The room fell into a tense silence as Lucas finished his analysis. His siblings absorbed his words, their expressions thoughtful.
Adriana nodded slowly. "That makes sense. If we push him just enough, he might slip up."
Theodore crossed his arms.
"But what if he doesn’t? What if he doubles down and uses his influence to silence us?"
Aurora tapped her fingers against the table, her brows furrowed.
"Then we need a backup plan. We can’t just rely on provoking him. We have to gather more solid evidence."
Adam, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke. His voice was firm but laced with concern.
"I don’t like this. You’re playing a dangerous ga."
"We know, Dad," Olivia said, her tone gentle but unwavering. "But we can’t just sit back and let this continue."
Adam sighed heavily, rubbing his temples.
"If we go down this path, we need to be extrely careful. This man—whoever he is—already has the upper hand. He has money, connections, and power." He looked at Lucas.
"Bluffing will only work for so long."
Lucas t his father’s gaze.
"That’s why we’ll be smart about it. We won’t push too hard all at once. We’ll make it seem like we’re just a bunch of naive kids who don’t know what we’re doing."
Theodore smirked.
"Which ans we act emotional, reckless—like we’re lashing out because we’re frustrated."
"Exactly," Lucas confird.
"If we act too competent, he’ll take us seriously and shut us down before we even start. But if we act like desperate kids grasping at straws, he’ll underestimate us."
Olivia leaned forward, her eyes gleaming. "And that’s when we strike."
A quiet determination settled over the room.
Aurora couldn’t help but give them a thumbs up.
Her family of villains was too smart!
They already know the pri principle of deceiving.
Alas, her father didn’t encounter such a thing in her dreams, if he had, Aurora would have known the solution to solve the crisis.
"Our next and the most important step is to gather more information on the man. If we can know who is he, and whether he has done the sa thing in the past, we can easily sort out this matter." Lucas explained.
Aurora looked at her eldest brother in admiration.
He was the sharpest among them. Just like CEO material. If only he won’t act like a scumbag in the future, he would definitely...
Ah.
Aurora’s stomach ached slightly.
She frowned and made a beeline to her mother,
"Mom, my stomach is aching and I think I also have bloating."
Mary frowned and bent down to check her temperature,
"Did you eat so unhealthy snacks?"
Aurora shook her head, "No."
Mary withdrew her hand. Aurora wasn’t feverish at all, however, her past dical history made her concerned, hence she said,
"Let’s go to the hospital."
Aurora tugged lightly at her mother’s sleeve, a small frown on her face. "Mom, there’s no need to make a fuss. It’s probably just sothing minor."
Mary’s expression remained firm,
"You’re not a doctor, Aurora, and with your dical history, I’m not taking any chances."
Aurora sighed, knowing there was no winning against her mother when she had that look in her eyes.
That night, when Adam learned about Aurora’s stomach ache, his reaction was imdiate.
"Call Dr. Hall," he instructed firmly, already reaching for his phone.
Mary nodded. "I was thinking the sa."
When Adam got through to Simon Hall, the family’s trusted physician, the response was not what he had hoped for.
"I’m afraid I’m out of the city for a dical conference," Simon said, his voice apologetic.
"I can return tomorrow, but if her pain worsens, take her to the hospital imdiately."
Adam’s jaw clenched his grip on the phone tightening. "Fine. Just get here as soon as you can."
With no imdiate dical attention available, Adam and Mary had no choice but to wait.
However, they remained vigilant, checking on Aurora throughout the night.
By morning, her discomfort seed to have subsided, allowing her siblings to continue their plans without worry.
As the others set out to gather information on the rich man, Aurora stayed behind, content to rest.
However, as the hours passed, a new concern arose.
A low fever crept up on her, sending a wave of chills down her spine. By noon, she felt weak, her body aching in ways that didn’t feel normal.
Just as worry began to gnaw at her, the doorbell rang.
Simon Hall had finally arrived.
He was a man in his mid-fifties, tall and lean, with a composed deanor that rarely wavered.
His neatly combed silver hair, sharp blue eyes, and wire-rimd glasses gave him an air of quiet authority.
Dressed in a crisp navy suit with a stethoscope draped around his neck, he carried the kind of presence that imdiately reassured his patients.
Mary and Adam greeted him.
Simon wasted no ti, setting down his dical bag and gesturing for Aurora to lie down on the couch.
"Let’s see what’s going on," he murmured, his voice calm but professional. He placed a hand against her forehead. "You’re running a fever."
Aurora nodded weakly. "It started this morning."
He listened to her heartbeat, checked her vitals, and then moved his hands to her abdon.
As he palpated the area, his fingers stilled over the right side.
A firm, one-sided lump.
His brows furrowed slightly, his expression unreadable. Pressing gently, he asked, "Does this hurt?"
Aurora shook her head. "No. Not at all."
That only deepened Simon’s concern.
Standing up, he reached into his bag and pulled out a notepad. With asured precision, he began listing a series of tests:
Blood and urine tests, Chest X-ray, Abdominal ultrasound, MRI, Biopsy, and CT scan.
Aurora’s heart ached seeing the series of tests.
Just how much money her mother and father will lose this ti.
Mary’s breath hitched as she read the list.
"So many tests?" Her fingers gripped the edge of the couch. "Dr. Hall, is it... serious?"
Simon hesitated for a fraction of a second—long enough for Adam to catch it.
User Comments
0 comments from readers