Ch. 2011..2020

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2011 -After setting up everything, the doctor glanced at Lily. However, it was only brief, without speaking. His gaze seemed to signal her over, but she stayed still since he said nothing. Lily wanted to see what they were up to.

"Ms. Christian, please come and have a seat here," one guard said.

Lily glanced at him and asked, "What will you do?"

"Please don't be nervous. It's just a routine health check-up for you," the person replied.

Lily squinted, sensing it would not be anything good. She directly refused, "My health is fine. I don't need any check-ups!"

‘Why would they suddenly want to examine me? Who knows what their intentions are?”

"Ms. Christian, this is for your benefit. If you don't consider yourself, at least think about your unborn child," the person continued, "Please rest assured. It's a typical health check-up, nothing more.

“However, if you continue being stubborn, we must take extreme measures. At that point, we can't guarantee you won't get hurt."

There was an evident threat in the guard’s words. Lily thought for a moment while looking at the numerous people around her. Even if she fought back, she would not necessarily win and would gain nothing from it.

‘Can I escape from this place if I somehow manage to take everyone down? Unlikely!’

After considering her options, she walked over and sat at the table.

One of the nurses said, "Please roll up your sleeve and expose your arm. We need to draw blood for the examination.”

Lily squinted and asked, "Draw blood?"

"Now that you're in the late stages of pregnancy, your due date is approaching. So, it's necessary to conduct a check-up for your well-being," the doctor said softly, lowering his gaze.

She gave him a deep look but didn't say anything. However, she cooperated by extending her arm and slowly rolling up her sleeve.

Lily exposed her smooth and fair arm, and the nurse quickly approached. The nurse tied a tourniquet and disinfected the area, following the necessary procedures.

Lily remained seated, quietly observing their actions. The doctor did not lift his gaze throughout the entire process. His eyes remained lowered as he worked.

The nurse drew blood from Lily and measured her heartbeat and blood pressure, seemingly performing only the most basic health checks. The doctor and nurses started packing up immediately after finishing.

Suddenly, Lily grabbed the doctor’s hand, saying, “Wait!”

Startled, the doctor instinctively flinched and quickly glanced at her, avoiding direct eye contact. "Ms. Christian!"

"Are you afraid of me?" Lily asked, looking at him.

"No..." The doctor vigorously shook his head, but his body language indicated otherwise as he tried to move away.

He hastily pulled his hand away, then turned to the guards. The doctor nodded and quickly left the room. He was afraid that even a second's delay would result in Lily recapturing him.

Lily watched their retreating figures and observed the door closing once more. Then she turned to look at the needle mark on her arm in silence.

…

Maria appeared somewhat distraught after leaving the garage. Although Rhea had returned, she seemed like a different person. Maria would be anxious and concerned whenever she waited for her daughter’s return, constantly checking on Rhea and worrying about her.

Rhea prohibited her mother from contacting her, so Maria dared not send a single message. Rhea also forbade Maria from getting involved, and the latter dared not utter a single word.

Maria would only check on the garage whenever she heard a slight noise or noticed someone tampering with it.

 

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2012-Maria initially worried about Cameron being held hostage in the garage because she had feared him for many years. However, she had somehow grown accustomed to it.

‘So what if he’s a member of the cabinet? Now one will ever know Rhea is keeping him here.’

Although Maria felt uneasy, she was glad her daughter was still alive. She shut the garage door and pushed it to ensure she had securely locked it before heading to the front yard.

Alexander saw her leaving and shifted his body as he sat inside a car on the street. The man in the driver’s seat looked over his shoulder, asking, “Mr. Russell?”

Alexander narrowed his eyes. “Not yet.”

He had been waiting for over three hours. He saw Rhea and Mike coming and going together before Maria came out to lock the door. Alexander knew they must be hiding something inside the garage.

When it was late at night and the surroundings quieted down, Alexander checked the time and said, “Now!”

Several men moved swiftly and soundlessly toward the garage. They were so agile and silent that no one would have noticed their approach. When they reached the garage door, they tried to open it but were unsuccessful.

Alexander frowned. “Go help them!”

The man in the driver’s seat. “But…”

“You think I can’t fend for myself?” Alexander gave him a casual look. “Did what happened in Burnwken make you think I’m too weak to protect myself?”

The man nodded. “Right away, sir!”

He got out of the car and quickly approached the others. Before the alarm went off, he held out a device, and the pulsing red light stopped immediately. Then he looked over his shoulder toward the car.

Although it was dark, and the man was far from Alexander, the two exchanged a knowing look. Alexander nodded slightly at him, and the man proceeded.

The garage door slowly moved and opened to a crack. While trying not to attract attention, the man pulled the door open with his bare hands. The group of men then slipped inside one by one.

In a brief moment, everyone disappeared as if nobody was ever there. Alexander checked the time on his phone and replied to several messages, but there was no news of Lily.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. He knew if he was right, the person should contact him soon. Then he looked up at the Moore Residence. The place was dark. One or two lights would typically be on for a house like this, but not now. It was as if nobody was home.

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2013-Alexander sat quietly in the car, seemingly waiting for something with a calm expression. Although he had many problems to solve, he never lost his patience.

Ten more minutes passed, but it felt like hours. The house remained silent without a single sound. Suddenly, the communication device in the car beeped, emitting a red light.

Alexander pressed the answer button, and a deep voice sounded, “Mr. Russell, we found him.”

Alexander heaved a sigh of relief, then opened his eyes, not allowing himself to be lax. “How’s the situation?”

“He’s unharmed.”

He nodded. “Extract him now.”

“But…” The caller sounded hesitant.

“What’s the problem?”

“Well…” After a pause, another voice came.

Although it was weak, Alexander knew it was Cameron’s voice. “It’s me.”

“Cameron.”

“Tell them to leave without me,” Cameron said lowly.

“But why?” Stunned, Alexander soon caught on. “You want her to keep you hostage?”

“Yes, I can’t tell you much now. Just tell your men to leave. I’ll explain when there’s a chance next time.” Cameron took a deep breath, seemingly suffering from some discomfort.

Alexander frowned. “But you don’t sound like you’re doing too well. Are you sure you’re all right?

“I’m all right. I can manage,” Cameron tried to sound casual, “I must destroy the organization.”

“But…” After hesitating, Alexander continued, “I understand why you’re doing this, but you’re putting your life at risk.”

“I don’t care,” Cameron said indifferently, “Just tell your men to leave before it’s too late.”

“Cameron—”

“Just listen to me!” Cameron continued, “Rhea is using me as a bargaining chip and will soon take me to meet the organization. If you and I work together, we can end this. Besides… I’ve made my arrangements. You don’t have to worry about me, okay?”

Alexander could only listen since Cameron sounded coherent and seemed to have everything planned out. Besides, after knowing Cameron for many years, Alexander knew it was impossible to change the former’s mind.

“All right then,” Alexander answered, “Be careful, all right? Just get away the soonest you can.”

“I will,” Cameron then said no more.

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2014-One of Alexander’s men asked over the radio, “Sir?”

“Leave him,” Alexander slowly said, “Don’t leave any traces of your presence.”

“Yes, sir.” Soon, the men slipped through the garage door and disappeared into the shadows. It was as if they were never around.

“Secretary Rollins refuses to leave,” the man reported as he returned to the driver’s seat.

Alexander nodded. “Well, at least we now know he has a plan.”

He initially thought Rhea had retaken control of Cameron.

‘Cameron let Rhea hold him because he knows how dangerous those viruses are. It almost destroyed Burnwken. Only God knows what the other viruses can do. Besides, Rhea once controlled Cameron using the virus.

‘Cameron knows how ugly things can get if no one stops the organization. Still, he won’t be able to stop Rhea from controlling him again, no matter how strong-willed he is. Fortunately, he’s not under any influence, from what I can tell. Since Cameron has his plans, I shouldn’t worry too much.

After some thought, Alexander looked ahead, saying, “Take me to the Rollins’ residence.

He believed Cameron had not told Anastasia anything for her sake. He wanted to tell Cameron about Anastasia getting sick but decided against it.

After receiving Alexander’s order, the man in the driver’s seat started the car and drove toward the destination. The streets were quiet, with a few cars during the night. The city seemed so peaceful.

Alexander quietly gazed out the window as he sat in the car. The scattered lights of countless households made him feel the need to protect these families at all costs.

“What is it like to be controlled by someone?” He murmured.

The car slowed down but resumed its average speed immediately after. Then the driver slowly said, “It was like having a long, long sleep.”

“A long sleep, huh?” Alexander raised his brow, trying to imagine what it would be like.

“Yes, a sound sleep, like getting cut off from reality. If we don’t wake up, we’ll just continue sleeping, but when we wake…” The man choked up. “Then we discover we might’ve done terrible things and even hurt some people.

“Worse, we can’t excuse ourselves because we were the ones who hurt them, no matter how you see it.” The driver’s voice seemed to echo in the car.

Alexander listened quietly and frowned slightly. After some silence, he said, “It must’ve been tough. Right, Edward?”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2015-The driver turned his face slightly. Although dark, one could see it was indeed him. Edward casually answered, “It was all right.”

Even so, Alexander knew it must have been a nightmare for him—even more so than the gunfights, assassinations, and betrayals they once faced together.

‘The sense of helplessness that we’re no longer in control of our bodies and that we might’ve hurt even those closest to us is unthinkable.’

“If it weren’t for—” Alexander started, but Edward quickly interjected, “It’s not your fault. The organization is inhumane. Even if it weren’t me, they would target another person. Besides, it allowed me to obtain helpful information.

After a pause, he casually continued, “Perhaps fate made it happen.”

Alexander chuckled, feeling slightly relieved. “Since when have you believed in fate, Edward?”

“People change.” Edward laughed. “Lily once said we all think differently at different stages of our lives due to what we’ve been through.”

His smile gradually froze, and he fell silent.

“I’m sure she’ll be all right,” Edward tilted his head and said, “She’s smart and capable.”

“She is.” Alexander nodded, his finger tapping his knee. “That’s why I’m worried.”

‘Sometimes it’s not good to stand out from the rest.’

Although Lily had tried keeping a low profile and focused only on perfumery, she still became a target.

‘Perhaps it’s as Edward says, some things are fated. The organization found her and dragged her into this mess. I can only blame myself for failing to protect her and not being strong enough.’

Being a successful businessman for many years, Alexander had always thought he was powerful enough, but everything that happened made him realize he was powerless.

He and Edward remained silent. It was dawn when they arrived at the Rollins’ residence. Edward was about to pull up to the gate when Alexander stopped him. “Let’s wait a while. Anastasia might still be sleeping.”

Edward parked the car in the shade under a tree nearby. However, they heard the sound of an approaching ambulance a moment later. It sped by them, and the gate to the Rollins’ residence opened to let it in.

Shocked, Edward looked over his shoulder at Alexander and saw an alarmed look in his eyes.

Taken aback, Edward looked over his shoulder at Alexander and saw an alarmed look in his eyes. After a while, the ambulance sped out of the gate and left.

Alexander exited the car with a frown and hurried over to the gate to stop it from closing. “Who was in that ambulance?”

Although he asked the question, he could already guess who it was.

“It’s Ms. Rollins.” Surprised, the maid recognized Alexander and answered truthfully.

Alexander said gravely, “What kind of illness?”

“I’ve no idea. Ms. Rollins has been feverish and coughing for the last two days. She even started throwing up blood this morning. She was also in a stupor, so we called an ambulance.”

The maid shook her head and added, “That’s all we know.”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2016 -Afterward, the maid quickly shut the gate and said nothing more. She would not have revealed anything if anyone else were asking questions.

However, Alexander was worried as he did not expect Anastasia’s condition to worsen so fast. She told him she was okay but started vomiting blood so suddenly.

“Let’s head to the hospital!” He said.

“But…” Edward hesitated. After all, Alexander said he wanted to minimize contact with people.

“We’ll keep our distance. Also, tell the hospital to get me a hazmat suit,” Alexander said gravely.

‘I must see her no matter what and find out more. If I have something to do with her being sick, anyone who has contact with her must go into quarantine. If not, there will be a serious outbreak!’

“Yes, sir!” Edward immediately called the hospital. Soon after, he quickly drove Alexander to the hospital.

…

When Dominic regained consciousness, he turned his head but saw no one around. He looked left and right and found he was alone. Tired and in pain, he let out a quiet sigh and elicited a response.

“Uncle Dom, you’re awake?” It was Austin’s voice.

Surprised, the older man raised his head and realized Austin was sitting at a desk across from the end of his bed.

“What are you doing over there?” Dominic dropped his head, too tired to move.

Austin put down his pen and hurried over. “I was taking notes. Are you hungry? Would you like to eat something? Or have some water?”

“Water,” the older man said.

Austin immediately fetched Dominic a glass of water and helped him drink half of it. He put it down and wiped the corner of Dominic’s lips with a napkin. “Are you still feeling uncomfortable?”

Dominic shook his head and tilted it to look at his grandnephew.

“What’s wrong?” Austin asked, puzzled.

“You seem different,” Dominic said thoughtfully.

Austin was surprised and chuckled. “Different in what way? Have you forgotten who I am after sleeping for too long?”

“Did I sleep for a long time?” Dominic asked confusedly.

“Not really. Just around eighteen hours.” Austin looked outward at the window. “It’s good to rest.”

Dominic let out a bitter smile. ‘How can he call this resting? Anyway, he sure seems different now.’

“What were you doing just now?” He noticed Austin was calmer and less impatient than before.

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2017-“I was taking notes,” Austin answered again patiently. He saw Dominic’s puzzled look, then fetched his notebook and showed it to him.

Dominic stretched but was too weak to hold the notebook, so Austin crouched by the bed and held the notebook for him. He said, “I’ll hold it for you.”

The older man narrowed his eyes and started to read. Austin had filled the book densely with neat handwriting. His notes were detailed, too. He included dates, wrist pulse results, analysis, pathological speculations, and thoughts about various possibilities.

He also marked personal speculations as references only.

Dominic was surprised by what his grandnephew wrote.

As he read on, Austin explained, “I took your pulse once every two hours for the past two days and then jotted down my notes. I know the pulse doesn’t change much over a short period, but I wanted to see the difference.

“After all, the virus is unlike any we’ve encountered before. Since I have nothing else to do here and can’t help much, I thought it was better to do anything I could since I might be able to notice something we might’ve missed.

“You must think it’s foolish of me,” Austin sounded helpless. He desperately wanted to do something to save his granduncle and his family, but he did not know how to eliminate the virus.

Dominic shook his head, looking somewhat pleased. “No, you did very well.”

“Huh?” Austin was surprised.

‘This is the first time Uncle Dom has ever complimented me!’

He had always considered himself a genius, and Dominic was just biased against him due to what happened years ago. However, Austin had learned over the past two years that he had minimal knowledge.

He also realized Lily was far better than him and that his ego caused the calamity. He wanted to fix things, but there was nothing much he could do. That was why he gave his best to do whatever he could now.

Still, he never expected Dominic to compliment him instead of resorting to mockery.

Austin got emotional and even wanted to cry. “You’re… commending me?”

“Why? Would you rather I give you an earful?” Dominic glared at Austin and snorted.

“No, no, no! I just never thought you would praise me,” Austin quickly explained. He tried to grin but could not. After all, Dominic was unwell, and the situation was still severe.

Austin had no reason to smile.

“Well, you have shown improvement.” Dominic sighed gently and softened his tone. “You used to be impulsive and impatient.”

Austin nodded. “Yes, you’re right. I reflected on what you said during this period and realized I was wrong.”

“Well, it’s a common problem among you young people.” After a pause, Dominic smiled and added, “But you also have the drive and enthusiasm of a young man. Although your methods are stupid sometimes, you’re doing a good job, okay?”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2018-Dominic tapped on the notebook. “Even if the interval is short, the information can be helpful. See? The wrist pulse records might not have changed much, but there are differences. The morning, afternoon, and evening periods show evident fluctuations here and here. Oh?”

He sounded astonished at the last part as if he had made an extraordinary discovery.

“What’s the matter?” Austin asked eagerly.

Dominic narrowed his eyes, then waved. “Get me my glasses.”

He was far-sighted. Although he had a pair of reading glasses, he seldom wore them because he did not want to admit he was old. Furthermore, he usually did not need them while preparing medicine or gardening.

Austin was surprised he wanted to wear them and quickly fetched the glasses. Dominic put them on and carefully reread each line.

Curious, Austin leaned closer to see what he was reading. However, he saw nothing unusual since these were his notes.

“How come?” Dominic cocked his head and became thoughtful.

Although curious, Austin did not interrupt his granduncle. He knew the older man needed time to consider his discovery, whatever it was. After a while, Dominic lay back down and stared at the ceiling.

Seeing him so, Austin straightened up and stood aside in silence. Then he picked up his notebook and went through his notes.

‘Although the pulse records didn’t change much, there are variations. From the viewpoint of herbal medicine, Uncle Dom’s vitality has suffered due to damage to different organs. Does that mean the virus attacked different organs at different times?’

Austin felt that was what caught Dominic’s attention.

“Uncle Dom…” After a while, he saw Dominic close his eyes and ask tentatively, “Do the variations at different periods reflect the changes in the virus’s activities?”

Dominic slowly opened his eyes, turned to look at his grandnephew, then nodded.

Austin was thrilled. It meant that he had correctly guessed that Dominic shared a similar thought. Austin had always doubted himself, thinking he was incompetent. He felt ashamed because he could do nothing despite people calling him a miracle doctor for so long.

That was why he resorted to taking down notes, hoping to be of help to Dominic. His seemingly stupid method did prove helpful now.

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2019-After a while, Dominic casually said, “Did you notice a pattern with the virus?”

“It’s active during the day and dormant at night?” Austin thought for a moment and answered.

The older man nodded approvingly. “Most viruses are active at night, but this one is most active during the day. That’s why I slept well at night while suffering various discomforts during the day.”

Austin patted himself. After all, he had also monitored his condition over the past two days. “This could be one of the traits the organization developed during the research. Still, I don’t understand how the transmission works. How come Alex, Galen, and I are okay?”

Even so, his pulse had always been average and steady.

“Let’s say I’m immune to the virus because I’m the source—what about Alex and Galen? It doesn’t make sense,” he quickly added after a momentary pause, “Of course, I’m happy they’re okay. I’m just curious why.”

Dominic was curious about it as well.

‘If it’s not contagious, how come the servants and Austin’s parents caught it? If it’s contagious, it’s a miracle Alex and Galen are fine.’

“I believe we’ll find out soon. Although the virus is tough to crack, it’s not too deadly.”

The older man took a deep breath, then shut Austin up with a look. “Of course, we don’t know its long-term impacts on human bodies, but we know it won’t instantly kill us, at least for now.

“Still, it’s very harmful,” Austin said, concerned.

“It is.” Dominic nodded. “But look at me. Although I’m old and have suffered a lot, I'm still alive!”

He sounded somewhat proud as he continued, “The virus couldn’t even beat me, so it’s not that deadly, okay?”

Austin was amused. Simultaneously, he was glad his granduncle was in high spirits. After all, they only stood a chance to fight the virus when their will remained strong.

“You’re right.” He nodded. “Very soon, we’ll be able to counter it!”

Dominic said, “The best time to do it is at night.”

Surprised, Austin quickly caught on. “I’ll get ready. Let’s deal with the virus tonight. Wait, am I good enough for acupuncture?”

He could not help but hesitate. He knew Dominic wanted him to perform the treatment, but he had never done it despite seeing others perform it often. Besides, he had no precedents to refer to and had to rely on his experience. He worried about making mistakes.

“You have to ask yourself that question!” Dominic smiled.

The smile encouraged Austin.

‘He’s right. If a physician doesn’t believe in themself, how can they make a patient trust them?’

He nodded vigorously. “Yes, I am good enough. Leave it to me!”

Spoiled by mr. russell chapter 2020 -Alexander entered the hospital wearing a hazmat suit.

Anastasia had already received emergency treatment, and the doctor diagnosed her condition as not severe.

The doctor mentioned that her symptoms resulted from long-standing obesity and complications. Although she had lost weight, the doctor considered her overweight, and her cold and fever weakened her.

After receiving intravenous treatment, the nurses transferred Anastasia to the VIP war. No one else was in the quiet ward beside her.

Alexander told his men to ensure it so that he would not come in contact with other people. He also did not want others to know about what was happening.

Anastasia was on IV drips as she lay in bed, eyes closed, seemingly asleep. Alexander stood by the bed and studied her face quietly. Her face was pale, and her lips were dry. She looked dehydrated, with red spots on her skin.

The doctor said the fever caused the spots, but Alexander instinctively knew that was false. Although he was not a doctor, he had encountered enough cases to know that Anastasia’s symptoms were not from a common cold or fever.

Anastasia frowned and slowly opened her eyes, probably due to the drugs. However, she was still in a daze and closed her eyes again.

She opened them again after a while and realized where she was. When her gaze returned to Alexander, she screamed, “Ah!”

“It’s me,” Alexander said calmly, knowing no one could hear them. He had his men clear the surroundings, and none would see them either.

Anastasia was surprised that the voice sounded familiar and stopped screaming. She also noticed her scream did not attract any attention. Not even a footstep was audible outside. She stared at the man in the hazmat suit and saw his eyes.

After a moment’s hesitation, she tentatively called out, “Alex?”

Alexander nodded. “Yeah. Sorry to show up like this. How are you feeling now?”

“I…” Confused, Anastasia caught herself. “Where am I? Why am I… oh, I’m in a hospital?”