《How I Accidentally Married a Billionaire》


 Chapter 1 - 1

    Chapter 1: Chapter 1


    ¡°You¡¯re already married, why are you here to register again!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know the crime of bigamy?¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen walked out of the courthouse in shock, holding the marriage certificate that the staff had just printed for her.


    The man who had accompanied her to register looked at the stunning girl before him and said with pity, ¡°Miss Olsen, you¡¯re already married, why pay me to have a sham marriage with you?¡±


    Leaving behind the words ¡°no refund on the deposit,¡± he hurried away.


    ...


    Keira Olsen pursed her lips, still unable to process what had happened.


    She had never even been in a relationship, how could she possibly be already married?!


    She looked down and gazed at the printout in her hands again.


    On the certificate photo, the girl looked somewhat constrained, smiling reluctantly with a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye; it was indeed her. As for the man¡­


    His features were distinctive, nose high and bridge prominent, thin lips curled in a faint, almost imperceptible smile. His deep gaze was fixed on the camera, piercing as if to penetrate the paper.


    Even in a black and white print, his mysterious and commanding presence could not be hidden.


    She looked again at the name: Lewis Horton.


    ¡­ She was sure she didn¡¯t know this man at all!


    What on earth was going on?!


    Keira Olsen took out her phone to snap a photo of the printout and opened WhatsApp, sent it to a contact with a black profile picture: [Help me find out who he is.]


    The reply came instantly: [Received.]


    Only then did Keira Olsen push aside the confusion in her heart, hopped on an old electric bike, and leisurely entered a luxurious villa complex, heading to the Olsen Family home.


    Today was her sister Isla Olsen¡¯s big day, as her fianc¨¦ was coming for the betrothal.


    The house was decorated with lights and festive ornaments, the servants bustled about orderly, and there were a few temporary workers hired as well.


    Keira Olsen parked her bike in a corner, as the voices of the temp workers and servants reached her from behind:


    ¡°Who is she? She¡¯s so pretty!¡±


    ¡°Shh, she is the illegitimate daughter who isn¡¯t acknowledged by the father.¡±


    ¡°Her mother was the other woman, who brazenly showed up heavily pregnant demanding justice while the lady of the house was about to give birth, resulting in both women delivering on the same day. That old woman has such thick skin, she¡¯s found various reasons to stay in the house for years without leaving.¡±


    ¡°Miss Keira knows her place though. She moved out ever since junior high and hasn¡¯t come back in years. I wonder what brings her here today¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen lowered her eyes, pretending not to hear the conversation, and entered the living room.


    Her mother, Poppy Hill, was waiting at the entrance, the still-charming woman anxiously pulled her upstairs the moment she stepped through the door, ¡°First, let¡¯s go find your sister. Oh, did you get your marriage certificate?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s voice was soft and indifferent, betraying no emotion, ¡°I got it.¡±


    Even though the groom had changed, it still counted, didn¡¯t it?


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Remember your place, Jake Horton is your sister¡¯s fianc¨¦, part of a top-tier wealthy family, and not something an illegitimate daughter like you could aspire to! Only your sister is worthy of him!¡±


    Hearing this, a touch of irony flashed in Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes.


    Jake Horton was the legitimate grandson of the first branch of the Horton Family, Oceanion¡¯s most prestigious family. He¡¯d chased her for four years in college but proposed to Isla Olsen on the day of graduation¡­


    Upon learning this, Poppy Hill had demanded that Keira Olsen immediately find someone to marry her off and completely sever any potential ties with Jake Horton.


    It had always been this way since she was a child¡­


    Whenever there was even the slightest conflict of interest between her and Isla, Poppy Hill would insist on her unconditional retreat.


    Because she was an illegitimate daughter, her existence was seen as the original sin.


    As a child, she had been brainwashed to believe enduring all this was only natural.


    But now she had long since woken up to reality.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s face was solemn as she said with pause between words, ¡°We agreed this is the last time.¡±


    The fault was Poppy Hill¡¯s, she was the one who stayed at the Olsen house just to see her father every day, she was the one who wanted to please Isla Olsen, Keira wouldn¡¯t pay for her life with her own.


    This time, it was an opportunity to repay her for the grace of giving birth, to make a clean break.


    Poppy Hill was impatient, ¡°I know that.¡±


    As they talked, the two arrived at Isla Olsen¡¯s room.


    The pretty girl sat on the sofa in a gorgeous dress like a princess, selecting jewelry with the whole room shimmering with glitz and glamour.


    Keira Olsen, dressed in shabby clothes, had her spine straight as an arrow.


    Isla Olsen saw her and greeted, ¡°Keira, why are you here?¡±


    Before Keira could speak, Poppy Hill interjected, ¡°Isla, Keira got married today.¡±


    Isla Olsen was surprised, ¡°So soon? Who is the man, is he even better than Jake?¡±


    Poppy Hill said with sarcasm, ¡°How is that possible! There¡¯s no one in the whole of Oceanion with a status higher than young Mr. Horton! Isla, what kind of decent family could she possibly find? Nothing but a fallen household, she didn¡¯t dare bring him here, afraid his poverty-stricken appearance would dirty your eyes!¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s voice carried a hint of jealousy, ¡°How can that be? Keira is so beautiful, otherwise, Jake wouldn¡¯t have pursued her for four years.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of being pretty? A worn shoe fits a tattered sock, with her status she could only marry some lowlife who¡¯d be willing to take her. Young Mr. Horton just saw her as a toy, to play with casually, only someone with Isla¡¯s status is worthy of young Mr. Horton¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned.


    The man in the photo, in terms of looks and temperament, how could he be linked to a fallen house or a lowlife?


    But she was too lazy to argue against these superficial remarks.


    At this moment, Isla Olsen had chosen her jewelry and intended to put on her high heels but found the dress too tight to bend over in.


    Isla Olsen smiled slightly, looking towards Keira Olsen.


    Poppy Hill immediately nudged Keira Olsen, ¡°You useless thing, can¡¯t you see what¡¯s needed? Your sister can¡¯t do it herself, aren¡¯t you going to help her with the shoes?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    It was like this again.


    Did Poppy Hill really think she was still the naive and ignorant little girl who didn¡¯t know how to fight back when bullied?


    Her eyes cold, her voice laced with impatience, ¡°You can put them on for her.¡±


    ¡°Keira Olsen, what kind of attitude is that? Do you think you can be arrogant just because you¡¯re married now? Your husband is just living off a woman; in the future, he will still need to rely on the Olsen family!¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s voice rose, ¡°If you don¡¯t establish a good relationship with your sister now, there will come a day when you and your husband will have to beg in front of her! Besides, the Olsen family has raised you, so you should be a servant to the Olsen family!¡±


    At that moment, a towering figure appeared at the door, it was her father Taylor Olsen.


    The man frowned, ¡°We¡¯re expecting an important guest soon, what are you quarreling about here?¡±


    Isla Olsen didn¡¯t speak and acted innocent.


    While Poppy Hill complained, ¡°It¡¯s all because of this cursed girl, she got so high and mighty just because she got married today that she doesn¡¯t respect her own mother¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s gaze fell on Keira Olsen and he frowned, ¡°Married? Why didn¡¯t you let the family find someone for you? Let me see the marriage certificate¡­¡±


    Facing her estranged father¡¯s concern, Keira Olsen hesitated before taking out the printout from her bag. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second, it was snatched away by Poppy Hill, ¡°Let me see, what¡¯s the name of your useless husband!¡±


    Meanwhile, Isla Olsen curiously asked, ¡°Dad, who¡¯s coming that¡¯s got you so worked up?¡±


    Remembering the visitor, Taylor Olsen felt invigorated, as he excitingly mentioned a name:


    ¡°Lewis Horton.¡±


    Keira Olsen was instantly stunned.


    ¡­Who?

 Chapter 2 - 2

    Chapter 2: Chapter 2


    Isla Olsen was confused and puzzled, ¡°Who is Lewis Horton? Is he formidable?¡±


    Keira Olsen was also curious and listened attentively.


    She had some connections in Oceanion but had never heard of the name Lewis Horton.


    Taylor Olsen explained, ¡°It¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t recognize him; he is quite secretive, and even I haven¡¯t met him. He is Jake Horton¡¯s younger uncle, only 28 years old and has now become the real power holder of the Horton Family!¡±


    Poppy Hill instinctively exclaimed, ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t he be a better match for Isla than Jake?¡±


    Being a power holder is much more powerful than any legitimate grandson of the first branch!


    ...


    Taylor Olsen was annoyed, ¡°Nonsense, Mr. Horton is already married!¡±


    Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes.


    Married¡­


    If the person on the marriage certificate is really him, then it seems Lewis Horton would know what¡¯s going on.


    Poppy Hill was slightly disappointed, ¡°Who is his wife? To be even more fortunate than Isla.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze immediately turned straight to Taylor Olsen, but she heard him say, ¡°I don¡¯t know, they say both he and his wife don¡¯t enjoy socializing.¡±


    Taylor Olsen frowned and pondered, ¡°I don¡¯t know why he would come over on short notice today¡­¡±


    The Horton Family was the top wealthy family in Oceanion, and the power holder had an exceedingly prestigious status.


    The Olsen Family¡¯s standing was only moderately above average; this marriage itself was Isla reaching high above her station for Jake Horton. It would be enough if the power holder just attended the wedding, so why would he personally visit on a betrothal day?


    However, Poppy Hill decisively said, ¡°It must be because Isla is so outstanding that she caught the attention of the Hortons! Isla, this diamond necklace won¡¯t stand out enough. With such an important elder visiting today, you should choose something more elegant to wear!¡±


    She stuffed the printout she hadn¡¯t finished looking at back into Keira Olsen¡¯s hands and anxiously took Isla to re-select jewelry.


    She was even more invested than Mrs. Olsen, Isla¡¯s birth mother.


    Keira Olsen sneered sarcastically.


    ¡°Sir, the Hortons are almost here.¡±


    The butler¡¯s reminder caused Taylor Olsen to turn and go downstairs, passing by Keira Olsen and casually saying, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve been home, have a cup of joyous wine before you go.¡±


    Keira Olsen took the chance to nod.


    She was going to stay and see who Lewis Horton really was!


    In the room, Poppy Hill had chosen the jewelry for Isla and was helping her put it on herself.


    Looking at the radiant girl in front of her, Poppy Hill¡¯s eyes were filled with uncontrollable joy and satisfaction.


    Over twenty years ago, if it weren¡¯t for the appearance of Mrs. Olsen, Jodie South, she would have been the one to marry Taylor Olsen!


    She despised Jodie South, and so, on purpose, caused trouble to have their babies on the same day and switched the two children at the hospital.


    Now, her daughter was finally going to marry off in glory, and Jodie South will even prepare a generous dowry for her!


    While Keira Olsen could only marry off as an illegitimate daughter, penniless, to a little punk!!


    How the tables have turned, this is what Mrs. Olsen owes her!


    Downstairs.


    Keira Olsen leaned lazily in the dim corner next to the staircase, staring in the direction of the door, quietly waiting for the arrival of the Hortons.


    After some time, Mrs. Olsen appeared, coming down from upstairs with the help of a servant. She wore a purple cheongsam; her figure slightly thin, emanating the profound air of a scholar, and a cool aura.


    The servant said softly, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re not in good health, better not to come down.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen shook her head, ¡°No¡­ cough cough¡­ Isla¡¯s big day¡­ cough cough¡­ I cannot miss it¡­¡±


    They didn¡¯t notice Keira Olsen as they moved toward the door.


    Keira Olsen watched Mrs. Olsen¡¯s retreating figure, her eyes filled with longing.


    It¡¯s ironic, Mrs. Olsen, who should have had every right to hate her, was the only warmth she knew in the Olsen family.


    Poppy Hill was nothing like a mother, often forgetting to feed her when she was a child.


    Young and emaciated, she had barely learned to walk when she started rummaging through the trash can for food.


    After being discovered by Mrs. Olsen one day, she began to leave food for her in the garden at a set time every day.


    It went on like this for twelve years.


    If it weren¡¯t for Mrs. Olsen¡¯s kindness, she would have starved to death long ago.


    Watching Mrs. Olsen¡¯s receding figure, hearing her occasional coughs, Keira Olsen¡¯s brow furrowed with worry.


    Just then, there was a stir at the entrance¡ªthe Hortons had arrived!


    Taylor Olsen and Mrs. Olsen greeted them at the doorway, exchanging pleasantries before stepping aside to let a group of people march in.


    Kiera spotted Lewis Horton at first glance.


    He was wearing a tailored black designer suit, leading the way like the moon surrounded by stars. His face was even more sculpted than in photos, the contours sharp, with a clearly defined jawline.


    The man¡¯s deep eyes seemed unfathomable, his thin lips exuded a coolness, and his every move carried an air of nobility.


    Perhaps sensing her gaze, the man suddenly looked over.


    For a moment, their eyes met.


    His piercing look made Keira¡¯s heart tremble, and just as she tried to discern his emotions, he averted his eyes to somewhere else.


    This left Keira somewhat confused.


    Was he behaving like this because he recognized her, or because he didn¡¯t?


    Mr. Olsen said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Horton, where is your wife? Didn¡¯t she come with you?¡±


    At these words, Kiera felt as though Lewis Horton had glanced at her again before he replied indifferently, ¡°She¡¯s indisposed.¡±


    The group chatted as they made their way to the parlor.


    Jake Horton, who had pursued her for four years, followed behind their elders. Dressed in a suit, he had gained a mature steadiness since college. He didn¡¯t notice Keira and was chatting absentmindedly with Isla Olsen.


    Everyone gathered around Lewis Horton on the main seat, starting to discuss the marriage arrangements.


    It was then that Keira stepped out of the shadows.


    She stood quietly, watching the bustle in the parlor. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, her arm was yanked. Poppy Hill hissed, ¡°Keira Olsen, what are you still doing here? Have you not given up on Jake Horton yet? Let me tell you, he¡¯s your brother-in-law now!¡±


    Keira shook off her grip, scoffing, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in being a homewrecker. It¡¯s Mr. Olsen who told me to stay for a celebration drink.¡±


    From the time she understood the concept, she had always referred to Taylor Olsen as ¡°Mr. Olsen.¡±


    Poppy Hill was so angry that she clenched her teeth, ¡°That was just his being polite, and you took it seriously? Do you really not know your place? Even I can¡¯t afford to disgrace the Olsens at such an event, let alone you, an illegitimate daughter. Do you think you deserve to be at the table? Get out of here right now.¡±


    ¡­ Endless nagging, so annoying!


    Keira frowned impatiently, about to retort, when she caught a glimpse of Lewis Horton rising to his feet out of the corner of her eye. He gestured at his phone and then headed towards the balcony, presumably to take a call.


    Keira¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Fine, I¡¯m going.¡±


    She brushed Poppy Hill off casually and walked out the parlor door but didn¡¯t leave. Instead, she turned in the direction of the balcony.


    The first-floor balcony led to the small garden outside.


    No sooner had Keira approached than the man on the phone hung up, his expression stern as he fixed her with a sharp gaze.


    Keira stopped in her tracks.


    Facing his dangerous look, she suddenly curved her lips and called out tentatively, ¡°Honey?¡±

 Chapter 3 - 3

    Chapter 3: Chapter 3


    A glass door separated the liveliness of the drawing room.


    Kiera stared intently at Lewis Horton, observing his reaction.


    Yet upon hearing this address, the coldness about the man intensified, his dark eyes brimming with a chilling frost, void of any emotional fluctuation, he turned, intending to return to the drawing room.


    Kiera quickly stepped forward, blocking his path.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyebrows furrowed lightly, ¡°Step aside.¡±


    His voice was low and pleasant to the ear, enunciated with a refined melody that sparked an impulse to hear him speak again.


    ...


    Kiera sensed something, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t recognize me?¡±


    Lewis Horton looked down at her from his superior height, ¡°Should I know you?¡±


    Since entering the Olsen Family home, he felt a peculiar gaze closely following him.


    The stare was forthright, unlike the others that were sycophantically nauseating.


    Lewis Horton thus gave her a few more glances.


    The girl was very pretty, with fair skin, her peach blossom eyes and the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye were beautiful but not flirtatious, and despite standing obediently in a corner, an untamable defiance seemed to emanate from her.


    And when she caught his gaze, she didn¡¯t shy away, looking right back at him openly.


    He initially thought she was different from those women who pounced on him at first sight, but unexpectedly, she was bolder than those women, directly calling him ¡®husband¡¯ upon approach¡­


    Lewis Horton grew more impatient, his tone becoming more forceful, ¡°Miss, I am married, please show some self-respect.¡±


    Kiera was a bit stunned.


    This man obviously didn¡¯t recognize her, yet he mentioned being married¡­ could it be the courthouse registered the wrong information?


    She inquired, ¡°May I ask who your wife is?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    Another four ice-cold words.


    Kiera pulled out a photocopy of the marriage certificate and presented it to him, ¡°Mr. Horton, the man listed here should be you, right?¡±


    Lewis Horton glanced at the photocopy, his eyes falling on the female¡¯s name: Kiera Olsen.


    Lifting his gaze, he mocked, ¡°Miss Olsen, an original isn¡¯t expensive, right? If you¡¯re going to forge something, you should at least make it professional!¡±


    With that, Lewis Horton didn¡¯t return to the drawing room but strode through the small garden toward the parking area.


    Kiera chased after him, intending to clarify, but was stopped by two black-suited bodyguards.


    Kiera halted, calling to the man¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°Mr. Horton, this document is real, if you don¡¯t believe it, you can check with the courthouse¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton continued without pausing, driving away immediately after getting into the car.


    His personal assistant stayed back, returning to the living room, where he encountered Isla Olsen right away.


    Just by chance, Isla had seen Kiera hassling Lewis Horton, though she hadn¡¯t heard exactly what they were discussing. Seeing Horton leave and Kiera chasing after him on her electric scooter, she immediately asked, ¡°Why did Mr. Horton leave? Did someone provoke him?¡±


    The personal assistant replied with a smile, ¡°Mr. Horton had something to deal with and left early, please inform the elders in your household for me, Miss Olsen.¡±


    Since the boss didn¡¯t leave a message to reprimand that girl, it meant he wasn¡¯t going to hold it against her.


    Isla immediately nodded, courteously escorting the assistant out.


    After deciding on a wedding date, the rest of the Horton Family finished lunch and took their leave.


    Once they had seen the guests out, Taylor Olsen fretted, ¡°Why did Mr. Horton leave? Was there something unsatisfactory about our hospitality at home?¡±


    Considering how Jake Horton had looked distracted all day, scanning around as though searching for someone, and now thinking of Kiera¡¯s disastrously beautiful face, Isla clenched her fists.


    Her eyes flickered, ¡°Dad, I saw Kiera harassing Mr. Horton, and he seemed very angry when he left; he even left a message¡­¡±


    ¡°What message?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Horton said for you to discipline your daughter well,¡± Isla Olsen bit her lip. ¡°Won¡¯t the Horton Family think our family¡¯s upbringing is poor because of what Kiera did?¡±


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s face turned ashen in an instant.


    ¨C


    Keira Olsen rode her electric bike, and as soon as she left the villa area, she lost her tail.


    While annoyed, her phone rang.


    Upon answering, an unfamiliar male voice came through; it was her subordinate, Samuel Morgan: ¡°Boss, lately many people have been searching for who Dr. South is.¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow: ¡°It hasn¡¯t been exposed, has it?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, after all, nobody would think that Dr. South, the one who cracked the issue of Hydrogen Fuel, is actually just a harmless-looking young girl who just graduated from college¡­¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Keira Olsen interrupted his rambling.


    ¡°Oh right, I found some info on Lewis Horton!¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Lewis Horton is the second son of Mr. Horton, known for his violent and ruthless nature; hence, he was sent abroad since he was young. Everyone thought the Horton Group would pass on to the eldest son, that is, Jake Horton¡¯s father, but no one expected Lewis Horton suddenly returned to the country last week. He used some decisive means to force the old man to step down and took control of the Horton Group.¡±


    Samuel Morgan asked curiously: ¡°Didn¡¯t you arrange a controllable sham marriage today? How did the groom suddenly turn into such an icy king of hell? Boss, if your marital status is unstable, it could affect the company¡¯s IPO¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned: ¡°Find his contact details and schedule for me, I need to see him again.¡±


    The reason she agreed to Poppy Hill¡¯s ridiculous request to get married immediately was that being married as the company¡¯s legal representative was more favorable for the IPO application.


    But now, she had somehow got roped into a marriage and didn¡¯t even know what conspiracies were involved.


    Given Lewis Horton¡¯s complex status, the best course of action would be to divorce as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessary disputes.


    After hanging up, Keira Olsen rubbed her temples.


    Things were getting troublesome. With someone like Lewis Horton, who would have bodyguards when he traveled, he wasn¡¯t easy to meet.


    Today, she shouldn¡¯t have impulsively called out ¡°husband¡± and pissed him off¡­


    She sighed, started her rickety bike, and slowly headed home.


    Leaving the bustling city center, she headed for the village in the suburbs.


    When she moved out of the Olsen Family in junior high, she didn¡¯t have much money, so she could only afford to rent an old house here; having grown accustomed to it, she never moved.


    Right when she was about to turn the corner to her house, an elderly lady in her nineties suddenly popped out at the side of the road!


    Keira Olsen quickly braked, narrowly avoiding a collision.


    She looked at the old lady, initially thinking it was a scam, but soon realized something was off.


    The old woman, though gaunt and small, was decently dressed and didn¡¯t look like an ordinary person. She wore a tag around her neck with a contact number and a note at the bottom: ¡°If the elder is lost, please call this number. A substantial reward will be offered.¡±


    ¡­It was definitely Alzheimer¡¯s.


    No telling whose family member had wandered off.


    Keira Olsen immediately took out her phone and dialed the number on the tag.


    However, the dazed old woman suddenly reacted, grabbing Keira Olsen¡¯s wrist firmly. Her cloudy eyes sparkled with recognition: ¡°Daughter-in-law! You¡¯re my daughter-in-law!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Keira Olsen twitched the corner of her mouth.


    Single for 22 years, and suddenly she had acquired a husband.


    Was the courthouse holding a bulk sale today? sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amused, she casually asked, ¡°Grandma, who is your grandson?¡±


    The old lady furrowed her brows in thought.


    What was her grandson¡¯s name again¡­ Oh, right, Lewis Horton!!

 Chapter 4 - 4

    Chapter 4: Chapter 4


    Old Mrs. Horton spoke up, ¡°His name is Horton¡­ what was it again?¡±


    The name she had just remembered was forgotten the moment she spoke it.


    The old lady became slightly anxious, her mouth opening and closing, unable to utter those few words.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t remember,¡± Keira Olsen soothed, then dialed the phone.


    At this moment, not far away, on a street.


    Lewis Horton sat in a Bentley, his expression grim, while his subordinate, Tom Davis, hardly dared to breathe, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I failed to look after old Mrs. Horton.¡±


    ...


    The man didn¡¯t speak, the chill emanating from him made Tom Davis tremble with fear.


    Old Mrs. Horton mostly remained dim-witted, who would have thought that today she would suddenly get better, send everyone away, and sneak out.


    It was only after checking the surveillance cameras that they found out old Mrs. Horton had taken a bus to the suburbs on her own.


    This area was rather run-down, many streets weren¡¯t covered by cameras, they had to search the area systematically.


    Just at that moment, a phone suddenly rang.


    Lewis Horton answered immediately, and a faint female voice came from the other end, ¡°Hello, your elderly woman is with me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The atmosphere in the car instantly tensed up, the air chilling a few degrees.


    Everyone sprung into action, some preparing to call the police, Tom Davis tracking the signal source of the incoming call.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze was sharp, his voice steady, ¡°How much money do you want?¡±


    ¡°¡­.Just kidding.¡± The girl¡¯s voice sounded a bit cheeky, ¡°I just wanted to tell you to take better care of the elderly.¡±


    Then, she reported her location and hung up.


    Tom Davis sighed in relief, patting his chest.


    This good Samaritan was too mischievous!


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes slightly lifted.


    Suddenly, he felt that the lazy voice on the phone sounded somewhat¡­ familiar?


    Five minutes later, they reached the location of the elderly woman, but the girl who called had already disappeared; only a police officer was waiting there with the elderly woman.


    Lewis Horton asked, ¡°Grandma, how did you end up here?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton spoke mysteriously, ¡°I came to look for my daughter-in-law; she lives nearby!¡±


    Lewis Horton paused, then sighed, ¡°Grandma, there is no daughter-in-law¡­¡±


    ¡°Impossible! I met her!¡± Old Mrs. Horton complained, ¡°That heartless girl, she handed me to the police and left. Oh right, give me your phone.¡±


    Lewis Horton handed over his phone, and the old lady noted down the number from his recent incoming calls in her notebook. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She finally had her daughter-in-law¡¯s contact info!


    ¨C


    Keira Olsen was worried that if the family came looking for her, they would thank her profusely.


    She was not good at handling such situations.


    So, seeing the police on patrol, she simply handed over the elderly woman to them and went straight home.


    The very next morning, she received a call from her university advisor, ¡°Keira Olsen, come to the school immediately!¡±


    Keira Olsen, not knowing why, rode her electric bike swiftly to school, and as soon as she entered Professor Miller¡¯s office, she found Isla Olsen and Poppy Hill were also there.


    Keira Olsen narrowed her amorous eyes.


    She and Isla Olsen both attended Oceanion University, which was the best in the area.


    Isla Olsen had entered with excellent grades.


    She, on the other hand, had started a company and found it inconvenient to manage remotely, and she also could not surpass Isla Olsen, so she deliberately chose the least popular major¡ªEnergy Power.


    But she had not expected that the concept of ¡°new energy¡± would suddenly burst into popularity two years ago.


    Isla Olsen immediately switched her major and became her classmate again.


    Isla Olsen was still reasonably normal here, but why was Poppy Hill here?


    Just as she thought about this, she saw Professor Miller with a serious expression, ¡°Kiera, your qualification for guaranteed further study has been canceled.¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked slightly stunned, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Your mother said you have improper behavior and background, which does not meet the requirements for guaranteed placement,¡± Professor Miller frowned. ¡°Is there a misunderstanding between you and your mother? Apologize to her quickly. You have a promising future, don¡¯t let a moment of anger ruin your prospects!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla Olsen sighed first, ¡°Professor Miller, Kiera¡¯s mother is just looking out for her best interests.¡±


    She looked at Kiera Olsen, ¡°You¡¯ve offended Mr. Horton, and Mr. Horton has made it clear he wants you to disappear from Oceanion.¡±


    It took Kiera Olsen a while to realize ¡°Mr. Horton¡± referred to Lewis Horton.


    But she had only exchanged a few words with him, and yesterday when he left, it didn¡¯t seem like he was angry. Was he holding such a grudge over this?


    Isla Olsen, on the other hand, was adept at lying¡­


    As she pondered this, Isla Olsen approached her, ¡°Kiera, this is the plane ticket Dad bought for you. He wants you to go abroad to avoid the storm; otherwise, even the Olsen Family cannot protect you.¡±


    A hint of scorn flashed through Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes.


    Sounds nice, what ¡®avoid the storm.¡¯ The Olsen Family is just afraid of being implicated by me, that¡¯s all!


    She glanced at the destination on the plane ticket: Argentina.


    It was the country farthest from Crera.


    How afraid were they of her coming back?


    She pushed the plane ticket back and said coldly, ¡°No need.¡±


    Seeing that she did not take it, Isla Olsen then took out a bank card, seeming sincere, ¡°Are you worried about living abroad? Here is 50,000 yuan, from my personal savings for your expenses. I only have this much saved up, use it first; if it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll give you more when I get more pocket money¡­¡±


    Miss Olsen only has 50,000 yuan?


    Kiera Olsen found it amusing.


    Poppy Hill snatched the bank card from Isla Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°Isla, what are you doing? The Olsen Family helping her buy a plane ticket is already more than generous!¡±


    She looked at Kiera Olsen and ordered, ¡°Pack your things and go abroad immediately; I have already processed your withdrawal from the university.¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked at her, ¡°What gives you the right to make decisions for me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your mother! Besides, with your academic performance, pursuing further studies would just be a waste of time. It¡¯s doubtful you¡¯d even graduate! It¡¯s better to start working and earn money sooner.¡±


    Professor Miller immediately objected, ¡°Kiera¡¯s mother, you are mistaken. Student Kiera Olsen¡¯s courses are very solid during her university period¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Poppy Hill interrupted sharply, ¡°Professor, you don¡¯t need to speak for her. Don¡¯t I understand what she is like? She only wants to pursue further studies because Isla is doing it. She should take a good look at herself in the mirror and see what she amounts to! What right does she have to compare herself to Isla?¡±


    Her vulgar words left Professor Miller choking, but then, with amazement, he looked at Isla Olsen, ¡°You are pursuing further studies? I remember you didn¡¯t have a guaranteed placement nor did you take the graduate entrance exam.¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled slightly, humbly, ¡°Yes, I am taking a special recruitment path.¡±


    If a tutor especially values a student, they are allowed private recruitment.


    The prerequisite is, they must be a renowned professor.


    Professor Miller understood and immediately asked, ¡°May I know which professor is recruiting you specially?¡±


    Still with a modest demeanor, Isla Olsen replied, ¡°It¡¯s Dr. South; his research on Hydrogen Fuel clean combustion and patent application earned him the title.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kiera Olsen looked at her in surprise, ¡°Who did you say?¡±

 Chapter 5 - 5

    Chapter 5: Chapter 5


    Dr. South?


    How did she not know she was specially recruiting Isla Olsen?


    Professor Miller also exclaimed, ¡°You actually know Dr. South?¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled faintly, ¡°It¡¯s also fate. My mom sponsored Dr. South¡¯s education years ago, so when Dr. South accomplished something in his field, he sought out my family, calling my mom his life-saving benefactor. Over the years, he has been providing technical support to our family¡¯s company; he wouldn¡¯t decline any of my requests.¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow.


    As a child in the Olsen Family, she was entirely dependent on Mrs. Olsen¡¯s care to grow up.


    ...


    Therefore, after she gained capability, she contacted Mrs. Olsen under the pretense of being ¡°Dr. South,¡± to have a reason to repay Mrs. Olsen¡¯s kindness during upbringing, hence she fabricated a ¡°sponsored¡± identity. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Over the years, she willingly helped with any technical issues in Mrs. Olsen¡¯s company-owned businesses.


    But when had she become at Isla Olsen¡¯s beck and call?


    That really was an exaggeration.


    However, Professor Miller believed it was true, ¡°Where is Dr. South currently employed?¡±


    Isla Olsen replied, ¡°I promised the Dean that I would invite Dr. South to teach at our university.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Professor Miller was overjoyed and turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, your research field is the same as Dr. South¡¯s. I¡¯ll introduce you to him, and if Dr. South agrees to vouch for you, you might still have a chance for a recommendation!¡±


    Isla Olsen pretended to be worried, ¡°Professor Miller, would that be all right? The Hortons are the wealthiest in Oceanion, and they allocate a lot of research funding to our school every year¡­¡±


    Professor Miller was unconcerned, ¡°Dr. South is currently in high demand. I¡¯ve heard that Heddon University and Oxford University both sent him invitations, and many companies want to invest in him. If Dr. South agrees to intervene, the school will definitely choose Dr. South!¡±


    Isla Olsen feigned a sigh, ¡°But Dr. South considers my mom¡¯s face. If it were me, he would certainly spare no effort to help, but Keira is my dad¡¯s illegitimate daughter and stands opposed to my mom¡­ Keira, shall I go and ask Dr. South for you?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­No need.¡±


    At that moment, Isla Olsen seemed like a court jester.


    She curled her lips and directly said to Professor Miller, ¡°Professor Miller, there¡¯s no need to trouble yourself. You know, I don¡¯t really want to pursue graduate studies.¡±


    Professor Miller looked stunned, his face full of regret.


    It was he who had discovered Keira Olsen¡¯s talent in the field, and, excited by the potential, had forcefully asked her to consider a graduate recommendation, not anticipating it would come to this.


    His eyes slightly reddened, ¡°Then I will write you a job recommendation letter.¡±


    Poppy Hill scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t bother, offended Mr. Horton and still want to find a job in Oceanion? Dream on!¡±


    Professor Miller became furious, ¡°I refuse to believe that someone can really cover the sky with one hand in Oceanion! If you can¡¯t find a job, come and be my teaching assistant! I need you!¡±


    Keira Olsen felt a warm surge in her heart, she explained, ¡°Professor, there¡¯s just a slight misunderstanding between Mr. Horton and me, it will be cleared up, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    Professor Miller sighed, ¡°If it can be cleared up, then come back and still be my student.¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at her teacher¡¯s eager expression, her voice soft, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come back.¡±


    Being a mentor at Oceanion University wouldn¡¯t be too bad.


    But Isla Olsen clenched her fingers.


    She couldn¡¯t understand, she was a top student, why did Professor Miller only care about Keira Olsen, whose grades were just ordinary?!


    Had this old man also been charmed by her face?


    In her heart, Isla Olsen was infuriatingly annoyed; she glanced at Poppy Hill and suddenly spoke, ¡°Keira, are you really going to bother Mr. Horton again? He¡¯s already married, this really isn¡¯t right¡­¡±


    Poppy Hill, as expected, was furious.


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    A loud slap resounded in the office.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s cheeks burned with a stinging sensation as she stared incredulously at Poppy Hill, unable to believe she would strike her in front of Professor Miller!


    Without a trace of guilt, Poppy Hill pointed at her nose and scolded, ¡°You lowlife bitch, haven¡¯t seen you for years, and it seems you¡¯ve forgotten the rules of our home! Apologize to your sister right now, and swear you¡¯ll never meet the Hortons again!¡±


    The warmth in Keira¡¯s eyes slowly faded, leaving only a chilling coldness.


    It seemed that her declaration of ¡°the last time¡± the other day hadn¡¯t been taken to heart at all¡ªshe was still treated as that submissive, ignorant girl who revered Isla Olsen.


    Since reason couldn¡¯t get through to them, they couldn¡¯t blame her for not showing any mercy¡­


    Isla stood by, a surge of smugness rising in her heart.


    As a child, Keira would bow and scrape before her, tolerating scolding without retort and beatings without fighting back.


    Later, when she moved away and they met again at university, Keira, despite still looking destitute, straightened her spine in front of her.


    Years without a beating, and she had forgotten her place!


    Today, Poppy Hill was going to teach her a lesson.


    As Isla was about to relish this thought, she saw Keira Olsen slowly approaching her, presumably to apologize.


    Isla¡¯s lips curled up, but the next moment!


    Keira suddenly looked up, and her hands ferociously struck Isla¡¯s face in quick succession!


    ¡°Smack! Smack!¡±


    Isla¡¯s head reeled, momentarily stunned by the blows.


    Poppy Hill then roared as she charged over, ¡°Keira Olsen, how dare you!¡±


    Keira abruptly turned her head!


    Her gaze was malevolent, her entire demeanor like an Asura climbing up from hell, exuding a bloodthirsty aura!


    Poppy Hill was genuinely intimidated by her appearance, frozen in shock, ¡°You, what are you going to do? You ungrateful wretch, I¡¯m your mother; would you actually raise your hand against me? You unfilial bastard!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re an unkind mother, don¡¯t blame me for being an unfilial child!¡±


    Keira¡¯s voice was very cold, each word pronounced clearly, ¡°Stop interfering in my life, or any action you take against me, I will repay double onto Isla!¡±


    She withdrew her gaze and bowed deeply to Professor Miller, ¡°Thank you for your care over these four years. I will come back.¡±


    With these words, she turned and left without hesitation.


    Only when her figure had disappeared from the room did Poppy Hill come back to her senses. She rushed to Isla, ¡°Isla, are you alright? That bitch dared to lay a hand on you; she¡¯s gone too far!¡±


    Isla, touching her swelling cheeks, trembling with anger but calmly asked, ¡°Where did she get such confidence?¡±


    Poppy Hill was taken aback, ¡°Could Mr. Horton really have taken a liking to her? Impossible, she¡¯s already married, how could Mr. Horton like damaged goods¡­¡±


    Isla thought so too.


    But thinking of her face that could ruin countries and cause disasters, she suddenly felt unsure¡­


    Professor Miller had been stunned by the series of events.


    He looked in disbelief at Poppy Hill, listening to her vile words, and couldn¡¯t help but wonder:


    Is this really Keira Olsen¡¯s mother? Not Isla¡¯s mother?


    He didn¡¯t know if it was psychological, but Professor Miller suddenly felt like the two women in front of him shared a slight resemblance¡­


    *


    Just as Keira Olsen stepped out of the school gates, Samuel Morgan called:


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve figured it out! I now understand why Lewis Horton claimed to be married but says he doesn¡¯t know you!¡±

 Chapter 6 - 6

    Chapter 6: Chapter 6


    The school entrance was bustling with people, and every face brimmed with vibrancy and liveliness.


    Keira Olsen pushed her electric bike, enveloped in solitude.


    She licked her slightly swollen lip with her tongue, her voice a bit hoarse, ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°The Horton Family, despite their outward glory, have been fiercely infighting these past years. The old master favors the first branch and intends to pass the family¡¯s reins to them, continually suppressing Lewis Horton as the youngest son.¡±


    ¡°A few years ago, the old master chose several unreliable people for Lewis Horton to potentially marry. It caused a huge uproar until Lewis announced he had already registered his marriage with a wife from an ordinary family, which put an end to the matter.¡±


    ¡°Heh, speaking of his wife, she¡¯s quite an interesting case. She has never shown herself publicly nor attended any Horton Family banquets.


    ...


    In conclusion, there¡¯s only one truth! That is¡­¡±


    Samuel Morgan elongated his tone, trying to tease a cliffhanger, but before he could finish, Keira Olsen had already figured it out, ¡°Got it. Have you found his schedule and contact information?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Samuel Morgan choked for a moment, then sheepishly said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you his schedule for the next few days later. I can¡¯t find his private number.¡±


    Keira Olsen said indifferently, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll corner him.¡±


    For someone of Lewis Horton¡¯s status, it¡¯s normal that his private number is highly confidential.


    Samuel Morgan immediately gossiped, ¡°He is surrounded by bodyguards, not easy to approach. Do you plan to use force, or?¡±


    ¡°Keep it low-key for now,¡± Keira Olsen¡¯s lips curled into a mischievous smile. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m a woman, I can¡¯t be forceful.¡±


    Samuel Morgan: ¡°¡­¡±


    *


    Horton Group¡¯s headquarters, located in the heart of Oceanion, towered into the clouds as a symbolic skyscraper, showcasing the Horton Family¡¯s tremendous wealth.


    Keira Olsen straightened her courier uniform and, holding a delivery box, walked in. She said to the receptionist, ¡°This is a parcel for Mr. Horton, he needs to sign for it personally.¡±


    The receptionist allowed her upstairs after calling the secretary¡¯s office.


    Keira Olsen entered the private elevator, reaching the 88th floor.


    Stepping out of the elevator, the view in front of her suddenly opened up.


    The entire secretary office, serving Lewis Horton alone, housed over a hundred people.


    Keira Olsen followed the secretary who came to receive her, smoothly arriving at the president¡¯s office.


    She knocked on the door, and a pleasant voice from inside said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Keira Olsen breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she was about to meet Lewis Horton smoothly, when a tall, slender figure suddenly blocked her way.


    Assistant Tom Davis frowned as he observed her, ¡°Miss Olsen? How is it you?¡±


    Just yesterday, this lady had harassed the boss at the Olsen Family home, and now here she was again, disguised as a courier, unabashedly pursuing her boss?


    Tom Davis¡¯s face clouded over, he gestured for two bodyguards, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Can just any Tom, Dick or Harry now make it to the top floor without checks? Get her out of here immediately!¡±


    Keira Olsen remained unflustered, ¡°What do you mean? Does Horton Group look down on couriers?¡±


    Tom Davis scoffed, ¡°Trying to turn the tables on us, are you? We respect every job, but are you really a courier?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I would believe your lies? If you are a courier, do you have your ID?¡±


    No sooner had Tom Davis finished speaking than an ID was thrust in front of him.


    Keira Olsen smirked, ¡°Actually, I do.¡±


    Tom Davis: ?


    His expression stiffened, and he scoffed, thinking of something, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you just registered today?¡±


    The ID in front of him was opened, marked with the registration date.


    Tom Davis was stunned, ¡°¡­Eight years ago?¡±


    She really was a courier?


    ¡°Can¡¯t work-study programs suffice?¡± Keira Olsen said in a languorous tone, addressing the person inside, ¡°Mr. Horton, can you cooperate with my work now?¡±


    A firm voice came from the room, ¡°Let her in.¡±


    Keira Olsen gave Tom Davis a provocative glance, and seeing him on the verge of losing his temper, she bypassed him and entered.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s office was styled in minimalist luxury, the black, white, and gray color scheme made it seem utterly devoid of warmth.


    He sat behind his large desk, the sleeves of his black shirt rolled up, revealing a small portion of his lean and muscular forearm, and his fingers, clearly defined, held a fountain pen.


    After signing the document he was working on, Lewis Horton finally looked up, his dark eyes betraying no emotion.


    Keira Olsen pointed at the courier slip and said, ¡°Mr. Horton, sign here.¡±


    The girl¡¯s fingers were pale and slender, the fingertips slightly calloused, giving off a sense of powerful beauty.


    Just like her, apparently fragile and slender, yet her spine was always straight, exuding pride.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze lingered for a moment on her swollen lips before he took the pen to sign.


    At that moment, Keira Olsen suddenly spoke, her words astonishing, ¡°Mr. Horton, you¡¯re not actually married, are you?¡±


    The man¡¯s pen halted, and he abruptly looked up, his penetrating black eyes fixed on her, an imposing pressure overwhelming the space!


    Keira Olsen knew she had guessed correctly!


    At the courthouse, registration information had to be filled in by hand. There could be no mistake.


    Lewis Horton claimed to be married, yet he didn¡¯t know her at all.


    After Samuel Morgan¡¯s investigation¡­


    The only truth could be that Lewis Horton had invented a wife to fend off his family¡¯s pressure to marry.


    He had never been to the courthouse, so he was unaware of their supposed married status.


    Keira Olsen earnestly said, ¡°Mr. Horton, I know my words might sound bizarre, but we really are married.¡±


    Lewis Horton slowly straightened up, a hint of amusement on his face, ¡°Miss Olsen, don¡¯t waste your efforts. Even if I were unmarried, I wouldn¡¯t marry you just to spite Jake Horton.¡±


    Keira Olsen was momentarily stunned.


    Did he know about her past with Jake Horton and assume she approached him for revenge? Was that why he had never believed her?


    Keira Olsen explained, ¡°I¡¯m not here because of Jake Horton, I¡¯m here to ask you to¡­¡± to divorce.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your emotional entanglements.¡±


    Lewis Horton interrupted her, briskly finished signing, and handed her the courier slip, ¡°Don¡¯t bother me again, or don¡¯t blame me for being rude.¡±


    Keira Olsen was also irritated, ¡°Haven¡¯t you already been rude? You¡¯ve even said I should vanish from Oceanion!¡±


    Lewis Horton frowned, ¡°When did I¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence as his phone suddenly rang.


    It was the exclusive ringtone for his grandmother.


    He immediately answered, and the voice of the caregiver came from the other side, ¡°Mr. Horton, old Mrs. Horton is missing again!¡±


    Lewis Horton abruptly stood up and rushed out anxiously.


    Keira Olsen wanted to chase after him to clear things up but was stopped by Tom Davis, ¡°Miss Olsen, I advise you to let it go.¡±


    Keira Olsen sighed.


    She was ¡°asked¡± to leave Horton Group and slowly made her way home.


    Just as she reached her doorstep, she suddenly turned around and saw the old woman she had encountered before sneaking up behind her, stealthy as a cat.


    Keira Olsen: ?


    About to speak, the little old lady suddenly grabbed her wrist:


    ¡°My dear daughter-in-law, don¡¯t you think of abandoning me again!¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 7 - 7

    Chapter 7: Chapter 7


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s rented house was neatly and cozily decorated by her.


    She looked at the old lady, who had already drunk three glasses of water at the dining table, and said earnestly, ¡°I really am not your granddaughter-in-law.¡±


    ¡°You are.¡±


    The little old lady was very stubborn, hugging her cup and guzzling down another glass.


    Kiera Olsen knew that she would not be able to talk sense into her and took out her phone to dial the number from last time.


    It rang once and was promptly answered: ¡°Hello.¡±


    ...


    Kiera Olsen faintly felt that the man¡¯s voice was somewhat familiar; just as she was about to say something, the old lady suddenly snatched away the phone.


    At that moment, Lewis Horton was searching nearby with a group of people.


    He appeared calm on the surface but felt somewhat anxious inside.


    The grandma didn¡¯t just have Alzheimer¡¯s; at eighty-seven years old, her body¡¯s organs had long begun to degenerate, posing a risk to her life at any moment.


    The moment the phone rang, he immediately answered, and then he heard his grandma¡¯s robust voice from inside:


    ¡°Brat, don¡¯t come to pick me up; I¡¯m with my granddaughter-in-law.¡±


    Granddaughter-in-law¡­


    The number was that of the girl from last time; so was grandma with her again?


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face darkened as he asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°You think I can¡¯t find you if you don¡¯t say?¡±


    ¡°¡­You mustn¡¯t come to me or send people to check on me!¡±


    Lewis Horton rubbed his temples and quietly asked his primary care doctor while covering the phone: ¡°Can we forcefully bring old Mrs. Horton back?¡±


    The doctor shook his head and softly replied, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton should not be subjected to any stress right now. It¡¯s best to go along with her wishes. The girl from last time doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person either¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton clenched his jaw and then coaxed into the phone, ¡°Grandma, I still need to bring you your medicine.¡±


    ¡°No need for medicine, I brought it with me; just rest easy, dear, I¡¯ll wait until I can take my granddaughter-in-law back home!¡±


    The little old lady hung up the phone after saying that.


    She handed the phone back to Kiera Olsen, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, all settled!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    What kind of unreliable relatives are these, leaving an older person with a stranger?


    Just as she was about to call back, her WhatsApp notification tone chimed once. Someone had sent a friend request using the phone number, with the message: grandson.


    Kiera Olsen accepted his friend request and input the remark: Grandson.


    ¡°Grandson¡± quickly sent a message: [Please take care of my grandma for a while, her health has been bad recently, and she can¡¯t be agitated.]


    Kiera Olsen snorted and typed coolly into her phone, ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient for me; my place isn¡¯t a charity organization¡­¡±


    Before she could finish typing, a noise suddenly came from the kitchen.


    She quickly went to check and found the old lady cooking eggs.


    Kiera Olsen casually asked, ¡°Hungry? Just eating eggs won¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Not that.¡± The little old lady turned around, her wrinkled face lit with a kind smile: ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, if you apply egg on your face, it will reduce the swelling.¡±


    Kiera Olsen was stunned.


    Perhaps she hadn¡¯t even realized that after being hit by her own mother today, she seemed outwardly unbothered, but actually, a layer of indifference enveloped her, distancing her from the world.


    At that moment, the old lady¡¯s words melted the coldness surrounding her, and warmth returned to the depths of her eyes¡­


    She pursed her lips and looked at her phone again.


    But saw an orange alert suddenly appear on the interface:


    [You have received a transfer of 300,000 yuan from your grandson.]


    Jake: [This is your living expenses for one week. Let me know if it¡¯s not enough.]


    Keira looked at her input field, deleted the words she had just typed, and composed a new message instead: [Alright then.]


    She couldn¡¯t understand why she suddenly started to meddle¡ªit must have been because the amount of money was too much!


    *


    The Olsen Family.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s cheeks were swollen on both sides, with clear slap marks. Her eyes were red and swollen as she sat on the living room couch, silently weeping.


    Poppy Hill lowered her head: ¡°Isla, that little slut must be jealous you¡¯re getting married into the Horton Family and that¡¯s why she lashed out. Don¡¯t cry. Wait for your dad to come back, and let Lewis teach her a lesson!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, Jodie South, dragged her ill body down the stairs; her voice was weak, but her tone was firm: ¡°Cough cough, Keira isn¡¯t that kind of person. You must have done something first to anger her¡­¡±


    Isla clenched her fingers and said with a lowered head and a grievance: ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have accepted Jake¡¯s proposal. She likes Jake so much, she must have gotten involved with Mr. Horton because of this¡­¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face was pale, sickly: ¡°How could that be? Keira knew manners and morals when she was a child.¡±


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have stubbornly moved out of the house.


    Poppy Hill said with hatred: ¡°She must have been led astray by others over the past few years! Her heart is black. Not only did she hit Isla today, but she even wanted to hit me, her own mother!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen still didn¡¯t believe it.


    Isla¡¯s eyes flickered and suddenly said: ¡°Mom, it¡¯s us who have neglected her over the years¡­¡±


    These words struck Poppy Hill: ¡°It¡¯s also because she never comes home! Mrs. Olsen, you were so good to her before. But she never comes to see you; she¡¯s truly an ungrateful wretch! She doesn¡¯t remember your kindness at all, just a cold-hearted person at her core!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was stunned.


    She had no prejudice against Keira Olsen, having raised her with her own hands, there were feelings involved.


    When that child left, she did tell her to come back and visit when she could.


    But for so many years, Keira never returned home.


    Had the child really become cold and detached as she grew up?


    Isla was satisfied seeing her hesitation.


    She changed the subject and said coyly: ¡°Mom, could you invite Dr. South to take a teaching position at Oceanion University?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately refused sternly: ¡°Isla, you mustn¡¯t use favors to seek recompense. Besides, Dr. South has done enough for the family¡¯s company over these years!¡±


    Isla wasn¡¯t surprised by her response and smiled saying: ¡°Mom, that¡¯s not what I meant. Oceanion University is the best university around here, and maybe Dr. South wants to go there himself? We could just help him make connections with the school, it would be a way to thank Dr. South for all the help over the years.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen thought there was logic to this, took out her phone, and opened WhatsApp: ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask him.¡±


    Isla sat next to Mrs. Olsen and blinked: ¡°Dr. South has done so much for our family, any debt of gratitude is long repaid. Shouldn¡¯t the family hold a banquet to treat him? Would it not be better to ask him in person then?¡±


    Dr. South always responded to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s requests.


    As long as he came, if she then expressed her desire to become his graduate student, Dr. South would certainly not refuse.


    Mrs. Olsen was persuaded. She messaged Dr. South on WhatsApp: [South, do you have time to come over to the house?]


    When Keira saw the message, her heart immediately leapt.


    Why would Mrs. Olsen suddenly want to meet?


    Could it be that her health was failing?


    Thinking of Mrs. Olsen¡¯s coughing¡­


    Keira got up to leave: [I¡¯m free. Shall I come over now?]

 Chapter 8 - 8

    Chapter 8: Chapter 8


    Keira Olsen clenched her jaw, feeling extremely anxious.


    She was about to leave the house when Mrs. Olsen¡¯s WhatsApp message came through, ¡°No need to rush now, working overtime on Saturday? I¡¯d like to invite you for a simple meal.¡±


    It was then that Keira realized her concern had clouded her judgment.


    To go to the Olsen house for a meal?


    A bitter smile curled the corners of her lips.


    Ten years ago, when she moved out of the Olsens¡¯ house, she had gone back on the first weekend.


    ...


    She had entered the yard and, through the glass window, she saw Mrs. Olsen, Isla Olsen, and Taylor Olsen chatting and laughing together, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face alight with a radiant smile she had never seen before.


    Poppy Hill had said, ¡°See? Without you, they are the real family of three. If you really care about Mrs. Olsen, don¡¯t disturb her again in the future.¡±


    In the end, Keira had quietly left.


    Each year, she would only leave a small gift at the door on Mrs. Olsen¡¯s birthday¡­


    After so many years, perhaps it was time to meet?


    Keira replied to the message, ¡°Actually, it should be me treating you. Saturday at six in the evening, don¡¯t stand me up.¡±


    She sent a restaurant location.


    Going to the Olsen house would only cause unnecessary arguments, better to meet outside. She could have a quiet talk with Mrs. Olsen and also check up on her health¡­


    Mrs. Olsen: ¡°Alright, don¡¯t stand me up.¡±


    Keira exited the chat with Mrs. Olsen and saw several messages from ¡°grandson¡±:


    ¡°The older old Mrs. Horton gets, the more she resembles a child, with a quick temper, requiring ample patience.¡±


    ¡°Old Mrs. Horton suffers from insomnia, finding it hard to fall asleep at night.¡±


    ¡°Two blue pills a day, one in the morning and one in the evening¡­¡±


    A string of five reminders, the last one being:


    ¡°The above is forwarded from the family doctor¡¯s advice, thank you for your trouble. If grandma has any discomfort, please contact me immediately.¡±


    Keira read this, then silently walked into the guest room and made a short video for ¡°grandson¡±.


    *


    Not far away on the street, two cars were parked unobtrusively.


    Leading was a nanny car, equipped with a full range of features, essentially a small suite.


    Lewis Horton, dressed in a black suit, was sitting on the sofa, working on a computer.


    The family doctor of old Mrs. Horton sat in the corner with a grave expression, ready for any emergency.


    If old Mrs. Horton changed locations suddenly, she would surely have trouble sleeping that night.


    Her frail body meant that insomnia could lead to abnormal heart rates; any lack of attention could be life-threatening.


    The car in the rear was equipped with medical devices, in case of an emergency. Old Mrs. Horton lived nearby, so they could rush to her aid at a moment¡¯s notice.


    While contemplating this, Lewis¡¯s WhatsApp notification sounded.


    He looked at it and, to his ever-unchanging stoic expression, a hint of¡­ surprise appeared?


    The family doctor immediately asked, ¡°Is something wrong with old Mrs. Horton?¡±


    Lewis pressed his lips together and passed the video for him to see.


    There was old Mrs. Horton, sprawled out on a small floral bedsheet, sleeping soundly and even snoring softly!


    It was only nine in the evening!


    Usually, they would thank their lucky stars if old Mrs. Horton managed to fall asleep before one in the morning!


    The family doctor looked astounded, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton truly feels differently about this girl. If she could always stay with old Mrs. Horton, I¡¯m sure it would bring improvements to her health!¡±


    With old age and a weak body, sleep was crucial for old Mrs. Horton.


    Lewis clenched his jaw, his gaze deepening.


    The next day.


    Before leaving the house, Keira instructed the well-rested and rosy-cheeked elderly lady who had had a good night¡¯s sleep, ¡°I¡¯ve asked Samuel Morgan to come and keep you company; he¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the little old lady nodded obediently, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, what are you off to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see someone.¡±


    ¡°Who are you seeing? Is it a must?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    If she didn¡¯t go to find Lewis Horton, he would find out they were married when he tried to register his marriage in the future.


    But the company was waiting to go public, and Keira Olsen was anxious to get a divorce.


    The old lady grandly gestured, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have my grandson arrange a meeting for you! My grandson¡¯s face is well recognized!¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m afraid your grandson won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡±


    With the Horton Family being the wealthiest in Oceanion, how could the old lady¡¯s family be more influential?


    She rode her electric bike and arrived at the Horton Group.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s personal schedule was actually quite monotonous; the man had no leisure or entertainment, he was either at work or on his way to work.


    Keira Olsen approached the front desk and, before she could speak, the receptionist said, ¡°You again? Mr. Davis informed us that Mr. Horton has no express delivery today, you¡¯re not allowed upstairs!¡±


    Keira Olsen said, ¡°I¡¯m not here to deliver a package, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    The receptionist cut her off impatiently, ¡°Do you have an appointment then? Without an appointment, you can¡¯t go upstairs!¡±


    Just as Keira Olsen was about to say something, the receptionist¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up; the impatient look on her face instantly vanished as she eagerly said to someone behind Keira, ¡°Miss Olsen? You¡¯re here!¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned and turned to see Isla Olsen.


    With a gentle and refined demeanor, Isla Olsen smiled slightly at the receptionist, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Jake.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her gaze swept over Keira Olsen and she added, ¡°But I forgot to make an appointment in advance¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Olsen, you must be joking. With your status, why would you need an appointment? Young Mr. Horton will definitely be delighted to see you!¡±


    The receptionist used a card to help her through the security gate, ¡°Please, come in.¡±


    However, Isla Olsen looked towards Keira Olsen and sighed disapprovingly, ¡°Keira, the Horton Group isn¡¯t a place just anyone can enter whenever they wish. If you want to cling to Mr. Horton, don¡¯t make things difficult for the receptionist here¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    When did she give the receptionist a hard time?


    But the receptionist furrowed her brows.


    Mr. Davis just said to not let this girl upstairs but hadn¡¯t specified why.


    Was it because of this?


    The receptionist showed a disdainful look and said with full annoyance, ¡°Some people really don¡¯t know their place, thinking they can become a phoenix by relying on their face? Look around, this isn¡¯t just any place. Miss, please keep your distance and don¡¯t disturb my work, or I¡¯ll have to call security!¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow, about to say something, but seeing the receptionist¡¯s high-and-mighty attitude, she smiled and said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s you who won¡¯t let me upstairs.¡±


    Meanwhile, upstairs.


    After Lewis Horton finished processing an urgent document, he took out his phone and saw the pinned contact ¡°Iron-deficient.¡±


    That was the girl¡¯s WhatsApp name, quite a weird one.


    He sent a message, ¡°Hello, how¡¯s grandma today?¡±


    The reply came quickly, ¡°Everything was fine when I left home.¡±


    Lewis Horton frowned, ¡°Did you go out to work?¡±


    ¡°Iron-deficient¡±: ¡°Sort of.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression turned displeased; she had just left his grandmother alone at home?


    But she wasn¡¯t the caregiver he had hired; she had no obligation to stay put and take care of his grandma.


    Right now, he was the one seeking a favor¡­


    Lewis Horton pondered for a moment, ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll come to you, let¡¯s talk about my grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Iron-deficient¡± didn¡¯t decline, immediately sending an address via WhatsApp.


    After seeing it, Lewis Horton paused.


    Wasn¡¯t that¡­ right outside the Horton Group?


    He got up and headed downstairs.

 Chapter 9 - 9

    Chapter 9: Chapter 9


    The receptionist personally escorted Isla Olsen into the elevator.


    While waiting for the elevator, Isla Olsen saw that Keira Olsen had not left; instead, she was sitting on the sofa in the Horton Group lobby, obviously with no intention of leaving.


    Truly shameless.


    Isla Olsen looked towards the receptionist, ¡°It¡¯s really not easy on you guys; I¡¯ll mention it to Jake, to give you a raise¡­¡±


    Joy appeared on the receptionist¡¯s face, ¡°Thank you, Miss Olsen! If you need anything, just say the word!¡±


    Isla Olsen sighed, ¡°My sister is so stubborn; don¡¯t let her really wait for Mr. Horton¡­¡±


    ...


    Having said that, Isla Olsen entered the elevator.


    As the elevator doors closed, she saw the receptionist approaching Keira Olsen, with a triumphant smile tugging at the corner of her lips.


    Did Keira Olsen think she could gain Mr. Horton¡¯s favor just with her face?


    How foolish.


    In the world of the wealthy, talk less about emotions, more about interests.


    Jake Horton had pursued her for four years, liked her so much, but in the end, he still proposed to her¡­


    All because she had the bargaining chip to form an alliance through marriage with Jake Horton!


    The elevator quickly reached the 68th floor; when Isla Olsen entered the office, her face had already regained its calm and gentle expression.


    Jake Horton was impeccably dressed in a suit, having shed the youthful look he had in school, his eyes and brows now carried a trace of sharpness. His gaze fell on her face and he casually asked, ¡°What happened to your face?¡±


    Isla Olsen looked down, ¡°Keira hit me¡­¡±


    Jake Horton frowned with displeasure and warned, ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to provoke her.¡±


    Isla Olsen paused, ¡°It was my fault.¡±


    She walked over to Jake¡¯s side, ¡°Jake, I heard your new project is on renewable energy?¡±


    Jake Horton looked at her seriously, ¡°Yes, if the Horton Group can¡¯t come up with the latest technology, we will get surpassed in the future.¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged a dinner with Dr. South and mom; how about I get Dr. South to join your R&D team?¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression softened a lot, ¡°Good.¡±


    His attitude shifted, he wrapped an arm around Isla Olsen¡¯s waist and his fingers brushed her cheek, ¡°Keira is indeed too ignorant. Does it still hurt? Let me blow on it¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen kept her eyes demurely lowered, feigning shyness.


    But inwardly, she scoffed coldly.


    With a connection like Dr. South in her hand, what chance did Keira Olsen have to compete with her?


    As for who Jake Horton truly loved¡­


    She didn¡¯t care at all!


    She just wanted to marry into the Horton family and become Mrs. Jake Horton!


    That way, even if her true background couldn¡¯t be concealed in the future, her life of wealth would be secured¡­


    *


    In the lobby downstairs.


    Keira Olsen sent the address to ¡°Grandson¡±.


    The elderly man currently lived with her, and indeed, it was important to clarify responsibilities with his family in advance to avoid any trouble down the line.


    Just as she was about to arrange a meeting time with the other party, her view was suddenly obscured.


    The receptionist, accompanied by two security guards, stood in front of her and haughtily ordered, ¡°You can¡¯t sit here; you¡¯re disrupting my work. Please leave immediately.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s face darkened.


    The lobby sofas were there for anyone to sit on, and she had been silent. How had she disrupted the receptionist¡¯s work?


    Keira Olsen leaned back lazily, ¡°If your work is so easily disrupted, perhaps you should find a private office?¡±


    The receptionist choked, flustered, and said to the security guards, ¡°Throw her out at once!¡±


    Just as the security guards were about to move forward, the noisy lobby suddenly quieted down.


    The elevator reserved for the president slowly opened, and a composed Lewis Horton, accompanied by Tom Davis, walked out with a low profile.


    The man in a suit and shoes glanced over here once, then redirected his gaze to survey his surroundings as though he was looking for someone.


    Tom Davis noticed the situation and walked over quickly.


    His brows were deeply furrowed as he looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°Why is it you again?¡±


    The receptionist rushed to complain first, ¡°Mr. Davis, she said she wanted to go upstairs to deliver a parcel to Mr. Horton. I didn¡¯t agree, and she¡¯s just been lingering here, refusing to leave.¡±


    Keira Olsen said indifferently, ¡°I told you I¡¯m not here to deliver a parcel.¡±


    The receptionist scoffed, ¡°Mr. Davis, did you hear that? She isn¡¯t even pretending anymore, just straight up says she wants to go upstairs to meet someone. When I wouldn¡¯t let her go, she started making a scene here. I¡¯ll have security throw her out right this instant!¡±


    Keira Olsen replied with a lazy tone, ¡°Which Horton Group policy states I can¡¯t sit on this sofa?¡±


    The receptionist was once again left speechless.


    Tom Davis impatiently said to Keira Olsen, ¡°Then just sit here, since the boss won¡¯t pay you any attention, anyway.¡±


    He then turned to the receptionist, annoyed, ¡°What¡¯s important right now is that the air conditioning on the top floor is broken. The repairman said he¡¯d arrived a while ago. Why is the front desk stopping people from going upstairs?¡±


    The receptionist was startled, ¡°I didn¡¯t see any repairman coming¡­¡±


    Tom Davis furrowed his brow, ¡°Really didn¡¯t see anyone?¡±


    The receptionist nodded at once, ¡°I¡¯ve been right here the whole time, not to mention something as important as the top floor issue, how could I possibly stop anyone?¡±


    Tom Davis took out his phone, ¡°Then I¡¯ll call them to see if they went to the wrong place¡­¡±


    But before he could make the call, a languid voice said, ¡°No wrong place.¡±


    Tom Davis was startled.


    Keira Olsen smiled, ¡°It¡¯s true, the front desk wouldn¡¯t let me go upstairs.¡±


    Tom Davis: ?


    Receptionist: ?


    Both were confused.


    After a moment, Tom Davis finally realized, ¡°You are the repairman? That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    A work badge was presented to him.


    The date on it was nine years ago. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tom Davis couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°Is this another part-time job you found through hard work and thrift?¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t deny it, her gaze drifting towards Lewis Horton not far away, ¡°Not even allowing me to speak, they wanted to throw me out, even accusing me of making a scene here. Mr. Horton, your receptionist sure has quite the attitude.¡±


    The receptionist looked towards Lewis Horton in a panic, ¡°Mr. Horton, I¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face was expressionless as he said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡±


    The receptionist turned pale instantly but didn¡¯t dare to beg for mercy.


    Only then did Lewis Horton turn his heavy gaze towards Keira Olsen.


    Tom Davis had investigated the girl; she had moved out of the Olsen Family home after junior high and had been supporting herself with various jobs ever since.


    Yesterday a courier, today a repairman, how many jobs had she taken on?


    Despite the apparent poverty of her life, her spine remained ever straight¡­


    How could such a proud woman debase herself and pester him time and time again?


    Thinking this, any flicker of admiration that had risen in Lewis Horton vanished instantly, replaced by utter impatience, ¡°Miss Olsen, are you satisfied now?¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded and stood up, ¡°Mr. Horton, have you gone to the courthouse to check?¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t respond to her but coldly told Tom Davis, ¡°Take her upstairs to work, and remember, I don¡¯t want to see her again.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Tom Davis grabbed her arm, ¡°Miss Olsen, let¡¯s go this way. I advise you to give up. Even if you try your hardest and enter the top floor legitimately, our boss won¡¯t spare you a second glance.¡±


    Although the identities of courier and repairman were real, was she really coming to the Horton Group to work? Everyone knew the answer.


    Lewis Horton no longer looked at her, instead taking out his phone and dialing a voice call to ¡°Metal-Deficient¡± on WhatsApp.


    Simultaneously, Keira Olsen¡¯s phone began to ring.

 Chapter 10 - 10

    Chapter 10: Chapter 10


    When Kiera Olsen¡¯s ringtone sounded, Lewis Horton was slightly taken aback.


    He turned his head to look at Kiera Olsen.


    ¡°Lacks all five elements but iron, is that her?¡±


    Kiera Olsen answered the phone, ¡°Hello.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s phone remained silent. Looking at his device, he realized that the caller was already on another call and the voice call had not gone through.


    ¡­He was overthinking it.


    ...


    Meanwhile, several people in the lobby were making phone calls; it was impossible to discern which one was her¡­


    Just then, ¡°Lacks all five elements but iron¡± sent a message: [Sorry, it¡¯s not convenient to meet now. Let¡¯s reschedule.]


    The rooftop.


    While Kiera Olsen was on the phone with Samuel Morgan, she was also texting her grandson.


    Samuel Morgan took delight in her misfortune, ¡°Boss, can you still pull it off? It¡¯s been many years since you¡¯ve done any repair work, right?¡±


    Kiera Olsen replied coolly, ¡°If you¡¯re that idle, help me check Lewis Horton¡¯s personal phone number, so I don¡¯t have to look for him over and over again.¡±


    If she had his number, she could call him every hour to remind him to check at the courthouse. With such a bombardment, even if he couldn¡¯t believe this ludicrous matter, he would eventually check it out.


    Samuel Morgan immediately exclaimed, ¡°How is that possible? You don¡¯t know, there¡¯s no information about him online. I¡¯ve already put a lot of effort into tracking his personal itinerary¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re not skilled enough.¡±


    Kiera Olsen hung up the phone and saw Tom Davis beside her with a disdainful expression, ¡°Miss Olsen, our boss¡¯s personal number is classified. Ordinary people can¡¯t get it.¡±


    Kiera Olsen teased him on purpose, ¡°Do you believe that not only will I have your boss¡¯s number in the future, but I¡¯ll also have his WhatsApp¡­¡±


    The divorce procedures are a bit complicated. There would definitely be more communication with Lewis Horton in the future.


    Tom Davis scoffed, ¡°Dream on!¡±


    No sooner had he spoken, Kiera Olsen¡¯s phone buzzed. ¡°Grandson¡± had sent a WhatsApp message: [Whenever you¡¯re free, just let me know.]


    *


    Ten minutes later, Kiera Olsen finished repairing the air conditioner.


    She dusted off her hands, ¡°The filter has been used for too long and accumulated dirt, affecting the cooling system. Just replace it after cleaning.¡±


    Seeing her adept movements and how quickly she solved the problem, Tom Davis felt less hostile toward her.


    To prevent her from seeking out his boss again, Tom Davis personally escorted her downstairs.


    At the entrance, he said meaningfully, ¡°Miss Olsen, we won¡¯t have any more direct-signed deliveries on the top floor, nor will there be any more appliance malfunctions.¡±


    Kiera Olsen discerned the implication in his words but simply smiled, ¡°Mm, see you at noon.¡±


    She turned and left.


    Tom Davis: ?


    He didn¡¯t take her words to heart and returned to the rooftop.


    At noon, Lewis Horton had a lunch appointment.


    He didn¡¯t enjoy socializing, but now that he was back in Crera, he still needed to respect the local drinking culture, such occasions were not that frequent.


    Tom Davis accompanied him throughout.


    They arrived at a private restaurant. As Tom Davis took a look at the uniformly dressed waitstaff, he suddenly became more alert.


    Isn¡¯t being a restaurant waiter the most common choice for students to earn while they learn?


    He scrutinized the surroundings, almost checking out every waiter and only when he didn¡¯t find Kiera Olsen did he breathe a sigh of relief.


    But he quickly found his own behavior laughable.


    Kiera Olsen had already been a courier and a repair worker. How could she possibly be working other jobs?


    It was that ¡°see you at noon¡± comment from her that had him on edge!


    Tom Davis relaxed and entered the private room. After the meals were served and the chef came to express his gratitude,


    ¡°Hello everyone, are you satisfied with today¡¯s dishes?¡±


    A familiar female voice rang out, and Tom Davis¡¯s body stiffened!


    He swung his head around as if he saw a ghost and saw Kiera Olsen standing at the door, wearing a chef¡¯s hat. She wore a faint smile, briefly introducing today¡¯s menu, and finally approached Lewis Horton, speaking softly, ¡°Mr. Horton, why don¡¯t you go check at the courthouse.¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    His jaw tightened, and for the first time, a faint trace of fissures appeared on his usually composed face.


    Tom Davis was even more shocked as he looked at her, ¡°You, you¡¯re the head chef? The certified kind?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Keira Olsen reached into her fanny pack, intending to take out her chef¡¯s certification, but accidentally dropped one, two, three¡­ a total of five different job IDs!


    Tom Davis swallowed hard, ¡°You have five part-time jobs?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°No.¡±


    Tom Davis had just taken a breath of relief when he heard her say indifferently,


    ¡°There are some I didn¡¯t bring with me.¡±


    Tom Davis: !!!


    Keira Olsen smiled slyly at Lewis Horton, ¡°It depends on what Mr. Horton needs; I can do anything. I suppose Mr. Horton wouldn¡¯t want me to keep bothering him, right? Why don¡¯t we check at the courthouse?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face was tense.


    The woman, with her amorous eyes like mist over water, always seemed to speak with a hint of tenderness, causing everyone else at the table to look at her involuntarily.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression turned grim in an instant, still ignoring Keira Olsen, he only said to Tom Davis, ¡°Go check¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen felt a surge of happiness inside.


    Had this man finally been persuaded by her?


    But then she heard him say coldly, ¡°Who has leaked my schedule.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tom Davis took a step forward, blocking Keira Olsen¡¯s path again, ¡°Miss Olsen, please leave immediately.¡±


    Keira Olsen was once again chased out of the private room, standing outside and sighing.


    Why couldn¡¯t Lewis Horton just trust her?


    Even with her patience, she was getting annoyed now!


    She didn¡¯t leave but decided to wait outside instead.


    She hadn¡¯t been treated with such indifference in the past two years.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became¡­


    Keira Olsen took out her phone, wanting to vent to someone, but as she scrolled through WhatsApp, she found no suitable person and simply posted a status to her circle of friends.


    Inside the private room.


    The guests ate while showering Lewis Horton with compliments.


    He was getting somewhat impatient, taking out his phone and pretending to be busy with something.


    Browsing through his circle of friends list out of boredom, he saw a post from ¡°Lacking Iron¡± from two minutes earlier: [Don¡¯t be mad, you have to be patient with grandkids.]


    Lewis Horton paused for a moment.


    He immediately messaged ¡°Lacking Iron¡±: [How old are you? Already have grandkids?]


    After all, you can¡¯t expect an old person to take care of Granny¡­


    ¡°Lacking Iron¡±: [?]


    ¡°Lacking Iron¡±: [¡­You¡¯re talking about my circle of friends post, right? That¡¯s me cursing someone. There¡¯s someone who just never understands what I say!]


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    He then realized he¡¯d made a fool of himself.


    So he sent a message to cover up his embarrassment: [The brain is a daily necessity, he must be using it as a decorative item.]


    ¡°Lacking Iron¡±: [I¡¯ll curse you a couple more times.] S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lewis Horton smiled: [We only scold people, let¡¯s not waste it on him.]


    ¡°Lacking Iron¡±: [Seeing how you talk, I¡¯ll prepare an extra meal for Granny tonight. Does she have any dietary restrictions?]


    Lewis Horton: [The doctor said she should eat less sweets and spicy food, everything else is fine.]


    ¡°Lacking Iron¡±: [Okay.]


    Their chat always made Lewis Horton feel like he was talking to an old friend, very comfortable.


    He suddenly asked: [Can I come to visit Granny tonight?]


    ¡°Lacking Iron¡±: [Of course, you¡¯re welcome anytime.]


    Then she sent him a specific address with the door number included.

 Chapter 11 - 11

    Chapter 11: Chapter 11


    Lewis Horton remembered the address and replied, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡±


    He had to bring the family doctor over to check on his grandmother tonight, he felt uneasy otherwise.


    ¡°Five Elements Lacking Iron¡± didn¡¯t send another message.


    ¡­She seemed not to like such politeness from others.


    Lewis Horton silently took note of her little quirk.


    ¡°Mr. Horton, are you sending a message to Mrs. Horton?¡±


    ...


    The person beside him suddenly teased, ¡°You can¡¯t hide the smile on your face.¡±


    The curve of Lewis Horton¡¯s lips stiffened. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He put away his phone and looked at the speaker.


    As he became the CEO of Horton Group, Mrs. Horton still had not appeared in public, which had led many to doubt the existence of this ¡°Mrs. Horton.¡±


    So he didn¡¯t deny it.


    That person took his silence as an affirmation and flattered him, ¡°Mr. Horton is truly virtuous, loyal and devoted to Mrs. Horton. That head chef was quite attractive, yet Mr. Horton wasn¡¯t swayed at all, truly a role model for our generation!¡±


    Seeing this, the others immediately chimed in, ¡°We are so curious about Mrs. Horton, what kind of person she could be to have captured Mr. Horton¡¯s heart¡­ Old Mrs. Horton must be very pleased with this granddaughter-in-law, right?¡±


    Everyone vaguely knew that Lewis Horton didn¡¯t have a great relationship with the Horton Family, with the only person he truly cared about being Old Mrs. Horton.


    Lewis Horton looked down and said indifferently, ¡°Yes, Grandmother indeed likes her very much.¡±


    Outside.


    Kiera Olsen was idly waiting when suddenly a familiar voice came through:


    ¡°Kiera Olsen!¡±


    She turned her head to face a familiar, handsome visage.


    Jake Horton was wearing a black suit. The face that was always gentle and caring in her memory was now looking at her with a grim expression, ¡°You¡¯re really here.¡±


    Kiera Olsen pursed her lips.


    In college, she was always solitary, like a lone ranger.


    Jake Horton was warm and outgoing, sticking by her side, the only friend she had.


    Only now their statuses were somewhat awkward.


    She hesitated, ¡°¡­Is there something you need?¡±


    Jake Horton snorted coldly, ¡°Isla Olsen told me about your background. Why did you hide it from me? I hate mistresses and illegitimate daughters the most in my life, yet I pursued someone like you for four years like a fool. Is this amusing to you?¡±


    Kiera Olsen felt as if a large hand had abruptly seized her heart¡­


    She had never understood why, when Jake Horton had told her he would give her a surprise at the graduation ceremony and hoped she would not reject him again, he ended up proposing to Isla Olsen.


    So that was it.


    His family was not harmonious at home; it seemed there was an illegitimate sister.


    Just by revealing her identity, Isla Olsen had easily shattered four years of camaraderie.


    Kiera Olsen took a step back, distancing herself from him.


    Jake Horton, however, stepped forward to confront her, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to explain to me?¡±


    Explain what?


    Explain why she was an illegitimate daughter? Why she chose to be born from Poppy Hill¡¯s womb?


    Kiera Olsen scoffed, ¡°No.¡±


    She turned to leave.


    If their beliefs were not aligned, it was better not to maintain such a friendship, especially since he looked down on her background.


    Her resolute demeanor irritated Jake Horton inexplicably. Seeing her getting further and further away, he panicked suddenly and, without thinking, grabbed her arm, ¡°You can¡¯t leave!¡±


    Kiera Olsen turned back to look at him, ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s face was taut. He found Kiera Olsen¡¯s aloof and indifferent demeanor to be very heartless.


    Anger surged in his chest, accompanied by a sense of inexplicable grievance.


    He was the one who let go first, so why did it seem like he was the one being abandoned?


    He said with a sneer, ¡°You¡¯re still working here, which means you haven¡¯t found a formal job, right? Kiera, how about you come and be my personal assistant?¡±


    Kiera Olsen broke free from his grasp and coldly declined, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be up to the task.¡±


    Jake Horton persisted, ¡°You won¡¯t need to do much; I have an apartment near the company, you just need to live there and tend to my daily needs. I¡¯ll pay you fifty thousand a month, is that enough?¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s gaze grew colder, her tone like the depth of winter, ¡°Do you want me to be your mistress?¡±


    Jake Horton laughed scornfully, ¡°You would definitely be up to that task, after all, your mother was a mistress. Growing up in such an environment, you must have learned a lot. I¡¯m confident you would be professional¡­¡±


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Kiera Olsen slapped him across the face and exclaimed, ¡°Jake Horton, enough is enough!¡±


    Jake Horton was slapped but laughed instead of getting angry, his gaze turning crazed and malicious:


    ¡°Kiera Olsen, believe it or not, if I don¡¯t want you, no one in Oceanion would dare take you in! You won¡¯t be able to find a job or husband, and you¡¯ll end up as someone¡¯s plaything. If that¡¯s the case, why not choose me? At least I could be more compassionate towards you, for old times¡¯ sake as classmates¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you time to think it over; come find me anytime you change your mind. You have my number.¡±


    After leaving those words behind, Jake Horton walked away with large strides.


    Kiera Olsen gave a self-mocking smile.


    Turning around, she suddenly saw Lewis Horton standing at the door of the private room.


    ¡­


    Lewis Horton, not fond of socializing, ultimately found an excuse to leave with Tom Davis, but just as he stepped out of the private room, he witnessed the scene that had just unfolded in the corridor.


    His gaze was deep, showing no sign of pleasure or anger.


    Tom Davis clicked his tongue twice at Kiera Olsen: ¡°I was wondering why you didn¡¯t find a stable job after college and kept doing so many part-time jobs. Turns out it¡¯s due to Jake Horton¡¯s incessant pressure, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ?


    Tom Davis sighed again, ¡°So the reason you came to entangle with the boss is because you had no other choice, right? After all, there¡¯s hardly anyone in Oceanion who dares to go against the Horton Family¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes, amorous as they were, narrowed slightly, but she didn¡¯t object.


    For two days, this was their first peaceful conversation!


    Tom Davis said with compassion, ¡°Boss, shall we help her out? She seems rather pitiful.¡±


    Kiera Olsen felt a glimmer of hope.


    Right, right, right¡­help the poor kid, and accompany her to the courthouse for a trivial divorce procedure? Her company is still waiting to go public!


    But just as this thought crossed her mind, she heard Lewis Horton say coldly, ¡°Why should I upset Jake Horton for someone who is insignificant?¡±


    He strode past Kiera Olsen without stopping.


    She¡¯s pitiful?


    Although the girl pretended to be obedient, her eyes couldn¡¯t hide cunning and joy; there wasn¡¯t a trace of pity, she was detestable!


    What¡¯s more, the fact that she got hold of his personal itinerary showed she was cunning and resourceful!


    The corridor quickly fell silent.


    Kiera Olsen stood there, feeling how cold-hearted Lewis Horton was!


    ¡­Forget it, the ¡°grandson¡± was right; she only got angry with people, so she wouldn¡¯t waste it on him.


    Kiera Olsen left, riding her electric bike leisurely home.


    There was an elderly person at home; she really couldn¡¯t stay out for too long. She would continue the search tomorrow.


    That evening.


    Lewis Horton got off work on time and headed to an old residential area in the suburbs.


    Carrying fruit in his hand, he found a residence according to the address on WhatsApp, and knocked on the door.


    Soon, a familiar voice from the grandmother came from inside, ¡°Coming, coming~¡±

 Chapter 12 - 12

    Chapter 12: Chapter 12


    The door opened.


    Lewis Horton looked toward Old Mrs. Horton and saw her with a rosy complexion, appearing very healthy.


    Only then did he look around the room.


    The room was tidy and clean, a cozy little two-bedroom apartment of sixty square meters, with four dishes of light, nutritious food on the dining table, very suitable for the elderly.


    But from the bathroom, there was the sound of running water. Was ¡°Calming Incense¡± taking a bath?


    The door was made of frosted glass, and through it, he could vaguely see the graceful figure of a young girl¡­


    ...


    Lewis Horton retracted his gaze as if electrified, feeling a bit uncomfortable.


    The family doctor, who was following behind him and about to enter, was stopped by him. The man turned sideways to block his view, ¡°Give me the equipment, and wait for me in the car.¡±


    The family doctor nodded and left, considerately closing the door behind him.


    Lewis Horton quickly checked the old lady¡¯s blood pressure, blood sugar, heart rate, and more. Perhaps because she had slept well the night before, all her readings were very healthy.


    Old Mrs. Horton proudly said, ¡°My daughter-in-law has taken great care of me!¡±


    Seeing is believing, Lewis Horton finally felt relieved.


    His gaze glanced toward the bathroom again, and then he began packing up his equipment. ¡°Since you¡¯re fine, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    The old lady looked stunned, ¡°Aren¡¯t you staying for dinner? My daughter-in-law cooks delicious meals!¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not very convenient.¡±


    Lewis Horton put down the medical equipment, ¡°Leave this here.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s eyes shifted, ¡°Take it with you, my daughter-in-law won¡¯t use it. And I don¡¯t want Dr. May here, I want you to come check on me every day!¡±


    If her grandson visited daily, wouldn¡¯t that mean he¡¯d see his daughter-in-law? They could foster a relationship and end their separation¡­


    Old Mrs. Horton felt her great-grandson waving at her!


    Lewis Horton was about to say something when the sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped.


    He immediately stood up, grabbing his medical kit in a flurry and headed for the door: ¡°Then I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Come again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Just as he closed the door, the bathroom door opened. It wasn¡¯t the tantalizing scene Lewis Horton had imagined. Keira Olsen was fully dressed, drying her freshly washed hair, ¡°Eh, where¡¯s your grandson?¡±


    ¡°He left, said it wasn¡¯t convenient¡­ He¡¯s always so uptight and likes to frown. Daughter-in-law, is that why you don¡¯t like him? It can all be changed¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your daughter-in-law¡­¡±


    ¡°You are!¡±


    Keira Olsen felt helpless.


    After two days of interaction, she found the old lady very kind, accommodating her in everything, except she was very stubborn about this matter.


    She dried her hair and joined the old lady for dinner.


    At nine in the evening, Keira Olsen lit the Calming Incense. The old lady obediently lay down in bed and soon fell asleep.


    She did her duty well and sent another video to her ¡°grandson.¡±


    He replied quickly: [Grandma is in good health, thanks.]


    Keira Olsen: [You¡¯re welcome.]


    ¡°Grandson¡±: [How did everything go today? Need any help?]


    Keira Olsen knew he was talking about the incident shared on the social circle, her lips curved slightly:[No need.]


    In the RV, Lewis Horton¡¯s stern face softened a bit upon seeing this reply.


    This girl, unaware of her own identity, had kindly agreed to take in Grandma and took great care of her. In the end, she didn¡¯t ask for anything in return, nor did she ask him for help.


    How different from Keira Olsen, who had no relation to him but tangled with him constantly, wanting to use him to intimidate Jake Horton¡­ sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to each other, it was clear who was superior.


    Lewis Horton messaged: [I owe you a favor, just say the word whenever you need anything.]


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t take that comment to heart.


    Currently, the only help she needed was with her divorce, which could only proceed if Lewis Horton cooperated; the ¡°grandson¡± was of no use in this matter.


    The next day, morning.


    Keira Olson took the old lady to Oceanion¡¯s largest luxury mall for shopping and to buy her some change of clothes.


    The old woman¡¯s grandson was generous, and she was clearly a rich elderly lady; she must not be aggrieved in their store.


    As expected, as soon as they entered the store, the old lady acted very naturally and seemed quite familiar with the place.


    Old Mrs. Horton loved the clothes from this store; the brand manager would send the newest designs to her house every season for her to choose first.


    This was her first time visiting the store, which was quite novel¡­


    Not far away.


    Isla Olsen, hanging on Taylor Olsen¡¯s arm, said affectionately, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re so busy, you really don¡¯t need to come shopping with me¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen smiled indulgently, ¡°Tonight is your first visit to the Horton family, the gifts for the elders must not be taken lightly, especially old Mrs. Horton¡­¡±


    Isla asked, ¡°That Great Grandmother is said to be eighty-seven, why does the Horton family value her so much?¡±


    Taylor Olsen lowered his voice, ¡°The first branch of the Horton family and Lewis Horton have been covertly competing to regain control of the clan. Old Mrs. Horton holds twenty percent of the shares; if you can win her favor, your position in the Horton family will be secure!¡±


    Isla immediately responded, ¡°Does old Mrs. Horton have any preferences?¡±


    Taylor Olsen recalled the elderly lady he had briefly seen two years ago, and said slowly, ¡°She has Alzheimer¡¯s, and is a bit peculiar, but she really likes Hermes¡¯ clothes. You should cater to her tastes. Even if you can¡¯t win her affection, at least avoid making her dislike you¡­¡±


    Isla nodded immediately.


    The two of them entered Hermes.


    Taylor Olsen sat on the sofa while Isla began to browse.


    She walked towards the fitting room area and suddenly saw Keira Olsen and an old lady.


    The old woman just came out of the fitting room, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, what do you think of this one?¡±


    Granddaughter-in-law?


    This old lady, is she the grandmother of her wayward husband?


    Isla curled her lips, then saw Keira Olsen shake her head.


    The old lady tried on another piece, and Keira Olsen shook her head again.


    The old lady sighed, ¡°Why don¡¯t any of these clothes look good?¡±


    A flash of disdain crossed Isla¡¯s face.


    What doesn¡¯t look good, merely can¡¯t afford it, right?


    She approached and spoke, ¡°Keira, what a coincidence. Is this your husband¡¯s grandmother?¡±


    Keira¡¯s expression turned cold, but she ignored her.


    Isla then looked at the old lady, ¡°Grandma, you haven¡¯t bought this brand before, have you? The clothes here are very expensive, each piece requires a certain demeanor to pull off, not suitable for just anyone¡­¡±


    The old lady immediately became fuming, clutching her chest, ¡°Who are you calling lacking in demeanor! How can you be so rude?¡±


    Keira hurriedly supported the old lady, fearing she might get seriously upset.


    Isla continued, ¡°Keira, for someone of your grandmother¡¯s status, it¡¯s more suitable to shop at a wholesale market where things are cheap and of good quality¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Keira yelled fiercely.


    The commotion caught Taylor Olsen¡¯s attention.


    He strode over, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Isla complained, ¡°Dad, Keira and her husband¡¯s grandmother tried on many outfits but didn¡¯t buy any¡­ so I just made a little suggestion¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen understood her implication and frowned as he looked at Keira Olsen.


    Then, he finally saw the old lady being supported by Keira Olsen, and he was instantly startled.


    Old Mrs. Horton?

 Chapter 13 - 13

    Chapter 13: Chapter 13


    The nearly ninety-year-old¡¯s flesh sagged, her youthful features no longer discernible. Her gaunt hands pressed against her chest as if she might breathe her last at any moment.


    Taylor Olsen, however, thought he was overthinking it.


    Old Mrs. Horton, with her status, how could she possibly come to the store in person¡­


    Fearing Isla might be harassed by the old lady, he said to Keira Olsen sternly, ¡°Enough, your sister is only looking out for you. Is such a big reaction necessary? Are you not ashamed to cause a scene here?¡±


    The little old lady immediately looked at Keira, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, is this your father?¡±


    Keira lowered her eyes.


    ...


    The title ¡°Dad¡± was strange to her, her feelings towards him complex.


    As a child in the Olsen Family, Poppy Hill kept her away from Taylor Olsen.


    Little her would hide in the shadows, secretly looking up at him as he smiled at Isla, lifted her up and spun her around, his towering figure like a god of salvation.


    Therefore, during the countless nights of being beaten by Poppy and denied food, she had fantasized whether ¡°Dad¡± would descend from the heavens, embrace her, and take her away from the misery, if only just once.


    But he never did.


    He never cared about her; on the rare occasions they met, he only instructed her to ¡°listen to Mom more¡±¡­


    The Olsen¡¯s way of interaction was strange, as if they all accepted the presence of Poppy Hill, but aside from Mrs. Olsen, nobody was willing to accept a little girl like her¡­


    Keira pursed her lips, not responding to the old lady¡¯s question.


    She looked at the clothes she had just tried on, picked out one that was barely acceptable, and handed it to the salesperson, ready to pay and leave.


    Seeing this, Taylor Olsen said, ¡°I know you don¡¯t have much money. I¡¯ll pay for this piece of clothing; consider it a gift for the mother-in-law.¡±


    Yet Isla suddenly spoke up, ¡°Dad, I just looked around, and I found that this clothing is the most suitable for a gift in the entire store¡­¡±


    The adjacent salesperson immediately smiled and said, ¡°Miss has good taste indeed. This piece is purely handmade embroidery, the only one in Oceanion. Perhaps you¡¯d like to look at something else¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Taylor Olsen¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Then let¡¯s choose this one!¡±


    He turned to Keira, ¡°This piece is for your sister. You can pick another one.¡±


    Keira¡¯s eyes revealed obscure emotions, ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°Your sister is going to visit the Hortons. This is a gift prepared for Old Mrs. Horton!¡±


    ¡°So I should just give it to her?¡±


    Taylor Olsen scolded, ¡°Isn¡¯t your grandmother-in-law just an old lady who can wear anything? Is she more important than Old Mrs. Horton?¡±


    Keira was adamant, ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you be reasonable? Why must you compete with your sister?!¡±


    Keira found it amusing, unable to understand how the clothing she liked first suddenly became a competition with Isla.


    Taylor Olsen then proposed, ¡°Alright then, this piece is fifty thousand, I¡¯ll give you two hundred thousand, as a supplement to your wedding dowry.¡±


    Isla feigned concern, ¡°Keira, you haven¡¯t found a job since graduation. Quickly agree to Dad, don¡¯t let anger at me make you miss out on such a big benefit, you¡¯ll regret it later.¡±


    In the end, Taylor Olsen threatened, ¡°Think it over. If you insist on choosing this one, I won¡¯t help you pay for it.¡±


    True to form as a seasoned businessman, he employed threats and financial enticement, all to buy a piece of clothing for Isla.


    What a great father indeed¡­


    Keira, tired of arguing with them, was about to take out her card to pay, when the little old lady who had been silent suddenly grabbed her hand, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, I don¡¯t want this one, it¡¯s not pretty.¡±


    Keira looked at her, ¡°Grandma, the rest are even less suitable for you.¡±


    The little old lady was stubborn, ¡°Then I don¡¯t want to settle.¡±


    She had already bought all the suitable clothes for this season! All that¡¯s left here are her hand-me-downs, how could there be anything of interest?


    And listening to their conversation, did Kiera¡¯s sister buy these clothes planning to give them to Old Mrs. Horton?


    Old Mrs. Horton, that sounds so familiar¡­


    Who am I again?


    The little old lady was a bit confused.


    Seeing this, Kiera didn¡¯t dare insist further, and went with her wishes, saying, ¡°Then let¡¯s not buy it.¡±


    It was only then that Taylor Olsen was satisfied, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you be this sensible earlier? Why waste so much talk? If you can¡¯t afford it, don¡¯t just walk into such stores, in case acquaintances see you and you lose face for the Olsen family!¡±


    Isla also snickered.


    Just now she was going along with the old lady, acting as if it was all real.


    It was simply because she didn¡¯t have the money to buy!


    She asked the salesperson to pack the clothes and then turned to Kiera, ¡°Thank you for letting me have them. When I marry into the Horton family, I¡¯ll find a good job for you and your husband.¡±


    Kiera didn¡¯t even bother with her, preparing to leave with old Mrs. Horton.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Taylor Olsen stopped her, handing over a check, ¡°Take this 200,000. It was promised as your dowry and can also help support your life.¡±


    Kiera was slightly stunned, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s too little? The Olsen company belongs to Isla¡¯s mother, it will only be left to Isla in the future. This is the most I can give you!¡±


    Taylor Olsen said as if bestowing charity, ¡°Take this 200,000, you and your husband can run a small stall and get by. From now on, live your life honestly, don¡¯t aspire for things that aren¡¯t meant for you!¡±


    Kiera had actually thought that Taylor Olsen had some fatherly love for her, but now she only felt ridiculed, ¡°What isn¡¯t meant for me?¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Like hanging out in this kind of mall, or¡­ trying to seduce Mr. Horton!¡±


    Taylor Olsen warned, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for trouble, don¡¯t drag the Olsen family into it! The staff today didn¡¯t dare to mess with an old woman of this age, that¡¯s the only reason they didn¡¯t argue with you. If you anger Mr. Horton, it won¡¯t just be an old lady playing tough to calm things down!¡±


    Kiera¡¯s hope completely died, ¡°Rest assured, I have long since had nothing to do with your Olsen family!¡±


    She left without looking back.


    After walking a distance, the little old lady held her hand, ¡°My dear daughter-in-law, your father and sister are truly cruel. In the future, let my grandson take care of you; I guarantee no one will dare to look down on you!¡±


    A warmth rose in Kiera¡¯s heart, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The little old lady continued indignantly, ¡°As for that ugly outfit, they can give it to that Old Mrs. Horton they mentioned. I certainly don¡¯t want it!¡±


    At that moment, the old lady¡¯s phone began to ring.


    She answered, and a man¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you and Lewis Horton come home tonight? Jake¡¯s fianc¨¦e is visiting for the first time, to get acquainted with the family.¡±


    The little old lady paused. The muddy thoughts in her head that she couldn¡¯t remember seemed to be suddenly pulled away!


    In a flash, she remembered who she was.


    Turns out she was that foolish Old Mrs. Horton!


    Thinking back to the disdain and mockery she¡¯d just endured¡­


    The little old lady immediately gritted her teeth, ¡°I will definitely come home!¡±


    She hung up the call and sent a voice message to Lewis Horton on WhatsApp, ¡°My dear grandson, I¡¯ve been bullied! You must come home tonight and stand up for me!¡±


    After sending the message, the little old lady took hold of Kiera¡¯s hand, whispering mysteriously, ¡°My dear daughter-in-law, I remember what my grandson¡¯s name is!¡±

 Chapter 14 - 14

    Chapter 14: Chapter 14


    Keira Olsen asked, ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±


    She was quite curious about who ¡°the grandson¡± was.


    Given the broad scope of her work, it was quite possible they had met before.


    The little granny beckoned to her, and Keira Olsen bent down and leaned in, bringing her ear close to hear the secret, ¡°I¡¯m only telling you, and you mustn¡¯t say a word to anyone else!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The granny cleared her throat, ¡°His nickname is Puppy.¡±


    ...


    Keira Olsen: ?


    The granny explained, ¡°My grandson was born in the Year of the Dog. When he was born, he weighed only three pounds and two ounces, and the doctors said he wouldn¡¯t grow much, so I gave him this name. Cheap names make it easier to raise them!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s mouth twitched, and she nearly laughed out loud.


    From what the old lady said, it sounded like her grandson was at least the CEO of a company. Did his subordinates know that he¡¯s called Puppy?


    Just as she was about to inquire about his formal name, the old lady spoke up again, ¡°Daughter-in-law, the clothes here aren¡¯t good looking. Why don¡¯t you accompany me home to pick out a couple tonight?¡±


    Keira Olsen had just heard the voice message the granny sent to ¡°the grandson¡± and knew he would be returning as well.


    The two had already planned to meet, so she didn¡¯t refuse, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After finding a clean place to have lunch outside, Keira Olsen intended to send the little granny home to rest while she went to confront Lewis Horton.


    But the little granny said, ¡°I¡¯m not tired at all. I¡¯ll accompany you to work, and we can go back to my place when you finish.¡±


    She seemed to fear that Keira Olsen would go back on her promise to accompany her home for clothes.


    Such a childlike elder¡­


    Keira Olsen agreed, albeit helplessly.


    ¨C


    They arrived at a charity donation event organized by the government.


    Keira Olsen settled the granny into a resting room, and then, with her press ID in hand, she found a place to sit inside the venue.


    Today, Lewis Horton would donate on behalf of the Horton Group.


    She sat right in the center of the front row, a spot from where she could easily be seen by him.


    She even got in touch with the organizers ahead of time, ensuring they would choose her to stand up and ask questions when the time came.


    In front of the whole gathering, she planned to hint to Lewis Horton that he should check his marital status at the courthouse!


    The expression on Lewis Horton¡¯s face would certainly be unsightly¡­


    Keira Olsen indulged in her delightful thoughts.


    The event began, and soon the host mentioned the Horton Group.


    Keira Olsen, full of anticipation, waited for Lewis Horton, but then she saw¡­ Tom Davis taking the stage?


    Tom Davis glanced meaningfully at Keira Olsen, ¡°I apologize, but Mr. Horton had to change his schedule last minute. However, the Horton Group¡¯s donation will still be made as promised¡­¡±


    The smile on Keira Olsen¡¯s face stiffened.


    She took out her phone only to find a message from Samuel Morgan sent five minutes earlier: [Boss, all of Lewis Horton¡¯s recent itineraries have suddenly been changed!]


    ¡­This man is such a dog!


    But it probably wasn¡¯t because of her, after all, in the eyes of Lewis Horton, she was just someone he could easily do without.


    He probably changed things because he realized his schedule was leaked; for safety reasons, he had to make changes at the last minute.


    Tsk, who is he guarding against?


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen continued her interviews, and afterward, she handed over her equipment and interview materials to a colleague from the same newspaper and had them leave first.


    She went to pick up the little old lady from the rest area and then arrived at an automobile manufacturing factory.


    This was a division under the Horton Group.


    All other engagements for Lewis Horton might be canceled, but a visit to the grassroots level factories was something the factory had been well prepared for. He couldn¡¯t change it at the last minute; it would be disrespectful to so many workers.


    Indeed, she and the little old lady waited for a moment inside the coffee shop near the factory, and then saw a low-profile black Bentley drive through the factory gates.


    Keira Olsen asked a coffee shop employee to take care of the old lady, and then she walked over.


    She took out her temporary worker¡¯s ID for the place and handed it to the security guard, who glanced at it and said, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Davis has ordered that during Mr. Horton¡¯s inspection, no delivery personnel, repairmen, interns, or temporary workers are allowed entry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen knew it would be like this!


    Tom Davis really was trying every possible way to stop her from seeing Lewis Horton¡­


    Keira Olsen gave a smirk, took out another work badge, and passed it over. The guard saw it and instantly stood up straight, looking at her with admiration in his eyes, ¡°Please come in.¡±


    Keira Olsen took back her work badge and confidently entered through the gates.


    She soon found Lewis Horton.


    The man was inspecting the workspaces accompanied by the factory manager. All the workers stayed outside, and the entrance was guarded by bodyguards, rendering it completely inaccessible.


    Keira Olsen could only watch him from a distance through the glass window. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The man, in his suit and leather shoes, presented a visual feast as his handsome face and noble aura collided with the dim, cold machinery around him.


    He listened intently to the manager¡¯s introduction, occasionally asking questions that left the manager visibly astonished, and after three to five minutes, the manager was wholeheartedly impressed with this new authority figure.


    Suddenly, as if sensing something, the man slowly turned his head, locking eyes with Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen waved at him.


    Lewis Horton furrowed his brow and looked away.


    At that moment, Tom Davis approached the window and ¡°swoosh¡±¡ªpulled down all the blinds, cutting off every gaze.


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She was once again ¡°invited¡± out of the factory by the bodyguards. Tom Davis stood at the entrance, chastising the guard: ¡°Didn¡¯t I say interns and temporary workers are not allowed in?¡±


    The guard nodded repeatedly, ¡°But she¡¯s not just any temporary worker, she¡­¡±


    Tom Davis snickered, cutting off the guard¡¯s words, ¡°She¡¯s really quite extraordinary¡­¡±


    After all, how could a normal person hold so many jobs at the same time!


    Tom Davis was extremely annoyed; he said angrily to Keira Olsen, ¡°Miss Olsen, our boss didn¡¯t want to lower himself to deal with you before, but you just don¡¯t know when to stop. You¡¯ve come to bother him again and again. If you dare to show up in front of our boss once more, we will call the police and accuse you of harassment!¡±


    Keira Olsen sighed, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to keep bothering you, then go check at the courthouse. I am truly Mr. Horton¡¯s wife. Why won¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    Tom Davis snickered, ¡°The marriage registration process requires everything to be complete in our country, and there¡¯s no such thing as getting it done without the parties present. The lie you¡¯re telling is so incredible it¡¯s laughable. Only someone with a broken brain would believe such preposterous claims!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen truly couldn¡¯t talk sense into them.


    She shrugged her shoulders helplessly, ¡°Then I have no choice but to keep bothering you.¡±


    Tom Davis scoffed, ¡°You really think you can see our boss whenever you want? If you get to see the boss again, then that would mean I¡¯m incompetent as an assistant! By then, I¡¯ll live stream myself eating shit!¡±


    Keira Olsen said nothing more and turned to leave.


    It looked like tomorrow she would have to take a more aggressive approach.


    After picking up the little old lady, Keira Olsen sent a WhatsApp message to her ¡°grandson¡±: [The Empress Dowager wants to go home to pick up a few clothes, what¡¯s the address of your place?]


    Her ¡°grandson¡± quickly sent her a location.


    He then messaged her: [I¡¯m about to finish up, where are you? I¡¯ll come to get you.]


    Keira Olsen opened the location and glanced at it, then froze.


    House One Manor¡­ Isn¡¯t that the Horton Family¡¯s place?!

 Chapter 15 - 15

    Chapter 15: Chapter 15


    House One Manor in Oceanion is legendary.


    It is located on the mid-slope of a hill, covering three thousand acres, with the Horton¡¯s ancestral home occupying over two thousand acres.


    The remaining dozens of small villas are scattered around the Horton¡¯s estate.


    It is the most famous rich neighborhood in Oceanion.


    Keira Olsen thought that the little old lady¡¯s home was one of those small villas; she didn¡¯t dare to think it could be the Horton¡¯s.


    She replied to the message, ¡°No need, we are already in a taxi.¡±


    ...


    The little old lady showed signs of weariness and fell asleep as soon as she got into the car.


    The taxi wound its way up the spacious and clean mountain road, entered House One Manor, and dropped them off at the location set by the navigation before leaving.


    Keira Olsen looked up at the ancient and elegant gate adorned with exquisite carvings and hesitantly asked, ¡°Grandma, is this your home?¡±


    The little old lady, still groggy from sleep, looked a bit dazed, ¡°Daughter-in-law, I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She messaged her ¡°grandson¡±, ¡°I think we took a wrong turn.¡±


    ¡°Grandson¡±: ¡°Wait there, I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    During the drive, Keira Olsen noticed that the nearest house was a five-minute drive away, indeed, it wasn¡¯t suitable to wander around.


    She helped the little old lady sit on a stone bench nearby.


    Suddenly, a BMW X7 stopped in front of them.


    Isla Olsen and Poppy Hill got out of the back seat and rushed over to them.


    Poppy Hill frowned and scolded, ¡°Keira Olsen? It really is you! What are you doing here?¡±


    Today, she accompanied Isla Olsen to the Hortons as a nanny and from a distance, she saw a young girl loitering in front of the Horton family gate, never expecting it was actually her!


    Isla Olsen, looking at the tightly closed gates of the Hortons, asked, ¡°Keira, are you here to pester Mr. Horton again?¡±


    As soon as she said this, Poppy Hill yelled, ¡°Bitch, don¡¯t you know what day it is today? Get lost at once! If you ruin Isla¡¯s reunion, I¡¯ll never let you off the hook!¡±


    Keira Olsen was truly fed up with them.


    But the little old lady was here, and she didn¡¯t want to have a conflict with them, so she suppressed her impatience and explained, ¡°I am here to bring an old lady home, and we lost our way.¡±


    Isla Olsen said subconsciously, ¡°Isn¡¯t that your husband¡¯s grandma? How could she possibly live in this neighborhood!¡±


    Keira Olsen retorted, ¡°Why not? Does this neighborhood belong to your family?¡±


    Isla Olsen was at a loss for words.


    But Poppy Hill cursed, ¡°Stop pretending! Could the grandma of your poor-ass husband even live here?¡±


    She looked directly at the little old lady, ¡°You old thing, then tell me, which villa do you live in?¡±


    Hearing this, Keira Olsen frowned, about to say something when the little old lady suddenly stood up, ¡°I remember now! I live here! Daughter-in-law, follow me home!¡±


    She grabbed Keira Olsen¡¯s hand and walked towards the Horton¡¯s gate.


    There was still a hundred meters to the gate from here.


    But after only a couple of steps, Isla Olsen spoke up, ¡°Keira, after all the excuses, are you still using the old lady as a pretext to go to the Hortons?¡±


    Keira Olsen paused in her steps, looking sharply ahead!


    The Hortons?


    Although she had some suspicions in her heart when she saw the grandeur of the gate¡­


    It was hard for her to associate the polite ¡°grandson¡± on WhatsApp with the cold and ruthless Lewis Horton¡­


    Maybe the little old lady got it wrong?


    Just as she was about to confirm, Poppy Hill suddenly charged over, reaching for the little old lady, ¡°You old hag, coming up with such lies to freeload, shameless! You are not allowed to cause a disturbance at the Horton¡¯s!¡±


    Keira Olsen was startled, she protected the little old lady with one hand and grabbed Poppy Hill with the other, pushing her away fiercely, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The little old lady was so old, she couldn¡¯t withstand any jostling!


    Poppy Hill stumbled back from the push, and once she regained her footing, she cursed vehemently, ¡°Ungrateful wretch, you even attack your own mother for such an old hag! I¡¯m calling the police, accuse you of being unfilial!¡±


    Keira Olsen ignored her, but the little old lady immediately retorted, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law is not unfilial. You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡±


    Poppy Hill sneered, ¡°You old thing, just how poor have you become to send your granddaughter-in-law into the arms of another man for money? What? Did she share the profits with you? Or is this what your family does? You must have served plenty of men when you were younger, huh? You disgrace!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!!¡±


    Keira Olsen scolded, quickly glancing at the little old lady.


    The little old lady had never been insulted like this before and was indeed shaking all over.


    Her hand pressed against her chest, her body uncontrollably began to tremble, and she slumped to the ground.


    Keira Olsen quickly caught her, ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s wrong with you!¡±


    The little old lady gasped for breath, unable to speak.


    Keira Olsen immediately took the nitroglycerin out of her pocket, but upon opening the bottle, she found it empty!!


    Her pupils constricted.


    The old lady¡¯s health was very poor, and it was not suitable to perform manual CPR unless it was absolutely necessary. The best option was medication.


    She abruptly turned towards the door.


    The Horton family must have medicine!


    Even though the little old lady wasn¡¯t a Horton, she was their neighbor, and they wouldn¡¯t let her die without helping! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen picked up the old lady, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll take you to find medicine!¡±


    But she was forcefully pulled back by Isla Olsen, ¡°Kiera, don¡¯t do this. It was one thing to take advantage of your age to buy clothes, but how can you stir up trouble at the Horton family? They won¡¯t let you in¡­¡±


    She looked at the little old lady, a dark flash crossing her eyes.


    This old lady¡¯s complexion was very poor; she looked like she might really be dying.


    If she were to die, Keira Olsen¡¯s husband would surely hate her! Then she¡¯d see how Keira dares to seduce other men outside!


    At this moment, Kiera Olsen felt like she was going to explode with anger!


    Rage churned in her peach-blossom eyes, and she raised her foot to kick Isla Olsen.


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Her voice was hoarse with fury.


    The next moment, someone tightly hugged her leg.


    Poppy Hill sat on the ground, embracing her without any dignity:


    ¡°You think you¡¯re the only ones who can provoke trouble? Anyone can do that! I¡¯m going to die too, I¡¯m being killed by my own daughter!¡±


    ¡°My chest hurts so much, I can¡¯t take it!¡±


    ¡°Even if I have to die today, I won¡¯t let this wretched old hag stir up trouble at the Hortons¡¯!¡±


    Kiera Olsen trembled with rage, her eyes growing colder.


    She forcefully kicked Poppy Hill away and struck Isla Olsen¡¯s abdomen with her elbow, then strode forward!


    Isla Olsen bent over, forehead breaking out in cold sweat from the pain.


    But Poppy Hill ignored her pain and lunged at her again, clinging to her legs and screaming, ¡°Help! Murder!¡±


    Kiera Olsen, mindful of the little old lady in her arms, couldn¡¯t break free for the moment!


    Just then!


    A black Bentley slowly approached.


    Lewis Horton got out of the car and asked sternly, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Isla Olsen quickly spoke up, ¡°Mr. Horton, it¡¯s Kiera who insisted on bringing a dying old lady to the Hortons to cause trouble. It¡¯s all my fault for not stopping her¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Kiera Olsen slowly turned around.


    Upon seeing the grandmother she was holding, Lewis Horton¡¯s pupils shrank abruptly!


    Volume Two

 Chapter 16 - 15

    Chapter 15: Chapter 15


    House One Manor in Oceanion is legendary.


    It is located on the mid-slope of a hill, covering three thousand acres, with the Horton¡¯s ancestral home occupying over two thousand acres.


    The remaining dozens of small villas are scattered around the Horton¡¯s estate.


    It is the most famous rich neighborhood in Oceanion.


    Keira Olsen thought that the little old lady¡¯s home was one of those small villas; she didn¡¯t dare to think it could be the Horton¡¯s.


    She replied to the message, ¡°No need, we are already in a taxi.¡±


    ...


    The little old lady showed signs of weariness and fell asleep as soon as she got into the car.


    The taxi wound its way up the spacious and clean mountain road, entered House One Manor, and dropped them off at the location set by the navigation before leaving.


    Keira Olsen looked up at the ancient and elegant gate adorned with exquisite carvings and hesitantly asked, ¡°Grandma, is this your home?¡±


    The little old lady, still groggy from sleep, looked a bit dazed, ¡°Daughter-in-law, I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She messaged her ¡°grandson¡±, ¡°I think we took a wrong turn.¡±


    ¡°Grandson¡±: ¡°Wait there, I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    During the drive, Keira Olsen noticed that the nearest house was a five-minute drive away, indeed, it wasn¡¯t suitable to wander around.


    She helped the little old lady sit on a stone bench nearby.


    Suddenly, a BMW X7 stopped in front of them.


    Isla Olsen and Poppy Hill got out of the back seat and rushed over to them.


    Poppy Hill frowned and scolded, ¡°Keira Olsen? It really is you! What are you doing here?¡±


    Today, she accompanied Isla Olsen to the Hortons as a nanny and from a distance, she saw a young girl loitering in front of the Horton family gate, never expecting it was actually her!


    Isla Olsen, looking at the tightly closed gates of the Hortons, asked, ¡°Keira, are you here to pester Mr. Horton again?¡±


    As soon as she said this, Poppy Hill yelled, ¡°Bitch, don¡¯t you know what day it is today? Get lost at once! If you ruin Isla¡¯s reunion, I¡¯ll never let you off the hook!¡±


    Keira Olsen was truly fed up with them.


    But the little old lady was here, and she didn¡¯t want to have a conflict with them, so she suppressed her impatience and explained, ¡°I am here to bring an old lady home, and we lost our way.¡±


    Isla Olsen said subconsciously, ¡°Isn¡¯t that your husband¡¯s grandma? How could she possibly live in this neighborhood!¡±


    Keira Olsen retorted, ¡°Why not? Does this neighborhood belong to your family?¡±


    Isla Olsen was at a loss for words.


    But Poppy Hill cursed, ¡°Stop pretending! Could the grandma of your poor-ass husband even live here?¡±


    She looked directly at the little old lady, ¡°You old thing, then tell me, which villa do you live in?¡±


    Hearing this, Keira Olsen frowned, about to say something when the little old lady suddenly stood up, ¡°I remember now! I live here! Daughter-in-law, follow me home!¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    She grabbed Keira Olsen¡¯s hand and walked towards the Horton¡¯s gate.


    There was still a hundred meters to the gate from here.


    But after only a couple of steps, Isla Olsen spoke up, ¡°Keira, after all the excuses, are you still using the old lady as a pretext to go to the Hortons?¡±


    Keira Olsen paused in her steps, looking sharply ahead!


    The Hortons?


    Although she had some suspicions in her heart when she saw the grandeur of the gate¡­


    It was hard for her to associate the polite ¡°grandson¡± on WhatsApp with the cold and ruthless Lewis Horton¡­


    Maybe the little old lady got it wrong?


    Just as she was about to confirm, Poppy Hill suddenly charged over, reaching for the little old lady, ¡°You old hag, coming up with such lies to freeload, shameless! You are not allowed to cause a disturbance at the Horton¡¯s!¡±


    Keira Olsen was startled, she protected the little old lady with one hand and grabbed Poppy Hill with the other, pushing her away fiercely, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The little old lady was so old, she couldn¡¯t withstand any jostling!


    Poppy Hill stumbled back from the push, and once she regained her footing, she cursed vehemently, ¡°Ungrateful wretch, you even attack your own mother for such an old hag! I¡¯m calling the police, accuse you of being unfilial!¡±


    Keira Olsen ignored her, but the little old lady immediately retorted, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law is not unfilial. You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Poppy Hill sneered, ¡°You old thing, just how poor have you become to send your granddaughter-in-law into the arms of another man for money? What? Did she share the profits with you? Or is this what your family does? You must have served plenty of men when you were younger, huh? You disgrace!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!!¡±


    Keira Olsen scolded, quickly glancing at the little old lady.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    The little old lady had never been insulted like this before and was indeed shaking all over.


    Her hand pressed against her chest, her body uncontrollably began to tremble, and she slumped to the ground.


    Keira Olsen quickly caught her, ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s wrong with you!¡±


    The little old lady gasped for breath, unable to speak.


    Keira Olsen immediately took the nitroglycerin out of her pocket, but upon opening the bottle, she found it empty!!


    Her pupils constricted.


    The old lady¡¯s health was very poor, and it was not suitable to perform manual CPR unless it was absolutely necessary. The best option was medication.


    She abruptly turned towards the door.


    The Horton family must have medicine!


    Even though the little old lady wasn¡¯t a Horton, she was their neighbor, and they wouldn¡¯t let her die without helping!


    Keira Olsen picked up the old lady, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll take you to find medicine!¡±


    But she was forcefully pulled back by Isla Olsen, ¡°Kiera, don¡¯t do this. It was one thing to take advantage of your age to buy clothes, but how can you stir up trouble at the Horton family? They won¡¯t let you in¡­¡±


    She looked at the little old lady, a dark flash crossing her eyes.


    This old lady¡¯s complexion was very poor; she looked like she might really be dying.


    If she were to die, Keira Olsen¡¯s husband would surely hate her! Then she¡¯d see how Keira dares to seduce other men outside!


    At this moment, Kiera Olsen felt like she was going to explode with anger!


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Rage churned in her peach-blossom eyes, and she raised her foot to kick Isla Olsen.


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Her voice was hoarse with fury.


    The next moment, someone tightly hugged her leg.


    Poppy Hill sat on the ground, embracing her without any dignity:


    ¡°You think you¡¯re the only ones who can provoke trouble? Anyone can do that! I¡¯m going to die too, I¡¯m being killed by my own daughter!¡±


    ¡°My chest hurts so much, I can¡¯t take it!¡±


    ¡°Even if I have to die today, I won¡¯t let this wretched old hag stir up trouble at the Hortons¡¯!¡±


    Kiera Olsen trembled with rage, her eyes growing colder.


    She forcefully kicked Poppy Hill away and struck Isla Olsen¡¯s abdomen with her elbow, then strode forward!


    Isla Olsen bent over, forehead breaking out in cold sweat from the pain.


    But Poppy Hill ignored her pain and lunged at her again, clinging to her legs and screaming, ¡°Help! Murder!¡±


    Kiera Olsen, mindful of the little old lady in her arms, couldn¡¯t break free for the moment!


    Just then!


    A black Bentley slowly approached.


    Lewis Horton got out of the car and asked sternly, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Isla Olsen quickly spoke up, ¡°Mr. Horton, it¡¯s Kiera who insisted on bringing a dying old lady to the Hortons to cause trouble. It¡¯s all my fault for not stopping her¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Kiera Olsen slowly turned around.


    Upon seeing the grandmother she was holding, Lewis Horton¡¯s pupils shrank abruptly!


    Volume Two

 Chapter 17 - 16

    Chapter 16: Chapter 16


    The woman was holding the grandmother who had a ghastly pale complexion, her arms hanging down limply¡­


    Lewis Horton suddenly strode towards them!


    He seemed calm on the outside, but his heart was filled with panic and fear!


    Great Grandmother was the person he was closest to in this world¡­


    In recent years, her health had been deteriorating, and the family doctor had already hinted that old Mrs. Horton might not survive the year¡­


    He couldn¡¯t lose Great Grandmother!


    ...


    Keira Olsen saw him approaching and guessed what was happening, but this wasn¡¯t the time to talk about that; she urgently said, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton is having a heart attack, and she just ran out of the nitroglycerin she carries with her; she needs her medication immediately.¡±


    She paused, then added, ¡°There won¡¯t be any problems if she takes the medicine on time.¡±


    Lewis Horton pursed his lips.


    He reached out to take Great Grandmother and without looking back, dashed into the Horton estate.


    Keira didn¡¯t follow them inside; her legs were still being clutched by Poppy Hill.


    Isla Olsen watched Lewis Horton¡¯s retreating back and suddenly felt a wave of intense anxiety, ¡°Could she possibly be Old Mrs. Horton?¡±


    ¡°How could Old Mrs. Horton possibly be with Keira Olsen? She is the grandmother of Keira¡¯s husband!¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Poppy Hill released Keira, stood up, and dusted herself off, ¡°Mr. Horton was so anxious, probably afraid it would turn into a fatal issue, which would make the Horton family appear negligent if word got out¡­ Not a good look¡­¡±


    She glared fiercely at Keira, ¡°Isn¡¯t she just relying on this, bringing the old woman to rush into the Hortons¡¯ place?¡±


    Isla frowned in thought.


    Indeed.


    It¡¯s not possible that Keira¡¯s punk husband could be Lewis Horton, right?


    She was really overthinking it¡­


    At this time, the gates of the Horton estate opened, and Jake Horton walked out.


    Isla¡¯s eyes lit up, and she said with a smile, ¡°Jake, you could have just waited for me in the parking lot, why did you come all the way to the gate?¡±


    Jake Horton had a displeased look on his face.


    Isla had messaged that she was almost there but had a lot of gifts, coquettishly asking him to come out and meet her.


    He had waited in the parking lot for a long time without seeing her and decided to come out to take a look.


    He caught sight of Keira Olsen and paused in his step.


    For a moment, his impatience faded, replaced with a trace of tenderness as he gently told Isla, ¡°Right, it¡¯s your first time here, and I was worried you might get lost.¡±


    Isla ran up to him and, as if to proclaim her territory, shyly latched onto his arm and said, ¡°Jake, you¡¯re so kind~¡±


    She probed, ¡°Is Old Mrs. Horton at home?¡±


    ¡°She is.¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    ¡°She¡¯s been at home all along? She didn¡¯t go out today?¡±


    ¡°Right, Great Grandmother¡¯s health isn¡¯t good, she¡¯s been resting at home.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton lived alone in a separate courtyard, not wanting them to disturb her.


    Jake Horton spoke as if this was obvious; Isla believed it implicitly and completely relaxed.


    Jake Horton blatantly stared at Keira Olsen.


    He didn¡¯t miss any subtle expression on the woman¡¯s face, trying to find jealousy, envy or resentment.


    But there was none, not a trace.


    His expression gradually darkened.


    Keira Olsen was preoccupied with thoughts of the old lady and didn¡¯t pay any attention to their display of affection.


    By now, she had pretty much confirmed that ¡°the grandson¡± was indeed Lewis Horton.


    She looked at the door, pondering whether she would be stopped if she entered now?


    Suddenly, the scenery before her darkened.


    Jake Horton stood in front of her and said directly, ¡°Keira Olsen, you came to see me because you¡¯ve come to your senses?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Jake Horton sneered venomously, ¡°Just give me a call when you figure it out, who gave you permission to come to the Horton¡¯s? Is the Horton family¡¯s front door a place an illegitimate daughter can enter?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Keira Olsen pursed her lips.


    That stubborn look made Jake Horton¡¯s heart suddenly soften, ¡°If you really want to go in and take a look, you can also¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Isla Olsen interrupted, ¡°Jake, you misunderstood, Keira is waiting for her husband¡¯s grandmother. The old lady just had a heart attack and was carried inside by Mr. Horton to be saved¡­¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jake Horton was slightly startled, ¡°¡­Husband?¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled, ¡°Right, I haven¡¯t had the chance to tell you yet, Keira is married¡­¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s eyes turned red all of a sudden, his teeth clenched as he said, ¡°Keira Olsen, who is that man?!¡±


    He looked like he was catching an adulterer.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes were filled with scorn, ¡°Jake Horton, who my husband is has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s volume suddenly rose, ¡°How does it have nothing to do with me? I want to see who dares to marry you without my consent!¡±


    Isla Olsen quickly answered, ¡°According to what Keira¡¯s mom said, he¡¯s a little punk.¡±


    Jake Horton clenched his fists, speaking without a filter, ¡°So you demean yourself like this? Well, an illegitimate daughter and a little punk are really a perfect match!¡±


    Isla Olsen kept fanning the flames, ¡°Keira must be very unwilling, that¡¯s why she always clings to Mr. Horton¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen sneered coldly, ¡°Isla Olsen, you pride yourself on being a lady from a prestigious family, why is your mind filled with nothing but filthy thoughts? Is that all you have?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s face stiffened, and she clenched her fingers tightly.


    She sighed, ¡°Keira, I know you¡¯re doing this to get back at me and Jake, but Mr. Horton is already married, and you shouldn¡¯t be trying to break up someone else¡¯s marriage¡­¡±


    Jake Horton exploded when he heard this.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    He had been waiting for Keira Olsen¡¯s call all these days, thinking that if she begged for mercy and showed some remorse, he might let her off the hook.


    But it turned out she had already found someone new?!


    He was enraged, ¡°I was wondering why your husband¡¯s grandmother would have an attack right at my door, turns out you were here to find my uncle? Keira Olsen, how shameless can you be!!¡±


    He was burning with anger, his fury reaching the sky.


    Pointing at Keira Olsen, he addressed the security guard, ¡°See clearly? Remember this face, don¡¯t let her step half a foot into the Horton¡¯s!¡±


    Isla Olsen looked down, hiding a triumphant smile at the corner of her lips.


    At the Horton¡¯s main gate, she could still make decisions¡­


    However, the next moment, the housekeeper of the Horton¡¯s came out from inside.


    Her gaze swept over everyone and stopped in front of Keira Olsen, ¡°Miss Keira, the master invites you in.¡±


    Isla Olsen was stunned.


    Jake Horton was dumbfounded.


    Keira Olsen, however, lifted her eyes, her gaze mocking as she looked towards the security guard, ¡°So, can I go in now?¡±


    The security guard carefully glanced at Jake Horton and without hesitation, opened the door.


    Who held the real power in the Horton¡¯s was something he was well aware of¡­


    ¡­


    The Horton¡¯s home was vast.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Upon entering, a shuttle took Keira Olsen directly to the main house¡¯s front door.


    The housekeeper was respectful, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton is already fine, she and the master are waiting for you in the reception room.¡±


    Keira Olsen was relieved.


    Just as she got out of the car, she saw the Olsen Family¡¯s BMW X7 parked not far away in the parking lot.


    Isla Olsen and Poppy Hill, led by Jake Horton, were storming her way, meeting Keira Olsen at the door.


    Poppy Hill glared at Keira, ¡°Mr. Horton probably wants you to take your grandmother home. After picking her up, leave quickly if you know what¡¯s good for you, you nasty creature, don¡¯t dirty the Horton¡¯s carpet!¡±


    As those words were spoken, everyone entered the living room and immediately saw Old Mrs. Horton seated in the main spot on the sofa.


    The elderly lady glared at them, angrily saying:


    ¡°Wicked woman, whom are you calling a nasty creature?¡±

 Chapter 18 - 17

    Chapter 17: Chapter 17


    The old lady had changed into a lavish outfit, but her complexion was still not very good.


    Lewis Horton sat coldly to her left.


    To the right sat a man over sixty years old, Lewis Horton¡¯s father.


    On the sofa to the side sat a couple in their forties, Lewis Horton¡¯s older brother and sister-in-law, who were also Jake Horton¡¯s parents.


    Although no one introduced the old lady¡¯s identity, anyone who could sit in the main seat at the Horton¡¯s must certainly be old Mrs. Horton!


    Poppy Hill stood frozen in place, ¡°You, you¡­¡±


    ...


    She stuttered for a long time, unable to form a complete sentence.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s legs went weak, and she almost fell, but Jake Horton steadied her.


    Jake Horton was puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s hands were trembling.


    She was indeed reaching far beyond her station in trying to join the Horton Family, where every elder was someone she had to painstakingly please, yet even before she had entered the door, she had managed to offend old Mrs. Horton!


    She suddenly laughed bitterly, ¡°Kiera, why did you deceive us, telling us that old Mrs. Horton was your husband¡¯s grandmother? You made us disrespectful to the old lady¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen immediately felt several suspicious gazes turn toward her.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Poppy Hill also realized and shouted, ¡°Disgraceful girl, knowing full well that the old lady has dementia, you still dared to deceive her! What do you take the Horton Family for? Get down on your knees and apologize to me right now!¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes darkened.


    This was an attempt to shift the blame and pin all the faults on her, allowing Isla Olsen to clear herself.


    Quite the tactic.


    ¡°Smack!¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A teacup was thrown by the old lady, hitting Poppy Hill directly.


    The boiling tea splashed all over her, yet Poppy Hill dared not scream out loud.


    ¡°Rubbish!¡± old Mrs. Horton shouted angrily, ¡°She is indeed my granddaughter-in-law!¡±


    Despite the scalding pain, Poppy Hill yelled, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, you¡¯ve been deceived by her! I¡¯m sure her husband is just a little punk!¡±


    ¡°No need to argue, why not just ask the person in question?¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s mother spoke up, ¡°Lewis, is she truly the wife you¡¯ve hidden away and not brought home?¡±


    Kiera Olsen suddenly looked towards Lewis Horton, then she heard the expected answer, ¡°No.¡±


    The man was as cold and heartless as ever.


    ¡­Truly a small-minded man who repays kindness with ingratitude!


    A flicker of indignation passed through Kiera Olsen¡¯s peach-blossom eyes.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s face showed joy, and she breathed a sigh of relief.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Poppy Hill sneered, ¡°I told you all this trouble was caused by Kiera Olsen!¡±


    Kiera Olsen snorted coldly, about to speak, but then she heard the man¡¯s deep voice rise again:


    ¡°It was Grandma who mistook her, so I asked Miss Olsen to help take care of Grandma for a while.¡±


    Kiera Olsen:¡­


    Alright, she admitted she might have raised her voice too much at ¡°grandson.¡±


    Everyone fell silent, none having expected such a development.


    After a moment, Isla Olsen lowered her head, ¡°So that¡¯s it, Kiera, why didn¡¯t you tell us the truth? If you had told us earlier, this misunderstanding wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    ¡°Miss Isla Olsen¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton leaned back on the sofa, his posture casual but his tone forceful, ¡°Hiding behind others and shirking responsibility when something happens, is this how the Olsen Family raises their daughters?¡±


    Stirred by these words, old Mrs. Horton immediately exclaimed angrily:


    ¡°Right, you think I can¡¯t see through your little schemes just because my mind is ailing?¡±


    ¡°Making mistakes without showing remorse, and trying to deflect the blame onto others, you two really have no shame!¡±


    old Mrs. Horton directly addressed Jake Horton, ¡°Call off the engagement, I don¡¯t recognize this great-granddaughter-in-law!¡±


    Isla Olsen was shocked to her core!


    The marriage she had worked so hard to obtain couldn¡¯t just end like this!


    She looked at Jake Horton, but the man seemed dazed, his eyes fixed on Keira Olsen, obviously still reeling from the shock of her being married.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Isla clenched her fingers.


    She bowed her head, walked up to Jake Horton, and tears began rolling down her cheeks, ¡°Jake, it¡¯s my fault¡­ Don¡¯t worry, even if the marriage is canceled, I will still introduce the person I promised to you.¡±


    Jake Horton regained his composure.


    Isla still intended to introduce Dr. South to him¡­


    In Crera¡¯s current new energy projects, Dr. South was among the top!


    He hurriedly said to Old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Great Grandmother, Isla didn¡¯t know, so it¡¯s not her fault. Please forgive her. Besides, our families have already exchanged betrothal gifts, it really isn¡¯t good to call off the engagement.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton gazed at him deeply, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up, I can¡¯t control you anymore, do as you please.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton knew a principle well.


    Neither deaf nor mute, one should not be the family head.


    Her great-grandson¡¯s affairs should be managed by his parents, she didn¡¯t want to interfere.


    But¡­


    Jake Horton¡¯s mother chuckled, ¡°Grandmother, did you forget to give a meeting gift?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s eyelids drooped, ¡°I will have someone transfer 200,000 to Jake.¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s mother¡¯s face stiffened, ¡°But didn¡¯t you previously say you would give them two percent of the shares because they might be tight on cash as newlyweds¡­¡±


    If you were to ask who was the wealthiest in the Horton family, it would certainly be Old Mrs. Horton!


    She was born into a wealthy family from Clance, with a substantial dowry, and controlled twenty percent of the Horton Family¡¯s shares¡­


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Jake Horton¡¯s mother had long wanted to secure a hefty sum through the marriage!


    Everything had been agreed upon, but the old lady changed her mind at the last minute!


    Old Mrs. Horton looked at her with a mocking smile, ¡°I¡¯m not satisfied with this great-granddaughter-in-law, I¡¯m not giving it!!¡±


    Isla¡¯s face turned deadly pale, feeling deeply humiliated.


    The Horton family had many servants; these words would surely spread, and soon the whole of Oceanion would know that she was disliked by Old Mrs. Horton!


    Face was most important to a wealthy family heiress, and today Old Mrs. Horton had trampled her dignity underfoot¡­


    The old lady didn¡¯t care about these things; she left those words and directly took Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton to her residence¡¯s courtyard.


    Then, using the excuse of a sudden need to urinate, she asked Lewis Horton to ¡°properly¡± entertain the bride and hurriedly took people away.


    In the blink of an eye, only two people were left in the courtyard.


    The night was as dark as ink.


    Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton stood side by side, and she realized the man was actually a head taller than she was, probably about six-foot-two.


    Didn¡¯t the old lady say he was very small when he was born?


    As she was silently grumbling, Lewis Horton suddenly looked at her, his eyebrows tightly furrowed, disdain apparent, ¡°Lacking iron in your five elements?¡±


    Keira Olsen, not to be outdone, suddenly looked at him seriously, ¡°Puppy?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face turned steely.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    She had tricked grandmother into even mentioning that!


    Indeed, her intentions were not pure!


    It might have been an accident that grandmother got involved with her, and there were no signs of scheming in that. But this woman took in grandma under the pretense of kindness, possibly because grandmother unwittingly revealed her identity.


    Keira Olsen, having countered him sharply, didn¡¯t forget the main issue, ¡°I remember you said you¡¯d do me a favor, could you go to the courthouse with me to check the marital status?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression darkened, his tone impatient and harsh,


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go! If it¡¯s not true, I hope you stop using my grandmother to bother me!¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19

    Chapter 19: Chapter 19


    Keira Olsen stared dumbfounded at the marriage certificate in her hand.


    She suddenly realized that the old lady had called her granddaughter-in-law the first time they met¡­ she had known all along that they were married!


    Keira felt she had grasped a clue.


    She immediately asked, ¡°Grandma, how did this marriage certificate end up with you?¡±


    The old lady paused, her eyes becoming somewhat confused: ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    Keira continued to ask, ¡°Then how did Mr. Horton and I get married?¡±


    ...


    The old lady kept shaking her head: ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    Keira was a bit anxious, ¡°Grandma, please think carefully¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Lewis Horton interjected sternly, his tall figure standing between her and the old lady, his eyes cold, ¡°Miss Olsen, is this certificate real?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Lewis¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Then next, are you going to say there¡¯s no need to go to the courthouse?¡±


    So that was her aim!


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    First, she used the legitimate excuse of going to the courthouse as a pretext, then tempted the grandmother to produce this fake document, making him believe it was real.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the grandmother¡¯s compliance towards her just now, he would have almost believed it!


    Keira sensed a faint murderous intent in the man¡¯s tone and felt it was absurd: ¡°We don¡¯t have to go today.¡±


    Divorce was not just a matter of visiting the courthouse once.


    In the two years they were legally married, there were many issues of property division involved, which required first signing a divorce agreement.


    ¡°We must.¡±


    After Lewis said this, he scrutinized Keira closely.


    Yet the girl simply blinked and indifferently said, ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Was she acting so well because she wouldn¡¯t back down until she saw her defeat?


    Or was the marriage certificate real?


    Suddenly, Lewis felt uncertain, and he picked up the marriage certificate and headed out first: ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the parking lot.¡±


    Keira smiled reassuringly at the old lady and followed him out.


    The man walked briskly, and she almost had to jog to keep up.


    As they reached the parking lot, they saw Poppy Hill, looking distressed, supporting Isla Olsen, who appeared pale, sneezed, and trembled.


    Upon seeing her, Poppy¡¯s eyes brightened: ¡°Kiera!¡±


    She hurried over, cautiously bypassing Lewis, and came up to her, declaring emphatically, ¡°You must help your sister!¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Keira raised her eyebrows.


    She didn¡¯t understand why these two were here so early. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Had they not left since last night?


    Before she could speak, Poppy rambled on:


    ¡°Kiera, you are an illegitimate daughter, but the Olsen family raised you without considering your background, and even if they didn¡¯t look at their merits, but at their hardships, you should repay the Olsen family¡­


    ¡°Your sister was even better to you, not only letting you go to school with her, but she also shared her clothes with you.


    ¡°Also, when you were just born and too weak to survive, your mom had no milk, and it was your sister¡¯s milk that you took to stay alive¡­


    ¡°Back then, the Olsen family had no intention of taking us in, but they did because you and your sister were born on the same day, Mrs. Olsen and your dad decided to keep us¡­


    ¡°So, you owe your sister, and you have to be good to her for life¡­¡±


    These familiar words, Keira hadn¡¯t heard them for a good ten years already.


    Thinking back to her younger self who believed these absurd tales and slaved away for the Olsen family, enduring Isla¡¯s endless bullying¡­now she just found it laughable!


    The Olsen Family did raise her, but parents are legally obligated to care for their children. If they had neglected her, they would have committed the crime of abandonment!


    Indeed, she attended school with Isla, but she had to carry Isla¡¯s backpack to and from school, and act as her little follower on campus.


    If Isla coughed even once, it was her fault for not taking good care, and Poppy Hill would beat her.


    At school, she could only ever rank last because she couldn¡¯t surpass Isla!


    As for clothes¡­ her parents never prepared any for her, she could only wear what Isla discarded, so her clothes were always a bit too short.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Mrs. Olsen did buy her a new skirt once, but as soon as she put it on, Poppy Hill took it off her and gave it to Isla, saying she didn¡¯t deserve it. She couldn¡¯t be prettier than Isla!


    As for being physically weak¡­


    Which infant wouldn¡¯t be weak after being starved for four or five days?


    ¡­


    The irony in Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes grew more intense.


    But Poppy Hill didn¡¯t notice her change in demeanor. After finishing her speech, she immediately said, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve grown up, you finally have a chance to repay the Olsen family. Keira, old Mrs. Horton listens to you, doesn¡¯t she? Go ask her to return the two percent of shares to your sister!¡±


    Keira Olsen lowered her eyes and smiled, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s face lit up, thinking she had persuaded her, but the next moment, she heard the girl lightly say:


    ¡°I¡¯m just a despicable illegitimate daughter. How could Old Mrs. Horton possibly listen to me?¡±


    Poppy Hill was stunned and wanted to say more, but Keira Olsen had already walked past her and got straight into Lewis Horton¡¯s car: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    He looked at the girl sitting in the back seat, wanting to say the driver hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    Seeing Poppy Hill looked like she was about to chase after them¡­


    Lewis Horton directly got into the driver¡¯s seat, with a ¡°click¡± he closed the door, leisurely fastened his seatbelt, then started the car and drove away!


    The black stretch Bentley drove smoothly on the road.


    Through the rearview mirror, Lewis Horton could see the girl gazing out of the window, her delicate and beautiful face bearing a serene expression.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    He turned his gaze back to the road and continued driving.


    The words he intended to warn her with, in the end, remained unsaid.


    The car soon arrived at the courthouse.


    As he parked, Tom Davis knocked on the driver¡¯s window.


    Lewis Horton rolled down the window, and Tom Davis¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Boss, the driver said you drove off by yourself. I got scared and chased you down using the GPS. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Lewis Horton was as sparing with his words as ever.


    Tom Davis then looked towards the courthouse: ¡°Why are you here? Could it really be that Keira Olsen bothered you into confusion? Don¡¯t worry, as I said, she won¡¯t see you again, otherwise I would¡­¡±


    ¡°Live stream eating shit?¡±


    Tom Davis hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he heard a lazy female voice come through.


    He stiffened, slowly looking back at the back seat, and saw Keira Olsen with a slightly mischievous look in her peach blossom eyes: ¡°Which is your live channel?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tom Davis was flabbergasted!


    The three entered the courthouse and approached the service window.


    Tom Davis asked first, ¡°Hello, I want to know if it¡¯s possible to get a marriage certificate without the person being present?¡±


    Staff member: ¡°Definitely not.¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Tom Davis said mockingly, looking at Keira Olsen. After glancing at the marriage certificate in her hand, he scoffed, ¡°You even prepared a fake one? Haha, I¡¯m calling the police right now! I¡¯ll charge you with document forgery and harassment!¡±


    But Lewis Horton handed over his marriage certificate, ¡°Please check if this marriage certificate is genuine.¡±

 Chapter 20 - 20

    Chapter 20: Chapter 20


    The staff member gave him a strange look, took the marriage certificate, and began entering information into the computer for the inquiry.


    Lewis Horton pursed his lips.


    Suddenly, he found his own actions ridiculous.


    He was certain he had never married, yet he had bizarrely come here¡­


    Even putting off a very important meeting.


    The staff member quickly gave him the answer, ¡°It¡¯s real.¡±


    ...


    Lewis Horton was slightly stunned.


    Upon hearing the staff member¡¯s words, Tom Davis exclaimed instinctively, ¡°How is that possible?! Is it possible there¡¯s a mistake in your information registration?¡±


    The staff member glared at him, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Marriage is a serious matter. Both parties who come to register must carefully check their identities and sign a guarantee!¡±


    A guarantee¡­


    Keira Olsen spoke up, ¡°Can we take a look at our guarantee?¡±


    ¡°Please fetch the guarantee.¡±


    Lewis Horton spoke at the same time.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    The two exchanged glances, then immediately looked away.


    The staff member stood up helplessly, ¡°You two as a couple do have some tacit understanding. Fine, I¡¯ll go find it for you.¡±


    He returned quickly, holding their registration materials. He pulled out the guarantee and handed it to them to see.


    Keira Olsen discovered that the handwriting on it was indeed hers!


    Tom Davis also blustered on the side, ¡°Boss, this is your handwriting!¡±


    After pondering for a moment, Keira Olsen looked around at the surveillance cameras, ¡°Hello, can we take a look at the video from the day we registered?¡±


    The staff member replied, ¡°Sorry, we only keep the recordings for six months.¡±


    ¡­


    The staff member repeatedly assured them that the marriage certificate would only be processed when both were present, and there would absolutely be no mistakes in their work.


    The three of them eventually walked out of the courthouse, helpless.


    Standing at the entrance, Tom Davis said blankly, ¡°Boss, what do we do now?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes darkened.


    Keira Olsen, on the other hand, lifted her peach-blossom-like eyes.


    ¡°Divorce.¡±


    ¡°Divorce.¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two again spoke in unison.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Tom Davis was taken aback and then asked, ¡°So we divorce now? Shouldn¡¯t we discuss the divorce terms?¡±


    ¡°I will have my lawyer contact you.¡±


    ¡°Talk to my lawyer.¡±


    Lewis Horton and Keira Olsen once more spoke simultaneously.


    After saying this, both couldn¡¯t help but look at each other.


    Keira Olsen laughed it off and simply said, ¡°Otherwise, let¡¯s each have our lawyers draft an agreement, look it over first? If there are any issues, then the lawyers can discuss it.¡±


    Tom Davis scoffed, ¡°With the way you are, can you even afford a lawyer?¡±


    Yet Lewis Horton nodded in agreement.


    Ignoring Tom Davis, Keira Olsen took out her phone, ¡°Mr. Horton, shall we add each other on WhatsApp? It¡¯ll make communication easier later on.¡±


    Lewis Horton paused for a moment, held out his phone with a meaningful gesture to open the QR code for WhatsApp, and saw Keira Olsen scan it. Then a chat box appeared on her phone, marked with the note: Grandson.


    His face instantly darkened.


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She had forgotten they had already added each other on WhatsApp!


    Withstanding his surly expression, she coughed and said, ¡°The nickname was randomly set, I¡¯ll change it¡­¡±


    She blocked her phone and deftly changed ¡°Grandson¡± to ¡°Puppy.¡±


    Then leaving a ¡°See you later,¡± she hailed a taxi and left.


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Watching her receding figure, Tom Davis hesitantly looked towards Lewis Horton, ¡°Boss, you two are actually married, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The two were just too in sync!!


    Lewis Horton glanced at him, ¡°Find the best divorce lawyer, draft an agreement, and protect the ¡®outside¡¯ assets.¡±


    Tom Davis stood straight, ¡°Yes!¡±


    After saying this, Tom Davis suddenly realized something, ¡°I get it, the marriage thing must have been that woman¡¯s doing. Now that she can¡¯t win your heart, she¡¯s decided to take a slice of your wealth! No wonder she has the money to hire a lawyer to fight a divorce lawsuit with you. Even just a bit of what she takes will cover a hefty legal fee!¡±


    Tom Davis was so angry he was grinding his teeth:


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I absolutely won¡¯t let her take a penny from you!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I absolutely cannot let him take a penny from me.¡±


    In the taxi, Kiera Olsen was also making a call to Samuel Morgan, ¡°Find the best divorce lawyer.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Samuel Morgan gossiped, ¡°Boss, what¡¯s the deal with your marriage? Neither you nor Lewis Horton remember anything, it can¡¯t be that both of you have amnesia, can it?¡±


    Kiera Olsen said coolly, ¡°Do you think this is a novel?¡±


    Samuel Morgan, ¡°I¡¯m just curious! It¡¯s absurd and thrilling. I wish the courthouse would also send me a wife like that.¡±


    Kiera Olsen sighed silently and after a while said, ¡°There¡¯s someone who must know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Old Mrs. Horton.¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t she unable to remember?¡±


    ¡°Is the clinical trial for the Alzheimer¡¯s treatment still in the experimental stage?¡± asked Kiera Olsen with a frown. ¡°Speed it up, otherwise, it¡¯ll be too late.¡±


    ¡°Too late for what?¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked down and didn¡¯t answer.


    She soon returned home.


    After entering the familiar room by opening the door, she suddenly noticed that the sixty-square-meter apartment seemed a bit empty.


    Just then, the little old lady walked in from the hallway with a suitcase, ¡°My dear daughter-in-law, you¡¯re back? I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time! I brought a lot of clothes this time~¡±


    Kiera Olsen paused for a second, then suddenly smiled.


    ¨C


    That day, the most famous divorce attorney¡¯s office in Oceanion received two commissions to draft divorce agreements.


    Both parties were anonymous, and the demands were the same, ¡°Neither side can take a penny of my money.¡±


    The terms were quite harsh.


    An assistant lawyer complained, ¡°I¡¯ve seen many divorces, but never any this heartless. One client is a man, the other a woman¡­ Men and women are equally ruthless when it comes to money!¡±


    The lawyer was used to seeing loving couples turn into enemies and had seen even crueler cases.


    He chuckled, ¡°One contract, earning money twice! Get it ready and send it to our employers!¡±


    ¨C


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Horton Group, top floor.


    Lewis Horton had been busy ever since he returned from the courthouse.


    It was nearly the end of the workday when he received a call from home, saying grandma had gone looking for the ¡°granddaughter-in-law¡± again.


    Grandma needed to be tested every day to ensure all her values were good¡­


    He frowned slightly and subconsciously opened WhatsApp, found ¡°Puppy,¡± thought about saying something, but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    It seemed ever since he knew ¡°Puppy¡± was Kiera Olsen, things had felt awkward.


    He casually scrolled through the chat history.


    Their previous chats had been very casual, like old friends.


    Especially when he helped her insult someone¡­ Wait, the person she insulted at the restaurant that day could possibly be himself?!


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face darkened instantly.


    At that moment, his phone vibrated with a message from ¡°Puppy,¡± a divorce contract:[Mr. Horton, the asset division in the agreement is my bottom line. Have a look, does it suit you?]


    Asset division¡­


    Was this woman really after the money when she married me?


    Just as Lewis Horton opened the contract, the door was pushed open, and Tom Davis walked in:


    ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve got the results of the investigation into your marriage!¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co

 Chapter 21 - 21

    Chapter 21: Chapter 21


    As soon as Tom Davis finished speaking, Lewis Horton had already opened the divorce agreement Kiera had sent over on his computer.


    He quickly skimmed through the agreement, his eyes landing on the property division clause.


    After seeing the contents, he was slightly surprised.


    Seeing this, Tom Davis craned his neck to look at his computer screen and scoffed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that woman being ridiculous? She¡¯s not letting you take any of her property¡­ What can you take from her? Her Ant CreditPay debt?¡±


    Lewis Horton looked down and asked, ¡°What did you find out?¡±


    ¡°Boss, we found out that Kiera realized you were married only a few days ago when she and her boyfriend went to register their marriage. This divorce agreement seems to be for the purpose of getting a divorce as quickly as possible, as if she really had no idea.¡±


    ...


    At this point, Tom Davis changed the subject: ¡°But I actually think this is too deliberate. We checked her out, and after she left the Olsen Family, there¡¯s a lot we can¡¯t find! Boss, don¡¯t you find that strange? Why would an ordinary person hide themselves?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes were half-closed, thoughtful, ¡°So, you think this matter is related to her?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! As for her purpose, it¡¯s unknown.¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Tom Davis scratched his head: ¡°It¡¯s been two years, and our whereabouts were unpredictable at the time, we really¡­ don¡¯t have any clue, maybe we can only wait for Old Mrs. Horton to remember something one day.¡±


    Lewis Horton cast a glance at him.


    Tom Davis hurriedly lowered his head: ¡°It¡¯s our incompetence, we will continue to investigate.¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Lewis Horton printed two copies of the divorce agreement, stood up, and walked out, ¡°Have you made contact with Researcher Nora?¡±


    It was said that Researcher Nora was close to developing a clinical drug for Alzheimer¡¯s disease.


    Lewis Horton wanted to use the medicine on his grandmother as soon as possible.


    Tom Davis hung his head even lower: ¡°Researcher Nora is elusive, and because of her research, she¡¯s being watched by all the major biotech companies, making her even more cautious¡­¡±


    Feeling the chill emanating from Lewis Horton, his voice got lower and lower: ¡°Boss, rest assured, I will definitely make contact with her!¡±


    ¡­


    Just after Kiera finished dinner with old Mrs. Horton, she received a WhatsApp message from Lewis Horton: ¡°I¡¯m downstairs. Come down.¡±


    She used taking out the trash as an excuse to go downstairs and saw the familiar black stretched Bentley. She got in the car directly.


    Lewis Horton handed her the divorce agreement: ¡°I have no objections. Sign it.¡±


    His dark eyes stared straight at her, thinking she would find an excuse to refuse.


    But he saw the girl sign both copies of the agreement without hesitation and even asked him, ¡°Shall we divorce tomorrow?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze deepened, ¡°In such a hurry?¡±


    Kiera: ¡°I¡¯m dying of urgency.¡±


    The company was eager to go public!


    Lewis Horton scrutinized her for a moment: ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kiera also reminded him, ¡°Tomorrow morning then. Bring your ID card, household registration book, and marriage certificate. We¡¯ll meet at the courthouse.¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Lewis Horton nodded, but his expression suddenly changed.


    Suddenly, Old Mrs. Horton had come downstairs without them knowing, her face pale as she looked at them.


    She clutched at her chest, her voice trembling, ¡°Are you two getting divorced?¡±


    Then her eyes closed and she collapsed to the ground.


    ¡°Grandma!¡±


    ¡­


    Outside the VIP ward of the First Hospital.


    ¡°The patient is now out of life-threatening danger.¡± The attending doctor said solemnly, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton can¡¯t be subjected to any more emotional shocks. You must not make her angry!¡±


    Hearing this, Kiera thought of the emergency measures that had just been taken on Old Mrs. Horton and still felt a little scared.


    She looked towards Lewis Horton standing beside her.


    The man¡¯s face was expressionless, seemingly very calm.


    But when the doctor said ¡°out of life-threatening danger,¡± he unclenched and relaxed his shirt collar, slowly sitting on the hallway bench, his hands clasped on his knees, trembling uncontrollably.


    At that moment, a nurse¡¯s voice came from the ward: ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, you¡¯re awake!¡±


    Lewis Horton rushed into the ward immediately.


    When Kiera followed in, Old Mrs. Horton had already opened her eyes.


    Looking at Kiera, she spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, I dreamt you and the brat were getting divorced. It¡¯s not true, is it?¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t speak, but Lewis Horton interjected, ¡°It¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°So, no divorce?¡±


    ¡°No divorce.¡±


    ¡°Give me your household registration book and marriage certificate.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lewis Horton was always responsive to her requests.


    Old Mrs. Horton then looked towards Keira Olsen, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, the brat isn¡¯t lying, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen thought of the doctor¡¯s advice and fell silent for a moment, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only then was old Mrs. Horton satisfied.


    Although she had been overcome with emotion for a while, she would still stay in the hospital for observation tonight.


    Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton stayed to keep her company in the ward.


    Dusk fell.


    Keira Olsen lazily sat on the sofa browsing her phone.


    She was writing a pure English document about clinical drug research on Alzheimer¡¯s disease; she had been struggling with a technical issue in the concluding work.


    She needed to consult some biomedical literature.


    While pondering, a new message suddenly appeared on WhatsApp:


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Puppy: [Miss Olsen, wait until grandma¡¯s condition stabilizes before getting a divorce.]


    This request was inescapable.


    The divorce agreement was already signed, and their assets would have nothing to do with each other after this. Her marital status was still married, which wouldn¡¯t affect the company going public, so it didn¡¯t really matter when the divorce happened.


    Keira Olsen: [Okay.]


    Lewis Horton stared at these two characters on his phone and narrowed his eyes: [Do you have any other conditions?]


    Keira Olsen: [As soon as grandma is well, we can proceed with the divorce quickly.]


    Lewis Horton frowned and suddenly felt this woman was unfathomable.


    Old Mrs. Horton on the sickbed looked at Keira Olsen and then at Lewis Horton.


    The two of them barely exchanged words.


    This wouldn¡¯t do.


    Old Mrs. Horton suddenly said, ¡°Brat, I want to arrange a job for my granddaughter-in-law at Horton Group!¡±


    If they went to work together every day and were constantly seeing each other, wouldn¡¯t their feelings develop?


    Lewis Horton paused slightly: ¡°Okay.¡±


    He was especially agreeable tonight.


    But old Mrs. Horton was worried again: ¡°What job should I arrange?¡±


    Then, an idea struck her: ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, I¡¯ll make the arrangements! You¡¯ll go to work with the brat tomorrow!¡±


    Go to  ????????????????????.co


    Keira Olsen blinked her amorous eyes and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She suddenly remembered that Horton Group¡¯s database was extensive, and it might just have the literature she needed!


    Lewis Horton still had a meeting, so he left the room with Tom Davis.


    Just as they reached the corridor, Tom Davis said, ¡°No wonder that woman signed the divorce agreement so readily¡ªit turns out she summoned old Mrs. Horton downstairs. This marriage is basically unbreakable!¡±


    He then looked at Lewis Horton: ¡°Boss, she¡¯s even coaxed old Mrs. Horton into getting a job at Horton Group, there must be a plot! Why did you agree?¡±


    ¡°How can we expose the fox¡¯s tail if we don¡¯t keep her under our eyes?¡±


    A sharp light flashed through Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes.


    For grandma¡¯s sake, he couldn¡¯t possibly get a divorce now.


    As for whether that woman was innocent¡­ let¡¯s see what her purpose is for going to the company!


    In the hospital room.


    Keira Olsen lay on the sofa, when suddenly she heard old Mrs. Horton¡¯s voice: ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, let me tell you a secret¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen immediately inquired, ¡°What secret?¡±


    Could it be that old Mrs. Horton had remembered something else?

 Chapter 22 - 22

    Chapter 22: Chapter 22


    Keira Olsen was hoping she¡¯d remember some crucial clue.


    For example, how did the little old lady come to know her?


    Or, how did she and Lewis Horton end up getting married?


    ¡°What secret does grandma actually have?¡±


    Keira Olsen asked expectantly.


    With a mischievous air, the little old lady began, ¡°That brat has an unknown weakness that I¡¯m going to tell you about now. If he ever bullies you, you fight back!¡±


    ...


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t actually very interested.


    But the little old lady was enthusiastic: ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by his tough and unapproachable demeanor, he¡¯s actually afraid of cats.¡±


    Keira Olsen was momentarily stunned.


    She suddenly remembered a little brother she knew as a child who was also afraid of cats¡­


    But he was just a kid; could Lewis Horton, standing at a towering six feet two inches, really be afraid of cats?


    The little old lady then asked, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, do you prefer cats or dogs?¡±


    ¡°Dogs.¡±


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    She used to like cats too, but since the little brother didn¡¯t like them, she stopped liking them as well.


    Keira Olsen quickly understood why the little old lady had asked that question.


    The next day, on the top floor of Horton Group.


    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± A cute little Shiba Inu was wagging its tail and circling Keira Olsen.


    Tom Davis was speechless: ¡°The task that old Mrs. Horton has arranged for Miss Olsen, is to take care of this little puppy.¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    They say elderly people return to a childlike state of mind as they age, acting on a whim.


    But to have the job be petting a dog¡­ that was just absurd!


    He ordered, ¡°Take her¡­ take them to the New Energy Research and Development Department Group for orientation.¡±


    This had been his plan all along.


    The New Energy Research and Development Department wasn¡¯t involved with the core of the group, yet it was crucial for the future development of the group; placing her there to see what slips she might make.


    Tom Davis immediately nodded.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t mind these arrangements. She picked up the puppy and followed Tom Davis, asking, ¡°Does it have a name?¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tom Davis: ¡°No, old Mrs. Horton said you should name it.¡±


    Keira Olsen glanced at Lewis Horton, who was sulking, and suddenly smiled mischievously: ¡°Then let¡¯s call it Kitty.¡±


    ¡°You want to name a dog Kitty?¡±


    ¡°Is that not okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡­


    The New Energy Research and Development Department was on the 38th floor of Horton Group.


    In the elevator.


    Tom Davis said, ¡°Miss Olsen, most of our employees in the research and development department are PhDs, the least being graduate students from prestigious universities, and you¡¯re the first with just a bachelor¡¯s degree! Take this opportunity to learn earnestly from your seniors here; it will benefit your future greatly. This special arrangement is the boss¡¯s way of rewarding you for pampering old Mrs. Horton¡ªno need to feel indebted, of course.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡± That really wasn¡¯t necessary.


    ¡°Right, about your relationship with the boss, he doesn¡¯t wish to make it public to avoid any complications should you divorce in the future.¡±


    Keira Olsen gave him a look, saying lazily: ¡°That suits me just fine, as I happen to share that concern.¡±


    Tom Davis: ?


    This woman actually despises the boss?


    He wanted to say something more, but the elevator arrived.


    The New Energy Research and Development Department was divided into two groups, located on the left and right sides of the elevator, with a common resting area in the middle.


    As soon as Kiera Olsen stepped out of the elevator, she heard several male colleagues chatting:


    ¡°I heard we¡¯re getting a young and beautiful intern in our group today!¡±


    ¡°Wow! Our monk temple is finally going to have a beauty! That¡¯s awesome!¡±


    Someone from the second group scoffed: ¡°Our group is about to invite Dr. South for technical support, what¡¯s so special about an undergraduate intern? Is she just a pretty face to act as a vase?¡±


    The first group glared at him, ready to retort, but a scolding voice came: ¡°A bunch of grown men gossiping like women? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be working?¡±


    The man speaking was Jalen Riley, the team leader of the first group, around 26 or 27 years old, tall and handsome, with an impatient look on his face, and an air of arrogance.


    Everyone immediately scattered.


    He frowned as he sized up Kiera Olsen and said discontentedly, ¡°Mr. Davis, an undergraduate with no experience at all, and you dare to just shove her in my team?¡±


    Tom Davis apologized with a smile: ¡°The boss told me to do it.¡±


    Jalen Riley still displeased, looked down on Kiera Olsen arrogantly, ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, in my team, you follow my rules! Next time don¡¯t bring a dog to work!¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t explain much: ¡°Okay.¡±


    Only then did Jalen Riley point to an empty office for her workstation.


    After she went in, he looked at Tom Davis: ¡°Mr. Davis, this is the last time. Of course, if my cousin can manage to hire Dr. South, you can give me a hundred and eighty clients with connections, and I won¡¯t complain!¡±


    Being a distant relative of the Horton family, he joined Horton Group relying on his own abilities!


    That¡¯s why he hated clients with connections the most!


    ¡­


    This was Kiera Olsen¡¯s first day at work, and it was quite novel to her.


    No one had assigned her any tasks, and she enjoyed the freedom.


    She played with ¡°the kitten¡± in the office for a while until the little guy curled up in a corner, basking in the sun and fell asleep.


    Only then did she stand up, gently get up, close the office door, and prepare to head to the Horton Group¡¯s research and development department¡¯s data library.


    Only by creating a specific drug for Alzheimer¡¯s disease and improving old Mrs. Horton¡¯s health could she remember something, then maybe she would understand the ins and outs of her inexplicable marriage to Lewis Horton!


    Kiera Olsen asked a colleague who seemed more gentle and introverted: ¡°I¡¯d like to look up some materials, could you tell me how to get to the data library?¡±


    The male colleague blushed, about to give her directions, when a questioning voice came: ¡°What do you need from the data library?¡±


    Kiera Olsen turned around and saw it was Jalen Riley.


    She answered, ¡°I want to study a bit.¡±


    Jalen Riley immediately scoffed, ¡°You? What right does an undergraduate have to enter the data library? That place is full of technical knowledge on the level of international puzzles, you¡¯d better understand the basic theory of our group before you talk!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She took out her phone, intending to go straight to Lewis Horton, as having privileges certainly meant using them!


    But before she could send a message, Jalen Riley spoke up: ¡°It¡¯s no use who you contact, I am not some low-level employee they can easily push around. Once you¡¯re in my team, do your job and don¡¯t go around putting on airs and annoying people!¡±


    The gentle-looking male colleague suddenly spoke up: ¡°Team leader, she graduated from Oceanion University. Her transcript shows she didn¡¯t do badly on her specialized courses¡­¡±


    Jalen Riley immediately retorted: ¡°What¡¯s the use of that knowledge from books? Isn¡¯t every fresh graduate a novice when they start working?¡±


    He casually picked up a stack of materials from the male colleague¡¯s desk and threw it into Kiera Olsen¡¯s hands: ¡°This is the new energy project our team is currently working on; ask her if she understands it. Newcomers need to look the part!¡±


    Kiera Olsen glanced down at the project document and quickly flipped through it¡­


    Jalen Riley couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°Flipping so fast, do you think you are Dr. South? If you don¡¯t understand, don¡¯t waste everyone¡¯s time and roll back to your office!¡±


    It was said that Dr. South had the ability to read lines with a single glance, reading very quickly.


    Upon hearing this, Kiera Olsen looked up and said coldly, ¡°Who said I don¡¯t understand?¡±

 Chapter 23 - 23

    Chapter 23: Chapter 23


    Jalen Riley blinked with mild surprise, ¡°You can understand this?¡±


    Just as Keira Olsen was about to speak, the introverted male colleague interjected, ¡°Team leader, she really can understand it.¡±


    Jalen Riley shot him a glare, ¡°You know each other?¡±


    The male colleague smiled shyly, ¡°I was a graduate student of Professor Miller at Oceanion University. Last year when I was still studying, Professor Miller brought her with us to work on a project¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at him seriously, trying to recall, ¡°Luca Barker, senior?¡±


    Luca Barker nodded shyly, explaining to Jalen Riley, ¡°Junior Miss is the only undergraduate student Professor Miller took on for a project. She reads very fast, and she has been exposed to all these fundamental frameworks.¡±


    ...


    Jalen Riley still looked at her disapprovingly, ¡°These are just the basics. There¡¯s nothing to be proud of just because you can understand them! If you¡¯re capable, then solve the core technology!¡±


    Luca Barker immediately said, ¡°Team leader, that¡¯s a bit too much to ask.¡±


    Jalen Riley smirked, ¡°If you don¡¯t have the ability, then just nestle nicely in the team, go to the information library and look up the most basic stuff. It¡¯s not shameful at all!¡±


    He left right after saying that.


    Luca Barker sighed and explained to Keira Olsen, ¡°The core technology has always been a stumbling block, and the team leader hasn¡¯t slept well for several days now. He¡¯s in a foul mood. Still, he¡¯s not a bad person, so don¡¯t take his words to heart.¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t mind at all.


    She didn¡¯t join Horton Group to make enemies, found out the information library¡¯s address, and headed straight there.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    The information library of Horton Group was located on the 60th floor and was in fact an enormous private library that only allowed employees of the Group to enter.


    Books here covered knowledge of various industries, including some scientific research materials that were completely inaccessible outside. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen felt vaguely excited, her intuition telling her that she could find what she was looking for here.


    ¡­


    At the top floor.


    Lewis Horton was handling some backlogged documents when his phone chirped. It was a WhatsApp message from Old Mrs. Horton with the nickname ¡°Blossoms of Wealth and Honor¡±:


    [Brat, remember to have lunch with your daughter-in-law at noon and send me a photo of you two dining intimately.]


    Lewis Horton frowned.


    Just as he was about to refuse, claiming he had a meeting, the chat box suddenly flashed, and Great Grandmother changed her nickname from ¡°Blossoms of Wealth and Honor¡± to ¡°Fragile Grandmother That Cannot Be Agitated¡±.


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    He stared at the note for a long time, finally sighing helplessly and pressing the call button on the desk beside him.


    Tom Davis quickly entered, ¡°Boss, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Prepare two lunches to be sent up.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Lewis Horton then messaged ¡°Lacking in Iron¡± to come to the top floor for lunch.


    But by the time the food was laid out on the adjacent dining table, the girl had yet to respond to the message.


    Lewis Horton stood up, ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Tom Davis: ¡°Miss Olsen? She¡¯s in the information library.¡±


    Lewis Horton went down to the 60th floor and began searching slowly behind the rows of bookshelves.


    He quickly spotted her¡­ and Jake Horton, who was staring at her.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen was so engrossed in searching for books that she didn¡¯t hear her phone vibrating.


    This library boasted the most advanced technological materials of today, which made her utterly absorbed.


    She lingered by the bookshelves, lost to the world, and accidentally bumped into someone when she stepped back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    When Keira Olsen turned around, she saw a familiar face.


    Jake Horton stared at her with a complex expression, ¡°Kiera Olsen, you¡¯re trying so hard to please Great Grandmother, could it be you¡¯re doing this to get close to your uncle-in-law?¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s face turned cold in an instant, ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Yet Jake continued, ¡°The uncle has never been close to women for all these years. Don¡¯t think you can seduce him with that face of yours; he¡¯s not that superficial! Hasn¡¯t he just gotten rid of you by giving you an insignificant job?¡±


    Kiera Olsen sneered, ¡°Are you saying, then, that the reason you chased me for so long was because you¡¯re more superficial?¡±


    Jake Horton was choked up!


    Kiera Olsen looked at the young man before her.


    He had been her only friend in university.


    She had seriously considered him, even when he said he would surprise her at the graduation ceremony, she had pondered whether to accept his pursuit.


    She never thought it would come to this.


    She sighed, ¡°Jake Horton, can¡¯t we just part on good terms?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened, ¡°I know you hate me for proposing to Isla Olsen, but I had no choice, there are many factors to consider in a marriage of convenience! I tried for you before, my mom even agreed to me being with an ordinary person, but your status¡­ no matter what, I could never marry an illegitimate daughter! How would I face myself in the Horton family after, not to mention becoming the laughingstock of Oceanion?¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked at him.


    As a child, she also felt humiliated by her status.


    But when she left the Olsen family, she understood the importance of self-respect.


    She withdrew her gaze, ¡°Thanks for not marrying me.¡±


    As she tried to leave, Jake Horton blocked her again, ¡°I heard you were having trouble in Research and Development Team One; I can arrange for you to come to Team Two. Team Two is under my supervision, and I¡¯ll find capable people to train you¡­ I know you¡¯re strong-minded. You¡¯re so smart, and you will catch on quickly, be independent before you know it, and won¡¯t have to work odd jobs anymore¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen cut off his rambling, ¡°What¡¯s the condition?¡±


    ¡°You divorce, and follow me.¡±


    Jake Horton couldn¡¯t allow another man to share her!


    The very thought drove him mad!


    Kiera Olsen said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not worthy!¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you love your gangster husband that much? You believe if I offer him a sum of money, or have someone intimidate him, he¡¯d leave you! How could he compare to me?¡±


    Jake Horton, burning with rage, grabbed Kiera Olsen¡¯s wrist and pinned her against the bookshelf.


    His eyes rimmed with red, ¡°Or are all you women so cheap, falling for him just because you¡¯ve slept with him? If that¡¯s the case, then you should see who¡¯s better between him and me!¡±


    With that, he harshly bent his head down and fiercely kissed her!


    At the right end of the bookshelf, Lewis Horton stood there, having heard everything.


    Sensing Jake Horton¡¯s misconduct, his face turned iron blue, ready to step in, yet he saw¡ª


    The slender girl suddenly bent her knee and delivered a harsh blow to Jake Horton¡¯s groin!


    He stepped back in pain, and without hesitation, she slapped him!


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    After hitting Jake Horton, Kiera Olsen, still not satisfied, cast a cold glance at him,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt your pride, but since you insisted on getting to the bottom of it, I¡¯ll tell you that my husband is taller than you, more handsome than you, and his stamina is countless times better than yours. Unlike you, who can only be ineffectively pushed away; you might want to work on that if you have the time!¡±


    After dropping these words, Kiera Olsen turned to leave only to see Lewis Horton standing at the corner ahead.


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    At that moment, Jake Horton, bending over in pain, yelled out frantically, ¡°What good is his stamina? I can play with you in the company as I please, and your husband can¡¯t do anything about it!¡±


    At these words, a male voice came through, ¡°Who says he can¡¯t?¡±

 Chapter 24 - 24

    Chapter 24: Chapter 24


    Several people turned their heads in unison, looking towards the speaker.


    It was Jalen Riley.


    He had dark circles under his eyes and a look of annoyance on his face.


    Jake Horton was astonished, ¡°You¡¯re her husband?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Jalen Riley curled his lip, ¡°If her husband were any bit of a man and knew you were bullying her here, he would definitely come and fight you! How could he do nothing at all?¡±


    Jake Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    ...


    He suppressed his pain and stood up, staring at Jalen Riley with a sinister gaze, ¡°I want to transfer her to our second group.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Jalen Riley stated dominantly, ¡°You don¡¯t get to make decisions about people in my group.¡±


    He still had that arrogant demeanor, but to Keira Olsen, it suddenly seemed much more agreeable.


    Jake Horton, puzzled, asked, ¡°She¡¯s just a nepotism hire, don¡¯t you hate those the most?¡±


    Jalen Riley scoffed, ¡°What right do you have to mock her? At least she¡¯s just a junior employee, but you, a bachelor¡¯s degree holder, are the leader of the second group! You have the nerve to call others nepotism hires?¡±


    Jake Horton was so irritated his teeth hurt, ¡°It¡¯s not the same, I¡¯m the legitimate grandson of the first branch of the Horton family!¡±


    ¡°Oh, the biggest nepotism hire of the Horton Group itself.¡±


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jake Horton took a deep breath and suddenly said, ¡°In a few days, Dr. South will be coming to my research team. Jalen Riley, isn¡¯t he your idol? Just stay out of this matter, and I can introduce you to him.¡±


    Jalen Riley fell silent.


    Who among those researching new energy sources didn¡¯t idolize Dr. South?


    Jalen Riley had read Dr. South¡¯s published papers over and over, growing to admire him more each time.


    He had always been looking for various channels, trying to find a way to meet Dr. South.


    Now Jake Horton was using this to threaten him¡­


    Jalen Riley hesitated for a second out of respect for Dr. South, then said, ¡°No!¡±


    He turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°Stop making a fool of yourself here, let¡¯s go back!¡±


    Keira Olsen looked towards the direction where Lewis Horton had been, only to find that the man had left at some unknown point.


    She silently breathed a sigh of relief.


    Good that he was gone, or else her comment about ¡°good stamina¡± would have been too embarrassing.


    She followed by Jalen Riley¡¯s side, and the two left the archive room.


    Jalen Riley frowned unhappily, ¡°All because of you, I missed the chance to meet Dr. South!¡±


    Keira Olsen, however, laughed, ¡°There will be other opportunities.¡±


    Jalen Riley scolded her again, ¡°As an undergraduate, can¡¯t you just behave and stay in the office? Why come here and demean yourself!¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    Luca Barker was right, despite the grouchy mouth, the leader was actually pretty decent.


    Jake Horton, still standing in the original spot, had a dark look in his eyes.


    He clenched his fists tightly.


    One day, he would make Keira Olsen come begging to him in tears!


    He took a deep breath, and once the pain in his body had subsided a bit, he dialed Isla Olsen¡¯s phone, ¡°Tomorrow afternoon, aren¡¯t you having lunch with Dr. South? Take me with you!¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen and Jalen Riley returned to the first research and development team and saw the messages on WhatsApp.


    She used the excuse of having a meal and went to the top floor, into Lewis Horton¡¯s office.


    The man was dressed in a white shirt and black suit, looking very refined and gentlemanly. Without lifting his head, he pointed towards the side dining table, ¡°You go ahead and eat.¡±


    Keira Olsen felt somewhat guilty.


    By the look of him, he probably hadn¡¯t heard what she had said, right?


    As she was thinking this, she heard the sound of taking a photo from a phone.


    Lewis Horton coolly finished taking the photo and sent it to ¡°Fragile Grandma who can¡¯t stand to be irritated¡± via WhatsApp, then finally came over.


    Knowing the purpose of his photo-taking, Keira Olsen didn¡¯t ask further. Instead, looking at the dining table and grasping at straws for conversation, she said, ¡°Mr. Horton¡¯s lunch is quite lavish.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    The man took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and sat down across from her, elegantly picking up the chopsticks, ¡°After all, one can only have good physical strength if they keep up with their nutrition.¡±


    Keira Olsen: !!!


    She felt her cheeks heat up as her eyes faintly swept over the exposed half of his strong forearm, and then she packed a serving of the meal.


    ¡°Mr. Horton, I suddenly remembered that I haven¡¯t fed my cat, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    She picked up the portion of the meal: ¡°Thanks for the lunch.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face stiffened for a moment.


    Keira Olsen was greatly pleased.


    ¡­


    Research and Development Department, Team One.


    Jalen Riley ate his takeaway with as much enthusiasm as chewing wax, thinking about the scene he had witnessed that day.


    He had initially thought the undergraduate was all talk and no action, but could it be that she was so driven because she was let down by Jake Horton and wanted to make a big splash to stand out?


    Thinking about the demands Jake had made, they were indeed humiliating.


    No wonder she was so eager to learn more.


    Unfortunately, haste makes waste. Without a solid foundation, even if she saw those profound materials, she wouldn¡¯t be able to understand them.


    He stood up and walked over to Luca Barker, speaking in a low voice, ¡°Find something for that undergraduate to do this afternoon, guide her a bit.¡±


    Luca Barker was startled: ¡°Ah, alright.¡±


    Jalen Riley¡¯s face was a bit embarrassed as he said fiercely, ¡°So that she doesn¡¯t run around causing us trouble!¡±


    Luca Barker: ¡°¡­¡±


    So, when Keira Olsen was about to visit the data library again in the afternoon, she was stopped by Luca Barker: ¡°The team leader said we don¡¯t keep freeloaders here, you need to complete your work before you can study in the data library.¡±


    He arranged for her some basic tasks that had already been completed.


    Without a clear scientific research direction, it was quite troublesome to sort these things out bit by bit.


    However, newcomers could learn a lot from it.


    Luca Barker thought it would take at least a month, if not more, to get a clear understanding of these tasks.


    But to his surprise, Keira Olsen handed in her work after just half an hour.


    Luca Barker: ¡°¡­¡±


    He checked the work content and found that what she had completed was even better than theirs!


    Keira Olsen humbly asked, ¡°Is there any more work? If not, I¡¯ll head to the data library.¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What could Luca Barker arrange on the spot?


    He still had a lot of things he couldn¡¯t figure out.


    He bit the bullet and assigned her the work he had on his hands.


    The module he was responsible for, he had been working on for a week and still hadn¡¯t finished, although it was a bit difficult¡­ But it seemed that the junior¡¯s basics were pretty solid?


    So a foray into something profound would make her realize the reality and she would then obediently follow their lead in learning, right?


    Yet an hour later, Keira Olsen actually came to submit her work again!


    ¡°Finished?¡±


    Luca Barker was stunned, looking at the email on his computer, he found that the technical point he had been stuck on, she had easily resolved!!!


    Luca Barker went to find Jalen Riley.


    Jalen Riley pondered, ¡°The point you were stuck on is because you were fixating on a dead end. The undergraduate must have gotten lucky and found another solution. Continue to assign her more difficult tasks.¡±


    Luca Barker: ¡°¡­ Any more difficult, and it would mean throwing the core technical problems at her to solve!¡±


    This problem had stumped Jalen Riley for a month!


    Jalen Riley: ¡°Give it to her!¡±


    Since it was just to keep her busy so she wouldn¡¯t wander off, let her see what a real scientific research problem was like!


    And so, Luca Barker heartlessly tossed the core technical problem that had been plaguing the whole team over to Keira Olsen¡­

 Chapter 25 - 25

    Chapter 25: Chapter 25


    The technical core of Group One in the R&D department was quite challenging.


    Keira Olsen had spent a full two hours solving the problem.


    She sent an email to Luca Barker before heading out to find him.


    Luca, however, stood up and started packing, looking very pleased, ¡°We¡¯re off work!¡±


    Today was Friday, and the moment of leaving work was the happiest for every worker.


    Finally, the weekend was here.


    ...


    With a smile, Luca noticed Keira Olsen, ¡°Junior, how did your work go?¡±


    Keira Olsen began, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no rush!¡± Luca excitedly interrupted her, ¡°Just have a good weekend first, we can talk about it on Monday.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Keira Olsen merely swallowed her words.


    Although she didn¡¯t spend much time at work, she understood that discussing work at the end of work on a Friday was annoying.


    Better not to disturb the senior¡¯s weekend now.


    After all, the work she completed was just a small issue for the R&D department.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    As Luca picked up his backpack and walked past Keira, he paused briefly and still offered some consolation, ¡°Junior, don¡¯t be disheartened. You¡¯re actually quite amazing!¡±


    Keira Olsen was puzzled.


    She wasn¡¯t supposed to work, but she did because Jalen Riley had given her a hand earlier in the day.


    Since she had finished the task, she would come back to work next week and visit the archive.


    With that thought, Keira Olsen picked up her ¡°kitten¡± and also left the office.


    ¡­


    The top floor.


    After finishing his work for the day, Lewis Horton checked the time and stood up to go home.


    Tom Davis casually asked, ¡°Boss, going where?¡±


    Lewis paused, realizing he hadn¡¯t yet asked where his grandmother was.


    He called Old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Where are you¡­ at whose house?¡±


    The response from Old Mrs. Horton was unexpected, ¡°At the hospital.¡±


    Lewis frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor say you could be discharged already?¡±


    ¡°But my chest started hurting again this afternoon, so I thought I¡¯d stay a few more days. Brat, are you coming to keep me company tonight?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t come, that¡¯s okay. Here I am, a poor old lady, unloved by her son and grandson, all alone in the hospital. If I wake up at midnight wanting a sip of water, there¡¯ll be no one around, sigh~¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Oh, and I¡¯ve already spoken to your wife, she¡¯ll keep me company too. You should come with her~!¡±


    After hanging up, Lewis pressed his temples.


    He certainly understood his grandmother¡¯s little schemes, whether she went back to the Horton¡¯s or stayed at Keira Olsen¡¯s, the couple would usually be apart at night, but at the hospital, they could keep her company together giving them more time to spend together.


    But she had a boyfriend¡­


    Lewis bit his lip, wanting to keep his distance from her. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet thinking of his grandmother¡¯s health, he still managed to suppress his displeasure and messaged her on WhatsApp: [I will pick you up after work to go to the hospital.]


    The response came back unusually quickly: [Don¡¯t bother, I¡¯m already on my way there by taxi.]


    At least she knew to avoid suspicion.


    It wasn¡¯t that she stuck to it without discretion just because of Grandma¡¯s favoritism¡­


    Lewis Horton should have felt happy, but the displeasure in his heart mysteriously increased a bit.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen actually hadn¡¯t thought much about it.


    It was just that she didn¡¯t want to be too involved with Lewis Horton before the truth about their marriage came out.


    This inexplicable marriage must have been trouble stirred up by Lewis Horton¡¯s side, after all, who would pay attention to someone as weak, pitiful, and helpless as her?


    She carried the little Shiba Inu and went straight into the hospital, heading towards the VIP ward.


    Not far away.


    Mrs. Olsen, Jodie South, had just finished a follow-up.


    Isla Olsen was supporting her arm, and the two of them stared in the direction Keira Olsen had left.


    Mrs. Olsen hesitated, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Keira? What is she doing at the hospital? Is she sick?¡±


    Isla Olsen felt a wave of annoyance rising within her.


    The fact that Old Mrs. Horton was hospitalized couldn¡¯t be hidden from the Hortons.


    But the old lady was stubborn, refusing every visitor, and even Isla was turned away from the ward today without seeing anyone.


    So Keira Olsen must be here to accompany that old thing!


    Her eyes flickered, ¡°She must be here to visit Old Mrs. Horton¡­ Keira is really filial.¡±


    As soon as she said this, Aunt South, who had accompanied them, was displeased. She frowned, ¡°Filial? I haven¡¯t seen her visit Mrs. Horton before!¡±


    Aunt South was over fifty this year, looking about a decade older than Jodie South and had taken care of Mrs. Olsen her whole life, never having married.


    Mrs. Olsen treated her like a real sister, so Aunt South had a high status in the Olsen Family, to the point that even Isla Olsen was very polite to her.


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Olsen looked somewhat melancholic, ¡°Keira had a hard time in the Olsen household back then¡­¡±


    Aunt South immediately spoke up, ¡°Madam, you are still speaking up for her. Although I don¡¯t like Poppy Hill¡¯s petty ways either, she¡¯s right about one thing, Miss Keira is an ungrateful wretch! You¡¯ve been frequently thinking about her and worrying about her, but she¡¯s probably forgotten you long ago!¡±


    Isla Olsen then said, ¡°I heard Mr. Horton arranged a job for her at the Horton Group¡­ so she¡¯s repaying Old Mrs. Horton, right?¡±


    Aunt South scoffed, ¡°Madam also raised her! When she was a child and Poppy Hill didn¡¯t care for her, it was Madam who breastfed her, sent her to school, and raised her. The grace of nurturing her is greater than the heavens, yet she doesn¡¯t seem to remember to repay Madam!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately intervened, ¡°Alright, stop talking.¡±


    But Isla Olsen continued, ¡°Mom had good intentions. When she helped others back then, she didn¡¯t ask for anything in return. But there are also people who return a small favor with a great one, like Dr. South. Mom just sponsored him a little money for school, and how much has he helped our family over the years? Three years ago, when the company was on the verge of bankruptcy, Dr. South directly gave us a technical patent, which saved us from crisis¡­¡±


    Aunt South immediately nodded, ¡°Compared to him, Dr. South is much better than Keira Olsen! I don¡¯t know what Dr. South looks like, but since he is a man of character, he must be decent!¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately feigned curiosity, ¡°I¡¯d also like to know what kind of person Dr. South is. Mom, take me with you tomorrow!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen smiled and touched her nose, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you.¡±


    The group talked as they went downstairs to the parking lot to leave.


    Keira Olsen, who had just entered the VIP ward and was sitting on a sofa beside the bed, witnessed this scene.


    Her gaze followed Mrs. Olsen.


    She could see that Mrs. Olsen¡¯s complexion was unhealthily pale; her figure slim and straight like bamboo, exuding an indescribable charm.


    Isla Olsen was saying something beside her, and Mrs. Olsen could only nod helplessly.


    The mother and daughter¡¯s movements were affectionate.


    It wasn¡¯t until the car left that Keira Olsen reluctantly took her eyes off them.


    As she turned her head, she saw the little old Mrs. Horton standing behind her, ¡°Daughter-in-law, who is that person? She looks so familiar.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes softened, just about to speak.


    ¡°You look so similar¡­¡± The little old Mrs. Horton suddenly brightened up, ¡°I remember now, she¡¯s your mother!¡±

 Chapter 26 - 26

    Chapter 26: Chapter 26


    Look alike?


    Kiera Olsen paused briefly.


    In fact, apart from both having oval faces, her and Mrs. Olsen¡¯s features were not alike.


    Mrs. Olsen had phoenix eyes, while hers were amorous eyes.


    If there really was a similarity, it might be the kind of cold aura they both possessed that seemed quite similar at first glance.


    ¡­which was also normal.


    ...


    After all, when she had just left the Olsen family, whenever she faced difficulties, she would think about how Mrs. Olsen would handle them.


    She learned from Mrs. Olsen how to behave and secretly absorbed her charms, so it was no surprise that she developed a few of her own.


    Kiera Olsen turned to the old lady, ¡°Grandma, she¡¯s not my mom.¡±


    But the old lady firmly said, ¡°She is! My granddaughter-in-law, how can you not recognize your mom?¡±


    Kiera Olsen was caught between laughter and tears.


    The old lady was having another one of her episodes.


    Fortunately, just then, Lewis Horton appeared at the hospital room door with dinner packed up, diverting her fixation. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    The dinner Lewis Horton prepared was very sumptuous.


    Apart from some light dishes, there were also fruits for three people.


    Yet, the old lady immediately frowned, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law can¡¯t eat mangoes; she¡¯s allergic!¡±


    Kiera Olsen was slightly startled.


    She looked at the old lady in disbelief, ¡°Grandma, how do you know?¡±


    She used to be indeed allergic to mangoes, but her health improved two years ago, and she overcame the allergy.


    Thus, she had never mentioned this to the old lady!


    The old lady chuckled, ¡°You told me before, remember? You said mangoes would cover your face with little red bumps¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s expression gradually turned serious, ¡°When was before?¡±


    The old lady then became confused again, ¡°It seems like it was before your marriage¡­ Yes, you told me before you got married!¡±


    Yet Kiera Olsen was certain that she had never met the old lady back then!


    She hadn¡¯t lost her memory!


    She hurriedly asked, ¡°Do you remember anything else? Like how Mr. Horton and I registered our marriage?¡±


    The old lady shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    It seemed that the old lady needed specific circumstances to occasionally remember something.


    As Kiera Olsen pondered, she suddenly felt a piercing gaze upon her.


    Turning her head, she met Lewis Horton¡¯s deep gaze.


    The man¡¯s expression was icy, clearly having understood the old lady¡¯s words, and he seemed to suspect her motives again!


    She really couldn¡¯t clear herself even if she jumped into the Yellow River.


    Suddenly, Kiera Olsen picked up the Shiba Inu, ¡°Grandma, you guys eat first, I¡¯m going to walk the dog.¡±


    With that, she walked out.


    She didn¡¯t go far, just stopping at the end of the hallway, leaning against the wall with the dog in her arms, her amorous eyes gazing towards the old lady¡¯s hospital room.


    Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t long before a tall figure followed her out.


    Upon seeing her, Lewis Horton slowly approached, his voice low, ¡°Miss Olsen, is there something you want to say?¡±


    Kiera Olsen pressed her lips together, ¡°I thought you might want me to explain something.¡±


    ¡°Does Miss Olsen have something she wants to explain?¡±


    Kiera Olsen earnestly said, ¡°About what grandma mentioned regarding before our marriage, I really don¡¯t know what it¡¯s about.¡±


    She herself found her words unbelievable, considering an allergy to mangoes was private information the old lady couldn¡¯t have possibly made up.


    She expected him to be skeptical, but he merely responded calmly with one word, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Kiera Olsen was baffled by his attitude, ¡°Mr. Horton, do you believe me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Lewis Horton suddenly stepped closer, the natural height difference made Keira feel as though she was being looked down upon by a man.


    He slowly said, ¡°Miss Olsen, regardless of whether you have any intentions, if you can keep grandma happy, then I promise to protect you completely.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen suddenly understood his thinking.


    This man didn¡¯t care about the truth or whether she was deceiving anyone.


    He was powerful, dominating Oceanion, unafraid of any plot or scheme¡­


    He only cared about the old lady.


    Even if she truly had some schemes, as long as she could make the old lady happy, this man would probably turn a blind eye¡­


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The man suddenly became imposing again, ¡°If you hurt grandma, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t survive in Oceanion.¡±


    Keira Olsen, who didn¡¯t respond well to threats, scoffed, ¡°Mr. Horton, haven¡¯t you already done that?¡±


    Lewis Horton frowned, about to say something, when a robust voice came through:


    ¡°Keira Olsen?¡±


    Keira Olsen turned around to see Professor Miller.


    He must have caught a cold, as his voice was a bit hoarse. Coming over, he said directly, ¡°I was just about to call you to ask if you found a job yet? Have you and Mr. Horton cleared up the misunderstanding? Mr. Horton is really not acting like a man. Arguing with a girl over something like this, canceling your recommended study position, and even declaring that you should disappear from Oceanion?¡±


    Lewis Horton: ??


    Keira Olsen glanced at Lewis Horton with a half-smile, ¡°Professor, don¡¯t worry, the misunderstanding has been resolved. Mr. Horton is quite nice actually, he arranged a job for me and even promised to protect me~¡±


    This sarcastic tone made Lewis Horton¡¯s face darken.


    Professor Miller breathed a sigh of relief, then noticed Lewis Horton and seeing how close they were standing, thought of the conversation he had overheard between Isla Olsen and Poppy Hill, and instinctively asked, ¡°Is this your¡­ thug husband?¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡± His face grew even darker.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s smile brightened a bit, ¡°Mm, you could say that.¡±


    Professor Miller looked earnestly at Lewis Horton, ¡°Young man, you¡¯re strong and well-built, and good-looking too. You should really strive to find a decent job!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    At the Olsen Family¡¯s residence.


    The family was having lunch in the dining room.


    Mrs. Olsen looked unwell, appearing to have lost her appetite.


    Taylor Olsen immediately asked with concern, ¡°Shirley, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen waved her hand.


    Isla Olsen then said, ¡°Dad, we ran into Kiera at the hospital today, I think mom¡¯s a bit worried about her.¡±


    Taylor Olsen frowned, ¡°Worried about her for what?¡±


    Isla Olsen sighed, ¡°She must hate me by now, blaming me for her withdrawal from school and forcing her to go abroad¡­ I¡¯m worried about what she might say in front of Old Mrs. Horton, and Mr. Horton might take it out on me¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s her problem with Mr. Horton, what does it have to do with you? Even if she¡¯s lucky to have saved Old Mrs. Horton, it¡¯s their affair. Speaking of which, it was Mr. Horton who told us to properly educate our daughter!¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s expression stiffened.


    She had deliberately mentioned that Mr. Horton had left a message that time¡­ that should be in the past by now, right?


    She was always clearly aware that her father, Taylor Olsen¡¯s kindness to her primarily stemmed from her being Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter!


    If he knew that she had displeased Mr. Horton¡­ the consequences were unthinkable!


    Just then, Taylor Olsen¡¯s phone suddenly rang.


    He answered, ¡°Mr. Davis?! What brings you to call me? Does Mr. Horton have any instructions?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla Olsen¡¯s heart sank!!


    It shouldn¡¯t be what she was thinking, right? She panicked!

 Chapter 27 - 27

    Chapter 27: Chapter 27


    Tom Davis¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°The boss asked me to ask Miss Isla Olsen when he said he wanted Miss Keira Olsen to disappear from Oceanion? How come the boss himself doesn¡¯t know?¡±


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s face went blank, disbelievingly looking towards Isla.


    Isla¡¯s face instantly turned pale.


    Taylor Olsen gave Tom Davis many apologetic smiles, and finally, with a remark, ¡°The Olsen Family really should teach their daughter a lesson,¡± he ended the call and then glared at Isla.


    Isla lowered her head and silently cried, ¡°When I saw Keira clinging to Mr. Horton, I was afraid that it would affect my marriage with Jake, and even more afraid that the Hortons would look down on me¡­ Dad, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    Taylor roared, ¡°But that does not justify pretending to act under Mr. Horton¡¯s orders!¡±


    ...


    Isla clenched her fists, her eyes flickered, and she sobbed, ¡°Dad, after all, Keira is your daughter too, I feared you wouldn¡¯t bear to scold her¡­¡±


    ¡°Foolish!!¡±


    True to form, Taylor changed the subject, ¡°How many times have I said that in my heart, there is only one daughter, and it¡¯s you! What is Keira Olsen? Can she even compare to you?!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen disagreed, ¡°Taylor, don¡¯t say that, Keira is still your daughter!¡±


    Taylor immediately turned his head, ¡°Shirley, after so many years, do you still not understand me? Being tricked by Poppy Hill was my fault, I owe you and our family, but I will not recognize her or her daughter! In my heart, there are only you and our daughter, who are my true family.¡±


    Standing by as a nanny, Poppy Hill, upon hearing this, immediately clenched her fists in resentment!


    She looked at Taylor with bitter eyes.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    This was the man she dearly loved, her childhood friend from next door, yet this man¡¯s heart and eyes were fixed only on Jodie South!


    Back then, when she was pregnant, she went to him with the pregnancy test, offering to be his mistress, but he mercilessly sent her away, saying he would not be unfaithful to his wife¡­


    Poppy Hill had no other choice but to find Jodie South, and it was only through threats of death that she managed to stay in the Olsen family. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Over the years, Taylor had never shown her any affection, and he treated Keira as if she were air¡­


    Fortunately¡­ she had switched the two children!


    Poppy Hill lowered her head, suppressing a smile at the bottom of her eyes.


    Taylor would never know that his beloved daughter whom he had cherished for so many years, Isla, was actually her daughter!


    As for Keira Olsen¡­ she deserved to be ignored and oppressed!


    Yet, Mrs. Olsen stubbornly shook her head, ¡°Taylor, Isla is wrong, and that¡¯s that. She lied first, causing us to misunderstand Keira. We should apologize to Keira.¡±


    Taylor frowned, ¡°Apologize for what? You and my daughter, going to apologize to the daughter of Poppy Hill?¡±


    Poppy Hill also immediately said, ¡°No need, no need, the Olsen family raised her, that is a great favor. Besides, her shameless entanglement with Mr. Horton was indeed wrongful; the Olsen family disciplining her is only right and her good fortune¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen looked at them, sighed softly, but did not argue further.


    But after dinner, when Isla was escorting her back to her room, Mrs. Olsen looked at her, ¡°If you have time tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you to see Keira and apologize in person.¡±


    Isla¡¯s face stiffened, surprised that she dodged her father¡¯s punishment but not Mrs. Olsen¡¯s¡­ She said in distress, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Seeing her like this, Mrs. Olsen sighed again, ¡°Aren¡¯t you planning to meet Dr. South with Jake tomorrow? Let¡¯s do it together.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, she clung to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s arm, ¡°Okay, mom, you are always so good to me.¡±


    Because she offended old Mrs. Horton, she lost two percent of the shares in Horton Group.


    She now needed to prove her worth in front of the Hortons, fearing that Jake would call off their engagement.


    Mrs. Olsen helplessly patted her head.


    After Isla left happily, Mrs. Olsen then turned to Aunt South, ¡°Sister South, I have been unwell for years and lacked the energy to discipline Isla, truly neglectful¡­ cough, cough, cough¡­¡±


    But Aunt South said, ¡°Madam, you are overthinking it! I find Miss Isla very good, dutiful and considerate. Even if she lies occasionally, she will change, it¡¯s not such a flaw.¡±


    However, Mrs. Olsen said, ¡°Keira never lies.¡±


    She coughed violently again.


    Aunt South immediately helped her to the bed, ¡°You think too much¡­ that¡¯s why even after so many years, this illness hasn¡¯t healed¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes and eyebrows showed bitterness.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    From the moment Keira Olsen woke up in the morning, she felt somewhat nervous. It had been ten years since she last met Mrs. Olsen, and she didn¡¯t know whether her mother would be happy or angry to see her.


    At noon, she decided to go home, take a shower, and change her clothes.


    The old lady had Lewis Horton drive her home.


    As they left the hospital room and just went downstairs, they saw Tom Davis coming toward them: ¡°Boss.¡±


    Lewis Horton nodded slightly at him, and Tom Davis then handed a piece of paper to Keira Olsen: ¡°Miss Olsen, you can take a look.¡±


    Keira Olsen, puzzled, took it and discovered that the paper listed a row of well-known domestic universities and famous professors in the field of new energy!


    She looked at Tom Davis with confusion, ¡°What is this?¡±


    Tom Davis lifted his chin slightly: ¡°These are professors who are even more renowned than Professor Miller. You can choose one to continue your studies; it¡¯s the boss¡¯s compensation for cancelling your assured graduate placement, Miss Olsen. Meeting our boss, you could consider this a blessing in disguise.¡±


    Keira Olsen twitched the corner of her mouth: ¡°No need.¡±


    She had heard of most of these professors, all of whom had already sent her emails wanting to consult with her on professional knowledge.


    ¡°So you want to continue with Professor Miller¡¯s graduate studies?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t think highly of these people, then you want to be Dr. South¡¯s graduate student?¡±


    Tom Davis frowned, ¡°That¡¯s a bit difficult. Dr. South is now highly sought-after; I¡¯ve heard that several universities abroad have offered him positions. Miss Olsen, such a genius professor would only recruit genius students. You might not catch his eye. Maybe you shouldn¡¯t set your sights so high and your capabilities so low. Just choose one from these professors for now; after graduate school, you can still try to apply for Dr. South¡¯s PhD program, right?¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen looked at him as if he were a fool and directly told Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, you don¡¯t need to drive me. I¡¯ll take a taxi back.¡±


    After saying this, she directly left the hospital and hailed a taxi by the roadside to leave.


    Tom Davis scratched his head, ¡°I heard that Isla Olsen wants to be Dr. South¡¯s graduate student. Does Miss Olsen not want to be outdone by her? Insisting on Dr. South? That¡¯s really overestimating herself.¡±


    However, Lewis Horton stared in the direction she left, his handsome and resolute face expressionless, his deep eyes unfathomable, giving no clue to his thoughts.


    He suddenly said, ¡°Then let¡¯s help her get in touch with Dr. South.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tom Davis was dumbfounded.


    Why is the boss so good to her!


    Could he be mesmerized by her face?


    ¡­


    Mrs. Olsen, along with Isla Olsen and Jake Horton, arrived at the private dining restaurant ten minutes early.


    After getting out of the car, Jake Horton furrowed his brow and surveyed the surroundings: ¡°Why meet here?¡±


    Isla Olsen didn¡¯t understand: ¡°Jake, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Jake Horton pursed his lips: ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Isla Olsen then looked towards Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Mom, has Dr. South arrived yet?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen: ¡°She is already in the private room.¡±

 Chapter 28 - 28

    Chapter 28: Chapter 28


    The three of them entered the restaurant.


    Jake Horton looked around but did not see that familiar figure.


    He refocused and turned to Isla Olsen, ¡°Dr. South would deign to work at Horton Group?¡±


    Isla glanced at Mrs. Olsen and whispered, ¡°Jake, why don¡¯t you go in and have a good chat with Dr. South first? As long as the sincerity is there, I believe Dr. South will be tempted.¡±


    She walked towards Mrs. Olsen and said apologetically, ¡°Mom, I think my bra strap has come undone, could you come to the restroom with me to fix it?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen went with her to the restroom.


    ...


    Jake Horton then walked to the private room door.


    His first job at Horton Group was in the R&D department. If Dr. South could join his team, it would greatly enhance his credibility at Horton Group.


    He adjusted his clothes and then pushed open the door.


    What caught his eye was the graceful figure of a woman facing away from the door as she poured tea.


    ¡­The famous Dr. South was actually a young woman?


    Jake suppressed the shock in his heart and said respectfully, ¡°Dr. South, hello, I am Jake Horton from Horton Group, pleased to meet you.¡±


    As he finished speaking, the woman slowly turned around.


    Jake was shocked upon seeing that beautiful face, ¡°Keira Olsen?! You, how are you here!¡±


    Keira Olsen had just read a WhatsApp message from Mrs. Olsen saying she would arrive soon, which is why she was pouring tea for Mrs. Olsen¡¯s spot.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected Jake Horton to burst in.


    A hint of interest appeared on her face, yet her voice was casual, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that?¡±


    The appointment was clearly with Mrs. Olsen¡­


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression turned cold, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here for you.¡±


    He looked around, ¡°Where is Dr. South?¡±


    Keira Olsen paused, ¡°Who?¡±


    Jake Horton said impatiently, ¡°The guest in this room. Where is he?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes, but said nothing.


    Footsteps then came from the entrance, and Mrs. Olsen walked in with Isla.


    Upon seeing Keira Olsen, both briefly hesitated in their steps.


    Isla¡¯s expression turned sour instantly.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes gradually moistened, ¡°You are¡­ Kiera?¡±


    Since Keira Olsen left the Olsen family, Mrs. Olsen had not seen her again.


    Ten years had been enough to transform Keira Olsen from a little girl into a striking young woman.


    Keira Olsen felt somewhat moved inside.


    Seeing her, Mrs. Olsen showed no awkwardness or sadness, only joy.


    Perhaps her decade of evasion was actually unnecessary.


    She suppressed the warmth in her eyes, stepped forward, and smiled, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, how have you been recently?¡±


    ¡°Good¡­ cough cough¡­ I¡¯ve been well, Kiera, and you? I heard from your dad that you got married?¡± Mrs. Olsen sat down at the head seat, holding her hand without letting go.


    Keira Olsen nodded but said nothing more.


    Regret showed on Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face, thinking about how nice it would be to have her bring someone home to meet them, but remembering Taylor Olsen¡¯s attitude from yesterday and how Poppy Hill had ignored and chastised her, she found herself unable to speak.


    A shadow crossed Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes, ¡°Kiera, how are you here?¡±


    Jake scoffed, ¡°She¡¯s always been working here.¡±


    Isla Olsen looked surprised, ¡°Working? Are you working here as a waitress?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen tightened her grip on Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand slightly and asked with concern, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were working at Horton Group? Why are you still working part-time¡­ is it because you¡¯re short on money?¡±


    Kiera Olsen said indifferently, ¡°No, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s catch up another day. Today we have important guests.¡±


    Isla Olsen cut them off and then looked at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Kiera, we should have invited you to join us for the meal, but since you¡¯re working, it might not be convenient, right? In case other guests need your service, don¡¯t let it affect your work¡­ We¡¯ll leave you a bigger tip later to help out with your living expenses.¡±


    ¡°Keep quiet!¡± Mrs. Olsen scolded Isla, then quickly turned to Kiera.


    Both were daughters of Taylor Olsen, yet one was high above the other, just a waitress. Kiera¡¯s heart must be hurt, right?


    But to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s surprise, Kiera¡¯s expression remained very calm, as if she hadn¡¯t noticed the disparity in their statuses.


    Approval flickered in Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes.


    She went straight to the point, ¡°Kiera, today I¡¯ve arranged a meeting with Dr. South. You¡¯re also in the new energy field, right? Meeting him will be beneficial for your future!¡±


    Isla clenched her fists.


    Dr. South was her bargaining chip, why should he be introduced to Kiera Olsen?


    What if Dr. South was also seduced by her seductress-like demeanor?


    Thinking this, Isla¡¯s gaze swept the room, finally settling on a teacup on the table.


    The boiling hot tea was steaming¡­


    She picked it up and walked over to Kiera Olsen, ¡°Kiera, mom asked me to apologize to you yesterday. I substitute tea for wine as a toast to you.¡±


    She loosened her grip as she finished speaking, and the boiling tea was about to spill over Kiera¡­


    Kiera had sensed something was wrong all along. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All her life, Isla had wished to trample her underfoot, so how could she possibly apologize genuinely?


    Seeing Isla¡¯s hand tilt, Kiera scoffed inwardly. She turned around, seemingly accidentally bumping into the teacup meant for her, and the cup immediately bounced onto Isla!


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The tea wet the front of her dress, scalding her skin painfully.


    Isla exclaimed in surprise and paused for a moment, then bore the pain and said pitifully, ¡°Kiera, I know you hate me, but how could you do this?¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked down, feigning innocence, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see.¡±


    Tears brimmed in Isla¡¯s eyes as if they would fall any second.


    Jake Horton said angrily upon seeing this, ¡°Kiera Olsen, is this how you work as a waitress? Clumsily injuring a customer! Call your manager right now, I want to make a complaint!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately intervened, ¡°Alright, we¡¯re all family¡­¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Right, maybe Kiera got overexcited thinking about meeting Dr. South¡­¡±


    If she met Dr. South¡­ she wouldn¡¯t be under her thumb anymore!


    This thought flashed through Jake Horton¡¯s mind, and he immediately spoke up, ¡°Aunt, Isla is my fianc¨¦e, I have to protect her and can¡¯t let her suffer this kind of injustice.¡±


    He looked at Kiera Olsen, ¡°With your behavior, what right do you have to meet Dr. South? Are you leaving on your own, or should I escort you out?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen frowned, wanting to say something, but Isla held onto her arm, ¡°Mom, Jake is angry. Let Kiera leave first to avoid any further conflict.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen could only nod helplessly, and she looked apologetically at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Kiera, come home more often. Next time I have the chance, I¡¯ll take you to meet Dr. South.¡±


    Kiera Olsen wanted to say something, but Isla quickly changed the subject, ¡°Mom, why hasn¡¯t Dr. South arrived yet?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll send her a WhatsApp message and ask.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Kiera Olsen said with a smirk, ¡°She¡¯s already here.¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29

    Chapter 29: Chapter 29


    With a single sentence, three people in the room turned their heads abruptly toward her.


    Isla hesitated, ¡°Where is Dr. South?¡±


    Jake also looked eagerly at her.


    Mrs. Olsen, agitated, suddenly began to cough violently, ¡°Cough cough¡­ where is she¡­ cough cough¡­¡±


    Seeing her cough so severely, Keira quickly handed her a cup of tea.


    Mrs. Olsen reached out with shaking hands and took the cup.


    ...


    The next moment, the teacup slipped from her hands.


    Mrs. Olsen collapsed directly onto the dining table.


    ¡°Madam!¡±


    Keira exclaimed in shock and subconsciously moved to support her, but Isla forcefully pushed her away:


    ¡°Get away! What did you do to my mom?! Mom! Wake up¡­Quick, call 120¡­¡±


    The ambulance arrived quickly.


    Keira still wanted to get into the ambulance to follow them to the hospital, but Jake grabbed her in disgust, ¡°Illegitimate daughter, stay away from Mrs. Olsen! If you upset her into a bad state, I¡¯ll never let it go!!¡±


    He forcefully pushed her away.


    Keira did not entangle further, swiftly hailed a taxi, and closely followed their trail.


    ¡­


    Lewis Horton had dinner with the old lady and then worked outside the suite.


    After looking through documents for a long time, he was inexplicably agitated, and he simply looked out the window into the distance.


    Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure downstairs.


    A group of people surrounded a gurney, rushing towards the hospital wing.


    At the back of the crowd, Keira followed at a distance, looking like a fox that had been abandoned.


    Tsk.


    Lewis raised an eyebrow and suddenly got up and walked outside.


    Upon reaching the first floor, he saw Isla and Jake Horton at the reception handling the hospital admission.


    The doctor said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, all the wards are full now, you can only temporarily stay in the corridor. We will arrange a bed as soon as one becomes available.¡±


    Jake asked, ¡°Are there no VIP wards available either? I¡¯m willing to pay any amount.¡±


    The doctor replied, ¡°There are none left.¡±


    Isla cried pitifully, ¡°Jake, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯ll think of something.¡±


    Jake took out his cellphone and stepped aside to start making calls.


    Lewis noticed that although Isla¡¯s face looked anxious, her eyes didn¡¯t seem to be as worried about Mrs. Olsen.


    His gaze then fell on Keira.


    Unlike Isla, although the girl¡¯s expression was calm, her eyes were firmly fixed on the hospital bed where Mrs. Olsen lay, her demeanor cautious as if she was afraid of disturbing the patient¡¯s rest.


    Despite not saying a word, her worry was completely apparent.


    Lewis¡¯s eyes deepened.


    He suddenly said to Tom Davis, who was following behind him, ¡°Arrange a ward for Miss Olsen.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡­


    Keira stood beside Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital bed and saw Jake making several calls with a grim expression, then she knew relying on him was futile.


    Mrs. Olsen was not in life-threatening danger. She had fainted due to coughing, which was a result of prolonged insomnia. She desperately needed quiet rest now, but this chaotic place was too noisy!


    But she had no connections at this hospital in Oceanion¡­Should she ask that person for help?


    She hesitated, took out her phone, located a contact named ¡°Debtor,¡± and was about to make the call¡­


    The reception desk at the admissions picked up a call and immediately waved to them, ¡°A VIP ward just became available!¡±


    Isla immediately rejoiced, ¡°Jake, you really have a way!¡±


    Jake appeared baffled.


    The few friends he had just asked for help had been noncommittal, suggesting they would just try. Could someone really have come through for them?


    He didn¡¯t think much and simply took credit for it.


    A group of people went upstairs and moved into the hospital room.


    Keira Olsen followed closely behind, the Mrs. Olsen on the hospital bed was even thinner than ten years ago, her face devoid of any color¡­


    She was wheeled into the hospital room.


    Keira Olsen subconsciously followed in, but Isla Olsen blocked her at the door, ¡°Keira Olsen, my mother needs rest. Please don¡¯t disturb her.¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The door closed.


    Keira Olsen stood there stunned.


    Although she was anxious about Mrs. Olsen¡¯s health, she understood that she didn¡¯t have the status or right to open that door.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen wanted to wait for Mrs. Olsen to wake up before leaving, so she sat down on a bench outside.


    Before long, a rush of hurried footsteps was heard, and Taylor Olsen rushed into the hospital room, his face full of worry and panting.


    After confirming that Mrs. Olsen wasn¡¯t in serious trouble, he pulled Isla out to talk in the corridor.


    Taylor Olsen frowned and asked, ¡°What happened? How could she have fainted all of a sudden?¡±


    Isla glanced at Keira sitting beside them and directly said, ¡°It was Keira who insisted on meeting Dr. South and argued with Jake, which upset mom¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Taylor Olsen immediately glared at Keira Olsen, ¡°Ungrateful creature!¡±


    Without another word, he swung his arm and struck down at Keira Olsen!


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t dodge.


    All she could think about was Mrs. Olsen¡¯s pale face after she had passed out!


    Thinking of what Isla had once said, ¡°My mother¡¯s life became so unhappy because of you!¡±


    ¡­Perhaps she really shouldn¡¯t have appeared before Mrs. Olsen!


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    The anticipated pain did not come; when she opened her eyes, she saw a tall figure standing in front of her.


    Lewis Horton, dressed in a suit and looking like an angel.


    He stood there, as if shielding her under his protection.


    Keira Olsen blinked, pressing down the moisture in her eyes and the bitterness at the heart.


    She heard Taylor Olsen¡¯s panicked voice, ¡°Mr. Horton? What is this¡­?¡±


    Then came the man¡¯s deep, pleasing voice, ¡°Mr. Olsen, it¡¯s your daughter to raise, and I shouldn¡¯t interfere. But grandma likes her now. If she sees injuries on Miss Olsen¡¯s face, she would be upset.¡±


    Taylor Olsen immediately said, ¡°It was my lack of consideration.¡±


    As the group was about to say more, a cough suddenly came from inside the hospital room.


    She was awake!


    Taylor Olsen and Isla Olsen immediately entered the hospital room.


    Keira Olsen stood up, wanting to check on Mrs. Olsen¡¯s condition, but again she hesitated to enter¡­


    She lingered at the door, hesitating for a long time.


    Listening to the weak voice of Mrs. Olsen from inside the room, ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry¡­ I haven¡¯t slept well in a long time, I just fainted and had a good sleep¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s expression relaxed, and she seemed much more alive.


    Lewis Horton shifted his gaze.


    The girl¡¯s bewildered look just now, like a little fox that couldn¡¯t find home, was pitiful.


    He asked, ¡°Not going in?¡±


    Keira Olsen answered, ¡°Not for now.¡±


    Otherwise, it would be another round of fiery arguments, disturbing Mrs. Olsen¡¯s rest.


    As they turned around, they saw the little old lady assisted by the butler walking over, ¡°I heard my granddaughter-in-law¡¯s mother was hospitalized, so I came to see¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen held her arm, ¡°Grandma, Mrs. Olsen is not my mom¡­¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Could I have mistaken her?¡±


    The little old lady suddenly took out her phone, scrolled through the album, and handed Keira Olsen a photo, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, this is the photo you sent me before, saying it was you and your mom. Isn¡¯t the person in the hospital room the person in the photo?¡±


    Keira Olsen glanced at it and suddenly froze.


    In the photo, it was she and Mrs. Olsen!!

 Chapter 30 - 30

    Chapter 30: Chapter 30


    Kiera Olsen looked at the photo, puzzled.


    In the photo, she was with Mrs. Olsen at the beach.


    Both were wearing white gauze dresses, she in front, Mrs. Olsen behind, both smiling brilliantly, indeed looking like a mother and daughter with a great relationship.


    But she didn¡¯t own a white gauze dress¡­


    She hadn¡¯t seen Mrs. Olsen since she left the Olsen family in junior high, so how could there possibly be a photo of them together?


    She took old Mrs. Horton¡¯s phone and directly zoomed in on the photo.


    ...


    Then, she discovered some clues!


    The photo was actually a composite, the workmanship was quite unprofessional, it appeared to be a photo of a mother and daughter found online with her and Mrs. Olsen¡¯s faces swapped in¡­


    She looked at old Mrs. Horton: ¡°When did I send this to you?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°How did I send it to you? Email? Or text message?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton continued shaking her head: ¡°I can¡¯t recall.¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton occasionally said one or two surprising things, but she could never explain why, which left Kiera feeling helpless.


    But old Mrs. Horton was insistent: ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, she is your mom, you can¡¯t ignore your mother¡­¡±


    If possible, she truly wished Mrs. Olsen was her mother¡­


    Kiera Olsen lowered her gaze, hiding the bitterness within: ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    She took old Mrs. Horton back to the ward.


    Lewis Horton, however, did not enter the room, standing in the corridor instead.


    Tom Davis quickly came over: ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve found out. Miss Olsen went to work again at that private restaurant and then ran into the Olsen family¡­¡±


    She came home, took a bath, and changed her clothes ¨C I thought she was going on a date with her boyfriend!


    Lewis Horton¡¯s lips curved into an imperceptible smile, his voice cool and deep: ¡°Does the Horton Group pay her too little?¡±


    Otherwise, why would she go out to work elsewhere!


    Tom Davis answered: ¡°Not at all, it was old Mrs. Horton who arranged it for her! Maybe the tasks Jalen Riley gave her are too tough, and she¡¯s worried about being fired?¡±


    Every aspect of Kiera Olsen¡¯s situation at the company was under Tom Davis¡¯s surveillance.


    But Lewis Horton felt it wasn¡¯t that simple: ¡°What are the Olsen family doing at the private restaurant?¡±


    Tom Davis answered: ¡°They had arranged to meet Dr. South, and Young Master Jake went there for that reason too.¡±


    ¡°And Dr. South?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t show up in the end¡­¡±


    Deep within Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes flared a faint light, a vague idea forming.


    But he found the idea too preposterous.


    ¡­


    After two hours of rest, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s spirits improved a lot, and she began speaking while coughing: ¡°Isla, let Jake go back first.¡±


    On hearing this, Isla Olsen¡¯s expression became slightly embarrassed.


    Jake Horton staying here wasn¡¯t out of concern for Mrs. Olsen, but because of Dr. South!


    She hesitated before speaking: ¡°Mom, about Dr. South¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen caught on immediately and said: ¡°Hand me the phone, I need to explain to Dr. South about standing him up today.¡±


    After she sent a message to Dr. South and rescheduled a meeting, only then did Isla Olsen show Jake Horton out.


    Isla Olsen said: ¡°Jake, don¡¯t worry, there definitely won¡¯t be any problem with Dr. South.¡±


    Jake Horton then said: ¡°Isla, there are several tough nuts in the R&D department of Horton Group that just don¡¯t respect me, and Jalen Riley is among them. Only by getting Dr. South to join can I establish merit in the R&D department and secure my position. So Dr. South is very important to me, you must convince him.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The two of them talked and entered the elevator.


    After they left, Kiera Olsen finally emerged from the corner.


    She didn¡¯t want to confront Isla Olsen in front of Mrs. Olsen again, for fear that Mrs. Olsen would become agitated and her condition would worsen.


    She arrived in front of the hospital room, pushed the door open, and entered.


    Upon seeing her, Taylor Olsen¡¯s face immediately darkened, ¡°What are you doing here? Get out!¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes chilled as the clear, gentle voice of Mrs. Olsen came from inside the room, ¡°Is that Kiera? Let her in quickly.¡±


    Taylor Olsen glared at Kiera Olsen and warned, ¡°Don¡¯t upset Mrs. Olsen again!¡±


    ¡°I told you already, it wasn¡¯t because of Kiera today, it¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t slept well for several days¡­ I was tired,¡± Mrs. Olsen chided in a gentle complaint and took Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°Good child, you must have been scared today, right?¡±


    Though Mrs. Olsen was wan and her demeanor was cool, her palm was very warm.


    Kiera Olsen smiled, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, you should come back home more often.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, leaning on the hospital bed, said kindly, ¡°And your husband, your mom said he¡¯s a little punk, but I don¡¯t believe her. Kiera has always had good judgment since she was young, and you¡¯ve always been sensible. The person you have chosen must have his merits. Bring him to see me another day.¡±


    Kiera Olsen felt a twinge in her nose, ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Since the day she registered her marriage, all she had received from everyone was scolding and ridicule, except for the care she found with Mrs. Olsen.


    Mrs. Olsen wanted to continue speaking, but she started coughing violently again.


    Taylor Olsen said, ¡°Alright, stop talking, you need to rest properly.¡±


    Kiera Olsen stood up, and from her pocket, she took out a white pill in a plastic bottle and placed it in Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°This is a cough suppressant I¡­ asked someone to buy. You can take one when you can¡¯t sleep at night.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t want to disturb Mrs. Olsen¡¯s rest any further and took her leave.


    After she had gone, Mrs. Olsen looked at the bottle of medicine and sighed, ¡°Kiera does care about me.¡±


    Taylor Olsen, however, disdainfully said, ¡°Does caring about you mean not visiting you for ten years? How can you be bought by a bottle of medicine from who knows which small clinic?!¡±


    He tossed the bottle into the trash can, ¡°I heard that Nora is developing a cough suppressant that is in the clinical trial phase. I will pull some strings to get it for you!¡±


    But Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes grew dimmer, ¡°You believe these rumors too, huh? Chronic neurogenic cough is a rare disease, who would bother to research a medicine for it? The investment in research and development won¡¯t be recouped¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen took her hand, ¡°We have to try. You coughing all night, unable to sleep, it¡¯s too distressing, and it hurts me to see you like this¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen could only nod her head.


    The night grew deeper. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, Mrs. Olsen opened her eyes and started coughing violently again.


    She was utterly exhausted, yet completely unable to sleep.


    Lying on her side, she suppressed the itch in her throat, not wanting to wake Taylor Olsen in the outer room.


    No one knew that she was also feeling despair.


    There was no cure for chronic neurogenic cough¡­


    The illness had been getting worse, and the anxiety caused by the lack of sleep even made her contemplate suicide once.


    If she wasn¡¯t strong-willed, she might have already taken her own life¡­


    But she didn¡¯t know how much longer she could hold on¡­


    Recently, she had increasingly felt the ebbing of life; perhaps she wouldn¡¯t be able to see her daughter get married.


    As Mrs. Olsen pondered these dismal thoughts, her eyes suddenly fell on the bottle of medicine in the trash can.


    As if possessed, she picked up the bottle, opened it, and put one white pill into her mouth¡­

 Chapter 31 - 31

    Chapter 31: Chapter 31


    The white pill dissolved in her mouth, instantly releasing a burst of coolness.


    Her itchy throat felt as though it was wrapped in a pool of cool water, much more comfortable.


    Mrs. Olsen didn¡¯t drink any water and swallowed the pill directly.


    ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡±


    Suddenly, another bout of coughing erupted.


    She smiled bitterly, just for a moment, she almost thought the pill was effective.


    ...


    ¡­wishful thinking.


    Mrs. Olsen lay in bed, closing her eyes.


    She was suffering from psychogenic chronic cough; for over twenty years, she had tried countless medications and consulted numerous experts, but nothing had cured it¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Shirley? Shirley! Wake up!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen slowly opened her eyes and saw Taylor Olsen standing by the bedside, the entire room as bright as day.


    Were hospital incandescent lights this bright?


    She was a bit disoriented and asked, ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°Ten in the morning!¡± Taylor expressed his concern, ¡°You should eat something; otherwise, you¡¯ll get hypoglycemia¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was stunned.


    She turned her head in confusion, only to realize that the brightness in the room wasn¡¯t from the lights, but from the sunlight!


    She had actually slept until daylight?


    How could that be!


    It was that bottle of medicine! The one Kiera gave!


    Aunt South, with eyes rimmed red with excitement, exclaimed, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, the sleeping pills the doctor prescribed last night really did work! You actually slept for ten whole hours!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was taken aback, ¡°What sleeping pills?¡±


    Aunt South looked towards Isla Olsen, ¡°They were provided by Young Master Jake. He heard you couldn¡¯t sleep and specifically got a potent sleeping pill to add to your medication. We didn¡¯t tell you, fearing you¡¯d keep thinking about it and have even more trouble sleeping. Unexpectedly, it really worked!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen paused for a moment.


    Is that so?


    But sleeping pills are only meant to aid sleep, whereas today she woke up feeling her throat was much clearer!


    Her gaze drifted towards the pillow, to the unlabelled plastic bottle.


    Try again tonight¡­


    If she only took the sleeping pill and not this one, she would see the outcome; then she would know which one was actually effective.


    With this in mind, Mrs. Olsen remained silent.


    Taylor then turned to Isla with relief, ¡°This son-in-law is really good. I heard the flu is particularly widespread recently, and the hospital wards are full. Yesterday there was absolutely no chance to get a room, but Jake pulled a lot of strings to arrange this room. We really owe it to him this time!¡±


    Only then did Mrs. Olsen realize the ward had also been arranged by Jake Horton, ¡°He really is a good kid.¡±


    Isla saw the opportunity, ¡°Mom, with Jake being so filial towards you, could you help him out?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen asked, ¡°How can I help?¡±


    Taylor thought of something, ¡°Is it that Jake is having trouble at work?¡±


    Isla nodded and sighed, ¡°The family wants Jake to manage the research department, but those researchers there are too set in their ways and don¡¯t really listen to Jake. If we could invite Dr. South over, or even just to provide external technical support, Jake would be able to establish his position.¡±


    After Isla finished, she looked towards Mrs. Olsen.


    As expected, she saw struggle and hesitation on her face.


    Mrs. Olsen had principles when it came to life and work; she did not like to call in favors to repay gratitude, but she was even more afraid of being indebted to someone.


    Mrs. Olsen hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Dr. South, but if he disagrees, let¡¯s drop it.¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s face was all smiles: ¡°Good.¡±


    Based on her experience, whenever Mrs. Olsen spoke up, Dr. South had never refused.


    Mrs. Olsen took out her phone, found Dr. South¡¯s WhatsApp, pondered her wording, and sent a message: [South, do you have a moment? I need a favor.]


    Keira Olsen received the message just as she had come back from taking old Mrs. Horton downstairs for a walk.


    Upon seeing the message, she furrowed her brows.


    Why was Mrs. Olsen suddenly reaching out to her?


    Could there have been a problem with yesterday¡¯s medicine? Or an adverse rejection reaction?


    That medication was actually still in clinical trials; she had originally planned to wait until the trials were over before offering it to Mrs. Olsen. Yet seeing the severity of Mrs. Olsen¡¯s illness, she had decided to make an exception and provide it early.


    She became somewhat anxious, instructed the nurse to take old Mrs. Horton back to her ward, and hurried towards Mrs. Olsen¡¯s location.


    Lewis Horton, who was working in the outer office, saw his grandmother enter and subconsciously glanced back, but didn¡¯t see that slim figure following.


    His gaze deepened: ¡°Where is Miss Olsen?¡±


    The old lady upon hearing this said, ¡°She went to her mother¡¯s place.¡±


    Lewis Horton raised an eyebrow: ¡°Is something wrong with Mrs. Olsen?¡±


    The old lady immediately tensed up: ¡°My daughter-in-law indeed just rushed over there. Oh my, brat, you better go check on her!¡±


    Lewis Horton pressed his lips together. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a moment of contemplation, he finally stood up and walked out.


    Tom Davis hurriedly followed behind him.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen rushed into Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital room, only to find that the room was filled with many people.


    Not only was Jake Horton there, but Poppy Hill was also present.


    Someone said something and everyone laughed, but the room¡¯s jovial atmosphere came to an abrupt halt the moment she walked in.


    Keira Olsen stood at the door, feeling superfluous.


    Mrs. Olsen seemed fine.


    She lowered her gaze, looked down, and was about to leave.


    Mrs. Olsen wanted to call her back, but a glance over the room full of people told her that it was indeed more suitable for her to leave now. When there was time, she could meet Keira alone¡­


    However, Poppy Hill spoke up: ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Miss Olsen? What¡¯s the matter? Now that you¡¯ve climbed up Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s high branch, are we all beneath your notice?¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t respond and turned to leave, but Poppy Hill grabbed her:


    ¡°I heard that you¡¯re set on ingratiating yourself with Old Mrs. Horton, slavishly attending to her bedside night after night. Do you really think they¡¯ll value you as their own granddaughter? What a daydream! You are nothing but a plaything to them!¡±


    Isla Olsen quickly interjected: ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Old Mrs. Horton really values Keira¡­¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s voice immediately rose: ¡°And how is that value shown? Young Master Jake¡¯s respect for you, Isla, that is the real deal¡­¡±


    Poppy Hill looked to Jake Horton, pleasingly: ¡°Yesterday, they could barely free up a hospital room, and several families with good backgrounds had to wait in line for admission, but it was all thanks to Young Master Jake¡¯s help that Mrs. Olsen got into the VIP ward!¡±


    Jake Horton looked at Keira Olsen and humbly smiled: ¡°My uncle probably wasn¡¯t aware of this, otherwise he would have helped too. I merely did what little I could.¡±


    ¡°Your little contribution has been a huge help to our family!¡±


    Poppy Hill then scorned Keira Olsen: ¡°Even if Mr. Horton knew, he wouldn¡¯t have you in mind. No matter how much you try to please, they only treat you as a plaything, like any Tom, Dick, or Harry¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists, but didn¡¯t want to argue there, to avoid disturbing Mrs. Olsen¡¯s rest.


    Lewis Horton, who had just reached the doorway, overheard all these words.


    His expression turned cold, and he glanced at Tom Davis.


    Tom Davis understood his boss¡¯s intention instantly and coughed before entering the room: ¡°Mrs. Olsen, I¡¯ve come to convey Mr. Horton¡¯s regards on his behalf. Are you comfortable in this ward?¡±

 Chapter 32 - 32

    Chapter 32: Chapter 32


    The room suddenly fell silent.


    Everyone turned to look at Tom Davis, then at Jake Horton.


    Jake Horton looked utterly astonished.


    Could it be¡­ this hospital room was arranged by my uncle?


    Poppy Hill was also stunned, but quickly recovered and smiled, ¡°Young Master Jake, so this hospital room was arranged by Mr. Horton at your request¡­¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression stiffened.


    ...


    But Tom Davis laughed, ¡°It was Miss Olsen who asked the boss to arrange it. Young Master Jake, did you also ask the boss?¡±


    Jake Horton wished he could find a hole to crawl into!


    He explained incoherently, ¡°I made a lot of phone calls, asked several people, they said they would help¡­ I misunderstood.¡±


    Isla Olsen felt embarrassed!


    She clenched her fists tightly, for the first time feeling that Jake Horton was not so unapproachable¡­


    The awkward atmosphere was finally broken by Mrs. Olsen, who coughed a few times and said to Tom Davis, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Horton, we are very comfortable here. When I¡¯m feeling better, I will visit Old Mrs. Horton.¡±


    However, Tom Davis said, ¡°You¡¯re comfortable, Miss Olsen isn¡¯t worried, and that makes our old lady happy.¡±


    Being in business, who couldn¡¯t hear that this remark was in praise of Keira Olsen?


    A slight heaviness was felt in the hearts of a few in the room.


    It was unexpected that Old Mrs. Horton held Keira Olsen in such high regard.


    Only Mrs. Olsen truly felt happy.


    Keira being alone outside always worried her, but with their delicate statuses, she felt it improper to appear too close¡­ Now that Old Mrs. Horton genuinely cared for her, she could rest easy!


    Keira Olsen was slightly surprised.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that Lewis Horton was the one who had helped.


    She looked at Poppy Hill, a slight smirk forming at her lips.


    The taunting was clear to see!


    Poppy Hill was infuriated by her attitude, ¡°You little brat, what¡¯s there to be proud of? Don¡¯t think you¡¯re something special just because you have someone backing you up!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Taylor Olsen barked, ¡°My wife is ill and needs to rest, what are you barking about here? Go home!¡±


    Poppy Hill choked up, showing a look of grievance, ¡°Taylor, I¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Go!¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s face turned red with anger, she glared fiercely at Keira Olsen, then turned and ran out.


    After she had left, Keira Olsen then turned to Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Madam, how did you sleep last night?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, upon hearing this, unconsciously gripped the small medicine bottle hidden under the blanket and slowly said, ¡°I slept very well, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve slept so well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t elaborate further, only nodding to her, ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    When Keira Olsen and Tom Davis left the room, they saw Lewis Horton standing in the hallway.


    The man was dressed in a suit and trousers, outlining his long, straight legs, looking both genteel and restrained.


    He leaned against the wall, looking down at his phone, his black broken hair hiding his sharp eyes and brows, his side profile sharp and cold in the light.


    Seeming to hear the noise, the man turned his head, his eyes narrow and deep like ice, his thin red lips slightly parting, ¡°Great Grandmother was worried and insisted I come and see for myself.¡±


    Though his words were distant, his deep, pleasant voice warmed Keira Olsen¡¯s heart.


    She smiled sincerely, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The girl¡¯s amorous eyes were clear and pure, with an unintentional charm.


    The smile at the corner of her lips was even more enchanting, momentarily dazzling Lewis Horton.


    Then, a voice came from the room:


    ¡°Aunt, since you¡¯re alright, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Isla, see him out.¡±


    The hospital room door opened, and Jake Horton and Isla Olsen came out.


    They caught sight of Lewis Horton and Keira Olsen at first glance.


    Isla Olsen instantly felt as if she were facing a great enemy, her gaze darting between the two, trying to guess the nature of their relationship.


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression also darkened, and he asked subconsciously, ¡°Uncle, what are you doing here?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face showed a trace of interest, ¡°I don¡¯t seem to need to report my whereabouts to you.¡±


    His casual words seemed to carry an invisible pressure that assaulted the senses.


    Jake Horton¡¯s palms began to sweat immediately, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    He took a deep breath and looked towards Keira Olsen.


    The girl¡¯s face had a kind of reckless beauty.


    Lewis Horton also had a fine appearance.


    Standing together, they seemed like a match made in heaven!


    A strong sense of jealousy surged in Jake Horton¡¯s heart, and he couldn¡¯t help but speak again, ¡°Miss Olsen, you have been taking care of Great Grandmother in the hospital, doesn¡¯t your husband mind?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    She glanced at Lewis Horton, her smile carrying a hint of sarcasm, ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s face changed dramatically.


    Before he could say anything else, Lewis Horton suddenly spoke, ¡°Heading back to the room? Grandmother is waiting for you.¡±


    Back¡­


    Keira Olsen paused slightly.


    It had been a long time since she heard that word.


    Because she had no home.


    Looking down, she smiled lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    They turned and left.


    Jake Horton¡¯s gaze was sinister, staring intently at Keira Olsen¡¯s receding figure.


    For a moment, he felt an impulsive desire to snatch her back at all costs!!


    But his arm was caught by Isla Olsen, ¡°Jake, I will definitely help you get Dr. South on your side¡­¡±


    Jake Horton, as if his rationality finally returned, responded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll escort you downstairs.¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After seeing her off, Isla Olsen felt a deep sense of crisis.


    When she returned to the room, she saw Mrs. Olsen getting up to move about, her eyes flickering.


    She approached the bed and pretended to arrange the bedding, then exclaimed, ¡°Mom, why is there a bottle of medicine on your bed?¡±


    Taylor Olsen frowned, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the non-warranty medicine Keira gave? Shirley, why did you pick it up again!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen explained, ¡°I took one last night. It seemed like the medicine actually worked¡­¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? It was clearly the sleeping pills that worked!¡±


    Taylor Olsen snatched the medicine bottle away, disdainfully saying, ¡°Who knows where she got those medicines from, you can¡¯t just eat them randomly! Aren¡¯t you afraid of ruining your health?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t throw it away. I won¡¯t take it tonight, let¡¯s see which medicine actually works!¡±


    Taylor Olsen helplessly agreed, ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    Soon it was evening.


    Aunt South, holding the sleeping pills in her hands, carefully as if she held a miracle cure, watched Mrs. Olsen swallow them before turning off the light and tiptoeing out the door.


    The room grew quiet.


    Half an hour later, there was still no sound inside.


    Aunt South excitedly said, ¡°Young Master Jake, this medicine has literally saved the lady¡¯s life! She hasn¡¯t slept through the night in over twenty years¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen feigned embarrassment, ¡°Stop saying that, it wasn¡¯t Jake who arranged the room, and today was a big embarrassment¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen responded, ¡°Compared to the room, this medicine is the most important! Otherwise, even if Shirley lived in the Presidential Palace, she still wouldn¡¯t sleep. Besides, Jake had helped us a lot, and yet he didn¡¯t flaunt it like Keira Olsen did when she specially brought Tom Davis over to show off, expecting us to be grateful.¡±


    After speaking, he looked disdainfully at the medicine bottle Keira Olsen had given, ¡°Sister South, quickly dispose of this messy medicine, lest Shirley takes it again!¡±


    Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a long-suppressed bout of violent coughing erupted from the room!

 Chapter 33 - 33

    Chapter 33: Chapter 33


    Taylor Olsen was slightly startled.


    He exchanged a glance with Aunt South and immediately rushed into the ward.


    One characteristic of a psychogenic cough is that it would get worse at night.


    Aunt South turned on the light.


    Everyone saw Mrs. Olsen sitting up, covering her mouth with her hand, her face flushed red from coughing.


    She clutched at her chest, her slender frame trembling violently with each cough, a sight that struck fear into the hearts of those watching.


    ...


    Taylor Olsen steadied her by the shoulders, ¡°Shirley, what¡¯s wrong? How are you feeling?¡±


    But Mrs. Olsen said, ¡°The medicine¡­ cough cough cough!¡±


    Taylor Olsen was confused.


    However, Aunt South understood immediately, and dashed out to fetch Keira Olsen¡¯s bottle of medicine, ¡°Madam, here¡¯s your medicine!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen nodded, and as Aunt South nervously opened the bottle and was about to hand her a pill, Isla Olsen grabbed her hand.


    Isla Olsen frowned and said, ¡°Could the sudden worsening of mother¡¯s cough be caused by this medicine? We should not take medicine with unknown origins¡­¡±


    Her intuition told her that this medicine might really work!


    So she couldn¡¯t let Mrs. Olsen take it!


    She looked at Taylor Olsen.


    When someone is biased against another person, everything that person does is wrong.


    Keira Olsen was Finley Hill¡¯s daughter, which was the greatest bias Taylor Olsen had against her!


    As expected, Taylor Olsen angrily said, ¡°This Keira Olsen, more trouble than she¡¯s worth! I¡¯ve always said she was unreliable. Shirley, you¡¯re so good to her, yet she brings you medicine that harms you!¡±


    Isla Olsen felt a surge of triumph inside.


    However, Mrs. Olsen, seizing a moment between coughs, looked toward Aunt South, ¡°Give me the medicine! Cough cough cough¡­¡±


    Aunt South, ever loyal to her, immediately handed the pill to Mrs. Olsen, who promptly popped it into her mouth¡­


    ¡°Shirley!¡±


    Taylor Olsen cried out in alarm, wanting to intervene, but he found¡­ Mrs. Olsen had stopped coughing!


    After she managed to suppress the bout of coughing and took a deep breath, she looked at them with furrowed brows and confidently said, ¡°It¡¯s certain, the medicine from Kiera worked.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Once Mrs. Olsen¡¯s cough had subsided and she had truly fallen asleep, the group once again gathered outside.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s face was pale as she bit her lip, ¡°Dad, Kiera is so amazing, to have actually bought a miracle drug?¡±


    ¡°What can she possibly do on her own, it must have been Mr. Horton who helped her buy it,¡± said Taylor Olsen, his brows deeply furrowed. ¡°It seems Old Mrs. Horton really values her¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately clenched her fingers.


    ¡­


    In the VIP ward.


    ¡°What did we have for lunch today?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton racked her brains, ¡°Oatmeal? It doesn¡¯t seem right¡­ It was pasta! Brat, am I right?¡±


    Lewis Horton smiled and nodded, ¡°Right.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton spoke proudly, ¡°I knew my memory was fine, my brain works just fine!¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t speak.


    If one looked carefully, they would realize that his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    Actually, they had rice for lunch, and grandma had forgotten again. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her condition seemed to be worsening, her memory starting to deteriorate¡­


    At that moment, Keira Olsen lazily spoke up, ¡°Grandma, what color was Mr. Horton¡¯s tie yesterday?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately said, ¡°Purple! That brat is so stylish, he even wore diamond cufflinks.¡±


    ¡°And the day before?¡±


    ¡°Blue! That blue tie, I bought it for him myself~¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled lightly, looking at Lewis Horton with an implied meaning, ¡°Grandma remembers the things she cares about very clearly.¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at her.


    The girl sat on a beanbag chair, sinking deep into it.


    She lounged idly, her head bowed as she fiddled with her phone, her waterfall-like black hair casually spilling down her back, setting off her increasingly fair skin, making her seem as if she was bathed in a soft glow.


    What she had just said was meant to comfort him.


    His anxious heart gradually soothed¡­


    The little old lady suddenly laughed, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, everything I just said was right, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°Yes.¡±


    The little old lady then looked at Lewis Horton, ¡°You brat, did you see that? Your wife even remembers so clearly what you wear every day! You¡¯re in her heart!¡±


    Keira Olsen: !!


    She simply had a photographic memory, she really hadn¡¯t tried to remember these things on purpose!


    She wanted to explain something but saw that Lewis Horton was looking at the computer in front of him, not paying any attention to them.


    He hadn¡¯t taken the little old lady¡¯s words to heart, had he?


    Then she wouldn¡¯t explain, to avoid looking suspicious without cause.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t notice that the man¡¯s ears were faintly red; she turned her attention back to her phone and to her work, the final wrap-up for Alzheimer¡¯s research, which was utterly perplexing.


    She simply stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a walk.¡±


    As she was walking downstairs with the Shiba Inu named ¡°Kitty,¡± someone patted her on the shoulder.


    Turning around, she saw a sleazy-looking middle-aged man standing behind her, grinning at her, ¡°Hey, my great-niece, long time no see!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s expression cooled.


    This person was Poppy Hill¡¯s brother, her uncle Finley Hill.


    He was unemployed and a gambling addict.


    As he spoke, his mouth emitted a foul stench, and his yellow teeth were enough to make anyone feel sick.


    Keira Olsen stepped back, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Finley Hill rubbed his hands together, his voice sleazy, ¡°Hey, I heard my great-niece has got in with the Horton family, huh? Your uncle is a little short on cash lately, can you lend me some money?¡±


    Keira Olsen scoffed.


    Poppy Hill was notoriously overindulgent with her brother, squatting in the Olsen family home and transferring all living expenses given by the Olsens to this brother.


    After leaving the Olsen family, Finley Hill shamelessly approached her for money multiple times.


    Eventually, probably seeing that she was ¡°really broke,¡± he finally backed off.


    She hadn¡¯t expected him to come around again¡­


    Keira Olsen said bluntly, ¡°I don¡¯t have money.¡±


    Finley Hill didn¡¯t believe her, ¡°You¡¯ve been tending to that old lady so well, she hasn¡¯t given you any money?¡±


    Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes, ¡°Not yet, but maybe she will in the future?¡±


    Finley Hill instantly smiled, ¡°Then you must lend it to your uncle. If you give more, I could tell you a secret!¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Finley Hill didn¡¯t dare to cause a scene here; after all, this VIP ward housed the wealthy and noble, and there were security guards patrolling nearby. He left with a heh heh laugh.


    Keira Olsen snorted in derision.


    At that moment, her phone rang. Picking it up, she saw it was Mrs. Olsen.


    She immediately answered.


    ¡­


    Isla Olsen paced anxiously around the room.


    She wanted to secure her place in the Horton family through Dr. South!


    Yet the entire day today, Dr. South hadn¡¯t replied to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s messages!


    Jake Horton had sent several WhatsApp messages, persistently inquiring about Dr. South¡¯s matters; she couldn¡¯t delay any longer¡­


    Isla Olsen suddenly stopped, tiptoed into the sickroom.


    She took the phone from beside the sleeping Mrs. Olsen, then stepped out and headed to the corridor.


    She took a deep breath, unlocked the phone, found ¡°South¡± in the contacts, and dialed directly!


    The phone rang three times before it was answered.


    The voice on the other end was cool and clear, ¡°Hello, Mrs. Olsen, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Upon hearing this voice, Isla Olsen froze, that voice¡­


    ¡°Keira Olsen?!¡±

 Chapter 34 - 34

    Chapter 34: Chapter 34


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes widened in shock, disbelieving what she saw on the phone.


    That voice, she could never mistake it!


    There was a slight pause on the other end of the line, then the voice grew colder, ¡°Isla, what are you doing with Mrs. Olsen¡¯s phone?¡±


    It was her!!


    Isla felt as though she had seen a ghost.


    No, this couldn¡¯t be possible¡­


    ...


    She looked fiercely at the phone, then suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Is this your cell number?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    That¡¯s when Isla finally realized!


    She had almost forgotten that there was a ¡®South¡¯ in Keira Olsen¡¯s name, and Mrs. Olsen would occasionally call her South too.


    She immediately breathed a huge sigh of relief, then her anger surged, ¡°You really are a bootlicker, using my mom¡¯s surname in your name to curry favor with her. Do you think you deserve the name South?¡±


    Downstairs, Keira Olsen lowered her gaze.


    She had chosen that name for herself when she was in elementary school.


    This ¡®South¡¯ was indeed the surname of Mrs. Olsen, Jodie South.


    Back then, being young, she simply did it out of affection, never considering whether it would cause Mrs. Olsen any inconvenience.


    The daughter of a mistress, yet carrying the surname as her own name, Keira had no way of knowing how Mrs. Olsen felt about it at the time.


    She said indifferently, ¡°Did you call just to say this?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± The veil of pretense dropped from the voice on the phone, and Isla spoke viciously, ¡°I just wanted to tell you, even if you made it onto Mr. Horton¡¯s list through Old Mrs. Horton, at best you¡¯re just a mistress, a toy! Mr. Horton has a wife! But I¡¯m different. I¡¯ll marry Jake someday and become the legitimate lady of the Horton Family!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°Then¡­ congratulations?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Isla felt like she was punching cotton. She dropped a final harsh line, ¡°In high society, it¡¯s not all about love. With Dr. South in my hand, I¡¯ll never be defeated!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Keira Olsen curled her lips.


    Since when had she become Isla¡¯s trump card!


    While she was pondering, the WhatsApp call rang again¡­


    This time it was ¡°Dr. South¡± being called by Mrs. Olsen on WhatsApp.


    Keira Olsen operated her phone a bit and chose to answer, her voice detached, ¡°Hello.¡±


    Her voice, altered, was transmitted through the phone.


    The appearance of Uncle Finley Hill made her realize that some matters were better kept low-key to avoid the hassles of bizarre relatives.


    Isla spoke very respectfully, ¡°Hello, Dr. South, I¡¯m sorry for bothering you. I¡¯m Jodie South¡¯s daughter, Isla. I¡¯m calling you to say that the Horton Group would like to invite you to their R&D team, my mother also means so. I was wondering if you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested,¡± Keira Olsen cut her off coldly.


    Isla paused, wanting to say something more, but Keira Olsen had already spoken up, ¡°I¡¯m only responsible for the companies under Mrs. Olsen¡¯s name.¡±


    Having said that, she promptly hung up the phone.


    ¡­ sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monday.


    Keira Olsen left her Shiba Inu puppy with the old lady and went to work as usual.


    Stepping out of the hospital¡¯s main entrance and wondering whether to take a cab or the subway, the Bentley luxury car slowly stopped beside her.


    Lewis Horton looked straight ahead and said indifferently, ¡°Get in the car.¡±


    Keira Olsen, however, declined, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient.¡±


    Their relationship wasn¡¯t that good yet.


    However, Lewis Horton spoke slowly, ¡°Grandmother asked me to take you to work.¡±


    ¡°Just say you did.¡±


    Lewis Horton glanced at her, ¡°Need to take a picture.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine.¡±


    Keira Olsen opened the rear door and sat next to Lewis Horton.


    Lewis Horton raised his phone and aimed it at both of them.


    Keira Olsen made a ¡°Yay¡± gesture with her hand, smiling sweetly.


    She turned her head, a few strands of hair fluttered over, brushing against Lewis Horton¡¯s face, making him feel as if he had been shocked and froze for a moment.


    Tom Davis, sitting in the passenger seat, hesitated for a moment. He hadn¡¯t heard old Mrs. Horton make this request when they left, had he?


    He must have missed it.


    After taking the photo, Keira Olsen sat up straight and started to busy herself with her phone.


    The two of them didn¡¯t speak the entire way, arriving like this at the Horton Group¡¯s underground parking lot.


    Lewis Horton took the CEO¡¯s private elevator, leaving with Tom Davis.


    Keira Olsen took the staff elevator to the R&D department.


    At that time, the management of the R&D department was in a meeting in the office, the atmosphere tense like drawn swords.


    The R&D department¡¯s general manager announced a personnel transfer information, ¡°After the company¡¯s senior management decision, Team Leader Jake Horton is promoted to Vice President. From now on, he will be responsible for the technical issues of the R&D department!¡±


    Someone asked, ¡°Why is this announcement so sudden?¡±


    The general manager replied, ¡°Vice President Horton has successfully recruited Dr. South as our R&D department¡¯s technical support, which is a big deal for the R&D department. Although Dr. South doesn¡¯t stay in the office, if anyone has any problems, you can ask Vice President Horton to communicate and solve them. Okay, now let¡¯s have Vice President Horton say a few words.¡±


    Jake Horton stood up, the vibrant young man directly addressing the issue, ¡°From now on, the staff of both team one and team two must follow my commands. Team Leader Jiang, you will not violate company regulations, right?¡±


    Jalen Riley, who had stayed late working over the weekend and pulled two all-nighters, wearing casual clothes and looking irritable, scoffed coldly, ¡°The company also has a rule: no skipping levels in reporting or task assignment. Therefore, my staff¡­ you can only manage them through me!¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Team Leader Jiang, I see you don¡¯t have enough energy to manage the staff of team one. Have you solved your core problem yet? Although the R&D department is divided into teams, it¡¯s still a whole. Your delay in solving it affects the progress of the entire project!¡±


    Jalen Riley pulled out a chair and stood up abruptly, ¡°You also study new energy; you should know how difficult research and development is. You act like you can solve that core problem!¡±


    Jake Horton replied unhurriedly, ¡°I can¡¯t solve it, but I have someone who can. Do you want me to ask Dr. South for help?¡±


    Jalen Riley sneered, ¡°You¡¯re that kind-hearted?¡±


    A dark light flickered in Jake Horton¡¯s eyes, ¡°We¡¯re all in the R&D department after all, of course, I will take good care of it. However, to communicate with Dr. South, I need one of your technical staff members to be at my disposal, how about that new intern?¡±


    Jalen Riley knew his aim was Keira Olsen!


    He replied coldly, ¡°Not happening. I¡¯ll figure it out myself, no need for you to consult Dr. South!¡±


    Jake Horton frowned, ¡°Team Leader Jiang, don¡¯t think you can do whatever you want here just because you¡¯re backed by your uncle! Slowing down the progress of the entire R&D department is your negligence! I¡¯ll give you two more days. If you haven¡¯t resolved that problem, then I will have you dismissed or demoted!¡±


    Jalen Riley walked out, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ve got the power to do that!¡±


    He spoke arrogantly in the office, but once he stepped out, Jalen Riley¡¯s face turned cold.


    He knew if Jake Horton really brought it up, and if Lewis Horton wanted to protect him, it would be very troublesome!


    Jalen Riley entered Team One of the R&D department and irritably kicked a chair.


    Luca Barker, who was late for work, tiptoed to his workstation, careful not to provoke this manic tyrant.


    He booted up his computer, opened his email, and then saw an unread mail.


    Huh?


    An email from Keira Olsen¡­


    Had she really solved the core problem?

 Chapter 35 - 35

    Chapter 35: Chapter 35


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Such a core issue, even a Ph.D. like Jalen Riley, who had returned from studying abroad, couldn¡¯t solve it in a short time!


    A undergraduate, no matter how much Professor Miller praised her talent, even if it were exceptional, could she solve it?


    Luca Barker thought this, his right hand sliding the mouse¡­ he opened that email, then slightly startled!


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Jalen Riley slammed the heavy document down on the table, chin lifted slightly, ¡°Meeting!¡±


    ...


    But Luca Barker didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead staring at that email!


    ¡°Luca Barker! Are you glued to your seat?!¡±


    Jalen Riley was in a bad mood, and seeing his slow reactions, he yelled.


    Luca Barker glanced at the content of the email, saw it was a blank document, then immediately stood up, ¡°Coming, coming~¡±


    The junior sister indeed hadn¡¯t solved the problem, this blank email must have been an accidental mistake.


    After he left the computer, the attachment that had just buffered finished downloading, silently lying on the interface¡­


    Inside the office.


    Jalen Riley furrowed his brows and briefly discussed the situation from the meeting. He didn¡¯t mention Keira Olsen, only saying, ¡°If we can¡¯t solve this core problem in two days, I will resign due to responsibility.¡±


    As soon as these words came out, the office instantly became somber.


    Jalen Riley had a temper and would scold them from time to time, but he was a qualified team leader, and no one on the team disrespected him.


    After a moment of silence, they each began to speak:


    ¡°Team leader, just tell us what we can do!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll stay awake for the next two days and just live here to knock this out!¡±


    Jalen Riley set the work plans, each employee¡¯s workload increased several times, but no one complained!


    It wasn¡¯t until the meeting was over that Jalen Riley felt something was missing¡­


    He suddenly looked towards Luca Barker, ¡°Where¡¯s Keira Olsen?¡±


    It was time to start work, why wasn¡¯t she here?


    Luca Barker shook his head, but another person said, ¡°She came in this morning to clock in and went to the resource library.¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jalen Riley¡¯s face immediately turned ashen!


    Here he was fighting for her and Jake Horton, and that woman had run off again?


    Someone couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Team leader, she really doesn¡¯t appreciate what she has, working on our project could increase her professional experience so much!¡±


    Luca Barker also disapproved of the junior sister¡¯s actions but still spoke up for her, ¡°She just graduated, she doesn¡¯t understand these things¡­ besides, our stuff is too complex for her, she probably can¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re a team, even if she doesn¡¯t understand, shouldn¡¯t she stay and lend a hand at critical moments? To just take a salary and do nothing, who does that!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, what¡¯s with this girl? Are we really starting to harbor idlers in our team?¡±


    Jalen Riley took a deep breath, feeling Keira Olsen was utterly ungrateful!


    ¡­


    Top floor.


    Tom Davis had been observing the situation downstairs. He knew more than the people of team one and was complaining to Lewis Horton:


    ¡°Jalen Riley is busy to death because of her, yet there she is, all relaxed, spending the whole morning reading at the library¡­ truly a femme fatale.¡±


    Lewis Horton furrowed his brows, his cool gaze sweeping over her, ¡°She spent the whole morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she clocked in and then went there, hasn¡¯t even had lunch yet!¡±


    ¡°What book?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t pay attention, probably a paper on new energy, I guess?¡±


    ¡°¡­You guess?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s voice was clearly displeased, causing Tom Davis to shiver, yet he suddenly realized, ¡°She¡¯s been targeting the library ever since she started working, so was her purpose in joining the Horton Group to access the resources?¡±


    What book she was reading became particularly crucial!


    Tom Davis lowered his head, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on it right away!¡±


    However, Lewis Horton had already stood up. He began buttoning his suit as he strode out, leaving only one command behind: ¡°No need to follow.¡±


    He quickly reached the library and in the section of books on neurology, he found her.


    She was looking up, her eyes swiftly scanning a row of books before fixing on the top shelf of the library.


    Seemingly spotting something, a spark lit up her eyes. She dragged a ladder over, stepped on it, and stretched her arm out to grab a book.


    Today, she was wearing a loose hoodie and tight jeans.


    At that moment, this movement made her hoodie slide up, revealing the complete contour of her legs.


    From Lewis Horton¡¯s perspective, her legs were slender and straight. The jeans hugged the round lines of her buttocks and further up was a stretch of pale waistline!!


    Lewis Horton paused momentarily, slowly withdrawing his gaze. That patch of paleness seemed engraved in his mind, sparking a thought: her waist was so slim¡­ could he wrap his hand around it?


    Keira Olsen hadn¡¯t noticed him at all. After grabbing the book, she casually flipped through it, her eyes suddenly lighting up.


    The book she had been looking for was this one!


    In her excitement, she forgot she was still on the ladder. She stepped toward the seat beside her, but her foot missed the step, and she fell uncontrollably!


    This was bad.


    The thought had just sprung into Keira Olsen¡¯s mind when she landed in a set of warm, strong arms¡­


    Only then did she realize that Lewis Horton had caught her.


    The two were extremely close, the crisp, masculine scent of his cologne lingering at the tip of her nose, his large hand holding her buttocks¡­ the searing heat from his palm penetrating the thin jeans¡­


    Keira Olsen¡¯s heartbeat suddenly skipped half a beat, a surge of embarrassment overtaking her!


    But she understood it wasn¡¯t intentional, just a coincidence.


    Keira Olsen hurriedly jumped to the ground, steadying her heartbeat, ¡°Mr. Horton, thank you.¡±


    Yet her cheeks were tinted with a suspicious flush.


    Lewis Horton was stunned for a moment, subconsciously looking at his empty hands.


    The girl was soft and light¡­ the touch just now made his mouth dry and hands slightly clumsy, a first for a man who had spent years navigating the corporate world.


    He looked down, his eyelashes trembling lightly, as he restrained himself and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    The atmosphere turned awkward for a moment.


    Keira Olsen coughed slightly, ¡°I just remembered, there might be something in the R&D department. I should go first.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    With his permission, Keira Olsen then hid the book she had just found in an inconspicuous corner, fearing someone else might borrow it, before she left the library.


    By the time she reached the elevator, her face was still a bit flushed.


    ¡­


    After eating something casually, Keira Olsen returned to Research Group One.


    As soon as she entered, she sensed something was amiss.


    The colleagues, who had been reasonably warm towards her, now acted as if they hadn¡¯t seen her¡­


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t know why, just assuming they weren¡¯t familiar with her.


    In the afternoon, she went to the library again.


    But Luca Barker stopped her, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t go this afternoon¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Keira Olsen was puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that after finishing the tasks we are supposed to do, we can go?¡±


    Luca Barker immediately glanced around and surely saw the colleagues¡¯ unusual glances coming their way.


    He also became impatient, saying sternly, ¡°Yeah, you can go after you finish the work. But have you completed the tasks assigned to you last week?¡±


    ¡°I have finished them!¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard and you might not solve it all at once, so you need to stay here and concentrate¡­ wait, what?!¡±

 Chapter 36 - 36

    Chapter 36: Chapter 36


    Luca Barker was completely stunned and looked at her in disbelief.


    Keira Olsen said calmly, ¡°I told you, I had finished and sent it to your email last Friday.¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luca Barker swallowed, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that an empty email?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Luca Barker suddenly realized something and immediately rushed to his workstation to check his email on the computer, and sure enough, he saw the attachment!


    But he still couldn¡¯t believe it and opened the attachment content almost trembling!


    ...


    The development of new energy is different from software coding.


    It requires not only computer simulators but also hands-on work in the lab.


    The task assigned to him in the group had been completed by Keira Olsen last Friday, which was why he had been assisting Jalen Riley in the laboratory all morning and hadn¡¯t noticed it.


    After the attachment finished downloading, Luca Barker couldn¡¯t wait to look at it.


    Once he saw it, he was completely immersed in the report on the computer.


    The knowledge of core technology application was a bit complex, some of it he even had to look at for a long time to understand!


    Seeing that he wasn¡¯t talking, Keira Olsen prepared to take the elevator to the 60th-floor data library.


    The elevator arrived, and as she got in, a few group members also entered the elevator.


    The R&D department and the laboratory are on different floors of the building, and they each had their tasks to attend to.


    ¡°Beep, beep, beep¡±


    The elevator suddenly alarmed, indicating an overload of passengers.


    Someone bluntly said, ¡°Keira Olsen, get off.¡±


    The tone was tinged with displeasure.


    Keira Olsen was taken aback and looked up, ¡°I wasn¡¯t the last one to get on.¡±


    That person sneered, ¡°Although that¡¯s true, there¡¯s a priority in work, and we¡¯re in a hurry. You¡¯re so leisurely and not busy, what¡¯s wrong with stepping aside?¡±


    The others immediately chimed in:


    ¡°Exactly, you don¡¯t even need to work, just going to read books!¡±


    ¡°Hurry and get off, don¡¯t waste our time here!¡±


    ¡°The team leader is still waiting for us. What if we¡¯re late, will you take responsibility?¡±


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brow, sensing the hostility from the group.


    Although she didn¡¯t understand what was going on, she took a deep breath and ultimately stepped out of the elevator.


    It wasn¡¯t worth arguing over such trivial matters.


    She too was a research staff and knew the frustration when issues remained unresolved for long, and besides, there were eight elevators in total, only a bit more time was wasted.


    As soon as the elevator doors closed, someone in the group suddenly said quietly:


    ¡°Were we a bit too harsh just now?¡±


    ¡°Who asked her to be so clueless¡­ doing no work, and yet claiming a share in our achievements? Where does such a good deal exist?!¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    Keira Olsen entered the 60th floor through another elevator and eagerly went to where her books were stored.


    As long as she studied diligently, she could definitely solve her grandmother¡¯s problem quickly!


    But then, she discovered that her book¡­ was gone?!


    Keira Olsen: ???


    She hurriedly searched at the bookshelf, but she couldn¡¯t see the book anywhere.


    The people around reading books weren¡¯t reading that book either¡­


    The books in Horton Group¡¯s data library weren¡¯t supposed to be borrowed!


    Where did the book go?


    Suddenly, she understood something¡­


    In the entire company, only one person could take a book from here!


    The top floor.


    Lewis Horton was frowning as he flipped through the thick tome in his hand.


    The book discussed neurology.


    Because of old Mrs. Horton¡¯s health, he had superficially touched on these topics before, but this book seemed profound and impenetrable. He wondered what Keira Olsen wanted with it.


    Tom Davis reported everything about Keira Olsen downstairs in detail and then said, ¡°Boss, Keira Olsen is simply taking advantage of old Mrs. Horton¡¯s kindness to do whatever she pleases! You even arranged a department that matches her skills, hoping she would learn well and have opportunities¡­ It¡¯s simply ungrateful!¡±


    ¡°She was never here to work anyway.¡±


    Lewis Horton said coldly, then set down the book in his hand.


    Tom Davis: ?


    It felt like the boss was speaking up for her.


    It must be his imagination!


    He asked, ¡°Since this book doesn¡¯t seem to be useful, should we return it?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s fingers tapped on the book, thinking of the girl¡¯s expectant look when she saw it today, and suddenly remembered the firm and round touch in his hands when they were close¡­


    He suddenly felt a bit parched, ¡°No need for now.¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen had intended to go upstairs to get the book from Lewis Horton, but remembering their hug earlier today¡­ she suddenly felt embarrassed.


    She eventually slowly returned to the R&D department.


    Just out of the elevator, she caught sight of Jalen Riley with a group of members drinking coffee in the relaxation area to stay alert.


    They all looked exhausted.


    Seeing Keira Olsen¡¯s leisurely demeanor, someone finally couldn¡¯t hold back:


    ¡°Keira Olsen, this is a company, not a shopping mall for you to stroll around in!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, we are all so busy now, and you have the nerve not to help?¡±


    ¡°Do you even realize, being involved in our project would boost your work experience significantly?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all in one team, if one prospers, all benefit. If the project succeeds, even the bonuses are equally divided. We have never looked down on you for being an intern, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too excessive? Just wanting to earn a salary without doing anything?¡±


    ¡°Although you are a relation hire, we have never minded that you lack skills and thought about properly training you, but your neglecting your duties is just too much!¡±


    Keira Olsen stopped in her tracks and asked earnestly, ¡°So, what can I help with?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the technical stuff, but at least you could help us with odd jobs, print some documents, or run errands to get coffee!¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s not within my job description.¡±


    She had been working part-time since middle school and certainly understood workplace rules.


    The salary Horton Group offered her was indeed fair, but the work she did last Friday already justified that amount.


    She had no idea that the small issue she resolved last was actually the core problem the entire team was wracking their brains over.


    With that said, Keira Olsen moved to enter the office.


    Her group colleagues were infuriated by her remark:


    ¡°What kind of person is this? No capability, yet here she is, acting all high and mighty, putting on airs!¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why the company would hire someone like her!¡±


    Jalen Riley listened to these words and seeing Keira Olsen¡¯s indifferent demeanor frowned even more.


    He had wanted to help Keira Olsen, but this woman¡¯s rotten attitude was beyond salvage!


    He had taken her side against Jake Horton, feeling like a complete fool!


    Jalen Riley slammed his hand on the table and shouted, ¡°Keira Olsen, if you don¡¯t want to work, get lost! Group One doesn¡¯t keep freeloaders!!¡±


    In the office, Luca Barker, whose expression was bordering on obsessive, stared wide-eyed with excitement at the email on his computer screen.


    He finally understood!


    Luca Barker leaped to his feet, rushed to the door, and excitedly grabbed Jalen Riley¡¯s arm!!

 Chapter 37 - 37

    Chapter 37: Chapter 37


    ¡°It¡¯s solved! It¡¯s really solved!¡±


    Luca Barker yelled excitedly, ¡°She actually solved it!¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jalen Riley froze slightly and then frowned, ¡°What madness are you spouting?!¡±


    The other team members looked at him impatiently:


    ¡°Luca, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with you this afternoon? We were all busy in the lab, and you were nowhere to be seen. What have you solved?¡±


    ...


    ¡°You didn¡¯t solve our core problem, did you?¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, Luca immediately nodded: ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I solved!¡±


    He dragged Jalen Riley over to his workstation, pointed at the computer, and showed him, ¡°Team leader, look! The reason we¡¯ve been stuck is because we were thinking about it all wrong. We could actually do it like this¡­¡±


    He roughly explained the solution he had just understood, and by the time he finished, the entire team was shocked:


    ¡°So it can be done like this!¡±


    ¡°Luca, man, that¡¯s awesome!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, the team leader doesn¡¯t have to resign in shame now!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    While everyone was in awe, Jalen Riley stared at the computer and suddenly noticed the email was sent by Keira Olsen¡­


    He was slightly taken aback, looking incredulously at Luca, ¡°This solution is¡­?¡±


    ¡°It was submitted by our junior, Keira Olsen! She gave it to me last Friday, but at the time we had already finished for the day, and I hadn¡¯t had a chance to check!¡±


    As soon as Luca said this, all the team members turned to look at Keira Olsen in disbelief!!


    How could it be!


    The problem they had been wrestling with for a month had been effortlessly cracked by this young girl in front of them?!


    Last Friday¡­ she had just started her job!


    Keira Olsen stood there quietly, radiating an air of distant coolness.


    A hint of surprise in her amorous eyes, she said indifferently, ¡°So the problem you¡¯ve all been struggling with is this one?¡±


    Everyone: ??


    Why did they read the words ¡°that¡¯s it?¡± in the girl¡¯s current expression?


    Everyone involuntarily swallowed, still in disbelief, ¡°You, you¡¯re just an undergraduate, right?¡±


    Hearing this, Keira Olsen¡¯s expression turned serious, and she said slowly, ¡°Ability is not determined by academic qualifications.¡±


    At that moment, everyone began to show their respect.


    After a brief silence, someone spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have treated you that way in the elevator!¡±


    ¡°I was wrong too. I shouldn¡¯t have said you were getting a salary for nothing. You alone have done the work of our whole team.¡±


    ¡°I even suggested you learn from me, which was really overestimating myself. With your skills, you definitely won¡¯t learn anything from us¡­¡±


    ¡°We were blind to see someone so low!¡­¡±


    They were all researchers, with straightforward minds.


    Keira Olsen clearly distinguished between good and bad, knowing that their previous words about her were out of a desire to see her succeed.


    So she said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Jalen Riley walked slowly towards her, the man still proud, his jaw set, extending his hand towards her, ¡°Welcome to Team One.¡±


    Before, she was merely someone foisted upon the team due to her connections, but now, he acknowledged her abilities.


    ¡°Clap, clap, clap!¡±


    Suddenly, there was applause from the doorway.


    Turning their heads, they saw the R&D department manager and the stern-faced Jake Horton walking in.


    The R&D department manager praised, ¡°Young people these days really shouldn¡¯t be underestimated! I never would have imagined Miss Olsen¡¯s professional competence could be so strong!¡±


    Jake Horton stared at Kiera, his eyes filled with complex emotions.


    He of course knew Kiera¡¯s talent in her professional field, and his fondness for her over so many years wasn¡¯t solely because of her face, but he hadn¡¯t expected she could actually solve a team¡¯s core technical issue!


    Such a talent, given the opportunity for advanced study, could definitely soar to great heights!


    Her future achievements might not be weaker than Dr. South¡¯s¡­


    But that was in the future, and for the short term, Dr. South was an existence she couldn¡¯t hope to reach!


    Jake Horton clenched his fists, his gaze gradually becoming resolute.


    He urgently needed to take control of the R&D department, to secure a foothold at Horton Group; he couldn¡¯t wait for her to grow up.


    Moreover, she was an ¡°illegitimate daughter¡±¡­


    Neither in terms of identity nor capability could he possibly marry her.


    Suppressing the hesitation in his heart, he glared at Jalen Riley with a sinister look, ¡°I was actually thinking that if Team Leader Riley couldn¡¯t complete the task on time, I might ask Dr. South for help, to come and explain things to your team¡­¡±


    The members of team one instantly widened their eyes.


    ¡°My goodness, Dr. South!¡±


    ¡°In my lifetime, if I could receive guidance from Dr. South, or work with Dr. South, that would be my ultimate dream!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, if I could meet Dr. South, I¡¯d rather stay single my whole life!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jalen Riley listened to everyone¡¯s reactions, his expression stiff as he said, ¡°We won¡¯t trouble Dr. South over such a small issue.¡±


    However, Jake Horton insisted, ¡°Dr. South is our technical support after all, it¡¯s only proper that he lend a hand.¡±


    Kiera frowned slightly upon hearing this.


    She had clearly refused Isla Olsen, so how had she become Horton Group¡¯s technical support?


    Seeing the certainty in Jake¡¯s expression, Kiera was sure it was another one of Isla Olsen¡¯s lies!


    Jake Horton then narrowed his eyes, continuing, ¡°Team Leader Riley, actually, I just wanted to get a technically skilled assistant, which was why I thought of adjusting Kiera¡¯s position. You and I are both mainstays of the R&D department, there¡¯s no need for such a rift between us. If you agree, I¡¯ll immediately arrange for Dr. South to come and provide technical support for your team.¡±


    He purposely said this, just to let the members of team one know that as long as they handed over Kiera, he could let them access Dr. South!


    The attraction of Dr. South was too great for these research personnel.


    The members of team one would surely oppose Jalen Riley¡¯s decision¡­


    Kiera¡¯s expression darkened, finding Jake utterly despicable.


    She looked toward the members of team one, seeing that each of them had changed their expression, quite clearly understanding the meaning behind Jake¡¯s words¡­


    They looked at each other, each one¡¯s face showing a conflicted expression.


    Kiera¡¯s eyes dimmed.


    Actually, she had just started working here, and although team one¡¯s members had shown her kindness last week, they had only just met a day and a half ago¡­


    Jake, seeing the expression of team one¡¯s members, knew his scheme had taken effect and added, ¡°Team Leader Riley, do you agree to let her go now? Having Kiera work under me will ensure her future prospects are even better¡­¡±


    Jalen Riley¡¯s face darkened, and he stated decisively, ¡°I won¡¯t let her go.¡±


    Kiera¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly in surprise.


    Jake scoffed, ¡°Our company has always been very democratic. The affairs of team one can¡¯t be dictated by one person alone. Do you refuse to release her? Do the rest of the members of team one agree with you? Does team one really not need Dr. South?¡±


    After these words, the members of team one all fell silent.


    Jalen Riley straightened his body, angrily looking toward the team one members.


    Kiera suddenly laughed.


    She hadn¡¯t wanted to reveal her identity to avoid people clinging to her, but now she didn¡¯t want to inexplicably test human nature¡­


    She looked directly at Jake Horton and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re using Dr. South as a bargaining chip, did you ask for my consent?¡±

 Chapter 38 - 38

    Chapter 38: Chapter 38


    ¡°What do I need to ask you for?¡±


    Jake Horton sneered, ¡°Keira Olsen, this is a personnel change at Horton Group, your personal wishes are irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°And what about Dr. South¡¯s opinion?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s tone was very light, her expression laced with irony.


    Jake Horton was stunned, ¡°What does Dr. South¡¯s opinion have to do with you?¡±


    Could it be¡­ she knew Dr. South?


    ...


    The smile at the corner of Keira Olsen¡¯s lips grew colder, ¡°I am¡­¡±


    Before she could utter the words ¡°Dr. South,¡± Luca Barker suddenly stepped forward, blocking her:


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow the team leader!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s pupils suddenly dilated, looking at Luca Barker in astonishment.


    The rest of Team One laughed as well, saying:


    ¡°Right, we all follow the team leader!¡±


    Keira Olsen looked incredulously at the members of Team One.


    Just half an hour ago, they were attacking her for not working properly, but now, they were standing by her side without hesitation.


    Jake Horton was not only the deputy director of the R&D department but also the legitimate grandson of Horton Group.


    Once he became overwhelmingly powerful, how could those who angered him continue to work at Horton Group?


    Yet they didn¡¯t seem to consider this at all¡­


    A lump formed in Keira Olsen¡¯s throat, joy seeping into her eyes.


    Jake Horton¡¯s face turned even darker, suppressing the anger in his chest, he directly sneered, ¡°It seems the pressure on your R&D team is too low, so you don¡¯t need Dr. South¡¯s help. Since that¡¯s the case, I suppose the project wrap-up, shouldn¡¯t be difficult for you, right? Submit the solution by the end of work this Friday.¡±


    The whole R&D progress was divided into two parts, Team One and Team Two each responsible for a portion.


    The biggest challenge of the project was how to integrate both parts seamlessly.


    Handing it over to Team One was not a problem, Jalen Riley could definitely solve the issue in two or three months, but Jake Horton had only given them one week?


    Jalen Riley retorted angrily, ¡°This is completely unreasonable!¡±


    However, Jake Horton said, ¡°With Dr. South¡¯s participation, it could be done in three days. Aren¡¯t you the ones who claimed to be capable and didn¡¯t need Dr. South? Giving you a week is already more than enough!¡±


    Leaving those words, he turned and walked out.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze darkened slightly, she followed him out of the office door, speaking up, ¡°Can we talk?¡±


    Jake Horton narrowed his eyes, the two of them moved to the corridor.


    Keira Olsen looked at him, ¡°Care to make a bet?¡±


    His mind went blank for a moment at her words.


    He remembered during their senior year of college, he had used the same tactic to pursue her.


    The vigorous him had said to her, ¡°Kiera, care to make a bet? Whoever finishes their thesis first gets to make a request from the other.¡±


    She looked at him with those childishly naive eyes but eventually nodded her head.


    Latter, after several all-nighters, he successfully completed his thesis.


    He went to find her, the condition he proposed was that he would give her a gift at the graduation ceremony and asked her not to reject it¡­


    But in the end, he didn¡¯t give her that gift.


    She was an illegitimate daughter¡­ This made his four years of pursuit look like a joke!


    Jake Horton¡¯s face gradually became mocking as he looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°Why should I bet with you?¡±


    Keira Olsen taunted, ¡°Are you afraid of losing to me again?¡±


    Jake Horton was stunned, ¡°Again?¡±


    Keira Olsen took out her phone, opened her email, and handed it to him, ¡°At that time, I won.¡±


    Jake Horton glanced at the email timestamp on her phone and realized that the day after their bet, she had submitted her paper!


    His pupils shrank.


    Only then did he realize that he had actually never caught up with her pace¡­


    His male pride made him ask involuntarily, ¡°What bet?¡±


    Keira Olsen slowly said, ¡°If Group One can submit a solution before closing time on Friday, and Dr. South doesn¡¯t give you one, I hope you will never interfere with the work of the research and development department¡¯s Group One!¡±


    She was destined not to work here for long, so she wanted to resolve the future worries of the employees in Group One.


    Jake Horton sneered, ¡°And if you don¡¯t turn it in, but Dr. South gives me a solution, then from now on you¡¯ll have to follow my orders!¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Jake Horton saw her unhesitant manner and asked puzzledly, ¡°Keira Olsen, I know you¡¯re very impressive professionally, but what makes you think you can surpass Dr. South?¡±


    Keira Olsen laughed mockingly, ¡°Would Dr. South really help you solve the problem? Did he personally promise to provide technical support for Horton Group?¡±


    Jake Horton was taken aback.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t pay him any more attention, she returned to Group One of the R&D department and found everyone sighing and groaning.


    But as soon as they saw her, they immediately started making suggestive gestures and deliberately spoke up:


    ¡°Hey, actually, it¡¯s not that we really want to see Dr. South¡­ That¡¯s a high and mighty deity, even if we get to see him, would it make our ¡®chickens and dogs ascend to heaven¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Right, right, right, seeing him could make my IQ rise to 250, right?¡±


    ¡°Keira Olsen, don¡¯t worry either, the project is so difficult, even if we can¡¯t finish it, what can Jake Horton do to us, really?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Even Jalen Riley coughed and said menacingly, ¡°Enough! Didn¡¯t you see new work has arrived? What are you gossiping about here?! Get to work! Come to the meeting room, we are reallocating tasks!¡±


    ¡°Coming~¡±


    Keira Olsen watched as everyone rushed into the meeting room and then followed at a leisurely pace.


    Jalen Riley seemed to be waiting for her. As she entered, he began to assign tasks¡­


    At closing time, Keira Olsen thought everyone would have to work overtime, but to her surprise, all the employees packed up and left directly.


    Keira Olsen also took her computer and went to the underground parking lot.


    She didn¡¯t notice that after she left, the colleagues from Group One who had originally departed, one by one, came back¡­ to work overtime.


    In the Bentley in the underground parking lot.


    Tom Davis inquired, ¡°Boss, shall we go?¡±


    ¡°No rush.¡±


    Lewis Horton said indifferently, still holding that thick file in his hands.


    Tom Davis was about to ask whom he was waiting for when he saw Keira Olsen approach and naturally get into the car.


    It was then that Lewis Horton looked up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Tom Davis: ?


    The boss didn¡¯t seem to have an arrangement to leave work with Miss Olsen?


    The vehicle drove steadily on the road.


    Keira Olsen looked at Lewis Horton, glanced at the book in his hand, and thought about borrowing it for a look, but considering work¡­ she decided to wait until after three days to ask.


    The two of them were quiet on the way, quickly returning to the hospital.


    Just as they arrived at the VIP ward area on the third floor, they heard the loud voice of Poppy Hill: ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, I came to see you specially¡­ Speaking of which, we really do have a connection¡­¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton blocked the entrance to the ward, her eyes filled with rage as she stared at Poppy Hill: ¡°Get out! If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll have someone beat you up!¡±


    Poppy Hill offered a flattering smile, looking every bit the mercenary type: ¡°I¡¯m Keira Olsen¡¯s mother, you love her the most, don¡¯t you? For her sake, you shouldn¡¯t treat me like this¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not her mother!¡± Old Mrs. Horton declared confidently: ¡°Mrs. Olsen is her mother!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Poppy Hill instantly broke into a cold sweat and reflexively asked, ¡°How did you know?!¡±

 Chapter 39 - 39

    Chapter 39: Chapter 39


    Poppy Hill was terrified.


    Only she and her younger brother Finley Hill knew about the switch!


    She had never even mentioned it to Isla Olsen.


    How did Old Mrs. Horton find out?


    Moreover, her words were definite, not a hint of doubt but rather a tone of certainty!


    Seeing Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton approaching, her eyes betrayed even more guilt!


    ...


    She hoped that what she just said hadn¡¯t been overheard by those two, had it?


    Old Mrs. Horton then snorted, ¡°I just know that you bully my granddaughter-in-law; you¡¯re a bad woman!¡±


    The old lady¡¯s words were disjointed, evidence of a confused mind¡­


    Poppy Hill breathed a sigh of relief, walked over to Keira Olsen, and handed her the thermos, ¡°Kiera, dear, Mom has brought you chicken soup. You¡¯ve been working so hard looking after Old Mrs. Horton, eat more to nourish yourself¡­¡±


    The rich aroma of chicken soup wafted from the thermos, but Keira Olsen could only sense mockery.


    This was the first time Poppy Hill had ever stewed soup for her.


    She asked indifferently, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Poppy Hill smiled, ¡°It¡¯s still that two percent of Isla¡¯s shares. Old Mrs. Horton values you so much, helping you arrange a hospital room for Mrs. Olsen, and even finding medicine for you. If you ask her, she will definitely agree. Help your sister out, otherwise, in front of Jake Horton, she really can¡¯t hold her head up.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes were cold and her words even colder, ¡°I won¡¯t help.¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s face stiffened, unable to pretend any longer, she glared fiercely at Keira Olsen, ¡°How ungrateful! I went through so much trouble to give birth to you, and now that you¡¯ve climbed up the social ladder, you turn your back on me?!¡±


    She sat on the floor with a thump, crying out, ¡°If you don¡¯t help me today, I won¡¯t get up! Everyone, come look! My daughter is an ungrateful wretch! She despises that her mother comes from a low background, so she¡¯s desperately serving Old Mrs. Horton here, trying to become their granddaughter!¡±


    The surrounding medical staff and patients started to whisper and point fingers:


    ¡°Miss Olsen seemed like such a decent person, who knew she was like this¡­¡±


    ¡°So snobbish that she disowns her own mother for wealth, I¡¯ve never seen such a thing in my life!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen stood there, expressionless.


    She really didn¡¯t want to acknowledge that this tantrum-throwing woman was her mother.


    Yet, such a relationship is inescapable!


    A sense of powerlessness washed over her.


    Keira Olsen sneered lightly, saying indifferently, ¡°Make a scene then. If you disturb others¡¯ rest, security will escort you out.¡±


    After saying that, she walked past Poppy Hill.


    Poppy Hill, enraged, stood up abruptly and hurled the thermos of chicken soup fiercely at Keira Olsen!


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Keira Olsen only heard this deep voice before her entire back was tightly enveloped by a strong embrace!


    She turned around in shock and saw Lewis Horton shielding her from behind, his broad back absorbing all the scalding chicken soup¡­


    Steam rose from his black suit.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s pupils shrank; she quickly asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    The man¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as he turned to look at Poppy Hill.


    Poppy Hill was petrified, waving her hands frantically, ¡°Mr. Horton, I didn¡¯t mean to splash you, I, I¡­¡±


    In her panic, she turned and ran, soon disappearing from that floor!


    No one bothered to pay attention to her; they all crowded around Lewis Horton, escorting him into the hospital room.


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately rushed to him, trying to pull off his clothes, ¡°Quickly take it off; let¡¯s see how bad the burn is! Did it blister?¡±


    Lewis Horton calmly removed his jacket and white shirt, revealing his well-built torso.


    Keira Olsen instinctively wanted to look away, but then she noticed the burns on his back, the red blistered skin covered in a multitude of tiny blisters¡­


    This was far from ¡°fine¡±; it was clearly serious!


    ¡°Oh, how painful it must be! Kiera, dear, come help with the ointment¡­¡±


    The old lady snatched the burn medicine from the nurse and stuffed it into Keira Olsen¡¯s hands, pushing her to the back of Lewis Horton, and signaling the others to leave the room, ¡°Let¡¯s not crowd around here, the brat is naked and will be embarrassed!¡±


    As she spoke, she leaned close to Keira Olsen and whispered, ¡°Daughter-in-law, I¡¯m leaving it to you!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    The ward was left with only the two of them in an instant.


    The air was filled with awkwardness.


    Lewis Horton spoke in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s grandma¡¯s mischief, I¡¯ll ask the nurse to come in¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Keira Olsen interrupted him, stepping behind him.


    It was dusk, and the golden light spilled from outside the window, casting faint shadows of both figures elongated in the room.


    Lewis Horton stood by the window, the halo through the window highlighting his broad and sexy back, with the beltline of his trousers outlining his lean waist.


    With just one glance, Keira Olsen lowered her eyes.


    Her heart felt like a small stone had been tossed into it, rippling outwards in waves.


    Her fingertips coated with ointment, she gently applied it to the areas where he was burned.


    The man remained silent from start to finish, his muscles instinctively tensing the moment her fingertips touched his skin.


    The girl¡¯s almost imperceptible breath sprayed on his back, like a small flame burning.


    Keira Olsen, sensing his tension, asked softly, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Lewis Horton lifted his eyelids, and the window in front of him reflected her facial expression ¨C serious as though handling a priceless antique.


    His gaze was involuntarily drawn to her, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    A moment later, after the ointment had been applied, Lewis Horton put on a new shirt, his slender and clean fingers delicately doing up the buttons: ¡°Miss Olsen, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Keira Olsen hesitated, then raised her eyes to look at him, ¡°Actually, you didn¡¯t have to take that for me. Grandma will be very sad that you¡¯re hurt.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯d be sadder if you were hurt.¡±


    ¡°After all, I am an outsider.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The man¡¯s dark eyes fixed on her, he said slowly, ¡°You seem to have forgotten, you are now my wife.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s breath tightened, the air around her seemingly growing thinner with Lewis Horton¡¯s words.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and her fan-like lashes trembled slightly.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll step out for a moment.¡±


    Keira Olsen turned to walk out.


    Lewis Horton asked, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Get even.¡±


    How Poppy Hill treated her didn¡¯t matter, but since she had hurt Lewis Horton, she couldn¡¯t let it slide so easily!


    Keira Olsen went to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s ward, wanting to check if Poppy Hill was there.


    But as she approached, she suddenly caught a glimpse of Isla Olsen walking into a corridor ahead with a man.


    That figure was sleazy and sneaky, looking an awful lot like Uncle Finley Hill?


    She walked over, puzzled.


    In the corridor.


    Finley Hill was rubbing his hands: ¡°Niece, I¡¯m a bit short on cash¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen suppressed her anger, ¡°I¡¯ve already given you my allowance for the month!¡±


    Finley Hill was her nightmare.


    On the first day of the month, he had suddenly approached her, claiming she was Poppy Hill¡¯s daughter, demanding money, or he¡¯d take the matter to Taylor Olsen and Mrs. Olsen¡­


    Finley Hill, however, was indifferent, laughing, ¡°I¡¯m not going to survive this anyway, if you don¡¯t give me the money, I¡¯ll go to Keira Olsen and tell her the truth. She will definitely give me a large sum of money!¡±


    Then, the door was pushed open.


    Keira Olsen stood there, her back to the light, her voice very cold, ¡°What truth?¡±

 Chapter 40 - 40

    Chapter 40: Chapter 40


    Keira Olsen suddenly appeared, startling Isla Olsen!


    She immediately looked at Finley Hill, her eyes revealing panic.


    Finley Hill gave a slight smile, just about to speak¡­


    Isla Olsen took the initiative and scolded, ¡°Keira Olsen, why are you eavesdropping on our conversation?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze swept over her and Finley Hill, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject here.¡±


    She looked at Finley Hill, ¡°What truth?¡±


    ...


    Her intuition told her that this truth was related to her.


    She added, ¡°I can give you money.¡±


    Finley Hill¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°How much can you give?¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at Isla Olsen, who was tightly clutching her sleeves, her whole demeanor tense and chaotic.


    She indifferently said, ¡°Name your price, I can ask the Horton family for it.¡±


    Finley Hill¡¯s shifty eyes finally settled, and he smiled at Isla Olsen, ¡°I think you¡¯re still not as rich as Isla Olsen, right?¡±


    Isla immediately sighed in relief and said to Finley Hill, ¡°I will figure out a way to give you the money you want, you can go now.¡±


    Finley Hill chuckled, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    As he passed by Keira Olsen, he paused, ¡°Niece, this secret will always be valid for you, as long as you pay the right price, I will definitely sell it to you!¡±


    With those words, he left cheerfully.


    Keira Olsen watched his back, squinting her eyes.


    She took out her phone and sent a WhatsApp message to Samuel Morgan, ¡°Check on Finley Hill.¡±


    Samuel Morgan quickly replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then he sent another message, ¡°Boss, there¡¯s an industry gathering tomorrow, the invitation has been sent to your email, are you going?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s response was brief, ¡°Not going.¡±


    After sending the message and looking up, she saw Isla Olsen walking past her, head bowed.


    Keira Olsen said indifferently, ¡°If you don¡¯t want others to know, don¡¯t do it yourself. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out about you and Finley Hill?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s body stiffened, and she looked up, smiling, ¡°Kiera, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°No wonder, being Miss Olsen and yet so strapped for cash, you¡¯re paying him every month. What big leverage does he have on you?¡±


    Isla immediately retorted, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? What leverage could he possibly have on me!¡±


    A fierce look crossed her eyes, ¡°Keira Olsen, I would advise you to concern yourself with your own problems instead of wasting time on me!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s expression cooled.


    Seeing Isla about to leave, she asked, ¡°Where is Poppy Hill?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla exploded, ¡°She¡¯s your mother, why do you ask me? How would I know?!¡±


    Since learning the truth from Finley Hill, Isla had been keeping it from Poppy Hill, pretending she didn¡¯t know¡­


    That woman was too foolish! She feared that by recognizing Poppy Hill, it would cause her to slip up¡­


    Therefore, Poppy Hill was totally unaware that she already knew the truth about her identity.


    Leaving those words behind, Isla walked away.


    Keira Olsen followed her, and they both arrived in front of Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital room.


    Through the glass window in the door, it was clear that Poppy Hill was not in the room.


    She didn¡¯t enter to disturb Mrs. Olsen, and left the building.


    She called Poppy Hill, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s frantic voice came through, ¡°Keira Olsen, what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°I want you to come back and apologize to Mr. Horton.¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s voice became sharp immediately, ¡°I won¡¯t! Mr. Horton won¡¯t let me off the hook! You apologize for me, you¡¯re my daughter, let the daughter pay for the mother¡¯s debts!¡±


    Keira Olsen scoffed, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then don¡¯t blame me for calling the police.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Poppy Hill shouted angrily, ¡°Why did you call the police? I¡¯m your mother! It¡¯s only natural for a mother to hit her child, isn¡¯t it!¡±


    Keira Olsen responded indifferently, ¡°But this time, you hurt Mr. Horton, and people must pay for their mistakes.¡±


    ¡°You ungrateful daughter! Had I known you would treat me this way, I should have drowned you when you were born! Thrown you into a cesspit! Sold you to a brothel! Little slut! ¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t listen to her anymore and hung up the phone.


    Previously, any grievance between the two would have been deemed a family dispute when reported to the authorities.


    But this time was different.


    Poppy Hill accidentally injured Lewis Horton, and was ultimately sentenced to 48 hours in custody, plus a fine and medical fees.


    However, that amount of money meant nothing to the Horton Family.


    After handling these matters, Keira Olsen returned to the old lady¡¯s hospital room.


    Lewis Horton was not in the room.


    The old lady explained, ¡°He said there was an important meeting to attend, so he¡¯s gone down to the RV.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded, she was silent for a moment and then spoke, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    But the old lady waved her hand, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, we¡¯re all family, why say such things? Besides, seeing that brat stand up for you, I couldn¡¯t be happier!¡±


    Keira Olsen was slightly stunned.


    Family ¡­


    In this tumultuous world, with people coming and going, she had always known she had no family.


    But now, it seemed like she truly felt what it was like to have a family.


    ¡­


    Isla Olsen sold a bag in the second-hand market, managed to gather fifty thousand yuan, and transferred it to Finley Hill.


    And she sent him a message: ¡°Keep your mouth shut! Otherwise, neither of us will end well!¡±


    Finley Hill¡¯s response came quickly: ¡°My dear niece, don¡¯t worry, even if I can¡¯t tell who among you and Keira Olsen is richer, I still know the difference.¡±


    Isla Olsen still felt uneasy.


    She must marry Jake Horton as soon as possible, so that even if her identity is exposed in the future, she will still be Mrs. Horton!


    At nine o¡¯clock in the evening, Jake Horton suddenly came to see her.


    Isla Olsen was surprised, ¡°Jake, why are you here?¡±


    Jake Horton asked sternly, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ve sorted things out with Dr. South?¡±


    The words Keira Olsen said today had made Jake Horton anxious.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then arrange a meeting with Dr. South for me.¡±


    Isla Olsen nervously fidgeted with her fingers, ¡°Dr. South has gone abroad. I¡¯ll arrange it as soon as he returns. Jake, is there a problem you need to solve? I can contact him for you.¡±


    Jake Horton looked at Isla Olsen suspiciously, ¡°I¡¯ve sent you the problem in an email, forward it to Dr. South, and ask him to help solve it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll forward it to him right now.¡±


    To prove her words, Isla Olsen operated her phone and immediately sent the email: ¡°Dr. South usually responds to my messages instantly, Jake, just wait a moment.¡±


    In the VIP hospital room, Keira Olsen¡¯s phone vibrated.


    She took it out and saw that it was an email from Mrs. Olsen:


    ¡°South, can you help solve this problem?¡±


    Keira Olsen guessed what it was, she opened the attachment, and sure enough, it was a technical issue from Horton Group!!


    This Isla Olsen¡­ had actually asked for her help using Mrs. Olsen¡¯s name!!


    Keira Olsen scoffed and replied to the message.


    ¡°Ding¡±


    The email notification sounded, and Isla Olsen breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°See, Dr. South responds to me very quickly, he has replied!¡±


    Then, Isla Olsen opened the email ¡­

 Chapter 41 - 41

    Chapter 41: Chapter 41


    After graduating from college, Isla Olsen had always worked at the Olsen Family company.


    She knew Mrs. Olsen¡¯s email password by heart and had even studied the email content between Mrs. Olsen and Dr. South.


    She discovered that Dr. South always replied to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s emails instantly and never asked unnecessary questions, always solving problems directly.


    It was evident he took Mrs. Olsen very seriously.


    Only then did she dare to lie, saying that Dr. South agreed to the invitation from Horton Group.


    With a smile on her face, Isla Olsen opened the email and saw the reply:


    ...


    [I am only responsible for the Olsen Family; Horton Group¡¯s issues are not my concern.]


    Isla Olsen¡¯s smile froze!


    Jake Horton noticed her odd expression and furrowed his brows in concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Regaining her composure, Isla Olsen smiled and said, ¡°Dr. South said, this issue will take a few days to resolve¡­ ¡±


    Relieved, Jake Horton said, ¡°That¡¯s normal, this issue is indeed tricky, but Keira and I¡­ and a group of people made a bet that we will have a solution by Friday; that¡¯s not a problem, right?¡±


    With conviction, Isla Olsen said, ¡°No problem.¡±


    Yet her eyes were flickering.


    He just clearly said he made a bet with Keira!


    ¡­


    Jake Horton quickly returned to the Horton Family home.


    Thinking of Keira Olsen, he felt somewhat restless.


    However, his father, Oliver Horton, unusually showed him a smile, patted him on the shoulder, and praised, ¡°As expected of my good son, you managed to invite Dr. South, and you¡¯ve quickly secured a foothold in the R&D department!¡±


    Jake Horton was pleasantly surprised, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, I will work even harder to take back the position as head of the family for you!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Oliver Horton entered the master bedroom and did not seem to intend to go out again.


    ¡°Jake, is your dad staying in tonight and not going out to that seductress?¡±


    Melissa Knight cried with joy, ¡°You must outdo that illegitimate daughter out there! Only then will your father return to his senses!¡±


    She wiped her tears and said, ¡°Although Isla Olsen has irritated the old Mrs. Horton, this time she did a splendid job! Alright, I won¡¯t say anymore, I am going to attend to your father as he rests.¡±


    Watching his mother enter the room happily, Jake Horton clenched his fists.


    Proposing to Isla Olsen and bringing in Dr. South as a supporting force was the right first step he had taken.


    Having made the choice, he would not regret it.


    As for Keira Olsen¡­ she could only be his!


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Keira Olsen sneezed.


    She rubbed her nose, her gaze not leaving the computer screen, casually picked up the cup next to her wanting to moisten her throat, only to find that it was empty.


    She put the cup down and continued to immerse herself in work.


    Suddenly, the room dimmed.


    When she looked up, she saw Lewis Horton bringing her a cup of water, which he placed on the small coffee table.


    Keira Olsen was slightly startled, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, it was on the way,¡± Lewis Horton responded naturally, returning to his own place.


    The old Mrs. Horton watched the two of them, her mouth agape with joy.


    She felt as if her great-grandchild was waving at her!


    What should she call the child of the brat and her granddaughter-in-law?


    The old Mrs. Horton donned her reading glasses, picked up the dictionary and the Book of Songs, and began flipping through them¡­


    As night deepened, the Shiba Inu ¡°Kitty¡± boredly ran from the old lady to Keira Olsen wagging its tail and eventually curled up and fell asleep beside Lewis Horton¡¯s feet.


    The next day, Lewis Horton dressed in a black suit, showed no sign of his injuries in his mannerisms.


    Burns are actually the most painful, but he hadn¡¯t made a peep about it since he got hurt.


    Kiera couldn¡¯t help but admire his ability to endure.


    They both went to work, and Kiera didn¡¯t put on any more airs. She just got straight into Lewis Horton¡¯s car.


    Tom Davis sat in the passenger seat and glanced at them through the rearview mirror.


    The boss and Miss Olsen were still each occupied with their own things, with no exchange or conversation between them, but he always felt that something had subtly changed.


    The car quickly arrived at the company, and Kiera greeted Lewis Horton before getting out of the car.


    As soon as she reached the R&D department, she was stopped by Jake Horton.


    He was in the rest area outside the elevator, holding a coffee and said, ¡°There¡¯s an industry networking event about new energy tonight, and those who can attend are all big names in the field. It¡¯s said that Dr. South might also be there.¡±


    Kiera didn¡¯t stop walking, ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°The Horton Group R&D department has an invitation, and I can take you there to get a feel for it. Networking with some of these people can be of great help to your future career development.¡±


    ¡°No need, thank you.¡±


    Kiera entered an office block without even turning her head back.


    Jake Horton stood in place, his face becoming extremely ugly.


    Jalen Riley, yawning and wearing slippers, strolled past him and laughed scornfully, ¡°An invitation card, and you think you can buy her over? Keira Olsen is not so short-sighted!¡±


    Jake Horton sneered, ¡°Jalen Riley, if you really care about her well-being, you should let her come work with me. You should understand that I can bring better resources to her! Do you think just anyone can attend those kind of gatherings?¡±


    Jalen Riley looked at him, ¡°At least I can take her there.¡±


    Jalen Riley had always been a core member of the R&D department. It wasn¡¯t surprising that he could get an invitation.


    But Jake Horton¡¯s gaze sank.


    ¡­


    Kiera was busy all day.


    When it was time to leave work, Jalen Riley called her, ¡°There¡¯s a job tonight, come with me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kiera didn¡¯t think too much about it. She just sent Lewis Horton a message to say she would be working late and got into Jalen Riley¡¯s car.


    They soon arrived at a business cocktail party.


    Jalen Riley instructed her, ¡°Later, you just stick with me, and I¡¯ll introduce you to some people from the industry. But Dr. South rarely attends these kinds of gatherings; I doubt he¡¯ll be here, so don¡¯t get your hopes up too much.¡±


    Kiera understood what he meant and couldn¡¯t help but feel a mixture of amusement and resignation.


    She was genuinely uninterested in this kind of networking event, but since she was already there, she might as well go in and see for herself. It seemed like she hadn¡¯t seen Samuel Morgan in a long time.


    When they got to the entrance, Jalen Riley presented the invitation card and was about to take her in when a staff member stopped them:


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Sims, the people from Horton Group who were supposed to come today have already informed us, and your name is not on the list.¡±


    Jalen Riley frowned, ¡°How is that possible?!¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His skills were known in the industry, and usually, it was him choosing not to attend these events, never an issue of not being allowed in!


    Jake Horton, holding a glass of champagne, came out and squinted, ¡°Team Leader Riley, Group One¡¯s R&D tasks are heavy, so I assumed you wouldn¡¯t come. That¡¯s why I declined on your behalf when preparing the confirmation. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s too late to add you now. You might as well go back.¡±


    Jalen Riley was seething with anger, ¡°Jake Horton, you¡¯ve gone too far! Who are you to decline for me?¡±


    Jake Horton scoffed, ¡°Jalen Riley, you need to understand that your status in the industry is given to you by Horton Group, and they invited Horton Group¡¯s Jalen Riley. As the deputy head of R&D, of course, I can make decisions for you!¡±


    Jalen Riley was so angry he was about to explode.


    A man of his true talent would be respected and treated well in any company. If he left Horton Group, there would be plenty of other companies eager to hire him!


    So even the head of the R&D department didn¡¯t dare to treat him poorly, yet here was Jake Horton using his deputy head position to suppress him?!


    ¡°I suggest you don¡¯t cause a scene here. Everyone present is respectable, and I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want to be escorted out by security, would you?¡±


    After Jake Horton said that, he finally turned to look at Kiera, ¡°Kiera Olsen, do you see now? Without my approval, you can¡¯t go through these doors at all!¡±


    Kiera looked up calmly, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    She took out her phone, opened the email with the invitation that Samuel Morgan had sent her, and handed it to the staff member.

 Chapter 42 - 42

    Chapter 42: Chapter 42


    Keira Olsen handed the invitation to the waiter, ¡°Can I go in now?¡±


    The waiter only glanced at it before he stepped aside respectfully, ¡°Please come in.¡±


    Jake Horton frowned upon hearing this, ¡°How did you get an invitation?¡±


    He stepped forward and looked directly at Keira Olsen¡¯s phone, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you took someone else¡¯s invitation. This event requires real-name registration!¡±


    Then, after seeing the name on the invitation, he was stunned.


    At industry gatherings like this, invitations usually include the company and position of the guest.


    ...


    The invitation for Jalen Riley wasn¡¯t issued out of courtesy for Horton Group, but rather for his own influence.


    It only listed his workplace because he was part of Horton Group.


    But there were some people with complex identities, or those prominent enough, who had no such titles listed.


    The invitation in Keira Olsen¡¯s hand simply stated the three words, ¡°Keira Olsen.¡±


    Jake Horton asked in shock, ¡°Under what identity did you get this invitation?¡±


    ¡°None of your business.¡±


    Keira Olsen calmly turned off her phone screen and looked toward Jalen Riley, ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    Jalen Riley had thought that he was surely taking a loss today and lamented not being able to bring Keira Olsen in; could it be that the situation had suddenly reversed?


    Following Keira Olsen into the banquet hall, he asked, ¡°Where did you get the invitation from?¡±


    Just as Keira Olsen was about to speak, Jalen Riley jumped in, ¡°It must be your cousin who sorted it out, right? Without a company name, you won¡¯t be beholden to anyone!¡±


    His eyes darkened, ¡°Jake Horton has gone too far this time. I absolutely won¡¯t let this slide. When I get back to the company, I must go and¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen thought he was going to say that he would look for the head of the R&D department, or make a fuss to the board of directors, but instead, he said, ¡°¡­find my cousin to stand up for me!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ? ?


    Whatever happened to hating nepotism?


    Maybe sensing her confusion, Jalen Riley touched his nose awkwardly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I hate relatives in the company, it¡¯s those without capability who still cling to their positions¡­ You don¡¯t know how many of those exist within Horton Group idling away¡­ Anyway, why am I telling you this?¡±


    He picked up a glass of champagne from the side, ¡°Let me introduce you to a few people.¡±


    Before Keira Olsen could refuse, Jalen Riley had already called out, ¡°Mr. King!¡±


    Keira Olsen had no choice but to follow.


    The man known as Mr. King was a senior figure in the industry, already surrounded by a circle of people exchanging pleasantries.


    He showed great respect for Jalen Riley, ¡°General Sims, you rarely attend these events. What is it, finally got some time to mingle and compare notes with us old-timers?¡±


    Jalen Riley smiled, ¡°I¡¯m just a junior, how could I possibly compare notes with you? Today, I¡¯m here to listen, bringing someone with me.¡±


    He pushed Keira Olsen to the forefront, ¡°This is the new talent in our company, who solved a major problem that had plagued me for a month. It¡¯s only today that we have time to get out!¡±


    A problem that could trouble Jalen Riley certainly wasn¡¯t an easy one.


    By saying this, Jalen Riley intended to boost Keira Olsen up by stepping back himself.


    Mr. King and the others indeed started showing interest in Keira Olsen, smiling at her, ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it? Why don¡¯t you introduce her to us quickly.¡±


    Just as Jalen Riley was about to make the introduction, a female voice suddenly cut in, ¡°Mr. King, long time no see.¡±


    The group turned their heads to see Isla Olsen in a blue dress, holding onto Jake Horton¡¯s arm, standing by their side.


    As soon as she spoke, Mr. King and others immediately gathered around, ¡°Miss Olsen, truly, it¡¯s been a long time! Are you here today? Does that mean Dr. South will be coming?¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled, ¡°I have no idea. I¡¯m here today accompanying my fianc¨¦, who is also in the new energy field.¡±


    Jake Horton extended his hand to Mr. King, ¡°Horton Group, Jake Horton.¡±


    Mr. King suddenly realized, ¡°Ah, the young Mr. Horton! Delighted to meet you!¡±


    ¡°Miss Olsen, you and young Mr. Horton truly make a handsome couple¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Olsen, I¡¯ve heard Dr. South has been serving as a technology consultant for your Olsen Family. When will he finally show up and let us all seek his advice?¡±


    ¡°Miss Olsen, what kind of difficult problems has Dr. South solved for your family?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Everyone gathered around Isla Olsen.


    Kiera and Jalen Riley were squeezed to the edge.


    ¡°They¡¯re doing it on purpose!¡±


    Jalen¡¯s face darkened even more, he continued, ¡°But all those people put together aren¡¯t worth one Dr. South. Later, Samuel Morgan will be here. You should drink a few more glasses with him.¡±


    Kiera: ¡°¡­¡±


    Jalen continued, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. You need to have a thicker skin. There are too many people who want to get to know Samuel. I haven¡¯t even managed to become familiar with his face¡­¡±


    Kiera twitched the corner of her mouth, ¡°Then I¡¯ll introduce you later.¡±


    But Jalen was indifferent, ¡°You first get to know him better.¡±


    At that moment, there was a sudden commotion at the door. Kiera looked over and saw Samuel Morgan had arrived!


    He wore a light grey suit, one hand in his pocket, the other swinging casually, his expression indifferent, nothing like the lively and talkative way he was in front of her.


    Upon seeing him, the crowd immediately surged forward:


    ¡°Mr. Morgan, long time no see!¡±


    ¡°What projects have you been busy with lately? Which direction?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton did not follow the crowd immediately but walked over.


    Isla¡¯s face sported a smile, ¡°Kiera, do you need me to introduce you to Mr. Morgan?¡±


    Jake had a sinister look in his eye, ¡°She managed to get an invitation; she must have a wide network. She surely knows Mr. Morgan already, why would she need your introduction?¡±


    Isla said, ¡°Is that so? Mr. Morgan is always so aloof. It¡¯s not like just anyone can approach him to talk. I was thinking¡­ Never mind, I won¡¯t show off my meager skills.¡±


    Jalen ignored the sarcasm from both and picked up a glass of champagne from the side and handed it to Kiera, giving her a push, ¡°Go and toast Mr. Morgan.¡±


    Jake scoffed, ¡°Our Horton Group certainly doesn¡¯t serve with seduction! Besides, do you think Samuel is the kind of man who is easily swayed by beauty? So many women have tried to seduce him to get information about Dr. South, and he¡¯s been completely unmoved! Do you really think you¡¯re so enchanting that you can win over anyone?¡±


    Isla nudged him, ¡°Jake, let¡¯s go meet Mr. Morgan.¡±


    Jake nodded, and they walked towards Samuel. Isla called out, ¡°Mr. Morgan!¡±


    Samuel hadn¡¯t been looking in their direction, but he glanced over upon hearing the call, and upon seeing Isla, he smirked and was about to look away but then suddenly saw the person behind Isla!!


    Samuel was startled, then quickly and cheerfully walked over to Kiera!


    Seeing Samuel¡¯s expression, Isla was immediately pleased.


    She had dealt with Samuel a few times after starting to work at the Olsen company, but unfortunately, Samuel was always arrogant and indifferent to her.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that in front of others, he would give her this much face. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jake also straightened up, seeing Samuel¡¯s attitude; Dr. South must really respect Isla!


    Both wearing smiles, they met up with Samuel.


    Isla began to introduce Jake, ¡°Mr. Morgan, this is¡­¡±


    But before she could finish, Samuel breezed past them and went straight to the person behind them.


    They turned around in shock, only to see Samuel standing in front of Kiera, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 43 - 43

    Chapter 43: Chapter 43


    Everyone was stunned.


    At gatherings like this, Samuel Morgan was always reserved. When had anyone seen him so enthusiastic?


    And¡­ ¡°you¡±?


    What was the deal with this girl in her twenties?


    Isla Olsen clenched her fingers tightly, feeling a burning sensation on her face¡­


    Jake Horton furrowed his brows, his gaze shifting back and forth between Samuel Morgan and Kiera Olsen: ¡°Do you know each other?¡±


    ...


    Samuel Morgan looked at Kiera Olsen and hesitated to speak for a moment.


    Who knew if the boss wanted her identity exposed?


    Sure enough, the next second, Kiera Olsen lifted her champagne glass towards Samuel Morgan, a warning flickering in her amorous eyes: ¡°Mr. Morgan, hello. I¡¯m too young to be addressed so formally.¡±


    Samuel Morgan got the message from the boss and coughed before saying, ¡°Miss Olsen, I didn¡¯t expect to encounter you here, so I got a little too excited.¡±


    The way he said it¡­ everyone glanced at Kiera Olsen¡¯s stunning face and seemed to understand something, chuckling amongst themselves.


    Mr. King approached, teasing, ¡°Mr. Morgan, you really have high standards! She truly is an exceptionally beautiful woman!¡±


    Samuel Morgan immediately replied, ¡°Not only is Miss Olsen beautiful, but her capabilities are also impressive.¡±


    Mr. King was taken aback.


    Jalen Riley had also praised Kiera Olsen just now¡­


    Only then did he take her seriously: ¡°Miss Olsen, this is my business card. I hope we can collaborate in the future.¡±


    With Mr. King taking the initiative, others quickly gathered around:


    ¡°If Miss Olsen is praised by Mr. Morgan, she definitely has something extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°Such achievements at a young age¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t like such occasions and just offered a faint smile in response.


    Jalen Riley stepped forward, smiling and exchanging pleasantries with them.


    Jake Horton stood in the crowd, watching Kiera Olsen shine like a rising star, feeling uneasy. He scoffed coldly: ¡°No matter how skilled, can she be better than Dr. South?¡±


    As soon as he said it, everyone fell silent.


    Samuel Morgan raised his eyebrows, revealing a significant smile, but said nothing.


    Kiera Olsen calmly held her champagne glass, also not bothering to speak.


    In the end, it was Mr. King who broke the awkward silence, ¡°In terms of the highest level in the industry, we must look to Dr. South! But Miss Olsen is so young, her future is boundless! I just heard General Sims say she also holds a position at Horton Group? Young Mr. Horton, only your company could secure such talent!¡±


    Kiera Olsen couldn¡¯t help but internally praise him for the comment, as it offended no one, elevated Jake Horton, and he indeed said no more.


    The lively atmosphere returned, and everyone resumed their jovial conversations.


    Samuel Morgan didn¡¯t dare to steer the topic back to Kiera Olsen, and the crowd¡¯s attention quickly returned to him, following up with him about Dr. South¡¯s whereabouts.


    Kiera Olsen took the opportunity to slip away from the crowd.


    The lobby was brightly lit, everyone in suits and dresses, toasting and mingling.


    Surrounded by people, Kiera Olsen couldn¡¯t feel the buzz.


    Instead, she found more comfort in the hospital, quietly going about her work in a room with the old lady and Lewis Horton.


    She walked to the balcony, picked up her phone, and saw a message from Lewis Horton: ¡°I happen to be at Royal Hotel discussing business too, we can head back together when it¡¯s over.¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s amorous eyes curved, and suddenly she wanted to leave.


    At such events, leaving early was permissible.


    Jalen Riley also followed her: ¡°No wonder you said you¡¯d introduce me to Samuel Morgan, you¡¯re so familiar with him!¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t deny it, simply smiling lightly.


    Jalen Riley thought about how at the banquet, although Samuel Morgan was mingling with others, his eyes kept darting towards her¡­ Surely Samuel Morgan was interested in Kiera Olsen!


    They were all adults, and with Samuel Morgan being handsome and capable, he seemed like a great choice.


    He asked, ¡°What do you think of Samuel Morgan as a person?¡±


    Kiera Olsen thought carefully for a moment then responded, ¡°He¡¯s down-to-earth, hard-working, and reliable.¡±


    This subordinate is very useful! Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have entrusted him with full control over the company.


    Jalen Riley¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°So, you have a good impression of him too?¡±


    If Keira Olsen really could be with Samuel Morgan, he would definitely introduce Dr. South to her.


    Keira Olsen: ???


    Only then did she understand what Jalen Riley meant and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She was just about to speak when suddenly a deep cough came from the side!


    Both of them turned their heads in unison and saw Lewis Horton standing on the balcony of the adjacent banquet hall.


    The tall figure of the man towered over Jalen Riley by half a head, yet in that moment, his expression was dark, his deep black eyes coldly fixed on them.


    Lewis Horton hadn¡¯t expected to run into them so coincidentally.


    He had come over just in time to overhear their conversation.


    The few words of praise Keira Olsen had for Samuel Morgan¡­ inexplicably made him a bit uncomfortable.


    He scolded Jalen Riley harshly, ¡°Miss Olsen is already married, what nonsense are you spouting here? Utterly absurd!¡±


    Jalen Riley felt somewhat wronged.


    He didn¡¯t know that Keira Olsen was married; why was his cousin all of a sudden scolding him? But¡­


    He hurriedly looked towards Keira Olsen, ¡°You¡¯re married? Does Samuel Morgan know?¡±


    He hoped it wasn¡¯t a case of unrequited love turning to hatred, with Samuel Morgan taking it out on her¡­


    Keira Olsen nodded, ¡°He knows.¡±


    Only then did Jalen Riley breathe a sigh of relief, but curious, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re so young, why marry so early? Who is it that has you so devoted¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen glanced at Lewis Horton and said nothing.


    Lewis Horton replied indifferently, ¡°You talk too much.¡±


    Jalen Riley: ¡°¡­¡±


    He felt that his cousin was a bit odd today!


    Lewis Horton narrowed his eyes and suddenly turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°I¡¯m ready to head back, shall we go together?¡±


    Keira Olsen immediately nodded, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s meet at the entrance.¡±


    Jalen Riley quickly followed behind her, ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll come too!¡±


    In the middle of the banquet hall.


    Isla Olsen noticed Jake Horton¡¯s grim expression and felt a twinge of concern.


    Keira Olsen also knew Samuel Morgan, could she also know Dr. South?


    Lost in thought, Jake Horton had already approached Samuel Morgan, ¡°Mr. Morgan, does Keira Olsen know Dr. South as well?¡±


    The surrounding people immediately looked at him with eagerness.


    Samuel Morgan could imagine, if he admitted ¡°Yes,¡± the crowd would certainly rush to Keira Olsen and pressure her to reveal how she knew Dr. South¡­


    He coughed, ¡°How could she.¡±


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton both heaved a huge sigh of relief!


    Seeing Keira Olsen heading towards the entrance, Samuel Morgan quickly said, ¡°I have some things to take care of and need to leave now, you guys continue.¡±


    As the crowd saw him chasing after Keira Olsen, they all smiled knowingly.


    Jake Horton¡¯s face darkened even more.


    At the entrance, Keira Olsen was caught up to by Samuel Morgan, who straightforwardly said, ¡°I need to go abroad tomorrow for a partnership meeting, and I need to take the company seal and the patent documentation with me, just letting you know.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded.


    Only after Samuel Morgan left did Keira Olsen suddenly sense Jalen Riley¡¯s peculiar gaze.


    The man stared at her, ¡°Something¡¯s off. If Mr. Morgan is going abroad, why is he reporting to you? Could it be¡­¡±


    His eyes widened in shock. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen fell silent for a moment, then sighed, ¡°Alright, I admit it, I am Dr. South.¡±

 Chapter 44 - 44

    Chapter 44: Chapter 44


    Keira Olsen¡¯s identity wasn¡¯t really a secret.


    She didn¡¯t intend to hide it from Group A.


    As long as it wasn¡¯t widely publicized, it could avoid unnecessary trouble.


    Therefore, when Jalen Riley sensed something was amiss, she straightforwardly admitted it.


    After she said this, Jalen Riley was stunned.


    He looked at Keira Olsen dumbfounded.


    ...


    Suddenly, he burst into laughter, ¡°You¡¯re quite funny.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Jalen Riley said, ¡°I may not have met Dr. South, but I know that an academic talent like Dr. South must be at least in their forties. Don¡¯t think you can fool me.¡±


    Keira Olsen twitched the corner of her mouth, ¡°I really am.¡±


    ¡°Heh, you think saying that can cover up my guess?¡± Jalen Riley examined her from head to toe, frowning, ¡°You couldn¡¯t possibly be¡­ having an affair with Samuel Morgan, could you?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­Your imagination is really rich!¡±


    What on earth is all this!


    Jalen Riley frowned and advised her, ¡°Don¡¯t get involved in such things, okay? If it gets out, it¡¯s embarrassing for everyone, and it¡¯s not right. I look down on cheaters¡­ If you¡¯re a decent person and you truly don¡¯t love your husband, then divorce him before remarrying¡­¡±


    As he was speaking, he suddenly felt a shiver down his spine, as if there was a murderous aura!


    He turned around and saw Lewis Horton stride out, his profound gaze as cold as millennia-old ice, making him feel chilled to the bone.


    Jalen Riley was even more baffled, ¡°Cousin, did business not go well for you today?¡±


    Lewis Horton withdrew his gaze, ¡°So noisy.¡±


    Jalen Riley: ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen realized that Jalen Riley, this fearless playboy, was most fearful of his cousin.


    At that moment, a flashy yellow sports car pulled up in front of them. Samuel Morgan whistled at her, ¡°Old¡­ Miss Olsen, I just picked up the car. Want a ride?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t wait to show off to the boss!


    Thinking about the boss¡¯s driving speed¡­ he wanted to make the boss scream! sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen understood the meaning in his eyes and was about to refuse when Lewis Horton suddenly spoke up, his voice deep, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be on your way.¡±


    Samuel Morgan laughed, ¡°Wherever she goes, I¡¯m on the way!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen was somewhat speechless and instinctively looked towards Jalen Riley¡ªsure enough, the suspicion in his eyes had grown.


    She didn¡¯t notice that Lewis Horton¡¯s face had turned even darker.


    The man looked at her, his sharp brow and eyes slightly furrowed, and he advised softly, ¡°Don¡¯t get into a stranger¡¯s car after drinking.¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow and looked at Samuel Morgan, ¡°I¡¯ll ride with Mr. Horton instead.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Samuel Morgan hung his head, seemingly having lost interest, ¡°Then I¡¯m off first.¡±


    ¡°Vroom¡­¡± The sports car revved and quickly disappeared in front of the building.


    Only then did Lewis Horton¡¯s black Bentley slowly approach.


    The extended version of the Bentley looked solid, much safer than the frail sports car.


    Tom Davis rushed over to open the car door.


    Lewis Horton gestured for Keira Olsen to get in first, then he followed suit.


    When Jalen Riley was about to get in, he was stopped, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a car?¡±


    Jalen Riley, ¡°I drank today.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lewis Horton replied indifferently, ¡°Then you can call a designated driver.¡±


    Jalen Riley: ??


    What happened to not getting into random cars after drinking!


    The car door closed, and the Bentley mercilessly drove off, leaving Jalen Riley behind.


    The car smoothly made its way down the road.


    Outside the car window, the mottled neon lights streamed into the vehicle, and Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze swept past the girl beside him.


    The streetlights cast a hazy glow on her delicate features.


    For a moment, Lewis Horton lost his focus and suddenly spoke up, ¡°Miss Olsen, could you help me change my bandages?¡±


    Keira Olsen was startled by his words. She slowly lifted her eyelids, turned her head to look at him, and asked with a hint of surprise, ¡°¡­Now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lewis Horton nodded. ¡°If we wait to change them at the hospital, grandmother will feel distressed.¡±


    So that was why.


    Keira Olsen breathed a quiet sigh of relief, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The man took off his clothes and turned his back to her.


    Keira Olsen turned on the overhead light in the car and looked at him.


    This was the second time she saw his bare upper body; unexpectedly, the guy looked slim in clothes, but his physique was so good without them¡ªhis proportionate muscles exuded a vigorous sense of power¡­


    She focused her attention on the wound. No new blisters had formed. The metabolism of a young man¡¯s body was indeed fast.


    She sighed, took out gauze and ointment from the medical kit, helped him change the medication, and then held the gauze, ready to wrap it around his wound.


    Kneeling in the back seat, she reached around Lewis Horton¡¯s body, and as she was about to retract her hand¡­


    ¡°Whoa!¡±


    The sudden lane change made Keira Olsen fall onto Lewis Horton, her face brushing against the man¡¯s shoulder.


    Lewis Horton braced his arm slightly, steadying their bodies.


    But then he felt the girl behind him embrace him, her soft hands instinctively grabbing onto his chest, which caused his body to tense up immediately.


    Next, he felt soft lips lightly pressing against his shoulder¡­


    The man¡¯s breath hitched, feeling that patch of skin become sensitive, as if a thousand ants had been born there, crawling densely to his limbs¡­


    Lewis Horton¡¯s body stiffened, his brain blank for a moment.


    Keira Olsen noticed his odd reaction, thinking she might have pressed on his wound. As soon as she steadied her body, she immediately pushed away from him and asked anxiously, ¡°Mr. Horton, does your wound hurt?¡±


    Her words finally brought back his voice. His tone was hoarse as he said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Keira Olsen then relaxed and continued to wrap the gauze properly around him.


    Lewis Horton quickly put his clothes back on, sitting there expressionlessly. He only felt the car was claustrophobic, the oxygen somewhat insufficient, and the heat oppressive.


    Thinking of those two hands and the residual touch on his shoulder¡­ he loosened his tie.


    When the car arrived at the hospital and had just stopped, he suddenly opened the car door, rushed out, and headed upstairs without looking back.


    Keira Olsen leisurely climbed out, watched as he left with a dark expression, and couldn¡¯t help but turn to Tom Davis, ¡°How badly did he lose out during the negotiations tonight that he¡¯s so upset?¡±


    Tom Davis felt like rolling his eyes.


    The acquisition deal tonight cost a billion less than the budget; the boss was happy, okay?


    But he didn¡¯t say much, just jogged to catch up with Lewis Horton.


    Keira Olsen shook her head slightly, ready to head upstairs when a shifty shadow suddenly sprang up in front of her, leering, ¡°My dear niece!¡±


    It was Uncle Finley Hill.


    He looked at the Bentley luxury car behind her and then back at the departing Lewis Horton, his eyes rolling around, ¡°Mr. Horton really values you. Did he give you any money?¡±


    Keira Olsen squinted her eyes, then suddenly smiled, ¡°Of course, not only Mr. Horton, but Old Mrs. Horton also gave me some.¡±


    Finley Hill¡¯s eyes instantly lit up.


    Keira Olsen slowly said, ¡°Oh, and about the truth you mentioned last time, name your price.¡±


    Finley Hill was taken aback.


    He earnestly said, ¡°I can only make money from you on this truth, so you need to pay up before I give it to you.¡±


    Keira Olsen started using her phone.


    In a short while, Finley Hill¡¯s phone rang with a bank notification of a deposit of two hundred thousand.


    Finley Hill was overjoyed.


    Keira Olsen said, ¡°That¡¯s a down payment. I have another two million here. Once you tell me, it¡¯s all yours. Of course, I have to judge first whether your truth is worth this money.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth it, definitely worth it! This matter concerns you!¡± Finley Hill, afraid of losing his windfall, hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you right now!¡±

 Chapter 45 - 45

    Chapter 45: Chapter 45


    Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes, ¡°Speak.¡±


    Finley Hill stepped forward and lowered his voice, ¡°This truth, even if I sell it to you for two million, it¡¯s a bargain, considering how rich the Olsen Family is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s related to the Olsen Family?¡±


    Keira Olsen tensed her jaw.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Finley Hill chuckled, ¡°Actually, you are¡­¡±


    ...


    Before he could finish, a stern shout came, ¡°Finley Hill, Keira Olsen, what are you doing?!¡±


    Keira Olsen turned her head and saw Isla Olsen running over in a panic, holding the dress she had worn to the banquet.


    Finley Hill smiled, ¡°I¡¯m doing business with my great niece here!¡±


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists, ¡°I¡¯ve already given you the money!¡±


    Finley Hill spread his hands, ¡°But now I¡¯m short on money again~¡±


    ¡°¡­How much do you need?¡±


    Isla Olsen took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you!¡±


    Finley Hill laughed, ¡°Your great niece just agreed to give me two million!¡±


    Isla Olsen tightly clenched her fists.


    Finley Hill sighed, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll transact with the great niece instead.¡±


    ¡°I have it!¡±


    Isla Olsen said through gritted teeth, ¡°Go back first, and I¡¯ll give you the money tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Finley Hill turned and ran, telling Keira Olsen, ¡°Great niece, consider that two hundred thousand as a loan from me¡­¡±


    He ran off swiftly, afraid that Keira Olsen would ask for it back.


    ¡­What a scoundrel!


    Keira Olsen was not in a hurry.


    If she wanted the money back, she had plenty of ways to get it.


    She turned and walked toward the inpatient building.


    Behind her, Isla Olsen¡¯s phone rang. She answered, ¡°Jake~¡±


    Jake Horton asked, ¡°Isla, I remember Mrs. Olsen is from Clance, can you ask her if she knows the Allen Family?¡±


    ¡°The Allen Family?¡±


    ¡°Right, their head of the house is Frankie Allen. I just heard that my uncle wants to facilitate a collaboration between Horton Group and the Allen Family, but there¡¯s still no connection.¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately understood.


    Jake Horton wanted to use the Allen Family to boost his status in the Horton Group.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask my mom later.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Isla Olsen calmed her emotions.


    As long as she could marry into the Horton Family, what was two million, after all?


    She needed to think of a way to connect with the Allen Family!


    Mrs. Olsen was staying in the second-level VIP ward, Old Mrs. Horton was on the third floor, and Keira Olsen and Isla Olsen were walking up the stairs together.


    As they turned onto the second floor, they suddenly saw a mother and son having a conversation ahead.


    The mother said joyfully, ¡°Your aunt just called, she has introduced you to someone wealthy¡­ Go home now for the matchmaking!¡±


    The son complained, ¡°Mom, as long as my wife has surgery, she can be cured. Why should I go matchmaking?¡±


    The mother said anxiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the nurse? The surgery costs five hundred thousand, and there will definitely be a lot of money needed for aftercare. Where would our family get that much money!¡±


    After a moment of thought, the son said, ¡°Let¡¯s sell the house, she bought it with her dowry.¡±


    The mother scolded with frustration, ¡°We can¡¯t sell the house. If she dies, you can still find someone better with a house. If there¡¯s no house, then you¡¯ll have nothing! You¡¯ve been together for two years, consider this house as compensation for your youth!¡±


    The son was taken aback, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit much? She fell out with her family because of me.¡±


    The mother sneered, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why no one cares whether she lives or dies since she hasn¡¯t had any contact with her family for the past two years, and has no one to support her in the future.¡±


    She lowered her voice, ¡°We¡¯ll just say we¡¯re broke, take her back, and if she doesn¡¯t survive three days, once she¡¯s buried, you can marry the girl you met on the matchmaking date¡­ The one now has wide hips, good for bearing children! She won¡¯t end up like this one, a lady in health but a servant in fate!¡±


    The son narrowed his eyes, his interest piqued, ¡°Then let¡¯s not treat her!¡±


    Though they spoke in hushed tones, the silence and echoes in the corridor meant Keira Olsen heard everything loud and clear.


    She stopped in her tracks. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She felt the mother-in-law was too malicious and the husband repugnant.


    She didn¡¯t know who the unfortunate girl was that had encountered such a despicable pair.


    Just as this thought crossed her mind, she sensed something, looked down the corridor and saw a pale, frail girl in a hospital gown standing at the door.


    The mother and son saw her too, their expressions changing drastically.


    The son blurted out, ¡°Rebecca¡­¡±


    The girl named Rebecca said, ¡°Call my dad, he will pay for my medical bills¡­¡±


    The mother sneered, ¡°We¡¯ve called already, but the moment they saw it was my son¡¯s number, they hung up and wouldn¡¯t pick up again. You cut ties with them, what do you want with them now?¡±


    Leaning against the wall, Rebecca could barely stand, shaking uncontrollably, seemingly lacking the strength to speak, she said to the son, ¡°Then give me the cell phone, I will call my brother¡­¡±


    The son¡¯s gaze flickered, ¡°Stop making a fuss, you¡¯re so sick, the doctor said you can¡¯t play with the phone.¡±


    Decisively he said, ¡°Mom, go handle the discharge procedure, I¡¯ll take her home.¡±


    Rebecca tried to run, but she was too weak and collapsed to the floor. With the last bit of her strength, she grabbed onto Isla Olsen¡¯s leg, her voice as faint as a mosquito¡¯s, pleading for help, ¡°Please call my brother, I¡¯m begging you¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen was heading to the second floor, which made her closer to the corridor than Keira. Grabbed by her, instead of feeling any sympathy, Isla immediately pulled back her leg!


    She rolled her eyes in disgust, ¡°What are you doing? For a man, you broke off relations with your family. Love makes you foolish and there are consequences. You¡¯ve brought this on yourself!¡±


    The mother and son, seeing that she wasn¡¯t interfering, breathed a sigh of relief.


    The son picked up Rebecca, ¡°Rebecca Allen, your parents don¡¯t want you anymore, I¡¯m your only legal guardian now, you can only listen to me!¡±


    Rebecca Allen despaired¡­


    She knew that going home with mother and son meant death¡­


    But she didn¡¯t want to die; she knew she was wrong, she wanted to see her brother, wanted her parents¡­


    Regretful tears rolled down her cheeks as Rebecca Allen closed her eyes.


    Just when she thought her life was about to freeze in place, a low and indifferent voice said, ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Rebecca Allen opened her eyes only to see that beautiful figure walking out of the shadowy staircase.


    The beautiful woman¡¯s expressionless face came right up to her, ¡°The phone number.¡±


    Tears poured down Rebecca Allen¡¯s face!


    The mother yelled, ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t meddle in other people¡¯s business!¡±


    The son chimed in, ¡°Even if you call, it¡¯s no use, nobody will pick up.¡±


    Keira Olsen, however, only looked at Rebecca Allen, ¡°The number.¡±


    In a weak voice, Rebecca Allen rattled off a string of digits.


    Keira Olsen took out her cell phone and made the call.


    The call was quickly answered, and a cool, young man¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Hello, this is Frankie Allen.¡±


    Without hesitation, Keira Olsen stated, ¡°Rebecca Allen is critically ill and requires immediate surgery.¡±


    The voice on the other end immediately turned panicked and anxious, and she heard the sound of the man running as he urgently asked, ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Keira Olsen gave the name of the hospital.


    The man said, ¡°I¡¯m in Oceanion on a business trip, I can be there in half an hour!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After hanging up, Keira Olsen faced the mother and son, her tone firm, ¡°No one is taking her anywhere until her brother arrives.¡±


    Once she finished, Isla Olsen scoffed, ¡°Really sticking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong, be careful her family comes and they pin the blame on you!¡±

 Chapter 46 - 46

    Chapter 46: Chapter 46


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed as she asked, ¡°My brother, he¡­¡±


    ¡°He said he would be here in half an hour, don¡¯t worry.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rebecca only felt a sour taste filling her chest.


    She met and fell in love with her husband in college; after graduation, her parents and brother disagreed with their marriage, but ultimately, under her husband¡¯s passionate vows, she disregarded her parents¡¯ objections and followed him to Oceanion.


    Over the past two years, her brother and parents had called her countless times, urging her to come home.


    She said she wanted to show them how happy she could be in Oceanion.


    ...


    Her parents fell silent, but her brother had only one condition: she should not reveal her family background to her husband, to test their relationship for two years.


    She was the pearl in the palm of the Allen Family, coddled and pampered by her parents, never having lifted a finger at home.


    After moving to Oceanion, under the guidance of her mother-in-law, she strove to be a good wife and mother.


    Every time she called her mother, declaring that she had learned to cook, clean, and scrub the floors spotless, her mother would cry out, saying that she wasn¡¯t raised in luxury to do such things.


    But she didn¡¯t care.


    As long as she could get through two years, she could bring her husband back home for a family reunion.


    Yet she never expected that she could nearly die here!


    All over a mere half a million¡­


    At this moment, she finally understood what her parents meant.


    It was she, their daughter, who felt unworthy!


    Rebecca tried to look at Keira Olsen again.


    She wanted to remember this face, the face of her benefactor!!


    Just then, she heard her husband¡¯s voice, ¡°Do you think by helping her, her brother will bring you benefits? Dream on, her family has no money either. Even if he does come, knowing the cost, he will probably give up! As for you, they would still find you a meddlesome nuisance!¡±


    Rebecca felt a darkness before her eyes from anger as she desperately pleaded, ¡°My brother won¡¯t ignore me¡­ Honey, my family has money¡­ For the sake of all our years together, please hand me over to my brother, I don¡¯t need the house anymore, it¡¯s yours¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®your house¡¯?¡± Her husband said with a cruel tone, ¡°That¡¯s our marital property, we bought it after getting married! Besides, you were so eager to elope with me right after college graduation, probably because your own family didn¡¯t love you, leaving you love-starved, right? In these two years, I¡¯ve never once seen you in touch with your family. How could your brother possibly care about you?¡±


    Eager to elope?


    Rebecca felt a surge of rage strike her heart, unable to catch her breath, she fainted!


    Seeing her as if she had stopped breathing, Keira Olsen stepped forward, ¡°She needs to be resuscitated!¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need any resuscitation!¡± her husband abruptly stepped back, shouting, ¡°My wife once said she didn¡¯t want to die in an ugly way. If she ever got seriously ill, she would choose to die naturally, without any life-saving measures! Don¡¯t interfere with our family affairs!¡±


    Hearing this, Keira clenched her fists tight.


    This man was truly vicious!


    Then the mother-in-law rushed forward, standing between Keira and the man, ¡°What are you doing? Everyone, come quickly and judge this matter. My daughter-in-law is on her last breath, and her only wish is to die at home, but this person won¡¯t let us leave!¡±


    Her voice was loud, and her shouting immediately attracted the surrounding patients and nurses.


    Seeing this, the mother-in-law cried even harder, ¡°Oh my daughter-in-law, why is your life so hard! If it wasn¡¯t for this meddler dragging things out, wasting time, you wouldn¡¯t have breathed your last here in the hospital!¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned, knowing that arguing with them now was just wasting time.


    She rushed to her husband and reached out to grab Rebecca Allen who was no longer breathing!


    The husband wanted to step back, but Keira Olsen swiftly dislocated his arm.


    Rebecca Allen slipped from his embrace, was caught by Keira Olsen, laid flat on the ground, and she immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation!


    The head nurse, hearing the commotion, rushed over: ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    The grandmother began to cry out, her voice deafening: ¡°Head nurse, please help us! My son and daughter-in-law gave up on resuscitation, and this stranger insists on stopping us¡­¡±


    With a dislocated arm and drenched in cold sweat from pain, the husband also urgently shouted, ¡°The guardian of my wife is me. Before she died, she said that being sick was too painful, she did not want to be resuscitated, and she wanted to die with dignity. But look at what this woman is doing? Doesn¡¯t my wife even have the right to refuse treatment?¡±


    The head nurse furrowed her brows and walked over to Keira Olsen: ¡°Madam, you¡­¡±


    While performing CPR, Keira Olsen said, ¡°This woman does not want to die. I¡¯ve called her brother, and he will be here soon.¡±


    The head nurse, also anxious to save a life, immediately said, ¡°Her brother is also her relative and counts as a guardian. If her brother does not give up on resuscitation, then resuscitation can continue!¡±


    This statement made the husband and the grandmother pause.


    Isla Olsen watched from the side and slowly spoke, ¡°Kiera, don¡¯t force others against their will here. Even if she is saved, the surgery alone will cost 500,000, and who knows how much money will be required for rehabilitation afterwards. The family of the deceased and the husband have already given up. Why did you have to call her brother? Even if he comes, what then? Every family has their struggles; you can¡¯t morally kidnap others here¡­¡±


    The husband suddenly understood something and immediately began to wail, ¡°We don¡¯t have money, and the brother-in-law¡¯s family hasn¡¯t either! Just the surgery is 500,000, and each month¡¯s treatment costs add up to 60,000¡­ My wife didn¡¯t want to burden us or her family¡­ I am so useless, I can only watch my wife die! Wuu wuu wuu!¡±


    The crying of a grown man was even more moving.


    Every year in the hospital, countless patients choose to give up treatment. They have the right to choose death, and the people around immediately began to accuse:


    ¡°This young girl is clearly a recent graduate, not yet hardened by society, oblivious to life¡¯s hardships¡­¡±


    ¡°Too naive, her fervor is just delaying the funeral¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t this considered desecration of a corpse?¡±


    The grandmother continued to shout: ¡°Everyone, come and help pull her off¡­ Security! Come quick, there¡¯s someone violating a corpse here!¡±


    When security came and was about to pull Keira Olsen away, she suddenly turned her head, her fierce gaze sweeping over everyone present: ¡°You are plotting for money and causing death!!¡±


    The security guard hesitated.


    But the grandmother took the chance to rush over, grabbed a handful of Keira Olsen¡¯s hair, and started dragging her to the side: ¡°Let go of my daughter-in-law, don¡¯t touch her body!¡±


    She absolutely could not let Rebecca Allen be revived!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s scalp was torn fiercely, but the CPR was at a critical moment. She dared not let go, regardless of everything else she continued to resuscitate Rebecca Allen.


    She was pinched several times by the grandmother but paid no attention to these¡­


    Isla Olsen snorted.


    Keira Olsen was truly foolish; a well-intentioned act gone awry. These two, mother and son, were clearly not to be trifilled with. She had embroiled herself in big trouble!


    At this moment, several luxury cars swiftly drove into the hospital grounds below.


    Before the cars had even stopped, a tall man jumped out.


    Frankie Allen¡¯s expression was fierce as he, accompanied by seven or eight black-suited bodyguards, quickly rushed up the stairs!

 Chapter 47 - 47

    Chapter 47: Chapter 47


    Frankie Allen sprinted to the second floor, and at first glance, he saw his sister lying flat on the ground, receiving CPR!


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s complexion was pale, her body powerless, the sight of which made his entire heart leap.


    This is a hospital, why use the most primitive methods to save a patient?


    Where are the machines?


    Why aren¡¯t they using machines?


    A myriad of questions flashed through Frankie¡¯s mind, followed by the sight of a middle-aged woman beating the woman performing CPR on his sister¡­


    ...


    While yanking her hair, the woman roared, ¡°Get away from her, my daughter-in-law doesn¡¯t need resuscitation! Wouldn¡¯t it be better to let her go just like that? Our family can¡¯t afford her medical bills, are you trying to push us to our deaths?¡±


    Rebecca¡¯s husband also stood by, saying, ¡°The admission fee is 500,000, and then it¡¯s 60,000 a month for treatment. I¡¯m a useless husband. Even if you manage to revive my wife, our family will still face these difficulties¡­ My brother-in-law doesn¡¯t have money either, otherwise why would my wife opt to give up¡­¡±


    Frankie¡¯s face turned dark in an instant.


    A deadly intent wrapped around his entire being!!


    The man in charge of the Allen Family grasped the message from just those two sentences.


    His sister, who had grown up pampered and lived in luxury, with jewelry in her room each worth no less than 500,000, was now being driven to her death by her husband and mother-in-law over 500,000?!


    With this thought, he didn¡¯t stop his steps and rushed to Rebecca Allen¡¯s side.


    Seeing that Keira Olsen steadfastly remained in place, and the fingers of Rebecca Allen on the floor moved slightly, obviously revived, her mother-in-law, enraged, reached out her hand to claw at Keira¡¯s face!


    Her nails were long, clearly intending to scar the woman¡¯s face!


    Keira, noting that Rebecca¡¯s heart had resumed beating and also the old woman¡¯s intentions, had a sharp look in her eyes and quickly turned her head. She caught the woman¡¯s wrist, about to strike back, when¡­


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A stranger suddenly extended a foot and viciously kicked the old woman in the chest!


    The mother-in-law was kicked so hard she flew backwards, then crashed to the ground. She clutched her chest, unable to speak for a moment. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The husband, seeing this, pointed at Frankie and cursed, ¡°Who are you? How dare you! Not only are you tormenting my wife¡¯s body here, but now you even attack my mother! I¡¯m calling the police, I¡¯ll report you!¡±


    Body¡­


    Furious, Frankie delivered a kick that sent the husband flying, then he turned to the bodyguards following him and snarled, ¡°Give them a good lesson, then call the police and say this mother and son duo were after the money and killed her!!¡±


    Leaving that command, he took three steps to reach Rebecca¡¯s side, crouched down, and said, ¡°Rebecca, big brother is here, wake up¡­¡±


    Recognizing the man¡¯s identity, Keira Olsen slowly said, ¡°Her heart has restarted, but she needs immediate surgery.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Frankie, having already contacted the doctor on the way, said this and picked Rebecca up, striding away rapidly.


    After the police arrived, they quickly confirmed that the mother-in-law and husband were indeed plotting for the inheritance and arrested them both. The onlooking crowd, now aware of the truth, gave Keira Olsen thumbs up one after another.


    Keira remained there to facilitate giving her statement to the police.


    After signing her name on the statement, she turned to leave, only to see Isla Olsen still standing behind her.


    Isla¡¯s brows were furrowed.


    That ¡°brother¡± who just arrived seemed extraordinary. If she had known, she would have made the call for her love-struck friend.


    It was all Keira¡¯s fault for stealing her moment!


    But then again¡­


    A mocking glint appeared in her eyes as she said, ¡°Keira, I never thought you were so eager to climb up in life. Seeing that love-brained man comes from a remarkable background, you must have put in all this effort to save him, right? Too bad, the ¡®brother¡¯ didn¡¯t even spare you a proper glance!¡±


    After her taunt, she finally headed towards Mrs. Olsen¡¯s ward.


    Keira watched her retreating figure, thinking of how she had twisted truths and lies here, and now spoke only of personal advantage, considering the woman to be venomous at heart.


    Not to mention that just before, Rebecca¡¯s life had been hanging by a thread, and her brother surely would have taken her straight to surgery. Keira¡¯s act of saving her wasn¡¯t for any repayment.


    She touched her scalp¡­ and sharply inhaled a breath of cold air.


    Her hair had been pulled so painfully by that old woman just now.


    She pressed down on her hair, which was as messy as a bird¡¯s nest at the moment, and silently sighed. She took out her phone, sent a message to Lewis Horton, and decided to go downstairs and return home.


    In the VIP ward on the third floor.


    Lewis Horton thought about the scene in the car and still felt his heart rate accelerating.


    He frowned and suppressed the palpitations in his chest.


    His gaze turned towards the door, but the girl was taking her time to come in¡­


    Was she¡­ feeling shy too?


    As the thought crossed his mind, he frowned slightly.


    Too?


    It was well over half an hour before he received a WhatsApp message from Kiera Olsen: [Mr. Horton, something came up, and I¡¯m going home to stay for the night.]


    Seeing this message, Lewis Horton felt an inexplicable sense of relief.


    But his brows knitted together involuntarily.


    What could she possibly be up to?


    ¡­


    Kiera Olsen took a cab home, took a shower, and used a lot of conditioner in her hair until she finally managed to comb it smooth.


    Looking at the hair that had fallen on the floor, her heart ached a little.


    Hair contains iron too, you know?


    For dinner, she had a plate of stir-fried liver, nourishing herself thoroughly, before she took out her laptop to continue with the unfinished work from the company.


    The night passed without incident.


    The next day, Kiera Olsen arrived at the company early.


    She ran into Jalen Riley at the entrance. He had gone home to catch some sleep, his dark circles had dissipated significantly, and he was not as irritable. Seeing her alight from the taxi, he let out a sigh of relief:


    ¡°I went home last night and the more I thought about it, the more something seemed off. If your cousin drove you home, could it be that you two are living together? Thank goodness you didn¡¯t come to work with your cousin this morning.¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    In fact, she usually did come to work with him.


    But she didn¡¯t explain.


    Jalen Riley walked up beside her, glanced at her, and said with feigned indifference, ¡°I know why my cousin looked so terrible yesterday. I heard he¡¯s going to cooperate with the Allen Family, but the head of the Allen Family, Frankie Allen, doesn¡¯t seem to get along with my cousin. He¡¯s coming to the company to discuss business today, so my cousin must be quite stressed out!¡±


    Kiera Olsen paused slightly.


    Frankie Allen? What was the name of Rebecca Allen¡¯s brother who she saved yesterday?


    She hadn¡¯t noticed that outside the entrance, Frankie Allen had entered the Horton Group with his secretary in tow.


    His sister¡¯s surgery was very successful, and she woke up this morning. Seeing her parents, who had rushed over during the night, they all wept together in each other¡¯s arms.


    Afterward, his sister asked him where her savior was¡­


    A night had passed, and that savior had long returned home.


    Seeing his sister anxious, Frankie promised that he would find this benefactor and offer a heartfelt thanks!


    He had witnessed firsthand how fiercely that young lady had fought to save his sister, so to say that the Allen Family owed that young lady a debt of a human life was no exaggeration.


    He just didn¡¯t know what the lady did for a living or where she worked?


    As he pondered this, he suddenly caught sight of Kiera Olsen waiting for the elevator!

 Chapter 48 - 48

    Chapter 48: Chapter 48


    Frankie Allen slightly startled.


    The benefactor he met at the hospital yesterday had her hair messed up by Rebecca¡¯s mother-in-law, making it hard for him to see her face clearly.


    But this girl in front of him looked so much like her!


    Frankie Allen hurriedly took a few steps forward, wanting to get closer to confirm.


    Just then, the elevator arrived, and Keira Olsen and Jalen Riley entered.


    By the time he got there, he only saw the elevator doors slowly closing.


    ...


    ¡­It really was unfortunate.


    Frankie Allen didn¡¯t hurry because the benefactor had called him last night and left her phone number.


    After he finished the negotiations with Horton Group, he could call the benefactor and discuss with his family how to thank her.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t see Frankie Allen, and entered Research and Development Team One with Jalen Riley.


    As soon as she entered the office, she saw her colleagues, one after another, looking sullen and frantically typing at their computers:


    ¡°Tomorrow is Friday already, asking us to submit the proposal, Vice President Horton is really making it tough on people!¡±


    ¡°I think we could just give up and accept mockery; it¡¯s simply an impossible task for anyone.¡±


    ¡°Did the team leader go home to sleep last night, does that mean she has given up?¡±


    ¡°Ah~ I wonder how Mr. Olsen is doing? Can he bring us a surprise?¡±


    Luca Barker immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, it¡¯s too much pressure on the junior, as impressive as she is, she can¡¯t compare to Dr. South, age is just a number¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.


    Then seeing Keira Olsen and Jalen Riley enter, the group immediately started gossiping excitedly: ¡°Team leader, did you attend the gathering yesterday, did you meet Dr. South?¡±


    Jalen Riley rolled his eyes: ¡°Dr. South attending that kind of gathering? If he dared show up, a group of people would surely eat him alive!¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Did you meet Mr. Morgan? Did he mention what area Dr. South is currently researching?¡±


    ¡°That didn¡¯t happen.¡± Jalen Riley suddenly looked towards Keira Olsen, ¡°But we can ask privately, Keira Olsen has a good relationship with him.¡±


    ¡°What?! Mr. Olsen, you actually know Samuel Morgan! Ahh, does that round up to knowing Dr. South?¡±


    Several people looked at Keira Olsen in unison: ¡°Mr. Olsen, if you have a chance, could you introduce us to Dr. South?¡±


    Keira Olsen swept her gaze over the group, each of their faces brimming with joy and anticipation.


    She slightly curled her lips: ¡°Sure, perhaps we could even work together.¡±


    With that, everyone immediately laughed:


    ¡°Let¡¯s not even think about that, it¡¯s too daring to imagine!¡±


    ¡°Just to admire Dr. South¡¯s style would be satisfying!¡±


    ¡°If we could get his guidance, it would also be extremely beneficial!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Everyone chatted and laughed, but finally began to work under Jalen Riley¡¯s roar.


    Keira Olsen carried her laptop to her own separate office. Just as she was about to enter the room, Jalen Riley suddenly called her back: ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it, the intensity of this project is far beyond our team¡¯s capabilities, and the leaders have seen it, they won¡¯t let Jake Horton truly discourage an entire group of people.¡±


    Listening to his reassurance, Keira Olsen smiled: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, trust me.¡±


    Jake Horton stood outside the office, staring fixedly at Keira Olsen.


    The girl¡¯s features were excessively beautiful, and her confident, bold smile was reminiscent of her college days, as if any hardship could be lightly overcome in her presence.


    But where did her confidence come from?


    Such a challenging task, aside from Dr. South, no one could complete it so quickly!


    He turned around, walked to the break area, and took out his phone to call Isla Olsen: ¡°Can Dr. South really send me the solution before tomorrow?¡±


    Keira Olsen nervously thought of delaying time, ¡°Jake, Dr. South has been very busy lately and has been overseas¡­¡±


    Jake Horton sounded agitated, ¡°If we delay further, Keira Olsen and her team will have solved the problem!¡±


    Keira¡¯s voice was laced with panic, ¡°I¡¯ll urge him again.¡±


    Jake Horton suddenly narrowed his eyes, ¡°Keira, you aren¡¯t deceiving me, are you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll go and urge Dr. South right now.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Keira was frantically pacing.


    For the past few days, she had been using Mrs. Olsen¡¯s email to message Dr. South, but his replies were heartless, outright stating that he was on a business trip and not to disturb him!


    Tomorrow she definitely wouldn¡¯t have a solution, and then, when Jake Horton saw her as no longer of any use, he might call off the engagement¡­


    No!


    She would never allow that to happen.


    Her eyes suddenly filled with determination, she entered the hospital room and looked at Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Mom, do you know anyone from the Allen Family in Clance? Jake wants to connect with them.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s condition had been very stable these past few days, and she was due to be discharged tomorrow.


    She was initially reading a book on her hospital bed. At Keira¡¯s words, her fingers tightened slightly, but then she lifted her head and said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t know them.¡±


    A flicker passed through Keira¡¯s eyes.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s reaction was clearly one of recognition, yet she didn¡¯t want to introduce her!


    This selfish woman didn¡¯t deserve to be a mother.


    She was nothing like Poppy Hill, who had been utterly compliant with her from a young age!


    Now that Mrs. Olsen refused to help her, what was she supposed to do?


    Keira was genuinely panicking.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen hadn¡¯t taken full control of the whole project, as colleagues from her team had helped a lot.


    By the time they were leaving work, the entire solution was almost finalized and just needed to be fine-tuned.


    Keira Olsen, carrying her laptop, headed to the underground parking lot and got into Lewis Horton¡¯s Bentley, but didn¡¯t see him there.


    The driver explained, ¡°Mr. Horton has business to attend to tonight, he asked me to take Miss Olsen home first.¡±


    Keira didn¡¯t think much of it, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Only that night, Lewis Horton didn¡¯t come back.


    The next day.


    Keira Olsen went to work in high spirits, carrying the solution she had finalized the night before.


    Just as she arrived at the R&D department, she saw Jake Horton with a coffee in the break area, clearly waiting for her, ¡°Keira Olsen, just a friendly reminder, today is the last day. If you haven¡¯t submitted the solution by the end of work, then you¡¯ll have to stand by your words as I¡¯ll have won our bet!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Does this man seriously have nothing better to do?


    She rolled her eyes and walked to her office, but Jake Horton followed, ¡°Stick with me, and you won¡¯t be at a loss. At least, I could introduce you to Dr. South¡­¡±


    Keira scoffed, ¡°Really unnecessary.¡±


    Jake Horton snapped angrily, ¡°I know you¡¯ve climbed up the ranks with Samuel Morgan, and think you no longer need my connections. But do you think Samuel Morgan will introduce you to Dr. South? He just sees you as an object! If he had any genuine feelings for you, he would help solve your problems!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need help.¡±


    Jake Horton chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t need it? Just because a few people call you a genius, do you really consider yourself on par with Dr. South, thinking you can come up with the solution?¡±


    ¡°My solution is already complete.¡±


    Keira Olsen stopped in her tracks, her tone mocking and borderline amused, ¡°On the other hand, Vice President Horton, have you received Dr. South¡¯s solution yet?¡±

 Chapter 49 - 49

    Chapter 49: Chapter 49


    Jake Horton exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°You¡¯ve completed it? How is that possible?¡±


    He had graduated with a degree in energy studies and understood the complexity involved!


    That¡¯s why, when Isla Olsen said Dr. South needed time and had not yet sent the solution to him until now, he didn¡¯t think there was anything amiss.


    How could Kiera Olsen have completed it so quickly?


    Kiera Olsen narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯ll organize it and send it to you in a bit, then you¡¯ll know. Jake Horton, don¡¯t forget what you promised me!¡±


    With those words, she entered a set of offices.


    ...


    As soon as she walked in, she was surrounded by team members.


    Luca Barker looked at Jake Horton warily, ¡°Junior, did he belittle you again using Dr. South?¡±


    The others immediately said:


    ¡°Mr. Olsen, don¡¯t stoop to his level!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, to have this ability at our age is already top-notch! No comparing with Dr. South~¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really amazing! So young and yet better than all of us here!¡±


    Jalen Riley came out of the office.


    Judging by his appearance, it seemed that he hadn¡¯t gone home last night and had slept in the office.


    With his brow furrowed, he also looked towards Kiera Olsen, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t sleep all night yesterday. I¡¯ve roughly figured out how to solve the problem. If I work overtime today, even if I can¡¯t provide a complete solution, I can provide an idea¡­ something to show for our efforts¡­¡±


    He had also sent a message on WhatsApp to his cousin explaining the situation within the R&D department.


    His cousin would take care of the difficulties Group One was facing imposed by Vice President Horton!


    Kiera Olsen felt reassured by their concerned words.


    She smiled and said, ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already completed it.¡±


    Jalen Riley waved his hands, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this, I¡¯ll communicate with¡­ What?¡±


    Suddenly, his eyes widened, ¡°You¡¯ve completed it?¡±


    The rest of the employees were also incredulous, looking at her, ¡°Mr. Olsen, what did you just say? Did I hear wrong? Or am I just hallucinating from exhaustion?¡±


    Luca Barker also said with a wry smile, ¡°Junior, you¡¯re joking with us, right?¡±


    Kiera Olsen laughed, ¡°I¡¯ll send an email immediately, which will be copied to everyone.¡±


    She took her laptop into the office.


    Group One¡¯s members and Jalen Riley still stood there, exchanging looks of disbelief.


    It wasn¡¯t until the sound of an email notification came from someone¡¯s computer that they returned to their desks and opened their inboxes!


    And indeed, Kiera Olsen had sent an email.


    Everyone immediately downloaded the attachment and quickly opened it, and upon seeing the content, they were astounded.


    For a time, Group One was silent, not a sound to be heard.


    Seeing everyone focused on the solution, Kiera Olsen quietly stepped out and headed to the top floor.


    Her work done, she wanted to find Lewis Horton and take back the neurology book to read.


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten about creating medicine for Old Mrs. Horton.


    On the top floor, inside the office.


    Lewis Horton was reviewing documents when Tom Davis suddenly entered, ¡°Boss, Miss Olsen is here to see you.¡±


    His hand paused, and his pen scratched across the paper. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At a certain spot on his back, he once again felt a soft touch that started to grow warmer.


    He pressed his lips together, his voice low, ¡°Enter.¡±


    Kiera Olsen walked in to see Lewis Horton sitting there quietly. The man didn¡¯t look up, speaking gently, ¡°I¡¯m aware of the Research and Development department¡¯s situation. It¡¯s alright if you can¡¯t come up with a solution. The company has a full set of regulations and will protect your legal rights.¡±


    Kiera Olsen laughed, ¡°I didn¡¯t come here because of the R&D department, I came because I missed you¡­¡±


    She paused mid-sentence as a tickle suddenly caught in her throat, forcing her to pause.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s hand twitched, and a freshly printed document was signed wrongly.


    A tightness grew in his throat as he lifted his gaze slowly, but saw Kiera Olsen clearing her throat and continuing, ¡°¡­ missed the opportunity for you to lend me the book you borrowed from the library.¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    He silently exhaled a sigh of relief but felt a vague sense of regret deep down.


    He casually picked up the book from his desk and handed it to Kiera Olsen. As she took it, he spoke faintly, ¡°Try not to gasp when you talk next time.¡±


    Kiera Olsen, overjoyed, received the book, oblivious to the man¡¯s odd behavior, and casually said, ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±


    She turned and walked out.


    It was only after she left the room that Lewis Horton finally lowered his gaze.


    He let out a low chuckle.


    The girl clearly hadn¡¯t taken the kiss in the car to heart, while he had been awkward about it for two days, which was really¡­ self-conscious.


    Moreover, he had almost forgotten that Kiera Olsen had a boyfriend.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression turned cold, regaining his usual composure and calm.


    ¡­


    Now that the R&D department¡¯s work was complete, Kiera Olsen completely let go and spent the entire day studying Alzheimer¡¯s disease.


    Near the end of the workday, the quiet Group One office finally saw some movement.


    The R&D department¡¯s general manager and a scowling Jake Horton walked in.


    Just as Jalen Riley had verified Kiera Olsen¡¯s solution completely and found no issues with it, he excitedly said to the general manager, ¡°Our group has struck gold this time. Kiera Olsen¡¯s solution is surely no worse than Dr. South¡¯s!¡±


    The general manager frowned while Jake Horton sneered, ¡°Yeah, her submitted solution is no worse than Dr. South¡¯s, after all, it¡¯s identical!¡±


    Jalen Riley was initially caught off guard, ¡°Haha, she is as impressive as Dr. South¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he suddenly froze, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It means she stole Dr. South¡¯s solution!!¡±


    After Jake Horton spat out these words, he sneered at Kiera Olsen, ¡°I received Dr. South¡¯s solution in the afternoon, and it¡¯s nearly identical to yours! I was wondering how you seemed so confident; it turns out you had this planned all along! Do you think that just because you emailed it earlier, the solution becomes yours? Kiera Olsen, you really are foolish if you thought changing a few details would prevent us from noticing, huh? Dared to steal from Dr. South?¡±


    Jalen Riley furrowed his brow, ¡°There must be some misunderstanding here. Kiera Olsen has been working with us in the company these past few days; part of the content was even completed by us¡­¡±


    Even though, this part only accounted for twenty percent of the entire solution.


    As soon as he spoke, Jake Horton quickly retorted, ¡°What misunderstanding? If both solutions are identical, is it not Kiera Olsen who stole from Dr. South, or is it Dr. South who stole from Kiera Olsen?! Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡±


    One is a respected doctor, and the other a recent bachelor¡¯s graduate ¨C it goes without saying who is more trustworthy.


    Jalen Riley was left speechless.


    Kiera Olsen listened to their conversation with a furrowed brow.


    Dr. South would not have sent Jake Horton an email, so the only possibility was¡­


    Someone had forged her solution to appear as if it were Dr. South¡¯s!


    Was Jake Horton trying to use this to suppress her and Group One?


    Absurd.


    Kiera Olsen said indifferently, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a third possibility?¡±

 Chapter 50 - 50

    Chapter 50: Chapter 50


    The General Manager paused slightly, ¡°What¡¯s the third possibility?¡±


    Yet Jake Horton¡¯s voice was harsh, ¡°Kiera Olsen, stop quibbling here. I advise you to just admit your mistake. The company might consider your first offense and go easy on your punishment!¡±


    Jalen Riley immediately looked at her, ¡°Kiera Olsen, if you have any explanation, make it quick. What exactly happened?¡±


    Kiera Olsen slowly said, ¡°There¡¯s another possibility, that Jake Horton never received Dr. South¡¯s proposal. He¡¯s framing me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At these words, Jalen Riley glared at Jake Horton.


    ...


    But Jake Horton, as if he hadn¡¯t expected her to say this, replied with a chuckle, ¡°When we were at school, I never noticed how thick-skinned you were. Of course, I have gathered enough evidence to accuse you!¡±


    Jalen Riley asked, ¡°What evidence?¡±


    Jake Horton took out his smartphone, opened a screenshot, and handed it to Jalen Riley, ¡°This is the proposal that Dr. South sent to Isla Olsen last night. Isla Olsen was delayed and only forwarded it to me in the afternoon. From the timestamp, Dr. South¡¯s submission was earlier than Kiera Olsen¡¯s! If that¡¯s not enough to clarify things, I have eyewitness testimony!¡±


    Kiera Olsen narrowed her eyes.


    So it wasn¡¯t Jake Horton playing tricks, but Isla Olsen!


    She thought carefully, and remembered that after work yesterday, as she passed by the second floor of the in-patient department, Mrs. Olsen had gone for a check-up, and Isla Olsen, unfortunately, had a stomach ache and she had accompanied her¡­


    At that time, her laptop had been left in the ward.


    But her computer was password protected, how did Isla Olsen know it?


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s fingers tightened slightly.


    ¡°Nothing to say now, eh?¡±


    Jake Horton sneered and turned to the General Manager, ¡°This act is too despicable, the company must take a serious stand against Kiera Olsen! If necessary, we can call the police! After all, if she dares to steal Dr. South¡¯s work, if Dr. South knows about this, he may never cooperate with the Horton Group again!¡±


    The General Manager quickly said, ¡°Such a scandal would be bad for the company too, let¡¯s hold off on calling the police. The Administrative Department has already closed for the day. How about this, let¡¯s go to the Administrative Department next Monday and hand over the evidence, and then we will see what actions to take!¡±


    Jake Horton didn¡¯t oppose, but he looked meaningfully at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Then take these next few days to think about it, if you realize your mistake, you can come to me. If you admit your fault sincerely, I might consider not going public with this and just treating it as a minor misunderstanding¡­ of course, if you refuse to repent, then don¡¯t blame me for not caring about our school ties!¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leaving behind this insinuation, he and the General Manager left with brisk steps.


    After they left, the development team members gathered around Kiera Olsen, ¡°There must be some misunderstanding, Mr. Olsen, didn¡¯t you ask Samuel Morgan for help?¡±


    Kiera Olsen felt a warmth in her heart as she saw that no one was blaming her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will prove my innocence.¡±


    She wanted to reveal her identity and tell everyone the truth, and all this misunderstanding would be cleared up.


    But considering how Jalen Riley had not believed her at all when she had told him before¡­


    And the patent certificate required to prove her identity, along with the company seal, had been taken by Samuel Morgan abroad for a partnership discussion.


    He was supposed to be back next Monday.


    At this thought, her eyes curved slightly as she looked at her colleagues around her.


    By then, the expressions on everyone¡¯s faces were sure to be amusing¡­


    After work, Kiera Olsen headed to the underground parking lot.


    She got into the Bentley with practiced ease, and yet didn¡¯t see Lewis Horton.


    Tom Davis was in the passenger seat, ¡°The boss has a meeting, and once that¡¯s over, we¡¯ll go back.¡±


    Keira Olsen immediately said, ¡°Then I can take a taxi.¡±


    ¡°No need, the boss asked to drop you off first.¡± Tom Davis instructed the driver to start the car, then gave her a glance and said dissatisfiedly, ¡°Miss Olsen, don¡¯t rush things. Dr. South isn¡¯t someone you can meddle with at will. The commotion you caused in the R&D Department was really too much.¡±


    Keira Olsen raised her eyebrows but said nothing.


    Tom Davis continued, ¡°Don¡¯t think that because old Mrs. Horton and Mr. Horton protect you, you can do whatever you want. In the scientific community, theft and plagiarism are absolutely intolerable!¡±


    Keira Olsen took out her earphones, inserted them into her ears, and blocked out his voice.


    Tom Davis: ¡°¡­¡±


    The car quickly arrived at the hospital.


    Keira Olsen walked up the stairs, not expecting to be stopped on the second floor by Taylor Olsen, ¡°Shirley wants to see you.¡±


    She followed Taylor Olsen into Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital room.


    Mrs. Olsen seemed to be about to be discharged, and Aunt South had already packed the luggage, but she hadn¡¯t left, obviously waiting for her.


    When she walked in, Mrs. Olsen immediately asked anxiously, ¡°Kiera, what¡¯s this I hear about you stealing Dr. South¡¯s plans? I don¡¯t believe this is something you would do!¡±


    Taylor Olsen scornfully said, ¡°The evidence is all there. Young Master Jake, out of consideration for her being part of the Olsen family, only gave her a warning. What else is there to doubt? Shirley, you trust her too much! I¡¯ve said it before, she has Poppy Hill¡¯s blood in her¡ªhow could she be any good?!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen snapped, ¡°Shut your mouth, Kiera, speak up, what is this about?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s expression was frantic, making Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes feel slightly warm.


    She knew Mrs. Olsen truly cared about her.


    She was about to speak when Isla Olsen put on an act, ¡°Kiera, how could you be so foolish! I know you want to achieve something in the Horton Group so that old Mrs. Horton and Mr. Horton will value you more, but you can¡¯t just take without asking! If you wanted Dr. South¡¯s plans, you could have told me, I would have given them to you! How could you steal from my computer?¡±


    Steal?


    Keira Olsen scoffed.


    So the root of the problem was Isla Olsen!


    She took a step forward, ¡°Who exactly is taking without asking?¡±


    Isla Olsen played the victim, ¡°What do you mean? Are you trying to get me to cover for you? Or to say it¡¯s a coincidence your plans are the same as Dr. South¡¯s?¡±


    Keira Olsen said indifferently, ¡°Of course it¡¯s not a coincidence¡ªit¡¯s clear you stole my plans!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!!¡± Taylor Olsen, enraged, grabbed a broom from the floor and swung it at her, ¡°You messed up and now you¡¯re throwing dirt on your sister? I think you¡¯re asking for a beating!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately intervened, ¡°Taylor, don¡¯t be rash!¡±


    Taylor Olsen furiously retorted, ¡°Shirley, did you hear that? She¡¯s far too arrogant! A mere undergraduate claiming that Dr. South¡¯s complex plans are hers?! It¡¯s laughable and nothing but a fantasy! Such a calamitous daughter is not worth your concern! The evil she¡¯s done, she must face the consequences herself!¡±


    But Mrs. Olsen said, ¡°But if the Horton Group calls the police, this could lead to prison time!¡±


    Upon saying this, she took out her phone, ¡°This matter is actually very simple to handle. As long as Dr. South doesn¡¯t pursue it, there¡¯s no issue. I¡¯ll call South right now.¡±


    After finishing her sentence, she dialed Dr. South¡¯s WhatsApp voice call.

 Chapter 51 - 51

    Chapter 51: Chapter 51


    Kiera subconsciously took out her phone.


    She actually hadn¡¯t wanted to make a scene in front of Mrs. Olsen with Isla¡­


    Even if they cleared things up on Monday and it reached Mrs. Olsen¡¯s ears through someone else, it would be stronger than having a face-to-face argument like this.


    It was mainly because she was afraid that Mrs. Olsen would get too excited and it would affect her health.


    But since Mrs. Olsen had made the call, there was no need for her to keep covering for Isla¡­


    Yet, just before the call came through, Isla rushed to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s side and hung up the phone, ¡°Mom, no!¡±


    ...


    Mrs. Olsen was startled and looked at her with furrowed brows, ¡°Why not?¡±


    Isla bit her lip and said, ¡°I just finished talking with Jake, and his opinion is that we shouldn¡¯t blow this out of proportion and just handle it internally within the company. If Dr. South finds out, even if Dr. South doesn¡¯t take it out on Kiera, Horton Group will still have to punish those involved to express our apology to Dr. South, and then it would be harder to be lenient.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen paused slightly, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Isla looked again at Kiera, a gleam flashing in her eyes, ¡°Kiera, the evidence for this matter is solid, and you have directly confronted Dr. South, it¡¯s best if you admit your mistake quickly and submit a sincere letter of apology to the company. Then I won¡¯t pursue your responsibility, and with Mr. Horton smoothing things over at Horton Group, they will certainly deal with you leniently.¡±


    Hearing this, Taylor Olsen immediately advised, ¡°Shirley, did you hear that? There won¡¯t be any serious consequences for Kiera, you always worry too much¡­¡±


    Kiera cast her eyes down.


    She looked at her phone.


    She could call back now and expose the truth, but could Mrs. Olsen accept that outcome?


    What a clear and lofty person she was, whose only requirement of her children was to be healthy and upright, and not to venture down the wrong path.


    Could she accept that her daughter was actually a sly villain?


    Kiera remained silent for a while, but eventually, she looked at Mrs. Olsen and decided to prepare her, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, I¡¯m not that foolish. Not being able to complete a project is a normal capability for a person, I have no reason to steal Dr. South¡¯s plan just for some pride. Also, think about it, did Dr. South promise you he would provide technical support to Horton Group?¡±


    At those words, Mrs. Olsen pursed her lips.


    Isla then spoke, ¡°I have already explained this to mom, it was me who used mom¡¯s phone to call Dr. South without her permission, and he has agreed.¡±


    Kiera wanted to speak further, but Taylor Olsen angrily said, ¡°Kiera, you really don¡¯t know how to repent! All the care Shirley has shown you has been in vain! Isla has even decided not to pursue your responsibility, yet you¡¯re still here accusing your sister?!¡±


    He pointed towards the door, ¡°Get out!¡±


    Kiera took a deep look at Mrs. Olsen, saw her slightly furrowed brows, clearly not believing any of this, sighed softly, and turned to leave.


    Her words should give Mrs. Olsen more to think about, at least she had laid the groundwork. When the truth came out on Monday, she hoped Mrs. Olsen wouldn¡¯t be too upset¡­


    As she left the room, she heard movement behind her and turned to see Isla following her.


    Isla¡¯s gaze was flickering, ¡°Kiera, Horton Group also doesn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of this, I suggest you resign on your own, and just let this whole thing pass.¡±


    Kiera chuckled sarcastically.


    Isla had stolen her plan and now obviously wanted to quell the issue as quickly as possible.


    She spoke indifferently, ¡°We both know very well who stole whose plan, there¡¯s no need to pretend here.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla raised her chin proudly, ¡°Of course you stole mine, we have both human and material evidence, you can¡¯t deny it.¡±


    Kiera saw that she didn¡¯t look the least bit guilty, ¡°There¡¯s always a trace left by the wild goose that flies, do you really think you¡¯ve left no cracks?¡±


    Isla¡¯s gaze turned cold, ¡°Are you talking about Dr. South? Do you want Dr. South to confront this personally? Kiera, you¡¯re too naive. Such a trivial matter will not trouble Dr. South!¡±


    Her implication was that Dr. South knew nothing about this and no one would bring it up to Dr. South. This blame was pinned on Kiera for sure!


    If she weren¡¯t Dr. South herself, she would indeed be in a passive position.


    Kiera¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Isla, walk the night long enough and you¡¯re bound to meet a ghost.¡±


    Leaving these words behind, she walked away directly.


    The smile on Isla Olsen¡¯s face slowly faded until only fierceness remained.


    ¡­


    Lewis Horton was indeed in a meeting.


    The meeting ended at eight in the evening, and as he stepped out of the conference room, he caught a glimpse of a furtive figure standing not far away, Jalen Riley.


    Hearing the conference room door open, he immediately came over, ¡°Cousin, there¡¯s something I need to ask for your help with.¡±


    Lewis Horton continued walking towards the elevator without stopping, ¡°Speak.¡±


    Jalen Riley looked back to see the senior executives from the meeting consciously keeping a distance before briefly explaining the situation in the R&D department and then pleading, ¡°The young girl just graduated and wanted to achieve something great, she might have taken the wrong path, but in the end, she didn¡¯t cause any damage to the company, could you consider leniency?¡±


    Lewis Horton entered the elevator and pressed the button for the sub-basement parking garage.


    Seeing he did not respond, Jalen Riley continued, ¡°Cousin, I¡¯ve never asked you for anything, and Keira Olsen is indeed an exceptional talent, I really don¡¯t want to see her career end like this¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton gave him a cold glance, his deep eyes void of any warmth, ¡°Do you think she stole it?¡±


    Jalen Riley was momentarily stunned in place.


    ¡°Ding.¡±


    The elevator arrived.


    Lewis Horton strode out and headed straight to his car.


    Tom Davis stole glances at him through the rearview mirror, cautiously inquiring, ¡°Boss, do you think Keira Olsen didn¡¯t steal it? But if that¡¯s the case, did Dr. South steal hers?¡±


    Lewis Horton lifted his eyelids and glanced at him, remaining silent.


    Tom Davis muttered softly, ¡°You seem to trust her quite a bit.¡±


    Lewis Horton leaned back in his seat, his gaze deepening.


    It wasn¡¯t so much that he trusted her, but there was an innate pride about her that made him quite certain she wouldn¡¯t steal, nor did she need to.


    As for why her solution was identical to Dr. South¡¯s, perhaps it was because of¡­ Samuel Morgan?


    He remembered that Keira Olsen had a boyfriend and they were anxious to get married¡­


    That boyfriend, was it Samuel Morgan? S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The car soon arrived at the hospital.


    Lewis Horton walked briskly up the stairs and happened to see Keira Olsen approaching from the opposite direction.


    The light in the hallway was dim, and most of the people around were wearing striped hospital gowns, looking weary.


    Only the girl had a fair complexion, and even her languid walk carried a vibrancy, as if she was the only scenery in the hospital.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression unconsciously softened.


    The two met at Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s hospital room door, but Lewis Horton didn¡¯t enter the room, instead asking indifferently, ¡°Do you need help?¡±


    Keira Olsen paused briefly, smiling as she answered, ¡°No need.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s voice suddenly turned cold, ¡°You don¡¯t need my help, are you looking for Samuel Morgan? Indeed, I¡¯ve overstepped.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded, ¡°I do indeed need his help, he can better prove my identity.¡±


    At her words, Lewis Horton was taken aback, ¡°Your identity?¡±

 Chapter 52 - 52

    Chapter 52: Chapter 52


    Lewis Horton narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°What identity?¡±


    The identity of Samuel Morgan¡¯s girlfriend?


    In that instant, he pieced the whole matter together in his mind.


    This woman wouldn¡¯t steal the plan, and since the solution was too complex, Jalen Riley said that no one in the industry except Dr. South would be able to complete it in such a short time, so¡­


    The plan that Keira Olsen had must have been given by Samuel Morgan! But Samuel Morgan didn¡¯t inform Dr. South; otherwise, Dr. South wouldn¡¯t have sent it to Jake Horton again, leading to this misunderstanding.


    ...


    Business matters are complicated. Why would Samuel Morgan take Dr. South¡¯s plan without him knowing? And would he really clarify things for Keira Olsen?


    Lewis Horton asked uncertainly, ¡°Are you sure he will come?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°You trust him that much?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    When has Samuel Morgan ever dared to disobey Keira Olsen¡¯s orders?


    Her self-assured demeanor made Lewis Horton suddenly feel a bit irritable, feeling like the girl in front of him was love-struck.


    He suddenly said, ¡°Miss Olsen, don¡¯t forget that legally, we are still husband and wife. I don¡¯t want to hear any scandalous rumors.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    She looked at the man in slight astonishment, not understanding why he would suddenly say that.


    Seeing her reaction, Lewis Horton felt even more irritated.


    He loosened his tie and said gravely, ¡°During the duration of our marriage, I hope you will remain chaste.¡±


    Leaving those words behind, he strode into the hospital room.


    Keira Olsen: ???


    Did that man have an unsuccessful meeting today? Why the sudden mood swings, saying things that are simply nonsensical.


    Without overthinking it, she followed him into the hospital room to accompany Old Mrs. Horton.


    Outside the suite.


    Lewis Horton looked at Tom Davis, ¡°Check on Samuel Morgan.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Tom Davis was very efficient with his tasks, and within half an hour, he had gathered all of Samuel Morgan¡¯s information, ¡°Boss, I sent it to your phone.¡±


    Lewis Horton opened the file on his phone and saw the basic information about Samuel Morgan.


    He was 27 this year, a graduate of high merit from Cambridge University, and became Dr. South¡¯s agent three years ago, managing the company for him. He had been diligent and cautious in his work over the past three years, and now the company was preparing to go public.


    Lewis Horton continued to scroll down, only to find that there was nothing more.


    He frowned slightly, ¡°Is this it?¡±


    Tom Davis looked blank; he had even dug out Samuel Morgan¡¯s university transcripts ¨C did the boss still think it wasn¡¯t enough?


    He asked in confusion, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    Lewis Horton said indifferently, ¡°His personal conduct.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tom Davis¡¯s mouth fell open in surprise, but he quickly composed himself and said, ¡°I¡¯ll look into it right away.¡±


    Another half hour later, Tom Davis¡¯s information came through to Lewis Horton¡¯s phone again.


    He was generous, changing girlfriends every three months, with ex-girlfriends all praising him to no end.


    Currently, he was also vaguely involved with multiple women, far from being a qualified boyfriend.


    Thinking of Keira Olsen¡¯s trust in him, Lewis Horton sneered, taking out his phone as he stood up to walk into the hospital room, ready to show her the evidence!


    But to his surprise, just as he entered, he saw his grandmother wearing reading glasses and flipping through a dictionary while the woman was squatting on the ground playing with a dog.


    The small Shiba Inu looked up at her, wagging its tail vigorously.


    And the woman wore a full-faced smile.


    She looked stunningly beautiful. Her smile had a breathtaking quality to it, resembling the world¡¯s most pure and pristine landscape¡ªone that people wouldn¡¯t want to disrupt.


    His footsteps faltered slightly, and he gripped his phone a bit tighter.


    Should he tell her this cruel truth?


    Lewis Horton found himself in a dilemma for a moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton suddenly spoke up, looking at him with a puzzled expression.


    Lewis Horton pursed his lips and turned off his phone screen, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    But Old Mrs. Horton didn¡¯t buy it, ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at your grandson¡¯s wife for so long, how can it be nothing? Do you have something you want to say to her?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen looked up with a piercing gaze toward him.


    Lewis Horton: ?


    He felt a flush of heat rush to his face and quickly averted his gaze, coughing, ¡°¡­Grandma, you look very spirited. Maybe you can be discharged from the hospital.¡±


    No sooner had he spoken, than the spirited Old Mrs. Horton immediately clutched at her chest, feigning weakness, ¡°Brat, I still feel a pain in my chest.¡±


    If she were to be discharged from the hospital, how could she keep her grandson and his wife living together?


    Then she would be like a child with divorced parents, having to choose sides. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not like it is now¡­


    She had transformed the ward on the second day of her hospital stay.


    There were two comfortable beds in the ward, one for her and the other for her grandson¡¯s wife; and one in the outer living room for the brat to sleep.


    It might be a bit cramped, and life might be a bit rougher, but it meant they could see each other day in and day out¡­


    Once they developed feelings for each other, she would take her grandson¡¯s wife back to the Horton Family!


    Thinking about this, Old Mrs. Horton chuckled gleefully. Where was any sign of chest pain now?


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    There were no words exchanged that night.


    The next morning, Keira Olsen was reading a neurology book when she suddenly received a call from her senior, Luca Barker, ¡°Junior, you need to come to school quickly! Something has happened to Professor Miller!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s brow furrowed, and she immediately responded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    She stood up with a grave expression and strode out.


    She prepared to hail a cab as she went downstairs.


    Tom Davis¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Miss Olsen, the boss told me to take you.¡±


    Keira Olsen paused for a moment, without any pretense, ¡°Oceanion University, thank you.¡±


    ¡­


    The car had just stopped in front of the teaching building when Keira Olsen jumped out and dashed toward Professor Miller¡¯s office.


    The door to Professor Miller¡¯s office was wide open, surrounded by a circle of students eager to see what was going on.


    As Keira Olsen burst in, she saw Professor Miller standing there with a red face, glaring angrily at the dean of the Energy School. He said sternly, ¡°A student¡¯s academic status affects their entire life. What gives you the right to expel her on a whim?! Last time, you claimed she had a bad character and dubious origins, and you went over my head to cancel her recommended admission quota. If you don¡¯t provide a reasonable explanation today, you won¡¯t be leaving this building!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen was taken aback.


    She had thought something had happened to Professor Miller, but it turned out he was standing up for her?


    But¡­ expelled from school?


    She turned to look at the dean and saw the potbellied dean speaking gravely, ¡°I just got the news that she has stolen Dr. South¡¯s solution and claimed it as her own. A student like that brings disgrace upon our university¡¯s reputation and must face the consequences!¡±


    Professor Miller exclaimed, ¡°Impossible, Keira Olsen is not that kind of person!¡±


    The dean sneered, ¡°This is the internal information I just received; it can¡¯t be mistaken! Our university is about to invite Dr. South to become a mentor. If we don¡¯t punish her, how will we gain Dr. South¡¯s approval? Do you know how many schools are vying for talent?¡±


    Professor Miller immediately understood, ¡°So it all comes down to Dr. South! But I am her mentor; without my signature, you can¡¯t expel her. I absolutely won¡¯t sign it today!¡±


    The dean became angry, ¡°Miller, how can you be so oblivious to the times! Forget Keira Olsen; even you are no match for Dr. South!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen stepped forward, ¡°Without the teacher, there would be no Dr. South!¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53

    Chapter 53: Chapter 53


    Keira Olsen¡¯s words were not false.


    As a freshman, she found the major quite unpopular and uninteresting, until she took a class with Professor Miller, which set her on this path.


    It could be said that Professor Miller was her guiding light.


    Her emphatic words silenced the entire office.


    Professor Miller and the dean turned their gaze towards her in unison.


    The dean frowned and angrily said, ¡°What are you babbling about?!¡±


    ...


    Keira Olsen was about to reveal her identity when Luca Barker, standing beside her, hurriedly stepped in front of her: ¡°My junior is right! Without such pioneers as our teacher, where would Dr. South come from?!¡±


    He roared, ¡°New energy has only developed in the last few years, but my teacher has been studying this field for over twenty years! Without his and other teachers¡¯ groundwork, how could we possibly have today¡¯s boom? Dean, the words you just said were truly biased. Even if Dr. South were here, he should still call our teacher a predecessor!¡±


    The dean was taken aback and looked towards the students at the door.


    Many of them were Professor Miller¡¯s graduate students, and at that moment, they all looked at him with righteous indignation.


    The dean then coughed, ¡°What I said just now indeed went too far. However, Dr. South¡¯s status in the industry is unshakable, which you should be well aware of. Dr. South alone can lead an entire research team and make a significant leap forward in new energy. So, Keira Olsen, how could you steal his proposal?! It¡¯s preposterous!¡±


    Keira Olsen directly replied, ¡°I did not.¡±


    The dean sneered, ¡°There are testimonies and evidence from Horton Group. Even if you still don¡¯t admit your guilt, you can¡¯t escape! Keira Olsen, you coming here is good timing, saving me the need to notify you. You have been expelled from the university. I am going to issue a public announcement shortly! To prevent the reputation of our school from being tarnished by you!¡±


    Professor Miller angrily said, ¡°Dean, Keira Olsen has said she didn¡¯t steal anything, and the investigation isn¡¯t over yet. You have no sufficient reason to expel her!¡±


    The dean glanced at him, ¡°This matter definitely cannot be blown out of proportion, or else those who don¡¯t know any better might think Dr. South can¡¯t tolerate even a student. Of course, the reason for expelling her is¡­ misconduct. Keira Olsen, I have found out that you have a history of frequent tardiness, leaving early, and skipping classes. Your assignment scores are all zeros, therefore the university decided to expel you!¡±


    At these words, Keira Olsen was truly stunned.


    As the saying goes, a college without skipping classes or leaving early is not perfect¡ªwhat college student doesn¡¯t skip a few classes?


    It was true that she skipped a lot of classes; the professors¡¯ lectures in her major were too simple, so she simply stopped attending them.


    But when the teachers found out she got perfect scores in exams, and her regular grades were zeros, they realized this didn¡¯t affect the overall results, so they didn¡¯t pursue it further.


    She never thought that it would now become leverage for the dean¡­


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze turned cold.


    Professor Miller, too, was trembling with rage: ¡°You¡¯re shameless! I¡¯ll say it again, I won¡¯t sign this paper! Keira Olsen is my student, and without my signature as her advisor, you can¡¯t expel her!¡±


    The dean¡¯s face grew cold, ¡°Professor Miller, you really are stubborn. Since you¡¯re not cooperating with the school¡¯s procedures, I¡¯m forced to suspend you from duty.¡±


    Professor Miller was furious, ¡°Suspend me then! Do you think I¡¯d be afraid of you?¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than the dean smiled, ¡°Professor Miller, if you¡¯re suspended, who will look after your graduate students provisionally? Without anyone to supervise them, how will you handle their thesis defenses? Let me think, you have six graduate students, right? Surely you¡¯re not planning to let all six of them delay their graduation, are you?!¡±


    If graduate students fail their thesis defense, graduation can be delayed by a year.


    Many unscrupulous advisors, in order to have their graduate students do more work for them, will deliberately hold them back, causing them to extend their studies for one year after another¡­ In such cases, students are completely at a disadvantage!


    With these words, Professor Miller was instantly stunned: ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re despicable!!¡±


    The dean was actually using his own graduate students as leverage to pressure him to sign¡­


    A lifetime spent in scientific research left him not adept at cursing others; he could only stamp his foot in anger at this moment.


    Professor Miller¡¯s graduate students suddenly turned pale, each of them looking at him with nervous eyes.


    However, the dean laughed, ¡°Professor Miller, who is more important, one student or six students? You make the choice.¡±


    He took out the expulsion procedure form and handed it to Professor Miller, ¡°Will you sign this?¡±


    Professor Miller clenched his fists.


    He turned to look back at his graduate students¡­


    Among them, some had already secured jobs, just waiting to get their diplomas before starting work.


    Others had planned their weddings, intending to hold them after graduation¡­


    But he couldn¡¯t sign it.


    Wrong is wrong, right is right.


    As he was unsure how to face his graduate students, Keira Olsen stepped up to his side and asked, ¡°Are the university leaders here today?¡±


    Professor Miller gave a wry smile and shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s a conference in Clance, the chancellor and vice-chancellor have both gone to attend¡­¡±


    Meaning, those who could punish the dean were not present.


    Keira Olsen lowered her gaze, then suddenly smiled, ¡°Professor, why don¡¯t you go home and rest for a few days? We can talk about it once they return¡­¡± S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Exposing her identity now would merely result in the dean claiming it was a ¡°misunderstanding¡±, and the matter would be over.


    After all, no real harm had been done.


    But if the dean forced the old professor into suspension and took action against his graduate students¡­ and then the truth was revealed, the dean¡¯s career would be over!!


    Upon hearing this, Professor Miller let out a deep sigh, looked at his graduate students, and slowly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if I¡¯m suspended, I will wait for the chancellor and vice-chancellor to return, then appeal to them, so you won¡¯t have to delay your graduation.¡±


    Keira Olsen then spoke, ¡°Teacher, just think of it as taking a couple of days off. On Monday, I¡¯ll give you an answer.¡±


    The graduate students turned ashen when they heard this.


    Everyone understood the professor¡¯s choice, as he had always been a fair and selfless person.


    But being unjustly implicated and hearing the perpetrator speak in such a nonchalant tone about ¡°taking a couple of days off¡± left them all feeling a bit uncomfortable.


    Luca Barker immediately stepped forward, tugging at Keira Olsen, ¡°Junior, if you can¡¯t speak properly, then say less.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    She personally escorted Professor Miller home, and on the way, Professor Miller said with concern, ¡°Kiera, what are you going to do about Horton Group? With just Dr. South¡¯s reputation, he can crush you, who would believe you? Sigh! Why would such a revered professor want to claim your proposal as his own?¡±


    In Professor Miller¡¯s eyes, a conflict had arisen between his genius student and Dr. South. Surely it must be that Dr. South, not respecting his elder status, had stolen Keira Olsen¡¯s research findings.


    But unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Keira Olsen smiled, ¡°Professor, Dr. South didn¡¯t claim my proposal as his own.¡±


    Professor Miller was taken aback, ¡°Then whose work is this proposal?¡±


    ¡°Mine.¡±


    Keira Olsen said calmly, ¡°Or you could say it¡¯s Dr. South¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 54 - 54

    Chapter 54: Chapter 54


    Keira Olsen took Professor Miller home, then returned to the hospital.


    Most of the time in the hospital, she was in the ward with Old Mrs. Horton.


    Lewis Horton was working in the outer room.


    Tom Davis stood by his side, speaking in a low voice about the happenings at the school, then whispered, ¡°Miss Olsen is acting too indifferent, now on the school¡¯s internal network, the name-calling has already started.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he passed the phone to Lewis Horton.


    On the internal network of Oceanion University, this matter had become a hot topic, with everyone discussing:


    ...


    ¡ª¡ªI don¡¯t understand why Professor Miller insists on defending such social scum!


    ¡ª¡ªStealing Dr. South¡¯s design plan, why keep such a person if not to expel them, what¡¯s the point?


    ¡ª¡ªPeople like that are simply shit-stirrers!


    ¡ª¡ªHey above, why are you insulting yourself as shit?


    ¡­


    Some people are cursing over this matter, while others are criticizing her for other things:


    ¡ª¡ªThe theft is after all not yet adjudicated; Professor Miller¡¯s defense of her is not to be criticized, I was there at the time, and I admire what Professor Miller did. But that doesn¡¯t stop me from disliking a certain student; Professor Miller made sacrifices for her, she didn¡¯t show any gratitude, even said it¡¯s like taking a few days off. She¡¯s just cold-blooded and heartless, as if Professor Miller¡¯s efforts are expected.


    ¡ª¡ªAlso at the scene, it felt like this person has a really thick face. Professor Miller¡¯s postgraduates are really unlucky, how did they end up with such a junior?


    ¡­


    The darker Lewis Horton¡¯s face got as he read, until it was finally gloomy as water, he tossed the phone back to Tom Davis, ¡°It just occurred to me something Carlo Colodi once wrote, ¡®When the village dog barks, the rest will follow, yet they do not know why they bark.''¡±


    Tom Davis: ¡°¡­¡±


    So your boss is quite the poisonous tongue.


    With that one sentence, he had called all those clear-headed university students dogs.


    He subconsciously said, ¡°If Miss Olsen sees these comments, she¡¯ll probably be very hurt, right?¡±


    As soon as the words came out, Lewis Horton paused for a moment, then asked hesitantly, ¡°Do you think she would waste her time browsing the internal network?¡±


    Tom Davis twitched the corner of his mouth: ¡°Boss, Miss Olsen has just graduated. When she was in school, who didn¡¯t read gossip on the internal network?¡±


    Lewis Horton said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    Tom Davis: ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s because you have an old-guard style, immune to the internet!


    He coughed once, ¡°Modern young people all like to go online.¡±


    Lewis Horton, hearing this, lifted his eyelids, and looked through the glass pane in the door towards the ward.


    As the weather gradually cooled, the girl was wearing a camel-colored knitted sweater, casually leaning on the sofa as she read a book, her focus and seriousness evident.


    The sunlight streamed in through the window behind her, falling at her feet where a small Shiba Inu curled up, squatting there in deep sleep.


    This scene conveyed a sense of peacefulness and tranquility.


    After some time passed, Keira seemed a little tired; she put down her book, stretched, and reached for her phone beside her¡­


    Lewis Horton suddenly stood up and strode to the door, opening it.


    Both people inside turned their attention to him.


    Old Mrs. Horton, one hand holding her reading glasses, struggled to look at him and asked with confusion, ¡°What is it, brat?¡±


    Lewis Horton pursed his lips, looking towards Keira Olsen, ¡°Miss Olsen, the weather is nice today, how about taking grandma out for some sunshine?¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira glanced outside and nodded her head.


    She gently nudged the Shiba Inu, waking the dog up, and then helped Old Mrs. Horton out the door.


    Walking two at once saves time.


    The three of them, along with the dog, quickly arrived at the hospital park and found a chair to help old Mrs. Horton sit down.


    Keira Olsen just stared blankly at the distant lake.


    Her mind was digesting the knowledge about neurology she had just read¡­


    Suddenly, a deep voice reached her ears, ¡°Miss Olsen, do you like browsing the internet in your free time?¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at Lewis Horton, confused.


    The man was dressed in a black shirt and black trousers, his fitted haute couture clothes accentuating his cold nobility and sense of abstinence.


    He wasn¡¯t looking at her, and his expression was indifferent, as if the question was nothing more than small talk.


    Keira Olsen casually answered, ¡°Not really.¡±


    Lewis Horton nodded.


    Keira Olsen then turned her gaze to old Mrs. Horton.


    After spending a few days together, she had gained some understanding of Lewis Horton. The man was not very talkative, and after that perfunctory question, he likely wouldn¡¯t say much more¡­


    No sooner had she thought this than she heard the man speak slowly again, ¡°Nowadays, people are often irritable. Under the anonymity of the internet, they tend to vent their violence and dissatisfaction online. The web is like a lawless place that magnifies the evil in people¡¯s hearts. Thus, you shouldn¡¯t take what is said on the internet to heart.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    As she wondered why the man suddenly said these things, her phone vibrated.


    Glancing at it, she saw a message from her senior, Luca Barker, on WhatsApp: ¡°Junior, stay off the campus network for a while. A bunch of students are echoing each other, and they¡¯re saying some pretty nasty stuff!¡±


    Keira Olsen was slightly stunned.


    She seemed to understand why Lewis Horton had said those things.


    Putting down her phone, her face broke into a radiant smile, ¡°Mr. Horton, don¡¯t worry. Those words on the internet can¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    Lewis Horton paused, and a hint of discomfort flashed across his face before he quickly returned to calm, ¡°Hmm, I was worried it would affect grandma¡¯s mood.¡±


    Keira Olsen chuckled softly.


    Her laugh made Lewis Horton feel quite uneasy. He stood up, his expression still indifferent, ¡°I have work to do, so I¡¯ll leave grandma in your hands.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Back in the ward, Lewis Horton spoke up, ¡°Cancel the meeting on Monday morning.¡±


    Tom Davis was surprised, ¡°But that¡¯s our international meeting¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll cancel it right away.¡±


    He hesitated as he glanced at Lewis Horton.


    The boss couldn¡¯t be planning to blatantly go to the Administrative Department on Monday to protect Keira Olsen, could he?


    He tensed up.


    Since the boss took over Horton Group, a lot of people were dissatisfied, and if he were to act unjustly or unlawfully¡­


    Tom Davis suddenly felt angry.


    Keira Olsen had only been at the company for a few days, and she had already caused such a big problem for the boss!


    Jake Horton had secured his position in the R&D Department with the support of Dr. South.


    And then she turned around and offended Dr. South¡­


    She really was causing trouble for the boss!


    If the boss was indeed planning to defend her on Monday, then even if it meant upsetting the boss, he would have to stop him! He couldn¡¯t let the boss make a mistake!


    After accompanying the old lady on a walk, Keira Olsen returned to find Tom Davis looking at her somewhat oddly.


    But she didn¡¯t mind it.


    Time quickly arrived at Monday!


    After having breakfast, Keira Olsen was preparing to go to Horton Group when her phone vibrated. It was a message from Samuel Morgan on WhatsApp: ¡°Boss, the plane has landed on time! I¡¯m heading to Horton Group right away!¡±

 Chapter 55 - 55

    Chapter 55: Chapter 55


    Kiera Olsen and Lewis Horton rode in a Bentley to Horton Group.


    As they got out of the car, Lewis Horton suddenly asked, ¡°Can Samuel Morgan make it on time?¡±


    Kiera Olsen said, ¡°He should.¡±


    Lewis Horton pursed his lips and spoke again, ¡°I actually have some information about Samuel here, I¡¯ll tell you after today¡¯s events are over.¡±


    He planned to tell her about Samuel¡¯s philandering ways.


    After all, a short pain is better than a long one.


    ...


    Kiera Olsen gave him a surprised glance, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She got off the car and walked toward the elevator.


    Just as she approached the elevator entrance, she heard some colleagues whispering in front:


    ¡°Have you heard? There was a case of stealing someone else¡¯s project in the R&D department!¡±


    ¡°Who? So unscrupulous? That¡¯s quite audacious!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said to be a new intern, there must be some backing in the company for them to dare do such things.¡±


    ¡°What backing?¡±


    Someone gestured upward, ¡°I heard it¡¯s related to that person, so they are arranged in Jalen Riley¡¯s team¡­¡±


    ¡°That person is domineering and assertive, the executives have been on edge this month, he wouldn¡¯t blatantly protect this intern, right? Isn¡¯t he afraid of being accused of mixing public with private matters?¡±


    ¡°I heard, he was spoiled by old Mrs. Horton back home, was a little tyrant in Oceanion as a child, and after so many years, protecting an intern is nothing for him, right?¡±


    ¡°The company has its rules and regulations. If that person messes up like this, wouldn¡¯t he be afraid of causing public outrage?¡±


    ¡°Young, doesn¡¯t care about these¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Jake Horton even younger as Vice President? But look at the people he¡¯s arranged in the company, Dr. South, who is top in the new energy industry! Compare that to his intern, and you can see that Jake Horton is more reliable¡­¡±


    ¡°Definitely, like father like son, his father, Senior Mr. Horton, has always been strict with himself and lenient towards others. Speaking of which, our Senior Mr. Horton was down-to-earth, climbed up from the grassroots¡­¡±


    ¡°That position, how come it¡¯s not Senior Mr. Horton¡¯s, but was taken by that person?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen originally did not intend to pay attention to these people, as she was now in the midst of it and it was impossible not to be talked about behind her back.


    However, she never expected that the group¡¯s topic would suddenly shift to Lewis Horton.


    She narrowed her eyes.


    Having been mingling in society since middle school, she was no real newcomer to the workplace, so she immediately deduced that someone was behind this, intending to drag Lewis Horton down!


    She looked towards the person who started the topic¡­ indeed, she knew him.


    This person was Arian O¡¯neil, a developer from Team 2 and indeed one of Jake Horton¡¯s lackeys.


    Kiera Olsen recalled the information Samuel Morgan had helped her investigate¡­


    The first branch of the Horton family wanted to snatch back the authority.


    During her last visit to the Horton family, she could feel the direct confrontation between the first branch and Lewis Horton.


    Jake was trying to use this incident to create public opinion. Even if it couldn¡¯t actually harm Lewis Horton, it could lessen his reputation in the company.


    Kiera Olsen scoffed.


    She took a step forward and spoke indifferently, ¡°Talking about my gossip is one thing, but perhaps you should check for surveillance before discussing the boss¡¯s gossip?¡±


    At these words, the group immediately looked around in fright.


    Seeing there were no surveillance cameras, they sighed in relief, then realized they had been played.


    Everyone then turned towards Kiera Olsen, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Keira Olsen hadn¡¯t spoken yet when Arian O¡¯neil began, ¡°Let me introduce everyone, this is the new intern in our R&D team.¡±


    Arian O¡¯neil said with a smirk, ¡°Miss Olsen truly is Mr. Horton¡¯s connection. With such a serious issue as stealing schemes, and now that we have all the evidence, you still come to work and manage to keep a straight face¡­¡±


    As soon as these words were out, everyone looked at her, each frowning.


    All were office workers, and if one day, someone else stole the fruit of their hard labor, they would definitely be furious. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet Keira Olsen wasn¡¯t the least bit intimidated by those looks and simply furrowed her brow, ¡°Mr. Horton¡¯s connection?¡±


    Arian O¡¯neil immediately responded, ¡°You aren¡¯t planning to deny it, are you? It was Mr. Morgan himself who personally escorted you to the R&D department, and our second group saw it all very clearly¡­¡±


    He sighed and continued in a seemingly consoling tone, ¡°But even if Mr. Horton backs you, you shouldn¡¯t steal Dr. South¡¯s scheme. Do you understand the significance of Dr. South to the company¡¯s R&D department? It took a lot of connections and favors for Vice President Jake Horton to bring him in. He¡¯s made remarkable contributions to the R&D department. If you scare him away, even Mr. Horton might not be able to handle the anger of everyone in the R&D department, could he?¡±


    The surrounding people immediately nodded in agreement.


    But Keira Olsen suddenly laughed, ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I¡¯m just a connection of Mr. Horton. Mr. Horton always keeps a low profile. When he hired me for the company, he didn¡¯t make a fuss about it¡­¡±


    Jalen Riley was taken aback, ¡°Where did I go wrong¡­¡±


    Just then, the elevator arrived, and a crowd stepped in.


    Nobody noticed that Lewis Horton, accompanied by Tom Davis, just happened to walk by and accidentally overheard this conversation.


    Lewis Horton showed no change in expression, but Tom Davis¡¯s face immediately darkened!


    Someone indeed was manipulating the situation involving Keira Olsen to scheme against the boss!


    Yet there was Keira Olsen, not knowing to avoid suspicions, dare to implicate the boss!


    It was totally outrageous!


    Unable to hold back his anger, Tom Davis blurted out, ¡°Boss, did you hear that? Now everyone knows she¡¯s your connection! What good does this do her! It¡¯s truly foolish!¡±


    Then he advised, ¡°Boss, I think you really should not get involved in this matter anymore. Now that everyone knows about her relationship with you, if you still choose to protect her, in everyone¡¯s eyes, you would truly become a ruler who does not distinguish between right and wrong, public and private!¡±


    Lewis Horton narrowed his eyes.


    The man¡¯s stern face remained unchanged, his piercing eyes gazing forward, he said indifferently, ¡°Only the weak are swayed by rumors.¡±


    Leaving that remark behind, he adjusted his clothes and strode into the CEO¡¯s exclusive elevator.


    Tom Davis followed him inside, only to hear him decisively say, ¡°Go to the Administrative Department.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He knew the boss¡¯s decision was unchangeable!


    Reluctantly, he pressed the floor for the Administrative Department, and then sighed quietly.


    No wonder everyone made comparisons.


    The R&D department was the core of the company, watched by many.


    Over the past month, two people had joined the R&D department.


    One was Dr. South, a connection of Vice President Jake Horton.


    The other was Keira Olsen, a connection of the boss.


    Compared with each other, the difference was too great!


    He took a deep breath!


    If only Dr. South had been a connection of the boss, then in this battle, the boss would definitely win beautifully!!


    ¡°Ding¡±


    The elevator arrived.


    The lawsuit over the theft of the scheme officially began!

 Chapter 56 - 56

    Chapter 56: Chapter 56


    Keira Olsen stepped out of the elevator, ready to head in one direction.


    But after just two steps, the voice of Arian O¡¯neil came from behind her, ¡°Miss Olsen, I don¡¯t know what your relationship with Mr. Horton is, but you should have noticed that Mr. Horton¡¯s reputation within the company isn¡¯t very good. This position of power, whose it will be in the future is still uncertain! Thus, I advise you not to offend Vice President Horton.¡±


    As Jake Horton¡¯s confidant, through these few interactions, he had certainly noticed Jake Horton¡¯s feelings towards Keira Olsen.


    He whispered, ¡°If you follow Vice President Horton, your days will get better than they are now. At least regarding the situation you¡¯re about to face, Vice President Horton has a way to sort it out for you.¡±


    Keira Olsen gave him an indifferent glance with her peach blossom eyes, did not speak, and went directly into group one.


    Today was Monday, and after a pleasant weekend, many people tended to be late for work on this particular day, as they often cut it close.


    ...


    Yet today, everyone in group one had already arrived, and they were all sitting in the rest area, surrounding Jalen Riley and Luca Barker, revealing faces filled with worry.


    Jalen Riley had a tense expression, his face gloomy.


    Upon seeing Keira Olsen enter, everyone suddenly stood up, all hesitating to speak.


    Luca Barker walked over quickly, ¡°Kiera, the school that side¡­¡±


    Before he finished speaking, the general manager of the R&D department and vice-general manager Jake Horton had already appeared at the door, ¡°Jalen Riley, Keira Olsen, let¡¯s go, the Administrative Department is waiting for us.¡±


    Jalen Riley frowned and stood up, looking at Keira Olsen, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The group made their way towards the elevator.


    On the way, Jake Horton suddenly spoke up, ¡°I thought you would call me these past two days.¡±


    Assured of his victory, he didn¡¯t shy away from the general manager and Jalen Riley.


    Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes but didn¡¯t comment.


    Jake Horton continued, ¡°Right, besides the people from the Administrative Department, two guests will come today, the president and dean of the School of Energy at Oceanion University. The dean, having heard about your theft of Dr. South¡¯s proposal, wants to expel you. You¡¯re aware of this, right?¡±


    At these words, Jalen Riley scoffed, ¡°Jake Horton, if I recall, you all graduated from university already, right? Why do you still have to run to your teachers when something happens? Can¡¯t you wean off?¡±


    Jake Horton sneered in response, ¡°I am also a graduate of Oceanion University, of course, I can¡¯t stand to watch the reputation of Oceanion University being tainted by such a person! The president and the dean are here today to confirm the details, and if they turn out to be true, they won¡¯t show mercy! Keira Olsen, up until now, are you still unwilling to admit your mistake?¡±


    Keira Olsen spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing wrong, what is there to admit?¡±


    ¡°You¡­!! Truly won¡¯t shed a tear until you see the coffin!¡±


    The four of them arrived at the Administrative Department soon after.


    Jake Horton and the general manager of the R&D department entered the meeting room first, and just as Keira Olsen was about to follow, Jalen Riley suddenly patted her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m your leader, if you¡¯ve made any mistakes, they are my responsibility. Even if Jake Horton has invited Dr. South to confront you face to face, I¡¯ll stand in front of you!¡±


    Leaving those words behind, Jalen Riley entered the room as if he were marching off to the gallows!


    Keira Olsen, ¡°¡­,¡± There really was no need for this.


    She tugged at the corner of her mouth and followed in, only then noticing that the meeting room was quite spacious, already seated with a dozen or so people inside.


    The folks from the Administrative Department all looked severe, emanating a sense of strictness.


    The president and the dean were invited to sit in places at either side.


    What surprised Keira Olsen was that Lewis Horton was also sitting in the position of an observer.


    The man was in a suit, with every button of his shirt fastened to the top, wearing a tie of the same color scheme, exuding an air of formality and nobility.


    Upon hearing footsteps, he looked up, his deep gaze lingering on Keira Olsen for but a moment before immediately shifting away, as if his presence there had nothing to do with her.


    Tom Davis standing behind him had a face as green as iron and gave Keira Olsen a glare.


    Keira Olsen, however, didn¡¯t mind and simply gave them a mild smile.


    Of course, she understood that the busy Lewis Horton had suddenly come here out of concern for her¡­


    No, he came to keep his grandmother from being upset, that¡¯s why he¡¯s showing concern.


    She could imagine how the man would explain it.


    Her lips curved slightly, as she entered the room with a composed stride.


    The Administrative Department has procedures that must be followed.


    The head of the Administrative Department spoke first, ¡°Vice President Horton, where are the witnesses and evidence you were talking about?¡±


    Kiera Olsen also looked at him curiously.


    She really didn¡¯t know what evidence Jake Horton kept talking about¡­


    Jake Horton glanced at his phone, ¡°They just arrived.¡±


    Following his words, there was a knock at the door.


    Arian O¡¯neil led two people into the room.


    These two people¡­ one was Isla Olsen, and the other was Poppy Hill!


    Kiera Olsen frowned slightly.


    Isla Olsen walked up to Jake Horton with a calm demeanor and greeted him cheerfully, ¡°Jake.¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Poppy Hill seemed unused to such a scene and appeared timid.


    She looked around and then flashed a flattering smile.


    Jake Horton pointed at her and said, ¡°She is my witness and evidence! Let me introduce her to everyone, she is Kiera Olsen¡¯s mother.¡±


    Everyone was slightly stunned and instinctively looked at Kiera Olsen.


    Jalen Riley nudged her, ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Kiera Olsen kept her chin up and said nothing.


    But Poppy Hill rushed to her side, ¡°Kiera, the matter of your mom helping you steal the plans has been exposed! I never thought there would be surveillance in the hospital room, and it was all caught on camera, now it¡¯s their evidence!¡±


    Along with her words, Isla Olsen took out a USB drive and plugged it into a computer.


    The screen displayed footage from Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital room: Poppy Hill sneaking in, then stealthily opening Isla Olsen¡¯s laptop, followed by plugging in a USB drive and doing something¡­


    Isla Olsen sighed, ¡°I only installed the camera to record the times the doctor administered medication to my mom, I didn¡¯t expect it to catch these things, Kiera, how could you let your mom steal things for you¡­¡±


    Poppy Hill immediately lowered her head and apologized, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Kiera doesn¡¯t know about this. I saw her working so hard, so I decided to do this, it has nothing to do with her¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my child just graduated and wants to prove herself, I couldn¡¯t bear to see her work so hard.¡±


    She looked around and suddenly ¡°bang,¡± she knelt on the ground, ¡°I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t punish Kiera. If you want to punish someone, punish me, and please don¡¯t call the police¡­ Give Kiera another chance!¡±


    The head of the Administrative Department hurried over to help her up, ¡°Please get up first¡­¡±


    Poppy Hill, however, cried out, ¡°If the company doesn¡¯t forgive Kiera, I won¡¯t get up¡­¡±


    People around could not help but sigh, ¡°Ah, the poor heart of parents everywhere¡­¡±


    Jake Horton said scornfully, ¡°Kiera Olsen, with the evidence all here, what have you got to say?¡±


    Isla Olsen watched the drama from the sidelines.


    She knew that the moment Poppy Hill appeared, this imperfect evidence suddenly became perfect.


    After all, how could there be a mother who would malign her own daughter in this world?


    If Kiera Olsen denied it, people would only look down on her more, thinking she was pushing her mother out to take the blame.


    The Horton Group would never tolerate such an employee.


    It was a checkmate situation.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze was on Kiera Olsen.


    Yet she remained composed, standing with her eyes downcast, and even took out her phone to look at it¡ªit seemed she had received a WhatsApp message.


    They didn¡¯t see that Kiera Olsen¡¯s WhatsApp message was from Samuel Morgan: ¡°Boss, I¡¯m almost there!¡±

 Chapter 57 - 57

    Chapter 57: Chapter 57


    Keira Olsen set down her phone, and only then did she lift her head to look at everyone.


    Her own mother had set such a trap against her, she was supposed to feel a bit upset.


    But at this moment, there was only a chill in her heart.


    Because she was used to it.


    She believed that for the sake of Isla Olsen, there was nothing Poppy Hill wouldn¡¯t stoop to.


    Her gaze passed indifferently over Poppy Hill and settled on Isla Olsen.


    ...


    Keira was actually very curious, just how many benefits had Isla Olsen given Poppy Hill for her to be so utterly devoted to her!


    She didn¡¯t speak because she understood that until Samuel Morgan came to prove her identity, whatever she said was futile, these people wouldn¡¯t believe her.


    However, she didn¡¯t speak, yet someone spoke for her.


    Jalen Riley¡¯s tone was arrogantly like a villain, ¡°What kind of direct evidence is this? From the video, we can only see that it¡¯s Keira Olsen¡¯s mother who copied something from Isla Olsen¡¯s computer. As for exactly what was copied, who knows?¡±


    Jake Horton snorted with laughter, ¡°Isla Olsen is the person in charge of handing the solution over to Dr. South. Keira Olsen¡¯s mother copied something from her, and then Keira Olsen turned in a solution identical to Dr. South¡¯s. Doesn¡¯t that explain everything? Jalen Riley, even if you want to protect Keira Olsen, there¡¯s a limit!¡±


    Jalen Riley straightened his neck, ¡°What protection? I¡¯m just stating my doubts! This evidence can¡¯t directly indicate that it was Keira Olsen who instructed her mother to steal the material!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Poppy Hill, who was kneeling there, immediately cried out, ¡°Yes, yes, it wasn¡¯t Keira who told me to steal; it was me wanting to steal on my own! It has nothing to do with Keira, It was all my own doing as a mother¡­¡±


    She grabbed the arm of the manager of the Administrative Department, ¡°I beg you, don¡¯t drag Keira into this! My daughter, who finally graduated from university, she can¡¯t lose her job over this¡­¡±


    The manager of the Administrative Department sighed upon hearing this, ¡°What did you steal?¡±


    Poppy Hill immediately replied, ¡°The solution for Hydrogen Fuel regarding the new energy source.¡±


    The manager of the Administrative Department nodded, ¡°Do you know what Hydrogen Fuel is?¡±


    Poppy Hill was stunned and shook her head.


    The manager of the Administrative Department continued, ¡°Yes, see, I¡¯m not in R&D, even I don¡¯t know what that is. If your daughter didn¡¯t tell you what to steal, how could you have stolen it for her?¡±


    Poppy Hill seemed to choke up.


    She stuttered, unable to speak, but eventually, she bowed her head fiercely, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I did it, and it has nothing to do with my daughter! Call the police, take me away, it¡¯s my fault¡­¡±


    The manager of the Administrative Department let out a deep sigh, his gaze upon Poppy Hill filled with both exasperation and sympathy.


    Jake Horton watched Poppy Hill.


    He was supposed to dislike this mistress very much, but seeing her go to such lengths for her daughter, he couldn¡¯t bear it.


    Jake Horton suddenly roared, ¡°Keira Olsen, say something! You¡¯re not really planning to push all this onto your mom, are you? Don¡¯t you understand the most basic filial piety as a human being? Do you even have a heart?!¡±


    The manager of the Administrative Department also said coldly, ¡°Vice President Horton, don¡¯t be agitated. We in the administrative department will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly. Horton Group won¡¯t wrong any mother, nor will we retain an unfilial employee!¡±


    Keira Olsen knew it would be like this.


    The consequence of speaking out in denial was nothing more than the skepticism of these people.


    She gave a low chuckle, knowing the matter was certainly not over yet.


    As expected, Isla Olsen sighed and took a step forward with feigned sincerity, approaching Poppy Hill, ¡°Aunt Hill, even if you want to shoulder this by yourself, it¡¯s impossible. Everyone is not a fool; they know full well what¡¯s really going on. The best course of action now is to admit your mistakes and seek the Horton Group¡¯s forgiveness. Otherwise, Kiera might still be expelled from her academic program¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Poppy Hill looked to the head of the Administrative Department for help. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The head of the Administrative Department nodded, ¡°Yes, we have our judgment. You¡¯re covering for your daughter, and we can all see that¡­¡±


    Poppy Hill collapsed to the ground, as if she had lost all support.


    But suddenly, she seemed to come to a realization, crawled a few steps and rushed to Kiera Olsen, grabbing her leg, ¡°Kiera, there¡¯s no other way, admit your mistake! If you admit it sooner, the Horton Group might give you a chance. Even if you do get expelled, you will still have your education and can find another job. But if you don¡¯t confess and the school expels you, your future will be truly ruined!¡±


    She appeared to be in great pain, even squeezing out a few tears, yet unbeknownst to others, her eyes turned fierce.


    Kiera Olsen looked down at her mother kneeling before her and still found it ludicrous.


    In the past, Poppy Hill was direct with her, always forcefully demanding Kiera to give in to Isla.


    And now she had even learned to play the victim?


    It must have been taught by Isla, right?


    Poppy Hill continued to wail, ¡°I¡¯ll apologize on Kiera¡¯s behalf, I¡¯m her mom, I¡¯ll apologize to everyone for her! I hope everyone can give her another chance, and I hope the school doesn¡¯t expel her from her academic program¡­¡±


    She ¡°bang bang bang¡± truly knocked her head on the floor a few times.


    The heavy thuds made everyone feel a touch of heartache.


    ¡­What a wonderful mother indeed!


    The head of the Administrative Department rushed over, trying to help her up, but couldn¡¯t pull her to her feet. She hurriedly shouted at Kiera Olsen, ¡°What are you standing there for? Your mother is so sincere and honest, how did she give birth to an unfilial daughter like you?!¡±


    The Vice-Chancellor of Oceanion University also displayed a look of pity from the stands.


    The Dean directly spoke up, ¡°Kiera Olsen, are you still not admitting your mistake? Are you trying to drive your mother to her death? How could our university have a student like you? Mr. Chancellor, do you see this? This is the person Professor Miller insisted on vouching for, and I don¡¯t know how she confused his mind. He¡¯s been so foolish that I had to suspend him from his position!¡±


    The Vice-Chancellor frowned, feeling the words were unpleasant, ¡°You should say less.¡±


    He had come with the Dean today because Professor Miller had called him, mentioning the situation about the Dean wanting to expel a student.


    The status of a student¡¯s academic program is like their calling card; expulsion is a very serious matter, and the Dean had even suspended a professor¡¯s position!


    The Vice-Chancellor thought it was indeed going too far.


    That¡¯s why he had come at Professor Miller¡¯s request.


    But now, it seemed that perhaps what the Dean did wasn¡¯t wrong?


    He couldn¡¯t help but look at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Student, you should apologize quickly! If this goes on, even Professor Miller won¡¯t be able to protect you!¡±


    Poppy Hill immediately stopped knocking her head and looked at her daughter, ¡°Kiera, did you hear that? Everyone wants you to apologize quickly, they will give you another chance¡­¡±


    Just then, there was a knock at the door, and someone outside called out, ¡°Mr. Samuel Morgan has arrived.¡±

 Chapter 58 - 58

    Chapter 58: Chapter 58


    The meeting room fell silent.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively looked towards Jake Horton, lowering her voice, ¡°Jake, it was obvious during the last gathering that Samuel Morgan and Keira Olsen have an unusual relationship. Did he come here to say a few good words for Keira Olsen, hoping Horton Group would go easy on her?¡±


    Jake Horton immediately tensed his jaw and said to the people outside, ¡°Please take Mr. Morgan to the research and development department¡¯s meeting room, and I¡¯ll meet him after we¡¯ve dealt with the matters here.¡±


    The person outside replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Just as they were about to leave, a deep voice suddenly rang out, ¡°Let him in.¡±


    Everyone turned in unison, only to see that it was Lewis Horton, seated at the observer¡¯s position, who had spoken.


    ...


    Jake Horton hurriedly said, ¡°Uncle, Samuel Morgan is Dr. South¡¯s assistant. I don¡¯t want to make this public and have Dr. South think our company is disrespecting him¡­ so it¡¯s better not to let Samuel Morgan in.¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow.


    She had indeed overlooked this.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Samuel Morgan to be blocked from entering this meeting room.


    But she wasn¡¯t worried. As long as she revealed her identity, these people would have to call Samuel Morgan in to confront her.


    After all, only Samuel Morgan had seen Dr. South in person.


    As she was pondering this, Lewis Horton spoke again, ¡°Samuel Morgan was invited by me.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    She turned in surprise, but saw the man¡¯s expression was unchanged, his demeanor casual when he spoke, those black eyes deep like valleys, inscrutable, belying his internal thoughts.


    If she didn¡¯t know the truth, she would have thought that Samuel Morgan was indeed invited by him!


    As Lewis Horton finished speaking, he glanced at Tom Davis.


    Tom Davis instantly understood his intent and immediately headed out.


    He couldn¡¯t help but glare at Keira Olsen again.


    Femme fatale indeed!


    The boss had actually started to cover for this woman.


    He just hoped that Samuel Morgan was strong enough to deter these people and not let the boss really get confused, earning a bad reputation for favoritism.


    Soon, Samuel Morgan followed Tom Davis into the room.


    He looked travel-worn, with a suitcase in hand, clearly having rushed here straight from the plane. Upon entering, his gaze first fell on Keira Olsen before he coughed and said, ¡°Uh, there was some traffic on the road, so I¡¯m a bit late.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded slightly.


    Seeing them still exchanging pleasantries, Tom Davis, anxious, could not help but directly say, ¡°Mr. Morgan, did you come here to tell everyone that Dr. South¡¯s proposal was handed to Miss Keira by you?¡±


    As long as Samuel Morgan admitted it, this matter could be put to rest.


    After all, the evidence from Poppy Hill wasn¡¯t direct evidence.


    If the boss put on a strong front, he could save the person involved.


    There was also a legitimate reason.


    Tom Davis was still thinking this when he heard Samuel Morgan express his surprise, ¡°No! Why would I hand over Dr. South¡¯s design proposal to someone else?¡±


    Tom Davis: ???


    He was instantly full of question marks, looking at Samuel Morgan in astonishment, and cursed internally: This scumbag! Did he purposely come here to distance himself from Keira Olsen?!


    He was so angry that his whole body was shaking.


    Indeed, this fickle man was unreliable.


    The rest of the room collectively sighed in relief.


    The moment Samuel Morgan walked in, Isla Olsen had clenched her fists with nervousness, but now she suddenly relaxed. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jake Horton even said, ¡°Mr. Morgan, did you come here today because you heard about Dr. South¡¯s plan being stolen, so you came to listen to the hearing on purpose? Don¡¯t worry, Horton Group will definitely give Dr. South an explanation!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Samuel Morgan¡¯s expression suddenly became somewhat amused. He laughed and said, ¡°Yes, yes, you must definitely clear my boss¡¯s name!¡±


    After saying this, he swaggered over to the hearing seats and plopped down next to the vice-chancellor of Oceanion University, and while no one was paying attention, he winked at Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    The vice-chancellor greeted Samuel Morgan: ¡°Mr. Morgan, I¡¯ve heard of your great reputation for a long time. Our university has always wanted to invite Dr. South to be a tutor. I wonder if Mr. Morgan could convey our school¡¯s sincerity?¡±


    Samuel Morgan sighed, ¡°That depends on how this matter is handled today¡­¡±


    The vice-chancellor paused.


    The dean immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will definitely not cover up the students who stole Dr. South¡¯s plan. We will surely expel her!¡±


    The vice-chancellor¡¯s jaw tightened, feeling increasingly displeased.


    Putting aside that Horton Group hadn¡¯t yet determined Keira Olsen¡¯s guilt, even if they had determined the theft of the plan, whether to expel the student or not would still need to be discussed by the school. How could they just make promises to others? It made it seem like they were ingratiating themselves!


    Completely lacking backbone.


    Samuel Morgan¡¯s eyes cooled as he spoke with obvious sarcasm, ¡°Expelling her? As an educational institution, shouldn¡¯t you protect your students as much as possible? How come you¡¯re disassociating yourselves the moment there¡¯s trouble?¡±


    The dean felt that there was something off about his words, like he was being accused, ¡°It¡¯s Keira Olsen who has made a big mistake¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? What mistake did she make?¡±


    ¡°She stole Dr. South¡¯s plan¡­¡±


    Samuel Morgan countered, ¡°Is there any evidence?¡±


    The dean pointed to Poppy Hill, ¡°This is her mother. She confessed in her own words, and there¡¯s also surveillance footage of her mother stealing the plan from Miss Isla¡¯s computer¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Is that what Miss Isla said?¡±


    Isla Olsen had been trying to downplay her role in this whole affair, but now that Samuel Morgan had called on her, she had to step forward, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Isla Olsen also looked towards Poppy Hill, ¡°Aunt Hill, this lady is Dr. South¡¯s assistant. If Dr. South doesn¡¯t pursue this matter, I think Horton Group will not pursue it either¡­¡±


    Poppy Hill immediately understood the implication, rushing over to Samuel Morgan and kneeling to kowtow, ¡°Mr. Morgan, please forgive Keira Olsen, she didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡±


    Jake Horton quickly stepped in front of her, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this¡­¡±


    But Poppy Hill sobbed, ¡°As long as it helps Keira, kneeling is nothing, I¡¯ll do anything! Keira, please admit your mistake, Mom is begging you!¡±


    ¡°Do anything?¡±


    Keira Olsen finally spoke up, her voice calm and steady, ¡°All I ask is that you don¡¯t slander me, and I¡¯ll be grateful for that.¡±


    Poppy Hill choked, then cried even harder, ¡°Keira, Mom isn¡¯t slandering you, it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t hide it anymore!¡±


    Jake Horton also angrily said, ¡°Keira Olsen, why are you so obstinate?¡±


    The dean of Oceanion University also fanned the flames, ¡°Miss Keira, what are you saying? How could there be a mother in this world who slanders her own daughter? You¡¯re really talking nonsense!¡±


    After he finished speaking, he looked towards Samuel Morgan as if to affirm his previous statement was correct, ¡°Mr. Morgan, you see? This girl speaks nothing but lies, and this isn¡¯t the first time. She often skips classes, leaves early, and I¡¯ve heard she frequently doesn¡¯t return at night. It¡¯s only right that we expel her from the university!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Samuel Morgan¡¯s smile carried a hint of mockery, ¡°But as far as I know, Dr. South never gave Miss Isla the plan in the first place! How, then, did this kind and innocent mother manage to steal it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 59 - 59

    Chapter 59: Chapter 59


    As the sentence fell, the room went silent in an instant.


    Everyone looked from Samuel Morgan to Isla Olsen, all bewildered.


    Jake Horton was also puzzled as he looked towards Isla Olsen, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Isla Olsen bit her lip and said directly to Samuel Morgan, ¡°Dr. South¡¯s solutions for our Olsen Family company were all sent individually, unrelated to your company. You¡¯re just his assistant; you don¡¯t know about this.¡±


    Jake Horton breathed a sigh of relief.


    Isla Olsen then continued, ¡°Mr. Morgan, are you trying to say that this matter should end here? If that¡¯s what you mean, there¡¯s no need to beat around the bush¡­¡±


    ... Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She looked at Jake Horton, ¡°Jake, the Horton Group didn¡¯t actually suffer any losses. I won¡¯t pursue this matter any further, alright?¡±


    Jake Horton was indeed agitated as he angrily said, ¡°Mr. Morgan, this is an internal private matter of the Horton Group, and it¡¯s not an outsider¡¯s place to point fingers!¡±


    He was willing to give Samuel Morgan face because Samuel Morgan was Dr. South¡¯s assistant!


    It¡¯s not that he was really afraid of Samuel Morgan.


    The Horton Group¡¯s position in Oceanion is that of the top family; really, there are few people he would consider significant.


    Yet Samuel Morgan said, ¡°I¡¯m well aware of the situation. Indeed, Dr. South did not send any email to Isla Olsen!¡±


    Jake Horton sneered, ¡°If Dr. South didn¡¯t send it, then how did Isla Olsen get the solution?¡±


    Samuel Morgan shrugged, ¡°Yeah, how did she get it?¡±


    Jake Horton was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite obvious,¡± Samuel Morgan pointed at Poppy Hill, ¡°This woman gave it to her! Didn¡¯t we capture it on camera, her copying files onto Isla Olsen¡¯s computer with a USB drive?¡±


    All: ???


    Could it be interpreted like that?!


    Everyone was taken aback for a moment.


    Jake Horton was almost laughing with anger, ¡°Mr. Morgan, you mean to tell me that Keira Olsen¡¯s mother stole Keira¡¯s solution and gave it to Isla Olsen? Don¡¯t you find your own words laughable?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s funny about that.¡±


    Suddenly, Samuel Morgan shifted his target, ¡°Mr. Horton, do you think that I¡¯m right?¡±


    With these words, everyone subconsciously looked towards Lewis Horton.


    Although the man was quietly sitting there, not speaking much, his presence was strong.


    The man paused slightly, his thin lips slightly opening, his deep and pleasant voice echoing in the conference room, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s one way to interpret it.¡±


    With these words, the facial expressions of several people in the room changed.


    Jake Horton didn¡¯t dare confront Lewis Horton, and angrily said to Samuel Morgan, ¡°You mean to say that the solution is Keira Olsen¡¯s, not Dr. South¡¯s?¡±


    Samuel Morgan smiled, provokingly saying, ¡°It¡¯s also Dr. South¡¯s!¡±


    Jake Horton: ?


    Isla Olsen then spoke, ¡°Mr. Morgan, are you suggesting that Keira¡¯s solution and Dr. South¡¯s just happened to be identical?¡±


    Jake Horton was truly furious now, ¡°So that¡¯s your game! You want to clear yourself of suspicion and also claim the credit, playing a very clever game!¡±


    He then looked towards Lewis Horton, ¡°Uncle, do you think so too?¡±


    Lewis Horton pursed his lips.


    His eyes were deep, feeling something was amiss¡­ the confidence displayed by Samuel Morgan, and the woman¡¯s stature, straight since the moment she entered¡ª their relationship was not what he had thought!


    The idea he had suppressed surged again in his mind.


    He suddenly looked towards Keira Olsen, his pupils constricting.


    Could it be¡­


    Seeing that he did not speak, seemingly giving tacit agreement, Jake Horton immediately spoke righteously, ¡°I disagree! Uncle, I know Keira Olsen is here because of your connections, and Keira has a close relationship with Samuel Morgan, but Dr. South is my contact. I must ensure justice for Dr. South! I absolutely disagree with this situation; to do so would be to defile the character of a research scientist!!¡±


    His words resonated with the others.


    Everyone looked at Lewis Horton with condemning eyes.


    It was too much¡­


    The culprit who stole others¡¯ achievements was not only unpunished but was also trying to claim the credit?!


    If word of this got out, it was enough to cause public outrage within the company!


    Tom Davis was also fuming.


    What were Samuel Morgan and Keira Olsen plotting! It was bad enough that they could escape punishment, but now they also wanted more?


    They were truly insatiable!


    This time, they had really put the boss on the hot seat!


    But without the boss speaking up, he, as an assistant, didn¡¯t dare say much and could only seethe silently.


    At that moment, his phone buzzed. Opening it, he found someone from the Secretary¡¯s Office had sent him a link.


    It was the company intranet, and an anonymous poster had been live-texting the contents of this meeting room.


    Now, under that post, a bunch of people were commenting:


    ¡ªJust because the intern is pretty, Mr. Horton really protects her like this? It¡¯s truly disheartening!


    ¡ªI stand with Vice President Jake Horton; he speaks for the researchers!


    ¡ªInitially, I thought the company¡¯s atmosphere improved after Mr. Horton took office, but now I am also disappointed¡­


    ¡ªWould an intern¡¯s mother help outsiders bully her own daughter? This mother being so wronged is indeed tragic.


    ¡ªI¡¯m a fan of Dr. South, and my idol¡¯s work was stolen; I¡¯m the first to object!!


    ¡ªTo be honest, I¡¯m really grateful that Vice President Jake Horton could invite Dr. South to provide technical support. Working with Dr. South is the greatest honor of my life. Then I look at Mr. Horton, who exactly is he bringing into the company? A pretty intern, I can¡¯t help but laugh¡­


    ¡ªIf Dr. South feels wronged and resigns because of this intern, I¡¯m going to be furious!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The company¡¯s public opinion had taken shape, dealing a huge blow to the boss.


    In shock, Tom Davis hurriedly handed the phone to Lewis Horton, hoping he would change his mind about defending Keira Olsen.


    But unexpectedly, Lewis Horton didn¡¯t even glance at the phone, his gaze firmly fixated on Keira Olsen, his eyes filled with a complicated undercurrent¡­


    Tom Davis: ?


    Mr. Horton, at this critical moment, can you not be seduced by her beauty?


    As Tom Davis grew anxious, the head of the Administrative Department stood up, ¡°Mr. Horton, I cannot agree with this, it goes against my principles as a person.¡±


    The rest of the Administrative Department also stood up:


    ¡°Me neither.¡±


    ¡°Dr. South is praiseworthy, and should not be treated this way.¡±


    The Dean of Oceanion University also frowned deeply, not daring to scold Lewis Horton, he could only rage at Keira Olsen, ¡°Ms. Olsen, you have truly disappointed your teachers! Dr. South is respected by all of us, how could you do this?¡±


    The Vice Dean also shook his head.


    Poppy Hill took the opportunity to cry out, ¡°Keira, we can¡¯t keep making mistakes¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen lowered her head, a triumphant smile appearing on her lips: Keira Olsen had become a rat crossing the street, everyone shouting to beat her!


    Jake Horton¡¯s confidence surged, looking straight at Samuel Morgan, ¡°As Dr. South¡¯s assistant, when faced with an issue, you don¡¯t protect Dr. South¡¯s interests, and now you¡¯re here plotting against her, do you think you deserve Dr. South?¡±


    Faced with such a question, Samuel Morgan, far from being angry, smiled, ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask her then?¡±


    After saying this, amidst the surprised looks of everyone, he walked confidently to Keira Olsen and asked respectfully, ¡°Dr. South, how do you think I¡¯ve done as your assistant?¡±

 Chapter 60 - 60

    Chapter 60: Chapter 60


    The meeting room was completely silent, not a sound to be heard.


    All around, everyone looked at Samuel Morgan in shock, their eyes incredulously sliding back and forth between Keira Olsen and Samuel Morgan, feeling as if their brains had frozen.


    Why did Samuel Morgan call Keira Olsen Dr. South?


    Could it be¡­ Keira Olsen is Dr. South?


    Jake Horton cried out in surprise, ¡°Samuel Morgan, what nonsense are you spouting? One cannot casually claim to be Dr. South!¡±


    Samuel Morgan smiled. ¡°I knew you would question this.¡±


    ...


    He pulled out a patent certification from the bag he was carrying and held it up, turning it around for everyone to see.


    It was the identity proof of Dr. South, and the name written on it was indeed Keira Olsen! An official seal from a legitimate institution, it could not be falsified.


    Jake Horton¡¯s pupils contracted, and he stood there dumbfounded as if he had been struck by lightning.


    He stared blankly at Keira Olsen, suddenly feeling like he was a laughingstock!


    Initially, he had chosen Isla Olsen over her, not just because of her status as an illegitimate daughter but also because Isla could bring him the connection to Dr. South, making it easy for him to establish himself in the Horton Group¡¯s research and development department¡­


    But now, the situation made him feel like a clown!


    He abruptly looked at Isla Olsen, his face morphing into fury, ¡°What on earth is going on?!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0


    Isla Olsen¡¯s entire body trembled uncontrollably.


    She had originally hinted to Poppy Hill to steal Keira Olsen¡¯s plan, claiming it was from Dr. South, a risky move, yet events unfolded precisely as she had designed¡­


    Everyone was convinced that it was Keira Olsen who had stolen it, and to avoid upsetting Dr. South, they would definitely not bring it up to Dr. South.


    Even if Samuel Morgan appeared and testified for Keira Olsen, not many would believe him!


    But she had never imagined that Keira Olsen was Dr. South!


    She bit her lip hard, wanting to say something to quell Jake Horton¡¯s fury, but at the moment she didn¡¯t know what to say¡­


    Seeing this, Poppy Hill suddenly got up from the ground, stretched out her hand, and slapped toward Keira Olsen, ¡°Wretched girl! How can you be Dr. South? You were not good at studying from childhood, you almost didn¡¯t get into university, barely making it in¡ªthis can¡¯t be possible! It must be Samuel Morgan lying for you! Tell everyone that you¡¯re a fake, that you stole the plan from your sister!¡±


    This behavior, where was the deep motherly affection from before?


    Keira Olsen took a step back to dodge her attack, and said coldly, ¡°Have you forgotten why I wasn¡¯t good at studying?¡±


    Poppy Hill paused.


    ¡°When school first started, on my first exam, I ranked first in my class. Who was it that punished me by making me kneel all night, not allowing me to overshadow Isla Olsen? Who made me turn in blank exams every time and forbid me from studying properly? Who told me that if I dared to do well in school, she would sell me to human traffickers?¡±


    Keira Olsen looked down, her tone soft, ¡°I had to try harder than others, after all, controlling scores in college entrance exams is tough.¡±


    She rarely spoke of the past, but today, with Poppy Hill here creating the image of a perfect mother, she had no choice but to speak these words in order to explain the slander against her.


    Everyone was stunned, all eyes fixed on Poppy Hill.


    Incredulous that there could be such a mother in this world!


    The head of the Administrative Department stood frozen in place.


    He had thought he was empathizing with a pitiful mother, but the truth turned out to be this?


    Lewis Horton, who had been seated in the audience, stood up, his lips tightly shut, his gaze deeply fixed on Keira Olsen.


    The girl¡¯s words were all light and airy, as if she were telling someone else¡¯s story¡­ but he understood that every word she uttered was tearing at old wounds, exposing a bloody truth for everyone to see!!


    He thought of the investigations he had asked Tom Davis to conduct¡­


    She left the Olsen Family in middle school, working and studying part-time, and barely made it into Oceanion University.


    Oceanion University¡¯s tuition wasn¡¯t low, yet she had never applied for financial aid and had worked countless jobs outside¡­


    When he saw Tom Davis¡¯s investigation, he hadn¡¯t felt much pity.


    But now, as she shed all her pride and casually revealed those unbearable facts, he felt a tightness in his chest, an intense suffocation.


    Poppy Hill heard this without a trace of remorse, jumping up and saying, ¡°Numerical control? Fine, you¡¯re playing that game! Kiera Olsen, so young yet so scheming, daring to deceive me! You¡¯re really no good! I shouldn¡¯t have sent you to school, you trash, bastard, hiding and plotting secretly, even setting up this trap, deliberately framing Isla!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Lewis Horton couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, and after shouting loudly, he turned directly to Isla Olsen, ¡°Miss Isla Olsen, what do you have to say?!¡±


    Poppy Hill is Kiera Olsen¡¯s mother¡­ in this matter, it¡¯s clear that she¡¯s just a pawn being used, and Lewis Horton didn¡¯t want to deal with her, instead he looked directly at the main culprit.


    Isla Olsen immediately clenched her fists, looking subconsciously towards Jake Horton.


    Jake Horton was staring at her with a dark face, ¡°You better give me an explanation!¡±


    Tears welled up in Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes as she cried out, ¡°I, I didn¡¯t know¡­ Jake, you have to believe me, Dr. South really did send me an email¡­ Aunt Hill, what is going on?!¡±


    Poppy Hill scoffed directly, ¡°I did all of this, it has nothing to do with Isla!¡±


    She looked at Kiera Olsen, ¡°A few days ago, you called the police and had them throw me in jail for two days. Ever since I got out, I¡¯ve been thinking about getting back at you! I happened to hear Isla mention that your department was in a competition, so I thought of this plan! Hahaha, that day, when you went to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital room, I stole your laptop and took the plans! The video you just saw, I indeed wasn¡¯t going to Isla¡¯s computer to steal anything, I was bringing her something! It was to use Dr. South to suppress you, you unfilial daughter!¡±


    She no longer exhibited any trace of weakness or pity from before, now only appearing like a spiteful, market woman, hands on her hips, staring at Kiera Olsen and saying, ¡°I¡¯m your mother, what can you do to me?! Besides, I¡¯m not an employee of the Horton Group, you can¡¯t punish me!¡±


    Kiera Olsen found her ignorant and laughable.


    Just as she was about to speak, Lewis Horton¡¯s voice came again, ¡°Jalen Riley, you take Dr. South back first. I¡¯ll handle the situation here.¡±


    Kiera Olsen was momentarily stunned.


    She understood that Lewis Horton was worried that her presence would make it difficult for her if the Horton Group pursued Poppy Hill¡¯s responsibility, so he specially sent her out.


    She was silent for a moment, then accepted his kindness.


    She, Jalen Riley, and Samuel Morgan left the conference room first, then took the elevator to the Administrative Department.


    Jalen Riley looked stunned, still staring at Kiera Olsen as if he were dazed¡­


    Even upon entering the office, he hadn¡¯t come back to his senses.


    Just as they had returned to the office, the Administrative Department¡¯s team surged in:


    ¡°What happened? How did it end?¡±


    ¡°Team leader, why that look? Don¡¯t tell me Mr. Olsen¡¯s punishment is very severe?¡±


    Everyone was anxiously worried, and Luca Barker was especially frantic, ¡°Junior, what do we do now? I heard Dr. South¡¯s assistant also came, let¡¯s all go to him and ask Dr. South to let you off¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, as long as Dr. South speaks for you, it¡¯s all over!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    While everyone was speaking, Jalen Riley finally snapped out of it, pointing at Kiera Olsen and stuttering, ¡°You, you really are¡­ Dr. South?! ¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 61 - 61

    Chapter 61: Chapter 61


    The people from Group One in the R&D Department were baffled when they heard Jalen Riley¡¯s statement:


    ¡°Team leader, what are you talking about? Are you confused?¡±


    ¡°Is Dr. South here? Where is he? Can we meet him?¡±


    ¡°Who is Dr. South? Team leader, are you saying that Mr. Olsen is Dr. South?¡±


    ¡°What are you joking about, Mr. Olsen is so young¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ...


    While everyone thought Jalen Riley was joking, Keira Olsen looked at him with a serious expression and extended her hand towards him, ¡°Let¡¯s get to know each other again, I am Dr. South.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The whole group went completely silent in an instant.


    Luca Barker was the first to let out a shrill cry: ¡°Junior Sister?! What did you say? Who are you?!¡±


    The rest were stunned.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze swept over the group.


    During these days here, she had received unprecedented protection; although they might have misunderstood her at first, they quickly cleared up the misunderstanding.


    Their subsequent actions had moved her even more.


    The corners of her lips curved slightly upward: ¡°Thank you for taking care of me during this time; feel free to message me if you have any technical questions in the future.¡±


    Now that her identity was revealed, she couldn¡¯t possibly continue working here, so coming over with Jalen Riley was just to¡­ say goodbye.


    She had also already obtained the medical materials, so now she could conveniently leave.


    While the people in Group One were still in a state of bewilderment, she quietly stepped back and walked out with Samuel Morgan.


    Jalen Riley watched her retreating figure and unconsciously took a step to follow but abruptly stopped himself.


    All of a sudden, he started to feel regret.


    After finding out she was Dr. South, his reaction was really poor! Did he give her a bad impression? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These thoughts crossed Jalen Riley¡¯s mind, but when he turned around, he saw that everyone else still had their mouths gaping or their eyes bulging, each wearing an expression unfit for public.


    It wasn¡¯t until Keira Olsen got on the elevator that the group snapped back to reality:


    ¡°Ahhhh, Mr. Olsen turned out to be Dr. South!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, I actually worked on the same project as Dr. South!¡±


    ¡°She just said we could contact her in the future with problems, I actually became friends with Dr. South!¡±


    Then the group, as if suddenly struck by a thought, rushed to where Keira Olsen had been working and cleaned her desk of any remaining papers and pens:


    ¡°This is a pen used by Dr. South!¡±


    ¡°These are draft papers from Dr. South!!¡±


    ¡°This is the paper cup Dr. South used for drinking water¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The atmosphere within Group One started to become abnormal.


    Jalen Riley watched them, and for once, did not scold them; his heart suddenly became calm.


    In comparison with them, he was much more normal!


    ¡­


    Inside the Administrative Department meeting room.


    After Keira Olsen left, Lewis Horton immediately looked at the head of the Administrative Department: ¡°Call the police.¡±


    As soon as he said this, Poppy Hill, who was still arrogant just moments ago, was suddenly scared stiff, she had just been released two days ago!


    The head of the Administrative Department pondered for a moment and hesitantly spoke, ¡°Mr. Horton, calling the police would make the issue bigger and is not good for the company¡¯s image; in fact, we were not prepared to call the police today.¡±


    Even if Kiera Olsen was proven guilty, the issue would be resolved within the Horton Group and would not become public knowledge.


    Lewis Horton glanced at her indifferently.


    The heart of the Administrative Department director skipped a beat, and he immediately lowered his head, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Poppy Hill hurriedly shouted, ¡°Mr. Horton, I just wanted to teach my daughter a lesson. Stealing from one¡¯s own child isn¡¯t against the law, right? If the victim, Kiera Olsen, isn¡¯t speaking up, why involve the police?¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at her coldly, his gaze penetrating, making Poppy Hill feel as if she were in an icehouse. Then she heard the man¡¯s deep voice, ¡°What you stole is at the core of Horton Group¡¯s technology, constituting a suspected theft of company secrets. She may not pursue it, but the company cannot let it go.¡±


    Poppy Hill was stunned, she swallowed hard, ¡°What, what secrets? Is it punishable by imprisonment?¡±


    Lewis Horton said gravely, ¡°According to Article 219 of the Criminal Law of the People¡¯s Republic of China, those who commit serious offenses by infringing on trade secrets may be sentenced to three to ten years of fixed-term imprisonment.¡±


    Poppy Hill was bewildered, ¡°Is, is it that serious?¡±


    The Administrative Department director looked at Mr. Horton with a strange expression in his eyes.


    This incident today was not serious and hadn¡¯t caused any significant damage to the company, so why was Mr. Horton scaring her?


    As these thoughts crossed his mind, Lewis Horton said indifferently again, ¡°Of course, if you were instructed or deceived, the sentence may be reduced accordingly. So, were you enticed into stealing these items?¡±


    As soon as he said this, everyone turned to look at Isla Olsen.


    Everyone had brains and could think for themselves.


    How would a person almost fifty years old, disconnected from society, know of a concept like new energy?


    It was clearly Isla Olsen who had instigated and lured her!


    The Administrative Department director understood.


    Any normal person would, at this point, blame Isla Olsen to exonerate themselves¡­


    But just as this thought emerged, Poppy Hill shouted, ¡°No, Isla Olsen really didn¡¯t know anything about this. I did it all by myself, and it has nothing to do with her!¡±


    Isla Olsen stood by with reddened eyes. Looking at Poppy Hill, she asked, ¡°Aunt Hill, even if you hate Kiera and want revenge, you shouldn¡¯t implicate me, should you?¡±


    She lowered her head to wipe away non-existent tears, and despite her aggrieved expression, a fierce glint flashed in her eyes.


    She was not foolish.


    Such a simple frame-up could easily be exposed, so from the beginning to the end, all she gave to Poppy Hill were suggestive remarks.


    After all, in Poppy Hill¡¯s eyes, she didn¡¯t know her own background¡­


    She just went to personally pick Poppy Hill up from prison, displayed panic on the way, and recounted in ¡°detail¡± the matter of Kiera¡¯s bet with Jake Horton, finally saying apologetically, ¡°Aunt Hill, why am I even telling you this? I¡¯ve just been really troubled lately, Dr. South isn¡¯t responding, Kiera seems to have come up with the solution¡­ Oh, Jake has called off our engagement, what should I do? Never mind, everyone has their destiny.¡±


    Poppy Hill, as her biological mother, immediately ¡°took it upon herself¡± to steal Kiera Olsen¡¯s proposal and found a way to transfer it to her own computer.


    From start to finish, she was not involved in anything!


    Even if the police came, as long as Poppy Hill didn¡¯t blame her, she would be without fault!


    Indeed, the police arrived quickly and after questioning the details, they took only Poppy Hill away.


    Isla Olsen didn¡¯t breathe a sigh of relief, because what she truly feared wasn¡¯t Poppy Hill but Jake Horton!


    As expected, Jake Horton¡¯s expression darkened.


    Even though Isla Olsen wasn¡¯t taken away, everyone knew what had happened.


    Especially since the Administrative Department director had just given him a look, that look of suspicion seemed to say that he and Isla Olsen were in cahoots¡­


    He was utterly unable to explain himself!


    Enraged, Jake Horton didn¡¯t even glance at Isla Olsen as he strode out of the room.


    Isla Olsen hurried to follow, ¡°Jake, listen to my explanation¡­¡±


    After the two left the conference room, Lewis Horton remained still, his gaze deep as he watched them go.


    Why was Poppy Hill so protective of Isla Olsen?


    He suddenly turned to Tom Davis and said, ¡°I think Isla Olsen looks more like Poppy Hill¡¯s daughter.¡±

 Chapter 62 - 62

    Chapter 62: Chapter 62


    Tom Davis still looked somewhat bewildered, his mind reeling from the shock.


    He didn¡¯t understand research, but he did recognize Dr. South¡¯s significance to the development team.


    He was holding his cellphone, looking at a post that had just gone up on the company¡¯s intranet.


    Indeed, the tide had turned!


    Those who had been criticizing Lewis Horton for favoring the beautiful intern were now changing their tune:


    ¡ª¡ªShock! Dr. South is actually the beautiful intern?


    ...


    ¡ª¡ªSo, it was Mr. Horton who invited Dr. South to the company, not Vice President Jake Horton at all?


    ¡ª¡ªStill talking about the Vice President? Isn¡¯t he embarrassed? It seems like his promotion to Vice President was because he recommended Dr. South for technical support in the company, right?


    ¡ª¡ªHe could only get technical support, but Mr. Horton has already invited the person to the company! Compare the two¡­ Suddenly, I find Mr. Horton so mysterious and impressive!


    ¡ª¡ªAh, just went to ask Group One in R&D, Dr. South has already left, sob sob sob, why did Vice President Horton do that? If he hadn¡¯t slandered the beautiful intern, maybe Dr. South would have continued to help the company anonymously, right?


    ¡­


    Tom Davis was very pleased, and wished he could offer Keira Olsen his knees in gratitude!


    It wasn¡¯t until he heard Lewis Horton¡¯s voice that Tom Davis hurriedly put down his phone and respectfully asked, ¡°Boss, you¡¯re making sense. After all, which mother would treat her own child so poorly? To throw someone out and neglect them starting from junior high¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Lewis Horton¡¯s expression darkened, and his voice became as cold as frost, ¡°It¡¯s not unheard of.¡±


    Tom Davis: !!


    He suddenly realized he had said the wrong thing!


    Because the boss¡¯s mother was exactly like that¡­


    He quickly changed the subject: ¡°Boss, you also have a meeting arranged with Mr. Allen about a project.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t continue the previous topic and prepared to take Tom Davis to the top floor.


    At the elevator entrance, Isla Olsen was desperately clinging to Jake Horton¡¯s arm, pleading, ¡°Jake, I really don¡¯t understand what happened, Keira Olsen must have deliberately hidden her identity to play me¡­¡±


    Jake Horton pushed away her grasp, saying with disgust, ¡°Isla, she¡¯s not that kind of person. We were classmates for four years, I understand her. I guess Dr. South never agreed to become a technical advisor for Horton Group, did she?¡±


    Isla Olsen was taken aback.


    Jake Horton said angrily, ¡°Proposing to you in the first place was a mistake¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen called out in panic, ¡°Jake!¡±


    But Jake Horton continued, ¡°Tomorrow, I will come to your house to call off the engagement.¡±


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists tightly.


    At that moment, the elevator door chimed open, and Frankie Allen walked out briskly with his secretary.


    Seeing him, Jake Horton¡¯s expression changed, ¡°Mr. Allen?¡±


    The refined and gentle Frankie Allen paused in his step.


    Jake Horton smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m Jake Horton. I heard from my uncle that our families are going to collaborate.¡±


    Frankie Allen nodded slightly, his demeanor polite but distant, ¡°So you¡¯re young Mr. Horton, I¡¯m here to see Mr. Horton for business.¡±


    The words made Jake Horton awkwardly step aside, ¡°Then please¡­¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, a voice of surprise rang out:


    ¡°You¡­ are Frankie Allen?¡±


    Both men turned to see Isla Olsen looking astonished.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that the brother of the girl from the hospital would be Frankie Allen?!


    Frankie Allen had little recollection of her, asking politely, ¡°Who might you be?¡±


    His demeanor seemed approachable, yet his words maintained a certain distance.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s gaze flickered, and she smiled, ¡°Mr. Allen, have you forgotten me? Oceanion First Hospital, your sister, the telephone¡­¡±


    Frankie Allen froze, ¡°You¡¯re the person who called¡­ my savior?¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled, hooking her arm through Jake Horton¡¯s and said by way of introduction, ¡°Mr. Allen, this is my fianc¨¦.¡±


    Frankie Allen then looked again at Jake Horton with a serious gaze, ¡°Young Mr. Horton, what a coincidence.¡±


    After a glance at Isla Olsen, he suddenly said, ¡°I have business with Mr. Horton. Would young Mr. Horton care to join?¡±


    Frankie Allen, of course, knew the situation of the first branch of the Horton family, and initially had no intention of getting entangled with them.


    However, if Jake Horton was the fianc¨¦ of his sister¡¯s savior, he couldn¡¯t ignore the obligation to help.


    After all, the Allen Family owed the savior a life!


    Jake Horton was surprised and delighted.


    Without Dr. South¡¯s connections, his position in the R&D department had been very awkward.


    But the Allen Family was a famous and powerful clan in the capital, and with Frankie Allen personally inviting him to partake in the cooperation between the two groups, his status in the company was about to soar!


    He glanced at Isla Olsen and, with a meaningful pat on her hand, said, ¡°Isla, I¡¯ve got to get busy now, but I¡¯ll accompany you to buy the engagement ring tomorrow.¡±


    Isla Olsen let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She was determined to marry Jake Horton!


    After Frankie Allen walked away, he suddenly took out his cell phone, found the number of his rescuer saved earlier, and sent her a message: ¡°Miss Olsen, when are you free? My sister and I would like to invite you and your fianc¨¦ for a simple meal.¡±


    ¡­


    When Kiera Olsen¡¯s phone rang, she was being stopped for a chat by the vice-chancellor and the dean of Oceanion University in the lobby downstairs.


    She picked it up and glanced at it, recognizing the number that had sent the message.


    With her keen memory for numbers, she quickly remembered that this was the brother of ¡°Rebecca.¡±


    Kiera Olsen also wanted to know the follow-up to that day¡¯s event, so she replied: ¡°Weekend is good.¡±


    After sending the message, she realized something was wrong. Where did she get a fianc¨¦ from?


    ¡°Dr. South, you¡¯re also a graduate of Oceanion University, so you should understand our teaching philosophy. We sincerely invite you to return to teach¡­¡±


    The vice-chancellor of Oceanion University was very sincere: ¡°I hope you will consider it.¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked up, tired of pretending, and said bluntly, ¡°I was actually planning to accept your invitation, seeing as I was nurtured by Professor Miller, but now that he has been suspended and I¡¯ve heard his graduate students are being treated unjustly.¡±


    The dean¡¯s expression stiffened: ¡°Dr. South, this is all a misunderstanding¡­ I had no idea you were Dr. South¡­¡±


    The vice-chancellor immediately cut him off: ¡°Shut up! Even if she were an ordinary student, she shouldn¡¯t have been expelled without being found guilty! Dr. South, we will definitely deal with the relevant parties strictly. As for Professor Miller¡­ He has been with the university for many years and has cultivated so much talent for us. I think he is very suitable for the position of Dean of the New Energy Science Institute. What do you think?¡±


    Kiera Olsen was very pleased!


    She quickly reached an agreement with the vice-chancellor.


    When Isla Olsen arrived downstairs, she saw just such a scene of amiable conversation.


    She clenched her fists tightly.


    Seeing how respectfully the vice-chancellor treated Dr. South, a deep jealousy surged within her!!


    After the conversation, the vice-chancellor and the dean left.


    Samuel Morgan had gone to get the car, and Kiera Olsen waited at the entrance.


    Isla Olsen quickly walked over, unable to hide the spite and disgust on her face: ¡°Kiera Olsen, do you know why I hate you?¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t bother with her.


    But Isla Olsen continued: ¡°Aunt Hill told me your computer password is my mom¡¯s birthday?¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s gaze slowly fell.


    So Poppy Hill knew her so well that she could easily hack into her computer.


    Isla Olsen stepped forward, her voice accusatory and venomous: ¡°Don¡¯t you have a mother of your own? Why use my mom¡¯s birthday for your password? You think I don¡¯t see through your little scheme for my mom? Coveting someone else¡¯s mother, how disgusting can you get?¡±


    She spat out each word: ¡°And do you fantasize about taking my place? Ridiculous! My mom will always be mine, nothing to do with you! Get over your delusions!!¡±


    Kiera Olsen stood dazed, a rush of panic unexpectedly overwhelming her.


    The dark thoughts hidden within her were exposed, and for a moment, she felt utterly humiliated.


    ¡­


    Kiera Olsen sat in Samuel Morgan¡¯s sports car, the cold wind tousling her hair, but unable to disperse her thoughts.


    She had always envied Isla Olsen for having such a gentle and kind mother.


    As a child, she had dreamed countless times of being Isla Olsen, with Mrs. Olsen brushing her hair, telling her stories, cuddling in Mrs. Olsen¡¯s embrace, longing for her tenderness¡­


    She carefully restrained, suppressed her fondness for Mrs. Olsen, never meeting her again after leaving the Olsen Family, but like a creep, she set up these passwords.


    As the roadside scenery gradually receded, she gave a bitter smile, picked up her phone, opened the password change settings, and typed in a new password: 1234.


    When the screen showed that the change was successful, she felt an empty space in her heart.


    She shouldn¡¯t aspire to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s motherly love, much less disturb her life¡­


    Her eyes felt a bit sore.


    Kiera Olsen slightly tilted her head back, hiding the dampness at the corners of her eyes.


    At that moment, Samuel Morgan¡¯s cell phone rang.


    He answered it, and a voice came from the other side: ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve found the secret about her uncle, Finley Hill, that the boss asked us to investigate!¡±

 Chapter 63 - 63

    Chapter 63: Chapter 63


    Samuel Morgan glanced at Keira Olsen cautiously when he heard this.


    As soon as his boss got into the car, he adopted a keep-out demeanor that made driving a nerve-wracking experience for him.


    He coughed and said, ¡°The boss is right beside me, go ahead.¡±


    The voice on the other end became much more respectful, ¡°Boss, we found that Finley Hill has been gambling all these years. He used to lose hundreds of thousands every month, but a few days ago, he was set up and lost two million. When the people at the gambling den were about to break his legs, he shouted something, and they let him go. Guess what he shouted?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He said, ¡®My niece is Miss Olsen!''¡±


    ...


    Keira Olsen paused briefly, but didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, as Finley Hill always used to say things like ¡°You are also Miss Olsen, ask your dad for money¡± when he asked her for money.


    ¡°Boss, did he come to ask you for money afterwards?¡±


    Keira Olsen indifferently responded, ¡°Isla Olsen must have given it to him.¡±


    ¡°She did. I checked his bank transactions, and the money was transferred two days ago. Moreover, I found that from ten years ago, Isla Olsen has been transferring two hundred thousand to him every month. Over the years, Isla has given him almost twenty million. It must be a huge leverage for it to be worth so much money!¡±


    Keira Olsen coolly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I asked you to investigate?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t get mad, boss¡­ let me continue!¡± The other person said in a playful tone, ¡°I¡¯ve checked everyone around Finley Hill and found that he keeps his mouth pretty tight. No one knows anything, but now I have a chance to pry it open ¡ª I just need you to cooperate a bit, boss.¡±


    ¡°How do I cooperate?¡±


    ¡°Finley Hill was conned again at the gambling den yesterday and lost five million¡­ he is really desperate now, and five million isn¡¯t a small amount. Isla Olsen won¡¯t be able to come up with that money anytime soon. When that happens, Finley Hill will have no choice but to come to you, and then we can extract the secret, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes, ¡°Was this your doing?¡±


    ¡°Cough, I just used a little scheme. Boss, you can rest assured, I always remember your instructions to stay away from drugs, gambling, and vice, and to be a law-abiding good citizen!¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Keira Olsen looked ahead.


    She needed to uncover the secret between Isla Olsen and Finley Hill, to prevent them from eventually harming Mrs. Olsen.


    Just as she thought this, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Mrs. Olsen to Dr. South: [South, are you busy? I¡¯ve been thinking, and there¡¯s something I need your help with¡­]


    Keira Olsen replied, [I¡¯m not busy, go ahead.]


    Mrs. Olsen quickly sent a voice message, ¡°Dr. South, this is the situation. The design plans you submitted to Horton Group were stolen by a young lady named Keira Olsen. I¡¯d like you to tell Horton Group not to pursue her responsibility.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze sharpened, staring at the voice message for a long while.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Mrs. Olsen to contact her about this issue.


    Seeing that she hadn¡¯t replied, Mrs. Olsen sent another voice message, ¡°I know this puts you in a difficult position, but Keira is almost like a daughter to me. I¡¯ve watched her grow up since she was a child, and she¡¯s not that kind of person. There might be some misunderstanding here. Are you free now? Otherwise, we could meet in person.¡±


    Almost like a daughter¡­


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes suddenly welled up with tears!


    She pursed her lips and texted back, [I¡¯m on my way to your house now.]


    After sending the message, she said to Samuel Morgan, ¡°Go to the Olsen¡¯s.¡±


    The Olsen¡¯s.


    Mrs. Olsen took a deep breath after sending her message, her whole body tense, ¡°Dr. South said she¡¯s coming over now¡­¡±


    At the side, Aunt South couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Mrs., you yourself don¡¯t like socializing, and over the years you¡¯ve hardly met any outsiders. Now, for her sake, you¡¯ve taken the initiative to meet with Dr. South, you really are¡­ meddling too much!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was frail and low in energy, and Aunt South felt very sorry for her, ¡°Why do you have to be so concerned about that woman¡¯s child?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen lowered her head.


    Isla and Taylor Olsen were not at home, so the two could speak some heart-to-heart words.


    She suddenly spoke, ¡°Sister South, actually, I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    Aunt South was startled.


    Jodie South¡¯s gaze was lost as she looked ahead, ¡°You know me, I¡¯ve never been a saintly type, but strangely, the first time I saw her as a child, I found her adorable and inexplicably liked her, unable to stop myself from caring for her. It was as if she was my daughter too¡­¡±


    Aunt South also thought back to Kiera Olsen¡¯s childhood, remembered her in tattered clothes, being insulted and beaten by Poppy Hill, and sighed, ¡°She was indeed pitiable as a child, stuck with such an unreliable mother, truly pitiful.¡±


    But her tone suddenly changed, ¡°But Mrs., she is, after all, an outsider, and moreover, her mother being so wicked. Since she left, she has never come back to see you, nothing but an ungrateful wretch¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, however, said, ¡°There must be some misunderstanding, don¡¯t forget, it was Kiera who asked Mr. Horton to help find the hospital room and the medicine.¡±


    Aunt South pursed her lips, saddened for her, ¡°If she wouldn¡¯t even help with that little thing, that person¡¯s heart would be thoroughly cold! Mrs., can you not be bought over by such small favors? Remember, you were also once¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Mrs. Olsen suddenly looked at her.


    Aunt South immediately stopped talking, ¡°¡­anyway, you are someone who¡¯s seen the big picture, you should understand, all that is just material possession, companionship is what¡¯s most important. Think about Dr. South, how considerate he has been towards you all these years, spending so much thought on you? Every year he sends gifts for your birthday, never misses any holiday, a biological daughter couldn¡¯t do better. If Dr. South doesn¡¯t want to let Kiera Olsen go, please don¡¯t make it difficult for him, after all, in this matter, Dr. South is the victim¡­¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Olsen silently sighed, ¡°I know.¡±


    On one side was Kiera Olsen, whom she had watched grow up, and on the other was Dr. South, who had given her so much. Mrs. Olsen didn¡¯t want to upset Dr. South either.


    After a long while, noises came from the doorway.


    Isla Olsen had come home.


    Mrs. Olsen hurriedly got up and went over to ask, ¡°Isla, how did the Horton Group handle Kiera?¡±


    Upon seeing Mrs. Olsen like this, Isla suddenly clenched her fists, ¡°You¡­ didn¡¯t go to ask her yourself?¡±


    ¡°No, I was afraid that asking her would pressure her, and she would be upset.¡±


    Isla¡¯s expression grew even uglier, ¡°She¡¯s fine, Jake didn¡¯t pursue her responsibilities.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s great, Isla, invite Jake over for dinner some day, I¡¯d like to thank him properly.¡±


    Isla¡¯s expression tightened, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The Horton Group had issued an order, not to disclose Dr. South¡¯s identity publicly.


    Within the company, only the R&D department knew that the beautiful intern was Dr. South, but not her name.


    Just as Isla came to this realization, the doorbell rang.


    The nanny opened the door, and Kiera Olsen walked in.


    Mrs. Olsen was overjoyed upon seeing her, ¡°Kiera, what brings you here?¡±


    Kiera Olsen smiled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you call me over?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen: ??


    As she puzzled over this, Kiera Olsen opened Dr. South¡¯s WhatsApp and handed it to Mrs. Olsen.

 Chapter 64 - 64

    Chapter 64: Chapter 64


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s apricot eyes widened slightly in shock when she saw the chat messages on the WhatsApp interface!


    Aunt South, not understanding the situation, hurriedly came forward, her brows knitted in concern, and said, ¡°Madam, isn¡¯t Dr. South coming? Miss Keira and Dr. South had a bit of a disagreement, wouldn¡¯t it be inappropriate for them to meet?¡±


    The implication was clear: Keira Olsen should leave immediately.


    Aunt South was wholeheartedly devoted to Mrs. Olsen; after watching Mrs. Olsen yearn for her for so many years and yet she never returned home, she felt that Keira Olsen was somewhat cold-hearted and did not deserve Mrs. Olsen¡¯s kindness.


    Hence, her tone was quite unfriendly.


    But just as she said this, Mrs. Olsen gripped her wrist, ¡°Sister South, Keira is Dr. South!¡±


    ...


    Aunt South paused, slightly stunned, ¡°What?¡±


    Her surprise glance towards Keira Olsen was instantly replaced with shock and all her previous opinions and dislike evaporated in an instant!


    Isla Olsen glared at Keira Olsen venomously, feeling that she was there to show off today!


    Fearing that Mrs. Olsen would probe further, she turned and ran up the stairs.


    Mrs. Olsen noticed this behavior and frowned slightly, then gently patted Keira Olsen on the shoulder and complained, ¡°You child¡­ You¡¯ve helped the family so much behind my back, really¡­ Why did you keep it a secret from me?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s face was smiling, but the tip of her nose felt sour, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What are you sorry for? You have been clever since you were young, but I didn¡¯t expect you to achieve so much in your field,¡± Mrs. Olsen said, taking her hand and walking towards the sofa. She asked seriously, ¡°Keira, tell me, what exactly is going on with this theft scheme? Did Isla frame you?¡±


    Keira Olsen helped her sit on the sofa and looked down, ¡°It¡¯s just a misunderstanding.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen had not been in good health and had spent the past years focusing on her recovery, not managing the company or the household. She was upright and generous, and had always taught them to do things with a clear conscience.


    If she knew her own daughter had framed someone else, she would definitely be heartbroken and upset, ultimately harming her health.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t want to trouble her and casually changed the subject, ¡°I came today, actually, to ask for your help with something.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Keira Olsen hesitated for a moment, ¡°I¡­ have a friend who has received some information that a stock is going to rise soon. She wants me to invest, but my company is about to go public, and I don¡¯t have enough liquid funds to make the investment¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen understood and interrupted her directly, ¡°How much do you need?¡±


    Keira Olsen had always kept an eye on the Olsen family and knew very well how much cash the company and household had. She carefully stated a figure: ¡°Fifteen million.¡±


    She was scheming against Isla Olsen, planning to borrow most of the Olsens¡¯ money, making it impossible for Isla to raise five million for Finley Hill.


    Mrs. Olsen pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Between the household and the company, there¡¯s a total of seventeen million three hundred thousand. Here¡¯s what I¡¯ll do, I¡¯ll give you seventeen million. Is that enough?¡±


    A warmth touched Keira¡¯s heart, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    She hoped that the secret between Isla Olsen and Finley Hill wouldn¡¯t affect Mrs. Olsen.


    That way, out of respect for Mrs. Olsen, she might consider helping to cover up for Isla.


    But if Isla hurt Mrs. Olsen, she wouldn¡¯t be blamed for meddling and being ruthless!


    ¡­


    After leaving the Olsen residence, Samuel Morgan drove her back to the hospital.


    At that moment, a luxury car had just parked in the car park.


    Lewis Horton stepped out of the Bentley, his black suit accentuating his lean figure, adding a sense of abstinence to his otherwise expressionless and handsome face.


    Tom Davis turned his head and saw Keira Olsen, hurriedly greeted her, his words carrying a hint of respect he himself didn¡¯t notice, ¡°Miss Olsen, you¡¯re back too!¡±


    Lewis Horton followed his gaze, only to see the normally proud girl now looking down in thought, with a melancholy expression.


    Upon hearing Tom Davis¡¯s voice, she turned her head to look, stopped her steps, and seemed to wait for them.


    Lewis Horton unconsciously quickened his pace, reaching her side in a few steps, and they walked forward side by side.


    He glanced at the girl and noticed her expression unchanged as if she were troubled by something, and took the initiative to ask, ¡°Miss Olsen, are you upset about your mother¡¯s issue?¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at him, ¡°Ah?¡±


    Lewis Horton stared ahead, his voice low and slow, ¡°Actually, some family bonds need not be forced, some people simply don¡¯t deserve to be mothers, and it¡¯s best to just treat them like strangers.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Keira Olsen opened her mouth as if she wanted to say that wasn¡¯t what she was dwelling on, but seeing the usually reticent man looking serious, she paused slightly.


    From the parking lot to the inpatient department, they had to pass a shaded path. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the man¡¯s face, adding a touch of melancholy to his handsome features.


    He just said ¡°them¡±¡­


    And remembering that the old Mrs. Horton was talkative but had never once mentioned Lewis Horton¡¯s mother¡­ did that mean she and he were in the same boat?


    Keira Olsen suddenly gave him a big grin, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    The girl¡¯s smile was unrestrained and infectious, as if all troubles had dissipated with that laugh, lifting Lewis Horton¡¯s spirits considerably.


    He awkwardly shifted his gaze away, changing the subject, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already instructed the R&D department not to disclose your identity.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes lit up slightly, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She did not want to reveal her identity yet, to avoid being harassed by many in the industry.


    Lewis Horton replied in a mild tone, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Keira Olsen suddenly remembered something, ¡°By the way, when we were at work today, you said you had some news about Samuel Morgan to tell me, what is it?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression tensed slightly upon hearing that.


    Tom Davis, following behind them, couldn¡¯t help but stop in his tracks, feeling awkward.


    He had thought Samuel Morgan was Keira Olsen¡¯s boyfriend, so the boss wanted to warn her that Samuel Morgan was a player, but it turned out Samuel Morgan was Miss Olsen¡¯s subordinate! How to say that now?


    As he was pondering, he heard his boss say indifferently, ¡°Yeah, I wanted to say that Samuel Morgan is indeed reliable and hardworking, a good subordinate to have.¡±


    Tom Davis twitched the corners of his mouth.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s mind was marked with a question mark: ?


    This sounded strangely familiar.


    She wanted to ask more, but Lewis Horton¡¯s phone rang, and he breathed a sigh of relief, quickly walking a couple of steps ahead to create some distance and answer the call. Whatever was said on the other end made his complexion darken. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing this, Tom Davis couldn¡¯t help but murmur, ¡°It¡¯s probably about that collaboration with the Allen Family again. I don¡¯t know what got into Frankie Allen, suddenly dragging Jake Horton into the project, and even specifying that Jake should handle the details of future collaborations¡­¡±


    He went on to say, ¡°Originally, today¡¯s incident made Jake Horton lose face, but now he¡¯s perked up again, even more arrogant than before, and I don¡¯t know how he got involved with the Allen Family¡­¡±


    While talking, the three of them turned into the inpatient department.


    Keira Olsen was just about to head to the third floor when she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure.


    Rebecca Allen and a middle-aged couple were sitting in the lobby, seemingly waiting for someone, and stood up when they saw her, brightly exclaiming, ¡°My savior!¡±

 Chapter 65 - 65

    Chapter 65: Chapter 65


    Lewis Horton had long legs and walked quickly, having already gone upstairs.


    Kiera Olsen walked over to Rebecca Allen.


    Dressed in a patient¡¯s gown and sitting in a wheelchair, Rebecca stood up in excitement, prompting a middle-aged woman by her side to hurry and support her, ¡°You should sit down first.¡±


    After taking a seat, Rebecca pointed to the two people beside her and explained to Kiera Olsen, ¡°My benefactor, these are my parents.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Rebecca¡¯s mother, Madam Allen, firmly grasped Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand, her eyes reddening as she spoke anxiously, ¡°Good child, thank you for saving our Rebecca. I¡¯ve asked the nurses all about what happened, if it wasn¡¯t for you, Rebecca would be gone!¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t know how to face this situation and could only say, ¡°It was nothing.¡±


    ...


    Noticing her discomfort, Rebecca¡¯s father, Mr. Allen, quickly said, ¡°Miss Olsen, our Allen Family owes you a life debt, if there¡¯s ever anything we can assist with in the future, please feel free to ask.¡±


    Kiera Olsen declined, ¡°Mr. Allen, you¡¯re too kind, it was just a simple effort on my part.¡±


    She looked at Rebecca Allen, ¡°Have you finished your surgery?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will need rehabilitation training for a while to come. Benefactor, I¡¯m staying over in the rehabilitation building now, could you come visit me when you have the time?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Seeing as Rebecca Allen wasn¡¯t fit for staying out long, they added each other on WhatsApp and then parted ways.


    Madam Allen pushed Rebecca back to the ward, saying as they walked, ¡°That Miss Olsen has such a clear and honest look, quite pleasing to the eye¡­ Old Allen, I am speaking to you, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Mr. Allen snapped back to attention, ¡°Ah, I was just thinking that Miss Olsen looks somewhat familiar¡­¡±


    ¡°Who looks familiar?¡±


    Suddenly, Frankie Allen¡¯s voice echoed in the ward, and only then did the three of them notice Frankie Allen sitting on the sofa with a strange man.


    The stranger stood up immediately to greet them, ¡°Mr. Allen, Madam Allen, Miss Allen.¡±


    Mr. Allen¡¯s expression showed a bit of displeasure, feeling that his son had brought someone to disturb his daughter.


    Rebecca Allen had no wish to meet strangers either.


    Just as everyone showed some aversion, Frankie Allen spoke up, ¡°This is Miss Olsen¡¯s fianc¨¦, Mr. Jake Horton; he came to visit Rebecca.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the displeasure on everyone¡¯s faces disappeared immediately.


    Rebecca Allen looked at Jake Horton with curiosity.


    Mr. and Madam Allen exchanged a few pleasantries with him.


    After Jake Horton had left, Mr. and Madam Allen looked at each other and said with subtlety, ¡°Miss Olsen seemed so pure and refined, but her fianc¨¦ is so¡­ never mind, we shouldn¡¯t judge others¡¯ choices.¡±


    ¡°Pure and refined?¡± Frankie Allen thought of Isla Olsen¡¯s mercenary appearance and furrowed his brow, ¡°Mom, Dad, even you can be mistaken in judging others. Miss Olsen wants more than you all imagine!¡±


    Mr. Allen was startled, ¡°She didn¡¯t make any demands of us, though!¡±


    Frankie Allen scoffed, ¡°By introducing her fianc¨¦ to me, she made it clear she wants me to help him. If our cooperation with Horton Group succeeds, it will become an asset to the first branch of the Horton family. Lewis Horton is not to be messed with, and by involving our Allen Family in this conflict, isn¡¯t what she wants great enough? At least she¡¯s self-aware enough not to make further demands.¡±


    Mr. Allen furrowed his brow, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Olsen to be that kind of person, sigh!¡±


    Madam Allen also sighed, ¡°She saved Rebecca, and for that kindness, we should help as much as we can, but it¡¯s a pity. I thought Rebecca could really gain a true friend.¡±


    Unpleased by these words, Frankie Allen looked at Rebecca Allen, ¡°You should avoid associating with Miss Olsen from now on, she and her fianc¨¦ are not good people. It¡¯s a good thing we can repay their kindness with money.¡±


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s complexion changed, ¡°Miss Olsen is not that kind of person!¡±


    Frankie Allen sighed, ¡°Rebecca, haven¡¯t you learned your lesson? You can¡¯t judge a person solely by their appearance.¡±


    But Rebecca Allen¡¯s expression remained resolute.


    Miss Olsen was the person who gave her hope in her last moments; she refused to believe that Miss Olsen was that sort of person¡­


    ¡­


    Although Old Mrs. Horton had said that no other members of the Horton Family were allowed to visit her, Jake Horton still headed to her room upon his arrival at the hospital.


    As he approached the door to the room, he could see through the glass window that Lewis Horton and Keira Olsen were seated on the sofa, both busy on their laptops. Despite the silence between them, the harmonious scene still stung his eyes.


    He pushed the door open, greeted Old Mrs. Horton, and then walked out.


    As he passed Lewis, he suddenly stopped.


    What he had always feared most was his younger uncle. But given that Keira had ignored him throughout today, never once giving him a glance¡­ it felt as if she were high above, untouchable.


    A surge of anger welled up inside him, boosting his courage as he said directly, ¡°Uncle, Mr. Allen values me highly and said that I should be in charge of this project. But I am only the Vice President of R&D, which seems a bit below the level required, doesn¡¯t it? Perhaps you should give me the position of the project department¡¯s General Manager?¡±


    With those words, the atmosphere in the entire room suddenly became awkward.


    Keira didn¡¯t speak, merely turning to look at Lewis.


    Demanding power and a position directly, was Jake Horton challenging Lewis Horton with the support of the Allen Family? It was unclear whether he would compromise¡­


    Lewis raised his eyes indifferently, his dark gaze sweeping over Jake with a single glance before he said coolly, ¡°Is the position of project department General Manager enough for you?¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What could that mean¡­


    Jake¡¯s heart leapt with joy; the Allen Family had obviously put pressure on his uncle!


    But just as that thought crossed his mind, he heard the man¡¯s deep voice continue slowly, ¡°How about I give you my position instead?¡±


    Jake¡¯s breathing hitched, feeling an invisible pressure bearing down on him.


    Of course, he wanted the position of the person in charge!


    But despite his uncle¡¯s casual demeanor, there was a thunderous rage hidden in his voice, especially in those pitch-black, icy eyes¡­ Jake felt as though he was peering into an abyss, his heart trembling.


    He swallowed hard, eventually lowering his head to say, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    Even without looking up, he could still feel the piercing gaze, almost tangible, sending a chill down his back. After what felt like an eternity, he finally heard that faint voice say, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to come here anymore if it¡¯s not urgent.¡±


    Jake left as if a heavy burden had been lifted, hurrying away.


    Once out of the room, he was filled with annoyance and regret, feeling as if he had lost face in front of Keira!


    Inside the room.


    Tom Davis saw Jake Horton storm out angrily and couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°He¡¯s demanding a promotion before the project even starts; I¡¯ve never seen such arrogance. But boss, by not giving him face like that, could it affect our cooperation with the Allen Family?¡±


    Lewis didn¡¯t say anything.


    So Tom sighed quietly.


    Keira, noticing this, slowly asked, ¡°Is there anything I can help with?¡±


    Tom immediately spoke up, ¡°The cooperative project with the Allen Family is in new energy, beyond your assistance. Moreover, you don¡¯t know the Allens¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira said no more.


    The night passed without further conversation.


    The next morning, Tom brought the latest news: ¡°It turns out Mr. Allen¡¯s sister is staying in this hospital. Boss, both emotionally and logically, you should pay her a visit, right? It might also help to ease the relationship with Mr. Allen.¡±


    Lewis frowned, ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate.¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Tom said, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s not appropriate, it involves a woman¡­¡±


    He suddenly looked towards Keira, ¡°Miss Olsen, since you are Mr. Horton¡¯s wife in name, why don¡¯t you accompany Mr. Horton for this visit?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lewis, who was in the middle of tying his tie, paused slightly but did not refuse.


    Seeing this, Keira nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 66 - 66

    Chapter 66: Chapter 66


    Old Mrs. Horton, hearing the conversation of a few people, curiously asked, ¡°Which Allen Family?¡±


    Tom Davis instinctively glanced at Lewis Horton and dared not speak.


    Lewis Horton then said, ¡°The Clance Allen Family.¡±


    Upon hearing these four words, Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s expression faltered slightly.


    Keira Olsen sensitively noticed that the atmosphere in the room seemed to have grown tenser.


    She briefly swept her gaze over Lewis Horton, trying to gauge Tom Davis¡¯s reaction.


    ...


    Tom Davis signaled her with his eyes, indicating not to speak carelessly.


    At that moment, the caregiver brought in breakfast and set it on the table, and Keira Olsen helped Old Mrs. Horton walk over to sit down.


    The three of them sat around the dining table, where there was usually no talking during meals. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, today, after Old Mrs. Horton had drunk half a bowl of porridge, she put down her chopsticks, ¡°Brat, perhaps we shouldn¡¯t cooperate with the Allen Family anymore, eh?¡±


    Keira Olsen glanced at Lewis Horton.


    The man¡¯s eyes were downcast, his long lashes concealing the emotions at the bottom of his eyes, making him hard to read.


    Seeing this, Tom Davis immediately said, ¡°Miss Olsen, shall we go and ask the doctor about Old Madam¡¯s health?¡±


    Keira Olsen understood that Tom Davis was clearing the room, guessing the next part of the conversation might not be suitable for them to hear.


    She picked up her half-eaten sandwich, stood up, and was about to leave with Tom Davis when Old Mrs. Horton grabbed her arm, ¡°My grand-daughter-in-law, you don¡¯t need to leave. You¡¯re not an outsider, and you¡¯re bound to know these broken matters of the family sooner or later!¡±


    Tom Davis instinctively looked towards Lewis Horton.


    The man furrowed his brows, his expression seemed somewhat displeased. He looked up at Old Mrs. Horton, his mouth opened but ultimately, he said nothing.


    Tom Davis then quietly left, considerately closing the door behind him, guarding outside to let no one in and also to prevent eavesdropping.


    Seeing this situation, Keira Olsen realized that she might hear some of the Horton Family¡¯s private issues, feeling awkward about whether it was appropriate to stay or leave.


    After all, she was not legitimately Lewis Horton¡¯s wife or lover ¡ª was it really appropriate for her to listen to their conversation?


    In her dilemma, Old Mrs. Horton spoke up, ¡°My grand-daughter-in-law, I¡¯ve never mentioned to you about the brat¡¯s mother, have I?¡±


    Keira Olsen cautiously glanced at Lewis Horton and saw that the man was leisurely eating his bread, showing no intention of interrupting their conversation. Thus, she asked, ¡°Does Mr. Horton¡¯s mother have something to do with the Allen Family?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton didn¡¯t notice the small interactions between them and let out a soft sigh, ¡°It¡¯s not related to the Allen Family but rather to Madam Allen ¡ª the brat¡¯s mother was Madam Allen¡¯s sister.¡±


    She began recounting some past events, ¡°Years ago, Horton Family wanted to form an alliance through marriage with the Clance Davis Family. My disappointing son had been divorced once when he was young, and at just over forty, for his second marriage, he married a woman in her twenties from the Davis Family. It was only after she got pregnant that we discovered, his ex-wife had secretly given birth to his son and raised him outside until he was a teenager ¡ª that would be the brat¡¯s older brother.¡±


    Keira Olsen made sense of the relations.


    This Miss Davis must be Lewis Horton¡¯s mother.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s father, Nathan Horton, had a child from his previous wife, who was Lewis¡¯s older brother Oliver Horton, and also Jake Horton¡¯s father.


    Oliver Horton and Lewis Horton were half-brothers, which explains why their relationship was poor.


    Old Mrs. Horton continued, ¡°The Miss Davis, marrying a man over a decade older than herself, was already very unwilling as it was a business alliance. Upon discovering the deceit, she was furious. A fiery woman, she chose to have a cesarean at seven months pregnant, gave birth to the brat, and decisively divorced to return home, cutting off all ties with the Horton Family ¡ª thus, the Davis Family bore a grudge against the Horton Family, breaking off all contact.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s expression turned somewhat unsightly as she spoke.


    Keira Olsen pursed her lips and looked towards Lewis Horton.


    Back then, whether Nathan Horton¡¯s father knew about the son he had outside or actually deceived his mother was impossible to verify, and, regardless, her mother¡¯s decision to divorce was not undue.


    But how could she heartlessly have the child cut out and abandoned at the Horton Family home when she was seven months pregnant?


    Even if she wanted a divorce, couldn¡¯t she have waited just two more months and given birth to him?


    At that time, he was already seven months in development, a living being!


    Old Mrs. Horton had once said that when Lewis Horton was first born, he weighed only three pounds and two ounces, stayed in the NICU for three months, his body covered in tubes, suffered several life-threatening complications, and almost didn¡¯t survive, which was why they gave him the mean nickname Puppy¡­ So that was it!


    Thinking back to yesterday when Lewis Horton comforted her by saying, ¡°Some people simply aren¡¯t fit to be mothers; you might as well treat them as strangers,¡± Keira Olsen took a deep breath, feeling a tightness in her chest.


    It turned out Lewis Horton and she were alike, both abandoned by their birth mothers.


    She looked at the man, seeing him still sipping milk with his gaze lowered, his handsome features cold and firm like iron, as if he were listening to someone else¡¯s story, his aloof demeanor accompanied by a sense of brokenness.


    Keira¡¯s heart clenched, and she suddenly wanted to hug him¡­


    Old Mrs. Horton frowned and sighed, ¡°I heard that Mrs. Allen and that brat¡¯s birth mother were close sisters, resulting in the Allen Family holding grudges against the Horton Family for so many years¡­ Everyone is justified from their own standpoint. You and that fellow from the Allen Family have been at odds over these, so why force yourself? Is this collaboration absolutely necessary?¡±


    Lewis Horton set down his milk glass, elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then raised his cool eyes, ¡°We are all adults here, and in the business world, we only talk about interests, without bringing up past grievances.¡±


    He stood up, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let myself be at a disadvantage.¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen followed behind Lewis Horton, walking from the hospital ward toward the rehabilitation center.


    But at the entrance of the rehabilitation center, they were stopped.


    Frankie Allen¡¯s secretary apologetically said, ¡°Mr. Horton, Miss Allen is not in good condition, and it is presently inconvenient for you both to visit her upstairs.¡±


    At this, Tom Davis immediately became angry, ¡°Our Mr. Horton coming to visit is giving face to your Allen Family, do you really think we are afraid of you? How dare you kick us out?¡±


    The secretary hurriedly explained, ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s just really not a good time¡­¡±


    Tom Davis wanted to say more but was stopped by Lewis Horton, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The three of them turned back the way they came.


    On the way, Tom Davis was very upset, ¡°This is too much! Do they really think we are scared? We just don¡¯t want to cause more trouble!¡±


    Yesterday Jake Horton visited the patient, and today they were stopped; wouldn¡¯t this make people look down on their boss?


    Lewis Horton, however, said unhurriedly, ¡°Frankie Allen isn¡¯t a big talker; I guess his sister really isn¡¯t well.¡±


    Tom Davis finally shut his mouth.


    Lewis Horton had to go to the office, so he and Tom Davis left from the parking lot.


    Keira Olsen sighed quietly, preparing to return to the old lady¡¯s room.


    Just then, her phone buzzed.


    She picked it up and saw a message from Rebecca Allen¡¯s brother: ¡°Miss Olsen, could you please come to the hospital? Rebecca¡¯s condition isn¡¯t good, and she insists on seeing you.¡±


    Keira Olsen was slightly stunned.


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s brother¡­ wasn¡¯t his name Frankie Allen?

 Chapter 67 - 67

    Chapter 67: Chapter 67


    Keira Olsen stared at the text message and smiled faintly.


    She always had a good memory. The day she called Rebecca Allen¡¯s brother, he introduced himself first, and it was indeed Frankie Allen!


    She didn¡¯t pay much attention at the time, but now, putting all the coincidences together, she could confirm that the sister of Mr. Allen, who partnered with Horton Group, was Rebecca Allen!


    ¡­What a coincidence.


    She replied to the message: [Okay, heading there now.]


    ¡­


    ...


    In Rebecca Allen¡¯s hospital room, a tense situation unfolded.


    Frankie Allen was holding his phone, and upon seeing the message reply, he turned to look at Rebecca Allen on the hospital bed.


    Her little face was pale, and she curled up motionless on the bed.


    Mrs. and Mr. Allen were anxiously pacing nearby, ¡°Rebecca, how can you get better if you don¡¯t cooperate with the therapy? Please, be obedient, will you?¡±


    Rebecca Allen, however, was stubborn: ¡°If you won¡¯t let me meet Miss Olsen, I won¡¯t get treated!¡±


    Frankie Allen¡¯s brow furrowed tightly.


    He knew that his sister had always been well-protected since childhood, which led to her being quite willful.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have eloped with her boyfriend back in the day.


    For someone as simple-minded as his sister, if all her friends were good people, she would live a peaceful life. But if there were bad people around, like her husband¡­ no, now her ex-husband, then the consequences would be unimaginable.


    That¡¯s why Frankie Allen was so overbearing in intervening in her social life, refusing to let her see that ¡°Miss Olsen¡± again, no matter what.


    Mr. Allen, being a doting father, immediately looked at Frankie Allen: ¡°Did you call Miss Olsen over?¡±


    Frankie Allen had just reluctantly sent the text message, his brows creased deeply. Hearing the question, he replied: ¡°I did.¡±


    Mr. Allen quickly asked, ¡°Will she come?¡±


    Rebecca Allen also looked at him with expectation.


    Frankie Allen took a deep breath, ¡°With an opportunity to sell a favor like this, how could she not come? She said she¡¯d be right over!¡±


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s eyes brightened.


    Mr. Allen also breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing his son looking upset, he was the first to scold his daughter: ¡°Rebecca, you are really too willful this time! Your brother is good at judging people. Would your own family harm you again?¡±


    Mrs. Allen also chimed in: ¡°Rebecca, you really have gone too far. Our family¡¯s relationship with the Horton family is complicated. If it weren¡¯t necessary to work on the project only with Horton Group, I wouldn¡¯t want to get involved with them at all. The Horton family humiliated your aunt so much back then, our families are very complicated, especially that first branch of the family, which is in conflict with Lewis Horton¡­¡±


    She took a deep breath: ¡°Even if our relationship is bad, Lewis Horton is after all your aunt¡¯s biological son. And now we¡¯re repaying this kindness by helping the first branch of the Horton family; it¡¯s just not justifiable. Don¡¯t blame your brother for being heartless; he did call Miss Olsen to accompany you, and he will be the one owing all these favors!¡±


    Rebecca Allen, however, looked at them: ¡°Miss Olsen is not that kind of person! According to my brother, she just introduced her fianc¨¦ to him. Maybe she meant nothing else?¡±


    Her parents and brother didn¡¯t understand the feeling of someone coming out of nowhere to save her when she was on the brink of death, like a savior!


    She had been betrayed by her husband and was currently in a state of confusion, panic, and fear. Although her parents could be with her, they were of an older generation, and there was a generation gap in their thinking.


    Moreover, Rebecca Allen had her own pride.


    She didn¡¯t want her parents to see her weakness because it reminded her of how incredibly wrong her past choices were¡­


    She also needed someone to confide in, someone she felt she could trust, to talk about the pain deep in her heart.


    The person she trusted the most at the moment was only her benefactor¡­


    Frankie Allen, hearing her na?ve words, frowned and said: ¡°In the business world, people don¡¯t speak too directly. Having met many people, I can still clearly distinguish her intentions. That low-level, calculating face, utterly venal!¡±


    At that time, Isla Olsen¡¯s thoughts were practically written on her face.


    Rebecca Allen became agitated: ¡°You must have seen it wrong; my benefactor is not that kind of person! Brother, why are you so hateful! I don¡¯t want to listen to you speak ill of my benefactor anymore!¡±


    Mr. Allen said hastily, ¡°Alright, your brother was just reminding you a bit, isn¡¯t the person here now?¡±


    Mrs. Allen couldn¡¯t say much either, after all, her daughter¡¯s health was the most important.


    Frankie Allen sent the text only because his parents forced him, and at that moment, he felt nothing but anger as he turned to leave.


    Mrs. Allen called out, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To work.¡±


    Frankie left the house directly. Staying there any longer, he feared he would be angered to death by his disappointing sister!


    Besides, having just stopped Lewis Horton from visiting, he felt he should go and give an explanation in person.


    This was not someone to be trifled with.


    The cooperation with Horton Group was beneficial for both parties, and Frankie had only suggested that Jake Horton be responsible for the communication on this project, which wasn¡¯t a high demand; that¡¯s why Lewis had gone along with him.


    But Frankie knew better than to push things too far, and Lewis wouldn¡¯t allow it either.


    Although the two were at odds over their elders¡¯ issues, they also had their own tacit understanding when it came to project collaboration.


    Frankie¡¯s face was gloomy as he walked briskly towards the elevator.


    ¡°Ding¡±


    The elevator doors opened, and a beautiful woman stepped out.


    Even in a bad mood, Frankie couldn¡¯t help but take a few glances at her.


    Upon looking, he was slightly taken aback.


    The girl seemed familiar? The night Rebecca Allen was saved, the benefactor¡¯s hair was a disheveled mess, mostly covering her face, so he hadn¡¯t gotten a clear look at her. His mind only held a vague impression.


    But after Isla had falsely claimed it was her, he unconsciously merged the image in his mind with that of Isla.


    So when he saw Kiera Olsen again, aside from feeling a sense of familiarity, he thought nothing more of it.


    He brushed past Kiera and entered the elevator, heading straight downstairs.


    Kiera glanced at him but didn¡¯t speak.


    Remembering that it was he who had helped Jake Horton establish a foothold within Horton Group, she felt somewhat displeased.


    Kiera walked into the hospital room.


    Rebecca¡¯s mood lifted upon seeing her, and after chatting for a while, she agreed to go for rehabilitation training.


    Mr. and Mrs. Allen observed her from the side, whispering to each other:


    ¡°Miss Olsen¡¯s eyes are clear, she doesn¡¯t seem like those flattering and ingratiating types at all!¡±


    ¡°I think so too, does Frankie have a problem with his judgment?¡±


    ¡°Not likely, our son hasn¡¯t been wrong in years. Maybe she¡¯s just good at hiding it¡­¡±


    At that moment, Kiera received a phone call. The person on the other end said they were from the police station. Since Rebecca Allen¡¯s husband and mother-in-law were implicated in a murder case, they needed to confirm her testimony again, asking her to come to the police station to assist with the investigation and record her statement.


    Kiera replied, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll come over now.¡± S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile.


    Frankie, who had just left the hospital, also received a call from the police station: ¡°Mr. Allen, regarding your sister¡¯s case, we need your cooperation for some procedures. When are you available to come by?¡±


    Frankie¡¯s gaze was icy, ¡°I¡¯ll come over now.¡±

 Chapter 68 - 68

    Chapter 68: Chapter 68


    Isla Olsen also received a call from the police station.


    As a witness to the entire incident, she had cooperated with the police by providing a statement and testimony the day they discovered Rebecca Allen¡¯s brother was no common man, and she dared not lie anymore.


    Of course, she was happy to cooperate and cheerfully agreed to do so.


    Going to testify for Rebecca, she could also have Frankie Allen owe her a favor¡­


    Just as she was feeling proud, her phone suddenly rang again. She glanced at the caller ID, and her face darkened¡ªit was Finley Hill!


    Though she really wanted to hang up, she dared not and reluctantly answered, ¡°What is it now?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Dear niece, you have to save me, if I can¡¯t pay this money, I¡¯ll be beaten to death!¡± Finley Hill¡¯s voice made Isla furrow her brow in annoyance.


    She clenched her fists. ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Five million.¡±


    ¡°How much?!¡± Isla¡¯s voice suddenly rose, sure she must have heard wrong.


    Although the Olsen family was wealthy, giving her a monthly allowance of 150,000 since middle school, the family¡¯s checking account only held a few million, and together with the company¡¯s liquid assets, it amounted to less than twenty million.


    She had thought that the last two million would be enough for Finley Hill for a while, but now, just a few days later, he was asking for five million?!


    But Finley Hill was not at all threatened as he said, ¡°Dear niece, can you manage it? If you can¡¯t, they will beat me to death, and I¡¯ll have to go to Kiera Olsen then!¡±


    Isla¡¯s pupils contracted.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you two days. If the money isn¡¯t in my account by then, don¡¯t blame me for revealing your and Kiera Olsen¡¯s origins! After all, saving my life is more important, right, dear niece?¡±


    Finley Hill left her with those words and hung up, leaving Isla so angry that she threw her phone hard on the ground!


    She took a deep breath where she stood.


    For such a large sum of five million, she could only ask her family for it.


    Thinking this, Isla began to hesitate.


    Although Kiera had not exposed the fact that she stole Dr. South¡¯s emails, Mrs. Olsen obviously suspected something, and had been giving her cold looks since yesterday.


    Isla furrowed her brows and walked toward Mrs. Olsen¡¯s room.


    As she approached, she heard Mrs. Olsen asking, ¡°Where¡¯s Poppy Hill? Seems like I haven¡¯t seen her for a few days.¡±


    Taylor Olsen replied: ¡°Who cares? Maybe she went back to her brother¡¯s place. It¡¯s better if that woman never comes back. She annoys me just by being around.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes flickered outside the door.


    She composed her emotions and with tears in her eyes, sobbingly called out, ¡°Mom, Dad.¡±


    Seeing her like this, Mrs. Olsen stood up, wanting to comfort her, but paused and sat down on the sofa instead.


    Taylor Olsen frowned and asked, ¡°Isla, did you make your mother angry?¡±


    Isla bowed her head and started crying, ¡°Mom, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have framed Kiera, I was just jealous because you care so much about her.¡±


    Her tears seemed genuine, ¡°Mom, Kiera is so capable now, being a doctor, able to arrange hospital rooms for you, but I¡¯m not as good as her. I¡¯m a bit scared, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll love her more than me¡­ When we were kids and went to school together, classmates would tease me, saying dad and mom are going to divorce, you buy clothes and send food for her, they all said you didn¡¯t want me, that you wanted her as your daughter¡­ so I¡¯ve always been bothered by her¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s expression softened a lot, she walked over to Isla and sighed, ¡°How can you be so petty? Besides, Kiera has been away from home all these years precisely because she was mindful of this; she doesn¡¯t intend to take anything from me, and I would not love her more than I love you! Don¡¯t overthink things from now on!¡±


    Isla sobbed and asked, ¡°Really?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re all grown up now, how could I still deceive you?¡±


    Isla burst into laughter through her tears, ¡°Then you say, Mom loves me the most.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen said helplessly, ¡°Alright, Mom loves you the most.¡±


    Isla¡¯s smile became more genuine, but then she heard Mrs. Olsen mention again, ¡°In the future, don¡¯t always treat Kiera as an imaginary enemy!¡±


    Her smile froze, and a shadow passed through her eyes.


    Isla bowed her head, ¡°I won¡¯t anymore, I truly realize my mistake.¡±


    After mollifying Mrs. Olsen, Isla then spoke, ¡°Mom, today Jake said he would take me to buy a wedding ring, and I thought I¡¯d also buy him a gift.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen nodded, ¡°Good, it¡¯s right for you to think that way, we shouldn¡¯t take advantage of others.¡±


    After Isla started working, her monthly living expenses increased to three hundred thousand.


    She lived at home and hardly spent any money.


    Mrs. Olsen thought she must have millions in personal savings, so she didn¡¯t catch the implication of her words.


    Isla¡¯s face stiffened, and she bit her lip, simply saying, ¡°After being with Jake, the expenses have been a bit high, and I¡¯m a bit strapped for cash now¡­¡±


    Only then did Mrs. Olsen understand, ¡°I have over three hundred thousand here, I¡¯ll transfer it to you in a moment.¡±


    Isla choked, ¡°Only over three hundred thousand?¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mrs. Olsen sighed, ¡°Yes, I transferred money to Kiera, she¡¯s going to buy stocks¡­¡±


    Before Isla could express her displeasure, Taylor Olsen preemptively spoke up, ¡°Buying stocks? The stock market is so bad now, who would join at this time? It¡¯s utter nonsense! What if the money is lost?¡±


    However, Mrs. Olsen waved a hand dismissively, ¡°She said a friend tipped her off, it won¡¯t be lost. Besides, even if it really is lost, consider the money a gift to her. Over the years, she¡¯s brought hundreds of millions in profit to the company; giving her over ten million is actually less than she deserves.¡±


    Taylor frowned deeply, clearly very dissatisfied.


    Yet Isla felt only a sense of panic, knowing that she definitely couldn¡¯t come up with five million anytime soon¡­


    She went downstairs, lost in thought, and got into Jake Horton¡¯s car.


    Jake Horton was spirited, ¡°Isla, my father was very pleased when he learned that you saved Mr. Allen¡¯s sister. He transferred some money to me this morning, told me to take you to buy some fine jewelry, considering it a gift from him as your father-in-law!¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes flickered guiltily, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the police station first, Mr. Allen¡¯s sister¡¯s case needs me to make a statement.¡±


    Jake Horton smiled, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    When they arrived, they coincidentally met Frankie Allen in the parking lot.


    Seeing Isla, Frankie understood why she was there, and thinking that she had come specifically to testify, his resentment towards her diminished somewhat, ¡°Miss Olsen, thank you for making this trip.¡±


    Isla smiled, ¡°It¡¯s only right.¡±


    The three greeted each other and headed towards the police station when, by chance, they ran into Keira Olsen coming out of the station.


    Keira Olsen was the first to arrive at the police station.


    She had recounted the events of that day from start to finish once again, confirmed her statement was accurate, signed it, and then walked toward the exit.


    The police officer personally escorted her out, and was speaking to her, ¡°Comrade Olsen, you made a quick and decisive move to save someone at the moment it was needed. Our police station has decided to formally commend you, preparing an announcement.¡±

 Chapter 69 - 69

    Chapter 69: Chapter 69


    Upon hearing about the announcement, Keira Olsen hurriedly said, ¡°Maybe the announcement isn¡¯t necessary¡­ ¡±


    ¡°It is necessary,¡± the officer smiled. ¡°We need to promote such good deeds so more people will do them. It¡¯s also a task from our publicity department.¡±


    Keira Olsen reluctantly agreed, ¡°Alright then.¡±


    As they reached the entrance, they ran into Frankie Allen and Isla Olsen.


    They were registering and had just explained their business when the reception officer saw the people with Keira Olsen and called out, ¡°Officer Cohen, these two are also here for the Rebecca Allen murder case. You can take them in.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Frankie Allen and Isla Olsen instinctively turned back.


    ...


    Seeing Keira Olsen, Isla Olsen¡¯s pupils constricted.


    Frankie Allen caught something and furrowed his brow in thought: Also?


    This woman, she also came because of his sister¡¯s case?


    Keira Olsen merely glanced at them before diverting her gaze, uninterested in any dispute with these people, and walked outside.


    Officer Cohen then said, ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll escort this colleague to the door and then I¡¯ll come and take you in.¡±


    Frankie Allen nodded, then his gaze deepened as he looked to Isla Olsen and asked, ¡°Was this Miss present when the incident with my sister happened?¡±


    Jake Horton also looked directly at Isla Olsen.


    He knew how Isla Olsen and Frankie Allen had met, but if Keira Olsen had also saved Rebecca Allen, how could he then draw Frankie Allen to his side?


    Isla Olsen¡¯s gaze grew colder, and she suddenly let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Mr. Allen, that¡¯s my sister. Indeed she was with me at the time¡­ Miss Allen initially sought her help, but my sister is quite cold; she didn¡¯t mean to refuse Miss Allen intentionally; Jake, you know how she is.¡±


    Jake Horton frowned. ¡°She is indeed cold-hearted and dislikes socializing.¡±


    Isla Olsen sighed. ¡°She even stopped me from calling you, saying lovers should all go die¡­ ¡±


    Realizing what she just said, she hurriedly covered her mouth, ¡°Mr. Allen, please don¡¯t be angry, I think Miss Allen didn¡¯t take it to heart¡­ ¡±


    But Frankie Allen¡¯s expression had already turned dark as water.


    He remembered that after he had rescued Rebecca and she had come to after the surgery, her first words upon seeing him were, ¡°Brother, should somebody as foolish as I am not deserve to live?¡±


    He had thought then that his sister was troubled by romantic woes, but it turned out she was upset because someone else had insulted her?!


    Jake Horton couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow. ¡°She is certainly rational, with so many pursuing her in university, she never agreed; such a person might never be moved by someone else in their entire life! In her eyes, maybe love is just a synonym for foolishness!¡±


    He clenched his fists.


    So, did she see him in the same way?


    Jake Horton felt a tightness in his chest and suddenly turned to Isla Olsen, ¡°You go ahead and give your statements, I won¡¯t go in. I¡¯ll wait outside for you.¡±


    Leaving these words, he chased after the door.


    Frankie Allen¡¯s gaze lingered on his retreating figure, thoughtful.


    Isla Olsen casually asked as if it were an afterthought: ¡°Mr. Allen, when do you plan to return to Clance? How is your sister doing? The hospitals in Clance should be better than the ones in Oceanion, right?¡±


    Frankie Allen withdrew his gaze, responding indifferently, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be signing the contract today and in the next couple of days I will take Rebecca to Clance for recuperation, so we won¡¯t trouble Miss Olsen here in Oceanion anymore.¡±


    Miss Olsen had a strong motive, and Frankie Allen wished Rebecca could be as far from her as possible. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla Olsen silently sighed with relief.


    She just feared that if Frankie Allen stayed in Oceanion too long and learned the truth, it would be best if he left soon.


    Outside the police station.


    Keira Olsen stood by the roadside, waiting for a rideshare car.


    The light dimmed suddenly beside her, and Jake Horton¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Keira, I didn¡¯t expect you to be Dr. South, but do you think starting a business is easy without a solid backing? In business, connections matter more than abilities, which come second.¡±


    Keira Olsen gave him a cold glance, but said nothing.


    Jake felt a stifling pressure in his chest.


    In college, she had always been indifferent to others, except to him. He never thought that one day, her coldness would be directed towards him.


    He became angry out of embarrassment, ¡°Keira Olsen, you are too cold-hearted, always so indifferent to others, no wonder you missed such a great opportunity!¡±


    Keira was baffled by his words¡ªwhat opportunity had she missed?


    At that moment, the car arrived.


    She ignored Jake¡¯s entanglement and got into the car and left.


    Jake watched her leave, knowing he had completely lost her!


    But he had no regrets!


    Even after knowing she was Dr. South, he had no regrets because he couldn¡¯t possibly marry an illegitimate daughter!


    After hypnotizing himself for a long time, Jake finally calmed down.


    Isla Olsen and Frankie Allen just finished giving their statements at the police station and Jake immediately went to meet them.


    Frankie¡¯s voice was bland, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for delaying Miss Olsen and Mr. Horton¡¯s date.¡±


    Isla laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, it¡¯s all part of what I should do. Where are you heading now, Mr. Allen?¡±


    Frankie looked at the time, ¡°I have a meeting scheduled with Mr. Horton to sign some documents today, and once the contract is signed, our collaboration will be official.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Jake instantly said, ¡°It¡¯s a pity I¡¯m not yet in a higher position, otherwise, it would have been me signing the contract with Mr. Allen today!¡±


    Frankie¡¯s gaze darkened momentarily, then Isla chuckled, ¡°Hasn¡¯t Jake been promoted yet? Being a vice-president and negotiating with Mr. Allen must be quite inconvenient.¡±


    Jake said, ¡°My uncle mentioned promoting me after the contract is signed, but he has a lot on his plate. I¡¯m worried he might forget.¡±


    Isla turned to Frankie, ¡°Mr. Allen, could you please remind Mr. Horton about this during the signing?¡±


    Frankie pursed his lips.


    They were both old foxes in the business world, how could he not understand the underlying message?


    In this collaboration, Jake actually hadn¡¯t done anything. He forcefully involved Jake in this project, knowing that gradually, the position of a department head was inevitable for him.


    But Jake couldn¡¯t wait and even wanted to climb higher at his expense!


    Frankie took a deep breath and looked at Isla deeply, ¡°Alright.¡±


    After parting ways with them, Frankie headed to Horton Group.


    The collaboration was a major event for the group, thus the contract signing was very formal.


    In a large conference room, they sat across from each other at the table.


    Lewis Horton signed the document in front of him and handed it to Frankie, then noticed that Frankie¡¯s copy was yet unsigned.


    Lewis narrowed his eyes, his presence turning cold, ¡°Does Mr. Allen have any concerns about the contract?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no issue with the contract,¡± Frankie spoke calmly, ¡°but it was agreed that young Mr. Horton would handle this project, yet his position is still just a vice-president?¡±


    Lewis¡¯s expression became icy, ¡°Is Mr. Allen trying to interfere with Horton Group¡¯s appointments?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, but I get along well with young Mr. Horton and I hope Mr. Horton would grant me this favor.¡±


    Frankie posed as if he wouldn¡¯t sign the contract unless he agreed.

 Chapter 70 - 70

    Chapter 70: Chapter 70


    Tom Davis was on the brink of blowing up!


    How did Jake Horton get promoted to General Manager without lifting a finger? By what right?!


    But he understood that at a critical moment of cooperation between both parties, such a demand was nothing but a trifle for the Horton Group!


    With so many executives present, there was no way the boss could refuse such a minor position adjustment!


    It was so frustrating!


    What was Frankie Allen thinking?! Even if the Davis Family held a grudge against the Horton Family from years past, shouldn¡¯t it be the first branch of the family they resented? Why was he opposing the boss at every turn!


    ...


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression remained composed. He always kept his emotions in check, his piercing gaze fixed on Frankie Allen as he spoke slowly, ¡°If I don¡¯t agree, does that mean Mr. Allen won¡¯t sign the contract?¡±


    The question hung in the air, instantly silencing the room.


    Lewis Horton looked indifferent.


    There were many people from the Horton Group in the meeting room, putting pressure on Lewis Horton.


    But there were also quite a few people from the Allen Family!


    If the collaboration were called off due to Frankie Allen¡¯s unreasonable demands, he would face pressure from his own company as well.


    So now, it was a test of patience for both sides.


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    Whoever couldn¡¯t hold out would lose.


    After what seemed like forever, Lewis Horton remained calm, forcing Frankie Allen to speak up gently, ¡°Of course not, Mr. Horton, you¡¯ve misunderstood. This is merely a personal suggestion of mine.¡±


    The cold aura around Lewis Horton lightened somewhat, ¡°Let¡¯s sign the contract first, and I¡¯ll have Jake Horton take charge of the collaboration afterward.¡±


    Once Jake Horton had accomplished a real task, there would be a reason to promote him to General Manager; this was an oral commitment from Lewis Horton to Frankie Allen.


    Both parties were major groups. Frankie Allen took a step back, and Lewis Horton was not going to press him too hard.


    Frankie Allen nodded, signed the two contracts, and stamped them. The collaboration was officially in effect.


    Frankie Allen stood up and extended his hand to Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, I look forward to a pleasant partnership.¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at him impassively and did not speak, making it clear that he was still dissatisfied about the scene Frankie had just caused.


    Seeing this, Frankie Allen waved for all the assistants in the meeting room to leave. Once there were only the two of them left, he looked at Lewis Horton again and explained, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, my action wasn¡¯t instigated by my aunt. I simply owed a favor to Keira Olsen and needed to advocate some benefits for Jake Horton, that¡¯s all.¡±


    On hearing this, Lewis Horton stood up, ¡°There¡¯s no need to explain. I¡¯m not interested in her.¡±


    Frankie Allen frowned, ¡°My sister was humiliated in the hospital, nearly lost her life, and it was Keira Olsen who protected her. She also called me. A life-saving grace cannot be ignored.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression grew colder as he left without a word.


    Tom Davis followed him, ¡°Boss, I just finished discussing with the people from the Allen Family. There will be a celebration banquet tomorrow night. I¡¯ve asked around, and Frankie Allen will attend. I¡¯ve heard his parents have also arrived in Oceanion and will be at the event as well.¡±


    On hearing this, Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze grew sharper, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Frankie Allen¡¯s mother¡­ was the sister of that woman, his own aunt by blood relation.


    Tom Davis continued, ¡°There¡¯s just one problem. As for your female companion, should we just pick someone from the secretarial office, or should we invite Miss Olsen?¡±


    Lewis Horton indifferently replied, ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t like these kinds of occasions, forget it.¡±


    That meant he didn¡¯t need a female companion.


    Tom Davis nodded in understanding.


    But then he was taken aback.


    If it were the past, the boss would have scolded him for mentioning Miss Olsen¡¯s name, but now, he was actually saying she wouldn¡¯t like it?


    It seems like, the boss¡¯s attitude toward Miss Olsen has changed?


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t feel any difference.


    After all, when Lewis Horton came back from work, he still had a gloomy face, looking like someone owed him eight million dollars.


    Even the Shiba Inu ¡°Kitty¡± looked up with its tail wagging to greet him, but the man didn¡¯t spare it a glance.


    Keira Olsen pretended not to notice and continued to busy herself with the final stages of her drug research and development. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These past few days, she had thoroughly digested the neurology materials she borrowed from Horton Group. She had a breakthrough with the problems she¡¯d encountered before and was about to finalize the clinical drug for Alzheimer¡¯s disease.


    Old Mrs. Horton was anxious because she stopped going to work, constantly worrying about fostering a relationship between the two. She had intended to talk to Lewis Horton after work, to ask him to take some time to take his granddaughter-in-law out for a concert or a meal¡­


    But seeing his complexion, she couldn¡¯t help complaining, ¡°It must be work that¡¯s not going smoothly.¡±


    She looked at Tom Davis and inquired, ¡°Did he run into some trouble?¡±


    Taking advantage of the moment Lewis Horton went to the bathroom to wash his hands, Tom Davis couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°It¡¯s that Frankie Allen. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but he¡¯s been opposing the boss and raising young Mr. Horton¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen raised her eyebrows.


    Had Tom Davis forgotten that Old Mrs. Horton was also Jake Horton¡¯s great-grandmother?


    To speak like this in front of the old lady¡­


    Unexpectedly, Old Mrs. Horton just curled her lips, ¡°How come I don¡¯t know about any connection between the Allen Family and Jake? How did that come together? And Jake, doesn¡¯t he know about the animosity between the Allen Family and his uncle?! That¡¯s not right, logically, shouldn¡¯t the Allen Family hate the first branch of the family more?¡±


    Her demeanor made it very clear that she was unequivocally siding with Lewis Horton.


    Tom Davis snorted, ¡°Who knows what¡¯s going on. The Allen Family, instead of bonding with their rightful relatives, are getting chummy with the first branch, hmph!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton then pursed her lips, ¡°Didn¡¯t we go to visit that little sister from the Allen Family today? Didn¡¯t that help warm relations? When Madam Allen saw her own nephew, didn¡¯t she show any reaction?¡±


    Tom Davis sighed, ¡°Didn¡¯t see anyone, they said the patient wasn¡¯t doing well.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton was very dissatisfied, ¡°Logically, she¡¯s still a cousin, if she¡¯s not well, shouldn¡¯t they have let us see her? All things considered, we¡¯re still not close, there has been no interaction! Actually, some relatives, once you break the ice, it gets easier to get along.¡±


    The elderly lady¡¯s thoughts were clear.


    After all, it was her son who had wronged Lewis Horton¡¯s mother, so the Davis Family¡¯s hatred towards them was justifiable.


    She used to resent them, thinking that Lewis Horton¡¯s mother was too cruel for having a cesarean section in July which led to several critical health crises, but now¡­


    The Hortons didn¡¯t care for their grandson, and her own health was failing. If the Davis Family could show some goodwill and fill the void in her grandson¡¯s heart for family affection¡­


    So actually, she was hoping this cooperation could bring Lewis Horton and the Allen Family closer!


    But who would have thought it turned out like this?!


    Old Mrs. Horton was filled with worry, ¡°What¡¯s going on with the Allen Family?¡±


    When Keira Olsen saw her continuously muttering, she suddenly spoke up, ¡°Grandma, how about I introduce the two families to each other?¡±


    After all, she was Rebecca Allen¡¯s benefactor, and after meeting them, she felt that Mrs. and Mr. Allen were good people, too. Once the ice was broken, they should be able to get along gradually¡­


    Just as Lewis Horton had finished washing his hands and came out of the bathroom, he heard her words.


    His eyes flashed coldly, then he asked with curiosity, ¡°You know the Allen Family?¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded, ¡°Yes, I helped them out a little before.¡±


    A little help¡­


    All of a sudden, Lewis Horton realized something, ¡°So it was you who saved his sister?¡±


    Keira Olsen was surprised, ¡°How did you know?¡±

 Chapter 71 - 71

    Chapter 71: Chapter 71


    Old Mrs. Horton, upon hearing the conversation between the two, also realized something, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, the person you mentioned visiting today, is that the sister from the Allen Family?¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After returning from the police station, Kiera Olsen paid another visit to Rebecca Allen to see her after her recovery training session, and only then did she come back.


    She briefly explained to Old Mrs. Horton who surprisingly remembered the details.


    Kiera looked at her and felt that, indeed, her illness hadn¡¯t worsened recently; instead, there were signs of improvement.


    The medication needed to be urgently researched, preferably to help Old Mrs. Horton remember the truth about her marriage to Lewis Horton.


    Lewis Horton, who had been listening to their conversation, had the corners of his lips slightly raised, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes.


    ...


    So it turned out that Frankie Allen had mistaken someone else for another.


    He suddenly spoke up, ¡°Miss Olsen, there¡¯s a celebration banquet between the Horton Group and the Allen Family the day after tomorrow night, and I happen to need a female companion. Are you interested?¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t even look up, ¡°Not interested.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Lewis Horton was taken aback, his profound eyes shimmering, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, Miss Olsen, that you wanted to introduce both families to each other?¡±


    Only then did Kiera turn to look at him, her amorous eyes gleaming reluctantly, ¡°Fine, I will.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton looked surprised, ¡°You brat, you¡¯re willing to reconcile with the Allen Family?¡±


    Lewis Horton hummed indifferently, changing the subject, ¡°What did you have for lunch today?¡±


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    ¡°I had rice, chicken soup, and celery¡­¡±


    Tom Davis, who was nearby, couldn¡¯t help but glance at his boss.


    The boss had never shown any interest in reconciling with that mother he had never met.


    That¡¯s why the news of his clash with Frankie Allen was publicized as mere business. In fact, in this cooperation, Frankie had shown goodwill numerous times, which the boss had ignored, clearly indicating he wanted no interaction with them beyond business.


    So that comment just now was simply to charm Miss Olsen into being his companion?


    Tom Davis wore a contemplative expression.


    After dinner, Kiera Olsen was going to walk the dog.


    She attached the leash to the Shiba Inu named Kitten and stepped out with it.


    Tom Davis seemed to be heading downstairs to retrieve some documents and ended up descending the stairs with her.


    Walking side by side, Tom Davis suddenly asked with a smile, ¡°Miss Olsen, what kind of man do you like?¡±


    Even though Miss Olsen had a boyfriend eager to marry her, as long as she was unmarried, the boss had a chance!


    He had to get the information for the boss to facilitate stealing her from that boyfriend!


    Upon hearing this, Kiera Olsen was momentarily stunned.


    To be honest, having seen how love-struck Poppy Hill had insisted on staying at the Olsen Family home from a young age, she had developed an aversion to love and marriage, thus rejecting the pursuits of many men.


    Fearing that she would lose herself once she fell in love.


    And she¡¯d never given much thought to what her future partner would be like¡­


    But when Tom Davis posed that question, the first thing that flashed across her mind was the handsome face of Lewis Horton.


    She spoke without thinking, ¡°Handsome appearance, one meter eighty-five in height, seventy-five kilograms in weight, deep and pleasant voice when speaking, meticulous in thought, exceptionally good at scolding people¡­¡±


    Tom Davis¡¯s eyes brightened as he listened, You might as well just say the boss¡¯s name!


    So Miss Olsen and the boss were mutually attracted?


    Kiera Olsen, noticing the expression on his face, instantly realized what she had said and quickly changed the subject, with ¡°seldom speaks, cold¡± on her lips turning into, ¡°¡­kind and warm, good at telling jokes, a real warm-hearted man!¡±


    Tom Davis: ???


    A warm-hearted man, isn¡¯t that too far-fetched from the boss?


    He¡¯s notorious for his chilling demeanor!


    Kiera Olsen, seeing his reaction change, breathed a sigh of relief. Feeling her cheeks warm up, she found the Shiba Inu walking too slowly and picked up the dog, hurrying down the stairs.


    Tom Davis sighed, feeling the boss was out of luck.


    He turned to head back to the hospital room, but he froze as he turned around.


    But Lewis Horton was already standing behind him, unnoticed until that moment!


    The dim lights of the hallway cast half-bright, half-shadowed upon the man¡¯s cheeks, lending him a somewhat lonely air.


    Clearly, he had overheard the entire conversation with Miss Olsen!


    He coughed and awkwardly scratched his head, ¡°Well, Mr. Horton, you could actually try smiling more at Miss Olsen¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ You talk too much.¡±


    Lewis Horton reprimanded him with that remark, walking past and swiftly descending the stairs.


    Night had fallen, and under a streetlamp, a girl knelt, petting a dog.


    With her head bowed, watching the small Shiba Inu, her usual sharp demeanor was replaced with a rare tenderness.


    Lewis Horton walked slowly towards her, stopping in front of her.


    As she became aware of his shadow, she looked up.


    The moment her gaze met his, the corners of Lewis Horton¡¯s lips moved slightly, attempting what he thought was a gentle smile.


    However, when Kiera Olsen stood up and glanced at him tentatively, she asked, ¡°Mr. Horton, is your mouth twitching?¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    He slowly let his smile fade, and as he saw the girl visibly relax, a few lines of frustration appeared on his forehead. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton asked me to accompany you in walking the dog.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The clumsy little Shiba Inu ran ahead towards the park, with both of them closely following behind.


    A sudden cold breeze blew, making Kiera Olsen shiver.


    The temperature had dropped sharply today, and she was unprepared for it.


    As she rubbed her arms and thought about heading back inside, a large coat exuding warmth was suddenly draped over her shoulders.


    Kiera Olsen stiffened for a moment, then turned her head slowly to see Lewis Horton standing there in his shirt, his gaze diverted and looking a bit uneasy.


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes curved into a smile, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± said Lewis Horton in a neutral tone. ¡°Mainly, I didn¡¯t want you catching a cold and then passing it on to grandma.¡±


    Kiera Olsen could not help but laugh quietly to herself.


    She thought this man was the most stubborn with his words.


    Amid the awkwardness, suddenly, a voice came, ¡°Mr. Horton?¡±


    Kiera Olsen turned and saw Frankie Allen standing in the park, his face dark with displeasure upon seeing her.


    Kiera Olsen: ?


    Lewis Horton frowned and stepped in front of Kiera Olsen, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can I have a word with you?¡±


    Frankie Allen cast another deep look at Kiera Olsen, then walked to the side.


    He looked upset.


    When he returned to the hospital room earlier, he heard on the side that his sister had indeed been greatly affected by the comment of being a ¡°love-struck fool¡± from a bystander during her first call for help.


    Even during the surgery, his sister had almost lost her will to live because of these words!


    So, he was furious!


    When Lewis Horton approached, Frankie Allen asked with a frown, ¡°What is your relationship with Miss Olsen?¡±


    Lewis Horton responded coldly, ¡°Mr. Allen, that¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    Frankie Allen took a deep breath, ¡°Regardless, you are my aunt¡¯s son, and since you seem unusually close to her, I thought I¡¯d remind you out of concern for you. You better open your eyes; this woman is no good!¡±


    ¡°Our families have nothing to do with each other, Mr. Allen, so there¡¯s no need for you to worry about me.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s voice grew colder, emphatically stating, ¡°Besides, I think the person who needs to open his eyes is you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Frankie Allen was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

 Chapter 72 - 72

    Chapter 72: Chapter 72


    Lewis Horton, however, did not say more and turned to leave.


    Frankie frowned and said, ¡°Lewis Horton, how can you be so ungrateful, you¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Lewis Horton suddenly halted and turned back sharply.


    The look in the man¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of sinister anger and fury, his brows and eyes darkened, his entire face terrifying like a Shura emerging from hell, causing Frankie¡¯s following words to get stuck in his throat.


    Lewis Horton stared at him, his voice deep, which emitted a terrifying air in the night, ¡°Mr. Allen, our relationship is purely business, you¡¯ve crossed the line.¡±


    Leaving those words behind, he walked away.


    ...


    Frankie stood there, stunned, his face tense.


    In this cooperation, despite Lewis Horton¡¯s cold demeanor, he had always behaved like a refined gentleman, which almost made Frankie forget that this man was notoriously sinister and tyrannically violent!


    Frankie had thought those were just rumors, but the fierce expression just now made him realize Lewis Horton was never an easy opponent.


    Frankie watched him, seeing the man¡¯s overwhelming rage slowly dissipate as he approached Kiera Olsen.


    By the time he returned to her side, the man was again just a somewhat cold normal person.


    ¡­


    Cloaked in the man¡¯s jacket, Kiera Olsen felt no hint of coldness.


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    The black suit was finely designed, its lining carried the man¡¯s warmth, enveloping her completely, with a faint scent of vanilla masculinity emanating from it.


    Her heart softened.


    Seeing the man now only in a black shirt, she picked up the small poodle, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The next morning.


    Lewis Horton went to work, and Kiera Olsen, sitting on the sofa bathing in the warm sunlight, finally finished the conclusive work on the Alzheimer¡¯s research and sent the email to the overseas biomedical base. She stood up and stretched lazily.


    She then picked up her phone, only to discover a WhatsApp message from Rebecca Allen: [Miss Olsen, do you have time tomorrow evening? Could you come accompany me?]


    Kiera Olsen replied: [Tomorrow evening I have to attend a celebration banquet with the Horton and Allen families.]


    Right after sending the message, a call came through, it was Samuel Morgan: ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve run into a bit of trouble.¡±


    Kiera Olsen replied indifferently, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Samuel Morgan said angrily, ¡°We have always bought our hydrogen energy materials from the Allen family. I was going to buy another batch today, but they suddenly refused to sell to us! New energy research is booming, and raw materials are in high demand, it will take time to buy from someone else¡­ The problem is, we have production contracts and delivery dates with our clients, this disruption means we¡¯ll breach our contracts!¡±


    Kiera Olsen frowned, ¡°The Allen family in Clance?¡±


    She had always entrusted the management of her company to Samuel Morgan, only handling technical issues, so she hadn¡¯t realized her company also had dealings with the Allen family.


    Samuel Morgan confirmed, ¡°Yes, them. I¡¯ve always bought from them. I tried to get information from their sales manager, they haven¡¯t found a new buyer yet, but someone higher up specifically ordered not to sell to us!¡±


    Kiera Olsen lowered her gaze, ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll ask around.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, she stood up and headed out, directly toward the rehabilitation department.


    She was friends with Rebecca Allen and got along well with Mrs. and Mr. Allen, so she planned to directly inquire and see if someone was causing trouble.


    Just as she reached the hospital department, she coincidentally ran into Frankie Allen.


    He seemed to have just returned and was about to head upstairs.


    Kiera Olsen hurried her steps and called out, ¡°Mr. Allen, hello.¡±


    Frankie Allen stopped, turned his head to look, and although his expression was initially mild, it turned much colder upon seeing her.


    Keira Olsen asked in confusion, ¡°I am Dr. South, and my company has always purchased hydrogen energy materials from your company, but this month your company suddenly said you wouldn¡¯t sell to us anymore. Is there some misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°There is no misunderstanding.¡±


    Frankie Allen¡¯s expression was cold, his eyes carried a hint of disgust, ¡°It was my order not to sell to you anymore.¡±


    Stunned by his words, Keira Olsen asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Frankie Allen frowned, ¡°Miss Olsen, have you so quickly forgotten what you carelessly said?¡±


    Keira Olsen was full of question marks.


    Had she accidentally said something wrong while accompanying Rebecca Allen?


    But she truly had no recollection, and every time she finished chatting with Rebecca Allen, she was happy, she had even just been messaging her¡­


    Unable to remember, Keira Olsen simply said directly, ¡°Even if I did say something wrong, Rebecca probably didn¡¯t take it to heart. If it¡¯s because of that, Mr. Allen, shouldn¡¯t you consider the small favor I did for Rebecca and show some leniency?¡±


    Small favor¡­


    These words made Frankie Allen mistakenly think she was referring to helping at the police station by giving testimony, after all, making that call was a lifesaving grace.


    Frankie Allen reproached, ¡°You dare mention Rebecca? Wasn¡¯t it your duty to testify for Rebecca? It¡¯s every citizen¡¯s duty!¡±


    Feeling displeased, Keira Olsen¡¯s voice carried a chill, ¡°Mr. Allen, nothing is supposed to be done.¡±


    Even angrier, Frankie Allen responded, ¡°Ms. Olsen is right, so the Allen family is also not supposed to sell hydrogen energy materials to you.¡±


    Keira Olsen took a deep breath.


    During their first meeting at the hospital, she thought Rebecca¡¯s brother was quite decent, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to be so merciless.


    Before she could say anything else, Frankie Allen had already strode into the rehabilitation department. His assistant barred the door, ¡°Miss, please do not make noise in the hospital and disturb the patients¡¯ rest.¡±


    Keira Olsen: !!!


    Feeling utterly furious, she turned around and left.


    Forget it, she would speak to Mrs. and Mr. Allen at the banquet tomorrow evening!


    Time quickly moved to the next evening!


    The Horton Group and the Allen Family¡¯s new project involved a multi-billion deal, so it was well worth celebrating.


    A large celebration banquet was held at the Imperial Hotel.


    Quite a few employees from the Horton Group attended, and people from the Allen family even flew in specifically from Clance.


    In the hospital.


    Rebecca Allen donned a formal gown and was lifted onto a wheelchair by Frankie Allen.


    Mr. Allen chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t you dislike these kinds of events the most? Why insist on going today?¡±


    Mrs. Allen also said, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t go. If you don¡¯t want to be alone, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±


    With her eyebrows entwined and a listless expression, Rebecca Allen looked at her phone and spoke, ¡°Since yesterday, my benefactor¡¯s tone with me has grown cold. I asked her to accompany me and she made excuses to decline, so I have to find her at the banquet! Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Frankie Allen, pushing her out the door, arrived at the parking lot.


    Just as he was about to lift her into the car, a stretch Bentley drove past them. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Allen family members turned their heads and saw Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton sitting in the back of the Bentley luxury car.


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s eyes brightened, and she hurriedly called out, ¡°Benefactor!¡±

 Chapter 73 - 73

    Chapter 73: Chapter 73


    Following Rebecca Allen¡¯s words, Mr. Allen and Mrs. Allen also looked carefully and faintly thought they saw Kiera Olsen¡¯s pretty face.


    They wanted to greet her, but the Bentley luxury car didn¡¯t stop at all and drove straight past.


    Mr. Allen looked puzzled, ¡°It really seemed to be Miss Olsen?¡±


    Mrs. Allen also said, ¡°I think I saw her too.¡±


    Frankie Allen furrowed his brows.


    The one sitting in Lewis Horton¡¯s car must be Kiera Olsen, not Isla Olsen.


    ...


    He looked at Isla Olsen, ¡°Did you say that was your benefactor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the benefactor!¡± Rebecca Allen said excitedly, ¡°Oh, hurry up and follow! I want to go to the banquet with my benefactor!¡±


    Frankie Allen clenched his jaw.


    Could the person in the car really be Isla Olsen?


    The family got into the car, and as they chased after it, the Bentley was already out of sight. Rebecca Allen then instructed the driver, ¡°Let¡¯s drive faster, maybe we¡¯ll run into my benefactor before entering the banquet!¡±


    The driver sped up, and indeed, right before entering the Imperial Hotel, they spotted the Bentley again.


    Unfortunately, the Bentley directly went into the staff parking lot, while their car was stopped outside.


    Frankie Allen consoled, ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the banquet.¡±


    Rebecca Allen was very disappointed, ¡°That¡¯s the only choice now.¡±


    ¡­


    The Imperial Hotel also belonged to the Horton Group, so Lewis Horton¡¯s car parked directly in the staff area.


    After Kiera Olsen got out of the car, she followed Lewis Horton, but suddenly realized something was amiss.


    This wasn¡¯t the way to the banquet. It seemed more like they were heading to¡­ a hotel suite?


    She hesitated briefly.


    Lewis Horton seemed to sense it and turned to look at her with a hint of confusion in his eyes, as if asking what was wrong.


    Kiera Olsen hesitated to ask, ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°To a suite,¡± Lewis Horton answered indifferently.


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s heartbeat sped up, ¡°What for?¡±


    Before Lewis Horton could speak, Tom Davis, who was following them, instinctively spoke out, ¡°Of course, to do makeup and change into an evening gown! It¡¯s inconvenient at the hospital, so we rented a suite!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only then did she realize she had overthought it.


    She coughed lightly to cover her embarrassment, ¡°Oh.¡±


    After speaking, she saw Lewis Horton¡¯s deep eyes glance at her, that look seemed to see through her thoughts, and his lips curved into a hint of a mocking smile.


    Kiera Olsen felt a rush of heat surge through her, her cheeks slightly reddening.


    She quickly diverted her gaze.


    Feeling she was fantasizing unnecessarily.


    The two had agreed they were eventually getting a divorce, what was she daydreaming about just now?


    Tom Davis was still questioning, ¡°Miss Olsen, what did you think we were going to do?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen lowered her gaze, her cheeks reddening further, feeling embarrassed.


    As she struggled to feign composure, Lewis Horton had already changed the subject, ¡°Has the makeup artist arrived? How is the preparation of the gown going?¡±


    Tom Davis hurriedly answered, ¡°They arrived a while ago, and since we didn¡¯t know what Miss Olsen likes, we prepared dozens of gowns for her to choose from¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen breathed a sigh of relief internally.


    The three soon arrived at the presidential suite on the top floor.


    The makeup artist respectfully asked, ¡°Miss Olsen, which dress do you prefer?¡±


    Kiera Olsen slightly furrowed her brow, before her lay a row of luxurious dresses, available in every color and style imaginable, making her head spin.


    Previously, when she was with the Olsen family, she was never allowed to attend social gatherings. After moving out, she focused solely on working and earning money, so she truly lacked experience in this area.


    But she wasn¡¯t panicked at all and slowly asked the makeup artist, ¡°Do you have any suggestions?¡±


    The makeup artist pulled out a simple, form-fitting silk dress, ¡°Miss Olsen could try this one, you may look slim, but you have a great figure, this dress will definitely make you outshine everyone.¡±


    Kiera Olsen nodded, ¡°Then this one.¡±


    She followed the makeup artist into the bedroom of the suite to change clothes and came out quickly.


    Lewis Horton sat quietly on the sofa, waiting, and at the sound of the door opening, he instinctively looked over¡­


    At just a glance, a flash of awe crossed his eyes.


    When the makeup artist mentioned her good figure, he hadn¡¯t thought much of it, as this woman usually wore casual and comfortable clothing, which didn¡¯t reveal much.


    But now, the full drape of the green silk dress clung gently to her body, outlining her graceful and slender form. Her back was thin yet straight, the delicate collarbone extremely sexy, followed by her full breasts¡­


    The waist that could be encircled with a single hand was delicate yet exuded a sense of strength.


    Her skin was fair, her long black hair casually fell behind her, swaying with the dress as she moved. An ordinary person might look flirtatious in this outfit, but she brought out a hint of wildness, stirring a man¡¯s primal desire to conquer¡­


    Lewis Horton¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, knowing he should politely avert his gaze, but his eyes seemed fixed as if glued in place, unable to be withdrawn.


    Kiera Olsen felt his burning gaze, her cheeks warming slightly.


    This was the first time she wore such a beautiful dress, originally feeling somewhat hesitant, his reaction instead made her more confident, ¡°Mr. Horton, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Lewis Horton picked up the water cup next to him and took a sip, trying to cool the heat in his chest.


    Kiera Olsen took a couple of steps forward, intending to check herself in the dressing mirror.


    However, unaccustomed to wearing high heels, she lost her balance as soon as she lifted her foot and toppled to the right!


    ¡°Careful.¡±


    Lewis Horton abruptly stood up, instinctively wrapping his arms around her waist!


    Once Kiera Olsen steadied herself, she felt his large hand at her waist, the heat from his palm seeping through the thin silk to her skin, making her feel as if she had been burned, instinctively pushing him away and taking a few steps back.


    The temperature in the room seemed to rise a few degrees, becoming a bit stifling and lacking air.


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s heart was in slight turmoil, she took a deep breath, decisively kicked off her high heels and said, ¡°These high heels are a bit tricky to manage, I¡¯d better wear flats.¡±


    After all, there was no rule that dresses had to be worn with high heels.


    ¡°Miss Olsen is tall and has a good posture, flats will be fine.¡±


    The makeup artist smiled, ¡°Besides, I hadn¡¯t thought much about it before, but now I realize, the color of your dress matches Mr. Horton very well, you look like a couple made in heaven.¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t respond.


    She thought Lewis Horton would object, but he didn¡¯t explain until they left.


    Kiera Olsen felt a slight stir in her heart, something flashed in her eyes.


    Although she had never been in a relationship, she wasn¡¯t so insensitive as to not notice the change in a man¡¯s attitude towards her.


    If it was before, she would have kept her distance.


    But this time, she felt a hint of sweetness in her heart.


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t want to delve into why, she decided to let things take their natural course.


    The two arrived at the banquet hall, entering through the main door.


    Rebecca Allen, who had been at the banquet earlier, sat in a wheelchair, continually snacking in the corner.


    Frankie Allen stood next to her with a glass of champagne.


    Rebecca Allen looked around, ¡°Where is my benefactor, why hasn¡¯t he arrived yet?¡±


    As she spoke, there was a commotion at the entrance.

 Chapter 74 - 74

    Chapter 74: Chapter 74


    Oceanion was the main venue for the Horton Group.


    Therefore, as soon as Lewis Horton walked in, the executives immediately flocked to him.


    Lewis Horton exchanged greetings with them, his gaze flickering towards Kiera Olsen, who had quietly slipped away to distance herself from him the moment she walked in.


    The woman slipped through the crowd like an eel, hiding in the snack area nearby before standing up straight and starting to eat something.


    She thought she had hidden herself in the corner, unaware that she had already attracted the attention of many in the room.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, as if the smooth and soft touch of her waist still lingered in the palm of his hand that hung by his side¡­


    ...


    He loosened his tie when he heard the person in front of him say, ¡°Mr. Horton, didn¡¯t Mrs. Horton come with you? You¡¯ve kept her hidden so well, we should at least get to meet the lady of the house.¡±


    The person beside immediately tugged at the speaker.


    Usually, the boss didn¡¯t like people talking too much about the lady of the house. This person had just been transferred back from another place and still didn¡¯t know Mr. Horton¡¯s preferences. Now Mr. Horton was going to show his displeasure, right?


    But unexpectedly, Lewis Horton replied lightly, ¡°Perhaps there¡¯ll be a chance.¡±


    Everyone: ??


    Mr. Horton¡¯s attitude has changed!


    ¡­


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0


    Rebecca Allen looked at the newcomer, Lewis Horton, and felt slightly disappointed not to see Kiera Olsen.


    She continued to look around the room.


    Seeing this, Frankie Allen began to speak, ¡°Let me tell you some good news.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember, you told me about the Miss Olsen who, when you first called for help, not only did not assist you by making a phone call but also scolded you?¡±


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s pupils contracted and she lowered her head, sounding a bit sad, ¡°I remember.¡±


    In fact, the scolding and accusation from a stranger could make someone¡¯s mentality collapse when facing difficulties.


    She really felt despair when she was scolded at that time.


    Frankie Allen said slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve taken revenge for you.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Her company needed to purchase a raw material from our family and I¡¯ve cut off her supply source. She won¡¯t be able to buy it in the short term,¡± Frankie Allen¡¯s voice carried a sinister tone.


    Businesspeople are ruthless.


    Rebecca Allen bit her lip, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s too much? She might have just had a slip of the tongue at that moment.¡±


    ¡°Even if she was just being nasty with her words, she shouldn¡¯t have insulted others like that.¡±


    Jake Horton suddenly appeared from the side, indignant, ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Allen, I was just passing by and overheard your conversation. I couldn¡¯t help but say something.¡±


    He looked at Rebecca Allen, ¡°Everyone must pay the price for their actions. Even if she was inherently cold-hearted and didn¡¯t want to help, she should not have said such things to someone in a serious predicament. I think Mr. Allen is too kind; this punishment is letting her off too easily!¡±


    Frankie Allen also patted her head, ¡°We also have to thank young Mr. Horton for this; he was the one who told me our families had a deal, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have known about this small project.¡±


    Jake Horton smiled, ¡°It was the least I could do.¡±


    Rebecca Allen nodded her head.


    She asked directly, ¡°Where is my benefactor?¡±


    Jake Horton smiled, ¡°She went to the restroom to touch up her make-up.¡±


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go find my savior.¡±


    Now, feeling uneasy among strangers, Rebecca Allen was accompanied by her mother, who didn¡¯t refuse and pushed her towards the restroom.


    The two arrived at the restroom just as Isla Olsen had finished touching up her makeup and was walking out.


    In the instant they brushed past each other, Rebecca Allen sharply turned her head to look at her.


    Mrs. Allen asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Rebecca clenched her fists tightly.


    She had just felt that her brother¡¯s actions were too much, and thought she didn¡¯t hate this person, but in that moment she realized just how deeply Isla Olsen had hurt her.


    It almost made her psychological defenses collapse.


    That phrase, ¡°Love-struck fools should all die,¡± made her feel like there was no hope for the rest of her life, as if there was no need to go on living.


    She clenched her fists tight and took out her phone to send Frankie Allen a WhatsApp message, ¡°Bro, that woman is here, can you get rid of her? I don¡¯t want to see her.¡±


    Frankie Allen saw the message just as Isla Olsen was walking up.


    She affectionately linked her arm through Jake Horton¡¯s and was just about to greet Frankie when she saw him look up, a sharp light flashing in his eyes, ¡°The other Miss Olsen is here as well?¡±


    Jake Horton and Isla Olsen both furrowed their brows.


    The three of them looked around, searching for Kiera Olsen¡¯s figure, but the banquet hall was large and bustling with people, so they did not spot her right away.


    Isla asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Frankie¡¯s face darkened with anger, ¡°I hear she¡¯s also at the banquet. What¡¯s this supposed to mean, young Mr. Horton, is Horton Group trying to slap the Allen Family in the face?¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jake spoke up, ¡°I will deal with it immediately.¡±


    ¡­


    Kiera Olsen was still relatively at ease in a corner.


    Even though she attracted a lot of attention, her cool aura and the chill in her gaze made people back off, with not many daring to approach her.


    The few who did were quickly sent packing by her few pointed words.


    After some time had passed, Jalen Riley sauntered over, a gleam in his eyes that clearly showed he was pleased to see her, yet he said aloofly, ¡°Why are you alone here? Who did you come with?¡±


    That last question had an accusatory tone, obviously thinking that whoever had invited her had neglected her.


    Kiera smiled, ¡°Being alone is nice, I¡¯m not disturbed.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± he said.


    Jalen seemed to have something more to say but was interrupted as a group of people approached. They surrounded Jake Horton, complimenting him, ¡°Young Mr. Horton, we will need your guidance on the project team matters in the future!¡±


    Jake Horton maintained a light smile, ¡°I dare not presume too much, I¡¯m merely an R&D Vice President.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be modest, I¡¯ve received insider information that the group is already preparing to promote you to project manager!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately began to congratulate him:


    ¡°Young Mr. Horton, so young and yet you¡¯ve done so much for the company!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Horton and Mr. Allen aren¡¯t on the best of terms. I heard this collaboration almost fell through, but thanks to young Mr. Horton¡¯s efforts, he and Mr. Allen seemed to be getting along splendidly!¡±


    Jake Horton enjoyed the atmosphere and raised his champagne glass, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, after all, the project was initiated by my uncle.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Horton is clearly capable, but he can be a bit unsociable. If only he were as approachable as you, young Mr. Horton, negotiations would proceed much smoother¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, our group has always struggled to connect with enterprises in Clance. If Mr. Allen could help introduce us, the group¡¯s development scope could expand significantly!¡±


    ¡­


    Listening to their conversation, Jalen Riley sneered, ¡°This Jake Horton, I don¡¯t know what he did to get into Mr. Allen¡¯s good graces, but these past few days he¡¯s been acting all high and mighty in the company!¡±


    He then added with a frustrated tone, ¡°My cousin is all talk, no action! He¡¯s the one with some connection to the Allen Family, yet he refuses to speak properly¡­ If I could just get to know someone from the Allen family, that¡¯d be great. He doesn¡¯t want to network, so I¡¯ll do it for him. That way, Jake Horton won¡¯t be able to talk behind his back!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kiera Olsen glanced around and saw Mr. Allen talking with Frankie Allen. She said directly, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll introduce you to the Allen Family.¡±

 Chapter 75 - 75

    Chapter 75: Chapter 75


    Keira Olsen¡¯s purpose for coming to this banquet was to try to make Lewis Horton and the Allen Family reconcile.


    Yet just now, after some serious consideration, she realized the likelihood of that was slim.


    Lewis, looking cold and gentlemanly on the surface, was in fact very attentive and tender.


    In their interactions, whether in the hospital or just now while changing clothes, he had always managed to make her feel comfortable with subtle details.


    Such a person, if he wanted to reconcile with the Allen Family, would win their favor without them noticing.


    So it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t reconcile with the Allen Family; he simply wouldn¡¯t reconcile with his biological mother.


    ...


    Although she didn¡¯t understand why this man had tricked her into coming to the banquet, if Lewis wasn¡¯t willing to let go, then helping Jalen Riley and the Allen Family to connect would at least make her less passive in the company.


    Of course, Lewis might not care about any of these things at all.


    Upon hearing her words, Jalen Riley paused, ¡°Do you know the Allen Family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve helped them with a small favor.¡±


    As Kiera spoke, she prepared to walk toward the corner of the banquet hall where the Allen Family stood, but suddenly, music filled the room!


    A classic event of the celebration banquet, the dance had begun!


    The crowd surrounding the center of the hall consciously dispersed to the sides, leaving the dance floor open.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    Kiera stopped in her tracks, deciding to wait until the dance was over.


    The attendees began to look for dance partners.


    Someone approached her, ¡°Miss, may I invite you for a dance?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Not far away, Lewis Horton was sitting on a couch, chatting with several company executives.


    Someone ventured, ¡°Mr. Horton, the dance has started. Aren¡¯t you going for a dance?¡±


    Lewis casually declined, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Horton is truly chaste for Mrs. Horton¡¯s sake¡ªsuch strict family discipline! Truly a role model for us all!¡± they teased good-naturedly.


    As they mentioned Mrs. Horton, Lewis¡¯s gaze drifted once again to the corner where Kiera was, and his expression abruptly stiffened.


    He saw that several men had surrounded her, issuing invitations to dance.


    And there were others eyeing her hungrily.


    Most of these men were eligible, promising employees from Horton Group!


    Lewis suddenly stood up, excused himself with a ¡°please excuse me,¡± and strode towards Kiera.


    As he approached, he heard the woman once again rejecting someone¡¯s invitation, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t dance.¡±


    The man who was rejected left wisely, while others were shameless, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can teach you.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    ¡°Are you not interested in dancing, or are you not interested in me? There are so many of us; you have to save face and choose one, right? Otherwise, people will keep inviting you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera, harassed to the point of annoyance, bluntly stated, ¡°I have a dance partner.¡±


    Yet the man persisted, ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡±


    A deep, magnetic voice suddenly sounded from behind, making everyone turn around; Lewis Horton was standing there.


    The few men were shocked, ¡°Mr. Horton.¡±


    Lewis ignored them and walked straight to Kiera, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was held up by something. Sorry to have kept you waiting.¡±


    The men who had been surrounding Kiera Olsen now understood and promptly left, finally bringing peace to this corner of the room.


    Just then, a wave of cheering erupted from the center of the venue.


    Kiera turned her head and saw Jake Horton leading Isla Olsen onto the stage.


    After all, Jake had just graduated, brimming with youthful vigor.


    Isla, clad in a pink dress, wore a shy and blushing face.


    After they stepped on stage, instead of dancing to the music, Jake took a step back, took out a microphone, and said, ¡°Isla, with so many people here as witnesses today, there is something I want to say to you.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes were warm and her smile was sweet.


    Jake then slowly said, ¡°To be honest, in college, I was blinded by the many temptations and never noticed you, but after spending some time together recently, I¡¯ve found that you¡¯re kind, adorable, and handle relationships with warmth and measure. It was you who tirelessly worked to bridge the gap between Mr. Allen and me, leading to our pleasant cooperation.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the people around quickly realized:


    ¡°I was wondering how young Mr. Horton and Mr. Allen became so close, and it turns out Miss Olsen was the one making connections!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how business should be done. Think big, there¡¯s no need to cling to the petty grudges of the past generation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Mrs. Olsen is from Clance, maybe Miss Olsen can help us not only connect with Mr. Allen but also find future cooperation with the Clance Davis Family!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The chorus of compliments all reached Isla¡¯s ears, filling her with surprise and delight.


    She knew that by doing this, Jake was giving her honor! After all, the Olsen family¡¯s background wasn¡¯t strong, and her marrying Jake was seen as reaching above her station, but now she felt empowered!


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t that Jake loved her that much, but rather that having his wife honored reflected well on him too¡ªthe gentry families valued the unity of husband and wife! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla, smiling, said, ¡°Jake, I was only doing what I should.¡±


    Jake then pulled a small, exquisite box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a three-carat diamond ring!


    He knelt on one knee, holding up the ring, ¡°Isla, marry me!¡±


    Isla instinctively covered her mouth, eyes brimming with tears.


    ¡°Marry him! Marry him!¡±


    ¡°Miss Olsen and young Mr. Horton are truly a match made in heaven! A blessed union!¡±


    ¡°They are absolutely made for each other!¡±


    Urged on by the crowd, Isla, her heart filled with joy, extended her hand. The three-carat ring slid onto her finger, satisfying her completely!


    After the ring was on, the two embraced and began the first dance of the evening.


    Although others joined in the dancing afterwards, the highlight of the banquet had already been stolen by Jake Horton and Isla Olsen!


    Kiera Olsen raised an eyebrow at Lewis Horton and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not dance.¡±


    To avoid appearing as if Lewis was begrudging his nephew¡¯s time in the limelight.


    Jalen Riley, who had been standing nearby, said discontentedly, ¡°That Jake Horton really knows how to choose his moments. With this spectacle, who¡¯s going to remember it was you, cousin, who negotiated the deal with the Allen Family? They¡¯ll all think it was his and his fianc¨¦e¡¯s doing!¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t care about any of that. He took out his vibrating phone and said to Kiera, ¡°I need to take a call.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    After he left, Jalen Riley, watching his back, said to Kiera, ¡°Your cousin is acting very strangely towards you!¡±


    Kiera raised an eyebrow, ¡°How so?¡±


    Jalen said, ¡°Why did he have to tell you he was taking a call?¡±


    Since when did cousin report his whereabouts!


    Kiera wasn¡¯t bothered by it; she checked her phone, which had vibrated, and saw a message from Rebecca Allen:[Benefactor, I¡¯ve also arrived at the banquet. Couldn¡¯t find you in the restroom, where are you now? I¡¯ll come to you~]


    Kiera replied:[I¡¯m over at the northeast corner.]


    Rebecca:[Okay, I¡¯ll be right there.]

 Chapter 76 - 76

    Chapter 76: Chapter 76


    When Kiera Olsen put down her phone, she noticed that the first dance had ended.


    Jake Horton and Isla Olsen had moved from the dance floor to her side and were once again surrounded by a crowd offering their congratulations.


    Just then, someone approached her; it was Jake Horton¡¯s lackey, Arian O¡¯neil, who wore a smug look on his face. He said to Kiera Olsen, ¡°I know you¡¯re Dr. South, but even so, what of it? A mere researcher¡ªif that¡¯s all you are, how could you compare to young Mr. Horton¡¯s fianc¨¦e? She has connections with Clance! In this circle, it¡¯s the connections that matter the most!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She ignored Arian O¡¯neil and looked into the distance, where she saw Mrs. Allen pushing Rebecca Allen out, who met with Frankie Allen and Mr. Allen. The four of them appeared to be discussing something, and Rebecca seemed quite agitated.


    Feeling somewhat concerned, she prepared to go over and see what was happening.


    ...


    But she hadn¡¯t expected that the moment she took a step, she would be stopped by Isla Olsen, who had just come down from the stage: ¡°Kiera, are you looking for Mr. Allen?¡±


    Isla had seen her just now and, seeing that Kiera Olsen intended to approach Frankie Allen, stood in front of her somewhat nervously.


    She didn¡¯t yet know that Rebecca Allen had also arrived at the banquet. All she knew was that she couldn¡¯t let Kiera Olsen speak alone with Frankie Allen. If something slipped and Frankie made a phone call, the truth would be revealed immediately!


    Fortunately, Frankie had just mentioned wanting to send someone away, giving her an excuse.


    If only she could get through today without incident, once the Allen Family left, no one would expose her!


    As soon as she spoke, Jake Horton turned his head and saw Kiera Olsen, too. He was dazzled by her appearance and stood there, stunned.


    Isla had planned to have him speak up and send people away, but seeing the infatuated look in Jake Horton¡¯s eyes, she clenched her fists in anger, upset that he remained silent.


    Taking a deep breath, Isla spoke again, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate¡ªMr. Allen doesn¡¯t seem to want to see you.¡±


    Kiera Olsen gave her a cold glance and said, ¡°Who do you think you are to make decisions for Mr. Allen?¡±


    Isla looked down with an expression of grievance.


    She couldn¡¯t break her innocent flower image at this point; she particularly missed Poppy Hill, who was so handy and efficient!


    Luckily, Jake Horton finally snapped back to reality. He stepped forward, shielding Isla behind him, and said angrily, ¡°Kiera Olsen, what kind of way is that to talk? Isla is my fianc¨¦e. Who do you think you are to speak about her like that?¡±


    The surrounding people also immediately said:


    ¡°Exactly, Miss Olsen is like a hostess here. Among all the women present today, she holds the highest status!¡±


    ¡°Who is this person, speaking to Miss Olsen in such a manner? Doesn¡¯t she understand the principle of guests following the host¡¯s lead?¡±


    ¡°I think I just saw Mr. Horton talking to her; she couldn¡¯t be a companion brought by Mr. Horton, could she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a companion, not Mrs. Horton. How could she possibly hold a higher status than Miss Isla Olsen!¡±


    Kiera Olsen frowned, not bothering to listen to these people anymore, and made to leave around them.


    But Isla Olsen stepped forward and grabbed her hand, ¡°Kiera, today is a celebration banquet, and there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding between you and Mr. Allen. Don¡¯t go disturb Mr. Allen now; it could mess up the Horton Group¡¯s cooperation with the Allen Family.¡±


    Kiera Olsen shook off her hand, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±


    She had not exerted much force, but Isla¡¯s eyes flickered as she took a step back and fell to the ground!


    Jake Horton immediately glared at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Kiera Olsen, how can you resort to hitting someone? Apologize to Isla right now!¡±


    Isla was his fianc¨¦e, and in such a setting, it was also his face that was being lost.


    Kiera Olsen looked at Isla with amusement, lightly saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t hit her¡­¡±


    ¡°I saw it all, still trying to deny it when everybody¡¯s watching?¡± Jake Horton took a deep breath, ¡°Kiera Olsen, do you think just because your uncle and grandmother dote on you, you can do whatever you want? This is the Horton Group, not your home! It¡¯s no place for your reckless behavior! Today, you must apologize to Isla and leave immediately, don¡¯t stay here and trouble Mr. Allen¡¯s eyes any longer!¡±


    The implications behind those words were numerous.


    Arian O¡¯neil deliberately inquired, ¡°Young Mr. Horton, what¡¯s going on here? Does Mr. Allen dislike her that much? Why?¡±


    Keira Olsen also wanted to know why, so she didn¡¯t argue and looked directly at Jake Horton.


    Jake Horton sneered, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because of what she did at the hospital¡­¡±


    He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when Isla Olsen grabbed his arm.


    When Jake Horton looked over, Isla Olsen shook her head slightly and sighed, ¡°It was Kiera who was thoughtless and offended Mr. Allen. The specifics involve personal privacy, so let¡¯s not talk about it.¡±


    Jake Horton thought Isla Olsen was referring to Rebecca Allen¡¯s matter, after all, she had married into a non-human family and had nearly been driven to death by her husband and mother-in-law. Indeed, it was not a glorious affair and was not suitable for public discussion.


    Isla Olsen continued, ¡°Jake, it was just that Kiera pushed me with more force than necessary, but it wasn¡¯t intentional, and I don¡¯t need her to apologize.¡±


    Jake Horton furrowed his brows, ¡°Isla, you¡¯re just too kind-hearted!¡±


    He looked at Keira Olsen and scolded, ¡°Isla is not holding it against you, so you should just get lost now, or I¡¯ll call security!¡±


    Isla Olsen quickly said, ¡°Kiera, Mr. Allen just spoke up. He doesn¡¯t want to see you here! For the good of Horton Group, you should leave first.¡±


    The words of the two made those around them speak up:


    ¡°After all, the Allen Family is the guest of honor today. We certainly need to prioritize his preferences, this lady should hurry up and leave!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, just leave quickly and stop making a scene here!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s quite pretty, how can she be so shameless!¡±


    Jalen Riley, hearing these remarks, stood in front of Keira Olsen and yelled, ¡°Ke¡­ Miss Olsen is Mr. Horton¡¯s guest, I¡¯d like to see who dares to drive her away!¡±


    At these words, the group fell silent.


    ¡°I dare.¡±


    Jake Horton took a step forward, standing in front of Jalen Riley, ¡°I¡¯m determined to send this person away today, even if my uncle reprimands me for it, I will have her leave! So as not to affect our cooperation with the Allen Family!¡±


    On hearing this, those around immediately chimed in:


    ¡°Young Mr. Horton is decisive!¡±


    ¡°A femme fatale indeed. It¡¯s one thing for Mr. Horton and Mr. Allen to not get along, but how can the women around him not know how to dissuade him and instead add fuel to the fire?¡±


    ¡°A wise man chooses a wise wife! Look at her, and then look at Miss Olsen, educated and sensible, aware of the bigger picture, and most importantly, able to facilitate a good relationship between Young Mr. Horton and the Allen Family¡ªa truly virtuous partner.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The noise of the dispute grew louder, attracting the attention of the entire banquet hall.


    Rebecca Allen, who had just met Frankie Allen and Mr. Allen, had been told by Frankie Allen not to interact too closely with Keira Olsen and was feeling unhappy when she noticed the commotion on this side.


    She didn¡¯t want to join in the fuss at first, but then she noticed a problem, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the northeast corner?¡±


    Mr. Allen responded, ¡°Right.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rebecca Allen panicked, ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look, maybe it¡¯s our savior in trouble!¡±


    Mr. Allen instinctively glanced at Frankie Allen¡¯s expression.


    Frankie Allen took a deep breath, saw the urgency in Rebecca Allen¡¯s face, and ultimately nodded. Thus, the family of four walked over in this direction.

 Chapter 77 - 77

    Chapter 77: Chapter 77


    Frankie Allen personally pushed Rebecca Allen¡¯s wheelchair, as the family of four arrived on the outskirts of the crowd.


    They didn¡¯t get too close, fearing that someone might accidentally bump into Rebecca, so they stopped at a short distance where they could faintly hear the conversation inside.


    Keira Olsen was surrounded by several people from the Horton Group, with fleeting shadows all around; the men were in suits and the women in evening dresses, which made it difficult to see exactly where she was at first.


    Only through the conversations of the people around them did they vaguely understand the details.


    Frankie said, ¡°It seems Miss Olsen is helping to drive that woman away, Rebecca, you should stay out of sight for now.¡±


    That woman¡­


    ...


    Rebecca nodded but refused to move further away; she wanted to stay and listen to their conversation, pushing Frankie, ¡°Brother, go and see what¡¯s happening. That woman is very fierce, don¡¯t let our benefactor suffer any loss. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    Frankie then had Mr. and Mrs. Allen look after Rebecca, while he himself pushed through the crowd to where Jake Horton and Keira Olsen stood.


    The people around, upon seeing him, respectfully called out, ¡°Mr. Allen.¡±


    Jake, seeing him, immediately said, ¡°Mr. Allen, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send the person away right now to avoid any annoyance for you.¡±


    Without any more courtesy, he turned to Arian O¡¯neil and ordered, ¡°Go call security.¡±


    Frankie, remembering his sister¡¯s advice, first looked at Isla Olsen, who was holding her wrist, and frowned, ¡°Miss Olsen, are you hurt?¡±


    If his sister saw it, she would definitely be distressed!


    Isla, pleased with his concern yet still gently said, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury, Keira didn¡¯t mean it¡­¡±


    But Frankie¡¯s brows were furrowed tightly.


    That woman dared to physically assault someone?!


    He looked at Keira with disgust and said sternly, ¡°You want to buy raw materials from the Allen Family, right? I can sell them to you¡­ on the condition that you immediately kneel down and apologize to Miss Olsen and kowtow three times.¡±


    Frankie didn¡¯t like Isla and certainly wouldn¡¯t stand up for her over something so trivial.


    He didn¡¯t want his sister¡¯s affairs to create a storm in the city, so he couldn¡¯t pursue the woman for her previous insults to his sister.


    Now, having caught an opportunity, he wanted to use it as a pretext to severely punish her on behalf of his sister.


    Make her pay for the vile words she once spoke!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously.


    This Frankie Allen is too bullying!


    Jalen Riley also angrily said, ¡°Mr. Allen, what great grudge compels you to such humiliation of others?¡±


    Even Jake felt it was too much and couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Mr. Allen, Isla has let it go, and after all, they are sisters¡­¡±


    But Frankie was relentless, ¡°I am quite particular and narrow-minded, not as magnanimous as Miss Olsen.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stared directly at Keira, expressionless, ¡°Believe it or not, if you can¡¯t satisfy me, I can make sure you won¡¯t be able to buy any raw materials in this country! Your small company can just wait for bankruptcy!¡±


    Initially, he only wanted to delay things, causing them to miss deliveries and pay some damages.


    Now, he intended to take it to the extreme!


    For a large conglomerate like the Allen Family, with generations of accumulation, crushing Keira Olsen¡¯s small company was a matter of moments, far too easy!


    Keira stared at him.


    This man was very gentle and polite to her back in the hospital.


    She really couldn¡¯t understand why his attitude had suddenly changed so drastically.


    Did he think she could only purchase raw materials domestically?


    Kiera Olsen clenched her jaw, a cold smile on her lips, just about to speak when Lewis Horton¡¯s icy voice rang out, ¡°Mr. Allen doesn¡¯t have that capability yet, does he?¡±


    The man who had gone out to make a call finally returned. The moment he entered, he saw Frankie Allen and Kiera Olsen facing off. He strode over to Kiera, positioning himself between her and Frankie.


    Frankie Allen glared at him, ¡°Mr. Horton, please don¡¯t interfere with the matters between her and me.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression remained cool, ¡°What if I insist on intervening?¡±


    Frankie Allen was not a pushover either. On hearing this, his face turned colder, ¡°Then I might have to reconsider the cooperation between the Allen and Horton families!¡±


    At these words, everyone from Horton Group became anxious.


    Jake Horton said, ¡°Uncle, you can¡¯t neglect the company¡¯s interests for the sake of one woman!¡±


    Arian O¡¯neil took the opportunity to add, ¡°Yeah, Mr. Horton, young Mr. Horton and his fianc¨¦e have finally managed to maintain a good relationship with the Allen family. You may not wish to smooth things over, but why hinder it further?¡±


    These words resonated with the rest of the senior management of Horton Group, though no one dared to speak up.


    Seeing their reaction, Frankie Allen slowly explained, ¡°This man made my sister suffer greatly with just a few words. I must teach her a lesson. Is Mr. Horton sure he wants to make an enemy of our Allen family?¡±


    Frankie Allen had always been reluctant to oppose Lewis Horton. Even for the sake of Isla Olsen, he had given Jake some face, carefully treading within Lewis Horton¡¯s limits.


    But for his sister, he was willing to pay any price!


    Even if it meant being scolded by his aunt when he returned to Clance, he was willing to bear it!


    The executives present couldn¡¯t help but start to speak up:


    ¡°Mr. Horton, since it was this lady who hurt Miss Allen first, it¡¯s only fair for Mr. Allen to want some retribution¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, after all, they are our guests.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Horton, could you please consider the group¡¯s interests more¡­¡±


    Tom Davis, who had followed Lewis Horton, was also getting a bit anxious at this point and said in a low voice, ¡°Boss, everyone is siding with Jake now. If you continue to be forceful, I¡¯m afraid it may provoke general outrage.¡±


    Kiera Olsen, who had been standing behind Lewis Horton and listening to their conversation: ???


    She stepped forward and said directly, ¡°Mr. Allen, I really don¡¯t understand, what exactly did I do to hurt Rebecca? Why not call her over? If there¡¯s anything to discuss, we can talk it out face to face!¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately said, ¡°Kiera, Miss Allen is unwell and it¡¯s inconvenient for her to travel. How can you call her here? Aren¡¯t you making things difficult for Mr. Allen?¡±


    However, Lewis Horton spoke calmly, ¡°Indeed, we should invite Miss Allen here to clarify things.¡±


    Frankie Allen frowned, ¡°She¡¯s not in a position to¡­¡±


    His sister did not want to face the woman who had bullied her.


    But no sooner had these words left his mouth than Mr. Allen¡¯s voice traveled from the back of the crowd, ¡°Frankie, let your sister clarify things. It will prevent Mr. Horton from thinking that our Allen family is bullying others.¡±


    With that statement, he pushed Rebecca Allen¡¯s wheelchair out from the crowd.


    Feeling the eyes of so many on her, Rebecca Allen tilted her head, hesitating to look up.


    Seeing his sister like this, Frankie Allen¡¯s heart ached tremendously. He glared at Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, once my sister has made things clear, I hope you will open your eyes. From then on, stop blindly protecting some of the scum of society without any bottom line!¡±


    He crouched down, pointing at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Rebecca, don¡¯t be scared. Look at her. Tell everyone what exactly this woman has done to you!¡±

 Chapter 78 - 78

    Chapter 78: Chapter 78


    Isla Olsen was completely confused, frozen in shock.


    Miss Allen¡­ how could she be here?!


    Her fingers clenched in panic, at this moment she just wanted to escape!


    Rebecca Allen was somewhat afraid, the betrayal of her husband and mother-in-law made her extremely unconfident.


    But under the gentle guidance of her brother¡¯s voice, she looked up following Frankie Allen¡¯s direction, expecting to see that despicable woman, yet unexpectedly she met the cold face of her benefactor!!


    Rebecca Allen was momentarily stunned.


    ...


    Keira Olsen looked at her, ¡°Rebecca, where did I offend you, or what did I say wrong to make you hate me so much?¡±


    Rebecca Allen: ??


    She waved her hands helplessly, ¡°No, I, I¡­¡±


    Frankie Allen comforted her, ¡°Rebecca, don¡¯t be afraid, you can speak boldly.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Mr. Allen slapped him on the head, ¡°Frankie, did you point out the wrong person? This is Miss Olsen, our benefactor!¡±


    Rebecca Allen immediately nodded.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Frankie Allen was slightly stunned, looking towards Keira Olsen, only to see her face cold and mixed with anger, her eyes coldly watching them.


    He then looked towards Isla, indeed seeing her eyes flicker, her whole body trembling¡­


    Frankie Allen suddenly understood something!


    He pointed at Isla and asked Rebecca Allen, ¡°Rebecca, tell me, who is she?¡±


    Rebecca Allen looked over, then immediately withdrew her gaze and waved her hand, ¡°Brother, please get her away from me quickly, I don¡¯t want to see her!¡±


    This attitude¡­ clearly gave the answer!


    Frankie Allen¡¯s face changed drastically, suddenly saying, ¡°So, Keira Olsen was the one who saved you, and Isla was that malicious woman who saw you in peril but didn¡¯t help, even kicked you when you were down?!¡±


    Rebecca Allen immediately nodded.


    The conversation between the two was clearly heard by all the onlookers around.


    Everyone understood what was going on, and they shockingly looked towards Isla and Jake Horton.


    At that moment, Jake Horton also widened his eyes, his face in disbelief, slowly turning his head towards Isla, only to see her pale, bloodless complexion.


    The whole scene fell silent for a time, those executives who had just accused Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton, now quiet as mice.


    A cold and low voice suddenly rose, ¡°Mr. Allen, just who is the one who can¡¯t recognize people?¡±


    Lewis Horton responded lightly with sarcasm, ¡°You should visit a hospital for an eye examination.¡±


    Frankie Allen moved his mouth nervously, not daring to speak.


    Jalen Riley spoke sarcastically, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t bother saving people in the future, lest you get the wrong idea and someone cuts off your raw materials¡­ Oh right, Mr. Allen just said he was going to make it so Miss Olsen couldn¡¯t buy materials anywhere in the country, is that how the Allen family treats their benefactors?¡±


    Frankie Allen immediately looked at Keira Olsen, his face filled with profound apology.


    During this time, he had been dissatisfied with Isla because she had made various demands on him, but the real benefactor had never taken advantage of her kindness!


    He said directly, ¡°Miss Olsen, I was blind, and I will make sure your materials are delivered in full!¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, okay.¡±


    The annoyance on Keira Olsen¡¯s face had disappeared, and upon realizing the truth, she even felt somewhat amused.


    She had not expected Isla to stoop so low as to take credit for her actions!


    She didn¡¯t get angry randomly. Frankie Allen had been deceived by her¡­ but this person¡¯s brain and sight were not so good, perhaps it¡¯s best to cooperate less in the future.


    After Frankie Allen apologized, it was only then that he thought of the culprit, and he fiercely turned towards the area where Isla Olsen had been standing, intending to settle scores with her. But when he looked, he found¡­ Isla Olsen was gone?


    He frowned, his tone dark as he said, ¡°Where is Isla Olsen?¡±


    ¡°She just ran off¡­¡±


    Frankie Allen could only glare fiercely at Jake Horton, ¡°Young Mr. Horton, you owe me an explanation for this!¡±


    Taking the opportunity, Jalen Riley said, ¡°Young Mr. Horton, you¡¯re too impatient. It hasn¡¯t been long since you graduated, yet you¡¯re eager to establish yourself in the Horton Group. But shouldn¡¯t we rely on true skill and genuine knowledge? Why always use these underhanded tactics?¡±


    As soon as these words were out, the surrounding crowd began to buzz:


    ¡°It was the same with Dr. South¡¯s incident. He got promoted to vice president thanks to Dr. South, but it turned out, Dr. South actually had connections with Mr. Horton¡­¡±


    ¡°I see it clear now, this time he planned to get promoted to general manager by banking on a life-saving favor!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just shameless.¡±


    ¡°So it turns out Isla Olsen has always been stealing others¡¯ credit, while Miss Olsen, without any conflict or aggression, has actually been helping us so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Allen now can¡¯t lift his head in front of Mr. Horton. When Mr. Horton mentioned he wanted to check on the ophthalmology department, he didn¡¯t dare to say a word. The cooperation hereafter would likely be much smoother!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    With the eyes and whispers of the crowd piercing his back, Jake Horton explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was like this. This was all Isla Olsen¡¯s doing, it has nothing to do with me. I was also deceived by her!¡±


    Unfortunately, no one would believe him.


    After all, as a couple, they had just announced their engagement with great fanfare! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Frankie Allen took a deep breath and turned to Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, I retract the suggestion I made during the signing, and I demand that our project collaboration between the Allen Family and Horton Family be carried out without young Mr. Horton¡¯s involvement!¡±


    Lewis Horton responded indifferently, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He glanced around, then firmly said, ¡°The proposal to promote Jake Horton to the head of the project department is cancelled, and he is also removed from his position as the vice director of the R&D department. Does anyone object?¡±


    The people shook their heads.


    And Jake Horton felt like he had just been slapped hard across the face!


    He clenched his fists tightly, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into, and eventually left in humiliation.


    ¡°Benefactor!¡±


    Rebecca Allen called out softly and then approached Kiera Olsen, almost crying, ¡°My brother is really foolish. He mistook you guys and even thought he was avenging me. Did he do anything excessive to you?¡±


    Kiera Olsen glanced at Frankie Allen who, although trying to appear calm, was so nervous he didn¡¯t know where to put his hands, betraying his anxiety.


    She smiled slightly and said lightly, ¡°No.¡±


    Rebecca Allen immediately relaxed, ¡°That¡¯s a relief then.¡±


    Frankie Allen paused slightly, his look towards Kiera Olsen filled with somewhat grateful sentiments.


    Suddenly, his eyes flashed darkly again.


    He looked at Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, where does Isla Olsen live? When someone makes a mistake, they must pay the price!¡±


    Lewis Horton narrowed his eyes and nodded towards Tom Davis behind him, ¡°Go help Mr. Allen.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Meanwhile, Kiera Olsen lowered her head, quietly conversing with Rebecca Allen.


    Mr. Allen stared relentlessly at Kiera Olsen.


    Mrs. Allen nudged him, ¡°Old Allen, what are you doing?¡±


    Mr. Allen¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°I remember now, no wonder I found Miss Olsen so familiar! I know whose daughter she is now!¡±


    With that, he walked directly towards Kiera Olsen, ¡°Miss Olsen, is your mother¡¯s surname South?¡±

 Chapter 79 - 79

    Chapter 79: Chapter 79


    Kiera Olsen was taken aback, she shook her head, ¡°No, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s surname is South.


    Mr. Allen, however, was startled, ¡°Not? Are you sure you didn¡¯t get it wrong?¡±


    Her eyebrows and eyes, even her face, were exactly like those of the person he knew! She looked just like her when she was young!


    Kiera Olsen paused, ¡°No.¡±


    Mr. Allen frowned, a look of disappointment on his face, ¡°Oh, then perhaps I¡¯ve overthought it.¡±


    ...


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t mind.


    However, Mrs. Allen couldn¡¯t help but pinch Mr. Allen, whispering, ¡°Who does Miss Olsen resemble? Looking at you, could she be your ¡®old flame¡¯?¡±


    Mr. Allen immediately begged for mercy and replied in a low voice, ¡°Ouch, be gentle, don¡¯t talk nonsense, she¡¯s an elder! Her surname is South, and her daughter¡¯s surname is South, too. This resemblance made me think she was her grandmother¡­¡±


    Mrs. Allen then realized she had misspoken and quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s your disappointed look that made me overthink!¡±


    Mr. Allen couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, ¡°That elder, I met her when I was young. Her elegance is unforgettable, if you ever saw her, you¡¯d feel the same as me¡­¡±


    Mrs. Allen asked curiously, ¡°Who? In Clance?¡±


    ¡°She only settled in Clance back then; now I don¡¯t know where she is,¡± Mr. Allen waved his hand, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard any news about her in the past few years.¡±


    Frankie Allen, after getting news about the Olsen Family from Tom Davis, approached and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll go to the Olsen Household in a bit. Their daughter has deceived and played me like a fool, I must demand an explanation from them!¡±


    Mr. Allen mocked him, ¡°Our Mr. Allen, who has seen countless people, has also been deceived.¡±


    He looked towards Kiera Olsen and inquired, ¡°I wonder, Miss Olsen, what kind of person do you think you are in your eyes? And should we allow Rebecca to keep in touch with her?¡±


    Frankie¡¯s face turned red, and he said nothing.


    Mrs. Allen, on the other hand, was looking at Lewis Horton in the distance and sighed silently without saying a word.


    The banquet soon came to an end, and everyone started to leave one after another.


    Lewis Horton personally saw Mr. Allen and his family of four out.


    Frankie Allen¡¯s mood had already returned to a pleasant one, and with strong mental fortitude, he chuckled and made small talk with Lewis Horton before the group said their goodbyes in the parking lot.


    Kiera Olsen also came to see Rebecca Allen off.


    The girl in the wheelchair, even though she had married and divorced, clung to her hand like a child, reluctant to let go, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in the hospital, you must come and see me, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡±


    Mrs. Allen laughed and cried, ¡°After you return to Clance, cooperate with the treatment. Once you¡¯re well, you can come to visit Miss Olsen. Nowadays, transportation is so convenient, don¡¯t act like it¡¯s a life or death parting.¡±


    Rebecca Allen became somewhat shy at these words.


    Kiera Olsen also smiled warmly.


    In fact, she quite liked Rebecca, the girl who was well cared for at home, pure and kind-hearted, clearly brought up with love ¨C a fortunate child.


    It was the life she envied the most.


    Kiera Olsen said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll come to see you off tomorrow.¡±


    Rebecca was finally satisfied and was lifted into the car by Frankie.


    Mr. Allen told Mrs. Allen, ¡°You take Rebecca back, I¡¯ll go to the Olsens with Frankie.¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s brows furrowed instantly.


    The Allen Family, having been deceived by Isla Olsen, wouldn¡¯t rest until they settled the matter; their seeking the family was understandable.


    After some thought, she still spoke up, ¡°Uncle Allen, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t heading there to prevent the Allen family from giving Isla Olsen trouble ¨C after all, she too was a victim and was no saint.


    It was just that she couldn¡¯t rest easy about Mrs. Olsen¡¯s health.


    Mr. Allen, of course, agreed, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Lewis Horton heard this and stepped forward to Kiera Olsen, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    ¡°`


    But just as he finished speaking, Tom Davis weakly reminded, ¡°Boss, you still have an international conference later¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton pursed his lips, seemingly still wanting to insist.


    Kiera Olsen hurriedly said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to see me off¡­¡±


    Frankie Allen also spoke up, ¡°Just take our car, it¡¯s on the way back to the hospital.¡±


    He glanced at Kiera Olsen and then immediately averted his gaze.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes darkened, his gaze falling on Kiera Olsen. She really was excessively beautiful today¡­


    He sneered, ¡°Forget it, Mr. Allen has poor vision, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t see the road clearly when driving.¡±


    Frankie Allen: ??


    Even though he was usually gentle, he had a temper. His face grew cold, ¡°The Allen family certainly isn¡¯t so poor that we can¡¯t afford a driver, Mr. Horton is jesting.¡±


    Lewis Horton wanted to retort with more biting remarks, but Jalen Riley jumped in, ¡°I¡¯ll take Miss Olsen. It happens to be on my way.¡±


    My cousin had just begun to mend his relationship with the Allen family, let¡¯s not cause another scene now!


    So many executives from the Horton Group were watching!


    Lewis Horton nodded, reluctantly agreeing.


    Kiera Olsen then followed Jalen Riley and got into the back seat of his car.


    As the car started, Jalen Riley looked at Lewis Horton in the outside rearview mirror, then at Kiera Olsen in the inside rearview mirror. He coughed and suddenly asked, ¡°What exactly is your relationship with my cousin?¡±


    Kiera Olsen raised an eyebrow.


    Jalen Riley continued, ¡°I¡¯m reminding you, my cousin is married, and although I haven¡¯t met that cousin-in-law of mine, the two have been married for two years and have a very good relationship. Don¡¯t accidentally become the other woman.¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She touched her chin and said with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Do you know who his legal wife is?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Kiera Olsen blinked, ¡°Me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jalen Riley let out a strange laugh, ¡°Dr. South, don¡¯t joke with me. My cousin¡¯s wife is studying abroad, how could it possibly be you!¡±


    Kiera Olsen fell silent. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Together with the Allen family¡¯s car, they arrived at the Olsen¡¯s.


    After getting out of the car, Kiera Olsen took the lead to enter the house, wanting to greet Mrs. Olsen first to prevent the Allen family from storming in without giving her a psychological preparation.


    Hurrying her steps, just as she entered the living room, she never expected to be met with a resounding slap!


    ¡°SMACK!¡±


    Kiera Olsen turned her head to the side, feeling a burning pain on her cheek, her mouth filled with a strong taste of iron. A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.


    Taylor Olsen stood infuriated in front of her, ¡°Ungrateful creature, why did you steal your sister¡¯s credit?! You¡¯re just jealous of her and want her engagement with the Horton family to be broken off!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The surprise in Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes slowly faded. She licked the corner of her lips, swallowing all the blood in her mouth, feeling a chill in her heart.


    She saw Isla Olsen sitting on the couch behind Taylor Olsen, crying her eyes out red.


    The kind and gentle Mrs. Olsen came over, also with a look of shock, ¡°Taylor, what are you doing! How can you just listen to Isla¡¯s one-sided story and attack Kiera?!¡±


    Taylor Olsen retorted, ¡°Shirley, no matter what the truth is, I only know that Isla is our daughter! She¡¯s an illegitimate daughter who has been raised by the Olsen family, she should maintain Isla¡¯s dignity outside!¡±


    At that moment, the Allen family father and son walked in with bodyguards, looking imposing.


    Seeing them, Taylor Olsen instinctively protected Mrs. Olsen behind him, ¡°Who are you people? How can you trespass on private property!¡±


    Frankie Allen had a stern expression, about to speak when Mr. Allen caught sight of Mrs. Olsen and exclaimed in surprise, ¡°¡­Jodie? You¡¯re Jodie South?¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 80 - 80

    Chapter 80: Chapter 80


    ¡°`


    Frankie Allen came today to discipline Isla Olsen, so he brought many bodyguards, all of whom had fierce expressions. As they entered, they blocked the way, looking very menacing.


    Isla Olsen, sitting on the sofa, was terrified. Her little face was pale, and not even daring to cry, her tears hung in her eyes, threatening to fall.


    Taylor Olsen had never seen such a display and was tightly protecting Mrs. Olsen, his face showing a few hints of panic.


    However, the very Mrs. Olsen he was protecting, who usually appeared the most delicate and was also in ill health, was the most composed at that moment. She furrowed her brows at the people in front of her, not revealing a trace of panic from beginning to end.


    And after Mr. Allen called out her name, Mrs. Olsen looked toward Mr. Allen with a slight stun, hesitating for a while before speaking, ¡°Mr. Allen?¡±


    ...


    Mr. Allen nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    He furrowed his brows as he sized up his surroundings. The Olsen Family¡¯s background was nowhere near worthy of his attention, so after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he said, ¡°Back in the day, when you and your sisters shone brightly in Clance, suitors were countless. How could you end up marrying into¡­¡±


    The words ¡°such a family¡± were left unsaid, but his expression made them clear.


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s face changed slightly, showing a trace of anger.


    But Jodie South, lowering her head and coughing twice, shifted the topic, ¡°Mr. Allen, have you come to our home for?¡±


    Frankie Allen said in anger, ¡°It¡¯s to demand an explanation from Miss Isla!¡±


    Mr. Allen immediately reminded him, ¡°Frankie, Miss South is also considered one of your elders. Speak with respect.¡±


    Frankie Allen choked and could only calmly relay the events.


    When Jodie South heard that Isla had not only failed to offer a helping hand to a girl in distress but had also spoken maliciously and kicked her when she was down, her expression darkened, and her gentle eyes instantly turned sharp.


    Furthermore, upon hearing that she had disguised herself as Keira Olsen and taken credit for achievements she didn¡¯t deserve, she clenched her fists tightly, shaking slightly with anger. Her coughing, which had been suppressed by medication, became uncontrollable.


    She covered her chest and began to cough violently.


    Taylor Olsen hurriedly supported her shoulders and patted her back, ¡°Shirley, don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t get angry¡­¡±


    Seeing this, Frankie Allen could not continue to say more.


    Mr. Allen also hastily said, ¡°Miss South, don¡¯t worry. Since Isla is your child, let¡¯s forget this matter; we won¡¯t pursue it.¡±


    Frankie Allen frowned, ¡°Dad.¡±


    Mr. Allen glared at him.


    Frankie Allen had to close his mouth and say no more.


    Jodie South, with one hand on her chest, looked up at him, ¡°Mr. Allen¡­ cough, cough, cough¡­ about this matter¡­ cough, cough¡­ I will certainly¡­ discipline her properly¡­ and give you an explanation¡­¡±


    Seeing her condition, Mr. Allen waved his hands more earnestly, ¡°No need, no need. You just focus on getting some rest. My son and I will take our leave now.¡±


    Having said that, he pulled the reluctant Frankie Allen out the door.


    Before leaving, Frankie Allen glanced at Keira Olsen, noticing her swollen cheeks and gaze fixed on Mrs. Olsen. Frankie had to leave without moving his feet further.


    Once they got into the car, he coldly said, ¡°Dad, what is your relationship with that Miss South? Why are you helping her so much? You haven¡¯t done anything to dishonor my mom, have you?¡±


    Mr. Allen smacked him on the head, ¡°What nonsense are you talking? Our Allen Family owes her a debt of gratitude from the past!¡±


    Frankie Allen then relaxed.


    However, Mr. Allen¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°I feel like I¡¯m forgetting something¡­ Never mind, I don¡¯t want to think about it anymore.¡±


    He then sighed for Jodie South, ¡°Such a distinguished person back in the day¡­ how did she come to fall to such a state¡­¡±


    The few people in the room were unaware of their conversation.


    At that moment, the living room was filled with Jodie South¡¯s coughing. Taylor Olsen, flustered and clueless, his eyes red with distress, said, ¡°Shirley, what¡¯s wrong with you? How to stop this cough? Let¡¯s go to the hospital!¡±


    Keira Olsen stepped forward, bringing a glass of water to Jodie South and took the medication she was taking from the table and handed it to her.


    About two minutes later, Jodie South finally stopped coughing.


    Her complexion unnaturally red, she looked at Isla, ¡°Kneel down!¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Mom?¡±


    ¡°I told you to kneel down!¡±


    Jodie South was emotionally agitated and coughed again.


    Taylor Olsen couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Shirley, don¡¯t be angry, this isn¡¯t such a big deal.¡±


    ¡°`


    Jodie South said angrily, ¡°The most important thing about a person is their character, and to think she would do such a thing. She previously used Dr. South¡¯s name, and now she¡¯s stolen Kiera¡¯s credit, how could I not be angry!¡±


    Seeing her so worked up that she was about to start coughing again, Keira Olsen hurriedly said, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, getting angry is bad for your health.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Taylor Olsen looked directly at her and scolded angrily, ¡°You know Jodie¡¯s health is poor, so why did you bring them here?! Do you want to anger Jodie to death to be satisfied?¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists and said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who brought them here.¡±


    She was explaining to Mrs. Olsen, as for everyone else, she didn¡¯t care at all.


    Jodie South nodded, ¡°I know; you came in ahead of them on purpose to tip us off, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Keira Olsen lowered her head, feeling a warmth around her eyes.


    Mrs. Olsen understood her.


    She had never been one to give unilaterally.


    But Taylor Olsen laughed coldly, ¡°Jodie, don¡¯t be fooled by her! If she really cared about you, she would have said that the phone call was made by her and her sister together! Then the Allen family would surely not have pursued the matter any further!¡±


    Jodie South suddenly looked at him, ¡°How can you be so unprincipled in what you do? It¡¯s because we spoiled her too much that she has become like this!!¡±


    Taylor Olsen was at a loss for words.


    But Isla Olsen stood up from the couch abruptly, ¡°Became what exactly?!¡±


    She glared fiercely and shouted at Jodie South, ¡°I¡¯ve become what I am today because you forced me to! Go and see, which family regards an illegitimate daughter so highly! In your heart, will I never measure up to her?¡±


    Her tears rolled down, ¡°From childhood, I have always had to outdo Keira Olsen because I was afraid you would like her and not like me! As an adult, it was even more so; why do you think I went to such lengths to marry Jake? It was to gain your attention! To let you know that your daughter is the best!¡±


    ¡°Keira Olsen, are you very pleased with yourself? Your mom wrecked my parents¡¯ marriage, and you took away my mom! What right do you have to act so wronged here? Even after you left the Olsen family, didn¡¯t you still cling to your mom using Dr. South¡¯s identity?¡±


    ¡°I worked so hard in college, but she outperformed me¡­ If I hadn¡¯t stolen her identity this time, Jake would have broken off our engagement!¡±


    ¡°Everything I¡¯ve done, I did to make you, mom, look at me highly!¡±


    After screaming these words, she ran upstairs, burst into the bedroom, and slammed the door shut with a ¡°bang.¡±


    Leaving Jodie South standing there stunned.


    She looked upstairs in shock, ¡°Am I really like that?¡±


    She felt something was wrong, but couldn¡¯t find the words to refute it.


    After all, deep down in her heart, she did indeed prefer Keira Olsen, even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t, she just couldn¡¯t help it¡­


    Taylor Olsen sighed, ¡°Jodie, Isla is our biological daughter, Keira Olsen is an outsider, you really are¡­¡±


    He did not finish his sentence.


    Then he glared at Keira Olsen, ¡°You troublemaker, during the years you weren¡¯t here, we were always peaceful. As soon as you showed up, the house immediately lost its peace. From now on, you¡¯re not allowed to set foot in the Olsens¡¯ house again!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s jaw tightened.


    Mrs. Olsen wanted to say something, but Taylor Olsen grabbed her by the arm, ¡°Jodie, there should be distinctions between those close to us and those who are not¡­ don¡¯t be confused anymore!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was stunned for a moment, guilt rising in her heart.


    Guilt toward Isla, and toward Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen felt as if a huge stone was pressing on her chest. She knew what she had to do, as she had long been accustomed to it.


    She lowered her gaze and took a step back, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, take good care of yourself; don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Then, she turned and left with determined steps.


    Her steps were firm, her spine straight.


    But at the moment she walked out the door, a single tear rolled down from the corner of her eye.


    She had never had the right to stand by Mrs. Olsen¡¯s side.


    She reached up, gently wiped the corner of her eye, and erased the tear marks.


    At that moment, her phone rang. It was a call from her Uncle Finley Hill. His voice was weary and panicked, ¡°Niece, I¡¯m selling that secret for five million dollars. Do you want it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±

 Chapter 81 - 81

    Chapter 81: Chapter 81


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t care about that five million.


    After all, the money owed by Finley Hill was brought about by her own subordinates¡¯ mischief, and in the end, the money would circle back to her hands.


    Finley Hill lowered his voice, ¡°Then transfer the money now.¡±


    Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes, ¡°Tell me the secret first.¡±


    ¡°No, pay me first!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ...


    Keira Olsen knew her uncle¡¯s nature all too well.


    If he dared to ask Isla Olsen for five million for a secret, then the secret itself was obviously worth way more than that. She still remembered the deposit of two hundred thousand from last time. So, if she transferred the money, Finley Hill would be even less likely to tell the truth.


    Keira Olsen snorted, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to sell it, forget it.¡±


    Having said that, she silently waited.


    Sure enough, Finley Hill became anxious, ¡°I¡¯ll sell! I¡¯ll sell! Keira, please come and save me! I owe them money, and they are going to kill me! I am now hiding in the suburbs and don¡¯t dare to show my face!¡±


    Keira Olsen cast her eyes down, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to Isla Olsen?¡±


    ¡°How did I not?!¡± Finley Hill said with anger in his voice, ¡°But she said she couldn¡¯t come up with so much money. The Olsen family is worth billions. How is it possible they can¡¯t even come up with five million? She¡¯s just climbed up the high branch and doesn¡¯t need the Olsen family anymore, so she¡¯s acting recklessly, not afraid I¡¯ll divulge the truth, that¡¯s why she refuses to help me!¡±


    Finley Hill¡¯s voice was full of pleading, ¡°Great-niece, come save me, I guarantee it will be worth your while! My secret, even if I asked for ten million from you, it would be worth it!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s voice remained indifferent as if she wasn¡¯t interested, ¡°Just because you say it¡¯s worth ten million doesn¡¯t make it so. I have to weigh whether your secret is truly worth that much or not.¡±


    The less she seemed to care, the more Finley Hill feared she wouldn¡¯t come through, and the more information he leaked.


    Keira Olsen was playing a psychological game with him.


    After being chased and beaten these past two days, Finley Hill¡¯s nerves were shot, and his mental state had reached its breaking point. Hearing her words, he indeed exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s worth it, absolutely worth it! This matter concerns you and the Olsen family!¡±


    ¡°What about me and the Olsen family? I have no relationship whatsoever with the Olsen family!¡±


    Keira Olsen continued to fish for information.


    But Finley Hill said, ¡°I can¡¯t say any more unless you give me the money!¡±


    Keira Olsen understood that Finley Hill was no fool; with his street-smart cunning, it was unlikely she would be able to coax out anything more from him. She asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you my location on WhatsApp in a moment; come over with the money.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Finley Hill sent her a location via WhatsApp.


    Keira Olsen had already left the villa area and was standing by the road.


    She touched her swollen cheek, about to hail a car online, when a familiar black Bentley suddenly stopped in front of her.


    Keira Olsen was slightly taken aback to see the rear car door slowly open and Lewis Horton seated inside, looking at his laptop, engaged in an international conference call.


    The man was speaking in French, his deep voice especially pleasant to hear.


    He glanced at Keira Olsen, his gaze suddenly returning to her cheek.


    The man¡¯s words came to a halt, his voice growing cold, then he began again, ¡°J¡¯ai quelque chose, continuez.¡± (I have something, continue.)


    He took off his headset, closed his laptop, and gestured her to get in, pointing at the seat.


    Then, opening the car refrigerator, he took out an ice pack wrapped in a towel and handed it to her, ¡°Put this on first.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at him in shock, ¡°Why would you have these things in the car?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze was distant as he said indifferently, ¡°Hmm, Tom Davis often gets injured, so I keep them ready at hand.¡±


    Tom Davis, who was responsible for driving: ??


    As the boss¡¯s personal assistant, how come he was unaware that he often got injured! Clearly, it was after Miss Olsen arrived that the boss felt uneasy, followed her, and while in the meeting was looking outside. Upon running into Frankie Allen, who mentioned that Miss Olsen had been struck, he immediately dispatched him to buy these items from a supermarket.


    But he didn¡¯t dare to puncture that bubble.


    Kiera Olsen suddenly realized, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    She got into the car, took the towel, and pressed it against her face, the scalding sensation indeed eased, clearing her head somewhat.


    Yet her gaze fell upon a supermarket receipt, and although it was just a fleeting glance, she saw that it had just been bought.


    For some reason, the grievances she had just suppressed suddenly surged to her heart again, making the tip of her nose feel sour.


    Kiera Olsen remembered when she was a child, a classmate was injured at school and was very brave when teachers and classmates asked about it, but when he saw his mother at the school gate after classes, although the wound was no longer hurting, he cried his eyes out.


    She could never understand why.


    But at this moment, she suddenly understood the feeling somewhat.


    ¡­How pathetic, reverting with age.


    Kiera Olsen turned her head away, pressing the towel against her cheek, but her eyes felt an intense stinging.


    She tried to control herself, but the grievances deeply buried in her heart had fermented over so many years. In an instant, such thick emotions surged, and she couldn¡¯t suppress them no matter how hard she tried.


    She took a deep breath and suddenly said, ¡°Mr. Horton, could I borrow your shoulder for a moment?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s body stiffened, his face suddenly turning ashen.


    Only then did Kiera Olsen realize she had acted presumptuously and was about to say something to make amends, but she saw the man cough lightly, move closer to her, and pat his shoulder, ¡°You can borrow it for five minutes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    Kiera Olsen buried her head in his shoulder, and finally, the tears that she had been holding back flowed freely.


    She never knew a person could shed so many tears. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, since she understood things, she had never cried so intensely.


    Because she knew, when others cried someone would feel sorry for them, but she had no one.


    Five minutes later, seeing the large, damp patch on the man¡¯s suit, Kiera Olsen felt a bit embarrassed. Just as she was wondering how to apologize, Lewis Horton handed her an anti-inflammatory ointment and Eronase capsules to take.


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Such a minor injury, really unnecessary.


    She didn¡¯t voice this mood-spoiling remark, simply took them silently, and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Silence returned to the car.


    Kiera Olsen also sat up straight.


    Having cried, a lot of the emotional pressure had been released, and her mood finally began to settle down. That was when she noticed the car was heading towards the hospital.


    Kiera Olsen remembered the urgent matter and quickly took out her phone, ¡°Could we stop by here?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The car changed direction and soon arrived in the suburbs.


    It was an abandoned hospital.


    The darkness of the night, combined with the dim light of the street lamps, made the dilapidation here seem desolate.


    Kiera Olsen took out her phone and sent a WhatsApp message to Finley Hill: [I¡¯ve arrived, where are you?]


    Finley Hill replied quickly: [Room 303, hurry up.]


    Kiera Olsen rushed to the third floor.


    Lewis Horton clenched his jaw, following closely behind her, not at ease.


    The two quickly arrived at room 303.


    Kiera Olsen knocked on the door, ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Finley Hill¡¯s voice came from inside, ¡°Come in.¡±

 Chapter 82 - 82

    Chapter 82: Chapter 82


    Lewis Horton took a step forward, intending to enter first.


    But Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t wait for him to speak; she had already quietly pushed the door open.


    She didn¡¯t trust her uncle very much, fearing he had set some kind of trap to threaten or tempt her, so she was very cautious at this moment.


    The room was pitch dark; the lights were off.


    Kiera Olsen slowly walked in and, just as she entered, saw a shadow charging straight at her: ¡°My dear niece, if you don¡¯t give me money today, don¡¯t think about leaving!¡±


    This threatening tone¡­


    ...


    Kiera Olsen narrowed her eyes, let out a cold laugh, and kicked the person fiercely, sending them flying.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The figure fell to the ground.


    Hearing the noise, Lewis Horton quickly pushed the door open and anxiously asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± due to the darkness and not knowing what had happened.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    As these words fell, Tom Davis, following behind them, took out a powerful flashlight and shone it towards Kiera Olsen¡¯s direction, illuminating half the room as if it were daylight.


    While Kiera Olsen remained alert for any more movements from Finley Hill behind her, she glanced at Lewis Horton and noticed his pupils shrink, his jaw tense as he stared intently behind her!!


    Kiera Olsen frowned, puzzled, and turned around.


    Lewis Horton instinctively took a step forward, trying to block her line of sight.


    But Kiera Olsen shook her head slightly, avoiding his protection, and looked fixedly¡­


    The next moment, she froze on the spot!


    Finley Hill was lying on the ground, face up, his eyes wide open, body twitching slightly. A rusty steel bar had pierced straight through his chest from behind!


    His clothes were stained with blood, looking extremely horrifying!


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s heart sank slightly, and she hurried forward to check.


    Just then, an impatient voice came from outside the door, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Subsequently, a man in his twenties who looked somewhat like Finley Hill rushed in.


    Kiera Olsen knew him; he was Finley Hill¡¯s son, Connor Hill!


    He was a year younger than Isla Olsen and Kiera Olsen, currently studying at Oceanion University.


    Finley Hill had once asked Kiera Olsen for tuition fees boasting about his son getting into university, but she hadn¡¯t given him anything.


    Because she knew, even if she gave it, it would just go to his gambling. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having such a father made Connor Hill quite gloomy and not very sociable. He didn¡¯t get along well with his family.


    Now, he was full of anger: ¡°I borrowed twenty thousand from a classmate, I don¡¯t have any more. If you push me further, I¡¯ll go abroad and never take care of you¡­ Dad?!¡±


    He saw Finley Hill and was shocked, dropping the bag he was holding. The twenty thousand spilled out¡­


    He rushed to Finley Hill¡¯s side, his fingers trembling as he touched his nostril¡­


    The next moment, he jerked back, crouching on the ground. Then, he turned to look at Kiera Olsen, panicked: ¡°You¡­ did you kill him?!¡±


    He fumbled on the ground for his phone, his hands shaking as he dialed 110: ¡°Hello, I need to report a murder; my dad¡¯s been killed!¡±¡­


    The police arrived quickly, and they found the power switch for the abandoned building, turning it on and illuminating the entire building.


    Kiera Olsen and the other three were now under police interrogation.


    Connor Hill¡¯s eyes were slightly red, but he did not cry, his expression seemed to carry a sense of relief, ¡°My dad sent me a message, asking me to gather five million for him, otherwise, he was going to be beaten to death. But I haven¡¯t started working yet, where could I borrow that kind of money for him?¡±


    ¡°I managed to gather twenty thousand from classmates, thinking to help him out in an emergency¡­¡±


    ¡°But when I got there, I found my dad already dead! So I called the police.¡±


    Tom Davis was also making a statement, ¡°I came with the boss to drop off Miss Olsen, she had arranged to meet this person here, and since the building was dark inside, we came over. Miss Olsen entered first, then the boss and I heard sounds of a scuffle inside. Fearing Miss Olsen might be at a disadvantage, we entered¡­ I turned on a flashlight and saw him lying there¡­¡±


    The police asked, ¡°Before you entered the room, was he alive or dead?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Tom Davis involuntarily looked at Keira Olsen with a guilty conscience.


    The police officer spoke sternly, ¡°Giving false testimony is a crime.¡±


    Tom Davis still did not speak.


    Lewis Horton, however, spoke up, ¡°Before entering the door, Miss Olsen knocked, and a man¡¯s voice came from inside, saying to come in.¡±


    The police asked, ¡°Was it the voice of the deceased?¡±


    Lewis Horton replied realistically, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡±


    Finally, the police turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°Miss Olsen, was the voice you heard that of the deceased? What exactly happened!¡±


    ¡°It was his voice.¡± Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze lingered contemplatively on Finley Hill¡¯s corpse. She slowly said, ¡°After I entered, I heard him threatening me and lunging at me. Instinctively, I kicked him away, and then it turned out like this.¡±


    Before the police could speak, Connor Hill clenched his fists immediately, ¡°So, you didn¡¯t do it on purpose? Was it manslaughter in self-defense?¡±


    Keira Olsen replied calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    The police were puzzled, ¡°What don¡¯t you know?¡±


    Before Keira Olsen could respond, Lewis Horton said, ¡°The room was very dark, and Miss Olsen merely kicked the person away. How he actually died is not clear.¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at her, ¡°Miss Olsen, please think back carefully, did you hear the sound of a weapon entering a body, a blade penetrating? Did you hear his screams?¡±


    During the time the police were there, Keira Olsen had been repeatedly recalling every detail of what had just happened.


    So upon hearing his question, she shook her head directly, ¡°No.¡±


    Connor Hill was stunned, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at the police, her tone resolute, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who killed him.¡±


    The police officer was slightly taken aback.


    Ordinary girls witnessing a murder scene would have been scared sick by now, but this woman not only maintained a stoic face, she could also speak so logically about it, which was impressive.


    He said directly, ¡°We have recorded all the evidence at the scene, and everything you just said. Miss Olsen, you¡¯re currently the prime suspect for murder. Please stay here until the medical examiner arrives, examines the corpse, and unless new evidence emerges, only then will you be allowed to leave.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She and Lewis Horton also started searching for clues around them.


    Inside the dilapidated factory building, there was dust everywhere. Since Finley Hill had been hiding there for a day, he had touched many things, and traces of his movements were everywhere, making it difficult to discern anything at first glance.


    Just then, a forensic officer said, ¡°His phone, it¡¯s unlocked!¡±


    Keira Olsen immediately looked over, but saw the police officer walk over, took the cell phone, and began scrolling through the chat history and call logs.


    He seemed to have tapped randomly, entering a voice memo.


    Then, his eyes lit up, ¡°Just an hour ago, he stored a voice message!¡±


    After saying this, the officer played the voice note, and Finley Hill¡¯s voice came from the phone, ¡°My dear niece, that secret¡­¡±

 Chapter 83 - 83

    Chapter 83: Chapter 83


    ¡°` S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly approached the policeman, wanting to listen closely to what he had said.


    But in the next moment, a hand reached out next to the officer, pressing the pause button in haste, and a crisp rebuke filled the air, ¡°The case is unsolved, and no evidence should be revealed in front of the suspect! Did you learn nothing at the police academy?!¡±


    The policeman immediately coughed and pleaded with a pained expression, ¡°Dr. Sims, I know I¡¯m wrong.¡±


    The speaker was a female forensic doctor with a cool demeanor, her eyes brimming with righteousness, and her face exuded a sense of public security. She said coldly, ¡°Let this not happen again.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±.


    ...


    Only then did the forensic doctor look towards Keira Olsen, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, but she said nothing and simply put on her gloves and walked towards the body with her toolkit in hand.


    Keira Olsen blinked in surprise; she hadn¡¯t expected it to be her.


    The person in front of her was her middle school classmate and the first female friend in her life, Holly Sims.


    The Sims family had been forensic doctors for generations, and during middle school, Holly had a clear life plan, as she was determined to uphold justice in this world.


    Those juvenile declarations became the goals she fought for all her life.


    She went directly to a vocational school after high school and had become a forensic doctor whom everyone respected, even at a young age.


    But¡­


    Keira Olsen cast her gaze downwards.


    There were some misunderstandings between them, and it seemed from her attitude just now that their past issues hadn¡¯t been resolved yet.


    Keira Olsen sighed silently to herself.


    A few minutes later, Dr. Sims finished examining the body, stood up, and declared her findings, ¡°The victim died from a penetrating wound, a fatal blow. There are signs of being struck on the chest, and the time of death should be around¡­¡±


    She looked down at the time, ¡°thirty to thirty-five minutes ago.¡±


    The officer immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s been exactly thirty minutes since we received the call, so the victim died right when Miss Olsen entered the room!¡±


    He turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°All evidence currently points to you, Miss Olsen. As for the sounds you mentioned, perhaps the victim¡¯s heavy fall masked the scream, and you simply didn¡¯t hear it. Moreover, there is a witness who confirmed that the deceased spoke before you entered the room, so you are now the murder suspect! Please come with us to the station for further questioning!¡±


    Keira Olsen glanced at Holly Sims and did not resist, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Seeing her compliance, the officer walked over to her, ready to escort her downstairs.


    But just then, Holly Sims let out a cold laugh, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the murder suspect need to be handcuffed to prevent escape? What happened to the basic protocol for police?¡±


    The officer paused and then gave a wry smile.


    This lady was cooperating with their investigation, and even if she were the real perpetrator, it would have been self-defense, not intentional violence, so handcuffing her wasn¡¯t strictly necessary.


    But he didn¡¯t argue, realizing Dr. Sims was purposely finding fault with this girl because of her dissatisfaction with her.


    He coughed and looked apologetically at Keira Olsen.


    Immediately, Lewis Horton stepped forward, about to speak, but Keira Olsen shook her head slightly at him and then cooperatively extended her hands.


    After the cold handcuffs were secured, she was led downstairs by the officer.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s brow furrowed as he swiftly followed behind, ¡°I¡¯ll immediately hire a lawyer for you. Until the lawyer arrives, you have the right to remain silent.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded and instructed him, ¡°For grandma, just say I¡¯m staying at home for a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    When they reached the ground floor, Keira Olsen got into the police car, and suddenly felt a weight beside her. She turned her head and saw it wasn¡¯t the policeman from before but Holly Sims.


    As the car started moving, Keira Olsen kept a calm fa?ade and suddenly asked, ¡°How have you been these past few years?¡±


    Holly Sims looked at her, her gaze clear and deep, ¡°I¡¯ve been doing very well, to your disappointment.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Keira Olsen was at a loss for words for a moment, then said in a low voice, ¡°Back then, I¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Holly Sims snapped angrily, ¡°You liar, I won¡¯t believe anything you say!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She sighed silently to herself.


    But Holly Sims asked, ¡°Was that man just now your boyfriend?¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t want to lie: ¡°He¡¯s my legal husband.¡±


    Holly Sims¡¯s body stiffened: ¡°You¡¯re married?¡±


    Keira Olsen felt like a betrayer, she said slowly, ¡°There¡¯s something special between us, we¡­¡±


    But Holly Sims turned her head away, ¡°You did the right thing. Even if you had sent me an invitation, I wouldn¡¯t have gone!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡­


    Only then did she understand that this was the reason for Holly Sims¡¯s anger.


    Did she think she had got married without telling her?


    Keira Olsen was both amused and troubled, just about to say something when Holly Sims¡¯s voice rose again, ¡°Is he that ¡®big brother¡¯ you said you¡¯d marry back in the day?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s expression became distant for a moment.


    After a while, she spoke softly, ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Holly Sims scoffed, ¡°So you really are fickle, discarding even that ¡®big brother¡¯, how could you possibly care about other friends?¡±


    Keira Olsen continued to explain, ¡°Actually, back then¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you to shut up!¡± Holly Sims¡¯s pretty face was filled with anger, ¡°Don¡¯t think by bringing up our past relationship, I will help you! I¡¯ve seen your true nature long ago: a complete and utter fraud!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t speak again.


    Yet Holly Sims looked at her again, ¡°Stop thinking about all that nonsense, and focus on your case! Your case is very complicated, all the evidence currently points to you, and the marks on the body point to you as well. I won¡¯t help you conceal anything¡­Why don¡¯t you look at all worried?¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled, her voice confident, ¡°Because you are here, you will definitely prove my innocence. You¡¯ve said you want to uphold justice in this world, not letting anyone suffer injustice at your hands, nor letting any criminal escape from you.¡±


    Holly Sims was slightly taken aback, not sure if it was the trust she was shown or recalling those adolescent statements, her ears tinged red.


    But she immediately said in a fierce whisper, ¡°Don¡¯t spout those sweet nothings here, I won¡¯t believe a word you say. Keira Olsen, if you are the murderer, I will definitely see that justice is served!¡±


    They soon returned to the police station.


    Keira Olsen was suspected of murder and was temporarily detained.


    Dr. Sims personally escorted her to the detention center, placing her in a solitary cell.


    Standing outside the cell, she looked firmly at Keira Olsen, ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t kill the person?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Holly Sims then frowned, ¡°Then what was with the sound of his voice?¡±


    Keira Olsen said, ¡°Could it be a phone recording? Wasn¡¯t his phone found? Could you please help me check it out?¡±


    Holly Sims scoffed, ¡°The phone is in the police station; it won¡¯t be lost. It¡¯s crucial evidence.¡±


    After saying this, she looked intently at Keira Olsen, ¡°You brought up that phone, do you really want to know what message he left for you?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Will you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Dr. Sims¡¯s tone was calm.

 Chapter 84 - 84

    Chapter 84: Chapter 84


    Holly Sims slowly said, ¡°That was a voice message left for you, you have the right to be informed.¡±


    Keira Olsen asked, ¡°What did he say?¡±


    Holly Sims replied methodically, ¡°The department rules state that a suspect cannot have access to evidence. But rest assured, once the trial results are out, whether you¡¯re the murderer or not, I will naturally tell you.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Little Miss Uptight, Holly Sims, has now also learned how to tease someone.


    She stepped back helplessly and sighed.


    ...


    Holly Sims warned again, ¡°Stay here and behave, and trust us, we won¡¯t wrong a good person.¡±


    Leaving these words, she turned and left. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was already after hours, but Holly Sims didn¡¯t leave. Instead, she went directly to the morgue of the forensic department.


    When the on-duty staff saw her, they immediately asked, ¡°Dr. Sims, you¡¯re still here so late, isn¡¯t that case not urgent? Why not perform the autopsy tomorrow during the day?¡±


    But Holly Sims said, ¡°The sooner we clarify the cause of death, the sooner we can clear the suspect¡¯s name.¡±


    The staff member immediately said, ¡°You mean, that suspect didn¡¯t kill anyone?¡±


    When in front of Keira Olsen, Holly Sims always looked fierce, but now she said, ¡°She¡¯s not that kind of person.¡±


    With that, she went straight into the morgue.


    The detention center was after all too spartan and uncomfortable to live in; clearing her name sooner would also mean releasing her sooner.


    She yawned, glanced at the body on the autopsy table, then opened a drawer to take out a small bread, giving it a couple of bites before starting her work.


    She hadn¡¯t had the chance to eat dinner yet.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen sat in the single cell of the detention center, quietly contemplating the day¡¯s events.


    The death of Finley Hill was indeed unexpected and caught her off guard.


    It couldn¡¯t have been her subordinates; they wouldn¡¯t smear her reputation like that.


    So who was it?


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brows, then suddenly thought of someone¡ª Isla Olsen.


    To keep Finley Hill¡¯s secret, Isla Olsen could spend 150,000 a month to shut his mouth; now that she couldn¡¯t come up with that five million, had she killed in desperation?


    What kind of leverage was it that made her so ruthlessly decisive?


    No, that¡¯s not right.


    When she left the Olsen Family, Isla Olsen had already run to the room upstairs and had not left the house.


    ¡­So she must have an accomplice!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s thoughts were clear, but currently imprisoned here without her phone, she couldn¡¯t reach the outside world and could only hope for Holly Sims.


    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when suddenly a flurry of footsteps approached.


    Soon, several police officers stood outside her cell.


    The young officer who had arrested her reported to another officer, ¡°Captain Lincoln, this is Keira Olsen, today¡¯s murder suspect.¡±


    Captain Lincoln was a man in his thirties with sharp eyes that scanned her from top to bottom, and he snapped at the young officer, ¡°The case is already very clear, what are you doing delaying the interrogation of the suspect?! Bring her to the interrogation room immediately.¡±


    The young officer quickly opened the cell door and motioned for Keira Olsen to step out.


    As she walked out, Captain Lincoln pushed her and said, ¡°Dilly-dallying, you think you can escape the law like this?¡±


    Keira Olsen stumbled a bit, furrowed her brows slightly, then coldly looked at Captain Lincoln.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Hurry up and move!¡±


    Keira Olsen clenched her jaw, not going to let it slide, and hurried to the interrogation room.


    Captain Lincoln grabbed her arm and pressed her into the interrogation chair, then with a ¡°click,¡± he fastened the safety buckle on her, treating her completely as if she were a violent criminal.


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists.


    Captain Lincoln sat opposite her and asked in a strictly official tone, ¡°Name.¡±


    ¡°¡­Keira Olsen.¡±


    ¡°Age.¡±


    ¡°22 years old.¡±


    ¡°Sex.¡±


    Keira Olsen took a deep breath, knowing this Captain Lincoln was humiliating her. She wanted to explode in anger but still managed to hold it back, ¡°Female.¡±


    Captain Lincoln glanced at her, then continued his interrogation, ¡°What is your relationship with the deceased?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°He was my uncle.¡±


    Captain Lincoln flipped through the documents in his hand, ¡°The deceased had been demanding five million from you to pay off his gambling debts? So, you harbored resentment against him and, therefore, when he came close to you, you kicked him away with force?¡±


    Keira Olsen took a deep breath, feeling the other party¡¯s malice clearly and unmistakably.


    She looked at Captain Lincoln and spoke slowly, ¡°Is this what you call leading a witness?¡±


    Captain Lincoln immediately looked at her, ¡°I am simply stating the facts. You only need to say yes or no!¡±


    Keira Olsen looked down, ¡°I have the right to remain silent until my lawyer arrives.¡±


    ¡°Rights be damned!¡± Captain Lincoln angrily slammed his notebook on the table, scolded her, ¡°This is Crera, every citizen has the duty to cooperate with our investigation! Especially suspects like you! Now, immediately, answer my questions!¡±


    Captain Lincoln stood up, ¡°Now we have both eyewitnesses and physical evidence, and no other fingerprints were collected at the scene apart from yours! Finley Hill was impaled through the back with a steel bar and died; if you still don¡¯t admit to manslaughter by accident, we will have to suspect your motive, whether it was premeditated murder!¡±


    He came up to Keira Olsen, ¡°So tell me now, do you harbor any resentment towards the deceased?!¡±


    Keira Olsen tensed her jaw, looked up at Captain Lincoln and slowly began, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Captain Lincoln said sharply, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t resentment, when he lunged at you, the subconscious reaction of most people would be to dodge. Why did you kick instead?!¡±


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists.


    Because she had moved out since middle school, she lacked a sense of security and knew that no one would stand in front of her to protect her, so her instinctive reaction to an attack was not to evade, but to counterattack!


    But she knew that whatever she said now would be useless, so she simply kept her mouth shut.


    Seeing her like this, Captain Lincoln sneered, ¡°Fine, you think by not talking you can get away with it?¡±


    He walked over to the side and suddenly turned on a bright light, shining it directly at Keira Olsen!


    The light was so intense, it made one instinctively want to put up a hand to shield themselves, but Keira Olsen¡¯s hands were restrained in the interrogation chair, completely unable to block her eyes.


    She angled her head slightly, still unable to escape the glaring light.


    Even with her eyes closed, her vision was filled with a bright red.


    Not even five minutes had passed, and her eyes were already dry and irritated, tears flowing involuntarily.


    Captain Lincoln¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Talk. Do you admit to killing him accidentally?¡±


    Keira Olsen took a deep breath, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone.¡±


    Captain Lincoln sneered, ¡°Still playing tough, huh? Then let¡¯s start with two hours under the light! If you still refuse to confess after that, you¡¯ll be spending the night here!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes grew increasingly sore, and tears fell uncontrollably, making her want to reach up and rub them.


    Only after a few minutes, and it was already like this.


    If it really went on all night, her eyes might be ruined!


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, outside the police station.


    Lewis Horton arrived quickly with a lawyer.

 Chapter 85 - 85

    Chapter 85: Chapter 85


    An hour after Holly Sims finished the autopsy, she found that the victim indeed died from the object passing through the body, and there were no changes to the estimated time of death.


    This was problematic.


    All the evidence did indeed point to Keira Olsen.


    She took a bite of a small bread roll, pondering the evidence, when it suddenly occurred to her¡ªhad Keira not eaten dinner tonight?


    She quickly submitted the autopsy report and then took a few bread rolls and went downstairs.


    But just as she reached the ground floor, she saw that someone was in the interrogation room.


    ...


    She glanced casually, and through the monitor, she saw¡­ Keira Olsen!


    Holly Sims hurried over and saw that Keira¡¯s amorous eyes were both red and swollen. She immediately panicked and burst into the interrogation room, turning off the light!!


    The room darkened, but Keira¡¯s eyes still stung somewhat.


    She looked ahead in a daze, facing a white haze and unable to see clearly, only hearing Holly Sims¡¯s angry interrogation, ¡°What are you doing? Who gave you permission to interrogate her?!¡±


    Captain Lincoln stood up, ¡°It was me!¡±


    Holly Sims glared at him, ¡°Captain Lincoln, using torture is illegal!¡±


    Captain Lincoln threw his cigarette onto the ground and crushed it with his leather shoe, ¡°I was just shining a light; who¡¯s fault is it that she won¡¯t confess?¡±


    Holly Sims¡¯s face turned ashen, ¡°Is there really a need to rush this, to interrogate her overnight?!¡±


    Captain Lincoln scoffed, ¡°If not an overnight interrogation, should we wait until they think of a way to collude on their story? I¡¯ve received information that the person in there is a rich second-generation, and I bet that by now, a lawyer to arrange her bail is already here!¡±


    Holly Sims frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she doesn¡¯t meet the conditions for bail!¡±


    Captain Lincoln said, ¡°How does she not? These rich people love to contract all sorts of bizarre illnesses, don¡¯t they? Just get a medical certificate from any hospital, and isn¡¯t that enough? Haven¡¯t you seen enough cases like this? What if she flees abroad? Who will be responsible for the victim then?!¡±


    Holly Sims said forcefully, ¡°Me!¡±


    Captain Lincoln sneered, ¡°You, responsible? How will you take responsibility?¡±


    Holly Sims pointedly gestured to her uniform, ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility with this uniform! Is that good enough?¡±


    Captain Lincoln didn¡¯t expect her to respond like that and fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, his phone rang. He looked at it and then, with a sneer, said, ¡°Dr. Sims, you¡¯re too young¡­ Come with me!¡±


    Holly Sims frowned and followed Captain Lincoln. Once they were out of the interrogation room, she spoke up, ¡°Captain Lincoln, I know about the previous case you dealt with, where the rich second-generation claimed a heart condition to get bail and then fled abroad, leaving the case unresolved to this day. But you can¡¯t generalize from one case. I don¡¯t know about others, but Keira Olsen is definitely not that kind of person¡­¡±


    Captain Lincoln turned back to look at her, ¡°Is that so? But her lawyer is already in the lobby, I just got the news; they are arranging for bail on medical grounds¡­¡±


    ¡­


    In the lobby, the lawyer was filling out the paperwork to apply for bail.


    Samuel Morgan was anxiously following behind Lewis Horton, his mind racing: ¡°Why did it have to be these couple of days! The boss has an illness each month that needs timely treatment!¡±


    Lewis Horton furrowed his brows, ¡°What kind of illness does she have exactly?¡±


    Samuel Morgan sighed, ¡°The boss has a severe case of iron-deficiency anemia!¡±


    Iron-deficiency?


    Lewis Horton suddenly remembered Keira Olsen¡¯s WhatsApp name was ¡°Lacking Iron in the Five Elements¡±¡ªwas this the reason?


    Samuel Morgan said anxiously, ¡°Do you think that iron-deficiency anemia is a minor illness that can be managed with regular supplements? The boss is different! Her condition is bizarre!¡±


    Samuel Morgan sighed, ¡°The boss¡¯s anemia, medically, they haven¡¯t found any cause yet. It¡¯s just that her body is strange¡ªit doesn¡¯t absorb any iron at all. Therefore, she must receive iron infusions each month to forcibly get it into her system. Tomorrow is the usual day for her infusion¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s brow tightened, ¡°What if she can¡¯t get the infusion in time?¡±


    Samuel Morgan felt his jaw tense, ¡°At the least, I¡¯ll be shaking all over, my face will turn pale, I won¡¯t have any strength, and I¡¯ll feel dizzy and lightheaded. If it gets serious, I could even go into shock!¡±


    If one goes into shock and doesn¡¯t receive timely treatment, it could be life-threatening!


    Mr. Horton¡¯s expression turned grave.


    He looked at the lawyer, ¡°Get it done as soon as possible.¡±


    But the lawyer¡¯s face was filled with difficulty, ¡°Mr. Horton, the procedures for bail pending trial are somewhat troublesome, and it¡¯s the middle of the night now; the normal departments are off work. I¡¯m afraid it can¡¯t be done today, only tomorrow.¡±


    Mr. Horton looked at Samuel Morgan.


    Samuel nodded, ¡°Tomorrow is fine. The boss always starts the IV two days in advance; the latest it should be done is the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Mr. Horton breathed a sigh of relief.


    The lawyer then made a request to see Keira Olsen, but was similarly refused on the grounds that visits were not allowed in the middle of the night, telling him to come back tomorrow.


    Worried as they were, the group could only leave for the time being.


    After they left, Holly Sims came over, her face stern, accompanied by Captain Lincoln.


    Captain Lincoln said, ¡°Show Dr. Sims the bail application for Keira Olsen.¡±


    Holly Sims got the form and her eyes fell on the reason stated clearly above: due to severe iron-deficiency anemia, requiring timely intake of iron to sustain life, applying for bail pending trial.


    Holly¡¯s fists clenched tight.


    Captain Lincoln glanced at it and scoffed, ¡°Do you see? The friend you trusted didn¡¯t even bother to make up a reason like heart disease, but rather used anemia as such a laughable excuse. Dr. Sims, you¡¯re far too naive! These second-generation rich kids, they have no bottom line!¡±


    Holly Sims felt her body trembling slightly, feeling deceived once again!


    The little swindler had said that she trusted her, but then turned around to apply for bail on such a laughable pretext of anemia, completely playing her for a fool!


    She took a deep breath and whirled around, striding towards the interrogation room. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Captain Lincoln followed her, ¡°These rich second-generation kids all value their own lives; they commit all sorts of crimes and then look for every excuse. I have carefully looked into the case files, and it¡¯s clear as day that she just didn¡¯t want to be extorted for money by that uncle; that¡¯s why she struck out at someone. Of course, it indeed was manslaughter; after all, who anticipates a steel bar jutting out from the ground!


    My overnight interrogation was conducted entirely by the book. It¡¯s only with overnight interrogation that the perpetrator doesn¡¯t get time to think of ways to absolve themselves. And since she is your classmate, you gave her the Green Channel. Dr. Sims, both you and I know that the person who truly broke the rules is you! I know you have a soft heart and haven¡¯t been in this line of work long. Don¡¯t let her deceive you; otherwise, you might not even be able to keep wearing this uniform!¡±


    Holly Sims tightened her jaw and quickened her steps, entering the interrogation room directly.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes had already improved a lot by then; her hands were unbound, and someone had poured her a glass of water.


    She had just taken a sip, moistening her chapped lips, when she saw Holly come in with a grimace on her face.


    Her pretty face was taut, ¡°Keira Olsen, you never truly trusted me from beginning to end, did you?¡±


    Keira was taken aback, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Not at all?¡± Holly clenched her fists, ¡°Then what is this bail pending trial that you¡¯re processing? And lying about anemia¡ªa thing that can be easily verified!¡±


    It was then that Keira realized it was time for her IV and iron supplementation.


    This matter had always been handled by Samuel, and she had nearly forgotten about it.


    She looked down, ¡°I really do have anemia.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still lying!¡± Holly was almost driven to madness. Suddenly, she grabbed Keira¡¯s hand, took out a lancet, pricked it, and collected some capillary blood.


    Having completed this, she didn¡¯t forget to use an alcohol swab to disinfect the site, then harshly dropped Keira¡¯s hand.


    She straightened up, ¡°I¡¯m going to check this right now. I hope you haven¡¯t lied to me!!¡±

 Chapter 86 - 86

    Chapter 86: Chapter 86


    Keira Olsen hurriedly said, ¡°I¡­¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before she could finish, Holly Sims had already turned and left.


    Keira could only hear her speaking outside the door to Captain Lincoln, ¡°Her condition is very poor. Even if you interrogate her overnight, don¡¯t turn on that bright light.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it for Dr. Sims¡¯ sake.¡±


    Keira silently sighed.


    Just now, Holly Sims had vouched for her not to be released on bail, and Samuel Morgan immediately contradicted her, no wonder she was so angry.


    ...


    Forget it.


    Her body should be able to hold up for two more days. If Holly can find evidence to clear her name within two days, it¡¯s better not to arrange for bail.


    ¡­


    Upstairs.


    Holly entered the equipment room and placed the blood drawn from Keira Olsen¡¯s finger into the device.


    Next, she waited for the device to analyze the contents of various elements in the blood, a process that would take twenty minutes.


    At that moment, her phone suddenly rang.


    It was a call from the detention center. She answered, and a voice came through, ¡°Dr. Sims, I heard you were at the station, so I called you. There¡¯s a patient here who¡¯s feeling a bit ill; could you come and take a look?¡±


    Holly immediately stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    Although a forensic doctor and a physician are not the same, she was still capable of handling minor ailments.


    She put on her coat and left the room.


    She quickly arrived at the detention center¡¯s cell area.


    This area housed suspects who had yet to be tried by the court, and some convicts serving sentences of less than three months.


    Keira Olsen had just been detained in one of these solitary cells.


    She walked a few steps forward to the cell door number mentioned by the guard who had called. She then put on a mask and gloves before entering the cell, asking in a cold tone, ¡°Who¡¯s feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    A voice both strange and familiar made Holly frown slightly, and she turned to see a middle-aged woman in prison clothes, sitting there clutching her stomach and grimacing, ¡°Little doctor, my stomach is killing me, can you take me out for a look¡­¡±


    Holly was slightly startled.


    This person¡­ wasn¡¯t she Poppy Hill, Keira Olsen¡¯s mother?


    Back in middle school, she had attended a parent-teacher conference for Keira!


    She immediately approached, asking with concern, ¡°Auntie, where are you uncomfortable?¡±


    Poppy Hill was suspected of perjury, but because the circumstances were not severe, she had been sentenced to fifteen days of detention.


    She grabbed Holly¡¯s hand, ¡°My stomach is killing me¡­¡±


    Holly immediately pressed on her stomach, not underestimating, ¡°Here? I¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t touch! It hurts to death¡­¡± Poppy Hill looked around, her face full of misery, ¡°No need for the hospital, I just caught a chill. Little officer, take me to a single cell, I moan and groan here, disturbing others from resting¡­¡±


    Holly immediately nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    As she helped Poppy Hill up, preparing to lead her out, someone else in the room suddenly shouted, ¡°Ouch, my stomach is killing me too, officer, take me to a single cell too!¡±


    The other prisoners immediately sneered:


    ¡°My stomach hurts too¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m different, I have a headache. Can I go sleep in a single sickroom?¡±


    Holly: ?


    She frowned and was about to speak when someone looked at Poppy Hill, ¡°We all eat the same thing, how come only you caught a chill? You¡¯ve been here for five days now, and you¡¯ve been unwell for four of those days. What, are you a reincarnation of Sister Lin?¡±


    ¡°How come in our room, you¡¯re in unbearable pain, but once you go to a single cell, you¡¯re pain-free and can even snore?¡±


    Holly¡¯s frown deepened, as if she understood something and immediately looked at Poppy Hill.


    She saw her expression stiffen, then she began to cry miserably, ¡°I really am uncomfortable¡­¡±


    Holly clenched her jaw, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you to the hospital. If the examination shows there¡¯s nothing wrong and it was all an act, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to stay a few more days¡­¡±


    At this, Poppy Hill¡¯s expression immediately tensed up.


    She didn¡¯t want to be detained any longer.


    In here, every night these people either fart or pick their feet, and their sleeping postures varied wildly. On her first night, the noise kept her from sleeping at all.


    So she thought of this plan.


    Going to the hospital would just blow her cover, wouldn¡¯t it?


    Poppy Hill smiled ingratiatingly, ¡°No need, no need, it¡¯s just a minor illness, I¡¯ll endure it, I¡¯ll endure it¡­¡±


    Holly Sims realized, ¡°Auntie, were you faking it?¡±


    Poppy Hill trotted over to her own bed, lifted the blanket, and crawled inside: ¡°Hey, how can you, a cop, speak like that? How was I faking? I really had a stomach ache just now, and now it¡¯s gone; what, you won¡¯t let me get better¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A few black lines crossed Holly Sims¡¯ forehead!


    The female convict nearby cursed angrily: ¡°You really have some nerve, you old rascal, deceiving people like that!¡±


    However, Poppy Hill retorted: ¡°What am I compared to my daughter? I¡¯m nothing! She deceived me so badly! That little slut, she won¡¯t have a good end!¡±


    Poppy Hill thought of her, and it made her teeth itch with hatred.


    Who would have thought that the one faking the alimony was Dr. South?!


    The words fell on Holly Sims¡¯ ears, sounding grating.


    She clenched her jaw, closed the prison door, and quickly went upstairs.


    Soon, she obtained the recent blood test report, and upon seeing the data, her face darkened like water!


    The iron level was normal!


    She wasn¡¯t anemic at all!


    Fraud!


    In that instant, Holly Sims was so angry that her whole body trembled. She went straight to the interrogation room downstairs and threw the blood report fiercely in front of Keira Olsen: ¡°Keira Olsen, is it fun deceiving me repeatedly?!¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t look at the report but merely sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not anemic now, but it will happen in a couple of days.¡±


    She had intended to say just that, but Holly Sims didn¡¯t listen to her at all and left.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s anemia was strange.


    Every time her menstrual period came, a significant amount of iron was lost, so it had to be replenished every month in advance.


    Other times, as long as there was no bleeding, the iron levels were normal.


    She had visited many hospitals for her condition, finally diagnosed with a rare genetic disease in the world.


    Holly Sims obviously hadn¡¯t heard of such things and found it laughable: ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe these ghost stories? Keira Olsen, even if you are deceiving me, couldn¡¯t you come up with a better excuse?!¡±


    Keira Olsen weakly explained: ¡°¡­I¡¯m not deceiving you.¡±


    ¡°Not deceiving me? I¡¯ve studied medicine for many years, and I¡¯ve never heard of your condition!¡±


    Keira Olsen pressed her lips together and fell silent.


    Her condition was indeed strange; it was normal for Holly Sims not to believe.


    Further discussion was pointless.


    Seeing that she had abruptly closed up, rage surged from Holly Sims¡¯ heart.


    Seeing this, Captain Lincoln sighed, ¡°Dr. Sims, she¡¯s been like this all night, not saying a word. Let it go, I¡¯ll have someone take her back to prison. Otherwise, our people will have to stay up all night, and we won¡¯t get anything out of her¡­¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Holly Sims shouted angrily: ¡°You guys leave, I¡¯ll stay up with her! I want to see how many more incredible lies she can tell!¡±


    Captain Lincoln: ¡­


    He coughed once, ¡°Fine, then we¡¯ll go to sleep. If she confesses anything, call us immediately.¡±


    After the group left, only Keira Olsen and Holly Sims remained in the interrogation room.


    Holly Sims sat opposite her, staring intensely at her: ¡°Why lie? Why apply for bail, pretending there are some doubts that probably don¡¯t even exist, are you just using me, trying to make me testify that you¡¯re not the murderer?¡±


    Keira Olsen said, ¡°Rest assured, I won¡¯t apply for bail.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want Holly Sims to become a target for Captain Lincoln, nor did she want Holly Sims to shed her uniform.


    Holly Sims paused briefly, her eyes reddening even more: ¡°You think by saying that, I will forgive you?!¡±


    She turned away, wiping the corner of her eye.


    Keira Olsen said nothing more.


    The night deepened, and whether her period was approaching or it was just too late and she hadn¡¯t rested, Keira Olsen felt a headache coming on, with a slight pain in her lower abdomen.


    The night dragged on.


    Until the next morning, Keira Olsen felt the dizziness intensifying¡­


    Bad.


    The lack of rest caused her period to come early, and she started to become anemic!


    Holly Sims had not slept all night, her mind in turmoil.


    As daylight broke, she glared fiercely at Keira Olsen, about to say a few more words, but then she saw her pale face, devoid of any color¡­


    Holly Sims stood up suddenly, panicking: ¡°Keira Olsen, what¡¯s wrong with you?!¡±

 Chapter 87 - 87

    Chapter 87: Chapter 87 S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen felt a dropping pain in her lower abdomen, but she could endure it.


    She grasped Holly Sims¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°I need to go to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Holly Sims supported her by the arm and escorted her into the bathroom, quietly waiting outside.


    Inside, she felt uneasy.


    Seeing her pale face and the cold sweat on her forehead, could it be that she was really anemic?


    ...


    ¡­


    At that moment, inside the detention center visitation room.


    Poppy Hill came over with a smile, ingratiating herself, ¡°Isla, how did you find the time to visit me?¡±


    After finishing, she added, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come, this isn¡¯t a good place, it might bring bad luck.¡±


    Her warmth was met only with a faint smile from Isla Olsen, then she showed a hesitant expression.


    Poppy Hill immediately asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you look terrible, did something happen?¡±


    As she finished speaking, her expression darkened, ¡°Is it Keira again? Has she disrespected you?¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    Isla Olsen just bitterly smiled, ¡°It¡¯s Keira, but not disrespect toward me, Keira is in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then it¡¯s nothing.¡± Poppy Hill scoffed, ¡°With her obstinate nature, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Who did she offend this time? Did she get a lesson?¡±


    A schadenfreude smile spread across her face.


    Isla Olsen choked up, increasingly finding Poppy Hill foolish.


    It had always been like this since they were young, wearing everything on her face, utterly clueless about pretense.


    It was a mystery how, back in the day, she had gotten so lucky as to be switched with Keira Olsen.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes flickered, then she lowered her head, ¡°It¡¯s not that she offended someone, she, she committed murder and is now detained by the police.¡±


    ¡°Great news!¡± Poppy Hill immediately exclaimed excitedly, ¡°That ungrateful creature should be sentenced to death, right? Then she¡¯ll never anger you again!¡±


    Isla Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She gave Poppy Hill a pitying glance, then coughed, ¡°She killed Finley Hill.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who she killed¡­ What? Isla, whom did you say? Finley?! Am I hearing things?!!¡±


    Poppy Hill lunged forward onto the table, her emotions highly agitated.


    The only brother in the family, though a bit of a scoundrel, Poppy Hill loved him dearly.


    Isla Olsen sighed, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not Keira¡¯s fault, I heard Finley Hill demanded five million from her. When she refused, during their struggle, Finley accidentally fell onto a steel bar and was impaled through the chest¡­ He died instantly. Aunt Hill, calm down, although Keira is Dr. South¡¯s daughter and probably very wealthy, five million is still a lot, it¡¯s understandable she wouldn¡¯t want to give it.¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s eyes widened, her rims red as she suddenly stood up, ¡°This cursed girl, over five million, she killed Finley?! I shouldn¡¯t have raised her, she should have been drowned at birth! Where is she? I want to kill her! To avenge Finley!!¡±


    Her emotions were too highly charged, causing a nearby officer to warn her.


    After a while, Poppy Hill¡¯s emotions finally settled a bit, but the anger in her eyes was undiminished.


    Isla Olsen spoke up, ¡°Aunt Hill, since both are your relatives, I felt you had the right to know, please don¡¯t do anything rash.¡±


    Poppy Hill looked dazed, tears streaming down, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Isla, I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m okay¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen then spoke, ¡°Good, then you should go back first. I, I¡¯ll go see Keira¡­¡±


    ¡°Why see her? A death row inmate! I¡¯ll just wait for her execution!¡± Poppy Hill said viciously.


    Isla Olsen looked at her as if she were viewing a fool, ¡°Aunt Hill, Keira¡¯s charge is manslaughter, at most she will get ten years and then she¡¯ll be released¡­¡±


    ¡°How can that be?! That¡¯s letting her off too easy!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Finding that Poppy Hill simply couldn¡¯t grasp the main point of her words, Isla Olsen sighed, ¡°Aunt Hill, Keira didn¡¯t do it intentionally, she killed someone and must be scared. If you see her in the detention center, remember to comfort her.¡±


    Poppy Hill finally reacted, ¡°She¡¯s detained here too?!¡±


    Isla Olsen nodded, ¡°Yes, she hasn¡¯t been sentenced, so she is temporarily detained in a single patient room¡ªshe should be with you, right?¡±


    Both shared patient rooms and single patient rooms are in the same area.


    Poppy Hill¡¯s eyes narrowed, revealing a fierce look, ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±


    Isla Olsen stood up, ¡°Aunt Hill, it¡¯s about time I left.¡±


    Poppy Hill reluctantly responded, ¡°Ah, Isla, you need to take good care of yourself and marry into the Horton Family peacefully. Don¡¯t worry about me¡­¡±


    However, Isla Olsen had already left the visiting room without paying attention to her words.


    She followed the visiting room¡¯s direction out the door, preparing to leave the police station, but then she saw her old classmate Holly Sims at the bathroom entrance, looking anxious.


    A policewoman was asking her, ¡°Dr. Sims, Keira Olsen¡¯s lawyer came again early this morning, asking about the status of the bail review. Seeing the suspect¡¯s condition just now, she seemed genuinely anemic, so is it approved or not?¡±


    Holly Sims knit her brows upon hearing this.


    She looked worriedly towards the bathroom, thinking about Keira Olsen¡¯s apparent weakness, which seemed genuine. She pursed her lips, about to say ¡°agree¡± when Captain Lincoln approached.


    Captain Lincoln also heard the conversation and frowned, ¡°Already feigning illness?¡±


    Holly Sims countered, ¡°She¡¯s not faking it.¡±


    Captain Lincoln scoffed, ¡°Dr. Sims, I think you¡¯ve forgotten how she played you last night. You believe this? I remember you swore last night that if she applied for bail, you would take off your uniform. Haven¡¯t you forgotten that?¡±


    Holly Sims clenched her jaw, ¡°Captain Lincoln, she is really unwell¡­¡±


    But Captain Lincoln didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°How convenient, just detained for a day and already feeling unwell. A delicate miss can¡¯t handle a bit of hardship.¡±


    Holly Sims wanted to speak, but Isla Olsen stepped forward, ¡°Hello, are you talking about my sister Keira Olsen?¡±


    Several people turned towards her.


    Holly Sims frowned slightly, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s face showed nervousness, she grabbed Holly Sims, ¡°Dr. Sims, can we talk over here? About my sister¡¯s health¡­¡±


    Holly Sims¡¯s expression grew solemn, knowing Isla Olsen was Keira¡¯s sister, recalling how Isla knew her own background in middle school and became wiser, thereby stopping any bullying toward Keira at school.


    Therefore, Holly Sims didn¡¯t know the sisters had a poor relationship. She walked aside with Isla Olsen, her expression worried, ¡°What exactly is wrong with Keira Olsen?¡±


    Isla Olsen sighed, ¡°Probably her menstrual period. She always feels unwell at this time each month. Women¡¯s issues, you know.¡±


    Holly Sims immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was good that Keira Olsen wasn¡¯t sick.


    But then Isla Olsen grasped her hand, ¡°Holly, we are middle school classmates, right? Please help Keira, agree to her bail, okay?¡±


    Holly Sims¡¯s expression suddenly darkened.


    But Isla Olsen seemed not to notice and continued, ¡°Every time it¡¯s our period, we look pale, almost like we are anemic. Just remember our past friendship, and sign. We promise we won¡¯t leave¡­¡±


    Holly Sims abruptly pulled her hand away, ¡°In your dreams! The law enforcement isn¡¯t a place for bargaining!¡±


    She sharply turned towards the bathroom, then towards Captain Lincoln, ¡°She doesn¡¯t qualify for bail; send her back to detention immediately!¡±


    Only then was Captain Lincoln satisfied, ¡°Good that you understand.¡±


    Holly Sims didn¡¯t want to linger any longer and quickly went upstairs to the department of forensic medicine.


    When Keira Olsen, pale-faced, walked out of the bathroom, she saw a policewoman standing there with her arms crossed, who scoffed upon seeing her, ¡°Miss Olsen, it¡¯s just your period. We¡¯re all women here, stop pretending! Go back, and wait for your next interrogation!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s legs were a bit weak as she was ushered back to her solitary cell.


    The moment she entered, everything suddenly went dark before her eyes, and she collapsed to the ground¡­


    ¡­


    Upstairs, Holly Sims grew angrier as she thought about it.


    But the image of Keira Olsen¡¯s pale, bloodless cheeks flashed through her mind¡­


    She couldn¡¯t be heartless after all, immediately she took out her insulated mug, poured a cup of lemon water, and headed to the detention center!

 Chapter 88 - 88

    Chapter 88: Chapter 88


    ¡°Keira Olsen, wake up, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    The policewoman saw Keira Olsen¡¯s movements and hurriedly pushed her.


    Keira Olsen slowly opened her eyes amidst confusion.


    Usually a strong woman, she was now so weak that her body trembled slightly, ¡°Please help me to the bed.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The policewoman hurriedly assisted her and asked, ¡°How are you feeling now?¡±


    ...


    Keira Olsen was truly unwell and wouldn¡¯t put up with any grievances for Holly Sims¡¯s sake, she said directly, ¡°I have anemia. Call Holly Sims to come for another blood test; it can be detected now.¡±


    The policewoman frowned upon hearing this and observed Keira Olsen carefully, ¡°Dr. Sims was upset, she probably won¡¯t come again.¡±


    Keira Olsen pursed her lips, ¡°Then you draw the blood and send it for testing.¡±


    The policewoman, ¡°¡­All right, I¡¯ll go call someone from the forensic department.¡±


    Having said that, she left the cell.


    As she was walking out, suddenly Poppy Hill called her, ¡°Officer.¡±


    The policewoman looked at her, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Poppy Hill pointed at the infirmary where Keira Olsen was, ¡°That¡¯s my daughter, isn¡¯t she feeling well? May I take care of her?¡±


    The policewoman was startled, ¡°She¡¯s your daughter?¡±


    Are mothers and daughters being imprisoned together these days?


    Poppy Hill nodded, ¡°Yes, my daughter, you can check our family relationship.¡±


    Hearing this, the policewoman took out her phone, logged into the system, and verified their identities; indeed, they were mother and daughter.


    The policewoman thought for a moment and, recalling Keira Olsen¡¯s appearance just now, said, ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen lay on the single bed, having just closed her eyes when the door was opened again.


    The forensic pathologist called so quickly?


    She struggled to lift her eyelids and saw a figure walk in, followed by that eerie voice, ¡°Keira, don¡¯t be scared, Mom is here¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s body stiffened sharply.


    Perhaps due to her weakness, memories from when she was five years old suddenly surged in her mind.


    Back then, she was young, without warm clothes in winter, and often caught colds.


    Whenever she was ill, Poppy Hill would lock her up, not allowing her to go out, and Mrs. Olsen would always come to see her, feeding her medicine.


    But as soon as Mrs. Olsen had left, Poppy Hill would rush to her side, grab her throat forcing her to vomit the medicine she had just swallowed!


    She hit the powerless five-year-old and raged in her ears, ¡°You don¡¯t deserve medicine, why don¡¯t you just die from fever?¡±


    ¡°You damned little slut, you have today too! Weren¡¯t you arrogant? Daring to hit Isla Olsen repeatedly, even defying me, sending me to this cell, I¡¯ll strangle you¡­¡±


    The malicious voice from her memories mixed with the low whispers of the woman in reality, making Keira Olsen subconsciously curl up her body, just like in her childhood, wishing she could shrink into a ball to resist the external pressure.


    It felt like she was five again, back in that dimly lit basement. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The room was very dark.


    The extreme dizziness brought on by her anemia made it difficult for her to distinguish reality from memories, with countless pleas for mercy murmuring at her lips.


    The five-year-old her begged softly, ¡°Mom, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have gotten sick, please don¡¯t hit me¡­¡±


    But the sharp pain still came from her body.


    The hands in front of her gripped her arms, abdomen, thighs, twisting them harshly.


    Keira Olsen slowly pursed her lips.


    At the age of seven, she already understood that pleading was useless¡ªshe could only endure in silence.


    But the pain persisted.


    The curses continued unabated: ¡°Die! Die! You killed my brother, you should die! I want you to pay with your life!¡±


    By the age of nine, she had learned to resist and wanted to push her away forcefully, but her frail body couldn¡¯t muster the strength, only inviting crazier beatings.


    Then came the silent endurance at ten, eleven, twelve¡­


    Until she turned thirteen and started junior high.


    Though still slender, she had grown taller than Poppy Hill. She forcefully shoved the woman away, saying coldly, ¡°If you dislike having me as a daughter so much, then I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    She packed a few worn clothes and left the Olsen Family without hesitation¡­


    There was no home for her in the world, but outside, the sky was vast and the sea wide; anywhere but the Olsen home could be her home.


    She had grown up and could protect herself now!


    Keira Olsen, dizzy and groggy, suddenly opened her eyes, waking from the nightmare!!


    Her gaze sharply turned to Poppy Hill in front of her.


    Poppy Hill, who was pinching her waist, paused slightly at her movement before both hands swiftly clasped Keira¡¯s neck: ¡°You little slut, what are you looking at? Die! I want you to pay for my brother¡¯s life!¡±


    Keira mustered all her strength, grabbed her wrists, and shoved her away!


    Poppy Hill stumbled backward, falling hard to the ground. Just as she tried to charge again, a voice from the doorway asked, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Poppy Hill turned and saw Holly Sims with wide eyes, standing at the doorway. She hurriedly opened the iron gate and walked in.


    Her eyes swept over Poppy Hill and Keira Olsen, puzzled.


    Had she not been mistaken, the two were fighting?


    Weren¡¯t they mother and daughter?


    Now completely drained, Keira fell back onto the bed, lacking even the strength to move a finger.


    In a faint voice, she said, ¡°You arrived just in time, I have anemia¡­ even if you don¡¯t release me on bail, take me to get an infusion, to get iron supplementation right now¡­¡±


    Before Holly Sims could respond, Poppy Hill sat down hard on the floor: ¡°You have anemia? How could you have so much strength with anemia? The push hurt me terribly! You must be faking it! Fighting here does carry a punishment, after all!¡±


    Holly Sims had just arrived in time to see Keira Olsen open her eyes and shove Poppy Hill. The ferocity in her eyes made Holly Sims feel like she didn¡¯t even know her.


    Recalling what Isla Olsen had said, she clenched her fists and firmly declared, ¡°Keira Olsen, I won¡¯t be fooled by you again!¡±


    She turned away and called to the guards: ¡°These two were fighting, take them to solitary confinement immediately!¡±


    ¡­


    At that moment, outside the police station.


    The lawyer, having learned they couldn¡¯t get bail, said helplessly, ¡°Mr. Horton, if we want to reapply, we probably have to wait until tomorrow.¡±


    Lewis Horton frowned and looked at Samuel Morgan.


    Samuel said, ¡°Considering the dates, we can wait. But the day after tomorrow is absolutely the limit, huh¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton nodded, feeling a vague sense of unease.


    Just then, the policewoman from earlier approached Captain Lincoln and said, ¡°Captain Lincoln, I¡¯ve seen that Keira Olsen looks really unwell. Women can indeed suffer from anemia during their menstrual period. Should we check on her again?¡±


    Hearing this, Samuel, about to leave, suddenly froze. Panic surged through him: ¡°The boss¡¯s period started? This is bad, really bad¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression darkened: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    In a panic, Samuel said, spinning in distress, ¡°The boss hasn¡¯t had timely iron supplementation and must be severely anemic now! But if we can¡¯t get the bail sorted out, what do we do?¡±


    What to do?


    Lewis Horton immediately turned around and ran towards the detention center without hesitation!!

 Chapter 89 - 89

    Chapter 89: Chapter 89


    Samuel Morgan was stunned.


    By the time he came back to his senses, he hurriedly walked up to Lewis Horton: ¡°Mr. Horton, are you planning to¡­ break in?¡±


    Lewis Horton did not speak, but he walked straight from the front hall to the guardroom behind, answering with his actions.


    Samuel Morgan: ¡°You¡¯re too bold! Isn¡¯t this against the rules?¡±


    Lewis Horton kept walking without stopping and asked coldly, ¡°What else? Can your boss wait until tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡±


    ...


    Samuel Morgan followed closely: ¡°The boss¡¯s health can¡¯t make it through the night. There was once when iron wasn¡¯t administered in time, and the boss went into shock and was nearly beyond rescue¡­¡±


    As he said this, he became frantic and blurted out in anger: ¡°The boss¡¯s disease is indeed strange. No one would believe it; they must think we¡¯re deceiving them. We can¡¯t wait any longer! For the boss, I¡¯m all in!¡±


    While he was muttering to himself, Lewis Horton had already rushed toward the direction of the guardroom.


    The police officer at the guardroom blocked the entrance: ¡°This is a prison; no unauthorized persons allowed! Leave immediately.¡±


    Lewis Horton simply ignored him and barged inside.


    Captain Lincoln, who had felt that something was amiss at the door, followed them in and immediately aimed his gun at Lewis Horton when he saw the situation: ¡°Mr. Horton, stop right there, or I¡¯ll shoot!¡±


    Lewis Horton turned back to look at him, his expression calm.


    Samuel Morgan trembled with fear, looking at the dark maw of the gun barrel, his legs shaking.


    This is terrifying!


    Seeing the two men halt, Captain Lincoln breathed a sigh of relief.


    He knew of Lewis Horton¡¯s identity, the man in charge of the Horton Family, not someone who could be easily detained. He said directly, ¡°Mr. Horton, why have you come here?¡±


    Samuel Morgan was about to say it was for Keira Olsen when Lewis Horton stopped him: ¡°I wanted to use the restroom and somehow ended up here.¡±


    Samuel Morgan: ?


    He stared hard at Lewis Horton, feeling a sudden chill at the bottom of his heart.


    Indeed, his boss¡¯s marriage was utterly out of the blue; at gunpoint, it would be natural for Lewis Horton not to want to take risks.


    But he couldn¡¯t leave his boss unattended.


    Thus, as Lewis Horton turned to walk back, he stood still in his place.


    Captain Lincoln frowned at him: ¡°Mr. Morgan? You¡¯re not following along?¡±


    Samuel Morgan was terrified, taking a deep breath, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Before he could finish the word ¡®go¡¯, sudden chaos erupted!


    Lewis Horton, who had walked up to Captain Lincoln¡¯s side, suddenly made his move. He rapidly approached Captain Lincoln, deftly grasping his trigger point, and Captain Lincoln¡¯s controlled hand went limp, the gun slipping into Lewis Horton¡¯s hand.


    Captain Lincoln wanted to counter and retrieve it, but in the next moment, he suddenly felt a cold presence on his forehead.


    Lewis Horton aimed the gun at him.


    Captain Lincoln: !!


    He was completely dumbfounded!


    He certainly wouldn¡¯t make such a mistake when facing violent criminals, but Lewis Horton and Samuel Morgan were well-known business leaders from Oceanion, the kind always accompanied by bodyguards.


    He could never have imagined that Lewis Horton would attack a police officer!


    Samuel Morgan was also stunned, dumbfounded looking at Lewis Horton.


    He had just decided to go all out, ready to lie on the ground and refuse to leave if necessary, at least to make these people give his boss a blood test!


    But he never expected that Mr. Horton would resort to such measures!


    This is illegal!


    ¡°Mr. Horton, if you put down the handgun now, I won¡¯t hold you accountable,¡± Captain Lincoln said, raising his hands, the seasoned veteran not showing any panic at this moment.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s voice was low: ¡°I apologize, but I¡¯m desperate to save someone.¡±


    Without waiting for Captain Lincoln to speak, he looked straight ahead: ¡°Step aside!¡±


    The few people at the entrance of the guardroom dared not block his way any longer, hastily making room.


    Lewis Horton then entered, holding Captain Lincoln hostage.


    Samuel Morgan dumbly followed behind him.


    He was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, forced aboard the thief¡¯s ship!


    If he said now that he wasn¡¯t an accomplice, these cops would definitely not believe him!


    At that moment, Keira Olsen still lay on her simple, thin bed. As two officers came in, wanting to take her and Poppy Hill to the solitary confinement room, she looked at Holly Sims and explained again, ¡°I really have anemia.¡±


    She indeed looked pale.


    Holly Sims¡¯s heart gave rise to hesitation again¡­


    At this moment, Poppy Hill simply lay down on the ground: ¡°Me too, oh my, I¡¯m feeling dizzy, I¡¯m about to die, save me!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Holly Sims truly didn¡¯t know what was real and what was fake anymore!


    Poppy Hill¡¯s acting was very convincing.


    And Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t seem to be acting¡­


    Just as she hesitated, footsteps and exclamations from other officers came from outside the door!


    Holly Sims immediately turned around with caution and saw Lewis Horton coming in, holding Captain Lincoln hostage.


    He quickly spotted Kiera Olsen¡¯s cell, his gaze passing through the iron bars and directly landing on Kiera Olsen!


    The woman was as pale as paper, lying weakly on the bed, seemingly without the strength to even move her fingers¡­


    Lewis Horton¡¯s pupils contracted.


    In his mind were all the images of her in the past, always standing tall no matter the situation¡­


    Such a woman would never bow down.


    Yet now, she was so weak she couldn¡¯t even sit up!


    A slight pang in his heart, he angrily said, ¡°This is torture of a suspect! I will definitely pursue this matter!¡±


    Holly Sims said, ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything, it was them fighting each other, everything we have done is according to the regulations!¡±


    Samuel Morgan, following behind Lewis Horton, saw Kiera Olsen¡¯s frail appearance, his eyes reddening: ¡°Boss, we¡¯re here to rescue you!¡±


    He glared at Holly Sims: ¡°My boss is about to die, and you still want to punish her? Are you even human?¡±


    Captain Lincoln scoffed: ¡°I really haven¡¯t heard of a woman dying because of her period! Even if you¡¯re faking illness, at least choose a different disease!¡±


    Holly Sims took a deep breath and felt worried for them; she looked directly at Kiera Olsen: ¡°Kiera Olsen, if you really didn¡¯t kill the person, escaping is useless! If you are innocent, we will clear your name! Even if you don¡¯t trust yourself, you should at least trust these police officers! Why cause so much trouble?¡±


    She spoke earnestly, ¡°I advise Mr. Horton to let go, I will plea for leniency on your behalf, Captain Lincoln won¡¯t hold you accountable, but if you really jailbreak, the consequences are unimaginable! Kiera Olsen, stop faking illness!¡±


    Kiera Olsen gave a bitter smile: ¡°Holly Sims, you keep saying I don¡¯t trust you, but do you trust me?¡±


    Holly Sims was stunned.


    Kiera Olsen said: ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±


    But Holly Sims¡¯s eyes reddened: ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I trust you? It¡¯s because you¡¯ve deceived me time and time again! You did years ago, and you did this time too! Haven¡¯t I been tricked by you enough?¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t say anything more.


    Lewis Horton, still holding Captain Lincoln hostage, entered the medical room, ¡°Can you walk? We need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kiera Olsen tried to stand up from the bed, trembling, but found that she simply didn¡¯t have the strength to do so.


    Lewis Horton immediately looked at Samuel Morgan: ¡°Come here.¡±


    Samuel Morgan approached him.


    ¡°Can you shoot?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    The gun still pointed, Lewis Horton handed it to Samuel Morgan, who then took over holding Captain Lincoln hostage.


    Samuel Morgan: ???


    While he was puzzled, he saw Lewis Horton stride over to the bed, suddenly bend down, and directly pick up Kiera Olsen!!


    Then, he turned and left without hesitation.


    Samuel Morgan, dragging Captain Lincoln, followed closely behind.


    Holly Sims and the rest of the officers immediately followed them.


    A procession of people made their way to the hospital, causing a sensation.


    Kiera Olsen by now had fainted, and the doctor took her blood for an urgent test.


    Holly Sims followed the doctor closely, and told the rest, ¡°I¡¯ll keep a close watch the whole time, to prevent them from bribing the doctor to tamper with the blood report!¡±


    With so many police surrounding the hospital, the doctors were all nervous.


    As a result, the urgent blood report was out in ten minutes.


    Holly Sims snatched it immediately and looked at the numbers on it.

 Chapter 90 - 90

    Chapter 90: Chapter 90


    The blood report came back relatively normal except for the iron levels, which had plummeted to a terrifyingly low point!


    She had never seen such terrible numbers in a living person before.


    Holly Sims stood there in shock, report in hand as she turned and went back outside the ward.


    At that moment, the atmosphere was tense with anticipation.


    The ward was surrounded by a number of police officers, and Samuel Morgan kept a tight grip on Captain Lincoln¡¯s hand without relenting.


    Throughout this ordeal, Captain Lincoln had tried numerous times to escape from Samuel Morgan¡¯s clutches but to no avail. He might have seemed unreliable, but he never gave him a chance.


    ...


    Seeing Holly Sims approaching, Captain Lincoln said, ¡°Samuel Morgan, the examination report is out. If you continue to hold me hostage, there will be no justifiable excuse. Our snipers are in position, and as soon as we confirm that the suspect isn¡¯t sick at all, we can take you out immediately! I advise you to put down the gun and surrender now!¡±


    Samuel Morgan snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t spout such grand nonsense here!¡±


    Clearly angered, Captain Lincoln turned to Dr. Sims, ¡°Since these people are obstinate, why don¡¯t you tell everyone the results of the examination? Let them stop their charade! Can anemia really lead to a loss of life?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes immediately fixed on Holly Sims.


    Her jaw set tight, she spoke gravely, ¡°The suspect Keira Olsen has abnormal iron levels, which are life-threatening! Captain Lincoln, we misjudged the situation.¡±


    Captain Lincoln was shocked, ¡°What?¡±


    Holly Sims stepped forward and placed the report in front of Captain Lincoln, ¡°The normal serum iron range for females is 7.8-32.2¦Ìmol/L, but Keira Olsen¡¯s is currently at 1, which is considered severe and extreme iron deficiency, endangering her life.¡±


    Captain Lincoln¡¯s body tensed.


    Just then, a stern voice burst forth:


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you come for IV fluids just yesterday? Why did it take so long to administer iron?¡±


    Everyone turned around to see a man in his thirties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and looking refined, striding forward.


    He was dressed in a white lab coat and glared at Samuel Morgan with a somber face, ¡°She forgot the time, and so did you?¡±


    Chastised by the man, Samuel Morgan felt guilty and turned to Holly Sims, ¡°Dr. Olsen, it¡¯s not the forensic doctor who, despite everything, wouldn¡¯t believe the boss was sick. She insisted she was fine when she fainted. What more do you need to believe something¡¯s wrong?¡±


    As he spoke, he became increasingly angry, ¡°So are you waiting for someone to die before you admit they¡¯re ill?¡±


    Cornered by his words, Holly Sims clenched her fists, and out of shame, wished she could crawl into a hole.


    She looked into the ward.


    Keira Olsen was lying there receiving IV fluids, the girl looked pale and completely lifeless.


    Holly¡¯s eyes reddened.


    Why couldn¡¯t they just trust her?


    Angry at herself, she slapped her own face, her defiant eyes brimming with tears, ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    Samuel Morgan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t expect his words to make the young lady cry, and thus he didn¡¯t dare to continue with his targeted remarks. He turned to Captain Lincoln again, ¡°And you, you have a stereotype against wealthy heirs, right? Because the rich heir in a previous case got away? Are all wealthy heirs bad people in this world? Let me tell you! Precisely because we¡¯re rich, we haven¡¯t encountered many bad things in life and consequently, our actions are more principled, alright!¡±


    Captain Lincoln¡¯s lips twitched in reaction to the scolding.


    But Samuel Morgan still felt unsatisfied, thinking back to how he had been on edge the whole way, fearing that Captain Lincoln would take his gun. If he failed to save his boss, they would all end up in jail for the jailbreak.


    So he lashed out even more fiercely, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you refusing to release our boss, would we have resorted to such measures? We¡¯re law-abiding citizens!¡±


    ¡°And now you want to come and snipe us? Come on, go ahead! Aim here!¡±


    He passed the gun back to Captain Lincoln, pointing it at his own chest, ¡°Shoot me dead! Shoot! After all, since you¡¯re pushing my boss to death, I have no reason to live either!¡±


    Captain Lincoln: ¡°¡­¡±


    The surrounding officers hiding in ambush: ¡°¡­¡±


    Captain Lincoln looked at the gun in his hand and also at the situation inside the ward, still puzzled, ¡°But how can a person become so anemic from iron deficiency to this extent?¡±


    The accompanying police officer was also baffled, ¡°Right, when we checked yesterday, her blood report was normal. But today, all of a sudden, it¡¯s no good, just like a video game character¡¯s health bar. Shouldn¡¯t it drop gradually? How did she suddenly become so critically weak?¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Samuel Morgan: ?


    He twitched the corner of his mouth, about to retort at the two of them, when Holly Sims spoke up, ¡°What¡­ what disease does she have?¡±


    Her words were filled with concern, making Samuel Morgan feel embarrassed to scold anyone anymore.


    Dr. Matthew Olsen frowned upon hearing this, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Genetic iron deficiency anemia. Her body is strange; it doesn¡¯t absorb any iron elements. She must rely on simple and straightforward IV treatment.¡±


    Holly Sims asked anxiously, ¡°How can there be such a disease? I¡¯ve never heard of it before!¡±


    Matthew Olsen pushed up his glasses. Behind the lenses, his beautiful eyes showed a sharpness. He spoke calmly, ¡°Have you heard of every single disease in the world? Even if you don¡¯t believe it, she should¡¯ve had all kinds of symptoms when her illness struck. Didn¡¯t you notice?¡±


    Holly Sims lowered her head, ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Matthew Olsen: ¡°What¡¯s the use of saying sorry to me? You should apologize to the person in the hospital room.¡±


    Holly Sims clenched her jaw, looking towards the hospital room, yet she dared not enter.


    She hesitated for a long time, still standing outside the door in the end.


    Matthew Olsen had already turned and entered the hospital room.


    As soon as he entered, he saw Lewis Horton standing by the side of the hospital room.


    The man slowly turned his head, their gazes meeting, neither saying a word for a moment.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s deep eyes swept over him, capturing instantly this man¡¯s unusual feeling for Keira Olsen.


    He asked with a composed face, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Her primary physician.¡±


    After Matthew Olsen said this, he added another line, ¡°And also her sworn brother.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s pupils unconsciously tightened.


    After a while, he stood up, extended his hand to Matthew Olsen, with a smile that was not quite a smile at his lips, ¡°So you¡¯re the sworn brother.¡±


    Matthew Olsen frowned, ¡°Hers.¡±


    ¡°And mine as well.¡± Lewis Horton said indifferently, with a powerful presence. ¡°We are husband and wife.¡±


    ¡°Husband and wife?!¡±


    Matthew Olsen suddenly stiffened.


    Lewis Horton spoke in a low voice, ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you? Then I apologize on her behalf.¡±


    Matthew Olsen: !!!


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen felt that she had fallen into a deep sleep. In her dream, she traveled back from her adulthood slowly to her childhood, back to when she was three years old.


    She clung to the glass window of the half-basement, watching Isla Olsen running around outside in a pretty dress while Mrs. Olsen gently wiped the sweat from her face.


    Suddenly, the door creaked open.


    Poppy Hill walked in.


    The little body shuddered.


    Poppy Hill¡¯s malevolent gaze turned towards her, following Keira Olsen¡¯s line of sight to the scene outside. She walked over, grabbed her by the hair, and viciously pushed her head into a nearby basin of water.


    Her voice intermingled with the sounds in the water and reality as if coming from far away¡­


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you, my daughter should lead a life of luxury. And you, you deserve to stay forever in this filthy gutter, in the sewers!!¡±

 Chapter 91 03-25 - 91

    Chapter 91: Chapter 91


    Keira Olsen shook her head, struggling.


    She didn¡¯t want to rot there for a lifetime!


    She certainly didn¡¯t want to take root and sprout in a filthy ditch!


    So she strove to improve herself, using the limited time she had to study hard. She was determined to change her fate!


    Then there was her at four years old, a her who had never been to kindergarten, secretly observing Isla Olsen, learning foreign languages. When Isla couldn¡¯t pronounce a word, yet she could say it effortlessly, she thought she would be praised by her mom. But she never expected that it would almost lead to a disaster!


    Poppy Hill praised her, and, for the first time, gave her a piece of cake.


    The sweet cream in her mouth was so satisfying that she didn¡¯t want to swallow it.


    She thought her life was about to change. Poppy Hill smiled, took her hand, and led her out the door, only to throw her to¡­ the traffickers.


    She didn¡¯t cry or make a fuss because, at least, the traffickers would give her nice-looking candy and treat her with gentleness and smiles.


    Until they locked her and a bunch of kids in the cellar.


    There, she met big brother.


    They lived together for a month and got along very well¡­


    At first, big brother didn¡¯t like to talk much, but later he asked her, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to escape?¡±


    She crisply said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    To stay there meant no freedom but possible full stomachs, warm clothing, and no mom¡­ She felt it was the happiest time of her life.


    Big brother was puzzled, ¡°Why?¡±


    She answered, ¡°No one beats me here.¡±


    Big brother was stunned. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    She shook her head.


    It was laughable that at four years old, she didn¡¯t have a name yet, no household registration¡­


    While the other children would cry and fuss, she would smile every day. Thus, the traffickers¡¯ guard was down the least around her. So, in the end, big brother handed her a bag of drugs to slip into the traffickers¡¯ food.


    She did it.


    The children all scrambled out in panic, but she just stood there, staring blankly.


    Big brother asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you run away?¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know where to go.¡±


    ¡°Then come home with me.¡±


    Big brother extended his hand to her, his large hand enveloping her small one.


    ¡­


    She didn¡¯t go home with big brother because they were too young. They were just down the mountain when the police rescued them. Her identity was clarified, and she was to be repatriated to the Olsen family.


    Before parting, she clung to big brother¡¯s legs, not understanding, she asked him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would take me home?¡±


    The police officer next to her couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re not from the same family. You can¡¯t go to his house.¡±


    Her eyes reddened, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go home! I want to be with big brother forever!¡±


    Big brother stroked her head, asking, ¡°Is it because you¡¯ll get beaten if you go back home?¡±


    The police didn¡¯t take his words seriously, considering that kids of that age often made a ruckus at home, and getting beaten was common.


    But big brother earnestly said to her, ¡°Wait for me. When you grow up, I will come to marry you and take you to my house.¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen suddenly woke up with a start.


    The events in the dream flashed by like a passing glimpse, leaving her momentarily unable to distinguish what was real and what was fake¡­


    She didn¡¯t know if the others could remember the things from when they were four years old.


    But she remembered everything clearly. She remembered the nickname big brother gave her, Eleven, because she was the eleventh child to be trafficked.


    She remembered the taste of chocolate.


    She remembered the sunlight streaming into the dark cellar, and the dust flying in the light.


    That was the happiest time of her childhood.


    But she was 22 years old now, and that big brother had not yet come to marry her.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s lips curled into a rueful smile.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was really fond of him, a four-year-old child didn¡¯t understand love, but the existence of her big brother was the pillar that supported her through countless abuses and beatings.


    The other children¡¯s hero was Ultraman.


    Her Ultraman was her big brother¡­


    Unfortunately, her big brother was also a child back then, she had probably long forgotten him.


    Keira Olsen blinked, finally realizing that the atmosphere in the room seemed a little off. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She turned her head to see Lewis Horton sitting next to her, asking, ¡°Want some water?¡±


    Before Keira Olsen could respond, Matthew Olsen¡¯s voice had already risen on the other side: ¡°I¡¯d ask unrelated personnel to leave, I need to examine the patient.¡±


    He picked up the stethoscope and approached the bedside, looking at Lewis Horton.


    Lewis Horton said with a stern face, ¡°I don¡¯t think I qualify as unrelated personnel.¡±


    Matthew Olsen continued, ¡°Aside from the patient and the doctor, everyone else is unrelated personnel. Moreover, I need to examine the patient, which requires undressing. It¡¯s not convenient for you to stay here.¡±


    Lewis Horton frowned, ¡°And you are convenient?¡±


    Matthew Olsen walked to Keira Olsen and lifted the hem of her shirt: ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. To me, there is no distinction of gender.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton wanted to say something else, but seeing that lifted shirt revealing a stretch of pale waist, his face flushed and he immediately stood up and walked out the door.


    After leaving the hospital room, Tom Davis involuntarily glanced inside.


    Lewis Horton immediately blocked the door crack, closed the door, and then reprimanded, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Tom Davis: ?


    He coughed and then said, ¡°Boss, Miss Olsen is on the trending searches.¡±


    Immediately, he handed over his phone.


    Lewis Horton took it, only to see the trending list featured a reporter¡¯s interview.


    The interviewee was Finley Hill¡¯s son, Connor Hill, wearing a school uniform, his face bearing its habitual discomfort and caution.


    The reporter asked, ¡°Regarding the case of your father¡¯s murder, what do you think?¡±


    Connor Hill seemed a bit awkward in front of the camera, dodging the question, ¡°My cousin didn¡¯t do it on purpose, it was manslaughter¡­¡±


    ¡°Your dad was a gambler, do you hate him as well?¡±


    Connor Hill hesitated for a moment, ¡°Sometimes, yes, but it can¡¯t be helped, I can¡¯t change who I was born to. But I want to say a few words for my cousin. In recent years, my father indeed often went to her asking for money, and the situation at that time was indeed manslaughter. I am willing to issue a statement of forgiveness for my cousin, hoping the police could be lenient.¡±


    This was originally an unremarkable interview, but just after these words fell, someone in the crowd shouted, ¡°Do you know that your so-called good cousin has been released on bail awaiting trial? And the reason is laughable, because of anemia affecting her health!¡±


    With that, the news suddenly fermented.


    #SecondGenerationRichBail#, #RichSecondGenerationGetsAwayWithMurder#, #RichKidsForgivenessStatementsTrend# and other entries rushed to the trending searches.


    All were questioning Keira Olsen¡¯s eligibility for bail.


    One could tell that someone was pushing this from behind, having bought the trend.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Find out who bought the trend.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    After Tom Davis spoke, he looked around, ¡°I just found out that a few reporters have snuck in.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression suddenly became icy: ¡°Get some people, secure this place.¡±


    Keira Olsen was weak, and it wasn¡¯t the right time for disturbances.


    Inside the hospital room.


    After Lewis Horton left, Matthew Olsen put the stethoscope aside and sat beside Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen: ¡°Bro, why are you teasing him?¡±


    Matthew Olsen sneered, ¡°You get married and don¡¯t tell me, and you still have the face to call me brother?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes deepened, her attitude grew distant: ¡°Isn¡¯t it because I didn¡¯t want to bother you?¡±


    Matthew Olsen sensed something and changed the subject, ¡°What were you dreaming about? You kept calling for your brother in the dream¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled, ¡°I dreamt of when I was three or four years old¡­¡±


    Had she not mentioned it, she wouldn¡¯t have felt anything, but upon mentioning it, she suddenly clearly remembered the conversation in her dream¡­

 Chapter 92 03-25 - 92

    Chapter 92: Chapter 92


    Apart from the scene when she was kidnapped by traffickers at four, she also remembered being beaten at three.


    Most three-year-olds in reality should have no memories left, yet she vaguely remembered the beating she received at that age, and for some reason, whether due to a deep obsession or not, in her dreams, she clearly heard Poppy Hill¡¯s furious scolding:


    ¡°I told you, my daughter should live a life of luxury and abundance, while you, you only deserve to remain forever in this filthy gutter, in the sewers!!¡±


    Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile.


    She didn¡¯t expect that after so long, she would have such a dream again.


    Perhaps it was because dreams stemmed from thoughts, since childhood she often dreamed that she had become Isla Olsen and that Mrs. Olsen was her mother¡­


    Matthew Olsen asked, ¡°What about when you were three or four?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing.¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t want to talk about the past.


    Her body was strange; once it was supplied with iron, all symptoms of anemia slowly disappeared, and now she was fully revived. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But she still needed to stock up on iron, so she had to be on an IV for two more days¡ªtaking too much in one day would be more than her body could handle.


    She simply picked up her phone and noticed there were messages on Weibo.


    Her Weibo account was named Ms. Keira, and she had a modest reputation in the circle of journalists.


    The person who left her a message was named Josh, who had been following her for over two years.


    Josh: ¡°[Ms. Keira, I won¡¯t back down this time either! I want to be like you, unafraid of power, brave enough to expose the truth to the public! If you can see this Weibo message, I hope you can bless me.]¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    As she was contemplating this, someone knocked on the hospital room door.


    Holly Sims walked in with Connor Hill.


    Connor Hill hung his head, still looking timid.


    After entering the room, he glanced at Keira Olsen before immediately lowering his head, ¡°Cousin¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen was not close to the Hill family; all these years, Finley Hill had only contacted her for money. She remembered this cousin as silent and reserved, who got into Oceanion University through his own efforts.


    She was fairly polite to him, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Connor Hill then spoke up, ¡°I, I¡¯ve come to deliver a letter of forgiveness.¡±


    Keira Olsen was taken aback.


    Connor Hill looked at Captain Lincoln, who had followed him in, his eyes rimmed red, ¡°I¡¯ve consulted a lawyer. If I submit a letter of forgiveness, even if you are sentenced, it will be within ten years.¡±


    He lowered his head, ¡°Cousin, I was really panicked then, that¡¯s why I called the cops¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ My dad is not a good person, he got what he deserved¡­ It¡¯s my fault that you got locked up¡­¡±


    Captain Lincoln frowned and said, ¡°Even if not good, one should be punished by law, not dealt with privately by yourselves.¡±


    Connor Hill, with reddened eyes, yelled, ¡°I called the cops! When he was gambling, I called the police, but after you arrested him, you only detained him for a month and then released him. He continued to gamble, lost the house, my mom ran off with someone else, and I had nowhere to live¡­ I had to try my best, the scholarships I earned, he took them all! He did that to his own son, let alone cousin? You don¡¯t understand our pain, so don¡¯t stand on your moral high ground and blame us!¡±


    He fiercely wiped away his tears, ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t say this, but when I saw him dead, I was confused, but now, I only feel relieved!¡±


    After saying that, he covered his face and slowly squatted down, ¡°I¡¯m such a bastard, my dad¡¯s dead, and I actually feel like a weight has been lifted. Even laden with his five million debt, I see hope¡­ You don¡¯t know, while he was alive, he was a bottomless pit¡­¡±


    He sobbed, chokingly.


    Captain Lincoln¡¯s face tensed, but he remained silent.


    In the hospital room, there was only the sound of Connor Hill¡¯s muffled crying.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t speak.


    Because her life, from childhood to adulthood, may look glamorous to others, but realistically, how could it be any better than Connor Hill¡¯s?


    At least Finley Hill never made him go hungry¡­


    It was unclear how much time passed before Connor Hill finally stopped crying. He stood up, wiping away his tears, ¡°Sorry, I¡­ I lost my composure.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Captain Lincoln patted his shoulder, ¡°Everyone understands.¡±


    Keira Olsen then slowly said, ¡°Thanks for the letter of forgiveness, but¡­ I don¡¯t need it. Like I said, I¡¯m not the murderer.¡±


    Connor Hill was stunned, seemingly confused, ¡°Cousin, I, I asked, and if you admit your guilt with a good attitude, at most you¡¯ll get three years. But if you stubbornly refuse to confess, you could be sentenced to more than ten years¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Keira Olsen said indifferently, ¡°But if it¡¯s not me who killed that person, then it¡¯s not me.¡±


    Connor Hill didn¡¯t speak, and after a while, he turned to Captain Lincoln with a foolish question, ¡°As my father¡¯s son, can I just let this matter go?¡±


    Captain Lincoln said, ¡°¡­This is a criminal case, even if you let it go, we will still pursue it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s jaw tensed as he looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°Then I can¡¯t help you.¡±


    Keira Olsen shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Connor Hill looked down again, ¡°Cousin, take care of yourself, I¡­ I should be going now¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Connor Hill took two steps towards the door then suddenly turned to Captain Lincoln, ¡°Captain Lincoln, can you give me the money from the scene first? It was all borrowed from classmates¡­¡±


    The money scattered on the ground, some stained with blood, was therefore taken to the police station as evidence.


    Captain Lincoln shook his head, ¡°The police station has its regulations. We can¡¯t give you that evidence for now. Once we have verified that there are indeed no clues, we can return it to you.¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s head drooped, ¡°But that¡¯s our dorm mates¡¯ living expenses for next month¡­ I promised them I would pay it back as soon as possible.¡±


    Having all worked part-time jobs, they understood the value of money earned and its purpose.


    Suddenly facing a deficit of twenty thousand, his classmates would undoubtedly be hard-pressed.


    Keira Olsen narrowed her amorous eyes.


    She suddenly said, ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Connor Hill turned back around.


    Keira Olsen picked up her phone, ¡°I¡¯ll have Samuel Morgan give you twenty thousand as an emergency fund to take back with you.¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Thanks, cousin. I¡¯ll give it to you as soon as the police station¡¯s money is sorted out.¡±


    Keira Olsen sent a message to Samuel Morgan.


    In no time, Samuel Morgan came in with twenty thousand in cash and handed it to Connor Hill.


    Connor Hill¡¯s eyes reddened.


    He accepted the money, ¡°Cousin, my dad has taken quite a bit of money from you over the years, don¡¯t worry, I will pay you back when I start earning.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to, he is him, and you are you.¡±


    No sooner had Keira Olsen finished speaking than there came a ¡°click¡± at the door of the ward.


    Everyone turned their heads and saw a thin, unfamiliar man holding a phone nervously and recording the scene that had just taken place.


    Seeing that he had been discovered, the man immediately rushed in, ¡°Connor Hill, I knew there was a reason you would issue a letter of forgiveness for your father¡¯s murderer ¨C a financial transaction! You don¡¯t deserve to be a son!¡±


    After finishing his accusation, he turned to Keira Olsen.


    Seeing her rosy complexion, showing no signs of anemia, he sneered, ¡°What about claiming to be on the brink of death for bail? Is this what being ¡®near death¡¯ looks like to you?¡±


    He took out his phone and began filming Keira Olsen, ¡°So the rich second generation has privileges, huh? No matter what, they can always find a reason to be released on bail?¡±


    He then turned to Captain Lincoln, ¡°Is this your idea of fair law enforcement?¡±


    Captain Lincoln frowned and said sternly, ¡°Journalists are not allowed here, please leave!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving!¡± The journalist was very agitated, aiming the camera at them, ¡°I¡¯m live streaming! Everything happening here is being broadcasted every second, and I must expose all your actions!¡±


    Captain Lincoln immediately took a step forward, intent on apprehending him, ¡°You are infringing on others¡¯ right to privacy!¡±


    ¡°If a case isn¡¯t clear-cut, many people get away scot-free. As a citizen, I have the right to know the truth of any case!¡±


    The young journalist was fearless.


    Too bad, Captain Lincoln had already snatched his phone, interrupting the live stream, and shouted angrily, ¡°What¡¯s your name? Which media are you from? I will hold you responsible!¡±


    The journalist lifted his chin defiantly, sneering, ¡°Don¡¯t intimidate me, my idol is Ms. Keira, who didn¡¯t bow to the powerful and exposed a certain company for discharging polluted water. I fear nothing but the quest for the truth!¡±


    Keira Olsen, hearing this, was puzzled: ??


    Suddenly recalling the news on her phone earlier, she was taken aback, ¡°Are you Josh?¡±


    The journalist was startled, ¡°How do you know?¡±

 Chapter 93 03-25 - 93

    Chapter 93: Chapter 93


    Keira Olsen unlocked her phone, found the Weibo app, and clicked into Josh¡¯s Weibo homepage, indeed seeing him in the photo.


    But Josh had misunderstood, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know me, but even if you know my work address and company, and use authority to pressure the company to fire me, I won¡¯t compromise!¡±


    He took a step forward and continued,


    ¡°Ms. Keira once said, ¡®If every journalist were to protect their own safety, then many truths in this world would be covered up.''¡±


    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t be a journalist anymore, there are thousands and thousands of journalists who will stand up! Don¡¯t think the things you do can be hidden forever!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Listening to these somewhat melodramatic words, she twitched the corner of her mouth, ¡°Just graduated from college, right?¡±


    Josh nodded, ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so naive.¡±


    Josh: ¡°¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but glance at Keira Olsen, as if she was implying she wasn¡¯t the same.


    Meanwhile, Captain Lincoln grabbed his arm, ¡°Alright, this is a hospital room, leave now.¡±


    He threw Josh¡¯s phone back to him, then grabbed his arm and led him straight out the door.


    Only then did Keira Olsen turn to look at Holly Sims.


    But she saw the other party immediately avoid her gaze after she looked over, her pretty face tense, the whole person somewhat uncomfortable, and then she said, ¡°I, I have something to do, I¡¯ll step out.¡±


    And then she quickly left the room.


    Keira Olsen chuckled softly.


    The prim and proper one was still the same, strong-willed and showing guilt when doing something wrong.


    But in fact, she didn¡¯t blame her.


    This iron-deficiency anemia was indeed rare and uncommon, so much so that probably few would believe it if spoken out loud. When Holly Sims heard of anemia, her complexion remained normal, and she even went for a routine blood test, which was already much better than most.


    While she was pondering, Samuel Morgan suddenly asked, ¡°Boss, do you know who the murderer is?¡±


    Keira Olsen raised her eyebrow but didn¡¯t speak.


    Samuel Morgan chuckled, ¡°Hey, Josh is live streaming again!¡±


    Keira Olsen was taken aback and looked at Samuel Morgan¡¯s phone.


    Josh had just been live streaming on Weibo, and he was still on Weibo.


    This time he stood outside the hospital, speaking to the camera, ¡°My live stream was cut off midway just now, I wanted to come up and greet everyone, I¡¯m fine, they haven¡¯t become completely heartless yet, I saw their transaction, it hasn¡¯t reached the stage of silencing me by killing¡­¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The comments below were cursing:


    ¡ª¡ªThis world hasn¡¯t collapsed because people like you strive for justice!


    ¡ª¡ªI said it, no matter how bad one¡¯s father is, he is still family, how could a son issue a letter of understanding for the murderer, there must have been a monetary transaction!


    ¡ª¡ªThe evils of capital! Can money really disrespect human life? Talking about bail pending trial for anemia, this is utterly shameless!


    ¡ª¡ªSuch people must be brought to justice, I don¡¯t understand, with all the evidence there, why aren¡¯t they arresting anyone? Isn¡¯t this type of case simple to solve?


    ¡­


    As Josh was mocking himself and the comments were accusing Keira Olsen, a voice came through, ¡°This journalist friend¡­¡±


    Josh turned around and saw Holly Sims, dressed in police uniform, righteous and imposing, who walked up to him, ¡°I am willing to accept your live interview.¡±


    Josh was overjoyed, ¡°Officer Sims, I just heard them saying, you work as a forensic expert, can you assure objectivity in front of the camera?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    Holly Sims looked toward the camera.


    Josh then said, ¡°So I want to ask, was the murder suspect Miss Olsen granted bail for her anemia? Isn¡¯t that reason laughably absurd?¡±


    Holly Sims straightened her clothes and adjusted her hat.


    Then she stood up straight, looked into the camera, and said, ¡°I can attest that Miss Olsen does indeed suffer from severe anemia that has endangered her life! I was the one who signed her bail hearing form, and I assure you she is not trying to escape her charges!¡±


    Josh hadn¡¯t expected her to say that and scoffed, ¡°Officer Sims, on what grounds can you make such a guarantee for her?!¡±


    Holly Sims paused.


    She tensed her jaw, her gaze firmly fixed on the screen, and pronounced each word carefully, ¡°On the grounds of this uniform I wear!¡±


    She spoke powerfully, ¡°I can publicly declare here that if Miss Olsen is granted bail to flee, then I can take off this uniform forever!¡±


    Josh was intimidated by her demeanor.


    Holly Sims looked at Josh: ¡°Sometimes, the truth isn¡¯t what you see it to be. Human biases can do more harm than good. Who says anemia can¡¯t be life-threatening? Do not let shortsightedness and narrow-mindedness cloud your judgment, leading to irreversible mistakes.¡±


    Her words seemed as if they were intended for Josh as much as for herself.


    Leaving these words behind, Holly Sims turned and walked away.


    Keira Olsen watched her phone, her eyes slightly lowered, feeling a surge of warmth in her heart.


    What Holly Sims valued most was her police uniform.


    Back at the station, Captain Lincoln had said she would handle the bail hearing, and Holly Sims had staked her uniform on it. Even now that she had indeed handled the bail hearing, she was still willing to stand up and vouch for her.


    ¡°Your friend may be stubborn, but she¡¯s good to you,¡±


    Lewis Horton had entered the room at some point. His tall frame made the hospital room feel rather cramped as he sat down beside her.


    Keira Olsen nodded, a smile on her lips, ¡°Yeah, a bit foolish too.¡±


    She looked at Lewis Horton.


    In her mind flashed the scene in the police station where, after being mistaken for fighting with Poppy Hill and about to be thrown into solitary, her expression was one of despair. In the pitch-black detention center, the moment he had appeared holding Captain Lincoln hostage, it was like a god descending.


    Later, he even carried her horizontally and strode to the hospital like a comet.


    Being in his arms at that time, she smelled the fresh scent on him, and his imposing figure had given her an unprecedented sense of security.


    At the time, Keira was frail, and people are especially vulnerable during such times. Now that she thought about it, she only felt¡­


    This man¡­ took quite a risk!


    Where was that? And whom had he taken hostage?!


    What if the armed police had decided to shoot him to rescue Captain Lincoln from a blind spot?


    He was even more foolish than Holly Sims!


    Keira Olsen thought about these things in a daze and suddenly said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Feeling unnaturally polite, Lewis Horton felt a bit uneasy, instinctively wanting to say, ¡°If something happened to you, Grandma would be heartbroken,¡± but the words stopped at his lips, swallowed back down.


    He touched his high-bridged nose, his face softening, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    His reaction left Keira Olsen slightly taken aback.


    She remembered that the big brother from her memory, when embarrassed, also liked to touch his nose¡­


    And, that big brother was also afraid of cats.


    Keira Olsen suddenly asked, ¡°Were you ever kidnapped as a child?¡±


    Lewis Horton paused, his eyes suddenly deepening, ¡°Why would you ask that?¡±

 Chapter 94 03-25 - 94

    Chapter 94: Chapter 94


    Keira Olsen posed her question and immediately felt it was abrupt.


    Childhood matters are something nobody wished to declare aloud.


    Especially not these kinds of things.


    Moreover, that older brother was not in Oceanion at the time, or else he would have been brought back by the police as well.


    ¡­How could such a coincidence exist in this world?


    Keira Olsen chuckled and was about to say it was nothing when the door to the sickroom was pushed open once more. Holly Sims entered, and Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton immediately ceased their conversation.


    Holly Sims still appeared a bit awkward, but quickly made her way to Keira Olsen¡¯s bedside, her expression remaining icy.


    In her hands, she carried a cup of lemon water and placed it in Keira Olsen¡¯s hands, then turned her gaze away, stammering awkwardly, ¡°I misunderstood you, and I apologize for that. I hope you won¡¯t complain about Captain Lincoln and the others; it was all my misjudgment.¡±


    Keira Olsen sighed and looked at Lewis Horton. Seeing him nod, she then said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, both Mr. Horton and I won¡¯t pursue this matter further.¡±


    Holly Sims was slightly stunned, ¡°Why?¡±


    Normally, people who suffered this kind of injustice would not let them off easily.


    The police department would issue disciplinary action against her and Captain Lincoln, even compensating them for emotional distress.


    Keira Olsen merely smiled faintly, offering no response.


    If it were someone else, she would never have tolerated this.


    But Holly Sims¡­ she was the one Keira had tricked back in junior high school.


    Holly Sims seemed to understand something and tightened her lips, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find the murderer as soon as possible and clear your name.¡±


    After saying this, she noticed that both Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton had indifferent expressions, showing no change of emotion, which made her pause again, ¡°You know who the murderer is?¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow and looked towards Lewis Horton.


    She herself had a suspicion which had just been confirmed.


    Lewis Horton knew too?


    Then she saw the man nod, ¡°I just sent someone to follow Connor Hill.¡±


    Holly Sims realized, ¡°Is Connor Hill the murderer?¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t respond to that, but instead asked Lewis Horton, ¡°How did you discover it?¡±


    Lewis Horton began to speak indifferently, his deep voice possessing a unique charm when analyzing a case, ¡°There were only four people present at the time. The victim died instantly, so apart from you, me, and Mr. Davis, there was only him. Moreover, I was always puzzled, if Finley Hill wasn¡¯t killed by you, then the voice that responded when I knocked on the door, where did it come from? There¡¯s only one possibility, that it was a recording.¡±


    Holly Sims immediately interjected, ¡°But there was no recording device found at the scene, and there was no such recording in Finley Hill¡¯s phone. Besides, his phone fell out of his pocket without any sign of being tampered with.¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen said coolly, ¡°The recording wasn¡¯t made with his phone, it was Connor Hill. When he saw the victim on the ground, he deliberately scattered things in his hands all over the place, and afterwards, when he called the police, it was with a phone he picked up from the ground¡­¡±


    At that time, she didn¡¯t think anything was amiss.


    After all, the money was scattered all over the floor, so a phone dropping was not out of the ordinary.


    It was only after the process of elimination pointed to Connor Hill that these details slowly fell into place.


    The only person Finley Hill would pre-record a message for had to be someone he trusted. And for a man like Finley Hill, the only person he could trust was his son, Connor Hill.


    Connor Hill didn¡¯t know what trick was used to deceive him into recording, then placed his own cell phone at the crime scene, creating the false illusion that Finley Hill was still alive at that time.


    In this way, Lewis Horton and Tom Davis both became indirect witnesses to Kiera Olsen¡¯s manslaughter!


    Afterwards, when Kiera Olsen entered the door, Finley Hill, who was on the verge of death, didn¡¯t lunge at her at the moment of opening the door; instead, he fell over from lack of support!


    Paired with that recording, people subconsciously would push the other person away¡­


    If it weren¡¯t for Kiera Olsen¡¯s exceptional hearing, and the cautious nature of Lewis Horton and Tom Davis, all of them might have believed that Finley Hill was accidentally killed by Kiera Olsen! This situation was almost unsolvable!


    Holly Sims was stunned as she listened, but then her expression turned grave, ¡°Then I¡¯ll arrange for an arrest immediately. If it¡¯s about the recording on his phone, even if it¡¯s deleted, we can recover it. That would be the most direct evidence!¡±


    But Kiera Olsen shook her head, ¡°Not in a hurry.¡±


    Holly Sims, whose face rarely betrayed urgency, now showed some anxiety, ¡°What¡¯s there to wait for? I need to clear your name of the murder charge as soon as possible, don¡¯t you know what people online are saying about you now?¡±


    Even though she had just clarified it, netizens wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    Lewis Horton spoke slowly, ¡°I think Miss Olsen must have a plan.¡±


    Holly Sims looked puzzled at Kiera Olsen.


    Kiera Olsen nodded, ¡°Holly, I need your help with this favor, hold off for a few days. Before Finley Hill died, he said he would tell me a secret about Isla Olsen. Quite coincidentally, when I went to see him, Connor Hill killed him. To say that this has nothing to do with Isla Olsen, I don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Holly Sims was taken aback, ¡°So, you plan to use Connor Hill to draw out Isla Olsen?¡±


    She gave a bitter smile, ¡°Kiera, I remember now, I misunderstood you before, mainly because Isla Olsen was pleading with me on your behalf. Now I think about it, she must have been using me¡­ But even if I understand this now, I can¡¯t accuse her. Someone as calculating as her, even if she did direct Connor Hill, wouldn¡¯t leave any slipups behind, and our police department probably can¡¯t find evidence to arrest her either.¡±


    Kiera Olsen shook her head, ¡°Connor Hill had the intention to kill for a long time, at most, Isla Olsen was just a provocateur, I wasn¡¯t planning to use this to get her jailed.¡±


    Holly Sims was puzzled, ¡°Then what are you¡­?¡±


    Kiera Olsen wanted to say something but her throat twitched slightly, and she coughed.


    Lewis Horton immediately said, ¡°Drink some water first, I¡¯ll explain for you.¡±


    Kiera Olsen paused but obediently drank two sips of lemon water.


    Lewis Horton then said, ¡°I guess, what Miss Olsen wants to know, is actually Isla Olsen¡¯s secret.¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she nodded.


    Lewis Horton continued, ¡°Finley Hill knew a very important secret about Isla Olsen, since he trusted his son so much, he would surely tell Connor Hill. From what I¡¯ve observed, Connor Hill is a pensive and meticulous person; he wouldn¡¯t easily reveal Isla Olsen¡¯s secret. Miss Olsen probably wants to cause discord between Connor Hill and Isla Olsen, making Connor Hill see Isla Olsen for who she really is, so after the incident, when he¡¯s arrested, he won¡¯t keep that secret for Isla Olsen anymore.¡±


    With a cup of lemon water inside her, a warmth spread from the inside out.


    The words of Lewis Horton were precisely her arrangements.


    Isla Olsen thought that by killing Finley Hill, she could safeguard the secret?


    But there was still Connor Hill ~


    Holly Sims, upon hearing this explanation, was still a bit anxious, ¡°But while the netizens are cursing Connor Hill, they are also cursing you!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Kiera Olsen put the water cup on the bedside table, her voice revealing powerful confidence, ¡°Slander and gossip are mere irritations to me, but to him, they are definitely a disastrous flood, enough to make him lose his composure.¡±


    Her confidence stunned Holly Sims.


    All of a sudden, Holly Sims remembered something and said, ¡°Kiera, what Finley Hill left on his cell phone for you is¡­¡±

 Chapter 95 03-25 - 95

    Chapter 95: Chapter 95 sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen hurriedly stopped them, ¡°Don¡¯t say it, don¡¯t break any rules.¡±


    Holly Sims paused.


    Then, she coughed to cover up her embarrassment and said, ¡°Actually, I listened to the recording, and it¡¯s not related to the case, so I can tell you about it. At that time, I just¡­¡±


    She fell silent, and then admitted frankly, ¡°I just wanted to make things difficult for you.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Helplessly, she placed a hand on her forehead, ¡°Then go ahead, tell me.¡±


    Holly Sims, still looking somewhat embarrassed but with a serious face, said, ¡°The will mentioned ¡®the eldest grandniece, the secret is also known by Connor; you must make sure his tuition is covered!''¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment.


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brow. Although she had suspected that Finley Hill wouldn¡¯t mention any secrets in his message, and also speculated that Connor Hill must know something, she still found the message very strange.


    She approached Finley Hill intending to buy the secret for five million.


    If she knew the secret, why would she still need to pay for Connor Hill¡¯s tuition afterwards?


    Or could it be that Finley Hill never planned to sell the secret to her?!


    Keira Olsen shook her head, grateful for her own arrangements.


    She hadn¡¯t pointed the finger at Connor Hill as the murderer right after the crime took place because that would have likely sealed his lips forever.


    Now, she was just waiting for Connor Hill to not withstand the media pressure.


    However, Holly Sims was somewhat worried, ¡°Keira, don¡¯t mess this up. If he throws away his phone, you¡¯ll lose the most crucial evidence, and then you can¡¯t turn this case around!¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned upon hearing this.


    She was taken into custody right after the incident and didn¡¯t have time to instruct Samuel Morgan on what to do. She wondered if Connor Hill had already changed his phone¡­


    ¡°He won¡¯t.¡±


    The deep voice belonging to Lewis Horton suddenly chimed in, followed by him nonchalantly saying, ¡°After the incident, Connor Hill immediately discarded his phone and replaced it with an identical one. That phone, I¡¯ve already had someone retrieve it.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes lit up, and the corners of her lips curved into a smile, ¡°Mr. Horton is impressive.¡±


    Since Lewis Horton had taken over the company, he had heard countless flattering remarks. However, at that moment, the girl¡¯s simple and straightforward praise made his cheeks turn slightly red.


    He, too, raised a faint smile, ¡°Miss Olsen flatters me too much.¡±


    Holly Sims looked at one and then the other, suddenly saying, ¡°You two, one calls him Mr. Horton, the other Miss Olsen. I thought you two weren¡¯t familiar with each other, but you seem to be so in tune. So are those terms of address your way of showing off your couple¡¯s intuition?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The room suddenly went quiet again.


    Keira Olsen saw Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze withdraw and a suspicious blush spread across her cheeks.


    It was one thing for others to call her Miss Olsen, but the man¡¯s low voice seemed to brush lightly over her heart, stirring a tingling sensation¡­


    She didn¡¯t see that Lewis Horton¡¯s ears had also turned red.


    ¡­


    At this point, Connor Hill still hadn¡¯t realized what he was about to face.


    He left the hospital and quickly returned to school.


    Upon arriving at the dormitory, he handed the twenty thousand in cash he had received to his roommates with a beaming smile.


    One of them who took six thousand quipped sarcastically, ¡°I told you, when you borrowed money, where did that confidence come from that you could pay it back in a few days? Turns out, you had someone to back you up!¡±


    Connor Hill hadn¡¯t yet grasped the meaning behind their words when another wealthy classmate who had taken the money threw it on the ground, ¡°Pah! I don¡¯t want this dirty money. The money earned by betraying one¡¯s own father, Connor Hill, do you really have the nerve to spend it?¡±


    Connor Hill was stunned, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What do I mean?¡± The person handed him a cellphone, ¡°See for yourself!¡±


    Connor Hill took the phone and saw the footage Josh had captured of Samuel Morgan giving him the money, which had already gone viral online. Now everyone was denouncing him as an unfilial son who agreed to a letter of forgiveness for money!


    Connor Hill waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s not like that, I didn¡¯t take her money. This twenty thousand was originally borrowed from you guys, but the police were holding it. She just gave it to me for emergencies¡­¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± His roommates didn¡¯t believe him, ¡°If you want to say that, then let¡¯s just go with that!¡±


    Connor Hill thought they believed his explanation and heaved a sigh of relief.


    One of them looked at the few thousand dollars thrown on the ground by the rich kid and picked it up, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t throw it away, treat us to a meal!¡±


    The rich kid said in disdain, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Connor Hill followed them, ready to leave together. But when he reached the door, he was stopped, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Connor Hill was stunned, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to have a meal?¡±


    ¡°Ah, forget it, we wouldn¡¯t feel at ease eating with you. We might be disturbed by reporters. You just stay in the dorm, ha~¡±


    The rest of the roommates left arm in arm, leaving Connor Hill alone in the dorm.


    His gaze grew somewhat gloomy.


    He pursed his lips and didn¡¯t make much of it; after all, with a father like that, he was used to the strange looks from others.


    He took out his cell phone and dialed Isla Olsen¡¯s number.


    As soon as the call connected, Isla¡¯s gentle voice came through, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Connor Hill didn¡¯t speak, feeling low.


    Isla sighed, ¡°I saw the comments online. Actually, it¡¯s good. It can force Keira Olsen to confess sooner, and then you¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    Connor Hill just hummed in response.


    Isla consoled him, ¡°Connor, hold on. If you can¡¯t bear it, the whole thing will be exposed. You can¡¯t go to jail. If you went to jail, what would I do?¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s eyes softened.


    Having such a father, he indeed suffered immensely. The neighborhood and his classmates all looked down on him.


    Only Isla had been like a ray of light shining into his world since middle school.


    She would bring him breakfast, tutor him when he struggled with his studies, and tell him not to mind the gazes of others.


    His admission to Oceanion University was all thanks to Isla!


    Her gentle and generous nature, like a girl-next-door, inspired his youthful admiration.


    So, when she appeared before him, saying his father had threatened her, demanding five million, that was why he became unusually furious.


    His father could bully anyone in the world, just not her!


    That was why Connor Hill had planned to kill Finley Hill and frame Keira Olsen for the murder!


    Connor Hill had always sought Isla¡¯s affection in vain, but now things were different. He had killed for her, so¡­


    Connor Hill looked down, asking, ¡°When can we be together?¡±


    Isla was silent for a moment, then spoke softly, ¡°Soon. The Horton family is about to call off the engagement with me. When that happens, as a woman who¡¯s broken off an engagement, my parents will be able to accept us being together¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Can you come see me now? I miss you¡­¡±


    Isla, ¡°Connor, I¡¯m still busy¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so important that it takes precedence over me?¡± Connor Hill looked at the empty dorm, his gaze growing fierce, ¡°Isla, before my dad died, he told me your secret!¡±


    Meanwhile.


    In the hospital, Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton were eavesdropping on their conversation.


    Hearing this, Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow, Finley Hill really did tell Connor Hill the truth.


    The next moment, however, Isla spoke in disbelief, ¡°Connor, don¡¯t talk nonsense. What kind of secret could there be between your dad and me?¡±


    Connor Hill scoffed, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s about you and Keira Olsen!¡±

 Chapter 96 03-25 - 96

    Chapter 96: Chapter 96


    Isla Olsen was still being stubborn, ¡°What kind of secrets could I possibly have with Kiera¡­¡±


    Indeed.


    Keira Olsen also wanted to know what the secret actually had to do with her, one that had allowed Isla Olsen to be threatened by Finley Hill for so many years!


    ¡°Are you sure you want me to say it out loud?¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s indifferent voice put pressure on Isla Olsen!


    Isla Olsen quickly changed her tone, ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the hospital to visit Kiera with my mother right now. I will have my mother put some pressure on her to confess her guilt as soon as possible. Once I¡¯m done with that, I¡¯ll come to find you, okay?¡±


    Connor Hill finally smiled, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait for you tonight.¡±


    The call ended.


    But Keira Olsen¡¯s brows furrowed, and she shivered.


    She really hadn¡¯t expected Isla Olsen and Connor Hill to have this kind of relationship!


    Isla Olsen was two years older than Connor Hill, right?


    She felt a chill.


    Standing by the window, Lewis Horton said, ¡°Mrs. Olsen has arrived.¡±


    Over the phone, Isla Olsen had already said she would visit with Mrs. Olsen, so Keira Olsen wasn¡¯t too surprised. She quickly got herself together, even patted her cheeks to make them look rosier.


    Seeing her action, Lewis Horton paused slightly, ¡°Are you worried Mrs. Olsen will be concerned?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Keira Olsen rushed into the bathroom and changed out of her hospital gown, looking radiant and beautiful once again.


    After she had done this, there was a sound at the door, and Mrs. Olsen came in with Isla Olsen and Taylor Olsen.


    As she entered, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s gaze immediately fell on Keira Olsen. Seeing her normal complexion, she relaxed and quickly took a couple of steps towards her, ¡°Kiera, are you okay? Such a big incident happened, why didn¡¯t you tell me? If I hadn¡¯t seen the news, how long were you planning to keep it from me?¡±


    Keira Olsen felt a warmth in her heart and was just about to answer when Taylor Olsen snorted coldly, ¡°Looking at how healthy she seems, does she appear sick at all? It must be as the internet says, she just wants to be released on bail.¡±


    The joy on Keira Olsen¡¯s face froze and she slowly hung her head.


    But Mrs. Olsen took her hand, ¡°Kiera isn¡¯t that kind of child, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    Then she looked at Keira with concern, ¡°You never had anemia when you lived with the Olsen family. Is it because you¡¯ve been working too hard since moving out? Haven¡¯t you been eating well enough?¡±


    ¡°The family gives her a living allowance every month, how could she possibly not be eating well enough?¡±


    Taylor Olsen laughed sarcastically.


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brows and immediately looked at him, ¡°The family gives me a living allowance every month? Why haven¡¯t I received it?¡±


    At these words, Taylor Olsen was startled.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s brow also furrowed, ¡°What? You haven¡¯t received it? Then how have you made it through all these years!¡±


    Keira Olsen clenched her jaw.


    She truly didn¡¯t know about any living allowance and certainly hadn¡¯t received a penny over the years.


    But Taylor Olsen didn¡¯t believe her, ¡°Shirley, do you hear her talking nonsense here? Without receiving any money, did she grow up on thin air? She even got into university!¡±


    Keira Olsen immediately scoffed, ¡°Mr. Olsen, since leaving the Olsen Family, I have not taken a penny from the family! Would you like to see my bank statements?¡±


    Taylor Olsen choked.


    Mrs. Olsen, however, turned her head to look at Isla Olsen, ¡°Isla, don¡¯t we have you transfer money to Kiera every month? Didn¡¯t you make the transfer?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes flickered, clearly panicked, but she quickly lowered her head, ¡°Mom, I gave all the money to Aunt Hill! Could it be that Aunt Hill didn¡¯t give it to Kiera? How could she do this?¡±


    When Taylor Olsen mentioned Poppy Hill, his face was full of disgust, ¡°That kind of person, the most selfish and self-serving, you gave her the money, so it¡¯s no wonder!¡±


    Taylor Olsen looked at Keira Olsen again, ¡°Did you hear that? It¡¯s not that you weren¡¯t given money, it¡¯s that your mother kept it from you! That has nothing to do with the Olsen family!¡±


    His attitude was clear; he was telling Keira Olsen that he as a father had provided the money!


    Keira Olsen scoffed without speaking, as Mrs. Olsen had already spoken, ¡°Taylor, regardless, Kiera didn¡¯t receive the money, that¡¯s why she had to work and study, straining her health, you as a father have failed in your responsibility!¡±


    ¡°Shirley, you are just too soft-hearted! You¡¯re still concerned about her health! She¡¯s not sick at all, she¡¯s just pretending here!¡±


    Taylor Olsen didn¡¯t feel guilty at all; instead, he frowned at Keira Olsen, ¡°Before coming here, we consulted with a lawyer, that rascal uncle of yours did something wrong first, and you unintentionally hurt him, the punishment won¡¯t be too severe, just confess soon, this way the news will also be suppressed, otherwise, if this goes on and your identity is exposed, the Olsen family will suffer along with you!¡±


    Isla Olsen then spoke up, ¡°Kiera, Dad is right, if they find out you¡¯re from the Olsen family, our Olsen family¡¯s stock market will probably plummet, the online discourse still needs to be controlled. Dad is thinking of your best interest, if you confess willingly, it can reduce your sentence, but if you refuse to confess, you might end up having to serve a few more years in prison¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen ignored what both of them were saying and just looked at Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Do you think the same?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen patted her hand, ¡°Kiera, did you really accidentally kill that person?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Do you have evidence?¡±


    Keira Olsen glanced at Isla Olsen and saw her become tense, then she slowly said, ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Isla Olsen breathed a sigh of relief.


    However, Mrs. Olsen looked troubled, ¡°But I just inquired with the police, and the current evidence is very unfavorable for you. If you can¡¯t find strong evidence to exonerate yourself, you are likely to lose this case.¡±


    She lowered her head, ¡°Before coming here, I¡¯d consulted with a lawyer, and the advice was also for you to confess as soon as possible.¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen¡¯s heart sank slightly.


    However, she hadn¡¯t expected what came next; Mrs. Olsen took her hand, ¡°But what is done is done, and what isn¡¯t, isn¡¯t. Kiera, stick to what you believe is right, and go on.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes shone brightly, and she nodded vigorously.


    But Taylor Olsen angrily said, ¡°Shirley, don¡¯t be fooled by her! They were in an abandoned hospital at that time, if she didn¡¯t kill him, was it a ghost?! The whole internet is calling for her head now, and at this time, you still support her, you are spoiling the child too much!¡±


    Isla Olsen couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Mom, we agreed to come here to persuade Kiera to confess and accept punishment, otherwise, it will affect the Olsen Family¡¯s reputation, and Jake will call off the engagement with me! Do you really want to be unfair to me again because of an illegitimate daughter?!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was stunned by their words.


    For a moment, she was at a loss for words.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s tears began to flow, ¡°Mom, who is your real daughter, her or me?!¡±


    Having said that, she ran out crying.


    Mrs. Olsen was a bit anxious; she looked at Keira Olsen and then at the door, unsure who to go to.


    But in the end, she stood up and followed Taylor Olsen out.


    The hospital room quickly returned to quiet.


    Keira Olsen stared at the door, a self-deprecating smile on her face.


    Lewis Horton, who had always been in the corner of the room, had his gaze on Mrs. Olsen¡¯s departing figure, ¡°Have I ever told you, you and Mrs. Olsen seem more like mother and daughter?¡±

 Chapter 97 - 97

    Chapter 97: Chapter 97


    Kiera Olsen was slightly taken aback when she heard that.


    Then, she bowed her head, ¡°Actually, many people have said that.¡±


    Lewis Horton did not speak, just quietly listened to her explanation.


    Kiera Olsen smiled, ¡°When I was young, Isla really hated me because when I stood with Mrs. Olsen, others always mistook me for Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Little kids don¡¯t know how to hide their feelings.


    Back then, Isla clearly targeted her, pushing her, hitting her, calling a bunch of friends to scold her¡­ And at that time, she was seriously brainwashed by Poppy Hill, thinking she owed Isla, always bowing her head in front of her, never knowing how to fight back.


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes gradually deepened, ¡°You know? I actually thought at the time, maybe Poppy Hill treated me so badly because I was not her child? Unfortunately, we had a DNA test, and I am indeed her daughter.¡±


    Years ago, when she was abducted for several months and then returned, the police department had them undergo a DNA test to confirm the child¡¯s belonging. At that time, she thought how wonderful it would be if she were not Poppy Hill¡¯s daughter?


    Unfortunately, that was not the case.


    ¡°That is indeed quite unfortunate,¡± Lewis Horton said in a low, gentle voice, ¡°However, I¡¯ve thought about it carefully; you and Mrs. Olsen don¡¯t actually look alike, just have similar auras.¡±


    People who live together, over time, tend to develop similar habits.


    When Kiera Olsen was young, her favorite thing to do was to observe Mrs. Olsen, to learn how she interacted with people; later, she could awaken and was no longer manipulated by Poppy Hill, thanks to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s guidance.


    She laughed, ¡°It¡¯s just that we look different. If there was any part of my facial features that resembled Mrs. Olsen¡¯s, I would definitely consider Mrs. Olsen my mother.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This self-deprecating comment made Lewis Horton smile slightly.


    He looked down, saying lightly, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a matter of skipping generations?¡±


    Kiera Olsen immediately looked at him, ¡°What did you say, Mr. Horton?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing.¡±


    Lewis Horton felt that uncertain things should not be said, to prevent her from being disappointed again.


    ¡­


    Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen chased after Isla out of the house.


    Seeing Isla enter the parking lot, both knew she wouldn¡¯t run off and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Mrs. Olsen appeared somewhat hesitant, ¡°Taylor, am I really biased toward Kiera? Am I not paying enough attention to Isla? Is my favoritism too excessive?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too excessive.¡± Taylor Olsen always prioritized her and commented very objectively, ¡°You indeed like Kiera very much, but it¡¯s still within limits. Isla has a strong sense of jealousy.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen sighed, ¡°Then how did Isla turn out the way she is today? You and I are not the petty kind.¡±


    Taylor Olsen then supported her arm, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Other families don¡¯t have illegitimate daughters, their children are raised sunny and cheerful; our family is different. Moreover, now that Kiera is what, Dr. South, better than Isla, her jealousy is understandable.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen fell silent. ¡°One¡¯s excellence can¡¯t be defined solely by capacity, moreover, whatever is at home, we give to Isla first, then to Kiera. From childhood to adulthood, whatever Isla had, Kiera might not necessarily have, but what Kiera had, Isla certainly did. So what right does she have to blame Kiera? You were also wrong just now, pushing Kiera to confess, it was not right.¡±


    Taylor Olsen then rubbed his forehead, ¡°Shirley, you forgot that people have different degrees of closeness! Kiera is only Poppy Hill¡¯s daughter. In my heart, only your daughter is my daughter. I won¡¯t hesitate to choose Isla over Kiera if I had to choose between their lives.¡±


    He gripped Mrs. Olsen¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Shirley, remember, no matter how outstanding Kiera is, she is unrelated to our family of three. If Isla strays because you favor Kiera, won¡¯t you regret it later?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was startled.


    Taylor Olsen then slowly said, ¡°In the future, let¡¯s keep our distance from her and live our lives peacefully as a family of three.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen clenched her fists, slowly lowered her gaze, but her heart felt empty.


    When the two reached the car, Isla had already regrouped her emotions.


    A family of three drove to the hospital.


    Today, the Allen family planned to return to Clance, and Mrs. Olsen went with Isla Olsen to apologize.


    Isla Olsen behaved very well, knowing well that only by obtaining the Allen family¡¯s forgiveness could Jake Horton possibly not call off the engagement. For the past few days, Jake Horton had been ignoring her, and she had been panicking.


    Upon arrival, Mrs. Olsen sincerely apologized.


    The Allen family of four had all their luggage packed and were just waiting to leave.


    Rebecca Allen craned her neck to look outside, anticipating the appearance of her benefactor.


    The benefactor had promised her to come and see her off.


    But time had already passed; why hadn¡¯t the benefactor arrived yet?


    Meanwhile, after Mrs. Olsen apologized to Mrs. and Mr. Allen, she approached Rebecca Allen. Suddenly, she pulled out a property ownership certificate from her bag and handed it to Rebecca Allen, ¡°Miss Allen, Isla spoke inappropriately, which hurt you. I know nothing can truly make up for the harm she caused you, and the Allen family is not in need of this money, but this is a gesture from my heart.¡±


    Rebecca Allen was taken aback and looked towards Mr. Allen.


    Mrs. Allen was also slightly displeased, feeling that Mrs. Olsen was trying to dismiss the issue with money. She stepped forward to take the property ownership certificate, intending to give it back to Mrs. Olsen, when she suddenly caught sight of the information on the certificate and was completely stunned.


    This, this isn¡¯t the most famous Golden Road Estate in Clance?!


    The property price in this estate wasn¡¯t outrageously high, but the real value lay in the connections of the homeowners!


    The Golden Road Estate was priceless! Countless people wanted to buy into that estate but couldn¡¯t¡­


    She hadn¡¯t expected Mrs. Olsen to own a house there.


    The gift was not merely a house but the connections in Clance!


    Mrs. Allen looked at Mr. Allen, overwhelmed with surprise.


    Mr. Allen hurriedly tried to decline, ¡°We cannot accept this!¡±


    However, Mrs. Olsen shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m now settled in Oceanion and don¡¯t wish to involve myself in matters of Clance anymore. This is our way of apologizing; please don¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Only then did Mr. Allen accept it.


    After presenting the apology gift, Mrs. Olsen left with Taylor Olsen and Isla Olsen.


    Once they had departed, Mrs. Allen couldn¡¯t help but express her admiration, ¡°Mrs. Olsen truly has courage; such a gift, and she just gives it away!¡±


    Mr. Allen sighed, ¡°You haven¡¯t met Lady South, her grace surpasses Mrs. Olsen¡¯s¡­¡±


    Mrs. Allen frowned, ¡°It¡¯s just a pity, both mother and daughter are such distinguished figures, yet they have such a disgraceful daughter!¡±


    Mr. Allen also frowned at the mention of Isla Olsen.


    He suddenly thought of Kiera Olsen¡­


    Thinking about it, Kiera Olsen and her mother, Lady South, looked very much alike, leading him to initially think that Lady South was Kiera Olsen¡¯s grandmother¡­


    Mr. Allen paused briefly, then suddenly asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Miss Olsen coming?¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t make it.¡±


    Frankie Allen, holding his smartphone, said with a frown, ¡°It seems Miss Olsen has got herself into some trouble.¡±


    Rebecca Allen spoke firmly, ¡°I can¡¯t leave; my benefactor is in trouble now, and I can¡¯t abandon her to return to Clance at this moment!¡±

 Chapter 98 - 98

    Chapter 98: Chapter 98


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s words startled Mrs. and Mr. Allen, ¡°Rebecca, this isn¡¯t the time to throw a tantrum¡­¡±


    But Rebecca Allen spoke up, ¡°She saved me when I was close to dying, and now that she¡¯s in trouble, how can I leave? The rehabilitation facilities in Oceanion are quite good. I¡¯ll stay in this hospital until the person who saved me is out of danger.¡±


    Mrs. and Mr. Allen looked at each other, ¡°But what if Miss Olsen really did kill that person?¡±


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait. Miss Olsen doesn¡¯t have many relatives or friends, so on visiting days, I will go see her! Otherwise, everyone else gets visitors and she doesn¡¯t¡ªwouldn¡¯t that be very sad?¡±


    Mr. Allen chuckled and sighed, ¡°Are you planning to stay here without leaving?¡±


    Rebecca Allen hung her head, remaining silent, the image of her spoiled self emerging again.


    Frankie Allen felt somewhat relieved seeing this.


    Ever since her husband and mother-in-law had betrayed her, Rebecca Allen had become very insecure. Now that she was throwing tantrums again, it signaled that she was improving.


    After pondering for a moment, he sighed, ¡°There are still matters to attend to back in Clance at the company. I¡¯ll head back first. Mom and Dad, you stay with Rebecca here in Oceanion for rehabilitation. Think of it as a vacation.¡±


    Mr. Allen helplessly agreed, ¡°Alright then.¡±


    ¡­


    Isla Olsen didn¡¯t leave with Mrs. Olsen and Mr. Olsen, but stayed at the hospital.


    She entered Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s ward and found the elderly lady humming a tune, wearing reading glasses, and watching a drama series.


    After knocking on the door, she walked in.


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s face darkened upon seeing her, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, I came to tell you something¡­¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton waved her off, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you speak. Just leave.¡±


    Two bodyguards immediately stepped forward, ready to grab Isla Olsen.


    Isla Olsen quickly exclaimed, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, it¡¯s Kiera Olsen who¡¯s in trouble!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton paused, looking up over her reading glasses, ¡°What did you say? What happened to my daughter-in-law?¡±


    Isla Olsen was stunned, ¡°What daughter-in-law?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Kiera! What happened to her?¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla Olsen, not overthinking it and assuming Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s dementia was acting up again, followed along and explained, ¡°She killed someone, was arrested, and has been in jail since last night. Today she was released on bail awaiting trial, and it¡¯s all over the news. Didn¡¯t you see, Old Mrs. Horton?¡±


    News¡­


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately took out her phone and saw the trending topic: #RichHeiressBuysLife#


    She clicked into it and saw Josh the reporter¡¯s interview.


    The faces of Kiera Olsen and Connor Hill were blurred, but those familiar with them could still recognize them at a glance.


    Old Mrs. Horton watched the news report in shock. The entire social media platform was abuzz:


    ¡ª¡ªWe must find out which rich heiress did this! She must be brought to justice!


    ¡ª¡ªMy God, if it weren¡¯t for the reporters, would the deceased have died in vain? His son even signed a settlement for money¡­


    ¡ª¡ªMurder merits death! This phrase is applicable in any era!


    ¡ª¡ªPlease disclose which family this is? I will never support anything from their family again! What a rotten rich heiress, taking our money to bully the poor?


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The more Old Mrs. Horton read, the more shocked she became.


    Seeing her reaction, Isla Olsen quickly said, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, Kiera¡¯s reputation is now completely ruined. Perhaps you should keep your distance to avoid implicating the Horton Group¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes shimmered with ruthlessness.


    Keira Olsen was so arrogantly spectacular now only because she had the favor of Old Mrs. Horton, didn¡¯t she?


    If it weren¡¯t for Old Mrs. Horton, what would she amount to then!


    When Old Mrs. Horton heard this, she indeed turned towards her: ¡°The Horton Group?¡±


    Isla smiled, ¡°Yes, you should keep Mr. Horton away from her¡­ I saw Mr. Horton taking care of her in the hospital. If reporters took photos, it would be terrible if they thought Keira had something to do with the Horton Family.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately furrowed her brows, ¡°Exactly, cannot let the reporters photograph it¡­¡±


    She immediately picked up her phone and dialed Lewis Horton¡¯s number.


    The call connected quickly, Old Mrs. Horton shouted directly, ¡°Are you at the hospital?! Are there many reporters?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s deep and pleasant voice transmitted from the phone, ¡°¡­How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Never mind how I knew, I¡¯m telling you, you must protect your privacy, don¡¯t let the reporters photograph¡­¡±


    Isla curved up her lips.


    When it came to matters of reputation, Old Mrs. Horton and Mr. Horton indeed began to avoid suspicion¡­


    Just as she thought of this, she heard Old Mrs. Horton continue, ¡°¡­Don¡¯t let the reporters photograph Keira! A girl needs to maintain her dignity! Even if this gets solved, if it makes the hot search, how will she face anyone in Oceanion afterwards!¡±


    Isla: !!


    She looked at Old Mrs. Horton in astonishment, just as she continued, ¡°You brat, such a big issue arose, and you didn¡¯t tell me. How is Keira now? Do I need to come and see her? ¡­No need? Then don¡¯t go to work, make sure you stay in the hospital to protect her, if you don¡¯t protect her well, don¡¯t bother coming home!¡±


    When Isla was chased out of the hospital room, this was the sentence she heard.


    Angry, she stamped her foot, her eyes revealing a vicious look.


    In the hospital.


    Lewis Horton looked thoughtful as he hung up the phone, he touched his nose and looked at Keira Olsen. His grandmother¡¯s words echoed in his mind, ¡°Brat, this is your good chance. Oh, where will you sleep tonight? On the sofa? How can you sleep on a sofa? Squeezing in bed with your wife should work!¡±


    Bed¡­


    The hospital beds were all single beds, two people could indeed squeeze in, but they would have to stick close, wouldn¡¯t they?


    Thinking of this, Lewis¡¯s face turned slightly red.


    He cleared his throat and said to Keira Olsen, ¡°I¡¯ll go handle some things at the company.¡±


    Keira Olsen lay on the hospital bed resting, and upon hearing this she nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lewis walked towards the door, but suddenly turned back, ¡°I¡¯ll come to join you for dinner tonight.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    She wanted to say if he was busy it was not necessary, but upon meeting Lewis Horton¡¯s deep eyes, she swallowed her words.


    She nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After Lewis Horton left, Keira Olsen thought she would be a bit bored, but didn¡¯t expect that Mrs. and Mr. Allen would come with Rebecca Allen.


    The three of them kept her company chatting, and time quickly moved onto evening.


    Rebecca Allen and Keira Olsen talked quietly, while Mr. and Mrs. Allen sat on the couch next to them, their phones both vibrating at once.


    Mr. Allen took his out and saw a message from Frankie Allen: [Dad, Mom, I¡¯m home now.]


    Mr. Allen glanced at Keira Olsen.


    The more he looked at her face, the more it resembled the Lady South from his memories¡­


    Suddenly, he sent Frankie Allen a message: [The second drawer in my study has an album, flip through it, I remember on the eighteenth page, there¡¯s a photo of me and Lady South from back in the day, take a picture of it and send it to me.]

 Chapter 99 - 99

    Chapter 99: Chapter 99


    Frankie Allen replied with a message, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Mrs. Allen also saw the message in the group and looked at Mr. Allen with a wry smile, ¡°You really¡­ Lady South has raised her daughter for so many years, how could you make such a mistake? It must be your memory failing, after so many years!¡±


    Mr. Allen laughed, ¡°Indeed, I can¡¯t quite remember Lady South¡¯s voice and smile; after all, I haven¡¯t seen her in over twenty years. Whether Miss Olsen resembles her, we¡¯ll know once we see the photo, right?¡±


    Mrs. Allen wanted to say more, but then a photo was sent over.


    Mr. Allen immediately opened it, and then somewhat disappointedly said, ¡°This photo is too old, not only has it lost its truth, but it¡¯s also unclear, we can¡¯t make anything out at all!¡±


    Mrs. Allen looked closely and said, ¡°Indeed, it has lost its truth. I think you¡¯re overthinking!¡±


    Mr. Allen sighed.


    Just then, Frankie sent another message in the group, ¡°There¡¯s a service at the photo studio for restoring old photos, Dad, shall I take it there for restoration?¡±


    Mr. Allen¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mrs. Allen, seeing his stubbornness, felt helpless, ¡°Alright, but I remember photo restoration takes some time, so wait until the photo is restored, then take a close look.¡±


    The couple shared a smile.


    That evening, Rebecca Allen reluctantly bid Keira Olsen goodbye, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need me to join you for dinner? It can be very lonely alone.¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled slightly, ¡°No need.¡±


    Someone had promised to come and keep her company when they left.


    After the Allen Family left, the VIP hospital room finally became quiet.


    Keira Olsen checked the time; it was already six o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Footsteps sounded at the door, and she immediately looked up, her face unwittingly filled with anticipation.


    ¡°Creak¡±


    The door opened.


    Tom Davis walked in, and Keira¡¯s gaze immediately shifted behind him, hoping to find that tall figure, but alas¡­ she didn¡¯t see him.


    Keira Olsen was slightly stunned.


    Tom Davis coughed and then spoke, ¡°Miss Olsen, the boss got held up with something tonight and couldn¡¯t make it, so he asked me to bring dinner over to you.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly, she nodded, ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, Keira Olsen prepared to be discharged from the hospital.


    She hadn¡¯t brought many belongings with her when she was admitted, so she left the hospital with just a few items.


    Looking out the window of the hospital room, she indeed saw a few reporters stubbornly holding their cameras, squatting outside. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow, made no big fuss, and without waiting for Lewis Horton to arrive, she quietly slipped out through the back door after informing the bodyguard sent by the Horton Family.


    She hailed a taxi and returned to the dilapidated apartment complex she rented.


    Wearing a mask, she got out of the taxi and approached her front door.


    Just as she was about to take out her keys, a figure suddenly sprung from the stairwell, ¡°Miss Olsen, is your illness cured? Then why don¡¯t you go to the police to turn yourself in?¡±


    Keira Olsen focused her gaze and realized it was Josh again.


    He¡¯s both persistent and clever.


    Knowing that the hospital was heavily guarded and it would be impossible to see her there, so he came to her home instead¡­


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°How do you know my home address?¡±


    Josh, holding a camera, aimed it at her and spoke, ¡°Miss Olsen, the internet is very advanced nowadays, some kind-hearted person has already leaked your address online, so don¡¯t think you can escape the law!¡±


    Keira Olsen let out a cold laugh, ¡°This so-called good Samaritan must be Isla Olsen!¡±


    Josh took another step forward, ¡°Judging by your complexion, you must be fine now. Please answer my question.¡±


    Keira Olsen replied indifferently, ¡°The case has not been solved yet. Please trust the police¡¯s judgment for the specifics, and I have nothing else to say.¡±


    After saying this, she opened the door.


    Josh immediately stepped forward, attempting to stop her from entering.


    Keira Olsen then said sharply, ¡°Reporter Josh, trespassing is illegal, and as a journalist, you must follow legal procedures to gather information! Are you sure you want to block the doorway and prevent me from entering?¡±


    Reporter Josh was stunned.


    Keira Olsen turned her head handsomely and entered the door¡­


    But in the next moment, she stopped in her tracks.


    The room was a complete mess, her belongings haphazardly stuffed into several large boxes, while the portly middle-aged landlord glared at her menacingly, ¡°You are just in time. Take your things and leave; I¡¯m not renting out this place any more!¡±


    Keira Olsen was taken aback, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± The portly landlord impatiently said, ¡°My home address has been exposed online. If I still rent to you, a murderer, how would I ever sell this place? It might even turn into a haunted house! Move out immediately!¡±


    As he spoke, his jowls quivered menacingly.


    Keira Olsen tightened her jaw and said coldly, ¡°The police haven¡¯t convicted me; how did I become a murderer?¡±


    The portly landlord sneered, ¡°Everyone online knows now; you just want to escape your responsibilities!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so now it¡¯s the internet users who decide who¡¯s breaking the law and who isn¡¯t? Then what¡¯s the point of having police and laws?¡±


    The sharp rebuke from Keira Olsen left the portly landlord choking on his words.


    Clearly at fault, he became angered the next moment and started throwing Keira Olsen¡¯s belongings that were on the ground outside the door, ¡°This house is mine, and I say it¡¯s not for rent anymore! Since you don¡¯t take the hint and leave on your own, don¡¯t blame me for being rude!¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The cardboard boxes fell outside on the ground, spilling their contents everywhere.


    The portly landlord, with his burly body, blocked the doorway, ¡°Take your things and get out immediately! I won¡¯t rent my place to someone like you!¡±


    A fierce light burst from Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes!


    She initially intended to show the landlord a lesson but suddenly noticed among the scattered belongings on the ground a photo of her and Mrs. Olsen¡­


    It was taken together with Mrs. Olsen on her thirteenth birthday, accompanying her for nearly ten years!


    At that moment, the photo frame was already broken, the glass shards piercing through the photo.


    Keira Olsen immediately turned around, trying to pick it up¡­


    But suddenly, a rush of footsteps echoed through the corridor, and seven or eight reporters burst in, cornering Keira Olsen in the cramped stairwell:


    ¡°Miss Olsen, why have you secured bail?¡±


    ¡°The evidence is complete; you clearly committed manslaughter, why won¡¯t you admit to your crime?¡±


    ¡°Are you planning to flee the country?¡±


    ¡°The deceased was your uncle, he died right in front of you, do you not feel any guilt at all?¡±


    ¡°You gave the deceased¡¯s son money; what was your purpose? Guilt compensation? Or buying off forgiveness?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen ignored these questions and continued to bend down to pick up the photo, but the reporters swarmed in, and one stepped right onto the photo!!


    A fierce light flashed in Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes!


    She slowly raised her head, her gaze stern, and coldly spit out two words, ¡°Move aside.¡±

 Chapter 100 - 100

    Chapter 100: Chapter 100


    The journalist, having seen clearly what he had stepped on, did not move at all:


    ¡°Miss Olsen, the photo shows you with your mother, doesn¡¯t it? You have family too and you know the pain of losing loved ones, so I have to ask, did you really accidentally kill the victim? Your uncle was just asking you for money; couldn¡¯t you have simply refused to give it to him instead of resorting to murder?¡±


    Josh, who was the first to arrive, was already bewildered. Hearing this, he immediately frowned and said, ¡°First, let Miss Olsen pick up the photo. This is her possession. As a journalist, you shouldn¡¯t use this to threaten others¡­¡±


    ¡°Special circumstances require special measures!¡± The journalist looked fiercely at Josh, ¡°As a journalist, I shouldn¡¯t be as blindly kind-hearted as you! She¡¯s clearly a murderer, and you have to use special measures with bad people like her! Besides, how am I threatening anyone? I¡¯m just unwilling to move from this spot, just wanting to ask Miss Olsen a few questions¡­¡±


    He then turned to Kiera Olsen, ¡°Miss Olsen, if you don¡¯t answer my questions, I won¡¯t move my foot¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, someone had fiercely grabbed his arm.


    Suddenly, a strong force hit him, causing him to involuntarily step back two paces!


    Kiera Olsen immediately reached out, pushed the man away, then bent down to pick up the photo. On seeing the black footprint on it, she suddenly erupted with an intense killing intent!


    The journalist, having been pushed back, started yelling, ¡°What are you doing? The murderer is attacking people now!¡±


    After shouting these words, he looked at Kiera Olsen, but her appearance froze him.


    Although the woman was slender and dressed in a white, comfortable suit, looking fragile, her eyes were fierce and sharp at that moment, as if she were a fierce ghost climbing out of a bloody hell!


    The journalist swallowed hard, ¡°Look, those are the eyes of a murderer! Terrifying! She must have deliberately plotted the murder!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    A cool voice began to resonate, Kiera Olsen wiped the photo, and then suddenly clasped the glass that had not yet fallen from the frame into her hand, ¡°Deliberately murdering someone, seems to be the death penalty whether you kill one or several, right?¡±


    As soon as these words came out, the surrounding journalists were as silent as chickens, all frightened. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on the sharp glass shards in her hand.


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s gaze swept past the journalists in front of her, finally resting on the chubby landlord.


    The two-hundred-pound man was so scared that his legs were shaking, ¡°What, what, what are you going to do?¡±


    Kiera Olsen pointed to the luggage scattered on the floor, ¡°You tell me?¡±


    The landlord immediately stammered out, ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­ I¡¯ll clean it up for you¡­¡±


    Frightened, he pushed the journalists aside, bent down to gather everything scattered on the floor, and then fetched Kiera Olsen¡¯s suitcase from the room, carefully packed it all for her, and cautiously pushed it in front of Kiera Olsen as if he were dealing with the plague, ¡°Miss, Miss Olsen, we¡¯ve had many good years together, so can¡¯t we just part on good terms?¡±


    Kiera Olsen lowered her eyes.


    When she left the Olsen family with nowhere to go, it indeed was this landlord who rented out the place to her at a low price; and when the Olsen family stopped providing her with living expenses and she had failed to pay the rent on time twice, the landlord did not evict her.


    Thinking of these things, Kiera Olsen decided not to hold a grudge against the landlord.


    She started pushing her suitcase, preparing to leave the place.


    The surrounding journalists dared not stop her, and could only watch as she approached the stairs. Then, she encountered Poppy Hill, who had just been released from prison.


    Poppy Hill looked at her with hateful eyes and harshly scolded, ¡°Kiera Olsen, you still dare to fight with people? Come on, if you have the guts, stab me in the heart! You killed your own uncle! Why don¡¯t you just kill your mother too? You unfilial daughter! Ungrateful creature! How did I give birth to something like you!¡±


    As she shouted, she charged forward to grab Kiera Olsen¡¯s arm, not fearing the glass in her hand, and turned to the reporters to cry out: S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t her uncle just asking her for some money? She¡¯s a PhD now, she must be very rich, isn¡¯t it right for her to give him some?!¡±


    ¡°I gave birth to you and raised you, you owe me a debt of gratitude for rearing you! How can you kill your uncle? You¡¯re less than a bastard!¡±


    As Poppy Hill cried and shouted, she hit Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists and sneered, ¡°I made it very clear before; I got married to clear the way for Isla Olsen, our accounts were supposed to be settled! What? Have you lost your memory?¡±


    But Poppy Hill, regardless of anything, shamelessly refused to acknowledge it: ¡°What settled accounts? My blood flows through your veins, I gave birth to you, and you will be my daughter for life! Everyone, come and see, my daughter is heartless; now that she¡¯s successful, she despises me for being a mistress and wants to sever ties with me!¡±


    ¡°I may be a mistress, and I didn¡¯t provide you with a good living environment, but even a dog doesn¡¯t loathe poverty at home, and a child does not despise an ugly mother; don¡¯t you even understand such principles? I gave life to you, and that life is the one I gave! You want to clear our accounts? Fine, then give me your life back! Take your uncle¡¯s place!¡±


    After saying this, she grabbed the glass shards in Keira Olsen¡¯s hand and yanked them out, then stabbed them toward Keira Olsen¡¯s chest.


    Seeing this, Keira Olsen pushed her away immediately and kicked her in the chest.


    Poppy Hill staggered back, crashing against the wall behind her, but she also snatched the glass shards. Her hand was cut by the glass, and the blood flowed freely.


    Then she shouted, ¡°Help! My daughter has killed her uncle, and now she wants to kill me! Hurry and call the police, don¡¯t let her get away!¡±


    Seeing that Keira Olsen was unarmed, the reporters suddenly grew bold and surged forward, again surrounding her:


    ¡°You killed your own uncle, and now you¡¯ve hurt your birth mother; do you have no heart?¡±


    ¡°Do you treat your uncle and mother so badly because you despise your family¡¯s poverty?¡±


    ¡°Given how you treat your mother, we have to wonder if it was really an accident that you killed your uncle. Could it be that you saw the steel bar behind him and deliberately pushed him towards it?¡±


    ¡°To push someone onto a steel bar so they¡¯re impaled and killed, how much strength does that take? Why do you hate your uncle so much?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The reporters¡¯ tricky questions came at her one after another, making Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes grow colder and colder.


    Rumors are indeed a potent weapon¡­


    A hint of dark light flashed in her peach blossom eyes as she suddenly changed the subject, ¡°Why? Why don¡¯t you ask my ¡®good¡¯ cousin why he gave me a letter of forgiveness?!¡±


    This retort stunned the reporters.


    Keira Olsen turned to leave, but the reporters still wouldn¡¯t make way.


    If that was the case¡­ then she had no choice but to get physical!


    She flexed her wrists, and upon seeing this, Josh immediately shouted, ¡°Miss Olsen, there are so many cameras filming; please don¡¯t do anything rash!¡±


    Keira Olsen understood his warning.


    If she resorted to violence, no matter what the ultimate truth was, she was afraid she would be labeled as someone who assaulted journalists and her own mother.


    But¡­ what of it?


    She never cared about others¡¯ opinions of her!


    A wicked smile curled at the corners of Keira Olsen¡¯s lips.

 Chapter 101 - 101

    Chapter 101: Chapter 101


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze was cold, and her smile was wicked and flamboyant, carrying a hint of madness.


    A sense of isolation from the world pervaded her.


    Indeed, she had never felt a sense of belonging in this world.


    As a child, Isla Olsen, along with her classmates, isolated and bullied her. After moving out of the Olsen family, she had been alone for many years, barely having any friends.


    Therefore, the opinions and views of others were completely unimportant to her.


    She was not afraid of the abuse on the internet, or even the criticisms in reality. The words of these reporters and Poppy Hill had never caused any disturbance in her heart from the beginning to the end.


    So even if she did end up hitting someone and got criticized online, she didn¡¯t care at all!


    Thinking this, she slowly stepped forward, and a sudden, intensified hostility enveloped her!


    The reporters immediately raised their cameras, as if ready to capture the moment she would strike first, making her the target of public condemnation across the internet!


    But just at that moment!


    A deep and solemn voice suddenly sounded, ¡°Stop!¡±


    Keira paused slightly, surprised, and looked down the stairs to see a tall figure walking briskly towards her.


    Lewis Horton, in a custom suit, had a handsome face that filled with anger upon seeing the situation, waved his hand, and the bodyguards behind him rushed forward, separating Keira and the reporters around her, filling up the narrow staircase.


    The bodyguards exuded an air of fierceness, each looking ferocious and intimidating, merely standing there sent chills down the spines of the reporters and Poppy Hill.


    Josh swallowed hard, ¡°Mr. Horton, what are you doing?¡±


    Lewis¡¯s eyes were dark and serious, ¡°I suspect you are illegally interfering with Miss Olsen¡¯s personal freedom!¡±


    Josh hurriedly explained, ¡°We were just conducting a normal interview¡­¡±


    He himself spoke with a guilty conscience.


    ¡°Normal?¡± Lewis scoffed, ¡°You might want to discuss that with my legal team.¡±


    Leaving these words behind, he walked up to Keira, picked up her suitcase with one hand, grabbed her wrist with the other, and led her swiftly down the stairs.


    This time, no one dared to stop them.


    Keira followed him downstairs, and the moment they stepped out of the building, the sunlight washed away the shadows in her heart.


    She looked up at the blinding sun with a cool demeanor and said softly, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come. Those reporters couldn¡¯t trap me.¡±


    Lewis then said, ¡°You attacked someone; you will be criticized.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of criticism.¡±


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t be criticized.¡±


    ¡­


    Keira was slightly stunned.


    She was used to being criticized, used to being an outcast, used to putting up all her defenses, never expecting to hear these words one day.


    The coldness around her gradually dissipated, and the distance in her eyes slowly faded.


    Suddenly, she chuckled.


    Lewis asked, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°Laughing at how miserable I am¡ªConnor Hill must be having a worse time than me,¡± Keira said, her demeanor becoming more spirited, ¡°He¡¯s probably not going to hold on for much longer¡­¡±


    If Connor Hill couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and turned to Isla, they would break up, and she could produce Connor Hill¡¯s evidence of murder, and he would reveal the secret that Finley Hill took to his grave after being arrested¡­


    As they spoke, they approached Lewis Horton¡¯s Bentley. The door opened, and Keira immediately saw Old Mrs. Horton with her white hair.


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s gaze fell on Lewis holding her hand¡­ the Great Grandmother¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°Brat, you¡¯ve made some progress!¡±


    Only then did Keira realize that they were holding hands.


    She immediately withdrew her hand, feeling the spot where the man had held her burning intensely.


    Seeing Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s smiling face, she shifted the conversation, ¡°Grandmother, what are you doing here?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately said, ¡°Of course, to take the granddaughter-in-law home!¡±


    ¡°Home?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s eyes filled with anticipation, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of that hospital. Granddaughter-in-law, you can¡¯t stay here now, come home with me, will you?¡±


    Just as Keira was about to refuse, Old Mrs. Horton said, ¡°If you don¡¯t come with me, then I¡¯ll have to keep having you stay in the hospital with me, ah~¡±


    ¡­


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s illness had long since cleared up. She kept lingering in the hospital just to keep Lewis Horton and Keira close to her, to give them more chances to interact.


    Lewis also spoke, ¡°Miss Olsen, these reporters are relentless, only the Horton family can ensure your safety, so please consider staying with us for now.¡±


    Keira, ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful, granddaughter-in-law, let¡¯s go home!¡±


    The car quickly entered House One Manor, and after driving around winding roads for ten minutes, it finally reached the Horton Family gate. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although it wasn¡¯t her first visit, Keira Olsen was still amazed by the size of the manor.


    No wonder Isla Olsen was so determined to marry Jake Horton and become the hostess here.


    With that thought, the car reached the parking lot.


    Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton helped Old Mrs. Horton out of the car and entered the living room.


    As soon as they entered, they saw Isla Olsen trying to please Jake Horton, ¡°Jake, don¡¯t be mad at me anymore. I¡¯ve already apologized to the Allen Family, and they won¡¯t hold me accountable.¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression was sour, and he initially didn¡¯t want to pay her any attention, but upon hearing footsteps and seeing Keira Olsen enter, he stood up in surprise, ¡°Keira Olsen, what are you doing at my house?!¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than Old Mrs. Horton scolded, ¡°I invited my daughter-in-law over! Do you have a problem with that?¡±


    Jake Horton was stunned, ¡°Daughter-in-law?¡±


    Isla Olsen quickly said, ¡°Jake, Great Grandmother seems confused, she mistook Keira for Mr. Horton¡¯s wife¡­¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s gaze swiftly swept over Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton, his frown deepening.


    Lewis Horton suddenly spoke with increased emphasis, ¡°Miss Olsen is a guest of Grandma and me. During this time, she will be staying at the Horton house.¡±


    These words caused Isla Olsen¡¯s pupils to constrict, and she clenched her fists tightly.


    Her eyes turned red with jealousy.


    She spoke directly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that inappropriate? Keira is now carrying the reputation of a murderer. If she stays, it might cause trouble for the Horton family¡­ If reporters take photos, they might think the Horton family is shielding her, which could affect the Horton stock¡­¡±


    As soon as those words fell, Lewis Horton¡¯s icy voice came through, ¡°Horton¡¯s affairs are not your place to point fingers.¡±


    Isla Olsen felt both embarrassed and annoyed, biting her lips tightly.


    But suddenly, Jake Horton took her hand, and then spoke, ¡°Uncle, Isla is thinking of the best for the Horton family, she is, after all, my fianc¨¦e.¡±


    A thrill of joy ran through Isla Olsen!


    Despite her efforts in recent days, Jake Horton had been indifferent to her, but now he was suddenly supporting her, using her to target Keira Olsen!


    Isla Olsen was never love-struck; she always knew what she needed to do¡ªsince she still had value, Jake Horton would definitely not discard her.


    What she needed to do now was¡­ stay here and drive Keira Olsen out!


    With that in mind, she gave Jake Horton a look and was about to say something when her phone suddenly rang.


    Isla Olsen instinctively took it out and saw ¡°Connor Hill¡± flashing on the screen.


    It was a critical moment to win back Jake Horton; how could she answer the call from the other party?


    Isla Olsen immediately hung up and continued, ¡°Mr. Horton, I am not targeting Keira, but from a public relations standpoint, the Horton family should disassociate itself from any negative news, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Ring ring ring ¡­¡±


    The phone rang again.


    Isla Olsen quickly picked it up and hung up again.


    But before she could speak, the ringing resumed.


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression darkened, and he jerked his hand away, ¡°You answer the phone first!¡±


    Isla Olsen clenched her fist tightly, smiled apologetically at Jake Horton, and answered the call, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m busy. If there¡¯s something, we can talk later¡­¡±


    No sooner had she spoken than Connor Hill angrily said, ¡°What could be more important than me?¡±


    Isla Olsen tried to soothe him, ¡°I really have something¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, you need to come here now, immediately, I need you!¡± Connor Hill¡¯s voice was very agitated, ¡°I¡¯m surrounded by reporters, they¡¯re all cursing at me, and Aunt Poppy Hill has come to the school. She¡¯s blocking my dormitory door and keeps cursing me¡ªcalling me an ungrateful wretch! Isn¡¯t she the one who listens to you the most? Come and take her away!!¡±


    Isla Olsen bit her lip, looked back at Jake Horton, and seeing his expectant expression¡ªthe only kind face he had shown these few days¡ªshe knew she couldn¡¯t leave today.


    Otherwise, Jake Horton would truly despise her!


    Isla Olsen covered the receiver and said to Jake Horton, ¡°Jake, I¡¯ll step out to take the call, I¡¯ll handle this quickly.¡±


    Then she went out.


    After she left, Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton looked at each other.


    Lewis Horton immediately took out his phone, operated it for a moment, then took out a Bluetooth headset and handed it to Keira Olsen.


    The surveillance of Isla Olsen and Connor Hill¡¯s call was immediately synchronized into the headset.


    She clearly heard Isla Olsen say, ¡°Connor Hill, stop it, I have something very important right now, isn¡¯t it just a few curses? Just bear with it for now¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t bear it!¡± Connor Hill roared angrily, ¡°You don¡¯t understand this look, the way my classmates look at me is full of disdain and disgust. When I go to the cafeteria, the lady won¡¯t even serve me food! Wherever I go, people are pointing fingers at me. Isla Olsen, take me with you, let¡¯s elope, leave this city! Find a place where no one knows us!¡±


    Isla Olsen, her patience exhausted, said irritably, ¡°Enough! Where can we go if we leave here? Do you have money? Without money, what kind of life can we lead? In Oceanion, I am Miss Olsen; if I leave with you, can you give me the life I have now?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.


    She thought it would take another couple of days for Isla Olsen and Connor Hill to fall out, but he couldn¡¯t stand it after just one day.


    While she was pondering, she heard Connor Hill roar, ¡°I don¡¯t have money, but I can make sure you can¡¯t live the way you do now in Oceanion! Do you think your current life will last? Your current life is nothing but stolen from Keira Olsen!!¡±

 Chapter 102 - 102

    Chapter 102: Chapter 102


    Keira Olsen blinked slightly in surprise.


    What had Isla Olsen stolen from her?


    As she pondered, she heard Isla Olsen frantically retort, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?!¡±


    ¡°Did I hit a nerve?¡±


    Connor Hill, already in turmoil at school, taunted Isla using her weak spots, ¡°Did you steal Dr. South¡¯s identity to hook up with Jake Horton? Do you really think Jake Horton would like you? He was only interested in Dr. South! And then the Allen Family, you stole the identity of her life-saving benefactor too, Isla. You seem quite adept at these things!¡±


    Isla Olsen, furious, exclaimed, ¡°Connor Hill! Shut your mouth!¡±


    Connor Hill sneered, ¡°Why should I shut up? You stole something even more important from her. Do you want me to continue and say it out loud?¡±


    Something more important¡­ what is it?!


    Keira Olsen frowned in deep thought.


    Isla Olsen roared, ¡°Shut up! Shut up!¡±


    Connor Hill seemed to still hold some hope for her, so he truly dropped the topic. ¡°Isla, I won¡¯t talk about it anymore. Come with me; let¡¯s elope. I will work hard to earn money and provide you with a better life¡­¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Isla Olsen said crisply, ¡°What can you, who haven¡¯t even graduated from college, give me? I want the hostess position in the Horton Family! Connor Hill, I won¡¯t go with you!¡±


    ¡°You! Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll reveal your secret?!¡± Connor Hill bellowed angrily.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Isla Olsen scoffed. ¡°Connor Hill, do you really think you¡¯re the only one with leverage over me, that I don¡¯t have anything on you?¡±


    Connor Hill was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Apparently, Isla Olsen took out a voice recorder. When she turned it on, an initial hissing of static filled the air, followed by Connor Hill¡¯s voice, ¡°Isla, don¡¯t worry. I killed my dad! He won¡¯t bother you anymore!¡±


    Isla Olsen exclaimed in shock, ¡°How could you commit murder? You¡¯ll go to prison for this!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll frame it on Keira Olsen. Isla, I got rid of these two annoying people for you at once. I did it all for you. Remember, I love you¡­¡±


    The voice recorder abruptly stopped.


    Isla Olsen smiled, ¡°Connor Hill, if you dare disclose my secret, I¡¯ll hand this over to the police! If I lose everything, your fate will be a million times worse than mine!¡±


    Connor Hill was horrified, ¡°Isla Olsen, you can¡¯t do this to me!!¡±


    ¡°It was you and your father who forced me first!¡± Isla Olsen said defiantly, her voice low, ¡°Connor Hill, we each have something on each other, let¡¯s just live in peace.¡±


    ¡°How can I live in peace? I¡¯m surrounded by reporters, attacked by my aunt, I¡¯m going insane!¡±


    ¡°Then endure it!¡± Isla Olsen¡¯s voice had a hint of ruthlessness.


    Connor Hill seemed frightened, ¡°Isla, don¡¯t you care about how I feel? Don¡¯t you love me?¡±


    Isla Olsen didn¡¯t want to pretend anymore, ¡°What a joke! If your father hadn¡¯t forced me to tutor you, do you think I would¡¯ve been nice to you? Every time I saw you and your father, I felt disgusted! You¡¯re parasites, vampires! Connor Hill, stop pestering me from now on!¡±


    Connor Hill was stunned, ¡°You¡¯ve never loved me?¡±


    Isla Olsen sneered, ¡°I only love myself! If you behave, we can continue as before. But if you threaten me again, don¡¯t blame me for not being polite!¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s voice was choked, ¡°Isla Olsen, don¡¯t scare me. If I get caught by the police, I will definitely spill your secrets!¡±


    After saying that, Connor Hill hung up the phone abruptly.


    Keira Olsen removed her headphones in the living room, with a sharp gleam in her eyes.


    She took out her phone and sent a message to Holly Sims: ¡°You can arrest Connor Hill now.¡±


    After sending the message, she looked up at Lewis Horton.


    Lewis Horton immediately understood her and nodded slightly.


    Their tacit interaction made Jake Horton feel like his eyes were being pierced!


    There was absolutely something between Uncle and Keira Olsen, but how could it be, Keira Olsen was supposed to be his!


    He clenched his fists, his eyes reddening: ¡°Uncle, with Keira Olsen staying at our house and Great Grandmother misunderstanding, won¡¯t Aunt be displeased?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s lips curled into a smirk that was not quite a smile, ¡°She probably won¡¯t mind. Right, Miss Olsen?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That should be the case, Mr. Horton.¡±


    Their tones were polite and distant, yet they seemed to carry an underlying sweetness!


    Jake Horton¡¯s anger rose even further, about to say something when Isla Olsen walked in from outside: ¡°Mr. Horton, the focus isn¡¯t on Mrs. Horton¡¯s attitude but on Keira Olsen being caught in a media storm. I just checked online, and she actually hit a reporter? She even hurt her own mother, and the video of you taking her away has also been leaked. Everyone is saying that it turns out the Hortons are the ones sheltering her¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen handed the phone to Jake Horton, and indeed, the online sentiment was all against the Horton Family:


    ¡ª¡ªI was wondering, wasn¡¯t she supposed to be a rich second generation? Why would she live there, turns out it¡¯s not that this murderer is so formidable, but that she has someone backing her up!


    ¡ª¡ªThe person who came to her rescue had his face mosaicked, but let me tell you, he looks very much like someone from Hermes¡­


    ¡ª¡ªHermes, the richest in Oceanion? Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ª¡ªYes, that¡¯s them¡­


    ¡­


    Isla Olsen spoke slowly: ¡°I just checked Horton Group¡¯s stocks, and there has already been a slight fluctuation. If journalists confirm that Keira Olsen is with the Hortons, I fear it will immediately fall. Mr. Horton, surely you won¡¯t let the Horton Group be affected because of one woman, will you?¡±


    Lewis Horton lowered his head to adjust his cuff, still wearing that mocking smile, but he didn¡¯t say a word.


    Jake Horton chimed in: ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re in charge of Horton Group. If such a big error occurs, Grandfather definitely won¡¯t let you off the hook! Moreover, the shareholders of Horton Group will also hold you responsible!¡±


    Seeing that Lewis Horton still didn¡¯t speak, Isla Olsen turned to Keira Olsen: ¡°Keira, I know you can¡¯t stay in your rented house anymore, so how about this, come back home with me. The Olsen Family has already been doxxed, no need to drag the Hortons into it¡­ Old Mrs. Horton and Mr. Horton have been so good to you, you wouldn¡¯t want to trouble them, right?¡±


    Jake Horton immediately said: ¡°Isla, you really know your priorities, unlike some murderers who manage to attach themselves to the Horton Family like a sticky plaster, impossible to shake off!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton burst out angrily: ¡°It was I who begged my daughter-in-law to come, can you not speak so recklessly? Moreover, my daughter-in-law isn¡¯t a murderer! The police haven¡¯t convicted her!¡±


    Isla Olsen quickly added: ¡°Great Grandmother, as long as Keira¡¯s suspicion isn¡¯t cleared, she will carry that name¡­¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Keira Olsen, who had been looking down at her phone, let out a soft chuckle, her voice light and mellow: ¡°How coincidental, it¡¯s been cleared now.¡±


    She picked up her phone and handed it to Isla Olsen.


    On it was a scene captured by a reporter of Connor Hill being arrested.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s face instantly turned as pale as paper!!

 Chapter 103 - 103

    Chapter 103: Chapter 103


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t expect Connor Hill to be arrested so quickly. She didn¡¯t know that as soon as she had identified Connor Hill as the murderer, Holly Sims had already asked her colleagues at the police station to put him under surveillance.


    So when they received the text message, they immediately proceeded with the arrest.


    And because there were reporters nearby, the whole process was filmed!


    When the reporter followed the police to Connor Hill¡¯s dormitory, Poppy Hill was there making a scene, pinching and pulling at Connor and even slapping him several times. She was crying and cursing:


    ¡°You ungrateful son, how could you write a letter of forgiveness for Keira Olsen? Do you have no regard for your deceased father?¡±


    ¡°Bastard, just for that bit of money, you sold out your conscience? I¡¯ll beat you to death today. You better take back that letter of forgiveness right now. I want that ungrateful creature to rot in jail until she dies! I want her to pay for what she¡¯s done!¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    Although Connor Hill was a man, he was slender and surrounded by classmates, making it difficult for him to fight back.


    Poppy Hill, however, was a middle-aged woman with a strong grip, so she managed to hit Connor Hill until he cowered. Sadly, he couldn¡¯t escape because she was holding onto his clothes.


    The arrival of the police saved him.


    He excitedly spoke up, ¡°Officer, take this crazy woman away quickly! She¡¯s beating me!¡±


    Unfortunately, the officers walked up to him instead, ¡°Hello, you are a suspect in a murder case; please cooperate with our investigation.¡±


    This statement shocked both the reporters and Poppy Hill.


    Stunned, Poppy Hill spoke up, ¡°Yes, take him away. Make him take back the letter of forgiveness! I do not agree to forgive! I want the murderer to die! To die!¡±


    Hearing this, a reporter also asked:


    ¡°Officer, we don¡¯t understand, why arrest Connor Hill for the murder case? Shouldn¡¯t you be arresting the suspect?¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is it because of the issue with paying for the letter of forgiveness?¡±


    ¡°May I ask when you will arrest Miss Olsen again? You¡¯re holding a suspect for the murder case on bail and arresting the victim here; what¡¯s the reason for that?¡±


    ¡°Could it really be that the wealthy family pressing you, some kind of inside collusion?¡±


    Poppy Hill also shouted, ¡°Go arrest Keira Olsen, she¡¯s the murderer. Go execute her!¡±


    The police don¡¯t need to explain their actions to the public when making an arrest, but since this case was so widely implicated, the officers, after applying to their superiors, furrowed their brows and looked toward the reporters.


    ¡­


    The Horton Family.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s face was pale as paper as she watched Keira¡¯s confident demeanor. She was somewhat panicked inside.


    It couldn¡¯t be as she had imagined, could it?


    Jake Horton then said, ¡°Uncle, did you see that? Even the reporters are starting to talk about our family! It won¡¯t be long before people find out, the wealthy family they¡¯re referring to is the Horton Family! Are you really going to protect this murderer?¡±


    Lewis Horton spoke gravely, ¡°Have you considered why the police went to arrest Connor Hill instead of coming for Miss Olsen?¡±


    Jake Horton scoffed, ¡°What could it be? Surely there¡¯s some evidence that Connor Hill needs to complete? It can¡¯t be that Connor Hill is the actual murderer, can it?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla¡¯s already pale face grew even whiter as she stared nervously at the screen of her phone.


    And at that moment, the voice of the police came from the phone, ¡°We have obtained evidence that the murderer is Connor Hill. He has slandered Miss Olsen, which is why we are arresting him to cooperate with our investigation!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the reporters on the scene were stunned.


    Everyone exclaimed:


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Right, the victim is Connor Hill¡¯s father! How could he be the murderer? Surely you¡¯re not trying to force a confession out of him, just to exonerate that person?¡±


    Poppy Hill had just been furiously beating Connor Hill, but Connor was her brother¡¯s only son; she definitely couldn¡¯t stand by and watch him die, so she stepped in front of Connor, glaring at the police as she shouted, ¡°What kind of nonsense are you spouting! How could Connor Hill possibly have killed my brother?! Is it because Keira Olsen gave you a lot of money to slander him!¡±


    The police remained resolute, their faces stern with righteousness, ¡°We won¡¯t let any murderer get away, nor will we wrongfully accuse any innocent person, and we now have ample and convincing evidence!¡±


    ¡°What evidence? If you don¡¯t show it, don¡¯t even think about taking him away!¡±


    Poppy Hill stood in front of Connor Hill.


    Connor Hill also swallowed, this man adept at deception now pretended to be the victim. He looked into the camera and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone, Aunt, please save me. I¡¯ve already issued a letter of forgiveness to my cousin. What else do they want me to do?¡±


    His words immediately led to misunderstandings among the reporters.


    The reporters quickly blocked Connor Hill:


    ¡°We now doubt the fairness of your law enforcement. Without sufficient evidence, you¡¯re not allowed to take him away!¡±


    ¡°From what he just said, issuing the letter of forgiveness wasn¡¯t voluntary, right? There must be some conspiracy behind this!¡±


    ¡°Up until now, we¡¯ve had people watching the Hermes family¡¯s estate, and we haven¡¯t seen you go to arrest anyone. Instead, you¡¯re here to take away the victim; could it really be that some people have such immense influence? Are you planning to take away the victim¡¯s family member so that no one cries injustice?¡±


    ¡­


    The phone broadcast these questions.


    Jake Horton also pressed aggressively, ¡°Uncle, have you put pressure on the police, or are you slandering Connor Hill? Do you hear that? The public has sharp eyes; you can¡¯t protect her with those tricks! With so many people overseeing this situation, are you really prepared to disregard the Horton family¡¯s reputation for this woman?¡±


    Amid his accusations, a policeman stepped forward and took out his phone, playing a recording!


    The recording was a conversation between Isla Olsen and Connor Hill:


    ¡°Isla, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve killed my dad! He will never bother you again!¡±


    ¡°How could you kill someone? That will land you in jail!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve framed Keira Olsen for it, Isla, I¡¯ve removed these two annoying people from your life in one go. I did it all for you; you have to remember, I love you¡­ ¡±


    After these three sentences, the phone¡¯s Connor Hill suddenly raised his head, looking incredulously at the police.


    At the Horton household, Isla Olsen stumbled as well, virtually unable to stand!


    She stared, eyes wide in disbelief, at the video¡­


    How could this¡­ How is it possible!


    How did the recording end up in the hands of the police?!


    If Connor Hill is arrested because of this recording, could he think it was her doing?


    Thereupon¡­


    She swallowed, hurriedly took out her phone, and was about to call Connor Hill.


    But just then, Connor Hill¡¯s voice also came through the phone: ¡°It¡¯s Isla Olsen, she set me up! That wretched woman! I need to see Keira Olsen, I must see Keira Olsen! I have something to say to her!!¡±

 Chapter 104 - 104

    Chapter 104: Chapter 104


    No one paid attention to Connor Hill¡¯s impotent roar at this moment.


    As soon as the police played the recording, they had already convinced the reporters.


    The police continued, ¡°Of course, this recording alone cannot prove that he is the murderer. We also found his discarded cell phone, and after recovering the settings inside, we found several recordings of the victim on the day in question. The victim¡¯s words matched those Miss Olsen mentioned in the past, so this is enough to prove that he had already killed the victim before Miss Olsen¡¯s visit and had framed her! We have sufficient evidence for an arrest, and here is the arrest warrant!¡±


    After the police presented the arrest warrant, the reporters in front of them immediately dispersed.


    The police then promptly seized Connor Hill and quickly left.


    The live broadcast ends here.


    ¡­


    The Horton Family.


    This sudden reversal had caught everyone off guard.


    Lewis Horton looked somberly at Jake Horton, ¡°Miss Olsen is not the murderer. I hope I don¡¯t have to hear that title again from you!¡±


    Jake choked.


    Right at this moment, the butler suddenly entered the room, ¡°Sir, there are police outside looking for Miss Olsen to accompany them to the station to assist with the investigation.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Jake was once again startled, ¡°Uncle, even if she isn¡¯t the murderer, she is still not unrelated to the case! It¡¯s bad luck for someone to always go to the police station. It¡¯s not suitable for her to stay at the Horton residence!¡±


    But as soon as he finished speaking, the butler coughed and awkwardly said, ¡°They are looking for¡­ Miss Isla Olsen.¡±


    Jake Horton: !!


    He looked at Isla Olsen in astonishment and asked in confusion, ¡°What do you have to do with this case? Why are they asking for you to go?!¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s face was pale, and she was visibly distraught, staggering as she heard this, and stared blankly at Jake, ¡°Jake, I, I¡­¡±


    Her mind was full of Connor Hill, and at this moment, she couldn¡¯t immediately comfort Jake.


    Seeing her this way, Keira spoke up with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. The police are looking for Isla, probably for the investigation. That recording just now, you were the one on the phone with Connor Hill, right? Isla, why did Connor Hill call you after he killed someone?¡±


    Isla Olsen swallowed hard and clenched her fists. Seeing Jake¡¯s puzzled look, she immediately explained, ¡°I, I don¡¯t know why he called me. I felt sorry for him before and gave him some money several times, and he just latched onto me¡­¡±


    Keira looked down, ¡°So, you were the one who provided the recording to the police? After all, only you would have the recording of your conversation!¡±


    Isla was about to deny it, but then Keira stepped forward and looked directly into her eyes, ¡°After all, if it wasn¡¯t you, why would you help him hide it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Isla realized she had been backed into a corner.


    After all, she couldn¡¯t provide a better explanation!


    She clenched her fists and could only nod, ¡°¡­Yes, it was me.¡±


    ¡°No wonder the police came to find you for cooperation with the investigation. So, when you go to the police station, you will tell the truth to the police, right?¡±


    Isla: ¡°¡­¡±


    She took a deep breath and could only sheepishly turn around. As she was about to follow the butler out the door, Keira suddenly looked toward Jake, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to accompany her?¡±


    Jake was taken aback.


    Keira raised an eyebrow, ¡°She¡¯s your fianc¨¦e, don¡¯t you care? After all, police stations are rather unlucky places.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Provoked by her words, Jake immediately went to Isla¡¯s side, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Isla: !!


    She didn¡¯t need that!


    But Jake Horton didn¡¯t give her a chance to refuse and went out with her.


    ¡­


    Inside the police station.


    In the interrogation room, the police asked, ¡°May I ask, what exactly is your relationship with Connor Hill?¡±


    Isla Olsen explained, ¡°I have no relationship with him. It¡¯s just that in middle school, I saw him being isolated by classmates and felt sorry for him, so I helped him with a few lessons. But then he just clung to me, and over the years he¡¯s been calling me¡­¡±


    The police asked, ¡°After he committed the murder, he called you first. Why didn¡¯t you encourage him to turn himself in?¡±


    With Jake Horton right by her side, Isla Olsen didn¡¯t dare to speak carelessly and could only continue to clarify her innocence, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be so vicious as to kill his own father. I was really shocked, this is the first time in my life I¡¯ve heard of someone committing murder and then framing it on someone else¡­During this time, I¡¯ve been blaming myself. I advised him to surrender, but he wouldn¡¯t listen and even threatened me, saying that if I dared to speak out, he would kill me. Officer, is it possible to not tell him about our conversation today? I¡¯m afraid that if he finds out, he might seek revenge after getting out of prison.¡±


    ¡°We will of course protect the witness.¡±


    The officer began, ¡°So the recording sent to us by an anonymous person was actually sent by you, correct?¡±


    Isla Olsen was silent for a moment and then admitted reluctantly, ¡°Yes, I wanted to do something to help solve the case¡­¡±


    ¡°It was also after receiving the recording you sent that we were able to identify the perpetrator, find the phone he had discarded in time, otherwise, had it rained a few days later, the phone would have been ruined and we couldn¡¯t extract the many recordings inside, losing the most legally effective evidence¡­¡±


    The officer interrogating Isla Olsen stood up, ¡°On behalf of the police station, I thank you for the evidence you provided!¡±


    Isla Olsen gestured, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s what a citizen should do¡­¡±


    The officer pointed to the door, ¡°Well, thank you for your cooperation, let me escort you out.¡±


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton walked out together, while walking she still asked, ¡°Officer, you really won¡¯t tell Connor Hill about our talk, will you? He is a very gloomy person, and the way he looks at people is particularly chilling, so I hope you can take protective measures, I don¡¯t want him to find out.¡±


    The officer nodded, ¡°I assure you, we won¡¯t tell him.¡±


    Isla Olsen left the police station with an uneasy look.


    After leaving the police station, she looked back again.


    The night had already fallen, the entrance was brightly lit, and the inside was also brightly lit; one could see many officers moving back and forth recording statements, working earnestly.


    Wondering in which interrogation room Connor Hill was¡­


    Isla Olsen¡¯s jaw tightened, and suddenly she took a deep breath, her eyes flashing with a hint of mockery.


    This is for the best, sending Connor Hill in means he can no longer bother her!


    ¡°What are you thinking about? Get in the car!¡±


    The voice of Jake Horton brought Isla Olsen back to reality.


    She lowered her head, ¡°Jake, I¡¯m a bit scared of retaliation¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jake Horton protected her as they got into the car and drove away.


    They hadn¡¯t noticed that on the third floor of the police station, in a room where the lights were off, Connor Hill was standing at the window, his gaze sinisterly fixed on the ground below.


    ¡°Click!¡±


    The lights in the room were turned on.


    Keira Olsen, Lewis Horton, and Holly Sims were sitting in the room watching him.


    Keira Olsen knocked on the table, ¡°You heard the interrogation just now, right? You also saw what happened downstairs; so, do you have anything to say to me?¡±

 Chapter 105 - 105

    Chapter 105: Chapter 105


    Connor Hill looked down at the floor with a grim expression.


    At this moment, he knew that everything was settled. There was no longer any reason to resist or deny, and he seemed much calmer than during the live broadcast.


    Handcuffed, he stood there.


    After turning around, he obediently sat at the interrogation table, his face showing a mix of anger and struggle.


    His eyes, red with anger, looked at Holly Sims, ¡°What you are doing is against the rules!¡±


    Holly Sims lowered her gaze, ¡°We were the ones who wronged Miss Olsen and Mr. Horton initially. They haven¡¯t held us accountable; I¡¯m just helping her with this small favor, what of it? Even if the department disciplines me, at most it will be a demerit; I¡¯m not afraid.¡±


    Connor Hill angrily slammed the table, ¡°You can¡¯t treat me this way; it¡¯s too cruel!¡±


    ¡°Cruel?¡± Keira Olsen stepped forward, closing in on him, ¡°Is it more cruel than you killing your own father by hand? Connor Hill, stop pretending to be innocent here. You¡¯ve seen Isla Olsen¡¯s true colors; there¡¯s no need for you to keep her secret anymore.¡±


    But Connor Hill grabbed his head, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it! She couldn¡¯t possibly betray me! How could she! There¡¯s no benefit to her! It must be you people playing tricks!¡±


    Keira Olsen spoke slowly, ¡°No benefit, you say? Who says so?¡±


    She stood up straight and looked at Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, these past few days, hasn¡¯t Isla Olsen been trying to get back together with Jake Horton, but it seems he has continuously refused to see her?¡±


    Lewis Horton cooperated, saying, ¡°The Horton family wouldn¡¯t welcome a woman who steals others¡¯ credit into the family.¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled, ¡°What about now? After her successful report, the police will award her a medal for bravery.¡±


    After Keira Olsen finished speaking, she winked at Lewis Horton.


    The girl stood gracefully, her cunning peach-blossom eyes always looking sentimental, and her current action carried more charm than others, creating ripples in people¡¯s hearts.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved, his eyes darkening.


    He shifted his gaze, cooperating and said, ¡°The Horton family needs this kind of positive image; didn¡¯t you see, Jake¡¯s attitude towards her has softened?¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow, expressing her thanks to him.


    Then she turned to Connor Hill, ¡°Do you hear that? She did all this to win that medal and open the door to the Horton family.¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s eyes nearly burst with rage, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Keira Olsen slowly approached, ¡°So, can you really tolerate her stepping on you to climb up? You might spend the rest of your life in prison, while she could marry into the Horton family and become the young mistress¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you to shut up!¡±


    Connor Hill suddenly stood up, and even though his hands were handcuffed, he smashed them down on Keira Olsen!


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Holly Sims and Lewis Horton did not expect him to suddenly rage and immediately shouted a warning, but the next moment, they saw Keira Olsen catching his wrist and forcefully pressing it on the table!


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The handcuffs clashing with the table made a crashing sound.


    Connor Hill tried to struggle, but Keira Olsen easily held him down, leaving him unable to move.


    He cracked a smile, ¡°Keira Olsen, do you think by doing this, I will tell you that secret? Forget it! I won¡¯t say anything!¡±


    Keira Olsen was slightly taken aback.


    Holly Sims had already stepped forward, quickly tying the handcuffs and the interrogation table together to prevent him from moving recklessly.


    Keira Olsen released her hold on him and frowned, questioning, ¡°It was you who called me here, saying you had something to say.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything now.¡±


    Connor Hill looked at her and Holly Sims, ¡°I admit the crime, but as the victim¡¯s son, don¡¯t I have the right to write a letter of forgiveness? That bastard drove me to desperation; I did it out of desperation! I shouldn¡¯t get the death penalty, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brow.


    Connor Hill seemed a bit off at that moment.


    She gave Holly Sims a look, and the two of them walked out of the interrogation room.


    Kiera Olsen asked first, ¡°Will you really be punished for this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Holly Sims replied, her pretty face still tense, explaining, ¡°You didn¡¯t hold us responsible and you provided evidence. Captain Lincoln and his team are feeling guilty, so how could they not help with this little favor? Besides, we never fail to protect the privacy of our reporters, and Isla Olsen isn¡¯t the one who provided the evidence.¡±


    Kiera Olsen then breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was good that she wasn¡¯t really implicated.


    Her brows furrowed, ¡°Does Connor Hill¡¯s attitude seem a bit off?¡±


    Holly Sims responded, ¡°I was about to tell you. I just asked the colleagues who arrested him. They said that when they caught him, he was frantically shouting that he wanted to see you. But then he suddenly calmed down, stopped shouting, and seemed resigned.¡±


    Kiera Olsen frowned, then suddenly asked, ¡°Can I see his phone?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Connor Hill had been arrested, and all his belongings had been confiscated.


    The colleague who got Connor Hill¡¯s phone for her happened to be the one who arrested him. He explained, ¡°It was after he saw his phone that he suddenly calmed down.¡±


    He scratched his head, ¡°After we arrested him and asked him to hand over his phone, he saw a message. He tried to delete something, but we stopped him.¡±


    Kiera Olsen turned on his phone, checked the call logs and messages without finding anything significant, then opened WhatsApp.


    His WhatsApp was blowing up, with classmates and relatives all bombarding him with questions.


    Kiera Olsen ignored everything and scrolled down.


    She saw the last message he had opened, sent by Isla Olsen.


    Upon opening it and seeing the content of the picture, her pupils slightly dilated.


    She abruptly turned around, strode into the interrogation room, and stood directly in front of Connor Hill, ¡°You¡¯re not telling me because Isla Olsen is pregnant? Is it your child?¡±


    The last message Isla Olsen sent to Connor Hill was a pregnancy test result!


    The pregnancy date was clearly written on it.


    Connor Hill laughed, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand. Isla¡¯s child is certainly Mr. Horton¡¯s. She is about to marry him, hahahaha¡­¡±


    According to the date, it was his child!


    Although Connor Hill despised Isla Olsen and wished she would join him in death, it was different now that she was carrying his child!


    He had lived his entire life in his father¡¯s shadow, looked down upon by others¡­ since he was a child, he vowed that he wouldn¡¯t let his child live the same life!


    Now, his child would become a Horton, born into wealth and honor. So even if Isla Olsen betrayed him, what of it? As long as she could give birth to his child¡­


    Kiera Olsen, observing Connor Hill¡¯s expression, knew he wouldn¡¯t speak anymore.


    But she didn¡¯t feel disappointed, instead suddenly stepping forward, her whole demeanor aggressive, ¡°Connor Hill, I¡¯m going to tell you a secret.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Actually, your phone has been monitored by us for a while. Every conversation you had with Isla Olsen, I heard it all clearly.¡±


    Connor Hill stiffened completely.


    Yet Kiera Olsen¡¯s lips curled up, ¡°Did you think that if you didn¡¯t tell me the secret, I couldn¡¯t guess it? You said Isla Olsen stole my life, so, this secret must be related to my own backstory!¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s pupils contracted!


    Kiera Olsen knew then that she had guessed correctly!


    Both she and Isla Olsen were Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughters, and the only issue with their origins could be¡­

 Chapter 106 - 106

    Chapter 106: Chapter 106


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze sparkled with a bright light, feeling as if she had just seen the brilliant colors of life.


    Could it really be as she had suspected?


    Mrs. Olsen was her mother¡­


    Only this reason could explain why Isla Olsen was blackmailed by Finley Hill for so many years, and it could also explain why Connor Hill said that Isla Olsen had stolen her life.


    Keira Olsen felt the seed of hope deep in her heart suddenly take root and sprout rapidly. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°If you say it is, then it must be,¡± she replied.


    Connor Hill, however, suddenly spoke up with his eyes reflecting a sense of relief.


    His sudden change of face caused Keira Olsen to frown, momentarily unable to get a read on him.


    Connor Hill was like a rat in the dark, having killed Finley Hill and then put on an act of wronged terror, deceiving even Captain Lincoln and Holly Sims.


    In this moment, his demeanor made Keira Olsen unsure of what was true or false.


    But she was in no rush, ¡°Connor Hill, whether it¡¯s true or not, I can get a DNA test and immediately find out. What good is your hiding?¡±


    Keira Olsen stood up straight, narrowing her eyes, ¡°You¡¯ve always said that your dad treated you poorly, left behind a ton of debt, which is why you killed him. But you¡¯ve always known, haven¡¯t you? Isla Olsen was forced by your dad to tutor you. Your dad had huge gambling debts, but you still had money for tuition and living expenses all these years, even less than ideal ones. Even at the end, your dad told you the secret, hoping you¡¯d continue to blackmail Isla Olsen¡­¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s not that you had no choice, but that you¡¯ve always been a bad seed¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Connor Hill suddenly looked up, his gaze terrifying as he stared at her.


    But Keira Olsen had already turned and left the interrogation room, nodding at Holly Sims, who then had people take Connor Hill to the detention center.


    Keira Olsen inquired, ¡°What sentence will he get?¡±


    Holly Sims spoke, ¡°Death with a reprieve, I guess. Normally once it¡¯s reprieved, he won¡¯t die, and he¡¯ll likely end up with life imprisonment.¡±


    ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t die, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Keira Olsen said slowly, ¡°If I¡¯m wrong, I still have to get the secret out of him ultimately.¡±


    Holly Sims couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Didn¡¯t he worship Isla Olsen? Will he speak?¡±


    Keira Olsen gave her a look, ¡°You really don¡¯t understand Isla Olsen at all.¡±


    Holly Sims paused, then turned her head, ¡°Back in middle school, the only person I knew was you, I only knew she was your sister¡­¡±


    Speaking of the past, Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t help but probe, ¡°Back then¡­¡±


    Holly Sims¡¯s body stiffened slightly.


    Keira Olsen knew she cared a lot about what happened back then, so she looked down and said indifferently, ¡°Back then, I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you.¡±


    Holly Sims¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you properly take the middle school exams? We agreed to get into the best high school together, we were going to work hard and study well. I know how outstanding your grades were!¡±


    Keira Olsen gave a bitter smile, ¡°Can¡¯t you just think I had an off-day?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Holly Sims said seriously, ¡°You had already self-studied the entire high school curriculum in middle school. With that knowledge, you could¡¯ve aced the test even with one eye closed, so how could it have been an off-day?¡±


    Keira Olsen sighed quietly.


    Even though she had moved out from the Olsen household in middle school, she was still in the same school as Isla Olsen.


    Back then, she had promised Holly Sims that they would get into the best high school.


    But the night before the middle school exams, Poppy Hill came to her, demanding that she not take the test. If she dared to keep entangling with Isla Olsen and attend the same high school as her, she would not let her be free.


    Keira Olsen feared telling Holly Sims in advance would affect her performance.


    So, she just quietly controlled her scores.


    After the results came out, she tried to explain, but Holly Sims wouldn¡¯t pay her any attention.


    Latter on, Kiera was busy working to pay for life and tuition, gradually losing contact with her.


    But Holly Sims was the first same-sex friend in her life and was always in her heart.


    She looked down and explained, ¡°You also saw, my mom is Poppy Hill¡ªshe would rather I die, she didn¡¯t let me attend the same high school as Isla Olsen.¡±


    Holly Sims immediately said, ¡°Then you could have told me, we could go to an ordinary high school together.¡±


    ¡°Holly Sims,¡± Kiera suddenly said the name seriously and then slowly looked up, ¡°You were born a specially privileged woman, but at that time, my life was rotten to the core. I couldn¡¯t shoulder your dreams and brilliant life.¡±


    Holly Sims was stunned.


    During the college entrance exams, she saw too many young couples who, out of love, chose to apply to mediocre universities despite high scores.


    At the time, it felt romantic.


    But after stepping into society, she realized it was a kind of naivety.


    She suddenly understood Kiera, her eyes gradually reddening, ¡°I get it now.¡±


    Kiera patted her on the shoulder and continued to walk outside.


    Holly Sims suddenly asked in a muffled voice, ¡°Was your wedding with Mr. Horton lively?¡±


    Kiera paused for a moment.


    Holly Sims then continued, ¡°We had agreed to be each other¡¯s maid of honor when we got married. You thought I blocked all your contact information, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t call me¡­ ¡±


    Kiera¡¯s eyes turned warm, ¡°We haven¡¯t had the wedding yet.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Holly Sims looked up, her eyes suddenly lighting up, ¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡±


    After finishing, feeling awkward, Holly Sims looked up and said, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not that I insist on being your maid of honor. I¡¯m just saying, when you get married, you should at least send me an invitation¡­ ¡±


    ¡°¡­But I do want you to be my maid of honor,¡± Kiera joked, ¡°So, Miss Holly Sims, can you lift me off your blacklist now? Otherwise, how can I send you an invitation?¡±


    Holly Sims immediately muttered, ¡°I released you a long time ago¡­¡±


    She had been sulking all summer, and by the first year of high school, she had already unblocked her number.


    But Kiera never reached out to her.


    Kiera didn¡¯t catch her words, ¡°What?¡±


    Holly Sims looked up, said proudly, ¡°I said, I¡¯m going to release you. But if you want me to be your maid of honor, you better prepare a big bonus.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kiera¡¯s eyes teased her gently, with a mischievous smile, ¡°Just don¡¯t dress too beautifully and steal my thunder at the time.¡±


    Holly Sims¡¯s face immediately flushed, ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m busy now.¡±


    After she ran off, Kiera finally stood up straight.


    Turning around, she suddenly caught sight of Lewis Horton just standing there, silently watching her.


    Kiera, thinking of the wedding and stuff she had just mentioned to Holly Sims, suddenly felt uneasy and hurriedly explained, ¡°Mr. Horton, don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t want to get divorced¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze was deep, his black eyes suddenly lowered, ¡°I know.¡±


    As the two left the police station, and after getting into the car, Lewis Horton asked, ¡°Going to the Olsen¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kiera couldn¡¯t wait¡ªshe was going to do a DNA test with Mrs. Olsen!

 Chapter 107 - 107

    Chapter 107: Chapter 107


    The Bentley sped along the road.


    Keira Olsen, who prioritized safe driving due to her anemia, still felt it was too slow.


    She had never anticipated anything as much as she did today, from childhood till now.


    If she truly were Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter¡­


    Just thinking about the possibility brought a smile to her peach-blossom eyes.


    The car quickly arrived at the Olsen family home, and Keira jumped out, waving at Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, wait for me here.¡±


    After she spoke, she turned to enter the house.


    But just then, the front door of the Olsen family home suddenly opened, and Taylor Olsen and Mrs. Olsen hurried out.


    Taylor¡¯s arm was covered in blood, and his face was extremely pale.


    Mrs. Olsen, supporting his uninjured arm, looked anxious, ¡°Taylor, how are you feeling? Are you dizzy? We need to go to the hospital right now¡­¡±


    The Olsen family¡¯s driver had taken the day off and was temporarily unavailable.


    Aunt South couldn¡¯t drive.


    Taylor¡¯s arms were trembling, and he couldn¡¯t drive either.


    As Mrs. Olsen was frantic, she noticed Keira and Lewis, her eyes lighting up immediately, ¡°Keira, quick, take your father and me to the hospital!¡±


    Facing a life-threatening situation, Keira had no time for anything else and immediately helped them into the car.


    They soon arrived at the hospital.


    Taylor might have lost too much blood, as he seemed quite weak now.


    Mrs. Olsen alone couldn¡¯t support his body.


    Seeing this, Keira, without disgust, supported Taylor into the emergency room.


    A nurse quickly came over and, upon seeing the situation, exclaimed in surprise, ¡°The patient needs a blood transfusion! Do you know your blood type?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Taylor weakly replied, ¡°AB-type.¡±


    The nurse immediately started running, shouting, ¡°AB-type blood, quickly, get it from the blood bank, the patient has lost so much blood, he needs an immediate transfusion!¡±


    Taylor was helped onto an emergency bed, and the nurses hurried him toward the surgery room.


    Mrs. Olsen followed closely by the bed, holding Taylor¡¯s hands, urgently saying, ¡°Taylor, you mustn¡¯t sleep, don¡¯t sleep¡­¡±


    The two disappeared down the corridor quickly.


    Keira stood dazedly at the entrance of the hospital, staring in the direction they had left, her face turning pale.


    All the joy and anticipation she had just felt suddenly vanished in that moment.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief as she watched the direction Taylor had gone¡­ she felt as though she was plunged into icy river waters, a chill suddenly racing into her heart.


    She stood there dazedly.


    Lewis Horton, who had come in with her, noticed something was off, and immediately asked, ¡°Miss Olsen? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Keira looked ahead, ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He has AB-type blood.¡±


    Lewis was stunned.


    ¡°But I have O-type blood.¡±


    Keira tried to force a smile, but it looked worse than crying.


    Lewis clenched his jaw tight.


    Just then, Poppy Hill, having heard the news, rushed in, ¡°Taylor, Taylor, how are you? Where are you? Don¡¯t scare me!¡±


    Upon seeing Keira, she immediately rushed over and grabbed her arm, ¡°Where¡¯s your dad? Which room is he in? Is he alright?¡±


    Keira looked straight at her, then suddenly chuckled lowly, ¡°Are you sure Mr. Olsen is my dad?¡±


    At that, panic flashed through Poppy Hill¡¯s eyes, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Of course, he¡¯s your dad!¡±


    Keira scoffed, her voice laced with resignation, ¡°Are you sure an AB-type blood father can have an O-type blood daughter?¡±


    Those words made Poppy Hill turn pale instantly!


    Almost reflexively, she clamped her hand over Keira¡¯s mouth, then dragged her toward the hospital doors.


    Keira, in a daze, followed her to a deserted area outside, where Poppy Hill finally let go, her expression frantic, and she hissed angrily, ¡°Shut your mouth! How can I stay at the Olsen family home if you are not Taylor¡¯s daughter?¡±


    Keira¡¯s expression turned fierce, ¡°So, he really isn¡¯t my father? Then who is my father?¡±


    Poppy¡¯s eyes flickered, clearly flustered and guilty, ¡°How should I know? I was seeing several men back then¡­¡±


    As she spoke, her eyes hardened, ¡°¡­that¡¯s right, I was just using you to get into the Olsen family. How else could a family like ours have any connection with the Olsen family? That¡¯s why I always kept you from getting close to your father since you were little. I was afraid we¡¯d be found out! I made you cater to Isla because of that too. The Olsen family owes you nothing, you owe them!¡±


    Keira clenched her fists, ¡°When I was four, you deliberately handed me over to traffickers, was it because of this?¡± S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, if you were gone, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being exposed!¡±


    Poppy asserted her rightness in these words impatiently, then waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Don¡¯t look so devastated, as if your father has died. You were never close to Taylor anyway, so what does it matter whether he¡¯s your real dad or not? Now that you¡¯ve left the Olsen family, you have no relation with them anymore! I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t say anything in front of the Olsen family that could ruin my plans!¡±


    With that, Poppy rushed toward Taylor¡¯s hospital room.


    Keira stood still in shock.


    She seemed to have entirely forgotten her initial reason for visiting the Olsen family home.


    Seeing this, Lewis suddenly took her wrist and led her toward the hospital room, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to do a DNA test with Mrs. Olsen? Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 108 - 108

    Chapter 108: Chapter 108


    Keira Olsen stood still in place.


    She clenched her fists tightly, the moonlight casting on her aloof face, coating her voice with a layer of ice, ¡°No need.¡±


    Lewis Horton pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°Actually, even if he¡¯s not your father, Mrs. Olsen could still possibly be your¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it,¡± Keira Olsen interrupted him.


    That term ¡°mother¡± would taint Mrs. Olsen¡¯s reputation!


    She lowered her eyes and said slowly, ¡°Though Taylor Olsen may favor me less, he has always been consistent towards Mrs. Olsen, never changing. With such a husband, how could Mrs. Olsen possibly have an affair? Let¡¯s not insult her.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s jaw tensed, wanting to argue, but he remained silent.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s lips twisted into a self-deprecating, shallow smile, ¡°I always thought the status of being an illegitimate daughter was already unbearable, but it turns out, it could get even worse¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton wanted to say something comforting, but Keira Olsen waved her hand, ¡°I want some peace.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Lewis Horton said faintly, stepping back silently, giving her plenty of space.


    ¡­


    Poppy Hill came to the hospital room nervously, and standing outside the door, she could hear the conversation between Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen, mentioning Keira Olsen.


    Mrs. Olsen said, ¡°¡­ after all, you and Keira have a father-daughter bond. She was very worried about you just now, perhaps you should be a bit nicer to her in the future.¡±


    Taylor Olsen, whose bleeding had stopped and vital signs were stable, sighed, ¡°Maybe you should be a bit nicer to Isla Olsen¡­¡±


    However, Mrs. Olsen suddenly lowered her voice, ¡°Taylor, don¡¯t be like that, you know very well¡­ that when I married you, I was already pregnant, and over the years I hadn¡¯t been able to bear you any children, Keira is your daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that,¡± Taylor Olsen said with a smile. ¡°When we married, I already said, your daughter is my daughter, Shirley. Over the years, I have kept my word.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes filled with touched tears, ¡°You kept your word, but it¡¯s so unfair to Keira, and unfair to you too¡­¡±


    ¡°Your willingness to leave the hustle and bustle of Clance and accompany me to the humble life in Oceanion has already been more than enough for me; there is nothing unfair about it. Let¡¯s not speak of this again.¡±


    Taylor Olsen chuckled, ¡°Besides, haven¡¯t you been so good to Keira Olsen these years, all in the hope of making amends? Shirley, she¡¯s the result of Poppy Hill¡¯s scheming, I¡¯ve never treated her as my daughter, you really don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was stunned.


    At the beginning, she might have really had that idea to be good to Keira Olsen, but as time passed and they interacted more, she truly came to like Keira Olsen¡­


    Outside the door, Poppy Hill¡¯s face turned red with anger.


    Indeed, she did drug Taylor Olsen to seduce him, and after getting pregnant, she even went forth to have amniocentesis, confirming the child was his. Yet, Taylor Olsen still would not agree to let her in.


    It was Mrs. Olsen who took her into the Olsen household afterward.


    Mrs. Olsen seemed so kindly, but in fact, her acceptance of her and the child into the home was only due to her guilt towards Taylor Olsen!!


    She got all the benefits and the reputation for kindness!


    Fortunately¡­


    Thinking about how she just scolded Keira Olsen, and recalling Keira Olsen¡¯s disbelieving face, Poppy Hill felt a perverse sense of relief swelling in her heart.


    She wouldn¡¯t let Keira Olsen off, she wanted Keira Olsen to live in pain and struggle brought on by her birth for her entire life!


    She would not let Mrs. Olsen off either, she wanted Mrs. Olsen and Keira Olsen, this mother-daughter pair, never to recognize each other for a lifetime!


    A crazed smile appeared on Poppy Hill¡¯s face.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t know how long she had been standing.


    This was the edge of the steps at the hospital entrance, her entire figure standing in a spot that the light couldn¡¯t reach, watching people come and go at the hospital doorway.


    Some joyous, others sorrowful, their faces so vivid.


    Her mood, however, was as somber as ashes.


    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when suddenly, her shoulder grew warm.


    Keira Olsen turned her head and realized that Lewis Horton had draped his suit jacket over her, that warmth isolating her from the world¡¯s cruelty.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton hesitated for a long while, finally speaking up, yet after only two words, he didn¡¯t know how to comfort her.


    As he was struggling with his thoughts, Keira Olsen spoke, ¡°I¡¯m okay, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lewis Horton was stunned, then saw the girl slowly lift her head, walking from darkness into light, the air of despondence around her gradually dissipating.


    Appreciation flashed in Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes.


    What had initially attracted him to Keira Olsen was this tenacity of hers.


    It seemed as though no matter what, even if she was knocked down, she would instantly get back up.


    She wasn¡¯t a frail and powerless dutchman¡¯s pipe; it was as if her slender body harbored endless energy, making her overly enchanting shell seem unattainable and dazzling to the eye.


    A barely noticeable smile curled up on Lewis Horton¡¯s lips, as he found a topic, ¡°Miss Olsen, what do you think is the secret that Finley Hill and Connor Hill keep talking about?¡±


    ¡°No rush.¡± Keira Olsen tilted her head, her expression wild, smiling unrestrainedly, ¡°Connor Hill will tell us.¡±


    Lewis Horton played along, ¡°Oh, I would love to hear the details.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand Isla Olsen,¡± Keira Olsen said slowly. ¡°After this is over, she won¡¯t allow a dangerous thing to affect her future.¡±


    Lewis Horton was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Just wait and see.¡±


    Keira Olsen teased, ¡°Give it at most half a month, and Isla Olsen will bring about her own downfall.¡±


    Lewis Horton nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll await the good news.¡±


    Neither spoke again; they just quietly gazed at each other.


    Tonight was probably the first time Keira Olsen hadn¡¯t felt lonely in the dead of night, as if on the road of life, she didn¡¯t always have to walk forward alone¡­


    Not far away.


    After Rebecca Allen had fallen asleep, Mr. and Mrs. Allen were also taking a walk in the hospital.


    Quite coincidentally, they arrived at the emergency room¡¯s door.


    Just as they were about to walk past, Mrs. Allen suddenly turned her head, staring at Keira Olsen in surprise, ¡°Eh?¡±


    Mr. Allen was startled and followed her gaze.


    The night was somewhat dark, and Keira Olsen stood under a streetlamp. The dim yellow light spilled onto the contours of her side profile, adding a halo that softened her sharp brows and eyes.


    Especially the way she was looking at Lewis Horton right now, gentle and resolute.


    Her neck was slender, her demeanor independent, carrying an air of distinct charm around her.


    This scene left Mr. Allen frozen in his tracks.


    His mind suddenly flashed back to over twenty years ago, the first time he saw Lady South, who was also aloof from the world.


    The woman in her forties was standing sideways to him, gazing at the sky.


    The two silhouettes gradually overlapped¡­ And it seemed as if Lady South¡¯s face in his memory became clearer!


    Mr. Allen was instantly excited, he quickly took a couple of steps towards Keira Olsen, and instinctively called out, ¡°Lady South!¡±


    Keira Olsen, hearing this address, paused slightly.

 Chapter 109 - 109

    Chapter 109: Chapter 109


    Keira Olsen turned her head and saw the somewhat discomfited expression on Mr. Allen¡¯s face. She furrowed her brows, hesitated, and then inquired, ¡°Uncle Allen, what did you just call me?¡±


    Mr. Allen came back to his senses.


    He stared blankly at Keira Olsen, hesitated and looked her up and down: ¡°South¡­¡±


    Someone tugged at his sleeve. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mrs. Allen walked up to him, interrupting him: ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Your Uncle Allen¡¯s eyes are playing tricks, Keira. What are you doing here?¡±


    Keira Olsen answered, ¡°Mr. Olsen was hospitalized, and I just brought him over.¡±


    She looked upstairs and then lowered her gaze: ¡°But now I have to leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mrs. Allen said with a smile, ¡°it¡¯s getting dark. Go home early and rest.¡±


    Keira Olsen asked, ¡°When will you return to Clance?¡±


    Mrs. Allen chuckled: ¡°No rush. Although the rehabilitation medical treatment here in Oceanion is not as good as in Clance, it¡¯s enough for Rebecca. Rebecca was worried about you and didn¡¯t want to leave. Although you¡¯re fine now, we can¡¯t change the rehabilitation training plan we¡¯ve made just like that, so we¡¯ll stay for now!¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded: ¡°Then I¡¯ll come to see Rebecca when I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    After Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton left, Mrs. Allen finally glared at Mr. Allen: ¡°What nonsense were you spouting?¡±


    Mr. Allen said with a sense of grievance, ¡°Why can¡¯t I talk about it?¡±


    Mrs. Allen sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve inquired about the situation with the Olsen Family. Keira¡¯s identity is awkward, and at first glance, she looks quite like Mrs. Olsen. But if you look closely, it¡¯s just a similarity in temperament. Lady South is Mrs. Olsen¡¯s mother, so Keira¡¯s temperament should also be somewhat similar. Without proof, what if you blurt out something and it turns out to be a huge misunderstanding in the end?¡±


    Mr. Allen touched his nose: ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t say anything, does it?¡±


    Mrs. Allen said irritably: ¡°It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t let you talk. Isn¡¯t the photo being restored? When it¡¯s fixed, you can take the picture to Keira. Wouldn¡¯t that be more persuasive?¡±


    Mr. Allen pouted: ¡°In the end, you just don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Mrs. Allen sighed, ¡°Every family cherishes their children the most, and there would be nurses, nannies, doctors all around during childbirth. Even if Mrs. Olsen came to Oceanion alone without anyone else, given her background and family history, the child¡¯s father would at least be by the hospital bed. Do you know how difficult it would be to mix up the children? So, this whole thing is too far-fetched. If it gets out, it¡¯s likely to be just a farce in the end.¡±


    Mr. Allen pouted, ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re right. Just wait for the photo.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but take out his phone and @Frankie Allen in the group: ¡°How long will the photo restoration take? Can¡¯t you speed it up?!¡±


    The reply from Frankie Allen came quickly: ¡°Your photo is severely damaged. The restorer said it will take at least five days to fix.¡±


    For the first time, Mr. Allen felt time to be so unbearable: ¡°Five days it is, then!¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton returned to the Horton Family estate.


    The car parked directly in the yard of old Mrs. Horton¡¯s residence.


    After getting out of the car and entering the living room, they saw old Mrs. Horton hadn¡¯t gone to bed yet. She was dozing off on the sofa, her head nodding bit by bit.


    The butler Fiona was beside her, forcing a smile. Seeing the two of them, she finally relaxed: ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, the master and Miss Olsen are back! You can finally be at ease, right? Please go back to your room to sleep!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton suddenly woke up and hurriedly stood up to walk towards the two of them.


    Lewis stepped forward to help her: ¡°Grandma, be careful¡­¡±


    But old Mrs. Horton walked straight past Lewis and went up to Keira Olsen, grabbing her wrist: ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, you¡¯ve finally returned!¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    Fiona couldn¡¯t help but laugh: ¡°Miss Olsen, old Mrs. Horton mentioned you a hundred times tonight. If one didn¡¯t know better, they would think you were her granddaughter. Even the master is sidelined in front of you!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately said: ¡°Where is that brat as nice as my sweet-smelling granddaughter-in-law?¡±


    Lewis Horton curled the corners of his mouth, ¡°Grandma, have you forgotten your grandson now that you have a granddaughter-in-law!¡±


    At these words, old Mrs. Horton¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°So you admit that the granddaughter-in-law is your wife?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.


    Old Mrs. Horton didn¡¯t care about him, instead turning directly to Kiera Olsen, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, this brat has taken a liking to you. What about you? Do you like this brat?¡±


    Lewis Horton touched his nose and subconsciously looked towards Kiera Olsen.


    Feeling that intense gaze, a suspicious flush crept over Kiera¡¯s cheeks, and she coughed, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll light the Calming Incense for you, and you should get some sleep.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton, not wanting to embarrass her granddaughter-in-law yet unconcerned about Lewis¡¯s pride, nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Kiera Olsen helped old Mrs. Horton into her bedroom.


    The living room was suddenly left with only Lewis Horton.


    His gaze heavy, he watched as the two left. Thinking about how Kiera Olsen hadn¡¯t answered Grandma¡¯s question, a sense of disappointment suddenly settled in his heart.


    It was then that Fiona suddenly spoke up, ¡°Sir, will you sleep here tonight or will you go back to sleep at the main house?¡±


    The Horton family estate was too large. Old Mrs. Horton required quiet for her recuperation, so they had chosen a small courtyard within the estate and built a three-story villa for her.


    Usually, old Mrs. Horton lived there, along with the family doctor and the housekeeper, where it was quiet and undisturbed.


    Since returning to the country, Lewis Horton had taken over the Horton Group, and to bolster his status as the household¡¯s head, he had always stayed at the main residence¡¯s master bedroom nearby.


    Being suddenly asked, Lewis Horton coughed, ¡°Grandma¡¯s condition is unstable. I¡¯m not at ease, so I¡¯ll stay here for the night. I can look after her.¡±


    Fiona smiled and bowed her head without exposing his true intentions, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Lewis Horton had a bedroom here.


    He walked to the door but then his footsteps hesitated momentarily.


    Immediately understanding, Fiona said, ¡°Miss Olsen¡¯s room is next to yours.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Lewis Horton lowered his gaze, ¡°Fiona, you¡¯ve been quite talkative tonight.¡±


    Fiona continued to smile.


    After Kiera Olsen had helped old Mrs. Horton fall asleep, she followed Fiona to the room she was temporarily staying in.


    The night passed without incident.


    When she woke up the next day, old Mrs. Horton was still asleep.


    Kiera Olsen tiptoed into her room to check on her.


    Just as she got close, old Mrs. Horton opened her eyes.


    Upon seeing her, she immediately smiled with a hint of surprise in her voice, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, you¡¯re back!¡±


    Kiera Olsen was taken aback, ¡°Back?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± old Mrs. Horton grasped her hand, ¡°You vanished after getting married to the brat, and I¡¯ve been searching for you for a month. Now you¡¯re finally back!¡±


    Kiera Olsen suddenly realized, old Mrs. Horton was having an episode.


    Her memory had gone back to the month after she and Lewis Horton had registered their marriage!


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s gaze darkened slightly as she suddenly asked, ¡°Grandma, do you remember how I registered for marriage with Lewis Horton?¡±


    Expecting to glean nothing substantial, to her surprise, old Mrs. Horton answered, ¡°Of course, I remember!¡±

 Chapter 110 - 110

    Chapter 110: Chapter 110


    Keira Olsen¡¯s amorous eyes sparkled slightly, her voice soft, scared to startle the old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Then how did we get our marriage certificate?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton said with a smile, ¡°I remember on that day, you were wearing a red sweater¡­¡±


    A red sweater?


    Keira Olsen paused slightly. She did indeed have a red sweater, purchased three years ago during the New Year holidays when she was alone in her rental room. She wore it to feel festive, to not feel so lonely.


    The picture on the marriage certificate also indeed showed her in that sweater.


    Old Mrs. Horton continued, ¡°The brat was wearing a black suit, and you both went to get your certificate!¡±


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brows.


    The courthouse had said that both parties must be present for marriage, and Old Mrs. Horton mentioning it again confirmed that she and Lewis Horton had indeed registered their marriage two years ago.


    Then why didn¡¯t she and Lewis Horton know about it?


    It couldn¡¯t possibly be something as clich¨¦ as both having amnesia, right?


    Moreover, she had a good memory and remembered clearly everything she had done two years prior! S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen continued to inquire, ¡°How did we meet?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton looked at her earnestly, ¡°Of course, it was because of me¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    Keira Olsen pressed further, but Old Mrs. Horton just yawned, her expression shifting from confusion to clarity, ¡°Oh, my granddaughter-in-law, why are you up so early?¡±


    The critical information wasn¡¯t obtained¡­ but it wasn¡¯t all for nothing; at least she knew their marriage was indeed orchestrated by the old lady, just not the specifics.


    They¡¯d better wait for the clinical drugs to be developed, to treat the old lady¡¯s condition first.


    Keira Olsen sighed, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s time for breakfast.¡±


    ¡­


    After Old Mrs. Horton washed up, the two sat in the dining room.


    The Horton family¡¯s housekeeper had prepared a lavish breakfast, and Keira Olsen and Old Mrs. Horton chatted while waiting for Lewis Horton.


    ¡°The brat is quite tall, he seems like he¡¯s almost one meter ninety!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton stretched out her hand to gesture, ¡°Three heads taller than me!¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled, ¡°Yes, probably over one ninety.¡±


    She herself was not short, standing at one seventy-two, but she still felt petite next to Lewis Horton.


    While they were chatting, Lewis Horton, who had finished washing up, came out.


    Old Mrs. Horton directly asked, ¡°Brat, how tall are you?¡±


    The man looked puzzled, his gaze falling on Keira Olsen, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow, ¡°Just say it.¡±


    Lewis Horton remained still, his lips pursed, remaining silent.


    Old Mrs. Horton called out, ¡°Brat, hurry and tell your granddaughter-in-law!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, he asked Keira Olsen, ¡°Then you stand up.¡±


    Keira Olsen obediently stood up.


    She thought he was about to check how much taller he was than her, but to her surprise, he stepped forward, his large hand wrapping around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Her mind went blank for a moment.


    The man had probably just finished working out. Even through his clothing, she could feel the firmness of his chest muscles. He had just taken a shower, his hair was still damp, and his body carried a moist scent along with the fragrance of herbal shower gel.


    A blush crept over Keira Olsen¡¯s face, puzzled, she looked up only to see the man looking down at her intently, ¡°Is this okay?¡±


    Keira Olsen blinked her eyes, ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Still want to keep hugging?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Her mind froze for several seconds before she finally understood, subconsciously pushing Lewis Horton away, and said with a laugh, ¡°I meant to report my height, not this kind of hug¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    It was then that Lewis Horton realized his blunder, and his ears suddenly turned red.


    Old Mrs. Horton burst into laughter beside them, ¡°This hug is better than that report¡­ hug more when you have the time, and quickly give me a great-grandson¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen held back her laughter and hurriedly sat down.


    Lewis Horton couldn¡¯t help but glance at her, seeing the girl¡¯s eyes sparkling like autumn waters, the corners of her amorous eyes shimmering enchantingly, like a dazzling dahlia blooming on a cliff, radiant yet uniquely aloof.


    He withdrew his gaze, and just as he was about to sit down beside Old Mrs. Horton, a voice came in: ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, you just got home, we¡¯ve come to join you for breakfast!¡±


    The people were not yet seen, but their words arrived first.


    The three of them turned their heads and saw Melissa Knight, Jake Horton¡¯s mother, walking in with a smile.


    Following closely were Nathan Horton, Lewis Horton¡¯s father, Oliver Horton, Jake¡¯s father and Lewis¡¯s older brother, Jake Horton¡­ and Isla Olsen.


    As they entered, Fiona immediately had the servants busy themselves.


    New tableware was brought out from the kitchen by everyone and placed on the dining table.


    Nathan Horton directly took a seat opposite Old Mrs. Horton at the long dining table, effectively sitting in the secondary host position.


    Oliver Horton sat down in the first seat below him, with Jake Horton naturally sitting beside him¡­


    Melissa Knight then walked over to Keira Olsen, smilingly said, ¡°Miss Olsen, please make some room.¡±


    Keira Olsen paused, and before she could react, Melissa Knight had already moved her place settings slightly to the chair next to her, grasping Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s hand with a cheerful smile, before Old Mrs. Horton could speak:


    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ve come today to bring you good news!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen instinctively glanced at Isla Olsen¡¯s stomach, could it be this kind of good news?


    As she thought, Old Mrs. Horton also inquired, ¡°What good news?¡±


    Melissa Knight waved Isla Olsen over, who then came to her side: ¡°Your great-granddaughter-in-law, she has made a notable contribution to the police department, and the police want to give her public recognition! This is a great thing for the Horton Family!¡±


    For a prominent family like the Horton Family, reputation matters most.


    Having a daughter-in-law with such a commendable public image is extremely beneficial to them.


    Isla Olsen smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s all part of my duties.¡±


    However, Melissa Knight shook her head, ¡°That¡¯s not the way to put it, you did splendidly this time, I will have the Horton Group PR team highlight this achievement to ensure you have a grand wedding with Jake! From now on, you¡¯ll be his legal wife! The hostess of this household!¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened, her heart bursting with joy.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Connor Hill to bring her such honor!


    Feeling proud, she glanced at Keira Olsen and then smiled, ¡°Aunt, thank you for your kindness.¡±


    Melissa Knight suddenly changed her tone, ¡°You deserve it too, having such a positive image, from now on, whenever you step out, you will represent Jake¡¯s image, and the family¡¯s investment in you will not be in vain.¡±


    After saying this, she glanced at Keira Olsen, then smilingly continued, ¡°Lewis, your wife has been studying abroad for the past few years, there¡¯s no need for her to rush back, let Isla take care of the household matters from now on. With the honor from the police and the good reviews from outside, she comes from a good background, and since she¡¯s presentable, we, the Horton Family, should support her¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t say a word.


    Melissa Knight then gave up the seat, ¡°Come, Isla, sit here! Accompany your great grandmother for the meal~¡±


    After finishing, she seemed to remember something, turning to Keira Olsen: ¡°Oh dear, my fault for overlooking Miss Olsen here as a guest, but you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Just then, her phone buzzed.


    Keira Olsen checked it and found that ¡°Josh Josh¡± had sent her a message on Weibo: [Ms. Keira, I¡¯ve uncovered a secret! That Isla Olsen is not the hero who exposed Connor Hill! She¡¯s in cahoots with Connor Hill, I have evidence! Releasing it soon!]

 Chapter 111 - 111

    Chapter 111: Chapter 111


    Josh the journalist was stubborn and always needed to investigate things he found unreasonable.


    It was like this for her before.


    It was the same with Isla now.


    Keira Olsen lifted her lips in a smirk, ¡°It¡¯s good to let her go, lest Isla really thinks she is some kind of heroic figure.¡±


    Just as she put away her phone, she heard Isla¡¯s pretentious voice, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s not that Kiera is ignoring you, it¡¯s just her personality. Please don¡¯t take it personally¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Turning her head, she noticed that Melissa Knight¡¯s expression had darkened. Upon hearing this, Melissa sneered, ¡°Miss Olsen, didn¡¯t your mother teach you to be polite when visiting someone¡¯s home? How can you ignore someone when an elder speaks to you?¡±


    Lewis Horton sat opposite and upon hearing this, his eyes darkened. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the glamorous woman lazily lift her eyes and say, ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Melissa Knight sneered, ¡°I said to let Isla sit next to old Mrs. Horton, as she has a lot more to tell her. You wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡±


    At this, Keira Olsen shook her head.


    Melissa Knight thought she meant she didn¡¯t mind and was about to say something else when Keira Olsen slowly said, ¡°Sorry, I do mind.¡±


    Melissa Knight was taken aback: ¡°You!¡±


    Keira Olsen shrugged: ¡°I have no home training, so of course I don¡¯t know manners well, do I?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    For a moment, Melissa Knight was rendered speechless by her retort.


    Prominent families always value face the most. How come Keira Olsen doesn¡¯t play by the usual rules?


    Deliberately, Keira Olsen picked up the cutlery she had pushed aside.


    Isla then spoke, ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t blame Kiera. It¡¯s my fault. Her mother¡¯s position is special and didn¡¯t teach her well from childhood. As her older sister, I also didn¡¯t play a supervisory role¡­¡±


    Melissa Knight scoffed, ¡°What does this have to do with you? An illegitimate daughter can¡¯t be shown in public!¡±


    At this, Lewis Horton suddenly looked at her, his deep eyes exuding a chill, ¡°Is that an appropriate thing to say, sister-in-law? Denigrating a guest to her face, is that the Dawson family¡¯s upbringing?¡±


    Melissa Knight choked, then looked aggrievedly at Nathan Horton, ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    Nathan Horton, in his sixties, slapped the table hard, ¡°Lewis, who taught you to speak to your sister-in-law like that?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression was indifferent; he didn¡¯t say a word.


    Yet the nearly eighty-five-year-old Old Mrs. Horton clapped her hands on the table, ¡°Enough! Did you come here to eat or to cause trouble? The daughter-in-law is the brat¡¯s wife, and she is the lady of this house! Show her some respect!¡±


    Everyone was startled and turned to look at Keira Olsen, ¡°Daughter-in-law?¡±


    Isla quickly explained, ¡°Great Grandmother mistook Kiera for Mr. Horton¡¯s wife¡­¡±


    Then everyone understood.


    Melissa Knight said in a mocking tone, ¡°I was wondering why you were suddenly so nice to a stranger, but some people should have a little self-awareness, should know exactly what their status is¡­ Lewis, you just tacitly let the old Mrs. Horton misrecognize her, but when your wife returns to the country, how will you explain it to her?¡±


    Lewis Horton glanced at Keira Olsen and said indifferently, ¡°She won¡¯t mind.¡±


    When Melissa Knight wanted to speak again, Old Mrs. Horton directly turned to her, ¡°It seems to me that you didn¡¯t come here to eat at all. Speak up, what is your purpose in coming here? Hurry up and leave after you¡¯re done, don¡¯t spoil my mood to dine with my granddaughter-in-law!¡±


    Melissa Knight immediately forced a smile and looked towards Oliver Horton.


    Oliver Horton, who was forty-two, coughed and said, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s like this, Isla Olsen is an outstanding person who graduated from Oceanion University, and now she has become quite famous online. You might not know, but the internet is all praises for our family¡¯s integrity, saying we choose spouses based on their character. The news about Isla helping the police solve cases has already spread, shouldn¡¯t such an excellent great-granddaughter-in-law be rewarded?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton furrowed her brow, ¡°Then reward her yourself!¡±


    Oliver Horton twitched the corners of his mouth, said nothing, and turned to look at Melissa Knight. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Melissa Knight felt that getting a word out of her husband was truly difficult, so she had to return to the topic, ¡°Grandma, we gave her something, but shouldn¡¯t you also show some gesture?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton didn¡¯t understand, ¡°What am I supposed to show?¡±


    ¡°When Lewis got a wife, you gave his wife three percent of the shares. Now it¡¯s Isla¡¯s turn, didn¡¯t you say last time you would give two percent?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton took a deep breath and glanced at Isla Olsen, ¡°I¡¯m not giving it to her.¡±


    Melissa Knight was taken aback, ¡°Why not?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton said, ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately bit her lip, bowed her head, and a hint of hatred flashed in her eyes.


    Stupid old hag!


    She pleaded grievously, ¡°Great Grandmother, I know I made mistakes before, but I have changed¡­ How will I stand in the Horton family if you do this to me?¡±


    She bowed her head, wiping her tears.


    Jake Horton furrowed his brows, ¡°Great Grandmother, you¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Lewis Horton gave him a stern look, scaring him into shutting his mouth immediately.


    It was Melissa Knight who disregarded everything, ¡°Grandma, you can¡¯t be so biased! You have always favored Lewis since he was young, which we understand, but what about now? All the wives married into the family from outside, and you being so biased, do you have an issue with our first branch of the family?¡±


    After that, she started crying and looked at Nathan Horton, ¡°Dad, when I married into the family, I didn¡¯t get any shares. It all started with Lewis. It was agreed upon that Jakewould get two percent when he married. Now that Isla is so outstanding, awarding her the shares would sound so commendable! Why is Grandmother so biased? Does our first branch of the family even have a status here anymore? Or is it that, for Grandmother, only Lewis is her grandson and our first branch isn¡¯t?¡±


    Nathan Horton then looked at Old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Mom, as the Family Head, you can¡¯t be so biased! It was okay to dislike Isla and not give her anything before, but now that Isla is so outstanding and everyone outside is praising her, if you, as the head of the family, don¡¯t make some gesture, it¡¯s really disgraceful! Even for the sake of the Horton family, you should at least give her some symbolic reward!¡±


    Seeing this, Isla Olsen immediately went up to Old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Great Grandmother, I really know my mistakes, if you are still angry, then punish me¡­ Whatever you ask, I will do, just to appease you! Should I continue to kneel in the ancestral hall?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Melissa Knight spoke up, ¡°You are now seen as a hero by the public, kneeling in the ancestral hall, how would that look if it gets out? Do we, the Horton family, want to lose face like that? Is this how you treat someone about to be awarded by the police, and highly recognized by society? What if the media writes something disorderly? Grandmother, can¡¯t you consider more for the reputation of the Horton family?¡±


    While the group was confronting Old Mrs. Horton, Keira Olsen¡¯s phone buzzed again.


    She picked it up and saw a tweet from Josh: #Miss Olsen never provided any evidence, she deceived everyone!#

 Chapter 112 - 112

    Chapter 112: Chapter 112


    Keira Olsen opened the Weibo post and saw that it was a video shot by Josh.


    In the video, Isla Olsen and Connor Hill met, hiding in a corner. Because they were distant, it wasn¡¯t clear what they were saying. Only Connor Hill seemed very agitated.


    Josh tried to get closer. His camera, sneaking up through an inconspicuous corner, eventually picked up their voices. It was Isla talking, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. As long as you don¡¯t slip up, the police have no evidence. You handled this perfectly!¡±


    But Connor Hill replied anxiously, ¡°But now the reporters are all chasing me¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Isla exclaimed, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Both of them turned around and looked toward the camera.


    Josh¡¯s camera immediately shifted aside, capturing the ground instead.


    Then it was Isla¡¯s voice, ¡°What did you capture?¡±


    Josh spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m a journalist. I have the right to publish whatever I¡¯ve captured!¡±


    Isla took a deep breath, ¡°How much money do you want? I can give it to you! Just delete the video!¡±


    Connor Hill also pressed closer, ¡°Yes, delete the video, or you won¡¯t get out of here today!¡±


    The menace in that voice sent shivers down one¡¯s spine.


    Josh was clearly nervous, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll delete it now.¡±


    His camera went dark.


    However, Connor Hill and Isla might not understand that surveillance technology has also advanced a lot by now. At least, the footage shot by reporters could be transmitted in real-time to online storage.


    After Josh released the video, he immediately posted a Weibo: ¡°Ms. Olsen and Connor Hill were caught in a disgraceful act. They looked vicious when I pretended to cooperate with them to delete the video. Afterwards, I was the one who received an anonymous recording and handed it over to the police, yet Ms. Olsen shamelessly took the credit for it!¡±


    Josh didn¡¯t have many followers, so his post did not attract much attention.


    Josh sent the Weibo link to Ms. Keira, then he made a request: [Ms. Keira, the voice of one person may not be heard by society. Could you help me share it?]


    Ms. Keira¡¯s Weibo account had several million followers.


    Back when she was working part-time as a journalist, her posts were fair and neat, earning her widespread admiration. Later, she made headlines for exposing a major corporation¡¯s pollution issues, which went viral.


    People highly trusted the news she posted.


    Over the years, whenever there were reports that couldn¡¯t make themselves heard, people in the journalist community would often ask for her help.


    If the case was confirmed, Ms. Keira would help to share it.


    Each time she shared a Weibo post, it would receive considerable public attention.


    The Weibo post from Josh, of course, did not need an investigation.


    From beginning to end, Ms. Keira was a participant. She fully understood the truth, so she chose to share it directly. Almost the moment it was published, people jumped out:


    ¡ªMs. Keira is playing the hero again!


    ¡ªLet¡¯s see what¡¯s the issue this time?


    ¡ªThe thing about Ms. Olsen bravely turning in a recording that¡¯s been loudly proclaimed on the internet, it¡¯s fake?! Damn! No wonder the police haven¡¯t issued any reward announcement. I actually thought it was true!


    ¡ª¡ª¡±Someone just said that Miss Olsen is going to marry into the Horton family, the wealthiest Horton family in Oceanion? They are considering marrying someone with that kind of character?¡±


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    After forwarding the message, Keira Olsen didn¡¯t look at the online comments anymore.


    She slowly put away her phone and looked at the exquisite breakfast on the table.


    If the argument continued and she didn¡¯t eat, it would get cold, which would be such a waste!


    Thinking this, a pair of chopsticks suddenly reached over and placed a croissant on her plate.


    Keira Olsen blinked in slight surprise.


    Looking up, she met Lewis Horton¡¯s smiling eyes.


    Keira Olsen suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and quickly looked around, but noticed that everyone else was focused on shares, paying no attention to their subtle interaction.


    Relieved, she quietly let out a breath, lowered her head, and took a bite of the croissant. The rich flavor of crab roe burst in her mouth, so delicious she could almost bite off her tongue.


    Her eyes slightly brightened as she ate and waited for the situation to ferment on Weibo, eager to see the true colors of the people from the first branch of the Horton family.


    Unfortunately, at this moment they had not noticed the shift in the situation and were still aggressively forcing old Mrs. Horton to give up the shares.


    The old lady furiously slapped the table and shouted, ¡°So what if I am biased? Over the years, if I hadn¡¯t been biased, Lewis would have been marginalized in this family without a position!¡±


    She stood up, and even at over eighty, though her height had diminished and she was frail and lean, her every move still exuded elegance and dominance. ¡°Nathan Horton, tell me, they¡¯re both your sons, but you only see the eldest in your eyes; when did you ever care about the brat?¡±


    ¡°When he was so little, lying in the hospital filled with tubes, at death¡¯s door, your fourteen-year-old eldest son had just a minor cold, yet you left the newborn brat in the hospital to take care of your son!¡±


    ¡°The brat survived the first hurdle, and after coming home, you ignored him again, always revolving around the eldest. If I, as his grandmother, hadn¡¯t shown favoritism toward him, he might¡¯ve been long forgotten by you!¡±


    ¡°And about the shares, I don¡¯t like Isla Olsen, so I shouldn¡¯t give? Whose rule is that? When the brat got married and came home to tell everyone, didn¡¯t I say to take out two percent of the shares and give them to the brat? What did you say then?¡±


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like that wife who couldn¡¯t be presented publicly, that the shares were yours to give or withhold as you liked, and nobody could force you. Now, you¡¯re coming to force me?¡±


    Caught off-guard, Nathan Horton furrowed his brows. ¡°Mom, all those things are in the past, why bring them up now? The current situation is special. Lewis¡¯s wife isn¡¯t well known either, and Isla Olsen is different. Though we, the Horton family, are the wealthiest in Oceanion and merely businessmen, society loves businessmen with a sense of loyalty. Now is the time to elevate Isla Olsen¡¯s status, which would give the Horton Group a positive image. So, let¡¯s not talk about the past, shall we?¡±


    The old lady picked up a rice bowl from the table and slammed it down hard: ¡°Not let me mention it, nor let me be biased? Then let¡¯s be fair! If you want me to give shares to Isla Olsen, that¡¯s fine, but first give shares to your daughter-in-law!¡±


    Nathan Horton¡¯s brow furrowed further.


    At that moment, the usually silent Oliver Horton spoke up with a smile, ¡°Dad, grandma is right. We have to be fair in this family. Since that¡¯s the case, you might as well make up the shares for Lewis¡¯s wife.¡±


    Nathan Horton wanted to speak, but Oliver Horton gave him a meaningful look.


    After a moment of thought, Nathan Horton suddenly understood. He immediately smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I gave Oliver¡¯s wife two percent of the shares back then, so I¡¯ll give Lewis two percent now. Mom, you gave Lewis¡¯s wife five percent back then, so you should also give Isla Olsen five percent now! That would be fair!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton choked upon hearing this.


    She suddenly forgot¡ªthe shares were not the same!


    Lewis Horton was able to sit in the CEO¡¯s position because the combined shares of him and old Mrs. Horton were exactly fifty-one percent. If they proceeded with this distribution, then the shares of the first branch of the Horton family would exceed those of Lewis Horton, and the Horton Group would fall into the hands of the first branch!


    But now that the words were out, she couldn¡¯t take them back. What was she to do?!


    Nathan Horton immediately looked towards Lewis Horton and directly asked, ¡°Lewis, what do you think?¡±

 Chapter 113 - 113

    Chapter 113: Chapter 113


    Old Mrs. Horton furrowed her brows, her gaze shifting to Lewis Horton in panic.


    It was over, Nathan Horton had got a hold on her, and if the brat didn¡¯t agree, it would be seen as suppressing his elder brother. How could he keep his standing in the Horton Group after that?


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately coughed, deciding to act shamelessly! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, she was sick, and everybody knew it. It was better for her to act shamelessly than for the brat to be criticized.


    Just as Old Mrs. Horton was about to speak, the voice of Lewis Horton suddenly came: ¡°I can.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton: ?


    She was immediately shocked and incredulously looked at Lewis Horton, ¡°Brat?¡±


    Lewis Horton gave her a reassuring look before turning to Nathan Horton, ¡°I think you¡¯re right. In that case, why don¡¯t you transfer the shares to me¡­ my wife.¡±


    Ever since they announced their marriage to the public, he often mentioned ¡°my wife¡± at home.


    It was all pretend, so he didn¡¯t feel much about it.


    But today¡­


    As he uttered those two words again, they suddenly felt scalding on his tongue.


    He glanced at Kiera Olsen subconsciously, seeing her head down eating croissants, seemingly indifferent, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, at the same time, he felt an inexplicable sense of loss.


    ¡­She seemed not to care about this marriage arrangement at all. Well, after all, they had agreed to divorce in the future.


    A shadow flickered in the depths of Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes.


    He didn¡¯t see that Kiera Olsen¡¯s movements while eating had subtly paused, and a faint blush spread across her cheeks.


    ¡°My wife¡±, Lewis Horton pronounced the words smoothly, his voice deep. These two words were like a slight electric current, sweeping through her heart.


    It felt a bit sweet.


    A smile she couldn¡¯t suppress curled up her lips.


    Then she heard Nathan Horton frown, ¡°It¡¯s fine to transfer first, but the share transfer agreement isn¡¯t ready yet¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡±


    Lewis Horton cut him off, waving his hand breezily as Tom Davis came in smiling, handing a contract to Nathan Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, please sign.¡±


    Nathan Horton: ?


    His brows furrowed as he looked down, spotting a transfer agreement.


    It was declared to the public that Horton Family was transferring shares to a daughter-in-law, but in truth on the contract, it was Nathan Horton transferring two percent of the shares to Lewis Horton.


    He didn¡¯t object though.


    It was still within the Hortons, after all. He wouldn¡¯t trust an outsider with it.


    He looked up at Lewis Horton with a cold sneer, ¡°You sure are well-prepared! What, you haven¡¯t fully taken over the Horton Family yet, and you¡¯re already eyeing my shares?¡±


    His words were quite unreasonable.


    The croissant in Kiera Olsen¡¯s mouth suddenly felt less delicious, now seeing the complicated mess in this powerful man¡¯s family.


    A biased father, a green-tea elder brother, and a sister-in-law who could stir trouble¡­


    Lewis Horton remained neither servile nor overbearing, his posture still composed and calm, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who came to Great Grandmother for shares first today? I don¡¯t have the ability to predict that you would give me shares in advance.¡±


    Tom Davis explained with a smile, ¡°This share transfer document was originally prepared for Old Mrs. Horton with two percent of the shares written on it. Now, it¡¯s merely a change of name¡­¡±


    Nathan Horton snorted but said nothing, quickly signing on the contract that Tom Davis handed him.


    He continued, ¡°Since the transfer document is already prepared, let¡¯s just change the shares to five percent, and have old Mrs. Horton sign it as well.¡±


    Tom Davis laughed, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll go make the changes now, it might take a few minutes.¡±


    Lewis Horton said indifferently, ¡°A few minutes shouldn¡¯t be too long to wait, right?¡±


    Nathan Horton remained silent.


    However, Melissa Knight couldn¡¯t let the atmosphere cool down, so she immediately smiled brightly, ¡°We can wait, we can wait¡­ Come on, let¡¯s all sit down and have a meal. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had breakfast here at Grandma¡¯s, I¡¯ve really missed it!¡±


    She didn¡¯t argue with Keira Olsen over the seating anymore and took a seat next to Nathan Horton, allowing Isla Olsen to sit between her and Keira Olsen.


    Tom Davis took the share transfer agreement and went to the study.


    The dining table seemed to have regained its calm and tranquility.


    Melissa Knight was very friendly towards Isla Olsen, even serving her some dishes, ¡°Isla, you are now the face of the Horton family. Eat more.¡±


    A hint of pride flashed across Isla¡¯s face.


    She subconsciously looked at Jake Horton, only to see his gaze wandering, but always occasionally sweeping over Keira Olsen.


    Isla¡¯s expression slightly darkened.


    She clenched her fists and lowered her eyes.


    Suddenly, she smiled slightly and turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, are you getting used to living here at home?¡±


    Keira Olsen was eating her meal seriously and looked at her puzzled upon hearing this.


    Isla: ¡°Dad asked me to remind you that the Horton family has a large estate and a large home. When you stay here, remember not to wander around or disturb the other members of the Horton family. He also said that when you¡¯ve stayed enough, head back home early since, after all, your husband is also waiting for you at home!¡±


    After saying this, she suddenly realized something, ¡°Keira, I just remembered, your husband doesn¡¯t have a house or a car now, does he? You don¡¯t have a place to stay, right? Jake, I remember you have an apartment downtown. How about giving it to Keira to thank her for saving Great Grandmother¡¯s life?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    The implication was clear ¡ª repay the kindness with money, and then she wouldn¡¯t expect to stay here any longer!


    Isla was clearly behaving like the hostess now!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s lips curled, ¡°In your heart, does Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s life only worth an apartment?¡±


    Isla choked, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I¡¯m just concerned about you¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen lowered her eyes, ¡°Stop being hypocritical here. Wait until you marry into the Horton family, then you can be concerned about me.¡±


    Isla¡¯s face turned ugly, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Melissa Knight frowned, ¡°Miss Olsen, Isla is about to receive the shares, and she¡¯s practically married to Jake. As she¡¯s now practically the hostess, is this how you speak to the host when visiting someone¡¯s home?¡±


    Isla bowed her head in silence.


    Jake Horton immediately spoke up, ¡°Keira Olsen, don¡¯t think that just because the Great Grandmother dotes on you, you can do whatever you want here! Isla is my wife, and showing her disrespect is disrespecting me!¡±


    Keira Olsen was about to retort when Lewis Horton spoke calmly, ¡°Who taught you to treat guests of the elders like this? Does the Horton family have such rules?¡±


    Jake Horton was momentarily at a loss for words.


    Melissa Knight then said, ¡°Lewis, this is clearly a matter between Keira and Isla. Isla is our Horton family¡¯s recognized daughter-in-law, and now she has a good reputation too. Are you going to let her be wronged just to side with an outsider?¡±


    Lewis Horton, however, snorted, ¡°Good reputation? Are you sure?¡±


    Melissa Knight was stunned by his response.


    Lewis Horton then placed his phone on the table, ¡°Before you speak, I suggest you all turn on your phones, look at the trending topics on Weibo, and then talk about whether she is really the good daughter-in-law you think she is!!¡±

 Chapter 114 - 114

    Chapter 114: Chapter 114


    As these words were spoken, the entire dinner table fell abruptly silent.


    Melissa Knight asked, puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s going on with the trending topics on Weibo? All I¡¯ve seen on Weibo¡¯s hot search today has been praise for Isla, and I¡¯ve always known that!¡±


    She was the one who had instructed the PR department to do that.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s praise?¡±


    The indifferent remark from Lewis Horton sent a wave of ominous foreboding through Melissa Knight¡¯s heart.


    She immediately took out her phone and opened the Weibo hot search.


    At the same time, Jake Horton¡¯s phone also rang¡ªit was a call from the Horton Group¡¯s PR department!


    After Jake picked up, whatever was said on the other end caused his expression to change drastically. He hung up in disbelief, opened the Weibo app on his phone, and looked at the trending video.


    Kiera Olsen was clueless about what had happened and hesitantly asked, ¡°Jake, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You still have the nerve to ask what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Before Jake could respond, Melissa Knight had already swept all the utensils on the dinner table, scattering them all over Kiera!


    The hot porridge that had just been served scalded Kiera, causing her to jump up. Before she could speak, Melissa Knight had already stood up, swinging her arm¡­


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    The crisp sound of a slap echoed throughout the room.


    Kiera stood there in shock, covering her face, seemingly still not understanding what had just happened, ¡°Aunt, what exactly is going on?¡±


    Melissa Knight sneered, ¡°Look at Weibo!¡±


    It was only when Kiera checked Weibo that she realized she had been harshly criticized.


    It turns out that after Josh¡¯s Weibo post was shared by Ms. Keira, it immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention. That¡¯s why it had become the number one trending topic in such a short amount of time.


    Moreover, after the police station¡¯s investigation, they had announced the reward information, giving Josh a verbal commendation and issued a certificate.


    All the dust had settled, and there was no room for turning back!


    Kiera Olsen had previously taken Keira Olsen¡¯s credit, and after being exposed, at most a few people knew about it. But this time it was different, everyone knew her two-faced true colors, and she had completely fallen this time!


    Kiera stood bewildered in place.


    Tom Davis chose the perfect time to enter the room, holding the contract with a grin, ¡°Mr. Horton, I have finished modifying the contract. Do we need to sign the share transfer agreement now? Share transfers must be made public.¡±


    Lewis Horton said coldly, ¡°With a daughter-in-law like this, are you sure you still want her? If the Hortons let her in, we would turn into a joke!¡±


    Hearing this, Melissa Knight clenched her fists tightly and pointed fiercely towards the door, ¡°Get out! Get out of here! The marriage between our two families is off!¡±


    Kiera tried to explain something, ¡°Aunt, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth! If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯m calling security!¡±


    Kiera Olsen was trembling all over. She looked at Jake Horton, but the man was glaring at her, disbelief in his eyes, making it clear he would not speak on her behalf anymore.


    Kiera Olsen lowered her head, ¡°I will leave right now.¡±


    After she left, the dining room remained deadly quiet.


    Tom Davis continued, ¡°So about this share transfer agreement¡­ are we still signing it?¡±


    Melissa Knight: !


    Both Nathan Horton and Oliver Horton tensed their jaws.


    Only at this moment did they finally realize that they had suffered a loss today!


    Not only did they fail to secure the five percent of shares, but they also experienced a two percent loss!


    Nathan Horton was so angry his chest was heaving; he glared at Oliver Horton, then let out a cold huff, stood up, and stormed off.


    Oliver Horton stood as well, ¡°Dad, let me take you home¡­¡±


    As both men left, it was a joke for Melissa Knight and Jake Horton to stay behind. They had arrived high and mighty, only to leave with their tails between their legs.


    ¡­


    Isla Olsen got into the car and quickly returned to the Olsen Family home.


    She was still covered with rice grains, looking disheveled.


    As soon as she entered, Taylor Olsen was already there to greet her, ¡°Isla, how did it go? Jake picked you up early this morning to go to the Horton Family. Did you get the shares?¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Taylor Olsen noticed the expression on Isla¡¯s face, and he froze, ¡°Isla, what happened to you? Shirley! Come quick!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, who had been resting upstairs, heard and came down with Aunt South¡¯s assistance.


    Seeing Isla¡¯s condition, Mrs. Olsen frowned.


    Taylor Olsen helped Isla sit on the sofa, his face full of anger, ¡°Who did this to you? The Hortons? They dare to bully my daughter, I¡¯m going to confront them!¡±


    But as he reached the doorway, he was called back by Isla, ¡°Dad, no, come back!¡±


    Taylor Olsen stopped in his tracks, ¡°Isla, then tell me, what exactly happened?¡±


    Before Isla could speak, Mrs. Olsen had already walked up to them.


    Since she stopped coughing at night, she had been resting well recently, and her complexion had improved a lot, no longer as pale as paper, although she still looked frail and ill.


    Yet she stood with the poise of winter bamboo, graceful and upright.


    She spoke slowly, ¡°Is it about the trending topic online?¡±


    Isla¡¯s pupils contracted, she lowered her head, covered her face with her hands, and started to cry, ¡°Mom, I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose, Connor Hill came looking for me and I was scared stiff by him. He threatened me and told me not to say anything. If I did, he would come after me! I was too scared to say anything at that time¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen scolded in disappointment, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, why didn¡¯t you tell the truth when you were questioned at the police station?!¡±


    Between tears Isla said, ¡°Because when Jake thought it was me who did it, he was very kind to me and I really like Jake. I didn¡¯t want to be separated from him, so I didn¡¯t deny it¡­ I didn¡¯t expect the Horton Family to use this incident to make headlines, to make it trend online¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen scoffed coldly, ¡°Isla, even at this point, you¡¯re still making excuses for your vanity and dishonesty!¡±


    Isla suddenly looked up, ¡°Mom! I¡¯m really not, please, can you help me? Talk to the Hortons, I know you can fix this¡­ Ask them not to call off the engagement!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen sighed, ¡°The Hortons are calling off the engagement now? Then you just stay at home. My health hasn¡¯t been good and I haven¡¯t raised you right. From now on, I¡¯ll be keeping a close eye on you!¡±


    Taylor Olsen, who had also finished reading the social media posts, quickly said, ¡°Shirley, don¡¯t be angry, it¡¯s a small matter. The child is just a little vain, blinded by fame and fortune. Don¡¯t get upset¡­¡±


    Jodie South immediately shook her head, ¡°Taylor, don¡¯t you make excuses for her! Stop spoiling her. It¡¯s our fault as parents for not teaching her well. From now on, we cannot continue to indulge her like this¡­¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, Isla looked up incredulously at Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Mom! I got hurt outside and you don¡¯t comfort me when I come home, you even scold me?!¡±


    Leaving those words behind, she got up and ran upstairs.


    Suddenly, a shout from the nanny came from upstairs, ¡°Miss!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen rushed upstairs, just in time to see Isla running to the third-floor garden, climbing up the railing, and acting as if she were going to jump off.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s legs went weak, ¡°Isla!¡±


    ¡°Mom, go to the Hortons right now, I want this marriage! Otherwise, I¡¯ll jump from here!!¡±

 Chapter 115 - 115

    Chapter 115: Chapter 115


    Isla Olsen screamed furiously. She knew Mrs. Olsen had an extraordinary background and was definitely capable of handling the situation for her.


    Just like with the Allen Family back then¡­


    The Allen Family from Clance, a prestigious household that even the Horton Family did not want to offend lightly, showed great courtesy towards Mrs. Olsen.


    Isla looked at her and yelled, ¡°Mom, I know you can do it! Help me this one last time¡­ ¡±


    Mrs. Olsen looked at her frenzied daughter, a trace of disappointment flickering in her eyes.


    Though she appeared weak, she had always been strong-willed, which was how she had managed to get to where she was.


    Mrs. Olsen let out a bitter laugh, her weakened legs gradually straightening as her trembling body slowly regained composure. She scoffed, ¡°Then jump down!¡±


    Isla was stunned.


    Mrs. Olsen lowered her gaze: ¡°This is the third floor. If you jump, you¡¯ll at most break some bones. Even if you end up in a wheelchair for the rest of your life, the Olsen family can still support you!¡±


    Isla bit her lip hard, ¡°Mom!¡±


    Taylor Olsen was also taken aback, ¡°Shirley! Don¡¯t say things in anger! Isla, don¡¯t be rash! Let¡¯s talk this over calmly. Come back now!¡±


    However, Mrs. Olsen just scoffed, ¡°Taylor, her failing is my fault, not yours. She wants glory and wealth, then let her jump if she wants!¡±


    Taylor Olsen wanted to say something when suddenly, he heard Isla¡¯s roar, ¡°You don¡¯t care if I become crippled, but do you also not care about the child in my belly?!¡±


    At that, Mrs. Olsen was shocked, ¡°What?¡±


    Tears welled up in Isla¡¯s eyes, ¡°I¡¯m carrying Jake¡¯s child. Jumping from here wouldn¡¯t kill me, but what about the baby?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen clenched her jaw.


    Isla cried, ¡°Mom, I want to marry Jake, not just for the status and wealth, but also for this child! I¡¯m begging you, I don¡¯t want to be a single mother. I don¡¯t want this child to grow up fatherless¡­¡±


    Her words struck Mrs. Olsen like a dagger.


    It was as if she saw her past self¡­


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s gaze flickered, and he supported her arm, ¡°Shirley, don¡¯t be so cruel to the child¡­ Isla is still young, her mistakes are forgivable as long as she corrects them.¡±


    Isla knew to soften Mrs. Olsen. She cried harder, ¡°Mom, I truly realize my mistake. I admit I pursued Jake because I was envious of Kiera, because you always cared about her, but later I genuinely fell for Jake. I don¡¯t want to lose him.


    ¡°But the gap between our family and the Horton family is too large. I thought I could use Dr. South to improve my standing, but I didn¡¯t expect Dr. South to be Kiera¡­ Jake thinks I deceived him, but I didn¡¯t! I really didn¡¯t know Dr. South was Kiera, it was Kiera who deceived us!


    ¡°As Jake started treating me worse, I could only hold onto whatever I had, trying to keep his heart. I¡¯m not a bad kid, Mom, I was wrong¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen also supported Mrs. Olsen¡¯s arm, ¡°Shirley, no matter what, Isla is your only daughter. You didn¡¯t send her back to Clance back then because you wanted her to have a simple life, how can you bear it!¡±


    How can you bear it¡­


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t bear it.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s clenched fists slowly relaxed, and her demeanor became somewhat desolate. Finally, her tone softened, ¡°Alright, I agree!¡±


    Isla is her daughter; she truly can¡¯t stand watching her die.


    ¡­


    After seeing off the folks from the first branch of the family, Kiera Olsen managed to enjoy her breakfast.


    In the morning, Lewis Horton went to the Horton Group to take care of some recently pending matters. Yet by lunchtime, he hurried back to have lunch with Kiera and Old Mrs. Horton.


    In the afternoon, Kiera supported Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s arm, walking with her through the Horton family manor.


    The Horton Family estate was very large, and she accompanied old Mrs. Horton on a stroll, also to help her sleep better at night. At her age, she needed to move her limbs regularly to avoid stiffness.


    As the two were walking, they suddenly heard a few people whispering nearby:


    ¡°So shameless, after causing such a scene, she still has the audacity to show up here¡­¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Olsen doesn¡¯t really go out much these years, and seeing her today, she looked so pale. When the lady of the house wouldn¡¯t let her in, she just stood outside the door. What if her illness worsens?¡±


    ¡°What can be done? She brought this on herself!¡±


    ¡°If I were her, having raised such a daughter, I would have hidden myself away, and I can¡¯t understand how she didn¡¯t think of that. Coming to the Hortons, you have no idea how embarrassing it is¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen was slightly startled when she heard this, and she swiftly approached to ask, ¡°Who were you just talking about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Isla Olsen, she came with Isla, saying she was coming to apologize. When the lady of the house refused to see her, she just stood outside and wouldn¡¯t leave.¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s pupils constricted.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s body was so frail, how could she!


    She quickly looked at old Mrs. Horton. ¡°Grandma, you¡­¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton patted her arm, ¡°Go if you have something to do, I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll have Fiona take me back.¡±


    They were followed by Fiona and a family doctor as they walked.


    Moreover, they were at the Hortons¡¯, Kiera didn¡¯t have much to worry about.


    She nodded and hurried to the front gate!


    The mansion where old Mrs. Horton resided was still a distance from the main entrance.


    Kiera ran for over ten minutes before she reached the gateway.


    Just as she walked through the small gate beside the large iron gate, she saw Mrs. Olsen being supported by Isla, standing at the entrance and coughing. This was a broad highway flanked by large lawns¡­


    Mrs. Olsen was allergic to grass seeds, and at that moment, her coughing made her complexion look even worse.


    Kiera quickly approached and took out the medicine she always carried for Mrs. Olsen. ¡°Ma¡¯am, please take some medicine first!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen nodded, grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the car, and felt much better after taking the medicine. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kiera then asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, why must you do this?¡±


    She glanced at Isla.


    Isla stood behind Mrs. Olsen, not hiding the hatred in her eyes, glaring fiercely at Kiera. ¡°Kiera Olsen, if you truly care about my mom, speak well of me in front of old Mrs. Horton! It would save my mom from suffering here!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately spoke up, ¡°Kiera, this matter doesn¡¯t concern you, you should go back now!¡±


    Kiera, however, took hold of her arm. ¡°How can your matter not concern me?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen felt a warmth in her heart upon hearing those words.


    She patted Kiera¡¯s hand and eventually sighed, ¡°Kiera, although you are also Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter, this issue with Isla really doesn¡¯t concern you. Don¡¯t bother with this matter, just go back.¡±


    At those words, Kiera paused slightly, her heart twisting sharply.


    She was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, ¡°I am not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter.¡±

 Chapter 116 - 116

    Chapter 116: Chapter 116


    Mrs. Olsen was taken aback and looked at her.


    Then she forced a bitter smile, ¡°Fine, I know you¡¯ve never accepted this father of yours¡­ but this matter is none of your business, you should go back.¡±


    Keira Olsen clenched her jaw, offering no further explanation, as it wasn¡¯t a good time, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, let¡¯s talk about my issues later. Please, go back to the car first¡­¡±


    Melissa Knight wasn¡¯t an easy mother-in-law to deal with¡ªtoday, having lost face for the first branch of the family and ending up schemed against by Old Mrs. Horton, resulting in a loss of two percent of shares, she was in no mood to meet with Mrs. Olsen.


    Regardless, Keira Olsen¡¯s position was awkward; she couldn¡¯t actually go beg Old Mrs. Horton for mercy¡­


    As she was contemplating her next move, footsteps could be heard from the Horton family¡¯s large iron gate, followed by Fiona¡¯s approach with a smile, ¡°You must be Mrs. Olsen, right? It¡¯s improper for a guest to wait outside; please, follow me in!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was startled, ¡°You are?¡±


    Without saying much more, Fiona responded, ¡°I¡¯m the Horton family¡¯s housekeeper.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen then looked towards Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, but finally said, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, please go ahead inside.¡±


    She knew that Old Mrs. Horton had sent Fiona to come and fetch them.


    She also understood that she couldn¡¯t, just because she was favored and trusted by Old Mrs. Horton, help Isla Olsen here and now, yet she couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Mrs. Olsen suffer.


    Unaware of the reason behind it all, Mrs. Olsen nodded, coughed, and entered through the door.


    When Old Mrs. Horton personally sent someone to invite a guest, even if Melissa Knight was reluctant, she had to show that level of respect to Old Mrs. Horton.


    Soon, the group arrived in the Horton family¡¯s main house living room.


    Sitting arrogantly on the sofa was Melissa Knight, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, what is this about? If I won¡¯t meet with you, you just wait outside forever, not embarrassed by the loss of face?¡±


    She didn¡¯t even offer seats to them.


    Stepping forward, Keira Olsen was about to say something when Isla Olsen grabbed her arm, ¡°You better say less. Don¡¯t anger my future mother-in-law and ruin my marriage prospects!¡±


    Keira Olsen gave Isla Olsen a cold glance.


    Just because of that, was it acceptable to let Mrs. Olsen sit here, humbling herself and begging?


    Mrs. Olsen didn¡¯t notice the quarrel between the two, merely coughed and sat down on a nearby sofa.


    Melissa Knight immediately sneered in scorn, ¡°With such manners, Mrs. Olsen, you¡¯re quite the role model. I heard that Keira Olsen is the illegitimate daughter you raised? No wonder she¡¯s also so polite!¡±


    Lifting her head upon hearing these words, Mrs. Olsen smiled weakly, yet her words were firm, ¡°Indeed, I did raise Keira. Thank you for your praise, Mrs. Horton.¡±


    Melissa Knight was caught off guard, ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen interrupted her, ¡°Mrs. Horton, I¡¯m here to discuss something about both children¡­ cough, cough, cough¡­ I would like to have a private word with Mrs. Horton, if possible?¡±


    Melissa Knight immediately wanted to object, when she looked up and saw Mrs. Olsen sitting there confidently, a broad social network from Clance came to mind, which she recalled Jake Horton mentioning before.


    Melissa Knight then smirked, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s see what you have to say!¡±


    She instructed the servants in the living room, ¡°Leave us now.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen also looked to Keira Olsen and Isla Olsen, ¡°The two of you, go take a walk outside.¡±


    Keira Olsen, worried, looked at her, yet ultimately stood up and walked out.


    Isla Olsen left with a face full of joy.


    The two of them stopped just outside the living room.


    Keira Olsen occasionally glanced into the room, and when she turned her head back, she saw Isla Olsen holding her phone, messaging Jake Horton with what seemed like a smile on her face¡­


    Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Mrs. Olsen is running around inside for you, now god knows what deal she¡¯s agreeing to with Mrs. Horton, crouching down and bowing low, and you¡¯re not worried at all? Just so self-righteous?¡±


    At those words, Isla Olsen gave her a glance: ¡°She¡¯s my biological mother. Isn¡¯t it natural for a mother to run about for her daughter?¡±


    After speaking, her expression suddenly turned cold: ¡°Oh, I forgot, your mother wasn¡¯t good to you, so you must have never experienced this kind of feeling, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists tightly: ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately gloated: ¡°Then let me tell you what it feels like when a biological mother cares for her daughter. When I went home crying today, my mom was so heartbroken for me, so she took the initiative to offer her help to plead on my behalf.¡±


    Keira Olsen said angrily, ¡°The Horton Family is Oceanion¡¯s wealthiest, what could Mrs. Olsen possibly offer to plead for you?!¡±


    The look in Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes suddenly became fierce: ¡°If there¡¯s nothing she can offer, then she¡¯ll just have to kneel and bow her head, kneel until Mrs. Horton agrees!¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Keira Olsen, I¡¯ll say it again, she¡¯s my mom! It¡¯s only right for her to do anything for me! Didn¡¯t you say you owed me nothing? Well, now I¡¯ll let you face the reality!¡±


    Suddenly, Isla Olsen walked up to her, sneered coldly, ¡°You owe my mom, and as I am my mother¡¯s daughter, by birth, you owe me too! If I am not doing well, neither is my mother¡­ If you truly want my mother¡¯s negotiation to go more smoothly this time, you¡¯d better go find Old Mrs. Horton and speak on my behalf! At least if Mrs. Horton agrees, it might sway Old Mrs. Horton! Otherwise, even if my mother persuades Mrs. Horton, Old Mrs. Horton might still end up being humiliated¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen listened with her fists so tight they felt hard, looking at the woman in front of her, smug and self-satisfied, she wished she could tear her to pieces!!


    Mrs. Olsen, whom she respected and saw as both a mentor and a mother, and this woman didn¡¯t treasure her one bit¡­


    Yet, Keira Olsen understood all too well that Mrs. Olsen was Isla Olsen¡¯s mother¡­


    A mother making sacrifices for her daughter seemed normal, Keira Olsen had no right to interfere.


    At that moment, Keira Olsen was overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness.


    She had thought of many ways Isla Olsen might save this marriage¡ªlike using the child as leverage or deceiving Jake Horton¡ªbut it never crossed her mind that she would go home and torment her frail mother.


    Keira Olsen took a step back, putting distance between them, and again looked worriedly towards the living room.


    Half an hour later, Mrs. Olsen walked out of the room.


    As soon as Mrs. Olsen came out, Keira Olsen hurriedly stepped forward to support her.


    Just as she was about to ask a couple of questions, Isla Olsen rushed over, pushing Keira Olsen aside and grasping Mrs. Olsen¡¯s arm: ¡°Mom, how did it go? Did Mrs. Horton agree?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen seemed to be utterly exhausted, she gave a wry smile: ¡°Yes, she agreed.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I knew you could do it! I love you, Mom!¡±


    Isla Olsen was acting like a spoiled child.


    Mrs. Olsen, however, did not pat her head as usual but coldly pushed her away, then turned to Keira Olsen: ¡°Keira, escort me out, please.¡±


    Keira Olsen immediately supported her arm: ¡°Mrs. Olsen, please take it slow.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen patted her hand and then said, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t mention again that Taylor Olsen isn¡¯t your father¡­¡±


    After all, she had personally witnessed the amniocentesis of the child in Poppy Hill¡¯s womb and the paternity test with Taylor Olsen, there could be no mistake.


    Keira Olsen was momentarily stunned: ¡°I truly am not¡­¡±

 Chapter 117 - 117

    Chapter 117: Chapter 117


    Mrs. Olsen turned her head and looked at her, ¡°What?¡±


    Isla, who had been following closely behind the two of them, immediately tensed up and clenched her fists.


    She stepped forward, wanting to interrupt their conversation, ¡°Mom, Kiera, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Your matter can wait,¡± Mrs. Olsen cut her off and then turned to Kiera Olsen, ¡°What were you just saying?¡±


    Kiera Olsen earnestly said, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, I don¡¯t want to hide this from you, you can drive Poppy Hill away from the house, I am not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter¡­¡±


    Before she had finished speaking, Mrs. Olsen suddenly blacked out and fainted!


    ¡°Mrs. Olsen!¡±


    Kiera Olsen was shocked.


    ¡­


    ¡°Mrs. Olsen has just tired herself out, it¡¯s nothing serious, she just needs a good rest.¡±


    The family doctor of the Horton Family, having examined Mrs. Olsen, said this.


    Kiera Olsen immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    Old Mrs. Horton then patted her arm and said, ¡°You, you¡¯re worrying over nothing! Isn¡¯t your mother in her forties? She¡¯s still young; she¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Having said that, she frowned again, ¡°But your mother is too thin, she¡¯s too frail, she needs to eat more meat!¡±


    Kiera Olsen gave a wry smile but before she could explain, a sharp voice came from beside them, ¡°Great Grandmother, that¡¯s my mother! Not Kiera Olsen¡¯s mother!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton glanced at her and snorted, ¡°Hmm, she¡¯s the mother of my grand-daughter-in-law, you wicked woman!¡±


    Isla, biting her lip in anger, glared venomously at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Is this what you say about us in public? Kiera Olsen, you truly are shameless!¡±


    Kiera Olsen couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her and even thought Isla was really cold-blooded.


    She wasn¡¯t concerned about Mrs. Olsen¡¯s health; she was arguing over a title here¡­


    Kiera Olsen then directed her attention to the family doctor, ¡°When can Mrs. Olsen wake up?¡±


    ¡°The family doctor answered, ¡°In about two hours.¡±


    Kiera Olsen nodded and looked at Old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Grandmother, could you possibly allow Mrs. Olsen to stay here¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s no problem, the mother of my grand-daughter-in-law is part of the family, she can stay here!¡± Old Mrs. Horton was very cheerful.


    At these words, Isla¡¯s voice reached them, ¡°There¡¯s no need, I¡¯ve already informed my father, he¡¯s on his way to pick her up, we wouldn¡¯t want to bother Great Grandmother.¡±


    Kiera Olsen frowned, ¡°This place has all sorts of medical equipment, and the family doctor is excellent. At least let her stay here; we can leave once Mrs. Olsen regains consciousness.¡±


    But Isla retorted, ¡°Kiera Olsen, this is my mother, if I say there¡¯s no need then there¡¯s no need!¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s jaw tightened as she looked at Mrs. Olsen.


    It was winter now, and although the winters in Oceanion weren¡¯t as cold as those in the north, the chilly wind outside was biting, and there was a distance to the parking lot from here¡­


    Kiera Olsen took a deep breath, wanting to persuade her further when hurried footsteps came from the entrance. Taylor Olsen strode in, ¡°How is Shirley?¡±


    His expression was anxious, and upon seeing Mrs. Olsen, he immediately rushed over, ensuring her life was not in danger before he finally relaxed.


    Then he realized his behavior might be inappropriate and turned to Old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, thank you for taking care of Shirley¡­¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton pursed her lips and humphed, ¡°Grandson¡¯s wife, your bad dad is here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen felt awkward for a moment, knowing that Old Mrs. Horton was still upset about the previous incident with the clothes, and he didn¡¯t dare say much more, merely requesting, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, the parking lot is a bit far from here, could I possibly drive over¡­¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton liked peace and quiet, and she seldom went out, so she had no parking lot outside her little courtyard, fearing that cars passing by at night would disturb her. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Old Mrs. Horton was reluctant to speak to him, this matter involved Mrs. Olsen¡¯s welfare, so she nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Taylor Olsen sighed with relief, made a call for the driver to bring the car around, and then took off his coat to wrap Mrs. Olsen in it before bending down to pick her up.


    His eyes were filled with careful tenderness as he held her, looking like he was cradling the most precious treasure; there was no faking that adoration.


    Keira had always trusted him completely.


    She had seen Taylor¡¯s love and protection for Mrs. Olsen since she was a child.


    It couldn¡¯t be fake, and besides, no one can put on an act for so many years and be so consistently genuine in every aspect.


    For so many years, Mrs. Olsen was the only one in Taylor¡¯s eyes.


    Back then, he even refused to accept Poppy Hill, and even though all these years Poppy and her daughter lived with the Olsen Family, Taylor never gave them a second glance.


    Even the paternal love Taylor had for Isla was because of his love for Mrs. Olsen¡­


    Now that he was being so thoughtful, Keira felt she couldn¡¯t protest any further and simply followed them out the door.


    Just as they reached the entrance, Melissa Knight approached. Her demeanor had changed from the arrogance she showed at the first meeting with Mrs. Olsen, now tinged with nervousness, ¡°What¡¯s happened to my co-mother-in-law?¡±


    Isla immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡±


    But Taylor didn¡¯t stop in his steps, ¡°It¡¯s too cold here, I¡¯m going to get Shirley into the car first.¡±


    His apparent rudeness gave Melissa pause.


    Isla hurriedly added, ¡°Dad is just too concerned about Mom¡­¡±


    Melissa twitched her mouth, then quickly took her hand, ¡°Isla, my child, with your mother¡¯s background, why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? Well, tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll have Jake come pick you up so you can get registered, alright?¡±


    After saying this, she gave an awkward smile, ¡°The internet¡¯s opinion of you isn¡¯t good, and you understand, the Horton Family values their reputation. The wedding might not be as grand as expected, but there will be a chance to make up for it later!¡±


    Isla had not expected things to move so quickly, and was ecstatic in the moment, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for Jake to come get me!¡±


    She wanted to say more, but the Olsen¡¯s car honked, and Taylor looked over with a frown, ¡°Isla, are you coming or not? It¡¯s cramped in the car and your mother is uncomfortable lying down.¡±


    Isla immediately responded, ¡°Coming.¡±


    Keira stood by the car, peering through the window worriedly at Mrs. Olsen.


    Just as Isla was about to get in the car, she suddenly turned to Keira, her gaze sharp, ¡°Keira, my mother hates people who interfere with others¡¯ marriages the most. If you want her to worry less about you, then leave the Horton Family quickly and live with your husband!¡±


    Keira: ¡°¡­¡±


    The Olsen¡¯s car soon left the Horton residence, and Melissa entered Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s small villa, smiling, ¡°Great Grandmother, Isla is pregnant with Jake¡¯s child, so the marriage will continue as planned. To avoid embarrassment for the child, I¡¯ve decided to have them get their certificate tomorrow. You don¡¯t have any objections, do you?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira hesitated for a moment.


    She was unsure whether to stop the wedding or to turn a blind eye.


    Isla¡¯s child was Connor Hill¡¯s¡­ in principle, she should reveal the truth.


    But if the Horton Family rejected the marriage, Mrs. Olsen would have to come begging again.


    She couldn¡¯t bear it.


    While she was pondering, Old Mrs. Horton spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, I don¡¯t involve myself in Jake¡¯s marital affairs. She can come into the family, but asking for shares of the inheritance is out of the question.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Melissa frowned.


    She struggled internally for a moment, then finally said, ¡°That¡¯s acceptable.¡±


    After that, she boasted proudly, ¡°Great Grandmother, do you know the background of Jake¡¯s mother-in-law?¡±


    Keira looked at her, curious as well.


    She had always felt that Mrs. Olsen was different from the rest, carrying herself with a distinct pride.


    She really wanted to know, what kind of family background did Mrs. Olsen come from?

 Chapter 118 - 118

    Chapter 118: Chapter 118


    Keira Olsen only knew that Mrs. Olsen¡¯s maternal family was from Clance, but despite living in Oceanion for many years, she had never contacted Clance.


    From Clance, there was never any maternal family visiting her either.


    However, the last time Mrs. Olsen showed up, she made the Allen Family so courteous¡­


    This time, it was unclear what she had told Melissa Knight that made her change her attitude completely; Keira was really curious about what kind of people could have raised Mrs. Olsen.


    Old Mrs. Horton shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, what is the background of our in-laws¡¯ mother?¡±


    Melissa Knight just laughed, ¡°She didn¡¯t specify her background. However, she said she knows several prominent families in Clance and could introduce Jake to some connections. Our Horton Family, because of Lewis¡¯s circumstances, doesn¡¯t have deep ties with Clance. If Jake could break into the Clance market, he could definitely lead the Horton Family to greater heights, right, Grandma?¡±


    It was then that Keira understood why Melissa Knight wanted Isla Olsen in the family, even if it meant giving up her shares.


    Most of the prominent families in Clance were powerful and influential.


    In the past, the Horton Family had tried to connect with them, which led to the arranged marriage of Lewis Horton¡¯s parents. Unfortunately, the marriage not only failed to open the market but also made the Horton Family a thorn in the side of Clance.


    Now, if Jake Horton could forge this path, his future position in the Horton Group was bound to rise!


    If he could bring enough benefits to the Horton Family, even if he was at a disadvantage in terms of shares, he could replace Lewis Horton and become the next CEO!


    After all said and done, Melissa Knight¡¯s acceptance of Isla Olsen was still for profit.


    And just now, in a few sentences, an agreement had been made between Melissa Knight and Old Mrs. Horton.


    Old Mrs. Horton wouldn¡¯t obstruct Isla Olsen¡¯s entry into the family, and Melissa Knight would no longer insist on that five percent of the shares.


    When Old Mrs. Horton saw her leaving, she couldn¡¯t resist trying to persuade her, ¡°Binding interests together isn¡¯t as reliable as genuine hearts; this marriage contract, you still need to ask Jake about it.¡±


    Melissa Knight, however, thought Old Mrs. Horton was trying to prevent the rise of the first branch of the family, narrowing her eyes, ¡°Grandma, Lewis did find someone sincere, but what then? Aren¡¯t the couple living apart, without even a child? If you have the time, you should pay more attention to his personal issues, especially since you keep such a woman at home as a mistress¡­ don¡¯t stir up more scandals.¡±


    She glanced at Keira Olsen, then scoffed and left.


    Old Mrs. Horton didn¡¯t understand the meaning of her words, ¡°What do you mean living apart? My daughter-in-law, aren¡¯t you and the brat living at home? Hmm, people talk so strangely!¡±


    Keira Olsen consoled her, ¡°Grandma, she¡¯s talking nonsense. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton sighed again, ¡°Though she does make a point. You and the brat have been married for two years now, why is there still no news? My daughter-in-law, is the brat not capable?¡±


    Keira Olsen: !


    How would she know if Lewis Horton was capable!


    She hastily asked, ¡°Grandma, what are we eating tonight?¡±


    ¡°Right, what should we have?¡±


    Keira Olsen thought she had successfully changed the topic, but Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s next question was, ¡°What should we eat that is good for virility? Leeks?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen: !!


    So, when Lewis Horton came home that evening, he found the dishes for the night included: stir-fried leeks with sea cucumber, stewed mutton, stir-fried pork kidneys, shrimp balls with lychee¡­ and ten other dishes.


    Lewis Horton initially hadn¡¯t noticed anything amiss, washed up, changed into home clothes, and sat at the dining table.


    Old Mrs. Horton began picking food for him with the serving chopsticks, ¡°Brat, eat more!¡±


    The food in Lewis Horton¡¯s bowl visibly piled up into a small mountain.


    He couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Grandma, stop adding more, I can¡¯t finish all of this.¡±


    ¡°How could you not finish?¡± Old Mrs. Horton earnestly sized him up, ¡°You¡¯re too thin, no wonder you are not performing well, you need to eat more.¡±


    Lewis Horton was stunned, ¡°What do you mean not performing well?¡±


    Just as Old Mrs. Horton was about to speak, Keira Olsen, frightened, immediately yelled out, ¡°He can¡¯t eat well! Ah right, eating doesn¡¯t go well!¡±


    Lewis Horton looked puzzled, turning to Old Mrs. Horton.


    Old Mrs. Horton simply said, ¡°Right, you should eat more.¡±


    Keira Olsen breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear the old lady remark, ¡°If you don¡¯t eat more, how will you give me a great-grandson?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton glanced over the table at the dishes, suddenly understanding.


    His face flushed bright red, he coughed once, and bowed his head to start eating.


    After dinner, the couple prepared to join Old Mrs. Horton for a chat.


    However, Old Mrs. Horton gestured towards Lewis Horton¡¯s room, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with me, you newlyweds, go and make a baby already!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she forced a smile and said, ¡°Grandma, Mr. Horton and I¡­¡±


    ¡°Ouch, my chest hurts.¡± Old Mrs. Horton suddenly frowned, clutching her chest, then looked at her and asked, ¡°What were you going to say, my dear?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Keira Olsen, recalling the last time she and Lewis Horton talked about getting a divorce, which resulted in the old lady fainting and being rushed for emergency care, quickly changed her response, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    She glared at Lewis Horton, but saw that he seemed to be smiling and didn¡¯t refuse. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Mrs. Horton then held onto Fiona¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯ll lie down here for a while, you two should also head off to bed early, go on, go on¡­¡±


    With Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s watchful eye, Keira Olsen awkwardly walked to the door of Lewis Horton¡¯s room.


    The moment they looked back together, they saw Old Mrs. Horton watching them intently, clenching her fist, ¡°You can do it, keep it up!¡±


    She then clutched her chest again, ¡°Ouch, I feel discomfort.¡±


    Keira Olsen wanted to say something more, but her wrist was suddenly grasped by the man, and Lewis Horton, lowering his gaze, whispered, ¡°Miss Olsen, grandma cannot be upset.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen helplessly entered the room with him, and the moment the door closed, the old lady immediately got up from the sofa and with Fiona¡¯s help, hurried to the door to listen in on the noises inside.


    ¡°Fiona, do you think my great-grandchild might be conceived tonight?¡±


    ¡°Put in some effort, it will certainly happen!¡±


    Keira Olsen, seeing all this through the door viewer, ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen coughed, ¡°It must be because Isla Olsen is pregnant, it¡¯s upsetting grandma.¡±


    Lewis Horton raised an eyebrow, his gaze deepening.


    He walked over and sat down on the sofa.


    Whether it was because of the food they ate tonight having some issues or something else, he just felt the room was a bit hot, and the usually spacious bedroom now seemed somewhat cramped.


    He loosened his tie, trying to change the topic, ¡°I heard that Mrs. Olsen was here today, did she secure this marriage?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Keira Olsen briefly explained the day¡¯s events and then inquired, ¡°Should I reveal that Isla Olsen¡¯s child isn¡¯t Jake Horton¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Lewis Horton¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, ¡°Do you think the Horton family bloodline is that easily confused?¡±


    Keira Olsen was stunned.


    Lewis Horton then said, ¡°What my sister-in-law is interested in is Mrs. Olsen¡¯s social connections.¡±


    Speaking of which, he casually started, ¡°By the way, I investigated Mrs. Olsen¡¯s background today, are you interested to know?¡±


    Of course, she was interested.


    Keira Olsen walked over and sat opposite him, sensing his gaze as fiery as it seemed to devour her wholly, and she also felt a rush of heat to her cheeks.


    She quickly spoke, ¡°What did you find out?¡±


    As the words fell, she heard no reply from Lewis Horton.


    She turned to look and saw him clenching his fists tightly, his forehead breaking out in a fine sweat.


    Keira Olsen was startled and hurried over to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The next moment, a large hand pressed on her waist, and everything spun around her; when she came to her senses, she was already pinned under him.


    The man¡¯s breath was hot, his eyes filled with a repressed fervor.


    Keira Olsen tried to push him away but found herself utterly weak.


    This was¡­


    Her pupils dilated in a flash.


    Something was off with their state!


    Was this the old lady¡¯s doing?


    Panicking, she attempted to push the man away, but Lewis Horton seemed unable to restrain himself any longer, he fiercely lowered his head and swallowed all her words¡­

 Chapter 119 - 119

    Chapter 119: Chapter 119


    So hot¡­


    His body was very cool.


    Especially the breath from his mouth was like a pool of clear water, making Kiera wish she could immerse herself in it.


    During the time she and Lewis Horton had spent together, it could be said that there was mutual affection. In fact, to go with the flow wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all.


    This thought almost made Kiera give up resisting.


    ¡­No.


    Kiera suddenly became clear-headed.


    She and Lewis Horton only had a mutual liking for each other, but they had never explicitly expressed their feelings. They shouldn¡¯t¡­ sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this thought, she suddenly bit Lewis Horton¡¯s lip.


    A sweet, bloody taste instantly filled their mouths.


    Lewis Horton, in pain, released her, and his intoxicated eyes suddenly became sober.


    The two looked at each other for a moment; then, the man abruptly stood up.


    Kiera also hurriedly backed away, putting distance between them.


    Lewis Horton rubbed his temples, looked down at his own disheveled and embarrassing state, and quickly said, ¡°I, I¡¯m going to take a cold shower.¡±


    Leaving these words behind, he rushed into the bathroom.


    Kiera felt her cheeks turning red as well.


    She patted her cheeks and took out a medicine bottle from her pocket. After swallowing a pill, the discomfort in her body gradually subsided.


    She couldn¡¯t help but look at herself in the mirror.


    Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were springlike, and the sight was simply embarrassing.


    She quickly shifted her gaze away.


    About ten minutes later, Lewis Horton came out of the bathroom enveloped in a chill. He wore a bathrobe, his tall figure and sharp facial features unmistaken.


    His earlobes were still slightly red, but his eyes had regained their usual clarity.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    The man kept a distance from Kiera. ¡°I was out of line just now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I didn¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Kiera subconsciously said these words, then felt they carried another meaning, but it seemed inappropriate to say anything else at the moment.


    The awkward atmosphere spread again in the room.


    The heat that the pill had suppressed was showing signs of returning.


    Kiera coughed to change the topic. ¡°You just mentioned, you found out about Mrs. Olsen¡¯s background?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I found out part of it,¡± Lewis Horton answered seriously. ¡°Clance is a sensitive topic for me, and it was somewhat inconvenient for my people to dig for information. I only found out that Mrs. Olsen comes from the South Family of Clance. This family seems to be shrouded in mystery. I will continue to have people look into it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kiera answered.


    In the end, after Old Mrs. Horton returned to her room, Kiera quietly slipped back to her own room.


    She lay on the bed and closed her eyes.


    After ten minutes, Kiera suddenly opened her eyes and touched her lips¡­


    Images of the kiss filled her mind; she couldn¡¯t fall asleep at all!


    In the bedroom separated by a single wall, Lewis Horton was also tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. His mind was filled with the girl¡¯s delicate face, her peach blossom eyes brimming with tenderness, below them a perky, delicate nose, and further down those cherry-red lips, as if waiting for someone to harvest them¡­


    Another wave of heat rushed over him.


    Lewis Horton violently threw off the covers, breathing heavily.


    Wasn¡¯t it said that the medicine would wear off by itself in an hour or two? Why was he still feeling so hot and bothered!


    ¡­


    The next morning, after Lewis Horton got up and worked out in his room, he headed out for breakfast and felt slightly relieved not seeing Keira Olsen.


    During breakfast, Old Mrs. Horton asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the granddaughter-in-law?¡±


    Lewis hesitated, then replied, ¡°She was tired last night, so I let her sleep.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s eyes lit up instantly.


    When Keira Olsen woke up, she sensed that Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s attitude was amiss.


    ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, does your back hurt? Come, sit on the sofa.¡±


    ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, do your legs hurt? Do you need someone to come and help you relax?¡±


    ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, feeling sleepy? If you¡¯re sleepy, continue to sleep¡­¡±


    Keira bowed the corners of her mouth and interrupted, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Horton?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone to work,¡± Old Mrs. Horton complained, ¡°I said he shouldn¡¯t go. You¡¯d definitely be upset since it¡¯s your first time and he just left you.¡±


    Keira: ?


    What is all this about!


    She found it funny and was just about to say something to Old Mrs. Horton when there was a noise at the door.


    The housekeeper Fiona entered: ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, the front yard said that today, Young Master Jake and Isla Olsen got their marriage certificate. Isla is carrying the Horton family¡¯s child and can¡¯t live outside, so starting from today, she will move in!¡±


    Hearing this, Old Mrs. Horton responded coolly, ¡°I know.¡±


    Fiona smiled and continued, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. Mrs. Horton says she wants to rest for a while, so during this time, she wants Isla Olsen to take care of the household affairs, and she also asked me to tell you that, if there is anything from your end or Miss Olsen¡¯s end, you can both go to Isla Olsen.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira raised an eyebrow.


    Melissa Knight so easily gave up the power of the household?


    This Isla Olsen is quite capable!


    Old Mrs. Horton, however, frowned, ¡°The things on my end are arranged by you, nothing to do with her.¡±


    Fiona smiled and said nothing.


    Keira then stood up, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll go have a look.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton knew she wanted to inquire about Mrs. Olsen¡¯s health, so she did not stop her.


    As Keira went out, intending to walk towards the front yard, she saw a figure standing not far away. Upon seeing Keira, the person immediately walked toward her¡ªit was Jake Horton!


    Now, seeing him just made Keira feel somewhat bewildered.


    The enthusiastic classmate from their college days had completely changed¡­


    As she pondered, Jake approached her, his face showing anger, ¡°Keira Olsen, I can¡¯t believe you actually went after my uncle!¡±


    Keira frowned, too lazy to entangle with him, and as she tried to walk away, Jake Horton¡¯s voice of loss reached her, ¡°You think by degrading yourself like this, you can take revenge on me?¡±


    Keira paused in her steps.


    She looked at Jake Horton as if he were insane, ¡°Jake Horton, you¡¯re overthinking it. I never planned to entangle with Mr. Horton to get back at you¡­¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you admit it?!¡±


    Jake¡¯s eyes were red, and he clenched his fist. Suddenly he took out his phone, turned on a picture, and passed it to her, ¡°This was taken last night, how do you explain this?!¡±


    Keira looked and saw a photo from last night in Lewis Horton¡¯s room on his phone.


    Someone had taken the picture from the window, through a layer of white gauze curtain, and one could only vaguely see a man pressing a woman down on the sofa.


    It indeed was her and Lewis Horton!


    Keira¡¯s pupils shrank as she furrowed her brows, ¡°Who gave you the photo?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important!¡±


    Jake glared at her, ¡°What¡¯s important is that you¡¯re married and here seducing my uncle, being someone¡¯s mistress, someone¡¯s lover. Does your husband know?¡±


    Looking at his angry face, Keira suddenly scoffed, ¡°Do you even know who my husband is?¡±

 Chapter 120 - 120

    Chapter 120: Chapter 120


    ¡°No matter who your husband is, that¡¯s no excuse for you to be someone else¡¯s mistress or homewrecker!¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s gaze was sharp as he looked at her, ¡°Or are you saying that¡¯s just the kind of person you are? Your mother was a mistress and you inherited her genes. Do you feel like it¡¯s your fate to be someone else¡¯s mistress, that you¡¯re uncomfortable if you¡¯re not?¡±


    His provocative words were somewhat insane.


    Kiera Olsen just found it laughable and couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him, ¡°Think what you want.¡±


    Her words clearly infuriated Jake Horton even more, and he angrily grabbed her arm, ¡°Kiera Olsen, I command you to leave my uncle immediately!¡±


    Kiera Olsen sneered, ¡°And just what is your relationship to me that you feel you can give me orders?¡±


    Jake Horton clenched his fists.


    At that moment, Isla Olsen¡¯s voice was heard, ¡°Kiera, Jake, what are you doing!!¡±


    She came striding over, furious.


    Her eyes moved from Jake Horton to Kiera Olsen, then she showed a look of aggrievement, ¡°What are you two doing behind my back, pulling at each other here?¡±


    Her voice was shrill, quickly drawing the gaze of the surrounding security guards and maids.


    Horton Manor was vast, and there were many staff working there; Isla Olsen had roughly counted them once, easily over a hundred!


    Seeing that everyone around was looking over, her voice grew even more sorrowful, ¡°Kiera Olsen, back in college, Jake had already chosen me! Now that you¡¯re with Mr. Horton, why must you continue to pester Jake?¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Her eyes deepened as she looked around.


    Sure enough, there were already many people whispering about her:


    ¡°I heard she¡¯s the Olsen family¡¯s illegitimate daughter, always fought with Miss Olsen over things since they were young¡­ even fought with her over Young Master Jake during their college days¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, her mom was an illegitimate daughter too, unwilling to live an ordinary life her whole life, huh? Never been in society, so isn¡¯t it a case of wanting what she sees?¡±


    ¡°Miss Olsen had just registered her marriage with Young Master Jake and she¡¯s already clinging to him, so shameless!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right though, didn¡¯t she seduce Mr. Horton? Didn¡¯t you see the photos from yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Ah, she seduced Mr. Horton, could it be to provoke Young Master Jake¡¯s jealousy? This woman is terrifying, could she be the reincarnation of a seductress, managing to spin both men around her fingers¡­¡±


    ¡°So shameless, disgusting!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Comments like these made Kiera Olsen frown.


    She suddenly realized that the great grandmother had always respected her choices, at most using her poor health as a reason to force her to live with Lewis Horton to cultivate their feelings, and would not drug her and Lewis Horton!


    So, the drug from last night wasn¡¯t from the great grandmother?


    Was someone plotting against them, and then took the photos!!


    Was it Isla Olsen or Melissa Knight?


    Was it aimed at her, or to discredit Lewis Horton?


    Kiera Olsen found it all so ridiculous at that moment that she pulled her arm free from Jake Horton¡¯s grasp, ¡°Jake Horton, tell everyone, am I the one clinging to you?¡±


    Jake Horton was stared down by her peach blossom eyes, his presence faltering as he subconsciously said, ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡±¡±


    Before he could finish, Isla stepped forward, taking his arm and glaring at Kiera Olsen, ¡°If it¡¯s not you clinging to him, then is it Jake who¡¯s clinging to you? He just got our marriage certificate with me today. We¡¯re in a sweet phase right now, and I must tell Great Grandmother so she can see your true colors and drive you, the troublemaker, out of the Horton family!¡±


    To be driven out of the Horton family¡­


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression suddenly became sinister upon hearing this.


    If he could just drive Kiera Olsen away, he could sever her connection with his uncle; then in Oceanion, wouldn¡¯t Kiera Olsen be forced to submit to him, to be shaped and molded at his will?


    Having come to this realization, Jake coldly said, ¡°Kiera Olsen, I have been polite to you for the sake of being classmates, but since you¡¯ve seduced my uncle, why do you still bother me? I¡¯m married now, and from today on, Isla is the only one in my heart! Please have some self-respect in the future!¡±


    Kiera Olsen furrowed her brows.


    She looked at Jake Horton and suddenly let out a scornful laugh.


    From this moment, the proud and spirited young man from college really ceased to exist¡­


    Jake¡¯s words cemented the accusations of Kiera¡¯s seduction and entanglements, and Isla immediately bit her lip, crying out in accusation, ¡°Kiera Olsen, you¡¯re already married. I know your husband isn¡¯t good; he doesn¡¯t have a proper job and can¡¯t support you. But Mom always taught you to be self-reliant since you were young! If you really can¡¯t find a decent job, we could help you, but how could you do something like this?¡±


    She looked down, holding back her tears, ¡°Ever since we were young, you¡¯ve competed with me in everything. You know how to act and make Mom happy, and she favors you, all of which I can bear. But Jake is all I have now. How could you snatch him from me? I¡¯m already carrying Jake¡¯s child. Do you want my child to be born into a family like this after your mother wrecked mine?¡±


    Isla knew well what everyone sympathized with most, and with a few sentences, she stirred the crowd¡¯s compassion. They began to gossip about Kiera Olsen:


    ¡°Oh my God, how shameless! To even take someone¡¯s mother¡­¡±


    ¡°When Mrs. Olsen came over yesterday, I saw her treating Kiera Olsen better than Isla Miss. I was wondering what was going on, but now I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Olsen is confused too, can¡¯t she tell who her real daughter is?¡±


    ¡°Good lord, like mother, like daughter, with that mistress. Although I¡¯m used to seeing affairs in wealthy families, for a mistress to walk through the door so brazenly is truly a first. I heard it and clenched my fists so hard¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As the crowd was condemning her, Melissa Knight and old Mrs. Horton received the news and hurried over.


    Old Mrs. Horton arrived first, as she was closer, and instantly roared, ¡°Don¡¯t bully my granddaughter-in-law!!¡±


    Her words stunned everyone.


    What had the old lady just said?


    Granddaughter-in-law?


    Was Kiera Olsen the wife of Lewis Horton?!


    As the crowd pondered, Isla continued to cry and accuse, ¡°Kiera Olsen, you¡¯re truly heartless, deceiving even old Mrs. Horton. She¡¯s senile and can¡¯t recognize people, so you lied to her, claiming to be her granddaughter-in-law. That¡¯s how you entered the Horton Manor and got into my uncle¡¯s bed! How could you be so shameless as to pursue your objectives like this?¡±


    Jake Horton also angrily said, ¡°Kiera Olsen, we were all classmates once, and I¡¯ve given you some face. Now explain things clearly to Great Grandmother, and we won¡¯t pursue your actions any further!¡±


    The two spoke with righteous indignation.


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately protected Kiera Olsen, ¡°Jake Horton, she is your aunt-in-law. How can you speak to her like this?!¡±


    Jake Horton stepped forward, ¡°Great Grandmother, she has deceived you! She can¡¯t be my aunt-in-law!¡±


    ¡°She is!¡± Old Mrs. Horton insisted, turning to Fiona, ¡°Quickly have that brat come back! Tell him his wife¡¯s being bullied!¡±

 Chapter 121 - 121

    Chapter 121: Chapter 121


    Fiona immediately nodded and took out her mobile phone to make a call from the side.


    But a large hand reached over and snatched her phone away.


    Jake Horton smirked and said, ¡°Fiona, keeping this woman in the house is a disaster; she has always been deceiving Great Grandmother. We are also thinking of the Horton Family. You don¡¯t need to make this call. Wait until I drive her away, and when Lewis returns tonight, I will explain everything to him.¡±


    Fiona furrowed her brows, ¡°Young Master Jake, we should let Mr. return and decide on such matters! Miss Olsen is a guest of Mr. and Old Mrs. Horton after all!¡±


    ¡°Guest? I see her as shamelessly clinging to my uncle!¡±


    Jake Horton said directly, ¡°Her photos with my uncle have already spread, which is bad for the company¡¯s image. I am doing all this for the good of my uncle.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton, with her chest heaving with anger, exclaimed, ¡°Jake Horton! You unfilial son! I told you, your uncle¡¯s wife is his wife, you can¡¯t treat her like this!¡±


    Jake Horton looked down and did not speak.


    Melissa Knight had already hurried over and, seeing the situation, exchanged a glance with Isla Olsen. They quickly walked to Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s side, each taking one of her arms.


    Isla Olsen softly persuaded, ¡°Great Grandmother, it¡¯s cold here; let me take you back to your room to prevent your illness from flaring up.¡±


    Melissa Knight also sighed, ¡°Grandmother, you really are confused. Lewis¡¯ wife is studying abroad. She hasn¡¯t returned at all. You are mistaken about Miss Olsen!¡±


    ¡°I am not mistaken!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton struggled but refused to leave.


    Melissa Knight, mindful of Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s health, dared not use force.


    But Isla Olsen despised Old Mrs. Horton profoundly; it was because of this old woman that Keira Olsen was so favored in the Horton Family!


    Angered, she pinched Old Mrs. Horton harshly. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Mrs. Horton suddenly cried out, ¡°Why are you pinching me?¡±


    Isla Olsen feigned confusion, ¡°Great Grandmother, I didn¡¯t! You¡¯re mistaken again¡­¡±


    When Keira Olsen heard this, she immediately looked at Isla Olsen, bent down quickly, and came right in front of Old Mrs. Horton, then she grabbed Melissa Knight¡¯s hand painfully causing her to let go of Old Mrs. Horton.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s other hand ferociously struck Isla Olsen¡¯s face!


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    Isla Olsen, seeing Keira Olsen charging at her and remembering the past experiences being hit, already stepped back to dodge, but she was struck anyway.


    She clenched her fists, suddenly stepped back deliberately, and pretended to fall to the ground, ¡°Keira Olsen, what are you doing?¡±


    She then covered her abdomen, ¡°My stomach¡­¡±


    Jake Horton heard this and immediately looked at her anxiously.


    Some time ago, Jake Horton had indeed been tricked by Isla Olsen into spending a night with her in a hotel, so he really believed that Isla Olsen was carrying his child.


    He bent down to help Isla Olsen up, then glared furiously at Keira Olsen, ¡°You can talk, but why resort to hitting?¡±


    Keira Olsen ignored him and instead looked at Old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Grandmother, are you alright?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton rolled up her sleeve to reveal a bruise on her arm, and with a look of grievance, she complained, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, she pinched me!¡±


    Keira Olsen suddenly turned back, glaring fiercely at Isla Olsen.


    That look was so cold that Jake Horton even felt a sudden chill of murderous intent rising from within, sending a shiver down his spine.


    He took a step back, looked at the surrounding security guards, and said directly, ¡°What are you waiting for? Get this woman out of here right now!¡±


    ¡°I dare anyone to try!¡±


    Keira Olsen sharply called out and looked fiercely at the security guards, ¡°You don¡¯t believe I¡¯m Lewis Horton¡¯s wife, nor do you care about Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s safety anymore?! If you dare to lay a hand on me and bump into Old Mrs. Horton, Lewis won¡¯t let you off when he returns!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t afraid of them, nor was she afraid to fight, but she was worried that the scene might upset Old Mrs. Horton.


    Indeed, the security guards were frightened and surrounded Keira Olsen but dared not move.


    Melissa Knight stepped forward, ¡°The family doctor has said that Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s health is still fine, she isn¡¯t that fragile! Go on, throw this woman out!¡±


    But the people around still hesitated and didn¡¯t dare to act.


    Everyone had witnessed Lewis Horton¡¯s methods!


    When he had just returned to the country this year, Melissa Knight, on behalf of the first branch of the family, wanted to give him a lesson, so she deliberately had the kitchen serve him cold meals.


    Lewis Horton immediately brought people and smashed the kitchen!


    Several chefs and helpers in the kitchen were injured, and afterward, not only were no compensations given, but they were also dismissed under the pretense of neglecting their duties.


    Until now, those chefs still couldn¡¯t find jobs!


    Moreover, Lewis Horton was not only dominant here but was also known to be tough in his company. Anyone who dared to defy his orders had already been dealt with by him.


    Which members of this family could be bullied and which could not, this group of security guards knew very well!


    Seeing they still hadn¡¯t acted, Melissa Knight immediately shouted, ¡°If you don¡¯t move now, I¡¯ll fire you all! And don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take responsibility if anything happens!¡±


    Hearing this, a few security guards finally stepped forward and slowly surrounded Keira Olsen and Old Mrs. Horton, but, still wary of Old Mrs. Horton, the group did not make a move.


    Seeing this, Isla Olsen immediately shouted, ¡°Keira Olsen, this scene isn¡¯t suitable for Old Mrs. Horton. If you really care about her, let Fiona take her back to her room!¡±


    Fiona had already been panicking on the outside, turning in circles, and upon hearing this rushed into the circle of guards and supported Old Mrs. Horton.


    Keira Olsen urged, ¡°Grandma, you go back with Fiona.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, I want to protect my granddaughter-in-law!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton was very angry.


    Then Fiona spoke up, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton, my phone was taken. Come back with me, let¡¯s use the landline to call Sir, to have him come back!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton hesitated.


    Keira Olsen quickly said, ¡°Yes, you go and alert him.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton was indeed agitated by the scene in front of her and seemed a bit confused at the moment, ¡°Yes, I need to find that brat to save my granddaughter-in-law!¡±


    Keira Olsen then patted her arm, ¡°Grandma, then you quickly go with Fiona.¡±


    Fiona deftly supported Old Mrs. Horton, then led her out.


    Fiona also whispered softly, ¡°Miss Olsen, a wise man does not eat the loss in front of him, perhaps you should leave with them first, and I¡¯ll immediately call Sir to come and support you!¡±


    Keira Olsen lowered her eyes, ¡°I understand, you guys go back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, good.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± While Fiona was helping Old Mrs. Horton out of the circle of guards, Keira Olsen flexed her wrist, her peach blossom eyes filled with fierceness, ¡°Once you¡¯re back in the yard, no matter what noises you hear, don¡¯t come out.¡±


    Fiona hesitated.


    But Old Mrs. Horton quickened her pace, ¡°Call, call that brat!¡±


    Fiona could only follow Old Mrs. Horton inside.


    Old Mrs. Horton rushed directly to the landline, tremblingly dialed Lewis Horton¡¯s number, and immediately cried out, ¡°That brat, your granddaughter-in-law is going to be beaten to death!!¡±

 Chapter 122 - 122

    Chapter 122: Chapter 122


    Outside the courtyard.


    Seven or eight security guards surrounded Keira Olsen, closing in step by step.


    Jake Horton saw the situation and couldn¡¯t bear it in his heart, so he yelled, ¡°Keira Olsen, just surrender quietly and leave the Horton family, and you won¡¯t suffer! Otherwise, this is my home, and you¡¯re intruding. If we killed you, we wouldn¡¯t be legally responsible!¡±


    Isla Olsen, whom he was supporting, bit her lip upon hearing these words, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes.


    Even at this time, Jake was still showing concern for her safety.


    This Keira Olsen, she¡¯s nothing but trouble!


    No matter what, she had to be driven away today.


    With that thought, Isla Olsen hypocritically said, ¡°Keira, just go. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll arrange a job for your husband in the Horton family. If you really have nowhere to go, you can also come back to the Olsen family¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen turned to look at her, with a mocking smile on her lips, ¡°You can¡¯t even bear to have me in the Horton family, would you really be at ease if I truly went back to the Olsen family?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s gaze flickered, of course, she couldn¡¯t bear it!


    But it was better than letting her stay here, latching on to Jake, always on his mind, strong as she was!


    Isla Olsen hung her head, ¡°What¡¯s there to be unsure about? If you could go back and take care of mom and dad, I would be happy¡­¡±


    ¡°Hypocrite.¡±


    Keira Olsen coldly spat out these two words.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes reddened, and she continued to fake concern, ¡°Keira, please leave. If you stay here, you¡¯ll seduce Mr. Horton one moment, entangle with Jake the next, you¡¯re going to cause trouble between uncle and nephew!¡±


    Keira Olsen scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t try to put Jake on a pedestal here. If I¡¯ve been involved with Mr. Horton, why would I even glance at him?¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s face froze.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s mouth twitched in response.


    Melissa Knight angrily said, ¡°How is my son inferior to Lewis Horton? In terms of looks¡­¡±


    She paused slightly.


    Although Jake Horton was a sunny, handsome boy, compared to Lewis Horton¡¯s delicate face, he did indeed fall short.


    She hastily changed the subject, ¡°In terms of knowledge¡­¡±


    The words halted again as soon as they were spoken.


    It was true that Jake Horton managed to get into Oceanion University, a first-class university, which was impressive, but over the years Lewis Horton, not just another spoiled brat abroad, had completed his graduate studies at Stanford University; it really wasn¡¯t comparable.


    Melissa Knight swallowed dryly, brazenly continuing, ¡°¡­is not much less than his uncle. My son is younger than his uncle by six years! Besides, Jake is much more filial and easy to control than Lewis! As for you, fixating on Lewis, you might be a lover at best, but if you cling to my son, who knows, you might even become the legitimate one day! As if nobody sees through your little schemes!¡±


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists at this remark.


    Melissa Knight¡¯s words had hit the nail on the head as to why she had picked a fight with Keira Olsen as soon as she entered the Horton house. It was because of this!


    Jake was easily swayed and could be deceived by her, just as he could be seduced by Keira Olsen!


    Moreover, Jake genuinely liked Keira Olsen.


    His gaze toward Keira Olsen was filled with an undeniable possessiveness.


    Therefore, she had to drive this woman out today to prevent her from hooking up with Jake in the Horton house in the future.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t expect Melissa Knight to concoct so much nonsense and sneered, ¡°Only you think Jake Horton is some treasure. In my eyes, trash belongs in the trash can! Just don¡¯t divorce and go on to plague someone else. Isla Olsen, Jake Horton, I wish you eternal happiness, forever locked away!¡±


    Jake Horton immediately became angry and embarrassed, ¡°Keira Olsen!! Is this how you see me?!¡±


    His whole body trembled with anger.


    Four years of care and pursuit during university¡ªto her, it¡¯s all worthless?


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists as well, ¡°Keira Olsen, don¡¯t talk big here. If you weren¡¯t still hung up on Jake, how could you possibly get tangled up with your younger uncle? You deceived Great Grandmother, moved into the Horton family home, all just to meet with Jake, right?¡±


    Hearing this, Jake Horton felt a little less suffocated in his chest. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Melissa Knight scoffed, ¡°She¡¯s just being stubborn, that¡¯s all. Does she really think she¡¯s Lewis Horton¡¯s wife? She¡¯s nothing more than his mistress! How dare she look down on my son¡­ In the whole of Oceanion, who could compare to my son?¡±


    To be fair, Jake Horton was indeed outstanding among the wealthy second generation of Oceanion.


    Oceanion University is among the top ten universities in the country. How many of those rich kids could get in through college entrance exams? Most of them just go abroad to scrape together a degree.


    And the Horton family is the wealthiest in Oceanion¡­


    That¡¯s exactly why Isla Olsen insisted on competing with Keira Olsen for Jake Horton!


    After Melissa Knight said this, she looked towards Isla Olsen, ¡°Daughter-in-law, why bother wasting your breath on her? I think she just needs a good beating! Security, you guys, teach her a lesson for me, let her know the price of belittling my son!¡±


    No sooner had these words been spoken than the surrounding security guards surged forward!


    Jake Horton furrowed his brows, unable to suppress the urge to speak up with a word of caution, ¡°Don¡¯t be too harsh¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, his arm was gripped tightly by Isla Olsen.


    Isla Olsen sighed, ¡°Keira has always been stubborn and never admits defeat. Let her suffer a bit, so she won¡¯t disrespect you again in the future.¡±


    At her words, Jake¡¯s eyes grew darker, yet he said no more.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere.


    Lewis Horton was in a meeting at Horton Group when he received a call from old Mrs. Horton and immediately stood up.


    He ordered Tom Davis, ¡°Get the car ready! We¡¯re going home!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Tom Davis, flustered, followed him out as they left hurriedly, leaving a roomful of bewildered executives:


    ¡°Did something happen to old Mrs. Horton?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that old Mrs. Horton¡¯s condition was stable?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a little rumor over here¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Speak up!¡±


    ¡°I heard that Mrs. Horton might have returned to the country. Mr. Horton has always been secretive about Mrs. Horton¡¯s information, which shows how much he values her. Could it be that something happened to Mrs. Horton?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t hear a word of the people¡¯s discussions.


    He rushed to the underground parking garage and headed straight for the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°Get out.¡±


    The driver, puzzled, got out, and in the next moment, Lewis Horton was behind the wheel.


    The driver was stunned, ¡°Mr. Horton, where are you going? I¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, a buzzing sound of stepping on the gas came through; the Bentley luxury car had already sped away!


    A business van, was driven by Lewis Horton with the force of a sports car.


    Tom Davis, panting, caught up and seeing the situation, immediately gestured to the remaining bodyguards, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and follow!¡±


    Lewis Horton sped all the way, quickly arriving at the Horton estate.


    He didn¡¯t park the car in the parking lot but drove straight to the courtyard outside old Mrs. Horton¡¯s residence!

 Chapter 123 - 123

    Chapter 123: Chapter 123


    Even before getting close, he had already heard cries of alarm.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s frown deepened further, and he pressed the accelerator harder.


    With a drift and a screech, the car stopped in front of old Mrs. Horton¡¯s courtyard gate.


    Lewis Horton pushed open the car door anxiously, expecting to see a scene of the girl being bullied and shivering, but as soon as he got out of the car, he was stunned by the sight before him.


    There stood Kiera Olsen, poised and with a sharp look in her eyes, exuding an aura of authority, with a group of security guards lying around her on the ground.


    The housemaids stood trembling at a distance.


    Jake Horton was also stunned, clearly not expecting Kiera to be so capable of fighting.


    He gazed at Kiera, struck by how saintly and superior she appeared at that moment, making him feel for the first time that he couldn¡¯t catch up with her in college not because she didn¡¯t like him, but because¡­ he might not be worthy of her.


    His jaw was tight.


    The Kiera he knew was a loner by nature. In school, she liked to keep to herself but was obedient, smart, and clever. She always diligently completed assignments or cleaning tasks set by teachers and students.


    But at this moment, he suddenly felt as though he had never truly understood her.


    She stood aloof from the world, looking down with disdain.


    It suddenly dawned on him that in college, she wasn¡¯t really afraid of the teachers and classmates, but rather, she felt it was unnecessary to bother about them.


    It was like a lone wolf had sneaked into a pack of huskies.


    She tried to blend in with everyone, and he had indeed treated her like a misfit husky¡­


    Isla Olsen hadn¡¯t expected such a scenario either.


    Back in the Olsen family, Kiera was always the one who couldn¡¯t fight back. When had her skills become so good that she could knock down seven or eight security guards just like that!


    Looking back at Jake Horton, she saw admiration in his eyes?


    This made Isla Olsen bite her lip hard. She hurriedly shouted, ¡°Kiera Olsen, how dare you lay a hand on someone in the Horton Family? Call the police, we need to call the police!¡±


    These words brought Melissa Knight back to her senses. She took a few steps back, distancing herself from Kiera, and then took out her phone to dial, saying, ¡°Good, you dare resist the security, let¡¯s see if you dare resist the police!¡±


    Unfortunately, before she could make the call, the phone was snatched from her hand.


    Kiera wore a nonchalant smile on her face, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say Fiona couldn¡¯t call Mr. Horton? Now, guess if I¡¯ll let you call the police?¡±


    Melissa Knight stepped back in fright, tripping over her feet and falling to the ground.


    Only then did she hear Lewis Horton¡¯s car, and turning her head to see Lewis Horton arriving, she cried out as if seeing a savior, ¡°Lewis, Jake, come quickly! This woman has gone mad!!¡±


    Kiera slightly tilted her head, her cold gaze shifting towards Lewis Horton.


    The violent aura around her hadn¡¯t subsided yet, the bloodlust still escalating, seeming as if she would strike anyone who dared stop her.


    Lewis Horton strode over, taking her hand, and after studying her with a furrowed brow, he said, ¡°How could you resort to violence?¡±


    These words caused Kiera¡¯s expression to darken.


    At this, Isla Olsen quickly shouted, ¡°Exactly, uncle, we were just talking nicely with Kiera, but then she suddenly started hitting people¡­ not even caring if she disturbed old Mrs. Horton or stressed her physically¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Melissa Knight chimed in immediately, ¡°Exactly, Lewis, you must do something about her! This is the first time someone has dared to be violent in the Horton family, showing no regard for us at all! This woman is too savage! Can¡¯t she talk nicely? Where is the gentle and graceful appearance of a woman?!¡±


    Jake Horton stared intently at Lewis Horton holding Keira Olsen¡¯s hand, his lips tightly clenched in unwillingness.


    Keira Olsen said coldly, ¡°Do you think I shouldn¡¯t have hit him?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lewis Horton frowned deeply.


    Keira¡¯s expression darkened, and she was about to pull her hand away when she heard his concerned voice, ¡°Look, you¡¯re bleeding. Have you forgotten about your anemia? Do you not realize how precious your blood is to you?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    She paused slightly.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Lewis Horton to say she shouldn¡¯t have hit someone because of this.


    Her heart warmed slightly, and the chill on her body slowly faded away¡­


    However, Lewis Horton seemed not to notice the change in her demeanor and directly ordered the nanny standing by, ¡°Go to the yard immediately and call the family doctor over!¡±


    Before long, the nanny arrived with the family doctor.


    The family doctor hurried to Keira¡¯s side, his expression very anxious: ¡°Miss Olsen, where are you injured? Is it severe?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen fell silent for a moment, then embarrassingly raised her hand.


    Seeing the tiny wound, which had merely broken the skin from punching someone, but had already clotted, the family doctor couldn¡¯t help but twitch his mouth, ¡°Am I too late? It¡¯s already scabbed over.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    The family doctor reluctantly took out the iodine, and disinfected Keira¡¯s wound.


    But after meeting Lewis Horton¡¯s almost murderous gaze, he silently took out a cartoon-patterned band-aid and applied it to her wound.


    This theatrical scene rendered everyone present speechless.


    Melissa Knight was the first to recover, ¡°Lewis, you are really overdoing it! Have you decided to cover for her?! Do you know how arrogant she was just now?!¡±


    It was then that Lewis Horton looked at her, ¡°Miss Olsen has always won people over with her virtue, it must be that you pushed her too far.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Melissa Knight was livid.


    Isla Olsen then stepped forward, ¡°Uncle, she was clinging to Jake, trying to keep one foot in each boat with you and Jake; my mother-in-law and I thought it might affect your relationship as uncle and nephew, so we decided to drive her away.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Clinging around here?¡± Lewis Horton looked sternly at Jake Horton, ¡°Oh, I forgot to remind you all, for grandma¡¯s safety, I just had a few cameras installed around the yard. Why don¡¯t we check the surveillance to see whether it was Miss Olsen clinging to Jake Horton, or the other way around?¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jake Horton suddenly choked, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, I just wanted to clear some things up with her¡­¡±


    Melissa Knight immediately changed the subject, ¡°Lewis, the truth is I asked her to move out from the Olsen¡¯s for your sake; your wife is about to return from abroad, right? When she comes back and sees her, it will disrupt the household! Lewis, such a woman shouldn¡¯t stay!¡±


    Taking advantage of the moment, Isla Olsen added, ¡°Plus, Uncle, you weren¡¯t here to see how arrogant she was! She said she is the hostess of this house, that she is your wife¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned.


    She had never said that, and she hoped Lewis Horton wouldn¡¯t start thinking she was presumptuous.


    She was about to explain to Lewis Horton when she saw the man glance her way, his narrow eyes flashing briefly, his lips slowly curving into a smile.


    Just then, Old Mrs. Horton came running out, frantic, ¡°You brat, tell these villains whether your wife is indeed your wife or not!¡±

 Chapter 124 - 124

    Chapter 124: Chapter 124


    As soon as old Mrs. Horton spoke, the scene immediately quieted down.


    Everyone turned to look at Lewis Horton in unison.


    When Keira Olsen saw him purse his lips, she immediately changed the subject, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m a bit cold, let¡¯s go back to our room.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately said anxiously, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law is cold, then we should hurry back so you don¡¯t catch a cold¡­ you can¡¯t catch a cold during your pregnancy planning¡­¡±


    With those words, she grabbed Keira Olsen¡¯s hand and walked toward the courtyard, ¡°Granddaughter-in-law, this is your home! You aren¡¯t going anywhere! From now on, stay right here!¡±


    Keira Olsen helplessly touched her forehead.


    She quietly looked back at Lewis Horton.


    Both of them had special identities, and their marriage was tied to many things.


    Moreover, the metaphorical window paper between them had not yet been pierced; it was best to be cautious about making it public.


    Melissa Knight spoke up, ¡°Lewis, grandma is senile, deceived by this girl. This girl has bad character and shouldn¡¯t stay in the house! You mustn¡¯t be foolish!¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t explain much, his voice a bit heavy, ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s not your place to decide in grandma¡¯s courtyard! Besides¡­¡±


    He glanced around, looking at the security guards, ¡°To dare to touch my guests in grandma¡¯s courtyard, you few don¡¯t need to come back tomorrow!¡±


    Leaving that remark, he followed into old Mrs. Horton¡¯s courtyard.


    The beaten security guards immediately cried out, ¡°Mr. Horton, Mrs. Horton told us to do it, we have been wronged¡­¡±


    Tom Davis arrived just in time and seeing this scene, he stepped forward with a smile, ¡°Wronged? You don¡¯t even know who the head of this family is, wronged my ass! Leave now! Otherwise, I assure you won¡¯t be able to find another job!¡±


    Those people did not dare say anything further and reluctantly left.


    Tom Davis then looked around with an implied warning, ¡°Everyone disperse? What can be said and what cannot, must be clearly stated in your employment contracts, I presume.¡±


    The onlookers immediately bowed their heads and respectfully left.


    After a while, only Melissa Knight, Isla Olsen, and Jake Horton remained.


    Melissa Knight angrily spat toward the door, then irritably gazed at Isla Olsen, ¡°Without understanding the situation, what were you blindly shouting about here? You made me think I could drive this little slut out!¡±


    Isla Olsen bowed her head, feeling wronged, ¡°Mother-in-law, it was my mistake.¡±


    Melissa Knight took a few deep breaths, looked at the still dazed Jake Horton beside her, and suddenly felt an uncontrollable anger. She glared at Isla Olsen, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what witchcraft this little slut used to bewitch the old lady and these two men! Isla Olsen, I don¡¯t care what method you use, you must drive her out! Otherwise, don¡¯t expect me to hand over the housekeeping authority to you!¡±


    She walked away with a flick of her hand.


    Isla Olsen stood there, recalling how Keira Olsen had just been protected by old Mrs. Horton and Mr. Horton, and then looking at Jake Horton, who was blankly staring at the entrance of old Mrs. Horton¡¯s door, she felt a block in her chest.


    She lowered her head, ¡°Jake, I forgot to bring some personal clothes, I¡¯ll go home and get them.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Jake Horton seemed to have not really listened to her.


    Isla Olsen angrily returned to the Olsen house.


    She couldn¡¯t drive Keira Olsen out, but there was one person Keira Olsen would definitely listen to.


    She entered the house with a worried expression and saw Taylor Olsen and Mrs. Olsen sitting on the living room couch watching TV. Seeing her come home, Taylor Olsen exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to have moved to the Horton Manor? Why are you back again!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, however, appeared indifferent and was still angry about her insistence on marrying into the Horton Family.


    Kiera Olsen simply lowered her head and said to Taylor Olsen, ¡°I came back to get some clothes and wanted to say that Kiera¡­ she is not doing well at the Horton Manor.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor Olsen completely ignored this topic.


    But Mrs. Olsen looked over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Kiera?¡±


    Kiera Olsen sighed, ¡°She and Mr. Horton have been seen with an ambiguous attitude, and everyone is gossiping about her.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately frowned and said, ¡°Kiera is staying at the Horton Manor to take care of old Mrs. Horton, where did you hear all this nonsense? Kiera isn¡¯t someone who messes around. I believe in her character. Don¡¯t bring this up with me again!¡±


    Kiera Olsen knew it would be like this.


    She felt intense hatred in her heart; Mrs. Olsen had never trusted her like this!


    Fortunately, she had evidence¡­


    Kiera Olsen lowered her head, ¡°I thought the same, but today at the Horton Manor, there was evidence circulating¡ªa photo of Kiera and Mr. Horton looking intimate¡­¡±


    After saying this, she pulled out her phone, opened the photo, and handed it to Mrs. Olsen.


    Mrs. Olsen frowned at the photo, her first thought was that it was staged, but upon seeing the details in the photo, her pupils contracted slightly.


    Taylor Olsen had already started cursing loudly, ¡°Shameless! How could I have such a shameless daughter! She¡¯s already married, and she¡¯s still messing around with Mr. Horton?¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s voice was tinged with a cry, ¡°Because of her, my mother-in-law now thinks I am the same kind of person and has asked me to find a way to drive Kiera out of the Horton Manor¡­ But whatever I say, Kiera just won¡¯t listen. Today, she even openly defied my aunt in front of everyone at the Horton Manor, saying even if Mrs. Horton herself tried to drive her out, she wouldn¡¯t leave¡­ she also said, she also said¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen frowned impatiently, ¡°Also said what? Just say it. You¡¯re killing me here!¡±


    ¡°She also said that her mother has been living in our house since she was little and wants Mrs. Horton to learn to be more magnanimous from her mother, saying it¡¯s normal for a man to have multiple wives and concubines¡­ Dad, Mom, with her creating such a scene, how will I ever hold my head up at the Horton Manor!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen suddenly spoke, ¡°Impossible! Those words don¡¯t sound like something she would say at all!¡±


    Kiera Olsen bit her lip.


    Taylor Olsen shouted angrily, ¡°What¡¯s so impossible about it? Shirley, you¡¯ve been deceived by her! She¡¯s indeed living at the Horton Manor, isn¡¯t she? And it¡¯s true she¡¯s been ambiguous with Mr. Horton! No wonder last time at the hospital, Mr. Horton helped arrange a hospital bed for her and has been nice to her ever since. She must have seduced Mr. Horton a long time ago! Only you, being so kind-hearted, would think she wouldn¡¯t change!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen stared at him blankly.


    Every time Keira Olsen was mentioned, Taylor Olsen¡¯s attitude made her feel very confused.


    Although she was his daughter, why would he speculate about her with the worst of intentions?


    She suddenly remembered yesterday when Keira said she was not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter¡­ Although she had fainted afterwards, Mrs. Olsen had heard her words.


    She had always thought that it was said in anger.


    But seeing Taylor Olsen¡¯s attitude every time he mentioned Keira Olsen¡­


    Mrs. Olsen suddenly asked, ¡°Taylor, is Keira really your daughter?¡±


    Taylor Olsen was startled, his expression slightly changing.


    This slight change did not escape Mrs. Olsen¡¯s sharp eyes. She furrowed her brows, ¡°Could it be that Keira really isn¡¯t your daughter?!¡±

 Chapter 125 - 125

    Chapter 125: Chapter 125


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s gaze was sharp as a blade.


    She appeared delicate and frail, yet she was internally tough. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor Olsen knew her too well, he immediately said, ¡°I never considered her my daughter, Shirley, I¡¯ve said before, in my heart, only your daughter is my daughter.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen tensed her jaw, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Taylor Olsen sighed, ¡°I was against letting her and her mother in from the start. You must be clear about my feelings, right?¡±


    Only then did Mrs. Olsen nod.


    Isla Olsen was not there to hear the heartfelt exchange between the couple; she directly said, ¡°Mom, Kiera has always listened to you the most. Please talk to her. She is now living in the Horton family, and even the Horton¡¯s housekeeper looks down on her¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen cast her eyes downward.


    She had always been a cheerful parent.


    Both towards Isla and even more so towards Kiera.


    That was why she had never intended to meddle in Isla and Kiera¡¯s marital affairs.


    The extreme measures Isla had now forced her to use, pushing her into the Horton Family, had deeply disappointed her.


    As for Kiera¡­


    When she found out that she was Dr. South, Mrs. Olsen was pleased, feeling a sense of achievement as if Kiera was blossoming into a young woman of her own family.


    Now one daughter had disappointed her, and unexpectedly, the other too had made such a foolish mistake.


    Kiera had always been a good child, it couldn¡¯t be that she¡¯d act so recklessly. There must have been some misunderstanding, probably?


    Indeed concerned now, Mrs. Olsen thought for a moment, then took out her phone, opened WhatsApp, and sent a message to Kiera: [¡°Kiera, it¡¯s been so long since you got married, and I have yet to meet your husband. Bring him over for a meal at our house when you¡¯re free.¡±]


    After sending the message, she lowered her head.


    She wanted to see what kind of man Kiera¡¯s husband was.


    If he wasn¡¯t reliable, she would find a way for them to divorce and let Kiera pursue a new life.


    If he was dependable, then she would persuade Kiera to live with him, as separation is never good for a couple.


    ¡­


    Kiera received the message just after finishing lunch with Old Mrs. Horton.


    After the morning incident, her spirits were somewhat low. After lunch, Old Mrs. Horton, however, resolutely refused to take a nap but instead stubbornly turned to Lewis Horton and asked:


    ¡°brat, why didn¡¯t you explain to everyone today that your daughter-in-law is your wife?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kiera slightly lifted her eyes, wanting to say something, but Old Mrs. Horton anxiously asked, ¡°Are you planning to divorce your daughter-in-law later?¡±


    Lewis Horton paused slightly, ¡°Why would I? Grandmother, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton then turned to Kiera, ¡°And you, daughter-in-law?¡±


    Kiera¡¯s mouth opened and closed, and noticing Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze on her, she finally spoke, ¡°I won¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton grabbed Lewis Horton¡¯s hand with one hand and Kiera¡¯s with the other, bringing their hands together before solemnly saying, ¡°In this world, it¡¯s hard to find someone you love, hard to find someone who loves you, and even harder to find mutual love. So, you two must take responsibility for your future and not let go of each other easily.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kiera instinctively looked towards Lewis Horton.


    Just then, the man also looked up at her.


    Their eyes met in that moment.


    Kiera sensitively caught a fleeting hint of uncertainty in the man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡­He was still uncertain about truly being with her.


    This realization slightly chilled Kiera, and she instinctively tried to withdraw her hand, but it was firmly grasped by the man¡¯s warm hand.


    Kiera looked up to see him, his jaw tensed.


    She lifted an eyebrow, signaling the man to provide an explanation.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze flickered slightly as he looked elsewhere.


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s words interrupted their silent interrogation, ¡°Brat, I¡¯m asking you, do you really like your granddaughter-in-law or not?¡±


    Keira Olsen turned to look at him.


    Lewis Horton hadn¡¯t expected the old lady to suddenly say this and was somewhat hesitant, not knowing how to respond.


    A touch of disappointment suddenly surged in Keira Olsen¡¯s heart.


    In the time the two had spent together, was it all just her own wishful thinking?


    She clearly felt that Lewis Horton had a liking for her¡­


    She lowered her eyes, about to say something, when Lewis Horton¡¯s deep voice slowly began, ¡°I like.¡±


    Keira Olsen was a bit stunned.


    Her heartbeat suddenly quickened.


    Old Mrs. Horton then looked at her, ¡°My granddaughter-in-law, do you like¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Keira Olsen changed the subject, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s time for your nap.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton paused, then laughed, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll take a nap. My granddaughter-in-law is shy, so I won¡¯t ask anymore~¡±


    Having said this, she walked toward the bedroom, smiling and leaning on Fiona¡¯s hand.


    Once inside, the little old lady suddenly switched from her confused state to a cunning one, peeking through the peephole, ¡°Fiona, they both declared their feelings to each other, so they should be together soon, right?¡±


    Fiona: ¡°¡­¡±


    The pair outside the door still felt somewhat awkward.


    The man in a suit, tall and striking, always caught the eye no matter where he was. His superior appearance combined with proper demeanor in all aspects made it difficult for Keira Olsen not to be moved.


    She hesitated to look into Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes, merely coughed, and said, ¡°About what you just said, was it to humor grandma?¡±


    Lewis Horton clenched his jaw, ¡°No.¡±


    Keira Olsen gave a light ¡°Oh,¡± her gaze somewhat flitting.


    At that moment, her phone rang.


    Keira Olsen picked it up and glanced at it, only to raise an eyebrow when she saw the message Mrs. Olsen had sent.


    Lewis Horton asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Keira Olsen handed the message for him to see, ¡°Certainly Isla went home to complain. Mrs. Olsen is worried I really became your lover, so she plans to call me back for a talk!¡±


    Lewis Horton laughed, ¡°So, will you go back?¡±


    Keira Olsen, while replying to the message, spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll go back and check. Mrs. Olsen fainted yesterday, and I¡¯m a bit worried.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Lewis Horton smiled, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Keira Olsen suddenly looked up, incredulous, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Lewis Horton lowered his head, his eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement, ¡°Didn¡¯t she want you to bring your husband home to show her? So, you don¡¯t want to take me?¡±


    Keira Olsen: !!!


    ¡­Well, that isn¡¯t it!


    She subtly stepped back, swallowed hard, then coughed and said, ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll reply to her message.¡±


    Lewis Horton continued, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll have someone prepare some gifts. Since you regard Mrs. Olsen as your mother, I should certainly not go empty-handed when visiting my mother-in-law.¡±


    Mother-in-law¡­


    Keira Olsen¡¯s cheeks reddened further, she turned her head, and texted Mrs. Olsen: [Okay, I¡¯ll come tonight.]

 Chapter 126 - 126

    Chapter 126: Chapter 126


    Olsen Family.


    After receiving the message from Keira Olsen, Mrs. Olsen breathed a sigh of relief.


    She had been afraid that Keira wouldn¡¯t bring her husband back at all, which would mean she had made up her mind to be with Mr. Horton¡­


    Mrs. Olsen turned to Taylor Olsen, ¡°Keira is bringing her husband back home tonight. Tell the kitchen to prepare something.¡±


    Taylor Olsen seemed a bit impatient, ¡°If they¡¯re coming, they¡¯re coming. What¡¯s there to prepare? Shirley, you¡¯re too good to her!¡±


    Despite saying that, he nodded towards Aunt South.


    Aunt South went to the kitchen.


    Isla Olsen listened to their conversation with a deep look in her eyes.


    Keira was finally going to bring that poor devil of a husband to our doorstep?!


    Good, she was going to make Keira regret it tonight!


    She smiled and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Jake to come home for dinner as well. After all, it¡¯s the first time Keira¡¯s husband is coming over. Since Keira and I are sisters, their husbands are brothers-in-law.¡±


    After saying this, she took out her phone and messaged Jake Horton on WhatsApp, ¡°Jake, come over for dinner tonight?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen frowned upon hearing this and suddenly spoke up, ¡°Remind Jake to bring fewer gifts when he comes.¡±


    Isla Olsen was taken aback. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then tightly clenched her fists!


    Of course, she understood why Mrs. Olsen said this, because Keira¡¯s husband was from a poor background, someone not worthy of the limelight, so was she afraid Jake would overshadow her?!


    She felt angry and thought that Mrs. Olsen was overly partial.


    Seeing her unhappy expression, Mrs. Olsen quickly explained, ¡°Isla, don¡¯t overthink it. Tonight is primarily to invite Keira and her husband. Since he comes from a humble background, we don¡¯t need to make the comparison too obvious.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen just didn¡¯t want Keira to be embarrassed.


    Isla Olsen answered with a smile, ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll remind Jake.¡±


    Though she said that, Jake Horton had already replied on WhatsApp, ¡°Don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    Isla Olsen felt a block in her chest and typed, ¡°Tonight, Keira¡¯s husband is coming to visit, which is why I thought of calling you over.¡±


    Jake Horton replied quickly, ¡°What time?¡±


    Isla Olsen clenched her fist, ¡°He should be here around six, so you come at about 5:30.¡±


    Jake Horton, ¡°Okay, do I need to bring anything?¡±


    Although Jake Horton was arrogant, he was always reliable in his actions, and the Horton Family¡¯s good upbringing did not allow him to be rude.


    Seeing his message, Isla Olsen continued to reply, ¡°We registered our marriage today, so it¡¯s more or less your first time coming to my family home, and you can¡¯t be short on gifts. But my mom just said to avoid anything too expensive, so as not to embarrass Keira¡¯s husband.¡±


    She knew Jake Horton too well.


    Just mention Keira¡¯s husband, and he was sure to rebel.


    As expected, the next moment, Jake Horton¡¯s message came through, ¡°It¡¯s my first visit, so it¡¯s not good to be too shabby. I¡¯ll bring what I think is appropriate; you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±


    The corner of Isla Olsen¡¯s lips slightly curled.


    She put down her phone and looked towards Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve reminded Jake. I told him not to bring too much; I won¡¯t steal the limelight from Keira.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face finally relaxed a lot, ¡°Good.¡±


    5:30 in the afternoon.


    The sound of a car engine hummed from outside.


    The sound was unmistakably that of Jake Horton¡¯s sports car.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement as she approached the door with Taylor Olsen and Mrs. Olsen, only to see a blue Porsche parked in the courtyard.


    Jake Horton, clad in a designer suit, stepped out of the car.


    Just his appearance alone brought a smile to Isla¡¯s face.


    The sports car was a limited edition, and Jake¡¯s outfit alone was worth hundreds of thousands. Then she saw Jake walk to the front of the car, open the hood, and begin taking out gifts.


    The gifts were packed so densely they filled the entire trunk!


    The Olsen family¡¯s maid immediately stepped forward to help, carrying three or four gift boxes in one go, but there were still more to get.


    With no other choice, she had to carry the items into the living room before running back for more.


    After three or four trips, there were over a dozen gift boxes on the living room floor, each item looking extremely valuable. There were high-quality caviar, top-shelf wines, and various pieces of jewelry.


    Picking up any one of these items, it was worth hundreds of thousands.


    The total value of these gifts was probably in the millions.


    Isla couldn¡¯t help but feel envious!


    The Horton family, fitting for Oceanion¡¯s richest, had such an extravagant touch.


    She turned to look at Mrs. Olsen, who seemed to have a discolored face, as though wanting to say something, so Isla quickly spoke up before her mother could, ¡°Jake, didn¡¯t we say it¡¯s just a simple family meal? Kiera¡¯s husband will also be here, there¡¯s no need to bring so many gifts¡­¡±


    Jake Horton replied casually, ¡°I know, and I¡¯ve already reduced the usual amount of gifts by thirty percent. Since it¡¯s my first visit to my in-laws, I was concerned that bringing too little would be disrespectful.¡±


    After saying so, he looked at Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen, ¡°Mother-in-law, Father-in-law, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was always polite to outsiders, especially to this son-in-law, and could only swallow her displeasure and respond with a light smile, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Taylor Olsen stepped forward and said, ¡°Next time you come, don¡¯t bring anything, this is too much.¡±


    ¡°Bringing gifts for my mother and father-in-law, how could that be considered excessive? I even feel it¡¯s too understated and I might neglect Isla.¡±


    Jake Horton continued speaking with Taylor Olsen as they entered the house.


    Guests¡¯ gifts are supposed to be placed in the living room, and not to be put away until after the guests have left. The gift boxes remained there, and Mrs. Olsen could already imagine how awkward it would be for Kiera Olsen and her husband when they arrived!


    She furrowed her brow, took a deep breath, and gestured to Aunt South to come over.


    Aunt South approached.


    Mrs. Olsen instructed, ¡°Go and prepare some gifts. Wait outside for Kiera and hand them over to her when they arrive¡­¡±


    Even if the quality couldn¡¯t match, the quantity shouldn¡¯t be much less.


    She was now somewhat regretting inviting Kiera Olsen for dinner.


    She glanced at Isla once again.


    Isla replied with a sense of grievance, ¡°Mom, I really did tell Jake. Look at our WhatsApp chat. I made it very clear, but the Horton family is generous by nature. He probably thinks he¡¯s already brought too little¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She took another deep breath and gave further instructions to Aunt South, ¡°Tell the staff downstairs that when Kiera¡¯s husband arrives, they should not display any improper expressions.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Having made these arrangements, Mrs. Olsen still felt uneasy.


    She sighed and finally took out her phone, sending a message to Kiera Olsen to prepare her mentally, ¡°Jake and Isla are also here, and they brought quite a few gifts. Kiera, you should understand that it¡¯s the thought that counts, not the value of the gift. I don¡¯t care about those things.¡±


    Kiera Olsen replied quickly, ¡°Understood, Mrs. Olsen. We are on our way now and will arrive at the Olsen¡¯s in about half an hour.¡±

 Chapter 127 - 127

    Chapter 127: Chapter 127


    After sending the message, Keira Olsen finally turned to look at Lewis Horton.


    He didn¡¯t seem to have made an effort to dress up today.


    Yet Keira noticed he had changed into a wrinkle-free shirt, and his jacket also seemed to be new¡­


    With a tall and sturdy figure, he was well-suited for suits; overall, his long legs were particularly eye-catching.


    Very handsome and refined.


    Keira¡¯s attire was casual, an apricot sweater paired with light-colored jeans, full of youthful vibes.


    Standing together, the two were a sight for sore eyes.


    On Lewis¡¯s side, the gifts were already prepared, and as Tom Davis finished loading up the car, he came in and said, ¡°Mr. Horton, Miss Olsen, the car is loaded, we can depart now.¡±


    Both of them nodded and headed towards the parking lot.


    Old Mrs. Horton waved and laughed from behind, ¡°Fiona, look at this handsome young man and beautiful young woman. Oh my, I wonder how cute my great-grandchildren will be!¡±


    Keira, who had just stepped out the door, almost tripped over herself when she heard this!


    She and Lewis Horton had just made a bit of progress, and the old lady was already imagining great-grandchildren?


    She looked at Lewis Horton, torn between laughter and tears.


    She saw the man¡¯s ears turn slightly red.


    The two got into the Bentley limousine, and the car drove off.


    Keira Olsen had never thought of competing with Isla Olsen for anything, so she didn¡¯t pay much attention to the gifts they brought, simply stating, ¡°Mrs. Olsen has never judged someone based on their status, nor has she looked down on anyone because of their background. So maybe later, she might not speak to you with that much respect¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton immediately laughed, ¡°Miss Olsen, you might have some misunderstandings about me.¡±


    Keira paused.


    Lewis Horton continued, ¡°I am very respectful towards elders, and my upbringing also doesn¡¯t allow me to do anything inappropriate.¡±


    Keira curled her lips, suddenly laughed, ¡°Is that so? How come I remember someone previously who absolutely wouldn¡¯t believe that we were married and felt everywhere that I was pestering him? Seemed like he had the security chase me away several times.¡±


    ¡­


    Lewis Horton choked, then explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t understand at that time, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Just teasing you.¡±


    Keira Olsen interrupted him and started laughing.


    Mentioning this, Tom Davis got curious, ¡°Miss Olsen, you can¡¯t blame the boss; your marriage was quite unbelievable. Nowadays everything is connected, and the courthouses are strict; how could it be possible to get married without both parties being present¡­ However, I remember back then Miss Olsen had several identities, all part-time jobs, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded, ¡°Yes, I moved out of the Olsen family in junior high and didn¡¯t have living expenses, so I looked for part-time jobs.¡±


    At this, Tom Davis was shocked, ¡°You were underage at that time, right?¡±


    ¡°Right, so I could only do odd jobs and some manual labor.¡±


    Keira seemed to remember those difficult days, a hint of nostalgia in her gaze, ¡°Actually, when I think about it, I was quite happy during that time.¡±


    Without the oppression of being labeled an illegitimate daughter, without Poppy Hill¡¯s nagging, and without the mountainous pressure from Isla Olsen hanging over her¡­


    Even though she lived a solitary and impoverished life during that period, it was when she felt the most free.


    Tom Davis sighed, ¡°Then you must have had a hard time.¡±


    ¡°It was alright,¡± Keira Olsen said lightly.


    She wasn¡¯t downplaying her past struggles; she truly felt it was okay.


    Back then, she took on many jobs and eventually established her own company as she started to succeed. Later on, she became Dr. South, and handed over those small companies to Samuel Morgan to manage.


    By now, she owned a maintenance service factory, a private kitchen restaurant, a courier company¡­ oh, and it seemed like there was also a construction crew.


    She had even carried bricks on a construction site back then!


    As Keira Olsen thought of this, she turned her head to look outside the vehicle.


    The weather was getting colder, and unexpectedly, a light rain began to fall.


    In Oceanion down south, it had never snowed, this winter rain was damp and chilly.


    The car was driving steadily on the road.


    Suddenly, Keira spotted someone on a construction site ahead, wearing a yellow safety helmet, dressed in filthy work clothes, their face also dirty and wet from the rain.


    They stretched out their gloved hands above their head, helplessly gazing at the wretched weather, seemingly trying to dash from the construction site to the 24-hour convenience store across the street to take shelter from the rain.


    Suddenly, Keira was reminded of her own first job. After finding that many places wouldn¡¯t hire a minor, she had no choice but to take up work carrying bricks on a construction site.


    It was on a rainy day, just like this, on her first day at work.


    She had no umbrella, and even less the luxury to afford a taxi ride.


    She had to run home through the rainy night, soaking wet.


    Back then, if someone had held an umbrella over her head¡­


    As she was thinking about this, Keira suddenly spoke up, ¡°Could we pull over for a moment?¡±


    The driver was puzzled but followed her request and stopped the car by the roadside.


    Keira Olsen picked up a blue umbrella she had placed by her feet when she left home, got out of the car, and ran over to the construction site, thrusting the umbrella into the worker¡¯s hands.


    The worker was taken aback for a moment, and a trace of joy appeared on his muddy indistinct face as he said in a slightly odd tone, ¡°Thank you, much appreciated!¡±


    Keira Olsen waved her hand dismissively and ran back to the car.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The car slowly started moving, and Keira curled up the corners of her lips. The umbrella she had just given away felt as if it were for the younger, helpless version of herself.


    She didn¡¯t see that after their car had taken a turn, a luxury car suddenly pulled over by the roadside.


    Then two bodyguards in black emerged with a large black umbrella from the car, approached the very worker Keira had just given the umbrella to, and said, ¡°We are sorry, boss. Traffic jam, we arrived late. How was your inspection of the construction site?¡±


    The man glanced at the blue umbrella in his hand and hooked his lips, ¡°Using Crera¡¯s words, it was quite fruitful!¡±


    After saying that, he got into the car, not caring that he dirtied the back seat. He carefully placed the blue umbrella down and then said, ¡°Go find out where that Bentley in front went to.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen had no idea that she had just shown kindness to a real estate magnate. At this moment, they were nearly at the Olsen family¡¯s home, just a turn away. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Olsen Family.


    Mrs. Olsen, keeping an eye on the time, and Taylor Olsen, along with Isla Olsen and Jake Horton, stepped out to the living room entrance, ready to welcome Keira Olsen and her new husband.


    Taylor Olsen couldn¡¯t help himself and said, ¡°Shirley, you¡¯re just too polite. They are the younger ones, and not from any respectable family, do we really need so many people to greet them?¡±


    Yet, Mrs. Olsen frowned, ¡°We cannot measure a person by their status.¡±


    In the midst of their conversation, a car stopped in front of the Olsen family home.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face lit up with joy, she stepped forward and looked directly into the car, ¡°Keira, you¡¯ve arrived, and your husband is¡­?¡±


    But then, everyone was stunned.

 Chapter 128 - 128

    Chapter 128: Chapter 128


    But the car that stopped in front of them was Lewis Horton¡¯s exclusive black Bentley.


    Everyone was somewhat surprised to see this car.


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton exchanged a look, confusion and disbelief in their eyes.


    Why had the uncle come back with Keira Olsen?


    Taylor Olsen also furrowed his brows, a flash of fear and worry in his eyes.


    Could it be that Keira¡¯s husband was¡­


    As he was pondering, Keira got out of the car, and everyone immediately turned to look behind her, only to see¡­


    No one else got out?!


    Everyone peered through the car door, looking inside the vehicle, and indeed, there was no one else besides the driver!


    Mrs. Olsen asked with confusion, ¡°Keira, where is your husband?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira¡¯s eyes darkened.


    Time rewound to two minutes earlier.


    Just as their car was making a turn and about to reach the Olsen residence, Lewis Horton¡¯s phone suddenly rang.


    He glanced at the caller ID, and his expression instantly became grave, as he immediately answered the call.


    The caller said something unknown on the other end, and Lewis Horton¡¯s jaw tightened apologetically as he looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°I have something very important¡­¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Keira Olsen was never a whimsical woman and immediately spoke out. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Lewis hesitated, ¡°What about Mrs. Olsen¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯ll be plenty of other opportunities to meet the family. Stop the car, and I¡¯ll get out.¡±


    Lewis Horton was always calm in his actions, but this time he looked anxious, surely it was something urgent.


    After thinking for two seconds, he immediately ordered, ¡°Stop the car.¡±


    The car stopped by the roadside, and as Keira Olsen was about to get out, Lewis Horton held onto her arm, ¡°Take this car, the prewedding gifts are all in the trunk, I should be able to handle things in an hour and come pick you up afterward.¡±


    Leaving these words behind, he got out of the car with Tom Davis.


    The moment the two got out of the car, his bodyguard pulled up in another car by the roadside.


    Lewis Horton hurried into the vehicle and quickly drove off.


    So, Keira Olsen arrived at the Olsen residence alone.


    Hearing Mrs. Olsen¡¯s question, she initially wanted to say something, but as her eyes swept over Isla Olsen and Jake Horton, she understood that if she said Lewis Horton was her husband, these two would accuse her of wishful thinking again.


    Sometimes the truth is just not believed by others.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t want to cause a scene at dinner or worry Mrs. Olsen, so she simply said calmly, ¡°He got held up with something and will come later.¡±


    Taylor Olsen couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°What could he be so busy with?¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately laughed, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t say that. Being with family is the most important for you, but for ordinary people, earning some overtime is better than anything. Right, Keira?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, not wanting Keira Olsen to feel embarrassed, quickly changed the subject, ¡°It¡¯s good that you could come.¡±


    The driver got out of the car, having already opened the trunk, and began taking out the prepared gifts one by one.


    The quantity of the gifts was not as much as those brought by Jake Horton, but the quality was just as good, if not better.


    After placing down six gifts, the driver spoke up, ¡°Miss Olsen, I will wait for you in the car.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    After thanking him, Kiera steadied Mrs. Olsen¡¯s arm and led her into the house.


    Behind them, Jake Horton suddenly let out a cold laugh, ¡°Kiera Olsen, your uncle-in-law really dotes on you, even lending you his car and taking something from the Horton family to give as a gift. But does he know you came with your husband to recognize relatives?¡±


    This sarcastic remark furrowed Mrs. Olsen¡¯s brow.


    Kiera glanced at him indifferently, ¡°Jake Horton, how has the Horton family taught you manners? Do you think it¡¯s appropriate to inquire and jest about the private affairs of your elders?¡±


    Jake Horton was taken aback and clenched his fists.


    Kiera curled her lips slightly.


    Mrs. Olsen immediately said, ¡°Jake, there must be some misunderstanding between Kiera and Mr. Horton. Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. Kiera has always been strong and independent; she¡¯s not that kind of person.¡±


    Jake Horton wanted to add something, but Mrs. Olsen cut in, ¡°Kiera, let¡¯s have a chat and wait for your husband.¡±


    Kiera replied directly, ¡°There¡¯s no need, ma¡¯am. Let¡¯s just dine.¡±


    She had started her own business and understood how much there was to worry about in a company every day. Lewis Horton had said he could pick her up, but it wasn¡¯t certain he could make it on time.


    And Isla and Jake Horton were here¡­


    She just wanted to check on Mrs. Olsen, quickly finish the meal, and leave immediately.


    It was quite clear to Mrs. Olsen what she intended, so she led everyone to the dining room with a turn of her foot.


    Everyone took their seats one after another.


    The kitchen began to serve dishes.


    Isla Olsen looked at the steaming dishes in front of her and said kindly, ¡°Kiera, does your husband have dinner to eat? He probably hasn¡¯t had such a lavish meal, right? Should we save a bit of every dish for him, so he doesn¡¯t have to eat leftovers later?¡±


    Kiera: ¡°¡­¡±


    This Isla and Jake Horton, truly a couple, why can¡¯t they ever stop?


    She replied with a faint smile, ¡°My husband can certainly afford a meal.¡±


    Isla immediately explained, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen frowned and interjected, ¡°Isla, enough! Kiera is Dr. South. Even if her husband has an ordinary job, their family surely isn¡¯t short on money!¡±


    Isla pursed her lips and retorted sarcastically, ¡°Mom, how can they not be short on money? Have you forgotten the time when Kiera asked you to lend her money for stock trading?¡±


    At this statement, Jake Horton and Taylor Olsen immediately turned their eyes toward Kiera.


    Taylor Olsen asked with furrowed brows, ¡°You went into stock trading? With the stock market in such a poor state, only a fool would enter the market blindly. What stocks were you trading?¡±


    Isla jumped in, ¡°Kiera, did you put all the money you earned into the stock market and lose it, and that¡¯s why you still haven¡¯t bought a house or a car? Mom is right, as Dr. South, you shouldn¡¯t be short of money.¡±


    Kiera looked at her with an almost amused expression, ¡°I¡¯m not short on money.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not short on money, why did you ask Mom to lend you money for stock trading?¡± Isla raised this point with significant anger.


    It was because of Kiera borrowing money that she couldn¡¯t provide Finley Hill with five million, leading to the subsequent events where Connor Hill killed Finley Hill and Connor Hill went to prison¡­


    It created an unpredictable ticking time bomb for her.


    After all, she didn¡¯t know when Connor Hill would reveal that secret about his birth.


    Taylor Olsen also frowned and looked at Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Shirley, you really spoil the children too much. She says she wants to trade stocks, and you lend her the money? Throwing all that money into the stock market is really unwise!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen defended, ¡°Kiera said at the time that she had insider information¡­¡±


    ¡°What insider information?¡± Jake scoffed, ¡°I think she¡¯s probably been scammed! The stock market right now is untouchable. No matter how much money you have, it¡¯ll be lost. You can afford to lose your own money, but why drag the Olsen family down with you?¡±


    Kiera furrowed her brows and pulled out her phone, handing it over to them, ¡°Who says I lost?¡±

 Chapter 129 - 129

    Chapter 129: Chapter 129


    Keira Olsen had never considered making money through the stock market.


    Initially, when she borrowed money from Mrs. Olsen, it was just an excuse.


    But she would never let Mrs. Olsen engage in a losing deal, so after taking the money, she really did help her buy stocks.


    She wasn¡¯t lying; she did have inside information.


    As Nora, she had developed so many clinical drugs that when many high-level individuals got sick and couldn¡¯t wait for these drugs to hit the market, they had to purchase them from her.


    Therefore, Keira Olsen actually had a very powerful hidden social network.


    Just recently, someone who obtained medicine from her gave her a tip, which Keira herself didn¡¯t use, but she passed it on to Mrs. Olsen.


    At this moment, the stock on her phone screen was soaring, almost hitting the daily trading limit.


    Everyone who looked was stunned.


    The stock worth sixteen million had actually doubled!


    It was a huge profit!


    Mrs. Olsen was also astonished, ¡°Isn¡¯t this making too much money? Keira, didn¡¯t you invest a lot, too? Take it out quickly; the stock market is not reliable in the long run; securing a small profit is enough.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen thought things through and was never greedy.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t explain that she hadn¡¯t bought any but nodded and said, ¡°After I sell them tomorrow, I¡¯ll transfer the money back to your account.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately said, ¡°No need, this money was intended for your dowry. Isla said something right, you should buy an apartment of your own to live in with your husband.¡±


    The implication of her words was clear.


    Keira Olsen looked towards Isla Olsen and Jake Horton.


    After thinking for a moment, she didn¡¯t refuse, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was then satisfied.


    Isla Olsen took the opportunity to speak up, ¡°Keira, it¡¯s not that Mom is meddling, but being someone¡¯s mistress, a homewrecker, is something that can never be justified. Look at your mother¡­ she has lived her entire life in the shadows, not happy at all. If you have children in the future, they will be like you, with an awkward status, in a situation that doesn¡¯t inspire sympathy. If their life is good, people will say it¡¯s all schemed for, if not, people will say they got what they deserved¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen tightened her jaw and put down her chopsticks, about to speak.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen gave a sharp reprimand, cutting Isla Olsen off. She was shocked as she looked at Isla, ¡°How can you say such things?!¡±


    But Isla Olsen just sneered.


    She was already married to Jake Horton and no longer needed to look at Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face, so she directly said, ¡°I¡¯m only speaking the truth, am I wrong? Besides, I¡¯m doing this for Keira¡¯s own good. Or do you, Mother, think Keira¡¯s status is fine? You don¡¯t mind Poppy Hill at all?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was at a loss for words.


    Isla Olsen continued, ¡°I really haven¡¯t seen any other family where the illegitimate daughter is treated so sincerely by the Family Head. Even my father said he wouldn¡¯t bother with her, yet you treat her like a treasure. Mother, do you value her more than your own daughter?¡±


    She lowered her head and began to wipe her tears, then turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°Are you satisfied to see me scolded by Mom like this?¡±


    Keira Olsen felt Isla Olsen was being absurd, not understanding what craziness she was on about.


    The next moment, Jake Horton suddenly stood up, looking angrily at Keira Olsen and said, ¡°Enough! An illegitimate daughter causing trouble in this family, Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, I think you really should reflect on your issues! I used to think Isla had changed, but it turns out that Isla has lived in a family like this since she was young, and your partiality is the real reason for what Isla has become!¡±


    With his distinguished status, Taylor Olsen did not dare to refute what Jake Horton said.


    Mrs. Olsen wanted to say something, but seeing Isla Olsen¡¯s victim-like demeanor, she couldn¡¯t find the words. At the same time, she was deeply reflecting.


    Could it be that she had been too harsh on Isla since she was little?


    Mrs. Olsen looked lost in thought.


    Jake Horton then turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°And you, you think you¡¯re concerned about Mrs. Olsen, but do you know that you have no right to be? What gives you the status to care about her? Every time you show concern, it adds a rift for Mrs. Olsen and Isla!¡±


    After saying this, he frowned, ¡°Illegitimate daughter, just stay in the dark corner where you belong, and stop coming out to disgust people!¡±


    His words seemed to be scolding Keira Olsen but also seemed to be accusing someone else through her.


    Keira Olsen clenched her jaw.


    Mrs. Olsen finally spoke up to scold, ¡°Jake Horton, that was too much!¡±


    She would never grovel to him because of his high status.


    Taylor Olsen quickly patted her hand, but Mrs. Olsen pulled her hand back and frowned at Jake Horton and Isla Olsen, ¡°It is not Keira¡¯s choice where she comes from. It¡¯s unfair to her to speak like that!¡±


    Isla Olsen burst into tears, ¡°But by doing this, letting her share my mother¡¯s love, is that fair to me?¡±


    Jake Horton also frowned, ¡°Mother-in-law, you need to get it straight, Isla is your daughter! Keira Olsen is your enemy!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen wanted to say more, but Keira Olsen tugged at her arm, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, let¡¯s not argue.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen paused.


    Keira Olsen stood up, she looked around and put on an indifferent expression, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, I came today just to see how you were. Now that you¡¯re well, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen pursed her lips, looked around, and finally said helplessly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you out.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen walked her to the door, and as Keira Olsen got into the car, she asked, ¡°Will you come again?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s reply left a void in Mrs. Olsen¡¯s heart. Then she heard Keira laugh, ¡°But we can meet outside. Haven¡¯t you not met my husband yet? Next time, I¡¯ll introduce him to you properly.¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A smile blossomed on Mrs. Olsen¡¯s lips, ¡°Good.¡±


    The Horton family¡¯s Bentley luxury car quickly left the Olsen residence.


    After the car turned a corner and disappeared from sight, Mrs. Olsen suddenly turned back and grabbed Aunt South¡¯s hand, passing her a strand of hair she had plucked from Keira Olsen¡¯s head, ¡°Find an agency and have a paternity test done to see if Keira is really Taylor¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Aunt South was taken aback, ¡°Do you mean?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen looked down, not answering.


    Aunt South understood not to ask any further and nodded.


    Mrs. Olsen then re-entered the dining room, only to see Isla Olsen, Jake Horton, and Taylor Olsen chatting and laughing again¡ªas though as long as Keira Olsen wasn¡¯t at home, they could be a harmonious and happy family.


    But peculiarly, Mrs. Olsen felt as if something was missing.


    After joining them, she didn¡¯t bring up Keira Olsen again.


    The family of four finished their meal and then returned to the sofa for a chat. When Isla Olsen and Jake Horton were ready to leave, it was already eight o¡¯clock at night.


    Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen saw them out the living room door when suddenly the nanny ran over in a panic, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, Miss Keira¡¯s husband has arrived!¡±

 Chapter 130 - 130

    Chapter 130: Chapter 130


    Mrs. Olsen was slightly taken aback.


    She then realized that if Keira hadn¡¯t left, his timing was actually just right.


    Taylor Olsen frowned and said, ¡°He¡¯s here, so what? Why the panic?¡±


    The nanny smiled awkwardly, ¡°I was just a bit startled.¡±


    Isla Olsen chuckled disdainfully, ¡°You¡¯re too timid. What kind of man could her husband be to scare you? Dad, Mom, let¡¯s go together and see.¡±


    She linked arms with Jake Horton and followed behind Taylor Olsen and Mrs. Olsen as they all made their way to the entrance.


    Upon their arrival, all of them furrowed their brows at the sight before them.


    They saw a tall man standing there, wearing work clothes, dirtied all over with mud. Although his face had been wiped clean, revealing a refined and profound visage, his hair was a mess, clearly indicating he had just come from a construction site.


    When he saw them, his eyes lit up slightly, ¡°Excuse me, is this Keira Olsen¡¯s home?¡±


    Scott Martin was an overseas expatriate and had just returned to Crera that year to be involved in a real estate project. He did not quite understand Crera¡¯s culture and was even more puzzled why the nanny had turned and run after he knocked on the door and asked to see Keira to return her umbrella.


    His speaking of Crera¡¯s language was a bit awkward, painfully grating to the ear.


    Isla Olsen frowned and exclaimed, ¡°What dialect is that? Why is the accent so heavy?¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jake Horton also showed a look of disdain.


    The man in front of them had a decent face¡ªdeep and thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a bit of a foreign allure¡ªbut his clothes screamed manual laborer¡­


    Who would¡¯ve thought Keira would end up with such a gigolo?


    No wonder she clung to Lewis Horton and wouldn¡¯t let go.


    Although this man¡¯s looks were not inferior to Lewis Horton¡¯s, when their family backgrounds were compared, the difference was astronomical!


    After both Isla Olsen and Jake showed their disdain, Mrs. Olsen immediately spoke up, ¡°Yes, are you here to pick up Keira? She¡¯s already left.¡±


    ¡°Left?¡±


    Scott Martin was briefly startled, ¡°She¡¯s not here? Sorry, I¡¯ll come back another day.¡±


    He nodded his head and turned to leave when Isla Olsen suddenly said, ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Scott Martin looked back at her, puzzled.


    Isla Olsen walked up to him, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Keira¡¯s half-sister, same father but different mothers. How about we add each other on WhatsApp? It would be convenient for future contact. After all, we¡¯ll be family soon.¡±


    Scott Martin immediately nodded, ¡°Sure, I have WhatsApp!¡±


    He had set up an account when he returned to Crera and didn¡¯t have many contacts yet.


    He readily took out his phone, scanned the QR code with Isla Olsen to add her, and then in his awkward Crera language said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll stay in touch.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After Scott Martin left his contact information, he nodded to Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen before sadly walking away with the blue umbrella in hand.


    Taylor Olsen ¡°hmphed¡± with a sneer, ¡°I thought she had married some impressive person, and now she¡¯s become unspeakable. How obedient was she at home? And this is the result?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen looked at him directly, ¡°Taylor, appearances can be deceiving. Keira and her husband look very young, they have potential!¡±


    Taylor Olsen mumbled under his breath, ¡°A bricklayer, what kind of future is that?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen wanted to say more, but Isla Olsen laughed, ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t say that. Maybe if Keira is willing to financially support him, he¡¯ll become a contractor in the future, right? If we want to remodel our house later, we could hire him.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately frowned, ¡°Isla, mind your words!¡±


    Isla Olsen pouted.


    With the Olsen Family¡¯s drama concluded, Isla and Jake Horton got into Jake¡¯s flamboyant sports car and left.


    On the way, Jake Horton couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why did you add him as a friend? Are we ever going to have any contact with someone as lowly as him?¡±


    Isla Olsen, who was looking down at her phone sending messages, turned to look at him with a smile and remarked, ¡°Tomorrow is Professor Miller¡¯s birthday, and you¡¯re preparing a birthday banquet for him, right? You¡¯ve invited many classmates and jokingly said spouses could come. Keira will surely be there, so we should properly inform her spouse too, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    After saying this, she raised her phone.


    She had sent Scott Martin a WhatsApp message: [We¡¯re having a class gathering tomorrow, come join us!]


    Scott Martin replied: [Will Keira be there?]


    Isla Olsen: [Of course, why wouldn¡¯t I invite you?]


    Scott Martin: [Okay, I¡¯ll be there. Smiley_face.jpg]


    Isla Olsen then sent him the hotel address: [See you tomorrow.]


    Jake Horton immediately grasped something and smirked with mockery.


    So what if Keira was Dr. South¡¯s daughter? His own company, which he had worked hard to establish, hadn¡¯t gone public yet and only made a few tens of millions a year.


    In this cosmopolitan city, a decent house cost twenty to thirty million. What could her meager savings do?!


    And to have married such a husband¡­


    Suddenly, Jake Horton was looking forward to the birthday party the next day.


    ¡­


    At the Olsen home.


    After seeing everyone off, Mrs. Olsen went upstairs with a distant look.


    Taylor Olsen glanced outside and asked with some confusion, ¡°Where¡¯s Aunt South?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Mrs. Olsen paused, inexplicably lying, ¡°I sent her out to buy something for me.¡±


    Taylor Olsen, thinking it was something personal for women, did not inquire further, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go down to my study to get some work done.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you go. I¡¯m fine,¡± Mrs. Olsen replied.


    After watching Taylor Olsen enter his study, Mrs. Olsen finally retreated to her own bedroom.


    She sat quietly on the sofa, staring ahead.


    She had neglected discipline over Isla due to health reasons and never expected her to turn out so differently.


    It was her fault¡­


    As she pondered, noise came from outside; Aunt South had returned.


    Aunt South warmed herself up before entering Mrs. Olsen¡¯s room to avoid bringing in cold air that might trigger Mrs. Olsen¡¯s cough.


    Mrs. Olsen promptly stood up and asked, ¡°What are the results of the DNA test?¡±

 Chapter 131 - 131

    Chapter 131: Chapter 131


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s questions were a bit urgent.


    She didn¡¯t know what result she wanted.


    Nor did she know what she would face in the future; all she knew was that she urgently wanted to understand whether Keira Olsen and Taylor Olsen really had a parent-child relationship or not!


    After all, amniocentesis should be impossible to fake.


    So how could the daughter born to Poppy Hill not be Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter?


    Unless¡­


    A thought flashed through her mind.


    Mrs. Olsen was pondering this when she heard Aunt South speak up:


    ¡°Madam, what¡¯s the rush? Normal tests take three days to produce results.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen felt somewhat disappointed. The fleeting inspiration was lost with Aunt South¡¯s interruption, and she couldn¡¯t recall it anymore.


    Well, she thought, let¡¯s wait for the results then.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen had no idea that such a drama was unfolding at the Olsen Family¡¯s doorstep.


    At the moment, she had returned to the small villa in the Horton Family compound where Old Mrs. Horton lived. She was back in her own bedroom and had already messaged Lewis informing him of her return, so he didn¡¯t need to pick her up from the Olsen Family anymore.


    But Lewis still had not replied to her messages.


    At first, Keira didn¡¯t think much of it, but when it was midnight and there was still no message from him on WhatsApp, she couldn¡¯t help but look at her phone.


    She was always a calm person; if someone didn¡¯t reply to her messages, she never worried.


    But this time¡­


    Had Lewis encountered some trouble?


    She suddenly felt worried and simply took out her phone to send a WhatsApp message to Tom Davis: ¡°Is Mr. Horton still busy?¡±


    Tom Davis immediately replied: ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a bit of trouble.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can help with, just tell me.¡±


    Tom Davis: ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t something you can really get involved in.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°?¡±


    Tom Davis: ¡°I don¡¯t dare to say, you should ask the boss when you have time.¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned at the last message.


    What could be unspeakable?


    She tilted her head slightly.


    Could it be that Lewis had a kept woman outside?


    The thought seemed a bit absurd to her.


    Recently, Lewis had nearly spent every evening accompanying his grandmother, and she was there too. Even when she was framed as a murderer and locked up, Lewis had been¡­


    Oh, no, that¡¯s not right; the night she was hospitalized, Lewis didn¡¯t come back all night.


    Was there a connection between these two days?


    Keira shook her head, deciding not to think about it anymore.


    She simply lay down to sleep.


    The next day, Keira didn¡¯t wake up until nine o¡¯clock. When she opened her bedroom door, she saw Fiona and Old Mrs. Horton sitting on the couch.


    She casually walked over and asked, ¡°Did Mr. Horton go to work?¡±


    Fiona immediately hesitated.


    Keira asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Fiona coughed and glanced at old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Well, Mr. Horton didn¡¯t come back at all last night.¡±


    Keira furrowed her brows.


    She took out her phone and saw that there was still no reply on WhatsApp.


    She tensed her jaw.


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately picked up her phone upon seeing this, ¡°Where is that brat off to? Not even coming home at night, doesn¡¯t he know that this can greatly affect you guys making babies?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Just as Old Mrs. Horton made the call, a ringtone sounded from outside the door.


    Everyone looked over, only to see Lewis Horton stride in.


    The man must have stayed up all night; his brows and eyes looked somewhat weary, a hint of scarlet in his orbs.


    He was now fishing out his phone from his pocket, saw it was the old lady and hung up, then said, ¡°Sorry, I just came back to take a shower and change clothes.¡±


    After he hung up the call, he seemed to notice the message Keira had sent on WhatsApp, so he lifted his eyelids and looked at her, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t look at my phone last night.¡±


    He had been so busy the entire night¡­ he hadn¡¯t checked his phone.


    What was he busy with?


    Though Keira was somewhat curious, she still nodded in understanding.


    She was never one to make a fuss.


    Lewis Horton walked toward the bedroom, but suddenly paused, turning his gaze toward Keira.


    The girl today wore a small blazer and slim-fit jeans underneath. She looked more formal than usual, obviously preparing to head out.


    He asked, ¡°Are you¡­ going somewhere?¡± S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s¡­¡± Keira saw the fatigue on his face and swallowed the matter about Professor Miller¡¯s birthday, ¡°There¡¯s something at the company, I¡¯ll go check it out.¡±


    She and Samuel Morgan had a company that was recently busy with going public, and Lewis Horton was aware of this, so he nodded and left her with a ¡°If you need help, just ask,¡± before entering the bedroom.


    Keira wasn¡¯t exactly lying.


    After breakfast, she truly did go to the company. There were documents Samuel needed her to sign and some work waiting for her attention.


    She previously chose one day each week to get through it.


    Lately, things had been busier, and work had piled up. So she was occupied until half-past eleven, only after finishing did she go to Professor Miller¡¯s birthday party.


    ¡­


    Lewis Horton took a shower and then lay on the couch, catching up on two hours of sleep.


    Without setting an alarm, his strong self-control ensured he woke up promptly at eleven, then he put on a new suit, got ready, and walked out the door.


    Only then did he discover that Isla Olsen and Jake Horton were present; they were chatting with Old Mrs. Horton.


    Lewis Horton originally didn¡¯t intend to engage with them, but just as he was about to leave, he heard Isla raise her voice deliberately, ¡°Great Grandmother, we¡¯ll go to Professor Miller¡¯s birthday later. Jake and I will attend his party, and Keira will too. Oh yes, her husband is also going.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s steps immediately halted.


    Her husband is going too?


    How did he not know about this?


    He furrowed his brows and then stopped in his tracks, turned to pour himself a glass of water, no longer in a hurry to leave.


    Sure enough, without him needing to say anything, Old Mrs. Horton spoke up, ¡°That brat is going too? Then why didn¡¯t you leave together with your granddaughter-in-law!¡±


    Isla remarked, ¡°Great Grandmother, you really got it wrong, Keira isn¡¯t your granddaughter-in-law. She¡¯s married and has a husband. Yesterday, Jake and I saw him at the Olsen home!¡±


    Lewis Horton, while drinking water: ??


    His eyebrows suddenly knitted together, and with a piercing gaze, a formidable pressure instantly bore down!


    Isla also felt this rage. Under that intimidating gaze, she said, ¡°Mr. Horton, it¡¯s true. Her husband is a construction worker, working at a site. He¡¯s also going to our class reunion later.¡±


    A construction worker? Working at a construction site?


    Lewis Horton felt as if he couldn¡¯t breathe properly. Is this how these people looked down on Keira Olsen?


    He suddenly realized that earlier today, when he asked Keira where she was going, she had hesitated before answering¡­ obviously worried about disturbing his rest.


    He hadn¡¯t accompanied her to the Olsen home last night, and today¡¯s reunion was bound to be another round of comparisons.


    Lewis Horton spoke up, ¡°Where is the reunion?¡±


    Isla promptly said, ¡°Jake arranged it, at the Emperor Palace Hotel.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lewis Horton grabbed his blazer and turned to leave.


    Getting into the car, the driver asked, ¡°Sir, where to?¡±


    ¡°Emperor Palace Hotel.¡±

 Chapter 132 - 132

    Chapter 132: Chapter 132


    After dealing with some documents at the company, it was already eleven o¡¯clock, and Samuel Morgan had a social engagement at the Emperor Palace Hotel, so the two of them simply headed over together.


    The underground parking garage.


    Samuel Morgan clutched the door of the driver¡¯s seat, uncertainly looking at Kiera, ¡°Boss, are you sure you¡¯re driving?¡±


    Kiera raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    Samuel Morgan dared not say there was a problem.


    He walked to the passenger seat, deeply conflicted, and then despondently fastened his seatbelt.


    Kiera, new to the driver¡¯s seat, started the car.


    The intense buzzing sound of the sports car echoed in the underground parking lot, causing Samuel Morgan to close his eyes in despair.


    Then, he felt the car shake violently for a moment before¡­ it began to move slowly.


    He wished he could shrink into his seat and hide his face from view.


    How embarrassing!


    So embarrassing!


    Whose sports car drives only thirty miles per hour?


    He silently turned his head to look at Kiera, who was concentrating on driving, ¡°Boss, aren¡¯t you in a hurry?¡±


    ¡°Not in a hurry,¡±


    Kiera answered slowly, ¡°The birthday party doesn¡¯t start until twelve, and it¡¯s only five kilometers to the Emperor Palace Hotel from here, we have plenty of time within an hour.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Samuel Morgan tugged at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Boss, don¡¯t you think¡­ you¡¯re driving too slowly?¡±


    Kiera seriously looked ahead, ¡°It¡¯s much faster than walking. I¡¯m not on the highway, and besides, I am deficient in iron, so I should pay attention to safety. What if there¡¯s a car accident?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Samuel Morgan covered his face, feeling other cars zoom past, their curious glances making him wish he could dive into a hole in the ground.


    There goes his sports car¡¯s dignity, all the way down the drain! S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, the car arrived at the parking lot of the Emperor Palace Hotel. Kiera got out of the driver¡¯s seat and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t driven in a long time, that was a nice experience.¡±


    Turning her head and seeing Samuel Morgan hadn¡¯t gotten out of the car, she walked around to the passenger side and opened the door, ¡°Mr. Morgan, aren¡¯t you getting out?¡±


    Samuel Morgan tugged at the corner of his mouth before getting out, and immediately took the car keys Kiera tossed over, ¡°I had a customer meeting at eleven-thirty, I¡¯ll go ahead first.¡±


    He rushed up the stairs.


    Kiera, on the other hand, walked to the elevator and waited leisurely.


    Suddenly, someone spoke up, ¡°Kiera?¡±


    Kiera turned around in surprise and saw an old college classmate, Charles Riley, standing beside her, also waiting for the elevator.


    When Charles Riley saw her turning towards him, a flash of shock passed through his eyes, ¡°It really is you!¡±


    Kiera nodded in greeting, ¡°Hello.¡±


    Charles Riley appeared a bit surprised.


    Kiera was exceptionally beautiful, even if she was reclusive and didn¡¯t interact much with others in school, she was still considered the campus belle. But she rarely communicated with classmates and if someone greeted her, she¡¯d just nod and walk away, as if indifferent to everyone.


    It seemed as though no one could catch her eye.


    But now, she had changed a lot, there was a light in her eyes that made Charles Riley not recognize her at first.


    However¡­


    Charles Riley glanced towards the sports car in the parking lot a few times, then started, ¡°Haven¡¯t you found a job yet? It¡¯s almost been two months since you graduated, right?¡±


    Kiera looked at him blankly, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Charles Riley pointed towards the sports car, ¡°I just saw you coming down from it. Are you working as a private driver now?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    Just as she was about to say something, Charles Riley cut in, ¡°I¡¯ve just joined a really awesome company, do you know who the leader of that company is?¡±


    Keira Olsen shook her head.


    He laughed, ¡°It¡¯s Dr. South! Surprised?¡±


    Keira Olsen really was surprised, ¡°What?¡±


    Pointing to the sports car, Charles continued, ¡°You just finished a ride, right? You have no idea what you¡¯ve missed. That Mr. Morgan just now is the person in charge of our company, but actually, the owner of our company is Dr. South!¡±


    Charles Riley lifted his chin, his face beaming with a smile and pride, ¡°Dr. South, who doing new energy doesn¡¯t know him? He¡¯s incredibly awesome. In these two months at the company, just by looking at internal materials, I¡¯ve learned quite a lot of knowledge.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded along, ¡°Oh, oh.¡±


    He looked at her again, ¡°Keira Olsen, it is indeed a bit difficult for college graduates to find jobs this year. I remember you had good grades in your university courses. Do you want me to help you with a referral?¡±


    During her university days, Keira had always kept her distance from Isla Olsen.


    She tried to minimize her own presence.


    Thus, very few of her university classmates knew about her relationship with Isla Olsen.


    Moreover, the worldviews of university classmates were basically fixed, and most of them harbored sympathy for the underdog.


    She could feel Charles¡¯s good intentions, so she smiled and said, ¡°Thanks, but no need.¡±


    Her smile dazzled Charles, who scratched his head honestly. The sunny young man didn¡¯t have so many complicated thoughts and thought she was just being shy, so he immediately said, ¡°Our company is quite tough to get into, but I¡¯ll give you a push. You don¡¯t have to be shy, Keira Olsen. It¡¯s quite common for us university friends to ask each other for referrals.¡±


    The elevator arrived, and the two of them entered. The elevator doors slowly closed.


    Charles went on, ¡°I didn¡¯t really interact with you much during our school days, but we¡¯re all classmates, after all. We should keep in touch more often. Let¡¯s add each other on WhatsApp, shall we?¡±


    He took out his phone, opened the QR code, ¡°You scan me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Facing such an enthusiastic classmate, Keira Olsen hesitated for a moment, but ultimately scanned it and added him as a contact.


    When Charles saw her friend request pop up, he immediately laughed, ¡°Your profile picture, it¡¯s the same as Dr. South¡¯s! Both of you have this yellow background. Such a profile picture is quite rare.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a sunflower.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Charles opened Keira Olsen¡¯s profile picture, took a closer look, and laughed, ¡°Haha, it really is.¡±


    Just as this thought crossed his mind, Charles suddenly realized something. He abruptly opened the company¡¯s WhatsApp group.


    The group owner was Dr. South.


    Charles had countless times clicked on the magnate¡¯s WhatsApp, studying it closely.


    Although on the first day of his job, Samuel Morgan had emphatically advised them that nobody was allowed to add Dr. South on WhatsApp privately, curiosity got the better of him.


    Unfortunately, Dr. South had disabled the feature to add contacts through group chat, causing the ordinary employees in the company to only gaze at the profile picture to quench their thirst.


    At that moment, Charles couldn¡¯t help but take another look at that profile picture.


    Was it a sunflower?


    Because the photo was taken so close up, the entire picture was just a block of yellow, so he really hadn¡¯t paid attention to it before.


    He subconsciously clicked on the profile picture to enlarge it for a closer look.


    But just as he clicked into it, he discovered¡­


    Huh?!


    How come he was friends with Dr. South?!


    He rubbed his eyes, thinking he had seen it wrong.


    But upon looking again, they were indeed friends.


    Charles was stunned, then suddenly realized something and jerked his head up to look at Keira Olsen!

 Chapter 133 - 133

    Chapter 133: Chapter 133


    The elevator had arrived.


    Kiera Olsen stepped out of the elevator and was heading toward the reserved private room.


    Charles Riley swallowed, hurriedly took a few quick steps to catch up with her, still in disbelief and wanting to confirm something, yet not knowing what to say.


    It was then he realized that when someone is very surprised, they actually find it hard to speak.


    Charles pointed at his phone, then at Kiera Olsen.


    Kiera Olsen smiled at him kindly, and Charles, looking a bit silly, followed her into the private room.


    The Horton Family held a solid position in Oceanion. The Emperor Palace Hotel was one of the Horton Group¡¯s enterprises, so it was very easy for Jake Horton to reserve a VIP private room here.


    Their large private room featured a huge table that could seat twenty to thirty people.


    When Kiera Olsen entered the room, there were already more than ten people sitting down.


    These people had all graduated this year, so their discussions centered on work matters, rather than the trivial gossip of parents and relatives.


    As Kiera Olsen and Charles entered the room, it immediately quieted down.


    All the men¡¯s gazes landed on Kiera Olsen.


    After all, during their school days, this ¡°flower on a high peak¡± was too aloof and not easily approachable. There were only legends about her in the class. The only person who could have a few words with her was Jake Horton.


    It could be said that Kiera Olsen was considered the goddess in many male students¡¯ hearts.


    Now, seeing Charles come in with Kiera Olsen and the way he was staring blankly and following behind her like a lost puppy before suddenly realizing something when she stopped by a chair, he hurried to pull it out for her: ¡°Please¡­ please take a seat.¡±


    This was his boss, the company owner!


    Charles¡¯s actions, however, led to a misunderstanding among the crowd, and they began teasing:


    ¡°Charles, what¡¯s your relationship with your classmate Kiera Olsen?¡±


    ¡°How come you two arrived together? Tell us, what happened after graduation that we don¡¯t know about?¡±


    Charles immediately gestured with his hands in panic: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±


    A scandal between him and Dr. South?!


    He was not worthy!


    Leaving those words behind, Charles took a seat next to Kiera Olsen.


    He couldn¡¯t miss this chance to get on good terms with the boss.


    One of the girls named Erin Davis had been watching them since they entered. She had liked Charles since their school days. They were WhatsApp friends, and the communication had been frequent and flirty over the past two months.


    At this moment, seeing Charles so attentive to Kiera Olsen, Erin Davis couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    She said sarcastically: ¡°Kiera Olsen, I heard from Isla Olsen that you haven¡¯t found a job yet?¡±


    Kiera Olsen raised her eyebrows towards her but said nothing.


    Erin Davis continued: ¡°You don¡¯t have to be embarrassed. There are so many classmates here today; if you haven¡¯t found a job, you could ask everyone to help introduce you to some opportunities~ Oh, by the way, our company¡¯s receptionist just resigned, and we¡¯re hiring. Do you want to give it a try?¡±


    Kiera Olsen frowned.


    Charles interjected: ¡°What are you talking about? How could Kiera¡­ I mean, how could a classmate like her take on a receptionist position!¡±


    Erin Davis immediately sneered: ¡°What? Do you look down on receptionists? It¡¯s a proper job! Besides, do you think being a receptionist is that easy?¡±


    Charles quickly explained: ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. It¡¯s just that her major and the receptionist job don¡¯t align!¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t she not finding a job because she¡¯s not great in her major? Kiera Olsen has an advantage, though. She¡¯s pretty; she can be the face of the company, right? I¡¯m just trying to be helpful. After all, it¡¯s been over two months since graduation. Doesn¡¯t Kiera Olsen feel the pressure to provide for her family?¡±


    Kiera Olsen scrunched her eyebrows and chuckled coldly: ¡°I don¡¯t need you to worry about my affairs.¡±


    She knew that at this kind of class reunion, she was bound to be ostracized.


    After all, when she had been in university, Isla had transferred into the class and did bring about her isolation from the other female classmates.


    But today was Professor Miller¡¯s birthday. He was like a mentor and a father figure to her. She had to be there.


    With Kiera Olsen¡¯s icy demeanor, her response silenced Erin who, almost immediately, became somewhat angry. Erin said, with a mock soothing tone: ¡°I overstepped, apologies. I just see you struggling to find a job and got worried for you. Since you don¡¯t appreciate it, let¡¯s forget it!¡±


    Another male student also felt Kiera Olsen¡¯s response was too harsh and spoke up with a frown: ¡°We¡¯re all classmates. The tone might have been off, but it was well-intentioned. Kiera Olsen, there¡¯s no need to be so standoffish, right?¡±


    Erin also pretended to console: ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up during a class reunion. It is indeed a private matter for Kiera Olsen, and it¡¯s rather embarrassing for her. Kiera Olsen, if you¡¯re upset, I apologize.¡±


    The male classmate sneered: ¡°I don¡¯t get why we can¡¯t discuss it here at a class reunion. Isn¡¯t this the truth? Just for the sake of face, and you won¡¯t even ask for help? Kiera Olsen, sometimes in life, you shouldn¡¯t care too much about vain and nebulous things, being down-to-earth is better!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ?


    Her gaze turned even colder: ¡°Sometimes in life, minding your own business is best, right?¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    The male student was so angry he pointed at her and uttered a single word before Erin grabbed his arm: ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore, shall we?¡±


    He sneered: ¡°She really can¡¯t recognize kindness!¡±


    Seeing herself gaining the upper hand, Erin chuckled and changed the subject: ¡°Actually, speaking of jobs, among us, Charles has got the best one! Do you know who he¡¯s working for?¡±


    Everyone immediately became curious: ¡°Who?¡±


    Erin then turned to Kiera Olsen and asked, ¡°Kiera Olsen, do you know?¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ?


    Not understanding why she was being singled out, she just took a sip of tea, glanced at Charles, and slowly said, ¡°Not very clear.¡±


    Erin laughed immediately: ¡°Hasn¡¯t Charles told you? He works under Dr. South!¡±


    Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, and they all turned to Charles, curiously asking:


    ¡°Is Dr. South male or female?¡±


    ¡°What a question. Of course, it¡¯s a man, a scholarly middle-aged gentleman!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, Charles, have you met Dr. South in person? Can you get me his autograph?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so amazing that a classmate of ours works under Dr. South; it¡¯s such a boastful matter to share!¡±


    ¡°Charles, come on, tell us about Dr. South!¡±


    ¡°Even if you can¡¯t reveal personal information about Dr. South, you could at least share something about your new research projects, right?¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Charles, who had already grown impatient with everyone mocking Kiera Olsen, immediately turned to her: ¡°Dr. South is far off in the distance yet so close at hand.¡±

 Chapter 134 - 134

    Chapter 134: Chapter 134


    As soon as Charles Riley said this, everyone present was stunned, looking at him in bewilderment.


    ¡°What do you mean? Will Dr. South come today?¡±


    Charles Riley felt a faint sense of exhilaration.


    It was as if a master from the martial world was right beside him, yet this crowd was blind to it.


    He was about to say something when¡­


    Keira Olsen glanced at him indifferently.


    Although she did not speak, Charles Riley immediately understood.


    Dr. South guarded her information so closely because she did not want to expose herself.


    Thinking about it, he could understand.


    With so many classmates here, all working in new energy, if they knew she was Dr. South, Keira Olsen would no longer have peaceful days.


    He coughed, furrowing his brows and said, ¡°Is Dr. South¡¯s affairs something you can inquire about? To tell you the truth, even I only met Dr. South in person today!¡±


    Boys often spoke in such a playful manner, and his words immediately made everyone laugh:


    ¡°Yes, yes, we¡¯re not qualified to inquire¡­¡±


    ¡°Nowadays, Dr. South is the top expert in our field, and our company has always wanted to collaborate with her, but your Mr. Morgan is impervious. Our boss has sent him countless gifts, all to no avail.¡±


    ¡°Your Mr. Morgan is pretty slick too¡­¡±


    The topic drifted as everyone started to gripe about their bosses and working life. Someone even said, ¡°Our company¡¯s interns have no rights at all! Every day they buy coffee for the old staff, handle printing tasks, and do grunt work, it¡¯s ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°Same here, but I don¡¯t put up with it. As a proud Oceanion University graduate, why should I do odd jobs for them? They¡¯re not paying me double the salary!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, the college graduates are reforming the workplace!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    While the group was cheerfully discussing, more people steadily arrived.


    All old classmates, they joined the chat one after another.


    Keira Olsen was low-profile and didn¡¯t talk much; she was quickly overlooked, which she found quite agreeable.


    Some time later, when most of the classmates had nearly arrived, Jake Horton and Isla Olsen, the grand finale-type figures, finally made their entrance.


    The moment the two appeared at the doorway, the classmates immediately stood up:


    ¡°Young Mr. Horton is here!¡±


    ¡°Wow, we are blessed by young Mr. Horton¡¯s favor today to have a meal in such a luxurious hotel!¡±


    ¡°I was hesitant to come in at first; this place is so splendid, how much must a meal here cost?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you? This hotel belongs to the Horton Family, so if young Mr. Horton is treating us to a meal, it probably won¡¯t cost a thing, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The crowd jokingly teased, with one remark after another as they surrounded Jake Horton, ushering him to the seat next to the head of the table.


    Jake Horton, seeing these old classmates, felt somewhat nostalgic, and the sternness in his eyes seemed to fade a little as he thought about the pure life in university.


    Isla Olsen, like a perfect ornament, took his arm and sat down next to him.


    After he and Isla sat down, he looked around and asked, ¡°What is everyone talking about?¡±


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this about work? It¡¯s been two months since graduation, and most of us have found jobs or have been admitted to graduate programs¡­¡±


    Jake Horton took the opportunity to speak up, ¡°Well, if anyone needs help with work and I can assist, feel free to ask.¡±


    Someone immediately laughed and said, ¡°Forget it, who doesn¡¯t know that within the Horton Group, you either need a master¡¯s or a Ph.D.? We undergrads, even if we enter through your back door and do a poor job, would just embarrass you!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, we certainly don¡¯t want to go to the Horton Group and get rolled over!¡±


    As everyone chuckled, Erin Davis¡¯s eyes darted around, and she suddenly spoke up, ¡°Speaking of which, there¡¯s actually someone among us who hasn¡¯t found a job yet. Young Mr. Horton, do you remember Keira Olsen? Maybe you could help her out?¡±


    Though Erin Davis and Isla still kept in touch, it wasn¡¯t frequent.


    She mentioned this deliberately, to disgust Keira Olsen.


    Everyone knew that during university, Jake Horton had pursued Keira Olsen for four full years! Since freshman year, the entire department and the college were aware of it.


    Unfortunately, at the graduation ceremony, Jake Horton held a bouquet of flowers but proposed to Isla instead.


    Erin Davis felt that bringing up this matter was a humiliation to Keira Olsen.


    But as she spoke, she failed to notice the slight stiffening of Jake Horton¡¯s and Isla¡¯s expressions.


    Introduce Keira Olsen to a job at the Horton Group?


    Not to mention that Dr. South didn¡¯t need a job at all, but thinking about how Isla was currently dead set on getting her out of the Horton Family, how could she possibly let her get further entwined with the Hortons?


    Isla frowned unhappily and remained silent.


    Jake Horton also suddenly clenched his fist, his gaze heavy as he looked towards Keira Olsen.


    Charles Riley couldn¡¯t stand listening any longer, ¡°Erin, what¡¯s the matter with you? Why are you always picking on Keira¡­ Olsen? You know very well what happened between her and young Mr. Horton, so what¡¯s the point of bringing it up intentionally?¡±


    With Charles Riley pointing this out, everyone at the table immediately looked disapprovingly at Erin Davis.


    If just a moment ago, Erin Davis was pretending to be concerned for a classmate, now it was clear to everyone that she was targeting Keira Olsen.


    Erin Davis, scolded by Charles Riley, felt a surge of embarrassment and anger, biting her lip furiously as she glared at him before angrily retorting, ¡°I just thought that Keira Olsen was the one who fared the worst among us, and I wanted young Mr. Horton to help her out of old affection. She probably wouldn¡¯t dare ask for herself! What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Although few people believed her words, someone still stepped forward to play peacemaker, ¡°Enough, enough, let¡¯s all say less, Charles, what¡¯s the need to be so sensitive when classmates are gathering together?¡±


    This made Erin Davis instantly play the victim, her eyes reddening as she looked at Keira Olsen, who was sitting there as if the matter did not concern her, and scoffed, ¡°Exactly, why are you jumping around so much, Charles? If people didn¡¯t know, they might think you and Keira Olsen got together?¡±


    Charles Riley: !


    Startled, he immediately exclaimed, ¡°How could I be worthy! Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±


    His words further provoked Erin Davis.


    She liked Charles Riley, but he actually said he wasn¡¯t worthy of Keira Olsen? That meant she was inferior to Keira Olsen, didn¡¯t it?!


    Erin Davis immediately retorted with a cold laugh, ¡°How could you not be? I heard that Keira Olsen¡¯s direct Ph.D. admission got canceled; she¡¯s not in grad school and hasn¡¯t found a job. She worked part-time through college, right? Now she doesn¡¯t have a proper job, just relying on her looks, what¡¯s the use? No wonder young Mr. Horton didn¡¯t choose her in the end! Look at Isla Olsen; she was directly admitted to Dr. South¡¯s grad program! Charles, don¡¯t think that just because you work under Dr. South, you¡¯re above everyone else. Isla is Dr. South¡¯s grad student, has she bragged about it? Been arrogant about it?¡±


    Isla Olsen: !!


    She immediately clenched her fists, wishing she could shut Erin Davis up!


    Since the revelation that Keira Olsen was Dr. South, she indeed had accepted the offer from Oceanion University, but the matter of graduate studies had also come to nothing.


    To bring it up now, how embarrassing was that?


    She was about to change the subject when Charles Riley was already looking at Keira Olsen in astonishment, asking, ¡°Dr. South, you accepted Isla Olsen as your grad student?!¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 135 - 135

    Chapter 135: Chapter 135


    Charles Riley was genuinely shocked.


    Isla Olsen and Keira Olsen had always had a poor relationship while at university, a fact which everyone vaguely sensed.


    The reason, however, remained unknown.


    Later, at the graduation ceremony, when Jake Horton proposed to Isla Olsen, everyone started to speculate that the two women¡¯s animosity was due to a man.


    So, why did Dr. South recruit Isla Olsen as her research student?


    He let the question slip without thinking.


    And as soon as he did, everyone at the table turned to look at him, their eyes widening with shock.


    Someone couldn¡¯t help but ask hesitantly, ¡°Charles, what did you just say?¡±


    Charles Riley: ¡­


    He immediately looked apologetically towards Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t really care.


    She did not want to reveal her identity, indeed to avoid being sought after by too many people, but at this point, it didn¡¯t matter if it was revealed.


    Just as she was about to say something, Erin Davis¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Charles, what do you mean? You can¡¯t possibly be suggesting that Keira Olsen is Dr. South, are you? What kind of joke is that?¡±


    The others laughed as well:


    ¡°Charles, you really can say anything!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stir up trouble here and make a big deal ha~¡±


    ¡°Dr. South is so influential in the new energy industry, how could it be a twenty-something-year-old girl? He published papers three years ago when we were just sophomores and still not very clear about the core technologies in new energy!¡±


    ¡°Charles, you¡¯re such a clown¡­¡±


    Seeing that no one believed him, Charles¡¯s stubbornness kicked in, ¡°Why would I lie to you? I work at Dr. South¡¯s company, how could I not know who Dr. South is?! Our classmate Keira Olsen is Dr. South!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gaze turned in unison towards Keira Olsen.


    Erin Davis spoke up, ¡°Keira Olsen, say something! He¡¯s saying you¡¯re Dr. South, you wouldn¡¯t dare to admit it, would you?¡±


    ¡°Charles, just shut up, will you? The real person hasn¡¯t spoken, and even knows that identity can¡¯t be falsely claimed, so what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Better shut up!¡±


    ¡°Such an international joke is not funny at all.¡±


    Charles looked aggrievedly at everyone, ¡°Why won¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    He looked towards Keira Olsen.


    He wanted Keira Olsen to say something, but then he suddenly realized that Keira Olsen always kept her identity a secret. It was only in a moment of desperation that he blurted it out.


    Now he was feeling regretful.


    He shouldn¡¯t have disclosed her identity without Dr. South¡¯s consent.


    He didn¡¯t dare ask Keira Olsen to defend him and could only sigh silently, bowing his head.


    But unexpectedly, the next moment, he heard the girl beside him speak in a faint voice, ¡°He¡¯s not wrong.¡±


    Charles Riley: ?


    He looked incredulously at Keira Olsen, ¡°You, you admitted it?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Keira Olsen sipped from her teacup, ¡°There wasn¡¯t really anything that needed to be kept secret anyway.¡±


    Charles Riley laughed, ¡°Right, right, you are right!¡±


    The way the two were talking made the students around furrow their brows, yet they still couldn¡¯t bring themselves to believe it.


    Erin Davis¡¯s gaze swept over Charles Riley and Keira Olsen before she seemed to understand something, ¡°Charles, you suddenly being so polite to her today and protecting her, it couldn¡¯t be just because of this, could it? I remember you two didn¡¯t have much to do with each other before!¡±


    Charles Riley nodded, ¡°We are all classmates after all, there¡¯s no hatred or anything, I just happened to find out today that she is Dr. South¡­.¡±


    Erin Davis laughed, ¡°You¡¯ve been tricked, right? Keira Olsen, you¡¯re really something! Just grab anyone at random and you can spin them around with lies. Are you pretending to be Dr. South just so that Charles will protect you at the party? That¡¯s really hypocritical!¡±


    After saying that, she looked at Charles Riley, ¡°And you are so gullible! Whatever she says just goes, right? How old is she? Could Dr. South really be someone this young? Can¡¯t you use your brain?!¡±


    Dr. South¡¯s presence in the field of new energy is just too significant.


    She is the only authoritative figure in recent years!


    The papers she has published over the past few years have all helped push the research in new energy forward, one could say that she alone has advanced the progress of new energy research.


    Therefore, those in this field have a deep fascination with Dr. South.


    Dr. South is modest in her conduct, and there are a thousand different Dr. Souths in the hearts of a thousand people, but the one thing they would all agree on is Dr. South¡¯s age.


    She should be in her prime, with enough experience and wisdom, enough knowledge. How could it be a student who just graduated from college?


    It was just too absurd!


    The classmates simply didn¡¯t believe it, and one after another, they opened their mouths:


    ¡°Keira Olsen is probably just teasing Charles Riley, right?¡±


    ¡°There must be some misunderstanding¡­ But Charles, you¡¯ve entered society now, how can you still be so naive?¡±


    ¡°Dr. South has joined our school and become a specially-invited tutor, Professor Miller has now been promoted to be the dean of the energy school, he must have seen Dr. South for sure, such a lie is easily exposed¡­¡±


    Charles Riley didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe it? Keira Olsen didn¡¯t lie to me, she even had no intention of revealing her identity, it¡¯s just that I wanted to add her on WhatsApp, and that¡¯s when I found out¡­.¡±


    Erin Davis sneered, ¡°I think you¡¯ve had your head turned by a ghost! Never mind Professor Miller, let¡¯s ask Isla Olsen, huh? Isla, weren¡¯t you about to be specially recruited as a graduate student by Dr. South? You must have met Dr. South, right? Tell us, is she or isn¡¯t she Dr. South?!¡±


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists, feeling a rush of humiliation.


    How could she possibly vindicate Keira Olsen?


    She laughed briefly and changed the subject, ¡°I¡¯ve given up on graduate school, after thinking it over, studying for a master¡¯s degree isn¡¯t that useful¡­ It¡¯s better to take over the family business earlier.¡±


    Erin Davis was stunned, ¡°So you haven¡¯t met Dr. South either?¡±


    Isla Olsen didn¡¯t answer, but Jake Horton frowned nearby, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not dwell on this topic anymore, today is Professor Miller¡¯s birthday, let¡¯s discuss how to celebrate instead!¡±


    Once Jake Horton spoke, everyone shifted the topic, though some still whispered:


    ¡°Young Mr. Horton still seems to hold a flame, huh? Protecting Keira Olsen¡¯s face!¡±


    ¡°Definitely, after all, chasing his goddess for four years, and especially since he hasn¡¯t succeeded¡­ he¡¯s bound to pine for her for a lifetime!¡±


    ¡°But Keira Olsen really is outrageous, how could she say such a lie¡­¡±


    As everyone was talking, Professor Miller arrived in a hurry, apologizing as soon as he entered, ¡°I had a class this morning, so I¡¯m late, sorry to keep you waiting, students!¡±


    Everyone stood up immediately to welcome him, exchanging a few polite words.


    Just then, Erin Davis suddenly said in a shrill voice, ¡°Professor Miller, you just missed a great show while you were away! Do you know? Keira Olsen claims she¡¯s Dr. South, isn¡¯t that laughable?!¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 136 - 136

    Chapter 136: Chapter 136


    As these words were spoken, the entire private room fell suddenly silent.


    Everyone turned to look at Erin Davis.


    Someone whispered quietly, ¡°Didn¡¯t young Mr. Horton just say that this matter was settled? Why bring it up again?¡±


    Another said, ¡°What can you do when some people¡¯s lies are just too outrageous? Are we not even allowed to talk about it? Young Mr. Horton and Isla Olsen were just saving her face by not exposing her, out of respect for the past. We shouldn¡¯t indulge her.¡±


    Jake Horton and Isla Olsen had been in high spirits, but their expressions stiffened when they heard this.


    Jake Horton immediately glanced at Isla Olsen.


    Isla Olsen coughed, trying to change the subject, ¡°Today is Professor Miller¡¯s birthday, let¡¯s raise a toast to wish Professor Miller a happy birthday first!¡±


    At her words, everyone began to raise their glasses.


    Keira Olsen, standing among the crowd, also picked up her glass with an indifferent expression, ignoring the comments of those around her, leaving only Charles Riley with a face full of grievance, outrage, and dissatisfaction.


    Professor Miller was escorted to the main seat, and seeing this, he too picked up his glass.


    ¡°Teacher, I wish you a happy birthday, may your fortune be as vast as the East Sea and your life as long as the South Mountain!¡±


    After the students shouted in unison, Professor Miller, with a hearty laugh, raised his glass, and just as everyone was about to sit down, he suddenly said to Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, come here, sit here!¡±


    He pointed to the empty seat beside him, ¡°It took me a great effort to catch you. I have some questions to discuss with you!¡±


    As soon as this was said, everyone was stunned.


    All of them looked incredulously at Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen paused for a moment, and finally, somewhat helplessly, she walked over to Professor Miller¡¯s side, ¡°Professor, happy birthday.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Happy, I¡¯m happy just because you came!¡± Professor Miller complained, ¡°I called you so many times, asking you to come to the campus to see me, but you kept making excuses¡­ Today I finally caught you, you can¡¯t leave too early this afternoon! You must have a long chat with me!¡±


    Keira Olsen could not help but smile wryly, ¡°Professor, I really have been busy¡­¡±


    She had been busy every day taking care of old Mrs. Horton and matching wits with Isla Olsen, having to decline Professor Miller¡¯s WhatsApp messages and calls for the time being.


    Their conversation was affectionate, and Erin Davis scoffed, whispering, ¡°That Keira Olsen really is something. Do pretty people really manage to win everyone over? Professor Miller is so stern with us, but always smiling at her¡­¡±


    The rest of the students also found it strange and began discussing among themselves.


    Hearing these increasingly outrageous claims, Charles Riley directly said, ¡°Professor Miller, tell everyone, isn¡¯t Keira Olsen actually Dr. South! They just didn¡¯t believe me¡­¡±


    Professor Miller smiled and looked around at everyone, ¡°Okay, today I¡¯ll formally introduce to everyone, this person beside me, your classmate Keira Olsen, is none other than the distinguished Dr. South, professor of the energy department at Oceanion University! She¡¯s your classmate, so if you have any technical issues in the future, feel free to ask for her help!¡±


    After saying this, he looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, if your classmates ask for your help, you mustn¡¯t be aloof!¡± S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The whole room instantly fell silent.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened, looking incredulously at Keira Olsen.


    If Charles Riley could still possibly be deceived by her, Professor Miller was different¡ªhe¡¯s the dean! An authority in the school, his words couldn¡¯t be false!!


    The crowd immediately came to their senses.


    The other students were actually very straightforward and immediately apologized to Keira Olsen:


    ¡°Keira, I¡¯m so sorry, we really didn¡¯t expect this¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, please forgive us for our rudeness just now, it¡¯s just that this is truly unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°Keira, I was just repeating what others said, please don¡¯t take it to heart¡­¡±


    Everyone immediately gathered around Keira Olsen to apologize. They were all in the renewable energy sector. Who would dare to offend Dr. South, the big boss?!


    Keira Olsen was quite gracious, raising her glass of wine: ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Then she drank half a glass, her smile effortlessly settling old scores.


    Everyone put their words into their drinks, and together they toasted to Keira Olsen, and just like that, the matter was settled.


    Only Erin Davis stood there, dumbfounded, watching in disbelief as Charles Riley and Keira Olsen interacted, realizing her jealousy had clouded her judgment, and she finally understood what was happening.


    So Charles Riley was being so courteous to Keira Olsen because she was his boss.


    But Erin Davis knew that her recently sharp and bitter demeanor had been seen by Charles Riley, and he would never pay attention to her again, just as he was now, not even sparing her a glance.


    The love Erin Davis had silently nurtured for four years seemed about to dawn, but now it had suddenly vanished¡­


    Isla Olsen also bitterly lowered her eyes.


    She knew that once Keira Olsen was revealed as Dr. South, the focus of the group would shift to her! And indeed it had!


    Isla Olsen bit her lip, glanced at Jake Horton, and suddenly stood up with a smile, ¡°Professor, I have more good news. Jake and I have registered our marriage!¡±


    As she said this, the attention indeed shifted back to her.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡±


    ¡°That was quick, have you planned the reception yet? Remember to invite us; after all, we¡¯re classmates!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, let us witness a high-society wedding! Wealthy families are truly different. Your union must be a perfect match!¡±


    ¡°My goodness, you two are early, very quick. You must be the first among our classmates to get married, right?¡±


    Erin Davis¡¯s gaze shifted between Keira Olsen and Isla Olsen, then she suddenly spoke, ¡°Isla, you¡¯re really lucky, marrying young Mr. Horton and becoming a wealthy wife. Some people, no matter how capable, what¡¯s the point? They still have to fend for themselves, and who knows which man will benefit from their efforts in the future! So you see, no matter how successful your career is, it¡¯s still better to marry well!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla Olsen felt much more at ease, proud indeed to be married to Jake Horton!


    She beamed, ¡°You can¡¯t say that. Keira is not only successful in her career, but I¡¯m also not the first among our classmates to get married, because Keira got married even earlier than I did, right after graduation!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The group was even more surprised, turning their heads towards Keira Olsen: ¡°Dr. South, you¡¯re married too? It must be to some industry bigwig, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, who is your husband? Why not bring him over and let us meet him?¡±


    Keira Olsen looked down, making polite conversation, ¡°I¡¯ll introduce him next time when there¡¯s a chance.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for next time.¡± Isla Olsen suddenly smiled, lifting her phone, ¡°He¡¯s already arrived and is about to enter. Keira, I invited him over; you wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ???


    Meanwhile, Lewis Horton approached the entrance of the private room and heard this statement.

 Chapter 137 - 137

    Chapter 137: Chapter 137


    Keira Olsen looked at Isla¡¯s phone and saw her chatting with someone, not knowing who.


    The person had sent a message: ¡°I¡¯ve arrived at the entrance, which room is it?¡±


    Isla sent the name of the room.


    The person replied: ¡°I¡¯ll be there right away.¡±


    This inexplicable chat record left Keira Olsen full of question marks, and at this moment, there was a commotion at the entrance, and everyone looked over.


    Outside the door, Lewis Horton¡¯s steps slightly faltered before he turned his head abruptly.


    Tom Davis, following behind him, couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Boss, aren¡¯t you going in?¡±


    But when Davis noticed the direction of his gaze, he turned his head and saw a man in work clothes, with traces of mud on him, stride in.


    Scott Martin had specially washed his face today, but there was no time to change his clothes.


    Moreover, they were abroad, where people didn¡¯t pay much attention to attire. At gatherings like this class reunion, it was just about having fun together, and with his background, no one would dare to look down on him, he¡¯d be praised no matter what he wore.


    So, without giving it much thought, he walked up to the two men and smiled politely, ¡°Excuse me, is this the Purple Bamboo Garden Room?¡±


    Lewis Horton clenched his jaw, while Tom Davis looked up at the room¡¯s name and nodded, asking, ¡°Are you here for the class reunion too?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m here looking for Keira Olsen.¡±


    Scott Martin smiled and then pushed the door open to enter.


    Tom Davis was instantly bewildered and turned sharply to look at Lewis Horton, ¡°Boss, what¡¯s his relationship with Miss Olsen?¡±


    Lewis Horton almost gritted his teeth and said, ¡°How would I know!¡±


    Inside the room.


    The door opened, and Scott Martin walked in.


    Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t tell if it was her own illusion, but she felt like she caught a glimpse of Lewis Horton¡¯s figure the moment the door opened.


    But wasn¡¯t he supposed to be catching up on sleep?


    Why would he come here¡­


    As Keira Olsen was deep in thought, Erin Davis¡¯s annoyingly sharp voice suddenly rose: ¡°Keira Olsen, is this your husband?¡±


    Husband?


    Keira Olsen looked at Scott Martin, bewildered. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn¡¯t place him. After all, when she gave him an umbrella yesterday, his face was covered in dust. Today, cleaned up, his striking features were revealed.


    With a hint of mixed heritage, his deep-set features and three-dimensional facial structure made him exceptionally handsome, even more so than the stars on TV.


    This kind of heavily styled handsome man could make everyone in the room seem dull by comparison.


    This man¡¯s face could even rival that of Lewis Horton.


    Keira Olsen was just about to shake her head when Erin Davis scoffed, ¡°Keira Olsen, is he a bricklayer from a construction site? How could you choose someone like him? Is it because he¡¯s good-looking?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla Olsen quickly spoke up, ¡°Erin, don¡¯t say that, every profession deserves respect.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After saying that, Isla pointed next to Keira Olsen, ¡°Classmate, give a seat to Keira¡¯s husband, don¡¯t let him stand there.¡±


    The male classmate who originally sat next to Keira Olsen stood up, giving up his seat.


    Scott Martin walked over to Keira Olsen and smiled, ¡°Miss Olsen.¡±


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brow, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Scott Martin was just about to introduce himself when Erin Davis laughed, ¡°Keira Olsen, what are you doing? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re pretending not to recognize your own husband?¡±


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brows, ¡°I really don¡¯t know him.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Scott Martin was also dumbfounded, ¡°I, I am not her husband.¡±


    Although his accent was strange, he understood the special significance of the word ¡°husband.¡±


    The last time he went to the Olsen Family, nobody said that word in front of him, so he didn¡¯t understand what they meant, but this time, he had to refute it.


    The back and forth between the two caused everyone present to pause slightly.


    Jake Horton¡¯s gaze landed on Scott Martin¡¯s face, sneering, ¡°Not your husband, yet he went to the Olsen¡¯s yesterday? Keira Olsen, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re looking down on him, so you won¡¯t acknowledge him in front of everyone?¡±


    His words made everyone turn to look at her.


    Keira Olsen furrowed her eyebrows, ¡°Go to the Olsen¡¯s for what?¡±


    She looked towards Scott Martin, ¡°You went to the Olsen¡¯s yesterday?¡±


    Scott Martin nodded, ¡°I went to bring you an umbrella.¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled coyly, ¡°There was a bit of light rain yesterday, but with Keira being driven everywhere, she wouldn¡¯t need an umbrella. You¡¯re worrying about her too much¡­ Keira, even though your husband¡¯s job isn¡¯t that great, he really does care a lot about you. Treating him like this isn¡¯t very nice, is it?¡±


    Her reproachful tone was as if Keira Olsen had let Scott Martin down.


    Keira Olsen was utterly confused, ¡°I really don¡¯t know him.¡±


    Scott Martin also immediately waved his hands, apologizing, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t realize this was the situation, perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have come looking for you. I am truly not Miss Keira Olsen¡¯s husband, please don¡¯t misunderstand her, my apologies!¡±


    But the more he said this, the more the people around them were convinced.


    Who hasn¡¯t seen one or two TV dramas?


    The storyline of school kids ashamed of their parents who collect trash or bottles, pretending not to recognize them, they were all too familiar with it!


    At this moment, Scott Martin looked like those parents who didn¡¯t dare to acknowledge their children, so pitiable.


    Everyone began to chime in:


    ¡°Miss Keira Olsen, every occupation deserves respect. Without people like your husband, our high-rise buildings wouldn¡¯t exist. You shouldn¡¯t look down on him.¡±


    ¡°Dr. South, really, even if you admitted it, there¡¯s nothing wrong. After all, with your status here, you don¡¯t need to marry anyone significant¡ªyou¡¯re from a wealthy family yourself! Even if you found a gigolo, we wouldn¡¯t say anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Dr. South¡¯s husband is really handsome. He hasn¡¯t been living off a woman just because he married Dr. South, but continues to work outside, a man who supports himself with his own hands, can¡¯t be bad¡­¡±


    Charles Riley was also puzzled.


    The company was preparing for an IPO recently, he knew about that, and moreover, when he went to report to Mr. Morgan a while ago, he overheard Mr. Morgan having a conversation.


    It was said that Dr. South would marry just anyone for the company to go public.


    So, Dr. South and Scott Martin really are husband and wife?


    They must be a couple of convenience¡­


    But seeing Scott Martin¡¯s affection for Keira Olsen, it was clear that he was deeply in love with her, while Keira Olsen was very cold towards him.


    Even though he understood this as a transaction, Charles Riley still felt that Keira Olsen was being somewhat excessive, but without knowing the true nature of things, he didn¡¯t speak out.


    Erin Davis spoke in a mocking tone, ¡°Keira Olsen, you say he¡¯s not your husband, so do you have any evidence? Unless you bring over your husband and show everyone your marriage certificate! Otherwise, stop putting on this act here!¡±


    As soon as these words fell, the door of the room was pushed open, and Lewis Horton strode in!

 Chapter 138 - 138

    Chapter 138: Chapter 138


    Everyone turned their heads and saw Lewis Horton; they were all stunned.


    Some people didn¡¯t know who he was and asked, ¡°And who might this be?¡±


    The person next to them immediately replied, ¡°This is Jake Horton¡¯s uncle, the current head of the Horton Family! I just saw him on the financial news channel a few days ago¡­¡±


    As soon as the explanation finished, Professor Miller already stood up, exclaiming in surprise, ¡°Mr. Horton?¡±


    The Horton Group provides a lot of significant support each year to the laboratories of Oceanion University; as the dean of the energy college, Professor Miller had certainly interacted with him before.


    With his standing up, the others quickly followed suit.


    Jake and Isla exchanged glances and both smiled.


    It was like a scene right out of a drama!


    Jake, with a lowered gaze, called out politely, ¡°Uncle, what brings you here?¡±


    Lewis Horton glanced at Keira Olsen and Scott Martin, then withdrew his gaze, his voice deep as he said, ¡°I heard it¡¯s Professor Miller¡¯s birthday, and since I happened to be in the area, I came to have a look. Why? Am I not welcome?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How could that be!¡±


    Jake gestured towards Keira¡¯s seat, ¡°Uncle, please, take a seat here.¡±


    The seat of honor belonged to Professor Miller; as today¡¯s birthday boy and elder, he couldn¡¯t possibly yield his place, and with Lewis Horton¡¯s status present, Keira immediately moved down a seat.


    Lewis took his seat unabashedly between her and Professor Miller.


    Seeing this, Isla teased with a smile, ¡°Mr. Martin, what are you waiting for? Please, take a seat.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Scott Martin looked at Keira, thought for a moment, then decisively moved next to her, and the university classmate sitting beside Keira also immediately stood up, making room for Scott, who didn¡¯t hesitate to sit down.


    And so¡­


    Keira ended up sandwiched between Scott Martin and Lewis Horton.


    Keira, feeling an inexplicable chill emanating from Lewis Horton, was puzzled: ??


    She glanced at Lewis Horton, confused.


    Just as she was about to ask why he had come, Professor Miller instead was the first to speak, ¡°Keira, had there been a misunderstanding between you and Mr. Horton before? Has it been resolved now?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Keira paused, then smiled, ¡°It¡¯s been resolved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Professor Miller breathed a sigh of relief.


    Even as a Dr. South, Keira was at best just a researcher, and with the Horton Family being the richest in Oceanion, squashing her would be as easy as lifting a finger.


    Professor Miller then turned to Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, your timing is perfect; I have some experimental data here that I was just about to report to the Horton Group¡­¡±


    He began engaging Lewis Horton in conversation.


    As a result, Keira no longer had the chance to ask anything, and with a sigh of resignation, she suddenly felt someone tugging at her sleeve.


    Keira turned her head to see Scott Martin looking at her.


    The man¡¯s expression was gentle, with a hint of a smile, ¡°Miss Olsen, remember who I am now? Can we exchange WhatsApp contacts?¡±


    Keira had already figured out what was going on.


    This man meant no harm; he was just unwittingly called in and considering he had to get away from work at the construction site, Keira found it hard to say no, so she just nodded and took out her phone.


    Scott Martin scanned her QR code and sent a WhatsApp friend request.


    Not far from them, Charles Riley, seeing this, immediately spoke up, ¡°See that? Dr. South and this gentleman just added each other on WhatsApp, the two really didn¡¯t know each other!¡±


    Erin Davis couldn¡¯t stand him defending Keira Olsen and immediately sneered, ¡°Brown-noser, you¡¯re so eager to clarify things for your boss. What, is she going to give you a promotion and a raise?¡±


    Charles Riley: ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Erin Davis immediately looked at Keira Olsen again: ¡°Everyone can act. It¡¯s just scanning a code.¡±


    But Charles Riley already believed Keira Olsen, and at the same time, he had realized something¡ªif she really wanted a shotgun wedding, there was no need for her to marry a construction worker.


    Before he could speak, a male student opened his mouth, ¡°Erin, that¡¯s enough. You¡¯ve targeted Keira Olsen repeatedly today; it¡¯s really too much! I also don¡¯t think Keira Olsen would marry a migrant worker. When she was in university, she didn¡¯t even bat an eye at young Mr. Horton¡­¡±


    The words, ¡°didn¡¯t take him seriously¡± were swallowed back hard by him.


    He smiled awkwardly.


    But Jake¡¯s expression had turned gloomy.


    Erin let out a cold laugh: ¡°Is she being picky? Later on, she wanted him, but it was young Mr. Horton who didn¡¯t want her. I remember at the graduation ceremony, I was sitting right behind Keira Olsen. I saw her eyes go wide when young Mr. Horton proposed to Isla Olsen! Do you really think she didn¡¯t want him? It was just that she couldn¡¯t have him!¡±


    Jake was taken aback when he heard this, and he abruptly turned to look at Keira Olsen.


    Did Erin¡¯s words mean¡­ if at the time of graduation, he had given the surprise he¡¯d prepared for Keira Olsen to her, she would have accepted his confession?!


    Jake had pursued her for four years, and he had always felt that he had no chance.


    The last act was merely to give himself closure.


    Only, he hadn¡¯t expected her to be an illegitimate daughter. When he found out, he was furious, but all the surprises were in place, his classmates were all playing along, and out of helplessness, he deliberately chose Isla Olsen.


    For a moment, Jake didn¡¯t know whether to cry or laugh.


    So she had cared about him at some point!


    But what of it?!


    Her background destined her to never be considered by him.


    His mother would also never allow him to marry an illegitimate daughter!


    Jake fortified himself with mental preparations; when he looked up again, the haze in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a more chilling intensity.


    Erin was still talking, ¡°Isla Olsen comes from a wealthy family, a perfect match for young Mr. Horton. Their union would be an elite merger. What¡¯s Keira Olsen compared to that?¡±


    Charles Riley scoffed: ¡°Keira Olsen is my boss, Dr. South! How about that? Certainly better than someone like you, right? But would you marry a migrant worker?¡±


    Erin was at a loss for words.


    And just then, Isla Olsen suddenly spoke up, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m also puzzled why you would choose such a person, Keira. When he visited yesterday, both dad and mom were shocked¡­¡±


    She deliberately emphasized these words, causing Erin to speak out in confusion: ¡°Isla, you¡¯ve been saying she went to your house. Why would she bring her husband to your place?¡±


    Isla immediately showed a troubled expression: ¡°This¡­ ah, Keira, I¡¯m sorry, I accidentally let it slip¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen suddenly tensed up.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze darkened, as he was about to speak, Keira Olsen suddenly grasped his hand under the table.


    Lewis was startled, then saw Keira Olsen slowly lift her head.


    Her back straightened, and her gaze shifted from downcast to resolute.


    Her identity had always been a pain she didn¡¯t want to mention, but she knew she had to learn to face it openly.


    Keira Olsen began to speak, with measured emphasis, ¡°Because I am the Olsen Family¡¯s illegitimate daughter.¡±

 Chapter 139 - 139 139

    ?Chapter 139: Chapter 139 Chapter 139: Chapter 139 Even though Keira knew she wasn¡¯t Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter, she indeed grew up as the Olsen Family¡¯s illegitimate daughter.


    She used to care about these things a lot, even feeling as if the blood coursing through her veins was tainted.


    Under Poppy Hill¡¯s relentless brainwashing, she felt she owed the Olsen Family, that she let down Isla Olsen.


    She remembered the day when she had wanted to leave the Olsen house, Poppy Hill would not let her go, demanding that she toil like an ox or horse for the family, it was she who knelt for a bitter ten hours.


    At thirteen, she knelt in her thin clothes amidst the cold winter.


    After an entire ten hours, she stubbornly looked at Poppy Hill and asked, ¡°Can I now leave the Olsen Family cleanly?¡±


    After that, she never spoke of her identity.


    Jake Horton said she lied to him, that she kept it from him, but she didn¡¯t deliberately keep silent, she just didn¡¯t know how to start that conversation, she had already made a decision¡ªif Jake confessed to her at graduation, she would reveal her true identity.


    Looking back now, she suddenly realized that her past twenty years or so had been trapped by Poppy Hill.


    Poppy Hill had constructed a cage named ¡°illegitimate daughter¡± for her, tightly binding her.


    But is one¡¯s origin really that important? S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira had long understood this, only she hadn¡¯t yet learned to face it openly.


    Now, she finally could.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The entire private room was silent.


    Everyone looked at Keira in disbelief, and then at Isla, subsequently murmuring amongst themselves:


    ¡°My God, they¡¯re sisters?¡±


    ¡°What sisters? That¡¯s an illegitimate daughter, which means Keira¡¯s mother is a mistress! If I were Isla, I¡¯d absolutely hate her.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like it, Keira has always been working hard to pay her way through school, I heard she earned her own tuition through part-time jobs¡­¡±


    While a few people were discussing in low voices, Erin Davis suddenly came to a realization and sharply exclaimed, ¡°Keira, so you are such a person, why did you keep it from everyone?! Your background is utterly disgusting! Your mother was a mistress, wasn¡¯t she? Ruining someone else¡¯s family, and you yourself are a seductress, flirting around, how could I have someone like you as a classmate?!¡±


    She looked towards Isla: ¡°Isla, you are too kind-hearted, why didn¡¯t you speak up about this earlier?¡±


    Isla was known in elementary and middle school to make it known to the whole class¡ªwho at an age where they knew that stepmothers and mistresses were the worst would end up disliking Keira.


    But this tactic became useless in high school.


    After all, there were few people like Erin Davis who had a personal bias against Keira, while many more were¡­


    ¡°This is the 21st century; surely no one judges others by their background anymore, right? What¡¯s this? You¡¯re so arrogant, is your family royalty?¡±


    ¡°What a laugh, my ancestors were the Aisin Gioro, am I proud of it? What¡¯s with her background? Can a person choose their own parents?¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re a descendant of the Aisin Gioro?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell a joke when you hear one? Step aside¡­¡±


    A few classmates couldn¡¯t stand Erin Davis¡¯s attack and directly retorted:


    ¡°Heroes aren¡¯t judged by their origins, Keira Olsen¡¯s background, however it may be, wasn¡¯t her choice. As long as she herself is outstanding, who would bother asking about her origins?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of origins, go back three generations and who isn¡¯t descended from peasants?!¡±


    ¡°Erin Davis, how great are your origins? What do your parents do? Does your family own mines?¡±


    Choked by the interrogation, Erin Davis angrily retorted, ¡°You¡¯ve all been bewitched by that seductress, haven¡¯t you? It¡¯s only the boys defending her! Unbelievable!¡±


    This remark infuriated the previously silent female students.


    The girls spoke less, not because they were less direct than the boys, nor as loud and argumentative, but now that they were called out, they began to chatter:


    ¡°Erin Davis, you¡¯ve gone too far! We are all classmates, and while Keira Olsen might have been a bit of a loner at school, she¡¯s actually got a nice personality! Once, when I was on duty and couldn¡¯t reach something high up, it was Keira who helped me!¡± said a petite girl.


    Another person chimed in, ¡°I think you¡¯re just jealous because you like Charles Riley, but he¡¯s always speaking up for Dr. South. Don¡¯t make it about boys and girls, with the way you act, it¡¯s not just the boys who can¡¯t stand you!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, you may be proud of your origins, but can you surpass Dr. South in terms of scientific research achievements?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Everyone was condemning Erin Davis.


    Isla Olsen watched from the sidelines, lowered her eyes, and let out a cold chuckle.


    See, if she told the truth, her fate would be just like Erin Davis¡¯s¡­


    Seeing Erin Davis about to be bombarded with criticism to the point of tears, Isla Olsen slowly said, ¡°Everyone is right, so Keira, you really shouldn¡¯t settle for someone in marriage just because of your background¡­ You should ask your father¡¯s opinion¡­ Yesterday, when Dad saw your husband, he was very angry and felt very sorry for you¡­¡±


    With those words, Erin Davis suddenly found a new angle to attack Keira Olsen, and she stood up violently, as if this could give her a dominance over everyone else.


    After sneering, she looked directly at the boys who had spoken up earlier, ¡°You say you don¡¯t care about such a family background, but would you really be willing to marry her if it came down to it?¡±


    The boys were momentarily taken aback.


    Erin Davis mocked, ¡°Her family includes a mother who¡¯s a known adulteress. A daughter born to such a woman will be promiscuous to the core. Aren¡¯t you afraid that one day she¡¯ll cheat on you? And if relatives and friends ask about your wife¡¯s maternal family, what would you say? Marriage isn¡¯t just between two people; it involves two families. Can you confidently say that your parents, knowing her situation, would agree to you marrying her?¡±


    Most of the boys present were dumbfounded.


    They were all fresh graduates; who was thinking about marriage?


    Erin Davis burst out laughing, ¡°Haha, none of you dare to guarantee you¡¯d marry her. With such a background, which decent family would accept her?¡±


    ¡°Whoever marries her, would be a laughingstock! Young Mr. Horton liked her so much he pursued her for a full four years, yet didn¡¯t he reject her for this very reason? Even someone like young Mr. Horton couldn¡¯t disregard it, so how could you?¡±


    Erin Davis then turned to Scott Martin, ¡°So she just settled for a construction worker, right? Only someone with that kind of background could be so indifferent to status! After all, an illegitimate daughter could only be matched with lowlifes!¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment.


    Watching this unfold, Isla Olsen¡¯s lips curved into a smile.


    This was exactly the effect she wanted!


    How humiliating for Keira Olsen, right? No matter how impressive she might be, she could only end up with a construction worker!


    Just as she thought this, Lewis Horton¡¯s deep voice rang out, ¡°Have you said enough?¡±


    Everyone turned towards him, only to see the man¡¯s gaze stern, his voice calm, ¡°Who said her husband is a construction worker?!¡±

 Chapter 140 - 140 140

    ?Chapter 140: Chapter 140 Chapter 140: Chapter 140 As those words were spoken, the room fell into complete silence.


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton simultaneously turned to look at Lewis Horton, having called him over to witness Keira Olsen¡¯s husband and embarrass them.


    But now, was Lewis Horton really standing up for Keira Olsen?


    Isla Olsen found herself unable to speak for a moment.


    Erin Davis, who was already resigned to her fate, blurted out directly, ¡°Mr. Horton knows her husband? Dressed like that, isn¡¯t he just coming from a construction site? Even if he isn¡¯t a laborer, at best he¡¯s a contractor, right?¡±


    These days, a contractor could make a lot of money.


    But in Erin Davis¡¯s mouth, it sounded as if the job was incredibly demeaning.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes darkened, about to speak, when suddenly the door to the private room was knocked on, and a man dressed in a suit walked in, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt.¡±


    Upon seeing him, someone among the classmates immediately spoke up, ¡°Mr. Hill?¡±


    The suit-clad Mr. Hill was slightly startled, ¡°You know me?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, our company has recently cooperated with yours to provide a constant temperature energy system, you might not remember me; I¡¯m just an intern at our company.¡±


    The young man who spoke smiled awkwardly.


    Someone quietly asked nearby, ¡°Who is this guy?¡±


    The young man immediately replied, ¡°He¡¯s an expatriate who came back to get into real estate, I heard his family¡¯s business spans globally, and now they are venturing into the Crera market, pretty impressive!¡±


    ¡°Really? What¡¯s someone like him doing here? Could he be looking for Mr. Horton?¡±


    In the room, only the Horton family would have the status to discuss matters with such a family.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyebrows knitted together.


    Real estate in Crera was currently on a decline, and Horton Group¡¯s real estate sector had already completely transformed; he did not recall any cooperation with the Martin family.


    As he was pondering this, the Mr. Hill walked over to Scott Martin with a bow, then took out a contract from the document bag he was carrying, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve thoroughly inspected the construction site you just visited, and it completely meets our investment standards. Here¡¯s the contract, since it¡¯s urgent, I brought it over for you to sign.¡±


    After he finished, he nodded apologetically to everyone at the table.


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    Lewis Horton frowned, looking towards Scott Martin, his gaze suddenly turning icy.


    Under the table, just as Keira Olsen was about to stop him from speaking, she was still holding his hand. Later, when Keira Olsen brought up her own background, she hadn¡¯t let go, seemingly drawing strength from it.


    Now, as everyone¡¯s attention had shifted, Keira Olsen wasn¡¯t focused on as much, and she relaxed and subconsciously thought about pulling her hand back.


    But in the next moment, the large hand she was holding took charge and held hers tightly!


    Keira Olsen pulled hard, yet couldn¡¯t pull it back.


    She looked at Lewis Horton in surprise, only to see possessiveness and a trace of sourness on his face ¨C was he jealous?


    Following his gaze, Keira Olsen saw Scott Martin.


    Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t help but be amused.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that Scott Martin¡¯s arrival would make Lewis Horton feel threatened¡­


    She thought about it and decided not to move.


    At that moment, everyone¡¯s attention was on Scott Martin, and he could feel the intense stares. Yet among them was one filled with inscrutable hostility.


    After Scott Martin finished signing, he looked up to find Lewis Horton staring at him.


    Scott Martin gave him a gentle smile, then turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°Miss Keira, I forgot to introduce myself, I¡¯m Scott Martin.¡±


    He extended his hand towards Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She could only use her other hand, the one not held by Lewis Horton, to shake hands with Scott Martin before quickly leaving. Even so, Lewis Horton¡¯s expression turned dark.


    Scott Martin, seemingly unaware, looked toward Erin Davis again, ¡°I¡¯m not a construction worker. I dressed like this because I just finished an inspection. It caused misunderstandings, and I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    Erin Davis: !!


    At this moment, her mouth was so wide open, it seemed she could fit an egg inside.


    She sheepishly looked at Scott Martin, then at Keira Olsen, speechless for a moment.


    Charles Riley¡¯s eyes lit up instantly, ¡°I knew it! A person like Dr. South, how could she possibly marry a bricklayer? Turns out he¡¯s quite the big shot!¡±


    ¡°One is Dr. South, the other a real estate mogul, what a match!¡±


    ¡°Ah, I just Googled the Martin family. Oh my, they¡¯re quite something!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton frowned tightly, looking puzzled at Keira Olsen.


    How could it be¡­


    How could she possibly have married such an impressive person?!


    Jake Horton felt, to snatch her from such a man to make her his mistress, was definitely impossible now¡­


    He subconsciously looked toward Lewis Horton.


    But he saw his lofty uncle also frowned, inexplicably, he felt a secret thrill.


    Yes, if Keira Olsen was beyond his reach, his uncle would likely not have her in the future either¡­


    While he was thinking this, Isla Olsen suddenly spoke up, ¡°Keira, is this man really your husband?¡±


    This question made Keira Olsen look at her with a half-smile, ¡°Do you hope he is, or isn¡¯t?¡±


    Isla Olsen choked.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t keep them in suspense, speaking up directly, ¡°He is not my husband.¡±


    Scott Martin also sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not Miss Olsen¡¯s husband. It was raining yesterday, Miss Olsen helped me with an umbrella. I was returning the umbrella. I was mistakenly added on WhatsApp by Miss Isla Olsen here, and she invited me to come here claiming that I could meet Miss Olsen, so I came¡­¡±


    He explained it very clearly.


    Isla Olsen immediately breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°So it was a misunderstanding, my fault!¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at her, finding it somewhat amusing.


    When Scott Martin was thought to be a construction worker, they denied it, Isla Olsen didn¡¯t believe it and led the charge in attacking her.


    But as Scott Martin turned into a real estate tycoon, a simple word from him, and Isla believed him again.


    Keira Olsen leisurely watched her, ¡°As long as you believe it, so you don¡¯t put another label on me.¡±


    This remark exposed Isla Olsen¡¯s intentions directly, making her face look bad, and she smilingly said, ¡°It¡¯s my mistake, but Keira, who exactly is your husband? Why not bring him here for everyone to see¡­ Everyone must want to know! Who is so fortunate to marry such an excellent person without caring about status?¡±


    She emphasized the word ¡°excellent¡± deliberately.


    The sarcasm was evident.


    Professor Miller also looked toward Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, bring him along next time, so your teacher can take a look and vet him.¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled faintly, ready to nod in agreement.


    But unexpectedly, she heard a deep and authoritative voice beside her, ¡°No need for next time, he is already here.¡±

 Chapter 141 - 141 141

    ?Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Lewis Horton¡¯s words once again quieted the private room. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone was shocked and turned their gaze towards him.


    Professor Miller was dumbfounded, ¡°He¡¯s here? Where?¡±


    Lewis Horton straightened his back, only to see Professor Miller bypass him and start inspecting each of the men seated from Scott Martin onwards, but after making a full round, he didn¡¯t find the person.


    Professor Miller: ¡°Kiera, who exactly is it?¡±


    Lewis Horton: ?


    Seeing the change in the man¡¯s expression, Kiera could hardly suppress her laughter.


    Since the first time she saw Lewis Horton, he was always very serious. This was the first time Kiera had seen so many complex emotions on his face.


    She smiled, remaining silent.


    Isla Olsen furrowed her brows, ¡°Kiera, did you really marry one of our classmates? Who is it exactly? Stop keeping us in suspense!¡±


    As soon as those words were dropped, Lewis Horton spoke up, ¡°Her husband is me!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the room became dead silent, and everyone abruptly turned to look at the two of them.


    Isla Olsen wanted to say something, but her mouth opened and closed again after facing Lewis Horton¡¯s cold face, and she swallowed her words.


    Lewis Horton took Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand, which he had been holding under the table, and showed it to everyone. He then cautiously glanced at Scott Martin, ¡°Mr. Martin, I¡¯m glad my wife could help you. If there¡¯s anything in the future, you can contact me directly.¡±


    Scott Martin: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton then looked at everyone and signaled to Tom Davis, who immediately smiled, ¡°Mr. Horton and Miss Olsen arranged for a few bottles of fine wine to celebrate Professor Miller¡¯s birthday. They will be served soon. Everyone, please enjoy your meal, and this meal will be charged to Mr. Horton¡¯s account.¡±


    The classmates were all very grateful and immediately raised their glasses, ¡°Thanks to Mr. Horton, and thanks to Dr. South!¡±


    The atmosphere during the entire birthday celebration seemed to reach its climax at that moment.


    Lewis Horton intended to join everyone for the meal, but his phone suddenly rang.


    After answering, whoever was on the other side said something, and his expression changed drastically, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    After hanging up, he apologetically looked at Kiera Olsen, ¡°I might have to leave first.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Kiera Olsen said nonchalantly.


    Lewis Horton paused, glanced around, and then added, ¡°I¡¯ll leave my car for you, and have the chauffeur drive you home later.¡±


    He then stood up, adjusted his suit, and was about to leave when he passed by Scott Martin and suddenly said, ¡°Mr. Martin, since this is a gathering of Kiera¡¯s college classmates and teachers, it seems they can¡¯t fully relax with you here. Why not leave together?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Scott Martin¡¯s mouth twitched, but he still rose gentlemanly, ¡°Alright.¡±


    However, as he was leaving the doorway with Lewis Horton, he still turned back to look at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Miss Olsen, I¡¯ll be in touch with you often in the future.¡±


    This comment darkened Lewis Horton¡¯s expression further.


    Once the two finally left, the atmosphere in the entire private room completely relaxed, and everyone was like they had seen off a superior, slumping in their seats and letting out a heavy sigh of relief!


    ¡°Who would have thought that one day I¡¯d be dining with such important people, I guess this luncheon is the peak of my life!¡±


    ¡°Never again will I be short of topics to talk about! To think that people normally seen only on financial channels are now dining and drinking with me in reality¡­ Oh my!¡±


    ¡°Alright, they¡¯re gone, but we still have Dr. South!¡±


    Professor Miller couldn¡¯t help but laugh as well. Just as he was turning his head to discuss an academic issue with Kiera Olsen, Isla suddenly spoke, ¡°Kiera, you are just too¡­ shameless, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    As soon as these words dropped, everyone immediately turned to look at her.


    Charles Riley furrowed his brow. ¡°Isla, I see it all clearly now. You¡¯ve been the instigator the whole day, using Erin Davis as nothing but a pawn. What now, with Erin staying silent, what do you intend to do next?¡±


    Isla didn¡¯t expect her scheme to be revealed and bit her lip in anger.


    She looked down in contemplation for a moment, then simply laughed, ¡°I didn¡¯t intend anything. I just felt that Kiera went a bit too far! She managed to con Mr. Horton into pulling off such a grand act!¡±


    Her words stunned the people around her.


    Kiera furrowed her brows. ¡°Are you ever going to stop?¡±


    Isla scoffed, ¡°You did it yourself, and now you won¡¯t let others speak of it? Everyone in the Horton family knows that Mr. Horton was already married two years ago, and you got married after graduating. Tell me, how did the two of you manage to get married over those two years?¡±


    Kiera frowned.


    She too hadn¡¯t figured out the complex reasons herself.


    She spoke lightly, ¡°Indeed, Mr. Horton and I are legally married, believe it or not.¡±


    ¡°Still being stubborn here! Jake, isn¡¯t Uncle¡¯s wife always abroad?¡±


    Jake Horton had wanted to say this earlier, but was intimidated by Lewis Horton¡¯s authority and didn¡¯t dare speak, now he immediately sneered, ¡°Indeed, Kiera, I chased you for four years, how could I not know that you turned out to be my aunt?!¡±


    Isla sighed, ¡°It was just that face of yours that pleased Mr. Horton, making him come along with you to deceive us all. Kiera, I really didn¡¯t expect this from you; your mother was a mistress, and here you are, married yet willing to cheat and be someone¡¯s mistress¡­¡±


    Jake Horton added, ¡°Must be some genetic trait in your family, isn¡¯t it? Uncomfortable unless playing the role of a mistress?¡±


    The words of the two were too harsh!


    Compared to Erin Davis¡¯s earlier insults, their comments more deeply shamed Kiera¡¯s character!


    Even Professor Miller, who usually didn¡¯t involve himself in student affairs, couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, ¡°Enough! Isla, Jake, shut your mouths!¡±


    Isla looked at him, ¡°Professor Miller, knowing she is Dr. South, you favor her, but with her kind of troublesome personal morals, does she really qualify to be a distinguished professor at the school? Aren¡¯t you afraid she might tarnish the school¡¯s reputation?¡±


    Professor Miller choked with anger, ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Being a cultured individual, he didn¡¯t know how to argue with Isla and could only look at Kiera, ¡°Kiera, tell me, is what she¡¯s saying true?¡±


    Kiera, with a somber look, responded, ¡°Mr. Horton and I are indeed spouses under the law, if the school has concerns, I can present my marriage certificate.¡±


    ¡°Even now, you¡¯re still being stubborn?¡± Isla scoffed mockingly, suddenly adding, ¡°Oh right, perhaps you don¡¯t know yet?¡±


    Kiera frowned. ¡°What?¡±


    Isla continued, ¡°In two days, it will be Great Grandmother¡¯s 86th birthday party, which the Horton family will be hosting grandly. While organizing it with my mother-in-law, I saw the invitation list. Auntie will be making her appearance back then, Kiera, perhaps you didn¡¯t know? Auntie has already returned to the country! I even got her phone number, I can call her right now to see who indeed is Uncle¡¯s wife!¡±


    Having said this, Isla picked up her phone and opened the recorded number.


    Kiera glanced at it, then burst out laughing.


    That was her number!?

 Chapter 142 - 142 142

    ?Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Isla Olsen had already dialed out after she finished that sentence, with a smug smile on her face, as if she wanted to show everyone the true colors of the person before them.


    The number she dialed, of course, wasn¡¯t the one Keira Olsen had on record.


    But what she didn¡¯t know was that Keira Olsen had several phone numbers, one of which was commonly used and everyone had it.


    There were also a few prepared for her various identities.


    There was one specifically for Dr. South, one for Researcher Nora, and several others¡­ Sometimes she couldn¡¯t even remember which was which, so she turned them all off.


    Send emails if it¡¯s important, don¡¯t disrupt her regular life.


    Therefore, the moment Isla Olsen¡¯s cell phone call went out, the voice on the other end of the line said, ¡°Hello, the number you have dialed is switched off¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow.


    Isla Olsen put down the phone but insisted confidently, ¡°Keira Olsen, what¡¯s there to be proud of? I already asked around, the little aunty doesn¡¯t like to be disturbed by too many people, that¡¯s why her phone¡¯s turned off, right? But since she¡¯s going to attend the Great Grandmother¡¯s birthday banquet, that means the little uncle is ready to go public with her identity! By then, I¡¯ll see how you manage!¡±


    Keira Olsen shrugged. ¡°Then you need not worry.¡±


    Seeing her unyielding demeanor, Isla Olsen suddenly said with a laugh, ¡°You can¡¯t seriously believe that the little uncle is deeply affectionate towards you, can you? Keira Olsen, guess who was the one who called the little uncle away just now?!¡±


    Keira Olsen paused slightly upon hearing this.


    Isla Olsen said, ¡°As I know, the little aunty has not been in good health, she¡¯s been living in a sanatorium abroad all this time, and since she¡¯s been back in the country, she¡¯s been there, too. The little uncle has visited her a few times. Their marital love is deep. The little uncle married her against all objections back in the day. Coming here today to accompany you was just for fun. With a single call from the little aunty, he immediately left you and went away!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s fingers tightened.


    Suddenly, she recalled the day she got out of prison and was in the hospital, Lewis Horton was called away for a whole night. Then she thought about last night, when he got called away by a phone call and didn¡¯t accompany her to the Olsen Family¡­


    Plus what had just happened¡­


    A person¡¯s business, no matter how busy, wouldn¡¯t encounter emergencies this frequently.


    Unless¡­


    This emergency was one single issue, or one person!


    Had he run into some trouble?


    Keira Olsen¡¯s brows knit slightly as she felt concerned for Lewis Horton.


    However, her expression, when noticed by everyone, was misconstrued.


    Isla Olsen immediately laughed, ¡°You have nothing to say now, do you?¡±


    She then looked towards the others, her eyes reddening slightly, ¡°I know that everyone might think I¡¯ve been too aggressive today, but I just don¡¯t want the little aunty to live a life interfered with by a third party like my mother did. Keira Olsen is the biggest crack between my parents, and it took them a lifetime to mend. Keira, I hope you stop making mistakes. Spend your days well with your husband, and don¡¯t let your future children become a crack between the little uncle and little aunty!¡±


    Her emotional words left no room for anyone at the dining table to blame her.


    Yes, after all, Isla Olsen was herself a victim. Her targeting Keira Olsen seemed justifiable.


    Even Charles Riley opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say to defend Dr. South, finally mumbling, ¡°I believe, Dr. South isn¡¯t that kind of person.¡±


    Jake Horton scoffed, ¡°Facts are stronger than words! If you don¡¯t believe what Isla has said, I can send out invitations to everyone! Then let everyone see with their own eyes who the little aunty really is!¡±


    The confidence of Isla Olsen and Jake Horton forced everyone into an almost obligatory belief.


    Keira Olsen, unable to carry her marriage certificate around with her to prove these accusations, simply lowered her gaze and spoke softly, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    She had long understood the truth that sometimes, no matter what you say, people may not believe it.


    The birthday banquet ended with a somber mood instead of cheerful celebration.


    The classmates left one after another, while Professor Miller looked at Keira Olsen with concern, ¡°Keira, are you and Mr. Horton truly¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen sighed, ¡°Professor, it¡¯s true.¡±


    Professor Miller still looked worried, ¡°Keira, you¡¯re still young and have a bright future ahead of you. Don¡¯t be misled by Mr. Horton¡¯s appearances and go down the wrong path.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen twitched the corners of her mouth. If Lewis Horton knew he was being compared to the likes of Daji, he would probably be infuriated to death, right?


    After sending Professor Miller off, Keira Olsen turned around and saw Charles Riley looking at her from a short distance away, with an expression of wanting to say something but hesitating, and a look of concern on his face: ¡°Dr. South¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen spoke up, ¡°Just call me Keira Olsen. We¡¯re classmates, there¡¯s no need for such formality.¡±


    Charles Riley coughed slightly, ¡°Well, Keira Olsen, if you need any help, just say it. Or if you have any difficulties, you can tell me too. I will help you clarify things among our classmates¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen rubbed her forehead.


    She understood what Charles Riley meant. He was always the responsible one among the classmates, and his excellent performance was why he was chosen by Samuel Morgan to join her company.


    Charles Riley also did not believe she and Lewis Horton were married; worried she would be slandered, he wanted to explain on her behalf¡­


    Keira Olsen sighed, ¡°I saw Jake Horton also gave you an invitation just now, right? Then let¡¯s meet at the banquet.¡±


    Charles Riley still looked worried, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Charles Riley left, still half in doubt.


    At this moment, Keira Olsen¡¯s phone rang. She answered, and Samuel Morgan¡¯s voice came through from the other end, ¡°Boss, that classmate of yours, Erin Davis¡ªI was going to deal with her, but then I found that someone beat me to it. She has already been fired by her current company and definitely won¡¯t be able to find work in Oceanion from now on.¡±


    A fierce glint flashed in Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was never one to be trifled with. Erin Davis humiliated her repeatedly at the party today; how could she possibly let her off?


    This was just a warning to others.


    Keira Olsen asked, ¡°Can you find out who helped out?¡±


    ¡°There are two forces involved. One is the Horton Family; probably Lewis Horton¡¯s doing. The other is an expatriate named Scott Martin, a renowned real estate magnate from abroad, who¡¯s made quite a stir in Crera this time. However, why he would help you is a mystery.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­Who knows.¡±


    After hanging up, she noticed an additional message on WhatsApp from Scott Martin: [Miss Olsen, I really like you. Can you give your life to me?]


    Keira Olsen: ???


    A murderous intent suddenly erupted in her eyes.


    Who exactly was this Scott Martin? On one hand he helped her, yet he was threatening her on WhatsApp, wanting her life?!


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, sitting in a luxury car, Scott Martin was looking at an umbrella in his hand with a smile. He said to his assistant, ¡°This umbrella marks the beginning of our fate. I asked for an umbrella as a memento from her, that¡¯s not excessive, is it?¡±


    Assistant: ¡°¡­It¡¯s not excessive, but, boss, are you sure the text you wrote in your message is correct?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Scott Martin answered with confidence. ¡°Even though I cannot spell in Crera¡¯s pinyin, I have learned Crera¡¯s characters and used handwriting input. There¡¯s absolutely no mistake!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The assistant was skeptical of his confidence.


    But text messages were very private for people like them, and it wasn¡¯t good to check the boss¡¯s messages for him.


    Scott Martin carefully put down the umbrella and then turned to his assistant, ¡°Help me get an invitation to old Mrs. Horton¡¯s birthday banquet.¡±


    Although he had left the private room, the happenings inside were not hidden from him.


    Miss Olsen and Lewis Horton didn¡¯t seem to be a married couple after all.


    If Lewis Horton shows up with his wife at the banquet, then he¡¯ll have to support Miss Olsen!


    ¡°Ding¡±


    The phone rang, and Scott Martin¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°See, Miss Olsen has sent me a reply!¡±

 Chapter 143 - 143 143

    ?Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Scott Martin looked at WhatsApp and saw a reply from ¡°Iron-deficient¡±: ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, you can¡¯t take my life away from me.¡±


    Scott Martin paused slightly, puzzled, and looked at his assistant, ¡°Miss Olsen¡¯s tone is a bit strange, she said she wouldn¡¯t send me her umbrella.¡±


    Assistant: ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you two are not quite familiar with each other yet, boss. You could send Miss Olsen more messages. It¡¯ll be better once you two get to know each other.¡±


    Scott Martin thought for a moment, ¡°Then what should I send?¡±


    Assistant: ¡°You could share something about your daily life, talk about something that happened, express your own feelings.¡±


    Scott Martin seemed thoughtful.


    As the car left the garage, Scott Martin turned his head and suddenly noticed a pile of dog poop on the ground. He frowned slightly, took out his phone, and continued to send messages to Kiera Olsen.


    ¡­


    Lewis Horton left that Bentley luxury car for Kiera Olsen, and she didn¡¯t hesitate to get in.


    On the way back to the Horton Family home, her phone vibrated again, and when she looked, she found another WhatsApp message from Scott Martin: ¡°I just saw a pile of dog poop in the garage, and it startled me for sure!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ??


    She twitched the corners of her mouth, feeling that this person must have some serious illness!


    She curled her lips and replied: ¡°I suggest you go check in at a neurology clinic.¡±


    The car quickly returned to the Horton Family home.


    In the afternoon, Melissa Knight and Isla Olsen got everyone in the Horton Family busy preparing.


    Old Mrs. Horton was 86 years old this year, and the doctor had declared she only had a few months left. Everyone knew there would be no birthday celebration next year, so this year¡¯s was especially grand.


    Even from the courtyard where Old Mrs. Horton resided, one could hear the bustle from the main house.


    The entire Horton estate of over a hundred people was almost all bustling about.


    By the evening after next, it was expected that every prestigious figure in Oceanion would come over. Just the ingredients alone required plenty of preparation, with non-perishable items already being brought in by large trucks.


    Old Mrs. Horton pursed her lips: ¡°Such a grand feast, rather than fuss over this, they¡¯d better show more filial piety to me. Be fair to Lewis, and save me some worry!¡±


    Kiera Olsen just laughed: ¡°Everyone has their own way of showing filial piety.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton held her hand: ¡°Daughter-in-law, do you know what I want the most for my birthday gift?¡±


    Kiera Olsen hesitated for a moment, replying, ¡°You tell me. As long as I can fulfill it, I promise you.¡±


    After speaking, she realized what Old Mrs. Horton was about to say and immediately spoke up: ¡°But you can¡¯t say a great-grandson. With only two days, I can¡¯t conjure one up for you!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton laughed: ¡°It¡¯s okay without a great-grandson. What I really want is for you to stay by that brat¡¯s side. Can you promise me that if I¡¯m no longer here, you won¡¯t let him be too lonely on his own?¡±


    Kiera Olsen was taken aback.


    During her time with the Horton Family, she had begun to understand something.


    Nathan Horton was often indifferent to Lewis Horton, presumably considering him a disgrace because of his mother¡¯s divorce years ago.


    He was especially partial to the first branch of the family, favoring them and their closeness.


    Lewis Horton now held 51% of the stocks in Horton Group because Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s shares were held in Lewis¡¯s name. If anything happened to Old Mrs. Horton and her shares were inherited by her children and grandchildren, Lewis¡¯s stake in Horton Group would decrease, and the first branch of the family would seize the opportunity to swoop in¡­


    Lewis Horton, despite his excellence, was always guarded by his biological father and schemed against by his elder brother¡­ and was abandoned by his biological mother when he was only seven months old.


    In this family, aside from his grandmother, he genuinely had no one else to care about.


    Kiera Olsen suddenly felt sorry for him.


    She looked at Old Mrs. Horton and saw her clear-eyed at this moment, her face marked with the traces of years, her eyes filled with tenderness and helplessness.


    It was as if she wanted to spend a few more years with Lewis Horton, but fate was not something she could compete with¡­


    Kiera Olsen felt a pang in her heart and nodded fiercely, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton then smiled, ¡°Good that you agree. That brat told me that at the banquet, your identities will be made public! Daughter-in-law, from now on you will stand by his side with dignity. I¡¯d like to see who dares to gossip then!¡±


    Only then did Kiera Olsen understand why Isla Olsen said that Lewis Horton¡¯s wife would be present at the birthday banquet. It turned out it was something Lewis Horton and Old Mrs. Horton had announced to the public.


    She was both amused and moved, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Just after their conversation, footsteps were heard outside, and Isla Olsen came in with a group of people, saying grandly, ¡°Great Grandmother, Mother asked me to help you choose the dress for the day. What do you think?¡±


    Instead, Old Mrs. Horton waved her hand, ¡°What I wear doesn¡¯t really matter, it¡¯s the daughter-in-law who¡¯s important!¡±


    She cheerfully took Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand and browsed through a bunch of dresses, finally settling on a light blue one, ¡°This color complements your skin tone. Nobody could look better in this than you!¡±


    Seeing her excitement, Kiera Olsen nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    A shadow flickered across Isla Olsen¡¯s expression as she watched the two of them.


    But she said nothing, cooperatively helped them choose the dresses, and then led the group away. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Halfway out, Isla Olsen suddenly stopped. She turned back to look at the dresses, eventually picking out a light blue one similar in style to Kiera Olsen¡¯s, with a beaming smile, ¡°Let¡¯s keep this one as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The brand manager replied respectfully.


    The nanny by Isla Olsen¡¯s side immediately asked, ¡°Madam, what are you keeping that one for? Do you plan to wear it yourself?¡±


    Isla Olsen glared at her, ¡°How could that be?¡±


    Why would she wear this dress? To compete with Kiera Olsen for attention?


    As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Isla Olsen clenched her fists.


    She had always known that she could not rival Kiera Olsen¡¯s looks.


    Kiera Olsen was tall and strikingly beautiful, while Isla more closely resembled Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter, looking quite well when dressed up but just average without.


    So, when in the Olsen Family, she never allowed Kiera to wear gowns.


    How could she possibly join in now and be compared to her?


    Keeping it was simply for¡­


    Isla Olsen¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Auntie has returned to the country and will come to the house that day. I think she hasn¡¯t prepared any dress, so I¡¯m selecting one for her.¡±


    What is the simplest way to stir up conflict between two women? Of course, it¡¯s a dress clash!


    That aunt, who is reputed to have never appeared before, surely wouldn¡¯t want to be upstaged by Lewis Horton¡¯s lover, right?


    By then, there would be no need for any provocation from her; the aunt would confront Kiera Olsen directly!


    A look of satisfaction appeared in Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes!


    She quickly returned to the main house.


    In the evening, after Jake Horton came home from work, he asked while changing clothes, ¡°How are things for the banquet coming along?¡±


    Isla Olsen smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything is ready. Kiera Olsen¡¯s reputation will be ruined, and she won¡¯t be able to save face!¡±


    Jake Horton nodded.


    Time flew, and two days later arrived.


    The birthday banquet for Old Mrs. Horton finally came!

 Chapter 144 - 144 144

    ?Chapter 144: Chapter 144 Chapter 144: Chapter 144 The Horton home was bustling from the morning on.


    When Kiera Olsen woke up and stepped outside, she saw Lewis Horton, who usually went to work early, unexpectedly sitting on the living room sofa.


    She stretched languidly and slowly walked over, arching an eyebrow to ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to go to the company today?¡±


    The girl had just woken up, her face plump and glowing from a good night¡¯s sleep, her complexion fair without makeup, lips red and teeth white.


    She was dressed in house clothing, exuding an air of relaxed comfort.


    Lewis Horton withdrew his gaze, glanced at the time, and said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s a meeting at ten, some business to take care of at three in the afternoon, and I¡¯ll come back for the dinner party.¡±


    Kiera nodded, ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you left?¡±


    Lewis cleared his throat and stood up, ¡°Great Grandmother asked us to try on the formal dresses.¡±


    Kiera was slightly stunned, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Lewis walked over, his tall build exuding a powerful sense of presence as he approached her, he cleared his throat again, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Kiera followed him, and they arrived at the dressing room. There, she immediately spotted the formal gown that Great Grandmother had picked out for her, hanging under the lights with faint glimmers of gold thread sparkling on it, and a gemstone necklace placed at the neck, the ensemble whispering understated luxury.


    Beside the gown was a black tailcoat.


    The tailcoat¡¯s tie was blue, and the cufflinks matched the jewelry set of the gown, clearly designed for couples.


    Kiera instantly understood why Lewis had seemed a bit shy just now, and couldn¡¯t help thinking Great Grandmother was just¡­ too adorable!


    Always playing little tricks like this.


    Her eyes curved into a smile as she looked at Lewis, noticing a flash of joy on his face. Although it was expressionless, she could tell he was in a good mood.


    Kiera stepped forward to pick up the clothes, ¡°Have your troubles been taken care of?¡±


    Lewis was startled, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°The urgent matter over the phone¡­¡±


    Lewis¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, the slight expression letting Kiera know that the trouble was probably still there. Just as she was about to ask if he needed help, he suddenly moved closer to her.


    He advanced step by step, forcing Kiera to retreat step by step, and soon, her back was against the wardrobe. The man, however, didn¡¯t stop, instead slowly lowering his head. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kiera¡¯s eyes widened gradually, her heartbeat racing.


    The next moment, he leaned close to her ear, ¡°Miss Olsen, shouldn¡¯t you be concerned about whether there¡¯s anything mismatched with these two outfits, rather than anything else?¡±


    His breath brushed against her neck as he spoke, tickling her, making her uncontrollably blush at the neck.


    ¡­She had actually been teased!


    Kiera fought to calm her racing heart and as Lewis was about to look up, the corners of her lips suddenly curved into a smile, she grabbed the lapel of Lewis¡¯s coat and pulled it down, making him bend over again, drawing near to her.


    She leaned in close to his ear, ¡°Then Mr. Horton, do you think there is anything inappropriate with this outfit?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis had actually been counter-teased!


    He looked at the lips so close to him, his eyes momentarily dazed, and then he spoke, ¡°How could we possibly tell without trying them on?¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s try them on.¡±


    Kiera released his lapel.


    They both took a step back from each other and exhaled lightly, then picked up their respective clothes and headed into separate rooms.


    In the moment she closed the door behind her, Kiera leaned against the wall, hand over her wildly beating heart, lips curling into a smile.


    Two minutes later.


    Kiera had changed into her gown and come out, her gaze immediately drawn to Lewis Horton¡¯s appearance.


    The man was always serious in his bearing, wearing his suits like they were his work uniform, but dressed in a tuxedo now, his tall and handsome demeanor was suddenly highlighted.


    At this moment, he looked like a gentleman who had stepped out of a European royal portrait, exuding an aura of nobility.


    While Kiera assessed him, Lewis Horton was also looking at her.


    The girl usually favored comfortable clothes and rarely wore such formal gowns; without even any makeup, she was already dazzling¡­


    As they looked at each other, Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Fiona, look at them. They are truly a golden couple, perfect for each other! Their children will definitely be good-looking!¡±


    She peeked from the doorway.


    Kiera: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face turned slightly red before he took off his coat and held it in his hand, ¡°I¡¯m off to the company for a meeting.¡±


    Kiera: ¡°Oh, alright.¡±


    Lewis Horton as he walked out, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, see you tonight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    This man, what got into him today? He was so eloquent!


    She chuckled softly, murmuring an indifferent ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡­


    Evening came quickly.


    Guests started arriving one after another, luxury cars slowly entered the Horton estate.


    The grandeur of the Horton family mansion was apparent at this time, setting aside a vast area as a parking lot.


    Security at the entrance specifically directed guests, while there were also attendants to guide the parking.


    Additionally, the household staff received the guests from the parking lot and escorted them to the main hall.


    For Kiera, it was her third visit to the main house of the Horton estate. The high-ceiling living room had a huge crystal chandelier, the entire space was even larger than a hotel lobby.


    There were sofas in each corner, with buffets, and people in their best attire were walking around.


    The first branch of the family was at the entrance to welcome guests, while Old Mrs. Horton took Kiera to sit at the prime position, and all the guests entering had to greet Old Mrs. Horton first.


    Seeing Kiera¡¯s discomfort standing by her side so rigidly, Old Mrs. Horton allowed her to move around freely instead of accompanying her.


    Kiera spotted Mrs. Olsen and others entering and took the opportunity to rise and greet Mrs. Olsen.


    Isla Olsen personally escorted Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen in. Seeing Kiera, she smiled with lowered eyes, ¡°Kiera, where¡¯s your uncle?¡±


    Kiera didn¡¯t want to engage with her, but in front of Mrs. Olsen, she still replied, ¡°He went to work.¡±


    ¡°The information I received says otherwise!¡± Isla Olsen¡¯s mouth curled into a smirk, seemingly mentioning casually, ¡°I heard from the security that your uncle went to pick up your aunt. They will be arriving shortly.¡±


    Taylor Olsen immediately asked, ¡°Mrs. Horton has returned?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she came back a few days ago, but she hasn¡¯t been well, so she was staying outside. But today is Great Grandmother¡¯s special day; she had to come back,¡± Isla Olsen said with a smile, her eyes on Kiera, ¡°Kiera, do you think you should avoid her for a bit?¡±


    These words immediately made Taylor Olsen frown, and he admonished Kiera, ¡°Isla is right, you should avoid any appearance of impropriety. After all, you and Mr. Horton have recently been involved in a big scandal! I am your father, and you should listen to me! I will not harm you!¡±


    Kiera¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°Are you really?¡±

 Chapter 145 - 145 145

    ?Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Taylor Olsen¡¯s voice suddenly rose, ¡°Although I have never acknowledged you as my daughter, the Olsen Family raised you, and this is how you speak to me?!¡±


    His words caused everyone around to look over.


    Mrs. Olsen immediately frowned and said, ¡°Mind the occasion.¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t want to argue here either, so she simply lowered her eyes and remained silent.


    Taylor Olsen snorted coldly, ¡°Seeing her just annoys me, Shirley, let¡¯s go wish Old Mrs. Horton a happy birthday!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, however, furrowed her brows, ¡°With my current health, I¡¯d rather not go before Old Mrs. Horton and bring bad luck. You go ahead, I¡¯ll talk to Keira a bit more.¡±


    Taylor Olsen then looked at Keira Olsen warily, ¡°Shirley¡¯s not in good health, don¡¯t say anything nonsensical here to upset her, you hear?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen ignored him.


    Taylor Olsen felt it pointless, and eventually took Isla Olsen to Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s side.


    Once they finally left, and Isla Olsen didn¡¯t notice anything here, Mrs. Olsen stepped forward and took her hand, ¡°Keira, you¡­¡±


    ¡°M¡¯am, are you feeling unwell again?¡±


    Keira Olsen spoke first, interrupting her.


    Mrs. Olsen paused, then coughed lightly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just the old problem.¡±


    Keira Olsen was puzzled, ¡°Coughing again? Didn¡¯t I give you cough medicine? Didn¡¯t you take it? Or have you run out?¡±


    After saying that, she shook her head, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be right, the bottle I gave you had a hundred pills, enough for three months.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen smiled, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just been thinking a lot these days. Never mind me, Keira, about you and Mr. Horton, is everything really platonic?¡±


    Keira Olsen knew Mrs. Olsen would ask this.


    She didn¡¯t want Mrs. Olsen to worry, so she began, ¡°Actually, he and I¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, an excited voice came, ¡°My savior!¡±


    Keira Olsen turned around and saw Rebecca Allen slowly walking over.


    She had been using a wheelchair previously because she was too weak, but she had gotten better in the past two days and was now able to walk normally. She was wearing a pink dress today and approached Keira Olsen, affectionately linking her arm, ¡°I missed you so much!¡±


    The dependency in her voice was strong.


    Mrs. and Mr. Allen helplessly followed behind, with Mr. Allen coming over and laughing, ¡°This girl, she¡¯s just too clingy! It¡¯s only been a few days since she saw Miss Olsen, and she¡¯s already talking like this.¡±


    Mrs. Allen pretended to be angry, ¡°She¡¯s never been this dependent on me, her mother. Anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think Miss Olsen was her real sister!¡±


    Rebecca Allen gave a playful smile to both, then continued to look at Keira Olsen, and whispered, ¡°Savior, even though I¡¯ve been in the hospital, I¡¯ve been following your situation. I¡¯ve heard everyone whispering, saying there¡¯s something unclear between you and Mr. Horton, but that can¡¯t be true, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen saw her clear eyes, seemingly free from past traumas and filled with concern, so she smiled, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s all rumors. Between Mr. Horton and me¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Rebecca Allen said, ¡°Your relationship must be completely innocent, I absolutely believe you! I¡¯ve met Mr. Horton, so icy and aloof, how could he match up to you? Savior, you couldn¡¯t possibly fancy him. But I heard you got married, what a pity. Otherwise, I¡¯d introduce my brother to you¡ªhe¡¯s quite the old unmarried man!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen twitched her mouth, feeling at a loss for words.


    Wanting to clarify her relationship with Lewis Horton, why does it have to be so difficult?


    Before she could speak again, Mrs. Allen was already getting angry, ¡°What way is that to talk about your brother? It¡¯s only because he¡¯s not here, otherwise, let¡¯s see if you dare disrespect him like this!¡±


    Rebecca Allen stuck out her tongue and whispered to Keira Olsen, ¡°My brother heard that old Mrs. Horton is turning 86 this year and wanted to come, since our family and the Horton family have started a cooperation. But my dad is working on some photo that, I heard, will be restored in these next few days, and he insists my brother wait until the photo is restored before coming over~¡±


    Keira Olsen asked with a smile, ¡°Restoring old photos?¡±


    Rebecca Allen nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a photo from twenty or thirty years ago. Dad, what photo are you having my brother restore, exactly?¡±


    Mr. Allen smiled and looked at Keira Olsen and Mrs. Olsen, ¡°That photo is somewhat related to Mrs. Olsen. Back in the day in Clance, I met Lady South a few times and we even took a group photo occasionally.¡±


    At this, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°My mother? Once the photo is restored, you must let me see it!¡±


    Mr. Allen was taken aback, ¡°You don¡¯t have any photos of Lady South at your place?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen shook her head and sighed, ¡°Before I came to Oceanion, a fire suddenly broke out at home and burned all our photos¡­¡±


    Her eyes revealed a hint of nostalgia, ¡°These years, my health has been terrible, frequently falling ill, it¡¯s been over twenty years, I¡¯ve long forgotten what my mother looked like¡­¡±


    On hearing this, Mr. Allen sighed and asked, ¡°I also heard about it, felt it was a pity, but how did Lady South pass away? She was just in her forties then, in the prime of her life¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen, realizing why Mrs. Olsen had been out of touch with Clance for so many years, was it because her mother had passed away long ago?


    She perked up her ears, just to see Mrs. Olsen weakly smile, ¡°Mother died in an accident.¡±


    She seemed reluctant to elaborate.


    Mr. Allen immediately sensed this and stopped asking, hinting, ¡°When the photo is restored, I must show it to you and Miss Olsen!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen paused slightly, then nodded.


    Keira Olsen was a bit confused.


    Why did Mr. Allen want to show her the photo?


    But she didn¡¯t ask much, because she was indeed curious about what kind of person Lady South was who could bring up someone with the demeanor of Mrs. Olsen¡­


    As Mr. and Mrs. Allen spoke, they saw that the crowd around Old Mrs. Horton had dispersed, and they took the opportunity to say, ¡°Rebecca, let¡¯s go greet old Mrs. Horton first.¡±


    This was good manners.


    Although Rebecca was reluctant to leave Keira, she had to follow her parents over.


    After they walked away, someone passed by Keira Olsen and Mrs. Olsen, discussing as they walked:


    ¡°Heard that today Mr. Horton is finally going to bring out that well-protected wife of his for everyone to see!¡±


    ¡°Really curious about what kind of person Mrs. Horton is¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you hear? Mr. Horton seems to have recently taken a young lover, apparently got caught in photos, the servants at Horton¡¯s estate all know, Mrs. Horton probably came back because she found out about this¡­¡±


    After they spoke, they walked away, leaving Mrs. Olsen looking anxiously at Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, I¡¯m feeling unwell, perhaps you could take me home?¡±


    Keira Olsen could only laugh and cry at this.


    She knew this was the excuse Mrs. Olsen had found for her, wanting her to avoid the banquet.


    Keira Olsen steadied her arm, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, I¡¯ll take you to see something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The marriage certificate.¡±

 Chapter 146 - 146 146

    ?Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Mrs. Olsen hesitated slightly.


    She didn¡¯t understand why Kiera Olsen wanted her to look at the marriage certificate.


    Nevertheless, she followed Kiera Olsen to the resting room nearby.


    Kiera was dressed in a formal gown, holding only a cell phone; her backpack and Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s belongings were all placed in the adjacent room.


    She knew Mrs. Olsen would come today and didn¡¯t want her to worry.


    Having been through so much, she knew that no matter what she said, these people would not believe her; thus, she simply brought the marriage certificate along, just to ease Mrs. Olsen¡¯s concerns.


    As they were about to head to the resting room, suddenly there was a disturbance at the door.


    Both Kiera Olsen and Mrs. Olsen couldn¡¯t help but turn their heads, and saw Lewis Horton arriving. Dressed in a tuxedo, he strode in majestically, heading straight toward Old Mrs. Horton.


    The people around, who were offering their birthday felicitations, tactfully stepped aside, allowing Lewis Horton to stand in front of the old lady.


    Old Mrs. Horton, with a smile on her face, reached out her hand to him.


    However, Lewis Horton did not step forward; instead, he bowed deeply and sincerely said, ¡°Grandmother, I wish you a happy birthday, good health, and long life!¡±


    Unlike others, his birthday greeting was brief, but it conveyed his most sincere wishes.


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s eyes slightly reddened as she immediately waved him over, ¡°You brat, why be so formal? All I want is for you to be happy, and to have a loving, lifelong relationship with your wife¡ªthat is the greatest joy of my life.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression was tense, but Kiera Olsen could see from his eyes that he was holding back his emotions, and he spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t worry, I will.¡±


    ¡°Good, good!¡± Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s smile at this moment was the most genuine of the evening.


    As the conversation touched upon his wife, someone nearby stepped forward with a smile, ¡°Judging by what Old Mrs. Horton and Mr. Horton suggested, will Mrs. Horton make her appearance tonight?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze instinctively searched the banquet hall for Kiera Olsen.


    However, by this time, Kiera Olsen and Mrs. Olsen had already turned a corner; he failed to locate them and thus withdrew his gaze, nodding to the speaker.


    The people around immediately began teasing him:


    ¡°Mr. Horton finally decided to bring out the wife he has kept hidden for two years. We are all curious about what kind of person she is that could make you so devoted¡­¡±


    ¡°Seeing Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s smiling face, she must be wonderful!¡±


    These were comments Old Mrs. Horton delighted in hearing, and she nodded in agreement, ¡°Absolutely, my granddaughter-in-law is beautiful, capable, and well-mannered. I like her very much!¡±


    ¡°The harmonious relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Horton is what you¡¯ve always hoped for, Old Mrs. Horton!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, that brat always wears such a stern face, I was always worried he¡¯d scare my granddaughter-in-law, but now their relationship is very good!¡±


    Initially dismissive of the surrounding few, Old Mrs. Horton now grew interested.


    Seeing this, everyone gathered around her, starting to lavish praise on her granddaughter-in-law and grandson. The smile on Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s face visibly increased.


    Seeing this, Lewis Horton¡¯s lips slightly curled up, still looking to see where Kiera Olsen was, when suddenly his phone rang.


    After a glance, he answered the call; Tom Davis¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Boss, Miss Davis has arrived.¡±


    Lewis Horton immediately frowned, ¡°Who told you to bring her here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding, boss. She insisted on coming, saying she had to visit on Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s birthday. Her situation is special, I couldn¡¯t stop her¡­¡±


    Tom Davis¡¯s voice grew softer, clearly very uneasy, ¡°Do you want to delay announcing your marital status with Miss Olsen today?¡±


    Lewis Horton immediately said in a stern tone, ¡°Why should it be delayed?¡±


    Tom Davis coughed, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because we¡¯re worried Miss Davis can¡¯t handle the shock? We¡¯ll just have to put Miss Olsen in a difficult position then, at worst, she¡¯ll just get called a homewrecker or a mistress again¡­¡±


    ¡°Put away your little schemes, Keira doesn¡¯t need you to speak for her.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze fell, concealing the weariness in his eyes. He pressed his forehead with his hand, a determined look flashing through his eyes as he said in a low voice, ¡°Her arrival is quite timely, just in time to see that I¡¯m indeed married and dispel any inappropriate thoughts she may have.¡±


    Tom Davis chuckled, ¡°Alright, boss!¡±


    Lewis Horton then asked, ¡°Where is she?¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tom Davis opened his mouth, ¡°She came in hospital attire, just went with Isla Olsen to change into a gown!¡±


    ¡­


    After Lewis Horton finished his birthday speech, he walked with Mrs. Olsen to the end of the corridor, turning and heading to the first floor lounge.


    As soon as they turned the corner, they saw Jalen Riley.


    This man with a slightly quirky air seemed to be enjoying some quiet time. Upon seeing her, he promptly walked over, ¡°Dr. South, can I have a word with you?¡±


    Then, he glanced around and asked in a lowered voice, ¡°Tell me the truth, is there something more between you and my cousin?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    She raised an eyebrow, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Jalen Riley went on, ¡°You think the Horton family can really keep a secret? Lately, it¡¯s been all over the company that you and my cousin are together! Are you really together?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Keira Olsen twitched her mouth, ¡°Yes, really.¡±


    Seeing her expression, Jalen Riley¡¯s eyes changed, his words tinged with a sigh, ¡°How could you do this? An intellectually-sound person like you¡­ shouldn¡¯t you be drawn to a relationship based on intellect? Knowing it¡¯s wrong, how could you¡­¡±


    He wanted to scold Keira Olsen, but the harsh words just wouldn¡¯t come out.


    Keira Olsen saw his conflict and knew he cared about her. Just as she was about to be honest with Jalen Riley about her relationship with Lewis Horton, Jalen suddenly lowered his voice:


    ¡°I¡¯ve already found out who Mrs. Horton is!¡±


    Keira Olsen paused, her eyes twinkling, ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Her name is Madeleine Davis. She¡¯s been abroad for medical treatment for many years. My cousin was abroad with her too. He returned to the country recently when her condition stabilized enough for her to make public appearances. I just saw her being personally escorted home by Mr. Davis. I heard my cousin is going to formally introduce his wife to everyone today¡­¡±


    As Jalen Riley spoke, he looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°Well, my cousin¡¯s wife might not be in good health, but he has been faithful to her for two years, and they haven¡¯t divorced. It shows they have feelings for each other. You shouldn¡¯t¡­ My cousin might be quite handsome, and many women like him, but he¡¯s not right for you¡­ really¡­¡±


    ¡°Be sensible, don¡¯t do something that will bring disgrace upon you. Sometimes, gracefully backing out is also an act of generosity and magnanimity. Right, Dr. South?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Thinking she hadn¡¯t spoken because he had convinced her, Jalen Riley asked, ¡°So where are you going?¡±


    Keira Olsen, ¡°I¡¯m going to show Mrs. Olsen my marriage certificate.¡±


    Jalen Riley: ¡°Oh right, you¡¯re married too. Let¡¯s all just live our best lives then. Come on, I¡¯ll go take a look too, see who your husband is.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 147 - 147 147

    ?Chapter 147: Chapter 147 Chapter 147: Chapter 147 And so, another person wanted to see Keira Olsen¡¯s marriage certificate.


    Keira Olsen, supporting Mrs. Olsen, and accompanied by Jalen Riley, quickly arrived at the rest room.


    Jalen Riley was still muttering, ¡°Did your husband come? If he did, later on you should make a grand appearance together to clarify those rumors¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen nodded, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what Keira intends.¡±


    Keira Olsen ignored their words and directly pushed open the door of the rest room¡­


    Then she found that it wouldn¡¯t budge?


    The door to the rest room had been locked from the inside!


    This rest room was reserved for Old Mrs. Horton, but the old lady was in the front hall. Who could be in there?


    Just as she thought this, she heard the door unlock with a ¡°click¡± and out walked Isla Olsen in a pale pink gown.


    Upon seeing Keira Olsen and Mrs. Olsen, she raised an eyebrow, ¡°Mom, Keira, what brings you here?¡±


    Keira Olsen raised an eyebrow, and Mrs. Olsen explained, ¡°Keira¡¯s purse is in here, we came to fetch it¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you might have to wait for a moment.¡±


    Isla¡¯s smile was especially radiant. She looked at Keira Olsen and slowly said, ¡°Mrs. Horton is inside, changing her dress!¡±


    Keira Olsen was slightly startled, ¡°Who?¡±


    Isla¡¯s smile grew even brighter, ¡°Mr. Horton¡¯s wife, Mrs. Horton! Mr. Davis personally escorted her here, and he had even asked me to prepare a gown for my auntie. Didn¡¯t I mention it? Tonight, Mr. Horton will reveal who his wife is¡­¡±


    Tom Davis personally escorted her¡­


    Keira Olsen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    Mrs. Olsen, seeing this, frowned, ¡°Then let Keira go get her purse.¡±


    Isla purposely made a regretful face, ¡°Mom, this room is exclusively for Great Grandmother¡¯s use, and I found out just now that only the Hortons can enter to rest here. Besides, my auntie is unwell and cannot bear drafts. She¡¯s not dressed yet, so it¡¯s best not to disturb the hostess, right?¡±


    She deliberately emphasized the word ¡°hostess,¡± then looked at Keira Olsen with a sly smile on her lips, ¡°So everyone will just have to wait a moment.¡±


    Then she walked over and linked arms with Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Mom, in this house, Mr. Horton is the person in power. So, strictly speaking, my auntie is indeed the true hostess of this home. Even I cannot disobey her orders. So, waiting a bit is necessary. Keira, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen, seeing her brazen manner, found it laughable, ¡°Are you sure the person inside is really Mrs. Horton?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Isla confidently said, ¡°How could I not be sure of something like that? Mr. Horton got married two years ago, and the person rumored to be his wife has always been my auntie. The whole Horton family knows about it! It¡¯s just that someone has always refused to believe it, still dreaming of transforming from a sparrow to a phoenix!¡±


    ¡°Isla!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen scolded, ¡°Mind your language!¡±


    Isla just scoffed, ¡°Mom, Keira¡¯s last name is Olsen after all. I¡¯m just worried that she might make a fool of herself again today and tarnish the Olsen family¡¯s reputation. What¡¯s more, you¡¯ve always taught us since we were young that we should take what we can get, but mustn¡¯t covet things that don¡¯t belong to us.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen immediately furrowed her brow and said morosely, ¡°So you do remember what I said.¡±


    But how had Isla changed into someone unrecognizable like this?


    Yet Isla did not grasp the implications of her words.


    While several people were talking, there was movement in the room, and soon the door opened to reveal a slender girl in a blue evening dress.


    Keira Olsen looked at her.


    She saw a pretty girl with delicate features, the epitome of a genteel beauty; her skin had an unnaturally pale tint and her frame was thin and frail. At the moment, she stood there somewhat frantically, looking around with a confused and helpless expression.


    Seeing so many people in front of her, she wanted to say something but seemed too afraid to speak, especially because everyone¡¯s gaze was on her, making her stand there awkwardly, too scared to move.


    There was an irresistible urge to feel pity for her.


    Jalen Riley immediately leaned over to Keira Olsen and whispered so only they could hear, ¡°That¡¯s Madeleine Davis!¡±


    Isla Olsen called out, ¡°Auntie, have you changed your clothes?¡±


    Madeleine Davis seemed unsure how to respond to these remarks, just nodding woodenly before pulling at her dress insecurely as if trying to cover the exposed skin.


    Her voice was tiny and timid, ¡°Is this dress really okay?¡±


    As she spoke, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the evening dress she wore.


    The pale blue magnified the unhealthy whiteness of her skin, but the dress hung loosely on her excessively thin frame, resembling a child in adult¡¯s clothing, bringing a sense of ridicule.


    Upon closer inspection of the dress¡­


    Mrs. Olsen suddenly furrowed her brows and turned to look at Keira Olsen.


    She saw that not only were their dresses of the same color scheme, but the styles were also strikingly similar!


    Isla Olsen quickly assured, ¡°It looks very pretty!¡±


    Madeleine Davis pointed timidly at Keira Olsen, ¡°Actually, she looks better in it¡­ Should I change into another one?¡±


    At that remark, Isla Olsen laughed openly, looking defiantly at Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, what a coincidence, you and the auntie are wearing the same dress. However, the auntie is today¡¯s hostess. Shouldn¡¯t you change your dress to show some respect?¡±


    This was a basic etiquette for attending a banquet.


    Usually, guests would inquire in advance what the host would wear to avoid such embarrassing situations.


    That was precisely what Mrs. Olsen had been about to say¡­


    But she didn¡¯t know how to express it without hurting Keira Olsen¡¯s self-esteem.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t feel humiliated at all and sneered, ¡°Two days ago, when Great Grandmother was selecting this dress for me, you were there, so did you do this on purpose?¡±


    Isla Olsen wasn¡¯t afraid to be called out and spoke boldly, ¡°I just thought this dress suited the hostess of the Horton family better.¡±


    She stared straight at Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, are you trying to outshine the Horton family¡¯s hostess?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s face darkened. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mrs. Olsen took a deep breath and suddenly said, ¡°Keira, I¡¯m not feeling well, weren¡¯t you here to fetch your bag? Take it, and let¡¯s leave. You can drive me home first.¡±


    This was the first time she used such a commanding tone with Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen was briefly stunned, looking at her in surprise, ¡°Mrs¡­¡±


    ¡°Keira, if you still regard me as your elder, then listen to me and leave with me,¡± Mrs. Olsen insisted, taking her hand. ¡°Keira, I can¡¯t stand by and watch you be humiliated.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s jaw tightened as she sighed, ¡°Mrs., can we look at the marriage certificate first, then decide?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen didn¡¯t understand why she was so insistent on seeing the marriage certificate, but she could only say, ¡°¡­All right.¡±

 Chapter 148 - 148 148

    ?Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Keira Olsen bypassed Isla Olsen and approached Madeleine Davis, just about to enter the room when Madeleine Davis suddenly spoke, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Her voice was subdued, appearing weak, as if lacking any aggressive power.


    Keira Olsen frowned slightly but didn¡¯t speak.


    Isla Olsen then spoke up, ¡°Auntie, this is Keira Olsen. Remember the Great Grandmother fell ill? She mistook her for you, so Mr. Horton has been letting her stay at home¡­ Now there are all sorts of rumors outside, claiming that Keira Olsen is the uncle¡¯s lover¡­¡±


    ¡°Isla!¡± Mrs. Olsen warned loudly, cutting off Isla Olsen¡¯s next words.


    Isla Olsen pouted and said no more, but the implication behind her words was already quite clear. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen ignored her and just stared at Madeleine Davis, directly asking, ¡°Miss Davis, is it? Are you really Mrs. Horton?¡±


    She found Madeleine Davis somewhat unreadable.


    Her question was both a probe and an opportunity for her to clarify.


    Isla Olsen immediately scoffed, ¡°Keira Olsen, you really outdo even your mom, daring to be so arrogant right in front of the main person? Your mom is so docile in front of my mom that she wouldn¡¯t dare to make a sound, and if you¡¯re someone¡¯s mistress, at least learn your mom¡¯s demeanor?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s complexion changed drastically, her voice trembling, ¡°Isla!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t understand why her daughter was being so harsh and repulsive!


    Yet Isla Olsen was completely oblivious to her mistake, saying outright, ¡°What? Am I wrong? What right does she have to question Auntie¡¯s identity? Behaving so arrogantly¡­ Mom, you only tell me to shut up, why don¡¯t you tell her to shut up?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, distressed, clutched her chest and trembled.


    Keira Olsen ignored them and kept her gaze fixed on Madeleine Davis, ¡°You were saying?¡±


    Madeleine Davis, seemingly terrified by their argument, stared with innocent, bewildered deer eyes at everything in front of her and then spoke feebly, ¡°Me, don¡¯t be angry¡­ I¡¯m not in good health, I won¡¯t argue with you¡­ as long as Lewis keeps taking care of me¡­ I¡¯m also very thankful to you, thank you for taking care of Grandmother during this time¡­¡±


    She lowered her head, her fingers intermingling, ¡°Lewis is busy taking care of me and doesn¡¯t have time to accompany Grandmother, it¡¯s nice having you help us accompany Grandmother, Lewis is happy about it too¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen immediately clenched her fists, taking a step forward, ¡°So, answer my question, are you Mrs. Horton?¡±


    She was really getting impatient now.


    Madeleine Davis looked frail and weak, but her words brought significant misunderstandings!


    The underlying tone, without once confirming if she was Mrs. Horton, yet she spoke as though she held that identity.


    She disliked such ambiguous issues.


    Her brows slightly furrowed as she saw Madeleine Davis seemingly terrified by her demeanor, quickly hiding behind Isla Olsen with a frantic look, ¡°I, I won¡¯t compete with you¡­ don¡¯t be angry, please don¡¯t be like this¡­¡±


    Just as these words were uttered, Isla Olsen immediately stood in front of her, righteously accusing Keira Olsen, ¡°What are you doing? I know you¡¯re very formidable, used to resolving issues by force outside, but this is Auntie! She¡¯s already frail, if you dare touch a hair on her, see if Mr. Horton will forgive you!


    Keira Olsen frowned, ¡°I didn¡¯t lay a hand¡­¡±


    Madeleine Davis quickly exclaimed, ¡°She didn¡¯t lay a hand, indeed she didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen sneered, ¡°That¡¯s because you got away quickly. She hasn¡¯t even had the chance to take action yet. Keira Olsen, I really didn¡¯t expect this from you. You¡¯re getting more and more audacious! In front of my mom and so many people, you actually dared to threaten Mrs. Horton! You kept pressing her; what do you want her to say? Do you want her to hand over your uncle to you? How shameless can you be, bullying a sick person like this?!¡±


    Keira Olsen felt a surge of anger welling up.


    She stepped forward, ¡°I just wanted to clarify things. It¡¯s always been you talking. Let her tell me herself if she really is Mrs. Horton!¡±


    Isla Olsen scoffed and then turned to Madeleine Davis, ¡°Little aunt, don¡¯t be afraid! Show her your status and stance as the rightful wife. This is the Horton Family¡¯s home, not a place where mistresses can run wild!¡±


    Madeleine Davis immediately tensed up and gripped her dress, bowing her head, ¡°Miss Olsen, I really thank you¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen was somewhat exasperated, ¡°Why are you thanking her? She took away your husband, took away Great Grandmother¡¯s affection, how can you be so weak and incompetent¡­ No wonder my uncle is openly messing around outside!¡±


    Madeleine Davis stuttered nervously, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, there¡¯s no proof, I just need Lewis to not abandon me.¡±


    Isla Olsen, ¡°If you keep going on like this, it won¡¯t be long before he abandons you!¡±


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen could no longer hold back and directly slapped Isla Olsen, ¡°I told you to shut up! Stop sowing discord here!¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s head snapped to the side, and she was stunned for a moment, then glared at Mrs. Olsen and shouted, ¡°What right do you have to tell me to shut up? The one who did wrong this time is clearly Keira Olsen!¡±


    ¡°Mom, in your eyes, is everything I do wrong? I just wanted to protect my little aunt¡¯s dignity! I wanted Keira Olsen to realize her mistake!¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s gaze sharply confronted Mrs. Olsen, ¡°And you even want to stop me? Is Keira Olsen so perfect in your eyes? Even if she becomes a mistress, a homewrecker, you still favor her? Have you ever considered my situation? With the kind of things she¡¯s doing in the Horton Family, how am I supposed to hold my ground in this family?!¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s righteous questioning made Mrs. Olsen tremble all over, ¡°You, don¡¯t make your motives sound so noble¡­ You¡¯re just targeting Keira!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am targeting her, so what? If she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, could I target her? This time I completely held the moral high ground, what did I do wrong?!¡±


    Isla Olsen pressed aggressively, ¡°Shall we call everyone here to see?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen clutched her chest and stepped back.


    ¡°Madam!¡±


    Keira Olsen stepped forward and supported her arm.


    But unexpectedly, she was pushed away by Mrs. Olsen the next moment.


    Keira Olsen, shocked, looked at Mrs. Olsen to see her eyes reddening, seeming on the verge of collapse, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, my negligence that has turned you two into what you are today!¡±


    She looked disappointingly at Keira Olsen, ¡°I always thought you were a good child, but today, Keira, you¡¯ve deeply disappointed me!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s voice was choked with sobs, and her disappointed gaze¡­


    All of this made Keira Olsen feel a tightness in her chest, as if her heart was being fiercely gripped by an invisible hand.


    She clenched her fists tightly, turned abruptly into the lounge, picked up her bag, and strode out, then, feeling wronged, she took out her marriage certificate from inside and handed it to Mrs. Olsen.

 Chapter 149 - 149 149

    ?Chapter 149: Chapter 149 Chapter 149: Chapter 149 Keira Olsen knew that no matter what she said, these people would not believe her.


    It was like the class reunion a few days ago¡­


    So she didn¡¯t want to make empty claims and decided to bring out evidence, hoping to convince Mrs. Olsen.


    She looked at Mrs. Olsen and slowly said, ¡°Madam, Mr. Horton and I truly are¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, a hand suddenly reached out from the side, snatching the marriage certificate from Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s sharp voice interrupted her, ¡°Do you think by showing a marriage certificate, you can prove your innocence? Keira, do you think we are all blind?¡±


    She didn¡¯t even look at the document and attempted to tear it apart, but her manicured nails prevented her from using her strength. She ruthlessly threw it on the ground and repeatedly crushed it with her high heels.


    Keira¡¯s pupils constricted, and she grabbed Isla¡¯s arm with one hand and swung the other at her!


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    A loud slap echoed through the corridor. Unlike the one Mrs. Olsen dealt, a visible handprint formed on Isla¡¯s face this time.


    Keira glared at her fiercely, ¡°Isla, do you believe I could call the police right now and accuse you of damaging national documents, and you¡¯d end up in jail?¡±


    At these words, Isla¡¯s fingers tightened, but a glance at Mrs. Olsen bolstered her courage, ¡°Go ahead, call the police, and why not summon some reporters too? Let everyone see whether it¡¯s me, the unfaithful woman playing the mistress, who should be denounced, or me, the bearer of justice, who should be blamed!¡±


    Keira said sternly, ¡°I told you, I am not the mistress. Lewis Horton and I are¡­¡±


    ¡°Slap.¡±


    Suddenly, something swept across her face.


    Keira¡¯s words halted abruptly; she was frozen, disbelieving as she slowly turned her head to look at Mrs. Olsen, who had struck her.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes were red, her body trembling slightly. She stared at Keira, ¡°Keira, if you still listen to me, leave this place with me!¡±


    Keira¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment.


    Actually, it didn¡¯t hurt a bit¡­


    After all, Mrs. Olsen hadn¡¯t been willing to strike her forcefully, just grazing her cheek.


    She had been beaten by Poppy Hill from a young age; this slap was the gentlest she had ever received¡­


    Yet, Keira had never felt as heartbroken as she did in that moment, the pain so intense that she momentarily struggled to breathe.


    She clenched her fists tightly, incredulous as she stared at Mrs. Olsen, and after a long moment, she found her voice again, ¡°¡­You don¡¯t believe me either?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen hadn¡¯t expected herself to strike, and as she looked at her trembling fingers, she let out a bitter laugh upon hearing those words.


    She had always believed in Keira¡¯s character. When Keira was a child, she would rather starve and rummage through the trash for food, refusing even to casually take a cake left out on the table¡­


    Back then, she had an enormous respect for Keira.


    And had gradually taken her to heart.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected her to do something like this¡­


    Mrs. Olsen had already gathered detailed information; Lewis Horton had been married two years ago, but Keira had only registered their marriage this year. She couldn¡¯t fathom how the two could be husband and wife.


    And the photos Isla had shown her were not doctored, they were real¡­


    In the photos, the intimacy and looks in Keira and Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes clearly displayed their mutual affection¡­


    So, how could she believe it?!


    Mrs. Olsen closed her eyes, feeling nothing but dizziness from the rage, and ultimately could only say to Keira Olsen, ¡°Leave¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen was shocked. ¡°Mrs. Olsen, it¡¯s not what you think, Mr. Horton and I¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen felt a surge of pleasure at this scene.


    Keira Olsen was too capable in confrontations, always leaving Isla feeling powerless when facing her.


    But Keira would never strike back at one person, and that was Mrs. Olsen!


    With a mocking tone, she said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what my mom said? She told you to leave. She never wants to see you again, doesn¡¯t want to see such a despicable person! You and your mom are both shameless mistresses!¡±


    Keira Olsen continued to look at Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Mrs. Olsen¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla Olsen stepped forward, blocking her from Mrs. Olsen: ¡°Are you leaving or not? Staying here with the intention of angering my mom to death so your mom can take her place? What exactly is your motive?!¡±


    Just as she finished speaking, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s body went limp, and she almost collapsed to the ground!


    ¡°Shirley!¡±


    Taylor Olsen hastened over, steadying Mrs. Olsen¡¯s staggering body. He looked around in shock and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately said, ¡°My mom detests Keira for being a mistress and lover to my uncle here, it¡¯s too disgraceful, and told her to leave. She refused, and it drove my mom to this!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Taylor Olsen glared angrily at Keira Olsen: ¡°You ungrateful creature! How kind has Shirley been to you from your childhood? Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?!¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at them, momentarily at a loss for words.


    She suddenly gave a low laugh, finding it quite meaningless.


    Nobody listened patiently to her explanations¡­


    She lowered her gaze, her expression indifferent: ¡°Mrs. Olsen, take care of your health, there¡¯s no need to be angry on my account.¡±


    Leaving these words, she turned and walked away.


    Mrs. Olsen leaned on Taylor Olsen, watching Keira¡¯s departing figure, wanting to reach out and call her back, yet not knowing what to say¡­


    Isla Olsen pointed to the lounge and said, ¡°Dad, Mom, why don¡¯t you go and rest for a while¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen then helped Mrs. Olsen through the door.


    It took a while for Mrs. Olsen to regain her composure, after which Taylor Olsen angrily said, ¡°Shirley, why are you getting upset over such an unfilial girl? She¡¯s not worth your effort! Her mother was shameless, scheming her way into my life to have her. She¡¯s got Poppy Hill¡¯s blood in her bones, selfish, and without moral bottom line¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen looked on in a daze, feeling deeply disappointed.


    ¡°You¡¯re always strict with Isla, constantly telling me how Keira is better than her. Look at them now, Keira¡¯s moral standards are far worse than Isla¡¯s! No matter what, Isla would never degrade herself to be someone¡¯s mistress!¡±


    Taylor Olsen took Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand: ¡°Shirley, promise me, stop worrying about Keira, draw a clear line from now on, and don¡¯t distress yourself anymore, okay?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen closed her eyes in pain.


    Had Keira truly gone astray?


    She clenched her fists tightly, always finding it hard to believe, but the reality was right before her eyes¡­


    Seeing her silent, Taylor Olsen simply said, ¡°Do you feel any better now? If so, let¡¯s leave, showing up today was at least an explanation to the Horton family.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, trembling, stood up with the support of Taylor Olsen and walked out of the lounge.


    By then, the outside had quieted down, everyone had moved to the front hall.


    As they stepped outside, they saw a lone marriage certificate lying on the ground. Mrs. Olsen paused, stepped forward, and picked it up¡­

 Chapter 150 - 150 150

    ?Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Chapter 150: Chapter 150 The marriage certificate still had footprints on it, dirty and muddled.


    Mrs. Olsen took out her handkerchief and wiped it off, her eyes downcast, ¡°No matter what, Isla shouldn¡¯t have damaged Keira¡¯s marriage certificate.¡±


    Taylor Olsen scoffed, ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have resorted to hitting people either! Keira¡¯s uncivilized, vulgar demeanor, why do you still bother about her?¡±


    But Mrs. Olsen ignored this remark, cleaned the marriage certificate, and then prepared to open it and look.


    However, the marriage certificate in her hand was snatched away by Taylor Olsen, ¡°What¡¯s there to look at? Didn¡¯t her husband visit our house last time? That construction worker, allowing his wife to be a mistress and a homewrecker here¡ªsuch a useless man! Don¡¯t look anymore, lest it infuriates you!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen tightened her jaw and finally spoke, ¡°Then before we leave, let¡¯s return the marriage certificate to Keira¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine, Shirley, you¡¯re just too kind!¡±


    While they conversed, they walked toward the main hall ahead.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen did not return to the main hall but went to the backyard instead.


    This year¡¯s winter seemed particularly cold, the cold wind blew against her, penetrating her thin evening dress, quickly making her feel as if even her bones were cold, yet these were nothing compared to the chill in her heart.


    She didn¡¯t blame Mrs. Olsen for wrongly accusing her, nor did she have the right to blame her.


    Mrs. Olsen was the sole warmth in her childhood.


    It was Mrs. Olsen who taught her self-respect, self-love, and to not live within others¡¯ definitions;


    It was Mrs. Olsen who helped her enroll in elementary school, giving her the chance to receive nine years of compulsory education;


    The first doll of her childhood was given by Mrs. Olsen, though later it was secretly torn to shreds by Isla Olsen;


    The first evening dress she received as a gift was also from Mrs. Olsen, who taught her that a girl¡¯s beauty is not to please men but to please herself, although later that dress was stripped off by Poppy Hill and given to Isla Olsen;


    Latterly, it was also Mrs. Olsen who helped her break free from Poppy Hill¡¯s control in middle school, and it was Mrs. Olsen who provided her with an identification during her college entrance examination; otherwise, she might not have been able to attend college¡­


    If not for Mrs. Olsen, she might have died in infancy, died from beatings as a child, or died in the mountainous regions where she was trafficked¡­ Even if she had survived by chance, she would be nothing more than a walking corpse now.


    She had always harbored an uncontrollable adoration for Mrs. Olsen.


    That¡¯s why she felt deeply saddened when Mrs. Olsen asked her to leave just now.


    She stood by the artificial lake, quietly gazing at the foggy surface of the lake in today¡¯s misty Oceanion, making her vision blurry and seemingly unable to see her future.


    In this darkest, coldest moment, a warm coat was suddenly draped over her shoulders.


    Keira Olsen turned around in a daze only to see Lewis Horton approaching; he looked less harsh than during the daylight, his presence now softened with gentleness and caring intent.


    The man was now staring at her, his voice low and warm, ¡°Why are you here alone? Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±


    Keira Olsen felt a twinge at the tip of her nose.


    At the sight of him, a strange, sour emotion filled her heart, moistening the rims of her eyes.


    She blinked, trying hard to hold back her tears¡­


    But the man suddenly reached out and embraced her.


    The warmth from his body seeped through their thin clothes, reaching her, gradually bringing some feeling back to her frozen body¡­


    She didn¡¯t know when it had started, but it seemed that whenever she was heartbroken or sad, this man always appeared just in time. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s mood had finally calmed down, and she pushed him away, saying, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we head back?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lewis Horton¡¯s lips curved into a smile. ¡°Grandma is sending people everywhere to find you. She can¡¯t wait to announce our marital status.¡±


    He took Keira Olsen¡¯s hand and suddenly looked down at her. ¡°Miss Olsen, you know what announcing our relationship means, right?¡±


    His eyes were serious and persistent, causing Keira Olsen¡¯s heartbeat to speed up. She clearly knew what it meant, yet she deliberately asked him, ¡°What does it mean?¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t expose her thoughts but straightforwardly said, ¡°The marital status of the CEO of Horton Group, a public company, needs to be stable; otherwise, it can affect the entire company. So¡­ once we announce our relationship, we will be husband and wife for life.¡±


    Keira Olsen was about to retort ironically that her company was also going public¡­


    But the man seemed to know what she was about to say. His voice suddenly became deep and magnetic, and he preempted her by stressing each word, ¡°Miss Olsen, you¡¯ve seen the situation in the Horton Family. The future is filled with countless variables, and I might even be ousted from the first branch of the family or even kicked out of the Horton Group. So, are you willing to spend your life with me?¡±


    Keira Olsen was stunned.


    His words were so realistic, laced with threads of uncertainty and caution, as if he weren¡¯t sure she would agree.


    Keira Olsen tilted her head and said, ¡°What if one day you really are down on your luck, kicked out, and penniless¡­ then I¡¯ll just support you.¡±


    At this, Lewis Horton was briefly stunned, then couldn¡¯t help but laugh helplessly.


    Aside from the Horton Group, he still had many backups¡­ Those words he just said were just to remind Keira Olsen of the unknown road ahead, but he hadn¡¯t expected this answer.


    The girl before him always surprised him.


    From the first encounter to the many times thereafter, he never knew when he had fallen for her.., maybe it was her quirky charm in assuming various identities to get close to him, maybe it was her stubborn look when threatened by Jake Horton, maybe it was her eternally confident smile, or perhaps it was that inexplicable sense of familiarity he felt the first time they met¡­


    He remembered the time he went to the Olsen Family to propose marriage. The moment he entered, he noticed a girl standing in the corner quietly staring at him.


    Her eyes were clear, filled only with curiosity and observation.


    She thought she was not conspicuous standing in the shade, not realizing that even the shadows couldn¡¯t hide her stunning charm and radiance¡­


    This must have been love at first sight, which eventually grew deeper over time.


    Everything was just right.


    Lewis Horton looked down tenderly and said softly, ¡°Okay, then you¡¯d better earn a good amount of money. I tend to spend quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°¡­No problem.¡±


    Only after Keira Olsen had answered did she realize that at some point, Lewis Horton had already taken her hand and interlocked their fingers tightly.


    She paused.


    Always independent, she had never thought of needing a companion, though many had pursued her.


    Yet she never felt the need to rely on a man.


    At this moment, however, she felt having him as a companion was quite nice.


    Suddenly a phrase popped into her mind: ¡°Hold your hand, and grow old with you.¡±


    The two walked towards the entrance hall.


    Their steps were firm, their eyes smiled when they looked at each other, and they walked side by side into the back entrance of the banquet hall.


    Meanwhile, Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen also entered the hall, searching everywhere for her.

 Chapter 151 - 151 151

    ?Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Chapter 151: Chapter 151 Keira Olsen followed Lewis Horton into the back entrance of the banquet hall, and just as she was about to head toward the front hall, suddenly a servant rushed over from the side.


    She was carrying several glasses of red wine, so she didn¡¯t see the path clearly, and it looked like she was going to bump into Keira Olsen.


    Keira Olsen subconsciously stretched out her arm to block, but the next moment someone yanked her fiercely by the waist, and Lewis Horton stood protectively in front of her.


    ¡°Crash!¡±


    The wine glasses hit his back, spilling onto the floor.


    The red wine stained his white shirt.


    ¡°Mr. Horton, Miss Olsen, I¡¯m so sorry, so sorry¡­¡± The servant hurriedly and carefully apologized, completely flustered.


    Keira Olsen, however, was looking at the tall man in front of her.


    In the past, when she encountered problems, she always braced herself, but just now, she felt what it was like to be protected.


    Lewis Horton carefully checked the girl in his arms to make sure she was fine before he was reassured, frowned as he felt the dampness on his body, and said to the servant, ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t run into the guests.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±


    The servant knelt down and started cleaning.


    Lewis Horton then said to Keira Olsen, ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs to change my clothes, you go keep grandma company.¡±


    He certainly couldn¡¯t appear so disheveled in public with Keira Olsen.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Keira Olsen watched Lewis Horton go upstairs before she entered the hall.


    After entering the hall through the back door, the first area was a lounge.


    At the moment, that area was surrounded by a group of high school classmates invited by Jake Horton, chatting away¡ªnearly the same group from the last reunion.


    Erin Davis, who had been fired from her company and couldn¡¯t find a job, looked even gloomier than before and was making sarcastic comments, ¡°I just saw Mrs. Horton, which proves that Keira Olsen was lying last time, she is indeed Mr. Horton¡¯s mistress! How shameless!¡±


    Charles Riley was trying to defend her, ¡°There must be some misunderstanding¡­¡±


    ¡°What misunderstanding could there be?¡± Erin Davis sneered, ¡°That day it was clear what kind of relationship Mr. Horton had with her, otherwise, why would he call her his woman? I¡¯m curious to see, when Mr. Horton and Mrs. Horton come out later, what you will have left to say!¡±


    Charles Riley: ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t go over but looked toward the seat where old Mrs. Horton was sitting, noticing she wasn¡¯t there, probably in the restroom.


    She stood still, planning to wait for old Mrs. Horton to return.


    Suddenly there was a commotion at the door, Keira Olsen turned to look, only to see Poppy Hill somehow had gotten in.


    She was dressed in plain clothes, which stood out conspicuously among the crowd of fine dresses, quickly catching the attention of others. Everyone began whispering, ¡°Who is that?¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned, knowing that Poppy Hill had definitely come looking for her.


    Just as she was about to go over and lead her away, Isla Olsen had already appeared by her side, ¡°Aunt Hill, are you here looking for Keira?¡±


    Her voice was loud, drawing the immediate attention of those around.


    Poppy Hill then responded with a beaming smile, ¡°No, I¡¯m here for the Horton Family hostess¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s gaze swept past Keira Olsen and landed on Madeleine Davis who was beside her, deliberately raising her voice, ¡°That¡¯s the little auntie, currently the hostess of the Horton Family, what do you want with her?¡±


    Poppy Hill immediately approached Madeleine Davis, nodding and bowing with a smile. After a quick glance around, her eyes darted, and she shouted loudly, ¡°Mrs. Horton, I¡¯m Keira Olsen¡¯s mother¡­ My daughter has been slept with by Mr. Horton, it can¡¯t be for nothing, right? I¡¯ve come today to get some kind of explanation¡­¡±


    Madeleine Davis appeared to be startled by her manner, retreating quickly like a frightened deer.


    But Poppy Hill was not about to let her go, seizing her wrist directly, ¡°Mrs. Horton, don¡¯t go! Let¡¯s have a good talk about how you and Keira Olsen will get along in the future¡­¡±


    Madeleine Davis panicked, her eyes filling with unshed tears, seemingly terrified.


    Isla Olsen stepped forward with a frown, ¡°Let go! If you don¡¯t let go, I¡¯m calling security!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Poppy Hill immediately sat down on the ground, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I can¡¯t just let my daughter be slept with for nothing. Mrs. Horton, you and my daughter are now sisters, from now on you¡¯ll both live in the Horton residence, you should get along harmoniously¡­¡±


    Madeleine Davis looked like she had been frightened out of her wits, unable to utter a word.


    Isla Olsen then said angrily, ¡°Keira Olsen is already married to someone else!¡±


    Poppy Hill, however, was banging on the floor, ¡°Yeah, my daughter¡¯s married, and now she¡¯s living unclearly and ambiguously in the Horton residence, what¡¯s this all about? You must give me an explanation!¡±


    Isla Olsen posed righteously, ¡°What explanation does a mistress expect to get?¡±


    Poppy Hill had come today to nauseate Keira Olsen and to affirm her identity as a mistress for Isla Olsen, so upon hearing this she immediately raised her voice, ¡°What about a mistress? A mistress is a person too, the law doesn¡¯t say people can¡¯t be mistresses! Can¡¯t you learn from Mrs. Olsen, who raised me and my daughter in the Olsen Family, living together in harmony¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen stood not far away, listening to these outrageous and inconceivable words, a trace of mockery flashed in her eyes!


    It was definitely Isla Olsen who had summoned Poppy Hill.


    In the Olsen residence, Poppy Hill made her yield to Isla Olsen everywhere. She felt it was due to Poppy Hill¡¯s guilt, so she tolerated it.


    But why did Poppy Hill hate her so much, to do such things, intent on ruining her reputation?!


    Is this really her biological mother?


    Upon hearing these words, Isla Olsen immediately looked at her, ¡°Keira Olsen, I hadn¡¯t realized that your reason for staying in the Horton house was this?¡±


    Her words turned all the attention toward Keira Olsen, and the people around her began to point at her and gossip:


    ¡°My goodness, that¡¯s shameless! I¡¯ve never seen such a brazen mistress, even talking about being sisters, does she think this is the old society?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the implication in Isla Olsen¡¯s words? Her mother is a mistress, and now she¡¯s here acting like someone else¡¯s lover, truly the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree!¡±


    ¡°I heard that this mistress was provoking Mrs. Horton backstage just now, taking advantage because Mrs. Horton doesn¡¯t have a powerful maternal family to back her! I can¡¯t understand how the Olsen Family could raise an illegitimate daughter like her!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely speechless and laughable!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amidst the crowd¡¯s arguing, Rebecca Allen came out angrily, scolding, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t possibly do such a thing. Her staying with the Horton Family is because Old Mrs. Horton likes her, it has nothing to do with Mr. Horton, and her relationship with Mr. Horton is pure and innocent!¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen remained calm and composed.


    None of these accusations could possibly hurt her.


    She didn¡¯t bother to retort, knowing well that these people would never believe her words.


    If Lewis Horton wanted to go public, he certainly had prepared for this.


    Just as she thought of this, a sound came through, and Keira Olsen, along with everyone else, turned their heads, only to see a backdrop in the middle of the hall slowly falling¡­

 Chapter 152 - 152 152

    ?Chapter 152: Chapter 152 Chapter 152: Chapter 152 Keira Olsen was slightly startled.


    The people around were also confused, discussing amongst themselves, ¡°What¡¯s this? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Keira Olsen took the opportunity to observe the crowd.


    Everyone looked bewildered, not understanding what it meant.


    Among those present, only two people seemed calm, their eyes even betraying a hint of excitement.


    It was Jake Horton and Isla Olsen!


    What were they up to?


    Just as Keira Olsen thought this, she saw the curtain fall, and then with a ¡°snap,¡± the projector was turned on, projecting a photograph!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s pupils constricted.


    The photo was exactly the one where she and Lewis Horton were caught on camera.


    Both were dressed normally, but they had fallen onto the couch, heads very close together, from a distance looking as if they were kissing¡­


    The photo was actually very innocent, with no explicit content, but their eyes seemed almost to be drawn together, and they were so close, it suddenly made Keira Olsen think of that night¡­ She felt her cheeks flush, then she frowned.


    Meanwhile, the room ¡°buzzed¡± with sudden commotion!


    Rebecca Allen too turned her head in disbelief, looking at Keira Olsen.


    Erin Davis stepped out from among the classmates, laughing mockingly, ¡°Keep denying it, just a moment ago you were saying how Keira Olsen and Mr. Horton have nothing between them. Why have you stopped talking now?¡±


    Rebecca Allen stuttered, ¡°¡­It must be photoshopped, right, there must be some misunderstanding. My benefactor can¡¯t possibly be that kind of person!¡±


    Although she didn¡¯t know how to explain, she firmly believed in Keira Olsen without a doubt.


    A touch of a smile tugged at Keira Olsen¡¯s lips. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Erin Davis scoffed, ¡°Photoshopped pictures always have traces, this screen is so big, the pictures spread so naturally, anyone who¡¯s not blind can see it¡¯s real. How can you lie with your eyes open?¡±


    The surrounding people also chimed in:


    ¡°Right, and her own mother said so, now there are photos as evidence, it shows that the matter is true¡­¡±


    ¡°Some people really have no shame, thinking they can marry into a prominent family and become a rich wife just by currying favor with old Mrs. Horton who has dementia?¡±


    ¡°My goodness, isn¡¯t this too sensational? Is Mr. Horton being fair to his wife doing this?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? Keira Olsen is married too, both of them are involved in extramarital affairs¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amidst the crowd¡¯s accusations, Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen also stepped forward.


    Upon seeing the content on the screen, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s pupils constricted, and she instinctively looked at Isla Olsen, urgently shouting, ¡°Take it down now!¡±


    It seemed like none of the Hortons had thought to minimize the impact, but it was she, who had arrived late, whose reminder made everyone snap back to reality.


    A servant tried to take action but was stopped by Jake Horton, ¡°There are quite a few reporters who¡¯ve sneaked in. It¡¯s too late to take it down now. I think the best thing to do is to let my uncle give everyone a reasonable explanation!¡±


    At these words, the executives from Horton Group standing by Jake Horton began to speak up:


    ¡°Yes, yes, what¡¯s the meaning of this, Mr. Horton? His image is linked to the company, how can this be handled so recklessly?!¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it this young girl who started interning at the company a while ago? How has she now made her way into the family home?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over, someone has already sent out the situation here, and the heat is rising right now!¡±


    ¡°Where is the PR department? Quickly get in touch, this matter concerns the entire Horton Group¡¯s shares, it must not have too much impact! Otherwise, when the market opens tomorrow, the stock price will definitely plummet!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t control the heat, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, it¡¯s like someone is pushing it behind the scenes, the heat has skyrocketed!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Today is Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s birthday celebration, a grand affair, which was not only attended by relatives and friends but also by regular business partners, and most of the executives from Horton Group were present as well.


    At this moment, everyone had gathered together and was urgently discussing the situation.


    While the executives of Horton Group were discussing, Poppy Hill had already walked up to Kiera Olsen, grabbed her hand, and looked at Madeleine Davis: ¡°Mrs. Horton, you see? This is the evidence of my daughter sleeping with Mr. Horton! Now you can¡¯t deny it anymore, can you? Today you have to give her an explanation!¡±


    Madeleine Davis¡¯s eyes reddened, and she frantically looked around.


    Isla Olsen angrily questioned Kiera Olsen, ¡°Kiera Olsen, this is Great Grandmother¡¯s 86th birthday celebration, don¡¯t go too far! Great Grandmother has always been so good to you, if you have any conscience at all, take your mom and leave immediately!¡±


    Jake Horton also said, ¡°Yes, with the situation blown up like this, you should just leave quickly! Don¡¯t embarrass yourself here anymore! And don¡¯t trouble Uncle anymore!¡±


    But Poppy Hill stubbornly retorted, ¡°What right do you have to drive us away?¡±


    Her gaze then shifted to Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen, a hint of malice flickering in her eyes as she was about to confront them: ¡°Mrs. Olsen, please, come and help! Back in the day, you were kind-hearted enough to take in me and Kiera, now talk to Mrs. Horton, tell her to learn from you¡­ After all, Kiera was practically raised by you, you can¡¯t just watch her be wronged¡­¡±


    Her words drew everyone¡¯s attention to Mrs. Olsen.


    Young masters from prominent families, who didn¡¯t keep one or two mistresses outside?


    Their legitimate wives definitely disdained them, and Mrs. Olsen¡¯s behavior was certainly incomprehensible and even hostile to them.


    If every household allowed mistresses and their children into their homes, then how could their interests be secured?


    As a result, everyone joined in condemnation:


    ¡°It¡¯s her, letting the mistress into the home, I¡¯ve never seen such a foolish woman!¡±


    ¡°How weak can you be? I heard her husband was unwilling at first, but she softened her heart when she saw the mistress was pregnant with a child¡­ What a fake saint!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Olsen, what I hate most is people like you, pretending to be magnanimous by welcoming them into your home? What era is this? Pretending to be virtuous?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? Kiera Olsen was raised by her, to become what she is today, it shows she never properly educated Kiera Olsen from the start, importing antiquated flatter-to-destroy tactics into the modern era!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s really cunning, I heard she came from Clance, they¡¯re the best at these kinds of intrigues, right? Disgusting!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The crowd¡¯s accusations turned Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face white, her body tottering.


    ¡°Shirley!¡±


    Taylor Olsen hurriedly steadied her.


    Seeing this, Kiera Olsen anxiously stepped forward, wanting to check on her condition¡­


    But she was abruptly pushed away by Taylor Olsen: ¡°Stay away from Shirley! If it wasn¡¯t for you, how could Shirley possibly end up being cursed like this?¡±


    Kiera Olsen clenched her fists.


    Just then, Lewis Horton finally came downstairs, dressed!¡±

 Chapter 153 - 153 153

    ?Chapter 153: Chapter 153 Chapter 153: Chapter 153 Lewis Horton had changed into a matching suit and exuded a strong sense of oppression as he descended the stairs into the banquet hall.


    His gaze was heavy. After reaching the bottom of the stairs, he first looked at the screen before surveying the surroundings.


    He quickly spotted Kiera Olsen and strode toward her.


    But to his surprise, he was intercepted by Poppy Hill.


    She rushed in front of Lewis Horton, hugging his leg, ¡°Mr. Horton, I am Kiera Olsen¡¯s mother. You¡¯ve slept with our Kiera, you must give her an explanation. You can¡¯t just let this go!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. He wanted to kick her away, but remembering she was, after all, Kiera Olsen¡¯s mother, he restrained his anger and simply shook her off, then turned his glare toward Tom Davis!


    At a wave of Tom¡¯s hand, two black-clad bodyguards immediately rushed over and intercepted Poppy Hill.


    Sitting on the ground and slapping her thighs, Poppy Hill cried out, ¡°Come see, they¡¯re going to kill someone! Mr. Horton slept with my daughter and now he refuses to acknowledge it¡­¡±


    The next moment, a rag was fiercely stuffed into her mouth by Tom Davis!


    Poppy Hill immediately could no longer make a sound, and could only let out muffled cries.


    Tom Davis then casually cleaned his ears, ¡°Finally, peace. Your wailing was indeed annoying!¡±


    This series of actions was executed smoothly, resolving the most disruptive presence in the hall.


    Yet, Lewis Horton was again stopped by Jake Horton, ¡°Uncle, with so many executives here, shouldn¡¯t you explain what¡¯s on that screen?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes were piercing as he looked at him.


    Jake Horton swallowed nervously, not daring to say another word.


    Jake Horton¡¯s father, Oliver Horton, however, spoke up, ¡°Lewis, you are now the head of the Horton Group. You need to set an example. How can you make such a careless mistake? And to be caught with evidence¡­¡±


    He sighed, ¡°There are quite a few reporters here today too, wanting to cover the grandeur of grandmother¡¯s birthday banquet. Even if you can silence us, you cannot silence them. So now, we need a viable plan!¡±


    Lewis Horton remained calm but did not rush to explain; instead, he looked back at his brother, ¡°What plan does big brother think we should implement?¡±


    Oliver Horton did not reply.


    Someone from the executives behind him, however, spoke up, ¡°Mr. Horton, we want to know if this photo is real?¡±


    Lewis Horton glanced at the photo again, his expression still calm, ¡°It¡¯s real.¡±


    At these words, the crowd around him immediately began to buzz with conversation:


    ¡°Mr. Horton isn¡¯t even trying to hide it? It¡¯s actually true!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, at this time, no matter what, he shouldn¡¯t have admitted it! Now that he has, what is he going to do next?¡±


    ¡°Is Mr. Horton risking it all for this woman? He¡¯s not even considering Mrs. Horton¡¯s feelings!¡±


    As Mrs. Horton was mentioned, everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to Madeleine Davis.


    But she only retreated further, then looked up at Lewis Horton with eyes full of sorrow.


    Lewis Horton, however, did not look at her but continued to focus on the executive, ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Horton, it is said that Miss Olsen is married?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Lewis Horton nodded in confirmation.


    The executive was taken aback, having thought Lewis Horton would deny it for the sake of his reputation, like claiming he didn¡¯t know she was married¡­


    The executive coughed again, ¡°So it was Miss Olsen who seduced you? You just couldn¡¯t resist in the moment.¡±


    Lewis Horton lowered his gaze, ¡°No, Miss Olsen and I are mutually in love.¡±


    With those words, the noisy chatter in the room exploded as if the roof was about to be blown off, everyone looking at them in disbelief.


    ¡°My God, Mr. Horton has just admitted to having an affair!¡±


    ¡°That Kiera Olsen is indeed beautiful; she has completely captivated Mr. Horton! She really is capable!¡±


    ¡°Such adulterers! They really have no shame!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Even the executive who had asked the question didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Oliver Horton frowned, ¡°Jake, have you lost your mind? You¡¯re married, how can you be involved with another man¡¯s wife? Your every action represents the image of the company, and you¡¯re acting on a whim, doing as you please! Now, get rid of that mistress immediately, otherwise, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to sit in the CEO¡¯s seat any longer!¡±


    At this statement, Kiera Olsen, who had been beside them, raised her eyebrows.


    She thought to herself, how did that curtain happen to reveal itself so mysteriously¡ªit turned out to be the first branch of the family up to their tricks again, aiming to ruin Lewis Horton¡¯s reputation and pull him down from the position of CEO!


    For a moment she found it hilarious, the corners of her lips unconsciously curling into a mocking smile.


    Isla Olsen spoke up directly, ¡°Kiera, what are you laughing at? Do you think you¡¯ve stolen Uncle from Auntie? Do you have any sense of propriety or shame at all? I advise you to leave quickly! Stay with your husband and lead a good life; don¡¯t come back to break Uncle and Auntie up!¡±


    The people around also spoke up:


    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯ve never seen such a brazen mistress. Even if Mr. Horton is so powerful, what he¡¯s done this time is really contemptible!¡±


    ¡°I used to think Mr. Horton was deeply affectionate towards his wife, staying away from other women for so many years, but it turns out it was all an act, right?¡±


    ¡°Goodness, today has been quite an eye-opener! I¡¯ve seen many mistresses, but never one who could bewitch someone like this!¡±


    ¡°That Kiera Olsen is just a disaster! A femme fatale!¡±


    ¡°Kiera Olsen, if you truly love Mr. Horton, then be sensible and bow out. Do you really want to selfishly bring Mr. Horton down from his pedestal just for your so-called mutual love?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The executives surrounding Lewis Horton were confronting him.


    The group of wealthy wives surrounding Kiera Olsen were also accusing her.


    Kiera Olsen furrowed her brows, about to sneer and say something, when her wrist was suddenly seized by Mrs. Olsen.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s body was trembling slightly, and she stared at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Kiera, I¡¯m asking you one last time, are you coming with me or not?¡±


    Her voice was shaking, as was the determined look in her eyes.


    Kiera Olsen, seeing her like this, felt a strange discomfort in her heart, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, I¡¯m not going.¡±


    Mrs. Olsen gripped her wrist even tighter, staring at her intently.


    After a long pause, she saw the determination in Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes and let out a bitter laugh.


    She took the marriage certificate from Taylor Olsen¡¯s hands and handed it to Kiera Olsen, ¡°Kiera, if you don¡¯t come with me today, I will never see you again.¡±


    Leaving these words, she stuffed the marriage certificate into Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand and turned decisively to leave.


    But at the moment she turned around, Lewis Horton¡¯s deep and clear voice slowly filled the entire hall:


    ¡°You want an explanation? I think it¡¯s you who owe me an explanation, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°My wife and I¡¯s photo was made public like this; have you not infringed upon our marital privacy rights?¡±

 Chapter 154 - 154 154

    ?Chapter 154: Chapter 154 Chapter 154: Chapter 154 When Lewis Horton made this statement, everyone present was stunned.


    Mrs. Olsen paused in her steps and then dramatically turned around, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked toward Kiera Olsen.


    She was utterly shocked, her gaze filled with incredulity.


    Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but she couldn¡¯t find the words. Finally, she seemed to understand something and her eyes fixed on the marriage certificate in Kiera Olsen¡¯s hands.


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s fingers tightened.


    She stepped forward again and handed the marriage certificate to Mrs. Olsen.


    Meanwhile, the others were questioning what Lewis Horton had said.


    Isla Olsen cried out in shock, ¡°How is that possible? Uncle, Mrs. Horton is right here, how can you say you are married to Kiera Olsen?¡±


    She looked at Madeleine Davis, only to see her looking pale as paper, her face also in disbelief!


    She tightly clutched her dress, looking baffled at Lewis Horton, ¡°Lewis, what, what did you just say? You¡¯re joking with everyone, right?¡±


    Her reaction, however, elicited sympathy from everyone:


    ¡°Look at Mrs. Horton¡¯s expression, she obviously had no clue¡­¡±


    ¡°So what is Mr. Horton trying to do? Does he really intend to leave Mrs. Horton for that seductress?¡±


    ¡°Oh God, Mrs. Horton is so pitiful!¡±


    ¡°Does a woman without a family background deserve to be bullied? But what can Mrs. Horton do? The Horton family is so powerful, it¡¯s like changing wives is as easy as changing clothes, right?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Horton¡¯s eyes are glazed over¡­¡±


    Oliver Horton frowned and immediately said, ¡°Lewis, what do you mean by this? You want to divorce your wife and then marry Kiera Olsen? Even so, you must go through the proper legal process. While you are still married, you can¡¯t treat her like this! Horton family¡¯s values don¡¯t allow such actions!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the elder Nathan Horton also came forward.


    The man in his sixties was vigorous and dressed in a fine suit, looking well-maintained and elegant like a middle-aged man.


    He frowned at Lewis Horton, ¡°Scoundrel! Our Horton family members have never engaged in infidelity. Are you now going to abandon your lawfully wedded wife for this married woman?¡±


    However, a sneer appeared at Lewis Horton¡¯s lips as he glanced at Oliver Horton and retorted, ¡°The Horton men never cheat?¡±


    The outsiders might not know, but the Hortons knew that not only had Oliver Horton cheated, but he also favored an illegitimate daughter he had out there. Oliver Horton had many conflicts with Melissa Knight over this illegitimate daughter, even contemplating divorce just to allow this daughter to legitimately enter the Horton family.


    This was also fundamentally why Jake Horton despised illegitimate daughters.


    Yet Oliver Horton appeared nonchalant, ¡°Yes, Lewis, Horton family values prohibit men from cheating.¡±


    That sanctimonious demeanor only made Lewis Horton feel more mocking.


    This was his esteemed big brother.


    The one who bullied him when he was too young to resist, the one who colluded with human traffickers and sold him at the age of nine, and over the years, repeatedly sent assassins to eliminate him!


    Nathan Horton always trusted and protected him, thinking that it was all a misunderstanding, always opposing him from the position of the first branch of the family.


    But he had long lost hope in these relatives, hence he was devoid of any emotion.


    Lewis Horton slowly said, ¡°Who said I cheated?¡±


    This remark made Oliver Horton pause, then he scoffed and said, ¡°What do you mean by that? You just boldly acknowledged your relationship with Miss Olsen, and now you¡¯re starting to deny it again?¡±


    Lewis Horton, however, looked directly at Madeleine Davis: ¡°Miss Davis, tell everyone, have we gotten married?¡±


    The people around immediately turned their attention to Madeleine Davis.


    Kiera also glanced over.


    From the beginning, this seemingly weak and harmless woman had always acted like Mrs. Horton, letting herself be vilified by others. Kiera did not know the relationship between Madeleine Davis and Lewis Horton, but she had always believed in Lewis Horton.


    Isla Olsen also raised her eyebrows and asked in puzzlement, ¡°Auntie, aren¡¯t you and Uncle married?¡±


    Madeleine Davis tightly twisted her fingers together. ¡°I¡­ Brother Lewis, what do you mean? For all these years, I have been your wife in name¡­you promised to marry me!¡±


    Wife in name¡­


    Before the crowd could react, Jake Horton suddenly understood something. ¡°I get it! Uncle, you actually never married, right? Grandfather once said that to become the CEO of the Horton Group, one must be married. You¡¯ve been deceiving us all along!¡±


    Oliver Horton also realized something: ¡°Lewis, the marital status of the Horton Group¡¯s CEO affects the entire group. How can you concoct such a massive lie for your own benefit!¡±


    Nathan Horton angrily said, ¡°I set the rule that the CEO of the Horton Group must be married to prevent any instability in family affairs from tarnishing the reputation of the Horton Group! What kind of scandals might erupt! Lewis Horton, are you married or not?!¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at them.


    There was no legal stipulation that the group¡¯s CEO had to be married; it was something Grandfather had concocted merely to stop him from rising to power!


    Thus, he concocted a wife but had never admitted it was Madeleine Davis; it was merely everyone else guessing based on his situation.


    He had always been too lazy to clarify.


    But now it was different¡­


    Across the crowd, Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze turned towards Kiera, and he slowly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say it? Miss Olsen and I are married. We are husband and wife!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The scene fell silent once more.


    Isla Olsen was the first to scream, ¡°Impossible, Kiera only got her marriage license last month! She had a shotgun wedding with some little punk, how could she possibly be married to you?!¡±


    Jake Horton agreed, nodding: ¡°Right, Uncle, you previously lied to us that you had gotten married two years ago, and now you say you married Kiera¡­ You¡¯re not trying to meddle in Kiera¡¯s marriage to find a cover-up, are you? You must be lying again!¡±


    His eyes were bloodshot with hatred as he looked at Lewis Horton.


    How could Kiera become his aunt? Then how would she ever become his woman! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn¡¯t believe it!


    Oliver Horton sighed, ¡°Lewis, with all these lies, we truly don¡¯t know whether to believe you anymore. If the reporters here spread this, wouldn¡¯t others think Horton Group is a company of swindlers?¡±


    Old Mr. Nathan Horton took the opportunity to say, ¡°Lewis Horton, your marital status is so unstable, and now you can¡¯t give a clear explanation, I think we should simply call a board meeting to remove Lewis Horton from the CEO position, to give an explanation to the employees of Horton Group and everyone else!¡±


    Those words were finally spoken.


    Lewis Horton stared at his elderly father and sneered slightly, ¡°Who said my marital status is unstable?¡±


    As his words fell, the image on the curtain suddenly changed to a bright red marriage certificate!


    The marriage certificate belonged to him and Kiera Olsen; the date was from two years ago!

 Chapter 155 - 155 155

    ?Chapter 155: Chapter 155 Chapter 155: Chapter 155 The moment the photo of the marriage certificate was shown, the scene erupted into a buzz of surprise.


    Lewis Horton scanned the crowd with a cold smirk, ¡°You aren¡¯t still questioning the authenticity of this marriage certificate, are you? Do I need to take each of you to the courthouse to verify it?!¡±


    Everyone present was stunned.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s pupils shrank violently, looking at Kiera in disbelief.


    How could this be¡­ How was it possible!


    Wasn¡¯t Kiera just recently married? How could it be from two years ago?


    But she knew that the marriage certificate had to be real.


    With so many journalists present, Lewis Horton couldn¡¯t possibly have faked such a document¡­


    Jake Horton¡¯s entire complexion had turned ashen.


    Kiera really married his uncle¡­ She had been his aunt all along!


    With others, Jake could still contend, strive against, perhaps force his way, but towards Lewis Horton, Jake felt a natural sense of dread and oppression!


    Oliver and Nathan Horton both looked somber, their faces falling into disappointment.


    The two exchanged glances, their expressions exceedingly grim.


    Initially, they had hoped to use today¡¯s event as an opportunity to pull Lewis Horton down from his pedestal, yet they hadn¡¯t expected the truth to be like this! Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Kiera saw the marriage certificate, she raised an eyebrow.


    She suddenly realized why Lewis Horton had been so late! He was fishing for a reaction!


    This screen should have been under the control of the first branch of the family, specifically to release private photos, but now it displayed a marriage certificate instead, indicating he knew all along.


    But Lewis Horton had just gone with the flow, striking the first branch of the family in the face!


    Such a blunder would surely cause those who followed the first branch to waver, wouldn¡¯t it?


    As she mulled over this, Mrs. Olsen in front of her was also staring in astonishment at the marriage certificate in her hands!!


    Mrs. Olsen had never expected such an outcome, her complexion complex as she looked at Kiera: ¡°You kept telling me to look at the marriage certificate, was this the reason?¡±


    Kiera¡¯s gaze was downcast, the traces of hurt evident in her eyes.


    But this was the first time in her life that Mrs. Olsen had not trusted her¡­


    Kiera nodded, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen wanted to say something by way of explanation but suddenly found herself at a loss for words.


    The truth was truly unexpected.


    Facing Kiera, guilt surged in her heart.


    Kiera had tried several times to explain, but Mrs. Olsen and Isla had cut her off, Kiera had passed the marriage certificate to her to see, but she hadn¡¯t looked¡­


    As Mrs. Olsen faced Kiera in silence, a shocked exclamation burst from the group of classmates beside them: ¡°How is it possible! Kiera, an illegitimate daughter, actually married Mr. Horton?!¡±


    It was Erin Davis¡¯s piercing voice.


    Her expression was one of complete shock, at this moment no longer maintaining her composure, her hand shaking as she pointed at the screen: ¡°This must be fake! How could Kiera deserve this!!¡±


    The classmates around immediately looked at her as if she were a fool.


    It seemed that being fired from the company and never finding a job in Oceanion again hadn¡¯t taught her a lesson¡­


    Kiera¡¯s eyes turned icy as she was about to speak, but Tom Davis had already stepped forward, ¡°Miss Olsen¡­ oh, no, it should be Mrs. Horton, the hostess of the Horton family. How dare you insult her here? Are you looking down on our Horton family?¡±


    Erin Davis was dumbfounded, swallowing her saliva.


    Looking at the black-clad bodyguards following behind Tom Davis, each of them was tall and sturdy, and any one of them was intimidating enough to fray nerves on their own.


    It was only then that she seemed to understand the caliber of the person she had offended!


    She collapsed to the ground in an instant, hurriedly looking towards Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, I, I was wrong, I¡¯ll never dare to do it again¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton did not speak.


    However, Tom Davis understood what his boss meant and directly chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t you know whom you have offended?¡±


    These words made Erin Davis abruptly turn to look at Kiera Olsen.


    Resentment flashed in her eyes.


    Back in university, Kiera Olsen kept to herself, not as sociable with classmates as Erin¡­ but now¡­


    Their statuses could not be more different!


    In front of absolute strength, Erin Davis could only bow her head, ¡°Kiera Olsen, I slandered you, I was wrong! Please, let me go! I will never gossip about you again, I beg you to let me find a job, I don¡¯t want to leave Oceanion¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen lowered her gaze, never one to be a saint, she simply stated, ¡°When you make a mistake, you must pay the price, Mr. Davis, I don¡¯t want to see her at the banquet anymore.¡±


    ¡°Understood¡­ Mrs. Horton,¡± said Tom Davis.


    With a wave of Tom¡¯s hand, a bodyguard grabbed Erin Davis by the arm and dragged her out.


    Charles Riley and the other classmates felt it was a bit cruel, but thinking about what Erin Davis had done to Kiera Olsen, they shut their mouths.


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists tightly at her side.


    At this moment, Kiera Olsen was truly in the spotlight!


    She had become the hostess of the Horton Family¡­ would she not then be above herself in status?!


    Isla Olsen had gone to great lengths to marry Jake Horton, yet Kiera Olsen had become Lewis Horton¡¯s wife at a mere turn¡­


    Suddenly, Isla Olsen spoke up, ¡°Kiera Olsen, Erin Davis simply spoke out of turn a few times, was this really necessary? If this gets out, it will only make the hostess of the Horton Family seem small-minded, getting caught up in such trifles!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s peach blossom eyes swept over, her gaze sharply turning towards her, ¡°Do you think anyone can insult the Horton Family¡¯s hostess without paying any price? Is the dignity of the Horton Family so unimportant in your eyes?¡±


    Isla Olsen wanted to retort, but Lewis Horton said indifferently, ¡°Is this how you speak to your elders? If you¡¯re not convinced and dare to talk back to an elder, then you will be dealt with by family law!¡±


    Isla Olsen choked fiercely!!


    She and Jake Horton looked sharply at Kiera Olsen, only at this moment realizing that Kiera was no longer that illegitimate daughter. She now had the support, the backing!


    Erin Davis was quickly gagged and dragged out.


    The entire banquet hall fell silent.


    After a moment, Nathan Horton suddenly said, ¡°Why is the old Mrs. Horton taking so long in the bathroom? Someone should quickly go find her, today is her birthday banquet¡­¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than some were about to go fetch her, but Lewis Horton suddenly spoke again, ¡°No hurry. Let¡¯s sort things out first and then let grandma come out, to spare her the agitation from these events.¡±


    Nathan Horton furrowed his brows, ¡°What else is there to sort out? Hasn¡¯t everything been clarified? Since it¡¯s a misunderstanding, it should be all good once cleared up.¡±


    No sooner had these words fallen, than the outside butler came in with two police officers, ¡°We received a report that someone here has broken the law!¡±


    Nathan Horton immediately furrowed his brows, ¡°We didn¡¯t call the police¡­¡±


    ¡°I reported it.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s voice was cool, ¡°My wife and I¡¯s private photos were suddenly made public, someone has violated our right to privacy!¡±


    At these words, Isla Olsen and Jake Horton¡¯s faces changed dramatically!


    They looked at each other, nervously clutching their clothes.


    When they orchestrated this, they just thought about tarnishing Lewis Horton¡¯s reputation with the photos, never considering he would take it as far as calling the police!


    Seeing this, Oliver Horton immediately stepped forward, ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding, it must be the domestic helpers who accidentally did it, Lewis, these things are without evidence, why bother having the police coming here for nothing?¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    That¡¯s right¡­ they had avoided the cameras when they were plotting, as long as they denied everything, there surely wouldn¡¯t be a problem!


    But the next moment, they heard Lewis Horton calmly say, ¡°Who says I don¡¯t have evidence?¡±

 Chapter 156 - 156 156

    ?Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Isla looked at him in disbelief.


    But then she realized what was happening!


    The marriage certificate had already been displayed on the screen, which meant that Lewis Horton was well aware of their mischief!


    Just as she was thinking this, Tom Davis suddenly took out a remote control and pressed a button, and instantly a video appeared on the screen.


    Everyone present could see it clearly; it was footage from two surveillance cameras.


    The first showed Isla sneaking into the audio-visual room and copying photos from a USB drive onto the system.


    The second was of two housemaids at home, one displaying the photos on the screen backstage, and the other secretly pressing the remote control¡­


    The evidence was irrefutable!


    Isla instantly looked at Jake Horton in panic. He knew the whole plan, having been involved with her, but now Jake stepped back and avoided her gaze.


    Isla¡¯s mind was in turmoil, and she called out subconsciously, ¡°Jake¡­¡±


    Jake instinctively looked towards his father, Oliver Horton.


    His father¡¯s brows were tightly knitted, and he was looking at him fiercely, with disappointment in his eyes, as if to say, ¡°You can¡¯t even handle such a trivial matter, what use are you!¡±


    Jake clenched his fists tightly and suddenly charged towards Isla.


    Isla thought he was coming to defend her and her face lit up with hope, but the next moment¡­


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Jake slapped her hard across the face, ¡°Isla, I can¡¯t believe you could be such a person! I know you and Kiera don¡¯t get along, she¡¯s your illegitimate half-sister, and you¡¯ve hated her since childhood, but how could you do such a thing at Great Grandmother¡¯s birthday party?!¡±


    Isla was stunned.


    She covered her face, looking incredulously at Jake.


    Poppy Hill, who was being restrained, had calmed down after realizing she couldn¡¯t break free, her hands tied behind her back and a cloth stuffed in her mouth.


    But seeing what happened, she immediately stood up; she let out a muffled roar of anger, twisting and turning her body to knock the security away and then she lunged at Jake¡¯s stomach.


    Jake was forced to retreat several steps and felt a dull pain in his belly.


    Like a mother hen protecting her chick, Poppy glared furiously at Jake. Although she said nothing, it was clear to all present that she was very angry!


    It seemed that if Jake dared to harm Isla again, she would be ready to fight him to the death!


    The sight left the rest of the guests dumbfounded.


    They began to whisper among themselves:


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she Kiera¡¯s mother? Why is she protecting Isla like that?¡±


    ¡°Right, if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think she was Isla¡¯s biological mother!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amid the guests¡¯ murmurs, Poppy came to her senses. She looked at Isla, realizing she had been too impulsive, and then turned to Kiera.


    Isla dropped the hand that had been covering her face, but realized that she could no longer rely on Jake.


    She clenched her fists tightly, looked at Poppy protecting her, and a look of disdain flashed in her eyes.


    This foolish woman, always causing unnecessary trouble for her at times like this. What good was it to bump into Jake? Was he really at the root of the issue?


    She collected herself and immediately put on a tearful expression, lowering her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, Kiera told me she¡¯d just gotten her marriage license this year, so I had no idea her husband was the younger uncle! I just felt that her relationship with the younger uncle was indecent¡­¡±


    She covered her cheeks, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do anything, I just felt it was unfair to the younger aunt¡­ My mom is tender and kind, and that¡¯s how the other woman and her illegitimate daughter entered our household¡­ I just wanted there to be one less person like my mom in the world, to use the power of the public to restrain them¡­¡±


    Her sobbing made the audience furrow their brows.


    One by one they turned to look at Kiera Olsen.


    Indeed, Kiera was the illegitimate daughter, the child born of the mistress Poppy Hill.


    Wasn¡¯t it right for Isla to hate her?


    But this was a banquet of the Horton family, and even if everyone sympathized with Isla in their hearts, they dared not say anything¡­


    After all, the example of Mr. Horton having just driven Erin Davis out, making her unable to get by in Oceanion henceforth, was still vivid in everyone¡¯s memory.


    While everyone was in a daze, Lewis Horton had already looked towards the police, completely ignoring Isla¡¯s words, and directly said, ¡°She violated the image rights of me and my wife, please handle this according to the law!¡±


    The two police officers immediately approached Isla Olsen, ¡°Miss Olsen, please cooperate with us for an investigation at the police station!¡±


    Poppy Hill was anxious to rush over, but was grabbed by a bodyguard.


    Isla hadn¡¯t expected her plea to be ineffective and immediately looked to the only person who could save her¡ªMrs. Olsen!


    Suddenly, she rushed in front of Mrs. Olsen, clutching her arm and cried out, ¡°Mom, save me, I really did it because I felt you were too wronged, I really didn¡¯t know she was married¡­ and, and¡­ yes, I¡¯m also pregnant, I can¡¯t go to the police station! I can¡¯t be taken away!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen looked at her daughter in front of her.


    She wanted to say something, but with the marriage certificate still in hand, and thinking about how she had mistakenly slapped Kiera that day, she just couldn¡¯t find the words to ask Isla to let go¡­


    Kiera saw her predicament, and her heart clenched tightly.


    Mrs. Olsen had always been fair and unbiased, but after all, Isla was her biological daughter¡­


    She tensed her jaw, and after a long while, she suddenly tried to speak, ¡°I¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Lewis Horton¡¯s voice had already come through, ¡°Madam, even if you do not pursue it, I will! Horton Group must have an explanation!¡±


    That statement left no opportunity for Mrs. Olsen and Kiera to speak.


    After finishing his words, Lewis Horton nodded to the police officers.


    The two officers immediately took hold of Isla¡¯s arms, ¡°Miss Olsen, please cooperate with our investigation!¡±


    Violating image rights, particularly an offense of this sort, would not result in any serious reputation or financial losses in most cases; it might at most end in an apology and possible detention for a few days.


    But as the wife of Jake Horton and a lady of a wealthy family in Oceanion, especially being taken away in such a public setting with reporters taking photos on the side¡­


    Isla¡¯s reputation was completely ruined!


    This was a fierce counterstrike against the first branch of the family!


    Mrs. Olsen also understood this, knowing that since Isla was pregnant, the punishment wouldn¡¯t be too severe, and there might not even be detention, so after thinking it over, she did not speak.


    Isla had done too many wrongs; it was time she faced some consequences.


    After Isla was led away, only the first branch of the family was left looking disheveled.


    But the banquet hall slowly returned to normal.


    Mrs. Olsen looked at Kiera, wanting but failing to speak, ¡°I, Kiera, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    She finally managed to voice her apology. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kiera was just about to comfort her when Taylor Olsen burst into anger, ¡°Shirley, you don¡¯t need to apologize to her! I see she did this on purpose, trying to make you feel guilty! Otherwise, if she¡¯d been married two years ago, why not say it sooner?¡±


    Taylor Olsen held Mrs. Olsen¡¯s arm, glaring at Kiera, ¡°What have you been hiding from us? Do you need Shirley to apologize before you¡¯ll be satisfied? And just now, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you and Mr. Horton were putting on an act! I bet you deliberately set this trap for Isla, didn¡¯t you? Do you still consider me your father at all in your heart?¡±


    Kiera immediately frowned, glancing indifferently at Taylor Olsen.


    She only cared about Mrs. Olsen¡¯s attitude; the words of anyone else in the Olsen family didn¡¯t matter to her at all.


    At that moment, she just quietly stared at Taylor Olsen, slowly responding, ¡°But you aren¡¯t my father.¡±

 Chapter 157 - 157 157

    ?Chapter 157: Chapter 157 Chapter 157: Chapter 157 Upon hearing this, Taylor Olsen was stunned.


    Mrs. Olsen was also dumbfounded.


    She had already sent Aunt South to get a DNA test done for Keira Olsen and Taylor Olsen; the results should come out tomorrow.


    At this moment, Keira Olsen said such words, yet she did not harbor any more doubts, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    Keira Olsen was about to say something when Taylor Olsen already frowned and sneered, ¡°You don¡¯t want to acknowledge me as your father, and I have never acknowledged you as my daughter! Since that¡¯s the case, from now on, you must sever all ties with the Olsen Family and never return!¡±


    After saying that, he supported Mrs. Olsen¡¯s arm, ¡°Shirley, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen still wanted to understand clearly, but seeing Taylor Olsen beside her and thinking the results were about to come out, she did not speak any further, only returning the marriage certificate to Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, I hope you find happiness.¡±


    The look in Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes softened, ¡°I will, Mrs. Olsen.¡±


    She personally escorted Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen to the door, watched as Taylor Olsen helped Mrs. Olsen into the car, and then prepared to re-enter the house.


    Turning her head, she saw a tall man standing in the distance, raising his glass to her.


    It was actually Scott Martin.


    He then pointed at his phone.


    Keira Olsen, puzzled, took out her own phone, looked, and discovered a message from Scott Martin, ¡°So you really are Mrs. Lewis Horton, but I still want your life, is that okay?¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze suddenly sharpened, and she glared at him before turning away.


    Scott Martin: ??


    He looked helplessly at his assistant, sighing, ¡°I know Miss Olsen is married, but can¡¯t I even keep an umbrella as a souvenir? Why did Miss Olsen glare at me?¡±


    The assistant thought for a moment, ¡°Women in Crera are quite conservative, she¡¯s probably afraid that Mr. Lewis Horton might misunderstand.¡±


    Scott Martin silently sighed, ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t take this small episode to heart; when she re-entered the banquet, Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s birthday celebration had finally started.


    The old Mrs. Horton, who had gone to the bathroom, finally came to the living room, receiving everyone¡¯s blessings.


    Seeing her, Keira Olsen finally understood that just now, in Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s absence, it must have been Lewis Horton who had someone take her away. Otherwise, if she stayed in the front hall, watching the first branch of the family and him scheme against each other, it would have saddened the old lady.


    At this moment, however, she knew nothing of these things and was laughing joyously. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rebecca Allen came over and linked arms with Keira Olsen, ¡°Benefactor, I knew you could never be the other woman! I just didn¡¯t expect that you¡¯re actually Mrs. Horton!¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at her and smiled.


    Today, amidst all that had happened, there was only one person who had believed in her from beginning to end, and that person was Rebecca Allen.


    She gratefully patted Rebecca Allen¡¯s hand, ¡°You seem so happy?¡±


    Rebecca Allen nodded, ¡°Yes, my brother just sent a message saying he will come the day after tomorrow, it seems my father¡¯s photo will be restored by then.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded, about to say something more when she suddenly caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye of Lewis Horton and a gaunt-looking woman walking out to the balcony nearby.


    The gaunt woman, wearing a gown of the same color as hers, was indeed Madeleine Davis!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s expression darkened.


    After a moment of thought, she still decided to go over.


    On the balcony.


    Madeleine Davis¡¯s figure swayed as if she might collapse the next moment. She looked at Lewis in disbelief, ¡°Lewis, what on earth is going on? You clearly promised to marry me! How could you marry someone else?!¡±


    Lewis Horton clenched his jaw, about to say something as Madeleine Davis¡¯s body suddenly swayed, and she fainted to the side.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s face changed slightly, and he quickly caught her, striding outside, ¡°To the hospital.¡±


    Tom Davis, following closely behind him, instinctively responded, ¡°Right!¡±


    Keira Olsen stepped out from a corner, her gaze fixed on them.


    Suddenly, Madeleine Davis, held in Lewis Horton¡¯s arms, opened her eyes and looked at her.


    Her stare was full of provocation.


    Keira Olsen deciphered her meaning: Even if Lewis is married to you, what does it matter? As soon as I fall ill, he will be by my side!


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    Following behind the two, she saw Lewis Horton put Madeleine Davis in the car, but he didn¡¯t get in. Instead, he said to Tom Davis, ¡°You take her home.¡±


    Kiera Olsen sharply noticed that Madeleine Davis¡¯s body stiffened.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Her mood suddenly improved.


    When the car left, Fiona came over, and Kiera Olsen walked up to Lewis Horton, asking, ¡°Mr. Horton, is there something you need to explain to me? Did you promise to marry her?¡±


    Lewis Horton pursed his lips, ¡°It was something said in childhood.¡±


    In childhood¡­


    Kiera Olsen was slightly startled, suddenly recalling her own childhood, the older brother who had promised to come and marry her¡­


    It was that promise that had sustained her, the obsession that kept her going when she was young.


    In every moment she was abused by Poppy Hill, when she felt life was unbearable, the thought that there was an older brother in the world who had promised to marry her and take her away allowed her to escape from such a life¡­


    Even though after growing up, the older brother never appeared, and she understood that the words of childhood were not to be counted on, the promise to ¡°come and take her away¡± indeed accompanied her throughout her childhood.


    She suddenly asked, ¡°Should one be responsible for what was said in childhood?¡±


    Lewis Horton looked down, ¡°I had intended to be accountable, but now I can¡¯t.¡±


    Kiera Olsen was taken aback, ¡°Why?¡±


    Lewis Horton glanced at her.


    His parents¡¯ unhappy marriage made him never believe in love, so he never planned to marry in his life. He thought just getting a certificate casually and giving her the status of Mrs. Horton wouldn¡¯t be impossible.


    But everything seemed different since he met Kiera Olsen¡­


    Even though it was unclear how they ended up getting their marriage certificate, Lewis Horton suddenly felt grateful that he hadn¡¯t taken marriage as a joke.


    He didn¡¯t answer her question, but instead took Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go find grandma.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The two turned around and re-entered the banquet hall.


    The banquet ended quickly.


    Rebecca Allen was sitting in the car on the way home, still anxious for Kiera Olsen, chatting endlessly to Mrs. Allen, ¡°That Mrs. Davis, she looks like no good person. Mr. Horton wouldn¡¯t really be two-timing, would he? If he wrongs the benefactor, I must have my brother teach him a lesson!¡±


    After she finished, she didn¡¯t hear any response from Mrs. Allen, only to look up and find Mrs. Allen staring out the car window.


    Outside the gates of the Horton estate, a figure stood there.


    Poppy Hill was standing with her hands on her hips, furiously berating, ¡°Kiera Olsen, you eat from the Olsen Family, use what¡¯s from the Olsen Family! Yet now you¡¯ve caused Isla Olsen to go to jail, you ungrateful wretch! Heartless! You come out here! I am your mother, you can¡¯t treat me like this!¡±


    She wanted to enter, but security was tight and adamantly did not let her in.


    The surrounding guests, however, didn¡¯t seem to mind and left directly.


    Mrs. Allen suddenly spoke up, ¡°Stop the car.¡±


    The driver immediately stopped the car at the side of the road.


    The main road leading to the Horton estate was very wide, with a four-lane drive.


    They parked the car on the side of the road, not obstructing the luxury cars behind them from leaving.


    Mr. Allen looked at Mrs. Allen, puzzled.


    Then he saw Mrs. Allen get out of the car, and he quickly pacified Rebecca Allen and followed Mrs. Allen over.


    He asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Mrs. Allen frowned, ¡°Old Allen, I suddenly feel like your intuition was right, which mother would treat their child like this? Don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯m going to confront her.¡±


    Mr. Allen was stunned, then saw Mrs. Allen quietly walk up behind Poppy Hill, and suddenly said, ¡°Actually, Isla is your daughter, isn¡¯t she?!¡±


    As soon as she spoke, Poppy Hill¡¯s body stiffened instantaneously, and she turned around in disbelief!

 Chapter 158 - 158 158

    ?Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Mrs. Allen stared intently at Poppy Hill¡¯s expression.


    Poppy Hill quickly portrayed a brash image, ¡°Who are you to spout such nonsense? Miss Olsen is the Miss Olsen of the Olsen Family, how could she possibly be my daughter?!¡±


    However, Mrs. Allen sensitively caught a hint of panic in her eyes.


    She took a step forward and said, ¡°You protect Isla so much and despise Keira so much, what kind of a mother would act like this towards her own biological daughter?¡±


    A fierce look flashed in Poppy Hill¡¯s eyes, then she lifted her head and sneered, ¡°So what if I hate her? It was finally not easy to get pregnant, and when she was born, she wasn¡¯t a boy, which prevented me from gaining status through my child! A losing bargain, I didn¡¯t drown her on the spot, raising her to this day is already my mercy! As for Miss Isla, Taylor Olsen adores her so much, only by pleasing Miss Isla can I have a good life in the Olsen Family! What do you know? Just pointing fingers at our family business!¡±


    That demeanor fully embodied the image of a woman who favored sons over daughters, selfish and spiteful.


    Mrs. Allen narrowed her eyes, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise?¡± Poppy Hill scoffed, ¡°If I could give birth to a child like Miss Isla whom Taylor Olsen adores, what great fortune that would be!¡±


    Having said this, she disdainfully glanced at Mrs. Allen, ¡°Why am I even telling you this? Keira, you disobedient brat, come out here! I am your real mom!¡­¡±


    She continued to curse towards the doorway.


    Mrs. Allen turned around, and along with Mr. Allen, they walked toward their car.


    Mr. Allen frowned, ¡°It sounds like she made quite some sense.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, quite some sense.¡±


    Mr. Allen sighed, ¡°Could it just be that I¡¯m overthinking it?¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, I think your suspicions are more likely correct,¡± Mrs. Allen suddenly spoke.


    Mr. Allen was taken aback, ¡°Why?¡±


    Mrs. Allen looked at Poppy Hill, ¡°She played it very convincingly, but when have you ever seen a shrewish woman speak so logically and patiently explain so much to us? When a woman explains too much, it only means one thing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s guilty.¡±


    Mrs. Allen smiled, ¡°I originally thought it was all your delusion, but now I feel that your suspicion is mostly true!¡±


    ¡­


    After Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton finished seeing off the guests at the door, they returned to the living room only to find the atmosphere inside the banquet hall somewhat odd.


    Old Mrs. Horton was currently confronting Nathan Horton.


    The old lady widened her eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I only recognize this daughter-in-law, only this one!¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, seeing the two approaching, she looked at Lewis Horton, ¡°Brat, you came just in time! Your dad is about to infuriate me to death!¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at Lewis Horton and indeed saw him frowning coldly at Nathan Horton.


    Then, she noticed Nathan Horton¡¯s gaze sweep over her disdainfully before he commanded, ¡°Lewis Horton, I want you to divorce her immediately!¡±


    Lewis Horton frowned, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Nathan Horton sneered, ¡°Do you even know the identity of the woman by your side? She¡¯s not even up to Isla, just an illegitimate daughter of the Olsen Family! How can such a person become the hostess of the Horton Family?!¡±


    Oliver Horton also chimed in, ¡°Lewis, dad isn¡¯t making things difficult for you, didn¡¯t you hear how everyone was discussing your wife just now?¡±


    Keira Olsen lowered her gaze and clenched her jaw.


    But her hand was grasped by the man next to her, Lewis Horton¡¯s voice was low, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Oliver Horton choked momentarily before opening his mouth, ¡°That¡¯s because you have held a high position for a long time, and those people don¡¯t dare to act recklessly in front of you, but the things they say behind your back are really nasty! Jake, come and repeat some of it to your uncle.¡±


    Jake Horton immediately stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Keira Olsen, and he began to recount the offensive comments:


    ¡°They say that the Olsen family¡¯s illegitimate daughter is really something. They don¡¯t know what means she used to marry into the Horton family!¡±


    ¡°They also say that, uncle, you are deeply enchanted by her. Marrying her is worse than marrying an ordinary person with a clean background. It¡¯s embarrassing!¡±


    ¡°Besides, if the future hostess of the Horton family is an illegitimate daughter, how can the Horton family even invite guests to their events? Are they going to let an illegitimate daughter be above them?¡±


    ¡°There are even nastier and filthier things said, I simply can¡¯t bring myself to speak them out loud. But everyone is laughing at you, uncle!¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s expression turned icy, his gaze sweeping over Keira Olsen, a hint of destructive madness that craves but cannot obtain flickered in his eyes, along with an indescribable wild fire.


    He looked at Keira Olsen and spoke slowly, ¡°Uncle, Keira Olsen is indeed naturally beautiful. I even pursued her for four years in college. But at that time, she was hiding her identity as an illegitimate daughter from me! When I found out later, I immediately let go, knowing well that families like ours could never marry an illegitimate daughter as a wife! Otherwise, how embarrassing would that be? Just like now, uncle, you are being pointed at and talked about¡­¡±


    As he was speaking, Lewis Horton suddenly spoke up, ¡°When they were pointing and talking, what were you doing?¡±


    Jake Horton choked: ¡°Ah?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze was icy as he stared at him, ¡°The future hostess of the Horton family is being insulted, and you don¡¯t react at all? Is this how you uphold the dignity of the Horton family?¡±


    Jake Horton immediately swallowed hard.


    Oliver Horton took a step forward, ¡°Lewis, that¡¯s not something you can say. Today is still the Horton family¡¯s birthday celebration; do you really want to make a scene during grandma¡¯s birthday party?¡±


    ¡°Discussing the Horton family¡¯s hostess behind her back, is that their way of showing manners?¡±


    Lewis Horton stared straight at Jake Horton, ¡°If you¡¯re not courageous enough to stand up for the Horton family¡¯s reputation, then give me a list of those who made these remarks, and I¡¯ll go and confront them one by one.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Jake Horton was stunned, how could he possibly do that!


    Wouldn¡¯t that just offend the wealthy groups of Oceanion?!


    Seeing him afraid to speak, Keira Olsen glanced at him.


    It was just that disdainful look that suddenly broke Jake Horton¡¯s composure, and he blurted out, ¡°Uncle, is she really worth it? Perhaps you still don¡¯t know? You got married two years ago, but during these two years, Keira Olsen has been leading me on at university. She even almost accepted my proposal! Such a flirtatious woman, who completely plays men like me in the palm of her hand! If it weren¡¯t for her being an illegitimate daughter, I almost could have ended up with her!¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Lewis Horton kicked him without hesitation.


    Jake Horton was sent flying by the kick, his entire body lifted into the air before crashing heavily to the ground, pain rendering him unable to straighten up for a moment.


    Oliver Horton¡¯s gaze deepened, ¡°Lewis, what are you doing? We were just talking; how could you hit him?!¡±


    ¡°Big brother, he was disrespectful to his elders. If you haven¡¯t taught him well, then I must teach him!¡± Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze was cold, fixated on Jake Horton, ¡°If I ever hear you disrespect your aunt again, don¡¯t blame me for enforcing family discipline!¡±


    Jake Horton trembled all over from the scolding.


    Oliver Horton was so angry that his finger trembled as he pointed at him, ¡°Lewis, you, you¡¯ve gone too far! Dad¡­¡±


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Nathan Horton, the old patriarch, grew angry and directly commanded, ¡°Lewis Horton, today you only have two choices! Either divorce this illegitimate daughter or resign from your CEO position at Horton Group!¡±


    Lewis Horton let out a cold laugh upon hearing this.


    Just then, the butler entered carefully, ¡°Sir, Mr. and Madam Allen from the Allen family are back again¡­ they said they have something to discuss with you and Mrs. Olsen.¡±

 Chapter 159 - 159 159

    ?Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Lewis Horton casually waved his hand, signaling the butler to step out first: ¡°Please ask them to wait.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After the butler left silently, Lewis Horton then turned his attention to Nathan Horton and asked coldly, ¡°Based on what?¡±


    ¡°Based on what?¡± Nathan Horton exuded a sense of authority. ¡°Her status will only tarnish the Horton Group! Do you believe that if tomorrow the reporters spread the news that your wife is an illegitimate daughter, by how much our Horton Group¡¯s shares will fall?!¡±


    Oliver Horton also said, ¡°Lewis, now that you have taken on the role of CEO of Horton Group, you must bear the corresponding responsibilities, and your marriage is part of it! How could a woman with such a status possibly be worthy of you?!¡±


    Seeing this, Melissa Knight turned her gaze to Kiera Olsen: ¡°Miss Olsen, if you really care about Lewis, you should consciously divorce him!¡±


    Kiera Olsen pursed her lips and did not respond.


    She was not foolish, and of course understood that these people were just using this as an excuse to create trouble. Even if today Lewis Horton announced that Madeleine Davis was his wife, this group of people would probably still make trouble because of Madeleine¡¯s lowly origins, claiming she was not good enough for Lewis Horton.


    But her status indeed was the ¡°issue¡± that had been taken advantage of.


    She turned her head to look at Lewis Horton, trying to withdraw her hand from his¡­


    She did indeed feel a twinge of guilt in her heart¡­


    The shackle of ¡°illegitimate daughter¡± had trapped her for over twenty years. She did not want this shackle to entrap Lewis Horton too¡­


    As she was contemplating this, that dry and strong hand grasped hers tightly, and then Lewis Horton¡¯s voice resounded firmly, ¡°Is there any legal stipulation that says a corporate legal person or a company chairman cannot marry an illegitimate daughter as his wife?¡±


    His words made everyone present choke up.


    Nathan Horton angrily said, ¡°Do we need regulations for these things? It¡¯s what everyone implicitly understands! You¡­¡±


    ¡°Since there¡¯s no such regulation¡­¡± Lewis Horton cut him off directly, ¡°If you want to remove me from my chairman position, then follow the proper procedure, call a board meeting, and let everyone vote!¡±


    ¡°You control fifty-one percent of the shares; the decision will still be whatever you say! I think you are just running a one-man show in the company!¡±


    Nathan Horton, furious, picked up a teacup and hurled it at Lewis Horton.


    ¡°Smash!¡±


    The teacup shattered in front of Lewis Horton, sending shards flying everywhere.


    Just as Nathan Horton was about to speak, a walking stick suddenly struck!


    ¡°Who allowed you to use violence?!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton swung her walking stick at Nathan Horton: ¡°What gives you the right to raise your hand against your grandson¡¯s wife and that brat? You unfilial son! Are you trying to anger me to death?¡±


    Nathan Horton frowned at Old Mrs. Horton, revealing a look of helplessness: ¡°Mom, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me mom! If you don¡¯t acknowledge your granddaughter-in-law, then I won¡¯t acknowledge you as my son!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton became unreasonable: ¡°You even dare to strike your grandson¡¯s wife; what kind of father-in-law are you? Which father-in-law dares to hit his grandson¡¯s wife?¡±


    Nathan Horton dodged her blows, ¡°Mom, stop making a scene. Everything I said was for the company¡¯s benefit. This daughter-in-law he has chosen is worthless and useless. To speak of her would only bring shame to the Horton Group! Now, he has clearly brought such negative impact to the company, yet he still clings to his chairman position. It¡¯s nothing but his selfishness! Even if I let this go today, there are so many other executives in the Horton Group! So many reporters came to the banquet today, and news will come out soon. We, the Horton Family, will become the biggest joke in Oceanion. Let¡¯s see how he explains this to those executives tomorrow!!¡±


    Upon saying this, Oliver Horton had already taken out his phone and opened the financial channel¡¯s Weibo feed, sighing silently, ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t have to wait until tomorrow. The heat has already picked up.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton stopped her actions, and Nathan Horton immediately looked at his phone.


    He saw the headlines ¡°Horton Group CEO¡¯s Wife Is an Illegitimate Daughter¡± and ¡°Mistress Makes a Scene at Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s Birthday Banquet¡±¡­ amongst other eye-catching titles, had topped the trending searches.


    Among them, the clickbait topic ¡°Shock! Lewis Horton¡¯s Wife Is Actually Her¡± was ranked first!


    Nathan Horton sneered, ¡°Lewis Horton, look at what good things you two have done! Tonight¡¯s hot topics were supposed to be about your grandmother¡¯s birthday party, but it turned out like this! Who knows how they are mocking you in there! What good is an illegitimate daughter? Today, you must give an explanation to the Horton Group!¡±


    Oliver Horton also sighed, ¡°Lewis, this matter concerns the future operations of the entire company. You can¡¯t be capricious, nor can you neglect the company. Even if you don¡¯t give us an explanation today, you¡¯ll still have to give one to those directors in the company tomorrow, you¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Kiera interrupted, ¡°Have you seen the first trending topic title?¡±


    This statement momentarily stunned everyone.


    Nathan Horton immediately frowned, ¡°How disrespectful, we are in the middle of a conversation, what right does a woman like you have to interrupt?!¡±


    No sooner had he spoken, than the walking stick hit out again, ¡°I am also a woman, do you also want me to shut up?!¡±


    Nathan Horton: ¡­


    There was simply no reasoning with her and Old Mrs. Horton.


    Oliver Horton then spoke up, ¡°Of course I saw it, the trending heat of the first topic title is so much higher than the rest, you don¡¯t even need to open it to know what¡¯s being said inside, what¡¯s being cursed¡­¡±


    The reason those trending searches rose so quickly, of course, was because he had just paid someone to do it!


    The first trending topic title had the fastest rise in heat, so he purchased five hundred thousand heat index points for it!


    By utilizing Kiera Olsen¡¯s identity as an illegitimate daughter to suppress Lewis Horton¡­


    Yet, Kiera Olsen¡¯s lips curved into a smile, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you click on it and take a look¡­¡±


    Oliver Horton said mockingly, ¡°To see how others are cursing the Horton Group?¡±


    While saying this, he directly clicked on the title.


    The next moment, he was stunned.


    But what he saw in the trending topic content was: Explosive! You will never guess who Lewis Horton¡¯s wife is, it¡¯s actually Dr. South!! Yes, Dr. South who is leading in the new energy industry¡¯s technology! Horton Group¡¯s move is simply 6666, this is a strong alliance! Predicting that tomorrow, as soon as the Horton Group¡¯s stocks hit the market, they¡¯ll likely see a surge!


    Below were rows of praises.


    Oliver Horton was dumbfounded, what was going on?!


    Kiera Olsen, however, hooked up the corner of her lips.


    No matter what channel¡¯s trending news, she as ¡°Ms. Keira¡± surely knew the best. Just now, when she learned that someone had paid for trending searches, she immediately contacted ¡°Josh.¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She initially wanted to share it from her own account to counter the illegitimate daughter issue with Dr. South¡¯s identity¡­


    But who would have thought, after Josh¡¯s Weibo post, Oliver Horton mistook it for slander and directly added five hundred thousand heat index points propelling it immediately to the top of the trending search list!


    Kiera Olsen hooked her lips, ¡°Big brother, thank you for providing the heat.¡±


    Oliver Horton: !!


    He was so angry he almost spat blood!!!


    Lewis Horton and Kiera Olsen exchanged glances, a smile curling at the corners of their lips.


    Lewis Horton said calmly, ¡°Dad, big brother, whether the Horton Group¡¯s stock will rise or fall tomorrow, let¡¯s wait and see!¡±


    He took Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Allen are still outside looking for us, we¡¯ll take our leave.¡±


    Hand in hand, the two of them left the living room.


    Stepping out the door, they shared a smile before turning to face Mr. and Mrs. Allen, who had come back again.

 Chapter 160 - 160 160

    ?Chapter 160: Chapter 160 Chapter 160: Chapter 160 The night had deepened.


    The moon was large tonight, hanging low in the sky.


    When Kiera Olsen stepped outside, the chill struck her, but she felt a rush of relief, the malicious fire that flared inside her from being called an illegitimate daughter dissipated without her noticing.


    She looked towards Mr. and Mrs. Allen standing ahead and walked over to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem with Rebecca?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mrs. Allen spoke up, ¡°When we were about to leave, we saw¡­ that woman with the surname Li cursing loudly at the Horton family¡¯s door, and we thought it would be better to intervene.¡±


    Kiera Olsen was startled, then responded, ¡°Oh, alright.¡±


    Mr. and Mrs. Allen returned after having already left, and she thought they had some urgent matter. Who would have expected they were just talking about this?


    As she pondered in confusion, Mrs. Allen spoke again, ¡°We just called Frankie to urge him to bring the restored photo over soon. Are you free tomorrow night? We¡¯d like to invite you for a meal and also to show you the photo.¡±


    Kiera Olsen was stunned.


    This was the second time tonight that Mrs. Allen had mentioned that photo, especially her wanting her to see it¡­


    Although she didn¡¯t understand why, she knew Mrs. Allen would not harm her, so she nodded immediately, ¡°I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°Good, then, Miss Olsen, we¡¯ll see you tomorrow night.¡±


    Mrs. Allen patted her hand before turning to grab Mr. Allen and head out.


    Mr. Allen whispered, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell her your guess?¡±


    ¡°With no proof, what¡¯s there to say? If we guess wrong, wouldn¡¯t Kiera just be upset for no reason? Frankie will arrive tomorrow, and it¡¯s better to talk about it with the photo in hand tomorrow night. Waiting one more day won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Mr. Allen laughed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their low murmurs were barely audible, leaving Kiera Olsen unable to make out what they were saying. Yet watching them huddle together and whisper brought an inexplicably serene feeling of life¡¯s quiet beauty.


    Kiera Olsen thought of how Taylor Olsen always handled Mrs. Olsen with extreme care, as if she were a delicate treasure, and went to great lengths to please her, which all seemed too contrived and servile.


    Their relationship bore no resemblance to the harmony between Mrs. and Mr. Allen.


    In fact, everyone could see that from a young age, Taylor Olsen treated Mrs. Olsen as if she were too precious to be dropped or melted in his mouth, but Mrs. Olsen, being rather aloof by nature, didn¡¯t pay him as much mind.


    Everyone said it was because of her and Poppy Hill¡¯s presence that made Taylor Olsen feel particularly guilty in front of Mrs. Olsen¡­


    Kiera Olsen shook her head, feeling that she was thinking too much.


    The relationships within the Olsen family were indeed peculiar.


    Mrs. Olsen was proud, yet she could tolerate the presence of Taylor Olsen¡¯s illegitimate daughter and mistress. Taylor Olsen, in turn, resented her presence, feeling it affected his relationship with Mrs. Olsen.


    But Mrs. Olsen could still be very gentle to her¡­


    Kiera Olsen found the ways of marital interaction puzzling.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Lewis Horton¡¯s deep voice came from beside her.


    Kiera Olsen replied, ¡°What do you think we¡¯ll be like when we¡¯re old?¡±


    At that moment, Mrs. and Mr. Allen had reached their car. Mr. Allen opened the door and naturally extended his hand to shield Mrs. Allen from the car roof as if worried she would hit it while getting in.


    Mrs. Allen turned and gave him a slight smile.


    Lewis Horton too noticed their exchange, a flash of envy crossing his eyes, ¡°We¡¯ll probably be like the Allens.¡±


    Kiera Olsen was about to comment that Lewis Horton did not have the same good nature as Mr. Allen when she heard him continue, ¡°With sons and daughters, depending on each other. How many children would you like to have?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ??


    Isn¡¯t this leap in thought a bit too fast?


    She coughed once, hurriedly changing the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s take grandma home first.¡±


    Lewis Horton nodded.


    The two returned to the banquet hall.


    Busy nannies were tidying up around them, and the once crowded bustle abruptly quieted down, making the hall seem more spacious.


    But Keira Olsen preferred the quiet after everyone had left.


    She and Lewis Horton approached Old Mrs. Horton, and Keira took her arm, ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton affectionately patted her hand, then turned a fierce gaze on Nathan Horton.


    With a cold expression, Nathan Horton spoke up, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t look at me like that. Your granddaughter-in-law comes from a dishonorable background, being an illegitimate daughter, even if she escapes today, I will show her no mercy whatsoever in the future should she do anything to disgrace the Horton family!¡±


    After leaving those words, he snorted and headed upstairs.


    Old Mrs. Horton, angered, pointed at his retreating figure and cursed, ¡°Unfilial son, biased! You favor your eldest son; well, I favor my youngest grandson! Hmph!¡±


    Childishly indignant after speaking her mind, she clutched Keira Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°Also, to marry my granddaughter-in-law is the Horton family¡¯s ancestral fortune smoking! My granddaughter-in-law would never bring shame to the Horton family! Hmph! Brat, tell me, isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    With a smile, Lewis Horton glanced at Keira Olsen, ¡°Right.¡±


    As the three were leaving the living room and heading to the backyard, they heard a car honking out front followed by Fiona saying, ¡°Miss Isla Olsen has been sent back.¡±


    This was within their expectations.


    Isla Olsen was pregnant, and the police wouldn¡¯t really detain her. They would only issue a verbal warning and a fine before letting her apologize to Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton, and then the matter would be dropped.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t take it to heart. It was only at night when she lay down and took out her mobile phone that she discovered Isla Olsen had sent her many curse-filled messages.


    She must have been pregnant and emotionally unstable, plus she had lost face so badly tonight, she was on the verge of a breakdown.


    In her messages, she lashed out:


    [Keira Olsen, you illegitimate daughter, you¡¯re naturally a bitch! Why should you marry my uncle?! You did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you, wanting to be one step above me?!]


    [Let me tell you, it¡¯s impossible! You¡¯ll never surpass me in this lifetime! An illegitimate daughter like you can never become the hostess of the Horton family! The control over the Horton family¡¯s affairs is still in my hands!]


    [Do you really think that by marrying my uncle, you could become a phoenix? No matter how capable you are, you can¡¯t change your background, you can¡¯t change the original sin in your blood!]


    [And, you¡¯ve been married for two years and haven¡¯t gotten pregnant? I think that¡¯s the punishment for your lowly bloodline! I¡¯m about to give birth to the legitimate eldest grandson of the Horton family! You¡¯ll never compare to me!]


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    Looking at the messages in her phone, with that glaring ¡°illegitimate daughter,¡± she tensed her jaw and typed back: [Are you sure the child in your belly has the Horton surname?]


    The other party immediately ceased fire, taking a long time to respond.


    Keira Olsen lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling that those three words had indeed affected her mood¡­


    The night passed without incident, and soon it was the next day.


    When Keira Olsen woke up, she picked up her phone and saw a message from Rebecca Allen: [Benefactor, my brother fixed the photo. He¡¯s on his way to Oceanion now; come find us when you wake up! Mom and Dad say they have a surprise for you!]

 Chapter 161 - 161 161

    ?Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Chapter 161: Chapter 161 After Keira Olsen saw the message, she replied, ¡°Driving from Clance, it must take at least six hours, right? What time will your brother arrive?¡±


    Rebecca Allen¡¯s response came quickly, ¡°Around noon I guess! My brother got the photo this morning and sent it to my parents. They saw it and were so excited, they said they had something to discuss with you in person.¡±


    Keira Olsen was slightly startled.


    Nowadays, with such advanced mobile networks, many things are communicated over the phone, and face-to-face contact between people has become less frequent.


    What matter required a personal discussion?


    And that photo seemed to be about Lady South¡­


    Lady South was Mrs. Olsen¡¯s mother, Jodie South¡­


    It appeared that this matter was definitely very important!


    Keira Olsen replied to the message, ¡°Okay.¡±


    It was only after she had finished washing up and went out that she heard a piece of surprising news.


    ¡°Going to the equestrian club?¡±


    Keira Olsen was slightly surprised.


    Melissa Knight, who stood before her, said with a mockingly forced smile, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a business meeting held at the equestrian club today. As the head of the Horton Family, Lewis will definitely attend, and as his wife, you should accompany him.¡±


    After saying this, Melissa Knight happily took Isla Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°Of course, Jake and Isla will also go. Isla, you can ride, can¡¯t you?¡±


    Isla Olsen nodded with a smile, ¡°Of course, my dad often took me horseback riding when I was younger. I¡¯ve had a pony since childhood¡­ Keira has seen it too. Back then, I was too scared to ride, so it was Keira who led the horse around the equestrian club for me~¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes dimmed.


    Horse riding has always been a popular pastime among the wealthy elite.


    At the age of seven, Isla finally got her own pony. She wore a riding outfit, looking dashing and cute as she orbited her pony, occasionally excitedly reaching out to touch it.


    And little Keira Olsen could only help by holding the reins. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla would go horse riding, all the while scolding her, ¡°Hurry up, run faster! You¡¯re so slow, didn¡¯t you eat breakfast this morning?¡±


    ¡­She really hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast.


    From the moment she got up at the age of seven, she was there to serve Isla, carrying her school bag behind her. Poppy Hill never scheduled time for her to have breakfast.


    The thing she hated most was Isla¡¯s Saturday riding lesson.


    She was like a little princess, whereas she herself was¡­


    Just as she thought about this, Isla opened her mouth again, ¡°Keira, it¡¯s great we¡¯re going together today. I¡¯ll need your help getting on the horse. You wouldn¡¯t know, but in all the years I wasn¡¯t at the Olsen family, every time I rode, getting on the horse felt uncomfortable.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen¡¯s fists tightened suddenly.


    Melissa Knight already asked, ¡°Keira Olsen can still help you get on the horse?¡±


    Isla nodded, ¡°Yeah, when I was a child and couldn¡¯t mount my horse, it was Keira who would kneel down and be my mounting block¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen sharply turned to look at her, a fierce flash passing through her eyes.


    It was her once humiliating past.


    But she hadn¡¯t willingly knelt down, it was Poppy Hill who had pressed down on her head, allowing Isla to trample on her pride time and again, grinding her inherent rebellious spirit underfoot¡­


    She clenched her jaw, about to speak, when Isla lowered her head, ¡°You know, I was young and thoughtless back then; Keira, I hope you won¡¯t mind it¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen let out a scoff.


    Young?


    Indeed, Isla was young at the time, but she had always been a bad apple!


    She knew exactly what Poppy Hill¡¯s sore point was and understood how to make Keira Olsen¡¯s life even more difficult.


    Just like now, she was apologizing with her mouth, but her eyes seemed poisoned with hate. It was out of extreme loathing that she¡¯d spew such words.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s gaze was sharp as she looked at her. ¡°You misspoke, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately lowered her head. ¡°Keira, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have poked at the pain of your childhood, it was not intentional, I just remembered when we were kids¡­¡±


    Melissa Knight immediately said, ¡°Keira Olsen, Isla didn¡¯t mean it. Don¡¯t be so aggressive! Besides, you were an illegitimate daughter when you were a child. Isn¡¯t it justified for her to despise and bully you?¡±


    These words made Old Mrs. Horton slam the table forcefully. ¡°From now on in this house, I don¡¯t want to hear ¡®illegitimate daughter¡¯ ever again! My granddaughter-in-law is not an illegitimate daughter!¡±


    Melissa Knight sneered. ¡°The state doesn¡¯t care what I say, has the Horton Family lost freedom of speech? Or is it that Lewis Horton¡¯s wife is so precious that we common folks can¡¯t even curse an illegitimate daughter?¡±


    This retort left Old Mrs. Horton speechless.


    Keira Olsen suddenly laughed. ¡°Sister-in-law, I didn¡¯t mean to forbid you from using those three words.¡±


    Melissa Knight scoffed. ¡°Then when you said Isla misspoke, wasn¡¯t it because she mentioned your childhood? That¡¯s no different from forbidding it, is it?¡±


    Isla Olsen quickly responded. ¡°Keira, I already apologized. It wasn¡¯t on purpose, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    Keira Olsen suddenly raised her hand, and a harsh slap landed on Isla Olsen¡¯s face, causing Isla to cover her face in shock.


    Melissa Knight was the first to react, her voice suddenly rising. ¡°Keira Olsen, what are you doing? This is not a place for you to act willfully!¡±


    Isla Olsen also had tears in her eyes. ¡°Keira, just because I misspoke, was there any need for you to hit me? You¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen let out a cold laugh. ¡°Misspoke? Every word you utter is a mistake, Isla. The Horton Family values manners most, and yet you call me by name so directly. Is this how you show respect to your elders?!¡±


    Isla Olsen was instantly choked by her words.


    Keira Olsen then looked at Melissa Knight. ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s understandable for you to defend your daughter-in-law, but even I, the illegitimate daughter, know not to directly address an elder by name. As a well-bred lady, you should know better, right? So, as an elder, if I discipline a younger member to teach her a lesson, to prevent her from making mistakes in front of others, you shouldn¡¯t mind, should you?¡±


    Melissa Knight was also left at a loss for words by this retort.


    Keira Olsen sneered again and turned to Isla Olsen. ¡°What were you about to say? Say it again!¡±


    Isla Olsen was so angry that her chest was heaving, but since Keira Olsen was in the right, she reluctantly, with clenched teeth and venom, said, ¡°Auntie, at the riding event today, please help me get on the horse again!¡±


    At that moment, a deep voice came from upstairs. ¡°Since you know she¡¯s your auntie, you should understand more that it¡¯s not proper for an elder to help a junior mount a horse!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze was stern as he looked at Isla Olsen, a glint of lethal intent flashing in his eyes.


    Isla Olsen stepped back in fright.


    Only then did Lewis Horton turn to look at Keira Olsen. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to the event if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Melissa Knight immediately said, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be bad? You¡¯ve just made her identity public last night, and her absence from such an important event will make uninformed people think Mrs. Horton can¡¯t show her face, damaging your reputation!¡±


    Lewis Horton said sternly, ¡°Turns out my brother¡¯s face is all thanks to my sister-in-law. That¡¯s your business. At least my reputation doesn¡¯t depend on my wife!¡±


    He looked again at Keira Olsen. ¡°Do you want to go?¡±


    Keira Olsen was about to speak when her phone vibrated.


    She opened it to find a message from Rebecca Allen. ¡°[Annoying! After my brother came to Oceanion, he didn¡¯t come home but said he¡¯s at Clance due to some gentlemen arriving from the capital and went to the riding event with them! He also said he has an appointment with you in the evening, and he can return later at night; it¡¯s too much!]¡±


    Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Frankie Allen to also attend the riding event.


    Thinking about the photo Mr. and Mrs. Allen had mentioned several times and Rebecca Allen¡¯s message that she must see the photograph¡­


    Keira Olsen suddenly curled her lips into a smile. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 162 - 162 162

    ?Chapter 162: Chapter 162 Chapter 162: Chapter 162 Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes immediately flashed with a hint of gloom!


    She lowered her gaze to hide her excitement and exchanged a look with Melissa Knight, a sparkle of cunning in both their eyes.


    What is something that ordinary people living in poverty have absolutely no access to, but is just everyday fare for the upper echelons of society?


    Of course, it¡¯s the horse track!


    Equestrian classes are costly, beyond the means of ordinary families, not to mention that a group of young horses could wholesale for hundreds of thousands, and that¡¯s not counting the cost to keep them at a racetrack, which, at a minimum, racks up an annual expense in the hundreds of thousands.


    It¡¯s something that even a standard middle-class household cannot afford.


    Therefore, equestrian classes are only for those with money and power!


    Today, they must make Keira Olsen lose face at the horse track, so Nathan Horton has an excuse to pull Lewis Horton down from the position of Family Head!


    At a gathering like today¡¯s, filled with young people, Melissa Knight and Oliver Horton did not attend. She patted Isla Olsen on the back of her hand and gave her a warning glance.


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists, thinking of the disdainful warning glance from Melissa Knight as they had left the house that morning and felt surges of shame and anger!


    Melissa Knight¡¯s words were still echoing in her ears, ¡°Jake marrying you into the family was his worst misfortune in eight lifetimes! Last night you were taken away by the police, shaming our first branch of the family completely! If you don¡¯t regain that respect today and give Lewis Horton and his wife a piece of your mind, I¡¯ll have Jake divorce you!¡±


    Isla Olsen bit her lip and followed Jake Horton towards the parking lot.


    Jake Horton was indifferent towards her all the way, his gaze fixed on Keira Olsen walking ahead; his eyes were unfathomable.


    Once they reached the parking lot, Isla Olsen was about to head to her and Jake Horton¡¯s car when she was stopped by a bodyguard, ¡°The gentleman wants you to come over.¡±


    Isla Olsen was startled and confused, walking over to where Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton were.


    Today, Keira Olsen wore a white riding outfit making her appear slim and graceful. The white attire accentuated her lean, statuesque form, and coupled with that face of hers, she exuded a spirited elegance.


    Lewis Horton, on the other hand, had not changed, still in a black suit, his cool and resolute features adding to his allure.


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists, a smile on her face, ¡°Uncle Lewis, did you need something from me?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s narrow eyes fixated on her, the dark depths revealing unfathomable emotions that made Isla Olsen¡¯s skin crawl.


    Then, she heard Lewis Horton begin to speak, ¡°Since you¡¯ve been disrespectful to your elders multiple times, I think it¡¯s time I taught you some manners. Right now, open the car door for your little aunt.¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s pupils constricted sharply at his words!


    She looked at Lewis Horton in disbelief, but the man¡¯s face bore not a hint of jesting.


    Turning to look at Keira Olsen, she saw a trace of surprise on her face as well.


    In the end, she could only look helplessly at Jake Horton, but the man simply furrowed his brows and said no more.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s heart clenched tightly. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A wave of intense shame overcame her.


    How could this be¡­


    From childhood, Keira Olsen had always been her little slave; when she told Keira to go east, she would never dare go west¡­ Keira had no dignity in front of her, always lowering her head every day.


    She was always high above, crushing her.


    This little slut, how dare she climb atop her head?!


    Isla Olsen wished she could tear Keira Olsen¡¯s face apart, devour her flesh, suck her blood!


    But she dared not¡­


    All she could do was to forcefully swallow all the humiliation, lower her head, walk over to the car, and through gritted teeth manage to squeeze out a few words, ¡°Little Aunt, please get in the car.¡±


    Keira Olsen, with downcast eyes, walked past and seated herself in the car.


    Isla Olsen finally pressed the close button for her.


    The car started slowly; Isla¡¯s face, clearly angry yet not daring to show it, disappeared from the window. Only then did Kiera Olsen turn her head to Lewis Horton, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She knew that Lewis had heard Isla Olsen¡¯s words from upstairs earlier and had deliberately humiliated her just now to help her regain some dignity.


    Her gaze fell, and she slowly said, ¡°She just needed me to lead the horse for her when she first learned to ride. Once she could gallop, she didn¡¯t need me anymore.¡±


    After all, she couldn¡¯t run as fast as a horse¡­


    She smiled, ¡°I was quite envious when I saw her riding back then, but later¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Lewis took her hand with an indulgent tone, ¡°If you think riding is fun, I¡¯ll teach you today.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera blinked, swallowing the words she intended to say, and just curled the corners of her lips: ¡°Sure.¡±


    Lewis looked at her, ¡°Let bygones be bygones. Anything you used to envy her for, I¡¯ll give to you in the future.¡±


    Kiera nodded solemnly.


    They quickly arrived at the equestrian club.


    The Horton Family had their own private parking area. After they parked the car, Lewis and Kiera got out.


    They walked towards the changing rooms.


    One has to change into the proper riding attire, but Kiera had already changed at the Hortons¡¯, so she didn¡¯t need to change.


    Lewis, however, had to change his clothes.


    She decided to wander around in front of the changing room.


    Isla and Jake Horton had left the car and had disappeared somewhere, probably because Isla feared being subjected to more humiliation in front of so many people by Lewis acting as an elder.


    It was for the best.


    At least it deterred her.


    While Kiera was lost in thought, two people came chatting side by side:


    ¡°Did you hear? Some people from Clance are supposed to come today, and one of them is not someone you can mess with!¡±


    ¡°Ah, the young masters from Clance, is there anyone who can be easily provoked?¡±


    ¡°This is different¡­ it¡¯s said to be that family!¡±


    The other lowered their voice immediately, ¡°Clance Olsen Family?¡±


    ¡°Shh¡­ Keep your voice down, even the Hortons from Oceanion must be cautious in front of that person. Wonder why they¡¯re coming today, we better be careful how we treat them! It¡¯s not just Lewis, that one also can¡¯t be provoked!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I¡¯d rather offend the Hortons than provoke them¡­¡±


    The two continued their conversation as they walked past Kiera.


    Kiera watched them leave, pondering. The people they mentioned from Clance, could Frankie Allen be among them?


    Just as she thought this, she saw Frankie Allen leaving the changing room.


    He wore gold-framed glasses and a black riding outfit, looking tall and slim. On seeing Kiera, Frankie showed a hint of surprise and approached her, ¡°Miss Olsen, what a coincidence.¡±


    There had been a bit of awkwardness between the two since Frankie once mistook Isla for her, but after a few days without contact, that awkwardness had faded.


    Having a good relationship with Mrs. and Mr. Allen, and being direct with him, Kiera asked, ¡°Aunt Allen told me to come by your place tonight, to show me some photos you¡¯ve brought. What photos are those? Do they relate to me?¡±


    Frankie, thinking of the face in the photos that resembled Kiera¡¯s, smiled, ¡°They do.¡±

 Chapter 163 - 163 163

    ?Chapter 163: Chapter 163 Chapter 163: Chapter 163 Related?


    Now Kiera was really curious, ¡°What relationship?¡±


    Frankie thought of his parents¡¯ concern for her and opened his mouth, ¡°This matter can¡¯t be clarified in a moment; it seems to involve the previous generation as well. My dad is more familiar with it; it¡¯s more suitable for you to speak with him face to face. Rebecca mentioned that you two have arranged to meet tonight, shall we go find my parents together after the event is over?¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Kiera wasn¡¯t in a hurry for the rest of the afternoon.


    Frankie then looked at her, ¡°I heard you are Mrs. Horton?¡±


    Kiera raised an eyebrow, ¡°So?¡±


    Frankie suddenly stepped closer, lowering his voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t come alone this time; several wealthy heirs from Clance came along to have fun. Each of their families¡¯ strength could match the Horton Family or even surpass it. Shall I introduce you later?¡±


    Frankie¡¯s eyes darkened slightly.


    Last night, Rebecca Allen clung onto him for a long chat, saying that even though Lewis Horton had publicly acknowledged Kiera as his wife, there were still some unpleasant voices at the banquet.


    They were mocking Kiera for her humble origins, saying that an illegitimate daughter simply wasn¡¯t a match for the Horton Family.


    They also said they didn¡¯t want to socialize with such an illegitimate daughter in the future wife¡¯s social circle¡­


    Rebecca was quite worried for her, so she strongly insisted that he come to help her.


    The group of wealthy scions from Clance today were Frankie¡¯s own connections, and by introducing them to Kiera, her treatment within the Horton Family should be somewhat improved¡­


    Just as he thought this, he heard the girl in front of him speak indifferently, ¡°No need.¡±


    Frankie was slightly startled.


    Kiera then said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but it seems Mr. Horton doesn¡¯t want to get overly entangled with Clance.¡±


    Frankie frowned, and behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes conveyed concern, ¡°That¡¯s his personal prejudice, Miss Olsen. You should understand that in business there is no distinction of region, especially when the most powerful families and businesses in Crera are in Clance. If Lewis Horton insists on going it alone, sooner or later he will be brought down by the shareholders of the Horton Group! As his wife, if you could help him solidify relationships on the Clance side, the Horton Family will definitely recognize you.¡±


    Kiera knew Frankie was looking out for her, but she still smiled, ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need, thank you.¡±


    Seeing her composed and unrushed demeanor, Frankie thought she didn¡¯t understand the strife among the wealthy families, so he explained carefully, ¡°To my knowledge, the first branch of the family has already been in contact with Clance¡¯s connections, attempting to open up cooperation in that market. They plan to use this achievement to attack Lewis Horton. The sudden appearance of these wealthy heirs today in Oceanion seems to be the connections found by the first branch, and I¡¯ve heard that it might be thanks to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s efforts¡­¡±


    Kiera was slightly startled, ¡°What?¡±


    Frankie sighed helplessly, ¡°How can you be so indifferent toward the Horton Family¡¯s affairs? How many mistakes has Isla Olsen from the first branch made! There was the false claim of bravery, a criminal record, why can the first branch still tolerate her? You really think it¡¯s because she¡¯s pregnant?¡±


    Frankie checked the surroundings to make sure no one was coming before he continued, ¡°Mrs. Olsen personally visited, and the Horton Family allowed Isla Olsen inside because Mrs. Olsen had very powerful connections. This horse racing event was an agreement reached between Mrs. Olsen and the Horton Family! The condition for Jake Horton to marry Isla Olsen was that Mrs. Olsen would introduce the Clance connections to the first branch.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kiera paused for a moment.


    At the time Mrs. Olsen was in poor health and personally visited the Horton Family, Kiera was also present. What exactly Mrs. Olsen and Melissa Knight discussed later, she didn¡¯t know in detail, but the next day, Isla Olsen and Jake Horton got their marriage certificate and she entered the Horton Family straight away.


    So it was Mrs. Olsen who had arranged this horse racing gathering to introduce Jake Horton to the group of heirs from Clance?


    She tightened her jaw, feeling a vague concern for Lewis Horton.


    At the same time, a bittersweet emotion that she couldn¡¯t quite describe rose up in her heart¡­


    Although Mrs. Olsen didn¡¯t directly interfere with the dispute between the first branch and Lewis Horton, this action was siding with the first branch, helping Isla Olsen.


    After all¡­


    Isla Olsen was her biological daughter, and her relationship with Lewis Horton hadn¡¯t been made public at the time.


    It was understandable for Mrs. Olsen to choose to help the first branch.


    Her downcast appearance made Frankie misunderstand, thinking she was finally getting worried, so he comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with the relationship between Rebecca and you, the Allen Family will be your connections in Clance.¡±


    Kiera couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°You really misunderstood, I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Before she could finish saying ¡®need them¡¯, Lewis Horton, having changed his clothes, walked over.


    He caught sight of Frankie Allen and Kiera right away.


    Keira Olsen was dressed in a white equestrian outfit today, while Frankie Allen wore a full set of blue riding attire; standing together, they made a strikingly handsome couple.


    There was still a hint of warmth on Frankie Allen¡¯s face.


    This sudden warmth ignited a sense of crisis in Lewis Horton¡¯s heart, and he hurriedly walked over to Keira, pulling her hand from behind and eyeing Frankie warily, a declarative stance of ownership in his gesture, ¡°Mr. Allen is looking for my wife, is there something you need?¡±


    Frankie Allen: ?


    He frowned, ¡°No big deal, just¡­¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s nothing important, then please don¡¯t delay our horse riding.¡±


    Lewis Horton said this coldly and looked at Keira, ¡°Didn¡¯t you find horseback riding interesting? I¡¯ll take you to learn.¡±


    Keira raised an eyebrow, ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    The two left hand in hand, leaving Frankie Allen standing there in disarray!


    Could this couple seriously be thinking about learning to ride horses right now?!


    Was today really for horseback riding?!


    It¡¯s like the eunuch being more anxious than the emperor!


    Ah spit!


    He certainly wasn¡¯t a eunuch.


    Frankie Allen internally grumbled a few complaints, then shouted, ¡°You¡¯re leaving just like that?¡±


    Lewis Horton paused midstep and turned back to look at him, ¡°Otherwise?¡±


    Frankie Allen¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°I can introduce you to those people from Clance.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze turned icy, ¡°Not necessary.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so stubborn!¡± Frankie Allen was genuinely getting angry, ¡°The Davis Family is one thing, but you have no dealings with the rest. If you keep this up, how can you securely sit as the chairman!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s expression remained indifferent, a powerful and inexplicable confidence radiating from him, ¡°Whether or not I sit securely will not affect the cooperation between Horton Family and Allen Family.¡±


    Frankie Allen: ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I mean!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Lewis Horton¡¯s demeanor was still frigid, showing no sign of closeness, ¡°Does Mr. Allen have anything else?¡±


    Seeing his distant manner, Frankie Allen sighed silently.


    He understood that Lewis Horton was very mindful of the relatives on his mother¡¯s side.


    If the positions were reversed, no matter who it was, taken out by cesarean section after just seven months just for a divorce, barely surviving, could anyone feel affection for that birth mother?


    Seeing the two of them heading toward a more secluded corner, he could only remind them, ¡°Miss Olsen, don¡¯t forget we agreed to look at the photo tonight.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s step faltered, and his brow furrowed slightly, ¡°What photo?¡±


    Keira Olsen explained lightly, ¡°Aunt Allen said there¡¯s a photo related to me, and I am going to check it out.¡±


    Lewis Horton looked displeasedly at Frankie Allen, ¡°Is he going to be there too?¡±


    Keira Olsen was somewhat puzzled, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lewis Horton simply said, ¡°Can¡¯t we see it now?¡±


    ¡°We can¡­¡±


    Frankie Allen smiled.


    He leisurely took out his phone, pulled up the photo he had previously captured.


    In the photo, a twenty-years-younger Mr. Allen stood next to a woman in her forties, who was well preserved for her age.


    That woman bore a striking eight-tenths resemblance to Keira Olsen!

 Chapter 164 - 164 164

    ?Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Frankie Allen looked at the photo in his hands.


    When he had been in Clance restoring this photo, he¡¯d felt that Mr. Allen was somewhat exaggerating.


    But when the restoration was successful, he was stunned.


    The woman in the photo definitely had a blood relation to Keira Olsen!


    There were plenty of beautiful women, but it was rare to find someone whose features, though not the most outstanding individually, could come together to shine so brilliantly when combined.


    Keira Olsen took two steps back with Lewis Horton, about to move closer to take a look when Frankie Allen raised his cell phone as if to show them, but then as they were about to see, he put away the phone and said, ¡°It¡¯s possible, but my dad has something to say to Miss Olsen in person. Mr. Horton, are you reluctant to let Miss Olsen go?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen pursed her lips tightly.


    Rebecca Allen was a simple and good child, and she liked her a lot.


    They had actually been in contact frequently recently, but the resistance to the Allen family that Lewis Horton had just shown made her a little hesitant¡­


    Was she going to have to stay away from the Allen family because of him in the future?


    ¡­She probably couldn¡¯t do that.


    Keira Olsen was never ruled by love alone, she wanted both friends and a lover!


    Just as she thought this, Lewis Horton furrowed his brows and immediately looked at her, saying, ¡°Going or not is Keira¡¯s freedom, I won¡¯t restrict her.¡±


    Only then did Keira Olsen smile contentedly.


    Lewis Horton then looked at Frankie Allen, ¡°Mr. Allen doesn¡¯t need to meddle in the relationship between my wife and me here.¡±


    Frankie Allen: !


    That wasn¡¯t his intention! He just felt that someone like Keira Olsen shouldn¡¯t be confined to the inner courtyard; she had her own vast world to belong to.


    He wanted to explain something, but Lewis Horton had already left, holding Keira Olsen¡¯s hand, leaving Frankie unable to voice his thoughts.


    It made it seem as if he was some kind of schemer!


    Frankie Allen felt a bit annoyed, certain that Lewis Horton¡¯s last words were deliberate.


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen, on the other hand, didn¡¯t think much of it and just followed Lewis Horton to the equestrian field.


    She quietly observed Lewis Horton.


    The man was wearing a black form-fitting shirt that outlined his lean and muscular waist. His lower body was clad in matching riding pants tucked into leather boots, accentuating his height and long legs, giving him an air of vibrancy that was missing from his usual composure!


    It was as if the next moment, he was about to conquer the world on horseback, galloping freely.


    ¡­Somewhat handsome.


    Keira Olsen quickly averted her gaze.


    At this time, most people who came to the equestrian field for the gathering were chatting in the resting area, and only a very few were actually in the field.


    When Lewis Horton and Keira Olsen approached, someone was already waiting there with a majestic and imposing horse. The horse¡¯s coat bore a faint sheen of gold, and it looked disdainfully at the staff with a kingly gaze, seemingly untamed in its eyes.


    Lewis Horton introduced, ¡°This is my horse, called Chasing Wind.¡±


    Keira Olsen paused slightly.


    She actually recognized this horse¡­


    This was a renowned Akhal-Teke from Oceanion, known for its bad temperament when it first arrived. It was only after Keira Olsen had tamed it that it was sold.


    The buyer was Lewis Horton?


    As soon as Keira Olsen approached with Lewis Horton, the haughty horse immediately lowered its head, and its eyes flashed with surprise when it saw them.


    Lewis Horton stroked its head and looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°Chasing Wind has a bad temper, do you dare to ride?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Chasing Wind snorted in distress, as if to say: With the grand demon king here, who dares to misbehave?!


    Keira Olsen glanced at Chasing Wind, which shuddered in fright.


    Her sly, amorous eyes glinted as she gently smiled, ¡°With you here, what should I be afraid of?¡±


    This remark indeed made Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes curve into a smile, with the unpleasantness he felt towards his birth mother instantly dissipating like smoke into clouds.


    Kiera Olsen walked up to Chasing Wind, and just as she was about to mount the horse, she suddenly felt a large hand grasp her waist. The man then effortlessly lifted her up.


    Kiera was initially surprised, but then she realized what was happening. She spread her legs in the air and neatly mounted the horse. Soon after, her ankles were held by the man¡¯s large hands and placed on the stirrups.


    Though the riding attire was thick, the warmth of the man¡¯s palm seemed to penetrate the fabric, scalding her skin and causing Kiera¡¯s ears to redden slightly.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s deep voice floated over, ¡°I¡¯ll lead it for you, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera paused for a moment, her lips curling into a smile, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The eyes of Chasing Wind were stunned.


    The great devil afraid of it?


    It felt as if it was back to those dark days, tormented by the great devil¡­


    Yet that cold, domineering CEO didn¡¯t notice its shock at all. At that moment, he was turning his head, gently saying, ¡°This horse is in a good mood today, so I¡¯ll walk a little faster. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Kiera cooperated very well, ¡°Don¡¯t go too fast, what if I fall off?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll catch you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Chasing Wind: !


    That great devil who used to ride without a saddle as if he was born on a horse¡¯s back, was actually saying he was afraid of falling off?


    It was as if it had seen a ghost!


    ¡­


    While the two were lost in their affectionate moment, a group of wealthy second-generation youths from Oceanion accompanied by Clance¡¯s young masters approached slowly.


    In the midst of the crowd, one figure stood out prominently.


    He was dressed in an ostentatious white riding outfit with a black hat, hands on his hips, and his handsome face full of brazen arrogance.


    It was none other than the main guest of today¡¯s banquet¡ªEllis Olsen. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton were on the outskirts of the group, speaking in low voices.


    Isla said, ¡°My mom says that the Olsen Family is one of the five major families of Clance. With a vast family business, we are not only powerful in the business empire sector but also have protection from higher-ups¡­ Jake, all we need to do is make him happy today.¡±


    Jake nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your mom to actually invite him over. I made some inquiries, and this Ellis Olsen is crazy about horse riding; he admires people with good horsemanship just as much as others love racing cars.¡±


    Isla did not have this information, and she seemed anxious, ¡°It¡¯s a pity I¡¯m pregnant today, so I can¡¯t ride.¡±


    Jake sighed, ¡°That¡¯s true, this child is not coming at the right time.¡±


    It had been difficult enough to invite people from Clance through Mrs. Olsen, and now Isla was pregnant and couldn¡¯t engage in risky activities like horse riding.


    Jake frowned, ¡°If I perform better than him in racing, he might be displeased. He was expecting to see your horse riding skills and be impressed. Sigh!¡±


    Isla bit her lip. Looking towards the horse field, she suddenly smiled, ¡°Although I can¡¯t show off my horse riding skills today, Jake, some people are bound to make fools of themselves.¡±


    With that, Jake followed her gaze and also spotted Kiera Olsen.


    The pair seemed to have had their fill of walking. Kiera was about to dismount when Lewis immediately extended his hand and directly carried her down!


    The sunlight shining on them, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, filled Jake with rage.


    He clenched his fists tightly, just then hearing Ellis Olsen inquire, ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that Lewis Horton? The woman he¡¯s carrying down, is that his wife? Why carry her down from the horse? Doesn¡¯t she know how to ride?¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes flickered, and she quickly went over with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s my sister Kiera Olsen, indeed she has never learned to ride.¡±


    Ellis Olsen immediately scoffed, ¡°Never learned to ride, and yet she comes to the horse field? The horse field is meant for riding, not for their romantic dalliances!¡±


    As he spoke these words, Kiera and Lewis were already walking over, hand in hand.


    As the distance between them closed, Ellis Olsen gradually took in Kiera¡¯s appearance and was momentarily taken aback.

 Chapter 165 - 165 165

    ?Chapter 165: Chapter 165 Chapter 165: Chapter 165 Ellis Olsen frowned and took a closer look at Kiera.


    Why does this woman look somewhat familiar?


    She seems to resemble my third uncle a bit¡­


    Thinking this, he turned to Isla Olsen, ¡°My third uncle said your mom was an old friend of his and asked me to take special care of the Olsen family. Surely your family isn¡¯t so poor that you¡¯ve never had riding lessons, right? How could there be a sister who can¡¯t ride?¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately lowered her head, looking ashamed.


    She didn¡¯t speak, but of course, there would be a lackey to speak on her behalf, ¡°Young Master Olsen, that¡¯s not Miss Olsen¡¯s real sister. Her mother was a mistress; that girl is an illegitimate daughter of the Olsen family! She¡¯s been looked down upon since she was little, so of course, she never learned to ride.¡±


    These words made Ellis Olsen¡¯s expression turn unpleased.


    When my third uncle mentioned Jodie South, he did so with nostalgia and also made me promise to help and see if Jodie South was doing well, to visit them with the respect of a younger family member.


    How could a husband with an illegitimate daughter possibly be fine?!


    Ellis Olsen sneered, ¡°An illegitimate daughter at our party? Isla, your mom is really spoiling her too much!¡±


    Isla Olsen forced a bitter smile, making an expression of having no choice, ¡°Young Master Olsen, she¡¯s not just an illegitimate daughter of our Olsen family anymore, she¡¯s now the wife of my younger uncle¡­¡±


    Ellis Olsen was extremely shocked, ¡°What? You¡¯re saying Lewis Horton married an illegitimate daughter?!¡±


    Isla Olsen nodded¡­


    But Ellis Olsen scoffed, ¡°Ha, that hypocrite, never thought he¡¯d see this day!¡±


    Jake Horton caught the meaning in his words and asked immediately, ¡°Young Master Olsen, do you know my younger uncle?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know him, we were classmates while studying abroad!¡± Ellis Olsen sneered, ¡°I thought he was quite good-looking back then, so considering the unmarried girls in my family, I planned to introduce him, but that hypocrite rejected me¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    Ellis Olsen led the group forward, ¡°Let¡¯s all see who he rejected my cousins for, what kind of wife he actually married! Lewis Horton!¡±


    Kiera saw this group approaching from a distance, which is why she prepared to dismount.


    After all, as the host of the stables, she and Lewis Horton should go greet them.


    But she never expected that just as she got close to Lewis Horton, a person flaring like a peacock rushed over, those amorous eyes full of arrogance. He put his hands on his hips and said, ¡°Lewis Horton, you rejected my sister and ended up marrying a woman who can¡¯t even ride a horse? You really lack taste!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, ¡°Ellis Olsen, if you can¡¯t speak kindly, you might as well keep your mouth shut.¡±


    However, Kiera used his words to gauge the relationship between the two.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s words carried reprimand and annoyance; the other person must be his arch-enemy.


    She immediately categorized Ellis Olsen¡ªthe enemy.


    Would Ellis Olsen listen to him?


    He walked straight up and examined Kiera from top to bottom, deliberately assuming a frivolous attitude, ¡°Lewis Horton, your wife indeed looks quite good, but you shouldn¡¯t be such a superficial person, judging only by looks, right?¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s frown was deep enough to kill a fly.


    Indeed, he and Ellis Olsen were classmates, and their auras clashed abroad.


    Ellis Olsen was an extrovert who loved parties, and every time he invited him, he refused to go, which made Ellis Olsen start to dislike him over time.


    Even so, Ellis Olsen had always been relatively polite towards him.


    Today¡¯s words seemed to carry an intentional element.


    Lewis Horton narrowed his eyes and glanced at Isla Olsen standing beside him, instantly understanding that Ellis Olsen came here to help Isla target Keira Olsen. He said gravely, ¡°Ellis Olsen, if you disrespect my wife again, don¡¯t blame me for being impolite!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯m so scared~¡±


    Ellis Olsen feigned fear and then laughed, ¡°But you know me, I¡¯ve always admired the strong. We¡¯re schoolmates, so I should show some respect to your wife. How about this, why doesn¡¯t your wife race me around the track?¡±


    Lewis Horton immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll race you, she doesn¡¯t ride.¡±


    Ellis Olsen immediately put on an exaggerated expression, ¡°No way, no way? Are there still people nowadays who can¡¯t ride horses? Isla, your family treats the illegitimate daughter too poorly, how can you not enroll her in horseback riding lessons? Bringing her to the racetrack, isn¡¯t that too embarrassing?¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately spoke up, ¡°Young Master Olsen, this was my father¡¯s decision¡­¡±


    The group of young gentlemen from Clance immediately started talking all at once, ¡°Isn¡¯t she your father¡¯s illegitimate daughter? Does your father really dislike her that much?¡±


    Someone immediately explained, ¡°Mr. Taylor Olsen adores his wife and is known in Oceanion as a great husband. Back then, he was tricked by her mother, and then she shamelessly relied on having her to force her way into the Olsen family and refused to leave¡­¡±


    A sharp glint flashed in Ellis Olsen¡¯s eyes.


    Being friends with Lewis Horton, of course he wasn¡¯t a simple character.


    He was just more exaggerated in his ways.


    If Uncle wanted to maintain the dignity of Mrs. Olsen, Jodie South, then the existence of the illegitimate daughter would definitely be her shame. Today, he would help vent some anger!


    With this thought, he glanced at the people beside him.


    They immediately understood his intention, and started pointing and talking about Keira Olsen:


    ¡°No wonder she hasn¡¯t taken horseback riding lessons, turns out she¡¯s the poor little thing nobody loves. The Olsen family has done well just by feeding her and raising her¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard that when Isla rode horses as a child, she would serve at her side, even kneeling down to help her mount!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Horton, your taste is really poor, marrying such a wife. Truly useless¡­¡±


    Ellis Olsen glanced at Keira Olsen who, regardless of what everyone said, remained expressionless, thinking that this illegitimate daughter really had some ability.


    At least this unflappable demeanor was something Isla did not possess.


    He sneered and said slowly, ¡°What are you afraid of if you haven¡¯t learned? Miss Olsen, is it? Just race me around the track. Clench your teeth and persist, and I guarantee everyone will stop talking about you! Do you dare?¡±


    Upon hearing this, everyone laughed:


    ¡°Young Master Olsen, don¡¯t tease her! She almost walked with the lead rope just now; you want her to race? What if she gets too scared?¡±


    ¡°Not knowing how to ride is dangerous, and the horses here are all tall and strong. If you fall while running, that could be deadly!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Horton will be so heartbroken by then, he¡¯ll end up a widower!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, I think Miss Olsen¡¯s legs must be weak with fright now? She looks pale¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton looked extremely displeased. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In Oceanion, people didn¡¯t dare say such unpleasant things openly out of respect for him.


    But this group from Clance was becoming reckless.


    He clenched his fists, about to teach the group a lesson, when his wrist was suddenly grasped by a soft hand.


    Lewis Horton was slightly startled, then saw Keira Olsen step out from beside him: ¡°Then let¡¯s race that lap.¡±

 Chapter 166 - 166 166

    ?Chapter 166: Chapter 166 Chapter 166: Chapter 166 Keira Olsen¡¯s casual remark immediately furrowed Lewis Horton¡¯s brow, and he blurted out subconsciously, ¡°No way!¡±


    Ellis Olsen hadn¡¯t expected Keira to agree either; he just wanted to humiliate her a bit and use her to mock Lewis, thoroughly bashing their pride.


    So when Keira consented, he was momentarily stunned.


    But hearing Lewis¡¯s reaction, he immediately laughed, ¡°Why not? Lewis Horton, you couldn¡¯t possibly lack confidence in your own wife, could you? It¡¯s just a horse race.¡±


    Lewis shot a sharp look at Ellis and angrily said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know the dangers of a novice racing a horse?¡±


    Ellis pursed his lips slightly. Although he was nasty by nature, he hadn¡¯t intended to actually cause a fatality, so he smoothly said, ¡°Tsk, if you can¡¯t play, don¡¯t join in the fun! You want to be a part of every event, but if you don¡¯t have the ability, just stay at home and be a pretty vase, don¡¯t come out and disgust us!¡±


    The rich second-generation followers behind him quickly voiced their agreement:


    ¡°Exactly, Mr. Horton, a bastard daughter treated like a treasure by you, so pampered, then don¡¯t bring her out to make a fool of yourself!¡±


    ¡°The great Lewis Horton, actually infatuated with a woman, has his mind clouded by a female, who would¡¯ve thought¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, bastard daughter, if I were you, I¡¯d just be his canary and not go out to embarrass him!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amidst the jeers, Isla Olsen and Jake Horton exchanged glances, excitement evident in their eyes.


    This time, Keira Olsen had made a serious fool of herself!


    After going home, Nathan Horton would definitely seize upon this point to press for their divorce again.


    How could the Horton Family have such a hostess, unfit for social standing?!


    Seizing the moment, Isla spoke up, ¡°Young Master Olsen, please be more understanding, after all, my little aunt has never seen such scenes¡­¡±


    Ellis Olsen snickered, ¡°Something unfit for public appearance, truly disappointing!¡±


    After speaking, his gaze returned to the racetrack, and upon glimpsing Chasing Wind, his eyes instantly lit up. He then turned to Lewis Horton and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard long ago that Oceanion has a horse called Chasing Wind, and seeing it today, it truly stands out. Lewis Horton, a knight deserves a great steed, but this horse is just a tool for entertaining beauties in your hands. Why don¡¯t you do this, since your wife is afraid to race me, sell me this horse! Name your price, any amount!¡±


    Ellis Olsen had been drooling over Chasing Wind for a while.


    Fine horses are hard to come by, especially those with a wild edge that only obey their master, they are indeed the dream of every horse lover.


    When Ellis first saw Chasing Wind being led by Lewis, drifting leisurely around the racetrack, it nearly drove him mad.


    In his view, a horse like Chasing Wind deserved respect!


    Lewis Horton coldly said, ¡°Not for sale.¡±


    Ellis Olsen straightforwardly responded, ¡°Not selling it to continue having it spoiled by this bastard daughter? When we were in school, how come I didn¡¯t notice you were so lovesick?¡±


    He frowned and said, ¡°Moreover, I heard that when Chasing Wind was sent to Oceanion, no one could tame it, it nearly starved to death! And in the end, wasn¡¯t it Oceanion¡¯s most skilled Horse Trainer who conquered it? Are you really honoring the Horse Trainer¡¯s efforts by doing this?¡±


    Someone behind him inquired, ¡°What Horse Trainer?¡±


    Ellis Olsen explained, ¡°These past years, a Horse Trainer appeared in Oceanion. I heard she¡¯s a woman, and any horse that ends up in her hands eventually gets tamed. Many wild horses caught would rather starve to death than submit, but that Horse Trainer really understands the nature of horses. The prized horses she tames usually retain their original wildness, she¡¯s truly impressive!¡±


    ¡°A woman? Taming horses? Is that for real?¡±


    Ellis Olsen sneered, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true, Chasing Wind was tamed by that person, just look at its current state¡­¡±


    After leaving these words, Ellis became engrossed and entered the stable, walking up to Chasing Wind.


    His love for horses had reached the point of obsession, and he exclaimed in admiration, ¡°Look at that smooth coat and those muscles. It¡¯s just standing there, and I can imagine how the muscle lines would flow when it¡¯s running at full speed¡­ Do you know what the most impressive thing about that horse trainer is? It¡¯s that the wild horses she tames hardly ever get injured¡­¡±


    Ellis Olsen opened his mouth, ¡°I really want to meet that person!¡±


    Jake Horton hurriedly interjected, ¡°Then, Young Master Olsen, why don¡¯t you stay a few more days? I can call her over so you can meet.¡±


    Ellis Olsen immediately sneered, ¡°Clance is so far from Oceanion, I¡¯ll definitely stay longer when I come, but you don¡¯t need to call her. If I get news of that horse trainer, I¡¯ll pay her a visit myself¡­¡±


    Someone at the side laughed, ¡°Young Master Olsen, it¡¯s just a horse trainer, is it worth it?¡±


    Ellis Olsen immediately lifted his chin, ¡°How is it not worth it? So many strong men can¡¯t tame that precious horse, but she can. She¡¯s truly a heroine among women!¡±


    After saying that, he deliberately looked towards Kiera Olsen, ¡°Unlike some people, who haven¡¯t even ridden a horse and need someone to lead them by the reins when they sit on one. How overly delicate!¡±


    Kiera ¡®Horse Trainer¡¯ ¡®Delicate¡¯ Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    She had figured it out.


    This Ellis Olsen didn¡¯t have an issue with her identity but with her as a person.


    If she thought about it, she knew what was going on. It must be because of what Isla Olsen had said¡­


    While she pondered, Lewis Horton had already stepped forward and said, ¡°Ellis Olsen, if you¡¯re so capable, why not race me on horseback? What kind of man only targets women?!¡±


    Ellis Olsen chuckled, ¡°Why would I race you? I couldn¡¯t beat you abroad, and I¡¯m not a fool to humiliate myself here.¡±


    After he said that, he moved closer to Chasing Wind, subconsciously wanting to pat its head.


    But unexpectedly, in the next moment, Chasing Wind suddenly raised its front hooves, let out a piercing neigh, and kicked straight towards Ellis Olsen¡¯s groin! S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ellis Olsen was shocked and quickly took two steps back, steadying himself.


    The others couldn¡¯t believe it, and one muscular man shouted, ¡°Hey, is this horse really that wild? Let me have a try~¡±


    He directly grabbed the reins and mounted the horse.


    He was Ellis Olsen¡¯s personal riding instructor, usually skilled at horse training, but Chasing Wind was different from other wild horses. As soon as the man mounted, the horse began to buck on the spot.


    In less than two minutes, it had thrown him off!


    ¡°What a fiery horse,¡± praised the instructor.


    The people around immediately gathered to watch the horse.


    After throwing the man off, Chasing Wind raised its head and began to prance on the spot, looking extremely proud.


    Some others wanted to try approaching, but they were stopped by the instructor, ¡°Don¡¯t mess with this horse. I just provoked it, and now it¡¯s in a frenzy. Getting close could be dangerous.¡±


    Everyone immediately began to back away.


    Keira Olsen was watching the commotion and was about to take a few steps back when suddenly a strong force pushed her from behind, sending her straight in front of Chasing Wind!

 Chapter 167 - 167 167

    ?Chapter 167: Chapter 167 Chapter 167: Chapter 167 ¡°Kiera!¡±


    Lewis Horton tried to rush to the rescue, but his arm was grabbed by Jake Horton, ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t go there; it¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    Lewis Horton instinctively tried to break free from his grip, but surrounded by people, he couldn¡¯t move freely and could only punch Jake Horton hard in the chest.


    Then he tried to push through the crowd¡­


    At the forefront of the crowd were Ellis Olsen and his coach.


    Seeing Keira Olsen rushing over, Ellis Olsen¡¯s pupils shrank, and he immediately cursed, ¡°Reckless!¡±


    Ellis Olsen wanted to step forward to help, but was stopped by the horse trainer, ¡°This horse is too fierce and too violent; you can¡¯t go forward, it¡¯s too dangerous!¡±


    Ellis Olsen furrowed his brows tightly and couldn¡¯t help but curse angrily, ¡°What is this illegitimate daughter doing? Has she lost her mind? Didn¡¯t she hear a word we just said? We kept saying not to get close, not to get close¡­¡±


    ¡°Lewis Horton, did you freaking marry a brainless wife?¡±


    Lewis Horton had already broken free from the crowd and arrived in front of Ellis Olsen. Hearing this, he didn¡¯t have time to retort and dashed toward the middle of the racecourse.


    His heart was almost in his throat.


    At that moment, intense regret surged in his heart.


    Why hadn¡¯t he held onto Keira Olsen¡¯s hand tightly just now? He had let her get pushed by the crowd right in front of Chasing Wind¡­


    Chasing Wind, still untamed even after being bought back, had taken several days and nights to accept him as its master, and over the years, Chasing Wind had injured countless staff members¡­


    Whether male or female, no one dared to get too close.


    Keira Olsen¡­


    Just as Lewis Horton was about to rush in to rescue, the next moment, he was stunned by the scene before him.


    He saw the previously wild Chasing Wind, which had been spinning on the spot and neighing incessantly, suddenly tremble when Keira Olsen approached, then quiet down, lowering its prideful head, and even rubbing its horse face against Keira Olsen¡¯s shoulder.


    Crowd: ¡°???¡±


    Why did it feel like the horse was seeking approval?


    Keira Olsen stretched out her hand and touched the horse¡¯s head, and the horse immediately calmed down, its previous ferocity and agitation seemingly disappearing in an instant.


    It even wagged its tail like a dog.


    Crowd: ¡°¡­¡±


    The venue fell silent.


    After a while, Ellis Olsen finally said in surprise, ¡°Lewis Horton, your horse is almost psychic! Does it know that this woman is your wife, and so it¡¯s also gentle with her?!¡±


    People behind him seemed to understand something, and one by one began to compliment Chasing Wind:


    ¡°This horse is really divine, it understands so much!¡±


    ¡°Just like a clever person¡­¡±


    ¡°My God, I actually see worldly wisdom in a horse!¡±


    ¡°No wonder Young Master Olsen likes this horse so much; I suddenly like it too¡­ Such blatant favoritism is simply incredible!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing how the crowd¡¯s discussion was gradually going off track, Isla Olsen got a bit anxious, and she hurriedly steered the conversation back, ¡°Uncle, it seems you often bring Kiera here! We didn¡¯t even know¡­ but then again, you¡¯ve been married for two years and have been hiding it from us, especially from Kiera, my mom has been so deceived by you¡­¡±


    She deliberately phrased it this way, indeed leading Ellis Olsen to misunderstand.


    An illegitimate daughter, who knows what means she used to marry Lewis Horton and from then on could possibly walk sideways in the Olsen Family? She must be causing even more trouble for Mrs. Olsen, right?


    Thinking of the command given by his uncle¡­


    As much as Ellis Olsen admired Chasing Wind at this moment, he despised Keira Olsen all the more!


    Keira Olsen spoke directly, ¡°Since Lewis Horton often brings you here, your horse riding skills must be decent. Come on, let¡¯s all take a lap and have some fun~!¡±


    With a wave of his hand, a horse was brought over.


    The young lords around him mounted their horses one by one.


    Ellis Olsen also chose a big chestnut horse. Sitting on the horse, he looked imposing and said from above to Keira Olsen, ¡°Come on, mount up, Keira. You don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t even mount a horse, do you?¡±


    The others laughed:


    ¡°No way, right? Isn¡¯t this the first thing you learn in a horse riding class?¡±


    ¡°I just saw Mr. Horton take her down from the horse; looks like she indeed cannot mount¡­¡±


    ¡°It could also be that she¡¯s scared. That move by Chasing Wind probably scared her out of her wits¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amidst the murmuring crowd, Isla Olsen approached Lewis Horton, ¡°Uncle, why don¡¯t you apologize to Young Master Olsen and let¡¯s not have Keira ride. What if something really happens?¡±


    This comment shifted everyone¡¯s attention back to Lewis Horton.


    However, Lewis Horton was continually staring at the woman in the riding arena¡­


    Others thought that Chasing Wind was so polite because of him, but only he knew this was their first time at the riding ground and given Chasing Wind¡¯s nature, it wasn¡¯t possible for the horse to behave so tamely just because Keira Olsen had ridden him once.


    Chasing Wind had never been so humble even in front of him!


    Recalling what Ellis Olsen had just said, in all of Oceanion only one Horse Trainer had ever tamed this horse¡­


    So¡­


    Lewis Horton vaguely had a guess!


    Indeed, the next moment, he saw Keira Olsen smile at him and then spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s take a lap.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The young lords immediately kicked their horses, and the horses started running inside the arena.


    Among these figures were also girls¡­


    After all, horse riding lessons are almost a regular class for them, moreover, today was a riding club gathering. Those rich second generations who really didn¡¯t like horse-riding lessons wouldn¡¯t attend.


    Ellis Olsen looked at Keira Olsen with a mocking laugh, ¡°Mount up!¡±


    Keira Olsen once again touched Chasing Wind¡¯s head.


    Chasing Wind was really tall, and its stirrups were adjusted for Lewis Horton¡¯s height, making it somewhat difficult for Keira Olsen to mount. Just as she was about to grab the saddle from behind Chasing Wind to swing herself up, a tall figure suddenly walked over.


    Lewis Horton came in front of her, put his hands together, then slightly bent over. His eyes and eyebrows were like a painting, and his voice was deep and magnetic, ¡°Let me help you up.¡±


    Keira Olsen looked into his dark eyes and smiled slightly.


    She stepped onto the back of Lewis Horton¡¯s hand, and as he lifted forcefully, she used the momentum to leap onto the horse, then firmly placed her foot in the stirrup and tightened the reins! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This action was smooth and fluid, making Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes shine.


    Ellis Olsen sneered, ¡°All show, what¡¯s the use of these pretty moves? Have the guts to run!¡±


    The others laughed too:


    ¡°She¡¯s just a girl; looking good is enough. Young Master Olsen, do you really think she can compete with us in speed?¡±


    ¡°If she can just gently cruise around, that¡¯s enough! An illegitimate daughter who hasn¡¯t taken horse-riding lessons, how could she possibly outrun you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amidst the disparaging comments from the crowd, Keira Olsen suddenly raised an eyebrow at Lewis Horton, then withdrew her gaze and lightly patted Chasing Wind, ¡°Giddy up!¡±

 Chapter 168 - 168 168

    ?Chapter 168: Chapter 168 Chapter 168: Chapter 168 Accompanied by the clear voice of the young girl, Chasing Wind began to run at a leisurely pace.


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t aim to show off her skills or flaunt anything; she merely wanted to complete a lap and fulfill the task.


    To prevent Lewis Horton from losing face because of her.


    And to curb Ellis Olsen¡¯s arrogance.


    She, clad in a white riding outfit, rode a tall horse with her spine straight, her leisurely pace unwittingly becoming the focal point of everyone present.


    Isla Olsen also mounted her horse.


    With no choice, as Ellis Olsen had entered the field, they all wanted to accompany him. She rode slowly, which wasn¡¯t a big deal, as long as she didn¡¯t start racing, there was no risk to the baby in her womb.


    Isla Olsen was followed by several sycophants she had called over, who were flattering her with bright smiles:


    ¡°Miss Isla Olsen, it¡¯s truly your mother who is impressive; to think she could invite Young Master Olsen from Clance to this equestrian gathering!¡±


    ¡°Not just Young Master Olsen, you shouldn¡¯t overlook those other nobles either! They come from very powerful families!¡±


    ¡°Isla, I thought your family was just a middle-class household, never imagined you had such impressive connections. Why haven¡¯t you boasted about this before? Your family is really low-key!¡±


    ¡°Isla, your family name is also Olsen; don¡¯t tell me your family has any relatives in the Clance Olsen Family?¡±


    Isla Olsen had already looked into this matter early on.


    Indeed, there was a connection.


    Taylor Olsen was indeed a distant relative of the Clance Olsen Family, separated by countless generations. Because they were so distantly related, both families had little contact.


    Taylor Olsen grew up in Oceanion and attended university in Clance.


    After graduating from university, he married Mrs. Olsen, Jodie South, and then returned to Oceanion¡­


    When Jodie South was in Clance, she had connections with many influential family youths and seemed to have good relationships. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, she had casually sent a few text messages to those in Clance, and those who came today did so either out of respect for Ellis Olsen or for Jodie South¡¯s influence.


    Overall, these wealthy second-generation individuals were indeed very impressive contacts.


    Isla Olsen looked toward Ellis Olsen and saw Jake Horton already mingling with them, chatting and laughing.


    Ellis Olsen, undeniably a standout in the Olsen Family generation, was indeed very accommodating to Jake Horton for the sake of Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face.


    Regardless of what Ellis Olsen truly felt inside, outwardly, he got along well with Jake Horton.


    But Jake Horton, still young and arrogant, wore a slight look of smugness on his face, unlike Lewis Horton¡¯s practiced depth.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s gaze deepened.


    Had she known Mrs. Olsen had so many connections, she wouldn¡¯t have fixated on Jake Horton. If she could have married Lewis Horton, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have had to struggle so much today?


    ¡­How fortunate Kiera Olsen really is!


    Isla Olsen glanced at Kiera Olsen and gave her horse a nudge to quicken her pace, catching up with her: ¡°Kiera, Uncle¡¯s horse, Chasing Wind, really seems to understand humans; it¡¯s your first time riding and you¡¯re so steady, it hasn¡¯t shown any temper at all.¡±


    This comment made the group of wealthy daughters following her laugh:


    ¡°Looking at her, it can¡¯t be her first time riding, right? Who wouldn¡¯t be scared the first time?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not her first time. Didn¡¯t we just say? When Miss Isla Olsen took horseback riding lessons as a child, she was always there, even serving as a human mounting block for Miss Isla Olsen!~¡±


    ¡°Ah? Is that still a thing? I¡¯ve only seen it on TV, where eunuchs would kneel down and let the emperor step on their backs to mount the horse, never seen it in reality. Miss Isla Olsen, why don¡¯t you and Kiera Olsen perform it for us?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s smile deepened, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, times have changed. Kiera is now my aunt, and Uncle is right beside us¡­¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that she¡¯s an illegitimate daughter! I heard when she was a child, she even had to bring you water for washing your feet?¡±


    ¡°Ew, a foot-washing maid, how disgusting!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes turned cold as she stared directly at Isla Olsen, ¡°Was it you who pushed me just now?¡±


    Isla Olsen narrowed her eyes, ¡°Kiera, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand¡­ But Mr. Horton¡¯s horse is quite fierce, you better be careful¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t waste words and simply gave a gentle tug on Chasing Wind¡¯s reins.


    Chasing Wind immediately became visibly agitated and impatient, casting a glare at Isla¡¯s horse, snorting softly out of his nostrils.


    Isla¡¯s horse was instantly startled, jumping to the side and half-kneeling down, causing Isla to fall straight off the horse!


    Isla rolled off, her riding outfit smeared with dirt from the ground.


    But since the soil of the riding field was soft, it didn¡¯t do much harm to her child.


    Yet she was an utter mess, utterly embarrassing.


    ¡°Miss Olsen!¡±


    Some staff and her henchmen immediately rushed to her side, anxiously inquiring, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Isla clenched her fists tight, ¡°Kiera Olsen, you did that on purpose!¡±


    Kiera Olsen, however, responded slowly while adjusting the horse¡¯s reins, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand. Plus, this is my first time riding a horse, so I don¡¯t really know how to control it. Mr. Horton¡¯s horse is very feisty. Aren¡¯t you good at riding? How could you get so close to me? That¡¯s a bit careless, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Isla: !!


    That statement felt all too familiar!


    She was so angry that her whole body trembled.


    Just then, Jake Horton and Ellis Olsen noticed something was amiss and had already galloped over.


    Jake dismounted and walked over to Isla, ¡°Is the child okay?¡±


    Isla really wanted to roll her eyes.


    But seeing that Ellis also glanced over, she turned directly towards Kiera, biting her lip, ¡°Aunt, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have disrespected you, I shouldn¡¯t let everyone bring up your status as an illegitimate daughter¡­¡±


    She lowered her head, sounding aggrieved, ¡°I¡¯ll go back and have a good talk with my mom, asking her to accept you, to not quarrel with you anymore¡­ You can return to the Olsen Family whenever you want, I won¡¯t stop you anymore, but could you please not harbor any ill thoughts towards my unborn child? It¡¯s innocent!¡±


    As she spoke, her eyes began to redden.


    Kiera Olsen frowned deeply, ¡°What are you talking about? When did I want to return to the Olsen Family? Mrs. Olsen has never blamed me¡­¡±


    Isla immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, my mom wouldn¡¯t dare to blame you¡­ After all, you are now legally my uncle¡¯s wife¡­¡±


    Ellis Olsen, who was listening, frowned even more. Suddenly, without a word, he rode his horse up beside Kiera and harshly whipped her horse¡¯s backside!


    Chasing Wind, taken aback, immediately leaped forward and started running away.


    Ellis Olsen, an excellent rider, followed close beside Chasing Wind and sneered, ¡°Miss Olsen, you like to bully others with your power? Then let¡¯s let you taste what it¡¯s like to be bullied!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ?

 Chapter 169 - 169 169

    ?Chapter 169: Chapter 169 Chapter 169: Chapter 169 Keira Olsen frowned, about to speak, when Ellis Olsen whipped the horse again, propelling Chasing Wind to an even faster pace!


    Ellis Olsen¡¯s face was dark and sullen, tinged with anger.


    Today, he was going to properly discipline this illegitimate daughter!


    With him there to protect her, she wouldn¡¯t die from a fall, but he could definitely scare her to death!


    Since childhood, Ellis had enjoyed playing such cruel tricks; countless girls had been pushed to their limits while on horseback, crying and begging for mercy, completely losing their composure.


    After dismounting, they would be so scared they¡¯d soil themselves.


    The malicious daughters of the nobility, all were tamed by his lessons, and he had earned the nickname of defiant figure in Clance.


    Today, his goal was to make this illegitimate daughter panic and abandon her armor in retreat, hopefully so scared she¡¯d wet herself and flee in total disarray, losing all her dignity and unable to ever attend any social event again.


    Let¡¯s see how she would pick on Mrs. Olsen and her daughter after that!


    With that thought, Ellis lashed Chasing Wind¡¯s backside with another fierce whip.


    Chasing Wind sped up massively once more!


    Ellis Olsen¡¯s horse could barely keep up.


    He followed closely behind, smirking as he watched the girl ahead.


    But seeing Chasing Wind¡¯s extreme speed, Keira Olsen leaned forward, practically lying flat on the horse¡­


    Her form was correct, but surely her face must be pale with fright by now?


    Ellis Olsen sneered and coolly opened his mouth, ¡°Keira Olsen, beg me for forgiveness now, and if you apologize nicely to Isla later, I¡¯ll let you off the hook. How about it?¡±


    The girl on the horseback, however, turned back at this moment.


    Her peach blossom eyes were still clear and composed, and she spoke lightly, ¡°Mr. Olsen, how about we make a bet?¡±


    She was definitely feigning that composure!


    Ellis Olsen scoffed, ¡°What bet?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s race to the flag ahead and see who gets there faster.¡±


    Ellis Olsen chuckled, ¡°You truly overestimate yourself! Fine, but what¡¯s the wager?¡±


    ¡°If I lose,¡± Keira said calmly, ¡°I will apologize to Isla as you just demanded.¡±


    ¡°But if I win, you have to bow down in front of Lewis Horton and admit you¡¯ll never be able to outdo him!¡± Keira Olsen stated.


    Ellis Olsen suddenly burst into laughter, ¡°You just want me to let you off the hook, don¡¯t you? You really think I can¡¯t see through such a petty trick? But I accept your bet!¡±


    He was genuinely a bit impressed by Keira Olsen, considering she could still hold her own in such a situation.


    Coming up with a bet like this to make him let her go was indeed clever. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, in any case, if she lost, she would still have to apologize to Isla, so he thought of it as giving her a way out.


    After leaving that comment, Ellis Olsen prepared to overtake Chasing Wind from the inside, thinking that Keira might slow down, but unexpectedly, as he sped up¡­


    ¡°Go!¡±


    The girl kicked the horse¡¯s belly again, and with her calm and clear voice, Chasing Wind accelerated yet again!


    Ellis Olsen only saw a blur as Chasing Wind suddenly surged ahead, leading by a full horse¡¯s length!


    Ellis Olsen was stunned.


    The girl¡¯s adept posture, her calm demeanour, and her clear voice when accelerating, all made him realize she was no novice!


    Ellis Olsen whipped his horse¡¯s tail hard, determined to catch up.


    How could his horsemanship possibly be worse than that of an illegitimate daughter?!


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, Isla Olsen and the others had already stopped and were watching the activity on the racetrack.


    Isla looked down at the dust covering her clothes and the layer of dust on her hair, clenching her fists.


    Someone immediately spoke up to defend her:


    ¡°Miss Isla Olsen has always been excellent in horse riding, she has always been among the best of us¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, Miss Isla Olsen has been outstanding since she was young, always the ¡®child from another family¡¯ our parents mentioned. Each time they brought her up, they told us to learn more from Miss Olsen¡­¡±


    ¡°Speaking of that, Keira Olsen is just a renowned vase, right? I remember back in school, she was always at the bottom of the class¡­ Children born from different mothers, are indeed quite different, ha!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just her studies that are bad, she¡¯s bad at everything, considering her lowly birth¡­¡±


    ¡°Look over there!¡±


    While some were sneering privately, suddenly a cry of surprise made everyone turn to look at the field!


    It was seen that Keira Olsen and Ellis Olsen must have said something, and then Chasing Wind started to gallop quickly, soon pulling a two-horse-length distance from Ellis Olsen¡¯s horse!


    The gossiping crowd was stunned.


    Jake Horton stared blankly at the horse field, looking at the girl¡¯s poised and graceful figure, and blurted out in shock, ¡°How could she possibly ride a horse?!¡±


    Isla Olsen was also flabbergasted, watching the horse field in disbelief.


    Horse riding had always been her proudest activity; she had won many awards in equestrian competitions, which emboldened her to host this banquet to entertain Ellis Olsen. But how could it be¡­?


    At this moment, Keira Olsen was running at a speed that she had never achieved!


    Isla Olsen clenched her fists tightly and suddenly said, ¡°It must be because Chasing Wind is such a great horse¡­ Yes, this horse is a purebred Ferghana, no wonder so many people pursue fine horses, the boost a good horse brings is too important!¡±


    Jake Horton also tensed his jaw, ¡°Yes, that must be it¡­¡±


    The others seemed unable to accept the fact that Keira Olsen was outperforming them in horse riding, and so were soon persuaded by this argument:


    ¡°Keira Olsen racing with Young Master Olsen, even if she wins, it¡¯s not respectable, Young Master Olsen¡¯s horse is just an ordinary one¡­¡±


    ¡°Not to mention Chasing Wind has a reputation in Oceanion, it is famous throughout Crera for its pure Ferghana lineage¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As everyone was discussing fervently, Ellis Olsen was cursing under his breath, ¡°It¡¯s infuriating, Keira Olsen, even if you win, it¡¯s because of that horse. If I had brought my Red Sun here, you definitely wouldn¡¯t have beaten me! Giddy up!¡±


    He whipped his horse furiously, frustrated and annoyed.


    That horse was also among the best in the Horton Family¡¯s horse field, second only to Chasing Wind.


    However, due to its bloodline, its speed had reached its limit, and now being spurred on like this, it suddenly panicked.


    But then, the chestnut-colored horse suddenly lost control, leaped out from the railing of the horse field, and bolted madly away!


    Ellis Olsen was instantly stunned, vigorously pulling at the reins, but it had no effect at all!


    The entire horse field erupted into chaos.


    This was a very serious horse racing accident! With a bit of bad luck, Ellis Olsen could have fallen from the horse and died!


    The coaches at the horse field and Ellis Olsen¡¯s coach were terrified, they quickly mounted their horses to chase after him, and the ambulance nearby revved into action, trying to rescue him!


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton exchanged glances.


    In their eyes, along with the panic, a hint of excitement suddenly emerged.


    If something happened to Ellis Olsen while racing with Keira Olsen, the Olsen Family would surely hold someone accountable, and they would definitely seek an explanation from Lewis Horton!


    Having offended the Olsen Family¡­ this time, Lewis Horton is done for!


    They hadn¡¯t expected this trip to the horse field would yield such an unexpected pleasant surprise!


    Excitement began to light up in their eyes as they thought about this.


    Lewis Horton also furrowed his brows and ran over to a horse nearby, attempting to rescue.


    Ellis Olsen was of special status, and an accident here would be difficult to explain to the Olsen Family!


    But he was far from where Ellis Olsen had been racing, and with Ellis Olsen¡¯s frightened horse speeding up, he had no chance of catching up.


    Just as everyone was on tenterhooks, thinking that a major disaster was about to occur¡­


    The agile figure of Chasing Wind suddenly leapt into the air, vaulting over the railing and charging straight after Ellis Olsen!

 Chapter 170 - 170 170

    ?Chapter 170: Chapter 170 Chapter 170: Chapter 170 Everyone was stunned.


    As Chasing Wind leaped over the barrier, the entire horse seemed to nearly fly.


    Its pale golden fur emitted a golden radiance under the sunlight.


    Such speed and height made everyone¡¯s heart rise to their throat. Ordinary people would definitely be thrown off the horse¡¯s back in this situation, and even the riding instructors present couldn¡¯t guarantee their own safety!


    They could almost imagine Kiera Olsen being flung off and hitting the ground hard, then trampled by the horse¡¯s hooves, breaking her ribs¡­


    That bloody scene was too much for the onlookers to bear!


    Some young ladies from rich families gasped and instinctively covered their eyes.


    Others, braver, watched intently, worried for Kiera Olsen in their hearts¡­


    But the anticipated horrific scene didn¡¯t happen. Instead, Kiera Olsen¡¯s entire body was prone on the horse. Holding the reins with one hand, she remained steadily seated on the horse¡¯s back the moment it soared and landed!


    Her figure melded as one with Chasing Wind, appearing like a celestial warrior descending on a steed at that moment!


    ¡°Holy cow! That actually worked!¡±


    A young gentleman, who had ridden with Ellis Olsen before, couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°This illegitimate daughter is pretty badass!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The coach beside him breathed a sigh of relief but then furrowed his brows with worry, ¡°This is just the first challenge. The main test is still to come¡­¡±


    These words made everyone who had just relaxed tense up once again!


    Indeed, leaping over the barrier was only the first challenge. The most important thing was to catch up with Ellis Olsen¡¯s horse and then soothe the animal and calm it down!


    Given its current frightened state, no one but a professional horse trainer could hope to pacify it quickly.


    Frowns returned to the faces of the onlookers.


    ¡­


    Ellis Olsen felt he was done for.


    He had tried every possible way to placate the horse, but it just wouldn¡¯t stop. He could feel the fury and restlessness of the horse underneath him.


    The speed of the horse increased, and his body bounced erratically; leaning forcefully on it did nothing.


    At this speed, if the horse went berserk¡­


    There was almost no chance of survival!


    Ellis Olsen¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, yet he didn¡¯t regret quarreling with that illegitimate daughter.


    People who bullied Mrs. Olsen and her daughter just because they married well, he would still teach them a lesson next time to vent for Mrs. Olsen!


    His only regret was that he hadn¡¯t lived long enough!


    He hadn¡¯t found a wife for his uncle yet¡­


    He hadn¡¯t managed to deceive Lewis Horton back home to have his cousin marry this genius¡­


    And the biggest pity was that he was in Oceanion and had yet to meet the legendary horse trainer!


    What a loss!


    His life had been too much of a loss.


    As Ellis Olsen thought this, a neigh came from behind him. He glanced back and saw Kiera Olsen with a tense face, charging alongside him like a heroine.


    Ellis immediately frowned and said, ¡°What are you doing catching up?¡±


    Kiera Olsen frowned and stared at his horse, ¡°Hold on tight, and grab the reins¡­¡±


    Ellis Olsen was suddenly surprised, ¡°You want to save me? Stop kidding, with your skills, don¡¯t get yourself killed too!¡±


    Keira Olsen gave him a cold look and didn¡¯t say a word, still observing the horse.


    Horses don¡¯t just go crazy, especially the Horton Family horses. Except for Chasing Wind, they are all tamed and usually very gentle.


    There must be something that had agitated this horse. Keira Olsen was carefully looking for the reason, trying to find the root cause¡­


    Ellis Olsen scoffed, ¡°What? You¡¯re afraid my death will bring you trouble? Then carry that guilt and stop bullying Mrs. Olsen and her daughter in the future! I despise people who are smug in their petty success!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­Shut up!¡±


    Ellis Olsen continued, ¡°Right, can you do me a favor?¡±


    Keira Olsen still didn¡¯t say anything.


    Ellis Olsen coughed slightly, ¡°My idol is that mysterious horse trainer from Oceanion. If you see her, remember to tell her I admire her.¡±


    Keira Olsen, upon hearing this, suddenly revealed an unusual look in her eyes.


    She examined Ellis Olsen deeply.


    This man wasn¡¯t actually bad, even when he had forced her to race him, he had always been by her side, protecting her. Otherwise, Keira Olsen wouldn¡¯t have bothered to save him.


    ¡°Your riding isn¡¯t too shabby. You¡¯re so stable even at high speeds, and you don¡¯t look like such a vase, Lewis Horton has some good judgment¡­ But don¡¯t chase after that, don¡¯t overestimate yourself and risk your life¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen sighed helplessly and then sped up again!


    Chasing Wind directly caught up with the runaway horse¡­


    Ellis Olsen panicked, ¡°Hey, what are you doing? You¡¯re not planning to die with me, are you? It sounds like you want to die for love, which is completely unnecessary¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, he stared in astonishment wide-eyed.


    He saw the woman in front of him suddenly stand up on the horse, hanging off the side of Chasing Wind like a circus performer, and then she leaped up as Chasing Wind accelerated!


    Next, Ellis Olsen felt a weight behind him, and the girl was already sitting there, her arm reaching around him to grab the reins!


    Ellis Olsen: !!


    His face filled with shock, ¡°Hey, illegitimate daughter, are you really out of your mind?! Even if you jump over, it¡¯s useless, you won¡¯t be able to calm this horse¡­ This is basically a death wish! You¡­¡±


    With no saddle or stirrups in the position behind him, and the horse moving so fast, Keira Olsen would be thrown off immediately!


    He instinctively turned his head and heard the woman¡¯s clear, calm, and slightly disdainful voice, ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re so noisy!¡±


    Ellis Olsen: !


    Just as he was about to say something else, the woman¡¯s voice came from behind again, ¡°Hold on tight and sit steady!¡±


    Before he could grasp what she meant, Ellis Olsen felt himself being embraced around the waist, and then the woman¡¯s body soared, flipping over sideways, with Keira Olsen moving from behind him to in front of him.


    Then, Keira Olsen grabbed the reins, taking control of the horse.


    She leaned down, gently stroked the horse¡¯s head, then pulled hard on the reins while lying down to touch the horse¡¯s belly¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s useless, I¡¯ve already tried all this! If you jumped over just to do this, it¡¯s really unnecessary. You think you are my idol?¡±


    The reins taken from Ellis Olsen, he could only hold onto Keira Olsen¡¯s slender shoulders. He had been on the horse the whole time, acutely aware of the horse¡¯s restlessness and accelerations.


    Ever since the horse got spooked, he had been performing these soothing motions, but none seemed effective.


    So when he saw Keira Olsen doing the same actions, he couldn¡¯t help but frown and speak out.


    But to his utter surprise, almost as soon as he had spoken, he immediately felt the horse beneath them begin to gradually calm down!!

 Chapter 171 - 171 171

    ?Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Ellis Olsen was stunned.


    He felt it must be his own illusion!


    The horse was still running, but the speed at which the scenery receded on both sides was indeed slowing down¡­


    He looked in astonishment at the girl sitting in front of him.


    Keira Olsen was bent over, still stroking the horse¡¯s head and body, whispering something as if she was comforting it.


    Chasing Wind had also run ahead of them and gradually slowed down, bringing the horse to a stop.


    Keira Olsen finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    But Ellis Olsen was already stunned, looking at Keira Olsen in disbelief.


    Had she really managed to handle it?!


    How could this be¡­


    While he was still in shock, Lewis Horton and several other security officers came riding over, and everyone surrounded them, immediately shocked by the scene.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze immediately fell on Keira Olsen, and seeing that she had no injuries, he then breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then he coldly turned to the hand that Ellis Olsen had on Keira Olsen¡¯s shoulder, if looks could turn into knives, Ellis Olsen¡¯s hand would have been slashed a thousand times by now!


    He rode forward, coughed once, ¡°Ellis Olsen, haven¡¯t you ridden enough? Aren¡¯t you afraid this horse will get frightened again?¡±


    Only then did Ellis Olsen react and immediately dismounted.


    Lewis Horton then looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Keira Olsen, however, didn¡¯t dismount but continued to gently pat the horse¡¯s head, soothing its emotions.


    Someone couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Mrs. Horton, did you calm this horse down?¡±


    Another person spoke, ¡°The horse was in a really bad state just now, and it was calmed down like this?¡±


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be possible, right? In that state, even professional horse trainers might not be able to handle it¡­There have been several cases like this, all ending in both human and horse deaths¡­¡±


    ¡°Such an incident occurred in Oceanion before, but at that time it was calmed down by that highly skilled, mysterious horse trainer¡­¡±


    ¡°Horse trainer? Mrs. Horton, you¡­ could it be you are?¡±


    Everyone at the scene immediately gasped.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes deepened.


    Once Keira Olsen saw the horse beneath her was fine, she straightened up, exhaled and hearing everyone¡¯s speculation, she glanced at Ellis Olsen and saw his eyes already wide with surprise¡­


    Keira Olsen chuckled softly, neither denying nor admitting, ¡°This horse was scared because there was a wood splinter on the whip, and Mr. Olsen jabbed it into the horse¡¯s buttocks.¡±


    Having said that, she turned her hand over, producing a wood splinter.


    This was why she had flipped over, first to Ellis Olsen¡¯s back, and then to the front to soothe the horse. When she landed behind Ellis Olsen, she had first pulled out this wood splinter.


    When everyone saw the quite thick wood splinter, they all gasped, immediately turning towards Ellis Olsen, ¡°Young Master Olsen, how could there be such a big splinter?!¡±


    Ellis Olsen was also stunned and did not speak for a moment.


    Keira Olsen then calmly said, ¡°Young Master Olsen used this whip to hit the trees nearby, right?¡±


    Ellis Olsen: ?


    He suddenly remembered, it wasn¡¯t that he had hit the trees with the whip, but that while bullying Keira Olsen, he had whipped her horse¡¯s buttocks and accidentally swept over a wooden stake¡­


    This was indeed a case of lifting a rock to drop on his own feet, a self-inflicted mess!


    Ellis Olsen suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.


    For a moment, no one spoke, and it suddenly got a bit awkward.


    At that moment, Jake Horton and others, some by car and some by horse, the second wave of people finally arrived.


    Those who hadn¡¯t seen what had just happened immediately gathered around Ellis Olsen, ¡°Young Master Olsen, are you alright?¡±


    Jake Horton also immediately started making trouble, ¡°Keira Olsen, why are you being so hard on Young Master Olsen? If it wasn¡¯t for your race with him, Young Master Olsen wouldn¡¯t have had this accident! Uncle, I think you owe Young Master Olsen an explanation today!¡±


    At these words, Ellis Olsen became even more embarrassed.


    Lewis Horton scoffed, ¡°Ellis Olsen, what sort of explanation would you like?¡±


    Ellis Olsen immediately touched his nose and hesitated, ¡°Well¡­¡±


    He coughed, ¡°Today Mrs. Horton saved my life. I owe her a favor. Lewis Horton, Mrs. Horton, if there¡¯s anything you need in the future that¡¯s within my capability, feel free to ask for my help once.¡±


    Jake Horton looked surprised upon hearing this.


    They were too far from each other; he hadn¡¯t seen what happened clearly, but Kiera Olsen saved Ellis Olsen? How could that be possible!


    When did her horse riding skills become so good?!


    After leaving this message, he got into the car and headed back, ¡°Alright, it was just a trivial matter. Let¡¯s head back to the party and have some fun¡­¡±


    Jake Horton wanted to say something but knew it wasn¡¯t the time to ask questions, so he immediately gathered around Ellis Olsen and walked back with him.


    After getting into the car, his gaze shifted towards Kiera Olsen.


    Now what is he supposed to do!


    Owing such a big favor to an illegitimate daughter, how could he help his uncle protect Mrs. Olsen and teach her a lesson?


    It¡¯s enough!


    A group of people quickly surrounded Ellis Olsen and left.


    Kiera Olsen, on the other hand, rode her horse and followed alongside Lewis Horton back.


    The two rode side by side, chatting as they went.


    Lewis Horton looked at her and suddenly spoke up, ¡°Can¡¯t ride a horse?¡±


    Kiera Olsen immediately coughed, her eyes dodging slightly, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that~ I just said that horse riding is fun¡­ cough cough¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton laughed, ¡°Well, I¡¯m just a bit curious¡­¡±


    ¡°Curious about what?¡±


    ¡°Curious about what exactly Mrs. doesn¡¯t know how to do.¡±


    Kiera Olsen stiffened.


    This man called her Mrs. again!


    His voice was low and his two words sounded incredibly magnetic, as if something brushed through her heart¡­


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly, and she smiled slyly, ¡°There is something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡­ can¡¯t pee standing up?¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lewis Horton: ??


    ¡°Giddy up!¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked back with a smile, raised an eyebrow at him, then sped up, surpassing those cars and headed towards the racetrack.


    Lewis Horton watched her figure, smiled indulgently, and sped up to chase after her¡­


    ¡­


    Kiera Olsen arrived back faster on horseback than they did by car.


    She smoothly dismounted, threw the reins to an attendant, and then walked over to the resting area to grab a bottle of water to drink.


    After riding for two hours, she indeed felt a bit tired.


    Just then, she saw Frankie Allen hastening over with Rebecca Allen.


    Upon seeing her, Frankie Allen immediately breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Rebecca insisted on coming over, so I picked her up from the entrance. Then I heard that Ellis Olsen was giving you trouble? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked towards Rebecca Allen.


    Rebecca Allen had already run over to her side, linking her arm, ¡°Benefactor, do you still want to play?¡±


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± Kiera Olsen stretched a bit, ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°Then come with us. It¡¯s dusty and boring here. Brother, let¡¯s go back now. Mom and Dad are still waiting for Miss Olsen!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 172 - 172 172

    ?Chapter 172: Chapter 172 Chapter 172: Chapter 172 After answering, Kiera turned to look at Frankie Allen.


    He glanced into the distance and saw that Ellis Olsen and the others had already returned by car.


    Frankie said, ¡°I¡¯m going to say goodbye to Ellis.¡±


    In the distance.


    Ellis hadn¡¯t gotten out of the car when he saw them and immediately raised an eyebrow, asking, ¡°Isla, your family¡¯s illegitimate daughter actually knows Frankie Allen?¡±


    Although the Allen Family¡¯s status in Clance wasn¡¯t comparable to the Olsen Family, they still held a certain position.


    Upon hearing this, Isla¡¯s expression flickered, and then she spoke, ¡°Previously, Kiera helped Miss Allen with a small favor and became friends with her. I heard she has asked Mr. Allen for many favors. She started a company, and Mr. Allen provided her with plenty of raw materials for free¡­¡±


    Previously, Frankie had blocked Kiera¡¯s supply of raw materials. After the misunderstanding was cleared up, to make up for the hurt caused to Kiera, Frankie didn¡¯t charge a penny and used those materials as an apology gift.


    Kiera didn¡¯t refuse.


    For them, money wasn¡¯t the most important thing; favors were.


    It was the most comfortable way to repay debts with money.


    But after Isla put it this way, it was quite easy to create a misunderstanding.


    Indeed, someone nearby who didn¡¯t understand the situation immediately said:


    ¡°She knew Miss Allen¡¯s identity, so she must have offered her help on purpose, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Do you even need to ask? Otherwise, why would she cling to the Allen family after just a little favor? How shameless can this woman be!¡±


    ¡°After all, she¡¯s an illegitimate daughter. She¡¯s seen us living in better circumstances since childhood and wants to climb up the social ladder!¡±


    ¡°Suddenly, I think she¡¯s very scheming. We all know Frankie Allen is crazy for doting on his sister. Rebecca Allen is his weak spot. This illegitimate daughter got to know Frankie Allen through Rebecca Allen. Upon closer thought, it¡¯s terrifying ¨C she¡¯s scheming step by step, too calculating, right?¡±


    ¡°God, I was wondering why this illegitimate daughter was so desperate to save Young Master Olsen. Turns out, she wanted Young Master Olsen to owe her a favor!¡±


    ¡°She clung to the Allen family after a small favor. Young Master Olsen, that was a life-saving grace just now, right? You¡¯d better be careful!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amidst the crowd¡¯s discussions, Ellis frowned.


    He had just started to change his opinion of Kiera, only to encounter this kind of situation.


    He then scoffed with a darkened face.


    After getting out of the car, he walked over to where Frankie Allen, Kiera Olsen, and Rebecca Allen were standing.


    Just then, a staff member from the equestrian club came over to thank Kiera, ¡°Mrs. Horton, we are really indebted to you today. If something had happened to Young Master Olsen at our equestrian club, none of us could bear the consequences!¡±


    Kiera waved her hand: ¡°It was just a helping hand.¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rebecca, an ¡°avid fan of Kiera,¡± heard this and immediately started praising her effusively, ¡°¡­You just saved Ellis Olsen? My god, on a horse? I can¡¯t believe I missed your shining moment! But Ellis is really skilled at equestrianism, you¡¯re even better than her, probably the number one in Oceanion now!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ellis burst out laughing, ¡°Her, the number one? She just knows some fancy moves and happened to see a thorn on the horse¡¯s backside! Rebecca Allen, is your brain that simple? You believe everything people say?¡±


    Rebecca Allen and Ellis Olsen were sworn enemies. Hearing his words, she glared at him in anger, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you notice the thorn in the horse¡¯s backside? Ellis, is it so hard for you to admit someone else¡¯s talent?¡±


    Ellis sneered, ¡°Talented? You probably haven¡¯t seen someone who¡¯s truly skilled in equestrianism. I heard the Horse Trainer is in Oceanion, tonight I¡¯m going to meet my idol! Rebecca Allen, just because someone can ride doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re good at equestrianism!¡±


    After he said this, as he passed by Rebecca, he paused again, ¡°Also, a word of advice for you, grow some savvier, and don¡¯t be used by that illegitimate daughter!¡±


    Rebecca: ??


    She was so angry that she jumped up and down.


    Beside her, Frankie Allen furrowed his brow, then spotting Isla Olsen in the crowd, he instantly understood something and said directly, ¡°Ellis Olsen, I think this advice suits you more! Grow some savvier and don¡¯t be used by others! Some things are not as they appear on the surface!¡±


    Ellis Olsen immediately looked at him, ¡°Frankie Allen, there should be a limit to how much you spoil your sister. At least I know who the real Miss is and who the illegitimate daughter is. Do you think we, these people, would associate with an illegitimate daughter? Are you joking? Lowering our status like that, you may enjoy it, but Young Master I certainly do not!¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Rebecca was so angry that she extended her finger to point at him.


    But Ellis Olsen didn¡¯t speak, just gave Keira Olsen a cold glance and left with that group of gentlemen.


    Keira Olsen looked down, not saying a word the entire time.


    After everyone had left, she gave a bitter smile.


    Some things are predetermined from birth, like the label of illegitimate daughter that she might never be able to shed in her lifetime.


    Had she married an ordinary person, people wouldn¡¯t constantly bring up the matter of status, but she had to marry someone from a prominent family like Lewis Horton¡­


    ¡°Ellis Olsen is simply outrageous! How can people be divided into different classes? It¡¯s infuriating!¡±


    Rebecca was stomping her foot in anger.


    Keira Olsen took a deep breath and took Rebecca¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s not think about that. Weren¡¯t we going to have dinner? What are we eating tonight?¡±


    Although Rebecca was furious, she understood that the person suffering the most right now must be Keira Olsen, so she immediately changed the topic, ¡°Seafood, do you like it? Let¡¯s have a seafood feast tonight.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Keira Olsen went to change her clothes in the changing room and then greeted Lewis Horton, who had just stepped out to make a phone call.


    She didn¡¯t invite Lewis Horton to join her and Mrs. and Mr. Allen for dinner, firstly because he was busy, and secondly, because Lewis Horton was very particular about the Allen family.


    They said goodbye in the horse ranch parking lot, and Keira Olsen and Rebecca got into Frankie¡¯s car and soon arrived at the Allen family¡¯s home.


    Rebecca needed to undergo rehabilitation in Oceanion, and it wasn¡¯t convenient to stay in a hospital, so Frankie, with a grand gesture, bought a small villa there. By coincidence, this villa was in the same complex as the Olsen family¡¯s villa.


    Keira Olsen glanced at the Olsen home from a distance before averting her eyes.


    She thought she would never set foot in the Olsen home again.


    The car stopped quickly, and the three of them got out and entered the house.


    Mr. and Mrs. Allen were already waiting for them in the living room. As soon as they saw the three people, Mr. Allen couldn¡¯t help but complain to Frankie, ¡°I told you to come back early, but you insisted on going to the horse ranch! Otherwise, we could have had a chat with Keira at noon!¡±


    Frankie hung his head and took the scolding without a word.


    It was Mrs. Allen who couldn¡¯t bear it, ¡°Those people from Clance came, could Frankie not accompany them? Really¡­ it¡¯s no rush for an afternoon. Haven¡¯t we seen the photos? We¡¯ve confirmed our suspicions, now quickly tell Keira!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mr. Allen looked at Frankie and stretched out his hand, ¡°The photos?¡±


    Frankie passed the folder in his hand to Mr. Allen.


    Mr. Allen immediately took out the photos and handed them to Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira, take a look at the person in these photos, don¡¯t they resemble you by about eighty percent?¡±

 Chapter 173 - 173 173

    ?Chapter 173: Chapter 173 Chapter 173: Chapter 173 Kiera Olsen apprehensively took the photo and looked down at it.


    The photo clearly bore the marks of age. The resolution from that era was not as clear; it might have been damaged and repaired, as its colors appeared slightly darker than normal.


    The subjects in the photo were a man and a woman who seemed to be attending some sort of gala, set against a lavish backdrop, both clad in formal attire¡ªa tuxedo and an evening gown.


    The young man, likely in his twenties, bore a resemblance to Frankie Allen, making Kiera immediately realize that he was Mr. Allen.


    And the woman standing next to Mr. Allen¡­ made Kiera¡¯s pupils contract.


    The woman carried an elegant aura, with a slender figure that exuded a sense of the bygone era. The low resolution of the photo made her appear only in her thirties, but Kiera discerned from her eyes that she must be at least in her early forties.


    But what struck her most was not that; this woman bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to herself!


    Not just an air of similar temperament¡ªit was the facial features!


    Kiera vividly remembered her own facial features¡­


    Whenever guests visited their home and saw both Isla and her, they would instinctively say she resembled Mrs. Olsen.


    Yet upon realizing they were not mother and daughter, they would laughingly correct themselves that it was just the aura, not the facial resemblance.


    Thus, Kiera had examined her own facial features countless times in the mirror.


    How ardently had she wished that even one of her features resembled Mrs. Olsen¡¯s?


    But no, whether it was her eyes, nose, or even her mouth, none bore any likeness to Mrs. Olsen¡­


    A growing sense of disillusionment welled up inside Kiera.


    But it also deeply ingrained the features of Mrs. Olsen in her mind.


    At this moment, the woman in the photo looked like an older version of her by ten to twenty years, with less baby fat and more defined features, sharper and clearer¡­


    If she were to say there was no blood relation between this woman and herself, Kiera wouldn¡¯t believe it!


    Stunned, she turned to Mr. Allen and asked, ¡°Who is this?¡±


    Mr. Allen stroked his chin, furrowing his brow in thought for a moment, ¡°That should be Lady South.¡±


    Kiera was startled, ¡°Lady South?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Allen furrowed his brow, pondering more deeply, ¡°that¡¯s Jodie South, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s mother¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s mother¡­ Kiera felt her mind explode.


    A strong, intense desire welled up inside her. If she resembled Mrs. Olsen¡¯s mother so much, could she actually be Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter?


    Kiera swallowed hard, frozen in place.


    No, it couldn¡¯t be possible¡­


    She had fantasized countless times how wonderful it would be if Mrs. Olsen was her mother. Could it be that she had fantasized so much that she was now hallucinating?


    Unable to help herself, she looked at the old photograph again, and then pinched herself hard.


    Pain¡­


    There was definitely a feeling of pain.


    Seeing this, Rebecca Allen couldn¡¯t help but rush over and blurted out, ¡°Benefactor, why are you pinching yourself! If you can¡¯t believe it, then, then¡­¡±


    Rebecca glanced around, then spoke again, ¡°Then pinch my brother instead, it hurts less to pinch yourself!¡±


    Frankie Allen: ¡°¡­¡±


    His brows twitched.


    Kiera, tense once more, turned to Mr. Allen, ¡°Uncle Allen, Aunt Allen, what do you mean by showing me this photo?¡±


    Mr. Allen clearly perceived Kiera¡¯s agitated state and coughed, then turned to Mrs. Allen.


    Mrs. Allen drew closer and said slowly, ¡°Kiera, I know you¡¯re a smart child, so I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Have you never wondered if you might not be Poppy Hill¡¯s biological daughter? She treats Isla so well yet is so harsh on you, I just cannot understand a mother¡¯s feelings like that.¡±


    Kiera furrowed her brows.


    How could she not have wondered?


    But when she was abducted at four years old and later returned, the police conducted a DNA test to verify her identity¡­


    Incorrect. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The DNA test was only conducted after Poppy Hill provided the sample, confirming it was her daughter, then Poppy Hill was allowed to take her away.


    But was that sample really Poppy Hill¡¯s sample?


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists, ¡°Aunt Allen, you mean, actually, actually ¡­¡±


    That guess had been an unattainable dream for her all these years, so at such a critical moment, she simply couldn¡¯t say it ¡­


    She opened her mouth to speak, and just then she heard Mrs. Allen sigh, taking her hand: ¡°Have you ever thought that, in fact, Mrs. Olsen might be your mother?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After this response came from Mrs. Allen¡¯s mouth, Keira Olsen¡¯s tears suddenly began to roll down uncontrollably.


    Mrs. Olsen is her mother¡­


    Is that possible?


    Joy, panic, confusion, and other complex emotions suddenly filled her heart, leaving her feeling very conflicted.


    This sudden happiness made her somewhat disbelieving.


    And she felt as if she were dreaming¡­


    ¡°Hiss¡­¡±


    Suddenly, a soft exclamation came from beside her, and Keira Olsen dumbly turned her head to see Frankie Allen frowning and clutching his arm.


    Rebecca Allen asked, ¡°Brother, does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Frankie Allen wordlessly twitched the corner of his mouth, but facing Keira Olsen¡¯s bewildered eyes, he pursed his lips and reluctantly said, ¡°It hurts.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Rebecca Allen moved closer to Keira Olsen: ¡°Benefactor, I assure you, everything now is real.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed.


    But the tears still wouldn¡¯t stop¡­


    She bowed her head and wiped away her tears, ¡°Sorry, I was a bit emotional.¡±


    ¡°Pshaw.¡±


    Mr. Allen raised his voice: ¡°What¡¯s this, if we found out we were deceived, we¡¯d definitely be more emotional than you, Keira, stop thinking about this, come have something to eat, we just happen to be in the same district as the Olsen Family, after eating, your aunt and I will take you to the Olsen Family to clarify everything ¡­¡±


    But Keira Olsen stood up abruptly: ¡°I¡¯m going now¡­¡±


    She grabbed the photo and walked straight out.


    Mr. Allen was taken aback: ¡°The food is not even eaten yet!¡±


    Mrs. Allen immediately hit him: ¡°I told you to talk after eating, but you insisted on discussing it first, and after saying that, who has the appetite to eat anymore! Tonight¡¯s seafood is going to be wasted!¡±


    As she talked, she picked up her coat, put it on, and chased after her.


    Mr. Allen also hesitated for a moment, then followed out.


    Rebecca Allen was about to follow out when Frankie Allen held her back: ¡°Stay at home, don¡¯t add to the chaos, I¡¯ll go have a look.¡±


    Rebecca Allen fully understood that this visit to the Olsen Family might lead to a dispute, she obediently nodded: ¡°Brother, remember, don¡¯t let the benefactor suffer! And don¡¯t let the benefactor get hit!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡±


    Frankie Allen said impatiently, and turned to leave the house.


    ¡­


    The night air in Oceanion had gotten a bit cold.


    Keira Olsen was still somewhat dazed when she left the house, but the cold wind gradually brought back her rationality.


    Her eyes fixed on the Olsen Family¡¯s house ahead, she tightened her jaw, then strode forward.


    For the first time, she lifted her head and knocked on the door of the Olsen Family.

 Chapter 174 - 174 174

    ?Chapter 174: Chapter 174 Chapter 174: Chapter 174 When Keira Olsen was a child living in the Olsen Family home, she always stayed in the semi-basement, looking up with longing and envy at the deep maternal bond between Mrs. Olsen and Isla.


    And when she lived here, she could never lift her head up high.


    Every time she returned home from school and saw the front gate, she almost subconsciously lowered her head.


    Latter, after leaving the Olsen Family, whenever she secretly came back, as soon as she reached the entrance, she couldn¡¯t help but lower her head¡­


    Her identity, and the obligation she felt for being raised by the Olsen Family, weighed her down so much that she struggled to breathe and wanted nothing more than to distance herself from this place.


    Today was the first time she boldly knocked on the door.


    ¡°Who is it? Come in!¡±


    The housekeeper¡¯s voice came through, followed by the clanging of the gate¡¯s door opening.


    Upon seeing Keira, the housekeeper immediately showed a look of contempt: ¡°You, why¡­¡±


    But then her gaze moved to the people behind Keira, and she paused for a moment in surprise: ¡°Mr. Allen, Madam Allen?¡±


    Since the Allen Family had moved into the neighborhood, they had once visited Mrs. Olsen, so the housekeeper knew them.


    Mr. and Mrs. Allen walked briskly with Frankie Allen, standing behind Keira.


    Frankie said, ¡°Would you please inform Mrs. Olsen that Miss Keira Olsen has come to visit and ask if it¡¯s convenient for her to see us?¡±


    The housekeeper didn¡¯t dare to say anything else. She lowered her head and hurriedly walked toward the living room.


    Keira and the three members of the Allen Family stood outside the door. Without the homeowner¡¯s permission, they couldn¡¯t enter¡­


    Keira felt a sense of urgency in her heart.


    Even in the chilly weather, her palms began to sweat nervously.


    Her peach-blossom eyes fervently watched the Olsen Family¡¯s living room¡­


    Countless times, she had peered through that window to see the happy family of three inside, while she remained an outsider.


    But today, Mrs. Olsen was not sitting on the living room sofa.


    At this time, they were probably having a meal, right?


    Keira thought as such when suddenly, the sound of a vehicle approached from behind.


    All of them turned around in unison to see a luxury car from the Horton Family stop at the roadside. The car door opened, and Isla stepped out from the passenger seat.


    Jake Horton exited the driver¡¯s seat and immediately walked to the back, opening the rear car door.


    Then Ellis Olsen stepped out of the car.


    After getting out, he did not head straight into the Olsen home but went to the trunk of the vehicle, opened it, and saw several gifts.


    Isla was still speaking politely: ¡°Young Master Olsen, you came to visit my mother, there was really no need to bring so many gifts, it¡¯s too formal.¡±


    Ellis, however, was not putting on airs and simply said, ¡°It¡¯s common courtesy not to visit elders empty-handed. Moreover, I heard¡­ I heard that Mrs. Olsen has been suffering from a chronic cough over the years? So I specifically brought some nourishing goods for moistening the lungs and nourishing yin¡­¡±


    Isla was about to say more when Jake intervened, steadying her arm: ¡°Isla, take it slow, you¡¯re pregnant after all, be careful.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes deepened.


    When had Jake ever shown her such concern?


    She immediately glanced at Ellis.


    It must be Ellis¡¯s respectful attitude towards Mrs. Olsen that made Jake truly understand that Mrs. Olsen now had connections in Clance!


    She curved her lips slightly and nodded with a smile: ¡°Got it, Jake.¡±


    It was then that the three of them turned their heads and saw Keira and her companions.


    Isla¡¯s eyebrows furrowed instantly upon seeing them, and she tightened her jaw, ¡°Keira, what are you doing here?¡±


    With Ellis backing her, her address had shifted directly from ¡°little auntie¡± back to Keira.


    Keira didn¡¯t acknowledge her, her gaze still intently fixed on the Olsen house.


    Seeing this, Jake immediately scowled, ¡°Keira, Isla is talking to you! How can you be so rude?¡±


    Frankie Allen spoke up, ¡°Miss Olsen is in a bad mood right now, she probably doesn¡¯t have the time to greet you.¡±


    Jake was taken aback and wanted to say something but didn¡¯t dare to speak against Frankie Allen.


    Isla¡¯s eyes dimmed.


    After marrying into the Horton Family, she had realized that Jake Horton wasn¡¯t the best choice in the world!


    Her vision had been limited to Oceanion, there were so many people in Clance who were more impressive than Jake. Had she not married Jake, perhaps with Mrs. Olsen¡¯s connections, she could have been married off to someone in Clance¡­


    Ellis was a good choice!


    She blamed everything on that stubborn old Mrs. Olsen, who never spoke of her past, causing her to make a wrong judgment.


    Isla¡¯s eyes hid a grudge against Mrs. Olsen, then she tugged at Jake¡¯s arm, ¡°Jake, let¡¯s not talk about it. With her uncle and the Allen Family backing her, isn¡¯t Keira free to come and go from the Olsen house as she pleases?¡±


    Jake clenched his jaw and his face darkened.


    However, Ellis frowned and glanced at Keira.


    He wanted to say something, but noticing that Keira seemed a bit off and remembering that she had once saved his life at the racecourse, he ultimately clenched his jaw and said nothing.


    Seeing this, Isla clenched her fingers tighter. She suddenly lowered her gaze and sighed, ¡°Keira, my mother has been unwell recently, and it¡¯s getting late. Maybe you should leave and come back to the Olsen house another time, to avoid upsetting her if she sees you¡­¡±


    Only then did Keira look directly at her.


    Thinking about the photo where Lady South bore an eight-point resemblance to her, and then looking at Isla, she realized that Isla resembled Taylor Olsen by five points, but her face didn¡¯t hold a trace of Mrs. Olsen or Lady South¡¯s features.


    The more she made up her mind, the more everything seemed to prove this point.


    Keira didn¡¯t say a word.


    Isla then lowered her gaze, ¡°Keira, I¡¯m begging you, can you not disturb my mother today?¡±


    Keira remained silent.


    She was lost in her own world, single-mindedly wanting to see Mrs. Olsen¡­


    No one could stop her today!


    Frankie then spoke for her, ¡°Miss Olsen wants to see Mrs. Olsen, they have things to discuss.¡±


    Before confirming the mother-daughter relationship with Mrs. Olsen for certain, they needed to approach the matter of the photo carefully.


    Upon seeing this, Isla looked towards Ellis with a pitiful expression.


    As expected, Ellis couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and turned directly to Frankie, ¡°Frankie Allen, why are you protecting this illegitimate daughter?! Are you intent on abetting the villain here?¡±


    Frankie looked at him and said, ¡°Ellis Olsen, the affairs of the Olsen Family aren¡¯t as they seem. I advise you to mind your own business.¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ellis scoffed, ¡°Mrs. Olsen¡¯s business is my¡­ my business, and I will meddle in it! Today, I have the final say over the Olsen house¡¯s door. Without Mrs. Olsen¡¯s permission, no one is getting in!¡±


    He walked straight up to Keira and said coldly, ¡°Illegitimate daughter, you¡¯re not going to disturb Mrs. Olsen today! And you¡¯re definitely not going to cause her any trouble!¡±


    Keira furrowed her brows and looked at him.


    Frankie then said, ¡°Ellis, I think you¡¯ve got it wrong. Miss Olsen has always had a good relationship with Mrs. Olsen. How could Mrs. Olsen possibly refuse to see Miss Olsen? Besides, this is Miss Olsen¡¯s home!¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking, that a maid who had just entered the house, hurried out.

 Chapter 175 - 175 175

    ?Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Keira Olsen had all along ignored the quarrel of the few people.


    Upon seeing the nanny, her eyes lit up, and she directly bypassed Ellis Olsen, intending to enter the door.


    Ellis Olsen, seeing this, knitted his brows and blocked Keira Olsen¡¯s way, ¡°Hey, illegitimate daughter, I said, you can¡¯t come in!¡±


    Keira Olsen paid no attention to him, but instead asked the nanny, ¡°Has Mrs. Olsen let us in?¡±


    Her question caused Ellis Olsen to falter slightly.


    He had assumed that Keira Olsen had come to the Olsen Family for the sake of flaunting her power; after all, illegitimate daughters generally did not get along with the legitimate wife, as they were naturally in opposition.


    Moreover, Isla Olsen had been feeding him a narrative of Keira wielding her power unscrupulously all day today, so Ellis Olsen¡¯s subconscious made him think that Keira Olsen was here to cause trouble.


    But at this moment, there was no hint of boasting on Keira Olsen¡¯s face, and her inquiring words carried a tinge of eagerness to see Mrs. Olsen.


    This emotion¡­didn¡¯t seem right.


    Just as Ellis Olsen thought of this, he heard the nanny speak, ¡°The master has said, the madam went to bed early today, and she won¡¯t see you, Miss Keira. Please come back another day!¡±


    Went to sleep?


    Keira Olsen was stunned, ¡°Is Mrs. Olsen not well? Why would she go to bed so early?¡±


    The nanny was about to reply when Isla Olsen spoke up, ¡°Keira Olsen, how could my mom go to bed this early? That excuse is just a pretext. Can¡¯t you stop pestering here?¡±


    Keira Olsen, however, remembered that during the birthday banquet the other day, Mrs. Olsen nearly fainted several times.


    Her health seemed to be getting worse and worse.


    Keira Olsen frowned and looked towards the nanny, ¡°What exactly is going on with Mrs. Olsen?¡±


    The nanny hesitated, ¡°The madam, she¡­she¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just that the master and madam are dining right now. The master doesn¡¯t want you to come in, saying that every time he sees you, no good comes of it, and the madam gets so agitated that¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen let out a sigh of relief.


    It was good that Mrs. Olsen was fine.


    She thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Please tell Mrs. Olsen for me that I have something very important to discuss with her, and I must see her today.¡±


    The nanny frowned, as if she wanted to say something, but seeing so many people at the door, she dared not speak and turned her head back inside.


    Isla Olsen then immediately said in a wronged tone, ¡°Keira Olsen, you¡¯re being too domineering. My mom has trouble sleeping at night, can¡¯t you stop causing a commotion at our doorstep so late?!¡±


    Jake Horton walked over to Isla Olsen¡¯s side, looking angrily at Keira Olsen, ¡°Don¡¯t think just because you married my uncle and are his elder, that you can do whatever you want! Keira Olsen, Mrs. Olsen clearly doesn¡¯t want to see you, can¡¯t you hear that? Could you please not anger our elders here?!¡±


    Keira Olsen calmly looked at them, ¡°Mrs. Olsen didn¡¯t say she didn¡¯t want to see me.¡±


    It was Taylor Olsen who said it.


    Her eyesight was very good, and from where she stood, she could clearly see the direction of the dining room.


    It was night and darkness had enveloped the outside. However, the lights were on in the dining room, and she could clearly see the nanny enter the door, and before she could speak, Taylor Olsen frowned and approached her.


    Then they spoke something, and Taylor Olsen waved his hand, following her out the door.


    From the beginning to the end, Mrs. Olsen, who was dining, had no idea that she had come.


    Taylor Olsen soon arrived at the entrance and upon seeing Isla Olsen and Jake Horton, he was slightly taken aback, ¡°Isla, why have you come back? Why are you standing at the entrance and not coming into the house?¡±


    Isla Olsen glanced at Keira Olsen and feigned innocence as she responded, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because we were waiting for the nanny to go ask for permission?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense? This is your home, do you need to ask for permission to return to your own home? Young Mr. Horton, please, come in quickly¡­¡±


    At Taylor Olsen¡¯s words, Isla Olsen glanced triumphantly at Keira Olsen.


    Her eyes clearly sent the message: This is my home, and I¡¯m free to come and go as I please. And you are nothing!


    Keira Olsen clenched her jaw and tightened her fists.


    After Taylor Olsen finished speaking, he then noticed Ellis Olsen and tentatively inquired, ¡°And who might this be?¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately explained, ¡°Dad, this is Young Master Olsen from the Clance Olsen Family!¡±


    At the mention of ¡°Olsen Family,¡± Taylor Olsen¡¯s pupils contracted slightly, and his gaze fixated on Ellis Olsen, suddenly turning profound.


    But in just an instant, he forced a bitter smile, ¡°The Clance Olsen Family¡­ It has been over twenty years since we¡¯ve met! Young Master Olsen is here to visit Shirley, right? Please, come inside.¡±


    Ellis Olsen nodded, and the group walked toward the yard.


    Keira Olsen followed behind them, ready to enter the house as well.


    But as soon as she stepped into the yard, Taylor Olsen¡¯s angry rebuke came, ¡°Ungrateful creature, who told you to come in?¡±


    Keira Olsen halted in her tracks and saw Taylor Olsen glaring at her, ¡°I¡¯ve said before that the Olsen Family does not welcome you, and you are not to appear in front of Shirley again! Shirley is eating. Seeing you is sure to spoil her appetite!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I have something very important to tell Mrs. Olsen¡­¡±


    ¡°I said, Shirley doesn¡¯t have time!¡±


    Taylor Olsen commanded again, ¡°Leave right now!¡±


    Keira Olsen clenched her jaw. She ignored Taylor Olsen and took a step forward, ¡°I¡¯ve said it too, I need to see Mrs. Olsen¡­¡±


    ¡°You ungrateful creature!¡±


    Enraged, Taylor Olsen started to raise his hand, about to strike Keira Olsen hard, when Mr. Allen stepped forward and interjected, ¡°Mr. Olsen, Keira is a girl, how can you raise your hand against her?¡±


    With the Allen Family¡¯s considerable stature, Taylor Olsen had to show some respect, so at these words, he could only lower his hand, then frowned and said, ¡°Mr. Allen, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to use your influence to bully me?¡±


    Mr. Allen sighed, ¡°Keira has always been a sensible child, and today, she indeed has something important to say.¡±


    ¡°Hah, her so-called important matter is just that she married Lewis Horton and came home for her dowry, right? Let me tell you, everything in the Olsen Family belongs to Shirley, and none of it has anything to do with her! If she wants a dowry, it¡¯s not happening!¡±


    Taylor Olsen glared at Keira Olsen darkly, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your effort! I won¡¯t let you see Shirley again either!¡±


    Yet Keira Olsen took another step forward, ¡°What if I insist on seeing her today?¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Taylor Olsen, furious, pointed at her and cursed, unable to utter another word.


    Meanwhile, Ellis Olsen immediately said, ¡°Hey, illegitimate daughter, don¡¯t go too far! Even if you saved my life today, everything should still be taken on its own merits. I really can¡¯t stand to watch this anymore. If you dare to take another step forward, I am going to intervene, and I don¡¯t have a habit of not hitting women!¡±


    No sooner had he spoken, than Keira Olsen took another step forward.


    Ellis Olsen: ??


    He furrowed his brow and was about to make a move against Keira Olsen, but suddenly there was a blur in front of him, and Keira Olsen brazenly stepped up to his side, grabbed his shoulder, and took him for a spin.


    Immediately after, Keira Olsen treated him like a revolving door, spinning him around twice before finally entering the door.


    ¡°Ungrateful creature!¡±


    Taylor Olsen bellowed furiously.


    Ellis Olsen¡¯s face darkened too as he hurriedly followed Keira Olsen inside.


    He had made up his mind: if Mrs. Olsen showed even a slight sign of discomfort, he would throw Keira Olsen out harshly! He would make no exceptions for feelings!! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ellis Olsen followed Keira Olsen inside, and right away, he was surprised by the scene before him.


    Upon entering, Keira Olsen headed straight for the dining room, only to see the gentle Mrs. Olsen looking toward the doorway in surprise. Her eyes softened when she saw her, and she exclaimed with joy,


    ¡°Keira? How come you¡¯re here?¡±


    The tone and expression seemed to show no anger at all?


    Ellis Olsen was stunned.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t pay any attention to the thoughts of those behind her. As soon as she saw Mrs. Olsen, she quickened her pace to her side, ¡°Madam, sorry to interrupt your meal, but I came here today to show you a photo.¡±


    Having said that, she handed the photo in her hand to Mrs. Olsen.

 Chapter 176 - 176 176

    ?Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Mrs. Olsen had been suffering from poor sleep for many years, so when the small villa they owned underwent renovation, soundproofing was a priority.


    Whether it was the living room or the bedroom, soundproofing cotton was installed within the walls.


    Therefore, Mrs. Olsen didn¡¯t hear any noise from outside the door while dining.


    Seeing so many people rush in at this moment, she was slightly stunned.


    Only after hearing Kiera¡¯s voice did she look at the photo in her hand.


    Kiera looked at her earnestly, her eyes filled with anticipation!


    She knew that what she was doing today was a bit rash, the best approach would have been to secretly have a DNA test with Mrs. Olsen before acknowledging each other¡­


    But she couldn¡¯t wait.


    She and the Lady South in the photo looked so much alike; they were almost carved from the same mold. They must be blood-related!


    So, she was definitely Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter¡­


    Kiera¡¯s gaze was eager, watching Mrs. Olsen with great care.


    Mrs. Olsen looked at the photo and a look of surprise appeared on her face. Then she looked up at Kiera and turned her gaze to Mr. Allen, who had followed them in.


    Mr. Allen was the first to speak, ¡°Miss South, look at the person in the photo, doesn¡¯t she look familiar?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s expression was blank as she looked back at Kiera.


    Her gaze slid back and forth between the photo and Kiera, her brows slightly furrowed.


    Mr. Allen tried again, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that Miss Olsen and the person in the photo might be blood-relatives?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen frowned, looked at Kiera again, and after a long moment, she lowered her eyes and spoke slowly, ¡°The person in the photo and Kiera do look strikingly similar. If we consider the age, Kiera, is this your grandmother?¡±


    Grandmother?


    Kiera immediately caught the implication in Mrs. Olsen¡¯s words and froze, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, you¡­ you don¡¯t recognize the person in the photo?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen was slightly taken aback by the question and asked in confusion, ¡°Should I know her?¡±


    Kiera turned to look at Mr. Allen, puzzled.


    Clearly, Mr. Allen was also stunned by this unexpected turn of events; he looked at Mrs. Olsen incredulously, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Lady South?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen instantly frowned, ¡°My mother? No¡­ that¡¯s not her¡­¡±


    Kiera was flabbergasted.


    She felt as if someone had shockingly doused her with a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the flames of hope that had just risen!


    She turned back, looking blankly at Mr. Allen.


    Mr. Allen was just as bewildered, staring in disbelief at the photo in her hand, ¡°This isn¡¯t Lady South? How could it not be Lady South?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen gave a wry smile, ¡°How could I possibly not recognize my own mother? Indeed, this isn¡¯t her.¡±


    Aunt South, who stood beside her, immediately stepped forward, glanced at the photo, and shook her head, ¡°This isn¡¯t our old Mrs. Horton; our old Mrs. Horton has a red mole between her brows.¡±


    Mr. Allen was flabbergasted, he looked down at the photo and then back up at Mrs. Olsen.


    Mrs. Olsen and the woman in the photo really didn¡¯t look alike at all¡­


    He furrowed his brows tightly, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Mrs. Allen immediately stepped forward, grabbed his arm, and pinched it hard, ¡°Old Allen, you didn¡¯t misremember the person, did you?¡±


    Mr. Allen paused.


    Mrs. Allen then looked curiously at Kiera, ¡°Even if this person isn¡¯t Lady South, she must be related to you somehow, could she be your grandmother? Or perhaps your great-grandmother?¡±


    Otherwise, they couldn¡¯t possibly look so alike!


    Mr. Allen immediately tugged at her, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Kiera¡¯s father is Mr. Olsen!¡±


    Mrs. Allen then realized she had spoken out of turn.


    She glanced subconsciously at Taylor Olsen, then back at Kiera, and suddenly leaned close to Mr. Allen, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange? Kiera also doesn¡¯t resemble Taylor Olsen¡­¡±


    ¡°Shush¡­¡±


    Both of them were now hesitant to speak, after all, they had caused such a huge blunder.


    Kiera stared blankly at Mrs. Allen, her chin tensed, and she didn¡¯t say a word.


    Mrs. Olsen looked at the photo again.


    The woman in the photo, who greatly resembled Kiera, stirred a vaguely familiar feeling within her, yet she couldn¡¯t remember where she had seen her before.


    Her life in Clance was all from over twenty years ago¡­


    Mrs. Olsen lowered her gaze, returned the photo to Kiera, and was just about to say something when she suddenly caught sight of Ellis standing beside her. At the moment she saw him, Mrs. Olsen was slightly taken aback, ¡°You are?¡±


    Ellis Olsen immediately stepped forward, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, I am Ellis Olsen from the Clance Olsen Family. My uncle sent me to convey his regards on his behalf.¡±


    Uncle¡­


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s body swayed almost imperceptibly, nearly losing her balance, and only with Aunt South¡¯s timely support did she manage to steady herself.


    She looked at Ellis with astonishment, her eyes suddenly becoming somewhat hazy.


    It seemed she saw through him, to his uncle¡­ that man who could strategize over anything.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s face turned two shades paler.


    ¡°Shirley¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s call brought her back to her senses.


    Mrs. Olsen tightened her jaw, took a deep breath, and asked nearly frantically, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    With a smile, Ellis answered, ¡°You invited Poppy Hill¡¯s young man to Oceanion for a visit, and after my uncle found out, he sent me along to have some fun¡­ Mrs. Olsen, are you well acquainted with my uncle?¡±


    Ellis carefully observed Mrs. Olsen.


    His uncle, a lifelong bachelor with an eccentric temper and impressive capabilities, was currently the head of the Olsen Family.


    Therefore, he had no choice but to follow his uncle¡¯s wishes.


    His uncle had always avoided women, yet for Mrs. Olsen before him, he specifically instructed Ellis to extend his greetings and to see if she was faring well.


    What was the relationship between his uncle and her?


    As he pondered, he noticed Mrs. Olsen¡¯s complexion was slightly pale, but she quickly regained her composure and said in a calm voice, ¡°I am merely an acquaintance of Uncle Olsen.¡±


    Her fingers, concealed in her sleeve, clenched tightly.


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s gaze, however, fell upon Isla Olsen, and with a downward glance, he casually suggested, ¡°Young Master Olsen, let Isla show you around Oceanion these few days.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Olsen immediately tensed up, glancing at Taylor Olsen.


    Taylor managed a wry smile, leaned closer, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, ¡°Shirley, let Isla and her cousin develop a closer relationship¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s fingers involuntarily tightened as the memory of a night over twenty years ago, a night of lost control with Uncle Olsen, flashed in her mind¡­


    Afterward, she discovered she was pregnant, fled Clance, and followed Taylor Olsen to Oceanion, where she gave birth to Isla.


    Her face grew paler by the moment, her entire being nearly on the verge of fainting¡­ sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Immediately, Taylor Olsen said, ¡°Young Master Olsen, Mr. Allen, Shirley isn¡¯t feeling well, so we will not be entertaining you any longer today!¡±


    Ellis Olsen looked at Mrs. Olsen in confusion, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Isla and Jake Horton stayed behind, while the rest of the guests gradually left the house.


    Keira Olsen turned around in a daze, preparing to leave with Mr. Allen.


    She felt like a joke.


    The thing she longed for had never responded; it was all just wishful thinking on her part.


    With her head lowered, she headed for the door¡­


    Mr. Allen looked on with a face full of guilt, feeling utterly hasty. How could he have mistaken the person?


    He hesitated, wanting to apologize, but not knowing quite what to say¡­


    Mrs. Olsen watched them.


    As they were heading out, Ellis unknowingly stood beside Keira Olsen, the two side by side. The amorous eyes on their faces, the false signature of the Olsens, made Mrs. Olsen dazed for a moment.


    Then, Mrs. Olsen suddenly remembered something¡­


    She recalled it.


    The woman in the photo, who looked almost exactly like Keira Olsen, was Uncle Olsen¡¯s mother from Clance¡ªthe grandmother of Ellis Olsen!!


    But how could this be?


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s pupils dilated slowly, her gaze shifting unbelievably toward Keira Olsen!!


    Today Aunt South had shown her the DNA test report for Keira Olsen and Taylor Olsen. Keira indeed was not Taylor¡¯s daughter¡­


    This was puzzling in itself.


    She could not understand how the child, who after amniocentesis and DNA comparison with Taylor, was confirmed to be his offspring, could turn out not to be so upon birth?


    Had Poppy Hill tampered with the DNA years ago?


    But at this moment, she suddenly understood!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s resemblance to Uncle Olsen¡¯s mother was because Uncle Olsen was her father! Uncle Olsen¡¯s mother was Keira¡¯s grandmother!!


    ¡­Keira was her and Uncle Olsen¡¯s daughter!!

 Chapter 177 - 177 177

    ?Chapter 177: Chapter 177 Chapter 177: Chapter 177 Mrs. Olsen¡¯s pupils dilated.


    She stared at Kiera Olsen¡¯s receding figure, her mouth agape, ¡°¡­ Kiera!¡±


    Kiera Olsen, who was walking out, stopped in her tracks and turned around, looking at Mrs. Olsen in confusion.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s mouth trembled as she looked at her.


    Her mind was flooded with images of little Kiera Olsen secretly watching her from a corner at home.


    She had seen her every time¡­


    But for Isla Olsen¡¯s sake, and because of Kiera Olsen¡¯s special status, she never approached.


    She had witnessed Poppy Hill beating Kiera Olsen countless times, and each time forced herself to harden her heart, only intervening when Kiera Olsen¡¯s life was in danger and she could no longer stand by.


    She had always had an inexplicable fondness for Kiera Olsen. She thought it was because Taylor Olsen was good to Isla Olsen, so she should also be good to Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter¡­


    Yet she always restrained that fondness, afraid of making Isla Olsen jealous, afraid of upsetting her.


    But in fact, Kiera Olsen was her daughter!


    In that moment, all scenes of Poppy Hill¡¯s abuse of Kiera Olsen flashed through her mind like a passing show¡­


    She remembered Kiera Olsen as a newborn, almost starving to death in the room, until she discovered her in time and fed her a few mouthfuls of milk¡­


    The tiny baby had grasped her finger, and its soft touch had melted her heart right then and there.


    From then on, she could no longer harbor any resentment towards the child.


    Poppy Hill had kept her head down, pretending to be meek and compliant, claiming that she couldn¡¯t produce enough milk and that the baby was allergic to infant formula, leaving no other choice.


    She had believed it to be true and even bought goat milk formula.


    Later on, Kiera Olsen was always thin and weak, rummaging through trash bins for food. Taylor Olsen told her not to bother with the illegitimate daughter, but she couldn¡¯t bear it and would give Kiera Olsen the leftover cake she had bought for Isla Olsen.


    After that, she began leaving snacks on the stone table in the park behind the house on a regular basis.


    Kiera Olsen had grown up on those snacks!


    When Isla Olsen was three, she sent her to an international bilingual kindergarten, and every time she put her in the car, she could feel a pair of longing eyes watching them from half a basement window.


    But she never paid attention¡­ sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not until Isla Olsen entered elementary school did she casually help Kiera Olsen enroll as well.


    From then on, Poppy Hill began to instruct Kiera Olsen daily to act as Isla Olsen¡¯s little assistant, claiming it was to repay the Horton family¡¯s kindness.


    Mrs. Olsen had never thought about repayment; when she helped Kiera Olsen, it was out of pity for the child.


    She also believed she had performed her duty to the utmost towards Kiera Olsen.


    She would educate Isla Olsen in her spare time, occasionally speaking a few more words to Kiera Olsen, then realizing how exceptionally bright the child was.


    She remembered when Kiera Olsen was in first grade and ranked top of her class, returning with her report card but too afraid to utter a word.


    Isla Olsen became jealous and started crying.


    Being a child too young to hide her feelings, Isla Olsen¡¯s tears were heartfelt. Crying, she asked her, ¡°Mommy, am I not even better than an illegitimate daughter?¡±


    At that time, she had merely advised her to try harder.


    Thus, later on, when she saw Poppy Hill hitting Kiera Olsen, forbidding her from getting first place again, she had actually seen it and even wanted to intervene, but the thought of Isla Olsen¡¯s tearful, kitten-like face ultimately made her swallow her words.


    And then¡­


    When Kiera Olsen planned to move out in middle school, she actually agreed.


    She didn¡¯t want Kiera Olsen to stay there any longer, her presence a source of heartache and helplessness, their innate social statuses in conflict, leaving her unsure how to face Kiera Olsen.


    And then what?


    After Kiera Olsen left, Mrs. Olsen found herself with one more thing to worry about.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why the departure of that child caused such a stir in her emotions, only wishing that one day she would come back to see her.


    She had even dreamt for several years that Kiera Olsen was calling her ¡°mommy¡± in her dreams¡­


    Over the years, she had received no news of Kiera at all.


    She wanted to send someone to inquire, but feared that Isla would be jealous and make a fuss, so she had always restrained herself¡­


    Every time she asked Poppy Hill, Poppy Hill¡¯s response was ¡°Why bother about that ungrateful wretch?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen had always been puzzled, unable to understand why Poppy Hill treated Kiera so poorly.


    When Kiera was four years old and was kidnapped by traffickers, Poppy Hill said, ¡°It¡¯s just a girl; lost is lost, she¡¯s not worth anything.¡±


    She was cold-blooded and selfish!


    But now, she finally realized, how could there really be a mother in the world who hated her own child?!


    The reason Poppy Hill was so unkind to her was that Poppy Hill wasn¡¯t her mother!


    She was!


    Mrs. Olsen thought of this, tears welling up in her eyes!!


    Kiera noticed her agitated emotions and came over, puzzled, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, why have you come? Do you have something to tell me?¡±


    Do I have something to say?


    Mrs. Olsen felt she had so much she wanted to say, apologies for turning a blind eye to Kiera¡¯s previous suffering; it was her negligence that had allowed Kiera to endure so many years of hardship¡­


    But all the words ultimately got stuck in her throat.


    It was at this moment that noise came from the doorway.


    Poppy Hill entered, still her usual subservient self, but upon seeing Kiera, her face revealed disgust, ¡°Little slut, who let you into the Olsen house? Have you come to pester Young Master Jake again? Let me tell you, Miss Olsen is the legitimate heir, and you, the illegitimate daughter, are nothing! Don¡¯t think just because you married into the Horton Family, you can do whatever you please! You owe a debt of gratitude to the Olsen family that you can never repay in this lifetime!¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s words sent Mrs. Olsen into shaking rage.


    Her ears were filled with the scolding Poppy Hill used to give Kiera that she had occasionally overheard in the past:


    ¡°You are an illegitimate daughter; you should know your place! Miss Olsen is your benefactor, and you should always be groveling in front of her!¡±


    ¡°Little slut, how dare you glare at Miss Olsen, you are nothing compared to her!¡±


    ¡°Miss Olsen is born a Fairy, high and mighty, while you are fit only to live in a basement, a filthy gutter!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen felt a surge of fury rush to her head, her gaze upon Poppy Hill as if she was about to devour her!


    Poppy Hill had switched their daughters.


    And she had pampered and doted on Isla Olsen, raising her high and mighty since childhood.


    But what about her Kiera?!


    Her Kiera had been in hell, a hell she and Poppy Hill had constructed together! A hell she could never escape from!


    Mrs. Olsen closed her eyes deeply.


    She tried hard to calm her breathing¡­


    Kiera, watching her strange behavior, questioned: ¡°Mrs. Olsen, what is really going on?¡±


    Taylor Olsen scolded furiously: ¡°Poppy Hill, who let you in? If you disturb Shirley, I¡¯ll never forgive you! Get out now with your cursed daughter! Shirley, how are you feeling?¡±


    Poppy Hill bowed her head and approached Kiera, pulling at her: ¡°What are you doing here again? Making your father furious, getting me kicked out along with you¡­ you ungrateful wretch, you¡¯re no help at all, just causing me trouble every day!¡±


    Kiera¡¯s expression tightened.


    She gave a bitter smile.


    Indeed, what right did she have to be here?


    She silently turned around, intending to leave with Poppy Hill, but just as she turned, her arm was gripped.


    Kiera was momentarily startled and looked back to find it was Mrs. Olsen.


    Mrs. Olsen had by now opened her eyes, tears flowing before she spoke¡­


    Two lines of tears that could no longer be held back slowly slid down her cheeks; she tremulously grasped Kiera¡¯s hand tightly: ¡°Kiera, don¡¯t go!¡­¡±

 Chapter 178 - 178 178

    ?Chapter 178: Chapter 178 Chapter 178: Chapter 178 Kiera Olsen felt Mrs. Olsen¡¯s body subtly trembling, and her emotions seemed very off.


    She immediately grasped Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°I haven¡¯t left, Mrs. Olsen, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Taylor Olsen also steadied Mrs. Olsen¡¯s shoulders, anxiously asking, ¡°Shirley, speak up, what¡¯s happened?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen looked at Taylor Olsen and pointed towards Kiera Olsen, her mouth opening and closing.


    Taylor Olsen immediately said, ¡°Speak, I¡¯m listening¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen then slowly began, ¡°Taylor, Kiera¡­¡±


    ¡°Has Kiera Olsen upset you? Shirley, what exactly is wrong? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± Taylor Olsen¡¯s voice trembled as he turned pale with anxiety.


    The next moment, Mrs. Olsen succumbed to a rush of anger and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. Then her body went limp, her eyes closed, and she fainted!


    ¡°Shirley!!¡±


    Taylor Olsen cried out in shock, immediately lifting her sideways, ¡°Quick, call an ambulance!¡±


    Aunt South next to them scrambled for her phone and made the call.


    Taylor Olsen had already laid Mrs. Olsen flat on the sofa. His eyes were red-rimmed, fists clenched tight, as his trembling fingers felt for Mrs. Olsen¡¯s breath at the tip of her nose.


    After sensing Mrs. Olsen¡¯s faint breathing, he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he tried to suppress his own fear and kept speaking softly into Mrs. Olsen¡¯s ear:


    ¡°Shirley, Shirley, don¡¯t scare me. If you just leave like this, I won¡¯t live either!¡±


    His appearance deeply moved everyone present.


    Isla Olsen frowned upon seeing this situation.


    Jake Horton looked anxiously outside, seemingly waiting for the ambulance to arrive.


    Poppy Hill stood in a corner, watching Jodie South with a dark expression, her face showing a crazed look. She quietly took a step forward and asked, ¡°Is Mrs. Olsen not going to make it? Her health is so poor¡­¡±


    ¡°Slap!!¡±


    Taylor Olsen slapped her fiercely across the face, knocking Poppy Hill to the ground, ¡°Shut your mouth! If Shirley doesn¡¯t make it, you¡¯re going to be buried with her!!¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s face was sore, her eyes seeing stars as she sat sobbing on the ground, attempting to cry something out, yet the maniacal look in Taylor Olsen¡¯s eyes scared her silent.


    She stammered, ¡°Taylor, in front of the children, how can you hit me¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen also stepped forward, ¡°Dad, calm down, you¡­¡±


    But before she could finish speaking, Taylor Olsen¡¯s stern gaze was already fixed on her, startling Isla Olsen. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla Olsen dared not speak.


    After Taylor Olsen¡¯s gaze lingered on her for a moment, it then fell on Kiera Olsen as he cursed, ¡°Ungrateful creature, I¡¯ve said countless times not to come to the Olsen family again. Every time you appear, you worsen Shirley¡¯s condition. Do you want to kill Shirley before you¡¯re satisfied?¡±


    Kiera Olsen opened her mouth as if to say something but her eyes fell on Mrs. Olsen, who lay on the couch.


    Ever since Mrs. Olsen had been taking the medicine she prepared, she hadn¡¯t had another attack¡­


    But indeed, every time she came over, it seemed to agitate Mrs. Olsen and then cause her to faint.


    She lowered her head, clenching her fists tightly.


    Frankie Allen saw her like this and couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Mr. Olsen, Miss Kiera hasn¡¯t done anything tonight, why must you take out your anger on her?¡±


    ¡°Take out my anger?¡± Taylor Olsen normally treated Frankie Allen very politely, for the Olsen¡¯s standing was nothing compared to the Allen Family.


    But at that moment, he seemed somewhat crazed, speaking with no hint of politeness, ¡°She hasn¡¯t done anything, but her existence itself is a mistake! If not for her, why would I have let Poppy Hill into my home that year?! That old bitch schemed against me, and I will never acknowledge her!¡±


    ¡°She only managed to stay because she relied on Kiera Olsen, which softened Shirley¡¯s heart¡­ so, Kiera Olsen, your birth is the original sin! Unforgivable!!¡±


    The words that Taylor Olsen screamed made the entire room fall silent.


    Kiera Olsen looked at him in a daze.


    Her interactions with Taylor Olsen had always been scarce. When she was a child, Taylor Olsen never even glanced at her, and as she grew up, the few times they met, they were like strangers.


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s eyes only had Mrs. Olsen and Isla Olsen in them.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected he would think the same¡­


    The words Poppy Hill had said from her childhood suddenly echoed in her ears:


    ¡°Worthless thing, little slut, if it wasn¡¯t because of you, do you think I would stay in the Olsen Family as a nanny?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, it was all because of you that Mrs. Olsen had no choice but to take me in¡­ So, who do you think would welcome you in this house?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just die? If you died, there would be no more problems! Your existence is a symbol of Taylor Olsen¡¯s shame!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Those brainwashing, belittling words kept ringing in her ears, giving Keira Olsen a sudden headache.


    She covered her ears, but those voices penetrated inexorably¡­


    It was her fault¡­ Every time it was her appearance that caused Mrs. Olsen to become agitated and faint¡­


    The ambulance arrived quickly.


    Keira Olsen followed behind the others in a daze, watching as Taylor Olsen boarded the ambulance. She took a step forward, only to be firmly pushed back.


    The ambulance doors closed, and the vehicle left with the sirens blaring.


    Keira Olsen instinctively walked forward two steps, only to see Isla Olsen standing in front of her, speaking venomously, ¡°Keira Olsen, didn¡¯t you hear what my dad just said? Please stay away from my mom! Never appear in front of her again!¡±


    With those harsh words, Isla Olsen then got into the car with Jake Horton and chased after the ambulance.


    Ellis Olsen also gave Keira Olsen a glare, wanting to say something, but noticing her off appearance, he held back the vicious words and drove off to follow.


    His uncle had especially instructed him about Mrs. Olsen, so he had to go and see what was the matter.


    After they had all left, Frankie Allen looked at the frail girl before him, about to ask if she wanted to join them when a car suddenly sped toward them.


    It screeched to a stop beside them.


    Then the car door opened, and Lewis Horton got out, approached Keira Olsen directly, and put his arm around her shoulders: ¡°Get in.¡±


    Keira Olsen numbly got into the car with him, and the car immediately started, leaving the three members of the Allen Family standing there, looking at each other in bewilderment.


    ¡­


    Lewis Horton had come to pick up Keira Olsen to go home, but upon arriving at the Allen Family¡¯s place, he heard that Keira Olsen had gone to the Olsen home, prompting him to rush over.


    He turned to look at the girl beside him.


    She¡¯d always been very quiet, but beneath that calm exterior, she hid a heart full of fear and unease.


    Perhaps sensing his gaze, Keira Olsen suddenly looked at him: ¡°Mrs. Olsen¡­ she won¡¯t die, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen was truly scared.


    Mrs. Olsen lay on the couch, her chest not moving, looking as though she had already stopped breathing¡­


    Whether Mrs. Olsen was her mother or not, Keira didn¡¯t care anymore; she just wanted Mrs. Olsen to be alive, to be able to smile at her again¡­


    Lewis Horton was taken aback, for a moment not sure how to respond to her question.


    He hurriedly grasped Keira Olsen¡¯s hand, only to realize it was cold to the touch, and quickly said, ¡°She won¡¯t die, Mrs. Olsen definitely won¡¯t have anything serious happen.¡±


    With those words, they arrived at the hospital.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s legs felt weak as she followed Lewis Horton to the emergency room door.


    Inside the operating room, everyone was waiting there.


    Taylor Olsen, in particular, was staring at the operating room door with an ashen face.


    Time passed interminably until finally, the operating room light went off, the door opened, and the doctor came out.


    Seeing this, Keira Olsen¡¯s heart leapt.

 Chapter 179 - 179 179

    ?Chapter 179: Chapter 179 Chapter 179: Chapter 179 The doctor¡¯s expression was grave as he scanned the eyes of everyone present and asked, ¡°Who is the patient¡¯s family member?¡±


    ¡°I am!¡±


    Taylor Olsen stepped forward.


    He stared at the doctor¡¯s face, asking, ¡°How is my wife?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the doctor looked at him, ¡°She¡¯s out of life-threatening danger now.¡±


    At these words, Kiera Olsen¡¯s entire being relaxed greatly, and then her hands began to tremble unconsciously.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Suddenly, she heard Isla Olsen¡¯s alarmed cry, and Kiera Olsen looked up to see that Taylor Olsen had sat down on the ground with a thud.


    It seemed that he had also been extremely tense, and had completely relaxed upon hearing this news.


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton tried to help him up, but Taylor Olsen waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    He sat there on the ground as if he had walked a full circle through hell, finally regaining the demeanor of the Olsen family patriarch.


    He sat there, looking up at the doctor with a voice that was still trembling, the whole man somewhat frightened, ¡°What happened to my wife? Why did she vomit blood? Is it serious¡­¡±


    ¡°Anger caused a surge in blood pressure, leading to the rupture of a blood vessel and resulting in blood vomiting. You got her to the hospital in time, so there¡¯s no serious problem, but from now on, the patient needs to maintain stable emotions and should not be subjected to any more stress.¡±


    After instructing, the doctor turned and opened the door to the surgery room, and a nurse wheeled a bed out.


    Taylor Olsen immediately got up from the ground and approached the bed, holding tightly onto Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand.


    He buried his head in Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital bed, tears rolling down his cheeks, the whole person exuding a sense of having narrowly escaped death, ¡°Shirley, you almost scared me to death¡­¡±


    ¡°Transfer to a regular ward will be fine, there¡¯s no danger to the patient¡¯s life.¡±


    After giving the instruction, a group of people surrounded the bed and walked towards the regular ward.


    Kiera Olsen followed them from a distance, her eyes also slightly red by then.


    Once Mrs. Olsen was pushed into the ward, Isla Olsen and Jake Horton turned to look at her fiercely.


    Isla Olsen burst out, ¡°Kiera Olsen, how can you be so shameless? You upset my mom like that, why did you even come?!¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t speak.


    But Lewis Horton stood in front of her and warned her sharply, ¡°Isla!¡±


    Just a name made Isla Olsen shiver.


    But her eyes quickly shifted to Ellis Olsen beside her and she immediately said, ¡°Uncle, even if you want to exercise family law against me today, I must speak out! If it weren¡¯t for her insisting on entering our house tonight, wanting to see my mom, how could my mom end up like this? Tonight¡¯s incident is related to her!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s brows furrowed upon hearing that, ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    Isla Olsen put on a wronged face, and sure enough, the next moment, Ellis Olsen spoke up, ¡°Lewis Horton, you really can¡¯t tell right from wrong, can you? I¡¯m now witnessing your true colors of bullying by using your power here. I didn¡¯t expect this from you!¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at him coldly, ¡°What kind of person I am is none of your business.¡±


    Ellis Olsen scoffed, ¡°But when you¡¯re bullying the person I protect, that makes it my business! Lewis Horton, you should know that among those present, you¡¯re not the only one who shouldn¡¯t be messed with!¡±


    He pointed towards the hospital room, accusing, ¡°I watched the whole thing tonight. From the beginning to the end, it was Kiera Olsen who insisted on showing some damn photo to Mrs. Olsen, and then her mom, that mistress, shamelessly barged in and provoked Mrs. Olsen with a few words. That¡¯s what led to this! With me here, it¡¯s not your turn to bully the Olsen family!¡±


    Only then did Lewis Horton understand why Kiera Olsen went to the Olsen Family¡¯s house.


    The Olsen family had always been an unspoken pain in Kiera Olsen¡¯s heart; she wouldn¡¯t normally make a visit without good reason.


    Today was supposed to be the day she went to the Allen Family to see some photo, but ended up bringing the photo to the Olsen Family instead¡­ There must be something going on.


    But he didn¡¯t immediately ask, just lowered his gaze towards her, ¡°Keira, you haven¡¯t had dinner yet, have you? I¡¯ll take you out to eat.¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded indifferently.


    After descending the stairs, the two found a random restaurant near the hospital.


    Lewis Horton ordered a serving of porridge for her and nothing else.


    Keira Olsen, spoon in hand, was stirring the porridge in the bowl. Her gaze stayed downcast the entire time, and her whole being radiated an air of despondence.


    Lewis Horton thought back to the first time he met her when the girl glared at him with those sly amorous eyes, calling him husband, and to all the times thereafter when she appeared before him in various identities, always with a hint of playfulness. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was like a little sun that had forcefully entered his life.


    When had he ever seen such a sun so dejected?


    Lewis Horton couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What photo did you see tonight?¡±


    It was then that Keira Olsen realized that she had been clutching that old photo in her left hand the whole time. She looked up and handed the photo to Lewis Horton.


    Upon seeing the person in the photo, Lewis Horton also paused for a moment before finally speaking, ¡°Your mother, Poppy Hill, I have already investigated her. She and your uncle Finley Hill¡¯s mother don¡¯t look like this¡­ so this must be your grandmother.¡±


    Keira Olsen kept her head down and said nothing.


    Lewis Horton continued, ¡°Last time when you found out you were not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter, Poppy Hill said she didn¡¯t know who your father was. Looking at the woman in the photo, dressed so lavishly, and that¡¯s Mr. Allen next to her, she must be from Clance¡­¡±


    He paused, then suddenly asked, ¡°Keira, I didn¡¯t expect you to be the lost daughter of a wealthy and noble family. If you¡¯re acknowledged and taken back, you won¡¯t look down on the Horton Family for having a lower status, and think they¡¯re unworthy of you, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen slowly lifted her head.


    The man spoke at a leisurely pace, his tone light and his voice low and magnetic, which unknowingly soothed her.


    Reason finally began to return slowly.


    Just as she was about to say something, a snicker came from Ellis Olsen, ¡°Pfft, Lewis Horton, there are only a few prominent families in Clance with the status and power to look down on you. What are you joking about? Keira Olsen, an illegitimate daughter, could come from such a high background?¡±


    The two turned to see Ellis Olsen sitting lazily at the table next to theirs, ¡°I¡¯m familiar with people from Clance. Show me the photo, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll recognize it.¡±


    He was curious, what photo could have caused Mrs. Olsen such significant emotional turmoil?


    Lewis Horton hesitated upon hearing this.


    Ellis Olsen was born and raised in Clance, he might really recognize someone¡­


    He handed the photo to Ellis Olsen.


    Before Ellis Olsen could look at it, he heard Keira Olsen ask, ¡°Has Mrs. Olsen woken up yet?¡±


    Ellis Olsen answered, ¡°She should soon. The doctor just said she could wake up in half an hour.¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than Keira Olsen stood up abruptly. Clarity returned to her eyes, and the weakness on her face faded away as she turned directly to Lewis Horton, ¡°Mr. Horton, before Mrs. Olsen fainted, she clasped my hand and told me not to leave. She must have something she wants to tell me. I need to be the first person she sees when she wakes up.¡±


    Lewis Horton understood her intention and promptly said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange it.¡±


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t finish her meal; she stood up and headed out.


    Lewis Horton also hurried to follow.


    Ellis Olsen frowned upon hearing their conversation, then lowered his gaze to the photo in his hand¡­

 Chapter 180 - 180 180

    ?Chapter 180: Chapter 180 Chapter 180: Chapter 180 Ellis Olsen looked at the photo in his hand.


    Just as he was about to get a clear look, the image before him flickered away as Lewis Horton snatched the photo from his hand and chased after Kiera Olsen out the door.


    Ellis Olsen: ?


    Watching the man¡¯s retreating back, he felt puzzled, then couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips, ¡°What¡¯s this? Begging for my help and still so arrogant! Hmph, this young master won¡¯t bother with meddling!¡±


    After speaking, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh silently.


    Back when he was studying abroad, he had already noticed Lewis Horton¡¯s extraordinary abilities.


    Lewis Horton had a superior intellect, seemingly understanding everything at first glance. After Ellis told his uncle about this, his uncle instructed him to associate more with smart people like Lewis Horton to learn from them.


    As if Lewis was better than him.


    Ellis just wouldn¡¯t accept it. Later, when he finished his studies abroad, his uncle even told him that if he couldn¡¯t become close friends or ¡°bros¡± with Lewis Horton, then he should consider an arranged marriage.


    Unfortunately, even though his uncle was the one in power at home, whether it was his eldest uncle¡¯s family or theirs, they all lacked a legitimate daughter to enter into such a marriage.


    Therefore, Ellis and his uncle combed through their distant relatives to find two girls who were both decent in appearance and abilities. They were legally adopted under the name of the eldest uncle, hoping to give Lewis Horton a choice to pick someone he fancied.


    Who would have thought that when Ellis Olsen made this suggestion, Lewis Horton outright refused it!!


    This bastard, did he not take the Clance Olsen Family seriously at all?


    Eating his noodles dissatisfied, Ellis¡¯s cell phone vibrated once.


    He picked it up and glanced at it, only to see a message from his uncle on WhatsApp: ¡°How is Mrs. Olsen doing after your visit tonight?¡±


    Ellis Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t dare say that Mrs. Olsen had fainted from anger in front of him; otherwise, wouldn¡¯t his uncle scold him for being useless?!


    Thinking about the direction Lewis Horton and Kiera Olsen had left, Ellis couldn¡¯t help but put down his chopsticks and stood up to walk towards the hospital.


    ¡­


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s expression returned to its usual coldness, and her thoughts gradually calmed down.


    When she briskly entered the hospital, the four black-clad bodyguards who were the personal security detail of Lewis Horton had already positioned themselves at the entrance.


    All four stood with their hands behind their backs, each of them looking strong and sturdy, not something ordinary security could compare with.


    Upon seeing her, all four straightened instantly and respectfully greeted her, ¡°Good evening, Madam.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Kiera Olsen twitched the corners of her mouth and let out a light cough, as Lewis Horton¡¯s deep voice came from behind her, ¡°All four of them are former special forces, ensuring that Mrs. Olsen gets to see whoever she wishes on demand.¡±


    Kiera Olsen nodded and walked ahead first.


    Lewis Horton followed a half-step behind, beside her.


    Seeing this, the four bodyguards showed a surprised expression, glancing at one another.


    They had followed the boss for so many years, and Lewis Horton was always the supremely aloof man walking at the forefront. When had he ever given way?


    That half step made it immediately clear to the four people the status Keira Olsen held in Lewis Horton¡¯s heart.


    They watched Keira Olsen¡¯s retreating figure, their gazes becoming even more respectful, as they closely followed behind Lewis Horton.


    Six people trooped into the hospital room.


    Lewis Horton had arranged for Mrs. Olsen to stay in a VIP hospital room, which was divided into a living area and a bedroom.


    At the time, Isla Olsen and Jake Horton were sitting in the living room, having ordered takeout and were now eating dinner.


    When Keira Olsen entered, Jake Horton was looking worriedly toward the bedroom, ¡°Can it be okay for my father-in-law not to eat anything?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla Olsen sighed, ¡°Dad is too worried about Mom. I guess he won¡¯t eat until Mom wakes up¡­¡±


    On hearing this, Jake Horton thought of his parents¡¯ relationship back home and how his mother would painfully wait at home every day, just hoping Dad would stay in and not visit that woman outside.


    And every night Dad stayed was a feast for Mom.


    He lowered his gaze, unable to help himself as he said, ¡°Father-in-law truly loves mother-in-law so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Isla¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Dad is also the most affectionate man I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    On hearing this, Jake suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. He suddenly took her hand, ¡°Isla, don¡¯t worry, I will learn from father-in-law in the future.¡±


    Maybe it was Taylor Olsen¡¯s condition that moved him or perhaps he finally realized the inappropriateness of his perpetual longing for Keira Olsen; he gave a wry smile, ¡°I was wrong before. I¡¯ve liked Keira for four years and I couldn¡¯t let go all at once¡­¡±


    Isla then said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jake, I don¡¯t mind. Even a man like Dad makes mistakes, right? I used to think my parents were the most loving couple in the world, but whenever I saw Keira and her mom, I knew there was always an insurmountable chasm between my parents, an irreparable crack¡­¡±


    At this, Jake Horton wrapped an arm around her shoulders, a hint of hatred in his eyes, ¡°The existence of illegitimate daughters like her is the most unjust and the most despicable!¡±


    Isla Olsen nodded.


    The two were just discussing this when the door was pushed open and Keira Olsen walked in.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s brows furrowed at the sight of her.


    Jake Horton also abruptly stood up, seeing her and Lewis Horton enter, and noticing Isla Olsen¡¯s full resistance, the burgeoning guilt plagued him, prompting him to step in front of Isla, chiding angrily, ¡°Keira Olsen, what are you doing here? Haven¡¯t you caused enough chaos in the Olsen family?!¡±


    With her eyes reddened, Isla also cried out, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m begging you! I know you want to protect Aunt Keira, but my mom really can¡¯t be agitated¡­ You heard what the doctor just said, she¡¯s suffered from extreme anger! She¡¯s about to wake up, can¡¯t you stop disturbing her?!¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at her indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to disturb Mrs. Olsen. Before Mrs. Olsen fainted, she clearly had something to tell me. If Mrs. Olsen wakes up and sees me and says even a word for me to leave, I will promptly do so.¡±


    But Isla Olsen scoffed coldly, ¡°We don¡¯t need to wait for my mom to wake up. She is my mom! I make the decisions here, and I want you to leave now!¡±


    Jake Horton immediately positioned himself in front of Isla, ¡°That¡¯s right, Uncle, Keira Olsen, no matter what you do today, you¡¯re not getting through this door!¡±


    Isla immediately looked at him gratefully, lowering her head and saying with a hurt tone, ¡°Jake, thank you.¡±


    ¡°We are husband and wife, no need for such formality.¡±


    At that moment, Jake Horton felt a surge of strength fill his chest, feeling like a real man.


    But Keira Olsen wasn¡¯t going to indulge them. Seeing this, she gestured with a wave of her hand.


    The four burly men in black at the door immediately came in, grabbing hold of Jake Horton and yanking him aside as if he were a mere chick!


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t even glance at him as she took control of the hospital room and strode over to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s bedside!


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 Chapter 181 - 181 181

    ?Chapter 181: Chapter 181 Chapter 181: Chapter 181 Mrs. Olsen was still asleep with no sign of awakening.


    At the entrance of the hospital room, two black-clad bodyguards were already stationed there, not allowing Isla Olsen and Jake Horton to enter.


    Inside the hospital room, Taylor Olsen saw her and Lewis Horton come in, his expression became sharp, but he didn¡¯t say much, just holding Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand and turned to look back at her, sitting there blankly.


    From the time of Mrs. Olsen¡¯s incident to now, merely three hours had passed, yet Taylor Olsen seemed to have aged ten years.


    His eyes carried a look of vicissitudes.


    Even his hair seemed to have whitened a bit, visibly worn and much more haggard.


    The deep affection in his demeanor made Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile.


    Taylor Olsen wasn¡¯t her biological father, a fact she had long been aware of.


    And Mrs. Olsen had always been an upright person, so how could she possibly betray him or have an affair?


    What was she thinking when she saw the photo at that moment, heard Mr. Allen say that the woman in the photo was Lady South, and yet neglected this matter to find Mrs. Olsen?


    She felt somewhat ridiculous. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Lewis Horton came to her side and took her hand to ask, ¡°Do you need the hospital room cleared?¡±


    He looked towards Taylor Olsen with a hostile gaze.


    Anyone who was unkind to Keira Olsen, Lewis Horton showed little respect at this moment.


    Heard him speak, Keira Olsen tensed her jaw; she looked at the tightly clasped hands of Taylor Olsen and Mrs. Olsen and couldn¡¯t bring herself to separate them in the end.


    She lowered her eyes and said, ¡°Let it be.¡±


    As long as she could ensure that when Mrs. Olsen woke up, she would see her and be able to finish saying what she wanted to say before passing out.


    Lewis Horton nodded.


    Just then, the struggle and shouting of Jake Horton reached them from outside the door.


    But Keira Olsen didn¡¯t move; she just sat on the other side of Mrs. Olsen.


    Seeing this, Lewis Horton glanced at Taylor Olsen again.


    He looked like a walking corpse at that moment, a despair and worry that simply could not be feigned.


    Seeing that he posed no threat to Keira Olsen, Lewis Horton finally stepped out of the hospital room¡¯s door.


    Upon exiting, he saw Jake Horton being hoisted by a black-clad bouncer, his feet dangling and flailing, while he cried out, ¡°Let me go! I am a Young Master Horton too; you¡¯re all security hired by the Horton Family, you should obey my orders!¡±


    The black-clad bodyguard nearly rolled his eyes upon hearing this.


    As if the Horton Family could afford to hire them?


    Choosing an employer also meant looking at the overall strength, didn¡¯t it?


    So what if the Horton Family had a little more dirty money? Was that enough to win their loyalty?


    The black-clad bodyguard didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of letting Jake Horton go, but it was only when Lewis Horton gave a slight wave of his hand that the bodyguard put Jake down.


    Jake Horton was infuriated, stomping with rage.


    Isla Olsen also felt anger.


    Just then, Ellis Olsen¡¯s angry chastisement came from the doorway, ¡°Lewis Horton, what are you doing?!¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes immediately reddened, ¡°Young Master Olsen, uncle and Kiera have taken control of the hospital room, refusing to let me in to stay with my mother¡­ My mother¡¯s life hangs in the balance, and yet they won¡¯t let us enter the door, this is too much bullying!¡±


    She said as she silently began to tear up.


    Ellis Olsen frowned and looked directly at Lewis Horton, saying, ¡°Lewis Horton, don¡¯t go too far! Do you really think you can do whatever you want in Oceanion? Your bodyguards may be tough for ordinary people, but do you truly believe that I am a pushover?¡±


    When Ellis Olsen came to Oceanion, as the next Olsen Family Head, he obviously had people protecting him.


    The Olsen Family¡¯s bodyguards wouldn¡¯t be too weak either.


    Lewis Horton narrowed his eyes, ¡°Are you looking to pick a fight with me right here? Aren¡¯t you afraid that Mrs. Olsen, who just woke up, will be scared again?¡±


    He could see right away what Ellis Olsen cared about.


    Ellis Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    He furrowed his brows, ¡°Lewis Horton, how did you become so shameless? To actually use Mrs. Olsen to threaten me? She¡¯s just a defenseless woman, if you have the guts, come and face me one-on-one!¡±


    Lewis Horton said indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t we have a one-on-one just half a year ago? Are you sure you want to embarrass yourself here?¡±


    Ellis Olsen: !!


    He had never imagined, that the always upright Lewis Horton, could also have such a shameless moment!


    He glared at Isla Olsen and then sneered, ¡°Fine, if I can¡¯t beat you, I still have other methods. Miss Olsen, your parents have been imprisoned without cause, their personal freedom restricted, you can call the police!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes lit up, and she immediately reached for her phone.


    The next moment, her wrist was sharply yanked, and the phone was snatched away by a black-clothed bodyguard, ¡°Miss Olsen, I¡¯ll keep your phone safe for a moment.¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s pupils shrank, realizing only now that in the face of absolute power, any method she used was futile!


    She bit her lip and looked toward Ellis Olsen, ¡°Young Master Olsen, please save us! Otherwise, when mom wakes up and sees Kiera first thing, even if she isn¡¯t scared to death, she¡¯ll probably die of anger¡­¡±


    Ellis Olsen furrowed his brows, hesitating a bit.


    If he really called his men over and caused a commotion here, it might disturb or scare Mrs. Olsen¡­


    But if he didn¡¯t do that, it indeed felt too suffocating.


    His uncle had entrusted him with taking good care of Mrs. Olsen; he couldn¡¯t let her be wronged!


    Thinking this, Ellis Olsen was about to call people over when Lewis Horton spoke lightly, ¡°Ellis Olsen, why are you still as foolish as you were overseas?¡±


    Ellis Olsen became instantly furious, ¡°Either make a move or speak politely. How can you insult someone?¡±


    Lewis Horton looked straight at him, ¡°I¡¯m asking you, were you present when Mrs. Olsen saw Kiera?¡±


    Ellis Olsen hesitated, ¡°I was.¡±


    ¡°At that time, did Mrs. Olsen ever say to let Kiera leave? Although I¡¯ve had little contact with Mrs. Olsen, I know that she has always had a good relationship with Kiera.¡±


    Lewis Horton stared him down, ¡°Don¡¯t be swayed by rumors, hearing is false, seeing is believing!¡±


    Ellis Olsen was stunned.


    He slowly furrowed his brows, remembering that tonight at the Olsen¡¯s, Mrs. Olsen seemed quite enthusiastic when she saw Keira Olsen, and suddenly felt confused, ¡°Mrs. Olsen doesn¡¯t hate the illegitimate daughter?¡±


    Lewis Horton spoke slowly, ¡°As far as I know, their relationship is very deep.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Ellis Olsen found this unbelievable.


    A lady toward her husband¡¯s illegitimate daughter should all be full of disgust and disdain, right? How could their relationship be very deep?


    He felt like he¡¯d heard a joke.


    Mrs. Olsen wasn¡¯t a saint, and according to his uncle, she was very decisive when she was young, so how was this possible? It just didn¡¯t make sense!


    When Lewis Horton saw that he stopped talking, he pointed to the sickroom, ¡°Kiera might be strong-willed, but from start to finish, she never allowed the bodyguards through that door¡­ Can¡¯t you understand yet?¡±


    Ellis Olsen was dazed.


    The quarrel outside was actually very clear inside the sickroom.


    The soundproofing in the hospital wasn¡¯t very good.


    But Keira Olsen completely disregarded what was happening outside, focusing only on Mrs. Olsen. Suddenly, she saw Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes move, was she about to wake up?!

 Chapter 182 - 182 182

    ?Chapter 182: Chapter 182 Chapter 182: Chapter 182 Keira Olsen instantly stood up excitedly, ready to speak, but Taylor Olsen was even more agitated; he directly sat on the hospital bed and began calling out, ¡°Shirley, Shirley¡­ can you hear me?¡±


    Taylor Olsen¡¯s eyes were rimmed with red, tears welling up, and it looked as if he was about to cry.


    Keira Olsen pursed her lips and said nothing, still staring at Mrs. Olsen, but her eyes just twitched and then stopped, as if she had fallen back into sleep.


    Keira Olsen knitted her brows.


    Taylor Olsen also became puzzled. ¡°Shirley? Shirley? Wake up¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen remained immobile.


    Keira Olsen sensed something was amiss. She took a step forward to see Taylor Olsen, even more frantic than she was, pressing the call button on the wall.


    Soon, a doctor entered.


    He was startled by the bodyguards outside, caught up in the tense atmosphere, but he had seen many VIP ward patients, so he quickly composed himself.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The doctor asked.


    Taylor Olsen then asked, ¡°My wife¡¯s eyes moved just now, looking as if she were about to wake up. Why hasn¡¯t she woken up yet?¡±


    The doctor also glanced at the clock.


    The nurse standing by immediately reminded, ¡°The patient suffered from rage-induced stroke. We just checked; typically, she should wake up within half an hour, and it has been forty minutes already¡­¡±


    The doctor immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s check her out.¡±


    The doctor and nurses started bustling about.


    Outside the door.


    Lewis Horton knitted his brows, pulled out his phone, and sent Tom Davis a text message: ¡°Bring over the best specialists from Oceanion!¡±


    After sending the message, he didn¡¯t enter the room but continued to stand guard.


    Isla Olsen looked a bit anxious, turning to Ellis Olsen.


    But she saw that he had clearly been persuaded by Lewis Horton, with no intention of calling in more bodyguards, just standing outside the door craning his neck waiting for results.


    With the door open, they could hear the conversation of the doctors inside.


    Isla Olsen frowned deeply.


    This would not do¡­ With Ellis¡¯s arrival, representing the power of the Clance Olsen Family, he was just right to counter Lewis Horton. If even he had no sympathy for her, what would she use to compete with Keira Olsen?


    Thinking this, Isla Olsen¡¯s gaze flickered.


    She suddenly rushed into the hospital room, ¡°Mom, how¡¯s my mother?¡±


    But she was easily stopped by a black-clothed bodyguard.


    Isla Olsen struggled forcefully, yet the bodyguard¡¯s arm was like a wall of bronze and iron, preventing her from breaking free or entering the room.


    This was the reaction Isla Olsen wanted.


    She lowered her eyes and suddenly turned back, kneeling with a ¡°bang¡± in front of Lewis Horton!


    Everyone was stunned by her action, and then heard her crying and shouting, ¡°Uncle Lewis, please let me in, that¡¯s my mother¡­ What exactly is wrong with her? Why hasn¡¯t she woken up yet? Uncle, I know I¡¯ve been bad to Keira in the past, I was wrong, should I kowtow to her, please!¡±


    She cried, her face streaked with tears.


    Jake Horton couldn¡¯t help but feel pity, immediately speaking up, ¡°Uncle Lewis! The Horton Family is controlled by you, but you can¡¯t be this domineering! Mrs. Olsen is Isla¡¯s mother! Isla has the right to enter!¡±


    Ellis Olsen immediately furrowed his brows, ¡°Lewis Horton, let her in.¡±


    No matter what the relationship was between Mrs. Olsen and Keira Olsen, Isla was her daughter, and in times of Mrs. Olsen¡¯s critical illness, she certainly would want to see Isla first!


    Lewis Horton looked toward the room.


    Keira Olsen had heard their argument, and now Isla¡¯s crying was just annoying; she suddenly turned and glared fiercely at Isla, ¡°You can come in, but if I hear your crying again, I¡¯ll personally throw you out the window!¡±


    Isla immediately shut her mouth.


    The bodyguard outside heard this too and hesitated for a moment. He originally thought of waiting for the boss¡¯s instructions, but then, recalling how Lewis had stepped back earlier in the day, he immediately stepped aside without hesitation.


    Isla finally entered the room.


    Ellis Olsen then turned to Lewis Horton, ¡°If Keira Olsen hadn¡¯t spoken, were you really not going to let Mrs. Olsen¡¯s own daughter enter? Lewis Horton, aren¡¯t you being too tyrannical? I¡¯ll tell you, Mrs. Olsen was an old friend of my uncle; with me here, I absolutely won¡¯t allow you to bully her!¡±


    Lewis Horton ignored him.


    Next to him, Jake Horton was looking at the patient room with earnest eyes. In his view, Isla Olsen seemed to be on the verge of collapse, as if she was about to fall down at any moment.


    She had knelt down too hard just now, causing a bit of pain in her knees. So after taking a few steps, she bent down to massage them, and without looking, one could still be sure they were probably bruised.


    He turned to Lewis Horton and said, ¡°Uncle, even if you don¡¯t consider my face, you should at least be kinder to her for the sake of the Horton baby in Isla¡¯s womb!¡±


    These words made Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes darken.


    The child in Isla Olsen¡¯s belly was that of Connor Hill from the prison cell, a fact both he and Keira Olsen knew.


    Keira Olsen hadn¡¯t exposed this because she didn¡¯t want to make a fuss, and to her, Jake Horton was now more like a stranger.


    However, hearing these words, Lewis Horton couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a Horton child?¡±


    Jake Horton frowned immediately, ¡°Uncle, what do you mean by that? Don¡¯t I know what I¡¯ve done? The child in Isla¡¯s belly is mine!¡±


    Lewis Horton sneered, ¡°I suggest you take some time to get a check-up, lest you remain oblivious to the green grasslands overhead.¡±


    However, Jake Horton still refused to believe it, ¡°Isla Olsen is the Miss of the Olsen Family, not some woman who messes around recklessly. She¡¯s never been in a relationship her whole life, with only me in her heart. If it¡¯s not mine, whose could it be? Speaking of which, you and Keira Olsen have been married for two years without any news. Could it be that there¡¯s a problem?¡±


    Lewis Horton immediately gave him a cold look.


    Startled, Jake Horton lowered his head and muttered, ¡°Mom said I must protect the child in Isla¡¯s belly. You don¡¯t have children of your own, so you look at mine with displeasure¡­ She guessed right after all!¡±


    Lewis Horton let out a cold laugh, feeling that he really shouldn¡¯t have said anything!


    He looked at Jake Horton with irony, ¡°Whether that child is yours or not is none of my business, I was just kindly reminding you. After all, she was pregnant before marriage, right? Are you sure she¡¯s had only you as a man?¡±


    Jake Horton was momentarily stunned, his tone uncertain, yet he maintained a firm front, ¡°Of course! I¡¯m certain!¡±


    ¡°As you say.¡±


    After leaving these two words behind, Lewis Horton entered the patient room and walked over to Keira Olsen.


    Seeing this, Jake Horton also wanted to follow, but was stopped by the black-clothed bodyguards.


    Inside the patient room.


    After completing all the checks, the attending physician furrowed his brows, ¡°The patient¡¯s condition is a bit strange. Logically, she should have woken up by now, but she remains in a coma. Yet all her readings are normal, and she has not come around; such cases are truly rare¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen became immediately anxious.


    Lewis Horton then took her hand, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Tom Davis to summon all the neurology experts from Oceanion, Mrs. Olsen will be fine!¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen nodded her head at this.


    Outside, waiting, Ellis Olsen was bewildered.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Wasn¡¯t it said that Mrs. Olsen was fine? How come she hasn¡¯t woken up?


    He was starting to panic when his phone suddenly rang.


    Ellis Olsen hesitated before looking down and seeing his uncle¡¯s call come in!


    Startled, Ellis Olsen quickly answered, ¡°Uncle¡­¡±


    ¡°Which patient room?¡±


    A deep, mature voice came from the phone.


    After Ellis Olsen gave the room number, he then felt bewildered, ¡°You knew about Mrs. Olsen¡¯s illness? No¡­ How did you find out?¡±


    He had always kept it to himself to avoid worrying his uncle!


    But as soon as he said this, he thought of the bodyguards following him, among whom were his uncle¡¯s people¡­


    Ellis Olsen understood and then asked further, ¡°Are you coming to Oceanion? Could you bring along some specialists from Clance¡­ the situation with Mrs. Olsen here doesn¡¯t seem very good.¡±


    The voice on the other end immediately became urgent, ¡°How bad?¡±


    ¡°She just remains unconscious,¡± Ellis Olsen said, hearing the sound of honking on the other side, he hesitantly asked, ¡°Are you on your way now? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°At the hospital entrance.¡±


    That cold voice was laced with unease.

 Chapter 183 - 183 183

    ?Chapter 183: Chapter 183 Chapter 183: Chapter 183 Ellis Olsen was a bit stunned upon hearing those words, ¡°Huh? You¡¯re at the hospital entrance? Then I¡¯ll come downstairs to meet you right away¡­¡±


    After hanging up the phone, he glanced at Lewis Horton and thought to himself, Lewis Horton, I can¡¯t do anything about you, but my Uncle Olsen is here! Just wait, after bullying Mrs. Olsen, you definitely won¡¯t have it easy!


    With that thought, he hurriedly ran down the stairs.


    Nobody in the hospital room noticed he had left after making the call, except for Isla Olsen.


    She immediately went over to Jake Horton and asked, ¡°Jake, did Young Master Olsen just say his elder relative has come?¡±


    Jake Horton was taken aback, ¡°Did he? I didn¡¯t hear clearly¡­¡±


    He furrowed his brows, his mind filled with the words Lewis Horton had said, his gaze unconsciously falling on Isla¡¯s abdomen as he asked tentatively, ¡°Is this child really mine?¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes flickered in that instance.


    She had, of course, heard the exchange between Lewis Horton and Jake Horton in the room earlier. She had thought that Jake trusted her, but she didn¡¯t expect that he would ask again.


    This was clearly a sign of mistrust!


    And no wonder, the night she was with Jake, he was drunk and kept calling her Kiera¡­


    Thinking of this, she clenched her fists tightly. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla wore a look of grievance, ¡°Jake, what do you mean by this? You don¡¯t suspect me, do you?¡±


    Jake Horton frowned deeply, scrutinizing her. Seeing that her face bore only sadness and no other expression, he finally spoke, ¡°Of course I trust you. It¡¯s just that my uncle just said that because he can¡¯t have children himself, he¡¯s just jealous of me!¡±


    Isla finally breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, ¡°Young Master Olsen was just on the phone, and I heard him calling out ¡®Uncle Olsen has come,¡¯ Uncle Olsen¡­ Isn¡¯t that the head of the Clance Olsen Family?¡±


    Jake Horton was startled, then shook his head, ¡°Impossible, someone of his stature, how could he possibly come to Clance, especially to this hospital to visit your mother¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen might have some connections in Clance, but Jake didn¡¯t think it would be so significant.


    Uncle Olsen is such an influential figure that a mere stomp from him could shake the entire economic sector in Clance. How could he personally come to visit Mrs. Olsen?


    If Mrs. Olsen had such connections, the Olsen Family¡¯s business would have been booming by now, not to mention surpassing the Horton Family, they would at least be ranking high in Oceanion.


    Isla thought it over and also felt it was improbable.


    She must have been overthinking it¡­ right?


    But if Mrs. Olsen really had such connections, how could she bear to let Isla marry Jake? Why not introduce her to some big shot in Clance?!


    With that thought in mind, she looked towards the hospital room with a hint of ruthlessness in her eyes.


    Mrs. Olsen had many secrets hidden, ones that even she didn¡¯t know about.


    Even Mrs. Olsen¡¯s connections were kept tightly sealed. If Isla hadn¡¯t threatened with death, Mrs. Olsen would never have gone to the Horton Family, nor would she have been able to ask the Clance Olsen Family to support her¡­


    A cold smirk curled the corners of Isla¡¯s lips.


    If Mrs. Olsen were to die like this, who in Clance would come to pay their respects? Perhaps those connections, seeing her as the bereaved orphan of Mrs. Olsen, would take extra care of her, right?


    Then, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s connections would then be transferred to her!


    No sooner had this thought crossed her mind than Isla quickly retracted her malevolent gaze.


    At that moment, there were footsteps from outside the door.


    Tom Davis entered with five elderly-looking experts, heading straight for the hospital room.


    When the doctors and nurses couldn¡¯t find the cause, the five experts also gathered around Mrs. Olsen¡¯s bedside.


    Taylor Olsen was forced to step aside.


    But he didn¡¯t back down, staying close to the experts, his gaze fixed intently on the person in the hospital bed. His eyes were red with intensity, and even though he didn¡¯t speak, it was clear he was extremely nervous and on the verge of collapse.


    His lips were dry, even cracked in places.


    From the time Mrs. Olsen¡¯s incident occurred until now, he had been refusing food and drink, constantly by her side.


    Isla approached and held his arm, ¡°Dad, go have some water, rest for a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Back off.¡±


    Taylor Olsen glared at Isla, his eyes devoid of any warmth, cold as if looking at a dead person, ¡°Don¡¯t think of making me leave Shirley!¡±


    Seeing his condition, Isla paused slightly, then felt a tinge of sourness in her heart.


    Taylor Olsen was her biological father, the man who had doted on and loved her as she grew up.


    This was the first time Isla saw such a foreign emotion in his eyes.


    A wave of sourness suddenly rose in her heart.


    The kindness her father showed her was only because she was Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter¡­


    If her father knew she was Poppy Hill¡¯s daughter, he probably wouldn¡¯t be so kind to her, would he?


    This was her understanding ever since she was little, so she kept that secret tightly concealed.


    She couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath, ¡°Dad, you should sit down first.¡±


    But Taylor Olsen ignored her, still staring intently at Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Shirley, you can¡¯t leave me, you know? What¡¯s the point of living without you?¡±


    The way he looked, everyone could tell, if Mrs. Olsen really didn¡¯t wake up, Taylor Olsen might join her!!


    Isla Olsen¡¯s eyes reddened, and she turned her head away.


    The doctor beside her couldn¡¯t help but let out a slight sigh.


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists.


    No matter how poorly her father, Taylor Olsen, treated her, his feelings for Mrs. Olsen had always been genuine¡­


    Unfortunately, for so many years, there always seemed to be a barrier between Mrs. Olsen and him, like a faint veil blocking his intense love¡­


    Keira Olsen always felt that what stood between them was Poppy Hill and herself.


    Without them, Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen must have been a very affectionate couple, right?


    While Keira Olsen was thinking this, the specialists from Oceanion had finished examining Mrs. Olsen. They huddled together for a discussion and quickly reached a conclusion, uttering a sentence that reassured everyone, ¡°Mrs. Olsen is not in life-threatening danger.¡±


    These words made Taylor Olsen sigh with relief once again.


    He asked urgently, ¡°Then why won¡¯t Shirley wake up?¡±


    The doctors looked at each other, ¡°We¡¯ve also sensed her brain waves, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with them. As for why Mrs. Olsen won¡¯t wake up, we¡¯ve discussed it, and it¡¯s probably because she hasn¡¯t had a good rest for too long, and her body has autonomously initiated sleep mode, to recover her strength and energy as soon as possible¡­¡±


    Taylor Olsen urgently asked again, ¡°Then when will she wake up?¡±


    ¡°At the latest, in three days.¡±


    Taylor Olsen breathed a sigh of relief, moved back to his seat, and took Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°Shirley, you want to sleep properly for three days, right? That¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll be with you¡­¡±


    He sat there quietly, no longer speaking.


    Keira Olsen tensed her jaw.


    Meanwhile, downstairs.


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s car stopped at the entrance of the hospital.


    After Ellis Olsen picked him up, he led him swiftly up towards the hospital room.


    Scratching his head, he asked, ¡°Uncle, what exactly is your relationship with Mrs. Olsen? Why did you come here in person?¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s expression was resolute and stable. Approaching fifty, he looked like a man in his thirties or forties, with a physique that wasn¡¯t typically heavyset for his age, still lean and strong.


    He wore a black cape, exuding a sharp and cold aura.


    Those cool, alluring eyes glanced sideways at Ellis Olsen after hearing this.


    Ellis Olsen immediately stretched out his hand and mimed zipping his own lips, ¡°OK, I won¡¯t ask what I shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Uncle Olsen looked away, his sparing words accompanied by a resolute gaze fixed forward.


    He didn¡¯t even wait for the elevator and started climbing the stairs directly to the third floor.


    Ellis Olsen said, ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t rush. The doctors said Mrs. Olsen isn¡¯t in life-threatening danger, just tired and hasn¡¯t woken up yet¡­¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s expression eased a bit, but his pace didn¡¯t stop.


    Ellis Olsen coughed and attempted to lighten the mood with a joke, ¡°Uncle, do you know all the ladies of Grandma¡¯s generation?¡±


    Uncle Olsen coldly replied, ¡°More or less. Your grandmother took me to many parties back in the day. Why?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing major. It¡¯s just that Lewis Horton came with a photo looking for one of the grandmas. I was worried I wouldn¡¯t recognize her, but if you do, that would be great¡­ Since you¡¯re here, you could help him take a look.¡±


    Ellis Olsen touched his nose.


    Without saying much more, Uncle Olsen hastened his steps.


    The two quickly arrived outside the hospital room.


    Ellis Olsen pushed the door and entered.

 Chapter 184 - 184 184

    ?Chapter 184: Chapter 184 Chapter 184: Chapter 184 Ellis Olsen pushed open the door to the hospital room and walked in.


    Seeing the atmosphere in the room was good, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then he prepared to introduce everyone to his uncle, and so he began, ¡°This is my¡­¡±


    When he turned around, however, he didn¡¯t see Uncle Olsen following behind him and was a bit stunned.


    Uncle?


    Ellis Olsen had no choice but to turn back, only to find Uncle Olsen leaning against the wall in the outside corridor.


    The man, always so controlled and reserved, was now lighting up a cigarette.


    He took a deep drag, then blew out a ring of smoke.


    Ellis Olsen scratched his head: ¡°Uncle, why aren¡¯t you coming in?¡±


    In the swirl of smoke, the man¡¯s stern features revealed a moment of distraction as he said lightly, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m good waiting here for the results.¡±


    Ellis Olsen: ?


    Even more puzzled, he said, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯ve come all this way just to see Mrs. Olsen. Are you just going to wait here for the results?¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s gaze fixed ahead, he took another deep inhalation from his cigarette and nodded, ¡°Yeah, I promised her that in life or death, we would never meet again.¡±


    Ellis Olsen fell silent.


    From that statement, he heard a profound sadness.


    He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then didn¡¯t know what would be appropriate.


    He had previously speculated there must be something between Uncle Olsen and Mrs. Olsen, maybe they were old flames, or perhaps Uncle Olsen had let down this particular lady¡ªa lady many once pursued, given Uncle¡¯s charming past.


    But he never imagined that their past would be so epic.


    In life or death, never to meet again.


    What on earth happened!


    Ellis Olsen wanted to ask, but catching Uncle Olsen¡¯s ashen face, he dared not inquire and could only cough, ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°The medical team from Clance will arrive in a while. I¡¯ll stay here. You go in and keep watch,¡± Uncle Olsen lifted his head, revealing a resolute determination: ¡°Absolutely cannot let her have an accident.¡±


    Ellis Olsen nodded earnestly, then entered the hospital room.


    At this moment, the specialists from Oceanion had finished their consultation and were all preparing to leave. Once again, the hospital room was left with just the Olsen family members.


    Taylor Olsen looked blank, having sat by Mrs. Olsen¡¯s bedside, holding her hand without moving for quite some time.


    Apart from the doctors coming in for checks, he had kept this gesture for over four hours.


    Isla Olsen glanced at Ellis, then curiously looked behind him before asking, ¡°Young Master Olsen, I just heard you on the phone saying that the Olsen family might have someone here?¡±


    Ellis nodded, ¡°My uncle is outside.¡±


    Isla was extremely surprised; it was actually Uncle Olsen!


    And upon hearing this, Taylor Olsen also suddenly looked up, casting a severe gaze towards Ellis. He appeared momentarily dazed and panicked, gripping the hand of his wife, Jodie South, even tighter.


    His whole body trembled faintly.


    He feared that man would forcibly take her away under the pretext of Shirley¡¯s sickness!


    But Isla hadn¡¯t noticed Taylor¡¯s change at all and promptly said with keen courtesy, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Mr. Olsen come in? He¡­¡±


    Ellis explained, ¡°Uncle won¡¯t be coming in; after all, Mrs. Olsen is a woman, and he¡¯s worried about disturbing her.¡±


    This made Taylor sigh with relief. He turned his head to look at Mrs. Olsen on the hospital bed, his gaze growing even more determined.


    Isla immediately walked out: ¡°Then Jake and I will go pay a visit to Mr. Olsen, otherwise it would be too impolite.¡±


    This is indeed as it should be.


    Ellis Olsen thought so as he glanced at Lewis Horton and Kiera Olsen.


    In Clance, many people flattered and sought to recognize Uncle Olsen, seizing any opportunity they could.


    Although Lewis Horton was in his prime and full of vigor, his power and influence still fell short of the older generation¡¯s accumulation; he might sit as an equal with Ellis, but in Uncle Olsen¡¯s presence, he was still somewhat lacking.


    So Ellis assumed that Lewis and Kiera would go together to pay their respects, and then he would say some flattering words on Kiera¡¯s behalf¡­


    Yet, to his surprise, the two of them were just staring at Mrs. Olsen on the hospital bed, as if they hadn¡¯t heard their conversation.


    Ellis didn¡¯t bother with them.


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton arrived at the door and immediately noticed the distinctive man.


    Even without bodyguards behind him, his presence was strong enough to make his extraordinary status immediately apparent.


    Isla and Jake exchanged a look, both seeing the panic in each other¡¯s eyes, but this was a good opportunity.


    Jake swallowed and immediately stepped forward with Isla, ¡°Excuse me, are you Uncle Olsen?¡±


    Uncle Olsen glanced at them, his gaze moving past Jake and settling directly on Isla.


    Isla, petite and delicate, it was hard to tell if she resembled Mrs. Olsen or Taylor Olsen more, but her demeanor made it clear she was raised by Mrs. Olsen.


    His expression softened a bit, ¡°You are Isla?¡±


    Feeling privileged by his acknowledgment, Isla nodded, ¡°Uncle Olsen, would you like to come in? My mother is in the room inside, there is a living room outside where you could sit and have a cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s eyes were fixed on Isla as if he was scrutinizing her, or through her trying to see Mrs. Olsen.


    But after a long look, he only felt that Isla paled in comparison to Mrs. Olsen.


    It was like painting a tiger but only managing to get the skin.


    She had a fine facade and demeanor, yet once she spoke, her eyes betrayed her nervousness, which was different from Mrs. Olsen¡¯s indifferent exterior and the pride that emanated from within her bones.


    Isla glanced at Jake, who immediately said, ¡°Uncle Olsen¡­¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following Isla¡¯s lead, he called the man ¡°Uncle Olsen,¡± and seeing no objection from the latter, became a bit more emboldened, ¡°How long do you plan to stay in Oceanion? Have you not arranged a place to stay? Let me help you with that.¡±


    Uncle Olsen gave Isla another glance, then said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stay until Miss South wakes up.¡±


    The name ¡°Miss South¡± confused Isla and Jake for a moment before they realized he was referring to Mrs. Olsen, Jodie South.


    Jake asked, ¡°So, for now?¡±


    ¡°I will stay here for a while.¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s gaze dropped, and it seemed like he was not inclined to talk anymore.


    Jake immediately said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep you company. Isla, you go inside and stay with Mrs. Olsen.¡±


    Isla also wanted to stay and charm Uncle Olsen, knowing that pleasing him would be far more beneficial than tending to a dying woman on a hospital bed.


    But she understood that Uncle Olsen was here because of Mrs. Olsen.


    So she nodded and was about to enter when Uncle Olsen suddenly spoke up, ¡°If you need any help, just ask.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then she gave Jake a glance, and he understood something, nodding subtly in acknowledgment.


    Isla entered with a sense of triumph, and the black-clad bodyguards did not stop her from entering the hospital room.


    Seeing that Lewis Horton and Kiera Olsen still had no intention of greeting Uncle Olsen, Ellis promptly interjected, ¡°Ahem, Lewis Horton, my uncle is here. Aren¡¯t you going to take your wife to greet him?¡±


    After hearing this, Lewis pondered for a moment and then nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 185 - 185 185

    ?Chapter 185: Chapter 185 Chapter 185: Chapter 185 Uncle Olsen is an elder, by rights we should go greet him.


    Moreover, there¡¯s the matter between Lewis Horton and Uncle Olsen¡­


    He only pondered for a moment before agreeing, then turned his gaze towards Keira Olsen.


    Seeing this, Keira Olsen walked over to him.


    Ellis Olsen couldn¡¯t help but cough, thinking of Mrs. Olsen and Keira Olsen¡¯s conflicting identities, and recalling how Keira Olsen had saved him on horseback, he couldn¡¯t resist reminding her, ¡°My uncle has a very cold personality, if you speak less when you meet him, he probably won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡±


    Just as Keira Olsen was about to nod, she heard Lewis Horton say, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go, just stay here with Mrs. Olsen.¡±


    Keira Olsen was startled.


    Ellis Olsen was surprised too, ¡°Hey, Lewis Horton, do you even understand manners? Uncle Olsen is still an elder after all, he is here, and you are not taking your wife to see him?¡±


    Lewis Horton, however, ignored him completely, simply patting Keira Olsen¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Uncle Olsen was a forceful man, and upon seeing Keira Olsen he would definitely make things difficult for her.


    Knowing this, Lewis Horton couldn¡¯t possibly let Keira Olsen go and seek humiliation.


    Leaving these words behind, he turned and walked out the door.


    Keira Olsen stood in place, watching his retreating figure.


    Ellis Olsen made a ¡°tsk tsk¡± sound with his mouth, then looked Keira Olsen up and down, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s so good about you, for Lewis Horton to offend my uncle on your behalf. Keira Olsen, are you really not going to go take a look? If you go, at most Uncle Olsen will scold you a bit, but if you don¡¯t go, Lewis Horton and my uncle might really clash.¡±


    Keira Olsen glanced at him indifferently and said softly, ¡°I trust him.¡±


    She had lived with her grandmother alongside Lewis Horton for so long, she understood to some extent the daily affairs he was busy with.


    Lewis Horton was not as simple as he appeared to be, he seemed to have his own influence outside of the Horton Group.


    Without dwelling on it, Keira Olsen walked to the nearby sofa and sat there quietly watching Mrs. Olsen.


    Isla Olsen saw this and followed him out again.


    Outside.


    Upon leaving, Lewis Horton headed straight for Uncle Olsen.


    Uncle Olsen was still leaning against the wall, just shifting his gaze to him, his eyes gradually becoming sharper, ¡°I heard you married the Olsen Family¡¯s illegitimate daughter?¡±


    The sentence was cold as ice, fitting his usual way of speaking, which made it difficult to discern his emotions.


    The following Isla Olsen¡¯s face lit up with joy, thinking Uncle Olsen was going to stand up for her!


    She directly looked at Jake Horton. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jake Horton immediately understood his intention and spoke up directly, ¡°Uncle, can you have your bodyguards withdraw? Having them stand guard by the door like this is really affecting my mother-in-law¡¯s medical treatment.¡±


    Uncle Olsen immediately knitted his brows, once again turning his attention to Lewis Horton, ¡°There are bodyguards too?¡±


    Isla Olsen then lowered her head, revealing a wronged expression, ¡°Keira Olsen made my mother faint from anger. My dad and I didn¡¯t want her staying by my mother¡¯s side, so uncle brought bodyguards to take control of the ward¡­¡±


    Uncle Olsen immediately looked towards her.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s tearful appearance was very unappealing to him, so he looked back at Lewis Horton, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give me an explanation?¡±


    Jake Horton and Isla Olsen were immediately looking excitedly towards Lewis Horton.


    But Lewis Horton simply stated coolly, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s too noisy, so I had a bodyguard keep watch at the door, to keep just anyone from barging in and upsetting Mrs. Olsen.¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately bit her lip, ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s my mother! I have the right to decide who can come in and who can¡¯t! And about Keira Olsen, my mother fainted because of her, you take her away, I don¡¯t want my mother¡¯s first sight upon waking to be her! What if she gets upset again?¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s gaze towards Lewis Horton was deep and filled with an imposing aura.


    It seemed as though if the answer from Lewis Horton didn¡¯t satisfy him, he definitely wouldn¡¯t let the matter go.


    Lewis Horton remained calm throughout, and seeing that Uncle Olsen had finished his cigarette, he took a pack out of his pocket and handed one to Uncle Olsen.


    Uncle Olsen took it subconsciously and continued to look at him.


    Lewis Horton said, ¡°I guessed you might come, so I prepared some cigarettes, but I don¡¯t smoke, so I don¡¯t carry a lighter with me.¡±


    Uncle Olsen paused for a moment.


    He took out his own lighter, lit the cigarette, and then began to speak, ¡°Don¡¯t think that giving me a cigarette will get you off the hook, now talk.¡±


    Lewis Horton started, ¡°Before Mrs. Olsen fainted, she was holding Kiera¡¯s hand as if she had something to say, and as for the bodyguards, it¡¯s impossible to withdraw them.¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately frowned.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Lewis Horton to be so assertive in front of Uncle Olsen!


    She looked at Uncle Olsen, seemingly waiting for an explanation, but saw Uncle Olsen indifferently lower his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t disturb her.¡±


    Lewis Horton stated, ¡°The bodyguard is there to ensure Mrs. Olsen isn¡¯t disturbed, you can rest assured about that.¡±


    Uncle Olsen nodded and then¡­ fell silent?


    Isla Olsen was bewildered.


    She looked at Uncle Olsen in shock and then turned to Lewis Horton. Putting together their conversation since they met and the fact that Lewis Horton had prepared the cigarettes, she suddenly understood something, ¡°Uncle Olsen, do you know my uncle?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ve had dealings before.¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s response was as cold as ever.


    Isla Olsen: !!


    Lewis Horton looked at her, ¡°Mr. Olsen and I still have things to discuss, you go into the ward first.¡±


    Isla Olsen and Jake Horton didn¡¯t dare defy the order and entered the room.


    Once they had entered, Uncle Olsen turned his gaze to him, ¡°I told you to visit the Olsen Family to see how they were doing and to check if the illegitimate daughter had disturbed Mrs. Olsen at all. Who gave you permission to marry that illegitimate daughter?¡±


    The tone finally changed from the icy demeanor before, carrying a hint of reproach.


    Lewis Horton looked down.


    When Jake Horton and Isla Olsen got engaged, he, as the head of the Horton Family, personally accompanied Jake to the Olsen Family, all because Uncle Olsen asked him to take a look at how Mrs. Olsen was doing.


    As for why he married Keira Olsen¡­


    He didn¡¯t offer much explanation, ¡°Because I like her.¡±


    Uncle Olsen frowned, ¡°Then take good care of her, and if she really causes discomfort to Miss South, I won¡¯t spare her for your sake!¡±


    Lewis Horton also responded assertively, ¡°The couple is one, if you dare lay a hand on her, then I¡¯ll have no choice but to stand by her side.¡±


    Uncle Olsen chuckled coldly, ¡°The wolf cub has grown up, daring to challenge me. Do you think you can compete with me?¡±


    Lewis Horton replied lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s try and see.¡±


    Inside the ward.


    They couldn¡¯t hear the conversation outside clearly, and Ellis Olsen was getting anxious, ¡°What are my Uncle and Lewis Horton talking about? Are they going to fight? I hope they do, let Lewis Horton taste what it¡¯s like to be suppressed, so he won¡¯t be too arrogant!¡±


    As they talked, Keira Olsen¡¯s phone suddenly rang.


    She hung up directly.


    But it rang again, and Keira Olsen frowned and glanced at the screen, ultimately deciding to take her phone and step outside to the corridor to answer it, not to disturb Mrs. Olsen.


    Keira Olsen opened the ward door and walked straight out.

 Chapter 186 - 186 186

    ?Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Keira Olsen could sense Lewis Horton and Uncle Olsen on the right side of the hospital room. Thus, after exiting, she merely glanced briefly and headed left.


    Consequently, in the corridor, Uncle Olsen also glanced briefly after the door opened, then froze his gaze on her retreating figure, squinting slightly.


    Keira¡¯s silhouette was very upright, giving off a bamboo-like air of poise.


    That demeanor greatly resembled Mrs. Olsen¡¯s.


    Uncle Olsen had long heard of the illegitimate daughter who grew up beside Mrs. Olsen and bore her influence.


    Isla Olsen merely bore a physical resemblance.


    Yet, from merely a silhouette, Keira bore seven to eight parts resemblance to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s demeanor.


    He watched greedily for a moment longer.


    He wanted to see in Keira what Mrs. Olsen looked like in her youth. Unfortunately, it had been over twenty years since he had last seen Mrs. Olsen and her image had begun to blur in his mind.


    Uncle Olsen discreetly withdrew his gaze.


    Keira turned left, entered the stairwell, and then answered the phone, asking, ¡°Shirley, what is it?¡±


    The call was from Holly Sims.


    After she initially hung up but continued to call, it was clear there was an issue.


    Holly said, ¡°Connor Hill¡¯s trial verdict has been announced. He was found guilty of premeditated murder, so he received a death sentence with reprieve. He¡¯s likely to be transferred to prison tomorrow, and then he¡¯ll be out of our jurisdiction. Haven¡¯t you managed to make him reveal that secret about you yet?¡±


    Keira lowered her eyes. ¡°Thanks for the reminder. Could you help me delay it by two more days?¡±


    She always had an intuition that the secret Connor was about to disclose was of paramount importance to her.


    Holly immediately replied, ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll apply for a delay in the transfer, postponing it until the day after tomorrow. However, Keira, Isla Olsen is pregnant with Connor Hill¡¯s baby. As long as that child is around, for the child¡¯s future wealth and honor, he certainly won¡¯t speak; we won¡¯t be able to make him talk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of something else.¡±


    Keira hung up and squinted her eyes.


    Then, she opened the door gracefully and walked back.


    Ellis Olsen believed Uncle Olsen would trouble her, and Lewis thought so too, which is why they both advised her not to go out. However, she wasn¡¯t afraid at all.


    The words ¡®to evade¡¯ were absent from her dictionary.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to step outside only to see Lewis Horton alone standing at the entrance of the hospital room, Uncle Olsen nowhere in sight.


    Keira walked over and raised an eyebrow in inquiry, ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He went to wait in the car for news,¡± Lewis replied.


    ¡°Just now, someone who got wind of his arrival in Oceanion tried to ingratiate himself with him. He was worried about disturbing the peace of the hospital room.¡±


    Keira nodded, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and keep watch. If you have matters to attend to, feel free to go.¡±


    Lewis took her hand. ¡°Then I¡¯ll work in the car downstairs. Call me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Keira entered the hospital room and saw Mrs. Olsen was still deep in sleep. She found a spot on the sofa and sat down.


    The night deepened, and the hospital room gradually quieted down.


    Keira leaned back in the chair and unknowingly dozed off.


    When the morning sun streamed into the room, she abruptly awoke, checked the time¡ªit was only six in the morning¡ªhaving slept for four hours the night before.


    Keira first looked at Mrs. Olsen, whose expression was still calm, her eyebrows, however, slightly furrowed as if she were dreaming.


    Keira then turned her gaze towards Taylor Olsen.


    She was immediately startled!


    In just one night, Taylor Olsen¡¯s hair had turned half white! His expression was haggard, his eyes sunken, clearly having not slept all night, the whites of his eyes suffused with blood.


    His mouth was alarmingly pale, cracked and bleeding, his face covered with a fine stubble, making him look extremely worn.


    Yet he seemed oblivious to his own state, still holding Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand tightly, occasionally using a cotton swab to moisten her lips with water.


    Watching this, Keira felt a twitch in her heart.


    She couldn¡¯t help but pour Taylor Olsen a glass of water.


    Taylor Olsen stared at the hand that suddenly appeared in front of him, slightly startled, and following that hand, he saw Keira Olsen, but this time, he did not get angry.


    He silently took the cup of water, only drank a couple of sips, and then set it aside.


    Noise also came from outside the door.


    Isla Olsen walked in with breakfast, and upon seeing Keira Olsen and Taylor Olsen, her pupils slightly contracted. She then spoke, ¡°Dad, you haven¡¯t rested or eaten anything all night. I bought you breakfast, please eat something.¡±


    Taylor Olsen waved his hand, saying, ¡°No need.¡±


    His words immediately surprised both Isla Olsen and Keira Olsen.


    It turned out that overnight, Taylor Olsen¡¯s voice had become extremely hoarse¡­


    If he hadn¡¯t just had a few sips of water, he would probably have been unable to speak at all now.


    Seeing this, Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t help but comfort him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Olsen will be fine. When she wakes up, she surely won¡¯t want to see you like this.¡±


    Isla also followed suit in comforting him, ¡°Dad, please eat something.¡±


    Yet Taylor Olsen continued to wave his hand, ¡°Shirley is unconscious and can¡¯t eat anything. I will not eat until she wakes up.¡±


    His attitude was very firm.


    Since Keira Olsen had not had much contact with him and was not very attached, she didn¡¯t say anything more.


    She went outside, preparing to go downstairs to get breakfast from Lewis Horton.


    Lewis Horton had just messaged her, saying that he had already bought breakfast.


    But before she could go downstairs, Isla suddenly followed and asked, ¡°Keira Olsen, aren¡¯t you worried that Dad isn¡¯t eating anything?¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned and ignored her.


    But Isla immediately stepped in front of her, blocking her path, ¡°The Olsen family raised you, and this is how you treat Dad? That¡¯s utterly heartless!¡±


    Keira Olsen coldly looked at her, ¡°Isla Olsen, don¡¯t think just because Mrs. Olsen has fainted that I won¡¯t hit you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Isla didn¡¯t step back as usual, but instead suddenly moved closer to Keira Olsen, a sinister look flashing in her eyes.


    ¡­


    Downstairs, two stretch cars were parked in the parking lot.


    One of them had Lewis Horton inside.


    He had rested briefly for a few hours last night, and now the breakfast he had bought was already arranged inside the car.


    He had sent a message to Keira Olsen that if she woke up, she should come downstairs, but the girl who had just replied that she would be coming down soon hadn¡¯t appeared yet.


    This made him get out of the car. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Uncle Olsen was in the other car.


    He hadn¡¯t slept all night and had been watching the position of the third floor hospital room. He too had just gotten out of his car to stretch.


    After bumping into each other in the parking lot, they exchanged glances.


    Lewis Horton walked towards Uncle Olsen, seemingly wanting to greet him¡­


    But before he could speak, a shrill scream suddenly erupted from Mrs. Olsen¡¯s room on the third floor!!


    Lewis Horton and Uncle Olsen were instantly taken aback.


    Immediately, the two moved in unison, quickly heading upstairs!!


    What had happened in the hospital room?


    Could it be¡­ Mrs. Olsen had woken up?!


    Both of them didn¡¯t wait for the elevator, but instead ran directly to the third floor via the staircase.


    They quickly arrived at the hospital room door, then they heard a voice from inside: ¡°Blood, so much blood¡­¡±


    Lewis Horton and Uncle Olsen¡¯s pupils contracted slightly, and without any further hesitation, they immediately pushed the door and entered!

 Chapter 187 - 187 187

    ?Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Lewis Horton and Uncle Olsen rushed to the entrance of the hospital room, and then charged inside.


    Before they could even enter, they heard Jake Horton¡¯s roar, ¡°Isla!¡±


    A shrill scream from Isla Olsen followed, ¡°My child, Keira Olsen, you did this on purpose! You killed my baby!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s brow furrowed, and he quickened his pace through the door.


    Uncle Olsen paused, slightly stunned.


    Once he understood the situation and saw that Mrs. Olsen was all right, he breathed a sigh of relief, then stood outside the door and turned to Ellis Olsen, who was standing guard, to ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Ellis Olsen was also in a daze.


    Two minutes earlier, he had followed his uncle¡¯s instructions to check on the condition of Mrs. Olsen, but as soon as he entered the room, he saw Isla Olsen and Keira Olsen tugging at each other¡­


    Inside the hospital room.


    Isla Olsen lay on the ground, clutching her abdomen, the trousers beneath her soaked red with blood, while Jake Horton was supporting her.


    Isla Olsen exclaimed, ¡°Jake, she pushed me!¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s eyes were rimmed with red as he stared at Isla and said, ¡°I know, I saw¡­ Isla, how are you?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s forehead was beaded with cold sweat, ¡°My stomach hurts, it¡¯s so painful¡­ Jake, our baby is gone¡­¡±


    Having been pregnant for just two months, the amount of blood she had lost left no need for guesses; the child was certainly gone.


    Upon hearing this, Jake Horton immediately panicked, ¡°Doctor, Doctor!¡±


    The doctor from outside the room rushed in, and Jake Horton lifted Isla onto the gurney, quickly running towards the emergency room¡­


    Keira Olsen stood behind them, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.


    Lewis Horton glanced at her and asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Keira Olsen replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Isla Olsen had just now been clinging to her, refusing to let her leave, insisting she persuade Taylor Olsen.


    Keira Olsen was growing impatient, and when she just pulled her hand free using a bit of force, Isla was sent stumbling backward and then violently crashed against the chair.


    What followed was that bloody scene.


    She felt like laughing.


    All of Isla Olsen¡¯s petty grievances were displayed on her face. Was it not because Lewis Horton had reminded Jake Horton, causing him to harbor suspicions towards her!


    Keira Olsen had long expected she would find an excuse to lose the baby in an ¡®accident.¡¯


    After all, having married into the Horton family, if this child was lost, there could be another¡­


    But she had just woken up, and she was also worried about Mrs. Olsen, so it never crossed her mind that she would pull such a stunt in the hospital room!


    After pondering for a moment, she waved her hand at Lewis Horton, ¡°Although the child is gone, we can do a test. Help me notify the hospital¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen wasn¡¯t panicked at all.


    With the DNA test report in hand, proving the child wasn¡¯t Jake Horton¡¯s, the Hortons would no longer pursue the matter, and Isla Olsen¡¯s bout of tragic drama would be for naught.


    Furthermore¡­


    A smile curled up at the corner of Keira Olsen¡¯s lips.


    Just yesterday it was said that as long as the child was still there, Connor Hill would not speak up, and now the child is gone¡­ All it takes is another way to make Connor Hill give up on Isla Olsen, then he will spill the secret.


    Isla Olsen really signed her own death warrant with this move!


    Lewis Horton immediately sent Tom Davis a message.


    This hospital belongs to the Horton Family, they can do whatever they want here.


    The way the two of them exchanged smiles caught Ellis Olsen¡¯s eye, and he immediately furrowed his brow and scolded, ¡°Keira Olsen, Lewis Horton, how can you two still be smiling?! You¡¯ve just caused someone to lose their life, don¡¯t you feel any guilt at all?¡±


    Keira Olsen slowly spoke up, ¡°I didn¡¯t push her, it wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, who else could it be? I saw it with my own eyes, and you¡¯re still lying! Mr. Olsen, you saw it too, didn¡¯t you?!¡± Ellis Olsen turned to Taylor Olsen to ask.


    Yet, Taylor Olsen was still just staring at Jodie South on the hospital bed, from the beginning to the end without a word.


    It was as if he didn¡¯t care about Isla Olsen¡¯s miscarriage at all.


    Both Keira Olsen and Ellis Olsen knew that Taylor Olsen was lost in his own world¡­


    Unless Mrs. Olsen woke up, it was very likely he would literally starve himself to death.


    Seeing him like this, Ellis Olsen furrowed his brow, ¡°Forget it, if he has no mind to deal with you, Uncle Olsen and I cannot simply stand by and watch Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter get bullied! I will take charge of this matter!¡±


    Leaving these words behind, he left the room.


    An hour later, someone entered and called out, ¡°Sir, madam, the old master has arrived and is calling for you in Miss Isla Olsen¡¯s room.¡±


    Lewis Horton stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go, you stay here.¡±


    The butler immediately said, ¡°The old master asked for both of you to come.¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyebrows knit together, and just as he was about to speak, the butler said with a smile, ¡°Hearing that Mrs. Olsen was hospitalized here, they were originally planning to come and talk to you and the madam, but they were afraid of disturbing Mrs. Olsen¡¯s rest, so they called for you two instead¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen promptly stood up, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    She and Lewis Horton left the room and after turning left at two hospital rooms, they arrived at Isla Olsen¡¯s room.


    Right now, she was lying on the hospital bed, her complexion a bit pale, and her eyes still a bit red. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside the room, the Hortons had all arrived.


    Nathan Horton, Oliver Horton, Melissa Knight were all there; Jake Horton was right beside Isla¡¯s bed, putting on an act of deep concern and righteousness.


    Upon seeing the two of them enter, Jake Horton immediately clenched his fists, angrily looking at Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira Olsen, didn¡¯t you know Isla was pregnant? How could you push her with such force! You definitely did it on purpose!!¡±


    Melissa Knight also stood up abruptly, angrily looking at them, ¡°Lewis, what is the meaning of this? Our first branch of the family was about to have a great-grandson, how could you do such a thing?! Do you realize that the child she lost was a boy!¡±


    She was heartbroken.


    If Jake Horton had a son, while Lewis Horton¡¯s side failed to produce any children, then the Horton inheritance would eventually go to their first branch of the family.


    But to think this dream had now been shattered!


    Oliver Horton immediately followed Melissa Knight¡¯s words, ¡°Lewis, I¡¯ve always known you didn¡¯t like me, your older brother, but how could you do such a thing? You¡¯ve been married for two years and haven¡¯t had a child, are you desperate? But that doesn¡¯t give you the right to harm your nephew¡¯s child!¡±


    Nathan Horton also slapped his hand on the armrest of the sofa, angrily pointing at Lewis Horton and Keira Olsen, ¡°You poisonous woman, marrying into the Horton family with no child after two years is bad enough, but now you¡¯ve also harmed my great-grandson, this is utterly unforgivable!! And you, Lewis Horton, you must give your nephew an explanation for this!¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at him indifferently and scoffed, ¡°What sort of explanation?¡±


    Nathan Horton directly said, ¡°You divorce this cheap woman immediately, right now, and transfer five percent of the company¡¯s shares to Jake as compensation, and we¡¯ll consider this matter settled!¡±


    A hint of mockery flashed in Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes, ¡°And what if, the child she lost, wasn¡¯t Jake Horton¡¯s at all?¡±

 Chapter 188 - 188 188

    ?Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Isla Olsen deliberately created the illusion that Keira Olsen had pushed her, so defending herself now would be the lowest tactic.


    Lewis Horton knew well the art of negotiation.


    Attack is the best defense, so he didn¡¯t explain anything about Keira not laying a hand on her and simply released this statement.


    Upon hearing this, the few people in the room were slightly stunned!


    Isla, lying in the hospital bed, flickered her eyes and with reddened eyes said, ¡°Mom, Jake, my uncle is defending my aunt so much that he¡¯s even willing to tell such lies. How can I stay in the Horton Family after this?¡±


    At her crying, Jake Horton immediately reacted, ¡°Alright, Uncle, no wonder you previously told me that this child isn¡¯t mine. You¡¯ve been setting the stage to hurt this kid all along, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°And you, Keira Olsen, you didn¡¯t inadvertently hurt her because of a dispute, you definitely did it on purpose! Just because you can¡¯t have children, you¡¯re jealous of our children, aren¡¯t you?!¡±


    Jake Horton was so angry that he was shaking all over, and he rushed over to Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira Olsen, I truly didn¡¯t expect you to be this kind of person! Four years in college, I treated you so well¡­ I can¡¯t believe you would do something like this!¡±


    Madness shone in the depths of his eyes.


    When Keira heard him bringing up their college past, she couldn¡¯t help but also become somewhat distracted.


    The hysterical man in front of her was once that innocent and sunny boy from college¡­


    She silently sighed and calmly said, ¡°This child really isn¡¯t yours.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t I know what happened between Isla and me? To clear your own name, you¡¯re saying these things! Keira Olsen, you have truly let me down! I will pursue this matter to the end!¡±


    Melissa Knight immediately started crying, ¡°My poor grandson, just because of their jealousy, he¡¯s gone¡­ Since Lewis Horton became the Family Head, our first branch has been giving way at every turn. Now they¡¯re even persecuting Jake¡¯s children. Lewis, tell me, what more do you want from us?¡±


    Oliver Horton also deeply sighed, ¡°Lewis, from childhood to adulthood, where have I ever wronged you¡­ Why are you specifically targeting our first branch? Grandma¡¯s love went all to you, you also control the Horton Family, can¡¯t you just let us live in peace?¡±


    After saying this, he turned his head toward Nathan Horton, ¡°Dad, for our future safety, maybe you should let us separate from the family! I¡¯m truly scared, Lewis has become unfamiliar since coming back from abroad. Now, with my daughter-in-law lying in the hospital bed, he not only shows no remorse but is here slandering her¡­ We can¡¯t live like this!¡±


    He lowered his head and wiped away nonexistent tears from the corner of his eyes.


    Nathan Horton sternly accused Lewis Horton, ¡°Ungrateful creature, you¡¯ve been a bastard since you were a kid, and you¡¯re still the same as an adult, are you satisfied only when you¡¯ve driven your brother and his family to death?!¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at them coldly, finding their words laughable.


    He bullied Oliver Horton since he was a kid?


    By the time he was born, Oliver Horton was already 14 years old!


    As a child, ignorant of his ways, any collision with him could result in Oliver using force against him.


    Several times he nearly died from his malicious pranks!


    Even at nine years old when he was kidnapped, it was Oliver Horton who took him out of the house and left him at the train station!


    Such an ¡°innocent¡± and ¡°pitiful¡± older brother!


    And with the added favoritism of this father¡­ Lewis Horton¡¯s heart had long since turned cold.


    At this moment, a pair of hands suddenly clasped his own.


    Lewis Horton was momentarily taken aback before turning his head to see Keira Olsen standing by his side.


    Side by side with him, the woman jointly bore the malice coming from the Horton Family, which warmed Lewis¡¯s heart.


    That¡¯s right.


    He was no longer alone.


    He gently patted Keira Olsen¡¯s hand and asserted, ¡°Does the first branch of the family wish to separate? I have no objections, after all, they have always lived in the Horton Family main house, occupying the residence that rightfully belongs to the Family Head. Now that my wife and I have returned, it is indeed time for the main house to vacate the place.¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Oliver Horton was dumbfounded.


    The coveted position in the main house was always occupied by Oliver Horton and Melissa Knight.


    Even after Lewis Horton returned home and became the Family Head, this had not changed.


    Old Mr. Nathan Horton directly used the excuse that Lewis¡¯s wife hadn¡¯t arrived, and he needed to stay with old Mrs. Horton, to prevent the first branch from vacating the house¡­


    Lewis Horton had not expected that at this juncture, he¡¯d bring this matter up.


    Melissa Knight immediately cried out, ¡°Lewis, how cruel-hearted you are! Did you harm Isla¡¯s child just to separate the family? Are you afraid our first branch will flourish and overshadow you!¡±


    Having said this, she turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°Was it this illegitimate daughter¡¯s idea? Lewis has never mentioned this before. You appeared in our family, and everything has become a mess. How venomous can an illegitimate daughter be? Are you wishing for the Horton Family to be torn apart?¡±


    Isla Olsen also started crying, ¡°Keira, please don¡¯t do this. We are all one family. I won¡¯t pursue your responsibility. Please don¡¯t instigate your uncle into dividing the family, okay?¡±


    Melissa Knight immediately shouted, ¡°Look, this is the demeanor of a lady from a noble family. Lewis, your wife was born an illegitimate daughter; no wonder she is so petty! A good wife comes from virtue, it is her jealousy that has driven us to this point! Isla has let it go, but I won¡¯t agree! The baby in her womb is my grandson! Dad, you might have to intervene in this matter!¡±


    Old Mr. Nathan Horton spoke up directly, ¡°Lewis Horton, since you refuse to relent, I will make the decision then. Bring people in to seize this poisonous woman and make her kneel and apologize to Isla Olsen!¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than two bodyguards walked in from the doorway.


    They went directly towards Keira Olsen, ready to grab her by the shoulders.


    Keira Olsen was about to fight back when the man beside her suddenly grabbed her shoulders and stepped forward. He quickly subdued the two men and angrily shouted, ¡°Tom Davis!¡±


    Several more bodyguards immediately swarmed in from the doorway, positioning themselves before Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton, blocking the Horton Family¡¯s bodyguards.


    These were Lewis Horton¡¯s private bodyguards, only loyal to him.


    Moreover, these bodyguards were clearly in a different league from those of the Horton Family, their presence deterring the regular Horton bodyguards from advancing. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Mr. Nathan Horton was infuriated, ¡°You ungrateful creature, you have turned against us! After causing such trouble, are you actually attempting to control us with force? I am your father!¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at him impassively, ¡°You should be grateful that you are my father.¡±


    His words, laden with a threatening undertone, made even Nathan Horton feel intimidated, ¡°You, you would dare to commit patricide and fratricide?¡±


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t want to speak.


    Keira Olsen then spoke for him, ¡°Old Mr. Horton, why the rush? The child that Isla Olsen just miscarried, we have already taken for testing. Once the results are in, won¡¯t the truth be revealed?¡±

 Chapter 189 - 189 189

    ?Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Isla Olsen was stunned by these words, ¡°What? How could you do this!¡±


    Kiera Olsen sneered, looking at her, ¡°What? Feeling guilty?¡±


    Her words made both Jake Horton and Melissa Knight turn to look at her.


    Isla Olsen quickly changed her tune, ¡°Guilty of what? I¡¯ve only ever been with Jake. Could the child possibly belong to someone else? I just think you are all so cruel. Not only did you harm my child, but now you¡¯re treating it like this¡­¡±


    She clasped her stomach, crying and saying, ¡°My child, it¡¯s all my fault I didn¡¯t protect you well, letting you suffer such humiliation after you were gone. I wonder if it hurt you¡­ I just wasn¡¯t capable enough¡­¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s eyes also reddened, and he clenched his fists tightly, glaring resentfully at Kiera Olsen and Lewis Horton.


    Kiera Olsen pulled at the corner of her mouth, speechless, ¡°A month-old embryo is just a cell; the pain receptors haven¡¯t even developed yet. Isla, stop the act¡­¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Isla Olsen stiffened slightly, then bit her lip, glaring viciously at Kiera Olsen.


    She hated her so much!


    Indeed, she had deliberately caused her own miscarriage to avoid the possibility of Jake insisting on an amniocentesis.


    Furthermore, there were people from the Clance Olsen Family present, clearly ready to take her side. So it was only natural that she would take this opportunity to seize control over Kiera Olsen.


    If she could drive her out of the Horton Family, or even help the first branch of the family take back the control of Horton Group from Lewis Horton, it would be a good thing.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected that Lewis Horton would actually protect this ¡°bitch¡±!


    Inside the ward, Lewis Horton had already gained the upper hand and was completely in control.


    But at that moment, a mocking voice suddenly came from the doorway, ¡°Lewis Horton, don¡¯t be too forceful in your actions! Controlling Mrs. Olsen¡¯s room is one thing, but controlling Isla¡¯s as well? Do you really take my uncle for decoration?¡±


    Ellis Olsen appeared at the doorway, his bodyguards close behind him, directly confronting Lewis Horton¡¯s bodyguards.


    Seeing him, Isla¡¯s eyes lit up, and she immediately cried out, ¡°Young Master Olsen, you¡¯ve come at the perfect time; you must stand up for me!¡±


    After speaking, she burst into aggrieved tears, ¡°Kiera Olsen, you¡¯re just too malicious, making my mother bedridden with anger, and harming me like this. You¡¯re here for revenge, aren¡¯t you?! It¡¯s all because you see that my mother and I have no support, so you act so recklessly!¡±


    She sobbed, looking pitiful.


    Ellis Olsen immediately ordered, ¡°Someone grab Kiera Olsen for me!¡±


    Lewis Horton stood directly in front of Kiera, ¡°I¡¯d like to see who dares!¡±


    Ellis Olsen stared straight at Lewis Horton, ¡°Uncle said, he has guaranteed the protection of Mrs. Olsen¡¯s biological daughter. Are you sure you want to be his enemy?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lewis Horton frowned.


    He spoke indifferently, ¡°Tell your uncle, I¡¯m not interested in Isla. I merely told the truth. The DNA test results will be available in as little as three hours, and I hope by then he won¡¯t be here shielding the instigator.¡±


    Leaving those words behind, Lewis Horton took Kiera Olsen¡¯s hand and strode out.


    Nathan Horton tried to call them back, ¡°You get back here!¡±


    Regrettably, it was as if Lewis Horton didn¡¯t hear him at all.


    Nathan Horton was furious, ¡°Ungrateful creature! You¡¯re too arrogant, too arrogant!! Heaven won¡¯t tolerate this!¡±


    At the door, Ellis Olsen blocked their way, ¡°Lewis Horton, you may leave, but she can¡¯t! This illegitimate daughter has bullied Isla, and today she must be held accountable!¡±


    With a wave of his hand, his bodyguards immediately stepped forward to seize Kiera Olsen, but they were blocked by Lewis Horton¡¯s bodyguards.


    A standoff ensued between the two sides.


    Ellis Olsen looked at them coldly, ¡°Lewis Horton, are you sure you want to fight this out here?¡±


    This was a hospital owned by the Horton family, and Mrs. Olsen¡¯s ward was not far away.


    The bodyguards were all seasoned fighters, and a fight would cause considerable damage, likely affecting Mrs. Olsen¡­


    Kiera Olsen immediately stepped forward, about to say something, but Lewis Horton¡¯s gaze darkened, ¡°I¡¯ve already said it, the truth will come out in three hours. Ellis Olsen, can¡¯t you even wait that long?¡±


    Ellis Olsen glanced at the room and began slowly, ¡°Lewis Horton, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something. The results in three hours don¡¯t matter to us, we always protect Mrs. Olsen¡¯s biological daughter! Not your Horton family¡¯s grandson!¡±


    The implication was clear.


    Uncle Olsen didn¡¯t care whether the child in Isla¡¯s stomach was a Horton or not.


    What he cared about was the fact that Kiera Olsen had harmed the child in Isla¡¯s womb.


    Lewis Horton¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    This was a bit troublesome¡­


    Uncle Olsen was ruthless and often unreasonable. Since he said he¡¯d protect Mrs. Olsen, he would surely only stand by Isla, even if it turned out that Isla¡¯s child wasn¡¯t a Horton. He likely wouldn¡¯t let Kiera Olsen off easily.


    Lewis Horton lowered his gaze, ¡°What does Uncle Olsen want?¡±


    Ellis Olsen then looked at Kiera Olsen, ¡°Miss Olsen¡¯s child is gone; Kiera Olsen must do something to atone¡­ Kiera Olsen, my uncle is downstairs. Do you dare to go see him with me?¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at him, ¡°The child Isla was carrying has nothing to do with Kiera, and I won¡¯t allow you to take her away!¡±


    Ellis Olsen scoffed, ¡°Lewis Horton, that¡¯s not up to you.¡±


    The atmosphere on site was tense, and it seemed as if a fierce battle could erupt at any moment.


    At this critical juncture, Kiera Olsen suddenly stepped out and looked at Lewis Horton, ¡°I¡¯ll go with him.¡±

 Chapter 190 - 190 190

    ?Chapter 190: Chapter 190 Chapter 190: Chapter 190 ¡°No.¡±


    Lewis Horton directly grabbed her hand, ¡°You don¡¯t understand Uncle Olsen, he is domineering in his actions and simply won¡¯t give you the chance to explain. If I¡¯m not mistaken, as soon as you and Ellis Olsen descend the stairs, he will immediately cripple one of your legs!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s pupils shrank.


    She looked towards Ellis Olsen, only to see the man digging his ear, ¡°My uncle said that my apologizing with one arm and one leg should suffice.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    So it¡¯s really like that?


    She furrowed her brows, just about to say something else, when Lewis Horton stepped forward, ¡°Let¡¯s both take a step back, I¡¯ll go downstairs with you and talk to Uncle.¡±


    Ellis Olsen took his finger out of his ear, blew off the non-existent dust, and laughed, ¡°You want to go downstairs and chat with my uncle, I have no objections, but how is this taking a step back for both of us?¡±


    With a smile, he looked towards Lewis Horton, ¡°I¡¯ll have the bodyguards guard all the exits here, to prevent you from pulling any tricks like creating a diversion and letting her escape.¡±


    After both parties reached an agreement, Lewis Horton turned to Keira Olsen, ¡°You stay on this floor, don¡¯t go anywhere else.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Only then did Lewis Horton go downstairs with Ellis Olsen.


    Their respective bodyguards remained upstairs, one group guarding Keira Olsen and the Olsen Family¡¯s bodyguards watching them, to prevent Keira Olsen from escaping.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t want to stay in Isla Olsen¡¯s ward, so she walked out, intending to return to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s ward.


    But before she could leave, she heard Isla Olsen speak up, ¡°Keira, you¡¯ve been acting untouchable because of backing from your little uncle, but this time, I have the support of the Clance Olsen Family behind me! Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be afraid of you! As long as you apologize and admit your wrongs, I might consider letting you off.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen laughed, ¡°Is that so? The Horton Family and the Olsen Family are equals. Do you think even with the support of the Olsen Family, the Horton Family would want a woman carrying the child of another man? I have a saying for you, ¡®One¡¯s own misdeeds are the cause of one¡¯s misery.¡¯


    Isla Olsen choked!


    Jake Horton then shouted angrily, ¡°Keira Olsen, even now, you¡¯re still clinging to Isla! Do you think her status as Miss Olsen compares to you, an illegitimate daughter? You¡¯re married to my little uncle, yet you¡¯re still ambiguous with me!¡±


    Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain the issue, merely lowering her eyes, ¡°All this nonsense you¡¯re spouting is meaningless now; everything will be clear in three hours.¡±


    Leaving these words behind, she turned and left the ward, returning to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s ward.


    Seeing her step out, the Olsen Family¡¯s bodyguards immediately tensed up, but relaxed after she entered Mrs. Olsen¡¯s room.


    In the ward, several members of the Horton Family turned their attention to Isla Olsen.


    Melissa Knight narrowed her eyes, asking directly, ¡°Isla Olsen, tell me, is the child really a Horton?¡±


    Isla Olsen¡¯s gaze flickered for a moment before she blurted out, ¡°Mom, how could you say that? Of course, it¡¯s Jake¡¯s child. The Family Head of the Olsen Family is downstairs right now, you don¡¯t have to be afraid, he will take my side.¡±


    Melissa Knight sneered, ¡°Is that a threat?¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately waved her hands, ¡°I¡¯m not, how could I! Mom, I just mean we don¡¯t have to be afraid of little uncle¡­¡±


    ¡°You better be right!¡± Melissa Knight stared at her intently, ¡°Let me tell you something, Keira Olsen said something very true, even with the Olsen Family¡¯s support, if this child isn¡¯t Jake¡¯s, our Horton Family will not tolerate you!¡±


    Isla Olsen immediately clenched her fists, ¡°I know, Mom.¡±


    Beside her, Jake Horton couldn¡¯t help but speak out, ¡°Mom, why bother saying these things? Surely you haven¡¯t been fooled by the words of little uncle and Keira Olsen? How could the child in Isla¡¯s belly possibly not be mine!¡±


    Melissa Knight: ¡°After all, you conceived before marriage.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not an issue! What era are we living in now¡­ Besides, the DNA test results will be out in three hours, then won¡¯t we know the truth?¡±


    Jake Horton said casually.


    Unaware, his words made Isla Olsen¡¯s grip on the blanket tighten.


    She thought that after a miscarriage, amniocentesis would no longer be possible, but she never expected Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton to have the doctors collect the embryo from her miscarriage, directly cutting off her retreat!


    Isla Olsen felt like she was going to die from anger.


    Not wanting to sit idly by, Isla Olsen took out her phone from the side.


    ¡­


    Downstairs.


    After Uncle Olsen¡¯s car door opened, Lewis Horton went straight into his car.


    Uncle Olsen lifted his amorous eyes and glanced at him, then coldly said, ¡°What? Are you here to plead on behalf of that illegitimate daughter?¡±


    Lewis Horton said indifferently, ¡°She hasn¡¯t done anything wrong, the child isn¡¯t Jake Horton¡¯s. Isla Olsen deliberately had an abortion and framed her.¡±


    Uncle Olsen raised an eyebrow, his presence still filled with a cold aura, ¡°Why would Isla Olsen have an abortion only to frame her? Even if she did nothing, her very birth is her fault.¡±


    Lewis Horton furrowed his brows, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, Mrs. Olsen never minded her existence.¡±


    ¡°Miss South¡¯s health has been declining over the years; surely, she has some ailment of the heart. Who else could be the cause of this heart ailment if not her? Lewis Horton, we are not fools. Do you really think any wife of the main house would truly not mind an illegitimate daughter from outside?¡±


    Lewis Horton tightened his jaw.


    No.


    Even though Mrs. Olsen was so affectionate towards Keira Olsen, she must have minded at some point.


    Otherwise, Keira Olsen wouldn¡¯t have left the Olsen Family so early, and every time she faced Mrs. Olsen, she was both loving and fearful, and always avoided her¡­


    As for the Horton Family, Oliver Horton had a mistress and an illegitimate daughter outside, and Melissa Knight made quite a fuss about it at home countless times.


    Jake Horton¡¯s dislike for illegitimate daughters was also because of this.


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s words were irrefutable.


    Lewis Horton slowly said, ¡°The overseas project we¡¯ve been working on recently, I can let you have it.¡±


    ¡°Not necessary.¡±


    Uncle Olsen coldly refused, ¡°Neither you nor I can be bought with money, so why bother saying that?¡±


    Lewis Horton was just testing the waters.


    But this attempt made Lewis Horton feel that the situation had become even more difficult.


    The overseas project was something Uncle Olsen had always wanted, offering many conditions in exchange for it, but now, for the sake of the Olsen Family, even this was not negotiable.


    He clenched his jaw, ¡°No matter what, I will not allow you to bully Kiera. One cannot choose their birth, and she has never been at fault.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it, her birth already destined her to be indebted to the Olsen Family.¡±


    Uncle Olsen looked at Lewis Horton, ¡°But letting her off is not impossible, as long as you agree to one condition.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Divorce her and marry my niece.¡±


    After Uncle Olsen finished speaking slowly, he stared icily at Lewis Horton, ¡°I¡¯ve always taken quite an interest in you as a son-in-law, a pity I have no daughter. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve had you two in the bridal room even if I had to tie you up. Lewis Horton, this is my compromise. If you disagree, then we¡¯ll just have to break her arm, a leg.¡±


    Lewis Horton was instantly furious, ¡°You dare!¡±


    ¡°We can try.¡±


    Uncle Olsen stated lightly.


    Lewis Horton immediately clenched his fists.


    He and Uncle Olsen were equally matched, with no clear superior.


    If the two forces were to really clash, the result would be nothing more than a pyrrhic victory.


    But he could not back down.


    As the two men were at an impasse, Ellis Olsen interrupted with a giggle, ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t be so stern, haha! Oh, Lewis Horton, didn¡¯t you have a photo you wanted to ask my uncle about? Bring it out, let¡¯s have a look~¡±


    Ellis Olsen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    He knew that both of the men in front of him were not afraid to escalate things, but this was a hospital. If a fight really broke out, wouldn¡¯t they level the place?


    So he had to intervene and play the fool. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 191 - 191 191

    ?Chapter 191: Chapter 191 Chapter 191: Chapter 191 Lewis Horton and Uncle Olsen looked simultaneously at Ellis Olsen, who had intruded abruptly.


    Then, both of their mouths opened at the same time, and they uttered in unison: S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    Ellis Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    He twitched the corner of his mouth and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°The understanding between you two, anyone would think you were family. Uncle, I know you really like Lewis Horton, and you want him to marry a girl from our family. I too want him to marry my cousin and flaunt my status as the older cousin! ~ Keep it up!¡±


    After Ellis finished speaking, he backed away, looking dejected.


    However, his interruption had indeed dissipated the previously tense atmosphere.


    Lewis Horton looked at Uncle Olsen again: ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡±


    Uncle Olsen sneered coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you say that, I will let go of that illegitimate daughter. I have come here to clear all obstacles for Miss South!¡±


    Lewis Horton sighed, ¡°I can understand you want to protect Mrs. Olsen, but Keira is also my wife, and it¡¯s my responsibility to protect her too. Uncle, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to offend you this time.¡±


    Uncle Olsen narrowed his eyes, his gaze exuding a sink-or-swim determination: ¡°Let¡¯s try then.¡±


    The situation was tense downstairs.


    In the upstairs hospital room, Keira Olsen was also subtly worried about Lewis Horton as she stood by the window, looking down at the parking lot.


    Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps approached, Keira Olsen turned around only to see Poppy Hill rushing into the hospital room.


    Her gaze first fell on Taylor Olsen, and her pupils contracted slightly at the sight of his condition, clearly heartbroken. She approached Taylor Olsen: ¡°Taylor, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    Taylor Olsen already lacked the energy to speak loudly, but the force behind that one word was still powerful enough to silence Poppy Hill.


    She retreated awkwardly, then turned a fierce gaze on Keira Olsen, moved quickly towards her, and raised her hand to strike: ¡°You bitch, I heard you caused Isla to lose her child? The Olsen Family raised you, Isla is your mistress, and you dare to treat her like this? I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±


    But before her slap could land on Keira Olsen¡¯s face, Keira Olsen grabbed her wrist and pushed her away forcefully.


    Keira Olsen looked at her coldly: ¡°Don¡¯t try to control me with your schemes anymore, I¡¯ve grown up, Poppy Hill, we have long been through with each other!¡±


    ¡°Through with each other?¡±


    Poppy Hill scoffed: ¡°I am your mother, how could there be no relation between us! Keira Olsen, you have my blood running through your veins. If you want to sever ties with me, then bleed yourself dry! If you can¡¯t do that, if you can¡¯t give up your life to me, then you must listen to me! Go now, immediately, right this moment, and apologize to Isla, beg for her forgiveness! And if she doesn¡¯t forgive you, then remove your own womb as atonement!¡±


    Keira Olsen stared in astonishment.


    She suspected she had heard wrong.


    Although she had always known that Poppy Hill disliked and despised her, she had never imagined that Poppy Hill could say something so ruthless!


    Remove her womb? Just to earn Isla¡¯s forgiveness?


    She couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    That smile was bitter, imbued with a touch of liberation.


    Indeed, her mother had never loved her.


    Seeing no response from her, Poppy Hill said directly: ¡°Did you hear me? I told you to remove your womb; I¡¯m going to book the surgery for you now. You caused Isla to lose a child, and I will make sure you can¡¯t have children for the rest of your life as punishment!¡±


    She grabbed Kiera Olsen¡¯s arm, trying to pull her towards the exit.


    But as long as Kiera Olsen just stood there, she couldn¡¯t leave.


    Poppy Hill turned around, glowering at her: ¡°Kiera Olsen, you dare to disobey me? Kneel!¡±


    ¡°Kneel¡­¡±


    These two words were the most frequent Kiera had heard from a very young age. Whenever Poppy Hill was angry, these were the first words she uttered.


    Then she would take out her homemade whip and lash it viciously across Kiera¡¯s body!


    Kiera¡¯s gaze turned even icier as she replied directly, ¡°Poppy Hill, I won¡¯t listen to you anymore.¡±


    ¡°What did you call me? You ungrateful wretch, ingrate! I gave birth to you, and this is how you treat me? Kiera Olsen, do you believe that I¡¯ll call the police right now to say you¡¯re not providing for me in my old age? I¡¯ll sue you, take you to court, and see you jailed!¡±


    Poppy Hill hopped around furiously, her voice spilling out of the hospital room¡­


    In Isla Olsen¡¯s hospital room.


    They all vaguely heard something; Isla immediately threw off the blankets, intent on getting out of bed, ¡°What¡¯s happening over by my mother¡¯s side? I¡¯ll go check¡­¡±


    Jake Horton instantly supported her arm, ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡±


    But Isla¡¯s footsteps paused slightly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The two quickly arrived at Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital room door. Just as they entered, they heard Poppy Hill¡¯s wailing: ¡°You bastard, illegitimate daughter, how dare you treat Miss Isla like that? You¡¯re utterly conscienceless!¡±


    Isla immediately spoke up, ¡°Aunt Hill? What are you doing here?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Poppy Hill whirled to face them and then suddenly knelt before Isla, ¡°Miss Isla, it¡¯s all Kiera¡¯s fault, I apologize for her! She must be jealous of you and young Mr. Horton, that¡¯s why she did this. Don¡¯t worry, I will make sure she explains herself!¡±


    Isla¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, ¡°Aunt Hill, don¡¯t say that¡­ after all, she¡¯s my father¡¯s daughter, my sister¡­ Forget it, I won¡¯t pursue this matter, let it be!¡±


    Jake Horton immediately said, ¡°Isla, no, I disagree, she must explain herself for this!¡±


    Isla sighed, ¡°Jake, my mother is still in a coma, and she also likes Kiera very much. I don¡¯t want to cause her pain and sorrow when she wakes up¡­¡±


    Jake Horton fell silent.


    Upon hearing this, Poppy Hill immediately turned to Kiera Olsen, ¡°Did you hear that? Aren¡¯t you going to thank Miss Isla right now? She¡¯s so generous that she can let go of such a matter¡­ Kneel and kowtow to her this instant!¡±


    Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t move an inch, merely scoffing, ¡°Quite the performance.¡±


    Jake Horton flew into a rage, ¡°Enough, Kiera Olsen! Isla has made concession after concession, only to be met with your increasing audacity! I always knew, you ungrateful illegitimate sorts are never satisfied, always wanting more, utterly shameless! I¡¯ll tell you, even if Isla lets it go, I will pursue this until the end! You killed my child, and I will never let it rest with you!¡±


    ¡°Your child?¡± Kiera Olsen sneered, ¡°Wait until the test results come back, then we¡¯ll see whose child it really is!¡±


    Jake Horton scoffed, ¡°At this point, you still have the nerve to talk tough!¡±


    While they were talking, Tom Davis had already obtained the DNA test report and rushed in, ¡°Miss Olsen, sir had it expedited¡ªthe DNA comparison between the embryo and Jake Horton, the results are in!¡±


    At these words, Kiera¡¯s amorous eyes perked up.


    Isla¡¯s pupils contracted!


    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to take another three hours?!


    Why was it expedited!

 Chapter 192 - 192 192

    ?Chapter 192: Chapter 192 Chapter 192: Chapter 192 Isla¡¯s eyes betrayed a hint of panic, and her gaze was locked onto that report.


    Tom Davis then walked in and handed the report to Kiera Olsen.


    Kiera Olsen opened it and glanced at it, and as expected, it didn¡¯t match.


    She looked at Jake Horton with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.


    Jake Horton sneered, ¡°The report is out, good, let¡¯s bring it out so everyone can see clearly what¡¯s really going on!¡±


    Kiera Olsen immediately raised the report in her hand to hand it over to Jake Horton when suddenly a hand stretched out and snatched the report away.


    Poppy Hill opened it, glanced at the report, and her pupils shrank in disbelief as she looked toward Isla.


    Isla¡¯s gaze flickered, and she felt a bit guilty, ¡°Aunt Hill, why are you looking at me? Hurry up and show us the report¡­ It can prove my innocence!¡±


    Jake Horton also said directly, ¡°Yes, bring it over to prove Isla¡¯s innocence, so Uncle and Kiera Olsen won¡¯t slander her again!¡±


    But Poppy Hill swallowed hard, and at the moment Jake Horton came over to get the report, she suddenly balled it up and stuffed it into her mouth.


    Crowd: ?


    Jake Horton was baffled, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Isla also quickly asked, ¡°Aunt Hill, what are you doing? Spit out the report¡­¡±


    But the more they said that, the more determined Poppy Hill became, swallowing hard, ¡°This report is fake, I can¡¯t show it to you! Otherwise, it¡¯ll leave evidence behind, and what if you sue Kiera Olsen?¡±


    Jake Horton, furious and anxious, exclaimed, ¡°You¡­!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isla¡¯s lips curled up slightly.


    She had called Poppy Hill over just for this moment.


    Yet before her pleased expression could last long on her face, she heard Kiera Olsen¡¯s cool and clear voice, ¡°It¡¯s just a report, right? If it¡¯s eaten, just print another. Mr. Davis¡­¡±


    Tom Davis smiled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to print another one right now¡­¡±


    After saying that, he left the room.


    Poppy Hill glared fiercely at Kiera Olsen, then suddenly turned to Jake Horton, ¡°young Mr. Horton, could you leave for a moment? I¡¯ll try to persuade Kiera Olsen to confess¡­¡±


    Jake Horton sneered, ¡°She caused the death of my child, why should I give her that chance?!¡±


    Poppy Hill was somewhat at a loss for words.


    Isla then spoke up, ¡°Jake, for old times¡¯ sake, since we were classmates. I¡¯m willing to give Kiera Olsen a chance¡­¡±


    Classmates for four years¡­


    Jake Horton pursed his lips, recalling those four years when he pursued Kiera Olsen, his intentions then were naive and pure.


    He looked at Kiera Olsen again, suddenly feeling a bit soft-hearted, ¡°Fine, Kiera Olsen, I¡¯ll give you this chance. If you admit your wrong and accept the punishment, that¡¯s fine. Otherwise, I definitely won¡¯t let you off!¡±


    With those words, he turned to leave.


    Isla then spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll stay as well and try to persuade her¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After Isla saw Jake Horton off, she closed the hospital room door, isolating the bodyguards and everyone¡¯s prying eyes outside, then she viciously turned back around, dropping all pretense, ¡°Kiera Olsen, you are not to take out that report!¡±


    Seeing her change of face, Kiera Olsen scoffed, ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°You just can¡¯t! Where did you get this ¡®why¡¯ from?¡± Isla stared at her, ¡°If you bring it out, it will ruin me!¡±


    Kiera Olsen looked at her, ¡°It¡¯s you who are hoisting the rock to smash your own foot, what does that have to do with me? If you hadn¡¯t slandered me, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered with you¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Kiera¡¯s face grew cold. ¡°Isla, don¡¯t mistake my repeated concessions for weaknes! This time, you have only yourself to blame!¡±


    Isla clenched her fists tightly.


    Aunt Hill exclaimed in shock, ¡°Isla, why isn¡¯t the child young Mr. Horton¡¯s? How could it not be? Whose is it?¡±


    Isla frowned in disgust. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whose it is. We absolutely cannot let the Hortons know about this, or I¡¯m finished!¡±


    Once she divorced Jake Horton, especially under these circumstances, even with the protection of the Clance Olsen Family, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find a good household to marry into!


    Aunt Hill immediately nodded in agreement. ¡°Right, right, they must not know about it!¡±


    After her words, she turned directly to Kiera. ¡°Ungrateful creature, you¡¯d better not say a word! Do you hear me?! Keep your mouth shut tight, and you go persuade Lewis Horton to keep quiet too! If Isla is repudiated by the Hortons because of this, you and I are not done!¡±


    Kiera responded indifferently. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Aunt Hill pointed at her, seething with anger, but looking up at Kiera, who was taller than her, and remembering her capabilities, she realized she was now utterly powerless against her.


    A fierce look crossed Aunt Hill¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Suddenly, Isla knelt directly in front of Kiera.


    Aunt Hill was startled, then rushed over, grasping her arm. ¡°Isla, you are the mistress, how can you kneel to her? Get up¡­¡±


    Isla, however, pushed Aunt Hill away. Her face lost the craziness, leaving only calmness. ¡°Kiera, I¡¯m begging you, spare me this once.¡±


    Kiera looked down upon her from above.


    A fleeting look crossed her eyes.


    All her life, she had been Isla¡¯s follower. As a child, Isla would often demand Kiera kneel¡­


    She had knelt to put shoes on Isla¡­


    Knelt for Isla to step on her to mount a horse¡­


    Knelt to mop the floors at the Olsen¡¯s¡­


    Knelt in front of Isla to listen to her scoldings¡­


    It wasn¡¯t until junior high that she regained her dignity and vowed never to kneel to anyone again.


    But she had never imagined that one day, Isla would kneel before her?!


    Yet, she felt no thrill of revenge, only realizing how naive and ridiculous her younger self had been!


    Kiera looked at her and slowly asked, ¡°I said it, you were the one who framed me first, that report was the only evidence I had to prove my innocence.¡±


    Isla immediately shouted, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll say that I won¡¯t pursue you, I will help prove it, saying it was not intentional¡­ Also, about the Clance Olsen Family, I will also plead for you. Kiera, the Clance Olsen Family holds even greater influence than the Horton family. Do you think Lewis Horton coming downstairs could truly intimidate Uncle Olsen? If Uncle Olsen gets angry, Lewis Horton won¡¯t be able to protect you! But I can¡­¡±


    Isla first tried to convince her, but seeing her unmoved, began to make threats. ¡°Of course, if I truly get repudiated by the Hortons, I will definitely ask Uncle Olsen to ruin you! But as long as you are willing to step back and admit your mistake, I will get everyone to forgive you, so all ends well¡­ What do you say?¡±


    Kiera¡¯s eyes dropped. ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why you want to get rid of the child.¡±


    After saying this, Kiera slipped her hand into her pocket, and turned on the recorder.


    No one noticed her subtle movement, especially since her phone was in her other hand. Hearing her words, a ruthless look flashed in Isla¡¯s eyes, and she said bluntly without any hesitation:


    ¡°Because this child is a stumbling block on my path to happiness! As long as it exists, it¡¯s a threat to me! What if it¡¯s born and doesn¡¯t look like Jake? Keeping it would cause endless trouble. It¡¯s just a child, I¡¯m still young, I can have many more in the future¡­¡±


    Isla, trying to appear honest and to convince Kiera, spoke very directly, revealing her inner thoughts openly for the first time in front of others. ¡°I must marry into the Horton family, to live a superior life, Kiera, you don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s my obsession! For this, I can sacrifice everything!!¡±

 Chapter 193 - 193 193

    ?Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Isla¡¯s words were quite candid.


    Yet Kiera heard nothing but cold-blooded callousness in them.


    From the moment her miscarriage began, Kiera felt very upset.


    A child, gone just like that¡­ Isla was simply too cruel.


    But Kiera quickly adjusted her emotions and continued to lay her trap, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever consider the father¡¯s feelings? Does he know about the existence of this child?¡±


    ¡°The child¡¯s father?¡±


    Isla wasn¡¯t aware that Kiera already knew the child¡¯s father was Connor Hill, so she answered with disdain, ¡°That was just a fling, a toy, something I¡¯ve long since discarded!¡±


    Kiera achieved her purpose and silently sighed.


    She turned off the voice recorder.


    Then, she took out her phone, and because the recorder was connected to the phone via Bluetooth, the voice message was already on her phone. She immediately sent it to Holly Sims via WhatsApp: [Take this to Connor Hill.]


    She knew that anyone who heard these ruthless words wouldn¡¯t keep Isla¡¯s secret any longer.


    She had already won this round.


    ¡°What are you doing? Miss Isla is talking to you, and you¡¯re fiddling with your phone?!¡± Poppy Hill suddenly stood next to her and rebuked her, ¡°You will agree to Miss Isla¡¯s demand right now, and then immediately go to Jake Horton and clarify that the report was forged by you, and that Isla¡¯s child is his!¡±


    Poppy Hill spoke with righteous indignation, ¡°This is the first time Miss Isla has asked you for something! You must agree to her request!¡±


    After Kiera sent the message, she put away her phone. Hearing this, she found it laughable, ¡°Just because she asks me, I must agree? When I was a child and asked her for many things, did she ever agree?¡±


    When Isla was in a bad mood, she would always take it out on her.


    Being young and naive, she would kneel and beg Isla to spare her, but Isla always stood aloof, cursing her as lowly, telling her to dream on.


    Kiera was no saint, she couldn¡¯t possibly agree to Isla¡¯s request.


    She looked down on Isla from high above.


    Yet she saw Isla looking confident of victory, and suddenly chuckled, ¡°Why? Kiera, it¡¯s because you¡¯re an illegitimate daughter, and I am Miss Olsen! Because the Olsen family raised you, because you stole my father and made my mother miserable for life! Kiera, you owe the Olsen family!¡±


    Kiera¡¯s pupils shrank slightly, ¡°The time I gave Jake up to you, that¡¯s when I had repaid the Olsen family¡¯s kindness¡­¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t repaid anything!¡± Isla stood up straight, she got up from the ground, bent over to dust off her knees, and her eyes flashed with malice, ¡°A parent¡¯s nurturing grace can never be repaid by their children! Kiera, without the Olsen family, you would have died long ago! What you owe the Olsen family is a life!¡±


    ¡°Please, how much is your life worth? Do you think that by doing those things, you¡¯ve repaid your debt?¡±


    Isla stepped forward, pressing Kiera, then pointed towards Mrs. Olsen lying on the hospital bed, ¡°And look, look at my father and mother!!¡±


    She pointed to Taylor Olsen and said, ¡°My father made a mistake once, but without you, why would the Olsen family have taken in you and your mother?! Your existence has been a thorn in my parents¡¯ hearts! Look at him¡­¡±


    Isla pointed to Taylor Olsen, who seemed oblivious to the world around him. Despite the loud argument in the room, Taylor Olsen had been silent the whole time, as if he hadn¡¯t heard a thing.


    He looked haggard and disheveled and barely drank any water to avoid having to use the toilet.


    His gaze was fixed on Mrs. Olsen, rarely blinking, as if afraid that she would suddenly disappear¡­


    Isla pointed at him and cursed at Kiera, ¡°My father loves my mother so much, but it was because you, my mother softened her heart to keep you, and that prevented my parents from ever having a chance again! Do you believe that if my mother doesn¡¯t pull through this time, my father would not hesitate to follow her to death!!¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kiera paused for a moment.


    Isla then pointed towards Mrs. Olsen on the bed, ¡°And my mother, what kind of legitimate wife would truly tolerate an illegitimate daughter born of a mistress?! When you were about to starve to death, she saved you, she helped you go to school, watched you grow up, but have you ever considered where her heart disease came from?


    Why did she develop a cough! It¡¯s all from anxiety and worry! Father loves her so deeply, and she¡¯s never had to worry about life at home, her only concern is you! Do you know, in all these years, my parents have never shared a room!!¡±


    Kiera¡¯s straight spine showed signs of collapsing upon hearing these words¡­


    She had always told herself that the mistake was Poppy Hill¡¯s, it had nothing to do with her, and that was how she finally freed herself from Poppy Hill¡¯s brainwashing curse.


    But at this moment, Isla¡¯s words made her realize that it was all in vain because¡­


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re innocent? But do you know, the mere existence of some people is a sin! You don¡¯t kill the benevolent, yet the benevolent die because of you! Kiera, do you still think you¡¯re truly innocent?¡±


    Isla advanced another step, her demeanor became serious, and her words were piercing.


    Her background and the standpoint she had, gave her the right to accuse Kiera¡­


    Kiera unconsciously stepped back half a step¡­


    ¡°And me, Keira Olsen, I was clearly the daughter my parents loved the most, I should have had the happiest family. Without you, even if Dad had made a mistake, he would have had a lifetime to make it up to Mom! Time is the best medicine for healing wounds, Mom would have forgiven Dad¡­ But because of your existence, you kept reminding them of Dad¡¯s wrongful past! Every day, I had to tread carefully, to please Mom and Dad, fearing that they would divorce¡­ How many times I woke up crying as a child, terrified that they might split up¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen spoke with the calmest voice, uttering the cruelest words in the world:


    ¡°And all this is thanks to you!!¡±


    Keira Olsen staggered, collapsing into a chair.


    She was stunned and shocked.


    Disbelief filled her gaze as she looked at Isla Olsen, showing a trace of confusion and panic, her entire body unable to stop from trembling slightly.


    Yes¡­


    Her existence had always been a mistake.


    It was because of her that Mrs. Olsen was weighed down with care!


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists tightly, once again loathing her own birth, even feeling that the blood from Poppy Hill in her veins was tainted¡­


    Isla Olsen watched her coldly.


    This was her final, killing move against Keira Olsen!


    Keira Olsen, with her strong moral sense, burdened with affection for Mrs. Olsen, always blamed herself for her existence. Along with the brainwashing from Poppy Hill and her upbringing, even if she had changed her thoughts later on, she still believed that her birth was a sin.


    Isla Olsen suppressed the rising corner of her lips, bent down, lowered her head, and whispered in Keira Olsen¡¯s ear, ¡°So, you owe me! You owe the Olsen Family! Keira Olsen, you¡¯ll never be able to repay it!¡±


    Keira Olsen bit her lip hard, staring at Isla Olsen, then turned her gaze towards Poppy Hill.


    Poppy Hill¡¯s face was even more detestable than Isla¡¯s: ¡°Right, you ungrateful creature, illegitimate daughter, what right do you have to compete with Miss Isla? How despicable are you? You need to admit your mistakes right now, take all the blame upon yourself, to repay the sins that clings to your very being!¡±


    She reached out, grabbed Keira Olsen¡¯s ear harshly, and shouted pointing at Isla Olsen, ¡°Illegitimate daughter, kneel before Miss Isla!¡±


    Illegitimate daughter¡­


    It was like a curse!


    She forced Keira Olsen to stand up and look towards Isla Olsen.


    Despair filled Keira¡¯s eyes.


    She felt as if she had returned to her childhood, to the cramped basement¡­


    It was she who made Mrs. Olsen gloomy, it was she who caused Mrs. Olsen to occasionally stare into space and weep¡­ Her existence brought sadness to Mrs. Olsen.


    Such a rotten person as she only deserved to stay in a ditch forever, right?


    Keira Olsen managed a bitter smile.


    Isla Olsen looked at her again: ¡°So, Keira Olsen, will you grant my request? You go tell Jake Horton that the report was falsified by you¡­ you owe me that!¡±


    She pushed Keira Olsen towards the door: ¡°Go and tell him now¡­¡±


    But Keira Olsen suddenly stopped, she bowed her head, and then suddenly spoke, ¡°Isla Olsen¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen was taken aback.


    Meanwhile, in the detention center.


    Holly Sims, after receiving a WhatsApp voice message from Keira Olsen, immediately interrogated Connor Hill.


    She walked in, played the recording for Connor Hill first.


    The vicious and cold words of Isla Olsen cut into Connor Hill¡¯s heart like a knife!


    He clutched his chest in agony: ¡°No, it¡¯s not like this, how could she do this to me!!¡±


    Holly Sims looked at him coldly, like a dispassionate judge: ¡°Connor Hill, you¡¯ve heard the recording, are you still sure that you want to keep a secret for someone like her?!¡±


    Connor Hill clenched his fists tightly.


    His chest heaved, and he was on the verge of collapse, tears streaming down his face.


    Suddenly, he showed a malicious smirk: ¡°Fine, Isla Olsen, for your glory and wealth, you could sacrifice me, you could sacrifice our child, then don¡¯t blame me for being heartless!¡±


    He looked straight at Holly Sims, and slowly said: ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret, actually, Keira Olsen is Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter!! Isla Olsen, she¡¯s the fake one, it was Poppy Hill who secretly switched the children years ago, hahaha¡­¡±

 Chapter 194 - 194 194

    ?Chapter 194: Chapter 194 Chapter 194: Chapter 194 Connor Hill laughed maniacally.


    But Holly Sims was shocked by his words, staring at him in disbelief, ¡°What are you saying? How is that possible!¡±


    After several thoughts flashed through her mind, she looked incredulously at Connor Hill, ¡°So you mean, you and Isla, you actually are¡­¡±


    Connor Hill¡¯s smile disappeared, ¡°Yeah, haha, her mom is my aunt¡­¡±


    As soon as he finished, he lowered his head and covered his face, ¡°Do you want to call me a bastard? But I didn¡¯t know, how could I have known!!¡±


    All he knew was that his father was a gambler.


    In those days when he was despised by everyone, Isla was like a ray of light that shone into his life.


    Isla helped him with his lessons and took him to eat delicious food¡­


    She was like the exalted Maiden of the Ninth Heaven, and he couldn¡¯t help falling for her.


    He just fell for the girl next door¡­ just two years older than him, so after they got into university, they couldn¡¯t control their feelings.


    He truly didn¡¯t know anything.


    Not until Isla told him that his father was threatening her, demanding two million from her¡­ But where could she get two million? Isla cried so miserably, and that gave him the idea to kill his father!


    His father could hurt anyone in the world, but he absolutely couldn¡¯t hurt Isla!!


    Connor Hill devised a perfect plan¡­


    He took the money and found Finley Hill at the abandoned hospital. He took out his cell phone and made Finley Hill record those few sentences, deceiving him by saying that if Keira Olsen harmed him, he could use those words to threaten Keira Olsen.


    Finley Hill was not a good father; he gambled away everything they had.


    But Finley Hill was also a good father.


    Connor Hill¡¯s tuition fees were all swindled by him, and he never let Connor Hill go hungry.


    In this world, his only concern was Connor Hill.


    After recording the message, Finley Hill told him, ¡°I have something on Isla, and I¡¯ve been using that to make her listen to me. If something really happens to me, use that to threaten her.¡±


    Connor Hill nodded. He wasn¡¯t interested in the leverage against his old flame¡­ He only wanted to help the old flame get rid of this man!


    He pushed Finley Hill forcefully toward the steel bar behind him!


    When the steel bar pierced through Finley Hill¡¯s chest, he was in disbelief, choked out the question, ¡°Why, why?¡±


    Connor Hill sneered, ¡°You¡¯ve made it so I can¡¯t lift my head in front of others, and I can live with that, but you should never have threatened Isla! Dad, she¡¯s the woman I love the most¡­¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finley Hill¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°You, how could you fall in love with her? No, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s the only person who was good to me.¡±


    Finley Hill was stunned; he realized something before he died and used his last bit of strength to shout out his final words in this life, ¡°But she is your aunt¡¯s daughter! Your aunt and I personally switched them back in the day!¡±


    After he shouted these words, he couldn¡¯t say anything more.


    At that moment, Connor Hill was completely dumbfounded.


    But he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on those words, because Keira Olsen had come to the door¡­


    He escaped through the window and then, following the original plan, he entered the room. His head buzzing, he performed, locking the suspicion on Keira Olsen.


    Fortunately, at that time, he had just sacrificed his father, and that complex emotion was something the police could understand.


    His bewildered and shockingly horrified emotions fit the scene at the time.


    But after completing the interrogation and returning to the dormitory, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze.


    There were some things he dared not think about.


    Yet suddenly he understood why, when everyone shunned him, when there were no facilities at home for bathing and he was dirty, Isla suddenly appeared beside him.


    She was clean and pure, and the way she smiled at him was beautiful.


    But it turns out her approach was because of Finley Hill¡¯s threats¡­


    She had never truly liked him; was it only because she feared angering him, causing Finley Hill to be dissatisfied, and thus cooperated with his unrequited love? Was she too scared to reject his advances?


    No, it wasn¡¯t like that¡­


    Connor Hill covered his face with a blanket, tears rolling down from the corners of his eyes.


    At that moment, he had actually come to realize that in this world, the person who loved him the most had always been his father¡­yet still, he was unwilling to believe it.


    After that, Keira Olsen started a battle of public opinion with him.


    He was on the verge of breaking down from the name-calling at school, and his mental state was affected. When he looked for her, Isla Olsen was always very impatient.


    She seemed like she couldn¡¯t wait to dissociate herself from him.


    The more she behaved like that, the clearer the truth became to him, and the more guilt and sadness he felt¡­


    Until at last, he couldn¡¯t help but use that secret as a threat to force her to see him!


    He thought he would be like his father; just by revealing that secret, she would be threatened by him, but in the end, he still couldn¡¯t match up to his father¡­


    Isla Olsen knew him too well, knew his indecisiveness, knew he wouldn¡¯t want both of them to end up losers; she threatened him right back.


    The two of them seemed to be in some kind of inexplicable balance.


    Yet he understood that he had indeed been put at a disadvantage.


    Later on, he understood that he had lost from the very beginning.


    Keira Olsen and Officer Holly Sims had seen through his disguise and caught him a long time ago.


    Now that the truth about the murder was known, how could he possibly allow Isla Olsen, who had induced him to kill his biological father, to live a carefree life outside?


    Connor Hill went mad at that moment.


    He wanted to expose Isla Olsen¡¯s secret!!


    But what he never expected was that at the moment of his arrest, as his cell phone was retrieved and examined by the police, he saw a notification from Isla Olsen.


    It showed, she was pregnant.


    Five weeks pregnant.


    Five weeks¡­ that child was his!


    Connor Hill wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.


    He wanted to cry because it seemed like he could see the end of his life; he would spend the rest of his days in prison.


    What made him want to laugh was that he was going to have a child, his child would be raised as a child of the Horton Family, pampered like a little princess or prince from the start, never having to live the life he had.


    For this reason, once again, he closed his mouth.


    He knew he was completely under Isla Olsen¡¯s control¡­


    During this time, Connor Hill¡¯s mood had always been one of anticipation.


    Every day, he calculated how old his child was, counting the days until the birth¡­


    This child had become his only hope.


    But now, even that hope was shattered.


    Isla Olsen was really too cruel.


    Connor Hill hung his head and suddenly covered his face. After revealing Isla Olsen¡¯s secret, he had anticipated the consequences for her, but for some reason, there was no sense of satisfaction from revenge in his heart, only an empty void remained.


    He suddenly began to sob uncontrollably.


    His entire life, indeed, had been a joke.


    How could he, for a woman, personally kill the father who loved him the most?!


    He finally began to feel regret, an irredeemable remorse.

 Chapter 195 - 195 195

    ?Chapter 195: Chapter 195 Chapter 195: Chapter 195 In the hospital.


    Keira Olsen grabbed Isla Olsen¡¯s hand.


    Isla turned to look at her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Keira bowed her head, her expression unclear, yet her helplessness and misery were palpable.


    It seemed like her psychological defenses had collapsed.


    But the words she spoke next stunned Isla, ¡°I won¡¯t go and say it.¡±


    Isla furrowed her brow.


    Next to her, Poppy Hill, furious, hit her hard several times on the back, ¡°You ungrateful creature, what did you say? You dare say no to Miss Isla? Do you believe I will beat you to death!¡±


    Keira endured a few blows, then suddenly pushed her away with force.


    Poppy stumbled back several steps and then fell to the ground. She immediately jumped up, ¡°Good, you dare to lay your hands on me? I am your mother!!¡±


    Her shrill voice finally got a reaction from Taylor Olsen.


    He frowned and looked towards them, quickly stood up, and then walked over to them. He glanced at Keira, then at Isla, and finally at Poppy, ¡°What are you arguing about?!¡±


    Just as Poppy was about to speak, Taylor suddenly raised his arm!


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    The slap did not land on Poppy, but harshly on Keira¡¯s face!


    Keira hadn¡¯t expected him to hit her, especially since he looked so frail.


    Stunned, she covered her cheek, feeling the burning pain, and looked incredulously at Taylor.


    Taylor¡¯s menacing gaze fixed on her, ¡°It¡¯s always you, every time it¡¯s because of you, the household becomes unrestful. Keira Olsen, why don¡¯t you just die? Why do you have to disturb Shirley!¡±


    Keira, her hand covering her face, slowly let it fall, and clenched her fist, ¡°You heard everything that just happened, right? It was Isla who got pregnant by someone else and falsely accused me of causing her miscarriage, I was only proving my innocence!¡±


    ¡°So what?!¡± Taylor berated, ¡°She¡¯s Shirley¡¯s daughter, she¡¯s my daughter, but you are not! Even if Isla did something wrong, you should still take the blame for her!¡±


    Poppy seized the opportunity to shout, ¡°Right, you owe that to the Olsen Family, and if you want to completely sever ties with the Olsen Family and have nothing to do with us ever again, then peel off this skin, extract your tendons and bones, just like Nezha, return your flesh and blood to us!¡±


    After she finished, she sneered, ¡°Nezha could come back to life, can you? Keira Olsen, let me tell you, your life was given by me, and it can only belong to me! Unless you die, you can never escape from my curse for your whole life! I will cling to you like maggots to bones, and when I¡¯m old, you will have to provide for me, otherwise, I will make a scene, I will sue you! Haha, in Crera, filial piety comes first, I don¡¯t believe you can do anything to me!!¡±


    She put her hands on her hips, every bit the picture of arrogance.


    But Keira was not buying any of it, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the future later, today, I must clear my own name!¡±


    She looked at the three people in front of her.


    Pausing between each word, she asserted forcefully, ¡°I, Keira Olsen, will not bear any debts that are not mine, nor will I carry any blame that is not mine!!¡±


    She stepped forward, looking straight at Poppy Hill, feeling truly strong inside at that moment, ¡°I had no choice over my birth, I owe you a life, if you can, take this life away!¡±


    Poppy, intimidated by her momentum, recoiled a step.


    Keira then looked at Taylor, ¡°I am not your daughter, whatever money I have cost the Olsen Family over the years has long since been repaid, I owe the Olsen Family nothing! All these lies were fabricated by Poppy Hill, and have nothing to do with me!¡±


    Leaving behind these words, she turned and walked away.


    Isla panicked and immediately shouted, ¡°Keira Olsen, you¡¯re not allowed to go and say it!¡±


    Taylor also furrowed his brow.


    Isla Olsen knew she couldn¡¯t stop Keira Olsen, so she helplessly looked at Poppy Hill and burst into tears, ¡°Keira Olsen, if you reveal the truth, the Horton Family will definitely divorce me! Then I might as well be dead!¡±


    That sentence awakened Poppy Hill.


    She suddenly screamed, ¡°Keira Olsen! Stop right there!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s steps did not falter.


    But just as she was holding the doorknob, she heard Isla Olsen¡¯s cry from behind, ¡°Aunt Hill, what are you doing?!¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned and turned around, only to see a fruit knife clenched in Poppy Hill¡¯s hand. She pressed the knife against her own neck, looking almost insane at Keira Olsen, ¡°If you dare go out and tell them the truth, I will die right here! Keira Olsen, are you really going to drive your own mother to death?!¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s steps paused slightly.


    She looked at Poppy Hill with nothing but scorn in her eyes.


    Is this really her mother?


    Completely controlling her when she was a child, and now that she couldn¡¯t control her any longer, she began to use her own life to threaten her?


    Keira Olsen sneered, looked at Poppy Hill, and suddenly said softly, ¡°Then go ahead and die.¡±


    Those few words made Poppy Hill¡¯s pupils shrink.


    Then, Keira Olsen opened the door without hesitation and stepped out.


    Just outside the door, she saw a group of people standing.


    Jake Horton, Melissa Knight, along with Oliver Horton and Nathan Horton were all there.


    And in front of them were several reporters.


    Melissa Knight was there crying, ¡°I called you all here to let you see just how ruthless the CEO of Horton Group, Lewis Horton, is! His wife caused the death of my grandson, and now he shows not the slightest sign of remorse but is extremely arrogant¡­ Our first branch of the family can¡¯t live like this anymore! My friends from the media, you are the most just in the world, please you must help us!¡±


    Her pitiful act made the reporters look solemn. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Oliver Horton and Nathan Horton exchanged glances, excitement flickering in their eyes.


    In this digital age, public opinion is absolutely the greatest weapon!


    If these reporters write about the authoritarian tyranny of Lewis Horton, then he will have to relinquish his position as head of the Horton Group! Then the first branch of the family could use this opportunity to rise to power!


    Oliver Horton¡¯s gaze toward Jake Horton even became gentler.


    Little did he expect that his son¡¯s wife could bring such big trouble to Lewis Horton!


    This time, Lewis Horton was definitely caught!


    The reporters, upon hearing this, immediately picked up their microphones, and seeing Keira Olsen come out, they paused briefly in surprise.


    Melissa Knight immediately pointed at Keira Olsen and shouted, ¡°That¡¯s her, she¡¯s Lewis¡¯s wife, she¡¯s domineering and tyrannical at home. Knowing that my daughter-in-law was pregnant, she still pushed her forcefully causing a miscarriage¡­ She did it on purpose!¡±


    As soon as these words came out, the reporters rushed in front of Keira Olsen:


    ¡°Mrs. Horton, is this true?¡±


    ¡°Why would you harm your nephew¡¯s child?¡±


    ¡°Did you do these things under the orders of Mr. Horton?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, in the parking lot downstairs, a police car suddenly stopped there, and Holly Sims quickly got out of the car and ran upstairs!

 Chapter 196 - 196 196

    ?Chapter 196: Chapter 196 Chapter 196: Chapter 196 In the parking lot.


    Inside that luxurious car, Lewis Horton and Uncle Olsen were still in a standoff. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the police cars, Uncle Olsen¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Someone called the police?¡±


    Lewis knew Holly Sims and, seeing her hurried approach, knew she must have come to help Kiera Olsen. He didn¡¯t expose the relationship, but simply said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it better that the police are here? If Kiera indeed pushed Isla, it¡¯s perfect to handle this legally!¡±


    However, Uncle Olsen stared at him, ¡°Brat, stop playing tricks in front of me. I¡¯ve said it, even if the illegitimate daughter didn¡¯t push, since Miss Olsen has slandered her, I will make her pay the price!¡±


    After saying that, he alighted from the car.


    Lewis immediately followed him, ¡°Uncle Olsen, would you like to go upstairs and see for yourself?¡±


    Uncle Olsen looked down, pondered for a moment, and then turned to Ellis Olsen, ¡°You keep an eye on things. If Isla is at a disadvantage, come and call for people.¡±


    Ellis nodded and then ran upstairs.


    After he left, Uncle Olsen finally turned to Lewis Horton, ¡°If Miss South and her daughter suffer any wrong, I won¡¯t mind leveling this place to the ground!¡±


    Lewis met his gaze, ¡°Uncle Olsen, I will return the sentiment! If my wife suffers any wrong, I won¡¯t mind crossing swords with you!¡±


    ¡­


    Upstairs.


    Kiera Olsen looked at the gathered reporters, a cold smile curling at the corners of her lips.


    If the first branch of the family wanted to bring down Lewis Horton, she certainly wouldn¡¯t let Isla go¡­


    Kiera glanced around at the people present and, after the reporters quieted down, spoke in a clear, cold voice, ¡°First, I didn¡¯t hurt anyone on purpose, and second, the child in Isla¡¯s womb does not belong to the Horton family!¡±


    Her voice was very clear, allowing the reporters to hear her clearly!


    The reporters were all in an uproar, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why would she say that?¡±


    Kiera spoke directly, ¡°Isla had an affair with someone else, the child in her womb doesn¡¯t belong to the Horton family. Fearing that the Horton family would find out after the birth, she slandered me, claiming I pushed her, and took the opportunity to abort the child¡­¡±


    Melissa Knight tearfully interrupted her, ¡°Stop making excuses for your own mistakes, still spouting nonsense here and slandering my daughter-in-law, it¡¯s ridiculous! Clearly, you and Lewis were the ones who did something wrong, yet you are throwing mud at us¡­¡±


    The reporters were glancing back and forth between Melissa Knight and Kiera Olsen, unsure of whom to believe.


    One of them eventually spoke up, ¡°Mrs. Horton, do you have any proof for these statements?¡±


    Kiera nodded, ¡°Of course.¡±


    Just then, Tom Davis arrived with a DNA test report. This time he didn¡¯t hand it to Kiera, but directly handed it over to Melissa Knight, ¡°Here is the DNA comparison result of the aborted child and Young Master Jake. Please take a look.¡±


    Melissa scoffed coldly at Kiera, then turned to look at the report.


    At that moment, Isla Olsen and Poppy Hill also chased after them.


    Upon seeing that report, Poppy Hill was immediately thrown into disarray. She turned to Isla, ¡°Isla, what do we do now? I, I will go and snatch the report back!¡±


    Isla, however, looked down and tensely clenched her fingers.


    She spoke directly, ¡°No need.¡±


    She then took a few steps towards Melissa Knight.


    Melissa Knight glanced at the report and immediately fixated on the phrase ¡°does not match.¡±


    Shock flashed across her face before she glared fiercely at Isla Olsen, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Isla Olsen grabbed her hand and squeezed, cutting her off, ¡°Mom, it was my fault for causing trouble for everyone. Kiera is a illegitimate daughter from my family, she has always held resentment towards me, she pushed away my child¡­ It¡¯s my fault, I didn¡¯t protect the child of Jake and me well enough¡­¡±


    Anger flashed across Melissa Knight¡¯s face.


    That child was clearly not Jake Horton¡¯s!!


    Jake Horton had also approached the two, ¡°Mom, show everyone this report, our Horton Group¡¯s test results have their own anti-forgery marks, let me see if this report is fake!¡±


    A flash of embarrassment crossed Melissa Knight¡¯s face.


    She obviously knew about the anti-forgery mark, the report was real!


    She bit her lip, her thoughts rapidly changing, and finally clenched the report in her hand, turning to Isla Olsen and speaking directly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this report to be fake after all, Isla, you are really pitiful. When you were at your home, you were targeted by this illegitimate daughter, but now that you are at the Horton Family, with me and Jake on your side, we will absolutely not let you be wronged again! Today, Kiera Olsen and Lewis Horton must give you an explanation!!¡±


    When Kiera Olsen heard this, she furrowed her brows.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Melissa Knight to cover for Isla Olsen!


    The fact that Isla¡¯s child was not Jake Horton¡¯s should have infuriated the first branch of the family, shouldn¡¯t it?


    But she quickly realized something¡­


    She was wrong; it turns out these journalists weren¡¯t summoned by Melissa Knight, they were called by Isla Olsen!!


    In front of so many journalists, if Melissa Knight exposed Isla Olsen¡¯s true colors, it would only show their first branch as incompetent, a daughter-in-law causing such a scandal.


    Moreover, her recent weeping to the journalists was just to tarnish Lewis Horton with a reputation for being overbearing and tyrannical!


    So, even now, upon discovering Isla Olsen had deceived her, she would not, and even more could not, expose her lies!


    Kiera Olsen¡¯s gaze fell back on Isla Olsen.


    She always knew that sister had a sinister mindset, but she hadn¡¯t expected her to have a backup plan even now.


    Since Melissa Knight now couldn¡¯t expose her, finding another excuse for Jake Horton to divorce her would now be difficult¡­ at least for the short term, the two could not divorce without raising suspicions from the outside world.


    Isla Olsen¡¯s move was indeed formidable!


    Isla Olsen let out a sigh of relief, knowing she had gambled correctly!


    She clenched her fists tightly, bowed her head, and suddenly her eyes reddened, ¡°Kiera, I really didn¡¯t know, why do you hate me so much! It was clearly you and your mom who ruined my family, why do you have to press me step by step? I said I wouldn¡¯t mind the child being gone, why must you create a fake verification report?¡±


    A vicious glint flickered in her eyes.


    As long as the first branch and she insisted that the report was fake, then Kiera Olsen¡¯s report would be useless!


    The child was already gone, and now, she could completely insist that the embryo they left behind was not hers, it was Kiera Olsen framing her!


    Jake Horton also angrily said, ¡°Kiera Olsen, your uncle¡¯s methods are too despicable!! The child is gone now, it¡¯s not up to you guys to say whatever you want?¡±


    Isla Olsen feigned tears, ¡°Kiera, the issue with the report is clear now, do you have any other evidence that the child isn¡¯t mine?¡±


    Kiera Olsen clenched her jaw, not expecting to encounter such a situation, where these people would not admit the truth even in the face of concrete evidence.


    She scoffed, about to speak, when Holly Sims¡¯s voice suddenly came through, ¡°Who says there¡¯s no evidence?!¡±

 Chapter 197 - 197 197

    ?Chapter 197: Chapter 197 Chapter 197: Chapter 197 Holly Sims stood at the stairway entrance, panting, yet her voice was detached and cold, carrying an impartial and unyielding chill. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clad in her police uniform, she exuded an aura of authority that commanded respect.


    When Kiera saw her, she was momentarily taken aback.


    She had just sent her that recording not more than half an hour ago, how had she arrived so quickly?


    As Kiera was lost in thought, Holly moved through the throng of reporters and approached her.


    The sight of Holly sent a shiver of panic through Isla¡¯s heart.


    But then she reassured herself that she was overthinking it, there was no need to make a connection between a police officer and Connor Hill at the prison; at this time, he should have already been transferred to his cell¡­ right?


    As she pondered, Jake Horton spoke up, ¡°Officer, what do you mean by that?¡±


    Holly replied directly, ¡°It means that this child is indeed not yours, so you needn¡¯t be too heartbroken over it.¡±


    At these words, Melissa Knight frowned, ¡°Without evidence, we should refrain from making such statements! Officer, this matter concerns the reputation of the first branch of the Horton family. Do you realize how damaging rumors can be?¡±


    Seizing the opportunity, Isla lowered her head and cried, ¡°Holly, I know you and Kiera are good friends. You were always inseparable since middle school, but as a police officer, how can you facilitate wrongdoing! It is people like me you should be fighting for justice!¡±


    Hearing these insincere words, Holly¡¯s brow furrowed, and she sneered, ¡°Who says I don¡¯t have evidence?¡±


    She took out her phone, opened the photo album, and presented a picture to everyone in the first branch of the family, declaring, ¡°Look carefully, this is the record of Isla and Connor Hill checking into a hotel!¡±


    After saying this, she attempted to hand the photo to the reporters.


    Isla¡¯s pupils contracted.


    A hotel check-in record?


    Could it be that Connor Hill had talked? No, that couldn¡¯t be. It must have been uncovered during the police investigation¡­


    Her hands clenched into fists, tingling with anxiety.


    Next to her, Jake was stunned, looking at Isla in disbelief.


    Even Melissa¡¯s gaze sharpened.


    Isla swallowed hard, ¡°Jake, listen to me, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡±


    She turned to Melissa, ¡°Mom, that¡¯s fake, it surely must be forged!¡±


    In desperation, she looked to Poppy Hill for help.


    Poppy was still reeling from Holly¡¯s words; Isla and Connor Hill¡­ how could they be together?!


    No, that wasn¡¯t it¡­


    Isla simply hadn¡¯t known Connor¡¯s true identity, which must have led to this mistake.


    Poppy suddenly felt relieved that the child had been miscarried.


    As this thought crossed her mind, she caught Isla¡¯s pleading gaze. Instantly understanding the situation, she rushed forward, ¡°Officer Holly, I know you are trying to do a favor for Kiera by speaking out. But this situation is our fault¡­¡±


    She faced the reporters directly, ¡°My fellow journalists, I am the ¡°other woman¡±. I didn¡¯t mean to wreck the Olsen family. Mr. Olsen and I made a mistake one drunken night, and then I got pregnant. I was pregnant and couldn¡¯t find a job, I was almost starving, and Mrs. Olsen, out of kindness, took me in, and since then I have been staying at the Olsen home as a maid¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she bowed her head and began to wipe away tears, ¡°I have always been grateful for the generosity of the Olsen family, and throughout these many years, I have had no contact with Mr. Olsen. I always taught this ungrateful creature to understand her place, not to covet what she should not¡­¡±


    She pointed to Kiera, ¡°But she never listened, always comparing herself to Madam Isla Olsen, even later on coveting men¡­ Such a headstrong daughter has caused me no end of trouble!¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s my fault, I didn¡¯t bring her up right, and now she has gone so far as to slander Miss Isla, even colluding with the police. Her actions have become more and more heartless!¡±


    Poppy Hill was weeping profusely, dropping to her knees in front of Isla, ¡°Miss Isla, she¡¯s so out of line, she feels like with Mr. Horton¡¯s support she can do whatever she wants, but I can¡¯t stand by as her mother and watch her commit so many wrongs without reprimanding her! I apologize to you on her behalf, I bow to you for her!¡±


    Poppy Hill spoke and then bowed deeply to Isla Olsen.


    There was a loud ¡°bang¡±, the sound was very resonant.


    This act undoubtedly confirmed Keira Olsen¡¯s wrongdoing!


    The surrounding reporters were all moved, and they turned to look at Keira Olsen:


    ¡°Mrs. Horton, is the truth what your mother has just said?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Horton, have you really been doing whatever you want in the Horton family just because you married Mr. Horton?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Horton, the Olsen family raised you, how could you repay kindness with ingratitude? Such a person is abhorrent to the natural order!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Horton, as the saying goes, ¡®as you sow, so shall you reap.¡¯ Retribution is certain! You should have some conscience!¡±


    ¡°No matter what? Regardless of whatever disputes adults have, children should not be involved! And to besmirch others¡­ Mrs. Horton, how can you be so shameless?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The journalists¡¯ pressing questions made Keira Olsen furrow her brow.


    Poppy Hill had done things like this countless times, and Keira was already numb to it.


    By Keira¡¯s side, Holly Sims clenched her fists.


    She looked again towards Keira Olsen¡­


    Recalling the time in prison when Poppy Hill beat Keira like this, she couldn¡¯t understand, how could a mother hate her own daughter so much?


    But now, Holly completely understood.


    Holly Sims scoffed and then stood protectively in front of Keira Olsen. Her eyes piercing, she looked at the reporters and said outright, ¡°If you still think this hotel check-in proof is fake, I have other evidence!¡±


    Poppy Hill immediately sneered, ¡°You¡¯re a police officer. Isn¡¯t it very simple for you to forge evidence?¡±


    Holly Sims sneered back, ¡°I can forge other things, but what about a voice recording?¡±


    She took out her phone and played the recording of Keira Olsen¡¯s earlier conversation with Isla!


    The few sentences on the recording clearly conveyed that Isla was setting up Keira Olsen, and Isla¡¯s couple of vicious sentences also caused the journalists present to be very moved!


    Everyone, including the first branch of the Horton family and Jake Horton, all turned to look at Isla at the same time.


    Isla¡¯s eyes widened.


    She was certain she had checked that Keira¡¯s phone wasn¡¯t recording before she spoke that sentence. Where did this recording come from?


    Had Keira been prepared all along?


    Keira was plotting against her!!


    Isla¡¯s pupils shrank, and she couldn¡¯t help but shout at Keira Olsen, ¡°Keira Olsen, you bitch!!¡±


    Meanwhile.


    Downstairs.


    Upon hearing Holly Sims¡¯s words, Ellis Olsen immediately ran down the stairs to report the situation upstairs.


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s pupils shrank, and without a word, he burst into the stairwell. He was going to help Isla!


    Lewis Horton followed closely behind.

 Chapter 198 - 198 198

    ?Chapter 198: Chapter 198 Chapter 198: Chapter 198 After the recording was revealed, all the evidence was complete.


    Holly Sims sneered, ¡°You can¡¯t possibly say that I forged the recording too, can you? I don¡¯t have that ability!¡±


    This time, Isla Olsen could no longer feign innocence.


    And when Jake Horton heard that recording, he was completely stunned.


    He looked at Isla in disbelief, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are so scheming!¡±


    Isla tried to explain, but as she opened her mouth, she found herself at a loss for words.


    Even Melissa Knight immediately furrowed her brows, shocked that Kiera Olsen had such substantial evidence prepared. There was now no way to deny it in time!


    She glared angrily at Isla and looked worriedly at Oliver Horton, only to see him slightly frown, clearly very dissatisfied with how the situation was unfolding.


    Heart racing, Melissa Knight angrily reached out and slapped Isla hard: ¡°You wretch!¡±


    Isla held her face, her eyes fierce as she stared at Kiera Olsen: ¡°Kiera Olsen, are you satisfied with how far I¡¯ve been pushed?!¡±


    She growled furiously, ¡°Is this not what you wanted, to pull this high and mighty Miss Olsen down from her pedestal? Now that I¡¯ve fallen into the mire, are you happy?!¡±


    She covered her face and began to cry, ¡°You illegitimate bitch! My descent to this point today is all your fault! It¡¯s because you constantly needed to show off your presence at home, it¡¯s because you made me feel that I had to marry Jake to gain our parents¡¯ attention! It¡¯s all because of you!!¡±


    She knew that now the only option she had was to shift all the blame to Kiera Olsen to preserve herself!


    She purposely cried out loud: ¡°Jake, it was this illegitimate girl who forced me into this! She¡¯s so good at acting, she¡¯s charmed dad and mom to only see her, not me¡­ Jake, I was wrong, but I really had no choice, marrying you was the only way to surpass her¡­¡±


    Her words struck a sore spot for Jake Horton.


    The illegitimate daughter from the first branch of the family was also superior in every way, causing Jake Horton and Melissa Knight to feel a profound sense of crisis.


    What Jake Horton and Melissa Knight hated most was an ¡°illegitimate daughter,¡± especially a competent ¡°illegitimate daughter!¡±


    Jake Horton understood this feeling all too well.


    Even more than when he was angry about Isla¡¯s deception, he grabbed Isla¡¯s shoulders and turned to Kiera Olsen, shouting, ¡°Kiera Olsen, what grievance or enmity do we have with you that you target Isla like this?!¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ?!


    She found it laughable.


    If Isla hadn¡¯t deliberately provoked her, would she have had to prove her innocence by declaring the child was not Jake¡¯s?


    Seeing this, Poppy Hill immediately pounced on Kiera Olsen, hitting and cursing her: ¡°You ungrateful creature, you harassed Isla to this extent, it¡¯s your presence that has made Isla what she is now! Don¡¯t you realize your mistake yet? Do you have to compete with Isla and have the Horton family abandon her before you are satisfied? How could I have given birth to a daughter like you, today I will kill you here!¡±


    Kiera Olsen pushed the people off again.


    Poppy Hill took a step back and then sat down hard on the ground: ¡°I can¡¯t live like this anymore, dear Lord, please open your eyes and see! Look at this cursed child, she even hit her own mother!¡±


    Her crying attracted the reporters.


    Poppy Hill pointed at Kiera Olsen and yelled: ¡°I gave birth to you, raised you, and this is how you repay me? By even hitting me, I know now, you resent that I¡¯m a mistress, that I come from a bad background, right? That¡¯s why you have never respected me, never listened to me, you ungrateful wretch! If you really want to break ties with me, then give back this life to me!¡±


    Jake Horton also scolded: ¡°Kiera Olsen, you illegitimate daughter, how dare you!¡±


    The surrounding reporters started to speak up:


    ¡°Mrs. Horton, no matter what, how could you hit your own mother?¡±


    ¡°Right, even if she¡¯s a mistress, she gave birth to you, raised you¡­ how could you strike her?¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Throughout history, in Crera, filial piety has always been of utmost importance, besides, your mom hasn¡¯t done something too outrageous, she just scolded you a bit, trying not to let you continue to persecute Miss Olsen and wanting you to follow the right path, how could you treat her like this?¡±


    ¡°Even animals know the deep bond between mother and child, yet you, being human, how can you treat her like this?¡±


    ¡°An illegitimate daughter is an illegitimate daughter, lacking manners! There¡¯s truly something wrong with her character!!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Everyone turned their accusations towards Kiera Olsen, each questioning and denouncing her.


    Isla Olsen watched from the side, slowly curling her lips into a smile.


    The scene became noisy, with voices of accusation reaching the staircase.


    In the staircase, a fierce struggle was also occurring.


    Uncle Olsen led his bodyguards up, while Lewis Horton¡¯s bodyguards stood in opposition.


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s gaze coldly met Lewis¡¯s, ¡°Step aside.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s eyes tinged with a hint of madness, veins of red blood threading through his eyes, his whole demeanor began to alter.


    He seemed to be shifting from calm to madness.


    His aura suddenly changed, and he took a step forward, ¡°I¡¯ll ask one last time, will you step aside?¡±


    Lewis Horton straightened his back, his posture upright, standing like a sharp and prominent javelin, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    A sinister curve suddenly hooked Uncle Olsen¡¯s lips, and then he swiftly threw a punch!


    Lewis seemed prepared, and the moment Uncle Olsen moved, he quickly countered with a blow.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Their fists met in mid-air, and at the moment of impact, it seemed even the air shook.


    Both men had used all their strength in that punch, and after it, both were forced to take two steps back.


    Uncle Olsen stared at him with an extremely cold look.


    Lewis Horton frowned and said, ¡°Uncle, my wife is not at fault, you won¡¯t pass today.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    As soon as Uncle Olsen had spoken, his hand moved to his waist, and suddenly, he held a silver pistol!


    ¡°Boss, be careful!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s bodyguard was about to step forward, but Lewis raised his hand to block him, causing the bodyguard to immediately stand alert around him, eyeing the pistol.


    Since they had come to Crera with the boss, these bodyguards hadn¡¯t brought any guns¡­ sticking strictly to the law.


    Lewis hadn¡¯t carried one either.


    Uncle Olsen fixed his gaze on him, ¡°My gun doesn¡¯t have eyes, Lewis Horton, you¡¯re one of the juniors I somewhat respect. I¡¯ll give you one last chance, will you step aside?¡±


    Lewis Horton stepped forward, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Uncle Olsen sneered, ¡°Good.¡±


    Just as he was about to fire, a voice full of justice suddenly echoed through the corridor, ¡°Enough! Kiera Olsen is not some illegitimate daughter, she is indeed Mrs. Olsen¡¯s biological daughter!!¡±

 Chapter 199 - 199 199

    ?Chapter 199: Chapter 199 Chapter 199: Chapter 199 Keira Olsen listened to the reporters and Poppy Hill¡¯s disparagement, only lowering her head to give a bitter smile.


    She knew that if she didn¡¯t concede today, these accusations would follow her for life, and she was already prepared for that.


    Therefore, she did not retort.


    She even decided to publicly sever ties with Poppy Hill, even if it meant being condemned by thousands!


    But she could never have expected Holly Sims to say such a thing.


    She looked at Holly Sims in shock, her first reaction being disbelief.


    After all, the story of ¡°The Boy Who Cried Wolf¡± had already happened to her twice.


    She had thought this twice before, so this third time, she was somewhat disbelieving.


    She opened her mouth, wanting to tell Holly Sims not to make such jokes about herself¡­


    But before she could speak, she suddenly realized something was off.


    Holly Sims was here to tell her the secret Connor Hill had always hidden, so that secret was this?!


    Keira Olsen was shocked once again.


    How could it be¡­


    She was not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter, so if she was Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter, wouldn¡¯t that mean Mrs. Olsen was unfaithful in her marriage?


    No, Mrs. Olsen absolutely was not that kind of person.


    There must be some misunderstanding.


    But it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, none of these matter anymore, what¡¯s important is¡­ Jodie South is her mother¡­


    Mother¡­


    This word, for the first time, felt warm to her!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but tremble¡­


    She was so overwhelmed that she found it difficult to speak.


    When Holly Sims said this, both Isla Olsen and Poppy Hill were momentarily stunned, then Poppy Hill angrily retorted, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Don¡¯t talk nonsense here! How could Keira Olsen possibly be Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter, she was born by me, don¡¯t I know that?¡±


    In that moment, however, Isla Olsen finally understood, Connor Hill had betrayed her!


    This secret must have been disclosed by Connor Hill!!


    Her face turned pale, and she stared intently at Holly Sims.


    Jake Horton, who was supporting her, frowned and sneered, ¡°Holly Sims, I thought you were a good cop, but I didn¡¯t expect you to utter such an absurd thing, you truly betray the trust we place in the police!¡±


    He steadied Isla Olsen, ¡°Keira Olsen is the Olsen Family¡¯s illegitimate daughter, and Isla is the legitimate heiress! I gave up on Keira Olsen in the past because of this; don¡¯t spout nonsense here! Do you think we¡¯ll just believe you like that?!¡±


    The surrounding reporters had already shut their mouths.


    Today¡¯s series of twists had left them overwhelmed. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone started to pick up their cameras, aiming them at the scene, their instincts telling them that a major story was unfolding!!


    Seeing that several people had voiced their doubts, Holly Sims sneered, ¡°Of course, I say this because I have evidence!¡±


    She picked up her phone again and opened the WhatsApp chat interface.


    There, just a minute ago, a colleague had sent her the DNA report of Keira Olsen and Mrs. Olsen!!


    This was done urgently by her colleague after she had heard everything from Connor Hill.


    Because Keira Olsen was detained before, her DNA information was stored in the police database.


    Mrs. Olsen had been sick for years, suspecting a chronic hereditary disease, and her medical information had long been entered into the medical database.


    The police pulled Mrs. Olsen¡¯s DNA information from the medical database and directly made a comparison!


    It only took half an hour, and the result came out!


    Holly Sims always had strong opinions on matters; she had met Keira Olsen before and understood the significance of the matter to her, so she didn¡¯t call her immediately after Connor Hill revealed the truth.


    She was also worried it was Connor Hill¡¯s trickery, so she waited until she got the DNA test report confirming Connor Hill¡¯s words were true before she publicly revealed the truth!


    Looking at the DNA report, everyone present was stunned.


    Poppy Hill jumped up and down in agitation, ¡°Impossible, this can¡¯t be true, it must be another forgery!¡±


    Holly Sims sneered, ¡°The emblem on it belongs to our police station. Since I dare to show it to the reporters, I¡¯m not afraid of being investigated! Poppy Hill, I also came here today to inform you that someone has reported you for secretly swapping the children right after they were born to ensure a happy life for your own biological daughter. You are already suspected of child trafficking, and I need to take you back to the station for questioning today!¡±


    After saying this, she pulled an arrest warrant from her pocket and displayed it in front of everyone!


    Seeing this, Poppy Hill became dazed for a moment and collapsed to the ground: ¡°No, it¡¯s not possible, how could you know¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    Her reaction told everyone the answer.


    A reporter then spoke up:


    ¡°My goodness, I was wondering why Poppy Hill was treating her own daughter this way. It turns out Keira Olsen isn¡¯t her daughter at all!¡±


    ¡°They just said Mrs. Horton was an illegitimate daughter, so she was poorly brought up. Turns out, the daughter-in-law from the first branch of the family is the real illegitimate daughter?¡±


    ¡°She had a miscarriage and then slandered Mrs. Horton¡­ At heart, she¡¯s just a vile person with petty family mentality! Even if she was raised as the legitimate daughter, what of it? Some people¡¯s genes just carry bad seeds!¡±


    Jake Horton, realizing what was happening, suddenly retracted his hand holding Isla Olsen¡¯s and stared at her furiously, ¡°You are the illegitimate daughter?!¡±


    He felt as though he had been slapped hard in the face!


    The Isla Olsen in front of him now felt extremely unfamiliar.


    Isla Olsen quickly waved her hands, ¡°Jake, I, I don¡¯t know what happened, believe me¡­ Even if Poppy Hill swapped the children, I didn¡¯t know the truth, Jake, I am innocent¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Poppy Hill quickly looked towards Isla Olsen, ¡°Yes, yes, Isla didn¡¯t know about this, I never told her the truth!! She is innocent, I did this alone!!¡±


    Once again, everyone¡¯s gaze simultaneously fell on Isla Olsen.


    But Holly Sims turned her gaze back onto Isla Olsen, ¡°Isla Olsen, Connor Hill has confessed everything, he said you also knew about this, and the reason he killed his father was under your influence! What else do you have to say?¡±


    ¡­


    Meanwhile.


    In the corridor, Uncle Olsen¡¯s hand, originally poised to shoot, stopped right on the trigger after hearing Holly Sims¡¯s accusations.


    His eyebrows furrowed, and he wore an expression of disbelief.


    Lewis Horton also heard this statement and suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.


    This was Crera near the city of Oceanion, and he didn¡¯t want to clash with Uncle Olsen here; the aftermath would be too troublesome to deal with¡­


    But¡­ Keira was Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter?


    Although he had suspected it, Lewis Horton still felt a surge of joy for Keira Olsen!


    He looked at Uncle Olsen and taunted, ¡°Uncle, are you still going to protect Isla now?¡±


    Uncle Olsen clenched his fists, his brow suddenly shadowed with a sinister and fierce look.


    He bypassed Lewis Horton, headed into the corridor, and with a chilly and angry voice said, ¡°Dare to mock Miss South, I¡¯m going to kill that mother and daughter!¡±

 Chapter 200 - 200 200

    ?Chapter 200: Chapter 200 Chapter 200: Chapter 200 Lewis Horton didn¡¯t stop Uncle Olsen this time.


    After all, he was also furious.


    During the time he spent with Keira Olsen, he got to know her quite well.


    On the surface, she seemed to have come to terms with being the ¡°illegitimate daughter,¡± but because of Mrs. Olsen, she harbored some self-loathing.


    Keira Olsen had a soft exterior but a tough interior, capable of handling anything thrown her way with composure.


    But when it came to this matter, he didn¡¯t know how much she had been hurt.


    Now that she knows Mrs. Olsen is her mother, he didn¡¯t know how happy she would be!


    As for Isla Olsen and Poppy Hill¡­


    A murderous intent flashed in the depths of Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes, and even if Uncle Olsen hadn¡¯t said it, he wouldn¡¯t let those two off the hook!!


    Thinking this, they walked side by side into the corridor from the stairwell.


    They saw Keira Olsen with her back to them, staring at Isla Olsen in front of her.


    ¡­


    After Holly Sims finished her sentence, Poppy Hill looked incredulously at Isla Olsen, her lips trembling as she asked, ¡°Isla, did you, did you know all along?¡±


    Isla Olsen bit her lip and didn¡¯t reply.


    Holly Sims sneered, ¡°We¡¯ve investigated Finley Hill¡¯s bank transfers. She¡¯s known since her elementary school days! She has always been threatened by Finley Hill, giving him all her pocket money each month.¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s eyes widened, looking at Isla Olsen, she felt like a clown!


    All these years, she had doted on Isla Olsen, pampering her, even trying to please her when they were alone together.


    Isla Olsen always looked down on her, sometimes with hatred in her eyes. Poppy Hill¡¯s consolation to herself was that Isla never knew the truth, so she didn¡¯t blame her.


    But if she had known all along, knowing that she was her biological mother, why was she so dismissive towards her?


    Especially when they were alone, she had wanted to get close to her biological daughter numerous times, but Isla Olsen was always malicious towards her, treating her like a nanny!


    Suddenly, Poppy Hill felt like a joke!


    All she had done was for her, but what did this daughter do?


    She had never shown her respect or closeness, and Holly Sims had just said that she had seduced Connor Hill into killing Finley Hill?!


    That was her uncle!


    Poppy Hill could no longer control herself and sprang up from the ground, rushing in front of her, ¡°Isla, tell me, is what she said true?¡±


    Isla Olsen clenched her lips tightly.


    She was panicked, completely on the verge of collapse.


    How could this be¡­


    Why had things developed in this way!


    It was supposed to be her turn for a dramatic comeback, so how had everything suddenly started to change?


    Poppy Hill grabbing her arm filled her with disgust.


    Impatiently, she pushed Poppy Hill away, ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or false, what does it matter? Are you planning to hold it against me?¡±


    Poppy Hill was stunned by these words, ¡°I might not hold it against you, but what about your uncle? How could you¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen clung to a pretense of ignorance, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I¡¯ve never killed anyone, Finley Hill¡¯s death has nothing to do with me!¡±


    Holly Sims immediately said, ¡°Isla Olsen, Connor Hill has told the whole truth, and you still won¡¯t admit it?¡±


    Isla Olsen scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s Connor Hill¡¯s personal statement. Does he have evidence to accuse me?¡±


    When Isla Olsen seduced Connor Hill to commit the murder, she never said anything like that, she had always been playing the victim.


    She was very cautious and indeed did not leave any trace behind.


    Holly Sims frowned, originally wanting to trick her, but she did not expect that Kiera wouldn¡¯t fall for it.


    This Isla Olsen, such a schemer.


    Seeing that Holly Sims did not speak, Isla felt a hint of triumph. She scoffed, ¡°Holly Sims, if you have evidence, come and arrest me. If you don¡¯t, I advise you to stop spouting nonsense here! Otherwise, I will definitely file a complaint against you!¡±


    Holly Sims tensed her jaw.


    Isla was feeling smug, but in the next moment¡­


    ¡°Ungrateful creature! You ungrateful creature!¡±


    Poppy Hill couldn¡¯t believe that the daughter she gave birth to could be such a cold-blooded and heartless person!


    Finley Hill was the only brother in her family, as well as the only male in the Hill Family!


    Connor Hill was Finley Hill¡¯s only son, and Poppy Hill had always doted on Connor.


    But now, one of the Hill Family¡¯s men had been killed by Isla, and another sent away!


    Poppy Hill was unable to accept this and rushed towards Isla, delivering a harsh slap across her face!


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Isla, in disbelief, covered her face, then looked at Poppy Hill and shouted, ¡°How dare you hit me? What right do you have to hit me?¡±


    ¡°Because I am your mother!¡±


    Isla sneered, ¡°Mother? What right do you, a mistress, have to be my mother?¡±


    She became emotionally charged, ¡°Do you have any idea how panicked and desperate I was when I suddenly found out that I was actually the illegitimate daughter of the Olsen family? Do you know how much I¡¯ve walked on thin ice over the years, fearing that my parents would find out, how hard my life has been! It¡¯s all because of you, I would rather have grown up in an ordinary family than live with such hardship!¡±


    She screamed while clutching her abdomen, her facial expression becoming extremely ghastly and terrifying.


    She then turned to the surrounding journalists, ¡°I was driven to this point by them! I am not at fault!¡±


    Seeing that she still would not admit her wrongdoing at such a moment, Uncle Olsen in the hallway let out a cold chuckle. He chambered a round into his handgun, ready to push through the crowd and step forward.


    Even with so many reporters around, he didn¡¯t care. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lewis Horton realized upon seeing his actions that Uncle Olsen had only intended to intimidate him with the gun earlier, with no real intention to shoot.


    He shook his head helplessly, following behind him.


    If Uncle Olsen really killed Isla today, Lewis was prepared to handle the aftermath.


    But before the two could reach the crowd, they suddenly heard Poppy Hill¡¯s scream, ¡°Blood¡­ Isla, what¡¯s happened to you?¡±


    Both paused slightly, then noticed that Isla¡¯s pants were soaked with blood¡­


    After being reminded by Poppy Hill, Isla looked down and realized that she was bleeding profusely!


    She panicked, eyes widening.


    The more nervous she felt, the more she could feel the warm blood flowing out, unstoppable¡­


    No matter how much Poppy Hill hated her, Isla was the daughter she had cherished from a young age, so she cried out, ¡°Doctor, doctor! Help, please!!¡±


    Isla had not taken abortion drugs to avoid leaving any clues; she had truly exerted herself to bump into the table and then harshly onto the floor to induce the miscarriage.


    After such a violent collision, she should have rested properly, but instead, she insisted on getting up to frame Keira Olsen.


    Physically and mentally exhausted, plus the added stress and shock, she started bleeding heavily¡­


    Luckily it happened in the hospital, and she was swiftly taken away by nurses into the emergency room. Had it been outside, she would have died from blood loss within two minutes.


    After Isla was taken away, more security arrived to clear the journalists, and the corridor quieted down.


    For a while, only Keira Olsen, Lewis Horton, and Uncle Olsen remained.

 Chapter 201 - 201 201

    ?Chapter 201: Chapter 201 Chapter 201: Chapter 201 Keira Olsen coldly watched Isla Olsen leave, and after a moment¡¯s thought, she followed.


    She was never a saint and certainly didn¡¯t worry for Isla Olsen, only wanting to see what her end would be. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that she was heading towards the emergency room, Lewis Horton immediately picked up his pace to follow. After taking a few steps, he looked back at Uncle Olsen and asked, ¡°Do you want to come and take a look as well?¡±


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s gaze deepened as he glanced towards the direction of the ward.


    After pondering for a moment, he finally said, ¡°No, I¡¯ll wait here for your return.¡±


    He had just done something foolish, having troubled Mrs. Olsen¡¯s real daughter on Isla Olsen¡¯s account. He owed an apology.


    Lewis Horton nodded, not paying him any more mind, and chased after Keira Olsen towards the ward.


    Uncle Olsen glanced at Ellis Olsen.


    Ellis immediately understood, making an ¡°OK¡± gesture: ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll follow. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let Mrs. Olsen¡¯s real daughter be bullied!¡±


    ¡­


    When Keira Olsen arrived at the emergency room entrance, she saw several journalists hidden in a corner, waiting for the outcome and follow-up, as well as Poppy Hill and Holly Sims.


    She was wondering why the Horton family members weren¡¯t here when she heard the sound of a slap coming from the stairwell nearby!


    There was a loud ¡°smack.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s footsteps faltered slightly, and she took a couple of steps back, peering through the glass window to see Oliver Horton, Melissa Knight, and Jake Horton there.


    Nathan Horton must have sensed that something was amiss and quickly left to avoid embarrassment.


    At that moment, Oliver Horton was beside himself with anger. One slap to Jake wasn¡¯t enough; he raised his hand to strike again but was stopped by Melissa Knight: ¡°Why hit him? The one who did wrong is Isla Olsen!¡±


    Oliver Horton sneered, ¡°I said it from the start, I disagreed with this marriage! That Isla Olsen had ill intentions, yet you insisted on Jake marrying her. Now look what¡¯s happened.¡±


    Melissa Knight cried out, ¡°Yes, I disagreed at first, too, but when Mrs. Olsen mentioned knowing people in Clance, didn¡¯t you agree too? Without your consent, how could Jake have gone to register his marriage with her?¡±


    Oliver Horton stared at her: ¡°If I had known she was the illegitimate daughter, I would have never agreed! In the end, isn¡¯t it you and Jake who were poor at judging character?!¡±


    Melissa Knight wiped her tears, ¡°No one wanted this to happen. Isla Olsen is so devious, not just Jake and I didn¡¯t see it, didn¡¯t you fail to see it too? Why, when something goes wrong, do you only know to blame us?¡±


    Oliver Horton scoffed, ¡°If not you, who else should I blame? This incident has utterly shamed our first branch of the family! Initially, knowing Lewis Horton¡¯s wife was Keira Olsen, I felt relieved, believing that our branch had finally outdone his! Thinking that Jake, this useless son, had finally done me a great service. He married Miss Olsen, and Lewis could only marry the Olsen Family¡¯s illegitimate daughter, who could have expected it to turn out this way!¡±


    He smacked his face, furiously saying, ¡°You¡¯ve completely disgraced me!¡±


    Melissa Knight immediately grasped his hand, ¡°Oliver, don¡¯t talk like that. Jake will surely help you save face; don¡¯t be angry¡­¡±


    Oliver Horton pulled his hand away and looked directly at Jake, ¡°With him? A failure remains a failure, he hasn¡¯t shown any progress with age! He can¡¯t even begin to compare to his sister!¡±


    Leaving those words behind, Oliver Horton turned and went downstairs.


    His unfeeling departure made Melissa Knight cover her face and cry, then she began to beat Jake, ¡°You finally had a chance to make a name for yourself, to let your father sleep peacefully at home for once. Now look, he will surely not come back home! Jake, why does this always happen to you, why can you never satisfy him¡­¡±


    Jake Horton¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he hung his head, like a child who had done something wrong.


    He stared blankly at Melissa Knight.


    Melissa Knight was crying as she said, ¡°You must try hard, you have to surpass that illegitimate daughter! You can¡¯t let your father look down on us!¡­ No, that bitch seems to be coming back soon, no wonder your father keeps mentioning a ¡®sister¡¯! Jake, if she returns, what am I to do?!¡±


    Melissa Knight was so anxious she was pacing in circles, causing an ocean of red in Jake¡¯s eyes.


    He took Melissa Knight¡¯s hand: ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be afraid¡­ Even if she comes back, she won¡¯t be able to stir up any trouble. She¡¯s just a girl, and sooner or later she¡¯ll be married off. I¡¯m Dad¡¯s only son!¡±


    Melissa Knight calmed down upon hearing this, ¡°Right, right, as long as we prepare a generous dowry for that illegitimate daughter and marry her off, you will still be your father¡¯s only son¡­ I¡¯m going home right now, I must secure my position, I absolutely cannot let that illegitimate daughter enter our house!¡±


    As soon as she finished, she grabbed Jake Horton¡¯s hand: ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re going home!¡±


    Jake Horton took a few steps with her but then stopped, his eyes conflicted as he looked towards the emergency room.


    No matter what, Isla Olsen was still his wife¡­


    ¡°Jake? What are you doing? You can¡¯t still be hung up on that trash Isla Olsen, can you? I¡¯m telling you, the Horton family doesn¡¯t need a daughter-in-law like her!¡±


    Melissa Knight snapped angrily.


    Jake Horton looked down: ¡°Mom, I just want to wait until she finishes her surgery¡­¡±


    Isla Olsen was in a critical condition, and he was her legal guardian.


    Melissa Knight frowned in thought for a moment, then scoffed coldly: ¡°Fine, then you stay here. I¡¯ll have someone bring the divorce papers over. If she survives and comes out of the operating room, have her sign them. If she dies, we¡¯ll be done with this once and for all!¡±


    Leaving behind these ruthless words, Melissa Knight strode away.


    Jake Horton stood there alone, fists clenched tightly, before he finally opened the door in the corridor. The moment he opened the door, he saw Keira Olsen.


    He was slightly taken aback, his mouth opening as if he wanted to say something, yet the words failed to come out¡­


    After hesitating for a long time, he slowly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Keira Olsen walked past him without a glance and approached the door of the operating room.


    Jake Horton stared dumbly at her retreating figure, a wave of regret and frustration suddenly filling his chest.


    He had given up on Keira Olsen because of her status as an illegitimate daughter¡­ He even had a moment where he felt he was nearly catching up to her.


    He was supposed to cherish her¡­ but after learning of her illegitimate birth, he had impulsively committed so many mistakes!


    Now, he felt a severe pain in his chest, so intense that he couldn¡¯t help but bend over.


    His lips curled into a forced smile, yet tears streamed down his face¡­


    Lewis Horton and Ellis Olsen walked past him, neither giving Jake Horton a glance.


    At that moment, Ellis Olsen was asking Lewis Horton, ¡°Hey, is the father of your¡­ wife Taylor Olsen? She doesn¡¯t seem to look like him at all!¡±

 Chapter 202 - 202 202

    ?Chapter 202: Chapter 202 Chapter 202: Chapter 202 Ellis Olsen always felt there was something strange between his third uncle and Mrs. Olsen.


    His third uncle had always been very optimistic about Lewis Horton, even specifically instructing him not to be his enemy, saying that after the family¡¯s future was handed to Lewis, he wanted Lewis to take good care of things. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if he himself was inferior to Lewis Horton¡­ But that wasn¡¯t the point.


    The point was, the highly regarded Lewis Horton nearly fell out with his third uncle all because of a Mrs. Olsen.


    So at the beginning, he speculated whether his third uncle had feelings for Mrs. Olsen, or perhaps Mrs. Olsen¡¯s daughter, could she be his third uncle¡¯s daughter?


    Lewis didn¡¯t bother to pay him any attention.


    Besides, this was Keira Olsen¡¯s private matter, and it wouldn¡¯t be good for everyone to know that Mrs. Olsen had an affair, so he didn¡¯t say much.


    Knowing his personality, Ellis didn¡¯t keep asking but instead turned to look at Keira Olsen, trying to see a trace of his third uncle in her¡­


    Keira Olsen stared at the emergency room door. Just as she approached, she saw the door being pushed open, and a doctor rushed out, ¡°Where¡¯s the patient¡¯s family? The patient¡¯s blood won¡¯t stop at all, now only a hysterectomy can save her life! Can the family confirm and sign the consent?¡±


    Poppy Hill immediately rushed forward, ¡°I¡¯m her mother, I¡¯ll sign!¡±


    However, the doctor looked at her, ¡°You are the patient¡¯s mother?¡±


    Poppy Hill choked.


    Whether on the household registration or the birth certificate, she currently really wasn¡¯t!


    In her moment of hesitation, another doctor¡¯s urging voice came from inside, ¡°Have you signed yet? We can¡¯t hold on much longer!¡±


    In a panic, Poppy was about to speak when Jake Horton had already walked over, ¡°I¡¯ll sign, I am her husband.¡±


    He took the medical record book and signed his name on it.


    Only then did the doctor rush back into the room once again.


    Poppy Hill, feeling extremely grateful, grabbed Jake¡¯s hand and wept, ¡°Young Mr. Horton, thank you. After all, you and Isla are legally married, you have feelings for one another¡­¡±


    However, Jake withdrew his hand and wiped it on his clothing, ¡°This is the last thing I am doing for her. I hope that after the surgery, she can sign the divorce agreement.¡±


    Poppy Hill suddenly became anxious, ¡°Young Mr. Horton, you can¡¯t abandon Isla! She¡¯s just had a hysterectomy and won¡¯t be able to have children in the future. She¡¯s only twenty-two, so young, her life is ruined, you¡­¡±


    Jake took a step back, looked deeply at the emergency room one more time, then turned and walked away briskly.


    Poppy Hill knelt on the ground, crying and covering her face, ¡°My poor Isla, how did you end up like this? Without a uterus, what man will ever want to marry you now¡­¡±


    Poppy Hill cried out in despair.


    She had switched two children all those years ago, hoping to give her own Isla a better life. How did it come to this?


    Upon this realization, Poppy Hill abruptly raised her head. When she saw Keira Olsen, she immediately crawled over to her and pleaded, ¡°Keira, ask Mr. Horton to order Jake not to divorce, please, see it as a favor for the mother who raised you¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen looked coldly at the woman in front of her.


    When she was a child, Poppy Hill was her nightmare.


    Even after growing up, she would often dream of being back in her childhood, powerless and in pain under Poppy¡¯s whipping!


    So, what was Poppy Hill thinking?


    Did she think she would plead for mercy on her and Isla¡¯s behalf?


    Keira Olsen sneered, slightly bending forward, ¡°Poppy Hill, do you know what I want to tell you right now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Keira¡¯s eyes suddenly turned chilling. She clenched her fists tightly and said bitterly, ¡°If it were not illegal to kill someone, I would have already done away with you and Isla!¡±


    Poppy Hill¡¯s pupils shrank, and she collapsed onto the ground.


    A ruthless and icy glint flashed in her eyes, and suddenly she got up and pulled a fruit knife from her pocket!


    This fruit knife was just taken from Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital room, but now, with a mindset of taking both herself and her adversary down, she lunged at Keira Olsen¡¯s heart with the knife!


    ¡°Bitch, it¡¯s all because of you, because of you that my Isla ended up like this, who asked you to uncover the truth? I really should have killed you when you were a child! Then Isla wouldn¡¯t have come to this point, I will kill you to avenge Isla!!¡±


    Alas, the next moment¡­


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Keira Olsen hadn¡¯t even made a move, and Poppy hadn¡¯t even reached her yet, when Holly Sims, who was nearby, had already grabbed her arm and was about to kick her.


    But it seemed her leg was too short.


    Because Poppy Hill was suddenly kicked away by another strong force!


    It was Lewis Horton!


    His brows tightly furrowed, he immediately glanced at Keira Olsen and sighed inwardly; that was close! He almost got kicked by Holly Sims!


    Why does she always have to steal his thunder?


    Lewis Horton glared at Holly Sims.


    On the other side, after Poppy Hill was kicked away, she spat out a mouthful of blood viciously, but she quickly got up from the ground again, knife in hand and ready to stab at Keira Olsen once more!


    ¡°What the fuck? Old witch, haven¡¯t you had enough yet?¡±


    Ellis Olsen rushed over to Poppy Hill again.


    He remembered his uncle¡¯s orders well. This person not only bullied Keira Olsen, but now she¡¯s also trying to pin everything on Keira Olsen?


    He landed a ferocious kick directly on her kneecap.


    With a ¡°crack¡±, Poppy Hill¡¯s kneecap dislocated, and she fell to her knee on the ground.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Poppy Hill cried out in pain.


    Ellis Olsen exclaimed in shock, ¡°Oh no, she still has a knife, that¡¯s too dangerous!¡±


    He immediately bent down and dislocated the arm that Poppy Hill wasn¡¯t using to hold the knife!


    At this point, Poppy Hill was in so much pain that she could only roll around on the ground, and she even came close to throwing the knife away¡­


    However, the next moment¡­


    ¡°Ah, you were even planning to throw the knife to harm someone? Miss Olsen, be careful!¡±


    With that, Ellis Olsen stepped on her hand, dislocating her other arm, and then, as if by accident, he stepped on her other leg and broke it.


    Poppy Hill collapsed on the ground.


    Finally, Ellis Olsen jumped to the side, ¡°Whoa, that was terrifying, Officer Sims, right? This person is openly committing an assault here, quickly take her away!¡±


    Holly Sims: ¡°¡­¡±


    An arrest warrant was already in place, and now with Poppy Hill holding a knife with the intent to commit murder, even in the presence of a police officer, there could be charges like assault on an officer, among others.


    All these charges combined meant Poppy Hill would never get out of jail in her lifetime!


    Besides, a dislocated arm could still be dealt with, but she had clearly seen Ellis Olsen break her leg, the bones crushed. Perhaps she would never be able to stand for the rest of her life?


    But she clenched her jaw and said nothing, instead stepping forward, ignoring Poppy Hill¡¯s dislocated arm, and handcuffed her hands behind her back!


    Poppy Hill was in so much pain that she was drenched in cold sweat.


    She writhed in pain on the floor, but the people in front of her just watched her coldly without any action.


    Unable to hold back any longer, Poppy Hill shouted, ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me! Keira Olsen, save me¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen ignored her.


    ¡°Ungrateful creature, vile beast!¡± Poppy Hill roared, ¡°Have you forgotten how you knelt before me when you were little, begging for mercy?¡±


    Keira Olsen remained calm.


    However, upon hearing these words, both Lewis Horton and Ellis Olsen clenched their fists unconsciously.


    Ellis Olsen looked at his hands and couldn¡¯t help but gasp, ¡°Why do my hands feel itchy again?¡±


    Poppy Hill, terrified, cut herself off mid-sentence, but now that she knew the end was near, she wasn¡¯t afraid anymore!


    With evil courage rising, she continued to angrily berate Keira Olsen:


    ¡°You little slut, you could only lick my feet when you were young! You will never measure up to Isla, haha, do you remember how I made you drink Isla Olsen¡¯s foot-washing water when you were little? Your resistance was quite fierce, wasn¡¯t it? But what was the use? I just shoved your head right in¡­ hahaha!¡±


    ¡°You little whore, all these years living outside without a penny for living expenses, you must have been slept with by many for money, right? You¡¯re nothing but a prostitute used by thousands! Even if you marry into the Horton Family, what does it matter? You won¡¯t end well, hahaha!¡±


    Lewis Horton shouted, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Poppy Hill choked on her words but kept her gaze fixed on him.


    This venomous woman seemed to be a bad seed by nature and was still not aware of her own faults at this moment, simply believing it was all the perverse fate of the heavens!


    She stared at Lewis Horton: ¡°What, did I say something wrong? I may be a mistress, but I¡¯ve only been with one man, Taylor Olsen, in my life! What about her mother? Maybe you don¡¯t know yet, haha, Jodie South had an affair while married! Keira Olsen is not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter at all!!¡±


    At those words, Keira Olsen stepped forward, grabbed her by the collar, ¡°You will not insult Mrs. Olsen!¡±


    ¡°So what if I insult her? She had the gall to do it, and she doesn¡¯t allow others to speak of it? She looks all respectable, doesn¡¯t she? But she¡¯s actually just a bitch! She had an affair and that¡¯s why you were born!¡±


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Keira Olsen viciously slapped Poppy Hill, causing her cheek to swell up, silencing her!


    Holly Sims then called the police over, who immediately took Poppy Hill away and detained her. With all the charges combined, she might very well be sentenced to death!


    After Poppy Hill was taken away, Holly Sims finally took Keira Olsen¡¯s trembling hand, consoling her, ¡°It¡¯s over now, she won¡¯t be able to trouble you anymore!¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded.


    She turned to go back to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital room, but at that moment, Ellis Olsen blocked her path, his eyes gleaming as he asked, ¡°Hey, what she just said, you¡¯re not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter?¡±


    If she¡¯s not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter, then she must be his uncle¡¯s!

 Chapter 203 - 203 203

    ?Chapter 203: Chapter 203 Chapter 203: Chapter 203 After Ellis Olsen finished speaking, he saw Keira Olsen¡¯s complexion instantly darken.


    Her gaze was icy as she stared at him, her voice cold with a tinge of anger, ¡°You think so too¡­ Mrs. Olsen had an affair during her marriage?¡±


    She still wasn¡¯t used to calling Mrs. Olsen ¡°mom¡±¡­


    Feeling the chill emanating from her, Ellis Olsen swallowed nervously, suddenly too scared to speak, he waved his hands, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, what I¡¯m trying to say is¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say, the affairs of my family seem to have nothing to do with Young Master Olsen!¡±


    Keira Olsen left this remark behind and turned to leave.


    Ellis Olsen was left standing there, frustrated, he complained to Lewis Horton, ¡°Hey, manage your wife, will you? How can she speak to me like this?¡±


    Lewis Horton looked at him and scoffed, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    Ellis Olsen: ?


    Lewis Horton didn¡¯t bother with him anymore and directly followed behind Keira Olsen, heading to the third floor of the inpatient department¡­


    Holly Sims stayed, continuing to watch the emergency room.


    She furrowed her brows tightly.


    Ellis Olsen suddenly spoke out, ¡°Officer Sims, right? May I ask if Isla Olsen has committed any crime?¡±


    Holly Sims tightened her face, ¡°No evidence.¡±


    The inducements at Connor Hill¡¯s were all spoken face-to-face, without leaving any verbal or written trace.


    And today¡¯s matter is, at most, an ethical issue, not a legal problem¡­


    Isla Olsen seemed to have had her uterus removed, as if she were being punished. But could this consequence really punish her for the evil deeds she had done in the past?


    Her full malice toward Keira Olsen, once she recovers, what if she goes looking for trouble again?


    As Holly Sims was deep in thought, she saw Ellis Olsen reveal a sinister smile, his excitement unmistakable as he clapped his hands, ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s great!¡±


    Holly Sims was startled.


    ¡­


    Lewis Horton walked through the hospital building with Keira Olsen.


    He silently walked beside her, sensing the girl¡¯s unspoken joy nearly bursting forth.


    Lewis Horton couldn¡¯t help but glance at her sideways.


    Keira Olsen¡¯s peach blossom-like eyes were fixed on what lay ahead, with a hope in them that he had never seen before, as if she was about to take flight.


    But then, it seemed she remembered Poppy Hill¡¯s slanders against Mrs. Olsen, and her brows knitted slightly.


    Lewis Horton couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips, then he spoke, ¡°Do you like Taylor Olsen a lot?¡±


    Keira Olsen was startled, then shook her head, ¡°No.¡±


    To her, Taylor Olsen was nothing more than a stranger.


    Lewis Horton nodded, then said, ¡°Then you really don¡¯t need to take Poppy Hill¡¯s words to heart.¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at him, then quickly checked her surroundings, leaned closer to him, covered her mouth with her hand, and whispered, ¡°Do you think Taylor Olsen knows I¡¯m not his daughter?¡±


    Lewis Horton found it amusing and also leaned closer, covering his mouth to whisper back, ¡°I think he probably knows.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s peach blossom-like eyes immediately brightened, ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    Lewis Horton straightened up and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t you find the way Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen interact a bit odd?¡±


    Keira Olsen was taken aback.


    Lewis Horton slowly said, ¡°Mrs. Olsen is probably the kind of person who would rather break than bend, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen nodded.


    Mrs. Olsen¡¯s character was like bamboo, seemingly frail and thin, but her backbone was tough and upright, a person not to be trifled with.


    Besides, she was very capable; the Olsen Family¡¯s companies were more than enough to provide a decent living.


    She also knew many powerful and influential people in Clance. Mr. Allen treated Mrs. Olsen very respectfully, and Uncle Olsen found her rather surprising¡­


    Such a legendary woman was certainly not a traditional housewife!


    Lewis Horton continued, ¡°So have you ever considered how such a person, back then, was manipulated by Poppy Hill into bringing an illegitimate daughter to live with the Horton Family?¡±


    Lewis Horton deliberately emphasized the words ¡°illegitimate daughter¡± and saw a reactive response appear in Keira Olsen¡¯s pupils.


    It seemed he would have to mention it more often, to make her completely indifferent to these words.


    Keira Olsen tensed her jaw. ¡°So, what do you mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Is there a possibility that both Mrs. Olsen and Taylor Olsen knew you weren¡¯t Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter, which is why Mrs. Olsen took in Poppy Hill for the sake of that child in her womb? Later on, I observed that she actually never minded you. On the contrary, Taylor Olsen seemed very bothered by your presence, as if he feared you would disrupt his marriage with Mrs. Olsen.¡±


    Lewis Horton rarely talked so much, but now he was patiently explaining, ¡°I¡¯ve indeed never seen any legitimate wife who¡¯d really let a mistress and her illegitimate daughter live in the same house. This is modern times, polygamy is illegal.¡±


    Keira Olsen had her suspicions long ago, but hearing him say it out loud was more convincing.


    She nodded and then sighed, ¡°If only Mrs. Olsen hadn¡¯t been soft-hearted back then¡­ How nice that would have been.¡±


    Unfortunately, there are no what-ifs in this world.


    Thinking this, she suddenly realized that Mrs. Olsen collapsed after seeing a photo she had given her, her face changing color abruptly.


    So, did Mrs. Olsen actually know who her real father was?!


    Keira Olsen¡¯s confidence grew instantly, and she said directly, ¡°I don¡¯t believe Mrs. Olsen¡¯s character would allow her to have an affair within the marriage, so let¡¯s simply ask Taylor Olsen about it!¡±


    Lewis Horton nodded.


    The two entered the elevator and went to the third floor of the hospital department.


    As soon as they left the elevator, they saw Taylor Olsen having a confrontation with Uncle Olsen at the entrance to the hospital room.


    Uncle Olsen stood with his back to them, leaving Keira Olsen unable to see his expression.


    Taylor Olsen, looking at Uncle Olsen, said, ¡°Please don¡¯t disturb Shirley, I can take good care of her, and we don¡¯t need you here.¡±


    Uncle Olsen scoffed, ¡°Her child was switched, and you call that taking good care of her?¡±


    Taylor Olsen was at a loss for words, he had gone without rest for a day and a night, his voice hoarse. Unable to drive the visitor away, he finally said, ¡°Shirley probably doesn¡¯t want to see you either.¡±


    Uncle Olsen, with his back turned to the two, didn¡¯t speak further.


    Keira Olsen saw him clench his fist, nod to Taylor Olsen, and then walk dejectedly towards the stairwell, disappearing around the corner.


    His figure seemed lonely, yet he never looked back.


    Taylor Olsen quietly heaved a sigh of relief once he left.


    Then, his gaze met with Keira Olsen¡¯s¡­


    Both were silent for a moment.


    Downstairs.


    Uncle Olsen descended the stairs but didn¡¯t get into his car.


    Standing in the parking lot, he lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and while enveloped in smoke, he looked up toward the third floor.


    Then he laughed at himself, bowed his head, and got into the car. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Ellis Olsen ran over. The man was animated, looking like a recent college graduate. As soon as he got into the car, he looked at Uncle Olsen with an air of secrecy: ¡°Uncle, Keira Olsen is not Taylor Olsen¡¯s daughter! Could her father be you?!¡±

 Chapter 204 - 204 204

    ?Chapter 204: Chapter 204 Chapter 204: Chapter 204 Uncle Olsen paused slightly upon hearing this.


    However, he did not get excited, but instead fiercely took another drag of his cigarette, then squinted his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re saying, Taylor Olsen is not Miss South¡¯s child¡¯s father?¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Ellis Olsen nodded, ¡°The mistress just said it herself, and from the looks of Kiera Olsen, she didn¡¯t deny it¡­¡±


    He curiously looked at Uncle Olsen, ¡°Kiera Olsen couldn¡¯t be your daughter, could she?¡±


    Uncle Olsen threw the cigarette on the ground, stomped it out with his leather shoe, kicked it into the ashtray area next to the trash can, and then looked at him, ¡°No.¡±


    Ellis Olsen was startled, ¡°Really? I thought she was¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence when Uncle Olsen kicked out at him, ¡°Don¡¯t I know whether I have done such a thing or not?¡±


    Ellis Olsen jumped up, dodging the kick, slightly disappointed, ¡°Alright, I thought I could have a cousin~ You¡¯ve really disappointed me.¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing~¡±


    ¡°Come back.¡±


    Ellis Olsen floated back.


    Uncle Olsen eyed him, ¡°Miss South has raised that fake heiress, so she must have feelings for her too.¡±


    Ellis Olsen was surprised, ¡°So you want me to show mercy?¡±


    Uncle Olsen glanced at him with a cold laugh, ¡°So make your moves clean and decisive, don¡¯t give her a chance to regret. She is someone who deeply values emotions, I want to avoid any more entanglements in the family later!¡±


    Only then did Ellis Olsen smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve painstakingly picked a great place for Isla Olsen!¡±


    Upstairs.


    Kiera Olsen followed Taylor Olsen into the ward.


    Taylor Olsen sat silently next to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hospital bed, holding her hand.


    Kiera Olsen looked at him, ¡°You heard everything that happened outside just now, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Taylor Olsen nodded like a robot.


    His reaction made Kiera Olsen unsure of how to start talking. She hesitated, then stated, ¡°Poppy Hill has been arrested, Isla is in danger, do you want to go see her?¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than Taylor Olsen suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with cold-blooded ruthlessness, ¡°Since she¡¯s not Shirley¡¯s daughter, she¡¯s nothing to me!¡±


    That indifferent attitude was exactly how he used to treat Kiera Olsen.


    Kiera Olsen staggered for a moment.


    She then understood that Taylor Olsen¡¯s kindness towards Isla really was only for Mrs. Olsen, irrelevant of whether she was his daughter or not.


    She hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°I¡­ you¡­ we don¡¯t seem to be father and daughter.¡±


    Taylor Olsen looked down, tenderly gazing at Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Since you¡¯re Shirley¡¯s daughter, of course, you¡¯re not my daughter.¡±


    Kiera Olsen immediately realized that her guess was probably correct.


    She furrowed her brow and then heard Taylor Olsen say, ¡°I¡¯m actually very grateful to you. Shirley has always been out of my league, and it was only after you came along that Shirley was willing to marry me¡­¡±


    He bowed his head, placing Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand against his cheek, ¡°Being able to marry Shirley is the greatest happiness of my life. As for Poppy Hill, she was not an affair during my marriage but a debt from before Shirley and I were together. I was distraught over not obtaining Shirley and drank to drown my sorrows when she took advantage of me¡­¡±


    He stopped there, closing his mouth, and once again earnestly looked at Jodie South, ¡°Shirley, please wake up soon. Your favorite, Kiera, is your daughter. Don¡¯t you want to acknowledge her?¡±


    Kiera Olsen also looked at Mrs. Olsen Jodie South upon hearing this.


    She still lay there, eyes closed, breathing steadily, her complexion flush as if asleep.


    Kiera Olsen really wanted to wait until she woke up and ask who her real father was, and what secrets lay hidden in her past¡­


    She walked to the other side of the hospital bed and took Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand.


    She opened her mouth to call out ¡°Mom,¡± but the words just wouldn¡¯t come out.


    Just then, the sound of an ambulance siren suddenly came from downstairs.


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t pay it any mind.


    After all, they were in a hospital, where it was normal for ambulances to bring people in.


    The room fell into complete silence.


    After a while, two doctors accompanied by a nurse came in to check the room.


    They examined Mrs. Olsen¡¯s condition and found everything to be normal.


    As they were leaving, they chatted idly:


    ¡°Today has really been an eye-opener, driving an ambulance to our hospital to pick up someone! Hilarious, I heard that person had just come out of the operating room and got nabbed¡­¡±


    ¡°A mental case, I tell you, suffering from mania. They say the patient can become violent and could have injured someone, and not a word was said in advance. What would we do if they suddenly woke up and lashed out at us?¡±


    Keira didn¡¯t think much of it until she overheard a nurse gossiping:


    ¡°You all got it wrong, I have the latest scoop! That woman apparently escaped from a mental hospital, then somehow got pregnant. After a miscarriage that led to a crazy fit and severe bleeding, they had to remove her uterus to save her life! Though our hospital is a general one, such a patient definitely needs to be treated in a mental institution.¡±


    ¡°Wow, what a bombshell! A mental patient got pregnant? Whose child was it?¡±


    ¡°Who knows¡­¡±


    They walked away, continuing their conversation.


    Something felt off to Keira, and she immediately exchanged a glance with Lewis Horton, then both of them rushed to the window. Below, they saw an ambulance from a mental hospital parked outside.


    At that moment, several medical staff were carrying a stretcher to the vehicle.


    Even from three floors up, Keira could immediately tell that the person lying on the stretcher was Isla Olsen!


    She was taken aback for a moment, then instinctively turned to Lewis, ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    Lewis Horton frowned and shook his head, ¡°No.¡±


    Keira hadn¡¯t planned on dealing with Isla Olsen yet, considering she was raised by Mrs. Olsen from a young age and spoilt her whole life. She had intended to wait until Mrs. Olsen woke up to ask for her opinion on the matter.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected this turn of events!


    Isla had always aspired to marry into wealth, and now reduced to this state, she would surely continue to entangle herself with the Olsen family.


    Sending her to a mental institution indeed seemed like the best choice!


    Once admitted, she would certainly never come out.


    And if this wasn¡¯t arranged by Lewis Horton, then it must be¡­


    Keira instinctively glanced toward the parking lot and spotted a black, unassuming luxury car still parked there.


    A tall and upright man was sitting inside the car, his features not discernible.


    Ellis Olsen stood outside the car, waving at Keira and pointing at his cellphone.


    Keira took out her own phone and saw a message from Ellis: ¡°Are you satisfied with my arrangement for Isla?¡±


    Keira glanced at Lewis.


    She suddenly understood; if Lewis hadn¡¯t been restraining Uncle Olsen, she might have been the one taken away in the ambulance¡­


    As she pondered, her phone buzzed again. Ellis had sent another message: ¡°Also, could you come down for a moment? Uncle has an apology he would like to offer you in person.¡±


    Keira: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 205 - 205 205

    ?Chapter 205: Chapter 205 Chapter 205: Chapter 205 Keira Olsen twitched the corner of her mouth.


    Once again, she gazed at Mrs. Jodie South lying on the hospital bed¡­ Thinking of Uncle Olsen¡¯s protection over her, and the frenzy as if he would slaughter the whole hospital for her sake.


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, was there possibly some story between Jodie South and Uncle Olsen?


    Should she go to see Uncle Olsen?


    Keira Olsen was caught in hesitation.


    Isla Olsen had gone to meet someone without a second thought, carrying a hope to please, to let Jake Horton know about her connections, but Keira didn¡¯t need those.


    The conversation between Taylor Olsen and Uncle Olsen made it clear that Jodie South did not want to meet Uncle Olsen, so as Jodie South¡¯s daughter, her standpoint should certainly align with her mother¡¯s!


    Thinking this, Keira Olsen directly replied to the message: ¡°Sorry, I will go if my mom agrees.¡±


    While she was sending this message, she didn¡¯t know why, but felt an inexplicable sense of happiness deep inside.


    As a child, others would always say ¡°My mom won¡¯t let me¡± do something, and even later on the internet, there was a popular phrase that went ¡°My mom won¡¯t let me hang out with idiots.¡±


    But every time she saw these words, she would pause slightly.


    Because her ¡°mom¡± only told her not to contravene Miss Isla¡¯s orders, not to do well in exams¡­ yet she had never truly cared for her.


    But now, she also had a good mom.


    A trace of moisture appeared in Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes as she walked back to Mrs. Olsen¡¯s bedside, grasping her other hand. Her lips parted, and even though it was hard to utter those words, she still managed to call out, ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    As soon as she spoke those words, Mrs. Olsen, who had been motionless on the hospital bed, moved her eyeballs slightly.


    Keira Olsen felt as if something resonated within her, and she was just about to turn her head to look when her cellphone suddenly rang.


    Keira Olsen glanced at the caller ID, looked again at Mrs. Olsen, then picked up her phone and walked to a corner to answer it.


    She didn¡¯t notice, when she let go of Mrs. Olsen¡¯s hand, that Mrs. Olsen¡¯s fingers also moved slightly.


    Keira Olsen walked into the other room to answer the phone, where a smooth English voice came through: ¡°Oh, my dear Researcher Nora, our Alzheimer¡¯s disease project has now reached its final stages, we have also initiated clinical trials at the research institute in Clance, Crera. Many people are signing up. Since you¡¯re in Crera, could you possibly handle the scientific data for us in Clance?¡±


    Keira Olsen blandly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that I am only responsible for the research, not the ongoing management?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way around it, Crera is a country of personal favors. Once our project was announced, many people sought connections for an experimental spot. But our initial budget is limited, and we only have enough medication for fifty people, so you, being an unbiased researcher, will have to handle it!¡±


    Keira Olsen thought for a moment: ¡°Then I will not consider anyone¡¯s influence, I will only choose suitable candidates for the experiment.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    The person on the phone laughed, ¡°In Crera, probably only your status can intimidate those administrators. I wouldn¡¯t have come to you if I wasn¡¯t desperate.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Leaving that remark, Keira Olsen added, ¡°By the way, I have someone very important in Oceanion who may not be able to wait until the drug trials are over. Arrange for someone from Clance to come here personally.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem at all.¡± The other person laughed, ¡°I am also very curious about the person who could suddenly make you pick up this long-stalled project.¡±


    Keira Olsen lowered her gaze: ¡°It¡¯s my husband¡¯s grandmother.¡±


    ¡°OK, understood!¡±


    Keira Olsen ended the call, lips curling into a faint smile.


    She had not anticipated the progression of Alzheimer¡¯s disease to be faster than she imagined. Now that grandma¡¯s condition was still good, using the medicine on her, she should be able to remember her past soon, right?


    Then, she would be able to figure out why she and Lewis Horton really got married!


    Of course, her doing all this for old Mrs. Horton wasn¡¯t entirely because she wanted to know the answer, but because when she was at her most painful and helpless, the old lady¡¯s appearance made her feel the warmth of a home.


    Thinking back to the warm times she had spent with the old lady in that two-bedroom apartment, Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes softened.


    Then, she looked towards Mrs. Olsen.


    Mom, you must wake up soon to fill up the mother-daughter love of these twenty-plus years.


    Just as she thought this, Lewis Horton¡¯s phone also rang.


    Keira thought he was busy with company matters and did not mind, but then she heard Lewis¡¯s deep, panicky voice, ¡°What? Grandma fainted?! I¡¯m coming back immediately!¡±


    He hung up the phone and glanced at Keira Olsen.


    Keira glanced at Mrs. Olsen and without hesitation walked over to him, ¡°I¡¯ll come back with you.¡±


    She had to stay by Mrs. Olsen¡¯s side before because Mrs. Olsen clearly had something to tell her before she fainted, so Keira wanted Mrs. Olsen to see her as soon as she woke up.


    Now that she already knew what Mrs. Olsen wanted to say, and since Mrs. Olsen would not wake up anytime soon, she decisively decided to go back with Lewis Horton to check on grandma! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Downstairs, in the parking lot.


    Ellis Olsen stared at his phone, looked at it for a long time, and rubbed his eyes, thinking he must have seen wrong.


    Uncle Olsen was someone those people in Clance tried desperately to ingratiate themselves with, even Isla Olsen and Jake Horton couldn¡¯t wait to treat him well when they saw him.


    Even just now, when Jake left, he had come to say goodbye, mentioning that he had prepared a place for them to stay.


    But what was this reply from Keira Olsen?


    She wanted to follow her mom¡¯s advice?


    He twitched the corner of his mouth, even the veins on his forehead throbbing!


    Did Keira Olsen even know what she was doing?


    Even if she wasn¡¯t the illegitimate daughter, she was merely a lady from a second-tier wealthy family like the Olsen Family, clearly not a match for Lewis Horton at all. But Uncle Olsen was so protective of her; just a few nice words from her, and Uncle Olsen adopting her as a goddaughter would make everything smooth sailing!


    That Keira Olsen really didn¡¯t know good from bad!


    All of Ellis Olsen¡¯s little actions were caught by Uncle Olsen¡¯s eyes, who asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ellis twitched the corner of his mouth and handed him the phone.


    After seeing the reply, Uncle Olsen did not get angry but instead laughed, ¡°This Keira Olsen really has Miss South¡¯s spirit!¡±


    He really hadn¡¯t taken a liking to Isla, finding her behavior too petty, nothing like Miss South.


    Unexpectedly, not only did Keira Olsen¡¯s demeanor resemble Miss South¡¯s, but her character was exactly the same too!


    A gleam of appreciation flashed through Uncle Olsen¡¯s eyes.


    He was just about to get back into the car when he suddenly saw Lewis Horton and a girl hurrying out from the entrance of the hospital!


    Uncle Olsen¡¯s steps paused slightly, and his gaze landed on the girl!

 Chapter 206 - 206 206

    ?Chapter 206: Chapter 206 Chapter 206: Chapter 206 The girl was dressed in casual clothes, with her long hair draped behind her.


    When she and Lewis Horton came downstairs, the car was already parked in front of them in the parking lot. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl and Lewis Horton hopped into the car, and it immediately drove off.


    Uncle Olsen, however, stared in the direction the car had left, his eyes going wide.


    The parking lot was quite far from the entrance, and he hadn¡¯t been able to see Keira Olsen¡¯s face clearly, but her bamboo-like demeanor was so distinctive that he recognized at once she must be Jodie South¡¯s daughter.


    He stared blankly as they departed, not taking his eyes off until the car had left the hospital and was out of sight, only then did he look away.


    Ellis Olsen saw his distracted expression and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Uncle, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Uncle Olsen sighed quietly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Ellis nodded, ¡°Our doctors have also visited Mrs. Olsen, and they all say there¡¯s nothing wrong. Mrs. Olsen fainted due to excessive anxiety and worry. It seems like a self-protection mechanism of the body, to let her rest properly, which is why she still hasn¡¯t woken up. There¡¯s no threat to her life, so are you planning to return to Clance now, or stay here for a few more days?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Uncle Olsen pursed his lips.


    He had known for a while that Jodie South was fine and had planned to secretly leave after standing up for her daughter.


    But that one glance had stirred something in him.


    He had an intuition that he needed to meet Jodie South¡¯s daughter.


    As to why, he didn¡¯t know himself.


    Perhaps because he and Jodie South had agreed never to meet again in this life, he wanted to see her shadow in her daughter.


    Thinking this, Uncle Olsen looked at Ellis, ¡°Let¡¯s stay in Oceanion for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay with you; there are pretty fun things to do here.¡±


    ¡­


    Keira Olsen wasn¡¯t concerned about Uncle Olsen and Ellis Olsen¡¯s affairs.


    The car sped along the road and soon returned to the Horton residence. As soon as the car stopped, Lewis Horton hurriedly pushed open the door and charged into Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s courtyard.


    Keira Olsen was a little slower. By the time she entered, she saw Nathan Horton, Oliver Horton, and Melissa Knight; Jake Horton was already there.


    Seeing Lewis Horton, Nathan Horton was the first to get angry, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton always doted on you the most, but where were you when she wasn¡¯t feeling well?! All you know is to hang around this woman every day, are you worthy of Old Mrs. Horton?¡±


    Lewis Horton clenched his jaw, knowing full well the remark was unreasonable but he wasn¡¯t in the mood to argue. Instead, he went into the bedroom to look at Old Mrs. Horton, who was sleeping on the bed.


    Following him into the room, Keira Olsen saw the usually sprightly old lady now lying there quietly asleep, breathing steadily. Both she and Lewis Horton then breathed a sigh of relief.


    The two quietly left the bedroom and went outside.


    Lewis Horton asked the family doctor, ¡°How is grandma doing right now?¡±


    The family doctor had just examined Old Mrs. Horton and immediately responded, ¡°Mr. Horton, the old lady¡¯s condition¡­ has worsened, and although she¡¯s okay for now, I¡¯m afraid she may not make it through the year.¡±


    The doctors had already reached this conclusion, so none of the family members were surprised by this statement.


    There were still two months until the New Year¡­


    Lewis Horton clenched his fists tightly, his eyes reddening slightly.


    Keira Olsen stepped forward, about to offer comfort, when Lewis had already turned back to the family doctor, ¡°Is there any other way?¡±


    That doctor was Lewis¡¯s trusted confidante, and upon hearing the question, he opened his mouth, ¡°The matter you¡¯ve been asking me to inquire about has shown promise, Researcher Nora¡¯s lab just recently introduced a drug, currently in clinical trials, their lab in Clance is recruiting patients, and that drug is, so far, the best cure available¡­ If we could use it on Old Mrs. Horton, she might pull through this tough time, but¡­¡±


    Lewis¡¯s brows and eyes sank, ¡°But what?¡±


    The doctor sighed, ¡°The volunteer patients they recruit are typically treated for free, to assist with the experiments. So, they usually require staying in their designated hospital, and Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s physical condition is currently not suitable for moving. The journey from Oceanion to Clance is not only far, but the environment in Clance is also not suitable for the old lady. Moreover, the patients they recruit are usually on the younger side. Old Mrs. Horton is now 86 years old; she no longer has any experimental value, and basically, no lab would be willing to accept her.¡±


    Lewis tightened his jaw, ¡°Then purchase their biotech company!¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, Oliver Horton couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°Lewis, that¡¯s a bit arrogant of you. Nora is from Divall Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Corporation of M country, and Divall is one of the top pharmaceutical companies abroad. Not to mention whether the Horton Family has the assets to acquire them, even if we did have enough money, they wouldn¡¯t just let you take over!¡±


    Lewis gave him a dismissive glance.


    He had already sent people to make contact for the sake of obtaining this special medication.


    With some influence overseas and plenty of money, including the pressure from his own power, the other party had already softened, but since Nora holds forty percent of the company¡¯s shares, they need her consent to go through with the acquisition.


    However, Nora was elusive, and he had not been able to make contact with her yet.


    With just her signature, the merger would be successful.


    Lewis didn¡¯t say much more but instead looked again at the family doctor, ¡°Purchasing their company might take too long. I don¡¯t care by what means, but you must help grandma get that medication!¡±


    The family doctor lowered his head, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes flickered upon seeing this.


    She didn¡¯t want to reveal her identity as Researcher Nora because several technology companies abroad had taken an interest in her skills and had been trying to lure her away.


    Those people were cruel and ruthless, without any boundaries, and Keira did not want to become entangled with them, so always kept a low profile.


    Keira Olsen spoke up, ¡°I know about this, I¡¯ve sent grandma¡¯s case to the research institute in Clance¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, she was interrupted by Oliver Horton, ¡°What¡¯s the use of sending it randomly? Didn¡¯t you hear what the family doctor said? Grandma is 86 years old; she has no experimental value. I¡¯ve heard that their institute is impervious to influence. Many powerful and influential families couldn¡¯t get a spot by pressuring them, and since our family has no connections in Clance, we¡¯ve been out of touch there for so many years because Lewis refused to cooperate with Clance¡­ In the end, all of this, it¡¯s your fault, Lewis!¡±


    Lewis¡¯s gaze turned cold, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Nathan Horton scoffed, ¡°Is your older brother wrong? If you could swallow your so-called pride and ask your mother to help the Horton Family break into the Clance market, we wouldn¡¯t be in such a passive position now!¡±


    Oliver looked towards Keira Olsen, ¡°You are even sending resumes to research institutes in Clance, what use would that be? You might as well go and ask the Clance Olsen Family for help¡­ perhaps they could do something!¡±


    Keira Olsen scoffed in return and asked, ¡°How do you know it won¡¯t be helpful?¡±

 Chapter 207 - 207 207

    ?Chapter 207: Chapter 207 Chapter 207: Chapter 207 Kiera Olsen¡¯s eyes were cold as she spoke, causing Oliver Horton to be slightly stunned.


    Lewis Horton, however, looked directly at her, ¡°Kiera, do you mean they agreed?¡±


    Kiera was just about to nod when Oliver laughed scornfully, ¡°What are you thinking? I had someone look into this matter long ago! This time, Clance¡¯s selection of volunteer patients is personally handled by Researcher Nora. It¡¯s said to be extremely impartial, only accepting patients who meet their clinical trial criteria, and no connections, no matter how strong, could secure a spot!¡±


    After saying this, without waiting for Kiera to speak, he suddenly changed the subject, ¡°However, our Selena got one!¡±


    Kiera was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.


    The list from Clance hadn¡¯t even reached her hands yet, how could someone have already gotten a spot?


    Moreover, who was this Selena?


    Just as she thought this, Nathan Horton¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Oliver, really?¡±


    Oliver laughed, ¡°Dad, would I lie to you? Selena has been studying in Clance all along, just to help me build connections there. She has done very well at university and even got a boyfriend! Ever since she learned about grandmother¡¯s illness, she has been very concerned about her great grandmother, so she begged her boyfriend and managed to get this spot through all sorts of means!¡±


    ¡°Excellent! That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Nathan Horton exclaimed joyfully, ¡°Selena Horton is truly your good daughter! I knew she was smart when you brought her home, and now she indeed has abilities!¡±


    Oliver smiled, ¡°She¡¯s helping the family, isn¡¯t that expected? Selena has always been grateful for the nurturing the Horton family has given her.¡±


    He looked down at the time, ¡°Selena will be here tomorrow, she told me that this time she¡¯s coming back, she¡¯ll bring her boyfriend, and the two are planning to get engaged. Dad, her boyfriend is from one of the five major families of Clance, the Cobb family! If our two families can successfully form an alliance, then we won¡¯t have to fear the Davis family¡¯s suppression anymore!¡±


    Upon hearing the words ¡°Davis family,¡± Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes grew colder.


    Seeing this, and recalling what she had observed since arriving at the Horton family, Kiera looked towards Jake Horton and indeed saw that his complexion was ashen.


    It seemed that this Selena Horton was indeed Jake¡¯s illegitimate sister or maybe his half-sister.


    As she was thinking, Nathan Horton joyfully said, ¡°What? That¡¯s fantastic! Selena truly lived up to the expectations. When she went to study in Clance, I said that this child was no ordinary person! Being allied with the Cobb family, we absolutely must not mistreat her! When Selena comes back to Oceanion, she should stay at our home!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Melissa Knight immediately shrieked, ¡°Dad! How can an illegitimate daughter live in our home?!¡±


    Nathan Horton glanced at her, silent.


    Oliver immediately glared at her, ¡°What ¡®illegitimate daughter¡¯? Mind your words! Selena is eventually going to marry from the Horton home. Horton and Cobb families are to be allied, one can¡¯t possibly have her marrying from outside, can they? What would that look like!¡±


    Melissa Knight¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°But she¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Oliver roared, making Melissa Knight immediately too scared to speak any further.


    Only then did Oliver look at Jake Horton, using one issue to tell off another, ¡°What if Selena is an illegitimate daughter? Who among you can match what she has contributed to the Horton family? You all only know about love affairs, how can you possibly make the Horton family grow strong with such attitudes! Lack competence and can¡¯t let go of grudges, then step down, don¡¯t block up the position without fulfilling it¡­¡±


    These words seemed to scold Jake Horton, but every word and sentence were pointing at Lewis Horton.


    Because of the Davis family, Lewis had always maintained a distance from everyone in Clance.


    Nevertheless, Lewis Horton¡¯s mother, out of resentment for Nathan Horton¡¯s marriage deceit, expressly forbade any association with the Davis Family or the Horton Family.


    Everyone privately said that if only Lewis would humble himself and ask for forgiveness, his mother, despite her resentment towards Nathan, would surely not be so heartless towards her own son!


    But with Lewis¡¯s temperament, how could he possibly go to Clance to find her?


    Therefore, the business dealings between the Horton Family and Clance had been delayed for many years¡­


    Some veterans within the Horton company who knew the inside story all complained about Lewis, feeling that he was the one delaying the Horton Family¡¯s Clance sector.


    Keira Olsen, however, found it laughable.


    It was clearly Nathan who made the mistake, it was he who deceived in marriage; why should he not go to Clance to seek forgiveness from the Allen Family instead of forcing Lewis to go?


    Considering Lewis¡¯s mother¡¯s action of abandoning him at the Horton residence, unconcerned for his life after her cesarean in July, how could Lewis possibly go and beg her?


    Oliver Horton was simply speechless and hypocritical!


    Lewis couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with them about this, but Keira felt a pang of heartache and retorted directly, ¡°Even if Lewis hasn¡¯t actively reached out to Clance, hasn¡¯t he managed the Horton Family very well? A good wine needs no bush, as long as the Horton Family is self-reliant, technically strong, and doesn¡¯t bow down, others will come seeking cooperation. Isn¡¯t the Allen Family approaching us for a contract the best proof? Lowering our heads and begging would only earn us contempt! As the wealthiest family in Oceanion, don¡¯t we care about our dignity?¡±


    Lewis was slightly startled, looking at her in surprise.


    Over the years, the girl must have been misunderstood by many, hence her strong mindset, always able to say whatever she wanted.


    But now, she had spoken up for him, causing him to look down, his lips slightly curving into a smile.


    As for the people of the Horton family, he had long since dismissed them; their words could not hurt him. Yet, when Keira stood up to defend him, Lewis felt deeply gratified inside.


    He even felt a sour warmth surge in his chest, filling him completely.


    Oliver Horton narrowed his eyes and scoffed coldly, ¡°What¡¯s more important, face or grandmother¡¯s serious illness? We currently can¡¯t get the special medication because we lack contacts in Clance. But Selena, who spent several years studying in Clance, has helped us expand our connections. Getting the drug quota this time proves it!¡±


    He looked at Lewis, ¡°Living in this world, sometimes you need to lower your head. Born into the Horton family, we owe it to our family to contribute. Lewis, if it weren¡¯t for Selena this time, what would we do? Knowing there¡¯s a special drug available, but grandmother can¡¯t wait for its market release, wouldn¡¯t you regret it immensely?¡±


    The phase from clinical trials to market launch of a drug typically takes at least a year.


    Keira Olsen heard this and scoffed, just as she was about to retort, her phone rang again.


    She frowned, looked down, and noticed it was Mrs. Olsen!


    Keira¡¯s pupils shrank as she immediately answered the call, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s weak voice came through, ¡°Keira, I¡¯m awake¡­¡±


    Keira¡¯s eyes reddened, and tears instantly rolled down as she blurted out, ¡°I, I¡¯ll be right back¡­¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had a lot to tell Mrs. Olsen.


    She also wanted to ask Mrs. Olsen who her father really was¡­

 Chapter 208 - 208 208

    ?Chapter 208: Chapter 208 Chapter 208: Chapter 208 Keira Olsen hung up the phone and turned to Lewis Horton, her eyes still shining from recent tears, ¡°Mrs. Olsen has woken up.¡±


    Lewis subconsciously turned his head to look in the direction of the bedroom, hesitating, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°You stay here with Grandma, I¡¯ll go back to see her.¡±


    Keira didn¡¯t want to make him feel uncomfortable, so she simply left these words behind and walked out.


    Lewis didn¡¯t insist, saying to Tom Davis, ¡°Drive Keira over.¡±


    Sitting in the car, Keira was extremely anxious; she, who always drove at thirty miles per hour, now wished the car could go even faster.


    Half an hour later, they arrived at the hospital¡¯s inpatient building.


    When Keira got out of the car and was about to run upstairs, she suddenly paused, glancing at the parking lot instinctively.


    She saw that the spot where Uncle Olsen had parked was now empty.


    Presumably, Uncle Olsen had already returned to the capital?


    This thought merely flickered through her mind before Keira entered the building and ran up to the third floor.


    Panting at the doorstep, she saw Taylor Olsen alternately crying and laughing as he fed water to Mrs. Olsen, who looked at him helplessly.


    Hearing footsteps, Mrs. Olsen slightly turned her head to look toward the door.


    For a moment, their eyes met.


    Keira felt as if she were rooted to the spot, standing there, not knowing whether to enter or retreat.


    She stared blankly at Mrs. Olsen.


    Her emotions were too agitated and complex to understand.


    As a child, every time she saw Mrs. Olsen speaking gently to Isla Olsen, she was envious. She had often thought, how wonderful would it be if Mrs. Olsen were her mother?


    She never imagined that one day this dream would come true.


    At this moment, the look in Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes was filled with compassion, pity, and the same tenderness and intense affection she showed Isla.


    Keira¡¯s nose began to tingle again, her eyes gradually filling with tears.


    She wanted to say something, but her mouth opened and then closed, not knowing what to say to express her feelings at this moment¡­


    As she struggled and even felt the situation was becoming awkward, Mrs. Olsen suddenly smiled at her. She had just awakened, perhaps after a long sleep, and her cheeks were rosy.


    She spoke softly, ¡°Keira, what are you standing there for? Come here¡­¡±


    Keira could no longer control her emotions and walked straight over, standing by her bed.


    Mrs. Olsen pointed to the edge of the bed, ¡°Sit.¡±


    Keira sat down like a puppet, still staring blankly at Mrs. Olsen.


    Everything in front of her seemed like a dream¡­


    Happiness had come so quickly that she, who had been miserable for 22 years, was caught off guard.


    As she was thinking about what to say, Mrs. Olsen spoke first, ¡°Keira, I need to say sorry to you first.¡±


    Keira was startled, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not protecting you well enough, allowing you to be secretly switched at birth, and though you were always under my watch, I couldn¡¯t recognize you. I had to watch you being oppressed, being insulted¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen said, her voice choking up, ¡°Keira, I¡¯m not asking for your forgiveness, I just want to say, it¡¯s all my mother¡¯s fault.¡±


    Mother¡­


    Keira Olsen¡¯s tears, which she had just suppressed, streamed down again as she suddenly stepped forward and tightly hugged Mrs. Olsen. ¡°Mrs. Olsen, I have never blamed you. I¡¯m so happy. You don¡¯t know how thrilled I was to find out I¡¯m your daughter¡­¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, however, began to cry. ¡°Silly child, do you still call me Mrs. Olsen now?¡±


    Keira Olsen paused, then she opened her mouth and called out, ¡°Mom.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Hearing her response, Keira Olsen felt it was all so surreal. She feared everything before her eyes was just a bubble, so she softly called out again, ¡°Mom?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Keira Olsen then put more strength into her embrace and called out again, ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Keira Olsen suddenly felt very aggrieved.


    She felt aggrieved for herself for the past 22 years. Her nose tingled with the onset of tears, and just as she was about to say something more, Taylor Olsen spoke beside her, ¡°Keira, your mom has just woken up, it¡¯s best not to get too emotional¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen then suppressed her own emotions.


    She quickly wiped away her tears, pushed away Mrs. Olsen, and then looked at her with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re okay, right?¡±


    Mrs. Olsen, seeing her red-rimmed eyes, tenderly reached out and touched her face. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just that thinking of all the hardships you¡¯ve endured, I got a bit overwhelmed¡­ I never imagined Poppy Hill would be such a person. I shouldn¡¯t have been kind-hearted on a whim back then, only to end up harming my own daughter!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen said this and then coughed twice.


    Taylor Olsen immediately helped her by gently patting her back, ¡°Alright, alright, Shirley, calm down. She¡¯s now suffering the consequences she deserves! I heard both her legs are broken, and one of her arms is fractured. She¡¯ll spend the rest of her life rotting in the hospital, never being able to escape!¡±


    Hearing this, Keira Olsen looked towards Mrs. Olsen, ¡°Mom, and Isla¡­¡±


    She hesitated, not knowing how to break to Mrs. Olsen the news about Isla¡¯s fate, considering Mrs. Olsen had raised her for so many years, and they shared real affection.


    At this remark, Mrs. Olsen¡¯s eyes softened noticeably.


    But she quickly became resolute again. ¡°Her ending, your dad told me all about it. It¡¯s her own fault for choosing the wrong path. At this point, no one else is to blame!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen mentioned this and then lowered her head to cough twice more.


    Seeing this, Taylor Olsen hurriedly handed her some water.


    After drinking a couple of sips, Mrs. Olsen couldn¡¯t help but turn to him, ¡°Taylor, go home and rest a bit. You¡¯ve been up too long; don¡¯t let your health fail.¡±


    Taylor Olsen, however, shook his head. ¡°Shirley, I¡¯m not leaving. I want to stay with you the whole time!¡±


    Mrs. Olsen gave a bitter smile, ¡°If you stay here, that must mean you didn¡¯t shower yesterday. You¡¯re starting to smell¡­¡±


    The weather in Oceanion was quite hot and humid, making one feel sticky without a daily shower.


    Upon hearing this, Taylor Olsen immediately sniffed himself and then stepped back, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go home and take a shower, and then I¡¯ll come back to stay with you.¡±


    He stood up to leave the room.


    Mrs. Olsen then said, ¡°Ask Aunt South to make a pot of seafood porridge for you to eat¡­ and bring the leftovers when you come back.¡±


    Taylor Olsen nodded and then reluctantly left the room.


    His demeanor was like that of a newlywed, causing Keira Olsen to feel almost embarrassed to watch.


    After Taylor Olsen left the room, Mrs. Olsen took Keira Olsen¡¯s hand. ¡°Keira, please don¡¯t blame Taylor, alright? He has always thought Isla was my daughter all these years, which is why he neglected you¡­¡±


    Keira Olsen looked down. ¡°I don¡¯t blame him, but I have no feelings for him.¡±


    Jodie South didn¡¯t force the issue, ¡°That¡¯s enough, if there¡¯s no father-daughter bond, besides, he¡¯s not your father.¡±


    Upon hearing Jodie South mention this, Keira Olsen took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Mom, then who is my real father? Is it Uncle Olsen?¡±


    S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 209 - 209 209

    ?Chapter 209: Chapter 209 Chapter 209: Chapter 209 Jodie South was momentarily taken aback when she heard the name ¡°Uncle Olsen,¡± ¡°How do you know him?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen realized that Taylor Olsen must not have told her that Uncle Olsen had arrived, no wonder Taylor seemed a bit guilty when Jodie asked him to leave earlier.


    However, Keira wasn¡¯t one to hold back, and she said directly, ¡°Ellis Olsen told him about your coma, and he rushed over overnight, he has been in the parking lot downstairs for an entire day and night.¡±


    When Jodie heard this, she clenched her fists, a trace of worry suddenly coloring her face as she turned her head to ask, ¡°Has he visited the ward?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Out of curiosity, Keira said, ¡°He seemed to have stood outside for a while on the first day, and then just stayed in the parking lot downstairs. Also, he seemed to want to come into the ward to see you today, but Taylor stopped him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame Taylor,¡± Mrs. Olsen responded. ¡°I won¡¯t meet him; we agreed that we would never see each other again, not even in life or death.¡±


    Keira was stunned.


    Not even in life or death?


    Even if they were once lovers, who would say such heartless words even after breaking up?


    The attitude of Uncle Olsen towards Jodie South was apparent; he deeply loved Jodie. What exactly had happened between them?


    She was curious, but seeing the sad look on Jodie¡¯s face, she knew some questions were better not asked.


    Jodie changed the subject: ¡°How is Old Mrs. Horton doing?¡±


    Keira sighed, ¡°She is getting old, and the outlook is not optimistic.¡±


    Even with the special medicine, it could only extend her life for another two or three years.


    Jodie nodded, then looked at her, ¡°Keira, I used to think I should not interfere too much, so I didn¡¯t ask much. But now I¡¯m your mother, so I must ask. What exactly is going on between you and Lewis Horton? Why did you get married?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira smiled bitterly, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know.¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡±


    Jodie was momentarily puzzled, ¡°How could you not know?¡±


    Keira then spoke, ¡°Isla Olsen forced me to clear the boundaries with Jake and told me to find someone to have a quick marriage. When I went to the courthouse to get the certificate, I was told that I was already married, and the other party was Lewis Horton¡­¡±


    Jodie immediately grasped her hand, ¡°Isla actually forced you to get married? How could you be so foolish to agree to this kind of thing!¡±


    Keira did not respond.


    But Jodie understood something, ¡°Is it the same old scheme? Poppy Hill is morally blackmailing you again, Keira, you¡¯ve suffered too much¡­ Even if Poppy Hill was punished like this, I would still hate her desperately¡­¡±


    Seeing her mother¡¯s distressed expression and fearing she would fall into self-blame again, Keira said, ¡°What exactly happened with my marriage to Lewis Horton, probably only Grandma Horton knows. So I¡¯m waiting for her condition to improve, hopefully, she will remember¡­¡±


    Jodie quickly spoke, ¡°Can her condition improve?¡±


    Keira nodded and said, ¡°There¡¯s a research institute in Clance that has developed a specific medicine for Alzheimer¡¯s disease, I plan to try it for grandma.¡±


    The special medicine was for treating amnesia, and Old Mrs. Horton was too old; she couldn¡¯t hold on because of her physical condition.


    But it wasn¡¯t right to let Grandma live out her remaining days in obliviousness. If she could regain clarity of mind, Lewis would probably be happier.


    Jodie nodded, ¡°The slots at the Clance Research Institute are generally hard to get, does the Horton family have any connections now? If not, I can help¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira looked at Jodie, ¡°Mom, do you have that many connections in Clance?¡±


    Jodie bowed her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Suddenly, Keira asked, ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±


    Keira Olsen had always known that Jodie South was different from others.


    She seemed to have no family, living in Oceanion solely with Aunt South, and the company run by the Olsens in Oceanion was Jodie¡¯s doing, not large in scale, just enough to provide for the Olsen¡¯s basic needs.


    Now, the only reason they could make money was because she helped them under the guise of Dr. South¡­


    Before, the Olsens in Oceanion were just a middle-class family, nothing noteworthy.


    But Jodie South¡¯s eloquence, her opinions on certain matters, and even her views on socio-economics were all her own.


    As a child, Keira frequently eavesdropped on her talking to Isla Olsen.


    Back then, she would pretend to mop the floor, crouching down and working while listening to her share many interesting stories.


    Keira¡¯s success today was, in no small part, due to Jodie South.


    But she had never asked, nor inquired about Jodie¡¯s private matters, because she felt unworthy.


    Now, however, things were different.


    Jodie South was her biological mother, and she was curious about her mother¡¯s origins.


    Jodie South touched her head, ¡°Isla has never seen through my origins over the years, yet you, Keira, are so astute and smart.¡±


    After saying this, she sighed, ¡°But I just want you to be Keira Olsen of Oceanion, not touching on those¡­¡±


    Seeing this, Keira sighed.


    Her biological mother had quite a few secrets!


    Forget it, don¡¯t ask anymore.


    They had a stable life in Oceanion for over twenty years, so it wasn¡¯t an issue, right?


    Just as Keira thought this, footsteps sounded at the door, and she turned around to see Ellis Olsen knocking and then walking in.


    Upon seeing Jodie South awake, he immediately patted his chest, ¡°Mrs. Olsen, you really woke up! That is such great news! Uncle Olsen will be relieved to know this!¡±


    Jodie South¡¯s expression flickered when he mentioned Uncle Olsen and then she politely distanced herself, ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks for your concern.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡± Ellis waved his hand, ¡°Uncle Olsen himself said, your matters are my matters. Do you have any other orders?¡±


    Jodie South shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, tell your uncle to go back.¡±


    Hearing this, Ellis¡¯s eyes flickered, and he spoke again, ¡°Uncle Olsen can go back, yes, but he has a wish before leaving.¡±


    Jodie South blinked, ¡°What?¡±


    Ellis laughed, ¡°Before knowing Keira was your biological daughter, Uncle Olsen made some mistakes regarding Miss Olsen. He wants to apologize in person, so he¡¯d like to invite Mrs. Olsen and Miss Olsen for a meal. Is that convenient?¡±


    Uncle Olsen came all this way, hesitating so long outside the hospital room, wanting to enter but not daring to.


    What is this ¡°never meeting until death¡± nonsense?


    It must be Mrs. Olsen who is restricting Uncle Olsen.


    Ellis just wanted to try and see if there was still a chance.


    Yet Jodie South lowered her gaze, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, so I won¡¯t go.¡±


    Ellis chuckled, ¡°What about Miss Olsen? She said she listens to her mother¡­¡±


    At this, Jodie South couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She looked at Keira, noticed her slightly reddened face, and her fingers tightened slightly. Then, as if she had made a decision, she said, ¡°Let Keira go and meet him.¡±

 Chapter 210 - 210 210

    ?Chapter 210: Chapter 210 Chapter 210: Chapter 210 At that moment, Jodie South thought of many things.


    She had always lived in Oceanion under an assumed name, never revealing her identity or connections to Isla Olsen, leading Isla to take a roundabout path in her quest to marry into a wealthy family.


    Now, it was Keira Olsen¡¯s turn¡­


    Her status was higher than Isla¡¯s, and her situation was even more difficult.


    How could the matriarch of a top-tier wealthy family like the Horton Family possibly come from a common middle-class family?


    So¡­


    Jodie South lowered her eyes.


    The matter between her and Uncle Olsen was ultimately a grudge of the older generation, unrelated to Keira.


    Keira had the right to know who her biological father was.


    Uncle Olsen had been unmarried for many years, and if he had a daughter, he would surely dote on her doubly; having the Clance Olsen Family as support, Keira would be able to secure her footing in the Horton Family quickly.


    A mocking smile curled at the corner of Jodie South¡¯s lips. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such top-tier wealthy families, after all, are concerned with marrying equals¡­


    Seeing her relent, Ellis Olsen raised an eyebrow at Keira Olsen, ¡°Your mom agrees, shall we set a time and place?¡±


    However, Keira Olsen looked at Jodie South and said indifferently, ¡°My mom might have agreed verbally, but her heart hasn¡¯t.¡±


    Jodie South was taken aback.


    Keira Olsen continued, ¡°Mom, if you¡¯re not seeing him, then there¡¯s no need for me to either.¡±


    Hearing this, Jodie South looked intently at Keira Olsen, who stood there with a posture brimming with composed grandeur, and she suddenly laughed.


    She had thought wrongly.


    Isla had always been chasing fame and fortune, which is why she blamed her, but Keira was different.


    Keira had always relied on herself from childhood, taking to heart the lessons she had taught them for over twenty years without ever changing.


    Jodie South laughed, ¡°Then let¡¯s not meet.¡±


    Mother and daughter exchanged smiles, deep understanding hidden between them, comprehension without the need for words.


    Ellis Olsen, however, was not pleased, ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t just go back on a promise like that! Mrs. Olsen, you have no idea how difficult it is for Keira Olsen in the Horton Family now!¡±


    He pulled up a chair and sat beside Mrs. Olsen¡¯s bed, ¡°I just heard some news, the illegitimate daughter from the first branch of the Horton family has made contact with the Cobb Family in Clance. If their marriage alliance succeeds, the first branch will definitely gain the upper hand. By then, Lewis Horton¡¯s position as head of the family and CEO of Horton Group might have to be forfeited!¡±


    Keira Olsen just laughed and said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense; it¡¯s not that serious. Lewis definitely has a backup plan.¡±


    The man¡¯s capabilities were unfathomably deep, Horton Group was certainly not all he had.


    Ellis Olsen twitched his lips, ¡°You¡¯re quite confident in him.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my mom likes Lewis too.¡±


    Ellis Olsen¡¯s eyes darted about, then he spoke up again, ¡°What about the clinical trial slots at Clance Research Institute? Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s dementia is getting worse, and you guys must be thinking of securing a slot to try again, right? Let me tell you, the Clance Olsen Family has connections in that area too!¡±


    Keira Olsen: ?


    She furrowed her brow, looking at the confident demeanor of Ellis Olsen in front of her, finally understanding why the experimental slots in Clance needed her personal selection.


    The staff at the Clance Research Institute might resist the allure of money, but not the pressure of power.


    With a family like the Clance Olsen Family applying pressure, could they not relent?


    Seeing the confident look on Ellis Olsen¡¯s face, she knew it was impossible.


    So they¡¯re throwing me a hot potato?


    Keira Olsen rubbed her forehead and tugged at the corner of her mouth.


    This gesture of hers, however, led Ellis Olsen to misunderstand. He immediately said, ¡°The illegitimate daughter from the first branch of the family used the Cobb Family in Clance to secure a spot, right? You really think she¡¯s being filial to the old lady? Just wait. Once the medication is used, she¡¯ll start making huge demands! Unless Lewis Horton transfers five percent of the shares to her as a dowry, this deal won¡¯t go through! And with an additional five percent, the first branch of the Horton family will immediately hold fifty-four percent of the company and will surely call a board meeting to oust Lewis Horton!¡±


    Ellis Olsen raised an eyebrow, ¡°So, Keira Olsen, come with me to meet my Uncle Olsen. As long as he steps in, this is not a problem.¡±


    Keira Olsen stroked her chin: ¡°Is the Clance Olsen Family really that powerful?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we are one of the top five prestigious families!¡±


    Ellis Olsen was very proud: ¡°My uncle probably wants to take you in as his goddaughter. With the Olsen Family backing you, you can strut around Oceanion!¡±


    Keira Olsen smiled, ¡°Well, thanks for that!¡±


    Ellis Olsen excitedly stood up, only to hear the girl add, ¡°But really, it¡¯s not necessary. Having my mom is enough for me.¡±


    Ellis Olsen: ???


    He blinked, stunned, then his face darkened. ¡°Keira Olsen, are you freaking rejecting a favor here? Do you know how many people in Crera would kill to get close to my uncle? This is the first time he¡¯s ever willingly offered a favor to someone!¡±


    Keira Olsen seriously suggested, ¡°Then we shouldn¡¯t let him be so humbled.¡±


    Ellis Olsen: !!


    Why do her words irritate him so much!


    He almost jumped, ¡°Why are you so ungrateful!¡±


    Keira Olsen spread her hands, ¡°I¡¯m my mother¡¯s daughter, can¡¯t help it.¡±


    Ellis Olsen: ???


    He stared at Keira Olsen, then glanced at Mrs. Olsen, and finally understood, ¡°All this time talking about your mom, turns out you¡¯re a mama¡¯s girl!¡±


    Instead of getting angry, Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes brightened upon hearing this and suddenly felt a sense of happiness and security, so she smiled sweetly.


    Ellis Olsen: ¡°¡­¡± How lacking in love is she to be so content just by having her mom around? It¡¯s unbearable to watch!


    Then he heard the girl¡¯s voice, cold yet full of excitement, ¡°Young Master Olsen, is there anything else? If not, please don¡¯t disturb my mom¡¯s rest. She just woke up and her body can¡¯t take much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    So Ellis Olsen was kicked out of the hospital room and stood at the doorway, looking at the girl inside. She didn¡¯t have that prickly aura she had when they first met; she appeared entirely gentle and adorable.


    ¡°Mom, would you like some water?¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s time for your medicine¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    The constant call for ¡®mom¡¯ made Ellis Olsen think of his five-year-old nephew, who would endlessly chant ¡°mama¡± at home, and his sister-in-law, driven crazy by it every day.


    But Mrs. Olsen always looked at her warmly and smiled, not showing the slightest impatience.


    Ellis Olsen dragged his feet dejectedly back to the hotel, entered Uncle Olsen¡¯s room, and then started pacing while recounting how ¡°unrecognizable¡± Keira Olsen was. He finished off huffily, ¡°Uncle, she¡¯s not even your daughter, no need to spoil her!¡±


    Unexpectedly, this made Uncle Olsen laugh: ¡°Her manner, so much like Miss South¡¯s.¡±


    A shiver of foreboding ran through Ellis Olsen and sure enough, the next moment, his uncle said, ¡°Since she refuses to meet me, then I guess I¡¯ll have to go see her.¡±


    Ellis Olsen was stunned, ¡°Where will you find her?¡±


    Uncle Olsen thought for a moment, then smiled suddenly, ¡°I can¡¯t go to the Olson¡¯s, but the Horton Family? Why shouldn¡¯t I visit them? I heard their old lady is sick, I¡¯ll visit tomorrow.¡±


    Ellis Olsen: !

 Chapter 211 - 211 211

    ?Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Chapter 211: Chapter 211 Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t leave the hospital room that night.


    Even when Taylor Olsen came back in the evening and Jodie South told her to return to the Horton family, Kiera Olsen didn¡¯t agree.


    It wasn¡¯t until the next morning that Jodie South had fully recovered.


    After Kiera Olsen handled her discharge procedures, she took her back to the Olsen family. Then, Jodie South again pressured her to return to the Horton family.


    Old Mrs. Horton was still gravely ill, and Kiera Olsen had many concerns in her heart. Seeing that Jodie South looked well and likely wouldn¡¯t fall ill again, Kiera finally returned to the Horton family.


    When she arrived at old Mrs. Horton¡¯s courtyard, Kiera Olsen noticed that Nathan Horton, Oliver Horton, and Jake Horton were still guarding the place, and she immediately spotted an added woman in the living room.


    Oliver Horton was speaking affectionately with the girl, who was sitting next to Jake Horton as he looked at her almost as if his eyes were spitting fire!


    Kiera Olsen immediately understood that this girl must be Selena Horton.


    She and Oliver Horton had a striking resemblance, and she looked just like siblings with Jake Horton.


    Oliver Horton was complaining, ¡°¡­They say that Isla Olsen has been sent to a psychiatric hospital. I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s still possible to sign the divorce papers. This marriage has completely disgraced our family!¡±


    Selena Horton was laughing while trying to console him, ¡°Dad, you can sue for divorce now. Her having a mental illness amounts to concealment of facts before marriage. Just sue, and the court usually grants the divorce. Don¡¯t worry. Besides, Jake is the legitimate eldest grandson of our Horton family. How could he marry such a lowly woman?¡±


    With that, Oliver Horton exclaimed, ¡°Who else in Oceanion could compare to our Horton family!¡±


    Selena Horton laughingly said, ¡°I¡¯ve married into Clance. I¡¯ll keep an eye out for Jake.¡±


    Jake Horton immediately looked at her and coldly said, ¡°No need!¡±


    Before Selena Horton could reply, Oliver Horton scolded furiously, ¡°You ungrateful creature, how can you speak to your sister like that? She¡¯s so concerned about you, and yet you disrespect her like this!¡±


    Jake Horton was about to speak, but Selena Horton already patted Oliver Horton¡¯s chest, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be angry. Jake is young and doesn¡¯t understand, I won¡¯t hold it against him¡­¡±


    Oliver Horton immediately nodded, ¡°Selena, you¡¯re so sensible. I¡¯ve already discussed it with your grandfather. This time when you come back, you¡¯ll stay at the Horton¡¯s!¡±


    Selena Horton, smiling radiantly yet strategically retreating, responded, ¡°Never mind that, Dad. It¡¯s not appropriate for me to stay at home¡­ Besides, Jake doesn¡¯t want to see me; I don¡¯t want to cause any conflicts.¡±


    Jake Horton was slightly stunned upon hearing this.


    Oliver Horton directly said, ¡°You are my daughter, how is it not appropriate? If Jake Horton dares disrespect you, I¡¯ll be the first to not spare him!¡±


    Kiera Olsen was not interested in these affairs of the first branch of the family, and she headed straight for old Mrs. Horton¡¯s bedroom, intending to check how the old lady was faring.


    However, Selena Horton, changing her tone, directly started targeting her, ¡°Actually, I have an idea that could avoid conflicts with Jake. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not sure if my small aunt would agree?¡±


    Kiera Olsen: ?


    She slightly paused, then turned her head and frowned at her.


    Selena Horton, who was about 26 years old and older than Kiera Olsen, used the term ¡°small aunt¡± quite clearly.


    She looked at Kiera Olsen with a smiling face, ¡°I want to move into Great Grandmother¡¯s courtyard to better care for her. I wonder if my small aunt would find it inconvenient?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Oliver Horton immediately glanced at Nathan Horton, then smilingly said, ¡°Your young uncle also stays here, it might not be very appropriate for a girl like you, right?¡±


    Selena Horton sighed, ¡°That¡¯s true. My young uncle and I are about the same age, and he and my small aunt are newlyweds after all¡­ So what should we do?¡±


    Almost as soon as she finished speaking, Nathan Horton directly looked at Kiera Olsen, ¡°You pack up and move to the main house with Lewis Horton, and leave this small courtyard to Selena Horton.¡±


    Keira Olsen¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened.


    She immediately looked at Selena Horton and suddenly understood the first branch of the family¡¯s thinking.


    Grandma Horton suffered from dementia; her mind was unclear at times and lucid at others. If Selena was in charge of this courtyard¡¯s situation, who knew what might happen to the shares under Grandma Horton¡¯s name without her and Lewis Horton knowing? Selena might have deceived her!


    This Selena Horton indeed had a few more tricks up her sleeve than Jake Horton.


    Keira Olsen was uneasy about leaving Grandma Horton in the hands of such a scheming woman, so she spoke directly, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s not possible.¡±


    Nathan Horton furrowed his brow, and in his hand, the teacup he was about to drink from was hurled directly at Keira Olsen: ¡°Who gave you permission to speak to me like that?!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keira Olsen slightly dodged to the side, and the teacup brushed past her, then smashed on the ground behind her.


    Nathan Horton pointed at her and scolded, ¡°Coming from a small family, you really have no upbringing! Your grandmother is still seriously ill, yet you didn¡¯t come home all night! Do you even care about the elderly in your heart? I wasn¡¯t negotiating with you just now; I was commanding you! You will pack your things right now and move to the main house! From now on, Selena will be fully in charge of this courtyard!¡±


    Keira Olsen frowned but did not move.


    Oliver Horton immediately frowned and angrily said, ¡°Keira Olsen, how dare you defy Dad¡¯s orders! In this house, the man is the head!¡±


    Selena Horton also hesitated and said, ¡°Little aunt, Great Grandmother is also my family. You don¡¯t think I would take poor care of Great Grandmother, do you?¡±


    Oliver Horton immediately scoffed, ¡°How could she question you? You were the one who got Grandma that important clinical trial slot. You are now the biggest hero in this house!¡±


    Selena Horton waved her hand, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t talk about heroes or not, I¡¯m just doing my duty.¡±


    She then earnestly looked at Keira Olsen, ¡°Little aunt, it is not that I want to live here, but I have no choice. Since Great Grandmother is using an unmarketed medication, the lab in Clance must come in person to take samples from her because they need ongoing observational data.


    They agreed to give us a slot partly because of the Cobb family¡¯s influence. Once people arrive, they need to monitor Great Grandmother¡¯s reactions constantly; they will definitely need to stay in this courtyard. It¡¯s inconvenient for you and Uncle Lewis to stay here, since these are my friends, it¡¯s better for me to host them! You and Uncle Lewis would understand, right?¡±


    Keira Olsen looked at her and snorted coldly, ¡°The Clance lab would never grant slots based on relationships. You really think highly of yourself!¡±


    The list of applicants from Clance was sent to her last night; she was still in the selection phase, and Selena Horton couldn¡¯t possibly have really called people over.


    But once she said this, Oliver Horton became furious, ¡°Keira Olsen, what do you know? Selena¡¯s fianc¨¦ is from the Cobb Family in Clance! Do you even understand the power and position of the five major families of Clance? A mere laboratory can¡¯t refuse us!¡±


    Nathan Horton also spoke coldly: ¡°I¡¯ve always said Lewis Horton¡¯s wife isn¡¯t up to it. Coming from a small background, do you really think the world is all about fairness? You¡¯ve never seen top-level power; you¡¯re just naive!¡±


    Oliver Horton sighed, ¡°This reminds me of a story. It¡¯s said that ancient farmers were chatting in the field, guessing what kind of life the emperor lived. Guess what they said?¡±


    Selena Horton patronized, ¡°What did they say?¡±


    ¡°They said the emperor must use a golden hoe for farming, and he probably eats nothing but large servings of polished rice and white buns, eating one bowl and dumping another¡­¡±


    After Oliver Horton finished, he looked sarcastically at Keira Olsen, ¡°Lewis¡¯s wife, you understand nothing, better not to embarrass yourself here!¡±


    Keira Olsen felt mocked.


    These wealthy capitalists, do they really think that money allows them to do anything they want?


    Nathan Horton furrowed his brow: ¡°Hair long, understanding short! I really don¡¯t know how Lewis Horton ever fell for someone unremarkable like you! I¡¯ve always said marriages should be between equals. With the way you are, Lewis Horton will tire of you sooner or later!¡±


    Oliver Horton also threatened, ¡°Keira Olsen, I¡¯d advise you to just obey Dad¡¯s orders. That way, you¡¯ll have some support in this family. Otherwise, if Lewis Horton wants to divorce you, it will just be a matter of a contract! With your family¡¯s lack of power and influence, even if he kicked you out penniless, nobody would back you up!¡±


    As Keira Olsen was about to retort, a cold voice suddenly came from the doorway: ¡°Who said she doesn¡¯t have anyone backing her?!¡±

 Chapter 212 - 212 212

    ?Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Keira Olsen suddenly turned around and saw a tall figure wrapped in the cold wind entering the room.


    The weather had turned cold, and the man was wearing a black woolen overcoat, which made him look tall and imposing.


    As he entered, his gaze swept over everyone present and then settled on Keira Olsen. He approached her and asked in a deep voice, ¡°How is Mrs. Olsen?¡±


    It was Lewis Horton who had come back.


    He had messaged Keira Olsen last night, saying that although his grandmother had not yet woken up, her life was not in danger, which reassured Keira enough to stay with Jodie South.


    Keira Olsen replied, ¡°She¡¯s been discharged from the hospital, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Only then did Lewis Horton turn to Oliver Horton and Nathan Horton, his voice solemn as he said, ¡°You needn¡¯t bother yourselves with my marriage. My wife is my responsibility! Even without a powerful maternal family, having me as her support is more than enough!¡±


    Nathan Horton sneered, ¡°Do you think I want to worry about you? Someone as cold-hearted as you would naturally have an unfilial wife! While everyone was here last night watching over your grandmother since she had not woken up, she wasn¡¯t!¡±


    Lewis Horton explained, ¡°Mrs. Olsen was also hospitalized. She was in the hospital accompanying Mrs. Olsen!¡±


    Oliver Horton immediately scoffed, ¡°Once she married into the Horton Family, she became a daughter-in-law of the Horton¡¯s! She has just acknowledged her mother, is she afraid she won¡¯t get the inheritance if her mom dies? How short-sighted! Can¡¯t she tell who is more important between her mother and grandmother?¡±


    Keira Olsen clenched her fists tightly. Inheritance?


    This was a curse and a vulgarity directed at Jodie South!


    Her gaze turned icy in an instant, and Lewis Horton¡¯s expression became even sharper as he snapped, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Nathan Horton frowned, ¡°Shut up whom? He¡¯s your brother!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s look grew stern, ¡°If I hear him insult Mrs. Olsen again, you will need to consider how his inheritance should be distributed.¡±


    His uncompromising demeanor made Oliver Horton immediately shut his mouth.


    Because he knew that this brother of his could definitely do what he promised!


    Nathan Horton, frustrated, slapped the armrest of his chair, about to speak when Fiona burst out joyfully, ¡°Old Mrs. Horton has woken up!¡±


    At this news, Keira Olsen and Lewis Horton immediately left the first branch of the family and headed to Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s bedroom.


    They saw the old lady looking refreshed and radiant; she smiled at the door and said to Lewis Horton, ¡°You brat, where have you been?¡±


    Lewis Horton immediately went to her side, ¡°I stepped out to take a call.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton then turned to Keira Olsen and immediately grabbed her hand, ¡°This must be my daughter-in-law, right? Davis, this brat doesn¡¯t know how to pamper people. If you feel wronged, remember to tell me, and I will definitely take your side! Just don¡¯t turn around and leave, okay?¡±


    Keira Olsen was stunned! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She instinctively exchanged glances with Lewis Horton, then both of them simultaneously looked at Old Mrs. Horton and asked, ¡°Grandma, who are we?¡±


    ¡°Hey! You brat, I¡¯m your mom! Why are you calling me ¡®Grandma¡¯?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton slapped Lewis Horton.


    Lewis Horton was immediately stunned.


    He stared blankly at Old Mrs. Horton, then suddenly clenched his fists.


    Old Mrs. Horton then grabbed Keira Olsen¡¯s hand again, ¡°Davis, don¡¯t stand, sit down quickly, especially since you¡¯re pregnant¡­ whether the child in your belly is a boy or a girl, I promise to love her for a lifetime!¡±


    Lewis Horton¡¯s eyes slightly reddened.


    Even though Grandma no longer recognized him, she was still showing concern for him.


    Just as this thought crossed his mind, the first branch of the family had already joined them, and Nathan Horton began, ¡°Mom can only remember me¡­¡±


    Oliver Horton immediately said, ¡°Of course, after all, Dad, you are her only son! Even if she loves Lewis, it¡¯s just because he is your son¡­¡±


    Nathan Horton smiled upon hearing this.


    For years, the old lady had eyes only for her grandson Lewis Horton, completely disregarding him and the first branch of the family. Unexpectedly, now that she was confused, she still had him in her heart.


    Nathan Horton pushed Lewis Horton aside and approached Old Mrs. Horton, ¡°Mom, how are you feeling?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately furrowed her brow, ¡°Old man? Aren¡¯t you dead? How are you still alive? Did you rise from the dead?¡±


    Nathan Horton: ??


    He twitched the corners of his mouth, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m Nathan Horton.¡±


    ¡°What kind of joke is that!¡± Old Mrs. Horton waved her hand and pointed at Lewis Horton, ¡°My son is handsome and dashing, how could you be this old geezer! I can tell just by looking, you¡¯ve got a bad look on your face!¡±


    Nathan Horton: !


    The few people in the room struggled to hold back their laughter, only Keira Olsen slightly furrowed her brows.


    The old lady¡¯s dementia was getting more severe, her memory had even regressed to when Nathan Horton was young¡­ It seemed they must use medication now!


    Thinking of this, she took out her phone, just about to message the manager in Clance, when she received a WhatsApp message from them: ¡°Director Nora, hello, we are almost at the Horton Family residence in Oceanion to deliver the medication!¡±


    Researcher Nora¡¯s Chinese name is Nora, so people in Crera called her Director Nora.


    Keira Olsen breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed the medicine would be delivered today.


    Just as she thought this, Selena Horton spoke up, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be upset, Great Grandmother is just ill¡­¡±


    Nathan Horton furrowed his brow and then sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t even know if she can remember me.¡±


    Nathan Horton did have feelings for Old Mrs. Horton, after all, she was his own mother.


    Moreover, since his father passed away early, it was his mother who raised him single-handedly, and the Horton Group originally started with her trading in hardware. Later, when Old Mrs. Horton and Nathan Horton had a disagreement about managing the company, she voluntarily stayed home and stopped meddling in the company¡¯s affairs.


    Even so, several of the company¡¯s veteran figures were her former subordinates.


    That was why Old Mrs. Horton still held thirty percent of the shares in the Horton Group and some people¡¯s loyalty.


    It was because of Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s support that Lewis Horton was able to take control of the Horton Group immediately upon returning to the country!


    Therefore, Nathan Horton both loved and hated Old Mrs. Horton!


    Nathan Horton looked directly at Selena Horton, ¡°The medication you mentioned, does it really work?¡±


    Selena Horton spoke up, ¡°Grandpa, so far, Researcher Nora has developed fifteen kinds of special medications, and the ones that have hit the market have received very good responses. This Alzheimer¡¯s medication, she reportedly spent a long time researching¡­¡±


    As she spoke, her phone rang.


    Selena Horton glanced down at it and immediately said joyously, ¡°Grandpa, the workers from the laboratory in Clance are already at the door, I¡¯ll go welcome them in right now!¡±


    After saying this, Selena Horton left the room.


    Nathan Horton watched her leave and then glanced at Lewis Horton and Keira Olsen, unable to help but snort coldly, ¡°You two better treat Selena well in the future, especially you, Lewis Horton. She even managed to secure a hard-to-find medicine for your grandmother, you owe her a favor!¡±


    Keira Olsen scoffed, ¡°What you¡¯re saying isn¡¯t right, the grandmother isn¡¯t just Lewis Horton¡¯s grandmother, isn¡¯t she also Selena¡¯s great grandmother?¡±


    She truly found it ludicrous.


    Nathan Horton immediately glared at her, ¡°No manners! How dare you talk back when an elder is speaking!¡±


    Oliver Horton immediately said, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t get angry. I think Lewis¡¯s wife feels that you¡¯re biased towards Selena¡­¡±


    ¡°Keira Olsen, if you could be like Selena, helping your grandmother find special medication, I¡¯d be biased towards you too!¡± Nathan Horton sneered, ¡°But you don¡¯t have the connections or the family background, can you do it?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen narrowed her eyes, ¡°Who says I can¡¯t?¡±


    As she said this, Selena Horton entered the door with the researchers from the institute.

 Chapter 213 - 213 213

    ?Chapter 213: Chapter 213 Chapter 213: Chapter 213 ¡°Researcher Hill, please come this way.¡±


    Selena Horton courteously led the way, while the man known as ¡°Researcher Hill¡± subconsciously looked around. He was first stunned by the luxurious decoration before him, then turned his attention to the person in front of him.


    His gaze swept over several people and finally settled on Keira Olsen, pausing slightly.


    He had the fortune to meet Nora Researcher once in the past, unfortunately only catching a side profile.


    The person in front of him somewhat resembled Nora Researcher.


    Keira Olsen also looked at the individual from the research institute, slightly furrowing her brows.


    The dean of the Clance Research Institute was named Corey Mills, whom she had always known and who was also the one to deliver her medicine. However, why was the person entering someone unknown like Researcher Hill?


    While she was puzzled, Selena Horton had already started to introduce him, ¡°Grandpa, Dad, Uncle, this is Researcher Hill, whom I mentioned before. He is the cousin of my boyfriend and currently works at the institute.¡±


    After saying this, she smiled warmly at Keira Olsen, ¡°Auntie, you mentioned before that you submitted Grandma¡¯s case to the institute, but their screening is very strict, and they don¡¯t allow backdoor entries. Indeed, that¡¯s the case. Just now, Cousin Hill was telling me that when one of the five major families of Clance, the Olsen Family, suddenly asked their dean for a slot, Dean Mills got so scared that he rushed to Oceanion overnight. So this trial medication slot was indeed hard to obtain!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Researcher Hill silently heaved a sigh of relief.


    Isn¡¯t getting a slot a simple request for Nora Researcher? Why the need to submit a resume?


    It turned out he had misunderstood¡­


    Researcher Hill then chuckled, ¡°Primarily, the medicine developed by Nora Researcher this time is quite expensive, so the headquarters only allocated fifty slots for Crera, all of which Nora Researcher personally selected patients for. Therefore, this time it is nearly impossible to get a slot through connections. If it weren¡¯t for Miss Horton¡¯s sincere devotion, I wouldn¡¯t have persuaded the dean to give me a slot.¡±


    Selena Horton immediately said, ¡°Thank you so much, Cousin. I know this slot was very hard to come by, and you¡¯ve really helped our family a lot this time!¡±


    Oliver Horton and Nathan Horton also immediately expressed their gratitude.


    As several people exchanged pleasantries with Researcher Hill, Keira Olsen glanced at the suitcase in his hand.


    She then sneered quietly.


    The medication was indeed the special drug she had developed; it even bore the logo of their biotech company!


    Was there covert operation even within the Clance Research Institute?


    While others were still pondering, Researcher Hill spoke up, ¡°Nora Researcher¡¯s medication this time is very effective. Why don¡¯t we administer a dose to Old Mrs. Horton to try it?¡±


    Everyone then stepped aside, allowing Researcher Hill to approach the sick bed.


    He pulled out a dose of the special drug and slowly injected it into Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s arm¡­


    Old Mrs. Horton watched intently, and as she did, she gradually began to feel drowsy. Consequently, she yawned and closed her eyes, falling asleep.


    Researcher Hill explained, ¡°Nora Researcher¡¯s medication has a sedative effect. It primarily allows the patient to recover consciousness while sleeping, so do not worry. Old Mrs. Horton will wake up in about an hour and should show some improvement.¡±


    Everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    Selena Horton said with a smile, ¡°Cousin, with so many people in Grandma¡¯s sick room, isn¡¯t that a bit inappropriate?¡±


    Researcher Hill caught on immediately, ¡°Right, the patient needs quiet. So everyone, please go out. I need to stay here to monitor the patient¡¯s condition continuously. Miss Selena staying to assist me will suffice.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keira Olsen¡¯s expression darkened. Were they trying to keep control over her grandmother?


    She spoke up directly, ¡°Anything you need recorded, I can help with.¡±


    Upon this, Selena Horton spoke up, ¡°Auntie, why don¡¯t you understand? The research institute keeps patient data highly confidential as it involves their core technology. Only their own personnel can record it. Don¡¯t you make it difficult for Researcher Hill by saying this?¡±


    Researcher Hill immediately smiled, his expression gentle yet containing a veiled threat, ¡°This time, I have taken a risk to secure this opportunity for our family¡¯s grandmother. The data needs to be submitted. If this lady is not cooperative, should we give this slot to someone else?¡±


    This remark prompted Nathan Horton to angrily retort, ¡°Lewis¡¯s wife, what are you interjecting for? Get out of here immediately. Are you trying to kill your grandmother?¡±


    Oliver Horton sinisterly added, ¡°Lewis, you¡¯ve always been the most filial towards Grandma. Although there¡¯s a will stating that she left all her company shares to you after she¡¯s gone, you wouldn¡¯t do this deliberately, would you?¡±


    Keira Olsen furrowed her brows, about to speak, but her hand was grasped by Lewis Horton, who spoke calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s step out first.¡±


    He led Keira Olsen out the door first.


    Nathan Horton and Oliver Horton then followed.


    Oliver Horton, following behind the couple, smugly suggested, ¡°Lewis, it might be better for you and your wife to move into the main hall. Researcher Hill is bound by a confidentiality agreement. Dad, to avoid putting Selena in a difficult position, I suggest everyone except Fiona move out. We can visit once a day, provided Researcher Hill allows it.¡±


    Nathan Horton nodded, ¡°I think that should be the case.¡±


    He looked toward Lewis Horton, pondering how to persuade him. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Keira Olsen was about to retort, to her surprise, Lewis Horton simply nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Keira Olsen paused, thought for a moment, and then fell silent.


    Lewis Horton was always measured in his actions. Since he had agreed, he must have a contingency plan.


    Thinking this, Keira Olsen followed Lewis Horton and walked out the door.


    Sure enough, she saw Tom Davis waiting outside for them.


    Keira Olsen approached and looked directly at Lewis Horton, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s your plan? Do you really trust them with Grandma?¡±


    Meanwhile,


    Outside the Horton Family residence.


    A black luxury car was parked there, with Uncle Olsen seated in the back. Ellis Olsen immediately jumped out of the car and knocked on the large iron gate.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± a Horton Family security guard called out.


    Ellis Olsen smiled, ¡°Tell Lewis Horton that Uncle Olsen is here to visit!¡±

 Chapter 214 - 214 214

    ?Chapter 214: Chapter 214 Chapter 214: Chapter 214 The sunlight in the yard was just perfect.


    It was now noon, and Kiera watched Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s yard from a distance, wondering what kind of medicine Lewis Horton was peddling.


    When Lewis heard her question, he chuckled, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m at ease.¡±


    Kiera was startled.


    Lewis then lowered his gaze, ¡°Selena Horton cares so much about Grandmother¡¯s illness because of those shares she holds, so she¡¯ll definitely want Grandmother to stay alive and well!¡±


    Realization dawned on Kiera when she heard this.


    Just now, Oliver Horton had said that Old Mrs. Horton had made a will, stating that if she died, her shares would go to Lewis Horton, so before Old Mrs. Horton could change her will, the first branch of the Horton family definitely wanted the old lady to live well!


    No wonder Lewis Horton was so confident about them.


    Kiera sighed softly, having originally thought that Nathan Horton, Oliver, and Selena truly cared for Great Grandmother. But in the end, everything still came down to self-interest.


    Lewis continued, ¡°This Researcher Hill, I had Tom Davis investigate him a while ago; he indeed is a staff member of the Clance Research Institute, and the connections he has were indeed found by the Cobb family in Clance to help Selena. The medicine he brought has also been verified and is genuine. If they really can save Grandmother, what harm is there in being mocked? It¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    Kiera frowned, ¡°But this is too passive!¡±


    She disliked the feeling of her fate being in someone else¡¯s hands¡­


    Tom Davis sighed beside her, ¡°There¡¯s no helping it, we¡¯ve tried every means possible to contact Nora Researcher, but she is too mysterious, and to this day, we haven¡¯t found her whereabouts. And Corey Mills from the Clance Research Institute has made it clear that he will not show favoritism, and will strictly select candidates for trials based on the patient¡¯s condition. The boss has tried all kinds of ways to pressure him, but he wouldn¡¯t budge¡­¡±


    At this point, Tom glanced at Lewis Horton and coughed.


    The boss, for the sake of the old lady, almost went to abduct someone to acquire the medicine, adopting extreme measures, but before he could do anything, Selena¡¯s side had made a breakthrough.


    But these words should not be told to Miss Olsen, lest she finds out about the boss¡¯s involvement in the gray area and becomes frightened.


    However, Kiera, curiously asked, ¡°How did this Researcher Hill get the medicine?¡±


    Tom stroked his chin, ¡°I guess, he must have stolen it.¡±


    Kiera: ?


    She was shocked!


    Tom continued, ¡°Actually, we¡¯ve already found out that Researcher Hill took the medicine behind Corey Mills¡¯s back, claiming it was Nora Researcher who personally selected the candidates for the trials. But in the end, he could just secretly operate and buy one of the patient¡¯s medicine at a high price, after all, the Cobb Family in Clance isn¡¯t short on money! That Nora Researcher, I heard she¡¯s a tech geek, not really savvy with managing a company, and I guess she won¡¯t even know about this in the end¡­¡±


    Kiera: !!


    Alright, now she knew!


    Was it really that the institute was being too lenient in its management?


    She pulled at the corner of her mouth and then turned to look at Lewis Horton, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that once Grandmother wakes up, they won¡¯t let you in and might coax her into changing her will?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even care about those shares,¡± he replied.


    Lewis glanced at her, ¡°Moreover, do you really think Grandmother is that easy to deceive?¡±


    Kiera: ?


    The old lady who, upon seeing her, immediately clung to her arm and wouldn¡¯t let go, who followed her home in a daze, not easy to deceive? Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as she was about to smirk, she suddenly realized¡­


    Great Grandmother had run away from home twice to find her, evidently confused, yet each time she indeed found the place without being misled by anyone else!


    Lewis calmly stated, ¡°The Horton Group was founded by Grandmother; do you really think Grandmother is foolish?¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    As she was inwardly grumbling, she saw Lewis Horton turn on his phone, open a surveillance app, and directly stream the clear, complete situation in Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s bedroom onto his phone screen.


    Lewis Horton spoke slowly, ¡°After Oliver said that the illegitimate daughter would come with the researchers, I installed this hidden camera in Grandma¡¯s room.¡±


    Keira Olsen: ¡°¡­¡±


    This guy is too sneaky, isn¡¯t he?


    But before she could speak, she saw movement on the camera.


    Selena Horton had been at the door, watching Lewis Horton and Keira Olsen leave. Only after they were out did she turn back to close the door, giving Researcher Hill a smile, ¡°Thanks, cousin.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re about to marry your cousin, so we are family. There¡¯s no need for formalities.¡±


    Researcher Hill and Selena Horton approached the great grandmother, calling softly, ¡°Great Grandmother? Great Grandmother¡­¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton slowly opened her eyes, still somewhat groggy and confused.


    She looked at Selena with a puzzled expression, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Her speech was very clear!


    That means the special medication really worked!


    ¡°Great Grandmother, I¡¯m Selena Horton. My father is Oliver from the first branch of the family, your grandson. Do you remember?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton immediately came to a realization, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the illegitimate daughter!¡±


    Selena Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton then looked around, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Selena Horton explained, ¡°Great Grandma, I went to great lengths in Clance to finally secure a clinical trial medication just to bring it back for your treatment! How are you feeling now?¡±


    After carefully considering her feelings, Old Mrs. Horton smiled, ¡°I feel very good! My mind is much clearer, and I remember a lot of things!¡±


    Selena Horton then spoke up, ¡°That means the medicine is indeed effective. Great Grandmother, to get this medicine, I had to beg my boyfriend for a long time. The cousin here even smuggled it out, and getting caught would have serious consequences, but for you, I think it¡¯s worth it!¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton was immediately moved, ¡°Good child, you are so filial!¡±


    Selena Horton seized the opportunity, ¡°I am about to marry into the Cobb Family in Clance, but my dowry is a bit meager¡­ Great Grandma, I heard that when the younger members of the family marry,you always give them shares¡­ When it comes to me, will you do the same?¡±


    Old Mrs. Horton paused slightly, ¡°I give shares? Do I? I don¡¯t remember that.¡±


    Selena Horton: ?


    Old Mrs. Horton¡¯s face showed deep confusion, ¡°Wait for me to ask the brat¡­ oh, your little uncle, whether this is true or not. If it is, I can¡¯t let a good child like you be wronged!¡±


    Selena Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, why do I feel a bit sleepy? Filial child, don¡¯t disturb Great Grandmother¡¯s sleep, let me get a bit more rest¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Watching the speechless look on Selena Horton¡¯s face in the phone, Keira Olsen couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    The great grandmother really knows how to play her part!


    Just as she thought this, the butler rushed over, out of breath, ¡°Mr. Horton, someone is knocking at the door, saying Uncle Olsen has come to visit!¡±


    With this news, Lewis Horton glanced at Keira Olsen and then said promptly, ¡°Please let him in.¡±

 Chapter 215 - 215 215

    ?Chapter 215: Chapter 215 Chapter 215: Chapter 215 The butler hurried off again.


    Lewis Horton wanted to follow, but he stopped in his tracks and said to Keira Olsen, ¡°When I was a child abroad, I apprenticed under Uncle Olsen for a while, he¡¯s like a half-mentor to me.¡±


    Keira Olsen immediately understood.


    Lewis Horton knew she didn¡¯t want to see Uncle Olsen, so he specially explained why he had to meet him.


    Keira Olsen smiled, very understanding, ¡°Got it, no worries, go ahead.¡±


    Lewis Horton then squeezed her hand and strode out.


    Keira Olsen stood at the door for a while, took out her phone, and saw a message from Corey Mills: ¡°Director Nora, I¡¯m at the entrance of the Horton family residence. Should I come and pick up the medicine, or do you want the security to let me in?¡±


    Keira Olsen stared at the message for a while.


    Since Lewis Horton was aware, and the little old lady didn¡¯t pose any problems, she decided it was best to keep her identity a secret for the time being.


    The identity of Nora Researcher was simply too sensitive.


    In recent years, people have been paying more and more attention to health, and viruses have been breaking out all over the world.


    It just so happened that the special medicines she¡¯d developed in the past few years were extremely effective, nearly turning her into a target for many powerful figures. She had even seen on the dark web that a queen from Country Y had made it clear: whether by kidnapping or deception, they wanted to have her brought over!


    Keira Olsen didn¡¯t want to spend the second half of her life imprisoned, to be nothing more than a machine for drug research!


    She had just accepted her mother, and love had unexpectedly bloomed, making her feel fulfilled in life.


    Thinking so, Keira Olsen replied to the message with the location of her private restaurant Fragrance House: ¡°Let¡¯s meet here tonight.¡±


    She needed to talk to Corey Mills about the issue of some people in the research institute embezzling.


    After sending the message, she put down her phone and re-entered the living room.


    Oliver Horton and Nathan Horton seemed to have already heard the noise outside, the two immediately stood up excitedly. Seeing Keira Olsen enter, they asked, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that Uncle Olsen who just arrived outside?¡±


    Keira Olsen shrugged, ¡°Seems like it.¡±


    Nathan Horton then said directly, ¡°If it¡¯s really him, he¡¯s a VIP for our family!¡±


    One of the five major families of Clance, a family that could rival the Davis Family!


    Although the Horton Group had cooperated with the Allen Family.


    But the Allen Family¡¯s influence couldn¡¯t compare to that of the five major families. If their family could connect with Uncle Olsen, they wouldn¡¯t have to fear the Davis Family¡¯s suppression anymore!


    Their joyous expressions made Keira Olsen involuntarily purse her lips.


    Oliver Horton¡¯s eyes suddenly shifted as he looked at Keira Olsen and coughed before asking, ¡°Uncle Olsen didn¡¯t come specifically for you, did he?¡±


    Keira Olsen found it unlikely.


    After all, would such a busy person actually have the time for such trivialities?


    He was after all in charge of the entire Clance Olsen Family; just look at how busy Lewis Horton was every day!


    Keira Olsen opened her mouth, ¡°No.¡±


    Oliver Horton immediately sighed in relief.


    If Uncle Olsen really paid special attention to Mrs. Olsen and supported Keira Olsen, wouldn¡¯t their first branch of the family be at a disadvantage again?


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Uncle Olsen came to the hospital back then to support your mom, what¡¯s their relationship? Your mom isn¡¯t Uncle Olsen¡¯s mistress, is she?¡±


    This question caused Keira Olsen¡¯s face to suddenly turn cold, ¡°What are you blabbering about?¡±


    A dangerous aura of menace erupted from her.


    You could say a few things about her, but insulting her mother was not acceptable!


    Oliver Horton was startled by her reaction and took a step back, stuttering, ¡°If it¡¯s not true then it¡¯s not, why are you getting so agitated? Besides, your mom¡¯s already past her prime, Uncle Olsen surely wouldn¡¯t be interested in her¡­¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Keira Olsen landed a punch right on Oliver Horton¡¯s face, making it twist and immediately swell up.


    Nathan Horton was furious, ¡°How dare you hit your elder brother? Someone grab this woman! Today I must teach her a lesson and let her know what it means to be chaste and virtuous!¡±


    The security guards outside heard this and looked over but didn¡¯t dare to move.


    After all, those guards who laid hands on her last time, not knowing then that Keira Olsen was Lewis Horton¡¯s wife, are still at home nursing their injuries, struggling to find jobs afterwards.


    Who would dare to lay a hand on Keira Olsen now?


    Seeing that the group hadn¡¯t moved, Keira said with a cold gaze, ¡°If I hear you insult my mother again, I will only hit harder than I did just now!¡±


    Nathan Horton was also stunned by her demeanor.


    Whose daughter-in-law swings their fists at the drop of a hat?


    It¡¯s like they couldn¡¯t even touch her if they wanted to!


    He felt humiliated being threatened like this and left in a huff, ¡°Oliver, there¡¯s a VIP guest who¡¯s arrived, let¡¯s go welcome them. We¡¯ll let her off for today! Once this is over, we¡¯ll give her a proper lesson!¡±


    Oliver¡¯s face was burning in pain, his teeth even felt a bit loose, and his mouth was full of the metallic taste of blood, which infuriated him greatly.


    Yet he couldn¡¯t beat Keira and could only glare at her viciously before he walked over to Jake Horton, who had remained silent the whole time. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A smack landed on Jake¡¯s face.


    Oliver scolded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see your dad getting hit? Is this how you act as a son? What a useless piece of trash! If your sister were here, she would have fought to protect me!¡±


    After venting his anger, Oliver finally felt a bit better and followed Nathan Horton out the door.


    Keira Olsen glanced indifferently at Jake Horton.


    Ever since the truth about the identity swap between Isla Olsen and herself had been revealed, Jake had been in a state of decline within the Horton family, just like now, having received a slap, yet he acted as if he hadn¡¯t felt it, only touching his cheek.


    Perhaps sensing Keira¡¯s gaze, he immediately turned his head away coldly and defiantly.


    Keira didn¡¯t bother with him and headed towards the bedroom.


    She hesitated a bit.


    Having seen Grandma Horton wake up with clear consciousness, she wanted to seize the opportunity to ask her about the truth behind their marriage certificate.


    This marriage had come out of nowhere, and although she was very satisfied with Lewis Horton, her unexpected husband, she still felt like there was a sword hanging over her head, not knowing when it might fall.


    After thinking it over, she still knocked on the door.


    Meanwhile.


    Lewis Horton had personally welcomed Uncle Olsen into the parking lot.


    After getting out of the car, Uncle Olsen asked, ¡°I heard Old Mrs. Horton wasn¡¯t doing well, and considering I¡¯m also a junior, I came to pay a visit.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lewis glanced at him, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re here to visit my grandma?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Uncle Olsen replied with an open and forthright manner, his imposing presence not seeming like he was lying, ¡°Miss Keira is probably fulfilling her filial duty by my grandma¡¯s bedside, right?¡±


    Lewis Horton: ¡°¡­¡±


    He knew it, Uncle Olsen¡¯s true intentions weren¡¯t so simple!


    But after a moment¡¯s thought, he stepped aside, ¡°Please.¡±


    Keira was just recently accused of not having any support. Isn¡¯t her support here now?


    Wait till Nathan Horton and Oliver Horton see Uncle Olsen¡¯s attitude towards Keira; they¡¯re bound to be shocked speechless. After that, no one in this household will dare to look down on Keira!