicked her hard, "How dare you defy me! I''ll beat you to death! Admit your mistake!"


    "Do you admit your mistake!" Hepletely forgot about Katniss''s injuries, and the others watched coldly, not one of them reaching out.


    As the sound fell, Katniss groaned, her face turning pale, cold sweat dripping from her forehead, feeling as if her internal organs were being crushed.


    Her frail bodyy limp like a tattered rag.


    Katniss gave up struggling, her eyes wide open, numbly watching the furious Oliver beating her.


    Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling inrge drops.


    It hurt!


    It hurt so much!


    After seven o''clock, a nurse came to change the medicine. Pushing open the door, she saw the horrific scene and screamed in fright, "Help! Someone''s being beaten to death!"

 Chapter 73

    The crowd finally snapped out of it. Lucas stepped up to stop Oliver, "Dad, everyone''s watching. This isn''t a good look." Oliver snorted, his anger cooling off a bit.


    "I didn''t raise you right, letting you cause trouble all the time. Keep it up, and I''ll beat you senseless." He straightened his suit, messed up from the scuffle, and stormed out of the ward, still fuming. Soon, the doctor showed up.


    Seeing the chaos, the doctor was livid, "Who do you people think you are? This is a hospital, not a fight club."


    He turned to the nurse, "Call the cops!"


    Elodie quickly let go of ra and shouted, "Don''t call the police. I''m her mother. Family stuff shouldn''t involve the cops."


    If the police got involved, the Manners family''s reputation would be toast.


    The doctor was stunned, "So you let someone hit your daughter? What kind of mother are you?"


    Elodie turned pale, too embarrassed to say anything.


    The doctor, still fuming, told the nurse to clear the room and quickly moved Katniss to the bed for an exam.


    After checking Katniss, the doctor thought for a moment. She''d been brought in by someone from Maximilian''s side, and they seemed pretty concerned. Since she got hurt in the hospital, it was best to inform Maximilian to avoid any trouble. He whispered a few words to the nurse.


    Looking at Katniss, beaten and barely hanging on, the doctor sighed.


    What kind of family would let this happen in a room full of people?


    Katniss was already weak and almost died. Instead of taking care of her, they beat her half to death. Was this her real father?


    The doctor gave the nurse some instructions and left the ward, still angry, "You''re her mother. How many times have I told you Katniss is fragile? If she had been brought in anyter, she wouldn''t have made it. She just woke up from a critical condition, and you didn''t even try to stop it. What kind of grudge do you have? Is this how you parent?"


    Katniss didn''t die in the library restroom, but she might get beaten to death by her own family in the hospital.


    "I''ve told you over and over, her hand can''t be injured again. Now it''s broken. Unbelievable." The doctor got angrier, "If you don''t take care of her, just take her away. Don''t let her die in our hospital!"


    With that, the doctor left, still fuming.


    Simon snorted, ring at the doctor''s back, "He doesn''t know the situation and just mes us. Katniss isn''t dead, is she?"


    He thought Katniss was fine. She still wanted to cut ties as soon as she woke up. How ungrateful.


    Lucas''s eyes shed. Through the ss window, he could only see part of the white bed covers.


    He raised his hand and smacked Simon hard, "Do you want Dad to beat Katniss to death? He''d go to jail."


    Simon winced, rubbing his head where he got hit, full of anger.


    ra lowered her head slightly, hiding a hint of a smile, then softly said, "Mom, don''t be mad. Dad already taught her a lesson. Katniss saying she wants to cut ties isn''t serious. When she gets better, we''ll bring her home." "Just like before, we''ll live happily as a family, right, Lucas and Simon?" ra said sweetly.


    ra looked all innocent, waiting for Lucas and Simon to agree.


    Elodie lowered her head, nced at ra holding her hand, made up her mind, and then squeezed ra''s hand tight, "Katniss is right. With her around, our family will never be at peace. Cutting ties is the best thing." ra gasped, "Mom, Dad won''t go for it."


    "I''ll handle your dad." Elodie looked unusually calm.


    This should''ve been done ages ago. Without Katniss, the family could go back to being happy.


    Katniss should''ve been out of the Manners family a long time ago.


    Her daughter was only ra.


    Elodie held ra''s hand tight, her eyes red as she looked at her. "You''re my only daughter."


    ra looked a bit dazed, then obediently nodded and smiled sweetly, "I''ve always been your daughter."


    Lucas suddenly remembered Juniper''s words, "My parents care about me. They''d never be as cold-blooded and biased as you. You don''t deserve to be Katniss''s brother."


    Feeling a bit uneasy, Lucas opened his mouth, but seeing Elodie''s calm expression, he didn''t know what to say.


    As the eldest son, he had the responsibility to keep his siblings in line.


    Even though Katniss shed with the family and caused trouble, it hadn''t reached the point of cutting ties, had it?


    Katniss was still in school. How would she live alone after cutting ties with the Manners family?


    "Lucas, what are you thinking? Do you think Katniss should cut ties with us?" ra, at some point, stood beside him, tilting her head and whispering.


    Lucas put away his cold expression, showing a hint of gentleness, and habitually patted her head, "If things have reached an irreparable point, then so be it."


    He felt it wouldn''te to this though. Maybe everyone was just saying it. Later, if Katniss regretted it, things would just blow over.


    ra nodded and then obediently smiled.


    Suddenly, a group of people appeared in the hospital corridor. Two people were in front, two or three people were behind, protecting a man in a wheelchair in the middle.


    It was Maximilian.


    Maximilian was wearing a ck shirt and ck suit pants, with a ck coat over it. His eyebrows were cold and stern, and his eyes were extremely indifferent and ruthless. This was the first time ra clearly felt the pressure of someone in power, without any restraint, exuding an overwhelming presence.


    It made her unable to breathe.


    ra lowered her head in fear, nervously grabbing Lucas''s arm.


    The Manners family unconsciously made way for him.


    Felix pushed the wheelchair and stopped at the door of Katniss''s ward.


    "Sir, please." Felix nced at the Manners family indifferently, not paying attention to them. Carefully pushing open Katniss''s door, he stood guard at the door. "What are you doing?" Elodie asked nervously, frowning.


    Felix usually smiled kindly, making people think he was easy to talk to. But now, although Felix was smiling, he seemed polite and distant, with an inherent dignity. Felix raised his eyes slightly, "We heard Katniss was in trouble, so Maximilian came to see her."


    Elodie choked, "I get that you''re here for Katniss, but what''s with all this security? You''ve got a whole army out there, like we need Maximilian''s permission to step inside."


    Inside the room, Maximilian silently appeared in front of the bed, pushing his wheelchair.


    The room was very quiet, you could even hear a pin drop.


    Katniss had already woken up during the examination. Hearing the door open, she slightly turned her head. Seeing the corner of the wheelchair, her long eyshes trembled, "Maximilian, can I ask you a favor?"

 Chapter 74

    Maximilian sat up straight, and from behind, all he could see was Katniss''s thin, frail back peeking out from under the nket.


    He pulled out a cigarette, didn''t light it, just fiddled with it between his fingers. After a moment, he said, "Go ahead."


    Then, he rolled his wheelchair a bit closer, getting right up next to her.


    Katniss''s eyshes fluttered, misty with tears, like a brush sweeping across his heart.


    Her sad look was truly heart-wrenching.


    "Can you marry me?" Katniss''s voice was dry and raspy.


    She knew how crazy it sounded, but she was out of options.


    Her body ached, making her voice low and weak, but every word hit him clearly.


    "Do you know what you''re saying?" Maximilian asked, his voice deep.


    Katniss had always been a bit scared of Maximilian. Now, with night falling and the room still dark, his face was hidden in the shadows, and she couldn''t see his expression. But a surge of courage made her fearless.


    She endured the pain and tried to prop herself up a bit, "I know, I''ve thought about it for a long time."


    Her pale face softened Maximilian''s heart. He reached out, covered her forehead, and gently pushed her back down, "What''s wrong with you? Lie down and talk properly."


    Katniss obeyed, then quickly said, "If you marry me, I won''t let you suffer any loss. I won''t charge you for treating your legs."


    Maximilian''s expression didn''t change.


    Katniss licked her dry lips and continued, "Since you''re here, you should know a bit. I''vepletely fallen out with the Manners family. I want to cut ties with them, but my dad won''t agree. The only way is if I get married." She just needed someone to help her escape Oliver and the Manners family''s control.


    After much thought, among the people she knew, the only one who could stand up to the Manners family was Maximilian.


    If Maximilian agreed to marry her, Oliver wouldn''t just be unable to stop it; he''d probably be eager for them to get married immediately.


    Katniss bit her lip and added, "Don''t worry, I won''t take your money. We can do a prenuptial agreement, and after a few years, I''ll leave with nothing."


    "If I choose to give it to you, I will. If I don''t, you won''t get a penny. Simple as that," Maximilian said calmly but with a hint of arrogance.


    Katniss looked at him, trying hard to see his expression, "Maximilian, do you agree?"


    Her only bargaining chip was Maximilian''s legs, which she could heal.


    She had medical technology that was years ahead of its time.


    As long as Maximilian and the Hamilton and Boleyn families cared about it, Katniss believed she had a good chance of helping him walk again. Maximilian sighed softly, "Marriage, whether fake or real, it''s a big decision for any woman. You need to think it through."


    "I''ve thought it through!" Katniss sensed his hesitation and quickly expressed her sincerity, "Or, if you have any other demands, just tell me!"


    She was so nervous that she didn''t even feel the pain from her wounds. Her heart pounded as she awaited his response.


    Maximilian put the cigarette back in the pack and smiled faintly, "I''ll give you half a year to heal my legs. If you can do it, during the agreement period, you''ll be my wife in name, and I''ll provide whatever you need." Cutting ties with the Manners family was a piece of cake for Maximilian, just a matter of his will.


    But he didn''t bring it up. Like he once told Felix, he thrived in the darkness, surrounded by bones, and he had a habit of making deals.


    A businessman never gives anything for free.


    If the price was right, Maximilian might consider it.


    And Katniss was offering enough.


    Katniss rxed, a smile spreading across her face, "Maximilian, thank you. I''ll do my best to heal your legs."


    Maximilian responded lightly, "As long as you won''t regret it."


    Katniss nodded slowly. She was certain this was the best decision she had made in both her lifetimesbined.


    Maximilian said, "Then rest for now. I''ll leave two people at the door. If you need anything, just tell them. I''ll have Felix handle the transfer to another room."


    "Why do I need to transfer rooms?" Katniss asked, confused.


    Maximilian smiled, "This room isn''t suitable for you now."


    Soon, Katniss understood what Maximilian meant.


    Her room was moved to the eighth floor, a VIP suite, muchrger than the previous one, with a bigger bed.


    There was a TV, a refrigerator, and even a small room for a caregiver.


    On the bedside table, there was a bouquet of blooming roses.


    Not knowing what was happening outside, there was some noise at the door. The nurse, afraid of disturbing Katniss, went to check.


    After a while, she returned and said to Katniss, "Katniss, there''s someone outside looking for you. He''s tall and quite handsome."


    Katniss had a pretty good idea who it was. She initially wanted to say she wouldn''t see him, but then she thought, in the future, she and Desmond would be rtives, they would often see each other.


    "Let him in," Katniss said.


    The nurse opened the door, and Desmond rushed in, immediately seeing Katniss on the bed, her face even paler with a few more marks.


    Katniss looked at the roses in the vase, the light casting a glow on her profile, her eyshes thick and curled, giving her a fragile yet serene beauty.


    It was hard for him to look away.


    Katniss turned her head and calmly said, "I''m not feeling well. If you have something to say, make it quick."


    Desmond was momentarily stunned, then he reacted, "I''m here to apologize. I didn''t get your call at that time."


    "The one who hit me was Laura. If you want to me someone, me her. It has nothing to do with you," Katniss interrupted him, then smiled, "Besides, I shouldn''t have called you." That was in the past when she habitually put Desmond in the first spot.


    After her rebirth, she had too many things to do and forgot to change that.


    Just now, she had already changed the speed dial.


    She shouldn''t entrust her fate to others.


    Desmond choked up, feeling a bit at a loss and frustrated facing Katniss who was so calm.


    Katniss pulled up the nket andy back down, "You should go. I need to rest."


    That was a clear dismissal.


    For the first time being unwee, Desmond felt a bit angry. It was Maximilian who forced him toe, otherwise, he wouldn''t havee to apologize.


    Desmond didn''t want to stay either. He turned to leave, but at the door, he squinted, "Are those my brother''s people at the door?"

 Chapter 75

    Katniss, still half-asleep, heard Desmond''s question but kept her eyes shut and didn''t bother to answer.


    Whether it was a yes or no, it didn''t matter to Desmond anyway.


    Desmond waited a few seconds, got no response, snorted, and left with a stern look on his face.


    At the hospital entrance, ra, her face pale and drawn, her thin clothing offering little protection against the chill, stood there, her slender figure shivering uncontrobly.


    As soon as Desmond stepped out and saw ra like that, he frowned, took a few big strides over to her, and draped his coat around her. "Why are you standing here dressed like this?" His tone was a bit harsh.


    Wrapped in Desmond''s warm coat, ra felt a bit of warmth seep into her icy body. "I was waiting for you."


    "It''s freezing out here. Why didn''t you wait inside? Are you crazy?" Desmond grabbed her ice-cold hands, cupping them and blowing warm air on them. "Don''t do this again."


    "You didn''t call me when you came. Are you mad at me?" ra asked timidly, her beautiful eyes looking a bit sad.


    Desmond sighed, pulled ra into his arms, and led her towards the car.


    "I''m not mad at you, just pissed that your dad was so impulsive. Why did he have to beat Katniss like that, especially when she was already hurt?" Desmond paused, his eyes shing. "You were all there, why didn''t you stop him?" ra, nestled in Desmond''s arms, wrapped her slender arms around his waist. Hearing this, her eyes immediately reddened. "I wanted to stop him, but I was scared."


    "It''s my fault, I''m too timid," ra choked, looking self-reproachful. "My dad was furious, and he didn''t hold back. No matter how scared I was, I should have rushed in to help Katniss."


    Desmond thought of how Katniss looked when he saw her earlier, feeling a sense of worry.


    But ra''s self-reproachful and fragile appearance made Desmond feel pity. He lifted ra''s delicate chin and wiped away the tears hanging at the corners of her eyes.


    ra became even sadder.


    Desmond spoke, "Forget it, your dad was angry. What if you got hurt trying to stop him?"


    "It''s my fault. If it weren''t for me, Katniss wouldn''t have told Dad she wanted to cut ties with us." ra threw herself back into Desmond''s arms. "If someone has to be sacrificed, I''d rather it be me. I''m the unnecessary one anyway." ra''s kindness made Desmond''s heart ache.


    The bit of sympathy he had for Katniss was suppressed.


    It was Katniss who couldn''t handle her rtionship with her family and insisted on interfering in his and ra''s rtionship.


    She even said something as outrageous as cutting ties with the Manners family, no wonder it made Oliver angry.


    Reaching the car, Desmond opened the door and let ra in quickly.


    He walked around to the driver''s seat, "Don''t worry about this anymore. Don''t take all the me on yourself. You''re so soft-hearted. What will you do after graduation without me to protect you?" ra chuckled, sniffled, and nodded lightly, her soft voice carrying a hint of yfulness. "Then you have to protect me forever."


    "Of course, soon you''ll be my fianc¨¦e. Who else would I protect?" Desmond smiled warmly and told ra that Maximilian would help them convince his grandfather to agree to the marriage.


    ra blinked, then excitedly reached out and hugged Desmond, shyly kissing the corner of his mouth.


    Desmond caught her, full of tenderness, and yfully tapped her nose. "I''ll take you home. You should rest for a while."


    ra nodded happily, her eyes sparkling with joy.


    The biggest hurdle between her and Desmond was Carlton Boleyn. He was all about bloodlines and only recognized the engagement with Katniss. No matter what ra did, in Carlton''s eyes, only Katniss was fit to marry into the Boleyn family. But because of Maximilian''s health, Carlton almost always listened to him.


    With Maximilian''s help this time, there shouldn''t be any problem with her and Desmond''s marriage.


    But why did Maximilian suddenly agree to help?


    Inside the hospital room, past midnight, Katniss developed a high fever, her forehead drenched in sweat.


    She clutched the sheet, moaning in difort, struggling to breathe.


    Maximilian put down his heavy notebook, reached out to touch her forehead and face. "She''s burning up. Call the doctor."


    The nurse nearby quickly agreed and ran out.


    Maximilian called her softly, "Katniss, the doctor will be here soon. Where does it hurt?"


    Katniss groggily opened her eyes, her body covered in sweat, feeling sticky and ufortable. "Maximilian, why are you here?"


    She nced at the clock; it was already past midnight.


    "You have a fever. Do you want some water?" Maximilian asked.


    Katniss nodded, her throat dry and burning, feeling like it was on fire.


    Maximilian poured a ss of water and brought it to her lips. After she drank most of it, he put it down and wrung out a towel from the basin, wiping her sweat.


    Soon, the doctor arrived and did a quick check. "She was exposed to the cold earlier and got scared in the evening. It''s normal to have a fever at night. Just make sure the fever goes down. Once it does, she''ll be fine. I''ll prescribe some fever medicine. Give it to her."


    After prescribing the medicine, the nurse gave Katniss a few fever pills and let her sleep again.


    "Mr. Hamilton, why don''t you rest first? I''ll take care of Katniss for the rest of the night." The nurse thought their rtionship was really good. Maximilian hade over right after work and stayed until now.


    But Maximilian was perfect in every way, except for his bad leg. What a pity.


    Maximilian rubbed his aching temples, looked at the now sleeping Katniss, and nodded. "Okay, I''ll be next door. Call me if anything happens."


    The door to the hospital room closed softly.


    Katniss slowly opened her eyes, watching his figure disappear through the door crack.


    In the past, when she had a few high fevers that wouldn''t go down, Aurora, like Maximilian, had been a constant presence during those feverish nights. She would sit by her bedside, gently stroking her hair and telling her stories. Since Aurora''s health declined, she was sent back to live in a cramped utility room.


    Once, Katniss had a fever so high her mind was almost fried. She wanted to call for help, but her voice was too hoarse to shout.


    She fell, crawled to the door, but through the crack, she heard ra and the others having a great time.


    "Is everyone here? We made a lot of money from this deal. I cleared my schedule to spend time with you all. Buy whatever you want!" Oliverughed.


    "Oh yeah, I want to buy thetest phone..." ra said.


    Then, gradually, there was no sound, leaving the whole world empty except for her.


    No one remembered Katniss in the utility room.


    It wasn''t until evening that a servant found her and took her to the hospital.


    Maximilian went to the next room, where Felix had set up a light supper.


    Felix said, "Sir, eat a little and then rest. You can work tomorrow."


    Maximilian, his face cold, wheeled himself to the table, took a couple of bites, and said, "Call the Boleyn family. I''ll go over tomorrow night."

 Chapter 76

    After grabbing a bite, Maximilian told Felix to chill while he headed down to the basement.


    As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, a tall guy in a ck suit came over, pushed his wheelchair, and helped him into a nearby ck car.


    Once the door shut, the car sped off towards the edge of the city.


    Inside the car, it was super quiet.


    After flipping through some papers, Maximilian set them down, closed his eyes, and leaned backzily in the leather seat.


    After a bit, he asked calmly, "How long has she been locked up?"


    Emilio answered, "It''s been a whole day now."


    Not only had she been locked up for a day, but she hadn''t had a drop of water. The stuff they were doing to her was way more than a naive girl could handle. Another day of this, and she''d probably lose it. Maximilian nodded and stayed quiet with his eyes closed.


    Since he was silent, no one else dared to make a peep, worried they''d disturb his rest.


    The car stopped at a bungalow on the outskirts. It looked like any regr farmhouse from the outside.


    But inside, it was a whole different story.


    Once inside, Emilio opened an iron door, and a cold, damp, sticky feeling hit them.


    Emilio frowned, nced at Maximilian''s legs, and took a nket from one of the guys, carefullyying it over Maximilian''s legs. "It''s cold in here, don''t catch a chill."


    Then he pushed the wheelchair inside.


    As soon as they entered, a wave of cold hit them. It was a freezer, with meat hanging and freezing all around.


    In the middle, Laura was hanging with her hands tied above her head.


    Above her, there was an upside-down water bottle with a hole in the cap, dripping water onto Laura''s face and body every few seconds.


    Hearing the noise, Laura cried out hoarsely, her spirit broken, "Please, let me go. I know I was wrong."


    Laura was blindfolded, unable to see or know how many people were there.


    They hadn''t hit her, but they had hung her up in a cold freezer for who knows how long. She was freezing and starving.


    Her shoes had been taken off, and she stood barefoot on the cold cement floor. Unable to bear the cold, Laura lifted her feet off the ground, curling up and letting the rope support her. But soon, the rope cut into her wrists, making her bleed. The rough rope hurt like hell with every touch.


    She put her feet back down to relieve the pain in her wrists, but the cold soon numbed her feet, and she could barely feel them.


    Laura feared her feet would get frostbite, and she might need amputation.


    Over and over, her wrists were bloody, and her feet werepletely numb.


    Moreover, the ce was already freezing, and there was a bottle of water dripping continuously above her head.


    Laura couldn''t sleep, her clothes were wet and clinging to her body, but she couldn''t take it anymore.


    "Why did you go after Katniss?" Maximilian asked softly, his eyes cold as the moon but with a hint of wickedness.


    Finally, hearing someone speak, Laura shuddered in fear, then hatred surged in her heart. "Is this for Katniss? Who are you?" These people had indeed captured her because of Katniss.


    Could they be Katniss''s brothers?


    Maximilian chuckled, "It seems you haven''t learned your lesson."


    As soon as Maximilian finished talking, Emilio, who''d been with him for years, got the message without a word.


    Emilio grabbed a big bottle of water from the ground, unscrewed the cap, and dumped it all over Laura, soaking herpletely.


    Then he told someone to fetch a hairdryer from outside, cranked it to the highest setting, and aimed it at Laura.


    In seconds, the already weak Laura felt like she was plunged into icy water, shivering uncontrobly, her voice too hoarse to scream.


    "I''ll talk," Laura cried, tears streaming down her face. "My dad went bankrupt, and I ended up like this because of Katniss. That''s why I went after her. I followed her to the library and attacked her when she was alone in the bathroom."


    "I just wanted to scare her. I didn''t mean to kill her." Laura was terrified. Their methods were twisted, and she couldn''t take another second. She just wanted out, even if it meant dealing with the cops.


    "Katniss is just a student. How could she have anything on your dad?" Maximilian frowned, his voice low. "Why suspect Katniss?"


    Laura cried, her mind racing, saying whatever came to her, "I have a grudge against Katniss, and she knew about my dad''s trouble as soon as it happened. She told me my dad was being investigated for embezzlement. If it weren''t for her, how would she know so clearly? The anonymous tipster must be Katniss!"


    The more she spoke, the more convinced Laura became. That day in the coffee shop, she had a conflict with Katniss, and Katniss warned her. Then the news about her dad broke on TV.


    Katniss knew the news before anyone else. If it wasn''t her, who else could it be?


    Maximilian asked calmly, "Who told you the tip was anonymous?"


    Jackson''s case was just a scapegoat. The project had been under scrutiny for a long time, and Jackson''s investigation was just the beginning. There were others involved.


    The evidence had long been prepared and ced on the prosecutor''s desk.


    There was no anonymous tip.


    Laura shivered, her mind foggy. After a long time, she stammered, "It was ra. She told me it was an anonymous tip, so..."


    So she immediately suspected Katniss.


    Maximilian raised his slender fingers, and the de in Emilio''s hand flew out, cutting the rope. Laura copsed to the cold ground, weak and powerless, only seeing a pair of shiny leather shoes on the footrest of the wheelchair. Then Maximilian turned the wheelchair and left the freezer.


    One of the men brought a warm towel, and Maximilian carefully wiped his hands before tossing the towel to the ground.


    "Stay here. Call the police at 8 AM and watch them take her away before you leave," Maximilian said.


    Emilio nodded. "Got it."


    Maximilian was helped into the car.


    He took out a lighter, burned a few sheets of paper, and tossed them into the ashtray.


    Unexpectedly, the investigation led back to ra.


    ra was only eighteen or neen, but she was exceptionally malicious.


    Watching Maximilian get into the car, Emilio blinked. Katniss almost became Maximilian''s sister-inw, and she was seven years younger than him. Now Maximilian was concerned about Katniss. Could it be that Maximilian liked Katniss?

 Chapter 77

    The next morning, Juniper left home half an hour early, carrying breakfast made by the family cook, and headed to the hospital.


    She tiptoed into the ward, only to find Katniss already awake.


    Juniper blinked. "Did I wake you?"


    Katniss gave a weak smile. "No, I didn''t sleep well. Why are you here so early? Don''t you have sses this morning?"


    "I brought you breakfast. I asked the nanny to make it special. She simmered it for hours-chicken soup. Smells amazing, right?" Juniper put down her backpack and quickly pulled out the lunchbox. "Whenever I got sick, the nanny would make this for me, and I''d get better in no time!"


    As soon as she opened the lid, the room filled with a delicious aroma, making Katniss''s stomach growl a bit.


    She hadn''t had a proper meal in days, relying solely on IV nutrition.


    "Have you eaten? Let''s eat together," Katniss''s voice was still a bit hoarse. Juniper felt a pang of heartache, "I''ve eaten. This is all for you."


    Knowing Katniss was injured and couldn''t move, Juniper carefully fed her.


    "Not to be rude, but your dad is really something. You''re his biological daughter, and you just woke up. How could he be so harsh?" Juniper said indignantly. "Seriously, you should be my dad''s daughter. He may not be educated, but he knows how to care for his daughter."


    The Davis family had risen to wealth quickly and had plenty of money butcked culture and couldn''t integrate into high society. They were looked down upon for theirck of heritage.


    Even at school, the rich kids didn''t like to hang out with Juniper for the same reason.


    Katniss quietly drank the chicken soup and said with a wry smile, "Good thing my dad isn''t here, or he''d beat me again."


    "What do you mean?" Juniper asked.


    "I suggested cutting ties, and that''s why I got beaten," Katniss said lightly.


    It was this incident that made her realize that some blood ties must be severed; otherwise, he could endlessly harm her under the guise of family.


    Juniper was shocked and then gave a thumbs up, "You''re really brave, but also a bit foolish. At least you should wait until there are people around to say it." With others around, would Oliver dare to beat her so recklessly?


    At least someone could have intervened.


    Katniss''s bright eyes dimmed, and she gave a sarcastic smile, "I''m his daughter. Who has the right to stop a father from disciplining his daughter?"


    "That''s not necessarily true. If it were ra, your brothers would protect her, afraid she''d get even a scratch. They treat her like a princess."


    Katniss squinted her eyes. Juniper was right. When she was beaten nearly to death, her mother and brothers watched coldly, not even stopping it. But if it were ra...


    Family bonds are not forged bypulsion.


    Such a simple truth, how did she remain so obsessed until death in the past life?


    "Katniss, is this your ssmate?" The door to the ward was suddenly pushed open a bit, and Saskia poked her head in, asking curiously.


    "Saskia." Seeing it was Saskia, Katniss moved, only to pull at her wound, her face turning pale with pain.


    Saskia hurried in, concerned, "Don''t move, just lie down."


    Katnissy back, puzzled as to how Saskia knew she was in the hospital. She hadn''t told Wesley and the others to avoid worrying them.


    Seeing it was gettingte, Juniper politely greeted Saskia and told Katniss she''d visitter before rushing off to school.


    After Juniper left, Katniss asked, "Saskia, how did you know I was here?"


    Saskia''s eyes reddened as she looked her over, "My mother-inw''s rtives came over and brought some local specialties. I thought you lived alone and brought some for you. I went to Aurora''s house, but no one was there. Then I went to the school and found out from your counselor that you hadn''t attended sses for days."


    "Saskia, don''t cry. I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want you to worry," Katniss quicklyforted her.


    "What happened? Tell me the truth," Saskia said sternly, pulling up a chair to sit down.


    Knowing she couldn''t hide it, Katniss confessed everything.


    After hearing it all, Saskia''s face darkened further, "Katniss, if you keep such big things from us, are you nning to cut ties with us too?"


    Katniss felt a bit lost and obediently lowered her head to take the scolding, knowing Saskia was only angry because she cared about her.


    After Saskia finished lecturing, Katniss said softly, "Saskia, don''t be mad. I know I was wrong. I''ve already called the police, and they''ll catch the culprit soon."


    Seeing Katniss, her face gaunt and drawn, her eyes hollowed, Saskia''s heart ached again. "Was that your ssmate just now? She brought you food and seems to care a lot about you."


    Katniss smiled warmly and introduced Juniper, saying she was her best friend at school.


    Saskia asked, "You''ve been in the hospital for days. Do your parents know?"


    Katniss''s smile faded, and she nodded.


    Since they knew and still didn''t show up, Saskia bit her lip, feeling a surge of frustration. But as a junior, she couldn''t criticize Oliver.


    She just felt sorry for Katniss.


    After chatting for a while, Saskia had to leave due to family matters.


    The ward became quiet again. Katniss looked out the window at the beautiful scenery, there were blue sky and the faint morning glow.


    Having just finished the chicken soup and breakfast, she felt warm and rxed.


    All day, there were people left by Maximilian at the door, taking turns watching. Any movement, and they''de immediately.


    This day was the mostfortable and peaceful Katniss had felt in a while.


    She just needed to eat and sleep.


    In the evening, Maximilian arrived, with Felix behind him.


    Felix carried a wooden lunchbox, square and elegant, with Starry Night Hotel written on it.


    He must have gone to Starry Night Hotel to get it.


    Felix cheerfully took out a small dining table, opened the lunchbox, andid out the food, "Here''s your favorite dessert, Red Velvet Cake, I specially saved for you. There''s also porridge and a few side dishes." Katniss was weak, and she could only eat light food recently.


    Though light, the dishes from Starry Night Hotel still looked appetizing.


    Katniss couldn''t move her arm, so the nurse skillfully fed her. She ate contentedly, almost finishing everything.


    After eating, Katniss felt a bit embarrassed, "I ate too much. Maximilian, have you had dinner?"


    Maximilian took out a wet wipe and handed it to Katniss, smiling lightly, "Not yet. I''ll eat with Carlton and the others at the old house tonight."


    Katniss looked up. It was the first time she''d heard Maximilian mention his grandfather.


    Maximilian added gently, "To discuss our marriage."

 Chapter 78

    The Boleyn Manor.


    It was a rare sight to see everyone gathered.


    Carlton sat at the head of the dining table, looking all serious and upright.


    Everyone was there except for the empty seat to his left. His usually calm face showed a hint of anxious anticipation.


    Carlton fiddled with the beads in his hand. Over the years, the rtionship between Maximilian and the Boleyn family had been lukewarm at best.


    But that lukewarm rtionship was actually more torturous.


    "Your son is really something, isn''t he? Says he''lle back for dinner, and everyone has to drop what they''re doing and wait for him. Anyone who didn''t know better would think he''s the father and you''re the son." That was Damian Boleyn talking, sitting across from Gabriel Boleyn. Damian was the eldest son of Carlton''ste brother. He rarely showed up at the old manor unless he needed money. Today, he had toe back because Carlton personally called to say there was something important to announce.


    That sarcastic remark made Gabriel''s face darken immediately.


    "Go find out where he is. It''s ridiculous of him to make the whole family wait for him!" Gabriel snapped at the servant, trying to maintain his authority in the family.


    Since Maximilian graduated, the Boleyn family''s power had fallen into his hands, leaving Gabriel, the vice chairman, without real authority.


    Next to Damian was his eldest son, Derek Boleyn. The Boleyn family members were all good-looking, especially the boys, who were quite handsome. However, Derek had a cunning look that made him seem unreliable. Since his father Damian had spoken, Derek had no reason not to follow.


    Derek twisted his newly acquired expensive watch and sneered at Desmond, "Desmond, I warn you. If Maximilian can kick me out of the Boleyn Group, he can kick you out too. Maximilian wants to monopolize the Boleyn Group. Don''t forget, yourst name is Boleyn, and his is Hamilton. My fate could be yours. Well, you and Gabriel might as well be invisible to Maximilian. The only one he respects is Grandpa. Don''t me my dad for being harsh. Maximilian doesn''t consider you family at all."


    This remark made everyone present cover their faces and snicker, their expressions varied.


    They were just the coteral branch of the Boleyn family. Although they lived under the Boleyn family''s halo, they didn''t feel the pressure Maximilian brought.


    But Gabriel and Desmond had to watch Maximilian''s mood in everything they did.


    It was truly frustrating.


    "Are you done talking? I''m not dead yet." Carlton''s cane hit the floor hard, interrupting Derek''s conversation.


    "Dad, don''t me Damian and Derek. Maximilian is indeed out of line. The whole family is waiting for him, what kind of behavior is that?" Gabriel dared not be presumptuous in front of Carlton and stammered in defense. Gabriel knew Damian was upset.


    A few days ago, Maximilian had unceremoniously removed Derek from his position as sales director without any reason.


    Even though they both had thest name Boleyn, they had to be manipted by a twenty-something Maximilian. No wonder Derek was furious.


    Suddenly, the old manor''s butler ran over and respectfully whispered to Carlton, "Sir, Maximilian has arrived."


    Soon, apanied by the sound of a wheelchair, Maximilian was pushed into the dining room by Felix, appearing before everyone.


    The previously whispering crowd immediately turned into ttering smiles.


    Even though Maximilian was sitting in a wheelchair, his natural noble aura made everyone else seem insignificant.


    Felix pushed Maximilian to the seat next to Carlton. Maximilian took the initiative to say, "Grandpa, sorry I''mte."


    Carlton immediately smiled warmly, "We''re family, it doesn''t matter."


    He then looked Maximilian up and down. After not seeing him for a few months, Maximilian looked much better, at least he was in good spirits.


    Maximilian''s health had always been a source of worry for Carlton, a constant reminder of the bitter feuds of the past generation that had left their mark on the young man.


    Unfortunately, because of Maximilian''s mother, he wasn''t close to the Boleyn family.


    As long as he was alive, Carlton was willing to maintain this superficial harmony.


    Unexpectedly, Gabriel spoke first, "If we''re really family, don''t be so ruthless. Derek was doing well in the sales department, and you just reced him. Now the sales department is leaderless and in chaos." Maximilian paused with the soup bowl in his hand but didn''t bother to look at Gabriel, "Ruthless?"


    He nced at Derek. "Compared to poisoning, I think I''m quite merciful."


    His eyes, like two bottomless pools, showed no emotion except for a cold glint.


    This nce made Derek''s back go cold.


    "Poisoning?" Carlton looked at Maximilian nervously, "What are you talking about?"


    He had long known that the younger generation in the family was envious of Maximilian''s current position, but he didn''t expect them to resort to fratricide. Hearing about poisoning made his old heart almost jump out. "It''s nothing, it''s been resolved. But if it happens again, Derek won''t be aplete Derek anymore." Maximilian''s first half of the sentence was tofort Carlton, and thetter half was directed at Gabriel.


    Without Gabriel''s help, how could Derek have sessfully poisoned him? Gabriel was using Derek to kill him.


    Derek didn''t expect Maximilian to threaten him in front of so many people. He turned pale and left the table, iming to feel unwell.


    "Such a big matter, but I didn''t know anything about it." Carlton looked at Gabriel and questioned sternly.


    Maximilian''s tone was indifferent, "Grandpa, the matter has been resolved. I''m here today to talk to you about Desmond''s marriage."


    Maximilian had his own ns, and Carlton had long since retired and didn''t interfere.


    After ring at Gabriel, Carlton''s heart stirred, "What''s the matter with Desmond''s marriage?"


    He had met Katniss, who was not only beautiful but also kind and thoughtful, really a perfect candidate for a granddaughter-inw. He was very satisfied.


    He had nned for them to get married after graduation.


    Maximilian took a sip of soup and said, "Desmond''s engagement to the Manners family will be changed to ra."


    His tone sounded more like a notification than a consultation.


    "No, absolutely not." Before Carlton could object, Gabriel was already jumping in anger, "ra''s just an adopted daughter. She''s got nothing to do with the Manners family''s shares. We want the Manners family''s biological daughter!" ra might seem favored, but she had nothing to do with the Manners family. Why marry her?


    Desmond was his son, and he had suffered enough being called an illegitimate child. How could he marry an adopted girl?


    Gabriel''s n was clear, but Maximilian''s eyes were cold as he looked at him, "So Desmond is marrying not Katniss, but the Manners family''s shares?"

 Chapter 79

    As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone''s faces changed, and they exchanged uneasy nces.


    Nobody dared to eat anymore. The living room went dead silent, and all eyes were on Carlton.


    Maximilian didn''t get along with the Boleyn family and rarely visited, only showing up on specific asions.


    It was rare for things to get this tense.


    Maximilian''s long, slender fingers yed with the porcin soup spoon, a dangerous glint in his eyes.


    Gabriel''s face darkened. Being challenged by his son made him furious. "What nonsense are you spouting? Does the Boleyn family need her shares? The engagement was for the Manners family''s real daughter. Katniss is their daughter. Why should ra, an adopted kid, be involved?"


    Maximilian chuckled, "Father, since when do you follow the marriage agreement set by Grandpa? Aren''t you the one who hates those the most?"


    Emily rk was Desmond''s real mom. She was a poor student who sold herself, with no family background or skills, just a pretty face.


    She got lucky and caught Gabriel''s eye, who valued freedom and hated the constraints of marriage agreement.


    For true love, he drove his first wife to death. And now, he talked about engagements?


    He just wanted to secure more benefits for Desmond, fearing that one day Maximilian would take full control of the Boleyn and Hamilton families, leaving Desmond with nothing. Gabriel trembled with rage.


    Compared to Gabriel, Maximilian stayed calm.


    He sipped his soup and said lightly, "Do you want Desmond to follow in your and Emily''s footsteps?"


    "Marry Katniss openly and keep ra as a mistress in the suburbs for life?" he added.


    This hit Gabriel like a thorn, making his face look extremely unpleasant.


    Carlton, who had been quiet, sighed, stood up, and looked at Desmond, "Desmond, this is your marriage. What do you think?"


    Desmond was a bit stunned, not expecting the decision to fall on him.


    He bit his lip, nced quickly at Gabriel, and then said firmly, "Grandpa, I don''t like Katniss. Even though ra isn''t the Manners family''s real daughter, she was raised by them. She''s a good girl, and I''ve always liked ra." After speaking, he didn''t dare to look at Gabriel but could feel his anger.


    Carlton was silent for a moment. He knew Maximilian wouldn''t meddle in Desmond''s affairs out of kindness.


    What was Maximilian nning?


    Carlton pushed his thoughts aside and made a decision, "Find a time to go to the Manners family and change the engagement."


    "Dad!" Gabriel protested angrily, "I don''t agree with this..."


    "Is it me or you who holds the reins of this family?" Carlton said sternly, his eyes sharp. "If Desmond doesn''t like her, then it''s not meant to be."


    Seeing that Carlton was firm, Gabriel''s scrutinizing gaze fell on Desmond, "You better not regret this!"


    Desmond''s eyes widened, and he gritted his teeth, "I like ra, and I want to marry ra."


    Gabriel''s face turned red with anger. He red at Desmond and stormed off.


    He had nned so much for Desmond, but it all came to nothing.


    Desmond had been blinded by love, which made Gabriel so disappointed!


    Watching Gabriel storm off, Carlton looked up and said, "Well, he''s gone. Are you all going to eat or what?"


    As if nothing had happened, Carlton called the butler to serve Maximilian, and everyone else, lost in their own thoughts, started eating again. The dining table buzzed back to life.


    With a kind smile, Carlton said, "It''s rare for you toe back. Eat up. You look bettertely. Sleeping well?"


    Facing Carlton, Maximilian softened a bit. "Yeah, I switched doctors. The new one''s young but pretty skilled, though a bit of a nag, even more than you."


    "As long as the doctor''s good," Carlton chuckled.


    Felix, who knew the whole story, had a glint in his eye. If Carlton knew this doctor was Katniss... Would he still say the same?


    Carlton and Maximilian finished their meal with smiles and then headed to the study on the second floor.


    In the study, Maximilian expertly handled the tea set, each movement precise and elegant.


    Carlton watched him with satisfaction and asked, "You didn''te just for Desmond''s matter, did you?" Maximilian paused, "No, there''s something else."


    Carlton looked at the tea and chuckled, then took a sip. "Go ahead."


    "I''m here to ask for your help in proposing marriage," Maximilian replied.


    Carlton was surprised for a few seconds, then his face lit up with a smile. "Well, who''s the lucky girl?" "The Manners family, Katniss."


    Even Carlton, who had seen a lot, was stunned for a moment. It took him a few seconds to process. He blinked, his expression indescribable.


    No wonder he helped Desmond. This was his real goal.


    With Desmond set on ra, Katniss would be free of the engagement.


    "What about Katniss?" Carlton''s mind raced. "Didn''t she like Desmond?"


    A few days ago, she was always around Desmond, with those affectionate eyes, almost clinging to him.


    He couldn''t understand what Maximilian was up to.


    Was he aiming to retaliate against his father or steal his brother''s engagement?


    No, Maximilian didn''t seem like someone who''d do something so petty.


    Maximilian raised his eyes. "Isn''t it possible to change one''s heart?"


    Carlton chuckled, "You''re seven years older than her, right? Isn''t that a bit much?"


    Maximilian looked at Carlton calmly, not saying a word. Feeling awkward, Carlton poured himself a cup of tea and said, "Thinking about it, Katniss is almost 20, not that young. It''s good, it''s good." At the hospital.


    "I''m Katniss''s brother-inw. Wake her up. She''ll definitely let me in," a man shouted.


    No need to call, she''s already awake.


    Katniss stared nkly at the ceiling, woken up by the noise.


    The man at the door was making a racket. She recognized the voice-Kieran.


    "Let them in," Katniss said, fully awake and full of resentment, to the nurse.


    The nurse hesitated but swallowed her words. Besides the person in the wheelchair, no one around Katniss was normal.


    It was so early, and her brother-inw was already here to visit?


    Kieran''s suit was impably pressed, and behind him was a man in casual clothes and sses.


    "Katniss, are you feeling better? This is my cousin, Ramon Meza. You''ve met him," Kieran said, his eyes shining as he pushed Ramon to Katniss''s bedside.

 Chapter 80

    "Katniss, meet my cousin Ramon. He might look tough, but he''s a good dude," Kieran said, setting a fruit basket on the bedside table and checking on Katniss in the hospital bed. Katniss looked weak and pitiful, tugging at everyone''s heartstrings.


    Ramon was one lucky guy.


    Ramon was already staring at her, lost in thought.


    Kieran elbowed him and winked. "Ramon, why don''t you peel an apple for Katniss?"


    Katniss quickly figured out Kieran''s n-he was trying to set her up with Ramon.


    She remembered seeing Ramon at Saskia''s funeral years ago. He was in his thirties, jobless, and spent his time gaming and drinking with friends.


    Kieran was really looking out for her, introducing someone like that.


    Katniss gave a faint smile. "No need, I have everything I need. You should take the fruit back to your parents."


    If Kieran''s parents knew he spent money visiting her, they''d criticize Saskia.


    She couldn''t ept the fruit.


    Kieran wasn''t sure if Katniss was still mad about thest incident. He nced around, noticing the bodyguards at the door, but he had heard Katniss wasn''t favored at home. It seemed Maximilian cared about her.


    Kieran smiled, "Ramon, see? Saskia was right. Katniss has always been obedient and well-behaved."


    He got more animated.


    His cousin Ramon, despite his criminal record and rough past, was a pro at rtionships. With his rugged good looks and tall frame, he was a hit with thedies. He had a ton of tricks and had dated over a dozen girlfriends.


    A simple girl like Katniss, who hadn''t really experienced the world, would probably fall for Ramon''s charms.


    Kieran reached out to pat Katniss''s head like an elder, but she frowned and subtly dodged.


    "Katniss, do you have a boyfriend? You''re so weak, shouldn''t he be here with you?" Ramon casually picked up an apple and weighed it.


    Then, with a fruit knife, he skillfully peeled the apple and sliced it onto a te.


    He handed the te to her. "You need to eat more fruit to get better fast."


    Then he stepped back, hands in his pockets, looking out the window with a rxed, slightlyzy vibe, oozing manly charm.


    Kieran almost gave him a thumbs up. No wonder Ramon had so many girlfriends; he really knew his stuff.


    His way of charming girls was top-notch.


    Katniss looked at the sliced apple in front of her and couldn''t help but nce at Ramon. Was he serious?


    He was offering her own apple?


    And the window was freezing; wasn''t he cold standing there trying to look cool?


    Katniss pressed her lips together and said politely, "Thank you, Ramon."


    But Kieran misunderstood, seeing Katniss looking at Ramon, he thought there was a chance.


    His eyes lit up, and he immediately continued, "Katniss is still young, just a sophomore in college. I remember she hasn''t had a boyfriend yet, right?"


    Then Kieran pped his hands and smiled, looking between Ramon and Katniss, pretending to be surprised, "Katniss doesn''t have a boyfriend, and Ramon is still single. I think you two would be a great match. Why not give it a shot?" Katniss narrowed her eyes. Kieran had some nerve. Besides being single, what else made Ramon suitable?


    She was neen, and Ramon was in his thirties-old enough to be her dad.


    Kieran looked thrilled and dragged Ramon to the bedside, making him sit down. "You have to treat Katniss well."


    This move annoyed Katniss, and she shifted away. "I''m a bit tired."


    The hint to leave was clear.


    She couldn''t be too harsh; after all, Saskia was still Kieran''s wife.


    Ramon, who could read girls like a book, immediately brushed off Kieran''s hand and stood up. "Kieran, I might be willing, but Katniss might not be. Don''t scare her." Chasing a girl couldn''t be rushed.


    It needed romance and care.


    Kieran red at Ramon, feeling they had missed a golden opportunity.


    Ramon didn''t care and pulled out a piece of paper, jotting down his number. "This is my number. Katniss, if you''re bored and don''t mind, give me a call."


    "You''re tired, so rest up. Kieran and I will head out." With that, Ramon dragged Kieran out of the room.


    In the hallway, Kieran looked puzzled. "Why didn''t you seize the moment and seal the deal?"


    Ramon lit a cigarette and grinned smugly. "Kieran, you''re better at work, but when ites to girls, I''m the expert. Just wait, within a week, she''ll be mine." Kieran looked doubtful. "Really? Well, I''ve done my part by introducing you two, so now it''s up to you to make it happen!"


    "Don''t worry, there''s no woman I can''t get." Ramon licked his lips confidently.


    Thinking back to Katniss in that blue and white hospital gown, she looked stunningly beautiful.


    Her face was delicately attractive.


    Too bad she was lying in bed, so he couldn''t see her full figure. If she had long legs and a slim waist, it would be even better. Inside the room, the nurse closed the door as soon as they left.


    "Katniss, do you still want this?" The nurse held the note, full of disdain.


    Was Katniss''s cousin-inw blind?


    Ramon was clearly unreliable, full of schemes, and he introduced such a man to Katniss.


    Besides, if anyone should introduce a man to Katniss, it should be Saskia. How could a cousin-inw bring a man over? No sense of propriety!


    "Throw it away." Thinking of Ramon''s gaze just now, Katniss felt extremely ufortable.


    Kieran was really a scumbag, even targeting his not-so-close cousin.


    Saskia should be pregnant soon.


    How could she catch Kieran cheating before Saskia got pregnant and make Kieran and Saskia divorce?


    Katniss''s eyes darkened. Time was running out; she needed to find evidence quickly.


    But she was bedridden and couldn''t even leave the hospital.


    Even if she could, she wasn''t capable of tracking someone.


    Katniss''s eyes darted around, her gaze gradually shifting to the two stern, expressionless bodyguards at the door.

 Chapter 81

    Lately, Maximilian had been swamped. By the time he made it to the hospital, Katniss was already out cold.


    The next morning, when she woke up, nurse Mira mentioned that Maximilian had swung by, hung out for a bit, and then took off. He always left around midnight.


    But there was something else bugging her.


    Every morning and evening, she got these texts from an unknown number. Just simple greetings and concerns.


    While sipping the porridge Felix brought, her phone buzzed on the table.


    She nced at the time. Right on schedule.


    Putting down the spoon, Katniss picked up her phone and checked the message. Yep, it was from that unknown number.


    [Good morning, it''s getting colder today. Keep warm, and remember to close the window to avoid catching a cold.]


    She read it and then calmly deleted the message.


    She had a pretty good idea who it was-probably Ramon. But who said she had to reply?


    If she were still the naive girl from her past life, she might''ve felt bad, thinking she hurt Ramon''s feelings.


    But now, after living for decades, Katniss saw through Ramon''s little games.


    He wasn''t putting in any real effort.


    Did he think a few sweet words and some concern would win her over?


    After finishing breakfast, Katniss rinsed her mouth and looked at herself in the mirror. The wound on her forehead had started to scab and was a bit itchy. She didn''t dare scratch it, worried it would leave a scar. She lifted her shirt. The bruises that were once blue and purple had turned reddish-purple and were less swollen.


    Thanks to Maximilian, Katniss had a thorough check-up on her arm.


    The results showed it was just external injuries, no bone damage, which made her breathe a sigh of relief.


    Lying back on the hospital bed, Katniss pulled out the book Juniper had brought her and started reading. She''d been in the hospital for almost a week and had fallen behind in her studies. After studying all morning, her eyes were sore, and she felt a bit foggy.


    "Your body''s just starting to get better. Rest up; you can catch up on your studiester."


    That familiar voice.


    It was Dn.


    Katniss closed the book and looked at Dn, her eyes flickering as she calmly said, "Dn."


    Dn, wearing a white coat, walked in, pulled up a chair, and sat by the bed, picking up the book on the table to nce at it.


    "Pharmacology?" Dn raised an eyebrow and smiled, "This is something you should be studying in your junior year. You''re a bit early."


    Katniss tugged at her lips, "Just browsing."


    She lowered her eyes and saw Dn''s well-defined fingers, which were very attractive and seemed perfect for holding a scalpel.


    When she died, Dn was at the peak of his career. As the youngest doctor in Luminous City, many people paid a high price to get an appointment with him, and the wealthy and powerful sought him for surgeries. With such a skilled doctor in the family, Elodie was confident that as long as she donated her organs, Dn could save ra.


    Katniss suddenly wanted to know if, after her death in her past life, Dn had used her kidney to perform surgery on ra. But after a second, Katnissughed.


    She was already dead, so how could Dn possibly give up ra''s life?


    The surgery must have happened.


    In her past life, she had given everything to the Manners family and ra, right up until the end.


    "What are youughing at?" Dn asked.


    His eyes locked onto Katniss''s self-mocking smile, tinged with disappointment and a hint of cold sarcasm.


    Dn couldn''t quite figure it out.


    Ever since ra and Katniss got jumped by those thugs and ended up in the hospital, Katniss had been acting way different than he expected.


    In the past, she might''ve caused some trouble, but she was never this desperate and reckless.


    Katniss''s longshes fluttered, and then she looked at Dn. "Dn, if ra and I were both sick and only one could be saved, who would you save?" "You''re both my sisters. I''d save both of you," Dn said earnestly.


    Katniss tilted her head slightly. "But if you could only save one? Saving ra means I die, and saving me means ra can''t survive."


    Dn instinctively frowned and then suddenly smiled, "Don''t joke about stuff like that. It''s bad luck to talk about it. You''re too old to bepeting with ra."


    A surge of mixed emotions welled up in Katniss''s heart, and she finally found herself ridiculous.


    All along, she had thought Dn was the most good-tempered one, the only one who treated her kindly and cared for her.


    But in this life, she realized that many things were not as she had thought.


    Dn''s kindness was mostly a means to keep the peace.


    She had thought Dn was good to her, but he had never explicitly said he would side with her.


    It was all her wishful thinking.


    "It''s my fault for not being there to stop Dad," Dn said, cing a hand on Katniss''s frail shoulder and sighing. "Please forgive Dad, okay? I heard about what happened. Dad was just angry, and you really have a knack for making him that mad."


    "Dn, if you''re here to talk about that, you can leave," Katniss said calmly, reopening her book. "It''s better for you without me. You won''t have to face the dilemma of choosing between saving me or ra."


    "Alright, I won''t push you. Think about it yourself." Dn was very good-tempered.


    Then he nced at the door and said cautiously, "Let''s talk about something happy. ra is outside and has some good news to share with you." ra had called him, saying she couldn''t get into Katniss''s room because there were bodyguards at the door, following Maximilian''s orders. Katniss blinked. So it was still about ra.


    "Dn, if it weren''t for ra, would you havee to see me today?" Katniss''s eyes were cold, her voice as if carried by the wind, cool and ethereal. "What?" Dn was confused.


    Katniss smiled slightly, "Nothing, let ra in."


    She was also curious to hear what good news ra was so eager to share.


    With Katniss''s permission, the people outside finally let ra in.


    ra was dressed elegantly today, wearing a suit and white boots, with her long hair falling to her shoulders, making her look both charming and pure.


    "Katniss," ra called out, then took an invitation from her bag and said happily, "You''re my sister, and I wanted to tell you this good news first. Carlton has agreed to my marriage with Desmond, and the engagement is set for next month." "Get well soon and be my bridesmaid, okay?" she asked.

 Chapter 82

    Katniss nced at the invitation and let out a sarcasticugh, her eyes full of mockery.


    She grabbed the invite, ripped it up, and tossed it into the trash can next to her.


    "Are you nuts, asking me to be a bridesmaid? You want your wedding to turn into a funeral?" Katniss''s face was ice-cold. "What if I get so jealous I stab you?"


    Inviting an ex-fianc¨¦e to be a bridesmaid just to look all kind-hearted ra really knew how to push her buttons.


    "Katniss!" ra''s eyes were red, and she looked anxiously at Dn.


    A hint of fragile sadness crossed her face.


    "Katniss, don''t say that!" Dn stepped in front of ra, his tone softening as he spoke to Katniss. "This is a big deal for ra. You''re her only sister. Of course, she wants you there. Don''t be stubborn and let peopleugh at us." He just thought Katniss was in a bad mood, throwing a fit because her engagement got called off.


    ra looked a bit helpless, lowering her head timidly.


    Katniss''s eyes were cold. "Aren''t I already a joke? My fianc¨¦ got stolen, and I still have to act like everything''s fine and bless you? What did I do to deserve this shameless treatment?"


    "ra, I don''t have a shameless sister like you. Get lost! Don''te near me and make me sick." Katniss''s aura was icy, her pale face gloomy and cold.


    "ra, Katniss, what''s going on?" Desmond''s anxious voice came from the doorway.


    Katniss looked up and saw Desmond striding in.


    His eyesnded on the torn invitation on the floor, and he instinctively pulled ra into his arms.


    "What happened?" he asked.


    "I wanted to invite Katniss to our engagement party, but she tore up the invitation." ra''s delicate face showed deep helplessness and fragility. She stopped talking, her eyes filling with tears as she buried her head in Desmond''s chest. Her fragile and beautiful appearance evoked heartache without a word, making it seem as though the scheming and jealous Katniss had bullied her.


    And Desmond''s gaze was all too familiar to Katniss it was disgust, hatred, and iprehension!


    Katniss curled her lips in obvious disdain. "Don''t put on a loving act in front of me. You just broke off the engagement with the me and now you''re hooking up with my sister. Even if I have no shame, the Boleyn family still has some. Are all the girls in Luminous City dead? Why find a rival to be a bridesmaid? You two are really a perfect pair of scumbags. Stay together and don''t harm others."


    Desmond''s heart trembled, anger and guilt growing simultaneously, causing a slight pain in his chest.


    Unable to defy Carlton''s orders, having an engagement with Katniss without exining it to her was his fault, but ra was innocent.


    He didn''t tell Katniss because he was worried she couldn''t handle it and wanted to take care of her feelings.


    ra bit her lip, tears streaming down as she stood up from Desmond''s embrace. "You can''t force someone to love you. Before you came back, Desmond and I grew up together. I know this engagement was yours, and I sincerely wanted to bless you both. I tried to control and suppress my feelings for Desmond. I didn''t want to hurt you, but I can''t live without Desmond. Now that Carlton has agreed, Katniss, please forgive us, okay?"


    When ra cried, Desmond''s heart broke.


    Katniss''s gaze was icy. "You think you''re some kind of hero, almost moved to tears by your own sacrifice in this love triangle? How shameless can you be? Does your ''beautiful love'' need to use me as a stepping stone to seem tragic?" She threw off the covers, gritting her teeth against the pain, and stood up. She grabbed the trash can filled with the torn invitation pieces and hurled it at Desmond.


    "If you had told me the truth, I wouldn''t have chosen you, Desmond!" Mira quickly stepped forward to support Katniss, giving her more strength. "If you want my blessing, wait until you''re dead."


    Desmond was hit by the trash can, his face turning pale. He opened his mouth, feeling he should exin something, but anything he said seemed pointless.


    Mira, having heard everything, was also furious. "What kind of people are you? How can a girl be so shameless, stealing her sister''s fianc¨¦? Being a mistress and unting it in front of the legitimate one, you are truly shameless and vicious." Mira, still angry, looked at Desmond. "Your taste in women is poor, and you''re a coward. Even my uneducated husband is better."


    Then, Mira helped Katniss sit down, turned around, and forcefully pushed the two out, instructing the bodyguards not to let them in again.


    "Don''t let them disturb Katniss''s recovery."


    Only Dn was left in the room. "Katniss, you don''t seem like yourself right now."


    Katniss looked up at Dn, her lips pale as she forced a smile. "Since childhood, as long as ra cried, she got everything. Everything she did was right. I couldn''t fight. If I fought, it meant I was trying to take things from ra, that I couldn''t tolerate her."


    After a pause, Katniss chuckled and continued, "Dn, do you also think I should be ra''s bridesmaid? But does it really matter if I''m the bridesmaid? In the Manners family, I am so insignificant, less than a servant. Do others really care about me? The only one satisfied would be ra, reveling in my humiliation and unting her superiority."


    Dn frowned slightly, looking at Katniss. "Katniss, you''re overthinking. ra is simple-minded and has no such malice."


    "Do I have to ept it just because there''s no malice?" Katniss''s eyes suddenly turned cold, then she felt a wave of exhaustion. "Dn, you should leave. I''m tired and need to rest."


    Dn moved his lips but said nothing in the end.


    But as he stepped out the door and saw who was standing there, he paused and frowned. "Nathan, why are you here?"


    "When Katniss had her ident, I was still at school doing experiments. I only found outst night and came to see her today when I was free." Nathan took out a handkerchief, covering his mouth as he coughed. "Dn, isn''t it too much to ask Katniss to be a bridesmaid? We all know how much she liked Desmond."


    Seeing Nathan cough painfully, Dn''s frown deepened as he led him to his office.


    After a moment of silence, Dn said, "Desmond doesn''t like Katniss, and he must be the Manners family''s son-inw. We can''t let him go to outsiders. We gave Katniss a chance, but she couldn''t make Desmond love her. So it''s only natural for ra to step in now."


    "But you shouldn''t have suggested ra ask Katniss to be a bridesmaid!" Nathan was somewhat dissatisfied.


    Dn''s eyes turned cold, his hands in the pockets of his white coat. "Since Desmond and ra''s engagement is set, it''s better for Katniss to face it sooner. She needs to get used to Desmond being her brother-inw. She should be able to let go! I''m not afraid to be the bad guy."

 Chapter 83

    Protecting the family''s honor and interests sometimes requires sacrifice.


    Getting mixed up with the Boleyn family? Yeah, that engagement''s set in stone.


    When Nathan heard this, his good-looking face turned stormy. Dn, on the other hand, was more level-headed and saw the bigger picture.


    Dn said, "Alright, chill out. Swing by the office, and I''ll check you out. What''s up with all that coughingtely?"


    He remembered Nathan used to cough, but it was never this bad.


    It was just the asional cough when he felt under the weather or had a cold.


    Dn frowned, "Are the servants treating you well? If they''re cking, fire ''em and get someone who knows what they''re doing."


    Nathan had always been frail with a weak heart. He''d been sick on and off since he was a kid, and there were a few times he almost kicked the bucket, scaring their parents half to death.


    Lately, his health had finally started to get a bit better.


    Nathan waved his hand, "It''s not the servants'' fault. Katniss used to handle my meals, and I had medicinal stuff every day. After she left, that stopped. I asked the kitchen maid, and turns out Katniss made those meals herself, and they don''t know how to do it."


    Halfway through, Nathan paused, feeling a bit weird.


    Before, whenever Katniss brought him those meals, he found it annoying. She''d force him to eat them every day and nagged him more than any maid.


    Most times, it was ra''s persuasion that got him to finish the meals.


    Then he told Katniss to stay out of his room, and ra would bring the meals every night.


    Over time, he started giving ra the credit, forgetting it was Katniss who made the meals.


    For a moment, aplicated look crossed Nathan''s face.


    On the first floor of the hospital, at the elevator entrance.


    Desmond was holding ra''s hand, about to step out of the elevator, when he spotted a guy in a wheelchair at the entrance.


    Maximilian''s cool eyes lifted slightly, looking at Desmond, then shifting to ra beside him.


    Whenever Maximilian was around, Desmond felt like he couldn''t breathe.


    He straightened up, nodded respectfully, and greeted, "Maximilian."


    Then he squeezed ra''s hand and nervously introduced, "This is ra."


    It was the first time ra was introduced to someone from the Boleyn family as Desmond''s fianc¨¦e.


    ra instinctively straightened up, smiling elegantly and appropriately, "Maximilian."


    She didn''t quite get why Desmond was always so deferential to Maximilian, even more than to his dad, Gabriel.


    Sure, Maximilian was in charge now, but wasn''t he crippled and sick, almost on his deathbed?


    The future assets of the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family would belong to Desmond!


    But she still had to be grateful that Maximilian was currently helping Desmond manage thepany with great effort.


    Maximilian withdrew his gaze indifferently and said in a dismissive tone, "Wait until you marry into the Boleyn family before calling me that. Even your father has to call me Mr. Hamilton. Is it appropriate for you to call me that?" His deep voice carried an indescribable disdain.


    ra was stunned, her face suddenly drained of color.


    She was already Desmond''s fianc¨¦e, yet Maximilian showed her no respect.


    ra bit her lip tightly, wondering what she should call him.


    Maximilian was deliberately making things difficult for her.


    But Maximilian seemedpletely unaware, his ck coat making him look even colder and more aloof.


    "Maximilian, ra''s just shy. If you''re mad, take it out on me. I''m the one who insisted on marrying her," Desmond quickly jumped in, seeing ra in a tough spot. "And I''ve already apologized to Katniss."


    Maximilian replied, "Fine, go home and kneel for three hours. Tell Grandpa I said so."


    Desmond''s face tightened, and he gritted his teeth, agreeing.


    ra''s eyes widened in shock, and she snapped, "You''re just Desmond''s half-brother. What right do you have to punish him? What did he do wrong?"


    Maximilian''s eyes stayed cold, "Four hours."


    "Are you nuts?" ra shouted.


    "Five hours."


    "ra, stop talking!" Desmond''s body tensed, and he harshly scolded ra, "Don''t talk to Maximilian like that."


    ra''s expression changed, and tears of frustration welled up in her eyes.


    Why was Desmond being so harsh on her? She was trying to help him!


    ra cried with a pitiful look, Desmond''s heart softened, and he turned his head away from her, instead addressing Maximilian, "Maximilian, ra is young. Please don''t me her."


    "When have you ever seen me get angry over irrelevant people and matters?" Maximilian''s voice was cold, his eagle-like gaze sweeping over ra as he sternly reprimanded, "When I''m speaking with Desmond, you, an outsider, have no right to interfere in Boleyn family affairs. Do you understand?"


    ra''s fingers tightened, and the joy on her face vanished.


    With the previous experience, Desmond didn''t dare to speak, only giving ra aforting look.


    But what Maximilian said next made ra''s face turn pale, her eyes filled with fear.


    "By the way, Laura has been detained by the police. ra, as Laura''s friend, aren''t you going to visit her? She misses you and has mentioned you several times." Maximilian said calmly, with a faint smile, "Since you''re going to marry into the Boleyn family, let me give you some advice. Stay out of trouble, and don''t mess with people you shouldn''t, to avoid suffering the consequences."


    After speaking, Emilio pushed Maximilian''s wheelchair into the elevator. The elevator doors closed, and his figure disappeared inside.


    ra stood frozen in ce, cold sweat breaking out on her back, her eyes fixed on the closed elevator doors.


    Desmond frowned and asked ra in confusion, "What did Maximilian mean? Do you know Laura?"


    ra forced a smile, hiding her fear, and shook her head innocently.


    "I don''t really understand either. Before Katniss got into trouble, I had some interactions with Laura, we have exchanged a few words since we were ssmates." ra bit her lip, looking a bit aggrieved, "Maybe Laura is trying to reduce her sentence by making things up, and Maximilian misunderstood something?"


    Desmond said, "Laura won''t be getting out. If Maximilian wants to deal with someone, no one can save them. You shouldn''t contact Laura anymore."


    A few secondster, ra tentatively asked, "Why are you so afraid of Maximilian? He bullies you like that, and you still put up with it."


    Mentioning Maximilian, Desmond''s eyes darkened, "Our family''s situation isplicated. I''ll exin it to you slowlyter."


    "But you just yelled at me, and I was scared." ra suppressed her thoughts, sniffing, looking heartbroken.


    Desmond felt guilty, put his arm around ra''s waist, and apologized while gently exining, "I wasn''t yelling at you, I was saving you. In the Boleyn family, you can make me or my dad angry, but don''t provoke Maximilian. He''s not that simple."


    Desmond''s eyes were deep and inscrutable.


    Maximilian was a person more terrifying than the devil.

 Chapter 84

    In the hospital room, Mira helped Katniss back onto the bed and pulled up the covers with care. Katniss was fuming. What a bunch of idiots.


    "Your sister doesn''t look like you," Mira said.


    Katniss grinned. "You some kind of face-reading expert? We''re not actually rted by blood."


    "Of course, my neighbor back home is really good at this stuff. I''ve picked up a few things over the years," Mira said, sweeping the floor with a broom, her face animated. "You''ve got a kind face that gets luckier with age." Lucky?


    Katniss wasn''t convinced. Her past life had been so chaotic and tragic, where was the luck in that?


    After tidying up, Mira continued, "But your brow bone is high and close to your eyes, which means you don''t have good family ties. You don''t get along with your family, do you?" Katniss instinctively touched her brow bone, looking at Mira with curiosity.


    It wasn''t entirely wrong.


    But Mira had seen her fall out with her family before; anyone could tell she didn''t get along with them.


    Just then, the door opened.


    The sound of a wheelchair rolling quietly filled the room.


    Katniss looked up and smiled, "Maximilian, it''s only noon. How do you have time toe over?"


    Lately, Maximilian had been super busy, oftening at night when she was already asleep.


    Even though Maximilian visited frequently, she rarely saw him.


    So seeing him during the day made Katniss quite happy.


    Maximilian spoke, "I have a meeting this afternoon, so I came by to see you and talk about the wedding."


    Wedding!


    Katniss''s eyes widened. It was settled so quickly?


    Weren''t marriages in wealthy families supposed to beplicated?


    She had thought about itter, asking Maximilian to marry her was a bit much.


    Even though Maximilian had a bad reputation and it was said he was dying, he was still the head of the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family. Many people wanted to marry him! As Maximilian''s wife, the inheritance would be enormous.


    "Has your grandfather agreed?" Katniss asked.


    Both daughters of the Manners family marrying into the same family was rare in high society.


    Would Carlton agree for the sake of family development?


    Maximilian said calmly, "Yes, once you''re better. My grandfather Carlton and Samuel wille to propose. We''ll register the marriage first, and you can decide what kind of wedding you want."


    At this moment, Katniss finally felt a bit like she was getting married.


    Even though it was a fake marriage, the necessary steps had to be taken.


    The scene had to be grand!


    "What about ra?" Katniss couldn''t help but ask. "Both daughters of the Manners family marrying a pair of brothers, what would people think?"


    "Don''t worry about that," Maximilian said, taking the tea Felix handed him, his eyes lifting slightly, his tone indifferent. "ra will only be formally recognized as a member of the Boleyn family after her marriage." Katniss was quiet for a moment, her eyes darting around as she thought about what Maximilian had said.


    Even though ra and Desmond were engaged, who knew if they''d actually tie the knot?


    Katniss''s eyes lit up. ra had too much free time and was always hanging around.


    She needed to find something to keep ra busy.


    Since they were getting engaged, she should give ra a big gift.


    At that moment, Maximilian was also watching Katniss. Her cheeks were rosy, and she had put on some weight.


    She seemed to be recovering well.


    Maximilian nced at the books on the table, then back at her. "You haven''t been to school for over a week. Are you keeping up with your sses? Do you need a tutor?"


    A university professor tutoring?


    Their professors all had at least a PhD, most were associate professors or full professors, and next year, they would even be taught by an academician.


    Instantly, Katniss felt pressured and shook her head vigorously, "No, no, Juniper got the notes from the ss rep for me, and I can manage by reading." Katniss''s face mirrored a student caught unprepared by a teacher''s question, a mix of anxiety and bewilderment.


    Maximilian was amused by her expression and nodded towards her books, "Alright, put the books away and let''s eat. Felix has set the table."


    His tone was really like a concerned parent.


    Katniss thought that whoever became Maximilian''s child would be in trouble. Having such a formidable father would be too oppressive.


    Since Katniss could move, she had been eating in the small living room of the suite. Otherwise, the rest room would smell of food for a long time. Today''s lunch, as usual, was from the Starry Night Hotel.


    Every day, they had takeout from the Starry Night Hotel. For a moment, Katniss felt it was really extravagant.


    In this era, the average sry was only a few hundred dors, and a meal from the Starry Night Hotel cost more than a month''s sry for an average family. Over this period, she had eaten the equivalent of a year''s ie for an average family.


    Feeling guilty, Katniss still ate with great relish.


    It was so delicious!


    After a few bites, Katniss suddenly realized this might be the first time she was truly having a meal with Maximilian.


    Katniss quickly nced at Maximilian. Some people were just born elegant. Even when he was simply eating, Maximilian''s every move was graceful and pleasing to the eye, especially with that breathtakingly handsome face. Every part of him matched her aesthetic perfectly.


    "The doctor just told me you can be discharged this weekend," Maximilian said, slightly tilting his head towards her.


    "I can be discharged?" Katniss was delighted, her eyes brightening.


    Maximilian put down his utensils and slightly smiled, "So, remember to prepare your birth certificate and valid ID." "Okay." Katniss nodded obediently.

 Chapter 85

    Katniss rolled her eyes a bit. "Maximilian, if we gotta go through this, can we talk to my Uncle Wesley about the engagement? If my parents find out I''m marrying you, they''ll try to squeeze money out of you." Maximilian stayed calm and added some food to Katniss''s te. "If they want to ckmail me, let them try. Now, stop being so picky. Where''d you pick up these bad habits?" Katniss opened her mouth to argue but just muttered, "Okay," and stared at the food.


    She was almost 20, and if you counted her past life, she was pushing 60. Yet here she was, getting a lecture about being picky with food. Couldn''t she just eat what she wanted? Wasn''t that one of life''s few pleasures? Suddenly, the phone on the table buzzed. Looking for an escape, Katniss grabbed it to check the screen. It was that unknown number again.


    "A quick snap, sharing today''s good mood with you," it said, with a picture of a city park attached.


    How ridiculous. In 2004, phones with cameras were just bing a thing. Was Ramon showing off that his phone could take pictures? Big deal.


    By today''s standards, it was indeed something to brag about. Her phone could only make calls, send texts, browse the news, and didn''t even have a camera, let alone games.


    As someone who''d seen the inte age explode, this kind of showing off was just embarrassing. She deleted the message without a second thought.


    "What''s up?" Maximilian asked.


    "Nothing, just spam," Katniss repliedzily.


    But it reminded her of Kieran. Saskia''s son was born in winter 2005, and now it was early December. She had maybe two or three months to let Saskia know Kieran''s true colors. Thinking of this, Katniss turned to look at Maximilian. She didn''t say anything, but her big, watery eyes were full of a silent plea.


    Maximilian wiped his hands with a handkerchief. "Go ahead, what''s wrong?"


    Katniss smiled awkwardly, thinking that even before they were married, she was already starting to trouble Maximilian. She wondered if he''d find her annoying.


    She hated bothering people and was always afraid of being a nuisance, probably a leftover trauma from her past life.


    "It''s 1:20 now. I gotta leave by 1:30," Maximilian said, rolling up his sleeve to check his watch.


    Seeing this, Katniss quickly said, "Maximilian, can I borrow the two people at the door?"


    She nced at the door as she spoke. Maximilian looked at her calmly, not saying a word, so she quickly continued, "Don''t worry, it''s nothing illegal. Remember my cousin-inw Kieran? I think he''s cheating, but I have no proof. I want them to follow him, take some photos, and make my cousin see the truth and divorce him!"


    Maximilian asked, "Are you and your cousin close?"


    Katniss nodded and then softly said, "When I first came back to the Manners family, I was a mess. My parents and ssmates all looked down on me, so I became even more withdrawn. That''s when my grandmother took me in, and Wesley often brought Saskia and Micah to see me."


    "By the way, Wesley''s a teacher. Pretty smart guy," she added.


    Unlike the Manners family, Wesley''s family actually treated her like she mattered, like she was one of their own.


    Even after Katniss yed matchmaker, setting up the girl Micah liked with Dn to win his favor, Micah still cared for her deep down. He''d scold her but still slip her some pocket money and buy her snacks now and then. He was more of a brother to her than her actual brothers.


    Many times, she wished she was Wesley''s daughter, to be Saskia and Micah''s sister, rather than being born to Elodie.


    Even though it was a painful situation, when Katniss talked about it, she sounded like she was recalling some distant memory, calm andposed, like it was no big deal.


    "Have some fruit!" Mira said, cing a te of cut fruit on the table.


    Katniss tried a piece and found it surprisingly sweet!


    Maximilian pushed the fruit te closer to her and said lightly, "Then I don''t think you should get involved. It might mess up your rtionship with your cousin." With Maximilian''s reminder, Katniss got what he was worried about, and it warmed her heart.


    She smiled gently, "Do you think I''m that dumb? Once I get the evidence, I''ll send it to Saskia anonymously and then nudge things along from behind the scenes."


    Family scandals shouldn''t be aired out. Kieran''s cheating was a private and embarrassing matter for Saskia, and the fewer people who knew, the better.


    Even though she was close to Saskia, she wasn''t dumb enough to confront Kieran and tell Saskia to divorce him. Everyone''s got their own story, and it''s up to them to tell it.


    Maximilian looked a bit surprised, his thin lips curving into a smile. He reached out to touch her hair, "As long as you get it. I gotta go now. Don''t be picky."


    Maximilian''srge, warm hand covered her forehead, and Katniss didn''t dare move. What else could she do but agree? Rebel?


    After Maximilian left, Katniss felt relieved and immediately picked out the food she liked, finishing her meal.


    Then she walked around the hospital room, thinking the pills she had prepared for Maximilian should be almost gone. She needed to make new ones and get back to the weekly acupuncture treatments.


    After getting out of the hospital this weekend, she not only had to make new pills but also set up the acupuncture schedule again. She was confident she could heal Maximilian''s leg enough for him to walk, but his body was in such bad shape that it would take years of treatment to really improve.


    He was born with a congenital illness, made worse byter conditions and some people''s malicious actions. An ordinary person wouldn''t have survived this long. Honestly, Maximilian was purely sustained by medication.


    The more Katniss got to know Maximilian''s body, the more she realized that in his previous life, Maximilian''s death was probably inevitable.


    After writing down the treatment n, Katniss folded it and put it in her small backpack.


    Meanwhile, in the hospital basement parking lot, Maximilian got into a ck car. Emilio, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and handed over a list and some photos.


    "These are the people Katniss has met in the hospital over the past few days, along with their conversation details," Emilio said. "And this is Ramon''s information."

 Chapter 86

    Maximilian grabbed the photos and documents, gave the faces in the pictures a quick nce, and then tossed them aside. He was all about Ramon''s file.


    The file was short and to the point, detailing Ramon''s past and his rap sheet. No big crimes like murder or arson, but plenty of fights and brawls, leading to multiple arrests. Maximilian flipped through the pages fast, stopping when something caught his eye.


    It showed that Ramon had once helped Kieran deal with a coworker he had beef with at thepany, and he had been pretty brutal. Kieran had smoothed it over with cash. Emilio scratched his nose. "Looks like there''s no one else backing Katniss."


    Katniss'' identity was really unsettling, and her timing was just too perfect.


    Maximilian looked down for a moment, then said calmly, "Take care of these troublemakers."


    Emilio nodded, "Got it."


    He pursed his lips, thinking to himself, ''Ramon''s got some bad luck. Of all people, he messed with Katniss.''


    Time flew by, and a few dayster, it was time for Katniss to leave the hospital.


    During her stay, Katniss had rested well, had great meals, and recovered nicely.


    Felix came to pick her up himself, making sure to note down all the doctor''s instructions, not wanting to miss a thing.


    When they left the hospital, he didn''t let her carry a single thing, making her walk ahead with empty hands, feeling a bit awkward.


    Though it felt strange, it also warmed her heart.


    In the past, with her so-called family, she had never been taken care of like this. She even had to serve tea and water. She never expected to feel the warmth of a home from people who weren''t even rted to her. Especiallypared to thest time she was discharged, ra had a crowd around her, while Katniss was left alone at the hospital entrance.


    Felix drove, smiling as he talked to her, "This time, you''ll stay at Maximilian''s ce. He had a room set up just for you, Katniss. Check it out and see if you like it."


    Katniss was taken aback for a moment.


    Was this Maximilian''s idea?


    But Maximilian must have his reasons, so Katniss agreed, "Okay, thanks, Felix."


    The vi area.


    Compared to the barren look when she first saw it, the courtyard was now vibrant and full of life.


    Various potted nts and blooming roses filled the garden, giving it a spring-like vibe that lifted her spirits.


    It was beautifully decorated, with climbing roses in full bloom.


    Felix chuckled, "Thanks to your suggestion, Katniss, the garden looks much prettier with the roses."


    Katniss couldn''t help but admire it for a while. This must have cost a fortune, right?


    nting roses after spring and having them survive through winter wasn''t easy, especially with so many roses, which must have been quite expensive.


    After crossing the courtyard and entering the vi, Mira led her to see her room.


    "We didn''t know what you like, Katniss, so I got things girls usually like, such as dolls, trinkets, and princess dresses." Mira chatted nervously as she led her upstairs, worried if Katniss would like it.


    Mira was originally a caregiver, skilled in taking care of people and cooking.


    Maximilian suddenly hired her at double the sry to keep looking after Katniss, which was a total blessing!


    Mira was determined to take good care of Katniss and make her happy.


    They stopped in front of a room, and Mira opened the door for her.


    The sight made Katniss pause. She hesitantly stepped inside, slowly taking in the room''s decor.


    The room was big, bright, and spotless, something she could never have imagined before.


    The whole ce was done up in soft pinks and whites, with wallpaper, wardrobes, desks, and beds all matching perfectly. It was cute without being over the top, like a room fit for a real princess. The bed was neatly made, with silky soft fabric that looked superfy.


    At the far end of the room was a walk-in closet, even bigger than the storage room she used to sleep in, filled with all sorts of beautifully designed dresses, matching essories, and shoes. Katniss looked around, suddenly remembering the day she was first brought to the Manners Vi.


    Back then, Katniss was young, timidly stepping into the Manners Vi, easily spotting ra surrounded by their parents and brothers.


    ra ran over to greet her, wearing a fancy princess dress and holding a rare doll, looking every bit like a little princess, noble and reserved.


    Katniss, on the other hand, was just a country girl with dark, yellowish skin, wearing handmade, rustic clothes, and dusty shoes, looking like a speck of dustpared to ra. ra seemed super excited about her arrival, her face full of joy.


    She pulled Katniss inside, enthusiastically showing her around the house and her own room.


    It was an extremely girly room, with spotless furniture, and dozens of cute, delicate dolls, clearly a meticulously maintained princess room.


    It was something Katniss had never seen before, like stepping into another world.


    "This was all arranged by my parents and brothers. Isn''t it beautiful?" ra said with innocent eyes, "Katniss, if you like my room, I''ll ask my parents to give it to you."


    Katniss believed in ra''s friendliness and generosity, nodding cautiously and quickly adding, "It''s okay, I can stay in another room."


    But ra told their parents that Katniss wanted the princess room and wouldn''t stay with the Manners family otherwise.


    ra said this behind Katniss, looking troubled but willing to make the sacrifice. Naturally, their parents thought Katniss was being unreasonable and decided to let her stay in the storage room. The contrast between the two was stark.


    Katniss pulled herself out of her thoughts, feeling a lump in her throat, her eyes misting over.


    This was her room.


    In this life, she was no longer alone.


    Suddenly, her phone rang. Katniss took it out and answered.


    To her surprise, it was Simon calling.


    Once he confirmed she could hear him, he started questioning her without even a greeting, sounding very displeased, "Why did you suddenly get discharged? Why did you ignore the doctor''s orders and not even call home? I came to pick your up today, and you deliberately avoided me, making me wait outside. Don''t you think that''s a bit much?"


    Hearing no response from Katniss, Simon impatiently said, "Did you hear me? If you did,e back immediately."

 Chapter 87

    Simon was super annoyed. Out of all his brothers, he was the only one with a free schedule. Lucas was swamped with work, Dn was stuck in surgery, and Nathan was too frail to handle anything.


    So, it was up to him.


    After getting a call from Dn, he took a break from his teacher to head over.


    But by the time he got to the hospital, Katniss had already checked out.


    She must''ve done it on purpose!


    "Simon, if you''re sick, go see a doctor," Katniss sneered. "Since when do I need your permission to leave the hospital?"


    "Are you deaf or just not listening? I said I was cutting all ties with the Manners family. I want nothing to do with you anymore. Your brain and ears are both useless, beyond saving," she continued. Last time, she was nearly beaten to death, and Simon had a hand in it.


    Hearing this, Simon''s anger red up. "Katniss, you''re so ungrateful! Our family has treated you well all these years, and yet you turned out to be such a troublemaker, always causing problems and ignoring everyone''s kindness!" Katniss held the phone away, listening to Simon''s rant, her smile growing more mocking.


    They treated her well? By making her wear old, faded clothes and sleep in a broken, cold junk room where the chill seeped into her bones?


    "Today, to wee you home from the hospital, ra personally cooked for you. Is this how you treat someone''s genuine effort?" Simon frowned, feeling even more annoyed.


    They usually wouldn''t let ra cook, but today she insisted on making a meal to wee Katniss, so they agreed.


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t have brought Katniss home on ra''s special day, causing a mess.


    "She cooked?" Katniss scoffed, not hiding the sarcasm in her voice. "I wouldn''t dare eat her cooking. I''m afraid of being poisoned. Enjoy it yourself."


    In her past life, she had taken on the cooking duties, leaving ra no chance to cook. The few times ra tried, it was utterly inedible.


    Once, ra said she baked a cake for her, trying to please them, and Katniss forced herself to eat it.


    That night, Katniss had stomach pain, feelingpletely drained. She had to drag herself to the phone to call for an ambnce and ended up in the hospital for several days.


    No one believed ra had tampered with the cake; instead, they med Katniss for being weak and wasting money.


    Thinking of the past, Katniss''s heart grew colder.


    "How dare you criticize ra''s cooking? ra''s cooking is way better than yours!" Simon was thoroughly enraged. Katniss rolled her eyes and said, "Is that so? If it''s so good, you should eat more. I''ll contact the crematorium for you." With that, Katniss hung up the phone.


    Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice downstairs.


    Katniss hurried downstairs to see a man in a ck hoodie pushing Maximilian into the living room.


    Hearing her running down, Maximilian looked up at her and calmly reminded, "Walk slower, you just recovered."


    "We''ll go outter, and someone will pick up Wesley''s family at the Starry Night Hotel to discuss the engagement," Maximilian paused, his tone indifferent. "You haven''t forgotten, have you?" Engagement?


    Katniss''s eyes widened. She was about to get engaged, and she felt strange.


    "No, I haven''t forgotten," she coughed, stammering. "Maximilian, isn''t it a bit rushed to discuss the engagement today?"


    Katniss hadn''t expected to discuss the engagement on the day she was discharged.


    Did that mean she and Maximilian would register their marriage in the next few days?


    Seeing Katniss standing there obediently, Maximilian found it particrly amusing.


    He chuckled lightly and said slowly, "Samuel and Carlton think today is a good day for an engagement."


    Hearing that, Katniss''s earlobes turned red, "It really is a good day."


    Maximilian looked her up and down and said, "Go upstairs and change into something else."


    Katniss felt a bit nervous. Although she had lived a long life, she had never been married and had always been alone in her past life. Whatever Maximilian said now, she would do.


    Katniss nodded and nced at her cheap clothes, which together cost less than $50.


    How could she let Maximilian lose face?


    Katniss understood and went upstairs to change. She could lose face, but Maximilian couldn''t!


    Maximilian looked at Mira, who immediately followed to help Katniss.


    Downstairs, Maximilian stayed in the living room, and Felix handed him two long lists. "Sir, these are the gift lists prepared by Samuel and Carlton." Maximilian raised an eyebrow, "Why are there two?"


    Felix looked conflicted, "Samuel and Carlton were not satisfied with each other''s lists, so they each made their own and said they would give their own gifts." Maximilian rubbed his temples in frustration.


    At the Manners Vi, ra was twirling in a new dress she got as a birthday gift from Lucas. She showed off the elegant design and her youthful, beautiful figure. ra stopped, her small face full of anticipation, and asked softly, "How''s this dress?"


    Elodie smiled at ra and praised, "It''s beautiful, of course! My daughter is so cute and pretty!"


    The others naturally echoed, and Lucas, full of affection, said, "ra, tell me what style of dress you like, and I''ll buy it for you."


    "I don''t need that many dresses. What I want most is for our family to always be happy together," ra said, holding his arm, smiling brightly.


    Hearing this, everyone praised her good sense.


    Lucas was pleased and suddenly remembered something, snorting, "ra is so sensible, unlike that troublemaker..."


    "Lucas, let''s not mention her," Simon said, still upset about the phone call earlier. "ra invited her to her birthday, but that ungrateful Katniss didn''te. Good riddance!" When would Katniss ever be as obedient as ra?


    Thinking of Katniss''s aggressive tone on the phone, Simon felt ufortable.


    Seeing this, Nathan took a small gift box from the table and handed it to ra, "ra, it''s your birthday today. You''re twenty now. I had this ne brought from abroad for you. See if you like it."


    "What a beautiful ne," ra eximed, delighted. It was a new, expensive, and hard-to-get design from a fashion magazine. Grateful, she thanked Nathan, "Thank you, Nathan. I''ll wear it often." As she thanked him, she noticed another gift box beside Nathan.


    ra asked, "Nathan, what''s in that box?"

 Chapter 88

    "This one?" Nathan asked, noticing ra was eyeing another gift box. He hesitated, ncing at the others before adding, "You know, it''s technically Katniss''s birthday too. She should get a gift as well." ra and Katniss were born on the same day, which always caused some confusion.


    Even though they shared a birthday, Nathan remembered that the family never really celebrated Katniss''s. Sometimes, they didn''t even wish her a happy birthday.


    Thinking about it, Nathan felt a bit weird and decided to get an extra gift for Katniss.


    Plus, he always thought it was kinda odd for Katniss to be ra''s bridesmaid.


    After all, Katniss was still their sister.


    When Simon heard the gift was for Katniss, his face turned cold.


    He walked over, grabbed the gift box from the table, opened it, and said coldly, "Katniss has been so rebellioustely, always talking nonsense! How can she deserve the same ne as ra?" "Nathan, you''re showing favoritism," Simon said, looking confused. "Today is ra''s birthday, her big day, and you''re only thinking about Katniss."


    Nathan didn''t argue, but his brows furrowed.


    Today was ra''s big day, but wasn''t it the same for Katniss?


    Seeing the two about to argue, ra looked worried. "Nathan, Simon, please don''t be mad. I''m actually happy to share the same ne with Katniss, especially since it''s Nathan''s thoughtful gesture."


    "Katniss might be going through somethingtely, which makes it hard for her to control her emotions and identally upset Mom and Dad." ra bit her lip, her eyes slightly reddening, looking innocent and kind. "Even though Katniss keeps her distance from me, I believe she considers us family in her heart."


    With just a few words, the others felt even more annoyed with Katniss.


    Simon patted ra''s head affectionately. "ra, when will you stop speaking up for Katniss? We all see how immature she is. She wants to cut ties with us, so why bother with her?"


    ra bit her lip.


    "Don''t speak for her anymore," Simon cut her off, his dissatisfaction with Katniss growing stronger.


    The contrast between ra and Katniss was stark. ra''s words wereforting, while Katniss''s always set him on edge.


    Just then, Oliver called from downstairs, "It''s almost time, are you all ready?"


    They responded and headed downstairs one by one.


    Seeing ra still looking worried, Simon tried to cheer her up. "Alright, stop thinking about Katniss. Today is your birthday, let''s celebrate properly. Lucas went through a lot to book a private room at the Starry Night Hotel. Just say what you want to eatter."


    Hearing this, ra''s eyes curved into a smile, and she said yfully, "Simon, you all treat me so well."


    "As your brother, it''s my duty to make you happy." Simonughed, pinching her nose.


    The family, in high spirits, drove to the Starry Night Hotel.


    Starry Night Hotel.


    The Wesley family arrived at the hotel entrance. Just a glimpse from outside the door left them in awe, they felt upset.


    Such a luxurious ce was beyond their usual means. Even a simple meal here could cost them a month''s living expenses.


    Anna, with her sharp eyes, nced around at the fancy decor and sighed, "Man, the cost of a couple of dishes here could buy us a month''s worth of groceries!"


    Her voice was a bit too loud, and Daphne quickly pulled her aside, making her reluctantly shut up.


    "Please follow me, Mr. Hamilton is waiting in the private room upstairs," Emilio greeted them at the door, recognizing them, and bowed slightly before leading the way. Inside the hotel, the decor and ambiance were even more stunning-serene and luxurious without being over the top.


    And all the ornaments? Yeah, they screamed expensive.


    Taking advantage of no one watching, Anna sneakily picked up a crystal ashtray, thinking about pocketing it.


    After all, there were plenty of ashtrays here; one less wouldn''t matter, right?


    "Mom, what are you doing?" Daphne noticed her trying to pocket the ashtray, frowned, and spoke in a low, reproachful tone.


    Though their family wasn''t wealthy, they couldn''t resort to theft.


    Anna stopped, reluctantly putting the ashtray back. "Why are you so nervous? I was just curious and wanted to take a look."


    She wanted to take something to improve the family''s life.


    Daphne''s expression wasplicated, and she said no more, though her heart was filled with mixed emotions.


    Today, Katniss suddenly called, saying she was getting married and wanted to invite them to discuss the marriage with the groom''s family. Daphne was shocked; she thought Katniss was joking. But soon after, several men in suits knocked on their door, saying their master had sent them to pick them up.


    There were several expensive-looking cars downstairs.


    The groom''s family seemed wealthy, so they couldn''t embarrass Katniss!


    On the way upstairs, Anna didn''t steal anything else but kept talking.


    Thinking about Katniss marrying into such a wealthy family, she felt quite bitter. "I wonder what Katniss did to find someone rich and powerful. I bet the guy is either disabled or old, considering Katniss was once rejected..." Seeing Anna about to continue, Micah coldly interrupted, "Grandma! Let''s wait until we meet them."


    If that were the case, he would be the first to oppose Katniss marrying such a person.


    Anna pursed her lips and recalled Katniss''s previous engagement to Desmond, specting.


    Anna thought Katniss didn''t seem like a well-behaved girl and might have already done everything with Desmond.


    A girl with a tarnished reputation couldn''t find a good match. The groom might really be an old man marrying Katniss as a second wife.


    Just like the girl downstairs in their building, bing someone''s mistress.


    Meanwhile, in the private room...


    Katniss sat upright, obediently beside Maximilian, under the gaze of two elders.


    "Katniss, are you a bit hungry? I''ll have some desserts brought up for you to snack on," Samuel smiled, very pleased with the well-behaved and cute girl.


    Maximilian said he wanted to marry Katniss, and Samuel was so happy he barely slept.


    Katniss, feeling nervous, quickly waved her hand. "No need, Grandpa, I''m not very hungry right now."


    Carlton, rubbing the ring on his thumb, looked at Katniss for a long time before speaking with some emotion, "Your grandfather wanted you to marry Maximilian, and despite all the obstacles, you ended up with him. He must be pleased."

 Chapter 89

    Katniss was caught off guard for a moment. She only knew about the engagement between the Manners and Boleyn families, and that was it.


    Back in the day, she was too young to think about asking all these questions.


    "Arranged by my grandpa? Did you know him?" Katniss''s eyes sparkled with curiosity. When she was brought back from the countryside, her grandpa had already been gone for years. During her time with Aurora, she barely heard anything about her grandpa.


    Seeing Katniss''s curious look, Carlton''s old eyes had a touch of nostalgia, "Didn''t your grandma ever talk about him?"


    Aurora had raised Katniss for so long, but never told her anything about her grandpa, Ezekiel Manners.


    Katniss shook her head. "No, my grandma doesn''t talk much. She''s always busy with her herbs and rarely mentions him. She said he died catching a thief."


    In that moment, a lot of thoughts raced through Katniss''s mind.


    Years ago, the Manners family wasn''t even a big deal. How could her grandpa have set up a marriage with Carlton?


    "Is that what Aurora told you?" Carlton said, sighing a bit. "I don''t admire many people, but your grandpa was something else. It''s a shame he passed too soon."


    Katniss was stunned. She''d seen photos of her grandparents together. Her grandpa looked like he was in his forties, kind and gentle, with gold-rimmed sses that gave him a youthful vibe. But his clothes made him look like an average guy.


    Why did Carlton say her grandpa was remarkable?


    Katniss was even more puzzled.


    Seeing Katniss''s focus on Carlton, Samuel clicked his tongue and grumbled, "Why are we talking about such gloomy stuff? Today''s about Maximilian and Katniss getting engaged. Let''s keep it happy!"


    He then turned to Katniss with a smile, "Katniss, just say what you want to eat. We''ve got plenty of money. From now on, everything Maximilian earns is yours. Spend as much as you like!" Spend as much as she likes? No way she could spend it all.


    It all had to be repaid!


    Only she and Maximilian knew about the fake marriage deal. The two elders treating her like their future granddaughter-inw made Katniss feel a bit guilty.


    Katniss nervously poked Maximilian under the table and leaned towards him.


    She signaled him to say something.


    Maximilian calmly picked up the tea and moved it towards her.


    Then he whispered in her ear, "Just act natural. To everyone else, my grandpa''s right. What''s mine is yours. Spend as much as you want." Katniss thought he had a point.


    The pressure shifted to her.


    The two elders saw Maximilian and Katniss whispering, one looking handsome and elegant, the other bright and youthful, like a perfect picture. Just then, Wesley''s family showed up.


    The moment Wesley saw Maximilian in a wheelchair, he was shocked and a bit annoyed.


    Katniss had mentioned the groom''s health wasn''t great. He thought it meant he was just a bit weak, but now he was in a wheelchair?


    Katniss had a rough childhood, and now she was marrying a disabled guy. How could she be happy?


    "Hello, I''m Samuel Hamilton, Maximilian''s grandpa." Samuel stood up and greeted them warmly, closing the distance naturally.


    Wesley shook hands with him.


    Looking at the lively old man in front of him, Wesley suddenly felt he looked familiar.


    After a moment, it hit him-he''d seen this guy on TV. He was pretty famous and had even been in a parade.


    Wesley''s smile got a bit strained. If this really was the guy from TV, what were they supposed to do?


    Carlton, not a fan of show-offs, walked over, trying to be as polite as possible. "Hello, I''m Maximilian''s grandpa, Carlton Boleyn. Please, have a seat."


    Wesley''s eyes twitched again. That name sounded familiar too, like someone he''d heard about on the financial news.


    Wesley whispered to Micah, "Check on your phone if Samuel and Carlton are the ones we see on TV."


    Micah''s face turned serious as he silently handed his phone to his dad.


    Wesley nced at the pictures and long bios on the screen and was stunned.


    He stiffly handed the phone back to Micah.


    Katniss quickly introduced Wesley and his family. "Wesley, Daphne, this is Maximilian." Then she turned to Maximilian and said, "Maximilian, they''re my uncle and aunt." Maximilian raised his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips, "Wesley, Daphne, I''m a bit unsteady on my feet, so please excuse me if I''m not as quick or graceful as I''d like to be" Even in a wheelchair, his demeanor and handsome face were on point.


    Katniss looked at the stern-faced Micah and said, "This is my cousin, Micah."


    Micah silently looked at Maximilian for a while, his expressionplex. After a few seconds, he extended his hand, "Mr. Hamilton, I''ve heard a lot about you."


    Maximilian''s eyes swept over him, calmly extending his hand, "We''re family now. No need to be so formal. Since you''re marrying Katniss, you would be considered an older brother to me." Micah released his hand, his expression shifting slightly, feeling a bit off.


    Was he still dreaming?


    Next to him, Katniss noticed someone was missing and turned to ask Daphne, "Where''s Saskia? Didn''t shee today?"


    "Her mother-inw suddenly fell ill and needed someone to take care of her, so she went over." Daphne sighed. "It was too urgent. Otherwise, Saskia would definitely be here for your engagement."


    Katniss nodded, the image of Kieran and Brenda embracing shing in her mind. She pursed her lips, staying quiet.


    How much personal time had Saskia sacrificed to take care of her mother-inw and husband? Yet she didn''t get any gratitude and was even cheated on.


    If she were Saskia, she wouldn''t let those two off!


    After everyone was seated, they quickly got down to business.


    "Maximilian isn''t in the best health, so Katniss marrying into our family is a bit of a sacrifice for her. But don''t worry, I''ll treat Katniss like my own granddaughter! I won''t let her suffer any grievances!" Samuel held Wesley''s hand, his expression serious and his promise sincere.


    Samuel, with his righteous aura and earnest tone, was especially convincing!


    Carlton pursed his lips, thinking Samuel was being a bit too ttering.


    The next moment, he chimed in at the right time, "Marriage is a big deal in life. As elders, we must prepare well for the young couple. We''ve already skipped the engagement ceremony, but the rest of the process can''t be omitted. We''ve already got some gifts ready. If you need anything else, just let us know. We''re open to anything."

 Chapter 90

    Carlton pulled out his gift list and handed it over to Daphne.


    Samuel muttered under his breath, calling Carlton a sly old fox. Not wanting to be outdone, he quickly whipped out his own list and shoved it into Daphne''s hands. "Here''s mine, take a look." After the New Year, Maximilian would be turning 28. Most folks their age already had kids in kindergarten.


    They''d been worried sick about Maximilian''s health. Despite all their care, he just kept getting worse.


    Now that Maximilian had finally found a girl he liked and was getting married, with the hope of having a kid to carry on the family name, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief. They didn''t mind showering Katniss with gifts to help Maximilian marry her.


    The gift list was already crazy long, and now with two listsbined, it was enough to make anyone''s jaw drop.


    Daphne''s face turned red with anxiety. She was barely literate, having only gone to elementary school for a few years before her family pulled her out to work.


    "I can''t really make sense of this, Wesley, you take a look." Daphne handed the two lists to Wesley.


    Wesley took them and was immediately floored.


    Looking closer at the contents, he was even more shocked and instinctively wanted to hand them back.


    Such extravagant gifts would drain their family''s savings, and they couldn''t afford it.


    But another thought quickly stopped Wesley. He hesitated for a moment and then pulled his hand back.


    Katniss was amazing-beautiful, hardworking, and sensible. She deserved such a grand gesture. If the other side had only prepared a few things carelessly, that would be a problem. Plus, the gift list showed the Hamilton family''s respect for Katniss.


    Wesley felt a bit reassured and reached out to take the list, but someone snatched it away.


    Seeing him hesitate, Anna couldn''t stay calm any longer. She stood up and grabbed it.


    Looking at the dazzling array of gifts, she was so pleased she couldn''t stop smiling. "Good, nothing needs to be changed. We''re very satisfied! Let''s go with this list!"


    Seeing Anna''s greedy and vulgar behavior, Daphne felt so ashamed.


    The Hamilton family was watching. Wouldn''t this make Katniss look bad?


    In front of the Hamilton family, Daphne couldn''t say anything harsh, so she frowned and said, "Mom, the gift matter hasn''t been discussed yet. Don''t meddle."


    Hearing this, Anna was displeased. She pouted and, with the attitude of an elder, said, "What do you mean? Marriage is a big deal. Even though I''m not Katniss''s biological grandmother, I treat her like my own granddaughter, just like Saskia. Of course, I should help."


    "Katniss is just twenty, it''s not safe for her to have so much money. We should help her save and look after it." With that, Anna, assuming the role of an elder, decided on the gifts'' destination on her own, her face full of greed and hypocrisy. Everyone could see what Anna was thinking.


    At the table, Carlton and Samuel exchanged nces, calmly sipping their tea.


    Wesley and Daphne looked displeased. Anna was an elder, and in such a setting, they couldn''t say anything harsh, making the atmosphere a bit tense.


    Maximilian suddenly chuckled softly, his tone gentle and calm. "Anna, you make a good point. We didn''t think it through. Katniss is still young, and having a lot of money could indeed cause some trouble."


    Seeing that Katniss''s fianc¨¦ agreed, Anna''s face lit up with pride. She straightened her back and smiled, "Exactly."


    Katniss nced at Maximilian, unable to resist reaching out to remind him.


    Anna was greedy and shameless. Previously, the medicinal ingredients bought for Maximilian''s diet had mysteriously disappeared because she had stolen and sold them for money.


    If those gifts and assets fell into Anna''s hands, it would be a struggle to get them back.


    Maximilian flipped hisrge hand, holding Katniss''s soft, delicate hand, his thumb soothingly stroking her hand.


    Maximilian''s hand was dry and warm, and his touch sent shivers through her skin, making her forget what she wanted to say.


    Her earlobes turned red, and Katniss lowered her head, staring intently at Maximilian holding her hand.


    They were holding hands.


    Under the table, Maximilian held Katniss''s hand. Above the table, he smiled and said, "I will hire a professional manager to handle these gifts for Katniss. Wesley will be the supervisor, with the monthly earnings deposited into a bank ount. The statements will be in duplicate, regrly given to Katniss and Wesley, and only they can ess the money."


    He added, "If Wesley doesn''t understand, Micah can help. I remember Micah works at a securities firm."


    Micah''s eyes darkened, his gaze coldly falling on Maximilian.


    Wesley was stunned by the sheer amount of gifts, property, and funds he was being offered as a wedding gift, not to mention mutual funds and stocks, along with several properties. Any one of which would take them several lifetimes to afford.


    At this moment, whatever Maximilian suggested, Wesley agreed to, showing a simple and honest face.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Anna''s expression changed, and she immediately turned hostile, "That''s not eptable!"


    She coveted the money but spoke righteously, "The managers are outsiders. How can they be trusted more than family?"


    Her eldest son was struggling outside, supporting his wife, educating his children, and running a business, all of which required money. Without this money, how could she support her son?


    Wouldn''t it all fall into Wesley''s hands?


    Anna was anxious and tried to pull Daphne to her side, "Daphne, tell me! Am I right? And Katniss is still a student. Business people are cunning, and there are many scams!"


    After saying this, Anna pointed at Katniss, "Katniss, I am telling you. A few days ago, when you insisted on staying with Wesley and Daphne instead of at home, we aondated you. Would I harm you?"


    Katniss sat opposite, quietly watching her bring up old grievances, feeling a bit cold inside.


    Staying at Wesley''s house was indeed an imposition, but she had given a few hundred dors for food, which Anna had pocketed.


    And Anna seemed to have forgotten all about it.


    "Enough! Mom, stop talking." Amid Anna''s incessant chatter, Wesley mmed the table and shouted, his face livid.


    Usually good-tempered, Wesley had never shown such anger, and Anna was so frightened that she fell silent.

 Chapter 91

    Wesley had been teaching for ages, and his students were scattered all over the globe. Deep down, he had a strong sense of what it meant to be a good person. He hardly ever got mad, but when he did, just one look from him could make people shake in their boots.


    With a serious face, Wesley said, "Look, I''m just a regr guy. I don''t like to make big speeches or pretend that money doesn''t matter. But Katniss is like a daughter to us. Daphne and I love her dearly. We just want her to be safe and happy." "You''ve given so many gifts, which might not mean much to you, but I just want Katniss to be happy. We don''t care about these things. All these gifts, properties, and funds, along with what we''ve given Katniss, will all go to her. Not a single penny will be left behind!" he added, "As long as you treat Katniss well, that''s all that matters to us."


    Anna''s eyes went wide with shock, and she was about to blow up. That was a ton of money, not to mention the houses.


    Just giving one of the houses to her son would set him up for life.


    Was Wesley nuts, not wanting anything?


    Micah''s eyes turned cold. He grabbed Anna''s arm and said in a low voice, "Grandma, if you keep talking, they''ll think we''re greedy, and they might not want Katniss anymore and look for another girl to marry. Then we won''t get a single penny." Anna was greedy. Taking money from her was like pulling teeth. If she threw a fit, it would be embarrassing for both families.


    It would also make Katniss look bad and be judged by the Hamiltons.


    He tried to get Anna to weigh the consequences of losing this moneypletely against the potential gains if she cooperated. A rational assessment of the pros and cons would make her settle down. Hearing Micah''s words, Anna quickly did the math in her head.


    In just a few seconds, she shut her mouth and sat back down quietly.


    Wesley was Katniss''s uncle, and they had a good rtionship. Even the engagement was arranged by Wesley, not Katniss''s biological father, which showed that Wesley was more important to Katniss than her own dad. Although the money was in Katniss''s hands, if Wesley ever needed help, Katniss would definitely help him out.


    But if Maximilian got scared away, then everything would be lost.


    Anna''s eyes darted around, and she sped her old hands together, whispering, "Alright, I''ll listen to you. Being educated makes you quick-witted."


    Micah smirked and stayed quiet.


    As for Anna''s scheming, Samuel and Carlton didn''t pay any attention to it.


    Micah nced around and saw that Samuel and Carlton remained unmoved, not even a flicker in their eyes.


    Wesley''s words were firm, and he immediately handed the gift list to Katniss, saying gently, "Katniss, take this. With these things, you''ll have support. Make sure you''re happy after you get married."


    Daphne''s eyes reddened, and she held Katniss''s hand, pressing the gift list into her palm, "If Maximilian treats you badly, take the money and divorce him. Life would be much easier for a woman if she''s financially independent." Maximilian was puzzled. Were they already talking about divorce?


    Seeing the surprise and shock on Maximilian''s face, Micah, who had been all tense, couldn''t help butugh and said loudly, "Mom''s right. If Maximilian treats you badly, take the money and leave. You''ll still be loaded." Wesley shot Micah a re, "What are you saying? That''s not exactly a good omen! You''re not acting like a big brother!"


    Micah shrugged and lowered his head, pretending to focus on his food.


    The food at the Starry Night Hotel was a rare treat, so he figured he might as well dig in.


    After scolding Micah, Wesley pulled out a small box from his pocket with his rough hands, "Today''s your birthday. You''re turning twenty, and we wanted to celebrate. Now, with the engagement and birthday together, it''s even better. My taste is pretty basic. Take this bracelet as a birthday gift if you don''t mind."


    When Katniss was brought back, she was so small, timid, thin, and dark, like a little boy.


    Now, she''s grown up and about to get married.


    Wesley''s eyes reddened. The usually stern and steady man couldn''t help but wipe away a tear.


    Katniss held the two gift lists in one hand and a small red velvet box with a pair of gold earrings shaped like little flowers in the other. They were small and cute.


    Wesley still remembered her birthday.


    Katniss''s eyes welled up, and she couldn''t help but hug Wesley, "Thank you. From now on, consider me your daughter, just like Saskia, and I''ll treat Micah as my own brother. I will take care of you in your old age just like them!" Wesley smiled with satisfaction and patted Katniss''s head.


    "You and your wife can rest assured that we''ll take good care of Katniss. If Maximilian treats Katniss badly, I''ll be the first to deal with him!" Samuel said with amanding presence, pping the table and shouting towards the door, "Waiter, bring all the wine I have stored here."


    Samuel, with a rosyplexion, stood up and hooked his arm around Wesley''s shoulder, leading him to his seat and engaging in lively conversation.


    Soon, the waiter brought the wine, and Samuel poured it into the sses. "To Katniss and Maximilian''s evesting happiness."


    Wesley wasn''t a heavy drinker, but for Katniss''s happiness, he drank it all in one go.


    Micah squinted his eyes. Knowing Wesley couldn''t outdrink Samuel, he thought for a second, then grabbed a bottle and a ss, joining the drinking battle.


    Carlton nced over and thought, well, at least he did one good thing.


    A momentter, Carlton turned to Daphne with a kind smile, "Daphne, let''s finalize the wedding. Maximilian is not getting any younger. Let''s have them register for marriage first, skip the engagement, and go straight to the wedding. When do you think we should schedule it?"


    He added, "How many rtives and friends do you have on your side?"


    Daphne was even more confused, her mind going nk with nervousness. She could only say, "We''ll follow your lead and see what Katniss and Maximilian prefer."


    She was afraid of saying too much and embarrassing Katniss.


    How could she suggest anything for a wedding hosted by the Hamilton family? It wouldn''t be like an ordinary wedding.


    Daphne smiled awkwardly, "We don''t have many rtives. How about you? How many tables for your rtives?"


    Carlton was momentarily stunned and thought seriously, "About a few hundred tables?"


    Daphne was dumbfounded.

 Chapter 92

    "If one table seats ten people, and there are hundreds of tables, wouldn''t that be thousands of people? You have that many rtives?" Daphne asked, totally floored. She was genuinely shocked.


    Daphne''s reaction made Carlton chuckle. Wesley''s family was definitely something else.


    After dealing with Anna, some folks started drinking, others chatted about the wedding, and the vibe instantly got livelier.


    After getting some insight from Micah, Anna wanted to jump into the conversation so many times, but she had no clue what they were talking about. Frustrated, she looked around, feeling pretty down. Katniss sat down, lovingly stroking the gold earrings Wesley had given her. They were real gold.


    Wesley must''ve dropped a lot of cash on them.


    "Do you like gold?" Maximilian asked softly, tilting his head.


    Katniss pursed her lips and closed the red velvet box. Rich people always asked the most direct questions. She replied, "Who doesn''t?"


    Maximilian leaned back in his wheelchair, looking all rxed and chill, also gazing at Katniss. "Then every year on your birthday, I''ll give you some."


    "So, do I not get a gift this year?" Katniss asked cautiously after a bit.


    It was her 20th birthday, after all.


    What a cheapskate.


    Maximilian chuckled, lowering his gaze to the gift list in her hand and nodding his chin towards it, "Isn''t this enough?"


    Katniss frowned, tears of frustration welling up. It was like she could actually keep these things.


    They weren''t really hers!


    But looking at the gift list in her hand, Katniss got curious. She carefully opened it to see what kind of gifts rich people gave.


    At the first line, Katniss''s heart nearly stopped.


    "$8.88 million in cash" made her eyes go wide.


    "A vi."


    "A red Porsche 911."


    Katniss couldn''t look any further. She said bitterly, "Maximilian, why give so much?"


    "As the heir of both families, these gifts are nothing," Maximilian said nonchntly, like he was saying, "Don''t sweat this small change." Then he reached out to serve ra some dishes, cing them in her bowl, "Eat something, we have things to do this afternoon." What else was there to do?


    Katniss didn''t bother to ask. Her mind was filled with the jaw-dropping gift list. How many people in Luminous City could match this? Moreover, before the divorce, all these assets had to be in her name.


    Katniss finally got why there were so many robbers these days. In a world where the average sry was a few hundred bucks, these rich folks casually gave away millions. Who wouldn''t be envious? The meal went smoothly, aside from Anna''s interruptions.


    Micah drank with the two elders. Wesley and Samuel didn''t pass out, but he did, his neck turning red as he slumped over the table, dizzy.


    He was indignant. How could he be the first to pass out?


    How could his dad outdrink him?


    Carlton, who hadn''t eaten meat for years, picked at some vegetarian dishes while confirming the wedding process with Daphne.


    Felix, seeing that they were almost done eating, had already arranged for a car to wait downstairs.


    He efficiently arranged for Carlton and Samuel to be sent back first, then had the waiter bring some hangover soup for Micah and Wesley to help them sober up.


    While waiting for them to sober up, Katniss dug into the dessert Maximilian had ordered for her.


    It seemed like all she and Maximilian had to do was show up. The elders on both sides had everything else perfectly arranged.


    As she thought about this, Katniss suddenly blushed. She had drunk too much, and her stomach hurt. She needed to hit the bathroom.


    "Maximilian, I''m going to the bathroom," she said, clutching her stomach and dashing off like a rabbit.


    Coming out of the bathroom, Katniss felt a bit dejected. It was so embarrassing.


    What could be worse than having a stomachache from overeating in front of the guy you admire?


    She grabbed a tissue to wipe her hands, tossed it in the trash, and headed back to the private room. Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her back.


    "Katniss! What are you doing here?" Desmond frowned, clearly displeased.


    Her wrist hurt from his grip. Katniss turned around, her face instantly cold.


    He was like a haunting ghost!


    "Do I need your permission to go somewhere? Are you crazy?" Katniss said impatiently, shaking off Desmond''s hand and continuing to walk forward. It was supposed to be a happy day, but she kept running into Desmond.


    Desmond''s face was dark. He stepped forward and blocked Katniss. "You haven''t answered my question. What are you doing here?"


    The next second, his eyes turned cold, like he had figured something out.


    "Did youe with my brother?" Desmond''s heart filled with anger, and he sneered coldly. "Do you think you''ll get anything good by clinging to my brother? My brother is getting married soon. You''re just a ything for him." Maximilian was getting married, and Katniss shamelessly clung to him.


    Did she want to be Maximilian''s mistress?


    Katniss''s face was icy, her clear eyes filled with disdain. "Desmond, how dare you say these things to me? You''re ra''s fianc¨¦. Spend more time caring about her and stay away from me."


    "Just mind your own business. Don''t meddle in others'' affairs. Can''t you see I find you annoying?" She really thought Desmond was crazy. Didn''t he hate her? Didn''t he want anything to do with her? So why was he now bothering her? Hearing this, Desmond gritted his teeth, ring at her. He sneered suddenly, "I''m just reminding you. People like my brother, whoe from prestigious families, are cold and heartless. Once they''re done with you, they''ll discard you..." Before he could finish, a loud p interrupted him.


    Desmond''s left cheek burned. He reached up to touch his face, his eyes filled with anger and disbelief, "You hit me!"


    "I''m just warning you. Maximilian is not someone you can nder." Katniss''s voice was icy.


    She could tolerate insults directed at her, but she would never allow anyone to speak ill of Maximilian.


    As they stood in a standoff, ra and the Manners family appeared.


    "What are you doing?" Elodie frowned.


    From a distance, ra recognized the dress Katniss was wearing as a new summer collection from a luxury brand.


    It was expensive and not something just anyone could buy.


    Her eyes shed, and she ran over to grab Katniss''s hand, her clear, innocent eyes filled with joy, "Katniss, you''re at the Starry Night Hotel too? Are you here to celebrate my birthday? I knew you cared about me."

 Chapter 93

    Katniss took a few steps back, dodging ra, and checked out the folks standing behind her.


    Everyone from the Manners family was there, except for her.


    ra was rocking a camel coat today, a limited edition that cost a small fortune, and her perfume was some fancy brand.


    Katniss''s eyesnded on the ruby brooch on ra''s dress. It used to be Elodie''s favorite piece of jewelry, something she cherished for years.


    Once, Katniss identally knocked it to the ground, and Elodie lost it, beating her up pretty bad.


    She even got punished with no food for a day.


    A servant felt sorry for her and snuck her some bread and soup that night.


    But the next morning, Katniss had a high fever, and it wasn''t until her teacher called about her missing all her morning sses that anyone noticed.


    Elodie, fuming, kicked open her door, saw her still in bed, and thought she was just beingzy and skipping school. She yanked off the covers, threw it to the ground, stomped on her with high heels, and cursed her out. It wasn''t until she dragged her out of bed that she realized something was wrong. She touched Katniss''s forehead and found it burning hot.


    She quickly called a doctor to the house.


    Since that day of hunger and high fever, Katniss''s stomach had been weak. Even her favorite foods could make her nauseous if she ate too much.


    Seeing the ruby brooch brought back a flood of memories for Katniss, a stark contrast to now. The brooch she once got punished for touching was now a birthday gift from Elodie to ra.


    In a moment of distraction, Katniss''s bright face turned cold again.


    Katniss sneered, "Don''t I have a birthday too? Why should I celebrate yours? And don''t touch me, your perfume is making me sick. Be careful, or I might throw up on you."


    Katniss couldn''t understand why she had to run into these unpleasant people every day!


    ra''s face fell, and she looked helplessly at the people behind her, biting her lip as she apologized, "Katniss, I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it that way."


    She exined, "I was just happy to see you. We share the same birthday, and of course, I remember yours. We even got you a gift."


    Simon, hearing this, angrily pulled ra over, "Why are you apologizing! Is it our fault for not celebrating her birthday? She''s the one who wanted to cut ties. Do we have to beg her?"


    Katniss curled her lips into a sudden smile, "Of course, you should apologize. Without my withdrawal, do you think you could be engaged to Desmond? Could you be the only daughter of the Manners family?" "You''ve taken everything. It is indeed your fault, and I never said I didn''t me you." Katniss sneered.


    Back then, the marriage arrangement Carlton and Grandpa Ezekiel made was for her, who hadn''t even been born yet.


    ra''s expression froze, and she trembled violently.


    Sensing ra''s stiff body, Desmond reached out to hold her, "Don''t go too far, Katniss."


    Katniss slowly shifted her gaze to Desmond''s face, her cold eyes staring at him for a moment, "Do you think you''re any better?"


    Desmond''s face immediately darkened, and he had no way to counter the aggressive Katniss.


    The spot on his face where Katniss had just pped him still stung.


    Katniss''s expression stayed cool as she walked past them and left.


    A few steps away, Oliver was fuming. Katniss was totally out of control, publicly insulting her sister and brother-inw. What a disgraceful daughter!


    His eyes darted around andnded on the gift box in Nathan''s hand. He snatched it and hurled it at Katniss''s back.


    Out of nowhere, a ck figure appeared, blocking Katniss and catching the thrown gift box with an iron-like arm. Everyone gasped.


    Sensing themotion, Katniss spun around to see Conrad Wall standing behind her, holding a deformed gift box.


    Conrad Wall was one of the two bodyguards who had stayed with her in the hospital. The other was Uriah Wall, who had gone to handle other matters. Conrad turned sideways, warily watching everyone, ready to act.


    His eagle-like eyes swept over everyone, clearly warning them that if they dared to make another move, he wouldn''t be polite.


    Katniss stood still, her eyes dark as she looked at the furious Oliver, "Do you think I''ll let you hit me again?"


    Oliver''s eyes flickered, and he said nothing, his face dark.


    The next second, Katniss took the deformed gift box from Conrad''s hand and threw it forcefully to the ground. The lid scattered, and the gift inside fell out.


    It was a plum blossom crystal ne, just like the one around ra''s neck. The plum blossom was carved delicately, like a snow plum blooming proudly in the icy cold. It was very beautiful and petite.


    But now, the plum blossom ne that had been thrown out was shattered, the pendant broken into pieces.


    ra covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with shock. "Katniss, that was a birthday gift Nathan prepared for you."


    ra''s tone was full of regret and astonishment.


    Nathan''s already pale lips trembled as he stared nkly at the ne on the ground.


    Elodie, heartbroken by Nathan''s ruined effort, angrily scolded, "Katniss, what did your brother ever do to you to deserve this? You''re heartless!"


    Katnissughed, her slender neck slightly raised, "My gift is always the same as ra''s, sometimes even forgotten. You call this a carefully prepared gift? When will you stop deceiving yourselves? It''s disgusting." Then, Katniss turned gracefully to face Nathan, speaking calmly, "Nathan, I hate plum blossoms the most. Didn''t you know? I''m allergic to them. When I was three, I almost died from this."


    With that, Katniss stepped over the broken plum blossom ne and walked away.


    Nathan slowly came to his senses, looking at Elodie''s angry face, and pressed his lips tightly together.


    He remembered that ra liked plum blossoms and bought a pair as birthday gifts, thinking that if the sisters wore the same, it wouldn''t show favoritism.


    He really didn''t know that Katniss was allergic to plum blossoms and had almost lost her life because of it.


    Nathan felt a sudden realization. He had bought what ra liked, never considering whether Katniss would like it.


    Nathan rubbed his temples in frustration.


    "Are you feeling unwell? Do you need to see a doctor?" Elodie asked nervously.


    Facing Elodie''s worried expression, Nathan asked, "Mom, did you not know that Katniss is allergic to plum blossoms?"

 Chapter 94

    Everyone knew Nathan''s gift was just like ra''s, but nobody had told him it was inappropriate. The only reason? No one had a clue.


    Elodie''s perfectly maintained face froze for a second, her voice cool, "Katniss and I don''t get along. She clicks with Aurora, not me. How would I know anything?"


    "But Katniss is your daughter. Why don''t you care about her at all?" Nathan felt a heavy weight in his chest.


    "If Katniss were as thoughtful and sensible as ra, and didn''t pull those stunts, wouldn''t I care about her? She brought this on herself." Elodie''s tone was sharp, but worried about the impact on Nathan''s health, she softened a bit, "If I had to choose, I''d pick ra."


    "Just act like before. ra''s still your little sister, and Katniss never existed." Elodie sounded tired.


    ra was the one who could keep the Manners family thriving, while Katniss was just trouble.


    Elodie just wanted a peaceful life. Was that so wrong?


    Lucas frowned and said in a deep voice, "Nathan, drop it. Are you really gonna upset Mom over Katniss?"


    Nathan frowned slightly, then went quiet.


    In the hallway back to the private room, Katniss adjusted her shawl, her long hair falling gracefully around her face.


    Katniss said softly, "No need to tell Maximilian about what just happened."


    Conrad''s eyes shed with confusion, but he quickly nodded. "Okay."


    Oliver almost hit her head. If it had happened, it would''ve been serious.


    If it were another woman, she would definitely tell Maximilian and have him back her up.


    After a few steps, Katniss saw someone at the end of the hallway and quickly walked over. "Felix."


    Seeing her, Felix''s eyes lit up. "Katniss, there you are. I''ve got a car ready to take you and Wesley back. Maximilian had something to do and went back to the car first. He asked me to wait for you at the door." "Okay, Felix." Katniss responded sweetly.


    Following Felix, they took the elevator to the first floor and waited for the car at the entrance.


    As soon as Katniss reached the entrance, she saw Oliver''s family in the lobby.


    Seeing Katniss, ra immediately clung to Desmond''s arm and said worriedly, "It''s so cold outside, but Katniss has to wait for a car. It''s so pitiful. Why don''t we drive her back?"


    Desmond nced at Katniss, her slender figure annoying him.


    Frowning, he refused.


    "No need. Even if we drive her, Katniss won''t appreciate it," Desmond replied.


    "It''s okay, I don''t mind. Katniss is just stubborn but soft-hearted. She won''t do anything to me." ra''s eyes were pure, she blinked and said, "Besides, let''s just say I''m test-driving the car you gave me." Then, ra let go of Desmond''s arm and ran to the entrance.


    ra flicked her hair, smiled sweetly, and deliberately showed off the luxury car key in her hand. "This is the Starry Night Hotel. You can''t get a cab here. Need a ride? It''s my birthday, and Desmond gave me a new car. Let''s test it out." Katniss didn''t even turn her head, automatically tuning out ra''s words.


    ra''s tant and subtle unting was something she had seen too many times in her past life.


    Katniss felt a calmness inside.


    Seeing Katniss ignore her, ra didn''t let it bother her. She stepped closer and quickly said, "Katniss, you should just leave for good and nevere back. After all these years, you should know by now that Mom and Dad only see me as their daughter, and the brothers only see me as their sister."


    ra continued, "When ites to scheming and ability, you''re no match for me. What''s the point of all your efforts? Just admit defeat and go back to the countryside. Otherwise, I have ways to make sure you can''t stay here." "You finally dropped the act?" A cold light shed in Katniss''s eyes as she nced at ra''s face. "You should look in the mirror and see how ugly your smug face is. But, ra, what are you so proud of? You''re taking all the trash I don''t want. Since you want it, then be a good trash can and hold onto it! As for driving me out of Luminous City, who do you think you are?"


    ra''s face twisted with rage.


    Suddenly, two ck luxury cars pulled up at the entrance. Conrad stepped forward and opened the back door, "Please get in."


    From ra''s angle, she couldn''t see the face, only vaguely seeing a man sitting inside, revealing half a figure, a long hand reaching out to hold Katniss, the sapphire cufflinks on the suit gleaming coldly.


    Just half a figure exuded an aura of supreme nobility and invibility.


    The man''s face was hidden in the darkness, so ra couldn''t see clearly.


    Katniss reached out to hold Maximilian''s hand, lifted her leg to get in the car. Conrad blocked ra''s view, quickly closed the door, the whole process smooth and seamless.


    Felix heard everything, his cold eyes swept over ra, "Stay away from her. She''s not someone you should mess with."


    After speaking, Felix and Conrad got into the second ck car.


    By the time ra reacted, only the tail lights of the luxury cars were visible in the distance.


    So someone came to pick up Katniss?


    And it was a luxury car, a ssic Rolls-Royce.


    ra looked down at the slightly inferior car key in her hand and bit her lip.


    Who was the man in the car?


    Could it be Maximilian?


    No, Maximilian was getting married, his wife must be from a prominent family, how could he still be interested in Katniss and get involved with her? Someone called her from behind, "ra!"


    The Manners family had just arrived at the entrance of the Starry Night Hotel. Simon looked worried, "Did Katniss say something nasty to you again?"


    "No, Simon, when I came over, Katniss was just getting in the car." ra was stunned, her expression then became somewhat gloomy. She hooked her arm around Desmond''s and hesitated. "I thought Katniss came by herself, so I wanted to drive her, but a luxury car picked her up. I saw the license te, it wasn''t the one Maximilian usually uses."


    "Katniss seemed to be in a bad mood today, did something happen to her? I hope she doesn''t do anything foolish," ra said.


    Hearing ra''s words, everyone couldn''t help but think of the news about Maximilian getting married.


    Oliver and Elodie''s faces immediately darkened.


    A few days ago, they heard that Katniss was trying to get close to Maximilian. Now that he was getting married and she had no chance, was she trying totch onto someone else? Oliver''s face turned livid, "Shameless!"


    Just after being rejected by Desmond, she turned to cozy up to Desmond''s older brother, and now she was messing around with some other man.


    Nathan coughed a few times, then suddenly asked, "ra, did you see who the man in the car was?"

 Chapter 95

    ra was caught off guard for a moment, not expecting Nathan, who''s usually so aloof, to ask that.


    "Katniss jumped in the car too fast, so I didn''t catch a glimpse of the guy''s face," ra said, ncing at Desmond next to her. "If it was Maximilian and you were here, he would''vee down to say hi, right?" But ra''s words hit differently for everyone else.


    If the guy in the car was Maximilian, why would Katniss hide him?


    This pretty much confirmed ra''s hint that Katniss was up to no good with some other shady dude.


    Elodie, looking pissed but keeping her cool, said coldly, "A daughter like that? The Manners family won''t stand for it!"


    "When we get home, have the servants pack Katniss''s stuff and toss it out!" Oliver''s voice was harsh, his face growing darker by the second.


    "Dad, Mom, don''t jump to conclusions. It might just be a misunderstanding," ra said, looking panicked and on the verge of tears. "It''s my fault, I shouldn''t have brought it up."


    Desmond wrapped an arm around ra, trying tofort her, but he couldn''t help but nce at the fuming Oliver.


    "Maximilian''s a bit of a recluse; he might not know I''m here today. I''ll ask him when I get back," Desmond said, holding ra tighter.


    Oliver''s outburst just now showed he didn''t care about Katniss at all.


    Even though Desmond didn''t love Katniss, seeing Oliver''s harsh reaction shocked him.


    Last time, when Katniss woke up in the hospital, he heard from the nurses that she was beaten by Oliver as soon as she woke up. He thought, since Katniss was Oliver''s daughter and she was hurt, how bad could the beating be? But after today, Desmond wasn''t so sure.


    ra, nestled in Desmond''s arms, clenched her hand tightly, then looked up with a worried expression. "If it really is Maximilian, then in the future, when you see his future wife, keep quiet about today to avoid any misunderstandings." Desmond''s heart tightened, and his expression darkened.


    Simon suddenly sneered, "ra, you''re still defending Katniss. It doesn''t matter if it''s Maximilian or someone else, she''s still a disgraceful mistress."


    ra hesitated to argue, but it only made them angrier.


    Seeing this, ra slightly lowered her head, hiding a fleeting smile.


    Meanwhile, after getting into the car holding Maximilian''s hand, Katniss was about to let go but then held his hand again. "Maximilian, why are your hands so cold?"


    She cupped hisrge hand with both of hers, blowing on it and rubbing it back and forth.


    "Are you wearing too little? It''s winter now, don''t try to look cool by dressing lightly. Health is the most important; you need to wear more to stay warm, otherwise, the cold will mess with your blood cirction." Katniss couldn''t help but nag when it came to her professional field. She nced up at Maximilian. "Your leg''s been hurting again, hasn''t it?"


    Even though Luminous City doesn''t get snow, it''s still damp and cold this time of year, making it unbearable.


    Maximilian''s hands stiffened slightly, his dark eyes narrowing. No woman had ever rubbed his hands just to warm them up.


    Since he was a kid, he''d been surrounded by all sorts of people. Carlton and Samuel taught him to always weigh the pros and cons.


    To him, people were just tools, useful or not.


    "They''re fine," Maximilian said, looking down.


    After a bit, Katniss realized she might being on too strong. She quickly pulled her hands back. "Are they warm now?"


    The warmth vanished, and Maximilian frowned slightly, looking serious. "Still a bit cold."


    Katniss''s eyes widened in surprise, then she cupped his hands again.


    Maximilian asked, "Do you like the room Mira decorated for you? She''ll handle the household stuff from now on, so let her know if you need anything." His voice snapped Katniss out of her thoughts. She nodded, tilting her head and thinking seriously. "I love it! Everything''s perfect, I''mpletely satisfied." Then, Katniss remembered the huge gift of property. Just thinking about it made her heart race.


    Before she could process it, she noticed the scenery outside the car. They weren''t heading back to The Hamilton Manor.


    "Maximilian, where are we going? Aren''t we going home?" she asked.


    "To the Manners Vi," Maximilian replied briefly.


    "The Manners Vi?" Katniss''s eyes shed with confusion.


    "To get your passport," Maximilian said clearly.


    "You mean, we''re getting our passports today to register our marriage?" She never expected it to be so soon.


    Maximilian, true to his business nature, was quick and unexpected, leaving her little time to react.


    In a daze, it wasn''t until they were about to get out of the car that Katniss realized she''d been warming Maximilian''s hand the whole way.


    Soon, the car stopped in front of the Manners family''s vi.


    Katniss quickly let go of his hand and opened the door.


    Outside the vi was a shy red Mercedes, probably a gift Desmond had given ra.


    In her memory, it wasn''t until after Maximilian''s death that Desmond achieved true financial independence, so this birthday gift must have cost him a lot.


    Worried about Maximilian''s leg, making it hard for him to get in and out, Katniss quickly said, "Maximilian, you wait here. Conrad cane with me. I''ll be quick!" Then, in her small high heels, she ran to the door and pressed the doorbell.


    Conrad looked at Maximilian in the car, vaguely seeing his handsome profile, his deep and calm aura forming a presence of its own.


    "Do whatever Katniss says, and make sure she doen''t get hurt," Maximilian said.


    Conrad nodded, then turned and quickly followed.


    The door was opened by the Manners family''s maid. She first looked at Katniss''s face, then scanned her outfit, and after a while, said, "Miss Manners, you''re back." This maid had worked for the Manners family for years, always treating Katniss coldly but being very affectionate towards ra.


    Katniss, the legitimate daughter of the Manners family, seemed like an outsider.


    "Yeah," Katniss responded with a single word.


    Seeing the maid not making way, Conrad stepped forward, his face cold, and with a strong arm, he forcefully pulled the door. With a loud bang, the door fell apart.

 Chapter 96

    The servant was instantly freaked out by the sudden move.


    Her face went pale, and she started backing up, yelling, "You''re trespassing! I''ll call the cops if you try anything!"


    Katniss kept her cool, "I don''t like your tone. Can''t Ie back to my own house?"


    Conrad''s job was to keep Katniss happy, and he''d stop anyone who got in the way.


    He stepped up and shoved the yelling servant aside, "Say one more word, and you''ll regret it."


    The servant mmed up, shaking with fear.


    Katniss looked at the door Conrad had just busted open and felt a weird sense of satisfaction. She lifted her chin, "Nice work, I''ll give you a raise!" "Thanks, Madam," Conrad grinned.


    Madam?


    Katniss thought about correcting him but decided against it. Conrad was right to call her that.


    What was she doing here again?


    Wasn''t she fetching her passport to marry Maximilian?


    Her ears turned red, and she tried to stay calm, reminding herself to get used to being called Madam.


    This was all part of the deal, and Maximilian had done so much for her, she had to hold up her end.


    With Conrad looking all intimidating, none of the other Manners family servants dared toe close. Katniss quickly made her way inside. The living room looked the same.


    But the family photos on the wall were different.


    In the new one, ra was holding Desmond''s arm, standing next to Elodie, with the four brothers lined up behind them.


    Everyone was smiling, looking all happy and stuff.


    Katniss nced at it and then moved on, heading straight to the small storage room where she used to stay.


    The door was half-open, probably because it was crammed with stuff.


    She pushed it open and saw the room was now a mess of clutter.


    Her bed was piled with boxes, just thrown on there.


    Katniss stayed calm, used to this kind of thing, and started moving the boxes off the bed.


    She peeked inside one and saw it was full of ra''s old clothes and junk.


    So, she only got what ra didn''t want?


    Conrad followed her in and frowned at the tiny, dark, messy room.


    This was where Katniss lived?


    Even though he''d only been with her for a few days, he felt a surge of anger.


    With a stern look, he took the box from her hands. "Madam, let me handle this. Just tell me what to do."


    Katniss, still healing and not one to push herself, quickly agreed.


    "Throw all these boxes, the ones on the bed, and those over there, into the living room!" she said.


    "Got it."


    Conrad, with his strength, cleared the room in no time.


    The noise of stuff being tossed around was loud, scaring the servants in the hall. They were terrified Conrad mighte after them next.


    One of the servants, panicking, called Oliver, "Sir, you need toe back quick. Katniss brought a big guy and barged in. We couldn''t stop them, and they threw out a bunch of ra''s stuff." Katniss pulled out a dusty bag, shook it off, and started packing the few things she had left.


    Just some books Aurora had left her and a few photos.


    Last time, she couldn''t take much, so she only packed the essentials.


    This time, she nned to take everything and leave nothing at the Manners vi to avoid any further hassle.


    After finishing, Katniss walked out and stared at the servant who had just opened the door, "Where''s my passport?"


    The servant was stunned for a moment, then stammered, "In Elodie''s room."


    Katniss said coldly, "Go get it! Now!"


    She didn''t want to step foot in any of their rooms; they all disgusted her.


    The servant nced at the tall Conrad, then hurried upstairs, rummaged around, and brought the passport down, trembling as she handed it to Katniss.


    Katniss looked at the broken door outside, "I''ll pay for the door. I''ll have someone send a new one over. I won''t owe the Manners family a single cent." With that, Katniss left the Manners Vi with Conrad.


    She had her passport and had packed her things.


    There was nothing left for her at the Manners Vi.


    As she left the Manners Vi, she saw the ck car waiting silently at the door. The car door opened, and she could see Maximilian working inside. Katniss''s heart skipped a beat. He looked perfect from every angle.


    She lifted her skirt and ran a few steps towards the car.


    She plunged headlong into it, her eyes shining brightly, and she said happily, "Look, I got the passport."


    Then she quickly sat down and urged the driver, "Let''s go."


    Maximilian put down his documents and chuckled, "What''s the rush?"


    "You don''t know, Conrad is so fierce. The servants tried to stop us and didn''t want to let us in. Conrad just forced the iron gate open. I don''t even know how much it costs. I was just pretending, saying I''d pay for the gate." Katniss spoke excitedly, her face lively and bright.


    "And I threw out all of ra''s stuff, so we need to leave quickly to avoid running into them and wasting time arguing." As she spoke, Katniss seemed to remember something and quickly took out her phone, blocking all the Manners family members.


    Maximilian listened seriously, then smiled with interest. "Since you said it, I''ll make sure it happens. I''ll have Felix take care of it so you won''t lose face."


    See, a man who could run such a big business was indeed meticulous.


    Katniss smiled sweetly and said tteringly, "Sorry to trouble you. Don''t worry, I''m not forgetting this. When I make money, I''ll definitely pay you back."


    Maximilian raised an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.


    As they talked, the car quickly left the Manners Vi and soon disappeared from sight.


    After drinking some water and taking a nap in the car, Wesley''s drunkenness subsided a bit. When he returned, he didn''t go to his room to rest but smoked alone on the balcony. After finishing one cigarette, he lit another, the ashes falling on the floor.


    Daphne''s brow was also furrowed with worry, "Smoke less, it''s bad for your lungs."


    At the dinner table earlier, Daphne had barely understood anything. Everything was new to her, making her dizzy. She could only keep nodding and agreeing.


    That was the top echelon of high society, operating on a different level of understanding and with swift, decisive methods.


    If they wanted to deceive Katniss, wouldn''t it be easy?


    Daphne thought of something and sighed, "If Oliver and Elodie find out that Katniss is getting married without a word, they won''t be happy. Should we call and tell them?"

 Chapter 97

    After a moment of silence, Wesley shook his head. "Anyone know how Oliver''s family treats Katniss."


    Wesley''s face turned colder. He stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette and said harshly, "They''re really cold towards Katniss. Whether they know it or not doesn''t matter. If Katniss gets mistreated at Maximilian''s and they don''t care, I will. I''ll bring Katniss back here."


    When Katniss was young and got wronged, even if she was bullied at school, Wesley and Elodie didn''t feel sorry for her. Instead, they med her for causing trouble and told her to reflect on herself.


    With this attitude, how could he expect the Oliver family to support Katniss?


    Daphne sighed, "You''re right, the Oliver family only cares about the adopted daughter with no blood rtion. But Maximilian gave so many gifts, properties, and money. If they find out you bypassed them to act as a guardian, I''m worried Oliver and Elodie will make a fuss."


    Wesley snorted coldly, "I''m not afraid if Oliveres to me. All those gifts, properties, and money were given to Katniss. We didn''t take a penny. I have a clear conscience!" Hearing this, Daphne nodded.


    Wesley was right, they weren''t greedy for Katniss''s property.


    If Oliver''s family could treat Katniss better, they wouldn''t have to step in to discuss her marriage.


    Neither of them spoke again, and the room fell silent. Then the sound of a door opening came from the entrance, followed by the sound of a doorknob turning.


    Saskia entered the room quietly, her eyes red and swollen, clearly having just cried.


    Seeing Saskia like this, Wesley and Daphne were startled and quickly went over.


    "Saskia, what happened?" Daphne asked, heartbroken. She then had a guess and her face changed, "Did Kieran hit you? Saskia, don''t hide this from me and your dad!" Saskia''s nose tingled, her voice hoarse as she held back tears and said, "No, Mom, no one hit me."


    Under Wesley and Daphne''s persistent questioning, Saskia finally revealed the truth.


    "Dad, Mom, I need money." As if finding it hard to say, Saskia choked for a while before finally getting the words out, then covered her red eyes and cried. "Kieran''s mom, Ellen Fisher, is very sick. The surgery and medication will cost a lot of money. Kieran and I don''t have much savings, and what we can gather is far from enough."


    Saskia didn''t want toe home to ask Wesley and Daphne for money, but Kieran''s family pressured her relentlessly.


    Because Kieran wanted her to be a full-time housewife, Saskia hadn''t worked since graduation. Kieran gave her a monthly allowance, which she used for living expenses.


    But all of it went to living expenses, and Ellen made sure she got her hands on anything left over.


    How could Saskia have any money?


    She thought Kieran would support her, but he said, "Saskia, my mom needs to be treated. Think of something. If you can''t, go home and ask your parents for money. And your uncle''s family is wealthy, and they''re rted to Maximilian by marriage. This amount of money is nothing to them, but it''s life-saving for us!"


    With no other choice, Saskia had toe home.


    Wesley felt sorry for Saskia and couldn''t refuse the money. He said nothing, just sighed deeply, "Since Ellen is sick, we should help."


    Wesley had nned to give Katniss a grand wedding. Maximilian''s family was generous, and although they were ordinary people, they couldn''t lose their dignity and etiquette.


    Now, Wesley was in a difficult position.


    "How much do you need?" Daphne quickly had Saskia sit down and poured her a ss of water.


    Saskia pursed her lips and said with difficulty, "We need $100,000."


    Daphne''s eyes widened in shock, and she was stunned for a few seconds. "A hundred thousand dors? What kind of illness does Ellen have that costs so much? It''s terrifying."


    "They say it''s kidney failure, which requires dialysis and a transnt. Kieran said a kidney isn''t cheap, and he''s also trying to raise money." Saskia''s delicate face showed a weary and worried expression. Saskia had been taking care of Ellen for the past few days and was mentally exhausted.


    Ellen didn''t like her to begin with, and now that she was sick, she was even harder to please, saying the most hurtful things.


    Any slight displeasure would trigger usations - Saskia was wishing her dead, reveling in her illness, and other cruel pronouncements.


    Kieran also showed no kindness, saying that marrying her was of no help at all.


    Wesley kept a calm face, showing no emotion. After a long while, he said, "I''ll figure out the money with your brother. Don''t worry. Stay here tonight, and I''ll give you $10,000 tomorrow to take back for now." "Dad, it''s my fault. I''m so useless, making you help me at this age and causing you trouble." Saskia felt very guilty.


    Wesley was a teacher, and Daphne worked in a textile factory. Theirbined monthly sry was only about a thousand dors. They would have to save for a whole year without spending a penny to save ten thousand dors. Asking Wesley and Daphne for so much money at once, Saskia really couldn''t bring herself to do it.


    Daphne looked at the dark circles under Saskia''s eyes, noticing that she had lost weight since thest time she saw her. Her heart ached, wondering how Ellen had tormented Saskia under the guise of being sick.


    Daphne hugged Saskia and stood up to get her a set of her own pajamas. "Saying these things would just make your dad and me feel bad. Are you hungry? I''ll make you something to eat. You''re so cold, your whole body is freezing. Go take a shower, and I''ll make you some ramen."


    Hearing Wesley and Daphne''s caring words, Saskia''s nose tingled, and she held back her tears as she went into the bathroom and cried as soon as she closed the door.


    In the kitchen, Daphne was making ramen.


    "There''s still so much money needed. Micah hasn''t been working for long, so he probably doesn''t have much savings. What are you going to do about the rest?" Daphne asked, feeling a heavy weight in her heart.


    Wesley thought for a moment. "Tomorrow, I''ll buy some supplements and visit Ellen in the hospital. I''ll ask the doctor for more information."


    Daphne agreed. She was just a housewife and had no other solutions.


    Golden Crest Estates, the Hamilton Manor.


    The next morning, bathed in warm sunlight, Katniss woke up groggily.


    Opening her eyes, she saw unfamiliar white gauze curtains and didn''t immediately realize where she was.


    After getting their marriage certificate yesterday afternoon, Maximilian went back to work, and she returned to the Hamilton Manor and read books all afternoon.


    In the evening, Maximilian was too busy toe home for dinner, so she ate the meal prepared by Mira alone, studied for another two hours, and then went to bed. Although she was now married to Maximilian, their rtionship hadn''t changed and remained the same as before.


    This made Katniss feel very at ease.


    After lying in bed for a few more seconds, Katniss quickly got up, washed up, and went downstairs.


    In the dining room, Maximilian was wearing a gray turtleneck sweater and gold-rimmed sses, looking warmer than before.


    Maximilian sat at the table, calmly reading something. Hearing the sound of footstepsing downstairs, he looked up at Katniss and put down the document in his hand. "It''s 7:35 now," Maximilian reminded her calmly. "You''re almostte."

 Chapter 98

    Katniss''s smile vanished in an instant, and she whipped her head around to check the clock on the wall. 7:35! Crap, she had an 8:00 ss!


    Her morning cheer evaporated. Katniss bolted upstairs, grabbed her books, stuffed them into her backpack, and dashed back down.


    No time for goodbyes, she flew out the door, leaving Maximilian shaking his head as he finished his breakfast. Felix, who had been waiting nearby, helped him into his ck coat. Maximilian turned to Conrad, who was standing by the entrance. "Pick a safe car and get Katniss to school."


    Conrad nodded, feeling a rush of pride. Being trusted with Katniss''s safety was a big deal!


    Uriah would be so jealous.


    Conrad picked a sturdy Land Rover, known for its safety and durability.


    In no time, he caught up with Katniss and pulled over. "Madam, Mr. Hamilton asked me to take you to school." Katniss''s eyes lit up with gratitude. She quickly hopped into the back seat.


    Maximilian was such a good guy. She was determined to use all her knowledge to fix his leg as soon as possible!


    Starting tonight, she wouldn''t go to bed early. She''d wait for Maximilian toe back, give him acupuncture, and prepare medicinal meals for him. She''d tackle the problem from all angles! Then, she sniffed the air. "What''s that smell? It smells amazing."


    Conrad smacked his forehead. "That''s the breakfast Mr. Hamilton had Mira pack for you. I''ve had it before; Mira''s cooking is the best!"


    Katniss felt a bit frustrated. Was she thest one up?


    Taking the bus to school would take about half an hour, but driving would only take ten minutes.


    Plus, they could drive right up to the teaching building. With that in mind, Katniss rxed and started eating her breakfast.


    Mira had been taking care of her for half a month, and Katniss knew how good her cooking was!


    She''d gained five pounds from all the good food and rest!


    As she ate, Conrad opened the glovepartment and pulled out a brown folder, handing it to her. "These are some things about your brother-inw Kieran that Uriah gave me today." Had they been spying on him?


    Katniss''s eyes brightened as she took the folder and opened it.


    Inside were photos proving Kieran''s infidelity, several contract documents, and multiple records of money transfers.


    Seeing her puzzled expression in the rearview mirror, Conrad exined, "We found out Kieran''s been embezzling public funds and secretly running a privatepany for profit. We thought you might need this info, so we put it all together." Katniss chuckled coldly, her eyes turning icy. She took out a few contract documents, put the photos back in, and ced the folder on the front seat. "Send these photos anonymously to Saskia, and put a red lipstick mark on them." A red lipstick mark?


    Conrad nodded, ready to do whatever Katniss said.


    The car rolled onto campus, and Katniss quickly directed Conrad to the teaching building.


    She hopped out and checked her phone. Still a few minutes before 8:00.


    Shoving the documents into her backpack, she sprinted upstairs.


    Like many universities, this one didn''t have elevators, so it was all about climbing.


    "Katniss!"


    A sudden grip on her arm made her wrist ache.


    She steadied herself and turned around, eyes narrowing. "Ramon, what are you doing here?"


    She''d ignored his messages, thinking he''d moved on. But here he was, waiting for her at school.


    Behind Ramon was a motorcycle. He wore a leather jacket, hair slicked back, and with his ruggedly handsome face, he was definitely a hit with the girls.


    "I''ve been waiting for you," Ramon said, releasing her arm and pulling out a bouquet of roses from his motorcycle. He checked himself in the rearview mirror, looking all dashing. Satisfied with his look, he turned to give the roses to Katniss, but she was gone!


    Ramon stared at the flowers, then looked around. Where did she go?


    After a moment, he pulled out his phone and called her directly.


    "The number you are trying to reach has blocked iing calls." The automated voice informed him.


    Ramon was stunned, then it hit him-Katniss had blocked him!


    His face darkened, and he clenched the bouquet, barely resisting the urge to toss it.


    The flower shop had said girls loved roses.


    He wanted a refund right now!


    Meanwhile, Katniss had slipped into a nearby ssroom to hide.


    Peeking through the door crack, she saw Ramon clenching his teeth before finally riding off on his motorcycle.


    Once he was gone, she sighed in relief.


    But then, a coldugh sounded behind her, making her heart jump again.


    She turned to see Cecil.


    And his friends.


    Cecil''s handsome face was twisted in mockery and disdain. "Move, you''re in the way."


    Katniss, about to step aside, stopped.


    She looked up at Cecil, annoyed. "I don''t know how to move. Why don''t you teach me?"


    Seriously, could he speak inly?


    Byron chuckled, walking over and slinging an arm around her shoulder. "Was that handsome guy your boyfriend?"


    Boyfriend?


    Katniss frowned in disgust, pped Byron''s hand away, and said coldly, "Even though we''re not that close, you don''t have to be so mean. How unlucky would I have to be to have a boyfriend like that?" She had a husband, and Maximilian was the real top-tier handsome guy!


    "Also, you call that handsome? You must have never seen a real handsome guy. He''s just pretending." With that, Katniss opened the door, clicked her tongue, and ran off with a look of disdain. Byron blinked, leaning against Daryl with a broken heart, and looked at Cecil. "Did she just insult us?"


    "Just you." Cecil nced at him and walked away.

 Chapter 99

    In the morning, there were just two sses. Once they were done, Katniss had a break until the afternoon.


    The afternoon was jam-packed with internal medicine sses.


    After ss, Katniss stuffed her books into her backpack, getting ready to hit the library and prep for the afternoon''s internal medicine session.


    She''d never really dug into systematic medical theory before.


    Juniper had gone abroadst week, right when Katniss was still stuck in the hospital.


    At school, with Juniper gone, Katniss was pretty much on her own. She''d just switched departments and didn''t know most of her ssmates. So, she went to and from sses solo.


    Just as she stepped out of the ssroom, a guy with ck-framed sses suddenly blocked her path. "Katniss?"


    "Yeah, that''s me. And you are?" Katniss nodded, eyeing the guy with some confusion. He looked familiar, but she couldn''t quite ce him.


    Honestly, she didn''t know anyone in the ss except for Cecil and his two buddies, who''d caused trouble on day one.


    Jeremy adjusted his sses, a hint of surprise on his face. "I''m Jeremy Wright, the ss president. The notes your friend Juniper borrowed were mine."


    Katniss''s eyes lit up in realization, and she thanked him repeatedly. So, it was his notebook Juniper had borrowed.


    "Can you give me your contact info and address? I need to register the new students," he said.


    Katniss gave him her phone number and address.


    After swapping numbers, Jeremy added, "Oh, and one more thing. Professor Jenkins asked me to tell you to go to his office. He needs to see you."


    Brent wanted to see her?


    Katniss nodded, put away her phone, and headed towards Brent''s office.


    After some effort, she found Brent''s office and knocked on the door. A steady voice from inside said, "Come in."


    But as soon as Katniss walked in, she saw Cecil and a tall, pretty girl with a high ponytail in the office. She didn''t seem to be from their ss.


    Cecil nced at her and then looked away, hands in his pockets, looking all cold and aloof.


    Katniss looked straight ahead. "Hello, Professor Jenkins."


    Brent''s usually stern face broke into a smile when he saw Katniss. "Katniss, you''re here. I checked your schedule, and you don''t have any more sses this morning, right? Come with me to the hospital. You and Cecil will be my assistants, and Nova Ramirez will assist Dean Palmer."


    As he spoke, he stood up and started packing documents into a ck briefcase.


    Cecil frowned and said coldly, "She and I are not a couple."


    Katniss raised her eyes slightly, looking somewhat indifferent, like she was dealing with a child.


    Brent clicked his tongue, his face stern, and he gave Cecil a hard punch. "Katniss is so pretty, and you think she''s not good enough for you? You''re so arrogant."


    Nova, standing close to Cecil, nced at his indifferent expression and then walked over to Katniss with a smile.


    Nova extended her hand, smiling warmly. "Hi, I''m Nova Ramirez, a year ahead of you."


    Maybe it was because Nova''s expression was too simr to ra''s, but Katniss felt a sense of dislike.


    "Hi, I''m Katniss Manners." Katniss raised her beautiful eyes slightly and responded briefly.


    A flicker of displeasure crossed Nova''s eyes, but she quickly masked it and wrapped an arm around Katniss, all friendly-like. "Professor Jenkins is super strict. Even Cecil and I have been chewed out plenty of times. But Professor Palmer? Total sweetheart. Even if you mess up, you won''t get yelled at. How about I talk to Professor Jenkins and we switch?"


    She added, "Katniss, you look so sweet. If you got scolded and cried, it would be heartbreaking."


    Everyone knew Brent was famously strict. Even Cecil, a once-in-a-century genius and Brent''s star student, rarely got praise.


    On the flip side, Dean Palmer was gentle and always smiling, even when mistakes happened.


    Katniss blinked. "I''ll stick with Professor Jenkins''s n."


    She figured it was best to steer clear of people like Nova, who could easily manipte you without you even knowing.


    Nova''s smile faltered for a second, but she quickly recovered. "Alright, if you change your mind, just let me know."


    Katniss nodded coolly and stepped aside. "Sorry, I''m allergic to perfume."


    Nova''s face soured, unable to keep herposure.


    Once Brent finished packing, he led the group to the parking lot and drove them to the hospital.


    In the car, Brentid out the situation.


    This time, several medical schools had organized a free clinic, with three professors from each school participating. Each school would have one professor on duty at the hospital each day.


    For the professors, having so many real-life cases in front of them was a golden opportunity to teach their students.


    In their line of work, theoretical knowledge wasn''t enough; practical experience was just as crucial.


    After all, the reality of illness is rarely as straightforward as medical textbooks suggest.


    The uracy and skill in diagnosing conditions were what really mattered.


    Katniss got that Brent was bringing them along as freebor to help with consultations and errands.


    In her previous life, Katniss had done this countless times at Aurora''s clinic, so she felt calm and even a bit numb, responding with a faint acknowledgment.


    Novaughed cheerfully. "Alright, don''t worry. Cecil and I have been through plenty of consultations, and we won''t let you down."


    "Don''t get cocky. This time, the joint consultation involves the best young talents from several schools. Ordinary grad students can''tpare, and there are even some with family medical backgrounds, including the genius Jesse Turner," Brent warned sternly while driving.


    Nova and Cecil exchanged nces, their expressions turning serious. "Got it."


    Katniss didn''t know any of this and had no clue who Jesse Turner was.


    Finding it boring, Katniss turned her gaze from the scenery and pulled out her internal medicine book from her backpack to review.


    Nova nced over. "Are you studying internal medicine?"


    Without looking up, Katniss continued marking her book with a pencil and responded calmly, "Yeah."


    Aplex expression shed in Nova''s eyes. Studying internal medicine wasn''t a problem; it was a normal course for a sophomore like Katniss. But it wasn''t the level of progress expected from a student Brent would take out. Feigning surprise, Nova said, "Oh, Katniss, you haven''t finished the undergrad content yet? Cecil and I finished it ages ago. Will you be able to keep up with us?"

 Chapter 100

    The tone sounded genuinely sincere.


    Katniss raised an eyebrow, her face cool and indifferent. "Thanks for your concern," she said.


    Then she went back to her book, her hair softly framing her face, showing off just half of her beautiful features. Her forehead was smooth and wless, making her look effortlessly attractive.


    Nova gave a light smile. "You''re wee," she said, then turned her attention elsewhere.


    Word on the street was that Katniss got into Brent''s program without even finishing the exam. She only did half of it. No one could figure out what made her so special that Brent, known for being strict, would bend the rules for her. Soon, they pulled up to the hospital.


    A doctor in a white coat was waiting at the entrance, scanning the area. When he saw the familiar car, he walked over right away.


    Brent found a parking spot, got out, and shook hands with the doctor. He quickly introduced Katniss and the others before leading them to the back of the hospital.


    Hospitals are ces where the fragility of life is starkly apparent, and where the best and worst of humanity areid bare.


    They walked through a corridor and out a door into a big open-air za. There were rows of tables, each with a doctor''s name on it.


    Since this was a free clinic, there were already long lines at each table by the time they got there.


    "Professor Jenkins, this is your spot. If you need anything, just have someone find me. I''ll be in the office," the doctor said warmly, leaving his contact info.


    Brent waved him off, quickly put on a white coat, sat down, and nced at Cecil.


    Cecil got the hint and carefully put away the contact info.


    Katniss looked around. Brent was famous, and the line in front of him was way longer than the others. There had to be at least a hundred people.


    Could Brent handle all this alone?


    It seemed like he brought the three of them to help out.


    As soon as Brent sat down, he took a big gulp of water and started organizing things. "Nova, go help Dean. Cecil, team up with Katniss and show her the ropes."


    Then Brent got to work, diagnosing and talking to patients.


    He was quick and efficient.


    Katniss quickly got the hang of things and turned to Cecil. "What do I need to do?"


    She hadn''t done this before and didn''t know the routine.


    Cecil was about to exin when Nova came over, looking serious. "There are way more patients than we expected. I think Katniss should go help Dean. I''ll stick with Cecil. We''ve worked together a lot and know what we''re doing." "Plus, there are fewer people at Dean''s table, so it won''t be as hectic for you, Katniss," she added.


    Cecil shot them a cold look. "Hurry up and decide. I''ve got work to do."


    With that, Cecil walked between them and started working.


    Cecil''s voice was calm and soothing as he talked to patients, quickly putting them at ease.


    Nova smiled and patted Katniss on the shoulder. "What do you think, Katniss?"


    Katniss rubbed her wrist, put on a mask, and nced at Nova. "I''m fine with anything." Without waiting for Nova to say more, Katniss headed over to Dean''s table.


    Nova bit her lip. Even though she got what she wanted, Katniss''s look made her feel uneasy. But a few secondster, Nova pulled herself together. She hadn''t done anything wrong.


    This joint free clinic was a big deal, and every professor brought their go-to students.


    She had to make the most of this chance to shine.


    And Cecil was a prodigy, head and shoulders above the rest of their generation. Teaming up with him was the best way to maximize their strengths. After giving Katniss onest look, Nova turned and joined Cecil.


    They grouped every ten patients, sorting out the mild, severe, andplex cases.


    Nova and Cecil handled the mild ones, Brent took theplex cases, and the tough-to-diagnose ones were saved for a final group consultation.


    "Professor Palmer, hi. I''m Brent''s student, Katniss, here to help. What do you need me to do?" Katniss asked softly.


    Dean was so swamped he hadn''t even had a chance to drink water. Hearing he had help, he was almost moved to tears.


    Dean was supposed to bring a student, but that student broke his leg ying basketball and was still in the hospital. Dean couldn''t find a suitable recement in time, so he asked Brent to lend him a student.


    Dean turned around happily, only to be stunned. Katniss looked very young, with her hair neatly tied in a bun. Although she wore a mask, her clear eyes shone brightly in the sunlight.


    No need to guess, the face under the mask must be beautiful.


    Brent was really generous!


    He sent such a pretty girl to help him.


    But seeing Katniss''s young age and unfamiliar face, Dean changed his n. Instead of having her see patients, he assigned her some misceneous tasks.


    Seeing the pretty girl, Dean''s mood improved, and he kindly exined what she needed to do. Afraid she wouldn''t remember, he even wrote a simple note for her.


    Katniss took the paper, nced at the words, silently folded it, and put it in her pocket.


    Then she started helping Dean.


    There were fewer patients here, so Katniss grouped them in fives, distributed number tags, and screened the cases, selecting suitable patients for Dean, who specialized in the digestive system. Many weremon conditions like gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastroptosis.


    "Hello, could you check my grandson? He hasn''t been eating well, feels nauseous, and has been vomiting for days," a woman in her fifties anxiously described the condition of a teenage boy leaning against her, looking very ufortable. Dean looked at his medical history. The boy was in high school, under academic stress, with irregr eating habits, and already had gastritis.


    "What has he been eating recently?" Dean was puzzled. The symptoms seemed like gastroenteritis but didn''t quite match.


    Dean pressed the boy''s abdomen. "How does it feel?"


    The boy breathed lightly and said softly, "I''m in pain! Hurry up and treat me. Do you even know how to diagnose?"


    The boy''s sudden outburst made Dean''s face darken. "I need to ask clearly."


    The woman quickly covered the boy''s mouth, apologizing, "I''m sorry, He wasn''t like this before."


    Katniss observed for a while, then suddenly lifted the boy''s arm, rolling up his sleeve to reveal several red spots on his skin.


    "What are you doing! Get off me!" the boy shouted.


    Katniss gave him a cold look, and the previously irritable boy suddenly went limp.


    Then Katniss lifted his shirt, revealing more red spots on his back.


    Katniss let go of him and said calmly, "Mild poisoning."


    "Katniss, what are you doing? Let go of him. You''re just a sophomore, you can''t diagnose!" Suddenly, a sharp voice erupted from behind, "I''m sorry, she''s just talking nonsense."

 Chapter 101

    Not too far off, as soon as Nova finished talking, a bunch of questioning and angry eyes turned to Katniss.


    Nova walked over, looking all serious, pulled Katniss behind her, and took off her mask. She had this beautiful, apologetic face and bowed a bit, saying softly, "Sorry for butting in. I''m Nova Ramirez, Brent Jenkins'' student. This is Katniss, a sophomore who doesn''t have the experience for consultations yet."


    "I apologize for her jumping the gun. To make up for it, I''ll offer ten free consultations." Nova then turned to Dean and said, "Professor Palmer, Katniss caused some trouble. It''s on me for not keeping an eye on her." The crowd got noisy, pointing fingers at Katniss.


    Someone yelled, "She hasn''t even finished school and thinks she can consult patients? Treating us like guinea pigs?"


    "Just wants to show off, talking about poisoning and scaring us. The medical school should kick out such irresponsible students. They don''t deserve to be doctors. Nova, as Brent''s student, really has the ethics and skills. She''s a future star in our healthcare," another chimed in.


    Hearing the praise, Nova brushed her hair back and smiled confidently, "Anyone who wants a consultation from me,e this way."


    A few patients looked around, dropped Dean''s number cards, and walked towards Nova.


    Nora was Brent''s student. Brent was a top-notch doctor. So, Brent''s student must be pretty good too.


    Katniss raised her chin a bit, her eyes narrowed, and she let out a mockingugh.


    She casually picked up a bottle of water nearby and threw it at Nova''s feet with a bang, blocking her path. "Hold up, did I say you could leave?"


    Nova''s eyes filled with anger as she stared at Katniss, "Katniss, what''s your deal? This is a free clinic, not a ce for your tantrums."


    "Right back at you. This isn''t a ce for you to show off either." Katniss snapped her fingers, looking all proud and mocking. "If you think I''m not qualified to consult as a sophomore, then are you, as a junior, qualified?"


    Nova''s face darkened, and she spoke coldly, "I''m different from you. I''m Brent''s student. The gap between us is huge."


    Katnissughed, cold and proud, "I''ll show you what ''gap'' really means."


    She then pointed to the boy who was about to pass out and said, "The initial symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, rted to thexative in Vigna umbeta. Thenes fever, headache, and paroxysmal exacerbation, even drowsiness."


    The old man holding the boy, who was about to fall asleep, remembered his grandson''s symptoms over the past few days and widened his eyes in shock, quickly saying, "Yes!"


    After getting confirmation, Katniss continued, "Vigna umbeta is a leguminous nt. It causes poisoning with symptoms like confusion, agitation, cyanosis of the lips, and the toxic protein in Vigna umbeta messes with the central nervous system, reduces white blood cells, and causes bleeding."


    "There are already petechiae on his arms and back. Signs of poisoning include skin bleeding, changes in mental state, altered respiratory rate, abdominal tenderness, and rebound tenderness.," Katniss said calmly, then picked up the water bottle she had just thrown. "Nova, haven''t you learned such basic pharmacology?"


    The noisy crowd suddenly went silent.


    Someone whispered, looking between Katniss and Nova, eyes full of doubt.


    "This youngdy sounds very professional. Does anyone know if she''s right?" someone asked.


    Another person turned to Nova, "Nova, is she right? Is this boy really poisoned?"


    "If he''s poisoned, what should we do, Nova?" another chimed in.


    A barrage of questions made Nova freeze up. She looked at Dean, panicked, her eyes welling up.


    What Vigna umbeta and poisoning? Katniss had to be making it up. She couldn''t understand a word!


    It had to be nonsense!


    Dean, who couldn''t stand to see a young girl cry, walked over to shield Nova from the patients'' stares and said, "You should go back. Your teacher probably needs your help."


    "Poisoning, what should we do? You''re so capable, please treat him quickly," the old man, scared, hugged the boy and cried, begging Katniss.


    Katniss''s tone softened, "Don''t worry, it''s a small amount. You brought him in time, it''s not fatal. First, register for gastricvage, take egg whites orally, then the doctor will arrange intravenous glucose saline, oxygen therapy, correct acid-base imbnce, and provide anticoagnt measures."


    Hearing that, the old man cried with joy and thanked Katniss repeatedly.


    A volunteer helped the boy, who was falling asleep, to register and get further examination.


    Nova red in the direction the boy left, her eyes shing with malice. She suddenly turned to Dean, "I don''t believe her. I will request a joint consultation for that boy!"


    "Nova, I just re-examined him. Katniss was right, it is indeed poisoning," Dean replied.


    Nova''s voice rose, "Professor Palmer, are you confused? Katniss is only a sophomore, and she just transferred to this department. What medical skills does she have? She was still reading internal medicine books on the way here. She knows nothing!"


    Dean frowned, met Nova''s gaze quietly, and after a moment, sighed and gave in. "Alright."


    Cecil and Nova, as Brent''s students, were the most prominent and proud, always brought to any major event.


    Nova was capable but also proud and couldn''t ept being outdone.


    There were too many people at the free clinic, so they had to wait for the diagnosis results while treating the remaining patients.


    Katniss, as if nothing had happened, kept order with a calm expression, continuing to help Dean distribute number cards and organize medical records.


    But now, it was different. Everyone looked at Katniss with curiosity.


    After finishing, Katniss stood aside..


    Passing by Nova, Katniss slightly turned her head and said coldly, "In terms of reputation, I am not as good as you, but in medical skills, you are not as good as me!"


    Nova''s eyes turned sinister, ring fiercely at Katniss.


    Suddenly, Dean''s phone rang. It was a call from theb.

 Chapter 102

    Dean didn''t even get a chance to respond before Nova snatched the phone from him and hit the answer button.


    Deanughed and asked, "So, what''s the verdict?"


    A few secondster, Nova bit her lip hard, hung up, and angrily tossed the phone onto the table, her fingers shaking. Then she turned and ran off, crying.


    Dean quickly grabbed the phone, checking it over. Luckily, it wasn''t broken.


    Why were girls these days so hot-headed and not gentle at all?


    Nova''s rage meant theb results confirmed poisoning.


    Just like Katniss had said, it was poisoning from Vigna umbeta.


    He had just looked it up in a book. Vigna umbeta is a leguminous nt. In small amounts, it can benefit the eyes and liver, but consuming more than an ounce can cause severe poisoning.


    Dean turned to look at Katniss, who was daydreaming nearby, and found her quite interesting.


    Vigna umbeta, such an obscure substance, and she could name it off the top of her head. How well did she know her pharmacology?


    After finishing with his current patient, Dean turned to Katniss and asked, "Poison isplex. How did you diagnose it so quickly?"


    Katniss furrowed her delicate brows, looking slightly puzzled. "Isn''t it easy to diagnose? It was obvious at first nce."


    After identifying the poisoning, it was easy to diagnose by matching the symptoms.


    Dean blinked.


    He felt a bit belittled by Katniss, but in the spirit of academic research, he decided to be humble. So he continued to ask, "But pharmacology is ever-changing, and symptoms can be very simr. How did you identify it so quickly?"


    Even he couldn''t diagnose it right away.


    How did Katniss do it so quickly?


    No wonder Nova was so angry. That pair of grandfather and grandchild seemed like actors arranged to highlight Katniss''s exceptional medical skills.


    Many renowned doctors hade to this free clinic, bringing their students, all eager to seize this opportunity. Everyone was trying to showcase their abilities.


    Katniss''s bright eyes blinked, her delicate face full of seriousness. "Just memorize all the pharmacology."


    "You memorized all the pharmacology?" Dean rubbed his ears, doubting what he heard. "You''re quite the joker."


    "Yes, I memorized it. I''ve been doing it for many years." Katniss''s expression was serious, and her tone was calm.


    That kind of nonchnt attitude made it seem like even if she was boasting, you had to believe her.


    Katniss wasn''t lying. Aurora had left her many books. Katniss had never married in her previous life, dedicating herself to serving the Manners family. She didn''t work, so she spent her time reading the medical books Aurora left behind. Moreover, for Nathan''s illness, Katniss often stayed upte, poring over medical books to find a cure.


    Aurora''s clinic was popr because of its affordable prices and effective treatments. During the years Katniss spent with Aurora, besides memorizing pharmacology and prescriptions, she was also forced to learn about herbs and observe Aurora treating patients.


    No matter how dull a person was, after memorizing something for decades, it became ingrained in their mind, easily retrievable.


    Dean wasn''t buying it. He borrowed an herbal book from a colleague, flipped to a random page, and asked, "Aloe vera, what does it treat?"


    Katniss, like a human encyclopedia, paused for a moment before rattling off the medicinal properties word for word.


    Dean''s excitement grew. He tested her with several more herbs, even switching books, picking one herb from each.


    The results were the same Katniss nailed each one perfectly.


    Afterward, Dean''s gaze at Katniss changed, as if she were a hidden gem.


    What a talent!


    What a genius in the medical field!


    Seeing the patients still waiting, Dean stood up and let Katniss take his seat.


    Dean pulled up a chair, sat beside her, took a sip of water, and said leisurely, "Katniss, you handle the patients. I''ll supervise."


    Then Dean told the waiting patients, "You all saw it just now. This youngdy''s skills are top-notch. If there''s any issue,e to my office."


    The remaining patients hesitated but then thought, ''Why not?''


    After all, it''s a free clinic. If her diagnosis wasn''t urate, they could still see Dean.


    Seeing two doctors in one queue, not a bad deal.


    Katniss''s mouth twitched, and she looked at Dean, who was lounging with his legs crossed, and whispered, "Professor Palmer, you just want to clock out early, don''t you?"


    "Nonsense, this is an opportunity for you young people to gain experience. You should cherish it!"


    Katniss sighed, resignedly sat down, and began calling patients, "ce the case file here, stretch out your right hand, let me feel your pulse..."


    Dean and Aurora were quite simr; both liked to make her work for free under the guise of training her.


    So, when Brent finished his work and brought Cecil over, this was the scene they saw.


    Katniss sat in the attending physician''s seat, her face calm and cool as she diagnosed patients, asking about their symptoms and prescribing medicine.


    Meanwhile, Dean sat leisurely beside her, drinking tea and reading the newspaper.


    Brent was furious. He strode over, grabbed Dean, and angrily said, "What are you doing?"


    Dean, suddenly facing Brent''s fiery eyes, shrank his neck, then coughed and righteously said, "I''m training Katniss to make diagnoses on her own!"


    "Bullshit! If she can do it alone, why don''t youe help me? I''m so busy I don''t even have time to drink water, and you''re here rxing!" Brent was gritting his teeth. He had sent Katniss to assist, not to free up Dean. "No, no, I just sat down. The moment I sat, you came over." Dean exined with a smile, trying to bluff his way through.


    Brent sneered and exposed him mercilessly, "I''ve been watching you for three minutes. You''ve swatted at least ten mosquitoes and flipped through the newspaper."


    Hearing this, Dean hummed and chose not to respond.


    When Dean''s gaze shifted to Katniss, who was still seriously diagnosing patients, his eyes twinkled. He grabbed Brent and said, "Brent, let Katniss be my student. I''ll take good care of her! I''ll teach her everything I know!" Brent was stunned by Dean''s shamelessness. He pped Dean''s hand off his arm as if it were contaminated.


    He raised his hand to stop Dean from getting closer. "Do you even hear the nonsense you''re spouting?"


    Meanwhile, Cecil, who had been silent, nced in Katniss''s direction.

 Chapter 103

    Katniss tilted her head, her hair tied up in a simple ponytail, showing off her slender neck. In the sunlight, her thick, curled eyshes looked like butterfly wings, making her eyes pop. Even though her face was expressionless, her gaze on the patient was sharp and focused.


    Cecil felt a stir in his chest but forced himself to look away.


    He tuned into Brent and Dean''s argument, both of them bickering over Katniss.


    It was a familiar scene, just like when they used to fight over him back in freshman year, but now it seemed even more intense.


    Cecil pressed his thin lips together and looked down. So, he wasn''t the only one who got this treatment.


    Just as he was thinking this, he heard Brent call out, "Cecil, what are you standing there for? You''re not being helpful at all. Give Katniss a hand."


    With that, Brent and Dean walked off to a side corridor, whispering about something.


    Cecil was a bit stunned but then walked over to Katniss.


    Up close, he treated the patients on his side while sneaking nces at Katniss.


    Katniss was all business, her questions sharp and to the point, not at all like someone who had just transferred to med school and was still catching up. She was almost as fast as he was.


    With Cecil''s help, they quickly got through the remaining patients.


    Finally done, Katniss rubbed her sore wrist and started tidying up the table. It had been a while since she had such an intense consultation session. Her wrist was killing her.


    Cecil, hands in his pockets, looked down at Katniss and after a moment of silence said, "You were ying dumb about your staff, Katniss. You''re a good actress." Actress?


    Katniss smiled and nced at him. "Did I ever say that?"


    She hadn''t studied it systematically, but she never said she was a novice.


    Cecil''s eyes darkened, and he let out a mockingugh.


    A few secondster, Katniss looked up and suddenly said, "You should pay attention to Daryl''s issue. As a med student, thest thing you should do is avoid medical problems. You''re Daryl''s good friend, so advise him to get treatment early to avoid bigger issuester."


    In other words, Daryl had erectile dysfunction.


    Of course, it was also her oversight at the time.


    For a guy to be called out by a pretty female ssmate for having erectile dysfunction was a huge humiliation!


    No guy would admit to having erectile dysfunction, so Daryl''s denial at the time was understandable.


    After a moment of thought, Katniss added, "Guys care about this a lot. When you talk to him, be more tactful and consider his feelings."


    With that, Katniss blinked innocently.


    This was herst bit of kindness as a ssmate.


    Cecil exhaled sharply, gritting his teeth. "I got it, thanks."


    He must be crazy toe talk to Katniss!


    Cecil, radiating cold air, took a long stride and distanced himself from Katniss.


    With no one bothering her, Katniss pulled out her book from her backpack and continued reading.


    Meanwhile, in the corridor, Dean hesitated for a moment before bringing up Nova. Since he was there, it made sense for him to exin the situation.


    Brent responded in a low voice, "Yeah, Nova''s a bit intense. She needs someone to keep her in check. Now that Katniss is around, it''s good for her to have somepetition. It''ll help her grow." Dean thought Nova''s situation was moreplicated than just needing some tempering, but since Nova wasn''t his student, he didn''t push it.


    So, Dean changed the subject, and they chatted about other things before heading back to get Cecil and Katniss.


    "Busy all morning, you must be tired. Let''s hit the hospital cafeteria for some food," Brent called out to them.


    Dean turned back, smiling, and added, "This hospital''s got a great budget, and the cafeteria food is catered. It''s the best! Otherwise, your picky teacher wouldn''t go there."


    Talking about food, Katniss''s eyes lit up. "Is it really that good? What''s the specialty? Let''s hurry, it''s already twelve-thirty. What if there''s no food left!"


    Hearing this, Brent and Dean picked up the pace.


    Cecil, trailing behind, just shook his head.


    After the group left, a tall man by the second-floor window, with a toothpick in his mouth, pulled out his phone and made a call.


    Even though the guy wore a white coat, his tough, fierce face and sharp buzz cut made him look more like a beast in a white coat than a doctor. A few secondster, the call connected.


    Jesse clicked his tongue, "Can you pick up any slower? How many rings was that? Is my call not important to you?"


    "Get to the point, or I''m hanging up," the voice on the other end was cold and indifferent.


    Jesseughed, then, with narrow eyes, looked in the direction where Katniss had disappeared, "I saw your wife at the hospital." As expected, there was silence on the other end, no response.


    Seeing this, Jesseughed slyly, "Your wife looks great in a white coat. Have her wear it for you at home, and you''ll be very happy!"


    "Don''t you want your eyes? I''ll have Emilioe get them," Maximilian snapped.


    After joking, Jesse exined what he had just seen, "Katniss really shone in this joint consultation. Dean even gave up his seat for her. More people will be watching her now, so you better hide her well to avoid any trouble." Maximilian put down his pen and said calmly, "She''s a gem, destined to outshine others."


    Jesse raised an eyebrow, hung up the phone, and looked in that direction again, but no one was there.


    Humming a tune, he turned and left.


    The cafeteria food was indeed delicious. Katniss, exhausted after a few hours, was starving.


    She thought she could eat a whole cow, but no matter how hungry she was, she could only eat a little. Any more, and her stomach would start to feel ufortable, a bit nauseous. While they were still eating, Katniss said she wanted to walk around.


    Brent and Dean nodded, not holding her back.


    As soon as Katniss left the cafeteria and passed by the open-air za, she suddenly saw a familiar figure. "Wesley!" she called out.

 Chapter 104

    Wesley was hustling along, juggling a bunch of gift boxes. Who was sick?


    Hearing someone call his name, Wesley stopped and looked around, spotting Katniss in a white coat.


    Katniss quickly walked over, eyeing the gift boxes in Wesley''s hands. They were all pricey nutritional supplements and top-notch fruits.


    "Is someone sick?" Katniss asked.


    Wesley hadn''t expected to bump into Katniss at the hospital. He gave a wry smile, "It''s Saskia''s mother-inw. She''s in this hospital, so I came to visit during my lunch break." Saskia''s mother-inw?


    Katniss''s eyes lit up, and she immediately smiled sweetly. "Then I''ll go with you to visit her."


    Wesley had no objections. As they walked, he curiously asked, "What are you doing here? And in a doctor''s coat?"


    "I''m here with my mentor for a free clinic." Katniss took some of the fruits from Wesley and then remembered something, "Wesley, didn''t you say you weren''t feeling wellst time? Did you get a check-up?"


    With so many bills to pay, Wesley couldn''t bear to spend the money. He shook his head honestly, "I''m getting old, and it''s normal to have some ailments. A bit of rest will do, there''s no need for a hospital check-up."


    Katniss pretended to be angry, "You must be mindful of your health. You need to catch small illnesses early, or they''ll turn into big ones that can''t be treated. My mentor is a doctor here, and as his student, I get a discount. It won''t cost much." "I''ll pay for it and apany you for the check-up," she insisted.


    "You''re just a kid, how can I spend your money?" Wesley frowned, clearly disapproving.


    Katniss chuckled, "You said I was grown upst time. Besides, my husband is wealthy now, so I have money. If I don''t spend it, should I let him spend it on other women? I''m happy to help out, you don''t need to worry about the money." Wesley was taken aback and sighed inwardly. In the blink of an eye, Katniss had grown up and gotten married.


    Seeing Katniss dressed well and looking healthy, it seemed Maximilian was treating her well.


    He felt relieved, "Alright, you win! I''ll let you help."


    With Wesley''s agreement, Katniss felt a bit more at ease.


    In her previous life, she hadn''t cared enough about Wesley''s family. By the time she found out Wesley had cancer, it was toote, he was in the terminal stage.


    So she didn''t know when Wesley''s illness had actually started.


    As she followed Wesley upstairs, Katniss pondered how to convince him to get a check-up every six months.


    This time, she wouldn''t let Wesley die early.


    Soon, they reached the fourth floor of the inpatient department, room 405.


    Katniss, familiar with the hospital from previous visits, easily found the room.


    It was a four-person room. As soon as she entered, Katniss saw Saskia bustling around.


    Saskia''s hair was simply tied up, with some strands messily falling down. Her face was pale, clearly from overwork.


    Lying on the innermost bed was Ellen, looking to be in her fifties or sixties, with graying hair and high cheekbones. Her eyes looked sharp and unkind, not easy to get along with.


    "Didn''t you see my cup is empty?" Ellen shouted. "This is so hot, are you trying to burn me? I knew it, you can''t wait for me to die now that I''m sick."


    Saskia took a deep breath, forcing a smile, and tried to exin, "Mom, I didn''t mean that. Kieran and I both hope you get better soon."


    "Sure, so you don''t have to take care of me anymore, right?" Ellen shot a cold nce at Saskia, getting more annoyed. "I don''t know why Kieran picked you. You can''t do anything, always relying on Kieran. You can''t even take care of a patient." Holding the kettle, Saskia felt bitterness spreading from her chest, tears slowly rolling down.


    Ellen sneered, "Why are you crying again? I haven''t died yet!"


    Seeing this, Katniss''s anger red up. With cold eyes, she strode in, her lips curling into a cold smile. "Ellen, you''re wrong. Saskia was a top student, even better than Kieran, a well-known talent."


    She continued, "Saskia gave up a high-paying job, earning $200,000 a year, to take care of you. How much does Kieran make now? Does he earn $500,000?"


    Startled by the sudden intrusion, Ellen red at Katniss, not recognizing her.


    Saskia softly called, "Katniss."


    So it was Saskia''s cousin, Katniss.


    "$500,000? What a big mouth you have, bragging at such a young age." Ellen rolled her eyes.


    Such bold ims, talking about hundreds of thousands of dors as if it were easy toe by.


    Kieran was a manager, earning a high sry, but even he made only about $100,000 a year. How could Saskia, a woman, be more capable than Kieran?


    Katniss took the kettle from Saskia, cing it on themunal table by the wall.


    At the door, Wesley, holding the gifts, suppressed his anger and adjusted his expression before stepping in.


    Wesley nced at Saskia, then turned to Ellen, his mouth dry. "Ellen, Kieran told me you weren''t well, so I came to see you. Here are some fruits and supplements for you."


    Ellen nced at the items dismissively and then arrogantly ordered Saskia, "What are you standing there for, like a block of wood? Your father brought things, and you don''t even take them." Knowing Wesley''s financial situation, she doubted he could afford anything good.


    Saskia bit her lip, her face pale, eyes red as she walked to Wesley, her voice hoarse. "Dad, just give them to me."


    Hearing Saskia''s hoarse voice, Wesley couldn''t hold back any longer. His face darkened as he pulled Saskia out of the room. "Come with me."


    Ellen immediately sat up, shouting sharply, "Wesley, who are you giving that attitude to?"


    Katniss quickly stepped in, blocking Ellen''s view.


    Katniss sneered, "Not for long."


    "What do you mean?" Ellen frowned.


    With a lightugh, Katniss pulled a chair over and sat down, grabbing Ellen''s wrist, her eyes coldly staring at her.


    "What are you doing?" Ellen was stunned for a moment, then struggled to break free from Katniss''s grip.


    But no matter how she tried, she couldn''t shake off Katniss''s hand.


    "You''re not sick, are you? Faking medical records to scam money?" Katniss''s eyes were calm as she casually let go.


    Ellen''s eyes widened, avoiding Katniss''s gaze. "Of course I''m sick. Why else would I be in the hospital? You''re talking nonsense."


    Katniss chuckled, her eyes wild yet calm. "There are many renowned doctors here today for the free clinic. Since you''re Saskia''s mother-inw, I should take it seriously. How about I arrange a joint consultation for you?" "Oh, by the way, let me introduce myself. I''m a medical student, Katniss Manners. Brent Jenkins is my mentor, the nationally recognized academician who''s been on TV and in the papers, Professor Jenkins," she added.

 Chapter 105

    Ellen''s jaw practically hit the floor. Was she being punked?


    That guy was on TV. How could he be Katniss''s teacher?


    Ellen quickly looked away, mumbling, "I don''t need some famous doctor. I can''t afford it."


    "Cut the act. I don''t have time for this. I just checked you out, you''re fine," Katniss said, rolling her eyes. "What do you want? Spill it, or when Wesley gets back, I might change my mind." Ellen wanted to say something but remembered Kieran''s warning to keep quiet about this.


    So, she mmed up, shot Katniss a look, and stayed silent.


    Just a kid, what could she do anyway?


    "Waiting for Kieran? Fine, he''ll be here soon," Katniss said, not caring. She''d seen Ellen sneak a text when they walked in.


    Obviously, she was tipping off Kieran.


    Ellen felt awkward.


    Soon enough, Kieran rushed in, a bit out of breath, and smiled at Katniss, "Katniss, what are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be in school?"


    Ellen shot Kieran a look, trying to signal that Katniss knew she was faking it.


    But Kieran just nced at Ellen and focused on Katniss, "Saskia told you, huh? I told her not to say anything to keep you from worrying."


    Katniss wasn''t buying it. "It wasn''t Saskia. I was here volunteering with my teacher, ran into Wesley, and figured I''d drop by."


    Kieran looked surprised, then smiled, "Saskia didn''t mention you were studying medicine."


    "I switched majors," Katniss said, her eyes cold. Just looking at Kieran made her feel gross. "Let''s talk outside so we don''t bother Ellen." Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.


    Ellen''s eyelid twitched. How was she supposed to know Katniss was studying medicine?


    "Alright, let''s go outside." Katniss turned and headed to the stairwell''s safety exit.


    "Katniss, what do you want to say?" Kieran asked, still ying the nice guy.


    Katniss suddenly looked up, her eyes icy. "Kieran, Saskia busts her butt at your house, doing whatever your mom says. What the heck did she do to deserve you cheating on her? Are you even human?" Kieran stiffened at the word "cheat," then smiled, "Katniss, you can''t just throw usations around."


    "I work my tail off every day to support the family. Ask your rtives; they all envy Saskia for not having to work after graduation, just cleaning and cooking at home. Saskia''s easy life is because of my hard work." "I cheated? Got any proof?" Kieran said, acting all high and mighty. It was disgusting!


    Saskia was ving away for his mom, while Kieran had juste from another woman''s bed!


    "Your hard work? You mean in Brenda''s bed, right?" Katniss said, pulling out some photos and tossing them in his face. "Tell that shameless Brenda to change her perfume. It''s cheaper than a hooker''s!"

 Chapter 106

    Kieran fumbled to catch the photo, and his face changed after a quick nce.


    Furious and embarrassed, Kieran stepped forward, gritting his teeth. "Did you have someone follow me?"


    Katniss sneered, "I''m just a student. How could I have the means to follow you? Someone sent these to Saskia. Brenda wants to climb the socialdder, so she sent these photos of you two together. What''s her game? You guys are really disgusting!"


    "So, you''re fooling around outside, and your mom is here humiliating Saskia. Does your family think the Manners family is a joke? My sister treats you so well, where''s your conscience?" Katniss shot back.


    "Katniss, this is between Saskia and me. Don''t meddle too much," Kieran said, his face darkening with anger and embarrassment.


    Katniss spoke with such conviction that Kieran couldn''t tell if she was lying or if Brenda really took the photos.


    He and Brenda had always had a mutual understanding that they were just having fun.


    But Brenda had mentioned several times that she was already 27 and wanted to settle down. So, it wasn''t impossible that she might scheme against him.


    Katniss''s crimson lips curled up slightly, and she said mockingly, "Your mom pretended to be sick just to get money from Wesley, right? How much do you want? I''ll give it to you."


    Kieran paused, looked at Katniss, and said nkly, "What do you mean?"


    "It''s simple. As long as you divorce Saskia, I''ll give you the money," Katniss said calmly, with a hint of arrogance as if she had everything under control. "Although I don''t know why you''re so short on money, I guess the other party didn''t give you much time, right?"


    Otherwise, Kieran wouldn''t have resorted to such a desperate measure, having Ellen pretend to be sick and then asking Wesley for money.


    Wesley wouldn''t be able toe up with such arge sum of money, and in desperation, he would definitely ask her for a loan.


    Thanks to Uriah''s recent surveince, Katniss was well aware of Kieran''s recent activities.


    Kieran frowned, looked Katniss up and down, and then suddenlyughed, "Alright, if you want me to divorce your sister, I agree. you must give me $200,000!"


    "No problem. As long as you bring up the divorce with my sister and get the paperwork done, I''ll give you the money," Katniss said quickly, her red lips curling up.


    "Pay me first, or I won''t divorce."


    Katniss frowned, pretending to be in a difficult position, "What if you take the money and then refuse to divorce?"


    "Then what do you suggest?"


    Katniss raised her eyes yfully and said crisply, "In business, don''t you deal with contracts and deposits? I''ll give you a $10,000 deposit now, and once you and Saskia are at the courthouse and the divorce is finalized, I guarantee the remaining $190,000 will be in your ount as soon as you step out of the courthouse."


    Kieran licked his lips, frowned, and nced at Katniss, who looked innocent and pure.


    He thought she''s just a naive little girl who hasn''t entered society yet, easy to deceive.


    He could divorce and then find a way to remarry, couldn''t he?


    After being married for so many years, he knew Saskia well. She was just a bimbo.


    Over the years, he had trained her to listen to him in everything. After divorce, he could easily coax her into remarrying.


    Besides, once a woman has a child, she would be at his mercy, wouldn''t she?


    Kieran was full of pride, feeling as if he already had Saskia under his control, and Katniss was just his mobile ATM.


    "Alright, since you''re Saskia''s cousin, I''ll trust you this once." With that, Kieran left, feeling a bit relieved.


    As soon as he was gone, Katniss red at his back and muttered a string of curses.


    After venting, she took a deep breath and checked her ount bnce. How much money did she have left? Only a little over $2,400.


    How was she going toe up with the remaining $7,600?


    Katniss counted on her fingers, thinking hard. Could she borrow from Conrad?


    No, she shouldn''t borrow money from a working person; she couldn''t repay it anytime soon.


    In the end, Katniss took out her phone, gritted her teeth, and dialed a number. Using Maximilian''s capitalist money for a good cause, she was doing him a favor, right? Whileforting herself, the call suddenly connected, and Maximilian''s deep, maic voice came through, "Katniss?"


    "Maximilian, have you had lunch?" Katniss asked sweetly, trying to sound extra obedient.


    In reality, she was feeling very nervous.


    On the 15th floor, in his office, Maximilian put down the document in his hand and gestured for the secretary who was reporting to pause.


    The secretary immediately fell silent, afraid to make any noise.


    Just now, Maximilian was so gentle,pletely different from his usual emotionless tone.


    Katniss, was the person on the other end a girl?


    Maximilian answered calmly, "I''ve already eaten, so you can tell me what you need."


    Katniss bit her lip. Couldn''t he just exchange some pleasantries?


    "I feel bad about asking to borrow money right away because I don''t want to upset you." Katniss''s aggrieved tone made Maximilian chuckle silently, "How much do you need?" "$7,600, is that okay?" Katniss asked anxiously, "Don''t worry, I won''t borrow it for long. I''ll pay you back in installments! In 6 installments, no, in 12 installments. I''ll pay you $633.33 each month!" In the darkness, Conrad was shocked, his eyes full of confusion. Was this the kind of fun married couples had?


    Katniss, worth millions, was borrowing $7,600 from Maximilian and wanted to pay it back in 12 installments, $633.33 each month.


    He didn''t understand!


    So, was this why he was still single?


    Conrad took out a notebook and wrote down the first tip for dating: Borrow money, pay it back in installments.


    Katniss lowered her head, kicking a small stone with her toe. On the other end of the phone, Maximilian''s warm voice came through, "I''ll give you a discount. Pay me $640 each month." Katniss was shocked. A discount that actually increased the amount?


    "Maximilian, shouldn''t a discount be $633?" she asked.


    Maximilian turned his bracelet and said calmly, "The money could earn more money with me."


    Katniss gasped. This was the cunning of a capitalist.


    But since she needed his help now, Katniss gritted her teeth and agreed, "Fine, I''ll pay you $640 each month!"


    After saying that, Katniss hung up the phone with a snap. ''What a heartless capitalist.''


    Conrad, with his keen hearing, had listened to the entire conversation. He took out his notebook and added another note: Add interest.


    Katniss knew Conrad was nearby, so she called his name.


    Conrad finished writing, hid the notebook and pen behind his back, and quickly appeared in front of Katniss.


    Katniss took out a bank card from her bag and handed it to Conrad, "Please go to the bank and transfer $10,000 to Kieran''s ount." Conrad took the bank card and curiously asked, "Are you really going to give him $200,000?"


    Katniss squinted her eyes, "He won''t live to see that money."

 Chapter 107

    Kieran walked back into the ward. Seeing no one around, Ellen quickly sat up, looking all nervous. "What did Katniss say to you? I didn''t tell her about the whole pretending-to-be-sick thing." "Rx, the money issue is sorted. Pack your stuff, I''ll get you home soon," Kieran said, grinning from ear to ear.


    Ellen blinked, confused. "A hundred grand? How did Saskia''s broke familye up with that?"


    "It''s actually two hundred grand," Kieran said, checking the door to make sure no one was eavesdropping. He leaned in and whispered, "I told you, Saskia''s cousin is loaded. Just a tiny bit of her cash is enough for us to live like kings." Plus, he remembered seeing Maximilian and Katniss looking pretty chummy at the Starry Night Hotel. If Ramon could win over Katniss, they could get close to Maximilian too. The Scott family would be set for life.


    Ellen''s jaw dropped. She held up two shaky fingers. "Katniss can just drop $200,000 like that? I had no idea she was that rich."


    Ellen always thought when people said Saskia''s uncle was rich, it just meant he was doing a bit better than most folks.


    I mean, if they were really rolling in it, why would Saskia''s family cut ties with them and not stay in touch?


    Cutting off rich rtives? Only an idiot would do that, right?


    Just as Ellen finished talking, Kieran''s phone buzzed with a text.


    Kieran checked his phone, a greedy smile spreading across his face. He showed the screen to Ellen. "Look, Katniss just sent a $10,000 deposit."


    These days, ten grand was like a year''s sry for an average family.


    And Katniss sent it just like that. As for the remaining $190,000, Kieran felt like he could almost taste it.


    "I''m usually swamped with work, Mom. When you get a chance, push Ramon to hurry up and woo Katniss," Kieran said, closing his phone and taking a leisurely bite of an apple. "Then you''ll be Katniss''s aunt, and it''s only fair she buys you something nice, right?"


    Ellen''s smile widened. She pped her thigh andughed. "I raised Ramon since he was a kid, and he lived with us for years. His wife should definitely respect me."


    "You should''ve been clearer. I thought Katniss''s family was just doing okay." Ellen pouted, then rolled her eyes, annoyed. "This is all because of your wife Saskia. Her uncle''s family is so rich, yet they don''t help you at all."


    "If Saskia''s uncle helped, you wouldn''t have to bust your butt for this money. You could just sit in an office and watch the money roll in. Your wife is really ungrateful and mean." The more Ellen talked, the angrier she got. From the first time she met Saskia, she didn''t like her. She thought Saskia was boring and useless.


    In terms of career, she couldn''t help Kieran.


    They''d been married for years and still had no kids.


    She only had a pretty face, but what good was that?


    Talking about Saskia, Kieran''s eyes flickered. He then told Ellen about the n to fake a divorce with Saskia, splitting their assets.


    He''d give Saskia the car and some money.


    It was just for show, to win Saskia backter.


    Ellen thought divorce was a bad idea, otherwise, she would''ve pushed Kieran to do it long ago.


    Despite her reservations, Ellen reluctantly agreed to Kieran''s detailed n, understanding the necessity of securing the remaining $190,000. Kieran was so capable; he could handle anything perfectly. Fooling Katniss this time would be a walk in the park.


    "Studying medicine is great, but it''s a busy life. Katniss might have to work overtime and won''t be able to take care of the family," Ellen said, her voice a mix of joy and worry, as if Katniss not being able to take care of their family would somehow affect her.


    Ellen muttered to herself, "In the future, let Katniss quit her job. Her family is so rich, she could find Ramon a cushy job. Ramon can bring in the money, and Katniss can stay home to take care of the family and look after her inws."


    After finishing his apple, Kieran nced out the window and saw Saskia and Wesley sitting on a bench downstairs.


    It was almost 1:30 PM, just the right time to head to court for the divorce.


    Kieran packed up his things and told Ellen to wait for him in the ward. He''d handle the divorce first and thene back to pick her up.


    After giving his instructions, Kieran headed towards the garden downstairs.


    From a distance, Wesley spotted Kieran turning the corner in the corridor. This was the son-inw he had chosen!


    Wesley rushed forward, grabbed Kieran by the cor, and punched him, cursing angrily, "Saskia married you, and this is how you treat her? What did you promise me back then?"


    "You said you''d treat Saskia well, and this is how you repay her? Do you have any conscience?" he continued.


    Poor Saskia, being bullied by Kieran''s family and tormented by Ellen, and her parents had no clue.


    If they hadn''te early today and seen it, they wouldn''t have known how long they would be kept in the dark.


    Seeing Saskia cry broke Wesley''s heart.


    Kieran, suddenly punched, turned ck-faced and angrily wanted to shake off Wesley, but thinking of the $190,000, he held back.


    Saskia ran over, standing between the two to protect Wesley. "Stop fighting."


    Kieran spat out the blood in his mouth, his face dark. "Since you know, let''s get a divorce."


    Wesley trembled with anger, wishing he could kill Kieran.


    Saskia''s eyes were red, her hands at her sides silently clenched into fists, trembling. She then turned to block Wesley and said with difficulty, "Fine, let''s divorce."


    That morning, when she saw those photos, Saskia felt like her heart was being pricked by needles.


    Thinking of the sex they had the night before, Saskia felt so disgusted she threw up.


    Dragging her exhausted body to the hospital to take care of Ellen, enduring Ellen''s unreasonable demands, she could bear it. But when Wesley and Katniss arrived, Saskia suddenly didn''t know what she was enduring for. She was raised by Anna, who always taught her that a woman should be virtuous and generous to win her husband''s favor.


    But no matter what she did, she couldn''t win Ellen''s favor.


    She could persist because she believed Kieran loved her, and their life would get better.


    But those photos shattered Saskia''s hopes, grinding her heart into pieces.


    Kieran''s brows furrowed. Although Saskia was dull and uninteresting, she was beautiful.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so infatuated with her and married her right after graduation.


    But their life was too nd.


    Being together for a long time, she became dull and tasteless.


    Kieran suppressed his reluctance and gritted his teeth. "Let''s go now. I had my dad bring the marriage and divorce papers."

 Chapter 108

    Saskia felt like she''d been hit by a truck. Did Kieran set something up before she got here?


    "You''re so quick to divorce, is it for your lover?" Saskia''s voice cracked. She wanted to scream and demand answers from Kieran, not caring how she looked. What did she do wrong?


    Why did Kieran humiliate her in front of Wesley,pletely disregarding her dignity?


    Kieran''s phone buzzed in his pocket. He nced at it and quickly hung up, irritation shing in his eyes. "We''re getting divorced anyway, so it doesn''t matter," he said. Kieran just wanted to get the divorce done and collect the $190,000 Katniss had promised him.


    His tone was cold, his expression indifferent and impatient, leaving Saskia with no hope.


    The gentle and refined Kieran she once knew seemed like a stranger now.


    Saskia gave a bitter smile, "Fine."


    Wesley grabbed Saskia''s arm, "Good job. Saskia deserves better. I must''ve been blind not to see what a jerk you are!"


    After cursing, Wesley pulled Saskia away. They wouldn''t take Kieran''s car.


    Watching them walk away, Kieran was a bit surprised. He thought Saskia would cry and beg him not to divorce, given her usual timid and cowardly demeanor. Even when she knew he was cheating, she didn''t dare to scold him.


    But this was good too, he figured he could just use a few sweet words to get back together.


    Wesley had been a teacher for so many years, he was so rigid, no wonder he could teach someone like Saskia.


    Since all the paperwork was in order and both agreed to the divorce, the process went quickly. They walked out of the courthouse with their divorce decree.


    Wesley, with a pale-faced Saskia in tow, hailed a cab without giving Kieran a second nce.


    Kieran eagerly opened his phone and quickly called Katniss, "I''ve divorced. When will you pay the money?"


    In a nearby Range Rover, Katniss saw Kieran calling her through the window and hung up.


    She then looked up and asked Conrad in the front seat, "Have the police arrived?"


    Conrad nodded, "As you instructed, the evidence against Kieran was handed over to the police half an hour ago. They should be here now."


    Just as Conrad finished speaking, the sound of police sirens grew closer.


    The police car stopped at the courthouse entrance, and several uniformed men got out. They looked at the furious Kieran, who was still on the phone, and said sternly, "You are Kieran, right? We''re from the police department. You''ve been reported for embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds. We need you toe with us for an investigation."


    "Who reported me?" Kieran''s face turned pale, his voice trembling, "Please give me a little more time, I just want one phone call!"


    As he spoke, Kieran backed away while frantically dialing, but all he got was a cold, unfeeling busy signal.


    The cops exchanged nces, then moved in to restrain Kieran. They twisted his arm behind his back, ignoring his shouts, and pped the cuffs on him before shoving him into the car.


    His phone hit the ground, the battery popping out.


    Kieran was in a daze, his eyes bloodshot and swollen, like he was at the end of his rope, staring into an abyss.


    He was so close to getting the money. Why couldn''t they wait a little longer?


    In the Range Rover, Katniss rolled down the window, watching coldly as Kieran was taken away. A sense of satisfaction finally rose within her.


    Getting Kieran to divorce Saskia and throwing him in jail for a few years was worth the $10,000.


    Her past life was painful, a result of her own obsession with family.


    But Saskia shouldn''t end up like she did in the past. Saskia was gentle and kind, never did anything wrong. She deserved a better, happier life.


    The cold wind blew into the car, stinging Katniss''s face, but she didn''t mind. She even smiled.


    She knocked on the back of the front seat. "Let''s head back to school. I have a ss."


    Katniss leaned against the car window and closed her eyes, thinking about which top-notch economicwyers in Luminous City she could hire to sue Kieran, hoping to keep him in prison for decades to ease her hatred. About twenty minutester, they were almost at the school.


    Having finally dealt with Kieran, Katniss figured Wesley and Saskia should be home by now, so she called Wesley.


    But it was Daphne who answered, and she was crying.


    "Daphne, what''s wrong?" Katniss immediately felt a pang of worry.


    Daphne choked up, then couldn''t hold back her sobs, "Saskia fell from upstairs. She''s in critical condition."


    Katniss felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.


    Her breath hitched, and she stood up abruptly, "Daphne, which hospital are you at? I''ming right now!"


    "Tranquil Hospital. I''ll meet you at the entrance," Daphne replied. After hanging up, Katniss immediately told Conrad, "Go to Tranquil Hospital."


    The car fell into a tense silence.


    Twelve minutester, Katniss arrived at the hospital.


    Daphne was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing Katniss, she rushed over and grabbed her hand, almost copsing. "Katniss, what do we do? The doctor said Saskia won''t make it and asked us to sign a DNR." Katniss''s eyes darkened. As a medical student, she knew exactly what signing a DNR meant.


    Outside the emergency room, Wesley was already slumped on the floor. The man looked like a small, crumpled heap.


    Anna was crying, pping her thigh.


    Micah, pale-faced, was pleading with the doctor, "Please try to save her again. I''ll pay whatever it takes!"


    Katniss bit her lip, looking around in confusion. Why?


    Why did Saskia still jump?


    Why did it end up the same as in her past life?


    Ellen, who had been waiting in the ward for Kieran, suddenly appeared, "The doctor said there''s no way to save her. Why are you wasting money? Just sign the papers!"


    "What did you say!" Micah, already hot-tempered, turned around, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash his fury.

 Chapter 109

    Ellen shrank back, her voice trembling, "Why are you so mad? Saskia couldn''t handle the divorce, so she jumped. It was her own decision. Once she''s divorced, she''s not part of the Scott family anymore. I''m just being nice, checking on her. I''m


    telling you, Saskia''s suicide has nothing to do with Kieran!"


    "Getting divorced and then trying to kill herself? Is she trying to force Kieran to remarry her? So vicious, she might as well be dead," she added.


    Katniss suddenly looked up, her eyes cold as ice. She stepped up to Ellen, grabbed her cor, and said, "If Saskia dies, I''ll make sure he spends the rest of his life rotting in prison."


    Ellen was almost speechless, trembling, "What did you say?"


    "Doctor, the patient is in critical condition." Suddenly, the operating room door flew open, and a young nurse rushed out, shouting in a panic.


    Katniss let go of Ellen and bolted into the operating room, locking the door behind her, "Conrad, block the door. No one gets in!"


    The nurses and doctors outside were stunned, their faces pale. They pounded on the door, "What are you doing? Come out! If you mess around, we''ll call the police!"


    While pounding on the door, the doctor told the nurse to call the police and get security.


    Just as the nurse was about to call, Conrad stopped her. Towering and stern, he said, "Stay here. No one leaves."


    "Who are you? This is a hospital, not a ce for your antics," the doctor snapped, "The patient inside is in critical condition. If something happens, will you take responsibility?"


    Conrad, unwavering, said, "Whatever happens, we''ll take responsibility."


    The nurse, on the verge of tears, hid behind the doctor. The surgeon gritted his teeth, "Big talk. That''s a human life. Can you really take responsibility?"


    "My wife can''t, but I can!" A cold voice echoed from the hallway. Everyone turned to see three or four people who had appeared out of nowhere. In the middle was Maximilian, sitting in a wheelchair, dressed in ck, looking stern and untouchable.


    The surgeon, recognizing Maximilian, looked shocked, then stiffly turned to the operating room. Was the person inside Maximilian''s wife?


    There had never been any news of Maximilian, the business tycoon of Luminous City, being married.


    Conrad, seeing Maximilian, breathed a sigh of relief and quickly walked over, "Sir."


    "Where''s Katniss?" Maximilian asked calmly.


    Conrad pointed to the operating room, "She rushed in and told me to block these people from entering."


    Maximilian''s face remained calm, his eyes deep and unreadable, "Do as she says."


    Conrad nodded and then stood like a statue at the operating room door.


    Micah, looking exhausted, walked up to Maximilian and spoke hoarsely, "I need your help."


    Maximilian replied calmly, "Go ahead."


    "I want to get the surveince footage from Kieran''s house before and after Saskia''s ident." Micah didn''t believe Saskia would kill herself over Kieran. Although Saskia was soft-hearted, she wasn''t weak. She had endured Ellen''s torment with difficulty.


    How could she just leave her loved ones and end it all?


    Maximilian''s eyes narrowed slightly, catching on to what Micah was implying. Saskia''s fall wasn''t an ident.


    "Emilio, go with Micah," Maximilian ordered.


    Emilio, standing behind Maximilian, was dressed in his usual ck hoodie, arge mask covering half his face, and white sneakers, looking youthful and ready.


    Emilio blinked, "Come on, Micah."


    Then, Maximilian wheeled himself over to Wesley. In a gentle voice, he said, "Wesley, don''t worry. Trust Katniss. She wouldn''t do anything to harm Saskia. I''ve got the best surgeon on standby. Saskia will be fine."


    Wesley and Daphne, both in tears, stood up with Daphne''s help. Daphne choked out, "Maximilian is right. Katniss and Saskia are so close. We have to trust Katniss." Wesley, hunched over, slowly nodded.


    Ellen finally snapped out of it. What did Katniss mean? Why would Kieran get in prison?


    Before Ellen could figure it out, her phone rang loudly in the quiet hallway, startling her.


    Frightened by the bodyguard''s gaze, Ellen hurriedly answered the phone with trembling hands.


    Then, Ellen screamed sharply, "What did you say? Kieran was arrested? Okay, I''m going to the police station right now."


    She hung up the phone and ran off, even losing a shoe in her haste.


    The air was tense.


    Another half hour passed. Just as the Manners family''s nerves were about to snap, the light in the operating room suddenly went out.


    "Katniss!" Daphne''s heart tightened. She rushed up and grabbed Katniss''s hand, looking at her helplessly.


    Katniss pulled down her mask, exhausted, "Daphne, Saskia is okay."


    Tears finally streamed down Daphne''s face, "Really?"


    "Yes." Katniss nodded.


    After Katniss came out, Maximilian looked at Brent beside him, "Brent, please do your best."


    Brent waved hisrge hand and sighed, then went into the operating room with the other doctors.


    When Maximilian called Brent, he was shocked. So much had happened in just a few hours, and he rushed over.


    After Brent and the other doctors went in, they came out in a few minutes and transferred Saskia to the ICU.


    Brent, with a stern and serious face, breathed a sigh of relief and told them, "Saskia is indeed fine now. She just needs to rest and have the doctors check on her condition regrly." Then Brent patted Katniss on the shoulder, saying with relief, "Katniss, you did well. You saved your sister''s life."


    Katniss gave a faint smile.


    With Brent''s assurance, everyone present looked relieved.


    Daphne, finally rxing, leaned weakly against Katniss and cried out loud, "Katniss, thank you. Saskia was saved by you."


    Wesley, his eyes red, looked at Katniss with a heavy look, unable to speak.


    "Conrad, take Wesley and Daphne to rest," Maximilian instructed calmly.


    Conrad nodded and escorted the two to rest.


    Once they left, therge hallway outside the operating room was left with just Katniss and Maximilian.


    Looking at Maximilian''s handsome and calm face, Katniss covered her face and cried. It was all her fault, her arrogance almost cost Saskia her life.


    "Why are you crying like a child?" Maximilian''s voice was calm and gentle. He extended his long arm, pulling Katniss into his embrace.

 Chapter 110

    The ce was dead quiet, except for Katniss''s asional sobs.


    Maximilian just patted her back gently, staying silent and just listening. He knew what was up with Kieran.


    He also knew Katniss had orchestrated the smooth divorce.


    But no one saw iting when Saskia jumped off the building.


    When Katniss finally stopped crying, she felt a bit embarrassed. She realized she had soaked Maximilian''s clothes, making them all wrinkled and unwearable.


    "Take off your clothes, I''ll wash them for you," Katniss said, her voice still thick from crying.


    Maximilian looked at her for a moment, then smiled, "Alright."


    He took off his coat and handed it to her.


    Katniss took it, feeling the warmth from Maximilian''s body still on the coat.


    "Do you have a spare set of clothes in your car? It''s cold now, you shouldn''t catch a chill," she asked, concerned.


    After he took off his coat, she noticed he wasn''t wearing much underneath, just a dark blue knit sweater. She thought for a moment, then dug into her bag and pulled out a scarf.


    She reached out and wrapped it around him, "Wear this, it''ll keep you warmer."


    Girls'' stuff always had that soft, fragrant scent. Maximilian wasn''t used to it, but he didn''t refuse.


    "Are you done talking, Katniss? Come with me!" Brent suddenly appeared, looking stern as he called her over.


    Seeing Brent''s grim face, Katniss shrank back but obediently followed him.


    Sure enough, as soon as they turned the corner, he started scolding her.


    "Katniss, you''ve got some nerve, haven''t you? Showing off this morning, everyone praising you, and now just a few hourster, you''re causing trouble for me. Don''t you dare call yourself my student after what you''ve done! I''m worried patients wille after me because of you." Brent''s voice was loud, drawing the attention of passersby.


    Katniss admitted defeat, "I was wrong, I won''t dare to barge into the emergency room again."


    She had been angered by Ellen''s curse on Saskia, and when the nurse said Saskia was in critical condition, she had no choice but to take matters into her own hands. At that moment, she had no other options.


    She had be the kind of disruptive person she hated the most, and she deserved the scolding.


    Looking back now, she realized she had acted rashly, but Katniss didn''t regret her actions at the time.


    When Katniss entered the operating room, she saw Saskia hooked up to various machines, her face as pale as paper, her breathing weak to the point of nonexistence. The overwhelming sense of suffocation left Katniss with only one thought, she must save Saskia.


    Moreover, during the rescue, Katniss discovered something unexpected.


    Brent had raised a finger, ready to scold her, but stopped mid-air.


    Katniss had said everything he wanted to say, leaving him with nothing more to add.


    Brent cleared his throat and nodded, "Alright, since you know you were wrong, I won''t say more. If you want to avoid making mistakes again, you should study harder and get your medical license and various certificates as soon as possible. Otherwise, no doctor will trust you to go in just because you say you''re a doctor."


    "Yes, I will." Katniss blinked her eyes, looking very obedient.


    Seeing herpliance, Brent sighed deeply and waved his hand. "Alright, I know you''re anxious. You probably don''t want to listen to me. Go be with your sister."


    "No, I was really listening. Don''t worry, when I get back, I''ll hit the books hard and get all the certificates. In the future, I''ll be all about saving patients, just like you, giving hope to families." Katniss was genuinely taking it to heart. Before, she studied medicine just to help Nathan and those close to her. But today, Katniss truly got what it meant to study medicine.


    If you haven''t waited outside an emergency room, you can''t really get the feeling of putting all your hope in the doctors, even praying to any deity for a miracle.


    Even an atheist would, in that moment, sincerely pray for a god.


    Brent listened and nodded, satisfied. "Remember what you said."


    Katniss nodded and was about to leave when Brent suddenly remembered something and called her back, "Are you and Maximilian dating?" Dating Maximilian?


    Katniss couldn''t even dream of that.


    She didn''t know what to say, and while she hesitated, she heard the sound of a wheelchair behind her.


    "We''re not dating. Katniss and I are legally married," Maximilian exined calmly, his hands on the wheelchair.


    Brent''s usually stern face showed shock. "When did you two get together?"


    One was his promising student, the other a kid he watched grow up. How could they be married without him knowing?


    Why hadn''t Samuel told him about such a big event?


    Katniss was also surprised, her face full of confusion. Did Maximilian know Brent?


    Maximilian''s eyes flickered slightly. "We got married yesterday."


    For a moment, Katniss felt quite uneasy.


    They had just registered their marriage yesterday, so there was no way to deny it.


    "Why didn''t anyone tell me about your marriage?" Brent asked angrily.


    Facing Brent''s angry face, Maximilian stayed calm and said slowly, "It was arranged by my grandfather. It''s not something we could control." Katniss nodded in agreement.


    Then she lowered her head, pretending to be obedient, staring at her toes, and inwardly apuding Maximilian for shifting the me so well. Brent, fuming, took out his phone and started making a call, "Hey! Samuel, you bastard..."


    Katniss widened her eyes, witnessing the daily life of a hot-blooded old man.


    Maximilian coughed lightly, covering his mouth, and nced at Katniss, who was watching the drama. "Aren''t you leaving?"


    Katniss snapped back to reality and quickly pushed Maximilian away.


    Outside the ICU, only Micah was there.


    "Micah," Katniss called softly.


    Micah turned to look at them and handed Katniss a cup of warm water. "Have a drink."


    Micah''s tone was still a bit stiff.


    Butpared to before, it was much better.


    Katniss''s eyes brightened, and she quickly took the cup.


    Seeing Micah about to leave, she quickly grabbed him. "Micah, wait, I have something to tell you."


    Micah''s face stiffened, and he followed her to a corner, his face tense. "Go ahead, what is it?"


    Katniss looked at Micah, her expression changing, her eyes bing more determined, "I suspect that Saskia''s fall from the building wasn''t an ident."

 Chapter 111

    Micah''s eyes narrowed, his voice tense. "How do you know?"


    Katniss was taken aback. Did Micah think the same thing?


    "When I was giving first aid, I noticed Saskia''s head injury wasn''t from the fall," Katniss said. "She was hit on the head first, then thrown out the window. We should get an injury report." Micah''s eyes darkened. He pulled out a USB drive. "This is the surveince footage I got from around the time of Saskia''s incident. I''ve already called the cops."


    Katniss''s eyes widened. It seemed she and Micah were on the same page-Saskia didn''t jump because of the divorce.


    Suddenly, Katniss remembered Saskia''s death in her previous life. If this fall wasn''t an ident, what aboutst time?


    Was Saskia murdered in her previous life?


    Katniss gripped the USB drive tightly. "Did you see who did it?"


    Micah frowned and shook his head. "No, the video only shows a pair of hands pushing her out the window."


    "Let me see the video," Katniss said, hoping to spot something different.


    "Okay."


    Katniss took the USB drive and found Maximilian still at the ICU entrance. "Maximilian, can I borrow yourptop?" Maximilian signaled Emilio to get it from the car. "Do you have any new discoveries?"


    "Yes, Saskia didn''tmit suicide!" Katniss''s eyes were firm. She had her suspicions but needed evidence and a motive.


    Emilio brought theptop. Katniss inserted the USB drive, selected the video, and started watching. Seeing that familiar figure, her suspicion was confirmed it was Brenda who pushed Saskia. But why?


    The rest was up to the police. The truth woulde out when Saskia woke up.


    A painful murmur suddenly came from the ward.


    Katniss and the others quickly gathered at the door.


    Wesley and a few others rushed over, and a group of people gathered in front of the ward.


    Maximilian lowered his gaze, his deep dark eyes fixed on Katniss''s back.


    But Katniss was busy checking on Saskia and didn''t notice.


    Maximilian said calmly, "Let''s go, Emilio."


    Emilio was surprised. ''Leaving now?''


    After getting the info from Conrad, Maximilian had canceled a meeting and rushed over. This wasn''t something that usually required his personal attention. Was Maximilian''s concern for Katniss a bit too much? But Katniss was the only one who could make Maximilian feel alive.


    As Emilio pushed the wheelchair and got into the car, he couldn''t help but ask, "Aren''t we going to say anything to Katniss?"


    Maximilian didn''t answer but instead asked, "It seems Katniss cares about everyone around her."


    In the past, because of Desmond, Katniss had inquired about the likes and dislikes of everyone in the Boleyn family.


    Maximilian had seen Katniss bending over backward to please everyone in the Manners family too.


    Now, she was ready to do anything for Wesley''s family.


    It seemed being good to those around her was just in Katniss''s DNA.


    Her kindness towards him wasn''t special; it was just who she was.


    Suddenly, the air in the car turned icy. Maximilian stared indifferently at the passing scenery outside.


    Emilio furrowed his thick eyebrows, feeling conflicted. Men in love really had changeable minds. Inside the hospital.


    Saskia weakly opened her eyes, feeling pain all over. But seeing her family around her, she felt a bit relieved.


    She wanted to speak but could only make weak sounds, "Mom."


    "Yes, I''m here, Saskia. Don''t talk now, sweetie. We''re all here." Daphne''s nose tingled, and she wanted to cry but held back.


    Seeing her open her eyes, Katniss''s heart skipped a beat. She stepped forward and asked, "Saskia, were you pushed off the building? Was it Brenda, Kieran''s mistress?" As soon as Katniss asked, everyone stared intently at Saskia and Katniss.


    Saskia didn''tmit suicide over love?


    If that was true, they would make the Scott family pay!


    Saskia turned her eyes to look at Katniss, took a moment, and said with difficulty, "After I entered the door, I was knocked out. I don''t know what happened after that." The next second, Saskia weakly added, "But I smelled a perfume scent. I think I smelled it on Kieran''s clothes before."


    It was undoubtedly Brenda.


    Knowing the result, Katniss remembered Maximilian and hurried out to look. Maximilian had already left.


    Katniss stood in the hallway, looking at the traffic outside through the transparent ss.


    It seemed she owed Maximilian another favor.


    To take care of Saskia, Katniss took several days off from school, staying and sleeping at the hospital.


    Micah was responsible for following up on Saskia''s case. It wasn''t difficult, and the police soon arrested Brenda, who confessed to the crime but never revealed the reason behind it. Daphne, knowing Saskia''s fall wasn''t an ident and that the culprit was Kieran''s mistress, cursed the entire Scott family.


    The Scott family was in a mess. After the divorce, half of the property was taken away, and now Kieran was arrested!


    Ellen cried at the police station every day, iming Kieran was innocent.


    The police were very annoyed.


    Knowing this, Katniss sneered. Maximilian lent her awyer, who said they could make sure Brenda and Kieran spent the rest of their lives in prison.


    At noon, Katniss carried a lunch box and walked quickly towards Saskia''s ward.


    As she passed a room with an open door, the wind blew the door open.


    Katniss was startled, then she came to her senses, apologized, and went to close the door.


    Seeing the person inside, she was stunned.


    Nathan?


    Seeing no one else in the room, Katniss hesitated and went in.


    Nathan had a pale face and was breathing lightly. If not observed carefully, one might mistake him for a dead person.


    But Katniss didn''t doubt he was alive.


    Because this was how Nathan used to look.


    His condition had deteriorated so quickly after stopping his medication for such a short time?


    Out of curiosity, Katniss checked up on him.


    "What are you doing?" Nathan suddenly opened his eyes.

 Chapter 112

    Katniss froze for a second, then quickly pulled her hand back, looking at Nathan like he was just some random guy. "You having an episode or something?"


    She''d been treating Nathan for five years now. She''d gotten him back to good health. In theory, even if he stopped the meds, he should just be a bit weak, not have such a big issue. So yeah, she was confused.


    Nathan coughed a few times, his face pale, and half-sat up against the pillow.


    "Don''t you hate us the most? Why are you asking about me now? You worried about me or something? Or did Mom and ra send you?" Nathan looked at Katniss, waiting for her answer. Katniss touched her sharp chin, "Nathan, you''ve got quite the imagination. No wonder you''re in the design department."


    "What do you mean?" Nathan frowned.


    "I came to the hospital to see Saskia, not you. Don''t get any ideas. I just happened to pass by your room. When I came in, there was no one else here but you," Katniss said with a slow, teasing tone.


    "I''m not here to treat you. I just wanted to see how long you''dst without my meds. Now that I''ve seen it, I''ll have a better idea for other patients. Thanks, I''m out." With that, Katniss left without looking back. She figured Nathan must be fuming.


    But to her surprise, Nathan''s delicate face showed no anger. Instead, he watched her leave with aplex, hard-to-read expression.


    Katniss left, and the room quickly fell silent.


    Just like Katniss said, a long time passed, and no one else came to see him.


    Where were Elodie and ra?


    Why hadn''t a nursee by?


    The room was so quiet it was creepy. Nathan was almost driven mad by the endless silence. He couldn''t take it anymore and struggled to get out of bed to find Elodie and ra.


    Just as he got up, the door creaked open.


    Nathan looked over, full of surprise and hope.


    But standing at the door was a stranger, "Hey, are you Nathan Manners? I''m the caregiver ra Manners hired for you. She has an important ball to attend and asked me to check if you need any help." Nathan didn''t hear the rest of the words.


    He stood there, lips curling into a mocking smile.


    The caregiver''s voice seemed distant, like from another world. She called his name three times before Nathan snapped out of it.


    His voice was a bit dry, "ra went to a ball?"


    Noticing his odd expression, the caregiver cautiously exined, "Yeah, actually, it was Desmond who arranged for me toe. Need any help?"


    Nathan swayed, steadied himself, and shook his head. "No, you can wait outside."


    "But you don''t look well. Should I call a nurse for you?" the caregiver asked again.


    "No need!" Nathan''s voice suddenly turned harsh.


    After sending the caregiver away, Nathan felt like all his strength had left him and copsed back onto the bed.


    The endless silence swallowed the room again.


    Nathan pulled the nket over his head and closed his eyes tightly.


    He remembered the past when he was sick and would stay in the hospital for a long time but never felt lonely because whenever he woke up, Katniss would always be there, busy around him. Back then, he had a bad temper and always felt that others'' care was mocking his frail body, making him feel less than human.


    So, whenever he woke up and saw Katniss, he would instinctively curse at her and tell her to get out.


    How did Katniss respond back then?


    She had said, "Nathan, you''re awake. Feeling ufortable? I''ll call the doctor."


    "You''ve been out for days. You''re weak. Eat something. I made it just the way you like. It''s delicious."


    "Nathan, don''t be mad. I''ll leave right away. Getting all worked up isn''t good for your recovery. I''ll go tell Mom and the brothers you''re awake."


    Nathan''s head throbbed, and under the nket, he wore a self-mocking expression.


    It seemed that when Katniss first came back, he had the intention of being a good brother. But when did their focus shift solely to ra?


    Why did they increasingly hate Katniss?


    It seemed it had always been this way, or maybe not.


    After Katniss had been looking after Saskia in the hospital for several days, Micah came to take over Katniss''s shift after finishing his work at the police station.


    With a stern face, he urged Katniss to go home and rest, leaving the rest to him.


    Facing Micah, Katniss always felt a bit guilty and didn''t dare to argue with him, so she obediently packed her things and went home.


    On top of that, Maximilian''s treatment couldn''t be put on hold, as it had already been dyed for several days. Today, she had to resume the acupuncture treatment for his leg; there was no room for further dy. When she got home, Mira looked at Katniss''s thinner face. "Oh, how did you lose so much weight? All the weight you gained before is gone."


    Katniss touched her face. Did she lose that much weight?


    She didn''t really feel it.


    "Where''s Maximilian?" Katniss looked around but didn''t see anyone.


    Mira checked the time and said, "Mr. Hamilton should be getting off work soon. He''ll be back shortly."


    Katniss was taken aback and looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost eight o''clock, and Maximilian wasn''t off work yet?


    Maximilian had been so busy, and a few days ago, he even went to the hospital because of Saskia. Katniss felt even more guilty.


    It seemed she was always causing trouble for Maximilian.


    While she was lost in thought, Mira suddenly grabbed her hand and frowned, "It''s cold outside. Look at your red face and cold hands. Go upstairs and take a bath. I''ll call you down for dinnerter." Katniss rubbed her hands and smiled slightly. "Okay."


    Then she went upstairs to her bedroom to take a bath.


    During her stay at the hospital to care for Saskia, it had been difficult to take a bath, and since it was winter, she hadn''t bathed in several days.


    Katniss sniffed herself and found she smelled not good.


    After her bath, Katniss wrapped herself in a bathrobe and went to the walk-in closet to find some pajamas.


    She usually wore her own, but she just realized her pajamas were missing, probably taken by Mira to be washed.


    As she looked through the closet, Katniss''s face turned red. There were many pajamas, but most of them were sexy silk nightgowns that she couldn''t possibly wear! They were likely anticipating some intimate moments.


    But she and Maximilian weren''t a real couple!


    Blushing, Katniss finally found a cute pajama set, fluffy and warm.


    After putting it on, Katniss realized how adorable it was. It was a bunny outfit with big ears on the hood and a little tail on the back.


    Remembering she needed to do acupuncture for Maximilian, Katniss went to the bedside table to find her acupuncture kit.


    Suddenly, Katniss felt someone tug on the tail of her outfit.


    She quickly turned around.


    Maximilian was sitting in his wheelchair, looking down at her white outfit. "What are you wearing?"

 Chapter 113

    Katniss spun around and saw Maximilian standing there. "Maximilian, you''re back!" she eximed, totally surprised. She nced down at her pajamas, wondering if something was off. "What''s wrong with my pajamas?" she asked.


    The house was warm, so Maximilian had ditched his coat, leaving him in just a vest and shirt, sleeves rolled up to show off his muscr forearms.


    He reached out and tugged on the little tail on the back of Katniss''s pajamas, raising an eyebrow. "I was talking about this."


    Katniss had just taken a bath, her long hair still damp and hanging over her shoulders. Her skin was wless, no makeup, just clean and glowing.


    She was bent over, facing away from him, rummaging for something in the corner. She looked adorable, like a little bunny.


    In the house of a 27-year-old guy, having a sweet, soft girl around was a new feeling for Maximilian. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned a couple of buttons.


    Katniss blushed and pulled away. "Let go, why are you holding it?"


    Maximilian let go, looking rxed. "Do you like this style?"


    Katniss was puzzled. What was wrong with this style? Wasn''t it cute and warm?


    Then it hit her, the underlying meaning of his words. Her earlobes turned red instantly.


    "The clothes inside were picked by Mira. The rest were too revealing, so I chose this one," Katniss mumbled, her face turning crimson. "How was I supposed to know the clothes were hinting at something more?" No wonder this outfit was with those sexy nightgowns. Mira really knew her stuff.


    "Bunnies are very obedient," Maximilian said softly, pinching the bunny ears on her hat. "What about you?"


    Katniss bit her lip. Was he saying she was like a bunny?


    "Maximilian, Katniss,e down for dinner!" Mira called loudly from the stairs.


    Katniss quickly pulled back her clothes and took several steps back, afraid someone might walk in and see this.


    Maximilian''s eyes lowered, watching her shy and reserved demeanor, and he couldn''t help but smile.


    "I won''t tease you anymore. Tidy up ande down for dinner," he said, turning his wheelchair and leaving the room.


    His words made Katniss''s cheeks heat up. She bit her lip and ran to the walk-in closet. In therge full-length mirror, she saw her flushed cheeks and the white fluffy pajamas.


    She really did look like a big bunny.


    Katniss quickly found another set of clothes, changed out of the bunny pajamas, and stuffed them into the bottom of the wardrobe.


    Downstairs at the dining table, Katniss didn''t dare to look at Maximilian even once.


    But Maximilian nced at her several times. This time, she was dressed neatly in thin fleece pajamas, a top and bottom set, with her hair softly draped on both sides, looking fresh and bright. Katniss seemed a bit more grown-up.


    She wasn''t the same girl he first met, wearing a wet school uniform with big, bewildered eyes.


    After dinner, Katniss stopped Maximilian, saying she wanted to give him acupuncture for his legs.


    Maximilian looked at her and hesitantly asked, "Won''t it be too tiring for you?"


    Katniss shook her head. "I''m not tired. The acupuncture should have been done a week ago, and it''s already been dyed for several days."


    Maximilian had always been good to her, and the only way she could repay him was by helping him stand up as soon as possible!


    Maximilian should be high and mighty, looking down on the world, not stuck in a wheelchair, being pitied by others.


    Upstairs in the study.


    Katniss took out the silver needles, disinfecting them as she said, "Maximilian, I''ll do the acupuncture on your legs first, and tomorrow night I''ll make some healing grub for you." "Okay," Maximilian replied, his eyes following her every move.


    When Katniss was ready to start the acupuncture, she realized his pant legs weren''t rolled up yet.


    "Maximilian, don''t you have any shorts?" she asked.


    Maximilian was silent for a moment. "No."


    "Oh, okay, then I''ll bring you a couple of pairs tomorrow," Katniss said casually. Without shorts, how could she do the acupuncture properly?


    She reached out with her small hands, wrapping them around his leg, and slowly rolled up his pant legs. She had just taken a bath, her body fragrant, and her hands soft.


    After just two rolls, Maximilian grabbed her wrist.


    Katniss looked up in confusion and met his eyes.


    "I''ll do it myself," Maximilian said in a low voice.


    Looking at Maximilian''s long, muscr legs, Katniss couldn''t help but praise, "Maximilian, your ankles and kneecups are so perfect, they could be used for anatomical models, even better than the skeleton diagrams in our textbooks!" And Maximilian''s hands, especially beautiful, dry and warm, with distinct and slender joints.


    As a medical student, she couldn''t help but be fascinated by these human structures. Maximilian''s hands and bone structure were particrly captivating to her.


    "Really?" Maximilian chuckled, his dark eyes brightening.


    Katniss was quick, steady, and precise, her technique as skilled as a doctor with decades of experience.


    Maximilian asked, "Do you have any ns for the weekend?"


    "No, do you?"


    "On the 15th, it''s our monthly visit to The Boleyn Manor," Maximilian said, his voice calm. "Do you want to go? If not, you can go to the Wesley''s and hang out with your sister, or stay home and study. Your finals are in a month." The Boleyn Manor.


    Katniss really didn''t want to go there, particrly because she had chased Desmond before. Whenever she saw the Boleyn family, she would remember the foolish things she did, making her feel embarrassed and humiliated. "I''ll stay home and study, then make you some new medicinal food." After the incident with Saskia, Katniss was on edge. Maximilian was so good to her, that she wanted to help him recover as quickly as possible. Some things were destined, and her interference wouldn''t change them. However, she held out hope of healing Maximilian soon, so maybe he wouldn''t die in a year.


    Maximilian said softly, "Alright, then you can study well at home and wait for me toe back."


    Mentioning studying made Katniss nervous, and she nodded slowly. She was studying hard and wouldn''t embarrass him.


    Soon, the time was up, and Katniss removed the needles in order.


    "In a week, you can start doing some rehab exercises. The sessions shouldn''t be too long, just half an hour of exercise each day," Katniss said, biting her lip. "It will be very painful at first."


    After sitting in a wheelchair for years, the pain of trying to stand again would be unbearable for most people.


    Maximilian reached out and ruffled Katniss''s hair. "You''ve matured a lot, showing concern for others now."

 Chapter 114

    After Katniss left, Felix walked in and shut the door behind him.


    "Over the past few days, some unfamiliar faces have been hanging around the vi. Emilio and the others have already taken care of them," Felix said with a sigh, clearly annoyed. "You''re in this condition, and they still won''t leave you alone. Don''t they have any sense that you''re family?"


    Maximilian wheeled himself over to the big floor-to-ceiling window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and peered outside. The vast ck night looked like a cold pool, and his eyes seemed to freeze everything they touched. "This is good. I won''t have to hold back," Maximilian said softly. His handsome face looked especially captivating under the moonlight. "They want to elevate Desmond. Fine. But they''ll have to go through me." Maximilian let go of the curtain, turned back, and looked at Felix. "When was thest time we donated medical equipment to Sunrise Hospital?"


    "Earlier this year, I think," Felix recalled.


    Because of Maximilian''s health issues, Samuel and Carlton had been investing in medical advancements every year, hoping that one day, medicine would progress enough to cure him.


    "It''s been a while. Let''s donate another two million dors," Maximilian said.


    Felix was momentarily stunned, full of confusion. It hadn''t even been a year. Was that considered a long time?


    Maximilian pursed his thin lips and continued to look at the documents.


    "Got it. Indeed, it''s been a while," Felix suddenly understood, a smile appearing on his face.


    He would handle it the next day.


    As he reached the door, Felix held the doorknob and then turned back to ask, "Mr. Hamilton, should we move Mrs. Hamilton to the master bedroom?" Maximilian''s eyes flickered, "No need. She likes that room. She might not get used to another one."


    Felix nodded and then left.


    He then found the housekeeper and instructed, "Tomorrow, tidy up Mr. Hamilton''s master bedroom and move his things to Mrs. Hamilton''s room." Since Katniss didn''t want to change, Maximilian would be willing to.


    Felix felt relieved. He used to worry that Maximilian, having little contact with girls, wouldn''t know how to care for someone.


    Now it seemed Maximilian was quite considerate of Katniss.


    Although Katniss was still in school, it wasn''t unheard of to study while being pregnant and having children. Should he start preparing a nursery?


    Felix frowned, another problem arose. Should he prepare a nursery for a baby boy or a baby girl?


    What if they had twins?


    Oh, the house had be lively with a mistress, and there were more things to do.


    The next day, Katniss got up early for ss. She couldn''t bete.


    Just as she found a seat in the ssroom and took out her books, a girl suddenly stood in front of her desk.


    "Are you Katniss?" The voice was cool, with a bit of an edge.


    Katniss looked up. The girl in front of her had a kind of dashing coolness, looking down at her with a rather arrogant gaze, like a clear-eyed but foolish little thug.


    "Yes, I am," Katniss replied, then lowered her eyes and continued to take out her notebook and pencil case from her bag.


    "I dere, from today on, you are my good friend!" Cecilia Thorne extended her hand. "My name is Cecilia Thorne."


    After putting her things away, Katniss quietly looked at Cecilia. So, she was Cecilia.


    Cecilia had a cousin named Yasmin Thorne.


    In Katniss''s past life, right after Maximilian passed away, she learned from Desmond that there had been ns for Maximilian to marry into the Thorne family, with Yasmin as the chosen bride. Katniss reached out and shook Cecilia''s hand. Seeing Cecilia still standing there, she couldn''t help but ask, "Anything else?"


    "Aren''t you curious why I want to be friends with you?" Cecilia casually pulled up a chair and sat down in front of Katniss. Katniss smirked. "Besides me, who else would want to be friends with you?"


    Cecilia was pretty famous on campus, but not for good reasons. She was known for causing trouble and getting into fights. She was the kind of student that gave the school headaches.


    The most serious incident was when Cecilia swung a chair and broke someone''s head, earning her a disciplinary record. Compared to Katniss''s previous low profile, Cecilia had always been living a mboyant life, leaving asting impression.


    Cecilia was momentarily stunned, then burst intoughter, pping the table. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. As long as you don''t get along with Nova, we are good friends." Word had it that during a free clinic at the hospital yesterday, Katniss hadpletely overshadowed Nova, making her cry and run away.


    Hearing this news, Cecilia couldn''t have been happier, so excited that she couldn''t sleep all night.


    "You have a grudge against Nova?" Katniss asked.


    Cecilia''s eyes suddenly turned fierce, and she said through gritted teeth, "Nova used my brother and then dumped him when she found someone better!"


    Katniss was shocked and curiously asked, "You have a brother? Why did Nova dump him?"


    "What else? She thought my brother was poor. My brother thought women were all about money, so he acted broke to test them," Cecilia said with a look of exasperation.


    Cecilia was about to continue when the ss bell rang.


    "Oh, I have ss!" Cecilia jumped up and rushed out, turning back to say, "Wait for me after school. We''ll go to the cafeteria together!"


    Cecilia was in the art school, studying the cello.


    With a full schedule in the morning, Katniss''s brain was already overworked by the end of it.


    Perhaps the news from the hospital had spread, the teachers seemed to enjoy calling on her during ss.


    In the four sses that morning, the most frequent one had her called on four times!


    Katniss felt that as a new transfer student, she had been quite low-key, but now everyone in the ss probably remembered her.


    After packing up her books, Katniss slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed to the cafeteria.


    Just as she reached the ssroom door, she heard her name.


    "Hey, is that Katniss from your ss the same one who bullied Nova at the hospital yesterday?" a girl asked.


    "Yeah, that''s her. Today, Katniss was in the spotlight. Every teacher called on her to answer questions. It was like her personal show all morning! I bet she''s feeling pretty smug. Also, on her first day of ss, she deliberately bothered Cecil by sitting in his designated seat. So shameless!" another girl with pink hair replied.


    "Katniss has the face of a troublemaking vixen. She''s ying dirty, using sneaky moves to put down Nova and catch Cecil''s eye. It makes me sick!" the pink-haired girl continued.


    "Now that you mention it, it does seem that way. So disgusting!" the girl said.


    Katniss smiled and walked out of the ssroom under their shocked and resentful gazes.


    "Sorry, am I not supposed to be here?" Katniss said with an innocent look, pretending to be troubled. "It''s my first time being called a vixen by a girl. Thank you for thepliment. It''s the highest praise for me."

 Chapter 115

    She had gone from being the invisible ugly duckling to a total knockout!


    Katniss touched her face. Was this what confidence felt like?


    Shaking off the exhaustion from ss, she hummed a little tune and made her way to the cafeteria, feeling pretty good.


    The few people who had been talking trash about her looked embarrassed and quickly scurried off in the opposite direction.


    After grabbing her food, Katniss found a spot and started eating.


    She pulled out her phone to reply to Juniper''s text.


    Juniper was griping about how awful the food was abroad.


    She really missed home-cooked meals.


    Other than that, the teachers were nice, and she was learning a lot.


    Juniper said she was getting closer to her dream of bing a diplomat.


    Katniss put her phone away, feeling happy that Juniper had no regrets, not like in her previous life, and was moving closer to her dream.


    Saskia and Kieran had divorced, and she hadn''t died young.


    Everyone she cared about seemed to be doing well.


    Katniss nced around and thought she saw Laura.


    But wasn''t Laura supposed to be in prison?


    It looked like Laura, but she was much thinner, her clothes hung loosely, and she walked with her head down, nothing like the proud Laura she used to know.


    Just as she was about to take a closer look, someone tapped her shoulder. Katniss looked up to see Cecilia holding a tray of food.


    "What are you staring at? I told you to wait for me, why didn''t you?" Cecilia said, clearly annoyed.


    Katniss was puzzled, "I think I saw Laura. Never mind, you don''t know her."


    "Laura? Of course, I know her. I''ve seen her at parties, always acting like she''s better than everyone." Cecilia sat down across from Katniss and continued, "But I heard that ever since her dad got arrested, Laura''s been having a rough time." Katniss lowered her eyes and said nothing. She had no interest in feeling sorry for someone who almost killed her.


    "Recently, I heard Laura offended someone and ended up in jail. It was a big deal. A friend of mine said Laura was supposed to spend her life in prison, and that the other party was very powerful. But somehow, she got released, and it cost a lot of money. She just came to ss today."


    Cecilia continued, "Laura''s dad went to prison for embezzlement and bribery. Their house and money were auctioned off. Her family was already in debt, and now they spent so much to bail her out. I think it would have been better if she stayed in jail, at least they feed her there."


    "Now that she''s out, she has to pay off debts and take care of her sick mother. Her uncles took over her dad''s remainingpany. My aunt even warned me not to hang out with Laura. Who did she offend? She''s really unlucky." Cecilia spoke with great interest, while Katniss finished her meal, put down her utensils, and wiped her mouth with a napkin.


    Katniss smiled faintly, "You sure know a lot."


    "Of course, I''m a gossip expert. Where there''s gossip, there''s me." Cecilia said proudly.


    Katniss smiled slightly, notmenting.


    Cecilia''s eyes lit up as if she remembered something, "Do you have time this weekend?"


    "What''s up?" Katniss asked.


    "My friend is throwing a birthday bash. I organized it. You gottae, they''ll be stoked to see you!" Cecilia pouted. "I''m sick of them saying I don''t have any hot friends." Katniss''s delicate face showed hesitation. "I''m not sure if I''ll have time."


    Last night, she had told Maximilian she would study at home. If she went out with Cecilia, Maximilian would definitely scold her.


    Cecilia blinked and said cheerfully, "It means there''s a chance, which means you''ll be there! Great, it''s settled. Where do you live? I''ll pick you up this weekend!" Cecilia''s way of thinking was quite different from most people.


    Katniss smiled helplessly and, after some thought, gave her current address.


    Cecilia nced at it and gasped. She looked up at Katniss with a changed expression, scrutinizing her thoroughly before pping her hands.


    "Golden Crest Estates, you are impressive, Katniss. You really keep a low profile. The property prices there are sky-high." Cecilia gave a thumbs up.


    Cecilia''s family was wealthy, but they couldn''t get a house in Golden Crest Estates. There were only a dozen or so, all taken by top-tier elites. And Katniss managed to live there.


    Cecilia propped her face with her hands, looking adoringly at Katniss, "From now on, you''re my backer. Take me to Golden Crest Estates. I can''t get in, but you can show me around. I really want to look at that legendary ce!" It was the first time someone had acted all cute with her. Katniss couldn''t resist.


    There were only two sses in the afternoon, and she didn''t go to the library to study as usual.


    Katniss sent a text to Conrad, asking him to pick her up.


    In the afternoon, Katniss nned to go to the mall and pharmacy to buy ingredients for medicinal food for Maximilian.


    When she reached the school gate, Conrad hadn''t arrived yet. Katniss took out her notebook and started writing down the ingredients she needed.


    Maximilian had trouble sleeping and suffered from neurasthenia, so he needed...


    Suddenly, Katniss sensed a strange force rushing towards her.


    She instinctively stepped back, but even though she moved quickly, the force still hit her hard, mming her into a nearby utility pole.


    Her head spun from the impact.


    "You wicked woman, it''s your fault my son is in prison! You''re so young but so malicious, ruining your cousin''s family on purpose. You even got your cousin''s husband thrown in jail. Katniss, aren''t you haunted by nightmares? Think you can just throw your weight around ''cause you got cash? Do you know you destroyed a happy family? Release my son immediately, or I won''t let you off!" Ellen rushed out from the crowd, pushed Katniss hard, and started yelling at her.


    There were many people around the school, and quite a few stopped to watch. Some even started recording videos.


    Katniss looked at the tearful Ellen, her face darkening as a surge of anger rose within her.


    "If you want your son released, talk to the police. They arrested him, not me," Katniss said coldly, enduring the pain.


    Ellen cried even louder, "Look! My poor son was thrown in jail by her. He''s her cousin''s husband! She''s a curse!"

 Chapter 116

    Soon enough, a crowd started to gather around, pointing at Katniss and giving her weird looks.


    "People like her are just unhappy with their own lives, so they want to mess up others and make everyone else miserable too," one girl said.


    Another girl chimed in, "Even worse, that ain''t the half of it. Didn''t you hear that old woman say she even got her cousin''s husband thrown in jail?"


    Hearing this, one of the girls in the group looked furious. "What kind of person does that? They''re family! No matter what he did, how could she send him to jail? It''s a real shame to be going to the same school as her."


    "But what if her cousin''s husband was actually in the wrong? Otherwise, why would the cops arrest him?" a quieter voice suggested, thinking that if the police took him in, he must''ve done something bad.


    "That''s not necessarily true. Some people are just born troublemakers, causing chaos wherever they go," a girl in the crowd suddenly said, ring at Katniss with disgust.


    Someone couldn''t help but ask, "Do you know her?"


    "She''s my good friend''s sister, Katniss. She bullied my friend at home, took her stuff, and you know Desmond, the junior? Even though she knew Desmond liked my friend, she still tried to get between them, shamelessly clinging to Desmond," Ruby said, getting angrier as she spoke, filled with righteous indignation.


    She looked like she wanted to go up and hit Katniss.


    "Oh! I know Desmond! I heard he''s engaged!" a girl shouted.


    Ruby said proudly, "Yeah, Desmond is engaged to my good friend, ra. Luckily, ra and Desmond loved each other so much and they weren''t ruined by someone as nasty as Katniss."


    "So, she even tried to steal her sister''s man. If she could break up her cousin''s marriage, what kind of wickedness wouldn''t she stoop to?" Ruby snorted coldly and continued, "Katniss was kicked out of the Manners family, and her uncle''s family kindly took her in, only to invite trouble into the house and ruin their daughter''s happiness. And she wants to study medicine? Who would dare let her treat them?"


    "Ruby, Katniss works really hard in her medical studies. Don''t say that. Besides, Desmond and I are doing well now and are about to get married. I don''t me her." At some point, ra appeared.


    ra was still dressed elegantly, with long hair down to her waist, wearing a designer coat over an apricot sweater, looking pure and graceful like a youngdy from a wealthy family.


    Ruby affectionately linked arms with ra. "That''s because you''re kind, and you and Desmond have a strong bond. Everyone knows Desmond has loved you since childhood."


    Ruby''s tone got all yful in thatst sentence.


    ra''s pretty face showed a shy expression, and she yfully red at Ruby.


    Then she turned her gaze to Katniss, who was surrounded by the crowd, "I''m so worried Katniss will be bullied. Even though she did something wrong, she''s still my sister. How can I, as her older sister, just stand by?" Sighing, ra squeezed through the crowd and walked in.


    "ra is so kind," a girl said. "If I had a sister like Katniss, I would pretend not to know her, break her legs, and kick her out of the house!"


    Hearing the praise from behind, ra slowly curled her lips, satisfaction shing in her eyes.


    Most people in the world were fools. Just a little maniption, and they could be used to spread her good name.


    "Hey, I''m Katniss''s sister. We''re by the school gate, and it''s bustling with people. This crowd''s not doing my sister any favors. Mind clearing this up in private?" ra''s eyes were full of concern as she gently tried to calm the hysterical Ellen, even reaching out to help her up.


    Ellen looked ra up and down. She must be the favored sister from Katniss''s family. She immediately asked, "Can you get my son out?"


    ra was taken aback for a moment but quickly regained her gentle demeanor. "My brother has friends in the police department. I can ask him to look into it. If it''s a wrongful arrest, your son will be released soon."


    So, she couldn''t do it.


    Ellen looked disappointed, rudely pped ra''s hand away, and said disdainfully, "If you can''t get my son out, then get lost."


    ra''s hand turned red from the p, and she cried out in pain.


    She didn''t expect Ellen to be so wild and rude!


    Ellen pursed her lips, then felt she was doing the right thing. The more people knew about Katniss''s bad reputation, the better!


    If Katniss didn''t get Kieran out, she woulde to the school every day, causing trouble until Katniss couldn''t attend sses, got expelled, and was shunned by everyone. Being an old woman, she had all the time in the world. She didn''t care about her reputation. With Kieran gone to prison, what did she have to lose?


    So Ellen became even more hysterical, wailing louder.


    The school security couldn''t do anything either. They couldn''t drive Ellen away, and more and more people were gathering to watch. Ellen was an old woman, and they couldn''t force her, so they quickly reported it to the school authorities. Katniss''s eyes coldly swept over the embarrassed ra, feeling a bit pleased. Ellen, this old woman, didn''t care if you were a delicate youngdy. She was rude to everyone she didn''t find useful.


    When Ruby heard ra cry out in pain, she immediately rushed over, "What''s wrong with you? ra was trying to help you, and you hit her?"


    "I didn''t hit anyone. Don''t talk nonsense. I don''t know my own strength. She is so delicate, crying out from a touch. If you were born in our time, you''d be a useless person, starved to death long ago," Ellen retorted unceremoniously. Then she looked at them disdainfully, "If you can''t get my son out of jail, don''t interfere. Since you''re Katniss''s sister, tell Katniss to get my son out of the police station!"


    ra and Ruby were stunned. She talked like freeing someone from prison was a walk in the park. How could Ellen be so unreasonable?


    But Ellen seemed to have found a new tactic. She grabbed ra''s hand with her wrinkled old hand and turned to Katniss, saying relentlessly, "Katniss, if you don''t get my son out, neither you nor your sister will have a good time! I''m holding onto your sister now. You can leave, but your sister can''t!"


    ra was dumbfounded, struggling in terror, "Let go of me!"


    "Let go of me! Let go!"


    But ra was no match for Ellen, who was used to hard work and strong.


    Katniss''s usually cold face showed a hint of pleasure as she watched ra''s panic and struggle.


    Did ra think everyone would fall for her act and treat her gently like the Manners and Desmond?


    Katniss crossed her arms, happily watching the scene. "Yes, ra is the kindest and most delicate. She''s much more favored at home than I am. You know the famous Boleyn family, right? Desmond is her fianc¨¦, powerful and influential. Maybe he can really get your son out. Don''t let ra go, hold on tight!"

 Chapter 117

    Ruby''s face turned beet red as she pointed at Katniss and let loose a string of curses, while ra, looking pale and shaky, hid behind her.


    "Katniss, how could you do this? ra was trying to help you, and you repay her with betrayal? No wonder your parents and brother can''t stand you. Nobody can handle your nasty personality. You totally deserve it!" Ruby fumed. ra had tried to help, only to get bullied and now tangled up with Ellen, while Katniss, in a bid to save herself, threw ra under the bus.


    Having a sister like Katniss, ra was really in a tough spot!


    Katniss sneered, her slightly turned face looking even more delicate, "Don''t think someone''s pitiful just because they''re crying. If you don''t know the whole story, stay out of it. Meddling in it won''t make you look kind, it''ll just make you look dumb!"


    ra, tears welling up, tried to speak but was cut off coldly by Katniss. "Do you know what her son did? Hemitted economic crimes, embezzling and misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dors. You think you''re above thew, making judgments without any evidence!"


    The cold wind blew, lifting Katniss''s slightly curled hair, making her cold smile look like a disdainful siren, "If you want to be a good person, go save him! Save an economic criminal, what a hero you are!"


    ra bit her lip, her eyes slightly red, looking as pitiful as Lisa, evoking sympathy, "I didn''t know..."


    "If you didn''t know, then why meddle? Are you an idiot?" Katniss nced at the group, guessing Conrad had arrived.


    She lifted her foot and walked out.


    After a few steps, a tall figure appeared in front of her, blocking her way. Ramon stood there.


    Ramon looked at Katniss''s beautiful face, his heart slightly trembling, his eyes filled withplex emotions.


    He reached out and grabbed Katniss''s arm, his tone cold, "Did you send those reports to the police? What kind of grudge do you have against Kieran to want him dead?"


    Katniss chuckled, looking at Ramon''s eyes with contempt. "Ramon, what right do you have to say this to me? When you and Kieran were messing around, plotting against me, and trying to take advantage of me, did you ever stop to consider the consequences? Now you''re acting all righteous, using me of reporting him?"


    Ramon''s face stiffened, his eyes darkening.


    "Did you think I didn''t know? Don''t take everyone for a fool." Katniss forcefully shook off his hand. "I want Kieran in jail. While he was cheating, my sister was working hard for the Scott family. Ask Ellen, how she treated Saskia!"


    "She beat up and yelled at Saskia, sneaked women to Kieran''s back, and my sister had to beg Ellen for bus cash, only to be scolded first! Saskia is still in the hospital, nearly done in by Kieran''s fling. So tell me, what did she do to deserve all this? You have no shame!" Katniss hollered.


    Through the crowd, Katniss saw Conrad opening the car door and running over, feeling relieved and not bothering to argue with Ramon anymore.


    Ramon was left speechless. He had always thought Katniss was just a naive rich girl, she was beautiful, smart, and had never experienced the filth of society.


    Katniss turned back, nced at Ellen still holding ra, and said calmly, "So, Kieran got what he deserved. If he hadn''t done those things, I wouldn''t have found out."


    "Eoman, tell Ellen, if she wants Kieran to have a better time in prison, stay away from me. Don''t piss me off, or I''ll make Kieran suffer a hundred times more." With that, Katniss turned and walked away.


    Ramon''s eyes darkened as he stared at Katniss. He remembered seeing Kieran at the police station, who looked haggard and much older, his eyes bloodshot.


    He was no longer the confident man he once was.


    Grabbing his hand, Kieran had begged him to save him, saying only the people behind Katniss could help.


    So Ramon had suggested Ellen block Katniss at school.


    Ramon then realized Katniss was always protected, and he and Ellen couldn''t get close.


    If they let Katniss go, Kieran''s case would be settled, and his life would be ruined. Ramon, his mind racing, gritted his teeth and turned to chase after her! Just as he was about to grab Katniss again, a strong force suddenly grabbed his outstretched wrist.


    Ramon''s previously calm face twisted in pain. Conrad, tall as a mountain, seemed to use only a fraction of his strength, but Ramon was sweating in pain. Sweat dripped from Ramon''s forehead, but he gritted his teeth, meeting Conrad''s intimidating gaze.


    "Madam, please get in the car. I''ll handle this," Conrad said calmly.


    Katniss nodded and left without looking back, opening the car door and getting in.


    After Katniss left, Conrad looked Ramon up and down, snorted coldly, and said disdainfully, "You''re the one harassing Katniss? You''re unemployed, indulging in all vices, and you think you can chase after girls!"


    "If I see you harassing Katniss again, I''ll break your legs. Just a reminder, Katniss''s husband won''t be as nice as me. He might send you to jail to keep your cousin Kieranpany, and you can suffer together!" With that, Conrad released his grip and pushed Ramon away.


    Ramon stumbled and fell to the ground, groaning in pain.


    Seeing Ramon get hit, Ellen immediately let go of ra and ran to Ramon, pointing at Conrad and crying, "He''s hitting people! Help!"


    Conrad, tall and imposing, red at Ellen, scaring her into silence.


    With a cold snort, Conrad left the crowd, quickly got into the car, and drove away.


    Ellen frowned and muttered, "Ramon, are you okay? Who was that guy, how could he hit you? We should call the police!"


    Before she could finish, Ramon interrupted her harshly, "Ellen! Stop talking, haven''t you embarrassed us enough?"


    He then struggled to stand up, took a deep look in the direction the car had left, and left with a cold expression.


    Ellen looked back at ra, then at Ramon, stomped her foot, and followed Ramon.


    ra lightly bit her lip, pretending to be puzzled, and asked Ruby, "Ruby, did you hear that? That fierce bodyguard said Katniss has a husband?"


    Ruby, slow to react, suddenly widened her eyes, "Who did your sister marry?"


    "I don''t know." ra looked worried, her delicate brows furrowed. "I''m worried that because of my engagement to Desmond, Katniss might have married someone out of spite." Ruby''s eyes shifted, suddenly remembering something. "I know who she married!"

 Chapter 118

    Inside the Car


    As soon as Katniss hopped in, she was greeted by Maximilian''s ridiculously handsome face.


    Maximilian squinted and nced out the window. "The Scott family giving you grief?"


    Katniss was a bit taken aback to see him but yed it cool. "Kieran''s in jail, and Ellen knows I had a hand in it. So yeah, she''s causing trouble. "I bluffed Ramon with borrowed power."


    She paused, narrowing her eyes. "I told her if she messed with me, I''d make Kieran''s life hell in prison. I doubt Ellen will try anything now."


    Ellen might have a sharp tongue, but like most moms, she deeply cared about her son.


    Threatening Ellen directly might not work, but bringing Kieran into it would make her think twice.


    Maximilian turned back, a slight smirk forming when he heard Katniss used his power to scare someone, "Since you mentioned it, I''ll have Emilio make it official to back you up. Next time she sees you, she''ll believe it."


    Katniss''s eyes lit up, thinking Maximilian had a point, and she nodded excitedly. "Really? It won''t be too much trouble for you, right? And please give Kieran a good beating. Saskia''s still in the hospital; he shouldn''t have it easy in prison." The Scott family hadn''t suffered enough, so she wasn''t about to go easy on them.


    Maximilian leaned back against the leather seat, casually flipping through some documents, a hint of danger in his eyes.


    "Don''t worry, it''s no trouble at all," Maximilian replied coolly.


    Handling someone in prison was a walk in the park.


    Soon, Conrad returned, and the car started moving.


    As the car rolled, Katniss remembered her main task and quickly mentioned a location, directing Conrad to head there.


    "The farmers'' market over there has fresh produce every day. It''s better," she said.


    This market was a spot she used to frequent when she lived with Aurora.


    Now that Aurora was gone, she went there alone.


    The entrance to the market was narrow, and the big Range Rover couldn''t fit, so Conrad had to stop at the entrance.


    Katniss jumped out and turned to look at Maximilian and his legs. "It''s hard to walk here, and it''s pretty chaotic inside. Why don''t you wait in the car? I''ll be quick."


    She figured Maximilian had never been to a farmers'' market and wouldn''t be used to the smell and the noisy, crowded environment.


    Maximilian raised an eyebrow, his tonezy. "Are you saying my legs are a burden?"


    What a serious usation!


    Katniss quickly shook her head. "I''m just worried you won''t befortable."


    "If I can get used to my leg, there''s nothing I can''t get used to," Maximilian snorted lightly.


    With that, he didn''t give Katniss a chance to refuse.


    Conrad efficiently pulled a wheelchair from the trunk and helped Maximilian out of the car with his strong arms.


    Maximilian wasn''tpletely immobile, but overuse would make his knees swell, causing excruciating pain, like needles and ants attacking, which was unbearable for most people. Over time, it seemed like he couldn''t walk.


    Katniss carefully gripped the wheelchair handles, realizing for the first time just how tall Maximilian was. Conrad was already pretty tall, but when Maximilian stood up with his help, he was just as tall as Conrad.


    "Maximilian, you''re so tall when you stand up, way taller than me!" Katniss said, waving her hands and standing on tiptoe to measure.


    She only reached his chest when standing next to him.


    Her antics amused Maximilian, lifting his spirits, "That''s why I told you not to be picky with food. Now you''re short, and who do you me?" Katnissughed, "My grandma says the same thing."


    So, elders all spoke the samenguage?


    With a deep sigh, Katniss led the way. After passing through a narrow alley, the noise grew louder, revealing the bustling farmers'' market.


    "In the morning, it''s even more crowded because the produce is freshest then. Now, a lot of people are off work ande here to buy groceries for dinner," Katniss exined.


    "Did youe here often before?" Maximilian''s deep voice sounded in her ear.


    Katniss pressed her lips together, a hint of sadness in her bright eyes. She said softly, "My grandma used to bring me here to buy groceries. She''d buy, and I''d follow behind carrying things."


    She smiled as she spoke, "I was quiet back then. The vendors would joke with my grandma, asking if I was mute."


    Thinking back, the days with Aurora were the happiest and most carefree of her life.


    Since returning to The Manners Vi, Katniss hadn''t been here in years.


    Her eyes reddened slightly, not wanting Maximilian to see, so she walked quickly to a stall, "I''ll make you a medicinal meal tonight to show my appreciation!" Oatmeal soup is very effective for insomnia and nervous exhaustion. Drinking it regrly can also improve sleep and mental state.


    Maximilian observed Katniss intently as she picked out ingredients, having seen her on the verge of tears before. Despite everything, she was still just a kid. "Katniss! I haven''t seen you in years. I''ll give you a discount!" The vendor, a middle-aged fat man, said cheerfully, then nced at Maximilian in the wheelchair behind her. Wow, this guy was really handsome!


    "Is this your husband?" The middle-aged man continued packing the ingredients quickly.


    Katniss''s head throbbed instantly. She wanted to deny it, but their fake marriage was a secret and couldn''t be revealed.


    She was momentarily speechless and looked back at Maximilian for help.


    Maximilian wheeled himself forward and naturally reached out to take the packed ingredients, "Why aren''t you answering? Am I embarrassing you?"


    Katniss''s hesitation seemed to sadden Maximilian, his face showing a lonely expression.


    Katniss''s clear eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat. She quickly turned to the middle-aged man and said, "Let me introduce you. This is my husband." Patients tended to be more sensitive.


    What else could she do but go along with it?


    She smiled on the outside but felt helpless inside.


    Maximilian''s lips curled, his handsome face looking even more striking.


    The fat man gasped, leaning in to whisper to Katniss, "Katniss, your husband is so handsome. You better keep an eye on him, or other women will try to snatch him away. I''m telling you, these days, many women are shameless and will throw themselves at good-looking men."


    Katniss smiled helplessly. "Okay, I''ll keep an eye on him."

 Chapter 119

    As they wandered through the market, the awkwardness Katniss expected for Maximilian never showed up. Instead, he got more and more excited, wanting to check out and touch everything at every stall. His curiosity was off the charts.


    With Maximilian''s striking looks, every stall owner they met would strike up a conversation,plimenting his appearance.


    Some even asked if he had a girlfriend, offering to set him up with someone.


    During these moments, Maximilian would look lovingly at Katniss, and soon enough, half the farmers'' market knew that the handsome guy in the wheelchair was married, and his wife was Katniss. Katniss was baffled. How did a simple grocery run turn into a public announcement of her marital status to everyone?


    What if they got divorced in the future? How would she deal with that?


    Especially now, with Maximilian charming everyone with his looks and gaining sympathy for his mobility issues. If they split, she''d definitely be med for abandoning him and bebeled heartless. After they finished shopping, Katniss made up her mind not toe back here again.


    Once in the car, Maximilian seemed thrilled with the trip, smiling as he said, "The produce here is super fresh, and the people are really nice. Let''se back next time."


    Conrad, who was driving, was stunned. Did Maximilian even know how to tell if the produce was fresh?


    Didn''t he not even know the names of the vegetables?


    Katniss responded absentmindedly, thinking to herself that they definitely wouldn''t being back!


    Back at the Manners Vi.


    The living room had a heavy vibe.


    "The photo was taken by my ssmate Ruby," ra said softly, looking worried. "Today, Ruby and I both heard the bodyguard who came to pick up Katniss say that Katniss has a husband."


    "And that bodyguard seems to be the same one who was with Katniss at the Starry Night Hotelst time." ra bit her lip and looked at Oliver and Elodie. "Mom, Dad, could it be that the news of my engagement to Desmond hit Katniss so hard that she lost her mind and married this old man?"


    On the table was a phone, its screen showing the back of an elderly man with gray hair handing Katniss a brown envelope, clearly filled with money.


    The photo only showed the old man''s back, making it impossible to identify him, but Katniss''s face and the action of taking the envelope were very clear. The photo suggested that Katniss had some kind of shady rtionship with this old man.


    Simon, who was listening nearby, red up again, shouting, "ra, why are you so worried about Katniss? Have you forgotten what she did? She barged in here a few days ago, ruining your clothes and belongings, and our door is still broken." "Whether she married an old man out of desperation or is being kept, it has nothing to do with us! She said she cut ties with the Manners family!" Simon nced at the photo on the phone, his expression full of disdain and contempt. Oliver was furious. Katniss marrying an old man older than her own father would bring shame to the Manners family in the business world!


    Oliver could almost imagine his business partners mocking him behind his back.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Oliver stood up in a rage and smashed the phone on the table!


    Lucas looked serious, staying quiet but giving off a cold vibe.


    ra seemed scared, cautiously walking over to Elodie and softly saying, "Mom, Katniss messed up, but she can change. Before more people know about this, let''s find Katniss and make her divorce this old man, okay?" Elodie''s face was pale, like she was holding something back. Finally, she closed her eyes and said, "At ra and Desmond''s engagement party, let''s announce that Katniss was adopted by Wesley and has no ties with us."


    After making this decision, Elodie''s face turned even colder. "Katniss has blocked all our numbers, and I don''t have the time to find her. Since she likes Wesley, let her be Wesley''s daughter. I''ll consider her as never born. ra is my only daughter."


    Everyone in the living room was stunned into silence.


    Oliver''s eyes flickered, and he then agreed in a heavy tone, "Alright, I''ll talk to Wesley and get this done."


    With that, ra couldn''t help but clench her hand, feeling a sudden sense of relief and brightness.


    ra''s lips curled into a strange smile, a kind of excited satisfaction. Though she was still beautiful, it made her look like a poisonous apple with a bright exterior.


    After sending Katniss away, the Manners family seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Oliver took Lucas to the study to discuss some business.


    Simon, on the other hand, was particrly happy, saying he was going out to celebrate with friends and have a few drinks.


    The only one who remained silent was Nathan, who had just returned from the hospital.


    Since Elodie made it clear she was done with Katniss, Nathan''s gaze had been subtly fixed on ra, capturing all her expressions.


    Nathan suddenly felt extremely irritated. He tugged at his lips and called out to ra, who was about to leave, "ra, haven''t we given you enough love? Why do you keep leading us to believe that Katniss is so bad?" ra stopped on the stairs, looking down at Nathan sitting on the corner sofa.


    Frowning slightly, ra tilted her head, her expression full of confusion, "Nathan, what are you talking about?"


    "Whether Katniss actually married this old man is still unconfirmed. Why did you adamantly tell Mom that Katniss definitely tied the knot with him?" Nathan''s delicate face was now covered with ayer of frost. He looked coldly at ra.


    "I heard it from Ruby. Ruby said she saw that Katniss had an ambiguous rtionship with the old man in the photo." ra paused slightly, her voice carrying a hint of grievance. "Nathan, do you think I''m deliberately trying to drive Katniss out of the house?"


    ra''s eyes instantly reddened. "If I wanted to drive Katniss out, why would I keep speaking up for her? I''ve always been asking Mom and Dad to forgive her." Nathan suddenlyughed coldly, "Forgive her for what? For marrying an old man? Have we even verified that?"


    "Or forgive Katniss for paying off those thugs to bully you? But why did Katniss end up with more serious injuries while you only had minor scrapes?" he went on. ra fell silent for a moment, unable toe up with an excuse in those few seconds.


    "Nathan." ra panicked, walking to the sofa with tearful eyes. "Are you saying you don''t like me and prefer Katniss? Didn''t you say I was your only sister?" ra''s words only served to deeply sting Nathan to the core.

 Chapter 120

    How could ra even ask that? Hadn''t she been living as Katniss all these years?


    To make ra feel like she belonged, they spoiled her even more, sometimes even ignoring Katniss. They catered to her every whim!


    ra was their little princess. Hadn''t they done enough for her?


    He regretted his ignorance, realizing how much he''d hurt Katniss with his words.


    Nathan suddenly stood up, a bit unsteady. His handsome face went pale as he looked at ra with disappointment. "Katniss is my sister too. Why can''t I feel sorry for her? Is that not allowed? Are we all just supposed to care about you?" Nathan couldn''t figure out what had gone wrong.


    From the birthday party to this hospital visit, something just didn''t sit right with him.


    As Katniss''s brother, he barely paid attention to her. He didn''t even know she hated plum blossoms or anything about her childhood.


    It wasn''t just him; their parents and other siblings never cared about Katniss either.


    Everyone''s focus was always on ra.


    That day, Katniss stormed into the house with people, and the servants described how she smashed all of ra''s things.


    Everyone scolded Katniss, but no one questioned why ra''s unwanted stuff was in Katniss''s room.


    The night beforest, Nathan got up for water and, on a whim, opened Katniss''s bedroom door. He found out her room was actually a storage closet.


    The room was tiny, smaller than his bathroom. The corners were piled with junk, and a narrow, crappy single bed was shoved against the wall, so small one could barely turn over.


    Nathan stood there, stunned. All that talk about the Manners family being kind to Katniss? A lie. They did the bare minimum, just enough so she didn''t starve.


    A wave of regret and self-mockery hit Nathan. How could he have told Katniss, "The Manners family treated you well, don''t be ungrateful, don''t fight with ra for things that aren''t yours." Nathan shot her an angry, cold look, then turned and left.


    ra stood there, staring at Nathan''s back, her face pale. She slowly clenched her hands, digging her nails into her palms.


    She chased after him, panicking. "Did Katniss say something to you? Or are you mad because I went to the dance with Desmond instead of taking care of you in the hospital?"


    "I was wrong. Will you forgive me?" she cried.


    Simon, having changed his clothes, came downstairs and saw ra crying. He rushed over. "Nathan, what''s wrong with you? You''re a grown man, and you''re making ra cry!" "Simon," ra said, tears streaming down her face.


    Simon clenched his fists, feeling heartbroken. He quickly turned to Nathan, "Nathan, apologize to ra right now!"


    Nathan turned his head, his handsome face cold.


    "Simon, where did you pick up the habit of making people apologize to ra without knowing the full story?" Nathan sneered, his face darkening. "Did you do the same to Katniss, making her apologize to ra for no reason?" Katniss again!


    Simon, already pissed because Nathan made ra cry, got even more heated. "Nathan, just because you''re sick and everyone babies you, you think you can do whatever you want?"


    "You''ve been sick too long and your mind is clouded with misguided empathy. Katniss brought her problems on herself. What does that have to do with ra? Are you out of your mind?" Simon added.


    Hearing this, Nathan started coughing violently, his fingers trembling as he pointed at Simon. "Misguided empathy? I did have too much empathy, but to you, not Katniss! Don''t think I don''t know the crap you''ve pulled!" Simon''s temper red, and he rolled up his sleeves. "Then tell me, what crap have I done?"


    ra lowered her eyes, sensing trouble. She quickly pulled Simon back. "Simon, stop it. It''s my fault. I should''ve taken care of Nathan in the hospital, but Desmond wanted me to go to this important party, so I hired a nurse for Nathan. He has every right to be mad."


    Simon muttered under his breath, "A grown man still needs someone to take care of him, how pretentious!"


    "ra, shut up!" Nathan, done coughing, his face pale as snow. His dark eyes stared straight at ra, full of mockery, then turned to Simon.


    "Do you think I don''t know because you helped ra hide it? ra calls Katniss her sister, but she stole Katniss''s pencil case at school, almost making her miss her transfer exam. She even wrote a letter to the school, using Kathniss of seducing Maximilian. Is that what a sister does? Did ra ever really consider Katniss her sister?"


    Nathan pointed at Simon. "And you keep saying Katniss brought it on herself. Is it fair to treat her like this? Katniss is your sister!"


    Hearing Nathan spill all this, ra trembled, biting her lip and shaking her head desperately.


    Seeing ra like that, Simon felt heartbroken and jumped to defend her. "What do you mean by stealing her pencil case? Everything Katniss uses now was bought by the Manners family. If ra wants it, of course, she can take it back! And did Katniss ever talk to us about her transfer exam? Katniss stopped considering herself part of this family a long time ago. Why should we treat her like a sister? Even if she was reported, she deserved it!" Nathan was stunned.


    His whole worldview felt like it was copsing.


    That was Katniss''s stuff! How dare ra think she could just take it back? And how dare anyone say Katniss deserved to be reported for things she didn''t do!


    When did the whole family start spoiling ra so much?


    No wonder ra had turned into such a selfish, malicious person!


    Seeing Nathan standing there, looking dazed and about to copse, Simon felt a bit regretful. He shouldn''t have been so harsh; Nathan had juste back from the hospital. What if he got sick again?


    But Nathan''s sudden bias towards Katniss annoyed Simon. "Nathan, don''t forget, it was Katniss who heartlessly sent me to the police station. I still have a record!"


    "You deserved it!" Nathan snapped.


    Nathan suddenly felt that his family was too strange and twisted, which made him feel sad.


    Was this really what a normal family should be?

 Chapter 121

    "Fine! It''s all my fault! I don''t know what kind of spell Katniss put on you. You can like her all you want. Just don''t hurt ra, or else..." Simon snapped, "Or else I''ll act like I don''t have a brother!" Nathan, already feeling fragile from his illness, heard Simon''s words. His pale lips quivered. "Alright."


    Then he walked out without looking back.


    Simon, realizing he had spoken out of anger, didn''t expect Nathan to react like that. He quickly chased after him, both angry and worried. "Nathan, stop!"


    Nathan paused just before reaching the door, but not because of Simon''s words. He just gave Simon a cold smile. "I''ve kept this broken body going because of the medicine and herbal treatments Katniss prepared for me. Without her, I wouldn''t have made it past twenty. She put her heart into my health, so what''s wrong with me caring about her? Why do you hate her so much? Don''t just focus on ra. Look at Katniss too."


    As the door opened, he walked out.


    Nathan coughed as he walked, keeping his head down and trying to suppress the sound, his cheeks faintly flushed with sickness.


    He only regretted not waking up sooner. It wasn''t until Katniss hadpletely fallen out with the Manners family, with no chance of reconciliation, that he realized how much she had done for him, how humbly she had tried to please her parents and brothers.


    Watching Nathan''s hunched, thin back, Simon felt a pang of heartache, but he couldn''t bring himself to apologize.


    He thought, ''He''s probably under Katniss''s spell. That manic stirred up trouble at home and lingered in the family''s mind even after she''s gone! It''s all her fault! We should''ve sent her to a mental asylum.'' Simon was sulking when he suddenly heard ra scream, "Nathan!"


    When Simon looked closely, he saw that Nathan had fainted. "Nathan!"


    He panicked and rushed forward.


    Nathan''s face had turned deathly pale, making him look almost like a corpse!


    On the weekend,


    Katniss hadn''t gotten a chance to tell Cecilia that she wasn''t going to her friend''s birthday party.


    She had promised to take her to Golden Crest Estates for a look. After wandering around, somehow they ended up at a bar.


    But she never expected that her good friend would turn out to be Byron!


    He was one of Cecil''s friends.


    There were about a dozen people in the private room, with only girls Katniss and Cecilia, the rest were all guys.


    Not getting along with Cecil''s group, Katniss found a quiet corner to sit in, bing a silent statue.


    Holding a ss of juice, she sipped and observed the people in the room.


    Katniss then nced at the time, and it wasn''t even eight o''clock yet, so she thought Maximilian should be at the Boleyn Mansion by now.


    And she wondered how the dinner was going there, as Maximilian didn''t have a good rtionship with the Boleyn family.


    But with Carlton there, it should be okay.


    "Why did you bring Katniss to my birthday?" Byron asked Cecilia, his handsome face showing displeasure.


    He then cautiously nced at Cecil, who was sitting in the innermost part of the room, his expression cold and aloof, his gray attire making him seem even more distant and unapproachable.


    Byron nced over at Katniss, who was quietly sitting on the sofa by the door, and felt a surge of annoyance.


    Over the past week, Katniss had really been in the spotlight.


    At the hospital''s joint consultation, the Dean didn''t take the lead but let Katniss handle it independently, watching from the side.


    So, a bunch of curious medical school professors came to check her out.


    Even Cecil''s poprity couldn''t match Katniss''s. Rumors were flying that Katniss was a once-in-a-century medical prodigy, thest person to be talked about like that was the genius Jesse! Everyone admired Jesse, whose hands were naturally skilled with a scalpel, unmatched in cardiac surgery, and whose treatment methods were both ingenious and astonishing.


    Cecil couldn''tpare to Jesse, and that was fine. After all, Jesse was indeed a standout among the younger generation.


    But why should Katniss, as a neer, overshadow him?


    As a result, Byron found her increasingly irritating.


    Cecilia snorted, "I just can''t stand Nova, that hypocrite. Seeing Katniss step over her to rise up really makes me happy!"


    Byron crossed his arms and gave a look that said, "Are you crazy?"


    Recalling what she had seen while visiting Golden Crest Estates, Cecilia got all excited, her face full of nostalgia. "Katniss has an impressive background. She actually lives in Golden Crest Estates. When I went to pick her up, she took me inside for a look. Everyone who lives there is either rich or powerful."


    Byron rolled his eyes at her but was internally shocked by this.


    He had never seen Katniss as a wealthy heiress before.


    Cecilia''s eyes sparkled as she talked, but Byron grew impatient and waved her off. "I think you''re crazy. If you want to fangirl over Katniss, go ahead, but don''t bring her into our circle. Especially since Cecil''s been in a bad moodtely, so watch yourself!"


    Then he checked his watch. It was almost eight o''clock. "Ashley isn''t here yet. I''ll give her a call."


    So he walked out with his phone.


    The room was noisy, but Katniss felt very calm inside. In half an hour, she nned to tell Cecilia she was leaving to go home and read. However, Cecilia, slightly tipsy, sat next to her, resting her head on Katniss''s shoulder.


    Then looking at the door, she sniffled. "Do guys prefer women who are ultra-feminine, or someone like you, a naturally charming beauty?"


    It was the first time Katniss had received this kind ofpliment.


    In her previous life, the mostmonments she heard about herself were that she was dull and awkward, or even malicious and ungrateful.


    Katniss blinked and said. "Come on, I''m not likable."


    "If they don''t like someone as pretty as you, they''re insane!" Cecilia''s eyes were full of shock, then she slumped her shoulders, a bit dejected. "He likes Ashley so much, she''s all he thinks about, and he even goes out of his way to pick her up. What a simp!"


    "You like Byron," Katniss''s heart skipped a beat. She then asked her, "Have you told him?"


    Cecilia was a bit surprised and furrowed her brow. "I just like him a little. Once he''s with Ashley, I''ll find someone else to like."

 Chapter 122

    Katniss kept quiet.


    She didn''t know much about Byron, but from his fancy clothes and big spending, he seemed loaded or high up the socialdder.


    Cecilia''s family was pretty well-off too. Even if they weren''t the top dogs in the Thorne family, they were still a big deal in Luminous City, way above the average Joe. The Thorne family didn''t object, so they must be cool with it.


    In her past life, Katniss would have told Cecilia to go for what she wanted, to avoid any regrets!


    But now, she admired Cecilia''s resolve in moving on. A guy loving another girl was as gross as a piece of trash stinky and annoying.


    Katniss poked Cecilia''s cheek. "Yeah, don''t be dumb enough to like a guy who''s already into someone else. Just move on, the next one will be better."


    A teenage crush should be like a quick, bright firework. When she met someone really worth it, she would forget about this.


    Cecilia looked at Katniss, surprised, then pouted. "If you can control your feelings, it means they''re not deep enough! Byron likes Ashley now. If I confess my feelings to him, we might not even be friends anymore. Byron, to me, is just someone to admire from a distance."


    "But I heard Ashley has a boyfriend. Byron was about to give up after being down for a while, but when something happened to Ashley''s familyst time, he helped out a lot and got close to her again."


    Katniss nced at her andughed, "So Byron''s a love wrecker? Find someone with better morals."


    Cecilia mumbled and didn''t say anything else.


    She was trying, but hadn''t seeded yet.


    Suddenly, Katniss felt her phone buzz. There was a new message.


    She opened it and saw it was from Maximilian.


    [When does the event end?]


    Katniss''s heart skipped a beat. Did Maximilian know?


    She had forgotten that Conrad was constantly watching over and safeguarding her. Since she came here, Maximilian would definitely find out soon after.


    Katniss stood up nervously, told Cecilia she was stepping out, and then jogged out with her phone, making a call.


    The call connected quickly, and Katniss hurriedly exined, "Maximilian, I didn''t n toe, but my friend insisted. I n to leave by eight and go home to read."


    On the other end, Maximilian chuckled lightly, "I''m not ming you. It''s just that the ce is packed with all kinds of people. Be careful, and call Conrad if you need anything. I''ll pick you up when it ends." Bars in the early 2000s were wild, with a mixed crowd.


    There were many cases of girls getting into trouble.


    It wasn''t like a decadeter when people were more open-minded. Many older folks even thought that girls who went to bars were all bad news.


    Of course, Katniss understood Maximilian''s concern, so she obediently said, "I''ll wish the birthday person a happy birthday and leave in about half an hour." Maximilian replied calmly, "Okay."


    Outside the bar, in the car.


    Conrad looked at Maximilian''s serious face through the rearview mirror and asked, confused, "Why didn''t you tell Mrs. Hamilton that you''re already here?" Conrad didn''t get it. Since he was already here, why wait in the car?


    Maximilian''s dark eyes lowered, ncing at the now dark phone screen, "Maybeter."


    Maximilian''s tone was low and indifferent.


    Conrad was even more confused. Later for what?


    After the call, Katniss felt a lot more at ease and turned to head back.


    As soon as she turned, Katniss stopped, looking calmly and indifferently at the scene in front of her.


    A whale-like obese man was groping a frail girl, his hands already under her skirt, eager to have sex with her right there.


    Even though the light was dim and only half of the girl''s face was visible, Katniss still recognized her.


    It was Laura.


    Laura turned her head, her eyes meeting Katniss''s. Laura''s already pale face turned even paler, filled with a sense of hopeless despair.


    That look was like someone clinging to the edge of an abyss, a gust of wind away from falling into the depths.


    Katniss''s eyes were cold. After a nce, she put away her phone and continued walking back to the private room.


    Laura''s eyshes trembled, and her skinny arms suddenly pushed the fat man off her.


    She hugged herself, wishing she were dead.


    The fat man''s small eyes turned vicious, grabbing Laura''s hair and pping her.


    "ying hard to get now? Do you know how much I paid for you?"


    The private room was still lively. Several were already drunk, acting wildly, holding microphones and howling, their singing unbearable. Cecilia was engrossed in ying dice.


    Byron had returned but seemed in a bad mood, sitting next to Cecil, drinking heavily with a sullen face.


    Katniss nced around, then set a timer for herself. Fine, she''d leave in twenty minutes.


    Byron was so drunk that it was hard to say if he would be conscious in half an hour.


    Seeing Katniss return, Cecilia finished her game and walked to the door to say something to the waiter, then came back.


    She linked arms with Katniss. "What were you doing just now?"


    "Making a call," Katniss replied.


    "To whom? You looked so nervous. Your parents?"


    Katniss calmly said, "My husband."


    Cecilia''s pupils widened in shock, then sheughed, "Oh, you mean your boyfriend, right? Is he a looker? How does he stack up against Cecil? How old is he? Is he from our school?" Katniss pretended to think for a moment, "Handsome! A hundred Cecils can''tpare to him. He''s not from our school, he''s 27."


    She couldn''t get into Maximilian''s school.


    Cecil, nearby, nced at her, his face turning even sourer.


    Then he kicked Byron, "Piss off, you''re dirty."


    Byron looked aggrieved. "Cecil, it''s my birthday today. Is this how you treat me? Can''t you be nicer?"


    "Keep whining, and I''ll leave," Cecil said irritably.


    Byron felt stifled but didn''t dare to speak.


    Cecilia was stunned for a long time. No way, someone a hundred times more handsome than Cecil? She blinked. "Are you joking?"


    Cecil was the heartthrob of the medical school. Anyone who saw his face would call him handsome, and many girls were infatuated with him.


    Could there really be someone a hundred times more handsome than Cecil?


    "No, I''m serious," Katniss said sternly. She wouldn''t allow anyone to doubt Maximilian.


    Suddenly, the door opened, and a waiter pushed in a two-tiered cake.


    Through the open door, Katniss vaguely saw the scene downstairs. She smiled slightly, ''things are getting interesting.''


    Lights shed in the bustling bar.


    Desmond''s handsome face was covered in frost as he pulled Laura behind him, holding a bottle in one hand and pointing at the fat man. "She said no, are you fucking deaf?"

 Chapter 123

    The fat guy shot up, his face twisted with anger, his chubby cheeks jiggling like water ripples. He squinted at Desmond, who had just shown up out of nowhere.


    His fun ruined, the fat guy sneered, "Seriously? Wanna y hero, huh? Before you go messing around, make sure you know your own damn strength. I paid for her, whether she likes it or not isn''t my concern." Desmond nced back at the trembling Laura, his eyes darkening. "How much?"


    Laura''s teeth chattered as she lowered her head and croaked out a number, "Fifty thousand dors."


    Laura used to be a cherished princess, surrounded by admirers, never worrying about money. She could casually buy a bag worth thousands of dors.


    But now, she had sold herself for one night for fifty thousand dors.


    And the person defending her, helping her, was the one she least wanted to show her messy state to.


    Her downfall and degradation were apparent to all, but why did it have to involve Desmond?


    Laura stayed silent, her eyes red, not daring to lift her head to look at Desmond.


    Desmond had always been the prince charming of the school, excelling in both academics and family background. She had seen him from afar at parties, a member of the Boleyn family, with a handsome face, surrounded by admirers, radiating brilliance.


    From high school to college, Laura had always followed in Desmond''s footsteps. Knowing that Desmond liked ra, she befriended ra just to get close to him.


    She even fantasized about a passionate love with Desmond, one that would make everyone envious.


    Laura had crushed on Desmond, secretly, for many years.


    But at this moment, the chord in Laura''s mind snapped, her love died.


    "Just fifty thousand dors? I''ll pay double." Desmond furrowed his brows, coldly sweeping his gaze over the fat guy, a chill shing in his eyes. "This card has exactly a hundred thousand dors, take your money and get lost!"


    The fat guy looked at the card, astonished by Desmond''s wealth.


    "Whoa, which rich kid is this, throwing money around for a girl?"


    Desmond grabbed Laura and was about to leave, turning back to say indifferently, "Desmond Boleyn, the Boleyn family. From now on, stay away from her!"


    With that, he took Laura and left the bar without looking back.


    In December, the wind was bone-chilling. The bar was warm, so Laura was thinly dressed and now freezing and pale.


    Desmond sighed, taking off his coat and putting it on her.


    The coat still had Desmond''s warmth. Laura kept her head down but wrapped the coat tighter.


    Desmond spoke, "Laura, this ce isn''t for you. Don''te here again."


    He added, "The bar''s owner is powerful, and most people wouldn''t dare cause trouble here, but the ce is full of all sorts of people. If anyone targets you, the consequences would be unimaginable."


    Having been schoolmates for years and knowing Laura was ra''s good friend, Desmond didn''t want Laura to go down an irredeemable path.


    Laura had lost a lot of weight. Her once plump face was now gaunt, making her eyes look even bigger, pitiful in the cold wind.


    Feeling Desmond''spassionate gaze, Laura appeared a hint of sadness.


    She didn''t want toe here either, but the debt collectors were forcing her to pay the debts.


    Her mother was in the hospital, and the debt collectors even harassed them there, blocking their way in the ward.


    The hospital had even advised them to transfer several times.


    Laura had dropped out of school, had no degree, and had a criminal record. No legitpany would touch her with a ten-foot pole.


    Everywhere she turned, she needed money. The pressure was so intense, she hadn''t slept in days. When she went to her uncle''s house to borrow money, her aunt pointed at her nose and snapped, "You got no money? Go sell yourself!" She continued, "Your uncle busts his ass to make money. Your mom''s illness is incurable, and she''ll die sooner orter. Borrowing money is pointless."


    Laura felt so drained, she was really at the end of her rope.


    She slightly raised her head, looking at Desmond''s broad chest close by, her voice hoarse, "Desmond, can I hug you?"


    While her body was still untarnished.


    Without waiting for Desmond''s answer, Laura reached out and threw herself into Desmond''s arms.


    Like a drowning person, taking theirst breath.


    She hugged Desmond tightly, her nose filled with his scent.


    Laura told herself, just three seconds. After that, she wouldpletely fall into darkness, with no chance of being with Desmond.


    "Laura, what are you doing?" ra had juste out from the door, her face filled with shock and anger.


    Hearing ra''s voice, Desmond snapped back to reality, pushing Laura away and rushing to ra''s side to exin, "ra, it''s not what it looks like." Desmond quickly exined how he had saved Laura.


    ra''s face turned sour. Upon hearing the exnation, she managed to force a smile at Desmond. "Desmond, I believe you. I''m not that petty." Desmond sighed in relief, "ra, you''re so understanding."


    "Lucas''s looking for you. Seems like he''s got something urgent. You disappeared after going to the restroom, you should go back in!" Hearing that Lucas had an urgent matter, Desmond didn''t think much and immediately turned back to the bar.


    ''ra and Laura are good friends, there shouldn''t be any problem.'' He didn''t think any further.


    As soon as Desmond left, ra''s face darkened. She rushed forward and pped Laura hard.


    As Laura copsed to the ground, her coat slipped off, exposing her somewhat revealing attire. ra''s eyes narrowed coldly.


    ra''s gentle demeanor in front of Desmond vanished, reced by a chilly, menacing look. She grabbed Laura''s hair, forcing her to lift her head. "Laura, you bitch, how dare you seduce my fianc¨¦? I can squash you like a bug!" Laura struggled to lift her head, her eyes calmly staring at ra.


    "ra, my dad''s downfall wasn''t due to an anonymous report. Why did you mislead me into thinking it was Katniss? Why? Why!"


    Laura''s eyes were intense, almost crazed.


    Without ra''s maniption, she wouldn''t have gone astray, seeking revenge for her father and targeting Katniss.


    She wouldn''t have ended up in prison, her mother wouldn''t have had to sell theirst house, and they wouldn''t be unable to afford medical bills now.


    ra was momentarily stunned, thenughed, her eyes filled with contempt. She lowered her voice, "Because you''re stupid. You believed whatever I said. You deserve it."


    "ra! I trusted you so much. Weren''t we good friends? What did I ever do to deserve this?" Laura''s eyes were bloody.


    ra sneered, her eyes falling on the familiar coat on the ground, the one she had bought for Desmond.


    "Good friends?" ra said callously. "I knew you liked Desmond, that''s why you got close to me. How does it feel to see me and Desmond in love, right in front of you?"

 Chapter 124

    Laura stared at ra''s beautiful face, her mind goingpletely nk.


    So, ra had known all along that she liked Desmond.


    All those cozy moments with Desmond right in front of her were totally on purpose.


    Laura had only gotten close to ra because of Desmond, but she never wanted to break them up. She genuinely wanted to be friends with ra. But in the end, ra yed her like a fool.


    She could even imagine how ra must have looked at her,ughing at her behind her back.


    Hatred shed in Laura''s eyes, and she lunged at ra, ready to hit her.


    ra was ready, swiftly stepping back to evade Laura''s attack.


    ra nced at the bar''s security guard, beckoned him over, and when he got close, she said, "Strip her clothes, and I''ll give you a thousand bucks." The tall security guard''s face lit up with excitement at the offer.


    He nodded eagerly. "Alright, leave it to me!"


    Laura trembled all over, looked up in shock, and tried to run. But before she could take a few steps, her hair was yanked back hard, causing a burning pain on her scalp. The security guard quickly restrained Laura, grabbing her hands with one hand and using the other to strip her clothes.


    Laura was in a flimsy dress, and with a little effort, her body was suddenly on disy.


    "No! ra, make him stop! ra!" Laura screamed in terror, her face pale.


    ra stood at a distance, wrapped in a coat, looking elegant and noble.


    raughed coldly, cruel and hideous, "You''re all about seducing men, huh? Well, I''ll strip you naked and let every guy who walks by see what a slut you are."


    Then ra shouted, "Come on, everyone, look at this shameless woman who seduced my husband."


    Most of the men who came to the bar were there for fun.


    Although Laura had looked somewhat emaciated, she was raised in luxury, with smooth and delicate skin, instantly attracting a lot of attention.


    Passing men stared lecherously at Laura, brazenly eyeing her naked body.


    Laura''s bare arms hugged her chest as she crouched on the cold, dirty ground. The pain from the security guard pressing on her was nothingpared to the humiliation and shame she felt. Lying on the ground, Laura''s tears flowed.


    The fierce wind blew, and Laura curled up, trying hard to protect her body.


    ra adjusted her coat, gave a cold smile, and turned elegantly, heading back to the bar.


    At that moment, a man touched Laura and asked lustfully, "Your skin''s silky smooth, and you''re a stunner. How much for the night? Let''s have a wild time together."


    Laura screamed in fear, desperately avoiding the dirty hands reaching for her, "Get away, don''t touch me!"


    "This chick looks familiar. She looks like Jackson''s daughter, the broken businessman we saw on TV."


    "Really?" A man''s eyes lit up hearing this, "A delicate wealthy girl with soft skin, sounds like a whole new level of excitement."


    Several men gathered around, and Laura''s body, blown by the cold wind, trembled in fear. She bit her lip so hard it almost bled.


    Laura closed her eyes in despair, vowing to repay ra a hundredfold for today''s humiliation.


    Even if she died, she would haunt ra as a ghost.


    Suddenly, the surroundings quieted down.


    A warm coat was draped over her, covering all of Laura''s shame and humiliation.


    Oliver looked at Laura, frowned, and asked, "Are you Jackson''s daughter? What happened to you?"


    A few years ago, Oliver had coborated with Jackson. The Manners family and the Evans family had simr histories, both rising from nothing to sudden wealth.


    The old-money aristocrats looked down on them, and in their efforts to integrate into high society, for this reason, Oliver and Jackson had shared a mutual understanding for a while. When Jackson was arrested, Oliver had sighed for quite some time.


    Laura looked up, her dark eyes dazed for a moment before quickly recognizing the man in front of her.


    It was ra''s father, also her father''s business partner.


    "Uncle Oliver."


    Oliver said to his subordinate, "Check if anyone took photos just now, make sure they delete them, and pay them to keep their mouth shut." The subordinate in a ck suit nodded and went to handle it.


    After ordering, Oliver helped Laura up, "I''ll get you a room and buy you some new clothes, so your mom won''t worry when you get home." Laura hoarsely replied, "Okay, thank you."


    In the car, seeing a hospital ahead, Oliver asked, "Do you need to go to the hospital?"


    Laura''s body was battered and bruised.


    As a man, Oliver felt it was inappropriate to ask more.


    Laura shook her head, "No need, I just got beaten up, I''ll be fine in a few days."


    Hearing this, Oliver''s brows furrowed heavily, and his expression darkened.


    From the car window, Laura stared vacantly at Oliver''s reflection.


    Oliver had be wealthy through entrepreneurship over a decade ago, much like her father''s rise, starting from scratch.


    Oliver was now forty-six. In his youth, he was a handsome man and the only college student in his vige at the time. His good maintenance and exercise made him appear youthful. Compared to the burly Jackson, Oliver appeared more elegant and steady, with a sense of the authority of a sessful businessman.


    After getting a room, Oliver escorted her inside and then left.


    It was a presidential suite, with several clothing bags on the bed, all from high-end brands.


    One of them was a brand Laura used to love.


    Laura turned on the shower, ignoring the cold water, as if it could wash away all the dirt and humiliation on her body. She stood trembling in front of the dressing mirror.


    Laura looked at herself in the mirror, her face swollen with a red p mark, her big eyes set in her small face, making her look even more pitiful.


    Laura slowly clenched her hands.


    After Jackson went to prison, her once happy life changed wholly. The people who used to follow her now mocked and humiliated her.


    The rtives who once loved her now turned into ruthless demons, not only taking over her father''spany but also trying to drain her blood bit by bit, using her mother to threaten her, sending her to be a hostess girl. She was already a person standing on the edge of a cliff, teetering on the brink. It was ra who pushed her off, sending her into a dark, devouring hell.


    Since she was enduring a living hell, why should ra be allowed to enjoy herself? She would drag ra down with her.


    Laura caressed her young and beautiful face, her red lips slowly curling up.


    She wanted to be with Oliver! She had to!

 Chapter 125

    After checking herself out in the mirror for a bit, Laura picked up the ragged dress from the floor and fished out three tiny pills from a hidden pocket.


    Her aunt had given them to her, saying she should give one to her client during sex.


    But after thinking it over, Laura impulsively tossed all three pills into her mouth and swallowed them without water.


    She turned the shower back on, cranking it up to hot.


    In the steamy bathroom, her skin turned a soft pink, her face glowing with warmth, and her eyes sparkling with a misty allure.


    Wrapped in a loose bathrobe, she walked out barefoot and turned the temperature down a notch.


    Feeling the difort growing inside her, Laura quietlyy down on the soft bed. Oliver had nned to head home after his social event. He''d had a bit too much to drink, reeking of alcohol, and his head was pounding.


    But then he got a call from the hotel, saying the guest in the suite was sick.


    After hanging up, Oliver thought for a moment and told the driver to head to the hotel.


    Laura was Jackson''s only daughter, and he figured he could help her out. The poor girl seemed really down on her luck.


    He got to the hotel pretty quickly. Swiping the room card, he walked in.


    As he reached the bedroom door, his eyes widened, and his face changed when he saw what was inside.


    He quickly turned around, trying to calm himself.


    On the big bed, Laura''s face was flushed, and her loose bathrobe barely covered her.


    As her legs brushed against each other, the bathrobe had ridden up to her thighs, revealing her slender legs.


    "Oliver, am I going to die? I feel so ufortable. Help me."


    Her eyes were misty and alluring, and her voice was soft and pleading.


    She tried to get up but stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud.


    Hearing the noise, Oliver''s expression changed. After a few seconds of hesitation, he gritted his teeth, turned around, and walked over. He gently took off his suit jacket and draped it over Laura, then helped her up and leaned her against the bed.


    He noticed her knees were a bit red, probably from the fall. Luckily, the floor was carpeted, so she wasn''t seriously hurt.


    He touched her forehead; it was burning hot.


    It wasn''t just a simple fever; she had taken something.


    "Hold on. I''ll get a doctor for you. You''ll be fine soon."


    The heat in her body was getting worse, almost unbearable.


    Laura bit her lip, feeling extremely ufortable.


    The pills were meant to be taken one at a time, but she had taken three for a stronger effect, and now it was too much for her to handle.


    Oliver took out his phone and was about to dial when he felt a warm, soft body press against his back, apanied by the sweet fragrance of a young girl.


    He hadn''t expected this, and his whole body stiffened. The arm holding her tensed up.


    In that moment of hesitation, Laura''s red lips pressed against his.


    "I feel so ufortable, so hot. Help me."


    The string in Oliver''s mind snapped, and he couldn''t think straight. He stretched out


    his arm, pulled Laura into his embrace, and pressed her down...


    In the private room of the bar.


    Katniss couldn''t care less about seeing Laura tending bar here, or about how Laura hadnded in this mess.


    Her past life had taught her to stay out of other people''s business, especially those who didn''t matter.


    Knowing Maximilian wasing to pick her up, Katniss couldn''t sit still, worried he might show up early and have to wait.


    After enduring for more than twenty minutes, she impatiently left after saying a quick word to Cecilia.


    Just as she was about to leave the bar, she bumped into Lucas, who was hanging out with ra and Desmond. ra, looking drop-dead gorgeous, was all cozy with Desmond, holding onto his arm.


    The group looked all happy and harmonious.


    Katniss frowned. Just her luck to run into them here.


    She quickly looked away and picked up her pace, not even ncing sideways.


    Seeing Katniss ignore him, Lucas''s face darkened, and he snapped, "Katniss, seriously? Don''t you know how to say hi to your family? What''s up with your manners?"


    "And this ce isn''t for someone like you. If anything happens, it''s your own fault. Don''t me it on the Manners family!"


    Katniss sneered, "Mr. Manners, I don''t give a damn about you anymore. If you want to lecture someone, go bother ra. Don''t waste your breath on me."


    What a joke. It''s fine for them to be here, but not for her?


    And how did he have the nerve to call himself her family?


    They were nothing to each other now, so naturally, they were strangers.


    Why waste words on a stranger?


    Ignoring Lucas''s scolding, Katniss didn''t even give him a second nce.


    Once outside, Katniss looked around and immediately spotted the familiar car parked by the roadside.


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    A smile spread across her face as she jogged to the car.


    Just as she reached it, the door opened as if sensing her presence. Seeing Maximilian


    in the back seat, Katniss''s smile brightened as she eagerly got in.


    Meanwhile, the group at the entrance watched Katniss get into an expensive car and drive away.


    ra pressed her lips and spoke with fake gentleness, "Katniss may be mad at Desmond and me, but she shouldn''t take it out on you, Lucas. Katniss is bing more and more unreasonable."


    Lucas''s face turned icy, and he said angrily, "Let her be. Soon, she won''t be my sister anymore. After that, whether she lives or dies has nothing to do with us." Desmond was taken aback and looked down at ra. "What''s going on?" Lucas didn''t want to exin and walked away.


    ra sighed helplessly, "You know Katniss has been at odds with the family. Recently, she''s be more rebellious. She even... well, I have no secrets from you, but don''t


    tell anyone else. Katniss seems to have married some random guy because of us. Ruby saw him once and said he was an old man with gray hair."


    "My parents are very angry, so they decided to transfer Katniss to Wesley and sever ties with her."


    Desmond was silent for a while and then said coldly, "That''s the path she chose for herself. She has no one to me but herself."


    Then he nced at his watch.


    It was gettingte, and Maximilian should have finished dinner at The Boleyn Manor by


    now.


    For some reason, Desmond felt that the car Katniss had just gotten into looked familiar, like he''d seen it at The Boleyn Manor before.


    Putting his thoughts aside, Desmond put his arm around ra. "I''ll take you home first.


    And then tomorrow, I''lle pick you up to have dinner at my ce."


    ra smiled sweetly, suppressing her excitement, and agreed obediently.


    Meanwhile, in the car, Katniss was about to ask Maximilian when he had arrived.


    Before she could, Maximilian leaned towards her, looking into her eyes, "Katniss Manners, have you been drinking?"

 Chapter 126

    Katniss jumped a bit when she heard her full name, her eyes dropping as she tried to


    look all sorry. "I messed up. I only had one drink."


    She felt like she had been caught red-handed.


    Feeling guilty, Katniss acted extra obedient.


    "So, how''s your alcohol tolerance?" Maximilian asked.


    Wait, what?


    Alcohol tolerance?


    Katniss thought he was gonna chew her out, but nope, he didn''t.


    "It''s alright, I guess," she said, ying it safe.


    In her past life, she had to build up her tolerance for Lucas''s business stuff. If she were


    her old self, she could drink anyone under the table tonight!


    Every now and then, a distant horn would re or a car would zoom by.


    Then she heard Maximilian say, "We should drink together sometime and see how you


    hold up. It''s good you can drink, you won''t get drunk easily."


    Katniss nced at him, puzzled. ''Do all geniuses think this way?''


    "Sure," she agreed.


    It was freezing outside, so Katniss had Conrad crank up the heater before she got in the car.


    The car was cozy, with some chill music ying. The vibe was so chill that Katniss, who had been up since dawn and hadn''t caught a wink of sleep because Cecilia dragged her out in the afternoon, felt her eyelids drooping and drifted off.


    She nodded off, her head bobbing like a flower in the breeze. When the car turned, her head ended up on Maximilian''s shoulder.


    Maximilian, who usually hated being touched, had moved out early to live alone in Golden Crest Estates.


    The car went quiet for a moment.


    Maximilian looked down at Katniss, who was almost leaning entirely on him. He couldn''t see her face, just her long, pretty hair that smelled fresh and nice.


    He wrapped his arm around her, feeling her soft breath on his hand. Sometimes, she would shift a bit.


    This obedient look reminded him of the white Angora cat he once had, both delicate and spoiled.


    Maximilian''s usually cold eyes softened, a slight glimmer in them.


    Suddenly, the car came to a sharp stop.


    Maximilian quickly held Katniss tight, his big hand gripping her waist and pulling her close.


    Once he steadied himself, he looked down at her.


    Luckily, she didn''t wake up.


    "Can''t you drive properly?" Maximilian''s eyes were cold as he looked up.


    Conrad felt embarrassed and quickly exined, "A kid suddenly ran across the road, so I hit the brakes."


    Maximilian''s body stiffened, not having time to me Conrad because Katniss suddenly hugged him, her fluffy head moving in his arms, making a few ufortable sounds before falling back asleep.


    Maximilian stared at her, his eyshes trembling slightly, hiding the fleeting light in his eyes.


    Then he lowered his head a bit and kissed the top of her head.


    In the next moment, he tightened his arms around her.


    Feeling her delicate figure under his hand made Maximilian frown slightly. Even though Katniss was soft and slender, she was too thin.


    After a while, Samuel called again. He had already called several times before.


    He was asking where Maximilian was and if he had gotten home.


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    Every time Maximilian went to The Boleyn Manor for dinner, Samuel would call several times until he was sure he was home safe.


    This was because on one asion, after leaving The Boleyn Manor, Maximilian was involved in a car ident that further injured his leg.


    So, even though he found his grandfather annoying, he still picked up the call and said calmly, "Grandpa, this is the third call already. Chill out."


    On the other end, Samuel was not happy and shouted, "I''m worried about you, and you find it annoying! With that ungrateful vibe, you''re not going to win any girl over!"


    After a moment of silence, Maximilian''s lips curved slightly. "You''re getting old and forgetful. Let me remind you, as a married man, I don''t need to win any other girl over."


    Sure enough, Samuel went quiet, and the air got still.


    "Katniss is sleeping. Don''t disturb her." With that, Maximilian hung up. Samuel, who had been hung up on, wasn''t mad but actually pretty pleased. With his hands behind his back, he frowned and said loudly, "Well, well, well, look who''s been reced! Now that he''s hitched, he''s got no time for his grandpa. All he cares about is his wife, even whinging that my calls wake Katniss from her sleep." Even though his words sounded annoyed, his tone didn''t carry any me.


    His face was almost breaking into a smile.


    Brent, standing to the side, rolled his eyes!


    That annoying face was too much to handle.


    "Samuel, when did your grandson get married? Why haven''t we heard about it?" "Their rtionship is good. By next year, Samuel, you''ll be holding a great-grandchild!"


    Samuel was overjoyed and in a great mood, his face full of "ask me more" expressions. He said with a cheerful tone, "They just got married a few days ago. Maximilian''s wife is still in school and doesn''t have time for a wedding, so they registered first. When she has a break, they''ll have a big wedding. You all better prepare generous gifts! My granddaughter-inw won''t settle for less!"


    Satisfied with his ''extortion,'' Samuel was in an exceptionally good mood.


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    Then he remembered something and secretly called Felix, giving him some instructions mysteriously.


    All the way, Katniss slept soundly until she was woken up at Golden Crest Estates.


    Katniss felt incredibly embarrassed, especially after hearing from Conrad that she had snuggled into Maximilian''s arms like a ko while she was asleep.


    She wished she hadn''t woken up.


    "Maximilian, I think I can exin..." Katniss said nervously.


    She didn''t mean to be so forward with him!


    But before she could finish, Maximilian interrupted her calmly, "My clothes."


    Following his gaze, Katniss immediately saw the stain on Maximilian''s shirt, right at the chest, where her drool had left a mark that hadn''t dried yet.


    Embarrassed, Katniss lowered her eyes and quickly said, "I''ll wash it, I''ll wash it as soon as I get back."


    "Okay," Maximilian replied indifferently.


    Conrad watched their backs for a long time. Until they disappeared, he took out his little notebook and wrote down another line.


    "Let girlfriend do theundry."


    Conrad thought, ''So this is how you date. How wonderful.'' He couldn''t wait to have a girlfriend.


    Once inside, Katniss used the excuse of taking a shower to quickly retreat to her room. Maximilian couldn''t help but smile. After all, she was still a young girl, so easy to tease.


    To give Katniss some space, Maximilian went to the study to work overtime.


    Around nine o''clock, there was a knock on the door.


    Felix''s voice came from outside, "Sir, Mr. Samuel said you didn''t eat enough tonight, so I made a bowl of soup for you."

 Chapter 127

    Maximilian said, "Come in," and Felix walked in with a tray, setting the soup bowl on the table.


    Maximilian nced at it, his eyebrows furrowing. He had health issues, and the two elderly folks loved to stock up on all sorts of random nutritious soups for him.


    To keep them happy, he would obediently drink them.


    This time was no different. Maximilian picked up the porcin white soup bowl, downed it in a few gulps, and went back to his documents.


    In the bathroom, Katniss was nervously washing up. A few days ago, aftering back from school, she found her room filled with men''s belongings that looked very familiar -they were Maximilian''s.


    She was shocked and didn''t dare to ask.


    She was afraid that if she asked, it would arouse suspicion about their rtionship from others.


    Since it was a coboration, she had to y her role well and be a good Mrs. Landon for this year.


    Luckily, Maximilian worked veryte every day and got up very early. They had lived together for a few nights without running into each other!


    When she went to bed, Maximilian was still working in the study. When she got up, Maximilian had already woken up early to exercise, drink tea, and read financial newspapers.


    What''s the scariest thing in this world?


    It''s not that you have no money or aren''t smart;, it''s that someone who is a hundred or


    a thousand times richer than you is also smarter and works harder than you.


    Maximilian deserved the money he owned.


    After dragging out her bath, Katniss came out in loose pajamas as usual. When she walked to the bedroom, she paused.


    Katniss blinked. This was the first time the two of them had met in the bedroom, alone.


    "Maximilian, aren''t you working today?" Katniss asked while grabbing the hairdryer to dry her hair.


    Maximilian, sitting on the sofa, looked up at Katniss and said quietly, "If I keep working, you get to have this room all to yourself?"


    In recent years, he was short on sleep. When his condition red up, he couldn''t sleep


    all night, so Maximilian used work to pass the sleepless hours.


    The people around him all wished he could sleep a bit more and spend less time in the study.


    But here with Katniss, she actually preferred him working in the study.


    Feeling exposed, Katniss forced an awkward smile, then quickly turned on the


    hairdryer, pretending the noise was too loud to hear anything.


    After drying her hair, Katniss picked up a book, lifted the quilt, and sat on the bed, pretending to read.


    Although she was reading, only Katniss knew how nervous she was.


    ''Oh my God, being awake and alone in the bedroom with Maximilian, and soon having


    to sleep together-what should I do?''


    Would they sleep in the same bed?


    She didn''t dare to let Maximilian sleep on the sofa; it would be more appropriate for her to sleep there.


    But sleeping there wasn''t a long-term solution.


    Actually, she wasn''t afraid of what Maximilian might do to her; she was afraid of what she might do to Maximilian in her sleep.


    Facing such a face, it was hard to control oneself.


    While Katniss was lost in her thoughts, not reading at all, Maximilian wasn''t doing much better.


    Maximilian felt ufortable. The room''s air conditioning was set to a high temperature, causing his body temperature to rise gradually, eventually feeling like a surging heatwave.


    He took off his jacket, which only provided minimal relief, and then it started again. Maximilian''s dark eyes lifted, looking at Katniss.


    Katniss, in her apricot-colored pajamas, sat on the bed with a hand-copied medical book that had a yellowing cover. Her hair cascaded down her cheeks and onto her corbones.


    Delicate and radiant, serene and breathtaking.


    Innocent yet filled with a deadly allure.


    After a moment, Maximilian suddenly looked away, his Adam''s apple bobbing a few times. He forced himself to focus on the document in his hand, but he couldn''t read a single word.


    A few minutester, enduring the excruciating pain in his knee, Maximilian moved from


    the sofa to his wheelchair, cold sweat beading on his forehead.


    He wheeled himself to the bedside and snatched the medical book from Katniss''s hand, cing it on the nightstand.


    "What''s wrong?" Katniss was startled.


    Maximilian leaned slightly closer, took her soft little hand, and ced it on his


    forehead, his voice hoarse, "Check for me, am I sick?"


    Feeling the temperature, Katniss''s eyes gleamed. His forehead was very hot.


    Then Katniss quickly grabbed Maximilian''s hand to check his pulse. A few secondster,


    she said, "Maximilian, did you eat some kind of tonic?"


    After saying that, Katniss''s ears turned a bit red. She bit her lip, not daring to look at Maximilian.


    Did Maximilian really need to take those supplements?


    From a professional standpoint, Katniss said, "It''s too much. You need to find an outlet, or else tonight..."


    The next second, Katniss was at a loss for words. She was the only woman here, and she was Maximilian''s nominal wife. The tonic''s purpose was clear: sexual arousal. How else was he going to relieve the tension?


    Sure enough, Maximilian''s eyes were fixed on her, his voice hoarse and low, his face not looking good, "Then who would be the outlet?"


    Katniss''s earlobes turned red, and her neck was also burning with embarrassment.


    She lowered her head and mumbled, "How about you take a cold shower?"


    "Katniss, it''s winter. Suggesting me to take a cold shower, do you think I''m made of steel?" Maximilian said intively, pursing his thin lips, then suppressing his anger, "You''re a doctor, don''t you have a treatment method?"


    Katniss quickly nced at Maximilian, and shook her head in embarrassment, "Your condition is special. During the treatment phase, acupuncture would be counterproductive."


    Maximilian asked coolly, "So?"


    "You can only endure it," Katniss quickly said, then curled up into a ball, her eyes wet, looking pitifully at Maximilian, "How about I go make you some ginger tea? Drink it after your bath to ensure you don''t catch a cold!"


    Katniss spoke with conviction.


    Maximilian closed his eyes, his Adam''s apple moving, then he pulled the quilt over Katniss, and said through his gritting teeth, "Go to sleep!"


    Then, Maximilian wheeled himself quickly out of the room, immediately seeing Felix waiting at the top of the stairs, not daring toe over.


    Maximilian''s face was stern, clearly angry. Felix shivered in fear and quickly smiled apologetically.


    "Sir, it was Samuel''s order. I refused at the time, but he wouldn''t listen!" Felix quickly exined.


    "Yeah, great job." Maximilian took a deep breath.


    Then he returned to the bedroom, ncing at Katniss, who was clutching the quilt, her big eyes looking cautiously at him.


    Maximilian said calmly, "Not sleeping yet? Do you want to help me release? Make it real?"


    At these words, Katniss quickly shook her head, lying down immediately, covering herself tightly with the quilt.


    Maximilian snickered, muttering a curse at Katniss under his breath, using her of being a cold-hearted little thing, so skittish and jumpy.


    Then Maximilian went into the bathroom, and soon the sound of running water could be heard.

 Chapter 128

    Katniss had no clue how she drifted off, but when she jolted awake and checked the clock on the wall, it was almost midnight.


    She nced at the sofa-empty. No sound of water from the bathroom either.


    Where did he go?


    Worried about Maximilian, Katniss quickly tossed off the covers and got up.


    She had nned to wait for him to finish his cold shower and then head downstairs to make some ginger tea, but somehow she had dozed off.


    Maximilian was weak, what if he caught a cold?


    Katniss searched the big room but didn''t see him anywhere, even checked the study.


    Could it be that Maximilian couldn''t resist and went out to find another woman?


    "Ah!"


    The bathroom door suddenly swung open, and arge, well-defined hand reached out, grabbing her slender arm and pulling her inside.


    Her delicate back was pressed against the door, and Katniss, still in shock, saw that it was Maximilian.


    He must have taken a cold shower. He was dripping wet, but his body was so hot it was practically steaming, with water droplets running down his muscr frame.


    So he hadn''t gone out to find a woman.


    "Looking for me?" Maximilian''s voice was hoarse and low.


    But something was off about his voice.


    Katniss frowned and reached out to touch his forehead.


    Her hand was cool and soft, and the moment it touched him, he felt an indescribable


    The sound had an inexplicable, alluring charm.


    Startled, Katniss quickly pulled her hand back.


    Her face heated up, and she said in a trembling voice, "You''re still really hot, I..."


    "Katniss, don''t push my limits, I''m a man." Maximilian narrowed his eyes slightly, then lowered his head, burying his handsome face in her neck, gently rubbing it, and said in a low voice, "Be good, go out."


    Maximilian''s hoarse, low voice whispered in her ear, and Katniss''s heartbeat instantly went out of rhythm.


    Even the usually calm andposed Maximilian could be so clingy and endearing. Katniss licked her dry lips and then, dazed, walked out of the bathroom.


    After leaving the bathroom, Katniss took a few deep breaths, quickly fanning her cheeks with her hands to calm herself down.


    Maximilian''s slightly wet hair and cool body just now were damn sexy and charming, messing with her mind.


    Fortunately, she controlled herself and didn''t do anything weird to him.


    Katniss turned back, looking at the still-quiet bathroom, her eyes showing a hint of reluctance. Was Maximilian going to continue his cold shower?


    His body couldn''t handle that.


    Katniss bit her lip, feeling a sudden difort in her heart. It seemed as if she hadn''t taken good care of Maximilian.


    She walked back to the bed and sat down, her bare feet on the soft carpet.


    After sitting restlessly for a few minutes, Katniss noticed that the bathroom had gone silent, falling into a worrisome quiet. Katniss decided to walk towards the bathroom again. She gave up. She decided to give Maximilian an acupuncture treatment.


    It would just extend the time needed to treat his leg condition.


    Katniss turned the bathroom door handle, "Maximilian, you can''t do this;, you''ll get sick. I should give you..." The rest of her words got stuck in her throat.


    She stood there, dumbfounded, her hand still stiffly on the door handle.


    Her face turned a deep red in an instant, staring at Maximilian inside, not knowing what to do.


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    He was...


    Maximilian was masturbating!


    Katniss felt she shouldn''t be so shocked; it was nothing, just a guy doing something natural.


    Nervously picking at the seam of her nightgown, Katniss instinctively wanted to retreat and pretend nothing had happened, but her eyes met Maximilian''s.


    Maximilian''s eyes were deep and burning, as if he was holding something back.


    The surface of the water was calm, but underneath, it was already turbulent.


    Just one look, and Katniss felt as if her feet were nailed to the spot, unable to move.


    Maximilian grabbed the nearby crutch and walked towards her.


    Katniss stepped back but only managed to take two steps.


    The heat that had just dissipated in Katniss''s body red up again, and she stammered, "Sorry to interrupt you. Carry on, I''ll go back to sleep..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, Maximilian grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms, lowering his head to kiss her hard on her soft lips.


    Katniss''s mind exploded, like fireworks burning brightly, then gradually went nk, empty.


    Maximilian''s kiss waspletely different from his usually cold demeanor, like a volcano erupting in the middle of an icy wilderness.


    He tried to avoid touching her, fearing he might startle her, and wishing that in an uncertain future, he could set her free. But Katniss didn''t understand any of this and brought herself to him.


    The tightly strung chord snapped.


    Katniss only had time to let out a soft cry before she was kissed, her waist encircled and pushed back. In an instant, Maximilian had her pressed against the bathroom wall, her lips quickly bing numb and hot from the kiss.


    The intimate distance allowed her to clearly hear Maximilian''s heavy breathing, rough and urgent.


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    All of it sprayed onto her skin, hot and clear.


    At this moment, Katniss felt that all her senses were overwhelmed by Maximilian''s dominance and madness.


    If Maximilian hadn''t been holding her waist, she might have embarrassingly copsed. "Maximilian." Between their lips and teeth, Katniss regained her senses for a moment, biting the tip of his tongue lightly.


    Maximilian stopped, but his lips still touched hers, his straight nose lightly brushing against hers, their breaths intertwining.


    The medicine was just a tonic, not something that would make him lose his mind.


    Although Maximilian was ufortable, his mind was clear, knowing exactly what he was doing.


    But the clearer he was, the more he wanted Katniss.


    Having lived for over twenty years, although he asionally had some physiological urges,pared to other men, he had far fewer, even thinking of himself as ascetic.


    Free from carnal desires.


    "Katniss." His hoarse voice called her name, like a god''s whisper.


    Maximilian grabbed one of her hands, guiding it down to him.


    That was...


    Katniss''s eyes widened, her lips trembling, stiff and not daring to move. The heat from Maximilian''s palm felt like it could burn her delicate skin.


    "I took several cold showers as you said, but it didn''t work." His breath was hot, lowly transmitted to her ear, sexy and hoarse. "I was fine alone in the bathroom, handling it myself. Why did youe looking for me?"


    "Are you teasing me because you know I can''t bear to have you?"


    Katniss''s breathing slowed and hummed a few times. ''That''s not true!'' She refuted internally.


    Maximilian''s hot lips brushed against her earlobe, making Katniss''s body stiffen,


    "Katniss, you can''t tease me and then leave me alone. You have to do something for


    me."

 Chapter 129

    "I wasn''t teasing you," she said, struggling to find her voice. "I was worried you''d catch a cold. You''re not in the best health."


    "Like you said," he chuckled softly, sounding nothing like his usual cool and indifferent self, "Very ufortable, didn''t you feel it?"


    Katniss felt like her hands weren''t her own anymore.


    Unable to find the right words, Katniss squeezed her eyes shut and stammered, "I told you, I''ll leave now. You can go back to your business."


    Maximilian kissed her ear and said hoarsely, "Toote, who told you to show up?"


    So this was her fault now?


    She was just concerned about her patient''s health as a doctor, so she couldn''t help bute to check on him!


    Who knew he would be masturbating in the bathroom.


    Katniss felt a bit wronged. She struggled to pull her hand back, but her efforts only made her face redder.


    Katniss shamefully tilted her head up, her eyes wet, looking at him with a mix of grievance and embarrassment.


    Maximilian slightly propped himself up, pressing Katniss against the wall. Her petite and slender figure was enveloped by his body, only the dark shadows in some ces revealing their outlines, perfect for flirting.


    Under the dim light, he seemed to smile, then turned off the light.


    The bathroom went dark instantly, with only a faint lighting through the ss door from the bedroom.


    "Is this better?"


    Maximilian''s voice was low, with a hint of coaxing.


    Katniss couldn''t stand that kind of voice, it softened her heart as soon as she heard it.


    Katniss bit her lip. Her mind was in a mess, and she couldn''t decide whether to agree or disagree.


    She had no idea how things had developed to this point.


    In his arms, Katniss almost curled up, feeling Maximilian''s body tense to the extreme.


    Through the dim light, Katniss vaguely saw Maximilian''s eyes dark with desire, and impulsively, she softened her heart and lifted her face to press her lips to his jaw.


    Maximilian, inspired by her bold move, narrowed his deep eyes and grasped her chin firmly before pressing his lips to hers. "Close your eyes," hemanded.


    The next day, sunlight filtered into the room through the curtains.


    So hot, and so hard.


    Katniss hadn''t opened her eyes yet, but her small face wrinkled up. She remembered her bed being very soft, like cotton.


    Why was it so hard now?


    Groggily, Katniss opened her eyes, looking at the white ceiling, feeling her wrists aching and her arms too sore to lift.


    And it seemed like something was pressing on her waist.


    Katniss turned her head, and suddenly, Maximilian''s handsome face came into view.


    Then, memories ofst night flooded her mind.


    Katniss held her breath in concentration, admiring again that handsome face, now gentle in sleep, with clear and elegant features,pletely different from the seductive and domineering look he hadst night.


    Last night, she clearly experienced how great a man''s needs could be, and that any promises made in such situations were unreliable.


    She shouldn''t have believed him when he said it was thest time!


    She couldn''t even remember how many st times" there had been, finally falling asleep in exhaustion, vaguely remembering Maximilian holding her, washing her hands and face.


    Seeing him sleep so well, Katniss felt a sense of unfairness and imbnce, tempted to wake him up.


    But it was rare for Maximilian to sleep so well, still asleep at seven in the morning.


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    Since moving in, it was rare for her to see Maximilian sleep this long. Felix had said that although Maximilian slept better since starting treatment, it was only a little better.


    From sleeping one or two hours a day, it had increased to three hours.


    Last night, he slept in the middle of the night, Katniss calcted, that should be four hours?


    Despite feeling sulky, Katniss still gently lifted the nket, but before she could stand up, she slipped and fell back down.


    Coincidentally, she fell right on Maximilian.


    The next second, she was held up by the awakened Maximilian, his strong arm around her waist, his deep and hoarse voice sounding, "Why so clumsy, like a child."


    She was clumsy?


    Katniss stretched out her arm, pushing against his chest, biting her lip hard, "Who did that nasty thing to mest night?"


    Maximilian chuckled softly, looking down at Katniss''s flushed face, her cheeks puffed out in anger, like a little squirrel.


    "Still mad?"


    What else?


    Last night, she was dazzled by his good looks, too busy exining and feeling embarrassed to get angry.


    Katniss gritted her teeth, "Although this time was an ident, Maximilian, you should learn to control yourself, not let lust control your mind. Luckily, I was there this time, if


    it had been another woman, it would have been a different story!"


    After saying that, she added, "This time, I''ll forgive you, but there won''t be a next time!"


    Maximilian raised an eyebrow, "Not mad anymore? Then help me pick out an outfit from the dressing room, okay?"


    "Fine."


    Katniss walked to the closet, frustratedly patting her head. ''Katniss, you really are...''


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    She was clearly still angry, but all she could think about was how Maximilian''s legs were inconvenient, making it hard for him to get clothes from the closet. She should have just told him to get them himself!"


    Katniss randomly picked an outfit and brought it to the bed. "Here."


    Maximilian nced at the clothes, then looked up at her face for a moment, his thin lips uttering a few words, "Are you sure?"


    He had the nerve to be picky?


    Katniss felt even angrier, turning her face to the side, "Yes, this is the one, I''m going to wash up!"


    With that, Katniss ran off, not caring what Maximilian had to say.


    After washing up, Katniss stayed in the bathroom for a while, tidying herself up before going out.


    When she went out, Maximilian was already dressed, and she was instantly dumbfounded.


    A breathtaking moment of heart palpitations.


    She had actually picked out a dark red velvet suit, with a bit of a 19th-century aristocratic feel.


    Dark red clothes were rarely suitable for men. But Maximilian wore this suit with a seductive charm, paired with his cold and noble face, making it even harder to resist. Seeing her stunned, Maximilian''s difort vanished, a smile tugging at his lips. "Looks good?"


    Katniss snapped back to reality, huffing with dignity. "Just okay."


    "Mr. Hamilton, Mrs. Hamilton, breakfast is ready."


    A servant knocked on the door, and Katniss, eager to escape, quickly opened the door


    and followed the servant downstairs.


    After going downstairs, Katniss looked at the breakfast on the table, then nced meaningfully at Felix.


    All the dishes were suitable for replenishing energy after exertion.


    "Katniss, drink more soup, you must be tired fromst night. What do you want for dinner? I''ll go buy it," Felix said with an intriguing smile.

 Chapter 130

    Katniss had just taken a sip when the front door swung open, and in walked Samuel, grinning from ear to ear.


    Seeing Samuel, Katniss jumped up to greet him.


    Samuel quickly waved her off. "Forget about all the formalities, Katniss. Just sit down and enjoy your meal. I''m just here to check on you and Maximilian."


    Afterst night, seeing Samuel made Katniss feel a bit uneasy for some reason.


    Samuel, over seventy, had graying hair at his temples but was still hale, kind, and amiable. Katniss really liked Samuel.


    Seeing Katniss hesitate, Samuel pointed to the food on the table. "Go ahead, don''t mind me."


    "Okay, Grandpa." Katniss, feeling ill-at-ease, started eating.


    "Katniss, from the first time I saw you, I liked you and wanted you to be my granddaughter-inw. Now it''se true! Hahaha." Samuelughed heartily, his eyes twinkling with joy. "Even though Maximilian is my grandson, don''t worry. If he ever mistreats you, I''ll definitely set him straight!"


    "Maximilian is very good to me." Katniss forced a smile, feeling troubled inside.


    Just then, Emilio''s voice rang out, "Sir, take it easy."


    For Maximilian''s convenience, the house had an elevator. Emilio pushed the wheelchair out from the elevator.


    He wasing downstairs.


    Katniss looked up and saw Maximilian wearing the formal suit she had picked out for him, unchanged.


    The dark red velvet surface, with a crisp ck shirt underneath, ironed without a single wrinkle. Maximilian sat upright in the wheelchair, exuding his inherent elegance and nobility.


    Behind him was Mira, who said cheerfully, "I started simmering that soupst night. It''s potent stuff. I bet you and Mr. Maximilian Hamilton will have a baby in no time!"


    Katniss forced a smile. So, Felix and Mira assumed she and Maximilian had a sexual rtionshipst night?


    Katniss''s mind went nk,pletely frozen.


    Despite some intimacyst night, she and Maximilian didn''t sleep together.


    Katniss''s cheeks turned red, and she nced at Maximilian without a trace, inquiring. Maximilian''s wheelchair stopped beside her. He reached out and grabbed Katniss''s hand, ying with it in his palm. Then he leaned slightly towards her, whispering in her ear, "I hinted that we''ve done it, to prevent Grandpa from doing that again."


    In her two lifetimes, Katniss had never been in a rtionship, only had unrequited crushes. She had never even kissed a man, let alone had sex, She had died a virgin in her past life.


    Realizing this, Katniss''s earlobes immediately turned bright red.


    At this moment, their posture was somewhat intimate. Maximilian leaned in to talk to Katniss, looking very much like newlyweds whispering sweet nothings.


    Samuel couldn''t take his eyes off them, smiling broadly.


    ''Natalie Hamilton, can you see this from up above? Maximilian is married, has a girl he likes, and will soon have a child. You''re going to be a grandmother.'' Samuel was lost in an image.


    Samuel turned his face away, his eyes gradually moistening.


    Katniss noticed this and felt a bit at a loss. Just then, Maximilian''s voice sounded in her ear, "Why aren''t you eating? Mira worked hard on this soup, you should drink more."


    Looking up, she met Maximilian''s narrow eyes.


    Looking at Maximilian''s face, Katniss felt a surge of frustration, unable to speak, and finished her breakfast in a sulk.


    Maximilian remained busy as usual. When he went to work, he took Samuel with him. Katniss returned to her room. She had no sses in the morning, only in the afternoon. While engrossed in her medical book, her phone on the table vibrated, showing an unknown number.


    Katniss answered the call, and a man''smanding voice came through, "Katniss,e back now. I have something to tell you!"


    It was Lucas.


    Katniss put down her book, her red lips curling up. "Okay."


    She wanted to see what the Manners family had to say to her.


    When she returned to the Manners Vi, almost everyone was there except Dn.


    As Katniss walked into the Manners Vi''s hall with a cold expression, everyone''s expressions varied.


    ra''s gaze fell on Katniss''s clothes. The style resembled a famous designer''s work, but that designer had long retired and only did privatemissions, rarely seen on anyone.


    So, Katniss''s outfit must be a fake.


    Even so, the clothes still highlighted Katniss''s noble and cold temperament, a stark contrast to her previous sallow and dull appearance.


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    ra'' eyes flickered. Seeing the radiant and exceptional Katniss, ra felt intense disgust and couldn''t understand why, despite her disgrace within the Manners family, she remained in Luminous City.


    Did she think clinging to an old rich man would redeem anything?


    The contempt in her eyessted only a moment before ra od up from the sofa, showing a gentle smile, "Katniss, you''re back. We''ve been waiting for you." Katniss slightly lifted her eyes, giving her a cold, emotionless nce. "Go ahead, what do you want?"


    Lucas''s face immediately darkened with anger, "What kind of manners is this? You don''t even greet us when you enter? Do you have any respect for your family?" "Here we go again?" Katniss snorted, her gaze icy as she looked at the people in the room, "Family? Have you ever cared about my well-being? Treated me as part of the Manners family?"


    Lowering her head, she nced at her phone for the time, and said coldly, "I don''t have much time. I need to go home for lunch. If you have something to say, just say it.


    I don''t want to stay here any longer."


    Every second here was suffocating.


    Lucas''s expression froze, a moment of bewilderment shing in his eyes.


    Nathan, with a pale face, showed a mocking smile.


    Nathan looked at Katniss with guilt andplexity in his eyes. She had been doing


    well since leaving the Manners family, and her appearance had matured.


    Now, Katniss was radiant and bright, with an iparable cold temperament that made it hard to look away.


    Elodie, standing nearby, spoke grimly, "You have two choices. Divorce him and apologize, and I''ll forgive you since you''re my daughter. Refuse, and I''ll transfer you to Wesley. Your decision, your consequences."

 Chapter 131

    Katniss nodded, dispensing even with a sardonic smile, her gaze cold and unyielding as she looked at Elodie.


    In the stillness of many a sleepless night, Katniss wondered what she had done wrong for Elodie to dislike her so much.


    Was it because her grades weren''t as good as ra''s? So Katniss had toiled


    relentlessly, wing her way to the top, only to see everyone sympathize with ra for not getting first ce.


    They even med her, saying she deliberately outshoned ra, causing ra to lose her schrship.


    That was the first time Katniss realized that even striving for first ce was wrong.


    It wasn''t that shecked merit, rather, in their eyes, only ra being excellent was normal and eptable.


    Katniss dragged a chair over and sat down, then spoke, "Why should I get a divorce?" her voice carried a note of defiance.


    Did the Manners family know about her marriage?


    Since they knew, marrying Maximilian should be beneficial for the Manners family, so why did they want her to get a divorce?


    Elodie''s face darkened, ring at Katniss, "You do something so shameless and still ask me why?"


    "I really have no idea, please enlighten me, what is my crime?" Katniss''s eyes were indifferent, her face still wearing a mocking smile.


    In the past, she had yearned for Elodie''s attention, whether it was anger or disappointment, as long as Elodie spoke to her a few more words, she could be happy


    for days.


    She had gambled her whole life to gain the approval of the Manners family.


    If this had happened in her previous life, she might have admitted it without knowing what it was, even obediently begging for forgiveness.


    But the Katniss who died in the stairwell, whose organs were taken to save ra, was already dead.


    She would never again seek Elodie''s approval, she would never forgive Elodie, never! Elodie''s well-maintained face was clouded, just about to speak when Simon suddenly jumped up from the sofa, angrily sneering loudly, "Mom can''t say it, I will."


    "Katniss, you must be out of your mind. You have no shame, but our Manners family does. Why did you marry an old man, someone with gray hair who could be your father? Hugging an old man every day, isn''t that disgusting? It''s really disgraceful! I, Simon, don''t have such a shameless sister."


    "I''ll put it this way, if you don''t get a divorce immediately and kneel at the door admitting your mistake, just like Mom said, you can be Wesley''s daughter from now on. We can''t afford to lose face like this."


    Simon finished in one breath, his eyes zing, panting with anger.


    He had felt pity for Katniss before, thinking it was hard for her to have suffered so many years after being switched at birth, and he had sworn to treat her well.


    But after one thing after another, even the best patience was worn out.


    He didn''t know how it hade to this, where even looking at her one more time felt disgusting, tainting his eyes.


    Clearly, they had been raised in the same way, so why was she so different from ra! Katniss was silent, her eyes reflecting a storm of emotions.


    After hearing this, Katniss couldn''t help butugh, tears streaming down her cheeks, then pointed at herself, "Me? Married to who? An old man?"


    ra''s eyes flickered with a sophisticated concern, looking at Katniss, she quickly and gentlyforted, "Katniss, we understand you''re upset because I''m about to get engaged to Desmond, but you can''t just marry someone randomly because of that. It hurts Mother and Mather, and our brothers too."


    "If you degrade yourself like this, even if I marry Desmond, I''ll feel guilty." Saying this, ra''s voice choked, covering her face with her hands, she said with her shoulders trembling, "It''s all my fault, I shouldn''t get engaged to Desmond."


    "Nonsense!" Elodie''s eyes swept coldly over Katniss, "A marriage between two families is not a child''s y, you can''t just decide to get married or not. ra, your marriage to Desmond is set in stone."


    Thinking of Katniss''s disgraceful actions, Elodie felt a surge of irritation. She took a deep breath and continued looking at Katniss, "It''s my fault for not disciplining you properly, leading to this situation. No matter how you act out, ra and Desmond''s marriage is already decided, you have to ept it!"


    During this time, Katniss hadn''t spoken. She wanted to see what they really thought of her.


    So, they thought all her abnormal behavior was because of Desmond.


    Katniss stood up, pped her hands mockingly, and swept her gaze over everyone, finally stopping on ra''s face.


    "Have you said enough?"


    "Aren''t these facts? What else do you have to say?" Simon sneered.


    "First of all, what is Desmond? A coward who shriks responsibility, is he worth all this?" Katniss''s cold voice was powerful and incisive "My husband is a hundred, a thousand times better than Desmond. Desmond is not even worthy ofparison!"


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    Instantly, ra''s expression stiffened, her lips quivering with suppressed rage, "Katniss, you admit you''re married."


    "Shut up!" Katniss coldly rebuked, her icy gaze shooting at ra, "So, you''re the one spread the rumor that I married an old man? After all, besides you, who else would pay so much attention to me?"


    ra''s body tensed up,


    Then, Katniss pulled out a photo from her phone and asked, "Is it him?"


    Simon leaned in to look, feeling smug and more confident, "You still won''t admit it, otherwise why would you have a photo of this old man on your phone?"


    Katniss sneered, "If one person is blind, must you all be blind? This is Maximilian''s butler, Felix."


    After saying this, Katniss enjoyed their astonished expressions, then smiled faintly but triumphant, "Do I need to call Maximilian and ask to borrow his butler for a confrontation?"


    Lucas''s eyes turned cold, narrowing slightly, "ra, what''s going on?"


    ra, now the center of unwanted attention, stammered, "I don''t know what''s going on, Ruby told me, and the photo was given to me by Ruby." After a pause, ra gritted her teeth and said, "I''m sorry, I misunderstood, but Katniss, you shouldn''t get married without discussing it with the family. What if the person is a deceiver, a viin..."


    "He''s a good man!" Katniss''s expression was unusually serious, her eyes daring ra to speak ill of Maximilian, "If you say one more bad thing about him, I''ll tear your mouth apart!"


    Simon was furious, ring at Katniss, "You dare!"


    Katniss tilted her head, her cold eyes lifting, "Go ahead, try me.""


    Blocked by Simon, ra clenched her fists, still smiling, "We''re just worried. If you think he''s good, that''s fine. Who is he? When will you bring him home to meet us?"

 Chapter 132

    From a distance, ra looked pitifully at Katniss over the table.


    Elodie, sitting on the sofa, didn''t look any better. After a few seconds of silence, she restrained her anger and followed ra''s lead, "Let''s listen to ra. You bring the person back, and we''ll see what happens."


    Knowing she wasn''t marrying an old man, Elodie breathed a sigh of relief.


    But as ra said, Katniss went to register for marriage without even informing her family,pletely showing a tant disregard for them.


    This Katniss had brought nothing but misfortune since she appeared.


    Elodie meditated darkly, if Katniss had never appeared, ra would have always been her daughter, and she would have continued to enjoy the envy of those around her for having such an excellent and beautiful daughter.


    Instead of being a clumsy, small-minded country girl with backwoods ent!


    After protracted silence, Elodie lost her patience, "Katniss, don''t you know how to respond?"


    Katniss''s face remained cial as she looked at ra, "Have you forgotten something?"


    "What?" Elodie asked, bewildered.


    "Since you wronged me, shouldn''t you apologize Katniss raised her head, her eyes unwavering." When you make a mistake, you apologize. Didn''t you teach your children any manners?"


    ra''s eyes widened in astonishment, "You want me to apologize to you?"


    "Yes, I want you to apologize," Katniss repeated.


    Elodie suddenly stood up, her sharp eyes sweeping over Katniss, narrowing slightly, "We''re all family, Katniss. Why are you being so aggressive?"


    "Then what were you doing when you demanded I kneel and admit my mistake, or else be given to Wesley?" Katniss recriminated.


    Her words hung in the air, as sharp as a sword poised at their throats.


    Nathan, who had been silent, stepped forward, looking at Katniss with aplex expression, and said softly, "ra owes Katniss an apology. We all owe you an apology."his voice carrying the weight of reluctance.


    Katniss was stunned for a few seconds, looking Nathan up and down. What new trick was this?


    A strategic retreat?


    Did they think that by saying this, she wouldn''t ept the apology out of pride?


    No, Katniss wouldn''t fall for it. She chuckled lightly, "Indeed, but I only want ra''s apology. I won''t ept anyone else''s."


    No apology could be a substitute for another.


    Nathan''s delicate face showed a sickly pallor, but he seemed pleased by Katniss''s response, "No, I only apologize for myself. If you want someone to apologize, let them do it. I won''t stop you."


    Katniss frowned, looking at Nathan suspiciously.


    Had Nathan been through some trauma?


    Was he sick, neglected, and lost his mind?


    Was his brain not functioning properly?


    Meanwhile, ra looked humiliated, biting her lip and ring at Katniss. The very idea of apologizing to Katniss was inconceivable to her!


    For so many years, she had always trampled Katniss underfoot, and she was on the brink of removing Katniss from the Manners family.


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    ra apologize? Katniss wasn''t worthy!


    ra''s eyes filled with tears, and she choked out, looking extremely aggrieved, "Katniss, I..."


    Before she could finish, Simon stepped forward, shielding ra behind him, looking anxious, "Katniss, don''t be so mean. The photos were given by Ruby, and it has nothing to do with ra. ra is also a victim!"


    Lucas was silent for a couple of seconds before saying softly, "Katniss, don''t go too far."


    "If you really want ra to apologize, I''ll do it for her! I''ll say sorry three times, okay? Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Simon said through gritted teeth, his expression terrifying, veins bulging on his forehead.


    ra copsed onto the sofa, sobbing uncontrobly, her eyes red.


    This scene was so familiar.


    Everyone surrounded ra. Clearly, it was ra''s fault, and she only wanted an apology, but it felt like she had done something heinous.


    Katniss''s face gradually turned cold, her red lips curling up slightly as she spoke coldly, "I''m congenitally cold and heartless, with a venomous heart. I''ve already said I want ra''s apology, not Simon''s."


    "Is it so hard to get an apology from ra?" Katniss chuckled, her voice cool and ethereal, "Is ra so noble that she can''t even say a simple apology? What exactly makes her so noble?"


    Before she finished speaking, a gust of wind suddenly swept past her ear. Katniss''s eyes flickered slightly, but she remained unmoved.


    Simon, who had suddenly lunged at her, was punched in the face by Conrad, who was protecting her from behind. In the blink of an eye, Simon was knocked to the ground.


    Simon''s face twisted in pain, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, and he couldn''t help but howl in agony.


    His painful cries echoed through the hall.


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    Katniss didn''t stop it, not even blinking, watching Simon''s miserable state with a sense of satisfaction.


    ra was so frightened that her face turned pale, she instinctively covered her mouth to stifle a scream, her wide, horrified eyes fixed on Katniss.


    Elodie screamed and rushed over, trembling all over as she scolded, "Katniss, tell your man to let Simon go. He''s your brother! How can you let someone do this to him?" "Wasn''t being locked up in the police stationst time enough?" Conrad scolded. Without Katniss''smand, Conrad continued to press down on Simon, even harder. Simon''s face turned as white as a ghost, and the sound of bones dislocating fixed the air.


    Katniss''s eyes were indifferent, "He can hit me, but I can''t fight back? What kind of logic is that?"


    Changing her posture, Katniss feigned confusion, "Ms. Smith, didn''t you see? Simon tried to hit me first."


    Even the usually calm Lucas was furious, rushing to Conrad and clenching his fists, his eyes dark as he red at Conrad, "Let him go! How dare youy a hand on my brother in my house? You must be out of your mind!"


    Conrad looked at Lucas with some mockery in his eyes, "Who do you think you are to order me around?"


    "Katniss!" Lucas''s eyes were filled with anger, his face trembling with fury.


    Katniss remained calm, still fixated on ra.


    Her lips curled into a slight smile, its meaning unmistakable..


    ra hadn''t expected that the final target would be her. She stood there stiffly, her face looking terrible, with no trace of her previous gentle and obedient demeanor.


    Katniss sat, her red lips curling into a faint smile, "If you apologize, I''ll let him go. Simon treats you so well, don''t you want to apologize for him?"

 Chapter 133

    "Katniss, you''re out of control! Let your brother go right now, or I''ll call the police!"


    Elodie shouted, her face red with anger. She turned to the servant and yelled, "Call the police, now!"


    She was incredulous. How could Katniss act so recklessly and think no one could stop her?


    Katniss smiled slightly and nced at Simon on the ground. "Sure, let''s see who gets here faster, the police or Simon''s tolerance. I''m just worried Conrad might not be gentle. What if Simon''s arm or leg gets broken?"


    The next second, Conrad moved with a calm expression, applying just a bit of force, but it was enough to make Simon''s face twist in pain, causing him to scream again.


    "Ah! Katniss, I won''t let you get away with this."


    The servants watching felt a pang of sympathy, and their gazes at Katniss were filled with fear.


    This was her own brother, and she was so ruthless to him.


    Elodie turned pale, her chest heaving with either anger or humiliation.


    Elodie, feeling sorry for her younger son,pelled herself and turned to ra. "ra, for Simon''s sake, can you just apologize to Katniss? Didn''t you want that famous designer''s dress? I''ll buy it for you."


    As soon as she finished speaking, ra''s hand clenched involuntarily.


    She had desired that dress fervently and had pleaded with Elodie to buy it, but Elodie


    had refused, saying it was too expensive and extravagant.


    Now, to save her son, she was willing to buy it without hesitation.


    For a brainless Simon, she had to endure such humiliation?


    She wasn''t their own daughter, and the disparity in treatment was ringly evident.


    ra couldn''t help but look at Katniss, who was sitting there. She must be feeling very smug right now. Don''t get too happy!


    In ten days, when she officially became Desmond''s fianc¨¦e, she would make sure to repay Katniss for today''s humiliation!


    "ra, you and Simon are usually the closest. Hurry up." Elodie urged, her voice strained with desperation.


    ra suddenly reached out and took Elodie''s arm, forcing a smile. "Mom, Simon has always been good to me. It''s just an apology. How could I feel humiliated? Even if Katniss asked me to do something more excessive, I would do it for Simon."


    After speaking, ra turned to Katniss, her eyes red, and said softly and with difficulty, "Katniss, I''m sorry. It was my fault for speaking without verifying with you, causing Mom and Dad and the brothers to misunderstand you. Please forgive me and let Simon go, okay?"


    Katniss looked at ra for a long time, her gaze inscrutable, before finally smiling. "Let him go."


    Conrad released Simon and pushed him forward, then stood back behind Katniss, like a wolf poised to strike, watching everyone warily.


    It seemed that if anyone dared to make a move, Conrad would rush out and break their neck without hesitation.


    Elodie quickly squatted down and hugged Simon, who was in too much pain to speak. "Simon, are you okay? Does it hurt?"


    Simon red at Katniss, but when he saw Conrad behind her, he shrank back in fear and stammered, "Mom, it hurts so much. Is my arm broken?"


    Conrad spoke expressionlessly, "It''s not broken. I know my strength."


    Simon gritted his teeth, feeling frustrated. Not breaking it was considered knowing his strength?


    Elodie was also frustrated and called for a servant to help, then called a doctor urgently.


    Lucas frowned deeply, looking at the indifferent Katniss with aplex expression, his lips pressed into a thin line.


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    "Katniss, you''ve really gone too far today."


    Katniss remained untouched, her demeanor as cool and detached as ever. "I''m just giving an eye for an eye."


    She was long past being affected by the Manners family''s favoritism.


    It seemed they only saw her faults, never their own relentless pressure.


    Lucas''s eyes turned cold, about to say something, but Nathan suddenly stood up, his hand covering his mouth as he coughed violently, then hoarsely confronted Lucas. "Lucas, Katniss was just defending herself. If Simon hadn''t tried to act, Conrad wouldn''t have caught him! Simon is a victim of his own action.."


    Lucas''s eyes turned icy. "Nathan!"


    On the other side, Simon was furious. "Nathan! Are you out of your mind?" he shouted, his voice cracking with disbelief.


    Just days ago, Nathan not only bullied ra into crying in order to help Katniss, but he also got sick himself.


    Simon couldn''t understand what had happened recently. Nathan seemed like a different person, always siding with Katniss.


    Elodie patted Simonfortingly and looked at Nathan with aplex expression. "Nathan, do you know what you''re saying? Your kindness shouldn''t overflow in this way!"


    "You''re not well. Someone, take Nathan upstairs." Elodiemanded, her voice mingled with both concern and authority.


    A servant came over and whispered, "Mr. Nathan Manners, let''s go upstairs. Don''t upset Mrs. Manners."


    Nathan''s cold eyes shed with sarcasm.


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    "One day, you''ll regret this!" he dered, his voiceced with a confirming prophecy. then he turned and was helped upstairs by the servant.


    Simon, enduring the pain, red at Katniss. "Katniss, what kind of spell did you cast Nathan to mess up his mind?"


    "And what about you? Are you so good to ra because she witched you? Or saved your lives?" Katniss blinked, smiling at Simon. "And was Nathan wrong? Fortunately, someone in the Manners family is using their brain."


    Elodie looked like she had been stepped on, her eyes zing as she red at Katniss, furious. "Katniss, ask yourself, has the Manners family ever mistreated you all these years?"


    "I provided for you, fed you, clothed you, sent you to school! And you repay us by bringing outsiders to bully ra, and even colluding with that sickly Hamilton boy to get Simon into the police station. Do you have a heart? Are you trying to drive me to my grave? Drive your brother to his grave? Drive our whole family to ruin before you''re satisfied?"


    Lucas quickly supported Elodie, patting her back. "Mom, don''t get angry. Don''t let this ungrateful person make you sick."


    Katniss''s smile vanished, and she kicked the chair she had been sitting on. With a loud bang, the chair fell to the ground.


    Everyone was startled.


    "Your so-called kindness to me was merely not letting me starve. All these years, have you ever been in my room? The bathrooms in the Manners Vi are bigger than my room. Every parent-teacher conference, you only went to ra''s. Every birthday, you only remembered ra''s. Even the birthday gifts were only what ra liked."


    The neglection and favoritism was endless, so much so that each time Katniss recounted them, she felt a deep sense of folly.


    Elodie and the Manners family had made it so conspicuous, why had she stubbornly clung to this impossible familial bond?


    Katniss pressed her lips together. "Ms. Smith, spare me your tales of hypocrisy. They make me ill."


    Then, Katniss closed her eyes briefly and turned to leave. At the door, she paused.


    "That''s it. I won''t divorce. Pick a time to transfer me to Wesley''s name. Then you won''t have to worry about having such a disgraceful daughter or sister anymore."

 Chapter 134

    As Katniss stepped out the door, she looked up at the dazzling sunlight, and gently exhaled a breath of stale air.The weight of her burdens seemed to lift with that single breath.


    Then, she raised the corners of her mouth into a bright smile. She was finally going topletely leave this so-called "home" behind!


    From now on, The world is her oyster, free and easy. Those people and past events were not worth wasting her emotions on anymore!


    She would pursue her passions and dreams with the utmost love and enthusiasm.


    For example...


    Helping Maximilian stand up again! She could see him standing proudly in this beautiful world, conquering everything with his unique charisma, reaching the heights he deserved!


    Conrad, although very sympathetic to Katniss for having such disgusting families, kindly reminded her, "Madam, if you don''t leave now, you won''t make it home in time for lunch."


    Mira had made her proficient dishes today.


    "Madam, it''s time to go home. You have sses in the afternoon," Conrad couldn''t help but remind her.


    Katniss nodded. Conrad was right, she should hurry home for lunch. Just as she was about to get in the car, she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Apanied by ra''s always soft voice, "Katniss, wait a minute."


    Katniss frowned and turned around in disgust.


    ra had already reached her, panting and with a blush on her delicate face, perhaps from running too hasty.


    Katniss raised an eyebrow and sneered, "ra, there are no Manners family members here. There''s no need to pretend, is there?"


    ra nced warily at Conrad behind her and attempted to maintain herposure, "In ten days, it''s my engagement party with Desmond. The venue is set at the Starry Night Hotel. Remember to attend."


    Katniss looked at her nonchntly and said disdainfully, "ra, are you insane? I''m not interested in theparty of you two scumbags. Perhaps you might consider inviting me to the funeral instead."


    ra''s face turned ugly at these words, especially since she didn''t see the jealousy and resentment she wanted on Katniss''s face.


    Could it be that Katniss really didn''t like Desmond anymore?


    Impossible. In the entire Luminous City, Desmond was the most outstanding and prestigious man.


    Had Katniss not reappeared so suddenly, ra wouldn''t have had to go through so much trouble and almost lost her fianc¨¦!


    Fortunately, the result was good.


    Soon, she would be the only daughter of the Manners family again!


    Thinking of this, ra smiled lightly, "Katniss, you should stille. Besides my engagement party, you won''t have the chance to attend high-society events as the prestigious daughter of the Manners family anymore."


    "Thanks for the reminder. Since you''re so earnestin your invitaition, I''ll definitely go, and I''ll go with an even more prestigious identity!"


    With that, Katniss got into the car and mmed the door shut.


    Conrad nced at ra dismissively.


    What nonsense was this woman spouting?


    Katniss''s identity was a thousand, no, ten thousand times more esteemed than the daughter of the Manners family!


    Conrad quickly got into the car, reversed sharply, and the exhaust sprayed all over ra''s face, ruining her white dress with the mud from the tires.


    ra let out a startled cry, instinctively covering her face, looking both embarrassed and ridiculous. By the time she reacted, the car had already sped away.


    She stomped her foot in anger!


    Her eyes shed with a vicious light. Once Katniss was adopted out, she had countless ways to make her life a living hell!


    Driving on the road, Conrad kept ncing at Katniss, who was resting with her eyes closed, through the rearview mirror.


    Katniss lifted her eyelids slightly, "What do you want to say?"


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    Conrad''s eyes lit up immediately, and he said excitedly, "Madam, that ra is so bad, just like my teacher said, toxic jelly bean. Let me tie her up and throw her in an alley for a beating!"


    Katniss sighed. Did Conrad not understand thew?


    She felt the need to educate him, "Hitting someone, no matter who it is, is illegal. What


    if you get caught? You''d end up in the police station!"


    Conrad blinked and whispered, "I''m good at it, I won''t get caught."


    Katniss chuckled and closed her eyes again, "Don''t go. She''s just a girl, how many hits


    can she take? If you hurt ra, the Manners family wille after you."


    Indeed, ra was deserving of a lesson, yet the Manners family was not to be underestimated.. If they found out, Conrad, with no background, would be in big


    trouble.


    "Oh." Conrad responded dejectedly, then his eyes brightened again.


    ra couldn''t take a beating, and neither could that frail person, but the men of the Manners family could.


    Especially Simon, who always wanted to hit Katniss. Conrad resolved to seize him after school, bind him, and give him a good beating.


    He wanted to tell Katniss, but seeing her asleep, he kept quiet. He''d give her a surprise after the deed!


    After lunch at home and a short rest, Conrad drove Katniss to school.


    Katniss walked into the ssroom alone and pulled out a book from her desk to prepare.


    As she did so, a note fluttered out.


    She immediately saw the content, "I''ll be waiting for you behind the third teaching building."


    Signed: Laura.


    Why was she looking for her?


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    The third teaching building was not far away, not too isted, with a peristyle and arge artificialke behind it.


    It wasn''t ss time yet, so there would be quite a few people there.


    Katniss brooded a while and tucked the note into the book. She didn''t think Laura would dare to do anything inappropriate in such a ce.


    She decided to see what Laura wanted.


    As she reached the destination, Katniss saw Laura sitting in one of the small pavilions. Laura''s figure was frail, and under the oversized coat, she seemed like just a skeleton. Her long hair was tied back, appearing somewhat disheveled.


    Laura also saw her arrival, and a strange light shed in her weray eyes.


    Katniss sat down in front of her, getting straight to the point, "What do you want? I thought we had nothing to say."


    For Laura, Katniss felt that not kicking her when she was down was thest bit of kindness.


    Laura straightened her body slightly, "If it weren''t for ra misleading me, I wouldn''t have attacked you."


    Hearing this, Katniss narrowed her eyes and then chuckled lightly.


    It wasn''t entirely unexpected, yet it sent a shiver through her heart


    Katniss continued to stare at Laura, her tone both questioning and certain, "You didn''t


    call me here just to say that, did you?"


    "Right." Laura suddenly pulled open her cor, catching Katniss off guard with the sight.


    Laura''s skin was a canvas of red marks, some deep, some shallow, suggesting a scene of intense violence.


    Laura then pulled her cor wider, revealing even more shocking marks, including bite marks.


    "Do you know who did this?" Laura looked at her reaction, as if showing off spoils, speaking with a mix of pride and madness, "Your father, Oliver!"


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 135

    Katniss''s mouth twitched, her mind almost unable to process the situation. She had lived two lifetimes and had never encountered something so incendiary.


    It was utterly ridiculous.


    Katniss blinked, "Are you crazy?"


    "You don''t believe me? It''s true. A few days ago, the night you saw me at the bar, ra humiliated me. She had people strip me on the street and tried to have me vited. In the end, it was your father who saved me."


    That night?


    Katniss pressed her lips together. She knew ra was ruthless, but she hadn''t imagined she would be so vicious.


    Desmond was also there that night. Wasn''t ra afraid that Desmond would discover and ruin her chances of marrying into the Boleyn family?


    Laura''s face, pale and drawn, betrayed her turmoil as she continued, "I know ra has bullied you for many years and even took your ce. You must hate her more than I do!"


    Laura extended her hand, her smile pleated with anticipation, her face contorted as she issued an invitation, "Let''s drag ra into hell together! Let''s make her life a living hell!"


    Looking calmly at the frenzied Laura, Katniss saw a reflection of her past self.


    Possessed by obsession, treading a path of no return, and ultimately meeting a tragedy.


    Katniss sighed nonchntly, "Sorry, I''m not interested."


    With that, she turned to leave.


    Laura stood up in a panic, "How can that be! Don''t you hate ra?"


    Her voice was almost a scream, her eyes bloodshot, desperate for an answer.


    Themotion drew strange looks from a few ssmates nearby.


    Katniss rubbed her forehead, stood up straight, and looked directly into Laura''s hate- filled eyes, "The Manners family isn''t worth my emotions, and I refuse to squander my precious time on revenge."


    ''Life is short. I want to live happily and cherish those who truly matter. That''s the most powerful revenge against my enemies! And it''s the best way to be true to myself. To me, there are many things more important than revenge.''


    In her past life, she was blinded, spending decades in a futile effort to please the Manners family.


    Now, Katniss wanted to see things she had missed in her past life, better things. Revenge against the Manners family, entangling in life-and-death struggles, how was that different from her past self?


    That wasn''t her future.


    Laura was stunned for a moment, then shook her head frantically, "No, that''s not right! We should do whatever it takes to drag those who wronged us into abyss! Make their lives a living hell."


    Katniss stared at Laura for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled, "Well, I wish you sess. Oh, by the way, do you know what kind of girl my dad likes the most?"


    Laura''s eyes widened, "What kind?"


    "Girls like ra."


    Gentle,pliant, and adept at ttery, they could easily capture his heart.


    Having said her piece, Katniss turned and walked away


    Laura wasn''t a good person, and neither were the people from the Manners family. Katniss didn''t want to waste time on them.


    But if they fought among themselves, it would be karma.


    A cool breeze blew through the peristyle.


    Laura''s exposed skin at her cor was icy cold, but she ignored, her eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light.


    Girls like ra.


    Katniss had been dyed by Laura for quite some time. When she rushed back to the ssroom, the bell had just rung.


    The afternoon sses were easy, and after they ended, Katniss quickly packed her books and left.


    A familiar Range Rover was parked nearby. Katniss thought Conrad hade to fetch her. But upon opened the door, she was met with the handsomeface of Maximilian.


    His eyes were deep like an ancient well, and he was dding the dark red custom- made suit she had chosen for him.


    Maximilian sat in the car, holding a document, with gold-rimmed sses on his eyes, adding a touch of stoic coldness.


    Rememberingst night''s scene, Katniss''s movements stiffened, a blush creeping up her face. Maximilian wasn''t as ascetic as he appeared.


    Maximilian lightly raised a ck eyebrow, his deep, husky voice asking, "Not getting in?"


    "Yes, I am." Katniss replied, getting in the car and deliberately leaning against the window, "I''m just a bit surprised. I didn''t expect you to pick me up in person."


    At this time, Maximilian usually hadn''t finished work, right?


    "Finished a business meeting and passed by."


    Maximilian''s response was casual, making Katniss press her lips together.


    Oh, it wasn''t an apology.


    He was just passing by and picked her up.


    Katniss let out a nomittal "oh." and suddenly had nothing to say. She turned her gaze to the window, trying not to think aboutst night''s bathroom incident, reminding herself that she had been blinded by his looks.


    When they got back to the vi, Conrad opened the trunk and took out the wheelchair, helping Maximilian into it.


    Katniss, almost instinctively, took the wheelchair and pushed Maximilian inside.


    Halfway through, Katniss felt a tinge of annoyance. Wasn''t she supposed to be angry?


    Why was she so diligently serving Maximilian?


    Conrad didn''t move, taking out a small notebook to quickly jot down notes. He couldn''t forget such an important rtionship tip.


    Give your girlfriend a chance to take care of you!


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    Mira had already prepared dinner. Seeing the two return together, her face lit up with a smile.


    "Katniss, Mr. Hamilton, you''re back. Dinner is ready."


    Katniss nced at Mira, sensing undertone in her smile. Before she could think more, she saw a bowl of soup on the table.


    Wasn''t that the soup Mira made to help conceive a child?


    Katniss''s mouth twitched.


    Maximilian noticed her reaction, a faint smile crossing his deep-set eyes, "Mira, take the soup away."


    Katniss''s clear eyes brightened, looking even more obedient.


    "No, Mr. Hamilton." Mira waved her hands seriously, "You need to drink it for a week


    for it to be effective. Many women in my hometown drank this and had twins!"


    Having one was already too much, now she wanted twins?


    Mira''s expectations were too high.


    Katniss pressed her lips together, thinking Mira would inevitably be disappointed. Forget twins, by next year, she wouldn''t even be Maximilian''s real wife.


    This soup should be given to someone who really needed it.


    Besides, she mused, with Maximilian''s abilities, he wouldn''t need this soup.


    Just as Katniss was thinking this, Maximilian''s deep voice sounded, "No need for that. We''ll let nature take its course."


    Mira looked at Maximilian, then at Katniss, and understood. She pped her hands, "You''re right. You''re still young and don''t need these aids. I''ll take it away."


    Katniss almost choked on her own saliva.


    ''Maximilian, do you hear what you''re saying?''


    After Mira took the soup away, Katniss blushed and sneaked a nce at Maximilian, who was slowly eating.


    Katniss nced at the departing Mira and lowered her voice, "Maximilian, if you say that, Mira will misunderstand!"

 Chapter 136

    "Misunderstanding what?" Maximilian looked up and met a pair of beautiful eyes, which seemed to be filled with countless tiny stars. He suddenly pursed his lips, "Do your manners, don''t talk!"


    Katniss swallowed the words she was about to say.


    "I want to talk." Katniss suddenly became bold, "Mira misunderstood that I could give you twins next year."


    Maximilian''s spoon paused mid-air, and he raised an eyebrow, "You''re still young, you can''t have children."


    "I''m twenty, how am I still young?" as soon as she said this, Katniss regretted it.


    Katniss bit her lip, feeling a wave of awkwardness wash over her. What was she even saying?


    She sneaked a nce at Maximilian, hoping he didn''t care what she just said.


    But she found that Maximilian was looking at her and had indeed heard her, "You want to have children?"


    How did it turn into her wanting to have children with Maximilian?


    Katniss panicked and hurriedly exined, "That''s not what I meant. I mean, our marriage is fake, everything is fake, how could we have children? Mira and Grandpa will be..." disappointed.


    Before she could finish, Maximilian interrupted her, his tone heavy, "I know, do you want everyone to know?"


    Katniss immediately stopped, nced at Maximilian''s smooth and beautiful profile, and lowered her head quietly, her face a mask of impassivity..


    Seeing this made Katniss feel stifled, and she was absent-minded for the rest of the meal.


    After dinner, Maximilian had to handle some business. Katniss didn''t dare make a sound and quickly took on the task, pushing Maximilian steadily into the study and then giving him acupuncture.


    Maximilian was very cooperative, and the whole process went smoothly.


    But Katniss sensitively noticed that ever since she said that sentence, the chill surrounding Maximilian had deepened perceptibly.


    Even after it was over, Katniss couldn''t understand if she had said something wrong.


    Back in her room, Katniss tried to shake off the frustration. After reading for a while but not being able to focus, she resolutelydecided to call Wesley.


    On the other end, Wesley seemed very tired, but he immediately perked up upon hearing Katniss''s voice.


    "Wesley, they decided today to transfer me to you. I wanted to ask your opinion." Katniss got straight to the point.


    "Transfer?" Wesley was silent for two seconds and didn''t ask for specifics.


    He knew better than anyone how Oliver''s family treated Katniss.


    Now they were proposing to transfer Katniss to him. One could imagine how hurt Katniss must have been when she heard this.


    Wesley feltplicated butughed, "Katniss, I couldn''t ask for more."


    Katniss didn''t say much, hung up the call with Wesley, and found Elodie''s number from the cklist.


    The call was answered immediately, and Elodie''s piercing voice drilled into her ear, "How dare you call back! Do you know Simon is lying in the hospital? The doctor said if he had been brought in anyter, he would have lost his arm."


    Katniss frowned in disgust, holding the phone away, and said lightly, "What a pity. If I had known, I would have told Conrad to let go a bitter."


    "What did you say! Katniss, do you have any conscience"


    Katniss interrupted Elodie, "Let''s handle the transfer tomorrow at nine o''clock at Grandma''s old house. Another day as your daughter, and I might just throw up from disgust!"


    Elodie was stunned for a moment, then stood up, gritting her teeth. Her well- maintained face quickly broke into a smile, "I was worried you would cling to being my daughter. Since you''re so eager, it suits me just fine. Tomorrow..."


    Before she could finish, Katniss hung up, one more word of Elodie into her ears was torture.


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    Listening to the busy tone on the phone, Elodie felt a surge of anger so intense that it seemed to carve new lines into the corners of her eyes.


    At the turn of the stairs, ra, who had been standing for a while, walked down gracefully.


    "Mom, what happened? Why are you so angry?"


    "It''s Katniss. She She had the audacity to and pushed for the transfer!"


    "Mom." ra bit her lower lip, looking worried, "You didn''t really agree, did you?"


    "Of course! This matter is not up for discussion!"


    "Mom, Katniss is just trying to use the marriage to provoke us. She doesn''t genuinely want to sever ties. You can''t take it seriously. What if Katnisses to her sensester?"


    Elodie''s face darkened, and she sat back on the sofa, "Even if she regrets it and begs on her knees, I will never let her step into The Manners Vi again."


    "Mom."


    "ra, don''t ask about this. From now on, you are my only precious daughter. Come on, I''ll take you to buy that dress tonight."


    ra felt relieved, gave a satisfied smile, and quickly returned to her obedient and gentle demeanor.


    Suddenly, there was a sound at the entrance.


    Oliver walked in, carrying a ck briefcase under his arm.


    ra called out joyfully, "Daddy," and rushed over like a little butterfly.


    However, Oliver''s reaction was a bit slow today. When ra reached him, he smiled warmly, "Good girl, ra."


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    As soon as Elodie saw Oliver, she starteduching a detailed tirade about Katniss. Oliver hadn''t been home and didn''t know about the serious incident.


    After hearing everything, Oliver''s face immediately darkened. The mention of Katniss pushing for the transfer the very next day erased any lingering doubts he might have had.


    "Alright, I''ll cancel my morning meeting tomorrow."


    "Dad, Simon was badly beaten, but Katniss didn''t mean it."


    "ra." Elodie looked at ra gently, "Don''t say any more. This matter is settled. Come on,let''s not let this ruin our day. Let''s go buy that dress."


    Saying this, Elodie had already reached ra and pulled her out.


    The house was suddenly empty, leaving only Oliver. He leaned back on the sofa, raised


    his hand to rub his temples, the memories of the wild night at the hotel still felt surreal.


    Thinking of the vulnerable Laura, Oliver sighed, feeling a surge of regret. How did he lose control?


    In one night, his stamina was even stronger than when he was young, leaving Laura, delicate and bruised.


    The phone in the inner pocket of his suit buzzed a few times. Oliver sat up straight, opened his phone, and when he saw the content, his pupils dted, and his mind went nk.


    On the screen was a color photo from the waist down. Laura was wearing a white shirt that barely covered her important parts, revealing a pair of slender legs, which were now covered in bruises, some of which had pink band-aids.


    It was a sight intended to evoke the lust of men..


    Oliver knew exactly what this was. He swallowed nervously and swiped to the next photo. This time, it was a selfie of Laura, her eyes filled with tears, her exposed corbone covered in bite marks, looking as innocent as a little rabbit trying to be brave after being ravaged.


    Oliver stared at the screen, his heart pounding. and after several seconds, he reluctantly tore his eyes away from the screen. He thought for a moment and typed a line of text.

 Chapter 137

    [What do you mean by sending these?]


    Oliver clutched his phone, his brows slightly furrowed, unable to conceal his anxiety as he waited for a reply.


    After a while, the phone vibrated again: [Oliver, don''t be mad. I just don''t know how to deal with these wounds. I''m scared. I can''t ask anyone else, so I had toe to you.] Oliver''s tense heart rxed a bit, his eyes flickered-had he misunderstood?


    He had thought too ill of her.


    He exhaled lightly, [Go to the pharmacy and buy some ointment for external injuries.]


    [But I''m alone, and still scared. Could you buy it and bring it to me?]


    Oliver stared at the message, still unsure of her words. Was this a genuine plea for help or something more maniptive?


    Another message appeared on the screen: [Forget it, I don''t want to trouble you. I know it''s my fault. Let''s just consider this a misunderstanding. I won''t appear in front of you again.]


    Oliver hesitated for a moment, then suddenly Laura''s fragile and broken image appeared in his mind. His heart softened, and he finally replied: [I''ll bring the medicine tomorrow afternoon.]


    Having slept with his friend''s daughter and misunderstood her intentions as ckmail, Oliver felt guilty.


    If it had been any other woman, Oliver would have settled it with money long ago. [Thank you, I knew you were a good person.]


    Oliver''s gaze lingered on the words "good person" for a few seconds before he quickly deleted their conversation, including the two photos.


    The night deepened.


    In Golden Crest Estates, thest light was turned off by Mira, who then wrapped herself


    in a coat and returned to the servant''s quarters to rest.


    In the second-floor study, Maximilian finished his paperwork. Katniss''s expression of denial about their rtionship surfaced in his mind, causing a wave of irritation.


    After a moment of stillness, Maximilian let out a subtle sign and wheeled himself out of the room.


    Katnissy on her side in bed, a small wallmp with warm yellow light glowed her face, making her appear serene and soft.


    Still in the bloom of youth, Katniss didn''t sleep very soundly. The nket had slipped to her waist, and two buttons of her nightgown were undone, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of delicate skin and a hint of cleavage.


    Maximilian felt his throat tighten and his mouth go dry. He was about to turn away when Katniss let out a soft, dreamy moan and shifted slightly, resettling into her slumber.


    Maximilian''s eyes darkened. He wheeled himself to the bedside, enduring the pain from his bones, andy down beside her.


    Face to face, he inhaled the subtle scent of roses that clung to her, a faint fragrance that was intoxicating.


    Inside him prisoned a dark, bloodthirsty beast.


    He was far from the virtuous man Katniss saw on the surface. he was consumed by obsession and shadowed by a past filled with darkness and regret. His hands were stained with the marks of countless misdeeds. He was born into sin, a being excluded by the world.


    Before Katniss appeared, Maximilian never felt that life had any joy.


    After all, countless people around him, including his own parent, were waiting for his death.


    Maximilian''s only pleasure was seeing those people expect, and then be disappointed. Katniss, besides Carlton and Samuel, was the only one who strongly wished for him to live.


    As time passed, his vile desire to keep Katniss by his side only grew stronger. Maximilian didn''t know how long he could resist.


    He forcefully suppressed his impulses, moved closer to her, and silently watched her.


    Their bodies were almost touching, like two perfectly matched pieces of art.


    Maximilian watched for a long time before closing his eyes. With Katniss''s apaniment, falling asleep was no longer so difficult.


    A peaceful night passed, and Katniss slowly opened her sleepy eyes. In front of her, a handsome face came into view.


    She was stunned for a moment, then closed her eyes again. Oh, a dream.


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    Wait!


    She suddenly opened her eyes, this time meeting a pair of calm eyes. The air was silent for a moment before Maximilian spoke first, "Awake?"


    His voice was deep and pleasant like a cello, with a hint of morning huskiness.


    Then, without changing his expression, Maximilian released his arm from around her. Katniss, momentarily bewitched, nodded, "Good morning."


    Realizing what had happened, she instinctively reached under the nket, feeling her clothes intact. Thankfully, she hadn''t done anything to Maximilian. But that wasn''t the point!


    Trying to stay calm, Katniss queried, "Why were you holding me?"


    "Don''t you remember?" Maximilian rose slowly, his expression unchanged, "Do you know how bad your sleeping posture is? If I hadn''t held you, you would have fallen to the floor. Half the bed isn''t enough for you? Do you want me to sleep on the couch, or do you want me to throw you on the couch?"


    Hearing this, Katniss felt a bit embarrassed. So Maximilian had held her to prevent her from falling to the floor.


    Besides holding her, there was no other way?


    Katniss blinked, feeling a bit frustrated. She used to sleep very properly when she was alone.


    Heposed himself and sat back in his wheelchair, "Stop dawdling, it''s time for ss. After breakfast, I''ll take you."


    "Maximilian." Katniss thought for a moment and called out to him.


    She told him about not going to school today and the matter of adoption.


    Maximilian immediately said, "Since you''ve decided to be adopted, I''ll have thewyer draft a contract and go through the formal procedures to ensure there are no possible issues."


    After speaking, he didn''t wait for Katniss to say anything else and went straight into the bathroom.


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    Last night''s unpleasantness seemed to have suddenly disappeared.


    After breakfast, Grant arrived just in time, bringing a prepared disownment agreement and an adoption agreement.


    Katniss read through them and couldn''t help but give Grant a thumbs up for his professionalism.


    She had nned to pick up Wesley''s family first and solve the matter face-to-face with both families.


    With these two documents, there was no need for Wesley''s family to meet with the Manners family.


    Katniss packed up and was about to leave with Grant when she heard that Maximilian asked to go with them. She immediately said, "Maximilian, this small matter, having Grant is enough."


    She felt bad about dying Maximilian''s work for her own matters.


    Maximilian gave Katniss a deep look, "It''s fine. I''ll wait for you in the car. You take Conrad."


    Katniss responded, "Okay."


    The group soon arrived at Aurora''s old house.


    It was just nine o''clock.


    The three of them waited for more than ten minutes, but no one arrived.


    Katniss frowned and was about to urge Elodie when she heard Simon''s dissatisfied


    voice outside, "Katniss did this on purpose, choosing this old, broken ce."


    Then Elodie and Oliver walked in.


    Seeing the scene inside, Oliver frowned.


    Simon had seen Grant at the police station before, and there was no need to mention Conrad, whose arm was still bandaged. He immediately red at Katniss, convicted of her greed and shamelessness.


    "You brought awyer here, are you nning to extort us arge deal before we kick you out?"


    Hearing Simon''s words, Elodie felt the same, extremely disappointed and angry, "Katniss, don''t expect things you don''t deserve."


    Katniss lifted her clear eyes and said calmly, "You''re overthinking it. I want nothing from the Manners family, for it brings nothing but bad luck!"

 Chapter 138

    Katniss winked at Grant.


    Grant stepped forward and handed Oliver the disassociation agreement. "Katniss won''t take a penny from the Manners family. This is the agreement. Once you sign it, it will be effective."


    Simon snatched it and look it up then handed it to Oliver.


    Frowning, he felt a vague recognition of Grant, as though he had seen him somewhere before.


    Oliver''s face darkened as he read through the pages. By the end, his expression was so grim it could drip water, especially when he saw the use stating: "Oliver and Elodie, in life and death, have nothing to do with Katniss. Katniss has no obligation to support them."


    Elodie, who had been reading as well, turned livid with anger. "Katniss, are you cursing us? We will never fall so low as to need your concern!"


    Katniss sneered, "Then sign it!"


    Oliver stared at Katniss and suddenly said, "Although our familial bond has been parted, I still want to give you onest piece of advice. Since you''re married now, no matter the reason, live your life well and don''t entangle yourself with Maximilian again."


    "There''s news that Maximilian is already married, and his spouse is a student of Brent. Although her identity is unknown, anyone who can marry Maximilian and is a student of Brent must be a high-societydy. If people find out you''ve been entangled with Maximilian, it won''t sound good." he added, his voice thick.


    Katniss''s eyes gradually cleared as she quietly looked at the self-righteous Oliver.


    If they had cared about her even a little, they would know that she was Brent''s student.


    Katniss smiled brightly, "You don''t need to worry about my affairs."


    After Oliver''s words, Simon finally remembered that thiswyer was Grant, the one who had sent him into jail.


    Maximilian''s man!


    So, Katniss was married but still shamelessly messing around with Maximilian! How shameless!


    "Dad, stop wasting words with her. Sign it. Having any rtionship with someone like her is unfortunate," Simon urged.


    Oliver, looking displeased, said no more and signed the document with a flourish. Elodie also followed procedure, clearly writing her name below Oliver''s.


    Katniss silently watched their expressions, just as she had expected, eager to be done with it.


    She lightly pressed her lips together, split the agreement into two copies, and felt an extraordinary sense of relief.


    Her long-held wish to break free from the Manners family was finally realized at this moment.


    With a burning gaze, Katniss said, "Oliver, Elodie, farewell!"


    Both of them were stunned by the defiant greeting, and their faces turned even uglier. Simon was about to curse.


    Suddenly, Katniss thought of something, took a step back, and with a smile, looked at Elodie. "Elodie, I wish you and your husband eternal love and harmony, without any mistresses!"


    Katniss deliberately emphasized "mistresses," then meaningfully nced at Oliver.


    Oliver''s breath hitched, and he was about to scold Katniss, but he subconsciously felt guilty..


    Elodie red at Katniss in anger but didn''t think much of it, assuming Katniss was just trying to disgust her.


    After going downstairs, Katniss asked Grant for the other copy of the "adoption agreement."


    "Grant, you won''t be needed after this. As long as Wesley signs it, it''s done."


    He was Maximilian''swyer, handling all issues for the Hamilton and Boleyn families, so he must be very busy.


    "Understood, Madam," Grant corrected his address.


    Grant nced thoughtfully at Katniss and the Manners family in the distance. Things were getting interesting.


    Katniss, married to Maximilian, the head of the Hamilton and Boleyn families, was someone others would rush to ingratiate with, yet the Manners family discarded her like trash.


    Instead, they favored ra, who might never marry into the Boleyn family. What fools.


    After watching Grant leave in another car, Katniss walked towards Maximilian''s car.


    At that moment, she heard Oliver''s slightly urgent voice behind her, "Katniss."


    She gave a smile of triumph, "Anything else, Mr. Manners?"


    Oliver nced sideways at Conrad, straightened his suit, and asked seriously, "What did you mean by what you said?"


    "What are you talking about, Mr. Manners? I don''t understand."


    Katniss blinked her big eyes, looking innocent and pure. "Can you exin in detail?"


    Oliver stared at her for a while, seeing nothing, and was about to think he was overthinking it.


    Katniss yfully added, "The weather is getting cold. Take care of your health, don''t overwork yourself. At your age, you need more rest at night."


    Oliver''s back tingled, and he suddenly understood.


    Only he and Laura knew about this.


    Laura and Katniss were at the same school, she must have heard it from Laura!


    Seeing him struggle to control his emotions, Katniss smiled gleefully and left with Conrad.


    Katniss getting into the car was witnessed by Elodie and Simon, who had juste down.


    Simon snorted in disgust, "She''s really hooked up with a man in the dark!"


    "Luckily, she has nothing to do with our Manners family anymore. Whatever she does won''t disgrace us."


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Elodie sighed in relief at sending off this "daughter." Seeing Oliver standing there alone, ide asked,"Hey, what''s your dad doing standing there?"


    In the car.


    Katniss looked at Oliver and Elodie''s signatures repeatedly, her face beaming with a bright smile.


    "Maximilian, I''ve finally broken free from the Manners family. Thank you for your help in getting me this far," Katniss said sincerely. "Now that my business is done, we can end this marriage anytime. Sorry for taking up so much of your time."


    "Let me remind you to remember the terms of our contract," Maximilian said calmly, looking at her face. "Using my influence to break free from the Manners family, and now you want to burn the bridge after crossing it?"


    Katniss felt a little guilty about Oliver''s words


    "I haven''t forgotten, don''t worry. Even if we divorce, I''ll still cure your illness and leg condition. I have medical ethics," Katniss assured. "If someone likes you, you might miss out."


    Their marriage was fake, and she had been upying the position of Maximilian''s wife. The person from the Thorne family was the one Maximilian should have married. Suddenly, a cold atmosphere permeated the car.


    Maximilian''s gaze remained unwavering as he spoke with an air of detachment, "That''s not for you to consider. Who I like and marry is not based on who likes me." "Oh," Katniss nodded awkwardly.


    The car soon arrived at Wesley''s ce, and this time, Maximilian went up with Katniss.


    After receiving Katniss''s call about the adoptionst night, Wesley had informed everyone, and now the whole family was eagerly waiting in the living room. When Katniss entered, she saw this scene.


    Her nose couldn''t help but tingle, feeling the significance Wesley''s family ced on


    her.


    Maximilian sensed her emotions, took her hand, and wrapped within his own. Katniss instinctively looked at him, hearing Maximilian''s deep, husky voice, "All you do


    is cry. Aren''t you going to greet them? Now, they are your parents."

 Chapter 139

    Katniss looked back at the people in the living room and shed a bright smile, "Well!"


    "Katniss, Mr. Hamilton, you''re here, please have a seat."


    Wesley saw Katniss and immediately beamed with a smile, while Daphne pushed the prepared fruits and snacks towards Katniss.


    Nathan sat quietly on the other side, with little expression, but the faint smile at the corner of his mouth still represented his mood.


    Saskia was right next to Katniss. She had just been discharged from the hospital a couple of days ago and was still in poor health, but she insisted on witnessing this momentous moment in her family.


    After chatting for a bit, Katniss took out the adoption agreement.


    Wesley and Daphne signed their names without hesitation.


    Katniss felt a surge of emotion.


    She was no longer part of that family, and the tragic death she experienced in her past life would never happen again!


    She hadpletely and forever gained her freedom.


    A life of freedom, an independent personality.


    Unlike the harmonious atmosphere here, Oliver was sitting in his car near Laura''s house, waiting for Laura with a gloomy expression.


    After a few minutes, Laura finally arrived.


    The moment she settled in, Oliver''s voice, stern and demanding, "Did you tell Katniss about this?"


    A quick sh of emotion crossed her eyes. She bit her lip, looked up at Oliver, and her face showed just the adequate amount of grievance and innocence.


    Her soft voice trembled, "Oliver, what are you talking about? How could I dare tell anyone about this?"


    "You really didn''t say anything?"


    Oliver was momentarily confused. How did Katniss find out? Was he overthinking it? "Oliver, I swear, I won''t tell anyone."


    Laura adjusted her posture to face Oliver, and two full, glistening tears rolled down her cheeks. "What happened that night is our eternal secret."


    She raised her hand to wipe away her tears in a panic, her voice weakening, "If it weren''t for the fact that I was in so much pain and didn''t know what to do, I wouldn''t have contacted you."


    Oliver''s brow furrowed tightly, "Alright, stop crying. I brought the medicine, you should tend to your wounds. Allow me some time to ponder this, and I will provide you with an exnation.""


    A white stic bag was handed to Laura.


    Laura''s eyes, still brimming with tears, pleaded with Oliver, "Oliver, there are also many scars on my back that I can''t reach. Can you help me?"


    It was a simple request. After a brief hesitation, Oliver took out the medicine from the stic bag.


    The space inside the car was tight, and the lighting was dim.


    Oliver''s fingersnded on Laura''s smooth back, which was covered in marks.


    Laura''s shoulders trembled slightly as she turned her face to look at him, "Be gentle, it hurts."


    Oliver paused, swallowed, and said nothing.


    But Laura felt that he was being gentler, her eyes shed, and she softly said, "The clothes you gave mest time were very expensive. I can''t just take them for free."


    "I''ve already found a part-time job. Just wait a bit longer, and once I''ve saved enough for my mom''s medical bills, I''ll start saving to pay you back."


    Hearing this, Oliver''s eyes narrowed, and his tone became somewhat displeased, "How much can a girl like you earn? Don''t worry about it."


    Oliver was a man of status, how could he care about such a money?


    Laura''s eyes reddened, and she suddenly turned to face Oliver, "Does that mean I won''t have a chance to see you again?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Oliver''s face darkened slightly, his brows furrowed, and he looked at her warily.


    "Sorry, don''t misunderstand." Laura''s eyes were watery, "I''m not trying to cling to you. It''s just that I haven''t felt warmth in a long time. After my dad was arrested, those people immediately disengaged our family, afraid of being implicated."


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    For a moment, Oliver felt that he had overthought and misunderstood Laura, and a trace of guilt rose in his heart.


    After thinking for a moment, he took out a card from his wallet and handed it to her.


    Laura''s gaze passed over the bank card andnded on his face, surprised, "What do you mean by this?"


    "Your mom''s medical bills are not a small amount. This money can help in an emergency and is also a way to make it up to you."Oliver spoke cidly.


    "That night wasn''t your fault, I was at fault too." Laura''s voice trembled, on the verge of tears, "I don''t me you."


    "Take it. It''s gettingte, you should go back."Oliver urged.


    Oliver put the bank card into the stic bag, along with the medicine, and handed it to her.


    Laura hesitated a few times before reluctantly epting it.


    Before he turned the key, Oliver suddenly rolled down the window and said in a low voice, "These things..."


    Before he could finish, Laura interrupted him, saying seriously, "I understand. Don''t worry, I won''t contact you anymore."


    After saying goodbye, Laura wrapped her thin clothes, opened the door, and quickly got out, leaving behind a slender figure that soon disappeared.


    Oliver''s brow furrowed slightly, his face tinged withplexity. That wasn''t what he meant.


    It made him seem like a heartless man who evaporated after a fleeting moment of intimacy.


    As long as it didn''t affect his family, he was willing to help Laura whatever she needed


    it.


    Around the corner, Laura watched the car disappear at the end of the road, then finally rxed from her demure posture, with her hands crossed in front of her, a seductive smile gradually appearing on her face.


    ''Oliver, I''m looking forward to our next meeting.''


    Katniss and Maximilian returned to Golden Crest Estates at ten o''clock.


    There were still sses tomorrow, but Katniss was unusually rated. Wher Wesley''s house, she happened to run into Anna, and Katniss realized that they had deliberately sent Anna away.


    left


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    They were worried that Anna might say something unpleasant and upset Katniss. Putting her thoughts aside, Katniss patted her cheeks, not forgetting the important task!


    She needed to be more diligent in treating Maximilian''s leg! She wasn''t someone who would abandon others once her own needs were met!


    Knocking on the study door, Katniss waited for a moment before hearing Maximilian''s deep, husky voice, "Come in."


    Entering, she saw Emilio standing with his back to Maximilian. When he saw here in, his handsome face turned expressionless and looked away.


    It seemed like they were in the midst of important discussion.


    Katniss blinked, "Maximilian, am I interrupting? I cane backter to treat you, you guys go ahead."


    "No rush, it''s a small matter." Maximilian lifted his cold gaze, "Emilio, wait outside."


    Emilio''s mouth twitched imperceptibly, "Alright."


    A deal worth millions was a small matter in front of Katniss?


    Katniss began to perform acupuncture on Maximilian, kneeling on the soft carpet.


    Mira was good at cooking and taking care of people. Over the past few months, she had nourished the once skinny and sallow Katniss very well.


    Under the bright light, everything appeared more transparent, especially Katniss''s assiduous face.


    Maximilian slightly lowered his gaze, staring at Katniss, his eyes growing deeper.


    Katniss, however, didn''t notice anything unusual. Her attention was entirely on Maximilian''s body. Despite all these years, his body hadn''t suffered much, and his leg muscles were firm.


    It was easy to imagine that Maximilian had excellent physical fitness.


    Such a good body, yet he had such an deplorable fate.


    In her past life, he didn''t get married, didn''t even have a woman, and died young


    without having any intimate rtionships. What a tragedy.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 140

    After Katniss finished the acupuncture session, she didn''t leave right away. She stood up and looked straight at Maximilian. "Maximilian, we can start the next phase of treatment next week. Starting tomorrow, you''ll need to do half an hour of rehab training every day."


    "This is gonna be tough, but you gotta stick with it," Katniss added.


    Tough? To Maximilian, nothing ever seemed tough.


    Katniss thought she might''ve been too vague, so she leaned in and whispered, "What I mean is, the meds and training might mess with your hormones, so for your health, you need to abstain."


    She blinked awkwardly, hinting that he should avoid any intense sexual activity.


    After a few seconds of silence, Maximilian looked at Katniss. "You should be worried about yourself."


    Katniss''s face turned bright red. In this situation, she was the one who was vulnerable! "Should we sleep in separate rooms for now?" Katniss asked cautiously.


    Maximilian pressed his lips together, his gaze fixed on Katniss.


    Katniss felt really guilty under his stare. She hesitated for a moment before awkwardly exining, "It might not be a good idea. We just moved in together, and if we sleep in separate rooms, Samuel and Carlton might think our rtionship isn''t good."


    Maximilian replied, "I''m d you understand."


    When Katniss came out of the study, she saw Emilio standing in the hallway. He nodded slightly in greeting when he saw her and then quickly went inside.


    Katniss had only taken a few steps when she overheard Emilio''s cold voiceing from the study, "Sir, our people are investigating. We will have results soon, and also..."


    Instinctively, she paused, trying to hear more clearly, but she forced herself to walk away, realizing it was improper.


    However, Katniss couldn''t fall asleep when shey in bed.


    Was it the Boleyn family plotting against Maximilian again?


    Katniss felt a surge of anger. Why were they so relentless? Even more persistent than the Manners family!


    Throwing off the covers, Katniss got out of bed and pulled out her medical books to continue researching Maximilian''s treatment.


    She needed to heal Maximilian''s leg quickly, to crush those people''s hopes, and to ensure that Maximilian could solidify his leadership over both the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family!


    Few people knew how determined Katniss was. She had a stubborn streak. She would ovee any difficulty without hesitation and never give up until she reached her goal!


    Time passed unnoticed, and the night deepened. Katniss scrutinized theprehensive treatment n she had partially crafted, her vision growing hazy.


    When she checked the time, she was shocked to find it was already 2 AM. She tried to keep going a bit longer, but eventually, she sumbed to drowsiness, her head sinking onto the desk.


    She didn''t know how long had passed when she vaguely felt herself being lifted into a broad embrace.


    Her nose tickled, prompting a gentle hum. The feeling of being suspended made her ufortable, so she instinctively grabbed onto something and adjusted her position to continue sleeping.


    When Maximilian entered the room, he saw Katniss sleeping on the desk. His attention was entirely on her, not noticing the new treatment n under her hand.


    He gently picked her up, but as heid her down, Katniss instinctively grasped his arm, turning over and inadvertently pulling him down beside her.


    Maximiliany beside her, his gaze deep and steady as he watched Katniss''s peaceful, sleeping face. Did Katniss trust him that much, or did she just not see him as a regr guy?


    Maximilian stifled a smile, got out of bed, sat in his wheelchair, and quietly wheeled himself back to the study.


    When Katniss woke up, the clock read 7:30 AM. Remembering she had a ss today, she quickly rushed to the bathroom to get ready and carefully put awayst night''s work in the drawer.


    As she passed the study, she thought for a moment and knocked on the door. "Maximilian, are you still in there?" she asked.


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    When she woke up, the other side of the bed was neat, as if no one had slept there. Could it be that Maximilian hadn''t slept all night? Was his insomnia acting up again? No response.


    Had he already gone to the office?


    Katniss felt a bit worried. His insomnia should have been improving; why was it recurring?


    Downstairs, after a hurried breakfast, she was driven to school by Conrad.


    Thanks to Conrad''s fast driving, she arrived at the ssroom just as the bell rang.


    As soon as Katniss entered the ssroom, she received a few unfriendly res. Ignoring them, she took her seat, unwilling to waste time on those who thrived on idle gossip and disparagement.


    She started reviewing her books when suddenly, the chair next to her was pulled out, and a cold figure sat down.


    Cecil gave her a cool nce, "I told Daryl about it."


    Last time at the hospital consultation, Katniss had asked Cecil to remind Daryl about his sexual dysfunction.


    Katniss continued flipping through her book, her reaction barely noticeable.


    She had done what she needed to do. Whether Daryl chose to ignore his condition or seek treatment was now his decision.


    At that moment, Daryl walked in.


    He nced at Katniss, his eyes flickering, and then casually sat down on her other side, pulling out a book from the drawer.


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    After a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, he whispered, "Katniss, are you... um, how should I put it?"


    Hearing him mumbling beside her, Katniss couldn''t focus on her book anymore. She turned to look at him and couldn''t help but tease, "Weren''t you quite the talker before? Why are you stammering like a shy girl now?"


    Daryl didn''t take offense; instead, he looked more embarrassed.


    He gritted his teeth and asked, "Katniss, you can definitely cure me, right?"


    Though phrased as a question, Daryl spoke with certainty.


    He had discovered his sexual dysfunction during his teenage years. Too proud to tell


    anyone, he secretly visited every rted doctor but found no cure.


    In desperation, he enrolled in medical school, determined to "save himself."


    But his academic performance was abysmal.


    With his masculinity and dignity nearly shattered, Katniss had readily diagnosed his condition. For the sake of his pride, he had to conceal any weakness.


    After Cecil reminded him again and hearing about Katniss''s impressive performance at the consultation, Daryl had no choice but to ask her for help.


    Katniss eyed him skeptically, "Daryl, are you sure you want me to treat you?"


    As a doctor, she didn''t differentiate between male and female patients. Although she didn''t like this group of people, Aurora''s teachings forbade her from neglecting a patient''s worsening condition.


    Nheless, witnessing Daryl''s difort, she doubted the treatment would proceed smoothly.


    Daryl braced himself, his demeanor as though facing execution, "Yeah, I''m sure!"


    Katniss found it amusing and was about to say something when Cecil, who had been listening, intervened icily, "Daryl, is there something wrong with your brain?"

 Chapter 141

    Katniss raised an eyebrow and shot a look at Cecil, who was standing next to Daryl.


    Cecil''s eyes were cold and arrogant. "Ignoring me to chase after some girl? Are you doubting my skills?"


    Daryl scratched his head, stammering, "I..."


    Cecil cut him off, "What do you mean ''I''? Tonight, bring me all your past inspection reports." His voice was icy.


    Then Cecil turned to Katniss, his wild face showing a faint smile, but his tone was challenging, "What do you think, Katniss?"


    "Perfect, I''m thrilled," Katniss replied with a forced, fake smile.


    Cecil''s face darkened immediately.


    He got up and walked out without looking back, not caring about the ongoing ss.


    Daryl, used to Cecil''s temper, grinned at Katniss, "Don''t mind him, Katniss. He''s just losing it."


    With that, he hurried off to catch up with Cecil.


    Katniss didn''t care what they talked about; Cecil and Daryl, both being guys, found it easier tomunicate with each other than with her.


    After the morning ss, Katniss was supposed to eat in the cafeteria but decided to take a lunchbox to the school clinic to check on Cecilia.


    Cecilia was wearing a ck down jacket over a basketball uniform. Her pant legs were rolled up, showing red and swollen ankles with some bruises.


    Katniss nced at her, "Did basketball do this?"


    Cecilia nodded, talking with her mouth full, "Yeah, the guy on the other team was dirty! He bumped into me on purpose. Next time I see him, I''m gonna block him and get revenge!"


    "Do you think I''m an easy target?" Cecilia got angrier as she talked, finishing her meal in one big bite.


    The school doctor came in, saw Katniss, and was momentarily surprised before smiling, "What brings you to my clinic? Can''t handle it yourself?"


    Despite his words, the school doctor sat down, lifted Cecilia''s foot, examined it, and pressed a few times, making Cecilia wince in pain.


    "Can you be gentler? Are you trying to break my foot?" Cecilia gasped, wincing. She looked pretty pitiful.


    The school doctor gave her a stern look, "Cecilia, who did you fight with this time? Be careful, or the school will give you a major demerit! If your sister finds out, you''re in big trouble!"


    Cecilia felt wronged and swore it wasn''t her fault.


    The school doctor frowned even more, "Cecilia, you''re a good girl. If you want to y basketball, y with the girls. Why must you y with the boys? You don''t act like a girl at all."


    Noticing Katniss, the school doctor asked, "You''re Professor Jenkins'' star student. You don''t need me to prescribe medicine for this, do you? You can handle it yourself."


    After saying that, the school doctor hummed a tune, turned on the radio, and went about his business.


    Cecilia was stunned, "Hey! You''re the doctor. Do you hear yourself? Where''s your professional ethics?"


    "You ungrateful girl, Katniss''s medical skills are better than mine. Having her treat you is a favor. When she starts her practice, you might not even get an appointment!" the school doctorined.


    Katniss nced at the school doctor, then sighed and looked back at Cecilia''s ankle. "You''ve got a bone injury. You need to go to the hospital. We don''t have all the meds here. Get a diagnosis and take it to your counselor to request leave. You need to rest for at least half a month."


    She had already checked Cecilia''s injury when she arrived.


    Cecilia''s eyes widened. "Half a month? That serious? When I recover, I''m gonna beat that guy to a pulp!"


    "Cecilia, if you curse again, I''ll tell your sister!" The school doctor grinned mischievously.


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Cecilia pouted but kept quiet.


    Katniss pursed her lips. Since Cecilia was an only child, the school doctor must be referring to her cousin, Yasmin.


    After taking Cecilia to the hospital and getting an X-ray, the result showed a minor bone fracture.


    She needed to limit her activities and rest, just as Katniss had diagnosed.


    The orthopedic doctor prescribed some medication, and Katniss reviewed the prescription; it was spot on.


    Tomorrow, when she went to ss, she would bring some of her own medicine for Cecilia to help with her recovery.


    Katniss had Cecilia sit on a bench to wait while she went upstairs to the pharmacy to get the medicine.


    Turning a corner, she nearly collided with someone hurrying out.


    It was Byron.


    Byron saw her at the same time and eximed, "Damn! Katniss, what are you doing here?"


    Before Katniss could respond, Cecilia''s voice came from behind. "Byron."


    Cecilia''s lips tightened as she observed the perspiring Byron, his hands holding a medicine bag and a lunchbox, immediately grasping the situation.


    She had heard that Ashley''s father was sick, and Byron was busy helping take care of him.


    So it was this hospital?


    Byron looked at Cecilia''s cast, frowning. "What happened to you?"


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Cecilia, still somewhat annoyed, exhaled sharply before offering a concise exnation. "I told you not to y so aggressively. Last time, you almost knocked me over..." Byron was about toin but seemed to remember something and quickly walked away. "No time to talk, Ashley hasn''t eaten breakfast. I need to get this to her!" Katniss''s gaze fell on the medicine box he was carrying.


    One of the boxes was for heart disease, usually prescribed for severe heart conditions.


    As she was thinking, Cecilia came up beside her and said, "It pisses me off. Byron is so considerate. On his birthday, Ashley didn''t even show up. I heard she was with her mysterious boyfriend."


    "Byron was heartbroken all night. Iforted him for hours and ended up throwing up from drinking too much."


    "And now, look at him, rushing to the hospital again."


    Katniss knew little about Ashley, only that she was the beauty of the medical school and usually kept a low profile.


    Recently, Ashley''s father had a sudden heart attack and almost didn''t make it. The family business was also in crisis.


    Thus, Ashley had been absent from school for some time.


    Katniss looked at Cecilia and saw a hint of bitterness in her eyes. She patted her, "Let''s go. The pharmacy is upstairs. We''ll take the elevator."


    Cecilia nced back, but Byron was long gone. She frowned and walked away. After getting the medicine, Cecilia got her leave approved, and Katniss put her in a taxi before heading back to Golden Crest Estates.


    Upon entering, she saw Maximilian standing in the yard, tall and slender. Despite the chill in the air, he was dressed lightly, exuding an aura of aloofness and reserve. Katniss admired him for a few seconds before suddenly realizing, Maximilian was standing!

 Chapter 142

    Katniss stood in the doorway, her eyes zing as she saw Maximilian for the first time.


    A cool breeze stirred, making Maximilian''s ck shirt flutter and showing off the sculpted contours of his waist. His hair, damp with sweat, fell messily over his piercing, narrow eyes.


    Seeing Katniss return, Maximilian''s lips curved into a slight smile.


    Katniss''s heart skipped a beat. Tonight, Maximilian looked absolutely captivating.


    After a quiet exhale, Katniss stepped inside.


    She noticed some professional rehab equipment next to him.


    Clearly, he had consulted a rehab doctor.


    "I thought you said training starts next week. Why did you start today?" Katniss asked, puzzled.


    Starting early could help him get used to it sooner, but his leg wasn''t fully healed yet. Training now would be tough and painful.


    Maximilian replied, "I''ve been sitting for too long. I wanted to stand up sooner."


    Katniss lowered her gaze, her eyes tracing the length of Maximilian''s straight, strong legs.


    Her clear eyes gleamed briefly. Even in a wheelchair, Maximilian exuded effortlessmand and control.


    But who wouldn''t want to stand tall and meet others'' gaze?


    "Wow, you''re so tall when you stand!" Katniss extended her hand above her head, "Look, you''re this much taller than me!"


    Wearing t shoes, she only reached Maximilian''s chest.


    The closer she stood, the more she felt the intense aura emanating from Maximilian. Maximilian''s lips twitched. He propped himself on the railing with one hand and used the other to ruffle her hair, "Don''t be picky. Eat everything Mira prepares."


    "Got it, got it." Katniss puffed her cheeks, looking a bit defiant.


    Then she ran off into the hall.


    Katniss didn''t nce back. She knew that someone as proud as Maximilian wouldn''t want anyone to see him struggling and in pain during his rehab training.


    After Katniss left, Maximilian stood still for a few seconds.


    Then he pressed his lips tightly, moved his long, straight legs, enduring the excruciating pain that seemed to pierce his very bones, taking one step at a time.


    Katniss returned to her room and started preparing medicine for Cecilia.


    After finishing, she called Cecilia. Tomorrow was Saturday, and it was best for Cecilia to


    take the medicine as soon as possible for the best treatment effect.


    On the other end, Ceciliamented, "My dad has restricted my freedom! It''s so unbearable. I''ve been lying down all afternoon."


    Katniss pondered for a moment before saying, "Give me your address, and I''ll bring it to you."


    Cecilia eximed, "Katniss, you''re so awesome!" Then she gave her the address.


    When Katniss went out and looked at the yard, Maximilian was already gone.


    The rehab equipment had been neatly stowed away.


    Mira happened toe out of the kitchen. Seeing Katniss looking outside, she smiled


    and said, "Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. Hamilton went to thepany."


    Katniss casually replied, "Oh."


    Sote, and he still went to thepany?


    Just finished training and didn''t rest much.


    The scariest thing was someone smarter than you working harder than you!


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    Indeed, a relentless capitalist.


    After saying goodbye to Mira, Katniss went out.


    Cecilia''s home was in an upscale vimunity. Although not as grand as Golden Crest Estates, it was still beyond the reach of ordinary people.


    Katniss transferred buses once and arrived quickly.


    She was about to call Cecilia when she saw a girl walking out of The Thorne Vi.


    The distance and the dim sky made it hard to see her face.


    But she could feel the girl''s elegant vibe. Judging by her figure and attire, she seemed older than Cecilia.


    Katniss almost instantly figured out who she was.


    Maximilian''s future fianc¨¦e, Yasmin Thorne.


    Katniss''s curiosity was piqued. She moved closer, trying to get a better look at Yasmin''s face.


    But before she could, a car pulled up in front of Yasmin. Someone opened the door, and the car quickly drove away.


    Katniss clicked her tongue, feeling a bit disappointed.


    At that moment, a warm voice spoke, "You must be Katniss. Cecilia asked me toe get you."


    It was Cecilia''s butler. Katniss thanked him and followed him to Cecilia''s room.


    As soon as Cecilia saw her, she wanted to rush over, but both Katniss and the butler stopped her.


    "Don''t you want your foot to heal?" Katniss pressed her down, handed her the medicine, and exined how to use it.


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Cecilia''s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude.


    Katniss held her hand, checked her pulse, and sighed, "Stop staying up until three in


    the morning. Avoid spicy food for now."


    Cecilia''s eyes widened in rm, "You''re uncanny. How did you know I stay up until three?"


    "I have my ways." Katniss smiled mysteriously, her eyes gleaming, before asking, "Was that your cousin Yasmin who just left?"


    Cecilia nodded, curiously sniffing the medicine, and answered Katniss. "My cousin is amazing. She speaks fournguages, always tops her exams, never below the top three, and she''s beautiful and strong. She''s interning at the Thorne familypany now. I heard she handled several sessful projects as soon as she joined."


    "I grew up in her shadow. Every time my dad scolded me, hepared me to her, saying he''d be satisfied if I were even a tenth as good as Yasmin."


    Katniss knew about Yasmin''s impressive resume. Even the usually arrogant Desmond couldn''t help but praise her.


    He even said that if anyone in the world deserved Maximilian, it would be Yasmin. "By the way, I also heard that my uncle wants Yasmin to marry Maximilian, the mysterious tycoon of Luminous City who controls both the Hamilton and Boleyn families. I think they''re crazy. Everyone knows Maximilian doesn''t have long to live and is confined to a wheelchair. My uncle actually wants Yasmin to marry him!" Cecilia shook her head, utterly baffled.


    Although not as wealthy as Maximilian, the Thorne family was still a notable and prestigious family.


    Were all the excellent rich young men in Luminous City dead?


    Could they not find someone deserving of Yasmin?


    Katniss''s eyshes fluttered, and she coughed unnaturally, "But I heard that Maximilian


    is already married."


    And Maximilian''s wife was standing right before Cecilia.


    Cecilia gasped, "Maximilian is married? How could I not know such important gossip? That''s not possible. Is my uncle nning to make Yasmin a mistress and ruin someone''s family? Although my uncle loves money, doing that isn''t right." Living in Golden Crest Estates, Cecilia had no reason to doubt Katniss''s intelligence. It had to be urate!


    "They had a secret wedding, no ceremony. The other party is still in school." Katniss hastily made up, "It''s said that Maximilian loves his wife very much and keeps it low- key to avoid kidnapping, so it''s not public!"


    Cecilia eximed in admiration, "Katniss, you''re amazing! How do you know so much?"

 Chapter 143

    Katniss blinked her longshes and stammered, "My teacher is Brent Jenkins. Brent and the Hamilton family go way back."


    Cecilia had heard about this, so she believed it even more.


    Katniss hung around a bit longer before heading out.


    Still, Cecilia couldn''t shake the thought and decided to let Yasmin know that her dad wanted her to y mistress.


    Messing with the richest man''s marriage and family was just asking for trouble.


    Back at Golden Crest Estates, Katniss had dinner and then buried herself in her studies in her room.


    Time flew by, and it was alreadyte at night, but Maximilian hadn''te back yet. Katniss frowned and sent him a message: [Maximilian, aren''t you back yet? This is a critical time; you can''t overwork yourself. You need to rest well, or it will backfire.] Two minutester, Maximilian replied: [I know my limits. You go to sleep first.] Katniss wanted to say more but decided against it.


    That night, Katniss slept pretty well alone.


    During breakfast, Katniss got a call from Wesley.


    On the phone, Wesley sounded hesitant, so Katniss urged directly, "What''s up, Dad? Just say it."


    "Katniss, um, Oliver and ra have invited us to her engagement party," Wesley said, sounding a bit awkward.


    Hearing this, a mocking smile appeared on Katniss''s lips.


    Wesley and Oliver had been at odds for years, so this invitation must have been ra''s idea.


    ra''s little schemes were really not worth mentioning.


    Pressing her lips together, Katniss said, "Since she invited us, let''s go."


    It was about time to start preparing her "big gift."


    After breakfast, Katniss made some preparations and handed an envelope to Conrad, asking him to deliver it.


    Maximilian found out soon after but didn''t know what was in the envelope.


    He didn''t ask much and let Katniss do her thing.


    On Monday, when Katniss got out of the car at school, ra stopped her, with Ruby by her side.


    ra handed her another invitation.


    Katniss stared at her coldly, "Enough already?"


    "This invitation is for Wesley. Since you''re family now, help me give it to him," ra said seriously.


    Katniss threw it away, "We don''t need the Manners family''s invitation."


    "But without the invitation, you can''t get into a ce like the Starry Night Hotel," ra, biting her lip with worry, retorted.


    "That''s none of your concern. Worry about yourself," Katniss said, looking away. Ruby was so mad at Katniss''s arrogance that she jumped up and pointed at her, shouting, "Don''t be ungrateful! Do you know how many people at school want to attend ra''s engagement party but can''t? This invitation is hard toe by!" Seeing this, Conrad in the car was about to get out and teach Ruby a lesson. How dare she point at Katniss? He''d break her finger!


    Katniss noticed his movement and raised her hand to stop him.


    Turning to Ruby with a sardonic, yful gaze, she replied, "Well, you should pick it up and sell it."


    Ruby''s family wasn''t well-off. After entering college, she met ra, who was well-off and pampered, and had been sticking to her ever since, serving ra as her little follower.


    Hearing Katniss''s words, Ruby felt humiliated and red at her angrily, unable to utter a word.


    Katniss'' gaze shifted nonchntly from Ruby to ra. "How I got in is none of your business. Are you finished? Move aside."


    With that, she bumped ra''s shoulder and walked inside.


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    "Forget it, I''ll deliver the invitation myself. Katniss was kicked out of her house, so it''s understandable she''s mad at me," ra raised her voice on purpose, making sure the surrounding students heard.Whispers of gossip spread like wildfire.


    Just then, the sound of a car starting made ra step back immediately.


    But it was toote; she got sshed with mud by Conrad.


    Ruby wasn''t spared either, and her carefully done makeup was ruined.


    "Oh my god! Do you even know how to drive?" Ruby screamed, heartbroken, wiping her clothes.


    These were clothes ra had given her, very expensive, something she couldn''t afford herself.


    ra''s face darkened, fury zing in her eyes.


    When Katniss walked into the ssroom, she heard everyone buzzing about how luxurious ra''s engagement party would be and how much the Manners family valued her.


    She was the center of everyone''s attention.


    They also talked about the scene outside the school gate.


    But the story had been blown way out of proportion, and in their version, Katniss was the viin.


    With a loud bang, Cecil suddenly mmed a thick book on the table. "Shut up! Can''t anyone get some sleep?"


    The ssroom suddenly fell silent.


    Katniss nced at Cecil, who had alreadyid back down to sleep.


    Daryl hadn''te to ss either. Katniss wanted to ask about his treatment but decided to sit behind Cecil.


    After taking out her books, Katniss poked Cecil with her pen.


    Cecil didn''t move.


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Katniss frowned and kept poking. Cecil suddenly turned around, ring at Katniss with a dark expression, "Katniss, you better have a good reason."


    "This is a prescription for Daryl. He didn''te to ss today, so give it to him," Katniss said calmly.


    In a measured, deliberate motion, she ced the folded prescription on the table.


    Then Katniss started reading her book, not bothering with anything else. After all, it wasn''t her friend who was sick, so it was up to them.


    Staring at Katniss''s calm and bright face, Cecil, his expression icy, snatched the prescription and slumped back to sleep.


    That evening, Katniss returned to Golden Crest Estates after school and found Maximilian in the living room.


    He must have juste back, still in his suit, with a gloomy look and a faint aura of fatigue.


    Even without feeling his pulse, she could sense his unrest over several sleepless nights. Katniss frowned, "Maximilian, it''s time for acupuncture. Look at you, you must have been busy with work and not resting well."


    Maximilian cast a weary nce at her, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes, submitting to her treatment.


    "I''m fine," he rasped, his voice hoarse.


    Katniss checked him first, and sure enough, his condition had worsened. She quickly started the acupuncture.


    During the process, Katniss kept observing Maximilian''s expression. Seeing him gradually rx and fall asleep, she sighed in relief.


    After finishing the acupuncture, she delicately covered him with a nket and


    proceeded to the kitchen to prepare medicinal cuisine.


    An hourter, when the medicinal food was ready, Katniss came out to find Maximilian just waking up.


    He sat up quietly, pressing his temples, his face tense.


    "Maximilian, eat this. Let''s pause the rehab training tomorrow and resume the day after. You really can''t overwork yourself anymore." Katniss ced the medicinal food in front of him and couldn''t help but say more, "Extending the treatment time isn''t the worst. The worst is that it will make your condition worsen repeatedly. If it happens too often, your body won''t be able to take it."


    Maximilian regarded her with a faint smile, "You''re young, but quite naggy." Katniss couldn''t resist adding, "Especially when the patient won''t heed advice."

 Chapter 144

    After dinner, Katniss hurried back to her room. The sound of water running in the bathroom made her a bit uneasy.


    Tonight, instead of heading to his study to work, Maximilian went straight to the bathroom for a shower.


    With Maximilian back, were they going to share the bed again tonight?


    Katnissy down, wrapping herself tightly in the nket, even tucking the edges under her body.


    She didn''t want to end up in Maximilian''s arms again, touching him in her sleep.


    With such a tight wrap, it should keep her restless limbs in check, right?


    After a while, the water stopped, and Maximilian came out in a bathrobe. He casually dried his hair and looked at Katniss, who had bundled herself up, and was momentarily stunned.


    "What are you doing?" he couldn''t help but ask.


    Katniss squinted at him, "This way, I won''t disturb your sleep."


    Maximilian pursed his lips and continued drying his hair, "Sleep early. Tomorrow is Desmond''s engagement party. As my wife, you need to attend with me."


    "Okay." Katniss blinked, catching the underlying implication, "What about you? Aren''t you going to sleep early?"


    Maximilian said indifferently, "To the study."


    To the study?


    Working all night again?


    Did Maximilian even listen to what she said!


    Katniss quickly looked up and gave him a stern lecture, "You haven''t rested properly for two or three days. You can''t work anymore, Maximilian. Let''s go to sleep, okay?"


    Then, Katniss silently moved to the other side of the bed, pointing to therge empty space beside her, "This is your spot."


    After a moment, she grabbed a cartoon plush toy from the bedside table and ced it in the middle, "This is the boundary line. I absolutely won''t cross it."


    Maximilian nced at the cartoon plush toy in the middle with indifferent eyes andy down expressionlessly.


    Seeing him really lie down, Katniss was a bit stunned.


    And somewhat relieved, finally, he obeyed.


    Katniss contentedlyy back down and began to try to fall asleep, but after turning off the lights, her sense of hearing became more sensitive.


    Although there was a cartoon plush toy, they were actually very close. With her eyes


    closed, she could even hear Maximilian''s faint breathing.


    It was clearly very light, but to Katniss, it sounded particrly loud, beating rhythmically in her ears.


    And the fresh, crisp scent from Maximilian''s body after his shower.


    It was very pleasant.


    "Can''t sleep?" Maximilian suddenly asked, "Then I''ll go to the study."


    To the study again?


    Was it really because of her?


    Katniss felt a strong sense of guilt and quickly said, "No, no, it''s just that if I go with


    you tomorrow, will Samuel and Carlton announce our marriage?"


    What about Yasmin?


    By doing this, was she breaking up Yasmin and Maximilian?


    "Do you know why I''ve been so busytely?" Maximilian inquired.


    "Why?" Katniss turned her head, curiosity piqued.


    Wasn''t it because of work?


    In the dark, Maximilian pressed his lips, his voice slow and light, "In their eyes, I''m a dying man, yet I have no wife, no heirs."


    Katniss instantly understood, so those people thought Maximilian''s days were numbered and plotted to seize power?


    These people were truly despicable!


    "Maximilian, I understand. Let''s do as Samuel and Carlton said, announce our marriage,


    let those people know you''re married, and they''ll cause you less trouble." Katniss


    dered with earnest fervor, a fierce determination evident in her eyes.


    This way, Maximilian could focus on treatment and recovery.


    For Katniss, aiding Maximilian was paramount, and she was prepared to go to great lengths to support him.


    ording to the agreement, it was also her duty to y the role of Maximilian''s wife.


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    Maximilian''s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice gentle, "In that case, this year will ce a heavy burden on you."


    "It''s my duty. We''re allies, after all. You''ve helped me so much. If you need anything, just say it." Katniss reassured him, tapping her chest with conviction.


    She had a strong sense of responsibility.


    This time, Katniss quickly fell asleep.


    Listening to her steady breaths, Maximilian''s expression grew contemtive, his eyes darkening a few shades, and he whispered softly, "Silly girl, don''t easily believe a man''s words."


    Then he reached out, pulled Katniss into his arms, and only after inhaling her fragrance did he close his eyes again.


    When Katniss woke up the next day, Maximilian was already up.


    As she prepared to greet the day, a knock echoed through the room.


    Mira entered, apanied by four people, carrying racksden with garments.


    Katniss recognized them; they were a famous international styling team. Securing their service required not just wealth and influence, but a stroke of good fortune, for they were selective in their engagements.


    Katniss blinked in acknowledgment of the leverage that power couldmand.


    In the bedroom, the team created a distinctive look for Katniss.


    When Katniss went downstairs, Maximilian was in the living room listening to Emilio''s report.


    Hearing her approach, he nced up.


    In his sight, Katniss was wearing a snow-white feather dress, off-the-shoulder, revealing


    a small heart-shaped pink diamond on her delicate corbone.


    Her face was even more exquisite. The feathered ensemble did not appear ostentatious


    but rather exuded a gentle, yful aura, like a cherubic visitor from the heavens. Maximilian''s eyes deepened, and his lips tightened almost imperceptibly. Emilio nced at Maximilian''s reaction, then at Katniss, finally understanding why Maximilian had be increasingly indulgent.


    Well, it made sense.


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! When Katniss walked up to Maximilian, he had already concealed all his emotions, returning to his usual self.


    "Maximilian, I''m ready." Katniss gracefully walked over to Maximilian''s side. "Mm," Maximilian''s gaze fell on Emilio''s face. Emilio nodded and silently left.


    After getting in the car, Katniss''s feather dress almost took up most of the back seat. She clumsily gathered it, "Maximilian, this extravagance wasn''t necessary. This dress must be expensive, and so must the styling team."


    Maximilian replied, "You are my wife now."


    Katniss blushed, "Yes, I can''t embarrass you."


    "I mean," Maximilian frowned slightly, his indifferent eyes looking at her, "You deserve


    it."


    Katniss''s thoughts struggled to keep pace.


    Was Maximilian referring to the dress she deserved or the status it conferred?


    The car was silent for a while, and soon they arrived at the Starry Night Hotel.


    The two entered the venue through the VIP channel; the ceremony hadn''t started yet.


    But the ce was already crowded with guests, all the prominent figures of Luminous City were there.


    ra stood at the entrance, d in a silver fishtail gown, beside the impably dressed Desmond, her smile poised and weing.


    On the other side, in the VIP seats, was the Manners family, sitting neatly and happily


    together.


    Katniss briefly nced in their direction before diverting her gaze.


    Then she began to observe the venue.


    The Boleyn family had booked the entire top floor, and the decorations were all done


    to the highest standards.


    The flowers were even airlifted from abroad.


    In this time, such an extravagance was indeed a significant spectacle.


    "Look over there."


    Suddenly, Maximilian''s voice sounded beside her.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 145

    Katniss nced over and saw the Wesley family chilling in the front row.


    She grinned, her eyes turning into little crescents.


    Maximilian walked over with her, but just as they started chatting, someone came to get him.


    It was Carlton''s butler, saying Carlton needed to talk to him.


    Before leaving, Maximilian told Katniss, "Have fun and take care."


    Katniss felt a jolt in her heart, sensing some hidden meaning.


    Did Maximilian know something?


    She didn''t want to think about it. She walked over to the Wesley family.


    "That outfit looks amazing on you, Katniss," Daphne said, checking her out with delight.


    Wesley smiled too. "Looks like you''ve put on some weight. How are things with you and Maximilian?"


    Katniss felt warm inside at Wesley and Daphne''s concern. They really cared about her. They noticed the little changes in her¡ªshe had gained some weight.


    But her biological family would just scold her for embarrassing the Manners family.


    With a gentle smile, Katniss replied, "Maximilian treats me well. Otherwise, how could I be this well-fed?"


    ra quickly noticed Katniss with the Wesley family.


    Especially when she saw the dress Katniss was wearing, her perfectly made-up face showed shock.


    Wasn''t that the masterpiece from the famous MR styling team?


    She had just seen a preview in a fashion magazine yesterday.


    It was a one-of-a-kind piece!


    She had been so bummed she couldn''t get it in time; she wanted it for her engagement dress.


    But it was only avable yesterday, and here Katniss was, already wearing it?


    No way. Even the Boleyn family couldn''t get it, so Katniss definitely didn''t have the means. ra''s eyes shed with contempt. She thought Katniss''s backer was more powerful.


    On such a grand asion, wearing a fake dress could only fool someone as clueless as Katniss.


    After dealing with a guest, ra deliberately eximed, pulling Desmond to look. "Desmond, look, it''s Katniss! That''s great, I knew she''de to our engagement party."


    Desmond looked over and saw Katniss in the crowd. The evening dress highlighted her slender and graceful figure, showing off her small, delicate face, dazzlingly beautiful.


    He quickly pursed his lips. "She dares to show up?"


    "Oh, Desmond, don''t be like that. Katniss must be here to sincerely bless us. Come on, let''s go greet her." ra urged, nudging Desmond''s arm.


    Katniss hadn''t eaten anything in the morning and was hungry, picking out desserts at the snack table when a shadow suddenly loomed over her.


    "Katniss, wee," ra said with a face full of innocence.


    Desmond red at her, his eyes warning, "Katniss, since you''re here, bel yourself and don''t do anything to embarrass both families."


    Katniss''s expression remained calm, with an indifferent detachment. "Desmond, at this point, you''re the one still deluding yourself, aren''t you?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I''ve told you many times that I''m not interested in you anymore. Desmond, could you, for once, use your brain!"


    Desmond''s face darkened immediately, his hands balling into fists.


    ra gently soothed him and then, with teary eyes, said to Katniss, "Katniss, I know you''re feeling bad. But I hope you can be as happy as I am, staying with a man you truly love. Don''t ruin your life out of spite."


    After speaking, ra''s gaze subtly swept over Katniss''s dress. "Especially a stingy man who won''t even buy you the real thing and lets you wear a fake."


    In high society, even if they couldn''t get the real deal, they wouldn''t be caught dead in a fake. It was the ultimate disgrace.


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    It was pathetic.


    Katniss lowered her eyes slightly.


    If the stylist had heard this, their reaction would have been priceless.


    Smoothing out her fluffy skirt, Katniss said lightly, "Oh, don''t worry about it. You too, if


    one pair of eyes isn''t enough, grow a few more."


    At that moment, a few more dignitaries arrived.


    Seeing this, Desmond pulled ra away. "ra, don''t waste time on someone like her. Come, I''ll introduce you to someone important."


    Before leaving, ra didn''t forget to considerately say, "Katniss, make yourself at home. Don''t be shy, have a great time."


    Katniss''s smile widened as she nced at her phone. The time was almost up.


    Just then, Maximilian returned. He seemed to spot Katniss immediately and strode towards her.


    Seeing her empty te, he asked in a deep voice, "Didn''t find anything you like?"


    "No." Katniss thought for a moment and didn''t mention ra''s words, not wanting to spoil Maximilian''s mood.


    The "big gift" she had prepared would teach ra a good lesson.


    Katniss yfully smiled. "Maximilian, there are so many options. I haven''t decided what to eat yet."


    Maximilian chuckled, his eyes softening as he reached out to ruffle her hair. "No rush, take your time. Eat plenty."


    After Katniss picked out her desserts and sat down with Maximilian, Carlton took the stage, his deep voice announcing the official start of the engagement ceremony. The audience erupted in apuse.


    ra, holding Desmond''s arm, walked onto the stage under everyone''s gaze. Her enchanting eyes gleamed with delight as she gracefully executed each ceremonial step with a charming smile.


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    While savoring the delectable desserts, Katniss kept her eyes on the stage.


    When she found something particrly to her taste, she would quietly nudge Maximilian and offer him a piece of dessert, her eyes sparkling. "Maximilian, try this. It''s really good."


    Maximilian''s gaze shifted from her face to the dessert, his thin lips parting slightly. "You enjoy it."


    Katniss didn''t insist and delightedly indulged herself.


    At this moment, the ceremony on stage reached the part where they presented flowers to the future inws.


    Katniss immediately put down her desserts, sat up straight, and watched the stage with a smile.


    ra, holding a bouquet, felt a surge of happiness as she and Desmond walked towards Gabriel.


    Gabriel was sitting alone at the moment. Desmond''s mother, Emily, had never been recognized by the Boleyn family and thus was not entitled to a ce of honor there. Already irritated by this, Gabriel''s smile almost faltered when he saw ra.


    He still felt uneasy about ra''s status as the illegitimate daughter of the Manners family.


    No matter how favored she was, she was still a girl with no blood rtion to the Manners family. Without this connection, the future was full of uncertainties. Whether the Manners family could be Desmond''s support was even more questionable!


    Reluctantly, Gabriel epted the flowers presented to him.


    ra, seeing him take the flowers, then walked with Desmond towards Oliver and Elodie.


    Oliver and Elodie looked at Desmond and ra with satisfaction, Elodie''s eyes even brimming with emotion.


    Truly, this daughter had been worth every effort!


    Suddenly, a coarse voice erupted from the entrance.


    "ra, did you give the flowers to the wrong person? Your real mom is right here."

 Chapter 146

    With a loud voice, everyone turned to see where it came from.


    There stood a middle-aged woman in a floral jacket and ck pants.


    Her face was rough, full of deep wrinkles, and her hair was piled high on her head.


    Her cloudy eyes were now locked on ra.


    When ra saw her, she went pale.


    Elodie and Oliver were stunned.


    This was ra''s real mom, E Garcia, who Elodie and Oliver had only met once.


    E was a rude, ill-mannered woman, ugly and low-ss.


    That one meeting made Elodie determined to keep ra away from E.


    So, Elodie paid E off, telling her to disappear as if ra never existed.


    E, with her hands on her hips, walked towards the stage, "ra, it''s bad enough you haven''t visited me all these years, but you didn''t even invite me to your engagement. Do you only care about your rich adoptive mom and forget about your real one?"


    Each of E''s harsh words cut through ra''s defenses, exposing her shameful past for everyone to see.


    The room buzzed with whispers.


    People pointed and murmured.


    This engagement party was grand. Even though Gabriel didn''t like Desmond marrying ra, it was his beloved Desmond''s engagement, and Gabriel had invited many business partners.


    There were also those who wanted to get in good with the Boleyn family and attended willingly.


    The admiring nces had now turned into sneers.


    "I heard the Manners family adopted the wrong daughters back then. So, this ra has such a mother."


    "The Boleyn family is really generous, not minding ra''s background. But ra''s character doesn''t seem very good."


    "Exactly, not inviting her own mother to her wedding. One should always remember their roots, not just stay where there''s money."


    "ra must think her mother is embarrassing. It''s outrageous."


    ra''s painful memories surged, and she bit her lip hard.


    Suddenly, she thought of something and scanned the crowd, spotting Katniss with a mocking smile.


    It was Katniss''s doing!


    ra vowed to make Katniss regret this deeply.


    By now, E had reached the stage.


    ra trembled, tears streaming down, and looked desperately at Desmond. "Desmond, I''m scared. What should I do? I don''t know how this happened."


    Desmond, with a stern face, pulled ra behind him and coldly looked at E, "Don''t disrupt the ceremony. Go outside and wait. We can talk privately."


    "Listen to that. Is this how my future son-inw talks to me?" E pointed her finger at Desmond''s face, raising her voice, "I''m telling you, ra is my daughter. Don''t look down on me. When you get married, you will have to call me ''Mom''!"


    Desmond had never been treated like this before, his face darkening as he said, "You!"


    "What do you mean ''you''? Aren''t you rich city folks the ones who care most about manners?"


    E rolled her eyes, "Even a three-year-old understands this. Don''t you? I''m telling you, this bouquet must be given to me."


    "No one else should even think about it!"


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    As E spoke, she nced at Elodie.


    Elodie was trembling with anger, barely able to hold the bouquet.


    "ra is my daughter and has nothing to do with you anymore. Stop causing trouble


    here. Someone, get this person out of here," Elodie demanded.


    At hermand, a few bodyguards started moving forward.


    E, not missing a beat, plopped down on the ground and started yelling, "This is ridiculous! A mother can''t evene to her daughter''s wedding. You rich folks have no manners!"


    She wailed, her cries echoing, "How can anyone live like this? Where''s the justice? Who''s gonna stand up for me?"


    Oliver, trying to stay calm, stood up and said, "This isn''t the ce for this. Get up ande with me to the back. We can talk there."


    "Don''t try to trick me. I''m staying right here for my daughter''s wedding," E shot back.


    E had found out that the future son-inw was from the top-tier Boleyn family, and all their wealth would be his one day.


    Today, she had to make sure everyone knew she was ra''s real mom, not that fake Elodie.


    Carlton, seeing things were getting out of hand, frowned and turned to ra, "Since she''s your biological mother, giving her the bouquet wouldn''t be too much."


    ra''s eyes widened, tears streaming down, "Grandpa, I..."


    Desmond objected strongly, "Grandpa, she can''t stay here! She''s just a country bumpkin, just throw her out."


    Gabriel scolded quietly, "Listen to your grandpa! Haven''t we lost enough face? If we kick her out now, the Boleyn family''s reputation in Luminous City will bepletely ruined!"


    The situation had reached a breaking point, and the only way to end this mess quickly was toply.


    Desmond''s face was cold, holding back his anger, he ordered, "Get a chair."


    Standing next to him, ra felt thest bit of color drain from her face, realizing she had to give the bouquet to E.


    Her eyes were red, and she tugged at Desmond''s sleeve, pleading for help.


    Desmond couldn''t let things get worse, he could only look at her with a mix of helplessness and pity.


    A chair was quickly brought and ced next to Elodie. E got up, brushed the dust off her pants, and sat down proudly.


    ra, holding the bouquet, listened to the unpleasantments around her, gritting her teeth, and re-presented the bouquet with Desmond.


    Elodie watched as E epted the bouquet that should have been hers alone, feeling like she''d been hit over the head, almost fainting.


    Below the stage, Simon''s forehead veins were bulging. If not for Lucas holding him back, he would have stormed the stage to throw E out.


    Even the usuallyposed Dn looked grim.


    Lucas wasn''t any better. He had thought ra''s marriage to the Boleyn family would


    bring him big business benefits.


    Instead, it had turned into a farce.


    Katniss sat there, calmly watching the ceremony on stage.


    "Are you happy now?"


    Suddenly, Maximilian''s deep voice came to Katniss''s ear. Katniss''s eyshes fluttered,


    and she instinctively looked at Maximilian.


    Maximilian knew everything.


    He noticed her gaze, took her hand, leaned in, and whispered, "The best part ising."


    At that moment, Carlton cleared his throat, smiling as he picked up the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the little incident. Desmond''s big event is settled, but don''t rush off. Allow me to announce another joyous asion regarding Maximilian."


    "Not long ago, Maximilian got married quietly. The girl beside Maximilian is not only the eldest grandson''s wife of the Boleyn family but also the future mistress of both the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family, Katniss Manners."

 Chapter 147

    The VIP seats were super clever, giving the best view while keeping the people sitting there hidden from the crowd.


    After Carlton''s big announcement, he led the two of them into the spotlight, making sure everyone could see them.


    Katniss was facing Maximilian, so the crowd couldn''t get a good look at her face, but her striking silhouette and ssy vibe had everyone hooked.


    Instead of the usual whispers, the crowd was now buzzing about how perfect the two looked together, throwing out genuine congrattions.


    Even though they couldn''t see Katniss''s face, ra and Desmond had a clear view from the other side of the VIP seats.


    ra blinked rapidly, trying to refocus, but all she could see was the radiant Katniss standing there.


    How could this be possible?


    No way!


    Desmond''s brows furrowed deeply, his face a mix of shock and disbelief.


    Maximilian, marrying Katniss?


    The same Katniss he had broken off an engagement with, the one everyone thought was talentless and heartless?


    Sure, there were rumors that Maximilian was terminally ill and wouldn''t live long.


    But right now, Maximilian was still the head of the Hamilton and Boleyn families. As long as he was alive, that powerful position was his.


    And now, this Katniss, who seemed toe out of nowhere, was the mistress of both families. If she could have an heir...


    In no time, Katniss had everyone''s attention.


    The savvy ones quickly brought their wives over to congratte her and shower her withpliments.


    Seeing this, others followed suit. Those without wives brought their femalepanions, telling them to get on Katniss''s good side.


    Whoever could win Katniss''s favor might get a chance to get close to Maximilian.


    Suddenly, everyone who had been focused on ra turned their attention to Katniss, surrounding herpletely.


    The Manners family saw Katniss''s face and were in total disbelief.


    A wave of anger followed their initial shock.


    "No wonder Katniss was so eager to cut ties with us; shetched onto Maximilian?" Simon''s face turned pale. "Who knows what tricks she used!"


    Elodie snorted, "Even if shetched on, so what? Once the Hamilton and Boleyn families see Katniss''s true colors, they''ll kick her out! Then, it won''t be our Manners family''s disgrace."


    Oliver, looking stern, was clearly troubled. "Alright, enough. Have you all forgotten there''s still a problem backstage?"


    After the flower presentation, it took a lot of effort to get E backstage.


    "Dad, what''s so hard about this? There''s no one backstage; just knock E out and throw her back to that dump," Simon said, rolling up his sleeves.


    Lucas red at him and scolded in a low voice, "Nonsense! Do you think E won''te back? Then we''ll have to go to the police station again, and you''ll end up in jail."


    Dn looked at Simon like he was an idiot.


    Simon waved his hand and shouted, "Then what''s the n?"


    "Give her money and send her away!" Oliver, who had dealt with many scoundrels in the business world, believed "money" could solve everything.


    Lucas wanted to say it wasn''t that simple, but Oliver had already taken people with him.


    Lucas turned back, giving Katniss aplicated look, pursed his lips, and followed Oliver.


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    Backstage.


    E sat on a chair, one leg propped on the makeup table, fiddling with apact. Was this a big brand?


    Saw it advertised on TV, pretty expensive!Seeing the Manners familye in without ra, E immediately stood up, ring at them. "Where''s my daughter? Bring her here. Her dad is bedridden; I need to take her home to care for him."


    Hearing this, the Manners family''s faces turned even more sour. Oliver approached her, mixing threats with promises, "We gave you money back then, and you promised never to show up again."


    "Since you''ve broken your promise ande back, we Manners are not stingy. This card has twenty thousand dors. Take it and sign another agreement."


    "From now on, ra has nothing to do with you. If you daree back, we Manners are not to be trifled with."


    Elodie immediately nodded, agreeing with Oliver''s approach. If they had been more cautious back then, they wouldn''t be in such a passive position today.


    "Sign what agreement? Do you think I don''t know the dirty tricks of you rich people?" E''s eyes disdainfully swept over the card in Oliver''s hand, spitting out, "You want to take both daughters and send me away with this little money? What a joke!"


    Oliver, sprayed in the face, was about to speak when Elodie stepped forward, clutching her purse, and addressed E, "Go find Katniss. She''s richer than us now."


    "Katniss is a medical student and can take better care of your husband."


    "ra has been pampered since childhood; she can''t do anything even if she goes back with you!"


    Simon pped his hands, excitedly squeezing forward, "Yes, yes, Katniss is your daughter! I''m telling you, she''s right outside, living it up."


    Oliver, panicking, realized this might be a viable solution.


    His ra wouldn''t have to suffer.


    E, skeptical and not understanding their game, turned her eyes.


    E believed Katniss wasn''t her biological daughter, which was why she insisted on her


    real daughter ra. She didn''t expect them to involve Katniss.


    Seeing her hesitation, Simon couldn''t wait any longer. He dragged E outside, "She''s


    the future mistress of the Hamilton family. Any money she gives you willst a lifetime."


    As Simon dragged E out, they encountered Katniss standing at the door.


    Her expression was icy, her eyes brimming with derision.


    Maximilian was chatting with some business partners in the hall, and Katniss, surrounded by women, had a stiff smile.


    Pretending to be unwell, she slipped out to wait for Maximilian in the lounge. Consequently, she overheard everything.


    The Manners family revealed themselves to be viler and more shameless than she had ever imagined! Not only did they disregard her, but they also failed to recognize her humanity.


    Seeing Katniss, the Manners family was stunned. Simon, the closest, spoke first, "That''s Katniss! Go to her."


    Saying this, Simon pushed E forward, stepping back with a smug look.


    Lucas stared at Katniss, suddenly having a bad feeling.


    E scrutinized Katniss, struggling to match this elegant figure before her with the small, timid, unkempt child she remembered.


    But the Manners family affirmed she was Katniss, so it must be true. Looking at her now, dressed elegantly and beautifully, she was a truedy.


    "Katniss, I''ve missed you so much. Let me have a good look at you. How have you been all these years..." E reached out to touch Katniss''s face.


    Katniss narrowed her eyes, grabbed a joint on E''s wrist, and with a slight force, E screamed in pain, "Who are you? Are you sure you have the right person?"


    Elodie, agitatedly stepping forward, berated her, "Katniss, you ungrateful wretch! She raised you! She''s your mother!"

 Chapter 148

    Katniss shoved E aside, ignoring Elodie''s anger, and looked at E with a voice as cold as ice, "Are you really my legal mother and want me to acknowledge you?


    Seriously?"


    E rubbed her hand, too hurt to speak for a moment, but her mind was clear.


    When Katniss was young, E either beat or scolded her, treating her like unpaidbor, just giving her enough food to keep her from starving.


    Now that Katniss was noble, and not even her biological daughter, it was already gracious of her not to seek revenge. How could she possibly consider taking her back?


    ra was her biological daughter, someone she could never give up.


    Moreover, the Manners family clearly only cared about ra. She had to cling to ra tightly!


    Having figured it out, E straightened her back and sneered at the Manners family, "You almost fooled me! Katniss isn''t my biological daughter, I won''t look for her! Don''t think you can trick me."


    "If you don''t bring ra here now, I''ll make sure everyone in Luminous City knows that you''re keeping my daughter and bullying a country woman like me."


    Katniss wiped her hands, looked at the scene in front of her, and smiled.


    Simon, his chest heaving with anger, clenched his fist and aimed it at Katniss''s face.


    At that moment, Conrad rushed out from some corner, quickly and fiercely grabbing Simon''s arm and throwing him over his shoulder.


    He swiftly twisted Simon''s arm behind his back.


    The simultaneous snap of bones and Simon''s harrowing screams filled the air.


    Everyone except Katniss, including the Manners family and E, was shocked by the sudden turn of events.


    Elodie shrieked and tried to rush over, but the next moment, Lucas restrained her and whispered, "Mom, she''s with Maximilian now."


    The scene reyed in Simon''s mind. He was in so much pain he almost fainted, a sudden hatred rising in his heart, along with a tinge of regret. He should have chosen a ce without onlookers.


    Katniss nced at Lucas and the restrained Oliver, a mocking smile on her lips, then looked at Simon with a calm demeanor, "You really are the dumbest one in the Manners family."


    "Katniss!" Elodie pointed at her angrily, "You''re getting more and more outrageous! Just because you''re with Maximilian doesn''t mean you can act so arrogantly. Who''s to say when he''ll tire of you!"


    As her words resounded, another voice, cold and detached, cut through the air, "My wife can be as outrageous as she wants!"


    Maximilian was pushed over by Emilio. When Katniss saw him, her eyes lit up, and she asked cheerfully, "Maximilian, weren''t you busy? Why did youe suddenly?"


    "Finished my work, came to pick you up." Maximilian held her hand, his tone unusually affectionate.


    Seeing this, Oliver became apprehensive. He nced at Lucas, who also looked uneasy. Oliver and Lucas exchanged a look and then approached with forced smiles. Oliver bent down, smiling, "Mr. Hamilton, my wife didn''t mean it that way. It''s all a misunderstanding. My wife was just upset that Katniss didn''t tell us about her marriage to you."


    "ra is engaged to Desmond, and now Katniss is married to you. Our families are really bing closer."


    Maximilian''s eyes, brimming with amanding, menacing gleam, settled on Oliver''s face, causing him to shudder.


    "If I remember correctly, Katniss has already been adopted by Wesley, so she has nothing to do with you, right?" Maximilian''s gaze returned to Katniss''s serene face, his eyes slightly upturned, "Katniss, isn''t that the case?"


    Katniss spoke slowly, "Yes."


    Oliver''s smile froze, and realizing the situation, he was filled with regret, nearly making him cough up blood!


    He couldn''t help but nce at Katniss. Rumor had it that Maximilian had been married for almost half a month, which meant Katniss had been hiding it from them all this time!


    If Katniss had told them earlier, he wouldn''t have adopted her to Wesley!


    It was evident now that Katniss had meticulously orchestrated this ploy.


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    Realizing this, Oliver was burning with anger.


    Maximilian gently rubbed her soft hand with his thumb, scrutinizing him, and said calmly, "I heard thetest municipal project has already been assigned to the Manners family."


    Oliver,ing back to his senses, turned pale, "Mr. Hamilton..."


    "Mr. Manners," Maximilian interrupted him leisurely, his voice tinged with amusement, "That project is too big and challenging."


    "To ''thank'' the Manners family for taking care of Katniss, the Hamilton family will take


    it over. In the future, any simr difficult tasks, the Hamilton family will also help."


    The new municipal project was the result of Oliver and Lucas''s efforts for more than half a year, with countless funds invested.


    The Hamilton Group could effortlessly seize it with mere words.


    But that wasn''t the worst part. The true cmity was that the connections they had painstakingly built in the municipal government would be severed.


    And Maximilian''s casual remark, "simr difficult tasks, the Hamilton family will also help," effectively blocked the Manners family''s upward mobility. In Luminous City, they could forget about getting any big contracts in the future.


    Oliver''s brow dampened with cold sweat, struggling to find words.


    Lucas, his lips tight, steadied his voice, "Mr. Hamilton, there''s no need to make a big


    deal out of this. Katniss is my sister, we were just jesting."


    Having said this, Lucas cast a beseeching nce at Katniss, his eyes imploring, ''Katniss, help me!''


    Katniss nearlyughed. What was Lucas''s pretense worth?


    Katniss tilted her head slightly, brushed her hair behind her ear, and pretended not to understand.


    Lucas pressed his lips tightly, his face darkening.


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    Elodie''s momentum also diminished significantly, though she was still indignant. She felt it was her right to discipline Katniss! What business did Maximilian have interfering?


    Even if Katniss married Maximilian, she was still his mother-inw, and Simon was his brother-inw. How could he treat his brother-inw like this?


    However, with Oliver too fearful to utter a word, Elodie waspelled to restrain herself.


    She was so angry she felt like she was burning inside.


    Maximilian nced down at Simon, who was still in pain on the ground, unable to speak.


    Maximilian''s eyes, usually calm, now showed a hint of ruthlessness.


    "I don''t like jesting."


    Lucas''s face darkened, and he froze, his throat seemingly constricted.


    Katniss pulled her lips into a mocking smile, "Maximilian is right. I''ve already been adopted by Wesley. Lucas, even if I''m your sister, I''m just a cousin."


    "Other people''s business, as elders, it''s best not to interfere." Maximilian said slowly, then looked at Katniss, his lips curling slightly, "Tired? Let''s go back and have Mira make something to eat."


    Katniss smiled slightly, "Sure."


    As she spoke, she naturally took the wheelchair from Emilio and pushed Maximilian away with light, graceful steps.


    Oliver, suppressing his fear, wiped his sweat and pulled Lucas, unwilling to give up, trying to follow.


    Emilio gave them a cold look, stretched out his long arm, "Mr. Manners, one should know their ce."


    Suddenly, the sharp crack of breaking bones resonated, followed by Simon''s stifled groans.

 Chapter 149

    The Manners family stared at him in shock as Simon''s eyes rolled back and he hit the floor, out cold.


    Conrad let go of his arm, stood up, and dusted off his hands. As the Manners family rushed angrily towards Simon, he walked over to Emilio. "Hey, Emilio, wait up."


    Emilio clicked his tongue, "Don''t kill anyone, okay? Take it easy."


    Conrad scratched his head, looking a bit clueless. He thought he was being gentle just a broken bone, nothing serious.


    If a little beating could break him, he was too fragile anyway.


    The moment E saw Maximilian show up, she knew he was someone serious and quietly backed into a corner.


    She figured she''d wait until he left to stir up trouble with the Manners family.


    Now, seeing how easily his guys took down Simon, E silently patted herself on the back for being cautious.


    E, hands on her hips, stepped out from the corner and saw Dn giving Simon some first aid, getting ready to carry him out with Lucas.


    Blocking the doorway, she spread her arms wide and shrieked, "What? Trying to sneak off?"


    Seeing E causing a scene, Elodie was fuming, barely holding back fromshing out, "Move aside! If anything happens to my son, you''ll pay for it."


    Oliver had enough and tried to push E away.


    But E swung her arm and shoved him aside.


    Then she rolled up her sleeves and jabbed a finger at Elodie''s forehead, "Why are you acting all high and mighty? Did I break your son''s arm?"


    "You won''t let me off? Why didn''t you show that attitude to that guy earlier!"


    "Think you can push me around ''cause I''m from the countryside? I''m telling you, if you don''t bring my daughter here, no one''s leaving!"


    Elodie, used to a life of luxury, couldn''t handle someone like E.


    E kept ranting, her voice getting louder, grating on the Manners family''s nerves.


    Lucas, worried about drawing attention, wanted to put Simon down to stop her but hesitated when he saw E''s burly figure.


    If E wasn''t ra''s biological mother, he would''ve had security throw her out already.


    He needed to find someone to tell Desmond to bring ra over, fast.


    In a hidden spot at the venue, Desmond wasforting ra, holding her close.


    ra, looking like a scared little deer, her nose and eyes red from crying.


    Desmond''s heart ached seeing her like that.


    When E''s voice reached them, ra''s expression crumbled.


    ra clung to Desmond''s arm, her tearful eyes pleading, "Desmond, why hasn''t she left yet? What does she want?"


    Desmond gently touched her cheek, "ra, it''s okay. I''ll go with you to see."


    When ra and Desmond got backstage, the tension was still high.


    Elodie, humiliated by E, had a burning face. Seeing ra, she felt like she saw a savior.


    But Lucas frowned even more. Why did Desmond bring ra over?


    "ra!" Elodie called out.


    But Lucas frowned even more. Why did Desmond bring ra over?


    "Mom!" ra, tears streaming down her face, moved to throw herself into Elodie''s arms, only to be intercepted by E, "ra, where are you going? Come here, let me hug you." E raised her thick arm to hug ra.


    ra was hit by a nauseating smell of sweat, and her arm hurt and felt sticky from E''s grip. Panic-stricken, ra cried out, "Desmond! Help me!"


    Desmond''s expression turned steely as he moved to free ra from E''s grasp. However, E''s strength was surprisingly mighty, and Desmond had to exert considerable effort to separate ra from her.


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    ra''s face twisted with disgust, tears of frustration welling up in her eyes. She couldn''t believe she was being hugged by such a filthy person.


    She hid behind Desmond, her eyes zing with anger.


    E was furious, shouting, "You''re my son-inw! How can you treat me like this?" Desmond felt a wave of revulsion, wanting nothing to do with such a vulgar woman. "Stop making baseless ims. This isn''t the time or ce for your nonsense." Seizing the moment, Oliver jumped in, "We need to get Simon to the hospital, now." Elodie nodded frantically, remembering the doctor had said his arm was almost beyond savingst time, and now who knew how bad it was.


    ra''s eyes filled with tears, "Dad, Mom, brothers, what about me if you leave?"


    Oliver paused, looking apologetically at Desmond, "Desmond, please handle this for now."


    Desmond''s silence and stern expression showed his reluctant agreement.


    ra trembled as she reached for Elodie''s hand, "Mom, I want to go with you. Please, don''t leave me here alone."


    Elodie''s resolve wavered, her heart breaking, just as E shouted, "I''m your real mother!"


    E''s face hardened. "What? Are you going to fight me for your daughter here?"


    Oliver knew that if Elodie didn''t leave, E would keep causing trouble.


    "ra, Simon needs to get to the hospital right away. He can''t be left alone. With Desmond here, nothing will happen." Oliver''s voice was urgent.


    With a heavy heart, Elodie let go of ra''s hand, "ra, your dad is right. We''ll be back soon, don''t be scared."


    Lucas wanted to stay, but he had to help carry Simon to the hospital.


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    Dn had been silent the whole time.


    ra bit her lower lip, her teeth sinking into her lip, her eyes filled with tears of resentment.


    After the Manners family left, the wrinkles at the corners of E''s eyes deepened with her smile. "ra, now that there are no outsiders, can I take a good look at you?"


    Since the Manners family had stopped her from seeing ra years ago, she hadn''t seen her since.


    E reached out to touch ra again, but a bank card was suddenly presented in front


    of her. E rolled her eyes, "The Manners family already tried this! I just..."


    Desmond cut her off coldly, "Two hundred thousand dors, is that enough?"


    Two hundred thousand dors?


    E''s eyes flickered.


    Desmond realized it wasn''t that the tactic didn''t work, but that the Manners family was too cheap.


    Desmond tossed the bank card at E with disdain, "This money is enough to sever your rtionship with ra. Don''t show up in Luminous City again. Considering you''re ra''s biological mother, the Boleyn family won''t hold you ountable for the trouble you caused today."


    Desmond didn''t know his confident assumption was wrong.


    E, a greedy woman from the countryside with a bedridden spouse, needed way more than two hundred thousand dors.


    E looked at the bank card on the ground, her eyes darting around, and immediately smiled, bending down to pick it up.


    After carefully putting the bank card into the inner pocket of her clothes, she looked


    past Desmond at ra, finally getting a clear look at her.


    She really didn''t look like her daughter, so delicate and weak.


    Luckily, they were switched at birth. If ra had been brought back, she wouldn''t have


    been as useful as Katniss, and might have died young.


    Such an event would have been a huge loss.


    Contented, she stroked the bank card, knowing it was about time to leave today.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 150

    E adjusted the bun at the back of her head and let out a heavy sigh, "ra, seeing you happy and settled now, I can leave with peace of mind as your mother."


    ra clenched her fists, staying silent with great effort.


    Desmond''s handsome face was icy as he pointed to the door nearby, "Leave through there."


    The guests outside hadn''t left yet, and the family''s reputation had already taken a hit. Gabriel and Carlton hadn''t even gone to exin things, so E couldn''t show her face again.


    If rumors started spreading, it would be even harder to bounce back.


    E looked where he pointed and saw a small, low door. She licked her dry lips and said with a hint of bitterness, "Fine, I''ll go through there, as you wish."


    ra watched E''s back until she disappeared through the back door. Only then did she slowly unclench her fists.


    Desmond was also worn out from dealing with this situation. After a moment, he turned tofort ra.


    ra nestled gently in his arms, then looked up with trembling eyshes and said guiltily, "Desmond, I''m fine. I''m just sorry for you and the Boleyn family. Because of my background, I almost ruined our engagement ceremony."


    Today was supposed to be her big day, her moment in the spotlight!


    But instead, she was humiliated because of her lowly, vulgar biological mother.


    All the attention was stolen by Katniss.


    "ra," Desmond gently rubbed the top of her head, his heart softening, "You are the kindest girl in the world. This is not your fault."


    "Desmond, you really don''t me me?"


    "Of course not. No one could have predicted what happened today, and you didn''t know she would suddenly show up."


    At this, ra''s body trembled, and she lowered her head in panic.


    As if hiding a secret.


    Desmond frowned, gently lifting her chin and gazing into her eyes, coaxing softly, "ra, is there something you''re not telling me?"


    "Desmond, I don''t want to say it. Please, don''t press me." ra, anxious, avoided Desmond''s gaze.


    "ra, be honest with me. Don''t be afraid." Desmond gentlyforted ra.


    ra''s eyes quickly filled with tears, and she sobbed, "I shouldn''t think this way about Katniss, but only Katniss could have contacted her."


    Desmond''s brows furrowed in disgust, "ra, do your parents know about this?"


    "I didn''t tell them." ra wiped the tears from her eyes, "Katniss is my sister after all. I


    believe she acted on impulse and didn''t really want to ruin our engagement ceremony."


    Desmond pressed his lips together, stood up straight, and pulled ra along.


    "Desmond!" ra eximed.


    "We''re going to the hospital to tell everyone about this!" Desmond''s voice was filled with anger.


    In the hospital room, Simon had just woken up from emergency treatment.


    His arm had suffered severe secondary damage. If it resulted in habitual fractures, he wouldn''t be able to lift heavy objects in the future, making it almost useless.


    Oliver and Lucas had gone to thepany toe up with a solution.


    Dn was in the office discussing with orthopedic experts if there was a better way to treat Simon''s arm.


    Elodie was the only one apanying Simon.


    At this moment, Simony in bed writhing in pain. After hearing Desmond''s words, he gritted his teeth and tried to get up, "I want to kill that vicious woman Katniss!" However, as soon as he moved, a sharp pain shot through his arm.


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    In a fury, he could only yell, "Katniss, this isn''t over between us!"Elodie looked grim, her voice dripping with venom, "We raised her for so many years. Not only is she ungrateful, but she also wants to destroy our Manners family and ruin you."


    ra clutched Elodie''s sleeve, her voice trembling, "Mom, don''t be angry. Maybe I''m overthinking it. That woman came on her own; it has nothing to do with Katniss." Elodie had been bewildered at the venue.


    E hadn''te for so many years, so why did she suddenly show up? And why did she cause such a scene directly at the venue?


    Elodie held ra''s hand tenderly and smoothed her long hair, "ra, Katniss not only ruined the reputation of both our families but also ruined your important day."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure you get justice. I''ll make Katniss kneel and apologize to you!"


    "Just kneeling and apologizing isn''t enough! If she''s so capable now, she should pay back all the money our Manners family spent raising her!"


    Simon added furiously, "With interest!"


    Desmond frowned, feeling uncertain. If Maximilian had been deceived into marrying Katniss, the Manners family''s wishes might stille true.


    If not, matters would be far from straightforward.


    Suddenly, the door to the hospital room was pushed open. Nathan''s gaze swept over the people in the room, and he covered his mouth with one hand, coughing forcefully. "Isn''t this situation bad enough? How long do you n to keep this up?"


    Nathan had copsed a few days ago, discovered by Elodie and ra upon their return from shopping. He had been rushed to this hospital.


    Because of this, he hadn''t attended ra''s engagement ceremony.


    Seeing that he was still unwell and hade here, Elodie''s heart tightened, and she stepped forward to support him.


    Simon, unable to contain himself, eximed, "Mom, you don''t need to worry. Nathan still has the strength to speak up for Katniss! I think he''s perfectly fine!"


    Hearing Simon''s words, Nathan''s eyes narrowed slightly, and his pale lips pressed together, "Simon, the fact is, I''m not just speaking up for anyone."


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    As he said this, Nathan''s gaze fell on ra''s face.


    It was a fleeting nce, yet ra responded by biting her lip in silence.


    Had Nathan''s heartpletely turned towards Katniss?


    "Nathan, what kind of spell has Katniss cast on you? Do you know how much she embarrassed ra?" Simon furiously retorted.


    "E is ra''s biological mother. It''s only right for her to attend the engagement ceremony." Nathan coughed a few more times, standing there with effort, "Isn''t ra supposed to be the kindest? On such an important day, why didn''t she invite her mother?"


    "Or is it just like E said, you look down on your biological mother and only want to


    be with your wealthy mother?" Nathan mockingly added.


    ra faltered, her tears cascading uncontrobly, "Nathan, I, I..."


    Simon flew into a rage, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at Nathan, but he didn''t have


    the strength to hit him. The pillownded in front of Nathan.


    "Nathan! You''re crazy! ra is kind, but she doesn''t need to invite an unrted old woman! What do you mean by questioning her like this?!"


    Desmond also had a cold expression as he held ra in his arms, his gaze sweeping over Nathan thoughtfully.


    The atmosphere was fraught with tension, and the air grew thick with heaviness.


    Elodie was also angry but didn''t want to act out, fearing any outburst would aggravate her son''s condition.


    She sighed and tried to soothe him, "Nathan, your priority now is to take care of your health. You don''t need to worry about family matters."


    "I think you''re just confused from being sick recently and have lost your judgment. Once you recover, you won''t be deceived by Katniss anymore."


    A moment passed.


    Nathan''s lips curled in self-mockery, and he fell silent. Was there even time left for


    him?

 Chapter 151

    "Alright, Nathan, let''s get you back to your room," Elodie said, helping him up when he stopped talking. Suddenly, she asked, "You''ve been in the hospital this whole time. How''d you know about the party?"


    "The videos are all over the inte now," Nathan replied.


    Everyone in the room was stunned.


    Desmond was the first to check his phone, and sure enough, he quickly saw it. Several news outlets were reporting on it.


    ra saw it too, and her legs gave out as she copsed into a chair.


    "How could this happen?" Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Desmond.


    Desmond''s face was grim, but he forced himself tofort her, "Don''t worry, I''ll look into it."


    Everyone who attended the engagement party was a big deal with close ties to the Boleyn family.


    Afterward, Carlton and Gabriel had hinted to everyone not to leak the news.


    They were all smart people and wouldn''t offend the Boleyn family over a bit of gossip. They''d just talk about it privately.


    No one would dare take videos and spread them all over the inte!


    Without thinking, Simon shouted, "It must be Katniss! She had everything nned out!"


    Elodie also shouted, "E was already brought in, isn''t that enough? What more do they want from us?"


    Nathan, who had just walked out of the room, heard this and silently turned back to look at them.


    Their vision had been clouded for far too long. Every time something went wrong, they would immediately me Katniss.


    Then, they would surely convict her.


    Meanwhile, Katniss and Maximilian had already returned to Golden Crest Estates, and she had just finished a meal prepared by Mira.


    Maximilian nced at the nearly empty te and smirked, "After you finish eating, let''s go for a walk."


    Katniss smiled with her eyes curved, "Okay!"


    Then, with a touch of curiosity, Katniss inquired, "I saw a lot of news outlets reporting on what happened at the party today. Was that your doing?"


    She nced at thements below, and ra''s situation had be a joke, with countlessizens watching the drama unfold.


    But Katniss felt that this didn''t seem like Maximilian''s style.


    Maximilian''s gaze swept over her, and he said calmly, "No."


    Since Maximilian said so, it wasn''t him.


    If it wasn''t her or Maximilian, then who leaked the news?


    It seemed ra had offended quite a few people.


    Just then, her phone rang.


    It was Elodie!


    She looked up at Maximilian, who also looked over at her, his cold eyes narrowing slightly, and asked in a questioning yet certain tone, "Someone from the Manners family?"


    Katniss nodded. The Manners family had realized what was happening and wereing to confront her about it.


    Katniss told Maximilian and was about to go out to take the call.


    Maximilian''s thin lips parted slightly, "It''s okay, I''ll listen."


    "Let''s not, Maximilian. Elodie''s words are bound to be unpleasant. Don''t dirty your ears."


    Maximilian raised an eyebrow and signaled her to take the call.


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    Katniss didn''t insist, "Alright, let''s listen together then."


    Once the line connected, Elodie''s impatient voice rang through.


    "Katniss! You vicious ingrate, do you think bringing E here can ruin ra and embarrass the entire Manners family? What good does that do you?"


    "E has already been taken away. If you have the guts, bring her back! Let''s see if I don''t break your legs."


    "And those videos online, take them down right now and admit to everyone that you smeared ra. It was all your doing!"


    "It has nothing to do with ra!"


    Katniss''s eyes lifted, her heart unperturbed, "What videos? I don''t know. Embarrassing the Manners family does me no good, but it does amuse me."


    Elodie''s voice rose sharply with anger. "Fine, you still won''t admit it! If it wasn''t you, who else could it be? Don''t try to deny it. No one else would target ra like this! You''re Maximilian''s wife now. But let me tell you, you won''t hold that position for long..."


    At this point, Katniss''s face finally began to pale, and she felt a chill from head to toe, inside and out.


    Elodie didn''t like her, and she epted that. In her past and present lives, she had abandoned any hope for maternal affection.


    But to despise her to the extent of cursing strangers? How could one harbor such malice?


    Katniss nced at Maximilian''s noble and cold profile, and her grip on the phone tightened.


    "I may not hold the position for long, but I''ve held it. Instead of threatening me, you shouldfort ra. She''s quite the celebrity now. You better keep an eye on her, or who knows what might happen."


    To Elodie''s ears, these words bore a different implication. She screamed, "Katniss! If you touch my daughter again, I will never forgive you!"


    "So, this is how the Manners family bullies my wife?"


    Suddenly, Maximilian spoke, his voice deep and icy, sending chills down one''s spine.


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    In fact, although Katniss had deliberately interrupted Elodie''s unfinished sentence, Maximilian discerned its essence.


    It was merely a prediction of his end.


    On the other end, Elodie clearly realized that Maximilian had heard everything. She was shocked, her face instantly turning pale.


    Elodie didn''t want Katniss to be smug, especially with Simon still in the hospital, not knowing if his arm could be saved.


    In a moment of fury, she relinquished reason, "Mr. Hamilton, you hold a high position, and the Manners family can''t afford to offend you. But Katniss is my biological daughter, raised with the Manners family''s money."


    "You don''t know the whole story. Katniss is unruly and vicious. I''m just fulfilling my duty as a mother by disciplining her."


    Maximilian''s face was cold, but his lips curved slightly, his eyes brimming with utmost disdain.


    "The only thing you should be grateful for right now is that you are Katniss''s mother. Otherwise, who knows if the Manners family would still be in Luminous City tomorrow."


    Then, Maximilian reached out and took the phone from Katniss''s hand, ending the call. Elodie, oblivious to the approaching crisis, stomped her foot in vexation. Gazing upon Maximilian, Katniss wore a troubled expression, her hands fidgeting restlessly upon her knees.


    "Maximilian, you saw it too. My rtionship with them has always been rocky, even hostile. Do you really think I''m being ungrateful, ruthless, and heartless when ites to ra?"


    As she waited for his answer, Katniss nervously clenched her hands, her cold eyes fixed on him.


    "I''m not as kind as you think."


    Would Maximilian, like others, prefer a kind, pure, and unblemished woman? Maximilian smiled, lifted Katniss''s chin, leaned in close, his eyes reflecting her delicate


    face, "Katniss, my wife need not be so kind. You have no necessity to be gentle. You are free to be unrestrained and proud."


    "Whatever you want to do, just do it. If you get into trouble, I''ll take responsibility." Katniss''s eyes gradually reddened.

 Chapter 152

    In her past life, she had walked on eggshells, trying to win their favor, only to end up betrayed and torn apart, her organs harvested.


    But the Maximilian standing before her now was giving her a break she never could''ve dreamed of.


    Suddenly, the door to the hallway swung open, breaking the moment in Katniss''s heart.


    Maximilian looked up, his handsome face icy, his sharp eyes locking coldly on Emilio, who hesitated at the doorway.


    Emilio lingered, hand still on the doorknob, unsure whether toe in or back out.


    Katniss quickly stepped back, mumbling awkwardly, "You guys carry on I''ll just head back to my room."


    Maximilian''s voice was cool as he addressed Emilio, "This better be important."


    In the study.


    Maximilian sat behind the desk, with Emilio standing in front of him.


    Emilio held a folder and reported briefly, "The Manners family''s municipal project was awarded to the Thorne family an hour ago."


    "The news is out, and no one will dare to work with the Manners family anymore."


    "Not enough," Maximilian replied, his voicezy and arrogant.


    Emilio closed the folder and looked up, "What do you mean?"


    "Do I need to spell it out for you?"


    "Got it, Sir." Emilio nodded slightly, turned, and quickly left.


    Katniss had no idea what Maximilian had done; she stayed in her room reading until evening.


    When Maximilian came in, he saw her absorbed in an old medical book.


    The neckline of her pajamas had slipped a bit, showing some skin. Maximilian''s eyes lingered for a moment before looking away.


    His voice was gentle, "Cover up with a nket while you read, don''t catch a cold."


    Katniss''s thoughts snapped back to the present, and she smiled, "Maximilian, are you done with work?"


    "Yeah," he replied.


    With that, Maximilian headed to the bathroom, and soon the sound of running water filled the room.


    It wasn''t the first time they "shared a bed," but every night with Maximilian made Katniss feel a mix of tension and excitement.


    Now, her confidence was even shakier.


    A guy like Maximilian, it was so easy to fall for him.


    Katniss couldn''t focus on her book anymore.


    She quietly moved to the other side and ced a cartoon doll in the middle. Then shey down properly.


    After a while, Maximilian came out, taking in the scene with a soft chuckle.


    He dried his hair andy down beside her.


    Katniss had her eyes closed, but when he got close, her eyshes fluttered.


    Maximilian''s voice murmured next to her ear, "Still awake?"


    Reluctantly, Katniss opened her eyes and said, "Yeah, I''m not sleepy yet."


    Otherwise, it would seem like she was pretending to sleep.


    She thought for a moment and then asked, "Maximilian, now that your marriage is


    announced, the Boleyn family shouldn''t bother you anymore, right?"


    Katniss genuinely wanted to help Maximilian and cared about his situation.


    Maximilian paused before replying, "It''s not that simple, they might be watching to see


    if we''re for real or just putting on a show."


    Katniss frowned, turning to face Maximilian, her tone indignant, "They''re really relentless! Always wanting what isn''t theirs."


    They were very close, and the faint floral scent from Katniss surrounded Maximilian.


    His eyes darkened, and he lowered his gaze, his voice deeper, "I''ll handle it, don''t worry, go to sleep."


    Katniss responded with an "oh,"y back down, and closed her eyes, trying to force herself to sleep.


    But her mind was still fuming for Maximilian!


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    Once Maximilian''s leg was fully healed, he''d crush their dreams for sure!


    Katniss''s thoughts were all over the ce, and in a daze, she didn''t know how long it had been when she felt herself being gently pulled into an embrace.


    A strong arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer.


    In a few seconds of grogginess, Katniss suddenly woke up, her senses on high alert. Was she being held by Maximilian?


    Listening to Maximilian''s steady breathing, Katniss bit her lip, not daring to move an inch.


    Maximilian had trouble sleeping, and it was rare for him to fall asleep so easily tonight. Katniss obediently stayed still, thinking as a doctor, she had to protect Maximilian''s sleep!


    That night, Katniss didn''t remember how she fell asleep.


    The next morning, when she woke up, Maximilian had already gone to thepany.


    Seeing the empty spot beside her, Katniss rubbed her face and reached out to touch it;


    it was already cold, meaning he had been up for a while.


    Finally having a good sleep, why wake up so early?


    Why not sleep a bit more?


    After washing up and having breakfast, Katniss was ready to head to school.


    On the way, she turned on her phone and saw a text from Juniper.


    Juniper must have seen the news back home and sent a bunch of excited messages.


    Juniper: [It''s so satisfying, ra finally got what she deserved, too bad I wasn''t there to see her miserable state!]


    [Desmond must be blind, how could he not see through ra''s hypocrisy? What''s the use of those eyes? Now let him see, this is the ''kind-hearted'' ra who abandoned even her own mother.]


    [By the way, I saw in the report that Maximilian has already quietly and mysteriously gotten married, but isn''t he seriously ill, almost dying? Who would be so selfless to marry him?]


    Katniss''s smile faded as she read thest message.


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    After a few seconds, she replied to Juniper.


    Katniss: [Me.]


    With the time difference, Juniper should still be sleeping.


    By the time Juniper read the message, Katniss could vividly picture the shock on her


    face.


    Such a big thing, and she hadn''t told Juniper.


    After exiting the message, Katniss went on a forum where people were discussing


    ra. Some were mocking ra for being vain and abandoning her own mother for a wealthy one.


    Others defended ra, saying she was inherently noble and couldn''t be med for her decision.


    Turning off her phone, Katniss didn''t waste any more time on it.


    After arriving at school, Conrad left.


    Katniss slung her canvas bag over her shoulder and was about to walk inside when Ruby rushed out.


    She blocked Katniss''s way and started cursing, "Katniss, you bitch! You were the one who leaked the video, weren''t you!"


    "How can you be so shameless, ra never did anything to you, and you keep targeting her!"


    With a cold smirk, Katniss retorted, "It''s early, clear off."


    Ruby raised her hand to hit Katniss.


    When the video was released, she saw it immediately and called ra.


    ra acted very distressed,menting that Katniss wouldn''t answer her calls, and she


    couldn''t ask her anything, so she had to endure the scandal silently.


    She also said she wouldn''te to school for a while, as everyone would be talking about her.


    Hearing this, Ruby decided to confront Katniss for her.


    Not only to show ra her friendship but also to teach Katniss a lesson!


    She knew Katniss had a tall and strong Conrad protecting her, so she waited at the


    school gate early in the morning and only came out after Conrad left.


    Seeing Ruby''s hand about toe down, Katniss squinted her eyes and grabbed her wrist, pulling out a silver needle and pricking her wrist.

 Chapter 153

    Ruby felt a sharp sting on her cheek. Before she could even scream, a pnded hard on her face.


    The p was so strong it made a loud whooshing sound and snapped her head to the side.


    Coming to her senses, she red at Katniss with wide, angry eyes, clutching her face. "You dare hit me here?" Ruby clutched her swollen cheek, staring at Katniss in disbelief. "Do you think you''re some untouchable princess that I wouldn''t dare hit you?" Katniss shot her a disdainful look.


    Katniss flexed her wrist, her gaze intense as it bore down on Ruby. "I always thought you were just ra''s sidekick, but it looks like you''re a pretty loyal henchman after all."


    Then, as if something amusing had crossed her mind, Katnissughed mockingly. "Oh, no. I misspoke. You''re more like a dumb and evilckey!"


    The word ckey" seemed to hit a nerve for Ruby. She pointed at Katniss and shouted, "ra and I are close friends!"


    With a smirk and a look of pure contempt, Katniss eyed Ruby like she was an idiot. "Then why didn''t you show up at your good friend''s engagement party yesterday?" "Because I ate something bad and got diarrhea!"


    "Diarrhea, huh? Someone usually so high and mighty, reduced to such a state?"


    "What do you mean?! Katniss, what are you trying to say?" Ruby''s anger grew, her brows furrowing tightly.


    "You should use your brain more." Katniss left with a mocking piece of advice.


    When Ruby had unted the invitation, Katniss knew ra would never let someone like Ruby appear at her wedding.


    ra never considered Ruby a friend, just a convenient tool to use when needed. Giving Ruby the invitation was just a way to make her more loyal and to keep her in check.


    ra''s usual style, using the least effort to win people''s hearts.


    After saying that, Katniss took out a tissue to wipe her hands, her tone calm but her words cold.


    "Next time youe in front of me, don''t me me for being really rude to you."


    Ruby, finally realizing what was happening, widened her eyes in shock.


    It seemed like after she had dinner with ra yesterday, her stomach started to feel ufortable.


    By evening, she was almost exhausted from the diarrhea and had apologized to ra with much regret.


    ra had been very gentle, repeatedlyforting her that it was okay and that she could attend the wedding instead.


    Thinking back now, they had eaten the same meal, but she had gone out to take a call in the middle.


    Ruby''s back gradually stiffened, an uneasy thought creeping in, only to be forcefully dismissed with a vigorous shake of her head.


    Impossible!


    She had known ra for a long time, and ra''s sincerity had never been fake.


    Ruby turned to look in the direction Katniss had left. She was already far away, leaving


    a blurry yet vibrant silhouette.


    Ruby rubbed her still burning face, as her vision gradually became clearer.


    How could she doubt ra just based on Katniss''s words!


    Katniss must be jealous of their friendship and trying to sow discord on purpose! How despicable!


    Katniss walked into the ssroom and saw Daryl by her seat, along with Byron and Cecil.


    The sight of the three of them together attracted several girls with girlish fantasies standing outside the window.


    Naturally, most of their attention was fixated on Cecil.


    And Cecil, as usual, had a cold face, as if someone had taken over his territory.


    As soon as Daryl saw Katniss, he quickly ran over, eagerly trying to take Katniss''s bag, a fawning smile on his face.


    Katniss dodged Daryl''s hand and casually took her seat, making sure to keep some distance from them.


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    She''d already been used of trying to attract Cecil, and thest thing she needed was to be used of seducing Daryl too.


    Daryl didn''t seem to mind being ignored. In fact, he smiled even more. "You''re amazing. The prescription you gave Cecil worked wonders for me..."


    Lowering his voice, Daryl added, "The hardest I''ve ever been."


    Katniss was unscrewing her water bottle when she heard this, her face twitching. "You don''t have to be so explicit."


    Byron, standing nearby, was so shocked he nudged Cecil hard. "Cecil, did you hear what Daryl said? It''s hrious."


    Cecil shot him a frosty nce.


    Byron, seeing that Cecil was in a bad mood, immediately quieted down.


    Katniss noticed this too and figured it had something to do with her.


    She looked at Daryl, her eyes questioning.


    Daryl exined in an even lower voice, "Cecil''s treatment method wasn''t working, but the prescription you gave worked wonders. It was a big blow to him."


    No sooner had Daryl spoken than a book came flying at him.


    "Are you saying I''m not good enough? It''s you who''s too good. Your case is shocking


    in the entire field of urology!" Cecil''s voice was low and deep, his face full of frustration.


    For Daryl''s condition, Cecil had worked on various aspects, staying up several nights and consulting Brent twice toe up with a treatment n.


    But it wasn''t as effective as Katniss''s single prescription.


    Daryl had been so thrilled he wanted to show Cecil the hardest result, but Cecil had kicked him out.


    Katniss chuckled lightly, "Daryl''s condition is indeed rare, affected since fetal development. Plus, his years of using incorrect treatments made it even more intricate."


    Cecil narrowed his eyes, leaning against the back desk, one armzily draped over Byron''s shoulder. "Katniss, please enlighten me."


    "To truly treat it, you just need to follow one principle." Katniss''s tone was clear and firm.


    Cecil was slightly stunned.


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    Katniss continued, "Incorporate simple treatment methods into the treatment ofplex diseases, addressing the root cause."


    Aurora had imparted this wisdom to her during her youth, an insightter validated by numerous analogous cases she encountered.


    Cecil tapped his fingers on the desk, his gaze lowering slightly, quickly understanding the meaning behind her words.


    Everything should be addressed from the root.


    He had overlooked this point earlier. The rigorous ns he had made were not only ineffective but could also overwhelm Daryl''s body with too aggressive treatment. The treatment might even exacerbate the condition.


    Cecil slowly tightened his lips, a muffled curse escaping under his breath. Seeing his sudden realization, Katniss took out her books and started reading. "Cecil, you''re really smart."


    Cecil looked at her, his face not looking good, but he still said in a low voice, "Thank you for the guidance."


    "I don''t need such insincere thanks. Keep it for yourself." Katniss waved her hand nonchntly.


    Cecil ground his teeth and spat out a short phrase, "I am genuine."


    Still begrudging.


    Katniss could tell, and so could Byron, who was stunned.


    Listening to Katniss''s exnation earlier, he had wanted to scoff.


    Complex conditions requireplex treatments, strong and aggressive ones.


    But even Cecil was convinced.


    Byron nced at Katniss, who was already engrossed in her studies.


    A ridiculous thought suddenly shed through his mind.


    Could Katniss possibly treat Ashley''s father?

 Chapter 154

    In no time, Byron found himself lost in his thoughts.


    He''d pulled every string he could to get top-notch doctors for Ashley''s dad, but none of them had any luck. Could Katniss really be better than these seasoned pros?


    And let''s not forget, the current doctor in charge was the highly respected Dn.


    Byron stared ahead, deep in thought.


    Katniss was just lucky and loved to show off. If she made Ashley''s dad worse, wouldn''t Ashley be crushed?


    Byron shook his head, pushing the thought away.


    After morning sses, Katniss headed to the cafeteria. As soon as she stepped out of the ssroom, she spotted Ceciliaing her way.


    Cecilia, hobbling on crutches, greeted Katniss with a big smile.


    Katniss nced at Cecilia''s bandaged ankle and sighed. "You should be resting. Moving around like this will just slow down your recovery and might even make things worse."


    Cecilia scratched her head, "If I stay in that room any longer, I''ll lose my mind. I''d rather limp around. I even had to throw a fit to get my dad to let me out."


    "Your motives are crystal clear," Katniss chuckled.


    Cecilia might be shy, but she was also an open book, making her easy to read.


    Dealing with someone like that was actually simpler and more reassuring.


    Just then, Cecil, Byron, and Daryl walked out of the ssroom too.


    Cecilia waved and threw her arm around Daryl''s neck, "Daryl, I heard you were sick? What''s up? Are we in this together?"


    "Bullshit, our illnesses are different." Daryl''s face darkened. He pried her hand off and asked, "How did you know?"


    As he spoke, he shot a quick nce at Katniss.


    Katniss rolled her eyes, making her point clear.


    Byron burst outughing, "Why so nervous? Cecilia won''t find out anything she shouldn''t."


    The other day, when Byron visited Cecilia at The Thorne Vi, he casually mentioned that Cecil was treating Daryl. When Cecilia asked for details, he didn''t go into it.


    "Great, you guys are keeping secrets from me? Not treating me like a friend anymore?" Cecilia tightened her grip around Daryl''s neck, "Spill it! What''s going on?"


    Daryl, unable to break free, turned red, "Let go. Have you forgotten you''re a girl?"


    Katniss stood among them, watching their yful banter, feeling a strange sense of being an outsider.


    Apart from Juniper, Katniss didn''t have many close friends.


    Since Juniper went abroad, Katniss had be somewhat of a loner at school.


    She had never felt so genuinely part of a lively group as she did now.


    Katniss gently squeezed her hand, unsure if she liked or disliked it, but the unfamiliarity made her ufortable.


    Just as Katniss was about to excuse herself, Cecilia suddenly put her other arm around her, "Katniss! You sit so close to him and see him every day, you must know."


    "I..." Katniss had just started to speak when Daryl sped his hands together in a pleading gesture, mouthing silently, "Katniss, please, I still have my pride."


    Amusement sparkled in Katniss''s eyes as she replied, "I don''t know."


    At that moment, Daryl felt as if Katniss was glowing.


    His eyes lit up, "Katniss, I love you."


    "Love your ass! Katniss has a boyfriend," Cecilia punched Daryl in the chest.


    As soon as she said that, Byron quickly added, "I gotta go. Ashley''s alone at the


    hospital today, and I need to help her out so she can rx a bit."


    With that, he hurried off.


    Katniss caught a flicker of bitterness in Cecilia''s eyes, but she quickly masked it with an even brighter smile. "No more talking, let''s go eat."


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    "Katniss, today it''s my treat. Order whatever you want," Cecilia announced with enthusiasm.


    Unable to resist such excitement, Katniss, who was already heading to the cafeteria, nodded.


    Cecil shot Katniss a cold look, "I''m not eating. You guys go ahead."


    "Hey, where are you going?" Cecilia called out.


    Katniss noticed Cecil heading towards Brent''s office.


    Daryl noticed too and chuckled, "Cecil must be going to consult Brent again."


    Cecilia shrugged, "Forget him, let''s go. I''m starving."


    Katniss took the initiative to support Cecilia, with Daryl on the other side.


    This scene was captured by Ruby at the other end of the hallway, who promptly sent the photos to ra.


    Meanwhile, ra was on the phone with Desmond in her room.


    E''s incident had brought great shame to the Boleyn family, and Gabriel''s dissatisfaction with ra had only intensified. He frequently chastised Desmond and even contemted terminating the betrothal.


    Upon learning this, ra nearly cried over the phone.


    Desmond had just reassured her that his father was unaware of her true virtues, otherwise, he would be very pleased with her as a daughter-inw.


    Before ra could rx, her phone buzzed with a few notifications. Seeing the photos, her pupils contracted sharply.


    In the photos, Katniss was standing with several prominent figures from the school, all smiling and looking very close.


    Even the notoriously grumpy Cecil had a faint smile on his face, and what infuriated ra the most was Cecil''s attentive gaze towards Katniss!


    She gripped the bedsheet tightly, her teeth grinding.


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    Katniss had ruined her engagement party, made her aughingstock, and left her with an indelible blemish.


    Yet Katniss was cozying up to people she didn''t deserve to be around.


    And she dared to be so happy!


    More messages popped up.


    [ra, look at how maniptive that bitch Katniss is. It''s not enough that she''s seducing Cecil; now she''s clinging to Daryl and the others too.]


    [Hurry back to school and tell everyone what really happened at the party. Don''t let Katniss get away with it!]


    [Just seeing her face makes me sick. You don''t know how hard I pped her this morning to stand up for you.]


    On the other end of the line, Desmond frowned, "ra, why are you silent? Are you still upset?"


    Letting go of the sheet, ra slowly smoothed it out and said softly, "No, I''m just looking at the photos Ruby sent me."


    Then she deliberately changed her tone, eximing, "Katniss is in them too." "Katniss? What photos? Send them to me," Desmond demanded urgently. "It''s nothing, just some pictures of Katniss chatting with her friends." ra selected the one where Cecil was staring at Katniss and sent it over. Sure enough, a few secondster, Desmond''s cold voice came through, "My brother isn''t even dead yet, and Katniss is already looking for someone new? The Marshall family''s Cecil is beyond her reach, and so is the Fields family''s Daryl. Her ambition knows no bounds!"


    Already married, and still so brazen...


    She threatened to tarnish the dignity of both the Hamilton and Boleyn families! "Desmond, why are you suddenly angry? You''ve misunderstood Katniss. Cecil and the others are just her ssmates. Ruby probably just took the photos casually." ra''s gaze fell on the dressing mirror by the window, her reflection showing an exquisite face slowly contorting into a malevolent grin.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 155

    ra''s voice was shaky, "Please, don''t tell Maximilian or Grandpa. Katniss is finally catching a break."


    Desmond sneered, "That''s not easy for someone as reckless as her!"


    "Desmond, you..." ra''s voice wavered.


    "ra, I''ll take care of it. Just hang tight, and I''ll pick you up from school in a few days when things settle down," Desmond reassured her firmly.


    "Desmond, you''re the best. I really like you," ra said with a soft smile.


    "You''re my fianc¨¦e and the future mistress of the Boleyn family. Should I be good to you or to that scheming Katniss...?" Desmond trailed off, frowning deeply. "Let''s not talk about her. I''m busy."


    After hanging up, he sat in his chair for a bit, then decisively went to find Maximilian.


    Maximilian nced at the photos Desmond handed him, a barely-there smile on his lips.


    These photos were Desmond''s proof of Katniss flirting with other guys.


    "Did you have someone take these?" Maximilian''s voice was eerily calm but carried a chilling authority.


    Desmond instinctively clenched his hand, feeling the air around him thin, and his heart found its answer.


    Desmond quickly said, "Maximilian, you misunderstand. These were taken by someone at school, and I intercepted them."


    "If Katniss is seen flirting with them and word gets to the board members, it will cause quite a stir. I didn''t know how to handle it, so I came to ask you."


    "If you have the time to worry about this, maybe you should use that time to study harder, so as not to invite our father''s wrath," Maximilian retorted, his eyes narrowing.


    Desmond''s heart faltered, his eyes clouding with dread.


    Beforeing, he had considered this possibility, but he was desperate to know Maximilian''s true attitude towards Katniss.


    The result was the one he least wanted to see.


    Grinding his teeth silently, Desmond kept his rage concealed, though internally, he seethed with rancor.


    ''Katniss,'' Desmond thought bitterly, ''you are truly a master maniptor.''


    Maximilian seemed oblivious to Desmond''s thoughts, his ck coat making him look even colder.


    He instructed with calcted indifference. "You''re grounded at the family memorial until dawn tomorrow."


    Tomorrow!


    Desmond''s body tensed, his pupils dting in shock. It was only two in the afternoon. Maximilian''s voice was cold and unwavering, his gaze as sharp as an eagle''s. "Anything else to say?"


    "Why?" Desmond didn''t understand.


    Maximilian''s eyes lifted, his voice icy, "Blindly trusting outsiders without any judgment, isn''t that embarrassing enough?"


    "Maximilian, I didn''t." Desmond gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and didn''t dare say another word. "You''re right. I''ll go now."


    After Desmond left, Maximilian''s gaze fell on the photos on the table.


    In the photos, Katniss''s exuberance was captured perfectly, basking in the sunlight with a group of peers.


    The other three were nothing special, Maximilian''s gaze lingered on a particrly cool- looking young man before he finally looked away, chuckling with faint contempt.


    Maximilian called Emilio in.


    "Sir, any orders?" Emilio had just asked when he caught sight of the photos on the table.


    He had a rough idea.


    "Understand?" Maximilian casually asked.


    Emilio nodded slightly, "Understood," he replied, and swiftly exited.


    Half an hourter, Emilio returned to the office to report his findings.


    In the afternoon, Katniss returned to Golden Crest Estates with a canvas bag slung over her shoulder.


    As soon as she entered, she saw Maximilian sitting on the sofa, reading a financial magazine.


    Indeed, it was characteristic of exemry individuals to make productive use of even their leisure moments.


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Walking over, Katniss smiled and asked, "Maximilian, why are you back so early today?" Maximilian lifted his eyes, his gaze falling on her face, "You''re back?"


    "Yeah," Katniss replied, her smile growing. "Maximilian, I came up with a new medicinal dish this afternoon that''s perfect for your recovery. I''ll make it for you tonight." Maximilian closed the magazine and looked at her. "Katniss."


    "What''s up?" Katniss''s confusion cleared when she saw the photos Maximilianid out. If someone wanted to twist the truth about her rtionships, it could cause a lot of trouble.


    Before, Katniss wouldn''t have cared about others'' opinions. But now, as Maximilian''s wife, any rumors would create problems for both the Hamilton and Boleyn families.


    "Maximilian, they''re just ssmates. I''m only close to Cecilia," she exined earnestly. After exining, Katniss asked seriously, a frown forming. "Maximilian, where did thesee from?"


    "Someone named Ruby sent them to ra, who then passed them to Desmond," Maximilian said calmly. "Eventually, they ended up with me, used to use you of infidelity."


    Katniss''s eyes widened. If someone exploited this, they could im she was unfaithful and push for Maximilian to divorce her, then pressure him to step down.


    These people were truly despicable.


    Seething with anger, Katniss dered, "Maximilian, let me handle this. Don''t interfere." Maximilian''s gaze remained calm. "Alright."


    Katniss nodded firmly, then waved the list in her hand. "Okay, I''ll go make the medicinal dish now."


    The dish was intricate, and the ingredients and herbs were tricky to prepare.


    Mira, having seen Katniss make it several times, could now help a bit. The two of them were busy in the kitchen for over an hour.


    They brought out a steaming bowl.


    Maximilian had only eaten a few bites during thepany''s shareholder meeting at noon, and Katniss''s dish whetted his appetite.


    His usually stern and cold features seemed to soften in the rising steam from his dinner.


    After eating, Katniss gave him acupuncture and carefully checked his body.


    Finally, she beamed. "Maximilian, you''re showing significant improvement!" she said, her eyes sparkling with hope.


    "Maybe..." Maximilian paused slightly, his eyes flickering as they rested on her fair face. "I''ve been sleeping welltely."


    Katniss blinked, recalling the feeling of Maximilian holding her while sleeping at night.


    A brief sh of unease crossed her face. She then pursed her lips, steeling her resolve. Maximilian had helped her so much. As a doctor, if her presence allowed him to rest better, it was a small sacrifice to make.


    Besides...


    She should be worried about Maximilian. What if one day she lost control and took advantage of a sleeping Maximilian?


    That would be a grievous offense.


    Maximilian chuckled, his voice deep and maic. "When are your finals? Are you keeping up with your studies?"


    "Finals are still a while away, not until January," Katniss reported obediently. "I''m keeping up. The teachers are all pretty good," she assured him, nodding earnestly.


    "Really." Maximilian''s bead-rolling slowed. "You''re still young. Study hard and don''t let irrelevant people distract you," he advised with a soft authority.


    Katniss''s head throbbed instantly. This was a typical parental line, warning her not to date early, right?


    "Don''t worry. I''ve been studying hard at school, and besides studying, most of my thoughts are on how to cure you." Katniss raised her small hand, swearing her diligence.


    Felix, passing by the study door, saw the two inside, their proximity exuding an intimacy that made him smile, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening.


    Compared to the previously gloomy and taciturn Maximilian, the current Maximilian in front of Katniss was much more lively.


    Love truly had a rejuvenating effect.


    He had to inform Samuel immediately. "Maximilian and Katniss are now deeply in love, and you''ll soon have Maximilian''s child!"

 Chapter 156

    The next morning, Katniss headed downstairs and found Samuel chilling in the living room, looking all cheerful.


    Maximilian was across from him, looking all smooth and elegant with his eyes slightly lowered.


    When Samuel saw Katniss, his smile got even bigger, and he waved like crazy. "Katniss, you''re up! How''d you sleepst night?" he asked warmly.


    Katniss smiled back, "Grandpa, I slept great. Why are you here so early today?"


    "I came to check on you two. How have you been these past few days?" Samuel asked, clearly wanting to make sure everything was good. Katniss felt her face warm up a bit and lowered her voice, "Grandpa, we''ve been doing well."


    To Samuel, her reaction just seemed like she was being shy.


    Heughed even louder, probably already imagining himself with a chubby grandkid next year.


    He patted the seat next to him and said, "Katniss,e sit here and chat with me."


    Just as Katniss was about to sit down, Maximilian checked the time and said calmly, "Grandpa, Katniss has to go to ss soon."


    Samuel shot him a re, "You rascal, I timed my visit perfectly. It''s still early," he retorted.


    Katniss quickly added, "Maximilian, it''s okay. I don''t have any important sses this morning."


    Samuel finally let Maximilian off the hook and kept chatting with Katniss, even asking if Maximilian had been treating her well.


    Hepletely ignored Maximilian, his actual grandson.


    Katniss kept assuring him that Maximilian treated her very well, and then they all headed to the dining room for breakfast.


    At the dining table, the atmosphere was warm and happy. Mira''s cooking had really improved.


    Samuel was super pleased with Mira and immediately pulled out a stack of cash, praising her for taking good care of Maximilian and Katniss.


    Mira epted it with a big smile.


    Katniss noticed a thick stack of cash in Samuel''s pocket.


    She blinked and asked, "Grandpa, why are you carrying so much money with you? It''s not even a special asion today."


    Across from her, Maximilian looked at Katniss with a slight smile. "Ever since we got engaged, Grandpa''s been giving out money to everyone he meets."


    Samuelughed heartily, "Such a big joy should be shared widely."


    For some old friends he hadn''t informed yet, Samuel made sure to spread the news, saying they should share in the joy now, and when the two got married, they shouldn''t be stingy and should give even bigger gifts in return.


    Katniss looked at Samuel, then at Maximilian, and chuckled softly.


    After breakfast, Maximilian had to head to thepany.


    He offered to drive Katniss to school, even though it was out of his way, but Katniss didn''t refuse, not wanting to show any awkwardness in front of Samuel.


    So, under Samuel''s satisfied gaze, the two got into the car.


    On the way, as Katniss was looking out the window, Maximilian spoke up. "Close the window, it''s chilly in the morning. Don''t catch a cold."


    Katniss obediently closed the window and then looked out through the ss. They passed by several spots that were future sites for big shopping malls andmercial buildings.


    Turning to Maximilian, Katniss asked, "Maximilian, have you bought more houses ornd?"


    Maximilian nced at her, "You seem really interested in this?" he remarked, raising an eyebrow.


    He remembered this wasn''t the first time Katniss had brought it up.


    "Not really, I just think the real estate industry will be very profitable in the future."


    After a moment of silence, Maximilian replied, "Yes."


    It wasn''t because of Katniss''s words; Maximilian''s original n was to expand into real estate.


    Recently, he had been methodically acquiringnd and properties in Luminous City and its surroundings.


    As they chatted, the car arrived at its destination.


    Katniss waved and said warmly, "Goodbye, Maximilian."


    Maximilian lowered the car window, giving her a reassuring smile. "I''ll pick you up this afternoon."


    Katniss nodded, "Okay."


    The car turned around and drove off in the opposite direction.


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for the


    Katniss adjusted her white coat and headed towards the school.


    After a few steps, her phone buzzed with a new message.


    Katniss opened it and saw a message from Conrad.


    Conrad: [Madam, at your ten o''clock, someone is following you. Do you need me to handle it?]


    Someone was following her?


    Katniss calmly put away her phone and nced out of the corner of her eye, spotting a figure. She looked up and saw Ruby hiding behind arge tree outside the school gate, a camera in hand, snapping pictures of her.


    Katniss narrowed her eyes and walked over with a cold smile.


    Ruby realized she had been spotted, but it was toote to flee. Katniss grabbed her wrist and, with her other hand, snatched the camera while Ruby struggled.


    Ruby struggled more fiercely, but for some reason, her body felt like it was under a spell.


    Katniss was clearly holding her wrist, but any movement caused her body to ache. Katniss calmly began to skim through the pictures on the camera.


    They were of her getting out of Maximilian''s car earlier.


    She sneered, her voice mocking yet light, "This habit of secretly taking pictures isn''t


    good. You should change it." Katniss said, a hint of cruelty in her eyes.


    "What do you mean?" Ruby''s eyes widened with a bad premonition.


    The next second, she saw Katniss take something out of her bag and sprinkle it on her face.


    Ruby felt a cool, faintly stinging sensation spread across her skin.


    She immediately screamed, "Ah, you threw acid on me! Help, someone!"


    As she screamed, a dawning realization hit her.


    She touched her face; it was just a liquid like water, with no particr smell.


    Katnissughed wantonly, "If you have no shame, what are you afraid of?"


    Ruby red at her, fury and humiliation blending into one. "You dare to trick me! Katniss, this isn''t over between us."


    "The evidence is mine now." Katniss waved the camera, stuffed it into her bag, and started to walk away.


    Ruby shouted, "What right do you have to take my camera! Katniss, are you that broke?"


    She had bought it specifically to monitor Katniss''s every move at school for ra, and


    it was quite expensive!


    "Or should we let the police handle your secret photography?"


    Ruby''s face turned pale, "You wouldn''t dare!" she eximed, but her confidence faltering.


    "Why don''t you try and see if I dare?" Katniss coldly smirked.


    Katniss pulled out her phone, feigning the act of dialing a number, and Ruby''sposure shattered.


    Nexus Nova College valued student integrity the most. Secretly taking photos might seem trivial, but having the police involved would surely escte the situation and bring shame upon the school''s fame.


    Seeing Ruby weigh her options, Katniss smiled and walked away.


    Ruby valued her possessions the most, so she had to teach her a lesson.


    That morning, a ridiculous incident spread through Nexus Nova College.


    Ruby''s face suddenly turned green during ss!


    Amidst the stifledughter, she hurriedly took out a mirror and saw that her entire face was green.


    She looked like a female version of the Hulk, and it scared her so much that she threw the mirror away.


    Some curious ssmates surrounded Ruby like she was an oddity on disy. One particrly audacious student even snapped a photo and promptly posted it on the school forum.


    At noon, Katniss quietly ate in the cafeteria while quietly admiring Ruby''s new skin with a satisfied smile.


    It was a potion she had developed earlier, colorless and odorless, just like water. But


    once it touched the skin and was exposed to air, it would turn green within three hours.


    The effect wouldst at least ten days, if not a full two weeks.


    For the next few days, Ruby wouldn''t be wandering around the school or secretly taking pictures of her.

 Chapter 157

    After eating in the cafeteria, Katniss went to a nearby delivery point and sent the camera to a school in a poor area.


    Not long ago, she had identally seen a report about volunteer teachers in the newspaper.


    She expressed her desire to capture the innocent smiles of the children.


    This camera woulde in handy.


    The sender was Nexus Nova College, Ruby Hayes.


    Katniss smirked, thinking this would also be a good deed for Ruby.


    In the afternoon, when Katniss returned to school, she indeed heard that Ruby had taken a leave of absence. As for why her face was green, she didn''t say no matter how others asked.


    Katniss knew she was too embarrassed to say.


    As soon as Katniss entered the ssroom, she received a message from Cecilia.


    "Katniss, where did you go? Did you see the forum? What''s up with Ruby?"


    "So bizarre, but it seems kind of interesting. If my face turned green like that, I''d go scare people in the woods every night."


    Katniss couldn''t help butugh, "Your thinking is unique, and your couragemendable."


    Meanwhile, Ruby was crying in front of ra.


    ra looked at her face with a pained expression, "Ruby, I''m sorry, Katniss did this to you because of me."


    "ra, Katniss is so shameless! How can there be such a shameless person in our school?"


    Ruby''s eyes darted around, and she added, "She even took my new camera! It was brand new!"


    "Now the camera is gone, and I don''t know when my face will get better. What should I do?"


    ra''s soft hand covered her arm, her voice gentle, "Ruby, it''s okay. We''ll go shopping this weekend and get you thetest model."


    "ra, that''s not right."


    Her eyes brightened, and Ruby refused, "I can''t ept your gift."


    "Oh,e on, we''re friends. You stood up for me, so it''s only right I give you something."


    Ruby smiled, "ra, I knew you truly considered me a friend."


    ra lowered her head to drink tea, a trace of contempt and dissatisfaction shing under her half-lowered eyshes.


    She thought Ruby could aplish something big, but she was fooled by Katniss time and again.


    Idiot.


    Although the news on the newspaper and forum had been taken down, those who needed to know already knew. Over the past few days, people kept calling ra to ask about it.


    ra was so pressured that she couldn''t even go to school. Desmond said to wait a while before returning to school and got her a leave of absence.


    This time, not only did Ee, but also her sick biological father, Aaron Hill, who couldn''t even walk.


    She had checked; E''s main purpose foring this time was to treat Aaron''s illness. Luminous City''s medical technology was advanced and top-notch.


    Because they were going to the hospital where Dn worked.


    The attending physician was Dn''s colleague.


    ra, while cating Ruby and sending her away, was thinking about how to get rid of E.


    Since it was to treat Aaron''s illness, if Aaron died, E would have no reason to stay, right?


    ra lowered her eyes, tightly gripping the teacup, a hint of malice shing in her eyes.


    Suddenly, thetest model phone Elodie had just given her rang on the dressing table. It was Desmond calling.


    She adjusted her expression in front of the mirror, answered the phone, and spoke in an especially soft voice.


    "Desmond."


    "ra, today is the Boleyn family''s family dinner. I''lle to pick you up." "Family dinner?"


    The fifteenth of every month was the Boleyn family''s family dinner, something ra had almost forgotten. She smiled, "Alright, Desmond, I''ll wait for you at home."


    "By the way," Desmond paused, his voice dark, "Prepare well. My mom will be there today too. It''s your chance to change my dad''s opinion of you."


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Desmond''s mother.


    Her eyes narrowed, and her voice carried a bit moreughter, "Alright, I''ll take it seriously and not make things difficult for you, Desmond."


    Desmond''s mother, Emily rk.


    ra had never met Emily but knew that Emily was not well-liked in the Boleyn family and rarely heard Desmond mention her.


    Since even Emily was going today, it was definitely not just a simple family dinner. They probably wanted to introduce her to the entire Boleyn family, right?


    ra curled her lips and immediately got up to go to the dressing room.


    Today, she was going to be the center of attention!


    After school, Katniss didn''t see Conrad but saw Maximilian''s car instead.


    She quickly walked over, got in the car, and looked at the distinguished man with


    bright eyes, "Maximilian, why did youe to pick me up today?"


    "Grandpa called, asking us to go home for dinner."


    "Back to The Boleyn Manor?" Katniss blinked and looked at her blue and white school


    uniform, "Maximilian, let''s go home and change first."


    "No need, you look fine as you are," Maximilian said directly.


    If it weren''t for Carlton''s urging, he wouldn''t bother going back to deal with those


    people.


    Katniss didn''t insist and instead took off her school uniform jacket, revealing a white knitted sweater underneath. She also tied up her long hair.


    Maximilian nced at Katniss tidying herself up. In just a few moves, she shed her youthful aura and gained a bit of elegance.


    Using the rearview mirror, Katniss looked herself over and smiled, "Do I look less like a student now?"


    Maximilian raised an eyebrow, "What, do you think I''m old?"


    Katniss widened her eyes and quickly waved her hand, "Of course not, you''re in your prime. If I dress more maturely, it looks more like Mrs. Hamilton."


    "You''re missing something."


    After looking her over, Maximilian knocked on the back of the driver''s seat, "Emilio, get the box from the glovepartment."


    While driving, Emilio reached for a box and handed it to Maximilian. Maximilian opened the box, revealing a delicate ne with a pendant carved from pink sapphire, dazzlingly beautiful.


    "Come here," Maximilian said, pulling Katniss''s slender neck closer to put it on her.


    The beautiful pink sapphire, against her skin, made her neck look even more long and


    sexy, carrying the allure of a mature woman.


    Katniss touched the pink sapphire and asked quietly, "Is it expensive?"


    Maximilian nodded, "The brand sent it over, $990,000."


    Katniss''s pupils shrank, what!


    She was wearing $990,000 around her neck. She immediately covered the expensive


    pink sapphire, "I''ll take good care of it. As long as I''m here, it will be too."


    Maximilian pursed his lips, not thinking it was necessary.


    The car smoothly and quickly drove into The Boleyn Manor.


    This was Katniss''s first time entering The Boleyn Manor as Maximilian''s wife.


    Several cars she couldn''t name were parked in the yard. Ahead was the main building, and Katniss followed Maximilian inside.


    In the first-floor living room.


    Carlton and Gabriel were there.


    And a woman who left a deep impression on Katniss. She wore a ck long dress, a blue sapphire ne around her neck, her hair elegantly up, and her demeanor graceful.


    Katniss''s gaze discreetly swept across her face, almost instantly confirming her identity.


    It was Desmond''s mother, Emily.


    In her previous life, when she was infatuated with Desmond, she had thought about approaching and pleasing Emily.


    But Emily rarely came to The Boleyn Manor and lived with Gabriel outside most of the time.


    So Katniss never got the chance.


    Katniss found it somewhat amusing that she met her today under such circumstances.

 Chapter 158

    On the side seats of the sofa, there were a few elderly people and several elegantly dressed women.


    Judging by their appearance, they should be rtives from the Boleyn family''s coteral branches.


    Katniss hadn''t seen them much before.


    Katniss obediently followed Maximilian, walking in together.


    As soon as the crowd saw them, they greeted them with smiles.


    Katniss responded to each greeting, appearing poised and graceful.


    Maximilian didn''t say much, holding Katniss''s hand, his expression cold, sitting next to Carlton with an air of superiority.


    On Carlton''s other side sat Gabriel and Emily.


    Maximilian didn''t even nce at them.


    Gabriel''s face turned slightly blue, ring at Maximilian, about to lose his temper, when his arm was gently nudged.


    Turning his head, he saw a gentle face, Emily''s watery eyes signaling him not to get angry.


    Gabriel patted her hand, his anger dissipating significantly.


    Carlton looked at Katniss, seeing her round face and goodplexion, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening.


    His voice was steady and affectionate, "Katniss, this is your home. Today, I want to formally introduce you to the Boleyn family members."


    "Everyone here is family, don''t be reserved. If you need anything, just let me know." "Grandpa, I won''t be shy."


    Katniss''s small face blossomed with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling.


    Suddenly, Maximilian''s mocking voice sounded, cool and indifferent, "Grandpa, not everyone here is family."


    His voice wasn''t loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear clearly, and it was obvious who he was referring to.


    The air in the living room froze, and all eyes fell on Emily.


    Emily''s face quickly turned pale, and she lowered her head slightly.


    Gabriel''s recently dissipated anger red up again, "You..."


    "Gabriel, Maximilian is right. It''s okay, don''t get angry in this setting."


    Emily quickly grabbed Gabriel''s arm, lowering her eyes, "I shouldn''t havee. When


    Desmond and his fianc¨¦e arrive, I''ll give them the gift and leave."


    As soon as Emily finished speaking, Desmond walked in with ra by his side.


    Katniss''s gaze fell on ra''s face.


    ra was wearing a knee-length chiffon dress with perfect makeup.


    Katniss''s mind shed back to when she was ten years old, being brought back to The Manners Vi and seeing ra for the first time.


    Back then, ra was just as she is now, every move as delicate as a doll in a disy window.


    She didn''t let herself think too much and was about to look away when ra''s gaze met hers.


    She clearly saw the jealousy in ra''s eyes, and with a slight smile, Katniss indifferently looked away, treating her as if she were air.


    ra clenched her hand tightly, but her face maintained an impable smile.


    Katniss is here too!


    How could she deserve this!


    Desmond brought ra to greet Carlton first, then Gabriel, and finally introduced her to Emily.


    "ra, this is my mom."


    "Hello, it''s so nice to finally meet you. Desmond has told me so much about you,


    saying you''re the most beautiful mom in the world."


    ra''s expression was sincere, "Now that I see you, he wasn''t wrong."


    "Desmond is just ttering. He hasn''t stopped praising you in front of me."


    "Seeing you, Desmond''s taste is indeed impable."


    Emily covered her mouth andughed lightly, but if someone looked closely, they


    could see a hint of perfunctoriness on her well-maintained, gentle face.


    Then, Emily opened her blue handbag and took out a square velvet box.


    "ra, this is a gift I specially prepared for you. I was supposed to give it to you at your engagement party with Desmond."


    "Unfortunately, I wasn''t feeling well then and couldn''t attend. So, I''m taking this opportunity to give it to you now."


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    ra epted it with both hands, "Thank you."


    "Open it and see if you like it," Emily said with a smile.


    "Okay." ra opened the box, revealing a pair of sapphire-encrusted bracelets.


    ra''s eyes lit up, knowing their value.


    ra felt the admiring gazes around her.


    At this moment, ra felt she was already being regarded as the future mistress of the Boleyn family.


    She clutched the box tightly, her voice sweet, "Thank you, these sapphire bracelets are beautiful. I love them."


    As soon as the "sapphire bracelets" appeared, Maximilian, who was holding Katniss''s small hand, suddenly narrowed his eyes.


    His gaze shifted, seeing clearly what was in the box.


    Suddenly, a cold light shed, and Maximilian sat up straight, his sinister voice


    breaking the harmonious atmosphere, "Emily, are you looking for death!"


    Katniss and everyone else were stunned, then heard Maximilian''s next words, "You dare touch my mom''s belongings."


    Katniss frowned, a surge of anger rising from her heart.


    Too much!


    Emily was shocked, looking at Gabriel in panic.


    Carlton''s face also darkened, his gaze serious, "What''s going on? Is this Natalie''s item?"


    Gabriel mmed the table and stood up, angrily rebuking, "You took all your mom''s things long ago. This is a gift I gave to Emily, it has nothing to do with her."


    Maximilian coldly ordered, "Emilio."


    Emilio, who had been waiting outside the living room, quickly walked in, stopping in front of ra. ra instinctively protected the bracelet.


    Emilio swiftly snatched it away and handed it to Maximilian.


    ra''s eyes quickly filled with tears, "Desmond."


    Desmond''s lips tightened,fortingly holding her hand.


    Maximilian held up the bracelet to the light.


    The sapphire bracelet shone brightly under everyone''s gaze, like a brilliant star in the


    dark.


    At the same time, a word appeared inside the bracelet, "Natalie."


    Gabriel''s face changed dramatically, "Impossible, you took all your mom''s things. This bracelet is..."


    As he spoke, Gabriel suddenly realized.


    He had found this bracelet by chance in the old Boleyn family house, thought it was beautiful, and brought it back for Emily.


    He didn''t expect it to be something Natalie had left behind.


    Maximilian''s eyes were cold and fierce, staring at Gabriel, making him feel guilty and cold.


    Maximilian was nothing like him.


    He had given birth to a wolf.


    In the moment of his speechlessness, Emily stepped forward, her shoulders trembling slightly, sincerely saying, "Maximilian, I''m very sorry."


    "Don''t be angry, I didn''t do it on purpose. I just thought the bracelet was nice, I didn''t know it was your mom''s relic."


    At this moment, seeing his beloved Emily so cautious, Gabriel''s anger red up.


    "It''s just a bracelet. Your mom had so many jewels, giving one to Desmond''s wife is no big deal."


    "Is it worth speaking to your elders like this and ruining the atmosphere?"


    Emily tried to pull Gabriel back, tears streaming down her face, "Gabriel, stop talking.


    Don''t let this affect your rtionship with your son."


    "He never considered me his father. I''m still alive, and you''re my wife, his elder!"


    "You have every right to be here, no need to lower yourself to him."


    Katniss silently clenched her teeth.


    Angry and heartbroken.


    She understood this feeling too well.


    It wasn''t Maximilian''s fault, yet he seemed like the one who hadmitted a grave sin.

 Chapter 159

    Katniss''s eyes narrowed slightly. She was young, with a strong youthful aura on her face, but her smiling eyes were both arrogant and calm. She spoke lightly, "Just because someone cries doesn''t mean they''re the most wronged. This trick is quite useful, though. I saw ra use it when I was little."


    Suddenly, the ss door opened, and a strong wind blew in.


    It lifted Katniss''s fine strands of hair.


    The next second, Katniss''s face turned cold as she smashed the ss in her hand, shattering it into countless pieces on the ground.


    Everyone was startled.


    "Katniss, what are you doing?!"


    Katniss''s clear eyes were filled with sarcasm. "But I''m not a child anymore. Giving away my deceased grandmother''s bracelet, who are you trying to disgust? If you''re going to give it away, can''t you be more careful? If you do something wrong, just saying ''I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it'' makes it okay? So if I p you now and then say ''I''m sorry,'' is that okay?"


    What a show!


    How could it be such a coincidence to give away Maximilian''s biological mother''s relic?


    Being a mistress is disgusting enough, and now causing trouble here!


    "A new daughter-inw dares to m the table and break dishes in front of elders. Maximilian, you better control your wife!" someone said sarcastically.


    Katniss looked up and retorted immediately, "Some elders should mind their own business."


    Katniss had seen such biased scenes since she was a child and had lived through them for decades.


    Now, she didn''t even need to think to counter these people.


    The person was so angry that they stood up abruptly, pointing a trembling finger at Katniss, trying to say something.


    Maximilian raised his deep, calm eyes, stood up, andpletely shielded Katniss with his body.


    He was tall, with straight legs, and the light from the chandelier in the living room was almost blocked by him.


    For a moment, the surroundings seemed a bit dim.


    Gabriel and the others were stunned, clearly not expecting Maximilian to stand up.


    Maximilian walked steadily towards them.


    In everyone''s eyes, he was like an elegant yet swift jaguar.


    Gabriel nervously retreated, pointing at Maximilian, unable to speak.


    "My mother was the mistress of the Boleyn family when she was alive. After her death, my wife Katniss is the mistress of the Boleyn family. As long as I''m alive, this woman will never be the mistress of the Boleyn family and will never enter the Boleyn family."


    Maximilian exuded an overwhelming aura, spitting out the next words with a dark contempt, "She will always be the mistress you keep in the suburbs."


    "She can still walk into The Boleyn Manor intact; you should be grateful."


    No one doubted the truth of hisst sentence.


    If Maximilian wanted, Emily would definitely not remain intact.


    Desmond stood there with a furrowed brow, his body stiff, looking at his mother with a hidden and mocking gaze. Hisrge hand clenched into a fist and then powerlessly released.


    ra, held in his arms, had a changing and ugly expression.


    Emily was Desmond''s biological mother, his mother-inw.


    Now, being scolded by Katniss and Maximilian, Desmond wouldn''t let ra speak, making her furious.


    Katniss nced at Desmond and ra, naturally noticing his expression.


    Then she lowered her eyes and chuckled, her clear brows showing a hint of indifference.


    In her previous life, when she loved Desmond, she stood up for Emily. Natalie was dead; why hold onto that hatred?


    Now, she had seen and learned more, tasting a different vor.


    They had driven Natalie to death, yet these people still wouldn''t let Maximilian go.


    If they truly cared, Emily shouldn''t have appeared today. This act was just to disgust the living.


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    Gabriel, being publicly defied by Maximilian, was utterly humiliated and trembling with anger. "You unfilial son, I am your father! Do you still remember that?"


    "Do you remember that I am your father!"


    Carlton put down his teacup, tea sshing, exuding an authoritative aura without anger. "Can''t we have a proper family dinner? Father and son always at each other''s throats, what does it look like?"


    "Dad, why don''t you look at this..."


    "Enough! Sit down and behave." Carlton interrupted him, disappointed. "Katniss is right. If you had a bit of heart, this misunderstanding wouldn''t have happened."


    "Don''t be so blinded that you can''t see the situation clearly."


    As he spoke, Carlton''s gaze swept over Emily.


    She shrank her shoulders, looking pitiful and weak.


    "Dad, it''s all my fault. Don''t get angry and harm your health."


    "If you know it''s your fault, return the gift."


    "Yes, yes." Emily nodded repeatedly.


    Carlton looked at Maximilian, frowning, "You sit down too. Your leg just got better; don''t make it worse."


    "Alright. Today''s matter is over. No one is to mention it again."


    Maximilian sneered lightly, and under Gabriel''s suppressed rage, he slowly sat back down.


    Katniss helped Maximilian sit down, then discreetly ced her hand on his wrist to check his pulse.


    She breathed a sigh of relief; his pulse was steady, no problem.


    In the eyes of others, it naturally looked like a disy of their deep affection.


    Katniss''s fingers were soft and gentle, and Maximilian''s thin lips curved into a smile. He grabbed her right hand and slipped the bracelet onto it.


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    Katniss widened her eyes, looking at him in confusion.


    Then her left hand was adorned with the other bracelet.


    The pair of sapphire bracelets on her slender wrists made her look even more beautiful and transparent.


    Maximilian exined, "This pair of bracelets was specially prepared by my mother for my future wife. After she passed away, they were lost."


    His eyes deepened, and his voice was calm, "Now that they''ve been found, only you deserve them."


    Listening to his words, Katniss didn''t know what to say for a moment.


    Maximilian''s words made it seem like he had forgotten they were a fake couple.


    Shifting her gaze slightly, Katniss saw those people staring at them and smiled brightly, "Maximilian is right. I will take good care of the gift our mother left me."


    "Good girl."


    Maximilian raised his hand, smoothing her hair by her ear, his deep voice sexy and alluring.


    A short-haired, elegantly dressed womanughed, "Oh my, Maximilian really knows how to pamper his wife. Katniss, we''re so envious of you."


    Another plump woman chimed in, "We olddies can''tpare to Katniss."


    Others echoed, "Katniss,e visit us often. You just married in, and we elders shouldn''t neglect you."


    "When you take over the Boleyn family''s internal affairs, we aunts will fully support you and won''t let you work too hard."


    Katniss just smiled politely at these words. They were all hypocrites wearing masks.


    There were certainly many among them who wanted Maximilian to step down.


    While Katniss was surrounded by ttery, ra''s expression almost broke. She was seething with jealousy.


    Stealing the spotlight at the engagement ceremony wasn''t enough; now she shamelessly epted the sapphire bracelets.


    ra could even feel the mocking gazes from the Boleyn family members.

 Chapter 160

    After a while, someone from the kitchen reported that the meal was ready. Carlton asked everyone to move to the dining room to start eating.


    "Maximilian, I''m going to the restroom."


    Maximilian nodded, "Alright, take your time."


    Seeing Katniss leave, a sh of malice crossed ra''s eyes. She turned and smiled sweetly at Desmond, "Desmond, I''m going to the restroom to touch up my makeup." Ever since Maximilian had said those things about Emily, Desmond''s face had been grim.


    Desmond only responded casually to ra''s words and didn''t pay her much attention.


    Taking advantage of no one noticing, ra got up and headed to the restroom. Katniss had just finished when she saw ra standing behind the restroom door.


    ra''s face was twisted with anger. Her gaze swept over the bracelet on Katniss''s hand, revealing a deep sense of reluctance. She lowered her voice, "Katniss, do you even know your ce?"


    "How dare you deliberately steal my spotlight and embarrass me."


    "In a prestigious family like the Boleyns, without support from your own family, how long do you think you can stay proud?"


    "And what about you?" Katniss raised a bright smile and retorted, "Are you about to die of anger?"


    "Anger?" ra smoothed her hair and looked down at Katniss, "You''re not worth my anger."


    "Whether in the Manners family or the Boleyn family, you will always be my defeated opponent."


    "Katniss, I advise you to recognize your ce early. Don''t think that just because you have Maximilian to rely on, everything will be fine."


    "The day you get kicked out, I will make sure you wish you were dead."


    Katniss listened quietly until she finished, then suddenly smirked and said to someone behind ra, "Grandpa, did you hear all that?"


    ra''s face turned pale. She quickly turned around to exin, "Grandpa, you misunderstood, Katniss and I were just..."


    Behind her, there was no one.


    ra''s heart went on a rollercoaster ride. Just as she was about to feel relieved, she realized she had been tricked by Katniss and became furious.


    She turned back, her fingers curled, as if all her hatred for Katniss had gathered in her hand, ready to scratch her face.


    Katniss''s pupils narrowed slightly.


    Just a second before ra''s hand couldnd, her breath suddenly hitched, and her whole body stiffened.


    At that moment, ra truly felt "petrified."


    She couldn''t make a sound.


    The only thing she could move was her eyes, which watched as Katniss calmly pulled a silver needle from her chest.


    Katniss waved it in front of her, a light smile blooming on her face, and ra was instantly engulfed in panic.


    Katniss took in all of ra''s fear, her smile widening, her voice mocking, "Scared now?"


    "ra, isn''t it a bitte? Weren''t you very arrogant when you were cursing me just now?"


    "Why don''t you learn your lesson? Haven''t I warned you that I''m no longer the foolish and ridiculous Katniss I used to be!"


    Katniss extended her hand, the silver needle tracing slowly along ra''s brow and eyes, the tip seemingly about to pierce ra''s eye at any moment.


    ra''s scalp tingled, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t move an inch.


    Her eyes were the only things that could move, ring at Katniss with all her might.


    What had Katniss done to her?


    She would never let Katniss get away with this!


    "ra, remember this lesson well."


    As if reading ra''s thoughts, Katniss''s eyes turned icy cold. She leaned in close to ra and said word by word, "ra, learn to behave in the future."


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    "If youe to provoke me again, or send someone to provoke me."


    "I guarantee, you will regret it!"


    ra''s eyes turned red with anger, wishing she could kill Katniss.


    Katniss calmly put away the silver needle and waved her hand, "Goodbye, take your time reflecting here."


    With that, ra watched as Katniss turned and walked away!


    Katniss really dared to leave her here?


    Katniss returned to the dining room nonchntly and sat in the empty seat next to Maximilian.


    Maximilian''s deep, pleasant voice sounded, "Why did you take so long?"


    "Oh," Katniss smiled, "I ran into a dog blocking my way, so I gave it a simple lesson."


    Maximilian chuckled, grabbed her hand, and picked up a white napkin, "Dogs carry a lot of germs, wipe your hands, don''t get them dirty."


    He began to wipe each of Katniss''s fingers one by one.


    His cold, handsome face was serious.


    Katniss blinked. With acting skills like this, no one would ever suspect they were a "fake couple," even if they acted for a hundred years.


    Since Maximilian was so supportive, Katniss felt she couldn''t fall behind. She leaned closer to Maximilian, her eyes smiling, her posture intimate.


    Across the table, Desmond''s forehead veins bulged as he forced himself not to look at Katniss.


    Next to him, Emily sensed Desmond''s emotions and urately patted his leg under the table.


    "Go check on your fianc¨¦e. It''s been a while, and she hasn''te back yet."


    With Emily''s reminder, Desmond remembered ra. He frowned and said in a low voice, "Alright, I''ll go now."


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! When Desmond arrived outside the restroom, he saw ra standing there like a statue. He raised his wrist to check the time and walked towards ra, "ra, why are you still here? The banquet is about to start, and you''re the only one missing."


    As he got closer, Desmond noticed ra''s face was covered in tears, her expression pained and aggrieved.


    Desmond''s heart ached as he held her shoulders, "What happened?"


    After Desmond touched her, ra''s previously stiff body felt like she could move again, but her legs were weak, and she fell into Desmond''s arms.


    ra''s long arms tightly hugged him, sobbing, "It was Katniss. I don''t know what she did, but I couldn''t move. She even tried to kill me with a silver needle. Desmond, Katniss is crazy. She wants to kill me!"


    Desmond''s eyes turned cold, "Katniss? How could she? Where would she get the courage?"


    "Desmond, why would I lie to you? I really thought I was going to die just now!" ra''s voice was soft and delicate, like a feather brushing against his heart. She trembled in his arms, making Desmond feel both heartache and pity. Desmond''s anger boiled in his chest, but he was also puzzled. Katniss was timid and weak; how could she dare to kill?


    But ra had no reason to lie to him.


    He wanted to rush over and confront Katniss, but today was a family banquet, and it


    was ra''s first time at the Boleyn Manor as his fianc¨¦e. He couldn''t let anything go


    wrong.


    His parents already had reservations about ra. If he caused a scene with Katniss


    now...


    Desmond softened his actions, patting her back, though his face grew darker.


    "Don''t be afraid. I''ll find a way to get back at her for you." His thoughts raced like a river, and he gently rubbed ra''s hair, "Let''s not talk about this now. Stop crying, let''s go back."


    "Okay."


    ra bit her lip hard, her lowered eyshes hiding a cold, sharp glint.


    She wasn''t afraid of the Boleyn family. What was there to fear from a dying man? Once Maximilian was dead, all this wealth would belong to Desmond, and to her!

 Chapter 161

    ra was helped up by Desmond, went to the mirror to touch up her makeup, and by the time she returned to the dining room, the banquet had already started.


    Gabriel nced at them disapprovingly as they arrivedte.


    Emily, on the other hand, smiled warmly and waved them over to sit beside her.


    As ra sat down, she noticed Katniss sitting in the seat closest to the head of the


    table, with the distinguished Maximilian beside her.


    The next second, Katniss nced at her and then indifferently looked away.


    In that moment, ra felt like a clown in Katniss''s eyes!


    ra gritted her teeth secretly, trying hard to maintain a perfect facade.


    Throughout the banquet, Katniss ate heartily, and Maximilian was almost filling her small te.


    Carlton watched with a gratified smile.


    Katniss was gentle and well-mannered, skilled in medicine, able to take care of Maximilian, and diligent in her studies. She was truly a rare find, the perfect wife.


    After the meal, Katniss looked at the rtives of the Boleyn family, who had always been sarcastic and indifferent to her, with calm eyes.


    These people used to look down on her, not even sparing her a nce.


    Even if they did look at her, their eyes were as if she was a shameless country bumpkin clinging to Desmond.


    Now, they were acting as if they were one big happy family.


    People, when you are in power, everyone around you is nice.


    "Katniss, this ne seems to be a new product that hasn''t been released yet. It must be worth a lot of money," a rtive from the Boleyn family asked, eyes full of envy.


    Katniss lowered her head, touched the ne, and smiled, "Yes, it''s worth a lot. But Maximilian said he would earn money for me and our future baby, so I shouldn''t worry about it."


    Hearing this, the noblewomen smiled awkwardly.


    Katniss''s lips curled up, satisfied with the effect she had created.


    She wanted these people to know that thefortable life they were enjoying now was earned by Maximilian, who fought hard despite his frail health.


    Now that Maximilian had a wife and would have children to inherit his wealth, they should not have any other ideas!


    These people depended on Maximilian for their livelihood, yet they were still troublesome. They didn''t care, but she did.


    Before long, Maximilian came down from the upstairs elevator. Katniss got up to greet him, carefully covering his legs with a nket, and smiled brightly at him, "Are you tired? Shall we go back now?"


    Maximilian: "Okay."


    Maximilian said goodbye to Carlton and then walked out with Katniss.


    In the hall, they passed by Gabriel.


    Gabriel snorted angrily, his anger not yet dissipated.


    Emily nudged him and immediately smiled at the two, saying, "Maximilian, Katniss, today''s incident was my fault."


    "Carlton said to let it go. I hope you won''t misunderstand me because of this."


    "I regret it so much that I couldn''t even eat."


    Before Maximilian could speak, Katniss smiled innocently, but her words changed Emily''s expression.


    "How could we misunderstand you? Without your carelessness, we wouldn''t have known about these things my mother-inw left behind. If there are more at home, please return them."


    In front of Gabriel, Emily was a "submissive and virtuous wife."


    Even a fool could understand what she meant.


    Gabriel red, "Katniss, you..."


    Maximilian pulled Katniss to his side, looked Gabriel in the eye, and said mockingly, "Katniss is young and only speaks the truth. Unlike the woman beside you." Gabriel was speechless, and Emily had already adjusted her expression, smiling. "Whatever Maximilian says, I''ll go back and check carefully."


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Katniss couldn''t be bothered to waste words with someone like Emily. She nced coldly at Emily''s fake face and pushed Maximilian out.


    Emily''s smile froze for a moment, and she silently mouthed "Katniss."


    Two secondster, she put on an even gentler smile and faced Gabriel.


    The car drove out of the Boleyn family''s old mansion, heading towards Golden Crest Estates.


    In the back seat, Maximilian looked at Katniss, his indifferent voice tinged with self- mockery.


    "I saw you chatting happily just now. What were you talking about?"


    Katniss''s eyes curved, probably only she was happy, "I was trying to create an image of


    a harmonious couple, showcasing Mrs. Hamilton''s wealth."


    Saying this, she pointed to the ne around her neck.


    Maximilian looked at the ne and smiled, "It seems you handled it well. I was worried you might be bullied."


    "Maximilian, what is this?" Katniss said nonchntly, "I''ve seen such scenes countless times. Their absurdity is not even close to the Manners family."


    Maximilian squinted slightly, about to speak when Katniss''s phone rang.


    It was an unfamiliar number.


    Katniss hesitated for two seconds and pressed the answer button.


    As soon as the call connected, an anxious voice came through, "Katniss, I beg you, do


    you have the ability to save Ashley''s father, Caius Cross!"


    "The hospital has issued a critical condition notice. He''s about to die."


    Katniss frowned, almost without hesitation, "I can''t guarantee it, which hospital? I''ll try!"


    Byron immediately gave the address and room number.


    Katniss hung up the phone and turned to say, "Maximilian, I''m sorry, I need to go to the hospital."


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "Emilio, turn around," Maximilian ordered directly. He was sitting close and had heard the entire conversation.


    Emilio''s driving skills were exceptional, and they arrived at the hospital in just ten minutes.


    "Maximilian, you can wait in the car or go back without me."


    Katniss said, then opened the car door and ran inside.


    In the driver''s seat, Emilio looked at Maximilian through the rearview mirror, "Sir, should we go in?"


    Maximilian''s eyes were deep as he stared at Katniss''s running figure and said faintly, "Go."


    When Katniss arrived at the ward, she immediately saw Caius''s condition on the bed.


    His face was pale, eyes half-closed, wearing a breathing mask and connected to a heart monitor.


    The heart rate on the screen was only 5, and his blood pressure and breathing were very low.


    He was in a critical state.


    The doctor beside him shook his head, indicating that there was nothing more they could do and that they should prepare for the worst.


    Byron''s face was cold and frightening. When he saw Katniss, he immediately rushed over, pulling her to the bedside, and said urgently, "Katniss! You''re finally here, quick, quick!"


    "I know, I know," Katniss frowned, pushing him away, "Don''t get in the way."


    Katniss took his pulse while pulling out the silver needles she carried with her, preparing to forcibly seal his blood vessels to buy time for the emergency treatment.


    "Katniss! Stop! How dare you!"


    Suddenly, Katniss heard a familiar and sharp voice.


    She looked up and saw Dn standing at the door in a white coat.


    Katniss turned her head and saw the name tag of the attending doctor hanging by the


    bed: Dn.


    She knew this was Dn''s hospital, but she didn''t expect that Ashley''s father''s attending doctor would be Dn.

 Chapter 162

    Katniss said coldly, "I''m saving someone, can''t you see?" She was about to insert the needle.


    Her wrist was suddenly grabbed, and Dn, suppressing his anger, said, "You''re


    messing around! His condition is very dangerous, and the hospital has already sent for Jesse!"


    "You''re just a medical student who hasn''t even graduated yet. You got a bit of attention by luck, and now you think you''re invincible!"


    "Shut up!"


    Katniss shook off his hand. "If you keep talking, he really won''t make it!"


    "I''m Caius''s attending physician. If something happens to him, I can''t escape responsibility. If you want to die, don''t drag me into it!"


    Dn''s face was full of anger as he tried to intervene again.


    Katniss was really fed up.


    She shouted at Byron, who was hesitating because of Dn''s words, "Byron! Can you make up your mind?"


    "You asked me toe, and now you''re just standing there watching?"


    Byron had no choice but to make a decision.


    He looked at Dn with a determined gaze. "Dr. Manners, let my ssmate try!"


    Caius, Ashley''s father, had suddenly deteriorated, and it was said that Jesse didn''t live


    in the city, so it would take some time for him to arrive.


    That''s why Byron, in his desperation, thought of Katniss as thest hope.


    Otherwise, doing nothing and just waiting would make him feel even more guilty towards Ashley.


    Dn''s face turned pale. "Are you crazy too? You don''t know Katniss."


    "Katniss is my sister. Don''t you think I know whether she has medical skills or not? She''s messing around, and you''re all following her!"


    Katniss''s hand, holding the silver needle, couldn''t help but tremble.


    The door to the ward suddenly opened.


    Maximilian sat in a wheelchair, exuding an air of arrogance.


    He was pushed in by Emilio.


    "Useless people should be thrown out," Maximilian''s voice carried a hint of wildness.


    "Mr. Hamilton, this is my patient. If something happens, neither of us can bear the responsibility!" Dn said coldly.


    Maximilian''s eyes lifted. "I can bear any responsibility."


    Immediately, Emilio grabbed Dn''s arm with one hand and unceremoniously pushed him out.


    Dn''s face was extremely ugly.


    The name "Maximilian Hamilton" was well-known in Luminous City, and he knew it.


    Oliver and Lucas''s businesses were shut down with just one word from Maximilian. Now facing him directly, it wouldn''t end well.


    Dn forced himself to endure, letting Katniss mess around. When something went wrong, he''d see how she would handle it!


    Without Dn''s interference, Katniss''s surroundings became much quieter.


    Her gaze focused on Caius''s chest as she continued to insert the needles.


    Byron frowned, watching her almost turn Caius into a pincushion in a short time, feeling uncertain.


    Could Katniss really do it?


    Standing at the door, Dn''s face was ashen as he watched Katniss insert a needle into


    Caius''s heart and then into his temple.


    He thought Katniss was simply messing around.


    Was she saving him or killing him?


    Maximilian sat silently in the wheelchair, his eyes following Katniss''s movements.


    Katniss''s features were cold and serious, as if she were immersed in a world with only her and the patient.


    The atmosphere in the ward was quiet and eerie.


    No one knew how much time had passed when Katniss inserted thest silver needle and let out a gentle breath.


    Then she straightened up.


    At the same time, the sound of the heart rate monitor started.


    Everyone saw the heart rate on the screen, which had been only 5, begin to slowly rise.


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    Byron stared at the numbers on the screen, not daring to breathe.


    Dn frowned. "How can this be?"


    Katniss nced at him indifferently, with a faint smile. "Dr. Manners, from the way you sound, it seems you don''t want the patient to recover."


    "As a doctor, you have such a malicious mindset."


    "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    "Then why do you look so disappointed?"


    Katniss brushed her hair behind her ear, deliberately showing a look of innocent confusion.


    At this moment, the heart rate monitor had risen to the normal range, and other vital signs were also returning to normal.


    On the hospital bed, Caius''s face was no longer deathly pale but had a hint of color.


    Byron rubbed his eyes, making sure it wasn''t an illusion caused by his nervousness, and excitedly shouted at Katniss, "Katniss! You''re amazing, Caius is okay now!"


    "You really have skills. I''ll go tell Ashley right away!"


    When the hospital dered Caius critical, Ashley almost fainted.


    Byron, worried about her, had taken her out of the ward and settled her in the doctor''s office.


    Beside the hospital bed, Dn found it hard to ept, feeling as if his soul had been struck.


    How could Katniss do it?


    How could she have such great skills?


    In such a short time, without any medical equipment, she stabilized a dying patient''s vital functions with just silver needles.


    This was rare in the entire medical field.


    Katniss ignored him and walked towards Maximilian, her eyes smiling. "Maximilian, sorry to keep you waiting. We can leave in five minutes after removing the needles."


    Maximilian smiled. "No rush."


    He raised his hand, his voice filled withughter. "Come here."


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    Katniss was puzzled, then saw Maximilian''s smile widen. "Wipe your sweat."


    Katniss bent down as if under a spell, and Maximilian''s fingers gently brushed her forehead, softly wiping away the thin sweat.


    The action was so natural, as if he had done it many times before.


    Katniss blinked, her face heating up.


    Too seductive, making one want tomit a crime!


    She stood up quickly, smiling. "Thank you, I can do it myself."


    Behind him, Emilio, who had witnessed the whole scene, thought: Maximilian is quite


    the charmer.


    Dn, who also saw this, clenched his fists, his face even uglier.


    Why did Maximilian value someone like Katniss so much?


    He married her and supported her in everything?


    Byron soon returned, and Katniss looked up to see a girl in a white dress with long hair


    down to her waist, looking very gentle, following him.


    She came to the bedside with tearful eyes, looked at Caius, then at the numbers on the monitor, and covered her mouth, crying.


    Her sobs were soft and trembling.


    Byron''s eyes were filled with concern. He took a tissue from the table and handed it to


    her. "Ashley, don''t cry. Your eyes are already not good."


    "Your dad is fine now. You don''t have to worry about anything. I''m here for


    everything."


    Katniss was surprised.


    Byron, this rough guy, had such a gentle side?


    His attitude towards Ashley was like treating a fragile ss doll.


    As if a loud voice could shatter her.


    Watching this, Katniss felt she had to say something.


    She stepped forward and spoke to Ashley, "Ms. Cross, your father is now out of


    danger."


    Before she could finish, Byron interrupted, asking anxiously, "But what?"

 Chapter 163

    Katniss couldn''t help but roll her eyes. "There might be moreplicationster. For at least the next three months, he needs the most meticulous care."


    Byron''s eyes lit up, and he couldn''t help but look at Katniss. "I''ll pay you. For the next three months, you take care of Caius. Triple the market rate!"


    Triple the market rate?


    Katniss was tempted and asked, "How much is triple?"


    She was in a lot of debt right now. Although Maximilian hadn''t mentioned it, she remembered that she still owed him $100,000.


    Byron''s family was wealthy; she could extort him a bit.


    Byron rolled his eyes and held up one finger. "Three months, I''ll give you $10,000!" Only $10,000?


    Katniss''s eyes shifted. "Double it, and I guarantee his recovery. I want $20,000."


    "Why don''t you just rob a bank, Katniss!" Byron''s eyes widened, and he jumped up in frustration. "Do you know how much $20,000 is?"


    So greedy.


    Katniss nced at Ashley. She had to admit, even without makeup, Ashley was stunning up close, exuding a cold and noble aura.


    Ashley was dressed simply, in a down jacket with a white turtleneck sweater


    underneath, and her long legs were wrapped in jeans, straight and slender.


    No wonder Byron couldn''t forget her. With such a beauty in front of him, Cecilia really couldn''tpare.


    Ashley''s eyshes fluttered slightly. "Fine, as long as you can save my dad, I''ll agree to any amount. I''ll gather the $20,000 within three months."


    Katniss smiled slightly. "Alright."


    Dn let out a cold snort, his hands in the pockets of his white coat, and said coldly, "Katniss, you''re still a medical student who hasn''t graduated. You don''t even have a medical license."


    "This time, you were just lucky to stabilize the patient''s vital signs. From now on, leave it to the professional doctors. We''ve already applied for a joint consultation with other hospitals, and Jesse will be involved."


    "Don''t let the recent praise go to your head and think you can surpass so many experienced doctors, even Jesse."


    As Dn spoke, another doctor in a white coat in the room nodded heavily.


    "Dn is right. The follow-up treatment should be left to us professionals."


    "After all, we are the most familiar with the patient''s condition."


    Katniss met Dn''s gaze, a faint smile forming on her lips. "This time, if it weren''t for me, do you think you could have held on until Jesse arrived? Is it so hard to admit that I''m good, Dn?"


    Her medical skills were taught by Aurora. Denying her was equivalent to denying Aurora.


    Katniss wouldn''t back down.


    "Katniss, stop messing around," Dn said, trying to control his anger. "You''re confusing the issue!"


    "Dn, I''m earning this money with my skills. The family has no objections, so why are you meddling?" Katniss said with a smile.


    Among her brothers, in her previous life, Katniss liked Dn the most.


    Dn was gentle and polite, and he cared for her more than the other brothers.


    But in this life, Katniss had figured out many things. Although he cared for her, it was always under the pretense of being for her own good, making her apologize and keep the peace.


    Dn was good to everyone but didn''t care deeply about anything.


    A good person on the surface wasn''t necessarily a good person.


    Dn''s face turned ashen, and just as he was about to say something, Byron interrupted him tactfully. "Dr. Manners, let''s let Katniss handle it."


    Once might be luck, but Daryl''s situation,bined with this time, couldn''t be summed up by the word "luck."


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    Hearing Byron''s persuasion, Katniss raised an eyebrow. He was quite sensible.


    "Dr. Manners, I know you''re looking out for us," Ashley said, meeting Dn''s gaze firmly. "But as long as there''s a chance to save my dad, I''ll take it."


    "As long as my dad''s health can be guaranteed, I don''t care if Katniss has a license or not."


    With the patient''s family saying this, Dn pursed his lips tightly, his face darkening. "Ms. Cross, if something goes wrong in the future, our hospital won''t be responsible. Just don''t regret it."


    With that, Dn gave Katniss a deep look and turned to leave.


    Katniss checked the time; it had been exactly five minutes. She asked the two to step aside and began to remove the needle at the bedside.


    Removing the needle required more caution than inserting it, so Katniss took her time.


    Maximilian didn''t rush her and patiently waited for her to finish.


    After she was done, Ashley tucked Caius in and then looked at Katniss, saying softly, "Katniss, I''m really grateful to you this time. If my dad gets better, I''ll do anything for you."


    Katniss looked up and smiled lightly. "You''re joking. Even if I agreed, Byron wouldn''t." Byron pulled Ashley aside, standing in front of her. "Katniss, you promised me. You have to take good care of Caius for these three months, or else..."


    As he spoke, Byron gave a dangerous look.


    But as soon as he finished, Byron felt a sense of danger, as if a cold gaze was piercing him from behind, making him shiver.


    He turned around and saw the man in the wheelchair, half-opening his eyes, like a demon awakening from slumber, giving him the feeling of being a prey with its throat caught.


    Byron stiffened and looked away.


    Who was this man? He seemed important.


    Then, Byron thoughtfully reced Ashley and escorted them out.


    Ashley couldn''t leave; she had to constantly monitor Caius''s condition.


    As Katniss passed by one of the rooms in the corridor, she suddenly heard something.


    She paused and looked over.


    Inside the room, E was angrily cleaning up the dishes, muttering curses.


    On the bedy a middle-aged man with graying hair.


    The man looked haggard, with soup and a few grains of rice on his chin, ring at E


    as she cleaned.


    His words were inaudible.


    Katniss immediately recognized him.


    E''s husband, and her not-so-kind foster father, Aaron Hill.


    With a silent smirk, Katniss thought it was quite a coincidence to run into Dn and


    now see them.


    But it was just as she had initially thought.


    E was very greedy. Once she came, she wouldn''t be easily sent away.


    Maximilian sensed Katniss''s emotions and followed her gaze.


    His handsome face immediately darkened, and a cold light shed in his eyes.


    After the engagement ceremony, Maximilian had Emilio investigate Katniss''s childhood


    in the countryside with them.


    Maximilian''s thin lips parted, and he said coldly, "Do you need to go over and take a look?"

 Chapter 164

    Katniss observed Aaron''s face for a few seconds, then withdrew her gaze, smiled


    slightly, and shook her head, saying, "It''s toote, Maximilian. Let''s go back as soon as possible."


    Aaron''s condition was clearly not good; he had lost even the most basic ability to take care of himself. E had a fiery personality and was the least patient when it came to caring for such patients.


    She would soon look for ra again.


    Although they had raised her for ten years, Katniss couldn''t really get close to them. Maybe, there was even hatred.


    The first person to know that she and ra had been switched was not someone from the Manners family, but Aaron.


    Once, when a medical team went for a free clinic, Aaron had taken the whole family for a check-up.


    It was during that check-up that Aaron discovered Katniss was not his biological daughter.


    He even went to Luminous City several times and found the Manners family, but seeing how they had raised ra like a little princess, Aaron didn''t dare to bring it up.


    He was even afraid that once Katniss learned to read and write, she might go to Luminous City for school or work, so he dyed her schooling for a long time, not even letting her attend kindergarten.


    While other kids were already writing and doing arithmetic, Katniss was still climbing trees and catching birds with the boys in the vige.


    If it weren''t for Aaron''s concealment, Katniss wouldn''t have waited until she was ten to be taken back.


    In her previous life, she wouldn''t have ended up in such a situation.


    After learning the truth, Katniss had hysterically confronted Aaron, argued, and hated him.


    But at that time, Aaron, dragging his frail, paper-thin body, knelt in front of her. "Katniss, I''m sorry. You can hit me or scold me, I ept it. Take out all your anger on me. ra is innocent; she knows nothing."


    Then he started kowtowing, his forehead almost swelling.


    Now, Katniss could still remember her deste feelings at that time. Everyone loved ra, but who pitied her?


    Even wanting a bit of familial love was so difficult. She had spent decades trying to fit in but never seeded.


    Katniss pressed her lips together, stiffly moved her eyes away, and stopped looking at them. Then she lifted her foot and pushed Maximilian to leave.


    After getting in the car, Maximilian suddenly reached out, hisrge hand ruffling her hair. "Were you crying just now?"


    Katniss blinked, her hand gripping the door handle tightly.


    "No!" Katniss''s smile was bright and stubborn. "I''m doing great now. I wouldn''t cry for him; he''s not even my real dad."


    Aaron was a liar, a liar who ruined her life!


    So what if he was sick and dying? It was his deserved retribution.


    "Alright, you didn''t cry," Maximilian''s voice was low and hoarse.


    "It''s his retribution! It''s retribution!" Katniss bit her lip, her voice choking.


    "Alright, it''s his retribution," Maximilian sighed, reached out to hold her, and pulled her into his arms, his sharp jaw resting on her dark hair. "He''s bad; we won''t care about him."


    As soon as he said that, Katniss couldn''t help but cry.


    She turned her head, grabbed Maximilian''s clothes, buried her face in his chest, and cried, both devastated and restrained.


    Maximilian patted her back with his other hand, not saying a word, letting her hot tears soak his chest until her sobs gradually subsided.


    After a long time, Katniss finally sat up straight.


    "Your eyes are all swollen. When we get home, let Mira use some ice to reduce the swelling," Maximilian said with a mix of amusement and helplessness.


    Katniss pressed her lips together and said nothing.


    Her gaze fell on his chest, which was wet from her crying. Now he had to wash his clothes again.


    After dropping her off at Golden Crest Estates, Maximilian returned to the office.


    In the living room, Mira had already prepared some ice, but seeing Katniss''s swollen eyes, she was quite surprised. "Katniss, why are you crying like this? Who bullied you?" Then she tenderly helped Katniss apply the ice.


    Katniss felt a warmth in her heart, touched her swollen eyes, and shook her head embarrassedly. "It''s nothing serious, just the wind was too strong, and it made my eyes like this."


    Mira was shocked. She hadn''t even gone out today. Was the wind in Luminous City that strong?


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    "Then you should wear a scarf next time. You''re still young, but if you don''t take care now, your eyes might suffer when you''re older."


    Katniss obediently agreed, "Okay, Mira."


    After finishing the ice treatment, Katniss went back to her room, thinking about preparing to treat Caius.


    His condition was severe; it would be a long battle.


    Just as Maximilian was starting his rehabilitation training and didn''t need daily acupuncture treatment.


    Katniss nned to use all her free time on Caius, making Ashley''s $20,000 worth it. Meanwhile, Katniss was meticulously researching treatment methods.


    On the other hand, Maximilian was handling business affairs.


    Managing both the Hamilton family and the Boleyn familypanies, Maximilian had


    to deal with the Boleyn family banquet during the day and spent a long time at the hospital at night.


    The work had piled up like a small mountain.


    Maximilian seemed used to it, his face cold andposed.


    There was no sign of fatigue on him as he skillfully handled a million-dor deal.


    It was at this moment that Jesse''s call came in. Maximilian nced at the contact name and ignored it, letting it vibrate.


    Soon, the phone rang again.


    Maximilian put down the pen he was using to review contracts, his face stern, and pressed the answer button, his tone cold and unfeeling. "You better have a good


    reason."


    On the other end, Jesse had already guessed his call would be ignored.


    Jesse raised an eyebrow, smiling slyly.


    "Impressive."


    "Where did you find someone who could pull Caius back from the brink of death?"


    If you''re loving the book, nel5s is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! When the hospital staff came to Jesse''s house to inform him of the situation, Jesse had almost immediately waved them off.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to help, but Caius''s condition was such that unless he


    could teleport instantly, no one could do anything.


    Then he heard about the miraculous turnaround.


    Maximilian''s voice was calm, "If you''re not as skilled, you should learn."


    Jesse, intrigued, said, "Your wife made quite a ssh during the joint free clinic. Looking back now, she was very restrained at the time."


    Maximilian''s eyes narrowed, "Are you very free? Get to the point, or I''ll hang up."


    Jesse''s voice took on a hint of amusement. He had inquired in detail about the situation from the on-duty doctor at the time.


    "Your wife used a technique that should be the long-lost Shadow Acupuncture."


    "Its ability is famously known as ''snatching people from the hands of death.""


    "Thest time Shadow Acupuncture appeared in the medical world was twenty-eight years ago, before we were even born."


    "Alright, I got it."


    Maximilian''s eyes gradually filled with pleasure, a smile tugging at his lips. "It''s just that none of you are skilled enough to match a girl barely twenty."


    "Fine, fine, I''ll ept that. How about it? Want to set up a meeting so I can learn from Katniss?"


    Over the years, Jesse had privately dubbed himself invincible in the medical field.


    Maximilian said seriously, "I''m warning you, don''t get any ideas about her."


    "How long have you been married? You can''t even bear to let her meet someone, protecting her like this."


    "If you''re so idle, go join an overseas medical team. I''ll buy you a ticket right now." "You''re so cruel. Goodbye."


    After hanging up, Maximilian lifted his dark eyes to look at Emilio.


    "Send someone to keep an eye on E."


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 Chapter 165

    Emilio nodded, "Yes, Sir."


    Maximilian gave his orders and continued working expressionlessly.


    He was busy in the study untilte at night. When he returned to the room, Katniss was already asleep.


    She had left a warm yellow wallmp on for Maximilian, its light casting a serene and soft glow on her small face.


    Maximilian''s gaze lingered for a few seconds. Then, he stood up, his tall figure silently lying down beside her.


    Maximilian easily pulled Katniss over, extending his long arm to encircle herpletely.


    In her drowsiness, Katniss felt a sense of peace and instinctively curled up closer.


    Maximilian''s lips gradually curved up, clearly pleased by her action.


    They slept soundly through the night.


    When Katniss woke up, Maximilian was already up.


    She touched the spot beside her, still warm, and her eyes brightened.


    She hadn''t imagined itst night.


    Maximilian had held her as they slept.


    Howe she, a human pillow, seemed more effective than the medicinal meals she had carefully prepared?


    After washing up, Katniss put the preliminary treatment n she had devised for Caius''s condition into her bag and went downstairs.


    Downstairs, Maximilian had already finished breakfast and was doing his rehabilitation exercises.


    In the morning light, his features were deep-set, and his movements were slightly better than before, making him irresistibly handsome.


    At this rate, Maximilian would soon be able to stand uppletely!


    Would her task bepleted then?


    Katniss patted her cheeks, stopped overthinking, and turned to enter the dining room.


    She finished her breakfast just as Maximilianpleted his rehabilitation exercises. He went upstairs to change into a dark suit and then drove Katniss to school.


    Only then did he head to thepany.


    When Katniss arrived at the medical school, she saw Cecilia and Daryl gathered together.


    As soon as she appeared, Cecilia eximed and stood up.


    "Katniss! My idol, I''ve finally waited for you!" Cecilia said excitedly, "You''re amazing. Quick, give me your autograph!"


    Saying this, Cecilia took out a notebook covered with various basketball stickers and stuffed it into her hand.


    Daryl also looked at her with admiration and handed over his medical book. "Katniss, just sign this."


    Cecil''s thin lips were pressed together, his face expressionless, but his gaze was subtly fixed on Katniss''s clean face.


    They had all heard about Caius''s situationst night, and Byron had even asked Cecilia for Katniss''s number.


    Being able to save a critically ill patient, Katniss''s medical skills were indeed impressive. Cecil finally understood why Dean had been trying to poach Katniss from Brent ever since the hospital consultation.


    Once, during a meal, Dean and Brent had almoste to blows over her.


    It was Cecil who had forcibly separated them with a cold face.


    Katniss pushed the notebook and book away, sitting down with a helpless smile. As


    she took out her own book, she said seriously, "As medical students, we should never give up any hope or opportunity."


    Cecil remained silent.


    Daryl, beside him, said, "A medical student''s sudden reflection."


    Cecilia patted her chest andughed, "Good thing I''m in the arts department."


    "By the way."


    Katniss suddenly asked, "Is Byron noting to school again today?"


    Hearing this, Cecilia''s eyshes fluttered. She jumped onto the desk behind her, sitting down with her hands propped on the edge, kicking the chair absentmindedly.


    "Of course, with Ashley''s dad now stable, he has even more reason to stay by Ashley''s side and show off."


    Katniss checked her schedule for the day and confirmed she had no sses in the afternoon.


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    Cecilia jumped down, pushed Daryl aside, and sat next to Katniss.


    "Katniss, are you going to school this afternoon?"


    Katniss turned her gaze, seeing the faint eagerness in Cecilia''s eyes, and nodded.


    "Do you want toe along?"


    "I don''t have any sses this afternoon either, so I might as well watch you in action. Let''s go together."


    Katniss smiled slightly. Cecilia was indeed straightforward and easy to read.


    "Alright, if you want toe, let''s go together." Katniss didn''t say much more.


    At noon, Cecilia came to find Katniss to go to the cafeteria for lunch.


    Cecilia was eating across the table, while Katniss was texting Maximilian on her phone. "Maximilian, I might be homete today."


    "What''s up?" Maximilian asked.


    Katniss exined that she was going to the hospital to check on Caius''s condition.


    On the other end, Maximilian paused the meeting, turned to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked out at the most beautiful view of Luminous City.


    He called Katniss.


    "Take Conrad with you. You are Mrs. Hamilton now; you need to be careful." Hearing his steady and reassuring voice, Katniss''s eyes sparkled.


    "Okay, I''ll remember."


    If Maximilian hadn''t reminded her, Katniss would have forgotten that she was now a wealthydy. In this era of rampant kidnappings, it was indeed safer to have Conrad with her!


    Some people really would risk their lives for money.


    Cecilia swallowed her food and looked at Katniss curiously, "Katniss, is that your boyfriend who''s a hundred times more handsome than Cecil?" Katniss nodded, "Yes."


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    Now, Katniss felt that "a hundred times" didn''t even begin to describe it.


    He was simply perfect!


    Cecilia took another bite of food and asked indistinctly, "What did you just call him?" Katniss paused, smiled, and changed the subject by looking at the food on her te. "These two dishes are high in fat. Have you forgotten you''re in the arts department?" Cecilia scoffed, "I have a lot of physical activity every day, so I don''t worry about eating too much. Besides, my dad made me choose the arts department because he can''t face reality."


    "He insists I study art to transform me into ady like my cousin Yasmin."


    Rolling her eyes dramatically, Ceciliained, "I don''t have that potential. I should be a coach on the basketball court!"


    Katniss''s eyes shed, and she took a sip of water, "What about the arranged marriage your uncle wanted for Yasmin that you mentionedst time?"


    Cecilia became annoyed at the topic, "My uncle is so shady, it''s ridiculous!"


    Katniss blinked and quietly listened to Cecilia.


    At ra''s engagement party, the Thorne family was also present and heard the news of Maximilian''s marriage.


    Yasmin''s father, Lazlo Thorne, looked visibly upset and barely managed to keep hisposure until the end of the party.


    That night, he received a lucrative municipal development project from the Hamilton


    Group.


    It was highly sought after and very profitable.


    With such a project from the Hamilton Group, Lazlo felt hopeful again.


    After some investigation, he found out that Maximilian had married a disowned


    daughter from the Manners family.


    Her current step-parents were just an ordinary family.


    He was convinced that Yasmin would have another chance soon.


    He kept finding opportunities for Yasmin to get close to Maximilian.


    Cecilia squinted her eyes, "It''s quite a coincidence that the mysterious Mrs. Hamilton


    has the samest name as you, Manners."

 Chapter 166

    Katniss hung her head, her bangs covering the guilt in her eyes. Should she tell Cecilia?


    While she was hesitating, Cecilia had already started talking excitedly.


    "Never mind that, what I want to say is, I think my uncle Lazlo is out of his mind."


    "My dad said that business seemed to have offended Maximilian, and Maximilian just handed it over to Lazlo."


    "Or maybe it was a smallpensation to the Thorne family. After all, the former richest man''s grandfather had hinted at wanting to marry into the Thorne family, but then he turned around and married someone else."


    "Feeling a bit guilty,pensating a little is quite normal."


    "My uncle misunderstood that the Hamilton family still had intentions of marriage and forced my perfect cousin Yasmin to be a mistress!"


    Mistresses are so despised!


    Yasmin, being so proud and strong, couldn''t stand it.


    After hearing Cecilia''sints, Katniss couldn''t help but think that many things in this life, and their trajectories, were changing.


    So far, it seemed that Yasmin and Maximilian''s rtionship from the previous life had also changed.


    Katniss didn''t know what this would turn into in the end.


    But every time she thought about it, she felt a sense of guilt, always feeling like she had taken Yasmin''s ce.


    It gave her a headache.


    After dinner, Katniss and Cecilia went to the hospital together.


    Conrad came to pick them up.


    He was driving a shy limited edition Range Rover.


    Cecilia marveled at the car, then at Conrad.


    She pped Katniss on the shoulder, eximing in surprise, "Katniss!! Is this guy your bodyguard? He''s so cool!"


    "With that height and build, he''d be unstoppable on the basketball court!"


    The more Cecilia talked, the more excited she got. "If we had someone like him on our team, making it to the world finals wouldn''t be impossible!"


    Katniss''s shoulder was pped several times. She grabbed Cecilia''s restless hand and pulled her into the car.


    She remembered Conrad telling her about ying basketball.


    So she deliberately turned her head and asked Conrad, "Conrad, do you y basketball?"


    Conrad scratched his head, revealing a big white smile. "I do, but my brother and Emilio don''t want to y with me."


    Cecilia''s eyes widened, and she pped her thigh in excitement, "That''s such a waste! Next time, let''s team up and dominate the court!"


    "Why don''t they want to y with you?"


    Conrad thought seriously, "Because they say they want to stay alive. Every time they y with me, they get injured. I broke Emilio''s rib and Jesse''s shin."


    A smile bloomed on Katniss''s lips. She squinted her eyes and looked at Cecilia, asking innocently, "Cecilia, still think it''s a waste?"


    Not anymore, not anymore.


    Cecilia''s pupils were shocked, and her spirit copsed instantly.


    When she heard "broken rib," she suddenly felt a pain in her ankle.


    Her foot wasn''t fully healed yet; she had to protect her ribs!


    Sure enough, on the way to the hospital, Cecilia never mentioned ying basketball with Conrad again.


    She chatted with Katniss in the back seat about all sorts of things.


    When the car arrived at the hospital, Katniss and Cecilia went to the inpatient department.


    Caius had been sent to a top-level VIP ward this morning, on the top floor.


    Conrad followed two steps behind Katniss, his radar-like eyes scanning the surroundings.


    Looking to see if anyone was bullying Katniss!


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    At the door of the ward, Katniss asked Conrad to wait outside for a while, and she and Cecilia went in.


    Although Caius was still covered in various medical tubes, the respirator had been removed, and his vital signs were stable.


    Ashley was using a warm towel to wipe his face. The room was well-heated, and she was wearing a white crew-neck sweater, her long hair tied in a low ponytail, looking thin.


    Hearing the noise, she looked up and saw the two of theming in. She smiled lightly and said, "Katniss."


    Her gaze lingered on Cecilia''s face for a moment, somewhat surprised, "Cecilia, you''re here too."


    Ashley and Cecilia weren''t familiar with each other. They had only met once when Byron had insisted on treating her to a meal.


    Cecilia seemed to realize that her presence here was a bit inappropriate. She nudged Katniss and exined, "I came with Katniss."


    Byron also came out of the bathroom at this time, "Katniss, you''re here."


    Cecilia''s eyes quickly shed over his face.


    "I''m here mainly to understand the patient''s condition so I can develop a treatment


    n."


    Ashley sighed softly and exined Caius''s condition since his hospitalization. She then took out a thick stack of medical records from the drawer and handed them to Katniss.


    Katniss skimmed through them, her brows furrowing slightly.


    "Katniss." Ashley looked at her, squeezing her hands, "Is it difficult?"


    "It''s manageable."


    Byron looked up at her, squinting, "Katniss, don''t brag."


    Katniss looked at him speechlessly, waving the medical records, "If I can''t do it, will you?"


    Byron was momentarily speechless. If he had the skills, would he be looking for others? He could at most treat a minor cold.


    Ashley turned around and took an envelope from her bag, saying softly, "Katniss, here is eight thousand dors."


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    "This is all I can gather for now. I promise that once my dad recovers, I''ll pay you the rest in full."


    During Caius''s illness, Ashley had used up all the money she could, leaving only a month''s worth of living expenses.


    Katniss looked at the thick envelope, blinking. Eight thousand dors!


    Before Katniss could say anything, Byron stopped Ashley, "Ashley, where did you get


    the money? I''ll give it to you, just consider it a loan."


    Ashley pressed her lips together and smiled brightly, "You''ve already helped a lot. This money isn''t necessary."


    Byron frowned, "How long will it take you to gather twenty thousand dors?"


    He knew Ashley''s family situation very well.


    This eight thousand dors was probably all she had.


    And there would be many more expenses for Caius''s illness in the future.


    "It''s okay." Ashley didn''t say much to Byron, handing the envelope to Katniss, "Katniss,


    I''ll leave my dad in your hands."


    Last night, Ashley had asked Byron about Katniss''s situation at school and learned that she was Brent''s student. She didn''t regret her decision at all.


    It''s just...


    Now that Katniss was treating her dad, and afterst night''s unpleasant incident...


    It was hard to say about that person. It was thanks to him that they had managed to


    get Dn as her dad''s attending physician.


    Otherwise, her dad wouldn''t havested this long.


    Katniss looked at Byron, then at the thick envelope, resisting the urge to take it, and


    said, "Ashley, you don''t need to pay now. Let''s treat your dad first, then we''ll talk about


    money."


    Her grandmother Aurora always treated first and chargedter.


    If she couldn''t cure the patient, she wouldn''t take a penny.


    This rule had to continue with her.

 Chapter 167

    Cecilia stood a bit further away, surprised with her mouth slightly open.


    "Is this job really that profitable?"


    As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Cecilia felt it was inappropriate.


    If it wasn''t profitable, why would Katniss, whose family is so wealthy, still be doing it?


    But then a doubt arose in her heart. ording to Byron, Ashley couldn''t even afford her medical bills. So, who was paying for this expensive hospital room?


    Her dad had mentioned that even with money, it was hard to get a spot in such a premium room; you needed connections in the hospital.


    Ashley was really hard to understand.


    Katniss checked on Caius again to make sure his condition hadn''t worsened.


    Having done everything necessary, Katniss had no reason to stay longer.


    She looked over at Cecilia, who stood there with her hands in her pockets, looking casual.


    "Cecilia, shall we go?" she asked, her tone slightly questioning.


    Cecilia shrugged and said nonchntly, "Sure, let''s go."


    Byron then looked at Cecilia seriously, "Shouldn''t you be resting your leg instead of getting involved in this?"


    Cecilia replied, "You''re the one who loves getting involved."


    At this, Ashley''s eyshes fluttered slightly, and she pressed her lips together without saying anything.


    Byron nced at her, "Let''s go."


    Cecilia rolled her eyes at him but showed no other reaction.


    Katniss, however, could keenly sense a hint of low spirits in her.


    She hooked her arm around Cecilia''s and waved to the two by the bed, "No more talking, we''re leaving. I''ll be back in two days."


    "Let me know if anything happens in the meantime."


    Outside the hospital room, Conrad was standing by the door. Seeing Katnisse out, he dutifully followed behind her to protect her.


    Katniss let go of Cecilia''s arm and looked at her with a slightly pained expression, "Coming to see Byron being so attentive to Ashley, you''re just asking for trouble."


    Cecilia clicked her tongue and stubbornly said, "I just came to see if Ashley''s dad is really going to die."


    "No money, give money, and Ashley still won''t take it. That''s just pathetic!"


    Katniss chuckled helplessly, somehow understanding Cecilia.


    Matters of the heart are indeed not easily controlled.


    It remains to be seen whether Cecilia or Byron wille to their senses first.


    Dn came out of a room around the corner and saw this scene.


    Two young women, followed by a tall bodyguard, chatting affectionately as they walked, creating a harmonious picture.


    Katniss looked up and saw Dn standing ahead, staring at her, his eyes slightly tense.


    After taking a couple of steps closer, Dn spoke first, "Katniss, are you still determined to treat Caius?"


    Katniss didn''t really want to talk to him but felt some things needed to be rified. She didn''t want any further contact with him.


    She let go of Cecilia''s hand and stood in front of him, "Dr. Manners, didn''t I give you the answerst night?"


    "I''ve already got the patient''s family''s consent. If you disagree, you can talk to them." Dn''s face darkened a bit.


    Caius''s condition was special and extremely difficult, attracting the attention of the hospital leadership as soon as he was admitted.


    The hospital had a meeting and decided that Caius must be cured, making it a challenging case for the hospital to enter in the uing International Medical Unionpetition.


    Held every three years, thepetition was just two months away.


    Every hospital wanted to showcase their outstanding doctors to bring glory to their institution, and doctors from various departments wanted to seize this opportunity to shine.


    The hospital director had always admired Dn and specifically assigned him to this


    case.


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    He also persuaded Jesse to oversee and guide, intending to push Dn''s name onto the international stage.


    With Dn and Jesse, no hospital in Luminous City or even the entire state could match them.


    The incident fromst night had already reached the director''s ears, who called it nonsense and insisted that Dn continue treating Caius.


    "You''ve only seen Caius twice and don''t understand his condition. His illness is veryplex, not something an ungraduated medical student can handle."


    Dn frowned and said earnestly, "I didn''t mean to be harshst night, but I was worried because you were being reckless."


    "Caius''s condition is critical, and every second counts. If something goes wrong, can you still graduate smoothly?"


    Katniss listened quietly, a hint of cold sarcasm spreading in her heart.


    Once again, he was acting like he was doing it for her own good.


    In reality, he had never done anything genuinely for her benefit.


    "Don''t worry about it," Katniss said, lifting her bag to reveal the medical records inside. "Ashley trusts me, and I understand the condition."


    "Katniss!"


    Dn pressed his eyebrows, his voice deepening, "You still have a chance to change your mind. Don''t end up regretting it."


    Conrad looked at Dn, unsure whether he should punch him.


    He seemed polite to Katniss, but his words were infuriating.


    Cecilia understood. Who was this guy?


    Daring to doubt Katniss''s medical skills?


    Did he think wearing a white coat gave him the right to lecture people?


    Status and age never represented a person''s ability. How could such a grown man not understand this?


    Katniss''s expressionless face showed a slight smirk, "Thanks, but you can keep that chance for yourself."


    "Let''s go."


    Cecilia deliberately gave him a sideways nce and followed Katniss with a proud toss of her head.


    Conrad red and waved a fist at him.


    Dn sighed, not bothering with Cecilia and Conrad.


    Watching the three of them enter the elevator, his eyes darkened. Only after the elevator descended did he turn to leave.


    Once in the car, Cecilia couldn''t help but ask, "Katniss, who was that doctor to look down on you like that?"


    Katniss pressed her lips together and didn''t hide it from Cecilia, "My second brother, but not anymore."


    Hearing this, Cecilia remembered what she had heard about Katniss''s family.


    Katniss''s family wasn''t good to her at all, especially her brothers, who all doted on a sister with no blood rtion.


    Cecilia loved gossip but had principles. She never believed any negative rumors about Katniss.


    So she never asked Katniss about it.


    Seeing it firsthand today, they really had no trust in Katniss!


    Cecilia''s chest burned with anger. She pounded the car seat and said furiously, "He''ll regret his words today."


    "You just keep moving forward; you have plenty of supporters!"


    Katniss smiled at her. She would keep moving forward. After all, this wasn''t just about two thousand dors; it was a matter of life and death.


    Katniss had Conrad take Cecilia back to The Thorne Vi before returning to Golden Crest Estates.


    Maximilian hadn''te back yet. Mira was cleaning, and she happened to be organizing the wardrobe, which was full of clothes she had specially prepared to spice things up for Maximilian and Katniss.


    There were many styles. Mira had bought everything the store clerk rmended, and the clothes made her, at her age, cover her mouth andugh.


    Mira rummaged through the clothes and couldn''t help but say, "Mrs. Hamilton, don''t you like these styles of nightwear? They all look unworn."


    Katniss was sitting at the vanity drinking water. Hearing this, she choked and coughed twice, her face quickly turning red.

 Chapter 168

    "Mira, I threw away all the worn ones."


    Mira asked in confusion, "Mrs. Hamilton, why did you throw them away?"


    "Because..."


    Mira immediatelyughed, "Say no more, I get it."


    Katniss remained silent.


    How does Mira understand everything?


    "Mrs. Hamilton," Mira closed the wardrobe door mysteriously, "once these clothes are worn out, I''ll buy some even more unique ones."


    Katniss wanted to say it wasn''t necessary, but then thought the faster they were used up, the better it proved her rtionship with Maximilian.


    Katniss epted Mira''s "kindness."


    Mira smiled and left the room.


    Katniss looked at the wardrobe, had a thought, and got up to walk over.


    Might as well mess up a few pieces, leave some traces, so as not to arouse suspicion.


    Katniss picked out a pinkce dress, with a very low neckline and straps made of plump, round pearls, so delicate they seemed like they would break with a tug.


    Under the light, it looked both seductive and innocent.


    Katniss''s gaze wandered over the dress, blinking repeatedly.


    This dress, even a girl like her found it too alluring.


    Katniss started tearing at the hem of the dress. It looked thin and sheer, but tearing it wasn''t that easy.


    Her fingers turned red before she managed to rip a small part. Just as she was about to continue, the door opened.


    Katniss thought it was Mira and quickly hid the dress behind her.


    Maximilian walked in and saw Katniss acting like a thief, hiding something guiltily.


    His dark eyes lifted, and he asked in a low voice, "What are you doing?"


    Oh, it''s Maximilian.


    Katniss breathed a sigh of relief, wait! It''s Maximilian!


    She suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.


    She smiled, took out the dress, and exined the situation.


    Maximilian''s eyes darkened slightly. He wheeled closer to Katniss, his long fingers hooking a strap, revealing the scanty nightgown.


    "Are you going to wear this?"


    Hearing this, Katniss quickly shook her head, exining, "No, no, no, I just wanted to tear it a little."


    As soon as she finished speaking, Maximilian tore arge hole in the dress, up to the chest area.


    It looked even more enticing.


    Maximilian looked up at her, and Katniss''s eyes sparkled.


    Maximilian''s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice a bit hoarse, "Like this?"


    "Yes, yes, yes." Katniss took it back, satisfied.


    Then she stuffed it into the wardrobe.


    Turning around, she saw Maximilian frowning, his gaze pointedly looking at the wardrobe.


    Katniss felt innocent, "It''s just to keep Mira from getting suspicious."


    Maximilian''s Adam''s apple bobbed, he nced at Katniss and said slowly, "I''m not that violent."


    "I haven''t tried, how would I know if you''re violent or not."


    As soon as she said it, Katniss regretted it.


    She sneaked a nce at Maximilian, only to find him looking at her, his eyes slightly upturned, a smile at the corner of his mouth, and he said slowly, "Do you want to try?" "No, no, no."


    Katniss waved her hands, she had the thought but not the courage.


    Maximilian became serious, "You''re still young, not suitable for these games."


    Still need to be nurtured.


    Katniss felt the more she exined, the moreplicated it got, so she decisively ended the topic, pulling at the corners of her mouth, "Maximilian, I''m going to freshen up."


    Maximilian chuckled, watching her rush into the bathroom.


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    The moment the door closed, Katniss felt regret through the air.


    Should she leave Earth for a while?


    At that moment, a ringing interrupted Katniss.


    It was a call from Cecilia.


    Katniss answered, feeling resigned, "Cecilia."


    Cecilia excitedly shouted on the other end, "Katniss, check the school forum! Haha, I prepared a big surprise for you."


    Katniss''s ear hurt, so she held the phone away, asking while checking the forum


    "Cecilia, what did you do?"


    As soon as she asked, Katniss understood.


    A post had gone viral on the forum.


    "Beautiful genius girl with a silver needle, mocking death''s ipetence."


    The post exaggeratedly detailed how Katniss pulled Caius back from death. Katniss couldn''t help but smile.


    "Hahaha." Cecilia burst intoughter again through the phone, "See? I just posted it ten minutes ago, and it''s already the hottest topic."


    "Katniss, you''re a school celebrity now! You have to give me an autograph tomorrow!" Katniss couldn''t help butugh, "Thank you."


    "No need to thank me! I just can''t stand Dn. You''re my idol, underestimating you is underestimating me, Cecilia!"


    "You''ll definitely cure Ashley''s dad! Make a name for yourself."


    After returning, Cecilia had asked ssmates about Katniss.


    After understanding the situation, she was furious.


    Using countless brain cells, Cecilia wrote this viral post.


    Katniss casually browsed thements section. Many supported her, and those who didn''t know her, after learning she was Brent''s student, also joined her camp.


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    Some even started a discussion group, debating who was better, Katniss or the renowned Dn?


    Besides that, there was also a poll.


    Katniss rubbed her forehead and pursed her lips, wondering if modern college students were this idle.


    She had been in the bathroom for a while. Katniss checked the time and told Cecilia, "Calm down, don''t stay upte anymore! Otherwise, you''ll be limping for at least two more months."


    Hearing this, Cecilia calmed down a bit.


    "I''ll argue for another ten minutes, I''ll curse those idiots to death. And don''t forget my autograph tomorrow."


    After hanging up, Katniss looked at herself in the mirror, silent for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled coldly.


    With this post, someone would be restless.


    When Katniss left the bathroom, Maximilian was already gone.


    He must have gone to the study to work.


    Katniss breathed a sigh of relief, d he wasn''t there, otherwise, she would have been


    too embarrassed to face him.


    She wondered howte he would work tonight.


    Thinking about it, Katniss sent Maximilian a message reminding him to sleep early.


    Maximilian quickly replied, "Okay, good night."


    Katniss held her phone, looking at the "good night," her eyes sparkling.


    That night, Katniss slept exceptionally well.


    The next morning, she wasn''t sure if Maximilian hade back to sleep.


    After getting ready, she was running a bitte, so she took some breakfast Mira had prepared and headed to school.


    On her way to the medical department, Katniss finished her breakfast. As she was putting the lunchbox into her canvas bag, she saw a pair of soft white shoes in her view.


    Looking up, she saw Laura''s face.


    Laura''s makeup was pure, her hair draped over her shoulders, she was much thinner than before, looking fragile.


    There was a small ck mole under her right eye, adding a touch of allure to her frailty.


    At this moment, Laura''s eyes were sinister, smiling as she looked at her.

 Chapter 169

    Laura extended her hand with a spreading smile on her lips, "Katniss, we worked well together this time."


    Katniss raised an eyebrow, ignoring her hand, "The video from ra''s engagement party, you filmed it, didn''t you?"


    Earlier, Katniss had suspected it might be Laura.


    No one but a crazy person would dare risk offending the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family by spreading that video.


    Laura withdrew her hand, her fingertips slowly tracing the veins on her neck, her eyes gleaming with excitement, "Katniss, I know it was you who found ra''s ugly biological mother."


    She leaned forward, her body almost touching ra, her eyes locking onto Katniss''s face, "See how well we make allies."


    "You brought E to ruin her engagement party. I filmed the video and spread it, exposing ra''s hypocritical face!"


    "Katniss, work with me! It won''t take long topletely destroy ra, to keep her in hell forever."


    Katniss squinted her eyes, chuckled lightly, and stepped back, exuding an air of detachment, "Laura, my stance is still the same asst time, don''t waste your effort."


    Laura''s pupils contracted sharply, and she grabbed Katniss''s shoulders, "Seeing her like that, aren''t you happy, aren''t you satisfied?!"


    "As long as you team up with me, everything will be fine."


    Katniss''s face turned cold, she pushed her away, her tone icy, "How you want to y is your business, don''t drag me into it. I''m not interested in working with you."


    With that, Katniss stepped past her and left.


    Laura stared at her for two seconds, then burst intoughter, clutching her stomach and bending over.


    A few secondster, Laura stood up stiffly and slowly, and said in a haunting tone to her departing back, "Katniss, you should really experience the joy that hatred brings."


    The morning wind was strong, blowing the dead leaves along the road.


    Katniss didn''t hear Laura''s words and walked steadily and quickly towards the medical school''s teaching building.


    Her future was here.


    Her time should also be spent here.


    As soon as she entered the ssroom, Katniss felt various gazes directed at her. Discussions started up.


    "I voted for Katniss to cure Caius yesterday!!"


    "Katniss might have a name in our school, but outside the school, she''s nothing."


    "Exactly, the other party is Dn! Dn!"


    "I support Katniss, didn''t you read the post? Dn was there too, and it was Katniss who stabilized the condition."


    "What do you know, you alwaysest in exams."


    "So what if Iest in exams! At least I''m not blind to the obvious situation!"


    "If I''m blind, then you''re brainless!"


    A few girls in the back row were about to start arguing.


    Katniss sat in her chair, curled her lips, and ignored them.


    After a while of reviewing, Katniss received a call from Cecilia.


    She wailed on the phone, "Katniss! I overslept, ahhh! Our professor saidst time that if


    I''mte again, I''ll get a major demerit!"


    "There''s no escaping the fate of being markedte!"


    Katniss smiled helplessly, "I told you not to stay upte again."


    "You don''t know,st night there were suddenly a lot ofments defaming you."


    "I got so angry that I rolled up my sleeves and argued with them."


    "I argued until dawn!"


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    Katniss squeezed her phone, her eyes looking out the window. It was almost ss time, and outside on the road was Cecil in a ck jacket.


    Cecil exuded a cold and impatient aura, walking with his hands in his pockets, showing no sense of urgency about beingte.


    Instead, he walked as if he were on a runway, attracting the attention of passing female students.


    Katniss withdrew her gaze indifferently and said with certainty, "You didn''t win, did you?"


    Cecilia cursed, "I''ll fight again tonight! I''m not that easy to beat."


    "Forget it, it''s not shameful for an amateur to lose to a professional."


    Hearing this, Cecilia''s brain paused for a moment, then she understood, squinting her eyes, "Someone is deliberately ckening your name! It must be your second brother Dn!"


    Katniss didn''t even think before saying, "It''s not him."


    Dn never thought she could seed, so he wouldn''t bother doing such a thing.


    Cecilia was about to ask more when the ss bell rang.


    Katniss advised her, "Since you''re alreadyte, there''s not much difference between ten minutes and half an hour. Watch your step, don''t sprain your ankle again."


    Cecilia scratched her head, "I''lle find you at noon to talk about this."


    Katniss hung up the phone, and the chair next to her was pulled out. Cecil sat down, tilted his head, and looked at her indifferently, a few strands of a smile on his roguishly handsome face, "Katniss, how does it feel to be an overnight sensation?"


    "Cecil, no matter how sensational I am, I can''tpare to you..." Katniss looked him up and down, her gaze lingering on his face.


    She deliberately showed a hesitant look, lightly squinting her eyes, "You, the campus heartthrob."


    Cecil''s face darkened, his mouth turned down, hearing Katniss''s veiled jab at his fame based on looks.


    He leaned back in his chair, his eyes low and deep, "As your ''senior'' and ssmate, let me kindly remind you, don''t take things too lightly."


    "Don''t end up not even knowing how you died."


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    Could there be something she didn''t know?


    Not expecting much from Cecil''s attitude, Katniss pressed her lips together and turned


    to him, "Thanks for the reminder."


    Cecil snorted lightly,zily saying, "Check out the International Medical Association first, thene back and thank me."


    International Medical Association?


    Katniss frowned, feeling the name sounded familiar. She squinted her eyes, unable to recall where she had heard it.


    Seeing that she was listening, Cecil arrogantly pulled at his lips.


    After the morning ss, Katniss was about to call Cecilia to tell her she was going out.


    In this era, phones didn''t have search functions.


    Katniss remembered there was an inte cafe nearby, she wanted to go online to check out the "Medical Association" Cecil mentioned.


    However, before she could dial, Cecilia''s voice came from outside the door.


    "Katniss! I''m here."


    She rushed to Katniss, pped a notebook and pen in front of her, "Quick, quick, quick, sign this!"


    Katniss smiled helplessly, no need to be so insistent on a "signature," Cecilia.


    It''s really not that useful.


    Cecilia had an air of determination to get the signature.


    Katnissughed, seeing her name on Cecilia''s notebook, she picked up the pen and wrote her name next to Cecilia''s.


    Cecilia picked it up, looked at it from all angles, then looked around cautiously, leaned close to Katniss''s ear, and whispered, "I went to the hospital for a follow-up yesterday, guess who I saw?"


    "I saw Laura, in the gynecology department."


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 170

    Katniss squinted her eyes and looked up at Cecilia, "Gynecology?"


    Cecilia, lying on the table, nodded, "Yeah, she''s in gynecology. Not sure what illness she has. My department is different from hers, just happened to see her while passing by." "I see Laura looking all gloomy now, nothing like her previous arrogant self."


    Katniss withdrew her gaze, "You''re really something, knowing everything."


    Proud of Katniss''spliment, Cecilia beamed, "I''m a gossip expert, not just a name."


    Cecilia wasn''t close to Laura, but she knew Laura had a grudge against Katniss. The incident at the coffee shop was a big deal, almost leading to the police being called.


    A friend''s enemy, what is that?


    That''s amon enemy!


    Katniss didn''t dwell on the topic, nced at the time, and said to Laura, "I need to go to the inte cafe to look up some information, can''t talk now."


    "Let''s go together."


    "Forget it, we can skip the first ss this afternoon. You just got a warning, do you want another one?"


    Hearing this, Cecilia''s face fell.


    Thinking about the teacher this morning, he really didn''t give any face.


    After leaving school, Katniss went to the inte cafe to look up information.


    Soon, Katniss remembered where she had heard the name before.


    One summer, she heard it from Aurora.


    An old friend of Aurora''s came to visit her, and they repeatedly mentioned the "Medical Association," something about a chairman and judges.


    Katniss couldn''t remember more, it had been too long.


    With a slight smile, Katniss continued her research and saw Luminous City Tranquil Hospital on the list of participating hospitals.


    That''s where Dn works.


    With a silentugh, Katniss understood.


    Dn not only looked down on her medical skills but also because she affected his use


    of Caius''s condition to participate in the Medical Association.


    At the same time, Katniss understood what Cecil meant.


    Besides Dn, the entire Tranquil Hospital would stop her from treating Caius.


    Katniss picked up her bag and headed back to school.


    No matter who tries to stop her, it doesn''t matter. She earned this money with her skills.


    It was already ss time, so Katniss quickened her pace towards the school.


    Just one block away from the school, a ck Jeep suddenly rushed towards her.


    It was moving fast, showing no signs of slowing down.


    Katniss frowned and quickly dodged to the side.


    The next second, the Jeep was hit by a Land Rover that appeared out of nowhere.


    With a loud crash, the Jeep hit the nearby greenery, its hood flipped open, and thick white smoke billowed out.


    Katniss stood just 10 feet away, almost getting caught in the impact.


    The door of the Land Rover opened, and Conrad ran towards her anxiously, "Mrs. Hamilton, are you okay?"


    Katniss waved her hand, her eyes coldly fixed on the Jeep.


    It was Simon''s car.


    "Mrs. Hamilton, wait here. I''ll see who has a death wish."


    Conrad rolled up his sleeves and walked towards the Jeep.


    Then, Simon stumbled out of the car.


    He red at Katniss and quickly ran to the passenger side, pulling out a pale ra.


    ra clung to him, weakly sobbing, "Simon, did we almost die?"


    "Don''t be afraid, ra. It''s okay, I''m here."


    Simon patted ra''s back and red at Katniss, "Katniss, if ra gets scared, I won''t let you off!"


    Katniss looked at him like he was an idiot, "Simon, driving into someone on the street, who won''t let who off?"


    "Looks like you love going to the police station."


    "Who hit you? Do you have evidence? I was supposed to be on this road, you hit me." Simon pointed at Katniss and yelled, "You''ll pay for this."


    A sinister look shed in ra''s eyes.


    This idiot!


    Why can''t he control his temper!


    She wanted to kill Katniss too, but not when she was around. She was scared to death in the car just now.


    She pulled Simon''s arm and stepped out of his embrace.


    With red-rimmed eyes, she looked at him, "Simon, stop talking. Katniss is now Mrs. Hamilton, Desmond''s big brother''s wife. It''s okay if she''s a bit more willful."


    Simon''s forehead veins bulged.


    Mrs. Hamilton, my foot!


    Who knows what tricks Katniss used to marry Maximilian.


    Katniss used to be his sister, and he felt ashamed to even mention it.


    But ra''s words reminded him, today was ra''s first day back at school after the engagement party scandal.


    Beforeing, Lucas had instructed her to keep a low profile and not cause any more trouble.


    Grinding his teeth, Simon looked at his beloved car. For ra''s sake, he held back, "Katniss, this isn''t over!"


    With that, Simon called the towingpany and told ra to go to school first so she wouldn''t bete. He stayed behind to wait.


    "Mrs. Hamilton."


    Conrad clenched his fists, fuming, "I''ll beat him up. He''s too arrogant, bullying you." Katniss had already observed the surroundings. There were no cameras, and Simon''s direction was indeed ane.


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    She had no direct evidence, and Simon''s car was the most damaged, while Conrad''s


    car was almost unscathed.


    It would be easy for Simon to frame her.


    Katniss pursed her lips, "No need, let''s go."


    As for Simon''s threat, she would wait and see how far he dared to go.


    Conrad mimicked the gesture of flipping the bird he had seen on the field and gave Simon one.


    Don''t run after school! I''ll beat you up!


    Simon felt humiliated but knew he wasn''t Conrad''s match, fuming with anger.


    Conrad dropped Katniss off at school, and after ensuring no one would bully her again, he left.


    After themotion, Katniss waste. Fortunately, the professor was understanding,


    and it wasn''t an important ss, so she wasn''t given a hard time.


    Cecil raised an eyebrow,zily looking at her, "Did you find out?"


    "Yes."


    "Then stop, don''t..."


    "Who said I''m stopping?"


    Katniss met his gaze, a slight smile on her lips.


    At that moment, Cecil saw a calm and fearless light in Katniss''s eyes.


    Cecil''s pupils tightened, he snorted, and turned to the ckboard, "Suit yourself, just don''t regret itter."


    Katniss chuckled, "Thanks for the concern."


    It was sincere.


    If it weren''t for Cecil''s reminder, she wouldn''t have realized how deep this went,


    making it easy to be set up during the treatment.


    Now that she knew, she could prevent it.


    Cecil lowered his eyes, feeling unappreciated, ungrateful wolf!


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 Chapter 171

    Simon followed the tow truckpany to the repair shop, and the mechanic looked surprised, "How did it get this banged up?"


    "That''s none of your business. Just fix the car! I can afford whatever it costs!" Simon''s face was dark, and his tone was very irritable.


    The mechanic shrank back, not daring to say another word.


    Then Simon took out a pack of cigarettes, nced at the cars around him, walked out of the repair shop, and stood aside to smoke.


    That Katniss, always strutting around with a bodyguard.


    Just wait until she doesn''t have a bodyguard with her, and see how I''ll deal with her.


    Suddenly, Simon''s vision went ck as someone covered his head with a rough bup sack.


    A strong force grabbed his neck and hands, and he was dragged somewhere and thrown hard to the ground, his back hitting a cold, hard wall, sending a wave of pain through him.


    Simon curled up in pain.


    Then came a barrage of punches, hitting him hard on his body, arms, and legs.


    His face, arms, and legs took the brunt of the beating.


    Simon curled up, the fierce blows almost knocking him out, unable to utter a word, only uncontrobly wailing.


    He didn''t know how long itsted, but the punches finally stopped.


    Simon heard footsteps gradually moving away until they disappeared. Only then did


    he have the strength to pull off the bup sack from his head.


    As his vision returned, Simon''s eyes were red as he looked around.


    There was no one in sight.


    The repair shop was noisy with the sound of machines, and his attempts to call out were drowned out.


    In the chaos, Simon''s phone had fallen somewhere. He endured the pain and searched the ground for it.


    After a difficult search, he finally found it and immediately called Lucas.


    Lucas was dealing with business headaches.


    Since Maximilian cut off the municipal project, those who had been trying to curry favor with the Manners family because ra was about to join the Boleyn family had turned against them.


    The Manners family and Lucas''s personal business were greatly affected, and their finances were in trouble.


    On the phone, Simon''s voice was weak and pained, "Lucas,e save me. I''ve been beaten up. I''m almost dead!"


    When Lucas arrived at the hospital, Simon had just been wheeled out of the emergency room.


    As soon as Simon saw Lucas, he started wailing, "Lucas!! You''re finally here."


    Lucas lowered his gaze, seeing Simon lying on the hospital bed, and pursed his lips.


    Simon''s neck and arms were bandaged, and one leg was in a cast.


    But the worst was his face, bruised and swollen.


    Lucas''s face was cold and stern, "Who did this?"


    "Someone ambushed me from behind. I didn''t see his face. He ran away after the beating."


    "Damn it! If you have the guts, fight me fair and square!!"


    Simon was furious, his eyes almost spitting fire, "If I find out who it is, I''ll beat him to death."


    "Have you offended anyone recently? Tell me everything, and I''ll have someone investigate."


    Hearing this, Simon''s eyes flickered, and he clenched his fists, shouting, "It was Katniss! Yes, I saw her today. I was just trying to scare her a bit.


    "And then she had a car hit me! The person who beat me must be Katniss''s doing too!"


    Outside the hospital room, Oliver and Elodie had just arrived after receiving a call and heard every word.


    ra, who had just gotten out of school, was with them.


    She quietly curled her lips, her eyes shing with a sinister light.


    Then she rushed to Simon''s bedside, crying, "Simon, what happened to you? Does it hurt?"


    See, this is his real sister!


    Simon weakly raised his hand to rub ra''s head, "I won''t die. Don''t cry."


    Elodie looked at Simon''s once handsome and sunny face, now in this state, and felt heartbroken.


    She asked Simon, "Simon, you said Katniss had someone beat you?"


    "Who else but Katniss! I remember now, those heavy footsteps must be her bodyguard!"


    Elodie was furious, "What is this Katniss trying to do! Last time she almost crippled your arm, and now she''s beaten you like this. She''s too outrageous!"


    Oliver''s face was ashen, his lips pressed tightly together, saying nothing.


    Simon gritted his teeth, "Mom, we can''t let Katniss get away with this!"


    Elodie agreed with Simon, mming the table in anger, "I''m going to settle this with her right now. I want to see what kind of heart she has to do such a vicious thing!" With that, Elodie started to walk out.


    Oliver''s face was dark andplex, his eyes filled with restraint. As Elodie passed by, he reached out and stopped her.


    Elodie looked at him in confusion, then heard Oliver say, "The house is already in chaos. We''ll find another time to settle this with Katniss!"


    Elodie was furious, "Oliver! We should teach her a lesson right now!"


    Lucas''s eyes were deep. Elodie couldn''t see the current situation and the pros and cons, but he and Oliver could.


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    He looked at Elodie and said calmly, "Mom, Dad is right. Besides, Simon was the one who scared Katniss first."


    Although he didn''t know the exact situation, Lucas knew Simon''s temperament.


    After saying this, he nced at Simon with a hint of reproach.


    Simon gritted his teeth, unconvinced.


    "Lucas, so what? She bullies ra so much and has caused our family so much trouble."


    "What''s wrong with me scaring her a bit!"


    In fact, if Conrad hadn''t stopped him, Simon would have really crashed into her.


    Lucas frowned, his tone reproachful, "There are many ways to vent your anger, but you chose the most foolish one."


    "If Katniss made a move, she wouldn''t leave any evidence."


    "She could even frame you and put all the me on you."


    Hearing this, Simon didn''t have time to respond before Elodie snorted angrily, "How


    dare she say that! Simon was just joking around, but she went for the kill!"


    Elodie thought of something and asked Oliver, "Oliver, are you stopping me because of Maximilian?"


    "Look at what they''ve done to our son! You can tolerate it, but I can''t!"


    "Why should Katniss get away with it! Even if Maximilian steps in, he can''t stop me from disciplining my own daughter."


    Oliver stood there, his face cold with anger, "Katniss won''t get away with this. I''ll find time to settle this with her!"


    Not far away, Nathan had just arrived and couldn''t help but sneer at this.


    Simon red at him, "What are youughing at?"


    Nathan, hunched over, raised his delicate face and said calmly, "You all seem to have forgotten that Katniss was long ago adopted by Wesley! It''s all in ck and white. She has nothing to do with us now."


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 Chapter 172

    Suddenly mentioned by Nathan, Oliver felt so frustrated he almost wanted to spit blood, his face turning a few shades darker.


    When he and Elodie signed the severance agreement, they were so decisive.


    Who would have thought she had already leaned on Maximilian at that time?


    If Katniss hadn''t been adopted out, even Maximilian wouldn''t have been able to meddle in his family affairs.


    He could treat Katniss however he wanted.


    Now Katniss was publicly recognized as Maximilian''s wife by both the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family.


    Her status and position werepletely different from before.


    Elodie, reminded by this, also calmed down a bit.


    But she still couldn''t help trembling with anger, "I owe her, don''t I? She''s been adopted


    out, and she still hurt my son like this. How can I swallow this anger?"


    Seeing her like this, a trace of impatience shed across Oliver''s face.


    "Dad!"


    Simon was unwilling and wanted to say something more, but Oliver''s face darkened, "Don''t say anything. Just stay in the hospital and temper your character. Don''t be impulsive in the future."


    At this point, Oliver was extremely annoyed.


    Oliver angrily said, "If it weren''t for the engagement party and your punch, the situation wouldn''t be this bad now."


    Hearing this, Simon immediately shouted, "Dad, you''re wronging me!"


    "Katniss finally leaned on Maximilian. Even without my punch, she would have found countless reasons to deal with us."


    "Don''t you know her? She''s the most vengeful and ungrateful person!"


    Oliver fell silent, not denying Simon''s words.


    Then he furrowed his brows tightly and couldn''t help but sigh, "I don''t know what kind


    of bad deeds our Manners t¨¢mily has done to raise such a vile child."


    Lucas raised his wrist, nced at the time, and tugged at his dark suit tie, "Dad, there''s


    still work at thepany. I won''t say more, I''m heading back."


    Oliver sighed, "I''m going back too. I have a pile of work waiting for me."


    Saying this, Oliver''s eyes flickered, then he looked at Elodie with a serious face, "I won''t be home tonight, I''ll sleep at thepany."


    Elodieined, "Sleeping at thepany again? You haven''t been home for a week."


    Oliver didn''t say much more and left with Lucas.


    Before leaving, Lucas took Nathan along, saying as they walked, "You''re not in good health, don''t wander around to avoid any idents."


    Nathan pressed his pale lips together and smiled, "I''m already like this, what more could happen?"


    Hearing this, Lucas fell silent, patted Nathan''s back with hisrge hand, silentlyforting him.


    After a pause, Nathan asked, "Lucas, about today''s matter, is it because you think Simon was wrong and didn''t go after Katniss, or because you''re afraid of Maximilian?"


    The next second, Lucas raised his eyes, his brows furrowed, "Katniss shouldn''t have been so ruthless. Simon is, after all, her brother from the same mother."


    In fact, Simon should be closer to her than us. They were together since the embryo stage.


    Nathan chuckled lightly, a bit of disappointment in his eyes, "Lucas, you used to be the most fair and just. Have you changed? Whatever Simon says goes. Why don''t you ask Katniss and investigate this matter, find out the cause and effect?"


    "Or do you think investigating this is a waste of your precious time?"


    Lucas squinted his eyes, unhappily ncing at the sickly Nathan.


    "Nathan, what do you mean?"


    Nathan chuckled lightly, his delicate pale face carrying a hint of mischief, "I suddenly feel that some things need to be seen with your own eyes, not through others."


    After saying this, Nathan coughed, stepped forward, and got into the car. Leaving behind a Lucas with an inscrutable expression.


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    ra watched them leave, remained silent for a while, then clenched her fingers tightly, digging into her palm.


    If it were before, Katniss dared to do this, she would have beaten her half to death immediately.


    Now, she was finding excuses, clearly because of Maximilian, starting to fear Katniss. She would never allow the situation to develop like this!


    Beside her, Simon was questioning his life.


    Oliver and Lucas didn''t immediately help him deal with Katniss, and he was even lectured.


    ra suppressed her emotions, her gaze falling on Simon''s face, her soft fingertips gently touching his face, tears welling up in her eyes.


    "Simon, don''t be angry. Fortunately, you only suffered minor injuries, which means Katniss didn''t really want your life."


    Simon gritted his teeth, his face turning grim. At this moment, his hatred for Katniss reached its peak.


    He had never been so humiliated!


    He could tell today that the other party didn''t hold back at all. He survived purely because of his luck!


    Simon punched the bed, his eyes bloodshot.


    Recently, he had been beaten again and again, all thanks to Katniss!


    "Simon, what''s wrong? Did I say something wrong?"


    ra''s eyes widened in fear, her shoulders trembling, "Don''t be like this, I''m so scared. Does your hand hurt?"


    Saying this, ra took Simon''s hand and started to massage it.


    Elodie pulled ra over, protecting her behind her, and said to Simon, "Simon, I''m


    angry too. Don''t worry, I won''t let you suffer in vain."


    "Your dad is just concerned about Maximilian. I''ll think of another way."


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    A hint of satisfaction shed in ra''s eyes, and she deliberately sighed, "Mom, don''t go looking for Katniss."


    "She has that bodyguard Conrad protecting her. If she dared to hurt Simon, she might hurt you too..."


    Elodie snorted disdainfully, "She wouldn''t dare!"


    "After all, I brought her into this world. If she dares to be unfilial, she won''t fear being struck by lightning!"


    ra held Elodie''s hand, gently soothing her, "Mom, don''t be angry. If you get wrinkles, how will people mistake us for sisters when we go out?"


    Elodie couldn''t help butugh, her anger towards Katniss dissipating significantly.


    "ra always knows how to make me happy."


    "By the way, ra, you were in the car today too. You must have been scared. Since your dad isn''ting home, you can sleep with me tonight."


    "Okay, Mom." ra agreed happily.


    She squeezed ra''s palm, feeling very fortunate, "Luckily, I always have you by my side. You''re truly a little angel sent to me by heaven."


    Katniss is such a nuisance!


    Meanwhile, Katniss, whom Elodie called a "nuisance," had already been picked up by Conrad.


    The car was driving on the highway.


    Conrad kept ncing at Katniss through the rearview mirror.


    He was someone who couldn''t hide anything. Katniss closed her book, looked up at him, and smiled, "If you have something to say, just say it."


    "Mrs. Hamilton, I am ordered to protect you. Whoever poses a threat to your safety, I will deal with them!"


    Katniss squinted her clear eyes and asked calmly, "So, who did you deal with?"


    Katniss was so sharp, she guessed it right away. Conrad licked his lips and said softly, "Simon, I broke his arm and leg, and I also punched his face."


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 Chapter 173

    Katniss''s heart skipped a beat, feeling slightly relieved, "As long as he''s not dead."


    She had heard of some of Conrad''s notorious deeds, ruthless in his actions. She feared he might kill to silence.


    Now it was just a beating, which was eptable.


    Then she asked, "No one saw you, right?"


    If Simon had seen it and recognized Conrad, the Manners family wouldn''t let it go. She would have to send Conrad away toy low.


    Conrad nced at the rearview mirror; Katniss wasn''t angry!


    So Conrad immediately patted his chest proudly, "Don''t worry, I was quick. Hit and ran, Simon didn''t even have time to call out, no one noticed!"


    He remembered Katniss had said not to hit people casually, it was illegal.


    He went secretly, worried Katniss would be angry, but he couldn''t stand Simon bullying Katniss.


    He thought of asking Maximilian, but Jesse answered the phone.


    After hearing him out, Jesse gave him some advice, "Protect Mrs. Hamilton''s safety. Whoever threatens Mrs. Hamilton''s safety, deal with them, and Mrs. Hamilton will be safe, right?"


    Conrad thought it made a lot of sense!


    No wonder they said Jesse was smart, bookish people really had good brains.


    That''s when Conrad put a sack over Simon.


    With a shift in her gaze, Katniss warned Conrad, "No more next time, okay? We''rew- abiding citizens, we can''t do such things."


    Conrad repeatedly promised, "Next time I''ll get your permission before taking action!"


    Katniss held her forehead, was that what she meant?


    Looking out the window, Katniss''s eyes flickered with emotion.


    No matter how serious it was, the Manners family would make a fuss.


    Katniss curled her lips into a light smile. wondering what the scene was like at that moment.


    Back at Golden Crest Estates, Maximilian had already returned at some point.


    He was sitting in the living room, in front of him was a rehabilitation trainer Carlton had hired from abroad at great expense.


    At this moment, Maximilian''s face was cold, sitting on the sofa with a noble posture.


    He was discussing follow-up rehabilitation methods with the trainer.


    Katniss walked in cheerfully, saw this scene, blinked, and sensibly retreated.


    Maximilian lifted his gaze, saw it was her, and his usually cold eyes softened, "Come here."


    Katniss shrank her neck, suddenly feeling guilty, like a child about to be scolded by a parent.


    She swallowed and moved over.


    Then she heard Maximilian''s calm voice say a sentence.


    "What are you hiding for?"


    Already feeling guilty, Katniss straightened up unconsciously and stammered, "I was just worried about disturbing you."


    Maximilian nced at her, then retracted his gaze, introducing, "This rehabilitation trainer was hired by Grandpa."


    Upon hearing this, Katniss''s mind instantly clicked.


    Hired by Samuel, so he was Samuel''s man.


    If she acted unfamiliar with Maximilian, Samuel would definitely find out.


    Understanding this, a bright smile appeared on Katniss''s lips.


    She walked over, sat beside Maximilian, and naturally linked her arm with his, "Grandpa


    hired him, huh? I came backte, you didn''t even call to tell me."


    Maximilian felt Katniss''s soft hand, his gaze flickered over her small hand, his eyes deepening.


    Katniss started conversing with the rehabilitation trainer.


    Katniss was poised and graceful, yet carried the innocence and yfulness of a girl her age.


    The trainer''s eyes gradually filled with admiration.


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    Then Katniss continued to talk about Maximilian''s physical condition and offered some of her own suggestions.


    This would help Maximilian stand up to the greatest extent.


    After hearing her, the trainer couldn''t help but apud, "Mrs. Hamilton, you really understand pharmacology. What you just said is even more effective than our treatment methods."


    "Rest assured, I will do my best to treat Mr. Hamilton."


    Time was almost up, and the trainer had thoroughly understood Maximilian''s condition.


    Before leaving, he scheduled four rehabilitation sessions a week, eachsting an hour, starting at 5 AM.


    Hearing this time, Katniss frowned slightly. Maximilian already had trouble sleeping, getting up at 5 AM was too early.


    She tugged on Maximilian''s arm, wanting to suggest changing the time, but then thought better of it.


    Maximilian sensed Katniss''s hesitation, lowered his gaze, and locked his eyes on her face, "Do you have something to say?"


    Katniss blinked and simply said it.


    Maximilian''s eyes deepened, his voice low and husky, "Lately, I''ve been sleeping well, and for longer."


    Thanks to her being his human pillow.


    Hearing this, Katniss''s worries disappeared, and she patted her chest, promising to


    Maximilian chuckled, raising a hand to ruffle Katniss''s hair.


    "Alright."


    Katniss''s heart fluttered slightly.


    She bit her lip, took a step back somewhat awkwardly, "Maximilian, I''ll go to the


    kitchen to prepare tonight''s medicinal meal."


    With that, she turned and ran to the kitchen.


    Maximilian stood there, his gaze following her into the kitchen, only retracting after a few seconds.


    His clean fingertips slowly brushed his sleeve, a faint smile ying on his lips.


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    Katniss seemed to have grown up.


    Katniss patted her face, trying to calm herself down.


    When she looked up, she saw Conrad squeezing next to Mira, munching on a beef pie.


    His tall frame made the busy Mira beside him look even smaller.


    He ate with a silly, adorable expression.


    Conrad immediately saw her and brought the beef pie over like a treasure.


    "Mrs. Hamilton, you have to try this. Does Mira have some secret recipe?"


    He took another bite andughed, "Mira''s cooking is getting better and better, I can''t stop eating."


    Mira walked over, took his te, and pped his hand, "You, this was specially prepared for Mrs. Hamilton. She uses her brain a lot at school, it''s the hardest for her."


    "You almost finished it. There''s freshly made fried chicken over there, isn''t that your favorite?"


    "The beef pie is for Mrs. Hamilton."


    Hearing there was fried chicken, Conrad didn''t mind the beef pie anymore and happily


    went over.


    Katniss chuckled, secretly giving the beef pie to him behind Mira''s back.


    Conrad had done something big today, though she didn''t quite agree with the sack method, she couldn''t deny it vented her anger.


    He needed to replenish his strength.


    After giving the beef pie to Conrad, Katniss started preparing the medicinal meal for Maximilian.


    This time, the recipe was a sudden inspiration, with better taste and efficacy than before.


    Importantly, the preparation was simpler, saving a lot of time.


    The saved time, Katniss thought, could be used to assist Maximilian with his rehabilitation training.


    Just as Katniss finished the medicinal meal and was about to bring it out, her phone suddenly vibrated.


    Katniss picked it up, her pupils shrinking, and her bright eyes turning cold.

 Chapter 174

    Katniss didn''t answer immediately, letting the phone vibrate for a while.


    On the other end, Oliver, with a cold expression, dialed again.


    Katniss put the herbal soup aside and then leisurely answered the call, "Mr. Manners, what''s up?"


    Her tone was distant and slightly mocking.


    "Katniss, what kind of attitude is that?"


    "What kind of attitude do you expect? If you have something to say, say it. If not, I''m hanging up."


    As Katniss spoke, she was really about to hang up when Oliver''s angry voice came through, "I know all about what happened with Simon. You''ve gone too far!"


    "Come to the hospital, bring your bodyguard, and apologize to Simon!"


    Katniss pressed her lips together, recalling Conrad''s words. He hadn''t left any evidence. She wasn''t afraid of the Manners family causing trouble with the police.


    Now that Oliver was saying this, he was probably testing her.


    Katniss chuckled lightly and retorted, "Mr. Manners, I didn''te looking for you; you came looking for me. It''s Simon who owes an exnation."


    "Simon almost ran me over today."


    "What happens to Simon has nothing to do with me. He has offended so many people; who knows who it could be."


    Without thinking, Katniss knew Oliver hadn''t gotten the full story, probably just a few evasive exnations from Simon.


    It hadn''t been long, and he was already rushing to settle the score with her.


    Oliver''s face turned ugly with anger at Katniss''s attitude, "Katniss, no matter what your current status is, don''t forget yourst name!"


    "No matter what, you are my child. I am your father."


    "How can you be so ungrateful and talk to me like this!"


    Katniss felt like she had heard the biggest, ioke in the world. but she couldn''tugh. her eyes filled with endless coldness.


    "Ungrateful? I''ve already been. Mr. Manners, your actions hardly resemble those of a ''father.""


    Katniss was really tired and didn''t want to hear another word from him, then coldly said, "Mr. Manners, let me remind you again, discipline Simon properly. He dared to hit Maximilian''s wife. I might let him off with a good temper, but others might not."


    With that, Katniss hung up the phone, pressing her hands on the edge of the table, leaning down to regain herposure.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Maximilian wheeled himself in and saw the scene.


    Katniss was fine initially, but upon hearing his voice, her eyes reddened for some


    reason.


    She sniffed and raised her head nonchntly, "Nothing, the smoke from cooking got in my eyes."


    Maximilian''s gaze lingered on her face, his thin lips pressed into a straight line.


    Katniss, worried he might notice something, smiled and pushed the herbal soup towards him, "Maximilian, try this. It''s a new recipe."


    She didn''t want to talk about it, and Maximilian didn''t force her, starting to taste the herbal soup she made.


    The taste was excellent, with a faint floral aroma that lingered.


    After finishing the herbal soup, Maximilian went into the study.


    Conrad was also called in.


    Soon, Jesse received a call from Maximilian.


    On the phone, Jesse grinned and defended himself, "Didn''t I give Conrad a great idea?" "Considering my brilliant idea, don''t hold it against me for forgetting to tell you at the time."


    "I saw those people pestering you and thought this little thing wouldn''t bother you." "Little thing?"


    Maximilian''s expression didn''t change, his eyes cold as the moon, but with a hint of mischief, "Don''te up with ideas randomly in the future."


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    "I''m doing this for you. I helped you teach Simon a lesson for bullying your wife." Jesse conceded, "Now you''re being ungrateful? Mr. Hamilton, you should have a bit of conscience."


    Maximilian mercilessly hung up the phone, then dialed Emilio.


    "What''s the biggest deal the Manners family has right now? Look into it and take it over."


    Emilio understood without needing more words, knowing the Manners family had caused trouble again.


    Meanwhile, in a massage parlor in Luminous City.


    Oliver, with an ugly expression, threw his phone on the table.


    That Katniss really didn''t leave him any face!


    Did she think hanging up on him would solve everything?


    Laura happened toe in with a hot towel, ncing at the call log on the phone screen showing Katniss''s name.


    She squinted her eyes and handed the towel over obediently, "Oliver, you look even more tired thanst time."


    "Use the hot towel to wipe your hands. A man''s hands are important; they need to befortable to rule the world."


    Oliver looked up, his gaze falling on Laura''s face, his mood slightly improving.


    A few days ago, Laura had called him, asking to meet.


    Oliver had already given her a sum of money and was recently busy, not wanting anyplications, so he refused.


    But Laura said she had found a part-time job and earned some money, wanting to repay him.


    Only then did Olivere out, only to find out Laura was working as a masseuse at this parlor. He frowned, thinking it was inappropriate for Laura to work here. Laura raised her face, tears glistening in her eyes, "Oliver, do you think girls who do this kind of work are dirty?"


    "I''m not. I work cleanly there. I know society has prejudices against girls working there."


    "Oliver, please don''t misunderstand me. I just want to earn money with my own hands to support myself and my mom."


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    After saying that, Laura forcibly gave him the little money she had saved.


    Because of her words, Oliver couldn''t help but feel remorse for his initial thoughts.


    A girl who could endure hardship and be so filial was indeed rare.


    He couldn''t really take Laura''s money, so he ended up getting a premium membership


    card from her to help her with her performance.


    Laura would asionally text him, inviting him to rx.


    Laura was a neer, not formally trained, and her massage techniques weren''t particrlyfortable.


    But the few times Oliver came, Laura''s gentle and sensible demeanor made him feel more rxed than the massage itself.


    After that, whenever he had time, Oliver woulde here to rest overnight, with Laura chatting beside him, never crossing any boundaries.


    This made Oliver more at ease, and he came more frequently, eventually booking a private room here.


    After wiping his hands with the hot towel, Laura took it and brought over a fruit tter. The apples were cut unevenly, the grape stems weren''t cleaned properly, and the fruit arrangement was poor,cking any aesthetic appeal.


    Before Oliver could frown, Laura apologized, "I''m sorry. I prepared this myself. Do you not like it?"


    "I''ve never done this before; it was always the maids at home. I saw you were tired


    today, and the staff responsible for the fruit tter had left."


    "I sneaked in to make it. If you don''t want to eat it, that''s fine."


    As she spoke, she was about to take the tter away, but Oliver raised his hand,


    covering her wrist, "For a first attempt, it''s not bad. It doesn''t affect the taste."


    Laura looked at him, her eyes brightening like a child receiving praise, "Then eat more." Oliver''s gaze lingered on her face for a few more seconds, his eyes softening. After her family had an ident, Laura''s twenty years of pampered life hadn''t made her spoiled; instead, she was down-to-earth and serious about life.


    Thinking of something, Oliver''s face darkened, anger rising from his heart.


    Unlike Katniss, who had just be Maximilian''s wife and was already so arrogant.

 Chapter 175

    Katniss slept soundly at night. The next morning, she groggily felt Maximilian getting up. She turned over, hugged the nket, and continued to sleep.


    She was woken up by Mira.


    Maximilian had already finished his rehabilitation training and gone to thepany.


    She had breakfast alone, and then Conrad drove her to school.


    As soon as she got out of the car and before reaching the medical department, she saw ra and Ruby walking on a small path.


    The two were holding hands, chatting andughing like close sisters.


    Katniss noticed that Ruby was carrying a new camera.


    She clicked her tongue, withdrew her gaze, and continued walking forward.


    However, Ruby saw her at that moment. She immediately tugged ra''s arm and pointed her chin at Katniss''s back.


    "Ugh, what bad luck to see her here. Such a bad omen in the morning," Ruby said angrily.


    "Ruby, don''t say that. Katniss, she''s just gotten a bit more temperamental after marrying that old man," ra sighed faintly. "Suddenly having so much money, it''s normal for her to be a bit willful."


    ra had never told Ruby that Katniss''s "old man" was actually Maximilian.


    So Ruby still believed that the old man in the photo she had taken was Katniss''s "sugar daddy."


    Now, hearing this, Ruby said disdainfully, "Even if that kind of money was given to me, I''d find it dirty. Katniss is so shameless!"


    She looked at ra with pity, "ra, after all she''s done to you, you shouldn''t speak for her."


    "Your kindness should be reserved for those who deserve it. Katniss doesn''t!"


    "I know, but we grew up together. She''s always hated me for taking away our parents'' and brothers'' love."


    "It''s my fault. If she wants to take revenge on me, let her."


    Ruby became even angrier. She grabbed ra''s hand andforted her, "ra, don''t


    worry. I''ll make sure to get back at her for you."


    "I won''t let anyone bully you."


    "Ruby."


    ra''s eyes reddened instantly, her voice trembling, "You''re so good to me."


    "ra, we''re best friends. If I don''t help you, who will?"


    Ruby couldn''t help but touch her face.


    Actually, the green on her face hadn''tpletely faded.


    Ruby had nned to wait a few more days beforeing to school, but knowing ra was already here, she applied a lot of makeup and wore a mask toe with ra.


    Clenching her fingers into her palm, a trace of resentment shed in Ruby''s eyes. If it weren''t for Katniss messing up her face, she wouldn''t have been so humiliated. Her ugly photos were still circting widely on the forum. Once she entered the ssroom, she would inevitably be discussed and ridiculed.


    ra seemed to notice her thoughts and gently patted her arm, her voice soft andforting, "Ruby, your face looks fine now."


    "Don''t worry, everyone in school is focused on Katniss treating Caius. No one will remember your incident."


    ra''s words only made Ruby more annoyed.


    She and ra had been so humiliated, yet Katniss was getting all the attention.


    What was more annoying was that Katniss''s spotlight had overshadowed their scandal, diverting everyone''s attention.


    Otherwise, they didn''t know how much longer they would be discussed.


    Katniss entered the ssroom and was somewhat surprised to see Byron.


    She squeezed into the seat next to Daryl, who waved at her as she came in, "Katniss." "Why are you at school today?"


    Byron had hardly been to school recently, spending every day at the hospital. Those who didn''t know might think his father was ill.


    "To supervise you. Come to the hospital with me after school."


    "That''s unnecessary." Katniss lightly tapped her book on the desk, "I was nning to go this afternoon anyway."


    Byron looked around, then fixed his gaze on Katniss, speaking in a low voice, "Dn came to see Ashley and me yesterday."


    Hearing this, Katniss raised an eyebrow, already guessing what Dn had said.


    "He still wants you to stay out of this," Byron continued, "Ashley didn''t agree, but you have to understand, we need to make other preparations."


    "So you want me and Dn to treat him together?" Katniss squinted, urately guessing Byron''s thoughts.


    Byron spoke openly, "Yes, is that a problem? Everyone''s attention is on you two now. If you really have the skills, this is a great opportunity to make a name for yourself."


    "Sure, no problem."


    Katniss shrugged and smiled brightly. After learning about the Medical Association, she knew Dn wouldn''t give up. Since he didn''t mind Ashley making other preparations, she didn''t care either.


    After school, Byron wanted to drive her to the hospital, but Katniss refused and had Conrad take her instead.


    Conrad was supposed to wait downstairs, but he insisted on going with her, worried about her.


    Katniss had him wait outside the ward, not wanting his burly figure to look like he was there to fight.


    When Katniss entered the room, Ashley was reading a medical book. She nced at it; it was one that several professors had emphasized.


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    Seeing her, Ashley immediately put down the book, her gaze shifting from Katniss''s face to Caius''s, a look of sorrow in her beautiful eyes.


    Caius was still in aa, just like two days ago.


    As if he were asleep.


    Katniss took out two prescriptions and ced them on the table, "Ashley, buy these


    herbs and prepare them as instructed."


    "Find a way to feed them to your dad."


    Byron picked up the prescriptions before Ashley could. They were filled with herbs he had never heard of or seen.


    Judging by the names, they were expensive.


    He wasn''t worried about spending money but didn''t fully trust Katniss yet.


    "Katniss, are you sure these herbs will work?"


    "These are all for strengthening the heart. Caius hasn''t woken up because his body is


    too weak from lying in aa for so long."


    "Once he finishes these, he''ll wake up."


    Katniss squinted slightly, staring at Byron, her tone firm, "Then the real treatment begins."


    He folded the prescriptions and put them in his pocket.


    Katniss smirked, "That''s the spirit. If you doubt someone, don''t use them; if you use them, don''t doubt them."


    Ashley said, "Katniss, don''t misunderstand. Byron is just very concerned about my dad."


    "I understand. I''ll follow the instructions. I''ll buy these herbs first thing tomorrow morning."


    She then extended her hand to Byron, her previously soft voice now resolute, "Give me


    the prescriptions."

 Chapter 176

    "Ashley."


    Byron furrowed his brows, a hint of hurt shing uncontrobly in his eyes. "I told you, don''t be so formal with me. This amount of money is nothing to me. I''m willing to help you out."


    "Byron, I''ve also said that I can''t ept it."


    Ashley nced at Katniss from the corner of her eye, hesitating to speak.


    Katniss, sensing the tension, took a few steps aside and began another acupuncture treatment for Caius.


    She worked with great focus and dedication.


    Ashley and Byron exchanged a few more low words, which Katniss didn''t hear.


    If it weren''t for Cecilia, she wouldn''t have any curiosity about these two.


    But seeing Ashley''s attitude, it seemed Byron would end up with nothing in the end.


    After finishing the acupuncture, Katniss discussed some precautions with Ashley and was about to leave.


    Whether by coincidence or bad luck, as soon as Katniss stepped out of the room and hadn''t yet reached the elevator, Dn came out of another elevator supporting Nathan.


    "Katniss? Are you here to treat Caius again?"


    Dn asked as soon as he saw Katniss, his handsome face showing a slightly somber expression.


    Nathan seemed a bit slow to react. When he saw Katniss clearly, he even reached out to grab her.


    "Katniss."


    Katniss''s eyes narrowed, and she was about to dodge when Conrad rushed forward and grabbed Nathan''s wrist before she could. He was strong and quick.


    Nathan''s face twisted in pain immediately.


    Seeing Nathan like this, Dn, standing beside him, spoke in a low voice, "Katniss, tell your man to let go. You know Nathan''s physical condition."


    Katniss''s gaze fell on Nathan''s pale face and then quickly moved away.


    She couldn''t help but let out a mockingugh.


    She knew Nathan''s physical condition better than Nathan himself. In the past years, every medicinal meal Nathan ate was painstakingly researched by her.


    Without her medicinal meals and daily treatments recently, Nathan''s condition had worsened.


    But Katniss wouldn''t let her sympathy overflow; she was very busy now.


    She had no time to devote to Nathan anymore.


    Katniss pursed her lips and had Conrad release Nathan.


    "It''s okay." Nathan endured the pain, staring at Katniss without blinking. "Is Maximilian treating you well?"


    As soon as he said it, Nathan found itughable.


    Seeing Katniss looking so spirited now, she definitely wasn''t doing worse than when she was with the Manners family.


    The question he asked was meaningless.


    "I''m doing very well, so you don''t need to ''worry'' about me."


    Katniss''s face was cold as she spoke and was about to leave when Dn spoke up, "Katniss, since we ran into each other today, I have something to say to you."


    Katniss looked at him, and then she heard Dn say, "Stop using your little tricks to fool Maximilian. Someone like him won''t be deceived by you forever."


    "One day, when he finds out your medical skills can''t cure his leg."


    "What will you do then?"


    "Take my advice, go and honestly admit your mistakes to Maximilian and seek his forgiveness."


    Katniss''s mind almost couldn''t process it.


    So, Dn thought she married Maximilian because she tricked him into believing she could cure his leg?


    Now he was pretending to be self-righteous, advising her to confess and apologize? Katniss''s lips twitched, a sour feeling silently spreading from her heart, but more than that, she wanted tough out loud.


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    Since Dn said that, he must have believed she was that kind of person.


    If she exined even a little, it would only seem like quibbling to him.


    "Dn, focus more on your patients and less on other people''s business."


    "Do you have anything else? If not, I''m leaving."


    After saying that, Katniss didn''t look at them again and directly entered the elevator.


    Dn hadn''t mentioned Caius yet and reached out to block the elevator door, but Conrad red at him.


    Seeing her about to leave, Nathan covered his mouth and coughed weakly.


    Katniss looked straight ahead,pletely ignoring the two of them, and took the elevator down with Conrad.


    Dn''s lips gradually tightened as he was ignored.


    Beside him, Nathan leaned against the wall, barely standing, and met Dn''s gaze. "Dn, what did you mean by what you said earlier?"


    "You had no evidence and said those things to Katniss. Was that appropriate?" "Didn''t you think that Katniss is just a girl and that she might feel hurt?" Suddenly questioned by Nathan''s dissatisfied tone, Dn frowned. He was aware of Nathan''s recent tendency to side with Katniss.


    They had even argued about it with Simon before, which had made Nathan sick.


    "Nathan." Dn patted Nathan''s shoulder, his voice steady. "Think about it yourself. Why did Katniss suddenly be Maximilian''s wife? And think about Maximilian''s leg and her so-called medical skills."


    After saying that, Dn didn''t say more to Nathan and helped him forward. "Don''t waste time; it''s time for your check-up."


    Nathan was thus supported forward, barely having the strength to struggle.


    All the words he wanted to say to defend Katniss were stuck in his throat.


    Nathan lowered his eyes, staring at the ground, and let out a coldugh.


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    He didn''t know how much longer his body could hold on.


    Would he still be able to see his family''s eyes clear up?


    After Nathan''s check-up, Dn sent him back to his room.


    Just as he was about to return to his office to rest, he received a call from Elodie.


    On the phone, Simon''s painful wails could be heard, "Dn! Come help me change my dressing. The nurse here is so irresponsible; it hurts like hell."


    A trace of fatigue appeared between Dn''s brows as he sat in his chair, pressing his temples. "Bear with it. This kind of pain is unavoidable. It would be the same if I did it."


    "Dn, I can''t bear it. How can it hurt this much!"


    "Your injury is so severe; it''s normal for it to hurt."


    Hearing this, Simon started cursing Katniss angrily on the phone.


    Dn listened to his furious insults, his eyes darkening.


    After Simon finished venting, Dn turned his chair, the darkness in his eyes disappearing, reced by a light sigh. "I''m now responsible for the same patient as


    Katniss, so I''ll be seeing her often."


    "I''ll find a chance to make Katniss apologize to you. Take care of yourself and don''t let the wound get infected again."


    Simon almost thought he had misheard.


    His voice suddenly rose several octaves, shouting in shock, "How can Katniss be responsible for the same patient as you? She''s just an ungraduated student. What qualifications does she have?"


    Dn''s reputation in Luminous City was well-known.


    What was Katnisspared to that?


    "Katniss did stabilize the patient''s vital signs that day. And she''s a ssmate of the patient''s family member. It''s understandable that they trust her."


    "Katniss is so despicable, beating me up like this and now causing you trouble."


    Simon''s face was dark and irritable. "Is every one of us in the Manners family indebted to Katniss or something?"

 Chapter 177

    Dn''s lips pressed into a thin line, his voice tinged with helplessness, "Let''s not talk


    about this anymore, it''s pointless. The patient''s family has already agreed to let Katniss and me treat them together, and I can''t change their decision."


    In the bathroom, Elodie stood in front of the sink.


    Earlier, when Simon was changing the dressing, the scene was too shocking for her to bear, so she had retreated to the bathroom.


    Now, hearing Simon yelling about Katniss outside, she pushed the door open and walked out.


    "Simon, what are you talking about? What''s going on?"


    "Mom, I just found out from Dn that Katniss actually..."


    Simon exined the situation, and Elodie''s elegant face immediately darkened, "Katniss''s subpar medical skills, if she messes up the treatment, Dn''s career will definitely be affected!"


    "I don''t know what Katniss did, but the patient''s family actually trusts her!" Simon snorted, his voice filled with disdain, "It''s truly despicable!"


    "No, we can''t let her interfere with our family anymore."


    Elodie snatched the phone from Simon''s hand and said, "Dn, what''s going on? Tell


    me."


    On the other end, Dn''s voice was gentle, "Mom, it''s nothing, don''t worry."


    "This matter is all over the forums, so many eyes are on Katniss, she won''t mess around with something as serious as this."


    "She''s very arrogant right now, I don''t think there''s anything she wouldn''t dare to do."


    Elodie gripped the phone tightly, snorting, "Dn, I''ll handle this. I can''t let her ruin Simon''s arm and then sabotage your work."


    The Manners family had produced a renowned doctor like Dn, who had be an attending physician at a young age. Over the years, Elodie had made many wealthy women envious.


    Everyone gets sick, and knowing a famous doctor is like having an extra life.


    [Fuenteneranv?ysrurterisrtecriter sorryidiraiter.caidn''t¨¦starrythingj¨¦oparenzen hi


    career.


    "Alright, Mom, it''s gettingte. I still have rounds to do."


    "Simon''s injuries are superficial, don''t worry. I''ve already instructed my colleague to take good care of him."


    "I''ll handle any issues that arise."


    Dn had been staying at the hospital for the past few days, very busy.


    Elodie''s eyes filled with concern, "You and your father have been working too hardtely. Once this is over, I''ll cook a good meal for you all."


    Hearing this, Dn''s mouth twitched.


    Since Katniss left and cut ties with the Manners family, the meals at home were either cooked by the servants or by Elodie.


    Either way, they were always terrible, not even half as good as Katniss''s cooking.


    Dn had been avoiding meals at home, opting to eat at the hospital cafeteria instead. "Alright, I have to go. I''ll hang up now."


    After hanging up, Elodie mmed the phone on the table, sitting down with a cold expression.


    Simon''s face was equally grim. Suddenly, he remembered something, his eyes lighting up, "Mom! Didn''t Katniss say she would pay back all the money she spent from our family over the years?"


    "She did say that."


    "With interest, not a penny less!"


    Elodie, fueled by Simon''s words, found an outlet for her anger, "Alright, I''ll start calcting how much we''ve spent on her over the years!"


    After saying that, Elodie added, "By the way, let''s check the forums. Dn said it''s all over the forums."


    "I want to see what everyone thinks about this!"


    Simon used his phone to check the forums, and he and Elodie read through the posts together.


    Ten minutester.


    Elodie was trembling with anger, clutching her chest, her face pale, "Why are there so many people at your school supporting Katniss?"


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    Simon frowned, utterly confused, "I haven''t been to school these days, what has Katniss been doing there?"


    Previously, no one at school liked Katniss; everyone knew she was jealous of ra, maniptive, and malicious.


    "Mom, the patient that Katniss and Dn are treating is also in this hospital. Tomorrow, go ask Dn which room it is."


    "Simon, what are you nning?" Elodie asked, puzzled.


    Simon narrowed his eyes, sneering, "Of course, to give the patient''s family a proper introduction to Katniss!"


    Hearing this, Elodie chuckled, patting Simon''s arm in approval, "Simon, you''re quick- witted."


    After that, Elodie and Simon began to recall and record Katniss''s expenses over the years.


    The mother and son worked tirelessly until the early hours of the morning.


    At this time, Katniss was sleeping soundly in Maximilian''s arms.


    Today, Maximilian didn''t have any rehabilitation training and slept until seven, waking up with Katniss.


    Katniss nced at the vintage clock on the wall, her eyes gradually brightening. "Maximilian, you slept for a long time this time."


    Katniss stared at his chiseled face, asking, "Is it because the rehabilitation training is too exhausting, so you slept deeply?"


    Maximilian released her, sitting up calmly, his long fingers adjusting the cor of his dark pajamas.


    His eyes deepened slightly.


    The rehabilitation training was part of the reason.


    Carlton had found a top-notch rehabilitation trainer, and the process was intense and effective.


    Maximilian endured a lot of pain, but it didn''t stir any emotions within him.


    There were very few people who genuinely wished for his recovery.


    He gently patted Katniss''s face, his deep voice saying, "Get up, I''ll take you to school."


    "Maximilian, I don''t have any sses today, I''ve already taken leave. I''m going to the hospital to treat Ashley''s father."


    Maximilian responded directly, "Alright, I''ll take you."


    Katniss blinked, the hospital was farther than the school, and Maximilian''s time was


    precious, she didn''t want to waste it.


    Conrad could take her just as well.


    Thinking this, Katniss said it out loud.


    Maximilian''s gaze fell on Katniss''s delicate face, but he didn''t insist.


    They had breakfast together, then headed in opposite directions.


    Katniss quickly arrived at the hospital, taking the elevator directly to the top-floor premium ward.


    Conrad was behind her, and she had unknowingly grown ustomed to his presence. This time, without Katniss saying anything, Conrad stopped at the door on his own. Katniss''s attention was focused on the uing treatment, not hearing Simon''s voice.


    As she walked in, she looked up and saw Simon standing in front of Ashley. Simon also looked over at the sound of the door opening, his expression turning dark and angry upon seeing Katniss.


    Ashley had a trace of embarrassment on her face.


    About five minutes ago, Simon had suddenlye over and said a lot about Katniss. In summary, he imed that Katniss had ulterior motives.

 Chapter 178

    Was Katniss harboring ulterior motives? Ashley didn''t care.


    She wasn''t that noble; as long as Katniss could cure her father Caius and stabilize his condition, nothing else mattered.


    Caius''s health had visibly improved over the past few days, and with Dn also involved in the treatment, Ashley wouldn''t give up this double assurance.


    Katniss''s gaze swept past Simon, ignoring him, and directly looked at Ashley. "Ashley, did you buy all the medicine I asked for yesterday?"


    Ashley''s lowered eyshes fluttered, and then she nodded. "I bought everything ording to your list."


    Katniss responded casually and then pulled a chair over, sitting down and tilting her head to look at Simon, her eyes curving. "If you''re not involved, you should leave."


    Hearing this, Ashley also looked at Simon, her pretty face serious. "Simon Manners, why don''t you step out for a bit?"


    How strange, they both had thest name Manners.


    At this, Simon frowned at Ashley, his voice dissatisfied. "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Did everything I just said go in one ear and out the other?"


    "This Katniss doesn''t know any medical skills; she''s just a student who hasn''t graduated. You don''t use the well-known Dn, but you use her?"


    "You''re ying with your dad''s life."


    Ashley might have a pretty face, but does she have no brains?


    She actually listened to Katniss and wanted to kick him out.


    Simon, still not satisfied, pointed at himself. "You want to kick me out? Do you know who you''re kicking out? I''m Dn''s brother! Katniss should be the one to leave!"


    Ashley''s long eyshes trembled. He was Dn''s brother, and also that person''s brother.


    If she kicked Simon out, would he be angry?


    Thinking of this, Ashley frowned slightly, but her father''s life was more important.


    So Ashley bit her lip, nodded firmly, and repeated seriously, "But you''re not Dn. You should leave; you''re not needed here."


    Katniss looked up, ncing around at Ashley. Not bad, Ashley had an impable sense of timing.


    So, Katniss propped her chin up, her eyes showing a bit of pleasure. "The patient''s family has agreed. What good is your disagreement?"


    Hearing Katniss''s words, Simon was about to explode with anger. His temper red, and he shouted at Katniss. "It''s your business if you want to deceive people, but how dare you affect Dn!"


    "You think I don''t know you''re doing this on purpose to mess with us!"


    "Katniss, what is your heart made of, to be so vicious!"


    Katniss curled her lips, sneering. "Yelling in the ward and dying the patient''s treatment, which one of us is really vicious?"


    "As for your so-called ''revenge,'' that''s justughable."


    "You all aren''t worth my time and effort for any so-called revenge."


    The anger on Simon''s face grew heavier. As soon as Katniss finished speaking, he exploded, raising his hand to point angrily at her. "Katniss, you..."


    Suddenly, the medical equipment by the bedside emitted a piercing beeping sound.


    Katniss turned to look and saw Caius, who had been lying quietly, convulsing violently and foaming at the mouth.


    Her pupils contracted; the condition had worsened!


    Katniss rushed over in a single stride.


    Ashley''s face turned pale, and she was the first to press the call button by the bed, then immediately pressed down on Caius''s upper body.


    Ashley was also a medical student. She couldn''t determine the exact cause of this situation, but she knew the basic theoretical knowledge.


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    The first thing to do was to stabilize Caius to prevent him from hurting himself and worsening his condition.


    Katniss quickly took out a silver needle pack and aimed at an acupuncture point on Caius''s temple.


    Simon was stunned. What was happening?


    Katniss was still trying to show off at this moment. If she identally killed someone...


    Simon didn''t have time to think further. He suddenly grabbed Katniss''s hand.


    "Stop! Katniss, Dn will be here soon. Let him handle it!"


    Katniss''s needling action was blocked, and she turned to meet Simon''s gaze, feeling irritated.


    Just as she was about to use the silver needle to prick Simon''s hand to stop him, the ward door suddenly opened.


    Conrad had been listening to themotion in the ward and rushed in. Seeing the scene, he immediately pressed down on Simon.


    He acted quickly and decisively. Simon had no ability to resist in Conrad''s hands, his face turning dark.


    "Conrad, take him out and don''t let him cause trouble."


    After instructing Conrad, Katniss continued with the needling, her expression cold and serious.


    Simon was directly dragged out by Conrad.


    At the stairwell corner, Dn and two doctors were walking quickly towards the ward.


    Seeing Simon thrown in the hallway, a trace of annoyance shed in Dn''s eyes. After


    a moment''s thought, he understood the situation in the ward.


    When Dn walked in, he saw that Katniss had already inserted the silver needle into Caius''s temple.


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    Dn''s brow furrowed slightly, and before he and his colleagues could get closer, Caius, like a stiff puppet, suddenly calmed down.


    At the same time, the piercing sound of the medical equipment stopped.


    A thinyer of sweat appeared on Katniss''s forehead as she checked Caius''s pulse, still


    feeling a lingering fear.


    The pulse was slightly agitated but was clearly stabilizing.


    Ashley also slowly released her hold on Caius, her clear eyes nervously watching Katniss.


    "Katniss, how is my dad?"


    "The situation is stable." Katniss released Caius''s hand and breathed a sigh of relief. Dn approached the bedside, his tone calm. "Katniss, step aside. Let me check."


    Katniss looked up at Dn. "No need to check. The sudden deterioration wasrgely due to external stimuli."


    Dn''s eyes deepened, but he asked with a puzzled expression, "What kind of stimuli?"


    At that moment, a sense of mockery suddenly spread from Katniss''s heart.


    Dn should have seen Simon when he came in.


    How did Simon find Ashley''s ward, and how did he know she was also responsible for Caius''s condition?


    This "Dn," who seemed to have the best temper and the most amiable demeanor, really didn''t know anything?


    Katniss pursed her lips, about to speak, when Ashley''s voice rang out. "Katniss, is Dn your second brother? And Lucas your eldest brother?"


    The situation had been too chaotic just now, and Ashley could only ask now.


    Katniss nodded expressionlessly, a bit puzzled as to how Ashley knew Lucas.


    "They used to be, but not anymore." Katniss nced slowly at the door, her voice cool. "I''ve been adopted by my third uncle, so Lucas is now my first cousin."

 Chapter 179

    As soon as the words fell, Ashley''s eyshes fluttered slightly, and she looked at Katniss with a more scrutinizing gaze.


    "What''s this? Nowadays, you need identification to save lives and treat illnesses?" Katniss raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over Ashley. "But it''s true, you have to be careful. The Manners family doesn''t have many good people."


    Ashley was taken aback and shook her head. "I asked too much."


    It didn''t really matter who Katniss''s sister was.


    Katniss turned her head, frowning as she stared at Simon, her voice cold. "Simon, if you have a problem, that''s your business. But Caius is my patient. This time, we were lucky to save him. If anything happens, I can get you into the police station, and I can make sure you don''t get out!"


    Simon gritted his teeth, ring at Katniss viciously. "If you can''t save him, it''s because your medical skills arecking. Don''t me me for your ipetence!"


    "Then you should ask yourself what you said to Ashley that Caius overheard and got triggered." Katniss''s expression didn''t change as her clear eyes turned to the stern- faced Dn. "Dr. Manners, you''re a doctor. You should be able to analyze what caused the patient''s rpse, right?"


    After speaking, Katniss''s face lit up with a smile, her eyes narrowing as she looked at them.


    If Simon hadn''t been so talkative, Caius''s condition would have been fine. How could he have been suddenly triggered?


    But what did Simon say that almost made Ashley''s father choke?


    Dn''s gaze deepened, and he pressed his lips together.


    The recent examination confirmed that Katniss was right; it was indeed a trigger.


    "Simon, you were too reckless this time. Apologize to Ashley and Katniss."


    Katniss had managed to stabilize Caius''s condition twice now, and Dn suddenly realized that he might have underestimated his sister.


    Simon''s eyebrows furrowed as if he had heard something unbelievable. He lowered his voice. "Dn, I came to find Ashley for your sake. What medical skills does Katniss have? Just because she learned a bit from Grandma she thinks she''s a miracle worker? She''s just lucky!"


    "After hurting Nathan, now she''s messing up your future. I''m doing this to help you, and you want me to apologize to her?"


    Simon turned his face away. "I won''t apologize."


    Dn gave Simon a deep look, frowned, and then sighed. "Fine, you did it for me. I''m your brother, so I should apologize."


    Simon''s heart sank, and he turned sharply to see Dn, in his white coat, bowing at a ny-degree angle.


    "Ms. Cross, my brother Simon endangered the patient. It''s my fault as his older brother. I apologize on his behalf."


    Seeing Dn like this, Simon''s face turned pale, and he gritted his teeth in anger, grabbing Dn''s arm. "Dn! What are you doing?"


    His second brother Dn was a famous doctor, with many people seeking his treatment, making it hard to get an appointment.


    And now, he was apologizing because of Katniss!


    Simon didn''t understand.


    Dn pulled his arm free, his eyes darkening. "Simon, as your older brothers, we can indulge you, but you should grow up and know what you should and shouldn''t do!"


    Simon stood stiffly, then let out a sarcasticugh. "Fine, I''m meddling too much! I''ll leave, okay?"


    After speaking, Simon gave Katniss a dark look and left inrge strides.


    Ashley steadied her emotions, released her clenched hand, and spoke to Dn. "Dr. Manners, I understand your brother''s good intentions, but my father can''t have any more idents."


    "I understand. I promise this won''t happen again." Dn''s face darkened slightly but maintained a gentle demeanor. "Ms. Cross, Simon probably saw the forum posts and came over."


    "He and Katniss have had some conflicts recently, and there are some misunderstandings between them. They tend to act impulsively."


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    This implied that Simon came to cause trouble solely to target Katniss and had nothing to do with Dn.


    Katniss narrowed her eyes, a silent, mocking smile spreading from her eyes. What an artful way of speaking.


    Dn was always like this, managing to shirk responsibility cleanly while still earning a good reputation.


    Ashley nodded, her face tightening. "Thank you."


    She couldn''t back down when it came to her father.


    Dn left the ward, looking at the bustling corridor, with no sign of Simon. He sighed and adjusted the silver frame on his nose.


    The two doctors who had entered with Dn also left with him.


    One of the older female doctors paused slightly as she passed by Katniss, giving her a thumbs-up. "Your acupuncture technique just now was excellent."


    She knew a few traditional medicine friends, much older than Katniss, whose skills were not as good as hers.


    A few days ago, she had heard people in the hospital discussing a young girl who didn''t know her limits and had challenged their outstanding doctor Dn on the forum.


    She had even gotten the patient''s family''s permission to be responsible for the patient alongside Dn.


    Initially, she thought the young girl was just fearless due to inexperience. But today, seeing Katniss stabilize a critically ill patient with one needle, she was truly shocked.


    Her eyes roamed over Katniss''s face, and she couldn''t help but ask, "You''re so young. Who taught you these medical skills?"


    The other party asked politely and sincerely, and Katniss''s eyes lit up, her clear voice answering, "I learned from my grandmother since I was little."


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    Dn''s steps paused, his gaze deepening.


    He had never considered this. Their grandmother Aurora had followed their grandfather Ezekiel in the military as a medic butter only worked as a doctor in a small clinic.


    If Aurora really had the skill to stabilize a patient with one needle, how could she have only worked in a small clinic?


    Moreover, his parents had never mentioned Aurora having any extraordinary skills.


    Or was it that Katniss was just lucky these two times?


    Dn pressed his lips tightly, temporarily suppressing these doubts, and returned to his office.


    In the ward, Katniss nced at the time; it was almost noon after all thismotion. She said to Ashley, "Ashley, give me the medicine. I''ll teach you how to prepare it." Ashley nodded, using the butterfly hair tie on her wrist to tie up her long hair. She bent down to the small cab beside the bed, took out tworge bags of herbs, and handed them to Katniss.


    Katniss checked them over, then took out a few and sniffed them carefully.


    They were top-quality, no problem.


    She had been a bit worried that Ashley, not knowing much about herbs, might have been given inferior goods by the store.


    But just by looking at these, she could tell Ashley had put effort into selecting them


    and had probably done a lot of research before buying them.


    "Katniss, is there any problem?" Ashley asked, her delicate eyebrows furrowing


    anxiously as she saw Katniss inspecting the herbs seriously.


    Katniss put down the herbs and smiled at her. "They''re all very good. Must have been expensive, right?"


    Ashley smiled lightly. "Compared to my father''s health, no price is too high."

 Chapter 180

    Medicine was expensive, butpared to her father''s life, what did it matter?


    Ashley lowered her eyes, looking at Caius''s pale, sickly face, her eyes reddening.


    Katniss nced at him, then looked away, and took a notebook out of her canvas bag, handing it to her. "I''ve written down the usage and dosage here. The process is a bitplicated, so take a look first. If there''s anything you don''t understand, I''ll exin it to you."


    Ashley''s gaze fell on the densely packed, neat handwriting. After a while, she closed the notebook.


    Katniss blinked, a bit surprised.


    "Finished reading so quickly?"


    "Yes, I read fast." Ashley smiled gratefully. "You wrote it very clearly, and your


    handwriting is beautiful, unlike our professor''s messy scrawl."


    Thinking of the professor''s terrible handwriting, Katniss couldn''t help butugh, then said, "Shall I quiz you?"


    "Sure."


    Katniss''s eyes shifted slightly, and she asked, "The weight of the medicine to be decocted at noon."


    Ashley answered fluently.


    Katniss continued to ask a few more questions.


    Without exception, Ashley answered them all quickly.


    Katniss''s eyes showed a bit more curiosity.


    In school, people always described Ashley with the word "pretty."


    Hearing it so often, Katniss subconsciously thought of Ashley as a "bimbo."


    But now, it seemed Ashley had some skills.


    Katniss blinked, "Photographic memory? That''s perfect for studying medicine."


    The names of those herbs and the precise weights would make anyone else''s head spin.


    But for someone studying medicine, this was a godsend skill.


    Ashley smiled, "I just have a good memory. You''re the truly impressive one."


    She was the key to whether her father could wake up and recover.


    Katniss checked Caius''s pulse and examined his body. Although his pulse was stable, it was still a bit weaker than before Simon came.


    She looked up at Ashley, "The patient needs rest. Don''t let external matters disturb him."


    Ashley was stunned for a few seconds, then understood the implication and nodded. "I''ll leave now. Make sure to give your father his medicine on time."


    Feeding medicine to aatose patient is the hardest. Katniss gave Ashley a few tips on how to do it before leaving the ward.


    Conrad rushed over, looking for praise, "Mrs. Hamilton, I was careful with Simon just now."


    "I didn''t let anything happen to him."


    "That''s right."


    Katniss smiled, thenzily said, "We can''t deal with people like that with violence. We''re civilized people. We can''t bite back if a dog bites us."


    Conrad scratched his head, thinking it over. Katniss was right, "But Jesse says, if you can use your hands, don''t waste words."


    So who should he listen to?


    Katniss nced at him, "You should listen to me."


    If Conrad got into trouble, she wouldn''t be able to bail him out.


    Conrad nodded obediently, listening to Katniss.


    "Wait here for me. I''ll get the car."


    The car was not far ahead, so Katniss didn''t follow him and waited there.


    ra''s voice suddenly came from the other side of the parking lot.


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    "Katniss!"


    She rolled her eyes, feeling disgusted by the voice.


    ra had already walked over, questioning, "Did your bodyguard hurt Simon again?"


    ra had nned to have lunch at a new restaurant near the school with some ssmates.


    Just as she sat down, she got a call from Simon.


    Heined to her, saying Dn and Nathan were crazy for making him apologize to Ashley and Katniss.


    After hearing Simon, ra wanted to curse "idiot!" She wanted to find an excuse not to go, but then heard Nathan was there too.


    If she didn''t go, who knew what Nathan would say.


    ra had to leave the restaurant, where two of her ssmates who hated her were.


    ra had nned to use the lunch to teach them a lesson with the support of her other ssmates, so they wouldn''t dare to talk nonsense at school.


    Now that she left, who knew what they would say.


    Katniss''s eyes turned cold, staring straight at ra. With no outsiders around, she didn''t bother to hide her disdain.


    That pretty and innocent face showed a strong malice.


    Katniss suddenly smirked, raising an eyebrow with interest, "I just remembered something."


    "What?"


    "Ruby, I told her you drugged her to make her miss your engagement party."


    Her smirk widened, and Katniss continued, "She believed it at the time. After checking,


    she said something about you ying her."


    "Didn''t you meet her this morning? Didn''t you notice?"


    Hearing this, ra''s eyes flickered, her lips parted, but she didn''t speak.


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    Katniss''s voice rang out again, "Maybe I remembered wrong."


    "You should go see your dear fourth brother. Otherwise, your carefully maintained image of a kind and considerate sister might crack."


    Conrad had just driven the car over. Katniss opened the passenger door and got in. Conrad remembered ra and said, "Mrs. Hamilton, sit tight," before speeding off.


    A lot of exhaust fumes were left on ra. She was thinking about what Katniss said about Ruby...


    Katniss nced at ra through the car mirror and sneered.


    People, whether provoked or not, can''t suppress their doubts.


    After thinking for a while, ra decided to find a chance to test Ruby.


    Even if Ruby knew something, she wouldn''t dare say anything.


    ra collected her thoughts, a wicked smile forming on her lips. All this time, she had


    been quietly grooming Ruby into an obedient, loyal dog.


    When ra entered the ward, Nathan was already gone, leaving only Simon.


    ra''s tears came instantly, "Simon."


    "ra, I''m fine. Don''t cry."


    "I just met Katniss downstairs. I just asked her about the situation, and she..."


    Simon sat up, furious, "And what?"


    "Said it was all your fault. If you provoke her again, she''ll have Conrad..." ra bit her


    lip, looking extremely reluctant to say the next words under Simon''s gaze, "cripple you."


    "Katniss is so arrogant, thinking she''s invincible with a bodyguard!"


    "Nathan should hear this. Let''s see if he still defends Katniss!"


    ra''s pupils shrank, a sinister look shing in her eyes. As expected.


    Even with Nathan so ill, he was still so stubborn?

 Chapter 181

    ra couldn''t understand why Nathan, who used to love her so much, suddenly turned to Katniss.


    He even stood up to Lucas and their parents for Katniss, and hadn''t spoken to her for several days.


    What exactly did Katniss say to Nathan?


    Suppressing her confusion, ra looked at Simon and gently advised, "Simon, I understand you''re doing this for Dn, but you can''t be so reckless next time. If you want to talk to Ashley about not using Katniss, you can do it privately. Making a big scene like this, if Dn''s colleagues find out, how will Dn face them?"


    "People might think Dn is afraid of Katniss and can''tpete with her."


    "How can Katniss''s medical skillspare to Dn''s?" Simon''s face darkened, and he retorted unhappily, "Katniss has only studied for a few days. Those people are just bewitched by her and willing to believe her. Just wait, one day she won''t be able to keep up the act!"


    Simon firmly believed that what they were encountering now was just Katniss''s good luck.


    She wouldn''t stand the test for long and would soon be exposed.


    ra clutched the leather strap of her bag and frowned. Is this the point?


    Does Simon even understand what she''s saying? How can he be so stupid and brainless?


    She meant for Simon to use his brain in the future and not be so impulsive, leaving himself vulnerable.


    On the way over, she had also heard about the incident. If Ashley''s father couldn''t be saved, Dn, who was currently the attending physician, would be left with a medical malpractice record.


    Moreover, Simon would also bear some responsibility and might end up in the police station again.


    Taking a deep breath, ra spoke perfunctorily, "Simon, I have to go now. Desmond''s mom is sick and in the hospital. I need to go see her."


    Hearing that Desmond''s mom was sick and in the hospital_Simon quicklv urged her to go to Emily.


    "I''m fine here. Since Desmond''s mom is sick, as her daughter-inw, you should hurry and see her."


    Though he said this, Simon felt quite happy inside.


    Even though they weren''t rted by blood, ra was the sister he had doted on for over twenty years.


    In front of her future mother-inw and brother, ra still chose to see him first, proving she had a conscience and wasn''t ungrateful for his affection.


    ra forced a smile and then turned to leave.


    As soon as she turned around, ra showed an impatient expression. That old woman Emily was really difficult to deal with.


    Emily herself was just a dancer who became a mistress and forced the original wife to death. If she hadn''t given birth to a son with the Boleyn surname, would she have her current status and wealth?


    Now she actually nitpicked ra for not being a biological daughter of the Manners family.


    So what if she was a biological daughter? She had already been sent away and adopted out.


    If it weren''t for Desmond''s insistence that shee to see Emily and gain some favor, ra wouldn''t want toe at all.


    After all, she was already engaged to Desmond. After graduation, the wedding would follow. Did it matter whether Emily liked her or not?


    Why bother pleasing Emily!


    Anyway, Emily didn''t appreciate it and always looked down on her.


    As she went downstairs and headed to another building''s inpatient department, ra suddenly stopped and looked towards the gynecology registration area.


    Laura?


    Why was she at the gynecology department?


    Since she didn''t want to see Emily anyway, ra changed direction and walked towards Laura.


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    Ever since getting engaged to Desmond, Elodie had bought ra many expensive clothes, jewelry, and bags to match the Boleyn family''s status.


    Today, ra was wearing a limited edition outfit, carrying a new designer bag, and wearing the most popr perfume, which was sold out and hard to get even with money.


    Elodie had used her connections to get it.


    ra walked gracefully in her high heels, looking down at Laura.


    "It really is you, Laura. Why aren''t you in the inpatient department with your mom? What are you doing in gynecology? Seeing a doctor?"


    Hearing this voice, Laura suddenly looked up, revealing her small face, and stared at ra.


    Remembering that night at the bar, ra covered her mouth andughed, pretending to be surprised, "After that night, are you pregnant?"


    Then ra said loudly, "With so many men that night, do you know who the father is?"


    ra had asked the bar''s security about the aftermath. Several drunk men had torn Laura''s clothes, and then a middle-aged man had taken her away.


    What could have happened after that?


    ra looked at Laura with disdain, as if she were something dirty.


    Because of ra''s words, many people present looked at Laura with changed expressions, full of contempt and scorn.


    "A woman with several men in one night, what kind of decent woman could she be?"


    "She looks so young, but she''s a prostitute. Sitting next to such a dirty woman is really unlucky!"


    "I just saw it. This girl is pregnant. I wonder which client''s child it is."


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    The women who spoke looked at Laura and then deliberately made a big scene, getting up and sitting far away.


    They were afraid of being tainted by the bad luck.


    Seeing this, raughed heartily, enjoying Laura''s miserable and embarrassed state.


    Why go to Emily to be humiliated when watching this was so much more satisfying? Laura tightly clutched the paper in her hand, her eyes coldly staring at ra. "Thanks to you, I''ll remember that night for the rest of my life. You better hope you stay on top, or you''ll fall and shatter."


    "Such a shameful thing, remember it if you want." ra smiled sweetly, flicking her long hair, her smile growing wider. "What can you do even if you remember? With your current state, you want to get back at me?"


    Laura''s eyes were icy, filled with intense hatred.


    That venomous look made ra ufortable, but she enjoyed it. Even if they hated her, they were helpless.


    ra nced down and saw the paper in Laura''s hand, reaching out to snatch it. "ra, give it back!"


    Laura''s face showed panic as she stood up and reached out to grab it.


    ra smugly stepped back a few steps and kicked Laura''s calf with her high heel, hard


    and fast. Caught off guard, Laura fell to the ground.


    Laura instinctively covered her stomach, her face turning pale.


    ra nced indifferently, then looked down at the paper. It was Laura''s name, and


    the result was pregnancy.


    Three and a half weeks pregnant, which matched the night at the bar.


    ra put the paper in her bag and looked at Laura on the ground with contempt,


    whispering, "Now your broken body is ruined. Let''s see how youpete with me for Desmond. Laura, this is what you get for crossing me."


    With that, ra walked away.

 Chapter 182

    But what ra didn''t see was that after she turned and left, Laura''s previously panicked expression changed in an instant.


    Laura gently touched her belly, stood up from the ground, and curled her lips in a mocking smile.


    "ra, thank you so much for never changing."


    "Thank you for your inherent malice, as always."


    It wasn''t in vain that she had been waiting here for a few days, finally encountering ra who came looking for someone.


    Laura calmly adjusted her thin down jacket, left the office, and headed to the inpatient department in a building behind the hospital.


    ra was right; with her current broken body, she had long given up on Desmond. But she couldn''t let ra, that bitch, have him either!


    Anyone else could, but not ra.


    "ra, you just be happy, as happy as you can be now."


    "Because getting engaged to Desmond is the farthest you can go. Marry him? Never!"


    "Didn''t you look down on people like us?"


    "I''ll make sure the person ra despises the most takes Desmond away, making ra a discarded woman!"


    Laura pushed open the door to the hospital room and walked straight to the innermost bed.


    It was a four-person room, with the innermost bed against the wall, a bit further from the window.


    In the summer, being by the window might be pleasant, but this was winter.


    In the December weather, cold winds blew in every night, and Laura''s mother, Elena Perry, needed thick nkets to keep warm.


    Elena, lying in the hospital bed, heard the sound and slowly opened her eyes, revealing


    a gentle smile with difficulty. "Laura, you''re here."


    "I don''t have sses now, so I came to see you. How are you feeling today?"


    Laura picked up the kettle, poured a cup of water, touched the cup to check the temperature, and ced it on the table beside her. Then she picked up an apple she had bought earlier and started peeling it.


    Her movements were very practiced.


    Since Elena had fallen ill due to the family''s upheaval, Laura had been the one taking care of her.


    To this day, Elena still didn''t know that her husband, Jackson, hadmitted suicide in prison.


    She still naively thought that once Jackson was released, the family could be together again.


    Once, Laura had thought the same. She believed that once Jackson was released, he would rise again, and she could trample on those who looked down on her now.


    But when she went to visit him, she was met not by Jackson but by the news of his suicide in prison.


    The news shattered Laura''s nerves, causing her to faint on the spot.


    It was during that visit that the prison doctor discovered Laura was pregnant.


    Laura silently peeled the apple. Their family was already broken, and she had fallen into the abyss.


    So she wanted her mother, Elena, to spend herst days peacefully and without worries.


    Elena Perry''s gentle eyes showed disapproval. "You came all this way. I''m fine; you don''t need to stay by my side all the time."


    Laura cut the peeled apple into pieces and handed them to her.


    "I''m happy being by your side. Where else would I go?"


    Those people treated her like a gue, a debt collector, wishing they could chase her away with a broom.


    Hearing this, Elena fell silent for a moment, her body slightly tense. "It''s my weak body. Your father got into trouble, and I couldn''t take care of you. Instead, you have to take care of me. I''m a useless mother."


    Laura smiled lightly and said calmly, "I''m 20 years old now. I''ve grown up. My father used to take care of you, and now it''s my turn."


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    In the past, she had looked down on her father for pampering her mother so much, treating her like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, afraid of any hardship.


    Now, Laura understood how rare it was for a man to pamper a woman for a lifetime, shielding her from the harsh realities of the world.


    But unfortunately, her father was dead.


    There was no longer anyone to protect this family from the storms.


    Sometimes, Laura resented her father. Since he had pampered her mother so much, how could hemit suicide and leave everything to her alone?


    But every time she felt she couldn''t go on, her mother, Elena, was herst reason to stay in this world.


    Hearing this, Elena looked at Laura in a daze, reaching out to touch her face. "Laura, you''ve had a hard time these days."


    Laura lowered her eyes slightly, her eyes a bit red. After a moment, she raised her face, holding Elena''s hand against her cheek.


    In a low voice, she said, "Mom, as long as you''re alive and well, I''m not having a hard time."


    As long as she had someone behind her, she could endure.


    All her sacrifices would be worth it.


    At noon, after buying lunch and eating, Elena soon fell asleep due to herck of energy.


    Laura sat in a chair, quietly watching the yellowing ginkgo tree outside the window. The wind blew, and the leaves rustled down.


    She didn''t know how long she waited, but the sunlight finally shone through the ss window onto her face, and her phone in her pocket started vibrating.


    Laura moved her stiff neck, took out her phone, and looked down. Seeing the familiarst digits, she didn''t answer but smiled lightly. The phone vibrated until the other side automatically hung up.


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    A few minutester, the phone vibrated again.


    Laura nced at the sleeping Elena, took her phone, and left the hospital room before answering the call.


    A deep, authoritative voice came from the other side. "Where are you?"


    "What''s wrong?" Laura said softly, her voice trembling. "I''m at the hospital, with my mom."


    Oliver recalled the pregnancy test he saw in ra''s bag, thinking ra and Desmond


    had gotten too close and identally conceived, nning to discuss an early wedding with the Boleyn family.


    But when he saw the name, it was Laura!


    Judging by the timing, the child was undoubtedly his.


    "How long were you nning to deceive me?" Oliver''s cold voice was powerful and angry. "You''re pregnant? Why didn''t you tell me?"


    Oliver held back harsh words, having previously misunderstood Laura several times.


    To this day, Laura had been obedient and never made any demands. She even refused money, only epting some food and clothes and following his arrangements to get a new doctor for Elena.


    He had thought Laura, whom he had watched grow up, was different from those girls who sought to marry into wealth. He never expected Laura to have bigger ns,


    wanting to secretly have this child?


    To divide the Manners family''s assets?


    And why was the test in ra''s bag? Did Laura specifically tell ra?


    All these thoughts made Oliver furious.


    "Why didn''t you tell me? What do you want with this child? Laura, I thought you were obedient and sensible, but you''re just like those lowly women outside, trying to use this child to threaten me?"


    Unexpectedly, the next second, Laura''s weak and helpless sobs came through the phone.


    "How did you find out? Did ra tell you?" Laura bit her lip, crying timidly. "No, I went to the hospital to abort this child."

 Chapter 183

    Laura cried like a child who had made a mistake, "Don''t worry, what happened between us is a secret. I didn''t tell ra that I''m pregnant with your child. ra just came to see her two brothers, and we ran into each other at the hospital."


    "I know you have a family and children, and your life is perfect. The baby in my belly was an ident, so I went to consult about an abortion." The word "abortion" seemed hard to say, and Laura spoke with difficulty. "You''ve been so good to me, I like you, and I won''t let this child affect you."


    Oliver held the phone, listening to Laura''s voice on the other end. His angry expression froze, and a look of shock shed in his eyes.


    Laura wanted an abortion?


    Get rid of the baby?


    Liked him?


    Oliver''s mind was in chaos; he hadn''t considered this possibility at all.


    "Like me?"


    "You''re so good, it''s normal to like you. You don''t need to feel burdened; I won''t ask for anything."


    Oliver took a deep breath, "You''re still young, and you have a long road ahead. You don''t really understand what love or liking is. If you keep the baby, it will affect your chances of starting a new life."


    She had anticipated this response. Oliver had so many children; he didn''t need the one in her belly.


    Elodie had been with him through thick and thin, from poverty to wealth. Abandoning Elodie wouldn''t be easy.


    Laura obediently responded with a hum, a slight smile on her lips, her cold eyes tinged with sarcasm.


    "I''ve scheduled the abortion for next week, but... I''m really scared. Can youe with me?"


    Hesitation shed in Oliver''s eyes, but hearing Laura''s frightened voice, he couldn''t harden his heart.


    He had just learned that Jackson hadmitted suicide in prison. Now Laura was all alone, with a sick mother to care for, and she was going to have an abortion for his sake. She was so young and had been through so much.


    "If it''s really inconvenient for you, it''s okay. I can go by myself. I just don''t know anything and am scared, so I thought of asking someone toe with me." Laura''s obedience and understanding made Oliver''s heart ache.


    "Send me the time and ce," Oliver said, taking a deep drag on his cigarette, unable to hold back.


    "Okay." Laura nodded obediently. After hanging up, she sent him the address and time. Talking about love is too naive for a sessful man.


    Laura lowered her head, looking at her t belly. She reached out and touched it. Baby, don''t me me for being heartless. This world is too dirty; it''s not worth your visit.


    After spacing out for a while, Laura returned to the hospital room.


    After leaving the hospital, Katniss went to the library and spent the entire afternoon there. When she came out, it was already dark.


    She checked the time; it was already past seven, almost eight.


    Katniss texted Conrad, telling him not to pick her up. She would take the bus home.


    It waste, and it would be a hassle to go back and forth.


    The bus stopped running at eight, and Katniss caught thest one. She found a random seat and sat down. After a busy afternoon, her mind was almost numb, and she closed her eyes to rest.


    Suddenly, Katniss opened her eyes and saw a car parked across the street through the window.


    A ck Mercedes with tinted windows, making it impossible to see who was inside.


    But Katniss recognized the license te; it was Lucas''s car.


    If he was picking up ra, why would he park here?


    As she wondered, she saw someone walking from a distance. The woman was tall and slender, with hair down to her waist and a cold, beautiful face.


    It was Ashley.


    Ashley gracefully stood in front of Lucas''s car, opened the door, and got in.


    Katniss tilted her head in confusion. When did Ashley and Lucas get to know each other?


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    Before she could figure it out, the bus started moving, and soon she couldn''t even see Lucas''s car.


    In two lifetimes, Katniss had never known Lucas to have a woman outside. Katniss was so sure because Lucas was already engaged. His fianc¨¦e was Violet Cooper, the daughter of the Cooper family, whose status wasparable to the Manners family, and they had business dealings.


    In her previous life, Lucas''s wife was also Violet. Although she wasn''t Lucas''s type, their marriage was a business alliance, not about love but about the union of two families'' interests.


    It was a pity for Violet, such a gentle and talented woman.


    Lucas didn''t deserve a woman as good as Violet.


    Because Lucas and Violet didn''t get along well, she had heard rumors in her previous life that Lucas had a woman outside, but he hid it well, and she had never seen her.


    She only knew about it because Simon mentioned it in passing.


    Katniss''s clear eyes shed, and she smiled lightly, connecting the dots.


    She understood why Simon dared to pursue Ashley so recklessly, even causing her father to fall ill.


    It turned out Ashley was the rumored mistress Lucas kept.


    That''s why Ashley had money for medicine.


    Was it because of Caius that Ashley became Lucas''s mistress?


    But these things had nothing to do with her. Other people''s business was not her


    concern.


    Everyone has their own fate.


    When she returned to Golden Crest Estates, it was already half-past eight.


    "Mrs. Hamilton, you''re back." As soon as she got home, Mira came up to her, looking


    at Katniss with concern.


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    Studying is hard, working sote.


    Mira was very experienced in taking care of people and could see Katniss''s fatigue at a


    nce.


    In the morning, Katniss had left full of energy, but now she looked exhausted.


    Both of them were so busy; how could they have children?


    "Mr. Hamilton hasn''te back yet. Mrs. Hamilton, would you like to eat something


    first?"


    Katniss frowned. She was already backte, and Maximilian still wasn''t home?


    She shook her head, "No, I''ll take a shower first and wait for Maximilian toe back and eat together."


    After speaking, Katniss went upstairs.


    Mira thought for a moment and couldn''t help but mutter to Felix, "It''s really hard being rich. Mr. Hamilton workste into the night every day, and Mrs. Hamilton, a student, studies until sote. They spend less time together than we do. How can they maintain their rtionship and have children?"


    Felix thought about it and agreed with Mira.


    "Then I''ll call Mr. Hamilton and ask him toe home for dinner."


    Mira nodded and urged Felix to go quickly.


    When the couple had a good rtionship, it made the servants'' work morefortable.


    "Hello, Mr. Hamilton?"


    Maximilian had the speakerphone on, and it was Felix''s voice, "It''s me. What''s up?"


    "Mrs. Hamilton just got back and heard you haven''te home yet. She said she wouldn''t eat until you got back. Are youing home for dinner tonight?" Maximilian frowned slightly, nced at the people waiting for his instructions, and said calmly, "I know. I''ll be home soon."


    After hanging up, Maximilian looked up, "Meeting adjourned. We''ll continue tomorrow."

 Chapter 184

    Driving back home, the car suddenly screeched to a halt, producing a piercing sound.


    At some point, it had started raining outside. As soon as the door opened, raindrops drifted in. Felix quickly grabbed the umbre from the entryway and opened it to shield them.


    "Be careful, don''t catch a cold in the rain." Felix carefully shielded Maximilian from the rain, worried that even a drop might get on him.


    In past years, whenever it rained in winter, Maximilian''s spirits would drop, and he would easily get sick.


    This year, with Katniss''s care, Maximilian had visibly improved, and nothing could go wrong.


    "It''s fine," Maximilian said, coughing lightly.


    Maximilian was no longer using a wheelchair. He walked slowly but steadily with a pure ck cane, exuding a calm and powerful presence.


    Once inside, Mira handed over a bowl of freshly made soup.


    "Have some soup to warm up. The temperature is going to drop in the next few days. I saw on the weather forecast that it might snow in a few days."


    Maximilian drank the soup, and with the heater on, he soon felt warm, with a fineyer of sweat forming on his nose.


    "Where''s Katniss?" Maximilian asked.


    Mira took the bowl and pointed upstairs. "She said she was going to take a bath and hasn''te down yet. I''ll go call her for dinner."


    With that, Mira turned to put down the bowl and was about to go upstairs to call Katniss for dinner.


    "No need, I''ll go upstairs to change clothes. I''ll call her," Maximilian said gently, stopping Mira. He then slowly walked towards the elevator with his cane.


    Opening the bedroom door, there was no sound inside. Maximilian looked around and found Katniss asleep in the dressing room.


    Katniss had taken a bath, changed into pajamas, and her hair was half-dried, slightly damp and draped over the table.


    Maximilian walked over, covered her with a nket, and stood silently in front of the table, looking down at her.


    Next to Katniss''s arm was a book, suggesting she had fallen asleep while reading.


    Maximilian rolled up his sleeves, revealing a small, strong arm, and casually sat down, ncing at her book.


    Maximilian raised an eyebrow, looking at her. The book was a professional one, quite difficult, and not something one would casually flip through. There were notes and highlights in the margins.


    Katniss was quite impressive to be able to understand it.


    The fresh, damp scent filled Katniss''s nose, and she slowly and sleepily opened her eyes.


    Seeing Maximilian sitting beside her, Katniss struggled to open her eyes and gradually saw Maximilian''s face clearly-thick eyebrows, deep eyes, and thin lips.


    His exquisite features were truly stunning.


    "Maximilian, you''re back," she said, her voice hoarse from sleep.


    Maximilian put down the book, looking at her tired face, and couldn''t help but frown. "Have you been very tiredtely? You have dark circles under your eyes."


    Do I have dark circles?


    Katniss raised her hand to touch her eyes and then sighed. "I took on a job recently, two thousand dors."


    With all her debts, how could she not work hard?


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    Maximilian squinted his eyes. "Short on money?"


    A trace of embarrassment shed across Katniss''s face, but she nodded openly. "Yes, you''re my biggest creditor. I still remember the hundred thousand dors I owe you. Plus, I need money to renovate my grandmother''s house. I need to earn money to pay you back."


    The sooner she paid it off, the sooner she could be at ease.


    Hearing this, Maximilian''s expression suddenly turned cold. Katniss sensed something was wrong. Had she said something wrong?


    "Katniss," Maximilian said, his dark eyes slightly cold, "are you in such a hurry to pay me back because you don''t want to owe me money, or because you don''t want to owe me specifically?"


    The serious atmosphere made Katniss nervous, her eyshes trembling uneasily. "I just don''t like owing people things. A hundred thousand dors is a lot of money. You might not care because you have money, but I can''t just think it''s no big deal because you have money."


    "One should have a sense of shame," Katniss said with a forced smile.


    Seeing Katniss''s nervous look, Maximilian knew his tone had been too harsh, but he was genuinely upset.


    After a moment, Maximilian softened his tone. "I''m not in a hurry to get my money back, so why are you? Your studies should be your priority. What if you ruin your health for money? Don''t overwork yourself."


    He knew Katniss had been very busytely, leaving early anding backte.


    He had thought it was because of her medical studies, but it turned out she had taken on side jobs to earn money to pay him back.


    The root cause was him.


    "I understand," Katniss nodded, then cautiously nced at him. "Don''t be mad, you''re so fierce."


    Maximilian looked at her, his tone slightly cold. "It''s for your own good. I have plenty of money. Do you think a few thousand dors matters to me? If you exhaust yourself for money, people might think I''ve gone bankrupt. How would it sound if Mrs. Hamilton fainted from overworking?"


    "Not good, not good," Katniss shook her head vigorously, shrinking her neck. Maximilian was truly terrifying when he was angry.


    Katniss eagerly poured a ss of water and thoughtfully blew on it. "Have some water. Don''t let your throat get dry from talking so much."


    Annoyed that she thought he was talking too much?


    Maximilian sneered, stood up with his cane, and said, "Let''s go downstairs for dinner." Katniss breathed a sigh of relief, quickly stood up, and reached out to support Maximilian. "Take it slow, I''ll help you."


    Then, unable to suppress her professional instincts, Katniss couldn''t help but advise, "You need to rx in moderation. If your leg hurts, it''s better to use a wheelchair."


    "I noticed you haven''t used the wheelchair these past few days. Do you stand for long periods at the office? Does it hurt a lot? I can give you a massage tonight to relieve muscle soreness. You''ll feel better tomorrow."


    Several times, Katniss had seen Maximilian doing rehabilitation exercises in the gym. Even though he was in obvious pain, his face pale and sweat dripping from his forehead, Maximilian''s incredible endurance kept him from making a sound.


    "You''re already so tired, and you still want to give me a massage?" Maximilian smiled slightly. "Go to bed early tonight. No more reading."


    Katniss pursed her lips, not daring to argue.


    Then the two of them went downstairs for dinner. Mira had already reheated the food and was just bringing it out.


    Seeing theme down, Mira quickly invited them to eat. Watching the two of them so close, Mira smiled with satisfaction.


    As she served the food, she said, "You both shouldn''t overwork yourselves. The elders


    in our vige say that women need to take care of their health to have healthy babies. Otherwise, the babies won''t be smart."

 Chapter 185

    Mira really worried too much about having children for them.


    Katniss really suspected that Mira might have taken money from Samuel and Carlton, given how dedicated she was.


    Katniss held her bowl, eating in silence, and threw the conversation to Maximilian, "Did you hear that, Maximilian? You can''t overwork yourself."


    Maximilian nced at her indifferently and reached out to add more food to her te. "You need to listen too."


    Felix, listening on the side, felt very gratified. The rtionship between Maximilian and Katniss was getting better and better. Maybe next year, Katniss would be pregnant, and there would be one more person in the family.


    After eating, Katniss washed up again andy on the bed thinking. At the current pace, Maximilian was not far from standing uppletely. In less than a month, he would be able to get rid of crutches and other tools.


    If that''s the case, Maximilian shouldn''t die like he did in the previous life, right?


    Katniss hugged her pillow and saw Maximilian holding documents, about to leave. She couldn''t help but ask, "Are you going out to handle work? Aren''t you going to sleep?" Although she wasn''t used to having someone by her side at first, it didn''t seem to matter once she got used to it.


    It might be Maximilian who was troubled. Several times when she woke up, she was lying in Maximilian''s arms, sleeping soundly.


    Maximilian said, "You go to sleep first."


    Katniss let go of the pillow, jumped out of bed, and pulled the documents from Maximilian''s hand, saying seriously, "No, you need to sleep."


    Can work ever be finished?


    Will the money run away if you work one second less?


    Hasn''t he earned enough? Give others a chance!


    Seeing him not moving, Katniss gritted her teeth, threw the documents onto the sofa, then grabbed Maximilian with both hands and pushed him towards the bed, covering Thim with the quilt


    Katniss quickly ran to the other side, lifted the quilt, got into bed, and turned off the light.


    Finally, she pressed Maximilian down with the quilt and rested her head on his body, "You work hard every day, and your rehabilitation training is so intense. If you don''t rest well, you won''t be able to hold on!"


    "I''m your attending physician, you have to listen to me!"


    "I''ve changed the pillow stuffing to some herbs that help with sleep and soothe your nerves." Katniss said fiercely with her eyes closed, "Go to sleep!"


    Saying this, to prevent Maximilian from running away, Katniss reached out and hugged one of Maximilian''s arms.


    As she spoke, due to being too tired, Katniss fell asleep first.


    Maximilian looked at her for a long time, then slowly smiled, pressing her quilt down and holding her tightly in his arms.


    Katniss was right. The recent training intensity was very high, and his leg had been hurting. He couldn''t sleep well at night, especially in the second half of the night, he was always awake.


    Maximilian originally slept little. With Katniss around, he barely managed to sleep a few hours.


    In recent days, due to the leg pain, he couldn''t even sleep for a few hours, so he stayed


    in the study working at night, returning to the roomte at night to sleep next to Katniss, and then getting up early to continue working.


    Now, holding Katniss like this, smelling the faint fragrance on her body, he seemed to


    not feel the pain in his leg and felt very at ease.


    Maximilian closed his eyes and gradually fell asleep.


    In the morning, Katniss woke up groggily. When she opened her eyes, she saw


    Maximilian''s firm jaw with a light stubble, exuding a unique masculine charm.


    His expression was not as indifferent, and his features softened in sleep, giving azy and peaceful look.


    It was really captivating, and Katniss''s heart couldn''t help but race.


    Waking up every day, being held by such a wealthy, powerful, and handsome man, was truly a blessing.


    She must have been really stupid in her past life to have this fortune in this life after being reborn.


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    However, it was rare to see Maximilian still asleep when she woke up.


    Maximilian slept little, workedte, and always woke up earlier than her. Seeing him asleep was really rare.


    Katniss couldn''t help but carefully reach out to touch his eyshes. How could a man have such long, thick eyshes?


    And they were curly too.


    Her eyshes were long, but not curly.


    Katniss stared at his handsome face, feeling very jealous.


    After touching him, and seeing that Maximilian was still asleep, Katniss breathed a sigh


    of relief and then carefully slipped out of his arms.


    After getting out of bed, she squatted by the bedside and whispered, "So handsome, I wonder if Yasmin will get lucky in the future."


    Then Katniss, barefoot, went to the bathroom to wash up.


    After washing up, she quietly went out and ran into Felix, who was watering the flowers, "Mrs. Hamilton, you''re awake. Where''s Mr. Hamilton?"


    Katniss lowered her voice and whispered, "Maximilian is still sleeping. Keep it down, don''t wake him up."


    Felix was stunned and couldn''t help but look at the door. Maximilian didn''t workst night and went to bed early, yet he still hadn''t woken up?


    Did he sleep this long?


    Felix nodded gravely and unconsciously lowered his voice to match Katniss''s, "Alright, then you go have breakfast first. Mira has already prepared it."


    Katniss''s eyes lit up, and she whispered excitedly, "Okay~"


    Then she ran to the kitchen in small steps.


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    This morning, there was only one ss, so Brent took her and a few ssmates to the hospital to assist the teachers.


    After finally finishing the rounds, Katniss took a moment to check her phone messages and couldn''t help but smile.


    Juniper''s school was on break, so Juniper had a ten-day vacation and wasing back!


    Tomorrow''s flight!


    She hadn''t seen Juniper for several months, and Katniss was excited.


    Ignoring the time difference, she sent several messages asking Juniper for the exact arrival time and if she needed to be picked up.


    But Katniss had sses tomorrow, a full schedule, and would need to take leave if she wanted to go.


    Medical students'' leave was hard to get.


    Brent was talking to several department heads, and Katniss looked over, wondering if she could get Brent to approve her leave. She wasn''t sure how likely it was. Katniss poked Cecil and asked in a low voice, "Cecil, is it easy to get leave from Professor Jenkins''s ss?"


    Cecil''s expression remained cold and noble, with both hands in the pockets of his white coat, "Why don''t you try and find out?"


    Katniss fell silent.


    She shouldn''t have asked Cecil, who had no sense of camaraderie.


    Suddenly, someone in the hallway started arguing loudly, with sounds of things being thrown.


    "Bitch, I''ll kill you!"


    "Let''s see if you can give birth to this child."


    Brent frowned, "You guys, go check it out and see what''s going on."


    Several doctors ran over, and Katniss and Cecil exchanged a nce and quickly followed.

 Chapter 186

    "You shameless bitch, are you so desperate for a man that you''ve gone crazy? Who


    knows which random guy is the father of the child in your belly? And you want to pin it on Desmond? Do you even deserve that?"


    ra was trembling with rage and pped a thin figure in front of her.


    Laura fell to the ground, clutching her stomach, and let out a scream.


    "My stomach hurts so much." Lauray on the ground, hunching her back, holding herself and protecting her belly.


    ra, still not satisfied, hit Laura with her handbag.


    Someone had sent an anonymous message telling her that the child in Laura''s belly was Desmond''s.


    How could that be? That night, she was with Desmond. How could it be Desmond''s? Desmond liked her so much; he would never betray her.


    But ra was uneasy. Laura hated her so much; could she have drugged Desmond to get back at her?


    The thought of this possibility made ra''s eyes sh with coldness. She handed her bag to Ruby, who was standing nearby.


    Ruby took it and nced at Laura, whose face was swollen from the beating, with a strange look in her eyes.


    ra, wearing high heels, stepped on Laura''s head in humiliation and ground her heel into it.


    "Originally, I didn''t care whose bastard you were carrying. If you want to give birth to a bastard, go ahead." ra''s tone changed, bing cold. "You sent that message, didn''t you? Too bad you chose the path of self-destruction by ndering Desmond, saying this bastard is his."


    "Laura, you really disgust me. Do you need me to remind you of that night? Should I find the guy you slept with and show you again? Take a good look and see who the father of this bastard really is!"


    Laura shrank back, silent, only crying.


    Seeing someone approaching from a distance, Laura finally lifted her head slightly, her eyes shing with excitement. "You''ll soon know who the father of the child is."


    Just as she finished speaking, a middle-aged man''s angry voice rang in her ears, "ra, what are you doing!"


    Usually gentle and quiet, ra now looked like a vicious snake, her face twisted as she beat Laura. Laura, unable to fight back,y on the ground with disheveled hair, her face bruised and blood at the corner of her mouth.


    "Oliver." Laura called weakly, her eyes filled with fear and grievance, tears suddenly falling.


    Oliver''s heart ached at the sight. He pushed ra away forcefully, shouting, "Get away from her!"


    He then helped Laura up, asking with concern, "Are you okay?"


    Laura''s eyes were filled with tears,rge drops falling down. She clutched her stomach with her delicate hands, speaking in a mournful voice, "Oliver, my stomach hurts so much. Our child... I really want to keep him."


    "I''ll call a doctor right away. Hang in there," Oliver said, panic evident in his voice.


    ra, pushed aside, lost her bnce and twisted her ankle, hitting the corner of the wall and crying out in pain.


    Ruby, in a daze, quickly went to help ra.


    ra, also stunned, was helped up and looked at the scene in disbelief, rubbing her eyes, thinking she must be seeing things.


    No, the panicked man holding Laura was indeed her father, Oliver.


    What did he mean by "our child"?


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    So the child wasn''t Desmond''s but her father Oliver''s?


    That made even less sense. Oliver was much older than Laura. How could Laura be involved with Oliver?


    She must have heard wrong.


    ra bit her lip, her voice tinged with dissatisfaction, "Dad, you pushed me for Laura? I''m the one who''s been wronged!"


    ra was wearing high heels today, and Oliver''s push had twisted her ankle, causing her great pain.


    Ruby quickly chimed in to support ra, "Yeah, Laura sent ra a message saying she was pregnant with Desmond''s child and wanted to meet ra at the hospital."


    With Ruby''s support, ra looked even more aggrieved, "Laura has always liked Desmond. She only became friends with me because of him. I''m about to get engaged to Desmond, and Laura is still clinging to him. She works in those disreputable ces, who knows how many men she''s slept with. Now she''s pregnant with some random guy''s child and wants to pin it on Desmond. I was so angry that I had to teach her a lesson."


    As she spoke, ra''s tone grew more aggrieved, and her eyes reddened.


    Oliver, who loved her dearly and valued her engagement to Desmond, would never let Laura off if he knew she was trying to ruin their rtionship.


    Laura clung tightly to Oliver''s clothes, herrge eyes filled with tears, shaking her head


    in panic, her voice hoarse, "No, you know it''s not true. I didn''t..."


    "You bitch, how dare you deny it? I clearly saw you that day..."


    But before ra could show her triumphant expression, she saw Oliver''s face growing colder and colder.


    "Enough, shut up!" Oliver shouted in anger, cutting ra off. "The child is mine."


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    ra''s words got stuck in her throat, and she thought she must have heard wrong.


    "Dad, what are you saying?" ra frowned,ughing in disbelief as she looked at Laura and then at Oliver.


    Laura, just 20 years old, and her father Oliver, having an affair and a child?


    Laura, with a sad face, shrank into Oliver''s arms, her eyes, hidden by her hair, showing a cold glint.


    ra, you must be furious now. This is just the beginning.


    Laura sneered inwardly, but her face showed tears and fear.


    "Oliver, don''t me ra. We''re good friends. She misunderstood my rtionship with Desmond because she likes him so much. That''s why she hit me."


    ra''s eyes turned cold as she red at Laura, "You bitch, shut up! After ndering Desmond, now you want to nder my dad!"


    "Dad, don''t believe Laura''s nonsense. She works in disreputable ces, who knows how many men she''s slept with. Who knows whose bastard she''s carrying, which shameless guy..."


    Knowing the truth, Oliver, feeling exposed and angry, picked up the lightweight Laura, ring at ra, "I''m that shameless guy. Have you said enough? Look at what you''ve be!"


    With that, Oliver turned and hurried to find a doctor with Laura in his arms.


    Ruby, worried, tugged at ra, "ra, should we follow them?"


    "Get lost!" ra was fuming.


    Her ssmate, her former friend, was pregnant with her father''s child.

 Chapter 187

    Ruby was startled by the yelling, nced around at the people nearby, and a look of embarrassment shed across her face. She wished she could disappear on the spot.


    ra was always like this-generous and kind when she was happy, but dismissive andmanding when she wasn''t, treating Ruby like apdog.


    She thought that giving away some old designer bags and clothes she no longer used was a huge favor.


    Katniss was right; others saw her and ra as apdog and its owner. But having someone say it so bluntly made Ruby feel as if she had been stripped naked.


    Ruby hated it when people talked about her like that.


    Having been by ra''s side the longest, Ruby naturally understood what kind of person ra was. She wasn''t as gentle and kind as she appeared; it was all an act.


    Deep down, Ruby was deeply envious and jealous of all of ra''s good fortune. Despite not being a biological child, ra received all the love from the Manners family.


    And Katniss, Ruby hated even more.


    In Ruby''s eyes, Katniss, who grew up in the countryside and was illiterate, should be even lower than her. But somehow, Katniss had managed to live a carefree and dazzling life.


    Everyone was better than her, but why?


    Ruby tried hard to suppress the resentment in her eyes, then walked back to ra''s side, pretending nothing was wrong as she linked arms with her and offered advice, "ra, it''s really inappropriate for you to interfere in your elders'' affairs. Why not call your mom?"


    ra frowned in displeasure, vaguely feeling that making a big deal out of this wouldn''t be beneficial.


    But given the current situation, many people already knew, and it wouldn''t be long before Elodie and her brothers found out.


    ra thought it over and was truly disgusted by Laura''s shamelessness. Oliver was almost fifty, old enough to be Laura''s father, yet she still managed to sleep with him.


    Given the situation, the only option was to let Elodie handle it.


    ra then called Elodie, expecting her to be furious, but surprisingly, Elodie was unexpectedly calm, only saying, "Give me the address; I''ll be there soon."


    ra was a bit puzzled. Elodie and Oliver had always had a good rtionship, supporting each other since they were young. Over the years, there had never been any sign of Oliver having a lover.


    Now, hearing about Oliver''s affair, Elodie was so calm.


    But ra couldn''t figure out what was wrong, so she stopped thinking about it.


    She turned and hurried to find Oliver and Laura.


    Just thinking about that little bitch Laura made ra furious.


    Laura''s father wasn''t a good person, and he raised a daughter who became a mistress.


    The whole family was no good.


    Suddenly, ra''s phone rang urgently.


    She was initially reluctant to answer, but seeing it was Simon, she thought for a moment and picked up, "Hello, Simon..."


    "What? You really are! Alright, I''ming over right now." ra''s face turned ashen as she held the phone, ring hatefully at the two people clinging to each other in the


    room.


    Gritting her teeth, she told Ruby, "Wait here for my mom and tell her I had to leave for something urgent."


    With that, ra quickly left.


    Ruby nodded, then thoughtfully watched ra''s hurried departure. Was something urgent happening with Simon?


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    In the hallway, Cecil nced coolly at Katniss, "Aren''t you going to check it out? Your family seems quite lively."


    Katniss tilted her head, raising an eyebrow in disapproval.


    "Are you crazy? Don''t curse me. How unlucky would I have to be to have such a family?" Katniss looked at him with a ''don''t drag me into this'' expression. "Just to rify, I''ve been legally adopted by my uncle. Wesley and Daphne are my parents now.


    That family is just a bunch of annoying rtives I don''t want to see."


    They had gone through the legal process; she was Wesley''s youngest daughter now.


    She had nothing to do with that family anymore.


    Watching the drama was quite enjoyable, though.


    After saying that, Katniss couldn''t help but apud, "Laura is really something. She actually managed to hook up with Oliver. With that kind of sacrifice, she deserves to win. But Elodie is no simple character. Better remind the attending doctor to stay away when Elodie arrives."


    "Better not get caught up in it; that wouldn''t be good."


    Cecil snorted coldly, looking at Katniss as if she were a weirdo, "You''re not well either."


    "Cecil, how can you say that?" Katniss red at him, "I''m kindly inviting you to watch the show, and you repay kindness with ingratitude."


    But honestly, Laura''s move was brilliant. Given the new and old grudges between ra and Laura, an anonymous message saying Laura was pregnant with Desmond''s child would definitely make ra take the bait.


    Laura, pregnant and beaten so badly, and being wronged, would surely trigger Oliver''s protective instincts.


    A gentle, kind, unassuming young girl who adored him-who could resist that?


    Laura''s persona was firmly established!


    Katniss was very interested in analyzing this, watching the drama with other ssmates who hade along.


    Everyone quickly became familiar with each other.


    "Katniss,e here." Suddenly, the attending doctor came out, clutching her stomach with a pained expression, "My stomach hurts. Can you take over for a bit? I''ll be right back."


    Katniss was shocked, "This isn''t right; I don''t have a medical license yet."


    The attending doctor chuckled coldly, "What''s one or two more times?"


    With that, she patted Katniss on the shoulder, not looking at all like she had a stomachache, and leisurely walked away.


    Katniss pressed her lips together. Damn it, she shouldn''t have gotten involved in this


    mess.


    The ssmates who had been gossiping with her just now were all covering their mouths,ughing and watching her, urging, "Katniss, go on. The patient is waiting for you. Check carefully if she''s really pregnant."


    "Yeah, yeah, and see if it''s a boy or a girl, or maybe twins."


    Cecil crossed his arms and couldn''t help but curl his lips, "Please, Katniss."


    Katniss seemed annoyed, showing an impatient and slightly cold expression. She cracked her slender fingers and then walked in.


    With her hair tied up, revealing a slender and beautiful neck, Katniss sat in the attending physician''s chair, not even ncing at them, and said coldly, "Hand."


    Seeing it was Katniss, Oliver''s face darkened instantly, like a storm cloud, "Katniss, what are you doing here causing trouble? Where''s the doctor? Get her here! If the patient''s condition worsens, can you take responsibility?"


    Katniss curled her lips, her clear eyes cold and arrogant. She tapped her finger on the ss-topped table and said distantly, "I''m the substitute doctor now. If you want to be seen, give me your hand. If not, the door is to your right."

 Chapter 188

    Laura, who was weakly curled up in Oliver''s arms, lifted her eyelids to nce at Katniss, a fleeting glimmer in her eyes.


    Katniss, sitting opposite, easily noticed Laura''s expression. Seeing herself, there was a sense of joy at seeing an ally, and a hint of smugness.


    This made Katniss''s gaze turn colder.


    "I trust Katniss. After all, Katniss is Professor Jenkins'' student, so her medical skills must be excellent," Laura said softly, slightly raising her face and reaching out to hold Oliver''srge hand.


    Mentioning Brent, Oliver felt a bit frustrated. Everyone outside knew the famous Brent had taken on a most important student and was trying to find out who it was, but Katniss hadn''t revealed any information to them.


    Katniss was deliberately hiding it to make them look foolish.


    Laura''splete dependence and obedience made Oliver, who was already furious, restrain his anger a bit.


    Although Katniss had been adopted out, she was once his daughter. Being discovered by Katniss in such an unknown matter made Oliver feel ashamed.


    Especially since this was where Dn worked.


    If ra hadn''t interfered, he could have handled this matter perfectly without disrupting his peaceful life.


    He would still be a respected father and could maintain the appearance of a loving marriage with Elodie.


    Thinking of this, Oliver felt some resentment towards ra.


    Katniss felt the pulse, then withdrew her hand after a moment, lightly curling her lips. "When you were pregnant, your health was already poor, and your frailty affected the baby. If you want to keep this child, I advise you to rest. Today''s bumps and jolts should not happen again, or you might lose the baby."


    Laura''s eyshes trembled, her eyes welling up with tears. She didn''t look at Oliver, forcing a smile. "I see. Well, it seems it wasn''t meant to be. I came here today for an abortion."


    Abortion?


    Katniss''s gaze shifted between Laura and Oliver, making Oliver instantly furious and about to m the table.


    "As a doctor, responsible for the patient''s health, I must tell you that your constitution is poor, making it difficult to conceive. If you have an abortion, your chances of getting pregnant again are slim."


    After saying this, Katniss casually twirled her pen, waiting for their response.


    But what came was Oliver''s sudden rage, his face extremely ugly. He abruptly stood up, mming the table, and mocked, "Katniss, what nonsense are you spouting? I don''t believe you. You''re just trying to scare us."


    Saying this, Oliver grabbed Laura''s wrist, his face tense. "Let''s go. I''ll take you somewhere else. This hospital really needs some reform, letting a student like you see patients, treating them like guinea pigs."


    "Katniss, you made this up to get back at us. I''m so disappointed in you! I''m going to the hospital administration to get you fired."


    Katniss sneered, putting down her pen, her eyes sharp. "I won''t change my diagnosis. Feel free to go to any hospital. If there''s any discrepancy, I''ll kneel and apologize."


    To think she would lie for revenge, they really thought too highly of themselves. Oliver''s fingers trembled with anger!


    "Sir, questioning Katniss is questioning our hospital''s standards. She is the top in both practical and theoretical exams here."


    "That''s right. Katniss is a standout in the league. If she weren''t incredibly skilled, she wouldn''t have caught Professor Jenkins'' eye, being sought after by many professors." "When Katniss graduates, you might not even be able to get an appointment with her." At the door, several young faces in white coats red at Oliver in dissatisfaction. Their hospital''s technology was top-notch. If their skills weren''t good enough, then the other local doctors were even worse.


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    And Katniss was the most promising student of their year, already a sophomore, surpassing countless seniors to be number one.


    To look down on Katniss''s skills was to look down on all of them.


    "If you trust me, I can re-examine her," Cecil suddenly spoke, his gaze sweeping over the furious Oliver.


    Oliver, who had been scowling, carefully scrutinized Cecil and suddenly remembered who he was. Frowning, he said, "You''re Cecil from the Marshall family?"


    The Marshall family was also a top-tier family in Luminous City, rapidly growing in recent years, making waves in the medical field. Half of Luminous City''s medical equipment came from the Marshall family.


    It was said that the current head of the Marshall family had two sons, the younger one studying medicine, very talented, and also a student of Brent.


    Oliver had seen Cecil a few times at previous banquets, mostly seeing Cecil''s older brother, Gerald Marshall.


    Knowing Cecil''s identity, Oliver felt a headacheing on. Now he feared bing aughingstock in Luminous City, bringing a pregnant girl to see a gynecologist.


    Seeing Oliver not respond, Laura bit her lip, extended her wrist, and softly said, "I''ve heard of your great reputation, being a leading figure of the new generation in the medical school. My teachers have praised you many times. I trust you."


    Seeing this, Oliver frowned deeply, reluctantly agreeing.


    Cecil stepped forward and walked in.


    Katniss, seeing this, pursed her lips and let out a light, mocking hum.


    Cecil''s expression remained unchanged, exuding a cold and noble aura. His well- defined hand rested on Laura''s wrist, and after a moment, he gave the same diagnosis as Katniss.


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    Katniss curled her lips, picked up her pen, and put it in her pocket. "Are you still going to see the doctor? If not, don''t dy the next patient. Next."


    Katniss helped call the next number because she saw the outpatient teacher returning with a big strawberry in his mouth not far away.


    With Katniss''s words, the people in line behind started toin.


    "Yeah, you''ve been here long enough. Are you done yet? Do you think this hospital is your home?"


    "Finish up and leave. Why so much fuss?"


    Oliver''s eyes darkened, a sh of embarrassment crossing his face.


    When the outpatient teacher came in, Katniss made way and said, "You''re finally back. You should eat less of these things to avoid stomach pain. But I''m healthy, so I can bear this pain for you."


    Then, Katniss took the basket of strawberries from the outpatient teacher''s hand and strode out, brushing past Oliver and Laura.


    She didn''t look back.


    As soon as she stepped out, several senior students swarmed around her. "Give me a


    few. I haven''t eaten anything all morning."


    "I want some too. Don''t grab them all!"


    "So sweet, so delicious. Katniss, you''re the best. Love you."


    Katniss looked at the nearly empty basket, fuming, and quickly covered it with her


    hands. "How are you all so fast?"


    At some point, Cecil had alsoe out, standing beside her, extending his hand with a calm expression. "Where''s mine?"

 Chapter 189

    Katniss listened and fell silent for a moment.


    After a while, she looked at Cecil, then at the two lonely strawberries in the basket. She grabbed the strawberries, took a quick bite, and left the basket for Cecil.


    Mumbling, she said, "That''s it."


    Cecil held the empty basket, averted his gaze, and then looked at Katniss''s face, his thin lips slightly pursed, "You might as well eat yourself to death."


    After saying that, Cecil shoved the basket back to Katniss and walked away with a slightly cold expression.


    Katniss happily finished the remaining strawberries, nced indifferently at Cecil, and thought, "What a stingy rich kid, so shameless."


    She looked down, took out her phone to check the time, and saw that it was lunchtime. Time to clock out!


    Then she rushed to the cafeteria, having heard that they were serving her favorite dishes today.


    While passing through the open-air garden, Katniss saw E not far away. E was carrying a lunchbox wrapped in a cloth, quickly walking towards the inpatient department. She must have identally bumped into someone, as she was standing with her hands on her hips, showing a sharp and mean face, loudly arguing with


    someone.


    "No manners at all, can''t you make way for me? What kind of upbringing is this?"


    "I''m over fifty years old, I''m not afraid of you. You bumped into me and now you want to hit me? This is outrageous, everyonee and see, he''s going to kill me."


    The young man, probably not used to such a scene, blushed and pointed a trembling finger at E, "You are unreasonable!"


    E''s tantrum quickly attracted passersby, some of whom stopped to watch and pointed at them.


    E, with her graying hair and shabby clothes, wearing an old-fashioned coat and shoes, looked like a typical rural woman. Most of the onlookers'' criticisms were directed at the young man.


    Seeing this, E smirked triumphantly, eyeing the man''s attire. His clothes were of good quality, and his shoes were polished. He looked like a wealthy person.


    So E rolled her eyes and said, "Seeing that you''re young, I won''t argue with you. Just pay me $200, and I''ll see a doctor and get some medicine. If it were someone else, you wouldn''t get away with it."


    The young man, unable to exin, said that it was clearly the old woman who wasn''t looking and bumped into him. How could she now nder him?


    But in this situation, no one believed him.


    Thinking it was better to avoid trouble, he was about to take out the money when he suddenly heard a clear voice from behind.


    "Is the injury that serious? $200 for medical expenses? Let me take you for a check-up to see if there''s any major issue. If it''s serious, like internal injuries or broken bones, $200 won''t be enough. It should be at least $2,000!"


    Katniss, with her hands in her pockets, casually pushed through the crowd and walked over, her eyes indifferent as she nced at E.


    Seeing Katniss, E was stunned and unnaturally licked her dry lips. What was Katniss doing here to mess things up?


    Cursing her.


    E red at her and said irritably, "This is none of your business."


    The young man, seeing Katniss in a white coat, looked like he had found a savior, "Please check her injuries. If she''s really hurt, it''s on me. I''ll pay for the medicine." Mainly, the old woman seemed full of energy, not at all like someone who was hurt. Katniss feigned surprise, blinking her clear eyes, "This is a hospital. As a medical student, how can I not get involved? I''ll call and schedule a full check-up for you right now. Come on, I''ll take you there."


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    Saying this, Katniss grabbed E''s arm, pretending to drag her towards the front office.


    E gritted her teeth, shook off Katniss''s hand, and red at her. This ungrateful brat, she was perfectly fine.


    Ruining her ns.


    E snorted stiffly, "So troublesome, forget it. I''m kind-hearted, I won''t argue with you.


    I need to deliver lunch to my husband."


    Then she walked towards the inpatient department.


    Seeing this, the crowd dispersed.


    The young man gratefully thanked Katniss, "Thank you so much."


    Katnisszily waved her hand, "You''re wee."


    Then Katniss continued walking towards the cafeteria. Halfway there, she suddenly


    stopped and turned around, "Come out."


    A few secondster, E, holding the lunchbox wrapped in cloth, came out.


    Katniss''s face was cold, "Ruined your n, now you''re following me. Are you expecting me to pay you $200?"


    E licked her lips and snorted, "I heard you have good connections in the hospital and are a student of a particrly skilled doctor. I think the current doctor treating Aaron isn''t good enough. Can you get a different one? I think your teacher is great, let''s go with him."


    Hearing this, Katnissughed.


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    "What did you say?" Katniss looked at E quietly, raising her eyebrows, "My teacher''s fees are expensive. The money you have is far from enough, but..."


    E eagerly asked, "But what?"


    "Haven''t you heard of someone else?" Katniss smiled slightly, "Dn, he''s the youngest attending physician in our hospital, with a promising future. His mentor is the renowned Dr. Willie Reed, who often appears in the news."


    "Most importantly, Dn is ra''s second brother, and Aaron is her biological father. Treating ra''s biological father, Dn would surely be more attentive, right?" Katniss''s eyes curved, but there was a deep sarcasm in her gaze.


    E, reminded by Katniss, suddenly brightened up and pped her hands.


    Right, why didn''t she think of that? The Manners family had a ready-made doctor, why go elsewhere?


    And ra was their daughter, so they were practically rtives. How could they charge rtives for treatment?


    This would save the medical expenses.


    E was so happy she almost jumped for joy, praising Katniss, "I didn''t raise you for nothing. You''re smart, having studied."


    Katniss lightly tugged at her lips, her gaze cold, and said indifferently, "Go ahead, it''s lunchtime now, Dn is off work."


    She even kindly gave Dn''s office address.


    E thought Katniss was right, so she immediately turned and walked towards Dn''s


    office.


    On the way, E called ra, but the call wouldn''t go through. Was it a fake number?


    She needed to find an opportunity to ask Katniss for ra''s number again.

 Chapter 190

    Dazed and confused, E finally found Dn''s office at the corner after wandering through several hallways.


    Seeing the doctor''s photo hanging on the office door, E chuckled smugly and muttered to herself, "So this is where Dn''s office is. Took me long enough to find it."


    "Dr. Manners, I''m here to see you."


    E pushed open the office door, only to find it empty. Countless files were stacked densely in the filing cabs, and medical books were spread out on the desk.


    This made E frown.


    "No one here? Bad timing for me."


    E plopped herself down on afortable chair without any hesitation, casually ncing around Dn''s office and flipping through patient files. Her gaze finallynded on a family photo on the desk.


    In that photo, the Manners family looked very happy, each one of them beaming with smiles.


    "If it weren''t for me giving ra to you, you wouldn''t have such a good daughter. The Manners family should thank me!"


    "ra, that ungrateful girl, forgot about me as soon as she had Elodie."


    Thinking about Aaron, who was still lying in the hospital bed, he was so sick yet still wouldn''t let her find ra, saying it would disrupt ra''s life.


    ra must be living well; her fianc¨¦ is rich and powerful, with servants to attend to her in the future.


    Better to worry about yourself with that time.


    E looked at the photo, gritting her teeth and cursing, "Your dad is dying, and you''re living it up. What a waste of giving birth to you."


    Outside, there was a sound of hurried footsteps, followed by a nurse''s voice, "Dr. Manners, the patient in bed 6 is showing signs of improvement, and their blood pressure has returned to normal."


    Dn''s calm and strong voice followed, "Continue to monitor."


    "Yes, Dr. Manners."


    Hearing themotion, E quickly put the photo frame back, but in her haste, she didn''t ce it properly, and it fell to the ground.


    "What are you doing? Who allowed you in here?" Dn''s face was stern.


    Seeing E sitting in the office, he couldn''t help but frown, his eyes scanning her up and down.


    E crossed her arms and stared fiercely at the doorway, her face full of defiance.


    He had a vague feeling that this E was up to no good. He walked over and picked up the fallen photo frame.


    The frame was already broken.


    Remembering the previous mess, Dn''s eyes showed even more disgust. Despite this, he still asked E with the professional patience of a doctor, "What brings you here?"


    His face remained calm, but inside, he wished he could kick E out to avoid her dirtying his office.


    E jumped up and brazenly confronted Dn,manding, "Dn, my husband is in this hospital, and the doctor treating him is terrible. From now on, you should be the one treating him."


    E''s righteous tone made Dn momentarily wonder if he owed her something. Otherwise, why would she speak so confidently?


    Seeing the messy files on the desk, Dn lost his patience and responded with a gloomy face, "Do you think this hospital is owned by your family? You can''t just switch doctors as you please."


    E put her hands on her hips, pointed at Dn''s face, and shouted loudly, "Don''t forget, my daughter is part of the Manners family. If you don''t treat my husband, you''re looking down on me, a country bumpkin. I''ll report you to the hospital director!"


    "Then no one will have a good time."


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    Dn frowned, staring coldly at E''s shameless face, and said in a deep voice, "Go ahead if you want. I won''t stop you. I have work to do, so please leave as soon as possible."


    Every moment E stayed, he felt his office was filled with filth and stench.


    Seeing Dn being so unreasonable, E directly opened the door andy down on the ground, rolling and crying, "Dr. Manners is bullying me! Everyone,e and see! This Dn looks down on country folks!"


    E''smotion immediately attracted the attention of other patients, who curiously peeked into the office, whispering among themselves.


    "Isn''t Dr. Manners a good doctor? Why is he bullying a country person?"


    "Who knows what''s really going on? Let''s just watch the show."


    Just as Dn sat down, the piercing noise outside made his expression heavy. He angrily squeezed the pen in his hand, feeling even more resentful towards ra.


    If it weren''t for ra, would this unreasonable E have found his office?


    With more and more onlookers gathering outside, Dn had no choice but to go out. Just then, a nurse passed by and hurried over when she saw E.


    "Are you the family member of the patient Aaron? Aaron''s treatment fees have been overdue for half a month. When do you n to pay?"


    After much effort, they finally found E. Today, they had to make sure she paid the fees, or did she think the hospital was a charity?


    Hearing the demand for payment, E jumped up and grabbed Dn''s white coat, shouting, "Dr. Manners is my daughter''s second brother. If you want money, ask him!"


    "From now on, Dr. Manners must treat my husband. Get those mediocre doctors out of here!"


    E''s outburst made Dn''s face instantly darken, his eyes cold.


    His dignity waspletely ruined by this E!


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    Dn clenched his fists and directly pushed E away, saying to the nurse, "I don''t know her, and I won''t treat her family member."


    "Dn, do you have any shame? My daughter is your sister now, and you won''t even treat my husband? There''s not a single good person in the Manners family!"


    E shouted and cursed, her words harsh and unbearable.


    In E''s view, the Manners family owed them.


    The nurse, with impable timing, noticed Dn''s embarrassment and quickly stepped forward to pull E away, "Ma''am, you shoulde with me to pay the fees


    first."


    E swung her arm and forcefully pushed the nurse away, "Who do you think you are?


    A little nurse dares to pull me? Do you know what my rtionship with Dn is?" Seeing the astonished and curious looks from the crowd, Dn''s face turned extremely grim.


    At that moment, a young nurse rushed over in a panic and shouted to Dn, "Dr. Manners,e quickly! There''s been an incident. Your mother has killed someone!"


    The news hit Dn like a thunderbolt, leaving his mind in chaos.


    Ignoring the tantrum-throwing E, he quickly walked towards the direction the nurse pointed, his expression severe.


    "Dn, don''t go! I''m not finished yet!"


    When he arrived at the scene, he saw his father, Oliver, and his mother, Elodie, arguing angrily. Elodie''s face was tear-streaked and distraught, while Oliver was full of rage.


    Their fierce argument was a far cry from their usual loving couple image.


    For a moment, Dn even thought he was seeing things.


    "I''m telling you, if anything happens to Laura and the baby, I''ll never forgive you!"


    Elodie, with red-rimmed eyes, coldly retorted to Oliver, "I told you I didn''t push her! Do you believe that bitch over me?"

 Chapter 191

    When Elodie rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news, only Laura was waiting in the hallway.


    Laura imed she wanted to talk to her. As the legitimate wife, she couldn''t back down, so she followed Laura to the stairwell without a second thought.


    But Laura used the baby in her belly as a threat. Unable to bear it, she pped Laura, who then fell down the stairs and med everything on her.


    This time, Elodie waspletely awake to the fact that Laura had set her up on purpose!


    So young, yet so ruthless, not even caring about the baby in her belly.


    Seeing Oliver''s furious expression, Elodie knew she couldn''t exin herself this time.


    She was just unwilling to be schemed against by this little girl.


    Dn quickly stepped forward, pushing the two arguing women into a corner to avoid more people seeing the Manners family''s scandal.


    "Dad, Mom, what on earth is going on?"


    "Mom, the nurse said you killed someone. Who did you hurt?"


    Dn knew Elodie''s temperament. She was a bit spoiled, but how could she be bold enough to kill someone?


    There must be some misunderstanding.


    Elodie, as if grabbing a lifeline, cried and threw herself into Dn''s arms. "Dn, your dad cheated! That little bitch is pregnant with his child, and she falsely used me of pushing her down the stairs."


    Cheated?


    Dn looked up in shock, incredulously staring at Oliver. His parents had been married for decades and had always been loving.


    Although there were some social engagements outside, he had never done anything truly outrageous.


    Dn couldn''t help but frown. Hearing Elodie''s cries made him inexplicably anxious. "Dad, what is going on? Is the child really yours?" Dn asked pointedly. Nowadays, there are many women who try totch onto wealthy men by iming to be pregnant with their child.


    He was worried Oliver had been deceived.


    But Oliver had always been cautious and wouldn''t be so foolish.


    Oliver''s eyes flickered, and facing Dn, he felt a moment of embarrassment before nodding. "It''s mine, but your mom pushed Laura down the stairs. She''s pregnant. If both she and the baby had died..."


    Laura? So that''s the woman his father cheated with?


    Upon hearing this, Elodie cried out, "I said she fell on her own!"


    "Alright, alright," Dn impatiently stopped the two. "That woman should be in treatment now, right? A life is at stake; let''s wait here for the results."


    Sensing the coldness in Dn''s words, Elodie retreated to a corner, curling up and crying, regretting ever marrying Oliver, that shameless man.


    If she wanted to deal with Laura, there were a thousand ways to make her leave. Why did she have to act in front of Oliver?


    Time passed slowly, and Elodie felt every second was an eternity.


    Finally, when the red light above the operating room went out, Elodie saw Oliver


    anxiously rushing to the door, peering inside with concern. The scene was quite ironic.


    A nurse pushed out Laura, who was still under anesthesia.


    Oliver hurriedly asked, "How''s the baby? Is it safe?"


    The doctor, recognizing Dn''s father, had to tell the truth. "This youngdy has a weak constitution, and the baby was already unstable. After the fall, there''s no way to save the baby."


    "Fortunately, the youngdy is fine."


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    The doctor nced at Dn, who looked upset, and shook his head before walking away.


    After his colleague left, Dn walked over to see what kind of woman had gotten involved with Oliver.


    But seeing Laura''s petite and youthful face, Dn was stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief, and his fists clenched.


    Jackson''s daughter?


    And ra''s ssmate.


    If Oliver wanted a woman, why choose ra''s ssmate?


    Dn felt his face burning, and anger surged within him.


    He gave a few instructions to the nurse in charge of Laura and hurried away.


    Elodie watched Dn leave in anger and red at Oliver with resentment. "It''s all because of you, you shameless old man. If Dn''s reputation is affected, I won''t forgive you."


    The baby was gone, and Oliver was already furious. Elodie''s usations were like adding fuel to the fire. He rushed over and pped Elodie hard. "Shut up!"


    The baby was gone, and Laura already had difficulty conceiving. Her life was ruined. Elodie immediately felt dizzy and fell to the ground uncontrobly.


    Tears fell uncontrobly, hitting the floor.


    Oliver showed no remorse. Instead, he pointed at Elodie and shouted angrily, "Elodie, I''ve worked hard to earn money, letting you live a life of luxury for most of your life. When have I not given you glory? You couldn''t even tolerate a child. You''re truly vicious."


    When Elodie finally pulled herself out of the immense pain, Oliver had already left.


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    In the hospital room.


    Laura struggled to open her eyes, recalling every moment that had just happened. Feeling the tearing and weakness in her body, she was sure the baby was gone. This was exactly the result she wanted.


    She couldn''t keep Oliver''s child.


    Laura hid the gleam in her eyes, looking at Oliver with tears, putting on a heartbroken expression. "Oliver, is the baby really gone?"


    Seeing Laura''s frail and pained appearance, Oliver finally showed a rare hint of guilt. He tightly held Laura''s small hand, his voice choked with emotion. "I didn''t protect you well, causing you such harm."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Laura couldn''t help but sob.


    She sadly burrowed into Oliver''s arms, lying on his shoulder, tears streaming down. "Oliver, I said this baby couldn''t stay. I didn''t want it to be a burden for you."


    "I know I''m very dirty, especially for fantasizing about your love, so don''t me Elodie. This baby shouldn''t have existed in the first ce. Now that it''s gone, it''s for the best." Mentioning Elodie, Oliver''s face immediately darkened.


    Laura was so kind, even speaking well of Elodie, not knowing that Elodie had put all the me on her.


    It was clear who had ulterior motives.


    Oliver tenderly held Laura. "It''s all my fault for not protecting you and the baby. Don''t mention that vicious woman again!"


    Oliver promised, "I''ve already bought you a house. Just move in and I''ll find someone to take care of you."


    Sure enough, the fish took the bait.


    A gleam shed in Laura''s eyes, but she pretended to be shocked and refused. "How


    can that be? I can''t move in. The baby is gone, and so is our fate."

 Chapter 192

    Seeing Laura being so obedient and sensible, Oliver felt even more heartbroken. He stroked Laura''s hair whileforting her, "This is what you deserve. You''ve already been wronged enough with the child''s matter. I can''t let you get hurt anymore."


    Laura still wanted to refuse, but she couldn''t resist Oliver''s firm attitude and had to reluctantly agree.


    She was getting closer to her goal, and Laura couldn''t contain her inner glee.


    She hugged Oliver''s broad chest tightly, her mouth curling up uncontrobly, her eyes shining with excitement.


    This is what the Manners family deserves!


    She wanted to see the Manners family fall apart, especially ra, who looked down on her. She would make ra pay, fall from heaven to hell, and taste the suffering she had once endured.


    The next morning.


    Sunlight poured into the room, and the white curtains fluttered in the breeze, creating a very peaceful atmosphere.


    Katniss woke up from her sleep, instinctively reaching out to the side, feeling the coldness. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that Maximilian was already gone.


    How delightful, even capitalists have to work on weekends.


    Katniss got up, stretchedzily like a little cat, and mumbled, "A weekend without sleeping in is disrespectful to the weekend."


    On weekends, she also rested and didn''t have to attend sses.


    Since taking over Ashley''s father''s treatment, she had been busy researching every day, and Katniss hadn''t felt this rxed in a long time.


    Katniss nced at the clock on the bedside table and realized it was already ten in the morning.


    Maximilian had been at work for several hours.


    After a simple wash, Katniss went downstairs. From a distance, she saw Felix walking over with a big smile, "You''re awake."


    Want you like something treartit fillyour sitemaerh? Wehill haven direttscorn Miliar made your favorite dishes to nourish you. You''ve been too tiredtely!" Katniss forced a difficult smile.


    Ever since she got married, she had been nourishing herself, right?


    "Okay, thank Mira for me."


    Felix showed a kind smile, "Don''t follow those girls who diet. Being too skinny is unhealthy. Being too thin is not good for you or the baby when you get pregnant."


    Katniss was delicate and needed to eat more nutritious food to strengthen her body so she could give birth to a healthy baby boy in the future.


    No! A baby boy or a baby girl would be fine.


    After all, this was something they never dared to dream of before.


    Katniss couldn''t help but cough a few times. So all this nourishment was to prepare her and Maximilian for having a baby.


    How thoughtful.


    Mira had prepared some nourishing chicken soup, and Katniss drank two bowls in one go.


    After finishing, Felix walked over meaningfully and said in a low voice, "Mrs. Hamilton, I heard from Mr. Hamilton that he has a heavy workload today. I''m worried that Mr. Hamilton might forget to eat when he''s busy, and that wouldn''t be good for his health."


    Seeing Felix''s hesitant expression, Katniss forced a smile, "Felix, so what are you suggesting?"


    "Why don''t you bring Mr. Hamilton some lunch? If you bring it, he''ll definitely eat." He said it as if she was very important to Maximilian.


    They were just a couple in name. If she brought lunch to Maximilian, it would probably attract gossip from others in thepany.


    Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.


    But then she thought of Maximilian''s help and their cooperation. Katniss''s eyes lit up. Yes, this was a good time to visit thepany and establish a loving couple image!


    So, Katniss agreed immediately, even eagerly.


    Felix couldn''t stop smiling, "Great, thank you for your effort."


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    Seeing Felix''s excited expression, Katniss felt a bit guilty. This was all an act, fake, fake. At thepany.


    Katniss carried the lunch box and walked towards the elevator.


    However, she was stopped by the receptionist after just a few steps, "Miss, who are you looking for?"


    Perhaps because Katniss was dressed simply and looked like a college student, the receptionist''s attitude was lukewarm and businesslike.


    Katniss then realized that Maximilian was the big boss of thispany, the most important person. She couldn''t just go looking for him without notice.


    But didn''t Felix inform Maximilian in advance?


    After a few seconds of thought, Katniss showed a perfect smile and politely nodded, "Hello, I''m here to see Maximilian. Is he in the office now?"


    Here to see Maximilian?


    The receptionist looked Katniss up and down, not thinking she looked like someone who could be associated with someone of Maximilian''s status.


    So, the receptionist directly said, "Mr. Hamilton is currently in a meeting and doesn''t have time to see anyone else."


    Katniss stepped back a few steps and called Maximilian, but he didn''t answer. What a coincidence.


    Katniss obediently squeezed the lunch box strap and chuckled, "Then I''ll wait downstairs for a while. I''ll go up to see him after his meeting."


    Seeing Katniss like this, the receptionist couldn''t be bothered and went back to the front desk.


    After waiting for a long time, Katniss became a bit anxious.


    It was already 1 PM.


    What kind of important guest could take so long?


    Or was it just the receptionist''s usual excuse?


    Unfortunately, she didn''t have Emilio''s number, or she could have told him.


    "Mr. Boleyn, you''re here."


    "Where''s my dad? I need to talk to him."


    Desmond''s voice came from not far away, and Katniss instinctively looked up, her cold gaze falling on Desmond''s arrogant face.


    Why did she have to run into him? What bad luck.


    "Mr. Gabriel Boleyn is in the office. He knew you wereing today and has already been informed." The receptionist responded politely, a stark contrast to her earlier attitude, now full of enthusiasm!


    Desmond nodded, then turned and saw Katniss sitting in the waiting area. His eyes narrowed, "How long has she been here?"


    The receptionist immediately showed disdain, "She said she''s here to see Mr. Hamilton. She looks cute, but Mr. Hamilton isn''t someone just anyone can see."


    Desmond sneered, "I see."


    He was about to leave when he casually nced at Katniss in the lobby, sneered contemptuously, and walked over.


    "Are you waiting for my brother?"


    Katniss didn''t want to waste time with Desmond and responded coldly, "What else?"


    Desmond scoffed, "I think you should go back. My brother won''t be out for a while. He''s meeting a very important guest."


    Why did that sound so off?


    Catching Desmond''s ulterior tone, Katniss''s eyes narrowed slightly, her tone cold, "No matter who he''s meeting, I''ll wait here. You don''t need to worry about it."


    "You really don''t know your ce," Desmond sneered, "My brother is meeting Yasmin. Can youpare to her?"

 Chapter 193

    Yasmin!


    The name made Katniss''s heart skip a beat, her long eyshes fluttering in panic, and her small hands instinctively clutching the hem of her clothes.


    She remembered Cecilia saying that the Thorne family intended for Yasmin to marry Maximilian. If it weren''t for her, by now, the two families should be discussing the marriage, right?


    Katniss felt a strange sensation in her heart, as if fate would still intertwine their paths.


    Katniss suddenly felt a bit scared, not of Yasmin''s appearance, but of doubting the information she had received. Was Maximilian''s cause of death really a suicide due to illness?


    If not, then curing Maximilian''s illness would have been useless?


    Would Maximilian still die because of something else?


    Thinking of this, Katniss''s pupils contracted sharply, and her face turned a few shades paler.


    "So, do you now realize you''re not worthy of my brother?"


    Desmond approached with a smug look, his tone dripping with sarcasm.


    Katniss snapped back to reality, lifted her eyes, and looked directly at Desmond with clear eyes, smiling lightly as she spoke, "If I were to get paranoid every time a woman appeared, that would be a true sign of distrust and insult to Maximilian. In your eyes, is Maximilian a man who would cheat?"


    Desmond''s eyebrows furrowed deeply, instinctively wanting to retort.


    Desmond''s face darkened, and he emphasized, "You probably don''t know Yasmin. She''s the daughter of the Thorne family from Luminous City. If you look into what kind of family the Thorne family is, you''ll see you can''tpare to her. She''s the most suitable person to be Maximilian''s wife."


    From his words and tone, it seemed Desmond admired Yasmin a lot.


    Based on her understanding of Desmond, he rarely praised anyone, especially women.


    Katniss had thought Desmond liked women like ra, who appeared weak and helpless.


    Yet, he was so generous in his praise for a career-oriented woman like Yasmin.


    Katniss blinked, her face showing a reserved, fake smile, "Then go tell Maximilian to divorce me and marry Yasmin, the one you like."


    If you like Yasmin so much, why don''t you marry her yourself?


    "You!"


    Desmond was so infuriated by her few words that his face turned ashen.


    "Katniss, you''re sharp-tongued now, but let''s see if you can still smile in a while! Maximilian and Yasmin are a perfect match. Do you think being Maximilian''s wife is easy?"


    Katniss gave Desmond a cold nce, not bothering to waste her breath on him.


    She and Maximilian had a solid alliance!


    Desmond could forget about ruining it.


    Katniss leisurely crossed her legs and casually flipped through the newspaper on the table, her serene face showing: I don''t care!


    Seeing Katniss unmoved, Desmond grew even angrier, his eyes zing with fury.


    Desmond stormed forward, snatched the newspaper from Katniss''s hands, and shouted angrily, "Katniss, I''m talking to you! Are you deaf?"


    Katniss narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze coldly fixed on Desmond, "What do you think would happen if a video of you disrespecting me got out?"


    After falling out of love with Desmond, Katniss had be increasingly adept at dealing with him.


    Who did Desmond think he was that she needed to tolerate him?


    Hearing this, Desmond''s eyebrows furrowed in anger, his tightly clenched fists making


    a cracking sound, "You recorded a video?"


    Katniss shrugged, "No, but next time, who knows."


    He gritted his teeth, "You should be grateful you''re a woman, or I''d kill you!"


    Katniss let out a coldugh, turned expressionlessly, and swiftly grabbed the water cup


    on the table, sshing it directly onto Desmond''s face, saying in a deep voice, "Too bad, I don''t have that concern."


    Sshing water on Desmond''s face made Katniss feel refreshed and relieved.


    But Desmond had never suffered such humiliation!


    "Katniss!"


    Desmond roared in fury, raising his arm to hit Katniss''s face in the next second.


    In the next moment, Desmond''s wrist was firmly gripped by someone. Emilio had trained, and his wrist strength was something an average person couldn''t withstand, let alone the delicate Desmond.


    Desmond''s face immediately twisted in pain, his handsome face turning ashen.


    Desmond let out a cry of pain, just about to ask Emilio to let go, when he saw Maximilian at the office door. Dressed in a ck suit, Maximilian looked at him with cold, sharp eyes, exuding a powerful, intimidating aura like a hellish Asura.


    Now that Maximilian was no longer in a wheelchair, his tall stature and inherent fierceness were even more imposing.


    Desmond swallowed the words he was about to say, gritting his teeth, his face changing colors, and spoke with difficulty, "Maximilian."


    "Desmond, who taught you the rules? How dare youy a hand on your sister-inw?"


    Maximilian''s voice was cold and indifferent, sending chills down one''s spine, "Or are you dissatisfied with me?"


    No matter how arrogant Desmond was, he wouldn''t dare to show off in front of Maximilian, "Maximilian, I was wrong."


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    Maximilian ignored Desmond, taking long strides towards Katniss and naturally picking up the lunchbox on the table, "Did Mira make this?"


    "Yes, Mira made it, and I also made some soup for you." Katniss deliberately leaned


    closer to Maximilian, not giving Desmond a single nce.


    Does it hurt? Good, it should.


    In her past life, she had suffered much more than this.


    This was just the beginning.


    "Have you eaten? If not, join me?" Maximilian asked her gently.


    Katniss had already eaten beforeing, but she turned her eyes and smiled, "Sure."


    Didn''t they think Maximilian would cheat? Then she would show off their love!


    Then, her gaze lightly swept over Desmond''s pained handsome face, and Katniss''s smile grew even brighter, her eyes curving into crescents.


    What a delightful day.


    Seeing the two about to enter the office, Desmond panicked, "Maximilian, tell Emilio to let go."


    Maximilian stopped, his dark eyes coldly staring at him, his thin lips parting slightly, "When you realize what you did wrong, Emilio will let you go."


    "I already admitted my mistake." Desmond endured the pain, gasping for breath, looking at Maximilian in confusion.


    Maximilian lowered his eyes, his free hand suddenly lifting to wrap around Katniss''s shoulder, pulling her close, a faint smile ying on his lips, "You admitted your mistake to me, not to Katniss."


    Katniss''s eyshes fluttered, so now Maximilian was standing up for her?


    In the next second, Katniss straightened her back, her eyes staring directly at Desmond, waiting for his apology.


    Desmond''s eyebrows furrowed suddenly, staring into Maximilian''s deep, cold eyes, realizing Maximilian wasn''t joking but was serious.

 Chapter 194

    After a while, Desmond lowered his head and stiffly said, "I''m sorry."


    "Who are you apologizing to?" Katniss feigned confusion, frowning.


    Desmond twisted his face, remained silent for a moment, and red fiercely at the audacious Katniss, as if he had never seen this side of her before.


    Although Emilio had a youthful and harmless appearance, his skills were in stark contrast; he could act without blinking an eye.


    During Desmond''s silence, Emilio moved his wrist, suddenly twisting Desmond''s wrist. Instantly, Desmond''s wrist turned a frightening shade of blue, as if it could snap at any moment.


    "Katniss, I''m sorry, I was wrong! I was confused and talking nonsense, please don''t take it to heart." Desmond''s face turned pale as he quickly begged for mercy.


    Katniss nced at Desmond''s face indifferently and only after a few seconds did she let out a lightugh, "I''ll forgive you this time. Next time, remember to be more polite when you see me."


    Only then did Maximilian signal Emilio to let go. His dark eyes coldly stared at Desmond, and he said with a thin-lipped smile, "If there''s a next time, don''t expect to keep that hand."


    Desmond''s face looked grim as he rubbed his swollen wrist, his eyes filled with both resentment and fear. Finally, he forced out a few words through gritted teeth, "Yes, I won''t dare again."


    Just then, Gabriel''s assistant ran over in a panic, "Mr. Desmond Boleyn, Mr. Gabriel Boleyn wants to see you in his office. He said he has something to discuss with you."


    identally catching a glimpse of Maximilian''s icy expression, Gabriel''s assistant''s heart almost jumped out of his chest, terrified of saying the wrong word.


    Fortunately, Gabriel had sharp eyes and saw the conflict between Desmond and Maximilian, so he quickly called his assistant over. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened if he had been a momentter.


    Desmond wasn''t stupid; he naturally understood Gabriel''s intention.


    "Maximilian, I''ll be going now."


    Maximilian nodded slightly, "Go ahead."


    Then, with his hand on Katniss''s shoulder, he led her into the office.


    Before leaving, Desmond nced at their backs, then with a cold face, rubbed his aching shoulder, and said to Gabriel''s assistant in a not-so-good tone, "Lead the way."


    As the two entered the office, Katniss hadn''t had a chance to speak when she saw a woman standing by the window.


    The next moment, the woman''s gentle and pleasant voice rang out, "Mr. Hamilton, you have guests? It seems we won''t be able to talk today?"


    The woman had an elegant demeanor, radiant and poised. Her smooth hair draped over her shoulders, and her sleek, refined dress entuated her curvaceous figure. She wore a perfectly appropriate smile, making her look both beautiful and dazzling. This must be Yasmin.


    Katniss''s eyshes fluttered as she looked directly at Yasmin, wanting to see what kind of person could gain the approval of Samuel and Carlton and ultimately be engaged to Maximilian.


    She had to admit, Yasmin was indeed outstanding-beautiful and radiant, not only capable but also from a good family.


    It was as if she was heaven''s favorite, remarkably simr to Maximilian.


    However, Katniss subconsciously squeezed the lunchbox in her hand. Oh no, she only


    brought enough for one person, none for Yasmin.


    Maximilian nced at the stunned Katniss and slightly frowned. Could she be suspecting that he had some unspeakable affair with Yasmin?


    The next second, Maximilian directly extended his long hand, pulling Katniss into his arms without giving her a chance to resist, leading her towards Yasmin.


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    What is he doing?


    Katniss felt a moment of panic and nervously nced up at Maximilian.


    Maximilian held her as they approached Yasmin and introduced in a calm voice, "Ms. Thorne, this is my wife, Katniss Manners."


    Then he slightly lowered his head and whispered in Katniss''s ear, "Katniss, this is


    Yasmin Thorne. I was just discussing a project coboration with her."


    Upon hearing this, Yasmin''s eyes flickered. Although Maximilian appeared calm, he had exined everything before Katniss even asked.


    As if he was afraid Katniss might misunderstand.


    Yasmin smiled slightly, "Mrs. Hamilton, hello. I''ve long heard about the deep affection


    between Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton. Seeing it today, I realize it''s true."


    Yasmin had always thought that someone of Maximilian''s status would prefer someone intellectual and gentle, like herself.


    But why did Maximilian prefer a young girl around Cecilia''s age?


    Yasmin''s gaze swept over Katniss, trying to see what was so special about her.


    But aside from a pretty face, Yasmin couldn''t find anything remarkable.


    She thought Maximilian was just seeking something new. After all, young girls at that age were full of youthful energy, and what man wouldn''t like someone younger? She figured that once Maximilian got tired of her, he would naturally discard her.


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    Poor Katniss, naive and innocent, thinking that people of their status could have a pure marriage.


    Since Yasmin was Cecilia''s sister, Katniss felt a mix of curiosity and respect, "Hello, I''ve heard a lot about you."


    Yasmin nodded with a faint smile, acknowledging the greeting, then turned to Maximilian, "Mr. Hamilton, I have other matters to attend to, so I''ll be leaving now. I won''t disturb you any longer."


    Yasmin was smart. She noticed the lunchbox in Katniss''s hand and could easily guess that Katniss hade to the office to bring lunch to Maximilian. If she didn''t know her ce, the discussion she just had with Maximilian might be for nothing.


    Maximilian nodded slightly, considering it a response.


    Watching Yasmin''s figure gradually disappear, Katniss finally looked away.


    She couldn''t help but say, "She has a sister named Cecilia, who is my friend and in the same grade as me. Cecilia has mentioned her sister several times and admires her a lot. I didn''t expect to meet her today."


    Katniss spoke for a while but didn''t hear a response from Maximilian. She looked over in confusion, "What''s wrong?"


    Maximilian had his hands in his suit pants pockets and took a few steps back. He stopped, lifted his eyelids to look at Katniss, and pulled a thin smile, "Do you need me to remind you of your current status?"


    "Can''t you see that Yasmin is interested in me? Is this how you treat a rival, Mrs. Hamilton?"


    Thest term made Katniss''s scalp tingle.


    She quickly realized the issue. Oh right, she was now Mrs. Hamilton, and in front of outsiders, they had to appear as a loving couple!


    With another woman around, she needed to show possessiveness and dere war on other women!


    Katniss coughed and quickly took out the medicinal meal she had brought, carefully cing it in front of Maximilian, and said in a ttering tone, "I know, but this also shows my trust in you, right? Maximilian, this is the lunch I made for you. Eat it while it''s hot."

 Chapter 195

    Maximilian sat down on the sofa, opened the lunchbox lid, and took out the dishes and rice bowl. "A single serving. Have you already eaten?"


    Katniss nodded. "Yeah, I ate beforeing."


    Then Katniss began to look around the office. She had never been to Maximilian''s office building before.


    A few secondster, Maximilian softly said, "Oh."


    He started eating in silence.


    The style was identical to the decor of Golden Crest Estates. Katniss guessed it was the work of the same interior designer.


    In less than a minute, the door was pushed open again, and a female secretary brought in a cup of tea. "Ms. Manners, your tea."


    Katniss casually replied, "Okay, thank you."


    "It''s not Miss Manners, it''s Mrs. Hamilton." Maximilian stopped eating and nced at the secretary. "This is my wife. In the future, when shees, bring her directly to my office."


    "Yes, Mr. Hamilton, Mrs. Hamilton." The secretary gave Katniss aplicated look, then got up and left, closing the door behind her.


    A few minutester, there was another knock on the office door.


    "Come in."


    The secretary entered with a lunchbox. "Mr. Hamilton, your pre-ordered lunch has arrived."


    Maximilian didn''t look up and said indifferently, "Just leave it there."


    Lunch?


    If no food was delivered, is this what he usually eats?


    Katniss turned around and happened to catch the secretary''s quick nce at her before she left the office.


    Curious, Katniss asked, "Maximilian, is this your work lunch?"


    Maximilian, who was eating, looked up at her, then nced at the lunchbox on the desk, and exined, "Just leave it there. The secretary orders lunch for me every day." "Okay."


    Maximilian continued eating slowly and gracefully.


    Katniss suddenly remembered a saying: a serious man is the most attractive.


    Just as she was about to look away, she caught a glimpse of the lunchbox.


    Thinking for a moment, Katniss picked up the lunchbox to see what someone of Maximilian''s status usually ate.


    It was a silver thermal lunchbox. Katniss turned it around and saw no brand markings.


    It looked like a personal item. She used to make work lunches for Oliver and Lucas and had ra deliver them in simr boxes.


    Katniss put the lunchbox down and unscrewed the lid. The strong aroma of eggs wafted out.


    The firstyer was a fried egg, and it was a smiley face fried egg.


    Katniss took out the dishesyer byyer. The food was very homey, not like restaurant fare.


    The presentation was also very simple. No restaurant would te food like this. It looked like a young working woman had packed it herself.


    Katniss put everything back and casually said, "Maximilian, you should change ces. The presentation here is really sloppy."


    Maximilian looked up and met Katniss''s eyes for a few seconds, then said, "You decide."


    On the other side, Desmond was led into Gabriel''s office by an assistant. As soon as the door opened, he saw Gabriel sitting upright in his chair, looking stern and frowning.


    Desmond immediately realized he was in for a scolding.


    "Dad, here are the documents you wanted. I brought them over."


    After carefully cing the documents in front of Gabriel, Desmond lowered his head, feeling guilty and afraid to meet Gabriel''s eyes.


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    Gabriel was furious. He mmed the documents on the table and pointed at Desmond''s nose, scolding him harshly. "What were you thinking? Why did you get into another argument with Maximilian? And that Katniss, she''s your sister-inw now. Why are you always entangled with her?"


    Maximilian had immense power in the Hamilton Group and the support of the Boleyn family, especially Carlton, who had been a thorn in their side since Natalie''s death and disliked Desmond and Emily.


    They had wanted Desmond to marry Katniss, but he refused and insisted on marrying ra, who had no blood rtion.


    Now that he got his way and was engaged to ra, he still kept opposing Katniss.


    Was he unhappy with the good treatment Maximilian had given them?


    If they angered Maximilian now, they wouldn''t gain any benefits.


    Gabriel, who had been smart all his life, couldn''t believe he had a son as foolish as Desmond.


    Feeling guilty and nervous, Desmond frowned and weakly exined, "Dad, it really wasn''t my fault this time. I just don''t want Katniss to have anything to do with the Boleyn family. Why should a lowly woman like her "


    Everything was Katniss''s fault.


    "That woman was ungrateful and spoke rudely to me, so I¡ª"


    Before Desmond could finish, Gabriel interrupted him sternly. "Enough! Know your ce. Don''t you understand the current situation? How long do you want to carry thebel of an illegitimate child?"


    To bring down Maximilian, they needed to be patient.


    Then, they would find the right moment to strike, ensuring Maximilian could never


    recover.


    At that point, the entire Hamilton Group would be theirs.


    Gabriel''s words were like a sharp de stabbing into Desmond''s heart, changing his expression instantly.


    Thebel of an illegitimate child had been a thorn in his throat for a long time. Even though no one openly called him an illegitimate child, everyone knew his mother Emily had been Gabriel''s mistress.


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    The humiliation and ridicule from others festered in the shadows, beyond Desmond''s reach.


    Desmond frowned, then narrowed his dark eyes, and finally said heavily, "I understand.


    I won''t be so reckless in the future."


    Seeing Desmond''s remorse, Gabriel''s anger slowly subsided.


    "You better be. Now, leave."


    "Yes."


    Leaving the Hamilton Group, Desmond''s face darkened as he drove aimlessly.


    With the car window open, he let the cold wind blow against his face.


    After a while, as he passed a jewelry store on amercial street, Desmond stopped.


    ra had mentioned that they had a new collection she really liked.


    He parked the car and walked in.


    The store clerk immediately approached him. "Mr. Boleyn, long time no see. We have a


    new collection with great reviews. Would you like to take a look?"


    The clerk rmended the exact piece ra had mentioned.


    In a good mood, Desmond asked the clerk to wrap it up, thinking ra would be


    delighted to see the dress.


    "Mr. Boleyn, will you be paying by card or cash?"


    Desmond nced at the clerk, took out a card, and handed it over. "Card."


    The clerk took the card, swiped it once, but it didn''t go through. Flustered, the clerk swiped it again, then cautiously approached Desmond. "Mr. Boleyn, this card isn''t working. There''s no credit left. Could you use another card?"


    "Impossible."


    Desmond sneered, ring coldly at the clerk. "This card has plenty of credit. How could it not work? Is your machine broken?"

 Chapter 196

    Desmond sneered, staring coldly at the waiter, "There''s plenty of credit on this card. How could it not work? Is your machine broken?"


    The waiter couldn''t afford to offend Desmond, but the card indeed wouldn''t go through.


    And the machine was definitely working; it had just been used.


    Could it really be such a coincidence that it broke now?


    "Mr. Boleyn, please don''t be upset. I''ll try another machine right away. Please wait a moment." The waiter tried all the machines in the store, but none worked. One not working was possible, but all of them?


    Finally, the waiter reluctantly returned the card and apologized, "I''m sorry, Mr. Boleyn, but this card really isn''t working. Could you try another card?"


    Watching the waiter try all the machines, Desmond''s expression shifted from anger to


    a dark scowl. Could there really be a problem with the card?


    Desmond then pulled out his wallet and threw out a few more cards, "Try these."


    The waiter tried again but to no avail, shaking his head nervously, "Mr. Boleyn, I''m


    sorry, but none of these cards are working. Based on experience, they might be frozen. Perhaps you should check with the bank to see if there''s been an error."


    "What?"


    Desmond''s face darkened as he looked at the cards.


    How could there be a problem with these cards?


    He was already in a bad mood today, and this made it worse.


    He turned around awkwardly, only to see the store''s staff staring at him, seemingly aware of his embarrassing situation.


    Desmond gritted his teeth, pulled out another card, and threw it down, "Try this one!"


    This card held his secret funds, with a little over ten thousand dors in it.


    "Mr. Boleyn, the bnce is insufficient."


    Desmond''s face burned with anger and shame. How could it be insufficient?


    He clearly remembered there was money in it.


    Desmond asked, "How much can you charge?"


    The waiter cautiously replied, "Only three thousand dors."


    Three thousand dors?


    The waiter grew nervous, looking at him uneasily.


    Just then, a gentle voice came from behind, "Still as careless as ever, going out without money? Making a fool of yourself?"


    A woman''s hand extended a card.


    She indicated for the waiter to use hers.


    The waiter didn''t dare dy, took the card, and sessfully processed the payment. The waiter breathed a sigh of relief and handed the card back with both hands, "It''s done, Ms. Thorne. Here''s your card."


    Desmond turned to look at Yasmin, awkwardly pulling at his lips, "Yasmin, I''ll pay you back another day."


    "No rush." Yasmin''s red lips curved into a bright smile, "Is your arm okay?"


    Yasmin''s gaze fell on Desmond''s reddened arm.


    Desmond hurriedly pulled


    expression, "I''m fine."


    his rolled-up sleeve, shaking his head with a grim


    Yasmin didn''t press further, smiling, "That''s good."


    After leaving the clothing store, Desmond anxiously got into his car, started the engine, and headed to thepany, then called the bank to ask why his cards were frozen.


    "Mr. Boleyn, we are following orders. The directive came from above to freeze these cards. All subsidiary cards under your name have been frozen and cannot be used."


    Desmond angrily hung up the phone.


    All frozen, what does that mean?


    The more he wanted to rush back to thepany, the more it seemed like fate was against him.


    Traffic increased, causing heavy congestion.


    Desmond sat in the car, frustrated and irritable, ring at the obstacles in front of him, pressing the horn repeatedly, and cursing through gritted teeth, "What a lousy road, so congested."


    Seeing a gap open up ahead, Desmond stepped on the gas and sped forward.


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    However, after only a few hundred feet, he heard a piercing horn from the side. Turning his head, he saw a car losing control and heading straight for him.


    Before Desmond could react, the car crashed into him violently.


    The car shook and jolted, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.


    The next second, Desmond''s consciousness began to fade.


    In the CEO''s office.


    After lunch, Katniss was about to clean up the lunch boxes when Maximilian stopped


    her, "No need, someone wille to clean up."


    Katniss blinked and didn''t refuse.


    "Do you need to go to the hospital this afternoon?" Maximilian asked.


    Katniss shook her head, "No, it''s the weekend. We have a day off. My teacher said I don''t need to go to the hospital."


    Maximilian''s gaze fell on her face, speaking softly, "Then stay here and keep mepany while I work?"


    Maximilian''s eyes nced past her, looking at the door.


    "Well... I don''t want to impose, but if you insist, I''ll stay the whole afternoon. Thepany''s president''s wife visiting might be the talk of the office, right?"


    Maximilian lowered his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips.


    Then Maximilian pointed to the door behind him, "There''s a lounge behind me. If you get tired, you can rest there."


    "Okay." Katniss agreed happily.


    Suddenly, there was a rhythmic knock on the office door. Maximilian spoke in a deep voice, "Come in."


    It was Emilio who entered.


    Emilio walked over to Maximilian and bent down to speak, "Sir, Mr. Desmond Boleyn has been in a car ident."


    Katniss blinked in disbelief, stepping forward, "Who did you say was in a car ident?"


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    "Desmond."


    He actually got into a car ident!


    Maximilian looked up calmly, his voice cold, "What happened?"


    "ording to the records, Mr. Desmond Boleyn was overtaking and ran a red light, getting hit by a truck going straight." Emilio reported truthfully, "He was found in time and has been taken to the hospital. He''s currently in surgery." Katniss, always dramatic, propped her chin and feigned regret, "Not following traffic rules and daring to run a red light, all that education for nothing."


    Emilio remained silent.


    It seemed Katniss was quite pleased about Desmond''s ident.


    Women are truly hard to understand.


    "Has the family been notified?" Maximilian asked.


    Emilio quickly understood who Maximilian was referring to.


    Emilio nodded, "Mr. Carlton Boleyn is already there, and Emily is with him."


    "Good." Maximilian''s voice was light but carried immense authority, creating a sense of pressure. "Which hospital?"


    "The one where Mrs. Hamilton works."


    He slowly stood up, gently squeezing Katniss''s small shoulder, "Looks like I won''t be


    able to work this afternoon. Want to go to the hospital with me?"


    Katniss nodded sensibly, "Sure, let''s see if Desmond is dead."


    Maximilian chuckled, "So concerned about him?"


    "Of course, I''m his sister-inw. I need to check on him to make sure my sister ra


    doesn''t be a widow." Katniss was genuinely pleased.


    The long hospital corridor was quiet and solemn.


    Maximilian walked with heavy, purposeful steps, leaving echoes in the corridor.


    When he reached the end of the corridor by the operating room, Gabriel and Emily were already waiting outside.


    Gabriel paced back and forth anxiously, waiting for news from the operating room, while Emily''s eyes were red from crying, her hands sped in prayer for Desmond''s


    safety.

 Chapter 197

    Maximilian''s thin lips pressed tightly together as he gazed gloomily at Emily, who was praying devoutly with her hands sped.


    "Someone like her dares to pray? How ridiculous."


    "The prayers of the faithful are the only ones that matter. Someone like you, God wouldn''t even bother to listen," Maximilian said coldly, his tone condemning Emily''s sins.


    "Your brother is in surgery after a car ident, and you''re still saying these things? Are you here just to upset us?" Gabriel scolded angrily.


    Emily looked up, a subtle, almost imperceptible change in her watery eyes.


    She slowly unsped her hands, her beautiful face tear-streaked, "What else can I do now? Even if God doesn''t want to help a sinner like me, my son is innocent."


    Emilio, standing nearby, couldn''t bear to watch any longer and turned his gaze away, frowning.


    Gabriel, unable to bear it, moved closer and patted her hand infort, "Desmond will be fine."


    Seeing the mutual affection between the two, Maximilian''s eyes grew even darker. Hisrge hand unconsciously clenched into a fist, his brow furrowed with cold severity. Katniss, unable to contain her disdain, almost apuded at Emily''s helpless act. Katniss reached out and squeezed Maximilian''s hand infort.


    Maximilian lowered his head slightly. Katniss, usually as docile as a kitten, suddenly showing some backbone, softened his heart.


    Emily sobbed a few times, then slowly walked towards Maximilian, her tear-streaked face looking helpless, "Maximilian, I heard you had some conflict with Desmond today. Did he do something to offend you?"


    After speaking, Emily put on a frightened look and hastily exined, "Don''t get me wrong, I''m just asking."


    Maximilian looked down at Emily with icy contempt, "Are you suggesting that I arranged Desmond''s car ident?"


    "Of course not," Emily weakly wiped her tears and said hypocritically, "If Desmond did something to offend you, I apologize on his behalf. You''re Desmond''s big brother; how could I suspect you of harming your own brother?"


    Emily''s seemingly kind and harmless words sounded different to Gabriel.


    Sure enough, Gabriel''s face changed after hearing this. He quickly rushed to Maximilian, ring at him angrily, "Did you have anything to do with Desmond''s car ident today? Tell me the truth!"


    Desmond had just been reprimanded by Maximilian at noon, and now it was possible that Maximilian had harmed Desmond for Katniss.


    After all, Maximilian was known for hisck of empathy and familial affection.


    Emily, her eyes red, looked fearfully at Maximilian, then tugged at the furious Gabriel, gently persuading, "It can''t be. Maximilian is a good person; he wouldn''t do such a thing to Desmond."


    But the seed of doubt had already been nted, and once such thoughts arise, they only grow.


    Her back-and-forth sessfully made Gabriel think she was too afraid of Maximilian to tell the truth.


    After all, in Gabriel''s mind, Emily was just a pure and kind person.


    Standing behind, Emilio frowned deeply, ring at Emily with disgust.


    Having followed Maximilian for many years, he knew Emily''s tactics well. She loved to y the innocent and badmouth Maximilian to Gabriel, only to clear her name at critical moments.


    Gabriel, his face dark, red at Maximilian, regretting ever having him, making the entire Boleyn family feel indebted to him!


    Even if it was because of Natalie, that was over twenty years ago. Did he need to hold a grudge forever?


    Besides, in that incident, Desmond was ultimately innocent.


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    Gabriel''s face looked grim as he scolded, "Maximilian, no matter what, Desmond is your brother. Even if you don''t care about us elders, you should at least consider your brotherly bond!"


    "Do you really want to see us all die of anger before you''ll be satisfied?"


    Maximilian looked at the two of them, exuding a cold aura that made Gabriel''s voice grow smaller.


    He let out a contemptuousugh, "If I wanted Desmond dead, he wouldn''t have been born in the first ce. So you should thank me for giving you this chance."


    Gabriel, his face turning blue with anger, pointed a trembling finger at Maximilian, "You!"


    Katniss tugged at Maximilian and chuckled, "Since you say Maximilian arranged the car ident, do you have any evidence?"


    "Evidence!"


    Of course, there was none!


    Gabriel, his face cold, mocked, "You do things cleanly. If you really arranged it, how could there be evidence?"


    Maximilian''s abilities were beyond question.


    Maximilian spoke in a deep voice, "Then you should know, if I wanted Desmond dead,


    he wouldn''t be alive, and you wouldn''t even have his body."


    Emily''s eyes flickered, knowing it was time to stop before things got worse for Desmond.


    She quickly changed her tone, full of guilt, "Gabriel, it''s all my fault. Maximilian is Desmond''s big brother; he would never harm him. Let''s not misunderstand Maximilian."


    See, the usual trick!


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    She changed her tune now, but Gabriel might still think Emily was a poor soul.


    Emilio sneered, his eyes fixed on Emily, "Then why was your first reaction to use Mr. Maximilian Hamilton of harming Mr. Desmond Boleyn?"


    Even if he cleared his name now, it would only strain their father-son rtionship further, making Gabriel wonder if Maximilian might really harm Desmond in the future. Not this time, but who knows about the next?


    Emily was paving the way for Desmond in a roundabout way.


    Emily put on a timid expression, moving fearfully behind Gabriel like a frightened bird, "I was confused and misspoke."


    Seeing this, Gabriel quickly shielded Emily, ring at Maximilian, "Control your people. Do they even know the rules anymore?"


    Maximilian''s eyes narrowed slightly, his sharp gaze like an icy de.


    He had long seen through Emily''s tricks.


    "Do you not know who first broke the rules here? If you shouldn''t be somewhere, don''t


    show up."


    Emily, intimidated by Maximilian''s sharp aura, tensed up, her voice trembling, "Maximilian, it''s all my fault. Don''t hold it against me."


    Gabriel, his face dark, stood by, unable to refute.


    At that moment, Maximilian nced sideways, his peripheral vision catching


    something behind him. In a low voice, he ordered, "Emilio."


    "Yes, Sir."


    Emilio nodded, presenting a video to the two of them, his voice steady, "This is the


    surveince footage from the police of Mr. Desmond Boleyn''s car ident. Please take a look."

 Chapter 198

    Seeing the entire process of Desmond''s car ident in the video, Gabriel''s face


    instantly turned pale, as if he had been pped hard, and he shamefully and angrily looked away.


    Recklessly crashing into the other side''s truck.


    The cargo from the big truck was scattered all over the ground.


    Just at this moment, a few police officers arrived at the hospital and stopped in front of the operating room.


    "You two must be Desmond''s parents, right?"


    Gabriel nodded with an ugly expression, then angrily nced at Emily, wishing at this moment that he didn''t have this son, feeling utterly humiliated!


    "Look at the good son you raised!"


    Emily lowered her head, not saying a word.


    "Desmond''s behavior constitutes malicious driving, which seriously vites traffic regtions and has caused property damage to other drivers. Therefore, he is fully responsible for the ident and needs to pay fines andpensation."


    "Which one of you wille with me to the police station?"


    Gabriel''s face turned livid. Desmond was still being rescued in the operating room, and now they had to deal with his matters at the police station. He felt utterly humiliated.


    Maximilian nced at Gabriel''s cold face, smiled, and said nothing more. He signaled to Emilio, "You go handle it."


    Emilio put on his hoodie and responded coldly, "Okay."


    The police officer looked at Emilio''s taciturn and aloof demeanor, frowned slightly, and then led Emilio out of the hospital.


    Once everything was settled, the outside of the operating room returned to a tense silence.


    Finally, the red light above the operating room went out, and Emily and Gabriel rushed over in a panic.


    As soon as the doctor came out, Emily and Gabriel surrounded him.


    The doctor, wearing a mask, revealed a pair of narrow, attractive eyes, and had a tall, lean figure.


    "How is my son''s condition? Is he out of danger now?" Emily, with tears in her eyes, grabbed Jesse''s sleeve, her face full of anxiety.


    "Don''t worry, the surgery went smoothly. He has fractures in his arm and leg, but he''s not in any life-threatening danger now."


    "He will need to stay in the hospital for observation for a while. The doctors will prescribe medication for him, and as long as he follows the treatment and takes his medicine on time, he will be fine." The doctor paused and continued, "But he needs to be more careful when driving next time; he might not be so lucky again."


    Emily frowned at these words, feeling as if they were cursing Desmond.


    The next second, Desmond was wheeled out, his face pale and still unconscious.


    Emily looked at him with tears in her eyes, feeling heartbroken. Fortunately, nothing major happened; otherwise, if something had happened to Desmond, she wouldn''t know how to live.


    If she could, she would rather suffer these pains in ce of Desmond.


    Katniss nced at Desmond on the hospital bed. Did he have a car ident in his previous life?


    It seemed not.


    Some things were developing along a fixed trajectory, while others were not.


    Like the butterfly effect, Katniss didn''t know what changes her rebirth would bring, and what she couldn''t change no matter how hard she tried.


    Katniss''s dazed look at Desmond was noticed by Maximilian, whose eyes instantly turned cold. He grabbed Katniss by the cor and pulled her aside, blocking her view.


    Caught off guard, Katniss felt as if her fate had been grabbed by the scruff of her neck and protested in a low voice, "My neck."


    Maximilian let go of her, his face stern, and snorted coldly, "What''s the big deal about your neck? You still have your eyes."


    Katniss touched her neck, "But the neck is also very important."


    "Mr. Hamilton~" Suddenly, a voice rang out.


    It was the surgeon who walked over, lowered his mask, and raised an eyebrow at Maximilian, "When our hospital leaders saw that it was Desmond who had the ident, they immediately had me perform the surgery, afraid that something might happen to him."


    "With me operating, your brother got a second chance at life." Then, Jesse''s charming eyes fell on Katniss, "This must be your wife, right? So young, Mr. Hamilton, you really have no scruples."


    Maximilian frowned slightly, ring at Jesse with some disdain.


    Katniss looked at Maximilian, a bit surprised. So they knew each other?


    "Hello, hello." Katniss looked at the half-covered face, feeling a bit familiar. She must have seen him before.


    Maximilian looked at him indifferently, then exined to Katniss, "This is Jesse Turner, you might have heard of him."


    He had once suspected that, given Jesse''s personality, he might leave a scalpel or gauze in a patient''s stomach, bing infamous. But reality had made Jesse a renowned doctor, highly regarded, truly a favored child of God.


    The name immediately reminded Katniss of the genius doctor Jesse that Daryl and the others often mentioned.


    He was also Dn''s rival. Wherever Jesse was, Dn''s brilliance would be overshadowed.


    "You know each other, are you friends?" Katniss asked in confusion, feeling even moreplicated.


    Maximilian had medical experts like Brent around him, and even clinical geniuses like Jesse. How could he still end upmitting suicide due to illness?


    Thinking of this, Katniss broke out in a cold sweat.


    Jesse, smiling, approached and put an arm around Maximilian''s shoulder, "Mr. Hamilton, you''ve been hiding her well, not even introducing her to me?"


    Maximilian''s lips moved slightly, "Hand."


    Jesse pouted, reluctantly removing his hand, and teased, "Look at his bad temper. You should leave him and be with me. I''m gentle and interesting, not bad-looking either, and we''re in the same profession, much better than him."


    Maximilian frowned, feeling he had been too lenient with Jesse.


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    "Your hospital''s medical team to Zuridia is about to depart, right? How long do you n to stay there?"


    Jesse chuckled, "Just kidding, just kidding."


    Jesse raised an eyebrow proudly.


    Then, with a smirk, he looked at Katniss, "I''m very curious. It''s said that the Shadow Acupuncture technique has been lost. Katniss, where did you learn it?"


    Which doctor wouldn''t want to master such a technique!


    "From my grandmother." Katniss answered honestly.


    Maximilian''s eyes fixed on Jesse, scanning him up and down, frowning, "Speak properly."


    Jesse, with his hands in his pockets, looked at the indifferent and gloomy Maximilian beside her, then turned his gaze to the bewildered Katniss, "Katniss doesn''t mind, why are you in such a hurry?"


    "Let me tell you, young girls nowadays don''t like being controlled too much. Katniss is still so young, be careful she might fall for someone else if you control her too much."


    Katniss''s eyes widened instantly, shaking her head quickly, "No, no, I am loyal to Maximilian, till death do us part."


    Such words should not be said lightly.


    Maximilian seemed to be taken aback for a moment, his frown smoothing out


    instantly, and he smiled faintly, ncing at Jesse.


    Jesse was speechless.


    Couples are really annoying.


    Just as he was about to ask Katniss who her grandmother was, he heard urgent shouts


    from behind.


    "Please make way!"


    "Please make way, there''s a patient in need of emergency care!"


    Immediately, a woman covered in blood was wheeled into the ward.

 Chapter 199

    The womany on the stretcher, barely breathing.


    As she was pushed past Katniss, a strong smell of blood wafted over.


    The mole on her wrist gave Katniss an overwhelming sense of familiarity. It was her!


    The female driver, Hestia Sharp, who was killed by Simon in a previous life!


    Katniss widened her eyes and took a look at Hestia''s blood-stained face, but before she could see clearly, Hestia was pushed into the emergency room.


    A group of doctors hurried in and out, busy and anxious.


    Katniss stepped aside and found a chair to sit down.


    Even though she had studied medicine in this life, seeing someone almost soaked in blood in front of her still made Katniss ufortable.


    Moreover, she felt deep guilt towards Hestia.


    In her previous life, Simon had driven drunk and hit Hestia, viting traffic rules. There were no surveince videos or witnesses at the scene, so her family wanted to find a scapegoat. Naturally, the unloved Katniss became the best choice.


    That was one of the few weak gestures of kindness her so-called family had shown her in her previous life.


    "Katniss, only you can help Simon through this crisis," Elodie said, wiping her tears and holding Katniss''s hand. "If Simon goes to jail, his life will be over."


    What about her life?


    Anyway, no one ever considered her.


    Katniss''s face was sullen, and she was somewhat reluctant.


    Lucas smoked a cigarette, frowned, and looked terribly grim. "Katniss, we''ll find the bestwyer to defend you. If we can settle it privately with money, that''s best. If not, and you go to jail, the family won''t treat you badly."


    "But you don''t need to worry too much; everything is under my control. It''ll be fine!" Lucas''s tone carried a few notes of certainty and coldness.


    Katniss didn''t want to, but for the so-called family affection, she didn''t resist.


    The culprit, Simon, was the most rxed. Heyfortably on the sofa. "Katniss, even if you go in, we''ll pay to make sure you''re not bullied inside. As long as you take the fall for me this time, you''ll be my closest sister from now on."


    ra also said softly, "Yes, we''ll visit you often."


    "The other party doesn''t seem to be from a wealthy family. At worst, we''ll just pay more money," Simon said irritably.


    "You need to be more careful in the future. Why drive after drinking?"


    "Got it, Mom."


    "Simon won''t dare to do it again," ra said with a smile.


    The person who was hit was still lying in the emergency room, but they talked as if it were a casual family chat.


    Katniss didn''t say a word, but they had already arranged everything for her.


    Katniss had secretly visited Hestia before and had seen the obvious ck mole on her wrist, which is why she recognized her so quickly now.


    Hestia''s husband used to be a truck driver but became disabled in a car ident and couldn''t work. After that, Hestia drove a van to make money. She had two children, one ten and one seven, and a mother-inw who needed long-term medication.


    Hestia was almost the main breadwinner of the family.


    At that time, Katniss was thinking about finding a way to get her family to pay more money so that the other party wouldn''t sue Simon, and their family could get some ie.


    At least, for the Manners family, money wasn''t an issue.


    Unfortunately, Hestia didn''t make it in the end.


    The police investigated the scene repeatedly but found no effective clues or traces. Katniss didn''t think much of it before, but now she realized how powerful Lucas really


    was.


    They bullied Hestia''s family because they had no one to stand up for them, using all sorts of tricks.


    In the end, Hestia was deemed primarily responsible for the ident, and Simon only had to bear some humanitarianpensation.


    Katniss felt deeply guilty.


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    If she hadn''t been the scapegoat and Hestia''s family had known Simon was driving drunk, although it wouldn''t have brought Hestia back to life, they could have at least gotten morepensation.


    At that time, Katniss had also suggested this.


    But how did the Manners family scold her?


    They thought she was crazy, thought she had no conscience...


    In short, they believed she had ulterior motives.


    Katniss bit her lip, her eyes shing with cold light.


    This time, she wanted to see who could take the fall for him.


    If you do something wrong, you have to pay the price. She wouldn''t let Simon off so easily!


    Katniss stood up and looked towards the emergency room, very worried.


    Katniss hoped someone could save Hestia. If Hestia died, even if she could give more money in this life, it wouldn''t heal the children''s pain of losing their mother.


    But Katniss also knew that this hope was very slim.


    Maximilian''s eyes flickered. He leaned down and asked, "Do you know her?"


    Katniss bit her lip and didn''t hide it. "Can she be saved?"


    She felt foolish as soon as she asked.


    No matter how skilled Maximilian was, he wasn''t a doctor. Why was she asking him? Then she turned her gaze to Jesse.


    Jesse blinked and exined, "I think it''s difficult. When I passed by just now, I took a look and felt there was internal bleeding, which is very dangerous. There are probably multiple fractures as well. Even if she is saved, the subsequent medical expenses are not something an ordinary family can afford."


    So, basically, there was no hope of saving her?


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    But money wasn''t an issue.


    In her previous life, Hestia hadn''t even made it this far.


    Katniss looked at Jesse, wanting to ask for his help.


    If the "genius doctor" Jesse, as he was called in her previous life, personally performed


    the surgery, wouldn''t there be a greater chance?


    But what reason and identity did she have to ask him?


    After all, every doctor had their own schedule.


    Moreover, if he casually took over another doctor''s surgery, it would be fine if he seeded, but if he failed, he would be criticized, and it could even lead to medical disputes with the family, affecting his career.


    Unexpectedly, Maximilian spoke calmly, "Jesse, you go."


    Jesse was stunned, his beautiful eyes narrowing. "Me?"


    Had he forgotten that he had juste off the operating table!


    Maximilian looked at the anxiety in Katniss''s eyes and slightly pursed his lips. "Isn''t this


    what you should do as a doctor?"


    Jesse almostughed in anger. When had Maximilian ever been so righteous and moral?


    Katniss''s eyes lit up, and she looked at Jesse with hope.


    Then Katniss promised, "I can assure you, even if she can''t be saved, her family won''t cause you any trouble. Don''t worry."


    In her previous life, Hestia''s family had also respected the police''s conclusion and had not said a bad word about Katniss, the scapegoat. They were very grateful for the so- called humanitarianpensation.


    Hestia''s family was kind-hearted and honest but didn''t get a good oue.


    Jesse sighed slightly and didn''t hesitate much. Hemunicated with the medical staff


    for a few moments, then immediately changed into surgical scrubs and entered the emergency room.


    Katniss smiled at Maximilian. "Thank you. This is veryplicated; I''ll exin it to you


    Maximilian lowered his eyes andfortingly put his arm around Katniss''s shoulder. "Anytime is fine. I''ll be waiting."


    Katniss couldn''t help but look up at the man''s tense jaw. After watching for a while, her heart seemed to be stirred by something.

 Chapter 200

    The lights in the operating room went out.


    Jesse came out, his face serious, no longer the yful look from before.


    Seeing this, Katniss hurried up to him, "How is it?"


    Jesse nodded slightly, looking a bit tired, "The surgery was rtively sessful, but she''s not out of danger yet. Whether she wakes up is uncertain. It''s best to find her family, and her will to survive is very low."


    Katniss felt a pang in her heart.


    She wasn''t worried about finding Hestia''s family; the police would locate them soon enough.


    She paid some of Hestia''s hospital bills, and Jesse whistled beside her, "Katniss, I didn''t expect you to be so kind-hearted. I''ve never seen anyone aspassionate as you. If we hadn''t been together the whole time, I''d suspect you were the driver who hit her." Katniss''s eyes flickered.


    Why couldn''t this guy be mute?


    Maximilian shot Jesse a nce, "Annoying."


    Jesse looked aggrieved, "I''m just looking out for her. She''s young and inexperienced. Those who know her will think she''s kind-hearted, but those who don''t might think otherwise."


    Then Jesse yawned, waved his hand, and left, saying that even if the sky fell, he needed to get some sleep first.


    Katniss remained silent.


    She knew Jesse was right.


    Doing nothing was the best way to avoid trouble.


    But having lived another life, she understood one thing: there''s no need to overthink everything. Love who you want to love, do what you want to do, and have no regrets.


    Maximilian looked at Katniss''s profile, his gaze deepening.


    As they left the hospital and got into the car, Katniss saw through the window a limping man and an elderly woman with silver hair walking into the hospital, looking very sad.


    It was Hestia''s husband and mother-inw.


    They supported each other, trying to walk as quickly as possible, but it was very difficult.


    Katniss felt very conflicted.


    If she didn''t know, it would be fine, but since she knew the truth, she decided to do something.


    Because she was preupied, Katniss tripped over the threshold when she got home and almost kissed the ground. Maximilian quickly caught her by the waist.


    "Sorry, sorry." Katniss clung tightly to Maximilian''s arm, looking panicked.


    Maximilian didn''t let go of her waist, just patted her head and said calmly, "I''m fine, it''s you who has a problem."


    Katniss exined, "I''m just a bit worried."


    Maximilian gave a faint smile and thenforted her, "Don''t worry, if Jesse is handling it, there won''t be any problems."


    Hopefully.


    Katniss looked up, her eyes pleading, "Can I ask you a favor?"


    Maximilian continued to hold her as they walked inside, smiling quietly, "Go ahead." Katniss asking him for help immediately made Maximilian''s lips curl up in a pleased smile.


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    Katniss wanted to ask Maximilian to check with the police about the investigation into the car ident.


    Just like in her previous life, there were no eyewitnesses, no surveince, and it currently looked like Hestia had driven the wrong way, hit the guardrail, and then hit the car in front.


    Due to the force, Simon crossed the solid line, causing the other car to spin and hit the guardrail. His car, being of decent quality, wasn''t severely damaged.


    If Simon hadn''t described the ident right away in her previous life, no one would have believed he was the driver just from the scene.


    And Katniss was sure Simon had called the Manners family immediately, and they had handled things, so the police found nothing in the end.


    But this time, they had her to deal with, and she wouldn''t let the Manners family get away so easily.


    She would reveal the truth.


    Simon had to go to jail.


    He had hit and abused her, vandalized her home, and this time she would get back at him with interest.


    On the other side, Simon rushed to Lucas as he got home, "Lucas, how did it go?" Simon looked nervous, unusually sober at the moment.


    Lucas smacked him on the head, "What have I always told you? It''s fine if you want to y and not be ambitious, but some things you just can''t do! Drunk driving, hit-and- run, how could you? Hitting someone is one thing, but what if you lost your own life?" Lucas was angry not because Simon caused trouble, but because he risked his own life. Simon hung his head, "I know I was wrong. So, how''s it going over there?"


    Lucas sighed, sitting on the couch with a look of confidence and pride, "Don''t worry, as long as that woman doesn''t wake up, everything will be fine. But just in case, we should find a scapegoat."


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    That way, even if Hestia woke up, Simon would be safe.


    Lucas had a strong desire for control and didn''t like things getting out of hand. "Who should we find?" Simon felt uneasy knowing Hestia was saved, "How about we just find someone and pay them to take the fall?"


    "Idiot!" Lucas wanted to beat this brainless Simon, "Just find someone? This is no small matter; if it goes wrong, we could be ckmailed. This is a hit-and-run, you know? If that woman wakes up and the scapegoat isn''t tight-lipped, it''ll be a mess."


    Simon was also frustrated, "Who the hell called the cops anyway?"


    If Hestia died, they could just pay some money, not even much.


    If she woke up, not only would he be in trouble, but the follow-up treatment would be even more troublesome.


    Elodie frowned, worriedly asking Lucas, "So what should we do now? Who should we find to take the fall?"


    If Katniss were here, they would push her out without hesitation.


    But now, Katniss wasn''t someone they could control, and Elodie couldn''t bear to sacrifice any of her sons.


    Simon''s eyes darted around, then he leaned close to Elodie, "Mom, what about Nathan?"


    Elodie''s face darkened, "Shut up! You know Nathan''s health. How dare you think of using him as a scapegoat? I''ll beat you to death!"


    Simon shrank back, muttering, "Mom, I don''t really want Nathan to go to jail. But think about it, because of his poor health, if things really go wrong, we can ask the judge for leniency or get him medical parole."


    Hearing this, Elodie fell into deep thought.


    Could this really work?


    Seeing Elodie''s softened attitude, Simon felt more confident, "Mom, I really know I was wrong. I''ll never do it again. If I go to jail, my life is over, but Nathan is different."

 Chapter 201

    However, Simon''s n didn''t seed. As soon as he spoke, the front door was forcefully pushed open.


    Oliver walked in, his face livid with anger, and kicked Simon. "You still haven''t learned your lesson. You did something wrong and now you want to drag Nathan down with you!"


    "Nathan''s health is already fragile. If he goes in, do you think he can survive? Are you trying to kill Nathan?"


    Just as he reached the door, Oliver heard Simon''s words and was so furious that he was trembling all over.


    "I didn''t." Simon, kicked to the ground, shrank back in fear and looked to Lucas for help.


    Lucas pressed his temples in frustration and simply closed his eyes, pretending not to


    see.


    Simon had indeed gone too far.


    As soon as Elodie saw Oliver, she sneered, "You still remember toe home? You still remember you have a son? Keeping such a young lover, do you have any shame? What right do you have to meddle in Simon''s affairs now?"


    "Shut up. Even if I have no shame, it''s better than having a heart of a snake. That''s a life we''re talking about!"


    Recently, every time Oliver came home, the two of them would start arguing.


    Lucas, feeling extremely irritated, grabbed Simon and left the constantly quarreling house.


    Outside, Lucas looked at Simon''s dejected state and patted his shoulder. "Don''t worry, I''ll handle it."


    Then, Lucas, holding his suit jacket, walked out the door.


    Simon nodded, feeling somewhat relieved but still under a lot of pressure.


    He tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, and made several calls to Dn to ask about the woman''s condition. Even though Dn said she was still in critical condition, he couldn''t rest easy.


    When it came to matters concerning his own interests, he trusted his own eyes more.


    Simon decided to go to the hospital to see the situation for himself.


    However, if he went to the hospital without a reason and attracted attention, it wouldn''t be good.


    So, he followed ra''s car to the hospital from the Boleyn Manor.


    ra looked surprised. "Simon, why are you suddenly visiting Desmond?"


    She knew Simon well; he was reckless and careless. For him to specifically visit Desmond was indeed strange.


    Simon scratched his head and said perfunctorily, "We''re going to be rtives soon. Desmond is in the hospital, so of course, I should visit him."


    ra didn''t believe him.


    If he was sincerely visiting a patient, he wouldn''te empty-handed. Where were his manners?


    However, ra didn''t mind as long as Simon didn''t cause any more trouble.


    Her focus now was on taking care of Desmond. Desmond had the ident while


    buying something for her, and her unofficial mother-inw, Emily, had been giving her


    a hard time, ming her for Desmond''s condition.


    It was a disaster for her.


    The other party waspletely unreasonable.


    Once in the hospital, Simon casually asked about Desmond and then found an excuse


    to leave, saying he was going to find Dn.


    Dn wasn''t in his office; the nurse said he was doing rounds.


    Simon sat in his office waiting.


    After a long time, Dn still hadn''t returned. Unable to wait any longer, Simon started checking each room.


    But he had no idea which room the woman he hit was in, making him increasingly anxious.


    "How''s the patient in room 323?"


    "Still hasn''t woken up, but she''s slowly improving."


    "Dr. Turner is amazing. He can save even patients from such severe car idents. Truly someone who can snatch people from the jaws of death."


    "That woman is lucky."


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    Hearing the conversation between two passing nurses, Simon''s mind started racing.


    He looked around nervously and slowly moved towards room 323.


    He knocked on the door, but there was no response.


    Then, he slowly opened the door.


    On the bedy a person covered in bandages, connected to a venttor and various machines.


    He saw the name on the medical chart: Hestia Sharp.


    This must be the woman he hit, right?


    The heart monitor was still beeping, indicating she was alive.


    Simon stared at Hestia, a sinister look shing in his eyes.


    If he identally pressed any of the buttons or tampered with any of the machines,


    would she be beyond saving?


    If Hestia died, would he no longer have to live in fear and have nightmares?


    Simon walked towards Hestia''s bedside.


    He couldn''t help but reach out, slowly moving his hand down.


    His heart was racing. Just as he was about to touch the machine, a nurse walked in. "Who are you?"


    Simon was startled, then scratched his head and said awkwardly, "I''m Hestia''s rtive. I came to check on her. Where are her family members? Are they out?"


    Simon spoke quickly to cover his nervousness.


    The nurse didn''t think much of it and nodded. "It''s lunchtime. Her family went out to


    get food. They''ll be back soon."


    After saying that, the nurse went to change Hestia''s IV.


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    Simon smiled awkwardly and then left the room.


    He returned to Dn''s office.


    Dn looked up and saw Simon''s pale face and anxious expression. "What''s wrong?"


    he asked.


    Simon punched the wall. "I just saw that woman. I..."


    "Let''s talk outside," Dn interrupted.


    Even though this office was private, people coulde in at any time. Simon often spoke without thinking, and who knew what he might say. If someone overheard, it could be disastrous.


    Dn took Simon to the hospital''s emergency exit.


    Most people went to the rooftop to smoke and rx because it had a great view and fresh air.


    So, the emergency exit was rarely used, especially the secluded area Dn took him to.


    Dn handed Simon a cigarette and lit it for him. "Go ahead."


    Simon took a deep drag and said, "I just saw the woman I hit, Hestia."


    "And?" Dn raised an eyebrow and sneered. "What are you nning?"


    Simon shook his head. "I was thinking, if she died..."


    Dn''s expression turned cold, and he lowered his voice. "Did you do something?"


    "No." Simon scratched his head in frustration. "I wouldn''t dare."


    He had done many bad things, but he was still afraid of killing someone.


    Dn sighed in relief. At least this idiot hadn''t done anything. Simon was simple- minded and didn''t think about consequences. If something happened, the entire Manners family would be implicated.


    Dn said coldly, "At least you have some sense."


    "Dn, can''t you think of a way to get rid of her without anyone knowing?" Simon''s eyes showed a hint of malice as he made a shing motion across his neck.

 Chapter 202

    It was a woman''s figure.


    It seemed somewhat familiar.


    If an acquaintance had heard his conversation with Simon just now, it would cause a huge uproar.


    Dn''s face darkened, a cold glint shed in his eyes, and he hurriedly chased after her.


    Lucky enough.


    The figure seemed to be bending down to pick something up. He grabbed the back of her cor, covered her mouth, and dragged her back to the safety passage they had just been in.


    The woman struggled, but not with much strength, and with her mouth covered, she couldn''t make a sound.


    The worst part was that this ce was very secluded.


    At this moment, Simon also rushed over, his face looking very grim, "Dn, what''s going on?"


    "We were eavesdropped on." Dn''s words were harsh as he threw the person against the wall, "It''s her!"


    Simon immediately became tense upon hearing this. He seemed to have said everything just now. If this person leaked it, it would be disastrous.


    Dn, however, calmed down a bit, "Don''t worry, even if she heard it, it won''t matter. Without evidence, we can''t be convicted."


    That was true.


    "Who are you?" Simon gritted his teeth, already annoyed, and now this added trouble was making things worse.


    The woman tidied her hair and then turned around.


    "Katniss!" Simon shouted, looking like he was about to tear her apart, "What are you doing here?"


    Katniss rolled her eyes at him,pletely uninterested in dealing with this idiot.


    Dn squinted his eyes. He had specifically chosen such a secluded ce, yet Katniss still appeared.


    He didn''t believe it was a coincidence.


    Katniss didn''t waste words with them, sneering, "Dn, what are you trying to do? Your actions just now, I can sue you for that."


    Simon''s fists clenched tightly, his teeth bared as he grabbed Katniss''s arm, "Sue? You little brat, don''t push your luck. If you dare to spill what happened today, I''ll make sure you regret it."


    Katniss shook off Simon''s arm, "What are you talking about? I don''t know what you''re saying."


    "Stop ying dumb," Simon shouted, "If you didn''t hear our secret, why were you running?"


    Katniss looked down on this idiot with disdain.


    With his words, even if someone hadn''t heard anything, they''d be curious now.


    Katniss looked innocent, "I remembered I forgot something and came back for it. I just got lost. I don''t know why you two are so agitated. Did you do something shady? If so, I advise you to stop, or you''ll face consequences."


    "Sharp-tongued!" Simon''s cold eyes stared at Katniss, "You definitely heard us."


    Katniss stepped closer to Simon, "What exactly is it that makes you two so difficult? Let me tell you, Maximilian is still waiting for me. If I don''t return soon, he and his bodyguards wille looking for me. Then, don''t me me for being heartless."


    With that, Katniss tried to push the door open.


    But her wrist was grabbed by Dn, who said gently, "Katniss, wait a moment."


    With both of them blocking her, Katniss couldn''t leave.


    Katniss''s face darkened, "Dn, what do you mean?"


    "Katniss, give me the recorder." Dn sighed, extending his other hand. "What recorder?" Simon, slow to catch on, then shouted, "She recorded us?"


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    A glint shed in Dn''s eyes as he slowly smiled. Despite his gentle demeanor, it sent chills down Katniss''s spine.


    "If I''m not mistaken, Katniss, what you picked up just now was a recorder, right?" Katniss lowered her eyes, not speaking.


    Based on information from her past life, she calcted that someone as foolish as Simon would be restless upon learning that Hestia was rescued.


    If he didn''te to see for himself, Simon wouldn''t be at ease.


    So, she came specifically to find an opportunity.


    She originally wanted to find a chance to trick him, but hadn''t found one until he and


    Dn came to this secluded hallway. She knew her chance hade.


    To get close enough to record clearly, she identally made a noise by touching the door frame and was discovered.


    In her nervous escape, the recorder fell out, and she was caught by Dn while picking


    it up.


    Seeing Katniss''s silence, Simon was sure she had admitted it and grabbed Dn''s hand, "Dn, search her."


    Hearing this, Katniss''s eyes darkened, and she began to struggle.


    Dn''s eyelids formed deep creases as he stared at Katniss, but his face remained calm and gentle.


    "Dn, what are you waiting for?" Simon was anxious, as this concerned his future.


    If the recorder was exposed, his future would be ruined.


    Dn squinted his eyes, about to speak when Katniss said, "I can hand over the recorder, but you have to let me go."


    Simon still held Katniss tightly, "You''re so clever, who would believe you?"


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    Katniss sneered, her tone mocking, "What, you two big men are afraid I''ll escape? If so, that''s pathetic."


    "Who are you calling pathetic?" Simon was indignant.


    Dn looked at the slightly disheveled Katniss and said, "Let her go."


    He didn''t search her because, in the worst-case scenario, even if this was exposed, his


    life wouldn''t be fatally affected.


    But if he touched Katniss, and she exaggerated the story to Maximilian, his life would be miserable.


    Although he had dragged Katniss earlier, it was in a moment of urgency, and he could apologizeter.


    If he searched her, even though he was Katniss''s second brother, she didn''t acknowledge him. If she couldn''t get over it, it could cause bigger problemster.


    Seeing Dn''s words, Simon reluctantly let go.


    Katniss rubbed her arm, then took out the recorder from her pocket, waving it in front


    of them, "The recorder, right? You can have it, but I want to know why."


    Simon was so angry his veins bulged, "Of course, because..."


    "Katniss, stop beating around the bush," Dn''s eyes twinkled as he smiled gently,


    "Actually, you didn''t record anything, did you?"


    Katniss shrugged, "If I say no, you won''t believe me."


    "You really didn''t record anything?" Simon visibly rxed.


    "Guess," Katniss said uncooperatively.


    Dn smiled, took the recorder, and said, "You can go now."


    Katniss didn''t linger, pushing the door open and leaving.


    "Wait!" Dn seemed to remember something and chased after her.

 Chapter 203

    Katniss turned around, looking graceful andposed.


    She asked, "What, having second thoughts?"


    Dn sighed slightly, adjusted his sses with his right hand, and said gently,


    "Whether you heard what happened today or not, it''s best to keep it to yourself. Even if you know, saying it out loud won''t do you any good. I''m looking out for you."


    Katniss looked down at her feet, appearing thoughtful, but she didn''t respond to Dn''s words.


    Dn raised an eyebrow, quietly watching Katniss.


    Katniss felt a tightness in her chest, then looked up and said calmly, "Finished? Then I''m leaving."


    Seeing her so nonchnt, Dn''s face finally turned cold, "Katniss, even if you have Maximilian backing you, this is not something you can meddle in. How long can Maximilian protect you, a lifetime? We''re all family, why make things so ugly, right?"


    Katniss gave a sarcastic smile, "I understand. Don''t worry, the recorder is with you guys, what can I do?"


    With that, she turned and left, a cold smile on her lips.


    Simon walked over and stood next to Dn, watching Katniss''s departing figure, "Dn, why do I feel so uneasy? Katniss won''t really go out and talk, will she?"


    Dn looked at the recorder in his hand, pondered for a moment, "Katniss is different from before, she''s smart. If she talks without evidence, and if no evidence is found in the end, who would believe her?"


    Hearing Dn''s words, Simon felt relieved, then curiously asked, "How much did this recorder capture?"


    After listening, Dn''s eyes darkened, while Simon broke out in a cold sweat.


    Katniss had recorded everything.


    Which means, she was there from the beginning of their conversation.


    If it weren''t for a coincidence, this recorder would have ended up at the police station, and he would be finished.


    Shimonri¨¦ntarwave unfitar, uttenruturrecritsctonacinis with passrunr.


    He would get rid of Katniss sooner orter!!


    Katniss didn''t go home; after receiving a call from Maximilian, she went straight to the police station.


    Before entering the police station, she messed up her hair a bit, wrinkled her clothes, and then staggered into the station.


    She said she wanted to report an ident.


    About a car ident.


    She yed the content synced from her phone and the recorder for the police.


    This was her backup n.


    She deliberately said some things in front of Dn and the others, half-true and half- false, to make them think that getting the recorder was the end of it.


    But in fact, she had turned on Bluetooth and uploaded it to her phone from the beginning.


    She learned all this from Maximilian.


    Maximilian was a meticulous person, always making two preparations to prevent unexpected situations.


    The police were shocked after hearing this and quickly took Katniss''s statement. She continued, "I also want to use Dn of intentional harm."


    She pointed to the bump on her forehead, which was from when Dn pushed her against the wall.


    Katniss''s eyes reddened, and she looked very aggrieved, "They are my brothers, but they never liked me since I was a child. They used to kick me out and even vandalized my house..."


    She rambled on about her grievances.


    In summary, old and new grudges, Dn and Simon were ruthless and cruel to her. If it weren''t for her wit, who knows what inhumane torture she would have suffered.


    Seeing Katniss''s frail appearance, the police couldn''t help but feel some sympathy, and their sense of justice surged, "Don''t worry, we won''t let any bad guys go."


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    This police station wasn''t the one handling the car ident.


    In her past life, the police didn''t find anything about the car ident, so Katniss had to be cautious.


    Who knows, with Lucas''s abilities, if he did something behind the scenes.


    Katniss had investigated this police station; in every aspect, it wasn''t one the Manners family could interfere with.


    Most importantly, Maximilian could intervene here, making things easier.


    She didn''t need them to do anything extra, just to ensure fairness and bring the guilty to justice.


    A traffic ident should be investigated by the traffic department.


    But she wanted to make a big deal out of it, so it would be exposed to the public,


    making it impossible for the Manners family to tamper with it.


    After finishing her statement, Katniss met Maximilian at the door.


    Seeing Katniss''s appearance, he exuded a chilling aura, making people shiver. He took


    off his coat and draped it over Katniss, ruffling her hair, "Let''s go home."


    Katniss nodded obediently.


    In the car, the atmosphere was oppressively tense.


    Katniss asked softly, "Are you angry?"


    Maximilian sighed slightly, then pulled Katniss closer, "I can stay out of your business,


    but I don''t want you to put yourself in danger."


    No bodyguards, alone,ing back injured.


    Thinking about it made Maximilian frown deeply.


    It was because he hadn''t warned the Manners family enough, they dared to touch his people.


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    Feeling the coldness from the man beside her, Katniss looked apologetic, "It won''t happen again, I overestimated myself this time."


    And overestimated human nature.


    Even though things had gotten this bad with the Manners family, she was already Maximilian''s wife, thinking they would have some scruples.


    But this incident made Katniss realize one thing.


    Never test the limits of human nature.


    When she saw Simon enter Hestia''s ward, she had a bad feeling. If Simon really dared


    to go all out, it would be terrifying.


    So, she quickly told the nurse that there seemed to be something wrong with Hestia''s


    side.


    Not long after the nurse entered the ward, Simon came out.


    He looked a bit flustered, his steps unsteady. At that moment, Katniss guessed that if


    the nurse hadn''t gone in, Simon might have really dared to act.


    She was a bit anxious, but to get solid evidence, she followed Dn and the others alone.


    Thinking back now, Katniss felt a bit scared.


    If Dn and the others had gone crazy and locked her up, or simply killed her, what good would it do if Maximilian avenged her?


    She would still be gone.


    Maximilian''s face was cold, his voice even colder, "Katniss, don''t take your life lightly. If something happens to you, who will save me?"


    Katniss shrank her neck; it was just a small bump on her forehead.


    Her arm hurt more from Dn''s twisting.


    "I won''t dare again, I deeply realize my mistake, Maximilian." Katniss quickly admitted


    her mistake, shamelessly trying to please him.


    Maximilian finally softened, couldn''t help but pinch Katniss''s face, "No next time."

 Chapter 204

    After returning to Golden Crest Estates, Maximilian found the first aid kit and treated her wounds.


    Seeing the bruises on her shoulders and arms, his eyes grew colder.


    Feeling the chill behind her, Katniss didn''t dare to move or speak, knowing she had made a mistake this time.


    Katniss lowered her head nervously, enduring the pain.


    "I''ll have Mira make you some nutritious soup," Maximilian said, tucking her in gently, his voice soft. "You''ve had a long day, get some rest."


    Katniss nodded, obedient as a rabbit.


    Maximilian gently closed the door and then turned to the study, where he took out his phone and called Emilio.


    Since the Manners family didn''t want to live peacefully, he was happy to oblige.


    Meanwhile, lying in bed, Katniss couldn''t sleep at all. The more she thought about it, the more awake she became.


    She knew very well that her call to the police would cause a huge uproar in the Manners family.


    She had once sent Simon to the police station for a few days, and they had cursed and threatened her, even resorting to physical violence.


    She was curious to see how the Manners family would deal with her this time.


    Yes, she was relying on Maximilian''s power now.


    Without such a strong backing, she wouldn''t have dared to do this.


    Dn''s talk about them being family and Maximilian''s love notsting long was all


    nonsense.


    Who cares about the future? She was happy to see that family suffer now.


    The more she thought about it, the happier Katniss became.


    Just then, a call from Juniper came in.


    "I''ming back. Do you want to pick me up?" Juniper''s voice was cheerful, indicating she was in a good mood."


    With everything going on, she had almost forgotten about Juniper.


    Last time, Juniper had already bought a ticket toe back, but had to change her nsst minute.


    Katniss nodded while holding the phone, "Of course. What time and which airport? Send me your itinerary, and I''ll pick you up."


    Juniper quickly sent the information.


    The two chatted for a while until Maximilian came in with Mira''s soup, signaling her with his eyes. Reluctantly, she hung up the phone.


    She hadn''t had such a pleasant conversation in a long time.


    But Juniper would be back soon anyway.


    She couldn''t wait to tell Juniper all about what had happened with the Manners family.


    Meanwhile, ra had just returned from the hospital when Gabriel called her into the study.


    ra was puzzled.


    Gabriel had always looked down on her, so why did he want to see her alone this time? Was she going to be scolded for Desmond''s car ident?


    Thinking about it made ra feel irritated.


    She had thought marrying Desmond would give her everything she wanted, but it turned out to be so frustrating.


    The onlyfort she had was the envy of others.


    Before entering the study, raposed herself, putting on an innocent face.


    She knocked on the door and entered after getting permission.


    Standing obediently in front of the desk, she said, "Dad, you called for me?"


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    Gabriel nced at her while reading a document and pointed to the chair in front of her, "Sit."


    ra sat down, looking every bit the demuredy.


    Gabriel''s face was stern, "I heard your brother Simon caused some trouble?"


    ra''s eyes widened in surprise, quickly saying, "I don''t know. What happened?"


    Seeing her genuine shock, Gabriel''s tone softened a bit, "I have friends at the police station. I heard he got into some trouble, hit someone, and got reported."


    ra felt uneasy, not knowing what Gabriel was getting at, and exined, "Simon was with me at the hospital this morning visiting Desmond. It didn''t seem like anything serious."


    Gabriel leaned back in his chair, "I don''t know the details. You should ask him. He''s your brother, after all. You should care about these things."


    Apparently, Maximilian had intervened, cutting off information. Whatever the original issue was, with Maximilian involved and the Manners family at odds with Katniss, it wouldn''t be small for Simon.


    Gabriel didn''t care about the Manners family but didn''t want it affecting Desmond. Desmond already had a bad reputation with the illegitimate child. If ra''s family caused more trouble, it would be even worse.


    Thinking about it made Gabriel''s face darken.


    He had advised Desmond not to marry ra, but he didn''t listen.


    Seeing Gabriel''s displeasure, ra''s face showed concern, "Thank you for telling me, Dad. I''ll ask about it. With Desmond''s ident, I was too flustered to pay attention." Her eyes reddened, as if she was about to cry.


    Gabriel responded indifferently, clearly impatient.


    Marrying such an illegitimate woman who cried at the drop of a hat was useless.


    How could Desmondpete with Maximilian in the future?


    ra, good at reading people, quickly left seeing Gabriel''s expression.


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    As soon as she closed the study door, her face darkened.


    What had Simon done this time?


    She grabbed her bag and headed to the Manners Vi, not bothering to change clothes.


    When she arrived, the family had just finished dinner and were eating fruit.


    They seemed carefree, as if nothing had happened.


    Elodie was delighted to see ra, "ra, what brings you here sote? Come in." ra seemed preupied, as if something was wrong.


    Simon came over, "ra,e on in. I just bought a lot of fruit. They''re delicious."


    Seeing the pile of fruit and snacks on the coffee table, ra kept her tone neutral, "Is there something to celebrate?"


    Simon smiled, "Not exactly good news, but not bad either."


    If they hadn''t been lucky enough to get Katniss''s recorder, he wouldn''t be so carefree.


    ra looked at Simon suspiciously.


    He was all smiles, almost grinning from ear to ear.


    If Gabriel hadn''t told her, ra would have thought someone was spreading rumors to


    ruin her happiness.


    Dn noticed ra''s unease and asked, "ra, what''s going on?"


    A big disaster.


    ra didn''t beat around the bush and repeated what Gabriel had told her.


    Then she asked, "Simon, hasn''t Lucas handled it yet? Why did it get to the police?"

 Chapter 205

    Dn and Simon exchanged a nce, both seeing the surprise in each other''s eyes.


    "Gabriel said that?" Dn asked.


    ra nodded, then brushed her hair to cover the irritation in her eyes.


    She had already helped Simon handle it immediately, but she didn''t expect this useless guy to still end up at the police station!


    Having such a brother was really dragging her down.


    If she couldn''t marry into the Boleyn family because of this...


    Dn pressed his lips together and paced a few steps.


    They had specifically avoided ces where the Manners family''s influence could reach, even making it all mysterious, and even Gabriel hadn''t found out much.


    But no matter what, the fact that Simon hit someone couldn''t be hidden anymore.


    One thing leads to another, and now they were in big trouble.


    Dn fell into deep thought, thinking about how to resolve this matter with the least


    cost.


    Seeing that no one was speaking, ra''s heart sank. "Simon, who else knows about this? You didn''t tell anyone, did you?"


    ra frowned, Simon couldn''t be that stupid, right?


    Elodie was also anxious, her voice rising, "How could this happen? Didn''t you say it was fine? Simon, didn''t you say you checked on the person you hit this morning and they wouldn''tst a few days? Then, who called the police?"


    "If I''m not mistaken," Dn''s eyes narrowed, showing a bit of coldness, "it was Katniss, she had a backup n."


    Without a recorder, Katniss still dared to call the police.


    She had a backup n?


    Katniss had really gotten smarter.


    Hearing this name, Simon''s face suddenly darkened, his anger surging, "It must be her, damn Katniss, trying to kill me, huh? Then let''s see who kills who first! I''ll go kill her right now!"


    "Stop right there!" Dn shouted sternly, "Do you think you can get to the Hamilton Manor now? Don''t forget, Katniss is not the same Katniss as before."


    Katniss dared to act so recklessly because she had support.


    Simon paced anxiously, "Then what do we do? Wait for the police toe and arrest me?"


    Dn''s expression gradually rxed, he sat on the sofa, looking gentle, "I''ll find you a ce to hide out of town for a while. I''ll talk to Lucas and solve this matter. When things calm down, you cane back. By then, just cooperate with the questioning." Some rumors, just deny them firmly.


    Would Maximilian and Katniss dare to fabricate evidence?


    If they were that stupid, he would be delighted.


    Simon was a bit reluctant, "Will that work?"


    Dn''s voice turned cold, "What else? Do you want to rush into the spotlight? Katniss


    is just mad, that''s why she''s acting crazy. Once that Hestia dies, there will be no evidence, and you can say whatever you want."


    Hearing this, Simon could only dete, "Got it, Dn, I''ll do as you say."


    Elodie felt a bit relieved, "You''re all grown up, I can''t control what you do. But be careful. And since Katniss is so heartless, you don''t need to consider family ties, do what you need to do."


    Simon nodded, his face full of malice, "Of course. Does she think she can do anything to me? Just wait, once this is over, I won''t let her off!"


    Dn snorted, "Stop saying useless things. If you mess up again, see how Lucas deals with you."


    Simon repeatedly begged for mercy.


    ra forced a smile, feeling a surge of anger inside.


    What a mess.


    Desmond had just gotten into trouble, and now Simon was causing more problems.


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    Because of Simon''s issue, Gabriel''s tone was unfriendly. If Simon really got arrested for hitting someone, how could she hold her head up in the circle in the future? She would be pointed at wherever she went.


    It seemed she needed to prepare more for the future.


    ra rubbed her temples, "Since Dn and Simon have a n, I won''t stay any longer.


    If you need any help, just let me know."


    Of course, she was just being polite.


    But it moved Simon deeply.


    Especiallypared to Katniss''s actions, ra seemed more considerate and kind.


    After getting engaged, ra moved into the new house the Boleyn family bought for them and lived with Desmond.


    After having the driver take ra away, Dn arranged a ce for Simon to leave that night.


    To avoid being tracked, they changed cars several times along the way.


    In the dead of night, the car sped under the moonlight.


    Sitting in the car, Simon was drowsy, but his long legs couldn''t stretch out in the car, making him curse.


    And he would be sent to a remote ce to stay.


    He heard there was no inte, no TV, and no entertainment, let alone good food and sleep, it was worse than prison.


    Thinking about the suffering he was about to endure, Simon hated Katniss even more. That bitch had caused him so much trouble, should he let her go? He might be fine after hiding for a while, but Katniss would be even better off.


    No, he couldn''t let it go.


    He couldn''t swallow this anger.


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    Lucas Manners did business, Dn was a doctor, they both had things to consider, and they couldn''t do anything harsh to Katniss with Maximilian protecting her.


    He had to do it himself.


    He told the driver to turn around, saying he had forgotten something important. The driver wanted to call Dn to ask, but Simon scolded him, "Mind your own business, what does it have to do with you? I pay you, just take me back." The driver thought, true.


    He was just earning some hard money, he didn''t care about their grudges.


    And although Simon knew he shouldn''t act on his own, he thought there was some


    truth to the saying, the most dangerous ce is the safest ce.


    Maybe Katniss was waiting for him to leave.


    Then he would go back suddenly and give her a big "surprise."


    Simon used to be quite sociable and had a few close friends, so he went straight to


    them when he got back to the city.


    He had some guys keep an eye on Katniss.


    If they saw Katniss leave the Hamilton Manor, they would report it.


    Sure enough, the next afternoon, Katniss''s car left the Manners Manor.


    Simon was overjoyed, the opportunity hade.


    This time he would teach Katniss a lesson, so she wouldn''t keeping after him like a


    madwoman, he was really fed up!


    Katniss was going to pick up Juniper.


    There were many peopleing and going at the airport, and the nning wasn''t


    perfect yet, the parking lot was a bit far from the exit.


    Katniss found it troublesome and didn''t want to miss Juniper, so she had Conrad park


    at the exit, "You go park, thene to the exit to pick us up."


    After saying that, Katniss eagerly entered the airport.

 Chapter 206

    After Conrad parked the car and was about to lock the door, he suddenly noticed the ck backpack on the back seat. Did Katniss forget her bag?


    After considering for a few seconds, Conrad picked up the backpack.


    Following Katniss''s address, Conrad arrived at the pickup point. He was tall and could see clearly at a nce. Strange, why couldn''t he see anyone?


    Did he go to the wrong ce?


    Conrad looked up at the pickup point again. No, it was the third pickup point.


    After waiting for a few more minutes, suddenly, Conrad felt a vibration from the backpack. It was Katniss''s phone.


    Conrad quickly took out the phone, and it showed it was Juniper''s mom calling. Hesitating, Conrad answered the call, and before he could speak, he heard, "Katniss, did you pick up Juniper? We called Juniper, but her phone was off. She got off the ne and didn''t turn it on. It''s really worrying."


    Conrad''s heart sank. Something had happened.


    Conrad''s face turned serious as he ran towards the parking lot, calling Maximilian at the same time.


    "Mr. Hamilton, Mrs. Hamilton is missing..."


    In the surveince room, Maximilian was surrounded by a cold aura, his eyes dark as he watched the footage on the monitor.


    The surveince showed that when two men wearing baseball caps and masks, dressed in ck, passed by Katniss and Juniper, they suddenly went limp and were then carried away.


    Maximilian''s face was grim. "They used drugs."


    It was likely some kind of anesthetic, just a whiff and it would make people lose consciousness.


    The police acted quickly, checking the surveince and the license te.


    The license te was fake, making it impossible to track.


    And after the car drove into the suburbs, the surveince there was intermittent, cutting off the clues for a while.


    When Katniss groggily woke up, she found herself leaning against a hard and cold concrete b.


    She opened her eyes and saw dim lights above her. The surroundings were unusually quiet, with piles of misceneous items in the room.


    Where was this?


    Her hands and feet were still tied.


    "Awake, huh?" A sleazy voice came.


    In a blur, Katniss saw a blond man run out.


    She remembered. She was there to pick up Juniper. They were walking and chatting when someone bumped into them. Before she could say anything, she smelled a faint


    scent.


    She realized the scent was off, but before she could say anything, she felt dizzy and passed out, waking up here.


    Katniss twisted her stiff neck and saw Juniper, also tied up and unconscious, beside her. "Juniper, Juniper!" Katniss tried to wake her up.


    "Don''t worry, a ssh of water will wake her up." Footsteps approached, and Simon stood in front of Katniss, looking down at her with a fierce re. "Katniss, you dared to call the police. Do you think you own the police station? Since you treated me like this, now that you''re in my hands, I won''t let you off easy."


    Seeing Simon, Katniss understood everything.


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    The person who kidnapped her and Juniper was Simon.


    She knew Simon waswless, but she didn''t expect him to be this bold.


    But thinking back, Simon had even tried to kill Hestia in the hospital. He indeed had no limits.


    Katniss sneered, "As if you ever let me off easy before. Simon, does the Manners family know about this? Probably not. No one else is as stupid or as bold as you."


    Hearing Katniss''s words, Simon''s eyes shed with anger, and he pped her several times.


    He said viciously, "You really have a sharp tongue. What, trying to provoke me into making a mistake? Katniss, do you really think I''m that stupid?"


    After speaking, Simon kicked Juniper a few times, waking her up.


    As soon as Juniper woke up, Simon grabbed her by the hair and threatened Katniss, "Katniss, do you want to save your good friend?"


    Katniss''s eyes were cold as she said angrily, "Simon, let go of Juniper. I know you''re after me. This has nothing to do with her. Let''s settle this between us."


    Simon threw Juniper to the other two men and pped his hands, "Very good, sounds very righteous. I want to know if you really have the courage to take responsibility for your actions."


    Saying this, he threw a dagger to Katniss, "Scar your own face, and I''ll let Juniper go. Not only will I let her go, but I''ll also let you go."


    Juniper struggled and shouted, "Katniss, don''t listen to him. He has no sense of honor and won''t keep his word. Don''t fall for it."


    Simon, annoyed by Juniper, pped her and then told the other two men, "Take this woman out and gag her. She''s too noisy!"


    The two men nodded and did as Simon said.


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    Katniss felt a bit anxious, knowing that Maximilian would definitely send someone to rescue her, but before they arrived, she had to protect herself and Juniper.


    She forced herself to calm down and said, "You tied my hands and feet. How can I scar my own face?"


    From this, Katniss realized that Simon wasn''tpletely insane. At least, Simon didn''t want to bear more hatred and guilt. So, Simon wanted to teach her a lesson while reducing his own guilt, using Juniper to threaten her into self-harm.


    Simon sneered, cut the ropes on Katniss''s hands with the dagger, and warned, "I advise you not to have any bad ideas, or Juniper will suffer. Of course, if you''re willing to let Juniper take the fall for you, that''s fine too."


    Katniss bit her lip tightly and picked up the sharp, cold de.


    She raised her hand slightly, slowly bringing it close to her face, and asked, "If I do as


    you say, will you really let Juniper go?"


    Simon, a bit impatient, said, "Of course."


    He wasn''t really stupid. One enemy was enough; why make more?


    Besides, if Katniss ruined her face, would Maximilian still want her?


    Without Maximilian''s protection, what was Katniss? She would be at his mercy.


    Katniss nodded and then stared nkly at the dagger.


    Seeing her hesitation, Simon urged, "What, can''t do it? I knew it, your so-called friendship is fake. People are selfish. You used to act all high and mighty, but who were you trying to impress?"


    Katniss, with red eyes, looked at Simon, revealing pain, sadness, and an indescribable emotion.


    "What are you doing?" Simon felt this wasn''t the Katniss he knew.


    "Do you really want me to ruin my face?" Katniss asked.

 Chapter 207

    Katniss''s tone was gentle, with a hint of sobbing, "No matter what, you are my brother, we are twins. Are you really this heartless? Without a face, my life is over."


    Simon was taken aback, not expecting Katniss''s attitude to be so soft and to say such things.


    In his memory, Katniss did have such gentle moments, but after she left, her attitude became tough, her methods became ruthless, and she opposed them in everything. The cautious Katniss from before no longer existed.


    Seeing Simon in a daze, Katniss pressed on, "I hate you all, I despise you all. It''s because you are my brothers, but you all stand by ra''s side. I am jealous of her, why can she get your love without doing anything? But my life... do you know what my life at home was like?"


    Simon was irritated, "Where do you get so much nonsense?"


    Katniss showed a bit of disappointment on her face, "I was hoping for too much. Hoping to get my brothers'' love, but doing so much seems to have backfired."


    Katniss''s tone became more and more resentful, making Simon inexplicably annoyed, "Enough, stop talking. If you want to cut, then cut, stop acting here."


    That''s right, how could Katniss admit her mistake?


    She must be acting.


    Katniss gave a bitter smile, "I understand. Just, I hope you can keep your word for the sake of us being siblings. Once I am disfigured, I will have no way topete with ra anymore. By then, I hope..."


    At this point, Katniss lowered her head and then pleaded, "Can you turn around? I don''t want you to see me do it. Otherwise, if you regret itter, this will be a hurdle in your heart."


    Simon scratched his head, "Suit yourself."


    He turned his back to Katniss, and Katniss revealed a cold smile.


    Simon was indeed stupid.


    To turn his back on an enemy holding a sharp de.


    Katniss didn''t hesitate, she directly cut the rope on her feet. She slowly stood up, her legs a bit numb, she slightly supported herself against the wall.


    But Simon actually reacted immediately.


    He was just deceived by Katniss''s pretense, when he turned around, he indeed saw


    Katniss had already cut the rope and was standing up shakily.


    Simon gritted his teeth and rushed over, "Katniss, how dare you deceive me."


    Katniss blocked with the dagger, cutting Simon''s arm.


    He turned his head, his face sinister and terrifying, wanting to hit Katniss, but seeing the dagger in her hand, he didn''t dare to approach.


    Simon immediately shouted to the people outside the door, "What are you standing there for, tie her up quickly."


    Two other people rushed in.


    Katniss gripped the dagger tightly with both hands, facing those who were about to rush up, she tried to stay calm, "It''s been about an hour since we went missing. I believe the police will be here soon, the wisest move now is to leave, otherwise, once caught, you will spend the rest of your life in prison."


    "Simon didn''t tell you, did he? I am Maximilian''s wife, if anything happens to me, you, including your rtives and friends, will not have a good end."


    The few people looked at each other, but didn''t move forward.


    Simon gritted his teeth, "This woman is very vicious, don''t listen to her sweet talk. I was almost deceived by her just now, the police won''t find this ce so quickly. Don''t listen to her nonsense, do it quickly, I''ll pay more."


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    "Money?" Katniss sneered, her voice carrying a bit of temptation, "Does the Manners family''s money have more than the Hamilton family? Plus the Davis family, you can think about it, who can offer more, us or him!"


    Seeing the few people hesitating, Katniss continued, "Simon is my brother, this is a family matter, you shouldn''t get involved. He is good for nothing but eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, all his money is given by our eldest brother. But, the family has long given up on him for his crimes, the money he promised you won''t get."


    The few people looked at Simon suspiciously.


    Simon panicked, "Don''t listen to her nonsense, I have plenty of money. But if you believe her, you''re doomed. She will call the police to arrest you, do you think she will be lenient with you?"


    The few people''s eyes turned fierce again.


    Katniss was moreposed than before, "I am turning in Simon because he provoked me. But before that, I had no enmity with you. I don''t ask for anything else, as long as you leave, I promise the money will still be given. He is already running away, abandoned by the Manners family, think carefully about following him."


    Simon shouted loudly, "Go, go, don''t be deceived by her."


    He was really anxious.


    He knew the people he hired were unreliable, but he didn''t expect them to be this unreliable.


    These fools, if they used their brains a little, they would know Katniss''s words couldn''t be trusted.


    At this moment, Juniper hopped over, she had already spat out the towel in her mouth, and said, "There is quite a bit of cash and valuable items in my backpack, you must have seen it."


    Seeing those people looking at her, Juniper continued, "There are also two cards, together they have about five or six hundred thousand dors. As long as you untie me and leave, I will give you the passwords."


    "Who knows if it''s true." Someone asked.


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    "A mere five or six hundred thousand dors is nothing to me." Juniper said disdainfully, "Compared to my life, it''s not worth mentioning. Do I need to lie about this? If you don''t want it, forget it. Anyway, the police areing."


    Simon cursed angrily.


    No money, and still being scolded.


    Those people were even more dissatisfied with Simon.


    And Juniper threw another bombshell, "I''m not lying. My family is very wealthy, and I have been kidnapped before. To protect me, my dad had a tracker installed on me, so the police will be here soon."


    Those people discussed among themselves, took Juniper and Katniss''s valuables, and then ran away.


    Simon was furious.


    Seeing those people leave, Katniss was also relieved, she looked at Simon and mocked, "Don''t bother running, you''ll be caught anyway."


    Simon red at her viciously.


    Katniss ignored him and used the dagger to untie Juniper.


    But unexpectedly, at this moment, Simon, with a sinister face, found a shovel from


    somewhere and swung it straight at Katniss''s back.


    "Watch out!"


    Juniper pushed Katniss, but it was still toote, Katniss''s shoulder was heavily hit, and


    she cked out and fainted.

 Chapter 208

    When Katniss woke up, she was in a hospital.


    She opened her eyes to a dimly lit room, the familiar smell of disinfectant in the air.


    Stiffly lifting her head, she saw Maximilian sitting on a chair beside her. The warm yellow light cast his profile into a picture, gentle and serene.


    There seemed to be a hint of fatigue on his face.


    Hearing the noise, Maximilian looked up.


    Then he reached over to press the bell and slowly helped Katniss sit up, "How are you feeling?"


    Katniss frowned, her voice a bit hoarse, "I just feel pain all over, especially... ah..."


    She moved her right shoulder, feeling a sharp pain.


    "Shoulder," Katniss''s face scrunched up, "It hurts the most."


    Maximilianforted her, "The doctor said it''s nothing serious, don''t worry."


    Katniss remembered the kidnapping and quickly asked, "Is Juniper okay? What about Simon, did they catch him? And those who escaped, were they caught too?"


    Maximilian looked at Katniss''s condition, with bandages on her forehead and hands, feeling a bit helpless.


    She was in such a state, yet still worried about others.


    However, to ease her worries, Maximilian patiently answered, "Don''t worry, Juniper is fine, she''s in another ward."


    "Yesterday, Juniper insisted on staying by your bedside untilte at night. She couldn''t hold on any longer and the doctor gave her some sedatives to help her sleep."


    Katniss breathed a sigh of relief.


    As long as Juniper was okay, otherwise, she would feel guilty for implicating Juniper.


    "As for Simon and the others," at this point, a hint of ruthlessness shed in Maximilian''s eyes, his tone carrying a bit of coldness, "They were all caught, not a single one escaped. Simon was shot in the leg while trying to escape, and then Conrad broke his leg. He''s now being treated in the hospital."


    Katniss pursed her lips and weakly asked, "Was that allowed?"


    After all, there were police present at the time.


    Without interrogation and conviction, Simon was just a suspect, and beating him up seemed inappropriate.


    Maximilian''s face was cold, his expression indifferent, "Of course not. But the victim''s friends and family were too angry, and it was hard to prevent them. Besides, Simon didn''t dare to say anything, and they wouldn''t interfere."


    Simon was already in a dire situation, and causing more trouble would only make his sentence heavier.


    During their conversation, the doctor came in, followed by Jesse.


    Seeing Katniss, he immediately started chattering, "Katniss, what were you doing? How did you end up like this? Is your hand okay? You''re going to be a doctor, especially with your Shadow Acupuncture technique, if..."


    Jesse swallowed the rest of his words.


    Because he saw Maximilian''s eyes suddenly turn cold and ruthless.


    After the doctor finished the examination and gave some instructions about the shoulder injury needing rest, he left the ward.


    Only Jesse was left, who plopped down at the end of Katniss''s bed, "You look like you''re recovering well. You don''t know, when Maximilian carried you in yesterday, his face was so cold, I thought he was going to go on a killing spree."


    Jesse had never seen Maximilian like that in all these years.


    Maximilian, being a capitalist, always kept his emotions in check, not letting others see his true feelings.


    But yesterday, Maximilian''s demeanor was truly frightening.


    He even suspected that if something really happened to Katniss...


    Jesse turned his head and met Maximilian''s gaze. Thetter was looking at him with a half-smile.


    Katniss nced at Maximilian, then corrected, "Dr. Jesse, as a doctor, can you be more precise with your words? What do you mean by ''going on a killing spree''? Maximilian is not that kind of person."


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    Although Maximilian was a bit cold, he was very gentle most of the time.


    Katniss looked up and gave Maximilian a sweet smile.


    Maximilian looked at her smile for a few seconds before his expression softened.


    "Get more rest, and don''t let irrelevant people talk too much. Otherwise, it will affect your intelligence."


    Jesseined, "Can you two stop showing off your love? This is a hospital, there are other people here."


    Katniss looked innocent.


    She was just telling the truth, how was that showing off?


    Jesse must have been single for too long, unable to stand seeing men and women interacting normally.


    Maximilian ignored him, just looked at his watch and said warmly, "I have some things to take care of, Mira should be here soon. She will be taking care of you for now."


    She wanted to ask, with Mira taking care of her, what about the house?


    But she felt it was unnecessary.


    Maximilian always had everything arranged.


    So, Katniss obediently nodded again.


    As Maximilian left the room, he pulled Jesse out with him, thetter yelling, "Hey, if you have something to do, go ahead. I have nothing to do. Besides, I have a lot to talk about with Katniss. Don''t pull my cor, Maximilian, I need to maintain my image!"


    The soundproofing of the ward was excellent, and Jesse''s screams gradually faded away.


    Katniss looked around the VIP ward, a single suite with two rooms, fully equipped, feeling like home, veryfortable.


    No wonder the soundproofing was so good.


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    Some money was well spent.


    After leaving the ward, Maximilian got into the car, with Emilio following closely behind.


    He lowered his voice and respectfully said, "Mr. Hamilton, the word has been spread."


    The word was out that anyone who dared to interfere with Simon''s case would be going against the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family. No one would risk offending them to cause trouble.


    Simple and straightforward.


    "Good." Maximilian''s expression remained unchanged, responding lightly.


    This time, Simon had really crossed the line.


    Compared to the calm on Katniss''s side, the Manners family was in chaos.


    ra sat nearby, looking annoyed as Elodie cried and wailed.


    One problem after another!


    No matter how much they guarded, they couldn''t prevent Simon from causing trouble.


    She didn''t know how Dn arranged things, but he couldn''t even keep an eye on one person.


    Gabriel was also very concerned about this matter, even directly ordering her not to go


    to the hospital to take care of Desmond, but to first find out what was going on with Simon.


    ra had found out, but it felt even more terrifying.


    Simon causing a hit-and-run was already bad enough, but now it was said to involve


    kidnapping.


    Simon was trulywless.


    Even if he wanted to get back at Katniss, couldn''t he use a smarter way?


    She was furious with Simon, he was truly a failure.

 Chapter 209

    Elodie''s eyes were red from crying, and she spoke with a hint of usation, "Dn, what on earth were you thinking? Didn''t you say everything was arranged perfectly? How could Simon do such a thing?"


    Hiring a criminal to kidnap Katniss, only to be caught red-handed by the police.


    Hearing Elodie say this, Dn''s previously calm face showed signs of cracking.


    What a mess.


    Who would have thought Simon would change his mind halfway and go after Katniss? Simon must have lost his mind.


    He was already in enough trouble, and now he had to be med by his mother.


    From childhood to adulthood, Simon was the most useless, but he had a sweet mouth and could always make their motherugh, so he was her favorite.


    Simon was spoiled growing up.


    He and ra were the youngest.


    It didn''t matter if Simon was favored a bit more when they were kids, but who would have thought he would turn out like this as an adult.


    "Maybe we shouldn''t have spoiled him so much," Dn didn''t respond to Elodie''s words, his handsome face wrapped in coldness. "Otherwise, how would he dare to be so audacious?"


    It was because he and Lucas had always helped Simon with everything, big or small, that Simon had be so reckless, doing whatever he wanted.


    Elodie felt ufortable hearing this, "What''s the use of saying this now? The important thing is to get him out. Those police are really something, I heard Simon''s leg is broken, and they won''t even let us see him. It''s so heartless."


    Lucas thought his mother was being unreasonable. The police station wasn''t theirs. and Simon was a suspect in a criminal case. It wasn''t that easy to see him.


    Seeing Lucas not speaking, Elodie turned her fire on him, "Lucas, what about you? Aren''t you a big boss? You know so many people, can''t you do something?"


    Lucas furrowed his brow and shook his head, "No."


    "How can that be?" Elodie had always gotten what she wanted, and even when the kids had problems, they were quickly resolved. She couldn''t believe it was so hard to ask for a favor.


    Lucas was extremely frustrated. He tugged at his cor, "That''s just how it is. People are avoiding us. Maximilian has made it clear that anyone who helps Simon is going against the Hamilton family and the Boleyn family."


    Dealing with the Boleyn family alone was hard enough, and now with the Hamilton family too, who else in the Manners family could survive?


    Elodie was incredulous, "What right does Maximilian have to say that? Is he really listening to that little bitch Katniss? What kind of spell has Katniss cast on him?"


    At this moment, a cold snort came from upstairs, and Nathan slowly walked down, "Isn''t Katniss the most useless in your eyes? How could she have the power to order Maximilian around?"


    Nathan found these people amusing.


    They couldn''t see anything clearly. They treated trash like treasures and despised real gems.


    If the Manners family didn''t wake up, they were headed for copse.


    Nathan''s lips curled into a mocking smile as he slowly walked to the sofa and sat down.


    Elodie didn''t have harsh words for Nathan. He had always been in poor health and was quite reclusive. Seeing his pale face, she couldn''t help but say, "Let Lucas and Dn worry about these things. You should go back to your room and rest."


    One son was already in trouble; she didn''t want anything to happen to Nathan too.


    Nathan didn''t have much of an issue with his mother. Seeing her tone was still kind, he suggested, "I think, since no one else can help, the Boleyn family might be able to."


    His eyes, as deep as a well, looked at ra.


    "ra, since you''re Desmond''s future wife, you should have some way, right?" Nathan coughed a few times and continued, "Simon cared for you so much and caused a lot of trouble for Katniss because of you. In the end, it was all for you. Now that he''s in trouble, you can''t just ignore it."


    ra had enjoyed the Manners family''s love for so many years; it was time to give something back.


    She couldn''t always cry and act weak, leaving others to bear everything.


    Everyone''s eyes turned to ra.


    In the past, neither Lucas nor Dn would have thought to involve ra in such matters.


    But ra was about to get married.


    And Nathan was right.


    No matter what, ra was engaged to Desmond and was half a member of the Boleyn family. If the Boleyn family pleaded for her, it wouldn''t be considered going against them.


    ra''s future father-inw Gabriel was Maximilian''s biological father. Even if their rtionship wasn''t great, he could still speak up for her.


    ra''s face changed.


    She hadn''t expected the focus to turn to her.


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    If she had a way, she wouldn''t be here listening to their usations.


    ra''s eyes welled up, and she looked aggrieved, "I''m only engaged, not married yet. And you know Desmond''s position is awkward. If I go to help, Maximilian won''t just refuse; he''ll be even angrier."


    "You can use a roundabout way," Nathan pressed on, "Who said you had to plead directly? I heard that although Maximilian looks down on Desmond, he isn''t too harsh. No matter what, they are father and son, and they still have some semnce of a rtionship. As long as they don''tpletely fall out, there''s hope."


    Lucas thought this made some sense and nodded, "That''s right, ra, give it a try. Even if it doesn''t work, we won''t me you."


    ra didn''t know how to refuse.


    She knew that in this situation, the Manners family was pinning their hopes on her and wouldn''t consider her difficulties.


    And with Nathan now siding with Katniss, if she didn''t agree, the others would be unhappy.


    She hadn''t married into the Boleyn family yet, and her position with Desmond wasn''t


    that secure. She couldn''t afford to offend her brothers.


    So ra reluctantly agreed, "I''ll try."


    "Let Mom go with you," Nathan suggested, "It''ll be easier to talk with an elder present."


    Easier to talk, my foot!


    ra was furious.


    Nathan clearly didn''t trust her to go alone and wanted Elodie to ensure she actually


    went to Desmond.


    ra was unwilling, but what could she do?


    She was stuck and had no choice but to go to the hospital.

 Chapter 210

    For Elodie, if there was a way to save Simon, she would try anything.


    She also thought that ra was so weak that she wouldn''t be able to speak up when the time came. With her help, Desmond shouldn''t refuse.


    Without further ado, the two of them took a car to the hospital.


    ra dawdled as she got out of the car, clutching her stomach and saying, "Mom, my stomach hurts a bit. I need to go to the restroom first. I''ll be right back."


    Since leaving the Manners Manor, Elodie had been by her side the whole time, leaving ra no chance to call Desmond. So she used this excuse.


    Elodie didn''t think much of it and went straight to Desmond''s room.


    When Elodie arrived, Desmond had just finished talking to ra and had a good idea of what was going on.


    He greeted Elodie warmly and then feigned ignorance, "Mom, what brings you here?" Elodie''s face was grim as she forced a smile, "I came to see you."


    Desmond sneered inwardly.


    Like mother, like son.


    Last time, Simon also said he came to see him but brought nothing, and Elodie was the


    same.


    Although he was the younger one, if they were truly visiting a patient, they should have brought something.


    However, Desmond didn''t expose her and just made small talk, "I''m doing okay. I should be able to leave the hospital in a while."


    Elodie had something on her mind and didn''t really pay attention to what she was saying to Desmond.


    She was just puzzled as to why ra hadn''te yet.


    After thinking for a moment, Elodie decided to speak up herself, "Desmond, I have a favor to ask of you."


    Desmond looked surprised, "Mom, what are you talking about? Just tell me what you need."


    Elodie then began to cry andin, saying that Katniss had caused Simon to be arrested, and Maximilian was protecting Katniss. She had no choice but to ask Desmond for help.


    Desmond maintained a polite facade and said, "I''ve heard a bit about this, but Mom, you know my rtionship with Maximilian. Once he decides to do something, no one can stop him. Not me, not my dad, not my grandpa, not even Maximilian''s grandfather Samuel."


    Elodie didn''t believe him and pretended to kneel, "I''m begging you. Simon was just momentarily confused. If he really wanted to hurt Katniss, how could the police have found her? Katniss was too much, and Simon just wanted to teach her a lesson." Desmond sighed and, with a gentle but firm attitude, refused, "Mom, actually, instead of asking me for help, you should go to Katniss. After all, Katniss is your biological daughter. If you beg her, she won''t ignore you."


    He didn''t want to get involved in such a tricky matter.


    Elodie''s expression turned strange.


    Beg Katniss?


    She hadn''t even thought about it. She was already restraining herself from tearing that ungrateful Katniss apart, let alone begging her.


    Desmond rubbed his forehead and then said, "Sorry, Mom, I''m feeling a bit dizzy and need to rest. How about you ask my dad when I wake up? I''m really not feeling well right now."


    Elodie knew Desmond was asking her to leave.


    Desmond was, after all, a member of the Boleyn family. Whether he was an illegitimate child or not, his status was there.


    Elodie didn''t stay long and turned to leave the room.


    She was anxious and unwilling. Did she really have to beg that little bitch Katniss?


    At this moment, ra, who had pretended to have a stomachache, came over. Desmond had texted her saying he had refused, so she dared toe over. Seeing ra, Elodie looked displeased and said, "You have good timing."


    ra quickly took Elodie''s arm and apologized, "Mom, what are you talking about? I don''t know how I got a stomachache. Where''s Desmond? Let''s go talk to him now."


    "I already did, but he said he couldn''t do it," Elodie said unhappily. "He even told me to go find Katniss. Can you believe that?"


    ra gentlyforted her, "Mom, don''t be angry. Desmond''s temper has been a bit off since the car ident. But don''t worry, I''ll sweet-talk him for a few days, and when he''s in a better mood, I''ll bring it up again."


    ra looked like she was doing her best.


    Seeing ra like this, Elodie''s anger subsided a bit. Thinking of Desmond''s lukewarm attitude, she said, "Alright,e with me to find Katniss. Isn''t she also in this hospital?"


    ra was stunned, "Are you really going? Will she agree?"


    "No matter what, we have to try," Elodie said confidently.


    Desmond was right about one thing: Katniss was still her biological daughter.


    If Katniss didn''t agree, she would threaten to kneel.


    Katniss wouldn''t want to be known as someone who mistreated her own mother, so she would have toply.


    ra knew she couldn''t refuse this time.


    Otherwise, her years of pretending would be for nothing.


    They found Katniss''s room and knocked on the door. A tall, fierce-looking man opened


    it.


    They knew who he was.


    He was Conrad, the bodyguard Maximilian had arranged for ra.


    Conrad looked down at them, "What do you want?"


    ra said softly, "We''re here to see Katniss."


    Conrad snorted, "Mr. Hamilton ordered that no one is allowed to see Mrs. Hamilton without his permission."


    Although Maximilian hadn''t given such an order.


    But they were all people Katniss didn''t like.


    So he made up the order.


    Elodie wasn''t willing to be dismissed by a bodyguard and said, "Let Katnisse out


    and talk to us herself."


    Conrad rolled his eyes.


    Who did she think she was?


    She dared to use such amanding tone?


    Maximilian and Katniss always spoke gently and politely to each other.


    Conrad didn''t say anything. He was tall and strong, blocking the door and not budging an inch.


    If they weren''t women, he would have thrown them out long ago. There wouldn''t be so much talking.


    Seeing this, Elodie shouted, "Katniss,e out! Katniss, do you have any conscience? How can you treat Simon like this? Back then..."


    Elodie rambled on, making Conrad anxious and unsure of what to do.


    Conrad wanted to cover Elodie''s mouth, but he couldn''t touch a woman, so he had no choice but to close the door.


    The single room was a suite.


    Katniss still heard the shouting outside and opened the inner door.


    Conrad turned and saw Katniss standing at the inner door in her hospital gown.


    She looked cold, "Let them in."

 Chapter 211

    Conrad was stunned.


    Katniss smiled sweetly, "With you here, we won''t have trouble handling a few people, right?"


    She was curious to see what Elodie and the others were up to.


    Would they still act all high and mighty, or would they lower their proud heads for Simon?


    Conrad felt a surge of pride; Katniss actually trusted him so much!


    When the two were brought into the ward by Conrad, Katniss was sitting at the table inside, enjoying her meal.


    Hearing their footsteps, she didn''t even bother to look up.


    It was Elodie who, seeing Katniss''s posture, felt as if she had been pricked by a needle, and a wave of anger surged in her heart, "Katniss, what is your heart made of? You''re fine, but you sent your fourth brother Simon in? His leg is broken now, and if it doesn''t heal properly, he''ll be crippled."


    Katniss frowned and stopped what she was doing, "So you''re here to talk nonsense. Conrad, throw them out."


    If you''re asking for help, you should have the right attitude.


    Not this high and mighty demeanor.


    "Katniss, what do you want?" Elodie was anxious.


    If Katniss didn''t want to help her, Simon was really done for!


    Katniss waved her hand at Conrad, then took out a tissue to wipe her mouth, smiling at them, "Did you get the point wrong? You insisted oning in, I didn''t invite you. If you still can''t learn how to talk, then I don''t think we have anything to discuss."


    Elodie was so angry that her chest heaved.


    She really couldn''t bring herself to lower her pride and speak softly to Katniss.


    ra quickly tried to smooth things over, "Katniss, can you let Simon go? He''s really miserable, his leg is broken. You know, if he goes to jail, he might havesting effects. We''re all family, can''t we talk things out?"


    "Yeah." Katniss followed ra''s words, "Did Simon talk to me nicely? What did he do? Besides, hemitted a crime, it''s not up to me to decide whether he goes free or not."


    These people are really presumptuous.


    ra looked guilty, "Sorry, Simon was impulsive. We promise, once he''s out, he''ll


    behave. He won''t bother you anymore. And if you write a letter of forgiveness, he''ll be fine soon."


    "You''re asking me?"


    "Yes, we''re asking you."


    Katniss found it somewhat amusing, "Just saying it?"


    ra bit her lip, then said, "What do you want us to do?"


    Katniss thought for a moment, then smiled, "p yourself a few times first."


    "What?"


    Katniss was intrigued, "Don''t understand?"


    ra looked at Elodie with a face full of grievance, and Elodie immediately said, "What do you mean? Katniss, when did you be so vicious!?"


    Katniss shook her head, disapprovingly, "See, I knew you weren''t sincerely apologizing.


    If that''s the case, there''s no need to talk, leave and don''t disturb my rest."


    ra bit her lip, "I, I''ll p myself."


    She raised her arm and lightly pped her face, then looked at Katniss.


    Katniss sneered, "Are you scratching an itch?"


    She then looked at Elodie, "You do it. If it''s not hard enough, forget it."


    ra, with a troubled expression, immediately said, "I''ll do it myself."


    If Elodie did it, she might not know her own strength, and ra would suffer.


    But even if she did it herself, she was making a big sacrifice for Simon.


    Though it looked harder than before, it still didn''t satisfy Katniss''s anger.


    "Compared to the p Simon gave Juniper, this is nothing."


    ra was unhappy, "What do you mean? I pped myself, are you going to help or not?"


    "No." Katniss quickly gave her answer.


    Elodie was so angry she wanted to fight Katniss, but with Conrad standing close by, she could only use, "Are you ying with us?"


    Katniss shrugged, "Shouldn''t you have the right attitude when asking for help? Neither you nor ra are sincere. Do you think a couple of light ps can make up for Simon''s mistake?"


    Did they really think they had any weight with her, Katniss?


    ra''s eyes filled with tears, "You''re ying with us."


    Katniss didn''t care to admit, "Your brain finally worked for a moment."


    It took them long enough to realize.


    Elodie looked at Katniss in disbelief, "You, you dare..."


    Katniss waved her hand and then instructed Conrad, "Please see them out, I need to rest."


    After she finished speaking, Conrad''s eyes widened, staring at the two, making them leave the ward cursing.


    ra was filled with hatred, she had wanted to show Elodie that she had tried her best. But she didn''t expect this oue.


    She had known it.


    Katniss wouldn''t agree so easily.


    But Katniss was in a good mood.


    She didn''t expect ra to have such a day.


    However, she didn''t know what ra was up to, clearly married to Desmond, yet still trying to please the Manners family.


    If ra had a sudden change of heart and genuinely wanted to help Simon, Katniss wouldn''t believe it for a second.


    In thete afternoon, Katniss was sitting by the bed watching the sunset. Conrad suddenly walked in, "Mrs. Hamilton, someone from the Manners family is here again."


    "Don''t see them, tell them to get lost." They were disturbing her sunset watching. "It''s that guy, Nathan." Conrad scratched his head.


    A polite sickly guy.


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    He didn''t seem to bother Katniss much.


    For such a person, he couldn''t be harsh, so he reported it.


    Hearing the name, Katniss was stunned but remained expressionless.


    She wanted to refuse, but then thought, she was bored while recovering anyway. Since


    the Manners family was willing to keeping to be scolded, she was happy to watch


    the show.


    Nathan looked weaker than before, walking very slowly.


    He didn''t have anyone to take care of him.


    Katniss raised an eyebrow, taking the initiative, "If you''re here to plead, don''t bother. ra and the others have been here, you know the result, right? The Manners family is all the same to me."


    Nathan nodded, he really couldn''t stand for long, and asked, "Can I sit and talk?" Katniss frowned.


    Sit if you want, why use that tone, and look so pitiful.


    Spending too much time with ra, he had learned the art of appearing weak.


    Katniss rolled her eyes, "Whatever."


    She wanted to see what Nathan was up to.


    After Nathan sat down, he coughed a few times, then asked, "How''s your injury?"


    "Pretty good."


    "I heard you got hit with a shovel, was it serious?"


    "Not too bad." Katniss answered while pondering Nathan''s intention, "It missed, I was lucky."


    Otherwise, that shovel would have ruined half her shoulder.


    Hearing this, Nathan couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief, "That''s good, now you


    have someone to protect and care for you, I''m d."


    Katniss frowned, losing patience, and said coldly, "Stop beating around the bush, what do you want? If it''s to plead, then leave. I don''t want to waste words."

 Chapter 212

    Nathan coughed lightly a few times.


    It was clear that he was suppressing himself, not wanting his cough to disturb Katniss.


    If he could cough freely, it would help clear the congestion in his body, which wouldn''t be a bad thing. But suppressing it like Nathan did could have the opposite effect.


    In the past, Katniss would have reminded him, but now she couldn''t care less.


    Nathan coughed for a while, then showed a helpless smile, "I just came to see you. Now that I see you''re okay, I feel relieved."


    Nathan must have taken the wrong medicine.


    However, he pulled this trickst time too. Afterwards, he didn''t do much.


    Compared to the other troublemakers in the Manners family, Nathan was quiet and silent, and indeed had the least conflict with her.


    But it might also be because of his health.


    People like ra and Simon, who are openly bad, can be guarded against. But those like Dn and Nathan, who might y tricks in the dark, are more troublesome.


    Katniss wouldn''t be fooled by Nathan''s words, "You guys can''t use force, so you sent you to y weak? I''m telling you, it''s useless. If it weren''t for our luck, or Simon being too stupid, I wouldn''t be sitting here talking to you."


    Nathan was silent for a moment, then sighed slightly, "I know, we''ve hurt you deeply in the past. So, you don''t trust my intentions. I can''t control others, but Katniss, I genuinely want the best for you. I owe you an apology."


    Is he acting now?


    Katniss was momentarily speechless, staring at Nathan with aplex look.


    In her past life, she was gentle and hardworking, but ended up in a miserable situation.


    In this life, from the moment she came back, she didn''t want to wrong herself, saying what she wanted to say, cursing when she wanted to curse, not caring about these people.


    Now, with Nathan''s attitude.


    It made her feel that if she cursed him out, she would seem like a shrew.


    Katniss didn''t speak for a moment.


    Nathan looked deeply at Katniss, "I apologize to you. I blindly believed ra before, but now I see clearly. Katniss, seeing you living like this now, I am genuinely happy for you."


    "You don''t need to be so hypocritical now." Katniss''s face turned slightly cold, she really wasn''t good at speaking warmly to the Manners family, "Don''t apologize, it''s useless. If it had been earlier, maybe it would have been different. But the harm is done, it''s toote."


    It''s not like she has to ept his apology.


    Nathan smiled, slowly stood up, "I know. I didn''t expect you to forgive me, I just wanted to tell you, if you need my help with anything, you cane to me."


    Katniss sneered, "Don''t say such hypocritical polite words. Don''t fool yourself, if I asked you to help me deal with the Manners family, would you?"


    Nathan was silent.


    He sighed, "I understand."


    A look of resignation.


    Katniss felt a bit annoyed.


    Nathan suddenly bing like this, seemingly reasonable, made her very ufortable.


    Watching him walk out of the inner room, then to the outer room, Katniss was really surprised.


    Could Nathan really havee to see her?


    Or did he know that pleading was useless, so he deliberately said such ambiguous words?


    Nathan''s behavior left Katniss puzzled.


    At this moment, Katniss heard a noise outside the door.


    Conrad ran out to check.


    "Mrs. Hamilton, that man fainted."


    "What?" Katniss jumped out of bed, ran to the door, and saw Nathan lying on the ground, lips pale and face blue.


    Conrad ran to call the doctor and nurse.


    This was the high-end ward area, with few peopleing and going. The doctors were aware of each patient''s condition, and emergencies were rare, so it would take a while for anyone to notice.


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    Katniss bit her lip, squatted down, and checked his pulse.


    Nathan''s pulse was weak and floating, his heart and lungs were not strong.


    Compared to before she left home, Nathan''s health had deteriorated several times.


    But this was not surprising, her care before was not superficial, she had researched various remedies day and night, trying every way to nourish Nathan''s body.


    After all, someone like Nathan, generally speaking, couldn''t handle strong supplements. Forcing strong supplements would only backfire.


    Medical staff arrived with a stretcher, taking Nathan for emergency treatment.


    Although his health was poor, Nathan was not in immediate danger, and Katniss didn''t want to meddle, so she went back inside to continue watching her sunset. However, Nathan''s words still affected her mood.


    Although she constantly warned herself not to be overly sympathetic, would Nathan die without her intervention?


    Nathan''s health deteriorated so quickly, the Manners family was so wealthy, but they didn''t seem to care much about Nathan''s well-being?


    In the past, Nathan always felt sorry for himself, thinking he was a burden. Later, with Katniss''s care andpanionship, he slowly got better and regained his confidence. But her sincere heart was misced.


    Thinking of this, Katniss became clear-headed again.


    She knocked on her head, "Katniss, feeling sorry for the Manners family is the beginning of bad luck!"


    So, she had to stick to her stance. Katniss stood up, went back to the ward, and closed the door.


    Nathan fainting and being taken for emergency treatment rmed the Manners family. This was really one wave after another.


    Elodie felt like she was about to copse, but at this most difficult time, Oliver was nowhere to be seen.


    She was furious, calling Oliver, but either the call was hung up or went unanswered.


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    "Lucas, where''s your dad?" she paced outside the emergency room, "Nathan is like this, and he still doesn''t show up? What could be so important?"


    Probably with his little mistress.


    Thinking of this, Elodie was red with anger. Lucas wanted to say, even if Oliver came, it wouldn''t help, but he still had to notify him. So he said, "I''ll contact him. But mom, if dades, can you not argue?"


    He was really annoyed.


    The whole family was a mess.


    Elodie snorted and said nothing.


    The emergency room light went off, the doctor came out, and the Manners family surrounded him.


    The doctor said, "His body is very weak now, the condition has started to deteriorate, and it''s progressing quite quickly. We''ve mentioned before, that n might work, but it also carries great risks, you need to be prepared."


    The doctor left after speaking.


    Elodie covered her face and cried, "What did I do to deserve this, God, if you have any grievances, take them out on me, don''t torment my sons!"


    Lucas felt extremely annoyed.


    The Manners family was a big family, but now outside the emergency room, it was just him and his mother.


    Father Oliver was missing.


    Dn had an important seminar.


    Nathan was lying down.


    Simon was at the police station.


    ra?


    Not even married yet, and her heart and mind were already with the Boleyn family.


    He always felt that the Manners family was on the verge of copse.

 Chapter 213

    As soon as Dn finished the meeting, he rushed over.


    After receiving Lucas''s reply, he didn''t expect Nathan''s condition to be so serious this time.


    "How did he suddenly pass out?" Dn asked, puzzled.


    Lucas took a deep breath, "I heard he passed out right aftering out of Katniss''s room."


    The two exchanged a nce.


    Could it be that Katniss said something that upset him?


    But Dn quickly dismissed the thought.


    He was also a doctor. Harsh words might not be good for the condition, but it wouldn''t be this severe.


    They knew Nathan''s physical condition very well.


    Dn adjusted his sses and said calmly, "Lucas, it seems we still need to find Katniss."


    Previously, the doctors, including himself, thought Nathan was beyond help.


    However, Katnisster learned some massage techniques and made medicinal meals from somewhere, which actually slowly improved Nathan''s condition visibly.


    But then, Katniss left.


    Nathan''s condition worsened.


    Lucas didn''t understand for a moment and felt irritated, "What''s the use of finding her? Even if we scold her, will Nathan''s illness get better? To be honest, this time it''s not entirely Katniss''s fault."


    If Nathan hadn''t gone to find Katniss, he wouldn''t have been scolded.


    Dn remained calm and patiently exined, "I mean, we should ask Katniss to help treat Nathan."


    Lucas was stunned. He also remembered how well Katniss had taken care of Nathan before. But now...


    "Will she be willing?" Lucas didn''t dare to hope.


    Katniss was quite remarkable now.


    "That''s why we need to ask her," Dn sighed slightly, "Sometimes, we have to do this. For Nathan, some pride can be set aside."


    Lucas scratched his head, not knowing what to do.


    Asking Katniss for help was really hard for him to swallow his pride.


    The two brothers talked quietly outside, and the gloomy atmosphere slowly spread,


    making Oliver, who had just arrived, feel a sense of foreboding.


    He asked, "How is Nathan?"


    Lucas nced at Oliver without speaking.


    Ever since getting involved with Laura, Oliver had be more and more disrespectful.


    Dn slowly exined the situation, including the need to ask Katniss for help.


    Oliver frowned and thought for a moment, "Which room is she in? I''ll go."


    Lucas was somewhat surprised. Oliver still seemed to have some sense of being a father.


    Dn stopped him, "Dad, even if we go, we need toe up with a n. We can''t use the same attitude as before. Now we are the ones asking for help."


    Oliver was indifferent, "No matter how much Katniss was adopted by someone else or married into a wealthy family, she is still my daughter. That won''t change. Does she really dare to refuse?"


    Lucas and Dn were speechless.


    Their father had always had things go his way and couldn''t see reality.


    Dn said helplessly, "If you want to go, then go."


    Only by being truly rejected would he wake up.


    Oliver acted immediately, even though it waste, and went straight to Katniss without considering if she needed rest. But he didn''t even see Katniss and was "invited" out by Conrad.


    In front of the fierce Conrad, Oliver was very sensible and left without saying a word, then informed his sons of the result, telling them to figure it out themselves and went back.


    Dn was silent.


    He wondered if Oliver did it on purpose so that no one would gossip, as he had already tried his best as a father.


    But it seemed Oliver''s actions were very perfunctory.


    The next day, when Katniss woke up, Conrad reported the situation from the previous night.


    Katniss thought for a moment and called Wesley, telling him not to be soft-hearted if the Manners family came to him for help.


    Although she knew Wesley''s family was sensible, she was afraid the Manners family might use some tricks to gain Wesley''s sympathy.


    Wesley repeatedly assured her and told Katniss to take care of herself, saying they wouldn''t be easily fooled.


    As Katniss expected, the Manners family went to Wesley.


    Probably because they were used to ordering them around, they still acted arrogantly this time.


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    Wesley remained polite and silent.


    Until Elodie used amanding tone to tell them to talk to Katniss and not be so heartless, and to treat Nathan, Wesley couldn''t hold back.


    He spat and then angrily scolded, "What right do you have to say that? Elodie, who do you think you are? Katniss was unlucky toe from your womb. But fortunately, she has a good husband now. Katniss is our daughter now. She has nothing to do with you."


    "Let me tell you, Elodie, I''ve tolerated you for a long time. We won''t mention the past. If you have no shame, I won''t be polite. I may not have other skills, but I can tell the neighbors and your sons'' friends and colleagues the truth."


    Elodie was stunned with anger.


    The usually honest Wesley not only scolded but said so much.


    "You..."


    "What you?" Elodie hadn''t finished speaking when Wesley interrupted again, "This is your and Oliver''s retribution. You tormented your daughter, and now you want her to willingly do your bidding. Dream on!"


    Lucas coughed lightly and then said, "Wesley, my mom might have expressed it wrong. She didn''t mean that, she just..."


    Wesley waved his hand and threw the gifts they brought out the door, "Don''t waste your breath. Take your things and leave. If you want Katniss''s help, go find her yourself. Do you think we''re stupid enough to make things difficult for Katniss for you? Do you think the world revolves around you?"


    Then, Lucas and Elodie were shut out.


    Elodie looked very upset.


    She cursed as she walked, "Wesley got close to that little bitch Katniss and got cocky. Katniss was fine before, but she must have changed because Wesley and his family instigated her. Damn Wesley, he looks honest but has so many tricks."


    Lucas had a headache and said nothing.


    Nathan''s condition worsened, so Dn had to personally try to see Katniss''s attitude.


    When Dn went, he brought fruit and smoothly met Katniss.


    Katniss looked at the things on the table and said mockingly, "First courtesy, then force?"

 Chapter 214

    Upon hearing this, Dn couldn''t help but furrow his brow.


    Then, as if he hadn''t heard Katniss''s sarcasm, he calmly put down the fruit and smiled warmly, "Katniss, we are still rted by blood. I''m your second brother. You don''t need to be so hostile."


    "Is it me who''s hostile, or is it you?" Katniss raised her eyebrows slightly. "You came here for Simon, didn''t you? Dn, do you think I''m easy to bully? Do you think if youe a few more times, I''ll give in?"


    Dn shook his head, his voice very calm, "Katniss, I''m not here because of Simon. It''s about Nathan."


    Mentioning Nathan, Katniss''s anger subsided a bit.


    She pretended to ask casually, "Is he okay? He fainted here that day and scared me. Let me make it clear, don''t wrongfully use me. I didn''t say anything harsh."


    Dn nodded, his attitude bing even gentler, "I know. Nathan''s condition is very bad. He was gradually getting better with your care before. We didn''t see your good deeds, so we wanted to ask if you could help him?"


    Hearing Dn finally acknowledge her past contributions, Katniss felt a bit sour inside. But only a little.


    Now, she didn''t care about these things at all.


    Katniss''s lips curled up slightly, and she gave a sarcastic smile, firmly refusing, "Of course not."


    She wouldn''t let her sympathy overflow.


    Dn''s expression didn''t change, as if he knew Katniss would respond this way.


    He rolled his eyes, suddenly smiled, and said warmly, "Then can you give me some guidance? You don''t have to do it yourself, just point me in the right direction, okay?"


    Katniss didn''t answer.


    Dn''s eyes darkened, but his expression remained as gentle as ever, "No matter what, we are siblings. To be honest, Nathan has spoken up for you several times before. He thinks it''s our fault and that we shouldn''t have treated you that way. We owe you an apology. I can understand if you don''t forgive me for Simon''s matter, but I hope you can help Nathan."


    Katniss lowered her eyes, her eyshes trembling.


    She didn''t expect that the words Nathan said that day were sincere and not just an act. But, as she said that day, the harm had already been done. What was the use of saying these things now?


    Katniss snorted coldly, "The only reason I agreed to see you is to tell you one thing. The Manners family matters have nothing to do with me. You''d better note to me again. Simon just hurt me like this, and you still want me to save Nathan? Do you really think I''m that easy to bully?"


    Dn didn''t get angry upon hearing this. He still spoke gently, "Katniss, don''t let a moment of anger make you regret it."


    "Ridiculous." Katniss sneered, "Regret not saving the Manners family? Please, get it straight. I have nothing to do with you now."


    Dn sighed slightly, "What will it take for you to save him?"


    Katniss''s face darkened, losing patience, "Don''te to me. I don''t have the ability to save anyone. Instead of wasting time here, you should think of other ways."


    Although Katniss had said this, Dn was still not giving up, "I know we all wronged you. But now it''s a matter of life and death. Nathan is really in danger and doesn''t have much time left. He was once on the brink of death, but because of you, he found hope to live. Now, if you don''t save him, he will surely die."


    But what did that have to do with her?


    When she gave her heart, how did they repay her?


    Katniss found itughable, but she seemed to propose a condition out of spite, "I might consider saving Nathan. But you have to get Elodie toe and beg me." Dn was stunned, "Mom?"


    He sighed slightly, then said, "She camest time, but you..."


    "That''s what begging means." Katniss found it somewhat amusing, "With her attitudest time, how could I possibly agree?"


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    Katniss didn''tpletely shut the door.


    In the end, whether to save or not depended on how the Manners family chose.


    Dn knew Katniss harbored deep resentment, but it was because she once longed too much for family and affection.


    Dn didn''t think for long and agreed.


    If Katniss could vent her anger and save Nathan, Elodie should agree.


    But before begging, he had to tell Elodie to change her high-and-mighty attitude, or it would all be in vain.


    Not long after Dn left, Maximilian came in with the nutritious soup Mira made. Katniss drank it all, giving him face.


    Dn''s visit couldn''t be hidden from Maximilian. When he asked, Katniss obediently answered, "I''m not trying to make things difficult for them. It''s just that some things, if they don''t happen to them, they''ll never know the pain."


    Maximilian nodded.


    Katniss was curious, "Maximilian, aren''t you going to ask why I want Elodie to beg me?"


    He asked, "What do you want to do?"


    His serious demeanorcked some fun.


    Katniss yfully blinked, "It''s a secret for now."


    Maximilian smiled indulgently, "Okay."


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    Whatever she liked was fine. After all, if the sky fell, he would hold it up.


    Don''t be fooled by Katniss''s current happiness. She deeply hated the Manners family, and her heart knot hadn''tpletely untied. If torturing the Manners family could let her vent, he was more than happy.


    The two chatted idly, and before they knew it, it was almost ten o''clock. Katniss was surprised, "You''re not going back? Get some rest early. After all, you''re busy with work."


    Maximilian pulled out the folding bed from the room, "I''ll stay with you tonight." At this moment, Katniss realized Emilio had left at some point. Actually, she wasn''t immobile and didn''t need someone to stay overnight. Besides, Emilio and Conrad used to sleep on the sofa outside, but Maximilian was different. Looking at the small folding bed, it was hard to amodate the tall Maximilian. Katniss felt a bit distressed and pointed to her bed, "How about we sleep together?" Her voice was a bit soft, with a hint of sweetness, making Katniss herself feel a bit embarrassed.


    Although they had shared a bed before, it was mostly initiated by Maximilian, and she half-heartedly agreed. Now, it seemed like she was inviting him.


    Of course, she was just being polite.


    But Maximilian didn''t hesitate at all and agreed readily, "Okay."


    There was a hint ofughter in his tone.


    The hospital bed wasn''t like the one at home. It was fine for Katniss alone, but with Maximilian, it felt cramped.


    Maximilian wrapped his big hand around her, pulling Katniss into his arms. His deep voice reached her ears, "Good night, sleep well."

 Chapter 215

    Maximilian''s warm breath lingered around Katniss''s ear, making her feel a tingling sensation all over.


    She didn''t know why, but even though they had already done more intimate things, this quiet embrace still made her heart race.


    How could she sleep like this?


    Katniss nervously fidgeted with her fingers.


    Maximilian''s hand gently rubbed Katniss''s waist, "What''s wrong?"


    "Can you rest well like this?" Katniss asked with concern in her voice.


    Maybe he should go back to sleep.


    Maximilian pondered for a moment, "Did I touch your wound?"


    As he spoke, he let go of her and said, "I''ll sleep on the small bed."


    Maximilian felt a bit annoyed.


    How could he forget she was a patient?


    Katniss''s casual invitation had already made him a bit restless.


    "No," Katniss''s small hand grabbed Maximilian''s sleeve.


    That wasn''t what she meant.


    She was worried Maximilian wouldn''t rest well.


    Katniss frowned and bit her lip, wondering how to express herself.


    Maximilian turned around and looked at Katniss, "Katniss, don''t use that look and posture to tempt me."


    Katniss looked up, and Maximilian''s eyes darkened, showing a light she couldn''t quite understand.


    Katniss''s face turned red, and she quickly let go of Maximilian, "Maximilian, I didn''t mean to. Well, good night then."


    With that, she left andy down on the bed, covering her head with the nket. Behind her, Maximilian''s unrestrainedughter came, "Katniss, take good care of yourself and get well soon."


    After saying that, Maximiliany down on the small bed.


    Probably too tired, Maximilian and Katniss chatted for a bit before falling asleep.


    Listening to the even breathing beside her, Katniss felt incredibly at ease. Probably because she had been tense all day, now that she was rxed, fatigue washed over her, and she fell asleep within seconds.


    When Katniss woke up, Maximilian was already gone, and a servant brought in breakfast, which looked very delicious.


    When Elodie found out that Katniss specifically asked for her, she was very reluctant.


    Last time, Katniss didn''t give her a good face. This time, being specifically named, who knows how she would torment her.


    Seeing Elodie still throwing a tantrum, Dn was also very helpless, but he patiently persuaded, "Now that Nathan''s condition is beyond medical help, you know that. The only one who can save him is Katniss. Katniss is angry with us, but as long as we let her vent, I believe she won''t let him die."


    In Dn''s view, although Katniss had changed and was no longer as foolish as before, some things in her nature wouldn''t change. However, apart from dealing with Katniss, he really had no other effective methods.


    Now that Katniss had made a move, he was also curious about why she specifically wanted Elodie to go.


    Could she still be longing for the motherly love she missed as a child?


    Thinking of this, Dn couldn''t help but curl his lips; things were getting more interesting.


    Elodie was extremely unwilling, "You know what Katniss has be. Before, when we didn''t ask her for anything, she was already so arrogant. Now, should I go to her to be humiliated? At my age, isn''t that a joke?"


    What joke, it''s not like it would be made into a movie for everyone to see.


    In that closed room, without dignity, so what, no one else would know.


    Dn felt Elodie was simply impervious to reason, "Mom, but we have no other way now."


    Elodie''s face darkened, "It''s because you all are useless. If you were capable, would you push me out? At my age, weren''t you all very capable before? Now, you just want me to do this embarrassing thing?"


    She wouldn''t go, whoever wanted to go could go. Dn''s patience was also exhausted at this moment.


    Dn felt he had done his best to save Nathan.


    On the contrary, Oliver and Elodie, as parents, one was perfunctory, and the other couldn''t swallow their pride.


    Dn''s voice and face turned cold, "Since you don''t want to go, we''ll think of another way. But you know Nathan''s condition, time is running out. I''ll go back to the hospital first, and if we can find a way, that would be best."


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    After saying that, Dn left without looking back.


    Elodie was stunned; Dn''s temper was getting worse. Where was the gentle and filial son from before?


    How could he just walk away after a few words?


    Sure enough, he was Oliver''s child, with the same temperament, showing a bad


    attitude at the slightest displeasure.


    The more Elodie thought about it, the angrier she got.


    It was all Oliver''s fault.


    So, she called Oliver.


    Still, no one answered.


    Elodie angrily threw the phone.


    This family was bing more and more deserted.


    It was falling apart, and she didn''t want it anymore.


    Just as Elodie was fuming, the phone suddenly rang, vibrating continuously on the


    floor.


    Elodie had no choice but to pick it up.


    The call was from an unknown number.


    She hesitated for a moment, then pressed the answer button, "Hello."


    The other person spoke softly, "Is this Elodie?"


    Elodie frowned; the woman''s voice on the other end sounded familiar, but she couldn''t remember where she had heard it.


    She asked, "Who are you?"


    The woman chuckled and then said, "Did you receive the photos?"


    The woman''s voice was deliberately altered, not wanting to be recognized.


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    Elodie impatiently said, "What nonsense. Who are you?"


    The woman''s voice was gentle, with a hint of pretentiousness, "You''ll know soon enough. By the way, make sure to look at the photos. Then you''ll know where your husband is sleeping when he''s not beside you."


    With that, the woman hung up.


    Elodie was puzzled and called back, but the other person either hung up or didn''t answer, making Elodie furious.


    At this moment, someone rang the doorbell outside.


    He said, "Hello, Elodie? There''s something for you."


    It was a box, very light when held.


    Elodie picked it up and shook it, not knowing what was inside. She remembered the


    strange phone call and was startled, quickly running inside to get scissors to open the


    box.


    Sure enough, it was a stack of photos, all of them bed photos.


    Of course, they weren''t explicit, but they were photos of Laura and Oliver sleeping in


    the same bed.


    Sure enough, Oliver had been fooling around with that little slut.


    Shameless.


    No doubt, it was that bitch Laura who sent them.


    The call just now must have been from Laura too.


    That shameless Laura dared to provoke her so boldly,pletely disregarding her.


    And Oliver was no good either.


    With so many problems at home, he still had the leisure to fool around with a slut like Laura.


    Elodie was furious.


    She wanted to skin the two of them alive.


    She called Laura again, and to her surprise, she answered, "Laura, you bitch, so young


    and already so shameless. If your parents didn''t teach you, I will teach you how to be a decent person!"


    Laura wasn''t scared at all, even provoking her, "Come on. Ugly woman..."


    She even gave Elodie her address. Without thinking, Elodie rushed over.

 Chapter 216

    West Side, Oakwood Heights.


    As soon as Elodie got out of the car, the luxurious high-end neighborhood came into view, and her anger skyrocketed.


    Oliver actually spent so much money to let that bitch Laura live in such a nice ce. No wonder this slut Laura now dares to openly dere war on her, it''s all because Oliver spoiled her!


    Elodie strode into the neighborhood, determined to tear Laura''s skin off and stop her from unting herself in front of Oliver every day!


    Following the building number Laura had given, Elodie quickly found the ce.


    As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Laura leaning casually against the door frame in a silk camisole nightgown.


    Elodie headed straight for her.


    "Elodie... Ah!" Laura didn''t even finish her sentence before Elodie pped her hard, knocking her to the ground.


    Without waiting for her to react, Elodie kicked Laura three times, stepped over her, and went straight into the apartment. She turned around, bent down, and dragged Laura in by her hair.


    She mmed the door shut.


    The whole sequence of actions was smooth and uninterrupted.


    Laura was beaten so badly that she was dizzy and seeing stars, lying on the groundpletely stunned, with Elodie''s insults ringing in her ears.


    "Bitch, seducing my man. You slut, I''ll ruin your face with scissors and see how you seduce men then. You little whore!" Elodie cursed while rummaging through the living


    room.


    Laura had anticipated this, but she didn''t expect Elodie to be so crazy. Seeing her heading towards the kitchen, Laura panicked and got up to run out the door.


    Elodie heard themotion, turned around, and rushed over, grabbing Laura''s hair and dragging her back in, pping her four times, splitting Laura''s lip.


    You wittesut you udrentrain liv overayanira?ner, Ti'' ''khil ''you?"""Eft¨¦strarr¨¦er


    Laura''s face was numb with pain, blood from her mouth dripping down her chin and into her cor, "Elodie, you old bitch, how dare you hit me! Oliver will stand up for me!" "He just finds you fresh and fun for a few days, and you think he''ll stand up for you? Dream on!" Elodie sneered, her eyes full of malice, "When I ruin your face, let''s see if he still cares about you."


    Saying this, she dragged Laura by the hair towards the kitchen.


    There are knives in the kitchen! Laura was terrified, regretting inviting this wolf into her home. Elodie, this old woman, had gone mad!


    Ignoring the pain in her scalp, Laura struggled desperately, pushing Elodie hard and turning to run outside, "Help! Murder! Help me!"


    Elodie didn''t expect her to be so strong, threw down the handful of hair she had pulled out, and chased after her.


    At this time, some people who weren''t at work heard themotion and opened their doors to look.


    Laura immediately ran over, pitifully begging for help, "Help, she''s going to kill me!" Seeing Elodie''s ferocious expression and Laura''s abused appearance, someone immediately stood in front of Laura, "Who are you? Do you know this is illegal?" "I''m hitting my husband''s mistress, and you want to interfere?" Elodie shouted righteously.


    Nowadays, society is more open, but being a mistress is still looked down upon.


    Sure enough, the person hesitated after hearing this.


    He thought it was best not to meddle in such matters.


    Domestic issues are hard for outsiders to untangle.


    Laura, seeing this, burst into tears, "No, no, I didn''t!"


    Apart from crying, her words were unclear, not exining anything.


    Elodie grabbed Laura''s hair and dragged her back inside, warning the person, "You better stay out of this."


    The door was closed.


    The person heard Laura''s shrill screams from inside.


    And Elodie, seeing Laura hiding in the room with the door locked and deliberately screaming, was puzzled.


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    Is Laura out of her mind?


    She cursed Laura for a while longer before preparing to leave.


    At this moment, Laura came out of the room.


    Unlike before, although she still looked miserable, Laura had a smug smile on her face, "Idiot, do you know why I gave you the address? Do you know why I let you beat me?"


    Elodie, reminded by her, suddenly realized something was wrong.


    Normally, a mistress would avoid the wife at all costs, but this slut Laura had invited her over and didn''t fight back when beaten. Elodie had thought Laura couldn''t fight back, but now it seemed something was off.


    Elodie''s eyes were sharp, like knives, sweeping over Laura, "Are you going toin likest time? Let me tell you, I''ve given birth to so many sons, my position in the Manners family is solid. I''m not afraid of Oliver!"


    Previously, she couldn''t ept Oliver''s affair because of their decades-long rtionship.


    Now, thinking about it, it wasn''t a big deal.


    Laura sneered, "You''re really stupid, only thinking that far."


    At this moment, there was a knock on Laura''s door.


    Laura''s smile was confident, "Your big surprise is here."


    It was the police, called by Laura when she saw Elodie entering the neighborhood.


    She had calcted that it would take about ten minutes for the police to arrive from the station, and everything was perfectly timed.


    Elodie realized she had been set up and shouted her innocence as she was taken away by the police.


    Laura shook her head repeatedly.


    So stupid!


    Even if it was a setup, so what?


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    Elodie had hit her, there were neighbors as witnesses, and her injuries were real.


    Laura had only provided the address and photos, not even inviting Elodie to hit her, so what was the injustice?


    After making her statement, the police decided to detain Elodie for five days and notified her family.


    Oliver was stunned when he got the call.


    He thought it was Simon causing trouble at the police station again, but it turned out to be Elodie.


    When he bailed Elodie out, he couldn''t help but scold her, "You''re in your fifties, is your brain just for decoration? You idiot, you actually went to hit someone? What were you thinking? Do you want to disgrace the Manners family?"


    Elodie sneered, "I hit her because of you. If you could control yourself, I wouldn''t be in this situation."


    In public, Elodie''s words embarrassed Oliver, and he decided to ignore her, "Shrew, I don''t want to talk to you."


    Saying this, Oliver started to walk away.


    But Elodie wasn''t having it, she immediately grabbed him and started arguing, "What, feeling guilty? Let me tell you, if you keep messing around with that vixen, I''ll hit her again. Aren''t you ashamed, at your age, smelling like that, and messing with your daughter''s ssmate? You have no shame!"


    "What did you say? You hit Laura?" Oliver was shocked, his eyes filled with anger.


    Seeing Oliver like this, Elodie felt extremely hurt and said directly, "Yes. If it weren''t for that little slut Laura, would I be in this situation? You think she''s a good person, but you''ll find out you''re being used."


    Oliver, furious, raised his hand to hit her, but Lucas stopped him, "Dad, Mom, this is the police station."


    They argued from inside the police station to outside.


    Oliver held back.


    Hitting someone at the police station was indeed inappropriate.


    He snorted coldly, "I''ll deal with you when we get home!"


    With that, Oliver left first.

 Chapter 217

    Oliver left without looking back.


    Elodie, with red eyes, cursed at his back, "You old pervert, ying with women at your


    age. You''ll die in a woman''s bed sooner orter."


    Lucas sighed and said, "Mom, let''s go home."


    When they got home, Oliver wasn''t there.


    No need to ask, he was definitely at that little slut Laura''s ce.


    Elodie was furious and smashed things around the house.


    Lucas, annoyed by the scene, didn''t say much and found an excuse to leave.


    Seeing no one paying attention to her, Elodie''s frustration grew even stronger, wishing she could tear the house down so no one could live peacefully.


    When Oliver arrived at Laura''s ce, she was applying medicine. Seeing Laura''s swollen face, Oliver felt heartbroken, "It''s my fault, I didn''t protect you. I didn''t expect she could find this ce."


    Laura shook her head, tears welling up, "How can I me you? Being with you is already immoral. It''s natural for Elodie to be angry. I feel a bit better after getting hit." Seeing Laura say this, Oliver felt even more heartbroken, "I''ll take you to the hospital." Laura shook her head and forced a smile, "Oliver, I may look terrible, but it''s not that bad. If we go to the hospital and someone recognizes me, it won''t be good for your reputation."


    Thinking of Elodie making a scene at the police station, airing their dirtyundry without any regard for their image, Oliver got even angrier.


    In contrast, Laura seemed even more understanding and gentle in his eyes.


    He felt sorry for her, "You''ve been wronged. I''ll transfer some money to your ount aspensation."


    Laura was secretly pleased but pretended to refuse, "Oliver, I''m with you because I admire and like you, not for money. If you do this, Elodie will have every right to curse me."


    Oliver''s face darkened, "Take the money. You''ve suffered, so you deserve it. Don''t worry; "li filenudresnitriverafly'' i more upmiments, ulvercenter."


    Laura was delighted but quickly showed a surprised look, "Oliver, that would put me in


    a difficult position. I want to be with you, but I don''t want to break up your family."


    A straightforward divorce wouldn''t do.


    If the Manners family didn''t fall apart, how could she justify enduring this old man?


    Oliver sighed slightly. He was just saying that. He had several sons and was quite old. Although he liked the young, beautiful, and gentle Laura, Elodie had been with him for decades. Divorce wasn''t that simple.


    However, Elodie had gone too far and needed to be taught a lesson.


    Laura''s eyes turned, and she softly asked, "Is Elodie okay? I didn''t expect the neighbors to call the police. It was chaotic, and she was taken away by the police. They saw I was injured and let me treat my wounds first, thene back for a statement. But don''t worry, I''ll tell the police it was just an ident."


    Laura''s understanding made Oliver feel even more sorry for her, "You''re right. Elodie is still my wife, and if she gets sued and jailed, it would be embarrassing for me. But don''t worry, I won''t let this go easily. I''ll stand up for you."


    Laura leaned weakly against Oliver''s chest, "Okay, I''ll listen to you."


    Disgusting man.


    No matter how nice he talked, when it came to his own face, he still handled it lightly.


    No wonder the Manners family, except for Katniss who had long broken ties with them, were all so hypocritical.


    Especially ra.


    Understanding and obedient, right?


    When the Manners family falls, she wanted to see if ra could still maintain such grace.


    After some tender moments with Laura, Oliver drove home to confront Elodie.


    Seeing the mess at home only fueled Oliver''s anger.


    He kicked open the bedroom door and found the room in shambles.


    "Elodie, do you still want to live?" he roared, grabbing Elodie from the chair, "You did something wrong, and instead of reflecting, you made it worse?"


    Elodie sneered and pushed Oliver away, "What, doneforting that little bitch? Finally decided toe back? Here to stand up for her? Oliver, can you honestly say you''ve been fair to me?"


    Oliver, displeased with Elodie''s attitude, couldn''t help but say, "Elodie, stop calling her a little bitch. I''m telling you, she''s much kinder and gentler than you. Even after you beat her up, she refused to go to the hospital, just to save my face. She even said she wouldn''t sue you. Look at how much she''s sacrificed for me. And you, you only cause trouble."


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    Elodie looked at Oliver in disbelief, "What? You say she''s kind! Hahaha, Oliver, this was all that little slut''s n, you know? She sent me the photos, she told me the ce. Otherwise, how would I know?"


    Oliver didn''t believe her at all, "Even now, you''re still ndering her. Elodie, I didn''t realize you were so scheming. Where''s your previous virtue?"


    "You don''t believe me?" Elodie hurried to find the photos Laura sent her but forgot where she put them. Maybe they were in the living room. Elodie rushed downstairs, "Wait, I''ll get the evidence."


    Oliver''s face darkened, and he scolded, "Have you had enough? I''m telling you, instead of spending so much time troubling Laura, you should think about how to save Nathan and Simon."


    With that, he turned to leave. At the door, Oliver warned, "If you dare trouble Laura again, see how I''ll deal with you."


    The door mmed shut, like a heavy blow to Elodie''s heart.


    She copsed to the ground, tears streaming down.


    She finally realized that this Oliver was no longer the one who loved her.


    Oliver instinctively protected the woman outside, Laura.


    However, Oliver was right about one thing.


    Instead of fighting with another woman for a husband who no longer loved her, she


    should protect her sons.


    With her sons around, Oliver wouldn''t dare go too far.


    Elodie decided to seek help from Katniss.

 Chapter 218

    When Elodie arrived, Katniss waszily sunbathing on the balcony.


    This luxurious suite had everything one could need, making it asfortable as home.


    It''s great to have money.


    In a good mood and livingfortably, Katniss''s injuries healed quickly.


    At this moment, Conrad came over to tell her that Elodie had arrived.


    Hearing this, the smile on Katniss''s face disappeared.


    Unexpectedly, someone so proud and unable to lower her face actually came for Nathan.


    Indeed, except for Katniss, every child was cherished by Elodie.


    Elodie seemed a bit uneasy when she came in.


    Having learned from thest lesson, Elodie was no longer so arrogant and appeared somewhat gentler.


    She was carrying some things in her hands, and her eyes showed some concern as they fell on Katniss, "Is your wound getting better?"


    Katniss sneered, "If you have something to say, just say it. Why be so hypocritical given our rtionship?"


    Elodie''s face stiffened.


    She was somewhat dissatisfied with Katniss''s attitude and couldn''t help but say, "Katniss, no matter what, I am your mother. Can you not speak to me in that tone?"


    Katniss spread her hands, "What tone should I use then? Ms. Smith, don''t you understand the situation yet? I''m no longer your daughter, remember?"


    These words were said without any scruples, making Elodie''s face turn pale. She forced herself to suppress the urge to curse and put on a very fake smile, "Katniss, just tell me what you want me to do. As long as I can do it, I will."


    Katniss nced at her indifferently, "You''re wrong again. You came to me, making it seem like I''m forcing you to do something bad."


    Elodie''s face looked unpleasant, but she still tried to remain calm, "Katniss, I''m begging you, please save Nathan. He has always been good to you."


    Katniss sneered, her eyes full of mockery, "Good? Has anyone in the Manners family ever been good to me? I remember saying very clearly before that the life and death of the Manners family have nothing to do with me."


    "But didn''t you say that as long as I begged you," Elodie''s face turned red as she stammered, "you would agree to save Nathan?"


    Katniss smiled, "Yes, I only said I would consider it. Besides, do you call this begging? Have you had such a smooth life that you don''t know what it''s like to beg?"


    Elodie, being repeatedly mocked by Katniss, became somewhat angry, "Then what do you want? Do you want me to kneel and beg you? I am... no matter what, we were mother and daughter for a while. No matter how bad it was, it was better than living with E, right?"


    That was true.


    If it weren''t for the experiences of the previous life, where Elodie wanted to take her life for ra''s, Katniss wouldn''t have such deep resentment.


    Seeing Elodie like this, Katniss chuckled, "But back then, I took care of you all with all my heart, which should have repaid your so-called kindness to me, right? If it weren''t for me, Nathan might not even be alive now."


    Elodie became anxious, "Katniss, will you save him or not?"


    "You see, you''re doing it again." Katniss looked indifferent, as if watching a show, "I said you don''t know how to beg. If you need something from me, you should show your attitude, not force me. Otherwise, if I''m unwilling, I can''t think of a good way to save him."


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    Seeing Katniss like this, Elodie was really powerless, so she lowered her voice and said, "Tell me, what are the conditions?"


    "If you want me to save Nathan, expel ra from the Manners family and let her return to the Aaron Hill family." Katniss''s expression turned cold, and she said word by word, "If you choose ra, then let your son wait to die."


    These words were like a sharp de, piercing Elodie''s heart.


    Elodie had imagined countless conditions, no matter how difficult, she even thought it wouldn''t matter if she had to give arge sum of money. As long as she could save Nathan, nothing else mattered. But she didn''t expect Katniss to propose such a condition.


    Elodie instinctively asked, "What does this have to do with ra?"


    Of course, it had something to do with her.


    In the previous life, Katniss remembered that time when she took care of everyone in the family with all her heart, which made her so exhausted that she fell ill. She had a high fever and was in a daze, and no one even gave her a ss of water.


    Everyone thought she was too pretentious, just a cold, making it seem like a big deal.


    At that time, ra just got a little wet in the rain and had a slight runny nose, and the whole family was extremely worried.


    They brought food, took care of her,forted her...


    At that time, ra was like a little princess, receiving all the love and care.


    Katniss couldn''t understand, just because she didn''t grow up with them and had no emotional bond, did she deserve to be ignored?


    So, this time she wanted to see, between Nathan and ra, what would Elodie choose?


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    People don''t feel the pain until the knife cuts into their own flesh.


    ra''s eyes were cold, revealing some mockery, "After all, Nathan has been cherished for so long. Doesn''t ra want to do something for Nathan? It''s just a status, nothing too serious. ra is very understanding and kind, I think she will agree."


    Elodie was a bit troubled, "Can we change the condition? ra hasn''t suffered much since she was a child. If she goes back to the Hill family, she will be wronged." Katniss didn''t waste any words, her tone extremely cold, "Fine, then let Nathan wait to die!"


    Elodie''s face changed, she immediately approached Katniss, "No, Katniss, don''t be so heartless. He is your third brother! You are rted by blood. I''m begging you!" Katniss took a step back, her eyes full of disdain, "Don''t use emotions to manipte me, we never had any feelings. If you can''t even bear this, don''t say I have no conscience. Aren''t you all selfish too? Don''t talk about great maternal love, it''s all selfishness."


    Elodie''s face froze, not knowing what to say.


    She wanted to say something more, but seeing Katniss''s look of keeping her at a distance, she couldn''t say anything.


    In the end, she could only nod, her tone carrying a bit of pleading, "Can I think about


    it?"


    Katniss nodded, smiling slightly, "One day, you only have this much time to think." Listening to Katniss''s sarcastic tone, Elodie felt very ufortable, but there was nothing she could do.


    She left the hospital, and looking at the ring sunlight outside, she felt a ckness before her eyes and almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, a kind person helped her


    up.


    Elodie returned home in a daze, and seeing raing to greet her, she felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.

 Chapter 219

    ra showed a proper smile.


    She helped Elodie to the sofa, "Mom, how did it go? What did Katniss say?"


    Everyone knew that Elodie went to the hospital today to ask Katniss to save Nathan. She was also very concerned about this matter and waited at home specifically.


    Elodie seemed to be in a bad mood, and ra couldn''t help but ask, "Mom, what''s wrong? Did things not go well?"


    Elodie looked like she had been crying.


    ra suddenly had a bad feeling.


    Before she could ask, she heard Elodie''s rather serious voice, "ra, I need to discuss something with you."


    She immediately felt uneasy.


    Could it be that this matter involved her too?


    "What is it?" ra felt a bit uneasy, holding Elodie''s hand and softlyforting her, "Mom, don''t stress too much. Desmond and I are also trying to find a way to help Nathan and Simon."


    "Even if Katniss doesn''t help, we can still find a way. It''s just that Desmond has been hospitalized recently, so he doesn''t have much energy."


    She tried to remind Elodie that no matter what, she was Desmond''s future wife. She couldn''t just agree to any of Katniss''s demands because of a few words.


    Elodie still looked a bit dazed. She gritted her teeth as if making a decision, and looked at ra with a bit of pity before slowly speaking, "ra, only Katniss can cure Nathan''s illness now, so I went to beg her today."


    ra didn''t dare to meet Elodie''s eyes. She felt a bit panicked and quickly said, "I know."


    "She said she would only help if your family rtionship is removed from the Manners family and returned to the Aaron family."


    ra''s mind went nk, and her voice trembled, "Did you agree?"


    Elodie''s voice choked up, "She only gave me a day to think about it. I had no choice but to agree."


    ra''s fingers trembled slightly, and a trace of reluctance and disappointment shed in her eyes, "Mom, do you really want me to leave the Manners family?"


    "ra, I''m in a difficult position too." Elodie looked up at ra, "But this is the only way to save Nathan now."


    ra''s eyes reddened, and she immediately hugged Elodie, her silent actions expressing all her reluctance.


    She felt Elodie gently stroking her hair and softlyforting her, "ra, don''t worry, it''s just a temporary measure to deceive Katniss. Once she cures Nathan, I''ll bring you back immediately. This is my promise to you."


    ray in Elodie''s arms, sobbing softly, "Mom, I can''t bear to leave you."


    She said this, but where Elodie couldn''t see, a trace of disdain shed in ra''s eyes, and she became cold.


    What promise, what love, it was all fake.


    They all spoke so nicely usually, but when it came to the critical moment, she was the one abandoned.


    Sure enough, whether adopted or biological, she was not as important as her son.


    Elodie sighed slightly, "ra, there''s nothing we can do about this now. Dn also said that Nathan is beyond medical help in the hospital. If Katniss doesn''t help, he can only wait to die."


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    Speaking of this, Elodie felt very sad.


    One of her sons was about to go to jail, and the other was lying in the hospital waiting


    to die. What made her feel even more desperate was that her husband didn''t care about any of this.


    What kind of sin had shemitted?


    "Why is Katniss doing this? Does she hate me?" ra''s voice was muffled and a bit sour, which made Elodie feel even worse.


    Elodie''s eyes turned cold, and she spoke with disdain, "Katniss is just like that. She''s been in a small ce for too long, so she''s narrow-minded. She''ll make things as difficult as possible for us if she gets the chance. Even though she''s my biological daughter, she''s nothing like me."


    Inparison, ra, who was not her biological daughter, was much more understanding and kind.


    ra stood up, wiped her tears, and said, "But you know what my biological mother is like. She was already unhappy about the engagement. If I really move back, she definitely won''t treat me well."


    She couldn''t refuse this matter. Refusing would not only bring no benefits but also make the Manners family unhappy. So, at least on the surface, she had to agree.


    But she absolutely couldn''t move into the Hill family''s house.


    Elodie thought for a moment and then said, "I understand. Just move your family rtionship out; you can continue living in the Manners Vi."


    ra bit her lip and frowned slightly, "Katniss won''t agree to that. She hates me so much; she''ll definitely make things as difficult as possible for me. Mom, if we do this ording to Katniss''s wishes, I don''t know if I can survive."


    As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, and ra was immersed in a sad atmosphere.


    Seeing this, Elodie felt very distressed, and her eyes also reddened, "ra, it won''t be like that. Don''t worry, you still have Lucas and Dn. They will look out for you. Besides, we''ve already moved your family rtionship as she asked. If she still doesn''t allow you to live in the Manners Vi, then she''s going too far."


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    ra''s eyes turned cold.


    Elodie really didn''t understand the situation.


    Katniss had the upper hand now; she could do whatever she wanted, couldn''t she?


    ra pursed her lips and put on an understanding look, "Mom, don''t worry. To save Nathan, I''m willing to sell my blood and kidneys."


    Hearing ra say this, Elodie felt veryforted. She nodded, "Good girl, I knew you would agree. You''re my good daughter, and I won''t treat you badly."


    "But, Mom," ra said hesitantly, "if the Boleyn family finds out about this, won''t they have an even worse opinion of me?"


    Elodie shook her head and immediately said, "Don''t worry, I''ll talk to them. They should understand."


    ra forced a smile and nodded.


    Understand, my foot!


    Now that Simon was definitely going to jail for a criminal offense, her future father-in-


    If she lost her status as the Manners family''s adopted daughter, could she still marry into the Boleyn family?


    If she couldn''t, wouldn''t her life be ruined?


    She didn''t dare to bet on Desmond''s love for her. After all, Desmond''s own status was quite awkward.


    No! She absolutely couldn''t let things develop in this direction. She couldn''t just sit and wait; she had to do something.


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