Ch. 431..440
Chapter 431
“It’s fine! Go for it, Vivian! You can do this!” Pulling open the washroom door, Vivian encouraged herself
in her heart.
When she went to the bedroom, Finnick had done washing up and was reading through the documents
on the bed, totally oblivious to Vivian’s presence in the room.
Seeing that Finnick wasn’t looking at her, Vivian wanted to flee, but she halted in her tracks when she
thought of what she had done to get to this. With her cheeks turning red, she forced herself to ask,
“Finnick, d-do you want some water?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Finnick replied without lifting his head to look at her.
Vivian heaved a sigh and took a glass. Glancing back as she walked to the water dispenser, Finnick’s
gaze was still glued to the documents. She hesitated for a while and turned around. “Do you want it
warm or cold?”
Upon hearing that, Finnick furrowed his brows slightly. Isn’t this obvious? I’ve always preferred warm
water. There’s no way she wouldn’t know since we’ve been living together for such a long time. Plus,
she has never asked me about this before.
Puzzled by her question, Finnick finally raised his head to look at her.
Upon seeing her in that revealing lingerie, Finnick was lost in a daze, and a burning passion rose within
him as his eyes gleamed.
After staring at the woman without saying a word, he answered, “Warm.” His hoarse and rich tone was
bewitching. Vivian felt her body burning up from Finnick’s stares and his voice.
“Alright.” Her voice trembled as she walked toward the man slowly.
The revealing lingerie Vivian wore was ethereal on her, showing her perfect body. The tight-fitting
design only accentuated her curves, while her fair legs were partially visible under the light material.
Looking at the sexy woman walking toward him, Finnick felt his throat went dry and was sweating
profusely.
“Here.” Vivian handed the glass to Finnick when she was at the bedside. Lowering her head, she
averted her gaze, as she was way too shy to look at the man in his eyes.
Finnick didn’t take the glass over and only stare at her.
Placing the glass aside, the woman gulped as she was nervous, while Finnick’s burning gaze fixated
on her body. In Finnick’s eyes, she only appeared more enchanting. Pulling her into his arms, he
pinned her down on the bed and kissed her lips.
The beautiful sight in front of him and the smooth touch of her body made him lose all control, and he
was both impatient and passionate with his movements.
Instead of being embarrassed, Vivian responded to him passionately, while she felt happy in her heart.
It seems I was wrong for jumping to conclusion.
Wrapping her arms around Finnick’s back, she hugged the man she loved tightly, reluctant to let him
go.
Finnick raised his head to look at her. The few strands of hair drenched from sweat were hanging
loosely on his face. And this only made him look wild and manly.
“Finnick…” Vivian’s heart fluttered while his name escaped her mouth uncontrollably.
Tempted by the woman’s alluring appearance below him, he scattered his kisses downward from her
mouth to her neck. Nibbling on her neck, he left a few hickeys to mark her as his woman.
Suddenly, Finnick’s movement came to a halt as he saw the scar below her collarbone.
Although Vivian’s injuries had recovered, scars were left on her body. Seeing this, the image of her
clothes being torn away by the four men surfaced in his mind.
The heat on his body quickly faded away as a flurry of coldness gushed over him while Vivian’s pleas
for help resounded in his ears. “Save me… Finnick, please!”
“Finnick, what’s wrong?” Noticing Finnick’s tense expression and cold eyes, Vivian was confused.
The woman’s voice pulled him out of his daze. With her misty gazes, her body was rosy, and she
looked enchanting. However, the man didn’t feel like continuing.
Guilt and remorse flashed across his eyes as he flipped over and took her into his arms. After adjusting
the blanket, he patted Vivian’s back gently and said, “Let’s sleep. I’m tired today.”
Chapter 432
How can that happen? She felt it for sure. Finnick wanted to do it. Looking at Finnick shutting his eyes,
Vivian wanted to ask him, but she wasn’t bold enough to do so.
She leaned on the man’s chest while her eyes reddened with tears. I’ve taken the initiative, but why?
Does he really not want to sleep with me?
A man was nice to a woman if he didn’t overstep the boundaries, but how about a husband behaving
this way toward his wife?
Maybe Finnick was tired just like how he said as he soon drifted off to sleep.
Breaking from his embrace gently, Vivian turned her back on him while her tears streamed down her
cheeks.
In her mind, she told herself over and over again. Finnick still loves me. He’s not an unfaithful person.
Maybe he’s just tired from work. However, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, she failed,
as she felt hurt inside. Biting her lip, tears kept on rolling down, wetting her pillow.
She had trouble putting away her sorrow and getting any sleep, so she woke up at daybreak. After
washing up, she slapped herself across the face to pull herself together.
When she returned to the bedroom, Finnick was still sound asleep. Resisting the urge to cry, Vivian
turned around and went to the kitchen downstairs.
No matter what… Let’s prepare breakfast for him. He has to go to work, anyway.
When Finnick woke up, he was alone on the bed. Recalling about what happened last night, a sharp
pain rose in his heart.
I know… What I did may have hurt her. She has been hinting at me. Not to mention, she even wore the
lingerie I’ve never seen her wear before last night.
However, I can’t bring myself to continue after remembering the video Mark showed me. I must admit
that it has traumatized me deeply. Shaking his head, he shook off those images from his mind and
went to the washroom.
By the time Finnick went downstairs, his breakfast was served on the table.
“You’re up,” Vivian greeted him indifferently.
“Yeah.” Finnick didn’t know what else to say when he saw the woman was busy in the kitchen with her
back facing him.
“Let’s eat.” After placing the cutlery on the table, Vivian sat down and ate her food without saying a
word. Upon seeing that, Finnick could only follow her and sat at the table.
Both of them couldn’t let go of what happened last night. Silence ensued as they continued eating their
food, and awkwardness filled the air.
Beep! Beep!
Suddenly, Finnick’s phone rang. Taking over his phone, it was an incoming call from Samuel.
“Hello, Grandpa. What’s the matter?” Finnick hurriedly answered the call, as he suspected something
must be up, or else his grandfather would not call him early in the morning.
“Finnick, why are the clients’ information leaked?” Samuel sounded anxious.
“Grandpa, I…” Finnick didn’t know how to explain it to him.
The old man urged, “Forget it. Come to the Norton Corporation now. We’re going to hold an emergency
meeting with the board of directors. I’ll tell you about the details after you arrive.”
“Okay. I understand, grandpa. I’ll be there in a minute.” Listening to Samuel’s anxious tone, Finnick
knew something big was up, and Mark must be the one behind all this.
After hanging up, Finnick turned to Vivian and said in a rushed tone, “Grandpa asks me to go to the
Norton Corporation for a meeting now, so eat first. I’ll be off now.”
“Okay,” Vivian replied briefly, and didn’t lift her head, nor did she inquire any further.
Looking at the gloomy woman, Finnick knew she was mad about last night, but he didn’t know how to
explain it to her. He couldn’t possibly tell her the truth, as he didn’t want her to recall those painful
memories.
Chapter 433
innick could only remind Vivian to rest at home, while the latter only nodded in response. She was
indifferent.
Seeing her response, Finnick sighed in his mind before leaving the house and rushing to the Norton
Corporation.
The woman turned to look at his back and the food on the table. Lifting her head, she stared blankly at
the ceiling and blinked twice before finishing up her food. She found it hard to enjoy the dishes, as they
were bland and tasteless.
Meanwhile, Finnick finally arrived at the Norton Corporation. As expected, Mark had gathered the
board of directors in the meeting room.
Seeing his arrival, Mark scoffed silently in his mind. Finnick, I’ll take all your shares of the Norton
Corporation this time.
Samuel looked at Finnick with a worried expression, and he felt like saying something. However,
Finnick glanced at him, assuring him it would be fine.
Sitting down in his seat, Finnick said nothing and waited for them to bombard him with questions.
On the way to the company, Finnick had figured everything out. Mark won’t let go of this opportunity to
go after my shares.
Isn’t this why Mark kidnapped Vivian? To get the shares of the Norton Corporation. Finnick smiled
coldly when he thought about it. If he thinks he can beat me so easily, he’s terribly mistaken.
Soon, Mark finally spoke, “Alright. Since everyone’s here, let us discuss the main issues of the meeting
today.”
With that, he looked at Finnick with delight and a smug on his face. “Finnick, I bet you know why we’re
having this meeting right now.”
Everyone looked in the direction Mark was looking and saw Finnick crossed his fingers after placing his
arms on the table. He was wearing a calm expression as he said, “I’m eager to hear more.”
Humph! How persistent! Mark’s gaze grew hostile, and he spoke, “I bet everyone had heard about how
Finnor Group has leaked the clients’ information.”
Upon hearing this, the room was filled with chatters and discussion. Some time ago, the matter spread
like wildfire and caused uproars in the city. Who wouldn’t know about this? All of a sudden, Finnick
became the center of attention in the room.
Satisfied with their reaction, Mark continued to ask, “I would like to ask you a question, Finnick. How
are we supposed to trust you, given how you have even leaked the clients’ information?”
“So?” Folding his arms, Finnick leaned on his chair and asked in return.
Seeing his reaction, one of the directors, who had always supported Mark, stood up and slammed the
table. He pointed at Finnick and scolded, “Finnick, you can’t even handle your own company well. What
rights do you have to manage the Norton Corporation? I suggest you hand over your shares.”
Nice! Mark was delighted with what the director said. As expected from someone I promoted. He
knows what I wanted.
All he needed was someone to voice his opinion first. Growing restless, everyone joined it and stood
against Finnick.
“That’s right! Finnick, how do we trust you now?”
“Who knows if the confidential information of the Norton Corporation will be leaked one day?”
“I think you should hand over your shares, Finnick.”
“We support Mark to take charge of the Norton Corporation.”
Actually, Mark had bribed the directors into supporting him, promising them some benefits and what
not. This was why everyone was siding with him and crusading against Finnick in unison.
Although Samuel was angry with the directors for going against Finnick, he didn’t do anything as what
they said made sense. Finnick had made mistakes, so losing their trust was expected.
Seeing how everyone was demanding him to hand over his shares, anger flashed across Finnick’s
eyes while he wore a grim expression. Mark must be the one orchestrating the show. There’s none
other than him who will benefit from this.
Chapter 434
It seems you’ve put in a lot of effort to convince every director to oppose me. Very well. But Mark, you’ll
be disappointed with how it turns out in the end. Finnick thought about it and smirked.
After the noise died down, Finnick looked at them and scoffed, “So you guys are saying that whoever
made mistakes should not hold the shares of the Norton Corporation?”
“Of course.” Hearing what Finnick said, Mark immediately added, “Every one of us will suffer if such a
deadly problem arises in the company’s management. You’ve made a grave mistake, so how are we
supposed to leave the Norton Corporation to you?”
“Right. We will never agree to that.”
“We hereby disagree with Finnick to hold a majority of the shares.”
“Mr. Norton’s right. Operation is a big problem, so we have to let someone else take charge of the
Norton Corporation.”
Everyone supported Mark’s statement.
Finnick smirked and stared at Mark mockingly. A foreboding feeling suddenly rose within the latter
when he noticed Finnick’s expression.
“If that’s how it is…” Finnick took his phone and tossed it on the table before continuing his sentence,
“Please take a look at the latest news.”
What does he mean? The latest news? Everyone was confused by Finnick’s actions and the words he
said.
His phone slid across the table and stopped in front of one of the directors. Driven by curiosity, he
looked at the screen, and his expression changed immediately. “How can this be?”
Seeing how he reacted, everyone was curious about what he saw.
“What’s wrong?” Mark asked with an uneasy look plastered on his face. He finally got the chance to get
rid of Finnick so he couldn’t afford any mishap on his account.
“Mr. Mark, please look at this.” The director got up and walked toward Mark before handing him the
phone.
Looking at the screen, Mark’s expression turned solemn.
Everyone took out their phones and searched for the latest news about Norton Corporation. When they
saw the results, their expression darkened.
The search results were news headlines about the excessive additives in the food products of the
companies under Norton Corporation, and the consumers were demanding an explanation from Norton
Corporation. The food products were deemed to be a threat to health, so a thorough investigation
would be carried out.
Pressing the link of the news with a stern expression, everyone finally knew what happened. Turned
out, the food companies under Mark’s management had been exposed to adding excessive food
additives into their food products.
A few influential media had published the news on their page, and the Norton Corporation had become
the hot topic while their reputation was destroyed.
The consumers were repulsed by this matter, so they were verbally attacking the Norton Corporation
on the internet without restraint.
Do they not care about our health? Who should be responsible for the mismanagement? I think they
should be charged with murder.
Punish them until they go bankrupt! Let’s see if they dare to do something as heartless as this again!
What is the authority doing? Will the laws in our country ensure the rightful punishment? We need food
safety!
I hope the Norton Corporation will handle this properly. Compensation should be given to those victims,
while those responsible for this should be punished.
Reading the negative comments, Mark and the directors in the room were flustered. It was a fact that it
would be difficult to earn the consumers’ trust once they had doubts about the food safety of their
products.
If this matter wasn’t solved, not only would those food companies under Mark’s management shut
down, but it would also destroy Norton Corporation’s reputation.
“Is everybody clear now?” Finnick scanned the room. Hearing his words, everyone exchanged glances,
as they didn’t know what to do, and they had lost the motivation to confront Finnick.
Chapter 435
Finnick snorted in his heart when silence ensued in the room as everyone had a solemn expression
plastered on their faces. Why aren’t you guys saying anything now? Weren’t you guys so much into
confronting me just now?
He turned to look at Mark and said, “How are you going to explain this to everyone here?”
Glaring at Finnick with hostility, Mark was rendered speechless, as he didn’t see this coming. The
matter was exposed so suddenly that he had no time to come up with an explanation.
Sensing something was amiss, Samuel took the phone from the director beside him and looked at the
context.
Infuriated, he slammed the table. “Mark, what the hell’s going on? I’ve reminded you, again and again,
to be extra careful with food safety. Looks like you’ve been ignoring my words.”
“Grandpa, I remembered everything you said, and I only knew about this just now.” He hurriedly got up
and explained, “I’ll look into it now. They kept me in the dark and did as they please.”
“There’s no use in doing that now. It’s already on the news!” Elder Mr. Norton’s face turned red from
anger as he lashed out at Mark.
The latter was embarrassed, as he was reprimanded in front of so many people. However, he could
only choose his words carefully not to anger his grandfather any further. “Yes, grandpa. Don’t worry. I’ll
settle everything.”
Right at that moment, Finnick saw Mark’s assistant hovering anxiously outside the meeting room and
scrutinizing the situation in the room now and then.
Finnick scoffed in his heart and said, “Come in.”
The assistant knew that going into the room now would only make things worse, but he couldn’t afford
to show any disrespect to Finnick, so he could only enter the room.
When he was about to whisper in Mark’s ear, Samuel was enraged at the sight of this and he snapped,
“Why? What is there to keep as a secret from me?”
“That’s not it, Mr. Norton. Its… Its…” The assistant was scared out of his wits that he started stuttering
on his words. After glancing at Mark, he steeled himself and said, “Mr. Cole, who is in charge of Pristine
Food has requested to meet with Mr. Mark, saying that he had some matters to report.”
Samuel pointed at Mark and scolded, “Humph! Look at what you’ve done! Ask him to come in now.”
“Yes,” the assistant hurriedly left the meeting room after he received the orders from Samuel.
Soon, a bald, potbellied middle-aged man walked into the room. His voice sounded across the room
before they could see him. “Oh no! Mr. Norton, you’ll have to…”
When he saw everyone in the room, he immediately paused.
Holy… Why are there so many directors here? Even the chairman is here! Could it be that they know
that the company I’m in charge of is under investigation? Are they here to confront me?
Sweat broke out from the man’s forehead at the thought of this. It seems like I am losing my job soon.
“Tell me what exactly happened,” Samuel shouted.
Hearing the chairman’s words, the man shivered in fear as he replied, “Mr. Norton, the officers from the
Food Security Bureau were at the factory. They asked us to stop operating and cooperate with the
investigation. I have no choice, but to…”
Mark’s expression turned unsightly as he glared at the man.
How incompetent! Why are you here now? You’re just adding fuel to the flame!
The bald man’s legs started trembling as he was terrified by Mark’s glare. I’m doomed! This will be the
end of me.
“You guys only give me trouble!” Samuel was so angry that he couldn’t hold back his fury. “What are
you waiting for? Settle it now!”
“Yes, grandpa.” With that, Mark walked out of the room with a dark expression.
“Wait.” Seeing that Mark was about to leave, Finnick said, “Mark, didn’t you say whoever that
blundered will lose the rights to hold the shares of the Norton Corporation? Given how things are now,
shouldn’t you hand over your shares?”
Chapter 436
“Finnick! You…” Mark pointed at Finnick in anger, but he couldn’t say anything to refute him. If I don’t
let him go now, I’ll be dragged down too.
Recalling the words he said just now, Mark was so embarrassed that his face started heating up while
his hatred against Finnick deepened.
There’s no way this is a coincidence. I’ve just gathered the directors to confront him, and then those
news were exposed to my disadvantage. Finnick must be behind this.
However, no matter how unwilling he was, he could only let Finnick go.
“That’s enough!” Samuel growled, “Is this really a time to argue? We need to stop the news
immediately.”
“I understand, grandpa. I’ll work on it now.” After glaring at Finnick in hatred, Mark left the room quickly.
Watching Mark leaving the room, the directors had lost their main pillar so they couldn’t gang up on
Finnick now.
Recalling how they were picking on the latter, their heart started racing.
“Meeting dismissed! Leave now.” Samuel waved his hand dismissively at the directors.
Heaving a sigh of relief, they quickly back out from the meeting room.
“Grandpa, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave, as there are many matters to settle at the
company.” Looking at the empty room, Finnick bade goodbye to his grandfather.
However, Samuel stopped him from leaving. “Wait. Don’t leave first. I have some matters to discuss
with you.”
“Okay.” Finnick was confused, as he couldn’t guess what Samuel was about to tell him. Noah was
waiting outside the meeting room. Finnick called out to him and went to Samuel’s office with him.
Sitting on the couch, Finnick asked, “Grandpa, is anything the matter?”
“I heard Vivian was kidnapped recently. What happened? How is she now?” Samuel’s expression was
serious as he looked at his grandson.
Upon hearing his words, Finnick’s expression turned grim. After pausing for a moment, he said, “Don’t
worry, grandpa. Vivian’s fine now.”
“Who’s the culprit?” Samuel gritted his teeth. Who dares to kidnap my granddaughter-in-law? Are you
disregarding the Norton family?
Finnick didn’t answer his question. Instead, he pursed his lips as his eyes flickered with hatred.
Finnick grew up with Samuel, so the latter knew his grandson had found out about the culprit’s identity
by seeing his expression.
“Who is it?” Samuel’s anger was written all over his face. I’ll make that person suffer!
“It’s fine, grandpa. Vivian’s back home, and that’s all that matters.” Finnick didn’t wish to tell Samuel
that Mark was the one behind Vivian’s kidnap. The latter was old, so he didn’t want him to be
concerned about the fight between them.
Realizing how Finnick didn’t want to tell him the culprit’s identity, Samuel confirmed the one behind this
wasn’t someone common, and perhaps it was someone he knew.
“Who is it?” Samuel furrowed his brows as he stared at Finnick, while the latter only kept quiet.
“Fine!” Samuel turned to look at Noah, who was standing at the side and commanded, “Noah, you
looked into this matter, right? Now, tell me.”
The assistant looked at Finnick for help. He was put in a tight spot.
Samuel folded his arms and said, “Why? Are you disregarding me?”
“That’s not it, elder Mr. Norton. I… I…” Noah panicked, as he wasn’t sure if he should spill the truth.
Samuel insisted, “Then, tell me what happened!”
Glancing at Finnick, Noah couldn’t endure Samuel’s overbearing pressure any longer and he blurted,
“Mr. Mark was the one who kidnapped Mrs. Norton.”
“What?” Samuel jumped from his seat and widened his eyes in shock. “You’re saying that Mark
kidnapped Vivian?”
“Yes.” Wearing a grim expression, Noah nodded and continued, “Plus, he threatened Mr. Norton to
expose the clients’ information of every company under the Finnor Group.”
Chapter 437
“He did this, didn’t he?” The elder Mr. Norton angrily hurled a teacup away, fuming. “That rebellious
little sh*t of a son! He had the audacity to even demand that you hand over the shares? Of course,
nobody could refuse!”
“Calm down, Grandpa. It’s bad for your health.” Seeing that elder Mr. Norton was furious, Finnick
hurriedly moved to help the old man sit down.
“And you! Why didn’t you say anything earlier? If I hadn’t forced this out of Noah, for how long were you
planning on keeping this from me? Is that idiot even worth defending?” Finnick sighed inwardly. He was
not expecting to be yelled at in turn.
“Grandpa, I’m not protecting him. I…”
Finnick trailed off with an embarrassed look on his face. The gesture made the elder Mr. Norton realize
that the incident was no mere kidnapping. “What else are you hiding from me?”
“Well, I…” Finnick stopped, unsure of how to explain the situation. He then recalled the video clip he
saw the other day, which made a wave of fiery anger burn in his veins.
“Noah, explain!”
“This has to do with Mrs. Norton. I’m afraid I’m not really in a position to say.”
The elder Mr. Norton could not fathom why they were both so reluctant to speak. “What’s so hard? Are
you saying that kidnapping Vivian aside, Mark did other things to her?”
No sooner had the remark been said when elder Mr. Norton noticed that Finnick and Noah looked even
more uncomfortable. Was I right after all? Mark had actually laid a hand on Vivian?
With a sudden burst of rage, the elder Mr. Norton got up and kicked the coffee table in front of him,
sending all the exquisite tableware onto the ground in a loud shatter. The cups broke into tinier pieces
that reflected the sunlight that came through the window.
“That beast! Vivian is his sister-in-law, so how can he even do such a thing?”
“No, Sir, it’s not what you think!” Noah hurriedly interjected for fear of deepening the misunderstanding.
“He had contracted the help of four beggars, and they…”
“Alright, that’s enough!” The old man could really not bear to hear the rest of the sordid details from
Noah’s own mouth. Instead, he gripped the handles of his seat so tightly that the veins popped quite
visibly against his hands.
When he tried to get up again, the adrenaline in the elder Mr. Norton surged so much that he staggered
two steps backward and almost fell. Fortunately, a quick-thinking and nimble Noah was there to catch
him. The elderly man was promptly led to the sofa to rest.
“To think he’d actually do something like this, that little piece of sh*t.” The elderly Mr. Norton barely had
the strength to swear. All he could do was mutter weakly as his tired body remained motionless on the
sofa.
Meanwhile, Finnick was seated on the other end of the sofa with a grim expression on his face. He
fiddled with the buttons on his sleeves restlessly before moving onto the cushions. It took a while for
him to realize that he had accidentally clawed through the fabric. Immediately, cotton spilled out into his
hands, and he flicked it aside in annoyance.
Silence fell in the office that moment.
Back in the villa, Vivan was lounging in the living room after breakfast. The tv was on, but she was
barely paying attention. All she could think of was what happened last night.
The very idea that Finnick no longer liked her filled her with distress.
Just then, her thoughts were disturbed by the cheerful sound of her ringtone. Before she picked up,
Vivian noticed that it was the hospital where Rachel was admitted to. Fearing that something had
happened, Vivian hurriedly answered the call.
“Good morning. Are you Rachel William’s next of kin?” There was a solemnness to the doctor’s tone of
voice that made her scalp prickle with unease.
“Yes, I am her daughter.”
“Please come to the hospital right now. It concerns your mother, and it’s best-explained face to face.”
“Doctor, what’s wrong with my mother?” The news made it difficult for Vivian to hide the anxiety in her
voice.
“Let’s talk about it when you get here. I don’t think this is an appropriate conversation over the phone.”
“Alright, I’ll be on my way.”
After Vivian hung up, she hurriedly took a cab to the hospital and ran all the way towards the doctor’s
office.
The woman barely had any time to catch her breath as she stood at the doorway, gasping, “Doctor…
What’s wrong… with her?
Chapter 438
The doctor eyed the anxious Vivian and gestured at her to come inside. Solemnly, he sighed. “You
need to be mentally prepared for this. Your mother is diagnosed with leukemia.”
“What?” At the sound of the word “leukemia,” Vivian felt her mind go blank. How is this possible? How
can my mother be diagnosed with leukemia, of all things?
The doctor continued. “You should also know that your mother has been in poor health and that we
initially found that she had symptoms of anemia. Upon further examination, her test results indicated
that she had abnormal blood tissue. All this points to leukemia.”
“What should I do, doctor? Is my mother’s life in danger?” Vivian sent out a fervent prayer in silence,
hoping that Rachel would be alright.
“It’s hard to say, for now. But to treat this, we’ll need bone marrow from a matching donor.”
“Use mine!” said Vivian hurriedly. “I am her daughter, so my bone marrow should match hers!”
The doctor raised a hand to calm Vivian down. “You being a relative does not guarantee a match, but
since you are an immediate family member, the probability should be higher. However, you still need to
go for a physical examination and a DNA test.”
“I’ll do that right away.” The possibility of treatment gave Vivian a slight tinge of hope. “Please do
whatever you can to save her!”
“Please be assured that we will do everything we can.” The doctor turned away and signalled for a
nurse. “Jane, kindly escort this lady to the lab for a bone marrow compatibility test.”
After repeatedly thanking the doctor, Vivian then followed the nurse out of the office.
She was subjected to a series of numerous tests, from bloodwork to X-rays and a DNA test. Vivian
patiently endured the series of poking and prodding before it was finally over.
“Any news, doctor? Am I a compatible donor?” In a fit of nervousness, Vivian did not realize that she
had grasped her examiner by the arm and was shaking him vigorously.
The doctor gently shook off her hand tried to reassure Vivian. “It’ll be a while until the results are out, so
don’t worry. We’ll notify you the moment they’re ready. You must be patient.”
Vivian was a bit disappointed to know that she needed to wait. The fact that it was a life and death
situation made her even more impatient and worried.
“I appreciate you going through all the trouble.” Vivian forced a grateful smile at the doctor and took a
deep breath before leaving the examination room.
She then wandered along the corridor before she stumbled weakly onto a nearby seat. Soon enough,
tears began to fall. Wasn’t she just fine? Why would she suddenly be sick?
Her only hope now was that her bone marrow was a match to Rachel. There was no way Vivian would
lose Rachel again.
She pulled out some tissues from her purse to wipe away her tears. With a heavy heart, Vivian slowly
made her way towards Rachel’s ward.
When she arrived at the door, Vivian took a few deep breaths and steadied herself. She also rubbed
her eyes vigorously and tried to erase all traces of her crying.
Perhaps I should keep this from her for the time being and wait for the results. The last thing Vivian
wanted to do was frighten Rachel. If she accidentally upset her, Rachel could then become agitated,
and it would take a toll on her already declining health.
Vivian reached out and massaged her jaw, sore from the crying. Then, she tried her best to force a
smile. Any passer-by would have given her a look or two. They would probably wonder why this
woman’s smile could look worse than her crying.
When she had finally attained a suitable state of calm, Vivian pushed open the door to Rachel’s ward.
“Hey, Mom,” Vivian tried her best to seem like her usual, cheerful self. “How have you been feeling?
“Ah, you’re here!” Rachel was very happy to see her daughter. “It’s been a while since you visited.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. I’ve just been busy.” Vivian decided to omit any information about the kidnapping, lest
it worried Rachel.
Rachel reached out to hold Vivian’s hand. “I know you’re busy, darling. I wasn’t blaming you or
anything.”
Seeing the warm smile on her mother’s face, Vivian had to fight back the fierce urge to tear up. She
lowered her head to feign a cough before returning the smile. “Thanks, Mom. Have you been feeling
any better?”
Chapter 439
“I’m feeling so much better. In fact, I was about to give you a call!”
“Are you in any pain? Is everything okay?”
“I’m alright! You don’t have to worry about me.” Vivian’s anxiety touched Rachel’s heart as she stroked
her daughter’s cheek affectionately. “I wanted to ask you to help with the discharge procedures. I’ve
been in the hospital for so long that I’m going nuts.”
“Wait a minute!” Vivian was slightly agitated when she heard her mother’s intentions. However, she
quickly restrained herself to avoid drawing any suspicion. “But Mom, you’re not completely healed yet! I
think you should stay in for a bit longer until the doctors say that you can leave.”
“But I’m just fine! I think I can be discharged right now!” Rachel was definitely not eager to stay in the
hospital anymore.
Vivian bit her lip and tried to coax her mother again. “It’s just for a while longer, Mom. Please don’t
make me worry, okay?”
With that, Rachel had no choice but to agree.
After that, Vivian stayed a while longer to keep Rachel company. Rachel was certainly happy to have
her, as their chats drew cheerful laughter despite her condition. However, Vivian’s emotions threatened
to overwhelm her as time passed. With a hastily formed excuse of being busy with work, Vivian
decided to take her leave.
“Of course, darling. Don’t let me keep you.”
“Well, I’ll be off then!” With a smile and a wave, Vivian left the room. She was thankful that she left then,
for the tears had started pricking her eyes and blurring her vision.
Soon after, Rachel put a hand over her mouth to stop herself from crying out as she ran towards a
more private place away from the ward. On the bench, Vivian buried her face in her knees and cried to
her heart’s content, even though some strangers were starting to give her weird looks.
Back in the study, silence fell as the shock of Mark’s actions settled in. The elder Mr. Norton shot a
glance at Finnick but could not find the words to comfort the furious man.
The silence was broken by the sound of Finnick’s cell phone. He fished it out of his pocket and checked
the caller ID to find that it was Vivian calling.
He recalled the bout of awkwardness between himself and Vivian this morning but picked up
immediately on the third ring.
As soon as the call connected, Finnick heard Vivian’s sobbing coming from the other end of the line.
In a panic, Finnick hurriedly asked her what was wrong. “Please don’t cry, Vivian. Is everything okay?
What happened?”
“I-It’s… my m-mother…” Vivian was sobbing and could not speak coherently.
“Vivian, calm down and tell me everything. Slowly.” Finnick was just as anxious as she was but had to
maintain his composure if he wanted to get anything out of her. “What happened?”
Vivian took a deep breath before she spoke. “My mother is diagnosed with leukemia. What am I going
to do, Finnick?”
It was not too long ago that Vivian found out that she wasn’t Harvey’s biological daughter. In other
words, Rachel was the only relative she had. Why did God have to be so cruel and inflict this upon me
now?
Apart from Finnick, Vivian had nobody else to turn to. Granted, she was still angry at him over what
happened this morning. But Vivian realized how much she truly needed him and desperately wanted to
see him right away. Rachel aside, he was the closest companion she had.
Finnick, on the other hand, was shocked to the core at Vivian’s words. “Alright, Vivian. Tell me where
you are now, and I’ll come to get you right away.”
“A-at the h-hospital. Please hurry, F-Finnick. Won’t y-you?”
“It’s okay, don’t cry. I’m here for you. And I’ll be with you soon.” Finnick tried whatever he could to
soothe her through the phone. “Stay where you are. I’m on my way.”
Once Vivian gave him a response, Finnick hung up.
Finnick took a deep breath and stood up urgently. There was no hiding the nervousness in his voice.
“Grandpa, I need to go to the hospital right away. I’ll drop by later when I have the time.”
The elder Mr. Norton had overheard Vivian’s loud sobs. “What on earth happened? I’ve never heard
her cry like that!”
Chapter 440
“Vivian’s mother was diagnosed with leukemia, and she panicked for a bit. I’m going to get her now.”
“Leukemia? How?” The old man was shocked to hear the news. “How serious is it? What did the doctor
say?”
“I’m not sure. She wasn’t able to say much else because she was crying.”
“That poor child. After a shell-shocking revelation, God deals her a sh*tty hand again.” The elder Mr.
Norton waved Finnick off hurriedly. “Well, off with you. She’s all alone, and she’s probably panicked
herself half to death.”
“I’ll see you soon, Grandpa.” With that, Finnick strode out of the study with Noah in tow.
“Wait.” The elderly man seemed to recall something and caught Finnick right before he opened the
door.
“Grandpa, is there anything else you need?”
With a slightly sheepish glance at Finnick, the elder Mr. Norton bade Noah leave the room beforehand.
Noah nodded in understanding and went downstairs to wait instead.
Finnick gave the old man a puzzled look. What is Grandpa up to? What is it that Noah can’t hear?
The elder Mr. Norton hesitated briefly before speaking. “I think you and Vivian should be a bit more…
mindful, given the current circumstances. A pregnancy is the last thing you both need in the face of
something like this.”
Finnick noticed that the old man had a faint blush on his cheeks. Samuel Norton was truthfully quite
embarrassed at needing to discuss this with someone younger. But how could he refrain when Vivian
had already gone through so much? The poor child could never seem to catch a break.
The warning had made a mess of Finnick’s emotions. He clenched his fists as he recalled the
unwelcome image of the four men humiliating Vivian and her loud pleas for help.
Finnick knew that the incident would scar him for life at this rate. Every time he thought of this, he felt
his heart break. How would he ever forget?
Sensing the anger that Finnick emanated, the elderly man sighed. These kids have really gotten the
short end of the stick.
With some difficulty, Finnick closed his eyes and tried to will the images away. “I understand.”
The elder Mr. Norton hummed in response and patted Finnick on the shoulder. “Well, don’t let me keep
you. Vivian is waiting. Also, remember to be nicer to her in the future.”
“I will.” Finnick made the solemn declaration that he would treasure Vivian for the rest of his life as the
old man mouthed his approval.
With a final nod towards the elder Mr. Norton, Finnick turned on his heel and walked towards the
elevator.
When Finnick got downstairs, he found Noah waiting by the car with the door open. The pair then
travelled to the hospital at breakneck speed.
Finnick rushed all the way to Rachel’s ward when a sobbing figure caught his eye. He turned around
and wondered if that was actually Vivian.
As he stopped to take a closer look, he then breathed a slight sigh of relief when saw that it was
actually her.
Vivian had been so grief-stricken that it took her a while to realize that someone had approached her
from the front.
She finally looked up at the fuzzy figure squatting in front of her, but the tears came out more fiercely
than before.
With a loud wail, she flung herself into Finnick’s arms as if she’d finally found an anchor.
Finnick held Vivian tightly in his arms as he caressed her back soothingly. “It’s okay, I’m here.
Everything will be alright, don’t cry.”
Vivian could only cry harder as she heard Finnick’s gentle voice. “What should I do, Finnick? The
doctor said that I might be a possible donor, but what if it doesn’t match? What if I can’t save my own
mother?”
“You still have me, don’t you?” murmured Finnick gently. “Believe me. We’ll go through this together.
Everything will be alright.
“If yours does not match, then we’ll find a donor who does. Even if we have to go abroad. There are so
many people in the world! It would be impossible not to find a match. Don’t worry. I’ll do everything in
my power to save your mother, so please calm down, alright?”