Ch. 1891..1900
Chapter 1891 Gabriella Is Here
“It’s okay. Nancy is fine, and that is the best silver lining there is,” said Larry while tapping Caspian’s
shoulder lightly.
Larry checked his ringing phone and picked it up immediately.
“So, uh, Dustin asked to meet up with me,” informed Joan softly.
Larry’s eyes dimmed upon hearing that.
Dustin, that a**hole. He’s just like a poltergeist that won’t go away! Why did he have to come back
when he already left the country?
Larry clenched his fists tightly before he asked grimly, “And?”
Joan knew the answer to her unspoken question when she heard Larry’s tone.
“And nothing. I’m not going to meet him,” Joan replied firmly.
A satisfied grin suddenly crept up on Larry’s lips.
Not bad. This woman learned her lesson.
He then cleared his throat a little.
“Actually, it’s fine if you want to meet up with him,” said the man.
This way, she won’t think that I’m petty and controlling.
Joan was dumbstruck by his .
“Okay,” said the woman before she hung up the call.
Beep! Beep! The busy tone was all that could be heard from the mobile phone, and Larry was a little
exasperated.
Bang! Someone suddenly flung the door open rudely.
“Sorry, Mr. Norton. We couldn’t stop him,” informed the receptionist guiltily with her head down.
Larry waved at the receptionist to dismiss her.
“Lars, the employees of your company are getting more and more insolent. They won’t even let me in,”
complained Gabriella in a coquettish voice that simply disgusted Larry.
Larry merely sneered.
“That’s because I told them to do so,” said the man mercilessly.
Gabriella was slightly stunned, but she was quick to regain her composure.
“How have you been, Lars? I haven’t seen you in a while,” said Gabriella gently.
However, Larry continued reading his document, not even bothered to look at Gabriella. She was a little
hurt to see how distant the man standing before her was.
“I heard that Joan is back?” Gabriella changed the topic all of a sudden.
Larry’s writing hand paused instantly upon hearing that question. How did she know that Joan is back?
Hasn’t she been overseas all this time? At that thought, Larry glared suspiciously at the woman in front
of him.
“Well, that’s great news. Congratulations,” said Gabriella through gritted teeth.
Darn it, Joan Watts. You just won’t leave, will you? How are you still alive after falling into the river?
Gabriella’s gaze was filled with malice and hostility.
“That’s right. Joan is back, but we’re still searching for the culprit and the mastermind behind the
incident,” Larry deliberately declared.
Gabriella jolted in alarm. So they have been investigating the incident from all those years ago!
Looks like getting rid of the driver was a wise decision.
A vicious smile played on Gabriella’s lips.
“How’ve you been lately, Gabriella?” asked Larry to test the water.
To Gabriella, however, that was a sign of Larry caring for her.
“Well, I went on a vacation,” replied Gabriella delightedly.
Larry thought that something was off about that sentence. He knew Gabriella well, and it was unlikely
that she would stop her wicked schemes.
“What’s wrong, Lars? Did you miss me?” asked Gabriella. She suddenly wrapped her arms around the
man’s neck.
Instantly, Larry flung her arms away and glared at her coldly.
Gabriella quickly tidied her clothes.
I knew it! This man just won’t bite the bait.
Naturally, fury rose in Gabriella’s heart, and the expression she wore on her face was ever so bitter.
Ring! Ring!
Gabriella’s heart skipped a beat when she checked her phone screen.
Why is he calling me all of a sudden? In an instance, Gabriella’s eyes dimmed.
“Hello?” answered Gabriella with great uncertainty.
“Hi. Uh, I heard that you’re back in the country. So am I. To be honest, I happen to be in a bit of a
financial muck lately…” the man said slowly.
At the end of the day, this man only ever calls me to get money!
“We had a deal! I’ve already paid you, so don’t call me again!” howled Gabriella angrily.
Chapter 1892 Gabriella And Freya
“Have you forgotten that you were the one who insisted on murdering an innocent woman?” threatened
the man.
Gabriella scoffed as her expression darkened.
“Sorry, but that is no longer a murder case. She is back,” refuted Gabriella without holding back.
The man was stunned upon hearing that revelation.
“What did you say? But I saw that woman fall into the river with my own eyes!”
A cold glint flashed across Gabriella’s eyes.
“Since you failed at carrying out your task, why should I pay you?” growled Gabriella before she hung
up the call.
On the other end of the line, the man’s features contorted in rage. He clenched his fists and looked out
the window, lost in his thoughts.
There were times when people would abandon even their pride and honor just for money.
“We’ve got something, Larry,” Caspian whispered to Larry abruptly.
Larry put his files down right away, and his expression was solemn when he turned to Caspian.
“Someone claimed to have inside knowledge of the accident back then. But he wants us to pay him in
exchange for the information,” reported Caspian directly.
He finally caved, huh? Larry grinned meaningfully.
“Pay him, but tell him that I want to see him in person. Offer him twice of what he asked for,” answered
Larry firmly.
No one in the city knew anything about the accident from all those years ago, so to make a claim that
bold meant that he was no ordinary person.
Caspian nodded before leaving. The sky was pitch black when Larry turned to the window, but a
satisfied grin had shown up on his lips.
Bring it all on!
“What’s wrong, Larry? What are you thinking?” asked Joan while nudging Larry’s arm.
“I was just thinking about…” said Larry, who suddenly paused.
I better keep this a secret from her, or she might overthink it.
Larry kissed her forehead lightly with an adoring expression, and his eyes were filled with affection.
“How about we go home tomorrow?” asked Larry softly.
“Yeah, let’s go back tomorrow. It’s been a while since I last saw Lucius, and I miss him so much,”
replied Joan. She hugged his waist tightly as if she was worried about him suddenly vanishing into thin
air again.
“Okay, I’ll send you over tomorrow,” said Larry firmly as he looked at the woman in his arms.
Joan was taken aback and confused at the same time.
“Larry, aren’t you going with me?” asked Joan as she stared suspiciously at the man in front of her.
“I need to deal with some stuff over here first. But I’ll go to you as soon as everything is settled,”
promised Larry before he planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
Joan instantly looked a little down.
As promised, Larry took Joan back to the village the very next morning.
What he didn’t know, however, was that Gabriella was in the village at that moment as well.
“You’re Joan’s supervisor?” scoffed Gabriella as she checked the woman out.
Freya wouldn’t bat an eyelash even if angels visited from heaven, so a random woman from the city
definitely didn’t faze her. Some women made friends based on first impressions. If they had a good
feeling about that person, they would be friends. Otherwise, they would just treat the person as a
stranger.
As Freya looked at the woman in front of her, her eyes shone with distaste before she sipped some tea.
“What do you want?” demanded Freya arrogantly.
Her aura instantly shook Gabriella. She is nothing but a lowly supervisor from a tiny village! What is she
so proud about?
Gabriella sneered at that thought.
Freya had already known that Selena was actually Joan and that Joan had amnesia some time ago.
She was also aware that Joan’s amnesia was the reason why Delilah ended up calling her Selena.
“I heard that you made things difficult for Joan when she was working here,” Gabriella brought the topic
up deliberately as her eyes shone with amusement.
Is this woman here to help that girl get justice?
Freya snorted while distaste remained burning in her eyes.
“So what? Are you here to avenge her?” asked Freya, who never bothered beating around the bush.
Chapter 1893 Larry Stayed
Gabriella suddenly felt like she made the right decision when she saw how straightforward the woman
in front of her was.
“Not at all. I’m actually here to help you,” replied Gabriella.
Upon hearing that, Freya lifted her head slightly. She stared curiously at the woman in front of her
because she had no idea what the latter’s agenda was.
“I’ll be honest with you. Joan snatched my man from me, so I want her to suffer,” explained Gabriella
while a hostile aura emanated from her.
Freya figured everything out right away.
Ah, so she’s an ally.
Instantly, her lips curled up into a gleeful grin.
My, oh my, Joan. You’re running out of luck. Freya clenched her fists tightly.
“I don’t need your help,” answered Freya suddenly.
That response stunned Gabriella.
She truly is something else. Gabriella grinned at that thought.
“Nothing in this world comes free. Be honest with me if you want my help. I don’t cooperate with
crooks,” said Freya directly.
Gabriella’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Hello, my name is Gabriella Ward. I used to be Joan’s BFF….” introduced Gabriella.
The two ladies talked for quite some time before they went back home.
And just like that, they joined forces.
“Mom, you’re finally home!” called out Lucius as soon as Joan got out of the car, dashing right into her
arms.
Joan stroked the kid’s hair. She sounded a little apologetic when she said softly, “Good boy, I’m home.”
“Mom, look! I won that trophy in a school competition,” shared Lucius as he pointed at the trophy on the
wall.
The expression on both Larry’s and Joan’s faces was a mixture of heartache and joy.
“That’s amazing. My Lucius is awesome! Let’s have a celebration feast tonight!” exclaimed Joan.
Hearing that great news, the boy jumped in excitement.
Looking at the kid before him, Larry surprised himself when he felt the reluctance to leave.
He checked his phone and hesitated for a moment before he hung up the call.
“Dad, are you busy?” asked Lucius. It seemed like the boy didn’t want Larry to leave.
“Oh, I’m not that swamped,” answered Larry with a smile.
“Then can you stay?” asked the kid while swaying the man’s arm.
Larry deliberated before he answered, “Well, I guess I can stay for the day.”
Disappointment flashed past Lucius’ eyes.
That means Dad will be leaving tomorrow…
“Grandma, you’re finally here. We were waiting for you,” said Lucius as he ran to Delilah.
Delilah stared at the kid in puzzlement as she had no idea what he was talking about.
“Mom said that she’s taking us to dinner tonight,” Lucius revealed with a mischievous expression.
Delilah turned to Joan, who nodded with a smile.
“When did you two come back? Why didn’t you call ahead? I didn’t get to make any preparations,”
complained Delilah.
“What is there to prepare? We’re a family,” replied Joan before she went to give Delilah a hug.
Delilah was delighted as she patted Joan’s back lightly.
Joan was willing to return to the village even after regaining her memory, and that, to Delilah, was the
best gift she had ever received.
A contented smile crept up on her face.
“Alright, let’s go. We’ll have dinner at the restaurant on the other side of the village,” suggested Delilah
while tapping Lucius’ shoulder.
With that, the family departed happily.
It was true when they said that no one could have the best of everything.
“Come now. Slow down. Don’t gobble up your food,” Delilah nagged in the private room while getting
more food for the kid.
“Okay, but it’s so delicious. Grandma, you should try this,” suggested Lucius.
Joan smiled when she saw the kid eating away happily.
Although Larry, who was sitting beside her, seemed to be in a good mood, Joan could tell that he was
preoccupied because he kept checking his phone.
Ring! Ring! Ring! Larry’s phone had been ringing time and again.
Joan finally couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Larry, don’t hang up anymore. Just answer the call,” urged Joan when she saw the man’s phone
vibrating.
Chapter 1894 Larry left
Something serious must’ve happened for Caspian to call so relentlessly.
Larry swept his gaze across the others before he grabbed his phone and left the private room.
“Larry, that man is being unreasonable. He insisted on meeting you tonight,” reported Caspian
anxiously.
Shifting his gaze to the people in the private room, he landed a punch on the wall in frustration.
Why is the timing so bad?
“Can’t we postpone until tomorrow?” Larry lowered his voice.
“He is persistent about meeting tonight. He said this is the only chance we have,” answered Caspian
anxiously.
“Mom, what’s wrong with Dad?” asked Lucius suddenly.
Joan paused for a moment, but she was quick to regain her composure.
“Be good, Lucius. Your dad is just a little busy,” coaxed Joan before she got some delicacies for the
boy.
Lucius turned gloomy while staring at Larry’s empty seat.
“Does he have to leave tonight?” asked Lucius while staring at Joan with his big, round eyes. It was
apparent that he was reluctant to part with Larry.
“Maybe, but don’t worry. He will be back to play with you as soon as he is done with work,” replied Joan
with a smile.
As expected, that sentence worked wonders, and Lucius got excited immediately.
At that moment, Larry hung up the call and returned to the private room with a troubled look.
Delilah broke the silence, “Mr. Norton, if there is something urgent to tend to at the office, please feel
free to go.”
Larry had been on the phone for so long that one could guess that something grave must have
happened.
With an apologetic expression, Larry turned to Joan and Lucius.
“It’s fine, Dad. Just do whatever you need to do. Mom said that you will be back as soon as you’re done
working,” Lucius persuaded.
Larry grinned upon seeing how understanding the boy was.
He exchanged some pleasantries with them before leaving the restaurant. Soon, only three of them
were left in the private room, and silence ensued.
“Come now, let’s eat up. Lucius, your mom took you all the way here to celebrate your victory, so you
must eat more, okay?” said Delilah while grinning.
“Okay…”
As Delilah and Lucius were chatting away, Joan excused herself to go to the washroom.
“Hey, Larry. It’s late, so be careful on the road, okay?” Joan reminded.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
The two of them hung up after talking for a while.
For some unknown reason, Joan had been feeling uneasy ever since Larry left. Her heart was
pounding fast as well.
I must be overthinking it. Joan washed her face before existing the washroom.
A bald drunkard with a greasy face suddenly showed up in front of her. Joan’s guard came up, and she
tried to walk past him, but just as she turned, the man deliberately stumbled and fell onto Joan.
“Hey, sir.” Joan hurried over to help the guy up.
“Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you trip me?” howled the man.
Joan saw how drunk the man was, so she took a deep breath, trying to avoid arguing with him.
“Sorry, please be careful,” said Joan as she helped the man up. She planned on leaving immediately
after, but the man pushed her and pinned her against the wall.
“What are you doing?” demanded Joan cautiously as she stared at the man in front of her.
I don’t recognize him, and I don’t think he’s from this village.
“You tripped me, and you think you can get away with it just like that?” growled the man as he slowly
got closer to Joan.
As the man stared at the innocent-looking Joan who looked like a harmless bunny, a wicked grin crept
up on his lips.
“Sir, we’re in public,” reminded Joan.
The man merely sneered in disdain.
“So what? It’s an honor for a secluded village like yours to have me as a guest,” replied the man before
he flexed his arms and stroked his chin. “At least this trip isn’t a waste, after all. Who would’ve thought
that a place like this would have such a beautiful woman?”
Joan was tempted to slap the man across the face when she heard his repulsive words.
“Excuse me, mister, but my son is waiting for me, and I have to go,” Joan quickly said, preparing to
leave.
Chapter 1895 The Bald Man
“Your son? You have a son? That’s too bad, but it’s fine. I can afford to feed both you and your son.
Hahaha!” said the man.
Joan clenched her fists as anger burned within her.
She didn’t want to waste any time with that man, so she pushed him into the washroom with all her
might. Immediately after, Joan left and walked back to the private room.
“Why were you gone for so long? Is everything alright?” asked Delilah, who looked at Joan worriedly.
“I’m fine. I just bumped into a weird dude,” replied Joan with a smile.
Meanwhile, the man in the washroom was leaning against the wall. It took him some effort to stand up
and walk to the reception counter.
“What is wrong with you people? Hurry up and find her for me or I will tear this place apart!” howled the
bald man.
The manager rushed over and lowered his head humbly as the bald man reprimanded him.
“Sir, please calm down. There is always room for discussion,” said the manager to diffuse the situation.
“What is there to discuss? Hand her over right now, and I will let this matter go. If you don’t, then there
is nothing left to discuss,” the man bellowed as he slammed his palm on the table.
“Mom, what is all that noise out there?” asked Lucius curiously while looking at Joan.
Joan listened closely and soon realized what was going on.
Looks like the drunkard is making a scene again.
“I did it, so I will be responsible,” said Joan, who suddenly showed up in front of that man.
“That’s her! Boys, take her away,” ordered the man as he pointed at Joan.
A few subordinates rushed over and grabbed Joan’s arm.
“Let me go! What do you think you’re doing?” demanded Joan as she struggled with a cold glint in her
eyes.
“Let go of my mom!” roared Lucius, who suddenly ran over to them.
Slap!
Someone slapped the kid mercilessly across his face. Lucius collapsed onto the floor and covered his
cheek with his hands. His eyes seemed a little glazed over.
“Lucius!” shouted Joan.
“This has nothing to do with you, kid. Leave right now!” growled the bald man before he kicked Lucius.
Spectators started gathering then.
“Who the hell is that? I can’t believe he’d stoop so low as to hit the kid…”
“I know, right? I don’t think he’s from our village. We don’t have unscrupulous hooligans like him.”
The people gossiping behind the bald man were ruthless with their words.
Immediately, the bald man turned around and glared fiercely at the women before warning, “Shut your
mouths if you want to remain in one piece!”
The women backed away instantly.
Freya was lurking in a corner, grinning in satisfaction as she witnessed everything.
My, my, Joan. Aren’t you supposed to be very capable? I’d like to see how you’re gonna get out of this
now!
Freya was hiding behind the crowd and watching the show.
“What are you waiting for? Take her away,” ordered the bald man impatiently.
“Wait!” shouted Delilah all of a sudden.
“Who said you’re allowed to take her away?” asked Delilah as she glared at the man in front of her.
The bald man turned around and scanned Delilah from head to toe. His eyes shone with disrespect as
he threw her a discriminating look before he prepared to leave.
“What? Are you the uncouth bastard of a wh*re? Didn’t your parents teach you basic moral principles?”
insulted Delilah loudly.
Those words got everyone in the area flabbergasted.
Everyone knew that despite being comparatively unknown, Delilah was still a respected figure in the
village.
“You think you can intimidate me? You are nothing but an old hag!” growled the bald man before he
spat on the floor.
What a disrespectful man! Delilah was instantly infuriated.
“I promise that you meet your demise today if you take her away,” threatened Delilah confidently.
Joan was stunned while the spectators gasped.
Delilah rarely stood up to fight, but when she did, all hell would break loose.
The bald man turned to Delilah and scoffed as he walked toward her. Despite his menacing aura and
his cold glare, Delilah remained unfazed. She even lifted her chin with a domineering expression.
Chapter 1896 The Secret Weapon Of Delilah Young
This old hag has the guts to go against me in the open?
The bald man circled Delilah a few times before taunting, “What are you going to do? Kill me? You
really are funny, you old hag. How old are you? Seventy? Eighty? You can’t even walk properly
anymore.”
Delilah did not respond to his insults. Instead, she got her phone out and dialed a number.
“I have a bit of a situation here,” said Delilah. Her conversation lasted less than two minutes.
When the bald man saw how confident Delilah was, he grew curious and wanted to know just how
much trouble an elderly woman like her could be.
Freya, who was hiding in the corner, started panicking because she had no idea who Delilah called
earlier.
Bang! Someone kicked the door to the restaurant down.
Over ten men walked over to Delilah respectfully.
“Caspian?” blurted Joan in astonishment.
“Ms. Young, Joan,” greeted Caspian. He then went for the bald man right away.
Instantly, the bald man was overcome with fear.
It turned out that Larry was so renowned that everyone knew his bodyguard, Caspian, as well.
“Who’s trying to kidnap my boss’ wife?” demanded Caspian.
Everyone turned quiet as no one dared to speak up or answer his question.
The bald man’s subordinates who were holding Joan’s arms let go of her immediately before turning to
him for his help. Unfortunately, most would choose to protect only themselves when in danger.
“Err… this is just a misunderstanding. My men were too dumb to understand my orders. I-I’ll teach
them a lesson as soon as we get back,” answered the bald man to break the silence.
The spectators scoffed. He’s blatantly lying!
“Is that so?” questioned Caspian. He turned around and slowly approached the man’s subordinates.
His gaze was as ferocious as that of a wild animal while he cracked his knuckles.
The subordinates were so scared that they trembled uncontrollably.
“No, that is not true. It’s his fault! He told us to grab the girl!” said one of the men before he and the
others pointed at the bald man in unison.
At a loss for words, the bald man scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
Delilah seemed especially displeased when she saw everything playing out in front of her. We’re lucky
that Larry sent Caspian over to keep us safe in case anything happened.
“Take him away,” ordered Caspian. The men standing beside the entrance walked over to the bald man
immediately.
“No, wait. I didn’t do it on purpose. I didn’t know that she’s Mr. Norton’s wife. Please let me go just this
once,” begged the bald man, who suddenly knelt down in front of Caspian.
Right then, Joan stepped up and spoke to Caspian, who then nodded in response.
“Fine, I will let you go this one time, and only because Joan spoke on your behalf. If you ever try
something like that again, I will kill you, regardless of who you’re going after!” Caspian threatened.
Without wasting a second, the bald man and his subordinates rushed out of the restaurant as quickly
as they could.
The spectators dispersed as well, and the only ones left were Delilah, Joan, and Caspian. Someone
had already taken Lucius to the clinic by then.
“Caspian, what are you doing here?” asked Joan as she tapped the man’s shoulder.
“Mr. Norton asked him to come over,” replied Delilah nonchalantly.
“Seriously, Joan, just how many people are after you? They’re bullying you all the way from the big city
to the small village,” teased Caspian. “Larry called me just before he went back to the office. He asked
me to keep you safe and gave me Ms. Young’s number.”
Joan suddenly felt all warm and fuzzy. Larry is so attentive and caring.
But this incident is just a coincidence, right?
“Alright, everything’s fine now. Thank you for dropping by. By the way, is Larry alright? I noticed that
you called him a few times earlier on,” Joan asked while looking at Caspian worriedly.
He hesitated for a moment. Given Joan’s reaction, it is likely that she doesn’t know what Larry is doing.
“He’s fine. What could faze Larry Norton anyway? Come on, let me take both of you home,” Caspian
changed the topic right away.
“No, let’s go to the clinic. Lucius is there,” reminded Delilah.
Chapter 1897 Witness
Upon hearing that, Joan jolted into action, dashing to Caspian’s car right away.
“Hurry up, Caspian. Why are you still standing there? My son is hurt! We have to hurry!” Joan shrieked.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Joan checked her phone before picking the call up.
“Are you home yet? Is everything alright?” asked Larry in a worried tone.
It was obvious that he didn’t know what had happened in the restaurant.
“Yeah, it’s all good. We just finished our meal, so we are heading home now…”
“How is my son?” asked Joan nervously while staring at the kid in front of her.
Lucius, whose eyes were closed, was lying on the bed with dried blood at the corner of his lips.
When he saw the injured kid, Caspian’s eyes burned with fury.
“Joan, what happened?” asked Caspian with his fists clenched, guilt washing over his heart.
Larry had instructed him to take care of all three of them. Yet, the kid is injured. How the f*ck am I going
to explain myself to Larry?
“Your son needs to be transferred to a better hospital. It’d be best if he could do a full body checkup.
Mr. Norton sent his men over some time ago, and they gave us some equipment, but our facilities are
still limited,” replied the doctor calmly.
Joan’s heart ached when she saw the terrible shape the boy was in.
This is all my fault! Joan knocked herself on the head as hard as she could.
“Calm down, Joan. Let’s take the kid to the hospital,” said Caspian while patting the woman’s shoulder
to comfort her.
After Joan nodded in agreement, Caspian picked the kid up and ran to his car.
“Don’t tell Larry about this just yet, Caspian. I know that he is busy with something important lately,”
instructed Joan.
“Understood,” replied Caspian while keeping his eyes on the road.
At that moment, dim lighting and soft music filled a café. It was already late into the night, so there
weren’t many customers there. Larry sat in a rather noticeable spot inside the café as he waited for the
other party’s arrival.
It took some time before a man in a black cap finally showed up in front of Larry.
“Hello, are you Mr. Norton?” asked the man.
Larry stood up slowly to examine the man in front of him.
The man had a scar on his face, which made him stand out among the crowd.
“Yes, I am. Have a seat,” replied Larry calmly.
“Did you bring the money?” asked the man right away.
Looks like he is in dire need of cash. Larry sipped some coffee and stared out the window.
“No.”
The man lost his temper instantly, and he sprang to feet while growling, “You tricked me!”
Larry merely sneered.
I had to rush over from the restaurant in the village, so how could I have the cash with me?
“Calm down. I wasn’t in the city when I got the call and had to rush over from somewhere else. That’s
why I don’t have the money with me,” explained Larry.
“Then why the f*ck did you come and meet with me?” the man bellowed as he suppressed the swirling
emotions within him, trying not to attract any attention to himself.
With a grin, Larry signaled the man to have a seat so that they could have a proper chat.
“I am a businessman, so naturally, my guard is always up. How can I be certain that you’re the culprit
who caused the incident all those years ago?”
“I am,” replied the man eagerly.
Then, he quickly added, “No, I don’t mean that I am the culprit. I’m saying that I am the witness who
saw the entire incident and caught a glimpse of the real culprit.”
The man never actually admitted to being the culprit, but Larry didn’t think that the man was just a
bystander who happened to be in the right place at the right time either. Hence, Larry asked that
question to test the guy.
Looks like I found the criminal.
At that thought, Larry scoffed.
“How about this? Tell me what you saw in detail, and if your description is accurate, I will believe you,”
said Larry to mislead the guy.
The guy proceeded to recount everything about the incident all those years ago. He was focused and
engaged. Only someone who experienced this firsthand will react this intensely when recalling the
incident. Not even a witness could describe everything in such detail.
“So? How is it? Was I right?” challenged the man proudly as he looked at Larry.
Chapter 1898 Hospitalized
“Yes,” said Larry before he nodded.
Except you don’t have any evidence! That was the most troubling bit for Larry.
“When will I get my money?” demanded the man impatiently.
What a money-minded fellow. On the bright side, that makes him a good bait to catch the big fish.
“Mr. Norton, you should know that everything I said is just a small portion of what I know. There is so
much more information that I can share with you,” informed the man as he tapped his fingers on the
table.
Larry knew that there had to be a mastermind pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
“How about this? Leave your number with me. I will pay you tomorrow,” replied Larry as he shot a look
over at the man.
The man’s eyes instantly lit up.
“You’re very decisive, Mr. Norton,” praised the man while slamming the table in delight.
After leaving his contact details, the man adjusted his clothes and scanned his surroundings before
leaving. Larry’s lips curved into a grin as he watched the man with the black cap leaving.
Gabriella Ward, you had better not be the one behind all this or you’ll be doomed this time!
A menacing glint flashed past Larry’s eyes.
There was a saying that all businessmen were cunning and would get quotes from different suppliers
before deciding who they would cooperate with. Admittedly, there was some truth in that saying.
“What did you just say? You went to talk to Mr. Norton?” shouted Gabriella. Her mind was in disarray as
she sprang up instinctively.
“Well, you refused to pay me, so I had to find someone else,” dissed the man.
Bang! Gabriella landed a blow on the wall, and blood was dripping down her fingers.
“Abide by the rules if you want to continue working in this industry. Men like you should know all about
those unspoken rules,” growled Gabriella as her gaze turned cold.
As the man scoffed, his eyes were filled with distaste.
“Rules are made to be broken. Besides, our business deal concluded ages ago, and you have no right
to stop me from working with Mr. Norton now. If you have nothing else to say, I’m hanging up,” replied
the man.
The truth was, the man didn’t want to work with Larry either. If the latter were to discover the entire truth
of the incident, the former would also be in trouble. In fact, the man was only doing that to force
Gabriella’s hand and get her to pay him.
“Wait.” Gabriella finally caved, asking, “How much do you need?”
“Two million,” answered the man directly.
My luck has been in the dumps lately. I lost all my money gambling, and I’ve got debts to pay!
Clenching her fists, Gabriella exuded a menacing aura.
“What the hell? Do you take me as a charity organization? I may have made some money overseas,
but I worked hard for every single penny! They didn’t just fall from the sky, you know?” shouted
Gabriella.
If my family hadn’t chased me out, I wouldn’t have ended up in this wretched state!
Anxiety started welling up inside Gabriella’s heart.
“One and a half million,” countered the man. “I will not go any lower. We have no reason to work
together if you can’t even pay that.”
“Fine! Deal!” replied Gabriella hurriedly.
A wicked smile showed up on the man’s lips.
So she still has some money with her. I might be able to con even more out of her in the future. The
man grinned with amusement as a devious glint flashed past his eyes.
Gabriella hung up quickly before she grabbed her bag and headed to the ATM.
I have to get this done immediately, but if this happens again, I will kill that man!
Larry drove to the village as soon as he left the café.
What he didn’t know was that Joan and the others were already in the hospital in the city.
“How is my son?” asked Joan nervously while staring at the doctor.
“He’s fine, but he needs to rest. Don’t let him study first for the time being,” replied the doctor.
Delilah was starting to get anxious. Looks like the attack impacted his brain.
“Please follow me to collect his medicine,” instructed the doctor to Joan.
Joan nodded and quickly followed him out of the room.
“You’re his mother. How did you let a kid that young get hurt so badly? Don’t let him overexert his mind
for the time being, or there will be complications in the future,” reminded the doctor as he looked at
Joan solemnly.
Chapter 1899 Wounded
“What complications?” asked Joan, who was tearing up a little.
“From now on, he has to strike a balance between studying and playing. You must not let him overexert
his mind, or he will develop a headache. He’ll recover eventually if he rests up, though,” replied the
doctor.
Instantly, Joan’s eyes glazed over.
At that moment, Delilah was standing by the door. Although she couldn’t hear what the doctor said, she
could tell from Joan’s expression that things were bad.
“Mom! Don’t hurt my mom!” murmured Lucius as he shook his head with his eyes closed while lying on
the bed.
“Lucius, wake up. I’m right here,” Joan hurriedly comforted him.
“Mom!” blurted the kid. All of a sudden, his eyes flung open, and he sprang up but quickly fell back
down and closed his eyes.
He’s having another nightmare.
Joan held the kid’s hand tightly as regret and heartbreak filled her eyes.
“Ms. Young,” greeted Joan in a trembling voice.
Delilah walked to the young lady and gently stroked her hair before sighing aloud.
“It’s fine. He’ll recover,” said Delilah to offer some comfort.
Caspian’s eyes contained a hint of sorrow, seeing the scene before him.
“Hello, Caspian? What is going on? Didn’t I tell you to stay in the village? Why is the place empty?”
asked Larry anxiously.
Caspian hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to tell Larry everything. After all, the former had
asked the doctor about Lucius’ injuries, which turned out to be more serious than expected.
“What? At the hospital? Wait right there,” instructed Larry before he hung up and turned his steering
wheel to change course.
Everyone in the ward had their eyes on Lucius, and nobody knew what to say. All they could do was
wait for the kid to wake up.
Bang! Someone flung the door open.
“What happened?” demanded Larry, who dashed to the bed.
He caressed the boy’s hair and turned to his bodyguard, growling, “Caspian!”
“I-I arrived late, Larry,” replied Caspian with his head down.
Larry turned to the kid before he shifted his gaze to Joan and Delilah. Both ladies had reddened eyes,
and it was obvious that they were crying.
“Joan,” said Larry. He held her tightly to try to comfort her.
“This is all my fault. I’m the reason Lucius is so badly injured!” cried Joan, who was in Larry’s arms.
The agony Joan was in, the boy’s injury, the silence of the elderly woman… Everything was breaking
Larry’s heart.
“Calm down, Joan. Lucius will be fine. I’ll make sure of it,” promised Larry before he ran out of the
room.
“Doctor, please administer the best medicine and use the best facilities. You must heal that boy,”
requested Larry in a panic.
The doctor looked at the man standing in front of him, and the regal aura of the stranger told the doctor
that the man was someone important. Hence, the doctor hesitated for a moment before finally replying,
“There is a specialist who lives overseas. My recommendation is that you take the kid to him.”
“No problem!” replied Larry right away.
No matter where the doctor is, I will get him to treat Lucius even if it means exhausting my wealth!
Joan turned to her ringing phone, and her eyes lit up upon seeing the caller ID.
“Hi Joan, are you free tomorrow? Let’s meet up,” suggested Dustin.
“Yeah, I’m free. I need to talk to you, actually,” Joan quickly replied.
Hearing how anxious she was made Dustin feel uncomfortable.
“What is it? Did something happen to you?” asked Dustin immediately.
“I…” Joan choked up on her tears, but she tried to reel her emotions in.
Dustin’s eyes dimmed on the other end of the line. She is definitely crying! The man clenched his fists
tightly and prayed that he could hear Joan’s voice soon.
“Uh, let’s talk about it tomorrow,” added Joan before she hung up.
The busy tone from the phone stunned Dustin a little, and an uneasiness overcame him.
The next day, the morning sunrays seeped through the window and warmed the room up, but Joan still
felt like she was in a freezer. The child remained unconscious on the bed, and neither Delilah nor Joan
had a wink of sleep the night before. They had been staying guard beside Lucius the entire time while
Larry got in touch with the expert from overseas.
Chapter 1900 Can Dustin Help
“Mom, Grandma,” called out Lucius as he slowly opened his eyes.
“Lucius!”
Joan and Delilah yelped in surprise at the same time.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry. After all, I’m a boy,” Lucius comforted them while forcing out a smile.
Hearing that, Joan couldn’t hold it in anymore. She buried her head in the bed and sobbed.
“Don’t cry, Mom. See? I’m fine,” said Lucius. He reached out to stroke Joan’s hair gently.
Joan quickly wiped her tears away and forced out a smile before she turned to the kid on the bed.
“You must be famished, Lucius. What would you like to have? I’ll cook for you,” Joan said softly.
“I want the meatloaf you and Grandma make,” replied Lucius weakly.
“Okay, no problem.” Joan quickly nodded.
When Larry arrived at the hospital, he had the doctor reassign Lucius to the VIP room.
That room had amazing facilities, and one could cook and do laundry in there. In fact, it was not that
much different from a house.
Lucius rested on the bed as he watched Joan and Delilah busying away. A faint grin popped up on his
lips.
“Where’s Dad?” asked Lucius all of a sudden.
“I’m here, Lucius. How are you feeling?” asked Larry, who suddenly entered the room.
“I’m fine, Dad,” replied Lucius with a smile.
Tears welled up in Joan’s eyes once more when she saw that there were still traces of blood at the
corner of the child’s lips.
Lucius has always been so stubborn. He refuses to admit it even when he is in pain. That was why
Joan had always treasured him.
Larry sat beside the bed and chatted with the kid while Joan and Delilah prepared the meatloaf at the
side.
That was the life Lucius had always wanted—being with his parents and grandmother. He wished for
nothing more than everyone living together blissfully.
“Come now. The meatloaf is ready,” announced Joan. She was quick to place a serving right in front of
Lucius.
“Can we eat together?” asked Lucius eagerly as he stared at the three of them.
“Yeah, let’s eat together,” replied Larry, who went and got himself a serving as well.
The three adults sat beside Lucius and ate away. The atmosphere was so joyous that it was as though
they weren’t in the hospital but at home instead.
Later on, Joan seemed a little uneasy as she waited in the corner of a restaurant with dim lighting.
“Joan, what got you here so early?” asked Dustin in puzzlement as he stared at the woman in front of
him.
“Oh, I’m free today, so I came earlier,” replied Joan while grinning awkwardly.
Dustin could tell exactly how Joan was feeling at that moment.
“Joan, if you trust me, feel free to share your problem with me,” said Dustin with a sincere look on his
face.
He noticed her dark eye circles and pale face, and he would never believe it even if she said that she
was fine.
“Then I’ll be frank with you, Dustin. Someone gave Lucius a hard slap earlier, which damaged his brain.
According to the doctor, all we can do now is let him recuperate,” replied Joan.
Dustin learned all about Joan’s life in the village from Nancy, so he knew just how important Lucius was
to Joan.
“How about this? I’ll go examine him now, and if things really are out of hand, we’ll take him overseas
to receive treatment,” suggested Dustin determinedly.
Joan instantly sighed a breath of relief upon seeing Dustin’s serious and worried expression.
As a doctor himself, he definitely knows a lot of good local doctors as well as international ones. So he
should be able to help, right? Clenching her fists, Joan’s eyes shone with anticipation when she looked
at Dustin.
The two of them arrived at the hospital soon after.
Dustin went to talk to Lucius’ doctor right away to better understand the boy’s condition. As expected,
the local medical equipment and resources were limited, so they had difficulty treating Lucius. Dustin
fished his phone out of his pocket right away and made a call.
Half an hour later, when he went to the boy’s room, a hint of sadness crept up on his face upon seeing
the tiny figure on the bed.
“Ms. Young,” greeted Dustin.
Previously, Dustin met Delilah when Larry was injured and hospitalized, so they were familiar to each
other.
“Dustin, you’re here,” said Delilah in a frail voice.